"Hey, you okay?"
Ataru blinked before his vision focused on a smiling face framed with
flaming red hair worn loose past her shoulders. Seeing the concern in
those deep sapphire eyes, he smiled, his eyes misting. "Okaeri
nasai."
"Oh, man! Don't tell me you stayed up all night waiting for me?!"
Ranma chuckled as she helped him to his feet. She then looked past him
as the dining room doors opened. "Tadaima!" she called out on seeing
the sisters come out.
"Okaeri nasai, Onee-chan!" Karen replied as they massed around Ataru,
Ranma and Negako. "How was your time in Sanctuary?"
"Productive." Ranma reached behind her to draw out a certain stuffed
rabbit. "I believe this belongs to Hi****o-chan!"
"Waaai! Usagi-san!" Hi****o grasped it, and then she squeezed Mister
Bunny close to her. "Did Usagi-san make Onee-tama happy?!"
Negako lightly smiled as she exchanged a knowing look with Ranma.
"You might say, Hi****o, he made *many* young people happy."
Hi****o then paled. "Eh?! Hina's dream came true?!"
Ataru's eyebrow arched. "What dream?!"
"Hina dreamt that Onee-tama helped Usagi-san have babies!"
Confusion crossed Ataru's face. His eyes then widened as he turned
to Ranma. "Don't tell me you used the null-time bubbles to . . .?"
"Make five hundred-and-one copies of Usagi-san for five hundred
kawaii girls on Noukiios." Ranma then gave him a knowing look.
"Including two young girls you happen to know very well. Ne, Ataru-
kun?" Her eyebrow arched.
He jolted, sweat drops pouring down his hair. Sakuya gazed curiously
at him. "What's she talking about, Onii-sama?"
Ataru shuddered before deflating. "It's a long story."
"But not a bad one," Ranma amended before she drew up a large
carrying rack bearing the ukiyo-e woodblocks she had made in
Sanctuary. "Anyone got a place where these can be stored? I don't
want them to get ruined."
Haruka gasped, "Oh, Anegimi-sama, you learned how to make ukiyo-e
prints?!" She gently drew out one of the blocks to stare intently at
it. "What's this of?" she then asked as she gazed on Ranma.
"Sanctuary," Ranma replied. "I made some prints already if you want
to see them, but . . . " A yawn stole her voice. "Man, I'm tired!"
"I believe you need to have breakfast, and then get some sleep,"
Negako ordained before she gazed knowingly on Ataru. "Not to mention
you. ****rayuki, can you bring breakfast out for everyone? We can
delay our return to Nerima until after the noon hour so everyone can
rest."
****rayuki nodded. "Hai desu no. Hime's got breakfast all set!"
Ranma chuckled as she headed into the dining room. She stopped by
the table, and then she looked right to see Chikage relaxing by the
door. They gazed on each other. Ranma walked up to the sorceress.
Before Chikage could ask what was wrong, the martial artist leaned up
to tenderly kiss the sorceress' forehead. Chikage's eyes widened as
she looked confusedly on Ranma.
"You were right," the latter whispered.
Chikage nodded. "Part of you wishes that were not so, even now."
"I . . . " Ranma shook her head. "No, not really. But I know that
when news of this gets finally out, there'll be at least four girls in
Nerima who're going to be heartbroken. I don't look forward to that
even if I didn't want to marry them when I was still a boy . . . "
"Nee-sama?"
Ranma watched ****rayuki place a tray on the table. Seeing what was
there, Ranma asked, "Did Negako teach you how to make that?"
A curious look crossed ****rayuki's face. "Hai desu no. Why?"
"Just wondering," Ranma replied as she headed over to eat.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Ranma peeked into Ataru's room to see him on
his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Can I come in?"
"Sure!" He glanced her way, grinning. "So how are they?"
She stepped in, closing the door behind her. "Pretty good." She sat
on the bed. "They miss you a lot. By the way, you didn't get one of
those Urusians who had a hand in what happened to your grandmother.
Negako and I helped finally catch him on Machibusu."
His eyebrow arched. "Who did I miss?"
"Seq Yethis."
"Oh, him! I thought he got atomized in Onishuto. So they've got a
good chance of finding out where Heaven's Gate Bridge is?"
"Hai. Yethis' sister and niece made it out. They're staying with
the Lost Stars." A pause. "You going to tell them?"
"About Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan?" He nodded, a smile crossing his
face. "Hai, soon. Chikage figured it out. She told me it should be
alright to tell the others, even with them still fighting with the
other Lost Stars."
