Iczer-one Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Earth Child ❯ Going Nova ( Chapter 6 )

The Earthchild

 

(An Iczer/Ranma/Sailor Moon Crossover)

 

Written by

Jim Robert Bader

 

Proofread by

Shiva Barnwell

 

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,

Naoko Takeuchi, Toshihiro Hirano, & Hitoshi Okuda,

with ideas and suggestions by TH Tiger and Johannes Huber)

 

 

 

 

 

Troi slammed into the ground so hard that she bounced back out of her own crater, then went rolling for another several meters to distance before coming to an abrupt halt at the base of a stone-like outcropping.

 

“Oh, very good,” Iczer Two relayed in a sarcastic tone of voice, “An excellent strategy, blocking her punches with your face.”

 

“Shut up, Two!” Troi snarled as she ducked low just in time to avoid another such interception, only to have the fist of her opponent impact with the stone outcropping, shattering the base and causing the entire structure to come tumbling down on the two opponents.

 

“OH CRAP!” Troi cried as she narrowly avoided being pinned under the tons of stony outcrop.

 

Still trapped as she was in the globe of force, Iczer Two could only sigh, “She never learns, and she never listens. Even when she was but a mere cubicle hatchling she always had to do things the hard way. I've tried teaching her time and again that the best way to fight is to go on the offensive…”

 

“At least she is trying,” Sayoko noted, then hesitated before adding, “Well…sort of.”

 

Troi managed to get her energy blade back up in time to block a downward stroke by her fiery nemesis, but the cherry haired warrior was pressing her hard and it was all that she could do to maintain her defenses in the face of the onslaught.

 

“Isn't there anything we can do to help?” Sayoko asked, trying not to sound as worried as she was for the fate of her partner's younger sister.

 

“Not directly as such,” Iczer Two remarked, “However…with Three here, it may be possible to use her as a relay point to make contact with our home base. I'm going to attempt it.”

 

So saying the redheaded Iczer closed her eyes and concentrated, even as Sayoko silently leant her added strength through the rapport that they shared as partners and---after a minute of interfacing the dial-up tone, the various relay points and pass codes---they heard a familiar voice call out to them, “Hello? Can either of you hear me, Sister? What is your current status?”

 

Iczer Two relaxed by a fraction as gratitude flooded her being, but like a true warrior she mastered her impulses and with discipline formed her thoughts into words, “We are here, Sister! Sayoko and I are trapped in an enemy force globe while Three…that is…Troi…is attempting to engage the enemy.”

 

“Attempting?” their elder sister replied in evident confusion.

 

Iczer Two winced as she felt Troi impact against another stony outcrop, barely managing to block a sword-slice that might have otherwise taken her head, only to get a kick to the stomach hard enough to drive her all the way through the outcropping, which promptly tumbled about her.

 

“I said attempting,” Iczer Two replied coolly, “I did not mean to imply that she was actually succeeding.”

 

“Who is this enemy?” Iczer One demanded, “Who is attacking you, and why does she look so much like…?”

 

“She claims to be my daughter, if you can believe that,” Iczer Two replied, “The enemy appears to possess Iczer technology and may have formed using my baseline matrix. I think you can see what this may imply about them.”

 

“I…do, Sister,” Iczer One said with reluctance, “Stand by, I'm coming with Nagisa to help…”

 

“NEGATIVE!” Iczer Two said sharply, “Do not come to aid us---repeat---DO NOT COME BY YOURSELVES TO OUR RESCUE! This has all the classic earmarks of a trap, and with two of us already here, all our enemies would need is for us to concentrate our resources together.”

 

“But…you need our help…!”

 

“Negative that,” Iczer Two said firmly, “There is more to the enemy than we realized…they set a trap to capture Sayoko and myself, then used us as bait to lure Iczer Three into an ambush. What are the odds that they are just waiting for you to get here before they unleash even more unpleasantness? We cannot risk exposing all of our resources in one area, which would leave our people's defenses that much more greatly diminished.”

 

“But you could die!” the earnest voice of her elder sister declared with obvious anguish.

 

“That is a risk all warriors must face at one time or another,” Iczer Two replied, “I've been once dead before, you know…I don't relish reliving the experience, nor would I wish such a fate on you, my Sister.”

