Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Two Wallets ❯ Duck Blinded ( Chapter 85 )

A Tale of Two Wallets

(An Altered Destiny)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Cybelle prided herself as a patient Demon Sorceress, one who could bide her time and learn from unfortunate set-backs, (such as that minor fiasco with the Combat Lawyers) but now she was finding herself growing intensely eager with anticipation of her latest capital venture. Her unsuspecting pawn was proving to be a most reliable resource for a project so far-reaching and monumentally ambitious that it was almost breathtaking, and the fool did not even have a clue as to the true scope of the eventual program.

The demoness smiled as she regarded the many monitor screens that decorated her abode, giving her access to virtually every part of the globe where a dozen other ventures were showing similar results that might one day all come together for the eventual final program. Generations of investment in time, money and energy would be needed before Cybelle was ready to undertake her schemes for humanity, at which point she would the unstoppable force ruling over all with an electronic fist that might one day be clenched in flesh, metal and plastics.

Oh true there were currently several highly successful programs that had turned out results much to her liking, but none yet showed as much promise as this Shohan project that she had more recently conceived and put into production. The NK series Android was a nice working prototype but had the handicap of relying upon organic tissues in the central processing unit, in effect a Cyborg. The even more interesting bit of serendipity that had led to the creation of Marie had demonstrated the feasibility of an entirely artificial integrated system, but that too had many unsatisfactory limitations. What Cybelle needed was a totally independent and self-maintaining unit that could function on multiple levels while maintaining a link between both the artificial and organic worlds, and as yet the technology for this did not exist in anything but the most rudimentary stages. Cybelle needed a body that would not suffer from her own present limitations, one that would give unlimited power at her command without interfering with her ability to work magic, but the closest that she had yet come to achieving this was the ill-fated Genocyber unit that had gone rogue and demolished her facilities upon that Singapore Islet.

Ah well, she mused, that was for the future. Though some would believe that her aim of creating a hybrid body that had both human, demon and cybernetic potential was a little too ambitious, the prospect of achieving true freedom from her present incarceration was just too tempting to pass up. The critical interface would be in learning to adapt Juraian and Oni technologies so that she could maintain linkage to her tree while still being able to tap into its vast stores of cosmic energy. The problem was that even the best minds on Earth had so far proven unable to achieve this.

Well, she mused…Rome wasn't conquered in a day and she had plenty of time to conduct the necessary research, for which she required new testing facilities that could explore different avenues and further her aims towards the eventual program. When-NOT IF-she achieved her ambitions then she could rule a substantial portion of the mortal world as a virtual goddess, displacing the real goddesses as her mundane powers increased proportional to her knowledge. With independent movement and the resources of the World Economies at her disposal she could really shape things on Earth to her liking.

At least Tatewaki-kun was proving adept at securing the real estate that Cybelle was most after, all save for a few choice pieces of property, like the Tendo dojo, so tantalizingly out of reach of her agents. Time was on her side, of course, but she could not wait to relish the misery that would be inflicted upon Tendo Soun when he and his family were evicted. It would sooth her ruffled ego to no end to discomfort those who in the past had proven so annoying, but to this end she had begun to think of a truly wicked plan, having recently come across a bit of information regarding a certain fellow who might do the job for her quite nicely.

Cybelle hated to fall into stereotypical patterns of any sort, but at the moment she felt the strong urge to give vent to a classic villainous laugh as she thought of all the wicked ways in which she could torment those who opposed her. Her plans were nearly foolproof, taking advantage of key psychological factors such as the egos of the various players. In due course she could move beyond petty harassment to outright malevolent glory, but that still required that she move cautiously and not tip her hand too much in advance. There were a few among the enemy camp who might prove more troublesome than the rest combined and it would not do to underestimate those particular players, especially considering the resources that were yet at their disposal.

Her amused reflections were cut short as a light went off on one of her monitoring devices, and as Cybelle turned to regard this screen she sensed that something was truly amiss, and her sensors located the source of the anomaly as having originated in China. Concern caused her to expand the screen of this particular monitor, and then she point-and-click accessed through the registry until she had isolated the source of the problem.

A certain temple hidden within the Bayankallah mountain range appeared before her scrutiny, and without even needing to run a diagnostic, Cybelle could sense that the Ward Seals had been broken.

Ganglot? After all this time? Cybelle was suddenly quite concerned regarding the discovery that her ancient mother-in-law had somehow stirred from her crypt and was now fully awake and no doubt somewhere loose in China. If there was any being under Heaven whom Cybelle had cause to fear, it was the fearsome Oni Princess who had given Happosai his start and was the author of much mischief that sometimes afflicted the best laid plans of both gods and demons. Ganglot's powers had exceeded her own in the days before the Amazon Elders had sealed her away within her temple, and while Cybelle had grown in strength since then she did not relish a rematch that might come close to testing her full potential.

All right, Cybelle thought to herself, calm down, nothing to panic about. She's powerful but like me she has some annoying limits, such as the length of time that she can expend in the world away from her temple, which was the source of her power, much like Cybelle's tree prison. That limited the range at which Ganglot could operate effectively, and Cybelle doubted that the Oni could make it all the way to Japan from China.