"Let's hope she's right." Ranma nodded understandingly before
lowering her voice. "I saw Nokoko-oneechan in Sanctuary too, Ataru."
He nodded. "That has to stay under wraps."
"I know."
Silence fell as they considered what to say next. Their eyes turned
to gaze into each other's. He offered a hand. She took it, and then
she allowed herself to be drawn towards him. They cuddled, gazing
still into each other's eyes. She leaned up. A kiss later, she
kicked off her shoes as he ****fted a blanket over them. Soon, their
eyes closed as they allowed fatigue to overcome them. Unnoticed by
either, Yotsuba was gazing through a barely opened door on them. Once
she confirmed they were asleep, the amateur detective closed the
door. She made a new entry in her notepad as she headed up to her
bedroom. "'Ani-chama and Ane-chama are asleep in Ani-chama's bed. It
is clearly obvious that they ARE falling in love with each other. The
signs all look promising.'"
She headed off.
**** **** ****
"Lonely Souls"
By Fred Herriot
pyeknu@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
OR fherriot@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**** ****
This part's title suggested by Silussa. Ranma's and Ataru's dream
sequence, in part, written by David Chamberlain.
**** **** ****
"Walking In The Air," written by Howard Blake. Ryan and Rachel
O'Donnell performed the version that forms the base of the lyrics
printed here for "The Celtic Chillout Album," produced by Universal
International Music.
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2," created by Takaha****
Rumiko; and "Sister Princess," created by Tenhiro Naoto and Kimino
Sakurako.
**** **** ****
Set in the universe of the fan-fiction series "Urusei Yatsura - The
Senior Year," created by Mike Smith and Fred Herriot
**** **** ****
NOTE: The writer's notes are in a separate text file.
**** **** ****
THE FOURTH PART, "D" SIDE - FREEDOM FROM HONOUR
"Oh, I'm so glad that I'm not alone now . . . "
"Me neither!" Ka****ma Namie purred, she allowing her tongue to lap
the side of Kodama Hiro's neck. They were in a cul-de-sac some metres
from where Tampopo's restaurant once stood in Tomobiki. Both were
dressed conservatively, though given their pawing and wet kisses, they
obviously preferred to have no clothes on at all. "When was the last
time we were together?"
"Probably when we first emerged from gestation." Hiro forced Namie's
face into her cleavage. "Let's make up for some lost time."
Namie wiggled her head. "Hai . . . "
"Excuse me, but would you prefer to do that in private?"
Both spun to see a wheelchair-bound first-year high-school student
gazing amusedly on them from the cul-de-sac's entrance. The
newcomer's raven hair was tied in a pair of stubby ponytails, her
chestnut eyes twinkling with delight on seeing the *** show before
her. Even bound to a wheelchair, she was nicely shaped for a woman
her age. Hiro and Namie gazed intently at her before they exchanged a
confused look. No, this woman wasn't an Avalonian, yet she seemed to
know both of them. How was that possible? Who was this woman?
Sensing their confusion, the newcomer wheeled her mount into the
alley. "Narumi Miruko." She held out her hand. "Yukimi sent me."
"You know Yukimi?" Hiro demanded as she and Namie pulled apart, both
of them automatically moving to straighten their clothing.
"Hai. Her programming accidentally kicked in a year ago, sometime
before we started to live together." Miruko waved them with her.
"C'mon. Kanami-chan and Tamako-chan are already here. I'll take you
there."
Immediately, Namie came up to push Miruko's wheelchair. Hiro fell in
beside her fellow infiltrator as they exited the alley, and then they
headed up the street. "Doesn't any of this bother you, Miruko-san?"
Namie asked.
Miruko blinked. "Does it bother me?" She hummed as she took a
moment to think about it. "Let's see. Does it bother me that after
my parents abandoned me, I became housemates and lovers with a
beautiful alien bioroid? A bioroid, by the way, who was built to
serve Lum on behalf of an honest-to-goodness CHURCH which wor****ps her
as a living goddess?" She shrugged. "Trivial. What matters is that
Yukimi and I are a couple, that I love her and she loves me."
"But we exist to serve Lum-sama, Miruko-san," Hiro warned.
The crippled girl nodded. "I know. It doesn't bother me. Most
girls my age in Tomobiki don't really care for Lum, but if it wasn't
for her, I wouldn't have met Yukimi. Why should I complain?" She
fell silent as several Butsumetsu Girl's students passed by. Once
they were out of earshot, she cupped her hand around her mouth as she
whispered, "Besides, if Lum survived what the news said happened to
her, she'll need all the help she can get."