 

“Two,” her sister said solemnly, “Losing you is unacceptable to me, losing both you and Troi is unthinkable. I would risk any danger to prevent that.”

 

“Wasn't it you who once said that you never again wanted to see the blood of a sister on your hands?” Iczer Two half-smiled, “Believe me, you would be risking far more coming to our aid right now. Have faith in us, One…we won't die this day, nor do I plan on taking Sayoko-chan with me to the grave this time around.”

 

“You…have a plan then?” Iczer One hesitantly inquired.

 

“Not…a plan as such,” Iczer Two's reply was even more reluctant, “But I don't plan on staying captive for too much longer. Wait until we know more about the enemy's true strength and then we may have some idea of what they are after.”

 

“Two---Get out of my head already!” Troi snapped as she fought to disentangle her energy blade from that of her opponent, “Bad enough your kid's giving me such a hard time, but I don't need any of your static distracting me right now, you got it?”

 

“Sister,” One spoke directly to Troi, “Is there any way that I can be of assistance to you? Should I dispatch the Iczelion corps to assist you?”

 

“Assist me…against this goofball?” Troi backed away from her opponent, keeping her beam saber at the ready, “Like that'll be the day! Don't worry, Oneechan, I know just how to take care of this nuisance!”

 

“Tough words coming from you, Auntie,” Nova declared with a leer, “But so far all you've managed to do is let me kick you around. I haven't even broken a sweat yet, old timer…”

 

“Old Timer?” Troi flared, “You're calling ME that? Now you're really pissing me off! In fact, I'm gonna spank you with your own beam saber you---HEY! What in the world is that?” She pointed off in a direction somewhere past the other warrior's shoulder.

 

“Eh?” Nova automatically turned her head to follow the gesture, only to give a yelp as she hastily blocked a strike that came slicing at her mid-section.

 

“MADE YOU LOOK!” Troi crowed as she darted past the flustered Nova, reaching the energy globe and forming a charge around her fist before striking it with a concentrated burst of power.

 

Iczer-Two and Sayoko flinched as the globe of energy fractured all around them, breaking apart like so much glass and vanishing as its power was fully dissipated. When the fireworks died down and everyone could look again, Iczer Two turned to her sister and said, “I don't believe you just did that!”

 

“Hey, I'm as surprised as you, Two,” Troi shrugged, “I never thought she'd fall for it either.”

 

“Why you…” Nova shook in rage, “You tricked me! No fair!”

 

“Indeed,” Iczer Two stepped clear of where the energy globe had been and summoned up her own beam saber, “But then again, life is not always fair either. Now, young lady…let us test the matter of whether or not you truly are---as you claim---my biological daughter.”

 

Nova backed away, but then she smiled and said, “Oh no, Mom…you're not grounding me that easy! I still have a few Aces up my sleeve, like my other self here.”

 

With hardly a nod of her head the giant Iczer Omega loomed up and began to move forward with a colossal hand to menace the two Iczers and the armored Sayoko.

 

“Oboy,” Troi winced, “We definitely need backup for this…maybe it's time to summon up our own Iczer Robos?”

 

“Definitely a good idea,” Iczer Two agreed, only to flinch as she felt a power build up at her side, and in amazement she turned to look at Sayoko, who was manifesting a powerful battle aura.

 

“I-don't-believe-this!” her human partner declared, “I work for over a month to get some free time set aside where just the two of us can enjoy a single day and a night together without any business interruptions…and then you PEOPLE have to come along and wreck my whole day! Who knows when the next time will come around when I can get Ni-chan to let her hair down and dress like a regular woman…and it's all because of YOU AND YOUR STUPID ROBOT!!!”

 

With that Sayoko formed a ball of energy between her armored fists, harnessing the power of her anger and focusing it into a concentrated build-up, then unleashing a blast that lanced out and struck the cyclopean Iczer Omega full in the chest and sent the mega-tonned monstrosity tumbling backwards as if struck down by an enormous hammer.

