"***I DEMAND TO BE RELEASED AT ONCE!***"
"Lad, do you not get tired of listening to your own voice all the
time?"
Kunou Tatewaki, who had recovered minutes before from the stun-bolt
shot a crewmember on the "Windrider Dreams" delivered to him at the
order of the battlecruiser's captain, spun around to see Firesky
Owleye staring intently at him. Standing to both sides of the elder
Inquisitor were an amused Tendou Nabiki and a neutral-faced Sunhair
Windrider. "Tendou Nabiki!" the kendou-ka said as he surged toward
the holding cell's door . . .
He not realizing a force field was there!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Kunou howled as thousands of volts of
electricity surged through his system. Then, mercifully, he collapsed
unconscious to the deck.
Nabiki shook her head. "Kunou-chan, you just don't learn, do you?"
she muttered before gazing on her blonde, blue-eyed host. "So what's
the plan with him, Windy-chan?" she asked, her eyebrow arching. "I
can tell you flat out that Ataru-kun, Ranma-chan and the sisters are
NOT going to let this idiot anywhere close to their ship anytime
soon. If EVER!"
Windy -- the nickname had been bestowed on Sunhair Windrider by
Moroboshi Ataru years earlier when the daughter of the magistrate-
bishop of Magairu first met the grandson of Earth's only Zephyrite
Righteous Gentile -- grinned. "Well, technically, when we rescued
him, he was in the custody of the Royal Ellsian Navy. Granted, he had
been taken from Earth unknowingly, but how in the name of the Fates
are we to know if he hadn't been charged with anything under Ellsian
law? Since we're not at war with the Ellsian Kingdom -- though that
might change if those hotheads in Baran decide to support their queen
against common sense -- we'll send him off with Captain du Kohln and
her crew."
"Unless you believe it proper to return him to Earth," Firesky added.
Nabiki considered that for a moment before she shook his head. "No.
Some civil rights lawyer might say it isn't right to allow him to be
whisked to another planet when the chance existed to bring him back
home to Earth. But all of us in Nerima are getting sick and tired of
his idiocy, especially when it comes to my sister Akane and Ranma-
chan." She closed her eyes for a moment, and then she breathed out,
"I have to take some responsibility for this. To help support my
family doojou, I goaded this idiot's fantasies concerning Akane-chan
and Ranma-chan almost to the point where he could've gone all the way
to raping them had he ever got the chance . . . "
"You are repentant, child," Firesky sagely advised. "Repentance in
your heart is the first step to atonement. It is a good thing."
"So what can we do now, Your Grace?" Windy asked.
"Could there be objections from the lad's family?" Firesky wondered.
Nabiki shook her head. "Nope. Kodachi, his sister, is fully on our
side now. His mother's been dead for years. And his dad's gone off
on a sabbatical to Hawai'i." A light smile then crossed her face.
"Besides, look at it this way: All we're REALLY doing is hooking
Kunou-chan up with a very bright, intelligent, MATURE woman who is
more than ready to walk down the aisle with him. All we have to do to
guarantee that is prevent him from thinking anymore about Akane-chan
and Ranma-chan. And that's a good thing if you ask me. Given Ranma-
chan's relationship with Ataru-kun, if Kunou-chan pressed matters with
them, it could have lead to a blood feud. And given how busy Ataru-
kun's been over the last while, that's gonna be one feud Kunou-chan
will lose! Badly!"
"We are agreed, then," Firesky concluded. "In the meantime, ladies,
I'll leave you two to attend to your business."
Nabiki and Windy bowed respectfully before they headed off. The
elder Inquisitor waited until he was alone with the dazed kendou-ka
before he reached over to deactivate the force field holding Kunou at
bay. Firesky Owleye had cleared the brig level of any other
crewmembers long before Windy and Nabiki had come to look in on the
latter's classmate. "You can come in now, Ladies."
A transporter beam sparkled to life, revealing three women dressed in
Sagussan jumpsuits. The leader of the group was dressed in a civilian
uniform, coloured in the black-and-gold denoting a member of the
Republic's central government. The three wreath-of-laurels denoting
minister's rank adorned her arms. "Hello again," she hailed, her
voice tinged with a Celtic-like lilt.
Firesky smiled as he waved the visitors into the cell.
* * *
"Is this everyone?"
Shinobu quickly took a look around the courier's passenger cabin to
see who was seated there. Quickly noting that Izumo Sakiko had
elected to come back to Earth with them instead of staying with Ataru
and his family as they went off to wherever they were planning to go,
she then turned back to the deck technician standing at the
gangplank. "Just a second and I'll find out."
He nodded. She then moved to take a head-count. Pausing after she
finished, she then blinked. Someone was missing. Who . . .?
"Something wrong, Shinobu?" Sakiko asked.
"We're missing someone," Shinobu said.
The Seishin-turned-Nendo-kata blinked as she took that in, and then
she turned to make a head-count using her telepathy. Closing her eyes
to prevent the others from seeing them glow, she got to work. Seconds
later, they opened. "Mie-san's not here," she then announced before
she tilted her head in the general direction of the docked
"Windrider." *Mie-san, it's Izumo Sakiko,* she called out
telepathically, again closing her eyes to hide their glow. *We're
about to head out. Aren't you coming with us?*
*Afraid not, Sakiko-san,* the amnesiac Sagussan replied. *I've got
to stick around your 'Darling' for a bit. Go on ahead.*
*Okay!* Sakiko replied before she relaxed her powers, turning to the
technician. "We're all here."
