Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction ❯ The Senior Year ❯ Children of Eternity ( Chapter 53 )

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

The *te'a.*

That Which Is Above mortal understanding.

This is the Sagussan name of the place all souls go to when they
depart their earthly shells and this place of reality. In the myths of that
planet, we are not supposed to know what lies beyond the Veil of Eternity, as
the *te'a* is sometimes called. Is there really a God or a Goddess? Is there
a Heaven or a Hell? What does happen when we die and proceed into the next
stage of existence?

While they seldom explain their beliefs to outworlders, Sagussans
believe that the *te'a* is influenced by the thoughts and words of those
within our plane of existence. That once one enters the *te'a,* their
beliefs would influence their environment, transform it into what they
believe is proper for the afterlife. Vosians would see Eternity as split
between Heaven (the resting place of all souls) and Purgatory (the transition
phase, the place souls are purged of evil before being allowed to pass into
Heaven). From this came the belief that formed the core tenet of the
Non-Interference Directive.

Yet what would happen if one person of one belief system was absorbed
by the spirits from another belief system?

For a young woman named Chigaiko Inu, struck down by leukaemia in her
seventeenth year, her answer would surprise you...

* * *

Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year: "Children of Eternity"
by Fred Herriot
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir
**** **** ****
A story based on the series in turn based on "Urusei Yatsura," created by
Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****

WRITER'S NOTES:

1) I've been thinking of this story for some time, especially after
writing my lemon fic "The Galatea Syndrome." I've always wanted to explain a
lot more about both Chigaiko Inu and the *saikoo jinseijitsu,* but never got
the chance during the main series. So, while I'm getting over writer's block
concerning other stories, I decided to write this. Part of this is inspired
by some ideas in Mike's recent story "Towards the Unstoppable Future" and in
the Ranma 1/2 fanfic series "Sins of the Father" by Lady Suteko, but the idea
of returning Chigaiko has been preying on my mind since I first wrote "TGS."

2) "Children of Eternity" occurs during the time of "Stage Zero,"
between the failed party scene at the Mendou mansion and Milan Domo's
interview with Nassur.

3) Stories to read prior to this: From UY-TSY: "Darling's Secret Date"
(Chigaiko's story), "Spirit-War Tomobiki" (background on the *saikoo
jinseijitsu*), "Shinobu: Futures Imperfect" (Takanaba's introduction),
"Furinkan Spring" and "Furinkan Spring II" (explaining the involvement of the
"Ranma 1/2" cast) and "Nassur's Story," "Be Forever Nassur" and "Stage Zero"
(background information leading to this story). From Ranma 1/2: "Ranko:
Abandoned No More" (it occurs between "FS2" and "C of E").

4) The idea of Ataru and Ranma being cousins was bandied around in other
fanfics, none of whose titles come to mind. The idea of Ataru's and Lum's
visits to a local orphanage was first put out in my lemon fic "A Remarkable
Destiny." I just tossed in Ranma since the orphanage in question is located
close to Furinkan High School.

5) The title of the martial art the Moroboshi Clan practices is
"Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo Jinseijitsu Ninjitsu-ryuu." It means "Moroboshi-Hana
Supreme Life Truth Way of Stealth School." The translation of "supreme life
truth" should actually read "saikoo no jinseijitsu," but I took out the
particle.

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

***Chigaiko?***

***Yes, Atar-sama?***

***Please, formalities are unnecessary. We are equal in This Place.
What ails you?***

***I...oh, look...!***

"Chigaiko-chan..." Fuchiko Inu sniffs as she places the incense on
the small pedestal in Nerima that marked the final resting place of her
ancestors. "I wish you were still here, little sis. Mom and Dad miss you so
much...why did you have to die...why...?"

***There is nothing you can do.***

***But my family misses me! I left so much undone when I came to
This Place...!***

***Even those who enter This Place at the natural termination of
their lives believe their task in the previous life is undone, Chigaiko. Ram
and I felt that way even after we had our family and grown old after our
battle in the Tomobiki of old.***

***But, look at them! They're disintegrating! When I died, a piece
of their hearts died with me! I didn't want that...***

***Unfortunate, but unavoidable. The premature passing of any
sentient is painful to relatives, Chigaiko.***

***But how can I help heal them? They're my family! How did you
feel when your relatives learned of your death?***

***You make your point, Chigaiko. There may be a way...***

***Eh?!***

***Chigaiko, when you came to This Place, you were brought here by
someone who had adopted Sagussan ways, yet you yourself were not Sagussan by
birth or upbringing.***

***You mean Ataru-chan?***

***Aye. As a Terran of the Shinto-Buddhist faith, your view of This
Place must logically be different from a Sagussan's. That conflict has
created a paradox involving your interaction within This Place...and an
opportunity for you to settle your doubts.***

***What do you mean, Atar-sama? Can I...go back?***

***No, Chigaiko, you yourself cannot go back. But all Sagussans have
the power to bestow their thoughts and memories onto another when the time to
enter This Place draws near. Since you were brought here by a Sagussan, it is
only proper that you be allowed that one chance to bestow your memories and
thoughts that those around you may benefit from them.***

***You mean like what Mie-chan did with her sister before she went to
Earth?***

***Exactly.***

***Hmm...now I wouldn't mind that. But I can't do it with Ataru-
chan; his mind's host to an unwanted guest which caused so much of a ruckus
before I passed away.***

***True, but there is another...***

* * *

***Lum-chan...***

Lum moans as she struggles under the covers. Her eyes flutter open
as she looks up, finding herself alone in her bedroom, the light of the full
moon shining through the window. Who was there? The voice was familiar, yet
it wasn't her future daughter or her siblings next door.

***Lum-chan, I'm hurt. How could you forget me?***

Lum's eyes widen as her mind slips into the veil of the *te'a,* a
glowing humanoid shape appearing before her. "*Tcha!* Chigaiko-chan?! What
are you doing here?!"

The glowing shape shifts into the warm features of someone Lum last
saw in Sakura's shrine months before. ***Ohayo, Lum-chan. Sorry to wake you
up, but I need your help.***

"My help?!" Lum blinks. What would someone now one with the whole of
Eternity want with her?

***I can't explain everything,*** Chigaiko looks apologetic,
***...but because I came into This Place under such a mix-up of faiths, I'm
being permitted this one chance to leave something more of me behind than just
other people's memories and pictures. What you decide to do with this is your
choice, of course, but I think I've an idea what you can do with this...***

With that, Chigaiko's hand falls on Lum's face, the fingers splayed
in the classic *tre'cha* mode. The latter concentrates as she feels something
flow into her like a warm summer tide filling a bay. With that, Chigaiko's
body returns to its previous state. ***Thank you, Lum-chan. I have to go,
now.***

"Arigato, Chigaiko," Lum smiles, hand raised. "Peace, logic and
harmony to you..."

The scene melts back to the contours of her bedroom...just as the
door flies open, the lights snapping on to reveal Noa, Nassur, Nokoko and Mal,
all staring concernedly at her. "Lum-chan, what happened?!!" the former races
over to grasp her bondmate's shoulder. "Are you alright?! What happened to
you?!"

"Eh?! What are you doing here?!" Lum blinks confusedly.

"We sensed something happening to you, sister," Mal sits opposite
Noa. "Remember, we're all bonded to you. What spirit has come to inflict
itself on you?"

Lum blinks, then her face changes into a doe-eyed stare. "None of
you remember me?! I'm hurt!" she pouts.

Nassur stares at her. "Who are you?"

"You won't remember me too much, Nassur-san," Lum/Chigaiko smiles.
"People don't know me too much at all, I'm afraid."

Nokoko blinks, then gazes closely at her, her eyes widening in
recognition. "Hey, wait a sec'! I remember you! You're the girl who died
sometime back of leukaemia, right...?"

"Chigaiko?!!" Noa gasps, her jaw dropping. "What are you doing?!
You can't come back once you died...!"

"Noa-chan, relax!" Lum's voice turns to normal. "Chigaiko-chan was
given another chance. Isn't that enough?!"

Nassur nods. "Oh, yes, I remember now. The girl who's body
disappeared when she passed away, carried off on a phoenix..."

"That's right," Lum nods. "Before she died, Chigaiko-chan was
contacted by Darling's spirit-patrons and allowed to enter the *te'a* on
Sagussan terms. But because Chigaiko-chan wasn't a Sagussan in beliefs,
something got mixed up, so she was allowed the chance to do a *tre'cha* with
me before finally departing."

Nassur shakes his head, clearly baffled by the fact that his former
student's fiance could literally touch the power of Heaven. "I'm not sure how
to take that, Lum-chan..."

"Don't bother trying to figure it out, Nassur-chan; what you believe
is your business," Lum smiles, then sighs. "Anyhow, now that I have Chigaiko-
chan's *mei'na* in me, I'm not sure what to do with it."

"Did Chigaiko-chan give you a clue as to what she might have wanted
you to do with her gift, sister?" Mal asks.

"Well, from what I sensed, she seemed sad," Lum sighs. "I guess she
must know what her family's going through. They had no body to bury; she's
not even considered legally dead because her body disintegrated and there was
nothing to do an autopsy on..."

"That I DON'T believe!" Nassur sighs.

"Welcome to the pitfalls of bureaucracy!" Noa sneers. "Well,
Chigaiko did die young. Under Sagussan law, if there is no body to
regenerate, a clone would be allowed..."

Lum then smiles. "Or a bioroid!"

Noa smirks. "Give Ria a call."

Lum grabs the telephone. Nassur stares at the *ashi'cha.* "I don't
believe you, Noa! You were prepared to kill Junba some days back for being
Cinba's clone..."

"That's because Junba was created without Cinba's express permission,
Nassur; just like the way we reacted to Nyassur before the Hustari thing," Noa
explains. "That's how the Edict on Clones and Cloning Technology works. Now,
in the case where a body is destroyed but one's *mei'na* or parts of which
still remains in this realm, **then** a clone is allowed!"

"Ah, to be a replacement body," Nassur nods. "Well, if you feel
happy about it, I won't object. Besides, I always wanted to meet 'Darling's
secret date.'"

Everyone laughs...

* * *

"You want to WHAT?!?!?!"

"You heard me," Catty gazes tranquilly at Ria, both relaxing aboard
the Avalon bioroid factory in orbit over Sado.

"Create a body for THAT thing?!!" Ria bolts to her feet, gaping in
shock at the doctor, then throws up her hands. "Oh, this is rich!! What do
you want to do next?!! Clone another Hitler?!!"

"Elder Mother, we're speaking about a sentient being that has NEVER
had a body it could call its own!" Catty sighs. "I'm as angry as you are
about what that thing did to Ataru, but it IS a living being and has been for
almost two centuries!! I'd believe that you'd be supportive of what it
wants..."

"Under normal circumstances, I would!" Ria asserts. "But this thing
has no morals, no compunction whatsoever about twisting anyone who gets in its
way for its own purposes!! I will NOT be responsible for letting that thing
loose on society..."

"I will take responsibility," Catty asserts. "Please. My ethics
state I cannot terminate this being regardless of what it did while it
possessed its hosts. Emotionally, its even more of a child than I was when I
was re-born as a Sagussan! It needs the chance to grow!! Let it have that
chance!"

Ria crosses her arms, then sighs. "Alright, I'll do it. But I will
not take any responsibility for this if something goes wrong! Are we clear on
that, Doctor?"

"Crystal," Catty nods, handing the Avalonian a tissue sample vial.
"This is a DNA sample obtained from Ataru's second cousin in Furinkan by his
spirit-sister prior to her heading back home. Since the *saikoo jinseijitsu*
is above everything else a master martial artist, logic dictates that it
should have a body properly attuned to martial arts...and they don't come any
better on this planet than Ranma Saotome."

"Ranma-kun, eh?!" Ria smiles. "I'll have to splice out things like
the Jusenkyou curse and all that, then I'll mate it up with some of Darling's
DNA. It should be ready in a day. Have Darling ready for the mind-transfer
at that time."

"I will," Catty nods, then beams back to the Gatherer.

Ria sighs, then heads into the factory's main control room.
"Timotei, prep up a gestation tank for a new bioroid," she looks at one of her
assistants. "I'll begin DNA sequencing right away."

"Yes, Elder Mother," Timotei heads out.

"Ria-chan," Shutako enters. "Lum-san is on the phone. She wants to
talk to you."

Ria blinks, then picks up the phone. "Hello, sister! What can I do
for you?"

* * *

"It was awful last night, Dear," Sil rubs Mendou's shoulder. "How
could you get so angry at the Sagussans like that? They were just doing what
they believed was right."

"I know," Mendou sighs, placing his hands on her arms as they relax
at the mansion. "Still, the fact that Noa was manipulating things like that
really galled me. Part of me still believes that Lum-san was being turned
against her will..."

"Dear, she did agree to bond with Noa at the end of the Spirit War,
remember?" Sil reminds him. "Before that happened, she was warned that she
would change after being bonded; both sides influence the other in that sort
of bond. Besides, what Lum does is her business. I'd think you'd know that
by now."

"Forgive me," he smiles at his fiancee. "For so long, I've pursued
Lum with such a single-minded determination, I've never once considered her
desires. The bodyguards and everyone else were the same way to one degree or
another. Anything that disrupted our quest to win Lum's favour was viewed as
the enemy. Those habits are...hard to break."

"It's called growing up, Shuu-chan," Sil kisses him on the forehead.
"You had quite an adventure dealing with Lum over the last couple of years.
That influenced your life a lot. It's hard to break away from that mode of
thinking since until Ataru moved out of Tomobiki, no one seriously questioned
what was going on. But life is a lot more than having a crush on someone."

"Life is a lot more," he sighs, gazing at the blue sky over Tomobiki.
"This is a strange time for me, Sil-chan. Part of me wants to press on, go
out there again and find myself. Part of me wants to remain here, revert to
the way things were, limit myself to what I'm comfortable with. It's a
tightrope we all walk on, trying to answer ours and everyone else's needs at
the same time."

A knock is heard. Mendou looks at the door to see a Kuromegane
there. "Forgive me, Young Master, but Vice-Principal Onsen just called," the
bodyguard coughs. "He requests the presence of all members of Class 3-4 of
the 1984 graduating class to come to the school tomorrow afternoon."

"Why is that?" Mendou wonders.

"It concerns your late classmate Chigaiko Inu, sir," the Kuromegane
sighs. "Onsen-san stated that Miss Inu will be posthumously awarded her high
school diploma."

Mendou pales, then mentally kicks himself. "Chigaiko! Oh, gods, how
could I forget her?! Of course I'll be there!"

"Yes, sir," the bodyguard leaves.

"Who's Chigaiko?" Sil wonders.

"A very long and sad story, Sil-chan..."

* * *

"Mistress, Mistress Nodoka is here."

"Have her come in, please."

Nagaiwakai looks up as Nodoka Saotome steps into the reception room
at Rishiri-tou. "Hello, Oba-chan," the latter bows, her arms wrapped around
her family's honour sword. "I'm sorry I didn't visit earlier, but I've been
busy in Furinkan."

"You hurt me, my niece," Nagaiwakai sighs as Nodoka relaxes before
her. "I would've believed that by now, you would've told your deadbeat
husband about your relation to me."

"Genma lacks much in many areas, Aunt," Nodoka sighs. "I have always
feared that he would've attempted to freeload off you were he to learn of our
kinship. He's always been that way, I'm afraid. Still, being related to you
has made my separation from my husband and my son less painful," she smiles.

"Gods, from what I've heard, he's just as bad as Kinshou!" Nagaiwakai
shakes her head, then smiles at her. "Besides, how could I not refuse my
favourite niece?"

