Minna,
Well, after a long rest and many false starts and
stops, here's the second half of Part 9. Part 10 will
be a multi-parter and most likely end the story
itself. Enjoy!
Fred
=====
<P><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Courier New">Fred Herriot AKA P'yeknu OR Gorgo</FONT></EM></STRONG></P>
<P>**** **** ****</P>
<P><A href="mailto:fherriot@yahoo.com">fherriot@yahoo.com</A></P>
<P>**** **** ****</P>
<P><A href="http://www.livejournal.com/~pyeknu/">http://www.livejournal.com/~pyeknu/</A></P>
______________________________________________________________________
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: Lonely Souls (9 B Side).txt
-- Desc: Lonely Souls (9 B Side).txt
"Sisters...?"
"*Thirteen of them altogether, if the current welder of the
Genesis Wand of Parah spoke the truth about the matter.*"
The lone woman standing in the circular monitor room blinks.
Framing her on all sides are a sea of flat projection screens.
The screen directly before her eyes currently displays the image of a
pre-pubescence Terran woman dressed in a post-Clone Rights War
bodysuit with an ankle-length shawl. In her hands is a device that,
save for the glowing ruby meson crystal at the business end, bore no
resemblance to one of the many Haijo-ju -- the term translates
as "will of the people," a misnomer if there EVER was one from the
Age of Gisan'cha! -- prototypes created during that tumultuous
epoch in Sagussa's history. "How old is this...?" her forehead
furrows, "...Aria child?"
"*Ten years plus three months, I believe. Her voice bore a
strong French accent and her command of Japanese was spotty in
places. I believe she has only lived in Japan for several months,
a year at the most. As to how the Daimon'cha's father met Aria's
mother...*"
"Hard to conclude without further investigation?"
"*Agreed.*"
Silence falls over the room as she considers what the Gatherer
just reported to her. Years ago, in a time which seems so alien to
her now, she did something which forever transformed the destiny
of her planet and people -- not to mention seriously affected the
destinies of at least four other worlds, two of them much for the
worse. And how many more were to be changed in the coming days,
months, years...?
"Then it's time to get someone on the ground full-time to keep
an eye on the Daimon'cha and his family."
"*That potential observer being you?*"
"I've no choice."
"*If that is what you choose to believe...*"
* * *
"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 NINTH PART, "B" SIDE - ...AND MANY LOVERS?
"One hundred thousand girls...?"
"Onii-chan, are you alright?"
Ataru's eyes flutter, then they open wide as he recognizes
the ceiling of his and Ranma's new bedroom space. Sensing the new
queen-sized bed presently underneath him, he glances right to see
Ranma, Seiko, Karen, Sakuya and Chikage gazing concernedly at him.
"I'm in my bedroom...?" he moans, slowly boosting himself onto his
elbow as he reaches for his forehead. "What just happened...?"
"You fainted when Kaeru told you about those girls on this
Sagussa planet Mie-san comes from," Ranma sits on the bed beside
him. "Not to mention the fact that they've probably chosen you to be
one of this new race's fathers." A wry smile crosses her face as she
glances at the others. "Jeez, and I thought **I** had problems
with potential fiancees? This is just as bad as what Elle tried to
create!"
"Not really as bad, Ane-kun," Chikage crosses her arms.
"Kaeru-anikun did mention that these Daishi'cha are dedicated
to restoring Sagussa to ecological life and health after a great war.
I must confess, that is quite a noble purpose in and of itself."
"Agreed," Seiko nods. "Traditionally, at least as much as those
of the Great School have discovered since our mission to bring Unity
to the Universal School began, it has been much easier, FAR MORE
easier, to destroy then to create."
"And one of those people bonded Onii-sama and Onee-sama when
they were kids," Sakuya notes.
"Most likely," the Oni-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran
breathes out before gazing on Ataru. "What are you going to do now,
Darling?"
Ataru gazes nowhere in particular as he considers his
ex-fiancee's question, then he loudly exhales. "Right now, I'm still
trying to wrap my mind AROUND this concept, Sei-chan. I mean, my
harem dreams sure got big at times, but never THAT big!"
"Surely, these people can't expect Onii-chan to be the father
of ALL their children," Karen stares at Seiko.
"Doubtful," Seiko chuckles. "Granted, all the legends and myths
surrounding the Eternal Voyager did point to ONE 'chosen one' to
inherit the mantle of leader over the Maidens. Most likely, Darling
would just be the first of many so chosen."
"I sure hope so," Sakuya sighs, winking at Ranma. "After all,
if you ask me, Onee-sama deserves first dibs on Onii-sama."
Ranma automatically blushes. "What about us, Sakuya-chan?"
Karen barbs.
Bemused laughter echoes through the bedroom, then everyone
perks as footfalls herald Reiko's and Kaneko's arrival from their
upstairs loft. "Papa, Mama, are you alright?" the former wonders
as they hop onto the bed. "Did something happen?"
"Something your uncle just told us, girls," Sakuya reports.
"Reiko-chan, Kaneko-chan, what do your people believe about the
Eternal Voyager?" Seiko wonders.
"The Voyager?" Kaneko blinks, then glances at Ataru. "Why are
you asking about that?"
"We just learned from your uncle that your father may have been
selected to serve as the Chosen One."
The twins exchange looks, then face the others. "That's not
exactly true, Seiko-san," Reiko reports.
"'Not exactly true?'" Karen wonders.
"Papa IS the Chosen One, Auntie Karen," Kaneko explains.
"In our language, he's the 'Euk Hisehek.'"
Ranma perks. "'Euk Hisehek?!' Hey, wait a sec'! I heard your
people call Ataru that a couple of times when Negako and I visited
while I was training in Sanctuary! What the heck does that mean,
anyway?! My translator couldn't make hide nor hair of it!"
"It's actually the short-form of a phrase which would translate
'King of the World of Holy Reincarnation,' Mama," Reiko smiles.
"So how did your people figure this out?" Sakuya asks.
"Several experienced astrologers did a spiritual 'background
check' on Papa when he and Auntie Negako first came to Noukiios
to work with us, Auntie Sakuya," Kaneko reports, then waves to
Chikage. "It was like the readings Auntie Chikage takes from her
Tarot cards. The very first reading taken on Papa directly pointed
to his being the Euk Hisehek. All subsequent readings confirmed
it."
The others consider that, then Ataru gazes on his children.
"Why did you never tell me about this, girls?"
The twins tense, then look down ashamedly. "We were told not
to, Papa," Reiko sniffs. "Gomen ne. We weren't told why, though.
But the people who were in charge of the Lost Stars explained
that it was vital that your links to the Voyager had to be kept top
secret."
"Why?" Karen blinks, then turns to gaze on Ataru.
"It's clearly obvious. The Sagussans were secretly supporting
the Noukiites in their war against the Urusians."
Eyes lock on Chikage. "What brought THAT out, Chikage?!"
Sakuya demands.
The sorceress gazes on the twins. "Did the Noukiites possess
GEV-capable vessels before launching the war against the Urusians?"
"Iie," Reiko shakes her head. "They came out the same time our
new colonies were opened for settlement, Auntie Chikage."
"Indeed. And how did your people get hold of those colonies?"
Silence falls as the twins consider her question, then both jolt
on hearing Ataru answer, "The Sagussans provided those colonies."
"Ataru?" Ranma gazes on him.
"Sei-chan, how many races do you know of have near-instantaneous
planetary terraforming capabilities?"
Seiko's gaze turns inward for a moment, then she shakes her
head. "None that I know of, Darling. It takes years, a CENTURY
at the least, to transform a planet to the point where it could be
settled. Not even the Zephyrites or the Vosians are THAT advanced."
"Why are you asking that, Papa?" Reiko wonders.
"It's something Inspector Dragontail told me when I was working
with his group. He told me that all of Noukiios' new colonies
were all terraformed just like that," he snaps his fingers. "One
moment, they're all Mars-to-Venus-sized Class E or G rocks in space.
Next..."
He shrugs. "So if the Sagussans DID do all that...?" Sakuya's
voice trails off.
"The question we should ask ourselves now is 'Why?'"
Eyes focus on Chikage, then turn back to Ataru...
* * *
Upstairs...
"Is this satisfactory, Rinrin?"
Rinrin's eyes are as wide as saucers as she gazes on the slender
man presently standing in Mecha-Rinrin's programming cubicle, he now
dressed in a white, long-sleeved polo shirt and faded trousers
(they were Ataru's). Behind the teen scientist, Mecha-Rinrin
beams with delight. Rinrin's android replica has now switched
to a pair of faded jeans and a tank-top provided to her by Yotsuba.
Kaeru presently sits beside his half-sister's main computer, ready
to tap controls to bring the rebuilt Mega-Rinrin back to life.
"Aniki..." Rinrin sniffs as her eyes trace over the soft yet solid
planes and angles of Mega-Rinrin's face. "How did you know...?"
she then gazes on her brother.
"You drafted several line drawings in your diary at the time
Negako first informed you of your relationship to herself and Ataru,"
he reports. "In your diary, you queried yourself as to what your
'aniki' appeared to be. When I offered Mega-Rinrin the opportunity
to have his systems upgraded, he indicated that he desired to
resemble the person in those drawings. It was easily accomplished."
"He's beautiful, Mama," Mecha-Rinrin reaches up to squeeze
her creator's shoulders. "You really know how to make them look
good."
"I...! I...! W-well..." Rinrin sputters, then pulling away
from her android "daughter," walks up to gaze closely at
Mega-Rinrin's face. A hand hesitantly reaches up to feel his skin,
then she draws it back. "He feels so real..." she whispers.
"Are you satisfied?" Kaeru asks again.
"I...? Y-y...! YES!! Of course I'm satisfied!" Rinrin
sputters, then catches herself before a peal of embarrassed
giggles escapes her. "I...! Oh, gomen ne, Aniki! I..." she stops
again before looking down. "Gomen ne..."
"Mama...?" worry crosses Mecha-Rinrin's face.
"Why are you apologizing?" Kaeru cants his head.
Rinrin gazes nowhere in particular, then she takes a deep
breath. "I wish you hadn't made him look like this, Aniki."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well..." she turns away from Mega-Rinrin, then sits in the
spare chair beside her work desk. "Those drawings you saw? I..."
she shrugs. "Well...! Before I ever actually saw any pictures
of your brother, I kinda let my fantasies run wild for a bit. Those
drawings came out of that. And..." she closes her eyes. "I had so
many expectations when it came to Aniki. And..."
"Ataru failed to live up to those expectations?"
She jolts, then waves her hands in denial. "N-n-NO!!! I
mean...!" she catches herself. "I mean, he just..." she pauses again
before turning away to gaze on the floor. "He just turned out to be
so different from what I wanted him to be. And...! W-well, it...!
It wasn't fair at all to Aniki, so I..." she hugs herself. "I just
wanted to make myself forget all that. And now..." she stares at
Mega-Rinrin.
"Mama..." Mecha-Rinrin walks over to squeeze her creator's
shoulders in reassurance.
Kaeru stares at her sister for a moment, then he slowly nods.
"Your reaction is understandable, Rinrin. Illogical, but more than
understandable," he rises, moving to stand before the unmoving
Mega-Rinrin. "I do hope, however, that you would also understand
that Mega-Rinrin made this choice of his own free will. To disregard
that..." he shakes his head. "I could not do such a thing, Rinrin."
Rinrin returns his look, then her lips twist into a light smile.
"Yeah, I can understand that," she wipes her eyes, then rises.
Nodding thanks to Mecha-Rinrin, she moves to stand beside Kaeru.
"If you ignored that, you'd be saying that all your friends on
Nagussa, even your adopted parents, don't matter in the end because
they're all androids. I..." she looks at him, then hugs one of his
arms, leaning her head on his bicep. "Arigatou, Aniki. This is the
most wonderful thing anyone's ever done for me."
He looks at her, then reaches over to squeeze her hand. "I
believe now is the time to restore Mega-Rinrin to proper function."
She blinks, then nods. "Hai."
Kaeru walks to the computer, then taps controls. A faint
*hmmm!* gently fills the room for a moment, then Mega-Rinrin's
eyes, eyes the same shade as his creator's, open. He blinks for a
moment as his internal systems come on-line, then he focuses on
Rinrin. As the thrumming eventually fades, Mega-Rinrin steps out of
the programming cubicle to position himself within arms' reach of
Rinrin. Their eyes remain locked on each other for a moment, then
his lips curl into a faint smile. "Rinrin..." he whispers.
Rinrin shudders as that strong tenor registers somewhere
deep in her heart, then she steps towards him. "Mega-kun..."
she reaches up to his chest. "Are you okay? Everything's
okay inside you?" she leans close to gaze into his beautiful eyes.
"Okay...?" he blinks, then his smile widens. "Hai, I'm alright,
Rinrin. But..."
"But...?"
He reaches up to gently grasp her wrists. "There's something
I've wanted to give you ever since the day you first activated
me."
"Mega-...?"
Her voice is cut off as his arms wrap around her waist, drawing
her close as he leans in to give her a kiss. Rinrin's eyes nearly
pop out of her skull as the wonderful, delicious *warmth* of that
passionate lip-to-lip contact instantaneously erases every other
thought in her mind, then her eyes close as she returns his embrace.
They remain frozen in that position, totally blanking out everything
around them, even the sounds of Kaeru and Mecha-Rinrin discretely
stepping out of the laboratory. As the Nagussan engineer closes
the outer door of Rinrin's bedroom to ensure his sister's privacy,
Mecha-Rinrin gazes curiously at him. "Aniki, can I ask you a
question?"
"Proceed," he returns her look.
"Why is it Mega-Rinrin wants to be lovers with Mama instead
of treating her AS Mama?"
"Why is he apparently choosing to pursue a sexually intimate
relationship with Rinrin in lieu of a familiar one between mother
and son?" Kaeru blinks, then shakes his head. "I cannot answer that
question, Mecha-Rinrin. None the less, it appears to be developing.
And if his evolution as a sentient being is to be respected and
acknowledged, we cannot, under any circumstances, infringe on his
choice."
She blinks, then nods. "Hai, that's true, isn't it?" a light
smile crosses her face, then her cheeks colour. "Still..."
"What is the matter?"
"I think I can understand why he would choose that," her grin
turns impish.
"That is sufficient," he nods as they proceed down to the second
floor, then take the new set of stairs into the dining room.
"Kaeru-kun?"
Kaeru stops, then gazes on the woman waiting by the table.
"Yes, Mie, is there something you require?"
"How good are you at analysing Sagussan technology?" Mie
Seikou's eyebrow arches...
* * *
In orbit over Tokyo...
"Is the clean-up of this section complete?"
"Almost," the slender teenager with the deep blue eyes and the
wavy platinum hair looks up at the gantry, where Otako now stands,
a datapadd in the older Avalonian's hand. Around her, several
box-shaped sanitation 'bots scoop up the carpet of dead pansies,
depositing them in their internalized atomizer units. Also keeping
watch over the cleanup of this particular section of the vast bioroid
factory are two other teenagers. All three share tapered ears. "I
estimate another couple hours to get all the compartments in this
section cleared."
"Very well," Otako taps controls on her padd, then heads off.
Watching the replica of the late high priestess of Phentax
Twelve depart, Naol maintains her silence, then after sensing that
Otako had beamed herself back to the factory's main command centre,
relaxes. "Alright," she gazes on the other girls, nodding.
Lalai, a tomboyish girl Naol's age possessing bob-cut raven hair
and deep chestnut eyes, draws out a datachip from her jumpsuit,
then inserts it into the security lock unit beside a nearby door.
She types out a complex code, then hits the ENTER key. Silence
falls as the three wait for the computer to process the information
fed into it, then a square-shaped light flashes gold. A delighted
grin crosses her face, then she flashes her companions a thumbs-up.
"We're in!" she declares before stabbing the gold light.
The door unlocks. Naol and the third girl, Kya, scramble
through the doorway. Lalai types out another command on the lock
control, then hits the ENTER key before drawing out the datachip
and ducking through the door before it closes. Inserting the chip
into the lock control unit on the inside, she types out another
set of commands. After the unit flashes a confirmation via a gold
light, she draws out the datachip. With that done, all three relax.
