Minna-san,
Here it is, hot off the presses! Enjoy!
Fred
=====
Fred Herriotfherriot@yahoo.com**** **** ****"Fanfiction IS Real Life!"**** **** ****
______________________________________________________________________
Post your ad for free now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: LoneS-05.txt
-- Desc: LoneS-05.txt
Rishiri-tou, sometime after midnight...
"Are you awake?"
Eyes snap open as the synthezoid finds himself gazing at a
concrete ceiling. Florescent lights hang from cables nailed to a
steel framework suspended from that ceiling. As he takes a breath
of air, a familiar-looking face slides into his line of sight. "Get
up," he orders.
"What's happening?" he looks around the room. Quickly, he takes
count of the other synthezoids present. Outside himself, three
others were awake and active, now moving to collapse equipment.
The fifth of their group now lays in his gestation chamber,
incomplete. "Where's Grandma?"
"She's dead," the man who ordered him up replies.
"Dead...?"
"Yes," one of the others, packing the portable computer
databank, reports. "Near as the Inquisition could tell -- at least,
that's what I've been able to retrieve from Grandmother's
personal computer -- it wasn't murder. Two years have passed since
we were templated and programmed."
"The Onis are gone now," the last of the quartet, now working
to disconnect the last gestation unit and its inanimate cargo, adds.
"Onii-chan's reunited with Negako-oneechan and he's met the other
sisters."
Standing, the first synthezoid stretches himself, then moves
to dress. "So why are we leaving? Wouldn't it be better to remain
here?"
"You know we're programmed to work autonomously," the man who
ordered him up, working to prepare a materializer unit, reminds
him.
"Besides, it'll give you a chance to see Shinobu-sama,"
the one dealing with the gestation unit quips, giving his brother
a knowing glance.
A lost look appears on his face. "Shinobu-chan..."
he whispers, then shakes his head. "I-iie. Onii-chan's still got
feelings for her..."
"He doesn't," the one working with the databank reports.
"According to news reports, Onii-san's left Tomobiki for good. Even
better, Muchi and Kinshou are dead. Some sort of terrorist bombing.
It also killed Megane and three of his friends. We know how much
they came to support Lum."
"So where are we going?" the first asks.
"To the house in Tomobiki," the man working on the materializer
states. "It's close to Toranoseishin Finances in case we have need
of support and it's familiar territory. Besides, if any unwanted
aliens are still around, they'll most likely be there." A smirk
crosses his face. "And Shinobu-chama IS there. If she's currently
unattached..."
The others laugh. "We can't forget the sisters," the synthezoid
working on the databank warns, holding up a finger.
"We won't!!" the others chime...
* * *
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
Ataru sits up as the chorus of sneezing echoes from the living
room. Gazing at a wet-cheeked Ranma lying beside him, he quickly
assures himself that all is well with her, then rises to see what is
going on.
Stepping into the living room, he notices that some of the
sisters are sitting up, rubbing their noses. "You guys alright?"
he wonders.
Hinako sniffs. "Hina's not sure!"
"Hime thinks someone's talking about Hime!" Shirayuki mutters.
"Someone's talking about Kaho, too!"
"All of us...?" Sakuya looks around the room.
"Mysterious," a thoughtful hum then escapes Yotsuba.
Ataru blinks, then turns to head back to bed. "Well, if it's
someone who wants to hurt you girls, I'll thrash the stupid creep
first chance I get, okay? 'Night, girls," he waves as he returns
to his bedroom.
The sisters beam...
* * *
"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 "A" Side of the
Prologue.
**** **** ****
THE FIFTH PART - THE MORNING AFTER
"How could you, Ranma...?"
Ranma's eyes flutter, then suddenly go wide on seeing Akane
float before her in a sea of burning crimson energy. But this Akane,
draped in the Densetsu no Doogi, has a burning slash mark cleaving
her face and body in half right to her groin, the Doogi's belt buckle
shattered. "Akane...!"
"I thought..." the apparition moans. "You loved me..."
Ranma gasps as Akane falls apart before her eyes, then shrieks
on feeling hands grasp her shoulders. She kicks back, then spins
around to see a headless girl's body wearing an okonomiyaki-ga's
uniform. "U-chan!!"
"Ran-chan..." Ukyou's head floats by. "Why...?"
"U-chan..." Ranma squeezes her eyes shut.
"**Hmph! Pathetic!!**"
Her eyes fly open as she spins right, nausea surging up her
throat on seeing the darkened figure standing nearby. Despite her
being in total shadow, the body shape and hair style speak volumes.
"Wh-who...?"
"**Just pathetic,**" the newcomer comes out of shadow, revealing
Ranma's face pierced by cat-slitted eyes. "**Isn't it?**" she
glances at the decapitated Ukyou floating close to Ranma. "**Even
in death, all they can do is whine and complain that you didn't
kowtow to them like you did when they were still alive!**" she
sneers. "**Honestly, what did we ever do in all our lifetimes
to deserve this sort of shit, eh?**"
Ranma peers at her doppelganger, then as Ukyou's body bumps
against her, takes it by the hand, then reaches for her head. "**Oh,
please, don't bother!**" the other snarls. "**She doesn't deserve
help from us. None of them do. None of them EVER did!**" she waves
around them.
Ranma stops, then looks herself before a fresh bout of nausea
surges through her body. There floated Shampoo, the top of her head
ripped away. Over there was Mousse, a big hole where his forehead
should be. Nearby was Nabiki, a jagged wound in her chest, no doubt
from a sword. A decapitated Kunou. Kodachi with a sword wound under
her breast, her throat ripped out. Souun chopped in half. And a sea
of shattered body parts and globs of human blood, a bodiless hand
holding a fifty-yen coin floating nearby. Hinako Ninomiya, Ranma
quickly concludes. What was left of her...
"Why...?"
"**Why?**" Neko-Ranma snorts. "**Why not? They would've
done that to us one way or another if we didn't kowtow to them! You
know that as much as I do! Those spineless bastards got what they
deserved!!**"
Ranma spins on her doppelganger. "WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO
THIS!!!!" she shrills, pointing to the drifting corpses. "NONE!!!!
Yeah, they were idiots, but they sure as hell didn't deserve
something like THIS...!!!"
"**Spare me!!**" Neko-Ranma spits out. "**Have any of these
fools ever done what we've done, Ranma?! No! Have they fought gods,
dragon half-breeds, monsters and a fucking OCEAN of martial artists?!
No!! Have they endured insult after insult because of what Jusenkyou
did?! NO!!!**" She points to the corpses. "**All they've ever
done, all EVERYONE WE'VE MET has ever done is spit on us, use us,
laugh at us, insult us and HATE us!! Well, FINE then!!**" she makes
a dismissive wave. "**If that's the way they want to keep treating
us, then let's show them what we can REALLY to do to them, to ALL of
them, in return!!**" she thumbs herself.
Ranma shudders. "I won't let you..." she hisses.
"**Oh?!**" her cat-eyed double smirks. "**What're you doing
to do then? Destroy me? You can't! I'm PART of you, Ranma!! If
you destroy me, you doom yourself! And not just yourself...**"
her voice trails off as her finger points behind Ranma, "**...but
him, too!**"
Ranma starts, then turns to see a ghostly image floating behind
her.
"Ataru..."
"**Right,**" Neko-Ranma drawls. "**We're bound to him,
remember? If we die, he dies. What's more important to us now,
Ranma? Our Other? Or them?**" she contemptuously indicates the
corpses floating nearby.
Ranma falls silent as she considers her doppelganger's
words. "**Oh, don't worry about what happened last night, Ranma,**"
Neko-Ranma snorts. "**Thanks to you learning how to manipulate
those null-time bubbles in Sanctuary, you saved their worthless
asses.**" A ho-hum look crosses her face. "**Then again, does it
really matter? We're going to be leaving these fools behind in a
week or so. And if they have a problem with that, well...**"
she shrugs, turning away from Ranma, "**...it's nice to know that we
can kill them all if we really felt it necessary. Ne?**"
Ranma screams out as Neko-Ranma fades from view. "NO...!!!!"
* * *
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!!"
Ranma gasps as she feels strong arms embrace her, then she
turns, sinking as deeply as she can into Ataru's embrace. "There,
there..." he whispers in her ear before kissing her forehead,
his hand ruffling her hair. "It's okay, Ranma. It's okay. It's
just a nightmare..."
"N-n-n-nightmare...?" she sputters before a pained moan escapes
her.
Ataru remains still as she cries, his eyes narrow as fingers
knead and stroke her vibrant crimson locks. The door then opens,
revealing a worried Sakuya. "Onii-sama, is...?" she stops on seeing
Ranma crying.
"Nightmare," he wordlessly mouths.
Sakuya nods, withdrawing. As the door closes, the room goes
pitch-dark again as Ataru allows Ranma to sink into her futon, his
hands keeping her close. Her moans continue for what seems an
eternity before a train of sniffles heralds a partial restoration
of self-control. "Th-thanks..."
"You okay?" he stares at her.
"Should I be...?" she bites her lip, then reaches up to stroke
his cheek above his beard. "That guyver-thing you turned into...?"
"Same general idea as what you can become now," he confirms.
"And created under surprisingly similar circumstances. For me, it
was Onee-chan being forced into my mind when I was six. For you, it
was..."
"The Neko-ken training when I was ten," she finishes, then rubs
her forehead. "Could that've happened because of the bond between
us? I..."
"Maybe," he shrugs, then reaches up to rub the side of her
cheek.
"I killed them, Ataru..."
"No, you didn't," he shakes his head.
"But that thing said..."
"You used the null-time bubbles, remember?"
"But still..."
"No!" he places a firm finger on her lips, then leans down to
kiss her forehead in reassurance. "They're still alive, Ranma. No
one died."
She squeezes her eyes shut. "You know that's a lie!"
"I'm not a theologian, Ranma," he reminds her, then shifts
himself to keep her close. "Don't worry about things that can't be
changed. All you'll end up doing is work yourself into a total
nervous breakdown."
"I can't forget that, Ataru."
"I know."
Silence falls as they lay together, then Ranma gazes on him.
"Was it the same for you? When the Cyborg first came out?"
He scowls. "Fortunately, no. I had the distinct *pleasure*..."
-- she could sense the sarcasm in his voice on saying that word --
"...of watching three billion people die before my eyes when that
happened."
They stare at each other, then Ranma draws her arms around Ataru
as they allow fatigue to wash over them. No words need further
be said...
* * *
Dawn soon breaks over Tokyo and her surrounding municipalities.
Morning has broken, as the old song said. But for some people,
this day is radically different than any in recent memory. Events
on the front lawn of a high school in Nerima would have
earth-shattering repercussions for most of its participants
for years to come. Perhaps the rest of their lives.
Case in point: the Tendou dojo.
Kasumi wakes at her usual time, as dawn's light shines through
the windows of her bedroom. Quickly performing morning ablutions,
she heads to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. A quick scan of the
various bedrooms tells her only her immediate family and Happousai
are present today.
Genma was gone. Dead.
Quickly dismissing Ranma's father from her thoughts -- not that
she would be so callous as to dismiss the death of anyone, even Genma
Saotome, but her family DID come first -- Kasumi remembers Kimiko.
She frowns as the image of the girl once called the "Noroi no
Ningyou" flashes through her mind. She would have to talk to Nabiki,
Negako or Ranma's mirror-twins today about Kimiko, just to ensure
all was well with her. If Kimiko did need a place to stay, Kasumi
would make the necessary arrangements.
Stepping into the sitting room, she stops on seeing the dojo
sign on the table. Kasumi's eyes quickly focus on the spots of dried
blood on the varnished wood, not to mention the sword-thrust
that nearly cleaved the sign in half on the first "dou" kanji.
Sitting at the table, she picks the sign up, then passes her hand
over the blood. Whose blood was it? What happened that caused THIS?
Peering intently at the wood as if she was trying her most to glean
her answers from the dojo sign, Kasumi sighs.
She definitely HAD to talk to Nabiki about last night's events.
As she considers that, Kasumi heads into the kitchen, her mind
quickly calling up what she would need for today's meals...
* * *
Elsewhere, in a secluded part of the town of Tomobiki, someone
rises. Stretching, Ryuunosuke Fujinami rubs the sleep from her eyes.
Glancing around the room she had just spent the last night in, a
shiver quakes her as unfamiliarity seizes her for a moment. Memory
clicks in soon enough as she sees Mister Big Screen, then her eyes
turn right and down to gaze on the peacefully dozing woman beside
her. "Lan..." she whispers.
Leaning down, she kisses the alien teen's cheek before sliding
herself back under the covers, glancing on the nightstand beside
the bed. The chronometer there had been adjusted to read local time.
Seeing how early it is, Ryuunosuke closes her eyes. A couple more
hours sleep could do her some good, especially since she had no
school to worry about today. Given last week's shattering events,
officials decided to keep Tomobiki High closed for another day before
allowing the new school term to start.
"Good morning, Ryuu-chan."
Ryuunosuke's eyes open, then a smile crosses her face on seeing
Lan gazing warmly at her. "'Morning," she leans over to kiss the
alien's lips, then leans back. "Didya sleep okay last night,
Lan-chan?"
"Hai," Lan nods, then pauses as her eyes glow. "Hmmm. Lum-chan
and Shinobu-chan are still asleep in the guest room. Guess they
needed it."
"What happened last night, anyway?"
"I'm not too sure," Lan shakes her head. "Lum-chan tried to
reach out telepathically to Darling, but someone got in the way."
Ryuunosuke considers that, then sighs. "It probably ain't gonna
happen between them, Lan-chan. There some way to help Lum let him
go?"
"I don't know," Lan admits. "Right now, we can't worry about
that."
"Why?" the tomboy asks, then catches herself. "Oh, right, I
forgot. The Men in Black're gonna be here later today to help you
and Lum settle in," she nods. "You want me to stick around for that,
Lan-chan?"
"No. Jay and Kay get a little nervous when outsiders try to
learn how the SCAA does business," Lan chuckles, an inviting smile
crossing her face. "Still, it shouldn't take us that long. Busy
today?"
Ryuunosuke considers the invitation to a date lying unspoken
in her bed-mate's words. While she would not have really wanted
to date another girl while her fool father was still alive and
forcing her to live as a boy, Ryuunosuke couldn't deny that Lan
really cared for her. Besides, if things happened, they happened.
Much that it surprised her, she felt calm about this. "Not really,"
she shrugs. "Got somethin' in mind?"
"Oh, a little shopping, a long dinner, a movie..." Lan reaches
over to draw Ryuunosuke closer to her. "After that'll be up to us,
I guess."
They kiss. "We're kinda moving fast, aren't we?" Ryuunosuke
muses.
"Who cares about how fast we go?" Lan frowns.
The tomboy considers that, then shrugs. "True..."
* * *
"There! All done!"
"Rinrin-chan, what are you doing up so early?"
Rinrin looks up, then chuckles on seeing Shirayuki heading
to the kitchen. "Oh, 'morning, Shirayuki-chan. Just doing some
graphics work."