They gazed on Miruko, both quick to sense her sincerity. Namie
squeezed her shoulder. "Yukimi is lucky to know you, Miruko-san."
Miruko grinned. "Hey, I'M the lucky one!"
"Why did you parents abandon you?" Hiro wondered.
"Two reasons. One is my gender preference and my wanting a
relation****p with Yukimi. The second is that I suffer from paralytic
poliomyelitis." She waved to her lap. "Mom and Dad decided they
didn't want to deal with me, so they got rid of me as soon as they
could. Lucky for me that Yukimi took me in or else . . . " Her voice
trailed off, a shudder running through her.
"Stupid fools," Namie muttered as Miruko indicated a right turn.
They headed up the street to the third building on their right. The
building was a split-level bungalow type, designed to possess four
half-floors. A special access ramp led to the second-level apartment.
Awaiting them were three smiling women in casual clothing. Namie and
Hiro were quick to sense what the others were. "Welcome to your new
home, sisters," Kitahara Yukimi, the oldest-looking of the three,
stepped up to grasp Namie's and Hiro's hands, and then she took over
pu****ng Miruko inside. "Was it a safe trip?"
Hiro nodded as she and Namie slipped off their shoes. "Quiet."
As they headed inside, Yukimi lifted Miruko into an indoor wheelchair
so she could move around inside. Kurosu Kanami folded the outdoor
wheelchair as Momose Tamako guided the crippled girl to the dining
room table. The other Avalonians joined them. Yukimi and Miruko held
hands.
"What news of Lum-sama?" Kanami asked.
Yukimi shook her head. "I'm not sure. She and Ran-sama returned to
Earth yesterday morning. I was able to sense Lum-sama is alive,
though there's something wrong with her. What, I don't know, not
yet. Fortunately, given that Ran-sama's plot is seldom noticed by the
locals, few know of her return outside other members of the Holy
Company: Shuutarou-sama, ****nobu-sama, Ryuunosuke-sama, Sakura-sama
and Hayao-sama. They visited them that morning. The big surprise was
that Ataru-sama showed up as well, as did another woman whose identity
I've yet to confirm. I take it you all know of Ataru-sama's feelings
now for the people of Tomobiki?" An eyebrow arched knowingly.
"I learned it later," Tamako confessed. "When it happened, my brain
nearly got fried when my programming clicked in after Urayamu-
sama . . . " Her voice trailed off as her eyes misted with tears.
"Well, after he . . . "
The others nodded. Nothing needed to be said. "What else?" Hiro
asked.
"Ran-sama returned to her ****p that afternoon. I didn't see Lum-
sama, but I could sense her presence near Ran-sama," Yukimi re****ted.
"I came back to prepare apartments for you. That took the rest of the
day. I haven't taken any time to do a detailed scan of either Lum-
sama or Ran-sama this morning."
Namie patted her sister Avalonian's hand. "That's alright. Perhaps
we should just proceed to Ran-sama's ****p and meet them directly. Let
them know that they have more friends here than they first believed."
"Our creators wouldn't be so blunt, Namie," Kanami warned.
"We know how foolish our so-called 'creators' really are, Kanami,"
Yukimi said with a sneer. "Besides, we exist to serve and sup****t Lum-
sama. The Church, in my eyes, is totally irrelevant to the point.
Besides, given how bad this war situation between the Onis and the
Noukiites has become, Lum-sama and Ran-sama ARE truly alone. Do we
really want them to remain that way, sisters?"
Her eyebrow arched. The other Avalonians shook their heads.
* * *
"Hello, ****nobu! I see you brought your friend!"
"Good morning, Father Cristobal. Hai, this is her." ****nobu bowed
respectfully, gently grasping the hand of her family's pastor.
She then indicated Ryuunosuke as she performed introductions. "A
pleasure to meet you, Ryuunosuke," Juan Miguel Cristobal Rodriguez y
Gennara, a slender Latino with a hint of Amerindian ancestry, draped
in the black robes of a Jesuit missionary, greeted her as he gently
gripped her hand. "I am truly sorry for your loss, my dear. Please,
do come in."
"Thanks." Ryuunosuke nodded before she followed ****nobu into the
Cathedral of Saint Urban, located in downtown ****njuku. Already there
was a small crowd. She knew -- thanks to ****nobu -- most Japanese
Christians lived in Kyushu; the Miyakes hailed from Kago****ma.