 

Iczer Two and Troi stared with wide-eyes, their long hair blowing about their heads as the dying embers of a hurricane-force wind settled down around them. Sayoko stood where she was, panting with the force of her own exertion, while Nova blinked her eyes twice, took one look at her fallen Robot and then flashed a chagrined smile and said, “Ooookay…this round goes to you, but I'll be back before you know it, and I'm sending you the repair bill, lady!”

 

And so the cherry haired warrior---and fallen giant---vanished from the spot, leaving the three companions to sort out the details in the ensuing silence, which same did not get broken for at least one long, drawn out minute.

 

Then Troi stirred herself and said, “Two?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You definitely need to take her out more often.”

 

“Evidently,” Iczer Two agreed, only to react with a start as Sayoko's strength began to ebb, and then the human girl sagged to her knees, prompting Iczer Two to rush to her side in time to catch her.

 

“What's going on there?” their absent sister One demanded, “Troi, Two, Sayoko? Someone answer me! What has happened…?”

 

“Troi here, Oneechan,” Troi replied, “Mission success, the hostages are secure. Two and Sayoko-chan are okay. The enemy retreated, tail between legs and all…which just goes to show that you should never underestimate the fury of a partner scorned.”

 

“A lesson I know quite well,” Iczer One said with amusement, then paused before adding, “Imoutochan…I didn't mean to…”

 

“Hey, you know the old saying as well as I do,” Troi said softly, “Bare is the back of an Iczer without a partner, right?” she sighed as she saw Iczer Two gather up Sayoko in her arms, cradling the Terran girl as though she were something precious and fragile, and---not for the first or last time---felt a stab of envy pass through her.

 

“Sister,” Iczer Two declared, “We are coming back to base. Have a regeneration cubicle prepared for both me and Sayoko.”

 

“What's wrong?” Iczer One asked in concern, “Were you injured?”

 

“No,” Iczer Two gave a smile of such infinite tenderness and compassion as she studied the features of her much-beloved partner, “Just a little exhausted…but I need to spend some time with her, just as I promised before all of this happened.”

 

“I see,” Iczer One's response conveyed total understanding and affection, “All will be ready for you when you arrive, Sisters. Any time you are ready.”

 

“Like…now?” Troi remarked as the three of them---Iczers and human---vanished from the subspace landscape altogether…

 

 

 

 

“Say what?” Godai declared as he lifted his bokken, “What is that you say concerning yourself and the fair Muku?”

 

“She is my partner,” Rhea said simply, “I will not allow anyone to harm her.”

 

“You will not allow it?” Gel asked skeptically, “And who are you to profess such an interest in Senzenen?”

 

“I told you before,” Rhea replied while maintaining her ready posture, “I am Kano Rhea, and Muku-chan is my partner.”

 

“Muku…chan?” Yumi blinked her eyes, then stared at Muku herself, “Do you know anything about this?”

 

“Ah…well…” Muku winced, “It's…not what it sounds like, guys…really!”

 

“What is she, another one of your ever-growing list of fans?” Ken asked, sounding intrigued.

 

“NO!” Muku protested, “It's not like that…she's just…a new friend is all…really!”

 

“A…friend?” Sakura frowned, making a real effort to shrug off the drugs that were presently affecting her system.

 

“Some…friend…” Yui also murmured as she similarly fought to regain control over her own body.

 

“I see,” Gel frowned, “Another meddler. Ah well…as Mother always likes to say, obstacles are for removing…”

 

“Ah…” Perm spoke up, “I…really don't think that would be such a good idea this time, Sister. This one is not like the others you have been challenging of late…she is…very different…”

 

“No fooling?” Yumi remarked, “Gee, with those ears and eyes I never would have guessed…”

 

“Indeed,” Godai mused, “How intriguing…such a rare and unearthly beauty, such a fiery disposition, the flash of life that I spy in her eyes…”

 

“Try looking again, Brother of mine,” Perm urged, “Don't you notice that stance? It's identical to Muku's.”

 

“Eh?” Muku herself reacted with a start, recognizing belatedly that the way Rhea was crouching in a battle-ready posture was indeed very much like her own favored Kempo style, suggesting that either her new friend was copying her again or else this Rhea had trained in a very similar ryuu.

 

“So,” Gel remarked, “You are another who has trained in the Anything Goes System?”