"We made it!" Kya, a grey-eyed girl with sable hair that extended
to her waist, declares.
"Not yet," Naol shakes her head as Lalai walks over to the
intra-factory transporter unit located nearby. "We've only cleared
the last hurdle between ourselves and our siblings. Once there,
we still have to get off this ship and beam down somewhere safe on
Earth!"
"Where could we go anyway, Naol?" Lalai asks as she loads the
datachip into the transporter master control unit, then types out a
command. "The so-called 'holy city's' out for sure! The observers
based there'd pick us out in an instant!"
"Better than to stay here with that bodiless loon running
things," Naol grits her teeth as she and Kya step onto the
transporter pad.
"True," Lalai programs a delay in the energizer unit, then draws
out the datachip before joining her friends on the pad.
Five seconds later, they vanish in a sparkle of energy...
* * *
Later...
"You okay, Ataru?"
"Should I be?" Ataru sighs, now lying on the "Windrider's"
quarterdeck, gazing at the high, white clouds overhead.
Ranma sits on the safety rail close to Ataru, her eyes turn
towards the mainland nearby. "Yeah, I'd guess you'd feel that way."
"Not any different from the time I first met El-..." he catches
himself, then closes his eyes. "I first met Amora-chan, I mean.
Instant the question of someone other than Lum marrying me came up,
the Urusians were ready to go to war. Now..."
"Some other race did it to the Urusians in turn," she notes,
then stares at him. "But this time..."
"They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams."
"Does it really matter?"
He bolts up, staring at her. "What the hell does THAT mean?"
"What about your grandmother, Ataru?" she returns his look.
"What about all those people on Noukiios who've suffered one way or
another because of the Urusians, for heaven's sake? I've seen people
from the colonies, remember? It..." her voice trails off.
He blinks, then rises, walking over to lean on the guard rail.
"I know."
Silence falls over the solar-sail yacht as they consider what
to think or say next, then Ranma stares at him. "What will you do?"
Ataru considers her question for a moment, then shrugs. "I
don't know, Ranma. I..." he gazes at the waters below. "I mean,
yeah, things had to happen to make life easier for a lot of people.
On Noukiios and all the colonies, on Uru, on Phentax Two and
elsewhere. But..." he shakes his head. "I can't have my name
associated with this, Ranma! I just can't! I..." his hands reach
up to grip the sides of his head. "Gods, I can't believe any of
this! If the word ever gets out that it was ultimately because
of ME that this happened..."
"HEY!!!" she leaps off the handrail, then firmly grasps his
arms. "You don't KNOW that yet, man...!"
"I know enough!!"
"Bullshit!" she snaps, then sighs. "Ataru, look. Didn't you
notice something? How few people know about the Sagussans? The
Noukiites kept it pretty top secret, didn't they? Do the Zephyrites
know about this? Do the Urusians?"
"They're not idiots, Ranma!" his hands start to shake.
Her grip strengthens. "I know they're not idiots," she leans
up to him just as her ears detect a helicopter from the direction
of the mainland. "And I know you're worried sick about your sisters,
how shit like this could affect them. I know, Ataru, alright?!
I know!"
Silence falls again over them, then Ranma lets go of Ataru's
arms. His eyes soften as his hands grasp her shoulders. She doesn't
resist as he draws her into his arms. "Arigatou, Ranma-chan..."
he whispers into her ear...
...just as the increasing thunder of helicopter blades causes
him to tense. Both pull apart from the other, scanning the sky for
the source of that noise, then Ranma points north. "There! Who the
hell's that...?!"
"Oh, no..."
"What?" she looks at him, then turns back before her eyes lock
on the octopus insignia on the helicopter's flanks. "Oh..."
* * *
Minutes later...
"Young Master!"
Mendou looks up from his photo album to see a Kuromegane
standing at the doorway to his study. "Report?"
"We found Master Moroboshi, sir," the bodyguard bows. "His
starcraft is anchored in the Sagami-nada close to Oomure-jima.
A gangway currently connects the ship to a youth hostel located
on the island itself, Welcome House."
The scion of Japan's wealthiest family considers that, then
perks. "Are there people now resident in Welcome House?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are those people being investigated?"
"As we speak, sir. An initial report will be delivered to you
as soon as possible."
"Well done!"
"Excuse me, sir!"
The bodyguard bows, then departs. Mendou watches him go, then
turns back to his photo album. "So there's where you've been
hiding," he whispers as his eyes trace over one of the pictures
taken during a class trip to Nara some months ago. "And you thought
you were so clever, Moroboshi," a faint chuckle flutters from his
lips, though he does his best to not laugh out loud...
* * *
"Young Mistress?"
"What is it?" Ryooko looks over.
"A reconnaissance helicopter dispatched by your brother has
located Master Moroboshi aboard his spaceship off the coast of
Oomure-jima," the Kuroko reports. Underneath his tubular head-mask,
he wears a wireless transmitter unit which connected him with a
friend at the Mendou mansion. "Investigations are now being carried
out concerning Master Moroboshi's sisters."
The younger Mendou takes a deep breath. "What is your brother
trying to do, Ryooko-san?" Sakiko demands, crossing her arms.
"I really cannot say at this time, Sakiko-san," Ryooko shakes
her head. "Personally, I hoped that Onii-san would finally get it
into his head that this whole matter with Moroboshi-san has no real
meaning anymore. But..." she shrugs.
"It's his pride."
Eyes lock on Shinobu. "His pride?" Minako Sawada asks.
"Hai, Minako-chan," Ataru's former girlfriend nods. "For all
the things he has under his control, there is one thing Mendou-san
could never have. The one thing Ataru kept away from him right to
the very end." A pause, then she stares at Sakiko. "Lum."
"But Lum's still..." Ryuunosuke pauses as she considers her best
friend's words, then she sits back in her chair. "Oh, man..."
"Agreed," Ryooko sagely tilts her head, then glances around
the cafeteria to ensure no one was close enough to eavesdrop on them.
She lowers her voice to make sure. "Especially now, with Lum-san
having evolved, so to speak, into Seiko-san." She glances at Sakiko.
"Sakiko-san, is it true that your race is totally incapable of having
children with any men, even after this 'Crossing Over' ritual of
yours?"
"Before or after, it doesn't matter," Sakiko shakes her head.
"I assume you got the skinny from Yamada-sensei. And I can pretty
much confirm that Sei-chan's locked her sights on one of Darling's
sisters. If your brother thinks of trying to go after her..."
"Who exactly are we talking about?" Kyooko Ikusawa wonders.
"It's not my place to say at this time, Kyooko-san," Sakiko
stares at her, then focuses once more on Ryooko. "Why is he still
doing this, Ryooko-san? He's under giri obligation to marry
Asuka-san on Saturday after lunch. Lum-chan is forever out of his
reach. Darling doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone
living in Tomobiki. There's no need for him to keep pressing this
madness. Why?"
"As Shinobu-san just stated, Sakiko-san, it's Onii-san's
pride that's pushing him forward," Ryooko wanly smiles. "And yes,
it all centres on Moroboshi-san and his relationship with Lum-san.
To be denied the chance to court someone as beautiful as Lum-san,
especially since her 'fiancee' at the time clearly, repeatedly,
expressed no interest in pursuing such a relationship, galled
Onii-san very much. While he did care for you during your brief
relationship, Shinobu-san, trying to create something with Lum-san
mattered more..."
"Up to the point where he met Asuka?" Ryuunosuke wonders.
"Somewhat," the younger Mendou nods. "Yes, Onii-san recognizes
his obligations to the clan as a whole. But, being the elder son of
a samurai-descent family, Onii-san also believes he can explore
intimate relations with women other than his wife. Lum-san, of
course, is foremost in his mind. So he..." she pauses as she tries
to find the right words. "He decided to do what Megane-san and his
friends did: continue to hound and harry Moroboshi-san,
upbraid him at every opportunity possible as a way of humiliating
him in Lum-san's eyes..."
"But with the added hope that the day might come that Lum'd
choose to dump Ataru-kun once and for all, right?" Tomomi Yoshino
adds.
"Exactly, Tomomi-san. Then you take in the events after the
Second Tag Race. Lum-san, Lan-san and Jariten-chan are forced to
return to their homeworld. At the very same time, Moroboshi-san
reunites with Negako-san, then moves to Oomure-jima to meet his
half-sisters. Onii-san himself became very sick from just prior to
Lum-san's departure to a day or so after she has left." A bemused
titter escapes Ryooko. "I've no doubt that Negako-san had something
to do with that, given how skilled in the martial disciplines
she is said to be."
"That would make a lot of sense," Shinobu nods. "Negako-san
does seem to care very much for her brother."
"And their sisters," Sakiko adds.
"So I've discovered through my own research," Ryooko confirms.
"Onii-san didn't have much of a chance to pursue this matter more to
his satisfaction since the government soon made it abundantly
clear that they would not assist him in any way, shape or form from
then on. That hurt Onii-san's pride VERY much. And given the cause
of the situation, he automatically blamed this whole matter on
Moroboshi-san."
"He was right, to an extent," Sakiko grimaces. "Though I'd
personally not go so far as to directly *blame* Darling for this."
"That's part of the reason Ataru-kun doesn't want to live here
anymore," Minako sighs. "Everyone turning around and blaming
everything under the sun on him. Yeah, a lot of weird stuff did
happen around him, but to blame him for it all...?"
"That was pretty unfair in the end, wasn't it?" Shinobu sniffs.
"Got that right," Tomomi nods, then glances at Ryooko. "So how
do we make your brother realize that?"
"I doubt he'll be willing to listen to any attempts at reason
now, Tomomi-san," the younger Mendou shakes her head. "As you're
all aware, on Sunday, there was quite an altercation between Onii-san
and Moroboshi-san, aided by Negako-san. Fortunately, no one was
injured, but Negako-san easily destroyed a whole squadron's worth
of tanks, plus two flights of attack helicopters. AND she warned
Onii-san in a letter after that was done that the next time something
like that happened, they will not be so nice about it."
The others tense. "Oh, shit..." Ryuunosuke's jaw drops.
"So what could your brother do in this case?" Kyooko asks.
"No doubt, he will seek to force some strain on Moroboshi-san's
relations with his sisters, especially the half-sisters,"
Ryooko muses. "Exposing the fact that all of them were born out of
wedlock would be a possible avenue of attack. However, I've learned
that throughout its history, the Moroboshi Clan has gone out of its
way to adopt orphans and illegitimates into the family as a whole.
For example, Reigi Yumoa, the person who now administers the late
Lady Nagaiwakai's will and helps run Toranoseishin Finances, became
the ward of Moroboshi-san's uncle Komeru straight out of an orphanage
in Okinawa. As we speak, lawyers for Moroboshi-san's half-sisters
are working to have them formally adopted into the family. When that
happens, Sakuya-san falls in line to become the next clan matriarch."
"He could try ta throw a monkey wrench into that, ya mean?"
Ryuunosuke muses.
"Hai. Going after the sisters' real mothers is another
possibility. And there is the matter of Saotome-san."
"Ranma-san? What about her?" Minako perks.
"Minako-san, most if not all of Saotome-san's former classmates
at Furinkan High School still think of her as a boy, even with the
legal change of gender status the Court of Special Appeals granted
her on Sunday," Ryooko warns. "I'm sure that even if she's now
elected to live on Oomure-jima with her adopted sisters, not to
mention possibly pursue a relationship with Moroboshi-san,
Saotome-san may still wish to maintain some links with people in
Nerima. What if Onii-san decides to stir THAT pot up? It can be
done, you know."
"Ranma-san could easily cut off all ties with everyone in
Nerima, Ryooko-san. Look how easily Ataru did that to us?"
Eyes lock on Shinobu. Seeing her downcast look, Ryuunosuke
reaches over to squeeze her shoulder. "Will ya quit lettin' this
hurt ya, Shinobu-chan?" she wonders. "Mopin' about this ain't gonna
do anythin' for you now, ya know."
"Hai," Shinobu nods...
* * *
Later...
"So everything's alright with the girls now?" Chigaiko wonders,
she standing by the phone in the kitchen of the old shrine in Nerima.
"Hai, they all came out of it safe and sound," Ataru replies
from Promised Island. "However..."
"However?"
A forlorn sigh. "Looks like Mendou finally clued into reality.
One of his helicopters made a pass over the Island about a half-hour
ago. It was kinda hard to hide the 'Windrider' since it's out on the
water by the House."
Chigaiko winces, then shakes her head. "Oh, that idiot!! Won't
he finally give up and leave you be?"
"'Giving up' is probably not in his language," he laments.
"Oh, well! We've only got about forty-eight hours to wait until he's
forced to the altar and says the 'I dos' with Asuka Mizunokoji.
Once that happens, people'll have no choice but to make him see
reason."
"One can only hope, ne?" she chuckles, then blinks on hearing
the doorbell peal. "Oh, someone just came to the door, Ataru-kun!"
"I'll call back later, then."
"Hai! Ja ne!" she hangs up, then heads into the living room.
Opening the door, she blinks. "Hai, can I help you?" she feels her
cheeks start to heat as her eyes take in the swarthy-looking
visitor's quite striking features.
"Sorry to bother you, miss, but Elder Cologne told me that
Negako Moroboshi lives here these days," the twentysomething
in the fishnet shirt, walking trousers and nylon cummerbund gives
her a disarming smile. "Is she in?"
"Um...! Ah, n-no, she's not here right now," Chigaiko stutters.
*Who is this guy?!* she mentally wonders. "She'll be back soon,
though. She just went out to visit some friends here in Nerima.
Won't you come in?"
"Appreciate it," he nods as he slips off his shoes, then walks
inside. "Hard to believe, though."
"What do you mean?" she closes the door behind her.
"Negako-san makin' friends. She's colder than the Antarctic
in mid-winter when it comes to things like that."
The expat Tomobikian takes that in, then frowns as the visitor
sits down by the coffee table. Her eyes then widen as something
clicks in. "You must've met Negako-san when she was busy travelling
around the world!" she chuckles. "If you ask me, I think she's
warming up."
"Is she?" he gives her an ironic grin. "I'll believe that when
I see it! Oh, she finally get back together with her brother?"
"Hai, just a few weeks ago. Would you want some tea or coffee?"
"Tea'll be fine."
"Hai!"
Chigaiko heads into the kitchen. Watching her go, Pantyhose
Tarou tries not to look too surprised. Frail chick, this one. Her
chi was really wavering in places. Why the heck would someone like
Negako Moroboshi, a woman who could literally shred armies with her
bare hands, want with this city girl? Was she a friend of Negako's
brother? If so, what was she doing in Nerima and not Tomobiki?
He tenses on hearing the front door open, then close. "Hello,
Tarou," Negako hails. "When did you arrive?"
Tarou turns around, then his eyes widen surprisedly on seeing
who had just accompanied the grandmistress of Saikoo Jinseijitsu
Ninjitsu-ryuu to the old shrine. "You..." he hisses, rolling onto
his feet as he focuses on Happousai.
"Hello, son," the diminutive martial arts grandmaster chuckles,
keeping his pipe at the ready, then he gazes curiously at his old
friend. "So when did you and Tarou here first meet, Negako-chan?"
"Western Tibet, fifteen months ago," Negako glances at him
before noticing Chigaiko step out of the kitchen with a tea tray.
"He later came to the Island where he met the others. Except Ataru
and Kaeru, that is."
Happousai and Tarou blink. "Kaeru?!" the former stares at
Negako. "You told me he died when he was a baby!"
"He was actually removed from Earth by a pair of aliens from a
planet named Nagussa at the time of his 'death,' then restored
to full health," Negako waves him to the table as Chigaiko sets up
the cups and saucers. "Kaeru returned to Earth late last night,
making landfall at Welcome House. From what I could sense, the
sisters and Ataru were quite taken aback by his 'return' from the
'dead,' so to speak."
