Modu annyoung,
Got this finished a little ahead of schedule. Some
more things will come out in Part 10, which I will
title "When Little Girls Play...!" (it's the part
where Hinako and Aria get a BIG present from Jonna and
Orin, plus we find out what happened to Ten-chan)!
Enjoy!
Fred
=====
Fred Herriotfherriot@yahoo.com**** **** ****"Fanfiction IS Real Life!"**** **** ****
______________________________________________________________________
Find, Connect, Date! http://personals.yahoo.ca
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
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Promised Island, nighttime...
"Hinako-sama, why are you still awake?"
Hinako blinks, then looks over to see Jonna gazing concernedly
at her. "Oh, Jonna-oneetama..." the young girl grunts, rubbing
her eye, then she draws her stuffed doll, Fuku-san, closer. "Not
sleepy..."
"Oh, Hinako-sama," Jonna's cheeks flush as her mind registers
Hinako addressing her as "big sister," then she kneels beside the
younger girl's bed. "You're still a growing girl, Hinako-sama.
Growing girls need their beauty sleep," she moves to tuck Hinako
in. "There you go..."
"Onee-tama?"
"What is it?"
"Does Onee-tama like being a bio-...? Bior-...?!" Hinako
stutters, then sighs. "Er, what Rinrin-chan called Onee-tama
this morning."
"A bioroid?" Jonna's eyebrows arch, then she sighs. "It is my
life now, Hinako-sama. Whether or not I like being this way isn't
relevant. I have to accept it, just like Ranma-sama must accept
her curse."
Hinako takes that in, then reaches up to trace a finger over the
Niphentaxian-Avalonian's forehead, carefully not putting more
pressure than necessary when it came to her sleep spot. "When Hina
touched Onee-tama up here...?" she sighs. "Did Onee-tama dream when
Onee-tama went to sleep?"
"I..." Jonna blinks, then sighs. "I don't remember if I dreamed
or not, Hinako-sama. But if I did, I hoped I would've dreamt of
you."
Hinako blinks, then her cheeks redden. "Onee-tama..."
she reaches down to hold Jonna's hand. "Will Onee-tama stay
forever?"
"Hai, I'll stay forever. For as long as you want me to stay,
Hinako-sama," Jonna smiles, raising Hinako's hand to touch her cheek.
"As long as you want me to stay with you, Hinako-sama, I'll stay."
Hinako smiles, then her eyes flutter as fatigue takes her, then
she turns on her side to face her new friend. Jonna watches as the
girl falls asleep, then sighs. "Rest well, Hinako-sama. You'll
need it..."
* * *
"Lonely Souls"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko
Takahashi; and "Sister Princess," created by Naoto Tenhiro and
Sakurako Kimino. This story is set after the end of the "UY" and
"Ranma" manga series.
**** **** ****
NOTE: The writer's notes are at the end of the Prologue.
**** **** ****
THE NINTH PART - REVELATIONS
Nerima, the Moroboshi home, before dawn...
Ataru sits atop a rock in the front yard of the old shrine he
calls home. In salute to Ranma, he wears a black Mandarin tang and
pants, slip-on American-style moccasins finishing the ensemble.
His hands are clasped together before him, his eyes closed as he
engages in mokuso, concentrating all his body's chi into finding
his spiritual centre. He had never really meditated before meeting
up again with Negako; to do something like that once smacked of
something Shutaro Mendou might do to reinforce his self-image
as a modern samurai. However, when the grandmistress introduced
him to the simply joy of mokuso, Ataru soon came to cherish these
times.
Especially after everything in his life turned upside-down...
Ranma steps out, then pauses, gazing on Ataru as he meditates.
Waiting for a minute to see if he would openly acknowledge her, she
then heads over to the rock, kneeling facing him. As she relaxes,
his eyes open, a smile crossing his face. "Ohayou, Ranma. Did you
sleep well?" he gently shifts his shoulders to wear off any stiffness
in the joints.
"Yeah, I did," Ranma then takes a deep breath to regulate
her breathing as Ataru reaches over to hold her hands. "I think I'm
getting really addicted to sleeping with you in the same bed, you
know that."
"I think it's because we cuddle so much," he muses, reaching
up to gently massage her shoulders. "That's the one thing everyone,
boy or girl, really needs in their life is to be cuddled by those
who care for them."
"Yeah. Oyaji wouldn't do something like that to me. Wouldn't
be 'manly' and all that. I bet Mom did it to me when I was really
young, but I can't remember that now," she laments, then stares at
him. "What about Kinshou? Did she ever hug you and all that when
you were young?"
"Maybe, but like you, I don't recall those times. Chances
are there that if she did do anything like that, it wasn't with the
same passion she might've shown Kaeru before he died," he shrugs.
"What about Lum?"
"Lum...?" Ataru blinks, then shakes his head. "I dunno. I
mean, I know she was pretty passionate when it came to expressing
herself to me, but it's hard to enjoy a hug when you're getting
zapped at the same time. The girl really had a BIG problem with
self-control."
"Pity. Well, wanna get started?"
"Okay."
They step off the rock, moving to a clear area. Placing
themselves in front of the other, they raise one hand (Ataru's
right, Ranma's left) in a partial wing chun kung fu salutation.
The opposite fists come up, but are placed into the other person's
palm. The fingers curl on the other's fist, then both bow to each
other, their lips gently coming together in a warm kiss. They remain
that way for a moment, then gently part.
"Daisuki da," Ranma smiles.
"Aishite yo," Ataru smiles back.
They pull apart, then assume a relaxed stance as Ataru's hands
reach out. Ranma's touch his hands, then both begin the Toi Sau, the
pushing hands drill from T'ai Chi Chuan. Their sense of time melts
away as they focus their chi energy into touching and merging with
the other's. The only indication that the morning is moving on is
the lightening of the sky, the sun peeking over the downtown Tokyo
skyline to the east of the shrine.
Soon, the exercise morphs from a simple pushing hands drill into
a gentle sparring form, akin to what Ranma did at the Tendou dojo
almost every morning with Genma, but set in very slow-motion.
Of course, if they wanted to, Ataru and Ranma could turn up the heat
considerably, wage a mock battle only an idiot would wander into the
middle of. But that wasn't necessary now. Both knew they could do
it if circumstances demanded it.
Finally, she sighs. "I like this."
"Why?" he asks.
"I dunno," she lightly shrugs, backing away as he sends a
roundhouse kick towards her face. "I guess it's because it's so
different from what I normally did with Oyaji. He always said that
everything in life's gotta be taken on as a fight. You always fight
to win."
"You don't accept that now, do you?"
"Hell, no! Of course not!" she grins.
"That's good," he sighs, gently intercepting a sweep kick. "You
know, Ranma, half your problems would've dried up if you only sat
back and thought about it instead of always lashed out at it with
your fists."
"Yeah, true," Ranma pauses, then sighs, pulling back from Ataru
as she lowers herself back onto the rock. "I guess, in the end,
Oyaji won."
"What do you mean?" Ataru stops, then sits beside her.
"Sunday night," she sighs. "I freak out, then friggin'
dismember him on the spot. I let myself become the monster he wanted
me to be."
"Do you regret that?"
"Hell, of course I do!"
"Then you're no monster," Ataru wraps an arm around her. "You
still have a conscience, Ranma. You still have a heart and soul.
If Genma stamped that out, you wouldn't've cared what happened
to him or anyone else. 'Sides, there's the saying 'You reap what you
sew.' Genma should've realized sooner or later you or someone else
would've stumbled onto what he did to you, then once you were free
of it, you would've retaliated. And since he kept you concentrated
on martial arts, your retaliation would've been physical. His pride
blinded him in the end, Ranma. He paid for it."
Ranma blinks, then leans her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, I
guess he did. I just wish I didn't have to keep on paying for it."
"Well, concentrate on the things you were directly responsible
for. Anything he did doesn't matter. You renounced that on Sunday,
remember? The Kuonjis accept that. The Tendous have no choice BUT
to accept it. I'm sure everyone else will accept it, given time."
A pause, then, "And if they choose not to, it's their problem,
not yours. It's your life, Ranma."
"Yeah, that's true," Ranma stares at him, then kisses his cheek.
"Hmmm," Ataru closes his eyes. "Care for a long bath?"
"You bet!"
* * *
Tomobiki...
The lone woman stands at the front gate of Tomobiki High, gazing
at the "Renegade." Tears spill down her cheeks as she clenches
and unclenches her fists, a cyclone of emotions boiling in her heart.
Damn them! Damn them, how DARE they come here after what
happened last week?! Who were they going to kill next? Wasn't the
death of her son and his friends enough for these monsters?!
Wasn't it...?
Shuddering, Rui Megane turns, storming away. It was time to
make some calls, talk to some people. A message had to be sent.
A very strong message...
* * *
Nerima, the Moroboshi home, breakfast...
"Ranma-chan?"
Ranma blinks, then stares quizzically at Hinako Ninomiya.
They were now in the kitchen preparing some breakfast. "Oh,
Ninomiya-sensei, ohayou. There somethin' wrong there?" she smiles,
keeping an eye on the miso soup.
"It depends," Hinako crosses her arms. The stern look on the
child-teacher's face seemed totally out of place with the
pre-adolescent body she normally wore. "I noticed you and
Moroboshi-kun spent a considerable amount of time in the furo this
morning after you had your work-out."
Ranma blinks, then sighs. "And if we did?"
"Saotome-kun, I hope you realize that some people will not
approve of that sort of behaviour whatsoever," Hinako warns.
Her fists clench. "And who are you to tell me what is
appropriate or inappropriate behaviour within the walls of this
house, Hinako?" her voice turns to ice. "I don't recall this being
part of Furinkan High School."
Hinako jolts, a shiver running through her. "Ranma..."
"Do you perchance believe that, because you desire a
relationship with Souun Tendou, you have the right to dictate things
to me outside the bounds of school?" Ranma glares at the
younger-looking woman. "I hoped everyone would have, by now, been
told that what arrangement Oyaji made with Tendou-san was declared
null-and-void. If you haven't understood it by now, then I
apologize, but you have NO right to dictate anything WHATSOEVER
about what I do with Ataru when it's not on school property,
Ninomiya-*san!*" her voice drips scorn, that very indicative
of what Ranma thought about her homeroom teacher. "Be grateful
that Ataru's a pretty forgiving guy, because if you stuck your nose
where it didn't belong in *my* house, I'd be tempted to finish what
those assholes started on Tuesday!"
She storms out of the kitchen. Hinako shudders, a mixture
of fear and shock clutching her heart, then she senses someone now
standing behind her. Spinning around, she finds herself staring
into up Ataru's face. "Sensei, you are guest here," he frostily
intones, then turns to join Ranma in the dining area. "I highly
suggest you start acting like one."
Hinako remains in place as he goes...
* * *
Promised Island...
"Ohayou, Akane. Sleep well last night?"
Akane blinks, then turns to see Orin step into the recreation
room of Welcome House. "Ohayou, Orin. Hai, I did. How about you?"
"Hai, it was peaceful for me...? Eh?! Jonna, are you okay?!"
Both see a weary-eyed Jonna step in, stretching herself as she
yawns. "Ore...?" she looks around, then noticing Orin and Akane
staring at her, forces a smile. "Oh, everyone, ohayou," she nods,
then sits beside Orin. "I stayed up late at Hinako-sama's
bedside. She was having a nightmare."
"Oh?" Akane blinks, an eyebrow arching. "You know, you don't
need to coddle these girls too much, Jonna. If they're living here
instead of with their parents and all that, they're probably used to
being alone."
"Perhaps, but Hinako-sama still needs comfort," Jonna retorts.
"It's not right that she's practically left here alone while her
mother and step-father are trekking around the world trying to earn
money."
Akane blinks, then stares at Orin. "Is that what they all do?"
"That's what Aria-sama's parents do, too, but I'm not sure about
the others," Orin nods, then stretches herself. "Well, at least
Aria-sama has Guenevere-san to keep her company. It's not the same
with the others."
"Shameful," Jonna shakes her head.
"Oh, relax! We're used to it."
They turn to see Rinrin standing behind them, a light smile on
the teen genius' face. "Oh, Rinrin-san, ohayou!" Akane lightly
smiles.
"Ohayou, minna," Rinrin replies, then looks around. "Hey,
Shirayuki, what's up for breakfast there?! I'm starved!"
"Wait a while, Rinrin!" Shirayuki's voice echoes from the
kitchen. "Hime's baking some fruit bread. This is going to take a
bit!"
"Right," Rinrin waves, then turns to head off. "Well, it's off
to the laboratory for this genius! I'll see you guys later!"
"What are you making now?" Akane's eyebrow arches. She had seen
Rinrin out with Mega-Rinrin yesterday doing some exercises on the
courtyard in front of Welcome House. The damned thing was as big as
the Dojo Destroyer who had come to challenge the Tendou dojo a year
ago!
"Oh, something to keep Aniki company when I go abroad to study,
though I might end up changing it when I get a chance to look at this
bioroid factory Jonna and Orin told us about," Rinrin winks. "Ciao!"
She heads out. Akane blinks, then she sits back in her chair.
"Jeez, are these girls REALLY related to Ataru-san?!!"
"Why do you ask that?!" Jonna gazes quizzically at her.
"With the way these girls act around him at times?! You'd think
they were his harem instead of his family!!" Akane snorts, then yelps
as something HARD belts her in the back of her head. "Itte!!!"
"Idiot!!!" Mamoru stands behind the youngest Tendou, holding
her snowboard, Wipeout, in hand. "Get your goddamned sewer-pit
of a brain outta the gutter, Tendou! Open your eyes while you're
at it, too!!"
The athlete storms off. Akane watches her go, then sighs. "I
don't think that was a very nice thing to say about them, Akane,"
Orin warns.
Akane blinks, then slowly nods. "Yeah...!"
* * *
"Being a little harsh there, Mamoru?"
Mamoru stares at Haruka. Both are beyond the front doors of
Welcome House; the latter always worked in the courtyard when she did
her morning katas. "Nah!" the former snorts. "Just giving Tendou
a taste of the crap she heaped on Anee all the time. Kinda pity we
couldn't do what Sakuya proposed yesterday and force her into taking
pictures! That would've really got the message to her if you ask me.
Gotta go there. See ya!"
She heads towards the shopping district. The martial artist
watches her, then shakes her head, moving to head inside for
breakfast...
* * *
Tomobiki, the Megane home...
"So why did they come back?! And who did come back anyway,
Rui?"
"I couldn't tell," Rui pours tea for her visitors, then walks
to the coffee table. "But there was that spaceship sitting there
on the school's lawn. And no one seems to care that it's ruining
the grass or depriving flowers of sunlight. Just like all the OTHER
times those aliens've acted like this was their private playpen,
Junko..." she pauses, then shudders as fresh tears flow down her
cheeks. "Damn them...! Damn them all...!"
Hands reach to her shoulders in support. "You're not the only
one who's in mourning here, Rui-chan," Junko Kakugari whispers.
Given her stocky build and freckled face, it was obvious where her
son Daremo got his looks and girth from. "We're all mourning,
too. But how the hell do we fight those damned monsters in the first
place?! Who do we turn to?"
"That's the problem, isn't it?" Hiroko Chibi sips her tea.
Unlike Urayamu, she is tall and slender. Like the others, however,
Hiroko's face is etched with the deep pain she felt at her son's
death not two weeks ago. "Who do we turn to? How do we make those
things leave us be?! Every time someone here tried to talk to the
district council about it, all they said was 'It's going to be dealt
with!' And nothing ever changed! Not a damned thing ever changed!!"
her fists clench, then she sighs. "Not until Kinshou's boy moved
out of town..." she whispers.
"Blaming everything on Ataru's meaningless, Hiroko," Shitto
Paama's mother, Yayoi, shakes her head. "Personally, I don't think
he was responsible for anything that happened here AT ALL,
minna-chan! He just had the ill-luck to be at the wrong place at the
wrong time!"
"Surely, you're not blaming Shitto?" Rui pales.
"No, of course not!!" Yayoi snarls, then sighs. "Besides,
look how young they were! Are kids that age REALLY responsible
for what happens?"
Rui blinks, then shakes her head. "Well, Lum should've been
made to see how responsible SHE was for all the garbage that happened
here!" she hisses. "Maybe if something was done to her beforehand,
the rest of that miserable lot would've been made to see some
reason."
"The government was probably coddling them all along," Hiroko
sighs.
"Most likely," Junko nods, then blinks. "Wait a minute..."
"What?" Yayoi stares at her.
"Don't you remember, Yayoi? There was that young man who came
to the school after everything happened," Junko then hums as she
tries to remember the fellow's name, then she gasps. "Reigi Yumoa!
That was his name! He's the one who said he was the executor of
Ataru's grandmother's will!!"
The others' eyes widen. "Oh, that's right!" Hiroko nods. "He's
the one who told the reporters about Ataru renouncing everything
with Kinshou and Muchi..." she pauses, then shakes her head. "Gods,
how could he do THAT to them? Things couldn't've been THAT bad when
they were together!"
"Hiroko, you know how Kinshou was like after Kaeru-chan
died," Rui reminds her, then sips her tea. "Yes, it was going pretty
far when he said to her 'You're dead to me,' but when he got told..."
"WAS he ever told?" Yayoi asks.
Rui pauses, then sighs. "Maybe he was. I don't know, Yayoi."
"We should go find this Yumoa-san and ask him what we can do,"
Junko steers the conversation back on track.
The others stare on her, then nod...
* * *
Nearby...
"Did you hear that?"
Fungi gazes at his fellow observers. The group of Niphentaxians
who were charged with monitoring four of the "holy apostles" lived
in a house not so far from the Megane home. During their stay here
in the Holy City, most of them had come to care very much not just
for the four members of Lum's Bodyguards, but their parents as well.