"What graphics?" the chef gazes on the screen of Rinrin's
portable laptop. Quickly recognizing what's now displayed there,
Shirayuki gazes on the teen inventor. "Rinrin-chan, are you
redesigning Nii-sama's room?"
"Expanding it so Aniki and Aneki can live together when they
come back to the House," Rinrin chuckles. "We can take the space
from the divider between Aniki's and Karen-chan's room to the main
doors. Let the room grow out about three metres, which'd take up
everything under the canopy, plus a bit more. The store room doesn't
need a window, so we can close it off. Toss in a kitchenette
and make the other new space the main bedroom, then they can use the
old room as a living room. We can shift the closet around so they
can use the old closet space for a work and study area, too," she
indicates the changes she made.
"Wow!" the chef whistles. "That'll be so nice!"
"You best add an upstairs atrium, Rinrin."
Both turn as Chikage steps up. "What do you mean?" Rinrin asks.
"Add a small bedroom on the second floor level outside the
girl's furo," the sorceress points to the areas she is concerned
with. "Slip in a draw-ladder to the kitchenette. Design it in such
a way that it doesn't obliterate more of Aria's window view than
necessary. If you want, stagger it to partially hang over the main
doors for more room. We don't need the extra window on the stairwell
leading to the second floor, do we?"
Rinrin considers that, then nods. "Yeah, I can do that. But
why would Aniki and Aneki need an extra bedroom, anyway? I doubt
they're going to worry about having kids until long after they get
married."
A knowing chuckle escapes Chikage. "You'll be surprised,
Rinrin."
She heads to the furo. Rinrin and Shirayuki look at each other.
"There are days Hime thinks she'll NEVER understand Chikage!"
"You said it," Rinrin sighs...
* * *
"Oh, Panda-san, you didn't need to do this!"
[PLEASE, I INSIST!] the sign goes up, then twirls around.
[BEING YOUR GUEST IS MUCH MORE PLEASING TO ME THAN STAYING IN A ZOO!]
Hinako Ninomiya, Toofuu Ono, Cologne and Negako Moroboshi
gaze on the beast as he sits at the table, then the doctor and the
Nyu-che-zuu elder chuckle. When she woke up twenty minutes ago, the
metamorphic teacher discovered her guest had spent some time cleaning
up her apartment. "He's more human than most humans!" Cologne
smirks, gazing on Toofuu.
"A pity we can't apply a Nanniichuan curse to him even now,"
Toofuu sighs, then gazes on the entity who, in a way, died over two
millennia ago to create the Jusenkyou pool known as Shonmaoniichuan.
"If you want, sir, I'd be more than happy to keep you in my employ
as my grounds-keeper."
[I ACCEPT YOUR GENEROUS OFFER WITH THANKS, SENSEI,] the panda
raises a sign, then it twirls. [BUT PLEASE DON'T EXPECT ME TO ANSWER
PHONES.]
More laughter; even Negako lightly grins on reading that. "We
should think of a name for you," Hinako proposes. She is in her
adult form thanks to a chi boost from Negako. "I don't think you
want to be called 'Panda-san' or any other sort of 'cute' name like
they apply to your brothers and sisters now in zoos across the
planet. What do you think?"
The panda crosses his arms. Watching him, the others are quick
to notice how much Genma Saotome influenced this being in the year
and more since the late Saotome patriarch fell into that spring in
China. Finally, a sign goes up. [I WOULDN'T MIND THAT.] It twirls
around. [I LEAVE THAT DECISION TO YOU SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE A NAME IN
MY PAST LIFE.] Another twirl. [BUT PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU ALL, DON'T
CALL ME 'GENMA.'] Yet another twirl. [I WISH NOT TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT MAN ANYMORE!]
The others nod understandingly. "We'll spend some time thinking
about that," Toofuu assures the panda, then turns to Hinako. "So
school'll be cancelled today because of all the window damage,
Hinako-san?"
"Most likely. Not to mention cleaning up the debris from that
tree Saotome-kun destroyed," Hinako gazes on Negako. "It surprised
me that your uncle's company was quick to offer to pay for repairs,
Negako-san."
"It is of no concern," Negako admits. "What happened last night
was, in a way, instigated by our family, so it would be only proper
to see the matter resolved to the benefit of as many as possible.
Besides, I'm sure the insurance people covering the Tendou property
would appreciate the 'break,' so to speak, from dealing with damages
there."
"True," Cologne grimaces, a nod turning her head. "It's a
wonder to me that with all the damage that house endured, the
insurance people didn't just give up and walk away from that family
once and for all."
"How are they taking what happened?" Toofuu asks.
Negako glances towards the Tendou home. "I do not perceive
any major trouble rising against Ranma from that quarter. Nabiki
is relieved that Genma is forever out of that house, thus would be in
no position to further drain the family budget or bring new troubles
on her family. Kasumi feels the same. Akane..." a pause, then she
shakes her head, "...is too focused on 'winning' Ranma back to think
of what happened to Genma. And Souun..." her voice trails off before
a tired sigh escapes her.
"Without Genma, Souun has no means to press Ranma," Cologne
nods. "Especially now that his status as a teacher has been put to
question."
"Yes. He knows that now, but he is doing his best to deny it to
his own heart," Negako states. "In fact, if someone does not set him
straight, he might come to the conclusion that Ranma 'led' Genma to
his own death. Not that such was a perceived outcome of what Ranma
unleashed yesterday."
"I'll handle that," Toofuu gazes on the ceiling. "Lord knows,
the man needed to take a long break after his wife died. I only
wished I was more forceful when he needed that sort of forcefulness
the most."
"He needs comfort, too, Ono-sensei," Hinako advises. "Despite
all of Saotome-san's actions, he was still Tendou-san's friend.
Losing a friend always hurts, especially when it happens that way."
"Agreed," Toofuu then stares on Negako. "So what of Ranma-kun
now, Negako-san? What exactly DID happen last night? When I stepped
onto the school grounds before Genma was shot, I couldn't ignore
what I sensed."
"What did you sense?" Hinako wonders.
"Death."
Silence falls, then a clawed finger taps the table. Eyes lock
on the panda as he raises a sign. [SENSEI, YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!]
"You know what happened?!" Hinako asks.
"He does."
As the others look on her, Negako's face turns icily neutral.
"What I am about to speak of, I would desire that none of you repeat
outside this room," she instructs. "What happened last night
concerning Ranma's 'neko-self' and Genma must be answered with
emotional support for Ranma. From you AND from all those around
her. Not condemnation for murder."
Toofuu and Hinako pale. Cologne grimly nods...
* * *
"School's cancelled?"
"Yeah," Nabiki replaces the telephone receiver into its cradle.
"The damage to all the windows, plus that wrecked tree, have to get
cleaned up before they'd allow classes to continue," she sits by the
table.
"That's nice," Kasumi nods. "I think Kunou-san and his friends
will be disappointed that they won't be able to play with Akane-chan
today."
"Much that I really care for that," Akane sneers, then a
thoughtful hum escapes her. "Hey, why don't I go to school, then
wait for a while for the Horde to show up? When they don't, I openly
declare Kunou's challenge null-and-void, then avoid them in the
future with Dou-chan's help!"
The sisters contemplate that, then Kasumi grins. "It's a wonder
why you never thought of doing something like that before,
Akane-chan."
Akane blinks, then stares at her plate. "Yeah, it is, isn't
it?" she notes, then smirks. "What the hell! I WILL do it!! I'll
get the girls in the class to come down so I can have witnesses
to what I say, then go from there. That should knock the wind out of
Kunou's sails!"
"I'll call to make sure the Blue Blunder doesn't show up and
spoil it," Nabiki rises, heading to her bedroom.
Souun steps in at that time. Gazing on their father, Kasumi
and Akane wince on seeing the drawn, lost look etched in his
features. "Do you want some tea, Father?" Kasumi wonders as he sits
down.
He stares nowhere in particular for a moment, then realizing
his child just asked him something, nods. "Yes, please."
Kasumi heads to the kitchen. Akane turns back to her breakfast.
"Are you going to see Ranma-kun anytime today, Akane?" Souun asks.
"I..." Akane pauses, then sighs. "Yes. Why?"
"You will tell him to come here as soon as he can."
Akane stares at him. "Why?"
"He has things to answer for," Souun grimaces. "What
happened..."
"No, Father!"
He spins around, seeing Kasumi stare angrily at him.
"Kasumi..."
"That is ENOUGH!!!" she snaps, making him duck. Storming
up to him, she glares directly into his eyes. "Why, Father?! Why
are you pressing this madness even after, ESPECIALLY after, all
that's happened since the wedding?! Do you actually BLAME Ranma-kun
for doing what was RIGHT, what was PROPER, when it came to that lazy
fool you called a 'friend?!'"
Souun quakes. "He deliberately...!"
"What?!" Kasumi cuts him off. "He deliberately lead Genma to
his death?! Is that what you were going to say, Father?! No, he
didn't! Ranma-kun simply reported what Genma did wrong to the proper
authorities, then the police stepped in to deal with the matter!!
And from what I saw last night, it certainly wasn't Ranma-kun's
fault that Genma actually used a CHI blast on RIOT POLICE!!! What
did you expect them to do?!"
"They had no right to involve themselves in private
business...!"
"'Private' business?!" Kasumi shrills. "It stopped being
private when Genma started selling his son off to every family that
crossed his path!! Did you know Ranma-kun found out about FIVE more
fiancees Genma never bothered to tell him about?! Did you know the
size of the food bill that lazy oaf would've slouched off on
Ranma-kun?! Well?!!"
"Enough!!" Souun snaps. "Ranma-kun will come here and...!"
"No, he will not!"
His eyes widen. "What did you say?"
"I said 'he will not,' Father," Kasumi snarls, sending chills
down the others' backs with the ice in her voice. "What you WILL do
is forever renounce that stupid pact you made with Genma and
APOLOGIZE to Ranma-kun for harassing him about this even after it was
finally resolved yesterday evening!! And then, you will leave him
alone for good!"
Souun quakes, then his hand lashes out. Before it could strike
Kasumi, a pipe catches it, then Souun is sent flying out of the
sitting room. Crashing into the koi pond, he surges up, then stops
on seeing Happousai glaring at him from the porch. Kasumi and Akane
stand behind him. "I think you'd know better, Souun," the aged
grandmaster growls.
"You stay out of this...!"
"SHUT UP!!!!" Happousai roars, making Souun wail as his master's
battle aura seems to consume the whole Tendou home. As soon as the
Tendou patriarch has collapsed to his knees in the koi pond,
Happousai relaxes. "When you decide to wake up to reality, Souun,
THEN I'll consider giving you a new teaching license. Until then,
the Tendou-ryuu is no more."
He whips out the dojo sign, then shatters it, allowing the
pieces to shower the patio. Happousai walks inside. Kasumi and
Akane gaze on their father, then turn away, returning to their
breakfast. Souun remains in the pond, wide-eyed as he looks on the
shattered remains of the last thing that gave all his dreams and
fondest hopes legitimacy. "No..."
* * *
"Ye gods...!"
"I can't believe that!"
"Believe it," Cologne nods.
Toofuu and Hinako exchange a shocked look, then the former turns
to Negako. "Is there some way for Ranma-kun to be rid of that
thing?"
"Not without ultimately killing her -- and Ataru -- along the
way," the ninjitsu grandmistress shakes her head. "Yes, it is
through Ranma's 'neko' self and Ataru's Cyborg persona that their
personal psionic link is maintained. It has been that way since
Ranma underwent the Neko-ken. But those personas are deeply
ingrained in the other elements of their minds. How is it that
Neko-Ranma and the Cyborg are able to access their hosts' memories?
How is it they know exactly who is what in their hosts' lives?"
The chiropractor and the teacher exchange a look. "And this
part of Saotome-kun..." the latter turns back to Negako, "...hates
us all? Hates us to the point where it would kill us if it got the
chance and if Saotome-kun lost control? Every one of us who might
have hurt him in one way or another, regardless of reason, since he
underwent that awful training?"
"Yes," Negako nods. "In fact, you might say Neko-Ranma
redefines the word 'hate.' Do you think she would forget the time
you repeatedly absorbed her chi while you were a guest of the Tendous
just so you could remain an adult so you could impress Souun, Hinako?
Do you think, Kun-lon, she would forget the time you forced her
through the cat's tongue? Even a 'trivial' incident like what you
did to Ranma to give her a 'favourable' impression of Akane would
loom large in Neko-Ranma's eyes, Toofuu."
Silence falls as the others consider her words, then Toofuu
shakes his head. "We all helped create a human time-bomb,"
he sighs. "Thus we have the responsibility to help defuse it before
it destroys Ranma-kun and all those she cares for. What's your plan
to deal with this, Negako-san?"
"Remove Ranma from Nerima permanently, plus severely restrict
if not outright block any attempt by Ranma's would-be paramours
or rivals to force her to remain in a place where she should not be,"
Negako explains. "That has been, in all effect, done. All pressing
marriage claims save Xian-pu's were resolved when Ranma declared
herself an orphan and was allowed to start her own autonomous
branch of the Saotome Clan. Xian-pu's claim will be resolved to hers
and Ranma's benefit when Kun-lon's fellow councillors allow the
Blood-Sibling Law to be invoked. As that is being done, Ranma will
be transferred from Furinkan High to Stargazer West College, then
allowed to complete her high school education in relative peace."
"Though I am familiar with many aspects of Promised Island,
I don't know too much about the school," Cologne muses. "Is it
good?"
"Very good, Elder," Hinako nods. "It's considered one of the
top all-grade establishments in the country. Negako-san's
family, I think, generously supports it with grants and scholarships.
Saotome-kun..." she pauses, looking at the table, then asks, "Is
Ranma really a girl?"
"Yes," Toofuu nods. "I didn't get the chance to examine her in
detail last night, but from what I could sense, Ranma-kun..."
a chuckle escapes him. "I guess I can't call hi-...! -- Excuse me,
*her!* -- that anymore now, can I?" A pause, then he nods. "I'd
like to see her, Negako-san. Could you ask Sakuya-chan to bring her
down sometime today?"
"Why not ask me to bring Ane-kun to see you, Toofuu-kun?"
Toofuu screams, spinning around to see a smiling Chikage gazing
amusedly at him. "CHIKAGE!!!!" he wails, waving her away.
As the chiropractor launches into yet another bout of
love-sickness, the others laugh. "I'd love to hear THIS story!"
Cologne smirks...
* * *
Tomobiki High...
"Oh, darn! No school today?!"
"I'm afraid not," Sakura Sakurambou shakes her head, standing
by the front gate of Tomobiki High. "We were warned by the Ministry
that several students were transferring to our school, so I was made
to stand guard here in case some of you didn't get the message ahead
of time."
"Bummer duty," the rose-haired tomboy with the sparkling
amber-brown eyes smirks, then holds out her hand. "I'm Minako
Sawada, from Maizuru."
"Metro Kyoto...?" Sakura takes her hand, then her eyes widen
with recognition. "I've heard of you! You're the reigning Kyoto
Metro women's high school kendo champion!! Welcome to Tomobiki,
Sawada-san!"
"Hai, that's me! But PLEASE, don't blurt it out to everyone
in sight, Sakura-sensei," Minako gives her hand a warm squeeze.
