[FFML] [fanfic][UY/Ranma/SisPri] "Lonely Souls" Part 5 (final draft)

[Frederick Herriot]

And with this done, it's time to go to bed.  Part 6 to be done and posted 
tomorrow.

Fred

**** **** ****

	"How could you, Ranma . . .?"

	Ranma's eyes went wide on seeing Akane float before her in a sea of burning 
energy.  This Akane, draped in the Densetsu no Doogi, possessed a burning 
slash mark cleaving her face and body right to her groin.  The Doogi's 
buckle was shattered.  "Akane . . .!" she gasped.

	"I thought . . . " the apparition moaned.  "You loved me . . . "

	Ranma cried out in shock as Akane literally fell apart before her eyes.  
She then shrieked on feeling hands grasp her shoulders.  She kicked herself 
away from whoever was behind her, spinning around to see a headless girl's 
body wearing an okonomiyaki-ka's uniform.  "U-chan!"

	"Ran-chan . . . "  Ukyou's head floated by.  "Why . . .?"

	Ranma squeezed her eyes shut.  "U-chan . . . "

	"**Humph!  Pathetic!**"

	Her eyes flew open as she spun right, nausea surging up her throat on 
seeing the darkened figure standing a couple metres away.  Despite her being 
in total shadow, the body shape and hairstyle spoke volumes.  "Wh-who . . 
.?"

	"**Just pathetic.**"  The newcomer came out of shadow, revealing Ranma's 
face pierced by cat-slit eyes.  "**Isn't it?**"  She glanced at the 
decapitated Ukyou.  "**Even in death, all they can do is whine and complain 
that you didn't kowtow to them like you did when they were still alive!**"  
She sneered.  "**Honestly, what did we ever do in our life to deserve this 
shit, eh?**"

	Ranma peered at her doppelgänger.  As Ukyou's body bumped against her, she 
took it, and then reached for her head in some vain hope of reattaching 
them.  "**Oh, please!  Don't bother!**" the other Ranma snarled.  "**She 
doesn't deserve help from us.  None of them do.  None of them EVER did!**"

	She waved around them.  Ranma looked before a fresh bout of nausea surged 
through her.  There floated Shampoo, the top of her head ripped away.  Over 
here was Mousse, a big hole where his forehead should be.  Near him was 
Nabiki, a jagged wound in her chest.  A decapitated Kunou Tatewaki.  Kodachi 
with a sword wound under her breast, her throat ripped out.  Souun chopped 
in half.  And a sea of shattered body parts and globs of human blood, a hand 
holding a fifty-yen coin floating nearby.  Ninomiya Hinako, Ranma concluded.

	What was left of her . . .

	"Why . . .?"

	"**Why?**"  Neko-Ranma snorted.  "**Why not?  They would've done that to us 
one way or another if we didn't kowtow to them!  You know that as much as I 
do!  Those spineless bastards got what they deserved!**"

	Ranma spun on her doppelgänger.  "WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THIS!" she 
shrilled, pointing to the drifting corpses.  "NONE!  Yeah, they were idiots, 
but they sure as hell didn't deserve something like THIS . . .!"

	"**Oh, spare me, please!**" Neko-Ranma spat out.  "**Have any of these 
fools ever done what we've done?!  No!  Have they fought immortals, dragon 
half-breeds, monsters and a fucking OCEAN of martial artists?!  No!  Have 
they endured insult after insult because of what Jusenkyou did to us?!  
NO!**"  She pointed to the corpses.  "**All they've ever done, all EVERYONE 
WE'VE MET has ever done to us, is spit on us, use us, laugh at us, insult us 
and HATE us!  Well, FINE!**"  She made a dismissive wave, and then she 
thumbed herself.  "**If that's the way they want to keep treating us, then 
let's show them what we can REALLY to do to them, to ALL of them, in 
return!**"

	Ranma shuddered.  "I won't let you . . . " she hissed.

	"**Oh?!**"  Her double smirked.  "**What're you doing to do then?  Destroy 
me?  You can't!  I'm PART of you!  If you destroy me, you doom yourself!  
And not just yourself . . . **"  She pointed behind Ranma.  "**But him, 
too!**"

	Ranma turned to see a ghostly image float behind her.  "Ataru . . . "

	"**Right,**" Neko-Ranma drawled.  "**We're bound to him, remember?  If we 
die, he dies.  What's more important to us now, Ranma?  Our Other?  Or 
them?**"  She contemptuously indicated the corpses floating nearby.

	Ranma fell silent.  "**Don't worry about what happened last night, 
Ranma.**"  Neko-Ranma then snorted.  "**Thanks to you learning how to 
manipulate those null-time bubbles in Sanctuary, you saved their sorry 
asses.**"  A ho-hum look crossed her face.  "**Then again, does it matter?  
We're going to be leaving these fools behind.  And if they have a problem 
with that, well . . . **"  She shrugged, turning away from Ranma.  "**It's 
nice to know that we can kill them all if we really feel it necessary.  
Ne?**"

	As Neko-Ranma faded from view, Ranma screamed out, "NO . . .!"

**    **    **

	"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO . . .!"

	Ranma gasped as she felt strong arms embrace her.  She turned, sinking into 
Ataru's hug.  "There, there . . . " he whispered before kissing her, his 
hand ruffling her hair.  "It's okay.  It's okay.  It's just a nightmare . . 
. "

	"N-n-n-nightmare . . .?" she sputtered before a pained moan escaped her.

	Ataru remained still as she wept, his eyes narrow as fingers kneaded and 
stroked her vibrant crimson locks.  The door to his bedroom opened, 
revealing a worried Sakuya.  "Onii-sama, is . . .?"  She stopped on seeing 
Ranma crying.

	"Nightmare," he wordlessly mouthed.

	Sakuya nodded.  As the door closed, Ataru allowed Ranma to sink into her 
futon, his hands keeping her close.  Her moans continued for what seems an 
eternity before a train of sniffles heralded a restoration of self-control.  
"Th-thanks . . . " she then muttered under her breath.

	He stared at her.  "You okay?"

	"Should I be . . .?"  She bit her lip, and then reached up to stroke his 
cheek above his beard.  "That guyver-thing you turned into . . .?"

	"Same general idea as what you can become now," he confirmed.  "And 
initially created under surprisingly similar circumstances.  For me, it was 
Onee-chan being forced into my mind when I was six.  For you, it was . . . "

	"The Neko-ken training when I was ten."  She rubbed her forehead.  "Could 
that've happened because of the bond between us?  I . . . "

	He shrugged, reaching up to rub the side of her cheek.  "Maybe."

	"I killed them, Ataru . . . "

	He shook his head.  "No, you didn't."

	"But that thing said . . . "

	"You used the null-time bubbles, remember?"

	"But still . . . "

	"No!"  He placed a firm finger on her lips before leaning down to kiss her 
forehead.  "They're still alive, Ranma.  No one died."

	She squeezed her eyes shut.  "You know that's a lie!"

	"I'm not a theologian, Ranma," he reminded her as he shifted himself onto 
his back, allowing her to lean on his arm.  "Don't worry about things that 
can't be changed.  All you'll do is working yourself into a nervous 
breakdown."

	"I can't forget that, Ataru."

	"I know."

	Silence fell as they lay together.  "Was it the same for you?"  Ranma then 
asked.  "When the Cyborg first came out?"

	He scowled.  "Fortunately, no.  You might say that I had the very distinct 
*pleasure* . . . " -- she could sense the sarcasm in his voice on saying 
that word -- "Of watching three billion people die when that happened."

	They stared at each other.  Ranma drew her arms around Ataru.

	No more words needed to be said.

**** **** ****
"Lonely Souls"
By Fred Herriot
pyeknu at hotmail.com OR fherriot at yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2," created by Takahashi Rumiko; and 
"Sister Princess," created by Tenhiro Naoto and Kimino Sakurako.
**** **** ****

NOTE:  The writer's notes are in a separate text file.

**** **** ****

THE FIFTH PART - THE MORNING AFTER

	To quote the old Cat Stevens song, morning had broken over Tokyo and her 
many surrounding municipalities.  For some, however, this day would be 
radically different than any in recent memory.  Events on the front lawn of 
a high school in Nerima would have earth-shattering repercussions for most 
of its participants for years to come, perhaps even the rest of their lives.

	Case in point:  The Tendou doojou.

	Kasumi shuddered as the rays of the morning sun penetrated her bedroom 
window and curtains.  Grunting, she shifted into a sitting position to rub 
the sleep from her eyes.  Pausing as her senses reached out to detect the 
current state of the house's wa, the eldest daughter blinked on sensing that 
her siblings were awake.  Odd.  Akane was often an early riser, but she 
rarely if EVER got up at THIS time of the morning.  Nabiki, even with her 
moving to recapture her martial arts skills over the last week, still 
preferred to get as much beauty sleep as she could.  A glance in the 
direction of her father's bedroom a floor below revealed Souun to still be 
asleep, no doubt emotionally exhausted from last night's shocking and 
traumatizing events.  A glance toward the guest rooms revealed Happoosai 
currently in his own room, also asleep -- not to mention a yawning emptiness 
from the space that, until last night, served as quarters for Saotome Genma. 
  Genma . . .

	Kasumi shuddered as the climax of events at Fuurinkan High replayed in her 
mind's eyes.  A furious Ranma unleashing something she called the "Modified 
Soulsword/Fire Scythe of Death" on Genma.  A cascade of ki slammed into the 
Saotome patriarch, it possessing the energy necessary to sever his normal 
body from the cursed form Jusenkyou forced on him months ago.  The riot 
police stormed onto the grounds soon after, they prepared to lay the long 
arm of the law on the Saotome patriarch.  Genma tried to flee, but Ranma 
used a "psychic kusarigama" to propel her father into Justice's embrace.  
Genma then tried to use a chi blast to scatter the police before making his 
escape -- and he was shot down by a local officer defending his brother 
policemen.  On his falling, an unexpected side-effect of the Fire Scythe 
disintegrated Genma's body in a burst of fire, leaving nothing behind of the 
Saotome patriarch save memories.

	Shifting the covers away, Kasumi swung her feet into slippers.  Standing, 
she reached for her housecoat.  Once dressed, she made her way to Nabiki's 
bedroom.  A gentle knock was responded by, "C'mon in, Onee-chan!"

	Kasumi peeked inside to see Nabiki in her nightclothes, she seated at her 
work desk, her legs tucked in underneath her.  On her desk were several 
sheets of heavy art paper, plus several plain and coloured pencils.  Seeing 
that, Kasumi fought down an urge to smile.  Before their mother's passing, 
Nabiki frequently demonstrated her skill with coloured pencils, a skill that 
seemed to have vanished over the years as the middle daughter threw her 
agile mind into ensuring a roof remained over their heads.  "Have you been 
up for long?" Kasumi asked as she stepped inside, moving to take a look at 
Nabiki's work.

	The middle daughter was quick to sense what gained her sibling's interest.  
"Been dozing on and off since we came back from the school."  She picked up 
one sheet, holding it up for Kasumi.  "Take a look at Ranma-kun's LATEST 
trick."

	Kasumi took the sheet -- and nearly dropped it on seeing what had been 
drawn there.  "A winged . . . catgirl?!"  She stared at Nabiki.  "I didn't 
know you were into THIS sort of fantasy . . . " she said, moving to be 
flippant.

	The look Nabiki gave her in response told the eldest Tendou daughter this 
was NO joking matter.  "Droll, Onee-chan.  Real droll."

	Kasumi blinked before staring at the picture.  Turning it slightly to gaze 
on those fierce features from a new angle, she frowned.  "This is unlike any 
feline I've ever seen," she noted before staring at Nabiki.  "An alien 
feline?"

	"Possibly, especially given what Ataru-kun turns into."  Nabiki reached 
under one of her pictures of Neko-Ranma to draw another sheet of paper, 
holding it up to allow Kasumi a clear view of the Cyborg.  "What do you 
think of THIS?!"

	Kasumi blanched, a hand flying right to her mouth.  "Oh, dear . . . "

	"Yeah."  Nabiki placed that picture down, sitting back in her chair.  "A 
lot's changed with Ranma-kun, Onee-chan," she then warned.

	"So it seems," Kasumi agreed before she placed the picture of Neko-Ranma 
onto the desk.  "What happened last night?" she then asked.

	Nabiki sighed.  "Like I told you after we came back home.  We all get 
together at the school.  Genma shows up trying to slice Ranma-kun down with 
his mom's katana.  Hinako-sensei tries to stop it and nearly gets skewered.  
Ranma-kun takes the hit and *BANG!*"  She made an exploding motion with her 
hands.  "We all wind up in this big, white NOTHING!  By the time I managed 
to get to some place where I can see what's going on in the real world, 
Genma's bound against a tree, Ranma-kun's a catgirl, Ataru-kun's doing his 
Terminator impression and . . . "  A deep breath.  "Shortly after that, you 
and Toofuu-sensei are on the scene.  You know what happened next."

	Kasumi slowly nodded.  "How did this all come about?"

	"Only person that'd know the whole story is most likely Negako."

	"Negako-san?"

	Nabiki nodded.  "Yep.  Onee-chan, last night, Ranma-kun was able to use a 
SOULSWORD!  That's the deadliest basic manoeuvre in Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu. 
  One touch of the blade edge, you're dead. One touch of the flat, your 
brain becomes instant fried nattou . . . "

	"Ranma-kun is capable of learning martial arts forms VERY quickly . . . "

	"Onee-chan, I KNOW!" Nabiki cut her off.  "But how is it Ranma-kun LEARNED 
all this?!  Negako's been HERE in Nerima while Ranma-kun's been off with 
Ataru-kun and his family!  And I don't think Ataru-kun could've taught him 
that!"

	Silence fell over the room as the elder Tendou daughter considered that.  
She then crossed her arms.  "What do you plan to do now?"

	"Get some answers from Negako about what's been going on with Ataru-kun 
since Lum got kicked off the planet," Nabiki replied.  "Onee-chan, there's 
something about this part of Ranma-kun you have to know."  She pointed to 
the pictures.  "This part of Ranma-kun is clearly female in personality.  
What's worse, 'she' is VERY attracted to Ataru-kun.  If there's any hope, 
ANY hope at all remaining for Akane-chan to patch up things with Ranma-kun, 
we have to find out what's going on between him and Ataru-kun."

	Kasumi nodded.

*    *    *

	Unseen by her siblings, Akane was standing in the hallway between hers and 
Nabiki's rooms.  The door to the middle Tendou daughter's bedroom was ajar 
enough to have allowed her to overhear a LOT of what Nabiki and Kasumi had 
said over the last couple of minutes.  Unfortunately, given her long habit 
of assuming many wrong things about Ranma . . .