"I'm your ONLY niece, Aunt."

Both laugh, then tea is brought in. "How is your new fiance?" Nodoka
smiles, then looks around. "Where is he?"

"He's out with the cows," Nagaiwakai smiles. "Even if he's now
engaged to marry his boss, habits die hard. In the meantime, how are things
with your child? I'd like to get to know my grand-nephew sooner or later."

"They are well, even better than expected," Nodoka beams. "Ranma
just returned from a trip to Jusenkyou to discover a cure to his present
curse. It appears that he and Akane will marry soon."

"Good. From what I remember, Akane is a pleasant enough girl. It
should be a decent bonding. How is Nabiki doing?"

"Busy organizing the company you're helping finance," Nodoka reports.
"The Sagussans who've been staying with us helped her in that regard. A
pity they had to return home; it was interesting talking to 'myself' for a
couple of weeks."

"With Ataru-chan back and this matter with the Mikado soon to be
resolved, there should be no need for extra people running about," Nagaiwakai
muses, then moans. "Famous last words. Oh, by the way, what about this
multiple-fiancee problem you once told me about? Has anyone done anything
about that?"

"It appears to be drying up on its own," Nodoka hums. "The Chinese
girl, Shampoo, was defeated in combat by her friend Mousse, so that overrode
any links Ranma would have with her. So far, it seems to be working. Ukyou
remains a concern since Genma did engage Ranma to her when they were on their
training trip, then took the dowry. It would have to be broken before Ranma
married Akane."

"Perhaps it's time I came down to officially meet my relations and
soon-to-be relations in Furinkan," Nagaiwakai muses.

"And how is Ataru?" Nodoka wonders.

"Well, the Sagussans are finally getting rid of that thing inside his
head," Nagaiwakai hums. "About time. I still find trusting them difficult
since they like the idea of Ataru-chan being with Lum; one of them bonded my
grandson to the Oni. Still, there's little I can do; he is of age now..."

"Sad, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"That our children have to grow up," Nodoka grins. "Too much of an
adventure raising them!"

"How true!!" Nagaiwakai laughs...

* * *

"Darling, what are you doing up?"

Ataru weakly stares at Lum, then fastens the bracelets to his
uniform. "I have to get down to Nerima, Lum-chan. It's been five months and
more since I visited the Children's Aid Centre; the kids must miss me..."

"Darling, you're in no physical or psychic shape to go see them,
especially after last night!" Lum asserts. "I'm sure they'll understand it if
you're sick..."

"Lum, you know how long I've been going to that place!" he stares at
her. "Until the Hustari thing came up, I never once missed a day there.
Fourth Sunday every month, remember? Besides, Ranma can't play with those
kids all by himself!"

"Ranma-kun's been pretty busy himself over the last bit or so his
spirit-sister told me before going home," Lum crosses her arms.

"Yeah, found a cure to Jusenkyou, surprise of surprises," Ataru
sighs, then feels his forehead. "Damn..."

"How do you feel?"

"Like someone's been doing a tap dance on my brain with steel tap
shoes for the last week! Damn, I keep forgetting the *saikoo jinseijitsu's*
fighting for its life..."

Lum remains quiet as Ataru throws his concentration into firming up
his psi-guards against the beast that had been coiled around his subconscious
for a dozen years, playing her Darling like a semi-independent puppet while
it was storing enough energy to break free and claim what it had long sought.
Since Catty and Pony began working on rebuilding their *daimon'cha's*
shattered psyche after their rescue from the Planet of Shadows, Ataru's
mood-swings swayed like a pendulum from hot rage to severe depression, his
mind automatically trying to draw excess *mei'de* from the ninjitsu
database's reach and thus defuse another breakout like the Spirit War. The
battle was being won slowly but surely, especially after the doctors had
copied all of the *saikoo jinseijitsu's* knowledge into Ataru's own psyche,
thus turning an avowed pacifist into a very efficient if inexperienced
martial artist.

"Maybe when this is over with, we should get Ranma-kun up here to
help train you to use your abilities better," Lum muses.

"I'll ask him," Ataru lays back.

The door opens to reveal Catty. "And where do you think YOU'RE
going?!" she marches up to her patient.

"To Nerima, where else would I go this day?" Ataru sighs.

"Much that your helping out at that orphanage has always been
beneficial to your peace of mind, you'll have to wait one more day," Catty
sighs. "I've made some arrangements concerning your unwanted mental guest,
but they won't be in place until tomorrow morning. Now back into bed, you;
I'll send Lufy down to the orphanage to explain things to your friends
there..."

"It's okay, Catty, I'll go," Lum flies out of the room. "See you
later, Darling!"

"Right," Ataru moans...

* * *

"Auntie Ranko, where're Uncle Ataru and Auntie Lum?"

Ranma sighs as she holds Kin'ya in her arms, the two rocking on a
swing in the front court of the Nerima Children's Aid Centre. Nearby, the
eleven other current occupants in this orphanage play with the small
collection of toys Ranma was able to purchase with a secret fund Ataru's
grandmother set up for that purpose a year ago. The last four visits were
just like today's; no green-haired Oni and no brown-haired young man with a
blue-haired Noukiite daughter to come help play with the children. "I guess
they haven't come back from their trip," Ranma sighs.

"Do they hate us?" Kin'ya sniffs.

"Hey!" Ranma smiles at the stocky eight year old. "Stop that! You
know Ataru and Lum care for you!"

"They why aren't they here?!"

"One is here!" a voice then declares.

"AUNTIE LUM!!!!!!" a dozen voices scream.

Ranma turns as the Oni lands, then is swept over by a storm of
children, the large bag of toys she brought with her spilling onto the grass.
"Hi, everyone!!" Lum allows them to hug and kiss her. "I'm sorry I was gone
for so long!! I missed you all so much!!"

"Auntie Lum, where's Uncle Ataru?!" Sadako wonders.

Lum sighs. "I'm sorry, Sadako-chan, but Darling couldn't come
today. He's very sick right now! But he'll be here tomorrow!!"

The children scream as they swarm Lum with another round of hugs and
kisses. "Hey, where have you been, stranger?!" Ranma places Kin'ya down, then
walks over. "Your sister said that you'd been taken away for some reason, but
she never said what!"

"Didn't your spirit-sister tell you?"

"Not the whole story," Ranma shrugs, then laughs, walking over to add
her hug. "But it's good to see you back!"

"Thanks, Ranma-kun!" Lum beams, then reaches for her bag. "Now, who
wants a toy?!"

Cries of "Me, me, me!!" respond from a dozen throats...

* * *

"What can you tell me?"

The secretary sighs, then gazes at her former employer. "It's been
total chaos since you were...relieved, sir," she bites her lips, not wanting
to make things worse for the man who had done so much for her life and
career. "That Tendou woman has ended a dozen projects you personally
supervised, completely torn apart five departments and has fired dozens of
upper and mid- management personnel. In addition, she's ended all political
contributions. How can we do business if we don't have help from the Diet?!"

Takanaba sighs, then glares out the window of his modest apartment.
Despite being stripped of his largest company by that mercenary speculator
from Nerima, he had enough money to call on to maintain his well-to-do
lifestyle. He couldn't believe that it had all fallen apart so fast. His
alliance with Suzuki was a shambles, the baron having experienced
considerable embarrassment after their attempt to destroy the Sagussans'
credibility failed. Once, Torizo Takanaba's name was spoken with a touch of
awe and respect. Now thanks to a little wet-cheeked girl named Nabiki
Tendou, it wasn't worth the ink it was written with!

"Is there ANY idea where Tendou gets her money?!" he stares at the
secretary. "There's no way in Heaven anyone could forward all that cash all
at once to buy out the stock! She had to have been supported from
somewhere!"

"I've asked around, but...friends have warned me that if I tried to
pry further, my future at the company is in jeopardy," she shakes her head,
then bows. "I'm sorry, sir."

"It's alright," Takanaba nods. In the end, everyone had to look out
for his own skin. First rule of business. "I've other sources I could use.
Continue to watch over things for me if you can. And thank you."

"You're welcome, sir," the secretary bows. "Excuse me, I have to get
back to the office before I'm missed."

She rises, then leaves. Takanaba sighs as he looks again at the city
that could've been his had things months before gone better. First the
failure with the Miyaki girl, then the Tendou girl coming out of nowhere to
sweep the company HE built out from under HIS feet, renaming it after her,
then destroying everything he tried to do to make people's lives better.
Yes, he knew that in the end he would benefit the most, but businesses always
had to serve the customer first; without them, no business could exist.

It seemed simple first. Produce a product, then sell it at a price
that was affordable to the customer and would make a profit for the seller.
Then competition, in the form of the Mendou Conglomerate and the various
industries under the aegis of the Moroboshi Clan, came in with cheaper
products and stole many customers away. Takanaba had no choice but to
retaliate as best as he could, both legally and illegally.

Then the Urusians came...and a golden opportunity appeared before the
industrialist. Why not employ alien technologies to make better products at
a good price, then get the customers back? If necessary, why not use alien
technologies to spy on the enemy camps and steal whatever was necessary to
regain those customers? But the idiots in the Diet stopped him cold by
selling all rights towards dealing with aliens to the incompetents in the
United Nations, which stymied Takanaba since the fools in New York City saw
themselves as the ONLY people who could arbitrate Earth's fate concerning her
galactic neighbours. What did they know?

Worse, the coming of the Sagussans and their high-browed morals made
those even in the Diet wary about trying to ask for something they felt normal
people weren't yet ready for! Try as Takanaba could, nothing could be done.
Then Fate destroyed his primary industrial espionage project, Deep Cast. That
was quickly followed by revelations in the business media about his and
Suzuki's dealings with the Urusian Imperialists, which destroyed consumer
confidence in his company and plummeting his stocks right to the basement,
making Takanaba Industries ripe for a hostile takeover.

Nabiki Tendou.

She owned stock in Takanaba Industries for a couple of years. The
man of industry respected the young girl, once thought her as a very smart
businesswoman if still inexperienced. If things had gone right, he would've
invited her to become a department director. People like that were wasted if
you tried to destroy them. Converting them to your cause was better. And
with the way Nabiki treated her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Takanaba knew that
she was ruthless enough to do whatever was placed before her when all the
chips were down. After all, who could resist the allure of money?

But now, it was too late. The Tendou girl and whoever backed her up
had stripped Takanaba of all he had created. And that demanded a very harsh
redress.

Oh, indeed it did...

* * *

"Creating a body for the *saikoo jinseijitsu?!*"

Ataru stares in shock at Atako over the monitor screen in his master
bedroom. "That's right, big brother," the latter grins. "They've already
done the preliminary work. We're mixing some of your genes with Ranma
Saotome's; that should give her a body she could use in case things get
tight."

Ataru shudders as the news echoes through his mind to the being with
him. A strange calm settles in his subconscious as the shock of the moment
takes the *saikoo jinseijitsu* by surprise. Almost 180 years after it became
fully self-aware; after it first felt the revulsion, the anger of being
trapped in something it didn't want to be a part of; after it began to dream
of the day it would be truly master of its own destiny...that it had finally
come made this moment surreal.

"Hey, is she okay?!" Atako wonders.

Ataru blinks, then feels a gentle nudge deep in his mind. Realizing
that the creature within him wanted the chance to see what would become of
it...HER...he relaxes, allowing his mind to slip into unconsciousness and the
ninjitsu database to surge forth. In Sado, Atako watches as Ataru's face
pales, tiger-striping appearing, though the transformation isn't as harsh or
as sudden as previous times. Further, the eyes do not glow.

"Do you have a picture, something I could see...?" The voice is
soft, not the dirge-like moan the ninjitsu database normally spoke with. "I
want to...to see me!"

Atako smiles. "Here."

An image appears of a slender woman with brown hair cut short at the
shoulders, combed in bangs over her forehead. Ataru blinks, then smiles. "A
body like this, with an Avalonian's abilities, would make my powers even more
efficient..." he muses, then shakes himself out of his daze. "Atako!"

"Yeah?!" Atako's image reappears.

"There must be some final work done before I can move into this
form," Ataru warns. "During previous entries into a new host, it took me time
to properly adjust. Listen carefully..."

* * *

"Hello, Fuchiko-sempai!" Lum hails.

"Hey, Lum!!" Fuchiko smiles as the Oni lands on the front lawn of the
Inu residence. "What brings you around? Were you really kidnapped by this
character that was after Nassur-san...?"

"Hai, I was. Listen, are your parents here? There's something you'd
like to hear!"

"Sure, they're here! C'mon in!"

The two step inside. "Oh, hello, Lum!" Kindan Inu smiles as she
embraces the Oni. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hi, Mrs. Inu, Mr. Inu," Lum nods to Akira Inu relaxing by the living
room table. "You all better sit down for this one. What I'm about to tell
you will sound incredible, but it's true."

The Inus relax as Lum conveys her story. Shock and surprise cross
their faces, then it transforms to elation. "Wait a sec!!" Fuchiko gasps.
"You mean to tell me that Chigaiko-chan's spirit is...IN YOU?!?!" she points.

Lum blinks, then her face softens. "Of course I'm here, Onee-chan!
Where'd you expect me to be?!" she snaps.

The Inus gape. "Chigaiko-chan...?" Kindan gasps, then wails as she
embraces Lum. "Oh, my baby's alive!!"

"Not all the way yet, Mom!" Lum/Chigaiko smiles. "Lum-chan's sister
Ria-chan's making my new body now thanks to a locket of hair I gave
Ataru-chan before...well, before IT happened!" she shrugs. "By noon
tomorrow, I should be back home."

"Well, your things haven't been touched," Akira stammers, then
embraces the Oni. "Oh, sweetie, we missed you so much!!"

"Hi, Dad...!" Lum/Chigaiko smiles.

The doorbell rings. Fuchiko runs to the door, opening it to reveal
Mendou. "What do you want?" she crosses her arms.

"Forgive me, Fuchiko-san, but...Lum-san, what are you doing here?!"
Mendou blinks.

"I came to visit Chigaiko-chan's parents!" Lum rises. "What's
wrong?!"

"Ah, the school's been trying to get in contact with all of you for
some time," Mendou sighs. "The school wishes to award Chigaiko-san's diploma
posthumously, so they were wondering if you could come by tomorrow afternoon
around two? All of the class will be there as well," he gazes at Chigaiko's
parents and sister.

"Well, really..." Kindan hums.

"We'll be there!" Lum smiles, then ushers Mendou out. "Thanks for
telling us!! 'Bye!"

The door closes before Mendou could reply. "What are you doing,
Lum...or is that you, Chigaiko?" Fuchiko hums.

"Relax, Onee-chan!" Lum/Chigaiko grins. "I want to see the looks on
their faces when they see me walk in tomorrow!!"

* * *

"Oooh, where am I...?"

Brown eyes open, sparking with life as the bioroid takes in a deep
breath, her first. She then notices a shadow leaning over her. The shadow
melts into a beautiful woman's face with long green hair and two small horn
buds on her forehead. "Lum...!"

"Hi, Chigaiko-chan!" Lum beams. "Welcome to your new life."

Chigaiko blinks, as her body responds to her mental commands. Slowly
she boosts herself in a sitting position, her hand rising to keep the sheet
covering herself. Gazing around, she notices that she is in one of the
gestation labs aboard the Avalon factory satellite...how did she know
that?...now attended by Lum, Ria, Nokoko and Mal. "Welcome back, Chigaiko-
chan," Ria gently squeezes her shoulder. "Your mind needs a little time to
adjust to its new body, so don't do anything sudden yet."

