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

[Frederick Herriot]

Not sure what it was like in the rest of North America, but here in Welland, 
it was well over 30 degrees Celsius.  With only a fan to keep me cool, it 
wasn't much to make me sleepy, so the part below was all I could do today.  
Tomorrow's forecast predicts slightly cooler temperatures, so I might get 
both sides of part 7 out then.

Cheers!

Fred

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

	"I am truly disappointed to hear that, Nodoka."

	Nodoka winced as Isao's gaze raked over her.  Both sat in the reception 
lounge of the latter's office, located atop a skyscraper in the heart of 
Tokyo's Marunouchi district, close to the metropolis' main railroad station. 
  "I am truly sorry about this, Father," she apologized with a deep bow.  "I 
had hoped that, regardless of what legal action the government had taken on 
my so- . . .!"  Her voice then choked as she remembered what Ranma had told 
her at the Moroboshi home earlier in the day.  "My child's behalf . . . "

	"Do not SAY that!" Isao snapped, the icy rage in his voice causing Nodoka 
to freeze in place.  "Isn't it obvious, Nodoka?!  This whole insane story 
about those cursed ponds in China altering BOTH my grandson's mind as well 
as body is just that:  A STORY!  How could you have blinded yourself to the 
truth, girl?!  You know that monster Happoosai is friends with this 
Moroboshi Negako!  Why didn't you make yourself see that Moroboshi is 
manipulating Ranma to stand against us, all because of her friendship with 
Happoosai?!"

	"But, Father . . .!"

	"ENOUGH!" Isao roared.

	Silence fell as Nodoka remained frozen in place.  She dared NOT raise her 
head to gaze upon her father, do ANYTHING that might serve to rile Isao 
further.  Her very existence as a daughter of Asagaya Isao, a member of the 
Asagaya Clan, hung in the very balance.  Taking a deep breath to calm 
himself down, Isao then closed his eyes.  "Return to your home.  When the 
time comes, we will confront this Moroboshi woman -- or whatever she is! -- 
directly!  We WILL bring Ranma into the family!  By FORCE if necessary!  
Go!"

	"Hai!"

	Nodoka rose, she swiftly exiting the lounge.  After the door closed behind 
her, Isao took a breath.  "No . . . " he hissed as his eyes focused on a 
painting of his late wife Nana, it hanging on a wall.  "You WILL be avenged, 
Nana!  You will be finally avenged . . . "

	A buzzer sounded off on the phone sitting on the table beside his chair.  
"Asagaya-dono?" his secretary called out over the intercom.

	Isao relaxed.  "What is it, Etsuko-san?"

	"Hoofuku Reiji-sama is here to see you, sir."

	The patriarch of the Asagaya Clan perked.  "Send him in, please."

	"Right away, Asagaya-dono."

	The door opened a moment later to reveal a man who appeared well past his 
prime.  Dressed in simple robes reminiscent of what Buddhist monks in Korea 
typically wore, he has next to no hair on his head, save for wisps of pure 
white over his ears plus a moustache and goatee.  His dark brown eyes 
glimmered with an icy fire that would make most people believe he wasn't in 
full command of his senses.  Isao knew much better.  Hoofuku Reiji was the 
patriarch of a minor ninjitsu clan whose distant ancestors had been Shaolin 
monks who had migrated from China during the time of the Fujiwara Regency in 
the latter part of the Heian age.  His family was related to the Moroboshi 
Clan only by marriage; his younger daughter Jiko had married the brother of 
the late Moroboshi Nagaiwakai, Hana Seinen, decades ago.  From that marriage 
came one daughter, Hana Naho.

	It was a marriage the elderly Hoofuku patriarch had NOT approved of 
whatsoever; the Hoofuku Clan had opposed the Moroboshi Clan -- and by 
extension, the Imperial Household and the Japanese government as a whole! -- 
in the last phase of the shinobi wars during the 1950s.  That was when 
Nagaiwakai had first made contact with the alien race known as the 
Zephyrites.  The power that Nagaiwakai had been able to gain from that first 
contact had been enough to put down the rebellious ninja clans in the name 
of the Shoowa Emperor.  That was an act Reiji or his clansmen had never 
forgotten nor forgiven.  Seinen and Jiko later paid for their "crimes" with 
their very lives.

	As for Naho, her ultimate fate remained a total mystery to this day.

	"Konban wa, Isao-san," Reiji greeted his host with a respectful bow.

	"Konban wa, Reiji-san," Isao returned the greeting with an equally 
respectful bow.  "Did you learn what happened to Genma's friend?"

	"The soulsword happened," Reiji replied as he sat in front of Isao.

	Isao perked.  Having associated with the Hoofuku over the last couple of 
weeks, the Asagaya patriarch had become aware of the basic fighting 
manoeuvres in the Moroboshi Clan's in-house school of ninjutsu.  "How did 
that happen?"

	Reiji explained.  Hearing what just happened to Tendou Souun in his last 
attempt to "unite the schools," Isao laughed.  "That fool's no different 
than Genma!" he exclaimed before composing himself.  "Is Souun doomed to 
die?"

	"No, he will eventually recover.  If left alone, I'd say it would take 
several weeks.  Two months at maximum."  An icy smile then crossed Reiji's 
face.  "It CAN be shortened if the right treatment is administered, 
Isao-san."

	Isao's eyes narrowed.  "What do you have in mind?"

	Reiji's grin widened.  "Something that will serve both our ends, my friend. 
  We both agree on this:  Neither of us wants an alliance or anything like 
it between Saotome Ranma and Moroboshi Ataru, to say anything of those 
bastard bitches Ataru's spineless father sired on the side.  Are we agreed 
on that?"  Seeing Isao nod, Reiji then relaxed.  "I have an idea that will 
forever sever whatever bonds of friendship presently exist between your 
grandchild and Nagaiwakai's loon grandson."  He then smiled again as he 
moved to add, knowing well that Isao would LOVE to hear this point:  "At the 
same time, Isao-san, it will guarantee the final demise of the last living 
heir of Happoosai."

	The Asagaya patriarch gazed on his guest.  "Do go on, Reiji-san."

*    *    *

	On ground level, standing near the outer border of the Imperial Palace 
grounds, was a lovely teenage girl with short-cut black hair and deep blue 
eyes currently masked by a pair of sunglasses.  She was dressed in a dark 
blouse and knee-length skirt, a black choker with a chrysanthemum around her 
neck.  Hanging from one hand was a bag full of goodies she obtained from 
many shops in Harajuku before her powers locked in on her target and led her 
across town.  Her eyes were fixed on the top of the building where Asagaya 
Isao had his offices.  While trailing the likes of Hoofuku Reiji could be 
dangerous if one didn't take precautions, Inaba Ayano really had nothing to 
worry about.  Even if he knew about Moroboshi Nagaiwakai's connections with 
the Zephyrites, the Hoofuku patriarch couldn't begin to conceive of him 
being tracked by someone possessing Avalonian abilities.  Thus, he couldn't 
shield himself from her empathic probes.

	Too bad for him.

	Ayano's cell phone then rang.  She reached into her skirt pocket to pick it 
up.  "Moshi-moshi.  This is Inaba," she hailed.

	"Hello, Ayano-chan," a mature woman's voice called back over the line.

	Ayano blinked.  "Naho-sama!"

	"Are you keeping an eye on Grandfather now, dear?"

	Ayano nodded.  "Hai.  He's still meeting with Nodoka-san's father."

	"Good.  As soon as that's done, track Grandfather down to wherever he might 
be staying at this time.  When you learn that, call me with all the 
information, and then you can go back to your friends.  I can deal with 
matters concerning Grandfather from that point on."

	Ayano nodded again.  "Naho-sama, shouldn't Negako-sama be told . . .?"

	An amused laugh.  "Ayano-chan, believe me:  Negako-chan already knows."

	Ayano took that in, and then she nodded.  "Hai."

*    *    *

	In her bedroom in Nerima, Negako looked up, her eyes angling over in the 
direction of downtown Tokyo.  "Yes, Naho, I already know."

**** **** ****
"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, "C" SIDE - REALITY'S SURPRISES

	"Here, please."

	"Hai."

	A signature was jotted down, and then a hanko stamp was imprinted beside 
it.  "Okay, last one."  Yumoa Reigi drew up the final sheet in the pile of 
papers to place it before Kasumi.  "Sign here and here, please."

	He indicated the spaces.  "Hai."  The Tendou matriarch jotted her signature 
down, and then she stamped it.

	Reigi took the sheet back to scan the paper before nodding.  "Okay, then.  
I do say that congratulations are in order."  He slipped the sheet with the 
other papers in his briefcase before facing his host.  "I'll have these 
filed with the applicable agencies before the close of business today, to be 
made effective as soon as possible.  Still, pretty much as of now, you and 
your siblings are free once and for all from anything your father might've 
arranged on your 'behalf.'"  His lips twisted scornfully as he uttered that 
word.  "Not to mention the fact that everything that was legally his before 
today is officially yours to do with as you please.  After taxes, of 
course."

	"We're not worried about that, Yumoa-san."  Kasumi shook her head before 
she took a deep breath.  "I'll contact a real estate agent today.  He's been 
interested in this property since shortly after Mother passed away.  We 
should be able to sell it off quickly."

	"Well, if you need any help concerning finances, you can contact me here."  
Reigi drew out a business card to hand it over to her with both his hands.  
"I understand that Ataru-kun's sisters have offered your family the chance 
to stay at Welcome House for the time being."

	"Hai.  I really don't like the idea of imposing on them, of course . . . "

	He made a dismissive wave.  "It's alright, Tendou-san.  Welcome House was 
built on the premise of allowing children who, for whatever reason, had to 
be separated from their parents for an indefinite period of time.  That also 
includes young adults wanting to make a start with their lives away from any 
negative influence from their parents."

	Her gaze turned inward for a moment.  "Such as what Father tried to do."

	"Hai."  He gave her a sympathetic look.  "I have a good appreciation of 
what you're feeling right now.  Until now, you've never really contemplated 
making such a radical choice like this.  Am I right?"  His eyebrow arched.  
Seeing her nod, he breathed out, "Tendou-san, please don't let this decision 
weigh you down or negatively influence you in the future.  You're not doing 
this just for yourself, remember?  There are your sisters and your brother 
to worry about, too.  Don't they deserve the chance to go out on their own, 
take control over their lives?  Of course they do.  You do, too.  You've put 
in so much time and effort into keeping this place standing.  You've 
sacrificed so much on your family's behalf.  Well, here's the reward for all 
that hard work."

	He waved to his briefcase.  "Granted, it wasn't gained in a way that would 
win the ultimate approval of your father.  But whose fault is it really when 
it comes to what happened between him and you?  Much less your family as a 
whole and Saotome Ranma?" he continued.  "The older generations these days 
tend to forget that along with the rights they're due to receive because of 
their experience, they have RESPONSIBILITIES to the younger generation, 
especially their flesh-and-blood.  And one of those responsibilities is to 
acknowledge that the time must come when the children have to leave the nest 
and chart their own lives.  And to prepare them, parents have to train their 
children TO be ready to face that time.  Your father never did that for you, 
Kasumi-san.  You, Nabiki-san and Akane-san had to pretty much learn that on 
your own."

	She grimaced.  "Still, when he recovers from what Negako-san did . . . "

	"Then he'll have no choice but to face up to what he's done wrong."

	Kasumi considered that before she hesitantly nodded.  "Hai, that's true.  I 
just wish it didn't have to happen THIS way."

	Reigi shook his head.  "**He's** the one who forced you and your siblings 
into this situation, Tendou-san.  As I said, it is not your fault by any 
stretch of the imagination.  Ataru-kun didn't allow Kinshou or Muchi to get 
away with what they did to him once he was allowed to see the sum total of 
what their actions cost not only him, but other parts of his family.  
Ranma-san didn't allow Genma, much less Nodoka, to get away with what they 
did to her once she was allowed to fully comprehend what they were willing 
to force onto her shoulders.  The good thing about your family's situation 
is that the damage your father did to you is easily corrected.  Count 
yourselves very lucky."

	Kasumi gazed at him for a moment before she breathed out, "She . . . "

	"Tendou-san . . .?"

	The eldest of Souun's daughters perked on hearing her guest.  "Gomen nasai, 
Yumoa-san.  I heard you call Ranma-chan 'she.'  Even now . . . "  She 
flustered.  "I can't think that about her, not after all she's been 
through!"

	"That's a good attitude to have."  He then took a deep breath.  
"Tendou-san, that Rinrin-chan and Yotsuba-chan are now pressing to allow you 
and your family to come live with them at Welcome House is understandable.  
Laudable, even.  But understand also that my primary concern is the welfare 
of not only all the girls at the House, but Ataru-kun, too.  I know about 
this weird psychic bond that brought Ataru-kun together with Ranma-san all 
those years ago.  I know that bond's drawing them closer together as we 
speak.  And I know that despite all her denials to date, your sister Akane 
still harbours very deep feelings for Ranma-san.  That's understandable 
given what they've been forced through since the day they met.  But please 
understand that ensuring Ataru-kun's happiness is MY primary concern.  And 
if it turns out that the key to Ataru-kun's happiness lies with his forging 
a willing, open and freely accepted relationship with Ranma-san, then I will 
do everything in my power to ensure that relationship happens."  His voice 
softened as he added, "After all, given all the garbage they've been forced 
through in their lives, don't they BOTH deserve a chance at achieving their 
own sense of happiness, Tendou-san?"

	"If it is freely chosen and freely accepted, I can certainly accept it and 
wish both Ataru-kun and Ranma-chan the best," Kasumi conceded before she 
took a deep breath.  "And I'm sure Akane-chan will accept it in the long 
run, too."

	"That's good."  Reigi took a breath as he prepared to leave, and then he 
jolted.  "Oh, I forgot!  Ataru-kun's daughters arrived from Noukiios earlier 
today.  So if you see two girls Hinako-chan's age looking like blue-haired 
Klingons, don't be surprised about it."

	Kasumi rose to escort him out.  "I'll try not to be."

	The financier took his leave.  Kasumi then walked over to the telephone to 
put in a call to Midorikawa Hayato, the real estate agent who had kept a 
close eye on the Tendou property for some years.  After arranging for him to 
come visit, she moved into the kitchen to make some tea.  As she warmed up 
the kettle, her mind ran through the conversation she just had with Reigi.  
At that moment, something came back to her.  "'Daughters' . . .?" she 
whispered, her eyes going VERY wide.  "Ataru-kun has DAUGHTERS?!"

	"What's this about daughters?!"

	Kasumi spun around to see Nabiki staring at her from the doorway.  Pausing 
a moment as she tried to think of what to say, the eldest of the Tendou 
children then took a deep breath.  "It's something Yumoa-san just told me, 
Nabiki-chan."