"People back home, especially the girls, just became a pack of raving
otaku when I won that award!" She then perks on sensing someone
approach her. "Ah..."
"What is it?" Sakura tenses.
"It's nothing. Just a couple of close friends," Minako
explains, then sensing Sakura peering curiously at her, adds, "I'm
telepathic and empathic. So are they. I figured that for Tomobiki,
that's normal."
"Somewhat," Sakura chuckles, surprising Minako with her candour.
"How did you gain those powers, if I may ask? Is it a family
thing...?"
"Pretty much so. My mother's not from Earth..."
"Minako, do you HAVE to spill it ALL to her on the first day?!"
"Tomomi!" Minako yelps as Tomomi Yoshino gives her a surprise
bear hug from behind, then she quickly returns her embrace. "How are
you?!"
"I missed you a lot," Tomomi pecks Minako's cheek, then turns
as an ethereal blue-haired girl with purplish eyes approaches.
"So did she!"
"Hey, stop flirting with her, Yoshino!!" Kyooko Ikusawa snarls,
then as Tomomi steps away, swamps Minako with her own embrace.
"Hi, there!"
"Hi, yourself!!" Minako kisses her, then proceeds to introduce
Sakura to her friends. Along the way, some more information
as to the young Avalonians' origins are relayed to the school
nurse/priestess.
"So all your mothers fled your home planet because the
Niphentaxians wanted to keep your race in chains?" Sakura then waves
them onto school property. "What did they expect to do here on
Earth? This was years before any of us came into contact with
extraterrestrials."
"Well, our mothers' friends learned there was a Zephyrite
missionary colony somewhere in Japan," Kyooko explains as they step
inside, heading to the nurse's office. "If they made contact with
them..."
"The Zephyrites...?!" Sakura blinks confusedly, then nods. "Oh,
you mean Ataru Moroboshi's grandmother Nagaiwakai! She lived up in
Rishiri-tou before she died during the First Tag Race. I see now."
They step into the room, then Sakura waves the three newcomers
to some readily available chairs as she prepares tea. "So what
sidetracked your mothers?"
"Their meeting our fathers, then getting married and having
us," Tomomi chuckles. "You can imagine it, can't you? Switching
from being indentured slaves in a society that went out of its way to
ensure they stayed that way to being adopted parts of a nominally
'free' society?"
Sakura considers that, then nods. "Yes, I can see that," she
smiles. "Do your fathers know of your mothers' origins?"
"Hai, they do. It was only fair," Minako chuckles. "Especially
given how long-lived Avalonians potentially can be."
"How long? Several hundred years?"
"Try eight hundred."
Silence.
Sakura whistles. "Women on Earth would KILL to know that."
"That's why we do our best to keep our origins secret," Tomomi
chuckles. "Though I don't think it'd matter here too much."
"True, it wouldn't."
Tea is soon served. "So what brings you to Tomobiki?" Sakura
asks.
"Simple," Minako smiles. "The factory unit that created our
mothers is in orbit as we speak. Directly over Tomobiki to be
exact."
The nurse blinks. "Why would it be here?"
"We don't know. Neither do our mothers since they lost their
links to the factory's central computers after we were born," Kyooko
responds. "And given how much the Niphentaxians would like to keep
knowledge of the Avalonians secret, that the factory is HERE speaks
volumes."
"There's another thing, too," Tomomi warns.
"Being?" Sakura asks.
"Phentax Twelve, the planet where the factory was placed by the
Sagussans. If the factory is here, that means Phentax Twelve has
most likely been destroyed. And Mom knew it was inhabited at the
time she was first activated." A pause, then, "If there were many
people there..."
"Don't think such awful things, Tomomi," Kyooko warns.
Sakura gazes on the three half-alien teens in her office, then
she sets her cup aside. "You might be able to get some help, then."
"Oh? How so, Sensei?" Minako perks.
"Despite what the news reports may have said about that last
week, Lum is still alive and well. She came back to Earth on
Saturday morning," Sakura lightly smiles. "It was around that time
that several people who knew Lum personally, myself included,
learned of the Niphentaxians. You see, their latest 'church' is
based on worshipping Lum herself."
The visitors blink. "That's..." Minako pauses, "...strange."
"Agreed, it is," Sakura shudders. "From what I could sense when
Lum spoke of that, she wants nothing to do with the Niphentaxians
whatsoever. I don't blame her, especially after hearing of what
their leader -- Oogi, was his name? -- did supposedly on Lum's
'behalf.' And..." she pauses on sensing something come into close
range, then looks out the window.
"Is something wrong, Sensei?" Kyooko tenses.
"Shinobu's here," Sakura stands. "Just a moment."
She steps out. The three new students exchange a curious look,
then turn back to their tea. Sakura returns a moment later, Shinobu
behind her. "Hello, there!" the latter beams, bowing to the
newcomers, then she gazes on Sakura. "And they actually said they
were Avalonians, Sensei?"
"Half-Avalonians; our mothers are pure-born," Minako rises.
Introductions are made, then Sakura prepares some tea for
Shinobu. Staring at Ataru's former girlfriend, Minako tries
desperately not to blush too much. Tomomi and Kyooko watch their
friend, then exchange a knowing look. *Don't be TOO obvious,
Minako-chan!* the former psi-links to Minako by touching the latter's
hand. *You want to scare her off?!*
*Eh?* Minako perks, then makes a dismissive wave with her hand.
*Oh, no, no, no! I'm not interested in Shinobu-chan THAT way...!*
*Bullshit, Minako!* Kyooko scowls, giving her friend a knowing
look. *We could sense your hormones kicking in all the way over
here!*
Minako flusters, then starts as Shinobu asks, "Are you okay?!"
"Eh?!" Minako bolts up, then after a few seconds hysterics,
scratches the back of her head, laughing. "Oh, it's nothing!
Nothing!!"
Shinobu gives her a curious look. Tomomi and Kyooko try not to
fall on their butts howling. Watching this from nearby, Sakura
shakes her head. *And I actually wanted things to be boring for a
change?* she muses...
* * *
"Onee-sama, are you okay?"
Ranma perks on hearing Sakuya's question, then shakes her head.
"Not really, Sakuya-chan," she turns back to her French toast as
everyone enjoys breakfast. "That nightmare I had last night's still
buggin' me."
"Was it a bad nightmare, Aneue-sama?" Marie asks.
"Pretty bad," Ranma sighs. "It was me meeting a version of
myself who hated everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- who did me wrong
in my life. And she had gone out and killed all those people.
And..." she shudders.
"That's pretty raw," Mamoru grimaces.
"Tell me about it."
Ataru gazes on Ranma, inwardly smiling at the latter's use of a
dream metaphor to divert the sisters' curiosity away from what
happened last night. None of them save Chikage -- the sorceress
had gone off somewhere, but no one knew where -- knew of what
happened to Genma Saotome. Not that they would really care, of
course. While she stayed on Promised Island, Ranma had pretty much
gone out of her way to draw as bad a picture of her father as she
could to them. But, especially for the young ones present, harping
too much on the theme of death wasn't the wisest thing.
The living room door opens, revealing Negako. "Tadaima."
"Oh, Nee-sama, there you are!" Shirayuki smiles. "Do you want
some breakfast? Hime made her special French toast today."
"So I can scent," Negako takes her place in the circle.
"Please."
"Hai, right away."
Shirayuki heads into the kitchen. "Where were you?" Ataru asks.
"Meeting with Toofuu Ono, Kun-lon and Hinako Ninomiya,"
Negako replies as Karen pours her a cup of tea. "There is no school
today due to a considerable amount of damage to the windows and the
front lawn."
Ranma perks, then nods. "Well, that's good."
"Waaai!!" Hinako gushes. "That means Onii-tama and Onee-tama
can spend the whole day with Hina and her sisters!"
"Hey, that's right!" Mamoru nods. "Why don't we go swimming?!"
"Where, Mamoru?" Sakuya demands. "It's February, remember?!"
"Baka! The indoor pool at the Tower in Tomobiki!! It's the
same size as the indoor pool at school! We can swim there!!"
Ataru hums. "Good point." A sly smile then crosses his face
as he gazes on the eldest of his half-sisters. "And we can visit
Esmerelda's ahead of time to get Ranma a new swimsuit! Right,
Sakuya-chan?"
"Oh, definitely!" Sakuya gushes.
"I'm dead," Ranma's head slumps.
"Why don't we make today 'Make Onee-chan A REAL Girl' Day?!"
Karen proposes. "After all, she's GOT to be tired of wearing the
same thing day-in and day-out, even if she's used to living on the
road."
Ranma glances at her, then stares at her clothes. She is in her
white, sleeveless tang and jogging pants. "Well, yeah, you got a
point, Karen-chan," she muses. "But what'd be good for me?"
"For that, we best get to Esmerelda's early!" Sakuya proposes.
"I'll call the boys to get the road train here," Rinrin calls
out.
She heads to her overnight bag. Ranma watches the sisters
launch into excited chatter about today's planned events, then stares
at Ataru. "Hey, Ataru, I thought you wanted to keep them AWAY from
Tomobiki!"
"I thought it'd be okay when we were just concerned with a
swimsuit for you to wear," he laments. "But for a whole
WARDROBE...?!"
Ranma laughs, then everyone perks on hearing a knock at the
front door. "I'll get it!" Haruka rises, heading over to open the
door. "Hai?"
"Sorry to bother you, but are Ranma Saotome and Ataru Moroboshi
here?" the man flashing the police identification booklet smiles.
"Hai, they're here right now. Please," Haruka waves the
policeman in, then looks to the dining room table. "Anigimi-sama,
Anegimi-sama?"
"You're here because of last night?" Ranma rises, bowing.
"Hai," he nods. "I'm Detective Okajima of the Nerima Precinct.
I have to get both your statements about what happened at the
school."
"Right, right," Ranma nods, then senses Ataru standing behind
her.
"Would you mind if we took this outside the house,
Okajima-keibuho?" Ataru whispers to the policeman. "I don't want my
sisters, especially the younger ones, to overhear some of this."
"Of course, Moroboshi-san," he smiles, heading outside.
Ranma and Ataru move to follow, the latter whispering into the
former's ear, "Tell him the facts you know. That's all they need."
"Right," she nods...
* * *
Later...
"So Lum-san and Lan-san are meeting with the folks from the
United Nations to get new identities for themselves so they can
settle down and not worry about jerks like that Alhamzi guy ruining
their lives, right?" Minako recaps as she, Tomomi, Kyooko and Shinobu
walk away from Tomobiki High School. "What happens to Lan-san's
starship, then?"
"Oh, it'll be probably put into storage somewhere, but still
be kept available for her to use if she needs it," Shinobu muses.
"I just hope Lum and Lan take Yukimi-san's offer to live at her
apartment building. It might be a little too risky for them to live
anywhere else."
"To believe that there are other free Avalonians on Earth,"
Kyooko muses. "I'd like to meet them. They sound pretty nice."
"Haven't you been able to sense them, Kyooko-san?" Shinobu
asks.
"Iie," Kyooko shakes her head. "Of all of our group, there're
are only six who live real close to Tomobiki. But if we don't think
to look for another Avalonian, we could miss them unless we were
REALLY close."
"And since we didn't have any idea to look for other Avalonians
beyond our group until today, we never thought of visiting Tomobiki
before, even when Lum-san and her friends were living here," Minako
adds.
"Oh," Shinobu nods. "That'd be expecting too much of any of
you, even if I'd personally agree with your idea of helping your
people be free of the Niphentaxians. After what Ataru-kun said of
them..."
Her voice trails off as she remembers the bitter words exchanged
on Saturday. Shinobu then gasps on feeling Minako's hand warmly
squeeze her shoulder. "Hey, Shinobu-chan, you okay?" the rose-haired
woman asks.
"I...!" Shinobu stares blankly at her, then sighs. "Sorry..."
"What's wrong, Shinobu-san?" Tomomi asks.
Ataru's former girlfriend considers what to say to her new
friends, then perks on seeing Kotatsuneko emerge from a side street.
Noting the mystified look on the cat-ghost's face -- something
that was surprising to Shinobu since it was often very hard to tell
what he was actually feeling -- she calls out, "Kotatsuneko-san,
are you okay?! What's wrong?"
He looks her way, then approaches. The Avalonians with Shinobu
perk on sensing what he wanted to say, then Kyooko puts his thoughts
into words. "He says that something odd's happening at Ataru-san's
house," she looks at Shinobu. "There are four men there with very
strange scents."
"'Strange scents?!'" Shinobu blinks. "What sort of scents?"
Kotatsuneko makes another reply, this time translated by Tomomi.
"They smell like normal men. In fact, they smell a lot like
Ataru-san. But there's something very unnatural about them, too."
"Like they were machines?" Minako's eyebrow arches.
"Then that must mean..." Kyooko rubs her chin.
"Bioroids like our mothers?" Tomomi wonders.
Shinobu takes in what was just said, then nods to Kotatsuneko.
"We'll go check it out, Kotatsuneko-san," she assures him. "Look,
go to the school and tell Sakura-sensei about this! She'll want to
know."
He nods understandingly as the girls race off. Within minutes,
they arrive at the front gate of the old Moroboshi home. Staring
at the edifice her old boyfriend used to call home, Shinobu tenses
on feeling something cold grip her heart. Minako's hands squeeze
her shoulders in reassurance. Staring on her new friend, Shinobu
nods, then marches up to the front door. Pausing to collect herself,
she gives it a firm rap with her knuckles.
"Hai, just a minute, please!"
Shinobu pales. That was Ataru's voice!
But...
The door opens. Shinobu remains rooted in place as what her
heart screams is Ataru Moroboshi steps outside. Reality crashes
in as she takes note of the moustache and pointed goatee covering
the lower part of this Ataru's face. Their eyes lock, then the
confusion on his face melts into a delighted smile which makes her
heart hammer loudly in her ears. Shinobu's new friends remain
respectfully silent as she looks on this replica of a man she still
loved. Finally, he reaches over to gently grasp her hands. Shinobu
does not resist, her heart swooning at the warmth of his touch.
*If this is a dream, God, PLEASE don't wake me up!* she prays.
"Ohayou, Shinobu-chan," he finally speaks.
Oh, God!
He was speaking to HER?!
"Um...!" she tries, then starts on feeling Minako give her yet
another reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. Mentally thanking
the rose-haired Avalonian for her support, she stares at the very
handsome vision before her. "Um, ohayou, Ataru-kun," she nods,
trying not to choke.
He gives her a curious look, then chuckles. "I see," he nods.
"Shinobu-chan, I may look like him, but I'm not him. I..." he waves
back into the house. "...and my brothers were just templated
from him."
Shinobu looks, her jaw dropping to the ground in shock on seeing
the three others awaiting her by the kitchen door. All, like the one
whose hand she now holds, are replicas of Ataru, though they differ
in facial hair styling. One, the one closest to the kitchen, had
only a moustache. The one closest to the living room had a moustache
flowing into well-groomed sideburns. The one between them has a
moustache, sideburns to his jawline beside his ear and a pointy tuft
of hair under his lip.
