Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction ❯ The Senior Year ❯ The End of the Circle! A Stranger Comes To Tomobiki! ( Chapter 36 )

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

Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year: "The End of the Circle! A Stranger Comes to Tomobiki"
by Fred Herriot
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Edited by E.B. Kushnir
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Twenty-ninth of a series of fan-fiction stories based on "Urusei
Yatsura," created by Rumiko Takahashi
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WRITER'S NOTES: As there is a sequel series planned to follow
"Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year," for any potential reader to see
first hand what the sequel might be like seems only proper. Thus,
while most of the primary characters due to appear in "Urusei Yatsura
Twenty Years Later" have yet to be born, this story will provide a
glance at the lead male character, who is not directly related to any
of the classic cast.

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

*K-zzzzap!*

Ryuunosuke's eyes flutter open. "What the hell...?!" she
moans, rubbing her head.

*Krackle!!* "Father, if you're playing with the wires, please
stop," Nagisa moans as he tries to sleep beside his fiancee.

*Shraaaak!* "I'm nowhere near the wires," Mr. Fujinami looks
up from the cooking pit. "It sounds like a freak electrical storm."

*Shreeek!* Ryuunosuke's and Nagisa's eyes open. They quickly
rise, looking around. Nothing about their small apartment seems
different. The sky outside is clear, presenting a crisp January
morning. But what was that sound...?

*K-ZAP!!!!!!* An explosion occurs as a bolt of lightning
blasts from the heavens to nearly fry the elderly janitor out of
existence!! "SHIT!!!!!!" Ryuunosuke screams as she and Nagisa leap to
safety behind a wall-shelf.

Smoke fills the Fujinamis' apartment as everyone begins to
cough. Nagisa makes his way to the window, opening it to allow the
choking fumes to escape. "Father, are you alright?!!" he cries.

As the smoke clears, Ryuunosuke and Nagisa turn. "Dad?!" the
tomboy hesitantly ventures...then stops on seeing someone now sitting
cross-legged UPSIDE DOWN, perfectly balanced atop Mr. Fujinami's head!

"I'm going to kill Alex for this!" a curiously accented voice
utters.

The man atop the elderly janitor rolls off his head to land
gently in front of Mr. Fujinami, his backside falling into the cooking
pit. "What's cooking, old man?!" he sneers...then with a
picture-perfect uppercut, sends Ryuunosuke's father flying through the
roof into orbit!! "YOU?!?!?!"

"I love the sea...!!!" Mr. Fujinami wails as he flies away.

Nagisa and Ryuunosuke are understandably dumbfounded. "Who is
he?!" the former gasps.

"A foreigner?!" the latter looks confused.

The man rises from the cooking pit, absently brushing off the
boiling water which soaked his pants. "Old fart doesn't know when to
finally quit...!" he mutters, then looks left. "Eh?! Dad?! Mom?!
What are you doing here?!"

The young couple stare at their visitor. "D-d-did you c-call
us...'M-mom' and 'D-dad'...?!" Nagisa stammers, pointing at himself.

Emerald eyes blink in confusion. "Dad, don't you think by
now, I'd know the difference between a man and a woman?" the stranger
shrugs.

Nagisa looks faint. "He...he called me...'Dad'...!" he moans,
sinking to the floor.

Ryuunosuke turns from her fiance to stare at the stranger.
"Look, you, whoever you are, how'd you get here and what are you doing
here?!"

"Mom, why are you screaming at me?!" the stranger scratches
his centre-parted military-cut rust-red hair. "I can't help it if
that dork Alex can't take the fact that I just married your daughter!"

That statement catches Ryuunosuke short. "I don't HAVE a
daughter!!!"

A tidal wave swamps the tomboy! "What type of SON are you,
anyway?!!" Mr. Fujinami demands. "If you have a daughter, where's my
GRANDSON?!?!"

A second afterward, the stranger sends the elderly janitor
flying!! "GET IT STRAIGHT, YOU OLD DORK!!!! SHE'S A GIRL!!!!!!"

"I'm off to Beijing...!!!" Mr. Fujinami wails as he flies
away.

Seeing this, hearts then appear in Ryuunosuke's eyes. "My
hero!!" she claps her hands.

Once Mr. Fujinami is gone, the stranger walks over to the
window to take in the outside view. Ryuunosuke quickly does a visual
inspection. Almost two metres tall, he is very well built, a mix of
track runner and bodybuilder. He has a frightfully imposing demeanor,
akin to an experienced combat soldier. His face is classically
sculptured, with a Romanesque nose, high cheekbones and flaming red
eyebrows. A moustache has sprouted under his nose. He is dressed in
a white short-sleeve shirt, the Canadian flag on both shoulders and a
red infantry sash hanging from right shoulder to left waist. He wears
a pair of dark blue trousers bloused into spit-shone combat boots. To
Ryuunosuke's surprise, a pistol is tucked into the back of his pants.
*Who is this guy?!!* the tomboy wonders.

The stranger has more pressing concerns. "What the hell...?!"
he utters. "If this is Tomobiki High School, where's all the new
construction?! Hell, where're all the labors?! What's going on here,
Mom?!" he turns to face Ryuunosuke.

Ryuunosuke sees the name McTAVISH on a black name tag over his
right breast pocket. A pair of Canadian Forces jump wings adorn the
left pocket. Staff sergeant's rank adorn both collars.
"Um...Ma-ku-tta-vi-ssho-san," she stutters the harsh Scottish name,
"...you have to understand that I don't mean to sound dumb, but WHO
THE HELL ARE YOU ANYWAY?!?!?!"

He blinks. "Mom, I'm your son-in-law, Jamie McTavish!"

Ryuunosuke blinks. "But...I have no daughter!!!"

Before Jamie could respond, the apartment door slides open and
Lum steps in. Now dressed in her uniform, Ten-chan floating beside
her, she scans the Fujinamis' apartment with her spacializer. "Are ya
sure ya saw that temporal displacement, Lum-chan?" the young Oni looks
nervous.

"I'm positive, Ten-chan," Lum sighs. "I hope Koosei doesn't
mind my using my spacializer to find whatever it is."

"Lum, what's going on here?!" Ryuunosuke demands.

Lum walks up to the Canadian, then stops on registering a
heavy temporal displacement. "A-hah!!!" she points at Jamie, then on
looking up, notices to whom she points. "Here's the problem...eh?!!"

"Koishii," Jamie sighs, "...if this is another of your crazy
experiments, do me a favour and count me out!! I don't go to school
here anymore!"

Lum blinks. "Who's Koishii?!"

Surprised, the Canadian then notices Lum's hair. "Oh! I'm
sorry, Mrs. Moroboshi! I thought you were your daughter!!"

The Oni looks stunned. "'D-daughter?!' 'MRS. MOROBOSHI?!?!'"

"Who are you?!" Ten-chan floats up to Jamie.

"I'm Jamie McTavish," the latter responds. "Who are you?!"

"I'm Jariten," the former answers.

Jamie looks surprised. "Jariten?! The only Jariten I know is
engaged to marry to Nassur's daughter Junba and is TWENTY-FIVE years
old!!"

"What?!!" Ten-chan looks surprised. "But I'm only SEVEN!!!!"

Realization dawns on Ryuunosuke's face. "I get it now!!!" she
snaps her fingers. "He's from the future!!!" she points at Jamie.

"Right!" Lum nods.

Jamie blinks. "I'm...in...the...past?!"

"Nineteen-eighty-four," Lum emphasizes.

Rage crosses the Canadian's face as he bellows to the heavens.
"WHEN I GET BACK TO 2002, OPEN THE GATES WIDE, ST. PETER!!!! I'LL
SEND THE BASTARD UP THERE AS SOON AS I CAN!!!!!!"

