"There they go!" Spea announced.
Watching from the bridge of the "Hasei'cha," Eluza grimaced as a
comet of energy burst from the "Windrider," it plunging at over normal
transwarp speeds toward their distant goal. "Good luck, everyone,"
the ****pmistress whispered.
A communications beacon sounded off. "Eluza, this is Pony!" the
warpsloop's second medical officer called over. "Makoto's gone!"
"***WHAT?!***" everyone on the bridge shrieked.
* * *
"Why . . .?" Ataru hissed.
"It's a point of honour to her, Ataru. Please don't order her back."
Eyes locked on Lufy. The watchmistress' eyes were hooded, though
Reiko and Kaneko were quick to note the tears there.
* * *
"Are you alright, Nabiki-san?"
The "Goddess of Luck" had just de-warped near the far side of the
Moon. Shogai Dakejinzou had been warned about the cloaked Avalon
bioroid factory and Oogi's continued existence by Negako after the
hunter and her companions had left the Zephyrites, Nabiki's siblings
and the Morobo**** family in the Slot. Dakejinzou herself had just
finished relaying what she knew about the Sagussans and their links to
Ataru to Nassur and Nabiki. The alien hunter had also told her guests
about her own connection to Sagussa: One of Dakejinzou's first
friends, a Yehisrite named Gilnira, lived these days as Dai****'cha
#99999, a maintenance engineer in Ly'sha Province. Even more so,
Gilnira was bond-mated to a former hunter school classmate of
Nassur's, Tenba, who was the last "official" Dai****'cha (#100000) to
be obtained by the Gatherer (the official designation for the ****p
people in the galaxy called the "Eternal Voyager"). Benten had joined
the others sometime after Dakejinzou had begun her story.
The middle Tendou daughter was shaking her head, an ironic grin
crossing her face. "I'll be damned," she uttered in an awed whisper.
"To believe that all this time, Ataru-kun's harem dreams had some
basis in reality. Jeez!" She then sat in her chair, throwing her
head back to laugh. "Could you imagine what everyone in Tomobiki
would say if they heard something like that?!"
"They'd damn hell do everything they could to persuade those idiots
to stay away from Morobo****," Benten muttered as she recalled an
encounter with Lupica, the "crown princess of the Universe" from the
planet Tofunokoibuto, who, some months ago, had tried to solicit
Ataru's help to obtain an "ultimate love potion" so she could win the
heart of a local tofu delivery boy, Rio.
"They'd fail," Dakejinzou warned.
Benten jolted. "Whattaya mean, Dakejinzou?!"
A knowing smirk crossed the alien woman's face. "I've heard from
Brother Sunfire about the tactics Lum's friends used to denounce Ataru-
san in front of potential troublemakers. Calling him the worst idiot
in the universe and comparing him to things like rotten nattou and all
that. Do you want to know what the Sagussans would say in return?"
The Fukunokami teen didn't see the sandbag falling for her head.
"What?"
Dakejinzou smirked. "'Why should we listen to the lies of the
denizens of a place of fools and madmen?'"
Benten's jaw was knocked askew. "They'd say that?!" Nassur wondered.
Dakejinzou nodded. "Hai." She then looked at Benten. "You see, in
their language, the sounds that form the word 'Tomobiki' in Japanese
is equal to the word that denoted the ultimate source of evil in old
Sagussan myth. Toghmoghbiki, the keep of the Master of Entropy, from
where all evil first arose. Even if they might not fully believe in
that story due to the way they were reborn as Sagussans, none of the
Dai****'cha are comfortable at the idea of Ataru-san still living in a
place that bears a name like that."
"Sort of like how people in Japan, Korea or China'd feel living in
the fourth floor of an apartment building, right?" Nabiki asked.
"Same idea," the alien hunter replied.
Nassur shook his head. "So if the Noukiites and the Urusians didn't
go to war and Lum-chan remained on Earth . . . "
"And if Alhamzi and his buddies didn't attack the school," Nabiki cut
in.
"The Sagussans would've come and blown everything people in Tomobiki
believed in to pieces, just like that." Dakejinzou snapped her
fingers. "And if Lum tried to resist, she would've been smashed aside
just like that."
Another snap of the fingers. Benten winced every time her adopted
countrywoman did that. "So when are they coming?" Nabiki asked.
Dakejinzou sighed. "They're already . . . "
"Wait!"
Everyone tensed as Nassur's eyes glowed. "What is it?" Benten
wondered.
The Vosian's face swept around to focus on a point off the "Goddess'"
starboard beam. "There!" he said as he pointed at a ****thole.
"*Dakejinzou,*" the frigate's on-board computer then spoke up.
"What is it, ****p?"
"*Sensors indicate the presence of the independent star****p
'Wanderer.' It has just arrived in the system.*"
Dakejinzou, Nassur and Benten gaped on hearing that ****p's name.
"What's Koosei doing here?!" Benten demanded.
"*Koosei is signalling us, Dakejinzou,*" the computer re****ted.
"Pipe it through," Dakejinzou ordered.
The view screen, it affixed under the picture of Gilnira Dakejinzou
kept on her bridge, flicked on, revealing the image of a handsome
Japanese man who instantly reminded Nabiki of Ono Toofuu, right down
to the oval reading glasses he wore over his eyes. The only
differences were his clothes, which distantly resembled the style
Ataru preferred when he had boarded the "Rose Emperor" to rescue his
sisters and former classmates hours before. "Hey, minna! What're you
guys doing over here?!" Ryooki Koosei demanded.
"I'd ask you the same thing, friend," Dakejinzou called back. "For a
man who once swore he'd *never* return to Earth . . . "
"Koosei, who's with you right now?" Nassur asked.
"Ten's mother." He then frowned. "Or rather, what's left of her."
The non-Terrans aboard the "Goddess" paled. Nabiki kept quiet; she
had learned about Ten's mother, a firefighter, through Marubeya
Momoe. "Koosei, wasn't she in Onishuto when the Noukiites blew the
place up?" Benten asked.
"No, she was lucky," Koosei replied. "She was visiting a friend in
one of the outlying villages near the Terrible Swamps when that damned
bomb was set off. Her husband wasn't so lucky; according to what she
told me, he had been working with a civil-defence group in the centre
of the city when it happened. She got involved in the initial rescue
attempts, but wound up getting herself a nice dose of radiation
poisoning along the way. The rescue authorities put her into cryo-
suspension to keep her alive. The Noukiites took over caring for her
when their troops landed on Uru. They managed to purge her of the
poisoning. I just negotiated for her release, but . . . "
He then shrugged. "Bad?" Nassur asked.
Koosei closed her eyes. "Crippled from mid-back down. She can't
fly."
Everyone winced. "So why are you bringing her to Earth, then?"
Benten asked. "Koosei, your people're already in a bad mood . . . "
"You know that Ten-chan's still alive, don't you?"
Heads snapped around to allow the aliens to gaze on Nabiki. Koosei
sighed. "Dakejinzou, did you tell everyone everything?"
Dakejinzou blinked before she nodded. Outside herself, Ryooki Koosei
was the only other non-Sagussan to have walked the decks of the
Gatherer since Morobo**** Ataru visited Sagussa eleven years before.