	*That monster that possessed Ranma . . . it's attracted to MOROBOSHI?!* she 
exclaimed as she quietly shuffled back into her bedroom, closing the door 
behind her.  Walking over to her own work desk, she sat, leaning on her 
elbows as she tried to make sense of what she just heard.  *Or is it just 
that guyver-thing Moroboshi turns into . . .?!*  Her forehead furrowed 
before her eyes went wide.  *Wait a minute!  How is it Moroboshi turns into 
that thing in the first place?!  Was it something Negako-san did . . .?!*

	A hollow sleeve tapped her shoulder.  Akane gasped, spinning around to see 
the Densetsu no Doogi floating by her chair, it tilted in a display of 
concern.  A sign went up.  [YOU OKAY, AKANE?!]  It twirled around. [WHAT'S 
WRONG?]

	Akane gazed on the magic fighting uniform.  She then grimaced as the 
altercation between herself and Ranma in the wake of Genma's death replayed. 
  "Do not EVER again presume you have the right to fight ANYONE because of 
me, Tendou-san," the redhead said after giving Akane a dose of the Psychic 
Laser Beam, one of the basic chi attacks of Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu.  Ranma 
then followed that with a warning that if such happened again, she would see 
to it that Akane's career in the martial arts would come to an end.

	Akane shuddered as a swell of anger thundered up from her heart.  Then her 
body lost strength as a cloud of regret put a damper on her temper.  Hugging 
herself, she fought back tears as the sheer scale of what had been lost over 
the last several weeks came back to her.  The blunder she made with the 
Nanniichuan casket at the wedding and how the after-effects of THAT 
spiralled out of control over the following weeks, exploding finally in the 
fight between the fiancées over Souun, Genma and Nodoka's last attempt to 
force a marriage between Ranma and Akane.  An explosion that had sent Ranma 
away for four weeks.  And when he returned, he announced that he would be 
leaving the Tendous once and for all.  When that happened, Akane would be 
forced onto a level playing field with Ukyou and Shampoo when it came to 
vying for Ranma.  Even more, Ranma warned that if his would-be lovers 
screwed up, their claims on him would be rejected regardless of what honour 
demanded or the cost such might unleash on the fiancées.

	Then, in the immediate wake that awful terrorist attack on Tomobiki High 
School last week, the Tendous and the Saotomes learned that Ranma had 
befriended MOROBOSHI ATARU of all people!  The so-called "Cancer of 
Tomobiki" -- a man whose levels of lechery rivalled Happoosai's despite his 
late "wife" Lum's attempts at taming him -- who had mysteriously vanished 
from his hometown the very day of the failed wedding at the Tendou doojou, 
had just come back from a long training trip.  A trip that ultimately helped 
Ataru become a world-class martial artist in his own right, a lingering 
"gift" of his being the last host of a sentient non-corporeal life form 
created by the Moroboshi Clan with the help of Master Hosan Hirosuke eight 
hundred years ago.  A sentient non-corporeal life form that currently lived 
as Moroboshi Negako, Grandmaster of the Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo Jinseijitsu 
Ninjutsu-ryuu, the only real friend of Happoosai, Ataru's adopted elder 
sister . . . and Ranma's new sensei, thanks to Negako soon discovering 
Genma's greatest blunder concerning his son and heir.

	A blunder Akane learned of the HARD way the day after things literally 
exploded in Tomobiki, when an automatic outburst of anger thanks to Ranma's 
showing up her dearth of cooking skills resulted in a shattered arm.  AND 
effectively destroyed what little respect Ranma might have held for her, not 
to mention pretty much ending what relationship they had.  Negako's 
discovery also, atop driving a permanent wedge between Ranma and his father, 
destroyed Genma's marriage, which brought up the spectre of Ranma renouncing 
the Saotome name once and for all to wipe the slate clean when it came to 
matters of honour.  THAT spectre had ultimately driven Akane into getting 
the Densetsu no Doogi back in hopes of giving her one last chance at 
bringing Ranma back into her home.

	But Ranma had, to everyone's shock and disbelief, had stayed a step ahead 
of the game this time.  Last night, as he moved to destroy the Saotome 
doojou sign to bring a final end to Genma's and Souun's dreams, Ranma 
revealed that he had somehow been given the legal right to form an 
AUTONOMOUS branch of the Saotome Clan, free of any obligations being Genma's 
and/or Nodoka's child might force on him.  Saotome Ranma, the would-be 
husband of Tendou Akane, Kuonji Ukyou, Nu Shanpú, Kunou Kodachi and who knew 
how many other people -- was legally no more.  Thus, with Genma's death 
shortly afterward, the Saotome School of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu was wiped 
out forever.

	Ranma, Negako told everyone after the transformed martial artist had left 
the school grounds with Ataru, was presently a student of Saikoo 
Jinseijitsu-ryuu thanks to a private agreement between herself and Happoosai 
reached days before.  On hearing that, Souun launched an immediate protest, 
one instantly shot down by Happoosai.  Declaring the Saotome-ryuu dead with 
Genma, he then seized the Tendou doojou sign and shattered it.  "When you 
decide to wake up to reality, Souun, THEN I'll consider giving you a new 
license," the aged grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu snarled before 
leaving the school grounds with Negako and Cologne.  "Until then, the 
Tendou-ryuu is no more."

	Poor Souun had to be dragged back home, he nearly comatose over the fact 
that EVERYTHING he and Genma had tried to create had been destroyed so 
easily and so SWIFTLY.  Genma dead, Souun's doojou effectively wiped out, 
Ranma living with the Moroboshis . . .

	The Moroboshis.

	Akane shuddered as she remembered what Kasumi and Nabiki had just said 
concerning Ranma's and Ataru's other-selves.  She then glanced at the Doogi. 
  "Gomen, Dou-chan."  She placed a hand on its shoulder.  "Right now, I'm 
going to have to do some things on my own."

	[CAN I HELP?!] the sentient battle uniform signed.

	Akane shook her head.  "No.  Ranma doesn't like you, remember?"  Seeing the 
Doogi tilt its blazer in a mimicked nod, she then sighed.  "Atop that, who 
knows WHAT sort of feelings that cat-monster might actually have concerning 
all of us.  Right now . . . "  Her jaw tightened.  "I have to find some way 
to convince Ranma to come home.  If there is something connecting him to 
Moroboshi that allows that cat-monster to take control of him, separating 
Ranma from Moroboshi might get rid of that thing . . . "

	[YOU CAN'T FIGHT THOSE MONSTERS, AKANE,] the Doogi then frantically signed. 
  [EVEN WITH MY HELP, YOU'D LOSE.  BADLY.]

	"Hai, true."  She grimaced, fighting down a burst of anger at admitting the 
fact that Saotome Ranma -- much less Moroboshi Ataru! -- was worlds better 
than Tendou Akane in the martial arts.  "But one way or another, Dou-chan, 
I'm bringing Ranma back home!" she then vowed.

	A pause as the Doogi considered Akane's words.  It then signed, [IF YOU 
NEED ME, I'LL BE RIGHT HERE FOR YOU, AKANE.]

	She beamed.  "Thanks, Dou-chan."

*    *    *

	In a secluded part of Tomobiki, someone rose.  Stretching, Fujinami 
Ryuunosuke rubbed the sleep from her eyes.  Glancing around the room she 
just spent the previous night in, a shiver quaked her as a sense of 
unfamiliarity seized her for a moment.  Memory then clicked in as she saw 
Mister Big Screen, and then her eyes turned right and down to gaze on the 
peacefully dozing woman beside her.  "Ran . . . " she whispered.

	Leaning down, she kissed the alien teen's cheek before sliding herself back 
under the covers.  She took a moment to glance briefly on the nightstand.  
The chronometer sitting there had been adjusted to read local time.  Seeing 
how early it was, Ryuunosuke closed her eyes.  A couple more hours sleep 
would do her some good, especially since she had no school to worry about.  
Given last week's shattering events, officials decided to keep Tomobiki High 
closed for another day before allowing the new school term to start.

	"Good morning, Ryuu-chan."

	Ryuunosuke's eyes opened, a smile crossing her face on seeing Ran gazing 
warmly at her.  "'Morning."  She leaned over to kiss the alien teen's lips 
before leaning back.  "Didya sleep okay last night, Ran-chan?" she then 
asked.

	"Hai."  Ran's eyes then glowed.  "Hmmm.  Lum-chan and Shinobu-chan are 
still asleep in the guest room.  Guess they needed it."

	"What happened last night, anyway?"

	Ran shook her head.  "I'm not too sure.  Lum-chan tried to reach out 
telepathically to Darling, but someone got in the way."

	Ryuunosuke considered that, and then she shook her head.  "It ain't gonna 
happen between them, Ran-chan.  Is there some way to help Lum let him go?"

	"I don't know," Ran admitted.  "Right now, we can't worry about that."

	"Why?" the tomboy asked before catching herself.  "Right, I forgot!"  She 
snapped her fingers.  "The Men in Black're gonna be here later today to help 
you and Lum settle in."  She nodded.  "You want me to stick around, 
Ran-chan?"

	"No.  Jay and Kay get a little nervous when outsiders try to learn how the 
SCAA does business."  Ran then chuckled, an inviting smile crossing her 
face.  "Still, it shouldn't take us that long.  Are you busy today?"

	Ryuunosuke considered the invitation to a date lying unspoken in her bed 
mate's words.  While she would not have really wanted to date another girl 
while her father was still alive -- except if (as what happened in 
Ryuunosuke's only previous date with Ran) the chance was there she could try 
to learn new things about being a girl -- Ryuunosuke couldn't deny that Ran 
really cared for her.  Besides, if things happened, they happened.  Much 
that it surprised her, she felt calm about this.  "Not really."  She 
shrugged.  "Got somethin' in mind?"

	"Oh, shopping, a long dinner, a movie . . . "  Ran reached over to draw 
Ryuunosuke closer to her.  "After that'll be up to us, I guess."

	They kissed.  "We're kinda moving fast, aren't we?" Ryuunosuke mused.

	Ran frowned.  "Who cares about how fast we go?"

	The tomboy considered that before shrugging.  "True."

*    *    *

	"There!  All done!"

	"Rinrin-chan, what are you doing up so early?"

	Rinrin chuckled on seeing Shirayuki heading to the kitchen.  "Oh, 'morning, 
Shirayuki-chan.  Just doing some graphics work."

	"What graphics?"  The chef walked over to gaze on the screen of Rinrin's 
laptop.  Recognizing what was displayed there, Shirayuki stared quizzically 
at the teen inventor.  "Rinrin-chan, are you redesigning Nii-sama's room?"

	Rinrin eagerly nodded.  "Expanding it so Aniki and Aneki can live together. 
  We can take the space from the divider between Aniki's and Karen-chan's 
room to the main doors.  Let the room grow out three metres, which'd take up 
everything under the canopy, plus a bit.  The storeroom doesn't need a 
window, so we can close it off.  Toss in a kitchenette and make the other 
new space the main bedroom.  They can use the old room as a living room.  We 
can shift the closet so they can use the old closet space for a study area, 
too," she explained, indicating the changes she made.

	"Sugoi desu no!"  The chef whistled.  "That'll be so nice!"

	"You best add an upstairs atrium, Rinrin."

	Both turned as Chikage stepped up.  "What do you mean?" Rinrin asked.

	"Add a bedroom on the second floor level outside the girl's furo."  The 
sorceress pointed to the area she was concerned with.  "Slip in a ladder to 
the kitchenette.  Design it so that it doesn't obliterate more of 
Aria-chan's window view than necessary.  If you want, stagger it to hang 
over the main doors.  We don't need the extra window on the stairwell 
leading to the second floor, ne?"

	Rinrin considered that before nodding.  "Yeah, I can do that.  But why 
would Aniki and Aneki need an extra bedroom, Chikage-chan?  I doubt they're 
going to worry about having kids until long after they get married."

	A knowing chuckle escaped Chikage.  "You'll be surprised, Rinrin."

	She headed to the furo room for a morning soak.  "There are days Hime 
thinks she'll NEVER understand Chikage-chan!" Shirayuki moaned.

	Rinrin sighed.  "You said it."

*    *    *

	The lovely twenty-something in slacks and polo shirt stifled a yawn as she 
stepped aboard the Shinkan-sen.  It was the first run of the day between 
Morioka and Tokyo.  Glancing around, Feiya -- to those who knew her beyond 
the bounds of the Hotel Kiraboshi, she was Arima Fumiko -- tried not to 
smile too much as she took her seat by a window.  Travelling at odd times of 
the day to avoid the crowds was an acquired art form in Japan.  It is one 
Feiya/Fumiko had to master quickly.  One need not look past her tapered 
ears, presently hidden under thick bangs of raven-black hair, to truly 
understand why.

	The doors whooshed shut.  The train glided away from Fukushima station on 
its trip south into the Kantou plain.  Barring unforeseen problems, it would 
arrive in Tokyo in less than two hours.  Once in the capital, it would be a 
quick transfer to the Marunouchi subway line to Nakano-Sakaue, another 
transfer to the Toei Ooedo line which would take her to Nerima, and then yet 
another transfer onto the Seibu Ikebukuro line for Tomobiki.  Tomobiki . . .

	Fumiko's brown eyes closed as her mind shifted back in time a year . . .

**    **    **

	"THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!"

	Ishi took a deep breath before facing the younger woman.  "It is."  The 
doctor, senior physician to the Church's observers in the Holy City, nodded. 
  "The blood tests do not lie, especially in cases such as yourself, Feiya.  
You are . . . "  He paused before hoarsely whispering the last word, 
"Avalonian."

	Feiya stared at him, her body quaking slightly as the word echoed again and 
again and again in her mind.  Avalonian?  HER?!  But . . .!

	"How . . .?"

	Was that her voice?

	Ishi sighed.  "It is a recent development, admittedly.  Those of the 
Faithful on the Homeworld who lose a child due to some unforeseen accident 
often view the bioroid factory on Phentax Twelve as the perfect way to get 
their child 'back.'  It's not illegal, though the . . . " -- his lips 
twisted into a scowl bleeding contempt -- " . . . potential outcome of such 
'adoptions' have yet to really sink in with the ruling councils."

	"What does that mean for me?"

	The fear in her voice was noticeable.  Feiya knew the rules, just as much 
as Ishi.  NO Avalonian was to leave Niphentaxian sovereign territory, 
especially under her own free will.  The leaders of the Church of Lum 
considered themselves very blessed to have the bioroid factory under their 
control.  If news of its existence managed to become commonplace across the 
Galactic Federation, who knew WHAT could happen next.  To ensure such did 
NOT happen, any Avalonian caught in places like Earth was to disappear.  
Literally.

	"You are one of the Faithful, Feiya.  A blind man could understand that 
without being told.  To . . . "  He looked out the window of his office, 
located close to the Aisuru home.  "Do something like THAT to one of the 
Faithful is wrong.  But still . . . "  He shrugged.

	"Sensei . . . "  Feiya's eyes softened.

	Ishi closed his eyes before he nodded.  "There is a way."