 

“I don't know what this style is called,” Rhea replied, “I was taught to fight like this by my aunt, but I assure you, my technique is most effective. Surrender now and I will not hurt you…”

 

“Hurt me?” Gel bristled, “We will see about that!”

 

All at once the purple haired girl reached to her side and produced a series of bowling-pin shaped objects, which same she then employed in an attack as she cried out, “ATTACK OF A THOUSAND CLUBS!”

 

Rhea held her stance while Muku tried to call out a warning against Gel's onslaught, but though the pins came raining down on the fiery-gold haired Iczer, none of these attacks seemed to so much as touch her, and before anyone knew it the pins were batted away to land upon the ground, scattered about in all directions.

 

“Your gymnastic tricks will not work with me,” Rhea said simply, “I know all of your moves…I have seen them in the memories of Muku…”

 

“How's that again?” Yumi blinked.

 

“She's seen them in…where?” Ken marveled.

 

“Hooboy,” Muku winced, knowing what this would do to her reputation.

 

“So…you think you have mastered me because you have somehow countered but one of my many styles of attack,” Gel bristled, “I can see that I will need to be more resourceful against you. Very well, as you will…have at you!”

 

Once again Gel reached to her side and pulled out a pair of objects from seeming nowhere…a pair of bonbori maces, huge metal spheres on the end of two wooden handles, which same she began to flex as though they were as light as twin batons, and when she had finished spinning them about she employed these in a double-mace attack that Muku knew to be enormously devastating.

 

Rhea did not even flinch as her hands went to work, and all at once Gel staggered back, clutching the crushed maces in either hand and staring in disbelief at the fist-shaped impressions that had collapsed the spheres inward. She did not get time enough to draw out yet another set of weapons when Rhea came rushing at her, batting aside the other girl's attempted deflections and scoring with a single punch that connected solidly with the other girl's midsection.

 

“Whoah!” Godai remarked in dismay as he saw his sister skid backwards on her heels, digging up two trenches in the ground as Gel came to a halt some several meters away, clutching at her own midsection.

 

“That was just a warning,” Rhea declared, “Do not further provoke me to anger.”

 

“You…must be joking,” Gel grunted as she forced herself to straighten up, gritting her teeth as she struggled to make her lungs work properly again, “That love-tap barely warrants my respect…”

 

“I was not striking you with all of my strength,” Rhea explained evenly, her eyes alight with barely contained fury, “If I had, then you would not be able to remain upright. I am going easy on you because I am sworn never to harm a normal human, either directly or by mischance…but don't tempt me to violate my own prime directive.”

 

“Or what?” Gel frowned.

 

Rhea just pointed at the ground in front of the other girl's feet, and all at once a bolt of energy kicked up a burst of grass, sand and gravel.

 

“Or else…I will become very upset with you…Kuno-san,” Rhea said flatly, not bothering to add that her mind was filled with images of past events, of the many times this girl had bothered and harassed Muku, playing cruel and often thoughtless pranks on Rhea's new partner and generally spreading gossip and rumors that had hurt Muku's feelings and had impacted on her relationships with others.

 

“Oh, you will, will you?” Gel raised her own fists, “Well, it just so happens that I know quite a few tricks of my own, and not all of them involve the employment of weapons. I was intending to prove my mettle in Combat Rhythmic Gymnastics, but if you would rather play by a different set of rules, then you will discover that I am quite accomplished in the arts of the Street Fighter…”

 

“It matters nothing,” Rhea responded, “Your Amazon Bujutsu is not powerful enough to overcome one of my abilities and skill level. It would be foolish of you to even attempt to use your tricks and potions against me.”

 

“We'll see about that,” Gel smiled slyly, then hurled a rubber ball that she had been concealing in one hand direction at Rhea, who caught it without effort, only to have it burst apart into a cloud of smoke that billowed all around her.

 

“A piece of cake,” Gel smiled as she rushed forward, only to receive a backhand to the face for her troubles as Rhea penetrated her guard as though it were not even there. The purple haired girl fell heavily to the ground and lay prostrate where she had fallen, prompting her twin sister to cry out her name and rush forward.