That is…unless Ganglot had found a way around her peculiar limitation…

Cybelle frowned as she studied the pyramid-shaped temple once again, then she keyed in a Search program, called up a diagnostic file and used it to conduct an analysis of the temple structure. After less than a minute the program concluded its comparative analysis to the current temple and the one Cybelle kept on file, and as she had feared there was a definite change in the layout, owing to the fact that a single stone had been removed from its setting.

A five-ton block of stone that had formerly stood at the pyramid's apex.

"I don't believe it," Cybelle murmured to no one in particular, "How in the name of Carl Macek did she transport a thing like that out of China?"

And then a worse scenario thought occurred to the Demon Sorceress…where did Ganglot intend to go with her Hearth Stone, and what did she ultimately intend to do when she got there…?

"Ah," Ganglot smiled as she surveyed the interior of a studio in the downtown Furinkan area, relishing the size and feel of the place, which tasted to her so much of the sweet scent of freedom, "My new home away from home at last! Good thing I picked up the lease before my daughter-in-law found out it was on the market. This will be so nice to set up shop in…" she did a pirouette and laughed like a carefree child before turning and selecting a good spot that had all of the right vibrations.

"Yes," she said, "This will do nicely. Put it down there…and do be gentle about it, Ju-Lan dear."

The scholarly Amazon youth stared straight ahead like a zombie as he held up the huge block of rough-hewn stone with both hands, easily carrying it as though the basalt rock was as light as the proverbial feather. He set down the stone with the ease that one might handle a cardboard box, even though the object itself was sixty times as massive as his own bodyweight, yet when he set it down there was an audible 'THUNK" that betrayed its all-too-solid nature. The Amazon male then stood back and continued to stare ahead without the least bit of emotion in his features as though unaware of his own feat, a puppet awaiting further instructions from his Mistress.

"Hmm…" Ganglot studied the block until she was satisfied that it was correctly aligned with the proper forces, and then she smiled seductively at the unblinking youth and said, "Very good…you've both fulfilled your part of the bargain, and now I will do likewise."

So saying, Ganglot raised her arms and suddenly her image blurred, then separated into two very different components. The Oni herself stood to one side as the figure of Ro-Mano remained poised like a Grecian statue, only to blink her eyes a moment later, then look around with a most peculiar expression. As the Amazon girl slowly came back to an awareness of herself, Ganglot snapped her fingers, and suddenly the male Amazon blinked his eyes and began to do likewise.

"W-Wh-where…?" Ro-Mano gasped in bewilderment.

"Welcome to your new home," Ganglot said, "Which also happens to be my new citadel of power. You are no longer in Amazon controlled territories, or even China itself for that matter. You are in a country known as Japan, which is across the Eastern Sea off the coast of the mainland, and I have transported you both here beyond the reach of your family elders…exactly as I said that I would do."

"You brought us to a foreign country?" Ju-Lan blinked his eyes, "Why don't I remember…?"

"A necessary side-effect of the transportation process," Ganglot explained, "Don't trouble yourself with the details, the important thing is that you both are now free to pursue a life together, if that is what you ultimately desire."

"You say we are free of the Elders of our two families," Ro-Mano said in suspicion, "But what of you? Are we bound to you now as your personal slaves?"

"Abyss, no," Ganglot chuckled, as if having anticipated this very question, "You two were only bound to me for the purposes of a wish, which I have now granted you precisely to the letter. You can leave at any time that you will, I won't hold you against your own wishes. That's now the way that I prefer to operate, so if you desire to leave, by all means, the door is that way."

"Truly?" Ju-Lan asked, "You'll let us go…just like that?"

"It is to you that I have to thank for my own freedom," Ganglot replied, "Fair is fair after all…and as I would not be a slave, nor do I have any wish to be a slaver. You need not bother with petty details such as a language barrier or a shortage of money. I have instilled a full comprehension of the Japanese language in both of your minds and have secured a sufficient amount of petty cash that you now carry in your belt-pouches. Should you wish to buy passage back to China, that will be within your power. However I rather think you both could stay and enjoy the climate here…with less chance of anyone back home becoming the wiser."

"But…what will we do with ourselves?" Ro-Mano asked.

"We know nothing of the customs of Japan," Ju-Lan agreed, "What I know of the place has been gleaned from ancient scrolls and modern textbooks…"

"Not my concern," Ganglot replied, adding with an oblique smile, "Of course…if it were employment that you were seeking, I might be able to work something out with the both of you, provided you were willing to come to work for me as an employer."

"Employer?" Ro-Mano took a moment to let the word filter through the interpretive powers of her sub-conscious, and then she bristled, "Are you claiming that I would hire myself out like a common mercenary? A warrior of the Joketsuzoku in the employment of a Demon Oni?"

"Suit yourself," Ganglot replied, "But the offer is still open if you wish to take it. As I said the door is that way, so if you will both excuse me, I have a lot of work to do fixing up this place before it's ready to be opened to the public."