The shout bounces the roof twenty metres off Tomobiki High
School!

* * *

"I, um, take it this has happened to you before," Nagisa muses
as he serves Jamie a bowl of miso soup.

The Canadian quickly consumes the soup. "To my recollection,
once. He sent me back eight hundred years to thirteenth-century
Scotland in an attempt to get me intimate with Junba," he mutters.

Ten-chan looks shocked. "MY future wife?!!"

"Who is this villain?!!" Lum demands.

"Alex MacIntosh," Jamie mutters. "You'll know him as 'Ringo.'
He's the chief druid of my clan. He came in my wake when I came to
Japan on exchange. Since then, he's been your classic A-one pest."

"Oh, I remember the creep!!! He's Cherry's perverted
friend!!" Ryuunosuke disgustingly snarls. "What's his big problem?!"

Jamie's eyes roll. "He believes he's my special tutor.
Hence, he believes he has the right to dictate how my life will be,
*espeically* when it comes to the question of whom I marry!!"

"I hate him already!" Ryuunosuke growls.

"So, you're from 2002, eh?" Lum nibbles her rice. "That means
you must know all our children. You mentioned that I have a
daughter."

"And you're married to my daughter," Ryuunosuke adds.

"Do you people think it's wise to ask about the future?"
Nagisa hums. "After all, Jamie came here quite by accident."

"Good point," Lum muses.

The apartment door slides open and Koosei steps inside. "Hey,
Ryuunosuke, are you the one putting holes in the roof...eh?!" he stops
on seeing Jamie. "Who are you?!"

"Oh, hi, Ryooki-sensei," Jamie smiles.

Koosei blinks. "He knows me?" he stares at Lum.

"He's from the future, Koosei-onii-chan," Ten-chan explains.

The homeroom teacher winces, quickly realizing the problems
about to arise. "The future?! How the hell did he get here?!"

"Some creepy priest who can't mind his own business,"
Ryuunosuke snarls.

"Sounds like Cherry," Koosei muses.

"He's WORSE than Cherry," Nagisa amends.

Surprise crosses Koosei's face. "Is such a thing possible?"

"It is, Ryooki-sensei," Jamie snarls. "Trust me!"

Koosei sighs. "Fine, then! He can stay as long as he stays
out of trouble. I'll tell Mark. Lum, Ryuunosuke, Nagisa...you're in
charge of him."

"Yes, sir," the three teens answer.

The homeroom teacher steps out of the room. Ryuunosuke stares
at Jamie. "Hey, Jamie, did Koosei finally marry Oyuki?"

"He did," the time-shifted Canadian nods. "Just recently...in
2002, that is. They have a child now, a daughter name Inazuma. He
just retired from being vice-principal of this place."

Everyone is surprised to hear a *thump!* outside. Running to
the door, they look outside to see Koosei flat out on the floor, his
glasses glittering. "Oyuki-chan...!" escapes from his mouth before he
succumbs to unconsciousness.

"And he doesn't do that anymore," Jamie notes...

* * *

Minutes later, Jamie steps out of the Fujinamis' apartment.
"We should get him a jacket to wear since he was transported to this
time from the summer of 2002," Nagisa notes. "He'll be cold if he has
to go outside for any reason."

"I could replicate one on my ship," Lum offers.

"No thanks," Jamie shakes his head. "I'm all too aware of how
fouled up Urusian replicators from this time could be! My classmate
Luala has one on her ship," he turns to Nagisa and Ryuunosuke.
"Couldn't make a bloody think work right even if her life depended on
it!!"

The Oni looks miffed. An outburst of delighted giggles
eminate from Ryuunosuke and Nagisa. Jamie winks at Lum. She finds
herself laughing. "I bet you put up with Onis a lot," Ryuunosuke
snickers.

"Well, Earth and Uru are in alliance by my time," the Canadian
smiles, then looks left as Sakura approaches. "Oh, Ozuno-sensei!
Good morning!" he bows.

The nurse stops. "'Ozuno-sensei?!'" she turns to Jamie. "Why
are you calling me that?! I'm not married to Tsubame!"

"Yet!" Lum winks, holding up a finger.

Jamie suddenly tenses as a voice growls. "How DARE you say
that swine Tsubame Ozuno will marry Sakura-sensei...?!"

Turning right, the Canadian's left hand leaps out in a block
while his right forms a fist. The block deflects Mendou's katana away
from Jamie's head while the fist smashes into the former's gut! The
scion of Japan's richest family drops like a marionette with his
strings cut as Jamie withdraws into a ready stance. "You never learn
do you, Tetsubou?! You couldn't take the fact that someone like
Takonba recognized you, so you turn around and take it out on me...!"

"Um...that's Shutaro Mendou you just hit," Lum amends.

Jamie blinks, then sad reverence crosses his face. "Oh," he
nods. "I'm sorry about that. I thought he was his son."

Everyone notices the change of demeanor. "What's wrong,
Jamie?" Nagisa gently places a hand on the Canadian's shoulder. "You
okay? You look as if someone just died."

Jamie hesitates to respond. By then, more students arrive.
"Oh," Shinobu looks surprised. "We have a visitor. Lum, who is this
man?"

The Oni quickly introduces Jamie to her classmates. Awed
gasps escape from many of the girls. For once, the boys look insanely
jealous. "He's from the future?!!" Shinobu gasps. "And he came to
our school to study?!! He must know all our children, then!!"

"He does, but you really shouldn't...!" Lum tries to
caution...

...then finds herself swamped as students crowd a startled
Jamie! The Canadian is bombarded by incessant questions about the
future lives of Lum's classmates. "Pl-please!" he embarrassingly
laughs. "Please! I can't tell you people anything! Do you want to
ruin your futures, your children's futures, if you learned anything?!"

He laughs as the questions keep coming...

* * *

"We're sorry about that, McTavish-san," Shinobu giggles as she
sits with Jamie later in study hall. "You have to admit that meeting
someone from our immediate future would fascinate us!"

"So I saw," Jamie chuckles. He is surrounded not only by
Shinobu, but many others of Lum's class. "Please, Miyaki-sensei,
there's no need to apologize. I'd be curious about my twins if I met
someone from my future."

Surprise crosses everyone's faces. "You already have kids?!!"
Paama exclaims. "Geez, you're quick!!"

Jamie produces a picture of two cherubic babies, a boy and a
girl, both with Jamie's hair and eyes as well as Vosian tapered ears.
He passes the picture around. "Philip and Elizabeth McTavish. Phil
and Lilibet for short."

"Oh, kawaii!!!" Shinobu gasps, then notices a detail. "Wait!!
They have pointed ears!! If you married Ryuunosuke's daughter,
shouldn't they be more human?!"

"They're from a previous girlfriend," pain crosses the
Canadian's face as his voice turns to brittle ice. "A Vosian girl who
was adopted by an Earth couple named Sandra Philips. She...died
giving birth to them."

The other students are saddened by that revelation. *Death is
no stranger to that one*, Sakura muses as she observes from a discreet
distance away.

Shinobu blinks as realization dawns. "'Miyaki-sensei?!'" she
gasps. "You mean I teach here, too...eh?!!" Another realization hits
home. "'MIYAKI-sensei?!!' You mean to say I don't get married?!!"

"You do," Jamie remains calm.

Shinobu blinks, then shudders as the Canadian freezes her with
a stare. "Soon after, you become a widow."

White-faced with shock, Shinobu quickly withdraws. The others
are stunned by Jamie's brutal honesty. "Don't you think that was a
little too harsh?" Kakugari muses.

"What better way to make people stop pestering me about the
future," Jamie's eyes narrow. "A shot across the bow works all the
time."