"Just now."
"Koosei, Seiko-chan told me about what happened to Ten-chan," Nassur
spoke up. "Do you want to try to do the same for his mom?"
"It may be her only chance to walk again, even if she ends up losing
the ability to fly. Then again, from what the MiBs told me about the
mood in Japan concerning Urusians in general, living as a Terran -- or
at least as an Avalonian disguised as a Terran -- is the only option
she'll really have if she chooses to remain on Earth instead of
relocating elsewhere," Koosei advised. He then raised a finger as a
knowing smile crossed his face. "Then again, this'll give Jon-san the
chance to be a real mother to her son."
The people aboard the "Goddess" nodded. A buzzer then sounded off on
Dakejinzou's avionics board. "*Dakejinzou, a Sagussan civilian
star****p is de-cloaking off the ****t beam,*" the computer then
declared. "*Identification beacon marks her as the 'Konggh'cha.'*"
Dakejinzou blinked. "Lufy's ****p?! What's she doing here?!"
"'Lufy?!'" Benten and Nabiki uttered in sync as they remembered what
Dakejinzou had said of that person when she told them about Sagussa.
"*The 'Konggh'cha' is signalling,*" the computer then said. "*It is
Troop Commander Priscilla of Pathfinder Troop Six.*"
"Dammit, Dakejinzou! Can't you make that stupid computer of yours
call me 'Priss?!'" a growling voice then demanded over the speakers.
Dakejinzou flicked controls to allow the image of the Pirpirsiw'r in
question to be seen by everyone else. "Hi, Priss!"
"Priss, what're you doing here?!" Koosei demanded from the
"Wanderer."
Priss rolled her eyes. "Keeping watch on Lufy's ****p while she and
everyone else are off to the wild unknown, making sure that Ataru-sama
and his sisters don't run into Lannarkites and moron psi-hunters from
Vos." Her amused stare locked on Nassur for a moment before she
added, "I overheard you guys talking about the little one's mother.
If you want, Yomi or I can snatch a new body for her from the
factory."
"It would be appreciated, Priss," Koosei replied before he raised a
warning finger. "IF I get her to agree to this, by the way!"
"Fair enough! I'll see you guys soon."
The view screen blanked out. "Well, that was nice of her," Nassur
mused.
"Can we trust them?" Benten sarcastically wondered.
"If you behave yourself and try not to be so disrespectful of Ataru-
san, you'll be amazed at what they'll be happy to do for you, Benten,"
Dakejinzou replied as she turned around, and then she blinked.
"Nabiki-san, you okay?"
Nabiki, who seemed to have a lost look on her face, started on
hearing the hunter's question. "Eh?! Did you say something, Shogai-
san?"
"Are you okay?" Dakejinzou asked.
The middle Tendou daughter started. "Oh, me?! I'm okay! I'm okay!"
She laughed, turning to walk off the bridge. "Weird girl," Benten
mused.
Nassur and Dakejinzou exchanged a knowing look.
* * *
Several minutes later found the "Goddess of Luck" and the "Wanderer"
were locked alongside the "Konggh'cha." After meeting up with
Dakejinzou and her passengers, Priss escorted them to the sick bay
Lufy had installed in the cargo carrier when she took possession of
the ****p. Since she was technically "on duty," Priss was dressed in
her normal work uniform. She was also under arms.
"You didn't want to go with the Troop?" Dakejinzou asked as they
turned a corner to head towards the pilotage.
"I can wait," Priss answered. "'Sides, the ones in the Troop who
really wanted to see Ataru-sama were Sylvie and the other new girls.
They never got the chance to spend time with him when he visited; we
only rescued them during the year after he came to visit us."
Benten tried not to laugh. "'Ataru-sama' . . . URK!"
That came from Priss' elbow sma****ng into her jaw. "Keep your
attitude to yourself, little girl," the Troop's first officer snarled.
"Benten, that really wasn't nice," Nassur added.
Despite the throbbing in her chin from where the Sagussan had belted
her, not to mention the dizziness in her mind from the impact shock,
Benten growled as she rolled back on her feet. The burning fire in
her eyes quickly told everyone else that she was in the mood to
rumble, even IF the woman she wanted to beat up WAS one of Yehisril's
legendary Most Dangerous Ones! Before she could do anything, a finger
tapped the back of the head. Benten gurgled as unconsciousness seized
her, dropping face-first to the deck. Standing by her feet was
Nabiki, her patented "Why, Officer, I have NO idea how THAT got
there!" look plastered on her face. "H-h-How . . .?!" Nassur
sputtered.
Nabiki winked. "My secret, Nassur-san."
"Nice job," Priss acknowledged that, and then she leaned down to pick
up Benten. "Here, let me dump this idiot back aboard your ****p,
Dakejinzou. Then we'll take a good look at Ten's mom and see what we
can do with her."
"Be my guest," Dakejinzou replied as the Pathfinder threw Benten over
her shoulder to carry her off. "What WAS that girl thinking?"
"Dake-chan, you should know by now that thinking is really not one of
Benten's strong suits," Nassur advised her.
"True." Dakejinzou then stared at Nabiki. She was quick to note the
lost-girl look on the middle Tendou daughter's face. Smirking at
Nassur, the alien hunter then stepped up to place a hand on Nabiki's
shoulder. Nabiki yelped on feeling that hand, and then she spun
around to stare wide-eyed at Dakejinzou. "Liked what you saw, didn't
you?" the hunter asked with a leer.
Nabiki awked on hearing that, an automatic denial surging up through
her throat. Before she could utter a sound, another hand landed on
her other shoulder. Nabiki went white on feeling *that* contact, and
then she turned to find herself staring into a pair of burning
chestnut eyes. "I . . . " she then squeaked, surprising herself by
being able to say THAT, and then she gulped. "Uh . . . " A finger
landed on her lips to silence her. Nabiki blinked as she felt a wave
of *calm* surge through her from Priss' fingertip, and then she slowly
breathed out as the Pathfinder drew back her finger.
"Better?" Priss wondered.
"Pretty much so," Nabiki hoarsely admitted.
A wink. "I'm interested if you happen to be willing. But let's look
in on Ten's mom first, okay?"
Nabiki's skin paled again as the Sagussan's words sank into her
mind. "Ah . . .!" she sputtered. "Uh . . . o-okay . . .!"
Priss pulled away from her, and then she waved everyone on to
sickbay. As they stepped inside, everyone noted that Koosei was
already there. Also there was Catty Ray, who had volunteered to
remain with the Troop's first officer to keep watch over the
"Konggh'cha" while the rest of their mates had gone to the Planet of
Shadows. The once-android replica of Catty was in the uniform of a
Sagussan navy petty officer. Since she was not Pathfinder-trained --
much less formally trained in any other specialty such as medicine,
science or engineering -- Catty Ray didn't wear the special colour-
coded trousers like the dark green ones Priss currently had on. She
was currently passing a tricorder over the prone form on one of the
sick bay's diagnostic beds.
"How is she, Ray?" Priss asked as everyone else gathered around the
bed to stare at the unconscious Oni woman lying there.
