[FFML] [fanfic][UY][Twenty Years Later] Desperately Seeking A Baby

[Frederick Herriot]

Hello, minna,

As we get used to the trials and tribulations real life forces on us -- 
especially working the night shift at a call centre for 10 hours each shift, 
four days a week -- some things are getting done.

Including the following for your perusal.

Cheers!

Fred

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

Late summer in Tomobiki . . .

	In the former town park -- these days, addressed as Tomobiki Heroes' Park; 
it had been renamed in the wake of the Battle of Uru in April 1985 -- the 
weather was just starting to cool from the torrid heat of mid-summer.  
People were dressed in reflection of that change:  full-sleeved shirts and 
full-legged pants were currently the order of the day.  Located in the 
centre of the park, close to a reflective pool, stood two impressive 
statues.  Between then was a sign on a pedestal:

Nassur of Vos and Shigaten Benten of Fukunokami
To two of the greatest heroes known
**** **** ****
"Wherever You Go, You Are There"
**** **** ****
Donated by the Moroboshi Clan

	Reading this sign, oddly enough, was one of the people the statues were 
erected in honour of.  Benten was dressed in her usual grey sleeved battle 
suit -- a birthday present from Moroboshi Ataru given to her a day before 
the infamous Spirit-War of Halloween 1983 -- overlaid with a traditional 
red-and-black battle bikini, a silver chain draped across her chest.  After 
reading the sign, she looked up to her replica.

	"It's hard to cope with what you've lost when there's things like this 
hanging around to remind you about it," she mused aloud.

	She took the opportunity to gaze around the park.  To her eyes, Heroes' 
Park seemed to be filled with young couples accompanied by infants or 
newborn children, they in strollers or being carried around.  *So much has 
changed,* she mused to herself.  *Being Vosian, Nassur's more used to this 
than I am, but . . . *

	She then took note of a young couple, they having stopped by the fence 
around the reflective pool across from where the hunters' statues stood.  A 
little girl in a stroller accompanied them.  Despite their being Japanese -- 
to Benten, at least -- they both looked as if they could vaguely pass for 
the hunters themselves, their daughter a young Junba.  Canting her head, she 
listened in on their conversation:

	The mother:  "Our baby's so cute!  Isn't she, dear?"

	The father:  "She's just like her mother.  She'll break a few hearts when 
she grows up."

	They moved away.  Benten's eyes remained locked on them as a wave of 
depression overcame her.  *No one understands how I feel,* the Fukunokami 
quietly moaned.  *No one can understand what I've lost . . . *

	A sigh fluttered from her lips, and then she perked on hearing someone 
calling for her.  Benten turned to watch as Junba ran up to her.  The 
younger woman was dressed in her winter seifuku, a dark blue suit with a red 
scarf tied around her blouse.  Her school briefcase swings from one hand.  
"I'm sorry I'm late, Mom!" she hailed as she stopped before Benten.  
"Everyone at school was bugging me again."

	Benten seemed indifferent.  "Yeah."

	"Is something wrong, Mom?" Junba wondered, she quickly noting the lack of 
excitement in her mother's voice.  "You sound sad."

	"Of course, I'm sad!" Benten snapped.  "Wouldn't YOU be sad if you lost 
something precious to you?!"

	Confusion flashed across Junba's face.  "'Precious?'" she asked.  "What did 
you lose?  You didn't lose your wedding ring, did you?"

	"No, it's not that!"

	"Then what did you lose?"

	"You REALLY want to know?"

	"I'm your daughter.  I'm supposed to care for my mother's feelings."

	"I've lost . . . " Benten then stammered as her voice choked on a sob.  
"Lost . . . lost my baby!"

	Silence fell as Junba considered what her mother just said.  "No, you 
haven't!" she cheerfully declared.  "I'm still your baby."

	An angry gaze then came her way from Benten.  "That's not the point!" she 
growled.  "The baby I remember -- the one I ejected into an escape pod! -- 
was only a few months old!  You're nearly full grown!"

	A sigh.  "I see."

	Benten's hands then landed on Junba's shoulders.  "Can't you go back to 
being that child?"

	A sympathetic look crossed the younger woman's face.  "I can't.  Vosians 
are like everyone else.  We grow only one way:  Older."

	Hearing that shattered the grip Benten had over her emotions.  "Mom!"  
Junba moves to comfort her.  "You've been acting like this for days!  Let me 
help you!  I know nothing can make up for those lost years being a prisoner 
of Elle, but . . . "

	Before she could finish, Benten turns and flees from the park.  Tears 
marked her passing like raindrops in an autumn shower.  "Mom!  Wait!" Junba 
cried out.

	To no avail; Benten vanished around a corner.  *Mom,* Junba moaned.  *Why 
won't you tell us what's bothering you?*

**** **** ****
Urusei Yatsura Twenty Years Later:  "Desperately Seeking A Baby!"
By Mike Smith <mcmsmith63 at hotmail.com>
**** **** ****
C&C by Fred Herriot <pyeknu at hotmail.com>, ...
**** **** ****
Third of a series of fan fiction stories based on "Urusei Yatsura," created 
by Takahashi Rumiko.
**** **** ****

	At the Miyake home, Junba stepped inside to see her foster mother and her 
real father waiting for her.  Shinobu was busy preparing supper while Nassur 
was engrossed with a copy of the day's "Yomiuri Shimbun."  "Oh!  It's you, 
Ju-chan," he called out, glancing over his shoulder to reveal his eyes 
glowing.  "Where's Benten?"

	"Mom won't come home with me," Junba replied as she removed her shoes and 
set her pack aside.

	"What?"

	She stepped inside to sit beside her father.  "I think there's something 
wrong with Mom."

	"What could be wrong?" Nassur asked.  "She's free from cryo-suspension, 
she's with her daughter and friends . . . "

	"I don't know.  She said something about being sad that I had grown up."

	Shinobu stepped in.  "I've noticed Benten seems to be harbouring a lot of 
resentment towards me," she noted.  "Could it be she's angry at me for 
raising Junba?"

	"Could be," Nassur mused.  "I've noticed the change in her behaviour as 
well.  She's become withdrawn and sad.  Sleeping with her is like sleeping 
with an icebox."

	The nurse/princess took that in with a blink.  "Surprising from the girl 
who used to worship the ground you stood on."

	"True."  A contemplative look crossed Nassur's face as he considered the 
point.  "Benten's never been a brooding girl before.  It seems the Benten I 
married is gone, replaced by a different Benten altogether."

	"What can we do?" Junba asked.  "I know she's my real mom, but physically 
and emotionally, she's barely older than I am.  There's nothing in the 
school's ethics textbooks to cover this sort of thing."

	"Unfortunately," Nassur warned, "Benten's not one to keep things inside of 
her for long.  She needs to explode . . . and I'm afraid that the longer it 
takes for her to do that, the more trouble we'll be in."

*    *    *

	An explosion!

	This blast was not caused by the combustion of gas or chemicals, but by the 
massed collision of a bucketful of little silver balls in a pachinko machine 
in an arcade.  Benten was playing one particular machine, filling her bucket 
at an almost impossible speed.  Her playing skill had come to attract a 
group of teenaged boys, all of them amazed by how well she was playing this 
popular Japanese game.

