Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction ❯ The Senior Year ❯ No Grudges ( Chapter 31 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year: "No Grudges" Part 1
by Sean Gaffney
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edited by James Bateman, Fred Herriot, E.B. Kushnir, Richard Lawson,
and Sebastian Weinberg
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A side story based on the fan fiction stories by Mike Smith and Fred Herriot,
in turn based on "Urusei Yatsura," created by Rumiko Takahashi
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WRITER'S NOTES:

1) Notice how I did the formatting so it looks like a UY-TSY story. Cool,
huh?

2) The timeline for the story is as follows:

a. Scene One takes place three weeks after the events in the first UY movie
"Only You."

b. Most of the rest of the first half takes place in and around the events
depicted in the UY-TSY stories "Sakura's Class Reunion" and "Tag Race
Mark Three."

c. Most of the second half of the story takes place in and around the
events depicted in the UY-TSY story "Nagaiwakai's Lesson."

3) All characters mentioned herein are the creation of Rumiko Takahashi,
with the exception of Reigi Yumoa, Nagaiwakai Moroboshi, Komeru Moroboshi,
Kimaenowakai Hana and the Sunin bodyguards, all of whom were created by Fred
Herriot.

4) Extra special thanks to Mike and Fred for allowing me to venture into
their universe in order to expand upon one of the minor romances depicted.
Ryouko Mendou is my favorite UY character, and I enjoyed her appearances in
UY-TSY, but felt there was much left out. This is my attempt to redress the
balance.

5) By the way, I spell Ryouko with a U. Animeigo, as well as Mike and
Fred, spell it with a double-O (Ryooko). Viz, when they get around to
Ryouko's episodes in the manga, will probably spell it with one O (Ryoko).
Whatever floats your boat.

6) For those unfamiliar with the UY-TSY series...well, it's a long story.
Suffice it to say, this is not your father's UY. There are many differences.
Either go to http://www.io.com/~ksethre/fics/uytsy.htm or
http://www.csun.edu/~hbcsc093/uy/, start with "Alternate Lum-san," and work
from there.

7) Three of these scenes utilize dialogue from the original stories by Fred
Herriot, because these scenes were necessary to the plot of my story. The
dialogue is Fred's; the thoughts, inner monologue, reactions, etc are mine.

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

Reigi Yumoa sighed and straightened his tie as he looked upon the
Moroboshi's home for the first time in many years. Kinshou Moroboshi had
made it clear to him several years ago that he was no longer welcome at their
house. It upset him more than he thought. He had fostered a good friendship
with their son Ataru, and was regretful that this should come to such a sudden
end. What bothered him more was that Ataru had not made more than a token
protest.

However, that was all in the past. Reigi was here now on assignment
from his guardian, Komeru, to attempt to convince Ataru to leave Tomobiki.
These arguments usually had little or no effect, as the residents of the house
just hung up when he tried to call.

But recently, quiet had descended over Tomobiki. Many of the town's
louder residents were now in the hospital, as a result of the attempt to force
Ataru to marry Lum, the Oni who had dominated his life for the past year.
>From what Reigi could gather from reports, Ataru had almost been ready to go
along with the wedding, but had refused at the last minute and fled the
chapel. He had been promptly pursued by most of the wedding party, intent on
everything from grievous bodily harm to death by katana.

Luckily, Ataru's great-grandmother, the Lady Kimaenowakai Hana, had been
informed of this, and a company of her Sunin sumo-ninja bodyguards had
stepped in. After crippling the entire wedding party, they had declared that
any engagement agreements between Ataru and Lum were null and void, and had
taken him back to Earth.

Thus, while everyone else was recovering in the hospital, Ataru was
living alone in relative peace for the first time since the Oni had inserted
herself into his life. Reigi, therefore, had come to the house to attempt to
talk Ataru into leaving Tomobiki and returning to Rishiri-tou. It was hoped
that, away from all outside elements, Ataru would be more amenable to this.

Personally, Reigi was not so sure. He had been keeping track of Ataru
for a while now, and was disturbed by what he saw. After the disappearance of
his sister, Ataru seemed to have undergone a massive personality change. At
times he was fairly normal, but at other times he reverted, embarrassingly, to
a perverted lech, intent only on seducing as many women as possible. It was
impossible to talk to him when he was like that. Reigi just hoped that he had
caught Ataru at the right time.

Coming up to the house, he was about to ring the bell when the door
opened of its own accord. Ataru Moroboshi stepped out, then paused in
surprise. "Reigi? Is that you?"

Reigi was inwardly relieved. Ataru had his hair combed and lacked the
vacant look that seemed to be ever-present on his face. Perhaps he would have
an easier time talking to Ataru than he thought. Outwardly, he grinned
broadly. "Hello, Ataru. It's been a long time."

Ataru frowned. "Yeah, I'd almost forgotten." A shadow seemed to pass
over his face at that moment, but then it was gone. "So, how've you been?"

Reigi smiled. "Tell you what. Why don't I take you out for lunch, and
we can talk about what each of us have been up to."

Ataru had never been one to refuse food, whether he was in his lech mode
or not. "You're on! Wanna go to the new beefbowl place?"

Reigi sighed. "I was thinking a little more upscale if you don't mind."

Ataru shrugged. "Okay. Food is food."

*Well, at least step one is accomplished,* Reigi thought. They got into
his car and drove into town.

* * *

"Huh? Go back to Rishiri-tou?"

Reigi nodded. "That's right, Ataru. After all, you were all set to do
it right before Lum came into your life. It needs to be done."

Ataru frowned again at the mention of Lum. Reigi had been growing
increasingly concerned at Ataru's personality shifts. For a while, he would
seem to be completely normal. Then, usually when Reigi mentioned Lum's name,
his eyes would glaze for a moment and he would lose all track of the
conversation. This had made for a long lunch, as Reigi had to backtrack
constantly. Reigi decided to press his point. "Ataru, look at what your life
has become. Living with parents who haven't given you any love in years, in a
town that regards you as an embarrassment. In Rishiri-tou, you could start
over, rebuild your life to what it was before Lum arrived."

Ataru looked up, for the first time not losing himself. He was
perfectly serious as he said, "What about Lum? Would she be able to come with
me?"

Reigi was utterly stunned. He had thought that the relationship
between Ataru and Lum was completely one-sided, one Ataru was trying
desperately to release himself from. But now, apparently, Ataru was saying
that he wanted to remain with Lum. "You *want* Lum to go with you? Ataru,
are you insane? I thought you hated her!"

Ataru seemed to be having an inner war with himself. He leaned over
towards Reigi, dropping his voice. "No, that's not true. All I want is for
Lum to let me...let me live my own life. If I were in Rishiri-tou, she'd have
to change her ways, wouldn't she?"

Now it was Reigi's turn to pause. "I don't know, Ataru. Your
grandmother regards everything that's happened to you as Lum's fault. I'm
not sure she would allow Lum to come to Rishiri-tou."

"She might. If it were made clear that I would only come with Lum. Do
you think that she might be able to reconcile with Lum?"

Reigi frowned. "Well...there's no love lost between your grandmother
and Lum. But if you were able to curb Lum's behavior...and if you were
there...that's what your grandmother wants, Ataru. She wants to see you at
home again. If you came back...I think she'd allow it."

Ataru smiled. "I think...if I talked with her, I might be able to
convince Lum to come with me. I don't know, though...I get very tense when
she's around."

Reigi smiled. "If you like, I could help with that. So, Ataru, is it
agreed? Will you come back?"

Just then, there came a cry from the street outside. "DAAAR-LING!!!!"

The effect on Ataru was instantaneous. He locked up in fear, and hid
under the table. "Ah! Lum!"

Unfortunately, his crying out alerted the Oni to his presence. She
entered the restaurant, not even pausing to look at Reigi. "Darling, what
are you doing in here? Your parents have come back from the hospital, and
they sent me to look for you!"

Ataru bolted upright. Reigi was astounded. You would not even have
known it was the same person. "You're one to talk! I was having a wonderful
time by myself until you showed up!"

Lum crackled dangerously. "And just what were you doing while I was in
the hospital, Darling?"