"Pretty bad," Catty Ray re****ted, thankful that she still retained a
lot of her template's medical knowledge so she could help out in
situations like this whenever Reinoevan or Naomi weren't around. "The
Noukiites seem to have used a lot of their more traditional medical
techniques to help Jon-sama heal from the radiation burns. They have
helped a bit, but there were some unintentional side effects the
healers didn't anticipate."
"Can she walk?" Koosei quietly asked.
Nassur and Dakejinzou stared at the expat Terran. Nabiki took her
own "look" with her empathy. What she got from Koosei didn't surprise
her. The man was clearly divided in his heart between Ten's mother
and another woman . . . eh? Oyuki? Seeing the image of the Neptunian
crown princess flash through her mind's eye, Nabiki then sighed as she
quickly picked up a surge of paranoia flowing through Koosei's mind
which was clearly attached to whatever memories he had of Oyuki.
Damn, exactly like the way Toofuu had felt whenever he had been around
Kasumi in the days before the doctor's walkabout! If Koosei's
feelings for Ten's mother started to blossom and Oyuki found
out . . .?
"I don't even think the regeneration matrix can ultimately help,"
Catty Ray said as she drew back her tricorder, and then she gazed at
the expat Terran. "As you will no doubt be aware, there have been
times that the matrix has failed to fully restore every element of a
person's body to the prime of health. This can potentially be one of
them."
"Like what happened to Deunan, right?" Koosei asked.
"Hai."
"'Deunan?'" Nassur asked.
"Squadron commander in their Warsuit Brigade, their ground-warfare
mobile suit formation," Koosei replied. "Her left eye's useless; she
wears a patch so the images between her eyes don't disorientate her
when she's piloting."
"Hasn't degraded her performance," Priss added. "Luf and I trained
her to fight one-eyed, both in and out of those pathetic tin cans
Leona's morons love so much." A hint of pride shone in her eyes as
she added, "She's good."
"You must be one hell of a teacher, Pri-chan," Nabiki said.
Priss blinked on hearing Nabiki call her *that.* "'Pri-chan,' huh?!"
Nabiki awked. Dakejinzou and Koosei started to laugh. Nassur
politely covered his mouth to hide his own smirk. Before Nabiki could
try to say anything, Priss then winked at her. "Suit yourself," she
huskily whispered as she leaned up to the other girl. "Nabiki-vayae."
She walked out of the sickbay. A wary look crossed Nabiki's face.
"What did she just call me?" She gazed at Koosei and Dakejinzou.
"'My dearest Nabiki,'" Catty Ray translated.
Nabiki took that in, and then she gulped. "I'm in it deep, am I?"
"Pretty much so," Koosei advised.
The middle Tendou daughter moaned, "Oh, wonderful."
* * *
"When will we reach this Planet of Shadows, Lufy-san?" Karen asked.
"Three hours at present speed," Lufy re****ted after she made a check.
"How soon will Hi****o-chan and the others get there, Lufy-chan?"
Sakuya, she currently in the central chair, asked.
"Probably an hour," the watchmistress replied as she nodded to
Reiko. Standing up to allow Ataru's daughter to take her place so the
younger girl could pilot the "Windrider" for the next while, Lufy then
stretched herself. "For a Haijo-ju prototype, the Staff's got loads
of capabilities. But you better remember that its level of power is
nowhere close to infinite. Neither will the Genesis Wand. I sure
hope you guys know what you're doing, asking Aria to become its new
controller and all that."
"Bou-san likes Hi****o-chan a lot," Karen noted. "And Bou-san was
really sorry to have been forced to hurt Onii-chan when he went to
that Phentax Two place to take care of that creep Oogi and his stupid
followers. Maybe Tsue-san will take to Aria-chan just as easily."
"The Wand hasn't had a real controller since Head Scientist Horan
scattered the prototype Haijo-ju across the galaxy just before the
Clone Rights War," Lufy warned, and then she shrugged. "Still, maybe
if the Staff copies some of its programming into the Wand, things
should be alright for Aria. If not, we'll get Ayumu to go deal with
it. If not Ifurita or one of her girls."
"You got girls named after the 'El Hazard' girls?!" Mamoru asked.
"Sure," Lufy said, and then she smirked. "It's kinda ironic, too.
Ifurita is the chief of the Te'a Studies Group. Shayla, Afura and Miz
are her co-workers. They're the ones who make use of Horan's Haijo-ju
prototypes to help them -- and us -- understand the Te'a better, how
we interact with what you'd all see as the divine influence on
Existence as a whole."
"Is EVERYTHING gotta be science-based on your planet?!" Mamoru
demanded.
Lufy shrugged. "Mamoru, it's only been just over a decade since
Ataru's visit helped us break out of our damned logic shells and let
us finally try to understand what you people call 'faith.' Give us a
chance, huh?"
Laughter filled the room. The back door opened, revealing Nene.
"Lufy!"
"What?"
Nene thumbed behind her. Lufy glanced past the Troop coxswain, her
own meta-senses reaching out to pick up who had just beamed over from
the "Kiboo'cha." She then turned back to Nene. "Did Sylia approve of
this?!"
"What?" Sakuya demanded.
"What do you think?" Nene wondered.
The watchmistress moaned. "Oh, damn."
* * *
"You girls all ready?" Sylvie asked.
The other new girls in Pathfinder Troop Six -- Anri, Reika and Naoko
from Section One; Megan, Louise, Namiko and Lisa from Section Two;
plus Naomi and Irene (the chief engineer of the "Kiboo'cha") -- stood
in line of review in the corridor connecting the pilotage with all of
the sisters' private cabins and Ataru's own quarters at the aft end of
the ****p. Sylvie, as the senior ranking member of the group, stood in
front of them. "Ready and willing," Megan, positioned at the right of
the line, answered before she lowered her voice on adding, "Even if we
ALL're scared outta our ****in' minds right now."
"Do you think Ataru-sama will like us?" Namiko, a silver-haired,
crimson-eyed, Tritonian-born woman who presently served as Section
Two's trans****tation expert, asked, her voice etched with worry. "I
mean, none of us ever had the chance to meet him! Do you really think
he'll . . .?"
"Settle down, Nam!" Megan -- like Sylvie served in Section One, the
flame-haired, green-eyed Pirpirsiw'r was Section Two's second-in-
command below Asukanoevan -- ordered. "I'm nervous about this, too.
It's like Sylia said: If we're gonna make a good impression with the
Daimon'cha, we can't fly off the handle like I'm sure we're all
tempted to do. Buck up and look smart, okay?!"
Namiko braced herself. "H-hai!"
Silence fell as Sylvie scanned the nine others who had come with her
from the "Kiboo'cha." All of them were in clean duty uniforms, even
Irene. The "Kiboo'cha's" brown-haired, chestnut-eyed, Vosian-born
chief engineer often preferred to wear work jumpsuits; her days were
often spent deep in the bowels of the Troop's base ****p as she
constantly strove to keep it in fighting trim. Save for Naomi,
everyone was also under arms; pistol belts were wrapped around their
waists. In respect to Ataru's sisters, the pistols were unloaded, the
energy magazines slipped into strap holders on the outside of the
holsters, visible for all to see. Naomi, as the Troop's field nurse,
had a first aid bag slung over her shoulder. "Okay," she then
whispered on seeing that everyone looked ready. Bracing herself, she
ordered, "Troop, right face!" After everyone did a sharp right turn,
Sylvie then ordered, "Advance in line, march!"