	"Shit!" one boy gasped.  "She's broken the jackpot record!"

	"About time," Benten muttered as she sat back in her chair, and then she 
reached down to pick up her prize bowl.  "Took me a friggin' hour to do it."

	A handsome young Japanese boy, looking about the same age as Junba 
chronologically, walked up to her.  "Hey, lady," he called out in a flirting 
way.  "Wanna go somewhere and celebrate with your prize money?"

	An amused look answered.  *When I was born,* Benten thought, *That kids' 
parents were probably still wetting their diapers!*  "Sorry," she spoke with 
a light smile as the hand with her cygnet eye wedding ring came up so he 
could see it.  "Already taken."

	The group of boys, on seeing that, quickly dispersed.  "Shit!" one hissed.  
"Already taken?!"

	"So young, too," another lamented. "Our youth's crumbling away!"

	Benten watched them go, and then she headed over to the cashier.  After 
getting her prize money, she then headed out of the arcade -- and nearly 
walked right into a very pregnant, red-haired Seishin-Urusian woman.  "Oh, 
Ran!" the hunter gasped, she instantly recognizing her old galactic middle 
school classmate.

	The former Aruka Ran -- currently Seq Ran; "Mrs. Rei" as Urusian tradition 
normally demanded other people address her -- these days looked pretty much 
the same as she did seventeen years before, save for the obvious affects her 
third pregnancy was forcing on her.  She was dressed currently in a yellow 
maternity gown.  Her eyes narrowed as she peered at Benten, and then, as 
recognition [and no, we don't mean the Vosian type!] came to her, a sneer 
then curled her lips.  "Oh, it's you," she coldly noted.  "Still hanging 
around arcades, I see.  Isn't that a little *young* for you?"

	Benten jolted as her old rival's words sank in, and then a smirk crossed 
her face as she crossed her arms.  "Hey!  You're just jealous of the fact 
that *I* still look like a teenager and you're old and frumpy!"

	Ran's cheeks flushed.  "Who's old and frumpy?!" she roared, her fangs 
barred, and then she harrumphed as she looked away from Benten.  "I'll let 
you know that *I* still have young men asking me for dates," -- she turned 
to gaze back on her old rival.  "Even *now* that I'm soon due to give 
birth!"

	"What do you do with their walking canes?"

	Ran shuddered.  "Why don't you go home and bug Shinobu?"

	"I'm having too much fun bothering you," Benten said.  "Can we talk?"

	Ran took that in, and then she breathed out, "Oh, I suppose so.  I could 
use the company."  She then glared at the hunter.  "But any stupid jokes 
about stretch marks, thunder-thighs, or anything like that and I'll make you 
wish you stayed frozen on planet Elle!  Understand?"

	Benten clearly wasn't impressed.  "Jeez!  You're touchy when you're 
pregnant, aren't you?"

*    *    *

	At the Moroboshi home, the family was finishing up a serving of sukiyaki.  
Lum, she noticeably pregnant and wearing a tiger-striped maternity dress, 
stood up to begin clearing dishes.  "That was good, Mom," Amora declared 
before a burp escaped her; she had finished first.

	"Glad you liked it, Amora," Lum said, smiling.  "How about you, Darling?"

	Another burp from the head of the household was all the answer she needed.  
"Excellent, Lum," he declared, grinning.  "Hard to believe that you were 
once such a terrible cook."

	"Well, even with Noa's help through the Dreamscape after we bonded, it took 
me a while to get used to cooking Earth food.  It's a lot different than Oni 
food."

	"That's for sure," Amora mused before her eyes began to glow.

	Ataru noticed.  "Who is it?  Not Seiteki or Jehovah's Witnesses, I hope."

	"It's Junba," the empath answered.

	The front door then opened and closed.  "Konban wa!" Junba called out from 
the foyer as she slipped off her shoes, and then she stepped into the living 
room.  "I'm here for my lesson."

	"Konban wa, Junba," Lum called over.  "We were just finishing dinner."

	"I'll clean up, Mom," Amora volunteered as she took the dishes from Lum.

	"Thanks," Lum said as the younger woman carried them away.  "I'll go change 
into my leotard."

	The Oni then flew upstairs to her bedroom.  "If it still *fits* her," Ataru 
muttered under his breath before he turned to gaze on Junba.  "How's living 
with your real parents been lately?"

	"Well," Junba mused as she moved to sit beside him.  "I've had no real 
problems having my father around, but . . . "  She frowned.  "I *am* having 
problems with my real mother."

	An eyebrow arched.  "What's wrong with Benten?"

	"I think she's having trouble accepting me as a teenager."

	Ataru considered that for a moment.  "I'm not surprised," he then noted.  
"She's had over seventeen years of her life cut away from her -- and there's 
no way for her to reclaim them."

	"She knows that, Uncle Ataru," Junba said; outside school, the class 
representative for this year's Class 2-4 could relax with the formality 
around him.  "Still, I really don't think she's accepted it yet!"

	He nodded before stretching himself.  "Well, your mother needs time to cope 
with her new surroundings, Aiotoga.  Just be patient with her.  Losing a 
child is hard."  A sigh.  "I should know."

	Junba nodded; like everyone of her generation currently living in Tomobiki, 
she had heard the awful story about how Ataru and Lum had lost their first 
natural child -- a girl they were planning to name Koishii -- thanks to a 
miscarriage at the Battle of Uru.  "I know.  But how long do I have to wait 
before she realizes that?"

	Before he could answer her, Lum came downstairs, she wearing a pair of 
tiger-striped bicycle shorts and a baggy T-shirt.  "I'm ready!"  She then 
breathed out.  "Too big now to fit into my leotard."

	"Don't worry, Sensei!  That'll do!" Junba declared.

	The two then moved to head into the back yard.  "Hey, Aiotoga!" Ataru 
called out after them.  "Please be gentle with my wife!  She *is* pregnant, 
remember?"

	"I'll try!" Junba vowed as Lum grinned.

	"Oh, another thing," he added.  "If you need help coping with your real 
parents, we're always here."

	Junba beamed.  "Thanks!"

*    *    *

	Ran's residence had always been her pink-hulled scout ship, it having been 
grounded for some time.  The lawns and gardens around it were well 
maintained.  Inside, the ship was decorated with beautiful furnishings and 
plants, clearly set up with an eye for tranquillity.  In the living room, 
Ran was serving tea to Benten.  "There you go," she cheerfully announced.  
"So what do you want to talk about?"

	Benten took the cup, she giving Ran a look.  "Ran, how many kids do you 
have?"

	"This'll be my fourth," Ran reported as she sat down, her hand gliding over 
her stomach.  "Rin and Ren are the oldest.  Ron-chan's been the youngest and 
my only daughter.  Until this one's born."

	"Did you get to raise them all?"

	"Of course," Ran answered before she giggled.  "Who else is going to raise 
my kids?  Besides, Rei-chan's always in space with the Urusian Defence 
Force."