The danger of being hit by Lum's lightning removed any trace of the
former Ataru from him. "And what business is it of yours what I was doing?!"

"We're married, Darling! A wife has the right to know what her husband
is up to!"

Ataru backed slowly out of the door of the restaurant, giving one final
comeback. "We are *not* **MARRIED!!!!**"

Lum began the windup that indicated a lightning blast was forthcoming.
"Darling...NO...*BAKA!!!!*"

Reigi tried to leap in. "Ataru, wait...!"

But it was all for naught, as Ataru had turned and fled almost as soon
as Lum had started to flare. Almost as quickly, she chased after him, firing
lightning bolts and calling his name.

No, calling her darling's name, Reigi corrected himself. That was the
difference between the two personalities that were there. One, the real one,
was Ataru himself. The other was Lum's Darling, who thought of nothing but
immediate pleasure and pain, and certainly nothing of his future.

Reigi slumped onto the table, his head in his hands. The entire
afternoon had been a failure. Damn her! He had been so close to getting
Ataru to agree, and then with one stroke Lum had ruined everything.

He got up and began the long walk back to his car. One thing was
certain. If Ataru Moroboshi ever managed to escape from the hell that his
life in Tomobiki had become, and return to Rishiri-tou, there would be no
place for Lum. Reigi would see to that. He had some things to tell to
Ataru's grandmother...

* * *

Two years later...

Reigi Yumoa, chief of operations for Toranoseishin Finances, sighed and
put down his reports as another explosion rocked Tomobiki High School. There
had been an increase in the violent incidents there recently, making it
difficult to concentrate. Not only due to the noise level, but because
Reigi's thoughts kept drifting to Ataru. He had been so busy lately with the
company that he had not the time to make another attempt to remove Ataru from
Tomobiki.

Komeru and Nagaiwakai had been nagging him about that lately. They did
not really realize how difficult it was to keep the company running on a
day-to-day basis. After all, they had their own assistants for that. But
Reigi preferred a hands-on approach, which meant staying up late often to make
sure that everything was done properly. It did not help that he was Caucasian
in appearance, which bothered many of the older businessmen. Also, he was
constantly trying to prove that, despite being only twenty-one years old, he
was fully capable of running a major finance firm.

As a result, Reigi had spent many nights in his office, grabbing sleep
only when necessary. It had almost become a second home to him; his apartment
was rather empty and functional. He kept most of his keepsakes in the office.

The noise from Tomobiki High seemed to have ceased for the time being,
so Reigi got back to work, occasionally letting his thoughts drift toward ways
of extracting Ataru from Tomobiki.

There was a knock on the door. Reigi was not surprised. He had left
instructions not to be disturbed, but his assistants usually regarded that as
a suggestion, not a rule. "Come in," he sighed.

It was only Reigi's strict discipline that kept him from falling over as
Ataru Moroboshi entered the room. For a moment, Reigi found himself wondering
if this was a trick. Ataru had a light in his eyes that had not been there in
years. Furthermore, Reigi had not heard any screams coming from his office,
meaning that there had been no attempt of molestation on the way in. Joy
filled Reigi as he realized that Ataru had finally done it; he had found the
courage to escape from the evil that hounded his life in Tomobiki!

A small grin played across Ataru's face as he noticed Reigi's stunned
expression. "You busy?"

Reigi bounded across the room, reaching out to grab Ataru's hand.
"Ataru!!" Overcome by emotion, Reigi grabbed him in a bear hug. "You old
snake!" As he released him, Reigi looked deep into Ataru's eyes, wanting to
make sure that Ataru was here, and not Lum's 'Darling.' "So, you finally
decided to get away from those twits and come back to your real home, huh?!"

Laughing, Ataru sat down. Reigi noticed that he seemed to be carrying a
*qu'f-piaqu'r,* a Yehisrite particle photon musket. "Well, it's only a
visit," Ataru said. "You know how stifling it could be when you're with
Komeru-oji-chan for any length of time."

Once again, Reigi found himself mystified by Ataru's ambivalence toward
his uncle. In Reigi's opinion, the amount of good deeds and public service
Komeru performed more than made up for any lack of emotion...not to mention
his adoption of Reigi and the other wards belied the belief that he did not
care. Ataru, however, had always valued a loving family above everything
else, thus found his uncle's distance just as annoying as his parents' abuse.
They had argued about this a number of times, and Reigi did not feel like
bringing it up again. "True, I suppose."

He decided to take the initiative, and see if Ataru was really all
right. If anything would tell him that, this would. "So, what does bring you
here after about two years? Finally getting tired of Lum?"

Reigi knew that it was potentially dangerous mentioning Lum in Ataru's
presence; it could mean a relapse. Ataru seemed to realize what Reigi was
doing, and had to keep himself from laughing. "Not Lum, but those who like to
hang onto her like a school of remora."

Reigi remained outwardly happy, but frowned a little inside. Even after
all of the shit he had been through, Ataru still seemed to care for Lum? Why?
What in God's name did he see in her? Oh well, as long as he was no longer
freaking out at the mention of her name, that was fine. The mention of the
other people of Tomobiki reminds Reigi of the chaos that had disturbed him
earlier. "Ah, we heard the blasts all the way over here. We knew that
eventually, sooner or later, that idiot Mendou was going to step over the
line."

Ataru smiled. "He did, but thanks to Grandma, I pushed him back."

Reigi noticed Ataru pointing to the *qu'f-piaqu'r*. So, it was
Nagaiwakai who got him the firearm. Well, so much the better. After taking
abuse from the likes of Mendou and Ran, it was about time he had a way to
defend himself. He looked out the window, noticing the damage done to
Tomobiki High School. It would probably total in the millions. The Mendou
Clan might be giving them a call soon. "And how. Well, it doesn't matter.
Great thing, being the only finance company which caters to people like the
Mendous and the Mizunokoji. We get filthy rich on their petty little feuds!"

Ataru's eyes glinted again. "I bet. Actually, it's because of that
little connection that I came to see you today, Reigi. How'd you like to do
me a favour?"

Reigi had an idea what Ataru was about to ask, but went along with it.
"What sort of favour?"

Ataru grinned. "If I remember the terms of the contract between
Toranoseishin and the Mendous, you can launch a Conglomerate-wide inspection
of all their operations, including all the extra stuff Mendou has at his beck
and call."

It was Reigi's turn to grin. Mendou had abused the family resources for
years in his attempts to bring Ataru to heel, using lethal force at times.
*He's lucky Ataru's got ninja reflexes,* Reigi thought, *...or Mendou'd be
serving time right now, if not in an early grave thanks to Nagaiwakai-sama.*
"We can. After all, we loan the money for them to operate such forces. So
until they pay us back, we have a right to see how they're using it. It
affects things like credit ratings and all that. I do confess they are pretty
punctual with their payments." *Though,* he added silently, *...the way
Mendou uses the Kuromegane, they're already in hock through to the
millennium!*

"So how'd you like to do an administrative inspection?"

"When?"

"Like right now?"

Reigi's eyebrows went up; apparently Ataru was very serious in getting
Mendou off his back. After so many years of Ataru blithely ignoring the
world, this took some getting used to. "Ouch! Just as things are heating up
between you and the school." He smiled; this might prove to be entertaining.
Even if Ataru had not asked him personally, Reigi would have wanted to do it
himself, merely to see the look on Mendou's face. "My pleasure."

Ataru smiled. "Thank you kindly." From anyone else, the phrase might
seem sarcastic, but Reigi knew enough about Ataru to know that he meant it.
Ataru got up and moved towards the telephone. "Mind if I use that? I'd like
to call Grandma."

"Go ahead." Reigi got up himself. "I better call the Mendou mansion and
give them the bad news." He left for the main office.

After giving the news to the Mendous, mollifying them somewhat by saying
that he would tell Shutaro himself, Reigi returned to the office to find Ataru
still on the phone with Nagaiwakai. Reigi could hear the love in his voice.
Nagaiwakai was the only relative that Ataru really loved, and she returned his
love fully. Reigi also noticed that Ataru avoided mentioning Lum in the
conversation, merely referring to Tomobiki in the broad sense. Well, if he
still wants Lum in his life, staying silent about her when talking to his
grandmother was probably a smart idea. Reigi did not think Nagaiwakai would
ever forgive the Oni for the Second Tag Race.