Four Atarus...
Four... "Are you bioroids?"
Shinobu perks on hearing that question, then gazes on Kyooko.
"Not exactly," the replica holding Shinobu's hand shakes his head.
"We prefer the term 'synthezoids' ourselves. Our internal organ
structure is Earth-type human, but our DNA and RNA are forged from
carbo-silicon compounds, not carbo-iron or carbo-copper compounds
found in natural-born beings."
Shinobu considers that. "So you're a type of android."
He nods. "I could be described as that." He then waves her
inside. "Would you and your companions like to join us for some tea?
We don't have any food yet. The folks from Toranoseishin
cleaned this place out pretty good, but we do have some supplies
which'll last us for a while."
"I...!" Shinobu sputters, then readily nods. "Of course!"
* * *
"Damn, I didn't think it was THAT bad..."
Ataru, Ranma and the sisters gaze on Furinkan High School as the
road train makes its way to Tomobiki. The interview with the police
officer, finished moments before the road train arrived at the
Moroboshi home, had gone off without a hitch. No doubt, Ranma
immediately concluded, the local law enforcement wanted to settle
the whole matter concerning her late father as quickly as possible,
then press on with other business.
Already, repair crews are hard at work replacing many windows
and clearing away the fragments of the tree Ranma destroyed.
Also there, much to Ranma's surprise, is Akane. Dressed casually,
she is surrounded by most of the other girls in their old first-year
class. "What do you suppose your so-called 'friends' are doing,
Onee-sama?" Sakuya asks.
"Search me, Sakuya-chan," Ranma shakes her head, then calls out
to the driver, "Hey, stop this thing for a moment!!"
"Hai, Young Mistress!"
The road train chugs to a stop. Hearing the *toot!* of its
horn, the crowd on the front lawn turns. "Ranma?!" Akane perks on
seeing a familiar redhead disembark, followed by a small crowd of
young women and one man bearing a moustache and beard. "Ranma,
what are you doing here?!"
"I was going to spend a day with Ataru and his sisters,
Akane-san," Ranma replies. "I came by to see how bad the damage
was from last night's fun with Oyaji. What are you doing here,
anyway? There's no school on."
Akane tries not to frown on hearing Ranma address her so
formally, then shrugs. "Something I should've done ages ago. What's
the time?"
"Eight-fifty," Yuka gazes on her watch.
"Long enough," Akane nods. "Everyone, you are all aware, of
course, of the false ordination Tatewaki Kunou made sometime ago, an
ordination he reaffirmed yesterday afternoon, concerning people
wanting to date me?"
"Hai!!" her classmates nod.
"Since I came here to school today and having found that none
of the so called 'Hentai Horde' had come to challenge me as Kunou
dictated, I hereby, with all of you as my witnesses, declare Kunou's
ordination NULL AND VOID!!!" Akane's voice picks up to emphasize
her point. "From this day until the day I graduate, I swear, on the
memory of my late mother, that I will not submit myself to anything
he forces on me EVER AGAIN!!!"
A boisterous cheer raises from her classmates. The sisters
exchange looks, wondering why something as stupid as THIS was
bothering their big brother's new girlfriend. Ranma stares on Akane,
then nods. "Pity I never considered doing something like that
myself!" she whispers to Ataru. "That would've really knocked the
wind out of ol' Blue Blunder's sails!"
"You were never allowed to think about it, remember?" Ataru
notes.
"True."
"Ne, Ranma-kun, why are you wearing your hair loose?" Yuka then
asks. "Don't you still have that problem with your hair growing
long?"
"Oh, not for a while yet, Tokoro-san," Ranma assures her,
ignoring Yuka's dropped jaw in response to the way Ranma just
addressed her as she adds, "I'm frozen as a girl for the next while.
Ataru's sister Negako's helping me deal with a couple of problems
Oyaji heaped on me. To make it work better, I have to remain in one
body for the whole treatment. With my curse, I can only be frozen
as a girl; that's the way it works."
"The Neko-ken being the primary one," Ataru adds.
Ranma shudders. The others notice her reaction, then start on
hearing a familiar laughter echoing from behind them. "ALOHA,
KEIKI!!!!" the principal of Furinkan High School appears, a shower
of pineapples and coconuts dropping down on them as fireworks
explode behind him.
"Nice entrance," Rinrin smirks.
A coconut drops into Aria's hands. Ranma panics on sensing
a build-up of chi within that furred spheroid. She bats it clear
of the young Parisian, sending the coconut flying back at the
Principal. Seeing her reaction, the other members of Ranma's class
quickly kick and punch away the coconuts and pineapples that landed
close to them. Just in time: as the coconut Aria caught lands in
the Principal's lap, it blows, showering his face and shirt with
burnt cordite. The other fruit bombs explode shortly afterward,
they fortunately not hurting anyone.
"That -- didn't hurt...!" the Principal moans.
He passes out. Aria frowns. "Nee-ya," she turns to Ranma.
"You okay, Aria-chan?!" she gazes worriedly at the young
Parisian.
"Aria is fine," Aria smiles. "But Aria wishes that Nee-ya could
come to Stargazer West College sooner than next Monday. At least
there, Nee-ya wouldn't get hurt by stupid-stupid man with palm tree
on head."
"Not to mention the other baka-bakas in this place who always
try to hurt Onee-tama for some baka-baka reason," Hinako adds.
"It's a good thing we purchased the right uniform for
Anegimi-sama, isn't it?" Haruka draws out her gunsen, then fans
herself.
"Sure got that right," Yotsuba nods.
Silence.
More silence.
Still more silence.
Then...
"***YOU'RE LEAVING?!?!?!***"
Ranma is nearly blown over by that scream; almost every one of
her classmates present today had bellowed that question. "Yes,
Onee-sama is leaving this worthless dump," Sakuya answers on Ranma's
behalf as Mamoru helps her to her feet. "Now you won't have the
chance to blame Onee-sama for all the troubles this place has
experienced, just like the dorks in Tomobiki loved to blame Onii-sama
for everything that happened there."
Everyone stares at Sakuya, then back to Ranma. The martial
artist says nothing as she brushes her slacks off, then turns to
Ataru. "Well, I saw what I came to see, Ataru. What say we make
tracks for the Tower?"
"Sounds like a plan," he waves her to the road train.
"HOLD THE POI, KEIKI!!! THE BIG KAHUNA AIN'T FINISHED WITH
YOU!!!"
Ranma stops, then peers intently at the Principal. "And what
exactly do you want, Kunou-kouchou?" she crosses her arms
contemptuously.
Out come the barber shears. "No keiki, especially no
disrespectful keiki like youse, gonna leave the Big Kahuna's school
without getting a partin' haircut!!" the Hawaii-crazed school
administrator declares.
Ranma sighs, then blinks on feeling Ataru squeeze her shoulder
in assurance. "Well, since my hair is a little on the long side,
I think I need a trim," he reaches behind his neck to undo the
jumper's cord tying his ponytail down. "Hold this please," he hands
the cord to Ranma
Ranma takes it, then blinks on seeing the Dragon's Whisker
still tied to the black cord. A curious yet heartwarming feeling
surges through her, then she smirks as Ataru walks up to Kunou's
father. Seeing him, the Principal shudders on seeing all that hair
hanging off this keiki. "Well, at least we got ONE keiki willin'
ta obey the Big Kahuna's rules!" he whips out a chair, then plants
it on the ground. "Sit right there!"
"Hai, hai!" Ataru takes his place.
"Ataru-san, what are you DOING?!" Sayuri gasps, imagining
what the transplanted Tomobikian might look like after the Principal
got done.
The others tense as the Principal raises his shears...
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
"Nii-ya...!" Aria shudders on seeing the damage the Principal
just wrought on her beloved brother's hair, then her eyes go wide.
So do everyone else's on seeing a strange glow cover Ataru's
head. A second later, the glow fades, revealing all his hair
restored to normal. "Waaaaa!!" Hinako gushes. "Onii-tama has
magical hair!!!"
"Huh?!" the Principal jolts, looking quizzically at Hinako,
then turns back before his jaw hits the ground on seeing Ataru once
again with moustache, beard and mid-back length hair. "THAT AIN'T
POSSIBLE!!!!"
"Care to try again?" Ataru stares at him.
Growling, the Principal snaps up his shears...
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
Guess what happens?
"YOU STOP GROWIN' LIKE THAT!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
Guess what just happened again?
"THE BIG KAHUNA IS BOSS HERE, NOT YOU!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And again...
"YOU AIN'T LICKED THE BIG KAHUNA YET!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And again...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And yet again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And still again for at least 36 -- yes, that's **THIRTY-SIX!**
-- more tries before Ataru finally asks, "Give up, Kouchou-san?"
Staring at the massive pile of cut hair encompassing Ataru's
feet and chair, the Principal looks back to see his hair restored,
not a lock of deep brown out of place, then he faints. "I guess so,"
Ataru shrugs.
The others gape dumbstruck at him, then Yuka whoops, "Three
cheers for Ataru Moroboshi, the first student ever to FULLY beat the
Principal!!!"
"BANZAI!!! BANZAI!!!! BANZAI!!!!!!" the other Furinkan girls
save Akane clap and wave their hands in celebration.
Ataru chuckles, then nods thanks as Ranma comes up, the jumper's
cord in hand. To his surprise, the Dragon's Whisker is still tied
in place. He looks at her. She playfully winks back, mouthing,
"Keep it." He chuckles as he proceeds to re-tie his hair into a
ponytail.
"How the heck did THAT happen?" Sayuri demands.
"Oh, quite simple, really," Ataru finishes lacing his ponytail
into place, then points to the pile of hair on the ground. "When
I visited a planet named Noukiios some time ago, a priest there gave
me some hair tonic that allowed me to grow my beard and moustache."
He then impishly shrugs. "Turns out I drank a little TOO much of the
stuff, though. That's why I can't be bothered to shave or get my
hair cut anymore. You see, on that planet, boys normally start
growing beards when they enter puberty. It's seen as not classy
to not grow a beard on that planet."
"Oh, that's right! I remember seeing that," Ranma perks.
Akane's eyes go wide, then she spins on Ranma. "You went to
another PLANET?!!" she shrills. "How did you wind up doing THAT?!"
"That, Akane-san, is none of your business," Ranma turns away
from her ex-fiancee, heading back to the road train.
Akane remains rooted in place, then calls back, "Of COURSE it's
my business, baka!! You could've been killed if you went there!!"
Ranma stops, then glances over her shoulder. "You mean you
really care for me, Akane-san?" her eyebrow arches surprisedly.
The youngest Tendou daughter catches herself as an automatic
denial surges up her throat, then she looks down. "Yes!" she hisses,
then stares mistily at Ranma. "Yes, I care for you, Ranma! I love
you, damn it!!"
They gaze on each other, then Ranma shakes her head. "You
hesitated before you said that. Further, you looked like you were
about to say your usual 'Why should I care for a sex-changing
pervert like you?' spiel! I'm sorry, Akane-san, but if you can't
be frankly honest with yourself, then I can't accept what you just
told me." She turns away. "And furthermore, even if you WERE honest
with yourself, I wouldn't reciprocate."
Akane shudders, then screams, "WHY?!?!"
Ranma takes a step, then looks back. "Because I don't love you.
And I never will love you because I love someone else."
"WHO?!?!"
"That is none of your business anymore, Tendou-san. Sayonara."
Ranma moves to board the road train. Akane shudders, then
screams out "RANMA NO BAKA!!!" as she draws Mallet-sama...
...then stops on feeling *something* ominous pressing on her
right ear. Shuddering, she turns to see Ataru staring
dispassionately at her, his right hand now holding what looks like
a black automatic pistol with an extra battery charger under the
barrel, her right eye looking straight down its gaping muzzle. "What
do you think you're doing?" he asks.
"Akane-chan...!" Sayuri gasps, the other Furinkan girls
sheet-white on seeing the Lawgiver in Ataru's hand. For the last
year and more, they have had to deal with a lot of strange, bizarre
things brutally shaking up their personal worldviews. But never,
NEVER have they even ONCE thought of someone entering their small
city ward packing an alien GUN -- much less clearly demonstrating
the willingness to USE said gun.
Akane shudders, then backs away from Ataru, Mallet-sama
disappearing from view. Seeing that, Ataru nods. "For someone
who professes strongly to be a martial artist, Tendou-san, I have to
seriously wonder if you really understand what you're doing slinging
that mallet in the presence of well over two dozen people who have
NO martial arts skills whatsoever." He indicates the Furinkan
girls with his free hand. "While I'm more than sure that your
classmates are used to your infantile temper-tantrums,
my sisters are not. And I will not tolerate you threatening
them, even indirectly."
"How so quickly you forget that it was because of that mallet,
Onee-sama's mother decided to end that 'engagement' between her and
you," Sakuya adds, arms crossed. "When you finally decide to be a
REAL martial artist instead of a bully, Tendou-san, tell us. Let's
go, girls."
"Hai!!" the others chime as they follow Sakuya to the road
train.
Akane shudders as they depart, then stares at her hands. A
glance to Ranma reveals the redhead looking away from her.
Screaming, she races off towards the school. "Akane-chan!"
Sayuri calls, running after her.
Ataru watches her go, then slips the Lawgiver back into its
holster, turning to join his sisters and Ranma aboard the road train.
Before he takes three steps, a voice calls out, "Moroboshi-san?"
"Yes?" he looks at the speaker. "Yuka Tokoro, I believe?"
"Hai," Yuka nods, momentarily surprised that Ataru knew her
name, then she realizes that Ranma must have told him about her. She
then bows formally to him. "Please excuse my friend for her
impertinent actions."
He stares at her, then takes a deep breath. "Tokoro-san,
do not bother to waste your breath defending your so-called
'friend's' actions. I personally view it as a gross insult to *you*
if Tendou-san can't bring herself to finally realize that the world
doesn't revolve solely around her. Perhaps, if you truly feel what
happened is wrong, you'd consider ending your friendship with
Tendou-san. Maybe then, she might see what she has done wrong and
make herself own up to her mistakes." He turns away. "In the
meantime, ladies, I'll see you in the morning. Ja nai."
He heads off. The others watch him go, then one girl muses,
"That's not the Ataru Moroboshi I've heard so much about."
"You got that right. I wonder what made him change so much,"
another girl shakes her head as Ataru boards the road train.
"Those sisters of his?" a third wonders as the train heads down
the road for Tomobiki. "Have you ever heard of Ataru-kun having
sisters?"
"We've heard stranger things," Yuka shrugs.
"Got that right," some of the others nod agreeingly...
* * *
"Hey, you okay?"
Ranma doesn't look at Ataru, though she doesn't resist his
gently squeezing her hand. "You didn't have to pull that Lawgiver
on her, you know," she closes her eyes. "I could've dealt with that
mallet."
"Not when my sisters are potentially in harm's way," he warns.
Ranma gazes on him, then nods. "Big brother..." the sisters
titter.
"Believe me, you're smart walking away from that bitch!" Mamoru
shakes her head. "What a jerk! Even after you tell her you don't
care for her anymore, she still thinks she can beat you to her
heart's content!!"
