Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Two Wallets ❯ Clan Hibiki ( Chapter 103 )

A Tale of Two Wallets

(An Altered Destiny)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Naomi blinked her eyes as she found herself standing at the end of a long corridor, one that stretched off an unimaginable distance that seemed infinitely far longer than the actual length of the building itself, which immediately prompted her to suspect that what she was seeing was an optical illusion. A surpassingly convincing illusion, yes, but still an illusion, however realistic, detailed and graphic.

A brass gong rang out and a bronze-skinned figure appeared to one side of the entrance, a figure dressed in an elaborate Chinese costume complete with triangular headdress, looking very much like a dancer from a Thailand show that she had attended years ago, barefoot and statuesque with bronzed ornaments on her wrists, arms and ankles.

"PRESENTING FOR YOUR DELIGHT AND ENLIGHTENMENT THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD AS TOLD BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN MEL BROOKS!"

"Excuse me?" Naomi automatically responded.

"It's performance art," the golden woman said as she winked at Naomi, "Work with me here, you'll understand in a moment."

Naomi turned and found to her amazement that the doorway through which she had just entered was no longer to be found there, that instead there was a continuation of the same corridor stretching back into seeming infinity, as though she were in the Airport Terminal from Hell, only lined along the walls by a series of glass partitions that framed what looked like Museum displays, only styled more like ancient Chinese art lithographs. By the time she had fully turned around the woman and her gong were no longer to be seen, just a series of arrows point down the way to a distant vanishing point somewhere over the event horizon.

Of a sudden the booth to her left became illuminated, showing a star-filled background that was breathtakingly panoramic.

"Behold the Universe when it was still young and vibrant with the possibility of life," a voice from seeming no where emanated (though Naomi had no difficulty placing it as belonging to the Thai dancer), "Life took many wondrous forms here, among the most advanced was a race of beings so advanced that we might as well call them Gods for the sake of an argument. Like Gods they strode the worlds of light and darkness with their eons-long lifespan, crossing time and space in search of new worlds, new life and new civilizations, boldly going where mortal mind cannot imagine and eventually discovering this world, the Earth, one many that they colonized with their Celestial presence."

The booth to Naomi's right suddenly became illuminated, revealing a pastoral display of forest, hill and dale in all its pristine glory, complete with a bright sun peering down through cotton-white clouds upon this virgin setting, onto which graceful and unearthly, ghost-like figures strode out trailing elaborate costumes both gauze-like and revealing.

"The Star Tribe, as we may call them, came upon this world millions of years ago and found it good in their own eyes, a wondrous playground on which to cavort in merry innocence, effortlessly merging with the World Soul to become its guardian shepherds, who are the Titans of ancient legend."

Naomi blinked her eyes, seeing the hermaphrodite-like bishonen figures come upon what looked like a hairy monkey, and one of the two knelt down to encourage said monkey to approach them in an inquisitive manner. One figure held back and aloof while the other took the monkey up upon his (or her) shoulder and allowed the animal to play with his(her) long, pale hair, the ghostly apparition gaining a beatific smile of evident fondness.

"They took an interest in all aspects of life that they encountered, but among those curious creatures whom they found most promising were the ape-like forms clinging to trees and living on insects, nuts and berries. Some took their fascination to a different level, encouraging the slow upward evolution of these small creatures, and in a little as a few thousand generations speeded up their evolution into the more evolved state that we know of as Anthropoid from archeological excavations."

A booth further ahead to the heft lit up, and Naomi-driven by curiosity more than anything else-drew closer to this so that she could better study the display, which showed a small ape-like form with glossy black fur scampering about like a pet while an amused pale figure looked on, even as the other figure behind her scowled in obvious disapproval.

"The learning and evolving process worked both ways, however, and soon members of the Star Tribe were taking on harder, more solid shapes that were closer in nature to that of the beasts whom they cared for. Not all of the Star Tribe approved of this relationship, nor did they fancy the crude beasts, who were slowly learning to walk upright and had come down from their trees in imitation of their creators. Eventually both the ape and this branch of the Star Tribe adopted a more recognizably human form. And then one day the unthinkable-or some would say the inevitable-happened."

The booth to her right lit up, and Naomi whirled around to see a lush garden-like setting, into which a beautiful pale-haired Star Tribe member came face to face with a hairy, man-like, brutish figure, and like the prototype of all "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tales the two of them embraced, fell to the tall grassland and appeared to engage in something primitive and carnal.

"The echoes of this union would send shockwaves throughout the whole of the Star Clans and resulted in a form that was neither entirely Ape nor Star Tribe."

Again a new booth illuminated, and Naomi turned to see a proud looking ape-like figure with reddish gold fur standing tall with broad shoulders, his face not quite human yet far removed from apish. If she had to affix a word to describe him she could only come up with "Handsome."

"Behold…Adam…the first of his kind," the voice continued, "He saw farther than any Ape before him and understood the link between Flesh and the Spirit as no Star Tribesman had ever known before. He was the archetype of many Ape and Star-Tribe unions, and in time he found a mate we know as Eve, the Mother of all Nations."

A beautiful, much less anthropoid-like figure appeared alongside the man, resting a hand on his shoulder with her ample womanly assets on full display, a handsome couple by anyone's standard as both turned their faces towards the stars, clearly inspired by more than the instincts of their brutish ancestors.

"The birth of this new race, however, was met by alarm from those Star Clans who did not share in a love for these co-created life forms. Some wanted to terminate the experiment in cross-breeding, seeing only corruption and a fall from grace in these new forms, while others wanted to study them at greater length and fathom their true potential. This lead to a division among the Tribes, so that where there had been Unity there was now division and antipathy. The perfect harmony of the One Race with its Unimind was disrupted, and this would lead in time to the first terrible war of the Powers, a hideous and perverse conflagration that would sunder the world itself and change the shape of the very continents themselves."