As he went to the helicopter pad to head for Tomobiki High, Reigi
frowned. Despite the joy he was feeling, there was still doubt in Reigi's
mind about what he saw today. He considered himself a good judge of human
nature, and knew that changes like Ataru's did not happen overnight. There
was something wild about Ataru now, a dangerous glint in the eye, suggesting
that, even though the lecherous lout may be gone, Ataru Moroboshi had still
not exorcised all of his personal demons.

* * *

Ryouko Mendou was bored.

This is itself was not a rare thing. Boredom drove Ryouko most of the
time, and most of her schemes were attempts to stave this off. They only
proved to be temporary respites, though. And lately, they had not been
enough. In addition to boredom, she was starting to feel depressed, as she
went over the past two years of her life. Despite the fun she had, she really
had not accomplished much, besides annoying her brother. That used to be
enough, but now she wanted more out of life. She wondered if this meant she
was growing up. She was almost seventeen years old now, and beginning to feel
every bit of it.

She had considered going out to tease Shutaro again, maybe by flirting
with Ataru Moroboshi. That always worked. However, she had been informed by
her Kuroko of Ataru's recent personality changes. Ryouko may be spoiled, but
she was no fool, immediately coming to the conclusion that this would *not* be
a good time to bother Ataru.

Then there was Tobimaro. He was like her brother in so many ways,
which, of course, was the main reason she teased him. Pretending she was in
love with him drove him up the wall. However, his hatred of women disgusted
her, especially since he was hypocritical enough to live with those gorgeous
bodyguards of his. No, even Tobimaro was starting to bore her. Besides, he
was off on another one of his adventures in the wild, and would not be back
for a while.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a whisper next to her left ear. One of
the Kuroko. "Mistress, I have distressing news. Your father's finance
company has called an inventory of all Mendou clan operations, and has placed
a hold on their usage until it is complete. We...we will not be able to serve
you, Young Mistress."

Ryouko could hear the pain in his voice. Unlike Shutaro's Kuromegane,
who only protected him because they were paid, Ryouko had developed a nice
relationship with her Kuroko. In fact, it was through them that she began to
develop her love of the theatre. It must have been hard on them to hear this.
"Don't worry. I will take care of my own needs until the inspection is
complete. Why not take the time to relax, do some of the things you haven't
had time to do."

It was not much, but it was the best she could come up with. The Kuroko
enjoyed serving her, as they were able to use their love of the theatre.
Also, they were her friends. But there was not a lot she could do about it.
"I'm sorry."

"Do not worry, Mistress. It is we who should apologize. Are you
sure...?"

"I'll be fine. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Ryouko spoke much too roughly, then winced as she felt the Kuroko draw
back. "I apologize again. I have been feeling out of sorts lately, and do
not mean to take it out on you. But don't worry, I shall be perfectly all
right."

"Very well, Mistress. We hope to see you again as soon as possible."

Ryouko smiled. "As do I."

She heard a slight flutter, and the next minute they were gone. She
sighed, feeling very alone. She suddenly realized that she did not want
someone to tease, or torture, but to talk to as an equal. Someone whom she
could begin to show her real self to, instead of the spoiled princess she
pretended to be. With a start, she realized that she was lonely.

Ryouko slowly got up and prepared for bed, hoping that maybe the next
day would bring something better...

* * *

Reigi sighed, thinking for about the fourth time that day that
personally supervising the inventory of the Mendou Clan's resources might have
been a bad idea. He had been to the mansion before, not realizing how *big*
it truly was. Growing up with Komeru and Nagaiwakai meant that he was no
stranger to wealth, but Rishiri-tou was understated, as Nagaiwakai did not
need to demonstate to the world how rich she was.

The Mendou mansion, though, delighted him in its ostentation, featuring
many tacky Japanese heirlooms, that would have been called ugly if they had
not also been so old...and odd. In addition, the number of trapdoors, secret
passages, and hidden weapons caches meant that, in effect, the mansion was
twice the size it looked.

As he made a note of a third set of poison dart throwers in the wall,
Reigi privately observed that this was going to take a lot longer than he had
thought. Oh, well, at least Ataru would not have to worry about Mendou for a
while.

There was a rustle behind him, and a quiet voice exclaimed, "Oh! Pardon
me, I had no idea anyone was here."

Reigi turned around...and found himself looking into the eyes of a
goddess. The most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his entire life was
standing only a few feet from him. He nearly fainted and had to remind
himself to breathe. She was dressed in a lovely silk kimono, with a complex
pattern of dragons interwoven into it. Her hair flowed around her like a
cloud. Was it red? No, more of an dusky ruby, complimenting the blue of her
eyes. She was the most heavenly creature he had ever seen, she was perfect...

*She's Ryouko Mendou,* the logical part of his mind supplied. *She's
Shutaro's sister, and is in all probability as deranged as he.*

He shied away from that thought, angry with himself for thinking such
things. How could this woman ever be anything like that boor Mendou? It just
was not possible. Nevertheless, knowing that she was Shutaro's sister had the
effect of cold water on his libido, and he finally came back to himself,
realizing that he had been staring at her for over a minute without saying
anything. A flush came to his cheeks. "I'm...um...I'm sorry, Mendou-san. I
had chosen to inventory here because I thought these areas were deserted.
Please forgive me; it is I who intruded."

To his surprise, she jumped when he spoke, as if shocked. What had she
been thinking about? She spoke to him again, in low alto tones that had a
taste of nectar in them. "The rest of the family do not venture here often,
but I often use the passageways. They are an easy way to avoid my family."

He could see her flush, as she realized what she was saying. The red in
her cheeks made her even more beautiful, if that was possible! She then
turned, as if to leave. "I don't want to keep you from your work, so...I
suppose I should leave."

He once again found himself needing to say something...and, at the same
time, at a loss for words. He slapped himself mentally. "No! No! It's a
pleasure to meet you, Ryouko-sam...Ryouko-*san*." *Oh, nice save!* he
chastised himself. *Now she'll think you're an idiot.*

She smiled at him again, and he felt as if he would melt right there on
the spot. "It was lovely to meet you too...?"

He could hear the unspoken question at the end of her sentence. "Yumoa.
Reigi Yumoa," he managed to stutter out.

"It was lovely to meet you, Yumoa-sam...Yumoa-*san*." She blushed
again, and quickly walked away. He kept his eyes on her for as long as
possible, but in no time at all, she was around the corner and out of sight.

Did he hear her correctly? Was she making fun of him, or was it an
honest slip, as his had been? He was not sure. He tried not to think of the
implications as he reluctantly turned back to the inventory. Did she have any
feelings for him? There were several clues, from her behaviour, and yet...a
girl such as herself could not possibly find anything in him!

As he replayed the conversation over and over in his head, Reigi
struggeld to keep his mind on work...

* * *

Ryouko walked quickly back to her room, desperately trying to get her
mind back together. What had *happened* back there? She prided herself on
her poise and dignity, and yet in front of this man, she was blushing like a
lovesick schoolgirl. Admittedly, she had been surprised on seeing him in the
corridor. Although she knew there would be auditors inspecting, she did not
expect them to be so thorough as to investigate the back passages and
corridors of the Mendou mansion. That would explain her surprise at seeing
him, but not her other behaviour.

He was quite handsome. His appearance suggested an American, but there
had been something in the eyes which belied those claims. He had very
handsome eyes, which gave the impression that he was looking directly into
your soul. His hair had been slightly unkempt, as if he combed it very neatly
but it fought back over the course of the day. Ryouko's gaze had drifted back
to the eyes again; she could feel herself getting lost in them...

Then with a start she had realized that he was speaking. He was
apologizing for being in the passageways. For some reason, Ryouko had felt a
need to give an explanation to him. She had blurted out that she often used
the corridors to avoid her family. Her brain reeled. *Did I really admit
that to him?* She had felt a flush spread across her face as she realized the
impropriety of her words. Again, there was a sense that nothing could be kept
from him, that he knew her every secret. She had wanted to get out of here,
before she embarrassed herself further.