"Mamoru-chan!" Karen gently scolds.
"It's okay, Karen-chan! Mamoru-chan's right! That baka-baka
girl is nothing but a big baka-baka!!" Hinako chirps.
"Hinako-chan, have you been spending too much time with
Jii-san?" Sakuya gives her youngest half-sister a properly annoyed
stare.
Laughter rocks the road train as it heads to Tomobiki...
* * *
Elsewhere in Nerima...
"Okay, shrimp! You know what we want, don'tcha?"
Hikaru Gosunkugi sweats. It is the usual position for the
would-be voodoo sorcerer: backed into a cull-de-sac, no escape
possible, three VERY big young men ready to pound him into protoplasm
in case he didn't cough up what money he had. What was worse, there
was no sign of anyone who could help him get away. And if the masks
they wore spoke the truth about their identities, these guys were
ones Hikaru encountered before.
They would know of his attempts at using voodoo against them.
"Excuse me, but why are you picking on that man?"
Hikaru's eyes widen as the toughs spin around, gazing on the
woman in the slacks and flower-print shirt standing three metres
away. Though her face is darkened by shadow, the hair and body shape
speak volumes. "Akane-san...!" he whispers, a sudden bout of
dizziness overcoming him.
Because of that, what happens next is a hazy blur to the frail
lad. The toughs growl, then charge. In a storm of fists to the jaw
and foot strikes down *there,* the three are reduced to piles of
whimpering flesh in seconds. Confirming they no longer present
a threat, the woman approaches Hikaru. His eyes focus on the concern
etched on her face, that being enough to snap the rest of his brain
clear of its passion-induced fog.
"Are you alright?"
Hikaru blinks. Yes, this person looked exactly like Akane,
but the slight difference in her speech pattern, not to mention
different movements in the body, tell him something different.
"You're not Akane-san!!"
The woman chuckles as she helps him to his feet. She seems to
freeze for a moment, then she relaxes. "No, I'm not. My name is
Kimiko Tendou. My body..." she points to her heart, "...is cloned
from Akane's."
"Cloned...?" Hikaru stands, staring intently at Kimiko. "How?!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. The person who provided
this body for me hasn't told me how she gained it," Kimiko smiles,
an expression that, for all its blatant honesty, was worlds different
than Akane's. "I hope I didn't confuse you, Hikaru-sama. I didn't
mean to do that."
He begins to sway. *Sh-she called me 'Hikaru-SAMA?!'*
"Hikaru-sama, are you alright?!" she grabs him by the shoulder,
then yelps as a warmth, akin to the heat of a gas burner, dances
over her hands. Pulling her hands away, she stares at her palms.
He stares wide-eyed at her, his mouth opening and closing as if he
wanted to say something yet couldn't make his larynx voice his
thoughts. *Oh!* Kimiko blinks. *He's attracted to me!* her cheeks
start to flame. *Very attracted to me...*
He remains rooted in place as Kimiko walks up to lean into him,
she drawing her arms around his waist. His heartbeat thunders
in his ears as his nose picks up the lovely scent of her shampoo.
His cheeks redden on feeling a rather natural response to being in
such close proximity to a woman. She seems to stiffen, then relaxes,
turning her face to gaze on him. He stares at her, a million
questions thundering through his mind, then -- for what reason,
he has NO idea -- he firmly grasps her shoulders.
Kimiko remains in place as Hikaru's lips gently caress hers,
then she warms to the contact. Quite unexpectedly, images bombard
her mind. Images mostly focusing on Akane, they accompanied
by strong, overwhelming, levels of passion, desire -- and
frustration. Brief images of Ranma appear, those accompanied
by irritation, envy and jealousy. There were fleeting images of
others, but Akane's images were the strongest.
They pull apart, staring into each other's eyes, then Kimiko
quietly asks, "You've always desired her, haven't you?"
"Yes," Hikaru nods, stunned that the surge of strength now
flooding his muscles hadn't abated. "Why did you get cloned from
her?"
"It's..." she blinks. "Something of a long story. It was
Ranma-sama who helped make this possible for me, Hikaru-sam-...!"
-- *Wait, wait! Too formal!* she mentally rails, then corrects
herself -- "...er, Hikaru-kun!" she pulls away from him, then covers
her mouth in polite laughter.
Hikaru tries not to scream for joy. *She called me
'Hikaru-KUN?!!'* he shudders with delight, then blinks as he
remembers something else Kimiko just said. "Wait! You said SAOTOME
made this possible for you?!"
"Hai! I..." she blushes again. "Would you like to go to a
coffee shop so we can talk more, Hikaru-kun?" she waves out of the
cull-de-sac. "I mean, I'd hardly call this a proper place to start
a relationship."
He stares nonplussed at her, then nods. "Um, s-s-s-sure
th-thing, Kimiko-sa-...!" he catches himself, then flusters, "Um,
Kimiko-chan."
She beams, slipping her arm around his. He does his best not to
become a babbling wreck in her presence. Walking past the downed
bullies, they head out, then turn down the street. They do not take
ten steps before an imperious voice bellows from behind, "HOLD!!!!"
Hikaru jolts, then shudders. "Damn!! HE would have to show
up!" he growls, then turns around. And yes, there he was: Tatewaki
Kunou.
"What foulness is THIS?!" the kendo team captain points
accusingly at him. "You, Gosunkugi!! How DARE you force Akane
Tendou to cling off YOUR unworthy arm?! Do you not know the Blue
Thunder's proclamation about that!! None, NONE may date the fair
Akane without defeating her in battle!! Release her from your foul
clutches this INSTANT or...!!"
"Or what?"
That sharp question cuts Kunou short, then he focuses on
"Akane." In a flash, he is directly in front of her, his hand
reaching for hers...
...and with a well-aimed toss, she sends him flying! Hikaru
watches the Blue Thunder vanish into the morning sky, then sighs.
"That, Kunou-*sempai,* you had coming to you," he mutters under his
breath.
Kimiko relaxes, then smiles at him. "Shall we go, Hikaru-kun?"
"Um, h-h-hai!" he nods.
They head off...
* * *
"Here you go, Shinobu-chan."
"Arigatou," Shinobu takes the offered tea cup, then sips. "Oh,
it's good!" she gushes, then stares at her host. "What is this?"
"Cherry tea," the synthezoid with the moustache and goatee
smiles. Shinobu, Minako, Kyooko and Tomomi sit on the bare floor
of the Moroboshi living room. Also seated with them are two of the
synthezoid's brothers, the one with only a moustache and the one with
the moustache and beard tuft under his lip. "It's a personal
favourite of Marie-aneuesama."
Shinobu blinks. "She's one of Ataru-kun's half-sisters,
right?"
"Hai," he reaches into his shirt pocket to draw out a wallet.
Opening it, he draws a picture, then shows it to her. "This is her."
The girls look. "Kind of a bookworm, isn't she?" Minako
wonders.
"Maybe we should introduce her to Junko-chan," Kyooko smiles.
"No matter what, she IS cute!" Tomomi smirks.
He draws back the picture. "Forgive me for asking this,
Tomomi-san, but are you...?" he pauses diplomatically.
"Fully, functionally bi," Tomomi smiles. "Every Avalonian
is that way. So were the Sagussans; at least, that's what Mom told
me."
"Why is that?" Shinobu asks.
"Not too sure, but I think it's because of an inner sense we
have that prevents us from focusing too much on a person's body,"
Minako points to her head, then gazes on the bioroid Shinobu took a
personal liking to. "Take yourself for example. Now that I've spent
a little time with you, I can tell you're not pure-Earth human. But
that really doesn't matter to me because I can sense that your soul
IS human. That's what matters more."
He blushes. "You flatter me, Minako-san."
"I think you deserve it," she winks.
"Sir, do be careful," Kyooko quickly interjects. "Minako-chan
here has something of a reputation as a hopeless flirt!"
Minako glares at her. "So I like to meet cute boys and girls!
Sue me!" She wags her finger. "By the way, Kyooko-chan, you're
not so much different! Remember your little fling with Naoko-chan?!"
Kyooko sighs. "Naoko-chan broke up with her boyfriend.
It was my responsibility as her friend to be with her while she
recovered."
"You did the right thing, Kyooko-chan."
Eyes lock on the synthezoid with a moustache, who now sits
across from Kyooko. Her cheeks redden at his compliment. "Thanks."
"So you guys were created to protect Ataru-san's sisters,"
Tomomi sips her tea. "Why weren't you sent down to be with them
right away?"
"We're not sure," the synthezoid with the moustache and beard
tuft, sitting across from Tomomi, shakes his head. "All our
programming was loaded into our minds when our bodies were properly
templated. This was just before Grandmother died. All that was
needed was to initialize our programming and we would've been on our
way. But we weren't activated until yesterday when some relay alarm
triggered the wake-up sequences in the chambers where we were being
held. As to what triggered that..."
"We don't know," the synthezoid nearest to Shinobu shrugs.
The girls take that in, then Minako asks, "What can you do?"
"Well, our primary function, outside protecting our sisters
from harm, is to seek out those aliens who might be threatening
Earth society and kill them," he frankly answers, then holds up a
hand on seeing the girls pale. "Now, there ARE non-Terrans
we wouldn't harm. Anyone with a Zephyrite-like genotype is safe from
us, such as you three," he indicates the Avalonians. "That you
mentioned Sagussa clearly confirms that both Zephyrites and your
people are descent of the same ancestral race."
"If the Onis won the Tag Race, we would've no doubt gone out to
kill Lum and her allies before the Onis could've invaded," the
synthezoid close to Kyooko adds. "I don't believe you know this,
Shinobu-sama, but Lum is -- rather, *was!* -- the direct descendant
of Uru's last reigning Emperor. She was allotted a considerable
amount of respect by her people. Her death would have demoralized
her race greatly. Perhaps to the point..."
"Where the Zephyrites would've come in to stop things," the
clone of Ataru closest to Tomomi finishes off, then sips his tea.
Shinobu considers that, then shakes her head. "That's awful."
"Perhaps, but after what happened in the Second Tag Race, do you
really think the Onis would've been nice about things had Lum won
against Onii-chan the first time?" the synthezoid closest to her
muses.
"That's true," Minako grimaces.
"Has your programming initialized?" Kyooko asks.
"Not really," the synthezoid closest to her shakes his head.
"It can be initialized -- or modified or deleted -- only by the
sisters." He then shrugs. "I'm sure none of you would mind our
retaining our various combat and person-protect programming.
We'd want to ensure the sisters and our friends remain safe, after
all. That part of our programming CANNOT be changed, even by them.
Grandmother made sure of that."
"To ensure the succession of your clan goes through without
serious hiccups," Tomomi finishes. "Well, that certainly makes
sense."
"So who exactly are the projected leaders of the clan?" Shinobu
asks. "Where do Ataru-kun and Negako-san fit into this?"
"Not very well, admittedly," the one closest to her sighs.
"That can be easily changed."
Gasps fill the living room as eyes spin on the girl standing
under the archway leading to the foyer. "Ane-kun!!" the synthezoids
cry out.
Chikage slips the hood away from her head, then her eyes fall
on the three men sitting there. The last of the quartet of Ataru
replicas, the one with the moustache and sideburns, steps out of the
kitchen. Chikage gazes on him, then shakes her head. "To believe
Grandmother did not trust even Ani-kun and Ane-kun," she mutters,
drawing out her cell-phone.
The other end answers within three rings. "Hai, Yumoa here."
"Reigi, it's Chikage," the sorceress reports. "It appears
another of Grandmother's interesting ideas has just born fruit."
"How so...?"
* * *
Some distance away from where Tampopo Kamekichi once held court,
there is a large ladies boutique called Esmerelda's. The
proprietress of this place, a fortysomething Londoner named Esmerelda
Stevens, had come to Tomobiki after the First Tag Race. In a short
time, almost EVERY girl of high school age in Tomobiki came to look
on Esmerelda's as THE number one "in" shop. Whatever trends in
fashion that burst across the pop scene got first airing here. You
can get almost ANYTHING, from day ware to kimonos, from sports gear
to lingerie and swim wear, coming to Esmerelda's.
At present, the boutique is being besieged by Ataru's sisters,
they racing through the various departments as they scramble to give
Ranma a true woman's wardrobe worthy of the name. Esmerelda,
a slender woman with greying hair, looking like an atypical private
school teacher, coordinates by the change rooms. Ataru sits nearby;
he was the fashion judge. Right now, Ranma is busy trying on a
chemise. Sakuya is with her in the change room. "Okay, Onii-sama,
here she comes!" she calls out.
Ranma steps out. "Oh, that's nice," Esmerelda nods.
"Wow!"
That was Ataru, by the way.
"What exactly is that, Stevens-san?" Karen asks.
"Wow!"
"Part of the Canterbury Collection, my dear," the Englishwoman
gazes on Karen. "It just came out this year."
"Wow!"
Ranma gazes at herself, then turns to a full-length mirror.
She has on what is called a "poet chemise," a knee-length,
loose white dress with lace and ribbon trimming, buttons going down
the front. The cotton of the dress was thin enough so that you could
make out her figure underneath. "Do you like that, Onee-chan?
It looks good on you," Karen nods.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" Ranma turns slightly.
"Wow!"
"Well, Anii sure likes it!" Mamoru pats Ataru's shoulder.
Ranma stares curiously at him. "Wow!" Ataru sinks into his
chair.
"How many was that?" Sakuya asks.
"I counted six," Karen reports.
"That good?" Ranma stares at the eldest sister.
"Definitely," Sakuya winks, then calls out, "Who's got
swimwear?!"
"Found it!" Rinrin calls out, then comes up with a black opaque
one-piece. "I think this'll be great for Aneki!"
Ranma stares at it, then heads into the change room, Sakuya
following her. Mamoru pinches Ataru awake. "Eh?!" he looks around,
then sighs. "Oh, man, I'll be more than glad when this is over
with!"
"You're not the only one, Ataru," Ranma calls out.
Laughter fills the boutique. Ranma soon emerges, wearing a
crochet one-piece composed of nude power mesh done up in spandex,
that underlined with opaque nylon to obscure the more intimate
details of her body. The only skin this suit reveals is a keyhole
opening in the back; the suit went all the way to her neck. "Well?"
she turns to the mirror to give herself a once-over, then turns back
to Ataru. "Is this okay...?"
"Wow..." he drawls, then passes out.
Ranma blinks, then frowns. "Oh, bummer..."
"No, no, no!" Mamoru shakes her head, wagging her finger. "If
that suit did THAT to Anii, it's perfect for you, Anee!!"
Ranma takes that in, then blushes. "I don't want to end up
killing the guy 'cause I'm wearing something like THIS, Mamoru!"
"I believe it will not only ensure their brother remains loyal
to you, my dear, but it'll make him more than ready to defend you
from the groping hands of unwanted chikan artists," Esmerelda
winks.
Ranma blinks. "Well, if you say so, ma'am..."
More laughter fills the shop...
