[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 6, "C" Side (2/3)
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to the sitting room to see Shinshi at the table, appearing rested. To
the older sister's eye, her magic-born brother was dressed in stylish
jeans and a polo shirt. *Yotsuba-chan DOES possess a sharp eye for
detail,* Kasumi mused as she sat beside him. "Konnichi wa, Shinshi-
chan. Do you feel a little better now?"
Shinshi nodded. "A heck of a lot better, Onee-chan. So how did
things go with Midorikawa-san? No problems about selling the
property?"
"Hai. It'll be finalized Friday and we'll be out of here by
Saturday," Kasumi reported. "Let's just hope the modifications to
Welcome House'll be ready when it comes time for us to move there.
Rinrin-chan warned me that the House's main building is a lot more run
down than the rotunda."
"It should be alright." Shinshi stretched, glancing around. "I
guess everyone else is still asleep. Where's Chieko-san?"
"She left an hour ago. I think her mother was worried about her
staying the whole day away from school," Kasumi mused.
"That's good. Let's hope she won't get into trouble with the
teachers when she goes back to school tomorrow morning."
"True . . . " Kasumi perked on hearing footsteps, looking up as
Nabiki and Akane stepped into the sitting room. "Konnichi wa, minna."
"Everything's all set?" Nabiki asked as the sisters sat down.
"All ready to go. We'll be on the Island full-time by Saturday
night."
"Pity it couldn't happen sooner," Akane lamented.
"'Cause of Kunou-chan?" Nabiki asked.
"Hai. Wouldn't THAT blow the wind out of his sails?" A grin then
crossed Akane's face as she crossed her arms. "His precious 'fierce
tigress' moving out of the city to another prefecture where he
couldn't chase after her. And add that to him losing his pig-tailed
goddess, too . . .?"
Shinshi smirked. "Especially losing Ranma-chan to a guy like Ataru?"
No one noticed Akane's pained look in response to his comment
connecting Saotome Ranma to Moroboshi Ataru. "Oooh, THAT would
hurt!" Nabiki chuckled. "Maybe I should remind Kunou-chan about that
sometime this week . . . "
"Nabiki-chan, please don't," Kasumi calmly scolded. "Ataru-kun and
his family are already doing a lot for us. We shouldn't . . . "
"Oh, Onee-chan, RELAX! I was just kidding!" Nabiki waved her sister
down, and then she perked as something washed through her. "What
the . . .?"
"What?" Shinshi gazed at his sister before he jolted. "Hey . . . "
Akane stared concernedly at them. "You guys alright?"
"Oh, we have visitors." Kasumi gazed at the entrance, and then she
stood to see who was standing at the front gate.
Akane watched her go, and then she turned to her other sister and
brother. "What is it?" she asked as she placed a hand on Nabiki's
shoulder.
"Avalonians . . . " Nabiki whispered. "Two of them. Both not
bonded."
"They're as surprised at our being here as we are about them,"
Shinshi added as he glanced towards the front gate.
Everyone then turned to look as Kasumi stepped back inside.
Following the Tendou matriarch were two girls dressed in the dark blue
seifuku of Tomobiki High School. One was a girl with long brown hair
in a high ponytail while the other had electric blue hair extending to
her waist. Akane watched as the visitors' eyes darted over the room
for a moment before they focused on Nabiki and Shinshi. Once eye
contact was made, the visitors then relaxed as they took their seats
opposite Akane's sister and brother.
Silence fell as they gazed on each other, and then the blue-haired
girl softly declared, "You weren't born this way, were you?"
"Ah . . . " Nabiki caught herself, shaking her head. "No. My
brother and I were just converted very early this morning."
"I don't recall Mom telling me that the factory was programmed to
create male bioroids," the pony-tailed girl noted, gazing at her
companion for a moment, and then she turned back to Shinshi.
"Unless . . . "
Shinshi pointed to himself. "Actually, it was because of a device
called the Staff of Gihan that this body was made for me."
The visitors' eyes widened. "Gihan's Staff?!" the blue-haired girl
gasped. "How in Buddha's name did THAT damned thing get here?!"
"Brought here by three refugees from Phentax Two who came here via
the factory itself," Nabiki reported, and then she jolted as something
came to her. "Oh, geez! I'm sorry!" She waved to herself as
introductions were made.
"So how did you girls come to be here?!" Kasumi asked.
"We were born here." Yoshino Tomomi smiled. "Twenty years ago, a
group of Avalonians came to Earth to make contact with a Zephyrite
missionary colony. Our mothers eventually scattered themselves from
Hokkaido to Okinawa. Actually . . . " She blushed, pointing to
herself before she continued, "Those on Hokkaido, like my mother, were
close to the mark; the colony was on Rishiri-tou living with Moroboshi
Ataru's grandmother, Nagaiwakai."
"So you've come here to look for Ataru-kun, right?" Nabiki wondered.
Ikusawa Kyooko nodded. "Hai. When the factory came into orbit over
Earth, our mothers sensed it. The link between them and the factory
was broken when we . . . " -- she indicated herself, and then Tomomi
-- " . . . were born, but our mothers can still sense it."
"Are you guys afraid the factory or whoever's in control of it now
might take your mothers away?" Shinshi asked, he sensing deep fear in
the visitors.
"Well, we doubt the factory can be able to lock in on us since we ARE
half-Terran," Tomomi noted. "And yes, we are afraid that even now,
whoever controls the factory might have at his disposal some means
that could take our mothers away. And if that happens . . . "
"It could easily kill our fathers since our mothers are all psi-
bonded to their husbands," Kyooko finished for her companion. "Not to
mention badly hurt us because a subtle bond exists between ourselves
and our mothers."
Kasumi covered her mouth. "Oh, my!"
"What do you hope Ataru-kun could do to help you guys?" Nabiki asked.
"Our ultimate goal is to break the factory away from any influence by
the Niphentaxians." Kyooko sighed. "We learned from Ataru-kun's old
classmates in Tomobiki he's already made headway in dealing with the
Niphentaxians . . . "
"You've got that right!" Shinshi noted. "Ataru-kun was on Phentax
Two when the Staff of Gihan was set off and killed three billion
people . . . "
The visitors paled. "Ataru-kun was THERE . . .?!" Tomomi gasped.
The Tendous grimly nodded. "Do you think he'll want to go fight the
Niphentaxians again after that, Onee-chan?" Akane asked.