She had given her apologies and started to leave, but he had stopped
her, insisting that it was no trouble at all. How sweet of him to make her
feel at ease. And he knew her name, too. She had started again as she
realized she had no idea who this handsome man was. She had attempted a
smile, which felt forced to her lips, and subtly asked for his name.

Reigi Yumoa. A beautiful name. She loved the way it rolled off his
tongue. He had a wonderful way of speaking, very polite and formal. She had
started to thank him again, and then realized that she had almost called him
"Yumoa-sama." *Too formal, too formal,* she had thought, correcting herself.
She had been sure that she was bright red by now, and quickly beat a hasty
retreat.

What was the matter with her? In all her relationships with men, she
had been the one in control. She had to stay cool, to analyse their every
move so she could use it against them. Yet with him, it was as if she was a
lovestruck idiot. She felt a need to impress him somehow; to show him the
real Ryouko, not the one everyone else saw. How did he have this power over
her? She needed to know more about him. She started to summon her Kuroko for
a spying mission, and then realized that they had been put on hold with the
rest of the Mendou resources. She would have to wait.

Resigning herself, she lay down on the bed, and unconsciously began to
replay the conversation over and over in her mind...

* * *

Reigi stood outside Ataru's apartment, ringing the bell so that he could
tell him that the inspection was finished. He was not really paying much
attention, just letting his thoughts drift. And, inevitably, he found himself
thinking of Ryouko again. Over the past week, he had seen her almost every
day, walking along the corridors. It could not have been accidental, she had
to be looking for him. Did she like him? Was it possible that she was
attracted to him as he to her?

He had tried denying it for a few days, but it was impossible: he was
truly, madly, deeply in love with Ryouko Mendou (Hmm...sounds like a film -
S.G.). Everything about her was grace and beauty; moreover, from the few
words they had exchanged, she was intelligent, in a practical way as well as
academic. He wondered how she had been schooled. Maybe he would ask her next
time he saw her.

A sudden depression washed over him as he remembered. He was finished
with the inventory, and would not be back at the Mendou mansion. How could he
possibly go on without seeing his Ryouko-sama? He lived to hear the words
come from her lips, breathed in the gaze from her eyes. Without her, he was
not sure of anything. Activities and responsibilites that had once been
child's play now required an intense amount of effort, because he was unable
to await a visit from Ryouko-sama.

These recursive thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. Ataru
stood there, looking lightly puzzled. "What's up?" he said. "You don't look
so good."

Reigi entered the apartment, yawning. He was incredibly tired lately,
both because he had been running the inventory all day and because his nights
were filled with thoughts of Ryouko. "No, not really," he admitted. Ataru
was the sort of person who did not believe in pleasantries that masked true
feelings, so Reigi simply admitted his fatigue. "We finished inspecting the
Conglomerate's books yesterday, so you'd better watch it. Observers have
already seen the Kuromegane out in full force trying to keep track of you."

Ataru sneered, letting his contempt show. "That's no problem," he said.
"When I move north to Oshika, I'll just get a few court injunctions slapped on
the jerks living here. Not even all of Mendou's money can buy off every judge
in Miyagi."

Reigi responded almost automatically, "Yeah, considering that we helped
them get nominated to their posts." His mind was not really following Ataru's
jibes, though. He had heard that Ryouko was very much a patron of the
theatre. Perhaps if he attended a few shows. He usually did not have the
time to go out in the evenings, but if it was to see Ryouko-sama...

Reigi felt a sigh escape his lips. He could see Ataru looking at him
strangely, but it was as if he was twelve miles away. Reigi let himself drift
into another fantasy, where he and Ryouko were doing nothing more than looking
deeply into one another's eyes. Ataru interfered with this vision, though.
"What is it?" he queried.

Reigi wanted to get rid of Ataru so that he could go back to staring at
Ryouko. "Oh, it's nothing."

Reigi could see Ataru was not buying his explanation. "Bullshit!! You
saw something...or someone, less I miss my guess."

Reigi puzzled over that; was he that easy to read? He did not think his
lovestruck condition was *that* obvious. Ataru went on. "Ah-hah!!! I know
what's with you!! You met Ryouko-chan, right?!!"

At the mention of her name, the world went pink. He felt his knees get
weak, and it was all he could do to remain standing. He almost choked on the
influx of hormones that flew through his body when Ataru called her name.
"Ryouko-sama," he purred. He would been embarrassed at calling her that at
first, but it seemed so right, so perfect for her. He did not want to sully
her name by using anything less.

Ataru merely stood there, grinning at Reigi's performance. "Uh-huh!"
He then seemed to think of something. "Um, you better know that I think the
Mendous might want to marry Ryouko off to Tobimaro Mizunokoji."

It was as if Reigi had been shot through the heart. Images of Ryouko
looking into his eyes vanished, to be replaced with an image of Tobimaro
impaled on his own baseball bat! *My God, does she love him?! What if I've
been fooling myself all this time?!* he mentally exclaims, then considers the
matter. *Or is she being forced to marry him by her family?! Those jackals!
How could they force Ryouko-sama to marry against her will?!* All of this
slipped thruogh his mind in a matter of seconds. Aloud, he said, "What?!! MY
poor, sweet, defenseless Ryouko-sama marrying THAT uncouth, filthy bastard?!!
Not in a bloody million years!!!"

Reigi would rescue her from that fate, he knew. He would protect her
from anyone who tried to do her harm. Let them try to marry her against her
will...if it was against her will. A pained look then flashed across Reigi's
eyes as he realized that she might love another.

Ataru seemed to sense Reigi's agony. "I don't think you've got much in
the way of worries when it comes to Ryouko-chan," Ataru said reassuringly.
"Personally, I don't think Ryouko-chan would want to be anywhere close to
Tobimaro given the way he hates women in general...though how he could hate
women when he's surrounded with those gorgeous dolls in his Kurotenshi, I'll
never understand."

Reigi sagged with relief. She did not care for Tobimaro...so there was
still a possibility that she loved Reigi. Nevertheless, he began to feel
worse as he realized the magnitude of what he was going up against. He was
able to control the Mendous and Mizunokoji when it came to financial matters,
but there was no way he could influence then in a matter of family politics.
Arranged marriages were a long tradition in families like the Mendous, and he
knew that with the way Mendou felt about Asuka, a marriage between Tobimaro
and Ryouko would be financially sound, as well.

He began to despair again, as he looked bleakly up at Ataru. "What
should I do?" he moaned.

Ataru seemed lost in thught for a bit, and considered his words
carefully as he answered. "We'll have to go at this very slowly. We can't do
too much too fast or else Mendou'll get wind of it. I can only guess what his
reaction'll be."

Reigi jerked; he had forgotten about Shutaro. He would certainly be
against any alliance of his sister with a Moroboshi, ward or no. "True,"
Reigi murmured. He was going about this the wrong way, he realized. There
was still much he did not know abut Ryouko. He had an information
organization second to none; why not put it to good use? He would bide his
time, gathering information that would help his cause. Then, when he was
prepared, he would win her heart.

Suddenly he remembered the other reason he had come to see Ataru. "Oh,
by the way. Kinshou's here and she's asking for you. She's upstairs in the
cafeteria."

Ataru groaned. Certainly legally divorcing himself from his parents had
ben one of the smartest things he had ever done. "Must I?" he groaned.

"Sorry." Reigi sympathized with Ataru, but if he did not set Kinshou
straight now, over time, she would just get worse. He smiled sympathetically
as the latter left the apartment.

He hurried back to work with a new vigour. In addition to his regular
duties, he now had a task that burned like fire in his mind: win Ryouko. He
decided to get a little background information on her, to see if there was
anything else he could do. *Ryouko-sama*, he thought, *...it seems as if we
must be apart for now. But I will find a way to bring us together! I'll
stake my life on it!!*

People on the streets were staring at him, but Reigi did not care.

He had a purpose...

* * *

December twenty-seventh.