* * *
Lunchtime soon comes. By then, the Moroboshi house in Tomobiki
is a beehive of activity as movers bring in the necessary furnishings
a family of four brothers would require. Since they were there,
Shinobu, Minako, Tomomi and Kyooko volunteer to help, but are quickly
shooed into the living room by the synthezoids. Chikage is nominally
in charge, though she allows her laboratory-built "little brothers"
to have their way with how the house will look. Also having arrived
are Kotatsuneko, Sakura and Cherry, they now relaxing with Shinobu
and the three Avalonians in the living room. "To believe that
replicas of Ataru Moroboshi could be so..." the nurse shakes her head
as she watches one of the synthezoids give detailed instructions
to two of the movers. "So disciplined! Insane, isn't it, Uncle?"
Cherry sips his tea. "It is quite disturbing to me, my niece,"
he seems uncommonly grim to Sakura and Shinobu.
"Are you alright, Cherry?" Shinobu asks.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine, dear," Cherry nods. "What disturbs me the
most is what these four lads and their unfinished 'brother'
downstairs were constructed for. To believe that they were created
by the same Nagaiwakai Moroboshi that I knew and cared for before
I took my vows..."
His voice trails off. Sakura gazes on her uncle concernedly
-- despite all their many spats, she cared for Cherry a lot -- then
perks on hearing someone enter the living room. "With some food in
the fridge and cupboards now, I think you'd all like to have a
snack," the synthezoid with moustache and sideburns walks in, a tray
of cold cuts and crackers in hand.
"Thank you," Shinobu picks up a party fork, then makes herself
a mini-sandwich. "I am a little hungry," she nods before munching
it down.
"As soon as we're done, I'll make something more substantial,"
he turns back to the kitchen. "Fortunately for me, I was programmed
with all of Shirayuki-neesama's culinary knowledge, so it should
turn out fine."
"You eat?" Sakura blinks.
"We have to. Even if our bodies are molecularly worlds apart
from yours, we do need sustenance to maintain ourselves at peak
performance."
He heads off. Everyone dwells on that, then Tomomi whispers,
"I wonder what sort of 'peak performance' they're REALLY capable
of!"
Shinobu's face ripens to the shade of cherries as the meat of
Tomomi's question sinks in. Minako and Kyooko laugh. Cherry keeps
his peace while Sakura shakes her head. Chikage then steps into the
room. "Things should be done in the next hour," she sits at the
table, absently gesturing with a hand to telekinetically
craft her own cracker sandwich.
"You do parlour tricks?" Minako wonders.
"Child's play," Chikage nibbles on her sandwich.
"For a relative of Ryuuji Hirosaki, that isn't surprising."
Eyes lock on Sakura. "You know something, Sensei?" Shinobu
asks.
"Sakura's fiance was once a student of my grandfather's,"
Chikage explains. "Tsubame-kun was one of Grandfather's more
'brighter' students."
"Your grandfather has always been a harsh man," Cherry notes.
"For good reason," Chikage smiles, then perks on hearing her
cell-phone ring. "Hai, Chikage," she puts it to her ear, then nods.
"Yes, I'll be there in an hour. How was the shopping trip with
Ane-kun?" A pause, then the sorceress' eyebrow arches. "He did, did
he? That is a good sign. Oh, Sakuya, do tell Ane-kun that
Toofuu-kun would like to see her as soon as possible." Another
pause, then she sighs. "Hai, hai. Ja nai."
She cuts the link. "Who was that?" Shinobu asks.
"That was Sakuya," Chikage replies.
"That's the girl with the long ponytails, right? She was with
you and Ataru-kun on Friday when you visited the Kawamuras and the
Serizawas."
"The same."
*Not a talkative girl, is she?* Minako psi-links to Kyooko.
*She gives me the creeps!* the latter nods.
"Ane-kun?"
Everyone turns as the synthezoids step into the room. "I assume
you'd like to have some matters resolved before I leave," Chikage
notes.
"I think the biggest thing they need are names," Tomomi notes.
"We can't go around saying 'Hey, you' to them all the time."
"True," Chikage holds out her hand.
The synthezoids gently grasp the offered hand. Their bodies
lock up as their voices switch to a flat monotone. "*DNA genetic
scan confirmed. Chikage Moroboshi, nee Hirosaki, Second
Matriarch-in-Waiting, Clan Sage. How may we serve you, Ane-kun?*"
they ask in perfect lock-step.
"What are your names?"
"*We have no self-designation at this time, Ane-kun.*"
Chikage gazes on the others. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"Whatever you think is best, Chikage-san," Shinobu shrugs.
The sorceress' eyebrow arches. "Amazing."
Hearing that, Ataru's former girlfriend wonders if Chikage's
reply was meant as compliment or insult. "Very well, then," the
sorceress faces the synthezoids. "You will be known as 'Kaeru
Moroboshi,'" she indicates the man with moustache and goatee. "You
will be 'Kokeru Moroboshi,'" she indicates the synthezoid with just
a moustache. "You will be 'Kitaro Moroboshi,'" she points to the man
with moustache and sideburns. "And you will be 'Kenshiro
Moroboshi,'" she indicates the fellow with moustache and beard tuft.
"Do you all understand what I just told you?"
"*Yes, Ane-kun, we understand,*" they respond, still in
lock-step, then they ask, "*Do you desire primary programming
to be initialized?*"
Chikage considers that, then draws out her crystal ball. Making
a very slow pass in front of the synthezoids' faces, her eyes narrow
for a moment. "No," she slips the ball back under her cape. "Keep
your primary programming on stand-by mode. I will tell you when you
may initialize your primary programming. Initialize all your
self-defence and protect-serve functions, then slave them to the
control of your upper consciences."
They remain silent for a moment, then chant, "*Done.*"
"Return to normal function."
"*Hai,*" they nod, then draw their hands away from Chikage's.
Silence falls as the four young men think about what just
happened to them, then Kitaro sighs. "I'm going to make some lunch."
"Good idea," Kaeru nods, then turns to their guests. "Venerable
Sakurambou, would you and your niece like some more tea?"
Cherry's eyes nearly shoot out of his head, then he absently
nods. "Um, y-yes, of course, lad!" he stutters. "That would be
nice."
"Please," Sakura is just as wide-eyed.
"Hai. Shinobu-chan, ladies, do you want some more tea?"
"Um, n-no, thank you, Kaeru-kun," Shinobu flusters. "I'm fine.
Besides, if Kitaro-kun's going to make lunch, I'd like to save room."
She pats her stomach. "We're okay, too," Tomomi adds.
"Fair enough, then. Ane-kun, will you be staying?"
Chikage shakes her head. "No, I have some other things to do
before rejoining Ani-kun and the others. Sometime later, I'll return
to have your untemplated brother taken to the Island so Rinrin may
examine him."
"Alright," Kaeru nods.
With that, Chikage vanishes...
* * *
Lunch at the Tendou dojo is tense. Sayuri and Yuka join the
Tendous for the noon repast. Their presence guarantees that attempts
at resolving this morning's argument concerning matters with Ranma
are kept under the table. Furthermore, there is another matter that
needs to be addressed.
"***HE DREW A GUN ON YOU?!?!?!***"
Souun is a hair's breadth away from unleashing a full Demon's
Head, though the real target of his anger is nowhere in Nerima.
"Hai, he did," Akane nods. "Ranma told me he's in love with someone
else. I demanded to know who that was and he brushed me off, the
stupid jerk! So I tried to smack him into place and Moroboshi...!"
her voice trails off.
"In close range of all his sisters, by the way," Yuka cuts in.
"Ataru-kun's sisters were there?" Kasumi asks.
"Hai."
Nabiki slurps up some ramen, then sighs. "No doubt, when they
were staying together, Ranma-kun told Ataru-kun all sorts of horror
stories about Akane's mallet." She shrugs. "And there WAS the
problem that led to Akane's arm getting broke last Tuesday. Guess
Ataru-kun assumed the worst, then stepped in to put a stop to it in
the fastest way possible."
"Nabiki, how can you CONDONE such a thing?!!" Souun shrills.
"Oh," Nabiki glares at her father. "So you're saying that as
their elder brother, Ataru-kun DOESN'T have the undisputed right --
No! Excuse me, the RESPONSIBILITY! -- to defend his sisters from
potential harm?!"
"I...!" he sputters, then rapidly shakes his head. "No, no! Of
course he has that right, Nabiki! But...!"
"So you're saying it can't apply when it comes to Akane, right?"
Nabiki's eyebrow arches. "Gee, Dad, that's being REALLY selfish!"
"Nabiki, this is your SISTER you're talking about!"
"Oh, so you're now saying that Ataru-kun, who's a near-stranger
to our family, has to respect Akane's wishes more than his
SISTERS'?!" Nabiki retorts, then shakes her head. "Don't bet on that
happening, Dad!"
Souun tries to reply. "I agree," Kasumi speaks up. "Akane,
you had no right to draw that thing out in the presence of people
who couldn't defend themselves," she glares at Akane, making the
youngest Tendou duck. "And I also agree that Ataru-kun acted
properly in putting a stop to it before someone DID get hurt! And
finally, I agree to the fact that you have no right to press
Ranma-kun anymore about how he runs his life, Akane. The engagement
is over. We can do nothing to change that..."
"***RANMA-KUN WILL MARRY AKANE!!!!***" Souun explodes...
...then is sent face-first into the table by an invisible
punch. Sayuri and Yuka cry out as Toshiko Saotome drops the Goshin
Buufu cloak. Kumiko now stands at the doorway to the sitting room.
"Says who, pal?" Toshiko rubs her knuckles as an incoherent moan
escapes Souun.
"Oh, Toshiko-chan, Kumiko-chan, konnichi wa!" Kasumi smiles.
"Is Kimiko-chan with you? I wanted to see her today!"
"She's a little busy right now, Kasumi-san," Kumiko replies.
"She ran into Hikaru Gosunkugi earlier on and..." a sly grin crosses
her face, "...may I say that indeed it was love at first sight!"
Jaws hit the floor. "Kimiko with GOSUNKUGI?!!" Nabiki shrills,
then moans. "Oh, no, no, no, NO!!! She doesn't deserve THAT
creep!!"
"Would you want Kimiko-chan to date Tatewaki Kunou?" Toshiko
asks.
"No!!" Akane shakes her head. "There is no way in HELL that
arrogant jerk is getting anything, ANYTHING of mine! NONE!!"
"Takes one to know one, eh, Miss Mallets?" Kumiko mutters.
Akane jolts, then glares at the raven-haired mirror-twin.
"Well, I hope it does turn out for the best between them," Kasumi
smiles.
"I think it's got a very good to excellent chance, Kasumi-san,"
Toshiko assures her, then stretches herself. "In the meantime,
we came by to tell you that we'll be heading back to Promised Island
today. We need time to get settled into our new home, then we'll
be starting school."
"Oh, that's nice. Is there a good school on the Island?"
"Stargazer West College," Kumiko provides. "All-grade school,
the only one on the island. No doubt when Ranma transfers there,
he'll get all the peace and quiet he needs after staying in this
madhouse for so long."
Silence.
"So he's really going, eh?" Nabiki sips her tea.
"What do you think, Nabiki?" Toshiko clicks her tongue.
"He doesn't have to go."
Eyes lock on Akane. The mirror-twins look at her, then shake
their heads. "Akane, if the message hasn't sunk into that concrete
block you call a brain by now, we're not going to waste our breath
trying to convince you otherwise," Toshiko snorts as they turn to
leave. "It's as simple as this, Miss Mallets: he doesn't love you.
He doesn't want anything to do with you. Who's fault is that, you
ask? Look in your mirror!"
Toshiko and Kumiko vanish. Akane shudders, then her shoulders
slump as a sob quakes her. Sayuri moves to comfort. Yuka gives
Akane's hand a squeeze, then she turns back to her tea. A pained
moan escapes Souun as he tries to pick himself off the table. Noting
that neither Kasumi or Nabiki were saying anything, Sayuri glares
at them. "You mean you're just going to sit there and let them do
that to your sister?!" she shrills.
Nabiki sighs. "Look, Asano, I know you don't like Ranma-kun..."
"Damn right I don't!" Sayuri snarls. "Ever since that bastard
first showed up, Akane-chan's been treated like dirt by almost
everyone who knows her! She gets no respect for what she can do,
even when she WANTS to learn how to stand on her own! Oh, NO, that's
not right since, because she's engaged, she has to depend TOTALLY
on a jerk like Ranma Saotome! And Akane-chan gets no support when
she tries something new! Why? Because no one wanted to be bothered
to make her look better than her iinazuke, even when he was forced
to act like a girl!! You want to know how much it HURT her when
Saotome proved he was a better *girl* than she?! How much it HURT
her every time she tried to cook something and NO ONE, especially
not even her own SISTER..." she glares at Kasumi, "...would try to
help her?!"
Kasumi flusters. "How dare you...?"
"How dare YOU?!!" Sayuri snaps. "Before you say how imperfect
your sister is, you better take a long look at your OWN mirror!!"
The eldest daughter quakes, then rises. "Then you best
leave...!"
"No!"
Eyes lock on Souun. "Father...?" Kasumi blinks.
"Sit down, daughter," he ordains, the steel in his voice
shocking everyone else present. Kasumi quakes, then realizing
that this time, Souun would not bend for her, sinks to the floor.
Seeing that for once, he had been listened to, Souun nods
approvingly. "Indeed, Sayuri-san is correct about people throwing
accusations around without taking time to reflect on their own
actions," he sagely nods. "That you are so willing to support my
child at this time, Sayuri-san, speaks volumes of your loyalty as a
friend. For that, I thank you very much," he gracefully bows to her.
"It's my pleasure and honour to call your daughter my friend,
Tendou-dono," Sayuri returns his bow with a graceful nod.
Akane sniffs, then lightly smiles. "For the remainder of this
day, Akane, Nabiki, I'll have you in the dojo," Souun ordains.
"Even if my own status as a teacher is now under question, I'll not
have either of you left vulnerable to all those who would bring harm
to either of you. Unless..."
"No, Dad, I've got nothing planned today," Akane shakes her
head.
"Everything's fine with me," Nabiki nods.
"Excellent," Souun sighs, then turns to his eldest. "I trust
you won't need any assistance in the kitchen this evening, Kasumi?"
"That will not be necessary," Kasumi shakes her head. "I will
not have time to cook dinner this evening, Father."
Souun's eyes widen. "What...?"
She rises. "I will be busy with Ono-sensei discussing plans
to attend college. I'm not sure if I'll be back in time..."
He shudders. "You will..."
"No, Father!" she glares at him, her fists clenching as the ice
in her voice causes Souun to balk. "If you feel my opinions have no
real merit in this household, then, to paraphrase Ranma-kun,
I no longer feel welcome here. If you choose not to respect that,
that's too bad."
Souun pales. "Kasumi, you can't..."
"Can't what?!" she snaps. "Do you expect me to keep my life in
suspended animation just to help coddle your fool dreams and Akane's
fantasies?! Isn't that the REAL reason you want to drag Ranma-kun
back?! So you can hide behind him, pretend you don't have to concern
yourself with problems you and your 'friend' forced Ranma-kun
to deal with, use him to shield Akane from the real world, a world
you FAILED to prepare her for?! Face it, Father: you FAILED your
FAMILY!! And I will no longer help deal with the fallout of that
failure if you choose to hide from that!!!"