 

“You…resisted the power of my sister's potions?” Godai arched an eyebrow, “I am most impressed…”

 

“I did not damage her,” Rhea replied, “But she made a mistake in thinking her attack would work on me. I have a…somewhat different biochemistry…her poisons do not react the same with my system.”

 

“Even so, you have proven to be quite formidable,” Godai raised his bokken, “In which case you may now consider me your new opponent.”

 

Rhea barely even turned her head as she lashed out, slicing through the wooden shaft being directed her way and causing her beam saber to come to a halt only centimeters away from the taller boy's handsome face.

 

“Do not get any closer to me, please,” Rhea replied without looking directly at him, “I am in no mood to be courted by you…or any other male of your species. I am interested only in Muku, and I ask that you desist in your attempts at courting her. She is mine, not yours, and as such I will not tolerate your harassment.”

 

Godai stared at the searing hot tip of the beam sword, then at the cleanly severed length of his bokken and involuntarily swallowed. It was not that he felt intimidated by her---Oh no! Far from it! But the thought of such tigerish aggression emanating from one so slim and fair as this Rhea Kano was…by far the most intriguing thing he had seen all semester.

 

Rhea withdrew the sword and banished it altogether, then turned away without looking directly at Godai, even going so far as to circle around him as though she dreaded coming too near to his presence, and only then did she approach the open-mouthed Muku, going from anger to concern once again as if her moods could shift from one state to the other like quicksilver.

 

“Are you all right?” Rhea asked, “They did not hurt you, did they, Muku-chan?”

 

“Muku-chan, eh?” Yumi gave the petrified Muku a playful elbow to her side and said, “You sly fox you…why didn't you tell us your Dream Girl had the hots for you?”

 

“A…hah?” Muku blinked, then came out of her daze to declare, “Hey…wait a minute!”

 

“It would appear that your new admirer is a woman of many talents,” observed Ken, who approached them, only to see Rhea back away from him with a look of sudden reluctance, “And…indeed, not all the surprises are from her fighting prowess.”

 

Muku also noticed the way Rhea seemed to shy away from the presence of the men and said, “W-What's wrong with you? Don't you like men?”

 

“Ah…no…” Rhea said nervously, “I'm sorry…I don't mean to be rude, Ono Ken-san, but…would you mind not standing so close to Muku-chan?”

 

“Eh?” Ken said with obvious surprise, then he glanced at Muku and asked, “What have you been telling her about me?”

 

“Uh...what?” Muku blinked, “Why…nothing, honest! I haven't mentioned anything about you…”

 

“I am sorry,” Rhea's shoulders slumped somewhat, “I did not mean to interfere in your fight, but when I sensed that you were in danger…”

 

“You came to rescue her, is that it?” Yumi smiled, “You're sweet on our Muku-chan, is that what you're trying to tell us? Well…not surprising…you and half the rest of our school is in her fan club…”

 

“One moment,” Rhea urged, then half-turned her body to stretch out a hand in time to intercept a descending baker's peel that had been aiming for her head. She caught it between thumb and forefinger, halting it in mid-motion, much to the evident surprise of its owner.

 

“What the…?” Sakura reacted in surprise, finding her best efforts could not pry the thing out of the grip of the slender elf-like beauty.

 

“Please don't be angry with me, Sakura-chan,” Rhea asked with a pleading expression, “I know you wanted to be the one to rescue Muku-chan from the Kunos, but I was fulfilling my primary function by protecting her, so there really is no reason for you to be angry.”

 

“Let go!” Sakura urged, only to go flying backwards when Rhea complied with her demand. Landing heavily on her rump put her in no better mood than before, though now at least she looked up with a wary note of caution at the armored elvish beauty.

 

“Sakura!” Muku was shocked at her friend's behavior, “What are you doing?”

 

“Behaving like a barbarian, which only comes natural to her,” Yui replied as she, too, joined the little band surrounding Muku and Rhea. The Shrine maiden eyed the newcomer with somewhat more apprehension, “You have a very strange aura…I can sense great power within you…and there is definitely a link between you and Muku-san…that much is for certain.”

