[FFML] [fanfic][UY/Ranma/SisPri] "Lonely Souls" Part 6 B Side (final draft)

[Frederick Herriot]

Might take a bite out of C Side tonight.  Now, if it'll only cool down in 
this part of the world . . .! ^_^;;

Fred

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

	"No . . . this can't be . . . it just CAN'T be . . .!"

	Zani shuddered as his eyes scoured the information scrolling on his 
computer's view screen.  The rotund, bespectacled man, looking to be in his 
twenties though he was older, had the ability to tap directly into the 
computers of every Niphentaxian in and around the Holy City.  The 
observation notes, drafts for amendments to the Book of Lum, copies taken 
from the diaries of the Holy Apostles and the Holy Company, administrative 
and logistical information, even medical data -- it was all Zani's for the 
asking.

	As a Guardian, his purpose in Niphentaxian society was vital.  Since 
recorded history began on Phentax Two, the people of his world had been 
caught in a vicious, endless cycle of Great Awakenings.  When some unique 
social fad witnessed by his countrymen would be made to serve as inspiration 
to create whole new societies which would stand the test of time until yet 
ANOTHER unique social fad would steal away the attention of the masses.  On 
one hand, this process kept society dynamic, allowing it to evolve to be the 
best it could be given the limitations Zani's people were cursed with.  On 
the other hand, being addicted to basing one's whole society on others' 
risked leaving Zani's people vulnerable to exploitation from all forms of 
tyrants, both within and without.

	And then, there was the Prophecy.

	Zani sat back in his chair, his mind rolling through the information 
observers assigned to monitor the Fifth Holy Apostle had just collected.  
That the Church of Lum was teetering on the brink of ultimate disaster was a 
foregone conclusion.  Even with the deaths of three billion of the Faithful, 
the Church theoretically possessed strong support.  But that was at this 
time centred on the colonies, not the Homeworld itself.  Yes, there were 
many of the Faithful on the Homeworld, but from what Zani had learned; those 
who survived the Cataclysm were of moderate sects.  People who looked on 
Moroboshi Ataru not as the "Great Evil" but as the "Goddess' Beloved 
Darling."

	And if THAT wasn't bad enough, there were the heretics from the older 
churches.  Ostracized from "proper" Niphentaxian society when the Church of 
Lum became the One True Faith -- and, no doubt, longing for retribution on 
their tormentors.  Add that to the Goddess' death, the disappearance of the 
Goddess' Holy Cousin, and the murder of four of the Holy Apostles a week 
before . . .

	Now this . . .

	THIS!

	"It will not be," Zani whispered.  "It will not be."

**** **** ****
"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 SIXTH PART, "B" SIDE - REALITY'S HEADACHES

	"Onee-sama, you've got a pair of visitors!"

	Ranma looked up from cleaning one of her Noukiite eunuch's blades, Et'a 
Yekaechsuch-at', to see Sakuya standing at the doorway to the bedroom.  
Ataru was field-stripping and cleaning his preferred distance weapon, a 
musket from Yehisril called a qu'f-piaqu'r.  "Who?!" Ranma asked.

	Sakuya gave her a warning look, and then she nodded toward the front door.  
"Your okonomiyaki-lover, plus her father."

	Ranma nodded, and then she exchanged a knowing look with Ataru.  "Right."

	He nodded, moving to reassemble his musket's breechblock.  "Get the girls 
somewhere out of sight," he told Sakuya.

	"Hai."  The eldest of the sisters nodded before she walked away.

	Ranma stood, running a cloth over Yekaechsuch to clear away the last of the 
cleaning oil.  Straightening her chemise, she headed out, the sharp alien 
sword in hand.  Stepping into the living room, she noticed a pensive-looking 
Ukyou standing by the front door.  Beside her was a barrel-chested, bearded 
man about the same size as Genma, he dressed like his "son" in an 
okonomiyaki-ya's gi and trousers, a big battle spatula slung over his back.  
The look on his face told Ranma plenty.  "Ohayou, Kuonji-san."  She nodded 
at Ukyou, and then she gazed dispassionately at her companion.  "I assume 
this must be your father.  Forgive me, sir, for not recognizing you at 
once."

	A tremble warped through Kuonji Haruka's body as he sensed the lack of 
respect coming from Ranma, and then he glared at Ukyou.  The younger Kuonji 
tried not to wilt as she reached into her top to draw out a pile of papers.  
"What's this about, Ran-chan?" she asked as she showed them.

	"I assume you got those from the Court of Special Appeals," Ranma said, 
staring first at Ukyou, and then at her father.

	"We did," Mr. Kuonji snarled.  "I'm not sure what sort of pathetic game 
you're trying to play with my child, boy, but if you think you're going to 
get away with this, you're wrong!"  He aimed a finger at Ranma.  "You WILL 
marry my child, boy!  You will marry her and forget all this nonsense about 
you declaring yourself a girl or trying to separate yourself from your 
honourless parents!"

	She returned his look.  "To believe that a decent person like Ukyou was 
born from a gutless, blind coward like you."  Her voice turned frigid, the 
steel in her eyes promising great pain if the older chef tried something 
stupid.  Ignoring Mr. Kuonji's trembling lip, she continued, "It sure as 
hell should've sunk into whatever served as your brain the day your family 
met mine.  You really TRUSTED a thieving fool like Saotome Genma to honour 
an engagement between your daughter and me?!"  She shook her head.  "Well, 
if you're THAT much of a coward, I pity Ukyou then!  It might explain why 
the hell you forced her into acting as a boy for ten friggin' years, instead 
of doing the honourable thing and acknowledging that YOU were at fault for 
trusting Genma at all!"

	"HOW DARE YOU . . .?!" he roared.

	He lunged at Ranma.  Before he could sense Ranma move, Ukyou's father 
screamed out as Yekaechsuch's sharp tip ripped through his cheek, snapping 
his head toward Ukyou.  His spatula was caught by the sharp end of a 
naginata, the honed blade slicing through the handle with ease.  As the 
spatula's parts dropped to the floor, the naginata's blunt end caught him in 
the back of the knees, tripping him onto his backside.  Before he could 
recover, the naginata's edge jabbed his throat as his eyes locked on Ranma, 
she holding Yekaechsuch's tip at Ukyou's throat.  The young chef was staring 
at her ex-fiancé, a mix of surprise and resignation flashing deep in her 
eyes.  She hadn't tried to reach for her battle spatula or the throwing 
spats slung across her chest.

	"Anegimi-sama, is this uncultured barbarian threatening you?!"

	Ranma glanced left to see Haruka standing over Ukyou's father, the 
determined look on her face speaking volumes to all.  "He presumes to 
dictate terms to me, Haruka-chan, but he's certainly no threat at all.  What 
do you think should be done with him?" she then asked.

	"Well, perhaps he should be shown the folly of his ways?"

	Ranma gazed on Ukyou's father.  "Perhaps."

	"Pardon us, but are we interrupting something?"

	Haruka smiled on seeing Cologne and Tampopo standing on the front porch.  
"Oh, Elder Kelun, Kamekichi-san, ohayou gozaimasu!"

	Both glanced at the Kuonjis.  Cologne then gazed on Ukyou.  "Your father?"

	Ukyou nodded.  Her father gazed on the newcomers, and then his eyes focused 
on the elder.  "You're the great-grandmother of that tramp who . . .!"  His 
voice melted into a shocked gasp as Haruka's naginata jabbed anew into his 
throat, this time drawing a trickle of blood.

	"Well, you were certainly right about one thing, Haruka-chan."  Ranma 
ruefully shook her head, gently lowering Yekaechsuch from Ukyou's throat.  
The younger chef was quick to realize, though, that the blade could be 
snapped back up in the flash of an eye should she try something foolish.  
"An uncultured barbarian, indeed!  Doesn't for an instant recognize how much 
has been done for him and his family!" she then spat out.

	Cologne sneered.  "Pity."

	Tampopo shook her head.  "Some people are so bull-headed."

	"Got that right."  Ranma turned to Ukyou.  "You've been given every chance 
to walk away from this.  Your dowry has been returned.  The bill I 
accumulated for your past services has been repaid.  The man who ultimately 
caused you all your pain is dead.  His crime against your family is now 
known.  And with my legally becoming a girl as ordained by the GOVERNMENT, a 
relationship between us would have no legal standing."  She took a step 
toward the chef.  "Far as I can see, you've got no reasons to complain 
anymore, Kuonji-san . . . "  Her eyes turned down to Kuonji Haruka, a sneer 
twisting Ranma's lips.  "Save for the fact that this slime you call a father 
doesn't seem to give a damn about all the crap you've lived through since 
the day years ago when we were forced apart."  She turned back to Ukyou.  
"So what's it going to be, Ukyou?  Friend or fiancée?"

	Slipping Yekaechsuch into her left hand, she extended her right.  Ukyou 
shuddered, her eyes glancing at her father.  She then reached out.  Grasping 
Ranma's hand, Ukyou pulled the latter toward her.  As soon as they were 
within easy reach of the other, Ukyou took Ranma's hand and allowed it to 
slip into her tunic.  Ranma's eyes widened as her fingers brushed past a 
hard point somewhere close to Ukyou's heart.  They remained frozen for a 
moment, and then Ukyou allowed Ranma to draw her hand away.  The redhead 
took a step back, staring at her hand, and then she glazed at Ukyou.

	"That's because of you, Ran-chan," Ukyou admitted, tears streaming down her 
cheeks.  "I can't shut what I feel off.  None of us can!  Not Akane, not 
Shampoo, not Kodachi . . . "  She sniffed.  "Not me.  I love you, Ran-chan.  
I really do.  Please, why is it so wrong for me to feel that way?  All 
right, you're a girl!  I'm legally a guy!  I've lived this way for a decade! 
  I can live that way for the rest of my life!  We can still get married, 
Ran-chan!  I'll love you no matter which way you are!  You know that, don't 
you?!"

	Ranma stared at Ukyou, and then she closed her eyes before lowering the 
hand that had just felt the latter's breast.  She then looked at Ukyou's 
father before turning back to the younger chef.  "What I don't know is 
this."  A light smile crossed her face.  "Was that really you talking to me 
. . .?"  Her smile dropped as she glared balefully at Mr. Kuonji.  "Or is it 
you ultimately parroting whatever he says?!"  She thumbed him 
contemptuously.

	Ukyou blinked, glancing at her father.  Then, on feeling Ranma gazing on 
her, she winced.  She didn't return her look.  "Gomen . . . "

	"She appears trapped, does she not, Ane-kun?"

	Ranma turned to see Chikage and Sakuya standing by the hallway leading to 
the kitchen.  Glancing at Mr. Kuonji, Ranma frowned.  "Hai, Chikage-chan.  
That she does.  Hibaa-chan, paralyse this dork!"  Before the older chef 
could react, a strike at a shiatsu point by Cologne's cane cut off controls 
between his brain and his body.  Ranma nodded, a mirthless smile crossing 
her face.  "I don't want Haruka-chan's blade sullied by his coward's blood!"

	Haruka drew back, she moving to stand beside her sisters.  Ranma then 
walked over to stand beside Ukyou.  Sakuya called out, "Onii-sama!  Could 
you come in here, please?!"  Winking at Ranma, she then added, "And bring 
your friend with you!  Your BIG friend!"

	"Hai, just a sec'!" Ataru called back.

	Footsteps soon heralded Ataru's entrance into the sitting room.  Lying at 
rest on his shoulder was his qu'f-piaqu'r.  In his free hand were several 
shotgun-like shells, ammunition for the alien-built weapon.  Seeing *that,* 
Mr. Kuonji paled.  Ukyou's eyes went wide, and then she jolted on feeling 
Ranma's hand grasp hers.  Ataru placed himself between his sisters and the 
frozen okonomiyaki chef, and then he turned to Sakuya.  "So what's all this 
about?"

	"A pretty complex problem, Onii-sama."  Sakuya walked up to stand beside 
him, gazing balefully at Ukyou's father.  "You see, poor Ukyou-san there 
just got the notice from the Court of Special Appeals about what's happened 
to Onee-sama, but her father here . . . "  She waved contemptuously to Mr. 
Kuonji.  "Doesn't seem to want to accept what's happened."

	"Has he now?"  Ataru then turned to Ranma.  "So he came here to try to 
force you into marrying his daughter, right?"

	Ranma let go of Ukyou's hand, walking over to join Ataru.  "Hai, Anata, 
though right now, I think U-chan here's still legally a boy."

	"'ANATA?!'"

	Ranma turned to Ukyou as she slipped an arm around Ataru's as he loaded his 
musket.  "Yes, 'Anata.'  Ataru is my boyfriend, soon to be my fiancé.  A 
fiancé **I** chose."  The smile slipped from her face as a growl entered her 
voice.  "Not Saotome Genma.  Not Saotome Nodoka.  Not Tendou Souun.  And 
certainly not Kuonji Haruka.  From this day on, I AND I ALONE will choose my 
future, Ukyou!  No one else but me!"

	"THEN KILL HIM!"

	Ukyou gasped, spinning on her father.  Cologne moved to jab the fool's 
throat silent.  A stern wave of Tampopo's hand held the Nujiézú elder back.  
Ranma quickly shifted herself to block any advance toward Ataru from Ukyou.  
Sakuya and Haruka tensed.  Chikage was as stony as ever.  Ataru remained 
calm, though his thumb slowly pulled the qu'f-piaqu'r's hammer to the 
"ready" position; the musket was loaded and ready.

	"D-dad . . .?!" Ukyou sputtered, she glancing at Ataru before turning back 
to her father, and then she turned to Ranma.  "Ran-chan . . . "

	"Kill him!" Haruka snapped.  "And if this *girl* . . . " -- he sneered at 
Ranma -- " . . . refuses to acknowledge what honour demands of *her,* kill 
her, too!  She's hurt you enough, Ukyou!  Make her marry you or kill her!"

	Silence fell.  Ukyou was frozen in place, glancing at her father, and then 
at Ranma, and then at Ataru, to her father, and then to nowhere in 
particular.  "I . . .!"  Ukyou's voice froze before she looked at Ranma.  
"Ran-chan . . . "

	"Walk out of the trap, U-chan."  Ranma raised Yekaechsuch to rest on her 
shoulder.  "I did it.  Ataru did it, too.  So can you."

	Mr. Kuonji glared at his child.  "Ukyou, if you do not do what I say, then 
you are no longer my child!" he snarled.

	"Oh, my!  That sounds like child abandonment, doesn't it?"

	Eyes locked on Haruka.  "Yes, Haruka-chan, it does."  Sakuya sagely nodded. 
  "Don't you agree, Chikage-chan?  Elder?  Tampopo-san?"

	Chikage and Tampopo nodded.  "That it does."  Cologne glanced at Ataru.  
"Tell me, Ataru:  What is the Zephyrite punishment for child abandonment?"

	Ataru sighed, raising the qu'f-piaqu'r to his shoulder as he lowered the 
muzzle at the heart of Ukyou's father.  "Death."