Naomi flinched as a new booth appeared showing a horrific battle with beings extending their arms and calling upon unimaginable forces. Streamers or ribbon and flashes of alternating light gave a hint to the nature of the forces that were unleashed within the battle as brilliant white figures suddenly were wrapped in black drapes by other shadowy figures, clearly symbolizing either death or destruction overwhelming these individuals, until the remaining figures fell back into separate encampments.

"The war ended badly for the party that sought the destruction of the new creatures, for the children of Adam and Eve waded in on the side of their parents and proved the decisive factor in bringing an end to the conflict. A great Synod was then convened in which the fate of the losing faction was decided, and entire clans were banished from the world to a dark and dismay Nether realm that existed outside of the world of Gods and Mortals. This was the Great Sundering, and from it were born the warring tribes known to most as the Devils and Demons. The triumphant party, the Titans, then raised themselves aloft from the mortal plane so as to limit their contact with mortals, hoping in this manner to avoid further corruption and contamination from the temptations of a fleshly existence."

Naomi watched a dramatic re-enactment of this selfsame gathering with struggling white-clad figures being thrown chains and all through a curtain-like circle, where they landed in a pit-like setting, cold and shivering without their luminous robes, some gnashing their teeth while bewailing their misfortune. Those luminous beings not cast through the circle of darkness then turned to one another and made similar nods. One figure-obviously their leader-gestured towards the sky, and as one they rose up into the air as though born aloft on invisible wires.

"This happened close to two million years ago but the result is still with us down to the present," the voice resumed as a new display lit up to reveal two nearly identical figures, both winged, one with feathers the other seeming bat-like, "There are many tribes of Demons in the world, the Oni being but one of many, while the Titans and their Children, the Gods, remain a breed apart, forever warring one with the other while casting aspersions on their rivals, saying nasty things about their mothers."

The bat-winged, horned figure stuck out her tongue and made a face at her angelic sibling, who frowned in clear annoyance at this gesture.

"But what of Humanity itself, you might well ask? Ah, there is another tale that would be long in the telling. Suffice to say that Human Beings would grow to dominate the world, experience many rises and falls in their fortunes and glory, even journey to other worlds, only to fall back into primitive barbarism. Lemuria and Atlantis would each know their time and place in the continuous life cycles. The war had changed the climate of the globe so that the Ice Sheets would advance and recede at semi-regular intervals, dooming the stability of human life itself and forcing yet-more dramatic changes in human evolution. The line of the Cro-Magnon gave way to Homo Sapiens itself. Humanity's ancestors would explore other worlds and attempt to leave the Earth behind, only to be forced back into the cradle of their mother time and again until we come to the current age of humanity, when Humans are once more poised on the threshold of either glory or destruction."

Naomi saw a series of booths light up, and as she studied each one she witnessed a dramatic presentation of wandering tribes of primitives learning to build wood and stone cities, discover the sciences, only to have it all taken away as civilization collapsed and the world grew dark as though under the folds of a wicked shadow. Again the primitive would arise re-learning how to chip stone tools, then master the forging of metals, the harnessing of the forces of nature, which then became a part of their religious practices, even learn how to transport themselves to other worlds by the power of their minds as a technology that seemed more like Sorcery developed around the use of artificially grown crystals. A race that seemed to be composed entirely of females then appeared commanding the bridge of a starship, only one came to earth with a recently born male offspring and bred her traits into the resident population of man-apes, who in time gave birth to a new age of Humanity as the cycle repeated itself all over.

"And thus we come to the end of our story," the same bronzed woman who had appeared earlier in Thai costume appeared as the corridor fell dark all around them and she alone became fully illuminated, "I trust you have enjoyed this little performance of 'Theosophy 101,' I know it's a bit showy and contains a faintly Neoplatonic flavor, but…"

"Who are you?" Naomi asked, relieved to finally find someone whom she could actually talk to.

"Ah, where are my manners?" the golden woman smiled, extending a hand to Naomi, "My name is Ganglot Morrigar, and I'm an exiled princess of the Oni Tribes, born close to three thousand years ago by your reckoning and…oh yes, before I forget to mention this, I'm also your direct ancestor."

"You're what?" Naomi stared at the ageless woman blandly.

"Your great-great grandmother to be precise," the bronzed woman smiled, and suddenly the silver tattoos on her face flared to life as her bright-amber eyes took on a glowing aspect, "And before you declare me certifiable, perhaps you should take into consideration your present location."

Naomi turned reluctantly around to see that the space around them had transformed into an enormous cavern. There were standing atop a flat surface that looked like the cropped off apex of an enormous stalagmite, and all around them were the looming shadows. It was the type of place that a certain caped crusader might well call him home…either him or Dracula…but either way it looked convincingly realistic.

"Let's see," the golden woman padded on bare feet to the edge of this pit and picked up a stone, then casually tossed it out into the void, pausing to cock one pointed ear as if she waited to hear it strike bottom. It was a remarkably long time later before Naomi's own ears heard the sounds resonating upward of a glancing collision.

The golden figure straightened up and said, "Well, what do you know? Sounds close to bottomless, do you think?"

"Where are we?" Naomi demanded.

"It's called Tartarus," the woman replied, "The land of the Dead in Greek Mythology and eternal prison of the Titans from legend. I've brought you here as a little display of my power, to say nothing of it also being a blatant warning to you should you chose not to hear me out when I tell you the rest of my story."

"You're crazy!" Naomi declared, "This is kidnapping!"

"Well, technically it's more like forcible detention," Ganglot allowed, "But it's for a good cause, so please don't hate me to much for being a bit melodramatic. I will let you out of here again…provided you listen and listen well to what I have to tell you."

"I won't listen under threats from you!" Naomi declared, her stubborn pride refusing to permit her from showing fear before this…very strange person.

"Suit yourself," Ganglot shrugged, "Just remember I tried being nice to you, Great-great granddaughter. I'll come back again when you're in a better mood to hear me out, until then try not to fall off this plateau…you wouldn't like meeting what's at the bottom."