	Ran then took notice of Benten's change of expression into one of outrage 
and jealousy.  "What's that face for?!" she defensively asked.  "It's 
scaring the kid!"

	Benten bolted up, the suddenness of her action making her host cower.  
"Ran, I hate you!"

	"Benten," Ran asked, her voice sweet enough to mask her fear.  "What's 
wrong?  Why are you so upset?"

	Hands slammed into the table.  "Why does a vindictive airhead like **you** 
get to raise her kids from birth to teenage years and **I** don't?!"

	"What?!"

	The table quaked again from the Fukunokami's fists smashing into them.  Ran 
could not help but notice the aura of anger surrounding her guest.  "You've 
got a happy family that you've grown up with!  All I've got is a grown-up 
daughter raised by someone else!"

	Hearing that, Ran rose to glare her former classmate down, fangs barred.  
"Well, excuse **me** for not getting trapped in a cryo-chamber for seventeen 
years like you did!"

	"That's a low blow!"

	"Look, Benten," Ran snapped, she slamming her hands on the table.  
"Obliviously, your brain must still be frozen to keep from understanding 
that time doesn't stand still for *you* or anyone!"

	That was enough to deflate Benten's outburst.  "Sorry, Ran," she apologized 
as she sank back into her chair.  "I didn't mean to snap at you like that.  
I guess I've been a rotten guest."  With that, she rose to exit.  "Excuse 
me."  And with that, she disappeared through the quarterdeck hatchway.

	"Benten," Ran whispered.  "Let us help you . . .!"

	Rain echoed on a nearby window.

*    *    *

	The rain continued to fall as Benten trudged through the streets of 
Tomobiki.  Her battle suit gave her some protection from the downpour.  Some 
protection, not all.  Stopping at a bridge over the raging Tomobiki-gawa to 
watch the water pass under, she sighed.  *Why couldn't things have stayed 
the same?*

*    *    *

	Hours later, Benten returned to the Miyake house.  The lights were on but 
it was quiet.  Pulling out the key to unlock the door, she moved to open it 
-- just as the door whipped open to reveal Nassur standing there, he holding 
a sleeping Junba in one of his arms, she still clad in her leotard.  The 
older hunter's eyes shifted from glowing green to blue.  "It's late and 
you're soaked to the skin," he stated without preamble on seeing that Benten 
had been standing out in the rain for a long time.

	"Will you quit sneaking up on me like that?" Benten muttered as she stepped 
into the house, closing the door behind them.

	"I stayed up waiting for you," Nassur reported as he watched Benten remove 
her drenched jacket.  "Junba tried to do the same, but she conked out hours 
ago.  Shinobu's also in bed."

	"Sorry, I was busy," she apologized as they entered the living room. "Lost 
track of time."

	"You know Junba was worried about you," he sternly reminded her.  "She's 
upset by your behaviour recently.  She's not the only one.  Ran was also 
upset about that little visit you gave her.  I know that you aren't the best 
of friends, but at least you should be civil with her."

	She spun on him.  "Since when do *you* care about Ran?  You and her NEVER 
get along."

	"I care ever since you started acting like you've got a bigger-than-usual 
chip on your shoulder," he replied.  "What's up?"

	"You wouldn't understand what I'm going through right now."

	"I can try.  I AM your husband, remember?  And this is our daughter," he 
announced as he shifted Junba in his arms, he nodding towards their child.

	"She's my daughter in terms of birthing," she coldly announced.  "But she's 
Shinobu's daughter now."

	"Benten, don't say that!"

	"It's true!"  The Fukunokami then sneezed.  "Look," she muttered as she 
wiped her nose clean.  "I wanna take a hot bath before I catch a cold.  Put 
Aiotoga to bed and we'll talk about this in the morning."

	"Fine," the Vosian replied.  "I'll be waiting."

	Benten watched him carry Junba into her room.  *At least he doesn't have 
any competition to be her father,* she mused to herself.  *Like I do with 
being her mother.*

*    *    *

	The next morning after breakfast, Benten and Nassur headed down to the 
Tokyo Starship Construction Yards.  The slipways hummed with activity as 
crews busied themselves with several vessels.  Included among them was the 
"Lum-san's" sister ship, the future U.N.S.S. "Ran-san."  Benten yawned as 
she and her husband passed through the main gates, the former looking like 
she had gotten little sleep the previous night.  On the other hand, Nassur 
was fresh and alert.

	"You awake, Benten?" he prodded her with a nudge of an elbow.

	She stifled another yawn.  "Didn't get much sleep last night."

	"Maybe that'll teach you to stay out in the rain until the wee hours of the 
morning."

	As they walked along, Benten took a chance to inspect her surroundings.  
Quickly noticeable to the Fukunokami was the usage of the large robotic 
exoskeletons, known in Japan and elsewhere as "labors," being used to aid 
the construction crews.  "So what're we doing here?" she then asked.

	"We're looking at the new version of the 'Renegade,' remember?" he reminded 
her as he led his wife towards one slipway.  "The old one got totalled."

	A groan.  "Don't remind me!"

	They soon arrived at Slip Nine, both stopping to take a chance to gaze on 
the newest version of the Independent Starship "Renegade."  Although barely 
more than a duranium skeleton, "Renegade" looked quite impressive.  Crews, 
both in labors and on feet, busily worked together under the guidance of the 
starship's primary designer, Kakugari Daremo, he currently standing beside a 
foreman.  "Keep those beams as straight as possible and fuse them together 
using the lasers," the heavyset member of Lum's bodyguards reminded the yard 
worker beside him.  "If they're off even by a micron, it can affect the 
ship's performance."

	"Yes, sir."

	The foreman headed off.  Kakugari then turned to see Nassur and Benten.  
Grinning delightedly, the architect rushed over to them.  "Nassur!  Benten!  
Glad you both could make it!"

	He nearly crushed them with a bear hug.  "Thanks," Nassur groaned.  "Could 
you let us go now?"

	"You're crushing us!" Benten moaned.

	"Sorry," Kakugari apologized as he released them.  "I'm just glad to see 
you two."

	"Right."  Nassur took a deep breath.  "How's it going?"

	Their host pulled out a datapadd from his jacket pocket.  "Fine," he 
replied as he keyed the machine to show what was there to his guests.  
"We're working on 'Renegade' as fast as possible."

	"She looks good so far," Benten noted.

	"Despite the overall change of looks from what you had," -- Nassur and 
Benten knew the new "Renegade" would be wedge-shaped, blessed with flared 
wings and a twin-tail assembly akin to the American Lockheed F-22 Raptor 
stealth fighter -- "She's basically an updated version of the old 
'Renegade.'  We're having engineers from Vos come here in a few weeks to 
install the warp drive and all the weapons systems.  Nobody here knows how 
they work, though we hope to change that in the next few years as people 
finally start graduating from warp engineering and military engineering 
courses at the major universities on Uru and Noukiios."

	"What are the improvements?" Nassur asked.