 

“Huh?” Muku blinked, “Now wait a minute…I only just met her a few days ago…”

 

“That hardly seems to matter,” Yui replied, “There is a psychic link joining the both of you, and that explains how she knew that you were in danger from Gel's treachery. Strangers or not, you and this girl are soul-mated, like two halves of one complete puzzle.”

 

“Just what the heck does that mean?” Sakura growled, “And what is she to you anyway, Senzenen? You were talking about her the other day as if she was just some phantom out of your daydreams, and now here she shows up to clean up the deck with Gel Kuno?”

 

“Obviously there is more to this story than we have been allowed to know,” Ken agreed with his iinazuke.

 

“Yeah, what's the deal here, and why haven't you spilled the juicy details with us, your friends?” Yumi demanded, “Don't you care at all about our feelings?”

 

“Uh…guys…there's no need for you to make a big production out of everything,” Muku insisted, “We're just…recently acquainted. Rhea's from another town and just moved into Nerima, right?”

 

“Um…something like that,” Rhea hesitated, only to react with a yelp as Godai put his hand around her body and hugged her from behind, copping a good feel of what was not covered by platelets of bio-armor.

 

“Ah, fair Sylvan Maiden of the fiery gold hair---“ was as far as he got before Rhea overcame her surprise and reacted with a yelp, her elbow driving into the solar plexus of the taller boy to know the wind out of his sails, and then she reached up to grasp him by the collar and hurled him bodily into the air like the proverbial rag doll.

 

Godai landed with a “thump” somewhat near to his unconscious sister, causing Perm to heave a sigh as she went to check on his condition, then decided to leave him lying where he was, giving Rhea an apologetic expression.

 

“Now that he had coming,” Ken remarked matter-of-factly.

 

“Sorry about that,” the purple haired Perm heaved a sigh, “My brother means well…sort of.”

 

Rhea was actually panting with a panicked expression on her face, but once she started to calm down enough to look horrified at her own actions, “Oh…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt him like that…it was…reflex…”

 

“Calm down,” Yumi urged, “It's just Kuno Godai…he'll be all right. Landing on his head just means the gardeners in this park will have to do some grass replanting.”

 

“But I shouldn't have hit him so hard,” Rhea insisted, “If he hadn't grabbed me that way…”

 

“It's nothing I haven't done to him plenty of times in the past,” Muku assured her nominal “partner,” adding a faint smile as she went on, “Godai thinks it's cute to sneak up on a girl and cop a quick feel. Guess he wasn't expecting quite such a sudden reaction.”

 

“The annoying pervert's really been getting out of hand of late,” Sakura sniffed, “Even his parents think he's a little too much over the top, while Gel's obviously been playing with her baton a little too much. Still he's not a totally clueless moron…and he is a pretty good fighter, when he's not behaving like a total jerk…”

 

“I thought you didn't have any interest in men,” Ken pointed out.

 

“Certain guys get on my nerves,” Sakura growled without glancing back in her fiancée's direction, “I don't blame you for getting hysterical about Godai…but…mind explaining again what you meant when you said that Muku belongs to you and is your partner?”

 

“Uh…guys?” Muku winced, “There's really nothing much to tell. Rhea and I just went ice skating together earlier today…”

 

“You went ice skating with her?” Yumi asked with an incredulous expression.

 

“Yes,” Rhea agreed, “And then when I spoke with Muku-chan while she was taking a bath I explained to her that…MMPPH?” she blinked her eyes as Muku suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth.

 

“You took a BATH together?” Sakura bristled.

 

“No!” Muku hastily shook her head in denial, even as Rhea stood looking puzzled over being so rudely muzzled, “It wasn't like that, honest! We just talked, that's all, just talked!”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Yumi said with skeptical derision, “That's all you did, huh?”

 

“Then why are you blushing?” Yui asked with a poignant expression.

 

“Ah…” Muku hastily released the much-puzzled Rhea and felt her own cheeks, “Ah…maybe I've just…er…come down with a flu or something…yeah…that's right…I'm feeling down under the weather…”

 

“Pull the other one,” Ken remarked with a particularly droll expression.

 

Sakura stood with balled fists glaring at Muku, but when the latter tried to ask what was wrong she turned her head and sniffed, “Well, it's none of my concern who you meet with for a tryst, but you could try being a little more discreet about it in the future.”