However, with an ever-increasing migration into Tokyo and its suburbs,
the Church of Rome soon realized it was necessary to establish a
church here. Saint Urban, named in honour of one of the earliest
pontiffs, was modern as churches come, lacking the rustic masonry one
might find in a medieval European cathedral. "Nice place," she
whispered to ****nobu as they, Toshoba and Kimiki slipped into one of
the pews.
****nobu nodded. "Yes, it is."
People took their places. Father Cristobal assumed his post by the
altar. Prayers were given, and then the priest asked everyone to be
seated. Once everyone relaxed, he took a deep breath before he
motioned to one side of the room. Someone rose to stand beside Father
Cristobal. To the surprise of many, the newcomer was dressed in the
flowing robes of an Islamic imam.
"My friends, this is my very good friend . . . " He paused,
smiling. "And my brother-in-faith, Imam Daniyal Larik. He is from
Karachi, Pakistan. Like I for you, he ministers to those of his faith
here in Tokyo. I asked him to come today to help us understand the
events that struck Tomobiki last Monday. We also have with us
today . . . " He indicated Ryuunosuke. "One who lost her father and
her boyfriend that day. For my friend . . . " He indicated Imam
Daniyal. "His loss is as bad, for the man who was responsible for
that horrible act . . . " A pause. "Was one of his own flock."
Ryuunosuke blinked. Glancing at the others here today, she noticed
everyone gazing on the Islamic cleric with sympathy. Guilt then
surged up her spine. Ever since the official announcement concerning
who perpetrated the bombing at Tomobiki High was made on Thursday, she
had felt nothing but hatred and betrayal every time Ibrahim Alhamzi's
face appeared in her mind. Gazing at Daniyal Larik, her sense of
guilt increased. The pain etched on the imam's face was far worse
than what her father once showed when he thought of her late mother,
Masako. No doubt, even with what Ibrahim did, Imam Daniyal thought of
him as not just a friend and fellow Muslim, but a close relative.
Like a son, perhaps?
The Jesuit stepped aside, allowing the imam to assume the podium.
"The blessings of the most Merciful God unto you, who follow the
teachings of the Prophet Jesus (Peace Be Unto Him). Thank you, my
dear friend and brother-in-faith, for allowing me to speak to your
flock today." He nodded thanks to Father Cristobal. "Yes, my friend
does speak the truth about what happened on Monday and how much it
affected me personally. I did not come here to either condone or
forgive the actions of Ibrahim Alhamzi. I cannot, for the only one
who could do such a thing is God. I can only but pray that God will
help those who died, including Ibrahim, find their peace in Heaven.
"No doubt, there are those among you who wonder why this happened.
Why is it there are those in this world who, supposedly acting in the
name of God, would murder? What made a person like Ibrahim become a
living weapon . . . " -- the imam was grateful that he spoken to
Father Cristobal about this beforehand -- " . . . like the kamikaze
pilots who died defending Japan in the last years of the Greater East
Asian War? What made a man who had treated all his fellow men with
kindness, respect and mercy . . . " His eyes began to tear as he
bowed his head. "Come to hate and to kill?"
He wiped his eyes. "I have asked myself and I have asked God that
very question since Monday. I wish I could explain why is it so many
who say they follow the Word of God are ready to toss away His Wisdom
when it comes to those they hate or fear. God told Moses on Mount
Sinai, 'Thou shall not murder.' That is the Sixth of the Ten
Commandments, the bedrock of Jewish and Christian law. And if there
is to be peace between Muslim and Christian and Muslim and Jew, we
MUST learn not just to understand but to RESPECT each other's wisdom.
We followers of Islam, after all . . . " He pointed to himself.
"Look upon you as 'people of the Book.' You wor****p the same God as
we."
****nobu put her hand up. Then, when the imam indicated her, she
asked, "If that is what the Prophet Mohammed wrote in the Qur'an, why
is it, sir, that extremists want to make war on the people of Israel
or Americans?"
"My dear, I wish I could give you a simple answer for that
question." He then indicated Father Cristobal. "My friend here told
me that in previous sermons with you, he explained how people who
considered themselves 'faithful' Christians have perverted the
teachings of the Prophet Jesus (Peace Be Unto Him) to their own
selfish ends. Everything from the acts of the Holy Inquisition to the
Crusades and ultimately to atrocities like the Holocaust can be
attributed to that sad fact. And yes, it is the same in Judaism. And
yes, it is the same in Islam. Speaking of Israel and Palestine, young
lady, one of the areas of profound dispute is Jerusalem. You see,
Jerusalem is not JUST the holiest city in both Judaism and
Christianity. Jerusalem also ranks as the third holiest city of
Islam, after Mecca and Medina."