Nabiki sighed. "He'll really have no choice in the matter, Akane-
chan. Think about it. This whole 'church of Lum' thing on Phentax
Two declares that Ataru-kun is nothing more than the 'great evil.'
That means that until the day comes when this whole church is done
away with, Ataru-kun's going to have to keep an eye out for potential
assassination attempts from people who actually think they're doing
their 'goddess'' bidding."
Shinshi frowned. "Just like what Ranma-chan went through after she
got cursed and was chased out of China by Shampoo."
Kasumi shook her head. "Saddening."
"And there're all of Ataru-kun's sisters to worry about, too."
Nabiki held up a knowing finger. "What better way to target him than
through them?"
"Would they do that?" Akane wondered.
"Most likely."
Kasumi turned to Kyooko and Tomomi. "Do you girls want to visit
Ataru-kun today? He doesn't live too far away from here."
Both visitors nodded. "Please?"
"I can take them over there, Onee-chan," Shinshi volunteered.
Nabiki gave her brother a knowing look. "Hell, you just want to go
over there to be with Yotsuba-chan!" Her eyebrows wriggled.
Shinshi gave her an even stare in response. Kasumi tried not to fall
over laughing. "I'll go with you," Akane volunteered, standing.
"Are you going to try to talk to Ranma-chan?" Kasumi asked.
The youngest Tendou paused. "Hai, Onee-chan." She then gazed at the
ceiling. "Whether or not I'll succeed, though . . . " she then added.
* * *
"A wedding dress party?!"
Everyone sitting around Yukimi's coffee table gazed on the pictures
of the recent party Ryouga took part in when he visited Promised
Island. "Hai!" the wanderer said, an embarrassing blush crossing his
face at the comments many of the people around him just made about his
playing the preacher. "The girls came up with this idea just after
they met their brother. But the first time they did this, Chikage-san
wasn't involved." He pointed to a picture of the sorceress, dressed
in her dark-hued gown.
"Chikage-oneechan . . . "
Eyes locked on Ten. The young boy was gazing on another picture of
Chikage, hearts glittering in his eyes. "Uh-oh!" Sakiko mused as she
gazed knowingly at Seiko. "Ten-chan's got another girl he can chase
around. Remember what he was like around Sakura-sensei?"
Shinobu shook her head. "I definitely remember that!"
The Izumo sisters laughed. Ten ignored them; his attention was still
held by the picture of the sorceress. "Ryouga-sama, I hope you're NOT
considering the priesthood," Akari said as she gazed concernedly on
her fiancé.
Ryouga acked. "No! No! No! No!" He waved his hands. "Of course
not! B-but . . . " he stuttered before he waved to the pictures.
"The girls needed someone to play the priest this time since Ataru's
older sister Negako was in Nerima when I went there. They asked me to
do it and . . . " He stopped. "Well, wh-what was I supposed to do?!
I mean . . . "
"Well, at least you were being a gentleman about it," Shinobu mused.
"It's not just that, Miyake-san." Ryouga shuddered. "It's Aria-
san."
"Aria-chan?" everyone said as they turned to gaze on the couple of
photos showing the young Parisian at the altar.
Ryouga nodded. "Yeah! I mean, all she has to do is make that
sound . . . " He paused before softening his voice in a bad imitation
of Aria's painful sob. "'Kusun!'" His voice went back to normal.
"Man, when you hear THAT, your guts just twist up and all you want to
do is just make her STOP crying! Not even Ranma or Ataru are immune
to it!"
Seiko felt a painful chill warp through her as her eyes focused on
the pictures of Ataru with Ranma. Sakiko stared at her sister, and
then she reached over to give her a supportive squeeze. Seiko
started, and then she faintly smiled. "Well, I suppose that clears up
all that!" Akari mused as she helped Ryouga collect the pictures and
stuff them back into the small photo album Yotsuba had given the
wanderer before he left Promised Island. "If you'll all pardon us, I
want to get back to the farm with Ryouga-sama."
"Are his clothes all through the wash?" Yukimi wondered.
"Last batch is going through the dryer now," Kodama Hiro reported.
"I see." The apartment block manager then turned back to Ryouga and
Akari. "Would you like to stay for dinner, then?"
The pig farmer blushed. "We don't want to impose . . . "
Yukimi waved her down. "Oh, relax! It's no imposition!"
Ryouga stared at Akari. "Can't refuse free food, Akari-chan."
Akari's blush deepened. "W-well . . .!"
* * *
As excited chatter picked up, Seiko headed up to her bedroom.
Shinobu watched the other woman head off. Excusing herself, she
followed the Urusian-turned-Nendo-kata. Reaching the doorway into
Seiko's bedroom, Shinobu paused on seeing her former rival sitting on
her bed, gazing out the window at the darkening afternoon sky. "Are
you okay, Seiko?" Shinobu asked as she walked in to sit herself at the
other's desk.
Seiko took a deep breath. "Should I be?"
"I guess seeing those pictures must've hurt bad."
"Hai, they did." The other woman nodded. "Even now . . . "
"Is it true?"
"About what?"
"What Ten-chan told me?" Shinobu asked as she crossed her arms.
"About one of your people having killed Ataru-kun's grandmother?"
Seiko stared at her, slowly nodding. "Awful, isn't it?"
"Hai. Why did it happen?"
"How much do you know about the Zephyrites?"
Ataru's former girlfriend shook her head. "Not much."
"Well . . . " Seiko began. "Think of them as a model theocracy. I
know . . .!" She paused, giving the other woman a knowing smile. "I
can sense that you're very passionate about your faith. Imagine a
whole RACE like that! A race of nearly a trillion sentient beings,
spread over two hundred planets. Add to that, they're also the most
technologically advanced race in this part of the galaxy. NO ONE
equals them, Shinobu. No one . . . " Her voice trailed off as she
pointed to the sky. "Their closest colony to Earth, Jiyuu, is only
five light-years from here. Toshitto, Uru's closest colony, is over
thirty."
"And you guys . . . " Shinobu stopped on seeing a flash of deep pain
in Seiko's eyes. "Excuse me, the Urusians tried to invade us?"
"I know. On occasion, people who are outside the accepted Zephyrite
faiths can be given an honorary bishop-like status in one of their
churches. Those people are called 'righteous gentiles.' Darling's
grandmother was one."