	Kakugari swelled up with pride as his fingers danced over the padd.  "If 
all goes according to what we have in mind, this version of 'Renegade' will 
be ten percent faster, possess shields that are fifteen percent stronger, 
and her engines will be twenty-three percent more efficient than her 
predecessor."

	"We'll be a match with any ship of our type," Benten noted, a gleeful look 
crossing her face.

	"We're fitting her to house a crew of twelve," Kakugari added.  
"Nagaiwakai-sama insisted on it; she guessed you'd want some of the hybrids 
to work with you."

	"Can hardly wait!" Nassur said, smiling.  "How long until she's ready, 
Daremo?"

	A far-away look crossed the architect's face.  "She'll be complete by the 
start of December.  We'll aim for an official launch/commission date around 
Christmas Day.  Definitely before New Year's."

	"That quick?"

	"We're having the Vosians helping us, remember?"

	Both men laughed.  Benten then breathed out, "I'm heading out."

	"Where are you going?" Nassur asked.

	"I'd thought I'd go visit Aiotoga at the school," Benten replied.  "Then 
maybe look at some air bikes.  I wonder if Earth's developed any good models 
yet.  See you!"

	She waved as she headed off.  "Have a good time!" Nassur called out as he 
returned the gesture.

*    *    *

	An hour later, after a quick trip up through Tokyo's intricate subway 
network, Benten stepped through the front gate of Tomobiki High School.  It 
was easy for her to take note that, though the faces of the students and 
teachers may have changed a lot since she was taken prisoner by Elle, the 
school itself looked the same as it always did.  Walking towards the front 
doors, Benten quickly spotted Lum and Ataru sitting on the front steps 
having tea together.  "Yo!" the hunter called out as she waved to them both.

	"Hello, Benten," Lum hailed back.

	"Hi, Benten," Ataru chimed in turn.  "What brings you here?"

	"I just thought I'd look in on Aiotoga and see how she's doing.  You know 
where she might be?"

	Ataru considered that for a moment.  "I think she should be in gym class," 
he then announced.  "They're probably at the baseball diamond."

	"Thanks," the Fukunokami said with a nod as she turned to head off.

	"Hey, Benten!" Ataru called after her.  "If you see Amora around, tell her 
to get to gym class!"  On seeing their friend's eyebrow arch in curiosity, 
he added, "She keeps skipping it!"

	Benten gave them a wave.  "Sure thing!"

*    *    *

	Minutes later, Benten walked over to the baseball diamond.  There, she saw 
that the girls of Junba's class -- they dressed in blue gym shorts embossed 
with the Tomobiki High school logo over the left leg, plain white T-shirts 
and white running shoes; the school had done away with bloomers five years 
ago -- playing an impromptu game of baseball.  Benten positioned herself 
behind the backstop.  Junba was playing shortstop.  *She likes to play 
baseball.  Wonder if she's any good?*

	A batter slammed a fast ground ball between second and third bases.  Junba 
ran over, snaring it in her glove, and then she threw it to second base to 
tag out a runner.  The girl at second base then tossed to first base to tag 
out the batter for a double play.  "She's good!" Benten declared with a 
whistle.

	That ended the inning.  Junba's squad went to the dugout to wait for their 
turn at bat.  The class representative was too caught up in the game to 
notice her mother standing nearby.  Benten, however, had come to notice 
Fujinami Dansei working on the grounds some distance from the backstop.  The 
hunter walked over to her.  "Hey!  Aren't you Dansei?" Benten hailed.  
"Ryuunosuke's daughter?"

	Dansei looked up.  "That's right."

	"Why aren't you in gym class?"

	"Well," Dansei breathed out as she put her hand shovel down.  "Thanks to 
that stupid granddad of mine, I got signed up for BOYS' physical education 
instead of girls'."

	Benten instantly moaned as she remembered her own encounters with the 
patriarch of the Fujinami family.  "Is that senile old goat still around?  
Didn't Ryuunosuke ever beat him?"

	"Not without lack of trying."

	"I hear you're good friends with Aiotoga."

	Dansei nodded.  "Ever since kindergarten."

	Benten smirked.  "Not surprised.  Did your mom ever tell you about the time 
I was attracted to her because I thought she was a guy?"

	"According to Mom, you weren't the only one," the younger woman noted with 
a grin.  "It must've happened to her a dozen times . . . until she finally 
married my dad.  Sure glad I haven't had any problems like that.  And I hope 
that the gods will strike me dead before I do . . . "

	Almost in answer, something DID strike her . . . in the face:  A baseball 
hit by Junba.  Dansei fell like a marionette with her strings cut.  Over at 
the diamond, Junba was quick to see what she had done.

	"Ooops!"

*    *    *

	Benten fireman-carried the unconscious Dansei to the nurse's station.  
Inside, Shinobu was busy examining a skinny, sickly-looking boy with a 
medical tricorder.  As the hunter stepped inside, she watched as the nurse 
finished her scans -- and then she clobbered the student with a large 
mallet!  "There's nothing wrong with you, Byooki-kun!" she barked.  "Get out 
of here!"

	"I'm sure I've got the Egyptian Flu!" he whined . . .

	And then, he found himself tossed through the doorway, his body barely 
missing Benten!  "Nobody's had that in fifty years!" Shinobu screamed at 
him.  "Quit reading those old medical journals in the library!"

	"A-are you always like that with your patients?" Benten stammered as she 
gazed on the nurse.

	"That was Byooki Itsumo," Shinobu reported, she rolling her eyes.  "Week 
after week, he's in here saying he's got some disease that -- more often 
than not -- is impossible for him to catch.  So, what's up?"

	Benten gently slid the still-dazed Dansei onto a nearby bed.  "It's not me 
who's in need," she announced.  "It's Dansei here.  She got hit in the face 
with a baseball."

	Shinobu looked at the welt the baseball left on Dansei's left cheek.  It 
had already started to turn into a bruise.  "Dansei forgot to duck?" she 
asked as she scanned the injured area with her tricorder.  "She's lucky.  
It's only a bruise.  It could've broken her cheekbone.  Was she playing 
baseball?"

	"Nope.  She was talking to me when it happened.  It was an accident."

	Shinobu slipped a bandage onto Dansei's cheek.  "This bandage will help 
protect it.  What are you doing here, Benten?"

	"Oh, I was just visiting Aiotoga."

	With a moan, Dansei's eyes fluttered open.  "Where'm I . . .?"

	"You're in the nurse's station, Dansei-kun," Shinobu reported.  "Benten 
brought you here after you got hit in the face by a baseball."

	The tomboy then jolted as an arc of discomfort surged through her face.  
"Ouch!" she groaned as she moved to tenderly feel her cheek.  "This calls 
for some C. C. Lemon."

	"Oi!" Benten chimed; she had seen that commercial, too.

	"You'll be fine," Shinobu assured her current patient.  "Next time, learn 
to duck."

	Nodding in understanding, Dansei then staggered out of the nurse's station. 
  Shinobu sighed as she walked over to sit down at her desk.  "What a 
morning!" she declared.  "I'm glad it's lunchtime."  She then looked at her 
guest.  "Hey, Benten.  Wanna go out together for lunch?"

