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[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 7, "B" Side (2/4)

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pye...@gmail.com

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Sep 12, 2007, 8:55:37 PM9/12/07
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"So what's a Noukiite ship doing hovering over Nerima, Seiko-chan?!"

Seiko hummed as she, Sakiko, Ten and the four replica-bioroids who
brought him to Earth relax in Tomobiki's town park. They had come
here to enjoy a take-out lunch after finishing business with the SCAA
downtown. From here, they had seen the sleek Noukiite ship soar down
swiftly from the general direction of Siberia, it coming to a stop
over the central part of Nerima. Despite the ship's size -- it was
about the length of the average jumbo jet -- it stood out clearly in
the afternoon sky due to the lack of tall buildings in the skyline
between Tomobiki and Nerima. "I'm not too sure." Seiko's eyes
narrowed as she focused her powers on the hovering ship.
"Unless . . . "

Her hearing picked up the murmurs of several boys walking past the
main gates. "Can you guys believe they cancelled classes 'cause the
idiots in 3-4 got kidnapped by that queen who wanted to marry Ataru?"
one of them wondered over the derisive laughter of his friends.

Seiko spun around, her eyes widening on seeing a small crowd of
students in the Tomobiki High boy's uniform walk past the gates.
"Heard Mendou got snatched," another noted as they headed down a side
street. "Let's hope that queen'll keep the snob with her when she
lets the others go!"

"Amen to that, bro'!" a third whooped.

"'Queen?!'" Seiko blinked as she exchanged a look with Sakiko.

"Elle!"

* * *

"AH-CHOO!"

"Bless you, Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"

A handkerchief was offered to the Rose Queen. "Yes, I'm fine, thank
you." She wiped her nose, and then she gazed on the deckhead for a
moment before they carried on. "Have the dockyard maintenance staff
look at the air-freshener units. There must be something in the
atmosphere . . . "

"Of course, Your Majesty. It will be done as soon," her chief
servant replied with a nod as the small party passed through the door
leading to the balcony overlooking the containment area holding
Ataru's former classmates.

And one other.

"***WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!***"

Guess which one of Chikage's shiatsu strikes had just worn off?

"Kunou-san, please calm down! There is an explanation . . .!"

"***WHAT FOUL MAGIC BROUGHT THE BLUE THUNDER TO THIS PLACE?!***"

"I don't think he's listening to you, Mendou-san."

"***I DEMAND TO BE RELEASED AT ONCE!***"

"Jerk probably doesn't get tired of listening to his voice, ne?!"

"Got that right, man!"

"***MOROBOSHI, YOU EVIL MAGUS! SHOW YOURSELF!***"

"How does this guy know Ataru-kun?"

"***FEAR NOT, OH VIOLET ONE!***"

"'Violet One?!'"

"***THE BLUE THUNDER WILL SAVE YOU FROM MOROBOSHI'S GRASP!***"

"Ne, Tomomi-chan! You think he's talking about Chikage-san?!"

"***OH, THE TRAGEDY OF IT ALL!***"

"Hard to say . . . "

"***TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A VISION OF LOVELINESS IS ACTUALLY KIN BY*
BLOOD *TO A LECHEROUS BEAST LIKE MOROBOSHI!***"

"I guess he IS talking about Chikage-san, Kyooko-chan!"

"***ALL THE GODS IN THE HEAVENS MUST* WEEP *AT SUCH A FATE!***"

"Um, Shinobu-san. Is he trying to insult Ataru-kun?!"

"I think so."

"Right . . . "

*CRUNCH!*

"V-v-violet one . . .!"

Body dropped to the deck. "Mie-san! Why did you do THAT to him?!"

"He was giving me an earache with his yelling! 'Sides, I don't think
Ataru-kun would appreciate being insulted behind his back!"

Silence.

"Ye gods! Is it POSSIBLE . . .?!"

"That someone . . .!"

"Actually LIKES Moroboshi Ataru?!"

Dramatic pause.

"IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!"

Running footsteps, and then one man's hands grasped a woman's.

"Mie-san! You must not think of pursuing Moroboshi . . .!"

*CRUNCH!*

"MENDOU-SAN!"