Behind a row of books, Shinobu sits on the floor, tears
staining her cheeks. "I marry...and then I become a widow?!" she
quietly sobs. "That's the most horrible future I could ever want! Is
it Nassur-kun who dies?! I have to know! For his sake, I have to
know...!"

* * *

"Isn't it crazy?!" Ryuunosuke smiles as she shares lunch with
Nagisa in their apartment. "Our own son-in-law suddenly pops up on
our front door...and we're neither married nor has our daughter been
born!"

"I know," Nagisa giggles. "Oh, I can't wait until we're
married, Ryuu-chan. Finally, we'll have lives of our own!"

"Yeah!!" the tomboy nods. "And the best part is that when our
daughter's born, she'll be destined to marry a hunk who doesn't take
any guff from that idiot father of mine!"

Almost in response, a tidal wave smashes into her!
"Ryuunosuke Fujinami!!!" Mr. Fujinami snarls. "How dare you think of
allowing your SON to marry that gay American?!! What type of MAN are
you to permit that to happen to your family?!!"

He then flies into orbit! "IDIOT, IT'S ***YOUR***
FAULT!!!!!!" Ryuunosuke screams.

"Ingrate...!!!" the old janitor howls as he flies away.

"I wonder if you'll ever get around to defeating him," Nagisa
muses.

"Um...no," a voice sighs.

Ryuunosuke and Nagisa turn to see Jamie step into their
apartment. "N-no...?" the tomboy stammers, her face turning pale.

"'Fraid not, Mom," Jamie sighs, sitting beside her. "Though
you certainly give it a hell of a try. He just keeps pulling fast
ones on you. As time goes on, he becomes so senile that he doesn't
understand what he's doing anymore."

Ryuunosuke gulps as she sits. "Wh-what...?! You mean he's
still living with us in your time?"

"Unfortunately," Jamie sighs.

The young couple look scared. "Um, what does that mean for
our child...?" Nagisa shudders.

"She was born a girl," the Canadian rubs his head. "Put it
together."

Quickly comprehending what Jamie is implying, a volcano then
explodes behind Ryuunosuke. "You mean to tell me that not only do I
have to keep coddling that old geezer, my poor, innocent child has to
suffer for it, too?!! This...this is BEYOND unforgivable!!!
OYAJI!!!! GET READY FOR WHAT'S BEEN LONG COMING TO YOU!!!!!!" She
turns to run out of the apartment...

...and ploughs into Lan! "Ouch!!!" the Seishin teen yelps as
she is knocked to the floor. "Ryuunosuke, what's with you?!!"

Jamie stares out of the apartment at Lan. "Oh-ho-ho!" an icy
sneer crosses his face. "Look what the cat just dragged in!!"

Lan finds herself frozen by his stare. "Wh-what's w-with
h-him...?!" she stammers at Ryuunosuke.

"I don't know," Ryuunosuke shrugs, then stares at the
Canadian. "Hey, Jamie, what's wrong?!"

"Believe me, Mom, you DON'T want to know!" Jamie glares at
Lan, then walks back into the Fujinamis' apartment.

Snorting, Ryuunosuke races off to find her father. Lan
remains in place as she brushes off the ice from her uniform.
"Brrr!!" she shudders. "Not even Nassur's that nasty! I hope my kids
don't run afoul of him in the future!!"

* * *

After lunch, physical education classes are arranged to allow
the students a chance to relax after hours of studying and exams.
Jamie is drafted by the staff to help in a co-ed volleyball tournament
for Class 3-4. Naturally, all the guys try to be on Lum's team. The
girls retaliate by gathering around Jamie. "After all Ataru-chan did
for those dorks, they STILL want to swarm over Lum-chan?!!" Mie snorts
as she observes this with her classmates.

"They can't help being stupid!" Momoe shakes her head.

"It must be in their genes, then," Jamie muses.

"Why's that, Kanadajin-san?" Natsuko looks confused.

"Because their sons are just as bad around Nassur's daughter
Junba," the Canadian explains. "In 2002, she's the most popular girl
around, despite the fact that she's officially engaged to marry Ten.
And despite all their sons having girlfriends or in Tetsubou Mendou's
case, a fiancee, they still flock around Junba."

A touch of excitement crosses Shinobu's face. *'Junba?!'* she
muses to herself. *That's the name of Nassur-kun's daughter! She
must be my daughter, too!!* The joy is soon mollified by sorrow.
*But...if what Jamie says about Nassur-kun is true, then she'll wind
up without a father...!*

"Miyaki-sensei, are you okay?" Jamie's voice interrupts her
thoughts.

Shinobu looks surprised, then stares at the Canadian. "Oh!
I'm sorry, Jamie! I let my mind wander! Did you say something?!"

"No," he shakes his head. "You seemed bothered by something."

"It's nothing! It's nothing!!" Shinobu rapidly shakes her
head.

Jamie scratches his head as Shinobu takes her position. *Odd!
Why would my talking about Aiotoga cause her such distress?!*

Before Koosei could get the game started, the rumble of
starship engines is heard. Mie cants her head as she recognizes the
sound. "That's 'Renegade.'"

Stars appear in Shinobu's eyes. "Nassur-kun's here?!!"

Seeing this, Jamie crosses his arms. *Weird! I know
Miyaki-sensei likes Nassur but doesn't she know about his marriage to
Benten?*

Shinobu sneezes! "Odd," Lum muses as everyone sees "Renegade"
settle for a landing by the gymnasium. "Nassur-chan never called to
say he was coming."

In minutes, Nassur, Benten and Hazel step into the gymnasium.
"Hello, everyone," the Vosian smiles, waving.

Jamie quickly notes Shinobu's visible jealousy at Benten's
closeness to her husband. *Guess not.*

"Nassur-chan, what are you doing here?" Lum flies up to him.

"We were passing by Earth and Oyuki called us," the Fukunokami
huntress reports. "She said there was some sort of temporal
displacement eminating from Tomobiki and she wants to know what's
going on. She's been trying to call you for some time."

"Temporal displacement...oh!" the Oni nods understandingly.
"I'm sorry. We've been a little busy here. We've got a visitor from
the future."

"Accidental visitor, that is," Koosei elaborates.

Lum indicates Jamie. "This is Jamie McTavish," she does the
introductions. "He's from the year 2002. He was brought here by
accident. Jamie, you should know Nassur-chan, Benten and Hazel-chan."

Everyone is surprised that Jamie is neither awed, impressed,
disturbed or in any way affected by Nassur's presence. "Their
reputation has proceeded them," is his only comment.

Everyone blinks. "I'd figure Nassur would be pretty famous in
his time," Chibi hums.

"So would I," Megane nods agreeingly. "But McTavish-san
doesn't seem to care."

"I think it's more of an acknowledgement," Mie muses.

"Of what?" Kumiko looks curious.

"Of equals," the Kyushu native comments.

Everyone stares at Nassur and Jamie. The two gaze upon the
other, neither flinching or reacting in any way to the other's
presence. The silence seems deafening until the Vosian finally asks,
"You permit people to call you 'Jamie?'"

Everyone faints! "Isn't that his name?!" Benten looks
incredulous.

"What's wrong with that?" Lum looks curious.

Nassur looks queasy. "Because in Vosian, 'jamie' means 'he
who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys them!'"

An explosion decks everyone!! Jamie remains calm. "And
you're not upset?!" Shinobu gasps on noticing this.

"Is there a reason I should be upset?" the Canadian looks
curious.

"Ah...right," Shinobu sighs.

Hazel has not taken her eyes off Jamie since Lum made the
introductions. "He's cute!" she gushes, star-struck.

"You think so too, eh?" Benten whispers to the hybrid.

"Y-yeah!" Hazel nods.