	"NO!"

	Ukyou moved to stand in the path of the musket.  Ranma jabbed a point on 
her back to lock her legs in place, and then she yanked Ukyou back from 
falling on her face.  Seeing that, her father paled as the realization 
dawned on him that THIS time, he wasn't going to get his way -- and that he 
might pay for his determination to avenge Genma's crime with HIS life!  "I 
suggest you strongly reconsider your position, Kuonji-san," Tampopo warned.  
"If you take a good look into Ataru-chan's eyes, you'll notice they're 
marksmen's eyes.  The eyes of a man who has killed many times in the last 
while.  Do you really believe you'll be able to avoid being disintegrated if 
he decides to kill you?"

	He gagged.  "Ataru-kun, please, DON'T!" Ukyou pleaded, and then she glanced 
at Ranma.  "Ran-chan, make him stop!  Please!"

	"Not until he answers one question."  Ataru held up a finger.  "Why?"

	"Wh-why . . .?" the older chef sputtered.

	"Why force your daughter through TEN YEARS of being what she's not, all to 
make up for YOUR mistake?!" Ataru snarled before he gazed at Tampopo.  
"Tampopo-chan, correct me if I'm wrong, but when a dowry is offered up in a 
marriage pact, it's to the bridegroom's FATHER that the dowry is handed to 
before the wedding takes place.  Only when they actually go through the 
marriage ceremony does the dowry fall under the groom's control."

	Tampopo nodded.  "Yes, that's right."

	Ataru's eyebrow arched.  "So if Genma disposed of the dowry without any 
intent of giving same to his child, much less not bothering to TELL his 
child about the engagement, doesn't that mean the engagement has no legal 
standing?"

	"Yes, people could agree to that."

	"I do not!" Ukyou's father snarled.  "Ranma recovered the dowry!"

	"And returned it, after it was repaired and refurbished AT RANMA-CHAN'S 
EXPENSE, to its rightful owner."  Tampopo indicated Ukyou.

	"Besides, the person that dowry was meant for no longer exists," Ranma 
added.  "I am NO LONGER Saotome Genma or Saotome Nodoka's son.  And if you 
refuse to acknowledge that, well . . . "  She shrugged.  "You're in contempt 
of court, buster.  The highest family court in the land.  And nothing will 
save you from that court's reach if you keep this up, Kuonji-san."

	Mr. Kuonji moved to retort.  He then fearfully gagged on seeing Ataru take 
a step toward him, the muzzle of the qu'f-piaqu'r looming large in his field 
of vision.  Ranma turned to Ukyou.  "Let it go, U-chan!"  She pressed the 
shiatsu point to unlock her legs, and then she walked around to gaze into 
Ukyou's eyes.  "Why?!  Why are you letting this gutless bastard get away 
with putting you through this shit, U-chan?!  Why?!"

	Ukyou stared pleadingly at Ranma.  "Ran-chan, please . . . "

	"WHY, U-chan?!"

	"He . . .!"  Her eyes fell on her father, and then she shook her head.  
"He'll take it all away from me . . .!  I couldn't . . .!  I can't . . .!"

	"Fine."  Ataru grimaced, bracing his body as his finger curled around the 
trigger.  "He won't live long enough to do anything to you."

	Cologne and Tampopo cleared the field of fire.  "NO!" Ukyou screamed, and 
then she gasped as Ataru swung the musket to lock on her.

	"What's it gonna be?!"  Ranma appeared behind Mr. Kuonji, swinging 
Yekaechsuch to allow the blade to rest on his throat.  "Are you going to 
renounce this whole farce AND accept your daughter back AS your daughter . . 
.?  Or do I have my lover kill her?!" she then hissed.

	His eyes went wide as the blade pressed into his throat.  "Ran-chan, no . . 
.!"  Ukyou shifted to force Ranma away, and then she screamed as a 
metre-long lightsabre-like bayonet erupted from a projector under the 
muzzle.  Shuddering as the blade's heat scalded her, she turned to Ataru.  
Haruka had moved to her brother's side, holding up her naginata to block her 
escape.  "Please . . .!"

	Haruka looked apologetic.  "We're sorry, Ukyou-san.  But none of us will 
stand idly by and allow Anegimi-sama's life to be continually disrupted like 
it's been since she first came to Nerima.  Besides . . . "  She spared her 
brother a glance.  "We've known from the start that Anegimi-sama's destiny 
is to marry Anigimi-sama.  No one will be allowed to interfere in that, not 
from here in Nerima, nor from Tomobiki, nor from elsewhere."

	Ukyou shuddered, gazing at Ataru.  He remained still for a moment, and then 
he asked, "Remember what I told you in the park?"

	She nodded.  "You said your family could help me."  She sniffed.  "Because 
in your eyes, what happened to me was child abuse."

	He nodded.  "Yes."

	Ukyou looked away.  Ataru shut off his weapon's electro-bayonet, he drawing 
back.  Haruka lowered her naginata.  The chef stared curiously at them, and 
then she turned to her father.  A glance at Ranma, and then she took a deep 
breath.  "Father, Saotome Genma and Saotome Ranma are dead."  She slipped 
off her battle spatula, letting it rest on the floor.  "You have what you 
wanted."

	"No, I do not!" the older chef snapped.  "Ranma's right here!"  His eyes 
fell on the redhead holding the sword at his throat.

	"No."  Ukyou shook her head.  "On Sunday night, when he was cornered by the 
authorities, Genma stated he neither had son or daughter."

	"That does NOT matter!" Mr. Kuonji thundered.  "You will do as you're told 
or you will no longer be my child!  Do you understand me?!  You will never 
be allowed to practice the Art again!  Never!  NEVER!"

	"Fine, then.  If Ukyou-chan agrees, she'll be MY apprentice."

	Ukyou stared wide-eyed at the person who spoke up for her.  Mr. Kuonji's 
eyes spun around to stare at Tampopo.  "You have no right!"

	"Correction, boy!"  The other chef sneered at him.  "I've every right in 
the world to take anyone on as my apprentice!  And since you did such a nice 
job training her, I won't have to do much work to expand her knowledge and 
let her evolve into what she CAN be."  Her face melted into an emotionless 
mask.  "And do be assured of this, Kuonji:  You will get no victory from 
this day!  Do you HONESTLY believe that we're not going to let you go before 
we make DAMN sure you can't do a THING to hurt Ukyou?!"

	"The courts could charge you with both child abandonment and child abuse," 
Ranma added.  "Everything you decide concerning U-chan would be ignored.  
Her family name?  She can keep it.  Her career?  Same thing.  And as for 
you?"  She snorted.  "Your life'd be dragged into the gutter.  If you tried 
to attack U-chan or Tampopo-chan, YOU'D be the one who'd suffer!  After they 
pound you into the dirt, the courts'd throw you into jail and your whole 
life'd be screwed!"  Shaking her head, she stood up, stepping away from him, 
though she kept Yekaechsuch aimed in his direction as she moved to stand 
beside Ataru.  "So what's it going to be?  Are you going to wise up finally 
and accept what's happened?  Or are you going to be as much a blind fool as 
Genma and Souun were?"

	Mr. Kuonji glared at her, and then he turned to Ukyou.  "Do what I told 
you, Ukyou," he ordered.

	Ukyou remained in place, squeezing her eyes shut.  "DO IT!" he bellowed.

	Silence.

	"Tampopo-sensei?"

	Tampopo perked.  "What is it, Ukyou-chan?"

	"If you and the Elder don't mind, drag that jackass' carcass out of this 
house."  Ukyou stared at the man at her new teacher's feet, he staring in 
stunned shock at her.  "I don't think Ataru-kun's sisters would appreciate 
me spreading blood all over their floor."

	Tampopo nodded.  "Alright, then."

	Before Mr. Kuonji could respond, a finger tapped his throat.  "You have no 
right to speak to anyone in this house anymore," Cologne icily intoned.

	He moaned, his eyes still flashing defiance.  "One more thing!"  Haruka 
clapped her hands three times.  "Jinseiko-san!"

	A flash revealed the leader of the Kuromoroboshi kneeling beside the 
raven-haired woman's feet.  "You summoned me, Young Mistress?"

	"Please have your girls remove this uncouth barbarian from our land when 
Ukyou-san finishes pummelling him for his stupidity."  Haruka indicated 
Ukyou's father with a finger.  "Preferably in a place far from Tokyo.  Also 
ensure that he remains paralysed for the remainder of the day.  I'm sure by 
this evening, our honoured friends in the Court of Special Appeals will have 
removed his parental rights concerning his child."

	Jinseiko bowed.  "Of course, Young Mistress."

	Mr. Kuonji moaned.

*    *    *

	"Is that Nihon?"

	"Yes, Venerable One.  Those four large islands forming that crescent-shaped 
archipelago on the eastern side of the largest continent."  The captain of 
the Noukiite ship pointed as he guided his barque-like craft into orbit over 
the Pacific.  Once, no more than a month ago as Terrans told time, no 
Noukiite ship would have been allowed to remain for any time in this 
particular system.  If the stupid dog people from Uru didn't send one of 
their battlewagons to chase the intruders out of "their" territory, the 
fools from Triton might get upset and try to deluge the poor traveller with 
a mountain of snow.

	As to what the Zephyrites might have done, well . . .!

	That sort of nonsense wouldn't happen again, the captain grinned.  With 
Uru's leadership all radioactive dust over what remained of Onishuto, the 
Oni fleet either turned to scrap or caught in the throes of mass mutiny and 
the colony planets cut off from each other, the dog people's dominance over 
this particular sector of space had been eliminated once and for all time.  
Without their traditional protectors, the Tritonians would have to think 
hard and fast before trying to stand up on their own.  Yes, those ice lovers 
had considerable advantages.  But in the end, they were only one moon 
orbiting a planet rendered lifeless thanks to the hordes of the Seifukusu.  
The Dominion of Noukiios, born of a culture five millennia old, one that 
weathered Urusian occupation and centuries of economic blockade relatively 
unscathed, was no pushover.

	Dismissing that, the captain gazed on his passengers.  "We'll be at the 
drop point in a few minutes, Venerable Ones.  Your father's ship will be 
placed in orbit within the magnetic well over the planet's north pole."

	One of them gazed appreciatively at the older man.  "Thank you."

*    *    *

	"I'd think Nassur would be better than this, Seiko-chan."

	A muscle over Seiko's eye twitched, and then she sighed as she tapped the 
point to calm herself.  Despite the chasm of mistrust and hatred that had 
existed between Nassur and Aruka Ran for the past several years, Sakiko had 
just made a valid point.  There was just NO way that Nassur would risk the 
lives of four sentient beings -- even if they were meticulously constructed 
clone-bioroids -- as living targets to ensure Lum, Ran, Benten and Oyuki 
would not be drawn into the multitude of vendettas focused on the expat 
Vosian.

	Unless . . .

	She gazed on the replica of Lum.  "They're Avalonians, right?"

	"All four of them."  Sakiko gazed on the replica of her past self.  All 
bioroids were dressed in the usual swimsuits their templates preferred.  
Oyuki's replica even wore a kimono over her silver one-piece.  A thoughtful 
hum escaped Sakiko.  "Seiko-chan, could it be possible that Nassur couldn't 
sense their brainwaves?"  She gazed at Seiko.  "If our hosts are any 
example, Avalonians possess abnormally strong mental shields.  Maybe strong 
enough to mask themselves from a Vosian's powers, just like Yehisrites can 
do."

	Seiko considered that suggestion, and then she nodded.  "Possible.  And if 
Nassur-chan trained these four to as high a standard as he could, they 
could've easily avoided any serious injury if they were out in the field."

	"True.  I guess we'll have to ask him the first chance we get."  Sakiko 
grunted as her eyes fell on the cryo-stasis chamber the Avalonians had 
brought with them to Earth.  "What about Ten-chan?" she asked in a hushed 
voice.

	Seiko shuddered as she gazed on the body inside the stasis unit.  "Not much 
left of him."  She shifted herself over to run a hand along the glass.  "All 
I can sense from him now was that he met these four close to Toshitto a week 
or so ago.  Then some Ip'ihu ship ambushed them.  They were able to use the 
Central Warp Chamber to shift to their home base on Io.  After that . . . "  
She shrugged.  "I guess their first priority was keeping Ten-chan alive.  
Then they tried to come here to find Darling and get his help.  But . . . "

	She gazed on the closet.  Sakiko walked over to the doorway.  Scanning the 
doorframes, she then scowled.  "I guess when they cleared this place out, 
Darling's family and friends were more thorough that we would have expected 
of them.  I don't see any of the target relay markers Oyuki-chan would use 
to allow the Warp Chamber to focus in on this beam-in point."

	"Not that I'd expect that Darling'd ever allow Oyuki-chan to do something 
like that again."  Seiko then grinned, remembering the time B-Boy, the 
abominable snowman-like alien who served as Oyuki's personal bodyguard, had 
come through the Chamber to Earth in pursuit of Ataru after he tried to 
seduce the Tritonian crown princess the day they met.  "Something tells me 
that if something like that ever happened again, especially if it was 
anywhere close to Darling's sisters, B-Boy'd be sent back to Triton in 
pieces."

	"I wouldn't blame him at all."  Sakiko smirked, she having sensed what 
Seiko just reminisced about.  "Sometimes, Seiko-chan, I think Oyuki-chan 
needs a little humiliation just to remind her that she's not perfect."

	She gave her a wink.  "She's not THAT bad, Saki-chan!" Seiko scolded, and 
then she jolted on hearing a *thrum!* through the windows.  "What the . . 
.?"

	Both walked to the window, looking up to see a starship shaped like a 
schooner, its prow topped by a snarling dragon's head, coming to a stop over 
Tomobiki High.  "Noukiite scoutship!" Sakiko gasped as her eyes widened 
before they glowed.  "Beaming in someone . . . "

	"Two young girls . . . "  Seiko's own eyes glowed as she focused her 
telepathic powers on the two newcomers standing by the front gate of 
Tomobiki High.  "Who . . .?" she wondered before a shocked gasp escaped her. 
"Mother!"

	Sakiko spun on her.  "What?!"

	Seiko's eyes reverted to normal as she faced her sister.  "They're . . . "  
She stopped before sputtering, "Darling's daughters?!"

	Sakiko gaped at her.

*    *    *

	"AND THAT'S FOR PUTTING ME THROUGH ALL THAT CRAP, YOU JACKASS!"

	Hinako winced as she heard Ukyou's battle spatula slam HARD into the side 
of Kuonji Haruka's skull.  Sitting on the roof of the old shrine, the Staff 
of Gihan in her lap, the youngest of Ataru's sisters gazed absently on the 
surrounding cityscape.  Seeing how angry the okonomiyaki chef had become 
when her baka-baka father refused to budge from his desire to see his child 
marry Ranma-oneetama, Hinako couldn't blame her for wanting to beat him up.  
While Hinako had no problems when it came to her parents -- except for them 
living on the mainland and forcing her to live at Welcome House -- she knew 
classmates at Stargazer West whose parents were on the road to breaking up.