Kimiki put up her hand. "So that conflict is really all about
control over the holy places in Jerusalem, like the Wailing Wall?"
"In part, yes. The Dome of the Rock and the Noble Sanctuary, where,
in our tradition, the Prophet is said to have ascended to Heaven, sits
on the site of the Temple of Solomon, of which the Wailing Wall is the
last intact remnant. As you will all know, the Temple was razed by
the Romans when the Israelites rebelled against the Caesars in 70 CE."
Ryuunosuke: "It all comes down to who really owns the site, you
mean?"
Imam Daniyal glanced at her. "Exactly."
"What is 'jihad?'" another person asked. "I heard once that it means
much more than 'holy war,' but I don't know the exact term."
He perked. "Ah, yes! What 'jihad' properly means is 'struggle.'
Let me tell you a story about the Prophet and perhaps you may see
where such a mistake is made." A pause. "The Qur'an was written at a
time of terrible conflict in what today we call Saudi Arabia. That
conflict was similar in many ways to the Warring States period here in
Japan. The Prophet, as God, through the Angel Gabriel, revealed the
Qur'an to him, was trying to bring peace to Arabia. One day,
returning after a battle, the Prophet told his friends, 'We are
returning from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.' 'Jihad' refers
to the effort a Muslim must make to allow God's Will and God's Desire
to influence ALL parts of his life. His personal life. His social
life. His relations with his friends. His place as part of a
community. The struggle the Prophet spoke of, my friends, is to
eliminate evil not just from your community . . . " He pointed to his
heart. "But also from your very soul."
"That's not something one would regularly hear from a Muslim, sir,"
Toshoba noted. "With what appears on television . . . "
The imam considered his comment before he sadly nodded. "Yes, sir,
you are right. Indeed, I myself once believed like many of my faith
do these days. That no good could come out of accepting the secular
ways of the West. That the creation of Israel bode nothing but evil
and misery for Palestinians and other Muslims in the Middle East . . .
" He fell silent for a moment. "I think I'm fortunate in that I
spent much time learning to teach the Prophet's words in Toronto,
living with Muslims who resided there. There, they lived alongside
those of other faiths. Their children went to school with those of
other faiths, where they happily interacted with each other, learned
to respect each other. In seeing that, I experienced a personal
revelation. I realized that God WANTED it to be this way. After all,
the Prophet said that God created people to be different, with
different languages, so that we could all come together, learn each
others' ways and live with each other."
Silence fells, and then Father Cristobal walked over to squeeze his
friend's shoulder. "If we could all believe in that."
Imam Daniyal nodded. "Yes, my friend, if we only could."
"Those who say they're fighting for Islam, like Alhamzi-san, believe
they're actually warring against evil," ****nobu concluded.
Ryuunosuke sighed. "Wish they'd listen to their own prophet's
words."
"Indeed." The imam gazed at Ryuunosuke. "Believe it or not, miss, I
do know of you. I know of the terrible loss of your mother when you
were but a baby. I know how that affected not just your father, but
also you and your friend Nagisa. Ibrahim . . . " He sighed. "Many
times did Ibrahim tell me of things in Tomobiki. What he knew of the
alien girl Lum and how her presence there had come to affect so many.
He wept when he told me of how often you were hurt because your father
could not see you as God made you. He wept even more when he told me
of Nagisa and what had happened to him. He . . . " His eyes ****fted
to ****nobu. "He even told me of learning how much your friend
Morobo**** Ataru had been abused, in all effect rendered friendless, by
not just Lum and those who sup****ted her. But by his parents as
well."
The knowing look Imam Daniyal gave her sent chills down ****nobu's
back. She then blinked as another man's voice echoed in her
mind . . .
** ** **
"****nobu-san?"
She turned back to stare at Yumoa Reigi. "Hai?"
"Do you understand what the concept of child abuse is?"
** ** **
*Oh, Jesu Cristo! What have I done . . .?*
****nobu shuddered before she wiped her eyes, sensing tears flowing
down her cheeks. Ryuunosuke's hand was immediately at her shoulder.
"Forgive me." Imam Daniyal's voice turned their attention to the
altar. The cleric's head was bowed; no doubt, he realized his words
had come to hurt her. "I didn't mean to accuse you of anything,
Miyake-san."
"I . . . " ****nobu sniffed before she smiled, nodding. "It's
alright."