Noticing Hazel, Jamie kneels in front of her. "Hi,
Hazel-chan."

"H-h-hi!" she is barely able to utter, giving him a faint
wave.

Everyone notices this. "If Hazel-chan recognizes him, she'll
be in trouble when he goes back to his proper time," Lum warns.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Mrs. Moroboshi," Jamie smiles at
the Oni. "Hazel-chan recognizes someone nicer come my time."

Everyone looks surprised. "Who'd be nicer than you?!" Shinobu
demands.

"Hey, I'm taken already!" Jamie displays his wedding band.
"Remember?"

"Oh, yeah!" Ataru's ex-girlfriend nods.

Jamie then glances at the shadow outline of a window reflected
off the floor. A globe-like shadow seems to emerge from the window's
edge. Knowing that the window in question is several metres off the
ground...and since there are no points to possibly indicate that this
is an Oni...Jamie crouches into a combat stance, spins around, drawing
his pistol and firing! The .357 Magnum round smashes through the
window but strikes nothing outside. Everyone, even Nassur, is
startled by the act. "What's wrong?!!" the Vosian tenses.

"Someone was spying on us!" the Canadian growls.

Everyone looks at the window. "Are you sure?!" Lum looks
confused.

"Shadows don't lie," Jamie's eyes narrow. "Someone was out
there looking in on us."

Nassur's eyes flash green. "I don't sense anyone."

"Neither do I," Hazel's eyes flash gold.

Jamie stares at the two hunters. "Can you sense me?"

The two attempt. "Lecasur's Soul, I can't sense your
brainwave pattern!!" Nassur exclaims.

"Neither can I!" Hazel adds.

"Is such a thing possible?!" Shinobu looks incredulous.

"On two occasions, yes," Jamie nods. "One, if the person has
the natural ability to block his brainwaves from a Vosian's power,
such as a Yehisrite or a Sagussan. Two, if the person has undergone
rigourous training so he could subconsciously suppress his brainwave
pattern. I'm the second case."

"That sort of training doesn't exist on Vos," Nassur notes.

"To your knowledge," Jamie amends.

The Vosian considers the point, then nods. Meanwhile, now
shivering in the bushes some distance away from Tomobiki High School,
a young Vosian man dressed in an utilitarian jumpsuit glances
fearfully behind him to ensure no one has pursued him. *Lecasur's
Soul, the Iceman's reputation is not only warranted, it's deserved!!*

He slinks away. Unseen by him, sitting several metres away in
a clearing, Cherry frowns. "There are too many purveyors of death in
Tomobiki this day," the monk exclaims. "Doom is coming to someone
sooner or later..."

* * *

Later that day, Jamie relaxes with everyone else in study
hall. The tension of gym class has abated. Shinobu sits beside him.
A twinge of uncertainty haunts her face. "So, tell me, Jamie...what
else do you do outside of being a student and the husband to
Ryuunosuke's daughter."

"I'm a C.T.I.O.," the Canadian explains.

"What's that?!" Megane looks confused.

"'Counter-terror insurgency operator,'" Jamie translates. "It
means I find bad guys and send them to their just rewards."

Everyone faints! "You're a *hunter*?!!" Lum gasps.

"That's me," Jamie nods.

A touch of fear crosses many people's faces. "Um...have
you...well, er...?" Megane ventures.

"Killed?" Jamie's eyebrows rise.

The guards' leader nods, gulping. Jamie seems non-chalant.
"I've killed before. Many times, in fact."

"Well...you don't seem bothered by it," Paama muses.

"If I *wasn't* bothered by it," Jamie warns, "...I'd be in the
nearest funny-farm."

The students look surprised by his comment, then nod. Shinobu
sighs, then faces Jamie. "Can I talk to you, please...in private?"

The Canadian looks confused. "Sure, Miyaki-sensei."

The two stand and walk to a secluded corner of the library.
Once they are reasonably alone, Shinobu faces him. "Jamie, tell me
the truth! Do I become a widow?!"

Jamie looks surprised by her assertiveness, then nods. "Yes.
Your husband dies in space. Cruel way to go, I must say...no body to
bury."

Shinobu's eyes explode with tears. "Oh, it is true!" she
quietly sobs, leaning into the Canadian. "Nassur-kun's doomed to
die!"

Jamie looks surprised. "Nassur? Who says anything about you
marrying him?"

That statement catches Shinobu short. "Eh?!" she stares at
the Canadian. "What are you trying to say?!"

"You don't marry Nassur," he sighs.

Stunned by Jamie's revelation, Shinobu shudders as a volcano
explodes behind her. "What is this?!!" she growls, grabbing a whole
bookcase and hefting it into the air. "Some unworthy tramp thinks she
has the right to take MY Nassur-kun away from me?!! I get my hands on
the bitch, she's dead!!!"

Elsewhere in the school, Benten sneezes! Jamie sighs, then
ducks as Shinobu angrily throws the bookcase away, burying Mendou and
the guards under its mass!! "Boy, she's possessive, isn't she?" the
Canadian muses to himself.

Dropping to her knees, Shinobu is silhouetted by a lone
spotlight. "Oh, the horror of it all!" she moans, taking microphone
in hand. "Why?! Why is it always me?! Why am I the one who never
wins the love of someone I'm interested in?! I lose Ataru-kun to Lum,
I lose Mendou-san to Asuka, I lose Nassur-kun to some hussy and I
can't possibly hope to marry Inaba-kun! Oh, woe is me!! Isn't there
someone, anyone, out there who could love me...eh?!"

She stops, looking left to see Jamie dozing off.
"***HEY!!!!***" Shinobu screams at the Canadian through a megaphone.
"***PAY ATTENTION!!!! I'M TALKING TO YOU!!!!!!***"

"Eh?!" Jamie wakes with a yawn. "Oh, sorry, Miyaki-sensei! I
keep dozing off when someone goes on those boring soliloquies!"

Shinobu grabs the Canadian's hands. "Oh, Jamie, please tell
me! Is there any light in my future?! Please! I have to know!"

Jamie considers her plea, then sighs. "Yes, there is."

"There is?!" she looks hopeful.

"When your husband dies, you're pregnant...with twins," Jamie
begins.

Shinobu looks sad. "Oh, how horrible!!! They'll grow up
without a father!!"

"What makes you think that's horrible?!" Jamie looks confused.
"Shinobu, for almost a year, I believed I lost my twins when Sandra
was killed in a car accident. A friend of mine saved the fetuses,
kept them alive long enough for them to be born. Phil and Lilibet are
the last things I have left of Sandra. Besides, I have my wife."

"But who would want to marry me when I have two children from
another man?!" Shinobu sobs.

"I know of someone," Jamie smiles.

Hope springs in Shinobu's eyes. "And that someone loves you
very much, cares for you very much, and is willing to help you raise
Kooge-chan and Airashii-chan. Does that sound better?"

"I...I guess so," Shinobu nods, wiping her face clean of
tears. "Th-thanks, Jamie."

She walks away. Jamie looks relieved. "Wait until she finds
out that her new mate is not a man," he mutters to himself...

* * *

"Ah, the end of the day!" Mie yawns as students file their way
out of Tomobiki High School. "Time to go home and sleep for ten
hours!"

"You can say that again," Shinobu stifles her own yawn.
"Gods, I'll be glad when these exams are over with."

"Then again, what's to be so excited about?" Momoe muses.

"What do you mean?" Kumiko looks curious.

"After school, we've got cram school to go through," Momoe
reminds everyone. "Our torture isn't over with yet."

"Doesn't matter to me," Kumiko giggles. "My fiance and I'll
be living in Sendai after I'm done exams here."

"You, too, eh?!" Natsuko laughs.