"Oh...okay," Chigaiko nods as she allows knowledge given to her
before her body was given the final gift from her former classmate to flow
forth. She was an Avalonian, a bioroid, given all the powers and abilities
all Sagussans possessed. But no matter what, she was Chigaiko Inu. "I'm
home again..."

"Chigaiko-chan, look," Lum points.

Chigaiko turns, then gasps as she stares out a viewport at the
beautiful curve of Earth rotating below. "Oh, gods!"

"You always wanted to see the stars," Lum smiles...

* * *

"Oooh, where am I...?"

Brown eyes open, sparking with life as the bioroid takes in a deep
breath, her first. She then notices a shadow leaning over her. The shadow
melts into a pleasant man's face with long brown hair, beard and moustache.
"Ataru...?"

"Hi, Negako-chan!" Ataru beams. "Welcome to your new life."

Negako blinks as her body responds to her mental commands. She
slowly boosts herself in a sitting position, her hand rising to keep the sheet
covering herself. Gazing around, she notices that she is in one of the
gestation labs aboard the Avalon factory satellite...how did she know
that?...now attended by Ataru, Atako, Shutako and Shinoko. "Welcome to
freedom, Negako-chan," Atako gently squeezes her shoulder. "Your mind needs a
little time to adjust to its new body, so don't do anything sudden yet."

"I...understand," Negako nods as she allows knowledge given to her
before her body was given the final gift from her host as the *saikoo
jinseijitsu.* She was an Avalonian, a bioroid, given all the powers and
abilities all Sagussans possessed. But no matter what, she was Negako
Moroboshi. "I'm free...finally free..."

"How do you feel?" Ataru wonders.

Negako blinks, then gazes at her hands. She was a woman, built as an
eighteen year old. Yet unlike all the other times her essence had been placed
in host after host, she never felt the emptiness of a mind that didn't have
another psyche within it.

"I feel fine," a smile twitches her lips...

* * *

"Hello?! Is anyone home?"

Kasumi slides open the door, then blinks. "Oh, my! Lady Nagaiwakai,
what are you doing here?!"

"Hello, Kasumi-san," Nagaiwakai smiles. "May I come in?"

"Please," Kasumi nods, then looks inside. "Father!! Nabiki!!
Akane!! Hinako-san!! Lady Nagaiwakai's here!"

"Lady Nagaiwakai, what brings you here?!" Souun descends from his
bedroom, then invites the Moroboshi Clan matriarch to sit beside him at the
coffee table. "You honour us again with your presence! Is something the
matter?"

"Yes, there is, Tendou-san, but let's wait until everyone is here,
then I'll begin," Nagaiwakai smiles.

Hinako, Akane and Nabiki quickly join them. "Where are Genma, Nodoka-
chan and Ranma?" Nagaiwakai looks around.

"Saotome-kun and his wife are out shopping for us now," Souun smiles.
"Ranma-kun is visiting Shampoo and Mousse at the Nekohanten. I assume you
know of events..."

"Yes, the ladies sent here from Sagussa told me everything,"
Nagaiwakai smiles. "On my grandson's behalf, I thank you all for hosting them
while they were deployed here."

"It was our pleasure," Souun nods. "They brought honour and
distinction to their planet and people. Now, what does bring you here? I am
aware of your relation to Nodoka..."

"Eh?!" his daughters and Hinako gasp.

"I am Nodoka's aunt," Nagaiwakai smiles. "She is the daughter of my
late brother Seinen Hana and his wife. I was the one who raised and supported
her after her parents died and after Genma and Ranma went on their trip."

"I always wondered how Auntie Saotome supported herself," Nabiki
chuckles. "I assume Uncle Saotome doesn't know..."

"He doesn't," Nagaiwakai smiles. "No offense to you, Tendou-san, but
I will have very strong words with your friend about his mistreatment of my
niece and grand-nephew when I see him next..."

The door slides open to reveal Genma and Nodoka. "Oh, Aunt, what are
you doing here?!" the latter gasps.

The former freaks. "'AUNT?!?!?!'" he spins on his wife. "Why didn't
you tell me...?!!"

He then jerks as Nagaiwakai's drawn katana touches his neck. "Genma
Saotome!" the matriarch hisses, her eyes narrow as she fixes her
nephew-in-law with an icy glare. "You have brought untold pain and misery to
my niece's and my grand-nephew's life with your irresponsible actions before,
during and after your recent training trip! By all rights, I should end your
worthless life now, but since Nodoka-chan has seen fit to give you another
chance, I won't. But this I swear to you, sir; if you even THINK of doing
something that hurts either Nodoka-chan or Ranma-chan, there is no place in
this galaxy that you'll be safe from me!!"

Genma gulps, then shakily nods as Nagaiwakai pulls back her blade,
sitting down again beside Souun. Nodoka and her husband sit beside her.
"Now that that's resolved, my niece, where is your son?" Nagaiwakai stares at
Nodoka.

"I'm home!!" Ranma calls out. "We have guests!"

The door slides open to reveal Ranma, Cologne, Mousse and Shampoo.
"Oh, darn, I didn't realize we had...!" he blinks.

"Nagai-chan!!" Cologne beams on seeing the Moroboshi Clan matriarch.
"What are you doing here?!"

"Hello, Cologne-chan!!" Nagaiwakai smiles as she embraces to
diminutive Nyu-che-zuu matriarch. "I'm sorry I didn't come down to see you at
the restaurant!! How are you?!"

"Aiyah! Who friend of Great-grandmother?!" Shampoo wonders.

Cologne turns to her clansmen, smiling. "Shampoo, Mousse, may I
present Nagaiwakai Moroboshi," she smiles. "Or as we know her in the tribe,
Hua Yong-ruo."

Shampoo and Mousse bow respectfully. "Madame, it is an honour and a
pleasure to meet you at last!" the latter then produces a beautiful bouquet.
"May this be a humble token of our esteem towards you and your mother for all
you've done for us."

"You must forgive Mousse, Nagai-chan; he's still too sentimental at
times," Cologne chuckles.

"Never mind, Cologne-chan," Nagaiwakai smiles, then sniffs the
flowers. "Thank you, Mousse-kun. They're lovely."

"You guys know Ataru's grandmother?!" Ranma turns to Shampoo.

"Yes, Ranma. Nyu-che-zuu and Tiger-Spirit ninjas are seen as blood
kin," Shampoo smiles, sitting down at the table.

"You better sit down, Ranma," Nabiki muses. "This is a day for
revelations. Wait until you hear what your mom has to say..."

* * *

"Welcome, honoured friends," the Principal smiles as he notions the
Inu family to sit down in his office. "We're more than happy to have you as
our guests today. Tea?"

"No, thank you, sir," Akira nods as the Inus relax.

"Everyone, c'mon in!" Koosei calls outside.

The doors open to reveal the former members of Chigaiko's homeroom
class, having donned their old school uniforms for the occasion. "Hello,
everyone," Shinobu bows to her late classmate's parents and sister. "It's
good to see you again."

Greetings are exchanged, then everyone turns to the Principal as he
draws a case containing Chigaiko's diploma. "Your class was tragic in that
two of your number did not survive to see the end of your time in Tomobiki
High School in February," he faces the students. "Shinjin Koi's parents
received their late son's diploma privately several days ago. They didn't
wish to make the matter public since they still grieve over his suicide. But
given the manner of Chigaiko Inu's passing, it only seems proper that all of
you are in attendance for this occasion..."

Running footsteps are heard. Everyone turns as a panting Lum bursts
into the room. "Sorry I'm late!!" the Oni gasps, then breathes in before
bowing.

"Where's Ataru?" Ryuunosuke wonders.

"Darling sends his apologies," Lum sighs. "They'll be trying to take
out the *saikoo jinseijitsu's* persona from his mind today, so he'll be out of
it for a while. He'll come down when he can."

Hearing that, grins cross everyone's face. "Finally, we're free of
that thing!!!" Megane pumps his hands in victory.

"Thank God for that!!" Shinobu pats her heart.

"Oh, there's one other thing," Lum coughs, then turns to the door.
"Would you care to join us, please?"

Everyone turns as a figure in a dark blue sailor suit walks in, then
gape as they recognize her face. "Impossible..." Mendou stammers, pointing at
the newcomer. "This is..."

"I don't think so, Mendou-san," Chigaiko smiles. "Hi, everyone.
It's good to be back."

Everyone's passing out was expected.

* * *

"Ataru and I are second cousins?!!"

"That's right, Ranma-chan," Nagaiwakai smiles at her grand-nephew,
then looks at Nodoka. "It's a pity you didn't tell your mother about your
problem with Shampoo; once I found out, I would've happily come talk to
Cologne- chan about it."

"I don't understand," Akane wonders.

"Ranma and his parents, as part of the Tiger-Spirit/Tiger-Flower
Clans, are considered honourary tribesmen by the Nyu-che-zuu," Mousse
explains. "That means, when it came to the tournament when Shampoo and Ranma
first met, the Kiss of Death wouldn't've been seen as legal. However, the
engagement would've stood..."

"Not necessarily, Mousse," Cologne turns to him. "We would have been
honour-bound to respect the arrangement between Ranma's family and Akane's
family. It's the concept of 'don't force your ways on me, I won't force my
ways on you' we've always followed with Nagai-chan's clan."

"Shampoo relieved it all settled before people were badly hurt,"
Shampoo smiles, then stares at Akane. "Shampoo also happy that Akane soon
become part of the tribe."

"I definitely consider that a compliment," Akane beams.

"Speaking of which, let's get to the matter of Ranma's betrothal,"
Nagaiwakai coughs. "Feel free to speak your mind on this matter, child. Do
you love Akane?"

"I do," he nods. "I wish to marry her."

"So be it," Nagaiwakai nods. "Now, I also understand that you have
found a cure to the problem of Jusenkyou. That you and Akane must have
children to diffuse the curse. Would you care to explain to me how exactly
this will happen?"

"Well, it's easy, or so the Jusenkyou guide explained," Ranma smiles.
"You see, Jusenkyou is a place of death. The curses are powered by death.
You need to bring new life...the birth of children...to destroy the curses.
How that affects our children depends on how you were exactly cursed. In the
case of Shampoo, Mousse and Ryouga, their children will be near-physical
doubles of their parents, plus gaining the best attribute of the animal the
parent once transformed into."

"In Shampoo's case, a champion gymnast; in Mousse's, a great swimmer;
and in Ryouga's, a cleanness buff," Akane grins. "Pigs are the cleanest
animals in the animal kingdom!"

Everyone laughs. "In my case, since I remain human, my child will be
a daughter looking exactly like my cursed self," Ranma finishes. "Other than
that, they should be normal kids."

"The curse would finally wear off around the fourth month of my
pregnancy," Akane smiles. "But Ranma and I'd like to wait before we finally
do marry."

"Of course, take your time," Nagaiwakai nods. "To begin a family is
a lifetime commitment. Not everyone is like my grandson, who dove into
adopting his daughter when he was still in the last year of high school."

"Speaking of which, is he okay?" Ranma blinks. "Lum was able to come
down to the Centre, but Ataru was nowhere in sight."

"He is having his unwanted mental guest exorcised from his mind
today, so he should pay the little ones a visit today," Nagaiwakai sighs.
"Finally!"

"Indeed," Cologne hums. "The *saikoo jinseijitsu* was trouble enough
when it was in your head, Nagai-chan...and after hearing about the Spirit War,
it's a wonder your grandson managed to keep his sanity intact!"

"What Centre?" Akane turns to Ranma.

"Yes, what Centre?" Nodoka wonders.

Ranma sighs. "Okay, you deserve to know. For the last year and a
half, every fourth Sunday, I visit the Nerima Children's Aid Centre; it's
about five blocks from the school. I spend the day there with the kids,
playing with them and all that. Ataru and Lum do the same thing; he's been
doing it since junior high school and she got into it shortly after she came
to Earth."

Surprise responds to his words. "Why an orphanage?" Souun wonders.
"Not that I don't mind you giving your time to those poor children, but you
should've told us."

"I..." Ranma bites his lips, then sighs. "I never said a word
because I wanted one place in this whole city to be a sanctuary from all of
you and all the craziness that was happening here." On seeing pained looks
cross Akane's and Shampoo's faces, he looks down. "I'm sorry; that came out
too sudden. But this is something Cologne and I talked about sometime ago.
You never understood how I felt having three fiancees, plus all the
challenges and all the other pressures come down on me like that. I
wanted...I NEEDED...a place where I could get away from it all, even for just
a day. The Children's Aid Centre offered me that opportunity." He stares at
Akane. "In fact, you were the one who started it."

"Me?!" she points to herself.

"Yeah! After I called you an uncute tomboy once, you smacked me with
your mallet and I wound up flying right into the Children's Aid Centre; almost
hitting Lum when she and Ataru were there."

"Why does Ataru go there?" Kasumi turns to Nagaiwakai.

"For the very same reason Ranma-chan does," Nagaiwakai sighs.
"Ataru- chan actually needed it worse since unlike Ranma-chan with Furinkan,
Ataru-chan has never and probably will never earn the respect of anyone in
Tomobiki, even after the Spirit War."

"I know Shinobu sometimes goes there; she told me about this when she
was working for Toofuu-sensei," Akane muses.

"Yeah," Ranma smiles, then looks at his grand-aunt. "By the way, I
should thank you for the money you gave me for the toys I could buy for those
kids, ma'am...Grand-aunt," he blushes.

"Well, I believe that he should be there later this afternoon if his
doctor lets him go," Nagaiwakai stares at her watch.

"Would you mind if I came with you?" Akane stares at him.

"Sure! After all, the kids want to meet the girl who sent their
'Auntie Ranko' over the first time!"

Akane blushes...as a knock is heard at the door. Kasumi walks over
to slide open the panel, then blinks on seeing a man in a formal kimono.
"Forgive me, but is Lady Nagaiwakai Moroboshi here?" he stiffly bows to her.

"I am she," Nagaiwakai looks over, emotion draining from her face.
"What does your master want?"

"My master respectfully requests your presence at his home as soon as
you can come, Lady Nagaiwakai," he bows.

"Inform him I'll be down at five o'clock today, after I've resolved
some business here," Nagaiwakai replies.

"Hai," he bows, then leaves.

"Who was that?" Nabiki wonders.

"A messenger from a little fellow who sometimes forgets that the
Tokugawa Shogunate finally died in Hiroshima's radioactive ashes forty years
ago," Nagaiwakai hisses.

"You want me to tag along?" Ranma tenses.

"No, thank you, Ranma-chan, I can take care of myself with this one,"
Nagaiwakai smiles. "In the meantime, let us have something to eat. We have
yet to discuss the matter of Ranma's other fiancee, Ukyou..."

* * *

"Incredible!!" Shinobu gasps. "God, first Marcia and her friends on
that planet of Lannarkites, now you! If I wasn't convinced then, I am now;
Ataru-kun's a saint!!"

"He's no saint, Shinobu!" Chigaiko laughs, then scratches her head.
"I wish I could tell you more, but I think my other self didn't want me to be
deluged by what happens in the next life."

"So you're more a double of Chigaiko than the real one," Koosei
crosses his arms.

"I wish I could answer that, Ryooki-sensei," she sighs. "I have all
of Chigaiko's memories, I don't feel any different from what I was a year
ago...save for the obvious change from being a Terran to an Avalonian, plus
having no disease...so I can happily say to myself that I am Chigaiko Inu."