The girls smartly walked aft. Sylvie halted them just before Megan
was about to walk straight into the door leading to Ataru's cabin. As
Section One's petty officer/sniper walked up to knock on the door,
people from the pilotage came out to watch them. "Lufy-san, why are
they here?" Karen whispered to Lufy. "They look so nervous! Didn't
they get a chance to meet Onii-chan when he came to your planet twelve
years ago?"
"No, they didn't," Lufy replied. "I'll explain about it later."
"I'll love to hear THAT story," Sakuya asserted.
Meanwhile, Sylvie was waiting at the door to Ataru's cabin, having
just knocked on it. The door opened to reveal Ranma, a confused look
on the martial artist's face. "Um . . . can I help you girls?" she
asked.
She opened the door wider to get a better look at her visitors. THAT
action was enough to allow the newcomers from the "Kiboo'cha" to see
Ataru seated at his bed. Watching the raven-haired, golden-eyed
sniper of Section One, Ranma couldn't fail to notice Sylvie's cheeks
reddening as her eyes focused on Ataru. The latter caught herself
before she announced with a VERY respectful bow, "Ataru-sama, Ranma-
sama, please forgive us for disturbing you!"
"PLEASE FORGIVE US FOR DISTURBING YOU!" the others chanted as they
bowed.
Ranma blinked several times, and then she stared quizzically at
Ataru. He returned her look with a shrug. Ranma then turned back to
Sylvie. "Um, why don't you girls c'mon in and make yourselves at
home?" she said.
She waved them through the doorway. Hearing that, the girls
straightened themselves automatically as they marched into the cabin.
After the door closed behind Irene, the people standing by the door to
the pilotage exchanged looks. "Do you think we should stop this?"
Nene wondered.
"We don't have a right to stop this," Lufy asserted as she turned to
head back into the pilotage. "You know that as much as I do, Nene."
The Troop coxswain took that in before she nodded.
* * *
"What the heck . . .?"
After hearing a bunch of people call out "Please forgive us for
disturbing you," Akane had peeked out through the doorway of Marie's
cabin. She had turned to glance aft just in time to see a small line
of young women, all dressed in Sagussan military uniforms, march into
Ataru's cabin, they having been waved inside by Ranma. After the
redhead closed the door behind the pointy-eared girl with the red-
coloured pants, Akane blinked several times, and then she started to
tremble as a familiar flash of hot jealousy surged up from somewhere
deep inside her. Stepping out of the cabin, she braced herself,
squaring her shoulders as she prepared to march over and . . .
"Akane-chan, what are you doing?"
Akane jolted to a stop on hearing that soft yet iron-hard voice.
Gulping as a chill warped through her, she turned to see Marie
standing by the stairwell leading to the galley. Hotaru was standing
behind her patient, the nurse holding a tea tray with three cups and a
kettle of Marie's favoured cherry tea. Marie's arms were crossed, a
displeased look on her face as she seemed to loom over the youngest
Tendou daughter. Akane gulped as Marie's stare bored into her, and
then she giggled in embarrassment. "Oh, M-m-Marie-ch-chan, h-hi! I w-
w-was just going t-to find th-the washroom . . . "
Marie sighed as she gave the bioroid a knowing look. "Don't lie to
me, Akane. When you saw Sylvie-san and her friends march into Aniue-
sama's room, you automatically fell into that damned 'Aneue-sama is
being a pervert' attitude your other-self always let herself fall
into!"
Her words ripped through Akane like a hail of bullets fired from a
Gatling gun. The newborn Avalonian seemed to sag as her nervous look
crashed into ruins, heart-wrenching anguish crossing her face as the
strength in her legs vanished. Akane dropped to her knees as heart-
wracking sobs burst from her lungs. Instantly, Marie's hands were at
her shoulders as Akane was swept up into a comforting hug, the former
allowing the latter to bury her face into the crook of Marie's neck
and weep. They remained still for a moment as Hotaru walked past them
to place the tea tray on the nightstand in Marie's cabin, and then the
nurse walked back out to help Marie walk Akane into the cabin.
* * *
"Um, what's this all about, girls?"
The newcomers of Troop Six were standing in a school circle around
Ataru's bed. All their heads were bowed low, none of them wanting to
look him in the eye. Arms grasped together nervously in front of
them, as if they wanted to make a wish. Their nervousness at being in
Ataru's presence for the first time in their lives was quite plain for
the Daimon'cha to see.
For Ataru, this could be seen as truly a first.
Save for dealing with his sisters and Ranma, most of Ataru's past
experiences with women were not positive. If he didn't have to deal
with an over-domineering, lightning-charged, would-be "wife" who
treated him more like a pet than a person; he had to deal with a
zealous ****nto priestess/school nurse who, at times, seemed hell-bent
to make his often-miserable days even MORE miserable. If he didn't
have to deal with a psycho-airhead who wanted to suck the youth out of
his body to get her revenge on his "wife;" it was a pack of hormone-
crazed classmates who were hell-bent and determined to protect the
object of *their* wet dreams from the grasp of said "wife." If he
didn't have to deal with a lunatic space-biker babe who couldn't hit
the broad side of a barn with her gun and seemed hell-bent on the idea
of forcing her idea of celebrating Setsubun on everyone around her; he
had to deal with three galactic middle school would-be Yakuza who
wanted to play some sick game of one-upman****p on his "wife" and her
former classmates. If it wasn't a certain ice princess from Neptune,
it was his former girlfriend or a poster-child for all tomboys who
hadn't a single clue as to what being a real woman was about. If it
wasn't that androphobic would-be supergirl heiress of the Mizunokooji
s****ts empire, it was the Kabuki-crazed psychopathic heiress of the
Mendou fortune.
And that didn't, in the LEAST, count his late so-called "mother!"
But this . . .
This . . .
THIS was truly different.
Ten girls.
All very beautiful.
All young and in the prime of their health.
And all of them seemingly willing to drop their clothes, hop into the
sack and spread their legs for him virtually on command.
Yes, THIS was truly different.
What to do, what to do . . .
"Um, Ataru-sama . . .?"
He perked, his eyes locking on the Vosian to his far right, the one
in the uniform of a naval engineer, petty officer's tabs on her
shoulders. Noting the style of her hair, Ataru quickly assumed this
one had taken the name "Irene," after Yamazaki Linna's friend from the
second "Bubblegum Crisis" OVA. Noting that, his eyes flicked over to
the brown-haired Yehisrite girl fourth over from Sylvie. Now, she HAD
to have taken the name "Reika" given her very strong resemblance to
Chang Irene's sister from the seventh "Crisis" OVA, the pop singer
known to the general public in that universe as "Vision." She even
had the same streak of green in her hair just over her forehead!
Wasn't THIS ironic?
"What is it, Irene-san?"
Irene jolted, the surprise on her face clearly shouting out, "HE
SPOKE TO ME?!" She then quickly composed herself as she bowed her
head in a proper show of respect. "May I sit with you, sir?" she then
asked in a timid whisper.