	*Stupid adults!  Hina's glad she's still a kid!* the young girl ruefully 
mused as she focused in the direction of Tomobiki.

	Her eyes then went wide on seeing something dive from outer space to halt 
over a point close to the centre of town.  "A spaceship?"  Hinako stood, 
holding the Staff close to her as she tried to make out details.  It wasn't 
a big ship, not like the giant ship Miree and her family had come from last 
night.  Even more, it was shaped like a sailing boat from Earth.

	What sort of ship was that, anyway?

	"What the . . .?"

	"Ah!"  Hinako turned.  "Onii-tama!"

	Ataru stood beside her.  "A Noukiite ship?" he whispered, placing a 
reassuring hand on Hinako's shoulder.  "What's it doing here . . .?"

	Hinako pointed.  "They're the people Onii-tama helped, right?"

	"Hai, Hinako-chan, the same . . . "  He nodded, sighing.  "Wait here.  I'm 
going to get some stuff.  We'll go see what's going on right away."

	He raced to his bedroom.  Hinako watched him go, shuddering delightedly as 
she held the Staff against her chest.  *Waaaaaaai!  Onii-tama wants Hina to 
help Onii-tama with the aliens!* she gushed, her eyes sparkling as she 
focused anew on the visiting Noukiite ship now hovering over Tomobiki.

	Boy, she was really, really, REALLY happy that she got Bou-san!

*    *    *

	"Tell me something."  Jay stared at the ship from the offices of the 
Special Committee located atop one of the three towers in the centre of 
Tomobiki, right next to the Toranoseishin Finances Tower.  "Are there days 
you wished you never got out of bed?"  He waved at the ship in question.

	Kay closed his briefcase, and then he slipped his sidearm into its holster. 
  "All the time, kid.  Let's go see what they want."

	"What about those other aliens Ataru warned us about?"

	"Feh, if they're being discrete, they can wait.  It's things like THIS . . 
. "  He nodded to the ship.  "That can start wars.  Let's go."

	"Right."

	Jay followed him out of the room.

*    *    *

	"Ne, Shinobu-chan.  Is this NORMAL around these parts?"

	A sigh escaped Shinobu's lips as she stared on the two diminutive people 
standing by the front gate.  Jolting on feeling Sawada Minako's hand squeeze 
her shoulder, Ataru's ex-girlfriend glanced at her new friend.  "Yeah, this 
is pretty normal, Minako-chan," she then replied.

	"So who the heck are those kids, anyway?" Yoshino Tomomi asked.

	"What makes you think they're kids, Tomomi-san?" Marubeya Momoe asked, she 
standing behind the transplanted Hokkaido native.  "They could be very short 
people like Cherry or that crazy underwear-thief from Nerima."

	"They seem like kids to me," Tomomi admitted, not wanting to clue her 
classmate in on her various psionic powers.  Sakura had warned Tomomi and 
her friends yesterday that being a little TOO open about their ancestry 
could lead to a whole host of problems.  "Girls, I think."

	"Hey, they're taking their hoods off!" a boy standing by another window 
called out.  "Geez!  They're Klingons!"

	"Kling- . . .?!"  Shinobu blinked, and then she looked.  Sure enough, both 
of them had very prominent bony forehead ridges, though those seemed to 
disappear under sky-blue hair.  "Somewhat like them, ne, Minako-chan?"

	Minako smirked.  "Yeah!  And they're both so kawaii, too!"

	Another boy pointed closer to the school.  "There goes Onsen-sensei!"

	Everyone watched as the vice-principal stormed out of the building.  
"C'mon!"  Shinobu waved Minako and Ryuunosuke with her.

	Minako nodded.  "Right!"

	She and the tomboy followed Shinobu out of the room.  They were in turn 
followed by Tomomi, Momoe, Ikusawa Kyooko and Gekasawa Kumiko.  In a minute, 
most of the rest of the class had streamed out, their curiosity about the 
newcomers getting the better of them.  A minute after, Hanawa Mitsu stepped 
in.  "Good morning, class!"  He stopped.  "Ara?!  Where did everyone go?!"

*    *    *

	"So this is Tomobiki, eh?!"  Kaneko looked around.  "Quiet place."

	"Wasn't so quiet when Papa was living here," Reiko warned as she took her 
own look around.  "What would the name translate to in Nouki-e?"

	"'A-ich,' I think."  Kaneko then turned as a stocky man welding a light 
bamboo sword stormed toward the twins.  "Uh-oh!"

	"Alright, you two!" Onsen thundered as he stopped before them, his shinai 
ready for action.  "What makes you aliens think you can just beam down and 
disrupt school with your ship flying overheard?!  Where's . . .?"

	He stopped, looking up in shocked surprise.  The Noukiite craft was soaring 
away from Tomobiki, gaining altitude as it commenced its trip home.  Onsen 
blinked, blinked again, and then he turned to the newcomers, he pointing at 
the disappearing starship.  "Where are they going?"

	"Back to our home planet," Reiko replied as they shrugged nonchalantly.  
"They gave us a lift here so we can live with Papa and Mama."

	Onsen jolted.  "'Papa?!'  'Mama?!'  Who are they?!"

	"Moroboshi Ataru and Saotome Ranma!" Kaneko replied.

	He relaxed.  "Oh, Moroboshi and Saotome, eh . . .?"

	It hit him.  "MOROBOSHI?!  SAOTOME?!" he thundered, causing the school to 
quake.  "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

	"By the looks of it, Onsen-sensei, Ataru-kun adopted them."

	Onsen spun around to see Ataru's old classmates (plus extras) standing 
behind him.  Minako had been the one who had spoken up.  "What?!"  He spun 
again to stare on Reiko and Kaneko.  "Hey, wait a minute!  Since when can 
Moroboshi adopt either of you?!" he then demanded.

	Kaneko smiled.  "Because Papa helped us defeat the dog people!"

	Shinobu perked.  "Ataru-kun was in a fight?!  When was this?!"

	"Probably a couple of weeks ago, after Onishuto got nuked!"

	Reiko and Kaneko turned, smiling.  "Ah!" the former then hailed.  "You must 
be from your world government!"

	She pointed as Jay and Kay approached.  "The very same, young lady!  And 
welcome to Earth," the elder of the SCAA agents replied, he and Jay nodding. 
  "So what brings a pair of nice girls like you two here to our little 
planet?"

	"Because Papa and Mama live here, sir," Kaneko replied.

	"And Ataru is your father?" Jay asked, drawing out a very complex scanner.  
"I hope you got some documentation to prove that."

	They reached into their tunics and drew out data chips.  Jay loaded them 
into his machine. Kay glanced over his partner's shoulder as the readout 
came up. Their eyes widened before they exchanged a look.  "Nice guy!" Jay 
stated as he drew the chips out to return them to Reiko and Kaneko.  "So 
when was he going to tell US about this?!" he asked his partner.

	"Probably when he expected them to come here, which certainly wasn't 
today," Kay admitted, turning to the twins.  "In the meantime, girls, 
welcome to Earth.  We'll be happy to help you both settle in once you get 
back together with your father.  I assume that since you're here, the war 
between your people and the Urusians has come to an end."

	"They found Heaven's Gate Bridge twelve of your hours ago.  It was located 
in the mountains north of Onishuto," Kaneko reported.  "The cease-fire was 
declared four hours later.  Once that happened, Onee-chan and I were free to 
come here to be with Papa and Mama."

	"Well, let's hope this doesn't lead to a mass of Urusian refugees coming 
this way," the older SCAA agent mused.

	Reiko shook her head.  "Won't happen.  No Urusian'll be allowed to come 
anywhere close to Earth for the next century.  There're part of the terms 
we're going to force on them if they want peace . . . "

	"***SAY WHAT?!***"

	The twins and the SCAA agents ducked as a massive aura of heat washed over 
them from the direction of the school.  Spinning around, Reiko and Kaneko 
tensed on seeing a sea of outraged looks emanating from every teenage boy 
standing on the walkway.  "No Urusian permitted to come to Earth for a 
CENTURY?!"  Koi Shinjin -- who, in the wake of Megane's death, had become 
the effective de-facto leader of Lum's widespread fan club -- pointed 
accusingly at the Noukiites.  "***WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!***" he 
screamed out.

	"***REVENGE FOR LUM-CHAN!***" the other boys bellowed.

	Onsen howled as the boys trampled him down, they reaching out for the young 
alien girls who had just crowed over the Urusians' defeat.  Before they 
could get within grasping range, Reiko and Kaneko bounded into the air, 
their eyes glowing as they used their telekinetic powers to keep their 
bodies well out of the boys' reach.  Kay and Jay scattered, their Lawgivers 
clearing their holsters, as the boys wound up in a dog pile of idiocy where 
Reiko and Kaneko had just stood.  As their bellowed outcry became a chorus 
of grunts, curses and pained yelps, the ominous *click-clack!* of an alien 
particle musket's breech being locked into place turned everyone's attention 
to the gate.

	"And what are you clowns doing attacking my daughters?!"

	The girls paled on seeing Ataru, he dressed in a brown gi-like jumpsuit, a 
woodland camouflage cape draped over his shoulder.  In his hand was his 
qu'f-piaqu'r, the barrel pointed to the air.

	Seeing Ataru, Reiko and Kaneko gushed, "PAPA!"

	The twins flew into his embrace, Kaneko ensuring she didn't accidentally 
knock her father's musket out of his hand.  Ataru blinked, and then, 
clicking the safety on his weapon, he allowed the alien rifle to rest on the 
ground so he could return his daughters' hugs.  Standing behind him, a 
confused Hinako stared at this Kodak moment, unsure of WHAT to say at this 
time.

	"Onii-tama . . . " she whispered.

	The twins looked, and then they squealed, "Auntie Hinako!"

	Before she could react, twin typhoons of alien love knocked her over.  
"HEY!" Hinako screamed as she tried to get free from Reiko and Kaneko's 
embrace.  "HELP!  ONII-TAMA!  HINA NEEDS TO BREATHE!  WHO ARE THESE GIRLS, 
ONII-TAMA?!"

	An explosion echoed from inside school grounds.  "'ONII-TAMA?!'"

	Ataru noticed that ALL of his former and would-be classmates, even the 
three half-Avalonians and the other Avalonian-like girl he could sense in 
the school, were staring at him.  Taking a deep breath, he gazed on Kay and 
Jay.  "Tell me something.  Have either of you ever had days like this?"  He 
indicated the members of the family with him, and then the people staring at 
him.

	"Many times," Kay admitted, he indicating Reiko and Kaneko.  "But taking 
these girls in was a pretty nice thing to do, Ataru."

	"They saved my sanity after I watched three billion people get turned into 
air pollution, Kay-san.  What do you think I should've done?"

	Both SCAA men tensed, exchanged a look, and then they turned back to Ataru. 
  "You mean what went down on Phentax Two a few weeks ago?  You were there?" 
Jay asked.  Seeing Ataru nod, the younger agent breathed out, "Right."

	"Onii-tama . . .?"

	Ataru spun around as Hinako walked up.  Reiko and Kaneko stood to either 
side of their aunt, the former holding the Staff of Gihan.  "Onii-tama, are 
these girls . . .?!"  Hinako waved to the twins.  "REALLY your daughters?!"

	"Hai, Hinako-chan, they are," Ataru admitted as he scratched the back of 
his head.  "My *adopted* daughters, that is!  Sorry about that!  I was 
waiting for a good time to tell all of you about them!  I didn't expect them 
to come here today, though . . . "

	Hinako blinked.  "Onii-tama has daughters . . .?"  She looked nowhere in 
particular.  "Onii-tama has daughters . . .!" she whispered again, and then 
she screamed out, waving her hands, "***HINA'S TOO YOUNG TO BE AN AUNT!***"

	Ataru, Reiko and Kaneko fell flat on their faces.  Jay tried not to topple 
over laughing.  Kay, at least, was able to keep his composure.  The students 
staring at them were unsure as to what to say, though Ataru was quick to 
sense that some of the boys were about to call out questions that would, in 
the LEAST, be grossly offensive to his sister and daughters.  "C'mon, 
Hinako-chan."  He got back to his feet, and then he helped his daughters up. 
  "Let's find a nice ice cream parlour so we can have some fruit parfait!"

	Hinako gushed, "Wai!  Fruit parfait!  Fruit parfait!  Fruit parfait!"

	She jogged off after her brother and his daughters.  Kay and Jay moved to 
follow.  Both then stopped on hearing the shuffle of many feet moving 
towards them, and then they turned to see the members of Shinobu's class 
ready to race off in pursuit.  "Glasses!" Kay barked.

	Both SCAA agents slipped on their Ray-bans, hands snapping to their tunics 
to draw out devices similar to a hand-held mini-flashlight doctors would use 
to examine one's ears and throat.  Before the hapless Tomobiki students 
could take another three steps, twin bursts of high-intensity light froze 
them in place.  Seeing their neuralizers had done their job, Kay and Jay 
slipped off their glasses.  "Okay, back to class and don't EVER bother Ataru 
about his sisters or his daughters again!  Alright?!" Jay stated.

	No response.  Kay waved his partner with him.  "Let's go."

	"Right."

	They headed off.  The students remained frozen.  Onsen was still flat on 
his back.  In the back of the crowd, Minako -- she had not been affected by 
the neuralizers -- turned to Tomomi and Kyooko.  "So why doesn't Ataru-kun 
want to talk about his family to everyone here?" the rose-haired Avalonian 
asked.

	"Probably because he's tired of being blamed for everything under the sun 
by these jerks!" Kyooko snorted disgustedly.  "I sensed a couple of these 
boys were ready to call those girls Ataru-kun's love children!"

	"Jeez!  I guess the intelligence level in this place IS shorter than my 
shoe size," Tomomi said.  "In AMERICAN measurements!  Let's go back to 
class!"

	"Hai!" the others chimed as they followed their friend back, leaving their 
classmates frozen in place by the front gate.

	"What happened to them?" a voice called from their homeroom.

	Minako, Tomomi and Kyooko looked up.  Gazing at them from the window was a 
brown-haired, blue-eyed girl distantly resembling Tomoe Hotaru from "Sailor 
Moon."  "They just got zapped for being idiots, Mie-san," Minako replied.

	Seikou Mie snorted.  "Doesn't surprise me."

*    *    *

	"Slight headache, Nabiki-chan?"

	Nabiki nodded as Miree drew her fingers away from her face.  Both were 
relaxing in Nabiki's bedroom, sitting on the bed so the Niphentaxian high 
priestess could teach the younger girl the finer points of mind-shielding.  
"Well, it was either this or keep sharing my body with my brother."  Nabiki 
pinched her nose.  "Was it this hard for you when you got your new body?"

	"No.  The information needed for me to make use of my powers was 
automatically downloaded into it."  Miree chuckled.  "The next time we ask 
Hinako-chan to use Bou-san in creating new Avalonians, we ensure they can 
adjust immediately to their new abilities."