Multiple *thuds!* as many women fainted, overwhelmed by shock on
seeing Mendou punched head-first THROUGH the containment area's deck.

"Damned jerk! Who gave him the right to touch me *there?!*"

"He DID kinda deserve that, didn't he?!"

"I can agree to that!"

"Ditto!"

Stunned silence.

"Did you see that?"

"Ye gods! You mean there's actually a girl . . .?"

"Who's IMMUNE to Mendou?!"

Dramatic pause.

"THERE IS A GOD!"

"Hey, wait a minute! She still likes Moroboshi!"

Another pause.

"OH, THE TRAGEDY OF IT ALL!"

Most of the boys from Shinobu's class collapsed en masse to the deck,
wailing at the heavens for cursing them with the presence of a young
woman like Seikou Mie. Above, Elle's eyebrow twitched as her mind
tried to take in what she just witnessed, and then she gazed on one of
her aides. "I think I can now understand why Honey wanted to leave
these people," she noted with a chuckle.

"Agreed," the aide said. "Shall I have Mr. Groom's sisters brought
here so they can see these fools for themselves?"

"At once."

"By your command, Your Majesty."

* * *

"This is your room, Auntie Hinako."

"Waaaai!" Hinako breathed out as she walked into a small cabin
located on the same deck as the "Windrider's" pilotage. Looking
around to take in the room -- it was fitted with a bed, nightstand and
a large closet space, arranged not so differently from Hinako's
bedroom at Welcome House -- the youngest of the sisters nodded. "Hina
likes this place!" She then noted a side door situated next to the
closet. Walking to it, she opened the door, looking beyond to find a
Western-style washroom. "Oh, Hina even has her own bathroom on Onii-
tama's ship!" she declared before turning to gaze on Reiko and
Kaneko. "Ne, ne, Reiko-chan, Kaneko-chan, how soon can we get going?"

"We're going to go to the bridge to get things set up," Kaneko
announced.

With that, the twins withdrew, Reiko closing the door behind her.
Hinako watched her go, and then she sighed, staring at the Staff of
Gihan in her hand. "Bou-san, do you think we should tell Lufy-san and
her friends what happened?"

***It would be a wise idea,*** the Staff replied. ***Given the
Daishi'cha's own feelings for your brother, they would be
concerned.***

"Okay, let's go!"

A flash of light later, Hinako's room was empty.

* * *

"Eh?"

Chikage had found her own cabin aboard the "Windrider" by simple
deduction; the doors to each of the cabins on the main deck level had
name plaques. Standing up after she slipped the dozing Tendou Akane
under the covers of the comfortable bed there, the sorceress gazed in
the general direction of Hinako's cabin. Her eyes then narrowed as
she quickly perceived the small space-warp that had teleported Hinako
off the barque.

"Hinako-chan . . . "

* * *

"The 'Rose Emperor' is gone?!"

"Yes, Linna. It left orbit about a half-hour ago according to the
decay of ion particles. The trail leads from Earth toward the Slot,"
Sylvie reported after looking up from the "Kiboo'cha's" main scanner
display.

Presently sitting in the warpsloop's command chair, Linna hummed as
she took in that information. Before she could postulate what she
should do next, a blinding flash of light nearly burned the eyes out
of everyone on the bridge. "Lufy-saaaaaaaaaaaan!" Hinako screamed out
as she materialized on the "Kiboo'cha's" bridge. Then, when the light
faded, she looked around. "A-ri-ri?! Where's Lufy-san, Linna-san?!"
she asked.

"Hinako-chan!" the chief of Section One gasped as her subordinates
leapt to their feet to salute Ataru's sister.

"Hinako-sama?!" a voice called out from behind Hinako as Sylia
stepped onto the bridge, she followed by Priss, Nene and Ayumu. "What
in Lyna's name are you doing here?! We told you we would contact you
when it was decided to open contact with your brother . . .!"

"Hina knows that!" Hinako cut her off with a wave of her hands.
"It's terrible, Sylia-san! It's terrible!"

"What?!" Priss demanded.

Hinako told them. "***SAY WHAT?!***" everyone else screamed.

"It's true!" Hinako whined. "That baka-baka Elle kidnapped Karen-
chan and the others to make Onii-tama marry her!"