"The people of Israel do something like that. They call them
'Righteous Among The Nations.' Those are mostly people who helped
Jews avoid the Nazi death camps during World War Two, like Oskar
Schindler . . . "
Seiko shook her head. "Not like that at all, Shinobu."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if a Righteous Gentile -- especially if she's living on a
world close to the frontier of Zephyrite space -- feels it necessary,
she could call on the power of the Holy Republic to defend her home
planet against outside aggression. And that defence could, if it has
to, go all the way to what the Zephyrites call a 'holy crusade.'" A
pause before Seiko quietly added, "Which is their term for religiously-
sanctioned genocide."
Silence.
"That can't . . .!" Shinobu blurted out. On seeing the deadly
serious look on her host's face, she paused. "Oh, God . . .!"
"Hai, it's true. It's only happened once," Seiko reported. "And that
was against a people who once conquered Uru, Neptune, Fukunokami and
Karasutengu and held them captive for three hundred years. But the
threat is there . . . "
"And Ataru-kun's grandmother actually had the authority to call
that . . .?" Shinobu's voice trailed off before she stared anew at
Seiko. "So to make sure their planned invasion of Earth wouldn't
result in a total disaster . . . " She paused again, gaping. "Did
your father know?!" Seiko nodded. Shinobu stared at her before she
turned to look away, a hand reaching up to rub her other arm. "Oh,
Jesu Cristo . . . "
"The person who actually killed Darling's grandmother was an old
acquaintance of mine. He . . . " Seiko grimaced. "The stupid sub-
creature practically BOASTED that I was his *friend!* That he was
damn proud of the fact that he killed Darling's grandmother to make
sure that your people would become slaves of the Urusians!" Squeezing
her eyes shut, she shook her head as she added, "Right to Darling's
face . . . "
"And your dad knew . . . " Shinobu whispered.
Seiko nodded, sniffing back fresh tears. "Hai, he knew."
"When did Ataru-kun find out?"
"He bumped into Ando the second weekend after he left Tomobiki. The
whole part about the ruling council on Uru being in on what happened
to Darling's grandmother . . . " A pause. "He found that out later.
At that point, he chose to support the Noukiites since that would give
him the chance to locate all the people involved in what happened to
his grandmother . . . "
"And take his revenge," Shinobu finished.
"Hai."
Silence fell as Ataru's former girlfriend took the time to think over
what Seiko told her, and then she asked, "What do we do now?"
"It's done. The people who were involved are either dead, in the
hands of the Noukiites to be tried for crimes against the Dominion or
else they're in the hands of the Zephyrite Inquisition, facing heresy
charges . . . "
Shinobu blanched. "The Zephyrites even have an Inquisition?!"
Seiko nodded. Hearing that, Shinobu gazed nowhere in particular, and
then she folded her legs close to her, hugging them with her arms.
"God, I'm not sure I'd ever want to meet someone like that!" she
hissed before turning to stare at her former rival. "This was part of
the thing Ataru-kun's mother had Negako-san erase from his mind,
right?" she asked.
"Suppress, not erase," Seiko amended. "And yes, that was the big
part. I . . . " She shook her head. "You know, Darling told me this
morning that he LIKED my parents. He was envious of me, Shinobu,
because I had parents who really cared for me. But . . . "
"Finding out your fiancée's father conspired in the murder of your
grandmother . . . " Shinobu quaked. "I can see why he'd get angry."
"Hai." Seiko's eyes turned to the ceiling. "And even worse, Oogi's
still out there." She pointed up. "Atop making sure that the Church
of Lum could never harm his sisters, Darling went after Oogi to make
damn sure that the Niphentaxians couldn't come to the Urusians' aid
against the Noukiites. Now finding out about the Avalonians . . . "
"So what do we do?"
Seiko sensed Shinobu's concerned look, and then she sighed. "The big
thing we have to do is keep information about Darling's sisters under
wraps until the time comes when Darling'll deal with Oogi." She
looked out the window at the surrounding cityscape. "Remember,
Shinobu, if Darling was willing to do all *that* to avenge the death
of his grandmother, could you imagine what might happen if any of his
sisters came to harm?"
Shinobu blinked as Seiko's warning sank in, and then she blanched.
* * *
"A little gift for a suffering friend."
"Ku-chan!" Ukyou blushed as she took the rose from Kumiko. The
raven-haired mirror-twin of Ranma's had come to Okonomiyaki U-chan's
minutes after the proprietor herself returned from her meeting with
Kamekichi Tampopo. "Did Ran-chan call you?" she then asked.
"Hai, she did. Told us everything about what happened between you
and that sack of refuse you once had to call a father. After hearing
that, I felt that the sooner I got here, the better." Kumiko took a
seat by the counter as Ukyou proceeded to place the rose in a flute
filled with fresh water. "Did you speak to anyone from the Court of
Special Appeals?"
"Yeah. Tampopo-sensei called 'em over to talk to me at her shop."
Ukyou then stopped. Staring at her, Kumiko was quick to notice the
sense of stunned bewilderment deep in her friend's eyes. "Damn . . .
" She shook her head, leaning on her counter. "I got up this morning
thinking I was within a hair's breadth of losing everything that had
meaning in my life! And now . . . " She tossed up a hand as she
shook her head.
"Stunned to see that things can actually go your way for a change?"
"Damn right about that, sugar!" Ukyou admitted. "So how're things
with you and To-chan on the Island?" she then asked.
"Settling in well," Kumiko admitted. "Toshiko and I'll do a special
entrance exam on Friday to see if we can attend Stargazer West
College. We should pass with little problems." She shrugged
nonchalantly.
"Be in the same class as Ran-chan when she goes there?"
Kumiko shook her head. "It's hard to predict. Probably wind up in
the same class as Sakuya-chan, Haruka-chan and Marie-chan, if not the
one Chikage-chan is a part of. Ranma's and Ataru-kun's classes are
pretty well filled up according to the present class lists."
"Who's with them?"
"Karen-chan's with Ataru-kun."
"Karen?!" Ukyou's eyebrow arched as she recalled who that was.
"She's kinda young to be starting off in the third year of high
school, isn't she?"
"She skipped a grade because she did advanced studies when she was
living with her mother and stepfather overseas," Kumiko explained.
"Really?! I thought Marie-chan was the smart one of that bunch."
"Seems that way, ne?" Kumiko chuckled as she considered the point.
"Then again, from what I've heard, she spent a considerable amount of
time in the hospital during most of last year. Not sure of the
illness, but I think the death of her stepfather had something to do
with it."
Ukyou sighed. "Poor kid. Oh, interested in something, Ku-chan?"