Reigi Yumoa sat in his office, staring at the skyline. It had been two
months now since he made his vow to win Ryouko, and he was depressed. Had he
really accomplished anything? He knew her much better now, of course, yet he
did not feel any closer to winning her, especially considering the family
traditions she was bound by.

His contacts had brought him much information. Some of it had pleased
him, but a couple of things were fairly disturbing. Chief among these was a
propensity for Ryouko to end her arguments with the descent of several
grenades. Reigi had found it hard to believe that his Ryouko-chan would be
capable of such wholesale destruction. Had he read her wrong all this time?
With a heavy heart, he called for the hospital records that these arguments
caused.

There were none. Minor cuts and burns, but residents of Tomobiki
laughed that off every day. But *no one* had been seriously injured as a
result of Ryouko's grenades. Intrigued, Reigi had his uncle's ninjas retrieve
a couple of grenades for sampling. The grenades were deliberately set with
low charges. They would give minor burns, and throw people small distances,
but even when used in bulk, they would not be able to harm anyone. Reigi had
felt his heart soar once again. How could he have doubted Ryouko-chan for a
moment? Obviously, the grenades were more of an emphasis to her remarks than
an actual weapon. His respect for her grew even more.

He had learned much about her life. Privately educated, she had been
sent to a few girls' schools. However, she had never been in one school for
more than two years. Reigi almost wept at the thought of the girl, bouncing
from school to school, with no one to turn to except for her family. It was a
wonder that she had retained so much of her honour and dignity, instead of
ending up like her brother.

Her interest in the theater was sparked by talking with her Kuroko
servants, most of whom were out-of-work actors and directors. Reigi was
pleased to note that her relationship with her servants was excellent, and
that she did not mistreat them as Mendou did those idiots in the Kuromegane.

In addition to Noh and Kabuki theater, she had discovered the works of
Shakespeare at a young age. Indeed, one of the earliest reports Reigi
received was of her attempt to have Ataru play Romeo to her Juliet in a mock
rendezvous. Reigi was amused to note that Ataru seemed to regain his sense of
chivalry when around Ryouko, suggesting that Ryouko had a calming influence on
him. He wondered if Ataru realized that. In addition, she had an interest in
many forms of Japanese music, from the old numbers dating from the Shogunate
to ambient techno by Keiichi Suzuki and Yasuaki Shimizu.

All of this information was devoured by Reigi, as he realized more and
more how much he loved this woman. At first, it may have been an infatuation,
but now he knew it was love. Oddly, Reigi had never imagined anyone else
sharing his life before. He had always been a fairly solitary person. But
now the thought of living a life without Ryouko drove him almost to despair.

He was also buoyed by the fact that Ryouko had been trying to spy on him
as well, which said much for the way she felt about him. Reigi had asked
Ataru whether he should stop her. He had admitted to feeling a little guilty
about his own methods, and thought it was only fair. But Ataru told him not
to worry about it. "Trust me, Reigi-kun," he said. "Ryouko loves a mystery.
If she can't find out a lot about you, you'll just intrigue her more." And so
he had foiled Ryouko's spies, leaving himself as the man of mystery. He hoped
it worked.

Reigi sighed, looking out over the Tomobiki skyline. Ataru had said
that he would help, but that it would take time. *I can't wait for much
longer, Ataru-kun,* Reigi thought. *You've started to get the other wards
engaged. When is it my turn?*

Reigi looked towards the Mendou mansion, and imagined that Ryouko was in
the window of her room, looking out at the night...

* * *

Ryouko looked out of the window of her bedroom, towards the city. More
importantly, she was looking towards the imposing edifice of Toranoseishin
Finances. *I wonder if Reigi-kun is working there tonight? Is he thinking
about me, I wonder?*

Turning back to her nightstand, she picked up the dossier that she had
compiled about Reigi. There was little there. A few facts were known to her.
He was an orphan raised by Komeru Moroboshi, currently Chief of Operations of
Toranoseishin Finances. Beyond that, however, her spies had drawn a complete
blank.

The thought made her feel all warm inside. *He's trying to hide
himself from me, make himself a man of mystery. Well, I love mysteries. You
won't be able to hide from me forever.*

She thought about using the considerable sum that she was now getting
from Ataru Moroboshi to strengthen her resources. But for some reason, she
balked about using the money in such a crass way. After all, although it came
from Ataru, Reigi's name was on the check. She did not want to betray him by
using his own money against him.

The money was not going to waste, however. She had decided to use most
of it to renovate some of the local theatres, most of which had been
abandoned since the Second World War. It was gratifying to know that she was
spending her own money, and not that of the family, on such a worthy project.

Indeed, she had not really paid much attention to her family in months.
Certainly whenever they raised a fuss about her marrying Tobimaro, she would
jump in and put a stop to it. But the petty politics that used to be her
everyday life just did not interest her any more. Instead, she found
increasing delight in her charity works...and, of course, in thinking about
Reigi.

Since she could not get any information, she had to make do with her
fantasies. She imagined Reigi, sitting in his office, planning ways to take
her away from the machinations of her family. *Even now,* she thought, *...he
is organising his forces, ready to whisk me to his side.*

She thought of his handsome face, his eyes glowing, as their lips locked
in a kiss of love and passion. Slowly, his hands would reach out towards her,
as he began to unfasten...

Suddenly a bucket of water came cascading out of nowhere, drenching
her! Attached to the bucket was a note: DON'T USE OUR CHARACTERS IN A LEMON
FIC - THE AUTHORS OF UY-TSY.

*Hmmph!* Ryouko thought. *Typical double standard...Ataru and Lum do it
all the time.*

Sighing, she sank down on the bed, but she still thought of Reigi...

* * *

December twenty-seventh.

Ataru Moroboshi rode the elevator up to Reigi's office. He was here in
order to put the next stage of Operation: Union into effect. Truth to tell,
his mind was still on other things. He just had a talk with his grandmother
about the whole wishing well fiasco. It only served to confirm what he
already knew. Nagaiwakai did not respect Lum any more now than she did then.
In fact, she thought it was another example of "that Oni's stupidity" ruining
Ataru's life. Lum had told Nagaiwakai in an effort to break the barriers
between them, but it had not worked at all.

Ataru was also bothered by the news that the United Nations was almost
ready to pass Resolution 444. Sure, if he married Lum, she would not be
affected by it, but all her friends would be barred from visiting. Nassur,
Benten and Oyuki were important to Lum, as important as Mie and Nokoko were to
him. Driving them away would hurt her a great deal.

Ataru sighed. In her own way, Nagaiwakai was trying to run his life
just the way Lum used to. Lum had taken almost three years of Ataru's life,
years that Ataru had desperately wanted back. Well, they were not coming
back. Ataru had finally realized that he would never get back the youth he
lost, so it was better just to get on with his life and not blame Lum for
something which she had already long apologized for. Nagaiwakai, however, was
not ready to make that choice, if she ever did.

The elevator arrived on the twelfth floor and Ataru tried to put these
thoughts out of his mind. He had more important things to worry about. The
next stack of dominoes was ready to fall...

As he opened the door to Reigi's office, he saw Reigi in a typical
position: hands clasped behind his back, looking out of the window at the
Tomobiki skyline. Looking in the general direction of the Mendou mansion,
Ataru noticed. Good, Reigi was already in the right mood for this. He
greeted him with a wave as Reigi turned around. "Hi, Reigi-kun. Thought I'd
come by and get a status report from you."

Reigi was, Ataru was relieved to notice, only slightly distracted as he
answered, "Hey, Ataru-kun. Well, things seem to be going swimmingly so far.
Ryouhou, Shousetsu and Houka have met with Natsuko's, Momoe's and Kumiko's
parents, and they're already engaged. I've no idea how you managed to match
them up that perfectly."

Ataru grinned. "Synchronicity, mostly. It so happened that the
interests of those three matched up with the three girls. Everything else was
simple." He steeled himself, knowing what was coming. "And what did Uncle
think of all this?"

Reigi smiled wickedly. "He's delighted."

Ataru could sense the unspoken second half of that sentence. "And...?"

"And he wants to know when Tanoshii, Aijooa, Kenmei and Yasashii can be
engaged. He'd like it to be this week, if possible."