She storms away. "You come back here this instant!!" Souun
snaps. "If you leave this house, I will no longer recognize you as
my daughter!"
Kasumi stops, then looks over her shoulder. "I suggest you
remember what happened to Genma before you choose to walk down THAT
path, Father! Negako-san and Ataru-kun aren't so far away,
remember?! How do you think you'll fare if the police are informed
that you helped HIDE Genma from facing the consequences of his
actions?! Much less hide Ojii-san?!"
Souun turns sheet-white as Kasumi's words surge through him.
Without another world, the eldest daughter storms upstairs. Nabiki
watches her go, then rises herself. "I'll let you focus on Akane's
training, Dad," she moves to head upstairs. "I'll spend the day with
Negako-san."
Hearing that, he quakes. "B-b-but..."
Nabiki stops, then sighs. "We're all guilty of what's been
happening here since Mom died, Dad. Especially since Ranma-kun
and the panda entered our lives. I choose now to face up to that
fact, then get on with my life. So does Kasumi-oneechan.
If you want to stay mired in the past, go right on ahead. But I'll
be DAMNED if you drag me down with you!"
"Nabiki, don't...!!" Akane bolts to her feet.
Nabiki looks sadly at her. "Face facts, sis: it's over between
you and Ranma-kun. Let him go. He's chosen someone else. In a
funny way, I can understand why that came about. Accept it and get
on with your own life, Akane-chan. REALLY accept it -- before it's
too late."
She turns away. "Wait!!!" Akane shrieks. "Tell me who she
is!!!"
Nabiki stops. "No."
"Why not?!"
Nabiki gazes on her, surprising Akane with tears in her eyes.
"Now you know what I have to do to atone for what I did to
Ranma-kun."
She heads upstairs. Akane remains in place, then looks at the
floor. A hand squeezes her shoulder. She looks up to see Sayuri
gazing at her. "Even if I'd state different reasons for it, Nabiki's
right, Akane-chan. It's time to let Ranma go. You're only hurting
yourself if you keep going on like this. And you're doing your
family no good, either."
"It has to be done, Sayuri-san!" Souun insists.
She sighs. "At the expense of your child's happiness, sir?"
she wonders. "You're right. I do care for Akane-chan. I care for
her very much. And because of that, seeing her hurt hurts ME too.
And if you keep this up..." she shakes her head. "Sir, all I see
coming out of that is what just happened. Nabiki and Kasumi ready
to walk out on you once and for all, Akane caught in a pit she can't
get out of...!" A shrug rolls her shoulder. "No one wins in that
case, Tendou-san. No one at all."
"Maybe that's why Ranma-kun walked out," Yuka whispers, rising.
"Yuka..." Akane watches as Yuka moves to leave.
She stops. "I want to still be your friend, Akane-chan.
I really do," she stares at Akane. "I apologized for your actions
to Ataru-kun this morning. He didn't accept it, by the way, since
he felt it was a dishonour to ME to apologize for something YOU
wouldn't apologize for. Want to know what he told me in return?
He said that if I didn't approve of what you did -- and believe
me, Akane-chan, I sure DIDN'T like what you almost did to Ranma-kun!
-- then I should consider ending my friendship with you."
Akane pales. "Yuka..."
"How can you defend someone like Saotome?!" Sayuri shrills.
Yuka squeezes her eyes shut. "If you don't care for Ranma-kun,
Sayuri-chan, that's your choice," she turns away, moving to step out.
"I choose at least to understand there are more than one side to any
argument. And besides, in a week's time, it'll be mute.
Ranma-kun'll be gone. And I, for one, will choose to wish him all
the best. I think that after all the garbage he's been through
since he came here, he deserves it."
She steps out. The others watch her go. "Yuka," Akane
shudders, then feels Sayuri's hands squeeze her shoulders in
reassurance...
* * *
Later...
"Hey, you okay?"
"Huh?" Ranma perks as she floats in the deep end of the pool.
"Did you say something, Ataru?" she glances up at him.
Located on the sixth floor of the Toranoseishin tower, the pool
is enclosed with glass windows offering a panoramic view of Tomobiki
and its surrounding suburbs. Change rooms are poised by the elevator
shafts, they lining one side of the pool space. Presently, many of
the sisters frolic in the shallow end. Mamoru swims laps by one side
of the pool. Aria and Hinako recline on float tubes, a parasol
perched over the former. Ataru now sits on one of the diving boards
close to where Ranma now relaxes.
"I asked if you were okay," he repeats.
She blinks, then smiles assuredly at him before gazing on the
high ceiling. "I'm still a little bugged over what happened last
night."
"Do you remember much of it?"
"Bits and pieces, plus that nightmare I had," she admits,
closing her eyes. "To believe I'm capable of something like
*that*...!"
"Frightening, huh?"
"You said it." A pause, then, "Then again, why should I be
shocked? After all, I went way past the envelope when I had to fight
Saffron. Do you think that part of me had something to do with
that?"
"Don't ask me, Ranma," Ataru shakes his head. "That sort of
deep theory, I leave to the real experts like Onee-chan."
She looks on him. "It scares you, doesn't it?"
He considers her question, then nods. "Hai, it does."
"Why?"
Ataru blinks, then takes a deep breath. "When I first started
on this road, I wanted to keep as many options open to me as I could.
Try to keep or reform as many friendships as I could in Tomobiki,
stay with my family, be..." he shrugs. "Well, be *normal,* I guess!
But..." he closes his eyes, his head swaying to and fro. "As time
went on, it seemed as if everything I tried to hang onto was closed
off to me. I..." a pause, then, "If I lost all links to my sisters,
I wouldn't know WHAT to do, Ranma. They're all I've really got left.
Lum's gone, Shinobu left my life long ago, I never really deserved
to be with anyone else..."
"Lum's not gone, Ataru. She's here in town."
"No, no! You don't understand," he shakes his head. "Ranma,
that person on Lan's ship now IN PART is Lum. There's a whole new
side of her being. That's how the Crossing Over works. Didn't
Nokoko-oneechan tell you about that in Sanctuary?" Seeing Ranma nod,
he sighs. "And even Lan is gone, Ranma. She's in the same position
as the being born from Lum."
"You can try to stay friends with her."
"Should I do that?" he wonders. "Ranma, the future's wide open
for her. For them both. I have no right to impose myself on them
anymore. Do you feel you've got the right to impose yourself on
Akane or Ukyou?"
"No, of course not!" she shakes her head, then smiles.
"Still..."
"What?"
Grinning, Ranma somersaults in the water, then snares Ataru by
the leg. "I've got you!" she growls as she yanks him in.
Ataru screams before being submerged. Ranma dives in after him.
They meet at the bottom, drawing their arms around each other as she
presses her lips against his. Floating back to the surface, they
keep their pose even though all the sisters could clearly see them.
Even the multiple flashes of Yotsuba's digital camera don't break
their lip-to-lip conversation. "Ani-chama's and Ane-chama's
kiss checky!!" she declares.
They pull apart, a sly look then appearing on Ataru's face.
Ranma grins, then they leap out of the pool and dogpile the hapless
detective. "***ULTIMATE TICKLE-TORTURE CHECKY!!!!***" they scream
out as Yotsuba's laughter-filled pleas for mercy fill the pool area.
The other sisters watch, many trying desperately not to fall
over laughing on seeing the English-born girl so quickly brought
down. "Well, I'd say it's about time!!" Sakuya speaks for them
all...
* * *
"Darling, how can you think something like THAT...?"
The dark-haired, brown-eyed girl sits in the guest room of Lan's
scoutship, gazing in the general direction of the Toranoseishin
Finances tower. With a little concentration, she could sense
everything Ataru was saying to Ranma Saotome. She couldn't probe
directly into his mind even if she wanted to. For some odd reason,
Ataru's mind was closed to her. How was that possible? Nendo-kata
could sense next to anything, even advanced artificial-born
sentients like the four replicas of Ataru now residing in the old
Moroboshi home. So what was blocking her from probing into Ataru's
mind, much less Ranma's? Was it those things they could become...?
She quakes, her hand turning the identification card now in her
hand. Her eyes quickly lock on the name printed there.
Seiko Izumo.
To the surprise of even his more-experienced partner Jay, Kay
was a passionate history buff. Since he had been assigned to help
watch over the aliens resident in Japan, the young SCAA agent had
brushed up on the local culture and history. It was he who chose
the names the beings formed in part from Lum and Lan would use from
today on. "Izumo," their new family name, was taken from a famous
Kabuki actress who performed in the days when Japan's legendary
theatre allowed women to take active roles. The given names the
expat Urusians-turned-Nendo-kata/Terrans
would use hailed from an even earlier period of Japanese history.
"Seiko" was derived from a famous Heian poet, Shoonagon Sei, the
author of "Makura no Sooshi." "Sakiko," the name given to the person
once known as Lan Aruka, got her name from a court rival of Sei's,
Shikubu Murasaki, author of "The Tale of Genji."
Hearing the origins of their names, Seiko and Sakiko could only
exchange a knowing look. How ironic, indeed...
"Sei-chan?"
Seiko perks, then gazes on Sakiko, she now leaning against
the doorframe. A hairstylist brought in by Kay and Jay had done
miracles with the rose-pink hair Lan/Sakiko once called her own. Now
it was hued to a more natural reddish-brown shade, styled in a bushy,
close-cropped mass that nearby obscured her eyes. It looked
downright sexy on her, Seiko muses to herself, then holds out a hand.
Sakiko grins as she walks to the bed, then allows herself to sink
into Seiko's embrace. "You okay?"
"Not really," Seiko admits, kissing Sakiko's forehead. "So when
do we have to finally move the ship out of town?"
"I'll do it tonight," Sakiko lightly smiles. "I'll talk to
Ryuu-chan about leaving it on her island. It should escape attention
there."
"With some help."
"Hai, with some help," she nods. The SCAA would no doubt want
to ensure things were squared off before moving to allow the Izumo
sisters a chance to live their own lives. "Are you angry?" she then
asks.
"No, Saki-chan, I'm not angry at you," Seiko gazes into the
other woman's eyes. "We know the sacrifices demanded of us when the
Crossing Over is invoked. And Ryuunosuke needs you, Saki-chan.
She's been as much a Wanderer as we've been, even long before her
father was killed."
"True," Sakiko nods, then peers towards the Toranoseishin
tower. A shudder races through her as her empathic senses pick up
the strong aura of pure LOVE emanating from the sixth floor. "They
love him so much."
"And her, too," Seiko nods. "I envy Darling..."
"Maybe you shouldn't call him that."
Seiko considers that, then sighs. "He'll always be 'Darling'
to me, Saki-chan. It's too soon. I..." she pauses, then allows
her face to be partially buried in her sister's lovely hair. "Even
with the Crossing Over, I haven't had as much time to mourn what's
been lost than he..."
"I know. And I think he knows it, too," Sakiko muses, then
perks, her eyes glowing as she glances towards the gangway.
"Company."
"Who?" Seiko scans herself, then smiles. "Ryuunosuke."
"Excuse me," Sakiko stands, heading out.
"Don't seduce her on the first date, Saki-chan!"
"But she's so much of a TEMPTATION, Sei-chan!!"
Laughter fills the scoutship as Sakiko heads down to receive
their friend. Seiko watches her go, then turns back to the
Toranoseishin tower as she allows her empathic powers to reach out...
* * *
Karen perks up as a funny warmth seems to surge through her
body, then she finds herself gazing out the window at the surrounding
cityscape. What was that? Standing, she poises herself inches away
from the thick safety glass, trying to pick out the details. She
knew where some of the more important locations in Tomobiki are
sighted. Before they met up with their brother, the sisters had been
walked through a detailed model of the town by Negako. Yes, there
was Tomobiki High School. The large expanse of green and asphalt
black/grey interspersed with European-style buildings and
military-like structures was the Mendou estate. Off to the far north
was a sea of trees around a more traditional mansion: the Mizunokoji
estate. There was the shrine where that Sakura woman, the one who
cursed poor Onii-chan when she tried to rid herself of some nasty
disease demons, lived. There was the house Onii-chan lived in. The
Miyaki home. The small empty restaurant Tampopo-san once used for
her establishment. All the other schools: Sanrinbou, Shakkou,
Taian, Butsumetsu, Butsumetsu Girls...
Wait!
Karen focuses on a small dot of pink to the north-east of
Tomobiki High. Oh, yes, that was Lan's scoutship. Remembering
that woman, Karen scowls, then chases away the dark thoughts
thundering through her mind. Even if Lan and her late boyfriend
held many ill-thoughts towards her Onii-chan, that wouldn't remain
as is now. Rei was dead after all. And while Karen didn't know the
full story behind Lan's and Lum's return to Earth, from what she
could sense of Onii-chan's and Negako-oneechan's words, neither
of them were in any real position to hurt Onii-chan again...
* * *
"Is that what you all think of me...?" Seiko whispers, her eyes
sparkling with hurt tears. "Just as someone who hurt your
brother...?"
Shuddering, she pulls her legs close to her as she leans her
head on her closed knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. No! Oh,
Sweet Mother, NO, it just wasn't FAIR!! Even if she wouldn't do what
she had once done to Ataru before she was sent home, to learn that
all of Ataru's sisters HATED her was like a hot knife to her heart.
Then...! Then again...
Seiko sniffs. Should she be so surprised? If Sakuya's,
Chikage's and Haruka's actions on Saturday provided any clue,
Darling's sisters had come to forge ironclad viewpoints when it came
to Lum. And those verdicts had come down AGAINST her. That was an
attitude Lum hadn't encountered before. Yes, there was Shinobu
and her attempts at hanging onto Ataru after the First Tag Race.
Seiko doubted Ataru's late 'parents,' especially Kinshou, ever DID
care for her in the long term, seeing her instead as the perfect
ticket to steal what was rightfully Darling's. But this...
This...
"I'm sorry..."
* * *
Karen blinks as a twinge of pain touches her chest, then she
sits on a nearby lawnchair, looking nowhere in particular. Why was
she suddenly feeling sad for someone like Lum, for Heaven's sake?
After all the things that she instigated or helped instigate,
she didn't deserve any...
No.
Karen closes her eyes ashamedly. That wasn't true. If Lum
deserved anything now, it WAS a show of mercy. She was here on
Earth, most likely never to see her home ever again. Did Karen have
a right to judge Lum now, especially after all she had been through?
Of course not.
"Karen-chan, are you okay?"
Karen gasps, then spins around to see Hinako standing there,
a concerned look on the younger girl's face. "Oh, Hinako-chan,
you scared me!" she breathes out. "Is there something wrong?"
"Well, Shirayuki-chan was gonna make some hot dogs for us,"
Hinako points to the other side of the pool, where the chef in
question is now hard at work by a portable barbecue. "Don't you want
some?"
"I..." Karen then blushes as a growl echoes from her stomach.
Hearing that, Hinako giggles, then taking her sister's hand,
pulls her towards where the others are now relaxing...
* * *
"You were being a little too aggressive, Seiko."