Kumiko smirked. "You."
"Oh, no prob- . . . "
Silence.
Ukyou gaped, staring wide-eyed at her friend. "Wh-what?"
Kumiko reached over to tap the chef's nose. "Gotcha!"
Ukyou flustered. "Oh, you!" She swatted the other woman's hand
away, and then she proceeded to prepare batter. "Damn, you actually
had me going there for a moment! I though you'd be more interested in
boys than girls!"
"Don't forget, U-chan, I WAS born a boy," Kumiko reminded her.
"So was Ran-chan."
"Hai, true, true. Oh, I do happen to have something for you."
Kumiko reached into her jacket to draw out a padded envelope to hand
to Ukyou. The chef opened it, drawing out a small pile of papers.
Gazing at the covering sheet, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
"Business application for Promised Island?!" she blurted out as she
stared at Kumiko.
"Toshiko and I figured that, regardless of what happened between you
and Ranma, you'd want to stay close even if she's moving out of
Nerima," Kumiko explained. "I talked with one of the people who help
manage Welcome House. Since you have been, in effect, orphaned, that
qualifies you under the founding Imperial Rescript on the settlement
of Oomure-jima as a potential resident." She gazed at the table.
"Besides, you're our friend too, U-chan. You helped us. Why
shouldn't we help you? I'm sure Tampopo-san wouldn't mind at all."
Ukyou gazed on the raven-haired mirror-twin. A tearful smile crossed
her face. Hopping over the counter, she dropped into Kumiko's lap to
swamp her with a grateful embrace. No words were said as the two held
each other closely for what seemed like an eternity. They then pulled
apart to gaze into the other's eyes. "Thank you so much, Kumiko-
chan," Ukyou whispered before leaning in to give the other woman a
warm kiss. Kumiko shuddered, and then her hold on the chef stiffened
as she tilted her head. Ukyou's eyes widened as she felt the mirror-
twin's tongue gently slink into her mouth. She then relaxed as she
pulled herself even closer to Kumiko. They remained in that position
for yet another blissful eternity before slowly, reluctantly, pulling
apart.
Gazing once more into the other's eyes, Kumiko quirkily smiled. "I
guess I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted you, U-chan."
"Guess you weren't, Ku-chan." Ukyou lightly shrugged before she
asked, "Are you doing this because . . .?" An eyebrow arched in
curiosity.
"Did Ranma ask me to do this? No. Am I doing it out of some sense
of obligation to you? Well . . . " She reached up to gently stroke
Ukyou's cheek. "As I said, I am grateful for your help when Ranma and
Jijii broke Toshiko and I out of that compact and sent us on our way.
No denying that. But . . . " A twinkle appeared in her eye. "I do
love you, Ukyou. You'll always have a special place in my life. I
want you to come to the Island. Live with Toshiko and I at the
cottage. Set up U-chan's there. You'll have a lot of customers there
waiting for you. Far as I can tell, there's not another okonomiyaki
shop on the Island. And as for what happens between us . . . "
They shared another kiss. "I guess we gotta find that out for
ourselves, ne?" Ukyou said, straightening herself in Kumiko's lap.
"I guess so . . . "
A telephone rang. Both winced before they gazed at the offending
object. "Don't you just HATE that, Ku-chan?!" Ukyou muttered as she
slipped off Kumiko's lap, and then she headed over to pick up the
receiver. "Moshi-moshi, Okonomiyaki U-chan's, Kuonji Ukyou speaking,"
she hailed into it.
"They DO ruin the mood, I guess," Kumiko muttered to herself as she
rested her elbows on the counter, chin in her palms . . .
She the jolted on hearing Ukyou's surprised voice cry out, "WHAT?!
Sensei, are you SURE about this?!" Silence fell over the restaurant
as Ukyou took in the message from Kamekichi Tampopo. The chef
nodded. "R-right! Did you pass it on . . .?" Her voice trailed off,
and then she nodded again. "Okay, Sensei, I understand. Look,
Saotome Kumiko's here. She brought in some papers I'd have to fill
out if I want to move the restaurant to Promised Island. Are
you . . .?" She was cut off by Tampopo's quick reply, and then she
nodded. "Okay, I appreciate that, Sensei. How soon can you find out
more about this?" Another pause, and then Ukyou nodded yet again.
"Sure, I'll come by tomorrow after school to talk to you about it."
Another nod. "Right, I'll see you later. 'Bye, Sensei." She hung
up.
"What is it?" Kumiko wondered.
Ukyou walked back to the counter, the bewildered look Kumiko saw in
her eyes earlier back with a vengeance. "Sensei . . .! Well, she
just got a call from a friend," she began, leaning on the counter.
"This guy works for a bank that's affiliated to the group Ataru-kun's
uncle owns. And . . . " She gulped. "Jeez, my grandfather . . . "
Kumiko stood. Ukyou didn't resist as the other woman boosted her
over the counter to plant her in the seat beside hers. Gently holding
the chef's hands, Kumiko gazed into Ukyou's eyes. "What about him?
Tell me."
"Well, it's . . . " Ukyou bit her lip. "It's my mom's dad. I . . .
" She stopped, barking out a shaky laugh before rubbing one of her
eyes. "I never knew much about Mom's relatives. And after Dad sent
me off to go after Ran-chan and Genma, well . . . " She threw up her
hands.
"You lost all contact with your mother."
"Y-yeah!" Ukyou sputtered before taking several deep breaths. Kumiko
kept her peace as her friend marshalled her thoughts, and then the
chef gazed at her. "Well, Mom's dad didn't like Dad at all. He
didn't approve of them getting together and all that. But he wasn't
going to just leave it all be, you know. And . . . " A shudder raced
through her, and then she blurted out, "When he died, he bequeathed
all his property to me!"
Kumiko blinked, one of her eyebrows arching. "How much money are we
talking about here, U-chan? A lot?" Seeing a wary look flash in the
chef's eyes, she quickly moved to moderate. "U-chan, I'm sorry! I
didn't mean it THAT way! But if it's a lot of money . . . "
"About two hundred million yen after taxes."
Silence.
Kumiko stared wide-eyed at her friend. A delighted smile then
crossed her face. "U-chan, that's . . .!" She stopped herself as
realization dawned on her. "Oh, damn!" She covered her mouth. "Your
dad was trying to . . .?"