The imam smiled, turning to Father Cristobal. "My friend, you are
truly blessed, you know that? To have such good people to care for."
He patted the Jesuit's shoulder before turning to Ryuunosuke. "I've
prepared something for you, Fujinami-san." He drew out a book from a
shelf under the altar. Descending from there, he held it out to her.
"It is from Ibrahim's mother. She insisted I give you something like
this. I contacted her to inform her of what happened to her son.
She . . . " He patted the book, and then he smiled. "She insisted
that you have this. To understand that what happened on Monday is not
condoned by our faith. It is not our way, Fujinami-san."
Ryuunosuke opened the book, noting that everything was not just in
Arabic, but also in kanji and kana. "The Qur'an?"
"Yes. This is not an 'official' Qur'an. In our belief, for one to
be deemed one of the Faithful, one must learn the Prophet's words in
the original Arabic he received the words of the Qur'an from the Angel
Gabriel in. This way, any mistakes that could be made in translation
are eliminated. This is a special guide I helped prepare to allow
people to understand Islam, allow them to ask the right questions. I
don't seek to convert you. The decision, should you actually seek it,
MUST be yours. The Prophet was very specific on that: 'There must be
NO coercion in matters of faith.' But I want to help you heal. So
does my friend here . . . " He indicated Father Cristobal and the
Miyakes. "As does your friend and her family. For that, I thank
you."
Kimiki nodded. "It will always be our pleasure, sir."
Everyone beamed.
** ** **
Ranma opened her eyes to see a young boy running towards a girl with
shaggy, light brown hair. The girl waved at the boy. Her lips moved,
yet the martial artist could not detect any sound she made. In the
twilight sky -- was it morning or was it night? No way to tell if the
sun was now setting or if it had just begun its climb across the sky
-- an eerie light shone around the waist of the girl as slowly, she
began to rise into the sky. The boy ran ever harder to catch her. As
he reached the spot where the girl had just been standing, he leapt
into the air. In mid-jump, a trick of the light made the tears
streaming from his eyes sparkle as they arced in the air.
Ranma watched as the girl disappeared. The boy, his hands reaching
out and upwards, collapsed into an awkward heap on the ground nearly.
The *thud!* he made on impact echoed impossibly loud, like the sound
of ru****ng water over Niagara Falls at close range. He remained still
for a moment, and then his arms and legs quaked in concert with sobs
he would not vent.
Then, without warning, pained words escaped him:
"I'm alone again."
He laid there on the ground for what seemed an eternity to Ranma.
Finally, he rose, turning to walk away. Ranma remained in place as he
faded into the night. Then, without any warning, the boy returned.
Morbidly, the martial artist watched the boy play out a similar scene
to the one she witnessed before. The only difference was the girl
involved in this: This time, it was a pretty, pale-skinned girl with
glittering green eyes and shaggy red hair held down by a headband
embossed with a silver rose.
Again, the girl departed, sadness etched on her face as she
disappeared.
A space****p flew overhead.
He leapt. He fell. He sobbed.
"I'm alone again."
Another time with another girl.
And again.
And again.
Ranma looked away, tears streaming down her cheeks as that heart-
wrenching play repeated again and again . . .
Eh?
What was this?
Looking down at her hand, Ranma blinked on seeing a flower in her
palm.
A rose.
Who . . .?
The boy.
Ataru.
He looked at her, smiling. She tried to smile back, yet her face
didn't seem to respond as she wished.
As if the muscles had never been pulled in this direction before.
Very uncomfortable.
He giggled at the strange face she made. The sound drew her to him.
Yet the rose . . .
Why a rose?
Why only one?
Words came to her. She spoke them without understanding their
meaning.
"Do . . .
"Vanan'cha . . .
"Ataru."
Tears sprang in her eyes. She was crying, yet . . .
Why was she crying?
Why did she feel this pain . . .?
This pain that also brought her such joy . . .?
We're walking in the air.
We're floating in the moonlit sky.
The people far below are sleeping as we fly . . .
Arms wrapped around her, making her eyes fly open as she found
herself gazing into the face of the Ataru of today. Sensing the hope
burning within his eyes, Ranma cried as she drew herself as close as
she could to him.
I'm holding very tight.
I'm riding in the midnight blue.
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you . . .
"Do . . .
"Vanan'cha . . .
"Ranma."
Children gaze open-mouthed, taken by surprise.
Nobody down below believes their eyes . . .
