[UY][FanFic] Tales of the Daishi'cha: "Furinkan Spring II"

[fher...@hotmail.com]

"Mother?"

"Yes, my daughter?"

"You must go back."

The older woman winces as the pain lances through her. "No!! I'll
never go back! I'll never subject myself to what they did to me!!"

"Mother!!!"

Silence falls. The older woman gazes at the child she gave birth to
twelve summers ago. It had been quite a surprise after being freed from her
cryostasis prison to learn that she could bear offspring; the Cha'than were
never created to be anything more than pretty sex slaves for their cybernetic
masters. Perhaps the regeneration matrix that gave her the powers of that
damned planet outside the Galactic Barrier was useful after all.

But now...

"There is one thing," the older woman sighs, her voice sounding
pained yet strong with determination. "I must see if she can still come...if
she still cares."

"Mashi?"

"En..."

* * *

Urusei Yatsura - Tales of the Daishi'cha: "Furinkan Spring II"
by Fred Herriot
fher...@hotmail.com
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir
ku...@iaw.on.ca
**** **** ****
A story based on the series "Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year," in turn based
on "Urusei Yatsura" created by Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****

WRITER'S NOTES:

1) This is a sequel to my first Tales of the Daishi'cha involving the
defence officers sent to Nerima during the period of the Nassur Saga (Ranma,
Akane, Ukyou, Shampoo, Kodachi and Asuza) and their bond-mates and friends
Nabiki (#77204), Kasumi (#99000), Hinako (#6749) and Nodoka (#94488).
"Furinkan Spring II" takes place during the period of "Be Forever Nassur." In
"Ranma 1/2" continuity, this is sometime after the final manga episode.

2) Nabiki-chan is a Seishin child services director, Kasumi-chan is an
Oni child services director, Hinako-chan is a Terran master chief petty
officer and Nodoka-chan is a Seishin master chief petty officer.

3) As before, to differentiate the Sagussans from their namesakes, "-
chan" will be used whenever both are in the same scene. When the Sagussan is
alone, "-chan" will be dropped.

4) The Cha'than are a race of female bioroid slaves created by the
Kurosans, the mortal enemies of the A'g'sans (Dakejinzou's people). Their
origins will be explained in UY20YL.

5) Some of the ideas and concepts introduced here for the "Ranma 1/2"
cast will have relevance in "Ranma 1/2 Twenty Years Later," whenever I work on
that series.

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

"So you balked on the idea of getting married!" Ranma-chan snorts as
she stretches herself. "Don't blame you. Everyone else tried their best to
fuck it up, spirit-brother! Sheesh, it's hard enough trying to set up a
relationship without everyone horning in for his own purposes! I should
know!!"

Ranma Saotome smiles at the his female Sagussan double, now relaxing
on the roof sharing his company. Shortly after dealing with the Niphentaxian
spies in Nerima, Ranma-chan and her team of defence officers spent time in
Tomobiki ensuring Oogi hadn't sent new spies into the "holy city" to learn
what happened to Lum. One thing the local cluster DIDN'T need was for the
Niphentaxians to turn the Vosian Civil War into an intergalactic conflict.
Once that was done, they returned to the Tendou dojo. Of course, life hadn't
stopped for their spirit-kin and friends. "Yeah, you're right. But believe
me, spirit-sis, if I'm gonna marry Akane, it'll be at the right time for
*us*, not everyone else's."

"Way to go!" Ranma-chan smiles, then blinks as her subliminal senses
pick up newcomers. "Hinako-chan, is that you?!"

"Just back from shopping!" Hinako-chan hails as she and Asuza-chan
pass through the front gate with two bags of groceries each, then heads to the
house. "Aaah, it's so nice to be in Nerima again! Tomobiki was too much a
tomobiki for my taste!!"

"Thank you, Hinako, Asuza!" Kasumi smiles as the two step inside,
handing her the bags.

"You're welcome, Kasumi-san," Asuza nods, then the defence officers
sit down for coffee.

*Man, this is TOO weird!!* Ranma hops to the ground with Ranma-chan,
then heads inside to sit beside the master chief petty officer and her
watchmistress bondmate. It was crazy enough when doubles of himself, his
fiancee, his other would-be fiancees and a local martial arts skating champ
came to stay with them. Now to make real confusion, add on a double of his
homeroom teacher/future mother-in-law and his fiancee's sister.

It wasn't all bad, though. For the first time, Ranma had met someone
who truly listened to him, understood a lot of what he went through. Ranma-
chan, his "spirit-sister," had become a friend, almost part of the family.
The others were fantastic in their own right, too. Akane-chan had taken her
spirit- sister under her wing to teach her how to cook and do other chores,
an education Akane sadly lacked. Kodachi-chan and Nabiki-chan helped Nabiki
organize Nabiki Tendou Enterprises, the company paid by Sagussa and
Nagaiwakai Moroboshi to absorb Takanaba Enterprises and thus cripple a local
attempt at using alien technology to the detriment of Terrans. Asuza-chan
and Hinako-chan helped with housekeeping at the dojo as well as working on
their relationship. And Ukyou-chan and Shampoo-chan shifted between Ucchan's
and the Nekohanten, helping Ukyou and Cologne run their shops on spare time
as they consummated their love. Except for the twin "hai"s whenever a
person's name was called, the Sagussans were a calming presence in Nerima.

Speaking of which...

"Hey, Hinako-chan, where're Akane and Akane-chan?" Ranma blinks.

"In the dojo," Hinako closes her eyes and concentrates. "I think
Watchmistress Akane wishes to teach her spirit-sister some of the basic moves
of *eipang'togh.*"

"Twin-stick fighting?!" Ranma-chan sneers, crossing her arms. "A
dumb art if there ever was one! I prefer hand-to-hand whenever I'm
rearranging someone's face!!"

"Your choice," Asuza sighs. "While I know the basic forms, I prefer
to have a gun or rifle at my side, rather than use my fists or the staffs.
Gets it done quicker."

"But there's no enjoyment," Ranma-chan sighs, then blinks as her
senses pick up three newcomers. "What are they doing here?!"

They turn as the door opens, revealing two women, an Oni and a
Seishin, the former carrying an Oni baby. "Hello, everyone!" she bows.
"Sorry for coming in so suddenly!"

"Kasumi, Nodoka!!" Asuza waves. "Priss conned you into caring for
her little one?!"

Ranma spins around to see that these two were in fact near-doubles of
his own mother and Akane's eldest sister. Both were in their duty uniforms,
light green and silver for Kasumi-chan, dark blue and red for Nodoka-chan.
Shunran Renning dozes in the former's arms. "Yes, she did!" Kasumi-chan
smiles. "Not that I wouldn't refuse when she asked anyway; besides, when
construction starts, I will be in charge of daycare in Tere'na."

"Do we have guests?" Kasumi wonders as she steps out of the kitchen,
then stops on seeing her spirit-sister.

"Oh, my!!" both cover their mouths.

"Mr. Tendou's gonna freak," Ranma muses. "Not to mention Pop and
Mom!"

Kasumi-chan faces Kasumi. "I'm Kasumi, *daishi'cha* Ninety-nine-
thousand, spirit-sister," she bows. "I will be the director of daycare
services for Tere'na Province."

"I'm Kasumi Tendou, spirit-sister. Pleased to meet you. And who's
this beautiful little girl?!" she then gazes at Shunran, now staring wide-eyed
at the Terran.

"This is Priss' adopted daughter, Shunran Aipurisu Renning. Say
hello, Shunran-chan!"

"Hello," Shunran chirrups.

"Hey, she can talk already?!" Ranma-chan rises as the others gather
around. "Guess regeneration improved her skills a lot, huh?"

"More ways that one," Kasumi-chan admits. "When Catty examined her
after Priss killed her father, she was horrified to see the brain damage
Shunran suffered. Poor dear."

"How awful!" Kasumi gasps. "What sort of horrible man would do that
to his baby girl?"

"Don't worry!" Asuza winks, grinning. "After Priss hacked the slime
into sukiyaki, there was nothing left of his family to try to take
Shunran-chan back. How many did she kill again, Hina?"

"Fifty-five I heard," Hinako muses, then gazes at the child services
officer. "How long are you going to watch her, Kas?"

"Until Pathfinder Troop Six get back from some small errand Koruneko-
sama asked for," Kasumi-chan smiles. "Then they may go to the Planet of
Shadows to help Noa and the 'Hasei'cha' rescue Ataru-sama and the others, so
I might have Shunran-chan for a while. I hope Nabiki-chan is around to help
out."

"Hey, you got us all to help out!" Ranma-chan declares.

The door then slides open, revealing Souun Tendou. "I'm home,
everyone!" he declares...then stops, his eyes widening.

Kasumi and Kasumi-chan stare quizzically at him. "Is there something
wrong, Father?" the former gently inquires.

Seeing Shunran, Souun wails as a jet of tears douses everyone else!
"***OH, IT'S SO TRAGIC!!!!!! MY POOR CHILD'S BEEN RAPED!!!!!! KASUMI, WHO
DID THIS TO YOU?!?!?!***"

Everyone sighs, ignoring his hysterics. "Your father is a most
excitable man, isn't he, spirit-sister?" Kasumi-chan muses.

"He's quite tame today," Kasumi smiles...

* * *

After calming Souun down, everyone helped Kasumi-chan and Nodoka-chan
set up their hut in the yard. By then, Nabiki had come back from doing some
business with her spirit-sister and Kodachi-chan. With that, the two Akanes
and the two Kasumis pitched in to create a virtual feast for everyone. "I
guess your cooking's really getting there, Akane," Ranma smiles as he downs a
bowl full of rice mixed with Sagussan barley.

Akane beams. "My spirit-sister has one thing going for her:
tenacity. She doesn't give up. Besides, I had to start out simple, too,"
Akane-chan admits. "First with water, then with the simple grains, then the
soup stocks, then into full-course meals."

"And my stomach has been grateful for it ever since," Ranma-chan
smiles, staring longingly at her bondmate.

Akane-chan gasps as the crimson-haired watchmistress sends psychic
taps through their bond to tickle her nervous system. "Ranma, not at the
dinner table, you insatiable beast!!" she gasps, then sultrily gazes at her.
"Wait until *after* dinner!"

"Spoilsport," Ranma-chan nibbles her strip of beef. "By the way,
Misato called. She wants to know when she can come down to have her monthly
chat with you."

"I'm free whenever she is."

"Who's Misato?" Nabiki wonders.

"A psychologist...and a former suitor before Ritsuko came to sweep
her off her feet," Akane-chan explains. "Not that I don't mind, especially
since Ritsuko was another former suitor; I was the one who got them together
after Ataru came on his first visit. I always see her whenever I have a
problem."

"I couldn't hit her," Ranma-chan sighs.

"Why not?" Ranma stares at her.

"You don't assault a healer on my planet!" she gazes at him. "It'd
be like killing your own mother."

"That would be a problem," he nods.

"I hope it isn't a severe problem, child," Souun gazes at her.
"After all, any guest who helps my daughter overcome her problems, not to
mention teaches her a martial art, is as cherished as one of the family. Is
there anything we can do to help?"

"No, Mr. Tendou, but thank you," Akane-chan sighs. "This is
something none of you could help me with, not anymore."

Asuza, Hinako and Kodachi gaze sadly at her. Everyone else looks
curious, especially Ranma-chan. At that moment, a low growl is heard. "P-
chan!!!" Akane-chan beams.

The Sagussan's sandpanther stalks into the living room. Ranma jerks,
then feels his spirit-sister touch him, transmitting a wave of calm.
Fortunately, P-chan was alien enough that Ranma's ailurophobia didn't kick in
right away. "Hello, P-chan!" Kasumi-chan beams. "How was hunting tonight?"

P-chan responds in a litany of his usual growls and grunts. The
Sagussans, especially Asuza, blink. "You didn't!!" Nabiki-chan howls. "P-
chan, you stud, you! Way to go!!"

"Hentai!!" Asuza humphs. "Taking advantage of an innocent girl like
Charlotte! What's with men these days?!"

"Attaboy, P-chan!" Ranma-chan laughs.

"What, what?!" Ranma demands.

"P-chan did the wild thing with Charlotte earlier! He's gonna be a
father!!"

"How wonderful!" Kasumi claps her hands. "Congratulations!"

"Don't get in a snit, Asuzavayae," Hinako leans over to kiss Asuza.
"You know P-chan and Charlotte had a thing for each other even before you and
Akane named them! Relax!!"

"I know, I know!" Asuza sighs. "It's just that it'll get hectic when
we set up housing! We have to find a place close to Ranma and Akane so they
could be together!!"

Everyone laughs, then Akane brightens on hearing a squealing noise.
"Stormwalker cub!!" Shunran points out the door.

"P-chan!!" Akane grins as the small black piglet walks into the
living room. "Where have you been, sweetie?!! Come here!!"

Ranma shakes his head. Ranma-chan glances at him, then stares at the
transformed Ryouga before shaking her head and going back to her dinner. Her
spirit-brother's thoughts are pretty dark; Ryouga hadn't been around when the
Sagussans had visited before. Time to see what the sukebe lost boy-pig would
do.

Ryouga grunts as he stops, then his eyes bulge on seeing TWO Kasumis,
TWO Nabikis, TWO Akanes and TWO Ranmas, one male and one female! Shuddering,
he then notices the small green-haired Oni girl crawl to him, her eyes wide.
What was going on here?!

"Funny stormwalker," Shunran chirrups as she grabs him.

The pig/martial artist squeals as Shunran lets go with a blast of
pulse-photon energy! "Shunran-chan!!" Kasumi-chan gasps. "Don't! You have
no control over your force blasts!!"

"P-chan!!!" Akane grabs the dazed Ryouga from Shunran's hands.
"Shunran-chan, that was a naughty thing to do!!"

"I'm sorry..." Shunran sniffs.