"Sensei thinks so. According to Granddad's will, I can get the
inheritance when I turn twenty. No strings attached. It'd be my
money and property, regardless of what happens between my family and
I. Guess Granddad figured Dad out a long time ago. However, the only
way I can get it ahead of time is when I . . . " She turned to
Kumiko, shrugging.
The other woman's eyebrow arched. "Get married?"
"Yeah! Of course, because I'd be underage . . . "
"Your legal guardian -- namely, your father -- would have nominal
control of the money," Kumiko quickly concluded before she shook her
head. "Damn! And I thought Genma was a backstabbing thief at
times?!" she spat out.
"Yeah," Ukyou snorted, leaning her head on her hand, elbow on the
counter. "Well, that's something to look forward to, ne?"
"I'll say. What do you plan to do?"
"Well, talk to Sensei about it, then find some way to make sure Dad
can never lay his hands on my inheritance." Ukyou headed behind the
counter to continue preparing the batter. "Then I'll just sit back
and wait for things to happen. After all, I can support myself with
the restaurant. And if the Island doesn't have another okonomiyaki
shop -- bizarre as I find THAT to be! Doesn't everyone like
okonomiyaki?! -- then I'll be able to make a handsome profit even
before I get hold of Granddad's money, ne?"
"True." Kumiko nodded, and then her eyebrow arched. "Lucky for you
Genma never got wind of that before Ranma did him in. If he
did . . .?"
"Yeah, he would've dumped the Tendous like hot potatoes and Ran-chan
and I'd have been married in a flash." Ukyou smirked before a
thoughtful look crossed her face. "Then again, would it have helped
him in the end?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if he tried to get some of my inheritance from my dad . . .?"
Both women gazed on each other, and then they laughed.
* * *
"'The island of promises.' Nice place."
Seven Bake Rose sipped her espresso as she relaxed in one of the
sidewalk bistros located on Second Street East, Promised Island's
restaurant district. Being on Earth in late winter meant a change of
clothes from her preferred battlesuits. A stylish pair of black
slacks topped with a ruffled white shirt, which was covered by a
cardigan sweater. Knowing natives in Japan would automatically pick
her off as "gaijin" -- Ellsians were generally Caucasian in appearance
-- Rose elected to enhance that by wearing tinted sunglasses.
Sometimes, it was prudent to make yourself vanish in a crowd, the
alien mercenary knew. Sometimes, trying to disguise yourself was too
much a bother.
Taking out what appeared to be a pocket notebook computer, Rose
flipped it open on the table, and then she tapped controls. Despite
its appearance, the device was likely the most advanced machine that
ever graced this quaint island lying off the coast of the Japanese
mainland. Fortunately, given the lack of shoppers frequenting this
part of the Island, Rose didn't need to concern herself too much with
potential eavesdroppers. Still, she took a careful glance around
before getting down to work.
Images appeared before her. First one up was "Mr. Groom" himself.
Remembering the nickname everyone from Elle and Uru gave the man, Rose
snickered. Did he ever learn what his given name meant in the Urusian
language or was that one of the many secrets the Devil's Daughter
managed to keep from him before she died the day the Noukiites
destroyed Onishuto? Perhaps when the chance came, Rose would pass the
information on. Given how much Ataru must hate Lum, all that could do
was add another nail to the coffin.
Data on the other members of the Moroboshi family came up. Ataru's
parents were both deceased, killed in a terrorist attack on his old
high school over a week before. That was a good thing. With the
parents out of the way -- that tacked onto the deaths of Lum and her
family -- there was no strong authority figure that could plant the
necessary seeds of doubt in Ataru's mind when Elle came to Earth to
claim her Honey back.
Much to her surprise, Ataru turned out to have a twin brother,
Kaeru. The mercenary had learned of Ataru's twin on Noukiios; when he
and his family had been welcomed into the Dominion as honorary
citizens, Mr. Groom made sure that the late Moroboshi Kaeru had been
added onto the family list. The other brother was of no real concern,
of course; he had died in an accident on Nakadoori-jima, one of the
Gotou Islands off the west coast of Kyushu, when he was only three
years old. The one surprise in that affair was that the boy's body
had disappeared from the hospital after his injuries were pronounced
terminal. All attempts at tracing Kaeru's remains down had proven
futile.
Now, to the sisters . . .
Elder sister number one: Moroboshi Negako. Adopted into the family
five years ago. Origins and actual parentage were a total mystery.
She was currently residing in the Nerima district of Tokyo.
Occupation unknown.
Elder sister number two: Moroboshi Nokoko. Muchi and Kinshou's
first-born daughter, a year older than Ataru. Turned over to the care
of Muchi's elder brother Komeru when Nokoko was three, immediately
after Kaeru's death. Vanished without a trace when she turned six.
As with Kaeru, all attempts at locating Nokoko to date had proven
totally fruitless.
Rose then smiled as the first of Ataru's twelve younger half-sisters
came up. *So he got it from his dad, huh?* the mercenary chortled as
the truth about Mr. Groom's siblings flashed in her mind. Twelve
girls, all born out of wedlock to twelve different mothers, all of who
came to live on Promised Island over the last two years. Ten were
Japanese by nationality; Yotsuba Dunn was from the United Kingdom
while Aria des Beauchamps came from France. That would change, Rose
knew; lawyers working for Ataru's family were busy making arrangements
for all twelve of the girls to be adopted into the Moroboshi family.
Once that was done, the eldest of the group, Sukeyama Sakuya, would
then be formally recognized as the next matriarch of Mr. Groom's
family.
*Definitely bring these girls along,* Rose mused as she sipped the
rest of her coffee. From what she had been able to ascertain when she
inspected the youth hostel located on the western shore of the Island,
Ataru had become VERY close to his half-siblings. To shatter that
would simply make things worse between Ataru and Elle when they got
back together. Of course, these twelve would make the perfect
hostages if things should go really sour for the Queen.
But that was the worst-case scenario . . .
No.
Hurting the sisters, especially the more fragile girls like Susumu
Marie, Aria des Beauchamps and Saeru Hinako, would be stupid. Best to
woo them, and then get their help in making Ataru see reason. Even if
Ataru had not stepped on Elle's shadow years ago, the Rose Queen was
adamant on the idea of having Honey back. Lum's recent death and the
defeat of the Urusians by the Noukiites had been a sign to Elle. And
she certainly did not want to put him into the Refrigerator of Love;
Elle's love for Ataru, much to everyone's surprise in Baran, didn't
come close to falling in THAT vein . . .!
