Iczer-one Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Earth Child ❯ A New Page ( Chapter 44 )

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)

 

 

 

 

 

“Very well then, Gentlemen...do I take it that we are all in agreement?”

 

The other members of the elite Central Committee for the organization known only by the code-name of SEELE affirmed their assent on the matter. These powerful MEN (and by that one most definitely did imply the masculine term of gender affiliation) were used to voting in the silence and security of electronic meetings of this nature. Their very anonymity gave them a sense of elite superiority, much as secret cabals and Illuminati-like conspiracies have always been impressed with a belief in their inherently aloof position, representing as they did many of the most powerful governing institutions on the planet, both multinational corporate interests and governing bodies (often without the direct knowledge or involvement of the elected figureheads to whom they delegated the public responsibilities of executive office). As such they felt entitled to vote upon the issues that affected the fate of humankind with no pretense of being the least bit concerned with obtaining a consensus from the very populace they presumed to govern.

 

On this occasion the matter before them was very grave, as the designated chairman of this meeting was quick to point out, “Very well...then we are in agreement that the current crisis, so recently resolved, is of sufficient gravity that it warrants further investigation. The motion has been made, seconded and affirmed by this advisory body that these C'thuwulf---by their very nature---represent a serious concern to the future welfare of the planet.”

 

One of the other Councilors signified that he wished to voice his opinion, and the Chairman recognized him, so without preamble this worthy declared, “So far we have been content to deal with them as our allies, seeing much to be gained through technology transfers and the treaty of mutual defense that has been demonstrated so effectively in resolving the matter of this invasion. However, in upholding their part in the defense of this world, the C'thuwulf have demonstrated the full level of their abilities to an extent that we could heretofore only speculate about through projections and models. Indeed, the level of their abilities has been show to far exceed anything we even imagined in our worst-case projections, and---worse still...they have effectively doubled the number of their Bioroid-powered giant Mecha. They now represent an effective military presence that vastly exceeds our own capabilities, which means that they are now effectively the dominant half of our alliance.”

 

“This is most distressing,” another Councilor ventured, “Until now we have operated under the assumption that these C'thuwulf could be dealt with if they should prove to become a serious problem. Having them locate themselves in a fixed position under Tokyo central has been an ideal means of keeping them right where we want them...at least in terms of an Earth presence. We've been able to manage their gradual integration of their population into the general mix of Earth society by selecting key personnel and establishing them in places of influence under the guise of eventual assimilation. But now it seems as if our carefully controlled scenario is about to be shot right out of the metaphorical window.”

 

“The situation is proving to be untenable,” another Councilor admitted when his turn came up for recognition, “Before too long it will be them who will be dictating terms to us in regards to our alliance, and I don't need to remind the rest of you what that could mean should the C'thuwulf succeed in disseminating some of their values into the general lot of society itself?”

 

“Our esteemed colleague from the Middle East has an understandable reluctance about advancing the civil rights issues these C'thuwulf promote into the society that he represents,” the Chairman acknowledged, “But there is more at stake here than granting total equal rights to all women and the recognition of same-sex partnering as a viable lifestyle option. There are enough aliens on this planet demanding an extension of laws protecting their own distinctive cultural or biological imperatives. What matters here is power, and it has been plainly shown that the C'thuwulf have that in abundance. Were they to seek to dictate changes in policies to us, as matters presently stand, we would be in a most unfavorable position to resist their prerogatives. However, we still remain in control of the major media outlets, giving us the ability to shape public opinion to our tastes and desires, and our influence in the major institutional religious bodies assures that we have a ready core of salivating fanatics ready to march en masse against any government seeking to liberalize official policies. No, my friends, the threat does not come from the value options being favored by these C'thuwulf...the threat comes from the C'thuwulf themselves and their technological superiority, which is admittedly light years ahead of our best Terrestrial designs...”

 

Another Councilor signified that he wished to speak, and so the Chairman yielded the floor to him, “What about gaining control over these C'thuwulf directly, much as we've managed to do with the planet's hero population?”

 

“That approach is fraught with difficulties, but we are exploring it as a possible option,” the Chairman replied, “Most hero organizations, such as the Avengers and the Justice League, or even our own pet Stormwatch itself, try to work within the legal boundaries that we set for them, as annoying as it must be for them to have to jump through the bureaucratic hoops that we use to curtail their activities to insure that they never pose a legitimate threat to the interests of this body. The C'thuwulf, however, are effectively a governing body over whom we have---at best---limited access and even less in the way of influence. They have ties to SHIELD, S.H.A.D.O. and SPECTRUM that are useful, but the C'thuwulf leadership is very reluctant to share with us their more advanced technological secrets for fear that such knowledge might be abused in the wrong hands. Thus, at best, we only know a little bit about how their organic technology works, and it could take decades before we know enough to become as proficient as they are in their gene splicing.”

 

“By which time they will have integrated themselves more thoroughly into our world than we have even projected,” yet another Councilor noted, “At which point we might as well give up on resisting them and start accepting women into this body.”

 

The suggestion was met with rude guffaws and a general sense of dismissal at so absurd a concept. Despite a century and a half of civil rights prevailing throughout the world itself, suffrage had never been a priority for this particular institution. For all of the centuries that their group had been in existence (in one form or another, under one name or banner, depending on the prevailing social climate) there had never been even a hint of allowing a woman to sully the inner chamber with the scent of estrogen. This was Testosterone Territory, and no one had best make any suggestions to the contrary in their presence.

 

To such a body of MEN, the very notion of a female-exclusive society had come as much of a shock as discovering that men were obsolete and unnecessary to the C'thuwulf methods for reproduction. By their very nature the C'thuwulf posed a threat to SEELE and everything that the organization had dedicated itself towards becoming, and---far more alarming still---these C'thuwulf had a tendency to mess up and interfere in SEELE's plans on a number of occasions. For them women were just a means to an end, a method for reproduction and recreation and nothing more. To think of such women as having power over the fate of the planet itself was beyond unthinkable, it was an altogether intolerable situation!

 

An intolerable situation, however, that they had been forced to live with for the better part of a decade, knowing all the while that they lacked the means for effectively “dealing” with these women in a decisive means that befit their own collective inclinations. Coupled with that was the knowledge that the C'thuwulf could still be occasionally **useful,** such as when encountering alien menaces who did not balk at other means of making their presence felt upon the planet.

 

“What about the Senshi problem?” someone spoke up out of turn, “Didn't the Moon Queen just demonstrate that she is potentially an even greater menace to our plans than the C'thuwulf?”

 

“Only if you take her and the Senshi who serve her as a viable threat,” another Councilor dismissed, “And for all their raw power, they are still effectively human and thus well within the sphere of our influence.”

 

“These C'thuwulf are a different matter,” a third pointed out, “We have no leverage over them, and they are free to act unilaterally in what they deem is their best interest, knowing full well that we would be powerless to stop them should they choose to use force against us.”

 

“A good thing for us that they don't know that we exist as a sub rosa ruling body,” a fourth noted.

 

“We hope,” said the fifth Councilor, his tone conveying what was the general consensus for the entire Council.

 

“You all see the general dilemma that is confronting us,” the Chairman summarized, “But as yet you only see the symptoms, not the solution itself. That is why this meeting has been called, after all...to insure that we develop a counterbalance to these C'thuwulf that can turn the technological impasse to our advantage.”

 

He knew he had their rapt attention, but being a consummate showman, the Chairman decided to keep them guessing for a few minutes longer.