"What about Mie-san?" Shinobu asked.
"She's staying with Darling and the sisters."
"Oh . . . "
Before Shinobu could say anything else, Mendou bolted up. "WHAT?!
Mie-san is being forced to stay behind by Moroboshi . . .?!"
*WHAM!*
Gasps filled the cabin as everyone turned to see the scion of Japan's
richest family having been driven into the deck thanks to Sawada
Minako's elbow. "Minako-san, why did you do that to Mendou-san?!" one
girl wailed.
The rose-haired Avalonian sighed as she glared at Mendou. "You know,
I'm beginning to appreciate the idea of him actually NOT being part of
the class!" she snarled before turning to stare at the technician.
"Yo, let's get this damned show on the road! We got classes
tomorrow!"
The technician shook his head. "I see all the rumours about Tomobiki
aren't only just true, they're *understated,*" he muttered.
Shinobu blinked confusedly. "What rumours?"
"That everyone who lives there would gladly blame Young Master Ataru
for EVERYTHING odd that happens in that place."
Ataru's former girlfriend jolted. Was THAT the way outsiders looked
on people like her?! "Gomen nasai," she apologized.
"It's alright," he assured her before stepping off the gangplank.
The hatchway was sealed. The courier's engines turned over.
Everyone relaxed as they gazed out the view ports to watch the
launch. The courier began to taxi towards the main doors of its host
ship's hangar. Within a moment, it was free of the "Windrider
Dreams," moving to do a beauty pass of the battlecruiser before
angling towards Earth. Seeing the "Windrider" and the "Goddess of
Luck" docked alongside the superstructure of the Zephyrite ship,
Shinobu took a breath. She then sensed a hand gently grasp hers.
Turning, her eyes widened on seeing Minako seated beside her, a
concerned look on her face. Shinobu blinked as she wondered what to
say to her classmate, given the fact that they were in a crowd of
thirty people, most of whom knew her quite well.
Sensing that, Minako smirked as she rose, beckoning Shinobu with a
nod to follow. As the courier finished its beauty pass, the two teens
walked through an aft doorway to find themselves in a small lounge
complete with a bar and stools. It even gave potential visitors an
even better view of surrounding space; it was located at the aft end
of the courier's small superstructure. "Saw this when I came aboard,"
Minako noted as she took a seat by the bar, turning herself to stare
aft at the receding image of the "Windrider Dreams." "The
adrenaline's starting to wear off in most of the guys from what
happened on Elle's ship. They'll probably sleep all the way back to
Earth."
Shinobu sat beside her. "You know how long it'll take us to get
back?"
"Couple hours according to the pilot of this thing," Minako replied.
She then closed her eyes. "You know now, don't you?"
Ataru's former girlfriend perked on hearing that statement, and then
she felt her cheeks redden slightly. "Hai."
Silence fell as the two considered what to say next. Finally, Minako
clicked her tongue. "I never thought it would happen to me."
Shinobu blinked. "What?"
"The urge to get a bond-mate." Here, Minako paused as she marshalled
her thoughts, and then she continued, "One of my friends from down
south, Ishida Nagisa, bonded with a buddy of hers, Sakakibara Chiharu,
a year ago. They told me what it was like when 'the urge' . . . " --
she made finger-quotes -- "Hit them. It was like a freakin' tsunami
came outta nowhere to swamp their minds with all sorts of crazy
thoughts. Friends, family, school . . .! It just didn't matter
anymore. All that mattered to Nagisa-chan and Chiharu-chan were each
other. You couldn't pry them apart no matter how hard you tried."
"And you've felt that for me?"
Minako stared at her before she nodded. "Hai."
Shinobu found herself gazing at the deck. "When we met on Monday?"
"Hai."
The brown-haired girl took a deep breath as she absorbed what her
companion had just admitted. She then gazed on Minako. "I need to
think about it, Minako-chan," she then said. "I really need to think
about it. Okay?"
Minako nodded. "Sure."
The background noise of the courier's engines suddenly dropped before
a high whine heralded its entrance into hyperspace. Cries of shock
and cheers echoed from the cabin forward as Minako and Shinobu watched
the surrounding stars melt into a shower of lights. As they turned
their attention aft, Minako's hand drifted over to gently grasp
Shinobu's. The latter tensed for a second, and then she relaxed
herself as she felt Minako's chestnut eyes fall on her. They stared
at each other for a moment, and then Minako stood, nodding to the row
of sofas lining the aft end and both sides of the lounge. Shinobu
rose, walking over with her classmate to a sofa poised in a way that
would allow them to gaze aft. Sitting down, they relaxed, Shinobu
leaning her head on Minako's shoulder as they watched the stars fly
past.
Unseen by either, Sakiko was staring at them from the lounge's
entrance. She was quick to note that no one else, not even Yoshino
Tomomi or Ikusawa Kyooko -- they were seated together in the aft-most
row of chairs in the cabin, holding each other's hands as they leaned
their heads together -- was considering coming back to the lounge and
watch the stars pass from there. Gazing at Minako's friends, Sakiko
didn't need to use her own telepathy to sense that the two Avalonians
were currently engaged in things non-psi species couldn't begin to
contemplate. Grinning as she gently closed the door to give Minako
and Shinobu privacy, she headed up to sit with Ryuunosuke.
* * *
"Benten, I'm not that person anymore . . .!"