*    *    *

	"No, no, Reiko-chan!  Do it like this!"

	Ranma relaxed.  Stepping forward with her right leg, she calmly executed a 
twisting hand block-and-parry she learned when she was even younger than 
Reiko.  She and the twins were in Hikarigaoka Park, having come here to 
spend some time together after a late lunch at the Moroboshi home.  Watching 
her, the elder twin nodded, and then she slowly mimicked her future mother's 
movements.  Carefully observing the Noukiite's moves, Ranma nodded.  
"Definitely a lot of yoga training," she muttered as Reiko returned to a 
relaxing stance.

	Just as Reiko was about to repeat the move, a voice hailed, "Onee-sama!"

	Ranma turned as Sakuya walked up, ice cream cones in hand for the martial 
artist and the Noukiites to enjoy.  "Thanks!" Ranma said as she took two of 
the cones to hand them to Reiko and Kaneko.  "This okay with you guys?  You 
don't mind having milk products, do you?"

	"This is from an ut'he, right?" Kaneko asked.

	Sakuya blinked confusedly.  "'Uuttohe?!'"

	"She means 'cow.'"  Reiko smiled before she gave her sister a scornful look 
for not stating the term in Japanese.

	"Most likely."  Ranma nodded before licking her own cone.

	Kaneko started to slurp the vanilla and chocolate mountain in her hand.  
"It's good," she then commented with a smile.

	"Don't they have farm animals on Noukiios?" Sakuya asked.

	"Not much," Reiko lamented.  "Most aya -- milk, I mean! -- that I've drunk 
comes from plants.  I'm not used to animal milk."

	"You mean things like soy milk?"  Ranma perked before she nodded.  "Yeah, I 
guess that would've been a problem on Noukiios, eh?"

	"Sickening," Sakuya hissed, and then she started.  "Onii-sama!"

	She waved.  The twins turned to look, and then they squealed, "Papa!"

	Before he could react, Reiko and Kaneko bowled him over with hugs.  "Hey, 
how're my favourite seuet?!" he asked, ducking to boost them off their feet 
and allowing them to wrap their arms around his neck as he moved to join the 
others.

	Watching this, Sakuya felt a brief flash of jealousy rip through her, and 
then she calmed herself.  Staring at her future sister-in-law, Ranma tried 
not to grin as she reached over to give Sakuya's hand a supportive squeeze.  
The eldest sister started, and then she gazed at the transformed martial 
artist.  Ranma winked before she walked over to allow Kaneko to slip into 
her arms.  "Ne, Kaneko-chan, can you tell me something?" Ranma cooed, 
allowing her forehead to rub against the young Noukiite's.  "What does 
'seuuetto' mean?"

	"'Se-u-et,' Mama!" Kaneko scolded, enunciating it a syllable at a time.

	Ranma gave her a long face.  "It means 'flower blossom.'"  Ataru passed a 
hand through Reiko's hair.  "It's a normal nickname parents on Noukiios give 
children.  Since the syllables in Nouki-e match better with Korean sounds 
than Japanese, it's easier for me to speak it without having to slip in 
unwanted vowels.  It's almost as bad as English . . . hey, Sakuya, what's 
wrong?!"

	Ranma spun around to see a pained look cross Sakuya's face.  "You okay?!"  
She reached over to squeeze the taller girl's shoulder.

	Sakuya blinked, and then she sighed, her eyes misting as she walked over to 
lean against Ataru. "Onii-sama, how long WERE you in that damned place?!"  
She squeezed her eyes shut as she wrapped arms around him.  "It should've 
been us!  We should've been there for you . . . "

	Ataru blinked, and then he lightly smiled as Ranma walked around to take 
Reiko into her arms, thus freeing his to return Sakuya's hug.  "I didn't 
want to drag you girls into that mess, imouto-chan," he whispered, squeezing 
her tight.

	Sakuya bolted back from him.  "Onii-sama no baka!" she snapped, her fists 
quivering as he ducked her annoyed look.  "We're your FAMILY, for Heaven's 
sake!  You don't have to play this damned Lone Ranger act around us, you 
know!"

	"So that means I can feel at liberty to destroy Aria-chan's innocence?!"

	Sakuya jolted.  "Onii-sama . . . "

	"Sakuya-chan, I KNOW you can take this sort of thing!"  Ataru pointed to 
himself.  "I know Haruka-chan can take it!  I know Chikage-chan can take it, 
too . . .!  Hell, Chikage can take pretty much ANYTHING tossed at her!  But 
what about Aria-chan?!  What about Kaho-chan?!  What about Hinako-chan?!"  
He waved with his free hand in the direction of the Moroboshi home as he 
stared pleadingly into her eyes.  "Does letting you in on what happens to me 
-- especially the bad stuff -- mean that I have to spill it to all of them?  
Is that really fair to them in the long run, Sakuya-chan?  Yes, you're my 
sister, but they're my sisters, too!  I can't forget THAT, you know!"

	Sakuya shuddered as she reached over to squeeze Ataru's hands close to her 
heart.  "Gomen ne.  I don't mean to sound selfish, but . . . "  She paused 
for a moment.  "I just want all those bastards to stop hurting you, 
Onii-sama!"

	"I want that, too!"  He embraced her.  "But I also don't want them to hurt 
me THROUGH you, Sakuya-chan!  Or any of the others!  There are people out 
there willing to do that, you know!" he warned, shifting her to stare into 
her eyes.

	Silence fell as the eldest of the sisters considered that. She then leaned 
her forehead against his chin.  "I think the sooner we get back to the 
Island, the better," Sakuya whispered.  "At least there, we'll be on home 
ground!"

	"But do you want to drag all those dorks to the Island?" Ranma wondered.

	Sakuya gazed on her future sister-in-law with a sigh.  "It's not fair."

	"Life rarely is," Ataru warned.

*    *    *

	"'DAUGHTERS?!'"

	"Yep."  Nabiki nodded before sipping her tea.  "Twin girls, both around 
seven years old.  Their names here in Japan are Moroboshi Reiko and 
Moroboshi Kaneko.  They were two of a group of special esper warriors -- 
part of a group called the Lost Stars -- the Noukiites used against the 
Urusians."

	Seated around the coffee table, the other Tendous paid rapt attention.  
"How'd Ataru adopt them anyway?" Shinshi asked.  "And is this adoption going 
to stick now that things are souring pretty much between us and the Onis."

	"Won't be a problem."  After hearing from Kasumi about Ataru's adopted 
children, Nabiki got on the phone with Negako to get the lowdown.  "The 
Noukiites are breaking away from the Galactic Federation.  That's this group 
of planet-states living close to us.  The Onis and several other races 
Ataru-kun's run into since Lum first came to Earth are part of this group.  
It's the FEDERATION the United Nations doesn't want to deal with anymore.  
Since the Noukiites are breaking off from the group . . . "

	"Sort of like an outer-space version of the U.N., right?" Akane asked.

	Nabiki nodded.  "Roughly the same idea."

	"So when did Ataru-sama meet Reiko-san and Kaneko-san?" Kimiko wondered.

	"Just right after the *fun* he had on Phentax Two," Nabiki replied.  "We 
remember what he and Negako-san said about what happened there, don't we?"  
On seeing the others nod, she continued, "Well, in the wake of what 
happened, he almost had a full mental breakdown.  Not so surprising after 
experiencing the deaths of three billion people, eh?"  Another chorus of 
nods from her siblings, and then she carried on, "Well, Negako-san realized 
right away that she was in no position to help Ataru-kun recover from this.  
And Ataru-kun was very adamant on the idea of getting the younger sisters 
involved, even someone like Chikage-san.  Fortunately, it was around this 
time that the Noukiites wanted someone to help train the Lost Stars.  The 
Noukiites contacted the Zephyrites about that, the Zephyrites contacted 
Negako-san to ask for her help and the Lost Stars were brought to Sanctuary 
so she could do her magic on them."

	Kimiko's eyebrow arched.  "Who are the Zephyrites, Onee-sama?"

	"The local galactic superpower.  Turns out, they're the ones who've settled 
the planets in the solar systems closest to us."

	Kasumi nodded.  "Oh, that's right!  The night Lum-san and her friends were 
sent home, this large ship showed up to escort them away."

	Nabiki nodded.  "That was a Zephyrite ship.  It also turns out that because 
of a famine some decades ago in the colonies the Zephyrites have closest to 
us, Ataru-kun's late grandmother managed to forge some very strong ties with 
their government.  Ties that came to benefit Earth in many ways.  Especially 
when it comes to the Men in Black.  And . . . "  She held up a warning 
finger, the smile slipping from her face.  "It was because of those ties 
that Nagaiwakai-sama was murdered by the Onis during the First Tag Race."

	Shinshi gaped.  "Whoa . . .!"

	"When did Ataru-kun learn this?" Kasumi asked.

	"Second weekend after Lum was sent back home, while he was training in 
Sanctuary with Negako-san," Nabiki replied, and then she sighed.  "So that 
explains how Ataru-kun decided to side with the Noukiites against the Onis.  
And by extension, the Niphentaxians."

	"Are you going to reveal this to your friend in Tomobiki?" Kasumi asked.

	Nabiki shook her head.  "No.  First of all, like I warned you the day 
Tomobiki High got bombed, Onee-chan, it's hard for me to predict what 
Mendou's reaction to all this will be -- not to mention how that'll 
ultimately reflect on everyone here in Nerima.  Or over on Promised Island.  
Secondly, there's this wonderful habit the people of Tomobiki, especially 
people our age, have when it comes to weird occurrences and how they love to 
blame the whole mess on Ataru-kun regardless of the facts.  And after he 
basically told the whole town to go kindly screw themselves last Monday . . 
. "

	"They'll do anything to get back at him," Shinshi finished.

	His twin nodded.  "Exactly.  Then you factor in his sisters, his daughters, 
his training . . . "  A pause.  "And the Cyborg."

	Kasumi shuddered.  "Plus Ranma-chan and her neko-self."

	"Right."

*    *    *

	"Eh?!  They used a neuralizer to make us stop chasing Ataru-kun?!"

	Shinobu stared wide-eyed at Minako as they stepped through the gates of 
Tomobiki High after last classes.  "Hai, they did."  The rose-haired 
Avalonian nodded.  "I can understand why, though.  From what I sensed, some 
of the *boys* . . . " -- one could coat a street with the scorn dripping 
from her voice -- "Well, they were about to ask some pretty ugly questions 
about that girl.  And in front of Ataru-kun's DAUGHTERS, too?!"

	Shinobu took that in before she shuddered.  "I suppose I could see that.  
Most of the boys in our class can be such pigs at times!"

	"So I sense.  Ditto with Tomomi and Kyooko."  A thoughtful look then 
crossed her face as she gazed on her friend.  "Still, I think this whole 
business with Lum might do those guys a load of good.  After all, there ARE 
loads of nice girls in school.  And with Lum 'dead,' so to speak . . . "

	She made finger-quotes with her hands.  "True," Shinobu replied, and then 
she perked on seeing a familiar cat-ghost walking in her direction, a small 
boy perched on his back.  "Ah, Kotatsuneko-san!" she called out, waving.

	Minako looked, she slowing down as a curious sensation surged through her, 
her eyes locking on the boy.  "What the hell . . .?"

	Shinobu gazed on her new friend.  "What is it?"

	"That's an Avalonian he's carrying!"

	"WHAT?!"

	"Ah, Shinobu-oneechan!  Hi!"

	Shinobu spun back, peering intently at the boy.  Wait a minute . . . why, 
didn't he look somewhat like . . .?  "Ten?!" she gasped.

	Kotatsuneko ducked, allowing Ten to leap off his back and into Shinobu's 
arms.  Laughing, the two shared a warm embrace before Ataru's ex-girlfriend 
gave the boy an once-over.  "So they had to disguise you, eh?!" she mused, 
taking in Ten's black hair, brown eyes, lack of horn-bud, fanged teeth and 
pointed ears.

	"Well, according to Lu- . . . "  He caught himself.  "Sorry!  According to 
Seiko-chan, my body kinda was ready to bite the dust when I was teleported 
here.  Lucky for me Hinako-oneechan had her Bou-san with her to give me this 
new body."

	He pointed to himself.  Shinobu's eyes spiralled.  "Wait!  Slow down, Ten!  
What are you talking about?!  What happened to you?!"

	"It was the Ip'ihu!  They're real bad Noukiites who don't like Urusians at 
ALL!  Anyhow, they attacked my ship near Toshitto.  But four friends of 
Nassur-chan rescued me, and then they brought me here to get Ataru's help to 
fix me up!  So we teleported here through the Tritonians' Central Warp 
Chamber, and then Seiko-chan and Sakiko-chan showed up, and then Ataru and 
some of his sisters show up, along with Jay-san and Kay-san, too!  
Hinako-oneechan uses Bou-san to give me my new body and . . . !"

	Shinobu laughed.  "Ten, Ten!  Stop for a moment!"

	The Urusian-turned-Avalonian/Terran gazed nonplussed at her, and then he 
scratched the back of his head.  "S-s-sorry about that, Shinobu-oneechan!"  
He flustered.  "I kinda forgot that you don't know a lot of things!"

	"Well, no matter what, you're here and you're safe."  Minako gave Ten a 
warm squeeze of the shoulder.  "That matters more, ne?"

	Ten gazed at her, blinking.  "Hey!  You're an Avalonian, too!"

	Minako held out her hand.  "Half; my dad's Terran."

	"Uh . . . oh, right!"  Ten shook her hand as introductions were made.

	"How do you know about the Avalonians?" Shinobu asked as they made their 
way down the street, Kotatsuneko falling in behind them.

	"Other than I'm one?" Ten asked.  "Well, just before the Ip'ihu attacked my 
ship, I met four of them.  They're replicas of Lum-chan -- her name's Hensou 
-- Ran-chan -- she's Damasu -- Benten-chan -- that's Kamen -- and Oyuki-chan 
-- she goes by Mienai.  That dork Oogi -- do you know about Oogi, 
Shinobu-oneechan?" he asked.  Seeing her nod, he carried on, "Well, Oogi 
made them on special order for Nassur-chan.  He's a friend of Lum-chan's; he 
taught her how to use her powers.  Anyhow, they were all linked to their 
templates to ensure they could, if they had to, step in and take their 
places in case one of Nassur-chan's enemies tried to go after them.  But 
after Oni- . . .!"

	Minako gaped at him.  "They were living TARGETS?!"

	"Nassur-chan didn't know they were bioroids!"  Ten waved his hands.  "He 
couldn't sense their brainwaves and he couldn't scan 'em, so all he could 
think of them was that they were androids, like the ones the Zeiwanites 
make!"