**    **    **

	Fumiko twitched slightly on sensing a hand glide up one of her thighs.  
*Chikan,* her mind automatically declared as her hand grabbed the twerp's 
wrist.  Then, with a sharp snap-twist of her fingers, she sent him 
face-first into the seat ahead of him.  The twerp in question, a middle-aged 
salaryman, grunted painfully as he felt the bones in his wrist shift into 
unnatural positions.  Fumiko let go, and then grabbed his hair to yank him 
back so she could glare intently into his eyes.  "Get lost," she hissed.

	She contemptuously shoved him into the aisle with a well-placed foot.  He 
collapsed onto his butt.  Then, staring warily at the strange, raven-haired 
woman in the window seat for a moment, he staggered off.  Fumiko paid him no 
further attention as she watched the countryside pass by.

	"Another one," she whispered, her voice drowned out by the train.  "Another 
one like me.  How the hell did that happen?  How . . .?"

*    *    *

	"Oh, Panda-san, you didn't need to do this!"

	[PLEASE, I INSIST!]  The sign went up before it twirled.  [BEING YOUR GUEST 
IS MUCH MORE PLEASING TO ME THAN STAYING IN A ZOO!]

	Sitting around a low coffee table, Ninomiya Hinako, Ono Toofuu, Cologne and 
Moroboshi Negako gazed on the beast as he sat between the teacher and the 
doctor.  Toofuu and the Nujiézú elder chuckled.  When she awoke twenty 
minutes before, the metamorphic teacher discovered that her new guest had 
spent time cleaning up her apartment.  "He's more human than most humans!" 
Cologne declared, gazing in amusement at Toofuu.

	"A pity we can't apply a Nanniichuan curse to him."  Toofuu sighed before 
gazing on the entity that, in one sense of the term, had died well over two 
millennia ago to ultimately create the Jusenkyou pool known as 
Shonmaoniichuan.  "If you want, I'll be happy to keep you in my employ as my 
grounds-keeper."

	[I ACCEPT YOUR GENEROUS OFFER WITH THANKS, SENSEI,] the panda raised a 
sign.  [BUT PLEASE DON'T EXPECT ME TO ANSWER PHONES.]

	"We should think of a name for you," Hinako proposed, she currently an 
adult thanks to a ki-boost from Negako.  "I don't think you want to be 
called 'Panda-san' or any silly or 'cute' name like they apply to your 
brothers and sisters in zoos.  What do you think?"

	The panda crossed his arms in contemplation.  Watching him, the others were 
quick to notice how much Genma had actually come to influence this being in 
the year and more since the Saotome patriarch fell into that particular 
spring.  Finally, a sign went up.  [I WOULDN'T MIND THAT.]  It twirled 
around.  [I LEAVE THAT DECISION TO YOU SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE A NAME IN MY PAST 
LIFE.]  Another twirl.  [BUT PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU ALL, DON'T CALL ME 
'GENMA.']  Yet another twirl.  [I WISH NOT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT MAN 
ANYMORE!]

	"We'll spend time thinking about that," Toofuu assured the panda before he 
turned to Hinako.  "So school's cancelled today because of the window 
damage."

	"Not to mention cleaning up the debris from that tree Saotome-kun destroyed 
when he used the Fire Scythe."  Hinako gazed on Negako.  "It surprised me 
that your uncle's company was quick to offer to pay for repairs, 
Negako-san."

	"It is of no concern, Hinako," Negako admitted.  "What happened last night 
was instigated by our family due to our desire to help Ranma.  It would be 
only proper to see the matter resolved to the benefit of as many as 
possible."

	"That's good."  Toofuu nodded, a knowing look crossing his face.  "So what 
of Ranma-kun now, Negako-san?  What DID happen last night?  When I stepped 
onto the school grounds before Genma was shot, I couldn't ignore what I 
sensed."

	"What did you sense?" Hinako wondered.

	"Death."

	Silence fell.  A clawed finger tapped the table.  Eyes locked on the panda 
as he raised a sign.  [SENSEI, YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!]

	"You know what happened?!" Hinako asked.

	"He does."

	As the others looked on her, Negako's face turned icily neutral.  "What I 
am about to speak of, I would desire that none of you repeat outside this 
room," she instructed.  "What happened last night concerning Ranma's 
'neko-self,' Ataru's Cyborg persona and Genma must be answered with 
emotional support, from you AND from those around her.  She does NOT deserve 
condemnation for murder."

	Toofuu and Hinako paled.  Cologne grimly nodded.

*    *    *

	"School's cancelled?"

	"Yeah."  Nabiki replaced the telephone receiver into its cradle; her 
homeroom teacher had just called.  "The damage to all the windows, plus that 
wrecked tree, has to get cleaned up before they'd allow classes to 
continue."

	She sat by the table.  Kasumi nodded.  "I think Kunou-san and his friends 
will be disappointed they won't be able to play with Akane-chan."

	"Much that I care."  Akane sneered, and then something came to her.  "Hey!  
Why don't I go to school and wait for the Horde?  When they don't show up, I 
declare Kunou's challenge null-and-void, then avoid them in the future!"

	Kasumi blinked, and then she grinned.  "It's a wonder why you never thought 
of doing something like that before, Akane-chan."

	Akane stared at her plate.  "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" she noted, and then a 
nod twitched her head.  "What the hell!  I WILL do it!  I'll get the girls 
in the class to come down so I can have witnesses to what I say, and then go 
from there.  That should knock the wind out of Kunou's sails!"

	"I'll call to make sure the Blue Blunder doesn't show up and spoil it," 
Nabiki then volunteered before heading to her bedroom.

	Souun stepped in.  Gazing on him, Kasumi and Akane winced on seeing the 
drawn look on his face.  "Do you want some tea, Father?" Kasumi asked as he 
sat.

	He stared nowhere in particular for a moment.  Then, realizing his child 
just asked him something, he nodded.  "Yes, please."

	Kasumi headed to the kitchen.  Akane turned back to her breakfast.  "Are 
you going to see Ranma-kun today, Akane?" Souun asked.

	"I . . . "  Akane paused before sighing.  "Yes.  Why?"

	"You will tell him to come here as soon as he can."

	Akane stared quizzically at him.  "Why?"

	"He has things to answer for."  Souun grimaced.  "What happened . . . "

	"No, Father!"

	He spun around, seeing Kasumi stare angrily at him.  "Kasumi . . . "

	"That is ENOUGH!" she snapped.  Storming up to him, she glared directly 
into his eyes, her actions making him shrink on himself.  "Why, Father?!  
Why are you pressing this madness, even after, ESPECIALLY after, all that's 
happened since the wedding?!  Do you actually BLAME Ranma-kun for doing what 
was RIGHT, what was PROPER, when it came to that lazy fool you called a 
'friend?!'"

	Souun quaked.  "He deliberately . . .!"

	"What?!  He deliberately led Genma to his death?!  Is that what you were 
going to say?!  No, he didn't!  Ranma-kun simply reported what Genma did 
wrong to the proper authorities!  And THEN the police stepped in to deal 
with the matter!  And from what I saw last night, it wasn't Ranma-kun's 
fault that Genma actually used a KI blast on RIOT POLICE!  What did you 
expect them to do?!"

	"They had no right to involve themselves in private business . . .!"

	"'Private' business?!" Kasumi shrilled, making Souun duck.  "It stopped 
being private when Genma started selling his son off to every family that 
crossed his path!  Did you know Ranma-kun found out about FIVE more fiancées 
Genma never bothered to tell him about?!  Did you know the size of the food 
bill that lazy oaf would've eventually slouched off on Ranma-kun?!  Well?!"

	"Enough!" Souun snapped.  "Ranma-kun will come here and . . .!"

	"No, he will not!"

	His eyes widened.  "What did you say?"

	"I said 'he will not,' Father," Kasumi snarled as she pointed at him.  "You 
have no right to demand ANYTHING of Ranma-kun now . . .!"

	She cried out as Souun's hand lashed at her face.  Before it could strike, 
a pipe caught it, and then he was sent flying.  Crashing into the koi pond, 
he surged up, and then he stopped on seeing Happoosai glaring at him from 
the porch.  "I think you'd know better, Souun!" the grandmaster snarled.

	"You stay out of this . . .!"

	"SHUT UP!" Happoosai roared, making Souun wail as his master's battle aura 
seemed to consume the whole Tendou home.  As soon as the Tendou patriarch 
had collapsed to his knees in the koi pond, a burble escaping his lips, 
Happoosai relaxed.  "Like I told you last night, you blind fool!" he said, 
turning to head inside.  "Wake up to something called 'Reality!'  It's all 
you have left!"

	The Tendou patriarch remained still, he weeping.  "No . . .!"

*    *    *

	"Ye gods . . .!"

	"I can't believe that!"

	Cologne nodded.  "Believe it."

	Toofuu and Hinako exchanged a look before the former turned to Negako.  "Is 
there some way for Ranma-kun to be rid of that thing?"

	The grandmaster shook her head.  "Not without ultimately killing her -- and 
Ataru -- along the way.  Yes, it is through Ranma's 'neko' self and Ataru's 
Cyborg persona that their personal psionic link is maintained.  It has been 
that way since Ranma underwent the Neko-ken training.  But those personas 
are deeply ingrained in the other elements of their minds.  How it is that 
Neko-Ranma and the Cyborg are able to access their hosts' memories?  How is 
it they know exactly who is what in their hosts' lives?"

	The chiropractor and the teacher exchanged a stunned look.  "And this part 
of Saotome-kun . . . "  The latter turned back to Negako, the fear in her 
voice quite apparent.  "Hates us all?  Hates us to the point where it would 
kill us if it got the chance?  Every one of us who might have hurt him in 
one way or another, regardless of reason, since he underwent that awful 
training?"

	Negako nodded, a thin smile crossing her face.  "Yes.  Do you think she 
would forget the time you repeatedly absorbed her chi while you were a guest 
of the Tendous just so you could remain an adult to impress Souun, Hinako?  
Do you think, Kelun, she would forget you forcing her through the cat's 
tongue?  Even a 'trivial' incident like what you did to Ranma to give her a 
'favourable' impression of Akane would loom large in Neko-Ranma's eyes, 
Toofuu."

	Silence fell as the others considered her words.  Toofuu then took a deep 
breath before he shook his head.  "We helped create a time-bomb.  Thus we 
have the responsibility to help defuse it before it destroys Ranma-kun and 
all those she cares for.  What's your plan, Negako-san?"

	"Remove Ranma from Nerima, plus restrict if not outright block any attempt 
by Ranma's would-be paramours or rivals to force her to remain in a place 
where she should not be," Negako explained.  "That has been, in effect, 
done.  All marriage claims save Shanpú's were resolved when Ranma declared 
herself an orphan and was allowed to start her own branch of the Saotome 
Clan.  Shanpú's claim will be resolved when Kelun's fellow councillors allow 
the Blood-Sibling Law to be invoked.  At the same time -- we may arrange 
this today -- Ranma will be transferred from Fuurinkan High to Stargazer 
West College, then allowed to complete her high school education in peace."

	"Though I am familiar with many aspects of Promised Island, I don't know 
too much about the school," Cologne mused.  "Is it good?"

	"Very good," Hinako replied.  "It's one of the top 'ladder' schools in the 
country.  Negako-san's family supports it with grants and scholarships.  
Saotome-kun . . . "  She paused, and then she asked, "Is Ranma really a 
girl?"

	Toofuu nodded.  "Yes.  I didn't get the chance to examine her in detail 
last night, but from what I could sense, Ranma-kun . . . "  A chuckle 
escaped him.  "I guess I can't call hi- . . .! -- Excuse me, *her!* -- that 
anymore, can I?"  A pause, and then he nodded.  "I'd like to see her.  Could 
you ask Sakuya-chan to bring her down sometime today?"

	"Why not ask me to bring Ane-kun to see you, Toofuu-kun?"

	Toofuu screamed, spinning around to see a smiling Chikage gazing amusedly 
at him.  "CHIKAGE!" he wailed, waving her away.

	As he launched into yet another bout of love-sickness, the others laughed.  
"I'd love to hear THIS story!" Cologne declared.

*    *    *

	"Oh, darn!  No school today?!"

	"I'm afraid not."  Sakurambou Sakura was currently standing by the front 
gate of Tomobiki High.  "We were warned by the Ministry that several 
students were transferring to our school, so I was made to stand guard here 
in case some of you didn't get the message ahead of time."

	"Bummer."  The rose-haired tomboy with the amber-brown eyes smirked before 
holding out her hand.  "I'm Sawada Minako, from Maizuru."

	"Metro Kyoto . . .?"  Her eyes then widened before a pleased smile crossed 
her face.  "I've heard of you!  You're the reigning Kyoto Metro women's high 
school kendou champion!  Welcome to Tomobiki, Sawada-san!"

	"Hai, that's me!  But PLEASE, don't blurt it out to everyone in sight, 
Sensei."  Minako gave her hand a squeeze.  "People back home, especially the 
girls, just became a pack of raving otaku when I won that!"  She then perked 
on sensing someone approach her.  "Ah . . . "

	Sakura tensed.  "What is it?"

	"It's nothing.  Just a couple of close friends," Minako explained.  Sensing 
Sakura peering curiously at her, she added, "I'm telepathic and empathic.  
So are they.  I figure that for Tomobiki, that's normal."

	"Somewhat."  Sakura then chuckled, surprising Minako with her candour.  
"How did you gain those powers?  Is it a family thing . . .?"

	"Pretty much so.  My mother's not from Earth . . . "

	"Minako, do you HAVE to spill it ALL to her on the first day?!"

	"Tomomi!" Minako yelped as Yoshino Tomomi gave her a bear hug from behind.  
She quickly returned her embrace.  "How are you?!"

	"I missed you."  Tomomi pecked Minako's cheek, and then she turned as a 
blue-haired girl with purple eyes approached.  "So did she!"

	"Stop flirting with her, Yoshino!" Ikusawa Kyooko snarled.  Then, as Tomomi 
stepped away, she swamped Minako with her embrace.  "Hi!"

	"Hi, yourself!"  Minako kissed her, and then she proceeded to introduce 
Sakura to her friends.  Along the way, some more information as to the young 
Avalonians' origins was relayed to the school nurse/priestess.

	"So all your mothers fled your home planet because the Niphentaxians wanted 
to keep your race in chains?"  Sakura waved them onto school property.  
"What did they expect to do on Earth?  This was years before we came into 
open contact with extraterrestrials."

	"Well, our mothers' friends learned there was a Zephyrite missionary colony 
based somewhere in Japan," Kyooko explained as they stepped inside, heading 
directly to the nurse's office.  "If they made contact with them . . . "

	"The Zephyrites . . .?!"  Sakura blinked confusedly before nodding.  "Oh, 
you mean Moroboshi Ataru's grandmother Nagaiwakai!  She lived up in 
Rishiri-tou before she died while the First Tag Race was being held.  I see 
now."  They stepped into the nurse's office, Sakura waving the newcomers to 
the chairs there.  "What sidetracked your mothers?" she asked as she moved 
to prepare tea.

