[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 6, "A" Side (2/3)

[pye...@gmail.com]

"Son?"

The man on the bed moaned, eyes fluttering as a hand jostled him.
"Wh-where . . .?" he grunted, looking left to see Souun gazing
concernedly at him. "D-dad . . .?" He slid into a sitting position,
glancing around the bedroom. "What's going on here . . .?" he
muttered.

"Indeed, Souun, what IS going on here?"

Both screamed as Souun spun around, his face paling on seeing Negako
standing cross-armed by the window. A narrow-eyed Happoosai was
perched on the grandmaster's shoulder. "So you subbed that
Nanniichuan casket meant for Ranma-chan with some ordinary spring
water, eh?" The grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu sneered.
"Souun, I actually thought you were a hell of a lot smarter than Genma
when it came to moronic, hair-brained schemes like this, but . . . "
He shook his head, his disappointment all too apparent.

Souun sputtered, and then he spun around as the door to Nabiki's
bedroom opened, revealing a weary-eyed Kasumi beside a younger dark-
haired girl draped in a black cape. "Father, we seem to have some
guests . . . " the eldest Tendou daughter began before her voice
screeched to a halt, her eyes going wide on seeing a ragged-haired,
slender young MAN lying on Nabiki's bed. "Oh, MY!"

He blinked. Then, on sensing that he had no clothes on outside a
towel covering his loins, he panicked. "Geez, Onee-chan!" He quickly
moved to make himself decent before scrambling to the closet. "Can't
a guy get dressed for . . .?" He opened the door, looking in before
he stuttered on seeing GIRL'S clothing. "H-heaven's s-s-sake . . .?"

His hand pulled away from the towel, allowing gravity to drag it to
his ankles. Seeing the full monty, Kasumi covered her eyes as she
spun away, a gulped "Oh, my!" her only response. Negako sighed.
"Chikage."

Chikage whispered a spell. Light showered the young man, draping him
in a T-shirt and jeans. "Oh, thanks!" he breathed out before spinning
on Souun. "Dad, what's going on?! What are GIRL'S clothes doing in
MY closet?!"

"Well, you see, son . . . " Souun moved to stammer out an
explanation.

He was then sent flying into a wall by a Happou-daikarin! "That's
enough from you, idiot!" Happoosai snarled, and then he looked doe-
eyed at Chikage. "Chikage-chan, dear, do you have a magic mirror with
you now?"

"Hai." The sorceress drew a mirror from under her cape, positioning
herself to allow the young man's image to reflect from it.

Negako, Kasumi and Happoosai shifted themselves to stare at the
image. What they saw was Nabiki, presently dressed the same as her
male counterpart. "Huh?! Onee-chan?! Ojii-chan?! Negako-san?!"
Nabiki blinked as her eyes locked on her "brother." "What the
hell . . .?"

Kasumi covered her mouth. "Oh, my!"

"WHO THE HELL'S HE?!" Nabiki shrieked as she pointed at him. "WHAT'S
HE DOING WITH MY BODY?! HOW'D I GET TURNED INTO A GUY?!"

"Calm yourself, Nabiki." Negako gently squeezed the young man's
shoulder in reassurance. "There is an explanation for this."

"Nabiki . . .?"

Eyes locked on the young man as he walked up to gaze at the image in
Chikage's mirror. Despite the differences in looks and size between
himself and Nabiki, the latter's image accurately reflected his
movements. The overwhelming nature of the moment blocked the middle
Tendou daughter from screaming out in fright as her hands replicated
his movements. "I . . . " He lowered his arm. "I was created from
you . . . "

Nabiki blinked. "Negako-san, please tell me what's going on here!"

Happoosai shifted himself onto the young man's shoulder. "You
remember that Nanniichuan cask I drank at the wedding, child?"

Nabiki took that in, and then her eyes widened. "Dad pulled a
switch?!"

He nodded. "Yep. What I drank was normal spring water. Souun hid
the real cask. No doubt, he intended to bribe Ranma-chan into
marrying Akane-chan with it, but when he found out the truth about
what happened to her . . . "

"He exposed me to it to make me . . .!" Nabiki's voice trailed off,
her eyes widening more. "To make me into . . .?! Into . . .!"

"Into me," the young man in control of her body finished before he
turned to Negako. "So what the heck went wrong, Negako-san? Ranma-
chan's personality was transformed fully by Jusenkyou! Why didn't
it . . .?!"

He indicated the image in Chikage's mirror. "It is because you were
exposed to the Nánniquán magic AWAY from Zhòuquán-xiang," Negako
explained. "This has never happened before, so not even the guide
there could have foretold this. Being so far from the springs, there
was no 'support' to effect the psychological transformation that
befell Ranma. To that end, it created a modified personality --
you . . . " She pointed to him. "But it could not be fully grafted
onto the personality already existing in the body you have now."

She indicated Nabiki. "Can they be separated, Negako-san?" Kasumi
asked.

"No. To attempt something like that, given the way your brother here
was created, would kill them both. In cases like Ranma's, Zhòuquán-
xiang provides a magical 'support base' which would allow her essence
to live on in her new body should she and her birth-form be
separated. Because this was done away from Jusenkyou, no such support
base exists for Nabiki and her twin."

"Then there is only one thing . . .!"

Eyes locked on Souun. The Tendou patriarch was picking himself off
the floor. "And what, *Father* . . . " -- Kasumi's voice was flooded
with scorn as she spoke that word, crossing her arms -- "Would *you*
propose to do?"

Souun glared at her. "To see the process completed, as it was done
to Ranma." He shakily pointed to his magically created son.

"That is impossible," Negako replied. "And I do not think your
family will support you moving to destroy Nabiki's soul just so you
can have a son to carry on your family line, much less attempt to
marry off to Ranma." She then grinned sarcastically as she added,
"Who, by the way, has no desire to marry into your family and, if what
I sense of her now is true, is about to consummate her relationship
with Ataru this very evening."

Souun paled before he screamed out, "WHAT?! I FORBID . . .!"

A fist slammed into his cheek. Souun grunted as he shook his head
clear, and then he looked up to see who just struck him. "Son . . .?"