"Dammit, Lum! Don't say that!" the Fukunokami shrilled. She was
confronting Seiko in the lounge aboard the "Goddess of Luck," just aft
of the frigate's bridge. Nassur and Dakejinzou were currently there
preparing the ship for the short flight back to Uru so that the former
could reclaim his own starship, the "Renegade," and return to Home
Base. Oyuki had taken the Warp Chamber to Triton to report on things
concerning Earth to her parents, King Fuyu and Queen Samui. Benten
would get a ride with Dakejinzou to Uru, and then take her air bike
back to Fukunokami. "Look, you already explained this whole damned
'crossing over' thing to me! That don't matter! Please . . . "
Seiko surged up to forcefully grasp her friend's shoulders, shaking
Benten to force the latter to look into her eyes. "Benten, stop
this!" she snapped. "Things haven't really changed! Will you quit
acting like the whole Cosmic Chain of Life's going to end . . .!"
"Then come live with me, for Bensaiten's sake!" Benten pleaded.
Seiko blinked as she stared on her friend's face. "I can't do that."
"Why the fuck not?!" Benten roared. "Is it Moroboshi?! You ain't
got a chance with him! You can't have kids unless you have 'em with
another girl, remember?! Why the hell're you stayin' on Earth?!
They're gonna slam the doors closed on all of us anyway! If you stay
there, you're STUCK there! Do you really want that?! C'mon,
Lum . . .!"
"Seiko."
That one word made Benten stop. "Eh . . .?"
"My name is Seiko. Izumo Seiko. Lum is dead."
Silence fell as Benten stared wide-eyed at her transformed friend.
Friend . . .? Shuddering as the finality of Seiko's words slammed
into her heart like a meteorite, Benten sobbed as she spun away from
the Nendo-kata, racing out of the lounge. Seiko watched her go,
squeezing her eyes shut as the Fukunokami teen slammed the door
leading to one of the guest bedrooms closed behind her. Taking a deep
breath to calm herself, Seiko then whispered, "Gomen nasai, Benten. I
didn't want it to be this way . . . "
"She just needs time to let what happened to you sink in."
Seiko turned to see Nassur staring concernedly at her. "Hai, Nassur-
chan, I know." She crossed her arms as she turned to stare out a view
port into the space around the "Goddess of Luck" and the "Windrider
Dreams." "They teach us in the Great School that one must have
patience above all else to allow the Unity to property foster. But
with people like Benten . . . "
A wry chuckle escaped her. "Yes, she can be pretty stone-headed,"
the Vosian mused as he moved to stand beside her.
"Nassur, why didn't you tell us about Hensou and the others?"
He perked as Seiko's dark gaze fixed on him, and then he breathed
out, closing his eyes. The Nendo-kata was quick to sense the surge of
guilt her friend felt concerning the replica-bioroids who had rescued
Ten and brought him to Earth. "I'm really sorry about that, Seiko-
chan," he apologized. "I thought it was a good idea at the time.
Business took me once to Phentax Two when I met one of those
Avalonians. Of course, I couldn't sense her brainwave patterns and
she didn't even come close to looking like a Yehisrite. And . . . "
A disgusted look then crossed his face. "Seeing her 'owner' play with
her like she was some expensive love doll, I could only come to one
conclusion."
"Android."
"Android," the Vosian confirmed with a nod. "So, since this was just
after the bio-bombing of Lecashuto, I came to realize I had to do
something to keep you and Benten safe just in case the worst
happened. The Mikado would've kidnapped you in an instant if he got
the chance, especially after Oogi murdered all those people." A
pause. "And since Oyuki and Ran were your best friends from middle
school, it wouldn't be much of a leap of logic for someone to consider
going after them just to get to me. So, after I convinced your
father, Benten's father and King Fuyu to go along with it, I went to
Oogi and had them built. Of course, I never thought to question their
origins . . . "
"And the Niphentaxians would've done everything to ensure you'd never
learn the truth about them," Seiko finished.
"Hai. How are they, anyway?"
Seiko smiled. "Adjusting to life on Earth, not to mention trying to
deal with a massive crush they ALL have on Darling!"
Nassur smirked. "And after all the times he dreamt of a harem . . .
"
"It only happened AFTER he got over that!" Seiko finished.
Snickers filled the "Goddess'" lounge for a moment, and then Nassur
sighed. "You don't seem to be too jealous of Ranma-san."
Seiko blinked before she shook her head. "More envious than jealous,
Nassur-chan. After all, someone bonded Darling and Ranma-san together
when they were very young. I REALLY would like to learn who that
was. Then again, what could I really do to change that? If any of us
tried to break the bond between them, we'd end up killing them. Or
worse, allow Darling's Cyborg-self and Ranma-san's 'Neko' persona to
take over. And given that from what I've sensed from them both, the
Cyborg and Neko-Ranma really don't like many of the people their other-
selves have had to deal with in the past . . . " A shudder raced
through her as the potential result of THAT scenario came to her.
"Right," he drawled before his eyes glowed. "It's Karen-san."
Seiko turned as the hatchway connecting the "Goddess of Luck" and the
"Windrider Dreams" opened, revealing the pianist in question.
"Hello?! Seiko-san . . .? Ah, there you are!" She grinned on seeing
the Nendo-kata. "Gomen nasai, Seiko-san, but we're almost ready to
head out to get the Genesis Wand for Aria-chan. Onii-chan was
wondering if you were going to come with us."
"I'll be right there," Seiko promised before she leaned over to kiss
Nassur's cheek. "You be careful now, Nassur-chan."
"I'll be fine," he promised. "Watch yourselves out there, Karen-
san."