	"Sounds like a plan," Nabiki agreed before she tensed on sensing a wave of 
-- well, *something* -- come her way from the general direction of the 
kitchen.  "What the heck . . .?"  She peered in that direction.  "Who . . 
.?"

	Miree smiled.  "Oh, that feels like Chieko-san."

	"Chieko?!"  Nabiki perked, and then she breathed out, "Geez, what's that 
girl doing here?!  She knows if I'm absent from school . . . "

	"I think it's because she's worried about you."  The priestess gave the 
younger woman a knowing look, and then she blinked.  "Oh . . .!"

	Nabiki blinked as she sensed someone come into the compound.  "Who . . .?"

	Miree looked outside.  "It's Rinrin-chan!  And Yotsuba-chan's back, too!  
Looks like she did quite a bit of shopping!"

	Nabiki stood beside her.  "Boy, she did," she confirmed.  "I guess she 
really does have it in for Shinshi, ne?"

	Both women laughed.

*    *    *

	"So you want me to get the construction boys to build an extension to your 
room so you and Shinshi-kun can live together, right?!"

	Yotsuba nodded as Rinrin opened up her laptop computer.  "Checky!"

	"Okay, let's see what we can do."

	The inventor tapped controls to call up her data files on the rotunda at 
Welcome House.  As Rinrin played with her machine, Yotsuba picked up the 
clothing to drag them to the master bedroom.  Fujii Chieko remained in the 
kitchen with Kasumi, preparing lunch.  Akane had gone back to her bedroom to 
sleep; with the revelations about Ranma tacked onto the sea of problems her 
father instigated with Nabiki and Shinshi, she definitely needed a chance to 
relax and organize her thoughts.  Shinshi was asleep, he using Souun's old 
room as his own.  Miree had dealt with him before heading up to deal with 
Nabiki.

	As a diagram of the rotunda's third floor appeared on the computer's 
screen, the kitchen door opened.  "Rinrin-san!" Kasumi hailed with a smile 
as she walked in with a tea tray.  "Did your sister come back?"

	"She's carrying the things into your brother's room," Rinrin reported as 
she traced a finger over the computer screen.  "Okay . . . "

	Her hands flew over the keyboard.  "What are you doing?" Kasumi asked.

	"Yotsuba-chan asked me to put in an extension to her room so she and 
Shinshi-kun can live together," Rinrin reported matter-of-factly.  "Since 
we're putting in an extension on the first floor for Aniki and Aneki, we can 
get the construction crews to do this as well."

	Kasumi's eyebrow arched in surprise.  "Rinrin-san, do Yotsuba-san's parents 
know about this?"  She gazed concernedly on the teen inventor.  "At least 
her mother should be told.  I mean to start a relationship . . . "

	"Our parents don't really care about us anymore, Kasumi-san."

	Silence fell as Rinrin's fingers continued to dance over the keyboard.  
"Take me for example."  She pointed to herself, and then she nodded as 
Kasumi poured her a cup.  "My mom and step-dad left me at Welcome House two 
years ago so they could work at a big science lab in Osaka.  Never told me 
why."  She sniffed.  "Dad gets killed last year in an accident.  Mom . . . " 
  She stopped, shrugging.  "She hasn't come back.  Hasn't wrote to me, 
called me or done anything of the sort.  Last time I saw her was at Dad's 
funeral.  I only found out whom my real dad was when Aneki came to the 
Island and told me about Aniki.  By then, all of us had pretty much settled 
into the House, became friends and . . . "  A smile crossed her face.  "Then 
we learned we were family!  It . . . "

	"Rinrin-chan . . . "  Kasumi gazed sympathetically at her, and then she 
reached over to draw the teen inventor into a comforting embrace.  "You 
didn't deserve that . . . " she whispered.  "You didn't deserve any of that 
. . . "

	"Oh, is Rinrin-chan giving you that old sob story?!"

	Both looked as Yotsuba stepped into the sitting room.  "How's Shinshi-chan, 
Yotsuba-chan?" Kasumi asked as she let Rinrin go, the latter going back to 
work on her computer.  "Miree-sama said he needed his sleep."

	"Yotsuba knows that."  The would-be detective sat, stretching herself.  
"Shi-chama's sleeping like the dead right now."

	"Yotsuba-chan!" Kasumi gasped.  "Don't say such unlucky things!"

	The younger girl laughed.  "Oh, relax!"

	"If you haven't clued in by now, she's English," Rinrin explained as she 
pointed at her sister.  "Yotsuba-chan always tends to throw some strange 
words out, even in Japanese.  You can't escape it!"

	Yotsuba growled indignantly as Rinrin laughed.  Kasumi tried not to lose 
all deportment herself as the teen inventor went back to her machine.  A 
minute later, Rinrin sat back.  "Okay, here's what we'll do . . . "

	Yotsuba gazed on the screen.  "What are you doing?"

	"Well, I don't need a window for my lab room, so we'll let your room come 
out the same distance as Aniki's room, then wrap clockwise to cover the wall 
of my lab space."  Rinrin pointed to the details.  "Hey, we could even board 
up the door to my lab, and then you can shift your front door to the 
hallway, at right-angles to the door to Shirayuki-chan's room.  You could 
use the hall space between the old entrance to your room and the entrance to 
my room as a new closet, turn your old room into a sitting room . . . "

	Nodding, she got to work drafting up the new plans.  "Aaaah!  Don't take 
Yotsuba's ladder away, Rinrin-chan!" Yotsuba pleaded.

	"Oh, relax!"  Rinrin laughed.  "No doubt, Aniki'd love the idea of putting 
in a safety fence on the roof, not to mention your ceiling."  Playing with 
the touch pad, she nodded as the new floor plans came up.  "Okay!  We'll put 
the ladder here, at the corner of the space beside my lab.  We'll turn the 
window into an emergency door between my lab and your space, then keep the 
old door to my lab as another emergency door.  Sounds okay?"

	"Checky!"

	"My, are you sure you can do all this, Rinrin-chan?" Kasumi asked.

	"Sure!  The family owns the House!"  Rinrin then stopped before looking 
anew at Kasumi.  "Why don't you come live with us?"

	"Rinrin-chan . . . " Kasumi gasped, she taken aback by Rinrin's offer.

	"I mean . . . "  Rinrin grasped the older woman's hand.  "I know this is 
your land, but with your dad in the asylum and you, Nabiki, Shinshi-kun and 
Akane about to go to university, do you want to hang onto this place?  You 
can come stay with us on the Island, your sisters go to school at the 
College."

	"I . . .!"  Kasumi then gently folded her other hand over Rinrin's.  
"Rinrin-chan, please, you don't have to do this . . . "

	"Yes, we do."  Rinrin smiled.  "Kasumi-san, do you want to know why it was 
so easy for all of us to come together like we did?"

	"Well, I suspect your birth-fathers' . . . "  Kasumi then caught herself.

	"Other than that!"  Yotsuba laughed, walking over to sit on the other side 
of Kasumi from Rinrin.  Reaching over to grasp the older woman's hand, the 
detective gazed into her eyes.  "Ane-chama, you lost your mom a long time 
ago.  And your dad's gone now.  Even though you're at the point where you 
want to go out into the big world, you really don't have much of a family to 
fall back onto.  That's not right, especially after what your dad did.  Why 
shouldn't we help you?  It's what our family's done all these years."

	Kasumi blinked, her eyes misting.  "You just called me . . . "

	"Hai."  Yotsuba nodded before she shrugged.  "Yotsuba can't explain it.  
When Yotsuba checked Shi-chama for the first time, it . . . "  She glanced 
at her lap.  "All Yotsuba could think about is that Shi-chama was the first 
man other than Ani-chama that Yotsuba could learn to love.  And if it does 
happen, then Ane-chama'll be Yotsuba's sister-in-law.  Ono-sensei told 
Yotsuba lots of nice things about you, Ane-chama."  She gazed tranquilly on 
Kasumi.  The latter blushed on hearing that; even though nothing had ever 
worked out between herself and Ono Toofuu, that the chiropractor still held 
the Tendou matriarch in high respect was heart-warming.  Yotsuba then 
sighed.  "And, well . . . "  She frowned.  "Yotsuba knows there's a chance 
that things between Yotsuba and Shi-chama won't check out.  Yotsuba thinks 
it's really not checky, but . . . "  She shrugged.  "If Shi-chama doesn't 
want Yotsuba as a lover, Yotsuba hopes Shi-chama'll have Yotsuba as a 
friend."

	"You're only fourteen, Yotsuba-chan," Kasumi warned, reaching over to 
squeeze the younger girl's shoulder.  "Look at all the trouble Ranma-chan 
and Akane-chan had in their 'engagement.'  They were SIXTEEN, for heaven's 
sake.  You don't deserve that . . . "

	"Yotsuba knows."  She winked.  "Yotsuba also knows that there won't be dumb 
parents or stupid idiots with bokken trying to butt into the way.  After 
all, if Shi-chama, Na-chama and Ane-chama come to Promised Island, that 
doesn't mean Kunou'll come live on the Island!"

	"The jerk might think he's king-shit here in Nerima, but he's nobody where 
we come from."  Rinrin smirked.  "Okay, here we go!"

	The others looked.  "Oh, my!" Kasumi gasped.

*    *    *

	"Feeling a little better, U-chan?"

	Ukyou perked before she stared at Ranma.  After the chef got finished with 
her father, the Kuromoroboshi came along to dump him outside Uenohara, near 
the border between Metro Tokyo and Yamanashi prefecture.  As planned 
earlier, Ukyou's father wouldn't be free of the paralysis Cologne forced on 
him until late that evening.  Long before that, a clerk from the Court of 
Special Appeals would visit U-chan's to record Ukyou's complaint concerning 
his father's refusal to recognize the legal changes concerning Ranma.  "It's 
nice to hear you call me 'U-chan' again."  The chef smiled as she laid back 
on the spare futon Ranma provided for her, her eyes locked on the ceiling 
fan of the room Ranma shared with Ataru.  "Hearing you call me 'Ukyou-san' 
got to me at times, you know."

	"I had no choice," Ranma admitted as she sat beside her.

	"Guess so."  Ukyou closed her eyes.  "Ran-chan?"

	"What is it?"

	"Did you ever love me?"

	Ranma sighed.  "Depends on what type of love you mean."

	Ukyou gazed on her.  "As a fiancée."

	The answer was automatic:  "No.  I mean, even now, it's so hard for me to 
think of you as anything other than my best friend, U-chan.  I . . . "  She 
closed her eyes.  "I'm sorry.  I know it's not the least bit fair to you 
given all you've been through these last ten years, but I won't lie to you 
either.  I love you, but as a friend, not a fiancée.  I'll always be there 
to help you if you're really in a jam . . . "

	"You didn't act that way after the wedding," Ukyou warned, closing her 
eyes.  "I'd become a stranger to you.  That hurt, Ran-chan!"

	Ranma nodded.  "True, I did.  And I'm sorry I did hurt you, but from the 
moment you and Shan started lobbing okonomiyaki and nikuman bombs in the 
middle of a doojou filled with people who couldn't protect themselves from 
folks like us, I knew a line had to be drawn.  I . . . "  She leaned her 
chin on her knees.  "I only wish I had the ability to draw that sooner.  
Maybe it would've saved us a lot of trouble in the long term."

	"Because of what Genma did to you, right?  That whole business with messing 
your mind up before you went on the training trip?"

	"Yep."

	Ukyou turned onto her side, gazing at Ranma.  "Yeah, I guess that didn't 
really help matters a lot.  For all of us."

	"Yeah, that's true."

	"So where's Ataru-kun?"

	Ranma shrugged.  "Went off with Hinako-chan to Tomobiki a few minutes ago.  
Some alien ship showed up while you were pounding the snot outta your old 
man.  They went to check it out.  Ataru told me they were Noukiites."

	Confusion crossed Ukyou's face.  "Who're they?"

	"The people who are, at present, pounding the hell out of Lum's people, the 
Urusians.  It's a five-century version of what happened between us and the 
Koreans some decades back."  Ranma perked.  "I've been to Noukiios myself."

	Ukyou jolted.  "WHAT?!  WHEN?!"

	Ranma laughed.  "Saturday night, Negako took me to this place called 
'Sanctuary' to help me overcome my fear of cats.  It's . . . "  She stopped, 
her hands shaking as she tried to muster the right words to describe that 
place, and then she shrugged.  "Well, it's a place outside of normal time 
and space. I spent the equivalent of thirty-eight days there.  Went through 
my first period, plus came up with some new moves, while I was training 
there.  Along the way, Negako took me to Noukiios so I could see . . . "

	Her voice trailed off on seeing the stunned look of disbelief cross the 
chef's face.  "That can't be true . . . " Ukyou sputtered.

	"Well, if you don't believe me, ask Negako.  She'll confirm it."

	Silence fell as Ukyou considers her ex-fiancée's words.  Both then perked 
as the bedroom door slid open, revealing Shirayuki.  "Nee-sama, your mom's 
here," the young chef reported.  "She needs to see you."

	Ranma sighed.  "Right."

	She stood, brushing off the back of her chemise before heading to the door. 
  "You're gonna be okay, Ran-chan?" Ukyou asked on sensing a cloud of 
uncertainty descend on Ranma.  "I know you broke off ties with her . . . "

	The redhead stopped.  "Yeah."

	She gave Ukyou a faint smile before she followed Shirayuki out of the 
bedroom.  Ukyou watched her go before she sighed, reclining on the bed.

*    *    *

	Ranma nodded on entering the living room.  "Ohayou."

	"Ohayou, Ranma."  Nodoka's eyes widened in surprise on seeing the chemise 
draped over her transformed child's body.  Then quickly composing herself, 
she turned to Shirayuki.  "I'd like to speak with him alone."

	"Hai desu no!"  The chef nodded before heading into the kitchen.

	Ranma watched her go before she beckoned her mother to the front porch.  
"I'm glad to see Genma didn't hurt you that much when he took your sword 
away."

	She closed the door behind Nodoka after they had stepped outside.  "Yes, 
the wounds were light," Nodoka admitted, bracing herself for what she had to 
ask.  "How are you?  I didn't hear many details about the fight at the 
school.  He didn't hurt you, did he?"

	"He tried," Ranma admitted.  "He tried to skewer me with that sword when I 
announced that the Court of Special Appeals had granted my request to sever 
all bonds between myself and him.  Hinako-sensei nearly got killed along the 
way and . . . "  She shuddered.  No, Nodoka certainly didn't need to hear 
about Ranma's delightful 'neko-self.'  "Things got right out of hand.  It's 
a miracle no one got killed before the police came.  Genma . . . "  She 
snorted.  "He used a ki blast on riot police, for crying out loud!" she spat 
out.

	"I know that part.  That was right after you used some sort of attack to 
sever his cursed side from his real side, right?"