	Shinobu gazed at Minako.  The older Avalonian had an intent look on her 
face.  "Where are those girls now, Ten?" Minako asked.

	"They're with Seiko-chan, Sakiko-chan and the others."  Ten pointed down 
the street.  "Everything's okay with them, if that's what you're really 
worried about.  Hinako-oneechan used Bou-san to make them all look human and 
all that."

	Minako gazed at him.  On sensing his honesty, she nodded.  "That's good."

	"I take it using Avalonians as expendable bodyguards was something the 
Niphentaxians did with your people," Shinobu noted.

	Minako nodded.  "Many times.  According to Mom, that is."

	Shinobu squeezed her shoulder.  "Gomen ne, Minako-chan."

	"Oh, hey!  It's cool!"  Minako reached up to give her friend's hand a 
reassuring squeeze, and then she stared ahead.  "Let's just hope that with 
the factory in orbit over Earth, my mom's people aren't suffering anymore."

	"With the Church of Lum all but gone?" Ten stated.  "Count on it."

	Shinobu perked.  "What do you mean, Ten-chan?"

	"That's part of what Ataru's been doing since we left Tomobiki," the young 
boy assured her.  "Other than helping the Noukiites fight our people, not to 
mention him adopting those two Noukiite girls . . . "

	Ataru's former girlfriend gaped, and then she looked nowhere in particular 
as that message sank in.  "He actually FOUGHT with the Noukiites . . .?" she 
whispered before shaking her head.  "I know he's sympathetic to their cause 
and all that -- he practically told us that on Saturday, just after Lum and 
Ran came back! -- but to actually FIGHT with the Noukiites . . .!"

	"He had no choice."

	The girls looked at Ten.  "What do you mean, Ten-chan?" Minako asked.

	"Ataru's grandma was killed by an Urusian during the first Tag Race."

	Silence.

	Shinobu paled.  "Jesu Cristo . . . "

	Minako gaped.  "Did he tell you that?!"

	Ten sniffed.  "He told Seiko-chan.  Sakiko-chan overheard him, then they 
t-told me."  He sniffed again, wiping his eyes.  "It's no wonder he's so mad 
now!  Why'd they go and do that to his grandma, anyway . . .?"

	He curled in on himself, clinging close to Shinobu as he began to sob.  
Gazing on Ten, Ataru's ex-girlfriend quaked, and then she offered a silent 
prayer to the soul of Moroboshi Nagaiwakai as she moved to comfort the young 
boy.  A warm hand squeezed her shoulder.  She perked, and then she smiled at 
Minako as they turned a corner, heading towards a row of multi-floor 
townhouses.  Shinobu, like the others who knew what happened to Lum and Ran, 
had been told where Kitahara Yukimi's apartment block was located.

	Speaking of which, the mistress of said apartment block was busy emptying 
her mailbox as Shinobu, Minako, Ten and Kotatsuneko approached.  "Oh, 
Shinobu-sama!  Konnichi wa!"  Yukimi grinned before her hazel eyes locked on 
Minako.  "Who . . .?!"  Those eyes widened as her psi-senses confirmed what 
the rose-haired girl actually was.  "Oh, Fates . . . "

	Minako tried not to burn with embarrassment as the other Avalonian gazed at 
her.  "Ah . . . um, h-hello . . .!"  She faintly waved.

	Yukimi turned to Shinobu.  "Shinobu-sama, do you realize that . . .?!"

	"Minako-chan's an Avalonian."  Shinobu chuckled.  "Hai, I learned that when 
I met her yesterday morning.  Um, is Seiko here . . .?"

	One of the upper floor windows then opened, revealing a dark-haired 
Urusian-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran.  "Konnichi wa, Shinobu!" Seiko hailed with 
a wave as she leaned on the windowsill.  "Thanks for bringing Ten-chan 
back!"

	Shinobu sighed.  "Seiko, we've GOT to have a long talk about Ataru-kun!"

*    *    *

	"AH-CHOO!"

	"Bless you, Onii-chan!  Are you alright?!"

	Ataru moaned.  "Someone's talking about me, I bet," he muttered before 
nodding thanks to Karen, and then he turned to Rinrin.  "Okay, Rinrin-chan, 
how're we going to do all this?  And will it all be ready by Sunday 
afternoon when we go back to the Island?"

	"This is easy stuff, Aniki!"  The inventor waved him down, and then she 
pointed to her computer screen.  "Here's what we'll do . . . "

	The others crowded around.  "Now, Jonna-san and Orin-san don't want to take 
up too much room, so we'll just expand Hinako-chan's and Aria-chan's rooms 
three metres.  In Aria-chan's case . . . "  Rinrin pointed to the diagram of 
the second floor.  "All this'll do is fill in the space right above Aniki's 
and Aneki's bedroom, counter-clockwise from where Reiko-chan and 
Kaneko-chan'll live.  Hinako-chan's new space'll form a foundation for the 
expanded room on the third floor connecting into Yotsuba-chan's space."

	Marie gazed at Jonna and Orin.  "Are you sure that'll be enough room?"

	Miree's daughters nodded.  "We don't have much with us, Marie-sama.  It'll 
do," Jonna answered.  "Besides, it keeps us close to Hinako-sama and 
Aria-sama."

	The others smirked.  Rinrin slid her finger to the diagram of the third 
floor.  "Anyhow, for Himiko-san and Mikiko-san, what we'll do is take the 
spare bedroom and repeat what we're planning for Yotsuba-chan's space.  The 
main floor'll wrap clockwise around the boy's furo room and sit right atop 
Aria-chan's and Orin-san's expanded space, plus part of the twins' bedroom.  
As for Miree-san, we'll give her a new bedroom on the fourth floor, right 
over the stairwell to the main floor.  Is that okay with you, Miree-san?"

	"A private loft, you mean?"  The Hollywoodite priestess then nodded.  "Yes, 
that sounds rather cozy, Rinrin-chan.  I'll take it."

	"Are you sure we can do all these changes, Rinrin-chan?" Ranma asked.  "I 
mean, even if this place is modular in construction . . .?"

	Rinrin waved her down.  "Oh, relax, Aneki!  As long as we don't go too far 
over the tip of the rotunda, we'll be fine.  Besides, it keeps us all 
together IN the rotunda.  If we couldn't do this, that means all of you . . 
. "  Her eyes fell on Miree, her daughters and the two survivors of the 
previous week's bombing.  "Would have to live in the commons."

	"That's the main part of Welcome House, right?" Himiko wondered.

	"Yeah, it is."  Rinrin tried not to groan.  "Whoever built that place 
didn't really put some careful thought into things like phone lines, the 
bathrooms, the furos, kitchens and all that.  Ne, Shirayuki-chan, you 
remember the first time you went into the kitchen by the lobby?"

	The mauve-haired chef blanched.  "Hime NEVER wants to think of that 
horrible place ever again!"  She patted her heart.

	"I remember seeing that shortly after I met you girls."  Ataru shook his 
head before he glanced at Ranma.  "Cripes, I was tempted to get somebody to 
knock the whole damn building down and have them rebuild the place."

	"That bad?" the martial artist asked.

	"Think of Kasumi-san's kitchen after Akane got through with it the first 
time she tried to cook for you . . . " -- a dramatic pause -- "Then magnify 
the damage to the tenth degree!  You'll get the idea then."

	Ranma winced, and then she stared at Shirayuki.  "Shirayuki-chan, you make 
VERY damn sure Akane doesn't go into your kitchen when those guys move to 
the Island full-time, okay?"  She wagged a warning finger at the chef.

	"Hime'll remember, Nee-sama."  Shirayuki then sighed.  "Still, Hime is a 
little worried about Kasumi-san . . . "

	"Why's that?" Sakuya asked.

	"Well, Kasumi-san has been cooking for her family every since her mother 
died, Sakuya-chan."  Shirayuki shrugged.  "She might not like the idea of 
being forced to sit in the dining room when Hime cooks . . . "

	"Whoa!  Hold on for a moment, Shirayuki-chan!"  Ranma held up a hand.  
"First of all, we're doing this to help Kasumi BREAK AWAY from slaving for 
her family all the time.  There's a big difference between cooking because 
you love to cook and cooking because you feel it's your duty to your family 
to cook!  Ever since her mom died, all Kasumi's ever really done is cook and 
clean after the others in her family.  She never really LIKED doing all that 
stuff, especially when you figure out how lazy her stupid old man was!  YOU, 
on the other hand . . . "  She pointed to the chef.  "Cook because you enjoy 
and LOVE to cook.  We all notice it, Shirayuki-chan."

	Shirayuki stared wide-eyed at the martial artist.  "Nee-sama . . .!"

	"Ane-chama's right, Shirayuki-chan!" Yotsuba cut in.  "Yotsuba noticed it 
when Kasumi-anechama made lunch for Yotsuba and Shi-chama.  Even though 
Kasumi-anechama's lunch was pretty checky, Yotsuba thinks it wasn't checky 
compared to ANYTHING Shirayuki-chan makes!"

	The chef's cheeks flamed.  "Yotsuba-chan . . . "

	"Hey, hey, girls, go easy on her, huh?!" Ataru quickly cut in to moderate.  
"We don't want to butter her up too much now, do we?!"

	Sakuya dramatically pointed to the ceiling.  "Yes, we DEFINITELY must avoid 
kimch'i rice puddings in the future."

	Shirayuki jolted before she turned away to sulk.  "Hime hates it whenever 
everyone tells Hime about her kimch'i rice puddings!"

	Two hands tugged at her skirt.  "Ne, ne, Auntie Shirayuki, can we try 
them?!" Reiko asked as she and Kaneko stared hopefully at her.

	Gazing at her nieces, the chef nodded.  "Hai desu no!"

	Everyone laughed.

*    *    *

	"Who is he, Kanami-san?"

	"Hibiki Ryouga, a wandering martial artist from somewhere close to Tokyo."  
Kurosu Kanami then held up a finger in warning.  "That is, I *think* he's 
from somewhere close to Tokyo, Shinobu-sama.  It's hard to tell."

	"Why's that?" Minako asked, nodding thanks as Kashima Namie poured her a 
new glass of lemon tea.  "He's not roonin, is he?"

	Kanami shook her head.  "He's got the most horrible sense of direction you 
could ever imagine.  And it seems to be linked to some sort of metaphysical 
teleportational ability.  One minute, he's in Nerima.  Next minute, he's in 
Chicago, then Paris, then . . . "

	"Talk about being forced to become a Wanderer!"  Sakiko shuddered, she 
exchanging a knowing look with Seiko before she turned back to the 
dark-haired Avalonian.  "How long has this problem been affecting him, 
Kanami-chan?"

	"His whole life, Sakiko-sama," Kanami replied.  "Even worse, his mother and 
all his siblings also suffer from this 'directional curse.'  He hasn't seen 
any of them, much less his father, for quite some time now."

	"So why'd you and Tamako-san bring him here?" Shinobu asked.

	People spared a glance through the open door into one of the guest 
bedrooms.  There, lying on a futon, Ryouga slept, a damp cloth folded neatly 
on his forehead.  His clothes and backpack were currently undergoing a 
thorough wash in the apartment's laundry; Kodama Hiro was keeping an eye on 
things there.  "I sensed him in the farmer's market when I was doing some 
shopping for dinner," Tamako explained.  "I never sensed such levels of 
depression and loneliness in all my life, Shinobu-sama.  So when Kanami-chan 
and I gave him a brief mind-scan to learn what happened to him, we decided 
the best thing to do was to bring him here, give him a chance to rest."

	"Is he in trouble?" Seiko asked.

	"No, Seiko-sama, but some days ago, he got himself into a terrible fight 
with his girlfriend's sumo-trained pigs."

	Everyone stared wide-eyed at the tomboyish Avalonian.  "Sumo-trained 
pigs?!" Minako parroted Tamako's words.  "You SURE about that?!"

	Tamako nodded.  "Quite positive.  Even more strange, Ryouga-kun himself has 
a metamorphic 'curse' that transforms him into a small piglet when he's 
exposed to cold water.  Heated water transforms him back to normal."

	"Can people DO that here?!" Ten asked.

	Recognition then flashed across Shinobu's face.  "Why, that sounds an awful 
lot like the curse Saotome Ranma has!" she declared.

	"Darling's girlfriend?" Sakiko asked, ignoring Seiko's pained wince.

	Shinobu nodded.  "In that case, Ranma-san was able to turn from a boy to a 
girl.  Hey, maybe Hibiki-san might even know Ranma-sa- . . .!"

	The front doorbell pealed.  Yukimi headed to the window to glance towards 
the front gate.  Her eyebrow then arched.  "You said that Hibiki-san was 
attacked by sumo-trained pigs, Tamako-chan?" she then asked.

	"Hai, Yukimi-chan, I did.  Why?" Tamako asked.

	"Well, there's a pig outside the front gate now who's about the same size 
as Rei-sama's transformed self."  Yukimi pointed out the window.  "And it's 
wearing a sumotori's kesho-mawashi.  And there's a young lady with it, too!"

	Tamako and Kanami walked over to look themselves.  "That's Unryuu Akari!" 
the latter declared.  "She's Ryouga-kun's girlfriend!"

	"I'll let her in," the former announced as she headed out.

*    *    *

	"So you really have no idea why your pigs attacked Hibiki-san?"

	"Iie."  Akari nursed a cup of tea as she sat at the table.  Due to his 
girth, Katsunishiki was forced to remain outside, though Kanami was now 
delivering a large salad for him to snack on.  "I mean, beforehand, all the 
boys treated Ryouga-sama so kindly.  It just took me by surprise to see them 
pounce all over him when he was transformed . . . "

	She sipped her tea, her voice failing her.  "Well, if what we sense of your 
companion outside is true, your charges love you very much, Unryuu-san," 
Yukimi mused.  "Perhaps they got jealous of your boyfriend . . .!"

	"JEALOUS?!" Akari shrieked, bolting to her feet.

	Shinobu gave the pig farmer a sympathetic look.  "Many pets have been known 
to do that for their owners, Unryuu-san."

	"I . . . " Akari stuttered, and then she sighed.  "I never thought of that, 
to be honest with you all.  I mean, I have trained them to be fierce when 
they step into the dohyo.  It's what they have to do, after all.  But to . . 
. "

	Tamako gently squeezed the other woman's shoulders.  "It's alright, 
Akari-san."  The raven-haired Avalonian smiled as she moved to refill 
Akari's cup.  "After all, this might be just an isolated incident."

	Akari gazed on her, nodding.  "I hope so . . . "

	Kanami stepped back into the kitchen.  "Is he hungry?" Yukimi asked.

	"He's got an appetite," Kanami mused.  "Then again, I've never dealt with 
pigs before, especially one the size of a truck."  Taking her place at the 
table, she then gazed concernedly at Akari.  "I hate to break this to you, 
Akari-san, but there's a problem with your stable."