	"Sure," the Fukunokami replied, nodding.  "As long at it's dutch."

*    *    *

	Minutes later, Benten and Shinobu walked into Big Belly Burgers, the latest 
American fast food restaurant chain to come to the Land of the Rising Sun.  
Like any other fast food place, it was a tacky-looking restaurant staffed 
with teens and young adults.  Most of the patrons were salarymen or high 
school students.  After getting their orders, they went over to a booth to 
enjoy their lunches.  "So, how are things?" Shinobu then asked before she 
took a bite of her burger.

	"Fine, I guess," Benten replied.  "I didn't know Junba was such a gifted 
athlete."

	"She gets it from you and Nassur-kun, I guess."  A reminiscent look then 
crossed the nurse/princess' face.  "Five years ago in the summer, she worked 
as a batboy at Tokyo Dome for both the Giants' and the Fighters' home games. 
  They invited her back the next year.  All the players gave her a few 
pointers."

	"No kidding.  I didn't know that."

	"She even gave flowers to players who hit homeruns one year . . . before 
she got too old for the job."

	"There's a lot I've missed of Aiotoga's life," Benten sadly noted.  "I feel 
as if I abandoned her."

	Shinobu reached over to give her friend's hand a squeeze.  "Unfortunately, 
events got out of hand."

	"I wish I could change history . . . " Benten then snarled.  "So that I 
could raise Aiotoga myself."

	"You can't, Benten.  You have to make do with what happened."  An eyebrow 
then arched.  "Why are you so upset?  Junba's accepted you.  Work with her 
and you won't have any problems."

	"I'm trying to," the Fukunokami then admitted.  "Seventeen years is a long 
time to breech."  With that, she moved to finish lunch, and then she stood 
to clean up and depart.  "Thanks for having lunch with me.  I'm gonna look 
at some air bikes.  See you."

	"Go ahead."

	Shinobu remained in her seat, her eyes following the Fukunokami as she 
left.  *All of this is bothering Benten,* the nurse/princess mused as she 
turned back to her meal.  *We've got to find a way to help her cope with 
this before it gets ugly.*

*    *    *

	After school, Junba visited the Fujinamis to check up on Dansei.  Entering 
the cafeteria -- the Fujinami family's apartment was located in a pair of 
converted store rooms beside the kitchen -- the class representative was 
quick to see that Dansei was busy helping with the clean up with a bandage 
fixed on her cheek.  Her grandfather Fujimi was busy counting up the money 
made during the day while Ryuunosuke and Nagisa were busy closing the 
kitchen.  "Another successful day ends!" the elderly teashop proprietor 
cheerily announced as he closed up the moneybox and moved to secure it in 
the safe.  He was quick to spot who had just come in.  "Hello, Junba-san!"

	Dansei looked up on hearing her grandfather's words.  On seeing Junba, she 
then gave her best friend a wave.  "Hey, Aiotoga!  What're you doing here?!"

	"Hi, Dansei-chan," Junba said, an apologetic look crossing her face.  "I'm 
sorry for hitting you with that ball.  I thought I had that hit under 
control."

	Dansei's eyes rolled.  "Willya knock it of, Junba?!" she snapped.  "You've 
apologized at least *twenty* times for that!  It was an accident, for 
Buddha's sake!"

	Ryuunosuke stared at them.  "If it's anyone's fault, it's yours, Dansei.  
Why didn't you duck out of the way like you normally do?"

	An embarrassed look crossed the younger tomboy's face.  "Well, I was 
distracted by Junba's mom."

	Suddenly, a huge tsunami appeared behind them.  "Oh, the shame of it!" 
Fujimi sobbed as his "son," "grandson" and his "grandson's" friend ducked.  
"My grandson has an Oedipus complex!"

	"That's not true, Oyaji!" Dansei snapped.  "You're twisting it all around!"

	"How can **she** have an Oedipus complex . . .?" Ryuunosuke growled.  "When 
she's a girl?!"

	Fujimi's tsunami ran into Ryuunosuke's breakwater and was destroyed.  "Old 
fool," Ryuunosuke said as she returned to normal.

	Fujimi then appeared behind both Junba and Dansei and shoved them together 
so they're face-to-face.  "Why can't you be happy with girls like Junba 
here, Dansei?" he then yelled as he did this.  "Maybe her real mom will 
allow you two to get married like you should.  You've been friends since 
childhood."

	He then grabbed a microphone and a stylized painting of a sun setting 
behind Fuji-san appeared behind him.  The sound of trumpets and celebration 
was heard in the background.  "Oh," Fujimi yelled into the microphone, 
"They've been together for so long and yet they won't think of getting 
married!  How shy can you get?!"

	Dansei and Junba both got angry and punched him through the roof.  "I'm a 
girl!" Junba yelled as she threw her punch.

	"And so am I!" added Dansei as she threw her punch.

	Fujimi blasted through the roof like a rocket to crash into the ground a 
mile away like an air-to-surface missile hitting its' target.  "That old 
fool!" Dansei said with a sigh.  "I'd do anything to be rid of him 
permanently!"

	"I agree," Junba said.  "He's been trying to get us to marry since we were 
old enough.  At least, my father and both my mothers have seen through his 
delusion!"

	"If only I had beaten him before Dansei was born," Ryuunosuke lamented.

*    *    *

	Meanwhile, Benten was checking out an air bike dealership somewhere in 
Tomobiki.  The dealer had several brands and styles of air bikes from 
various planets around the Galaxy, not to mention examples from a few 
Earth-based producers.  Benten looked impressed by how many of them are 
around.  *Some of these air bikes look real neat,* she thought to herself.  
*There's even some from Earth as well.*

	A young Japanese salesman in a business suit walked up to Benten and asked, 
"May I help you, miss?"

	"Do you have any Fukunokami models?"

	"There's some over there," the salesman said as he pointed to across the 
showroom.

	Benten rushed towards them and sat on the first one she liked.  "This one 
is nice."  She then looked at the sticker price and nearly had a heart 
attack because it was nearly five hundred million yen.  "F-five hundred 
million yen?" she stammered as her mind automatically did the conversion 
between yen and uniCredits.  "What happened to prices in seventeen years?"

	Reluctantly, she got off the air bike and continued to look around.  She 
soon noticed an air bike that looked similar to the one she owned before she 
disappeared with her husband.  "Oh, I love this one," Benten said as she sat 
on it happily, and then she looked for the price sticker.  Not finding one, 
she gazed at the salesman.  "Hey!  How much is this one?"

	The salesman walked up to her.  "I'm sorry," he said with a frown.  "It's 
not for sale."

	Benten's face dropped.  "It's not?"

	"It's a display piece," the salesman explained, "The company that built it 
no longer makes this model.  The last one was made sixteen years ago."

	Benten looked disappointed as she dismounted and walked out of the 
dealership with a look of gloom on her face.  "Funny!  Seventeen years ago, 
that model was the state of the art," she mumbled to herself.  "Now it's a 
piece of history.  I feel old."

*    *    *

	Benten walked down the street and heard what sounded like rap music coming 
from nearby.  "What's that noise?" Benten said while trying to find the 
source.  "It sounds like the mating call of flatulent starwhales."