"Oh, c'mere, sweetie!" Nabiki-chan walks over to gather the sobbing
girl into her arms, then escorts her back to her place. "That's okay!" she
coos, tickling Shunran's horn. "Hibiki-san is a lot tougher than that!"

*Sure don't...feel like...it...!* Ryouga grunts, then his eyes
widen. *What?! Nabiki knows?!! Oh, no, I'm dead!!*

"Nabiki-chan!!" Akane sighs. "Just because P-chan wears a bandanna
like Ryouga-kun does doesn't mean he belongs to him!"

Ranma sighs. <<I see your problem with him,>> Ranma-chan
telepathically soothes. <<Chill out, spirit-brother. If bacon-breath gets in
my way, he's dinner for OUR P-chan!>>

<<Thanks, spirit-sis,>> Ranma smiles.

* * *

"That hurt...!" Ryouga grunts as he slowly rises from the bath,
staring at the bruises on his chest and abdomen which still shine blood red
from Shunran's attack. All the more surprising was his pain after his
transformation back to human form; usually, any injuries acquired when he is a
pig cease aching when he transforms. "What type of kid is that?! I thought
aliens went to Tomobiki!"

"Not anymore," a voice echoes.

Ryouga sees Ranma relax at the doorway. "Ranma! What's the meaning
of this?!" he bolts over to grab the latter by his collar. "Where did those
doppelgangers of you, Akane, Kasumi and Nabiki come from anyway?!"

"Sagussa," Ranma hands Ryouga a towel. "Sit down and I'll tell you
the whole story."

A few minutes later, Ryouga nods. "So to keep other aliens from
disrupting our lives, the U.N. sent those people in, eh? And they're after
Ataru Moroboshi?! Man, that's as bad as them going after you!"

"I'll let that pass," Ranma rolls his eyes. "Anyhow, you better be
warned, pal. They can sense who and what you are just by touch alone and
they're not ones for lying. You can lay bets that sooner or later, one of
them might decide to tell Akane right off the bat. Once that happens,
Akane'll feed you to Akane-chan's sandpanther...and I know *that* P-chan
likes his meat raw!"

"Ranma, you must stop them!!" Ryouga grabs him by the collar.

"I ain't doing nothing to help you, pal," Ranma calmly pulls the
hands off, then rises to go to bed. "If I were you, I'd steer very clear of
them from now on; they'll be here for another month or so. 'Night, Mr. P."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!!!!" Ryouga howls.

* * *

Unseen by anyone at the Tendou dojo, a lithe figure stands across the
street from the front gate, her eyes narrow as she senses what goes on inside.
Without another word, she turns and walks away, disappearing in a transporter
beam...

* * *

The next morning...

"HYAAA!!!!!!"

The concrete block shatters as Akane breathes out, drawing back her
staff as she resumes the ready position. "Not bad!" Akane-chan gazes at the
results, then nods to the second one. "Again! Double stick!!"

"HYAAA!!!!!!" Akane drives both sticks against the block, shattering
it.

"Again!! Multiple strike!!!"

Another block shatters from a blow akin to the chestnut-fist attack
or the typhoon wind-fist. Outside, Ranma (as woman) and Ranma-chan are doing
unarmed sparring over the koi pond; Genma and Nodoka are spending time in the
latter's home catching up on their long separation, so Ranma's spirit-sister
took on the task of keeping him in shape. "Not bad for someone who's been
sleep-trained to do this for a century!" Ranma grunts.

"That's okay coming from someone like you!" Ranma-chan smiles as the
two leap.

Ryouga whistles as he watches them from the porch. No matter what
you said, these Sagussans were good. Lucky thing they, unlike other aliens,
had stated right from the start that they'd respect Earth's desire to control
its own destiny. With passionate, determined allies like this, disasters like
the Second Tag Race would never occur again.

He then shudders as his built-up anger, anguish and loneliness
thunders back to full steam. Ranma's warning about these women was just
another thing he was using to deny him the chance to be together with
Akari...! Akane!! Akane!! It has to be Akari...! *Argh!!! Why are things
so hard for me now?! Gods, what horrid thing did I do in a previous life to
deserve this?!!*

"You didn't know when to blame yourself!"

Ryouga jolts, looking to see Ranma-chan standing by the koi pond,
lightly smiling. "And what do you know about how I think about things?!" he
growls, glaring at her.

"I have to touch you to know your exact thoughts, but your emotions
are as clear as rain!" Ranma-chan puts hands to hips, smiling. "Stop looking
for others to blame and start looking at the mirror once in a while!! It
helps! C'mon, spirit-brother, let's look in on our lovely ladies!"

"Right," Ranma nods as the two head off.

*Oh, terrific, they're mind-readers!!!* Ryouga moans, then blinks.
*Wait a sec'!! 'OUR lovely ladies?!!'*

He follows them to the dojo, looking inside to see Akane-chan and
Akane in lotus position, their staffs before them as they relax. In the
middle of the dojo, a dozen concrete blocks lie shattered. "Whoa, she's
getting good at that," Ranma whistles.

"Yeah," Ranma-chan nods, walking in to stand behind her bondmate,
then leans down to embrace her. "Meditating's better when you do it with the
one you love, Akanevayae."

"Ranma!" Akane-chan tilts her head forward to allow her bond-mate to
kiss her. "Wasn't two hours last night enough for you?!"

"Taking delights of your lovely form?! Never enough!!"

Ryouga's eyes bulge out as they drift into a kiss, then shudders.
*Disgusting!!*

"What do you care?!" Ranma-chan and Akane-chan stare at him.

The lost boy jerks. Ranma laughs. Akane shakes her head...

* * *

"Aiyah! Shampoo very happy today!" Shampoo smiles as she wipes her
brow, then smiles at her guests. "Nice to have Shampoo-chan and Ukyou-chan
come visit, yes?"

"Geez, are you always this excitable?" Ukyou-chan smiles as she
shares a look with Shampoo-chan. "Relax, Shampoo. Besides, until the
geniuses back on Sagussa decide what to do next with Ataru-sama and the
others, we've really got nothing to do."

"'Cept get ready f'r Lufy," Shampoo-chan rolls her eyes.

Ukyou groans. "What that mean? What wild-girl Lufy want with
Shampoo-chan and Ukyou-chan?" Shampoo blinks.

"Before we can be promoted, we have to do a physical fitness exam,"
Ukyou explains. "Most of it's run by the Defence Force chief physical
education officer, Misa. But one part is hand-to-hand combat...and that means
either Priss or Lufy."

"Hopefully, we won't spend too much time in regen!" Shampoo-chan
moans, imagining the beating she'll get from the Gladiator pilot when they do
their HTH evaluation.

"Aiyah!" Shampoo sweats. "Shampoo see wild-girl fight toughs when
she come visit Nerima. Lufy worse than Great-grandmother! Shampoo no think
that possible!!"

"Well, Lufy was genetically bred to be that way," Ukyou sighs, then
explains the origins of the *pirpirsiw'r.*

"Real Amazons!" Shampoo smiles.

"Y'all c'n say that again," Shampoo-chan sighs, then blinks as her
mind senses something. "What th'...?"

Ukyou-chan tenses, then both look outside the window. "What wrong?"
Shampoo wonders.

"Stay here, Shampoo," Ukyou rises. "Something's not right."

The two watchmistresses step out of the restaurant, then look around,
trying to focus on the stranger who had just come into Nerima. "Feels
familiar," Ukyou hums.

"Y'all c'n say that again...but that's impossible," Shampoo-chan's
eyes narrow, then she tenses. "Y'all don't think..."

"They never found a body."

"Yeah."

Shampoo joins them. "What wrong...aiyah!! Look out!!!" she points.

Both Sagussans turn as a red-haired form slams into them, knocking
them into the pavement! Shampoo jumps back to see a wild looking young woman
in a very unflattering jumpsuit with metal wrist bracers, her crimson locks
failing to hide her tapered ears and cat-slitted eyes. Assuming a ready
stance, she scowls at the two she knocked down. "Get up! I want you on your
feet so I can savour pounding you into protoplasm!!"

Ukyou growls, rolling to her feet. "Nice attack! Your mother
must've taught you a lot!!" she assumes a ready position. "Pity she didn't
teach you enough!"

"That's what you think!" the girl snarls as she lunges at the
watchmistress.

Shampoo-chan rolls under the woman, her legs catching the attacker's
feet and sending her to kiss asphalt as Ukyou pounces on her. The stranger
rolls right, then rebounds to her feet as Ukyou's fist slams into the roadway,
leaving behind a nice big hole! Before the watchmistress could recover, the
stranger slams her foot into Ukyou's jaw, knocking her into Shampoo-chan and
sending them into the wall by the front door of the Nekohanten! Seeing this,
Shampoo snarls. "I KILL!!!!!!"

The stranger backs away as Shampoo produces two bonbori, then lunges
at her. "Not bad for a whimpy short-life!" the girl smiles as she dances
around the Chinese warrior-maiden, then delivers a vicious chop to Shampoo's
neck. "But not good enough!!"

Shampoo drops to the pavement. The woman then tenses as a storm of
grappling weapons race her way. Both her hands are bound up as Mousse tries
to yank her down. "How dare you strike Shampoo, alien?!" the weapons master
snarls as he throws his weight into yanking her toward him. "Prepare to
die!"

"Such a fanatic race!!" the woman sneers as she pulls, yanking Mousse
off his feet.

"Hey!!!" Mousse yelps.

One merry-go-round spin later sends Mousse into Ukyou and Shampoo-
chan, causing all three to go through the wall of the Nekohanten!! Tossing
the weapons aside, the strange woman smiles. "Tell Mashi her turn's next!!"
she taps her wrist-comm.

A transporter beam later, peace descends as Shampoo moans.
"Oooh...someone get name of elephant that hit Shampoo..."

"Child, are you alright?!" a voice gasps.

Shampoo moans as Cologne helps her back up, then staggers into the
cafe, where Ukyou and Shampoo-chan struggle to unravel themselves from
Mousse. "I trust you three are all right," the aged matriarch blinks
concernedly, quite surprised that the two Sagussans were taken down so
easily.

"Given the circumstances, *ashi'cha,* I'd say we're doin' pretty
good," Ukyou grunts as she staggers to the bar, feeling her jaw. "Man, she
kicks as good as her old lady!"

"You know the attacker, then?" Cologne helps her great-granddaughter
sit down.

"I know her mother...the one I *think* is her mother! But if so,
it's impossible. She was killed four hundred years ago!"

"Looks like Akane's got some explainin' ta do!" Shampoo-chan grunts
as she helps Mousse to his feet.

"How would Akane-chan know this girl?" Cologne blinks.

"Because Akane was the one who 'killed' her," Ukyou sighs, then takes
a deep breath to clear her mind. "Or so we thought."

"What d'y'all expect?" Shampoo-chan pants. "It wasn't th' prettiest
thing someone c'd be asked ta do, remember?"

"I remember," Ukyou closes her eyes, shaking her head. "Damn, she
would've been the best of us all. What a waste."

Cologne blinks, then her eyes widen. "You're saying that this
woman's mother...was one of you. A Sagussan."

"She was one...had she not rebelled against the Grand Design and
tried to make Akane rebel with her," Ukyou sighs. "*Ashi'cha,* do you have
some of that herbal ginseng tea around? Pony says it's perfect to help
stimulate our regenerative powers."

"I'll make some now," Cologne nods.

Mousse shakes his head. "If this woman's mother rebelled, why would
Akane-chan spare her life? That doesn't make sense. From what I've seen of
your people, you're more united in purpose than even my tribe back in China!"

"Yeah, you can say that, Mousse," Ukyou bites her lips. "But Akane
had more than enough reasons to spare her."

"Why?" Shampoo prods.

Ukyou and Shampoo-chan exchange sad looks. "'Cause they were
bondmates, spirit-sis," the latter sadly sighs. "They were Sagussa's first
couple."

* * *

Unknown to anyone, even the mysterious attacker, someone had watched
the battle from the perch of a water tower several dozen metres away. "So,
you finally decided to show yourself," Ranma-chan growls, a huntsman's gleam
in her eyes as she revels in the thought of the upcoming battle, something
for which she has spent a hundred years preparing. "Good! Once I'm finished
with you, sister, you'll wish you never heard of MY Akane!!"

With that, she heads off...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

"Hello. Pony speaking."

"Pony, it's Ranma."

"What is it, Ranma?"

"She's here."

Silence falls over the "Hasei'cha's" sickbay as the sloop's doctor
sits, her eyes widening as the realization of who the watchmistress is talking
about hits. "When?"

"Someone saying she's her daughter showed up to give Shampoo and
Ukyou a good pasting. Akane-chan's next."

"Your intentions?"

"What do you think?"

Pony sighs. "Alright. I'll tell Honey."

"Okay. Oh, Pony?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you...for everything."

"Thank me when it's over, Ranma."

"Hai, hai..."

* * *

"Well, you two don't seem to be too badly hurt," Toofuu Ono finishes
examining Shampoo-chan and Ukyou-chan. "Your constitution is stronger than
anyone I've ever examined, even Ranma-kun's. Still, you should see your own
doctor just in case there are complications."

"Thank you, Toofuu-i'sagh," Ukyou nods, rubbing her shoulder. "Being
pitched through a wall isn't my idea of fun."

"Nor mine," Shampoo-chan grunts, then stares at her spirit-sister.
"Y'all okay?"

"Shampoo still hurt," the Chinese warrior-maiden shifts the icepack
on her neck. "How strange girl fight so good?"

"In her genes, Shampoo," Ukyou sighs.

"She Yehisrite Amazon?"

"No, worse. Cha'than."

"What?!" the non-Sagussans blink.

"Bioroids," Ukyou sighs. "Sentient beings created in a laboratory,
human in every way possible except the manner of their birth. Bio-genetically
constructed to be the perfect soldier...and sex-slave, too, depending on the
demands of their 'masters,' the Kurosans. There's about a thousand Cha'than
*daishi'cha* in the Grand Design now."