Watching them go are Jamie and Ryuunosuke. The time-displaced
Canadian notices a sad look on his mother-in-law's face. "What's
wrong, Mom?" he gently inquires. "You seem lost."

"Eh?" Ryuunosuke looks surprised, as if Jamie interrupted her.
"Did you say something, Jamie?"

"I said you look lost," he repeats. "What's wrong?"

The tomboy looks down. "Oh, I was just thinking about how
happy Momoe and the others are leaving this place."

"You're jealous of them, aren't you?"

Ryuunosuke considers the question, then nods. "Yeah, I am.
Then again, what should I expect? They're marrying into a pretty rich
family and are moving to a nice place to start the rest of their
lives. I'm still stuck in this place 'cause I don't have any money to
relocate to somewhere different."

"If you do move, then how'm I supposed to meet your daughter?"
Jamie gently probes, winking at her. "Believe me, adversity does
wonders for one's character. Why do you think most people don't want
to cross you?"

"What do you mean?" she looks confused.

Jamie considers his words. "I've always wondered why your
father did what he did to you. Then I remember that he didn't have
much of a good life to start with. He had to fight for everything he
has, what little he does have. He probably had to fight to win the
love of your mother. Then he lost her. He probably then realized
that you'd go through the same type of shit he went through, therefore
he, in his own way, tried to prepare you as best as he could to face
the cruel world he fought every day of his life. He may deep down be
angry that he lost his wife, but I dont't believe for an instant that
he doesn't love you. I think he loves you very much."

Silence falls over them as Ryuunosuke considers the Canadian's
words. "Maybe that's true. Then again, he is all I've got, except
Nagisa. I can't just reject Dad like Ataru rejected his parents. I
don't have rich relatives to fall back on like Ataru does." A curious
look then crosses her face. "By the way, Jamie, if you know Lum, does
that mean Ataru came back to Tomobiki?"

"Yes, he did," Jamie nods. "He came back ten years ago
according to Amora...in my time, that is. Actually, he was my
homeroom teacher when I went to school here."

Ryuunosuke looks surprised. "He actually came back?! I
always believed he hated this place. He didn't spare much time in
getting out of it when the mood finally struck him."

"Well, personally, I don't understand what did prompt him to
return," Jamie muses. "I know he berated us all the time, saying we
were just as bad as his class when he was a teenager. I guess he just
didn't like to see us go through the same sort of shit he went through
when he was a student."

"Oh, did he ever go through shit," Ryuunosuke moans. "We
always used him as the convenient excuse to blame all our problems on.
None of us had the guts to realize that it was because of ALL of us
that shit happened here, not just Ataru. I just find it crazy that he
would find it in his heart to forgive us, even seven years from now."

The Canadian considers the question. "Maybe deep down, he
hasn't really forgiven you for what you've done to him. He certainly
hasn't forgotten what's happened. Believe me, I've no love of bullies
myself...and I can tell that he was bullied a lot. It reflects in the
way he goes after people sometimes. Bullying and hazing don't go on
for long in his class...especially now that he has Koishii and Ainba
around to help him enforce discipline."

The tomboy remembers one name. "Koishii's Lum's kid, right?"
she muses.

"Yep," Jamie nods, then fishes out his wallet to extract a
picture. "That's her," he points at one person.

Ryuunosuke looks, her eyes bulging at what she sees. "Holy
shit!!! Are those for real?!!"

"They're very real," Jamie's eyes roll.

Ryuunosuke stares at the Canadian. "You don't seem too
interested."

"Hey, as I keep saying, I'm already taken," Jamie reminds her.
"Besides, I don't find that part of a woman's physique really
attractive. If you seen one pair, you've seen them all."

"No shit!" she blinks.

"Then again," Jamie stares at the picture, "...her eyes are
quite lovely. If I hadn't met Dansei-chan, I might've taken interest
in her."

Ryuunosuke stares at the Canadian. "Eyes?! You like a
woman's eyes?!"

"Sure," Jamie stares into her eyes. "Besides, looking at you,
I can see where Dansei-chan got her lovely eyes from."

Steam gushes from Ryuunosuke's collar at Jamie's words.
"Th-thanks..." she deleriously gags, then blinks as realization dawns
on her. "Wait a sec!! 'DANSEI?!?!'"

"That's your daughter's name," Jamie sighs. "Dansei Fujinami.
At present, Mrs. Dansei McTavish."

A volcano explodes from Ryuunosuke's forehead! "You...you're
saying my daughter's name is 'Dansei?!!' What type of name is
that?!!"

"Go ask your dad," Jamie sighs.

With a mindless roar, Ryuunosuke charges into the school. A
second later, part of the roof explodes as Mr. Fujinami flies into the
sky!! "GET IT STRAIGHT, YOU FOOL!!!!" Ryuunosuke's voice echoes from
inside. "SHE'S A ***GIRL!!!!!!***"

"I'm on Mars...!!!" the old janitor wails as he breaks past
escape velocity to warp speed!

"What was that about?!" a voice inquires from behind Jamie.

Jamie looks up to see Nassur standing behind him staring into
the sky. "Oh, don't mind Mom, Nassur," the Canadian smiles. "She
just out to get some exercise."

"So I see," the Vosian sighs as he sits beside Jamie. "So,
what brings you here anyway?"

Jamie looks confused. "What sort of question is that?"

"I don't believe you came here by accident," Nassur stares at
him.

"Actually, I came here because a stupid underwear-stealing
druid can't take the fact that I married the woman **I** wanted to
marry!" disgust creeps into Jamie's voice.

Nassur looks at Jamie. "Oh? I seem to get the feeling that
you're here for some other reason than a magician's crazed whim."

"Well, if Alex does have another reason to send me seventeen
years back into the past, I'll pound it out of him when I get back to
2002," Jamie massages the bridge of his nose. "Then again, you may be
right. Alex normally has loads of reasons for pulling some of the
garbage he does, reasons that normally don't become clear until much
later, if at all. I suppose we'll just have to wait until whatever is
going to happen does happen."

"I suppose so," a wry smile crosses Nassur's face, then his
eyes glow. "Oh, hi, Lum-chan."

"Hi, Nassur-chan, Jamie," the Oni lands in front of them.
"Listen, are you two busy right now?"

The two hunters look at each other, then back to Lum. "Um,
not really," Nassur shrugs. "Why?"

"Well, Shutaro is throwing a small get-together at the
Tarouzakura later," Lum explains. "He's invited everyone to come
relax. After all, most of our exams are done."

"Well, I don't see any harm in that," Nassur shrugs, then
looks at Jamie. "What about you?"

"Must I?" the Canadian sighs. "I prefer to have as little to
do with the whole of Mendou's family as possible."

"I'm sure Mendou'll behave himself," the Vosian chuckles.

"He better," Jamie growls, "...or I might end up seriously
changing history!"

Lum and Nassur laugh at that assertion...

* * *

Later that day, people gather on blankets under the flowing
branches of the Tarouzakura. Since the weather is pleasant, there is
little call for heavier clothing. Nassur stares at the growing tree
over their heads. "This tree seems to be turning out much better than
your last one, Shutaro," he glances at Mendou.

"Thank you, Nassur-san," the scion of Japan's richest family
smiles, looking up. "It seems that the Spirit War eliminated most of
the evil power which dwelt in the previous trees. At least Moroboshi
isn't around to wreck this one like he did the last one."

"Oh, is that what you think, eh?!" an annoyed Lum glares at
Mendou. "*I* remember that it was *your* katana that cut open the
last tree, not Darling!"

Mendou flushes as everyone else laughs. "I can see why Mrs.
Moroboshi never wanted anything to do with that guy," Jamie whispers
to Megane.