Silence fell as eyes focused on Sylia. The Troop commander's brow
furrowed as she considered the options she could take in the wake of
this. Taking a deep breath, she then turned to gaze on Priss and
Nene. "Priss, Nene, do you think we can handle a hostage situation
like this?"

The first officer and the coxswain exchanged a wary look. "We
can't," the former then said with a regretful shake of her head.
"We're nowhere near trained to deal with a situation like that. You
know that! We're a special warfare force, Sylia. Not the Hostage
Rescue Team."

"I don't think the HRT will be able to help out," the latter added.

"Agreed," Sylia breathed out.

A snap of the fingers. "Ah! Game winning auction wager!"

Eyes locked on Ayumu. "Ayumu-chan, you're supposed to say 'game
winning home run!'" Hinako protested.

The master chief petty officer of the Sagussan Navy gazed at her.
"But we don't play baseball on Sagussa, Hinako-chan."

"What do you have in mind?" Nene asked in exasperation.

"Simple!" Ayumu replied with a smile. "This is kidnapping, right?!
Why don't we have Tomo deal with this?!"

The other Sagussans recoiled in shock as the implications of THAT
idea sank in. "You CAN'T be serious!" Priss exclaimed.

"There won't be anything left of any of them once Tomo gets through
with them!" Linna protested, she grabbing her hair and yanking on it.

"Left of what?!"

Everyone screamed as a shaggy raven-haired, brown-eyed, Yizibajohei-
born woman in the black-and-dark blue of the Internal Security Force
stepped onto the bridge. The four pips-and-windrider rank insignia of
the SISF's senior non-commissioned officer adorned Tomo's collars.
Behind Tomo came a brown-haired and eyed, bespectacled, Yehisrite-born
woman with a spatula-and-knife tattoo on her cheek. Koyomi was draped
in a gold-trimmed red coverall jumpsuit with dark brown leggings; this
was the work uniform of members of the Engineering Ministry who were
formally trained as construction engineers.

"When did you get here?!" Priss snapped.

"Just now!" Tomo innocently replied.

"Ah! Tomo, you're here!" Ayumu breathed out. "It's terrible, Tomo!
It's so terrible! Ataru-sama's sisters were just kidnapped!"

Tomo jolted. "KIDNAPPED?! When?! By who?!"

"By that baka-baka creep Elle!" Hinako cried out.

Koyomi blinked as something came to her. "Oh, so that explains what
that patrol monitor was doing heading towards Toshitto!"

"Eh?!" Tomo gasped as she spun to look on her bond-mate. "You mean
we let criminals actually get past us?!" she demanded before grabbing
Koyomi by the arm and dragging her off the bridge toward the
"Kiboo'cha's" transporter room. "We're off in hot pursuit!" she then
bellowed.

Koyomi cried out as she found herself being yanked through the air by
Tomo. The members of Pathfinder Troop Six watched helplessly as the
two other Sagussans vanished around a corner. Ayumu then stared at
Hinako. "There you go, Hinako-chan!" she assured her with a raised
hand. "Tomo's on the case! Karen-chan and the others are as good as
rescued!"

"Yay!" Hinako cheered.

Sylia reached up to her forehead. *Dear Lyna, I beseech thee: Why
me?!*

* * *

"Darling, that's horrible!"

"Tell me about it," Ataru complained as Hensou and Kamen wrapped
their arms around him in a supportive hug. The Izumo sisters and
their companions had just arrived at the old shrine. Many of those
who had come to speak to Ataru concerning the kidnappings had left,
the parents from Tomobiki having being given personal assurances their
children would be rescued within the day. Miree, Jonna, Orin -- plus
Kawamura Himiko and Serizawa Mikiko, neither of whom had been seen by
any of the people from their hometown -- had already boarded the solar-
sail barque to help Reiko and Kaneko with preparations. "No doubt,
Elle must've had someone operating in Noukiite space when I was
working with them." Ataru paused for a moment before continuing,
"Seven Bake Rose would be my first guess on that regard; from what I
learned from the Inquisition about her, she is good at what she does.
After my family was added to the Dominion Family Registry when I
adopted Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan, it would've been simple for
someone to tap into it and get the skinny on everyone else."