	"Their meeting our fathers, then getting married and having us."  Tomomi 
chuckled.  "You can imagine it, can't you?  Switching from being living 
slaves in a society that went out of its way to ensure they stayed that way 
-- to being adopted parts of a 'free' society?  It was pretty disorientating 
for them!"

	Sakura considered that, and then she nodded.  "Yes, I can see that."  She 
smiled.  "Do your fathers know of your mothers' origins?"

	"Hai, they do.  It was only fair."  Minako giggled.  "Especially given how 
long-lived Avalonians potentially can be."

	"How long?  Several hundred years?"

	"Try eight hundred."

	Sakura whistled.  "Women on Earth would KILL to know that."

	"That's why we do our best to keep our origins secret," Tomomi said.  
"Though I don't think it'd matter here too much."

	"True, it wouldn't."

	Tea was soon served.  "So what brings you to Tomobiki?" Sakura asked.

	"Simple," Minako replied.  "The factory unit that created our mothers is in 
orbit as we speak.  Directly over Tomobiki to be exact."

	The nurse blinked, her eyes widening.  "Why would it be here?"

	"We don't know.  Neither do our mothers since they lost their mental links 
to the factory," Kyooko responded.  "And given how much the Niphentaxians 
would like to keep knowledge of the Avalonians secret, that it's HERE speaks 
volumes."

	"There's another thing, too," Tomomi warned.

	"Being?" Sakura asked.

	"Phentax Twelve, the planet where the factory was placed by the Sagussans.  
If the factory's here, the planet's most likely gone.  Mom knew it was 
inhabited at the time she was activated."  A pause.  "If there were people 
there . . . "

	"Don't think such awful things, Tomomi," Kyooko warned.

	Sakura gazed on the three half-alien teens in her office before she set her 
cup aside.  "You might be able to get some help, then."

	Minako perked.  "Oh?  How so, Sensei?"

	"Despite what the news reports may have said about the whole matter last 
week, Lum is still alive and well.  She came back to Earth on Saturday 
morning, along with her friend Ran."  Sakura lightly smiled.  "It was around 
that time that several people who knew Lum, myself included, learned of the 
Niphentaxians.  You see, their latest 'church' is based on worshipping Lum 
herself."

	The visitors blinked.  "That's . . . "  Minako paused.  "Strange."

	"Agreed, it is."  Sakura shuddered.  "From what I could sense when Lum 
spoke of that, she wants nothing to do with the Niphentaxians whatsoever.  I 
don't blame her, especially after hearing about some of the things their 
leader -- Oogi, was his name? -- did supposedly on Lum's 'behalf.'  And . . 
. "  She paused on sensing something step into range, and then she looked 
out the window.

	Kyooko tensed.  "Is something wrong, Sensei?"

	"Shinobu's here."  Sakura stood.  "Just a moment."

	She stepped out.  The new students exchanged looks before turning to their 
tea.  Sakura returned, Shinobu behind her.  "Hello!" The latter bowed to 
them, and then she gazed on Sakura.  "They actually said they were 
Avalonians?"

	Minako rose.  "Half-Avalonians; our mothers are pure-born."

	Introductions were made.  Sakura prepared tea for Shinobu.  Staring at 
Ataru's former girlfriend, Minako tried desperately not to blush as 
Shinobu's wholesome beauty did weird things to her mind's pleasure centre.  
Tomomi and Kyooko watched her, and then they exchanged a knowing look.  
*Don't be TOO obvious, Minako-chan!* the former psi-linked to Minako by 
touching the latter's hand.  *You want to scare her off?!*

	*Eh?*  Minako perked, and then she made a dismissive wave.  *Oh, no!  No!  
I'm not interested in Shinobu-chan THAT way . . .!*

	*Bullshit, Minako!*  Kyooko gave her friend a knowing look.  *We could 
sense your hormones kicking in all the way over here!*

	Minako flustered.  She then started as Shinobu asked, the concern in her 
voice apparent, "Are you okay, Minako-san?!"

	"Eh?!"  Minako bolted up.  After a few seconds' hysterics, she scratched 
the back of her head, laughing.  "It's nothing!  Nothing!"

	Shinobu gave her a curious look.  Tomomi and Kyooko tried not to fall on 
their butts howling.  Watching this from nearby, Sakura shook her head.  
*And I actually wanted things to be boring for a change?* she mused.

*    *    *

	"Onee-sama, are you okay?"

	Ranma perked on hearing Sakuya. She then shook her head.  "Not really."  
She turned to her French toast as everyone enjoyed breakfast in the old 
shrine's meditation room.  "That nightmare I had last night's still buggin' 
me."

	"Was it a bad nightmare, Aneue-sama?" Marie asked.

	"Pretty bad," Ranma replied.  "It was me meeting a version of myself who 
hated everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- who did me wrong, no matter how big 
or little it was.  And she had gone out and killed all those people.  And . 
. . "

	She shuddered.  Mamoru grimaced.  "That's pretty raw."

	"Tell me about it."

	Ataru gazed on Ranma, inwardly smiling at the latter's use of a dream 
metaphor to divert the sisters' curiosity away from what happened at 
Fuurinkan High last night.  None save Chikage knew of what happened to 
Saotome Genma.  Not that the others might really care, Ataru mused.  While 
she was staying on the Island, Ranma had gone out of her way to draw as bad 
a picture of her father as she could to the sisters.  But, especially for 
the young ones, harping too much on the theme of death wasn't the wisest 
thing.

	The living room door opened, revealing Negako.  "Tadaima."

	Shirayuki smiled.  "Oh, Nee-sama, there you are!  Do you want some 
breakfast?  Hime made her special French toast today."

	"So I can scent."  Negako took her place in the circle.  "Please."

	"Hai desu no."

	Shirayuki headed into the kitchen.  "Where were you?" Ataru asked.

	"Meeting with Ono Toofuu, Kelun and Ninomiya Hinako," Negako replied as 
Karen poured her a cup of tea.  "There is no school today at Fuurinkan due 
to a considerable amount of damage done to the windows and the front lawn."

	Ranma perked before she nodded.  "Well, that's good."

	"Waaai!" Hinako then gushed.  "That means Onii-tama and Onee-tama can spend 
the whole day with Hina and her sisters!"

	Mamoru nodded.  "Hey, that's right!  Why don't we go swimming?!"

	"Where, Mamoru?" Sakuya demanded.  "It's February, remember?!"

	"Baka!  The indoor pool at the Tower in Tomobiki!  It's the same size as 
the indoor pool at school!  We can swim there!"

	Ataru hummed as he considered the question.  "Good point."  A sly smile 
then crossed his face as he gazed on the eldest of his half-sisters.  "And 
we can visit Esmerelda's to get Ranma a new swimsuit!  Right, Sakuya-chan?"

	"Oh, definitely!" Sakuya gushed.

	Hearing that, Ranma's head slumped.  "I'm dead."

	"Why don't we make today 'Make Onee-chan A REAL Girl' Day?!" Karen 
proposed.  "After all, she's GOT to be tired of wearing the same blah, 
unisex things day-in and day-out, even if she's used to living on the road."

	Ranma glanced at her, and then she stared at her clothes.  She was in her 
normal white sleeveless tang and pants.  "Well, yeah, you got a point, 
Karen-chan," she mused, scratching the back of her head.  "But what'd be 
good for me?"

	"For that, we best get to Esmerelda's early!" Sakuya proposed.

	"I'll call the boys to get the road-train here," Rinrin called out.

	She headed to her bag to dig out her phone.  Ranma watched the others 
launch into chatter about the day's events, and then she stared concernedly 
at Ataru.  "Hey, Ataru, I thought you wanted to keep them AWAY from 
Tomobiki!"

	"I thought it'd be okay when we were just concerned with a swimsuit for you 
to wear," he lamented.  "But for a whole WARDROBE . . .?!"

	Ranma laughed.  She then paused, a finger scratching her chin.  "Hey, wait 
. . . "  Her voice trailed off.

	He blinked.  "What is it?"

	"You planning to go to Stargazer West next week when classes start?"

	"Of course.  Why . . .?"  Ataru turned away as the possible gist of Ranma's 
train of thought sank in.  "Do you want that?"

	She shrugged.  "What's the use going to Fuurinkan for four or five days 
when we could be starting a whole new school year next Monday on the 
Island?"  A smile turned her lips.  "Kinda redundant when you think about 
it, ne?"

	"True.  Besides, high school isn't mandatory in Japan.  Thought I do hope 
you'd consider going all the way to graduation."

	She nodded, and then she stared at her plate.  "Of course I will.  But I 
only realized pretty recently that I've got a lot to catch up on.  I've 
missed so much being on the road with Oyaji and all that . . . "

	He waved her down.  "Oh, don't worry about it, Ranma."

	"Worry about what, Onii-chan?"

	They turned to see the sisters staring at them.  "Oh, it's nothing, 
Karen-chan," Ranma assured her.  She then turned to Negako as Shirayuki came 
out of the kitchen.  "Um, I hate to ask, but can you ask the school to . . 
.?"

	The ninjutsu grandmaster nodded.  "I've already discussed the possibility 
with Hinako this morning.  The staff will be in school today.  It will be 
easily arranged regardless if Pauline tries to interfere or not."

	A hang tugged Negako's sleeve.  "Onee-tama, Hina's right here!"  The 
youngest of the sisters pointed to herself with her free hand.

	"I am speaking of Ranma's former homeroom teacher, Hinako, not you."

	"Oh!"

	Giggles wafted through the room.  Everyone perked on hearing a knock at the 
front door.  "I'll get it!"  Haruka headed over to open the door.  "Hai?"

	The man flashing the police identification booklet smiled.  "Sorry to 
bother you, but are Saotome Ranma and Moroboshi Ataru here?"

	"Hai.  Please."  Haruka waved the policeman in, and then she looked at the 
dining room table.  "Anigimi-sama?  Anegimi-sama?"

	Ranma rose, bowing.  "You're here because of last night?"

	"Hai."  He nodded.  "Okajima of the Nerima Precinct.  I have to get both 
your statements about what happened at the school."

	"Right, right."  Ranma nodded before sensing Ataru standing behind her.

	"Would you mind if we took this outside the house, Okajima-keibuho?" Ataru 
then whispered to the policeman, cupping a hand around his lips.  "I don't 
want my sisters, especially the younger ones, to overhear some of this."

	"Of course, Moroboshi-san."  He smiled understandingly before heading out.

	Ranma and Ataru moved to follow, the latter whispering into the former's 
ear, "Tell him the facts you know.  That's all they need."

	She nodded.  "Right."

*    *    *

	Near the Aisuru home in Tomobiki was a nondescript townhouse tucked behind 
two cherry blossom trees.  The trees were large enough to distract the 
normal passer-by from wondering what might be happening beyond the living 
room windows.  The small group of people living here preferred it that way 
for many reasons, chief of which was fear of discovery.  Arima Fumiko paused 
at the front gate, gazing at what had once been her home away from her real 
home.  Coming back here was harder than she first believed.  She grimaced as 
she pushed open the gate.  Seeing the familiar sights, smelling the familiar 
smells, hearing the familiar voices -- all of which had once been more 
sacred than anything in the universe to her -- nearly tore a scream of 
pained anguish from Fumiko's lips.

	Innocence lost . . .

	Stopping at the door, she knocked once.  It opened to reveal Ishi.  
"Sensei."  Fumiko smiled, her eyes misting as she took in his weathered 
features.  She then caught herself.  "Is there . . .?" she then began to 
ask.

	He shook his head, waving her inside with a delighted smile.  "All of them 
are out doing their morning observations," he reported.  "They won't be back 
until well after lunchtime.  Did Kaili make all the necessary arrangements?"

	"Hai, all set."  She glanced around the living room, a place that would 
make most of the boys at Tomobiki High drool with mad envy on seeing the 
many Lum artefacts there.  "Is she the same situation as me, Sensei?" she 
asked.

	"Hai."  He walked to the stairs leading to the second floor, and then he 
called out, "Nari!  Come down here now; Feiya's here!"

	Footsteps heralded the descent of a young teen.  She was thirteen or so in 
Terran terms, dressed in a shirt with ascot, pullover sweater and plaid 
skirt.  Her red-brown hair was cut at mid-neck, combed in draping bangs to 
cover her ears.  Her chestnut eyes glittered with pain and anticipation.  
Gazing on her, Fumiko stared at Ishi.  "How could someone this young get 
posted here, Sensei?"

	"Her parents are . . . !" the doctor began, and then he caught himself.  
"Pardon me, WERE priests on Phentax Two.  They were killed . . . "

	He faltered.  "They died in the Cataclysm, Onee-chan."

	Fumiko stared at Nari.  The younger Niphentaxian/Avalonian gazed on the 
floor, her eyes brimming with tears.  Regardless of her origins, the love 
she held for her parents shone like a nova.  "I see." Fumiko walked over to 
squeeze Nari's shoulders.  "I grieve for you."  To Ishi.  "What else has 
been happening, Sensei?  You told me about this 'cataclysm' but you didn't 
give details . . . "

	"Nari can explain everything to you."  He placed a hand on her shoulder as 
he nodded towards the door.  "It's best you both leave the Holy City as soon 
as possible.  Right now, none of the commanders have ANY idea as to what to 
do.  What CAN we do with so many of our leaders back home dead?"  A pause, 
then he added, "There's another thing, too.  The bioroid factory has gone 
missing."

	Fumiko's eyes widened.  "MISSING?!  How . . .?!"

	Nari looked up, a hand clenching over her heart.  "No one knows, Onee-chan. 
  Phentax Twelve itself has been destroyed.  But . . .!"

	She shrugged.  Fumiko took that in, and then she sighed.  "Damn . . . "

	"It's obvious that there were . . . "  Ishi paused as he looked for the 
least wounding way to say this, and then he finished, "Casualties."

	Fumiko stared at her friend, nodding understandingly.  "You have all your 
belongings with you, Nari-chan?"

	Nari nodded.  "Hai, Onee-chan, they're upstairs."

	"Let's go.  We'll overnight in Tokyo, then head to my place tomorrow 
morning," Fumiko announced.  As Nari headed upstairs to get her suitcases, 
the older Avalonian turned to Ishi.  "You sure you're going to be alright?" 
she asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.  "If things're falling apart 
. . . "

	Ishi nodded understandingly.  "I'll stay with the others.  You two'll have 
a better chance of living your own lives away from us."

	They stared at each other.  Fumiko nodded.  Nari soon returned with two 
wheeled suitcases and a backpack.  Fumiko took one in hand as they stepped 
out.  Ishi remained at the doorway, a neutral expression on his face as he 
watched the Avalonians head to the nearest bus stop.  "May the Goddess guide 
you both."