"Smart girl," the guards' leader chuckles, then realizes
something. "So, you say that Ataru finally marries Lum," he inquires
in a louder voice.

It has the desired reaction. "What?!!" Mendou bolts up in
rage, snap-drawing his katana. "Who says that slime will marry
Lum-san...?!!"

Lum bops Mendou with a sledgehammer! "*Tcha*, who gave you
the right to say anything about MY marriage plans, Shutaro?!!"

Everyone laughs even louder. "Like father, like son," Jamie
shakes his head. "They might as well have been twins!"

"You mean you have to put up to Mendou's kid in your time?!"
Kakugari chuckles. "We pity you."

"Ah, but we've got ways of keeping controls on Tetsubou,"
Jamie scratches his chin. "And they're all called 'Takonba.'"

"'Takonba?!'" Nassur looks surprised. "That's a Vosian name.
You mean to say that Mendou's son will marry a Vosian girl?"

"Yes, much to his chagrin," Jamie nibbles on some fried
octopus tentacles. "You see, Takonba has one great passion, one I
think you'd loudly approve of," he stares at Mendou.

"How so?" the scion of Japan's richest family looks curious.

"She raises these," Jamie holds up a sample of what he is
eating.

Mendou blinks. "She's an octopus farmer?!"

Jamie nods. "Well, isn't that nice," Mendou smiles. "I guess
my son must be quite a happy man."

"Well, he seems willing to accept the situation," Jamie
chuckles.

Mendou nods, then turns his attention to Shinobu and Lum.
"That's not the whole story, is it?" Benten whispers to Jamie.

"Not really," the Canadian chuckles. "You see, Tetsubou's
*afraid* of octopus!"

Benten falls over on hearing that. The bodyguards burst out
in a peal of delighted giggles. Mendou sneezes! Meanwhile, Hazel has
taken notice of something. "Jamie-kun, what's this?" she reaches
behind him and pulls out his pistol.

"Hey!" the Canadian gasps, grabbing the weapon from her before
she could thumb the trigger. "Be careful with that, Hazel-chan. This
isn't a stun pistol, you know."

Everyone takes a close look at the weapon. "You mean this is
what you use when you go hunting," Benten looks curious.

"The very same," Jamie ejects the magazine, clears the firing
chamber of the round loaded in, then hands it pistol-grip first to the
Fukunokami. "An Israeli Desert Eagle .357 Magnum semi-automatic. Ten
shots plus one in the pipe. Good range is three hundred metres,
although I'd prefer to be up close and personal when I kill someone."

Benten feels the Desert Eagle's weight. "Shit, this must be
nasty when you use it on someone."

"Well," Jamie holds up a round. "It's good because each
bullet delivers a massive amount of shock damage to the target when it
hits. My aim when I nail someone is to put him down fast and hard.
If you try to be merciful, you're only inviting retaliation."

Mendou looks at the magazine. "These are unjacketed rounds,"
he stares at the Canadian.

"That's right."

"You know these type of rounds are illegal."

"True," Jamie takes the magazine away from Mendou. "But for
the last two years, my targets have almost all been Vosian terrorists.
As Nassur can attest, lead poisoning is something Vosians are
succeptible to. If the physical damage doesn't do the trick, the
lead'll get them in the end."

"That sounds so cruel," Shinobu looks sick.

"Is it?" Jamie stares at her. "What's so cruel about hunting
people who would kill you without a second's hesitation? I've gone
after animals whose acts would make Jeffrey Dalhmer and Jack the
Ripper look like Sunday school choirboys. People who push drugs that
would make crack coccaine seem like a morning cup of coffee for the
affect it has on people. It's not a pretty world I work in,
Miyaki-sensei. I don't make any illusions about it. You shouldn't
try to delude yourself either."

Everyone save Nassur is taken aback by Jamie's honesty. "I
guess not," Shinobu sighs.

"I guess that must be the way your life's been too, eh,
Nassur," Mie stares at the Vosian.

"More or less," Nassur nods. "Then again, I wouldn't be so
blatant when I'm asked to talk about it."

"'Nothing feels better than the truth,'" Jamie quotes.
"Lecasur said that."

"That's true," Nassur nods.

"Shit, Nassur, you can't get away with much with him around,"
Benten chortles, thumbing Jamie.

"I guess not," the Vosian looks embarrassed.

Everyone laughs as Jamie takes his pistol back, reloads it,
then returns it to the back of his pants. "Hey, if you think you're
so hot with that sucker, how'd you like to prove it!" Benten dares.

Jamie shrugs. "Okay."

Minutes later, everyone steps onto a hundred-metre pistol
range. Nassur and Jamie are directed to separate firing lanes. "I'll
have the targets set up," Mendou smiles, then gestures to a couple of
his soldiers.

"Not THOSE targets, I hope!" Lum growls.

Everyone notices that the targets have crude pictures of
Ataru's face sketched on them. Mendou sweats as he receives a
withering glance from the Oni, then quickly gestures to his troops.
In minutes, plain targets are erected. "Okay, are you ready?!" Benten
takes a referee's position beside her husband. "Five, four, three,
two, one...go!"

Jamie snap-draws the Desert Eagle, brings it to bear on
target, then blasts away. Fire belches from the muzzle as the rounds
thunder downrange. In comparison, Nassur's particle blaster is very
quiet. As soon as the last round is fired, Jamie pulls the pistol
back to wait for Nassur to complete his shots. "Okay!" Benten
announces when Nassur is done. "Hazel, check the targets out."

"Aw, this is horrible!" the young hybrid stares at Jamie's
target. "Only one hit. Jamie-kun, I think your sights are way off!!"

Nassur stares at the target from his position. "I don't
believe it," a touch of admiration enters his voice.

"Believe what?" Benten looks curious.

The Vosian stares at Jamie. "A one-hole shot. I heard it was
possible, but to this day, I've never seen it done. Excellent
shooting."

"Eh?!" Hazel stares at her teacher. "You mean to say..." she
gasps, then stares at the target, "...ALL the shots went through this
ONE hole?!!"

"Is that possible?!!" Lum gasps.

Hazel looks behind the target to see all ten shells stumble
out of a single hole they made in the concrete wall. "Wow!!!" is all
she can say.

"A sweeper in my time named Ryo Saeba taught me that," Jamie
ejects the old magazine from his pistol, then loads a new one. "It's
great when you're out to defeat electronic alarms and things like
that."

The girls gape awestruck at the Canadian. "He's fantastic!"
Momoe sighs.

"He's the best I've ever seen!" Natsuko echoes.

"And he's going to be MY son-in-law!" Ryuunosuke proudly
declares.

The other girls angrily glare at the tomboy. "DON'T RUB IT
IN, RYUUNOSUKE!!!!!!"

"Chee!" Ryuunosuke shudders, sweat pouring down her forehead.
"What's your big problem?!"

"Don't mind them, Mom," Jamie smiles, walking up to her.
"Well, since I don't expect a rescue to come today, where do I get to
crash out?"

"He should stay with Ryuunosuke," Lum proposes.

"And have him put up to Ryuunosuke's old man?" Benten warns.

"Good point," Ryuunosuke sighs.

"Why not with Lum?" Shinobu proposes.

"No, that's not a good idea," the Oni shakes her head.

"Why not?!" the Fukunokami looks curious. "You wouldn't be
able to harm him much and Jariten won't be much of a problem either."

"But what about Darling's parents?" Lum warns. "Do we really
want to expose Jamie to them?"

"Good point," Benten nods after considering her friend's
warning.

"He can sleep in one of the spare cabins on 'Renegade,'" Hazel
proposes.

"That doesn't seem like a bad idea," Nassur nods.

"I guess that's the plan, then," Jamie sighs.