"Well, if you do feel that way, Inu-kun, then I happily present to
you this," the Principal smiles, passing her the high school certificate.
"Since you are still considered among the living, your life should return to
as normal an environment as your circumstances dictate. It would be a gross
failure of us as an institution of higher education to not see you start off
on the right foot. Therefore, with the power vested in me as the principal
of this school, as my final act as your principal, I award you your high
school diploma as a member of the Class of 1984. Please join your
classmates, Inu- kun, and congratulations."

"Arigato, Sensei!" Chigaiko tearfully bows as everyone gives her a
banzai cheer.

"Sorry I'm late!!!" a voice calls.

"Darling!!" Lum beams as Ataru opens the door and steps in, again in
his special black uniform he wore at graduation.

"You're just in time!" Mie grins. "Guess who LITERALLY came back
from the dead!!"

"So I hear," Ataru smiles. "Welcome back, Chigaiko-chan."

"Thank you, Ataru-chan," Chigaiko sighs, then embraces him. "How are
you?! Oh, you look great!"

"Hey!!" Lum cries out. "I helped you come back to life, Chigaiko-
chan, but not to steal my fiance!!"

Everyone laughs, then Sakura peeks into the office. "Whose bag of
toys is out here?"

"That's mine," Ataru smiles. "I have to make this stop short because
I'm to go play Santa in Furinkan."

"Oh, that's right!" Shinobu nods. "The day you normally go to the
Centre was yesterday! I guess the kids missed you!!"

"What Centre?" Megane wonders.

An explanation is quickly provided by Ataru and Lum. Like Ranma's
relatives and friends, the revelation takes their other classmates by
surprise. "You mean for the past four years, you've been using the allowance
from your grandma to keep a bunch of orphans happy?!" Megane crosses his arms.
"Geez, what else've you been up to, man?!"

"You'd be amazed," Ataru smiles.

"Well, I think it's a good thing," Chigaiko hugs his arm. "As a
matter of fact, how'd you like to have some company when you go see them?
I've really got nothing to do right now."

"I wouldn't mind it," Ataru sighs. "After all, I may have been the
only guy in the school who said 'hello' to you, but I still know so little
about you."

"Will Catty-sensei allow that, Darling?" Lan hums. "I mean, after
two nights ago..."

"Ever since she and Pony started working on my mind, I've been
keeping myself depressed to ensure the *saikoo jinseijitsu* doesn't get any
negative mental energy to try a breakout before my mind's put back together
again," Ataru assures her. "It was like the way I was between Icarus and the
Spirit War; I had to burn off a lot of my anger to ensure it didn't use that
against anyone."

"Sometimes, I think we don't appreciate how much you've been through
because of that critter," Momoe hums...

* * *

"***EARTH-HEART FIRE GEYSER!!!!!!***"

Everyone leaps back as the ground explodes, a funnel of thermal
energy and lava bursting from deep below the surface of Sado Island!! Negako
waves her arms as her mind severs the link between herself and the Earth's
natural chi patterns that permit her to perform some of her more stupefying
feats. "Whoa!!" Kamen breathes in from a safe distance away.
"Im-...pres-...sive!!!"

"I'll say!!" Hensou nods fearfully. "I just hope Negako-chan doesn't
hold much of a grudge for being penned up in Darling's mind all this time!"

Seeing the results, Negako nods, then turns to a large boulder, her
hand drawing back, vibrating at supersonic speeds. "***HEART-BLAST
TOUCH!!!!!! ***"

The rock explodes in a shower of dirt and debris!! Drawing back,
Negako flexes her fingers, then curtly nods. Ria then flies up. "How are you
feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," a smile twitches her lips, then notices
Ria's shocked stare. "A problem?"

"I...I'm sorry," Ria shakes her head. "Forgive me! I just never
heard you say 'thank you' to anything!!"

"Do you think I'm always gruff?" Negako muses. "Gloriana, even I
appreciate the concept of true charity. No one has ever done what you and
your friends did. Whenever my previous hosts needed my services, they've had
to trick me into helping them since they weren't prepared to sacrifice my
host to give me what I want. I cannot begin to thank you enough for this,
Gloriana...and I speak the truth in that regard."

"I believe you," Ria smiles, then looks at the rock. "By the way,
that's only about half the things I know you're capable of doing to someone.
What about the other stuff?"

"I cannot do that on a live target since I could kill someone with
the soulsword, the paranormal-power inverse-fire attack or the spirit-breaker
fire-light," Negako warns. "I must wait for an actual battle before that
occurs. In the meantime, it is best I rest and meditate. Even with the
modifications I asked Atako for this body, I still need to better orientate
myself to this before I can be truly comfortable with myself."

"I understand," Ria nods as Negako walks off, then crosses her arms.
"Now where could we send her off to so she could get some more practice, I
wonder...?"

* * *

"What have you learned?"

"Takanaba-san, forgive me for being brief, but those of us who
possessed close working relationships with you are watched," a mid-level
manager replies from a public phone some blocks away from Takanaba's home.
"But we have just learned that one of the Tendou woman's supporters is
Nagaiwakai Moroboshi."

He pales. Her?! "Are you sure?!"

"Positive, sir," the manager replies. "Moroboshi was able to float a
loan of five billion yen to Tendou, which she immediately turned to purchase
the necessary stock on the Tokyo bourse. I'm still unsure where the other
five billion came from. A friend of mine is trying to learn that right now."

"Please find out if you can," Takanaba sighs. "Thank you."

He hangs up, then feels his hands tremble. Oh, of course. Even with
the tight grip zaibatsu like himself had on Japan's economy, there were still
powers that could turn everything upside down on a whim. Three of them were
Kimaenowakai Hana, Nagaiwakai Moroboshi and her elder son Komeru. Unlike many
zaibatsu, who saw the virtue of diversification, having a finger in as many
pies as possible, Nagaiwakai kept focused on one main industry...in her case,
dairy products...kept a large international (and in her case, intergalactic)
trading portfolio, then used the rest in stock and bond speculation in the
world's major exchanges. Nagaiwakai was sharp, a woman who had the
*fingerspitzengefuhl* when it came to sensing good stock. In forty years, the
Moroboshi Clan matriarch hadn't slipped up once.

Yes, she could and would pour in the money Tendou needed for this
operation. Probably sold or leased one of her large farms in America to a
local consortium for some quick cash, then funnelled it straight into cutting
Takanaba off at the knees. Privately, Takanaba admired Nagaiwakai; when it
came to the world of finances, the woman was ruthless. Well, he got burned.

So could she.

Takanaba turns to his computer, drawing up files referencing to the
personal histories of his major opponents. Nagaiwakai's had some annoying
blanks in it...try as anyone might, no one could seem to learn what sort of
intergalactic contacts she had...but her personal family history was public
record. Scanning information on direct descendants... Komeru, Muchi, Nokoko,
Ataru and Kaeru...the man of industry shakes his head. None of them were in a
vulnerable position for him to exploit. Rumour had it that Kaeru had been
living on another planet for fifteen years.

Indirect descendants? Takanaba muses as he notes that Nagaiwakai had
a brother, deceased for two decades. Seinen Hana had married and had a
daughter. Noting the death dates, Takanaba blinks. Odd. Seinen's wife Jiko
died a year after her husband. He then notes the daughter's name: Nodoka.
That sounded very familiar. Referencing marriage records, he grins. "Nodoka
Saotome," he chuckles, then double-checks. Yes, Nodoka was the mother of
Nabiki Tendou's soon-to-be brother-in-law.

What now? The man of industry sits back. Like many in Tokyo, he had
heard about the many incidents in Furinkan, the level of severity sometimes
rivalling the shenanigans in Tomobiki. Even before the problem with Shinobu,
he sent spies into the district to keep watch on all the martial artists. One
of his agents had even thoughtfully provided a detailed itinerary of who was
who in Furinkan, obtained from of all sources, Nabiki Tendou!

Takanaba then picks up a phone...

* * *

"Furinkan?!"

"Why not, Darling?!" Ria smiles. "Negako-chan is a martial artist
and Furinkan's stocked full of them. We all know what Ranma-kun goes through
almost every day there. Negako-chan would have loads of fun dealing with some
of those idiots!"

"Negako-chan is an offensive weapon, Ria!" Atako warns. "All her
attacks are designed to destroy targets, especially the really special stuff!
If we put her up against the likes of Hibiki or Kunou, she'll not only beat
them, she'll kill them!!"

"I will go to Furinkan."

Ria and Atako spin around to see Negako standing there, having
approached with a ninja's stealth. "Don't do that to us, you idiot!!!" the
latter bops her with a hammer. "What are you trying to be?! Cherry?!!"

"I felt the need to learn if I could mask myself from your subliminal
senses," Negako muses, ignoring the hammer. "It appears even I can learn how
to avoid being detected by a Sagussan or a Sagussan-descent person. I'm aware
of what Furinkan has to offer. Besides, my last host is visiting that
orphanage he likes so much today. I'll go see him there."

"Just don't fly off the handle too much, okay?" Atako warns.

"I'll be fine," Negako turns away, a predatory grin crossing her
face. "But I cannot guarantee how others react to me..."

* * *

The Dojo Destroyer hums as he listens to the voice over his cellular
phone. He was one of a small group of mammoth warriors dedicated to the
destruction of all unworthy training halls, always challenging the local dojo
champion in a duel. If he was the winner, the Dojo Destroyer would claim the
front sign of each dojo as a sign that the establishment was to close down.
If the establishment refused to abide by the rules, then the dojo itself
would be wrecked by whatever means possible.

Unlike his fellow Destroyer who visited Furinkan a year back, this
particular Destroyer knew exactly what was going on concerning the two houses
practicing the art of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu. There were plans for the
Saotome School and the Tendou School to unite with the marriage of Ranma and
Akane, but it hadn't happened yet. Thus, Takanaba's desire to see the Tendou
School destroyed... and his warning to ensure Ranma wasn't involved...was
possible. He would just have to convey the challenge in such a way that Akane
would have no choice but to fight for her family's survival.

The payment for the Destroyer's services was just the icing on the
cake, he cackles as he prepares himself...

* * *

"Well, how does it feel to know all your family now, Ranma?" Akane
wonders as she and Ranma head down to the Children's Aid Centre, a small bag
of toys in her hands.

"Feels great," Ranma smiles. As usual, he walked on the fence,
always performing a balancing exercise as his father had long trained. "I
mean, I've had to call Ataru a sex-crazed idiot in public on occasion, but I
know what he's really like. You should see him with the kids. No one would
suspect that he is capable of such warmth. And you'll love Reiko-chan! I
hope she's coming down today."

"Oh, that's his daughter," Akane nods understandingly. "Shinobu told
me a lot about Ataru. Things about him seem so strange at time...even
stranger than you."

Ranma tenses. "Yeah, they are. I suppose given what he's gone
through, he's got a right to keep everyone at arm's length. There were times
I felt the same way."

"I know," Akane looks down.

Sensing her depression, Ranma places an arm around his fiancee.
"Hey, it's okay, Akane. None of us were princes over the last two years.
Relax."

Akane brightens up as he kisses her, then tenses as a shadow falls.
"Saotome!!!"

"Oh, brother," Ranma turns to see Kunou standing there, bokan stick
drawn and ready. "What do you want, Kunou?!"

"How DARE you act so familiar with the fair Akane Tendou?!" the
kendoist snarls, moving to ready himself. "And that is still 'Kunou-sempai'
to you!"

"Of course he can act familiar with me, Kunou-sempai," Akane smiles.
"After all, he is my fiance!"

"WHAT?!?!" Kunou bellows. "Akane Tendou, say it is not so!! You
cannot permit yourself to be entwined by this Svengali's sorcerous ways,
especially after he also entwined the pig-tailed goddess, his own sister,
Ranko!!"

"Who says anything about my hurtin' Ranko-chan?!!" Ranma growls,
tensing as he prepared to do his daily pounding of the blowhard before him.
"And if you're gonna say she's a lesbian because of me, you got another thing
coming, pal!! I ain't got nothing to do with the way Ranko-chan is!!!"

"Hey, what's going on?" a voice wonders.

Everyone sees Ataru, Lum and Chigaiko nearby, Reiko beside her
father, a bag of toys over his shoulder. "Just a sec', Ataru!" Ranma smiles.
"Got garbage to get rid of!!"

Kunou looks at Ranma's cousin. "So, the infamous Ataru Moroboshi has
come to spread his own dark poison among the fair maidens of Furinkan!
Undoubtedly, you and Moroboshi are working in concert to spread your evil
ways!"

"Hey, you got some nerve sayin' that about my cousin!" Ranma snarls,
then wonders if he said too much.

"'Cousin?!' Why am I not surprised?!"

"This is Kunou, I take it," Lum hums.

"Afraid so," Akane smiles.

"Hey!!!" Reiko marches up to Kunou. "You take back what you said
about Daddy!!"

"Eh?!!" Kunou gapes at the young Noukiite. "Who is this?!"

"I said...'take back what you said about Daddy!!'" Reiko's eyes then
glow. "Now!!!"

"Better do as Reiko-chan says, Kunou-san," Lum grins.

*CRASH!!!!* A telekinetic shove lands Kunou smashed into a nearby
wall. "What a dork!!" Reiko huffs, turning back to stand beside her father.
"Just as stupid as the idiots in Tomobiki!"

"That's your daughter?" Akane looks at Ataru.

"The one and only...but hopefully might become two," Ataru leans over
to kiss Lum's cheek.

"Darling!" Lum blushes.

The rumble of tossed aside masonry is heard as everyone turns to see
Kunou emerge, angrier than ever. "WHAT SORCERY WAS...?!?!"

A fiery cyclone. "***AIR-WHIRLPOOL HEAT-FIRE STRIKE!!!!!!***"

A burned and bruised Kunou then takes the Air Negako express to Tokyo
Bay!! Everyone watches the kendoist vanish. They then see a brown-haired,
brown-eyed girl distantly resembling Ranma in his cursed state, now in baggy
blue jeans and a black T-shirt with the Moroboshi Clan tiger-and-chrysanthemum
on her bosom, very relaxed after performing her attack. "Auntie Negako, what
are you doing here?!" Reiko wonders.

"'Auntie Negako?!'" all but Ataru stares at Reiko.

Lum then pales as she remembers what Negako just did to Kunou.
Spinning on Ataru, she points at the newest yet oldest member of the Moroboshi
Clan. "Darling, you didn't!!"

"It seems you and I had the same idea," Ataru smiles...

* * *

"Here you go!! Okonomiyaki right off the grill!!"

"Thanks!" Ranma smiles as everyone digs in. After Kunou was disposed
of by Negako, everyone went to U-chan's for a snack before going to the
Children's Aid Centre.

The only one not eating is Negako, who watches everyone dig in with
chopsticks and forks. Ukyou turns to the reborn *saikoo jinseijitsu.* "Hey,
aren't you hungry?"

"I..." Negako bites her lips, then looks at the plate before her.
"Forgive me. I...I don't know how to eat."

An explosion!! "WHAT?!?!?!"

"You see, when I was in other people's bodies, I never had cause to
eat normal food," Negako shrugs, her cheeks flaming.

"I suppose being what you once were would've done that," Ranma muses,
then walks over to sit beside her. "Okay, let's make this a martial arts
training exercise!"

"'Martial Arts Eating?!'" Ataru wonders. "And I thought 'Martial
Arts Tea Cup Ceremony' was weird!"

The others fall silent as Ranma splits the "drill" into parts. Step
one, draw chopsticks. Step two, place the chopsticks on the fingers so
Negako could properly pick up pieces. Step three, slice the okonomiyaki into
pieces. Step four, pick up one piece with the chopsticks. Step five, place
piece in mouth. Step six, chew and swallow. Repeat steps 4-6 with the other
pieces at a slow pace to prevent becoming gorged. "You'd think Ria'd
remember to program things like that into Negako," Lum crosses her arms.