"What do you intend to do?" Ju-Lan asked, pausing before adding with a bit more caution, "Ah…if you don't mind my asking, that is…"

"Not at all," Ganglot grinned, "I'm going to open up a private Art Gallery and sell lithographic paintings to the general public. I've always had a passion for Neo-classical realism, though there are times when I've flirted with modern Impressionism of the Post-Picasso era. I rather fancy panting lyrical landscapes that use a great deal of color to dazzle the eye and inspire the imaginations of people, rather like that charming fellow, Van Gogh, but with a touch more of the sensuality of his ex-Roomie, Gogan…" she paused to study their blank-eyed expressions and said, "But then you wouldn't know anything of what I am talking about, would you?"

Both Amazon youths should their heads negatively, the translation programs in their heads failing to place the names to faces that they could relate to, let along grasp more than the basic concept that this Demoness was intending to sell artwork.

"Well, don't worry your pretty heads about it," Ganglot smiled, "All that matters is that I am here and I can finally pursue a lifelong ambition. You have given me the gift of my personal freedom, and now you can enjoy the fruits of your labors with my blessings."

"Ah…excuse me," Ju-Lan said, "But you are a demon, are you not?"

"So what was your first hint?" the golden skinned beauty grinned back, revealing her pronounced canines, "But not to worry, I'm not one of those demons who spurt blood, fire and pea soup, I'm a Wish Oni, which means I'm closer to being an ogre than a full demon…an Ogre Mage, if you will, one who grants wishes to deserving mortals."

"A wish Oni?" Ro-Mano replied, "But…why did you help us out?"

"Because I needed a favor, and I was in a position to grant one," Ganglot answered, "Besides, you two remind me of another young couple I knew from a long time ago…even had similar names to yours and everything, but things didn't turn out very well in the end, so I'm hoping to do better this time around on the wheel of karma. There's far too much tragedy in the world, if you ask me, and not enough comedy, so I do what I can to help out by…stirring up the pot a little."

"We owe you a debt for helping us just the same," Ju-Lan replied, hesitating before adding, "Do you think the people of this…Japan…could use a good farmer?"

"More than that," Ganglot smiled, "A talented scholar such as you would make a find prize once you start exploring the college circuit. I could give you a recommendation for some competent history professors who might value taking you on as an apprentice, seeing as how you can now speak more than one language and read and speak Japanese without difficulty."

"School?" Ro-Mano asked, "But school is for children…"

"I don't mean to be the one to point out the painfully obvious," Ganglot noted with wry humor, "But the both of you are not exactly senior citizens, and most Japanese children your age are even now attending classes, and Warrior training is not quite as vital here for survival."

"What kind of barbarous place have you taken us to?" Ro-Mano demanded before turning about on one heel and saying, "Come on, Ju-Lan, we're leaving!"

"Wait," the boy said, "Do you mean to say that the Elders here actually encourage us to get an edu-CATION?!?" he gasped as Ro-Mano seized him by the arm and all but dragged him away, muttering under her breath that his obsession with learning was unhealthy.

Ganglot smiled as she watched the Amazon youths take their leave of her new domicile. Give them a half an hour, maybe an hour tops, then she would perform a scrying spell and see what sort of trouble the pair of them got into. She would bail them out, naturally, and then stress the need for the pair of them to keep a low profile, and when she was done outlining the potential lists of dangers she would propose to them again her offer of employment, confident that the girl would at least be in a more cooperative state of mind, while the boy was already half-sold upon the concept.

"Nice kids," she grinned, "Good help like that is so hard to come by these days…"

It was by merging with the girl that she had been able to move beyond the wards that had sealed her into her temple grounds, and the boy had transported her Hearthstone with the help of some magically boosted strength, coupled with the localized cancellation of gravity upon its overall mass, so now she no longer needed to make frequent visits to her temple in order to get a recharge. So long as she rested within the stone periodically Ganglot would be at her full power, and thus be free to act amid the world of mortals, and a good thing too considering what all she had sensed was converging on this place called Nerima.

Though her body had slept away the centuries, her mind had remained active and her spirit had kept itself busy by studying the world at large as it changed and evolved all around her. By learning to tune into the ever shifting patterns of Akashik logic emanating from Yggdrasil, Ganglot had managed to keep relevant to the times and so was not quite the helpless fossil that her wardens had anticipated…but if they were intending to keep her isolated they should have severed her links to the world computer, let alone used a programming language that she could so easily tap into in order to create a new password.

Things were in motion all right, and it centered around her son and his ex-wife, Ganglot's unfortunate daughter-in-law and all around pest, Cybelle, who had been actively plotting mischief, and centering it around both Atsuko and Ryoga. Ganglot had never actually laid eyes upon her great grandson and heir to the proud line of the Hibikis, but she knew enough about the boy already to feel a touch of familiar pride, and no way was she allowing that Iron Witch to harm him!