The look on the younger man's face sent a chill down Souun's back.
"Who the HELL do you think you are?! Killing your own daughter, who
worked her ass off to keep this house over your head, just to make
that fuckin' stupid pact with Saotome come true?! No way, *Father!*
It's NOT going to happen! Much that I like Ranma-chan, I'm not going
to force her into doing something she doesn't want! 'Sides . . . "
He glanced at Kasumi. "You have to admit Ranma and Ataru-kun DO make
a nice couple! Ne, Onee-chan?!"

Kasumi smiled. "Yes, that's true, isn't it?"

"NO!" Souun bolted to his feet, a blazing Demon Head surging forth.
"SON, YOU WILL MARRY RANMA OR ELSE I'LL DISOWN YOU ALL!"

"You're hardly in a position to demand that, Tendou-san," an icy
voice emanating from behind caused Souun to freeze in place.
"Considering that as of this very evening, you will be signing over
control of EVERYTHING to Kasumi."

Souun looked over his shoulder to see a narrow-eyed Chikage standing
there, arms crossed. Happoosai was now perched on her shoulder. The
looks on both their faces sent chills down Souun's back, though he
tried to reassert himself. "What makes you think you can stop
me . . .?"

Chikage grinned. "Check Six."

Souun tensed. "Wha . . .?!"

"***KONTOU!***"

A second later, an inhuman shriek echoed through Nerima.

* * *

Cologne gazed out the window of her bedroom at the Nekohanten. "Now,
why would Negako make use of the soulsword at the Tendou place?"

Sensing nothing else happening, the elder shrugged, heading for bed.

Look into it in the morning.

* * *

"Oooh . . .!"

Dawn was now shining its light through the windows of the old
shrine. Yotsuba stretched as she rose from her futon. Glancing
around, she did an automatic head-count of who was present.
Shirayuki's futon was empty, lying where she spent the night. The
would-be detective canted her head, her ears picking up noises from
the kitchen. *Making breakfast,* Yotsuba mused before she noticed a
futon folded by the wall. "Where's Chikage-chan . . .?" she whispered
as she stood, snatching her spyglass as she headed to the kitchen.
"Ohayou, Shirayuki-chan!" She looked into the kitchen, blinking.
"Eh?!"

Shirayuki looked over. "Oh, Yotsuba-chan, ohayou gozaimasu desu no.
Kasumi-san came by to help out with breakfast today."

Kasumi, busy with chopping onions -- hence, the swimming goggles
protecting her eyes -- nodded. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Yotsuba-san."

Yotsuba blinked before she perked on hearing voices echo from
Negako's bedroom. "Did something happen at your house?" she asked.

"That . . . " Kasumi paused, and then she sighed. "Could be said."

Shirayuki's hand squeezed the older woman's shoulder in a show of
sympathy. Kasumi gave her a thankful smile. "There's a mystery
afoot!" Yotsuba giggled as she held up her spyglass. "Yotsuba'll
check it out!"

"Hai desu no!" Shirayuki nodded before she turned back to the stove.

Yotsuba walked to the door of Negako's room. Sliding it partially
open, she moved to peek in -- and then she screamed on seeing Negako
suddenly appear before her, a bemused grin on the grandmaster's face.
"Your curiosity towards certain matters might one day be the death of
you," the grandmaster stated, sliding the door open. "Come in,
Yotsuba."

Yotsuba giggled embarrassingly as she stepped inside. She then
stopped, her eyes springing out of her head on seeing the vision of
lovely young manhood seated beside Negako's work table, his eyes
closed. Chikage stood off to his left, crystal ball in hand as she
whispered some arcane incantation. Also in the room was Ani-chama's
friend from outer space, Miree. To Yotsuba's surprise, the
Niphentaxian high priestess held what seemed to be one of Chikage's
magic mirrors, its surface facing the very, very, VERY yummy . . .!

*Yotsuba likes!* She shuddered as his bishoonen features swam
through her mind. *Yotsuba likes, likes, LIKES very much!*

Miree glanced her way, beckoning Yotsuba to her side. "Handsome,
isn't he?" she whispered as the detective slid up beside her.

"Yeah!" Yotsuba prayed she wasn't drooling as her eyes darted over
his body. "Yotsuba DEFINITELY wants to take a closer checky!"

"Oooh! Someone's got her head in the potty!"

"EH?!" Yotsuba shrieked, glancing wildly about. Yes, a girl's voice,
but it wasn't Chikage's, Ane-chama's or Miree's . . .

Chikage sighed, pointing to the mirror. "Look there."

Yotsuba looked. Her eyes went wide on seeing a GIRL in the mirror,
dressed exactly like the fellow who just caught her fancy. Said girl
-- *Hey, isn't this Tendou Nabiki?!* Yotsuba wondered -- was leering
knowingly at the detective. "What the . . .?!" She looked back at
the fellow in question, and then at Nabiki's image. "How the
hell . . .?!" she stuttered, staggering back as she pointed to and fro
between the man and the mirror.

"Zhòuquán-xiang," Negako told her before turning to Chikage.

The sorceress relaxed. "There." She lowered her hand.

"How is he?" Nabiki asked.

"Separated from you, Nabiki." Chikage slipped her crystal ball
away. "Now we have to work on building separate bodies for you."

"There is a problem if you're thinking of making use of the factory
to give him a body," Miree warned as the young man began to stir.
"It's only programmed to create female bioroids. There's been no
research ever done toward re-programming the ship to create male
bioroids."

"Then we will have to coax the Staff of Gihan to assist us in this
matter," Negako concluded. "Do you think you can do this, Miree?"

"Not really." The high priestess looked apologetic. "I doubt Jonna
and Orin could assist in that regard, either. The influence of the
Guardians on the Staff's programming matrix is still quite strong, I'm
afraid to say."

Chikage and Negako exchanged a look. "Ani-kun?" the former asked.

"No. Given what the Staff has already done to him, I doubt it will
do any of us any good." The latter shook her head, closing her eyes.
"Perhaps someone less fettered by entropic thoughts would be needed."

Yotsuba blinked confusedly. "What Staff?!"

Chikage's eyebrows arched. "Someone of a pure heart?"

Negako nodded. "Exactly."

"Hinako-san, perhaps?" Miree proposed.

Chikage and Negako glanced at the priestess for a moment before
exchanging a look. "A possibility," the latter mused. "Perhaps,
given the problems we are facing, obtaining a second device like the
Staff would be prudent. Is there such a device somewhere in close
range of us?"