"What sort of monsters are these Kurosans?" Cologne gasps.

"Were, Elder Mother," Ukyou amends. "The Kurosans died out five
million years ago."

"Um...Shampoo no understand," Shampoo blinks. "If Sagussan must be
dead before Gatherer come to make alive, by time Gatherer come to find
Cha'than, they be fossils!"

"Not true, believe it or not," Shampoo-chan smiles. "Y'all're smart
ta think that, spirit-sis, but th' Cha'than an' Umanoshippo
*daishi'cha*...there's about two thousand o' them; they come from th' same
time...w'all in cryogenic suspension themselves when Henry came. They w'all
dead by the time Henry found them, but th' technology that was supposed ta
keep them alive preserved their bodies, which made regeneration all th' more
simple." She then looks down. "'Cept one."

"The one who caused this," Toofuu hums.

"Yep," Ukyou nods. "She was still alive when Henry found her. She
would've been *daishi'cha* #62830...Aoeiioii-o...had she not rebelled. When
Henry found her, he gave her a choice. Either resettlement on another planet
or else join the Grand Design. She took the latter and subjected herself to
regeneration."

"Which should'a wiped her mind clean," Shampoo-chan continues. "But
sometimes, really strong-willed people c'n resist th' matrix's power t'an
extent. Aoeiioii-o fought th' matrix all th' way; when she emerged, her
original psyche wa' still pretty intact. Thus, when she wa' subjected ta
social programming, she went insane."

"We didn't realize it at first," Ukyou shakes her head. "She was
really clever at hiding her true self. She joined the First Fleet, became a
watchmistress. Shortly after, Akane joined us. It was love at first sight,
even back then. They bonded and everything seemed pretty rosy. But then,
Akane sensed what was happening to her. She tried to get people to help her,
but when she realized they were onto her, Aoeiioii-o went berserk."

"It took Lufy, Priss an' a dozen others an hour just ta get her inta
a cryotube," Shampoo-chan shudders. "But then we hadda get her off Sagussa;
even in cryostasis, she c'd attack people via th' Dreamscape. Akane jumped in
an' had Aoeiioii-o brought aboard an warpshuttle ta be fired at th' Galactic
Barrier at below Warp 4.4, which guaranteed her death. We rescued Akane when
she ejected from th' shuttle, then found th' wreckage drifting nearby. We
assumed Aoeiioii-o died."

"Ukyou-chan say never find her body!" Shampoo interrupts. "Ukyou-
chan and Shampoo-chan thought her still alive, yes?"

"We suspected she wa' alive," Shampoo-chan nods. "Even back then, we
understood that Akane an' Aoeiioii-o had something really special going
between them. So it seemed logical that Akane might've made an error in
judgement. However, what c'd we do? Devote rover units to search f'r someone
when we had no real idea where she c'd be? Was she still in cryofreeze; we
never felt her presence again in th' Dreamscape. What c'd we do?"

"That's all fine and fair, but right now, we have an angry woman who
would want nothing more than to avenge her defeat at your hands," Cologne's
eyes narrow. "And she now has a child, one willing to carry on the fight in
case she fails. You best alert the others as soon as possible, especially
Akane-chan."

"Right," Shampoo-chan holds up a finger. "But y'all better NOT tell
Ranma-chan!"

"Shampoo no understand," Shampoo blinks.

"When Ranma-chan...took interest in her, Akane got us all together in
the Dreamscape one day and swore us to secrecy over Aoeiioii-o," Ukyou sighs.
"We've maintained it to this day. Look, Ranma-chan is very protective when it
comes to the one she loves...but she's nowhere near Aoeiioii-o's fighting
class. You need Lufy or Priss to handle someone like her. And we don't want
you to get involved," she looks at Shampoo and Mousse. "Her daughter only
looked twelve to me, but she's pretty good already."

"Ukyou-chan say that again!" Shampoo moans...

* * *

"Hey, spirit-brother!"

"What is it?" Ranma gazes confusedly as Ranma-chan enters the dojo.
"Something wrong...what are you doing in my clothes?!"

The Sagussan laughs as she sits beside her namesake. "Relax, spirit-
brother. I just came up with an idea as to how to put the kibosh on your
Akane's sukebe pig admirer!"

"How?!" Ranma blinks.

Ranma-chan produces a glass of water. A second later, there were now
TWO female Ranmas in red Mandarin shirts and jogging pants. "I need you to
stay this way for a bit," Ranma-chan smiles. "The only real way to shake
Hibiki away from Akane is to wreck his confidence that Akane'll come to his
defence when he's in his cursed state. You always said that every time you
tried to get rid of 'P-chan,' she pounded you, right?!"

"Right!! I wish she'd back off from using the mallet for a while and
listen for a bit!" Ranma rubs the back of her skull.

"Well, that mallet won't slow me down," Ranma-chan smiles. "I know
you're chivalrous, but I'm not bound by those rules. Don't worry, I won't
hurt Akane, but from Hibiki's point of view, it'll be as if *you* were
finally tiring of her. He'd go nuts...and one hot water kettle later, the
jig's up!"

"I like it!! Well, I warned the creep. If he doesn't listen, then
it's HIS fault!"

Both snicker, then turn as the door opens to reveal Genma in his
panda form. The fuzzy beast blinks at the two female Ranmas, then he holds up
a sign. OH, RANMA-CHAN, WELCOME BACK! It twirls. YOU TWO UP TO SOMETHING?!

The Ranmas grin. Genma-panda grumbles, then holds up a sign. OKAY,
QUIT IT, YOU TWO!

One Ranma holds up a sign. WHICH ONE OF US IS YOUR CHILD? Twirl.
CAN YOU TELL?

Genma-panda lumbers up to stare closely at them. He points to the
Ranma on the right. "Wrong!" Ranma-chan rises, then turns, dropping her pants
to show her sequential tattoo and lack of panties. "You should know your son
better than that!"

HAD ME FOOLED! Genma-panda signs.

"Good!!" Ranma smiles evilly. "'Cause if you can be fooled, so can
Ryouga!! Time for bacon-boy to get his!"

Ranma-chan pulls her pants back up. "Thoughtmaster Saotome, by the
way, would you and your son agree to teach me some of your really special
moves?"

Both Saotomes blink. Someone from an advanced race like Sagussa
wanting THEM to teach her?! YOU WANT US TO TEACH YOU?!! Genma-panda signs,
then twirls. WHY?!

"Hai!! And Elder Mother Cologne and Thoughtmaster-prime Happousai,
if they're available, too! I need to get some extra skills down pat if I'm
going to face Lufy or Priss for my shipmistress hand-to-hand qualification."

"I doubt we could help you with them, but hey, if you want to help me
get rid of Ryouga, I'll teach you!!" Ranma smiles.

THERE'S MY SON!! Genma-panda signs. NOW IF ONLY WE COULD MAKE YOU
MARRY AKANE!

Ranma sighs...

* * *

"Oh, Ranma-kun, do you want some hot water?" Kasumi wonders.

"No thanks, Kasumi," Ranma smiles as she relaxes at the dinner table.
"Ranma-chan asked me to stay this way for a bit so I can help her learn some
moves."

"You're teaching her?!" Akane blinks, holding Ryouga/P-chan in her
arms. "Odd!"

"You're telling me," Ranma shrugs. "But she needs some extra help
when the day comes that she's tested before being promoted. Military thing, I
guess."

"But what could you teach?!" Nabiki asks.

"Oh, the special stuff like the kachuu tenshin amaguriken," Ranma
smiles. "In fact, spirit-sis says that once she gets used to the moves,
she'll think of Sagussan names for them and pass them on to anyone back home
who'd want to learn them."

"Unbelievable," Souun pats Ranma's shoulder. "Well done, Ranma-kun!
By acts such as yours, we stand to make real friends with these people!
You're not just serving the School by teaching your spirit-sister, you're
serving all of Earth."

"Thanks, Mr. Tendou. Oh, by the way, spirit-sis might want you to
help teach her."

"I'll be happy to help," Souun nods as he returns to dinner.

"A pity I couldn't teach her anything," Akane sighs forlornly.

"Sure you can," Ranma smiles. "I mean, power-breaking isn't
something I do often, but it's a great chi-focusing exercise. In fact, you
can lead in when I teach spirit-sis the mouko takaibisha."

Akane stares wide-eyed at Ranma. "You mean it? You really want me
to help?"

"Of course," Ranma smiles. "I mean, when we do marry, you'll be a
teacher at the dojo, too, right? You need as much experience teaching
students as I do."

Akane blinks, feeling her cheeks flame at his compliment. Nabiki and
Kasumi exchange surprised looks. Souun weeps for joy. "Oh, at last, Ranma-
kun's finally admitting he wishes to marry Akane! Oh, joy, oh, joy, oh, joy!!
I'm so happy!!!"

"At our own time, Mr. Tendou!"

Shuddering, Ryouga glares balefully at his arch-rival. How DARE he
deceive Akane like that?! Pretending to like her, then breaking her heart
like he always did!! No more! With a snarl, he lunges at Ranma...

...and gets impaled by two chopsticks! "Gee, bacon-breath, you must
be a little jealous!!" Ranma smiles, tossing the transformed wanderer into a
nearby wall.

"Ranma!!!" Akane bolts up, Mallet-sama appearing. "Stop picking on P-
chan!!!"

"Akane, you even THINK of using that thing, I'll drive it so far down
your throat, you'll need a derrick to pull it back up again!!" Ranma glares
evenly at her.

Akane's eyes widen on seeing Ranma's icy glare. Given Ranma's
skills, the latter could do that; even with his vow never to fight a woman, it
surprised the youngest Tendou that Ranma never threatened that before
concerning Mallet-sama. Souun, Kasumi and Nabiki are frozen in shock, stunned
that Ranma would make such a threat in the first place.

Dazed, Ryouga shakes his head, then notices the stand-off. Hearing
Ranma's threat, he shudders, heat exploding from his body. A-hah!!! He KNEW
this would happen sooner or later!! It was time to press it! He knew it
would hurt Akane in the short run, but in the long term, would do her a world
of good. With a growl, he lunges at Ranma...

...and is nailed by a two-hand neck chop! He drops dazed to the
floor, his nervous system overloaded by a blast of psi-energy a hundred times
worse than Shunran's pulse attacks. Ranma stands. "Ryouga, Ryouga, Ryouga,
you really sicken me! I think it's high time this farce ends! Kasumi, could
you fetch some hot water please?!"

"Hot water, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi blinks.

"Hai. Hot water."

"Of course," Kasumi heads to the kitchen.

"Ranma!!!" Akane shudders as she wonders whether or not to press her
attack.

"Relax, Akane," Ranma sighs. "It'll be clear soon enough."

Kasumi returns with a hot water kettle. Ranma takes it, grabs the
transformed Ryouga, then sighs. "By the way, I'm Ranma-chan."

The water is poured. Akane's eyes bulge out in shock as P-chan
disappears and Ryouga appears, still very dazed and confused by Ranma-chan's
psi-attack. Seeing this, Souun and Kasumi exchange looks. "I'll be damned!"
Nabiki whistles. "No wonder Ranma-kun was so jealous of P-chan!! Ryouga was
cursed, too!!"

"I...what...P-chan...Ryouga...no...!" Akane stammers.

"Relax, Akane," Ranma-chan smiles. "Think it through. You're
smart. It's okay; he can't fumble out an excuse right now."

"Cursed?!! Ryouga...how could you?!!"

Ranma-chan douses Ryouga with cold water. Gone is a dazed martial
artist, to be replaced by a dazed P-chan. "According to my spirit-brother,
Hibiki here followed him to this place where they got cursed, then got knocked
into one of those ponds to become this! He's blamed Ranma for it ever since."

Akane shudders, the memories of the many times Ranma has called
Ryouga "pig boy," "Mr. P" or "P-chan" flashing through her. Why didn't she
listen to him? Why...?

The front door slides open, revealing Nabiki-chan with Shunran after
a day shopping. "I see your plan went like clockwork, Ran," the child
services director smiles. "Looks like Hibiki-san won't be paying too many
visits to this place from now on."

"Indeed," Souun sighs, staring at Ranma-chan. "Would you care to
explain why you just did this, Ranma-chan?"

"Simple," Ranma-chan contemptuously holds the dazed Ryouga in her
hand. "When I understood the whole problem, I realized that my spirit-
brother's sense of honour and guilt would always interfere in his trying to
remove him from your daughter's life. By what I sense from you and Kasumi,
you were both aware of this, but stayed silent for whatever your personal
reasons were. I don't care to know them. Where I come from, if subterfuge
like this occurs, MY honour demands I expose it. Besides, what I said
earlier to Akane is correct as far as I can sense from my spirit-brother.
According to your system of relationships, there can be no competition.
Ryouga is competition, wouldn't you agree?"

"I would," Souun sighs.

"YOU KNEW?!?!?!" Akane gasps. "Dad!!!"

"Akane, please," Souun sighs. "Ranma-chan is right! Ranma-kun's
given you many hints as to what was going on, pressing his sense of honour to
the limits and beyond in many cases. Besides, by our code of honour, Ryouga's
curse is a grave vulnerability, something we couldn't make general knowledge,
especially since he also has fought on your behalf many times. I agree the
time had long since passed that this farce ended and I'm more than glad that
Ranma-chan had the determination to see it end."

Akane blinks, then sighs. "I owe Ranma one big apology," she looks
down. "I've given him enough trouble over 'P-chan' to have really soured his
opinion of me."

"Talk to him, Akane," Ranma-chan smiles. "But keep Mallet-sama out
of the way...or I might loan my spirit-brother THIS!!!!"

The Ultimate Idiot Basher appears. "Seeing as how Ataru put THAT
sucker to use, that IS a threat!" Nabiki grins.

Akane sweats, then laughs. "In the meantime," an evil smile crosses
her face as she grabs Ryouga by his bandanna. "Until I decide what to finally
do with you, I'll make sure you stay out of mischief!" She then turns to
Shunran. "Shunran-chan, want a toy?"