	Ranma nodded.  "Hai.  Right after, one of the cops gunned him down.  His 
body disintegrated when he died.  Jijii explained that had happened once 
before when he tried to split a Nyanniichuan-cursed guy into two parts."

	"I see . . . " Nodoka's voice trailed off.  "Well, it no longer matters.  
Whatever feelings I might have had for him vanished sometime ago," she 
admitted.  "All that bound me to him was honour and the hope that, in spite 
of his mistakes, he did raise you well.  But after hearing about what he did 
to you BEFORE you left home on your trip . . . "

	"I know."  Ranma perked.  "So what brings you by?"

	Nodoka gazed on her child, sighing.  "Can't a mother come visit her son, 
especially given the long separation between us?"

	The younger woman sighed.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to sound rude, but 
I'm not used to idle pleasantries, even from family."

	A surprised look crossed her mother's face.  "You've changed."  Nodoka then 
gazed intently at Ranma.  "Considering the scant chances you've had to spend 
time in a classroom before you came here, it's surprising."

	Ranma smirked.  "Thank Tampopo-chan for that.  That's one of the things she 
did for me while I was on my trip with her."

	"I think I will."  Nodoka laughed, and then she took a sombre breath.  
"Ranma, I don't wish to burden you with this right at this time, but there 
is another reason I came to see you today."

	"I take it this has something to do with your father."

	Silence.  Nodoka stared wide-eyed at her child.  "Ranma . . . "

	"Before you say anything, let me explain."  Ranma held up a warning hand.  
"I've been told about the time when Jijii, just before you were born, 
seduced your mom.  And because of that, your dad wouldn't like anything more 
than to stick it good and hard into Jijii's back.  And in doing so, he feels 
that seeing me become part of his family in name and deed -- with the change 
of any name bestowed on my school of the Art going along with it -- would 
help him toward that end."  Her eyebrow arched.  "Am I right?"

	Nodoka took that in, and then she nodded.  "Yes, dear, you are right."

	"Then you can understand why I will refuse all attempts by him or anyone of 
his family to bring me into the Asagaya Clan."

	The older woman jolted.  "But Ranma, surely you . . . "

	"I DO see that!" Ranma cut her off.  "Look, if your dad wants to tear a 
strip off Jijii's hide, I can't blame him for that!  Heaven knows how many 
people Jijii's pissed off over the years!"  Her face turned into a steely 
mask as she stared at Nodoka.  "But I will say this:  I have been used time 
and time again by people, Genma above all, to pursue all sorts of stupid 
plots that have not ONCE benefited me!  I've been caught at the short end of 
the stick many times because of things like that!  To be frank, I'm very 
tired of it!  If your dad wants to go after Jijii for what he did to your 
mom, tell him to go right to town!  But don't involve me and don't involve 
my sisters!"

	Nodoka gazed at her before she closed her eyes.  "Is that why you chose to 
sever legal connections to myself as well as your father?"

	Ranma evenly nodded.  "Yes."

	Nodoka considered that.  A sad smile then crossed her face.  "I see, then.  
Very well, Saotome-san.  I will not bother you anymore about this matter."  
She gave her a stiff bow.  "Have a good day."

	She turned to march off.  Ranma watched her.  As Nodoka got halfway to the 
gate, she then called out, "Your son is dead, Asagaya-san!"

	Nodoka stopped, spinning around to stare at Ranma.  "I'm a girl not just in 
body now," the younger woman warned.  "Thanks to a hidden trick Jusenkyou 
saves for those people who don't change back right away after they're 
initially cursed, I became a girl here and here."  She pointed to her head, 
and then her heart.  "Fortunately, thanks to the Neko-ken, my brain was 
damaged to the point where that particular metamorphosis didn't take effect 
right away.  That damage has now been repaired, so Jusenkyou's FULL curse 
has taken effect over me.  So you can thank Genma for allowing you the 
chance to know your son for a little while."  Her smile slipped.  "And I'm 
no longer a student of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.  Make sure you tell your 
father that when you see him next, Asagaya-san."

	She turned to head inside.  "R-r-Ranma . . .!" Nodoka stuttered.

	Ranma stopped.  "Get off the property, Nodoka.  Or I'll call the police."

	Nodoka froze as Ranma's threat washed over her.  She then jerkily nodded 
before she staggered through the front gate.  Ranma remained in place, and 
then she stared over her shoulder at the empty gate leading into the shrine. 
  "You stupid fool, Mom," she hissed.  "There's no way in hell that old 
fart'll be nice to you, no matter WHAT you think!"  She shook her head as 
she stepped inside, slamming the door behind her.

	"Anegimi-sama, that was your MOTHER!"

	Ranma jolted, she turning to stare at Haruka.  "I can't hope to help people 
solve their problems if they refuse to see what problems face them, 
Haruka-chan."  She moved to pass the other martial artist.  "It's no 
different than what happened to U-chan."

	Haruka gently gripped Ranma's shoulder.  The redhead stopped, and then she 
sighed before turning to gaze on her future sister-in-law.  "What happens if 
she refuses to have anything to do with you again, Anegimi-sama?" Haruka 
asked.

	"You mean like some of the girls' moms and step-dads have acted towards 
them that got them all sent to Welcome House?" Ranma asked.  Seeing Haruka 
nod, she took a deep breath.  "Haruka-chan, I want to learn how to love Mom. 
  I do.  But . . . "  She shuddered.  "At the same time, I can't forgive her 
for literally ABANDONING me to Genma when I was a child!  And she believed, 
for more than a DECADE, that a piece of damned PAPER with my handprint on it 
mattered more than my own LIFE!  And NOW she wants me to become part of her 
old family?!  Where her older brothers BEAT her constantly when she was 
growing up?!  Where, when she decided to marry Genma, they turned around and 
DISOWNED her without giving her a chance to defend herself?!  And NOW her 
father is trying to get revenge from Jijii because he once seduced her 
MOTHER?!"

	She reached up to squeeze Haruka's hand, and then she guided it away.  
"No."  Ranma shook her head.  "I can't do it, Haruka-chan.  I finally, after 
so long, have got FULL control over my life!  I will not let anyone take it 
away from me.  If Mom has a problem with that, too bad!  And if her father's 
so hell bent on revenge against Jijii, that's just too bad, too!  Besides . 
. . "  A snide grin crossed her face.  "If Mom's mother was so won over by 
JIJII, it makes me wonder what sort of real *man* her father was!"

	Haruka balked, and then she flustered.  "Well . . .!"

	"That's pretty raw, Ran-chan!"

	Ranma glanced at Ukyou; the chef was standing by the hallway leading to 
Ataru's bedroom.  "Well, what would YOU think, U-chan?!"

	Laughing, Ranma headed off.  Ukyou and Haruka watched her go before 
exchanging a concerned look. "I never expected that from Anegimi-sama," the 
latter admitted.  "She did try to be positive when she spoke of her mother 
on the Island last week . . . "

	"Did Ran-chan really go to this Sanctuary place, sugar?" Ukyou asked.

	"Hai, she did.  Why do you ask?"

	The chef considered that before she shrugged.  "I guess spending over 
thirty days in a place like that would change anyone's attitudes.  
Especially given all the changes Ran-chan's had to go through to get where 
she is now."

	Haruka considered that before she nodded.  "I see."

*    *    *

	"So Kunou refused to acknowledge what I said yesterday?"

	"Hai, I'm afraid so."  Fujii Chieko nodded as she placed a tray full of 
snacks on Akane's work desk.  "At first, he and all the other boys were 
plenty pissed off that you didn't even bother showing up for the fight.  
Then when people started talking about the oath you made yesterday, the news 
got to Kunou-sempai pretty quick.  Before I left school to come look in on 
you and the Boss, I heard from one of Sempai's classmates that after he was 
told of your oath, he started blaming it on Ranma-kun's 'sorcery.'"  She 
made finger-quotes.  "He vowed to not stop until he exorcised the 'black 
magic' from your heart with his trusty blade . . . "  She giggled.  
"Yadadda, yadadda, yadadda . . .!"

	Akane groaned, she rising from her bed.  "That idiot . . . "

	"You're not going to win against someone like that, Akane-chan."  Chieko 
sat on the bed, Akane taking her place at the desk.  "And with Ranma-kun 
gone, who's going to distract Sempai from coming after you?"

	Akane rested her arms on her desk. Chieko was quick to see a quiver shaking 
her classmate's limbs.  "You have a point," the youngest Tendou admitted as 
she moved to dig into her food.  "Ranma always was a distraction when it 
came to Kunou, ne?" she then mused.

	"Hai."  Chieko stared at the ceiling.  "I'm going to miss him."

	Akane blinked.  "You won't be the only one."

	The other girl gazed at her, deciding it wouldn't be prudent to push 
matters on that particular subject further.  Heaven only knew Akane had 
always been mercurial when it came to her engagement to Ranma.  Best to turn 
her attention back to immediate matters.  "So what now?  I don't think any 
of the guys were really swayed by what you said yesterday.  If you try to 
dodge around them, they'll just keep coming after you."

	"And if I fight them, I'm feeding into their delusions.  Dealing with Kunou 
ever since he made that ridiculous speech taught me that."

	"Pity you couldn't just pull up stakes and leave town."

	Silence.

	Akane blinked, staring nowhere in particular.  "Leave town . . . "

	Chieko looked quizzically at her.  "Eh?!"

	"Leave town," the youngest Tendou repeated as she stared at her classmate.  
"You know, before Ranma came, Dad tried to get me transferred to another 
school to get me away from Kunou.  It was blocked because school rules state 
the ONLY way a person could get to transfer out of Fuurinkan is if they 
apply to go to a private school, like Saint Hebereke . . . "  A smile crept 
across her face as she held up a finger.  "Or if the whole family moves out 
of the district itself, say to another district, town or prefecture!"

	"Couldn't you try to transfer to Kolholz?!" Chieko then asked.  "They're 
not that far away from here.  It wouldn't be too much of a hassle and I know 
it's not a private school like Saint Hebereke or Seishun!"

	Akane considered that before she shook her head.  "No. Something tells me 
Kunou's father arranged to make sure no one could try to transfer there.  
Besides . . . "  A scowl crossed her face.  "Sanzenin Mikado goes there!"

	Chieko winced.  "Right . . . "

	A knock.  Both saw Kasumi standing in the hallway.  "Gomen nasai, but would 
you come to the sitting room, Akane-chan?" the eldest Tendou daughter asked 
with a smile.  "There's something we need to discuss right away."

	"About what, Onee-chan?" Akane asked.

	"Something Rinrin-chan just offered us," Kasumi replied.

*    *    *

	"Reiko-chan, say 'Aaaah!'"

	"Aaaaaah!" Reiko moaned before swallowing the spoon full of fruit parfait 
Hinako offered her.  Gazing at his sister as she fed his daughters, Ataru 
tried not to grin too much.  He then noticed Jay and Kay gazing at him.

	"Never thought something like this would happen to a guy like me, eh?" he 
asked with a smirk as he sat back in his chair.

	Jay shrugged.  "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

	"I take it you were engaged in other activities with the Noukiites," Kay 
mused.  "Your daughters did imply that you did help them fight the 
Urusians."

	Ataru thumbed the flap of his tunic.  "Obvious, ne?"

	The SCAA agents gazed at his clothing.  The fabric, interwoven in several 
layers, clearly wasn't Terran in origin even if it was hued in a nice earthy 
brown shade.  And the glyphs lining the outer flap edge of his tunic, 
despite the similarity to han'geul, didn't originate from an Earth alphabet. 
  A glance to Reiko and Kaneko revealed the twins had the same tailor as 
their father.

	"Why?" Jay asked.

	Ataru took a deep breath.  "When Onee-chan took me to Sanctuary so I could 
be trained in my family's Art, I learned a lot about the circumstances 
surrounding my grandmother's death."  A pause, and then he added, "The 
Urusian government was directly implicated."

	Kay and Jay exchanged a look.  "That would be something for the Inquisition 
to investigate," the former noted.

	"Who do you think I was with when I went to Uru?" Ataru replied.

	The older men nodded understandingly.  "Ah!"

	"Onii-tama!"

	Ataru turned to Hinako, the latter holding up an empty fruit parfait bowl.  
"We need some more!" the youngest of the sisters warned.

	Ataru glanced at his daughters.  "Are you two still hungry?!"

	"We're okay, Papa," Reiko grunted as the twins rubbed their tummies.

	"Oh!"  A knowing look crossed Ataru's face as he gazed on Hinako.  "Don't 
tell me that Hinako-chan has to go on a diet!"

	Hinako jolted.  "Onii-tama!"

	Everyone laughed.  Ataru then started on hearing, "Anii!"

	Hinako waved.  "Ah!  Mamoru-chan!  Kaho-chan!"

	"Ani-kun."

	People screamed out on seeing Chikage standing behind Ataru.  Kaho cried 
out as her foot caught on a paving stone.  She tumbled right in front of 
Mamoru.  The athlete didn't dodge clear in time, resulting in her falling 
flat onto her face.  Ataru winced on seeing his sisters stumble about, and 
then he gave the sorceress a knowing look.  "My dear Hirosaki-san, could you 
POSSIBLY think of trying NOT to scare the living daylights out of us 
whenever you pop up like that?!  Gods, you're worse than Cherry!"

	Chikage appeared nonplussed.  She then cried out as twin typhoons snared 
her lower legs, they nearly sending her to join Kaho and Mamoru face-first 
on the tarmac.  "Auntie Chikage!" Reiko and Kaneko gushed together.

	Seeing this, Hinako giggled.  "Silly Chikage-chan!"

	Laughter filled the table as Mamoru picked herself up.  "Anii, there's a 
problem!" she then reported.

	"What sort of problem?" Ataru asked.

	"Reigi-san just called us.  Some people just teleported into your old house 
some minutes ago.  From where, NO ONE has any idea!  And two others broke in 
around the same time.  He's wondering if he should get the Kuromoroboshi 
over there to check things out!"

	Ataru's eyebrow arched.  He then glanced in the direction of his old family 
home.  His eyes narrowed as he picked up several strangely familiar ki 
signatures, and then he turned to Chikage.  "Who's there?!" he wondered.

	"Lum and Ran -- their post-Crossing Over incarnations," Chikage reported, 
drawing her crystal ball.  She swung it in the direction of the old 
Moroboshi home so she could do a scan.  "Plus Jariten and four Avalonians, 
physical/mental replicas of Lum, Ran, Benten and Oyuki."

	Ataru blinked.  "Say what . . .?!"

	Jay gaped.  "Ten's come back?!"

	Kay rose, waving for the cheque.  "Let's get over there."

*    *    *

	"So Ranma finally decided to leave this place, eh?!" Hiroshi mused.

	Daisuke sighed.  "Yeah, by the sounds of it."

	They were relaxing in the library, along with a good portion of their 
class, not to mention people from several other classes, including Inu 
Chigaiko's senior class.  It was morning study hall, the class before lunch. 
  Given the nearly eerie quiet of the first day of the new school term -- 
what with the absence of the morning brawl between Ranma and Kunou, not to 
mention the Horde o'Hentai being unable to go all out on Akane now that the 
engagement between herself and Ranma had been thrown out the window -- the 
members of Ranma's old class seemed to be bracing themselves for a massive 
explosion.