But that was for the future…in the present she had a studio to set up and art to create, and her passions had been fired with new inspiration. Once she was done converting the place into a livable chamber she would get to work making all the appropriate contacts whose name she had researched on the Worldwide Web database. She had lost so much time already due to the instigation of Amazon malice, and no way was she being left out of these fresh and exciting times that she had so longed to be a part of. Ganglot thrived on the dynamic energies of chaotic and unpredictable mortals and had so longed to be a part of the world once again, and no one was gong to deny her destiny! The world of Art was waiting to receive her newest masterpieces, and once she had begun setting brushstroke to canvas they would know and respect her genius.

Ganglot the Oni had arrived on the scene and nothing would be the same again, of that there was absolutely no denying…

"I see," said Tatewaki as he surveyed the broken lockers, "And you are certain that these are the only samples that were taken?"

Hai, Kuno-sama," the head of the security detail bowed like a true samurai facing his lord and master, "We have conducted an inventory and determined that the perpetrator only made away with those vials already listed. The rest of the collection is untouched and intact. We suspect he may not have had enough time to take more than what he gathered…"

"Be assured," Kuno mused, "If that one had a mind to take the entire inventory he could well have done so. I went to a considerable degree of trouble and expense to gather these samples for our new research facility to examine. One of those sent to obtain these samples was even fool enough to get himself cursed, so I trust that I do not need to stress to you the importance of safeguarding the rest of the stock, Captain?"

"Hai!" the Captain snapped to attention, though his eyes uncomfortably wandered over towards the holding cage that currently housed the luckless member of the research party in question. Who would ever have imagined that there was such a thing as the "Spring of the Drowned Aardvark?" But there was the unmistakable evidence of the efficacy of the cursed water, and so might well be the fate of any other who dared to fail or displease the Lord Kuno.

"Very well," Tatewaki said, "We shall overlook this one incident…for now, but be mindful that there is not a repeat of this transgression. Should any other vial of water turn up missing before our lab people have a chance to examine it, then you, dear Captain, will feel the full wrath of my displeasure. Is that understood?"

"Hai!" replied the Captain, his spine as stiff as a board though his knees came close to shaking at the prospect of winding up in a different shape than nature had intended.

"You are dismissed," Tatewaki said, turning around without even seeing if his order had been followed, trusting the security man to know his proper place. Instead he turned to his Chief Lab researcher, a man named Ikari Gendou, who was eyeing him with ill-conceived amusement.

"You have identified which vials were taken?" Tatewaki asked of the sly looking genius.

"Just these, sir," Ikari handed over a list, then added as if slyly to a companion, "You were unduly merciful with that wretch. I half expected you to can his sorry ass."

"It is a poor weapons smith who blames his tools for his own failures," Tatewaki replied, "I should have anticipated that the half-blind fool would try something of this nature. After all, he had been a little too cooperative in telling us all that he knew about Jusenkyo and its accursed water."

"Love has addled his wits," Ikari noted in a moment of rare philosophical introspection, "It drives many a strong or otherwise intelligent man to do things that normally would be outside his nature."

"Indeed," Tatewaki replied, "And perhaps that is why I don't harbor darker resentments towards him. Mou-Tsu has been ill favored by the God of Love since early childhood, and as someone who has been where he now is I am understanding. If anything I berate myself for underestimating his tenacity as I might well have done the same were I in his position."

"It's hard to imagine you as the lovesick puppy type," Ikari noted, not adding that he was very impressed by the boy's maturity and self-restraint, as used as he was to having to deal with that maniac, the boy's father.

"You would do well not to imagine it, for it was not a happy episode of my existence," Tatewaki replied, then quirking a smile as he said, "He took this particular vial? The others I could well understand, but this one?"

"I believe he mentioned something about seeing justice done to a wretched Cur," Ikari noted, "You don't suppose this was what he had in mind, do you?"

"Hmmm…" Tatewaki thought a moment, "On second thought his choice does make a kind of sense, given the nature of his obsession. Use a curse to play off of a curse, pit instinct against desire…yes, I see a strategy at work, designs within designs, a pattern. This should be interesting to see played out. Perhaps for now we will do nothing more but to sit back and observe, and only act when the time comes to teach Mou-Tsu not to cross Kuno Tatewaki."

"Fortunately we have lots of extra samples of the water he took," Ikari noted, "Do you want us to proceed ahead with the transfer?"

"With all due haste," Kuno replied as he tapped the older man on the chest with the papers that he was holding, "Thanks to my adoring sister's cooperation we should be able to merge our Pharmaceutical labs with our advanced chemical testing facilities in order to discover what there is in these waters that gives them their efficacious powers. There are so many potential breakthroughs that could result from this discovery, and I am eager to read the reports as soon as the testing phase has commenced."

"I'll admit as a scientist that I'm a little troubled about the implications for matter-energy conservation and the restructuring of molecular matter," Ikari mused with his usual thoughtful expression, "From all we ever knew on these subjects, what this cursed water does should be considered impossible, and yet with my own eyes I have witnessed this very impossibility be demonstrated." The man paused before continuing, "You believe that Mousse character used us to obtain the samples he needed, and that is the reason he told you all about the water in the first place?"