 

“As you well know,” he began again, “Our world has been faced with a looming crisis for the past few centuries that has daunted many of our predecessors and forebears...namely, what to do about our excess population and its impact on the environment. Of key concern to all of us is the question of managing whatever crisis presently confronts us so that we can remain in control of whatever direction the Earth should happen to follow...”

 

“You mean engineer another crisis?” one Councilor asked skeptically, “After what happened the last three times we tried to enact the scenarios adopted by this Council?”

 

“True, the C'thuwulf have interfered with our attempts to put our long-range plans into operation on at lest three prior occasions,” the Chairman replied, “The first two times, however, worked to our advantage. Our attempt to trigger a nuclear event upon the moon by storing spent atomic waste material in a central location showed likely promise in being able to create a projected calamity by sending the moon out of orbit, which would have caused tidal shifts on a worldwide scale and resulted in the deaths of perhaps as much as half the population on this planet. By the time things would have settled down this body would have been in an excellent position to emerge stronger than ever with a repaired environment and a population of survivors who would be vastly more tractable than the current world body. We had even carefully selected for the population on Moonbase Alpha who would form the new elite for the society that we would have created. A pity, really...that scenario held such great promise...”

 

“Yes, but who knew that these C'thuwulf would have the means of halting a nuclear chain reaction before the mass could go critical?” one Counselor grumbled.

 

“Yes, as I said, a great pity,” the Chairman sighed, “Commander Koenig will never know how close he came to being a God...but, never mind all that. It was the second event that nearly caused some unintended side-effects that would have been to the advantage of this committee. It began innocently enough with an expedition to Antarctica to unearth a primal burial site for the entity that we now refer to under the code-name of Adam...”

 

“The so-called `Second Impact' event?” another Councilor asked, “That monster that got taken down by an Iczer-Robo?”

 

“But not as easily as you are making it sound,” yet another Councilor pointed out, “Remember, it was only by uncovering the Spear of Longinus that the creature was finally taken down.”

 

“Yes, but the amount of information we learned from that event was enormous,” a third Councilor acknowledged, “And by intervening as she had, the C'thuwulf Protector known as Iczer One prevented an event that might well have melted the entire Antarctic Ice Shelf...”

 

“Which would have flooded the world's oceans by as much as fifty-two meters, according to our best calculations,” a forth acidly pointed out, “And if the oceans of the world had gone up by that amount it would have adequately fulfilled our calculations for a calamity that would wipe out nearly half of the population of the planet...”

 

“To say nothing of possible Earth tremors that would have rearranged the remaining surface,” the fifth Councilor helpfully added.

 

“Yes, we all know how close to success we came with that incident,” the Chairman testily acknowledged, “But because of that failure---and out botched attempts to draw a meteorite into Earth orbit that would have also achieved the same effect---we now have a population that is two billion people larger than at the end of the late 20th century, with all the resulting ill-effects on climate and resource depletion. However...it yet remains a possibility that we could still engineer the Second Impact and thereby bring about the restructuring and downsizing that this planet needs in order to emerge leaner, meaner and better administered than the world of the present. To that end I should like to introduce our distinguished guest, whom most of you may remember as being the head of the expedition that came close to achieving the original Second Impact. Doctor Ikari, you may now address the council.”

 

A lone spotlight illuminated the figure of a slightly built man whose thin and hawkish features belied his Japanese ancestry. He nodded slightly at the electronic obelisks that served in lieu of the physical presence of the Council members and pushed the wire-rim glasses he was wearing back up on the bridge of his nose, the faint beard-like goatee he wore adding to his slightly sinister appearance as he regarded the space between the obelisks and said, “Gentlemen. Would you like to know about how we can deal with these Iczers?”

 

“Ikari?” one Councilor sounded shocked, “But...we thought you were dead!”

 

“Killed with the rest of your expedition,” another Councilor stated as if making an accusation.

 

“As the saying goes, reports of my death are...somewhat exaggerated,” Gendo replied, “Now, I will ask you again...do you wish to know how we might be able to deal with these Iczers?”

 

“What do you have in mind?” came the voice from the third obelisk.

 

“As you yourself have noted,” Gendo began without further preamble, “We have learned a lot from the event that nearly became the Second Impact. The Angels---as we are calling them---represent a form of life far older than humankind, and yet which bear a strange similarity to human DNA, suggesting that they may have played a part in our race's formation. It is also believed that the C'thuwulf are descended from a parent race that likewise seeded human beings upon this planet. Given all that, and what we have been able to learn from the C'thuwulf through both direct and indirect means, we have formulated a new breakthrough in our technological understanding of organic transmutation, and with this knowledge we have crafted a hybrid lifeform, grown artificially in our secret facilities in Osaka, that we have code-named EVA, if you will now study the demonstration tape that we have made concerning the success of this new project.”

 

A holographic image appeared in the space over the main table, instantly attracting the attention of the Council members. They watched in rapt silence for several minutes, then one of them said, “My...God!”

 

Gendo smiled, having anticipated just such a reaction, “We owe a lot to these C'thuwulf for pointing us in the correct direction for the development of this new organic technology. It would never have occurred to us to take some of the pathways that my research team has pursued in order to achieve the results that you have just now witnessed. We must also thanks these Venomoids for providing us with the perfect opportunity to test the viability of our new EVAs. That is why the assault on Osaka was halted so effectively, Gentlemen...and I believe that I do not have to point out to you the possible other uses to which this technology might be applied?”

 

“You can control such a monster?” one Councilor demanded.

 

“If a thing like that were to get loose and run amok...” another started to say.

 

“Be assured, we have taken precautions to see to it that this never happens,” Gendo replied, “At present there are three EVA units ready for deployment, with three more in various stages of development, and for each EVA we have gene-selected an individual pilot who will control the EVA from a governing capsule. We are still testing the limits of their abilities, but now that the power pack requirements for their restraining harnesses have reached the full development stage we are ready to go on to the next level. I trust you can see the possibilities which this leaves open should there be any need to deploy an EVA in battle against one of these so-called Iczer-Robos?”

 

“Can you guarantee success should it come to that?” a Councilor wondered.

 

“Everything has been taken into full consideration, nothing has been left to chance,” Gendo assured them, “All that awaits...is your final approval to make these EVA units fully activated.”

 

“You will have our decision in a few minutes, Doctor Ikari,” the Chairman spoke up, “But leave us now...we must discuss the matter of your proposal before we approve the funds that will be needed to make NERV a fully operational unit.”

 

“As you wish,” Gendo smiled as he watched the lights fade out at the other end of the chamber, then sighed as he paused to remove and clean his glasses, as cool as the proverbial cucumber while his mind was at work as always, scheming and plotting on his path to eventual achievement of his lifelong ambitions and never minding that the sacrifice had already taken a personal toll on his family life and private ambitions.

 

His wife was effectively lost to him, his son was confused, angry and resentful, and as for his biological “daughter,” well...she was coming along nicely. All part of a grander master scheme that he hoped would soon see fruition, provided that other factors did not impede his goals or altogether preempt them, a reason why he knew that these C'thuwulf would---sooner or later---have to be dealt with.

 

And to that end he had already put certain things into motion, though he did not feel too inclined to mention this to the Chairman and the Council lest their paranoia lead them to suspect that Gendo's larger plans for the future did not entirely run in lockstep with the goose-stepping likes of a small-minded group like SEELE, who only THOUGHT that they knew the meaning of “The Really Big Picture.” His came from a much Higher source, and if he was successful...well...the C'thuwulf and Senshi would be the LEAST of worries for the Council to confront in the very near future...

 

 

 

 

“We are gathered here to honor our honored dead and to give full recognition to the sacrifices which they have made on behalf of a grateful planet,” Iczer One pronounced as she addressed the gathering of both C'thuwulf and Earth defenders, “It is for their memory, and to recognize their courage that we dedicate this moment and renew our pledge to uphold the cause for which they have perished.”