"I'll investigate that now. Excuse me, please." Miree handed the
mirror to Yotsuba before she headed out of the room.

Yotsuba stared quizzically at her sisters. "What Staff?"

"An energy conduit with limitless ability named the Staff of Gihan.
Miree and her children brought it with them from Phentax Two," Negako
reported, turning as Nabiki's twin stood. "Do you feel better,
Shinshi?"

"Yeah," he grunted, rubbing his forehead. His eyes then locked on
the younger girl holding Chikage's mirror. "Eh?! Hi there!"

Yotsuba's cheeks flamed as his warm gaze sent jolts of hot desire
ripping through her. Her hands spasmed, letting go of the magic
mirror. "Hey, wait . . .!" Nabiki screamed out fearfully before the
mirror crashed into the floor.

Yotsuba didn't react to the noise of the mirror shattering, her eyes
still locked on Shinshi's. A confused look creased his face before
realization dawned, his cheeks flaming in response. "Ah . . . er, you
dropped the mirror . . .!" he stuttered, pointing to the pile of glass
at her feet.

She blinked, and then she looked down. "Oh! S-sorry about th-that!"
she sputtered, sidestepping around that to place herself beside him.
"Um, do you want some tea, Shinshi-kun?" She flustered as her arm
wrapped around his.

"Er . . . um, s-sure, Yotsuba-chan," he stuttered.

She walked him out of the bedroom. Negako and Chikage watched them
go, and then the former gazed on the latter. "I believe that is a
clear-cut case of falling in love at first sight." Her eyebrow arched
amusedly.

The sorceress chuckled. "Indeed."

* * *

"I just can't BELIEVE that idiot would do something like that!"

"From the way you've described him to me, what the hell did you
expect?"

Ranma stared at Ataru, and then she rolled her eyes. The two were on
the front yard of the old shrine, both engaged in the T'ui Shou, one
of the popular meditative drills of T'ai Chi Ch'üan. Both had been up
for an hour; they had been awakened when Negako and Chikage brought
Kasumi and the transformed Nabiki to the old shrine. To say that
Ranma especially was in the mood to cause some serious bodily harm on
the man she might have once seen as her future father-in-law was
understating it. "Yeah, that's true." She leaned forward, allowing
some of her ki to pass on to Ataru. "So Negako put the bastard out of
his misery with the soulsword flat. What happens with Kasumi, Nabiki
and Akane?"

"Well, we can pass it on to the Court of Special Appeals." Ataru
rocked back as both engaged in a slow foot kata while tilting their
arms. "I'm sure Judge Nozawa won't take the news of Souun's defying
his injunction too kindly."

"The bastard'll eventually recover from what Negako did to him,
Ataru."

"Hai, true, true. But it's too late now. After his brain was made
to go on the fritz, Onee-chan manipulated him into signing power of
attorney papers giving everything to Kasumi," he noted. "Everything
that was once his belongs to her as soon as those papers get
notarized. Lucky for them Reigi-kun knows some people who'd be
willing to do that at odd hours without any questions."

"Might have to get Judge Nozawa to do for them what he did for me."

"True."

Silence fell as they continued. Soon, Ataru and Ranma shifted away
from the T'ui Shou into a slowly paced battle drill. Granted, both
could, if they desired, turn up the heat and launch into a no-holds-
barred sort of duel, no different than what Ranma once did with Genma
every morning at the Tendou home until just after the failed wedding.
As they continued, both were quick to sense that they had an
audience. Sakuya, Karen, Haruka and Mamoru, along with Kimiko, Himiko
and Mikiko, were up, all of them standing at the windows to either
side of the front doors watching the highly disciplined display.
"Man, could you ever have imagined seeing something like this,
Mikiko?" the "late" captain of the Tomobiki High girl's swimming team
asked, shaking her head.

"Not really, especially from Ataru-kun!" Mikiko gazed at Himiko
before she turned to stare outside. "Ryuunosuke-kun, MAYBE,
especially given the way he was beaten by his father all the time. Or
so I heard over the grapevine."

Mamoru's eyebrow arched. "Don't you know Fujinami's really a girl?!"

A pair of boggled looks responded. "WHAT?!"

* * *

"AH-CHOO!"

Sakiko stared at her. "Bless you, Ryuu-chan! Are you alright?!"

Ryuunosuke wiped her nose, gazing nowhere in particular for a moment
before she moved to complete her ablutions. "Dunno."

* * *

"Oh, man!" Himiko shook her head. "I can't believe we all missed
that!"

Karen giggled. "You should've figured it out as soon as Onii-chan
started chasing Fujinami-san in public, Himiko-san."

The swimmer considered that before she reluctantly nodded.
"True . . . "

Mamoru pointed outside. "Hey! Hey! Look!"

Everyone stared outside, their eyes wide as saucers on seeing Ataru
and Ranma kissing, they clearly having finished their workout. "YES!"
Sakuya whooped, pumping her hand as her brother and future sister-in-
law pulled apart, both of them turning to head inside hand-in-hand.

Haruka drew her gunsen to fan herself. "Well, it's about time!"

"Who's making . . . that noise . . .?"

Everyone turned as Hinako rose from her futon, a hand moving to rub
the sleep from her eyes. "Oh, sorry about that, Hinako-chan!" Sakuya
walked over to kneel beside her sister. "We just saw Onii-sama and
Onee-sama kiss."

"Huh . . .? Oh!" Hinako blearily nodded, her mind still awaking
from its slumber, and then she moved to slip back under the covers.

"Did you guys enjoy the show?" Ranma asked as Ataru closed the door.

The sisters' cheeks flamed on realizing that they had just got
caught. "Uh . . . a-ah . . . p-poh!" Haruka stammered in
embarrassment.

Ataru chuckled, giving them a wink. "Give us a little time . . . "

"EH?! ONII-TAMA AND ONEE-TAMA KISSED?!"

Everyone jolted as Hinako shot up, her shout becoming the perfect
alarm clock for those sisters who had yet to awaken. "Kusun . . . "
Aria, who was lying beside Hinako, moaned as she tried to slip further
under the covers. "Aria is sleepy, Hinako-chan . . .!" she
complained.

"Aria-chan no baka!" Hinako waved her fists in a show of
frustration. "Don't you understand?! Onii-tama and Onee-tama
kissed!"