"You sure they'll be fine?" Tarou wonders. "I mean, most of the
girls're pretty solid when it comes to facing weird stuff, but some
of them'll probably have big problems with all this. Look how hard
it was for them to accept what the old man here did to me?"
He thumbs Happousai. The aged grandmaster pays it no mind; with
Negako and Chigaiko close by, Tarou would be on his best behaviour.
"Many other things have happened since your last visit to the Island,
Tarou," Negako reports. "Including matters concerning Ranma."
The travelling warrior perks. "Fem-boy?! What happened to
him?"
"'Fem-boy?'" Chigaiko stares curiously at the visitor.
"You will have to think of Ranma as 'her' now, Tarou," Negako
warns.
Tarou considers that, then nods thanks as Chigaiko pours him
some tea. "Oh, so she finally clued into reality, eh? About time!"
"Um..." Chigaiko gives Negako a worried glance.
The grandmistress perks, then lightly smiles. "Our visitor
is a man whom Happy bestowed the name 'Pantyhose Tarou' when he was
born, Chigaiko. He does not like the name 'Pantyhose,' though he
does accept 'Tarou.' Tarou, this is Chigaiko Inu, one of Ataru's
former classmates from Tomobiki High School. I assume you have come
here to discuss a name change with Happy?" she gazes on Tarou.
"What the hell do you think?" Tarou returns her look.
Chigaiko takes that in, then she glares at Happousai.
"Ojii-san, you should be ASHAMED of yourself!" she scolds.
"Well..." Happousai chuckles, scratching the back of his head.
Negako sighs, then perks as she senses something. "Wait."
Happousai and Tarou gaze on their host. "What?" both wonder.
A knowing hum escapes her. "Chigaiko, prepare some more tea.
We are about to have additional guests."
"Ah...! H-hai," Chigaiko stutters, then heads into the kitchen.
The men in the room quickly glance at the door. "Oh, I see
who's coming now," Happousai chuckles.
"More people you pissed off, old man?" Tarou glares at him.
"Show respect to your elders, boy!"
"Enough."
Both tense on hearing Negako's ice-cold voice, then watch as the
grandmistress rises, heading to the door. Opening it, she stares
at the shocked group of people standing now on the front porch, one
of them frozen in place as he was moving to ring the doorbell.
"Enter, Isao," she waves Isao Asagaya inside, then focuses on those
people accompanying him. "Be on your best behaviour while you are
here."
Isao's children -- all four of them had come today, Negako notes
-- tremble on feeling her warning gaze rake over them...
* * *
"No fathers...?"
"None listed, Young Master," the Kuromegane reports. "It is
most likely that these women were all born out of wedlock, Master
Moroboshi's late father Muchi also being their own father. There
are reports of blood and DNA tests having been done on all these
women to prove their relationship with Master Moroboshi's late
father. That is being used by these ladies' lawyers to assist in
having them be made part of the Moroboshi Clan as so dictated in the
will of Master Moroboshi's late grandmother. If -- rather, WHEN --
this happens, Mistress Sakuya becomes the new matriarch of her
overall family. She would then be able to make Master Moroboshi
the clan patriarch."
Mendou hums. "A matrilineal-lead family? That's never been
done here in Japan."
"It appears that Master Moroboshi's family is the exception
to the rule, Young Master."
"And there are no objections to this planned adoption?"
"That is currently being investigated, sir."
"Report to me when you have learned more."
"Hai!"
The bodyguard quickly departs. Mendou remains in his chair as
he looks over the papers his clan's intelligence forces just
delivered to him, then he sits back. Hmmm. A family lead by women,
the eldest of which having the power to decree Moroboshi's fate, eh?
This had possibilities...
* * *
"When will your family stop interfering?"
"What makes you believe that we are interfering, Isao?" Negako's
eyebrows arch before she sips her tea.
The patriarch of the Asagaya Clan shudders at the display of
casual indifference the ninjitsu grandmistress presently shows him.
Flanking him on both sides are his sons, Ryuuzuke and Ichihara.
The former was also the largest person present; a sumotori who made
it all the way to ozeki before retiring, he currently served as a
trainer at a local beya. The latter, eldest of Isao's children
and primary heir to the family fortune, was a statuesque fellow in
his late forties, a senior division director in one of Japan's more
prosperous automobile manufacturers. Flanking the Asagaya men are
Hisayo and Nodoka. Ranma's mother looks worn and tired, as if she
has aged ten years in the last twenty-four hours. She also seems
to appear naked without the wrapped honour sword that had been part
of her life for so long. Hisayo remains calm and collected,
though Negako is quick to sense that Ranma's aunt clearly wanted
to be anywhere else but here.
"Your interference is plain for all to see, girl!" Isao spits.
"That you helped rid the world of Genma Saotome IS appreciated,
but then you brainwashed the members of the Emperor's Court to force
Ranma to retain his father's soiled name. And now, you've
brainwashed my grandson into believing that he is actually a girl,
even gone to the point to make Ranma hate his very own mother!"
he waves to Nodoka, then he leans forward to glare into Negako's
eyes. "A blind man could see what sort of garbage this is, girl!
Now, where is my grandson?"
Negako blinks, her eyes never wavering from Isao's face.
Feeling that passionless glare, Nodoka's father feels a lump form in
his throat, though he tries his best to keep his face neutral.
He doesn't totally succeed. "Chigaiko?" Negako calls out.
"H-hai?" Ataru's former classmate perks.
"Fetch some cold water for Tarou."
"I..." Chigaiko blinks, then nods. "H-hai, right away."
She heads into the kitchen. Nodoka blinks as her mind registers
Negako's command, then she stares quizzically at the dashing Chinese
wandering warrior sitting to Negako's right. "You have a Jusenkyou
curse, young man?"
"Yes, ma'am, I do," he nods, giving her an appraising gaze.
"You're Fe-..." he catches himself. "You're Ranma mom, right?"
"Hai," Nodoka stutters, then a forlorn look crosses her face.
"If he'll let me be such."
"She."
"Eh?" she perks.
"'She,' ma'am. I've lived with Jusenkyou's touch all my life.
Thanks to the old man here," he indicates Happousai, "...I was
baptised in Jusenkyou spring water just right after I was born. I
know all about that damned place, believe me."
"So you're another victim of this monster, are you?" Isao
snarls, glaring daggers at the grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.
Tarou blinks as Chigaiko steps back into the room with a glass
of water, then gazes at Nodoka's father for a moment before his eyes
narrow dangerously. "That might be said. But it's a matter of
degrees, isn't it?" he holds out his hand.
Chigaiko gives him the glass. One dousing later, the light in
the living room fades considerably as Tarou assumes his yeti form.
Frightful screams fill the room as the Asagayas quickly stagger
back from the coffee table, their eyes locked on the fierce monster's
horned head. Handing the empty glass back to a pale-faced Chigaiko,
Tarou relaxes, his eyes locked on Isao Asagaya. No doubt, the
transformed wandering warrior muses to himself, regardless of what
the actually story behind this little kaffeeklatsch was, he was on
Negako's shit list. Fine and fair enough. It took a lot to get on
Negako's bad side, but once you were there, Tarou smirks to himself,
you were DOOMED.
"Thank you, Tarou," Negako rises. "Happy, we need to talk.
ALONE. Tarou, if they cause any problems, kill them."
A threatening growl serves as the transformed Tarou's response
as Happousai follows Negako into the kitchen. Chigaiko sits down
beside him, giving the winged-and-tentacled beast's body a look-over.
"I bet you really have no problems with muggers, eh, Tarou-san?"
He mumbles an affirmative before everyone jolts on hearing
Happousai's scream. "***WHAT?!?! YOU'RE JOKING!!!!***"
Eyes lock on the kitchen doorway as Negako's muffled response
penetrates the walls. What seems like an eternity later, the two
martial arts grandmasters return to the living room. Everyone
is quick to notice the shell-shocked look on the older man's face as
he slips onto the table before Tarou. "Ojii-san, are you alright?"
Chigaiko wonders as Negako takes her seat between her and Tarou.
"I...! Oh, y-yes, dear, I'm fine," Happousai stutters, then
stares at Nodoka, then Hisayo.
Isao trembles. "Stop leering at my daughters, you perverted
freak!!" he snaps.
"You have no right to make that statement, Isao."
"WHAT?!!"
A nasty smile crosses the ninjitsu grandmistress' face. "You
came here looking for Ranma Saotome, someone you believe to be your
grandson. That is incorrect, Isao. Ranma Saotome is NOT your
grandson..."
"I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT DAMNED COURT SAID!!!!" Isao shrills.
"...because Nodoka and Hisayo are not your daughters,"
Negako finishes.
Silence.
"What...?"
Eyes turn to Nodoka. Ranma's mother is pale-faced, her eyes
locked on Negako as her mouth flutters open and shut. The other
members of the Asagaya family are just as surprised.
"Moroboshi-sensei, what are you saying?!" Hisayo demands, her voice
a stunned squeak.
"It is true, Hisayo," Negako gazes on Ranma's aunt, then back
to Isao, the smile on her face turning sadistic. "Your anger towards
Happy, Isao, stems directly from his seduction of your late wife Nana
sometime before Nodoka and Hisayo were born. Did you ever take the
time to notice that it was exactly NINE MONTHS between that incident
and their birth, Isao?"
Isao sputters, staring at Nodoka, then Hisayo, then Happousai
before turning back to Negako. "No...! You're lying..."
"I do not lie whenever the truth is demanded, Isao," the smile
vanishes from Negako's face. "And it is demanded now, so do not
waste your breath flinging useless accusations at me." She crosses
her arms. "Yes, by the moral standards of Japanese society, you have
every right to hate Happy for what he did with Nana. But you failed
to investigate Nodoka's and Hisayo's ancestry when they were born.
In fact, the very idea of they NOT being your daughters never dawned
on you. Because of that, you raised them as your daughters.
Quite sufficiently, I should note, despite Nodoka's ongoing obsession
towards emulating social norms whose gross inefficiencies
were proven beyond a shadow of a doubt almost sixty years ago at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Now, you know the truth, as does Happy.
As soon will Ranma."
Isao shudders as the grandmistress' words thunder through his
mind, then he jolts on feeling Ichihara's hand fall squarely on his
shoulder. "Father, the necessary arrangements can be made," the
elder son reports.
"I..." Isao rasps as he stares briefly at Nodoka, then Hisayo
before his head jerks in a nod. "I...! Y-yes, of course..."
Nodoka and Hisayo turn towards the man they had called "father"
for so long, then the former bows her head in mute acknowledgement.
The latter blinks as she focuses briefly on Happousai -- *This is my
real father?!* she mentally roils -- before turning back to Isao.
Taking a moment to gaze on her brothers, Hisayo's mouth twists in
revulsion before she turns back to Negako. "Moroboshi-sensei?"
Negako's eyebrow twitches briefly, though she is quick to sense
what Hisayo might desire. "Yes, Hisayo?"
"May I be allowed to contact a representative of Toranoseishin
Finances as soon as possible, please?"
Negako nods. "Chigaiko, fetch my cell-phone for Hisayo."
"Hai," Chigaiko rises, heading to the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Ichihara tenses, his eyes widening on
hearing the name of Komeru Moroboshi's finance company.
Hisayo gives him a vicious grin. "What does it look like,
brother dear. I'm making sure you, this fat pig..." she nods at
Ryuuzuke, then waves a finger at Isao, "...and this old fool can't
touch what I've earned with my own hard work. Not to mention what
Nodoka's earned, too," she rises, walking around behind Negako and
Tarou to kneel beside the still-shocked Nodoka. "And personally,
if you ask me, I rather like finding out that this strutting martinet
is NOT my father!" She gazes at Happousai. "I rather would prefer
a father with sass."
Happousai jolts, gazing wide-eyed at Hisayo as Chigaiko returns
to the living room with Negako's cell-phone. Blinking as her words
sink into his mind, the aged grandmaster gazes at his hands for a
moment before his senses pick up movement from his left. His pipe
shoots out to catch Ichihara's sloppy punch before it could land on
Nodoka or Hisayo, then with a flip, he sends Isao's eldest into the
wall by the main doors. As he collapses to the floor, Ryuuzuke
bellows "ONII-SAN!!!" before he lurches to his feet...
...then is grabbed roughly by the neck and boosted into mid-air
by a fur-lined hand. The retired sumotori gargles as his air is cut
off, then gulps as Tarou raises his other fist. Before the
transformed warrior could send Ryuuzuke on the Shinkansen into la-la
land, the latter's own fear does the job for him. Staring at the
limp form, Tarou shakes his head in complete disgust, then tosses
him over to land atop his brother. *What a pair of fuckin' wimps!!*
the transformed warrior muses to himself as he sits down beside
Negako.
By then, Hisayo is on the phone, putting in a call to Reigi
Yumoa. Nodoka remains still as her mind rolls over what Negako
dropped on her head, then her eyes turn up to gaze on Isao. The
Asagaya patriarch is as still as a statue, he looking nowhere in
particular. No doubt, he felt as much overtaken by the ninjitsu
grandmistress' words as she now did. *Not my father...* she chants
in her mind as she turns to Happousai. Ye gods, to believe...!
*THIS is my real father?!* she blinks before looking at her lap, her
mouth opening and closing.
"...you can do it?!"
Nodoka perks on hearing Hisayo's voice, then she gazes on her
sister. Seeing the relieved look on her twin's face, Nodoka begins
to feel her heart beat stronger in her chest as Hisayo nods. "For
both of us?" she asks, then falls silent as Reigi gives his answer.
A grin crosses her face. "That's wonderful, Yumoa-san. Yes, we both
can be there tomorrow morning. Fair enough, then," she pulls the
cell-phone away from her as she cuts off the link with Tomobiki,
then hands it back to Negako. "Arigatou, Moroboshi-sensei.
Well, Nodoka-chan, shall we go home and celebrate our freedom from
this piece of garbage?" she stares in amusement at her sister, waving
at Isao.
Isao jolts, spinning on Hisayo as Nodoka shakily nods. "Y-yes,
of course," she slowly rises, then turns to Negako. "Negako-san,
I appreciate your candour in this matter. Please feel free to inform
Ranma of this when you next see hi-..." she catches herself, then
sighs. "When you see her next." To Happousai, she gives a curt bow.
"Father." To Isao, a neutral glance. "You need not send any more
money to me, Asagaya-san. I find I no longer wish to associate
with your family. A pity Mother is no longer with us," a faint smile
crosses her face. "I feel that in Mother's eyes, in comparison
to Father, despite his many eccentricities..." that smile fades,
"...you were -- and are -- no man at all. And I am grateful now that
my daughters will not have to associate with you. Tarou-san,
Chigaiko-san," she bows.
With that, Nodoka departs. Hisayo remains in place for a
moment, then lashes out. Isao is knocked off his butt by the slap,
he gazing wide-eyed at Hisayo as she turns her back to him. "Do not
ever darken my door again, Isao. Tell that to these two thugs you
call sons, too," she nods to the unconscious Ryuuzuke and Ichihara.
"If you do, I'll have the police on your ass so fast, your head will
spin."
Hisayo marches out after her sister. "Tarou?" Negako lightly
smiles.
A questioning grunt responds. "Remove them from the property
immediately," the grandmistress rises, indicating the remaining
Asagayas with a dismissive hand. "Be creative when you do it, of
course, but not terminal."
Tarou hoots affirmatively, then rises as Negako heads into the
kitchen. Chigaiko watches morbidly as Isao and his sons are roughly
yanked up by the yeti-like monster, then dragged out the front doors.
Three panicked, fading screams in the general direction of the
Shakujii River later, Tarou returns, grunting as he points to his
head. Seeing that, Chigaiko grabs the empty water glass to fetch
the transformed warrior some hot water. Once that is procured
and he is once more human, Tarou sits down in front of the
still-dazed Happousai. "Let's talk, old man," a smirk crosses his
face, then he playfully pats the aged grandmaster's shoulder.
"By the way: congratulations!"
"Eh?!" Happousai jolts, then nods. "Um, y-yes, Tarou, th-thank
you..."