Their mouths parted in a tearful, relieved kiss. A cleansing, cool
wind surged past them. Unnoticed, darkness transformed into a blue
sky dotted with billowing clouds. No ground lay beneath their feet.
That too did not draw their attention.
We're surfing in the air.
We're spinning in a frozen sky.
We're drifting over ice, see mountains floating by . . .
They pulled apart, their eyes not averting from the other's.
Suddenly, swooping low ov'r an ocean dream,
Rousing up a mighty monster from his sleep . . .
"Together?"
Who asked that?
We're walking in the air.
We're dancing in the moonlit sky.
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly . . .
"Forever."
Who answered that?
We're walking in the air . . .
Their lips drifted together as a beeping sound echoed in their ears.
** ** **
Ataru and Ranma nearly gagged as their eyes flew open, the insistent
beeping of Rinrin's Prototype Robot Number Two echoing from the
nightstand. Reflexively, they pulled apart, the shock of the moment
stealing their voices as the memories of that strange dream faded
quickly from their conscious minds. Silence reigned over them for a
moment before Ataru turned to gaze on his sister's invention, noting
the time. "Eight o'clock," he whispered, and then he turned to Ranma
as he leaned his head on the pillow. "Oh, man . . . "
She stared warily at him. "You okay?"
He blinked before a light smile twitched his lips. "Matter of fact,
I am." A shrug tilted one of his shoulders.
Ranma took that in before her own lips turned up. "Strange. So am
I."
* * *
"So when the hell did you get that back, Akane?"
Akane looked up from the shattered blocks on the doojou floor to see
Nabiki standing at the doorway. She then gazed down on the Densetsu
no Doogi. "Last night." She walked over to sweep up the debris her
latest workout produced. "If I'm going to convince Ranma to come back
home, I'll have to go all out on him in a formal challenge. This'll
help."
Nabiki tried not to groan as Akane cleaned up the mess. *Oh, ****,
what the HELL did those two fools tell her last night?!* she mentally
roiled as she took a long draw on her milkshake. "Akane, this isn't a
good idea."
Akane spun on her. "You honestly think I don't know that?!"
Nabiki ducked the angry/afraid look in her sister's eyes. Akane took
a deep breath to calm herself as she started to sweep. "I KNOW he's
angry at his father! I KNOW he's angry at Dad! I don't blame him for
that! But . . . " She paused, squeezing her eyes shut. "This is his
HOME, Nabiki! I HAVE to bring him back here, Nabiki! I HAVE to!"
"What if he doesn't want to come back?" Nabiki asked. "He's paid off
the debt he's acquired since he came. His father's words mean
nothing . . . "
"If Ranma refuses, his father'll disown him and forbid him
from . . .!"
Nabiki shook her head. "Akane! Akane! Akane! Do you really think
Ranma-kun'll fall for that stupid ploy?"
Akane glared at her. "He has no choice!"
"On the contrary, sister dear. He's got loads of choices. And if he
exercises them, Uncle'll be up **** creek without a paddle!"
"Nabiki-chan, such language!"
Nabiki ducked as Kasumi stepped up behind her. "Ohayou, Onee-chan."
Akane turned back to cleaning up the mess. "Be done soon."
"I can see that." Kasumi then sighed. "Akane-chan?"
"What is it?"
"Kimiko-chan will be here later to see you," Kasumi announced. "I
want you to treat her nice while she's here. Understood?"
Akane stopped. "There's something I have to ask her."
"No."
Akane spun on her older sister. "What?"
"No." Kasumi sternly shook her head, crossing her arms in a stance
Akane feared all too well. "You will not challenge her or do ANYTHING
that hurts her, either physically or emotionally. Kimiko-chan told us
emphatically last night she has no interest whatsoever in Ranma-kun.
You have nothing to fear from her, Akane-chan. PLEASE, treat her nice
when she's here. Alright?"
Akane shuddered before she nodded. "H-hai."
Kasumi departed. Nabiki gazed on Akane before she turned to leave.
Before she took a step, Akane whispered, "I still have to know."
Nabiki stopped, shaking her head; she just heard that. "You got to
learn how to trust people, Akane. Let me give you some free advice:
DO NOT follow whatever Dad or Uncle told you to do concerning Ranma
last night. If you do, it'll be the biggest mistake of your life."
She headed back to the house. Akane watched her go, and then she
turned back to her cleaning. Suddenly, one arm came up, some of the
Doogi's fabric stretching as a small sign appeared in its grasp. [I
BELIEVE IN YOU.]
Akane smiled. "Thanks, Dou-chan."