"Toy, toy, toy!!!" the young Oni chirrups, hands out.

Seconds later, pained squeals escape the Tendou home echoed with the
*crack!* of Shunran's pulse blasts! Everyone laughs...

* * *

Later, the front gate of the Tendou home opens, revealing Misato in
her usual civilian dress, a gold halter-top over cut-off jeans, her hair in a
high ponytail. A small bag is slung over her shoulders as she walks to the
front porch. Beside her is her sandpanther, black-and-white furred Penpen.
"Hello, anyone home?!" the psychologist calls out. "Akane?!"

"Oh, you must be Doctor Misato," Kasumi walks out, bowing to the
Fukunokami-born healer. "Please come in. Hello, there," she offers her hand
to Penpen for his inspection.

Misato introduces her sandpanther, then steps inside. "Hi, Akane,"
she grins on seeing Akane-chan sitting by the table. "How's guard duty going
these days?"

"It's been quiet," Akane admits as Misato sits, Penpen relaxing by P-
chan. "Everyone's off at school or busy shopping."

"That's good...oh, thank you," Misato smiles as Kasumi hands her and
Akane tea, then sighs. "Ukyou gave me a call."

"Eh? What about?" Akane blinks.

"You spared her life, didn't you?"

Akane feels a chill run down her spine, then looks down. "How did
you know?"

"Because her daughter showed up earlier and nearly put Ukyou,
Shampoo, her spirit-sister and Mousse into an early grave," Misato gazes
sympathetically at her. "You should've been more careful all those years ago,
Akane."

"Put yourself in my position, I'sagh," Akane stares balefully at her.
"What would you do if you had to fight Ritsuko to save your people? Were
they badly hurt?"

"No, just bumps and bruises, plus wounded pride. Akane, sooner or
later, Ranma's going to find out. Haven't you told her yet?"

"No...and I intend not to," Akane shakes her head. "What I did with
Irunmei is my business. I can't continue a relationship with Ranma with that
unfinished...and **I** must be the one who finishes it, not Ranma."

"Akane..."

"No!!" Akane holds up her hand. "Don't give me this lecture on it
being 'all our fight!' Misato, I know Irunmei enough to guess that when she
or her daughter comes after me, they won't brook others trying to fight in my
stead! That just makes the matter worse. I want to solve this WITHOUT
turning it into an all-out war. We're still guests on this planet and if
something like that goes to Chaos in a handbasket, our chances at making
normal relations with Earth suffer. This is the lousiest time for Irunmei to
come back, not while we're on thin ice with our hosts. I HAVE to handle this
myself; I'm the only one I can truly trust to settle this business!"

Misato sighs. "If that's your choice..."

* * *

"Try it now, child."

Ranma-chan breathes in, then cries out as her fists launch into
action, "***KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!!!!!***"

Chestnuts roasting on the open pit disappear, reappearing in a pile
by the watchmistress' feet. In two seconds, they are all free of the heat as
Ranma-chan pulls back, no sign of pain in her face or burns on her hands.
Cologne looks. "Splendid, child! If I had students that learned as fast as
you did, I'd soon be out of work as a teacher!!"

"Not that easily, Elder Mother," she smiles, then looks at her
hands. "The concept of this is surprisingly simple. Merely allow oneself to
slip one's mind into the *te'a* and use Its Power to strengthen one's *mei'na*
and shield the arms from the air friction. I'm surprised people back in the
Fourth Republic never came up with this sort of attack."

"They were too much in love with technology to worry about the more
practical things, Ranma," Kasumi-chan smiles as she cradles Shunran in her
lap, the latter still holding a dazed Ryouga/P-chan. "Such a pity. Still,
if that didn't happen, none of us would be alive today to worry about it."

"True," Ranma-chan nods. "I'm surprised some genius then never
figured out an equation for how an event can affect the future."

"How can you predict Infinity?" Kasumi smiles knowingly. "Just
accept. No use plaguing your mind with problems you can't affect. Right,
Ryouga-san?" she stares at the transformed martial artist in Shunran's hands.

*What do you know about problems you can't affect?!!* Ryouga glares
at the Oni-born child services office.

Ranma-chan walks over and bops him over the head. "Don't talk back
to a healer, stupid!!" she growls. "It's bad luck!"

The piglet glares balefully at her, though he knew better than to
launch an attack, especially with Shunran holding him down. *This is YOUR
fault!!! Yours and Ranma's all the way!! How DARE you interfere in my quest
for vengeance?!!*

"'Vengeance?!'" Ranma-chan blinks, then turns to Ranma, who has
remained quiet throughout her training. "Is this what this is all about,
spirit-brother?!"

"I've accepted that he's got a right for his anger," he admits. "But
then he crossed the line when he refused to tell Akane what happened. Well,
now he doesn't have to worry about it...especially with Akari around!"

Ryouga jerks. *A-a-akari...!*

Shunran blinks. "Stormwalker cub sad?" she pets his head, then turns
him to face her. "Shunran kiss and make good!"

Ryouga moans as the young Oni delivers a kiss to his snout, then
shakes his head. *Cute kid, but annoying as all hell!!*

"You're lucky Priss isn't here, Hibiki," Ranma-chan smirks. "If she
heard you say that about Shunran-chan, you'd be chopped bacon on the table
when she got done with you!"

*And who's fault is that?!* Ryouga hums.

Ranma rolls his eyes; even without his spirit-sister's powers, he
knew what that look meant. "Sheesh, you don't give up, do you?" Ranma-chan
snorts. "Why don't you just go to this Jusenkyou place, find the right spring
and get it over with? Stop procrastinating!"

Pain then flashes across Ranma's and Ryouga's faces. "Was it
something I said?" Ranma-chan blinks concernedly.

"It's not your fault, child," Cologne sighs. "Just before the
attempted marriage between son-in-law and Akane, Jusenkyou was destroyed, the
ponds buried under an avalanche of water from Mount Phoenix. The waters in
each spring were mixed together. There'll be no cures coming from that
direction."

"The regeneration matrix could help," Kasumi then proposes.

"We're not allowed to do that without special permission...and that
won't come for some time," Ranma-chan then pats Ranma's shoulder. "Hey,
spirit- brother, relax! It's not the end of the world, you know. Actually,
being half- female'll add loads of spice to your relationship with Akane.
You'd be both child-mate and bondmate to her."

"As you see things," Ranma shrugs, then looks at Ryouga. "Hey, Mr.
P, how'd you like to be human again? You can show Shunran-chan there some of
your stuff?"

"Yes!" Kasumi smiles. "After all, your shishi houkoudan is similar
to Shunran-chan's blasts. You can teach her some control."

Ryouga blinks, looking at Ranma, then Kasumi. *You...you really mean
it?!* he grunts, staring at Shunran.

"Why not?!" Ranma smiles.

Ryouga grunts affirmatively, then relaxes in Shunran's arms as Ranma
and Kasumi head off to the Furinkan High School gym. Cologne watches them go,
then sighs, shaking her head.

"You know it won't happen between them."

The matriarch stares at Ranma-chan, who calmly returns her gaze. "I
keep forgetting that while you may look seventeen, you're well over a hundred
years old," Cologne chuckles.

"I didn't mean to say that with disrespect, Elder Mother," Ranma-chan
gently clasps her hands behind her head. "But you know deep down, my spirit-
brother wants Akane. He has no intimate feelings for Shampoo, none I can
sense. She's a friend and fighting companion; that's all he sees of her."

"True, but the laws of my clan are very strict on the matter,"
Cologne relaxes as the two nibble on the chestnuts. "Granted, I can see the
problem more holistically than Shampoo can. It would be a great asset to the
Nyu-che-zuu for Ranma to be part of us. His skills are almost a match for
Lufy and Priss. True, he still has many shortcomings, but his determination
to learn and expand will overcome that. Still, I can see no real way out for
Ranma or Shampoo for that matter."

"Mousse is a potential way out," Ranma-chan hums. "He's fought on
Shampoo's behalf many times over the last couple of years. In my eyes, he's
long proven himself."

"Yes, in my eyes as well," Cologne nods. "But the law states Mousse
must personally defeat Shampoo in combat before there could be a marriage.
Like your Elder Mother Noa can't defy the laws of your planet, I can't defy
the laws of my tribe when it comes to that."

Ranma-chan shakes her head. History had long proven that social
rigidity was the armageddon of many a good culture. The extreme opposite of
that situation, rapid social change, was just as bad as was brutally proven on
Sagussa during the age of Gisan'cha. Cologne was trying to thread her tribe
through the changes required to keep her tribe alive and well in the face of
industrialization and globalization now seizing China. Ranma-chan didn't envy
her the task, nor would she envy Noa were she to face a similar task. Still,
the disharmony of Ranma's current fiancee and would-be fiancees could be life-
threatening if tempers totally flew out of control.

"Maybe we can use the laws, then," Ranma-chan muses. "If Mousse
understands these laws, then what's holding him back? He is very well-skilled
from what I've seen of him."

Cologne nods. "Indeed, he is much better skilled than Shampoo. I've
always wondered why he's never taken the opportunity."

"Something we should concern ourselves with," Ranma-chan reaches into
her bag for a portable phone. "But I'll get Shampoo and Ukyou to look into
that. Right now, what say we try to solve the problem of Jusenkyou."

"What are you doing?" Cologne wonders.

Ranma-chan opens the receiver, then dials a number to connect her
through the orbiting "Hasei'cha" back to Sagussa. A silver haired Tritonian-
born woman appears on the viewscreen. "Hello, Ranma, what is it?"

"Hi, Ifurita," Ranma-chan grins. "Listen, I need a big favour from
you and the girls. Can you come down to Earth?"

"We could be there as soon as we can," Ifurita nods. "What sort of
problem is it?"

"Well, you better bring the *stuff,* too," Ranma-chan advises. "This
requires a bit of land restoration."

"I understand. On our way."

The line is cut. "What do you intend to do?" Cologne gazes at the
watchmistress.

Ranma-chan puts the phone away. "If you need Jusenkyou back intact
to help my spirit-brother and the others, then that's what you're gonna get."

"How is that possible?" Cologne wonders.

"By our form of magic," Ranma-chan winks. "In the meantime, I want
to take a crack at the other stuff Ranma knows...eh?!"

The matriarch tenses, then follows the Sagussan's gaze to a water
tower. There, two people stand on it, barely discernable from this distance.
"What is it, child?"

"Onis," Ranma-chan's eyes narrow. "Now why are they here? They know
they're not supposed to be outside Tomobiki. Something tells me whoever was
backing up Suzuki and Takanaba aren't finished with Nerima yet."

Cologne hums...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

"Hey, Hitomi!"

"Oh, hello, Nabiki!" Hitomi Miyaki bows as Nabiki, Nabiki-chan and
Kodachi-chan approach her and Fungi downtown. "What brings you about these
days...eh?!" she stops on seeing the similarity between her former classmate
and her Sagussan namesake. "Wow!! Your dad must be freaking out right now!"

"Yeah, he is," Nabiki winks at Nabiki-chan. "Wait until you hear how
he reacted when he saw Kasumi and her spirit-sister. How are you and
Fungi-kun getting along?"

"We'll be getting MUCH better along in a while," Hitomi waves her
engagement ring.

"Congratulations," Kodachi smiles at the Niphentaxian. "Have you had
the chance to call home and tell your parents?"

"Not really," Fungi admits. "I want to wait for a bit, at least
until Oogi and his crowd are out of the way. If I call now, they'll realize
what's going on between your people and mine, then attack right away. You
don't want to have that happen while you're still distracted by the Mikado, do
you?"

"Not really. Pity! I was looking forward to having some fun at
Oogi's expense."

"If it's fun you want, you might just get the chance," Hitomi warns.
"Fungi-kun just noticed some Onis having arrived in town."

"Lum's people?!" Nabiki blinks. "What are they doing here?!"

"I don't know," Fungi ruefully shakes his head. "The sensor devices
my team laid out around Nerima are still operational and I can tap into them.
Hitomi-chan's parents've allowed me to set up shop in their basement. Near as
I can tell, there's a half-dozen of them in town now, though they come in and
out most of the time. I guess after the Tripwire thing, they realize staying
still for long'll definitely draw you in to investigate."

"When Troop Six returns, I'll ask Nene to come see you," Kodachi
muses. "She can augment your sensors so we can tap into their
conversation...unless they're under EMCON."

"'EMCON?!'" Nabiki and Hitomi wonder.

"'Emission control,'" Kodachi translates. "Total silence on visual,
telecommunications or electromagnetic fields; listen but don't talk in other
words. Fungi-kun here practiced it to keep us guessing where he was...that
is, until his cyber-mouse probing the Kali-Shinobu Shrine attracted Nene's
attention. We may be much more capable than the Urusians technologically
wise, but even we can be spoofed if one takes precautions."

"Wonderful, just what we needed," Nabiki rolls her eyes...

* * *

"Are you well, my lady?"

"I am alright!" the woman hisses, causing the servant to jolt.
"What's happened is in the past!! Don't worry about it!"

The servant grimaces. Incredible. Even after learning what Uday
Renning did to her, her love for him was still strong. "If that is what you
wish, my lady," he bows. "Please excuse me. Do you require a healer?"

"No, I'll be fine," she waves him off.

He steps out of the master bedroom of the Renning House's personal
yacht, then heads back to the bridge. Along the way, he stops at the
portrait of Uday. The patriarch is depicted in his formal robes, looking
every bit the Imperial prince he was born to be...and was in the eyes of many
of his servants and close friends.

The image of the deceased patriarch of the Renning house then changes
in the servant's mind to the gory scene he stumbled onto that bloody night.
Uday's throat pried open by a knife, his lifeless eyes gazing at the ceiling,
unable to tell anyone who had killed him, his chief advisors, dozens of
servants and guards...and kidnapped Shunran. That didn't mention the lifeless
bodies of Tayoru and his small hit squad anonymously sent back to Uru from
Earth shortly after.