Chigaiko gazes at them, then walks into the kitchen, where
Negako is preparing a cup of tea. "Negako-san?"
"What is it?"
"What happens now?"
Negako blinks as she considers the question. "I believe Isao
and his sons will trouble us no more. Reigi is more than capable
of dealing with them. As for Happy and Tarou, that is between them.
Let them settle it out by themselves, Chigaiko."
Chigaiko glances out the doorway. "I hope so..."
* * *
Elsewhere in Nerima...
"So the Young Master is currently being detained by these
Ellsians for his rescuing them when their ship was destroyed?"
"That's right," Nabiki nods as she accepts the offered tea cup
from Sasuke. "Despite his obsession with Akane and Ranma's girl
side, he can do a lot of good when he gets the chance. I just hope
he doesn't wind up in this 'refrigerator of love' Ataru-kun told me
about."
"Eccentric woman, even for a queen, I must say," Kodachi covers
her mouth in a polite laugh as she shares a look with Toshiko.
"Any news on what'll happen to Elle, Nabiki?" Toshiko wonders.
"No, not since I got back to Earth. If something does come up,
it'll probably get passed on to Ataru-kun first," Nabiki shakes her
head. "If he feels it's important for us to know, he'll tell the
rest of us."
"And what of this replica of Akane?" Kodachi asks.
Nabiki glares at her. "Kodachi..."
"You don't need to panic about it anymore, Nabiki," Toshiko
cuts in. "'Sides, we're gonna be living together on the Island,
not to mention going to Stargazer West College to finish off school,
so 'Dachi'll bump into Akane sooner or later."
"You're transferring?" Nabiki gazes surprisedly at the martial
arts gymnast.
"Yes, I am," the younger Kunou nods.
The middle Tendou daughter smirks. "All because of
Toshiko-chan?"
Kodachi blinks, then sighs. "I do admit that To-chan was the
catalyst for this decision, Nabiki-san. However, the many virtues
of leaving this mausoleum for something more warm and friendlier
are just as appealing."
"A chance to start all over again, you mean?" Nabiki muses.
"Hai," their host concedes. "I've already spoken to Father
about this. He has no problems with it. Not that I wish to make
ill-light of your sister's fate, Nabiki-san, but it's simply amazing
what her death did to him, not to mention most of Nerima."
"If only it could've changed your brother," Toshiko sighs.
"Indeed."
"Well, maybe Captain du Kohln and her friends can finally make
him see the light," Nabiki smiles.
"May it be so," Sasuke nods.
"Looking forward to leaving this place?" Nabiki gazes on the
Kunous' retainer.
"I shaln't be leaving it full-time, Nabiki-sama," the ninja
reports. "Despite the Young Master being retained by these Ellsians
and the Young Mistress now moving to Oomure-jima, the Master has yet
to elect to sell the property, so someone has to remain behind to
watch over the land. I suspect that the Master will return in a year
or so and travelling to and from Oomure-jima is not difficult
for me."
"That's good," Nabiki nods, then focuses on Kodachi. "Think
things'll be okay with you living together with Ukyou?"
The gymnast blinks, then sighs. "I do admit to having cast much
scorn on Ukyou-san and her chosen occupation in life in the past,"
she stands, moving to sit in Toshiko's lap. "I suppose given how I
was raised and all, that shouldn't be so surprising. Still, given
her upbringing, the trials she endured in her quest to avenge herself
on Ranma-san and her now-departed fool father, Ukyou-san possesses
a very practical outlook on life. I suspect I'll be dependant
on that outlook for some time to come. And besides..." she sniffs,
then relaxes as Toshiko holds her close. "To-chan chose me. Ku-chan
chose Ukyou-san. We'll sooner or later be sisters-in-law
if we can prevail on Ataru-san to go forth and locate a planet that
permits same-sex weddings to make it official." A thoughtful
look then crosses her face. "Or perhaps we can simply go to Canada
and have such done there, ne?" she muses before shrugging. "Oh,
well..."
With that, Kodachi turns to gently kiss Toshiko before leaning
her head into the crook of the latter's neck. Nabiki gazes on this,
surprised that it took...! -- What? Twenty-four hours? Maybe less?
-- for Kodachi Kunou and Toshiko Saotome to go from strangers
to sharing the same bed, planning a wedding and all that interesting
stuff. How much of that was a continuation of Kodachi's unanswered
feelings for Ranma, automatically adjusting to accepting another
woman as a lover even if said woman was Ranma's own magically-created
twin sister? Or was it Toshiko reflecting Ranma's own unspoken
feelings for the gymnast? Was it both in combination? Strange...
"Nabiki-chan?"
Nabiki perks, then seeing the pleading look on Toshiko's
face, nods understandingly. Rising, she quickly exits the sitting
room to find Sasuke waiting to escort her off the property. As they
step through the front doors, the middle Tendou daughter glances
back to see Toshiko carrying Kodachi upstairs, the latter holding
tight to the former. Blinking as her empathic senses pick up the
passionate yearning, the desperate NEED Kodachi now feels for
Toshiko, Nabiki nods, then turns for the front gate. Sasuke gives
her a knowing look. "Despite all the potential problems such a
relationship might raise in the end, she is a godsend to the Young
Mistress, Nabiki-sama."
"Pity we never thought about making replicas of Ranma's
male-half when we had the chance," Nabiki chuckles, crossing her
arms. "Everyone could've come out of it winners. You know, right
now, I'm glad Ranma and Ojii-san busted those two out of the
compact."
"As am I," Sasuke nods.
"Nabiki-san?"
Both jolt, then spin around to see a smiling Hinako standing
behind them, the Staff of Gihan in hand. "JEEZ, Hinako!" Nabiki
gasps. "Don't DO that to me, okay?!" she staggers up to place hands
on the younger girl's shoulders. "What are you doing here, anyway?!"
"Gomen ne!" Hinako blushes, then giggles before replying.
"Your sisters and Shinshi-oniitama are all moved into the House now
and Kasumi-oneetama wants you to come to the Island. All your
stuff's in your new room waiting for you to set it up."
"Right, right," Nabiki nods. "I noticed it all got cleared
out when I popped by the old place earlier on. I just need to go
there to pick up Akane's and my school records, then we can go to the
Island, okay?"
"Hai, hai!" Hinako raises the Staff.
In a flash, both women vanish. Sasuke watches this, then
chuckles. "Life certainly gets more interesting..."
* * *
In orbit...
"How soon will the clean-up be complete, Otako?"
"The last several compartments are being cleaned out as we
speak, Mister President," Otako reports, staring at her datapadd.
"Excellent," the disembodied leader of the Church of Lum
chuckles, then his eyes narrow. "And the factory's sensors?"
"Another several hours. Several primary units had to be totally
disassembled to clean them out of flowers," Otako lowers her padd.
"Mister President, I've been thinking about what happened to us this
morning when Moroboshi's ship returned from wherever they went to."
"And?"
The Avalonian takes a deep breath. "Sir, it's possible that
Moroboshi or one of his allies has possession of the Staff of Gihan."
Silence.
"The Staff...?" Oogi seems to pale, then shudders as pinpricks
of discomfort assault him.
Otako tenses, then starts as Oogi waves her down before
concentrating on drawing more energy into himself to stabilize
his astral form. The others in the primary control centre watch
morbidly as their bodiless leader seems to solidify more, then he
breathes out, his eyes still slightly unfocused. "The Staff...?"
he whispers, then gazes anew on Otako. "But how is that possible?!
Your template's mother was the Staff's true master! There's no
possible way that Moroboshi could have seized control of the Staff!"
"Perhaps that is true, Mister President. However, in the
confrontation between Mother and Moroboshi in Lumukyou -- given the
sheer level of power Moroboshi's armoured form seemed to throw off
once it appeared -- the chance is there that certain of the Staff's
key commands might have been erased or damaged enough to allow a new
controller to eventually take command of the Staff itself."
Oogi pauses as he considers his adjutant's words, then gazes
out a portal on the surrounding starfield. "Could it actually
be...?" he muses to himself, then stares anew at Otako. "How exactly
did you come to *that* conclusion, Otako?"
"Sir, we did monitor communications between Magairu and the
Zephyrite fleet dispatched to deal with Queen Elle," Otako reminds
him. "In one of those signals, the fleet commander informed her
superiors that Moroboshi and his companions were going to take their
ship to the other side of the galaxy. The only place of interest
in that quadrant, according to our historical records, is a Dyson
sphere believed to presently contain another of the Haijo-ju
prototypes, the Genesis Wand of Parah. And *that*..." she waves
around them.
"The flowers?"
"Well within the Genesis Wand's reported capabilities,
Mister President. Further, it could also explain the missing
untemplated bodies we discovered some days ago. The Staff and/or
the Genesis Wand could easily have put those bodies to use."
Oogi shudders, then his lips thin out in a knife-like slash.
"Discorporate the bodies."
Otako jolts. "Sir?!"
"Discorporate all untemplated bodies in storage on the factory,
NOW!!" he barks.
"I...!" she stammers, then jerkily nods. "H-hai!" she turns
to one of the other Avalonians, she giving her a nod.
Controls are pressed...
* * *
"What?!"
"It's true," Lalai looks up from the monitor station. "A
command was just transmitted from Primary Control to discorporate
all the untemplated bioroid bodies currently aboard the factory.
It won't affect our siblings or the others..."
Her eyes turn to the rows of cryosuspension chambers lining
the bulkheads in this part of the vast starcraft. Currently
contained within fourteen of these chambers are nude bodies shaped
quite differently from what could be normally expected from the
Avalon bioroid factory. "What about all those children located
in Storage Area Twenty-four?" Naol asks. "Are they affected?"
Lalai turns back to her controls, then types out a query.
Fortunately, the security codes she used to help herself and her
friends get to this part of the factory ensured that the main
internal security station could not monitor her probe. A second
later, she relaxes. "No, they're not affected, either. The command
was to discorporate all the *untemplated* bodies. Our siblings
and the others here, plus the ones in Twenty-four, not to mention
those new bioroids in Storage Area Nine, won't be affected. We'll
be safe."
"Lucky thing we hid that creep in a place where he won't be
found," Kya crosses her arms.
"Don't say that, Kya!" Naol frowns, then breathes out. "Well,
never mind that. Lalai, let's get to work getting our brothers
free."
"Hai," Lalai taps controls...
* * *
Later...
"Tadaima!"
"Okaeri nasai, Sei-chan," Sakiko looks over her shoulder as
Seiko slips off her shoes. "How are things with Darling?"
"Settling down, hopefully," Seiko looks around the kitchen
of the Izumo sisters' new home. "Where're the others?"
"Our replicas are out in the park with Ten-chan," Sakiko
reports. The four replica bioroids had headed straight back to
Tomobiki after the "Windrider's" landing. "As for the others, they
headed out yesterday with Ryouga Hibiki to locate his family."
"Ryouga-kun? He was around?" Seiko sits at the table.
"Hai," Sakiko nods, then explains.
At the end of that, Seiko shakes her head. "Poor man. To be
caught in a situation like that..." her voice trails off, then she
perks. "Well, maybe some good might come out of this, especially
when he finds out about that replica of Akane Tendou."
"Do you think that'll be a good thing, Sei-chan? From what I
sensed, both Kanami-chan and Tamako-chan are attracted to him."
"Really?" Seiko perks. "Well, maybe we'll hold off on that
until they get back, then. Besides, the Tendous do want to keep the
existence of this new version of Akane-chan a secret, at least from
everyone in Nerima."
"Understandable. Oh, how are things with Karen-chan?"
a bemused smile crosses Sakiko's face.
Seiko jolts, her cheeks instantly flaming, then she tries to
calm herself. "Um, s-she's fine. What about Benten and Oyuki-chan?"
"Sei-chan..."
The Oni-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran stares at her sister, then she
deflates. "It'll take a while, Saki-chan."
"But you won't turn away, will you?"
"Would you turn away from Ryuunosuke-chan?"
Sakiko shakes her head. "Of course not. Speaking of our former
schoolmates, it appears that Shutaro is not giving up on Darling."
"Oh?"
"He sent a helicopter to track down the 'Windrider' at the
Island. It probably happened while you were coming back here."
Seiko takes that in, then shakes her head. "That idiot..."
"Tell me about it," Sakiko frowns, then perks. "At least, we've
got his sister on our side."
"That's good..."
* * *
Dinnertime...
At Welcome House, nearly twice the number of chairs are needed
to fit in all the extra people now living there. Before Shirayuki
serves up one of her scrumptious feasts, introductions are made for
Kaeru, Mie and Mega-Rinrin. To the sisters' amusement, Rinrin clings
tightly onto Mega-Rinrin's arm, mirroring Yotsuba's behaviour
with Shinshi. In recognition of her position as head of the Tendou
family, Kasumi sits at the opposite end of the table from Sakuya.
"So you came here looking for a wife, Kaeru-kun?" Nabiki wonders.
"Affirmative," Kaeru nods; the middle Tendou daughter sits
beside him. "However, Shirayuki proposed the idea of converting
everyone on Nagussa into a bioroid-type format such as yourself,
Shinshi and Akane. That will allow me to maintain my relationship
with Naromo."
"'Naromo?'" Sakuya perks.
"My 'girlfriend' as you would address her on Earth, Sakuya."
"Eh?!" Yotsuba bolts out of her seat, spy glass at the ready.
"Ani-chama has a girlfriend?!"
"What sort of person is this Naromo, Anigimi-sama?"
Haruka wonders.
"Is she cute?!" Nabiki probes.
"What does she do, Onii-chan?" Karen asks.
"Is she into sports?" Mamoru queries.
As the other sisters toss in their questions, Kaeru considers
how to answer them, then he reaches into his belt buckle and draws
out a tube-like device. Standing that on the table, he taps the top.
A second later, a half-sized holographic projection appears over the
tube. "Waaaaai..." Hinako gushes as the image solidifies, her eyes
sparkling. "She's so pretty..."
"Oh, my..." quoth both Kasumi and Haruka in sync.
"Whoa..." Ranma gapes. "Kawaii..."
"That she is," Ataru nods approvingly. "Nice to know that
Kaeru's got such good taste."
"I can admire that," Mie smirks.
"So can I," Akane nods, then giggles. "*Now,* that is."
"So what does she do, Aniki?" Rinrin wonders.
"She is my co-worker in the engineering section of our starship,
the 'Ganshiki,'" Kaeru reports. "Technically, Naromo is referred
to as the 'Engineer-First.' I am the 'Engineer-Second'
since my experience level and time on duty is less than hers."
"Are all Nagussans like her, Ani-kun?"
"In what manner, Chikage?"
"Are they patterned after the same racial genotype?" the
sorceress augments.
"Negative, Chikage," the engineer shakes his head. "The
representative racial diversification on Nagussa is roughly
equivalent in total numbers of races 'represented' to what currently
exists on Sagussa. Currently serving aboard the 'Ganshiki' are
androids modelled after two races. Naromo is modelled after a
Tanana. She is the only one aboard the 'Ganshiki.' The others are
modelled after Hiyaken."
"What about your adopted parents, Aniue-sama?" Marie wonders.
"They are both modelled after Aojiroi, Marie," Kaeru reaches
for the holographic projector. "Here."
Everyone watches as Naromo's image disappears, replaced by the
image of two statuesque women, clearly quite close to the other.
"Waaaai...!" Kaho gasps, her eyes sparkling. "Onii-chama's
parents are so beautiful!!"
"Hina can't WAIT to meet Onii-tama's parents!" Hinako chirrups.
"Neither can I," Sakuya chuckles. "So when will they be here,
Onii-sama?"
"The 'Ganshiki' is scheduled to arrive over Earth on Saturday,
most likely after sundown."
Ataru considers that. "Well, then..."
"What is it, Onii-chan?" Karen stares at him.
He grins. "Anyone for the hot springs?"
Silence falls over the room, then Hinako leaps to her feet.
"Yaaay!! Hot springs! Hot springs!! Hot springs!!"
Everyone stares at the youngest sister, then laughter fills the
dining room. Kaeru observes this, then lightly shrugs. "Illogical."