*Oh, Fates! The Queen's got it for this guy but GOOD!*
Rose shook her head as she deactivated her computer, and then she
motioned to a waiter for the bill. Was that really such a bad thing?
The Kingdom had begun to show grave signs of political, social and
economic stagnation as the Rose Queen's behaviour toward her "cute
boys" evolved from the darkest of state secrets to barracks
scuttlebutt and juicy meat of street hof jokes. With a husband acting
as Crown Prince Consort, especially one with close ties to the Holy
Republic of Zephyrus and the Dominion of Noukiios, Elle might finally
shake off her idiosyncrasies and do what she had been born to do.
Everyone in the Kingdom and many beyond would gladly benefit from
THAT!
The bill was paid. After slipping her computer into her purse, Rose
made her way towards the ferry dock. It was time to get to work.
* * *
"WHAT?! What do you mean, Sasuke?!"
"What I mean, Master, is that Saotome Ranma no longer appears on his
family register," Sasuke proclaimed as he faced Kunou in the latter's
reading room. "As near as I can discover, this happened Sunday
afternoon, just before the fight you and Mistress Kodachi were
involved with at the sch- . . . "
"Enough!" Kunou stood, moving to stand by the window. Gazing on the
front yard, the kendou-ka hummed in contemplation as he mentally
reviewed the information Sasuke just gave him. "So, he has made
himself roonin, has he?"
A mirthless chuckle escaped him. "It appears so, Master."
"What of the pig-tailed girl and her mirror-twin replica?"
Sasuke perked. "There's good news concerning them, Master." He
smiled. "Mistress Ranma and Mistress Toshiko were granted the right
to form their own autonomous branch of the Saotome family by the Court
of Special Appeals. Also part of their group is a Mistress Saotome
Kumiko." He bowed his head apologetically. "I've yet to ascertain
who she might be, Master."
Kunou perked. "The Court of Special Appeals?!"
"The very same, Master."
"I see . . . " The kendou-ka then chuckled, it soon turning into a
full-blown laugh. "Oh, the sheer JOY of it all! The pig-tailed girl
and her sisters FREED from that honourless wizard's clutches! At LAST
can I finally go forth and claim their hearts and ensure victory
against that monster who dared think himself BETTER than the Blue
Thunder . . .!"
Sasuke held up a finger. "Um, Master, there's a problem . . . "
Kunou spun on him. "SILENCE!" he roared. "Wretched cur, how DARE
you interrupt me when I seek to proclaim my victory?!"
"But Mistress Ranma won't be living in Nerima anymore, Master!"
Silence.
"***WHAT?!***" Kunou thundered.
Sasuke flustered. "It's true, sir. You see, Mistress Ranma and her
sisters have elected to move to a district of the city of
Odawara . . . "
Kunou shuddered, and then he bellowed out, "***WHAT MADNESS IS
THIS?! THE LOVELY PIG-TAILED GIRL IS ACTUALLY LEAVING?! I WILL NOT
HAVE IT!***"
The older ninja sighed as his employer railed on. *This is just NOT
worth it . . . * he moaned, fighting down the urge to lash out
physically at Kunou. *This is just simply NOT worth it! Wait until
the Master learns of what Mistress Akane and her sisters are planning
to do!*
* * *
"Dear brother, you are SUCH an idiot at times!" Kodachi muttered to
herself as she slipped on her leotard. Even given the sturdy
construction and thick walls of the Kunou mansion, it was normally
impossible to ignore her brother's thunderous ranting, especially when
it came to the subjects of Tendou Akane and Saotome Ranma. Shaking
her head, she quickly checked herself over to see if anything was
missing, and then, with a graceful spring to her open window, Kodachi
was off! Another bounding stride and she landed on a telephone pole
just outside the mansion's walls. With that, she was on her way,
racing in the general direction of Saint Hebereke Girl's High School.
As the wind whipped past, Kodachi took several deep breaths. A
package from the Court of Special Appeals, just like the one Ranma's
other suitors received, had arrived at the mansion this morning.
Since all the members of the family were off at school when it came,
Sasuke received the package, and then examined it. Realizing the
gravity of what the Court's decision concerning Ranma would mean to
everyone who associated with her, the ninja raced off to Saint
Hebereke to allow Kodachi to see the package first.
While she cringed at the idea of Ranma officially declaring herself a
girl, the martial arts gymnast had to admit that using such a strategy
was prudent. That, tacked onto the move to officially shatter every
tie to her birth family, plus establish their new family in a place
outside Tokyo, should have forced Akane's father to take pause. Not
that the fool could possibly hurt Ranma-sama; after what happened that
morning, it would be a long time before Souun would be able to force
his will -- *Did the idiot even HAVE one?!* Kodachi mused as she did a
pirouette atop a telephone pole, and then headed towards Hikarigaoka
Park -- on Ranma, much less his daughters.
Reflecting on what just happened to Ranma, Kodachi tried not to frown
as she made a perfect bound to a streetlight located by the front gate
of Hikarigaoka, and then she daintily dropped to the ground.
Personally, once she finally forced herself to accept that her Ranma-
sama and the pig-tailed girl was indeed one and the same person,
Kodachi realized that she didn't care a bit about that awful curse.
Still, she had to know if Ranma's decision about his legally becoming
a woman was either farce or truth.
If it was the former . . .?
What?
And if it was the latter . . .?
What then?
Kodachi stopped, noisily exhaling before her eyes focused on the
yatai located some metres away. "Konban wa, Kodachi-san," Yamada Fred
hailed with a warm smile as the gymnast came up to take a seat. "Your
usual?"
"Hai, Fred-san, please."
He got to work preparing an order of poutine, a Québécois dish he
learned about over the Internet. "Aren't you getting cold prancing
around town in just a leotard tonight, Kodachi-san?" he wondered as he
gave her a curious look.
She flashed him a delighted smile. "I can keep myself warm with
exercise, but right now, I need to get some calories into me."
"Hai, hai! Quick as I can."
He got to work. Kodachi watched as he dumped raw French fries into a
fryer, and then he drew out a can of gravy and a bag of fresh cheese
curds. She then perked on hearing footsteps echo from behind her.
Fred looked up, a smile cutting across his face. "Konban wa, Ranma-
san . . . " His voice suddenly trailed off as confusion crossed his
face. "Wait a minute!" he then declared as he pointed at the
newcomer. "You're not . . . "
"Iie, not really." A lovely redhead slipped into the stool beside
Kodachi. "Didn't U-chan ever tell you about Ranma's mirror-twins?"