"Hey, give her time," Ataru chides her.

Finally, the plate is empty. "Another," Negako smiles.

"Coming up," Ukyou turns to her grill. "How was it?"

"I cannot answer that," Negako sighs. "Because this is my first meal
ever, I cannot judge how good your cooking is."

"Geez, an honest person," Ukyou smiles. "Relax, Negako. It comes
with time? Anyone for seconds?"

Hands go up. As more okonomiyaki are served, Ranma repeats the drill
with Negako, Akane pitching in to help. Ukyou sees them, then looks down.
"You okay?" Ataru hums.

"Sorry," Ukyou sighs. "Your grandma came in here and laid the law
down for me this morning, Ataru."

"Oh, about your problem with Ranma," Ataru nods. "She wasn't too
rough on you?"

"Not really," Ukyou tries to smile. "She said that Ran-chan
shouldn't be held responsible for a mistake made by his old man. Any
restitution I would want because of the slight to my honour is
allowed...except marrying Ran-chan, of course."

"You don't like that, do you?" Lum muses.

"Not really," Ukyou watches Ranma and Akane haggle with Negako, then
lowers her voice. "There are times I don't trust Akane with Ran-chan. I've
seen the way she treated him all the time and I hated it with every fibre of
my being. Unlike the way Lum went after you, Ataru...no offense, Lum...there
were people in Furinkan who hated the way Akane abused Ran-chan."

"I didn't have competing fiancees like he did," Ataru hums, squeezing
Lum's hand. "Elle and Shinobu don't count since no part of my family
recognized their desires to marry me; and Windy-chan was only recognized by my
grandmother as my fiancee."

"But only your parents recognize me, Darling," Lum warns.

"True, but as of now, it doesn't matter," Ataru smiles at her. "Once
I turned eighteen, Grandma was rendered powerless."

"Still..."

"Hey, if Grandma wants to be a pain the ass, ignore her; she can't do
anything," Ataru reminds her. "You know, I've always been envious of him," he
nods to his cousin. "At least Ranma has a united family behind him."

"I know, Darling," Lum kisses him, then turns to Ukyou. "So have you
though about what you want from Ranma's family?"

"I haven't thought about it," Ukyou shrugs. "I supposed I'll have to
be fair. I still love Ran-chan you know."

"As much as Mie-chan and Chigaiko-chan love Darling," Lum smiles.
"But that's the love of a best friend. That's what Ranma-kun's always seen
you as, Ukyou."

"Yeah, you're right," Ukyou nods. "I'll have to think about that for
a bit..."

The door opens to reveal Nabiki. "Akane!!"

"What is it?!" Akane looks over.

"Trouble," Nabiki hands her a sheet of paper.

Akane scans the sheet, then pales. "No!! It's a challenge from a
Dojo Destroyer!!"

Everyone from outside Furinkan blinks. "Dojo Destroyer?!" Ataru
exchanges looks with Lum. "What's that?"

"An arrogant mercenary of sorts," Negako sneers. "They seek out
dojos, challenge the best martial artist to a duel, and if they win, the dojo
loses the right to continue operating."

"No problem," Ranma grins. "I defeated one Destroyer. I can do it
again."

"This isn't for you, Ranma," Akane sighs. "It's for me."

"Eh?!!" everyone blinks.

Akane shows them the note. "This says that if anyone outside the
Tendou School tries to fight on our behalf, all the Destroyers will come
demolish the school. This includes anyone from the Saotome School...since
Ranma and I are not married yet."

"Oh, no!" Ranma slaps his head. "Pops and Mr. Tendou must be
freaking out now..."

"They don't know," Nabiki announces. "It came off my fax machine.
Don't worry, Ranma-kun, I know what those two would've insisted on happening
if they learned about this."

"Can you fight this creep?" Ataru looks at Akane.

"I doubt it," Akane shakes her head. "The last time a Dojo Destroyer
came to town, I barely fazed him!!"

"Then you must destroy the enemy before he destroys you."

Eyes turn to Negako. "What do you mean?" Ranma wonders.

Negako looks at him. "'Honour is a sword shattered on a rock, a
piece of paper burned in a fire, a shrine brought down by an earthquake, a
grave marker worn down by the wind.' The first law of survival in the
Moroboshi Clan. Survival comes first. Don't fight on his rules; fight on
your rules."

"Still, I can't..." Akane frets.

"You can," Nabiki grins.

"Eh?!"

Nabiki pulls a box from behind her, opening it to reveal a white-and-
black form-fitting uniform with a Tao symbol for the belt buckle. "Look
familiar?!"

Akane blinks, then grins...

* * *

"Nagaiwakai here."

"Sorry to bother you, but Takanaba-san didn't like the idea of you
helping Nabiki Tendou take his company from him."

"Who's playing you this time?"

"Guess."

"Never mind. What's he doing?"

"He's sent a Dojo Destroyer to challenge the Tendou Dojo to a duel,
forcing Akane Tendou to defend her home. The challenge was made in such a way
that your grand-nephew couldn't interfere."

"I see. Anything else?"

"Yes. Takanaba-san knows of your relations to the Saotomes. He is
busy contacting the family of Nodoka's mother; he just learned of the
circumstances that led to the death of your brother and sister-in-law.
Nagaiwakai...we grieve for you."

"Thank you..."

* * *

"What's this about a Dojo Destroyer?!!" Mousse yells.

Everyone sees Mousse, Shampoo and Ryouga jog onto the Tendou
property. "Who told you?!" Ranma wonders.

"Nabiki called and told us," Ryouga sighs. "Lucky thing Akari-chan
and I were in town when we got the news."

"Yeah, it's true," Ranma sighs. "What's worse, Akane's the only one
who can fight this bastard; the challenge won't be legit if anyone gets in the
way and this bozo calls his friends in to trash the place."

"Is that necessarily true?"

"Shinobu, what are you doing here?!" Lum gasps.

"What do you think?" Shinobu enters the courtyard, now in a new white
kempoist's gi. Junba is with her, in normal civilians. "I did train under
Akane when I was in Nerima. Doesn't that make me a part of the Tendou
School?"

"It does," a voice hails from the porch.

"Whoa!!" Ataru whistles as Akane emerges, once again in the Densetsu
no Doogi. "Looking good, Akane!"

"Hey, Ataru, you got your own fiancee! Leave mine alone!!" Ranma
snaps at his cousin.

"Good idea," Ataru swamps Lum with a kiss.

"Darling..." Lum gurgles dizzily.

Akane notices the Vosian hunter beside her lover. "You're Junba,
right?" she hums.

"That's me," Junba nods.

"Ataru, Lum and my Sagussan spirit-sister have told me about the
times you dishonourably tortured my student while you were on your recent
trip to the Planet of Shadows," Akane's voice turns to ice. "Though I
understand you were lied to about many things by your former superiors, the
fact that you abused Shinobu brings shame on you and your particular martial
art. While I know Shinobu is a forgiving type and I respect her desire to
form a bond with you, it will be a long time before I respect you. If you
ever betray Shinobu's trust again, however..."

"I understand," Junba nods, then her eyes glow. "Company!"

A low rumble indicates more than one Dojo Destroyer now arriving at
the Tendou Dojo. Eyes observe troop of six giants in martial arts gis duck
through the gate. "I see you brought some friends," Akane sneers.

"This is to ensure your boyfriend and your other friends don't get in
the way," the leader sneers.

"No problem. My friends know when to allow me the chance to fight my
battles. Choose your second; my student has come back from a long trip and I
wish her to join in."

"Makes it interesting," the leader grins, then nods to the one beside
him.

The other Dojo Destroyers haunch down on their ankles by a wall. All
of Akane's friends sit by the porch. Akane and Shinobu stand line abreast by
the cherry tree in the corner. The two Dojo Destroyers form up by the koi
pond. "They're big," Shinobu muses. "Almost as big as the Sunin guards
Ataru- kun's great-grandmother employs."

"Relax," Akane smiles. "Remember what I taught you."

"Hai," Shinobu nods.

A face-off. Everyone stare intently as the two sides size each other
up, seeking an entry. A bellow precedes the two giants' charge. Akane winds
up, then cups her hand. "***MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!!!!!!***" she fires.

The blast hits the ground at the leader's feet, sending him out of
the dojo grounds! "Hey, I didn't know Akane's gi could help her do that!!"
Ranma blinks.

The other's hands are seized by Shinobu, then with a scream, the
woman vaults him out of Furinkan!! "Two up, two down," Junba smiles. "Match
to Akane and Shinobu."

Applause. "Wait a sec'!!!" another Dojo Destroyer bolts to his
feet. "Since when did this powder-puff learn that?!!" he points accusingly at
Akane.

"This is a school of indiscriminate grappling, remember?" Akane
smiles. "There are no rules in our form of combat. Anything can be brought
in...including this," she tugs her sleeve.

"That's the...?!" a fourth Destroyer points.

"Densetsu no Doogi," Akane supplies. "I trust you're all aware of
what happens to someone who wears it? Now, the challenge has been answered
and won. Leave now...while you're still able."

The giants growl as they rise, glaring at the little figure who dared
"cheat" the challenge. Suddenly, Negako rises, walking over to stand between
the potential combatants. "The lady asked you to leave this place. Do so
now."

"Who are you, girl?" a Destroyer snorts.

"I am Negako Moroboshi, Grandmistress of the Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo
Jinseijitsu Ninjitsu-ryuu. I was the sentience of the 'Black Death of the
Martial Arts,' the *saikoo jinseijitsu,*" Negako grins. "This school and all
who come to learn its ways are under my protection now. Leave."

Shinobu turns white, ducking behind Akane as she remembers the horror
she experienced not eight months before. "Liar!" another Destroyer sneers.
"The Moroboshi Clan aren't stupid enough allow the *saikoo jinseijitsu* to run
free! Besides, if you're in a new body, why isn't your former host dead?!" he
points at Ataru.

"If you wish to believe that...then prepare to die," Negako holds out
her hand. "***SOULSWORD!!!!!!***"

The chi-charged energy katana appears. The giants cower as Negako
sweeps the burning tip towards them. "You're not leaving."

A cloud of dust marks the passage of the Dojo Destroyers from the
grounds...

* * *

"A Dojo Destroyer?!!" Souun wails.

"Relax, Dad, it's all taken care of," Akane smiles as everyone
relaxes in the living room later. "Thanks to this, a little help from
Shinobu and Negako writing finis to it, we won't have to worry about them for
some time to come!"

Shinobu smiles, then warily stares at Negako, who is repeating the
eating drill Ranma taught her with some food Kasumi cooked for the celebration
under Chigaiko's supervision. "Well, since it's alright, I suppose we can
relax," Souun muses as he turns to Akane's first student. "Thank you for
coming, Miyaki-san."

"It was my pleasure, Sensei," Shinobu smiles, then stands. "If
you'll all excuse me, Junba and I must return to Tomobiki. Good night,
everyone."

Everyone waves as Shinobu and her lover depart. "Speaking of which,
my fiancee and I have to visit some children we haven't seen for a while,"
Ataru rises.

"Yes, they definitely would want to see their Uncle Ataru again," Lum
rises, then looks at their companions. "Negako-chan, Chigaiko-chan, are you
two coming?"

"We'll be along in a bit," Chigaiko smiles.

"Okay! 'Bye, everyone!!" Lum waves as she and Ataru leave.

"'Bye!" Ranma waves back, then looks at Negako. "Hey, how much...or
how little...did Lum's sister put into you?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," Negako admits. "Strange. I've wished for so
long to be free, but I never once considered what I'd have to do when I'm
free."

"Yeah, I can imagine what you'd be going through," Nabiki muses.
"Basic stuff like hygiene, bathing..."

"All the women-only problems like P.M.S..." Ranma warns.

"As a woman, you can also bear children," Kasumi muses. "That might
enter your life sooner or later."

Negako sighs. "Hey, don't overload her, okay?" Chigaiko stares at
their hosts. "Let her take it one step at a time."

"Wait a moment!" Akane snaps her fingers. "If you both are
Avalonians, that means you have Sagussan-type powers, right?"

"Yes," Chigaiko nods.

"Then all you have to do is mind-meld with Negako and let her
understand what she has to go through!" Akane smiles.

"Akane-chan, there is a danger," Kasumi cuts in. "If the mind-meld
goes too deep, there comes the risk of their becoming bondmates. I don't
think Negako-chan is ready for that yet."

Negako looks at Chigaiko. "Would you desire me in such a manner?"

Chigaiko jolts. "H-hey, I j-just met you...!" she stammers.

"Pity we couldn't do Martial Arts Mind-Melding," Ranma smiles.

The others chuckle...

* * *

"Nabiki."

"It's me."

"Lady Nagaiwakai?! What's wrong?!"

"Takanaba sent your recent guests."

"Takanaba?!! Oh, shit...!"

"It gets worse. When I'm done, I'll return to Furinkan and tell you
more."

"I'll be here."

* * *

"Ataru-kun, can we talk?!"

Ataru looks up. "What about?"

Shinobu relaxes beside him. The other children were tearing through
the pile of toys at the Children's Aid Centre. "Ataru-kun, what possessed you
to let that thing in your head have its own body?! Do you have any idea what
she's capable of doing if she flies off the handle?!"

"I'm fully aware of Negako-chan's abilities, Shinobu," Ataru sighs.
"You don't need to remind me of that. I have those same abilities, too."

"Eh?!" Shinobu jolts.

"Before Catty came up with the idea of contacting Ria and asking for
her help, she and Pony copied the *saikoo jinseijitsu's* knowledge into my
psyche to help firm up my defenses against her. Remember, she's been fighting
for her very existence since they started work on me."

"So why Negako?"

Ataru sighs. "Shinobu, I know after what happened is Oshio, you may
think doctors on Sagussa are a little gruff, but they do have their oaths to
follow. One of them is to preserve life in all its forms whenever
encountered. And, believe it or not, the *saikoo jinseijitsu* was a
lifeform, a sentient being that never once had control over its destiny.
Lyna's Soul, Negako was more of a slave than the Avalonians we met on Phentax
Twelve! What did you expect her to do; destroy the *saikoo jinseijitsu* and
let that be the end of it? Catty didn't want to do that, Shinobu. She was
afraid that if she made that drastic a judgement call on something like this,
it would de- sensitize her to a real problem in the future. She doesn't want
to risk that!"

Shinobu blinks. She herself wanted to be a nurse, had spent time in
Nerima under Toofuu Ono and aboard the "Renegade" during the Planet of
Shadows trip learning the basics. "I don't know, Ataru-kun," she shakes her
head. "After what that thing did to us, did to YOU most of all, I can't trust
her. I may never trust her no matter how well-intentioned she becomes!
Besides, there's a whole district who looks on the *saikoo jinseijitsu* as
the devil of devils. If they find out about Negako, they'll want their
revenge...and they might come after you for allowing her the chance to be
free!"

"You think being free is all fun and games to Negako-chan?" Ataru
wonders. "Shinobu, we were at Ukyou's place before we came to the dojo.
There, Ranma had to teach Negako how to eat! Can you imagine that? She had
to learn how to EAT because she never had cause to eat when she was in
someone else's body!! What about all the other things she has to learn? How
to relieve herself, how to clean herself; things like that, you and I take
for granted since we learned them when we were kids! She's emotionally a
baby in the body of an eighteen year old woman!! And in addition, she has to
deal with menstruation and all the other things women like you go through!
And because she's a very attractive woman, people will take interest in her!
What happens then?!"