	She noticed the music was coming from a building with the name called "The 
Lying Bastard."  "A dance hall?" Benten asks herself as she made her way 
towards it.

	Benten was stopped at the door by a huge sumo wrestler-sized bouncer with 
his hair in a ponytail.  "Hold it, chickie," the bouncer said.  "It's a four 
hundred yen cover ta get in."

	"Four hundred yen," Benten said to the bouncer with surprise.  "Just to 
hear that noise?"

	"'Ey," the bouncer shrugged.  "A hundred people an hour can't be wrong."

	Benten looked in the door and noticed the dance hall packed with mostly 
Japanese young people dancing, drinking, and socializing to the flashing 
lights and ear-shattering music played by a disc jockey.  Benten also saw a 
bar.  "Four hundred yen, eh?" she said as she passed the money to the 
bouncer.  "I need a drink!  Noise or no noise."

	The bouncer took the money and let Benten inside the dance hall.  "Geez," 
the bouncer muttered as she entered.  "Wot drugs is she on ta not like rap 
music?"

*    *    *

	An hour later, at the Miyake house, Nassur, Shinobu, and Junba were sitting 
down to supper.  Noted by her absence was Benten.  "Mom's late again 
tonight!" Junba noted as she ate some food.

	"She said she was going shopping for air bikes," Shinobu said while eating.

	"How many air bike sellers are there in this city?" asked Nassur.

*    *    *

	At the Lying Bastard, Benten was downing drink after drink and her face was 
flushed with intoxication.  She shoved an empty glass to the master and 
looked at him drunkenly.  "Shay, Master," she slurred.  "Hit me ag'n.  I 
gotta lotta pain ta ferget!"

	The master refilled Benten's glass and handed it to her.  "This is the last 
one, chickie," he warned as he handed the drink to her.  "After this we're 
cutting you off."

	"Gimme it!" Benten grabbed the drink rudely out of the master's hand.

	As Benten began to drink her drink, someone slapped her on the shoulder.  
"Hey, Benten," a female voice yelled.

	The sudden jarring caused Benten to spill her drink on herself.  Naturally, 
she wasn't very happy about that.  She turned angrily behind her to confront 
whomever it was that slapped her on the back.  "Why you . . .?!" Benten 
snarled as she turned around ready to fight.

	She was surprised to see a black-haired Fukunokami girl dressed in a 
Fukunokami battle bikini that looked similar to Benten's, save that it had 
gold chains, denoting she was of a different clan.  The girl looked like an 
older version of Benten except she kept her hair in two side ponytails 
instead of in a bun like Benten did.  "Who're ya?" Benten said with a note 
of surprise.

	The girl sat beside Benten and smiled.  "It's me, Hyooga Kakitori.  It's 
been a while since we saw each other.  I was still a kid when you and Nassur 
disappeared."

	"Hyooga . . . Kakitori?" Benten mumbled to herself as she tried to remember 
where she heard the name.  "Oh, I rememmer!  Hyooga Ebisu's kid!  So, ya 
grew up too."

	"Well, seventeen years is a long time.  I couldn't stay a child forever."

	Benten put her arm around Kakitori.  "So, how's ol' Ebisu annieway?" she 
drawled.  "He still girl chasin'?"

	Kakitori looked sad.  "Ebisu died ten years ago in battle."

	Benten felt terrible.  "S-sorry, Kakitori," she stammered in remorse.  "I 
didn't know.  Livin' inna freezer for years means not being tol' 'bout these 
things."

	Kakitori smiled a little.  "That's okay.  I've gotten over my dad's death a 
long time ago."

	Benten removed her arm from around Kakitori.  "So whattaya doin' on Earth?  
No kid of Ebisu's goes nowhere wit'out a reason."

	"Oh, I'm just hitting the clubs around here while I'm visiting Moroboshi 
Amora," Kakitori said.  "I'm just seeing what the guys are like on Earth."

	"Ya know Amora?"

	"Yeah, we're in the Intergalactic Boy Chasers' Club together.  I'm the 
member for Fukunokami and Amora's the member for Elle."

	"I didn't think they were still 'round.  How come Amora's not the member 
for Earth?"

	"She's of dual heritage.  We had a member for Earth already when she 
joined, so she became the member for Elle."

	The Intergalactic Boy Chasers' Club was a group of girls who were dedicated 
to finding lovers -- or at least attempting to find lovers.  Limited to one 
member per world and they could only be members until the age of thirty (or 
their physical equivalent for long-lived races) or until they get married, 
whichever comes first.  The I.B.C.C. was quite old, nearly two hundred years 
old to be exact, predating the Galactic Federation by nearly sixty years.  
To be a member, a girl must love boys and be willing to be temporarily 
sterilized as long as they were members.  Kakitori was one of the current 
leaders in active service after joining the group in her teens after her 
predecessor married.

	"Who's runnin' them now?" Benten asked.

	"Senba is," Kakitori answered.  "And I'm soon in line to replace her should 
she ever get married."

	Benten laughed.  "There's no doubt that yer Ebisu's kid.  Always chasin' 
the opposite sex like there's no tamorra."

	"It's a living," Kakitori stated with a giggle.

	The master walked up to them both and leaned over to Benten.  "Yo!  Your 
sister gonna order anything?"

	"No thanks," Kakitori said to the master.  "I'm driving . . . but we're not 
sisters."

	The bartender looked surprised by Kakitori's pointing out she's not related 
to Benten at all -- even though they did look like enough to be sisters.  
"Sorry," the master said.  "You both look like you could be sisters."

	Benten offered her glass drunkenly to the master.  "Hit me ag'n!"

	The master looked at the drunken flush on Benten's face.  "You had enough, 
chickie."

	Benten looked upset.  "Who sayz?" she yelled as she tried to grab the 
master by the shirt.

	"I do!" the master said tauntingly to her.

	"Why you . . .!" Benten yelled as she tried to jump over the bar to get at 
the master.

	Luckily, Kakitori grabbed her and began to drag her out of the dance hall 
before any further incident could occur.  "Excuse us.  I'll settle the bill 
then I'll take her home."

*    *    *

	Minutes later, after the bill had been paid and Benten removed without any 
harm to anyone else or themselves, Kakitori took Benten to a parking lot 
nearby.  "Whaddaya doin'?  I coulda taken him!"

	"Do you want to go to jail if you try to?" Kakitori calmly asked.

	"Well . . .!"  Benten then paused as she tried to get a hold of herself.  
"Point taken.  I've been inna 'nuff cages in my life."

	"Come on, I'll take you home," Kakitori said as she escorted her to a 
nearby air bike.  "You're in no condition to walk."

	Benten looked impressed by the air bike.  "Now, that's an air bike!"

	Kakitori took the driver's seat while Benten struggled to get on the 
passenger's seat.  "So where are you staying?" Kakitori asked Benten as she 
started up the motor of her air bike.

	"At Miyake Shinobu's place on Kyoojin-doori, just right behind where 
Moroboshi Ataru and Lum live," Benten said drunkenly.  "I'll wanna be rida 
that child stealer."