	"A disease?" Seiko wondered.

	Kanami shook her head.  "Iie.  I was barely able to sense some of 
Katsunishiki-san's thoughts when I fed him just now.  He knows what made his 
brothers attack Ryouga-kun.  In fact, he supported what happened."

	"What?!" Akari shrieked.  Sensing Tamako's hand on her shoulder, she took a 
deep breath before asking, "What happened, Kanami-san?!"

	"Simple," Kanami replied.  "When Ryouga-kun returned to your farm some days 
ago, the pigs sensed the empathic auras of a considerable number of young 
women all over him.  They . . . "  She paused.  "Your stable concluded that 
those other women, whoever they were, had tried to seduce Ryouga-kun away 
from you.  Thus, they . . . "  She paused again.

	"Sought to defend Akari-san's honour from what they perceived as a very 
serious threat to her continued happiness," Minako completed.

	"Hai."

	Akari paled.  "Ryouga-sama wouldn't . . . "

	"Oh, no!  Of course he wouldn't!"  Kanami chuckled, she giving the pig 
farmer a wave.  "You've got quite the gentleman as a boyfriend, Akari-sama!  
But . . . "  She shrugged.  "Clearly, he recently ran into a group of women 
sometime recently whose empathic auras are quite overwhelming.  It was 
feeling THAT which made all your rikibuta freak out."

	"They assumed someone was trying to steal Ryouga-kun away from Akari-chan, 
you mean."  Sakiko then sipped her tea before glancing at Akari.  "I think 
you've got quite a loyal stable of would-be samurai, Akari-chan!"

	Akari flustered.  "That's about it."  Kanami then perked.  "Eh?"

	"Where'm I . . .?"

	"Ryouga-sama!" Akari gasped.

	Eyes turned to the bedroom as Ryouga sat up, automatically catching the 
cloth that had been sitting on his forehead.  Fortunately for the wanderer, 
Yukimi and her sister Avalonians had been able to locate some clean pyjamas 
for him while his clothes went through the wash.  Opening his eyes, he 
looked around the strange room, and then he turned as Akari glomped him.  
"RYOUGA-SAMA!"

	The wanderer acked, staring in disbelief at his would-be wife before he 
finally sputtered out, "A-a-Akari-ch-ch-chan . . .?!"

	"She just came in a few minutes ago looking for you, Ryouga-kun."  Tamako 
stood by the doorway.  "Would you like some tea?"

	"I . . .!"  Ryouga moved to answer, and then he shuddered as Akari's sobs 
tore his attention back to the pig farmer.  Staring at her, the wanderer 
then wrapped his arms around her.  Seeing this, Tamako smiled as she stepped 
out.

*    *    *

	"So can this be done by the weekend?"

	"Oh, quite easy enough, Kasumi-san."  Midorikawa Hayato nodded as he 
gathered his papers to load them into his briefcase.  "I must confess that 
it's a terrible shame things had to happen THIS way . . . "

	The Tendou matriarch smiled.  "You don't view this as a victory?"

	The real estate agent chuckled.  "Please, don't think of this transaction 
as THAT, Kasumi-san!"  He closed his briefcase.  "Yes, I've tried to 
persuade your father to let go of this property, especially after your 
mother's passing.  After all, maintaining a plot of land like THIS would be 
a considerable drain on any family's budget, especially here in Tokyo.  And, 
even though I am loath to speak of this, your sister Nabiki HAS engaged in 
some blatantly illegal transactions to help your family keep this property . 
. . "

	"Well, she won't have to do that anymore," Kasumi noted.

	The older man nodded.  "Hai, true, true.  So where exactly are you and your 
family moving to, if you don't mind my asking?"

	Kasumi held up an objecting finger.  "As long as you don't allow this to 
fall unto the ears of Principal Kunou or his son."

	"You have my silence," the real estate agent vowed.

	She chuckled.  "We'll all be moving to a youth hostel on Oomure-jima.  It's 
in the Sagami Sea, near Odawara.  We've been invited there by the family of 
Moroboshi Ataru -- and PLEASE, Midorikawa-san, don't tell anyone about 
Ataru-kun's involvement in this!" she added with clapped hands.

	"Well, I heard from a friend of mine that his family did purchase a 
desecrated shrine in Kasuga-chou to act as a home for his sister Negako.  My 
friend's worked for years to get rid of that particular plot of land.  Then 
Moroboshi-san shows up and . . . "

	He shrugged. Kasumi grinned.  "Ataru-kun recently befriended my younger 
sister's former fiancé.  After the falling out between Ranma-kun . . . " -- 
the eldest Tendou daughter kept to the more "masculine" honorific since 
scant few in Nerima knew the truth about what befell her -- " . . . and his 
parents, he decided to join Ataru-kun and his family on Oomure-jima.  To 
show there are no bad feelings, Ranma-kun persuaded Ataru-kun's sisters to 
allow us to come to Oomure-jima after Father was . . . "  Her voice trailed 
off.

	Hayato nodded.  "Hai, I understand.  Well, I'll contact the potential buyer 
and we'll have everything set up as quickly as possible."

	"By this weekend?" Kasumi asked.

	"Certainly!  That'll please my client very much."

	"That's nice.  Oh, may I ask what'll happen here after we're gone?"

	"Both the house and the doojou will be demolished to make way for smaller 
townhouses.  Most likely, a convenience store might be added since this part 
of Nerima doesn't have much in the way of quick-stop shopping areas.  I . . 
. "  The agent then looked apologetic.  "Well, I do realize you have put in 
a lot of work to keep this place intact, but . . . "

	"No, it's alright."  Kasumi shook her head.  "Actually, to be frank, this 
is quite a relief for my family and I.  I certainly wouldn't want to inflict 
anyone with the amount of responsibility maintaining a home like this 
demands."

	He nodded.  "That's understandable.  Much that this building does have some 
history in it, it's not enough to see it declared an historic property and 
turned over to the Culture Ministry to see it preserved."

	Kasumi shook her head.  "Personally, I think that after all that's happened 
under this roof, this place would NEVER deserve something like that, 
Midorikawa-san.  So, when can you come by to finalize everything?"

	"Friday morning?" Hayato proposed.

	"That's fair enough."

*    *    *

	The real estate agent was escorted off the property.  Kasumi returned to 
the sitting room to see Shinshi at the table, appearing rested.  To the 
older sister's eye, her magic-born brother was dressed in stylish jeans and 
a polo shirt.  *Yotsuba-chan DOES possess a sharp eye for detail,* Kasumi 
mused as she sat beside him.  "Konnichi wa, Shinshi-chan.  Do you feel a 
little better now?"

	Shinshi nodded.  "A heck of a lot better, Onee-chan.  So how did things go 
with Midorikawa-san?  No problems about selling the property?"

	"Hai.  It'll be finalized Friday and we'll be out of here by Saturday," 
Kasumi reported.  "Let's just hope the modifications to Welcome House'll be 
ready when it comes time for us to move there.  Rinrin-chan warned me that 
the House's main building is a lot more run down than the rotunda."

	"It should be alright."  Shinshi stretched, glancing around.  "I guess 
everyone else is still asleep.  Where's Chieko-san?"

	"She left an hour ago.  I think her mother was worried about her staying 
the whole day away from school," Kasumi mused.

	"That's good.  Let's hope she won't get into trouble with the teachers when 
she goes back to school tomorrow morning."

	"True . . . "  Kasumi perked on hearing footsteps, looking up as Nabiki and 
Akane stepped into the sitting room.  "Konnichi wa, minna."

	"Everything's all set?" Nabiki asked as the sisters sat down.

	"All ready to go.  We'll be on the Island full-time by Saturday night."

	"Pity it couldn't happen sooner," Akane lamented.

	"'Cause of Kunou-chan?" Nabiki asked.

	"Hai.  Wouldn't THAT blow the wind out of his sails?"  A grin crossed 
Akane's face.  "His precious 'fierce tigress' moving out of the city to 
another prefecture where he couldn't chase after her.  And add that to him 
losing his pig-tailed goddess, too . . .?"

	Shinshi smirked.  "Especially losing Ranma-chan to a guy like Ataru?"

	No one noticed Akane's pained look in response to his comment connecting 
Saotome Ranma to Moroboshi Ataru.  "Oooh, THAT would hurt!"  Nabiki 
chuckled.  "Maybe I should remind Kunou-chan about that sometime this week . 
. . "

	"Nabiki-chan, please don't," Kasumi calmly scolded.  "Ataru-kun and his 
family are already doing a lot for us.  We shouldn't . . . "

	"Oh, Onee-chan, RELAX!  I was just kidding!"  Nabiki waved her sister down, 
and then she perked as something washed through her.  "What the . . .?"

	"What?"  Shinshi gazed at his sister before he jolted.  "Hey . . . "

	Akane stared concernedly at them.  "You guys alright?"

	"Oh, we have visitors."  Kasumi gazed at the entrance, and then she stood 
to see who was standing at the front gate.

	Akane watched her go, and then she turned to her other sister and brother.  
"What is it?" she asked as she placed a hand on Nabiki's shoulder.

	"Avalonians . . . " Nabiki whispered.  "Two of them.  Both not bonded."

	"They're as surprised at our being here as we are about them," Shinshi 
added as he glanced towards the front gate.

	Everyone then turned to look as Kasumi stepped back inside.  Following the 
Tendou matriarch were two girls dressed in the dark blue seifuku of Tomobiki 
High School.  One was a girl with long brown hair in a high ponytail while 
the other had electric blue hair extending to her waist.  Akane watched as 
the visitors' eyes darted over the room for a moment before they focused on 
Nabiki and Shinshi.  Once eye contact was made, the visitors then relaxed as 
they took their seats opposite Akane's sister and brother.

	Silence fell as they gazed on each other, and then the blue-haired girl 
softly declared, "You weren't born this way, were you?"

	"Ah . . . "  Nabiki caught herself, shaking her head.  "No.  My brother and 
I were just converted very early this morning."

	"I don't recall Mom telling me that the factory was programmed to create 
male bioroids," the pony-tailed girl noted, gazing at her companion for a 
moment, and then she turned back to Shinshi.  "Unless . . . "

	Shinshi pointed to himself.  "Actually, it was because of a device called 
the Staff of Gihan that this body was made for me."

	The visitors' eyes widened.  "Gihan's Staff?!" the blue-haired girl gasped. 
  "How in Buddha's name did THAT damned thing get here?!"

	"Brought here by three refugees from Phentax Two who came here via the 
factory itself," Nabiki reported, and then she jolted as something came to 
her.  "Oh, geez!  I'm sorry!"  She waved to herself as introductions were 
made.

	"So how did you girls come to be here?!" Kasumi asked.

	"We were born here."  Yoshino Tomomi smiled.  "Twenty years ago, a group of 
Avalonians came to Earth to make contact with a Zephyrite missionary colony. 
Our mothers eventually scattered themselves from Hokkaido to Okinawa.  
Actually . . . "  She blushed, pointing to herself before she continued, 
"Those on Hokkaido, like my mother, were close to the mark; the colony was 
on Rishiri-tou living with Moroboshi Ataru's grandmother, Nagaiwakai."

	"So you've come here to look for Ataru-kun, right?" Nabiki wondered.

	Ikusawa Kyooko nodded.  "Hai.  When the factory came into orbit over Earth, 
our mothers sensed it.  The link between them and the factory was broken 
when we . . . " -- she indicated herself and Tomomi -- " . . . were born, 
but our mothers can still sense it."

	"Are you guys afraid the factory or whoever's in control of it now might 
take your mothers away?" Shinshi asked, he sensing deep fear in the 
visitors.

	"Well, we doubt the factory can be able to lock in on us since we ARE 
half-Terran," Tomomi noted.  "And yes, we are afraid that even now, whoever 
controls the factory might have at his disposal some means that could take 
our mothers away.  And if that happens . . . "

	"It could easily kill our fathers since our mothers are all psi-bonded to 
their husbands," Kyooko finished for her companion.  "Not to mention badly 
hurt us because a subtle bond exists between ourselves and our mothers."

	Kasumi covered her mouth.  "Oh, my!"

	"What do you hope Ataru-kun could do to help you guys?" Nabiki asked.

	"Our ultimate goal is to break the factory away from any influence by the 
Niphentaxians."  Kyooko sighed.  "We learned from Ataru-kun's old classmates 
in Tomobiki he's already made headway in dealing with the Niphentaxians . . 
. "

	"You've got that right!" Shinshi noted.  "Ataru-kun was on Phentax Two when 
the Staff of Gihan was set off and killed three billion people . . . "

	The visitors paled.  "Ataru-kun was THERE . . .?!" Tomomi gasped.

	The Tendous grimly nodded.  "Do you think he'll want to go fight the 
Niphentaxians again after that, Onee-chan?" Akane asked.

	Nabiki sighed.  "He'll really have no choice in the matter.  Think about 
it.  This whole 'church of Lum' thing on Phentax Two declares that Ataru-kun 
is nothing more than the 'great evil.'  That means that until the day comes 
when this whole church is done away with, Ataru-kun's going to have to keep 
an eye out for potential assassination attempts from people who actually 
think they're doing their 'goddess'' bidding."

	Shinshi frowned.  "Just like what Ranma-chan went through after she got 
cursed and was chased out of China by Shampoo."

	Kasumi shook her head.  "Saddening."

	"And there're all of Ataru-kun's sisters to worry about, too."  Nabiki held 
up a knowing finger.  "What better way to target him than through them?"

	"Would they do that?" Akane wondered.

	"Most likely."

	Kasumi turned to Kyooko and Tomomi.  "Do you girls want to visit Ataru-kun 
today?  He doesn't live too far away from here."

	Both visitors nodded.  "Please?"

	"I can take them over there, Onee-chan," Shinshi volunteered.

	Nabiki gave her brother a knowing look.  "Hell, you just want to go over 
there to be with Yotsuba-chan!"  Her eyebrows wriggled.

	Shinshi gave her an even stare in response.  Kasumi tried not to fall over 
laughing.  "I'll go with you," Akane volunteered, standing.

	"Are you going to try to talk to Ranma-chan?" Kasumi asked.

	The youngest Tendou paused.  "Hai, Onee-chan."  She then gazed at the 
ceiling.  "Whether or not I'll succeed, though . . . " she then added.

*    *    *

	"A wedding dress party?!"

	Everyone sitting around Yukimi's coffee table gazed on the pictures of the 
recent party Ryouga took part in when he visited Promised Island.  "Hai!" 
the wanderer said, an embarrassing blush crossing his face at the comments 
many of the people around him just made about his playing the preacher.  
"The girls came up with this idea just after they met their brother.  But 
the first time they did this, Chikage-san wasn't involved."  He pointed to a 
picture of the sorceress, dressed in her dark-hued gown.