With that, the plot hatched by Uday to kill Yedris Seq and her
daughter Sugoi was revealed to the one no one wanted the plot to be exposed
to: Yethis Seq. The presidential chief-of-staff nearly had the Assassins'
Guild destroy what was left of the Renning House in retaliation, but was
called off when Uday's brother and chosen successor, Sayan, drew Yethis'
wrath, vowing loyalty to the Imperial Round as the plans for the Empire's
rebirth continued. With that, life went back to normal...until Shunran's
mother returned to claim her child and found her missing.

Out of a sense of pity for a dying woman, the few surviving servants
of Uday Renning took in Numon Kuk, allowed her to think she was the deceased
patriarch's wife so she could track down her child. However, the ship's crew
were under secret orders from Sayan to track down Shunran...and either return
her to Uru so she could be re-educated...or put to death if she was seen as
"corrupted." No one knew who her kidnappers exactly were, but the evidence
was hard to deny. The weapons used to kill Uday and his entourage were the
very same ones used by the alien troopers fighting Kakaru Azu's forces in the
"Tripwire" fiasco some months back. If they could locate these mystery
aliens, they could easily locate Uday's killer...and most likely, Shunran.

Luck had been with them for some time. With Lum's friends distracted
by the Mikado's actions, no one was paying much attention to guarding Earth
against renewed Imperial incursions. The "Hasei'cha," the ship that
humiliated Kakaru, was in orbit over Earth, but by staying cloaked and
keeping electronic transmissions to a bare minimum, they hadn't drawn
attention to themselves. There had been another ship, but it had flown off to
Sakusei some days before, then disappeared toward Vosian space. And
strangest of all, the Eternal Voyager itself showed up for a brief visit.
While Numon's crew were curious about this, they knew if they tried to be
overt in their investigation, they risked detection.

Even better luck soon shone on them. Passive sensors laid out in
Nerima, the central district of the ward of Tokyo that was also the home of
Tomobiki, had detected two Oni-Urusian women over the last day or so, one of
which was a very young baby. Now all that had to happen was to get a visual
ID of the baby, then they could press on to the next act...if Numon lived
that long, the servant's lips twist as he continues on his journey...

* * *

"How is your pain, Mother?"

"It is bearable," Irunmei, once Aoeiioii-o, grits her teeth, allowing
her daughter to draw the cloth over her head. "Unlike the woman across the
way, my body's built to endure this better."

The younger girl sighs, then looks out the portal of their cloaked
scout, her inner senses immediately revealing the presence of the Urusian
family cruiser in geo-synchronous orbit over Tokyo. This small craft had been
constructed from material salvaged from the superstructure of the shuttle that
would have been Irunmei's coffin had her bond-mate properly secured the
cryostasis chamber she had been imprisoned in before her expulsion. Unlike
other warpshuttles, that one had been built with warp engines in both the
superstructure and the main hull. Breaking the main hull away and allowing it
to crash into the Galactic Barrier, Irunmei used the superstructure to warp
into the galaxy, then put herself into cryostasis to wait an opportune time to
re-emerge.

Thirteen years ago a Gomianite ship found the lifeboat drifting near
their home system. Freeing Irunmei, the intoxicated crew happily welcomed her
into their lives. At first suspicious, Irunmei allowed them to take her back
to their world. One of them even mated with her to give her a daughter,
Poghmei. For the last twelve years, Irunmei and Poghmei had lived a peaceful
life in the lower town of Gomiana's capital city.

Then Irunmei sensed the awakening of her beloved bondmate. Keeping
herself silent, she probed Akane-chan's thoughts, trying to understand what
happened to her over the last four hundred years. Much to the Cha'than-born
woman's surprise, Akane had too come to call her former bond-mate "irunmei"
(lost heart), still feeling overwhelming guilt over what had happened between
them. Other than that, Akane, who had adopted the name from a girl the Elder
Mother met on her many travels to Earth, had weathered the incident well and
was now trying to get on with her life.

Not to mention fend off a suitor.

Ranma.

Irunmei's surprise at learning of the latecomer's interest in Akane
soon turned to jealousy when she sensed them bond. How DARE the little
hatchling THINK she could step into Irunmei's shoes like that?! How DARE
Akane turn her back on what they had?! And in that blast of rage, Irunmei
did a very stupid thing. Getting very drunk one night at a bar, she allowed
a local drifter to take her to bed and have his way with her.

A drifter infected with Hifuto Syndrome.

Under normal circumstances, the flesh-eating filovirus, whose effects
on the body earned the disease its nickname "leprosy with an attitude,"
wouldn't affect a Sagussan. The regenerative enzymes in a Sagussan's body
would chew apart the virus in nanoseconds, then quickly repair what damage had
been done. All that would be felt was a general weakness for a week at most.

But when she was fighting for her freedom on Sagussa, someone had
injected into her an experimental genetic resin meant to dull her psionic
powers so she wouldn't hurt anyone via the Dreamscape. It didn't do what was
planned, but it DID degrade Irunmei's immunity system to the point where when
the Hifuto filovirus was injected into her, it mixed with the resin to create
a supervirus that her body had no chance to fight off.

Poghmei had begged her to find Akane, surrender herself to get
treatment and save her life. Irunmei refused to even think of going back to
Sagussa, but she did agree to the idea of trying to find Akane. After that,
she had no idea what she'd do; her mind was now so numb from the pain of her
body's succumbing to the virus that she hadn't the chance to think the whole
thing through. Maybe Akane could help. Maybe...

"Poghmei?"

"Yes, Mother?"

"Go to Earth. Find Akane. Bring her here. Tell her..."

The young girl nods. "Yes, Mother."

* * *

"How was it?" Asuza sits down beside Akane-chan on the porch of the
Tendou home, gazing at the koi pond.

Nearby, P-chan and Charlotte lounged under a tree, muttering sweet
nothings into each other's ear as they groomed themselves. "As expected,"
Akane sighs as she turns to her friend. "Did Ukyou and Shampoo tell you?"

"Yeah, they did," Asuza bites her lips. "Akane, you don't have to
fight Irunmei alone. We're all here for you."

"I don't want to hear that," Akane sighs. "Friends are good for many
things, but dealing with the likes of Irunmei'll just make matters worse, not
better. We can't afford to have all-out war here, not so soon after what
happened to Shinobu Miyaki."

"True, I suppose," Asuza sighs, then blinks. "There's Ranma."

The door opens and Ranma-chan enters. Both watchmistresses tense on
seeing the pensive look on their companion's face. "What is it, Ranma?" Akane
wonders.

"We got problems. Oni problems."

Akane and Asuza exchange looks...

* * *

In downtown Nerima, a now-human Ryouga walks alongside Ranma as they
help Kasumi-chan shop. Shunran sits perched on the lost boy's shoulder
tugging his hair. Ryouga does his best to ignore the girl, though a light
smile tugs his lips. *Day he gets his own kids, he should be alright,* Ranma
watches, smiling at his rival's feigned discomfort.

"Ah, this should be enough," Kasumi smiles as she picks up some
celery and bean sprouts, then turns to the cash register.

After paying for the food, the four head back for the Tendou home.
"I don't really think I should go there now," Ryouga tenses on hearing their
destination from Kasumi.

"The sooner you finally talk with Akane, the better," Ranma sighs.
"You don't want her to hate you for the rest of your life, do you? 'Sides,
the sooner you get it off your chest, the sooner you can go after Akari."

"Akari..." Ryouga pales.

"Oh, so we have a suitor?" Kasumi grins.

"Akari have BIG stormwalkers!" Shunran grins.

"A pig farmer?" Kasumi looks at Ranma.

"Yep," Ranma nods. "She raises sumo pigs, big palookas the size of a
truck. They're okay, just don't get them angry."

"I guess you have stormwalkers on this world," Kasumi smiles.

"How big are they on Sagussa?"

"Ten metres high, thirty long."

Ranma and Ryouga jerk. "Ten metres high...?!" the former blinks,
then both look up as they try to imagine the size of the beasts. "Man, we're
talking dinosaurs here!"

"Got that right," the latter shudders, then looks at Kasumi. "Hey, I
don't get it. If stormwalkers are that big, how can they live on a desert
like Sagussa?"

"They adapted quickly after the War of Clone Rights to survive with
little water and the scarcity of vegetation. Most of the size I inferred is
consumed by water sacs similar to what camels and llamas have. They can
survive for months away from an oasis or an abandoned well. Plus, there's
still a lot of scrub vegetation in the old seabeds and where Sen'a's light has
problem getting into like valleys. Food's no problem for them."

"Wow!!" Ryouga whistles. "They must be hard to take down."

"Hai. You need a pride of sandpanthers to drag a healthy adult down.
The ones we kill for food are either too old or have been brain-damaged when
they fight each other for a mate. Nodoka and I once watched two bulls fight
over a doe. It was quite impressive; sort of like the way you two fight."

Ranma and Ryouga blink surprisedly, then exchange looks. Both then
look away as they remember the countless number of times they had gone to
blows over a whole slew of problems, ranging from the bread fights in junior
high to the competition for Akane. "You know, maybe she's got a point,"
Ryouga chuckles, rubbing his hair. "We have been kinda going at it too
much."

"Yeah, that's true," Ranma nods, then sighs. "Still..."

"What?"

"I wish I could do something about you and P-chan," Ranma shrugs. "I
know it was my fault when I bumped into you, but at that time, I was so pissed
at Pops for being turned into a girl, I didn't see what was going on."

"Hey, I don't blame you. Going through that place wasn't a treat for
any of us."

"Well, I'm glad you admitted that!"

The two see Akane standing there, arms crossed. "Hi, Akane!" Ranma
notices the tense look on Ryouga's face. "Um...oh, boy."

"Hi, Akane..." Ryouga sweats profusely.

Akane stares at him. "I will speak to you later," she then announces
before walking up to Kasumi. "You're right about that one, Kasumi. These
two've ALWAYS fought like a pair of bucks going after a doe!"

"Well, if that's what you think," Kasumi nods. "Still, there is one
thing I remember."

"What's that?" Ranma asks.

"Well, when Nodoka and I watched that fight, we wondered what the doe
was thinking," Kasumi blushes. "Nodoka mind-probed the doe and found out that
she was incredibly aroused by the whole thing. It affected Nodoka-chan so
much, she turned and seduced me."

The Terrans feel their cheeks heat as Kasumi stares at Akane.
"Something tells me that deep down, Akane was turned on by two such strong,
healthy men fighting so much over her," the child services officer winks.

"KASUMI!!!!!!" Akane wails.

Ranma and Ryouga exchange looks. "You really think she may have
known more that she let on?" the former crosses his arms, giving his rival a
knowing stare.

The latter is quick to catch on. "Yeah, maybe," he smiles, staring
at the flustered Akane. "Makes me wonder if she wasn't leading us BOTH on all
this time!"

"Yeah!! Makes me wonder, too."

The woman in question gnashes her teeth, her embarrassment causing
the air around her to catch fire. "You two are BOTH a pair of perverts!!" she
growls as Mallet-sama appears. "I can't believe you're saying all that in
front of a little girl!!!"

"I can't believe it either!"

Everyone jolts, then turns to see a frail figure standing five metres
away, surrounded by a squad of thuggish Oni soldiers. "Who are you?!" Ranma
blinks confusedly.

Seeing the one in charge of the Urusians, Kasumi does a visual
comparison between her and Shunran. "Oh, my! That couldn't be..."

"I am Numon of the House of Renning!" the woman points at the girl
perched on Ryouga's shoulder. "And THAT is my daughter! Now turn her over,
you tailless monkeys!! Now!"

"Who are you calling a tailless monkey, Oni?!" Akane snarls,
tensing. "I happen to know that Shunran-chan's the daughter of Master Chief
Priss of Pathfinder Troop Six!!"

"Adopted daughter," Kasumi interrupts. "Strange as it sounds, Numon-
san is Shunran-chan's genetic mother."

"But you said Priss thought Shunran-chan's mom was dead," Ranma warns.

"So she thought when she killed Shunran-chan's father," Kasumi
reports, gazing at Numon. "And by the looks of her now, Numon-san is dying.
Hifuto Syndrome, I believe."

Numon jolts. How did this brown-haired traitor know of THAT?! She
had no scanner with her! "Um...what's Hifuto-whatsis?" Ranma turns
quizzically to Kasumi.

"It's a flesh-eating filovirus similar to Ebola," Kasumi's eyes
narrow. "That woman should be in isolation, not running around where she
could transmit the disease."

The Terrans jolt in shock. "And you bastards have the guts to call
US barbaric?!!" Ranma glares at the Onis.

"It's probably because of how low they think of us!!" Akane's eyes
narrow. "What a bunch of pigs...er, no offense, Ryouga!!"

"None taken!" Ryouga smiles dangerously as he hands Shunran to
Akane. "C'mon, Ranma, I'm in a mood to crack some skulls!!"

"So am I!!!" Ranma grins.

Numon gasps as the two strapping young men race at them, then leaps
into the air as the thugs draw out weapons. Before they could be brought to
bear, a storm of bandannas knocks them out of their hands. "C'mon!!!" Ryouga
ploughs into the aliens with the force of a battering ram. "Let's rumble!!!"

Numon growls as she watches her troopers taken down, then spins on
Akane holding Shunran. With a screech, she dives at the Terran. Akane then
yelps as Kasumi grabs her and leaps into the sky. "Forgot that I can fly,
too!!" Kasumi chuckles as she taps her wrist-comm's emergency alarm to summon
aid.

"Witch!!!" Numon spins, her fevered eyes ablaze with fury. "Give me
back my child!!"

A ribbon snares the Oni around the body, then like a yo-yo, she is
spun in to be totally entwined as she is dragged back to Earth. A second
later, a knife is put to her throat. "It's not nice to bother the natives,"
Poghmei smiles ruefully.