	"Right . . . " Kakitori said as she sighed.  *I hope that woman she's 
staying with isn't thin-skinned if she hears that.*

	The air bike lifted off and when it was high enough, it flew away.  Nearby, 
Megane Aisuru watched them go.  A wind blew by him.  "I sense something 
ominous is going to happen soon to them," the monk declared as he went into 
a praying position.  "I pray it won't be serious."

*    *    *

	Minutes later, Kakitori's air bike landed at the front door of the Miyake 
family house.  "This must be the place," Kakitori quipped as she read the 
sign on the door which said "MIYAKE:  Shinobu, Junba."

	Benten tried to get off the air bike, but more or less fell off of it.  
Kakitori noticed and tried to help her up.  "Are you okay?"

	"I'm fine," Benten said as she staggered drunkenly to her feet.

	"Do you need help to the door?"

	"I need ta know which door it is," Benten replied after looking at them and 
seeing several double-images of the door in her drunken mind.

	"There's only one door," Kakitori said as she helped Benten to it.

	"There is?" Benten remarked.  "There's not fifteen of them each wit' a pink 
elephant as a doorman?"

	By time the two young women got to the door, it swung open and Nassur stood 
there.  He immediately noticed Benten's drunkenness.  "It's about time you 
got back!" he quipped. "I see you must've really enjoyed air bike shopping."

	"Hello, Nassur-san," Kakitori said.  "Remember me?"

	He glanced at her, his eyes brightening.  "Oh, hi, Kakitori!  Long time, no 
see."

	"I found Benten drunk at a dance hall so I brought her home," Kakitori 
explained as she helped Benten to the door.

	"I see," Nassur said then he turned towards inside the house.  "Shinobu, 
you want to get some coffee ready?  Benten's drunk!"

	"Okay!" Shinobu yelled from inside the house.

	Benten looked upset when she heard Shinobu's voice.  Nassur helped Kakitori 
bring Benten into the house.  "Let me help you with my wife."

	Minutes later, Benten was sat down on the couch and waited for Shinobu came 
with coffee.  "Just sit here for now, Benten," Nassur ordered.

	Shinobu walked in with tray that has a pot of coffee and a cup on it.  
"Coffee's ready," Shinobu said cheerfully.

	Shinobu walked up to the table and was just beginning to put the tray on 
the table, when Benten gave her an angry, cold glance.  "There's the bitch 
who stol' m'kid away!" Benten announced . . . loudly.

	The effect of such an announcement was immediate.  Shinobu dropped the tray 
on the table nearly spilling everything on it over the floor.  A hurt look 
crossed the nurse/princess' face.  Nassur and Kakitori looked shocked.  
"B-Benten . . .!" the Vosian stammered as he moved to break the tension.

	"Do you MIND repeating that again, Benten?" Shinobu said, a battle aura 
appearing around her.

	Benten did not look impressed by the growing anger Shinobu was developing.  
"Ya know what I said," Benten said cruelly.  "BABY-STEALER!"

	Nassur tried to calm Benten down.  "Benten, you're drunk . . . "

	Benten only turned to Nassur coldly and said, "I'm sober 'nuff ta speak 
m'own mind, ya know!"

	Suddenly, a volcano formed on top of Shinobu's head and it erupted 
violently.  Nassur and Kakitori looked nervous.  Shinobu stared angrily into 
the eyes of Benten.  "What do you mean that I'M a baby-stealer?!" she 
growled.  "I wasn't the one who put Junba in an escape pod and ejected her 
seventeen years ago!"

	Benten did not look impressed by Shinobu's rage against her.  "I hadda 
reason ta, bitch!" she slurred.  "What's yer reason?"

	The aura around Shinobu darkened considerably.  Quick to see this, Nassur 
moved to calm her down.  "Now, Shinobu . . . "

	"So!" Shinobu snapped.  "The truth is finally told!  Benten, it's time we 
fought this out once and for all!"

	Benten stood up and got herself ready to fight.  "Whaddaya gonna try ta do, 
bitch?  I betcha planned this wit' Elle just so ya could have a kid 'cause 
nobody wants a bitch like ya!"

	Benten stuck her tongue out at the Shinobu.  The latter winced, her eyes 
glistening with tears, and then her jaw tightened.  "Why, you . . .!"

	Before she could attack, a voice then barked out, "Benten!"

	Everyone turned and saw Junba at the doorway leading from the living room 
to the hallway dressed in her pyjamas.  She stood there with her arms 
crossed and an angry look on her face.  "A-Aiotoga?" Benten said all of a 
sudden feeling embarrassed by her behaviour.

	"What's the meaning of this?" Junba icily asked.

	Benten walked up drunkenly to Junba.  "Don't yell at your mother . . .!"

	*SLAP!*

	Benten blinked as her hand reached up to touch her now-reddened cheek and 
looked shocked at the fact her own daughter, the child she gave birth to and 
ejected in an escape pod to keep safe from enemies, had just slapped in the 
face as if she was a total stranger.  "Y-ya hit me?  Yer own momma . . .?"

	"I was *once* happy that my real parents came back," Junba said as she 
fought back her own tears.  "Now, I wished you *stayed* away!"

	With a sob, she ran off to her bedroom.  "Junba," Benten stammered as she 
dropped to her knees.  "A-Aiotoga . . . I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to . . 
. "

	Staggering to her feet, she moved to follow.  Nassur's hand stayed her in 
place.  "Let her alone, Benten," Nassur said as he put his arms around his 
wife.  "I'm afraid you've done too much already."

	She turned around to weep into his chest.  "I've alienated my own 
daughter!"

	Nassur turned to Kakitori, quickly noting the nervous look on her face.  
"I'm sorry you had to see this, Kakitori."

	"That's all right," Kakitori said as she turned to leave.  "I've seen this 
many times.  I'll go back to my hotel, if you don't mind."

	Kakitori rushed out of the house without trying to be so obvious about it.  
Shinobu walked up to Nassur.  Nassur could still see the anger in their 
host's eyes.  "What's worse is Benten deserved that," she noted before she 
turned around to clean up the mess.

	"I agree," Nassur said, nodding.  "I'll put her to bed and make her 
apologize to everyone in the morning."

*    *    *

	Later, everyone in the Miyake home had retired for the evening.  Nassur and 
Benten slept together nude in a futon laid out in the guest bedroom.  
Although they were in the same bed together, they laid as far apart from 
each other as they can get, their backs turned to each other.  
Unfortunately, sleep could not be had this night for the pair of hunters.  
Nassur finally turned his head to speak to Benten.

	"Benten . . .?"

	"Forget it!" she moaned, her pillow wet with tears.  "I'm not in the mood!"

	He turned towards her.  "I'm your husband.  Talk to me!"

	"What can I say?" she wondered.  "My kid hates my guts and I can't say that 
I blame her.  I've treated her and Shinobu like shit!  But . . . no one 
seems to take in account how **I** feel!"