	"Chikage-oneechan . . . "

	Eyes locked on Ten.  The young boy was gazing on another picture of 
Chikage, hearts glittering in his eyes.  "Uh-oh!" Sakiko mused as she gazed 
knowingly at Seiko.  "Ten-chan's got another girl he can chase around.  
Remember what he was like around Sakura-sensei?"

	Shinobu shook her head.  "I definitely remember that!"

	The Izumo sisters laughed.  Ten ignored them; his attention was still held 
by the picture of the sorceress before him.  "Ryouga-sama, I hope you're NOT 
considering the priesthood," Akari said as she gazed concernedly on her 
fiancé.

	Ryouga acked.  "No!  No!  No!  No!"  He waved his hands.  "Of course not!  
B-but . . . " he stuttered before he waved to the pictures.  "The girls 
needed someone to play the priest this time since Ataru's older sister 
Negako was in Nerima when I went there.  They asked me to do it and . . . "  
He stopped.  "Well, wh-what was I supposed to do?!  I mean . . . "

	"Well, at least you were being a gentleman about it," Shinobu mused.

	"It's not just that, Miyake-san."  Ryouga shuddered.  "It's Aria."

	"Aria-chan?" everyone said as they turned to gaze on the couple of photos 
showing the young Parisian at the altar.

	Ryouga nodded.  "Yeah!  I mean, all she has to do is make that sound . . . 
"  He paused before softening his voice in a bad imitation of Aria's sob.  
"'Kusun!'"  His voice went back to normal.  "Man, when you hear THAT, your 
guts just twist up and all you want to do is just make her STOP crying!  Not 
even Ranma or Ataru are immune to it!"

	Seiko felt a painful chill warp through her as her eyes focused on the 
pictures of Ataru with Ranma.  Sakiko stared at her sister, and then she 
reached over to give her a supportive squeeze.  Seiko started, and then she 
faintly smiled.  "Well, I suppose that clears up all that!" Akari mused as 
she helped Ryouga collect the pictures and stuff them back into the small 
photo album Yotsuba had given the wanderer before he left Promised Island.  
"If you'll all pardon us, I want to get back to the farm with Ryouga-sama."

	"Are his clothes all through the wash?" Yukimi wondered.

	"Last batch is going through the dryer now," Kodama Hiro reported.

	"I see."  The apartment block manager then turned back to Ryouga and Akari. 
  "Would you like to stay for dinner, then?"

	The pig farmer blushed.  "We don't want to impose . . . "

	Yukimi waved her down.  "Oh, relax!  It's no imposition!"

	Ryouga stared at Akari.  "Can't refuse free food, Akari-chan."

	Akari's blush deepened.  "W-well . . .!"

*    *    *

	As excited chatter picked up, Seiko headed up to her bedroom.  Shinobu 
watched the other woman head off.  Excusing herself, she followed the 
Urusian-turned-Nendo-kata.  Reaching the doorway into Seiko's bedroom, 
Shinobu paused on seeing her former rival sitting on her bed, gazing out the 
window at the darkening afternoon sky.  "Are you okay, Seiko?" Shinobu asked 
as she walked in to sit herself at the other's desk.

	Seiko took a deep breath.  "Should I be?"

	"I guess seeing those pictures must've hurt bad."

	"Hai, they did."  The other woman nodded.  "Even now . . . "

	"Is it true?"

	"About what?"

	"What Ten-chan told me?" Shinobu asked as she crossed her arms.  "About one 
of your people having killed Ataru-kun's grandmother?"

	Seiko stared at her, slowly nodding.  "Awful, isn't it?"

	"Hai.  Why did it happen?"

	"How much do you know about the Zephyrites?"

	Ataru's former girlfriend shook her head.  "Not much."

	"Well . . . " Seiko began.  "Think of them as a model theocracy.  I know . 
. .!"  She paused, giving the other woman a knowing smile.  "I can sense 
that you're very passionate about your faith.  Imagine a whole RACE like 
that!  A race of nearly a trillion sentient beings, spread over two hundred 
planets.  Add to that, they're also the most technologically advanced race 
in this part of the galaxy.  NO ONE equals them, Shinobu.  No one . . . "  
Her voice trailed off as she pointed to the sky.  "Their closest colony to 
Earth, Jiyuu, is only five light-years from here.  Toshitto, Uru's closest 
colony, is over thirty."

	"And you guys . . . "  Shinobu stopped on seeing a flash of deep pain in 
Seiko's eyes.  "Excuse me, the Urusians tried to invade us?"

	"I know.  Well, on occasion, people who are outside the accepted Zephyrite 
faiths can be given an honorary bishop-like status in one of their churches. 
  Those people are called 'righteous gentiles.'  Darling's grandmother was 
one."

	"The people of Israel do something like that.  They call them 'Righteous 
Among The Nations.'  Those are mostly people who helped Jews avoid the Nazi 
death camps during World War Two, like Oskar Schindler . . . "

	Seiko shook her head.  "Not like that at all, Shinobu."

	"What do you mean?"

	"Well, if a Righteous Gentile -- especially if she's living on a world 
close to Zephyrite space -- feels it necessary, she could call on the power 
of the Holy Republic to defend her home planet against outside aggression.  
And that defence could, if it has to, go all the way to what the Zephyrites 
call a 'holy crusade.'"  A pause before Seiko added, "Which is their term 
for religiously-sanctioned genocide."

	Silence.

	"That can't . . .!" Shinobu blurted out.  On seeing the deadly serious look 
on her host's face, she paused.  "Oh, God . . .!"

	"Hai, it's true. It's only happened once," Seiko reported.  "And that was 
against a people who once conquered Uru, Neptune, Fukunokami and Karasutengu 
and held them captive for three hundred years.  But the threat is there . . 
. "

	"And Ataru-kun's grandmother had the authority to call that . . . " 
Shinobu's voice trailed off before she stared anew at Seiko.  "So to make 
sure their planned invasion of Earth wouldn't result in a total disaster . . 
. "  She paused again, gaping.  "Did your father know?!"  Seiko nodded.  
Shinobu stared at her before she turned to look away, a hand reaching up to 
rub her other arm.  "Oh, Jesu Cristo . . . "

	"The person who actually killed Darling's grandmother was an old 
acquaintance of mine.  He . . . "  Seiko grimaced.  "The stupid sub-creature 
practically BOASTED that I was his *friend!*  That he was damn proud of the 
fact that he killed Darling's grandmother to make sure that your people 
would become slaves of the Urusians!"  Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook 
her head as she added, "Right to Darling's face . . . "

	"And your dad knew . . . " Shinobu whispered.

	Seiko nodded, sniffing back fresh tears.  "Hai, he knew."

	"When did Ataru-kun find out?"

	"He bumped into Ando the second weekend after he left Tomobiki.  The whole 
part about the ruling council on Uru being in on what happened to Darling's 
grandmother . . . "  A pause.  "He found that out later.  At that point, he 
chose to support the Noukiites since that would give him the chance to 
locate all the people involved in what happened to his grandmother . . . "

	"And take his revenge," Shinobu finished.

	"Hai."

	Silence fell as Ataru's former girlfriend took the time to think over what 
Seiko told her, and then she asked, "What do we do now?"

	"It's done.  The people who were involved are either dead, in the hands of 
the Noukiites to be tried for crimes against the Dominion or else they're in 
the hands of the Zephyrite Inquisition, facing murder and heresy charges . . 
. "

	Shinobu blanched.  "The Zephyrites even have an Inquisition?!"

	Seiko nodded.  Hearing that, Shinobu gazed nowhere in particular, and then 
she folded her legs close to her, hugging them with her arms.  "God, I'm not 
sure I'd ever want to meet someone like that!" she hissed before turning to 
stare at her former rival.  "This was part of the thing Ataru-kun's mother 
had Negako-san erase from his mind, right?"

	"Suppress, not erase," Seiko amended.  "And yes, that was the big part.  I 
. . . "  She shook her head.  "You know, Darling told me this morning that 
he LIKED my parents.  He was envious of me, Shinobu, because I had parents 
who really cared for me.  But . . . "

	"Finding out your fiancée's father conspired in the murder of your 
grandmother . . . "  Shinobu quaked.  "I can see why he'd get angry."

	"Hai."  Seiko's eyes turned to the ceiling.  "And even worse, Oogi's still 
out there."  She pointed up.  "Atop making sure that the Church of Lum could 
never harm his sisters, Darling went after Oogi to make damn sure that the 
Niphentaxians couldn't come to the Urusians' aid against the Noukiites.  Now 
finding out about the Avalonians . . . "

	"So what do we do?"

	Seiko sensed Shinobu's concerned look.  "The big thing we have to do is 
keep information about Darling's sisters under wraps until the time comes 
when Darling'll deal with Oogi."  She looked out the window at the 
surrounding cityscape.  "Remember, Shinobu, if Darling was willing to do all 
*that* to avenge the death of his grandmother, could you imagine what might 
happen if any of his sisters came to harm?"

	Shinobu blinked as Seiko's warning sank in, and then she blanched.

*    *    *

	"A little gift for a suffering friend."

	"Ku-chan!"  Ukyou blushed as she took the rose from Kumiko.  The 
raven-haired mirror-twin of Ranma's had come to Okonomiyaki U-chan's minutes 
after the proprietor herself returned from her meeting with Kamekichi 
Tampopo.  "Did Ran-chan call you?" she then asked.

	"Hai, she did.  Told us everything about what happened between you and that 
sack of refuse you once had to call a father.  After hearing that, I felt 
that the sooner I got here, the better."  Kumiko took a seat by the counter 
as Ukyou proceeded to place the rose in a flute filled with fresh water.  
"Did you speak to anyone from the Court of Special Appeals?"

	"Yeah.  Sensei called 'em over to talk to me at her shop."  Ukyou then 
stopped.  Staring at her, Kumiko was quick to notice the sense of stunned 
bewilderment deep in her friend's eyes.  "Damn . . . "  She shook her head, 
leaning on her counter.  "I got up this morning thinking I was within a 
hair's breadth of losing everything that had meaning in my life!  And now . 
. . "  She tossed up a hand as she shook her head.

	"Stunned to see that things can actually go your way for a change?"

	"Damn right about that, sugar!" Ukyou admitted.  "So how're things with you 
and To-chan on the Island?" she then asked.

	"Settling in well," Kumiko admitted.  "Toshiko and I'll do a special 
entrance exam on Friday to see if we can attend Stargazer West College.  We 
should pass with little problems."  She shrugged nonchalantly.

	"Be in the same class as Ran-chan when she goes there?"

	Kumiko shook her head.  "It's hard to predict.  Probably wind up in the 
same class as Sakuya-chan, Haruka-chan and Marie-chan, if not the one 
Chikage-chan is a part of.  Ranma's and Ataru-kun's classes are pretty well 
filled up according to the present class lists."

	"Who's with them?"

	"Karen-chan's with Ataru-kun."

	"Karen?!"  Ukyou's eyebrow arched as she recalled who that was.  "She's 
kinda young to be starting off in the third year of high school, isn't she?"

	"She skipped a grade because she did advanced studies when she was living 
with her mother and stepfather overseas," Kumiko explained.

	"Really?!  I thought Marie-chan was the smart one of that bunch."

	"Seems that way, ne?"  Kumiko chuckled as she considered the point.  "Then 
again, from what I've heard, she spent a considerable amount of time in the 
hospital during most of last year.  Not sure of the illness, but I think the 
death of her stepfather had something to do with it."

	Ukyou sighed.  "Poor kid.  Oh, interested in something, Ku-chan?"

	Kumiko smirked.  "You."

	"Oh, no prob- . . . "

	Silence.

	Ukyou gaped, staring wide-eyed at her friend.  "Wh-what?"

	Kumiko reached over to tap the chef's nose.  "Gotcha!"

	Ukyou flustered.  "Oh, you!"  She swatted the other woman's hand away, and 
then she proceeded to prepare some batter.  "Damn, you actually had me going 
there for a moment!  I though you'd be more interested in boys than girls!"

	"Don't forget, U-chan, I WAS born a boy," Kumiko reminded her.

	"So was Ran-chan."

	"Hai, true, true.  Oh, I do happen to have something for you."

	Kumiko reached into her jacket to draw out a padded envelope to hand to 
Ukyou.  The chef opened it, drawing out a small pile of papers.  Gazing at 
the covering sheet, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.  "Business 
application for Promised Island?!" she blurted out.

	"Toshiko and I figured that, regardless of what happened between you and 
Ranma, you'd want to stay close even if she's moving out of Nerima," Kumiko 
explained.  "I talked with one of the people who help manage Welcome House.  
Since you have been, in effect, orphaned, that qualifies you under the 
founding Imperial Rescript of Promised Island as a potential resident."  She 
gazed at the table.  "Besides, you're our friend too, U-chan.  You helped 
us.  Why shouldn't we help you?  I'm sure Tampopo-san wouldn't mind at all."

	Ukyou gazed on the raven-haired mirror-twin.  A tearful smile crossed her 
face.  Hopping over the counter, she dropped into Kumiko's lap to swamp her 
with a grateful embrace.  No words were said as the two held each other 
closely for what seemed like an eternity.  They then pulled apart to gaze 
into the other's eyes.  "Thank you so much, Kumiko-chan," Ukyou whispered 
before leaning in to give the other woman a warm kiss.  Kumiko shuddered, 
and then her hold on the chef stiffened as she tilted her head.  Ukyou's 
eyes widened as she felt the mirror-twin's tongue gently slink into her 
mouth.  She then relaxed as she pulled herself even closer to Kumiko.  They 
remained in that position for yet another blissful eternity before slowly, 
reluctantly, pulling apart.

	Gazing once more into the other's eyes, Kumiko quirkily smiled.  "I guess I 
wasn't kidding when I said I wanted you, U-chan."

	"Guess you weren't, Ku-chan."  Ukyou lightly shrugged before she asked, 
"Are you doing this because . . .?"  An eyebrow arched in curiosity.

	"Did Ranma ask me to do this?  No.  Am I doing it out of some sense of 
obligation to you?  Well . . . "  She reached up to gently stroke Ukyou's 
cheek.  "As I said, I am grateful for your help when Ranma and Jijii broke 
Toshiko and I out of that compact and sent us on our way.  No denying that.  
But . . . "  A twinkle appeared in her eye.  "I do love you, Ukyou.  You'll 
always have a special place in my life.  I want you to come to the Island.  
Live with Toshiko and I at the cottage.  Set up U-chan's there.  You'll have 
a lot of customers there waiting for you.  Far as I can tell, there's not 
another okonomiyaki shop on the Island.  And as for what happens between us 
. . . "

	They shared another kiss.  "I guess we gotta find that out for ourselves, 
ne?" Ukyou said, straightening herself in Kumiko's lap.