 

Muku felt very awkward about being included in the reviewing stand alongside the other “heroes” of the “engagement” that had been concluded on the previous evening. That her friends and their respective “partners” were on hand to receive awards and recognition for their actions only added to her sense of the oddity of this situation. A lot of very important-looking people were also on hand, representatives of organizations that she had only heard about through indirect means, and the parents of her Senshi friends were also present along with her sensei and his family, and other strange people whose presence she had yet to fully fathom. That she and Rhea would be included in such an auspicious group lent gravity to the matter beyond the mind-blowing facts that she still was having trouble coming to terms with, not least of which was the realization that they had contributed significantly to the saving of the entire planet.

 

Looking out on the assembled group of C'thuwulf citizenry standing on the broad plaza of Gamora base, both the Military and Civilian personnel, who formed the bulk of the audience for this solemn memorial service, it was only just starting to sink in the full scope of what she had become involved with by accepting Rhea as her partner. Looking out on the artificial skyline of New Gamora city, knowing that their words and images were being broadcast out to every C'thuwulf household, and even beamed live to the C'thuwulf Worldship and places “in-the-know” on the moon and elsewhere on the planet, it gave a feeling of being connected to something truly monumental and world-spanning. An entire race---besides the human one, that is---stood raptly attentive to the words of their Protector as she gave a sobering account of the efforts made in the defense of their very existence. Lavish praise was heaped on the C'thuwulf allies but the bulk of the credit was being given to the Iczelion corps and the Iczers themselves for standing firm against Big Gold and her insane ambitions, but then the turn came to give full credit to partners of the Iczers, and that was where Muku felt herself being included in the praise, which truly made the whole thing feel bizarre and unreal, as if she were being given credit for something that had been done by an entirely different person.

 

And then---once the awards had been given and credit attributed to those standing in recognition of others---there came the truly daunting part where the names of those killed in action were called out by Iczer Two, who seemed to take great gravity and deliberation in naming these fallen “friends” as honored heroes. Muku listened as a list of names---all strangers, thankfully---were read off from a list with great formality and solemnity, which added further weight to the entire occasion.

 

“Opal Red, Iczelion Unit 129, killed in action. First Lieutenant Thomas Harding, Pilot, Eagle Squadron, killed in action. Vermilion Yellow, Iczelion Unit 113, killed in action. Second Lieutenant N'shalla Mguyan, Pilot, Hawk squadron, killed in action. Beatrice O'Hara, Iczelion Unit 42, killed in action. Marine Lieutenant Tran Nga, Pilot, Hawk Squadron, killed in action. Lashandra Washington, Iczelion Unit 51, killed in action...”

 

The names were strange and had an international flavor, yet Iczer Two read them off as though each name had a face and was a personal friend of hers. There were roughly nine Iczelion warriors who had fallen in battle and thirteen human pilots of the Lunar Defense corps, members of an elite group known as S.H.A.D.O., whose commander was on hand to give further recognition to the service in which his people had given their “last full measure of devotion” to preserve the lives and security of an entire planet. General Edward Straker was not the only VIP in attendance, but he was the one whom Muku remembered from their previous meeting, and so he stood out from the others in her mind as a presence you felt as much as you respected.

 

Of even more astonishing presence was the man standing next to a blonde American woman identified as Colonel Sharon Carter-Rogers, the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., whose representation as an international law enforcement and spying outfit needed no elaboration. The man himself was in full uniform this time, and seeing him in the flesh was as astonishing as meeting a God face-to-face. The legends surrounding him were like a litany of heroic tales told from some earlier era, and yet there was a quiet dignity to this larger-than-life living legend that fairly awed a humble city girl like Muku. It was not surprising at all to her to hear others refer to him respectfully as “The Captain.”

 

Of course Muku was also fairly astounded to see Rini's mother in her Senshi identity as the Neo-Queen of the Moon, Serenity II. Rini and her friends were also in their Senshi identities, not as combatants this time but in honor to the newly reforged alliance that now included the Moon Kingdom within its expanded borders.

 

She felt Rhea's hand slip into hers and smiled at the gentle squeeze her partner gave her, attempting to reassure her in a subtle way that all was right with the universe. Muku was still trying to adjust to the idea that the enemy was defeated, the danger really gone this time and there was time at last to draw a free breath without haunching her shoulders in dread of the next surprise altercation. Muku gave Rhea a reassuring squeeze back, reassured by the gentle strength of her delicate-seeming lover, feeling the warmth of emotion flowing between them with an oddly comforting sense that together they could stand up to any challenges. It was not so farfetched to believe anymore that they were indeed a solid item, and recognized now as the honored defenders of both Earth and the C'thuwulf interests.

 

“And so we give thanks to those in whose debt we find ourselves,” Iczer One spoke again, “And in recognition of this debt of honor that we owe their memories we commit ourselves to the partnership in whose lives they have so nobly fallen. May their spirits live forever and their memories be cherished in the hearts and minds of the C'thuwulf race, and to our human allies we make this further commitment to see to it that their sacrifice will never be in vain. Let us carry within our hearts the respect for all life that is the basis of our alliance and dedicate our future labors to the furthering of our mutual aspirations...”

 

Muku hoped that this would not go on too long. It was a rather overwhelming affair, the vastness of the issues involved, the sweep of broad implications that were entirely over her head and certainly too important for a mere high school girl to have to figure out...it was more than she knew how to cope with, and the longer it went on the more it became apparent that she would take some time just getting used to this. She wanted to go back to her private little world, to concern herself with schoolwork, skating and her martial arts training, but here she was---virtually drafted into an elite service whose very purpose was being touted as a symbol for the unity of Earthling and C'thuwulf. That her friends Sakura, Yui, and Ken shared this spotlight only made it seem that much more unreal, and yet it confirmed in her mind that things would never be the same again. Their lives had been changed, and---for better or worse---they were now on call to serve as C'thuwulf soldiers.

 

“...But lest we think that this day is all about our missing companions and what they sacrificed for the good of all Terra,” Iczer One was just then adding to her requiem, “Consider the pain and loss shared by those who remain behind, who loved and lost their partners, friends, sisters in the field, lovers and beloved companions, those who survive and live on, preserving the memory of their lives and what they meant to us. In their honor we must give homage and pray that the pain and remorse they share will not be longer than the happiness and joy their loved ones gave to us all. Be comforted, gentle friends...though no words of mine can make up for the loss we all have suffered, they are not gone from this world forever, and as long as they are remembered, they will live within us forever.”

 

Muku gave a mild start as she sensed Rhea's attention drifting towards one solemn group of individuals whose mournful expressions were more pronounced than any others, and the realization came to her that these were the survivors, next of kin or loved ones left behind by the departed. It brought home to her how much an individual life was valued in terms of the effect they had upon others, and to sense the enormity of that loss was to truly feel humbled. Once again it made her wonder what she was doing in this setting, and how on earth she could have come to be saddled with the responsibility of preventing future such tragedies from happening to others...

 

**I know it is strange for you, my love,** a voice startled Muku, sounding like Rhea though her friend had not actually spoken, **It is strange for us as well.”

 

Muku glanced at her companion, a questioning lift of an eyebrow speaking volumes of her total agreement on that subject.