"Why are the Holy Mothers blaming everything on the Goddess and the
Holy Company?" the youngest of them, Nari, wonders. Barely in her
teens, she joined their group because her parents were priests on the
Homeworld and had the necessary influence to see their child sent to
such a prestigious post. That influence had come to save Nari's
life; the group's commander had just confirmed that her parents
had died in the Cataclysm. "Don't they understand the Truth?!"
Fungi tries not to twitch too much. Unlike the others here,
he had joined the Church of Lum out of peer pressure. He found it
pretty hard to swallow everything his co-workers accepted as 'the
True Faith.' "They're grieving for their sons, Nari," he sighs,
slipping off his earphones. "Any mother who loses a child so
traumatically would automatically seek to put some blame on someone.
Besides, they've complained about their sons' loyalty to Lum-sama
many times before. This is just par for the course."
"But to hear them speak so violently about the Goddess?"
another man wonders, then stares at his companions. "Do you think
the Great Evil might have influenced the Holy Mothers away from the
Goddess?"
"A possibility. After all, the Great Evil's own mother was
close friends to the Holy Mothers," another woman nods.
"Perhaps we should find this Reigi Yumoa and have him
interrogated," Nari then proposes. "It's quite clear now that this
man is a close friend of the Great Evil. Perhaps he has the
necessary knowledge we can use to finally destroy the Great Evil and
fulfil the Goddess' Desire!"
Fungi stares at Nari, then shakes his head. Blessed Eternity
Above, didn't these people understand that Lum's REAL desire had all
along been to MARRY Ataru Moroboshi, not KILL him? Why were they
warping everything so much out of shape because they based so much
on the diaries of men whose fondest dream was to win Lum's love for
themselves? Idiots!
"We should discuss this with the others before taking any
action," he then speaks up. "Don't forget, the United Nations'
special authority when it comes to non-Terrans get all their weapons
from the Zephyrites. And the United Nations aren't afraid to call
on the Zephyrites when they need help. They did it when they
restricted Lum-sama and all Federation citizens to live within the
borders of Tomobiki-cho. Our presence here, as we're all quite
aware, is illegal. If we expose ourselves..." his voice trails off.
The others stare at him, then nod...
* * *
The Toranoseishin Finances Tower, that moment...
"It appears, Ani-kun, you have someone targeting you now."
Reigi Yumoa glances over Chikage's shoulder to stare into the
crystal ball the sorceress used to spy on the Niphentaxians
living near the Megane home. "Are these idiots for real,
Chikage-chan?!" he shakes his head.
"Unfortunately, yes," Chikage nods. "However, this one here..."
she points at Fungi, "...doesn't seem to be as passionate about it as
his companions. I sense some non-Niphentaxian ancestry in him."
"Could we use him?" Reigi crosses his arms.
"Perhaps. I'll examine him a little more closely. What will
you do with the bodyguards' mothers? They clearly need a chance
to express their own feelings towards what happened to their sons."
Reigi hums, then nods. "Yeah, I suppose they do. We can't
blame them because their sons were a pack of lovestruck idiots.
I wonder, though; should I tell them what Ataru thought of those
guys?"
"'Traitors to the human race?'" the sorceress winces, then
sighs. "Well, sometimes, a direct message is needed."
"True..."
* * *
Nerima, the Moroboshi home...
"Moroboshi-kun?"
"Yes, Sensei?" Ataru stares at Hinako. Ranma was now in the
kitchen with Negako and a slowly-recovering Chigaiko cleaning up
after breakfast.
"I..." the child-teacher sighs, then bows her head. "I'd like
to apologize for my probing into what is happening between you and
Saotome-kun earlier this morning. You and your sister are doing so
much, not just for me but for Saotome-kun and Inu-kun as well.
Though..." a pause, then, "...I am very much concerned about how far
things have gone between you and Saotome-kun, I really have no right
to delve into your personal affairs."
Ataru blinks, then nods. "I can accept that, Sensei."
Hinako tilts her head slightly. "Still, I have..." a pause,
then, "...a question if you don't mind answering it."
"Well, you can ask. I won't guarantee that I'll answer it."
"Fair enough. Do you love Ranma?"
"Yes, I do."
The child-teacher is taken aback by Ataru's abruptness,
then she sighs. "Is it because you know she is transforming
into a girl?"
"Said another way: 'Would you still love Ranma if mentally,
he was still a man?'" a wry smile crosses his face, then he sighs,
shrugging. "The answer'd still be 'yes,' Sensei. The type of love
would be different, but I could still say that I love Ranma if she
was still a 'he.'"
"That's very brave," she notes.
"Yes, it is, especially given the misogynist way Ranma was
raised by Genma," he shrugs. "Look, Sensei, were this situation
different -- if Ranma was still a man in her heart and all that -- I
really don't know if I could say that I love him. I certainly
would like to have him as a friend since he and I really didn't have
friends before we met each other..."
"Did he? Did you, for that matter?"
"Realistically, Sensei, the number of real friends we had could
be counted on one hand. For me, there was Tampopo-chan and
(especially with Lum gone) Chigaiko-chan. For Ranma, there was
Kasumi and this doctor she's told me about. Ukyou was one of the
fiancees Ranma never wanted and I'd hardly look at Hibiki as a
'friend.' People like Daisuke and Hiroshi are acquaintances;
Ranma interacts with them, but they don't really have a gut
understanding of what Ranma goes through day-in and out. Do they
want to understand what Ranma is like deep down? You'd have to ask."
A pause, then, "At the same token, you could say that about
Chigaiko-chan. She knew me and liked me, but because she was afraid
to confront Lum's jealousy and defensiveness when it came to our
'relationship,' she didn't press it. Then again, given how nasty
Lum could be at times, that's understandable."
"What about Akane-chan? What about Lum-san for that matter?"
Ataru blinks, then sighs. "That, Ninomiya-sensei,
is for Ranma and I to deal with on our own time," he rises, moving
to get his books. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to get to
school. All the girls'll be getting a nice surprise today and I'd
like to see their reaction to it."
"What sort of surprise?" Hinako's eyebrow arches.
"If I told you, Sensei, it wouldn't be a surprise," he winks...
* * *
Furinkan High School, some time later...
"Aliens at Tomobiki High? Who are you talking about,
Momoe-san?"
Nabiki stands under a cherry tree on the front lawn near the
gate. "There's this ship sitting by the gate now, Nabiki-san,"
Momoe reports over the cell-phone lines. "Don't know where it came
from; I've never seen it before. Doesn't look Oni; it's sort of a
dark green colour. Looks like the Klingon bird-of-prey ship from the
third 'Star Trek' movie if you know what I mean. Can't tell...!
Wait!" she calls out, then silence.
Nabiki blinks. "What?"
"Someone just came out...! Oh, it's Benten!" Momoe reports.
"Yep, there's Oyuki-san there, too...! OH, GODS!!!"
"What?!!" the middle Tendou daughter tenses.
Momoe's voice is hushed with awe. Definitely something male she
had spotted, Nabiki realizes. Someone CUTE! "There...!" Momoe
squeaks. "Oh, gods, you've GOT to see this guy!! He's a HUNK!!!
I...! Oh, chotto!!"
"What?"
"Shinobu-san just arrived. I'll call back," Momoe reports.
The line is cut. Nabiki hums, then slips her cell-phone
back into her pocket as Chieko Fujii walks up, a wrapped box double
the size of a shoebox in hand. "What's up, Chieko?" the former
wonders, then blinks on seeing her name written on the card attached.
"For me?! I never thought you really cared, Chieko-chan!"
she flutters her eyebrows in amusement.
"Ha-ha, Boss, very funny! Every girl in the school's got one
like this sitting on their desks now," Chieko hands the box over.
"Open it."
Nabiki's eyes widen. "EVERY girl?!"
"Yep. Even the ones who are chronic absentees."
She considers that, then takes the box in hand. The wrapping
was plain but decorative, something someone might want to use for a
birthday present. Tearing that off, she opens the box, then her jaw
drops on seeing clothing. Setting the box aside, she pulls out a
pair of gym shorts. Dark blue with silver race lines, it had the
Furinkan High insignia (a palm tree with a bar holding three wind
chimes superimposed on it, FURINKAN in kanji underneath) on the left
front. Nabiki's name in scripted Romanji was on the right front.
On the back left was "3," indicating Nabiki was a third-year
student. The back right had an "F," indicating her actual class.
"Well, I'll be a...!" Nabiki whistles, draping the shorts over
her skirt to get an impression of the fit. Dead on! Then a glance
to the box. A total of five pairs of shorts. "Who the hell bought
these?!"
"Whoever it is, he is most likely VERY rich or has access to
someone who is," Chieko smirks, then yanks up her skirt to reveal
that she had a pair of new gym shorts on underneath (Chieko was in
Class 2-A).
Nabiki looks, then chuckles as her assistant drops her skirt.
"Do the darn things fit?" she takes the pair of shorts in hand and
inspects the manufacturer's tag to analyse the make-up and washing
instructions.
"Damn right they do. And they're COMFORTABLE, way better than
those damn bloomers they make us wear all the time!" Chieko smirks.
"Fabric's tough. It's double-layered, all interwoven. These were
meant to LAST!"
"Yeah, I can see that," Nabiki muses, then reaches into her box
to examine the contents. Under the packaging paper, there is a
simple blank card. Pulling it up, she opens it, then reads:
"Miss Tendou..."
That part was hand-written. The rest is computer print:
"Consider this a present from someone who thinks girls shouldn't
endure archaic school uniform standards anymore. No charge at all.
Here's your excuse (and your classmates') to burn the bloomers
once and for all!"
It was signed "A friend."
"'Burn the bloomers'...?!" Nabiki smirks, then her eyes widen
as her mind translates that phrase into English. "Burn. The.
Bloomers."
"Eh?!" Chieko blinks.
A grin crosses Nabiki's face. "Bee-Tee-Bee. Project
Bee-Tee-Bee. Burn the Bloomers! Well, I'll be damned!!" she starts
to laugh, then turns to Chieko. "Chieko, pass it on to the others
that a new student attending Furinkan High was the one who gave us
our new gym gear!!"
"New student...?" the younger girl's eyebrows arch, then her
eyes widen in recognition. "Boss, you have just GOT to be kidding
me!!"
"I don't kid about something like this! He was talking about
it to his personal ninja brigade after Marie-chan got hurt!"
"Soo ka...!" Chieko blinks, then shakes her head. "Damn!
Who'd've thunk it, huh?" A pause, then, "Nabiki?"
"What is it?" Nabiki quickly notes the younger girl's hushed
voice.
"What do we do about what's going on between Ranma-kun and
Ataru-kun anyway? I mean, if the news gets out, people're gonna
freak right out..."
The middle Tendou daughter shakes her head. "No! I told you to
sit on that information, Chieko," she wags her finger.
"But, Boss, it's...!"
"Chieko," Nabiki's voice hardens. "Remember what I told you
about what went down Sunday night, when Ranma's father got killed?"
Chieko blinks, then gulps. Nabiki had been VERY detailed
when it came to describing Ranma's unleashed Neko-self, not to
mention Ataru's Cyborg persona. "Y-y-yeah...!" she stammers,
her body slightly quivering.
"I happen to have heard from a good source that those parts of
our two friends happen not to like ANY of us, even those who have a
working relationship with me. Like you, Chieko," Nabiki lowers her
voice. "If you blab something to the wrong ears and it starts a
fight, do you want to guess what might happen if things like THEM get
unleashed? You want to live with people's deaths on your conscience,
Chieko? I sure don't."
"But Ranma's never..."
"She has," Nabiki reports. "Just before the 'wedding,'
when she, Akane, Shampoo and a bunch of others were in China. I
don't know all the details about it, but what I DO know is bad
enough. And Ataru-kun's killed several times already. He sure as
hell made it clear when he beat the tar outta Kunou-chan. If what
you say ends up getting Ranma hurt really bad, I don't think Ataru
might be able to control himself. Or would want to."
Chieko takes that in, then gulps...
* * *
Tomobiki...
"Excuse me?"
Momoe jolts, then turns, her heart thumping as her eyes drink
in all of Nassur's handsome features. *He's talking to ME?!* echoes
in her mind as she tries not to make a total fool of herself in front
of him, then she steels her spine. "Er...! Can I help you, sir?"
she manages to squeak.
"Yes, you can," he gives her a disarming smile. "My ship's
sensors picked up your telephone conversation with...? Nabiki?"
his eyebrow arches as he tilts his head slightly, hands clasped
behind his back.
Momoe jolts, a quick flash of panic ripping through her heart,
then she calms herself. "Er, why do you want to know about that,
er...?"
"Nassur of Home Base," he introduces himself. "I'm here on a
mission to speak to Ataru Moroboshi. I understand he used to attend
this school before his falling-out with his parents and Lum-chan."
Momoe blinks. "'Lum-chan?' Were you her boyfriend?"
He stares at her, then laughs. "Oh, no, no! I was her
self-defence instructor some years ago, before she came to Earth.
Anyhow, from what I overheard you speak to this Nabiki girl about,
it appears you seem to be an 'information collector/trader.'
I assume Nabiki is the same way, correct?"
She takes that in, then nods, feeling the initial giddiness
on seeing the handsome expat Vosian fade as she finds herself on more
familiar ground. "Well, yes, we can be called that. Nabiki-san's
-- Nabiki Tendou; that's her name -- sort of the chief infotaku
of Nerima Ward. I work for her, so to speak. So, why do you want
to talk to Ataru-kun for, anyway?"
"That, I'd like to keep between he and I, miss," he reports.
"It's private. However, I can't go to where he is if he's outside
Tomobiki."
Her eyes widen. "Why not?!"
"Well, you see, your own world government, through their Special
Committee on Alien Activities, has stated that unless special
clearance has been given, all visitors from or allied to the Galactic
Federation of Planet-states -- Lum's homeworld is a member of the
Federation -- must remain within the borders of Tomobiki-cho
of Nerima Ward," he explains.
Momoe blinks. "You mean you're bound to something the UN says?
I always felt that aliens did whatever they wanted when they came
here!"
He takes that in, then sighs. "You believe that because of the
'oil incident' and the events around the Second Tag Race, don't you?"
"Hai."
"I see," his mouth hardens into a grim slash. "Well, let me
tell you something. If Lum-chan hadn't've capitulated at the end of
the Second Tag Race, I, acting under orders from the Federation,
would have killed her."
Silence.
Momoe pales. "N-n-n-nani...?!" she stammers.
"It's true," Nassur sighs. "Atop that, those mushrooms Carla
and Lan accidentally unleashed didn't get farther than the limits
of Tomobiki itself. You see, a special type of fungi called a
'wind-daisy' was used to keep the spores from spreading beyond
Tomobiki. You just didn't take time to notice what was happening
beyond your hometown. Also," he takes a deep breath, then gazes at
her. "You're aware of Ataru-san's sister, Negako?"
A shudder runs through the young woman. "I've spoken to her."
"Well then, did you happen to know that if Lum won the FIRST
Tag Race, Negako-san had orders to kill her, then destroy her
father's ship before the Urusians could invade?" Nassur crosses
his arms.
Momoe balks. "WHAT?!?!"
"It's true. I just got that titbit from friends of Ataru-san's
late grandmother on a planet named Jiyuu," he nods. "So, believe
it or not, those who've come to live in Tomobiki while Lum-chan
was here actually were living under a loose set of rules. Perhaps
a little TOO loose if what I sense of your feelings for Lum-chan
are true. But they were there."
"I...! I see," Momoe recovers, then draws out her cell-phone
and dials a number. "Chotto matte kudasai, Nassur-san," she holds
up a finger, then places the cell-phone close to her ear as the other
end answers.
"Moshi-moshi, Tendou desu. Is that you, Momoe-san?"
"Hai, Nabiki san, it's me. Listen. How'd you like to speak
to your first-ever alien?" Momoe then smirks.
"Eh?!"
Momoe hands the phone over...
* * *
Furinkan High School...
"Tendou-san?"
Male, accented voice, very husky. "Hai, Tendou desu," Nabiki
quickly recovers. "And you are...?" her voice trails in a curious
hum.
"Nassur of Home Base," he replies. "I was Lum's self-defence
combat instructor before she came to Earth. I understand you're
acquainted with Ataru Moroboshi. I assume he attends your high
school now."
"Um. Yes, he does. May I ask why you want to speak to him?"
A chuckle. "You may ask, but it's a personal matter."
Nabiki blinks. This guy sounded very confident. Like Ranma
was at times, but without the annoying brashness. *Don't cross this
guy,* a voice in her head warns, then she perks as an idea comes to
her. "Well, tell me this then, Nassur-san. Are you acquainted
with a man named Oogi?"
Silence.
"Ataru-san told you some things, didn't he?"
Sympathy, just enough to make any wary person relax. "Hai, he
did. But I bet you don't know that the 'president' of -- Phentax
Two, was it? -- is still ALIVE, Nassur-san. And now in orbit over
Earth to (as Negako-san might say it) renew 'acquaintances'
with Ataru-kun."
Silence.
"You've met Negako-san. She told you that?"
"Hai, she did. I'm a student of hers, though I'm nowhere close
to Ataru-kun's league when it comes to the Moroboshis' Art." A
pause. "And I've seen Ataru-kun's delightful imitation of the
Terminator, too."
A pause, then, "The Cyborg, you mean?"
"Hai."
"I see. I hope he's preparing to give Oogi a proper reception."
"Hai, he is. I don't know all the details, though. I..."
Nabiki looks towards the front gate to see Ataru and Ranma step
through. "Wait! He just got here! Ataru!!!" she calls out, then
holds up her cell-phone.
Ataru glances her way, then sighs, walking over, Ranma behind
her. "I take it the call's from someone in Tomobiki?" his eyebrow
arches.
"A friend of your so-called 'wife,'" Nabiki hands the phone
over.
"Thought so," he holds it close to him. "Hai, Moroboshi
desu. Welcome to Earth, Nassur-san. What can I do for you today?"