So saying the golden skinned Oni Princess stretched out her arms as a pair of bat-like wings sprouted from her back, her appearance changing to that of a green-haired and horned alien girl, whose naked body manifested as the robes disappeared from around her. With well-manicured clawed hands and feet displayed, and wicked fangs bared from a mouth that remained sensual and commanding, the figure beat the air with her wings and lifted off from the plateau, rising up into the darkness that surrounded them as though she had not a care of encountering anything more terrifying than herself in these chambers.

"Wait-!" Naomi cried, a bit too late, suddenly finding herself alone once again all alone and in surroundings that were totally alien. As vast as the chamber was it felt as if the walls were pressing in on her from all around and long-forbidden memories resurfaced, of being locked away in a closet until she agreed to behave and listen to her stepparents.

Naomi hugged herself and shivered, falling to her knees as she found the thought of being left all alone in such a place more terrifying than actually dying, and try thought she might not to let her fears resurface, she could not help whimpering to herself, "Not again…not again…not alone again…no…Momma…!"

All at once hands were gently laid upon her shoulders, and a warm presence settled over her as those leathery wings spread about to enfold her like a blanket. She found the face of Ganglot resting on her shoulder as the Oni's sensual voice said, "I know, dear…I know all about it. You don't need to be afraid, not while I'm here. I won't abandon you again…all I ask is that you hear me…and really, truly listen."

Naomi was amazed that her fears seemed to vanish in that moment, and with only a mere touch of her earlier hesitation she nodded and said, "All right…I'll listen."

"Spoken like a true Hibiki," Ganglot smiled in approval, "But first…there's someone whom I'd like for you to meet."

"And who is that?" Naomi whispered.

"Your great-grandfather, of course," the Oni replied, "He's been waiting for years to have the chance to see you…he just doesn't know it yet, but I know you'll love meeting him. It will explain a whole lot about your life and give you those answers you've always wanted to know, about who you are, what you are, why you have so much strength and yet can't find your way from your desk to the privy without needing to use markers."

"How did you…?" Naomi gasped.

"Lucky guess," Ganglot chuckled as she helped Naomi to stand, "Hope you don't mind flying without a plane, because this is the fastest way to get where I'm going."

"Wha…?" Naomi started to ask when she found herself borne aloft in the arms of the naked Oni, the ground (or peak) falling away from her heels as a circle of light opened to greet them, complete with a sudden rush of starlight that would have terribly impressed George Lucas…

Nabiki's Journal Resumes:

I think I know why now they call it "'Til death do us part," because at the rate things keep happening in my life I'll be lucky if I live to see my honeymoon. Life with Ranma sure can be exciting on occasion, but it's like somebody's pulling out the stakes the closer I get to the big event the day after tomorrow.

There I was enjoying some exotic dancing in the company of Shampoo and the ladies, thinking what an interesting contrast there might be between Shampoo and the girl dancing at our table (and if you think I'd have voiced this thought aloud, be assured that I was tempered by the thought that Shampoo would probably take that as a challenge and start dancing for my benefit, heedless of the audience around us) when who should show up in that very establishment by Ranma and his father, accompanied by the Old Man (in Young Stud mode), Ukyo, Ryoga, Tenchi, Tenchi's granddad and a couple of other people…some tall College guy I didn't immediately recognize and a girl who looked a lot like Ambergris (except for showing both eyes and the odd school uniform that she was wearing). Our group didn't spy them right away but when I did chance to notice I caught a few of them glancing over their shoulders as if half expecting someone was going to show up and wreck their party.

I wasn't surprised at all to think that Happosai had brought my iinazuke to a topless bar, but I was rather surprised not to see Ryoga fainting dead away from a nose hemorrhage when some cute frilly thing started dancing at his table. Right away I fathomed that they were pretty worried about something and it was distracting just about everyone except Gramps so that they barely even acknowledged that there were semi-naked women in the room. I mean, what's the point of a Bachelor party if the Stud of Honor isn't going to be taking any notice of the available market of women that he's giving up for the sake of our marriage? I was more than willing to concede Ranma a single night of such indulgence, just as long as it was the "Look, don't Touch" variety, so I was naturally concerned that there was something else on his mind of greater urgency than enjoying the party.

Of course I wasn't the only one to take notice of this curious phenomenon, and as soon as the others became aware that the boys were present they started to offer their commentary, such as Atsuko saying aloud, "Hey, what's eating Gemi-chan? He looks like somebody just told him the price of Bear Meat in China."

"He does have that peculiar shifty fugitive look about him, yes," Silk readily agreed, "Wonder what mischief he's been up to this time, Comb?"

"Of what possible interest would it be to me?" Comb snapped as her rudy eyes noticeably darkened.

"Dearest?" Nodoka frowned, "He's not enjoying the show, and neither is Ranma. That isn't very manly."

"Something must be bothering them," Soun got up and nodded apologetically to the rest of us, "Wait here, I'll find out what it is."

Somehow I felt more than a twinge of disloyalty at doubting my father would have much success squeezing any information out of Genma and the others, so I waited only until the count of five before taking Shampoo by the hand and saying, "Let's find out for ourselves, how about?"

"Is good plan," my impending wife readily agreed, and taking my arm in her cute little way she accompanied me as we went over to Ranma, intending to surprise him.

We succeeded. Ranma almost jumped out of his seat before he saw who we were, at which point he only half-relaxed and said, "Oh, it's you guys…I mean, glad it's you and…ah…er… what are you doing here?"

"That's supposed to be our line," I gave him a mock-stern tone because I always enjoy seeing him squirm when he's trying to come up with an explanation.

"Ah…I can explain everything!" he instantly protested, "The old Freak dragged me here and…"

"Ailen no have lie," Shampoo responded, leaving my arm and reaching out to cup his face in both hands, "Shampoo very glad Airen come place where men pays respects to superiority of womans, but if Ranma want see girl dance naked, then Shampoo show him," and to illustrate her point she pulled Ranma's face into her chest and began to rub the exposed portions of her breasts against him.