Shinobu blinks. "My God...!"

"Yeah," Ataru nods. "Now, I don't know if it was a screw-up on Ria's
part or it was deliberate, but Negako has to learn all that in one heck of a
hurry or else she's going to be miserable. Damn, I should've thought about it
before she was taken out of my head, but I didn't. So she won't have the time
or the inclination to put up to people who want to settle scores from the
Spirit War! And if you do push her, you're signing your death warrants.
According to Ria, Negako is a lot more powerful now than she was when she was
running loose eight months ago."

Silence falls as Shinobu considers the point, then looks at Junba,
who was chatting with a couple of girls trying to braid her long blonde hair.
As a clone, Junba would have been programmed with that information. And
Junba had once been an enemy, not more than a month and a half ago.
Incredible. Junba and Negako were so similar. During the first six weeks of
the voyage to the Planet of Shadows, Junba had come close on dozens of
occasions to killing her all because Shinobu was seen as Nassur's love.
Negako, in one day, came close to killing Shinobu because the latter was once
Ataru's girlfriend and was seen as standing in Negako's way of claiming
Ataru's body for herself.

"I want to help."

Ataru blinks. "How so?"

"Let me...help Negako adjust to being her own person."

He sighs, then looks at her. "Why?"

"If I can forgive Junba, even go all the way to falling in love with
her, I can try to forgive Negako," Shinobu smiles.

"Okay," he nods. "I'll ask Akane's dad if he'd put up you and
Junba. I've a feeling that thing with the Dojo Destroyers was actually
something bigger playing itself out."

"You're right about that," a voice hums.

"Nabiki!" Shinobu blinks as the middle Tendou daughter walks up.
"What's wrong?"

"Ataru's grandmother just gave me a call," Nabiki sighs. "It seems
the Dojo Destroyers were sent by one Torizo Takanaba." She then looks at
Shinobu. "He was one of the jokers involved in that garbage that happened to
you some months ago."

"Takanaba?!" Shinobu pales, then feels her fists shake. "Why? Why
is he after me now...?!"

"It's me he's after," Nabiki smiles. "With Nagaiwakai's and
Sagussa's help, I bought out his company, then threw him out. He didn't take
to that too well."

Shinobu stares at her. "Then I'm involved!" she rises. "That creep
has a lot to answer for if what Noa told me about him and Baron Suzuki was
true!"

"And if this isn't over yet, having Negako around might be of some
benefit," Ataru adds. "Nabiki, will your dad allow Negako, Shinobu and Junba
to stay at your house?"

"Sure thing," Nabiki nods. "Could your other friend stay?"

"Chigaiko-chan? Ask her; she's really got nothing to do."

* * *

"The Lady Nagaiwakai is here, sir."

"Send her in."

Baron Yuusuke Suzuki rises as Nagaiwakai walks into the room, then
sits across the low table from him. "Welcome, Nagaiwakai-san," he smiles at
her. "You look well."

"As do you, Yuusuke-san," Nagaiwakai sighs. "So, why did you want to
speak to me?"

Suzuki tries to remain calm. Both he and Nagaiwakai were of the
landed gentry, their families tracing their ancestry back hundreds of years.
The Moroboshi Clan matriarch was a baroness in actual rank...though to
Suzuki's surprise, she never once insisted on being called by that title.

"You have caused me considerable embarrassment in recent months,
madame," Suzuki purses his lips.

"And I will continue to embarrass you until the day you finally
realize that the Shogunate is dead and has been for forty years and more,"
Nagaiwakai stares at him.

"True. You and I'll always be opposites when it comes to our
opinions as to how Japan and Earth evolve. But one thing does bind us both.
We have morals and beliefs. We care for this land and its people. We want
Japan...and Earth...to succeed."

"Yes," she nods. "But a Japan that returns to the Edo Dynasty is a
Japan I do not wish to see. It serves no purpose and it will stifle the
advances you wish to have happen."

"I don't believe so," Suzuki muses.

"That is your opinion and you're entitled to it," Nagaiwakai muses.
"Do you wonder why America defeated us so easily forty years ago? They
defeated us because their founding fathers put a belief in their people. The
belief is called 'freedom of speech.' It is the first amendment in their
Constitution. Freedom of speech guarantees the transmission of ideas, which
promotes free thought. That stimulates invention and technological
advancement. That is why we failed, Yuusuke-san. We tried to match their
technological advancement during the Meiji and Taisho era, but never promoted
the necessary environment to sustain it. If a Shogunate rose again and, Fates
forbid, we got into another war, we would lose. Of that, I am more than
certain. My family...and yours...has paid a terrible price for one war,
Yuusuke-san. Please, not again."

Suzuki smiles at her courtesy. Nagaiwakai's husband died a kamikaze
pilot in 1945. His father died in prison accused of war crimes years later.
"Perhaps. Yet I look at the Japan of today and I cannot help but weep at the
disintegration of what kept us united for so long. The fracturing of
families, yours being quite a glaring example. The disrespect for elders,
the lack of respect for law and order, the rise in crime..."

"Problems America also suffers from, my friend; in many places even
more so than we could imagine," Nagaiwakai smiles. "Yet do you see them
throwing out their Constitution?"

Suzuki blinks. "I never thought of that, I confess. As I said
earlier, we have morals, you and I. But there is someone now out there who
has no morals to speak of whatsoever."

"Takanaba."

"Aye. I now very much regret allying myself with that man. All he
cares for is money and the making of more money."

"Agreed. If that piranha had his way, the unleashing of alien
technologies would unleash horrors on this planet no one is the slightest bit
prepared for," Nagaiwakai sighs. "Hence, the reason I had Nabiki Tendou
purchase his company."

"You may have done worse than that, madame. Takanaba is now trying
to strike your grand-nephew's future sister-in-law down as we speak...and,
from what I've heard, he intends to garnish the aid of your sister-in-law's
family to aid him in destroying you."

"So I've been told by a friend," Nagaiwakai nods.

A secretary then appears. "Forgive me, Baron, Lady Nagaiwakai, but
Mr. Lee is here."

"Send him in, please," Suzuki nods.

Mr. Lee then steps inside. "Greetings, Baron Suzuki. Forgive me for
coming in so suddenly, but there is something about me you should now be aware
of."

Suzuki's eyes widen as his aide sits beside Nagaiwakai. "You're one
of her agents," his voice is hollow.

"Not exactly," Mr. Lee touches his wrist-bracelet.

The baron gasps as the hologram is deactivated. "You have me at a
disadvantage, madame," he stares at the woman who had taken the place of a man
he once implicitly trusted.

Noa introduces herself. "For the past twelve years, since my people
decided Ataru would be our *daite'cha,* I've come to Earth regularly to
ensure that nothing happened to him. This," she points to her
wrist-bracelet, "was invented some years back by a friend of mine to disguise
myself whenever I felt the need to infiltrate places. Until the Urusians
came, I seldom had use for it. After Lum-chan moved in with Ataru full-time
and things in Tomobiki got out of control, the United Nations became aware of
organizations like yours and Takanaba's trying to exploit aliens and their
technologies. I then realized that when the time came for us to reunite with
Ataru, we would also be targeted..."

"Thus Mr. Lee," Suzuki smiles, finding himself in admiration of the
*ashi'cha,* someone of a race he once thought of as a group of naive women
unworthy of the awesome power they welded. "Noa-san, you succeeded more
brilliantly than people would believe of your race. Were I in your position,
I would have done the same."

"I believe you," Noa smiles. "Baron Suzuki, how you choose to
influence events here in Japan, I do not care for. If the people here choose
to restore what you desire, that is their choice. Sagussa will guarantee
Earth's right to choose its own destiny; that is something all sentient races
deserve. We will protect you because we feel honour-bound to do so since our
*daite'cha* comes of this world. Given your planet's position between several
hostile powers, Earth deserves all the protection she can get. But I warn you
this, sir; NEVER try to manipulate us for your own ends. We will take great
offense in that and we have the potential to unleash armageddon on anyone who
hurts us that way."

"I believe you," Suzuki nods. "Tell me, Noa-san. There were times
when you, as Mr. Lee, offered friendship, the comfort of someone who wanted
to help me...overcome my many private pains. Was that really you speaking to
me?"

"Yes, it was," Noa nods. "Not only myself, but there were others who
played Mr. Lee. If you wish, I will happily bring them here to introduce you
to them. They felt the need to offer comfort when you required it."

The baron sighs. "Then...despite what has happened before, may I
still think of you all as friends?"

"You may," Noa smiles. "As for them, that is their choice to make.
Yuusuke, you must let your pain at your father's fate go. You do yourself
and those around you a horrible injury by dwelling too much on the past. You
lamented to me many times about your not having the chance to have a family.
I pray you, change that before it's truly too late. You have missed so much
over the last forty years, experienced so little because you were so driven.
In Lyna's name, don't let your life end with so much undone."

"I agree," Nagaiwakai smiles. "You still have much time left before
you, Yuusuke-san. Please...for yourself most of all."

Suzuki sighs, then nods. "My father would want Japan to be strong. I
will work for that in any way I can. There is one thing a leader must always
remember, something I've forgot over the last while. He takes an oath to
serve those being led, protect them as best as they can, see to their needs
as well as his own. It is time I tried to rediscover that. I have much to
atone."

"And you will succeed," Noa smiles. "I know you well enough to know
you are a man of your word. May I suggest you do so first with Shinobu
Miyaki? She will be staying at the Tendou home in Nerima for some time,
probably until we've dealt with Takanaba. Forgiveness is something those of
Shinobu's faith prize above all others; you will earn much respect in her eyes
if you do see her."

"So be it," Suzuki nods. "In the meantime, may I ask you two to join
me for dinner?"

The two ladies nod...

* * *

"The Dojo Destroyers failed?!"

"Yes, Takanaba-san," a street observer replies over the phone. "It
appears Akane Tendou is much better skilled than was at first suspected. She
teamed with her student Shinobu Miyaki to defeat the Dojo Destroyers...then
another woman calling herself Negako Moroboshi chased them off."

"Negako Moroboshi?! Who is she?!"

"Unknown, sir, but from what we have overheard, Ataru treats her as a
sister. We believe she may be another of those artificial women born in that
factory ship now in orbit over Sado Island."

"I see," Takanaba muses. "Thank you very much. Please continue your
observations."

"Of course, Takanaba-san."

Hanging up the phone, the industrialist sighs, then faces his guest.
"It appears you were right, Hoofuku-san. Dealing with any relation of
Moroboshi is difficult."

"But not impossible, Takanaba-san," the wizened gentleman in the
simple robes muses, a terrible glimmer in his dark black eyes. "There are
ways to hurt that witch, as her brother and my traitorous sister learned to
their cost. Be assured, we can deal with them when the time comes."

"How soon?"

"Very soon. The day after tomorrow?"

"That is soon," Takanaba laughs. "You may do as you see fit, sir.
What your business with Moroboshi is, I've no care for. But please ensure
that whatever you do, you make Nabiki Tendou suffer."

"I think you'll like what we have in mind for her..."

* * *

Unseen by them, a small device located at the corner of the building
across the street flashes, a tiny motion sensor...so hypersensitive it can
detect the shift of molecules when people speak...sending signals via three
relay terminals set up in the last two months to Toranoseishin
Finances...where an automatic monitor system transcribes the readings into
words for analysis by Nene when she came back from her date with Linna...

* * *

"Of course we'll be more than happy to have you as guests," Souun
smiles at Shinobu and Junba as the three relax in the living room of the
Tendou home. "You, Miyaki-san, have every right to seek redress from this
villain for what he almost did to you some months ago. And, while I myself
am aware of what you did to my daughter's student, Junba-san, I also respect
Miyaki-san's desire to forgive and press forward."

"Thank you, Tendou-san," Junba bows her head. "Um...would it be
alright if Chigaiko and Negako remain here as well? Ataru did recommend that
if Takanaba is going to press this all the way, having Negako around would be
of benefit to us."

"Agreed," Souun nods. "Since Genma and Nodoka are now sleeping in
their new bungalow, we have some room. Ranma and Akane are now sharing a
bedroom and with Ranma's sister Ranko travelling with her friends, there is
another spare bedroom in the new wing."

"Don't you mean Akane's cousin Ranko?" Shinobu wonders.

"Ah!!" Souun laughs. "That's right, you don't know the whole story
about Jusenkyou! Ranma-kun, come down here for a moment!"

"Hai!" Ranma races downstairs. "What's up?!"

An explanation for the Jusenkyou curse and "Ranko Tendou" is provided
(with demonstration), then the promise Genma forced on Ranma concerning his
manliness and what Nodoka could force on them should her son be considered
"not manly." Shinobu pales. "Jesu Cristo, Ranma, how could you live under
this sort of thing?!"

"Wasn't easy," Ranma admits as she pours hot water on herself to
revert her back to a man. "But I kinda got used to it! Now that I know how
to cure myself, it isn't such a bother anymore."

"If I'd known, I would've introduced you to my sister-in-law Atako,"
Shinobu smiles. "After all, she's a boy's mind permanently stuck in a woman's
body. It was hard for her to adjust, too."

"Thanks, Shinobu," Ranma nods, then blinks as the front door slides
open. "Is that you, Mom?!"

"Yes," Nodoka smiles. "We just got Chigaiko-san and Negako-san
settled into our wing, Souun. Where will Shinobu-san and Junba-san be
staying?"

"In the guest room," Souun announces...

* * *

"There are four guests staying at the Tendou home, Father," Akiko
reports over a secure communications system. "One of them is a woman from
Tomobiki, Shinobu Miyaki; she once trained under the younger Tendou daughter.
One is an alien woman named Junba. One is another Tomobiki native, Chigaiko
Inu. The last, Negako Moroboshi, is unknown to us."

"Continue to observe, Akiko," a voice replies briefly...

* * *

"Damn!!" Nene pulls the earpiece from under her hair, then looks
over. "Sylia!"

"What is it, Nene?" Pathfinder Troop Six's commander looks up from
her meal.

"There're tangos observing the Tendou home," Nene sighs. "They seem
to be Nodoka Saotome's maternal relatives. They've just reported that
Shinobu, her half-life lover, Chigaiko and Negako are staying with the
Tendous and the Saotomes."

Sylia sighs. "Have everyone called in. We'll go to first standby.
Send a message to Oshika to tell Ataru."

"Aye, ma'am..."

* * *

"Pity they never put a furo into that new wing they knocked into this
place," Chigaiko smiles as she soaps Negako down. "Still, this is quite a
nice place."

"What's your home like, Chigaiko?" Akane asks from the furo.

"Bungalow," Chigaiko smiles. "Just enough for me, my sister and my
parents. I think with Onee-chan heading to university, my parents'll be
tempted to sell it and move into an apartment."

"What of you?" Negako looks up at her. "What will you do?"

"Me?!" Chigaiko blinks, then her shoulders slump. "I really don't
know what I can do. I mean, I did my college entrance exams before I really
got sick, so I can go to university...but how could I do normal things after
what I experienced?"

Akane shudders despite the heat of the furo. Shinobu had told her
about how Chigaiko came into being. "Yeah, that would be quite an
experience," she muses, then blinks as the door opens.

"Hi, can we come in?" Shinobu peeks in.

"C'mon in, Shinobu!" Akane waves them in.

Shinobu and Junba step inside, both in housecoats loaned from Kasumi
and Nabiki. Akane feels a rush of anger in her heart on seeing the Vosian,
but then sighs as both undress. "Now you sit down and behave!" Shinobu
admonishes. "I want to bathe you."

"Hai, hai," Junba sighs as Shinobu soaks her down.