"Ne, Kaeru-san?"
"Is there something the matter, Mie?" he gazes on Mie.
"If you're not interested in going to the onsen, how'd you like
to come to Tsushima with me and look at my ship?"
Kaeru considers that, then nods. "If that is what you desire,
Mie, that is what we shall do."
"Don't you want to come to the hot springs with us, Aniki?"
Rinrin stares at him.
"I find I presently possess no logical need to visit such an
establishment, Rinrin," he answers with such honesty, any negative
reaction by the sisters, even a simple "Kusu" from Aria, is
immediately muted. "Further, Mie's starcraft must be repaired
if she is to ever return to Sagussa. Since her memory was gravely
damaged when she first came to Earth, she is incapable of performing
the necessary repairs herself. Logic only dictates that the
necessary assistance be provided and I am willing to provide such
assistance."
The others consider what he just said. "Well, we'd still like
you to come, Onii-chan," Karen flusters.
"Aria wants to go to the hot springs with both Nii-yas,"
the young Parisian sniffles.
"Wait, wait!" Sakuya cuts in. "Onii-sama, how long would
repairing Mie-san's ship take?"
"Such would be dependant on the overall level of damage and what
type of craft it is, Sakuya," Kaeru replies.
"Mie-san?" Ataru gazes on the adopted Kyushu native.
Mie sighs. "I...! It's about the size of a 747, I think. It
looks like an American Navy fighter, the one with swing wings..."
"An F-14 Tomcat?" Rinrin perks.
"How large is this craft?" Kaeru perks.
"About eighty metres long, with a seventy-five metre wingspan,"
Mie reports.
Kaeru draws out his computer, then taps controls. A holographic
image appears before him. "This type of craft?"
Mie looks, then nods. "That's it!"
"Cool ship!" Rinrin whistles.
"A Gladiator," Kaeru reports. "Shipboard point-defence
sub-light fighter. Built for a single pilot, though it can carry
two people in the cockpit if necessary. Most likely, when you came
to Earth, your craft was temporarily fitted with a warp-sled."
"So I wouldn't have need of a mothership, you mean?" Mie blinks.
"Fly straight here from Sagussa without one, right?"
"Affirmative."
"So why would you come to Earth, anyway?" Sakuya asks before
gazing on Ataru. "Unless it's because of Onii-sama here..."
"That's as fas as I've been able to figure this mess out," Mie
admits, shrugging.
"Maybe Bou-san can fix up your ship," Hinako proposes. "That
way, Onii-tama can come with everyone to the hot springs."
"Tsue-san can help, too," Aria adds.
"Hey, there's an idea!" Mamoru nods.
"Perhaps before we consider what to do with Mie-san's ship, we
should prepare a dock for both the 'Windrider' and Kaeru-anikun's
ship," Chikage cuts in. "A large enough hangar to hide the
'Windrider' from overhead imaging, of course."
The others perk. "You mean from the bioroid factory,
Chikage-chan?" Haruka wonders.
"Exactly."
"That would be a prudent course of action," Kaeru nods. "I
recommend it be implemented immediately."
"Let's hope the MiBs don't mind," Ataru rolls his eyes. "How
fast can you whip up the design for something like this,
Rinrin-chan?"
"Oh, that?! I already started, Aniki!" Rinrin smirks. "I can
get it done in an hour!"
"Then, to quote Picard-taisa, 'Make it so!'"
"Hai, hai!!"
The others laugh...
* * *
Two hours later...
"You're building a spaceship dock for your brothers' ships?!"
"Hai," Sakuya chuckles. "It won't cost us that much, now that
we've got Bou-san and Tsue-san to help out."
Ayane Hazuki gazes on the elder sister, then titters. Both now
stand on the front lawn of Welcome House with most of the other
sisters and their hangers-on. Rinrin and Kaeru presently direct
Aria and Hinako (with the Genesis Wand of Parah and the Staff of
Gihan) in dredging out a deep-enough channel for the "Windrider"
to use. Dirt from that is piled up to create an artificial pier wide
enough for Kaeru's private probe; the Nagussan's construction
robots are currently preparing the reinforced steel-duranium
framework for the pier using scrap metal from one of the Island's
junkyards and replicator units aboard Kaeru's ship. Of course,
Aria makes sure that any fish which might get caught up in the
excavation are not hurt; the Genesis Wand instantly teleports
them to safer waters. The "Windrider" itself floats in deep water
some distance from Promised Island; Ataru and Ranma, along with Reiko
and Kaneko, are aboard, waiting for the chance to guide the
solar-sail craft into its new Earth home. "Well, since you do have
all this in hand..." the town manager chuckles.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Sakuya grins.
"That it is. So Kaeru-san's adopted parents and his girlfriend
will be visiting Saturday night?"
"Most likely. I can't WAIT to meet them!" the elder sister
shudders with anticipation.
"Let's hope it doesn't cause more trouble," Mrs. Hazuki muses.
"True," Haruka nods.
"Is that deep enough, Onii-tama?"
Everyone falls silent as Hinako stares on Kaeru. The engineer
scans the newly-dredged channel, then nods. "Sufficient, Hinako.
Aria, you may solidify the soil in the dock frame. Unit Seven, begin
preparing the hangar frames."
"Hai!" Aria aims the Wand on target.
"*Compliance,*" Unit Seven replies as the con/maint 'bots clear
the young Parisian's field of fire.
The Wand flares, then a bolt of energy lashes out. Striking
the mounds of soil excavated from the sea bed by the Staff, the
energy melts that into a type of concrete now possessing the same
tensile strength as its surrounding frame. As soon as the energy
fades, Aria cants her head to hear the Wand's report, then gazes on
Kaeru. "It's all done, Nii-ya."
"Sufficient," Kaeru nods. "As soon as the hangar frames are
prepared, we will require more soil, Hinako."
"Hai, hai!" Hinako grins, then stares at Aria. "Ne, ne,
Aria-chan, did you ever think we'd build a sand castle THIS big?!"
"Aria never thought that," Aria smiles, then it slips.
"Kusu..."
"What's wrong, Aria-chan?" Rinrin stares quizzically at her.
"Jii-ya always stopped Aria from making sand castles or
snowmen," the young Parisian laments.
"Why would this 'jii-ya' perform such an illogical act?" Kaeru
wonders.
A sniff. "Aria doesn't know..."
"I bet your parents let you do anything you wanted, eh, Aniki?"
Rinrin chuckles.
"Affirmative, taking into consideration the necessary safety
precautions," Kaeru nods.
"Onii-tama?"
"Is there something wrong, Hinako?"
"We need to make Onii-tama talk normal," the youngest sister
laments.
Kaeru blinks confusedly. "Hinako, I AM conversing at the
standard demanded of me."
Rinrin and Aria giggle as Hinako groans, slamming her head on
the guardrail before them. "Onii-tama no baka..."
"Illogical," Kaeru sighs...
* * *
Tomobiki...
"WHAT was that?!"
"We have confirmed it by visual sighting, Young Mistress,"
a Kuroko bows.
Ryooko stares nowhere in particular. "But...!" she turns back
to her bodyguard. "All reports on that matter confirm that he is
deceased. How is it possible that..." her voice trails off, then she
sits back in her chair. "Unless..."
"Mistress, I do remind you that Master Kaeru's body DID
disappear shortly after his accident."
The younger Mendou perks, then nods. "Yes, that's right! So
when did Kaeru-san return?"
"Sometime after midnight this morning according to what our
agents on the Island have overheard. Master Kaeru carried out the
planned expansion to the rotunda at Welcome House for his sisters,
Master Ataru, Mistress Ranma and the Tendou siblings. It appears
now that they are construction a covered starship dock for Master
Ataru's starcraft, along with space set aside for Master Kaeru's
starcraft."
She takes that in, then nods. "Interesting. Estimated time of
completion?"
"Within the hour, Young Mistress," he replies. "It appears
that young Mistress Hinako and Mistress Aria have use of rather
strange energy-projecting devices that are greatly reducing overall
construction time."
"Indeed? Find out more about these devices if you can."
"As you wish, Young Mistress..."
* * *
In orbit...
"What's that smell?"
Gemi stops as a faint sweet-sour odour floods her nostrils,
then she scans around the storage space. This part of the bioroid
factory had been pretty much left unused by the Niphentaxians
when the vast craft had been grounded on the surface of Phentax
Twelve. Even now, with a potential confrontation between Oogi and
the "great evil" of the Church of Lum looming in the near future,
there is no Avalonian assigned on full-time security watch in this
part of the factory. "Smells like someone just died," she frowns,
drawing out a tricorder.
Her companion does the same as they make a careful sweep on the
chamber. "There!" Urah points at one dark corner of the room, then
draws out a portable flashlight, flicking it on. One sweep of the
bright light is enough. "Goddess!!"
Gemi gags on seeing the dead body in the dark uniform of a
Tomobiki High School student pushed into a sitting position against
a bulkhead. The stain on his chest, long dried, speaks volumes.
"Gemi to Otako," she taps her communicator. "We have a situation."
"What situation?" Otako demands.
"Deceased Niphentaxian," Urah reports. "According to
preliminary tricorder scan, he's been dead for at least two weeks."
"Alright, we're sending a team down to extract the body for
analysis."
"Hai..."
* * *
"So that's this 'genesis wand' Moroboshi and his sisters went
to get after they rescued us, right?"
"Hai," Sakiko nods as she and Ryuunosuke watch what is now
happening at Welcome House on Mister Big Screen.
"How powerful is it, anyway?" the tomboy sips her tea.
"About the same level of overall power as what Hinako-chan's
staff has," Sakiko leans against her lover. "Amazing, ne?"
"What d'ya mean?"
"About these Sagussans," the Seishin-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran
muses. "All the things they've constructed that we've run into. The
Staff, the Genesis Wand, the Avalonians and their bioroid factory,
the Voyager itself..."
"You mean it's true?"
"Eh?!"
"About what you told me earlier. Moroboshi meetin' up with a
hundred thousand girls?"
Sakiko blinks, then nods as Ryuunosuke draws an arm around her.
"Well, Sei-chan sensed that Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan were telling
the truth about Darling's connections to the Voyager. And Kaeru-kun
did confirm it."
"I bet Moroboshi's feeling really happy right about now, eh?"
"Actually, he fainted when he got the news. And from what
Sei-chan told me, Darling's having LOADS of problems accepting
all this."
Silence.
"Say WHAT?!"
"It's true!" Sakiko nods, staring into Ryuunosuke's disbelieving
face.
The tomboy considers her lover's words, then shakes her head.
"No! Shit, no, I CAN'T believe that!!"
"Ryuu-chan, you know how much Darling's changed..."
"No!" Ryuunosuke holds up a hand, then sighs. "I just CAN'T
believe that one, Saki-chan! I mean..." she stops for a minute as
she tries to find the right words. "I can believe the part about
him not wantin' ta be with us anymore, what with his sisters and
daughters and all that! And much that this's been hurtin'
Shinobu-chan, maybe it's a good thing in the long term, especially
with Mendou bein' an asshole about it! But jeez, Saki-chan,
A HUNDRED THOUSAND GIRLS?!! There's no WAY that Moroboshi'll
pass THAT up!!"
"Maybe Darling'll surprise you, Ryuu-chan."
Ryuunosuke considers that, then lays back. "I just can't see
it, Saki-chan," she empathically shakes her head. "I can't!"
"Why aren't you giving him the benefit of the doubt?" Sakiko
crosses her arms.
"I..." Silence falls as Ryuunosuke considers her lover's
question, then she breathes out. "I dunno, Saki-chan..."
she stares at the deckhead. "I mean, about him seein' all those
people on Phentax Two die and all that...? Yeah, that'll affect
anyone, I guess. And all that crap about his grandma and what folks
on Uru did ta her...? Yeah, Moroboshi's got a right to be pissed
off about that. But..." she shakes her head. "I mean...! This is
his fondest dream we're talkin' about here, Saki-chan? Can he give
up that?! I just don't see it!"
"Yes, he was pretty stubborn when it came to that, ne?" Sakiko
snuggles up against her. "Well, let's see what happens."
"This is gonna be really weird, Saki-chan."
"Perhaps..."
* * *
The north end of Tomobiki...
"You must be Shinobu! Come in! Come in!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Yoshino," Shinobu
respectfully bows, gently gripping Mai Yoshino's hand, then after
slipping her shoes off, steps into the large apartment her new
classmates shared with their parents. "Wow..." her eyes go wide.
"Hey, Shinobu-chan!!" Minako walks up to give her classmate
a warm hug, then nods thanks to Mai before guiding Shinobu to the
right, they soon entering a large bedroom complete with three
single-sized beds, vanities/work areas and wardrobes. Waiting for
them are Kyooko and Tomomi, both with schoolbooks spread out before
them. "Make yourself at home! Want anything to drink?!"
"Cider'll be fine," Shinobu sits down, then after Minako heads
out, turns to her friends. "Is this place for real?!"
"Amazing, isn't it?" Tomomi smirks. "One of Mom's friends,
Tomoko Fujiki, and her husband owns this apartment block, plus a few
others scattered around the Tokyo area. She had this apartment
installed in for either a big family or several small families
like ours willing to share the same space. Since our moms are all
Avalonians, it was a no-brainer for them to consider using the same
place."
Shinobu nods. "Is Tomoko-san an Avalonian, too?"
"Hai," Kyooko points to a picture on her vanity, it of a
raven-haired beauty with dark, brooding eyes. "That's Sayuri Fujiki,
Tomoko-obachan's daughter. She goes to an all-girls' school in
Urawa. If something happens to us, she can come down to help out."
"She's beautiful," Shinobu admits as Minako comes back into the
room, a glass of cider in hand.
"And a handful in bed," Minako hands the glass over, having
senses the general gist of the conversation coming in.
Shinobu jolts, then her cheeks redden slightly as she takes the
cider. "I wouldn't know about something like that, admittedly..."
Kyooko and Tomomi snicker, they exchanging a knowing look.
Minako stares at her friends, then sits down beside Shinobu. "Don't
mind them," she stage-whispers to her classmate. "They can't stand
missing out on a chance to rub someone the wrong way."
"Well, it's not OUR fault that you practically lived like a
damned monk down in Kyoto, Minako!" Tomomi barbs.
"Excuse me, Tomomi, but there are very few people on this
planet, to say anything of this country, who'd understand what and
where people like us come from," Minako fires back, tucking her legs
into her arms. "'Once bitten, twice shy' as they say!"
"What do you mean?" Shinobu asks.
"Minako-chan had a girlfriend down in Kyoto," Kyooko explains,
ignoring Minako's warning stare. "Real pretty thing, too. She was
at that stage in life when you're trying to figure who and what you
are..."
"It's called 'puberty,'" Tomomi cuts in.
Kyooko swats her arm, then carries on. "Well, things between
Minako-chan and Yuki-chan start heating up. I mean, REALLY heating
up, just like what's happening now between Ryuu-chan and Sakiko-san!
And it almost gets to the point when they'd bond when..."
"Yuki-chan discovers boys," Tomomi finishes, she giving Minako
a leer. "Specifically, a really nice, handsome young lad who'd have
it all over Mendou in EVERY department -- save money, of course!
-- AND...!"
"Somehow convinced Yuki that it wasn't nice to share," Kyooko
tops it off.
Shinobu blinks. "Well, that's normal for here, you know. One
guy to one girl..."
"Normal for full-blood Terrans, that is," Minako warns. "We're
not full-Terran, Shinobu-chan."
Ataru's former girlfriend stops herself, then nods. "Hai,
that's true, isn't it?" Her brow furrows for a moment, then she
asks, "But didn't the old Avalonians...? -- What did you call them
again? Sagussans? -- have families like we do on Earth?"
"Iie," Kyooko shakes her head. "On Sagussa -- before the Age of
Gisan'cha, that is -- what you'd term 'families' were, for the most
part, based on same-sex psi-bondings between two partners. It was
called 'marei'cha' then: 'the one with whom you raised a child.'
The only time, for the most part, when men and women interacted
is when they wanted to have children."