Karen grinned. "Hai!"
* * *
Watching from the privacy of her guest cabin's window, Benten blinked
back her tears as she saw Karen and Seiko race out of the "Goddess,"
heading to a corridor that would lead them to the gangway for the
"Windrider." Sniffing, the Fukunokami teen squeezed her eyes shut as
she turned away. "Good-bye, Lum . . . " she whispered before her
strength let go and she dropped.
Strong arms supported her as Benten wept, crying into Nassur's tunic.
* * *
Seiko stopped, her eyes turning to stare once more at the "Goddess of
Luck." Karen took several steps before she herself stopped, turning
around to gaze questioningly at the Nendo-kata. "Seiko-san, is there
something wrong?"
Seiko jolted, and then she sighed before smiling. "It's alright."
Karen gazed curiously at her before she nodded.
* * *
"Hello? Negako-san? Are you here?"
"Enter, Kasumi."
Kasumi smiled pleasantly as she stepped through the old shrine's
front door. Quickly focusing her attention on the people seated
around the table in the living room, her smile broadened a fraction.
"Hello, Sensei, Panda-san," she hailed Negako's present guests with a
polite bow.
"Hello, Kasumi," Toofuu returned her greetings with a smile. Beside
him, the panda raised a sign that echoed his employer's words.
Kasumi sat down. "Any news from your brother, Negako-san?"
"Ataru should be contacting us concerning the status of the operation
against Elle soon," Negako said as Toofuu picked up the teakettle to
pour a cup for his student. "If they were successful -- as I suspect
they should have been given Hinako's possession of the Staff of Gihan
-- Ataru will no doubt make arrangements with the Zephyrites to see
his former classmates transported to Earth within the next several
hours. Certainly before midnight tonight."
"I hope so . . .! Thank you, Sensei."
Kasumi beamed as she was handed a cup. The front doors opened again,
revealing Inu Chigaiko. Following her was Tendou Kimiko. "Tadaima!"
"Okaeri ne!" Kasumi called back before she blushed as she turned back
to her host. "I'm sorry, Negako-san . . . "
The ninjutsu grandmaster shook her head. "Pay it no mind, Kasumi."
Toofuu was quick to sense the annoyed look on Kimiko's face. "Are
you alright, Kimiko-san?" he asked as the first Avalonian replica of
Tendou Akane sat to the right of her adopted older sister. Chigaiko
took her seat beside Negako. "What's wrong? Did something happen
today?"
Kimiko sighed, and then she nodded thanks as a cup of tea was handed
to her. "It appears that some of the boys who once chased Akane-sama
seem hell-bent on the idea of pressing their challenge against me,"
she flatly declared.
Kasumi perked. "Oh, my! Are you serious, Kimiko-chan?!"
"Unfortunately," Kimiko confirmed with a nod before she sipped her
tea before she continued, "I was with Hikaru-kun at a bistro when
several of Akane-sama's would-be suitors spotted us. They came up to
haze Hikaru-kun about his interest in me. I was forced to defend
him."
"You didn't hurt them too much, did you?" Toofuu asked.
"No. Ninomiya-sensei intervened before matters got out of hand."
"That might not stop them," Kasumi warned.
"Agreed, it will not," Negako warned. "Further, with Pauline's
departure for Hawai'i, some of the students at Fuurinkan might decide
the time has come to remove all remnants of Pauline's influence on the
student body." The ninjutsu grandmaster ignored the snickers from
Kasumi and Chigaiko on hearing the principal's given name as she
continued, "Hinako represents the most profound 'threat' Pauline has
unleashed 'against' the student body at Fuurinkan over the previous
year. To remove her once and for all . . . "
"Her powers should be able to protect her," Toofuu mused.
"Toofuu, you should know well that no defence is perfect."
The chiropractor paused as he considered Negako's point. "Agreed."
The panda raised a sign. [YOU PROMISED HINAKO THAT YOU'D HELP HER
STAY AN ADULT FULL-TIME.] It was flipped around. [DO YOU WANT ME TO
TELL HINAKO TO COME SEE YOU SO YOU CAN START TREATING HER?]
"Do so."
[ALL RIGHT.]
A faint buzzing noise echoed from the direction of the grandmaster's
bedroom. "I got it!" a young boy's voice called out.
"Who's that?" Chigaiko demanded.
"Jariten," Negako replied before she called out, "Is it Ataru?!"
Toofuu, Kasumi and Kimiko quickly noted Chigaiko's twitching
eyebrow. "It's Sakuya-oneechan, Negako-oneechan!" Ten called back.
"Bring the phone here!" Negako ordered.
A moment later, a young boy of five walked into the living room, an
alien-looking portable communicator unit in hand. Seeing the
transformed Ten, Chigaiko blinked in shock. The Nerima natives were
also taken aback by the changes in Ten's appearance; Lum's cousin was
as well known among the general public, especially in the districts
and towns on Tomobiki's borders, as Lum herself. "Here ya go!" he
said as the communicator was handed over.
Negako pressed controls to allow the speakers to transmit Sakuya's
voice openly. "Hello, Sakuya. Toofuu, Kasumi, Kimiko and Chigaiko
are with me right now. I trust the rescue went off without problems."
"Hai, everything went a-okay!" Sakuya replied. "Miyake-san and
everyone else got sent back to Earth on a Zephyrite courier ship a
half-hour ago. They should be back in Tomobiki in a couple hours at
the most."
Cheers whooped. "Are your sisters alright, Sakuya-san?" Kasumi
asked.