	"I guess so . . . "

	A telephone rang.  Both winced before they gazed at the offending object.  
"Don't you just HATE that, Ku-chan?!" Ukyou muttered as she slipped off 
Kumiko's lap, and then she headed over to pick up the receiver.  
"Moshi-moshi, Okonomiyaki U-chan's," she hailed into it.

	"They DO ruin the mood, I guess," Kumiko muttered to herself as she rested 
her elbows on the counter, chin in her palms . . .

	She the jolted on hearing Ukyou's surprised voice cry out, "WHAT?!  Sensei, 
are you SURE about this?!"  Silence fell over the restaurant as Ukyou took 
in the message from Tampopo.  The chef nodded.  "R-right!  Did you pass it 
on . . .?"  Her voice trailed off, and then she nodded again.  "Okay, I 
understand.  Look, Saotome Kumiko's here.  She brought in some papers I'd 
have to fill out if I want to move the restaurant to Promised Island.  Are 
you . . .?"  She was cut off by Tampopo's quick reply, and then she nodded.  
"Okay, I appreciate that, Sensei.  How soon can you find out more about 
this?"  Another pause, and then Ukyou nodded yet again.  "Sure, I'll come by 
tomorrow after school to talk to you about it."  Another nod.  "Right, I'll 
see you later.  'Bye, Sensei."  She hung up.

	"What is it?" Kumiko wondered.

	Ukyou walked back to the counter, the bewildered look Kumiko saw in her 
eyes earlier back with a vengeance.  "Sensei . . .!  Well, she just got a 
call from a friend," she began, leaning on the counter.  "This guy works for 
a bank that's affiliated to the group Ataru-kun's uncle owns.  And . . . "  
She gulped.  "Jeez, my grandfather . . . "

	Kumiko stood.  Ukyou didn't resist as the other woman boosted her over the 
counter to plant her in the seat beside hers.  Gently holding the chef's 
hands, Kumiko gazed into Ukyou's eyes.  "What about your grandfather?  Tell 
me."

	"Well, it's . . . "  Ukyou bit her lip.  "It's my mom's dad.  I . . . "  
She stopped, barking out a shaky laugh before rubbing one of her eyes.  "I 
never knew much about Mom's relatives.  And after Dad sent me off to go 
after Ran-chan and Genma, well . . . "  She threw up her hands.

	"You lost all contact with your mother."

	"Y-yeah!" Ukyou sputtered before taking several deep breaths.  Kumiko kept 
her peace as her friend marshalled her thoughts, and then the chef gazed at 
her.  "Well, Mom's dad didn't like Dad at all.  He didn't approve of them 
getting together and all that.  But he wasn't going to just leave it all be, 
you know.  And . . . "  A shudder raced through her, and then she blurted 
out, "When he died, he bequeathed all his property to me!"

	Kumiko blinked, one of her eyebrows arching.  "How much money are we 
talking about here, U-chan?  A lot?"  Seeing a wary look flash in the chef's 
eyes, she quickly moved to moderate.  "U-chan, I'm sorry!  I didn't mean it 
THAT way!  But if it's a lot of money . . . "

	"About two hundred million yen after taxes."

	Silence.

	Kumiko stared wide-eyed at her friend.  A delighted smile then crossed her 
face.  "U-chan, that's . . .!"  She stopped herself as realization dawned on 
her.  "Oh, damn!"  She covered her mouth.  "Your dad was trying to . . .?"

	"Sensei thinks so.  According to Granddad's will, I can get the inheritance 
when I turn twenty.  No strings attached.  It'd be my money and property, 
regardless of what happens between my family and I.  Guess Granddad figured 
Dad out a long time ago.  However, the only way I can get it ahead of time 
is when I . . . "  She turned to Kumiko, shrugging.

	The other woman's eyebrow arched.  "Get married?"

	"Yeah! Of course, because I'd be underage . . . "

	"Your legal guardian -- namely, your father -- would have nominal control 
of the money," Kumiko quickly concluded before she shook her head.  "Damn!  
And I thought Genma was a backstabbing thief at times?!" she spat out.

	"Yeah," Ukyou snorted, leaning her head on her hand, elbow on the counter.  
"Well, that's something to look forward to, ne?"

	"I'll say.  What do you plan to do?"

	"Well, talk to Sensei about it, then find some way to make sure Dad can 
never lay his hands on my inheritance."  Ukyou headed behind the counter to 
continue preparing the batter.  "Then I'll just sit back and wait for things 
to happen.  After all, I can support myself with the restaurant.  And if the 
Island doesn't have another okonomiyaki shop -- bizarre as I find THAT to 
be!  Doesn't everyone like okonomiyaki?! -- then I'll be able to make a 
handsome profit even before I get hold of Granddad's money, ne?"

	"True."  Kumiko nodded, and then her eyebrow arched.  "Lucky for you Genma 
never got wind of that before Ranma did him in.  If he did . . .?"

	"Yeah, he would've dumped the Tendous like hot potatoes and Ran-chan and 
I'd have been married in a flash."  Ukyou smirked before a thoughtful look 
crossed her face.  "Then again, would it have helped him in the end?"

	"What do you mean?"

	"Well, if he tried to get some of my inheritance from my dad . . .?"

	Both women gazed on each other, and then they laughed.

*    *    *

	"'The island of promises.'  Nice place."

	Seven Bake Rose sipped her espresso as she relaxed in one of the sidewalk 
bistros located on Second Street East, Promised Island's restaurant 
district.  Being on Earth in late winter meant a change of clothes from her 
preferred battlesuits.  A stylish pair of black slacks topped with a ruffled 
white shirt, that covered by a homemade cardigan sweater.  Knowing natives 
in Japan would automatically pick her off as "gaijin" -- Ellsians were 
generally Caucasian in appearance -- Rose elected to enhance that by wearing 
tinted sunglasses.  Sometimes, it was prudent to make yourself vanish in a 
crowd, the alien mercenary knew.  Sometimes, trying to disguise yourself was 
too much a bother.

	Taking out what appeared to be a pocket notebook computer, Rose flipped it 
open on the table, and then she tapped controls.  Despite its appearance, 
the device was likely the most advanced machine that ever graced this quaint 
island lying off the coast of the Japanese mainland.  Fortunately, given the 
lack of shoppers frequenting this part of the Island, Rose didn't need to 
concern herself too much with potential eavesdroppers. Still, she took a 
careful glance around before getting down to work.

	Images appeared before her.  First one up was "Mr. Groom" himself.  
Remembering the nickname everyone from Elle and Uru gave the man, Rose 
snickered.  Did he ever learn what his given name meant in the Urusian 
language or was that one of the many secrets the Devil's Daughter managed to 
keep from him before she died the day the Noukiites destroyed Onishuto?  
Perhaps when the chance came, Rose would pass the information on.  Given how 
much Ataru must hate Lum, all that could do was add another nail to the 
coffin.

	Data on the other members of the Moroboshi family came up.  Ataru's parents 
were both deceased, killed in a terrorist attack on his old high school over 
a week before.  That was a good thing.  With the parents out of the way -- 
that tacked onto the deaths of Lum and her family -- there was no strong 
authority figure that could plant the necessary seeds of doubt in Ataru's 
mind when Elle came to claim her Honey back.

	Much to her surprise, Ataru turned out to have a twin brother, Kaeru.  The 
mercenary had learned of Ataru's twin on Noukiios; when he and his family 
had been welcomed into the Dominion as honorary citizens, Mr. Groom made 
sure that the late Moroboshi Kaeru had been added onto the family list.  The 
other brother was of no real concern, of course; he had died in an accident 
on Nakadoori-shima, one of the Gotoo Islands off the west coast of Kyushu, 
when he was only three years old.  The one surprise in that affair was that 
the boy's body had disappeared from the hospital after his injuries were 
pronounced terminal.  All attempts at tracing Kaeru's remains down had 
proven futile.

	Now, to the sisters . . .

	Elder sister number one:  Moroboshi Negako.  Adopted into the family five 
years ago.  Origins and actual parentage were a total mystery.  She was 
currently residing in the Nerima district of Tokyo.  Occupation unknown.

	Elder sister number two:  Moroboshi Nokoko.  Muchi and Kinshou's first-born 
daughter, a year older than Ataru.  Turned over to the care of Muchi's 
brother Komeru when Nokoko was three, just after Kaeru's death.  Vanished 
without a trace when she turned six.  As with Kaeru, all attempts at 
locating Nokoko to date had proven totally fruitless.

	Rose then smiled as the first of Ataru's twelve younger half-sisters came 
up.  *So he got it from his dad, huh?* the mercenary chortled as the obvious 
truth about Mr. Groom's siblings flashed in her mind.  Twelve girls, all 
born out of wedlock to twelve different mothers, all of who eventually came 
to live on Promised Island over the last two years.  Ten were Japanese by 
nationality; Yotsuba Dunn was from the United Kingdom while Aria des 
Beauchamps came from France.  That would change, Rose knew; lawyers working 
for Ataru's family were busy making arrangements for all twelve of the girls 
to be adopted into the Moroboshi family.  Once that was done, the eldest of 
the group, Sukeyama Sakuya, would then be formally recognized as the next 
matriarch of Mr. Groom's family.

	*Definitely bring these girls along,* Rose mused as she sipped the rest of 
her coffee.  From what she had been able to ascertain when she inspected the 
youth hostel located on the western shore of the Island, Ataru had become 
very, VERY close to his half-siblings.  To shatter that would simply make 
things worse between Ataru and Elle when they got back together.  Of course, 
these twelve would make the perfect hostages if things should go really sour 
for the Queen.

	But that was the worst-case scenario . . .

	No.

	Hurting the sisters, especially the more fragile girls like Susumu Marie, 
Aria des Beauchamps and Saeru Hinako, would be stupid.  Best to woo them, 
and then get their help in making Ataru see reason.  Even if Ataru had not 
stepped on Elle's shadow years ago, the Rose Queen was adamant on the idea 
of having Honey back.  Lum's recent death and the defeat of the Urusians by 
the Noukiites had been a sign to Elle.  And she certainly did not want to 
put him into the Refrigerator of Love; Elle's love for Ataru, much to 
everyone's surprise in Baran, didn't come close to falling in THAT vein . . 
.!

	*Oh, Fates!  The Queen's got it for this guy but GOOD!*

	Rose shook her head as she deactivated her computer, and then she motioned 
to a waiter for the bill.  Was that really such a bad thing?  The Kingdom 
had begun to show grave signs of political, social and economic stagnation 
as the Rose Queen's behaviour toward her "cute boys" evolved from the 
darkest of state secrets to barracks scuttlebutt and juicy meat of street 
hof jokes.  With a husband acting as Crown Prince Consort, especially one 
with close ties to the Holy Republic of Zephyrus and the Dominion of 
Noukiios, Elle might finally shake off her idiosyncrasies and do what she 
had been born to do.  Everyone in the Kingdom and many beyond would gladly 
benefit from THAT!

	The bill was paid.  After slipping her computer into her purse, Rose made 
her way towards the ferry dock.  It was time to get to work.

*    *    *

	"WHAT?!  What do you mean, Sasuke?!"

	"What I mean, Master, is that Saotome Ranma no longer appears on his family 
register," Sasuke proclaimed as he faced Kunou in the latter's reading room. 
  "As near as I can discover, this happened Sunday afternoon, just before 
the fight you and Mistress Kodachi were involved with at the sch- . . . "

	"Enough!"  Kunou stood, moving to stand by the window.  Gazing on the front 
yard, the kendou-ka hummed in contemplation as he mentally reviewed the 
information Sasuke just gave him.  "So, he has made himself roonin, has he?"

	A mirthless chuckle escaped him.  "It appears so, Master."

	"What of the pig-tailed girl and her mirror-twin replica?"

	Sasuke perked.  "There's good news concerning them, Master."  He smiled.  
"Mistress Ranma and Mistress Toshiko were granted the right to form their 
own autonomous branch of the Saotome family by the Court of Special Appeals. 
  Also part of their group is a Mistress Saotome Kumiko."  He bowed his head 
apologetically.  "I've yet to ascertain who she might be, Master."

	Kunou perked.  "The Court of Special Appeals?!"

	"The very same, Master."

	"I see . . . "  The kendou-ka then chuckled, it soon turning into a 
full-blown laugh.  "Oh, the sheer JOY of it all!  The pig-tailed girl and 
her sisters FREED from that honourless wizard's clutches!  At LAST can I 
finally go forth and claim their hearts and ensure victory against that 
monster who dared think himself BETTER than the Blue Thunder . . .!"

	Sasuke held up a finger.  "Um, Master, there's a problem . . . "

	Kunou spun on him.  "SILENCE!" he roared.  "Wretched cur, how DARE you 
interrupt me when I seek to proclaim my victory?!"

	"But Mistress Ranma won't be living in Nerima anymore, Master!"

	Silence.

	"***WHAT?!***" Kunou thundered.

	Sasuke flustered.  "It's true, sir.  You see, Mistress Ranma and her 
sisters have elected to move to a district of the city of Odawara . . . "

	Kunou shuddered, and then he bellowed out, "***WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?!  THE 
LOVELY PIG-TAILED GIRL IS ACTUALLY LEAVING?!  I WILL NOT HAVE IT!***"

	The older ninja sighed as his employer railed on.  *This is just NOT worth 
it . . . * he moaned, fighting down the urge to lash out physically at 
Kunou.  *This is just simply NOT worth it!  Wait until the Master learns of 
what Mistress Akane and her sisters are planning to do!*

*    *    *

	"Dear brother, you are SUCH an idiot at times!" Kodachi muttered to herself 
as she slipped on her leotard.  Even given the sturdy construction and thick 
walls of the Kunou mansion, it was normally impossible to ignore her 
brother's thunderous ranting, especially when it came to the subjects of 
Tendou Akane and Saotome Ranma.  Shaking her head, she quickly checked 
herself over to see if anything was missing, and then, with a graceful 
spring to her open window, Kodachi was off!  Another bounding stride and she 
landed on a telephone pole just outside the mansion's walls.  With that, she 
was on her way, racing in the general direction of Saint Hebereke Girl's 
High School.

	As the wind whipped past, Kodachi took several deep breaths.  A package 
from the Court of Special Appeals, just like the one Ranma's other suitors 
received, had arrived at the mansion this morning.  Since all the members of 
the family were off at school when it came, Sasuke received the package, and 
then examined it.  Realizing the gravity of what the Court's decision 
concerning Ranma would mean to everyone who associated with her, the ninja 
raced off to Saint Hebereke to allow Kodachi to see the package first.