Silence.

"***THEY KISSED?!***" the just-awakened sisters shouted.

Ranma and Ataru flustered as Hinako ran up to grab them both in a hug
as a barking Michael trotted up to join them. The noise quickly drew
in people from the other rooms. "Hey, what's with the bru-ha-ha?!"
Shinshi asked as he and Yotsuba stepped out of the kitchen.

"Aniki and Aneki just kissed!" Rinrin reported, her assertion causing
the couple in question to blush even more.

"Eh?!" Yotsuba's eyes went wide in horror. "Ani-chama and Ane-chama
kissed and Yotsuba didn't check it?!" In a flash, the detective stood
behind Hinako, her camera at the ready. "Yotsuba'll have to keep
checking Ani-chama and Ane-chama until they kiss again!"

"It appears Ani-kun and Ane-kun cannot avoid the consequences of
their psi-bond," Chikage mused from her position by the hallway
leading to Ataru and Negako's bedrooms. Sure enough, in her hand was
the Lovers card.

The other sisters moved to crowd their brother and his girlfriend.
"Hina wants to see Onii-tama and Onee-tama kiss!"

"Kaho wants to see Onii-chama and Onee-chama kiss, too!"

"Yotsuba won't stop checking Ani-chama and Ane-chama until they
kiss!"

"Nii-ya's and Nee-ya's kiss will chase away Aria's sleepiness!"

"Hime should make a special treat to make Nii-sama and Nee-sama
kiss!"

Ranma and Ataru stared wide-eyed at the sisters, and then they
exchanged a look. A shrug rolled his shoulder as he moved to sweep
her into his arms. She didn't resist as their lips caressed each
other's, the both of them tightly holding each other close as
Yotsuba's camera flash fired several times. "ANI-CHAMA AND ANE-CHAMA
KISS CHECKY!" the would-be detective crooned as she captured the magic
moment from every direction.

The other sisters emitted a delighted whoop as Ataru and Ranma pulled
apart, he twirling her back to his feet. "Now that we've got THAT out
of the way . . . " He stared at Hinako, a grin crossing his face.
"It's time for Hinako to face the Evil Tickle Monster!" his voice
slurred into a horrible Boris Karloff imitation as he slouched into a
hunchback shape.

Hinako stopped, her eyes wide as Ataru raised his hands
threateningly, he lurching toward her as a cackle escaped him.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! HINA HATES THE EVIL TICKLE
MONSTER!" she screamed, trying to evade those hands.

More laughter as Ataru grabbed his youngest sister in a bear hug, his
fingers dancing up and down the sides of her rib cage. Hinako
squealed as Ranma whipped out some feathers to attack her feet.
Watching the shenanigans from the general direction of the kitchen,
Shinshi shook his head. "Man, never thought I'd EVER see Ranma do
THAT!" he admitted.

"Neither did I."

He looked to his left to see Kasumi standing there, a sad look on her
face. Shinshi blinked, and then he placed a hand on her shoulder,
moving to guide her into the kitchen. "Guess we can't deny anything
Negako-san says about Ranma-chan now, eh?" he then mused.

"Hai, we can't." Kasumi slowly nodded as she moved to lean against
the counter. "I'm just glad Akane-chan wasn't here to see that."

"She knows the truth, Onee-chan . . . "

"You know how hard it is for her to accept things like that, Shinshi-
chan," Kasumi warned as she gave him a knowing look.

Shinshi nodded. "Hai, true, but she won't have a choice BUT to
accept it. Ranma-chan warned her off on Sunday night."

"Let's hope it doesn't have to be repeated," she whispered as the
kitchen door opened to reveal Shirayuki. "Did Hinako-chan survive the
latest attack of the Evil Tickle Monster?!" Her eyebrows wriggled
delightedly.

"Hime thinks so!" The young chef giggled as she shooed Shinshi out.
"Time to finish making breakfast and Chigaiko-san's lunch!"

"Hai, hai, I'm going," the newest of the Tendou siblings asserted.

* * *

"Hello?! Is anyone here?!"

"Ah, Akane-san, there you are!" Marie opened the door, waving Akane
and Yuka into the living room. "You're just in time."

"Thanks." Akane nodded, and then she spotted Kasumi. "Onee-chan,
what's going on here?! What's with Dad?!" she demanded.

The eldest Tendou pointed to one side of the circle of people
currently consuming breakfast. "Look for yourself, Akane-chan."

They looked. Seated beside a caramel-haired teenager wearing a Union
Jack tie -- a girl Akane and Yuka recognized as one of Ataru's sisters
-- was a man Nabiki's age, dressed in T-shirt and jeans. The girl was
busy feeding him morsels of fried eggs. Akane was quick to sense the
growing attraction between them; their rosy-shaded cheeks were a dead
give away. Yet the boy . . .!

Boy . . .?

Oh, no . . .!

"Nabiki?" Akane eeped, the shock driving her to her knees.

The couple in question paused, looking her way. "Oh, hi, Akane-chan,
Yuka-chan!" Shinshi hailed as he gave then a friendly wave.

"Shi-chama," Yotsuba sing-songed.

He jolted before accepting another morsel of egg from the would-be
detective. "But HOW . . .?!" Yuka stammered, gazing at Akane.

"No thanks to Tendou-san's so-called 'father,' Tokoro-san."

Both spun around as Ranma stepped into the room, draped in her new
chemise after taking a long soak in the furo. Yuka's eyes nearly shot
out of her head on seeing the transformed martial artist dressed like
a woman. Akane, still stunned by what just happened to Nabiki, didn't
take immediate notice of Ranma's clothing. "What do you mean . . .?"
she began, and then it hit her. "The Nanniichuan cask?" she then
gasped out in disbelief.

"Yep." Ranma sat, nodding thanks as Shirayuki handed her a plate of
piping-hot food. "Your dad subbed the cask meant for the wedding with
a cask of normal spring water. Guess he realized Oyaji'd be a pig
about it when he found out the cask was around. Then, after Negako
told Nabiki the truth about what Zhòuquán-xiang did to me, Nabiki told
Souun . . . " She shrugged, waving to Shinshi. "And look what he did
to her in return!"

Akane blinked as she took that explanation in. Her fists clenched as
she turned back to her transformed sister. "That means . . .!" She
pointed to Shinshi, looking back at Ranma. "She's . . .! H-
he's . . .? Nabiki . . .?!"