"Really?!" Shinobu gapes, then breathes out. "Wow..."
"Hello...?"
"Mom?!" Minako spins around to see an older, long-haired
version of herself standing at the doorway to the girls' bedroom.
Mami Sawada, dressed like any typical housewife in plain
clothing with an apron, slowly walks in, her eyes locked on the
beautiful young woman seated beside her daughter. "Um..." she stops
herself, bowing her eyes as a surge of hope begins to billow from
deep within her heart. "Ano...! Are you Minako-chan's friend...?"
she slowly elevates her eyes to gaze on Shinobu.
"Ah...! H-hai!" Shinobu quickly gets to her feet...
...but before she could bow, Mami slams into her, nearly
snapping the poor woman in half with a hug as a shower of tears
sprinkles Minako and her friends.
"***WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
MY BABY'S NO LONGER ALONE!!!! I'M SO HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY!!!!***"
"MOM!!!!" Minako screams as Kyooko and Tomomi fall over
laughing...
* * *
"Fangi..."
Otako perks. "You know him, Mister President?"
Oogi blinks, then nods. The body had been beamed to the primary
control centre so that the now-bodiless president of Phentax Two
could view it. "Yes. A disciple of the word of the First Holy
Apostle. Unswervingly loyal to the Goddess. After Lum-sama was
expelled from the Holy City, he asked to be transferred to the
Security Ministry's special detail assigned to safeguard the
factory."
Gemi reaches over to shroud the corpse with a blanket. "How did
he die?" Otako asks.
"A sharp, knife-like penetration wound to the heart," Urah
reports. "By the amount of decay in his cells, Fangi-sama was killed
within twenty-four hours of our departing Phentax Twelve. There was
also signs of intensive sexual arousal in his genitals."
"He wished companionship from one of us," Gemi concludes.
"But why slay him? Any of us would have willingly spent time with
him."
"Scan the minds of everyone aboard," Oogi orders.
"That will have to be delayed, sir," Otako warns.
He glares sharply at her, then relaxes. "The flowers?"
"Yes, sir."
"As soon as possible, Otako."
"Yes, sir."
* * *
An hour later...
"Impressive, isn't it?"
"They built this in TWO HOURS?!"
Fungi shushes his companions, then crouches down, grateful
that the growing evening would mask his movements from those now
finishing work on the large structure jutting into the Sagami Sea
from the lawn surrounding Welcome House. The Niphentaxians
had arrived on Promised Island over an hour ago, having been guided
here thanks to the listening devices scattered throughout the Mendou
estate. Before Fungi could have attempted to erase the data from the
computers hooked to the listening devices, his immediate superior
decided to send a team here to keep a close eye on the "Great Evil"
and his just-discovered sisters. To Fungi's personal annoyance,
Shaskaar elected to lead the team to Promised Island herself; she is
now in one of the rooms at the bed-and-breakfast hotel on Third
Street East setting up their main observation base. Fortunately,
Fungi muses as he spares his companions a glance, he was given the
right to choose who'd form the observation team.
"Should we try to put devices inside that hangar?" Juhzi
whispers.
Fungi shakes his head. "No, not yet," he replies, then covers
his mouth with his hands as he considers the problem at hand. "We'd
have to assume, given the apparent level of technology Moroboshi's
twin brother has at his command, that the hangar -- and most likely,
the rotunda where Moroboshi and his siblings now live -- will be
shielded against any sort of passive monitoring."
"The Commander's expecting results, Fungi," Makasai warns.
Fungi closes his eyes as he mentally counts to ten, then he
stares at the junior computer technician of Shaskaar's group. "She
won't get the results she wants if we rush this and get caught along
the way, Makasai," he gently scolds before turning his attention
back to the youth hostel. "We'll have to set something up here so we
can monitor this place from a distance, then pray for a chance to get
into that building when its residents aren't home. Koeko, do you
have a portable area life-sign scanner with you?"
"Hai," Koeko reaches into her purse to draw out a spheroid
device the size of a baseball, handing it over.
"Great," Fungi looks up at the tree behind them. "This should
do it..." he begins to climb it.
The others remain silent as their countryman slides his way to
just below the bottom tier of branches. Drawing out the scanner,
he places it in the crook between the trunk and the branch reaching
out in the direction of Welcome House. Glancing towards the youth
hostel, Fungi nods; there were only a dozen trees that stood between
the scanner's position and the House's front gate. Nowhere near
enough to haze whatever readings the scanner produced. Jumping
back to the ground, he crouch-walks over to join his friends. "We'll
keep a passive watch on this place until they head out as a group,"
he whispers to the others. "It seems these sisters want to stay
close to Moroboshi. We can use that to our own ends, but we have to
be very cautious. We don't know this territory at all. Let's get
back to the hotel and rest up."
Juhzi, Makasai and Koeko nod...
* * *
*Aria-san...*
Aria perks, looking up from her book as that wizened voice
echoes inside her mind. "Oji-san...?" she looks around her
bedroom...
* * *
"I'm SO sorry about that, Shinobu-chan! I didn't think Mom'd
pull something dumb like that..."
"It's okay," Shinobu waves Minako down. Both now stand in the
front lobby of the Avalonians' apartment complex, none the worse for
wear given that Minako had not only to pry her poor friend away from
her own mother Mami, but from Kyooko's and Tomomi's mothers Miyuki
Ikusawa and Mai Yoshino as well. "Guess you didn't realize how
desperate your mom was getting when it came to getting a bond-mate,
ne?"
"Yeah, I didn't," Minako flusters, scratching the back of her
head as an embarrassed chuckle escapes her. "Then again, Mom was
thrilled beyond belief when I started dating Yuki full-time.
You can probably understand how she felt when we broke up."
"She must've been devastated."
"She was," Minako nods. "After she got over it -- or did
she...?" her eyebrow arches as she cants her head, eliciting a
snicker from Shinobu, "...she tried to push me into starting a
relationship with one of the other half-Avalonians living in the
Kansai area."
"But...?"
"I don't like being pushed into anything," the rose-haired
Avalonian smirks.
Both gaze on each other, then laugh. Silence then falls before
Shinobu gives her a knowing look. "You desire me, don't you?"
Minako jolts, then quickly sensing that there was no anger
accompanying her new friend's words, slowly nods. "Hai."
"Love at first sight?" the Terran's lips quirk into a faint
smile.
"You might say that," Minako slowly nods, then shrugs. "But
that's the way I am, Shinobu. Unlike you, I can look at ANYONE who
passes in front of me and judge how beautiful that person is just
like that," she snaps her fingers in emphasis. "And the question
of whether that person is a boy or a girl would have no relevance
at that point in time. And..." she slowly nods before her shoulders
roll in a faint shrug. "I guess that all the old Sagussan ideas
about marei'cha influence me to this day even if, in a way, my
genetic ancestors eventually evolved into a truly equal and
egalitarian society before Project: Avalon got started. To me -- to
any of us, Shinobu. Kyooko, Tomomi, all the girls of our group,
those replicas Nassur-san made of Lum-san and her friends, Yukimi-san
and the other girls we met, too...! -- it IS normal for any of us to
seek out a potential marei'cha before thinking about seeking out a
surei'cha to have a baby."
"I'm flattered."
"You deserve it."
Shinobu blinks, then sighs. "What did your powers tell you
about me when we first met, Minako?"
Minako stares at her, then her eyes seem to loose focus for a
moment before she takes a deep breath. "Someone who felt lost.
Someone who just had her whole centre, the things she'd grouped
together to form an emotional anchor for her life to cling to...!"
she pauses, her eyes closing for a moment as she seeks out the least
wounding way to say this, "...blown out from under her. And even
with that having happened to her, you were so...! So FRIENDLY
when you came to Sakura-sensei's office that day and met all of us.
It..." she pulls up her hand to gently thump her breastbone in
emphasis. "It really hit me right here, Shinobu. I..." she shrugs,
smiling embarrassingly.
Shinobu feels her cheeks heat up, then she bows her eyes.
"Gomen..."
"Don't apologize, Shinobu. Please. It happened and I'm glad
for it."
"Minako..." Ataru's former girlfriend stares at her host, then
she sighs. "But what about what happened between you and...?"
"Yuki?" Minako's eyebrow arches, then she chuckles. "Please,
don't let what Kyooko and Tomomi told you influence you TOO much."
"What do you mean?" a wary look crosses Shinobu's face.
"Do you want to know her full name?"
"Eh?"
"Yuki Morikawa."
Silence.
"The idol singer?!" Shinobu eeps.
"The very same," Minako nods. "I love her and care for her very
much, Shinobu. Just as much as I do when it comes to you right now.
But becoming an idol star had been Yuki's dream for a VERY long time.
Could you just IMAGINE what might've happened if it got out that she
was in a relationship with another WOMAN? We might be pretty liberal
in certain ways here in Japan, but not THAT much, you know! After
all, we DO want our idols to be simon-pure, ne?!" she winks knowingly
at her classmate, that yanking a surprised laugh from Shinobu.
Minako then sighs. "So I had to let her go," she admits. "But
I wanted to help her along. I did. Her boyfriend had harboured
a crush on her for a long time, Shinobu. So I, well..." another
shrug, "...*nudged* it along, so to speak," she points to her
forehead.
"Was that the right thing to do?" a wary look crosses Shinobu's
face.
The rose-haired Avalonian blinks, then breathes out. "I can't
answer that. What I do know is that whenever I'm close to Yuki and
Shinya-kun, I can sense how happy they are being together, being a
couple. I give them pretty good odds on making it all the way; thank
the gods the scene in Japan is NOWHERE close to what goes on in
Hollywood." A pause, then, "And yeah, I miss being with her. But
she's happy now. And that makes me happy. That's..." she closes
her eyes. "That's the ultimate act of love, isn't it? Wishing,
wanting for the person you care for to be happy, even if you can't
be happy with her? To love someone to the point when you know you
have to let her go?"
Shinobu shudders as Minako's words sear right into the deepest
place in her heart, then she surges forward to warmly embrace her
classmate. The sudden nature of Shinobu's action sends a worried
quake through the Avalonian's body, then her arms slide up to allow
her fingers to thread through the Terran's hair. Sensing a pained
sob about to explode from Shinobu's lips, Minako reaches out
empathically to trap that burning globe of sorrow, stop it from
infecting the rest of her friend's soul, then she gently evaporates
it. Shinobu blinks surprisedly as the surge of pain that seemed
ready to explode from her heart suddenly fades, then she stares
wide-eyed at Minako. Silence falls over them for a moment, then
without any visible sign of either refusal or invitation, their lips
drift together. They remain in that pose for a moment before gently,
reluctantly pulling apart, their eyes not wavering from the other's.
"I don't want to be alone tonight," Shinobu then declares.
Minako blinks, then she sighs. "Well, if you're willing to
brave Mom again...?"
A shudder runs through the Terran's body, then she perks.
"There's another place we can go, you know."
The Avalonian stares at her, then her eyebrow arches. "Will
they mind?"
"We can ask."
"True..."
* * *
Elsewhere in Tokyo...
"Kampai!!"
The tiny cups of hot sake tink together, then Nodoka and Hisayo
drink. The sisters now relax in the Kakiden, a high-class
kaiseki-ryoori -- the Japanese version of a haute cuisine restaurant
-- located to the east of Shinjuku station. A silent waitress
in full kimono sits patiently near the table, ready to deal with the
dishes whenever the guests wanted some more food or drink. In a
nearby alcove, a professional player strums away on a koto. Between
the sisters, the remnants of an eighteen-course meal sit.
"To the end of a long nightmare," Hisayo notions to her sister's
cup, which the waitress instantly refills before doing the same to
her own. "So after we see Yumoa-san tomorrow, what's the plan,
Nodoka-chan?"
Nodoka takes up her cup, then pauses. "I haven't really thought
about that, Onee-chan," she gazes nowhere in particular. "I mean,
even if he is really our father, Happousai does leave a lot to be
desired. Atop that, I've no real idea how Ranma-chan will react to
the news. If h-...! If she doesn't like the idea..." her voice
trails off, then she breathes out before drinking the sake.
Hisayo has the waitress refill it. After what happened at the
old shrine in Nerima, Nodoka needed the chance to relax and unwind,
not to mention blow off some steam. The maitre'd then approaches.
"Sumimasen," he bows respectfully to the sisters before turning
to gaze on Nodoka. "There's a pair of young ladies by the entrance.
They're both presently looking for you, Saotome-san."
"For me?" Nodoka perks. "Who...?"
A business card is handed over. Nodoka takes up the meishi,
then glaces at the name written there. Her jaw hits the table in
shock, then she quickly composes herself. "Yes, please, send
Yamashina-san over!" she stares thankfully at the maitre'd.
"Of course, ma'am," he bows, then heads off.
The waitress prepares new place settings. Hisayo perks.
"Mizuho Yamashina?! The owner of that onsen spring up by Yonezawa?!"
"The same...! Oh, there she is! Mizuho-chan!! Ayumu-chan!!"
Nodoka waves.
Walking up to the table is a woman appearing to be in her early
twenties. Her hair, combed straight all the way to her hips, appears
to have a greenish sheen to it, though Nodoka always wondered if it
was a trick of the light that made it seem that way to her. Her eyes
are turquoise, a shade that -- though not seemingly native to any
pure-blood Japanese -- seemed just *right* for Mizuho Yamashina.
Currently, the newcomer is dressed in a black strapless tank-top,
grey blazer and thigh-length skirt, showing off a mouth-watering
amount of leg to those few single men currently relaxing at nearby
tables. Following Mizuho is a younger, raven-haired tomboy with blue
eyes, currently dressed in a red plaid skirt and vest over a black
button shirt. Nodoka knew her as Ayumu Inaba, one of the staple
of sweet young women who helped Mizuho run her private hotel.
"Nodoka-chan!" Mizuho waves back, then walks over to sit in the empty
tatami mat beside Ranma's mother. "How are you?!" she gives the
older woman a warm embrace as her own companion slips into the empty
mat beside Hisayo.
"I'm fine! What are you doing here, Mizuho-chan?!"
Nodoka's cheeks redden as Mizuho pulls back; she had always been
taken aback by her friend's open displays of affection. "How'd you
know I was here?! We haven't talked for weeks..."
"My intuition when it comes to my best friend, Nodoka-chan,"
Mizuho winks, grinning. "It told me that something really bad
happened to you, so I decided to drop everything and get my butt down
here to look in on you. Am I right?"
Nodoka flusters, then her cheeks redden more at her friends
show of concern. Hisayo tries not to fall over laughing on noting
her sister's embarrassment. She only knew the basics about Mizuho
Yamashita. She married very young, but divorced her husband before
moving to the Onogawa onsen zone to open up her own inn, the Hotel
Kiraboshi, seven years ago. Nodoka herself discovered the Kiraboshi
two years later while she had been attending a high school reunion
party at a nearby establishment. On meeting Mizuho, the two had hit
it off right away. Ever since, whenever Nodoka had decided to get
away from the Tokyo area, she always visited Onogawa, staying at the
Kiraboshi. Hisayo hadn't met Mizuho until now, though Nodoka had
expressed a desire to take her sister, not to mention Ranma and
Akane, to Onogawa if the chance came.
"Hai, Mizuho-chan, you're right," Nodoka takes a deep breath.
The explanation begins. As Nodoka recaps the events of the last
two months, Ayumu gets the waitress to bring some more food over,
then after the other woman has gone, moves to refill everyone's
sake cup. The food soon arrives, then Ayumu pitches in to help
spread it around. Hisayo keeps her peace as Nodoka's voice nearly
breaks as news about Ranma's mental transformation, not to mention
the shocking revelation the sisters received earlier in the day about
their parentage, is relayed to the owner of the Hotel Kiraboshi.
Finally, sometime after the food is brought to the table, Nodoka
quietly exhales. "So there I am, Mizuho-chan. What do I do now?"
Mizuho's gaze loses its focus for a second, then she reaches
over to give Nodoka's hand a warm squeeze. "You're not alone,
Nodoka-chan," she gives her friend a knowing smile. "Not as long as
any of us are around. Ne, Ayumu-chan?"