	Yuka and Chigaiko walked up to sit beside them.  "Hey, Yuka-chan, any news 
about Akane?" Daisuke wondered as the two girls took their seats.

	"I haven't seen her since I left the Moroboshi place."  Yuka tried not to 
display any emotion stemming from her confrontation with Ranma earlier in 
the day at the old shrine.  "I think Chieko-chan went over to look on them." 
  She rested her chin on her hands.  "She should be back . . . "

	"Hey!  Check out Gosunkugi!" Daisuke hissed.

	Yuka, Chigaiko and Hiroshi looked as the frail would-be sorcerer walked 
into the library.  Given the jaunty spring in his stride, the slaphappy 
smile etched on his face and the sheer glow of LIFE emanating from him, 
Hikaru's classmates had more than enough reason to be surprised.  "What the 
hell's wrong with him?" Hiroshi asked before he turned to look at his best 
friend.  "Hey, Dai!  Have you EVER seen ol' Spooky act anything like THAT?!"

	Daisuke shook his head.  "Not me, dude!"

	Hikaru sat down at a table, drawing out a book.  Ignoring the chorus of 
confused, wary and curious looks emanating from his classmates, he turned to 
the page he wished to examine, and then he got to work.  Minutes pass.  
People around him were quick to notice that their classmate seemed 
distracted.  As to what was distracting him, no one had any idea.  Daisuke 
gazed on his friends.  "Yuka, you sure Akane hasn't been to school at all 
today?" he wondered.

	"I'm sure."  Yuka then perked as the sound of many chatting voices echoed 
from the hallway.  "What the hell's that?"

	Hiroshi, Daisuke and Chigaiko followed her out.  Stopping in the hallway, 
they gaped on seeing a small crowd surrounding a cheerfully smiling Tendou 
Akane.  "Is that . . .?" Hiroshi asked before he took a careful look at the 
new arrival's flower-print shirt and stylish slacks.  "Oh, man!" he groaned. 
  "Don't tell me Akane got herself caught in front of that magic mirror 
Ranma ran into!"

	"Kimiko-chan," Chigaiko whispered.

	Kimiko ignored the people around her as she focused her psi-senses on the 
one she had come to see.  Passing Chigaiko and her companions by without a 
word of greeting, she peeked into the library.  "Hikaru-kun?!" she called 
out.  On spotting the would-be sorcerer in question, she grinned as she made 
a beeline for his table.  "I have lunch!" she then announced.

	Hikaru looked up from his book, and then the whole world around him went 
totally pink.  "Kimiko-chan!"  Stars sparkled in his eyes as he zipped up to 
grasp her free hand, as a chorus of violins began to play a romantic aria in 
the background.  "Oh, Kimiko-chan!  I was just thinking about you!"

	Akane's twin blushed.  "Hai, I know."  She placed the bentou on the table, 
gently touches her own reddening cheek as Hikaru's desiring gaze focused on 
her.  "Oh, Hikaru-kun, did any mean boy try to hurt you today?" she asked.  
"I was SO worried about you, especially with that awful Kunou person and 
what he's been trying to do with my poor sister . . . "

	Hiroshi tried not to gag.  "Who wrote THIS corny dialogue?!"

	"Who IS that, anyway?!" Daisuke wondered.  "You'd figure any double of 
Akane'd act somewhat LIKE her, for Heaven's sake!"

	Yuka glared at him.  "And what EXACTLY is Akane-chan SUPPOSED to act like, 
Daisuke-kun?!" she frostily wondered.

	Daisuke gulped as he ducked Yuka's incensed stare.  Suddenly, an explosion 
knocked down the back doors leading into the library.  Sure enough, Kunou 
Tatewaki stormed in, his eyes locked on the horrid sight of HIS beauteous 
tiger being manhandled by that uncouth Gosunkugi.  "***HOLD!***" he 
bellowed, swinging his bokken out to strike the impudent junior student 
down.  "***I GAVE NO BLESSINGS TO THIS HIDEOUS UNION, GOSUNKUGI!  UNHAND THE 
BEAUTIFUL TENDOU AKANE THIS INSTANT OR FACE THE BLUE THUNDER'S WRATH!***"

	"Hikaru-kun, did someone say something?" Kimiko wondered, oblivious to the 
oncoming kendou-ka moving to strike her boyfriend down.

	Hikaru shook his head.  "I didn't hear anything, Kimiko-chan.  C'mon, let's 
go outside and have lunch!  I'm starving!"

	"Hai!"

	Kimiko snared the bentou, and then she nearly wrenched Hikaru's arm out of 
its socket as she lead him out of the library.  Kunou, totally unused to 
being simply IGNORED like that, froze in place as his mind rolled over what 
he just witnessed.  He quickly recovered, turning to pursue.  "AH!  So the 
devious Gosunkugi joined forces with the villainous Saotome and the 
monstrous Moroboshi to keep my tigress under their dark spells, has he?!  I 
SHALL NOT HAVE IT!"  He quickly moved to pursue.  "HAVE AT THEE, BEAST!"

	"***HAPPOU-GOJUU-EN-SATSU!***"

	Kunou screamed as his fighting aura was sucked out of him, and then he 
dropped to the floor as Ninomiya Hinako walked up.  "Now, Kunou-kun, I don't 
think the students here appreciate having their study hall interrupted by 
your mindless diatribes."  The teacher planted a firm foot on the 
kendou-ka's head.  "Besides, Gosunkugi-kun and that double of Tendou-kun DO 
seem a nice couple, don't they?"  She tittered, glancing in the direction of 
the other boys in the room, many of whom she knew were part of that squad of 
delinquents who were ready to ambush and most likely RAPE Akane when she 
came to school.  "Well?!"  Her eyes flashed as she held up her fifty-yen 
piece.  "DON'T they?!"

	The boys shuddered before slumping in defeat.  "Sensei, you're cruel!" one 
fellow, a long-time member of the Horde o'Hentai, groaned.

	"Tough!"  Hinako moved to leave.  "Life itself's cruel!  If I catch anyone 
trying to harass Gosunkugi-kun about his relationship, they'll wish they 
never heard of Tendou Akane by the time I'm finished with them!" she vowed.

	She headed off.  The boys watched her go, and then they began to mutter 
among themselves.  Gazing on them, Yuka was quick to note that many were NOT 
pleased by this turn of events.  Fortunately, their fear of Hinako's powers 
would prevent them from going too hog-wild over this matter.  "Well, I'm 
glad something's back to normal around these parts!" Hiroshi mused.  "Eh, 
Dai?!"

	Daisuke nodded.  "Yeah.  It is a relief, isn't it?!"

*    *    *

	"Is THIS the place Onii-tama lived in?!"

	"What a dump!"

	"Kaho's happy that Onii-chama's living in Welcome House now!"

	As Ataru, Chikage, Jay and Kay stepped into the old Moroboshi home to see 
what was going on, Hinako, Kaho, Mamoru, Reiko and Kaneko waited by the 
front gate.  "Ugh!"  The younger of the Noukiite twins winced as she waved a 
hand over her nose.  "The stench of those uo-t'ich is everywhere!"

	"Um, Kaneko-chan?!"

	"Hai, Auntie Mamoru.  What is it?!"

	"What's a 'uuoh-tichu?!'"

	"'Uo-t'ich,' Auntie Mamoru."  Kaneko stifled a giggle.  "It means 'dog 
people.'  That's what we normally call the Urusians."

	"Kaneko-chan's people don't like dogs?!" Hinako wondered.

	"Hai!"

	The sisters exchanged a look.  "What happens when they meet Marie-chan and 
Michael?!" Kaho wondered, covering her mouth.

	Reiko smiled.  "Oh, it's okay, Auntie Kaho!"

	"Why do you say that?!" Mamoru asked.

	"Well, Earth dogs are related to Earth wolves and foxes, right?"

	"Um . . . y-yeah, I think so!" the athlete stuttered.

	"On Noukiios, wolves and dogs are as separate as dogs and cats are here," 
Reiko explained.  "We call wolves *ip'i.*  They're really cool when you see 
them, but you *don't* ever want to get one angry at you!"

	The sisters stared at the twins, nodding.  "Oh!"

	Chikage peeked out the front door.  "Hinako-chan."

	"What is it, Chikage-chan?"

	"Come in here, please.  We need you," the sorceress beckoned.

	Hinako took the Staff from Reiko before she followed her sister inside.  
Ascending to Ataru's old room, they stepped in.  Hinako stopped on seeing 
Ataru kneeling beside some small glass tube, those two nice men from the Men 
in Black standing beside him.  Jay was scanning what was in the tube with a 
tricorder.  Seated on the empty bunk bed Ataru once used were two casually 
dressed women, one brown-haired, the other a redhead.  The brown-haired girl 
looked as if she was about to break down and cry.  Her friend had a 
reassuring hand on the other's shoulder.  Laid out on the floor by the bed 
were four people Hinako recognized from the pictures her Onii-tama showed 
her some time ago.  All of them were passed out, a blanket spread out over 
them.  Before Hinako could think of their names, a whispered warning from 
Bou-san echoed in her mind.

	*They're Avalonians?!* she wondered, and then she blinked as Chikage 
beckoned her to stand beside the tube.

	"How bad is it?" Ataru wondered.

	Jay looked at his tricorder.  "He's in a bad way."  He slipped the device 
into his jacket.  "What happened to him?"

	"The Ip'ihu attacked him," Seiko muttered.

	Ataru and the SCAA agents gazed on her.  The former sighed.  "Must have 
been some fringe group, like the people who turned Onishuto into a 
radioactive parking lot.  Mainstream Ip'ihu would never condone attacks on 
innocent children unless they're directly related to members of the Urusian 
colonial militia."  Before Seiko could voice a response, Ataru turned.  
"Hinako-chan?!"

	Hinako walked up.  She then shuddered, her eyes tearing, on seeing the 
scarred body frozen within.  "Onii-tama, is that . . .?"

	"Yeah.  You think you can ask Bou-san to do something to help him?"

	She shakily nodded as she held the Staff up.  The focusing crystal glowed 
for a moment as streams of energy showered Ten's body.  Some seconds later, 
the shower ceased.  Hinako drew the Staff back.  "Bou-san says she can't 
help Ten-chan, Onii-tama."  She sniffed.  "Bou-san says all those boo-boos 
hurt him too much.  If he's taken out of the tube, he'll go to the Very, 
Very Bright Place."

	"Wonderful."  Kay sighed, glancing at Seiko.  "Your call."

	Seiko gazed on her cousin, and then she took a deep breath.  "Hinako-chan, 
is there ANYTHING your friend can do for Ten-chan?"

	Hinako blinked, and then she canted her head as the Staff whispered 
something to her.  "You think so?!"  She stared at the glowing crystal, and 
then she listened to the answer before nodding.  "Uhn!  Hina knows what to 
do now!"

	"That being?" Chikage asked.

	In answer, Hinako hefted the Staff into the air.  The focusing crystal 
glowed bright white as an opaque beam of energy lanced through the ceiling 
and straight into orbit over Japan's most infamous town.  The room was 
bathed in blinding light for a moment, causing everyone to squeeze their 
eyes shut or cover their eyes with their hands.  As soon as the light began 
to fade, Ataru shook his head clear before he glanced at the floor where 
Ten's cryo-storage unit should be.  It was there no longer.

	"Wh-where'm I . . .?"

	Hinako gushed, cradling the Staff close to her.  "Haaaaaaai!"  She turned 
to Ataru.  "Ten-chan's all cured now, Onii-tama!"

	"Huh . . .?"  The raven-haired boy, appearing to be about five or so, 
glanced around the empty room before his brown eyes focused on the two men 
in  the black business suits.  "Ah!  Kay-san!  Jay-san!  Am I on Earth?!"

	"That you are, kiddo!  Welcome back!"  Kay reached over to give Ten a 
friendly squeeze on the shoulder.  "Feel okay?!"

	Ten stared at his hands.  Fortunately, the Staff had draped his new body in 
an orange shirt and jean jumper.  "Feel a little weird . . . "  He scratched 
the back of his head, and then he froze as his fingers detected something 
that should be there but was NOT.  "My horn . . .!"  A surge of panic seized 
him, and then he looked around.  "MY HORN!  WHERE'S MY HORN?!  WHO TOOK MY 
HORN AWAY?!"

	His eyes stopped as they locked on the dark-clad, purple-haired woman 
standing close to the door.  Ten froze as Chikage's looks sank into his 
mind.  Hearts then glittered deep in his eyes.  "Pretty lady . . . " he 
crooned, walking over to take a closer look.

	Ataru sighed.  "Well, at least THAT part of him's back to normal."

	He glanced at Kay and Jay.  Seiko's eyebrow twitched.  "Darling."

	Ten spun around to see the man in the Noukiite clothing.  "Ataru?!" he 
gasped, walking up to stare at him.  "How'd you grow a beard so fast?!  And 
what are you doing dressed like that?!  If Lum-chan sees you like that . . 
.!"

	"Lum HAS seen me like that."  Ataru indicated Seiko.  "And, much that I 
hate to bring you down to Earth, Jariten, it really no longer matters what 
she happens to think about me.  In the meantime, my sisters and I'll leave 
you to get reacquainted, not to mention registered with Kay's people."  He 
glanced at Kay.  "We'll be downstairs."

	Kay nodded.  "Right."

	Ten watched as Ataru, Chikage and Hinako stepped out of the room.  He then 
perked as Seiko knelt beside him.  "What's with him . . .?"  His voice 
trailed off as his eyes fixed on hers.  "Lum-chan . . .?"  He then turned as 
Sakiko came up to stand beside her sister.  "Ran-chan . . .?"

	Sakiko knelt beside Seiko.  "Hai, it's us, Ten-chan."

	Ten glanced at Sakiko, and then Seiko, and then back to Sakiko again before 
he screamed out, "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, ANYWAY?!"

	"It's a long story, Ten-chan."  Seiko then leaned over to draw him into her 
arms.  "But it's so good to see you alive and safe!"

	Sobs soon took her voice away.  Ten stared at her before his own eyes 
watered as Seiko's relief overwhelmed him.  In a minute, both were holding 
each other tight, weeping as the anxiety accumulated over the last two 
months washed away.  Sakiko places her hands on their shoulders, and then 
she soon found herself drawn into a group hug with her sister and her 
cousin.

	Kay and Jay exchanged a look, smiling.

*    *    *

	"Oh, Hinako-chan?"

	"What is it, Onii-tama?"

	"Where exactly did the Staff get the new body for Ten?"

	Hinako stared quizzically at the Staff.  "Hina's not sure, but Bou-san told 
Hina the body was there and it had no soul in it."  She stopped as the Staff 
whispered something to her.  "Oh, Hina understands now!"  She then stopped 
herself.  "But how can that be?"