"Aria-chan chipped one of her arm bones when the warp drive on Elle's
ship went bonkers after Onii-sama started the rescue. A Zephyrite
medic looked it over and patched it up for her. She's asleep in her
cabin right now."
"Guenevere-san won't like hearing that," Toofuu ruefully muttered
before he spoke up, "Sakuya-chan, when will you come back?!"
"Not just yet, Sensei," Sakuya replied. "We have to go off and find
a friend for Hinako-chan's friend first."
Toofuu's, Kasumi's and Kimiko's eyes widened on hearing that. "Are
Nabiki-chan or Shinshi-chan around?" Kasumi asked.
"Right here, Onee-chan," Nabiki's voice echoed from the speakers.
"Shinshi's with Yotsuba-chan now in her cabin. We're okay."
"What about that boor Kunou, Onee-sama?" Kimiko asked.
"Being held prisoner," Nabiki said. "He won't be coming back to
Earth."
Surprise crossed everyone's faces. "What happened?" Negako asked.
Nabiki quickly explained the situation between Kunou and the young
women from Elle. Hearing that, the Nerima natives laughed. "Well, he
should be happy," Toofuu mused. "But what's to stop him from trying
to come back to Earth to harass Ranma-chan? If he wins over senior
officers in the Ellsian Navy, he could easily borrow a ship . . . "
"Inspector Owleye promised us that'll be taken care of," Nabiki cut
in. "He strikes me as being a man of his word."
"Nabiki-chan, this IS Kunou Tatewaki we're speaking of," Kasumi
warned.
"True," the middle Tendou daughter conceded. "But Kunou-chan's never
had to deal with aliens before. Besides, if the Noukiites succeed in
setting up their neutral zone, it'll encompass Earth. The Ellsians
would need permission to send a ship our way from now on. Kunou-
chan's trapped, Onee-chan."
"Let's hope his father doesn't raise an objection about it," Toofuu
said.
"Pauline would not care either which way about Tatewaki," Negako
stated.
"What about Ranma-chan, Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi asked.
A deep sigh. "Ranma's 'catty' side got loose again, Onee-chan. Elle
got caught in the line of fire."
Toofuu and Kasumi blanched. "She didn't . . .!" the chiropractor
gasped.
"Elle's in a coma," Nabiki assured them. "She's being cared for by
the Zephyrites as we speak." A pause. "And as long as she remains
the Zephyrites' prisoner, not to mince words, that'll be another
incentive for the Ellsians to behave themselves when it comes to us."
"Thus keeping Kunou away," Chigaiko finished.
"Right," Nabiki drawled.
"What about Ataru-kun?" Chigaiko asked.
"He's okay. Ditto with everyone else." A sigh. "Except Marie-
chan."
Toofuu, Kasumi and Chigaiko, in sync: "Marie-chan?!"
"I assume Marie has learned of what the Staff of Gihan did," Negako
said.
Nabiki ruefully laughed. "Figures YOU sensed what happened, Negako-
san!"
"What are you talking about?!" Kasumi asked.
Nabiki and Sakuya joined together to explain.
The response?
"Oh, MY!"
Did you expect anything else, dear readers?
* * *
"Oooh . . . "
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty's awake!"
Marie's eyes fluttered as she found herself staring at what she
quickly realized was the deckhead of her private cabin aboard the
"Windrider." The very fluffy feeling of a thick mattress pressing
against her back confirmed her suspicions. A second later, Hinako
popped into her arc of vision, concern etched on her face. "Are you
okay, Marie-chan?!"
"Hinako-chan . . . " Marie whispered. "I just had the strangest
dream."
Chikage stepped up to stand beside Hinako. "About Akane, I would
assume," the sorceress mused with a knowing smile.
"Yes," the bespectacled teen said before she froze. "It wasn't a
dream?"
Chikage nodded behind her. Marie's head slowly turned right, making
her stare at one corner of the cabin. Her eyes widened even more on
seeing Tendou Akane seated there, her legs tucked into her body with
her arms wrapped around them, a flutter of nonsensical words escaping
the bioroid's lips. Kneeling beside her was Fujikaze Nobuko, who was
keeping a supportive hand on the other Avalonian's shoulder. Standing
behind Benten's replica were the other replica-bioroids, concerned
looks on their faces. Staring at the double of the youngest Tendou,
Marie blinked as her mind churned through the previous twenty-four
hours' events, and then she slowly rose, swinging her legs around so
she could sit up. "This isn't . . .? Our Akane, is it?" she
hesitantly asked.
"No. The Staff make a soul-copy of Akane before she went to be with
her mother," Chikage declared. "We obtained the body for her this
morning, just before Elle decided to stick her nose into our lives."
Marie took that in with a slow nod. "I see . . . "
Nobuko stared at her. "'Bout time you came back to the land of the
living," she said before turning to Akane. "Hey, Akane-chan! Look!"
She pointed at Marie. "Marie-chan's awake. See? You didn't hurt her
at all."
Akane's lips stopped fluttering as elements of her mind quickly
absorbed her sister Avalonian's words, and then her eyes slowly
shifted left to lock on Marie's face. The latter remained still as
the former gazed on her, and then Akane's eyes dropped as she started
to mutter again. "What's wrong with her, Chikage-chan?" Hinako asked
as she stared at the sorceress.
Chikage sighed. "It appears Akane's spirit is still having problems
adjusting to her new body." She then stared at the replica-bioroids.