"Definitely not," Ayumu demurely answers, raising her glass of
ice water in a toast.
"So how DID you sense that something was happening to my sister
anyway, Yamashita-san?" Hisayo's eyebrow arches.
"As I said, I have a special sense of intuition when it comes
to your sister, Hisayo-san," Mizuho winks, a knowing smile crossing
her face, then she sighs. "You both must be happy to be finally
free of that old idiot and his sons, ne?"
"We are," Hisayo admits. "Though when it comes time to have our
family names changed, things might get rough."
"Would they force that on you, even now?" Ayumu asks.
"They would," Hisayo snorts. "Especially Ichihara. He always
was jealous of the amount of attention Mom payed to Nodoka-chan
and myself. Ryuuzuke was pretty much the same way. Well..." she
holds up her sake cup. "Good riddance to bad rubbish."
"Hear, hear," Mizuho does the same.
The cups are clinked together, then everyone drinks. Unseen
by Nodoka or Hisayo, Mizuho's eyes briefly lock with Ayumu's. The
younger woman's head tilts slightly in a nod, then she quickly
excuses herself, heading to the washroom. Chatter picks up between
the sisters and Nodoka's friend. Ayumu returns to the table a minute
later, she giving Mizuho a knowing look. Silently acknowledging
that, the onsen hotel owner then gazes on Nodoka. "Ne, Nodoka-chan,
how'd you like to come up to the hotel for the weekend?"
"Would you mind that?" Nodoka returns her look. "I don't want
to impose...!"
"Hey, you're my friend, okay?!" Mizuho cuts her off, she giving
Nodoka's hand a warm squeeze. "It's no imposition. Please, come on
up after you get things arranged with Toranoseishin. Both of you,"
she gazes on Hisayo. "I insist."
The sisters exchange a look, then Hisayo feels her own cheeks
heat. "Well, I suppose we can't refuse that, ne...?"
A cell phone rings. Mizuho jolts, then sighs before reaching
into her purse to draw out the offending device. Staring at the
caller's number, she blinks, then shakes her head. "Would you excuse
me for a moment, please?"
"Who's calling?" Nodoka wonders.
"The hotel. It's probably Misao-chan! Honestly, I can't leave
them alone for five hours before they start panicking about
something!" Mizuho rises. "Be right back," she winks at the others,
then heads off to the washroom.
Nodoka chuckles. "Are they really like that?" Hisayo wonders.
"Yes, they are, but they do mean well," Nodoka flashes Ayumu
a reassuring smile.
"We do," Ayumu smirks before sipping her ice water...
* * *
"Minari-chan, how did you get this number?"
"Um...! Go-gomen n-ne, Kaili..."
"Practice using our Earth names, *Minari-chan,*" Mizuho --
created aboard the Avalonian bioroid factory as Kaili bedai-Tythya
ten years ago to serve as the personal companion to one Ishi
bedai-Tythya -- automatically hisses.
A gulp echoes from the cell phone speaker. Hearing that, Mizuho
closes her eyes, then whispers, "Minari-chan, whatever life you had
as Nari dai-Nothrha ceased to be the instant Ishi discovered
what you are. You promised me you'd give this a chance, remember?"
"H-hai," the younger Avalonian, now living under the name
"Minari Miyazawa," stutters, then takes a deep breath. "There's
something you have to know, Ka-...!" she catches herself, then
breathes out. "Gomen, Mizuho-san. Someone's coming to the hotel."
"Oh?" Mizuho blinks. "Who?"
"The Gr-..." another, longer, pause, then, "Ataru Moroboshi."
Silence. The owner of the Hotel Kiraboshi closes her eyes as
the image of THAT particular man flashes in her mind's eyes. A
living symbol, unwilling or not, of the damned "faith" whose
introduction on Phentax Two had turned her own life inside out. The
faith that had shattered her relationship with Ishi, sending her down
the road that had eventually led to Earth and her new life as "Mizuho
Yamashina." The faith that had only come back to impose itself on
her life three times since her departure from the Phentax system.
When she and Ishi had met again two years ago, where aching emotional
wounds were finally healed and the former lovers parted as true
friends. When Feiya dai-Hainyo -- now living under the Earth name
"Fumiko Arima" -- had been forced to flee Tomobiki to live under
Kaili's/Mizuho's protection when Ishi had discovered her to be an
Avalonian. Then came Nari's/Minari's flight to Onogawa no more than
several days ago.
"How are you feeling?" Mizuho wonders.
A pause, then, "I'm scared."
"How's Fumiko-chan taking it?"
"She doesn't know," Minari's voice begins to firm. "The call
came in to Misao-chan ten minutes ago from some man named Reigi Yumoa
in Tomobiki. He's the man who's administering the inheritance
the Gr-..." a pause, then, "...the inheritance Moroboshi's said to be
receiving from his late grandmother. Moroboshi, plus a party of
about twenty-seven at maximum, are coming to the hotel tomorrow
morning."
Mizuho hums as she takes in that news, then asks, "Minari-chan,
is Ranma Saotome on that list?"
A stunned pause, then the younger Avalonian replies, "Hai!
She's here."
"Soo ka," Mizuho nods. "Okay, Minari-chan, I'll be back up to
the hotel later tonight. We'll talk when I get back. But I want you
to remember that you don't owe the Church any sort of loyalty
anymore, Minari-chan. Do you understand me?"
"B-but..."
"Minari-chan, you believed in the Church, didn't you?"
"H-hai! Of COURSE I did...!!"
"And HOW did they repay your faith? How WOULD have they repaid
you if they learned what you are?!"
Silence.
"It's hard, Mizuho-san," Minari admits.
"Hai, dear, I know it's hard. It was just as hard for
Fumiko-chan when she first came to Onogawa. You're not alone in
this."
"I...!" the younger Avalonian pauses, then sighs. "Hai."
"Good. Now, tell Misao-chan that I want the special suite made
up and ready to go. Okay?"
"Hai!"
"Good girl..."
* * *
In orbit...
"How could they...?!"
Naol's eyes swim in tears as she gazes on the frail form
presently stretched out on the mobile diagnostic bed. She and Libt
shared the same eye shade, though his are now closed since he had
just been shifted out of the storage unit he had resided in for the
past five years. His hair, cut in a gentle, girlish curve to his
collars, is a natural blonde shade. His body is quite slender,
though it is now also haphazardly decorated with various
roughly-healed surgical incisions over the arms, legs, chest and
abdomen. Now free of cryosuspension, the remarkable recuperative
abilities Libt inherited from their mother Colni diligently work away
on repairing the accumulated damage.
Nearby, Lalai pulls up a tricorder after scanning her twin
brother, Mik. "By the looks of it, some of the people working here
must've used them as lab subjects to better understand how fast
Avalonians, even half-Avalonians like us, heal."
Naol and Kya spin on their friend, then gaze once more on their
unconscious brothers. "Bastards!" Kya spits, her eyes focussing
on a very nasty incision drawn across the chest of her eldest
brother, Gav, then she gazes on her other siblings, Zaf and Raz.
"How could they?"
"Whatever happened to the belief that even ONE percent
Niphentaxian blood made us Niphentaxian?" Naol whispers, leaning
against the diagnostic bed now holding Libt as her free hand drifts
up to cover her tearing eyes.
A warning signal beeps. Lalai walks over to gaze on the
chamber's primary monitor unit, then she grimaces. "Uh-oh!"
"What?" Kya asks as the others look on her.
"They found Fangi's body!"
Kya and Naol tense as the sharp memories of their brief
confrontation with the Megane cultist replay in their minds. "When?"
"About an hour ago," Lalai looks up from the monitor board.
"Ironically, the bastard was discovered by Kinmi's and Farath's
mother."
Her companions' eyes turn to focus on two of the cryosuspension
chambers still holding the still-living body of a
Niphentaxian-Avalonian hybrid boy. "We should've disintegrated
the body when we had the chance, Naol," Kya hisses.
"We couldn't," Naol shakes her head. "Use of the discorporation
chambers would've been automatically monitored by the factory's
main computers. Besides, shortly after we dealt with that pervert,
the others found us and put us to work."
"At least we got all his security codes first," Lalai smirks.
"True," Naol nods. "Let's hurry up."
"Hai," the others chime...
* * *
"Problems?"
"Oh, no!" Mizuho chuckles as she sits down beside Nodoka. "I'm
breaking in a new girl at the hotel now. She's just as high strung
about things as Fumiko-chan was when she first started working for
me."
Nodoka takes that in as she sips from a glass of water to offset
all the sake she had drunk. "How is Fumiko-chan anyway?" she gazes
on her friend. "And the other girls? Are they trying to go find
some nice boyfriends?"
"Oh, they're alright," Mizuho returns. "As for boyfriends,
well..." she shrugs.
Ayumu titters in amusement as she and her employer share a
knowing look. Nodoka gives them an exasperated look, eliciting
a raised eyebrow and a faint moan from Hisayo. "Oh, come now,
Mizuho-chan!" she huffs, wagging a finger at her friend. "You can't
possibly deny any of your girls the right to be with a nice man!
It's utterly unnatural if you ask me!! Surely, Ayumu-chan,
you must've taken notice of some nice fellow visiting your
establishment whom you would've wanted to get to know better!
Well?!"
An amused smile crosses the younger woman's face. "No, I
haven't met such a person, Nodoka-san," she stares at Nodoka, a
mischievous twinkle flashing in her eye. "Besides, I have
Kazumi-chan to turn to whenever I start feeling...! Well, *frisky,*
shall we say?!"
Nodoka's face loses all its colour. Hisayo falls over in a heap
of giggles. "Ayumu-chan!!" Mizuho snaps.
"Well, it's not MY fault that your friend keeps acting like a
mother hen around us, Mizuho-chan!" Ayumu snaps back.
Mizuho moans, slapping her forehead in embarrassment...
* * *
"Mister President?"
"Yes?"
"The mind-scanner units are now on-line," Otako reports.
Oogi nods. "Scan the memories of every active Avalonian
aboard."
"Hai!" she walks over to a station, then taps controls...
* * *
Another warning bell sounds off. Lalai glances over, then
pales. "Oh, shit...!"
"What?" Naol looks up.
"The mind-scanner units!" Lalai cries out. "Someone's activated
the-...!!"
Invisible beams of energy lance into their minds, paralysing
their nervous systems as a cacophony of images flash before their
mind's eyes. Any sort of involuntary scream they might have made is
cut off before a puff of breath could escape their lungs. As the
mind scan digs deeper and deeper into their very souls, the three
young women drop to their knees. Kya's hands hit the deck near a
pansy blossom; since this section of the bioroid factory had been
sealed long before it had departed Phentax Twelve, no crew had come
in here to clear out what flowers the Genesis Wand of Parah had
spread this way. As she feels her mind start to drown in the face
of the relentless onslaught from the factory's main computers,
one of Kya's hands slides over to touch one of the blossom's
petals...
* * *
"I must confess, I never expected things between you two to
happen THIS fast."
Laughter fills the living room of Sakiko's spaceship as Shinobu
and Minako share warm hugs with their hosts, then they move to relax.
"We're just experimenting right now, Sakiko-san," Minako advises
as tea is served, then her eyes fall on a nearby monitor screen.
"What the hell...?" her jaw hits the table on seeing the image of a
large, hangar-like structure sticking out into sea from Promised
Island, it now filled with the very familiar shape of the "Windrider"
within its well-lit interior. "Where's that?!"
"Oh, that!" Sakiko chuckles. "That's Oomure-jima. Promised
Island. The building beside that hangar is Welcome House, where
Darling and his family live. They just built that hangar to house
Darling's ship whenever they need to dock it here on Earth."
"That's Welcome House?" Shinobu rises to give the monitor a
closer inspection. "It seems like a nice place."
"It is," Sakiko sighs, inwardly wondering if having Shinobu
so physically close to Ataru would do the poor woman more harm than
good.
"What's that other ship?" Minako wonders.
Shinobu jolts, then peers closely at the image of the spaceship
dock. Sure enough, there was another starship sitting on the dock
to the "Windrider's" port side. Noting how sleek and advanced
it is, she turns back to Sakiko. "Where's that from?"
"I'm not too sure," the Nendo-kata-turned-Urusian/Terran
shakes her head. "What I DO know is that there's been much more
going on with Darling's family than what's been happening with
Negako-san and Darling's half-sisters."
"What do you mean?" Minako asks.
"Moroboshi's got a twin brother."
Eyes lock on Ryuunosuke. "What...?" Shinobu gasps.
"It's true," Sakiko reaches over to tap some controls on the
table.
The image on the screen changes to show Kaeru with Rinrin,
Hinako and Aria when they were busy dredging out the spacedock
channel needed for the "Windrider." Seeing the device in Aria's
hand, Shinobu blinks, then slowly nods. "So that's why they headed
off after they rescued us. They wanted to get this thing for
Aria-chan," she points to the Genesis Wand, then her eyes lock on
Kaeru. "Oh..."
"He came to Earth while we were gone," Ryuunosuke walks over to
stand beside her best friend. "Finished up all the work on the part
of Welcome House where Moroboshi and the others live. Even finished
work on a couple o' robots the brainy one of that bunch..."
"Rinrin," Sakiko provides.
"...was makin'," Ryuunosuke nods. "Then they built that
hangar."
"What's his name?" Minako asks.
"Far as we can tell, 'Kaeru.' As to where he's been, we've got
no idea whatsoever. Saki-chan doesn't want to pry."
"Twin brother..."
Eyes lock on Shinobu. A confused look is etched on her face.
"Shinobu..." Sakiko's voice rises with concern.
Shinobu blinks, then she slowly returns to her chair. "Did you
ever know about this, Shinobu?" Minako gently inquires.
"Iie," Shinobu shakes her head. "I...! I don't remember
anything about a twin brother for Ataru! Mom never mentioned
anything about it! Neither did Mrs. Moroboshi! Not at all...!"
her voice trails off, then her eyes turn back to gaze on Kaeru's
image...
* * *
"Mister President," Otako looks up from her console. "I think
we may have found something..."
* * *
Welcome House...
"Maybe making that hangar wasn't such a good idea after all."
"What makes you say that, Onee-chan?" Shinshi stares quizzically
at Nabiki, both now relaxing in the guest room beside the bedroom
the former would now share with Yotsuba, then noting where Nabiki
is presently gazing, breathes out. "Maybe," he concedes, then rises
to stand beside her. "Then again, does this Oogi guy know anything
about Promised Island or Welcome House?"
"There ARE all those observers in and around Tomobiki,
remember?" Nabiki reminds him.
"Yeah, tru-...!"
Shinshi's voice is cut off as a wave of shocked surprise warps
into his mind from Yotsuba. Without consciously thinking about it,
he races into the hallway, then storms down to the dining room.
Bursting inside, he stops on seeing his girlfriend now holding a
pale-faced Kaho, the young cheerleader looking like she had just
spent a week on the open seas in the middle of typhoon season.
"Kaho-chan!!" Shinshi lunges over to help poor Kaho relax on a nearby
couch, then he touches the side of her face to psi-probe her. "What
the hell...?!"
"She started acting like she had a few too many pints of
Guinness just now!" Yotsuba reports as the doors to the dining room
fly open.
"What's wrong?!" Nabiki demands as a small crowd race in, Ataru
and Ranma cutting past the others to get a closer look.
"Kaho..."
Silence falls over the dining room as Ranma sits beside Kaho,
guiding the younger girl to lay on her lap as the martial artist
moves to probe her shiatsu points. "Something's trying to invade
her mind," Shinshi reports. "Can't tell what it is, though..."
"Neither can I...! Wait!!" Ranma's brow furrows as she tries
to probe several places on the side of Kaho's neck. "Outside source
of some kind..." she mutters to herself, then blinks. "Wait a
sec'...!" she looks up. "Where's Aria-chan?!"
"Aria-chan went outside, Onee-tama," Hinako walks up, the Staff
in hand. "What's wrong with Kaho-chan?!"
"Not sure, but there's some residual chi energy from the Genesis
Wand that's infusing itself into Kaho's body!" Ranma reports.