* * *
"***WHAT?!***"
"Yes, honoured friends, it IS true!" Kunou Tatewaki stood before the
assembled members of the kendou club, along with a small gathering of
students from the school's other s****ts teams. They had gathered on
the front lawn of Fuurinkan High School. "Tendou Nabiki did proclaim
it to the Blue Thunder last week! Tendou Kasumi confirmed what her
sister said right then and there! That most beauteous flower, that
fighting tigress, our beloved Tendou Akane, is now free from the
clutches of that foul sorcerer Saotome Ranma!"
Hearing that, the group of forty young men before him -- the noble
lads who, not so long ago, had gone out to duel Akane to win the right
to date her -- emitted a joyous scream. "Yes, my friends!" Kunou
shuddered, his eyes tearing as he gazed heavenward. "Justice has
prevailed! The wicked one who dared attempt to take Tendou Akane away
from us is defeated! Therefore . . .!" He pointed to them. "As we
did before, so will we do now! Commencing tomorrow morning, we will
show our love for the fair Akane! And again, I say this: Whoever
should defeat Tendou Akane will win the right to DATE her! And there
will be NO exceptions to our proclamation! NONE!"
A loud cheer echoed from the Horde as they raised their bokken and
other instruments in salute. "Hey, guys, let's get ready!" Koriko
Nagao, a member of the kendou club, yelled. "We've got a lady's heart
to win over tomorrow!"
The others cheered before the groups broke off, spreading out over
the school grounds to begin warm-up exercises. Kunou watched them go,
shuddering delightedly. "Oh, yes! Yes!" He cackled. "Now I will
finally win Tendou Akane's love, as it was TRULY meant to be . . .!"
"You're being real smart, Sempai."
Kunou jolted, looking around. "Pig-tailed girl . . .?!"
"Not exactly," echoed from his right. "I'm actually the mirror-twin
of your Osage-no-Onna that showed up at school some months back."
The kendou team captain blinked, and then he snapped his fingers.
"Ah, yes! I do remember hearing of you from Tendou Nabiki!"
"Wonderful." A giggle tickled his ears. "You can call me Saotome
To****ko, by the way. It's the name she chose for me. Now . . . "
Kunou gasped as he felt SOMETHING slip inside his trousers as another
finger touched the back of his neck, specifically over a ****atsu point
that would paralyse all movement from his legs. "Wh-wh-what . . .?"
he sputtered.
"Oh, SEMPAI!" To****ko cooed. "Is that because of ME?!"
He shuddered before sighing contently as waves of pleasure flooded
his body from his groin. "Oh, that feels so good," he whispered.
"I'm glad. Relax, Sempai. I'm using a certain fool's invisibility
technique. Just relax and enjoy it. Besides, no one's watching us
right now."
"Indeed." He crossed his arms, bokken still in hand, in front of him
to hide whatever was happening THERE from exposure to the others of
the Horde. "Tell me, fair Saotome To****ko, is there some reason you
are here other than to bestow your loving touch upon the Blue
Thunder's robust manhood?"
"Well, I do have a message from the Osage-no-Onna."
"Indeed?! Pray tell me what it is!"
"Patience, Sempai! It's this: Tonight at eight o'clock, all those
who've been enchanted by the 'foul sorcerer' will learn of his
ultimate fate!"
"What?! What fate is that?!"
"That's a surprise, Sempai," she soothed. "A surprise is meant to be
anticipated, Sempai. Dreamt of, contemplated over and yearned for.
But Sempai, I will tell you this, since touching you gives me SUCH
pleasure," she purred before adding in a whisper, "The foul sorcerer
is no more."
"Indeed?" Kunou breathed in, shuddering as To****ko's fingers danced
over his body. "A pity it was not I that delivered the final blow to
that monster, Saotome To****ko. It was only proper! But alas, Fate
can be cruel at times."
"Hai, Fate can be that," To****ko noted. "However, I can give you
this promise, Sempai: The one who was TRULY responsible for the
demise of the foul sorcerer will be revealed tonight. Will you be
there?"
"I shall be there!" he vowed.
"Wonderful!" To****ko yipped. "Oh, do tell your sister, Sempai. She
would desire to know this, I think. Can you promise me that?"
"I shall do so, beautiful To****ko! My oath is my bond!"
"Oh, I'm so happy," To****ko breathed out as she unlocked his legs.
"Now, Sempai, what say we go somewhere a little more private, ne?"
He paled, shakily nodding. "Ah, h-hai!"
* * *
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