 

**If you wish to go somewhere after this is all over,** Rhea spoke again, **I will gladly take you to any place that you desire.**

 

Muku smiled as she realized that the depth of their unity now allowed them full access to one another's thoughts. As odd as this was---and as uncanny as it seemed to her perceptions---she found that she could not resent Rhea's presence as intrusive, so she thought aloud in reply, **Do you feel like skating?**

 

The warmth of Rhea's response was answer enough, though the words flowed naturally between them, **I would love to.**

 

**Good,** Muku grinned broadly, **Then from now on you're my designated training partner, Partner.**

 

Rhea's smile intensified as she thought back, **I like the sound of that. Yes, I very much look forward to training with you...Partner.**

 

Muku was only dimly aware of the glances turned her way by Sakura and Yui, but that was another issue that could wait for the future to be resolved. For now she had enough in her companionship with Rhea, and for that Muku was both satisfied and enormously grateful...

 

 

 

 

“Thank you soooo much, Nami-san,” Rini breathed a sigh of relief, “I swear, if I had to hang around with Mom and act like a trophy daughter for another minute I would have gone crazy!”

 

“Glad to help you out,” Nami replied as she scanned their current surroundings, “But why did you want to come here, to the place where I work? I mean, granted it's not open yet and won't be doing business for a few more hours, but don't you think that I'm in enough trouble with your parents?”

 

“Hey, my folks are cool, don't let `em bluff you into thinking they're gonna get medieval on your ass,” Rini assured her, “And with some of the stuff I know about what they've got hidden in the closet...let's just say that they're in a pretty poor place to be pointing any fingers.”

 

“That's reassuring,” Nami remarked, “Considering that some of your aunts throw fire, ice, and lightning spells, and your mother wiped out the entire Venomoid assault force with a wave of her magic Moon Wand...”

 

“Maybe so,” Rini replied, “But there are some things they don't have to know about in too much detail, and I just knew if I didn't get out of there I was going to suffocate! You have no idea what it's like growing up being a Princess...”

 

“I don't imagine that I would,” Nami said with a mildly wry expression, “But tell me...why did you want to come to the bar where I work? Don't you know that---being underage---I technically can't even be seen with you here by my own employer?”

 

“Just tell him I'm a girl you're recruiting for a date,” Rini said as she scanned the empty establishment, trying to imagine what the place would be like when filled with people. A catwalk runway dominated in the center of the room with several metal poles at key points of the stage, suggesting to her the use to which they would be employed during normal business hours, “He doesn't have to know how old I am...and I look mature for my age, everybody says that.”

 

“Yes, but your mother and father are not `everybody,' are they?” Nami reasonably pointed out, the paused before adding, “Just how old are you anyway?”

 

“One thousand and twenty-seven,” Rini replied with a straight face, “What, did you think I was older?”

 

“W-What?” Nami responded before getting the distinct impression that her leg was being pulled.

 

“Just kidding,” Rini replied to confirm this suspicion, “But...seriously...there's a reason why I used to be called `Small Lady' by my friends and family...Chibi Usa was my nickname growing up. It's kind of a long story, but it involves a lot of time-travel and going back and forth through the timestream to the time before my own birth. I was really born during something called the `Second Silver Millennium,' and I was named Usagi the Second and raised in Crystal Tokyo, and at some point in my life I got frozen at pre-pubescence and spent several centuries in the body of a six year old kid...my body, only I couldn't age like normal children.”

 

“You lived a thousand years like that?” Nami blinked.

 

“Yeah, but things changed when I came back into the past, before my parents even got married,” Rini further elaborated, “That's when I changed my name and started calling myself Rini, and, well...I don't want to bore you with the details...but let's just say I fixed a few problems in my past so that I could be born here naturally and grow up like a normal kid. It's a funny thing being around to witness your own birth and all that, but...well...I remember everything that happened to me a thousand years into the future, but I'm really just seventeen in terms of my physical body. That's why I say I'm more mature than I look, so you don't have to act like I'm a total ditz, like my mother.”

 

“Uh...” Now Nami was uncertain if her leg really was being pulled but decided not to press the matter too closely as Rini was acting as if it were a serious matter to her. Nami conceded that she certainly did act old for her age, which was one factor that had attracted her to the pink haired teenager in the first place, but who would have thought that someone that young could have such a vivid imagination.

 

“S'alright,” Rini smiled lopsidedly, “I don't blame you for being skeptical. A lot of things about us Senshi won't make sense in conventional terms, but you have to play with the cards you're dealt, and that's my life in a nutshell. Did you know that I once dated a winged unicorn named Pegasus? That's how crazy it gets in my universe, so if you want to hang out with me you'd better get used to weird stuff like that.”

 

“I'll try and keep that in mind,” Nami noted, murmuring almost in afterthought, “And I thought my world could get crazy...”

 

Rini nodded to the stage and said, “That's where you do your thing? Your dancing, I mean?”

 

“Yeah,” Nami also nodded to the stage, “Back when I was hardly older than you I started out doing cage dancing, and I worked my way up to the topless set until I made it to the clubs, and there my popularity took off, such as it is.”

 

“Popularity,” Rini repeated, “Because men like to watch you dance with your boobs hanging out?”

 

“Among other things,” Nami shrugged with an amiable smile, “And it isn't just men, in case you haven't already figured that part out.”

 

Rini acknowledged that with a faint smile, “I'm beginning to figure the score. So...does it ever bother you, having guys drool in your presence?”

 

“No,” Nami replied, “I'm used to it by now, and as long as they're not drooling on me they can have their fantasies about me, just as long as I know the truth about myself and give them their money's worth. This is how I put myself through college, and you can make pretty good money dancing for the crowds and giving them something to lust about for a few harmless hours.”

 

“Harmless?” Rini smiled, “I know some of my aunts who would argue about that, and my Dad...well, talk about old fashioned...”

 

“I know it's not politically correct to think of dancing naked as an artform,” Nami replied, “And I'd never claim that all the people who come here are stable and normal, though most are regular people who just want to set aside their cares and daily complaints to relax in an amiable environment that has few rules and fewer restrictions. Me, I get off on the freedom of total movement this affords me...being naked only means there's nothing between me and my audience but the rapt attention that I inspire through my very presence. Nudity gives power to a woman, it doesn't take it away. The false armor and pretenses that people wear to keep us all apart is a trap that offers only false protection. Men are not always the vile predators that you might think they are, Princess. Most men are actually intimidated by a beautiful woman who commands her own sexuality...that's why repressive societies seek to take this freedom away from us, to strip us of our power...”

 

“All right, you've sold me,” Rini nodded.

 

Nami blinked, “I beg pardon?”

 

“It's all about goddess worship, right?” Rini asked, “I read a book about it once, how ancient societies gave homage to the Mother Goddess as she was reflected in all women, or something like that. Did you know that in ancient times men used to fear the power of a woman's virginity so much that they thought it took a special kind of man to deflower her, either a king or a great hero? Men used to insist on having their tribal chiefs be the first one to bed their brides on their wedding days so that the chief could take the power of her virginity away, otherwise it might shrivel him up and blast him, or something like that.”

 

“I've heard about that,” Nami smiled, “Lord Rights were considered a burden of kingship, not a cheap excuse for the king to climb into bed with every woman in his dominion. I know most guys can barely get it up more than two times a night...imagine them having to perform the same service constantly day in, day out all year round, especially in the planting and harvest seasons where fertility was believed to be highest.”

 

“Sounds rough all right,” Rini mused, “Wonder how it applies to the C'thuwulf, who've never had any guys in their gene pool?”

 

“I'll have to remember to ask them sometime,” Nami grinned broadly, “I can't imagine Nagisa would be very happy about having Iczer One perform a Lords Right service for all the recently pledged partners in our community.”

 

“Yeah, I'll bet,” Rini chuckled again, then more seriously, “So what do you do when you're up there on the stage, waving your tits at the crowd and giving them what they pay for?”