Yotsuba and Shinshi gazed on her, and then the former looked at her
new boyfriend. "Mind if she takes over for a bit?" she whispered.

He winked. "Go for it."

Taking a cup of hot water, Yotsuba doused Shinshi. Akane and Yuka
gaped as the body morphed to what was normal for Nabiki. The clothes,
since they were forged from Chikage's magic, automatically shifted to
conform to their wearer's dimensions. She jerked before glancing
around, and then she nodded as Kasumi handed her a towel to dry
herself. "About damned time!" she grumbled before gazing on her other
sister. "Hi, Akane! When'd you get here?!"

Akane blinked, and then her eyes rolled into her head. Mamoru caught
her before she hit Sakuya, and then she lowered her to the floor.
"Yotsuba guesses Akane-san didn't really check that," the would-be
detective mused.

* * *

"Hina doesn't understand . . . "

Jonna smiled. "It's quite simple, Hinako-sama." She, Orin and their
mother were in the exercise room with the youngest of Ataru's
sisters. The Staff of Gihan was in Jonna's hand. "Bou-san here . . .
" She indicated the Staff. "Was once used by some very, very, VERY
mean people back on my home planet. Because of that, all sorts of
mean thoughts have been stamped onto Bou-san's primary memory unit."
She pointed to the glowing crystal at the business end of the Staff.
"What Mother, Orin and I were thinking is that because YOU, Hinako-
sama, have the purest heart of all your sisters, you can help Bou-san
get rid of those mean thoughts once and for all."

Tears sparkled in her eyes. "Jonna-oneetama says Hina has a pure
heart . . . " the youngest of the sisters gushed.

Handing the Staff to Orin, Jonna embraced Hinako. "Hush, Hinako-
sama, hush," she soothed, stroking her hair.

Hinako sniffled, reaching up to rub her eyes. "Onee-tama's so nice
to Hina. But . . . " Her eyes fell on the Staff. "Hina's not sure
if she can make Bou-san better. Besides, Bou-san belongs to Onee-
tama . . . "

"I can't make Bou-san better because I've been through many bad
things."

"Can't Onii-tama make Bou-san better?"

"No, he can't because . . . " Miree knelt beside her, and then she
paused as she tried to think of the least-wounding way to say this.
"Your brother can't because Bou-san was used to hurt your brother
badly just before he met us." She pointed to herself. Then, on
sensing a surge of shock race through Hinako, she moved to comfort.
"You, Hinako-chan, can make sure Bou-san will NEVER hurt your brother
again."

Hinako blinked, staring at the Staff. "Bou-san hurt Onii-tama?"

"Bou-san was MADE to hurt Ataru-sama," Jonna emphasized.

Silence fell as the youngest of the sisters considered what had just
been said. She then looked up to Jonna. Seeing her give a nod of
reassurance, Hinako gulped before her hand reached out to the Staff's
scarred trunk. As her fingers wrapped around its ancient metal, a
strange warmth surged up her arm. Hinako gasped, her eyes closing as
a torrent of ghostly energy flowed from the Staff's focusing crystal
to gently wrap around her body. The three Niphentaxian/Avalonians
backed away as Hinako's hand effortlessly shifted the Staff from
horizontal to vertical, its tip resting on the floor. Hinako's other
hand reached over to grasp the Staff, her eyes remaining closed.

"It's started," Miree whispered.

"Will this help?" Orin asked.

The Hollywoodite high priestess sighed. "We must have faith."

* * *

"Eh?! What's that?!"

Sakurambou Sakura's head canted east. The Shinto priestess had been
making tea when that surge of energy flowed through her from the
general direction of Nerima. Moving to her kitchen window, she
glanced outside. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to focus on what
exactly that energy might be and what its presence might mean. It was
certainly beyond her personal experience.

* * *

"Ominous . . . "

Cherry was also gazing eastward. Raising his beads, the Buddhist
monk intoned a prayer, and then he glanced into his cooking pot.
Seeing the hidden signs in the soup broth, he blinked before turning
back towards Nerima.

"Or is it?"

* * *

"Sakiko, you okay . . .?"

Izumo Sakiko jolted, she glancing at Fujinami Ryuunosuke. The couple
had spent the night aboard the former's scoutship. It was presently
camouflaged under a holographic cloak on Ryuunosuke-shima, not far
from where Hamachaya once stood. "Oh, it's . . . " The Seishin-
Urusian-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran shook her head, glancing north
towards Tokyo. "Something. But it doesn't feel threatening, I
think . . . " She crossed her arms.

Ryuunosuke took that in. Rising, she walked over to stand behind
Sakiko. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, the tomboy kissed
her earlobe. "If it's not threatening, then why do you look so damned
worried?" she wondered.

Sakiko gazed on her, and then they both laughed.

* * *

"Is there a danger, Seiko-sama?"

Izumo Seiko gazed confusedly at Kitahara Yukimi. A quick glance
around the kitchen revealed that the other Avalonians living there
were on their feet, they also glancing quizzically towards Nerima.
"I . . . " Seiko turned to look. "I'm not sure, Yukimi-chan."

* * *

"Such power . . . "

Cologne sat on the roof of the Nekohanten, gazing toward the old
shrine serving as the Moroboshi home. No, it wasn't Ataru, Ranma or
Negako that was tapping into WHATEVER it was that was pumping torrents
of raw ki into the surrounding environment. So who WAS tapping into
this thing?

And for what purpose?

Why?

* * *

"Hinako-chan . . . "

Ono Toofuu was on the front porch of his office, his face paling as
the implications of this event sank in. Ye gods, to put a device with
THAT MUCH power into the hands of a girl of only eight?! Who on Earth
was . . .?

A claw tapped his shoulder. The chiropractor gasped, turning around
to see the panda reborn thanks to Genma gazing concernedly at him. A
sign went up. [ARE YOU ALRIGHT, SENSEI?!] The sign twirled. [YOU
LOOK LIKE YOU JUST SAW SOMEONE DIE!] Another twirl. [WHAT'S WRONG?]

"I . . . " Toofuu stuttered, moving to leave. "Stay here! I have to
look in on something over at the Moroboshis' place . . . AWK!"

A furred arm grabbed him around the waist as the panda bounded for
the nearest telephone pole. [I'LL GET YOU THERE FASTER!]