"You heard what the Jusenkyo Guide said about the legend of these waters," Tatewaki replied, "That those once cursed cannot find their way back to Jusenkyo on their own power…that something prevents them from returning in order to obtain the cure of a second dousing. Mou-Tsu must have learned this the hard way when he sought to find his way back to obtain more on his own power. The fool had unintentionally cursed Tendo Akane but learned that the actual target of his attack had subsequently gone to China and had obtained her own samples. By this means was Hibiki Ryoga cured of his own curse, proving the effectiveness of being doused with the appropriate waters."

"I see," Ikari admitted, "Then the fool played his hand well…but why do you want to him proceed with his plans uninterrupted?"

"Because his past failures lead me to suspect that he will not prevail on this occasion any better than the last," Tatewaki replied, "But the fallout of his mischief is always interesting to study, and you never know what interesting developments may result from this…field study of cursed water under actual field conditions."

"I see," Ikari did smile this time, "And if the fool gets lucky and happens to nail the Saotome boy as he intends?"

"It would be a most unfortunate development," Tatewaki returned the smile, "Either way the results should prove to be…most entertaining…"

The first thing Ukyo noticed when she regained consciousness was that she felt warm and snug between soft bedsheets and that the mattress felt a good deal softer than a tamati. The sheets also smelled so fresh and nice, like someone had used a good fabric softener to give them a clean, wholesome scent, which was only mildly flavored with the pleasant musk-perfume of Makoto's own body…

Of…Makoto's body?

Ukyo's eyes flew wide open and she hastily looked around, finding herself in the master bedroom of an unfamiliar house and not her own Spartan room overlooking her new restaurant. This discovery in no way reassured her, so Ukyo sat partway upright, only to discover to her further dismay that she was wearing a negligee, something she had never consciously imagined herself using in this life!

But how? Could she…? But she…and she was still a girl! And she didn't remember anything from the night before that would even HINT of something like this having happened!

"Oh good, you're awake at last, Sleepy head."

Ukyo turned to see Makoto entering the room holding up a tray in her hands, dressed only in a bathrobe with her hair done up in a towel.

"Gah-!" Ukyo grabbed the sheets and partially covered herself, her eyes as round as saucers as she tried desperately to think of a good explanation for what was happening. Only the rumbling in her stomach gave hint that she was aware of the breakfast Makoto was serving to her own bed, the rest of her was trying to think up a good reason not to panic or faint on the spot.

"And here I thought you ninja types were supposed to rise up before the sun or something," Makoto teased, "You've been sleeping in the entire morning."

"WHAT???" Ukyo nearly bolted from the bed, but her modesty kept her underneath the covers, "But I have classes this morning!"

"So did I, but I called in sick," Makoto informed her, "I called your aunt and she said she'd make arrangements with the school to give you the day off. From the way she talked you'd think we were doing something naughty, can you believe that?"

"A-A-A-ah…" Ukyo wilted slightly, "Did we?"

"What?" Makoto effected a slightly disappointed tone as she set the tray down on the bed and then plopped down besides Ukyo, "You don't remember? And here I thought it was such a memorable night, one that you know I won't be forgetting about anytime soon…"

"Huh?" Ukyo's voice was an octave higher than her usual tones, and her eyes were almost twice as wide as before, "But…I…we did? But…I don't…I can't…was it good?"

That latter question surprised Ukyo even as she said it, even more than the wink her friend paid to her as she leaned forward and in a sultry tone said, "What do you think?"

"Ah-ah-ah…er…" Ukyo racked her brain but could not come up with anything intelligent to say in response to that.

Fortunately for her peace of mind, Makoto leaned back and gave a soft chuckle as a broad grin crossed her face and she said, "Oh relax, Ucchan…nothing happened between us. You just fell asleep while we were talking, and we were talking well until three in the morning. You must have been exhausted because you slept like the dead…except for all the snoring you did, which is how I was able to tell you weren't a Youma."

"Snoring?" Ukyo's relief became outrage, "I don't snore!"

"The evidence says otherwise," Makoto held up a small hand-held tape recorder and pushed the "play" button, producing a noise that sounded like it had been recorded at a saw mill.

"But I…" Ukyo paused then said, "We really didn't do anything?"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Makoto leaned forward again.

"Er…no," Ukyo said sheepishly, "I'd never do that."

"Good," Makoto winked again, "Because if we really do make out in my bed I guarantee you'll never forget it…or you'd better not if you know what's good for you."

"Er…right," Ukyo smiled this time, feeling greatly cheered that something as significant as making out with another girl had not completely escaped her attention. Her relief was brief, however, as a different feeling replace it, a vague sense of disappointment as she looked into Makoto's lovely features and saw a friend whom she deeply cared about, not someone to be feared and certainly never avoided.

"Now that we've got that sorted out," Makoto said with a jaunty smile as she crossed her legs and bounced one foot over the knee of the other, not even minding that this caused the bottom part of her bathrobe to slide away and expose a generous portion of her thigh and crotch area, "Now's the time for us both to eat."