*    *    *

	"Damn!  I didn't think it was THAT bad . . . "

	Ataru, Ranma, Negako and the sisters gazed on Fuurinkan High as the 
road-train made its way to Tomobiki.  The interview with Detective Okajima, 
finished moments before the road train arrived at the old shrine, went off 
without a hitch.  No doubt, Ranma concluded, local law enforcement wanted to 
settle the whole matter concerning her late father and his many crimes as 
quickly as possible before pressing on with other business.

	Repair crews from Inshin Engineering, one of the companies that formed part 
of Moroboshi Komeru's Inshin Group conglomerate, were hard at work replacing 
windows and clearing away what was left of the tree Ranma destroyed when she 
used the Fire Scythe on Genma.  Also there, standing in the spot Kunou 
Tatewaki often occupied to carry out his challenges of the "foul sorcerer," 
was Akane.  Dressed casually, she was surrounded by most of the other girls 
from hers and Ranma's old first-year class.  The girls were busy chatting 
with each other.  "What do you suppose your friends are doing, Onee-sama?" 
Sakuya asked.

	"Search me, Sakuya-chan."  Ranma shook her head, and then she called out to 
the driver, "Hey, stop this thing for a moment!"

	"Hai, Young Mistress!"

	The train chugged to a stop.  Hearing the *toot!* of its horn, the crowd 
gazed their way.  "Ranma?!"  Akane perked on seeing the redhead disembark, 
followed by Moroboshi Negako and Moroboshi Ataru, plus a crowd of young 
women.  "Ranma, what are you doing?!" she asked as Ranma came up to her.

	"Negako was coming here to speak to the staff about something concerning 
Ataru and me, Akane-san."  Ranma indicated the ninjutsu grandmaster with a 
wave of her hand.  "What are you doing here, anyway?  There's no school on."

	Akane tried not to frown on hearing Ranma address her so formally.  
"Something I should've done ages ago.  What's the time?"

	Tokoro Yuka gazed on her watch.  "Eight-fifty."

	Akane nodded, her jaw set with determination.  "Long enough.  Everyone, you 
are all aware of the proclamation Kunou Tatewaki made sometime ago, a 
proclamation he reaffirmed yesterday, concerning people wanting to date me?"

	Her classmates nodded.  "Hai!"

	"Since I came here to school today and having found that none of the 'Horde 
o'Hentai' had come to challenge me as Kunou dictated, I hereby, with all of 
you as my witnesses, declare his proclamation NULL AND VOID!" Akane's voice 
picked up to emphasize her point.  "From this day until I graduate, I swear, 
on the memory of my late mother, that I will not submit myself to anything 
he forces on me EVER AGAIN!" she then vowed.

	A boisterous cheer exploded from her classmates.  The sisters exchanged 
looks, wondering why something as silly as THIS was bothering their big 
brother's new girlfriend.  Negako remained impassive.  Ranma stared 
curiously at Akane, nodding understandingly.  "Pity I never considered doing 
something like that!" she then leaned over to whisper to Ataru.  "That 
would've really knocked the wind out of ol' Blue Blunder's sails!"

	"You were never allowed to think about it, remember?" Ataru noted.

	"True."

	"Ne, Ranma-kun, why are you wearing your hair loose?" Yuka then asked.  
"Don't you still have that problem with your hair growing long?"

	"No, not anymore, Tokoro-san.  I just decided on a little change of style 
when I'm a girl," Ranma assured her, ignoring Yuka's dropped jaw in response 
to the formal way Ranma just addressed her.  "Besides, I'm frozen this way 
for the next while.  Negako here's helping me deal with a couple of problems 
Genma heaped on me during the training trip."  She glanced at the others.  
"To make it work better, I have to remain in one body for the treatment.  
Unfortunately, with my curse, I can only be frozen as a girl."

	"The Neko-ken being the primary one," Ataru added.

	Ranma shuddered, inwardly hoping that her acting skills were proficient 
enough to fool her former classmates concerning her mental state.  The 
others noticed her reaction.  They then started on hearing a mad cackle echo 
from behind them.  "ALOHA, KEIKI!" the principal of Fuurinkan High School 
hailed as a shower of pineapples dropped down on them, fireworks exploding 
behind him.

	Rinrin smirked.  "Nice entrance."

	A pineapple dropped into Aria's hands.  Ranma panicked on sensing a 
build-up of chi within that piece of fruit.  She batted it clear, sending it 
flying back at the Principal.  The other girls quickly kicked and punched 
away the fruit that landed close to them.  Just in time:  As the pineapple 
Aria caught landed in the Principal's lap, it blew, showering his face and 
shirt with burnt cordite.  The other fruit bombs exploded shortly after, 
they fortunately not hurting anyone.  "That -- didn't hurt . . .!" the 
Principal moaned.

	He passed out.  Aria frowned.  "Nee-ya."

	Ranma gazed worriedly at the young Parisian.  "You okay, Aria-chan?!"

	"Aria is fine."  Aria smiled, and then she scowled.  "But Aria is glad that 
Nee-ya will come to Stargazer West College next Monday.  At least there, 
Nee-ya wouldn't get hurt anymore by her stupid principal."

	"Not to mention the other baka-bakas in this place who always try to hurt 
Onee-tama for some baka-baka reason," Hinako added.

	Haruka drew out her gunsen to fan herself.  "It's a good thing we purchased 
the right uniform for Anegimi-sama, isn't it?"

	Yotsuba nodded.  "Sure got that right . . . "

	"***YOU'RE LEAVING?!***"

	Ranma was blown over; every one of her old classmates had bellowed that.  
"Yes, Onee-sama is leaving this dump," Sakuya answered on Ranma's behalf as 
Mamoru helped her Anii's new friend up.  "Now you won't have the chance to 
blame Onee-sama for all the troubles this place has experienced, just like 
the dorks in Tomobiki loved to blame Onii-sama for everything that happened 
there."

	Everyone stared at Sakuya, and then they turned to Ranma.  She brushed her 
slacks off, and then she turned to Ataru.  "Yeah, it WOULD be nice to enjoy 
a day without worrying about the fool things that bothered me here.  Eh, 
Ataru?"

	He nodded.  "I can certainly agree to that . . . "

	"HOLD THE POI, KEIKI!  THE BIG KAHUNA AIN'T FINISHED WITH YOU!"

	Ranma then peered intently at the Principal.  "And what exactly do you 
want, Kunou-koochou?"  Her eyebrow arched contemptuously.

	Out came the barber shears.  "No keiki, especially no disrespectful keiki 
like youse, gonna leave the Big Kahuna's school without getting a partin' 
haircut!" the Hawai'i-crazed school administrator declared.

	Ranma sighed.  She then blinked on feeling Ataru squeeze her shoulder.  
"Well, since my hair is a little on the long side, I think I need a trim."  
He winked at her as he reached behind his neck to undo the jumper's cord 
tying his ponytail down.  "Hold this please."  He handed the cord to Ranma.

	Ranma then blinked on seeing the Dragon's Whisker tied to the cord.  A 
curious, heart-warming feeling surged through her.  She then smirked as 
Ataru walks up to Kunou's father.  Seeing him, the Principal shuddered on 
seeing the hair hanging off this keiki.  "Well, at least we got ONE keiki 
willin' ta obey the Big Kahuna's rules!"  He whipped out a stool.  "Sit 
right there!"

	Ataru took his place.  "Hai!  Hai!"

	"Moroboshi-san, what are you DOING?!" Sayuri gasped, imagining what the 
former Tomobiki native might look like after the Principal got done.

	The others tensed as the Principal raised his shears . . .

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	"Nii-ya . . .!"  Aria shuddered on seeing the damage the Principal just 
wrought on her brother's hair.  Her eyes then went wide.  So did everyone 
else's on seeing a strange glow cover Ataru's head.  The glow faded, 
revealing all his hair restored to the way it was before the shears even 
touched it.

	"Waaaaa!" Hinako gushed.  "Onii-tama has magical hair!"

	"Huh?!"  The Principal jolted, he looking quizzically at Hinako.  He then 
turned back before his jaw hit the ground on seeing Ataru once again with 
moustache, beard and mid-back length hair.  "THAT AIN'T POSSIBLE!"

	Ataru stared at him.  "Care to try again?"

	Growling, the Principal snapped up his shears.

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	Guess what happened?

	"YOU STOP GROWIN' LIKE THAT!"

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	Guess what just happened again?

	"THE BIG KAHUNA IS THE BIG KAHUNA HERE, NOT YOU!"

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	And again . . .

	"YOU AIN'T LICKED THE BIG KAHUNA YET!"

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	And again . . .

	"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

	*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRR!  BZZZZZZZZ!  BRRRRRWWW!  BZZ!*

	And yet again.

	And again.

	And again.

	And again.

	And still again for at least thirty-six -- yes, that's THIRTY-SIX! -- more 
tries before Ataru finally asked, "Give up, Koochou-san?"

	Staring at the massive pile of cut hair encompassing Ataru's feet and 
chair, the Principal looked back to see his hair restored, not a lock of 
deep brown out of place.  He then fainted.  Ataru shrugged.  "I guess so."

	The others gaped at him, and then Yuka whooped, "Three cheers for Moroboshi 
Ataru, the first student ever to FULLY beat the Principal!"

	The other Fuurinkan girls save Akane clapped and waved their hands in 
celebration.  "BANZAI!  BANZAI!  BANZAI!"

	Ataru chuckled, and then he nodded thanks as Ranma came up, the jumper's 
cord in hand.  To his surprise, the Dragon's Whisker was still tied in 
place.  He looked at her.  She playfully winked back, mouthing, "Keep it."

	He chuckled as he re-tied his hair into a ponytail.  "How the heck did THAT 
happen?" Sayuri demanded, gazing on the shorn hair.

	"Oh, quite simple, really."  Ataru finished lacing his ponytail into place. 
  "When I visited a planet named Noukiios some time ago, a priest gave me 
some hair tonic that allowed me to grow my beard and moustache."  He 
impishly shrugged.  "Turns out I drank a little TOO much of the stuff.  
That's why I can't be bothered to shave or get my hair cut anymore.  You 
see, on Noukiios, boys start growing beards when they enter puberty.  It's 
seen as VERY un-classy to not grow a beard in that society."

	Ranma snapped her fingers.  "Oh, that's right!  I remember seeing that."

	Akane's eyes went wide as she spun on Ranma.  "You went to another 
PLANET?!" she shrilled.  "How did you wind up doing THAT?!"

	Ranma turned away from her.  "That's none of your business."

	Akane remained rooted in place as she called back, "Of COURSE it's my 
business, baka!  You could've been killed if you went there!"

	Ranma glanced over her shoulder, her eyebrow arching in curiosity.  "You 
mean you really care for me, Akane-san?"

	The youngest Tendou daughter caught herself as an automatic denial surged 
up her throat.  She then looked down.  "Yes!" she hissed before she stared 
mistily at Ranma.  "Yes, I care for you, Ranma!  I love you, damn it!"

	Ranma shook her head.  "You hesitated before you said that.  Further, you 
looked like you were about to say your usual 'Why should I care for a 
sex-changing pervert like you?' spiel!  I'm sorry, Akane-san, but if you 
can't be honest with yourself, I can't accept what you just told me."  She 
turned away.  "Furthermore, even if you WERE honest with yourself, I 
wouldn't reciprocate."

	Akane shuddered before screaming out, "WHY?!"

	Ranma took a step, and then looked back.  "Because I don't love you.  And I 
never will love you because I love someone else."

	"WHO?!"

	"That ceased to be your business last Tuesday, Tendou-san.  Sayonara."

	Ranma moved to board the road train.  Akane shuddered before screaming out 
"RANMA NO BAKA!" as she drew Mallet-sama . . .

	"***SHINZOU BAKUHATSU SHOKU!***"

	Ranma's fingertip slammed into Mallet-sama.  A flash latter, the ki-mallet 
shattered, its fragments vanishing in a drum roll of *pops!*  Everyone 
watched as Akane was flung back by the backlash of Mallet-sama being wrecked 
by the Heart Blast Touch, her head slamming into the Principal's stool.  
Akane dropped into an unconscious heap on the ground.  The onlookers then 
turned to Ranma.  Glaring at her ex-fiancée, Ranma tried not to scream out.  
"Stupid tomboy!" she muttered as she turned around to storm back to the road 
train.

	"Hey!"  Sayuri moved to pursue.  "Who the hell gave you . . .?!"

	Her voice caught in her throat as Ranma spun on her, a ki ball in hand.  
"You have a problem, Asano-san?" the redhead coolly asked.

	Sayuri shuddered as Ranma swung the ki ball around to hover inches from her 
face.  She then staggered away.  Several of Ataru's sisters glanced down to 
see tiny trickles of yellow-green seep down Sayuri's legs.  "I didn't think 
so."  Ranma straightened herself, an icy chill warping through her as she 
dispersed the ki ball.  "Hey, Negako!  Get our student records and get them 
over to the College ASAP!  The less I have to do with these lifeless jerks . 
. . "  She contemptuously thumbed the other Fuurinkan girls.  "The better!"

	She stormed back to the road train.  "As you wish."  Negako then looked at 
the still-dozing Principal.  "Pauline, wake up."

	No response.  Negako gently shifted his body around with her foot.  Chikage 
came up to give the Principal a detailed look-over.  "I believe he is still 
in shock over his inability to deal with Ani-kun's hair, Ane-kun."

	"So it seems."  Negako then lightly smiled.  "Kaho?"

	The young cheerleader came up.  "Hai, Onee-chama?"

	The ninjutsu grandmaster pointed to the tiny tree on the Principal's head.  
"Would you like to add another tree to your collection?"

	Kaho then gushed, clapping her hands together in anticipation.  "Hai, Kaho 
DEFINITELY wants a new tree!" she replied.

	That did it.  "***SAY WHAT?!***"  The Principal bolted up, scrambling over 
Ataru like Scooby-doo would over Shaggy on seeing the monster du jour.  
"***WHO SAYS ANYTHIN' ABOUT SOME WAHINI TAKIN' THE BIG KAHUNA'S TREE 
AWAY?!***"

	Ataru shoved him away, thus allowing Negako to grab the Principal by the 
scalp.  "Ask your secretary to fetch Ataru's and Ranma's records, Pauline."  
The grandmaster twisted his head so she could gaze into his eyes.  "Now."

	"B-but . . . "

	"Excuse me, Moroboshi-sensei, but are you looking for these?"

	Negako turned to see a secretary standing nearby, two thick folders in 
hand.  "Excellent."  She casually tossed the Principal aside to ensure he 
could not interfere, and then she took them.  "Did Hinako speak to you of 
this?"

	"Hai, Ninomiya-sensei called just now."  The secretary bowed.  Gazing 
amusedly at Ataru for a moment, she headed back to the building.

	Negako examined the records, and then she nodded.  "Good.  Jinseiko!"