The hamburger yatai vendor blinked, and then he snapped his fingers
before pointing at her. "Oh, I remember now! Toshiko, right?!"
"The same! A Ranma Special if you don't mind."
"Hai, right away."
As Fred got to work, Kodachi took the chance to give Toshiko a look-
over. Like her brother, the gymnast learned of Ranma's mirror-twins
the instant both of them emerged from Mirror Mansion. Knowing one of
them was male had sent jolts of anticipation through Kodachi. After
all, if she couldn't have the original -- this had sunk into her
around the time of her battle with Saginomiya Asuka, the White Lily --
why not go after a replica? Of course, if Ranma's father had even the
barest flicker of intelligence, he should have used that magic mirror
to clone his son enough times to satisfy all who wanted him.
Sadly, Nabiki's later announcement that the mirror-twins had been
disposed of crashed any hopes Kodachi might have had towards claiming
even a small part of the awe-inspiring magnificence that was Saotome
Ranma . . .
Kodachi caught herself. *Stop that, 'Dachi!*
She then relaxed as Fred placed a plate of poutine before her. "Here
you go, Kodachi-san," he declared with a smile. "Enjoy!"
"Arigatou!" She picked up a fork. "Itadakimasu!"
She dug in. "Hey, Yamada-san, what is that, anyway?" Toshiko asked.
"Poutine. French fries, gravy and melted cheese. Care to try some?"
"Hmmm . . .! Sounds great. Okay."
"Here." Kodachi picked up some cheese-coated fries to dangle it
before Toshiko's mouth, she giving her a friendly smile. "Try it."
"Aaaah!" Toshiko opened her mouth to munch the sample down. "Hey,
this IS good!" She nodded in approval. "Thanks, Kodachi."
"I take it you want that with your order?" Fred asked.
The crimson-haired mirror-twin nodded. "You bet!"
"Hai, right away."
He got to work. As she ate her poutine, Kodachi watched as Fred
prepared a huge pile of beef, complete with sizzling onions, tomatoes
and lettuce, on his grill. "This is normally what Ranma-sama eats?!"
she asked.
Fred nodded. "Yep, that it is! Had to craft it myself when he
decided he needed a break from U-chan's and the Nekohanten. Not that
I'd personally knock Ukyou-san or Elder Cologne; they're both very
good. But limiting your choices to okonomiyaki or Chinese
cuisine . . .?"
Kodachi smiled. "Hai, that is true. Believe me, Yamada-san, I truly
rejoiced when I heard you'd established your yatai here."
"Everyone did, I guess." Toshiko smirked as she reached into her
jacket to draw out a padded envelope no different than what Kumiko had
just given Ukyou. "And speaking of which, Fred-san, Ranma asked me to
pass this on to you for your personal consideration." She held it out
to him with both hands.
"What's this?" He took the envelope, and then he opened it to scan
the contents. "Business application for . . .?" He gaped before
turning to stare quizzically at Toshiko. "Where the heck's Promised
Island, anyway . . .?"
"Real name's Oomure-jima. It's located in the Sagami Sea just off
the coast of Odawara. It's where Ranma'll be living, starting this
weekend. My other sister Kumiko and I are there already. And I know
they don't have anything like this place." She indicated the yatai.
"Ranma asked you to do this?!" Fred asked. At her nod, he chuckled,
setting the envelope aside as he turned back to preparing Toshiko's
meal. "Much that I how much business he brings to me, but for him to
do THAT . . .?!"
"Well, if you want to stay here, that's no problem. This IS your
place," Toshiko asserted. "But I'll tell you this: Given how bad the
hamburger joint on the Island is, having you demonstrate what REAL
hamburgers are about . . . "
She held up a finger. "One of *those* places?!" Fred asked. On
seeing Toshiko nod, he smirked. "Tell Ranma I'll consider it. How
big's the island?"
"About six thousand permanent residents, plus the fishermen who dock
by the place from time to time. Few tourists come by the area, but
there's a small staff of scientists from Kanagawa University who come
by throughout the year to make use of the telescope on Stargazer
Hill."
"Hmmm . . .!" Fred scratched his chin as he flipped the patty on the
grill. "Sounds like a pretty interesting place. Okay . . . "
A very big burger complete with all the trimmings was soon placed
before Toshiko. In lieu of a regular order of fries, the mirror-twin
got an order of poutine. Seeing the amount of food a "Ranma Special"
took, Kodachi whistled before she turned back to her meal. "My, is
Ranma-sama capable of eating ALL THAT as a girl as well as a boy?" she
asked.
"You bet." Toshiko winked, smiling as she pulled up a hunk of
poutine to dangle before the gymnast. "Kodachi-san, say 'aahh!'"
Kodachi opened her mouth. "Aaahhh . . . "
The poutine was slipped into her mouth. As the martial arts gymnast
started to munch it down, Toshiko used her chopsticks to flick off the
bits of melted cheese that got caught on the skin around Kodachi's
lips. Seeing that, the raven-haired woman opened her mouth again to
accept the morsels of food. Once they were clean, Toshiko swung the
wooden sticks around to sensuously draw them through her lips to give
them an extra cleaning. Kodachi watched this, her heart picking up as
Toshiko's beautiful sapphire eyes locked with hers.
Her eyes . . .
Ranma-sama's eyes . . .
The same . . .
Kodachi's cheeks heated as she ducked away from Toshiko's penetrating
stare. Smiling, the mirror-twin turned back to her meal.
* * *
Some minutes later, two women stepped away from Fred's yatai, heading
deeper into Hikarigaoka Park. As soon as they were relatively out of
sight from eavesdroppers -- it was a quiet night this evening --
Toshiko reached over to grasp Kodachi's hand. The gymnast perked on
feeling that grip, and then she shuddered. "I hope I'm not
embarrassing you too much," Toshiko said.
Kodachi sighed before she gave the other woman a look. "If Ranma-
sama had been this direct with me anytime before that 'wedding,' I
would have gladly done a lot more than simply pursue him, Toshiko-
san . . . "
Before the gymnast could react, Toshiko spun herself around so they
were standing face-to-face. Kodachi slipped into the other woman's
arms as their eyes locked on the other. "My friends call me 'To-
chan,' Kodachi-san."
A delighted smile crossed the dark-haired girl's face. "And you can
call me ''Dachi,' To-chan." She gently glided a finger over Toshiko's
nose. "But do tell me, please: Does Ranma-sama consider me her
friend?"