Toofuu screamed, though he didn't try to pull himself free. *Now I
know how Akane felt at times when Ranma carried her anywhere!*

* * *

*A-ri-ri? Where's Hina . . .?*

Darkness enveloped the youngest of Ataru's sisters. Before teary-
eyed panic could seize Hinako, stars began to appear. In the
proverbial blink of an eye, she found herself drifting through a
galaxy. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai . . . " She looked all around her, her
mind nearly overloading from the sheer, primal beauty surrounding
her. Then, after what seemed an eternity, her eyes turned to her
body. Her naked body. "AAAAAAH! WHO TOOK HINA'S CLOTHES AWAY?!"

Sparkles surrounded her. Hinako soon found herself draped in a form-
fitting, black jumpsuit with a golden bird-like insignia on her
chest. The suit came complete with golden buccaneer boots and
wristbands holding her sleeves in place. On her lower sleeves was a
miniature of the bird-symbol on her chest, that dividing five wreaths-
of-laurel. "Funny suit . . . " She then glanced at her hands before
she remembered something else. "Eh?! Bou-san! Bou-san!" She looked
around. "A-ri-ri?! Where'd Bou-san go?!"

A spark of light appeared before her. Hinako reached out to cup the
light in her hands. The light exploded, blinding Hinako for a
moment. She cried out in shock on feeling something HEAVY land in her
arms. Then, as the light faded, she looked to see HERSELF in her own
arms. "Another Hina . . .?"

The double's eyes opened, she gazing on her template. With a gentle
push, the double placed herself before Hinako. Noting that she
herself was also naked, the double closed her eyes. Sparkles created
another form-fitting jumpsuit, though this one was totally black and
was covered by a shawl similar to what priests wear. The bird-like
insignia was stitched into the shawl and the double's arms were
trimmed in white lace. As soon as the sparkles vanished, the double's
eyes opened again, she smiling. ***Greetings.***

Hinako blinked. The double's mouth hadn't opened, yet Hinako clearly
heard that salutation in her mind. "Bou-san . . .?"

The double nodded. ***Affirmative. What you see before you is a
projection of the sentience of the device you know as 'Bou-san.' This
unit assumed this form so this unit may interact with the new
controller, designate 'Saeru Hinako.' How may this unit serve you?***

Hinako blinked, and then her eyes widened. "Waaai!" She waved her
hands excitedly. "Bou-san's like Mecha-Rinrin-chan!"

The double's eyes glowed. Hinako blinked, and then she relaxed as
the double's eyes reverted to normal, she nodding in understanding.
***Affirmative, though this unit is more advanced than the automation
the controller's sibling, designate 'Hatoyama Rinrin,' is
constructing.***

Hinako giggled before she looked around her. "Bou-san, where are
we?"

The double blinked, and then her cheeks slightly flamed in
embarrassment. ***Do not panic. It is an operational error on this
unit's part. The controller is presently accessing one of this unit's
initial memories.***

"Floating in space . . .?"

***Affirmative.*** The double's smile faded. ***This unit's memory
was damaged many thousands of years ago. It is impossible for this
unit to repair that damage or restore this unit's memories before that
time.***

Hinako gazed on her, sniffing. "Bou-san was hurt . . .?"

The double nodded. ***Affirmative.***

"Hina's sorry."

Confusion crossed the double's face. ***What is the logic of giving
an apology for an event the controller could not influence?***

Hinako jolted, and then she giggled. "Bou-san talks funny!"

***Does the controller wish this unit to converse in a format the
controller would be more comfortable with?*** the double then asked.

"Uhn!"

***As you wish.*** A pause before the double smiled. ***So what do
you want me to do, Hinako? Do you want to play with me?***

"Uh . . .!" Hinako stopped, and then she nodded. "Uhn! Um . . . "
She stopped again, sighing. "Jonna-oneetama told Hina that Bou-san
was once made to do some very meanie-meanie things back on Onee-tama's
planet. Um . . . "

***Hinako, you are my controller.*** The double glided over to
firmly squeeze Hinako's shoulders. ***Yes, Jonna was right. I WAS
made to do those bad things. But that was when I had another
controller.*** She moved to embrace Hinako. ***Who's my controller
now?***

"Hina is!"

The double nodded. ***Yep, Hinako is!*** She then pulled away from
Hinako, glancing nowhere in particular. ***Uh-oh . . . ***

"Something wrong?"

***No, but I think you'd want to back to Jonna and her family, not to
mention your family. They're worried about you.***

Hinako gasped, "Ah! Hina forgot!" She then giggled. "Bou-
san . . .?"

***What is it, Hinako?***

"Does Bou-san like Hina being Bou-san's controller?"

The double smiled. ***Hai!***

"Waaaaaaaaai!" Hinako gushed.

* * *

"Hinako-sama, are you alright . . .?"

"Hinako-chan . . .?"

Hinako blinked, looking confusedly around the exercise room. Her
eyes then focused on the device in her hand. To her surprise, the
Staff of Gihan had morphed from its original two-metre-plus height to
something Hinako could easily grasp with one hand. Even better in the
eye of Ataru's youngest sister, the Staff had transformed itself into
a glittering gold rod decked with enamel wings and sparkling diamonds,
the whole topped with the main focusing crystal forming its "head." A
glance to herself revealed that Hinako was wearing a gold version of
the jumpsuit she wore when she first spoke to the Staff; the bird-like
insignia and other markings a brilliant sky blue.

"Waaaaaaaaaai . . .!" she gushed. "Hina's a magical girl now!"

A hand reached for the Staff. Hinako blinked as a force-shield
deflected the hand away without causing any apparent injury. She then
turned to see who just tried to grab the Staff. "Ah, Toofuu-sensei!"
she called out.

"The Staff is now bonded to Hinako-san, Doctor," Miree pronounced;
she and her daughters were standing behind the chiropractor by the
doorway. "There is nothing you can now do to force the Staff away
from her."

Toofuu gazed on the alien priestess, and then he knelt before Hinako,
firmly grasping her shoulders. "Hinako-chan, are you alright?"

"Hina's fine." Hinako lowered her arms, she keeping the Staff close
to her. "Onee-tama just wanted Hina to help Bou-san get rid of all
the meanie-meanie thoughts all of Bou-san's old controllers put into
her."