Ataru put his head in his hands. He had not been looking forward to
this. "I don't know if that's gonna be possible, Reigi. The guys were easy,
because I managed to find people with similar interests. I'd like to match up
Tan-chan, Ken-chan, Yasashii-chan and Aijooa-chan with those four nimrods, but
do I have the right to do that to them? I need to talk with them, find
out..."

Ataru stopped as he noticed Reigi grinning from ear to ear. Obviously
Reigi knew something that he did not. "All right, Yumoa, spill it! What's
so funny?"

Reigi laughed. "You seem to be under the impression that the rest of
the town is just as ignorant of your machinations as those dummies at Tomobiki
High. Not everyone's that stupid. Believe me, the girls are quite aware of
your master plan, and came to the conclusion long ago that you were gonna
match them with Megane's Boob Patrol."

Ataru raised his eyebrows. "So, what do they think of the idea?"

Reigi frowned slightly. "This is the part I find difficult to believe:
they're delighted. Apparently, they've been interested in those four for
almost a year now. In fact, Kenmei says that you won't even have to do
anything. Just give the word and she'll put Operation: Break-up into
action."

Ataru seemed just as stunned as Reigi that anyone could possibly find
good qualities in Megane and his nerds. But he was not about to question his
good fortune. "Well, that's great! But I don't think that we're quite ready
for Megane and the rest to fall just yet."

Reigi cocked his head. "Who's left?"

Ataru steepled his fingers, giving the impression of deep thought.
"Weeelll...I was wondering if I could borrow one of your Ospreys. I've got a
special delivery to make tomorrow, express."

Reigi was puzzled. "Special delivery?"

Ataru smiled. "Ryuu-chan is going to get the quickest route possible to
her fiance."

"Ah!" said Reigi, understanding. "Well, at least you won't have to
worry about those two; they're already engaged."

"Yeah, but it's still mostly one-sided. I'm going over to Ryuu-chan's
island tonight to have a talk with Nagisa. Maybe I can give him a few tips on
winning Ryuu-chan's heart. I suspect that she loves him deep down. She's
just not ready to admit that sort of affection to anyone, especially if you
consider the fouled-up life she's had so far."

Reigi looked momentarily downcast. "Have you considered reporting her
father to the child abuse center? He's certainly one of the worst cases I've
ever seen."

Ataru frowned. "Y'know, I actually suggested that to Ryuu-chan about a
month ago. She nearly went ballistic! She insisted that she would be the one
to beat her father, with no help from anyone else. I think that she still
loves him, despite everything that he's done to her." Ataru sighed, thinking
back at the numerous beatings and embarrassments in Ryuunosuke's life. "Plus,
Ryuu-chan is everything to Mr. Fujinami. I think if you took her away from
him, he'd die in a month. I don't want that, no matter how foolish the old
guy is."

"True," Reigi mused. "So, one Osprey for Ryuunosuke. Anyone else?
Ran?"

Ataru snorted. "What makes you think I care anything about that
airhead's love life? When Resolution 444 is passed, she'll be the person I'll
be most happy to send packing back to Uru. No, I was thinking that we still
have one more ward to take care of first."

Reigi paused. "Who'd I forget...?!" As he realized what Ataru was
referring to, his eyes momentarily glazed over. "You mean, me and Ryouko?
It's finally time?"

Ataru grinned, amused that despite improvement, Reigi still had a
tendency to zone out when it came to Ryouko. "I think so. The Mendou family
have been getting antsy lately, what with Asuka-chan and Osooko-chan being
such a hot item. I think they're trying to step up the plans to get Ryouko
and Tobimaro married. Now," he added quickly, seeing the look of white hot
agony in Reigi's eyes, "...since we know that Ryouko and Tobimaro don't love
each other in the slightest, our job is to make sure that they're united with
the ones they love most. Wouldn't you agree?"

Reigi stood up and grabbed his coat. "I can be there in ten minutes."

Ataru stopped him. "Whoa there, Tex. I can't go about this that
quickly. This is family politics, which means it's got to be done with a
certain amount of finesse, polish, elan...and downright sneakiness."

Reigi reluctantly returned to his desk, annoyed that he could not be a
white knight coming to save Ryouko from her oppressors. "What makes you think
that Tobimaro is on our side?"

Ataru's grin threatened to split his face. "Actually, I've got the
perfect match for that woman-hater! Don't worry; if all goes well, he'll be
too exhausted to even think about marrying Ryouko." With that, Ataru imagined
what Yuukiki Seishin would do to someone like Tobimaro. His nose almost
started to bleed just from the thought.

Reigi sat on the edge of his chair, his left leg reflexively jiggling up
and down. "So, what's the plan?"

Ataru leaned forward. "Well, Ryouko-chan's always been a big fan of the
dramatic entrance. I've got one that should knock her socks off."

* * *

Ataru paused at the high-voltage fence surrounding the estate. He had
asked the Kuromoroboshi to bring him to the gate, but had then told them that
Ryouko's servants would take care of the rest. Ataru wanted this meeting to
be top secret, and no one was better at getting to and from places without
being noticed than the Kuroko.

He had called Ryouko earlier in the day (jamming the call so that the
Mendou clan or Ran would be unable to listen in), but he had not mentioned the
reason for the meeting. Ataru found more and more that he enjoyed surprising
people, seeing the looks on their faces as they realized what he had done.
But now, instead of the nasty stunts he had pulled immediately after the
Spirit War, Ataru's energies were devoted to a better cause. One that he
certainly felt Ryouko would appreciate.

He was interrupted by a whisper from beside him. "Moroboshi-sama, the
Mistress awaits you. If you will allow us to escort you, we will bring you to
her."

Ataru was impressed; he had not heard them, and it was almost impossible
for someone to catch Ataru unawares these days. "Of course," he replied.

Suddenly Ataru felt himself firmly gripped by two pairs of hands, and
then, without any sign of what had happened, he was *elsewhere*. A private
garden, walled in on all four sides, with no sign of any doors or windows.
Looking up, Ataru saw a skylight, so the plants were able to grow, but...how
did he get in here? A mystery to solve, Ataru wryly noted.

Seated on a stone bench in the middle of the garden, Ryouko looked up at
the Kuroko's sudden entrance. "Ah, Moroboshi-sama! Welcome to my...well,
hideaway would be the best word for it. You need not fear anyone listening
in; nobody else knows that this place exists, and it is searched for any
listening devices once a week."

He smiled. He was wearing a small electronic counter-measures device
his grandmother had obtained for him from the Zephyrite Inquisition which was
purported to be the latest in surveillance jammers. No one was going to be
listening in on this conversation, no matter what. Nevertheless, he should be
polite. "Thank you, Ryouko-chan. And please, call me Ataru. You know me
well enough."

Ryouko colored slightly. "I would rather not, if you don't mind."

Ataru blinked. "All right, but at least make it Moroboshi-*san*."

"Yes, all right. I apologize for the formality," Ryouko began, as her
servants drifted away, leaving her and Ataru in private. "I choose to use it
because, even though we have known each other for a long time, there is much
about you that is different these days. I don't feel I know enough about you
now to be so casual."

Understandable. Ataru had not really seen a lot of Ryouko during the
hard weeks following the Spirit War; she must have been getting some rather
disturbing reports. "True, I am somewhat different, but there's a lot about
me that's the same. I'm not a completely different person, Ryouko-chan." He
grinned, aware that she was uncomfortable now with his casual use of her name.

She looked at him closely. "There is much that is different about you,
Moroboshi-san. Yet...I can see it when I look closely. The real you has not
changed. I saw it on occasion in the previous two years."

Ataru wanted to change the subject. He was not comfortable with his
previous behaviour, and it would probably be a long time before he grew to
accept what he had been like prior to Icarus. Ryouko's intense scrutiny was
also bothering him; time to get those eyes focused on the right person. "So,
Ryouko-chan, what do you think brings me here?"

To his surprise, Ryouko looked down uncomfortably. "I...I have heard of
your vicious treatment of those who abused you so. I can only presume that
you are here to take me to task for my behaviour to you in times past."