"Huh?" Ukyo's eyes were magnetized to the exposed area so that she completely missed the significance of the question.

"I mean the food I just cooked up, silly," Makoto's laughter was musical as she picked up a slice of toast and presented it to the lips of her friend, "Hope you like it…it's not okonomiyaki, but it's good for you, and I made sure to use your favorite jam this time, strawberry."

"Ah…oh," Ukyo hesitantly took a bite out of the toast, feeling odd to be fed this way instead of under her own power. Still the ambiance was surprisingly nice, and Makoto was obviously enjoying having her over to stay the night, so she reluctantly swallowed her pride and reservations and chewed down her bite full before taking the rest of the toast in her hands and feeding herself, which made her feel a bit less awkward about the situation.

After finishing off a bowl full of hot oatmeal and several slices of bacon, Ukyo paused to look at her friend and say, "You don't have to do this for me, you know. I could have cooked my own breakfast."

"But I like cooking for you," Makoto responded, pouting slightly, "Don't you like it?"

"Oh…sure, it's delicious," Ukyo immediately reassured her, "A Western style breakfast, huh?"

"I thought it would make a nice change of pace, and I'm always trying out new recipes," Makoto replied, "I was afraid you'd only like Japanese food…all you ever seem to eat is okonomiyaki."

"And what's wrong with okonomiyaki?" Ukyo responded archly.

"Nothing at all," Makoto replied, "You cook the best in Japan, even better than your aunt, but it isn't good to eat the same thing all of the time. You need a balanced diet."

"Hey, it's better than eating rice every morning," Ukyo countered, "I had to do that when I was training in the hills with my grandfather."

"You see what I mean?" Makoto asked, "You eat the same thing every day and it can affect your diet, and before too long it all begins to taste the same. You should be offering a more diverse menu at your restaurant…not that I'd stop making okonomiyaki since that is your recipe of choice."

"I'll have you know that I can cook up a hundred different types of okonomiyaki," Ukyo noted with a hint of professional pride in her voice, "And none of them ever get boring."

"That's because you're not a boring person," Makoto replied, "In fact you're about the most interesting person that I know…and I could never get tired of being around you."

There was an uncomfortable silence that hovered in the air after the taller girl said that, and Ukyo stared up into Makoto's green eyes reading the sincerity of her statement. It made her throat feel tight and her body began to feel warm all over.

"Uh…Mako-chan?" Ukyo began, then faltered.

"Yes?" Makoto leaned closer.

"Did you…undress me last night, or did I put this on myself?" Ukyo glanced down at her borrowed negligee.

It was Makoto's turn to color, and in a slightly defensive tone of voice she replied, "Well…it didn't seem right to put you to bed with your clothing on. All I did was pull things off and give you one of my older nighties. It doesn't really fit me any more, but it looks good on you…even better than it does on Minako."

Ukyo looked at her sharply and said, "You put this on her?"

"No," Makoto sounded slightly defensive, "I've let her use it when she was staying over for the night. The only thing is I never let her anywhere near the kitchen…she's such a walking disaster area in the morning, gah…" she rolled her yes in affectionate exasperation.

"You do like her, don't you?" Ukyo asked, "I'm jealous."

That brought another long pause when the two of them just stared at one another, but then Makoto lowered her eyes and said, "Senpai?"

"Yeah?" Ukyo asked hoarsely.

"Do you think…" she paused, then raised her gaze again and looked squarely into Ukyo's brown eyes, "Do you think it would be all right for me to come and work for you? I mean…running a place all by yourself is a big responsibility. I'm sure you can handle it, but…it would be nice if I could be your back-up chef in case you do decide to cook other things besides okonomiyaki."

"You…you want to cook for me?" Ukyo asked in wonder.

"I wouldn't cost you much," Makoto assured, "I don't really need the money, but I want to spend more time with you…I…want to contribute something. I can even learn to cook okonomiyaki as good as you, if you'll let me."

A slow smile crossed Ukyo's expression as she saw the hope and anxiety that warred within the eyes of her friend. Being trained to read the thoughts of others from the slightest hints and observations, she knew that Makoto's sense of well being was very fragile at this point and that any perceived rejection would be especially hurtful to her pride. In spike of all that Ukyo could not help smiling.

"You know," Ukyo replied, "I can think of a lot less enjoyable things than having you for my partner, Mako-chan. I hope you don't mind if I don't give you an immediate reply, I need to think it over. But…if you want to hang around with me…I wouldn't mind. Of course it's a long way from here to the Furinkan district…"

"I don't mind commuting," Makoto replied, "And if you have a place for me to stay, I could always take a guest room at your place."

"Wow," Ukyo noted, "You have thought this one out, haven't you?"

"I've missed you so much these last few years, Senpai," Makoto leaned closer again, "I don't want to lose you, especially to another woman."