He looks left to see Hazel winking at him. *Or is it...?*

* * *

Later that evening, Jamie relaxes aboard "Renegade." "Shit,
Alex, can't you finally learn to leave enough alone for once?!" he
snarls to himself as he stares at the deckhead. "You hated it when I
chose Dansei-chan over every other girl in the school, so you turned
around and tried every trick in the book to get me hooked to someone
else. I'm going to like it when you get shipped off to Australia
where you won't be able to hassle me again..."

His voice trails off as he senses someone approach. Looking
left, he sees Hazel standing at the doorway to his cabin. "Hi," she
meekly smiles.

"Hazel-chan," Jamie blinks. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come see you?" the hybrid steps into the room, her
hands clasped behind her back.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" the Canadian muses.

"I'm not a little kid, you know," Hazel sits on the bed beside
him. "I might be fourteen, but that doesn't mean I don't know
anything."

"I didn't mean it that way," Jamie sighs.

They stare at each other. "Um...can I ask you something?" she
ventures.

"What is it?" he quietly inquires.

She considers the question, then looks at him. "Do you love
me?"

Jamie faints! "What brought THAT on?!!"

"Because I think...I'm falling in love with you," Hazel
hesitanly replies, trying to put her feelings into words. "I mean...I
feel something for you. I know you're from the future...but there's a
part of me that says that doesn't matter."

"Oh, Hazel!" Jamie sighs, sitting up. "Do you have any idea
how much trouble we go through in the future because of
our...attraction for each other?"

The hybrid looks surprised. "You do love me."

Jamie pauses, then nods. "Yes, I do love you. At least, I
consider you more of a special friend than I do anyone else. That's
not the point. However, by the time we're together on a regular
basis, you've already recognized your future husband and I'm together
with Ryuunosuke's daughter."

"But I want...I wish I recognized you!!" Hazel cries.

The Canadian looks like he would not mind being a party to
that idea. "I realize that, Hazel-chan. But you see...part of the
problem is that there are other people would would gladly see us
together, regardless of what Hamachi or Dansei-chan believe."

"'Hamachi?'" Hazel repeats the name. "He's my fiance, right?"

Jamie nods. "Yes. He's had nothing but garbage throughout
his life. In a sense, it's just as bad as what you went through. The
point is, he's my friend. And I wouldn't be any sort of friend to
him, not to mention any sort of husband to Dansei-chan, if I allowed
my attraction to you to get out of control. The same goes for you,
too. You don't come close to becoming Dansei-chan's friend for a long
time after you two meet. Believe it or not, Alex...the guy who sent
me back in time...tried to feed into that, tried to pull Dansei-chan
and I apart so that I could be together with you."

"And what's wrong with that?" Hazel inquires. "'Dansei?!'
What type of name is that for a girl?!"

"That's not the point!" Jamie snaps, shocking the hybrid with
the force of his voice. "Besides, there's Hamachi to remember!"

Hazel moves to reply, but finds she cannot say anything in
response to the Canadian's words. "I still want to love you," she
finally utters.

Jamie looks sympathetic. "Wait until you meet Hamachi,
Hazel-chan," he gently places a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be
saying a different tune then."

"I hope so," Hazel smiles, then leans up to deliver a chaste
kiss on his lips. "Good night, Jamie-kun."

"Good night, Hazel-chan," he sighs.

The hybrid walks out of the room. As soon as she is out of
sight, she allows tears to flow down her cheek. Running to the upper
ramparts of the "Renegade," she sits down, allowing sobs to wrack her
body. It is there that Benten finds Hazel several minutes later.
"Hey, kid, you okay?" she gently probes.

Hazel looks up, surprised. "Benten-sensei...?"

The Fukunokami sits beside Hazel. "Jamie sent me up here. He
told me about your little talk down below. Want to talk about it?"

"Oh, it's not fair!" Hazel moans, leaning into Benten's side.
"He's the cutest, smartest, nicest guy I've ever seen! He doesn't
seem to care that I'm half-Ipraedies! He doesn't stare at me like
other boys would! Why?! Why do I have to meet him and then learn I
can't have him?!"

"Fate's like that," Benten sighs, gently hugging the sobbing
Hazel. "It gives us a load of shit, then sees how we can handle it.
Besides, didn't Jamie say that you've got someone waiting for you in
the future?"

"But seventeen years...?" Hazel looks up at her teacher.

"Is a long time, especially to someone like me," Benten nods.
"But for you, it's only three Age Days plus a bit. Is it really that
long?"

"I don't know..." Hazel shakes her head, then her eyes glow.
"Who's there?!!"

In response, a canister lands in front of the two women. It
explodes, projecting a cloud of noxious fumes, causing both Benten and
Hazel to cough and wheeze. "Shit, gas...!!" the former gags before
succumbing to unconsciousness. "Nassur..."

Darkness overwhelms them...

* * *

"What happened here?!!" Nassur demands.

Minutes after Benten and Hazel were attacked, Jamie and the
Vosian stand over the spot where they were. The Canadian has the gas
canister in hand. Taking a whiff, Jamie recoils in horror. "Shit,
this is Senyak-12 knockout gas!! Someone's kidnapped your wife and
Hazel-chan, Nassur!"

"Who could it have been?!" Nassur demands. "Senyak-Twelve?!
Never heard of it!"

"You wouldn't because it hasn't been invented yet," Jamie
looks grim. "It seems Alex, despite his obnoxiousness, is on the
money again. Someone's come back in time. For what is anyone's
guess."

"To alter history by the looks of it," Nassur shakes his head.
"But I don't understand. Hazel and Benten are, I admit, not really
important in the galactic scheme of things...unless it's me they're
after. Jamie, do you fight people who still support the Mikado's
cause in your time?"

"They're my primary targets," Jamie rolls up his left sleeve
to reveal a tattoo of a red Vosian cygnet devouring the innards of a
black cygnet. "My organization is known as the *an'san-Mikado*.
Killing Mikado Marines and neo-Mikadoites is my favourite sport, so to
speak. But then again," the Canadian gets a far-away look on his
face, "...if it's the person responsible for the Mikado's death
they're after, they should've targetted Lum and Reiko, not Benten and
Hazel."

Nassur blinks, quickly comprehending (and not believing) who
the person who performed the deed could be. "Which means...?" he
prods.

Jamie looks frightfully grim. "It's Hazel they're after.
Kill her now and she won't be alive to lead the hybrids in the
future."

The Vosian looks incensed. "Over my dead body they'll get
away with that!" he snarls, turning to walk inside "Renegade" to get
his gear. "Let's go find..."

Before he could finish his statement, Jamie's hand chops him
at the neck! "Sorry about that, Nassur," he grunts as he gently
lowers the unconscious Vosian to the deck. "But I happen to have an
idea as to who EXACTLY this creep is. And if I'm right, you won't
stand much of a chance against him!"

Nassur moans as the Canadian runs off...

* * *

"What's the meaning of this?!!" Benten snarls. "Who are you,
anyway?!!"

Benten and Hazel are now trussed up against an I-beam in the
middle of an uncompleted tower in downtown Tomobiki. Surrounding them
are a team of Vosians, over a half-dozen in number, all dressed alike
in the same model of jumpsuit, similar to the blue-and-silver jumpsuit
Nassur once wore. Their leader is a gentleman about Nassur's age with
dirty blond hair and icy blue eyes. "That, my dear, is none of your
concern...yet," he mirthlessly giggles. "Let's just say that I'm here
on business...personal business, that is."

"What sort of business could that be, slime?!" the Fukunokami
growls.

That earns her a vicious slap across the cheek! "Careful,
recognition bait!!" the leader cautions. "Personally, I can't see
what Nassur sees in you anyway! He should've stayed loyal to his
people instead of seeking a boozing, brawling, chain-welding,
short-life tramp like you!"