"Ah, Ataru-san," Nassur chuckles. "I was wondering if you could
come to Tomobiki so we can have a chance to talk. Some people need
some answers concerning what you've been up to concerning Phentax
Two and Noukiios."
"Any of those people from Uru, by any chance?"
"No, but other parts of the Federation are getting curious."
"I see," Ataru sighs. "Alright, I can meet you, but it'll have
to wait until after school. Does that sound okay to you?"
"Yes, that's alright."
"Great," Ataru nods, then perks. "Oh, Nassur-san, by the way,
please tell the Ice Bitch and the S-and-M Queen that if they get in
my face about what happened between Lum and I before all this
started, I will gladly repay all the wounds they heaped on me
ten-fold back on them."
Silence, then, "They're your friends, Ataru-san."
"Then your idea of friendship's been skewered by whatever
Lum told you about me. Understand this: as of when I left Tomobiki
with Onee-chan, I do NOT consider ANYONE I interacted with when Lum
was living with me as my 'friend' save two. You might know of one
through the so-called 'Book of Lum,' especially if you read the
chapters written by Megane and his twits. You won't know the other.
For her sake, I'd like to keep it that way."
"I..." the expat Vosian pauses, then sighs. "Why are you so
angry?"
"I've my reasons," Ataru sighs. "One happens to be in orbit
because he can't clue into reality even after something HE instigated
killed three billion people. Another set of reasons saw my
grandmother murdered because a pack of brats wanted to steal Earth
for themselves. A third set live in Tomobiki. Some are dead. Some
aren't. That is why I've elected to live elsewhere." He takes a
deep breath. "Tell me something. If you decided to renew your
friendship with Lum, how soon would the Mikado have noticed? Ja."
He cuts the link, then hands the cell-phone back. "I'll help pay the
bill when it comes, Nabiki-san. C'mon, Ranma, let's go."
"Right," Ranma nods, exchanging a look with Nabiki, then heads
off.
"Oh, Ataru-kun!"
Ataru stops, then looks back as Nabiki holds up one of her new
gym shorts. "Thanks for the clothes," the middle Tendou daughter
winks.
He blinks, then smirks, winking back. "Wear 'em in class,
Nabiki-san. That's thanks enough for me. See you later."
He and Ranma head off. Nabiki shakes her head, chuckling.
Chieko then comes up. "Boss, you wanna know something? He's an okay
guy."
"Yeah, that he is," Nabiki nods...
* * *
Tomobiki High...
"Nassur-san, are you alright?"
Nassur stares at the phone. *He knows about the Mikado. No
doubt, he knows about my 'relationship' with the Mikado. He knows
what happened to his grandmother. No doubt, he got that from the
Inquisition. Damn, everything Lum and Benten've said about him has
to be thrown into the circular file,* he shakes his head, then
sensing Momoe gazing at him, hands back the cell-phone. "Oh, sorry!
Arigatou, Momoe-san."
"You're welcome!" she takes it back, then stares at it. "I
heard some things Ataru-kun said. That's not the Ataru-kun I know."
"You noticed?" the expat Vosian's eyebrow arches, then he sighs,
a light smile crossing his face. "Momoe-san, take a little advise
from me. Take all the opinions and visions you have of Ataru
Moroboshi, then throw them out. The person you know's been dead for
sometime now. Something else has taken his place. The sooner you
all accept it, the better."
Momoe blinks, then sighs. "It'll be hard."
"Hai, I can understand that. But I believe that under all his
anger, resentment and fear, there's someone who still looks on
Tomobiki as home. And I think that despite all your mistrust and
resentment, there are those here who'd like it if he did come back.
But for that to happen, he's got to feel welcome here, Momoe-san,
or he won't come back. Trust me on that."
"Well...! I guess now that things are coming out in the open,
we're -- those of us who interacted with Ataru-kun, that is -- taking
time to think it over. I mean...! Well...!" she sighs. "It's
complicated."
"Yes, I can see that," Nassur nods, then his eyes briefly flash.
"Yo, Nassur! Did you get hold of Moroboshi?"
He turns as Benten and Oyuki walk up. "Yes, I just talked to
him. He'll come by after school. Oh, by the way!" he holds up a
finger. "I highly suggest you two be on your best behaviour when he
comes."
Both alien women jolt. "What does that mean?!" Benten snarls.
"Would you wish to know what he now just called you two?"
Silence. "Er...? What?" Oyuki wonders.
He tells them.
"***WHAT?!?!?!***" Benten bellows, heat exploding from every
point on her body, then she moves to storm off the property. "Why,
I'll...!!!"
Nassur snares her by the chains, then yanks her up. Being as
tall as he was, the expat Vosian is able to lift the struggling
Fukunokami to near-eye level. "Hey, put me down, you idiot!!!"
Benten screams out. "Put me down!!! I ain't gonna let Moroboshi
get away with callin' Oyuki and me somethin' like THAT!!! Put me
down, Nassur!!! PUT ME DOWN!!!!"
"You will STAY PUT, Benten," Nassur glares into the younger
woman's eyes, causing Benten to wilt. "Lecasur only knows, with all
the stunts all of you've pulled here, it's a wonder to me why the
United Nations didn't invite the Zephyrites to post a crusader
fleet on Luna or Mars to make sure you all behaved yourselves!
This ISN'T your playpen, Benten!! Got me?!"
"I...!" Benten shudders, then deflates. "Hai."
"That's better," he lowers her to the ground. "Now, you WILL
behave yourselves when Ataru-san comes. WON'T you?!"
"I...! Er, alright!!" Benten pouts.
"I just cannot believe he HATES us now! It..." Oyuki shakes
her head, then sighs. "That's not the way Lum-chan's husband was
before."
"Welcome to the club, Oyuki-san," Momoe sighs...
* * *
Downtown, an hour later...
"Mrs. Megane, ladies, welcome to Toranoseishin Finances."
Rui and her friends blush as they take Reigi's hand, then relax
on a nearby couch. An office lady comes in with a tray and tea.
Chikage sits beside Reigi as tea is poured. "Thank you for agreeing
to see us so soon, Yumoa-san," Rui smiles as the OL hands her tea,
then she takes a sip before her eyes fall on the sorceress. "Er...?"
she stares quizzically at Reigi.
"Oh, sumimasen," Reigi flusters, then indicates Chikage with a
wave of his hand. "This is one of Ataru-kun's half-sisters,
Chikage Hirosaki of Promised Island. It turns out that Muchi, just
after Nokoko-chan was born, was involved in several 'indiscretions'
behind Kinshou's back."
The bodyguards' mothers blink surprisedly. "Really?!" Junko
Kakugari stares at Chikage, then back to Reigi. "How many?"
"Twelve," Reigi sighs. "And no, neither Kinshou nor Muchi were
ever aware of their existence. That was something Obaa-san made sure
of before she died, to ensure that none of hers or Hibaa-san's
fortunes fell into Kinshou's grasp, especially if she married
Ataru-kun off to that Oni your sons were, regretfully, infatuated
with." A sigh. "Ladies, I am, speaking personally, sympathetic
at your loss. Regardless of what they might have done, your sons
didn't deserve to have THAT happen to them in retaliation."
"I..." Rui blinks, then nods. "Thank you, Yumoa-san. That's
very courteous of you. I..." a pause, then, "I can sense through
your words that you had no real love whatsoever towards Lum. I
assume all those who work for Muchi-kun's brother or mother feel
pretty much the same way."
"We do. I will be frank, ladies. If it were up to me, I
would've had Lum thrown off Earth after the matter with that
space-taxi company, then slammed the doors shut to anyone from Uru or
any Federation world. If they were willing to toss aside their
Non-Interference Treaty just to 'protect' Earth from a possible
invasion from the Federations' enemies, then they have no principles
at all and don't deserve any respect."
"You seem to be very aware of some things," Yayoi Paama muses.
"I am. Before she died, Obaa-san was an honorary member of one
of the churches of a planet named Zephyrus. Zephyrus -- the Holy
Republic, as it's called -- is the local galactic superpower.
The Federation worlds, all combined, couldn't come CLOSE to equalling
the Zephyrites in any area, especially militarily. In fact, outside
Neptune, our closes galactic neighbours are Zephyrite colony worlds;
Uru is farther off than that."
"Then why didn't they stop the Onis?!" Hiroko Chibi demands.
"I mean, if they're so close to Earth and all that, wouldn't an Oni
invasion of Earth have alarmed them, especially with Muchi-kun's
mother...?!"
"I suspect that's why she was murdered, Mrs. Chibi."
Silence.
"What?" Rui gasps, her eyes widening.
"Murdered?!" Junko pales.
"Exactly," Reigi nods. "Nagaiwakai-obaasan died midway through
the first Tag Race. As I'm sure you are now aware, Ataru-kun's
memories of his grandmother and family were blanked out three years
before that, when the *saikoo jinseijitsu* psychic database was
extracted from his mind to help create his sister, Negako. Now,
considering what was going on at the time and knowing the fact that
the Onis possess time-travel capability, what do you think could have
happened to Nagaiwakai-obaasan?" his eyebrow arches.
The four women exchange a look, then Yayoi asks, "Do you have
proof?"
"We have much better, Mrs. Paama," Reigi sits back in his chair.
"We have a taped confession from one of the people responsible
for her death. A man named Ando Pochik. He was a lieutenant-colonel
in the Onis' defence intelligence agency. He led a small strike
team to Rishiri-tou using their spacializers, catching their target
in the middle of the night."
"How did you get this?" Rui asks.
"Simple. Colonel Ando was leading another such 'time-strike'
team to Noukiios some weeks ago -- just after Lum was expelled
-- when they had the misfortune of being teleported into a private
training ground being used by Ataru-kun and Negako-san. Let's just
say that..." Reigi clicks his tongue, then icily smiles. "Ataru-kun
beat the confession out of him."
"Do go on, Yumoa-san," Hiroko urges...
* * *
Koori City, Triton, the Royal Palace...
"So Nassur-san will soon speak to Lum's husband?"
"Yes, Father," Oyuki stares at her father over the communication
lines from the "Renegade's" command deck. King Fuyu and his wife,
Queen Samui, relax in the main throne room overlooking the capital
city of the Kingdom of Neptune-Triton. Neptune itself looms like an
angry sea god in the western horizon, the bleak beacon of the distant
Sun directly overhead.
"Does Nassur-san anticipate any problems getting what
information he can from Lum's husband?" Samui sips her ice tea.
"Not really, though..." Oyuki's voice trails off.
"Is there something the matter?" Fuyu demands.
The princess sighs. "I am concerned about one thing, Father.
Lum's husband was quite rude in referring to both Benten and myself
when he spoke to Nassur-san. And if he was pretending to be this
Noukiite who killed all those people on Uru..." she pauses, then
sighs. "It is hard to predict what could happen now, Father. This
is not the Ataru Moroboshi I know of."
"Do you feel threatened?" Samui tenses.
"Personally..." Oyuki pauses, then sighs. "I don't know,
Mother."
"I see," the Queen sighs. "Very well, then. When it comes time
for Nassur-san to speak to Lum's husband, we'll dispatch B-Boy to be
with you. He's dealt with Lum's husband in the past. That should
keep things civil."
"I..." Oyuki takes that in, then nods. "I understand,
Mother. Yes, I believe that would keep matters civil."
"Wonderful. Keep us informed, dear," Fuyu nods.
"Of course, Father..." * * *
Downtown Tomobiki, lunchtime...
"Your attention, please, minna-san! Your attention, please!"
A gavel strikes the table, making people pause in their
conversation, then they shift to their seats. Gazing at the crowd,
the president of the Tomobiki District Parent-Teacher's
Association nods, then steps up to the lectern. "Arigatou,
everyone," she nods. "This emergency meeting of the Tomobiki
District Parent-Teacher's Association is hereby called to order."
She glances at the group of bereaved mothers in the front row.
"On behalf of myself and the others on the Executive Committee,
I thank you all for coming. We're here today to discuss the return
of something we all, I believe, privately hoped would never return
to haunt us again: aliens. I'll now turn the floor to Ms. Rui
Megane to let her explain. Rui-san?"
Rui nods as many applaud. Stepping up to the lecturn, she
clears her throat. "Domo arigatou, Hozumi-san, everyone," she bows
her head, then begins. "No doubt, you all've come to notice what
presently sits on the front lawn of Tomobiki High. Personally,
especially given what happened there last week, I hoped we'd never
see any of those aliens again. Well, that clearly will not come to
pass for some time yet to come. UNLESS, of course, we strongly
send a message to those creatures that we do not WANT them to come
back here ever again!" she slaps her hand on the lecturn.
"Why are they here, anyway?!" a woman's voice demands. "I'd
figure that with that Oni girl dead, we'd seen the last of them!"
"I can answer that."
Eyes turn as Kimiki Miyaki stands. "Shinobu-chan and Ryuu-chan
told me they met the people on that ship last night," she reports.
"The person who owns that ship is a friend of Lum's, a man named
Nassur. He's a bounty hunter. Some years ago, he personally
trained Lum in self-defence and the use of her powers." She takes
a deep breath. "He's come here today to speak to Ataru-kun about
certain events Ataru-kun might've been involved with on the Oni
homeworld before he returned to Japan two weeks ago."
"What sort of events, Kimiki-san?" another woman asks.
"I can answer that," Rui cuts in. "Before I contacted
Hozumi-san to have this meeting called, my friends and I spoke to
Reigi Yumoa. He's the chief of operations for Toranoseishin
Finances. That's a banking and trust company owned by Ataru's uncle
Komeru. He..." she pauses, biting her lip as she decides which way
to present this, then sighs. "He told us things about what Ataru's
been doing since that Oni was kicked off Earth. Things that also
pertained to the *murder* of Ataru's grandmother Nagaiwakai."
Silence.
"Murder?!" Mrs. Hozumi pales.
"Yes, murder! By none other than agents of Lum's father, that
having been done in the middle of the first Tag Race!" Rui scowls.
"That's not what Shinobu told me, Rui-san!!" Kimiki protests.
"Oh?!" Rui glares at her. "I always heard that your daughter
never really got along with that Oni, Kimiki-san!!"
"That's not what I mean, Rui-san!" Kimiki snaps back.
"Shinobu-chan said agents of the Oni GOVERNMENT killed Ataru-kun's
grandmother! They didn't say nothing about them working directly
for Lum's father!"
"Can you be sure?!" Rui snorts, crossing her arms as several
in the crowd begin to mutter. "We all've got a very good idea how
high up that fat bastard was, Kimiki-san!! Given what
Nagaiwakai-ojousama was, Invader must've thought it ironic that his
daughter fell in love with Nagaiwakai-ojousama's grandson!! What
better way to keep the Zephyrites at bay!"
"Who are the Zephyrites?!!" a half-dozen people demand.
A gavel slams into the table several times. "Order!!" Mrs.
Hozumi calls out. "Order!! Please, people, let's calm down here!!"
The muttering dies down. "Thank you," the Tomobiki PTA
president breathes out, then turns to Kimiki. "Mrs. Miyaki, does
this Nassur fellow, in ANY way, shape or form mean us any harm?"
"Well, no, not really," Kimiki shakes her head. "As a matter
of fact, given the way Shinobu-chan and Ryuu-chan spoke of him, he'd
clearly prefer to leave us be. But..." she shrugs, "...he's just one
man."
"Not to mention roonin from his own government service."
People's heads snap around as a young man steps into the meeting
room. "Yumoa-san!!" Rui gasps from the lecturn.
"I apologize for interrupting, minna-san," Reigi holds up his
hand.
People murmur as Mrs. Hozumi goes over to Rui to learn about
the newest arrival to this meeting. Standing at Reigi's side,
Chikage scans the crowd for trouble. The sorceress' eyes then narrow
as her senses pick up things that certainly had NO place here. She
levitates into the air, drawing several cross-shaped charms from
hyperspace, then flings them off. People scream as the charms dig
into corners of the room, window frames (the meeting hall is on the
upper floor of a downtown office building), behind a beautiful
Edo-era tapestry near the lecturn, UNDER the lecturn, and even under
the TABLE! Chikage lands on the table, her arm reaching out. The
charms fly into the sorceress' hands. Impaled on all of them are
ball-shaped electronic listening devices, clearly not of Earth
origin.
"WHAT ON EARTH'S THE MEANING OF THIS?!?!" Mrs. Hozumi screams
out, then gasps as Chikage holds up one of her charms. "What...?!"
* * *
Elsewhere...
"What happened?!!"
"We've lost all contact with the listening devices planted
in the Tomobiki Parent-Teacher's Association meeting room, Commander
Ohei!!" the technician looks up nervously from his computer.
Ohei, commander of a group of Niphentaxian observers assigned
to "general duties" (in other words, a group that wasn't assigned
observation duty on the Goddess' Holy Apostles or the Holy Company),
shudders. He had the PTA meeting room bugged since the Holy Friend
Sakura was a member of that group due to her being a teacher/nurse
at the Holy Citadel.
Biting his lip, he walks over to the group's communications
terminal. A warning from Shaskaar's group about a potential
xenophobic backlash against the Goddess' Holy Company had arrived
an hour ago. Along with that was a warning about a Reigi Yumoa,
a man said to be a very close friend to the Great Evil. And, just
before the devices at the PTA meeting room went off-line, Ohei was
SURE he had heard Yumoa's voice call out something vile about the
Holy Friend Nassur, then apologize for interrupting the meeting.
Ohei grimaces. He had to relay this to the others immediately!
* * *
The Tomobiki PTA meeting room, minutes later...
"BUGGED?!?!?!"
The crowd pays rapt attention to Reigi, now at the lecturn.
Several of the PTA members closely examine the devices Chikage found.