Ataru looked at her, and then he glanced at Irene's mates. It
surprised him right away that none of them seemed to look the least
bit jealous at the engineer's bold request. In fact, much to Ataru's
surprise, it seemed to him that the others were actually ENVIOUS of
the fact that Irene had been brave enough to MAKE that request. A
quick glance at Ranma -- the martial artist had positioned herself by
the windows of the cabin to Ataru's left -- revealed that she was just
as surprised at Irene's request as her fellow Sagussans. Noting him
glancing her way, Ranma looked a question at him. *Do you mind?*
Ataru silently asked. She blinked, and then, after blu****ng at his
show of deference to her, shook her head. With that, he turned back
to Irene, patting the bed beside him. Seeing that, Irene brightened
as she slipped her feet out of her boots, and then she slid onto the
bed to relax beside him. He gazed at her, quickly sensing her relief
and delight at being accommodated by him. A glance to the others
revealed yet again that there wasn't the barest hint of jealousy on
any of their faces. Well, best to make sure THAT particular poison
flower didn't get the chance to bloom; his experience with Lum,
****nobu and Elle -- to say anything of Ranma's experiences with her
own fiancées! -- had taught him that. "All of you, sit down," he
said, waving to the edge of the bed. "I don't like people standing on
ceremony because of me."
Their faces instantly lit up on hearing that. Without hesitation,
they slipped off their boots and sat on the bed around him. To
Ataru's surprise, the newcomers seemed willing to make a space on the
bed to his immediate left. As to whom that space might have been set
aside for, the answer came as Sylvie looked over at Ranma. "Ranma-
sama, don't you want to sit with us?" she asked.
Ranma perked. "Why?! You girls . . .!"
"Ranma-sama, you ARE the Other," Anri insisted.
Ranma blinked in shock at Anri's words, and then her gaze turned
inward for a second before she found herself walking over to slip
herself onto the bed, moving in close to Ataru. Automatically, his
arm came up to wrap around her. Ranma perked on sensing the warmth of
his contact, and then she sighed as she leaned against him. Ataru
gazed at their visitors. Seeing the smiles cross their faces on
seeing their show of closeness, Ataru stared at Ranma.
"If I was still a guy . . . " the latter mused.
"Then we'd have TWO Daimon'cha instead of one," Louise finished for
her.
Ataru and Ranma blink-blinked. "'Daimon'cha?'" both asked in sync.
"'Great first father,'" Louise translated. Quickly noting the shock
crossing the Terrans' faces, Section Two's demolitions expert then
added, "It's what we ultimate would want you to be for us, Ataru-
sama. The father of our children. Didn't Lufy or the Elder Mother
tell you about this?"
"Does it LOOK like it?!" Ranma demanded.
"Wait a minute!" Ataru cut in. "You girls mean to tell us that, atop
of my acting as an emotional template to help all of you become more
human, you wanted me to also act as the FATHER to all of your future
children?!"
"You don't have to worry about doing ALL of us," Megan moderated.
"How many of you guys are there on Sagussa?!" Ranma asked.
"One hundred-and-four thousand, nine hundred-and-fifteen," Naomi
replied. "Including one girl that's still AWOL."
Eyes locked on the nurse. "A hundred-and-four thousand . . .?" Ataru
hoarsely whispered. "Geez! I don't think even I've got enough
stamina . . . "
The Sagussans laughed. "Oh, we know THAT, Ataru-sama!" Reika
declared.
"Although we wouldn't mind if you tried it with us," Anri coyly
added.
"Anri!" Sylvie snapped at her bond-mate.
Anri ducked the sniper's annoyed look. Ataru and Ranma exchanged a
look, and then the former sat back on the bed. "Um, well . . . ah,
gee, girls . . . I'm flattered that you'd want me to help out, but
still . . . "
"Oh, don't worry if you think we'll just turn to you to get the
genetic samples so we can have children, Ataru-sama," Namiko assured
him. "We've got our eyes on a whole host of other nice men to act as
Daimon'cha for us."
"There is Ranma-sama's male body to think about, too," Lisa added.
"NO!" Ranma automatically asserted. "Do NOT go there, Lisa!"
"We'll just have to find a way to separate them, then," Naoko
proposed.
"Hey!" Ranma snapped. "Didn't you listen to me?!"
"Ranma-sama, are you a man or a woman?" Megan asked.
"I'm a woman, dammit!"
"They why should you live a life where you might risk permanent
insanity if your curse gets unlocked again?" Megan then asked.
Silence.
Ranma blink-blinked. "Say what?"
"You're planning to adopt Lufy as your older sister, aren't you?
Like Ataru-sama adopted Thoughtmistress-prime Negako as his sister?"
The redhead's jaw hit the bed. "How did you . . .?"
"It's your life-aura, Ranma-sama. Your 'ki' as you call it. Syl and
I . . . " -- Megan waved to her sister Pirpirsiw'r -- "Can tell right
off the bat what you've got in mind. But before you take the plunge,
there're some things you gotta know." She held up a finger in
warning.
Another chorus of blinks from the former heir of the Saotome-ryuu.
"Since when is my adopting Lufy as my sister life-threatening?"
"Since Lufy would insist that you'd become of our blood, Ranma-sama,"
Sylvie spoke up. "There's no way that Lufy would allow a sister, even
an adopted one, to live without having the ability to fully defend
herself up to Lufy's standards. And her standards, as I'm sure you
are aware, ARE a lot higher than even what you're at right now, Ranma-
sama."
Ranma flustered. Damn, was she THAT easy to read? "Um, y-yeah, I
did notice . . . " she then sputtered out.
"There's never been a male Pirpirsiw'r in Yehisrite history, Ranma."
Ranma gazed in confusion at Ataru. "'Piiru-piiru-****iwaru?'" she
tried to stutter out the harsh Yehisrite syllables.
"Literally translated, 'Most Dangerous Soldiers,'" Ataru explained.
"The Yehisrite version of the Nujiézú; they existed up to about four
centuries ago. They all have tattoos on the right cheeks like Lufy,
Sylvie, Megan and Makoto have. And I assume there are many more among
your girls . . . "
"Seven thousand, two hundred-and-thirteen," Sylvie provided.
Ranma took that in. "Same school of martial arts?"
"It's more than just martial arts, Ranma-sama . . . "
A sharp breath exploded from the redhead's lips. "Sylvie, willya
QUIT being so damned formal with me . . .!"
"I have to, Ranma-sama. We all do."
"Why?! Just because I'm bonded to Ataru? Lufy was the one . . . "
"We know that," Sylvie cut her off. "But it's a lot different for us
than it would be for the rest of the Dai****'cha, Ranma-sama." She
waved to her mates. "When Ataru-sama came to Sagussa eleven years ago
at the Elder Mother's invitation, there were EXACTLY 100,000
Dai****'cha residing there. None, NONE of us . . . " -- again, she
indicated her mates with a wave of her hand -- "Were among them. We
would have been had there not been a terrible accident with medical
nanites within mine, Anri's and Reika's bodies having reacted badly to
the regeneration matrix that was used to restore us to life. And
those nanites broke out and infected almost five thousand other
Dai****'cha before it was finally contained. But for those who were
infected . . . "
"Including all of us," Megan cut in.