"The Wand...?" Ataru blinks, then his eyes go wide. "The pansy
seeds!!"
"Eh?!" Hinako jolts, then her jaw drops before whispered
words from the Staff make her look up. "Oh, no!!"
Before anyone could think of asking anything more, Hinako
vanishes in a flash of light...
* * *
"Who put this here?"
Aria reaches over to pull the scanner away from the tree trunk,
then the Genesis Wand lowers her back to the pathway. Giving the
silver spheroid a closer inspection, the young Parisian frowns.
"This is like something Rinrin-chan would make..."
***It is not a device Rinrin has created, Aria,*** the Wand
dutifully reports as Aria's free hand turns the scanner around to let
her see all parts of it. ***The technology that was used in this
device's construction is not Terran in origin. According to the
trace DNA fragments I have detected, I believe the device was
originally constructed by a native of the planet Phentax Two.***
"Phentax Two...?" Aria blinks, gazing nowhere in particular.
"Isn't that...?"
***The planet where your brother had his initial encounter
with the Staff of Gihan? That is correct, Aria.***
Hearing that, Aria instantly frowns. "Kusu...!"
***Wait!***
"Eh?!" Aria glances around, then sensing something above her,
looks up. Thanks to the Genesis Wand, her eyesight, like Hinako's,
has been enhanced in certain ways to give her the opportunity
to perceive things only Chikage or Negako might have been able to
"see" before. "Tsue-san, where is Hinako-chan going?" she wonders,
then her eyes turn upward more. "To the big ship...?"
***It appears so. There clearly is a situation aboard the
bioroid factory that is demanding Hinako's attention, Aria.***
Aria blinks, then points the Wand heavenward, her hand dropping
the sphere she had found. "Aaaah!! Hinako-chan, wait for Aria!!!"
In a flash of light, she vanishes...
* * *
"Aria-chan..."
"What is it, Sakiko-san?"
Everyone notices the surprised look on Sakiko's face, then blink
as the Nendo-kata's eyes start to glow, her face tilting up...
* * *
"Mama, where's Auntie Aria going?"
Rinrin, Mega-Rinrin and Mecha-Rinrin now stand several metres
from where Aria had just stood, the three having come back from some
late-night shopping. "I'm not sure," Rinrin reports, then blinks
as Mega-Rinrin walks over to pick up something. "Mega-kun...?!"
The male android faces his creator, holding up a silver
spheroid. "She dropped this, Rinrin," he reports, then stares at it,
using his visual sensors' new enhancements to give the device a
closer examination. "Some sort of remote sensor..." he whispers
as Rinrin and Mecha-Rinrin walk up to stand beside him. "Not from
Earth. Not as advanced as Nagussan technology, though..."
Rinrin hands her shopping bags to Mecha-Rinrin, then she takes
the device from Mega-Rinrin. Giving it a detailed inspection,
she frowns, then reaches into her pocket to draw out her portable
scanner. Allowing it to probe the device for a moment, Rinrin then
gazes on the readout. "Niphentaxian...?" she whispers, then the
colour of her skin starts to fade. "Oh, shit...!"
* * *
In orbit...
"Three hybrid girls?!"
"Yes, Mister President," Otako nods. "Their names, according
to records, are Naol dai-Jalth, Kya dai-Kasul and Lalai dai-Bronwyn."
She ignores the annoyed look on Oogi's face on her using "pure"
Niphentaxian family names for anyone possessing Avalonian blood.
"They hail from three couples who were discovered to have borne
children before their mothers' natures became public. The children
were all taken into custody and placed in cryosuspension
as per Church policy concerning part-Avalonian hybrids. The mothers
were also taken into custody, then reprogrammed before being assigned
to work aboard the factory. When we departed Phentax Twelve, all
'complete' bioroids were awoken..."
"Including these three?"
"Yes, si-..."
"Mister President! Intruder alert!!"
Oogi and Otako spin around to see one of the technicians
gaping at her monitor. "Report!" Otako barks.
"Single Terran-human female, very young, now in the target area
with Naol, Kya and Lalai, plus their siblings and..." her voice
trails off as a VERY ominous reading is then detected. "Oh,
Fates...!" she stares at Otako. "That girl has the Staff of Gihan!"
* * *
"Where's Hina...?"
The youngest of Ataru's sisters glances around the not-so-well
lighted room in confusion, then her eyes fall on the three prone
girls now on the deck a metre away, they gripping the sides of their
heads as if someone was blowing a whistle right into their ears.
"What's wrong with them, Bou-san?!" Hinako walks over to kneel beside
the really pretty one with the long silver hair.
***Someone is mind-probing them from the main control centre
of the factory, Hina. It is hurting them greatly!***
"Eh?!" Hinako's eyes go wide, then looking at the deckhead,
she waves the Staff. "STOP!!!"
A bolt of energy slams into the electronics embedded there,
instantly blocking off the mind-probes tearing through Naol's, Kya's
and Lalai's minds. That elicits a chorus of painful screams from the
three girls as they mercifully pass out...
* * *
"The mind-probes are blocked off?!" Otako demands.
"Yes!" the technician fruitlessly stabs controls.
"Who IS that girl?!!" Oogi bellows. "How did she gain control
of the Staff of Gihan?!!"
"Uncertain..."
"Wait!" another technician looks up.
"What?!" Oogi demands.
"Just did a DNA check on the intruder. Her paternal DNA matches
exactly to Ataru Moroboshi's father Muchi!"
Silence.
"SHE'S THE GREAT EVIL'S SISTER?!?!?!" Oogi screams out...
* * *
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
Hinako moans, rubbing her nose as a flash of energy heralds
the arrival of the current supervisor of the Genesis Wand of Parah.
"Ah, Hinako-chan!" Aria relaxes, then her eyes fall on one of the
diagnostic tables Naol and her friends had been using to examine
their brothers; in this case, the table now held Kya's youngest
brother Raz. "Kusu!!" Aria's eyes instantly tear on seeing the
wounds Raz now possesses.
"Huh?! Oh, Aria-chan!" Hinako looks over, then her eyes fall
on Raz. "Eh?!! Bou-san, what happened to them?!!" her eyes then
start taking in the presence of Raz's brothers Gav and Zaf, Lalai's
brother Mik and Naol's brother Libt. "How'd they get all those
boo-boos?!!"
***It appears they were experimented on, Hina,*** the Staff
curtly reports.
"'Experimented on?!'" Aria gasps, then sniffs. "Kusu...!!"
"...who's cryin'...?"
Aria's eyes spin down to lock on a pair of pain-filled
orbs the shade of burnt chestnuts. An intensive shudder rocks the
lad's body from head to toe, then a cry of near-despair escapes
his lips before unconsciousness seizes him once more. "Waaaaaa...!"
Aria reaches over to touch the size of his face, then her hand
instantly recoils as the clammy feel of his skin surges right into
her brain. "Kusu...!!"
***Aria, all of the males in this chamber have been injected
with a restorative-suppressant agent which is inhibiting their
natural recuperative abilities,*** the Wand reports. ***It must be
removed to allow them to properly heal, even the ones still in
cryosuspension.***
"Eh?!" Hinako perks.
***What the Wand means, Hina, is that if this drug isn't removed
from their bodies, the boo-boos won't go away!*** the Staff adds.
"Ah...! OH!! Aria understands now!" Aria jolts, then raises
the Wand...
* * *
"Another sister of the Great Evil...?!"
"Affirmative, Mister President," the technician nods. "Further,
it appears that these two are fully linked-in with the Staff of Gihan
and the Genesis Wand of Parah. This one..." she points to Aria's
image, "...is now purging the male hybrids' bodies of whatever
drugs the scientists were using on them while they were being
experimented on after they were brought here to the factory."
"STOP THEM!!!!" Oogi screams out.
"That is impossible, Mister President."
"WHAT?!?!?!" Oogi spins on Otako.
"Mister President, THINK!!!" the latter snaps, causing the
former to recoil at her show of outrage. "These two girls have the
STAFF OF GIHAN and the GENESIS WAND OF PARAH under their control!!!
They're Ataru Moroboshi's SISTERS atop that!!! What makes you think
you could possibly win under THOSE circumstances?!! What if
Moroboshi told those girls about what happened in Lumukyou?!!
What if...?!!"
"***SILENCE!!!!!!***" Oogi screams out, then vanishes in a flash
of light.
Otako remains rooted in place, then she breathes out. "Oogi,
you fool...!"
* * *
"Oh, man, where 'm I...?"
Gav grunts, a hand reaching up to brush through his shaggy raven
hair, then he perches himself on his elbows as he blinks several
times, allowing his slate-grey eyes to adjust to the light. As his
vision clears, a very cute face framed in golden-brown pigtails
and pierced with the most beautiful amethyst eyes pops up from stage
right. "Are you okay?" the girl asks.
Gav balks, then as they gaze on each other, his empathic senses
pick up the tidal wave of concern flowing out from this girl.
Shuddering, he tilts himself up, leaning in to gently caress the
girl's lips with his own. Hinako's own eyes go VERY wide for a
second as the sheer ODDNESS of that peculiar touch rockets right into
her brain, then sensing that he wasn't doing anything threatening
to her, she closes her eyes as her mouth parts. Surprise number
two comes as his tongue slips briefly into her mouth to touch her
own, nearly causing Hinako to clamp down with her teeth, then they
slowly pull apart, their eyes not turning away from each other.
"Waaaaai! Hinako-chan just got her first big-girl kiss!" Aria
gushes from nearby.
"Hey, Nii-ya, I don't think you should've done THAT to a girl
THAT young!!"
Hinako and Gav jolt, then the latter spins to gaze intently
at Zaf. "Hey, dipstick, I'm thanking Chick-a-dee here!"
The second child of the dai-Kasul clan of Phentax Ten, a
pale-skinned lad with bleak eyes and long dark grey hair combed away
from his forehead to mid-back, chuckles as he moves to sit up, then
stops on hearing Hinako repeat, "'Chick-a-dee'...?"
Gav stares at the youngest of Ataru's sisters, one whose cheeks
are now as ripe as cherries. "Ah..." he sputters apologetically.
"***WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!
GAV GAVE HINA A NICKNAME!!!! HINA LIKES, LIKES, LIKES!!!!***"
Hinako claps her cheeks in embarrassment, she remembering to keep the
Staff of Gihan tucked in the crook of her left arm. She then stops
herself, blinking confusedly. "Eh...?" she stares quizzically
at Gav. "How did Hina learn Gav's name, anyway? Hina doesn't
understand..."
***Hina, he is an empath and telepath, remember?*** the Staff
reminds her.
"Oh! Hina forgot!" Hinako jolts, bopping the side of her head,
then she giggles.
Aria walks around Raz's diagnostic table to stand beside Zaf.
"Is Hinako-chan's friend your Nii-ya?" she gazes at him.
"Yep! So's the Shrimp," Zaf thumbs Raz, then adjusting the
towel protecting his modesty to ensure he didn't accidentally
give the young Parisian the full monty, stands to walk over to where
Kya is now trying to pick herself off the deck. "Hey, Gorgeous,
you okay?!"
Kya spins around to gaze into Zaf's eyes, then hers start to
tear. "Nii-chan..." she whispers, then flings herself into his
arms...
...just as a flash of light heralds the appearance of someone
dressed in white. "***HOLD, FOUL SIBLINGS OF THE DARKEST DEVIL OF
ALL DEVILS TO OPPOSE THE GODDESS!!!!!!***" Oogi bellows, waving his
hand threateningly towards Hinako and Aria...
...who both stare quizzically at this pointed-eared version
of their big brother's hated nemesis Shutaro Mendou, clearly NOT
impressed by his overtly dramatic entrance, before raising the Staff
and Genesis Wand. "GET OUT!!!!" both scream.
A flash of light later, Oogi vanishes, his bellowed "Curse
yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooou..."
fading five seconds later.
"Aria-chan?"
"Hai?"
"That was the bad man who hurt Onii-tama, right?"
"Hai, Aria believes that was the bad man who hurt Nii-ya."
"Okay..."
The now-awakened male hybrids exchange wary looks. "Hey,
Nii-ya," Zaf stares at Gav.
"Yeah?"
"Don't EVER piss that girl off," he gives his elder brother
a "no-no" gesture with his finger.
"Right..." Gav drawls...
* * *
"Warned you," Otako gives a frazzled-looking Oogi a knowing
look.
The disembodied president of Phentax Two is now curled in on
himself on the deck of the primary control centre, shivering badly...
* * *
"Are you alright, Naol?"
Naol's eyes flutter before they focus on Libt's soft face, he
now hovering concernedly over her. "Libt..." she whispers, then
cries out as she nearly breaks his back with a relieved hug. "You're
alright!!!" she sobs into the crook of his neck, then blinks as her
eyes pick out the two round-eared girls with the glowing magical
rods standing nearby. "Who...?" she sniffs back her tears.
"Are you okay?" the younger of the pair walks up to gaze
concernedly at her.
Naol returns her look, then moves to wipe her eyes. "H-hai,
I'm alright," she then stares at Libt. "Now, that is."
"We can't stay here."
Eyes turn to Lalai, who has now got back to her feet. "Where
can we go?" Mik demands.
"With Chick-a-dee and Fluffy here," Gav points to Hinako.
"Their big bro's Ataru Moroboshi, the 'great evil' of the Church
of Lum. He's the one who turned that bastard Oogi into a ghost.
There're some other Avalonians living with him now, including
the ot'ndai-Bohgar."
Shocked silence falls over them, then Naol's eyes go wide.
"Miree ot'ndai-Bohgar?! She's alive?!"
"Hai!" Hinako nods. "Miree-san, Jonna-oneetama and
Orin-oneetama are at Welcome House now with Onii-tama, Onee-tama
and all of Hina's sisters, too! Miree-san brought Bou-san to Hina
so that Hina could be Bou-san's controller. Um..." she then turns
to Gav. "Gav, what about them?" she points to the nearby chambers,
each containing a male Niphentaxian-Avalonian hybrid in cryostasis.
The others look. "We can't leave them here," Naol grimaces.
"Agreed," Libt sighs, then gazes down on himself. "However,
I believe the first priority for us now is clothing."
Everyone turns their gazes on themselves, then sigh. "Right..."
Gav nods...
* * *
"Hinako-chan vanished?!"
"Hai!" Sakuya nods. Miree and her daughters had come down after
most of the rest of the crowd to ascertain what happened to Kaho.
"She looked up -- I think towards the bioroid factory -- then yelled
'Oh, no!' before vanishing on..."
A bright blast of light blinds everyone for a second, then
everyone jolts on hearing Hinako and Aria call out, "We're back!!!"
Heads spin around to see the welders of the Staff of Gihan and
the Genesis Wand of Parah standing by the rear arc of the dining
room, they now surrounded by fourteen teenage boys and three girls,
all with tapered ears. "Who...?!" people gasp.
"Kya-chan..."
The residents of Welcome House spin around to see Kaho slowly
sit up from Ranma's lap, the young cheerleader rubbing the side of
her face as she glances confusedly around. "Kaho-chan, what
happened...?" Ataru begins, then balks on seeing one of the newcomers
surge through the crowd to kneel beside Kaho, she reaching out of the
cheerleader's hands. "What the hell...?!"
Kya and Kaho gaze on each other for a moment, then the latter
blushes. "Kaho's pansy seeds...?"
"Hai," the former nods. "They saved us, Kaho-chan!" she then
moves to embrace the young cheerleader. "Arigatou."
Kaho blinks, then giggles before returning Kya's embrace.
People then perk on hearing Miree's hushed voice. "The
Revelation..."
"Eh?!" eyes lock on the Hollywoodite high priestess.
She is now taking in the presence of the young men who had
arrived with Hinako and Aria. Young men who could NOT have been
produced by the Avalonian bioroid factory. Young men who could have
come into this world by only ONE method.
Young men who could be the salvation of her people.
"The Revelation -- MY Revelation -- it was real!" Miree
whispers. "It was real..."
*** To Be Continued ***
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'