"Darling, do you think you can rescue the others?" Sakiko asked.

He considered that for a moment. "It should be easy enough,
especially with Hinako-chan and the Staff on our side."

"Too bad we couldn't call Nassur-chan and ask for his help," Ten, who
was being held in Seiko's arms, mused.

"Hey, you got the next best thing, Ten-chan," Kamen then spoke up as
she thumbed herself. "You got us! We can handle this!"

Ataru, the Izumos and Ten gazed on the four bioroids, all of whom had
smiled at Kamen's assertion. Seeing the casual pride flashing in
their eyes concerning their connection with the expat Vosian, Ataru
slowly nodded. Despite his assertion to his old classmates the
previous Saturday that he personally never wanted to meet the man,
Ataru had -- while he was working with the Noukiites and the
Zephyrites -- learned a lot about Nassur's reputation. It was quite
solid. "Well, if you ladies would like to help us . . . "

His eyebrow arched. The replica-bioroids laughed. "Of course we'll
help, Darling!" Hensou said. "After all, they ARE your sisters!"

"Quite cute ones at that," Damasu added.

Mienai gazed intently at Ran's replica. "Flirt!"

"Hey, I can look, can I?!" Damasu whined as she ducked away from the
intensive stare Oyuki's replica was sending her.

Laughter shook the crowd before a voice spoke up, "We'll have to give
these girls a proper reward for their assistance, Ani-kun."

The replica-bioroids gasped as they spun around to see Chikage
standing there, the sorceress gazing amusedly at them. "Hey, Chikage-
chan, did you train under Nagaiwakai-sama's ninjas or what's the
damned story?" Kamen asked.

"I've had much more eclectic training, Kamen-chan," Chikage explained
to Benten's replica, and then she stared at Ataru, her eyebrow arching
in amusement. "So what sort of reward would you girls desire? A
night of blissful snogging and shagging (as Yotsuba would put it) with
Ani-kun?!"

As Ranma and Marie walked up to join the crowd under the "Windrider,"
they trailed by Sakura, Cherry, Nabiki and Shinshi, Ataru acked as he
took a fearful step away from the four Avalonians in question as they
turned to stare leeringly at him. Seiko and Sakiko snickered on
seeing him react THAT way to Chikage's suggestion, not to mention the
replica-bioroids' receptive looks. "I'd go for it," Hensou answered
with a predatory grin on her face.

"That sounds like a good idea!" Kamen added.

"What idea?" Ranma asked.

"Why, we giving Darling the time of his life, Ranma-san!" Mienai
cooed. "And since we can sense that you ARE bonded to him . . . "

"The more the merrier!" Damasu finished.

"URK!" Ataru and Ranma acked in sync.

More laughter. Shinshi and Nabiki toppled over on seeing their late
sister's former fiancé react as she did to THIS aspect of puberty.
"Ye gods, I can't believe it!" Sakura sighed, she shaking her head in
disappointment. "There are actually MORE girls who're interested in
Moroboshi?!"

The laughter came to a stop with the speed of a falling guillotine
blade as four sets of eyes locked on the priestess. "Who wants to do
this?" Hensou asked as her body flashed with the bio-electricity she
inherited from Lum.

"I'm in," Kamen asserted as she cracked her knuckles.

The air around Mienai began to chill. "I think we need some
practice."

Sakura blinked, and then she jolted as Ataru and Ranma quickly
cleared the field of fire. "Be our guest!" Ataru declared.

A few seconds' intense violence later, the burnt, bruised, frozen and
youth-sucked priestess was sent on a ballistic trajectory back towards
her shrine in Tomobiki. "Now THAT, she had coming to her!" Seiko
asserted as they watched Sakura disappear into the afternoon sky.

"Nice moves," Ranma said. "Need to work on your follow-throughs."

The replica-bioroids stared at her. "You think so?" Kamen asked.

"Sure! When we get back from this trip, I'll show you some things."

"Sounds fair," Hensou asserted as she walked over to slip one of her
arms around one of Ranma's. "Shall we go aboard, Ranma-san?"

Ranma nodded, and then the disguised Oni/Avalonian boosted her into
the air for the "Windrider's" weather deck. Sakiko then used her
powers to boost Damasu, Kamen, Mienai, the Tendou siblings and herself
aboard. "Can I come, Seiko-chan?" Ten asked as he stared at his
transformed cousin.