"We were later sealed off in tanks filled with nanite-infested
samples of the matrix and buried on our old home worlds," Sylvie
finished before her eyes turned to Ataru. "And if it wasn't for you,
Ataru-sama, we all would still be dead to the world we were literally
reborn to help create."
** ** **
Eleven years before . . .
The Chamber of Eternity, since it was buried deep into an isolated
southern branch slope of Sagussa's highest peak, the Esanta'cha,
seemed always to be a dark place even for its vast size, excellent
internal lighting and airy nature. Walking on a catwalk on the
uppermost level away from the large bedroom the engineers had just
built for their prospective Daimon'cha in anticipation of the day in
the future when he would return to their world to live the rest of his
life, Morobo**** Ataru seemed sad.
"I really don't wanna go home, Ai-chan."
Walking beside him, the woman who one day would take the name "Noa"
tried to smile. It was still difficult to move her facial muscles in
such a way, even if she had finally come to comprehend the emotional
purposes such an action represented. "You should return home as soon
as possible, Ataru-sama," she said. "While we here on Sagussa do
accept that a child, even one as young as you, has a right to decide
his or her own destiny according to the knowledge he or she possesses,
on Earth, it is much different."
"But Mom'll start yelling again!" Ataru whined, his eyes brimming
with tears. "Saying to Dad that she wished she never had me! She
never says anything nice about me! And she's really mean whenever I
go to Uncle's place in Sendai and visit Nokoko-chan! Why, Ai-chan?!"
Noa took a breath. "Indeed, her behaviour vis-à-vis you leaves much
to be desired. Perhaps Ii'iieo's suggestion about deploying a team to
Tomobiki . . . " -- her mouth curled into a frown on her saying that
-- "Is a wise one."
Ataru brightened. "Would you come to live on Earth, Ai-chan?"
Noa blinked, and then she smiled. "If the authorities in New York
City will allow it . . .! Eh?! Ioiouieoao! What's the matter?!"
The woman who one day would take the name "Nene" had just run up to
them. "A****'cha, there's something wrong with Eiei'ioao-o!"
"What is it?"
Nene shrugged helplessly. "She just started crying and yelling
twelve minutes ago when she was looking through files in her
terminal. The others in the Troop are trying to calm her, but
she's . . . " Another helpless shrug.
Instantly, Ataru raced off. "Ataru-sama, wait!" Nene screamed out.
He ignored the Pathfinder's words. Even if the Chamber was five
kilometres long from end to end, reaching down almost a kilometre into
the hard limestone rock of Tere'na Province, Ataru knew where the
offices used by Pathfinder Troop Six were located. In the two months
he had been living on Sagussa, he had become very close to the six
specialized warfare troopers, just as he had become close to the crew
of the "Hasei'cha," the Elder Mother, her sister and a whole slew of
others. If Eiei'ioao-o -- the woman who would one day take on the
name "Priscilla" -- was crying for some reason, Ataru wanted to know
why and help her. After all, she was his friend.
You always helped your friends, didn't you?
Reaching the door to the Troop's offices, he looked inside. "Ei-
chan!"
Priss' head snapped around as her crimson gaze locked on Ataru, the
painful sadness on her face melting into shock. "Ataru-sama!"
"What's wrong?!" Ataru asked before he looked left to see the other
members of the Troop standing there. "What's wrong with Ei-chan?"
"Ataru-sama, you don't have to be . . .!" Eoao'oe-eoii (Sylia)
insisted.
"Commander, we agreed that we would not lie to Ataru-sama regardless
of the reason," Aioai-eieoei (Reinoevan) cut in to remind her.
Sylia gazed on the executive officer/sniper, and then she nodded.
Priss was still gazing at Ataru, though both Ui'iioe-uoai (Linna) and
Uouiaioi'ii (Asukanoevan) had ****fted themselves over to place
sup****tive hands on the coxswain's shoulders. Priss then sniffed back
her tears as she stood, walking over to kneel in front of Ataru. His
hands reached out to hug her as she scooped him into her arms. They
remained in place as Priss allowed her empathic guards to relax, the
warmth of Ataru's love and friend****p flooding her from head to toe.
As she felt new strength flow into her heart from that contact, the
Troop coxswain then ****fted her head around so she could stare
directly into Ataru's eyes. They remained in place for a moment, and
then they shared a kiss. "I love you, Ei-chan," Ataru whispered.
"And I will love you for all Eternity, Ataru-sama," Priss vowed.
"Why are you crying?"
Priss took a deep breath. "I was mourning someone."
Ataru blinked. "Someone died?!"
"Eiei'ioao-o, does Ataru-sama REALLY need to know . . .?!" Noa
demanded.
Priss froze the A****'cha with a warning gaze. "'No lies,' remember?"
Noa's voice caught in her throat. "It is not one of us currently on
Sagussa, Ataru-sama," Sylia explained. "The person Eiei'ioao-o is
referring to would have become one of us hadn't a terrible accident
concerning both the warm rock bath and some very tiny machines . . . "
-- the Dai****'cha had to be very circumspective when it came to
explaining concepts like the regeneration matrix born from the magma
of Sagurei, Sagussa's lone blood-red moon, to the five-year old Ataru
-- " . . . ended not only her life, but the lives of many others."
Ataru gazed on the Troop commander. "When?!"
"Way before my time, Ataru-sama," Linna provided.
He blinked several times as he tried to wrap his mind around what
Sylia said, and then he gazed at Priss. "What happened to your
friend, Ei-chan?" he asked as he wiped her cheeks clean. "Is she
still here? Can't you visit her?"
Priss shook her head. "No. At the time, we felt we just had no
choice but to bury her on Yehisril, where she had been found by
Henry . . . " -- that was Ataru's nickname for the Gatherer's central
computer; it came from the ancient Ly'sha word "hengh'ryi" (the one
who gathers life) -- " . . . along with the others that had been found
with Eiei'ioaoai; that was her number."
Ataru stared at her. "You left her there . . . "
"There was no other choice!"
"WHY?!"
"Because we didn't want those awful machines to hurt us!" Priss
insisted, fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. "Ataru-sama, I wanted
to bury Eiei'ioaoai in the Forge." The Forge of Tere'na was a fifty-
kilometre wide silver dome, it forged of a kilometre-thick layer of
carbonized neutronium, located at the southern tip of Tere'na. It was
in the geographic centre of the dome's enclosed space, at the end of
the Clone Rights War that had wrecked Sagussa millennia before, that
Lyna's remains were interred. Ever since the first of the Dai****'cha
-- Ataru knew her as "Ai-oneechan;" she would eventually take the name
"Yoakenikkou" -- had been brought to Sagussa, the first citizens of
the Fifth Republic had visited Lyna's grave to pay homage to the
singer whose tragic fate had led to the Clone Rights War. Ataru's
visit to the Forge two weeks ago, in the company of Eiuoiiaoii (Lufy)
and Oioai-oi'iiui (Catty), had been weird. "But I couldn't. I
couldn't risk bringing her here and . . . "
"You gotta bring her back, Ei-chan!"
"Ataru-sama!"
"You gotta bring her back!"
"There may be a way to do just that."
Eyes locked on Reinoevan. "What do you mean?" Asukanoevan asked.