He lost his train of thought temporarily. "Um...Ryouko-chan, I
apologize if I gave this impression. Believe me, you have nothing to fear
from me this evening."

Ryouko stared at him. "But after all that I did to you..."

Ataru smiled wryly. "Everyone in Tomobiki behaved much the same way.
Besides, at the time, I probably deserved everything that you dished out. And
I don't think you were ever malicious towards me, just playful. Of course, to
you, playfulness involves grenades..."

Ryouko tentatively smiled. "I'm sure you've guessed that those never
really do any harm."

Ataru grinned. "Believe me, I'm aware of your altruistic qualities.
But no, I've come for a completely different reason."

It was Ryouko's turn to blink. "Then I must confess, Moroboshi-san,
that I am at a loss to explain your reason for wanting to see me."

Ataru tried to get his brain in gear, attempting to figure a way to
bring this up. "Ryouko-chan, I understand that recently your parents have
tried to step up plans to have you married to Tobimaro Mizunokoji."

Ryouko's eyes flared. "Indeed, though I've been able to hold them off
for now. I certainly have no wish to marry Ton-chan; he's as bad as my
brother."

Ataru smirked. "Well, not *that* bad, surely."

Ryouko thought for a moment. "I suppose you're right; he, at least,
*has* a sense of honour. But a marriage between the two of us would not be
happy; we are too different."

"I agree," Ataru nodded. "But you have a problem, because what with
Asuka-chan now dedicated to helping Osooko-chan parent her child, a marriage
between her and your brother seems very unlikely." Ataru paused, in an
attempt to be dramatic. "Of course, if there were anyone else you were
interested in, we might be able to do something. It would be very difficult
to marry you off if you were already engaged."

Ryouko was no fool; her brother had inherited those genes. Her eyes
widened as she realized the implications. Attempting to be circumspect, she
asked, "Moroboshi-san, are you...did you come here tonight as a representative
of...someone else, perhaps?" Her eyes glowed with hope.

Ataru smiled inwardly. He should have guessed that Ryouko would
understand his meaning immediately. "As a matter of fact...I believe you've
already met one of my uncle's wards: Reigi Yumoa."

Ataru paused, waiting for a reaction. And waiting. For two minutes,
nothing moved in the room. He was beginning to get a little worried.
"Ryouko-chan?"

Finally, a small sigh escaped Ryouko's lips. "Reigi-kun..." she
murmured.

*And I thought Reigi was bad! These two need to be together!* Ataru
thought. Aloud, he said, "I come here on behalf of my uncle Komeru. His
wards are coming of age, and it is his wish to see them engaged in omiais as
soon as possible. Reigi is the oldest, and I tried to suggest someone else,
but he would hear nothing of it. Apparently, since your first meeting, he has
been thinking of nothing but you. He would have come to you himself, but
knows how much you appreciate tradition. I have, therefore, come to arrange
an omiai, with your permission. Believe me, the man is smitten with you; you
should hear him out at least."

*Well, most of that is true,* thought Ataru. He had embellished several
points, but he knew that this would appeal to Ryouko's sense of romance.
Actually, he had not needed to embellish that much; Reigi tended to act like a
lovesick sandpanther in heat when Ryouko's name was mentioned. Ataru frowned
momentarily. *Where did I pick up *that* expression?*

Ryouko had attempted to compose herself, and was only partially
successful; her voice was breathy and soft when she answered. "You may pass
the message, Moroboshi-san, that I would be very pleased to meet with
Yumoa-san to arrange such a thing." She started. "I am at a loss, however,
as to how to prevent others from interrupting it. Certainly my brother will
not approve of this, and my parents may try to halt it also. And," and her
lips twitched into a sneer of disgust, "...Shingo may also attempt an
interruption."

Ataru smiled. "You don't need to worry about that, Ryouko-chan. I'll
take care of all the arrangements. All you have to do is worry about
presenting yourself to Reigi, although," and he grinned again, "...you could
dress in a sack and he would still find you beautiful."

Ryouko's eyes were glistening. "Thank you, Moroboshi-san. I'll allow
you to make all the arrangements. If we are finished, I can have my Kuroko
escort you out."

"Thanks, Ryouko-chan. I wish you all the bes...wwwouff!!"

Ataru had been stopped by Ryouko rushing over and gathering him up in an
NFL-caliber hug. Tears of joy were streaming from her eyes. "Thank you,
Ataru. I don't know why you are doing this for me, after all the problems I
caused you, but thank you."

Ataru attempted to disengage himself from Ryouko. "Hey, stop that. You
were always a friend, even when you were playing those pranks. Believe me, I
wouldn't have let Reigi do this unless I knew that it was the perfect match."

Ryouko smiled awkwardly, and let go of Ataru. "You flatter me, Ataru.
It's nice to know that *some* things haven't changed."

Ataru blushed. Suddenly, he felt a whirlwind around him, and when it
stopped, he was once more outside the Mendou estate. *How the hell do they do
that?* he wondered, but not for long. There was a lot of planning to do if
this was going to come off...

* * *

December twenty-eighth.

Ryouko walked down the path of the largest garden in the estate, her
emotions a turmoil of expectation and worry. She had done everything possible
to prepare for this evening. She had chosen a simple white kimono,
emphasizing the grace of her elegant form. Only two Kuroko attended her,
carrying her palanquin; the rest were scattered around the estate, ready to
help Ataru if he needed it.

That reminded her of something. She turned to one of her Kuroko. "Do
you know if Moroboshi-sama or Lum-sama have come to the estate?"

"I believe they are here, Mistress Ryouko," the servant quickly
responded. "Moroboshi-sama said he would guarantee that the omiai will go
without interruption."

Ryouko's glance rose towards one of the security cameras her brother had
placed along the path. He had been very intrigued by her behaviour this
evening, and would undoubtedly be tracking her movements. Ryouko guessed that
it was her own fault; she had been so excited by the prospect of seeing Reigi
again that her emotions had run rampant. Even Shingo had asked what was
wrong, and it took a lot to get him to notice anything.

Ryouko needed Ataru and Lum's help this evening. She would need to keep
her mind on winning Reigi, and had no time to devote to stopping her brother's
nefarious schemes. Once again, she thanked the gods for Ataru's help, for
this would not have been possible without him. "He's so sweet..." she sighed.
She had heard that he and Lum had finally patched up their differences and
made their engagement semi-official; it still needed his grandmother's final
approval, although if Nagaiwakai proved the least bit stubborn, all Ataru had
to do was wait until April when he turned eighteen. She was happy for them
both, and her reports gave the impression that they were happier than they had
been in years.

Sighing, she came to the pond, and sat for a moment to relax. She hoped
that she would be able to keep her head when Reigi arrived, remembering with a
blush her behaviour at their first meeting. Suddenly, the crashing of horses'
hooves interrupted her thoughts. "Hello...?" she said, peering into the
darkness to see what has broken the silence.

Suddenly along the path came a beautiful Arabian stallion. Or what
looked like a stallion. But as it got closer, Ryouko's trained eye saw that
it was not a horse at all, but a palanquin carried by two of the Kuromoroboshi
ninjas. Her own palanquin was designed as a pantomime horse, to fit her odd
sense of humor. This one, however, was perfect in almost every detail, and it
was only her theatre training that made her see it.

Then she spotted a figure on the horse, riding sidesaddle because of his
robes. He was gorgeous, dressed in samurai robes and wearing a katana. With
a start, Ryouko realized that this was Reigi. She gasped at the handsomeness
of the financier, as all the memories of their first meeting came back to her.
*How could I possibly have waited this long,* she thought. She heard herself
sighing, "Yumoa-sama..."

Reigi was finding it difficult staying upright. He had ridden before,
of course, but had never ridden a pantomime horse carried by ninjas, and
certainly never sidesaddle. He was attempting to grin and bear it, though.
Then he spotted the woman sitting by the pond. It was Ryouko, looking
exquisite in a simple white kimono. His feelings for her threatened to burst
from his chest as he saw her turn to greet them. How could they ever have
been separated for this long? It felt as if, now that they were together at
last, their souls could once again be complete. "Mendou-sama..." he murmured.