	One black blur later, the leader of the Kuromoroboshi knelt beside Negako.  
"You summoned me, Grandmaster?"  She bowed her head.

	The records were handed over.  "Take those to the College.  Explain to the 
secretary there that Ataru and Ranma are to be registered in Senior Class 
3-A and Senior Class 2-C respectively as I discussed with the headmaster.  
Go now."

	"Hai, it will be done!"  Jinseiko bowed, and then she vanished.

	The Fuurinkan girls blinked.  Yuka walked up to Ataru.  "Must be nice to 
have your own personal ninja troupe at your beck and call!"

	"It's convenient."  He then turned to his sisters.  "Well, girls, shall we 
beat tracks to the Tower so we can go swimming?"

	"Hai!"  They nodded, turning to head to the road-train.

	"***HOLD THE POI HERE, KEIKI!***"

	Negako glared at the Principal.  "What is your problem, Pauline?"

	He balked on hearing her address him by his hated given name, and then he 
pointed his shears at Ranma.  "While the Big Kahuna don't mind that 
girl-crazy keiki Moroboshi not comin' to the Big Kahuna's school, the Big 
Kahuna didn't say ANYTHIN' about Saotome there walking outta here 
scot-free!"

	Negako shrugged.  "Why, I would believe that you would be quite pleased to 
see Ranma depart from Fuurinkan, Pauline."

	"Eh?!  What you talkin' about?!"

	"Your desire to properly discipline your students, of course," Negako 
replied.  "After all, Pauline, you have spent the last year or so focusing 
your attention on dealing with Ranma specifically.  There are over five 
hundred other students currently attending Fuurinkan High School, are there 
not?  And I know for a fact that a considerable number of them are getting 
away with far worse than anything you might have attributed to Ranma.  Have 
not Hinako and several others of your teachers warned you of the growing 
drug problem here?  What of the five girls who became pregnant in the last 
six months alone?  And the local branch of the Yakuza is certainly taking 
interest in Tendou Nabiki's operations here, obviously desiring to subvert 
such to their own control.  Is THIS truly what you would desire your school 
to be known for, Pauline?"

	The Principal blinked, and then he hummed, crossing his arms as he 
considered that.  The Fuurinkan girls exchanged looks, and then they gazed 
as one on Negako, they all wondering where the hell she acquired all THAT 
information.  Ataru remained silent; the sisters had by then boarded the 
road train.  Akane was starting to recover, she being helped by Sayuri and 
Yuka.

	Finally, the Principal nodded.  "You're right!"  He pointed to Negako, and 
then he gazed heavenward, the sun reflecting off his glasses.  "The Big 
Kahuna's been makin' himself too busy with Saotome ta think about the REAL 
discipline problems!  Fine!  Saotome's the problem of whatever school you're 
gonna send him to!  The Big Kahuna's got bigger fish to fry!"

	"A reasonable solution."  Negako nodded.  "Ataru?"

	Ataru nodded.  "Hai, Onee-chan."

	The Moroboshi siblings headed to the road train.  The others watched them.  
Akane then burst through the crowd to place herself before Ataru, her arms 
spread wide.  "WAIT!" she snapped, her actions causing Ataru and Negako to 
stop, and then she ran up to the road train.  "Ranma!  Why are you leaving?! 
  This is your home, for heaven's sake!"  She waved to the school, and then 
to the houses around them.  "You don't have to go anywhere else!  Please . . 
.!"

	No response came her way for a moment.  Ranma turned to stare on her former 
fiancée.  Akane jolted, feeling an icy chill warp through her on seeing the 
emotionless look on Ranma's face.  Finally, Ranma stepped off the road 
train.  The sisters watched her, many stunned that their brother's 
girlfriend was even acknowledging Akane.  "Anee, you don't have to listen to 
what this bitch says!" Mamoru snapped as she waved at the youngest Tendou.

	"Hey!"  Akane spun on the athlete.  "You mind your own . . .!"

	A fist exploded in her gut, sending her to her knees.  Akane cried out in 
shock as air was forced from her.  As her arms automatically wrapped around 
her abdomen, she looked up in stunned disbelief.  Ranma stared 
dispassionately at her. Gasps from the crowd echoed the surprise of many on 
seeing Ranma actually HIT her ex-fiancée.  "Ranma . . . " Akane gargled, and 
then she coughed several times as nausea overwhelmed her, she trying 
desperately not to throw up.

	"'Home,' you say . . .?"

	Akane blinked, looking back up to see Ranma staring at her, the latter's 
eyes misting over.  "You actually believe I look on this garbage dump . . . 
"  She waved around her to indicate Nerima.  "As my HOME?!" she hissed.

	"B-but, Ranma . . . " Akane whispered, reaching for her.

	Ranma's foot smashed that aside, nearly knocking Akane over.  Several girls 
gasped, they moving to help Akane to her feet.  Before they could get within 
three metres of the youngest Tendou, a ki blast knocked them off their feet! 
  Akane screamed, and then she stared wide-eyed on Ranma.  "Uh-uh!"  The 
redhead wagged her finger in a "no-no" gesture.  "Not this time, Tendou-san. 
  You're going to listen for once in your life and you're not going to get a 
chance to hide behind your pathetic friends to avoid the truth!"

	Akane quaked.  "R-r-Ranma . . . wh-why . . .?!"

	"'Why?'"  Ranma snorted.  "You got a brain!  Figure it out!  Or did that 
coward you call a father brainwash YOU too much into thinking the whole 
world'd bow to Tendou Akane, self-proclaimed 'greatest martial artist in all 
of Nerima?!'"  A disgusted sneer twisted her lips.  "Forget it!  I've 
shielded you ungrateful bastards for WAY too long!  I'm tired of doing 
something for nothin', not even a 'thank you,' for dealing with all the crap 
that lunatic . . . "  She pointed to the Principal.  "His son, his daughter, 
that ki-vamp Ninomiya and all the rest of those bastards've been willing to 
heap over you!"

	Yuka covered her mouth.  "Ranma-kun . . . "

	Ranma turned to the other girls.  "I want you all to think about this.  
With me gone, there's NO ONE who'll stop Happoosai from copping feels from 
any of you, stealing your personal property or doing anything else to any of 
you!  With me gone, there is NO ONE who'll stop Pantyhose Tarou from tearing 
this place apart as he tries to make Jijii change his name!  With me gone, 
the chances of all of you getting bowl cuts and buzz cuts from the Principal 
skyrocket!  After all, all he has to do is expel Kuonji-san and Tendou-san 
here and those who can stop him dwindle to no one!"  A wry grin crossed her 
face.  "I'm sure he's got loads of ways of dealing with ol' 
Bokken-for-brains.  And with me gone, the next time some hotshot comes by to 
seek a challenge'll have a much easier time of it!"  She then glanced at 
Akane.  "Not to mention what might happen when a Doojou Destroyer decides to 
pay you a visit, ne?!"

	Akane blinked.  "Ranma . . . "

	"Hey, Ataru!  Negako!  Let's go!"

	She hopped onto the road train, followed by Ataru and Negako.  As soon as 
they were in place, the driver guided the machine away from Fuurinkan High.  
"Ranma, WAIT!" Akane screamed as she staggered to her feet, moving to 
pursue.

	She then howled as yet ANOTHER ki blast rocketed at her to explode at her 
feet, knocking her down.  Akane cried out as the air was once again forced 
from her lungs.  She then staggered onto her elbows as Yuka and Sayuri moved 
to help her back up.  "Akane-chan, are you alright?!" the latter gasped as 
they helped her stumble to her feet, she glancing where the road train had 
driven off.

	Akane's mouth opened.  Then the strength in her body vanished as pained 
sobs stole her voice.  Sayuri moved to comfort her as several others 
gathered around them.  Before anyone could say anything more, a cackle 
echoed from inside the school walls.  "Well!  Well!  Well!  Ain't THIS 
nice?!"  The Principal grinned, his barber shears at the ready.  "Now that 
keiki's outta the way, it's time for the Big Kahuna to make all the other 
keiki at the Big Kahuna's school obey ALL the rules!" he then proclaimed.

	Panicked screamed echoed from the girls as the Hawai'i-crazed administrator 
closed on them, his intent plain.  A bell then made the Principal look up -- 
just as the tire of Shampoo's delivery bicycle slammed into his face!  
"Nihao!" the warrior-maiden cheerily called out as she drove the Principal 
into the dirt.  She then looked at the girls.  "You're lucky that this one 
saw Palm-Tree Man try to cut your hair . . . "  Her voice then trailed off 
on seeing the teary-eyed Akane kneeling on the ground nearby.  "Aiyah!  What 
happened to you, Akane?!"  Shampoo dismounted her machine, walking over to 
kneel beside her former rival.  "Did you get into a fight with someone?!"

	"What do you think?!" Sayuri snarled as she glared to where the road train 
vanished.  "Damn that bastard Saotome!  How could he just DO that to her?!"

	A hand grabbed her.  Sayuri found herself looking right at a scowling 
Shampoo.  "Why are you calling Airen names?!" the warrior-maiden demanded in 
a low, dangerous voice, the look in her eyes promising a lot of pain if 
Sayuri didn't quickly retract what she had just said.

*    *    *

	"Hey, you okay?"

	Ranma didn't look at Ataru, though she didn't resist his squeezing her 
hand.  "What do you think?" she hissed, leaning into his side as her free 
hand brushed away the tears flowing down her cheeks.

	Staring at them, the sisters remained respectfully silent.

*    *    *

	"Okay, shrimp!  You know what we want, don'tcha?"

	Gosunkugi Hikaru sweated.  It was the usual position for the would-be 
sorcerer:  Backed into a cul-de-sac, no escape possible, three VERY big 
young men ready to pound him into paste in case he didn't cough up what 
money he had.  What was worse, there was no sign of anyone who could help 
him get away.  And if the masks they wore spoke the truth about their real 
identities, these guys were ones Hikaru himself had encountered sometime 
ago.  They would remember his previous attempt at using voodoo against them.

	"Excuse me, but why are you picking on that man?"

	Hikaru's eyes widened as the toughs spun around, gazing on the woman in the 
slacks and flower-print shirt standing three metres away.  Though her face 
was darkened by shadow, her hair and shape spoke volumes.  "Akane-san . . 
.!" he gasped as delirious dizziness suddenly overcame him.

	What happens next was a hazy blur to the frail lad.  The toughs charged.  
In a storm of fists to the jaw and foot strikes *there,* the three were 
reduced to piles of whimpering flesh in seconds.  Confirming they no longer 
presented a threat, the woman approached Hikaru.  His eyes focused on the 
concern etched on her face, that being enough to snap the rest of his brain 
clear of its passion-induced fog.  "Are you alright?" she asked.

	Hikaru blinked.  Yes, this person looked exactly like Akane, but the 
difference in her speech pattern, not to mention different movements in the 
body, automatically told him something different.  "You're not Akane-san!"

	The woman chuckled as she helped him to his feet.  She seems to freeze for 
a moment, and then she relaxed.  "No, I'm not.  My name is Tendou Kimiko.  
My body . . . "  She pointed to her heart.  "Was cloned from Akane-sama's."

	"Cloned . . .?"  Hikaru stood, staring intently at Kimiko.  "How?!"

	"I can't answer that.  The person who provided this body for me hasn't told 
me how she gained it."  Kimiko smiled, an expression that, for all its 
honesty, was as different from Akane's as night was from day.  "I hope I 
didn't confuse you, Hikaru-sama.  I didn't mean to do that."

	He began to sway.  *Sh-she called me 'Hikaru-SAMA?!'*

	"Hikaru-sama!  Are you alright?!"  She grabbed him, and then she yelped as 
a blast of warmth, akin to the heat of a gas burner, danced over her hands.  
Pulling her hands away, she stared at her palms in shocked confusion.  He 
stared wide-eyed at her, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to 
say something yet couldn't make his larynx voice his thoughts.  *Oh!*  
Kimiko blinked.  *He's attracted to me!*  Her cheeks flamed.  *Very 
attracted . . . *

	He remained rooted in place as Kimiko leaned into him, she drawing her arms 
around his waist.  His heartbeat thundered in his ears as his nose picked up 
the lovely scent of her shampoo.  His cheeks then reddened on feeling a 
rather natural response to being in such close proximity to a woman.  She 
stiffened for a second, and then she relaxed, turning her face to gaze on 
him.  He stared at her, a million questions thundering through his mind.  
Then -- for what reason, he had NO idea -- he firmly grasped her shoulders.

	Kimiko remained in place as Hikaru's lips caressed hers.  She then warmed 
to the contact.  Images bombarded her mind.  Mostly focusing on Akane, they 
accompanied by overwhelming passion, desire -- and frustration.  Brief 
images of Ranma then appeared, accompanied by feelings of irritation, envy 
and jealousy.  There were fleeting images of others, but Akane's images were 
the strongest.

	They then reluctantly pulled apart.  Kimiko tried not to smile as she 
asked, "You've always desired her, haven't you?"

	"Yes."  Hikaru nodded, stunned that the surge of strength flooding his 
muscles hadn't abated.  "Why did you get cloned from her?"

	"It's . . . a long story.  It was Ranma-sama who helped made this possible, 
Hikaru-sam- . . .!" -- *Wait!  Wait!  Too formal!* she mentally railed -- 
"Er, Hikaru-kun!"  She pulled away, covering her mouth in polite laughter.

	Hikaru tried not to scream for joy.  *She called me 'Hikaru-KUN?!'*  He 
shuddered with delight, and then he blinked as he remembered something else 
Kimiko just said.  "Wait!  You said SAOTOME made this possible for you?!"

	"Hai! I . . . "  She blushed again.  "Would you like to go to a coffee shop 
so we can talk more, Hikaru-kun?"  She waves out of the cull-de-sac.  "I 
mean, I'd hardly call this a proper place to start a relationship."

	He stared nonplussed at her before he nodded.  "Um, s-s-s-sure th-thing, 
Kimiko-sa- . . .!"  He flustered.  "Um, Kimiko-chan."

	She beamed, slipping her arm around his.  He did his best not to become a 
babbling wreck.  Walking past the downed bullies, they headed out and turned 
down the street.  Unfortunately for them, they had not taken ten steps 
before an imperious voice bellowed from behind, "HOLD!"

	Hikaru jolted.  "Damn!  HE would have to show up!"

	And there he was:  Kunou Tatewaki.  "What foulness is THIS?!"  The kendou 
team captain pointed at him with his bokken.  "You, Gosunkugi!  How DARE you 
force Tendou Akane to cling to YOUR unworthy arm?!  Do you not know the Blue 
Thunder's proclamation?!  NONE may date the fair Akane without defeating her 
in battle!  Release her from your foul clutches this INSTANT or . . .!"

	"Or what?"

	That question cut Kunou short.  He then focused on "Akane."  In a flash, he 
was directly in front of her, a hand reaching for hers . . .