"Do any of you have any suggestions concerning how we should proceed
with Akane?"
They exchanged looks, and then Nomade Shinobi sighed. "Well, the one
thing I'd recommend is intimate therapy, Chikage-chan."
"That does work," Arashi Mika said with a nod.
Marie's eyes widened. "Excuse me?!" she uttered, her voice an
embarrassed squeak. "You mean to say I should . . .?"
The replica-bioroids nodded, they passing the Terran sympathetic
looks. "Nani? Nani?" Hinako asked as she looked at each of the
people in the room in succession. "What're you talking about? What's
'intimate therapy?'"
"Silly adult stuff," Chikage answered.
Hinako blinked before she huffed, "Oh, *that!*" She turned to
leave. "Hina'd rather play with Kuma-san!" she muttered under her
breath.
"In four years' time, you'll be singing a different tune."
"Hina doesn't think so."
She walked out. Once the door closed behind the youngest sister,
Marie turned to Nobuko. "You cannot be serious!" she declared,
surprising herself with the steadiness of her voice. "You actually
think it best to . . .?!"
"Put Akane-chan in bed, rip her clothes off and screw her silly."
"NOBUKO-SAN!"
The Fukunokami/Avalonian then laughed as she waved her host down.
"Bensaiten's Grave, Marie-chan, I was templated off a girl whom, as
Sakuya-chan so eloquently put it earlier, is nothing better than a
'trash-mouth.' Now, I'm pretty much my own girl now -- that's thanks
to Hinako-chan and the Staff when she made me look like a Terran after
we met up with Darling and the others -- but I can't deny Benten's
influence on me whatsoever."
"Well, I wish you would practice. Especially if you might decide to
come to the Island and live with us," Marie insisted, crossing her
arms as she gave Nobuko a stern glare. "Believe me, you would NOT
wish to know how Guenevere-san would react if you spoke like that
within hearing range of Aria-chan. Even Aniue-sama knows when to be
careful in that sort of situation."
"Really stiffed-lipped one, huh?" Nobuko smirked, and then she looked
at Kanki Yukiko. "Sounds like your type, Mienai."
"She must be," Oyuki's replica mused before she tittered. "And she
IS from France! They are said to be great lovers, after all!"
Chikage howled. Marie rolled her eyes, a moan escaping the latter.
* * *
"AH-CHOO!"
Moaning, a bleary-eyed Guenevere Rochelles looked up from her tea.
"Who could be speaking about me?" the maid from Lyon asked.
* * *
"Marie-chan, are you saying you're not beautiful?"
Marie blinked before she focused on Shinobi. Seeing the knowing
smile cross the disguised Oni/Avalonian's face, Marie then sighed.
"Shinobi-san, that is not the point! I'm not a lesbian and I'm
certainly not bisexual! Yes, my first lover was a woman . . .!"
Her voice caught in her throat as her hand flew to her mouth, her
eyes as wide as saucers. "And who was the lucky girl?" Mika asked.
"Kimino Kunie. A former resident of the convalescent home Marie
spent time in after her step-father died," Chikage answered.
Instant-blush time! "CHIKAGE-CHAN!"
"Marie-chan, that's enough!" the sorceress sternly said. "This is no
time to argue about sexual ethics. A life is in potential danger
here. A life whose creation, I'm afraid to say, was influenced by
your actions last night."
Silence. Marie stared wide-eyed at her sister, her face paling as
Chikage's words struck home deep in her own heart. Her eyes then
shifted right to gaze once more on Akane, who had remained in place,
looking nowhere in particular, her lips fluttering. Shivering, Marie
hugged herself as tears threatened to pour down her cheeks. "I didn't
kill her . . . " she hissed.
Chikage shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. "No, you did
not. What happened to the original Akane, in some ways, doesn't
matter. But when it comes to the original Akane's sexual and
emotional immaturity, they now matched up to an Avalonian body, it
DOES matter greatly."
Marie looked at Chikage. "'Sexual and emotional immaturity?!'"
"You should remember what Ane-kun told us about Akane's temper-
tantrums."
The bespectacled teen took that in before she breathed out,
"True . . . "
Chikage straightened herself. "Perhaps a demonstration is called
for. Nobuko, sit beside Marie-chan, please."
"'Kay," Benten's replica replied as she moved to sit on the bed.
A knock was then heard at the door. Yukiko answered it to reveal
Yotsuba. "Hey, minna!" the would-be detective hailed as she walked
inside, and then she drew out her spyglass so she could give Akane a
close look. "Hmmm. A-chama's still out of it, huh?" she asked.
"Yes. We're persuading Marie-chan to change that," Chikage said.
"Checky!" Yotsuba acknowledged, she closing her eyes. "Shi-
chama . . .?"
Marie stared at her English-born sister for a moment as Yotsuba's
caramel eyes seemed to loose their lucidity, and then the latter
breathed out, "Checky . . . " She then gazed on Mika. "Da-chama,"
she said with a smile as she opened her arms for a hug from the red-
haired Avalonian.
Mika grinned as she walked over to embrace the other girl. Marie's
eyes nearly popped through her glasses as they shared a tender kiss,
and then the bespectacled teen looked down to see Yotsuba's hands
reach behind the bioroid to un-tuck her blouse from her skirt. A soft
moan escaped Ran's replica as Yotsuba's hand gently stroked the small
of the former's back. Their kisses remained soft and tender as Mika
held Yotsuba close to her.