 

“I imagine myself as being powerful and in charge of everything,” Nami replied, “Then I let it all go and just act naturally. There's no fear when I'm up there, no sense of being at anyone's mercy. Most guys won't dare approach me for fear of breaking the spell and losing what I offer, and if anyone did have the balls to try and attack me on the stage, well...the bouncers aren't there to protect me from those jerks, they're here to protect the jerks from me and what I'd do to them. As you already know I'm nobody's play toy.”

 

“But isn't that like promising them something you don't intend to give them?” Rini asked, “Like a tease?”

 

“Partly,” Nami admitted, “But most patrons aren't here for cheap sex, they're here for the fantasy that I provide them. I get to be everyone's dream girl and they worship me with their eyes while throwing money at the stage or slipping yen notes through my g-string.”

 

“Which is a kind of worship service, huh?” Rini said, “Alms for the goddess. So...why did you stay? Did you complete your education, and if so...why are you still here?”

 

“Maybe because this is where I want to be...when I'm not wearing my Iczelion armor,” Nami replied, “I've never had a place you could really call home, not even when I joined the C'thuwulf and took up residence in Gamora city. I ran away from what I laughingly call the home of my childhood and took up dancing to pay my way in the world. I had a rougher childhood growing up than you could ever imagine, and I hope you never have to find out about everything I've had to do in order to stay alive. Believe me, some of it isn't pretty.”

 

“But you're a hero now,” Rini said, “You fight to defend the Earth, and in your free time you like to get down and be naked. I think I can relate to that.”

 

“You think you can relate to that?” Nami blinked, not having expected such a bland statement of acceptance.

 

“Sure, you've seem me transform, right?” Rini said, “I get naked for a few seconds, then I go fight the bad guys.”

 

Nami smiled at this, “Yeah...I think I do see. Maybe there's not so much of a difference between us after all, Princess.”

 

“I knew you'd see it my way,” Rini said, nodding towards the stage again, “So...what does a girl have to do up there in order to pole dance?”

 

Nami evidenced surprise, “You...want me to show you?”

 

“If it won't get you in any trouble with your boss,” Rini gave her a minx-like expression.

 

“My boss I can handle,” Nami assured her, “Your parents and my bosses among the C'thuwulf...that's a different matter, and if Cobalt or Sepia ever hear about this...”

 

“So why do they need to hear about this?” Rini asked as she walked up to the catwalk stage and gave Nami a glance over her shoulder, “Are you planning on giving them a private showing?”

 

Nami arched an eyebrow at this and said, “Do you want me to perform for you?”

 

“More like...I'd like to perform for you,” Rini replied, “Is there a problem with me dancing naked on a stage with you?”

 

Nami rolled her eyes at this and murmured, “I just know this is going to get us both in a lot of trouble...” then sighed, “But I'd be lying if I said no to you, Princess, and if you want lessons in pole dancing, then you've come to the right Iczelion warrior.”

 

“But it's dark and poorly lit in here,” Rini noted, “And we don't have any music.”

 

“You want music?” Nami smiled, then paused to raise her voice, “Iczel, do you copy?”

 

To Rini's mildly disconcerted surprise the small Iczelion robot known as Black Unit appeared from off-stage and said, “What am I now, a home entertainment system?”

 

“Just comply with the wishes of the Princess, if you would please,” Nami directed to her partner, “A bit of sound and music to befit a proper stage performance...oh, and let us know if anyone comes near enough to interrupting our act. After all, we wouldn't want to be rudely interrupted.”

 

The sound of an electronic sigh escaped the Iczel Unit as it---or “he”---replied, “As you wish it, Nami-san...but it goes without saying that you're once again courting trouble.”

 

“Wouldn't be the first or last time for either one of us, I'd say,” Rini remarked, already climbing up onto the stage with an athletic flip that brought her upright, even as she slipped off her shoes to stand barefoot on the platform.

 

Nami was quick to comply, though not as showy in her mounting, then the two of them turned towards one another as Rini asked, “So, Sensei, what's the first lesson?”

 

“You just watch and learn, youngster,” Nami smiled, already going into her act, “This is how we pros do it, and when you feel like joining in...feel free to follow my moves.”

 

“You bet,” Rini smiled, already fascinated as the stage lighting fell upon both of and with the music started up that suited the sly and supple movements of Nami as she began to flow into her act with the ease of a born dancer. Assured that she was in for some royal entertainment, the Princess heir to the Moon Kingdom got into the grove and began copying the suggestive moves of her newly designated “teacher,” and soon the both of them were dancing in coordination with one another, even as they stripped themselves down to become more fully “liberated,” the motions of one falling in step with the other until it might have seemed to an outside observer that they were engaged in another form of interpersonal behavior, far less suggestive than actual as they began to make contact and start to explore one another's bodies...

 

 

 

 

I am the Uatu, the Watcher. I am ancient beyond memory. I have seen the birth of worlds and the death of galaxies, for I am more eternal than the stars and can expect to see the universe die from a heat death in the far distant future. I can peer back beyond the folds of time and unravel the mysteries of time and space as a mere mortal might turn the page of a book, and I can witness atoms in their orbit or neutrinos whizzing past the most distant stars. There are few mysteries of science that are beyond my knowing and fewer secrets beyond my grasp for I can see and hear all things that transpire within the scope of my awareness. That I choose to make the lunar body orbiting the Earth as my home is merely happenstance, a quirk of cosmic circumstance, yet it makes the Earth a place of special interest and the central focus of much of my observations.

 

I am what mortals only imagine Gods to be, and yet---for all my knowledge---I am bound by an oath to never directly interfere with my mortal charges. I have powers far more vast than mortal men could even hope to comprehend, yet I refrain from using my powers directly lest my interference bring about the sort of unintended consequences that a being of my order is capable of inflicting. If a mortal casts a stone into a pond there will be ripples...and yet how much greater would be the splash if I were to cast my stone into the metaphorical water? It is the quandary that has vexed my long existence, and the paradox that defines my present circumstances.

 

For anyone who truly believes that to observe is to not affect reality is engaging in the grossest of self-delusion. Watching others invariably affects them through indirect means, and I have been watching humanity grow from your earliest primate ancestors and know the complex history that is denied to you, the true story of how human beings evolved to their present level of understanding and self-awareness.

 

Yes, I was there when the Celestials culled your ancestors in search of your hidden potential, and I was present when the Star Tribes had their war of Light and Darkness that divided the One race into the Many. I have watched you climb from the primordial slime to scale the heights of civilization, and I have seen you travel to the stars time and again, only to come back to your mother planet to begin the cycle of life all over again. I saw the Solnoid race in their final hour battling to the death against their Paranoid enemies, and I witnessed the valiant struggle to replant the seed of humanity to a world left unspoiled by that tragic altercation. I was here when the Moon Kingdom rose up in its glory and I witnessed the end fall when the tides of the Dark Kingdom came to destroy them. I have since taken residence among the ruins of their once-proud city to watch over its rebuilding by the heirs of Queen Serenity, a human woman whom I counted as a friend...a very rare thing for anyone of my order.

 

And I have since observed the current cycle that sprang up after the years when the oceans drank Atlantis, when the sons of Aryas strode across the continent of Europe to subjugate the Bronze Age Kingdoms under their sandaled feet. I watched as the Mother Goddess cults of ancient times were replaced by the Sky Father and his children, who later converted to the Cross or the Crescent as the tides of generations swept you over. I have seen old gods die out as younger cults spring up to replace them, and I was there when Cleopatra took her poison, when Caesar yielded his throne to the Visigothic Christians, and when Galileo challenged the authority of a medieval church with his humble observations...and if you can imagine such a thing, think of the amusement it caused me to see a mortal peering at me through a crude magnifying lens. I have watched Einstein formulate his theories while Freud conjectured on the nature of the human mind. I have seen the entire span of your history, including the parts which have been burned or buried under the weight of ages...and yet for all of this there are still mysteries about the human plight that still elude even me.