I was amused to see Ranma's pigtail stand on end once again, and turned on like nothing else by Shampoo's brazenness. I wanted to do the same thing for Ranma, to rub his face between my bosoms, but I'm not as uninhibited as our wife, and besides which I was distracted when Akane came up and accosted Ukyo with a hug that the chef never even saw coming.

"Ucchan!" my sister all but glowed with happiness, while I saw Ukyo's eyes do an almost comical dance that reminded me of an old cartoon about a cat and a skunk that I dimly remembered seeing as a kid, "What are you doing here? Come to keep my sister's baka boyfriend out of trouble?"

"Ah…well," Ukyo winced awkwardly, "So far we haven't quite managed to do that…"

I rather imagine that she was glad that Makoto and her friends were back in Juuban right about then because if any of them had seen her being so enthusiastically embraced by Akane…well, I wouldn't want to be in Ukyo's place should that happen. I like my hair just the way it is and I've no intention of getting it curly with a million volts of electrostatic discharge. Kuonji wears way too much metal to be fooling around like that with my Kawaii-yet-Baka little sister.

"And what do you boys have to say for yourselves?" Atsuko sniffed, "Coming to a place like this of all things…and dragging my Ryo-chan along with you no less."

"Ah…" Genma exchanged non-plussed looks with Daddy.

"Who're your friends?" I heard Aunt Yumi (yeah, I've started calling her that…I mean, you don't just say "Hey You" to an ex-girlfriend of Daddy's who walks softly and carries a big spatula) say as she nodded to the tall guy and the pink-haired looker.

"Oh," Ryoga was the one to answer, "We just met. This is Usagi's fiancé, Chiba Mamoru, and this is Tenjou Utena, she goes to Otori Academy."

"Charmed," the pink haired girl acknowledged before turning to look with round eyes at one woman dancing on the stage. She got a peculiar expression on her face as she half-murmured our way, "Ah…excuse me…I think I see somebody I know…"

As the strange girl in the masculine dress wandered off, her eyes fixed on some strawberry blonde doing a slow strip-tease number, I turned an amused look at the tall man and said, "You're Mamo-chan? The guy Usagi moons about in every other sentence?"

"Ah…she does?" he sounded surprised upon hearing that, "Ah…well…Usagi is my fiancée, but we've been apart for the past semester while I've been away studying to be an architect."

"You've been studying in America," Nodoka smiled, "I've always wanted to visit, I hear parts of it are very nice."

"Oh, sure," the tall man shrugged, "New York is an impressive place if you're from out of town, if you can manage to avoid running into one of their Superhero fights. I'm transferring to San Francisco next semester and seeking my Major on the West Coast. I was hoping to maybe ask Usagi and her friends to come visit me, but…well…"

"Now there," Silk noted smoothly, "I'm sure things will all work out for the best with you three, but come now, what is so terrible that it has you boys acting like you have a Hunt Party following close upon your heels? This is a place where people should relax and enjoy themselves…or at least as much as you're allowed to do in public."

Right then we heard a loud "EEEK" coming from one of the stages, and without turning to look I knew that Gramps was involved. I heard Ranma mutter under his breath, "Where's Hinako-sensei when you need her?" and silently nodded my assent to that statement.

And that was when I chanced to notice a pair of eyes turned out way, hostile eyes of an entirely feminine character framed within a face that was remarkably attractive. A dark haired girl sporting a ponytail and wearing a ninja-type outfit was gliding through the bar on a tangential course that was taking her near to our position. She had a tray of drinks poised on one shoulder as if playing the part of a waitress (albeit one wearing way too much to befit the dress code of this establishment), and without needing to be told I knew intuitively that her intent towards us was anything but friendly.

Shampoo seemed to sense my mood, followed my line of sight and instantly went on the defensive. We positioned ourselves in flanking points near to Ranma, ready to act if the ninja-girl made a move in his direction. The girl seemed to take notice of this but hardly missed a pace as she suddenly launched her attack, hurtling the tray like it was a discus. Instead of Ranma, though, the tray was aimed at either Ukyo or Ryoga, both of whom turned in time to see the attack, though the one who reacted first was none other than Akane.

My sister's battle reflexes-while slow by Ranma's standards-are nothing to sneeze at and she was quick to perceive a threat towards "her Ucchan," reacting accordingly by batting the disk away with a casual arm-sweep. However this just sent the drinks that were somehow still perched upon the trail flying up into the air, and whatever was in those glasses must have been enough like water to trigger everyone's curses as we got splashed good and thorough.

At once Ukyo grew about ten centimeters, Ranma shrank by about twenty while Uncle Genma sprouted fur and Atsuko vanished into her clothing. Akane gave a wince as her wings sprouted out from behind her back while Shampoo fell to the floor in cat form, and nothing much in particular happened to Ryoga other than he got a good soaking.

That was rather what the rest of us were feeling at the moment, but I was forced to close my eyes as the sting of alcohol caused me to look away during the ensuing scuffle. I managed to get my eyes cleared again just in time to see a pair of bouncers hauling off a struggling blonde Happosai while everyone else was milling around in confusion and Ranma was drying, "Where did she get off to?"

"She vanished," Mamoru declared, "Like smoke. Ah…" he took a good, long look at our group before adding, "Does this sort of thing happen often?"

"Frequently," Ukyo-kun replied, dabbing his face with a handkerchief before offering it to Akane.

"Ranma-kun," I drawled.

"Yeah, Nabiki?" she answered.

I reached out to my now-female iinazuke, snagged her by the collar and hauled her in close to where I could look down into her face and take full advantage in the sudden change of our height ratios, going into full "Intimidation" mode as I purred rather dangerously, "Who was that and why was she after you guys right now?"

"Ah…" Ranma-chan hesitated, only to give a mini-yelp as Shampoo alighted on her shoulders, perching there with a very arched cat-like expression.

"It wasn't the Boy's fault…for once," Genma glanced to make certain that Happosai had been given the heave-ho before saying, "The fault this time rests entirely with the Master."