Seiko and Ataru exchanged a look before both shook their heads.
"It's better if you stayed with Negako-san," the former asserted as
Marie, Michael and Negako walked up to join them. "Darling's
daughters are going to be on this trip and they KNOW what you once
were."

Ten jolted before a sad look crossed his face. Even if his just-
acquired Avalonian powers were beginning to awaken, he had sensed
enough of Reiko and Kaneko to know how the Noukiite twins viewed
Urusians in general. "Yeah, that's true . . . " he lamented with a
frown.

"He will be safe with me," Negako declared as she held out her arms
for him. "Besides, I believe there is a young lady who would be more
than happy to see Ten while you are off to retrieve the others." On
sensing Ten stare wide-eyed at her, the ninjutsu grandmaster added,
"Modoki Mako."

Ten jolted, his eyes going wide on hearing the name of the
kindergarten-age girl who, shortly after he came to Earth, once tried
to force Valentine's Day candy on him and -- as she believed -- make
the young Oni her "husband." Screaming out in wide-eyed fear, he
leapt into Chikage's arms, reaching over to draw the sorceress' cape
around him to hide him from Negako's view. "NO WAY!"

"I suggest you change your viewpoint concerning Mako," Negako
declared. "After the news of Lum's 'demise' was aired on the public
news networks, Mako came to fear the worst about you. Her feelings of
over-possessiveness where it concerns you have evaporated since that
time."

Ten peeked out from behind the flap of Chikage's cape.
"Really . . .?"

"It is true," Negako asserted with a nod. "In fact, from what I have
sensed about her, Mako's depression has grown to the point where it
may come to harm her physically. A visit from you would do much to
restore her spirits."

The young Oni-turned-Terran/Avalonian considered those words before
he breathed out. Slipping out from behind Chikage's cape, he leapt to
the ground and walked over to stand beside Negako. The ninjutsu
grandmaster leaned down to boost Ten into her arms. "Ten-chan, you
make sure you keep an eye on Michael while we're gone, too," Marie
told him, holding up a finger.

"Hai!" Ten affirmed with a nod, Michael barking in acknowledgement.

"We'll be back before you know it!" Seiko asserted as she reached for
Marie's hand. "Marie-chan?!" she beckoned the other girl with her.

Marie nodded before she found herself boosted into the air by Seiko's
telekinesis, both soaring for the "Windrider's" weather deck. "Shall
we go?" Ataru then said as he gazed knowingly at Chikage.

Before she could answer, a shrieking noise caused everyone to glance
up. Soaring away from the "Windrider" towards Tomobiki was a smoking
Cherry, having just received a demonstration of the Staff of Gihan's
power. "GET LOST, YOU CREEP!" Hinako -- she having just returned
moments before from her meeting with the Sagussans -- screamed. "OR
HINA'S GONNA GET REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MAD!"

"It's Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate!" echoed throughout the afternoon sky.

Those still on the ground below the "Windrider's" keel blinked.
"That, he DEFINITELY had coming to him!" Ataru asserted.

"Indeed," Negako affirmed with a smirk.

* * *

"You want to know something, my friend?" Ono Toofuu mused from the
front porch of his clinic, a delighted grin twitching the sides of his
mouth. "Maybe giving that thing to Hinako-chan wasn't such a bad idea
in the first place."

[INDEED!] the panda signed.

Yes, folks! Even people in Nerima had heard of Cherry.

* * *

"Papa, the ship's sealed for space flight!"

"Waai!" Hinako gushed as everyone stepped on the "Windrider's"
pilotage.

"What a set-up!" Nabiki stated before she noted the kanji and kana
etched into the backs of every chair there, each underlined with the
han'geul-like symbols representing the Noukiite language. "I take it
you had this ship built with your sisters AND your daughters in mind?"
she then asked as she gazed knowingly at Ataru, her eyebrow arching in
amusement.

Ataru scratched his hair, chuckling embarrassingly. "Well . . .!"