 

Which is what makes your species such a source of infinite fascination.

 

As I have said, merely witnessing history is not the same as taking part in it, but by the simple act of watching a thing it is possible to have an effect, however indirectly. Perhaps this is why I have been prone to meddling in human affairs whenever it suits my nature. At first even I was not aware of my tendency to affect the outcome of certain key events within recent memory. It was little more than the slight alteration of certain probability lines, the chance alteration in the path taken by a single electron. The effects were minor at the beginning, but over successive generations they tended to add up to larger and larger effects whose nature became quite apparent. How else would you account for the spontaneous explosion of beneficial mutations that have appeared within the last few thousand years of your species's existence, becoming a true avalanche during the so-called Nuclear Era? Or was it by mere chance that a brilliant scientist should encounter a supposedly “freak” cosmic storm when his team was testing out a prototype shuttle? Or that another brilliant scientist---caught within the blast of his own creation---should spontaneously mutate into a towering man-beast of unstoppable power...and do you really think that it was purely by coincidence that that spider bit that young man and turned him into a legend? Was it by chance that a rocket bearing the---supposedly---last son of a dead world should happen to land in the cornfields of Kansas? Indeed, a great many alleged “freak coincidences” can be laid to my feet, for though I did not deliberately cause these things to happen, I in some part did cause events to be shaped into their present configuration.

 

Any would I do this you might ask? Why go against an eons-long oath of non-interference to bring about an explosion of Heroes and Villains that have contended over the most recent decades of your history, who have turned entire cities into battlegrounds and have yielded beings capable of shattering entire mountains with a single casual gesture? Why indeed...unless you know as much about history as I do, and what the consequences to humanity would be if there were no extraordinary defenders to champion the cause of an entire world...or the villains capable of offering them challenge so that they could hone their skills and further develop their powers. I knew that such beings would be needed in good order, and time and again my faith in this belief has been vindicated. Your heroes have done well and have surpassed even my own expectations, and the most recent events of all are further confirmation of the wisdom of my actions.

 

Indeed, when I first saw the C'thuwulf drifting from the ruins of their world I knew that their destiny would one day draw them to the Earth...and I knew what consequences would befall the blue planet that I consider my own particular jewel within the heavens. I knew that Big Gold would strive to conquer everything and destroy all traces of human potential, save those that were most useful to her own dark ambitions, and I knew that the only cure to such a disease would be a C'thuwulf vaccine, one bonded to humanity and thus inoculated against this particular virus.

 

I am pleased to see that my faith again has been rewarded, as it was when I watched a young girl struggle to overcome her own reluctance and become a true hero. I have seen the process repeat itself once again in recent days, and I am satisfied to see that the Earth's defenders have never been more unified in the cause of preservation.

 

I am---I must confess in all honesty---something of a voyeur for having observed so many interesting chapters of your existence. I find that humanity is a source of both vexation and wonder, for you contain within yourself the very best and worst of what sentient life is capable of aspiring towards. You range the spectrum of behavior and belief, and I find that even in your darkest moments you show the spark of something truly divine that lurks within you. This is why humanity must be preserved against all of the odds arrayed against you, but only human beings can decide your fate, which is why I continue to leave the important matters for you to decide within the scope of your collective karma.

 

For though I am the Watcher I am first and foremost a concerned and compassionate uncle, and while my Order may not approve, I am proud to observe humanity as you struggle once more to climb your way back to the stars, and if you succeed in this aspiration I will be waiting to greet you like a doting Elder who is proud of the achievements of his children, for children are the way of the future, and in watching your children grow I mark the progress and potential of the future...

 

 

 

 

“So,” Ranma said, “This stuff about us both being descended from aliens...”

 

“My father, your grandfather, is such an alien, yes,” Cologne replied, “Though obviously not a true alien in the sense that you might be thinking, or else the chances of him marrying an Amazon or human woman and producing offspring would be most unlikely.”

 

“Y'all seem human enough to me, Sugar,” Ukyo noted, “But what's with the disguise if you really ain't such an old bag of bones like you pretend?”

 

“Call it a form of diplomatic disguise on my part,” Cologne replied, “I didn't know my father for very long when I was a child, I only knew from him the stories of far away star kingdoms, like the Jurai themselves. I did know that there was a power within me that was different from other young girls of my acquaintance...but I did not suspect how much that difference was until the years began to pass me by and my friends grew old and withered while I stayed young, in my prime and quite healthy. Over time people started to notice my longevity, and they started to talk. I sensed the suspicion and resentment of the Elders grow the more intense as some believed that I had learned some secret technique for preserving my youth that I was not sharing with others. As you may guess from that point on my life became very difficult within our village, which is why I resolved to disguise my true age through the use of this very convincing and entirely believable illusion.”

 

“But you ain't living in your village anymore,” Ranma reasoned, “So why keep up the disguise since we know your secret?”

 

“Our secret, Nephew,” Cologne replied, “And you might ask your mother sometime for her opinions on this subject. She does not know that she is my secret half-sister, but I have known all along that the power of the Jurai is within her.”

 

“An interesting tale,” remarked Fiber, who was sitting around in the restaurant sipping tea as though she were a welcome family guest, “I can well see where little Ten-chan gained his enormous potential.”

 

“Hey, I had something to do with it too, y'know,” Ukyo frowned.

 

“Aw, don't let it get to you, Hon,” Ranma said as he reached out to hug her, “I still think you're special.”

 

The chef smiled as she hugged her husband back and said, “Flattery will get you somewhere Mister, just watch that you don't start getting a swelled head from being a space prince or something...”

 

“Space prince,” Ranma snorted, “I oughta ask cousin Tenchi about that sometime.”

 

“Speaking of which,” Cologne turned a wizened expression off to the side, where two near-identical Tenmas were working out together with in an unusual match that did not involve fighting so much as the wireless manipulation of puppets, “The potential of your son has certainly exceeded even my own estimation.”

 

“Hey, no fair!” the purple haired boy was saying to his dark haired counterpart, “I'm not ready to do that yet! I'm still learning the basics...”

 

“Don't complain to me if you're a slowpoke,” Tenma grinned at his counterpart, “It took me a couple of weeks to learn to do this, but if you think you can't hack it...”

 

“I can hack it!” the other boy said stubbornly, “Anything you can do, I can learn to do better!”

 

“Don't listen to him, Ten-chan,” Yuki assured him, “I think you're doing a wonderful job. I really think you've got the talent to be every bit as good as Ten-san.”

 

“Huh...you think so?” the purple haired boy asked, only to receive a peck on the cheek from the young girl, which caused him to blush a very noticeable shade of crimson.

 

“Yeah, about that,” Ranma said, “You really mean it about opening a shop in town to put on puppet plays for the general public?”

 

“That is my intention, yes,” Fiber replied, “I wish to remain close to your son to continue his training...though in truth he has become so accomplished at Noh Puppetry that I am learning more from him than he has left to learn from me...and perhaps your other son---my ward---will prove to be as talented a student.”

 

“It's plain enough that you did good with our son,” Ukyo noted, “And it's just as obvious that Ten-chan really looks up to you, but why set up shop somewhere else when you can just as easily put up shop here in this restaurant? I know that folks would love to see your act, and it would surely draw in more business.”