"That's correct," Toranoseishin's chief of operations adjusts his
glasses. "As a matter of fact, from what Chikage told me..." he
indicates the sorceress, now standing by the front table, "...the
chances are VERY good that these Niphentaxians have littered almost
the whole DISTRICT with these things!" he holds up one of the
devices. "All to ensure they get as 'accurate'..." a smirk crosses
his face, "...a picture of life in Tomobiki as they can."
"All this because they worship Lum as a GOD?!!" Mrs. Hozumi
gasps.
"That's correct, ma'am," Reigi nods. "Put simply, one has to
know the whole truth to lie convincingly. And since the ordinary
members of this 'Church of Lum' wouldn't get a chance to actually
visit Tomobiki within their lifetimes, the task is easier for Oogi
and his co-horts to make the lie even MORE convincing. That's the
single greatest advantage of being a dictator, especially when you're
also the founder and nominal head of your planet's only 'official'
religious order. Try as ANY of you might to make these people see
otherwise..." he shakes his head, holding up his hands in an "I don't
know" gesture, "...I seriously doubt you'll succeed."
"So how do we get rid of them?!" Kimiki wonders.
"With stealth and delicacy," Chikage sighs. "I personally
suggest that all of you simply keep quiet about this until Ani-kun
gets the chance to deal permanently with Oogi. When these observers
see Ani-kun finally destroy Oogi, it will psychologically
devastate most of them. When that is done, it will be a simple
matter for the SCAA, the Inquisition and Reigi-anikun's people to
round them up, then ship them back to their homeworld."
"Gods, to believe these people've been living amongst us all
this time!" Yayoi Paama shudders. "And we never noticed ONCE..."
"It's because they took the time to ensure no attention was
drawn to themselves. And, admittedly, all your attention, even ours,
was drawn off because of Lum and her friends," Reigi rolls his eyes.
"Will there be a lot of damage?" another woman asks.
"What do you mean?" Reigi asks.
"When this fellow comes to fight Ataru?" she augments.
Reigi and Chikage exchange a look, then the latter sighs. "I
believe that in this case, whatever collateral damage might occur
from Ani-kun's fight with Oogi will be minimalised," she states.
"At the same time, since Ani-kun lives in Nerima, when Oogi seeks
him out, he'll seek Ani-kun there, not here in Tomobiki. There's
little for you to concern yourselves with."
People exchange looks. "Yeah, with those crazy martial artists
there, the people in Nerima'll be used to it," one man laughs.
"True!" another nods.
Muted laughter escapes some of the people, then Mrs. Hozumi
clears her throat. "I'd like to put a motion on the floor!"
People stare at her. "I motion that an invitation be given out
now to Ataru to come and be given a chance to explain what happened
to him since he left," the PTA president proposes. "It at all
possible, let it happen tonight at Tomobiki High, with Ataru's former
classmates present. Um, Chikage-san, are you sure the school itself
doesn't have these things?"
"No," the sorceress shakes her head. "Among their kind, it is
forbidden to step onto the grounds of the 'Holy Citadel,' as they
refer to Tomobiki High School. Only Oogi himself has that right."
"Typical," Reigi snorts, crossing his arms.
"Alright, then," Mrs. Hozumi nods. "Further, I propose that we
organize a street protest to occur at Tomobiki High this afternoon,
just before Ataru is to meet with this Nassur fellow. Since some of
Lum's other friends from outer space are here now, we'll be able to
strongly push the message Rui-san proposed we send to these aliens
then."
"That sounds fair enough," Yayoi nods.
"Will the Mendous interfere?" another woman wonders.
People exchange concerned looks. Given that they were virtually
a power within themselves in Tomobiki -- not to mention Shutaro
Mendou's own infatuation with Lum -- the question was quite valid.
"I'll contact Mr. Mendou myself after I get back to my office,"
Reigi then clears his throat. "A simple request to him to have any
demands Shutaro makes concerning the Kuromegane or his clan's armed
forces ignored for today should do the trick. After all, he and his
wife are growing weary of Shutaro ignoring his own obligations
to his clan and to Asuka Mizunokoji in particular."
"That's true," Kimiki nods, then holds up a finger. "Minna-san,
we should do EVERYTHING we can to make this protest peaceful!
Heaven only knows, most aliens who've come to Earth probably already
possess a very low attitude towards us. Let's show them how
civilized we REALLY are!"
People nod. "I'd like to propose one other thing," someone
adds.
Reigi and Chikage are quick to recognize the woman as Chigaiko
Inu's mother, Kindan. "What is it, Kindan-san?" Mrs. Hozumi asks.
"I think we should make every effort possible to make it clear
to Ataru-kun that he IS welcome back in Tomobiki," Kindan holds up a
finger. "I mean, many of us did, while Lum was here, conveniently
go along with our children and blame EVERYTHING on Ataru-kun.
That's not fair, especially not to Ataru-kun himself. Perhaps a show
of acceptance would serve to keep Ataru-kun on our side, especially
when it comes to these Niphentaxians."
People hum. "You have a point there," Hiroko Chibi nods. "I
mean, especially given the way Ataru-kun left town because of his
learning what Kinshou did to him, his opinions of us must be just as
bad."
"I STILL can't believe Kinshou DID that to him," Yayoi protests.
"Believe it, Mrs. Paama," Reigi warns.
"Agreed," Chikage nods. "If you wish to show a hand of
friendship to Ani-kun, I suggest you make it an HONEST show.
Ani-kun's tolerance for those who have any sort of hidden agenda
that might hurt him, especially now, is ZERO. If you wish to know,
these days, he looks on those who once worshipped Lum as nothing
better than traitors to the whole HUMAN RACE."
Seeing many of the people there balk at those words, the
sorceress bows her eyes. "I'm sorry. I realize that does sound
harsh, but that is the way Ani-kun thinks now. He feels absolutely,
completely BETRAYED by almost EVERYONE now living in Tomobiki,
alive or dead. Yes, he will help you if there is a genuine
emergency. He showed that last Monday when Alhamzi blew up the
school. But if he senses you taking advantage..." she pauses,
holding up a finger. "Then you do so at your own risk."
People shudder. "Mrs. Hozumi, if you wish, I can personally
relay your invitation to Ataru-kun as soon as I get back to my
office. I think he'll look on it favourably," Reigi reports. "After
all, Ataru-kun has not suffered any personal pain because of
Nassur-san, even by proxy. And I'm more than sure that Benten and
Oyuki'll both be on their best behaviour."
"Let's hope so," Kimiki sighs.
"No. Let's make sure they understand it REALLY well!" Rui
amends.
People nod... * * *
Furinkan High, after lunch...
"The Tomobiki PTA want to talk to me?!" Ataru blinks.
It's break period between the first and second afternoon
classes. People are gathered around Ataru's desk. "I see..." he
nods, his cell phone close to him as Reigi reports what happened
earlier, then he sighs. "The Niphentaxians even bugged the PTA
meeting room?! Jeez, don't these idiots have a LIFE?!!" Another
pause, then he nods. "Yeah, gotcha! Okay, tell them I'll meet them
in the school gymnasium after I have my talk with Nassur-san,
okay?!" Another pause. "Yeah, great! Tell Chikage-chan I love her.
'Bye!" he closes the link, then slips the cell phone away.
"So I guess they ain't so bad after all," Ranma smirks.
"Maybe," Ataru sits back. "And yeah, from what I've heard,
Nassur's not the type to fly off the handle. Benten and Oyuki're
still worrisome, not to mention Mendou. I doubt Reigi's asking Mr.
Mendou to block his son's use of the Panzer Division and the
Kuromegane'll go over well."
"You're saying that he's just as arrogant as Kunou?" Daisuke
asks.
"Right, but unlike bokken-for-brains, sword-for-brains
actually HAS the firepower to back his bombast up," Ataru holds up a
finger.
"Maybe, sugar, if you're going to meet this Nassur fellow,
you better have some friends backing you up," Ukyou warns.
"Even better, dress up like you did when you trounced Kunou,"
Hiroshi adds. "That really freaked out everyone from Tomobiki,
you know."
Ataru hums, then nods. "That's not a bad idea, Hiroshi,"
he sits up, then draws out his cell phone to put in a call to
Negako...
* * *
Tomobiki, the Mendou mansion, later...
"You can't mean that, can you?!"
"Yes, Shutaro, I can," Hajime Mendou puffs his pipe. "Emotions
between Ataru-san and Lum's friends are ALREADY frayed to the
breaking point. Forcing him to confront our clan's forces will be
the spark that could start a clan war between ourselves and the
Moroboshis. That is something I do not want. That is something
others do not want, especially those in government, not to mention
the Emperor himself." He gives his son a knowing look. "Do you wish
to defy HIS wishes on that matter?!"
Shutaro balks. To the layman, the Emperor was a powerless
figurehead thanks to the constitution imposed by the Americans
after World War Two. He was seen by most, especially in the Koreas
and China, as a ceremonial "symbol" with no temporal powers to weld
in the day-to-day affairs of the nation or its citizens. In truth,
the Emperor still possessed considerable power and influence,
especially among those who were clearly NOT seen by most as
"ordinary." The Mendous, Kunous, Moroboshis, Mizunokoji and other
such clans, all descent from feudal clans who often ignored the many
feudal pretenders like the Shoguns, swearing total, absolute loyalty
to the holder of the Chrysanthemum Throne AND ONLY TO HIM, fell in
this category.
"No, of course not," Shutaro sighs, bowing his head. "But,
surely, Otou-san, you can see that a xenophobic demonstration
like the one the PTA is proposing is the wrong message to send to
those other races."
"It is not, Shutaro," Hajime shakes his head. "It is simply
making a statement every race has the right to make. It is informing
those from afar that we will NOT tolerate such selfish behaviour
as what Lum and her friends've demonstrated in the past. That is
all. And the people here, who've borne more than enough, have a
right to send that message regardless of what the official stance
the United Nations towards aliens might be. That is what His Majesty
himself told me when I spoke to him earlier."
Shutaro blinks, then nods. "I see."
"You don't like this state of affairs, don't you?"
The younger man blinks, then nods. "Hai, Otou-san. It just
amazes me that Moroboshi was able to mask his true strength for so
long..."
"Shutaro, it was masked for him behind his back by a selfish
woman who cared more for herself than her son," a strange voice
hails.
Shutaro gasps, then spins around to see Chikage stare intently
into his eyes, she having appeared out of nowhere. "Ah, Chikage-san,
there you are," Hajime smiles. "Did you find these devices Reigi-kun
warned me of?"
"Hai," Chikage holds up two dozen charms, each having found one
or two Niphentaxian listening devices. "The mansion itself, not to
mention your private retreats on the grounds, are now clear. When
I have a chance, I will return to clear the rest. I suggest you
guard your conversations until such time as Oogi's many observers
are removed from Tomobiki."
She places the charms in Shutaro's hand, then turns to leave
before stopping, turning to stare at him. "Shutaro, a word of
advice. Do not presume to judge anyone until you have ALL the facts
in hand. If you think Ani-kun will be ugly about it from now on, I
know of people who would've KILLED you on the spot for presuming
you are better than they. And some of those would NOT have been
scared by your clan's power or influence."
She vanishes, nearly causing Shutaro to leap out of his clothes
in fright. "Wise words," Hajime smiles contently.
"H-hai," Shutaro stammers fearfully...
* * *
In orbit...
Oogi snarls, focusing all his attention on the taps the bioroid
factory had forged with the thousands of listening devices spread
throughout the Holy City. How was this POSSIBLE?! The devices
at the homes of the Holy Apostles and several other key locations
were GONE!
Who had found them?
WHY had they been destroyed?!
Was it...?
Moroboshi?
But HOW?!
A shudder runs through the president's astral form as he feels
parts of his conscience start to fray. Quickly, he focuses his
attention on himself, drawing back most of his psionic links to the
factory. No, he STILL didn't have the power to maintain his form AND
search for Moroboshi.
Not yet. But in a few days, that would change.
Then...
Then...
Laughter echoes through the factory. Yes, then...
* * *
After school hours...
"This was once welded by an emperor?!"
"Hai," Ataru fastens his cloaking cape around his neck, then
takes up K'ut't'irak and secures the eunuch's blade to his left hip.
Once that is in place, he holds out his hand. Ranma hands him his
other Noukiite blade, Kutit'kihap' Chacht'ap'. That is secured
over Ataru's right hip. Unlike K'ut't'irak, Chacht'ap''s hilt bears
a sigil done in a mix of emerald and gold: the mark of a blade
welded by royalty. "And like my other friend here, this sword was
stolen from his grave. By the Pochiks, to be exact."
"The family that murdered your grandmother," Ranma notes.
"Yep," he nods, then stares at a floor-length mirror in the
men's changeroom to ensure everything was in place before breathing
out. "Okay!"
"Alright, then," Ranma nods. She currently wears her normal
Mandarin tang and track pants; she had raced home during gym class
to get some clothes so she'd be ready in case something happened
when Ataru met Nassur.
Both step out of the changeroom. Nabiki and Ukyou await them
by the front gate. "Here, sugar, I'll get that back home for you,"
the chef holds out her hand for Ataru's camouflaged dufflebag.
"Where'd Negako-san go?"
"She's busy helping Chigaiko-chan," Ataru hands the bag over,
then turns to Nabiki. "Any information from Momoe or the others?"
Nabiki shakes her head. "No, it's been...!" her voice is cut
off by her cell-phone ringing. "Who could that be?" she draws it up,
then flicks it open. "Hai, Tendou desu. Who's this?" she calls into
it.
"Nabiki-san, it's me!"
"What is it, Momoe-san?!" Nabiki tenses on hearing the slight
tinge of panic in Momoe's voice. "Something wrong?"
"Yeah, I say there's something VERY wrong! We've got a mass
protest of parents and shopkeepers at the school!" Momoe reports.
Nabiki is quick to noticed the muffled chanting in the background;
no doubt, Momoe was at the school. "They all yelling for Nassur-san
and the others to go home."
"Let me hear," Nabiki orders.
A muffled sound, then the chanting becomes clearer. "***NO
MORE ALIENS!!!! GO HOME!! GO HOME!!! NO MORE ALIENS!!!! GO
HOME...!!***"
Ataru cants his ear to listen in, then sighs, holding out his
hand. Nabiki hands him the cell-phone. He listens in, then relaxes
as Momoe calls back, "Can you hear what they're saying, Nabiki-san?"
"Yes, we can hear it well. It's me, Marubeya-san."
Pause, then, "Ataru-kun?!" Momoe gasps.
"Hai," Ataru nods, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Any sign
of the usual suspects, like sword-for-brains, Miyaki or the tomboy?"
"Um..." Momoe pauses as if she was taking a look around, then
she sighs. "Well, Shinobu-san and Ryuunosuke-kun are here. They're
at the gangway leading into Nassur-san's ship. The protesters
are staying off the school property, but they're blocking the front
gate. Some of the students and teachers want to go home, but they
can't leave. Sakura-sensei's trying to talk to them, calm them down
like, but..." a pause, then, "Mendou-san isn't here. He didn't come
to school today. Um, Ataru-kun...?"
"Thank you very much," Ataru quickly hands the phone back to
Nabiki, then looks at Ranma. "C'mon, let's boogie over there!"
"Right!"
They bound up to the telephone poles, then race off towards
Tomobiki. Nabiki and Ukyou watch them, then both tense on hearing
Momoe call out over the cell-phone speaker, "Ataru-kun?! Are you
still there?! Ataru-kun!"
"He's heading your way now, Momoe-san," Nabiki lifts the phone
to her ear. "I guess he's not interested in any idle chat with you
people."
A pause, then Momoe sighs. "I guess not..."
* * *
Near the Megane home...
"WHAT?!?!?!" Shaskaar screams out.
"It's true, Commander!" one of the older observers bows, now
sitting before the group commander in the living room of their rented
bungalow. "A mass rally against the Goddess and the Holy Company
has been organized in front of the Holy Citadel itself!! I've never
seen such a crowd in all my life!!! They want the Holy Friends
Nassur, Benten and Oyuki to leave Earth and NEVER RETURN!!!
Commander, what can we do now?!!"
Shaskaar shudders, her fists clenching. "What of the Sinful
Doubter Shinobu and the Holy Friend Ryuunosuke? Are they still
there?!"
"Yes, Commander!" the observer bows. "According to the last
report I received from Field Agent Hoss, the Holy Friend Sakura is
trying to disperse the protesters but is not making any sort of
headway!!"
"I see..."
"Commander, we have to stop this! If we don't, then the Great
Evil will succeed in forever sundering the Holy Company!!"
"I think not."
"EH?!!" both Niphentaxians turn towards one window, surprised
to see a teenager girl with a white cape slung around her neck
standing there, gazing in amusement at them. "WHO ARE YOU?!?!"
Shaskaar demands, bolting up.
Chikage flings open her cape, a storm of black rose pedals
flying at the aliens. On hitting something, the pedals explode,
showing the room with knockout gas. The sorceress vanishes as the
Niphentaxians wheeze, then collapse, Shaskaar rasping "Lum-sama..."
before sleep overtakes her.
In less than a minute, the entire house is inundated with the
gas. Chikage finds her target in one upstairs room, passed out at
his computer. "I'm afraid you'll be coming with us, Fungi-san,"
she grabs him by the scruff of his shirt, then teleports him away to
Promised Island...
* * *
Watching this from a nearby rooftop are two people. "To believe
such people exist," Kodachi muses, absently twirling her combat
ribbon, then she stares at Cologne. "Is this true, Elder? What
Chikage-san said when she asked for my assistance in dealing with
these people? If these people are allowed to press their petty war
against Ataru-san further, Ranma-sama would soon become a potential
target because he's befriended Ataru-san?"
"Yes, child, it's very true," the Nyuchezuu elder gravely nods,
then her lips twist into a contemptful sneer. "And I once thought
the Musk were fanatics?! They're babes compared to this mindless
lot!"
"Indeed they are, Elder."
Both turn around as Chikage steps out of nearby shadows. "So
you caught the fellow who caught your eye?" Kodachi wonders.