The others laughed. The "Windrider's" pilotage was structured akin
to how most university large lecture rooms were set up. The main view
screen was located forward. It was flanked on both sides with small
control station lecterns. Three rows of work stations ascended a step
at a time to the main entrance to the pilotage, that opening to the
corridor that eventually led to the master's and commander's cabins at
the aft end of the barque's main deck. A half-circle stuck out
forward from the second row of stations; this was where Reiko and
Kaneko had positioned themselves. A central chair sat behind the
twins' stations, it marked with the kanji for "Ani" on the back of the
chair. Standing monitor stations and side exits lined both sides of
the pilotage.

"So where do we all sit, Darling?" Seiko asked.

"Marie-chan, you're there." He pointed to the far portside station
on the third row. "Chikage-chan, you're there." He indicated the
near starboard station on the second row. "Hinako-chan, you're down
front." He indicated the near port station on the first row.
"Shinshi, you take Yotsuba's spot." He indicated the far starboard
station on the second row. "Nabiki-san, take Rinrin's spot." He
indicated the near starboard spot on the third row. "Mikiko-san, you
take Sakuya's seat beside her. Himiko-san, you go here." He
indicated Haruka's spot, the far port seat on the second row. "Seiko-
chan, take Karen's place." He indicated the seat between his and
Haruka's. "Sakiko-chan, sit beside Hinako-chan." He indicated Kaho's
spot, the far portside seat on the first row. "Girls, you go to the
spots by the view screen." He waved Jonna and Orin forward, and then
he pointed to Shirayuki's space beside Marie's. "Miree-san, go
there. And for you four . . . "

He faced the replica-bioroids. "We'll take the side stations,
Darling," Hensou -- she having taken the name "Nomade Shinobi" in
partial tribute to the time Lum disguised herself to date Ataru --
said with an understanding nod.

Ataru nodded as people sat down. "Thanks."

"Who's piloting this thing, anyway?" Nabiki wondered.

Reiko waved her hand. "I am! Where to, Papa?!"

"Hina wants to fly Onii-tama's spaceship!" Hinako protested.

"Hinako-sama, do you know HOW to pilot Ataru-sama's ship?" Jonna
wondered as she turned to gaze amusedly on the youngest sister.

"Hina . . .!" Hinako stopped herself as she flustered. "N-not
really."

Ataru sat at his chair. "Oh, relax, Hinako-chan! You'll all get the
chance to fly her as soon as we get everyone else back . . .!"

"Ani-kun."

Everyone stared on Chikage. The sorceress' crystal ball was sitting
on a holder, presently showing the image of the "Rose Emperor" in
warp. "I believe they've left the system," she reported as she stared
narrow-eyed at the image. "Heading into a very dark and remote area
of local space . . . "

Nabiki gaped. "You're able to see THAT through your crystal ball?!"

"Confirmed!" Kaneko called out as she gazed on her sensor readout.
"The sensors've picked up an ion trail heading in the direction of the
Slot, Papa! Isotopes detected are consistent with the warp drive of
an Ellsian ship."

"She's trying to drag you back to planet Elle, Darling," Seiko
warned.

"Then we play along," Ataru grunted. "Pursuit course, Reiko-chan."

Reiko tapped controls. "Hai!"

"Um, Ataru?"

Ataru gazed on Ranma. "Where do I sit?" the latter demanded.

In answer, Kaneko pointed with her hand as she telekinetically
boosted her into Ataru's lap. "You sit with Papa, Mama!"

Ranma's face flushed as she sank into Ataru's lap, the embarrassment
of being seen so close to her new boyfriend in front of over a dozen
witnesses preventing her from making an objection. Seeing her
flustering, Nabiki broke out in a peal of giggles. She was soon
joined by Shinshi, and then Miree and her daughters. An envious look
crossed Seiko's face before she, too, started to laugh. Soon enough,
everyone was laughing, even Ataru. Ranma ducked their looks with a
chuckle, she rubbing the back of her head.

* * *

Kasumi smiled, she on the porch of the Tendou home, as she watched
the "Windrider" soar away. "My, what a beautiful spaceship."

* * *

"You think they're gonna be okay, Ku-chan?!" Ukyou wondered.