 

“What a novel suggestion,” Fiber smiled, “But are you certain you won't mind my being around that often?”

 

“Hey, you don't know Nerima very well, do you?” Ranma sniffed, “There's lots of folks around here who are a lot stranger than you'd think...”

 

“SAOTOME---GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE AND FACE ME!”

 

“Case in point,” Ranma said without flinching, getting up out of his chair as though he had been expecting this sort of visit. He wandered over to the front door to the restaurant then called out nonchalantly, “That you bellowing like a bull out there, Pantyhose?”

 

“DON'T CALL ME PANTYHOSE!” came the immediate reply, “AND I KNOW YOU GOT MY KID IN THERE, SO DON'T TRY AND SAY SHE'S NOT!”

 

“She's in here playing with my kid...you got a problem with that?” Ranma called back.

 

To Fiber's considerable surprise a furry hand the size of a melon reached out and gripped Ranma by his red Chinese shirt as a face that looked entirely bestial poked its way through the top half of the door and the bull-faced Minotaur held Ranma up to his horn-headed visage as he growled, “AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DO...SO COME OUT HERE WHERE I CAN POUND YOU!”

 

Fiber opened her mouth to say something when she saw her male host vanish through the front door as the sounds of violence immediately commenced. She turned a questioning look towards Ukyo, who just shrugged her shoulders and smiled before saying, “Like Ranchan said, stranger things than that happen around in this district, Sugar.”

 

Fiber was just thinking that one over when Sakura came down the stairs, yawning and stretching her recently showered body as she listlessly called out to her mom and asked for an okonomiyaki for breakfast.

 

“What kept you up so late this time, young lady?” Ukyo asked with a look of knowing suspicion.

 

To no great surprise of her mother, Sakura abruptly sobered and became more alert as she stared nervously at her mother and said, “Umm...I don't know what you mean, Mom. I just...ah...had a late night studying...is that a problem?”

 

“No problem for me,” Ukyo said casually as she turned back to her grill and set to work preparing her daughter's breakfast, “But you really should tell Troi-chan that there's a curfew in this house that applies to school nights, so keeping you out late is definitely not permitted.”

 

“Hah?” Sakura's look went from worried to guilty in one easy transition, “But...?”

 

“I'm your mother,” Ukyo replied, “And---unlike some people I could mention---I do tend to keep my eyes and ears open. Besides, I saw her take you off on her motorcycle around eight, and I had a pretty good idea that she wasn't taking you on a field trip.”

 

“Ah...” Sakura fairly wilted.

 

“We'll talk some more about this when you get home from classes,” Ukyo said in a normal tone and volume that---strangely---left no room for contradiction, “But now you and your sweetie had better get on to school or you'll be late, and I don't fancy having another chat with Ms. Hinako over your attendance.”

 

“But I...” Sakura started to say when Troi showed up from the front door, glancing over her shoulder before saying, “Hey...am I imagining things or is your Dad fighting with a nine-foot tall winged Minotaur who has tentacles sprouting from his back?”

 

“Hello, Troi-chan,” Ukyo said pleasantly as if there were nothing ironic at all in her expression or statement, “Have a nice night?”

 

“Uh...sort of,” Troi gave the older Saotome female a puzzled look before turning to Sakura and saying, “Ready to go? The rest of the gang is up front waiting for you, and we'd like to get to your school sometime in this century.”

 

“The others?” Sakura blinked.

 

“Well, all except for one particular party,” Troi winked, “But I'm sure we'll run into her before you know it...”

 

 

 

 

Muku awoke with the dawn with a gentle smile upon her features. Her dreams had been pleasantly filled with warm memories of a night spent in amorous passion, and then she had been returned home to her own bed after a quick trip of a Regenerator Cubicle to make up for any sleep lost to her nightly training session in the acrobatic arts of Human-Iczer interaction.

 

She was aware that the space beside her was cold, yet it still bore the impression of another body that had lain beside her for several hours after their return to the Senzenen household. Muku's smile deepened as she caressed the sheets which bore this impression, feeling her link to Rhea was as strong as it had ever been, and while they had to keep a low profile for now, there was hope in the future that they would be sharing even closer ties...provided she could find a way of explaining things to her mother.

 

Muku yawned, stretched and decided to hop into the shower to make ready for a brand new school day. Downstairs she greeted her parents with a cheerful tone that caused both her mother and father to pause and look oddly at their only daughter. When Muku ate lightly (noting---incredibly---that even her mother's cooking tasted better than usual) and then headed out the door early it caused Akane to feel as if something were up in the air, and---worse still---she did not have a clue as to what it was all about. She turned a questioning look at her husband but Mikado just wore a bland smile of his own and said, “Well, it beats having her moody, right?”

 

Akane just frowned at him and said, “Why do I get the feeling you know something I don't?”

 

Mikado chose his words very carefully, knowing that he was taking his life in his hands as he replied, “Honey...she's a growing teenager, and the day you do figure her out is the day you should worry.”

 

“Hey, I was a teenager too, you know,” Akane glared, “And when I felt that good about something I always had a reason.”

 

“Well, there you go,” Mikado stood up from the table, trying not to make the act look too hasty, “Now, if you don't mind, I have to go have a word with my agent about my latest seasonal tour...”

 

“Seasonal tour?” Akane blinked, “But it's the off-season. When did this start up?”

 

“About five minutes ago,” Mikado said as he headed out the door, hoping to get a good lead before she figured it out.

 

“Five minutes ago?” Akane blinked again, then cried, “HEY! Get back here, you! I want to hear what you have to say about our daughter---!”

 

The chase was on as Muku slipped her skates on and headed off down the streets, too cheerful to give much heed to the current antics of her parents. Everything looked good in her eyes and it was a bright and cheerful morning. When she turned a corner and cruised by a familiar parkway she was not the least bit surprised to be encountered by the sight that awaited her of Rhea in school uniform leaning against a tree, in exactly the same position as when they had met only a mere two weeks back.

 

“Ohayo,” Rhea said slyly, no longer hesitant or shy about expressing her emotions.

 

“Ohayo yourself,” Muku replied as she came up to stand before her lover, “Waiting for me long?”

 

“Not long,” Rhea replied, “I knew the moment you got up in the morning, the moment when you bathed and when you ate and when you left your house, so...I knew exactly when you would show up here.”

 

“Pretty convenient that,” Muku admitted, then added, “You think I could do the same thing, know where you are and what you're doing at any minute?”

 

“Most certainly,” Rhea replied, “You just need a bit more practice...”

 

“Heads up, you two!” a familiar voice hailed out, “Just because you're in your own little world is no reason to forget about us!”

 

Rhea and Muku turned to see Yumi and the others from their inner circle walking up the pass together, accompanied by a civilian-dressed Troi and a demure looking Atros, the latter of whom drew more than a few raised eyebrows.

 

“Hey yourselves,” Muku said, nodding to Yui, Perm, Ken and Sakura before turning her full attention towards Atros.

 

Troi took the hint and explained, “I'm enrolling my kid in your class. Atros-chan expressed a wish to spend more time around her partner, so I've cleared a few channels to get her in with your little group. Any problems with that?”

 

“Uh...no, no problem for me,” Muku turned to Rhea, “Any trouble for you, Rhea-chan?”

 

“Oh no,” Rhea assured them, turning a smile towards Atros, “I would be very glad to have you sharing time in our class with us, Sister.”

 

“Does that also apply to me?” chirped Nova, who appeared so suddenly that Yui jumped back half a step from instinct.

 

“HER?” Sakura could not hold back in expressing her views on this with her expression.