Watching this, Marie was spellbound. That was soon broken when a
hand touched hers. Jolting, she then looked down to see that Nobuko
had reached down to gently stroke her fingertips over Marie's middle
finger. The urge to snap her hand away from the bioroid's touch
burned through Marie. She then blinked as Nobuko's hand pulled away
from her. A glance to her face revealed a look of concern being sent
her way. Realizing that Benten's replica had sensed her initial
hesitation, Marie then sighed. "Gomen nasai, Nobuko-san . . . "
She reached over to press Nobuko's hand against hers. Sensing
Marie's willingness to allow this even in the face of what Chikage was
ultimately proposing should happen between her and Akane -- no doubt,
the bespectacled teen had been inspired in her own way to follow in
Yotsuba's example -- Nobuko then smiled as her fingertips continued to
brush over Marie's skin. *It's okay,* her voice then echoed in
Marie's mind. *You're a hell of a lot braver than most people'd think
when they'd meet up with you, Marie-chan.*
Marie blinked as her mind absorbed that comment, and then she gazed
once more on Yotsuba and Mika. The two weren't kissing at that time,
they simply electing to hold each other, allowing their foreheads to
rub against the other's. "Um, Yotsuba-chan . . .?"
"Hmmm?" the would-be detective trilled. "What is it, Marie-chan?"
"Do you . . . um, do that now with Shinshi-kun?"
"Yotsuba does a LOT more than this with Shi-chama, Marie-chan."
Marie took that in, and then she drew back her hand from Nobuko.
"Marie-chan . . .?" Benten's replica whispered concernedly.
"It need not go that far if you don't wish it to, Marie-chan."
Marie hesitantly looked at Chikage. "But . . . "
"Marie-chan, they are telepaths and empaths," the sorceress said.
"To them, it is the mind and the spirit that matters. The body is a
shell. Simple window-dressing. It is the primary factor that rules
their relationships with each other and outsiders. Even if they look
as they do now, none of them can deny what even a simple brush of the
fingers over another's skin can do to them." A pause. "It makes them
happy. It gives them pleasure. And their ancestors on Sagussa went
and built a society that acknowledged that and welcomed it as an
integral part of their lives. Social values eventually come to
influence genetic development over the many generations. The
Sagussans passed that on to the Avalonians when the bioroid factory
was first built. No Avalonian alive today can deny that fact. Nobuko
can't. Shinobi can't. Yukiko can't. Mika can't. Shinshi can't.
Miree and her children can't." Her finger then indicated the fifth
Avalonian in the room. "Neither can Akane."
Marie blinked before her eyes swung to gaze on Akane. "Then
why . . .?"
"Because her spirit was copied from that of a woman who, we no longer
can deny, readily strove to deny almost every positive thought that
comes from the onslaught of puberty ever since the day Kunou decided
to start treating her as an object," Chikage answered. "Add to that
the fact that her family failed to make Akane realize that those
feelings, in and of themselves, were not 'perverted.' Add also to
that her relationship with Ane-kun, how Ane-kun's own sexual
immaturity came to clash so badly with Akane's. And now, Akane's
clone is in a body that will not allow her to hide herself from those
feelings." A pause. "Put simply, she needs the chance to experience
a truly positive emotional relationship. And you are the best person
to give that to her."
Marie's cheeks warmed as Chikage's words sank in. "She needs a boy!"
"No. That would be the worst thing to happen to Akane right now,
Marie-chan. The only people we know who, I believe, could possibly
succeed in making Akane comfortable about herself in the presence of a
man are Ani-kun and Toofuu-kun. Ani-kun is trying to resolve his own
feelings on a whole host of matters, so he couldn't possibly be of
benefit to Akane. And, unfortunately, the good doctor's ethics and
morals would not allow him to overcome the considerable age difference
between him and Akane. So . . . "
"What about one of the other Avalonians aboard, Chikage-chan?"
"It can't be any of us," Nobuko answered.
"Why not?"
Benten's replica pointed to the side of her head. "Thanks to the bio-
transmitters in our heads that linked us to our templates so we could
act like them in public, Marie-chan. Ya see, before this, we were
bond-mated to each other. Hensou to me, Damasu to Mienai. When Lum
'died' after the Noukiites blew Onishuto to hell, her spirit got fired
through Hensou's mind, then it bounced around in our collective skulls
for a bit before it exited through Damasu's head into Ran's
subconscious mind. And when that happened . . . "
"Our bonds were shattered," Yukiko finished. "It's a miracle none of
us died. Fortunately, the life-support units we were in were able to
affect the necessary repairs to our mental synapses." A rueful smile
crossed her face as she added, "Still, it took us almost a week to
recover enough mentally so we could break out of our holding area on
Io."
"If we hadn't, it would've been too late for Ten-chan," Shinobi
added.
Marie gazed on each of the replica-bioroids before her eyes fell on
Nobuko. "You still love her, don't you?" she asked.
"I'll always love her," she asserted. "Just as much as Benten loves
Lum. And when I feel I'm ready for it, I'll bond with her again.
Just as much as Damasu and Mienai'll bond with each other. So, in the
end . . . "
"None of us are really in any shape to help Akane out of this mess by
*that* route," Yukiko finished for Nobuko.
"What about the others?" Marie demanded.
"Shinshi is disqualified for obvious reasons," Chikage said. "Miree
is too old psychologically. Jonna and Orin are concentrating, as per
Ani-kun's request, their attentions on Hinako-chan and Aria-chan,
though they do understand not to step *too* far concerning our
sisters. As for Himiko and Mikiko, they're recovering from
discovering some rather ugly things about Mendou Shuutarou, things
they would have preferred NOT to discover. And, by the looks of
things, they might decide to try to go after Haruka-chan and Sakuya-
chan."