	With a well-aimed toss, she sent him flying toward the Shakujii River!  
Hikaru watched the Blue Thunder vanish into the morning sky, and then he 
sighed.  "That, Kunou-*sempai,* you had coming to you," he muttered under 
his breath.

	Kimiko relaxed before smiling at him.  "Shall we go, Hikaru-kun?"

	He nodded.  "Um, h-h-hai!"

	They headed off.

*    *    *

	"Nodoka."

	Nodoka's eyes fluttered.  Sitting up in her hospital bed, she looked 
confusedly around the room.  Yes, there was Hisayo in the bed next to her.  
Nishiki Maya had arranged for the sisters to convalesce here; sometime later 
that day or first thing the next, they would be discharged from Nerima 
General.  As she finished her scan of the room, she quickly noticed the lone 
man standing by the door.  "Father!" she breathed out.

	Asagaya Isao was in his late sixties.  Very slim, his head was bald save 
for a band of grey hair around his ears, not to mention a moustache and a 
goatee; he always carried himself with an imperious air.  If a daimyou of 
the Tokugawa era could be transported to the start of the twenty-first 
century, then clothed in modern fashion, he would most likely turn out to be 
someone like Isao.  If there was anyone in Nodoka's life who served as her 
ultimate role model when it came to personal etiquette, it was her father.

	"Genma is no more," he calmly stated.

	Nodoka blinked, and then she nodded, moving to sit up.  A glance at Hisayo 
revealed her to be still asleep.  Isao waved his daughter down.  "Yes, 
Father.  The police informed me of that last night.  How did you get in 
here?"

	"I have ways," he replied.  "What of the Saotome honour sword?"

	"Destroyed," Nodoka said.  Did Isao know what happened at Fuurinkan High?  
If so, why was he asking her?  If not, why wasn't he concerning himself more 
over this, given his desire to bring Ranma into the Asagaya family?  "Genma 
foolishly tried to use it against Ranma last night.  According to the 
police, it was destroyed during the fight."

	"Good."  He nodded as a thoughtful look crossed his face.  "With all of 
Genma's actions, the blade had lost all true significance.  A family without 
the barest semblance of honour has no right to possess such a sword.  
Agreed?"

	"Agreed."  She sighed.  "Father, there is a problem with Ranma . . . "

	Isao's eyes narrowed.  "I am aware of that, Nodoka.  In fact, there are 
several problems my would-be grandson has thrown up before us.  The primary 
one being this:  Why has Ranma declared himself an orphan?"

	Nodoka stared wide-eyed at Isao, her heart thumping in her chest as his 
question whirled through her mind.  "Orphan . . .?" she gasped.

	"An orphan, Nodoka."  Isao gazed absently at her.  That look sent a chill 
through her.  It didn't take her much to realize how displeased her father 
had become over this development.  "That he continues to hold the same name 
as that fool Genma is one thing.  That he has gone so far as to create his 
own branch of the Saotome family, with no relations to either Genma or 
yourself, is another.  Why has this happened, Nodoka?  Did you not make it 
clear enough to your son what was being offered to him?"

	"I . . . "  She paused before nodding.  "Yes, Father, I did.  But . . . "  
A lump formed in her throat. Oh dear, how was she going to explain this?  
"There were those who cast a lot of suspicion on what you were trying to 
do."

	"Then I suggest you make it VERY clear to him when you see him next," Isao 
sternly instructed before he turned to leave.

	Nodoka watched him go, and then she sank back in her bed.  "Ranma . . . "

	"I don't think Ranma's going to listen to you, No-chan."

	She glanced over.  Hisayo was slowly sitting up.  "Onee-chan . . . " Nodoka 
whispered before she closed her eyes.  "Did you hear it all?"

	Hisayo nodded.  "Yep."  While Nodoka still held onto some faint hope of 
restoring a proper relationship with Isao, Hisayo was firmly convinced that 
the sooner the old fool was finally ashes in his family tomb, the better.  
"He doesn't really care a damned bit for either you or Ranma, No-chan.  The 
sooner you come to realize that, the better for you both."

	Nodoka gazed on the ceiling, nodding.

*    *    *

	Many light-years from Earth, beyond Uru and Benten's home planet of 
Fukunokami, it shrouded in a rose-shaped planet-wide defence field, lay the 
planet Elle.  Home to one of the most technologically advanced civilizations 
in this part of the galaxy, the Ellsian Kingdom was one of the founding 
states of the Galactic Federation.  An alliance of interplanetary kingdoms, 
republics and confederations, the Federation, atop the aforementioned Uru, 
Fukunokami and Elle, also included Oyuki's home planet of Triton, Kurama's 
home planet of Karasutengu, Rupa's home planet of Yaminokuni, Lupica's home 
planet of Tofunokoibito, the two unions of the Phentax tri-star system . . .

	And the Dominion of Noukiios.

	Though that last might not be part of the Federation before long.

	And if that was so . . .?

	"My Queen?"

	The present ruler of the Kingdom, the sixty-fourth in a line unbroken for 
almost a millennium from the days of the Great Rose Emperor Adam, looked up 
and over her shoulder to see one of her aides standing nearby.  "Yes?"

	The aide bowed.  "Agent Rose is here with her report, Your Majesty."

	"Send her in.  This is a private meeting."

	"By your command, my Queen."

	The aide withdrew.  A moment later, a tall, well-built, brown-haired woman 
marched in.  Like most women of this world, Rose de Hausenbach -- her nom de 
guerre was "Seven Bake Rose" -- wore a single-piece, form-fitting swimsuit 
done in a shiny black material akin to what Terrans called leather.  A 
waist-length cape, also black, was draped over her shoulders.  Reaching a 
point three metres from Queen Elle, the mercenary stopped, and then she 
bowed.  "Your Majesty, I have the report on the Noukiios-Uru conflict."

	"Was Honey involved?" Elle wondered.

	"Yes, ma'am.  Quite heavily, in fact.  Here."

	Rose drew out a datapadd to hand it over.  Elle took it, and then she 
tapped controls to call up the subject files.  Scanning the information 
there, her eyes narrowed.  "His grandmother was a Righteous Gentile?" she 
gasped.

	"Protestant Reformist Church," Rose elaborated.  "Lady Nagaiwakai was 
involved in that famine that struck Jiyuu, Magairu and a few other colony 
worlds about forty years ago.  When the whole matter with the Urusians 
started up, she devised a plan by which, in case her grandson lost the first 
Tag Race, the Urusians would've been dealt with."

	"And the Onis decided to eliminate her just in case," Elle mused, lowering 
the datapadd.  "This is very disturbing."

	Rose nodded.  The Holy Republic of Zephyrus was power unto itself in this 
part of the galaxy.  That sense of invincibility had been deftly used by the 
Zephyrites to ensure the states bordering her did not step too far out of 
line.  That was understandable, Elle knew.  A planet-state's ruler -- be she 
queen, president, prime minister or holy mother -- had to look out for her 
people first.  Yet because of that overbearing threat of all-out force the 
Holy Republic could swing to bear on anyone, those neighbouring states had 
come to assume that behind-the-scenes machinations were beyond the 
Zephyrites' capabilities because of the simple fact that they weren't 
needed.

	That assumption was now dust.

	"There're more details about Mr. Groom's family on the padd, Your Majesty," 
Rose respectfully offered.  "You might want to read that."

	Elle gazed on the mercenary.  She then tapped controls to call up more 
files.  On the screen, a computer copy of a Noukiite family registry 
flashed.  Gazing on the information there, her jaw dropped.  "Sisters . . 
.?!"

	She stared on Rose.  "Fourteen," Rose said.  "When he was helping the 
Noukiites and the Inquisition hunt his grandmother's murderers down, Mr. 
Groom was given honorary citizenship in the Dominion.  He was then able to 
expand that to include the other members of his family."

	Elle gazed on the datapadd.  "His parents are not listed here."

	"Mr. Groom renounced them, Your Majesty.  According to what I was able to 
discover, Mr. Groom's mother was the primary motivating factor in the 
separation between himself and Lady Nagaiwakai.  There were other 
circumstances.  I couldn't get any more details."  She bowed her head 
apologetically.

	"I see . . . "  The queen nodded, taking a deep breath.  "Do you believe 
you can make your way to Earth without being detected, Rose?"

	The mercenary nodded.  "Easy enough."

*    *    *

	Some distance from where Kamekichi Tampopo once held court, there was a 
large ladies boutique called Esmerelda's.  The proprietor of this place, a 
forty-something East End Londoner named Esmerelda Stevens, had migrated to 
Tomobiki after the First Tag Race.  Soon, almost EVERY girl of high school 
age in Tomobiki came to view Esmerelda's as THE "in" shop.  Whatever trends 
in fashion that burst across the pop scene got first airing here.  You could 
get ANYTHING, from day wear to kimonos, from sports gear to lingerie and 
swim wear, even school uniforms, coming to Esmerelda's.

	The boutique was being besieged by Ataru's sisters, they racing through the 
various departments as they scrambled to give Ranma a true woman's wardrobe 
worthy of the name.  Despite Ataru's fears about how a potential conflict 
between himself and other Tomobiki natives might ultimately reflect on his 
immediate family, the sisters had insisted on coming here to get Ranma new 
clothes.  "If they bother us because you're our brother, we'll show those 
dorkheads a thing or two about respect, Onii-sama," Sakuya assured him.

	Esmerelda, a slender woman with greying hair, looking like an atypical 
private school headmistress, coordinated everything by the change rooms.  
Ataru sat nearby; he was the fashion judge.  Ranma was trying on a chemise.  
Sakuya was with her in the change room.  "Okay, Onii-sama, here she comes!"

	Ranma stepped out.  Esmerelda nodded.  "Oh, that's nice."

	"Wow!"

	That was Ataru, by the way.

	"What exactly is that, Stevens-san?" Karen asked.

	"Wow!"

	"Part of the Canterbury Collection, my dear."  The Englishwoman gazed 
amusedly on Karen.  "It just came out this year."

	"Wow!"

	Ranma turned to a full-length mirror.  She had on what was normally called 
a "poet chemise," a knee-length, loose white dress with lace and ribbon 
trimming, buttons going down the front.  The cotton of the dress was thin 
enough so that you could still make out her figure underneath if the light 
was right.  "Do you like that, Onee-chan?  It looks good on you," Karen 
asked.

	"Wow!"

	Ranma turned slightly.  "Yeah, it does, doesn't it?"

	"Wow!"

	Mamoru patted Ataru's shoulder.  "Well, Anii sure likes it!"

	Ranma stared curiously at him.  "Wow!"  Ataru sank into his chair.

	"How many was that?" Sakuya asked.

	"I counted six," Karen reported.

	Ranma stared at the eldest sister.  "That good?"

	"Definitely."  Sakuya winked, and then she called, "Who's got swimwear?!"

	"Found it!" Rinrin called out as she came up with a black opaque one-piece 
on a rack hangar.  "I think this'll be great for Aneki!"

	Ranma stared at it.  She then headed into the change room, Sakuya following 
her.  Mamoru pinched Ataru awake.  "Eh?!"  He looked around, and then he 
sighed.  "Oh, man!  I'll be more than glad when this is over with!"

	"You're not the only one, Ataru," Ranma called out.

	Laughter filled the boutique.  Ranma soon emerged, wearing a crochet 
one-piece composed of nude power mesh done up in spandex, that underlined 
with opaque nylon to obscure more intimate details.  The only skin it 
revealed was a keyhole opening in the back; the suit went all the way to her 
neck.  "Well?"  She turned to the mirror to give herself an once-over, and 
then she turned to Ataru.  "Is this okay . . .?"

	"Wow . . .!" he drawled before passing out.

	Ranma then frowned.  "Oh, bummer . . . "

	"No!  No!  No!"  Mamoru shook her head, wagging her finger.  "If that suit 
did THAT to Anii, it's perfect for you, Anee!"

	Ranma took that in, and then she blushed.  "I don't want to end up killing 
the guy 'cause I'm wearing something like THIS, Mamoru!"

	Esmerelda winked, holding up an objecting finger.  "I believe it will not 
only ensure their brother remains loyal to you, my dear, but it'll make him 
more than ready to defend you from the groping hands of unwanted chikan 
artists."

	Ranma blinked.  "Well, if you say so, ma'am . . . "

	More laughter filled the shop.

*    *    *

	"***HE HIT YOU?!***"

	It was lunchtime at the Tendou doojou.  Souun was now a hair's breadth away 
from unleashing a Demon Head, though the true target of his anger was 
nowhere in Nerima.  "Hai, he did," Akane grunted, a hand rubbing her 
abdomen.  Sayuri and Yuka sat to either side of her.  "Ranma told me he's in 
love with someone else.  I demanded to know who she was and he brushed me 
off, the jerk!  So I tried to smack him into place and he . . .!"

	Akane's voice trailed off.  "Ranma-kun hit her mallet with something he 
called the 'heart blast touch,'" Yuka finished as Sayuri squeezed Akane's 
shoulder in sympathy.  "It destroyed the mallet and knocked Akane-chan out."

	Nabiki perked.  "The Heart Blast Touch?!"  She then winced.  "Ouch!  You're 
lucky it was only the mallet he hit, Akane!"

	"What does THAT mean?!" Akane snapped.

	"Negako-san told me the Shinzou Bakuhatsu Shoku is one of the two main 
killing manoeuvres in Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu," Nabiki explained.  "Unlike 
the rock-breaking technique Ryouga-kun knows, the Heart Blast Touch is VERY 
effective against humans.  One strike . . .!" -- she pointed to a spot under 
her breast -- "Here and your heart'll literally explode."  The middle Tendou 
daughter ignored the horrified looks on the younger girls' faces.  "Strikes 
against the major nerve clusters in the shoulders and hips would forever 
deny you use of your arms or legs.  Aim at the back of the spine and you 
could cripple someone.  Aim for the head and . . . "  She shuddered.  
"Nasty!"

	Sayuri nearly choked on her bile.  "Saotome knows THAT?!"

	"Yep.  Matter of fact, Negako-san told me earlier today that Ranma-kun 
mastered that particular move in less than an hour.  And, believe it or not 
. . . "  She held up a finger, smiling.  "It was ATARU who taught him that."

	Sayuri gaped.  "Moroboshi?!"

	"Could you imagine what the people of Tomobiki might think if they knew 
something like THAT?!" Yuka wondered aloud.

	"They probably already know."  Nabiki turned back to her tea to take a sip 
before she continued, "After all, how could Ataru-kun've dug all those 
people out of the wreckage of his old school last Monday as quickly as he 
did?"

	Yuka considered that, and then she nodded.  "True."

	"What else happened, Yuka-chan?" Kasumi asked.

	"Well, after Akane-chan was knocked out, Ataru-kun's sister Negako forced 
the principal to turn over both his and Ranma-kun's school records so they 
could be sent to some college.  They didn't say which college it was . . . 
wait!"