	"What is it, Hinako-chan?" Kaho wondered.  She, Mamoru, Reiko and Kaneko 
had stepped into the house after their relatives had left Ataru's old 
bedroom.  They were relaxing in the old living room.

	Hinako stared at the cheerleader.  "Bou-san told Hina that the big-big ship 
there could only make Avalonians as young as Hina is.  But Ten-chan's even 
younger than Hina, yet there was a body on the big-big ship there for Hina 
to use to let Ten-chan be with Lum-san and Ran-san again.  A BOY'S body, 
too!  Hina really doesn't understand how . . . "

	Ataru took that in, and then he perked on feeling Chikage's hand squeeze 
his shoulder.  Glancing at the young sorceress, he noted the look on her 
face before he nodded.  "Well, we can ask Miree about it later," he stated.

	"Why save him, Papa?"

	Eyes locked on Reiko and Kaneko.  The looks on the Noukiites' faces spoke 
volumes.  "Reiko-chan, what do you think the Ch'uoeuk would say if he found 
out that there're people out there willing to kill children, even younger 
than you, just because they're Urusian?"

	"What about the Noukiite children who've faced the Ch'uoeuk when they 
shouldn't have, Papa?  All because the Urusians couldn't let what we did to 
them go, back during the Union Revolution and since then," Kaneko countered. 
  "Who answers for what happened to all of them, Papa?"

	"What DID happen to them?!" Mamoru asked.

	"You know about the famine in parts of Africa?" Chikage wondered.

	"Yeah, what about it?"

	"Imagine that on a planetary scale, multiplied four times."

	Eyes locked on Ataru.  Kaho shuddered.  "And the Urusians did THAT?!"

	"Yes," Ataru, Reiko and Kaneko answered as one.

	Hinako sniffed.  "Why?!"

	Ataru took a deep breath.  "Because there were people on Uru who just 
didn't like the Noukiites no matter what, Hinako-chan.  Just like there're 
people here in Japan who don't like the Chinese or the Koreans, even those 
Koreans who were born and raised here in Japan."

	"But that's stupid!" Hinako protested.  "They're nice people!"

	"Yes, they are.  But there're people in this country who don't care about 
that, Hinako-chan.  Just like there're people who don't care about 
descendants of burakumin just BECAUSE their ancestors WERE burakumin!  And . 
. . "  He took a breath.  "A lot of people happen to work for the 
government.  Just like there were a lot of people who hated the Noukiites 
who ran the government on Uru."

	Chikage glanced knowingly on her nieces.  "And those are the ones 
Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan, plus all their friends, had to fight."

	"Is that what we gotta do one day, Onii-tama?" Hinako asked.

	He noted her look.  He reached over to squeeze her shoulder. "Hopefully, 
no.  But with the way things in this country are going, Hinako-chan . . . "

	He shrugged.  Mamoru shook her head.  "Bummer."

*    *    *

	"So this is actually a REPLICA of Akane-chan?!"

	Hikaru chuckled.  "Hai.  That she is."

	He and Kimiko sat under a tree on the front lawn of Fuurinkan High, their 
lunch bentou sitting between them.  A gaggle of the voodoo sorcerer's 
classmates, including Yuka, Hiroshi, Daisuke and Sayuri, sat around them.  
Sensing their curiosity about how could *he* win the heart of a person who, 
physically, was Akane's twin, Hikaru gave them a thorough briefing on how 
Kimiko first met Ranma some months back, and then how -- with the help of 
Ataru's sisters -- Kimiko had been given a life she can call her own.

	At the end of that, his classmates were speechless.  Daisuke sighed.  "Gos, 
my friend, you are a lucky bastard, you know that?!"

	He slapped the other man's shoulder.  Hikaru winced.  "I guess I am."

	"Are you thinking of coming to school, Kimiko-chan?" Sayuri asked.

	Kimiko sighed.  "I'm not sure.  Ranma-sama . . . " -- she ignored the looks 
everyone gives her on hearing THAT honorific attached to Ranma's name -- 
"Did warn me not to become like Kasumi-oneesama, so I might want to try to 
expand my education.  But it'll be hard given the way I came into this 
world.  I don't think the education authorities anticipated someone like ME 
whatsoever!"

	Hiroshi nodded.  "Yeah, that'd be a pain . . . "

	"***GOSUNKUGI!***"

	The members of Hikaru's class moaned.  "Oh, shit, here he comes!" Daisuke 
muttered as people watched Kunou storm up, bokken in hand and a determined 
look etched on his face.  "The stupid idiot just does NOT know the word 
'quit!'"

	Hikaru sighed, and then he perked on feeling Kimiko giving him a reassuring 
squeeze.  Sensing her support, the sophomore stood, straightening himself. 
His classmates quickly cleared a path for the kendou-ka, though several 
remained close to ensure Kunou didn't go hog-wild on Hikaru.  "You wanted to 
see me, Kunou-san?" Hikaru asked, he crossing his arms.

	Kunou glared the sorcerer down, his lips twisting into a sneer.  "You will 
address me as 'Sempai,' you cur!  How DARE you lay your unworthy hands on 
the beauteous Tendou Akane?!  How DARE you presume that you can avoid the 
Blue Thunder's edict when it comes to being in her presence . . .!"

	"I hate to bust your bubble, but you're wrong on two counts!"  Hikaru 
chuckled, his show of spine catching everyone short.  "First, Akane-san 
declared your oath null-and-voice yesterday.  Every girl in the class were 
witnesses."

	"Lies!" Kunou proclaimed.  "The lovely Akane was under a spell . . . "

	"Wrong!"  Hikaru indicated Kimiko.  "And second, this is not Akane."

	Kunou blinked.  "What?!"

	"It's true."  Hikaru nodded as he reached down to grasp Kimiko's hand.  
"This is Akane-san's adopted twin sister, Tendou Kimiko.  She's actually a 
minor kami who was trapped by an evil wizard in a doll the pig-tailed girl 
found at a ryokan some months ago."

	Everyone stared at Hikaru, all of them acting as if he had just grown a 
second head.  Yuka, Sayuri, Daisuke and Hiroshi were quick to notice the 
light smile on Kimiko's face, and then they nodded understandingly.  No 
doubt, Hikaru and Kimiko had planned ahead for this very moment.  Kunou 
stared incredulously at Hikaru, and then he turned to Kimiko.  "The 
pig-tailed girl freed you?!"

	"Yes, she did," Hikaru answered on her behalf.  "The pig-tailed girl and 
Akane-san took great pity on Kimiko-chan, so when the chance came, they 
tricked Saotome into creating a clone body of Akane-san's so Kimiko-chan 
here could have a body for herself to use . . . "

	Kunou blinked, and then he howled, "VICTORY!"  Fireworks exploded behind 
him as thunder rumbled through the air.  "To believe that my beautiful 
fighting tigress and my fiery pig-tailed goddess actually tricked that dark 
sorcerer into doing what THEY bid him to do!"  His bokken stabbed into the 
sky as a flash of lighting arced overhead, causing everyone to tense.  "Now 
I, Kunou Tatewaki, the Blue Thunder of Fuurinkan High, shall be victorious 
and claim the hands and hearts of my three lovely maidens of battle . . . "

	"Um, Kunou-san, there's a problem!"

	The kendou-ka stopped to glare at Hikaru.  "What do you mean?!"

	"Well, when Kimiko-chan was given her new body, Saotome learned he had been 
tricked by Akane-san and the pig-tailed one," the voodoo sorcerer stated.  
"Well, you KNOW how much Saotome hates you! He . . . "  Hikaru indicated 
Kimiko.  "He made it so that no matter how much you try to win Kimiko-chan 
over, you CAN'T!  The only way you could even hope to win Kimiko-chan over 
is to go find Saotome and defeat him!"

	"I'm afraid the same applies to Akane-sama and the pig-tailed one," Kimiko 
added.  "No matter how much you try to attack them -- or ME! -- it'll fail.  
The only way you can free them is to kill that horrible, horrible Saotome 
Ranma!"

	Silence fell as Kimiko's words swirled through Kunou's mind.  "Oh, by the 
way, Kunou-sempai, you better know that Ranma-kun transferred out of 
Fuurinkan High School yesterday," Yuka helpfully added, holding up a finger.

	"WHAT?!"  Kunou's battle aura flared, causing everyone to step fearfully 
away.  "So!  Saotome thinks he can escape the Blue Thunder's wrath?!  He 
actually thinks he can keep the Blue Thunder's chosen ones away from his 
side?!  NEVER!  NEVER!  I SAY THEE NEVER!"

	With that, he stormed off to the school building.  The others watched him 
go, and then Daisuke sighed.  "Somehow, I really don't think Ranma's gonna 
appreciate us heaping that particular problem back on him again!"

	"He won't," Yuka muttered.

	Kimiko chuckled.  "Wait until he learns that Ranma-sama is no longer on her 
parents' family register."  She wrapped an arm around Hikaru's, she turning 
to gaze longingly at him.  "Hikaru-kun, shall we finish lunch?"

	Hikaru nodded.  "Hai, hai!"

	Everyone looked on them as they sat.  "So if Ranma's been struck off his 
family register, what happens to him now?" Hiroshi asked.

	"That . . . "  Kimiko impishly shrugged.  "Is a secret."

	Hearing that, everyone fell flat on their faces!

*    *    *

	"Can you guys really do this?!"

	Rinrin chuckled.  "Sure we can!"  The members of the Tendou family, plus 
Miree and Chieko, were relaxing around the sitting room table as the 
scientist explained all the changes she planned to make to the third floor 
of Welcome House's rotunda.  Yotsuba sat to Rinrin's right, she resting 
against Shinshi.  "It's our land, after all!  Anyhow . . . "

	She pointed to the first room counter-clockwise from the stairwell.  "The 
spare room here'll be Miree-san's."  Rinrin gazed at Miree.  "If 
Negako-aneki wants to visit the Island, she could stay with Aniki and 
Ranma-aneki in their bedroom on the first floor."

	"Why won't she come live on the Island full-time?" Miree asked.

	"Ane-chama suffers from hydrophobia," Yotsuba explained before she turned 
to the Tendous, a knowing chuckle escaping her.  "'Sides, if Shi-chama and 
his family move out, what happens to Ane-chama's friend?" she then wondered.

	"You're going to make Ojii-san live with Negako-san?"  Nabiki blinked.  
"With Kimiko-chan and most likely Chigaiko-san living there alongside 
Negako-san?  You think that's a good idea?!"

	"Oh, I'm sure Aneki'll keep him in line."  Rinrin laughed, making a 
dismissive wave with her hand. Her finger then moved to the next room 
displayed on the computer screen.  "My room'll stay the same, but I'll move 
the main door to be perpendicular to Miree-san's front door.  I can use the 
extra space for storage if I want.  No problems there.  Now, for the big 
changes . . . "

	Her finger shifted to Yotsuba's room.  "We'll expand both Yotsuba-chan's 
and Shirayuki-chan's rooms out three metres.  Yotsuba-chan's room'll wrap 
clockwise to cover the wall space of my lab, plus we'll throw a second floor 
onto it over half of the new portion.  Yotsuba-chan, you and Shinshi-kun'll 
stay on the third floor, opposite my lab.  The ladder to the roof'll be 
there, but there'll be a safety fence put in just in case.  I KNOW Aniki'll 
want that 'cause you like going on the roof all the time."

	Yotsuba sighed.  "Yotsuba thinks Ani-chama worries too much!"

	"That IS Ataru-kun's privilege AND responsibility as your older brother, 
Yotsuba-chan," Kasumi intoned as the others laughed.

	"ANYHOW . . . " Rinrin's voice picked up to get everyone's attention back 
to the matter at hand.  "Nabiki-chan'll take the new room on the fourth 
level.  It'll big enough for you to have your own private sitting area, plus 
you'll have a door to the roof of Yotsuba-chan's part of the room so you can 
sunbathe.  Um . . . "  She then stared at the middle Tendou daughter.  "Do 
you need anything special put into your room, Nabiki-chan?"

	Nabiki smiled.  "Well, if you can put in some computer and telephone links 
directly into my room, I'd certainly like that."

	"I HOPE you're not going to do some of the things you've done in Fuurinkan 
when you transfer to Stargazer West," Kasumi warned.

	Nabiki laughed.  "Oh, RELAX, Onee-chan!  I don't need to worry too much 
about that anymore!"  She waved her sister down with a sigh.  "Like I said, 
this is crunch year for me and I'll need every advantage I get."

	Rinrin stared curiously at the older woman.  "You're thinking of going to 
America when you go to university, right?"

	"Most likely."  Nabiki then gave Rinrin a knowing look.  "Why?  What 
school've you got in mind, Rinrin-chan?  MIT or Caltech?!"

	"Haven't thought about it yet since it's still a few years away."  Rinrin 
then pointed to the computer screen.  "Anyhow, the new space under 
Nabiki-chan's bedroom, plus Yotsuba-chan's old bedroom space, can be used as 
a common area or we could install a guest bedroom if you're interested in 
having one available for your friends.  We could save that for the future if 
you want."

	Nabiki hummed.  "No, let's put in the guest bedroom now," she suggested.  
"If we need it, it'll save up construction time and costs."

	"Okay."

	Rinrin then tapped instructions on her machine.  The diagram was changed to 
show two bedrooms on the third floor level.  "What about us, Rinrin-chan?" 
Akane asked as she pointed to herself, and then to Kasumi.

	"We'll expand Shirayuki-chan's room to mirror what we're doing to 
Yotsuba-chan's room."  Rinrin pointed out details.  "The room next to 
Shirayuki-chan's room is the boy's washroom, so we'll seal the window off 
completely.  For safety's sake, we'll put in an emergency door that'll exit 
directly onto the roof of the upstairs part of Aniki's and Aneki's new space 
so that, if there's a fire, you've got a way to get to safety."  Her finger 
traced over the changes.  "We'll have three bedrooms here, with 
Shirayuki-chan's old space as the common area.  What I was thinking of is 
that Shirayuki-chan takes the fourth floor.  You and Kasumi-aneki'll have 
the two bedrooms on the third floor."

	"Will Shirayuki-chan mind having her room shifted around?" Kasumi wondered. 
  "These are a lot of changes to make, Rinrin-chan."

	"And is this rotunda going to hold up?" Nabiki added.  "Even if it is your 
property, there are building standards . . . "

	"Oh, relax!"  Rinrin waved the middle sister down, and then she pointed to 
the diagram.  "The House is modular, even if it sure doesn't look like it.  
Everything'll be fine in the end.  They anticipated expanding the interior 
of the rotunda when they built it in the first place."

	"That's a relief," Akane breathed out.  "Ne, Onee-chan, why don't you take 
this room . . . "  She pointed to the new room opposite the boy's washroom.  
"And I'll take the one right under Shirayuki-chan's room.  Ne, Rinrin-chan, 
do you think you can put a door to connect my room to the room under 
Nabiki's space?  In case Yuka and Sayuri visit?"