	While she cringed at the idea of Ranma officially declaring herself a girl, 
the martial arts gymnast had to admit that using such a strategy was 
prudent.  That, tacked onto the move to officially shatter every tie to her 
birth family, plus establish their new family in a place outside Tokyo, 
should have forced Akane's father to take pause.  Not that the fool could 
possibly hurt Ranma-sama; after what happened that morning, it would be a 
long time before Souun would be able to force his will -- *Did the idiot 
even HAVE one?!* Kodachi mused as she did a pirouette atop a telephone pole, 
and then headed towards Hikarigaoka Park -- on Ranma, much less his 
daughters.

	Reflecting on what just happened to Ranma, Kodachi tried not to frown as 
she made a perfect bound to a streetlight located by the front gate of 
Hikarigaoka, and then she daintily dropped to the ground.  Personally, once 
she finally forced herself to accept that her Ranma-sama and the pig-tailed 
girl was indeed one and the same person, Kodachi realized that she didn't 
care a bit about that awful curse.  Still, she had to know if Ranma's 
decision about his legally becoming a woman was either farce or truth.

	If it was the former . . .?

	What?

	And if it was the latter . . .?

	What then?

	Kodachi stopped, noisily exhaling before her eyes focused on the yatai 
located some metres away.  "Konban wa, Kodachi-san," Yamada Fred hailed with 
a warm smile as the gymnast came up to take a seat.  "Your usual?"

	"Hai, Fred-san, please."

	He got to work preparing an order of poutine, a Québécois dish he learned 
about over the Internet.  "Aren't you getting cold prancing around town in 
just a leotard tonight, Kodachi-san?" he wondered as he gave her a curious 
look.

	She flashed him a delighted smile.  "I can keep myself warm with exercise, 
but right now, I need to get some calories into me."

	"Hai, hai!  Quick as I can."

	He got to work.  Kodachi watched as he dumped raw French fries into a 
fryer, and then he drew out a can of gravy and a bag of cheese curds.  She 
then perked on hearing footsteps echo from behind her.  Fred looked up, a 
smile cutting across his face.  "Konban wa, Ranma-san . . . "  His voice 
suddenly trailed off as confusion crossed his face.  "Wait a minute!" he 
then declared as he pointed at the newcomer.  "You're not . . . "

	"Iie, not really."  A lovely redhead slipped into the stool beside Kodachi. 
  "Didn't U-chan ever tell you about Ranma's mirror-twins?"

	The hamburger yatai vendor blinked, and then he snapped his fingers before 
pointing at her.  "Oh, I remember now!  Toshiko, right?!"

	"The same!  A Ranma Special if you don't mind."

	"Hai, right away."

	As Fred got to work, Kodachi took the chance to give Toshiko a look-over.  
Like her brother, the gymnast learned of Ranma's mirror-twins the instant 
both of them emerged from Mirror Mansion.  Knowing one of them was male had 
sent jolts of anticipation through Kodachi.  After all, if she couldn't have 
the original -- this had sunk into her around the time of her battle with 
Saginomiya Asuka, the White Lily -- why not go after a replica?  Of course, 
if Ranma's father had even the barest flicker of intelligence, he should 
have used that magic mirror to clone his son enough times to satisfy all who 
wanted him.

	Sadly, Nabiki's later announcement that the mirror-twins had been disposed 
of crashed any hopes Kodachi might have had towards claiming even a small 
part of the awe-inspiring magnificence that was Saotome Ranma . . .

	Kodachi caught herself.  *Stop that, 'Dachi!*

	She then relaxed as Fred placed a plate of poutine before her.  "Here you 
go, Kodachi-san," he declared with a smile.  "Enjoy!"

	"Arigatou!"  She picked up a fork.  "Itadakimasu!"

	She dug in.  "Hey, Yamada-san, what is that, anyway?" Toshiko asked.

	"Poutine.  French fries, gravy and melted cheese.  Care to try some?"

	"Hmmm . . .!  Sounds great.  Okay."

	"Here."  Kodachi picked up some cheese-coated fries to dangle it before 
Toshiko's mouth, she giving her a friendly smile.  "Try it."

	"Aaaah!"  Toshiko opened her mouth to munch the sample down.  "Hey, this IS 
good!"  She nodded in approval.  "Thanks, Kodachi."

	"I take it you want that with your order?" Fred asked.

	The crimson-haired mirror-twin nodded.  "You bet!"

	"Hai, right away."

	He got to work.  As she ate her poutine, Kodachi watched as Fred prepared a 
huge pile of beef, complete with sizzling onions, tomatoes and lettuce, on 
his grill.  "This is normally what Ranma-sama eats?!" she asked.

	Fred nodded.  "Yep, that it is!  Had to craft it myself when he decided he 
needed a break from U-chan's and the Nekohanten.  Not that I'd personally 
knock Ukyou-san or Elder Cologne; they're both very good.  But limiting your 
choices to okonomiyaki or Chinese cuisine . . .?"

	Kodachi smiled.  "Hai, that is true.  Believe me, Yamada-san, I truly 
rejoiced when I heard you'd established your yatai here."

	"Everyone did, I guess."  Toshiko smirked as she reached into her jacket to 
draw out a padded envelope no different than what Kumiko had just given 
Ukyou.  "And speaking of which, Fred-san, Ranma asked me to pass this on to 
you for your personal consideration."

	"What's this?"  He took the envelope, and then he opened it to scan the 
contents.  "Business application for . . .?"  He gaped before turning to 
stare quizzically at Toshiko.  "Where the heck's Promised Island, anyway . . 
.?"

	"Real name's Oomure-jima.  It's located in the Sagami Sea just off the 
coast of Odawara.  It's where Ranma'll be living, starting this weekend.  My 
other sister Kumiko and I are there already.  And I know they don't have 
anything like this place."  She indicated the yatai.

	"Ranma asked you to do this?!" Fred asked.  At her nod, he chuckled, 
setting the envelope aside as he turned back to preparing Toshiko's meal.  
"Much that I how much business he brings to me, but for him to do THAT . . 
.?!"

	"Well, if you want to stay here, that's no problem.  This IS your place," 
Toshiko asserted.  "But I'll tell you this:  Given how bad the hamburger 
joint on the Island is, having you demonstrate what REAL hamburgers are 
about . . . "

	She held up a finger.  "One of *those* places?!" Fred wondered.  On seeing 
Toshiko nod, he smirked.  "Tell Ranma I'll consider it.  How big's the 
island?"

	"About six thousand permanent residents, plus the fishermen who dock by the 
place from time to time.  Few tourists come by the area, but there's a small 
staff of scientists from Kanagawa University who come by throughout the year 
to make use of the telescope on Stargazer Hill."

	"Hmmm . . .!"  Fred scratched his chin as he flipped the patty on the 
grill.  "Sounds like a pretty interesting place.  Okay . . . "

	A very big burger complete with all the trimmings was soon placed before 
Toshiko.  In lieu of a regular order of fries, the mirror-twin got an order 
of poutine.  Seeing the amount of food a "Ranma Special" took, Kodachi 
whistled before she turned back to her meal.  "My, is Ranma-sama capable of 
eating ALL THAT as a girl as well as a boy?" she asked.

	"You bet."  Toshiko winked, smiling as she pulled up a hunk of poutine to 
dangle before the gymnast.  "Kodachi-san, say 'aahh!'"

	Kodachi opened her mouth.  "Aaahhh . . . "

	The poutine was slipped into her mouth.  As the martial arts gymnast 
started to munch it down, Toshiko used her chopsticks to flick off the bits 
of melted cheese that got caught on the skin around Kodachi's lips.  Seeing 
that, the raven-haired woman opened her mouth again to accept the morsels of 
food.  Once they were clean, Toshiko swung the wooden sticks around to 
sensuously draw them through her lips as if to give them an extra cleaning.  
Kodachi watched this, her heart suddenly picking up in speed as Toshiko's 
beautiful sapphire eyes locked with hers.  Her eyes . . .

	Ranma-sama's eyes . . .

	The same . . .

	Kodachi's cheeks heated as she ducked away from Toshiko's penetrating 
stare.  Smiling, the mirror-twin turned back to her meal.

*    *    *

	Some minutes later, two women stepped away from Fred's yatai, heading 
deeper into Hikarigaoka Park.  As soon as they were relatively out of sight 
from eavesdroppers -- it was a quiet night this evening -- Toshiko reached 
over to grasp Kodachi's hand.  The gymnast perked on feeling that grip, and 
then she shuddered.  "I hope I'm not embarrassing you too much," Toshiko 
said.

	Kodachi sighed, she giving the other woman a look.  "If Ranma-sama had been 
this direct with me anytime before that 'wedding,' I would have gladly done 
a lot more than simply pursue him, Toshiko-san . . . "

	Before the gymnast could react, Toshiko spun herself around so they were 
standing face-to-face.  Kodachi slipped into the other woman's arms as their 
eyes locked on the other.  "My friends call me 'To-chan,' Kodachi-san."

	A delighted smile crossed the dark-haired girl's face.  "And you can call 
me ''Dachi,' To-chan."  She gently glided a finger over Toshiko's nose.  
"But do tell me, please:  Does Ranma-sama consider me her friend?"

	Silence fell as Toshiko considered what to say, and then she slowly 
exhaled.  "I think she can let herself accept you as a friend, 'Dachi," the 
mirror-twin admitted.  "But you have to admit, there are some problems."

	"My witless brother being the primary one, I believe."

	"Hai."  Toshiko nodded as they proceeded to walk to a nearby bench set in a 
clearing surrounded by a grove of trees.  "Much that we'd all wish that your 
brother -- much that he IS a prime specimen of beefcake! -- would finally 
get a life and stop chasing people who want nothing to do with him, the 
chances are there that even if Ranma goes to Promised Island, your brother 
will follow."

	"Indeed, he will."  Kodachi nodded as they sat, and then she smiled as 
Toshiko slid a comforting arm around her.  Sinking into that warm embrace, 
she gazed on her companion.  "Even now with the potential embarrassment of 
his drawing live steel at the wedding hanging over him, he charges ahead 
without a single care in the world.  Tendou Akane, not yesterday morning, 
proclaimed that she would no longer acknowledge his desires for her and 
swore same on the memory of her late mother.  Tell Tatewaki that . . . "

	She shrugged.  Toshiko snorted.  "I've got no use for Miss Mallets myself, 
so even if your brother did go after her, I wouldn't care."

	"Are you the girl-born mirror-twin?"

	She nodded.  "Hai.  Kumiko was a boy -- we called him 'Komakichi' then -- 
up to when he fell into the Nyanniichuan when we visited Jusenkyou.  This 
was probably just days before that whole mess with Saffron began, I think."

	"Ah, so that's why you're so venomous toward Akane."

	"We both are," Toshiko admitted.

	Kodachi laughed, and then she sighed.  "May I ask you something, To-chan?"

	"About Ranma?"

	"Hai."

	A brief silence as Toshiko considered what to say, and then she breathed 
out, "She's a girl in heart as well as body.  That's thanks to Jusenkyou, 
but the full effects of that part of the curse were delayed because of the 
damage the Neko-ken training did to Ranma's mind."

	"And that has, I assume, now been dealt with?"

	"On Sunday, just before the big fight with the panda."

	"Ah!"  The gymnast nodded before she gazed quizzically at her new friend.  
"So what does bring you to Nerima this evening, To-chan?  Other than seeing 
Fred-san, of course . . . "  A sly grin crossed her face.

	"Well, seeing Yamada-san was the main reason I did come, though I must 
confess, meeting you at last is a delightful bonus."  Toshiko winked, 
eliciting another delighted laugh from the gymnast.  "Kumiko's with U-chan 
right now trying to persuade her to move to the Island herself.  U-chan had 
a big falling out with her dad this morning.  Turns out that U-chan was due 
to receive a pretty big inheritance from her mom's dad, but if she wanted to 
get her hands on it earlier, she had to marry . . . "

	"And, by the sounds of it, Kuonji-san's father planned to embezzle that 
inheritance from his daughter," Kodachi finished, frowning.

	"Hai.  Well, hopefully, he won't be much of a bother anymore.  After all 
the crap she's been through, U-chan doesn't deserve that."

	Kodachi blinked.  "Bad?"

	"Very.  Almost as bad as what Ranma herself went through because of the 
panda."  Toshiko then stared knowingly at the gymnast.  "Not to mention what 
things you yourself might've lived through.  Ne, 'Dachi?"

	The other paled before she composed herself, and then she felt Toshiko's 
hands warmly squeeze her shoulders.  Staring into the crimson-haired woman's 
eyes, Kodachi lightly smiled.  "How, may I ask, did you come to assume 
something like that, To-chan?" she quietly asked.

	"Well, even with all the curses she heaped over you, U-chan was pretty 
explicit when she described you to Kumiko and I."  Toshiko drew her hands 
down to gently grip Kodachi's.  "There's been no talk about your mother 
whatsoever, so I assume she is no longer with us.  Your behaviour is quite . 
. . " -- a wry grin crossed her face -- " . . . well, *eccentric* to say the 
least of it.  Ditto with your brother, though I think he's a lot worse than 
you.  And I don't think we need to mention your father, ne?"

	"Certainly not."  Kodachi shook her head.  "I admit that I've stepped over 
the bounds many times in the past when it comes to Ranma-sam- . . . "  She 
caught herself, and then she shrugged, smiling embarrassingly.  "With 
Ranma-san, I mean.  In spite of all that, I will also admit that your bro- . 
. . "  She caught herself again.  "Gomen.  'Sister,' I mean -- was the first 
person in a long while who did treat me with kindness and concern.  And who 
wasn't a doctor or a nurse, I should add."  She held up a finger in 
emphasis.

	"Or your mother, I assume," Toshiko noted.

	Kodachi nodded.  "Hai, Okaa-san as well."  She reached up to gently wipe 
her eyes, sniffing.  "I miss her so much."

	Toshiko drew her close.  "I grieve with you."

	They held each other for a while, and then they pulled apart, Kodachi 
shifting herself to lean against Toshiko again.  "Well, it seems that you 
seem to be on your way to getting some control over your life," the latter 
noted.

	"Hopefully, given what the Moroboshis and the Court of Special Appeals did 
for Ranma-san, she will soon enjoy the same."

	Toshiko gave her a curious look.  "Does this have something to do with you 
showing up at that farce of a wedding in a wedding dress?"

	"Pretty much," the gymnast admitted.  "Sasuke was spying on everyone in the 
Tendou compound right from the moment Ranma-san and the others came back.  
When he relayed to me that Ranma-san's fool father was trying to force him 
into marrying Akane, well . . . "  She shrugged.

	"And doing it in a wedding dress was just your way of safeguarding your 
'eccentric' reputation, ne?" Toshiko quipped, her eyebrow arching.

	A wince shuddered Kodachi's body before she nearly froze in place as 
Toshiko leaned over to gently kiss her cheek.  "Sorry."