The Troop's first officer faintly smiled. "You weren't here at the
time we had to deal with that particular tragedy, Uouiaioi'ii, so you
wouldn't know about this. But shortly after we were forced to
trans****t those unfortunates back to their planets of origin, the
Medical Directorate began to work on ways of ensuring nanites were
purged from the bodies of potential Dai****'cha when they were exposed
to the regeneration matrix." Rei then gazed on Ataru. "We have a way
now in which we can go rid our friends' bodies of those awful machines
using the warm rock bath, Ataru-sama," she explained. "It is possible
to go retrieve them and restore them back to health."
"Why didn't you do it before, Aioai-chan?" Ataru asked.
An embarrassed blush crossed Rei's face. "To be frank, we never saw
the logic of such a choice before you made us look at it."
The young boy then scowled. "'Logic!' I hate that word."
"We're starting not to like it ourselves," Asuka noted with a wink.
Warm laughter then filled the room.
** ** **
" . . . and thus, starting a month after your return to Earth, Ataru-
sama, we were all retrieved and rejuvenated, the nanites purged from
our bodies," Sylvie finished, having ****fted herself over so she could
hold Ataru's hands in her own. "A total of 4,915 Dai****'cha were
nearly killed by those things Anri, Reika and I accidentally brought
to Sagussa when we were taken with Priss by the Gatherer all those
years ago. All of them, Ataru-sama -- ALL OF THEM! -- are alive
today. Thanks to you."
Ataru blinked several times, he again -- for what seemed the
umpteenth time this very day alone! -- inwardly wi****ng that his
memories hadn't been so devastated by the insertion of the Saikoo
Jinseijitsu into his mind so that he could remember his visit to these
girls' distant home planet. Still, even if some parts of his mind
found it quite hard to accept that story, the look on Sylvie's face
confirmed it had really happened. Licking his lips to put some
moisture back into them, he sighed. "Sylvie, I don't even know what
to say."
"I know." Sylvie smiled. "I know. We all do. Please, don't be
afraid of us. We know what you've been going through these last few
years. Believe me, after everything went to Chaos after Lum came, we
kicked ourselves around in circles trying to figure out a way to get
you out of that situation."
"We couldn't do it openly," Megan added. "If we did, we could have
ignited a war with half the galaxy over Earth. You made it plain and
clear how you felt about **** like that when the Urusians and the
Ellsians almost came to blows over who'd end up going to the altar
with you. Damn it all, Ataru-sama, you KNOW what could've possibly
happened to you if it got out that YOU were the Chosen One. You KNOW
what Lum could've done to you, much less that idiot father of hers and
the rest of those kimei'aidoei fools on Uru."
"And then there's you, Ranma-sama." Reika's eyes fixed on Ranma.
"Yes, it was only just now that we learned that you were the Other.
But if we went after Ataru-sama at an earlier time, I know we would've
come to look for you. Lufy would've certainly revealed what she had
done to you in that circumstance! How would you've felt if that
happened to you? Your would-be paramours, much less that pathetic
farce you called a family? How would that have set with them, much
less Ataru-sama's so-called 'friends' in Tomobiki?!"
"Yes, it was Lufy who bonded you two," Anri spoke up. "But that
doesn't matter. You are the Daimon'cha, Ataru-sama. And you are
Ataru-sama's Other, Ranma-sama. No matter how it happened, it
happened. And because Ataru-sama is and has always been a part of
us . . . "
"So are you, Ranma-sama," Louise finished.
Silence fell as Ataru and Ranma exchanged a look. This went WAY
beyond what Lufy and Noa told them about how much Ataru had come to
affect the entire destiny of a planet recovering from a brutal five-
century war that had cost over ten billion lives. This was the most
profound of honour-debts that Sylvie and her companions, not to
mention the 4,905 other Dai****'cha who had been given a remarkable
THIRD chance at life thanks to Ataru's words to Priss that day in the
Chamber, felt for their Daimon'cha.
And since Ranma was seen as Ataru's marei'cha, she was included in
that honour-debt even if she personally had nothing to do with . . .
Or did she?
After all, hadn't Noa come back a year after Lufy had bonded Ataru
and Ranma to bring Ataru to Sagussa so he could meet all the
Dai****'cha?
Hadn't Ranma's encounter with Ataru in Sendai really it?
Toward giving Sylvie and her friends new life?
New hopes . . .?
Ranma then stood up. "Ranma . . . " Ataru called out.
She gave him a smile of assurance before she walked to the
entertainment centre located in one corner of the cabin. Leafing
through the CDs, Ranma then grinned on picking out one greatest hits
compilation from an Irish new age band Ataru had been introduced to by
Yotsuba some weeks before. Taking the case out, she loaded one of the
CDs into the player, and then set the music to the sixth track.
"Something tells me you people'll like this stuff," she announced
before pressing the PLAY button. As the synthesizer and piano
introduction to Clannad's "Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair" began to play,
Ranma walked over, holding her hand out. "Reika-chan, would you like
to dance?"
Reika blinked, and then she nodded. "Hai!"
As she joined the martial artist, Ataru turned to Sylvie. "Madame?"
Sylvie shook her head. "Irene first."
Ataru blinked, and then he mentally kicked himself as he glanced to
his right at the "Kiboo'cha's" engineer. "Irene-chan?"
"Hai!" Irene gushed.
They headed onto the floor, followed by Sylvie and Anri, Megan and
Louise, and Lisa and Naoko. The others remained on the bed as they
clapped to the music, Namiko's and Naomi's voices humming out the
lovely Gaelic tune . . .
Ar chonnlaigh ghlais an Fhoghmhair
A stóirin gur dhearc mé uaim
Ba deas do chos i mbróig
'Sba ró-dheas do leagan siubhail
Do ghruaidh ar dhath na rósai
'Sdo chúirnini bhi fighte dlúith
Monuar gan sinn 'ár bpósadh
Nó'r bórd luinge 'triall 'un siubhail
As they danced, Ataru's and Ranma's eyes fell on each other . . .
Are you doing it?
I have no choice now.
Yeah, you don't.
Will you be there for me?
I got no choice on that.
You don't have to.
I want to.
You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
I love you.
I love you, too . . .
Watching their silent communication, the Dai****'cha could only smile.
* * *
"You, Sylia dear, are a sneaky woman."
"Do you question your own love for Ataru?"
Eluza blinked, and then she smirked before sipping her glass of
Sagussan brandy. The "Hasei'cha's" commanding officer had beamed to
the "Kiboo'cha" to confer with the commander of Troop Six minutes
before. "Of course not."
"Don't complain about it, then."
"Am I complaining?"
Silence fell, and then both began to laugh.
* * *
A knock was heard at the door. "Hai, just a moment!" echoed from
inside the old shrine, and then the door opened. "Hai?"
"Hello, there," the woman standing on the front ****ch hailed as she
gave Chigaiko a smile. "You must be Inu Chigaiko."
Chigaiko blinked as her eyes took in the speaker's looks. Save for
flecks of grey in her brown hair, plus laugh lines and crow's feet
around the eyes and mouth, this woman could easily be Negako's twin
sister. Her clothing was modern in style yet plain, a tubular-shaped
duffle bag slung over one shoulder. "Um, h-hai!" Chigaiko then
stammered before she tensed on sensing someone walk up behind her.