"Hai, Kodachi-san, he's under Jonna's, Orin's, Akane's and
Mega-Rinrin's watch on the island now," the sorceress reports.
"Let's hope the others succeed in their tasks before Ani-kun and
Ane-kun arrive."
Kodachi blinks, then her eyebrow arches. "Chikage-san,
why do you address Ranma-sama as 'big sister?' Don't you know
'she's' a man?"
Chikage gazes at the gymnast, then turns to Cologne. "She has
not been informed yet, has she?" her eyebrow arches.
The elder shakes his head. The sorceress sighs, then turns to
gaze on Kodachi. "I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you,
Kodachi-san..."
* * *
Near Tomobiki High School...
"***NO MORE ALIENS!!!! GO HOME!! GO HOME!!! NO MORE...!!!***"
Hoss shudders as he watches a crowd of angry parents,
shopkeepers and other people -- about five hundred all told AND
GROWING!! -- mass in front of the Holy Citadel's main gate, screaming
their xenophobic chant in the direction of the ship of the Holy
Friend Nassur. He tries not to bellow some sort of counter-chant,
much less draw his concealed weapon and try to fire into the crowd.
To do something like THAT would tragically expose all the Church's
secret efforts to track and observe the Goddess' Holy Company to the
heretics running Earth's comic excuse for a world government.
If that effort was stopped, how could the Church ensure its flock
back home remained enlightened by the Holy Company's great Wisdom?
How...?
"Kuma-san! Where are you?! Kuma-san!!"
Hoss jolts, then looks right to see a young girl look around
the street, she dressed in plain clothes with a backpack and cap.
She seems to deflate, then looks his way before her face brightens.
"Ah, Kuma-san!!!"
She races right at him, hands open wide as if she is about to
embrace him. Hoss looks both ways, wondering what the girl had seen
when she cried out for Mister Bear, then gasps as the girl leaps into
his embrace, nearly knocking him over. "Hey!! What are you...?!"
he demands, then finds his vision filled with a black rose pumping
some dust into his nose.
Hoss sways as the knockout gas takes effect, then drops as
Hinako leaps clear, he falling on his face. As soon as a steady
snore flutters from his lips, the youngest of Ataru's half-sisters
tosses the used black rose pedals aside as Karen and Kaho emerge
from shadow. "One breath and he went out like a pinched candle!"
Karen giggles as she and Kaho pick up the unconscious Niphentaxian
by the feet and drag him into a nearby cul-de-sac.
"Is Chikage-chan sure this is the only creep watching this,
Karen-chan?" Kaho grunts as Hoss is shoved up against a garbage
bin.
"I hope so," Karen nods. "If not, Sakuya-chan and the others
can handle it! C'mon, let's get over to see the crowd when Onii-chan
comes!"
"AH!!!" Hinako points. "There's Onii-tama and Onee-tama!!"
The others look, then Kaho grins as she produces her pompoms,
then leaps up into the air. "ONII-CHAMA, ONEE-CHAMA, GANBATTE!!!!!!"
Karen and Hinako blink, then laugh...
* * *
At the school gate, Sakura tenses on hearing some girl wishing
good luck to her big brother and big sister, then she jolts on feeing
two mass spiritual nexi coming her way. A glance down the street
reveals a pair of well-trained people telephone pole-hopping
their way towards the front gates. Disbelief takes the
nurse/priestess' attention away for a second; how in the name of all
that was holy could an idiot like Ataru Moroboshi have learned
something like THAT so easily over the last seven weeks...?
"***CHECKY!!!!!!***"
Sakura screams as a giant eye looms in her vision, then she
collapses to the ground. The crowd, chanting their "No More Aliens!
Go Home!" demand, quiet down on seeing that some strange teenage
girl -- was she English? -- had actually caught the infamous Shinto
shrine maiden by surprise for a change (Sakura's ability to "pop"
out of nowhere, the equal of her equally-infamous uncle Cherry,
was well-known -- and thoroughly hated -- throughout Tomobiki).
"Who's that?!" Kimiki Miyaki demands.
"Hmmm..." Yotsuba tries not to growl. "So you're the so-called
'priestess' who once tried to curse Ani-chama, eh?!"
Sakura blinks, blinks again, then her eyes go wide (not that
they were wide enough because all she could really see of her
questioner was that VERY large eye!). "Who are you calling 'big
brother?!" she stammers.
"Ataru Moroboshi!" the would-be detective proudly proclaims.
"Ani-chama told Yotsuba about the time when you, you, YOU forced
all sorts of nasty disease demons into Ani-chama!!" she taps Sakura's
forehead every time she chants "you." "Ani-chama told Yotsuba about
all the times you, you, YOU mooched food from Ani-chama!!!
Ani-chama told Yotsuba about all the times you, you, YOU gave him
stupid advice that didn't do him any good, either!!! Ani-chama
even told Yotsuba about how you, you, YOU called him an idiot because
Ani-chama was so nice to Negako-anechama!!!"
"She's another of Ataru-kun's half-sisters?!" Rui Megane gasps.
Mutters echo from the crowd as Yotsuba leans RIGHT UP to
Sakura's face, causing the priestess to sink as low as she can to the
ground. "If you, you, YOU think you can keep on trying to hurt
Ani-chama, Yotsuba'll make VERY sure she'll learn all YOUR secrets
and tell ALL OF TOMOBIKI!!!" She then gets up, stowing her spy
glass. "And Yotsuba can do it, too!!!"
Sakura sputters, a cloud of doom overcoming her as she mutters,
"All -- my -- secrets...?!" before she surges up, her spirit-sensor
flying up as she moves to smack some sense into this flippant girl's
head.
A flash sees the spirit-sensor sliced in half, then the
priestess gasps on feeling the VERY sharp tip of a sword touch her
neck. She turns left, then gargles on seeing who stands there, the
look in Ataru's face promising a universe of pain if Sakura went
through with her act.
"Please," he lethally smiles. "Dare me."
Sakura stammers, then falters away from Ataru before her senses
pick up something flying towards her. She looks up right at the same
moment a red apple slams into her face, sending her sprawling.
Ataru blinks, then looks to the distance to see Chikage standing
on the fenceline, another red apple at the ready. No doubt, the
fruit that struck Sakura was laced with Kodachi Kunou's specialized
knockout gas. Ataru glances once more at the priestess, quickly
noting she was asleep, then he sheathes K'ut't'irak.
Drawing the hood from his face, Ataru breathes out. Noting
the crowd now staring wide-eyed at him, he decides to send a clear
message out to the people at "Renegade's" gangway, not to mention
those massing by the school's front doors. "After what they've
been through over the last two years, the people of Tomobiki have
every right in the world to peacefully protest the removal of
non-Terrans from their midst. If you..." he glares at Sakura, the
latter starting to recover, "...were someone who TRULY cared for
those you vowed to protect, you would've acknowledged that and left
it be. Instead, you chose to side against them, tried to deny their
right to protest. I dare say Chie-san would be VERY disappointed
in you, Sakura."
The crowd cheers, then Rui calls out, "Three cheers for
Ataru-kun!!!"
Everyone waves their hands. "BANZAI!!!! BANZAI!!!!!
BANZAI!!!!!!"
Hearing the cheer of ten thousand years, the jaws of many of the
students and teachers drop to the ground in disbelief. Their
PARENTS...?! Their FRIENDS...?! Their fellow TOMOBIKIANS...?!
Cheering ATARU?!?!
"It's -- the end -- of the -- world...!" Shinjin Koi moans as a
whole mass of boys and girls begin to drop like ninepins to the
ground.
Ataru blushes, then bows to the crowd. At that moment, his
other sisters burst from the crowd, moving to swamp him with yet
another "Mass Hug of Big Brother!" Chikage, of course, remains
clear, though she does walk up to join her siblings. Seeing that,
Yayoi Paama, Junko Kakugari and Kindan Inu scream out, "Three cheers
for Ataru-kun's sisters!!!"
"BANZAI!!!! BANZAI!!!!! BANZAI!!!!!!" the crowd roars.
Now standing beside the "Renegade's" gangplank, Ryuunosuke
stares at Shinobu. "Please tell me this is some crazy dream,
Shinobu!"
"WHAT sisters?!"
Both jolt, then spin to stare on Nassur. The expat Vosian is
taken aback by the presence of twelve innocent girls now crowding
the subject of his trip to Earth. "They're Ataru-kun's half-sisters,
Nassur-kun," Shinobu then reports. "We just found out about them a
couple days ago."
Nassur takes that in, then sighs. "Okay," he breathes out, then
moves to step away from his ship, heading towards the crowd near the
gates.
Shinobu and Ryuunosuke watch him, then jolt on hearing, "So
Moroboshi got all his lechery from his dad, huh?!" as Benten and
Oyuki join them.
"Yeah, looks like it," Ryuunosuke smirks.
The alien women give the crowd around Ataru a glance, then
Benten snorts. "Feh! Don't look like anything much!!" she sneers.
Shinobu and Ryuunosuke are stunned. "What the fuck are you
talking about, Benten?!" the latter snaps, glaring intently at the
Fukunokami. "You trying to pick a fight with Ataru or what's the
damned story?!"
"Hey!" she returns the tomboy's look. "I never liked the idea
of Lum fallin' in love with that idiot in the FIRST place...!"
A *beep!* echoes from Oyuki's kimono, then a man's voice calls
out, "Princess. B-Boy is being sent through the warp to your
location now!"
Oyuki jolts, then calls back, "Understood."
Shinobu blinks. "B-Boy...?!" she gags, her face pale on
remembering where she had heard -- and SEEN -- such a being before.
"Oyuki, what in God's name are you doing bringing that monster
HERE?!!"
The Tritonian remains calm. "It should ensure that Lum's
husband behaves himself when Nassur-san interrogates him,
Shinobu-san."
Shinobu blinks, stunned that Oyuki would be looking at this
whole situation THAT way, then she spins at Ataru, screaming out,
"***ATARU-KUN, WATCH OUT!!!! OYUKI'S SENDING B-BOY AFTER YOU!!!!***"
Oyuki jolts, then shuddering, glares intently at Shinobu,
the air around her cooling down. "How DARE you side with...?"
Nassur spins around, then tenses as a wave of cold seems to
descend over the school grounds before he looks up. "Lecasur's
Soul, no...!"
Before the Tritonian princess could lash out to freeze Shinobu
in place, Ryuunosuke's fist slams into her cheek, sending Oyuki
flying HARD into one of the gangway piston-struts. As she collapses,
Benten screams, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO **THAT** FOR?!?!" as she
whirls on Ryuunosuke.
Overhead, the sky implodes into a bright tunnel as a space-warp
forms between Earth and Triton. Everyone screams out on seeing that,
then they scream anew as a giant mass of white fur, fangs and burning
eyes soars out of the warp, descending towards the ground.
"PRINCESS!!!!" B-Boy bellows.
Shinobu's hand grabs Benten by the throat, then she is sent
flying into the "Renegade's" starboard wing. The biker-girl
slams head-first into the hard metal, then drops into an unconscious
heap on the ground.
B-Boy has, by now, picked up a familiar and HATED scent in the
crowd below him. Remembering what his princess' mother and father
had said, he snarls, then angles himself right at Ataru, ignoring
the fact that there was a considerable crowd of people standing
very close to him.
"***ATARU-KUN, LOOK OUT!!!!***" Kindan Inu screams out.
"***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!!!!***"
A bolt of chi rips into B-Boy's side, sending the snow monster
flying AWAY from Ataru and his sisters! He slams into a bare cherry
blossom tree, several of the thicker branches punching through his
dense hide to rip into his insides. As Ranma lands on the ground
close to Nassur, charging up her chi energy to send another blast
towards anyone else who might want to attack her friend, Ataru
springs into action. "Haruka-chan!!"
Haruka cups her hands to act as a booster, then when Ataru's
foot lands into her palms, she fastball-specials him at B-Boy. "Be
careful, Anigimi-sama!!!" the martial artist draws out her naginata
and gunsen, moving into a position where she could shield her sisters
from any threat.
Sensing what her Ani-kun presently had in mind, Chikage summons
a spell to temporarily blind her siblings from what is about to
happen.
Ataru soars as the madly howling B-Boy, his hand yanking
K'ut't'irak from her scabbard as he aims for the monster's neck.
"Oh, no...!" Nassur winces as everyone watches that blade tear a
fatal gash in B-Boy's throat, severing the carotid arteries, jugular
veins and spine at once. Grabbing a handy tree branch, Ataru spins
around, his sword lancing down to tear the monster's neck all the way
open. That sends B-Boy's severed head dropping to the ground, it
impacting with a very sick *thud!*
"What's happening?!" Hinako wonders. All she could see to
either side of Chikage was a hazy fog. "Is Onii-tama fighting
that monster?!"
"Yes, Hinako," Chikage smiles. "Ani-kun's fighting the
monster."
Ataru drops to the ground as B-Boy's body spasms in its death
throes, then raises K'ut't'irak's bloodied blade over the monster's
head. Slamming the blade into B-Boy's braincase, Ataru howls, then
flings it into the air, right at the still-open space-warp from
Triton. As it disappears forever from Earth, he leaps up to hack the
branches holding B-Boy's body to the sakura tree off, sending it
flopping to the ground. He then drops down as Ranma races up to join
him. "Need some help?!" she asks.
"Appreciated!" he grunts.
Grabbing a leg each, both pull the monster's body away from the
tree. Ataru hooks one leg around one of Ranma's, then both pivot
on those legs as they begin to twirl, focusing their chi on
themselves. The air around them crackles with heat as B-Boy's body
catches fire, spinning around like a top several times before Ataru
snaps, "NOW!!!!" With that, the body is flung straight up into the
warp as Ataru and Ranma pull away from each other, somersaulting
to their feet as the rest of B-Boy's remains disappear.
The crowd is stunned silent as Ataru reaches into his cape and
yanks out a Lawgiver. Taking aim at the warp, he barks, "Virus
volley!!"
"*Virus volley!!*" the pistol's on-board computer echoes. Six
shots thunder from the barrel, bolts of light racing into the warp.
As the crowd watches, spellbound, each bolt vanishes, then explodes,
sending bursts of lightning and burning gasses spewing out,
harmlessly disintegrating well above people's heads. The last two
volleys, on detonation, are followed by an ear-splitting shrieking
noise as the warp wobbles, then collapses on itself. In a flash of
light, it disappears as if it never was.
Silence falls, then Ataru sighs, raising a hand at the sakura
tree that impaled B-Boy. "***SEISHIN SHURIKEN ARASHI!!!!***"
Bolts of burning chi lash out to slam into the puddles of blood that
had spilled from the monster's veins, setting them aflame. In a
second, the fires vanish, leaving nothing but charred grass behind.
He turns to Chikage. "Drop the cloak," he holsters the
Lawgiver, then summons a chi field to clean his blade before
sheathing K'ut't'irak.
"Hai," Chikage relaxes herself.
The other sisters blink confusedly as their vision clears up,
then Hinako cries out, "Waaai!!! Onii-tama beat the monster!!!"
Hearing that, the crowd cheers, streaming onto the ground as
they surround Ataru and Ranma, several chanting more "Banzais"
for the heroes of the hour. Nassur remains still as he watches
this, then blinks on sensing the three older of Ataru's sisters
approach him; the younger sisters were being let through the crowd
so they could be close to their big brother.
"You are Nassur of Home Base, formerly of Vos?" Sakuya
questions.
"I am he," he nods politely.
"May we assume, Nassur-san, this shameful attack on Anigimi-sama
was not of your doing?" Haruka asks as Shinobu and Ryuunosuke
join them.
"You may. I..." he sighs, glaring towards the still-unconscious
Oyuki, then he shakes his head. "I'll have a very long talk with
both Oyuki and her parents about this at another time."
"What was that Ataru-kun fired into that warp?" Shinobu wonders.
"A computer virus prepared by our grandmother's friends on
Zephyrus for such an occasion, Miyaki-san, to act as a defence
against a possible 'blizzard attack' by the Tritonians," Chikage
explains, then sensing the wary concern deep in Nassur's eyes,
elaborates. "It will not destroy the Central Warp Chamber, of
course. Everyone realizes that were it not for the Warp Chamber,
Triton would soon become as uninhabitable as Neptune herself. After
what the Seifukusu Dominion did to Oyuki's people long ago, to do
something like THAT would be inhumane. What this virus WILL do (as
Ani-kun arranged sometime ago) is ensure that controllers cannot
program a destination anywhere on Earth, the Moon or anywhere past
ten million kilometres in-system of Mars' orbit. It is not a
complete deterrent, of course, but since the Chamber cannot teleport
spacecraft..."
She shrugs. "I see," Nassur nods, then stares towards the tree
that had helped kill B-Boy. "I can easily assume that after this
incident, your United Nations will gladly slam the door shut on all
Federation aliens for a long time to come. I can't say I'll blame
them one bit."
"It might be unfortunate, but it's not OUR fault that certain
people behave the way they do, Nassur-san," Chikage warns.
"Hai, true, true," he blinks as the crowd surges their way,
Ataru (carrying Hinako and Aria) and Ranma (she piggybacking
Kaho) in front.
Stopping in front of Nassur, Ataru puts Hinako and Aria down,
then gazes at the Vosian. "I understand you wanted to have a talk
with me," Ataru smiles. "Would you mind if my sisters, my friend
and the people here join us as well? They wanted a chance to talk
to me as well."
"Certainly," Nassur nods...
* * *
Near the Tarozakura hill...
"I can't BELIEVE Oyuki did that!"
"Most likely, it was her parents who arranged that," Seiko Izumo
shakes her head. She and Sakiko had watched the whole incident
from atop one of the small hillocks leading up to the Tarozakura.
"Something tells me people weren't informed about Darling's sisters,
then..."
"I really think even if she did know, she wouldn't've done
anything different, Lum-chan," the woman who once called herself
"Lan" sighs.