*Just like Ranko and Asana,* Akane remembers hers and Ranma's
magically-born twins, now having gone with the others born of Nini-Qang-Qi-
Niang back to Jookoji-shima to spend time with their many disembodied
"sisters" within the magical mud spring. After observing the Sagussans over
the last several months, Akane found Shinobu's relationship quite easy to
accept, though she still found her student's choice of life-mate
disconcerting.

"You don't like me, do you?"

Junba's question causes all to pause. Akane blinks at the Vosian's
forthrightness, then sighs. "No, not really."

"It's alright," Junba smiles. "But you have to understand something
first. When I was captured and re-programmed by the Mikado, I was made to
believe Nassur had kidnapped and later killed my sister. I believed Nassur
was lower than dirt. In my eyes, anything done against him was more than
justified. And...since at the time, we saw Shinobu as Nassur's new mate,
torturing her was in our eyes a legitimate means of breaking him."

Akane considers that. "If someone killed either Kasumi-onee-chan or
Nabiki-onee-chan, I suppose I would be...put off when dealing with that
person."

"It's still no excuse," Junba looks down. "That's how far my society
has fallen in the last thirty years, Akane-san. Many things that we
cherished have been wrecked, brought into question, spat on. I can't tell
you of some of the horrors I've seen in the brief time I've worked with the
Mikado."

"So what happens when it finally ends?"

"Will it end?" Shinobu sighs as she soaks Junba down. "Even if the
Mikado falls in the next couple of weeks, there are still pockets of
resistance all over the Confederation. And even if they're all eliminated,
there still are the memories."

Akane shudders. She had a peaceful, quiet life in comparison to the
horror Junba had lived in. Granted, there were a lot of things she would've
liked to be better, but it had never been really harsh for her or her
friends. Junba hardly had any friends, couldn't trust anyone outside herself,
lived in a sea of chaos and death that seemed never-ending. She leans back.
"I think there's enough room for all of you to get in here. Dad ordered this
extra big when the house was built. What's a night without a pleasant soak
in a furo with friends...old and new."

The others laugh as they step into the furo, then sit down. Despite
Akane's words, it is a tight fit. "Now all we need is Akane's fiance to walk
in here and really make things fun," Chigaiko smiles, gently squeezing
Negako's hand.

"Oh, gods, please!" Akane's eyes roll. "Don't even think of that,
Chigaiko. I can't tell you the amount of times Ranma or I've walked in on
each other...and all the fights that've resulted."

"He's quite a catch," Junba smiles. "Don't let him out of your
grasp, Akane. They don't come much better than him."

"I know," Akane smiles.

A knock is heard. "Akane, are you in there?" Ranma calls in.

"I've got company," Akane calls back.

"U-chan'll be here in an hour. She wants us all to be here. She
says she's got something to say to all of us."

"Okay!" Akane sighs, feeling a light tremor rush through her.

"Nervous?" Chigaiko wonders.

"Somewhat," Akane sighs. "Ukyou's engagement to Ranma is as
legitimate as mine. I wonder what she'll have in mind."

* * *

An hour later, the Tendou and Saotome families, along with their
guests and Nagaiwakai, sit around the living room table. Ukyou sits opposite
Nagaiwakai. "Ukyou Kuonji, you have asked us all to come here today," the
Moroboshi Clan matriarch coughs. "May I ask what you have decided concerning
the problem hanging between you and my grand-nephew."

The okonomiyaki chef sighs. "I love Ran-chan. I've always loved Ran-
chan. I will always desire the best for him. I also have long respected Ran-
chan's freedom of choice, a freedom almost all in this room have spat and
stomped on for a very long time," she fixes Genma and Souun with a lethal
stare. "When I decided to pursue my engagement, I chose to be subtle in
winning Ran-chan. I didn't want to be as aggressive as Shampoo or Kodachi.
Obviously it wasn't enough. Fine, I can accept that. To that end, I will
withdraw my claim on Ran-chan on two conditions."

"Name them," Nagaiwakai smiles.

"The first condition is a promise from Akane," Ukyou turns to her
rival. "Ever since Ran-chan came here, you've treated him like a leper at
times. When he came here in his cursed form, you said 'Let's be
friends'...and then when you found out about his curse, you betrayed your own
words."

"How do you know?" Akane asks.

"I told her," Ranma sighs.

"Ran-chan has always said I'm his best friend," Ukyou smiles. "I am
always willing to listen to him, something you only RECENTLY began to do.
After you two were engaged, you continued to call him a pervert, heaped blame
on him for something he at that time found very hard to understand, then
continued to heap blame after blame on him for everything that happened
afterward without showing any visible sign of understanding his feelings. Is
it any wonder that Ran-chan was so hesitant to explain his feelings to you?
How could you be that insensitive, Akane? How could you?"

Akane bows her head. Ukyou sighs. "I like to think that you're my
friend, too...and friends can forgive others' mistakes. I'm reminded of what
happened to Ataru Moroboshi eight months ago. He got sick and tired of people
blaming him for things that weren't always his fault...and as Shinobu can
easily attest, when he blew up, a lot of people found out how stupid that was.
Do you want Ran-chan to do the same to you and your family?"

"No," Akane sighs.

"Okay," Ukyou nods. "Then my demand is a promise from you. That
you'll reign back your temper, you'll stop jumping to conclusions when
something happens, and that you'll give Ran-chan a chance to explain things
when something screws up or when he says something wrong. Do I have that
promise?"

Akane smiles, then bows. "You do."

"Good," Ukyou smiles. "Then, A-chan, I hope your marriage is a happy
one."

Akane's cheeks colour on hearing Ukyou give her a nickname akin to
what she calls Ranma. "Arigato...U-chan."

Everyone smiles. Ukyou then turns to Nagaiwakai. "My second demand
concerns what happens when Ran-chan and A-chan have their children. We know
Ran-chan has to have a child to lose his curse. We know Ran-chan and A-chan
might decide to have more than one child. Regardless, whatever happens,
while those children are growing up, HE does not have ANY influence on how
they are trained, how they are raised and ESPECIALLY when it comes to who
those children will marry," she points at Genma. "After what he put Ran-chan
and I through, not to mention how many other fiancees Ran-chan might've had
during that trip, he has NO right to influence how his grandchildren should
live their lives."

"So be it," Nagaiwakai nods.

Genma jerks, feeling his sense of control over his son's life being
torn from him. Ukyou smiles. "And I have a request."

"Name it," Nagaiwakai smiles.

"May I be the godmother of Ran-chan's and A-chan's daughter?"

"Ranma? Akane?"

"Yes!!" both nod, beaming.

"Well, now that's done and over with, let's have something to eat!"
Nagaiwakai turns to Kasumi. "Now that this is over, we really have cause to
celebrate."

"Of course," Kasumi nods.

"I'll help!" Akane, Ukyou, Chigaiko and Shinobu chime in.

Nagaiwakai rises. "Souun, Genma, Nodoka, Ranma, Negako, come with me
please. You too, Nabiki. We've some things to discuss."

"Hai!" everyone rises...

* * *

Seven people now sit in a circle in the dojo. "My mother's
family...?" Nodoka pales, feeling her own heart.

"I'm afraid so," Nagaiwakai sighs. "Much that I wish I could have
done something, I couldn't erase birth records. They are public knowledge and
easy for Takanaba to obtain."

"Nodoka, I can't begin to express my sympathies," Souun shakes his
head. "What you've born over these years."

"Why was I never told?" Genma wonders. "I understand your wanting to
keep me from leaning of your aunt, but the murder of your parents is a whole
different matter!"

Nodoka stares at him, tears in her eyes. "I fell into the same habit
all who fall in love suffer when confronting a problem she feels she must face
alone," she gently strokes his face. "I didn't want you to be hurt because of
me, my husband. What would I be if I allowed you to suffer like that?"

Genma sighs, then turns to Nagaiwakai. "Are they ninjas?"

"There's is a type of ninjitsu married to a sect of shorinji kempo,"
the Moroboshi Clan matriarch sighs. "Their distant predecessors were monks
who migrated from China during the early part of the Fujiwara Regency.
During the shinobi wars as the Edo period came to an end and my family threw
its support behind Emperor Meiji, they tried to foster a break-up of Japan,
create independent states that they could control through terror and
intimidation. Their more radical leaders were crushed by the Zephyrites
during the Korean War. In retaliation, my brother was killed when Nodoka was
still a child. Her mother renounced all connections to them...she was
already in hot water because she had married my brother...and died a year
later protecting Nodoka."

Silence falls as everyone contemplates Nagaiwakai's words. Ranma
seethes, hoping that he would soon have a chance to deal with the monsters
who murdered his grandparents long before he could have a chance to meet
them. Genma is also angry, both at himself for not earning Nodoka's trust
enough to learn of her own private pains, but also for the beasts who hurt
the woman he loved. Souun and Nabiki exchange sad looks, privately wondering
where their union with the Saotomes would lead them. Negako remains quiet.
As the *saikoo jinseijitsu,* she knows of the Hoofuku. While possessing some
skill, their Art was paltry compared to the free-style practiced by the
Tendous and the Saotomes and worlds behind her. It would be a few
interesting minutes' distraction.

"May I recommend that we attack now," she looks to Nagaiwakai. "They
have already drawn blood from us, torn your niece from her parents and now
ally themselves with a coward who can't fight his own battles even in the
world of finance. We have every right to prevent a battle from happening
here."

"We've no idea where they are," Nagaiwakai sighs. "Like when we
dealt with the Shirokaku, I never kept track of the Hoofuku. A failing on my
part," she sighs.

"Isn't it obvious? They are probably with Takanaba."

"Yes, Nene just reported that Reiji Hoofuku had met with the man
earlier today," Nagaiwakai muses. "But we can't attack them. We would be
seen as the criminals. This isn't a hundred years ago when law enforcement
was less certain."

"And if we allow them to attack now, how many innocents will suffer?"
Negako muses. "Kasumi, Nabiki and Chigaiko are hardly trained, Souun is
woefully out of shape, Genma is not much better and Nodoka is a kendoist."

"Then it's time to up the ante!"

Eyes turn to see six women in Pathfinder dark blue-and-green standing
at the door to the dojo. "I trust we're in time," Sylia smiles, bowing to
everyone else.

"Would that be enough?" Nagaiwakai smiles.

"Barely," Negako hums.

The Sagussans stare contemptuously back at the young woman before
them. "Watch it, half-life," Priss warns. "We still have words with you
about the way you treated Ataru."

"Enough, Priss! Settle it later," Sylia sighs, then turns to Nene.
"Sweep the whole grounds for listening devices, including the new section.
They obviously have to be here."

"Hai," Nene heads out, drawing a tricorder.

"We're being spied on?!" Souun demands.

"Why not?" the Pathfinder commander shrugs. "I assume that the
Hoofuku clan decided to keep a watch over Nodoka after she married Genma and
bore Ranma. If I understand how these inter-clan feuds work, it would be seen
as justice for the Hoofuku to seize Ranma and make him one of their own."

"They're welcome to try," Ranma smiles...

* * *

"Father, we have a problem!"

Reiji Hoofuku sits up from his bed at the apartment building also
used by Torizo Takanaba. "What is it, Akiko?"

Except for ebony eyes, Akiko could be Nodoka's twin sister. "All our
listening devices at the Tendou home are gone!"

"What?!" Reiji snarls, his fists shaking, then he glares out the
window. "So, Nagaiwakai is onto us, eh?! That's fine!"

"What do we do?!" Akiko wonders.

"Take a force! Target Nodoka, her son and the Tendou girls, not to
mention Miyaki and her friend from Tomobiki High School!! Watch out for this
new Moroboshi though. She MAY be the beast that was in Nagaiwakai when we
fought her and her friends!! Go!"

"Hai!" she bows, then disappears...

* * *

Middle of the night. Dark shapes slink over the walls of the Tendou
home, then dart for the main home and the Saotome's new wing. Drawing dark
spheres from their jerseys, then send them spiralling into every bedroom. As
soon as the knock-out gas has had its effect, they sneak into the targeted
bedrooms, sweep up the seven women, then sneak off. The operation took five
minutes.

Watching this from the shadows near the dojo, Priss smiles, tapping
her wrist-comm. "Wild Child to Silky Doll. It's happening now. Better give
the SCAA a call..."

* * *

As the sun peeks over the eastern horizon, Takanaba sighs as he rises
from his bed, moving into the living room to start some coffee. He jolts on
seeing Reiji Hoofuku there. "Can't you knock like normal people?!"

"I apologize," the Hoofuku patriarch smiles. "But we went ahead and
captured the Tendou girls, the Miyaki girl, her friend Chigaiko Inu, my niece
and grand-nephew last night. They're in the holding room downstairs if you
want to see them."

The man of industry blinks, then smiles. "Well, I suppose it'll be a
start to a good day! Let's breakfast first, then go."

"Of course," Reiji smiles.

A half-hour later, they proceed out of Takanaba's apartment, then
proceed to a private elevator to the sub-basement of the complex. The whole
building was owned by Takanaba who converted it to his own uses in the years
he ran his company. Since it was under his own name, Nabiki never got it
when she bought out his company. A minute later, they step into what was
once meant as a parking garage, though it only had one entrance and exit.
Akiko awaits them there. "How are our guests?" Reiji asks.

"Still asleep, Father," Akiko smiles.

They proceed into a cordoned-off space, where seven women in
nightgowns and pyjamas doze off. "Wake them," Reiji orders.

Akiko snaps her fingers. Two ninjas walk over to spray a small cloud
of dust before everyone's faces. A chorus of sneezes respond as they bolt up,
eyes wide on seeing their unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we?!!" Chigaiko
cries out.

"Our apologizes for the abrupt way we brought you here," Reiji icily
smiles. "But we have need of you to deal with a beast who has caused enough
pain to our family for a long time."

"Hello, Uncle," Nodoka sneers. "Haven't you something better to do
than be a nuisance...?"

Akiko slaps her cousin hard. "Watch your tongue, Nodoka!! You
should have better respect for your family!"

"What family, Akiko?!" Nodoka snorts. "You ceased to be my family
when Grandfather disowned my mother!"

"Perhaps," Akiko sneers. "But after what Nagaiwakai did to him, you
should've turned your back on her!!"

"At least Aunt Nagaiwakai understands family love," Nodoka retorts.
"Something YOU will never understand, Akiko!!"

Another slap. "Leave Mom alone, bitch!!" Ranma bolts up, then gasps
as a bout of nausea sends her to her knees, her arms hugging her stomach as
she tries not to throw up.

"Ranma!" Akane leans over to help her stay up.

"An adrenaline-sapping agent that should make you behave," Reiji
hums, staring at the pig-tailed redhead. "Hmmm...I've heard of this curse of
Jusenkyou. I'd like to see it in action...but knowing how my niece demanded
that you be a 'man above men,' seeing you as a woman might hurt even more!
Keep this one that way."

"Yes, Father," Akiko nods.

Takanaba enters, staring at Nabiki. "Takanaba-san, if you wanted to
see me, you should've called for an appointment," she smiles icily at him.

"To believe I respected you," the man of industry hums. "Well, I
still respect you in some ways. But I assure you, our working relationship
will be re-defined today. Just answer one small question, if you would.
Nagaiwakai Moroboshi loaned you half the capital you needed to buy out the
stocks to take over my company. Who loaned you the other half?"

"The Sagussans did, interest-free," Nabiki smiles. "They considered
eliminating you from trying to steal their technology a pre-treaty present to
the people of Earth."

"I see," he chuckles. "Then they're about to lose their
investment..."