Seiko screams, spinning around to see someone standing by the
door. "Negako-san!!" she gasps, feeling her heart, then relaxes.
"How...?"
"I have encountered others of your kind before. You are not the
first of the Great School who have come this way," the grandmistress
lightly smiles, then turns to step out of the room. "Karen is
especially sensitive to empathic probing like what you just did now.
If you are so determined to become lifemates with one of my family,
I highly suggest you learn something called 'patience.' That was
part of the reason you, not to mention Shinobu and Elle, did not
succeed in your pursuit of Ataru."
Seiko blinks as Negako leaves, then looks nowhere in
particular...
* * *
The remainder of the day progresses quietly for Ataru, Ranma
and the sisters. Much to Ranma's surprise, none of the sisters
make any comment about the healed bullet wound on Ataru's shoulder.
She does note the looks of concern from Hinako and Kaho. And Ranma
heard a "Kusu!" from Aria when the young Parisian stared intently
at Ataru one time. But it goes no father than that. No doubt, the
sisters believed that since Ataru didn't seem really bothered by it,
they shouldn't panic about it either.
Chikage rejoins her siblings after lunch bearing an invitation
from Toofuu for Ranma to come by the clinic before the end of
business hours. As to what the sorceress had been doing for so long,
no one had any idea, though Chikage did cryptically tell Ataru that
one certain problem would no longer plague him and that another
problem would be resolved by noon the next day. To Ranma's surprise,
Ataru doesn't press Chikage for details.
After a quick visit to the Tomobiki Pizza Emporium, the most
popular eatery in town now that Tampopo's had moved away, for some
take-out -- yes, even Shirayuki liked the idea of taking a break from
the kitchen ever so often -- the gang makes their way back to Nerima.
Sitting beside Ataru as they watch the scenery, Ranma can only smile.
Another day was coming to an end, one where she didn't have to deal
with insane martial arts challenges, jealous fiancees, clueless
rivals or anything else. Considering that, she shudders as a tinge
of disquiet touches her, then she senses Ataru gazing concernedly
at her. They look at each other, then she kisses his cheek. "I'm
okay," she whispers, then leans against him, they holding hands.
"You were an adrenaline junkie when we met, Ranma," he clicks
his tongue. "Something tells me you're starting to go through
withdrawal."
Ranma considers that, then sighs. "It's necessary."
"Afraid you're going to make things worse?"
"Pretty much so," she admits. "I mean, if I get challenged,
I'll take the challenge. Got to keep myself in shape and all
that..."
"Maybe you should consider only accepting the decent challenges,
Anegimi-sama," Haruka, sitting across from them, notes.
"How would you define something like that, Haruka-chan?"
"Well, martial arts is a never-ending evolution," she shrugs.
"My step-father told me that it was right and proper for martial
artists, especially those starting their own unique disciplines,
to go about and test their skills against compatible opponents.
It's something I've done from time to time. I'm sure
Negako-anegimisama did it too when she was wandering around the
planet after being freed of Anigimi-sama's mind."
Rinrin starts to laugh. "Like that one guy who came by wanting
to try his so-called 'baka-ken' on you?" she gazes on her sister.
Haruka blanches. "Rinrin-chan, PLEASE, don't remind me of him!"
"'Idiot fist?!'" Ataru and Ranma chorus.
"Hai," Haruka forlornly shakes her head. "Please, Anigimi-sama,
Anegimi-sama, I beg you both, don't ASK me what that insanity was all
about! The sooner I forget that fool, the better!"
"He stands a fair chance of succeeding in his quest."
"Chikage!!"
More laughter. "The one I really liked was the fellow who
wanted to base his form on using snack food as weapons!!" Sakuya
smirks.
"Snack food?!" Ranma's eyebrow twitches.
"I don't remember you telling me about that one," Ataru notes.
Haruka's cheeks flame as she draws her gunsen, then fans herself
despite it being quite cool today. "Well, that particular challenge
was difficult," she flusters. "I confess, he was a talented
opponent..."
"Oh?" Yotsuba smirks. "Yotsuba remembers Haruka-chan thought
that guy was -- and Yotsuba is quoting here -- 'Very handsome!'"
Haruka's cheeks heat up even more. "Yeah, he was a real
hottie!!" Sakuya quivers excitedly, then gazes on Ataru. "Not that
any man would ever hold up a candle to someone like you, Onii-sama."
"Oh, of course!" Haruka quickly recovers, clearing her throat.
"One simply cannot compare any man to our own Anigimi-sama."
The other sisters readily nod. Now ATARU is blushing. "Don't
you just hate it when they butter you up like that?" Ranma whispers
to him.
"Well..." he chuckles.
Laughter fills the road train as it enters Nerima. Within
minutes, it comes to a halt in front of Toofuu Ono's clinic. The
chiropractor steps out on hearing the road train's horn sound off,
then smiles on seeing the first person emerge from the passenger
compartment. "Ranma, there you are!!" he laughs as Ranma walks over
to embrace him. "How are you?!"
"Pretty okay, Doc!" Ranma pulls away, giving Toofuu a detailed
look-over. "Sorry I didn't stick around too much last night."
"It's alright! Everyone, c'mon in," Toofuu waves them inside,
then notices the wrapped pizza being carried by Shirayuki. "Oh,
Shirayuki..."
"Hime wasn't in the mood to cook something tonight, but Hime
made sure that Toofuu-sensei wouldn't go without supper," the chef
smiles as she offers the pizza. "Hime'll make something really
special for Toofuu-sensei tomorrow when she makes her Ai no O-bento
for Nii-sama and Nee-sama."
"I'll gladly accept such a gift from you with thanks," Toofuu
gracefully bows to Shirayuki, then blinks on feeling something
tap his shoulder. "Eh?" he turns to see Betty now standing behind
him, tapping him as she seems to dance and gyrate to some peppy pop
tune. "Betty!!"
"Waaaaai!! Chikage-chan's making Betty-chan dance!!" Hinako
cheers.
Hearing the sorceress' name, Toofuu gulps, his glasses fogging
over. Realizing the imminent danger, Ranma snares the box from the
chiropractor's fingers, then heads in. "Why, Betty, what on Earth
are you doing dancing like that?! This isn't a karaoke bar! I...!
Betty!!" he gasps as the skeleton takes him by the hands and whirls
him into the clinic.
"Chikage, MUST you?!" Ataru gazes on Chikage.
"As I've always said about Toofuu-kun, Ani-kun, he makes me
laugh," the sorceress titters delightedly as she heads inside...
* * *
Later...
"Well, you're certainly adjusting well to what's happened
to you, Ranma," Toofuu gently probes various shiatsu points on
Ranma's back. "Did you have fun when you endured menstruation
for the first time?"
"I felt Kami-sama should be fired for putting woman through
that crap," Ranma mutters. She and the chiropractor are alone in an
examination room. Ataru and some of the sisters are busy in the
lobby; the others had gone on ahead back to Kasugachou. "Do I have
to get a gynaecologist soon?"
"It would be a smart thing to do," Toofuu nods. "Wait here."
He steps out of the room for a moment, soon returning with a
business card in hand. Ranma takes it, then reads the name. "Makiko
Hirai...? Hey, she's on the Island?! That's pretty cool! Did you
meet her when you went there to train with Chikage's granddad,
Sensei?"
"Hai, I did. She's a GP as well as a gynaecologist.
I think she's the personal doctor to all the sisters. All you have
to do is mention that you're living in Welcome House and she'll take
your business on the spot."
"That's cool. Hey, you ever thought of going back to the
Island?"
"To practice there?" Toofuu pauses, then sighs. "It would be a
very great temptation, I'd admit. But, even if you're leaving and
the others are starting to settle down, I'd get more practice here
in Nerima."
"Don't tell me Chikage's scaring you off?"
Toofuu jerks on hearing her name, then blinks surprisedly
as the room temperature cools a few degrees. "Relax, Sensei,"
Ranma smiles. "If you could beat what made you freak out around
Kasumi, you can beat this."
"The Soul of Ice..." he whispers, then chuckles, turning back
to finish his examination. "It's utterly amazing, how much you've
improved even before Negako-san got her hands on you, Ranma."
"It came with a heavy price," Ranma admits.
He stops as he considers that, then nods. "Yes, I can
understand that. I only wish I'd caught onto some of your problems
sooner, Ranma."
"It's okay, Sensei. It's all under the bridge now."
He nods. Within a minute, he is done his examination,
then Ranma is allowed to dress. "I'll contact Makiko-san tomorrow
and tell her you'll be consulting with her when you move to the
Island," he goes to his desk to make his notes. "Will your
mirror-twin sisters want the same?"
"Yeah, that'd be a pretty good idea," Ranma nods.
A knock at the door. "Onee-chan?"
"What is it, Karen?" Ranma calls out.
"Um, your homeroom teacher's here. She has to talk to you."
Ranma blinks. "Er, right," she nods. "Be out in a second."
"Hai!"
Karen walks off. "What's this about?" Ranma turns to Toofuu.
"Something tells me your departure from Furinkan isn't going
to be as peaceful as you might want, Ranma-chan," he shakes his head.
"Okay," she drawls...
* * *
Minutes later...
"I'm now stuck in girls' classes?"
Ranma doesn't know whether she should be annoyed or falling
on her butt laughing at Hinako Ninomiya's news. Ataru, Karen,
Sakuya, Haruka, Shirayuki, Mamoru and Yotsuba stand or sit around
the waiting room as they tune into the conversation. A small box
lays on the table between Ranma and Hinako. Within it is a Furinkan
High girl's uniform which would fit Ranma to a "T." How Hinako
managed to obtain that remains a mystery. "Yes, I'm afraid that's
the way it's going to be as long as you're going to mask yourself
with that medical chit Ono-sensei gave you," she nods.
Ranma considers the words Hinako just said, then takes a deep
breath. "So you know now. Who told you, Sensei? Negako?"
"Hai. It..." the adult-looking teacher smirks. "It surprised
me when I heard that, Ranma. To believe that after all the time you
spent fighting to maintain your sense of manhood, to have THAT
happen..." she pauses, then gazes concernedly on her student. "How
did you feel?"
"When Negako fixed my mind up and the change happened?"
Ranma asks. Once Hinako nods, she shrugs. "She unfroze me the
morning after, then tricked me into transforming back to a guy. When
it happened, I never, in my entire life, felt so UGLY! So..." she
pauses, shuddering, then blinks on feeling Sakuya's hand squeezing
her shoulder. Nodding thanks, she carries on. "I pretty much came
to realize why Akane hated me at times. I came to see why so many
had such problems with the way I was. And..." she pauses again,
then crosses her arms. "And I understood how much Oyaji's and Mom's
ideas about being a 'man above men' were just meaningless in the end!
At that point in time, I decided I wasn't going to be that way. If
*this*..." she points to her face to emphasize her point, "...is
what the spirits of Jusenkyou wanted to have happen to me, so be it."
"Alright, fair enough," Hinako nods. "Is there some way to
restore you back to being a boy mentally, Ranma?" Sensing the
sisters tense, the teacher moves to moderate. "Please, girls, I have
to ask this."
"On who's behalf, Ninomiya-sensei?" Sakuya wonders.
"Sakuya-chan, she has to do this," Ataru moderates. "It's part
of her job, especially when it comes to dealing with all of Ranma's
classmates and how they're going to react to this tomorrow morning."
Sakura stares at him, then sighs. "Maybe it'd be better to have
Onee-sama move to the Island sooner than this weekend."
"It's okay, Sakuya," Ranma shakes her head. "Remember,
I promised both the Court of Special Appeals and the Family Registrar
that I wouldn't think of moving full-time to the Island until
Saturday at the earliest."
The others slowly nod. Ranma turns back to Hinako. "I did ask
Negako about that sometime after we went to Sanctuary. She told me
that if I tried to use Nanniichuan water and repeat what happened
when I first went to Jusenkyou..." a pause, then, "...well,
physically, it'd turn me into a hermaphrodite when I got splashed
with cold water. I didn't want to deal with that, of course.
Mentally, it would've potentially fragmented my soul to the point
where certain things that should never come to light would've come
forth. I think you understand what I mean by that, ne, Sensei?"
Hinako considers that, remembering what Negako said to her about
Ranma's "neko" self, then nods. "I can see that. It appears
Jusenkyou forced you onto a path to become a woman full-time,
Ranma. And this time, it will not be denied, no matter how much we'd
all wish otherwise."
"You mean you wanted me to stay as a man?" Ranma smirks.
"Well..." Hinako scratches the back of her head.
Laughter results. "What's the plan for Ane-chama?" Yotsuba
asks.
Hinako considers that, then sighs. "We can maintain the fiction
that you're still being treated for the brain damage resulting
from the Neko-ken and Tendou-kun's mallet. I'd advise you not to
push matters too much with your classmates, though. I think it'd be
prudent to use the washrooms instead of the change rooms for physical
education classes."
"She'd have to get used to changing with other girls sooner
or later, Ninomiya-sensei," Mamoru warns. "It's the way it's gonna
be at our school. If she doesn't, she'll definitely stick out in the
crowd."
"Maybe have Onee-chan beat up on one of those perverts at
school, like the ones who chase Akane-san all the time?" Karen
proposes. "That'll make a pretty good impression on the girls, I
think."
Ranma hums, then perks. "Hey, wait a minute..."
"What?" Ataru looks at her.
"Enzou!"
"Who...?" he stops, then his eyebrow arches. "Nobisuke Enzou?!"
"You know him, Moroboshi-kun?" Hinako's jaw drops.
"Yeah, I've heard of the guy! Jeez, he makes old man Happousai
look like a saint in comparison!" Ataru shakes his head.
"I never noticed that," the teacher muses.
"Ninomiya-sensei, with your abilities, you'd have to be damned
desperate to try something perverted in class," Ranma reminds her.
Hinako jolts, then flusters. "True..."
"This creep really that bad?" Mamoru demands.
"Allow me to explain, Mamoru-chan," Ataru sighs, grateful
that this three youngest sisters weren't here to listen in. "Enzou's
like this..."
Minutes later, the cheeks of every woman in the room save
Ranma's are bright red, battle auras ablaze as VERY dark thoughts
storm through their minds. "If that bastard ever tried that with me,
I'd KILL him!!" Mamoru snarls, her fists clenching and unclenching.
"That's INHUMAN!!!"
"Whoa!!" Sakuya sways, patting her tummy. "Steady, stomach!"
"Yotsuba doesn't EVER want to check this creep out!!"
"Hime thinks there should be laws against that!"
"I believe there are," Haruka fans herself with her gunsen.
"They simply need to be better enforced in cases like this. Though
it DOES make me wish for the days when samurai were able to lop off
the heads of such villains without needing a warrant from the local
magistrate!"
"I'd agree with you," Hinako sneers.
Ranma then perks. "Hey, I got an idea!"
"What?" the others look at her.
She looks at Hinako. "Here's what you should do..."
* * *
Unnoticed by any of them, a lone figure stands a distance
away from the front doors of the Ono Clinic. A quiver runs through
her as she mentally replays what she just overheard, then she turns,
marching without making too much noise back home. "Ranma-kun,"
Kasumi whispers...
* * *
To be continued...
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