Numon shrieks, drawing the attention of the Onis now in the midst of
being pounded apart by Ranma and Ryouga. "Numon!!!" one of them screams,
causing the fight to pause.

Kasumi and Akane exchange looks. "That must be the girl who attacked
Shampoo and Ukyou earlier!" the former exclaims.

Footfalls are heard. Everyone sees the other Sagussans race up. The
defence officers are armed and ready to party. "You!!!" Ukyou-chan snarls on
seeing Poghmei. "You and I've some business to settle first, honey!!"

"Ukyou, stop!!" Kasumi barks as she lands, letting Akane and Shunran
down. "That woman has Hifuto Syndrome!!"

Ukyou jerks. "Hifuto?!!" Ranma-chan snarls, then glares at the other
Onis. "Hmpth!! Some 'democratic' union!!!"

The other Sagussans wryly grin at her comments. Nabiki-chan then
walks up, drawing a hypodermic from her bag and injecting it into Numon's
neck. The Oni slumps in Poghmei's arms as Nabiki draws out a tricorder and
scans her. "Damn!" she spits out.

"How bad?" Kodachi-chan asks.

"Third stage, terminal. Call Pony. We need to put her into
isolation, then have this area sanitized. As for them," she looks at the Onis
Ranma and Ryouga were fighting, "...have them put into the 'Hasei'cha' brig."

"Right away!!" Kodachi nods...

* * *

An hour later, Numon floats in a sterile null-g tank on the
"Hasei'cha." Probes scan into the dying woman's body as Pony stares at the
readouts from the monitor room. "Is there anything you can do for her?" Eluza
wonders.

"Not really," Pony shakes her head. "Regeneration won't save her
now; her body's too far gone. Cloning could help..."

The Sagussans wryly laugh. Nearby, Akane holds Shunran, Ranma and
Ryouga hovering nearby. "Why did she come here anyway?"

"She came here looking for Shunran-chan," Pony reports. "As far as
mind-probes could reveal, Numon there deluded herself into believing that
Shunran-chan's father Uday loved her...even after he had her injected with the
Hifuto virus after she gave birth."

"Sick!!" Akane winces.

"If Priss hadn't killed this jerk, I'd've done it on general
principle!!!" Ranma slams a fist into his other hand.

"So now what?" Akane-chan hums. "If we make Numon disappear, whoever
sent her here will get suspicious. I'm surprised her ship hasn't called their
base to tell them 'Hasei'cha' is here. From what we've heard, Kakaru Azu is
the type who'd hold a grudge."

"They're under EMCON, Akane," Kodachi gazes at her. "If they don't
want us to find her, they'll keep quiet."

"That's no problem," Poghmei shrugs. "They're sitting not five
kilometres away from my ship in geo-synch over Tokyo."

Everyone looks at the young girl standing with them. "So we have
them!" Ukyou snarls. "Let's pay them a visit!!"

"Hold it, Ukyou!" Eluza sighs. "We're not going to storm in like
gang-busters and do what we normally do. Technically, we are in the wrong
since it was one of us who took Shunran-chan in the first place."

"Hey, hold off here a moment!! Priss was medically insane at the
time!" Lufy snaps.

"Will the Urusian authorities accept that?!" Eluza wonders.

"We KNOW Shunran-chan's dad worked for the Imperials!!" Lufy
counters. "We KNOW Uday ordered that attack on Yedris and Sugoi some months
ago!! Who the flying fuck gives these assholes ANY rights, especially with
us?!!"

"Hey, can I cut in here?" Ranma cuts in.

"Yes, what is it?" Eluza looks at him.

"Look, I may not know the whole story about how Priss came to adopt
Shunran-chan and all that, but instead of debating about it like she ain't
here, ask her!" he points to Shunran, then turns to her. "Hey, Shunran-chan,
who's your mom? Her or Priss?" he points to the isolation chamber holding
Numon.

"Priss!" Shunran asserts.

"And who's your mom's bond-mate?" Ranma-chan adds.

"Sugoi-mashi!!" Shunran chirrups.

"There!" Ranma smiles. "Problem solved!"

The Sagussans exchange bemused looks. "Maybe we should just ignore
that question for now," Eluza sighs. "All we can do for her now is give her
comfort and let her end be peaceful. If she was sent here, whoever sent her
must known about her present condition."

"Do they?" Pony stares at her bondmate.

Eluza blinks. "Yes. Do they...?"

* * *

"Man, this is a stinker!!" Shido grumbles. "Getting caught by the
same ship that gave Cap'n Kakaru hell!"

"Who cares about what that bitch went through?!" Kyoltan sneers from
the other side of the brig. "You hear what she did when they came here? Shot
up who knows how many people! No wonder the Terrans got so pissed!"

"Yeah, ain't that the truth!!" Tarimi snorts. "Geez, I don't get
people these days!! We say we're gonna watch over Earth, then we turn around
and act like it's an Ipraedies world! Dumb!!"

"I'm glad you gentlemen said that."

They turn to see Eluza and Ranma standing at the doorway. "Who are
you?" Shido wonders.

"I'm your host, the commander of this ship," Eluza smiles. "I
couldn't help but overhear your words. I take it none of you are of the
Imperialist persuasion back home."

"We're just the muscle, Cap'n!" Kyoltan snorts. "We never gave a
shit about politics! We're security troops for Numon-san's ship!!"

Eluza's eyes narrow, her powers sensing the honesty of the six Onis
now in her brig. Hired guns, not wanting to attract unwanted attention that
could threaten their jobs. "I see. So why don't you tell me a couple things?
First of all, why did you come here?"

"We came lookin' for her kid," Shido sighs. "She got swiped sometime
ago after her old man got slashed to bits! Not that I don't blame whoever
killed the ol' puke!!"

"He was a prince," Tarimi sarcastically spits out. "He did the same
fuckin' thing to Numon that he did to his first wife! Pump her full of the
Hifuto shit, then left her ta die...and the real good part about it is, Uday
let her think he still loved her!!"

"Oh, man!" Ranma snorts. "I'm glad Priss offed the bastard!"

"Alright, then," Eluza crosses her arms. "If you were ordered here
to find Shunran-chan, what was to happen to her?"

"Well, if she wasn't corrupted...or so we heard...she would've been
taken back to Uru to be adopted by Uday's brother; he's the new Head of
House," Shido snarls. "If she was, she was to've been killed! If Numon
protested, she would've been offed, too!"

Eluza shakes her head. "Barbaric..."

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Tarimi sneers. "Man, Numon's a nice kid!
She didn't deserve half the shit Uday gave her!!"

"Really? So tell me, do you think Uday's brother knows about Numon's
condition?"

"Wouldn't've surprised me," Shido sighs, then pensively stares at the
shipmistress. "Hey, Cap'n, is she okay? Is she...?"

"She's alive," Eluza announces. "Believe it or not, we can cure
Hifuto Syndrome even at this late stage. It'll take a week's time at most.
In the meantime, I'll let you relax for a bit. Don't consider yourselves
prisoners anymore, but for your safety, you'll stay here until I decide
otherwise. Alright?"

The troopers blink surprisedly. "Hey, that's cool!!" Shido nods as
the others exchange hopeful grins. "Thanks, Cap'n!"

Eluza nods as she and Ranma head to the turbolift. Once inside, the
Terran stares at the Sagussan. "How come you told them Numon's gonna live?
Pony-sensei said she's a goner."

"True, but there are ways to make people believe she's still alive,"
Eluza smiles at him. "I've an idea, Saotome-san...and if it works, I can not
only give Shunran-chan a chance at a peaceful life, but also give Poghmei's
mother a chance at a new life."

Ranma blinks confusedly...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

"Welcome, honoured guests. This before you was once the valley and
training ground of the cursed springs, Jusenkyou."

Ifurita surveys the damage. Where there once stood several tall
mountains overlooking a small valley dotted with a hundred springs each with
bamboo rods sticking out of them, was now a lake with fallen boulders poking
through the murky surface. Deep under the lake, she could sense the psionic
matrices of each of the cursed springs merging, forming new strands that, if
they caught a traveller unaware, would ruin lives more profoundly than
Jusenkyou hurt those victims her friends were now dealing with in Nerima.
That couldn't be allowed. Jusenkyou had long been a place of sorrows. Who
knew what could happen if the monsters that could now be born in this place
were allowed to run loose.

"Go!!" she orders.

Taking their *haijo-ju* staffs, Miz, Shayla and Afura leap into the
sky, hovering several hundred metres above Jusenkyou. Ifurita turns to the
guide and his daughter. "I suggest you two seek shelter. This might get
messy," she smiles before taking off.

The two Chinese watch as the Tritonian-born scientist moves into the
middle of her companions, then Plum gazes at her father. "We best do as they
say. Come."

The guide nods as they proceed to their cabin on one of the surviving
hills unscathed by the battle between Ranma and Saffron. Once there, they
turn to watch. Seeing they are safe, Ifurita turns to Miz. "Now!!"

Miz's staff glows bright as a beam of energy lashes into the lake.
Instantly, a hundred waterspouts explode from the surface, forming into fair-
sized bubbles in mid-air. With that, Afura summons a typhoon-strength wind
to blow the rest of the water out of the valley and back toward Mount
Phoenix. Shayla then uses her staff to plug the gaps formed when the mountain
collapsed, thus ensuring Jusenkyou would never be flooded again. She then
cleans up the remaining rocks to restore the valley to the lush green that
had deceived so many. With that done, Miz allows the waters to return to
their springs.

Silence falls as the Jusenkyou guide and Plum gape at this
terraforming. Ifurita lands, and with her staff, sends bolts of energy into
the ground beside each spring. Small stone pillars emerge, each with the
characters naming each spring. The job done, Ifurita nods pleasantly at the
two witnesses, then she soars back into the heavens to join her friends. The
four then disappear in the blink of a transporter beam...

* * *

In orbit over Oshika, the "Hasei'cha" remains still as a warp-
equipped Gladiator pulls alongside. With all its cradles full, the warpsloop
could only take on another fighter via a retractable docking collar built
into both sides of the superstructure. Once the seal is made, the
Gladiator's pilot and two passengers disembark. Pony, Eluza and Ranma await
them. "Mizuho!! Miko!!"

Laughter echoes as the director of the Emergency Medical Response
Unit and her chief nurse hug their friends, then are introduced to Ranma.
The martial artist tenses as he feels their appraising gaze, then relaxes.
Ranma- chan had warned him that other Sagussans would automatically consider
him "good" genetic stock for future children and that being "inspected" on
first meeting was normal. He didn't mind it so much since Pony told him that
the two coming today were top professionals and wouldn't allow personal
desires to get in the way of their duty.

Besides, both were pretty nice to look at themselves; no matter what
one could say about the Sagussans, not ONE was displeasing to the eye. Mizuho
is Terran, with long brown hair and brown eyes, quite kawaii in Ranma's eyes.
Miko is Fukunokami, with black hair braided in decorative side pigtails and
purple eyes, even more kawaii than her supervisor. "We came as soon as we
could," Mizuho smiles, then nods to the pilot who flew them in, now relaxing
behind them. "Thanks, Tina."

"Anytime," Tinanokakyuu, a blonde *pirpirsiw'r* from First Defence
Squadron, nods as she heads to the cafeteria.

"What is the patient's status?" Mizuho inquires as they proceed to
sick bay.

"It'll be soon," Pony inquires. "But we have a second patient now:
Irunmei. Her daughter just brought her across from their ship. She's
suffering from a mutated strand of Hifuto that got through her immune system."

"Irunmei," Mizuho shakes her head. Both she and Miko had been
involved in that deadly farce. "Well, maybe we can truly help her this time.
What are your intentions?"

"Her DNA's degraded to the point where regeneration can't help," Pony
reports. "I want to splice in some of Numon's DNA into Irunmei as a booster,
then regenerate. For that, we need help to keep their *mei'na* intact;
Catty's still busy with Benten and Hotaru and Setsuna are in Tomobiki helping
Mie's family prepare for their eventual move to Sagussa. Besides, you always
want to be included when we deal with the strange cases."

"True," she nods as they enter sick bay.

Poghmei awaits them. After introductions are made, Mizuho draws out
her tricorder and walks around the diagnostic bed, where a sweating Irunmei
now lies. Akane-chan and Ranma-chan sit close by, sadness on the former's
face, guarded jealousy on the latter's. Once at eye level, the EMRU director
gazes at the would-be *daishi'cha.* "Do you remember me, Irunmei?"

"Hello, Ioaiaiuo. Still chasing bugs?"

"Very funny," Mizuho sighs, then stares at the readouts. "You really
have a nasty bug inside you right now. Did you have any sex with anyone else
after you were infected?"

"No, of course not!" Irunmei snarls weakly. "If you think I've so
lost my mind that I'd allow something like that loose, you're more stupid than
even I once saw you!"

"She's still feisty," Miko hums.

"Her worst problem," Mizuho admits. "We can't regenerate you
straight up because we no longer have records of your DNA patterns so we can
give the matrix a template to work from; they were disposed after you left us.
We have to give you something that'll stabilize your cells. And the only real
donor around here is her," she nods to the isolation ward.

Irunmei looks to see Numon Kuk floating in suspension, her body still
hours from surrendering to the voracious little beasts within her. Despite
the different races, they were physically similar in build and looks. Even
the hair colour and eye colour were the same. "Will it be much of a change?"

"Well, you'll inherit her flying powers," Mizuho reports. "She also
has the potential to utilize pulse-photon blasts; they've appeared in her
daughter. Plus, if you comb your hair right, they won't notice that your ears
are much longer. And if you absorb her memories, you could literally act like
her."

"Why do I sense that you want me?"

"We do," Eluza walks up. "Irunmei, you can say 'no.' But right now,
people like Numon are becoming apprehensive of our overt interest in Earth.
When people fear the unknown, the first thing they do is hate it, want to
fight against it. We've already had three big fights with the ones who want
Earth for their own purposes and we can expect a lot more. The point is, we
have no intelligence assets on the ground so that we can have some prior
warning before something happens."