The elevator dings, revealing a faded man in a very savvy business
suit. "Takanaba-san!" he bows.

"Ah, Mr. Lee!" the man of industry smiles on seeing his favourite
assistant. "How are you? What brings you here?"

"I bear unfortunate news, sir," Mr. Lee bows. "Yesterday, Baron
Suzuki threw his support behind the Lady Nagaiwakai, informing her of
everything he and you did concerning the Miyaki girl and what you tried to do
with the Sagussans later."

Takanaba pales, then sighs. "How unfortunate. Very well, then; if
he wishes to be once again with his shoguns, than he can join them in
Yazakune!" he looks at Mr. Lee, trying not to seem rude by wanting to shy
away. "What has Moroboshi done?"

"She has already informed the Interior Minister," Mr. Lee sighs.
"The chances are good that an arrest warrant will be issued for you very soon.
Since the Baron has recanted his crimes, the Lady Nagaiwakai is moving to
protect him as best she can."

Takanaba snarls, feeling his own control over events vanish. "Well,
we'll see how she reacts when she learns that I have her niece and
grand-nephew here as my 'guests.'"

"Are you sure that's them, sir?"

"Eh?!"

"May I remind you, sir, that save for the Inu girl, all of the women
there have 'spirit-sisters,' near-doubles from Sagussa that could, with help,
pass for them," Mr. Lee warns. "I noticed that Pathfinder Troop Six was
missing from the Toranoseishin Finances building last night and this morning."

Takanaba pales. He spins about to stare at the seven hostages. "I
hate to say it, girls, but I think they found you out," Chigaiko sighs.

"Too bad," Ranma muses.

The man of industry gags as subcutaneous hologram projectors are
deactivated, reducing Nodoka to a teenager and giving her tapered ears, giving
Kasumi tapered ears and Oni horns, Nabiki tapered ears, Akane ears with large
lower earlobes and gently shifting Shinobu's bosom and hips, their nightgowns
vanishing to be replaced by Sagussan duty jumpsuits! "Surprise!" Ranma-chan
waves at them, rising to her feet without any sign of nausea. "Well, do you
surrender now or do we get physical?!"

"How..." Reiji gasps, backing away.

"*De'ne!*" Nabiki-chan sneers. "Haven't you ever heard of a
transporter?! Once your bugs were eliminated by Nene, we all beamed in and
took our spirit-sisters' places!"

Takanaba gulps, then stares at Shinobu-chan, not recognizing her dark
green-and-black uniform with its two wreath of laurel stripes on the wrists.
"I don't know you..."

"I've only visited once, during the Spirit War," the future chief
administrator of Sagussa rises. "But when I heard my spirit-sister's life was
threatened, I more than happily agreed to come. It made for a good break from
working on the Earth-Sagussa treaty draft...which will, once signed, prevent
leeches like you from using extra-terrestrial technology to hurt people ever
again..."

"But, how did you know...?" Takanaba turns to Mr. Lee...

...then screams as "he" vanishes, revealing Noa, a pistol in hand.
"Because I was at the Spirit War, too, Takanaba," she smiles, then aims and
fires!

The bolts causes half of Takanaba's head to disintegrate, what is
left falling to the floor with a hollow *thud!* "That was for what you could
have done to Shinobu!!" Noa snarls, then barks out, "Would you all care to
join us, please?!!"

Space around the ninjas wavers as cloaking screens are dropped,
revealing a host of warriors from Nerima and Sagussa. "What... how did you
all get here?!!" Reiji snaps.

"Transporters, old man!!!" Ryouga slams his fist into his other
hand. "Now you pay for what you did to Ranma's family!!"

A free-for-all starts. The Hoofuku forces are quickly overwhelmed by
a storm of martial arts attacks and gunfire. Seeing that everything he tried
to do to hurt Nagaiwakai is blowing up in his face, Reiji leaps over, grabs
Chigaiko, then bounds over everyone to a hidden escape. "Chigaiko!!!" Shinobu
cries.

"I'll get her!!" Negako bounds over the fight, then races off.

Watching her forces being overwhelmed, Akiko turns on the Sagussans
who tricked them all, then drawing her katana, charges. Before she gets
close, a fist slams her aside. "Mrs. Saotome told me how you killed her
father in his sleep!!" Shinobu snarls. "How'd you like to try to kill
someone who can fight back?!"

Akiko snarls, then charges...as an arrow soars out of nowhere to slam
into her chest! She gasps, then drops her knees, staring at the shaft, then
the man who shot it. "Yuusuke...!" she gasps before collapsing.

Shinobu turns to see Baron Suzuki standing there, in the gi of a Zen
archer. The nobleman walks up. "Even though I've long admired you kempoists,
it's not wise to attack someone with a real blade, Miyaki-san."

"After dealing with Mendou-san for a long time, Baron Suzuki, I'm
used to seeing a live katana," Shinobu smiles. "Watching Ataru-kun catch it
all the time wasn't lost on me."

Suzuki smiles, then feels a tug on his foot. He looks down to see
Akiko tug at his pant leg. Kneeling, he helps her sit up. "I didn't aim to
kill you," he smiles.

"I'm glad," Akiko smiles, then gently strokes his face. "It's gone,
Yuusuke-kun. I'm free now..."

"Free of what?!" Shinobu wonders.

"A mental controlling program Akiko's family stole from the Shirokaku
Clan some years back," Suzuki sighs, then looks to the Sagussans nearby. "Are
any of you a doctor?"

"I'm a child services officer, as is Nabiki," Kasumi kneels beside
them, tricorder out. "Well aimed, Baron. You hit the slot between her right
lung, the diaphragm and the heart, barely missing the inferior vena cava and
the spine. This shouldn't be too much to regenerate. Kasumi to 'Hasei'cha,'"
she taps her wrist-comm to get Akiko evacuated to the orbiting warpsloop.

"I've a surprise," Akiko smiles. "Two of them, in fact."

"Later!" Suzuki nods. "Tell me later."

Akiko and Kasumi disappear in a teleport beam. The baron rises, then
turns to Shinobu. "Let's help with your friend!"

"Hai!!" Shinobu races off with him...

* * *

Reiji growls as he tries to keep Chigaiko subdued; no matter where he
touched, he couldn't find the Avalonian's sleep spot. The two had escaped
onto the street, then he bounded onto the roof of a nearby building, heading
for the harbour. Seconds later, the top of the apartment complex exploded as
Negako uses the earth-heart fire geyser to get clear. Spotting the hunched
form in black with the struggling girl, Negako bounds off building after
building, closing the gap with every leap. "Come back here!!!" she bellows,
then raises a finger. "***PSYCHIC LASER!!!!!!***"

The bolt sears through the air, missing Reiji by a metre! He leaps
again, this time soaring toward a pier with a motor launch waiting. Negako
also leaps, then cries out as her eyes stare at the large volume of water now
surrounding them. Her pause allows Reiji to force Chigaiko onto the launch,
then he casts off, sending the speedboat racing away. Gazing at the faltering
warrior fast fading behind him, the Hoofuku patriarch laughs. "Some
warrior!!! Afraid of a little water!!"

Negako staggers as her vision warps the water around her to monstrous
proportions, a fear a century and more old surging forth from her soul.
Thanks to memories of the Hana *joonin's* death in 1808 that led to her
re-birth as a sentient being added to a host drowning in a typhoon years
later, Negako's inability to affect water was magnified to a phobia as
all-encompassing to her as Ranma's ailurophobia is to him.

Suddenly, strong hands grab her from behind, then Negako screams as
she is propelled into the air by a giant leap, soaring right for the motor
launch. Despite her paranoia, she lands on her feet on the aft deck, then
collapses on a chair as Shinobu flips off her, bracing herself as Reiji spins
around, a knife appearing and aimed at Chigaiko's throat. "Stop right
there!!!"

Shinobu tenses as she tries to probe the Hoofuku patriarch's defense
for a weakness...as starship engines are heard. She looks up to see
"Renegade" soar down at them, followed by a transporter beam. "Sorry, but I
haven't met Chigaiko yet!!" a voice muses.

Reiji turns to be met by Nassur's fist! He is propelled away from
Chigaiko as Shinobu lunges forward to help the Vosian keep the old warrior
down. "NO!!!!!!" a voice roars.

Shinobu turns to see Negako rise, the soulsword burning in her
hands. "***HE...IS ...MINE!!!!!!***" the woman snarls.

Nassur ducks clear as Reiji screams on seeing the energy blade slice
at his face, unable to escape before his very soul is ripped from him!!
Dropping to the deck, Negako grabs his body, then with a heave, sends him
overboard before collapsing, her paranoia overwhelming her again. "Negako!!!"
Chigaiko leaps over.

"Nassur-kun, let's get this thing to shore!!" Shinobu warns.

"Right," the Vosian turns to the steering wheel...

* * *

Two hours later, after the SCAA cleaned up the mess in the basement
of Takanaba's apartment and concocted a story as to the financier's demise,
everyone involved in today's fracas meets at the Tendou dojo. Regeneration
for Akiko's wound was local. She is now kneeling beside her beloved. Beside
her, to everyone's surprise, are two girls Reiko's age, one with long
straight brown hair, the other with her auburn hair in a ponytail like
Makoto's. "These are your daughters?!" Shinobu stares at Suzuki.

"Yes, they are," the baron chuckles, himself quite surprised when
Akiko produced Sadako and Teruyo Suzuki, who had stayed at the Children's Aid
Centre in Nerima while she had been forced to serve her father. "There was a
time when Akiko and I enjoyed a fling. But I never thought anything came of
it."

"That was my father's doing, Yuusuke," Akiko sighs. "Our clan hated
you nobles as much as we hated Nagaiwakai Moroboshi. He felt it was a
disgrace for me to bear a nobleman's child, so I was forced to give up
Sadako-chan and Teruyo-chan after they were born. The administrator at the
Children's Aid Centre, Mrs. Kokoroyo, always kept me appraised as to their
welfare."

"I'm glad," Suzuki sighs, then turns to Shinobu. "Shinobu Miyaki.
Several months ago, I caused you considerable harm when I was asked by Lady
Katana to capture you and try to manipulate you against your will so that you
would have evolved into her. In doing so, I also caused grievous offense to
the family of my beloved's cousin and to our gracious hosts. Please, anything
that you may ask to repay that slight..."

"Please," Shinobu holds up her hand. "I ask two things. One, that
you immediately marry Akiko-san and that you dedicate yourself to the raising
of your daughters. And that I be their godmother. Whenever I've visited the
Children's Aid Centre with Ataru-kun and Lum, I always enjoyed Sadako-chan's
and Teruyo-chan's company."

"Done," Suzuki nods.

"And I give you this," Shinobu hands him a package. "It is within my
faith to forgive one's sins as long as they strive to repent those sins and
work for a better tomorrow."

Suzuki opens the package, then blinks. "Forgive me, Shinobu-san,
but...I didn't realize you were Catholic."

"I am," Shinobu smiles. "I do not ask you to convert. But that book
has offered me many answers over the years whenever I have had a crisis of
faith. May it also bring answers to you."

Suzuki nods. "Well, since we've all had quite a long night and
morning, is anyone interested in breakfast?" Kasumi wonders.

Laughter echoes from the dojo...

* * *

Two days later...

"You're leaving?!!"

Chigaiko stares at her sister as she finishes packing the last of her
things into storage boxes for shipment to Toranoseishin Finances. "That's
right," she sighs.

"Why?!" Fuchiko gasps, grabbing her arms. "There's no need for you
to go...!"

"There is!!" Chigaiko sighs. "Fuchiko-chan, one thing I do remember
from my time in...the Other Place...is how your lives came to a stop because
of what happened! That's wrong! I don't want to hold you or Mom or Dad
back! I'm not leaving you once and for all, but I need to get away to give
you a chance to learn what you can learn! Everything in this house stopped
because of what happened to me!! Please, don't stop your lives on my
account!"

"Where will you go?" Fuchiko sniffs.

"I've made arrangements," Chigaiko sighs, then looks to the window.
"Okay, guys!!"

The black blurs of Komeru Moroboshi's ninjas quickly whisk all of
Chigaiko's belongings from her room to a nearby van...just as the doorbell
rings, followed by Kindan's shout. "Chigaiko, you've got some visitors!!" she
calls upstairs.

"Hai!" Chigaiko runs downstairs to see Mendou, Genma and Ranma
standing there. "Hi, everyone!!"

"Chigaiko-san," Mendou hands her a small book. "All of us in the
class wish you the best...and asked me to tell you that you will always have
friends here. This contains emergency contact numbers for all Mendou,
Mizunokoji, Moroboshi and McTavish Clan corporations around the world. If
ever you get into trouble, by all means contact any of them for help."

"Thank you, Shutaro," Chigaiko kisses him. "I hope you and Sil have
a good life together."

"We will," Mendou backs off.

"Here, child," Genma hands Chigaiko a backpack. "Ranma and I've no
need of these anymore. We had them refurbished, so they should last you and
Negako a long time."

"Thank you, Mr. Saotome," Chigaiko smiles; the pack had been filled
by Komeru's ninjas when all the other stuff was moved out.

"How long will you be gone?" Ranma wonders.

"I don't know," Chigaiko shrugs, then kisses him. "I hope you and
Akane-chan have a good live together, Ranma-kun."

He nods as the three withdraw. Chigaiko sighs, then slips the
backpack on before turning to her parents. "Take care, sweetie," Kindan hugs
her tightly. "Come back soon."

As Chigaiko parts from her parents, she heads outside to see Negako
waiting for her, her own backpack (formerly Ranma's) slung on and ready. "Are
you sure you want to do this?" she muses.

Chigaiko stares at her, then leans up to kiss her. "Negako-chan, I
am going to teach you how to be human, to accept what you've become...and
then I'm going to teach you how to love me and become my bondmate. After
all, we've eight hundred years ahead of us now. We can't let them all go to
waste!"

"Aye, that's true," Negako muses. "After all, I've lived only half a
life for eight hundred years. Now I REALLY want to live a life for the next
eight hundred years."

"That's good...oh!" Chigaiko reaches into her jeans' pocket to pull
out a folded sheet of paper. "Mendou-san!!"

"Hai?!" Mendou walks over from his command car.

"Please photocopy this and give it to everyone in the class," she
hands the note over.

"Of course," Mendou bows, then heads back to the car.

With that, Chigaiko and Negako face each other. "Let's go!" the
former waves the latter onto their eternal story...

* * *

"My former classmates,

"Many of you will have heard by the time you receive
this that I elected to go on a sort of training trip with a friend for the
unforeseeable future. This is in part to help that friend come to grips with
who and what she is...and in part for me to discover myself. You do not
realize how wounded I felt at times when we were in class together, with
everyone trying to please Lum-chan and/or Shutaro and ignoring people like
myself.

"My dating Ataru-chan before I...left you the first time...was
partially meant to shock all of you into seeing that there is much more to
life than worrying about the love-life of an alien and her boyfriend. Life
is too vast and too varied to be concentrated on one thing. My new friend
Negako once focused her whole life on martial arts. She has to learn
everything almost from scratch. I intend to help her.

"Please, I beg you all, do not focus your life on just one thing. Go forth and experience as
much of what this world has to offer in all its variety. Be bold if you can,
don't be afraid to look past the shell that you imposed on yourself the day
Lum-chan came into our lives. I hope that what you discover brings new
experiences to your lives and your dreams, allows you to see as Negako and I
strive to see, what life TRULY is about.

"If the Fates are kind, Negako and I will return. I hope then that I could see you all as my friends.

"Take care.
"Chigaiko Inu"

*** The Beginning ***