	Silence fell as the gymnast's mind rolled over what just happened.  She 
then gazed into the other's eyes before leaning up to return the kiss on 
Toshiko's lips.  "It's alright.  I believe I deserve that."  She then gazed 
nowhere in particular.  "Still . . . "

	"What is it, 'Dachi?"

	"I wouldn't mind being rid of that reputation, to be truthful."

	Toshiko considered that before she gave her a smile.  "I think I know how 
to help you towards that end, 'Dachi."  She slipped her arm away from the 
other woman before she stood up, and then she helped Kodachi to her feet.  
"C'mon."

	"Where are we going?" the gymnast asked.

	"To see a movie, plus shopping.  ONCE we get you into decent clothes."

	Toshiko waved Kodachi with her.  Kodachi stared wide-eyed at the other 
woman before a smile crossed her face.  "Hai!"

	She then raced off after her new friend.

*    *    *

	"I can understand your concerns very well, Ikusawa-san."

	"So will you help us?" Kyooko wondered as she and Tomomi relaxed.

	Ataru stared at them before he nodded.  "Yes, I will.  After all . . . " -- 
a knowing smile crossed his face -- "It's not the least bit fair that your 
mothers' people are forced to serve a pack of lifeless fools like Oogi."

	Miree, sitting to the left of the visiting Avalonians, chuckled.  "It is 
fortunate that your desires now mesh so well with Ataru's."

	"How can we do this?" Tomomi then asked.  "I only know the basics about 
what goes on between the Avalonians and the Niphentaxians.  Atop that, our 
mothers don't have much knowledge when it comes to the factory.  How can we 
fight Oogi if he's up in orbit . . .?"

	"We will need to take time to ascertain what is exactly going on aboard the 
factory before determining a proper course of action against Oogi, Tomomi," 
Negako, she seated between Ataru and Sakuya, stated.  "We . . . " -- she 
indicated the members of Ataru's family plus all the hangers-on, they seated 
in a circle around the old shrine's living room table -- " . . . were in the 
process of commencing a proper investigation when you and Kyooko came to 
speak to us. I see no reason to alter that plan at this time."

	Yotsuba chuckled.  "Funny way to start an investigation.  We're all 
planning to go to a hot spring up north until this weekend!"

	Surprise crossed the visiting women's faces, and then Tomomi's eyes 
widened.  "Oh, you mean act normal for the time being, right?!"

	Negako nodded.  "Exactly.  Now, your mothers currently possess no active 
link to the factory.  To ensure there might not be any passive link, we can 
have Hinako use the Staff of Gihan to sever such links and thus impede any 
search launched against your parents.  With that done, all you two and 
Minako have to do is what you have always done:  Strongly control any urge 
to make use of your telepathic or empathic powers until such time as the 
threat from Oogi has been dealt with, and then proceed from there."

	Akane, sitting close to Kyooko, perked as she remembered the incident when 
she first learned of the Niphentaxians.  "Negako-san, if these people've 
bugged the whole of Tomobiki with those listening devices Chikage-san found 
in Mendou's sitting room, wouldn't the girls' apartment block be likewise 
bugged?"

	She indicated Kyooko and Tomomi in emphasis.  "A reasonable point, Akane."  
Negako turned to Chikage.  "When the girls return to their domicile tonight, 
ensure their apartment block, plus the area around it, is swept clean."

	The sorceress nodded.  "Might want to do more than that, Onee-chan," Ataru 
warned.  "If a single blank spot appears in their coverage, it'll be a red 
flag to these idiots.  Random blank spots all over town'd work better."

	Kyooko stared at Chikage.  "You won't mind this?"

	Chikage lightly smiled, crossing her arms.  "It's no problem.  Those things 
are ridiculously easy to locate and eliminate."

	"Even more, what of the morale of those observers in Tomobiki?" Miree 
mused.  "After all, the chances are very good that most of their relatives 
back on the Homeworld are dead.  How have they been taking all of this?"

	Ataru sighed.  "We should, for now, assume the worst."

	"Why not find all these jokers now and get rid of them as soon as we can?" 
Mamoru asked as she tucked her legs into her arms.

	Ranma shook her head.  "Not a smart idea, Mamoru-chan."

	"Why'd you say that, Anee?"

	"Simple.  We don't know where they all are.  We don't even know how many of 
them there are in Tomobiki.  If we hit one group, the rest'll all scatter 
and that makes it worse for us.  What if they have people living in the 
neighbouring areas, like here in Nerima?  We have to figure all that out 
before doing anything against them."  Ranma ticked off the points on her 
fingers before she indicated Miree with her hand.  "And Miree-san has a very 
good point, too.  What's their morale now that so many of their fellow 
believers are all dead?  Will they want to fight on or lay down arms?  If 
the latter, it makes this a lot easier for all of us, but the chances are 
there . . . "

	"There'll be some fanatic holdouts that won't want to surrender," Shinshi, 
he having one arm wrapped around Yotsuba, finished.

	"And unfortunately, they're living in a fair-sized town which could provide 
loads of potential hostages," Ataru added.  "Not to mention the very faint 
possibility that some of them might want to tag up with some of Lum's 
would-be fans, trick them into falling into the Church's side as a way of 
'avenging' what happened to their 'goddess' on me."

	"Onii-sama, you can't believe that even now . . .?" Sakuya blurted.

	"Sakuya-chan, I'm NOT taking that chance," Ataru cut her off.

	The eldest of the sisters gazed on him.  "Ataru-kun has a good point, 
Sakuya-san."  Tomomi held up a finger.  "At school today, after Ataru-kun 
and Hinako-chan met up with Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan, some of the guys, 
especially in our class, were grousing a blue streak about all the 'good 
luck' Ataru-kun's had recently.  And this was even AFTER that MiB guy zapped 
them with a neuralizer to make them leave Ataru-kun alone!"

	Mamoru snorted.  "Goes to show what idiots they are!"

	Haruka tensed.  "They were conspiring against Anigimi-sama?"

	"No, but you can be pretty darn sure that if the chance comes that might 
provide them an opportunity to hurt Ataru-kun, they'll take it," Tomomi 
warned.

	Akane gaped.  "Why?!"

	Ataru smirked.  "That's how much Lum's presence affected them."

	"There's also the matter of Mendou-san," Kyooko warned.

	Ataru tensed.  "What about him?"

	"Well, the girls in class noted he was absent today," Kyooko reported.  "I 
took a look at the nominal roll and saw that he'd been scratched off the 
list.  The teachers are being really quiet about it, but you can bet his 
removal'll become common knowledge before long."

	"Wait until they find out about Mendou-san getting married to that 
man-phobe Mizunokooji," Kawamura Himiko muttered under her breath.

	Tomomi blinked.  "He's getting married?"

	Ataru held up an objecting hand.  "Yoshino-san, PLEASE don't spread that 
around!  If the girls at school get wind of that . . . "

	"It could be as bad as when Rudolph Valentino died?" Kyooko asked.

	"Partially.  But the bigger problem is people crashing the wedding.  As 
Himiko just hinted, the idea of Sword-for-brains marrying Mizunokooji Asuka 
-- even given that Asuka ISN'T afraid of being around Mendou -- doesn't sit 
well with most of the girls at Tomobiki High."

	Ranma stared knowingly at him.  "And if they DO get married, those idiots 
at school'd turn around and blame it all on you, right?"

	Ataru nodded, his eyes rolling.  "Hai."

	"So when's the happy day?" Tomomi asked.  Then, noting the warning look 
from Ataru, she waved her hand.  "I'm not going to ruin it!"

	He winked, grinning.  "You better not!"

	"It's Saturday after lunch," Sakuya provided, her eyes glittering.  "A 
nice, quiet, private ceremony.  It's SO romantic!"

	"Sakuya-san, PLEASE don't rub it in!" Serizawa Mikiko moaned.

	Laughter filled the living room.

*    *    *

	"There we go . . . "

	Rose smiled as she secured the last of the transporter guide beacons into 
the window-side corner of the third floor classroom.  It had been too easy 
to beak into Tomobiki High School; since Fujinami Ryuunosuke no longer lived 
there full-time, there was no one available to keep watch over the property 
after hours.  For the Ellsian-born mercenary, it was easier still to confirm 
where Miyake Shinobu currently attended classes:  The nominal roll for this 
particular class was taped to the lectern.  Five noticeable names had been 
scratched off that list, names Rose knew of very well.  Four of them were 
beyond any hope of retrieval, of course; they had died two weeks before.  
The fifth one was still alive, thank the Fates.  Even better, he was easy to 
retrieve from his mansion if the Queen ultimately wanted to see her last 
Cute Boy once more.

	Stepping back to inspect her work, the mercenary nodded.  "Folks here'll be 
in for an interesting session tomorrow," Rose mused to herself.  Then, after 
cleaning up her gear, she slipped out of the room.  In two minutes, she 
would be aboard her scoutship and making a situation report to Queen Elle. 
The Royal flagship, the patrol monitor RENS "Rose Emperor," was a half-day 
from Earth.

	Queen Elle would definitely like THIS news.

*    *    *

	"My diary?"

	Shinobu nodded.  "Hai."  She and Ryuunosuke were relaxing in the living 
room of the Miyake home, their homework spread out before them on the coffee 
table.  "I was wondering if you've added anything to it since Ataru-kun told 
us about the Church of Lum on Saturday."

	The tomboy blinked as she considers her friend's question, and then she 
shook her head.  "No, I haven't.  Then again, I haven't really had much to 
write about since Oyaji and Nagisa died.  Why are you asking, Shinobu?"

	Shinobu took a deep breath.  "It's because of the Niphentaxians, 
Ryuu-chan."  A pause.  "And Ataru-kun, too.  He . . . "

	"What about Moroboshi?!" Ryuunosuke snapped, cutting Shinobu off as she 
bolted up.  "Why the hell should I care one damned bit about him after all 
he's done to you, for heaven's sake?!  Especially since he left this place . 
. .!"

	Shinobu shook her head.  "Ryuu-chan, you don't understand!  It's not about 
Ataru-kun directly!  It's about his sisters!"

	That comment caused the tomboy to stop.  "His sisters?!"

	"Could you imagine what might happen if those people find out about 
Ataru-kun's sisters?" Shinobu then wondered.  "Especially about the young 
ones?  They're sitting targets for those monsters to go after just because 
they're related to Ataru-kun!  Do you want to see them hurt?!"

	"I . . . "  Ryuunosuke paused before she shook her head.  "Oh, hell, no!  
Of course not!  But . . . "  She sighed.  "Shinobu, I really don't think it 
matters any which way!  You heard what Sakiko-chan said about them on 
Sunday!  Three billion of them are dead!  I don't think they're going to be 
in any sort of shape to go chase after Moroboshi now . . . "

	Shinobu held up an objecting finger.  "How can we be sure, Ryuu-chan?"

	Silence fell as they considered that.  Ryuunosuke then sighed.  "He hurt 
you, Shinobu-chan," she hissed, her fists clenching and unclenching.  "He's 
hurt you since before Lum came into your lives, then when she left, he 
basically told you to go screw yourself for all he ever cared!  I hate that! 
  I really do!  And he's got the fuckin' gall to demand things of you . . . 
"

	"He hasn't demanded anything of us save to leave him alone, Ryuu-chan!" 
Shinobu cut in with a shake of her head.  "And he's got a pretty damned good 
reason to want us to leave him alone!  Twelve good reasons, in fact!"

	Ryuunosuke stopped, staring quizzically at her friend for a moment, and 
then she blinked.  "Because of the diaries, right?"

	"Right!  Now, I don't know how is it those people are able to get copies of 
our diaries to make new chapters for their so-called 'holy book.'  But we 
know how they just LOVE to twist our words around to make sure their damned 
party line's kept, don't we?  And we both know how much they hate Ataru-kun! 
  Could you imagine what might happen if news of the sisters got to them?!  
What those people might end up viewing them as?!"

	The tomboy shuddered.  "That's true, ain't it . . .?"

	"Yes, it is.  And . . . "  Shinobu stopped as she considered what more she 
should say, and then she smiled.  "Ryuu-chan, I don't know what my feelings 
for Ataru-kun are.  There are days I want to strangle him for all the things 
he's done, yet . . . "  She paused.  "There are days I want to take him 
somewhere safe and isolated, and live with him forever.  I don't know!  But 
right now, Ryuu-chan, he sees US as a threat to his family because of the 
Niphentaxians and what they do with our most private WORDS!  And like it or 
not, he's got every right to see us that way!  You heard what he told us on 
Saturday!  Just because some dictator somewhere tried to have Lum and her 
family killed, those monsters murdered five million innocent people!  Could 
you imagine what could happen if they went after Ataru-kun's sisters, not to 
mention those girls he adopted?!"

	A chill warped through Ryuunosuke as images of Sakuya, Chikage, Haruka, 
Hinako, Reiko and Kaneko passed through her mind.  While the three older 
women seemed capable of caring for themselves, the younger ones were 
vulnerable.  And if these Niphentaxians were as fanatic as Seiko and Sakiko 
both asserted . . .!  "Yeah, you got a point," she whispered before staring 
at Shinobu.  "Damn, why can't we get Seiko to try to find these people and 
let her deal with them?  When she was Lum, she was their 'goddess.'  Won't 
they listen to her?"

	Shinobu shook her head.  "I don't think it'll work, Ryuu-chan.  If they're 
so willing to blind themselves to the truth when it comes to our diaries, I 
doubt Seiko'll be able to make some headway with them.  And look how much 
she's changed, for God's sake!  Would they even BELIEVE her to be Lum even 
if she telepathically linked with any of them?"

	"If she ever WANTED to link with them, that is," Ryuunosuke noted.

	The other girl then nodded.  "Hai, even if she did!  She did say she hated 
them," Shinobu mused as she turned back to her homework.

*    *    *

	"Sisters . . .?"

	Fungi sat in the listening room, gazing at the computer that was at that 
time linked to listening devices positioned in the domicile of the Sinful 
Doubter Miyake Shinobu (also serving as the temporary home of the Holy 
Friend Fujinami Ryuunosuke).  Running a hand through his sandy hair, the 
observer, a man appearing to be in his late teens, grimaced as the words 
Miyake Shinobu and Fujinami Ryuunosuke exchanged echoed again and again 
through his mind.

	And those words were troublesome indeed.

	Not for him personally, of course.  He was a member of the Church of Lum in 
name only.  Having Vosian ancestry through his mother's side, Fungi was 
blessed -- or cursed, depending on one's viewpoint -- with a blatant 
independent streak in his personality.  He joined the Church out of peer 
pressure, not to mention an understandably profound fear of being labelled 
an apostate, which was then considered a capital crime in the Niphentaxian 
Union.  And while being part of the Church