"Saotome," Daddy said in hushed tones, "You don't mean to say…?"

"Gramps dragged us to this place called the 'Sexy Girl Teashop,'" Ryoga replied, "I guess he thought the place would have something more than what we found when we got there."

"Hah, you got that right," Ukyo-kun noted, "Instead of sexy girls the place was full of the 'Ugly as Sin' type…in fact they were so Ugly that Sin wouldn't have anything to do with them."

"All except that one girl whom you just met," Mamoru added, "And as you can tell the lady is a wee bit miffed at the way we made our exit."

"You mean she was pissed off with Gramps for blowing the place up with one of those hand-grenade thingies he carries around with him all of the time," Ranma said, "We're lucky we didn't get buried under all that timber and rubble, right Tenchi? Tenchi?"

"Oh my," Tenchi's grandfather turned to see the way his ward was staring at the stage with an almost shell-shocked expression, "Tenchi…you ought to be used to seeing girls naked by now…"

"But Grampa," Tenchi pointed at the stage, "That girl looks just like Ryoko!"

"Eh?" those of us who knew the self-described 'Space Pirate' on sight turned to see a naked girl with spiky pale blue hair doing a dance number as if intoxicated from too much of something potent. We were a bit amazed to find that the occupant of the table where she was dancing also looked remarkably familiar, and Tenchi recognized them too, once he had torn his eyes from the sight of Ryoko.

"Is somebody else having a Bachelor party and didn't inform us?" Nodoka turned a beatific smile towards Tenchi, "You sly boy…you never even told us you were getting married to your girlfriends."

Said "Sly boy" looked about ready to drop dead from a heart attack as Ryoko dragged a reluctant Ayeka up onto the table and set about trying to publicly undress her.

"I guess Tenchi didn't know either," Ranma-chan offered in sympathy as she moved to catch her cousin before he could hit the floor, and Comb at once produced a strip of cloth with which she managed to staunch the bleeding from his nostrils.

By mutual consent we elected to cut the night short before someone decided to throw us out, and I figured we'd had just about enough partying for one night. Besides, I had to get Ranma and Shampoo home to get them changed back to their correct shapes (not that there's anything wrong with having them in either form...Shampoo's fur is so nice to pet while she's Neko) while Akane seemed intent on dragging Ukyo off to who-knows-what assignation. We all went our separate ways after Nodoka reclaimed both her son and husband, while Comb insisted Shampoo return with her to the Nekohanten. The rest of us returned to Ucchan's Café and retired early as I wanted to be at my best for when I confronted the Gambler King to win back my home and my dojo.

I'm presently typing this on the tabletop provided to me in an unused office room inside of the restaurant. (I wasn't about to leave a valuable commodity like my computer behind, given the King's reputation for confiscating property assets left behind on premises he acquires. There's also that troubling connection between the King and that mysterious Nakamura woman, both of whom I suspect are front people working directly (or indirectly) for our enemy, Ryoga's evil grandmother.)

I hope tomorrow turns out well, but then I'm confident in my abilities. Winning at cards, even against a notorious cheater, isn't as great a challenge as what we (meaning Ranma, Shampoo, myself and the rest of our merry band of friends and hangers-on) faced going up against Prince Kirin and his people. It's that larger sense I have that something is building up in the background, something extraordinary that's gathering strength like an offshore storm about to turn into a tsunami. I wonder if we'll be ready to meet whatever's coming in the future? I sure hope so…it would be nice to have some quality down time so that Ranma, Shampoo and me can take a much-needed vacation. (A quiet Honeymoon locked in our room having mind-blowing sex wouldn't be all that bad either…)

I hear Mon-Mon up on the roof playing her cardolin again, and I wondered where she had gotten off to while the rest of us were out having a party. Yumi complained a bit but seemed resigned to accepting her presence as a guest, just like the rest of us freeloaders. I wonder what a Nekonron priestess and self-described Courtesan must think of her first few days in Japan and whether we mere peasants are living up to her expectations.

I can't quite get the image out of my head of that female ninja…Kunoichi (or so Yumi reminds me) was looking at us with such hostility…I'm convinced we haven't seen the last of her, and I wonder when she'll next be paying us a visit? A ninja is supposed to be a pretty nasty enemy to have arrayed against you, and they don't always strike in a nice, neat and honorable manner, so we're all going to have to be on our guard until this matter is resolved between us…not that I can blame her for being a bit upset that Gramps blew up her place. You'd think for once somebody would go after Happosai instead of tarring us all with the same brushstroke, but I guess the term "Damned by Association" applies to us Tendos as well as Hibikis, Kuonjis and Saotomes.

I should amend here that Kasumi elected to accept Kodachi's invitation to spend another night at the family mansion, and provided the both of them can avoid having a clash with her older brother, I guess they'll be all right (Don't even wanna go there, remembering what happened the last time I convinced Ranma and Shampoo to help me crash one of their "parties").

One other thing does trouble me, though…Cologne is back in town after having spent the past two weeks with her kinfolk, the Masakis, but I'm a little surprised we didn't see her later on as she had seemed oddly distracted about something. I don't know quite why but I have a funny feeling about her, like she's about to go up against something personally traumatic, but I suppose I'm just letting my imagination run away with me on that front. I mean, after all, she's arguably the toughest warrior in all of China, probably Japan as well, so what could possibly be too much for her to handle? I sure wouldn't want to meet the guy who could give her a tough time, and she'll probably be dancing on all of our graves when we're long since dead and ashes.

At least for Shampoo's sake I hope that is the case…I don't know quite why but I still have this odd sense that the "Old Woman" is headed for something of a crisis, and I'm wondering if this might have anything to do with Lotion's curious absence as I haven't seen my mentor since we found out about the possible loss of the dojo. Could it be that there really is something major brewing in the background, and if there is, then who exactly (besides Cybelle) is behind this?

I don't really know, and that's the thing I that makes me nervous…or appreciably more nervous than my impending marriage to Ranma…

"Is there, Great-Grandmother," Ling-Ling nodded to the innocuous looking building that lay across the street from where they were perching on the rooftops.