"Akane," Ukyo said lopsidedly, "That's the other thing…I need to talk with her. I came to you first, but she's somebody who would be very hurt if I gave her the brush off. Also I need to do something about Tsubasa…"

"Funny how I'd forgotten all about him," Makoto mused, "He used to be a minor legend around Juuban, the Master of Disguise we called him, who could spy on just about anyone without being detected. How did somebody like that ever get it into his head that you were to be his love interest?"

"You got me on that one," Ukyo sighed, "I was dressed as a boy at the time, but somehow he spotted me out. He started coming onto me shortly after this, and when I tried to discourage him he took to cross-dressing. I guess maybe he thought I'd find it cute for him to play at being the opposite gender, like I was doing. Now he seems to have gotten it into his head that I really do like girls, and not just pretend ones like him."

"Gee, I'd never have guessed you were interested," Makoto said with mock surprise, "Does that mean we should rule out taking showers together?"

"Ah…huh?" Ukyo's mind suddenly filled with the curious image of Makoto in the showers, and she colored at the thought of this, realizing that the image was exciting her on a surprising level.

"Well, you need to take a shower anyway," Makoto made a point of sniffing Ukyo before holding her nose in a mock fashion, "You smell of sweat, and I'm going to have to clean the sheets."

"Oh, ah…" Ukyo faltered.

"I'm just kidding," Makoto patted Ukyo's arm, "Don't take everything I say so literally, Senpai, I just mean that you can take a shower if you want. I've already cleaned your clothing out and it's already dry enough for you to wear your outfit."

Ukyo blinked at these rapid shifts in her mental gears. Makoto was flirting with her on so many levels that it was becoming hard to keep her own thoughts straight.

"Of course," Makoto resumed, "You'd have to be taking a hot shower if you want to remain a girl…but if you took a cold shower, then I'd have to explain to the neighbors why I had a boy over in my bed. It's your choice, of course…but if we ever do take a cold shower together, I'll bet you could warm me up like one of Rei's fireballs. Just say the word and I'm at your disposal."

Now Ukyo was very glad that she was a girl, because if she were in her male form right then and there she just KNEW that she would have been experience the biggest hard-on of her life. As it was her breasts were poking hard nipples from underneath her nightie, and she still could not take her eyes off of Makoto. It actually frightened her to realize how much she was seriously tempted!

Much to Ukyo's dismay, Makoto got up off the bed and removed the half-finished plates that had been her breakfast, saying, "Go clean yourself up and we'll talk some more. Maybe I can help you out over that Tsubasa character…of course you're on your own when it comes to Akane."

Ukyo waited until the taller girl had left the room then murmured under her breath, "She's gonna drive me crazy if she keeps doing that…" but in spite of her words she found herself actually smiling at the prospect…

Ranma had almost caught up with Mousse by the time they reached the park area, at which point Mousse stopped running and held his ground, smiling confidently with his hands ominously concealed by the sleeves of his long robes.

Ranma alighted on the ground a few meters away from his opponent, careful not to rush this time into an obvious ambush. He intended to use greater caution this time than would normally be expected from him in a fight and think things through, just as Nabiki would do, rather than let himself be outsmarted by such an obsessive moron as the Chinese boy before him.

"Greetings for the last time, Saotome," Mousse smiled, "So nice of you to drop in."

"Can it, Mousse," Ranma snarled, "If this is about Shampoo then you can forget about it. She belongs with me now, and I'm not letting you bother her again!"

Mousse's expression darkened with anger, "You've despoiled her, you took from her that which rightfully belongs to me! You're a thief, Saotome! You don't deserve her, you never did! You never even wanted her until you found out you could have both her and your slut, Nabiki!"

"Don't call Nabiki that, you baka!" Ranma's anger flared, "You haven't any right to make claims on Shampoo or anyone else! She's told you a hundred times that she doesn't want you but all you do is try to force yourself on her, to take her choice away from her, because YOU are too selfish and self-centered to listen to anyone but your own stupid desires! Well it ain't gonna happen!"

"How dare you try and tell me what I don't deserve, Saotome!" Mousse cried in matching anger, "You don't know me at all! You've got no idea what I've lived through, how hard I've worked, how much I've suffered, the sacrifices I've made, all to win Shampoo for my wife, and once you're gone she'll be mine to claim…forever!"

"Listen to you," Ranma snorted, "What you suffered? What you've been through? Welcome to the club, buddy! You got no idea what I went through just to get to where I am, so if you wanna compared sob stories, go find another sucker, 'cause I ain't buying!"

"It's pointless to trade insults with you, Saotome," Mousse declared, "You signed your death warrant the day you crawled into Shampoo's bed and took her virtue! For that crime alone I will see you suffer before you beg me for death!"

"Oh man," Ranma shook his head, feeling his disgust turn into pity, "You've totally lost it! You think I had to do anything to force Shampoo to be my fiancée? Guess again! Besides, you've never once beaten me in a fair fight, so what are you gonna do now, bore me to death?"