"And you want me to be that asset."

"Exactly," Eluza nods. "I've talked this over with Carmen, Director
of Intelligence, who came after you. She's willing to support you in whatever
way you need. Now, it may garner some suspicions when 'Numon' appears alive
and well, but if you've been able to survive on Gomiana for twelve years, Uru
surely wouldn't be too much of a problem."

"No, it won't. I've dealt with many shady Onis and Seishins over the
last twelve years. I'm fluent in both dialects and I know how they behave.
Even if 'Numon' doesn't work, I can fit in elsewhere. Very well, you have
your spy. What about my daughter?"

"Akane and Ranma've agreed to watch over her," Eluza smiles.

Irunmei gazes at the *daishi'cha* in question, a wry grin cutting
across her face. "Well, I certainly don't mind the former...but I have
reservations about the latter."

"If you have a problem, come on over sometime so we can settle it,"
Ranma-chan muses, walking up to her.

Akane moans. Here she goes again! "Wait until Mizuho and Pony
finish with me, then'll I'll be more than happy to oblige you," Irunmei rises
to the challenge.

"Bring a bucket," Ranma-chan savagely grins. "You'll need it to cart
away your pride when I've finished smashing it out of you! See ya!! C'mon,
spirit-brother!"

Ranma shrugs, then follows her out to the transporter room. "Why do
I fall in love with people like you two?!" Akane snarls at Irunmei before
storming out of sick bay...

* * *

"Mousse, can I talk to you?"

"What is it, Ukyou?" Mousse blinks as she sits before him.
"Something wrong?"

"I'm just a little curious, that's all," Ukyou smiles. "Look,
Mousse. We all know what you have to do to win Shampoo's love. Why won't
you challenge her to a duel and get it over with? You'll beat her; your
skills are way better than hers."

Mousse recoils as if she slapped him. "Do you really think it's that
simple?" he wonders. "Do you honestly think all of us in the Nyu-che-zuu even
LIKE that law?!"

"I...don't understand. Look, we all know Ranma wants Akane. We want
to help it happen, but there are people standing in the way of that.
Shampoo's one of them. The only person who can move her out of the way is
you."

"I know that," Mousse sighs. "Look, there are some of us in the
tribe who loathe the idea of being violent with those we love and care for.
This whole idea of besting some in combat for her hand in marriage is
ancient, archaic; it has no place in this day and age. I'd rather take a
knife to my own throat than raise my hand against Shampoo! I love her!! I
will NEVER hurt her, ESPECIALLY for that!!"

Ukyou blinks. Though he said it with a controlled voice, her empathy
could detect Mousse's true mood when it came to this. He loved Shampoo SO
much that he was willing to tolerate her disdain, her contempt that he
wouldn't challenge her in the traditional way, just to be with her. And he
was serious about taking his own life if he went against his personal
beliefs. Two such opposite positions, never compatible. No wonder Ranma
couldn't do anything with these two.

Fortunately, help was available...

* * *

"You want me to WHAT?!?!"

"Y'all heard me," Shampoo-chan smiles at the frail man before her.
When she and her bond-mate decided to help set things right between Shampoo
and Mousse, turning to Hikaru Gosunkugi for help seemed logical. The
Sagussans were iffy to the idea of directly influencing events; years of
discipline and strict adherence to the Non-Interference Directive weighed
heavily on them all. But giving a gentle shove to others to make them change
people was easier to do. "We need someone ta make Mousse fight my spirit-sis
so she c'n be broken from chasin' Ranma. Since y'all've been studyin'
mysticism an' th' use o' potions an' all that, y'all c'n help!"

"I can?!" Hikaru swells with pride.

"Yep!" Shampoo nods, smiling seductively at him. "Besides, if y'all
help Ranma, I know Ranma-chan and Akane-chan'll LOVE ta go on a date with
y'all? Ukyou'n'I'd do it, too."

Hikaru trembles, his heart drowning in that sultry stare. Oh, this
was TOO much to take. Four such beautiful women as Shampoo, Ukyou,
Ranma...and Akane, spirit-sister to the one whom he had lusted for so
long...wanting to date HIM?! Oh, joy!

"O-o-of course!!" he stammers...

* * *

"Hello, Ryouga," Akane smiles as Ryouga wanders in. "How are things
going upstairs?"

"They've got a doctor and a nurse from their emergency medical
response team to come down to help Akane-chan's old lover," the wanderer sighs
as he relaxes beside the younger Tendou. "They'll splice some cells from that
dying Oni woman, then mix them into Irunmei to give her body the chance to
fight off her sickness. Don't ask me the details; I got lost right away when
they started to talk in that weird techno-language of theirs."

Akane chuckles. "We have to talk."

Ryouga sighs, then bows repentantly to her. "Akane, I can't begin to
apologize! I can't begin to beg your forgiveness for what I've done. I've
violated your privacy, took advantage of you, all just to prosecute my desires
for vengeance on Ranma..."

"Ryouga, please," Akane sighs. Deep down, she was very angry at
him. Her usual response was to give vent to her emotions and let Mallet-sama
do the rest. But after her experience with Ranma, Akane knew relying on
emotion alone to solve her problems would just compound the original mistake
and foster all the things she really didn't want to have happen. She was
trying her best to keep calm around Ranma, build on what they did share to
create something special. While she didn't desire Ryouga in any intimate
sense, she wanted something similar with him.

"You did violate my privacy and take advantage of me," Akane begins.
"You betrayed my trust. By all rights, I should throw you out of this place
and vow never to speak to you again. But there are good things you've done.
As P-chan, you've been there when I've needed a friend, someone I could tell
my secrets to. As far as I know, you've never betrayed my confidences in
that manner."

"I haven't," Ryouga shakes his head.

"As yourself, you've fought on my behalf many times," Akane then
smiles. "You've been around to help when I needed it. You've gone after
Ranma a lot for the times he's hurt me or insulted me. I should've guessed
you had a crush on me, which is really sweet. But I want you to know that I
do care for Ranma a lot and I want to create something with him. I love him,
Ryouga. And I know deep down he loves me and wants it to work out between
us. Like you, he has a problem trying to put his feelings into words; he's
never been taught that by his father. I may have been blind to a lot of
things, Ryouga, but now that I understand the truth of what's going on, I
want to try to make it work. Not just between myself and Ranma...but between
us, too."

Ryouga blinks confusedly. This WASN'T what he had come to expect.
"Akane...!"

"Ryouga-kun, I want us to be friends," Akane smiles. "I know how
much you must feel hurt because of your curse. After dealing with Ranma's
curse, I've an idea of how angry you must feel. Being small and defenceless
as P-chan, this world must be pretty scary for you. I know that with
Jusenkyou destroyed, you may never find a cure to your curse...but I don't
want that to cause more problems between you and Ranma. I want to help you
two finally bury the hatchet and make peace."

The wanderer blinks surprisedly, then looks down as he marshals his
thoughts. "Akane. Being cursed as I am with such a horrid sense of
direction, I've never known a stable place for any length of time. I don't
know where my home is, where my family is. I've been forced to grow up on my
own. And because of that, I lack the experience needed for dealing with
people. Until I met you, I've never known a real friend, someone who treated
me with kindness, with friendship. I fell in love with you the instant you
started doing that with me. Because I was P-chan when it happened, I
believed I'd betray that which you gave me if I revealed myself. Yes, by
being there, I could force a wedge between you and Ranma, which then served
my purposes. But because I loved you, I cared for you...for your sake, I had
to keep the illusion going."

"You kept it up well."

"Yes, I did. Whether that was right or wrong...well, that's your
conclusion to make, Akane. I wouldn't blame you one bit if you never wanted
to speak to me again. If this...was before I met Akari, I would've been
devastated if you rejected me. Who knows what I would've done next. But,
now...now I suppose it doesn't matter anymore. I'm beyond grateful that
you're willing to give me another chance to prove myself to you, Akane. Not
to take Ranma's place, of course. I suppose I've long known that you and he
would marry; it was just a matter of time. But because I cared for you, too,
I wanted to make sure he was the right one for you."

"Isn't that our decision to make?"

"Yes, it is," Ryouga sighs. "Yes, it's always been that. Maybe I
should go now."

With that, he rises. "Ryouga-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm more than happy to be your friend. But there's someone now who
wants you in a more intimate sense. Don't betray her."

"I won't," Ryouga nods, then heads off.

Once the door slides shut, the kitchen door opens to reveal Kasumi.
"That was wonderful!" she walks over to embrace her sister. "Akane-chan, I'm
so proud of you!"

"Yeah!" Akane sighs. "I wanted to knock his block off...gods, did I
just SAY that?!"

"It doesn't matter," Kasumi nods. "You said what you really felt. I
know deep down how much you can forgive people, little sister; if you didn't
forgive Ranma-kun all the time, even he would've given up and left you a long
time ago. Now, if you can do that with Ranma-kun, you'll go real far."

"I hope so, Onee-chan," Akane nods...

* * *

"Beautiful day today," Shampoo stretches herself, then walks out of
the Nekohanten. "Maybe Shampoo go find Ranma for date!"

"Maybe not!!" heat explodes from nearby.

Shampoo spins left to see Mousse standing there, the glow of his rage
forming a fearsome battle aura. "Mousse!!!" Shampoo blinks, having NEVER seen
him like this before.

"Why do you do this, Shampoo?!" he points accusingly at her. "Why
are you chasing a man who's been honour-bound since before he was born to
marry another?! Why do you disgrace yourself and our tribe by ignoring that
man's honour, by attacking him and the one he really loves with stealth and
subterfuge instead of dealing with it openly?!! Why do you ignore those who
do care for you to chase a dream that's blinded you since you met?!"

"What?!" Shampoo snaps. "Stupid Mousse! Why you interfere?!"

"I interfere because I know that chasing Ranma will only lead you to
heartbreak!!" Mousse growls, long claws appearing from his sleeves as he
assumes a ready stance. "I interfere because I love you, blind fool that you
are! I interfere because I know it breaks your great-grandmother's heart to
watch you make a total ass of yourself and bring shame on the tribe because
of the dishonourable way you've acted since coming to Japan!! If you can't
change your ways on your own, Shampoo, then I've no choice but to force you
to change your ways!!! DEFEND YOURSELF!!!!"

Shampoo screams as the claws lance at her with dizzying speed,
causing her to drop back in shock. She had expected much from her would-be
lover, but not THIS! Drawing her bonbori, she charges with a wild scream.
The weapons are sliced out of her hands by Mousse's claws, then a chain
snares Shampoo's legs. The warrior-maiden yelps as she is tripped to smack
head-first into the ground, then finds herself in a dizzying merry-go-round
spin. A second later, she slams into a telephone pole with the force of a
torpedo, knocking the breath right out of her.

The sounds of combat attract attention. "What's going on our
here...oh, my!" Cologne hops out on her cane, then stares wide-eyed as Mousse
advances on the dazed Shampoo.

"You haven't kept up with your lessons in combat!" Mousse growls as
he yanks Shampoo to her feet. "I wonder what everyone in China would think of
you now?! 'Greatest fighter of the Nyu-che-zuu!!' Hah, that's a joke!!!"

With that, his fist slams into her cheek!! Shampoo gasps as she
collapses, the pain overwhelming her. Mousse gasps as he glares at her, then
shudders as his eyes glaze over for a second. Cologne blinks as he staggers,
looking around confusedly as if wondering where he was. *So THAT explains
it!* the aged matriarch muses. *He was drugged into attacking her! Now,
who...?*

"Mousse!!" a voice barks out.

Mousse looks to see Ranma standing a metre away. "Ranma..." he
shakes his head, then gazes at Shampoo, now trying to shake the cobwebs out of
her head. "Shampoo!!"

"You beat her, man," Ranma smiles as he walks up to steady the
weapons master. "You won her fair and square. You have Cologne and I as
witnesses to it. Now you can marry her!"

"What...?!" Mousse gasps, eyes widening in horror, then he sees the
nasty bruise on Shampoo's chin. "I...did...that...?"

"You did, man!" Ranma smiles, then blinks on seeing the look of
revulsion and shame on Mousse's face. "Hey, you okay?!"

"No!" Mousse's voice is full of ashes as he draws a knife from his
robes. "I may have freed Shampoo from you, Ranma...but the only thing she'll
do for me is bury me."

Ranma and Cologne pale as Mousse sinks to his knees, the knife rising
to his throat. "What are you doing?" the matriarch demands.

"What I vowed I'd do should I ever raise my hand in anger against
Shampoo," Mousse stares at her. "You think all in the Nyu-che-zuu follow
that law, Elder? Do you think all of us agree to hurting the ones we desire
just to marry them? You disappoint me; I see that even one of your years can
be blind to a simple thing like that. Be warned; it may not be me in the
future, but one who believes as I do'll come to shatter the heart of one he
was forced to fight to win her love...by also ending his life as I will now."

Cologne's staff lashes out to stop the knife. "Before you do that,
you should know something," she warns. "If I understand your oath correctly,
you must be quite angry at Shampoo to strike out at her. I've never known
you to harbour those feelings for my great-granddaughter. That means that
what just happened was forced on you, mostly likely by drugs. Your oath is
intact."

"What...?!" Mousse blinks.

"You were drugged, man!" Ranma smiles, patting Mousse's back.
"Someone made you hit Shampoo. You did nothing wrong!"

Mousse looks down, then drops his knife, shaking his head in
confusion. Cologne turns to Shampoo. "Child, Mousse has defeated you.
Further, Ranma has acknowledged that act and, because of his obligations to
the Tendou Clan, which existed before he met you, stated he won't interfere
nor seek to take you back. As per our laws, which don't recognize what made
Mousse fight you, you must now acknowledge that he defeated you...and thus
acknowledge Mousse as your true and proper fiance."