 

“Ah...yeah, Hon...Nova's a special case, bear with me here, okay?” Troi pleaded, “Nova...you're late getting up, Youngster.”

 

“Hey, I was getting myself ready, gimme a break, Auntie!” Nova replied, “Mom was reading me the riot act, telling me not to blow away stuff or use my powers without good reasons. I mean, like sure, I'm gonna get into a fight on my first day as a normal Earth schoolgirl, right?”

 

“It's been known to happen,” Perm responded with a very nonchalant expression.

 

“So...what do you think of my new duds, Sis?” Nova asked Rhea, indicating the school uniform that she was wearing, “Not too shabby, huh? My other mom picked them out for me, they're in my size and everything...”

 

“You look very nice, Sister,” Rhea replied, pausing to give a somewhat concerned look in the direction of Yui.

 

“They seem adequate enough,” Atros said somewhat more indifferently, “As good as anything which we might wear in the presence of civilians.”

 

“Hey, it ain't what you wear, Kid,” Troi grinned with a flirtatious lilt to her posture and expression, “It's how you wear it...or not, depending on the circumstances. Me, I like to go as native as I can get when I'm not in uniform. You kids should dress up more to go out on the town, have some fun with your partners, even try normal dating.”

 

“Mother,” Atros looked away with a somewhat disquieted expression.

 

“I think that would be a nice idea,” Ken said somewhat diplomatically, “I think you'd look great in anything if you let yourself go a little, Atros-chan.”

 

His mildly teasing tone had the effect of causing Atros to blush while Sakura gave the both of them a somewhat cross expression. A single wry thought from Troi, however, and the young okonomiyaki chef abruptly colored and said, “I'd never dress up in that!”

 

“Are you sure?” Troi leered, “Because I'd love to see you in leather...”

 

“Leather?” Yumi grinned, sensing in Sakura's reddened features an ample opportunity for a bit of harmless mischief...

 

“So,” Nova said as she turned her attention back towards Yui, sidling up alongside the young Shrine maiden without the least sense of propriety or hesitation in taking her arm and leaning up against her body, “What do you think about having me in your class, Yui-chan? Think anyone would mind if I sat in your lap during lessons?”

 

“Are you kidding?” Yui gasped, then gave a start as Nova's hand caressed her bottom, “Hey! Stop that! I mean---not in front of the others...”

 

“You weren't this shy around me when we were in the shower this morning, Darling,” Nova murmured in Yui's ear at what she probably meant to be the level of a whisper, and Yui's deepening blush was all the proof anyone needed to confirm the details of what had happened.

 

“Don't tell me you're along with this,” Sakura asked of Yui, who seemed to share the common viewpoint that the young Hibiki was less than sanguine about having Nova for a partner.

 

“Ah...well...hey! Not now!” Yui swatted Nova's other hand as it tried to cop a feel for her bosom.

 

“Looks like you two crazy kids are hitting it off just fine,” Troi said with a grin.

 

“Hey, no complaints on my end, Auntie,” Nova replied, still nuzzling up alongside Yui.

 

Muku felt a mingled sense of sympathy and exasperation for her friend, Yui, who quite obviously had gotten a lot closer to her partner than even she was comfortable with admitting. In truth Muku was not sure what to make of this, or of her own feelings regarding one of her closest friends getting involved with Rhea's somewhat unrestrained half-sister, but she resolved that it was in Yui's hands to sort things out...

 

In a matter of speaking.

 

“Well then,” Yumi smiled, “If we're all heading to class together, why don't we get going? We don't want to be late, especially for you first-timers.”

 

“Yeah, wouldn't make much sense, would it,” Troi smiled, “Like your spunk, kid...”

 

“You would,” Atros noted.

 

“Before you think about attending to such business,” someone else spoke up just then, “Perhaps you might consider dealing with some old business first, Muku-san.”

 

“What?” Muku whirled around, only to groan in complaint, “Not you guys again!”

 

“Sister...brother?” Perm responded with dismay.

 

“Who else were you expecting, Sister?” Godai asked in a casual manner, both he and Gel poised in their usual stances of `ready for action,' as if the previous week had never even happened.

 

“What do you punks want?” Troi growled, “You've barely been cleared from quarantine, and here you are looking for trouble?”

 

“We were born for trouble,” Gel replied, “And just because we've been cleared of the foul influence of Big Gold doesn't mean that we've changed our minds in other respects.”

 

“We still have unresolved issues between us, Muku-san,” Gel insisted with a knowing lilt, “And merely because we are enhanced beyond the threshold of normal humanity is no reason for you to decline a match against us...for old times sake, if you will.”

 

“You guys want to fight with me?” Muku asked with a somewhat vexed expression, “After everything else that's happened?”

 

“It is not that we deny that we are in your debt for saving us from Big Gold and her minions,” Godai replied, “But we would like to believe that life for us holds more than the challenge presented by our transformation into partial Bioroids...and since you are yourself enhanced through your connections to your C'thuwulf allies...you and your charming partner.”

 

“Godai...Gel,” Perm heaved a sigh, “Not again...”

 

“You have got to be kidding,” Sakura said as she unslung her spatula.

 

“No way we're gonna let you threaten Muku like this,” Yui declared as she stood at the ready.

 

“Yeah, besides,” Nova spoke up, “That's our sister you're threatening, Bub!”

 

“Indeed,” Atros said, “And to attack one of us is to threaten us all.”

 

“Guys,” Muku took a step forward while making a pacifying gesture, “It's all right. This part I'm used to, it's not a problem.”

 

“What?” Yumi asked, “Have you got mental, Muku-chan? Don't you know what those guys are made of, what they can do?”

 

“I know,” Muku replied, “But it's okay. I finally understand what these guys want from me, and I'm ready to give it to them...are you with me, Partner?”

 

“Always,” Rhea replied, sensing the thoughts of her beloved and smiling in reassurance.

 

“Then let's do it,” Muku turned and said, “Unit Sixty-Nine?”

 

“Affirmative,” said the diminutive Iczelion robot that appeared near to her side.

 

“Then let's charge up now!” Muku declared, then stood her ground as her clothing dissolved and the robot flew apart to form her body armor in a matter of mere seconds.

 

“Excellent!” Godai grinned, flexing his arms as he, too, shifted into his armored mode, “Then shall we get started?”

 

“And don't expect us to hold back either,” Gel added as she, too, shifted into her own armored aspect.

 

“Then let's pick our battlefield and go at it!” Muku declared as she and Rhea vanished together, shifting into subspace, followed promptly by their chosen sparring partners while the others stood around and looked at the suddenly emptied space beside them.

 

“Kids these days,” Troi sighed, “Well, at least they took it into Subspace...”

 

“Should we go after them?” Sakura asked.

 

“Would it do any good?” Yui countered.

 

“Maybe not,” Nova replied, “But it sure would be fun to watch Sis and Muku-san kick a little butt, right?”

 

“You do have a point there, Sister,” Atros nodded, turning to Ken, “Shall we?”

 

“Why not,” Ken replied, “You coming along, Perm-san?”

 

“I might as well,” she sighed, “Someone will have to look after those two and carry them home later on.”

 

“If only we could get this on camera,” Yumi turned to Ken, “You did remember to pack it, right?”

 

“Ah...” Ken was suddenly aware that Troi, Sakura, and Atros were looking at him oddly.

 

“Now you're talking,” Troi smiled, “So...what we waiting around here for?” and with that they vanished, shifting as a group into the sepia-tinted realm between worlds where Iczer battles could be fought without lowering property values for the surrounding neighborhood, for which favor the citizens of Nerima could be (if they knew about it) enormously grateful...

 

 

Continued?

 

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