Reigi dismounted, doing his best to look noble rather than the awkward
sight he knew he must present. Ryouko had stood up to greet him, and Reigi
tried not to lose himself in her eyes again. Instead, he presented her with
the bouquet, selected personally after gaining knowledge of her favorite
flowers from his spies. "For you, Mendou-sama." There was no worry about
being too formal now; this was an omiai, after all.

Ryouko blushed as she accepted the bouquet; the flowers were roses and
carnations, her favorites. Undoubtedly Reigi had investigated all of her
likes and dislikes in order to gain this information, and Ryouko found the
idea thrilled her. "Thank you," she said after a short time. She had gotten
lost in his eyes again, but this time it was acceptable. "I apologize, I had
almost forgotten how handsome you are."

It was Reigi's turn to blush. "I...I am pleased that I meet your
expectations, Mendou-sama. I am ashamed to confess, I had avoided your
presence for a time, in order to gain more information about you. Happily,
you certainly fit all of my expectations."

Ryouko felt her heart leap; she had been afraid that he would hold her
family's insanity against her. "In what way?"

Reigi smiled; this was Ryouko's way of finding out just how much he had
learned about her. Well, there would be no more secrets from her; he would
tell her everything. "You are intellectually brilliant both in scholastics
and other areas," he begins, thinking of the tactical strategy involved in the
games she played on her brother, "...a fighter for causes your brother would
believe too low for his notice, adept in the visual and theatre arts...and
despite your well-known propensity for causing havoc in your brother's life, a
truly beautiful woman, inside and out."

Ryouko turned crimson. She might have taken this flattery as excessive,
but looking deep into Reigi's eyes, she could see that he meant every word.
It had become clear to her that he was as much in love with her as she was
with him, and the thought made her happier than she had ever been. She needed
to be alone with him now, she realized.

Reigi was gauging her reaction carefully; he was worried that, despite
the fact that it was truly what he felt, she might have taken his words as
false. Looking into her eyes, however, he could see the love that flared
within. His heart leaped at the realisation that she loved him, just as he
loved her. He was even more delighted when she took his hand in hers.

"Please walk with me, sir," Ryouko said, attempting to keep the waver
from her voice. She turned to her Kuroko. "You may leave." Any further
developments in this omiai were going to be strictly between the two of them;
besides, Ataru and Lum were making sure that nothing would interrupt. Ryouko
smiled as she thought of her parents and her brother, and the ignorance they
currently held towards this meeting. This was a major step in making sure
that her life was her own, and not devoted to the financial unity of two
families.

Reigi noticed that the Kuroko simply bowed and vanished, even quicker
than the Kuromoroboshi ninjas. "They're good men, your Kuroko," he said, in a
vain attempt to make conversation. He noticed that Ryouko was looking off at
the mansion, smiling wickedly. He found her smiles incredibly erotic, though
he did not feel ready to tell her that just yet. "Mendou-sama, why are you
smiling?"

Ryouko started as she realized that she had been caught off-guard again.
She chuckled. "Just thinking that my parents will be beside themselves if
they learned that I am undergoing an actual omiai without their
knowledge...not to mention before the final peace between my clan and the
Mizunokoji is concluded."

Reigi nodded; the politics of the Mendou family was another reason why
he had waited so long, gathering information on the clan's history. "Yes, I
know. Nagaiwakai-sama is already offering to mediate the peace." Privately,
he wondered whether this was such a good idea. If they got her angry,
Nagaiwakai could easily make sure of the destruction of both clans. He tried
to drift back towards the topic of engagements. "Ataru-kun does know that
you've no interest in marrying Tobimaro Mizunokoji."

Ryouko winced at the thought of that idea going through. "No, thank
you! He's far too much like my brother for comfort. I have no interest in
marrying him." She sighed, as thoughts of family politics made an unwelcome
intrusion in her head. "I really don't know what is going to happen. I had
thought that my brother would marry Asuka-chan; indeed, they seemed quite
ready to do so..."

Reigi caught the pause at the end of her sentence. "Until the *saikoo
jinseijitsu* totally ruined any hope of that happening. And with Asuka-san's
relationship with Osooko-san proceeding full steam ahead, the chances of her
getting back together with Shutaro are slim. That's probably a good thing,
considering what Shutaro must imagine such a marriage to be like."

Reigi paused; he knew that this was a tricky situation, and that the two
of them were only making the problem worse. Of course, they were in love,
which tended to remove much of the guilt. "Ataru-kun isn't quite sure what to
do. At the moment, there's very little Shutaro can do without losing face,
and Ataru-kun knows this. He's unsure whether to step in and try to nudge
things along, or to just watch Shutaro screw it up on his own."

Ryouko looked up in surprise. "Do you think that Ataru is attempting to
get revenge on my brother?"

Reigi smiled, remembering a previous conversation discussing much the
same thing. "Actually, Ataru-kun said that he had...no grudges against your
brother...?"

Ryouko looks at him in astonishment, then begins to laugh hysterically.
Reigi joins in, as both of them know the true meaning of the phrase.
Recovering, Ryouko asked, "When did Moroboshi-sama acquire such an attitude?"

"I think it was the day he first met you." Reigi was beginning to lose
his initial nervousness, and just revel in the presence of Ryouko. He
wondered if he should make the next move...

Suddenly a voice shouts out from the top of a tree. "I caught you!"

He looks up to see Shingo, Shutaro's moronic ninja, glaring at them
angrily. *Great,* he thought. *Perfect timing!*

Ryouko sighed as she noticed the ninja's expression change from anger to
puzzlement. "You're not Moroboshi!" Shingo cried.

Luckily, Ryouko knew exactly how to deal with Shingo, having dealt with
him many times before. "Shingo, will you please leave us be? Yumoa-sama and
I are on an omiai."

Shingo's face reddened, hearing the words but not fully understanding
them. "Er...omiai? Of course, Ryouko-sama! I'll leave you be..." And with
that he disappeared into the forest.

Reigi stood in amazement. He had heard that Shingo was exceptionally
dim, but this was ridiculous. He turned to Ryouko, astonished. Ryouko
smiled. "You'll have to forgive Shingo, he is what is politely referred to as
clue-challenged."

Reigi laughed at the expression. "Dumb as a bag of hammers, eh?"

Ryouko giggled. "Precisely! However, once he reports back to my
brother, we can expect further attacks..."

Reigi frowned. "That's where Ataru-kun and Lum come in. They told me
not to worry about a thing."

Ryouko sat him down by the pond, and snuggled up to him. "Well, then,
let's not worry about it." She sighed, and let the feel of his body overwhelm
her senses.

Reigi almost gasped at finding Ryouko cuddling so close to him, but
eventually realized that the time for indecision was past. He and Ryouko
loved each other, and thus there was no impropriety in showing affection.

For a few minutes, the two merely sat together, watching the stars and
basking in each other's presence. Reigi looked down at her, and found that
she was looking at him now, too. He understood now. They were truly together
at last, and could finally let the love they had for each other out. He found
himself bending down towards her, and then brushing her lips with a kiss.

Ryouko sighed as she felt his lips against hers. This was even better
than all her fantasies of this moment had been. An electric feeling enveloped
her body, and she began to deepen the kiss.

Suddenly, there was a cry from above. Shingo had apparently been told
by Shutaro was really happening, and had returned to take his revenge. "Leave
Ryouko-sama alone, you villain!"

Suddenly, in midair, a rope flares out and ensnares Shingo. Lum drags
him off kicking and screaming, leaving the two lovers with a wink.

Reigi looked dryly at the scene that had just unfolded before them. "I
think your brother knows I'm here."

Ryouko smiled. "I think we should let Moroboshi-sama and Lum-sama worry
about it, don't you, Yumoa-sama?"

Reigi took her in his arms once more. "Please," he said. "Reigi."

Ryouko felt her control abandoning her completely, as she whispered
huskily, "Ryouko."

Suddenly they were kissing passionately with mad abandon, putting the
past two months of agonized waiting into one expression of their love. They
both knew at that moment, whether their families accepted or not, that they
would be together for the rest of their lives...

*** The Beginning ***