"Is where we see strangers go," Lung-Lung agreed, "And strange woman with facial markings."

"I see," Cologne said gravely, "You have done well to come find me, little ones. I can feel the aura surrounding this place…it is definitely her. Somehow she has won her freedom and is now loose to sew her mischief here in Nerima."

"Who is, Great-Grandmother?" Ling-Ling asked.

"Is great enemy to Amazons?" Lung-Lung echoed.

"Perhaps one of the greatest enemies we have known, short of the Musk Dynasty itself," Cologne replied, turning to regard her two young charges, "You are to return to the restaurant and wait until your mother and older sister get back home. Do not give them any details, but tell them I will detained by official business."

The twins exchanged looks and then Ling-Ling looked questioningly towards their Elder, "You is going to face enemy alone, Great-Grandmother?"

"Is wise to face great enemy and no inform Mother?" Lung-Lung added.

"You are good children and fine warriors," Cologne informed them proudly, "One day you will make our people proud of the both of you…but for now you are no match for the being who resides within this stronghold. No one else can hope to face her and come away the victor but myself, for I have faced her before and lived to tell about it…"

"No one you say?" a familiar voice softly inquired as a figure stepped out from the shadows, "I think I've just been insulted."

There was a simultaneous gasp from the twins, but Cologne just turned tired eyes towards the blonde figure in the warm-weather attire and said, "I have no time for this, Siren. If you are here, you no doubt know the one whom now threatens our future. I am going and that is final…"

"I know you are," Siren said as she put hands to hips, "You never back down from anything, which is why I'm coming along with you."

"Out of the question," Cologne said dismissively, "I trust you only slightly less than I do her…"

"Oh, now I am insulted," Siren made a face, "Admit it, Kho-chan, you don't have a prayer of facing her alone. You may be a great warrior, and your Juraian blood makes you more than formidable, but you're still mortal and human while she's ageless and powerful in ways that even I don't fully comprehend. You need me to back you up, and don't bother trying to deny it…"

"My decision stands as is," Cologne said tartly, "I am still your Matriarch, and I say you will stay out of this…"

"Oh, pardon me," Siren said sarcastically, "The great and powerful Cologne has spoken, let all bow down to her infinitesimal wisdom! Oh, sorry…did I say that I gave a damn about that or any other Council business? You can order me all you like, but you know that I'll do whatever I damned well please, and there is no way in hell that I am letting you face a foe this powerful by yourself."

Cologne's staff was in motion before the twins had even seen their Elder move, but Siren effortlessly caught the blunt end only inches from where it was poised to strike her on the chin. Siren's expression did not change as she said simply, "I am going with you whether you like it or not, and admit it to yourself, if no one else, just which of the two of us is better equipped to go up against an Oni of her standing."

Cologne's expression was hard, but after a moment she relented. She withdrew her staff and said, "Do whatever you like, but don't get in my way. This is personal between me and that…that woman…!"

"I wouldn't think of opposing you, Matriarch," Siren replied, "Or of coming between you and her, but the job of watching your back is the one I claim. I'd do it anyway, even if we weren't facing danger together."

Cologne gave a crusty snort to that while the twins just blinked their eyes and wisely chose to avoid attracting attention. Cologne remembered them anyway as she said, "Return to the restaurant and wait, children. I will report back after my business is concluded."

With that she leaped from the roof down to street level while Siren winked at the two girls and said, "Don't let her get to you, kids, her bark's worse than her bite, and I'm in a position to know about that."

With that she spot-teleported to the Matriarch's side, leaving two very confused young Amazons to exchange concerned expressions.

"Now then," Siren mused as she regarded the exterior, "Any thoughts on how we should mount our attack upon yon edifice, O' Mighty War Master?"

"There's no sense being subtle about it," Cologne said, "She's bound to know that we're here and will have had time enough to prepare her defenses."

"That's what worries me," Siren replied, "The element of surprise is not with us, and I can see how formidable her magical barriers have been erected. I doubt that even I could penetrate them with a straight on assault, and teleporting is out of the question. So is Windwalking and Dimensional shift, two specialties at which she is admittedly a master."

"No doubt she could shuttle us to wherever she wanted if we use magic to force our way in," Cologne deduced, "But her physical defenses appear soft, and for all that she has the strength of the Demon Tribes in her blood, she is no Hibiki when it comes to a straight-up fight."

"Don't be entirely too sure on that," Siren cautioned, "She may have been out of commission for close to three hundred years, but we don't know for a fact that she will be weakened by her long hibernation. It is true that her worship has subsided over the years, but she obviously still has access to a large source of raw magical energy, and her knowledge of the arcane arts exceeds even my own by a couple thousand years or so of experience…"

"I'm counting on her still being relatively weak due to her long incarceration," Cologne noted, "I am hoping that we do not face her at the height of her power or this fight will be a quick one, and over in a way not to our liking."

"That's what I've always loved about you, Kho-chan," Siren smiled, "You radiate the power of positive thinking. Might I suggest we use the direct approach, walk up to the door, ring the bell and ask if she is at home and might be kindly disposed to receive us?"

"What, resort to diplomacy?" Cologne lifted an eyebrow.

"It's called warfare by a different means," Siren replied, "We might be able to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution without an exchange of hostilities…"

"Even I would not sink so low," Cologne turned and regarded the building as though it had some something to offend her, "I lost a brother whom I loved because of that woman, and there is no way that I would believe that she will back down because we ask her nicely. I will go myself and confront the Oni in her lair, you can wait here and debate the wisdom of this all you want…"

"Try holding me back," Siren's green eyes glittered dangerously, "I double dare you."

"Fine then," Cologne sniffed and began moving forward, causing Siren to roll her eyes towards the heavens before shrugging her shoulders and falling into step behind her.