Toofuu blinked confusedly, and then he stared intently at Miree.
"While I may not fully understand what's going on, Madame, placing a
device of THIS nature . . . " -- he pointed to the Staff -- " . . . in
the hands of a child Hinako-chan's age is something I would not
condone . . . "

"Calm yourself, Toofuu. In this case, allowing Hinako to gain
control of the Staff of Gihan is the prudent thing to do."

"Ah, Onee-tama!" Hinako gushed as Negako stepped in. She held up the
Staff. "Look at the nice present Jonna-oneetama gave Hina!"

"Yes, it is that, is it not?" Negako's hand stroked the Staff's
crystal. Since the grandmaster was not moving to pull the Staff away
from her sister's grasp, the Staff's automatic defence fields didn't
initialize. "In the meantime, there is a problem I believe Bou-
san . . . " -- she said that with a straight face -- " . . . can
assist in solving."

Hinako perked. "What sort of problem, Onee-tama?"

Negako waved her to follow. Everyone walked to the living room.
Akane had, by then, recovered from her fainting spell. She nibbled at
the breakfast Kasumi and Shirayuki made for her. Yuka was doing her
best to cheer her up. The panda was with Chikage, he having an
interesting sign-conversation with the sorceress. Still in control of
herself, Nabiki, seated beside Yotsuba, perked on seeing Negako
approach. "Oh, Negako-san, there you are." The middle Tendou
daughter scratched the back of her head, an embarrassed chuckle
escaping her.

Eyes locked on Hinako. "Hinako-chan, what are you doing wearing
THAT?!" Karen cried as she pointed to her sister's new jumpsuit.

"Eh?!" Hinako then looked at herself before giggling. "It's okay,
Karen-chan! Bou-san turned Hina into a magical girl."

"'Bou-san' . . .?" Ataru stopped, his eyes focusing on the Staff,
and then he glanced at Jonna. "Jonna, are you SURE this is a good
idea?!"

"It's okay, Onii-tama!" Hinako cradled the Staff close to her.
"Hina'll make sure Bou-san won't hurt Onii-tama anymore."

Ataru blinked, and then he tensed on feeling Ranma's hand squeeze his
shoulder. They exchange a look before he reached up to squeeze her
hand back. Seeing that tender exchange, Yuka's eyes shot out of her
head. Akane also saw this, and then she turned away, squeezing her
eyes shut. The other sisters exchanged confused looks. Rinrin then
walked over to give the Staff a close visual inspection. "Hey, Ono-
sensei, is THIS what you were panicking about when you and Panda-san
there came in earlier?"

The chiropractor grimly nodded. "It is."

"Are you suggesting this is not a good idea, Sensei?" Haruka asked.

Toofuu nodded. "Of course I do! I can only guess at this weapon's
full potential, Haruka-chan. And if my guess is close to accurate,
this thing is capable of wiping out all life on Earth. Do you really
think it's wise to place control of this device in Hinako-chan's
hands?"

"But Bou-san likes Hina being Bou-san's controller!"

Sniffles turned everyone's attention to Hinako. Seeing the sad look
crossing the young girl's face, Toofuu winced, cursing himself for
saying something like THAT in hearing distance of the person it most
affected.

Before the chiropractor could moderate, Miree placed a hand on
Hinako's shoulder. "Your concerns are valid, Doctor. But there are
times we must take trust in, as Abraham Lincoln once called them, the
'better angels' of human nature. Yes, the Staff has been used to
cause great harm to many on my home planet and elsewhere. But that
was when people who were quite narrowly focused in their worldview
controlled the Staff. Before it fell into our possession . . . " She
indicated herself and her children. "The Staff was made to unleash a
holocaust of unimaginable proportions upon my people."

Everyone blinked. Many of the sisters glanced at Ataru. "But
now . . . " The alien priestess squeezed Hinako's shoulder again.
"Now, the Staff is controlled by a girl, one unfettered by the
prejudices and selfish ideals that seem to dominate more
'mature' . . . " -- she made finger-quotes -- " . . . elements of
society. Now, the Staff is in the hands of someone who could not, for
the utter life of her, conceive of bringing harm to anyone, most of
all those she loves with every fibre of her being. Now, for the first
time in its existence, the Staff is bound to someone who possesses a
pure heart, one unburdened by those petty prejudices and selfish
ideals I spoke of earlier."

"People have said that those who believe they are doing the greatest
good often commit the greatest evil," Toofuu warned.

"Those who say THAT, Doctor, are often those who feel their own
worldview is the only valid one," Miree countered.

Akane shuddered. "Hey! Listen to what Sensei's trying to
say . . .!"

"Wait!"

Eyes turned to Karen as she walked up to gaze concernedly into
Hinako's eyes. "Hinako-chan, are you SURE you want to use this?" She
pointed to the Staff. "If it's as powerful as Sensei and Miree-san
just said . . . "

Hinako sniffed. "Hina won't let Bou-san hurt Onii-tama . . . "

Silence. People gazed on her, and then to Ataru. "Onii-sama?"
Sakuya walked up to him, and then she stared at the Staff. "Is
this . . .?" She stopped, looking back at him. "Is this part
of . . . what you won't tell us?"

Ataru blinked. "Hai," he whispered, bowing his head.

Chigaiko shuddered. "Ataru-kun . . . "

"Onii-chan." Karen walked up to him. "Tell us. Please . . .?"

He quaked, and then he felt a hand slip into his. He looked left to
see Ranma giving him a smile. Taking a deep breath, he gazed on the
Staff. "As Miree indicated, the Staff was, when I first saw it, in
the hands of a very narrow-minded individual. A woman named Hekiko if
I recall correctly. She was . . . " He sat down. "The leader of a
group of Niphentaxian high priests calling themselves 'Guardians.'
They believed that if there came a time when one single faith would
win the approval of all on Phentax Two . . . "

"The Church of Lum, you mean?" Mamoru asked.

Ataru slowly nodded. "Yes. Well, if such a church came into being,
then . . . " He took a deep breath before he continued, "If something
happened that would effectively destroy the spiritual foundation of
such a church . . . "

"Like Lum's death," Ranma cut in.

He nodded. "Well, then . . . " He gazed once more on the Staff.
"The prophecy warned that if this circumstance occurred . . . " A
pause, and then he finished in a voice full of ashes, " . . . Phentax
Two would be doomed."