	"I do," he affirmed, sitting up.  "You're my wife and Junba's my daughter 
as well.  She's the only child I've got that's lived to see adulthood.  I 
feel the same loss you do in not helping to shape her life."

	Fresh tears streamed down her face.  "It's not fair!  I spent four months 
of hell on Earth carrying her in my body when I found out I was pregnant!  
You were gone to fight the Mikado with Lum, Ataru, Shinobu, Mendou, and 
Megane!  I didn't know if you were coming back or not!  Then you did come 
back just before she was born.  I thought I'd be happy forever . . . but 
Elle captured us and kept us like pets.  It's not fair!"

	A hand touched her shoulder.  "There's nothing we can do now," he quietly 
stated as she tried to wipe her face.  "We have to live with this.  I've 
accepted it!  Can you?"

	"I-I'll try . . . but it won't be easy."

	"Good."  He leaned down to kiss the back of her neck.  "Until then, talk to 
Lum."

	That made her turn around to gaze at him.  "Lum?  Why her?"

	"Because I think Lum has more in common with what we're going through than 
anyone else," he answered as he moved to embrace her.  "But before that, 
apologize to Shinobu.  Even if you can't remember what you said when you 
were drunk."

	"Okay."  She returned his embrace.  "I'll do it."

	"They let's go to sleep."

	Soon, they drifted off, still in each other's arms.

*    *    *

	Next morning, after recovering from her hangover and apologizing to Shinobu 
for what she had said the previous night, Benten headed to the Moroboshi 
home.  Stepping inside, she was quick to see that the only one in residence 
was Lum.  "Oh, Benten!" the Oni called out.  "What a surprise!  Come in!"

	"Thanks," Benten called out as she slipped off her shoes in the genkan, and 
then she stepped into the living room.  "I wanted to talk to you this 
morning. Hope you don't have to go to work."

	"I'm on my day off," Lum confirmed as she followed the Fukunokami into the 
living room, her hand falling over her stomach.  "It'll give me some time 
for me and the baby to relax."

	They sat down.  "You're really starting to show," Benten remarked on seeing 
Lum's abdomen.

	"Tcha!" Lum said. "It's funny how the baby missed being diagnosed for so 
long.  He seems to be growing fast.  I already can't see my toes, let alone 
touch them."  She then gazed on her guest.  "But you're not here to talk 
about me being pregnant," she added.  "What's up?"

	"Well . . . as you know, I've not been the best of friends with my friends 
lately."

	"Tcha!  Ran told me about what you said to her."  Lum then shrugged.  "I 
know I'm probably the last person to talk to you about this but . . . you 
must accept what's happened to you or you'll go nuts."

	"I know.  It's not easy.  I still think of Aiotoga as that baby I ejected 
seventeen years ago."

	"Unfortunately, she's all grown up and ready to have her own family."

	A wince.  "Don't remind me!  I'm definitely NOT ready to be a grandma when 
I haven't even gone through a maturity ritual yet!"

	A giggle.  "Hopefully, that won't happen.  How about some tea?"

	"Sure.  Can I use your bathroom?"

	"Go ahead," Lum said as she rose to head into the kitchen.  "It's 
upstairs."

	Benten stepped upstairs, she recalling what Nassur had said to her that 
morning:  "Don't you find it's a *little* strange that nobody mentions 
whatever's happened to Lum and Ataru's child?" his voice echoed in her mind. 
  "Lum was pregnant with Koishii-chan when we disappeared, but the only 
children they talk about are Reiko, her twin sister Kaneko and Amora.  See 
if you can find out why."

	*Why don't they mention their fourth child?* she mused to herself as she 
neared the bathroom.  As she went there, her eyes glanced into the total 
disaster that Amora called her room.  "Shit!" she gasped.  "Amora lives in 
*this* junkyard?!  How can she sleep here?!"

	Another bedroom, it sitting across from Amora's, was empty.  "Nothing here. 
  Must've been Reiko's room."

	She then arrived at Ataru and Lum's room.  The door was closed.  Benten 
quietly opened it to walk in.  The bedroom was no different than any other 
bedroom accommodating a married couple.  A queen-sized bed and a pair of 
dressers were the primary pieces of furniture, along with a mirror table and 
a nightstand.  On a table beside the bed, several pictures sat.  Benten 
gazed on them.  One was of Lum and Ataru with Reiko, Kaneko -- Benten knew 
that Reiko's twin sister normally wore her hair loose inside of the side 
pigtails Reiko herself had started to sport during high school -- and Amora, 
it looking like it had been taken a couple of years ago.  Beside that were 
couple portraits of Reiko and Kaneko with their life-mates, Fujisawa Mina 
and Miyake Annabelle.  There was one of Jariten in his military uniform, 
taken after his graduation from the Urusian Defence Force Academy.  Finally, 
sitting on the nightstand by the bed, there was a picture of a newborn Oni 
baby with dark brownish hair and brown eyes.  Blinking, Benten reached over 
to pick it up.

	"Who's this?" she asked before her eyes fell on the kanji written there.  
"'Koishii?'"

	She then read what else was written on that photo.

*    *    *

	A minute or so later, Lum called upstairs, "Tea's ready, Benten!"

	Benten jogged downstairs, a forced smile on her face.  "Coming!"

	As tea was served, Benten gazed on Lum.  *I've been a fool, Lum.  At least 
my child's alive.*

*    *    *

	School came to a close, the staff and students beginning their personal 
treks home.  Junba had an apprehensive look on her face as she approached 
the front gate.  "Guess it's back to the war zone," she quietly mused to 
herself, and then she sighed just as her eyes changed colour.

	"Going somewhere?"

	Junba turned towards one of the trees.  "Oh. It's only you, Mom!" she said 
as Benten jumped down from a branch to land perfectly before her.  "What do 
you want?"

	Shame crossed the older woman's face.  "I came to apologize for my 
behaviour last night," Benten announced.  "I should've known better.  It 
won't happen again.  I guess I've been the Mother from Hell lately; I 
deserved that slap in the face you gave me."

	"So to speak.  Have you apologized to my mom yet?"

	"Yeah."

	"Fine."

	And with that, she turned to walk away.  Benten dodged in front of her.  
"Aiotoga, please!" she pleaded.  "Please, don't hate me!  I just found about 
someone who's in worse shape than I am."  A pause.  "You may have grown up . 
. . but at least you're *alive!*  Please, Junba!  I'm . . . I'm sorry."

	Tears glistened in Junba's eyes as the strength of her mother's plea lanced 
through her heart.  Benten bowed her head, and then she looked up to gaze 
hopefully into her daughter's eyes.  "I need my daughter."

	"Oh, Mom . . . "

*    *    *

	Unseen by either of them as they fell into an embrace, Lum was gazing on 
Benten and Junba from her place close to the school's front gate.  *You 
spoke of loss, Benten,* the Oni mused to herself.  *You don't know the 
meaning of the word.  Hopefully, you never will before you're old and grey.*

	With that, she turned and flew off to her home.  A trail of tears flowed 
from her eyes like two rivers, they glistening in the afternoon sun.  They 
then descended upon some fallen leaves on the ground.

*** The End . . . For Now ***

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