Benten growls. "You mean stay loyal to the Mikado, eh?!" she
snarls. "I figured you to be a Mikado hunter! Nassur's warned me
about your kind!"

"I?!" he looks miffed. "I don't serve that pathetic has-been!
He's due to fall in a half-year anyway! Who cares about a failure
like that?! Forget it, short-life! I work for myself! It doesn't
give me as many headaches!!"

The Fukunokami blinks as she realizes something. So does
Hazel. "You're from the future!" the hybrid exclaims. "What are you
doing in your own past?!"

The leader glares icily at Hazel, then grabs her by her hair,
drawing a vicious knife from his belt at the same time to stroke
against her neck. "You're too smart for your own good, half-breed!"
he snaps. "Yes, I'm from eighteen years in your future; eighteen
years you won't live to see if I have something to say about it!!"

"What?!!" Benten gasps.

She is frozen by that icy glare. "Eighteen years from now,
the governor of Colony One-hundred hires this gene-trash to arrest my
son Mansur for his support of neo-Mikadoite operations in that part of
the Confederation," he explains. "My only son...killed by this
half-breed daughter of an Ipraedies and an *azhis'f*...!!"

"Wrong, Kasur!!!" a voice snarls. "*I* killed Mansur, not
Hazel!!!"

Everyone gasps, then turn in the direction of an
elevator...just as a Desert Eagle thunders...

* * *

"Someone from the future trying to kill Hazel-chan?!!" Lum
gasps in response to Nassur's explaination. "But...why?!!"

"Ask whoever the creep is...or Jamie when he comes back!" the
Vosian winces as he rubs the back of his neck. He is relaxing with
Lum and the others by the "Renegade's" boarding hatch. "Damn, he
knows all the weak spots on a Vosian's body. I've never been hit like
this before, not even by Varanko or Dake-chan!!"

"Then, where's Jamie?!" Shinobu looks afraid.

"Right here," a voice utters.

Everyone spins around to see Benten and Hazel stumble out of
the darkness. "Benten!!! Hazel!!!" Nassur gasps as he runs over to
fiercely embrace them. "Are you two okay?!!"

"We're fine, thanks to Jamie!!" Benten nods, still shaken by
what she just witnessed. "Shit, Nassur, you should've seen him! He
just walked and started blowing them away without so much as a
by-you-leave!! It's no wonder they call him 'Iceman!'"

Shinobu's terrified scream punctuates the moment as Jamie
walks out of the shadows, carting behind him a trolley heaped with
bodies covered by a tarp. "Hi, everyone!" the Canadian meekly waves
as he stops to relax. "Shit, now I know what the undertakers go
through after I wipe out a company's worth of these bastards!! Hey,
Nassur, c'mere..." the Canadian notions the Vosian over, then pulls
back the tarp. "Recognize him?"

Nassur looks. "Kasur?!!" disbelief cross his face. "I don't
believe it!!!"

"Believe it," Jamie nods. To everyone else's stunned looks,
he explains. "Kasur's an old classmate of his," he gestures to
Nassur. "Like Nassur, he broke away from the Mikado...but instead of
becoming an independent gun-for-hire, he became a first-class
terrorist, not to mention the Vosian equivalent of a white
supremacist. He believed that it was the divine right of sensitive
psi-hunters like himself and Nassur to rule the Vosian
Confederation...by force, if necessary. For seventeen years,
organizations like mine have been seeking to put him down once and for
all."

"So why did he come back in time to kill Hazel-chan?" Lum
inquires.

"Easily explained," Jamie smiles. "A year ago, my time, Hazel
and I teamed up to hunt his son, Mansur. He was a gun-runner working
out of Colony One-hundred. People credited Hazel with his fall, but I
was the one who pulled the trigger. In my business, it doesn't pay to
advertise what you've done beforehand."

"I guess not," Lum numbly nods.

Hazel faces Jamie. "It seems I owe you my life," she sighs.

"What are friends for?" he winks.

"You're more than a friend to me," she smiles, then embraces
him.

Suddenly, there is a flash of light. "A-HEM!!!!" an incensed
voice is heard from behind Nassur. "Kindly unhand MY husband,
Hazel...or you won't live long enough to marry Hamachi!!!"

Everyone spins around. "Dansei-chan!!!" Jamie looks relieved.

Now standing there is a girl about Ryuunosuke's age, looking
very much like the tomboy save for her black hair being longer and
tied in a ponytail like Nagisa's. She is dressed in a ruffled blouse
and designer slacks, a crusader-type longsword in hand. Her brown
eyes glitter on seeing the Canadian. "JAMIE-KUN!!!!!!" she squeals as
she leaps over Hazel to embrace him.

"What took you so long?!!" Jamie passionately kisses her.

"Traffic!!" Dansei McTavish (nee Fujinami) purrs. "C'mon!!
Ainba's spell'll take us and...jeez!!!" she gasps on seeing the
trolley and its gristly cargo. "Shit, Jamie-kun, I can't take you
anywhere without you killing a bunch of terrorists, can't I?!!"

"Hey, it's my job, remember?!!" Jamie laughs.

"True," Dansei laughs, then looks over to see a dumbfounded
Ryuunosuke staring at her. "Hi, Mom."

The elder Fujinami is unable to say a thing. "C'mon,
Dansei-chan!!" Jamie warmly embraces his wife. "Let's go home! I
want to still pound Alex into the dirt for sending me back here
without telling me why!!"

"I'm afraid there's a lineup this time!" Dansei sighs, then
her eyes glitter with unbelievable passion. "Oh, Jamie-kun, the fact
that you were gone nearly tore my heart in two!" she swoons. "I
missed the daily presence of your manliness within me! The fact that
I could not feel the full expression of your love made me starve!"

Everyone flushes red with embarrassment. "As did I miss my
daily basking of the true womanhood which you hid for so long under a
man's guise, Dansei-chan," Jamie's eyes glitter with equal passion.
"The fact that you were gone almost made me die, for I had no place to
unleash the lustful animal within me!"

"Hey!!" Shinobu suddenly appears beside them. "What type of
people are you anyway?! Do they actually allow you to behave like
that in the future...?!!"

Jamie and Dansei suddenly turn on her, the heat of their rage
setting the very air afire. "***MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS,
MIYAKI-SENSEI!!!!!! WE'RE MARRIED, REMEMBER?!?!?!***"

"S-s-sorry," Shinobu fearfully stammers.

Dansei then points her sword to the sky. "Sword of Scotia,
back to 2002 and don't spare the horses!!"

A glow emits from the blade. Seconds later, Jamie, Dansei and
the trolley carrying the Canadian's victims disappear from 1984.
Everyone blinks, then stare dumbfoundedly at each other. "Who WERE
those two, anyway?!!" Megane wonders.

Hazel and Ryuunosuke stare at the spot where Jamie and Dansei
were. "My son-in-law...and my daughter," the tomboy muses, then looks
at the hybrid. "And you friends, by the sound of it."

"I wanted more out of Jamie-kun that that, Ryuunosuke," Hazel
sighs.

"I know," Ryuunosuke nods. "Well, if that's what the future
is going to bring for us, then I say it'll be a great future!!"

A tidal wave swamps her!! "THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!" Mr.
Fujinami roars. "I'LL NEVER ALLOW SUCH PERVERSIONS TO OCCUR TO **MY**
FAMILY!!!!!!"

He flies into orbit a second later! "IT'S ***MY*** FAMILY
NOW, YOU OLD GOAT!!!!!!" Ryuunosuke screams.

"I love the sea...!!" the old janitor wails as he flies
away...

*** The End...Or Is It? ***