Cologne gathered her energies to herself and felt her father's legacy rising up to the surface, causing her exterior to change as her hair took on a more distinctly blue coloration, her robes melting away to be replaced by a Juraian battle suit as her staff took on the aspect of a far more lethal weapon. The wood that had come from one of the Trees of the Jurai reformed itself into a spear, one capable of slicing through the toughest battleship armor. By any extreme she was readying herself for a true life-or-death battle.

"Nice outfit," Siren said in approval, sparing a leer that would have brought a look of annoyance from her companion, who was too focused upon the exterior of the building to truly notice.

"DEMONESS!!!" Cologne cried as she raised her weapon high, "WE HAVE COME FOR YOU!!! PREPARE YOURSELF TO FACE THE WRATH OF AMAZON JUSTICE!!!"

"Well now," a voice heralded the appearance of a woman, who stepped out from the front door of the building and posed herself in a most provocative manner, "Isn't that a contradiction in terms? Hello Cologne-darling…long time no see."

"Ganglot…" the blue haired Matriarch whispered, then with a sudden surge of emotion she charged forward, her spear held high as she prepared to strike at the seemingly unprotected woman before her, "DIIIEEE!!!"

"Kho-chan, DON'T-!!!" Siren cried out in warning, rushing forward to try and intercept her.

Cologne lashed out with her spear and struck at Ganglot's image, only to shatter it like the shards of a giant mirror, which was exactly what it turned out to be as Cologne tumbled forward on her own momentum, Siren catching up at the last instant as the two of them suddenly found themselves drawn into the resulting void that opened up to receive them.

With an audible snapping noise something closed about them like the jaws of a steel trap, and then they found themselves in an entirely different setting that looked nothing like the streets of the city that they had left behind and instead had a quality that looked as if it had come right out of a painting.

"Uh oh," Siren said as she glanced around in alarm, her arms around Cologne's waist.

"Uh oh?" Cologne asked, "What just happened?"

"A Corealis trap," Siren said in hushed tones, "I was afraid she might use something like this, and now we've both stuck our foot in it. I think this time we really are in trouble."

"An excellent and astute deduction," the voice of Ganglot announced as her face suddenly filled the sky amidst their panoramic surroundings, , "Worthy of an Archmage of the Joketsuzoku. You fully live up to my expectations for you both, especially in the way you acted…almost predictable when you come down to it, for which I do admit to being a little bit disappointed."

"What have you done to us, Demon?" Cologne demanded, becoming aware that Siren had yet to release her, to which she turned an annoyed glare over her shoulder, "Do you mind?"

"Oh, not at all, thank you for asking," Siren replied with no sign of wanting to move her hands from where they were positioned, "What do you want with us, Oni?"

"What have I done?" Ganglot leered, "Why, I've trapped the both of your together, and such a lovely couple you are, if I do say so myself. As to what I want…well, that would all depend. Obviously I don't want either of you to attack me, but I can hardly expect Cologne to change her opinion of me overnight, so for now I must reluctantly restrain you."

"Restrain us?" Cologne frowned, "Never!"

"Er…" Siren said more reluctantly, "Actually…she may have us there. A Corealis trap is rather easy to get into, hard as hell to break out of, mainly because it turns your own power against you. Wizards use them to snare really powerful beings when we want to make them tractable. Even gods would have a problem escaping one of these without some help from the outside…"

"Excellent, you summarize it so nicely," Ganglot applauded, "I don't mean to hold you there forever, of course, but long enough that you won't get in the way…well…that all depends on you, I'm afraid. As long as Cologne here views me as her mortal enemy she's bound and determined to be a thorn in my side, and that simply will not do as long as my wayward daughter-in-law is at large and intent on working her own brand of evil mischief."

"You think there is any difference between the two of you to me?" Cologne snarled, "You killed my brother!"

"Oh, get a grip on it already," Ganglot bared fangs, "You know that isn't true, and if I really were the insidious pest you think I am I would destroy you for even suggesting such a thing. I loved your brother, he was everything in the world to me. You think you had a monopoly on grief when he died? I died myself when he was lost to that battle! Get over yourself and stop blaming me for all your mistakes and problems, not least of them being Happosai himself! Now, if it's all the same to you, I'll leave you two lovebirds to get better acquainted. I have a family reunion to get back to and I've wasted enough time on a spoiled little girl who complains that life doesn't always treat her nicely."

"How dare you speak that way to me!" Cologne railed, "Mark me well, I will escape from here, and when I do…!"

"You know, I seem to recall using almost the exact same words when you locked me into my temple," Ganglot's golden eyes glinted with hard amusement, "It bites doesn't it? What comes around goes around and all that…but cheer up, I'm sure in three hundred years or so you'll find some kindly soul who would be willing to free you. I trust that in that time you both might learn to behave yourselves, just as I did?"

"Three hundred years…" Siren blinked her eyes, then smiled as she glanced down at the woman whom she was still embracing, "Together?"

"Thank me later," Ganglot winked, even as a look of alarm began to cross the Matriarch's lovely features, "Au revoire and all that, Darlings…I trust you will be in a better mood when I check in on you later."

The Oni's face vanished from the skylight, and Cologne found herself still in the embrace of an amorous Sorceress whose raw power greatly exceeded her own, to which her eyes grew round and she cried out, "HEEELLLP!"

"I'd be glad to," Siren chuckled.

Ganglot chuckled too as she set the crystal ball-shaped ornament onto a podium mount that had been prepared to properly house it. She had no doubt the Archmage would work her spell upon the hard hearted (and hard-headed) Matriarch to get her off her high horse so that she might learn to behave in a manner that was more-or-less human. She would keep tabs on their progress just in case, but at least she had averted one more potential threat to her plans. With any luck she might even get Cologne to see reason, though fore that a longer stay than was practical would probably be needed.