"So this Staff learned of Lum's death from you . . . " Nabiki
pointed to the Staff. "And this . . . " She gulped. "It happened?"

"Yes."

Karen covered her mouth. "Onii-chan . . .!"

"How many died?" Rinrin asked.

Silence.

More silence.

Still more silence.

Then . . .

"Three billion people."

Silence.

Eyes locked on Negako, and then they turned to Ataru. "Anii . . . "
Mamoru gasped, her eyes instantly tearing.

Sakuya shuddered. "Onii-sama . . .!"

Ataru blinked before he rose, heading to his bedroom. The others
watched him go, unsure of what to say. Ranma headed off to look in on
him. No one stopped her. Finally, Rinrin shook her head, she
whispering, "It's no wonder Aniki didn't want to tell us!
Gods . . .!"

She looked away, crossing her arms. "Is that why Nii-sama had to
stay in Sanctuary for a whole week, Nee-sama?" Shirayuki asked as she
looked at Negako.

The grandmaster nodded. "Yes. Ataru did not only see what happened
on Phentax Two with his eyes. He did not only overhear what happened
there with his ears, Shirayuki. Above all, he FELT what happened in
the pit of his soul. The Staff, at the moment this happened, forged a
mental link between Ataru and those condemned by the Guardians'
prophecy. Could you imagine being linked to so many people for the
briefest of seconds -- then experience all of their lives being
snuffed out? Just like that?" She snapped her fingers.

Everyone winced. Hinako then stared at the Staff. *Bou-san, is it
true?* she mentally asked, trying not to break down and cry.

***Yes, Hinako. It's true.***

Hinako shuddered, and then a calm look crossed her face. *You
couldn't stop yourself from doing that, could you?*

***No, I couldn't.*** A pause. ***At least now, with you as my
controller, an incident like THAT will not happen again.***

Ataru's youngest sister blinked, and then she blushed at the implied
trust the Staff of Gihan bestowed on her. Then the sheer number of
people lost on Phentax Two came back to her like a tidal wave. *All
those people . . . *

***Are now at peace, Hinako.***

*A-ri-ri . . .?!*

***They are in the Very, Very Bright Place now,*** the Staff
explained. ***The place we will go to when our time in this life is
done. That is the Place where Marie's parents, Haruka's mother,
Sakuya's and Rinrin's stepfathers are now, Hinako. There, they are at
peace.***

Hinako felt a smile cross her face as she gently stroked the Staff's
focusing crystal. *You mean they're in Heaven, Bou-san?*

***In your eyes, yes.***

"Hinako-chan, are you alright?"

Hinako jolted, and then she noticed everyone gazing at her. "A-ri-
ri?!"

"You just blanked out for a moment," Mamoru explained as the others
started to relax. "What's wrong, Hinako-chan?"

"Eh?!" Hinako sniffed, and then she wiped her eyes. "It's okay,
Mamoru-chan. Bou-san was just telling Hina about those people Bou-san
was made to send to Heaven. Bou-san says . . . " She smiled.
"They're at peace now."

Everyone considered that. Sakuya sighed. "Hinako-chan." She knelt
in front of her sister. "Do you want to keep Bou-san?"

Hinako nodded. "Uhn!" She gazed on the Staff's crystal. "Bou-san
likes it that Hina's now Bou-san's controller. Hina . . . " She
sniffed. "Hina can make sure that Bou-san'll never hurt Onii-tama
again."

Sakuya gazed on her, and then she lightly smiled. "Well, then . . .
" She turned to stare at Toofuu, and then she gazed on Miree. "I
guess we'll have to trust in the better angels of Hinako-chan's
nature."

She gently squeezed Hinako's free hand. "There's still a danger,
Sakuya-chan," the chiropractor then warned.

"There's always a danger when one tries new things, Toofuu-kun."
Chikage placed a calming hand on his shoulder, and then her eyebrow
arched. "But what's the worst thing to do? Try a new path and face
the possibility of failure? Or not try at all and never know the
possibility of success?"

He gazed on the young sorceress. The other sisters and the Tendous
were surprised that the chiropractor wasn't succumbing to another bout
of love-madness being so close to Chikage. "Well, if you say so," he
reluctantly said.

The others smiled. Save Akane; she was sending a piercing look at
Chikage. The young sorceress ignored her, though she did sense that
stare. "Now that we have resolved that particular matter for the time
being, let us turn to other matters," Negako firmly declared as she
guided Hinako to Nabiki. "Hinako, I think Bou-san can explain to you
Nabiki's current problem."

"Huh?!" Hinako gazed up at the grandmaster, and then she perked as a
whispered non-voice echoed deep in her mind. She stared at the Staff,
and then she looked at Nabiki, her eyes wide. "That's stupid!" Hinako
cried out, causing everyone else to lean away from her. "Why'd your
father do something really, really, really dumb like that?!" she
demanded.

"Hinako-chan, can you help them?" Kasumi asked.

Hinako stared at her, and then she perked as the Staff provided her
an answer. "Soo ka . . . " The youngest of Ataru's sisters sighed
before she stared at Nabiki. "Gomen nasai, Nabiki-san. But Bou-san
says she can't split you and Shinshi-san apart. There's not enough
life energy for Bou-san to use to make separate bodies for both of
you."

"What if replacement bodies were obtained, Hinako?" Chikage asked.

Hinako gazed on the sorceress. "What do you mean, Chikage-chan?"

"She means what happened to us, Hinako-chan," Himiko declared as she
and Mikiko walked up to her. "After all, the Avalon bioroid factory's
here now over Earth, so why don't you use that instead?" She pointed
up.

Hinako gazed on them, and then she perked as the Staff whispered the
necessary information to her. "Eh?!" She looked up, the Staff
enhancing her vision to the point where Hinako could see the cloaked,
twenty-kilometre long factory clearly. "Waaaaaa . . .! What a BIG
spaceship!" she gushed, and then she perked as the Staff added
details. "Eh?! It can only make girls? Why can't it make boys?!"
She stared at the Staff, and then she canted her head as the device
replied. "Oh, you can fix it up?! Okay!"

She hoisted the Staff. "Hey, Hinako-chan, what're . . .?!" Mamoru
began.

The focusing crystal flared, blinding everyone.

* * *