"Lan-chan!" Seiko snaps, then tenses, her eyes flashing.
"So there you two are."
"Negako-san!" both Nendo-kata exclaim as the ninjitsu
grandmistress emerges from nearby shadows, then Seiko asks, "Is
everyone alright?"
"As expected," Negako gazes towards Tomobiki High, then she
stares back at them. "It appears Ataru is going to explain
everything to your friend Nassur and everyone else. Would you care
to join us?"
"Are you sure people won't wonder who we are?" Sakiko asks.
"Chikage has dealt with most of them," Negako reports. "Come.
We have to retrieve Chigaiko from Nerima, then we'll go to the
school."
"'Chigaiko?!'" the Izumo sisters blink.
A light smile twists the ninjitsu grandmistress' lips. "Someone
whose name everyone, save Ataru, never bothered to learn," she
explains...
* * *
Tomobiki High, the gymnasium, an hour later...
"He was one of the last of his kind."
Ataru blinks, then sips his tea. "Maybe Oyuki's parents
should've kept that in mind before sending that thing here," he
sighs, sitting beside Nassur near the head of the gymnasium.
"I don't mind it too much when someone tries to come after *me.* But
if they touch my sisters..."
The bounty hunter blinks, then glances over to see most of
Ataru's sisters chatting with some of the PTA members or fawning
over Ranma, who is busy describing some of her exploits to other PTA
members. The sisters, Nassur had noted earlier, make it quite
obvious that they would not speak to Ataru's old classmates from
Tomobiki High. Not even Shutaro Mendou, who arrived a half-hour
ago, was making headway with either Sakuya or Haruka (the former
gave him a knee in the groin while the latter threatened to take his
head off with her naginata if he didn't take a hike). "I think they
can pretty much take care of themselves, Ataru-san," he chuckles.
"Against normal problems," Ataru sighs. "Not against most of
the weird things that've haunted this place since Lum first came."
Nassur blinks, then sighs. "She misses you, you know."
The Terran considers the Vosian's words, then sighs. "Were this
before I left for Promised Island, Nassur-san, I would gladly
reciprocate that feeling," he admits. "But too much time and a few
too many bad things I've been witness too (or participated
in) changed that."
"So much in six weeks?"
"More than six weeks to me," Ataru warns.
Nassur's eyebrow arches. "How long?"
"Ten years."
Nassur jolts, nearly choking on his tea, then he stares
wide-eyed at Ataru. "How in Lecasur's name did THAT happen?"
"I'll explain soon enough," Ataru winks, then notices Mrs.
Hozumi walk onto the stage at one end of the gymnasium. With that,
he rises, then adjusts his cloak as he moves to hop onto the stage.
"Nassur."
The bounty hunter jolts, then spins around to see who obviously
HAS to be Negako Moroboshi standing beside him. Seiko and Sakiko
are with her, both nearly falling over laughing on seeing the shocked
look on Nassur's face. "Gyaah!!" he nearly falls on his backside,
then quickly recovers. "Do you always like sneaking up on people
there, Negako-san?"
"Try not to be so dependent on your tracking skills then,
Nassur," Negako calmly reports, then blinks, turning to see Mendou
now move up on Chigaiko Inu, the latter speaking to her mother.
"Fool..."
The Izumos and Nassur watch as Mendou clears his throat, then
before he could say a word, cries out as Chigaiko's foot slams him
HARD in the crotch. As the scion of Japan's wealthiest family drops,
his ex-classmate and her mother head off to place themselves
as far from him as possible. Nearby, several of Chigaiko's other
ex-classmates wince, the girls swooning automatically on seeing their
beloved Mendou-san laid so low.
By then, Mrs. Hozumi has taken the podium, drawing her gavel
and rapping the lectern to get everyone's attention. "Everyone,
could you take your seats, please?!" she calls out. "I'd like to
start this right away!"
People quickly shuffle to the chairs spread out in the
gymnasium, then relax. Ataru's sisters take the front row before
the lectern, they staying close to their brother and Ranma. Nassur
places himself by the stage, looking calm and relaxed. As soon as
the noise abates, the Tomobiki PTA president clears her throat.
"Thank you," she calls out, then looks to the front row. "Um,
Chigaiko-san, are you sure this room isn't bugged?"
"It's clear," the sorceress reports. "As I said back in your
meeting room, the Niphentaxians won't come directly onto this
school's property to eavesdrop on people here unless Oogi is with
them."
Instantly, some of the students whisper "Who's Oogi?" and
"What's she talking about?" to their friends. Mrs. Hozumi gavels
them into silence. "Explanations about that will come in a while!
Please be quiet!" she calls out, then sighs. "Very well, then. This
emergency meeting of the Tomobiki District Parent-Teacher's
Association is called to order. First, I would like to thank both
Ataru Moroboshi and Ranma Saotome for dealing with that monster
who attacked us some time ago. While the person that monster was
sent to protect IS the crown princess of the Kingdom of Neptune,
that does NOT give her carte blanche right to bring things like that
here. Nassur-san, I trust she'll be made to understand that? And
that she is no longer welcome in Tomobiki?" she glances over to the
bounty-hunter.
"I believe that after her parents see what Ataru-san and
Ranma-san did to B-Boy -- not to mention comprehend what happened
to their Central Warp Chamber and what it means for their people
-- they'll be more than happy to avoid coming here for quite some
time," Nassur reports.
"Wonderful!" Mrs. Hozumi nods. "And I trust that warning will
be repeated to that other girl who came with you here today?"
"Once she wakes up from what Shinobu-san did to her, of course."
Muted laughter echoes through the room as Shinobu's cheeks
flame. Mrs. Hozumi taps the lectern with her gavel to calm everyone
down. "Now that's out of the way, I'd like to turn this over right
now to Ataru-kun and give him a chance to explain (within reason)
what's happened to him over the last few weeks, ever since Lum was
sent home. Ataru-kun?"
Applause and cheers -- the loudest from the sisters, of course!
-- echo Ataru ascending onto the stage. He nods thanks to Mrs.
Hozumi, then takes a deep breath as everyone calms down. Another
deep breath, then he begins. "First of all, everyone, I would like
to say 'thanks' to all of you who expressed to my friend a
willingness to make me feel welcome back in Tomobiki whenever I
decide to relocate myself here. In saying that, I am going to now
make one thing clear. And for those of you who want me to come back
here, I apologize, but I will not reside here ever again."
Silence falls. "As of now, my residence is in Furinkan
district, so I'm not THAT far away from those of you who'd want to
visit me. In saying that..." he pauses, then sighs. "I have to say
the memories of my living here, even augmented now with what was
taken from me by Kinshou Yamaguchi five years ago, are still a source
of discord for not just myself, but for my family," he waves to the
women in the front row. "The chances are there that I will relocate
myself well beyond Tokyo's borders at the end of this current school
year. Or the school term if I feel it necessary. As for where I'll
go, well, you'll understand..." his eyes fall on Mendou, who quivers
in return, "...why I won't say anything about it for now."
Shivering, Shinobu bolts up. "Ataru-kun, you can't just...!!"
"Shinobu, for heaven's sake, sit down!!" Kimiki barks, causing
her daughter to wilt. "Let him talk! It's why he's here, remember?"
Shinobu blinks, then sinks into her chair. Ataru gazes at her,
then sighs. "Fine. If I can't get any sort of civil reception
here even now, I'll speak to Nassur-san and my family in private.
CHIKAGE!!"
The sorceress rises, then whips off her cape, twirling it around
as she causes Ataru and his relatives, Ranma and Nassur to vanish
from the gymnasium. People scream out in shocked disbelief,
then start to babble among themselves. After seeing that, the
bodyguards' mothers and several others moan. Shinobu bows her head
ashamedly, then shuffles out of the gymnasium. Exchanging a look,
Seiko and Sakiko rise, heading out of the gymnasium before people
could take notice of them. Chigaiko takes a deep breath, then
stands. "I'm heading back, Okaa-san," she tells Kindan.
"Alright, dear," the older woman smiles. "Have a good night."
The leukaemia-inflicted student marches out of the gymnasium.
Before she could step outside, a voice calls out, "Hey, wait a sec'
there!!"
Chigaiko stops, then turns as Ryuunosuke makes her way to her.
"What do you want, Fujinami-san?" she frostily intones.
The tomboy jolts, then ducks her stare before sighing. "Look.
I don't know why you're so mad at us an' all that! By the looks of
it, you didn't really enjoy yourself while you were coming here! Not
that I don't blame you; it wasn't a ball for me, either. But..."
"What's my name?"
Ryuunosuke stops, blinking confusedly as Chigaiko gives her a
knowing look. "What do you mean about that?" the former demands.
"Oh, c'mon, Fujinami-san," the other girl harrumphs. "If your
test scores spoke the truth, you were one of the smarter ones. You
should be able to figure that out, for heaven's sake! *What's -- my
-- name?*"
Silence responds, then Ryuunosuke looks down. "I..."
Chigaiko sighs. "Now, do you understand?" she turns to leave.
"At least that doesn't happen at Furinkan. Sayonara, Fujinami-san."
She moves to leave, but Ryuunosuke's voice stops her. "He
knows, doesn't he?!" the tomboy blurts out, then sighs. "Moroboshi,
I mean."
Chigaiko blinks, then nods. "Yes." A disgusted snort then
escapes her. "I guess, right now, you want to tell me that I
shouldn't try to forge a friendship with a 'stupid pervert' like
Ataru-kun all because he was the only person in school who remembered
my name."
The tomboy balks, then shudders as her cheeks colour. Noting
that reaction, Chigaiko sighs. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised,
though I must confess I'm a little disappointed in you, Fujinami-san.
I would think that of all the people in this worthless dump, *you*
would understand that surface impressions don't tell the whole story
about people."
Ryuunosuke jolts, then sighs. "Guess so," she looks down, then
stares at Chigaiko. "But why the hell's he givin' everyone the cold
shoulder like he did now?! Doesn't he realize we all want to move
on...?"
"Do you?" the other's eyebrow arches. "Seems to me that tramp
you call a best friend doesn't WANT to move on. Ataru-kun has every
right to say that he won't come back to live here. Miyaki had no
right at all to contradict him. If she truly, REALLY cared for
Ataru-kun, she would've acknowledged his choice. But, no! She still
thinks of him as her personal property, just like that horned monkey
Lum did! Why do you think Ataru-kun HATES her now, Fujinami-san?!"
With that, she turns to leave. "Tell her that, if you want. And
tell her that if she wants to keep living in the past, then she
should expect to spend the rest of her life ALONE!"
She marches off. Ryuunosuke watches her go, then sighs, turning
to head back into the gymnasium. "Take care of yourself," she
whispers.
She heads inside. By then, Chigaiko has stepped outside,
she heading towards the front gate and a quick bus ride back to
Nerima. Before she can take a half-dozen steps, a voice calls out,
"Chigaiko?"
She stops, then looks left to see Negako and Chikage standing
there. "We were waiting for you," the sorceress announces as she
lifts her cape...
* * *
Promised Island, Welcome House, some minutes later...
"He's cute, but he's not as cute as Onii-sama."
People laugh as they stare at the unconscious Fungi, he now
occupying one of the spare bedrooms in the rotunda by the seashore.
"Are you sure he won't cause any problems for you, Chikage-san?"
Nassur wonders.
"No," the sorceress shakes her head. "Now that Ane-kun and I've
had a chance to perform an examination of him, we've discovered
he actually possesses Vosian ancestry on his mother's side. It
appears he joined the Church of Lum because most of his friends
in his hometown were doing the same thing and he feared being accused
of apostasy by the authorities. I believe you're aware of the
punishment for that, Nassur-san."
"Death," Jonna explains.
People jolt, many eyes going wide. "You're kidding!" Akane
pales.
"No, Akane. Being labelled an infidel leads to the same fate,"
Orin shakes her head. "I must confess, we were never THAT savage
when it came to non-believers. But..." she shrugs, then gazes down
at Fungi. "I wonder how many back home have had to live with such
a dichotomy. Profess loyalty to a dead 'goddess' in public, while
fearing for their lives in private because they couldn't view Lum
THAT way in the innermost depths of their hearts. How many have
suffered because of it? How many have died?"
"Damn!" Mamoru shudders.
"Well, maybe now with Oogi and his followers out of the way,
your people'll have a chance to set things aright," Nassur grunts,
then sighs. "I only just wish it hadn't've happened at such a damned
high cost."
"How high, Nassur-san?" Rinrin wonders.
The bounty hunter blinks, then sighs. "In one of the more
prominent languages of your planet, Rinrin-san, you have a word:
'Shoah.'"
"'Holocaust,'" Chikage translates. "It's Hebrew."
"Exactly," Nassur gravely nods. "In the specific incident
that name describes, Chikage-san, how many people died? How long did
it last?"
"The average quote is a figure of six million people. Counting
all the gentiles who died in those places, it truthfully was MUCH
more," she sighs. "As for a time period, the majority of it happened
in four years."
"Fine. Take that figure, divide it by two, then multiply
it by a factor of a thousand. Squeeze that into a space of about
five minutes."
Silence.
"Ye gods...!!" Yotsuba blinks.
"You mean...?!" Rinrin turns sheet-white.
"Anii saw THAT?!?!" Mamoru finishes.
Nassur stares at them, then after exchanging a look with Jonna
and Orin, nods. "Yes, everyone. Your brother saw and experienced
ALL that. He was, in fact, right in the very heart of it when it
happened."
Silence falls...
* * *
Minutes later...
"Onii-sama, is it true?!!"
Ataru jolts, then looks up to see many pairs of wide, tearing
eyes staring at him from the doorway leading to the dining room. Now
relaxed at the table are Negako, Ranma, Chigaiko, plus Seiko and
Sakiko (the two expat Urusians having used their Nendo-kata
telekinetic powers to fly to Promised Island from Tomobiki).
Chigaiko had been giving the Izumo sisters a stare of death -- she
had heard Sakiko call Seiko "Lum-chan," which told her quite a lot --
before Sakuya's pained cry caught her short.
Staring at his sisters and Akane, noting the looks of disbelief
and dumbstruck horror on their faces, he sighs, then lightly nods.
No doubt, Nassur had dropped part of the bombshell when they went in
to look on that captured Niphentaxian observer. "Hai, Sakuya-chan,
it's all true."
Tears instantly well in their eyes. "Onii-chan...!"
Karen blinks.
"Why didn't you tell us, Aniki?!" Rinrin hoarsely demands.
Ataru shrugs. "What the hell was I going to say to you girls?
'Oh, by the way, the reason I spent a week Earth-time in Sanctuary
instead of a day like the Sundays beforehand is because I was in the
very epicentre of a mass genocide of three billion people?'" He then
notices the lone man behind the crowd. "Please, Nassur-san,
c'mon in and make yourself at home. Shirayuki-chan, do you have any
Earl Grey tea in the pantry there?"
"Ah...!" Shirayuki jolts, then nods, she moving out of the room.
"Hai! Hime'll get some right now. Be right back!"
She races out as the others stream into the room. Immediately,
Hinako and Aria walk around the table to place themselves as close
as possible to their brother. Kaho also orbits the table, her head
bowed low. "Onii-chama...?" she sniffs, then she moves to hug him.
"Kaho wanted to cheer Onii-chama when he was training with
Onee-chama..."
"What happened in Sanctuary wasn't worthy of any of your cheers,
Kaho-chan," Ataru tilts her head to kiss her forehead. "Not one
bit."
"Hai..."
Ranma reaches over to draw Kaho into her lap as the others take
their seats. Nassur sits directly across from Ataru. By then,
Shirayuki is bringing in some cutlery, sugar and cream. "Tea'll
be ready in a couple minutes there, Nii-sama," the would-be chef
announces.
"Arigatou," Ataru sighs, then fixes the expat Vosian bounty
hunter with a curious stare. "Before I begin, Nassur-san, could you
please tell me who exactly asked you to come here? I know you stated
earlier that no one from Uru had contacted you about me, but I'd feel
a little better knowing who was sticking their noses into this whole
affair."
Nassur blinks, then nods. "Fair enough. You remember Princess
Lupica of Tofunokoibuto, don't you?"
"Oh, Mother, who'd forget her!" Seiko groans.
"Indeed," Ataru smirks, then sighs. "I trust both Lupica and
Rio are getting along. I know that as the heir to the throne of that
planet, she's also considered the chairman of the Galactic
Federation's ruling council."
"Oh, she's the one who was looking for that ultimate love
potion, right?!" Rinrin perks up on remembering the name.
Snickers flow through the crowd as they remember Ataru's tales
about his "girl hunts." "The same, Rinrin-san," Nassur chuckles,
then sighs. "Yes, she's the one who directly asked me about talking
to you. Some of the other Federation heads-of-state are also curious
as to what's going on. Specifically, the leaders of Fukunokami,
Elle, Karasutengu, Triton (as you might guess because of Oyuki being
with me in Tomobiki), Gomiana and Phentax Five. Atop that, the
Yehisrites are getting curious, too. I'm not sure about the
Seifukusu, the Ipraedies or my own people, however."
"Who are those people, Anii?" Mamoru wonders.
Ataru hums. "I know Queen Elle and Princess Kurama, much that
I'd personally never want to lay eyes on either of those idiots
again. I don't know about Benten's people. And I've only learned
the bare bits about the Gophentaxians and the Gomianites. I suppose
we should be thankful that the Seifukusu and the Ipraedies are
staying out of this, not to mention your own people (given the civil
war going on there), Nassur-san. I've also been told about your old
teacher, Lord Varanko. The members of the Inquisition who told me
about you praised His Lordship to the sky."
"How much do you know now about everyone else, Darling?"
Seiko asks.
"Enough," he sighs, then perks as Shirayuki comes in, a tray
with several kettles of tea in hand. "Oh, great!"