Silence fell as Toshiko considered what to say, and then she slowly
exhaled. "I think she can let herself accept you as a friend,
'Dachi," the mirror-twin admitted. "But you have to admit, there are
some problems."
"My witless brother being the primary one, I believe."
"Hai." Toshiko nodded as they proceeded to walk to a nearby bench
set in a clearing surrounded by a grove of trees. "Much that we'd all
wish that your brother -- much that he IS a prime specimen of
beefcake! -- would finally get a life and stop chasing people who want
nothing to do with him, the chances are there that even if Ranma goes
to Promised Island, your brother will follow."
"Indeed, he will." Kodachi nodded as they sat, and then she smiled
as Toshiko slid a comforting arm around her. Sinking into that warm
embrace, she gazed on her companion. "Even now with the potential
embarrassment of his drawing live steel at the wedding hanging over
him, he charges ahead without a single care in the world. Tendou
Akane, not yesterday morning, proclaimed that she would no longer
acknowledge his desires for her and swore it on the memory of her late
mother. Tell Tatewaki that . . . "
She shrugged. Toshiko snorted. "I've got no use for Miss Mallets
myself, so even if your brother did go after her, I wouldn't care."
"Are you the girl-born mirror-twin?"
She nodded. "Hai. Kumiko was a boy -- we called him 'Komakichi'
then -- up to when he fell into the Nyanniichuan when we visited
Jusenkyou. This was probably just days before that whole mess with
Saffron began, I think."
"Ah, so that's why you're so venomous toward Akane."
"We both are," Toshiko admitted.
Kodachi laughed, and then she sighed. "May I ask you something?"
"About Ranma?"
"Hai."
A brief silence as Toshiko considered what to say, and then she
breathed out, "She's a girl in heart as well as body. That's thanks
to Jusenkyou, but the full effects of that part of the curse were
delayed because of the damage the Neko-ken training did to Ranma's
mind."
"And that has, I assume, now been dealt with?"
"On Sunday, just before the big fight with the panda."
"Ah!" The gymnast nodded before she gazed quizzically at her new
friend. "So what does bring you to Nerima this evening, To-chan?
Other than seeing Fred-san, of course . . . " A sly grin crossed her
face.
"Well, seeing Yamada-san was the main reason I did come, though I
must confess, meeting you at last is a truly delightful bonus."
Toshiko winked, eliciting another delighted laugh from the gymnast.
"Kumiko's with U-chan right now trying to persuade her to move to the
Island herself. U-chan had a big falling out with her dad this
morning. Turns out that U-chan was due to receive a pretty big
inheritance from her mom's dad, but if she wanted to get her hands on
it earlier, she had to marry . . . "
"And, by the sounds of it, Kuonji-san's father planned to embezzle
that inheritance from his daughter," Kodachi finished, frowning.
"Hai. Well, hopefully, he won't be much of a bother anymore. After
all the crap she's been through, U-chan doesn't deserve that."
Kodachi blinked. "Bad?"
"Very. Almost as bad as what Ranma herself went through because of
the panda." Toshiko then stared knowingly at the gymnast. "Not to
mention what things you yourself might've lived through. Ne, 'Dachi?"
The other paled before she composed herself, and then she felt
Toshiko's hands warmly squeeze her shoulders. Staring into the
crimson-haired woman's eyes, Kodachi lightly smiled. "How, may I ask,
did you come to assume something like that, To-chan?" she quietly
asked.
"Well, even with all the profane curses she heaped over you, U-chan
was pretty explicit when she described you to Kumiko and I." Toshiko
drew her hands down to gently grip Kodachi's. "There's been no talk
about your mother whatsoever, so I assume she is no longer with us.
Your behaviour is quite . . . " -- a wry grin crossed her face --
" . . . well, *eccentric* to say the least of it. Ditto with your
brother, though I think he's a lot worse than you. And I don't think
we need to mention your father, ne?"
"Certainly not." Kodachi shook her head. "I admit that I've stepped
over the bounds many times in the past when it comes to Ranma-
sam- . . . " She caught herself, and then she shrugged, smiling
embarrassingly. "With Ranma-san, I mean. In spite of all that, I
will also admit that your bro- . . . " She caught herself again.
"Gomen. 'Sister,' I mean -- was the first person in a long while who
did treat me with kindness and concern. And who wasn't a doctor or a
nurse, I should add." She held up a finger in emphasis.
"Or your mother, I assume," Toshiko noted.
Kodachi nodded. "Hai, Okaa-san as well." She reached up to gently
wipe her eyes, sniffing. "I miss her so much."
Toshiko drew her close. "I grieve with you."
They held each other for a while, and then they pulled apart, Kodachi
shifting herself to lean against Toshiko again. "Well, it seems that
you seem to be on your way to getting some control over your life,"
the latter noted.
"Hopefully, given what the Moroboshis and the Court of Special
Appeals did for Ranma-san, she will soon enjoy the same."
Toshiko gave her a curious look. "Does this have something to do
with you showing up at that farce of a wedding in a wedding dress?"
"Pretty much," the gymnast admitted. "Sasuke was spying on everyone
in the Tendou compound right from the moment Ranma-san and the others
came back. When he relayed to me that Ranma-san's fool father was
trying to force him into marrying Akane, well . . . " She shrugged.
"And doing it in a wedding dress was just your way of safeguarding
your 'eccentric' reputation, ne?" Toshiko quipped, her eyebrow
arching.
A wince shuddered Kodachi's body before she nearly froze in place as
Toshiko leaned over to gently kiss her cheek. "Sorry."
Silence fell as the gymnast's mind rolled over what just happened.
She then gazed into the other's eyes before leaning up to return the
kiss on Toshiko's lips. "It's alright. I believe I deserve that."
She then gazed nowhere in particular. "Still . . . "
"What is it, 'Dachi?"
"I wouldn't mind being rid of that reputation, to be truthful."
Toshiko considered that before she gave her a smile. "I think I know
how to help you towards that end, 'Dachi." She slipped her arm away
from the other woman before she stood up, and then she helped Kodachi
to her feet. "C'mon."
"Where are we going?" the gymnast asked.
"To see a movie, plus shopping. ONCE we get you into decent
clothes."
Toshiko waved Kodachi with her. Kodachi stared wide-eyed at the
other woman before a smile crossed her face. "Hai!"
She then raced off after her new friend.
* * *