"No," Mousse replied with a malevolent gleam in his eyes, "I've got a special kind of revenge in mind for you, Saotome, one tailor made to show you up for the weak and pathetic coward that you are! I'm going to see you burn in Hell for daring to come between me and my dreams, beginning with exposing you to your darkest, most forbidding fears…"

"I ain't afraid of nothing!" Ranma took a step forward, assuming a fighting couch as he prepared himself for any attack that Mousse might be planning.

"Oh no?" Mousse smiled confidently, and made a sudden gesture with his hands, but rather than hurl an attack Ranma's way the chains that shot out of his sleeves went sideways and wrapped themselves around two separate poles at opposite ends of the clearing. With a snap of both wrists he yanked these poles out of their moorings, which caused a number of bent over trees to snap upright, and all at once the ground beneath Ranma's feet sprang up around him, forming a cargo net before Ranma had time to escape its ensarement.

"WHAT?" Ranma cried as he fought to free himself from the sudden upset, finding himself being hauled into the air like the proverbial sack of rice, having to fight to work free against strong ropes that trapped him up in their embrace.

"Look at you," Mousse sneered, "Helpless in my web, like a wild goat fit only to be slaughtered. It wouldn't even be a challenge for me to use you for target practice, Saotome, but that's far too simple a death for you, and far more merciful than you deserve! I'm going to see you get everything you deserve, you greedy womanizing Tom-Cat."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma growled as he sought to get enough leverage to break free from the netting.

"Take a look below you," Mousse said as he reached down and seized the ground at his feet, yanking up to reveal a concealed canvas tarp that had been buried there beneath a layer of dirt, and with another heave he snapped it away to reveal a pit that had been cleverly concealed there.

"What?" Ranma asked, "Another dumb trap…?" but then a slight noise found its way up to him, and he stared down into the dark maw with dawning horror, "N-No…you didn't…you wouldn't…?"

"Surprise," Mousse grinned, "This is phase two of my revenge, borrowed straight from the pages of your father's training manual, and once these creatures have had their way with you, phase three will really knock your tabi socks right off…if you were wearing any, that is…"

Mousse produced a knife and hurled it at the rope holding up the netting, dropping Ranma into the pit as the latter was already screaming. His scream was swiftly joined with the sounds of many ally cats clawing and tearing at Ranma's flesh. It was just as these noises began that Shampoo arrived bearing Nabiki in her arms, and the both of them reacted with mutual horror, understanding at once the depths of Mousse's treacherous maneuver.

"AIYAA!" Shampoo cried as she set Nabiki down on her feet, "What Mousse do to Ranma?"

"He must be triggering the Nekoken deliberately," Nabiki replied, "But why?"

"Ah, the other two players have arrived on cue," Mousse turned to them, "That saves me the trouble of hunting you down…Tendo Nabiki!"

"W-What?" Nabiki gasped, surprised at the tone of hostility that was delivered her way by the Chinese boy, for Mousse's eyes were almost burning with anger.

"Phase three wouldn't even be possible without your involvement, of course," Mousse continued, "Once your beloved Saotome is primed and ready to receive you, I'll give him an iinazuke that he'll never forget!"

"MOUSSE!" Shampoo snarled as she rushed forward, "I NO LET YOU!"

"I'm sorry to have to do this, Shampoo," Mousse replied as the Amazon closed on him, "But you leave me no choice."

"Wha-?" Shampoo gasped as she closed in on Mousse and took a powerful swing in his direction, only to find his empty robes were hurled into her face as Mousse avoided her entirely, moving to one side as a Matador might evade a charging rhino. Shampoo fought to remove the robe from her face, turning to confront the now bare-chested youth again, only to falter in mid turn as her body abruptly stiffened.

"You will not be able to move for the next hour or so," Mousse explained, "A powder that I have recently acquired and laced on my shirt has induced paralysis that will freeze up your muscles, leaving you powerless to do anything but watch as the fun begins in earnest."

"M--Mou…!" Shampoo struggled to say, but even her jaw and vocal chords appeared to be affected by the fast-spreading powder.

"I'm am truly sorry that it had to be this way, Shampoo," Mousse sighed as he turned away to again confront Nabiki, "But I can't have you interfering with my plans, not this time. Tendo Nabiki, prepare to have your true essence revealed before these, your lovers!"

"Why are you doing this?" Nabiki cried, "You honestly think this is going to win Shampoo's love, you Moron?"

"Shampoo is an Amazon, the same as me," Mousse replied, "She knows the law and will abide by it when I defeat her and make her my wife, and then I will erase all memory of you so that we can begin anew as if none of this ever happened."

"You what?" Nabiki flared, anger replacing fear for her personal welfare.

"In a way it is a pity," Mousse said almost sadly, "You were as much a victim of all this as Saotome, but I can't allow anyone or anything to come between me and Shampoo, and because you accepted her to your bed, you fully deserve this!"

From seeming nowhere the Chinese youth produced a plastic cylinder containing roughly a gallon of bottled water, and with a toss of his hand he sent it hurtling into the air over the head of Nabiki's, and then another thrown dagger shattered the cylinder in mid-arc, sending the contents spilling out in her direction…

Continued

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