She turned to the painting that hung from the wall and stepped through the canvas surface into the pocket dimension that she had kept separated from the material world, appearing in what seemed like a comfortable house-like setting. To all appearances it seemed like a study set inside a mansion complete with large windows opening out on a panoramic English countryside, and sitting around in chairs were a number of people, not least of whom was her son and his descendants. Julian and Romeo came in and out of the room bearing trays of food, drink and other refreshments even as Ryomi was chatting away with Akiko as though the two of them were old friends rather than recent acquaintances. Naomi looked up as Ganglot seemed to walk right out of one wall and her expression was poignant, but other than this she seemed too shell-shocked to protest, having had one too many surprised dropped on her in gradual succession.

"Sorry everyone," Ganglot said like the cheerful hostess that she was, "Personal business called me away, but nothing to be too upset about. I trust everyone is feeling comfortable? Are there any needs that are not being attended?"

"Yo, Sheila," said a Hibiki with a distinctly Australian accent, a rough looking customer from the Queensland Outback, "'Ow 'bout y'run by me agin' this bit 'bout us all bein' related? That'n fetch me another brewsky, luv."

"How about get it yourself?" Ryomi snapped.

"Now Ryo-chan," Ganglot chided, "That's no way to treat a relative. I'm sure Hogan-san meant that as a request in the politest terms of his society. Besides, you're the only one here who has a key to the bar."

"All right," Ryomi rolled her eyes and got up from her chair, pleased to note the arrows appeared in the air steering her towards the right article of furniture when she said the word, "Bar please."

"This place is incredible," a bespeckled woman with light brown hair remarked as she surveyed the books lining the shelves, selecting one and opening the cover, "Not only are these books incredibly real but they even have writing on the inside…"

"The books you see have been downloaded from their Akashik templates and recreated here with as much reality as the furniture and ceiling," Ganglot explained, "Consider this like a Hologram with form and substance, all the better to create an atmosphere of comfort for this first-ever family meeting of the clan of the Hibikis. We're still short a few members…about half of those who comprise the overall party, but that's not really too surprising since my son and his heirs all share a similar handicap with directions."

"I don't have a problem with directions," Akiko insisted, and when others looked her way she added more defensively, "I always know where I am…it's just the rest of the world tends to get a bit disordered."

"Makes sense t'me," drawled a Cowboy-like figure as he adjusted his Stetson hat, "Out on the range an old Sod like me don't need to know where ah'm goin'…just as long as I get there sooner or later."

"Verdammit!" swore a redheaded girl with a quite unmistakable Austrian accent, "Does no one care but me that we have been kidnapped to some…fantasy castle out in the middle of who knows where we are being held against our will?"

"My apologies once again, Frauline Langley," Ganglot nodded, "I won't detain any of you any longer than absolutely necessary, but I have to impress upon you all the danger that confronts all of my son's offspring from the threat posed by Cybelle, our mutual enemy…" she paused to regard the man who was her son and added, "You do remember her, don't you, Razor-chan?"

"Ah…" the handsome man frowned, "Could you give me a hint again? Who are you?"

"Ah geez, Gramps," Ryomi chided as she came back with a couple of bottles, handing one to Akiko, then tossing another to the man called Hogan, "It's like we told you about a dozen times already!"

"I can't say I find it impossible to believe that we might be related," a younger yet still handsome man remarked, "But I still don't know about this. Are you sure he's my grandfather?"

"What do you think Ryonnosuke?" Ganglot asked of this fellow, who normally patrolled within the range of a certain forest, "That is your name, is it not?"

"Ah…" the youth blinked his eyes then said, "I think so…"

"I rest my case," Ganglot rolled her eyes, "This is going to take a lot of work, but I think we'll be able to work together rather well once we learn more about the common ties we share."

"I…don't mean to be a wet blanket," Naomi set her tea down on a table, "But will this meeting be ending anytime soon? I need to get back to my daughter…"

"Not to worry," Ganglot gave a thumb's up sign, "I plan ahead for such things, as you will see if you cast your gaze to your right."

"Eh?" Naomi blinked, only to see a section of wall begin to ripple, and through the shimmering space stepped Kento and little Rachael.

"Mommy!" the girl cried in childish delight as she rushed forward with her arms spread wide to embrace the astonished Naomi.

"Rachael?" Naomi was on her knees at once and sharing the embrace with tears in her eyes, relief flooding through her.

"Nakamura-san?" Kento expressed his surprise, "I got your call and came down like you asked…only…what is this strange place…and who are you, lady?"

"A friend," Ganglot assured him, "With no ties whatsoever to the Netherverse, I assure you."

"A call?" Naomi looked up from where she was hugging her daughter, "I didn't make any call or give you any instructions…"

"Ah, that would be my doing," Ganglot raised a hand, "I took the liberty of placing that call for you. I hoped you wouldn't mind seeing as it was for a good cause, making certain your daughter and bodyguard are included in my field of protection."

"That was you?" Kento blinked, "You sounded just like Nakamura-san. Are you sure you're not related to a guy named Dais?"

"Positive," Ganglot replied, "Well, now that this meeting is getting closer to being underway, I suppose we can start with the slide-show, or would you prefer the Video presentation? I know some of you will have trouble with some of the finer details…and a few may not even remember this five minutes after you hear the presentation, so please hold your questions until the end, please? It would be distracting being asked the same thing over and over again, and I'd like to conclude this meeting in an orderly manner."

"What about bathroom breaks?" Akiko asked.

"If you need to go just raise your hand," Ganglot replied, "Ryo-chan will escort you to and from the privy. Of course if you wish to go on your own, ask and the arrows will point the way. Now, are there any more questions?"

Everyone raised their hand except for Razor, who blinked his eyes and said, "What are we talking about here?"

Ganglot heaved a sighed, "Here we go again, and please remember, Son, this is for the sake of your children, their children, and the children yet to be born well into the future."

"Oh," Razor nodded, "I understand…I think."

"Anybody have some Ginseng?" Akiko asked of the gathering.

"How about some Memo pads?"

"I vote for flash cards."

"Ey, maybe th'ol boy oughta hold his piece 'til its over?"

"What was the question again?"

"I wonder if Zeus ever has centuries like these?" Ganglot rolled her eyes to the ceiling, knowing full well that it was, after all, a rhetorical question…

Continued

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