"I don't think Haruka-chan and Sakuya-chan'll accept *that!*"
"True, but things might change."
Silence fell as Marie took the chance to consider what she just
heard. Her eyes focused once more on Akane, who had finally fallen
silent, though her eyes still remained glazed and unfocused. "She
needs your strength, Marie-chan," Chikage said as she placed an
assuring hand on her sister's shoulder.
Marie started, and then her cheeks flamed. "I'm not strong . . . "
"Yes, you are," the sorceress firmly asserted. "You've just blinded
yourself to that strength because of the pain you still feel at what
happened to your stepfather. Don't let it blind you anymore, Marie-
chan. It can come back and hurt you badly when you least expect it.
And given what happened to you last night . . . " Her voice trailed
off as she took a deep breath. "In her own way, Akane is as strong as
you are, Marie-chan. But like you, she needs the chance to look past
the blinds her template's experiences have forced on her. You can
give her that chance. And as you help her, she helps you. And that
will make ALL our lives a lot easier in the long run."
"It definitely won't be checky if Shi-chama lost his sister again."
Marie's eyes focused on Yotsuba. The latter had pulled away from
Mika, though they kept an arm wrapped around each other's waist.
Seeing the look on her sister's face, Marie then sighed as she looked
once more on Akane. A shudder raced through her as she remembered the
previous night's events at Hikarigaoka. Calming herself with a
breath, the bespectacled teen then stood.
Walking over, she knelt beside Akane. Raising her hand, she paused,
letting it hover over the bioroid's shoulder. Finally, she reached
around and under Akane's armpit to tuck her fingers there, Marie's
other hand grasping Akane's right arm. The bioroid jolted on feeling
that touch through her shirt, though she did not resist as Marie
boosted her up. Slowly, calling on the many times she helped younger
patients at the convalescent home get around when they didn't have
enough physical strength to move themselves, she walked Akane over to
the bed. Nobuko got out of the way as Marie sat Akane on the
mattress, she then moving to sit beside the newborn bioroid. "Just
hold her hands at the start, Marie-chan," Chikage instructed. "Let
her get used to your touch."
"Don't worry if you don't wanna do anything more," Nobuko added.
"She'll sense it if you don't like something."
Marie gazed on Benten's double, she nodding. The others quickly
filed out of the cabin, Chikage closing the door behind them. Marie
watched them go, and then she gazed into Akane's eyes. They were
focused on her, the growing strength in that stare speaking volumes
about what Marie's simple touch was doing to the bioroid's mind and
soul. Feeling her cheeks start to heat, Marie fought down the urge to
pull her hands away from Akane's as Yotsuba's warning echoed once more
in her mind. Indeed, it simply wouldn't do at all if Kasumi, Nabiki
and Shinshi had to endure losing their sister a SECOND time after the
Staff of Gihan had gone to the trouble to ensure that something of
Tendou Akane remained in this life for her siblings to cling to. And,
unfortunately, given Ranma's own bond with Marie's brother -- that
added to a whole host of other factors whose influence on the original
Akane had finally come to a head the previous night -- Akane didn't
even have the luxury to fall on her template's only true loving
relationship to help put her own life back in order.
"Ranma . . . "
Marie blinked as Akane's eyes turned away from her to gaze around the
room. "Do you want to see Aneue-sama, Akane?"
Akane remained silent for a moment before her eyes drooped. "I
shouldn't . . . " she whispered. "I doubt Ranma'll be happy to see me
after what I . . . " She stuttered before sighing. "After what the
other me did last night."
"I know what it's like to loose your mother, Akane."
Akane turned to gaze on her host. "You've lost your step-dad, too."
Marie nodded. "I miss them both. But I'm sure that wherever in
Heaven they are now, Papa and Mama would want me to go on. Oh, yes,
Akane-chan, I've wanted many times to go be with them. More times
than I'd care to count. And maybe . . . " She paused to take a
breath before she focused once more on Akane. "If I found myself in a
situation like the other you was in last night, I'd be tempted to let
it all go, too. But I can't. If I did that, my sisters would be
hurt. Aniue-sama would be hurt. Aneue-sama . . . " -- by this, Akane
realized that Marie was speaking of Negako, not Ranma -- " . . . would
be hurt, too. And I can't do that to them, Akane. I really can't."
Akane considered that for a moment before her lips quirked into a
smile. "I guess I can't do that either. Especially not now."
Silence fell as they gazed on each other. Akane's eyes then closed
as she found herself drifting closer to Marie. The latter remained
frozen in place as the former's lips brushed against hers. At the
same time, Akane guided Marie's arms around the former's neck as they
drew themselves closer. Their kiss deepened as their heads twisted
around into the classic French kiss position. Before they could sense
what they were doing, their lips parted to allow their tongues to tap
the other. Akane's hands began to roam over Marie's back as they
found themselves sinking into the mattress. Once their heads were
resting against the fabric of the bedcovers, their lips slowly pulled
apart as they found themselves gazing intently at the other. They
remained still for a moment, and then embarrassed giggles escaped
them. Finally, Akane reached up to gently touch Marie's cheek.
"You're so beautiful, Marie-chan . . . "
Marie felt her cheeks heat. "What do we do now, Akane-chan?"
She considered that, and then she shrugged. "Whatever we want, I
guess."
* * *
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