 

“I…what?” Muku asked, sharing with Rhea a blank look of mutual incomprehension.

 

“Well then,” Yumi clapped her hands and grinned broadly, “If that's all settled, why don't we all go somewhere to sit down and get to know each other better? Rhea-san, what do you say we all have a little heart-to-heart chat over a nice hot plate of okonomiyaki, my treat?”

 

“Okonomiyaki?” Rhea blinked.

 

“Sure,” Ken replied, “It's Sakura-chan's house specialty, whipped up by her mother and as flavorful as any meal you could ask for from here to China.”

 

“Is it that good?” Rhea asked, turning an earnest look towards Muku.

 

“You've never tried okonomiyaki?” Sakura asked skeptically, “Where have you been living?”

 

“New Gamora city,” Rhea replied, “I mean…not around here anyway…”

 

“New Gamora?” Yui frowned, “I don't think I've ever heard of that place before…”

 

“It is…someplace new…it was founded only a few years ago by my people…you wouldn't have heard about it, it's supposed to be a secret,” Rhea added as she glanced down with a sheepish expression.

 

“A secret, huh?” Yumi grinned, “Well, we won't tell anybody, right guys?”

 

“I confess this air of mystery around Muku's new friend has me more than a little bit intrigued,” Ken remarked.

 

“Just make sure you keep it academic, baka,” Sakura grumbled under her breath, then sighed, “You might as well come home with me to my place…I'd like to introduce you to my dad, I'll bet he'll be impressed with your Kempo style…it's almost exactly like Muku's.”

 

“It is?” Rhea blinked, turning to exchange another puzzled look with Muku.

 

“Ah…well…” Muku shrugged, “I guess maybe you ought to meet Uncle Ranma, he's kind of a local legend here. Besides…I think you'll like okonomiyaki.”

 

Rhea brightened up from the shy girlishness that she had been manifesting, smiling as she looked adoringly at Muku and said, “If you think that I will, then I'd be happy to try it. I am sure that Mrs. Saotome is a very fine chef…”

 

“Got that right,” Sakura sniffed, “Best in all Japan, accept no seconds.”

 

“Excuse me,” Perm spoke up, “Do you mind if I tag along with you? My siblings will be recovering consciousness very soon and I…would rather not be around to hear them ranting about some new challenger who is stealing their thunder.”

 

“Sure,” Yumi agreed, “We're always glad to have your around, Perm. It's not like it's your fault that you have idiots for relations.”

 

Perm heaved a sigh and said, “They're not always like this…but lately…they've been totally obsessed about Muku, it's like they live, eat and breathe to have either vengeance or satisfaction for past wrongs both real and imagined…mostly the latter of course.”

 

“Of course,” Yui sniffed, “How could it be otherwise with those two?”

 

“I feel…very bad about hurting them,” Rhea conceded, “But don't you get tired of always having to apologize for their behavior?”

 

“You would think I would after all this time,” Perm shook her purple haired head with a look of great sadness.

 

“Cheer up, gang,” Yumi beamed, “A serving of the best tasting okonomiyaki in Japan will perk you all up, then we can get the low down about how you two lovebirds first met, Muku-chan, and why you've been keeping this one under wraps all of this time.”

 

“Ah…” Muku said nervously, once again taking notice of the way that Rhea kept glancing her way and wondered if her friends were entirely wrong in their impression. There was little doubt that some kind of a bond did exist between herself and the other girl, but what it could be she did not want to speculate, fearing that looking too closely into the matter was bound to open up a can of worms the likes of which she could not presently even imagine. It was bad enough just sorting out her own feelings, let alone explain them to her friends, but…seeing no graceful way to save face over the matter, she decided to relent, hoping that there might yet be someway to salvage her already tarnished reputation.

 

Besides, given the way Rhea tended to let things slip in casual conversation, there was a good chance that she might learn something new and interesting to further unravel the mystery surrounding this girl. It was worth a try anyway…and besides…she found that she was actually interested in seeing how Rhea would react to the taste of okonomiyaki…

 

 

 

Continued

 

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