	She perked, humming.  Sayuri snapped her fingers.  "Oh, that's right!  One 
of those girls mentioned something about a 'Stargazer West College' . . .!"

	Nabiki perked.  "What younger girls?!"

	"There were about ten or twelve of them," Sayuri explained.  "It was kinda 
funny.  They all called Moroboshi-san 'big brother' . . . "

	Kasumi's and Nabiki's eyes widened.  "Oh, those must've been Ataru-kun's 
younger sisters."  The former then smiled, humming thoughtfully.  "Then the 
college they mentioned must be the one the sisters attend."

	"I can check that out," the latter confirmed.

	"Yes, Nabiki, do so!"

	Eyes locked on Souun.  Akane blinked.  "Dad . . .?"

	He looked determined.  "Ranma won't be allowed to escape his obligations!" 
he ordained, ignoring the annoyed looks appearing on Kasumi and Nabiki's 
faces.  "He'll be brought back to Nerima immediately . . . "  He crossed his 
arms.  "So he can marry Akane and unite the schools as Saotome-kun and I 
planned!"

	Tired moaned escape his elder daughters, earning them a stern look from 
Souun.  Sayuri and Yuka kept their peace.  Akane shuddered, unsure of what 
to say or think in spite of the fact that, thirty-six hours before, she had 
gladly declared to both her father and Genma that she loved Ranma.  
Suddenly, Kasumi perked.  "Ah, we have a guest!"  She rose, heading to the 
front gate.

	"Dad, don't you think . . .?!" Nabiki began.

	"NO!"  Souun slammed his fist into the table.  "Ranma will marry Akane-chan 
and that is FINAL, Nabiki!  Your continued, selfish, pointless interference 
in this matter will no longer be tolerated!  You have already interfered 
enough in their lives and my plans for them, Nabiki!  You WILL ensure that 
Ranma comes back to this house as soon as possible or else you will . . .!"

	A fist smashed into his nose, sending Souun flying into a wall.  As he 
collapsed into a heap on the floor, Nabiki straightened herself, her fists 
clenching and unclenching as her battle aura flared.  "Onee-chan . . .!" 
Akane gasped as she, Sayuri and Yuka stared wide-eyed at Nabiki.

	"How soon we forget who actually PAYS the bills around this place!" the 
middle daughter growled.  "You try to throw me out, Dad, and I promise you 
that your life will become a living HELL!  Don't you DARE preach to me what 
was proper and what wasn't when it came to Akane and Ranma!"  She pointed at 
him.  "After all that time you spent SITTING there on the porch, doing 
NOTHING to help keep our home, you've got some gall to speak to me like THAT 
after all the things I've done to keep this place over our heads!"

	"Indeed, Father, Nabiki-chan is correct," Kasumi announced as she stepped 
back inside.  "You have no right to judge any of us for what we did or 
didn't do in these last few years when you've done NOTHING to help keep our 
home intact!"  She drew out a thick envelope from behind her.  "Furthermore, 
we can no longer bother Ranma-kun where he has chosen to live.  Read."

	She tossed the package onto the table.  Nabiki scooped it up and opened it, 
drawing out a covering letter.  Scanning it, she whistled.  "Well, guess 
that settles that," she announced.

	"What does that say, Onee-chan?" Akane wondered.

	"This is from the Court of Special Appeals."  Nabiki held up the letter to 
show to everyone in the room.  "This confirms a court injunction issued 
against our family concerning Ranma-kun and the idiot's agreement Dad made 
with that panda Ranma-kun once had to call a father . . . "

	"***'COURT INJUNCTION?!'***"

	Souun was on his feet.  "Yep," Nabiki said.  "As of six o'clock last 
evening, by special edict of the senior judge of the Court of Special 
Appeals, acting on behalf of the Imperial Palace Agency, an injunction was 
issued against all parties who desire to forge a marriage bond with Saotome 
Ranma, once-child of Saotome Genma and Saotome Nodoka of Nerima-ku, 
Tokyo-to; now head of the Saotome family of Oomure-chou, Odawara-shi in 
Kanagawa-ken."  She paused as she scanned the letter's contents.  "Simple 
enough."

	"What does it say, Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi asked.

	"It says here that if any one of us continues to harass Ranma-kun 
concerning what Dad here tried to set up with the panda, then we'll be 
investigated for all confirmed or suspected illegal activities which might 
have affected Ranma-kun.  Then, if warranted, charges would be laid against 
us."  Nabiki slipped the paper back into the envelope, and then she moved to 
head upstairs.  "I guess that takes care of that."

	"WAIT!" Souun wailed.  "There must be . . .!"

	"Forget it, Dad."  She glanced at him.  "It's over.  If you want to keep 
chasing after Ranma-kun, you're on your own.  Don't expect any help from 
me."

	She turned to head upstairs.  "Tendou Nabiki, you will help bring Ranma 
home or you will no longer be allowed to live in this house!" Souun 
threatened.

	"DAD!" Akane cried out.

	Nabiki blinked.  "Fine.  I'm sure Negako-san'll let me live at her place 
while I finish school and move on to university."  She then glared at her 
father.  "And while I go forth and destroy everything you have left in this 
world, *Father.*  Your legacy, your doojou, your place as head of this 
household, EVERYTHING you once called your own will be taken away from you.  
If you're so intent on living inside that little fantasy world of yours, 
I'll be DAMNED if you drag all of us down with you!"

	She stormed upstairs.  "Nabiki!" Souun cried out, collapsing to his knees.

	"Father."

	Shuddering, he stared into Kasumi's face.  "Father, if you force 
Nabiki-chan to leave, then I too will leave."  She crossed her arms.  
"Nabiki-chan is correct.  Your continued refusal to see what is truly going 
on with those you state you care for has brought such disharmony to this 
household that I find I can no longer live here.  I'm sure Toofuu-sensei 
will be more than happy to let me live with him as I proceed to university 
myself."  She headed to the kitchen.  "Ranma-kun was right all along.  I've 
sacrificed far too much of my life because of your laziness.  And I refuse 
to keep placing my life and my dreams on hold because you refuse to stop 
being lazy!"

	The door slammed shut behind her.  "Kasumi!" Souun tearfully screamed, and 
then he jolted as Akane stood, she moving to head upstairs.  Sayuri and Yuka 
headed up ahead of her, both moving to allow her to speak to her father 
alone.  "Akane . . .?"  He turned to her.  When she refused to look at him, 
he bowed his head.  "Do you still love him?"

	Silence fell.  Then a weak "Yes" escaped her.  "Then bring him home!  You 
have to!" Souun pleaded.  "If you let him go, everything we've all tried to 
make here is wasted!  You'll let Ranma-kun fall into the grasp of Nodoka's 
relatives!  If that happens, you'll never have a chance to let your heart's 
dream come true!  You can understand that, can't you, Akane-chan?!  Bring 
him home!"

	Akane shuddered, tears spilling down her cheeks as she tried to find the 
right words to say.  Finally, she gazed heavenward.  "He said to me this 
morning . . . "  She sniffed.  "That he no longer considers this place his 
home."

	She headed upstairs at a run.  "Akane-chan . . . " Souun burbled before 
collapsing on himself, pained sobs escaping him.

*    *    *

	"How could you say that to your own father, Nabiki?!"

	Nabiki stared at Sayuri.  "Look, I know you don't like Ranma-kun . . . "

	"You're damn right I don't!" Sayuri snarled.  "Ever since that bastard 
first showed up, Akane-chan's been treated like dirt by almost everyone who 
knows her!  She gets no respect for what she can do, even when she WANTS to 
learn how to stand on her own two feet!  Oh, NO!  That's not right since, 
because she's engaged, she has to depend TOTALLY on a jerk like Saotome!  
And Akane-chan got no support when she tries something new!  Why?  Because 
no one wanted to be bothered to make her look better than her 'iinazuke,' 
even when he was forced to act like a girl!  You want to know how much it 
HURT her when Saotome proved he was a better *girl* than she?!  How much it 
HURT her every time she tried to cook something and NO ONE, even her SISTERS 
. . . "  She glared at Nabiki.  "Would help her out, much less encourage her 
to do better?!"

	Nabiki gazed evenly at Akane's friend, crossing her arms.  "So when did YOU 
ever try any of Akane's cooking, Sayuri?" she coyly asked.

	Sayuri jolted before she flustered.  "W-w-well . . . "

	Nabiki nodded knowingly.  "Uh-huh!"

	"What about my cooking?!"

	Akane stepped into the room.  Nothing was said as the youngest daughter sat 
on Nabiki's bed.  Nabiki remained silent, she glancing at her computer.  
Sayuri and Yuka exchanged a look, and then they gazed on their friend, 
unsure as to what they could say in a situation like this, much less if they 
should say anything at all.  Finally, Akane asked, "Did you mean it?"

	"Mean what?" Nabiki wondered.

	"What you threatened to do to Dad?"

	"If I have to."

	"Why?"

	"Because it's time for Dad to start acting his age, Akane."  She glanced on 
her sister.  "It's time for him to start realizing how much pain he's been 
unleashing ever since that panda showed up.  On you, on me, on Onee-chan, on 
Ranma-kun and everyone else."  Shaking her head, she rose, heading to the 
window to gaze on the townscape beyond.  "Now I can understand where 
Ranma-kun's coming from when he said he didn't want anything to do with us.  
We USED him, Akane-chan.  You, me, Dad and everyone else.  And ESPECIALLY 
the panda, may that selfish bastard rot in Hell for all he's done!"  She 
closed her eyes, tears brimming in her lashes.  "We've been HIDING behind 
Ranma-kun, Akane.  Whenever something weird hit town, we shoved him into 
dealing with it without giving him any sort of REAL encouragement.  Hell, 
whenever he got into trouble, what did everyone do?  Shouted insults at him, 
told him to deal with matter . . .!"

	"All he really wanted was thanks."

	Eyes locked on Yuka.  "Yuka-chan," Sayuri whispered.

	"That's what he said at school, Sayuri-chan."  Yuka sighed.  "Don't you 
remember?  How he said that he was tired of doing something for nothing, not 
even a 'thank you,' for dealing with the garbage that hits town every once 
in a while.  And remember what else he said?  About what'll happen now that 
he's gone off with Moroboshi-san and his sisters?  Who the hell stops 
Happoosai from stealing all our clothes?  Who stops people like that Tarou 
guy?  Who stops the Principal?  Hell, who's going to stop Kunou from 
pressing the whole fight for Akane-chan if he decides that what Akane-chan 
said today doesn't count?!  Who the hell stops the next hotshot coming into 
town looking for a good fight?  Hell, who'll save the doojou next time a 
Doojou Destroyer comes along . . .?"

	"IF Ojii-san doesn't give Dad a new training license," Nabiki muttered.

	"True."  Yuka shakily nodded before turning to Sayuri.  "Akane couldn't 
stand up to the last one; Ranma-kun had to deal with him!  And Nabiki's only 
NOW getting back into shape . . . "  She shrugged before leaning on the bed.

	Sayuri snorted.  "It's all Saotome's fault, anyway!"

	Nabiki smirked.  "You know, Sayuri-chan, hanging onto that attitude isn't 
going to help."  Her grin turned savage as she glanced on Akane's friend.  
"Matter of fact, it's that attitude that helped drive Ranma-kun away."

	Sayuri shook her head.  "Oh, no, you don't!"  She pointed at Nabiki.  
"You're not going to peg this on me!  Uh-uh!  And I won't let you get away 
with heaping it all over your sister, either!"  She pointed to Akane.  
"Akane-chan was right all along about that bastard!  And there's nothing you 
can say or do that'll make me change my mind!"  She stormed out of the room.

	Nabiki watched her leave, and then she turned to look out the window.  
Sayuri walked onto the courtyard, heading out the front gate for home.  
Sensing the silence from the other people in her room, the middle Tendou 
daughter gazed on Yuka.  "You're awfully quiet, Yuka-chan.  Aren't you going 
to say something?"

	Yuka shrugged.  "What can I say?  Ranma-kun's gone and there's obviously no 
hope of bringing him back.  I . . . "  She gazed on Akane before placing a 
supportive hand on her friend's shoulder.  "Maybe instead of trying to force 
the whole engagement thing on him, you should just try to be Ranma-kun's 
friend.  That's all he seems to want now, Akane-chan."

	"Then who is she?"

	"Akane-chan?"

	Akane stared at Nabiki.  "Who is it?  Is it Ukyou?  Is it Shampoo?  
Kodachi, maybe?  Or is it one of Moroboshi's sisters?  Who IS IT, 
Onee-chan?!"

	"What are you talking about?" Nabiki demanded, staring at her sister.

	"You damn well KNOW what I'm talking about!" Akane snapped, bolting to her 
feet.  "Ranma said he wouldn't reciprocate my feelings for him because he 
loves someone else!  Who is she, Onee-chan?!  Damn it all, you HAVE to 
know!"

	Nabiki blinked, and then she gazed out the window.  "Much that you might 
not want to believe this, but I don't know everything about Ranma-kun.  And 
I think after all we've been through these last few weeks, what I do know 
about Ranma-kun may not apply . . . "

	"Damn it, I don't CARE about that!" Akane railed.  "WHO IS SHE?!"

	Silence fell as Nabiki continued to look out the window.  She then asked, 
"Why do you want to know this?  You going to try to fight whoever it is to 
get Ranma-kun back?  You remember what he said to you last night about that 
. . .!"

	"Onee-chan, he's fought enough for me!" Akane cut her off before she sank 
onto the bed.  "But . . .!"  Tears brimmed her eyelashes as she clenched her 
fists.  "I just can't let it end like THIS!  Please, who is she?!  Tell 
me!!"

	Nabiki gazed on her sister, and then she sighed.  "It's not a girl."

	Akane jolted before her eyes widened.  "Negako-san . . .?"

	"Akane . . . "

	"Of course!"  Akane leapt to her feet.  "It makes PERFECT sense!  
Negako-san's got all that experience and knowledge in the Art!  Ranma would 
automatically be attracted to her!  And she's nothing at all like Cologne or 
Happoosai, so why wouldn't he . . .?!"

	"AKANE!"

	Akane yelped, staring at Nabiki.  "It's not Negako."  The middle Tendou 
daughter shook her head, a knowing grin crossing her face.

	Akane blinked.  "Not Negako . . .?"  Her forehead furrowed as she sank back 
onto the bed.  She then froze, her eyes widening as she remembered what 
Nabiki and Kasumi spoke of earlier.  "No . . . " she whispered.  "No . . .!  
You can't be serious . . .!  Not . . .?"

	"Who?!" Yuka demanded.  "You mean . . .?  Moroboshi-san?!"

	Nabiki left them hanging for a moment, and then she walked over to the 
folder on her desk.  Opening it, she leafed through the pages contained 
within.  She then drew out a sheet to hand it to her sister.  "Read."

	Akane scanned it, her eyes widening.