"No!!! Shampoo no want Mousse...!!"

"SHAMPOO!!!!" Cologne barks. "Do you understand what almost
happened?!! Mousse is even now ready to end HIS life because he believes he
betrayed HIS most sacred oath towards you!! He is wrong; I do know of that
belief now existing in many men in our tribe!! Very soon, we will have to
acknowledge that belief as fact and accept it for the Nyu-che-zuu to
continue!! Until that time comes, the law of combat-for-marriage stands!!
He has defeated you! He has before that stood by you whenever you needed
help, fought on your behalf time and time again!! He was willing to allow
things to stay as is, allow you to believe as you did about him, so long as
he never broke his oath to you!! In my eyes, he has long proven himself
worthy!! And if you do not accept that as is, if you ALLOW him to end his
life, then you'll have an innocent man's blood on your hand!! If you allow
that to happen to one who has proven himself worthy to be your husband, then
you will be banished from the Nyu-che-zuu forever!!!"

The warrior-maiden shudders, then looks down, her eyes tearing.
Mousse vowed to do THAT if he hit her?! After insulting him, beating him,
spitting on him all the time...

"Mousse..." she gazes at the weapons master. "Shampoo sorry."

He stares at her. Smiling, she leans over to embrace him, placing a
light kiss on his cheek. "I love you."

Mousse blinks, then smiling, lifts his fiancee into his arms, then
carries her into the Nekohanten. "I think we'll be closed for today," Cologne
sighs, smiling contently.

"Yeah, they deserve it," Ranma crosses his arms, then hums. "I
wonder who it was that drugged Mousse into hitting Shampoo."

"I've an idea who instigated it, but I'll let it go," Cologne sighs.
"In their eyes, what we do to seek our mates is quite barbaric. They'd
attribute it to our 'stratified mating rituals' and wonder why we haven't
blown up the planet because of it."

"Yeah, they would say that," he scratches his head, then sighs. "You
know something. Even now realizing what I feel for Akane, there's still a
part that wonders what it would've been like with Shampoo."

"It's understandable. Part of me wishes it, too, Ranma. But the one
thing that made you so attractive is also the one thing that would've caused
such pain," Cologne sighs.

"What's that?"

"Your sense of honour, son," Cologne gazes at him. "I can guess how
trapped you must have felt all that time. Being engaged to Akane, Ukyou and
Shampoo simultaneously; your oath to remain silent concerning Ryouga's curse;
your disguising yourself to ensure your mother wouldn't force you to end your
life. You've borne it well these last few years, Ranma...but no one deserves
to have all that weighing on him at the same time."

"Yeah, you're right. But I'll say this," Ranma smiles. "While I got
angry at you for doing what you've done to me...of the two who've trained me
in the Art, you'll the one I'll always respect more...Thoughtmistress."

"'Two?' What about Happousai?"

"You know how I feel about the old lech!" Ranma bows. "I haven't
changed that much!!"

Cologne laughs...

* * *

Six days later...

"So someone had to drug Mousse into attacking Shampoo so the
engagement between you two'd be broken and she could marry him under their
laws," Akane sighs as she and Ranma relax with their spirit-sisters in the
Tendou living room. "Who was it?"

"Nope," Ranma sighs. "No offense, Akane, but that'll stay secret. I
know Cologne won't do anything but Mousse'll be plenty pissed that someone
made him do that behind his back. He takes his oaths seriously, too, you
know. The big mistake Shampoo made was that she never considered that Mousse
would have his own beliefs. The sooner their tribe comes to understand that,
the better things'll be between them and everyone else from now on."

"It's a good thing," Ranma-chan smiles. "Besides, we all got the
chance to benefit from it, too...right, Akanevayae?"

"Oh, definitely," Akane-chan grins. "Such a nice person that was.
The person who wins that one will be very lucky."

"You know?" Akane hums. "Spirit-sister."

"Don't ask us who it is, spirit-sister," Akane-chan smiles. "We have
our oaths, too."

Akane groans, then blinks as the door opens to reveal Mousse and
Shampoo. "Ni hao!!" the latter smiles. "Can we come in?"

"Hey!" Ranma waves them inside, then smiles. "So, how was your
wedding night?!"

Shampoo sighs. "Shampoo idiot for not thinking of Mousse's
feelings," she looks down. "Shampoo so blind for Ranma, she no take time to
consider what Mousse believe."

"It's okay," Mousse kisses her, then looks at the Sagussans. "Ranma-
chan, Akane-chan, please tell Hikaru I bear no ill-will for what he did. I
guess we both needed that to realize what we were doing to each other."

"Hikaru?!" Akane blinks surprisedly. "As in Hikaru Gosunkugi?!"

"Yeah," Mousse chuckles. "The Sagussans themselves are adverse to
directly affecting people themselves because of their belief in the Non-
Interference Directive. They would be automatically inclined to get someone
local to help us. The only two outside Shampoo's great-grandmother who could
have done it are Kodachi Kunou and Hikaru Gosunkugi. Now, we know Kodachi
isn't the type to do that, even if getting Shampoo out of the way would clear
the road a bit more for her to get Ranma. And since Hikaru has had pretty bad
luck with the ladies, a little enticement on the Sagussans' part would've got
him to play along."

"In other words, you tricked him into doing it for a date!" Akane
spins on Akane-chan. "Shame on you!"

"It was honest payment for services rendered, spirit-sister," Akane-
chan raises her hand as if taking the oath. "Besides, when he went on a date
with me, he met someone who he took an even faster liking than when he first
laid eyes on you."

"Who?!!" everyone urges.

"A cheerleader, believe it or not," Akane-chan hums. "Oh, what was
her name again...Mari...Mariko...?"

"Mariko Konjou?!!" Ranma blinks.

"That's her!" Akane-chan nods.

"Oh, Shampoo remember her!" Shampoo smiles. "Mariko girl who like
crazy girl Kodachi's stupid brother!!"

"Yes, that's true," Akane-chan sighs. "I think they'll make it out.
After all, Mariko seemed very lonely and Hikaru-kun is trying to get over his
crush on you, spirit-sister."

"Me?!!" Akane blinks; this was news. "How many other boys have a
crush on me...?!"

Beside she could complete her statement, a thunderous voice booms.
"***RANMA!!!!!!***"

Ranma-chan and Akane-chan jolts. "That's Irunmei!" the latter turns
to the door. "What's she doing here?!"

Everyone goes to the door to see a red-haired Oni woman with very
long Cha'than ears exposed thanks to her hair being in a ponytail standing
there, clad in the dark green-and-red uniform of an intelligence officer, the
number 62830-A on her arms, her cat-slitted eyes now fixed on her rival.
"Whoa, the change is something else!!!" Ranma gasps.

"What do you want?!" Ranma-chan growls.

"You challenged me for the hand of MY bondmate, hatchling!!" Irunmei
growls. "Now it's time to put up or shut up!!!"

"My pleasure, half-life!!!"

Ranma-chan hops onto the lawn, then assumes a position some distance
from the dojo. Irunmei assumes her position five metres away. They drop
into combat crouches, then bellow as they lash out at each other. "I can't
look!!!" Akane spins away.

A *crash!* finds Irunmei slammed into a tree! "Aiyah!! How Ranma-
chan beat wild girl?!!" Shampoo wonders.

"Can't be our training!" Ranma asserts.

Irunmei growls, glaring at Ranma-chan. "Never thought a non-
*pirpirsiw'r* would whip you, eh?! Idiot, not everyone on Sagussa was bound
by a promise to Akane-chan to keep quiet about you to me!! Pony was one!!!"

"Pony?!!" Akane-chan exclaims, her eyes widening in surprise. "What
did she do?!"

"Obviously genetic engineering to upgrade Ranma's DNA to make her a
match for me in case I returned!" Irunmei smirks. "Very smart!! Let's see
how good she did her work!"

A *splash!* later sees the two snarling combatants thrown into the
koi pond! "Aiyah, if that true, Ranma-chan and wild girl tear city to
pieces!!" Shampoo panics.

"I'll stop them!" Akane-chan marches out.

Ranma-chan and Irunmei burst free of the waters, snaring each other
in a powerlock. Akane-chan sits down by a rock, then gazes at them. The two
redheads turn to the one they desire, confusion temporarily washing away their
rage. "Akane...!"

Akane-chan breathes in, then relaxes her psi-guards, allowing the two
to be washed over by the *mavan'shagh.* Ranma-chan and Irunmei cry out as
their shields, long weakened by their bonds to Akane-chan, collapse, their
own souls drawn into one whose heart is large enough to love them both. With
that, their strength fails as they stagger over to grasp Akane-chan's hands,
collapsing into her lap. While unable to directly feel that pulse of mental
energy, the burst of empathic energy from the Sagussan causes the four Terran
witnesses to shudder. "Shampoo feel strange..." she gasps, looking hungrily
on Mousse. "Like Shampoo want Mousse...now!"

He gags as she swamps him with a kiss. Akane and Ranma are also
gazing longingly at each other. "Man, this is intense!" he starts to breath
heavily, drawing her into his arms.

"I don't mind," she growls...

* * *

After a while...(we'll let you readers figure that
out...F.H.)...everyone relaxes in the living room. Irunmei is nibbling on
some baked buns Akane prepared under her spirit-sister's supervision.
"Before I came down here, I went aboard Numon's ship to contact Sayan Renning
back on Uru," she begins.

"Did he fall for it?" Ranma wonders. "Your ears and eyes are a dead
give-away."

"Well," Irunmei undoes her ponytail, allowing the crimson bangs to
cascade over her ears, then draws out a pair of contact lenses to slip over
her eyes, creating the image of normal round pupils. "What do you think?!"

"It's dead on!" Akane whistles.

"Well, after having those fellows captured with Numon confirm that
'she' was cured of Hifuto," Irunmei laughs, "...I then showed that pig the
heads of the agents he secretly ordered to kill Shunran-chan should she prove
too reticent to support the Imperial cause; I terminated them as soon as I
got aboard and sensed what they intended. There IS something to be said
about Sagussan-style psionics after all. I then warned that as Uday's 'wife
and legal heir,' I would fight him for hurting 'my' daughter by throwing my
support behind the Democratic Alliance. You should've seen the look on his
face when I told him that; he nearly had a heart attack!"

"What's to stop anyone else from noticing you're not exactly all
Oni?" Mousse wonders.

"Mousse, after living on Gomiana for the last twelve years, I've
learned something. Most people, who are in the end concerned with their own
needs, see what they WANT to see, not what's exactly there," Irunmei gazes at
him after drawing off her contact lenses. "It's not their fault, either;
one's personal concerns must often come first. With my powers, I can
subtlety influence others into believing I am Numon Kuk. I have her memories
to the last detail, so I can answer what questions they may ask of me. And
if they ask about my ears or eyes, I can say that because the Hifuto was so
advanced, those who healed me were forced to splice in some DNA to give my
body the support it needed to survive and heal itself. That's the truth,
isn't it? Most people in the galaxy know of Hifuto and its effects, so
they'll accept it. Now, against someone who is determined to see me as the
enemy, I'll have problems...but I'll sense that right away and be able to do
something about it before my cover's blown."

"Unbelievable," Ranma whistles. "People out there aren't so
different from us."

"That's right," Irunmei nods. "The only problem I'd have then is my
daughter...until Akanevayae and Ranvayae so wonderfully vowed to take her in
while I'm gone."

Ranma-chan and Akane-chan blush at the application of the "my
darling" suffix to their names. "How long do you expect to be on Uru sniffing
around?" Ranma muses.

"Who knows," Irunmei shrugs, then stands. "And speaking of which, I
better get ready to go. If I'm gone too long, the guys on my ship might get a
little suspicious."

With that, she engages in a group hug with her bond-mates. "You come
back this time, Irunvayae," Akane-chan kisses her. "You don't have to be
isolated anymore."

"I'd told you I'd come back, Akanevayae," Irunmei kisses her, then
gazes at Ranma-chan. "I'm glad I don't have to fight you."

"Me neither. Lyna go with you."

"And you," Irunmei taps her wrist-comm.

She disappears in a transporter beam, to be replaced some seconds
later by Poghmei. "Mashi, Ran-mashi!!" the younger Sagussan embraces her
mother's bond-mates.

"I thought you were staying on the 'Hasei'cha,' sweetie," Akane-chan
wonders as they escort Poghmei into the house.

"No, not with them going off to find the *daimon'cha* and his
friends," Poghmei sits down around the table. "They'll be heading out as soon
as Catty-i'sagh's aboard and the new people sent down to watch over Benten and
the *daimon'cha's* child in Oshika."

"Oh, that's good," Akane-chan grins. "After all, we have to get to
know our beloved's wonderful daughter."

Everyone else grins, then blinks as Cologne walks in. "Oh, I didn't
mean to interrupt you kids," the matriarch smiles, holding a rolled parchment
in her hand.

"What is it, Cologne?" Akane wonders.

"I just received this from the Jusenkyou guide and Plum," Cologne
opens the scroll, then reads. "'Elder of the Nyu-che-zuu...Please be
informed that the ponds of Jusenkyou were restored yesterday by four
beautiful angels from a distant land. If you wish to informed your cursed
great-grandchild and her friends of this, do so; we will remain here to aid
them should they seek to put an end to their curses once and for all.'"

Hearing that, Ranma, Shampoo and Mousse exchange surprised looks.
"It's a miracle!!!" Mousse claps his hands together.

"Damn right!!!" Ranma kisses Akane. "Now we can get on with our
lives finally!!"

"Oh, Ranma, wait until the others hear this!!" Akane whoops.

"Aiyah!!! Shampoo really happy now!!!" Shampoo glomps Mousse in her
own embrace.

"Yes, that is wonderful, isn't it, Elder Mother?" Ranma-chan
secretively winks at Cologne, drawing her arms around her bond-mate and her
other bond-mate's daughter.

"Indeed it is. Indeed it is."

*** The End...For Now! ***

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