The chef, Ranma's mirror-twins, Shampoo, Kodachi and Mousse relaxed
in Hikarigaoka Park as they watched Ataru's ship race off. "Yeah,
they'll be fine." Kumiko had an arm wrapped around Ukyou. "It's this
Elle who has to watch out. For both Ataru-kun AND Ranma . . .!"

Toshiko snickered knowingly. "Agreed."

* * *

"Good luck, Ataru," Inu Chigaiko said as she watched the "Windrider"
soar from Nerima. The expat Tomobiki native was with Tokoro Yuka and
Asano Sayuri by Yamada Fred's yatai in a different part of
Hikarigaoka.

"Bring them back safe and sound," Yuka added.

* * *

"Sylia, the 'Windrider' is entering the thermosphere over Tokyo.
She's moving to pursue the 'Rose Emperor,'" Nene announced.

"Distance between her and the bioroid factory?" Sylia asked.

Nene stared at the sensory readout. The "Kiboo'cha" was at action
stations; it was currently over the Moon's north pole. The warpsloop
was still cloaked; when it had been built, it was fitted with a more
advanced device than what the Avalon factory ship possessed. The
tactical display on the view screen was projecting a graphic of
orbital space over Japan's capital city. "She'll clear the factory by
at least 600 kilometres; Nerima's to the east of Tomobiki and the
factory's only now shifting back to where it had first assumed orbit
when it came here from Phentax Twelve," the coxswain reported. "The
'Windrider's' now out of range of the factory's weapons systems. But
it's a fair bet that they were spotted by whoever's aboard the
factory."

A scowl turned her lips. "We'll have to do something about that,
then."

"Already working on it," Nene asserted with a wink.

"You always are," Priss said from her station.

Everyone else laughed.

* * *

"THAT SHIP BELONGS TO THE GREAT EVIL?!"

"Confirmed, Mister President." Otako turned to gaze on Oogi.
"According to its ID beacon, that craft is the ISS/C 'Windrider,' home-
ported at Magairu. Registered to Moroboshi Ataru of Japan, Earth.
It . . . " She paused for a moment. "It was awarded to him by the
Noukiite government in thanks for his assistance in their dealing with
the Urusians, Mister President!"

Oogi remained still as he digested that information. He then
shuddered, a fist quaking at the view screen as he gazed at the
"Windrider's" image; the solar-sail ship had just warped out. "A
REWARD for destroying the Goddess and Her Faithful, you say?!" he
snarled. "Fine! We'll destroy it when it returns and eliminate the
Great Evil once and for all!"

His maniacal laughter then echoed throughout the factory.

* * *

Akane's eyes opened.

Taking a breath, she sat up, glancing around the darkened space.
>From what she could pick out in the faint light, the room appeared to
be about the same size as Hinako's room at Welcome House. The absence
of any of Hinako's toys dispelled any thoughts of her actually being
in Welcome House, though. Gently swinging her legs out onto the
floor, she gingerly stood to stretch herself. Gazing down at herself,
she traced a hand over her breasts and abdomen before feeling her arms
and face. "Wow . . . " She then closed her eyes as a storm of
thoughts and images formed in her mind, relaying information she never
possessed before. Once that was done, she sat back on the bed.

"So . . . "

The lamp on the nightstand beside the bed flicked on, illuminating
the space. Akane winced as her eyes adjusted to the light. She
noticed a folded note on the nightstand, her name in beautifully
scripted hiragana there.

Opening it, she read:

"Akane,
"By the time you awaken, you'll find yourself aboard Ani-kun's
starship, the 'Windrider.' Please, do not be alarmed. Shinshi and
Nabiki are aboard at this time, as are several other Avalonians such
as Miree, her daughters, Himiko and Mikiko, not to mention Ranma-
anekun and Ani-kun. While you were undergoing insertion into your new
body, an old *acquaintance* of Ani-kun's decided to abscond with most
of our sisters; only Negako-anekun, Marie, Hinako and myself were
left. We're now in pursuit and should get them back within the hour.
"Rest up as much as you can; you still need time to adjust to your
body. You may be needed. As soon as I can, I'll look in on you.
"Chikage"

"Starship . . .?" Akane whispered. Then noting a curtained window
overlooking the bed, she shifted over to pull the fabric back.

"Oh, my!"

* * *

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