She turned around to see Negako standing there, a knowing look on the
ninjutsu grandmaster's face. "Negako-san, um . . . "
Negako guided Ataru's former classmate away from the door, and then
she stared at the visitor. "Naho, what did I say about Ayano?" she
wondered as her eyes flicked to the raven-haired, tomboyish teenager
standing on the grass.
"She stowed away in the truck before we came down from Onogawa," Hana
Naho replied with a chuckle. Behind her, Inaba Ayano had the courtesy
to look sheepish, though the flush on her cheeks clearly represented
something else other than embarrassment. "And since this is an
im****tant meeting between us and the Nujiézú, I felt it wouldn't be
right to turn around and take her back."
Negako gave Naho a knowing look, and then she shook her head. "Come
in."
Chigaiko watched as the newcomers stepped inside, each taking off
their shoes before they walked into the living room. The four other
newcomers were teenagers in general appearance, they dressed in neat,
stylish clothing. Each of them focused their eyes on Chigaiko as they
walked in, their smiles brightening considerably as they gave her a
polite bow in greeting. One of them, a taller-than-average blue-eyed
girl with her long raven hair tied in a high ponytail, moved to stand
beside her. "Konban wa, Chigaiko-san," she greeted the expat Tomobiki
native with another polite bow. "I'm Misaki ****ina. I'm very
honoured to meet another of Negako-sama's students."
Chigaiko blinked, and then she gazed on Negako as the others sat
around the living room table. She was quick to note that Ayano had
positioned herself in a place immediately beside where Negako normally
sat. "You're one of Negako-san's students?" she then asked as she
turned back to ****ina. "I didn't know Negako-san had any other
students in the Art."
"She does, Chigaiko-chan," Naho, who had sat directly opposite from
where Negako would sit, spoke up. "Do you think she spent all of the
last five years after she was taken out of Ataru-chan's mind wandering
around the world?"
Chigaiko blinked. "You know Ataru-kun?!"
"Of course I do," Naho replied as Chigaiko and ****ina walked over to
sit around the table. "My name is Hana Naho. I'm the daughter of
Ataru-chan's paternal great-uncle." She gazed fondly on Negako.
"And, as I'm sure you'll no doubt have noticed by now, I'm also the
person who provided the DNA patterns for the Zephyrites to use so they
could create Negako-chan's body."
Chigaiko boggled on hearing someone use the "-chan" suffix for NEGAKO
of all people! Seeing this, the newcomers laughed as Kimiko walked
into the room, Ten in her arms. "She wants Negako-sama to call her
'mother,'" ****ina added.
The laughter died as the younger newcomers gazed as one at the
adopted member of the Tendou family and the boy in her arms. The
mutual staring contest continued for a moment, and then Naho's eyebrow
arched. "I take it the factory's here," she mused as she gazed on
Negako.
"It is," Negako replied. "Directly in orbit over Tomobiki High
School."
Chigaiko stared at the ninjutsu grandmaster for a second, and then
her eyes focused on ****ina. "Soo na! You mean . . .!"
"They're all Avalonians. The younger ones, that is," Kimiko
announced.
Naho gazed on Kimiko her own well-trained senses locked in on the
latter, and then her eyes widened in recognition. "You're the Noroi
no Ningyou, aren't you?! How . . .?" She paused as it came to her.
"Chikage-chan was involved!"
"H-hai!" Kimiko stammered as she moved over to sit by the table,
allowing Ten to remain in her lap. "And this is . . . "
"Redet Jariten," Naho finished, a knowing twinkle ****ning in her eyes
as she stared at him. "Who prefers to be called 'Ten,' especially by
women. Who can, at times, be as much of a shameless flirt when it
comes to women -- especially young, beautiful ones! -- as Ataru-chan
once was." Seeing Ten's cheeks redden in embarrassment as that
comment hit home, Naho laughed before she sobered and carried on,
"And, by the looks of it, was so badly hurt during the recent conflict
between his people and the Noukiites that Hi****o-chan had to use the
Staff of Gihan to obtain a new body for him shortly after his return
to Earth . . .! Sometime late on Tuesday morning, I believe?"
Ten blinked. "Ah . . .! H-hai, N-n-Naho-obachan!"
"Naho's ki perceptive abilities, even with her retaining a non-
enhanced body, are almost on par with mine, Ten," Negako said.
"Understandable; I was the one who taught her those skills." An
amused twinkle then crossed her eyes. "Then again, were it not for
Naho and the girls at the Hotel Kirabo****, my emergence as an
independent sentient being would not have proceeded as easily."
"Not that the first three years after you got yanked out of Ataru-
chan's mind weren't rough enough," Naho added.
Chigaiko, Kimiko and Ten looked at Naho, and then at Negako, and then
back to Naho again. "So why are you here, Naho-sama?" the just-
adopted member of the Tendou family wondered. "And how is it you met
these girls? Are they related to the group that came to Earth years
ago seeking out your aunt to obtain assistance from the Zephyrites in
freeing the Avalonians from slavery?"
"No, but these girls and their friends up in Onogawa are as much
refugees from that insane planet as Ikusawa Kyooko's mother and her
companions," Naho answered. "In effect, until six years ago -- which
was the time that the 'great awakening' that ushered in the Church of
Lum among the Niphentaxians happened -- Ayano-chan, ****ina-chan,
Mutsumi-chan and Nanase-chan, plus their friends, were all prostitutes
in a brothel on Phentax Three. They were soon 'liberated' by another
Avalonian, the former companion of a doctor who, quite surprisingly,
currently works in Tomobiki as the senior physician to all the
Church's observers in and about their 'holy city.' When they came
here, they had the fortune to run into me, and then I arranged to have
them take up residence in Onogawa, where they currently run an onsen
hotel, the Kirabo****."
"Oh, that's right!" Chigaiko said as she held up a finger. "Ataru-
kun and the others wanted to go up there to spend the weekend before
they'd go back to Promised Island and start the new school term." A
rueful look then crossed her face as she added, "Well, that WAS the
plan until a few stupid things happened that forced them to stay here
for the time being."
"Negako-sama, when will Ataru-sama and the others return?" ****ina
asked.
"Sometime tomorrow," Negako replied as she perked on sensing three
people arrive at the front gate of the old shrine. "In the meantime,
our guests are arriving. Mutsumi, Nanase, are you ready to meet your
prospective husband?"
"Hai!" Horikawa Mitsumi and her younger "sister," Nanase, chanted.
A knock echoed from the doorway. "I'll get it," Chigaiko announced
as she walked over to open the door, and then she smiled on seeing the
crowd from the Nekohanten. "Cologne-sama! Shampoo-san! Mousse-san!
Come in, come in!"
"Thank you, dear," Cologne replied as she pogoed her way inside, and
then she stopped on seeing Naho. The elder's eyes then went VERY wide
on seeing Nagaiwakai's niece. She then relaxed as Naho got up, the
latter running over to sweep Cologne in an embrace. "Child, it's been
so long!" Cologne stated as Naho escorted her to the table. "Where've
you been all these years?!"
"For the most part, hiding in plain sight," Naho replied.
* * *
|