	"Sure I can!"  Rinrin tapped controls on her machine, and then she turned 
to Yotsuba and Shinshi.  "You sure you won't mind this?"

	"I've got no friends to speak of right now, Rinrin-chan.  Save for those 
who're already living at or will live at Welcome House."  Nabiki's twin 
brother then gazed on Yotsuba.  "How about you, Yo-chan?"

	The would-be detective smirked.  "Yotsuba won't mind."

	"Alright, then!"  Rinrin continued to play with the keys.

*    *    *

	"Um, Ranma-san, have you seen Sakuya-san anywhere?"

	Ranma looked up from the novel she was reading to see Serizawa Mikiko 
standing at the door to her room.  "She left with Haruka-chan an hour ago to 
do something, Mikiko."  She saved her page, and then she rolled to her feet. 
  "Why?  Is there something wrong?"

	"Um, n-no, not really, but lunch is ready."  Mikiko fretted as she and 
Ranma walked into the common room.  "Ataru-kun, Hinako-san, Kaho-san, 
Mamoru-san and Chikage-san've been gone for some time.  I hope things're 
alright."

	"They better be," Ranma mused as they sat down beside Kawamura Himiko; the 
former captain of the Tomobiki High girl's swim team was watching the news.  
"If any of the clods there even LOOK the wrong way at Hinako-chan or the 
others, Ataru'll go medieval on all their asses."

	Himiko gazed on the redhead.  "Would he really?"

	"Bet on it."  Ranma then perked as Shirayuki walked in, a tea tray in hand. 
  "Hey, Shirayuki-chan, what's for lunch?!"

	The chef placed the tea tray down.  "Nee-sama will definitely like Hime's 
special lunch," she proclaimed.  "Hime made her tofu omelettes with sliced 
vegetables and ricotta cheese.  Perfect for growing girls and boys."

	"Well, by the looks of it, Shirayuki-san, we're gonna be having loads of 
seconds with the amount of people gone," Himiko warned.

	"Soo desu no."  Shirayuki smiled as she headed back to the kitchen.

	Negako stepped in the room, followed by Aria and Karen.  "I see lunch is 
almost ready."  The grandmaster took her seat.

	"Is this it?"  Ranma glanced around the room.  "Where's U-chan?!"

	"Gomen nasai, Onee-chan."  Karen looked apologetic.  "Ukyou-san went over 
to speak with Tampopo-san about what happened this morning."

	"Ah!  Oh, that's a relief!" Ranma breathed out.  "Lessee.  Ataru's gone to 
Tomobiki with Hinako, Kaho and Mamoru . . . "

	"Chikage is with them," Negako reported.

	"Right."  Ranma nodded.  "Chigaiko's at school.  Kimiko's no doubt with Gos 
right now.  Hope the dopes don't give her a hard time.  Yotsuba, Rinrin and 
Miree are at the Tendous."  She then looked at Aria.  "Aria-chan, have you 
see Jonna or Orin today?" she asked.

	"We're right here, Ranma-sama," Jonna announced as she and Orin stepped 
into the room, they taking their seats to both sides of Aria.

	Aria reached over to hold one of Orin's hands.  "Nee-ya."

	Karen smiled.  "It's good Aria-chan's made a new friend, ne, Onee-chan?"

	"Yeah, it is."  Ranma chuckled as Mikiko proceeded to pour tea for 
everyone.  "Has anyone see Marie-chan?  She hasn't got lost . . . "

	"Marie went on a walk to Hikarigaoka Park with Michael," Negako reported 
before she perked.  "Ah, she just passed through the front gate.  Sakuya and 
Haruka are . . . "  She paused, her eyebrow arching.  "Shirayuki!"

	"Hai desu no, Nee-sama?!" the chef called back from the kitchen.

	"Make extra food.  We will have guests today!"

	"Hai desu no!"

	Karen stared quizzically at the grandmaster.  "What guests?"

	As if in response, the door opened.  "Tadaima!" Marie called out as she and 
Michael stepped inside, followed by Sakuya and Haruka.

	"Sakuya-san, you're just . . . "  Mikiko looked over, and then her eyes 
shot out of her hear on seeing the woman in Sakuya's company.

	"Mikiko, wha- . . .?"  Himiko stared at her shocked friend, and then she 
looked herself before noting the woman in Haruka's company.

	Sakuya slipped to the side to allow her guest a clear view of the people 
seated in the room.  "Shirayuki-chan, we have guests!"

	Haruka did the same with the woman accompanying her.  Silence fell as the 
older women stared at Himiko and Mikiko, and then they both nearly keeled 
over.  Sakuya and Haruka helped Serizawa Tomomi and Kawamura Mami remain 
steady as their daughters raced into their embrace.  "MOM!" Himiko and 
Mikiko screamed, breaking down into tears as they sank to their knees, 
holding their mothers for all their worth.  Watching them, the others in the 
room could only smile.

*    *    *

	"Everything settled with them?"

	"Yeah, it's all taken care of."  Jay nodded as he sat across from Ataru in 
the old Moroboshi home living room.  The interviews with Ten and the 
replica-bioroids had taken an hour.  "Found out the story -- or as much of 
it as I could -- concerning those replicas of Lum and the others."

	"That being?" Ataru asked.

	"They're living targets.  Specially built by the Niphentaxians at Nassur's 
request so that if one of that guy's enemies decided to target Lum or the 
others to get at him, they'd be the ones who'd eat lead."  The young SCAA 
agent rolled his eyes before he sighed.  "Funny thing is, I just CAN'T see a 
guy like Nassur doing something like THAT!"

	"Unless he never truthfully realized what those girls were," Ataru 
countered, scratching his beard.  "If what I understand of Vosians is true, 
if Nassur couldn't scan any brainwaves from those four -- and if he didn't 
take the time to scan them with a tricorder OR if they're fitted with 
jammers that'd haze a tricorder scan -- he'd have no choice but to think 
that they're very sophisticated androids.  After all, they don't look the 
least bit like Yehisrites, do they?"  A knowing smirk crossed his face.

	"That makes sense.  I'd hate to break it to the guy if or when he ever 
comes this way again."  Jay then perked as Kay came down.

	The older SCAA agent sat beside his partner.  "So what other business have 
you got for us today, Ataru?" Kay then asked.

	"Quite a bit," he warned.  "I've got three refugees from Phentax Two who've 
been converted to Avalonians.  One of my new girlfriend's friends was cursed 
by water from the Springs of Jusenkyou in China, so we were forced to steal 
two Avalonian bodies from that factory up in orbit to help them out.  Two of 
the so-called 'victims' of last week's bombing at the school turned up alive 
and well, plus they're also Avalonians.  And THAT, my friends, doesn't begin 
to include the fact that the bioroid factory itself is here."

	Kay shrugged.  "I've never even heard of these Avalonians.  How long have 
the Niphentaxians been keeping them a secret?"

	"Some decades, maybe a century."  Ataru then took a deep breath.  "And the 
worst news of all is that Oogi himself is here."

	Jay and Kay paled.  "Oh, fuck!" the former spat out.  "Damn, when it rains, 
it fuckin' pours!  We DON'T need that moron here!"

	"When was the last time you saw the esteemed president of the Niphentaxian 
Union, Ataru?" the latter wondered.

	"Lumukyou," Ataru reported.  "When I last saw him, he had just been 
disintegrated by the Staff of Gihan just before three billion of his 
followers also took the Magic Carpet Ride to Eternity.  So I've really got 
no idea what shape he's in, but Miree -- she's one of the refugees from that 
planet I told you about -- has pretty much confirmed that he's still among 
the living."

	Jay shook his head.  "Oh, cute!"

	"What church is she from?" Kay asked.

	"Hollywood.  Ditto with both her daughters," Ataru reported.

	"Well, that's a moderate sect, so we've got no worries."  Kay rubbed the 
side of his head.  "Zed's NOT going to like this!"

	Jay snorted.  "Got that right."

	"Darling?"

	They turned as Seiko walked into the room.  "Problem?" Ataru asked.

	"I . . . "  The Oni-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran balked on seeing the cold 
neutrality crossing her ex-fiancé's face, and then she relaxed.  Any sort of 
confrontation between her and Ataru would serve no purpose, especially given 
that four of his sisters and both his daughters were outside waiting for 
him.  And given that both his daughters were Noukiites -- this, of course, 
didn't mention what either Chikage or Hinako would do if their brother was 
threatened -- Seiko knew that even if she did lose control of her temper, 
things wouldn't go well for her, Nendo-kata powers or no.  Taking a deep 
breath, she gazed on the SCAA agents.  "Um, could we have some time alone, 
please?" she asked.

	"Sure."  Kay nodded as both stood.  "We'll take care of those two girls who 
nearly died last week, Ataru.  Where are they?"

	"Talk to Chikage."  Ataru nodded outside.  "She'll help you."

	"Right."  Kay gave Seiko a concerned look before they both stepped out.

	As soon as the door closed behind the two agents, Ataru took a deep breath 
before he gazed on Seiko.  The latter shuddered as she returned his look, 
and then she bowed her eyes.  "Why are you so mad, Darling?" she whispered.

	Silence responded.  Sensing he wanted her to better explain herself, Seiko 
walked to the window, gazing outside.  She saw Chikage chatting amicably 
with Kay and Jay.  Hinako was teaching Reiko and Kaneko how to play 
patty-cake while Mamoru and Kaho hovered close to Chikage.  Taking a breath, 
she hoarsely asked, "Are you afraid that I'd actually hurt them?"  She gazed 
once more on Ataru.

	"It wouldn't be the first time you and your family would seek to hurt my 
family and I," he responded.  "Nor the first time your race strove to place 
mine at a disadvantage for some selfish reason.  Oh!  Forgive me."  He held 
up a finger.  "You're not Urusian, Izumo-san, but Nendo-kata.  I didn't mean 
to imply that anyone of the Great School would ever cast such disUnity on 
another sentient race.  Or maybe . . . "  He lowered his hand.  "You're 
angry that I decided to throw my lot in with the Noukiites against the 
Urusians."

	Seiko shook her head.  "I'm not angry about that, Darling."  She sighed.  
"But I am very curious as to why you did that.  Even if m-my . . . " she 
stuttered before breathing out, "Even if the Urusians HAVE tried to oppress 
the Noukiites over the past few centuries, those people DID use an 
anti-matter bomb that murdered my parents, nearly killed me and Mother knows 
how many more in Onishuto.  They DID kill Rei . . . "

	"Why do you care about Rei?!  When Lum first came to Earth, she was happier 
than hell to be away from that walking stomach!"  He nodded up.  "I can see 
why your sister would be concerned about him given Ran's feelings for the 
idiot, but why would you care?"

	"Because he didn't deserve to DIE!" Seiko snapped.

	"And all those people on Noukiios DID?!"  He bolted up, his anger radiating 
like waves of exploding plasma from his body.  "Didn't you even ONCE ask 
yourself what was going on?!  You said back at Tampopo's that your father 
tried to brush off what was going on between your people and the Noukiites, 
but he didn't fully convince you!  Didn't it even occur ONCE to you that 
maybe you should've tried to figure out what was going on?!  Didn't you 
worry that maybe, just MAYBE, your people were doing something very WRONG?!"

	Seiko stared in shock at him.  Ataru scowled before he turned away.  "Hell, 
no!  Of course not!"  He threw up his hands.  "The very idea of the daughter 
of one of the major clan leaders on your planet, she who is also 
blood-descendant of Uru's last emperor and thus -- if the Urusian people 
wanted it, of course! -- could've become the new Empress, actually trying to 
concern herself about LESSER people?!  Oh, my GOD!"  He spun on her, 
clapping his cheeks in mock-horror.  "To even SUGGEST such a thing!"

	"Don't you dare!" Seiko snarled.  "I'm no Imperialist!  I never was!"

	Ataru gazed on her.  "Not according to Pochik Ando," he ruefully stated.

	Seiko blinked, shock overcoming her outrage as Ataru placed himself at one 
end of the room.  "How do you know Ando, Darling?"

	"I met him the second weekend after you left in a place where Onee-chan had 
taken me so I could learn the Art.  A place beyond the bounds of normal 
space and time.  He was leading a special strike team to assassinate key 
leaders on Noukiios in hopes of turning the war back to Uru's favour."  He 
took a deep breath before turning back to her.  "I hear that, at the same 
time I ran across your delightful friend, the . . . "

	"He was NEVER my friend!" she spat out.

	"Oh?!"  His eyebrows arched.  "How was I supposed to know that?"

	Silence fell.  Seiko then looked away, hugging herself.  "What did he tell 
you?" she finally asked, her voice ashes.

	"Oh, he told me all sorts of things," he replied.  "Confessed that he 
always had an interest in you.  At least . . . "  He held up a finger.  
"Ando didn't like the idea of Rei marrying you.  But then, when he found out 
about our so-called 'engagement' . . . "  Ataru ruefully chuckled as he 
lowered his arms.  "Oh, he didn't care at ALL for that.  Not because of all 
the girl-chasing I did before you left Tomobiki."  The smile dropped from 
his face.  "But because he felt it quite improper that a man of a 'future 
slave race' to the restored Urusian Empire would even THINK of having close 
relations with the Imperium's first Empress in almost two centuries."

	Seiko quaked, closing her eyes.  "Why do you think I never saw him as my 
friend?" she hoarsely whispered, eyes brimming with tears as she tried to 
make some headway toward forging some sort of reconciliation, some type of 
understanding, with Ataru.  "Darling, I was never of that line of thinking!  
Yes, I did some stupid, moronic things when I was here.  I admit it!  I'm 
sorry those things happened!  But . . . "  She shook her head, turning to 
gaze pleadingly at him.  "You won the Tag Race, Darling!  I DID respect 
that!"

	He looked at her.  "Clearly, Ando wasn't of the same mind.  Neither was 
that old, slobbering pervert he called a father."  He crossed his arms.  
"Ditto with Azu Des, Tenwan Cal and all the others of the 'Imperial Round' I 
helped capture for the Noukiites and the Inquisition to have their way with 
the weekend after I killed Ando.  Those that poor fellow from Okusei didn't 
nail with his fusion bomb in Onishuto, that is."

	Seiko stared at him, and then she timidly asked, "You killed Ando?"

	"Slit his throat, then I dumped him into a convenient time-tunnel that'll 
ensure his body remains adrift in limbo unto Eternity."  He nodded 
matter-of-factly.  "As for the rest of his crew, after they were 
interrogated, Onee-chan killed them with the heart-blast touch.  After what 
they saw I did to Ando, they were a lot more respectful of 'lesser' people.  
So when we ended their lives, we made sure they got nice graves."

	Silence fell as Seiko tried to take all that in.  She then gazed intently 
at Ataru.  "There's something more to this, isn't there?"

	"What do you mean?"

	"Darling!  You've shrugged off insult after insult from everyone around 
you!  I can't possibly believe that you would react to a simple racial slur 
from a su