Tea is immediately served, then once Shirayuki takes her place,
Nassur sighs. "Alright, if you don't mind answering the basic
question hanging over us tonight, Ataru-san: did you, in any way,
shape or form, deliberately cause what happened in Lumukyou some
weeks ago?"
The sisters tense. Ataru returns his look, then shakes his
head. "No. Much that I understand how gladly those dorks would've
rejoiced at my death, I would not have wished them all to die in
turn. I'd wish they'd all get a life and stop worshipping Lum, but
not to die." A pause, then he adds, "Saying that, I should also add
that the ones who could be seen as ultimately culpable in this matter
were the people on Phentax Two who found the Staff of Gihan and
programmed the 'doomsday scenario' into it."
"In other words, if Ataru himself had not gone to Phentax Two to
confront Oogi, someone else who knew of Lum's 'death' could've
triggered the same event," Negako adds. "I suspect the Guardians
who controlled the Staff of Gihan at the time were no doubt starting
to wonder if they made a critical error when they programmed
that device in the first place."
Nassur takes that in, then sighs. "I see."
"You mean like all the second thoughts Professor Oppenheimer
and his co-workers in the Manhattan Project had after the atom bombs
were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Aneki?" Rinrin sips her tea,
staring at Negako.
"Exactly, Rinrin. Again, this is supposition since I was not
the one who went to Lumukyou. Jonna and Orin could perhaps answer
that better."
Eyes turn to the women seated close to Hinako and Aria. "I've
never met a Guardian myself, to be honest with you, so I can't
comment on that fact, Nassur-san," Jonna shakes her head, echoed
by Orin's nod.
"Alright, then," Nassur breathes out, then stares at Ataru.
"I can see by your choice of clothing that you have been involved
in Noukiite and Zephyrite Inquisitor incursions on Uru itself. What
did you do there?"
Ataru's eyes narrow. "What would you expect me to have done
there, Nassur-san? Especially after hearing Ando Pochik say to me,
'We should've killed you when we had the chance, just like we did
your grandmother.'"
Silence.
"Ataru-kun..." Chigaiko shudders.
"Were those his exact words, Darling?" Seiko wonders.
A nod. "Hai, they were. For everyone's benefit, let me start
at the beginning, when Onee-chan and I got to Promised Island after
Lum left..."
A wistful smile crosses his face. "It was pretty disorientating
at first. Going from a position where I was the only child of a
dysfunctional family, caught in a 'marriage' with an alien princess
who was treated like the ultimate idol by all who met her -- then
finding myself shifting to a position where I had neither parents
nor a 'wife,' but having a thousand-year old entity acting as my
older sister -- then within the day, finding out I had actually
had twelve younger half-sisters atop Onee-chan...!"
"It must've been interesting," Nassur chuckles.
"'Interesting' isn't the way I'd describe it. Try living with
Yotsuba-chan popping right into your face with her spy glass."
Yotsuba flusters. "Ani-chama!!"
Laughter echoes through the room. "Still, it had its good
points..."
"Onii-tama helped Hina find Kuma-san!" Hinako declares.
"Nii-ya gave Aria her ribbon, too," Aria adds.
Others grin. You could always depend on Hinako and Aria to
lighten the mood. "Aniki even tried out all my inventions,
too!" Rinrin adds.
"I think we still went overboard when you gave us those e-mail
cell-phones you made, Rinrin-chan," Karen smirks.
More laughter. "I hadn't even USED e-mail until I got to this
place!" Ataru rolls his eyes to the ceiling.
More laughter. "Nii-sama even tried everything Hime made for
him!" Shirayuki pours herself a new cup of tea.
"So that's how she got so good!" Ranma smirks. "Pity we
couldn't find a 'Nii-sama' to help inspire Akane to improve her
cooking there!"
Akane shudders. "Ranma!!" her cheeks flame.
"Lum could've benefitted from that, too," Ataru muses.
"I do try, Darling!!" Seiko flusters.
More laughter, then Ataru sighs, staring at the woman whose
spirit once belonged to Lum. "Still, there was one thing hanging
over me..."
* * *
Promised Island, the Friday after Ataru's arrival...
"Onii-chan, are you alright?"
Ataru blinked, then looked over his shoulder to see Karen gazing
concernedly at him, she standing at the doorway leading into his
room. "Oh, Karen-chan! Yeah, I'm okay," he flustered.
Karen stared at him, then sighed. "No, you're not," she walked
in, then gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Something's
been really, really bothering you, Onii-chan. We've all noticed."
He jolted, then sighed, reaching back to gently grasp her hands.
"Yeah, I guess so," he looked absently at his new laptop computer,
a Rinrin Palmtop "Aniki" Special (she had made it especially
for Ataru).
"Are you worried about Lum?"
He remained silent, as if fighting down his classic response
to that question about the Oni, then he sighed. "Yeah."
"I'm sure she'll be alright," Karen soothed.
"Well, you don't know Lum's people then, Karen-chan,"
Ataru shook his head. "And none of us really know about these
Noukiites they're fighting. Besides, war in general's not a pleasant
thing to think about."
"Hai, that's true," Karen admitted, then leaned down to kiss his
forehead. "Don't worry, Onii-chan. I'm sure Lum'll be okay..."
* * *
"If only anyone'd known what was going to happen," Karen sighs,
giving Seiko and Sakiko a sympathetic gaze.
"Arigatou, Karen-chan," Seiko smiles.
"So what happened?" Nassur asks.
"Karen spoke of this to the others, then they approached
me about organizing a private expedition to Uru so Ataru could visit
Lum," Negako replies after sipping her tea. "Naturally, Ataru would
have balked at ANY proposal that would have brought his sisters
into harm's way. At the same time, I wanted to commence Ataru's
training in earnest, plus impress on him the idea that something
like an interplanetary war always has many sides and just as many
causes. To that end, I introduced him to Sanctuary."
"What IS Sanctuary, anyway?" Akane asks.
The ninjitsu grandmistress considers whether or not she should
answer Akane's question, then sighs. "It is a time-space nexus
created by a race named the 'Questors' by those who know of
Sanctuary's existence."
The aliens blink. "I never heard of such a race," Nassur
reports.
"Of course not, Nassur. You see, the Questors hail from the end
of Time Itself," Negako's lips curl into a bemused smile.
"WHAT?!?!?!" Seiko and Sakiko exclaim.
"What? Did you honestly believe your paternal race possessed
the ONLY key to convenient time-travel?" Negako gazes on the Izumo
siblings, then drinks the rest of her tea. Shirayuki walks over to
refill her cup. "The Questors, according to the information
I gleaned about Sanctuary, were originally trying to probe back to
the beginning of Time, right to the moment our universe was first
created in the Big Bang. They only reached back to a time period
three billion years ago when, for reasons many still speculate
on, they committed mass suicide."
"That's...!" Jonna blinks, then shakes her head. "Bizarre."
"Perhaps," Negako sighs. "The terminus of this time-space
tunnel, which is somewhat mated to the natural flow of time in our
universe, is what is addressed today as 'Sanctuary.' After the
Questors disappeared, the terminus was discovered by a race of
omnipotents known as the Seekers. I believe you, Nassur, would know
of them because of the Jewel Warriors."
Nassur's eyebrows arch. "Them?!" he breathes in, then sighs.
"Yes, I can see where you're coming from there, Negako-san."
"I can't!" Sakiko protests.
"From what I know, Sakiko, Uru does not possess a Jewel Warrior
as Vos currently does and as Earth did until 1945, when Deannette
Raeburn disappeared after the end of the Greater East Asia element
of World War Two," Negako reports, nodding thanks to Shirayuki,
then she sips her tea.
"Major Raeburn, you mean?!" Akane blinks, then sighs. "That's
right. Dad told me your family Art is the sister art to the Hosan
Tensei-ryuu. Is that how you're able to get into this Sanctuary
place, Negako-san? Because of something Major Raeburn might've
left behind?"
"Exactly," Negako nods. "During my travels after I was freed
from Ataru's mind, I liaised with Deannette's counterpart among
another group of omnipotents forming what is called the 'Cosmic
Praetoriate,' Vladimir Russalovich Taychesko, also known as Lord
Ryasan. I do believe Vos also has a representative amongst that
group, as does Uru."
"We do," Nassur nods.
Seiko perks up. "Oh, that's right!" she snaps her fingers.
"The Great School's encountered several of the Praetoriate over the
years. But I don't recall if we've ever met any of these Jewel
Warriors. Lan-chan?"
"Not that I recall," Sakiko shakes her head.
"What does Lord Ryasan feel about aliens interacting with your
people, Negako-san?" Nassur wonders, then he finishes his tea.
Haruka reaches over to refill the Vosian's cup. "As far as
Vladimir is concerned, it is still FAR too soon for Earth to begin
interacting with other races," Negako shakes her head.
"Conceptualizing such matters in the realm of speculative fiction
is one thing. People on Earth have done that since the time of
Herbert George Wells and Jules Verne. But engaging in actual
INTERACTIONS with non-Terrans could potentially be too much at this
time in humanity's social development. Vladimir did not mind the
Zephyrite approach to this matter, keeping interactions isolated
to a small group of people as they did with Nagaiwakai. He would
support the Special Committee on Alien Activities if matters required
his attention. Of course, the Praetoriate has always held the Great
School's approach to interacting with other races with high regard,"
she glances at Seiko and Sakiko.
The Izumo sisters blush. "I see," Nassur sips his tea, nodding
thanks to Haruka, then he stares at Ataru. "So what did you do when
you first went to this Sanctuary place, Ataru-san? This would be
before you met up with Ando Pochik and his raiding team, I believe."
"No, that didn't come for another week, Earth-time," Ataru
shakes his head. "The first excursion I took into Sanctuary happened
the Sunday after I came to Promised Island. Of course, trying to
convince the girls to stay put was quite the chore in and of
itself..."
* * *
"Onii-chama, Kaho wants to cheer you when you train with
Onee-chama!"
Ataru awked, finding his vision filled with Kaho's face, the
would-be cheerleader venting copious crocodile tears as she grasps
his hands. A glance to both sides of him revealed all the other
sisters (save Chikage) staring hopefully at him. Sighing, he closed
his eyes, then turned to stare directly into Yotsuba's spy glass,
that causing her to falter back. "Miss Dunn, may I have a WORD with
you for a moment?" he growled.
"Um...! Ah...! Ani-chama...!" Yotsuba stuttered...
* * *
Laughter echoes through the dining hall, Yotsuba's face beet-red
from the looks she is getting from the others. "Sounds just like
Nabiki!" Ranma sighs. "Gods, it's no wonder you two got on so well
at the party!"
"Ane-chama...!!" Yotsuba wines.
"When I explained that this was not an actual training trip but
a preliminary examination of a potential future training ground,
Kaho was quick to withdraw her objections," Negako takes up the
story. "And when I explained to the others that the place we were
visiting would only allow certain people to safely enter, they agreed
to remain behind."
"Hina still wanted to go!" Hinako moans.
"And as I told you, Hinako, Sanctuary is too dangerous for a
young girl like you to enter, even escorted," Negako stares at her.
A cute pout responds. "So what happened on that trip?" Nassur
asks.
Ataru sighs. "Onee-chan felt it was time for me to get a
first-hand look not only at the Urusians, but the Noukiites as well.
Of course, any sample of Urusian culture I received beforehand
was always filtered because of Lum -- no offense to you," he stares
at Seiko for a second, then turns back to the Vosian. "I actually
looked forward to it, but I had to confess that I came back a little
disappointed. Lum and Lan both know why."
"What you said to us back in Shutaro's house when we came back
to Earth before the Crossing Over, you mean?" Sakiko crosses her
arms.
"Hai," he nods. "I pretty much expected the 'demonization'
of the Noukiites which appeared in your press when Onee-chan used
Sanctuary's power to let us travel to Onishuto. That seems to come
part-and-parcel with every war, does it not? And there, of course,
was the censorship, the downplay of the actual attack on Machibusu
that started it all off." He shakes his head. "I didn't like that.
I felt that people needed to know the truth, especially about
something like this." A wry smile then crosses his lips. "By the
way, Lum, when were you ever going to tell me what my name supposedly
means in your language?" his eyebrow arches.
Seiko awks, Sakiko laughing. "What does that mean?" Mamoru
demands.
"In Oni, your brother's name means 'sex-crazed idiot,'
Mamoru-san," Nassur smiles. "I must confess, that's not as bad as
what the boy's name 'Jamie' would mean in my language, much less some
dialects of Yehisrite."
"That being?" Karen asks.
"'He who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys them,'"
Nassur, Ataru and Negako answer in near-perfect lockstep.
More laughter. As that calms down, everyone then jolts on
hearing Aria ask, "Nii-ya, what are 'entrails?'" she gazes on Ataru.
"I'll explain later," Ataru pats her hand, then sighs, turning
back to Nassur. "So after our visit to Onishuto, we returned to
Sanctuary, then after a small break, made our way to Nouki City,
Noukiios' capital."
"How bad was it, Nii-sama?" Shirayuki wonders, quickly sensing
the smile evaporate from Ataru's face.
"The difference was..." he pauses, then sighs. "Shocking.
Not just the basic racial and social differences, I mean. But in
Onishuto, you had very clean streets, no open sewage, people who were
well-fed, clothed and housed. I didn't see one vagabond or homeless
person there. But in Nouki City..." a shudder runs through him. "It
was just like day and night when I sat down and thought it over.
Yet, despite all that, there was this..." he pauses, then lightly
grins, "...this spirit of not just acceptance, but something almost
like *hope* amongst them. Even the children on the streets, those
who were clearly showing signs of malnutrition, saw it."
"I've never known that," Seiko admits.
"I do," Nassur speaks up. "Remember, the Noukiites are strong
believers in predestination and reincarnation. In their faith
structure, Lum-chan, a person's soul evolves through several
life-cycles in this existence. On death, they face Muchach at the
Pool of Reincarnation to account for their past life's
accomplishments. If they gain the right amount of karma, they're
then elevated to the next level in the Ten Orders on reincarnation.
If they lost karma, they're demoted to the next lower level in the
Ten Orders. Over time, if they gain enough karma and Muchach judges
them worthy, they then gain entry into Heaven."
"I doubt that sort of cultural information was ever widely
disseminated to normal Urusians," Ataru muses.
"Not really," Sakiko shakes her head.
"Matter of fact, now that I think about it, there was one
incident in Nouki City Onee-chan and I witnessed," Ataru gently
swirls his tea-cup before taking a sip. "In one of Nouki City's
poorer suburbs, this one Yek'eu -- that's their topmost caste --
priest lost a brother due to scurvy brought on by profound
malnutrition. Of course, once the body is no longer alive, only an
Uohu undertaker could touch it..."
"The Uohu are their burakumin, Anigimi-sama?" Haruka wonders.
"Their equivalent to it," Ataru nods. "Anyhow, the undertaker
came to prepare the body for burial, but the priest himself wanted
to help with the preparations. Most people who knew the priest and
his late brother were shocked by that; after all, that sort of thing
isn't done in 'polite' Noukiite society," a grin crosses his face,
then he sighs. "Even the undertaker was taken aback by what the
priest wanted to do. She told him, 'Do you wish to risk not going
to Heaven when you finally face Muchach?'" A dramatic pause, then
Ataru sighs. "The priest said in return, 'Ma'am, we all arise from
the same place, remember? What you do now, I once might have done
in a previous life. Muchach would not object.'"
"A final favour for his departed kin," Chikage muses.
"Exactly," Ataru nods, then turns to the Izumo sisters. "You
see, the thing that really bothered me about what was so different
between Uru and Noukiios is this: on Uru, your propagandists
railed again and again about how Noukiites delved in slavery and how
people couldn't progress their lives because they're being in their
particular caste wouldn't allow it. In that, I have to admit, they
were right, but did your people ever think of looking BEYOND that?
No, of course not. Most normal folks on your planet didn't think
to press for more details and your government didn't encourage
them to ask. On Noukiios, that doesn't happen. Yeah, sure, they
always call Urusians 'dog people' all the time, especially when news
of some raid on Okusei and the other colonies hit the newsnets,
but they know that normal Urusians weren't responsibly. Why do you
think your people's leaders are being directly targeted in this war?"
Seiko and Sakiko exchange a look, then the former sighs.
"Darling, who was responsible for the bombing of Onishuto?"
Ataru places his tea cup down. "It was a rogue Ip'ihu team that
created a homebuilt anti-matter bomb on Okusei. The person who took
it to Onishuto suffered from terminal Hifuto syndrome. Kamikaze
mission, in other words. Believe me, Lum-chan, that *wasn't*
condoned by the Noukiite government whatsoever. Yes, they wanted
your leaders killed off, but not the whole damned city!" A pause,
then, "The people who helped out with that atrocity were arrested
immediately after news of what happened got out, then they were taken
to Nouki City. They were charged by the Council of Elders with
murder using a weapon of mass destruction. They confessed their
involvement, so the trial was quite swift. Then, with a group of
Inquisitors present to ensure fairness, they were quickly put to
death."
Some of the others in the room wince. "I'd hardly call that
sort of business 'fair,' Aniue-sama," Marie shudders.
"Marie-chan, there were twenty-three of them. Compare that to
nearly four-point-five million killed or mortally wounded in
Onishuto."
The raven-haired teenager blinks, then lowers her eyes. "Soo
ka..."
"Well, let's move on, then," Nassur sighs. "You returned
to this island to be with your sisters for a week, then headed out to
Sanctuary again on the weekend. That's when you met Ando, right?"
"Hai," Ataru nods. "After we had to dissuade our sisters from
following us to Sanctuary, Onee-chan and I crossed over. Awaiting
us there was, believe it or not, Lord Ryasan himself..."
* * *
The second Sunday after Ataru's arrival on Promised Island...
"Sir."
Ataru bowed his head respectfully to the slender figure draped
in a snow-white, ankle-length cape before him. The other person,
appearing to be a man in his late forties to his early fifties,
glanced briefly at him, then turned his golden eyes to gaze on
Negako. "It appears that despite all those who have tried to hurt
or kill him in the past, your 'brother' has weathered his separation
from you well, Negako."
"In a way, I ensured it, Vladimir," Negako lightly smiled.
"Despite what I supposedly 'promised' to Kinshou, I always intended
to return to help Ataru master our Art. It would not do to allow
him to die while we were separated, especially given what happened
before Nagaiwakai died."
"Indeed," Lord Ryasan sighed, glancing at the boiling clouds
of plasma that loomed over the urbanized, flat-topped asteroid
that was the core of Sanctuary itself. "It is good that the Urusians
are gone now."
"What makes you say that?" Ataru demanded.
The Terran-born Praetorian gazed at him. "Your feelings for Lum
have no positive relevance in this matter, Ataru. Remember, you are
just one person in a sea of billions. Lum is also one person in a
sea of billions. Do you really believe, after what you witnessed
last weekend when you first came here, that at this time in Earth's
development, your people are ready to interact with another race,
especially one like the Urusians?"
Ataru blinked, ready to make an instant retort, then he paused
before reluctantly nodding. "Not really, I guess..."
A bubbling echo then thundered through Sanctuary. All three
turn to gaze in the black darkness below the asteroid, the darkness
which indicated the tunnel to the end of Time Itself, the place from
where the Questors would first arise an eternity from now. In the
darkness, a swirling ribbon of blue and white energy seemed to slowly
surge up towards the overhead cloud of plasma. "What the hell's
that?!" Ataru demanded.
"A small group travelling backwards in time," Ryasan's golden
eyes narrowed, then a frown appeared under his Bismark-like
moustache. "In fact, they are several of Lum's countrypeople."
Ataru blinked, then his eyes widened as he remembered that one
time when Lum used her spacializer to go back in time in hopes of
"correcting" her Darling's "abnormal" behaviour. "Where are they
going?!" he asked.
"To Noukiios," Ryasan reported. "No doubt, this group wishes
to kill the leaders of that world in hopes of turning the advantage
of the current conflict back into the Urusians' favour. A wise
tactic, given the gross advantage the Noukiites possess in trans-warp
starship technology."
Silence fell as the three morbidly watch the spiral of energy
inch its way towards the plasma overhead. Ataru shuddered, his fists
clenching and unclenching as his mind churned through the information
the Praetorian just gave him, adding that to his own experiences
with Lum's time-travel devices. He certainly did NOT like the idea
of Lum monkeying around with his own past. And if such time-travel
devices were commonplace on Uru, what could that mean to thousands
of unsuspecting Noukiites either now or any time in the immediate
future? Did Lum's people, even in a situation which (it could be
said) was ultimately of their own doing, have ANY right to take such
unfair advantage of a people who only, in the end, wanted to live
their lives as they had for the past five thousand years?
His fists squeezed together. They did not.
"Use the spirit-breaker."
He jolted, then looked behind him. "Onee-chan...?"
"Use the spirit-breaker, then the psychic kusarigama to prevent
them from falling into the tunnel," Negako pointed down.
Ataru blinked, then nodded before leaping off the flat-topped
rock which served as the "beam-in" point to Sanctuary, bounding
over the line of rocks leading to the town itself. Once there, he
passed through the main gates, then raced down the central
thoroughfare cutting the Sanctuary asteroid in half. Arriving
at the opposite end, he slipped through the "Eternity Gate" (as Jewel
Warriors who spent time in Sanctuary called it), then poised himself
on an outcropping of rock. A glance down revealled the oncoming
ribbon of energy. Taking a deep breath, he aimed a finger at the
target, then barked out, "***SEISHIN-HASAI HI-KOOSEN!!!!***"
Energy lanced down to punch into the head of the oncoming
time-travel ribbon. A burst of white light flared from the impact
point as the ribbon suddenly unravelled, revealing a gaping hole.
Peering into it, Ataru grimaced on seeing a dozen heavily-armed
Urusian troopers in tiger-striped battlesuits drifting toward him.
A look at the team leader's face, even at this distance, revealled
total shock to the Terran. No doubt, he nor his countrypeople
didn't expect their mission to be compromised THIS way!
An outraged shout jolted Ataru's attention back to the business
at hand; one of the other troopers was yelling at his teammates,
swinging his heavy assault rifle to bear on the lone Terran. Drawing
both hands back, Ataru barked, "***SEISHIN KUSARIGAMA ARASHI!!!!***"
as a dozen chains of pure chi lanced out, arcing down into the open
time-tunnel. Snaring the Urusians by their necks, Ataru yanked HARD,
sending them sailing overhead to crash somewhere within Sanctuary's
walled city.
As he sprinted into town to round up the captured Urusian
troopers, Negako took his place, aiming both hands on the compromised
time-tunnel. "***SEISHIN-HASAI HI-KOOSEN!!!!***" she barked, sending
a bolt of energy into the tunnel, where it would eventually rip apart
the entrance point somewhere outside Onishuto. The resultant
explosion, Negako predicted (with some insights from Lord Ryasan),
would equal the explosion that nearly flattened the Canadian city of
Halifax in 1917...
* * *
"I remember Dad talking about that," Seiko sighs. "No one had
any idea what happened to the Defence Chronological Laboratory.
Everyone blamed either a secret Ip'ihu raid or an anti-government
terrorist."
"It was out in the country, wasn't it?" Ataru asks.
"Hai..."
* * *
In Sanctuary, Ataru bounded to the rooftops, using his growing
chi-senses to pick out where the Urusians had crash-landed.
Finding the first group of five, now moaning painfully as they tried
to determine what just happened to them, he quickly disabled them
with vibrating-fist punches to the jaw. An application of the Wind
Fist later, they are stripped of all their weapons and other gear.
Ataru melted all the kit with a Fire Geyser attack, then morphed
some of the slagged metal into crude handcuffs to keep them tame.
Pausing, he blinked, then tapped each person's forehead close to
their horns, thus knocking them off and stripping them of their
flight powers (plus whatever other paranormal abilities they might
have).
With that, he dragged them onto the main throughfare,
then turned to see Negako approach him, the others in the strike
team held in place with a psychic kusarigama. "Proficient,"
the latter judged with a curt not. "Let's move them into the dojo
so we can question them."
"Right."
The "dojo" is a wood-and-rice paper structure located near the
centre of the alien city standing on the Sanctuary asteroid. Clearly
of Oriental design dating years before open contact with the West,
it was most likely built by Dean Raeburn whenever the Terran Jewel
Warrior came to Sanctuary to take a break from World War Two.
Staring at it, Ataru wondered if the War Hawks or the Soldiers
of Liberty had been trained here before they went out to battle the
Ubermenshen and their hangers-on over Canada and America. Shaking
his head of the stray thought, he dragged his prisoners inside,
dumping them against one wall beside those Negako had captured.
With that, he took a detailed look at them all. Eight men, four
women. Late teens to mid-twenties, age-wise. All in very good
shape. Two of the men had scars on their faces and hands.
Experienced warriors, even the youngest of the group. Well, that was
understandable; one only trusted the best when one engaged in such
difficult missions as this.
He glanced at Negako, then blinked on seeing the hooded look on
his sister's face. Ataru knew that look well; Negako only displayed
it when she recognized something important. "What is it, Onee-chan?"
"These three," she pointed at two of the men and one of the
women. "Their chi signatures are a little too familiar to me."
Ataru blinked, then his eyes widened. "You've met them?!"
"No. However, I have been to places they also visited. It
appears Noukiios may have not been the only planet this group has
visited in this manner," Negako evenly replied. "Step out of the
dojo for a moment, Ataru. I will revise this one..." she pointed
to one of the men, "...and begin the interrogation. He appears
to be the team leader."
Ataru blinked, then nodded as he stepped out, placing himself
in a position where he could watch Negako at work. Once he was in
place, Negako knelt before the team leader, tapping places on his
face to awaken him. A snort escaped the Oni, then he looked dizzily
around before focusing on the Terran before him. "Wha...?! What?!
Who are you?!" he demanded, then a grunt escaped him on sensing
the bonds holding his hands back. "What the hell's the meaning
of this?!! Where am I?!" he looked around.
Negako struck a shiatsu point on the side of his neck,
paralysing him from there down. He gagged, then his body collapsed
against the dojo walls as he stared wide-eyed at her. "That is
better," she mused, the chill in her eyes causing him to instantly
pale. If Urusians believed in an Angel of Death, Ataru mused, the
grandmistress of Saikoo Jinseijitsu Ninjitsu-ryuu was her. "Be
warned: if you speak out of turn or try to do anything to delay
answering questions, I will kill one of you co-workers. I assure
you, their deaths will not be the least bit pleasant. You will
experience their pain with them BUT I will ensure you remain alive.
Understood?"
He nodded. "Good," Negako's face was a mask of terrible
resolve. "What is your name, current rank and unit of service?"
He gulped, then sputtered, "A-a-Ando P-pochik,
l-lieutenant-colonel, Urusian D-defence Intelligence Agency,
S-special Action Group F-five."
"And the mission you were about to execute?"
Ando shuddered, unsure if he could get away with stalling
enough so he could determine what is happening to him and why.
Negako sighed, then faster than the Oni could follow, one of Ando's
female teammates found herself in the grandmistress' headlock.
Three shiatsu taps later, she is awake, though gasping instantly
as Negako flexed her muscles to cut off her windpipe. A whispered
"Kontou!!" later, a blazing chi sword hovered over the hapless
trooper. "**Answer. The. Question,**" Negako growled.
Ando nearly gagged on his tongue, then he screamed out,
"ALRIGHT!!! Just let her go!! I'll tell you what you want to
know!!! ALRIGHT!!!"
Negako blinked, then smirked. "You should know that personal
feelings have no place in military operations," she coldly declared,
then stood, her arm letting go of the hapless female trooper. Before
she could try to evade the blade hovering over her, the soulsword
swooped down to psychically cleave her from crotch to forehead.
An inhuman scream exploded from her lips, her eyes wide, as the
soulsword made its deadly, killing stroke, then her voice is cut off
as the chi-blade rips through her head. She seemed to remain frozen
in place for a second before the strength in her body finally failed,
she collapsing in a dead heap at Negako's feet.
"You were warned."
Ando shuddered, staring dumbstruck at the dead woman he had
trained for so long, then his eyes turned to gaze into Negako's
dark orbs. Before he could say anything, a voice then asked, "Was
that necessary?"
Negako and Ando turned to see Ataru standing at the doorway
to the dojo, a confused look on the younger Moroboshi's face.
"Ataru, I told you to remain outside," the grandmistress sighed.
"'Ataru'...?!"
Both stared at Ando. The Oni was now glaring in shocked
disbelief at Ataru, a hissing growl escaping him. "Damn..." Ando
sneered, the shock of seeing Lum's "darling" in this causing him to
slip. "I knew we should've killed you when we had the chance, just
like we did your grandmother...!"
Hearing that, Ataru went sheet-white. Negako blinked, then a
hum escaped her as she knelt before the Oni, reaching over to firmly
grip Ando's jaw as she swung his head to face her. "Indeed?"
the grandmistress seemed to smile. "Well, isn't THAT nice to
know..."
* * *
"***WHY?!?!***"
Everyone stares at Seiko Izumo, surprised to see the
Oni-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran on her feet as she stares wide-eyed
at Ataru and Negako. "Lum-chan..." Sakiko rises to help her "sister"
sit down.
Seiko waves the other woman off, then she turns to Ataru, a
storm of emotions burning deep in her eyes. "WHY, Negako-san?!"
she pleads.
"Were you ever told about Nagaiwakai by your father?" Negako
asks.
An empathic shake of her head. "No!!! I didn't even...!!"
Seiko's voice failed, then she sinks into her chair. "I never ever
once thought to...!" she shudders, then starts to cry, covering
her face with her hands.
Karen immediately rises, walking over to place comforting
hands on the weeping woman. Everyone else gazes sympathetically
at Seiko, even Chigaiko. Nassur shakes his head, then stares at
Ataru, the Vosian quickly noticing the outrage etched on the Terran's
face. "Ataru...?"
"Gods, he lied to you...?!"
Eyes turn to Ataru. "Onii-tama," Hinako whispers.
He stops, then sensing the fear in Hinako's words, relaxes.
"And to believe that all this time, I thought he was actually a
decent man," he whispers, then sensing everyone staring at him,
glances at the ceiling. "If he was alive right now, I would kill him
for what he did to his own daughter. Ye gods, I just can't believe
something like that...!"
"D-darling..."
Ataru blinks, then gazes on Seiko. "Well, now you know how I
felt when Onee-chan gave me my memories back and I realized how much
Muchi and Kinshou lied to me," a wry smile crosses his face, then he
indicates Ranma. "Just like Genma and Nodoka lied and misled her and
probably just like your father's misled you and your sisters,
Akane-san," his eyes fall on Ranma's ex-fiancee. "Ranma told me
about the Chardins."
Akane jolts, then slowly nods. "You have a point there."
"So why did this happen?!" Rinrin demands. "Why did the Onis
kill Grandmother in the first place? Who the HELL gave them the
right...?"
"They were merely ensuring that their set purpose in coming
to Earth could not be derailed by the Zephyrites," Negako cuts in,
then as everyone looks at her, sighs. "Leaders of several Federation
worlds have known for some time now that there was a Terran
'righteous gentile' with power and influence on Zephyrus. For the
most part, they accepted it at that and left it be. With Zephyrus
keeping an eye on matters in this sector of space (but not being so
overt about it), they felt safe and secure." A pause, then she adds,
"Others did not agree with that concept."
"Like the jerks who started the First Tag Race," Mamoru scowls.
"Exactly," Negako nods. "When the United Nations was first
contacted by the Urusians, Nagaiwakai was, as a courtesy, also
informed. After all, she was the one who convinced the Holy
Inquisition to supply the Special Committee with their equipment
and weapons. When she fully realized what was being hatched, she
disagreed with the whole concept, especially when she learned Ataru
had been selected as Earth's 'champion.' To that end, she decided
to prepare a counter in case the Urusians cheated."
"Hey!!!" Sakiko bolts to her feet. "We wouldn't've cheated!!!"
"How can you say that now?" Negako muses. "Especially
when you learn that it was Rei's uncle, Yethis, who included Clause
Nine into the First Tag Race agreement." A pause, then, "The clause
that stated clearly that if the Earth tag champion was either
permanently disabled or killed, the Tag Race could be relaunched,
forcing another into that position. And, given the exact nuances
of the language used, another and another until such time as Uru won
the Tag Race -- and thus, the right to invade Earth." Her eyes then
fall on Nassur. "I suggest when you report to Lupica about this
matter, you also obtain as exact a translation of that agreement
as you can. I am sure she and others will find it quite
enlightening."
"I suppose so," the Vosian sighs.
"So what happened then?" Ranma wonders.
"Quite simple," Negako sighs. "Ando was quite willing to
confirm all this when Ataru and I permitted the Inquisition
to come to Sanctuary to aid in the interrogation." A pause, then,
"Seishin-Urusian field officers of the Defence Intelligence
Agency used their spacializers to place monitoring devices in
strategic places on the planet so they could detect any sort of
transmission via Zephyrite frequencies, then triangulate where the
Terran 'righteous gentile' -- Nagaiwakai -- was. The matter became
more urgent to the Urusians when the Zephyrites mobilized three
crusader fleets at Jiyuu, ready to intercede should Ataru have lost
the Tag Race."
"You had a part to play in that, too," Nassur notes.
"Yes, I did," Negako nods. "On Day Two of the race, when she
came to realize that Ataru was not having an easy time of it,
Nagaiwakai contacted her friends on Jiyuu, asking them to form a
blockade line between Earth and Toshitto. With three crusader
squadrons -- six battlecruisers, twenty strike destroyers and various
support craft -- the Zephyrites could have easily eliminated
the entirety of Uru's forces based on Toshitto."
"What were you supposed to do, Onee-sama?" Sakuya asks.
Negako blinks, then sighs. "I spent most of the Tag Race in
Tomobiki, at the Toranoseishin Tower, awaiting the outcome. If Ataru
won the Tag Race, I would not have done anything at all, since it
would not have been necessary. If he lost the Tag Race, however,
I would have killed Lum, making it a 'public' execution." Ignoring
the shocked look on Seiko's face, the grandmistress continues.
"At that point, the Toshitto fleet was in a position to race
immediately to Earth to help with the occupation. All they needed
then was Invader's signal. The Zephyrites were poised to ambush
the Toshitto fleet beyond the Pluto orbit line. As they fought those
reinforcements, Invader's reaction would be quite predicable."
"He would've taken his ship into space to help out," Nassur
nods.
"Yes," Negako nods. "Once he was clear of Earth's atmosphere,
I would have destroyed the 'Kashin.' A simple application of the
fire geyser using Mount Fuji as the lava source would have dealt with
the matter well."
"So what happened to Grandmother?" Rinrin repeats.
"She made that last signal to Jiyuu using uncoded text," Ataru
sighs. "A DIA cryptologist on the 'Kashin,' who was a working friend
of Ando's, intercepted the message, then told his pals back home."
A pause, then he sits back in his chair. "It's easy to figure out
the rest, I think."
Silence falls over the room. By then, Seiko has managed to
compose herself. Rising, she walks over to stand beside Ataru, then
she drops to her knees, bowing her head. "Darling, I...!"
A hand gently touches her chin, shifting her face up to stare
into his eyes. "There's one thing I've been asking myself since I
heard Ando's confession," he muses. "When I said 'yes' that day on
the 'Kashin,' what was your dad thinking?" A pause, then Ataru
shrugs. "Was he actually feeling sorry for me? Or was he relieved
that I was under your 'control?' I guess we'll never know the answer
to that now, eh?"
Seiko blinks, then nods...
* * *
To be continued...
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