[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 4, "C" Side (3/4)
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"Dear Diary,
"'Willpower without context is pure, blinding ego.'
"I think I understand that now.
"Telling me that, Negako hinted to me that to properly forge a real
soulsword, I have to tap into my willpower within 'context.'
"I didn't understand it at first, but Nokoko-oneechan's visit, the
reasons she gave me for staying away from Ataru and the sisters,
pretending to be 'dead' to the rest of her family, woke me up to
something I've never really sat back and thought about. That I
realize it *now,* after so much wasted time digging myself into a pit
I probably could never had got myself out of hadn't the Moroboshis
entered my life, hurts me worse.
"It's my ego.
"The same ego that constantly prodded me on regardless of the crap
that came down on my head. The ego that made me always say, 'Saotome
Ranma doesn't lose.' The ego that made me learn some of the most
ridiculous martial art forms for some of the most idiotic reasons
conceivable.
"To think it took me THIS long to wake up to that."
Ranma sighed, wiping her eyes as she continued to type:
"I hate myself now. Or rather, I hate what that ego of mine blinded
me to. I'm not the only one who has it. Everyone has ego; it's what
drives people to do what they feel is good for them. From ego comes
confidence, the belief that makes my Mooko Takabisha attack possible.
But when one allows one's ego to take control of his life, well . . .
"
A pause.
" . . . well, we get situations like Akane, who says that she's a
martial artist when she hasn't really put her heart into studying the
Art.
"We get situations like the Nujiézú, who believe their way of life is
perfect and would gladly kill anyone who disagrees with them.
"We get situations like Kunou Tatewaki and Kunou Kodachi, who feel
that because they're noble-born, they're entitled to anything.
"We get people like Oyaji -- and Mom, too -- who say they're right
when it'd be clear to a blind man that they're wrong.
"And we . . . "
Another pause.
" . . . we get me.
"'Never Loses A Fight' Saotome Ranma.
"'Best Martial Artist in the World' Saotome Ranma.
"'Won't Refuse A Challenge' Saotome Ranma.
"Kami-sama, I hate myself!"
Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks as she finished the entry:
"I'm gonna stop now. I think I need to cry a bit."
She saved the entry.
* * *
"Feeling better?"
Ranma stared nowhere in particular as Negako placed a bowl of ttouk-
manduguk before her, it now being the start of the next "day."
Picking up her chopsticks, Ranma fished out a couple of the flat rice
cakes to nibble on them. "Not really. Part of me wants to quit," she
then admitted.
Negako gazed on her. "Then quit."
"Is everything so black-and-white to you?"
"No. Existence Itself is not black-and-white." Negako smiled. "If
you decide to 'quit,' you must realize that your decision will have a
profound effect on those who believe they have a place in your life.
If you press on the path you are on now, that decision will also have
a profound effect on those who believe they have a place in your
life. The question you must ask yourself at this time is this: Which
path will produce the most positive effect, to both yourself and those
associated with you? And are you willing to make the necessary
sacrifices to your heart and soul to achieve that goal? Or, if
neither path can produce what you want . . .?"
"Find a third path."
"Exactly."
"Shit!" Ranma shook her head, leaning on a palm as she looked
nowhere in particular as she considered that. "Well, for one thing, I
know I can't live in Nerima anymore. And I don't want certain people
in my life from now on."
"Who exactly?"
"The Kunous, Oyaji and his 'friend' are on the 'out' list. The
Nujiézú and Jijii aren't bad, now that I understand where they're
coming from, but I still want to keep them at a distance. I might be
able to remain friends with Ryouga. Ditto with Akane and Ukyou once
we get this engagement business out of the way. Kasumi, too. Maybe
Nabiki, but that's a BIG 'maybe.' And I'll certainly count Doc Toofuu
as a friend. And Mom . . . " She took a breath. "Well, that all
depends on her relatives, I guess. If they're out to manipulate me
into earning money just for them, screw 'em! I'll walk out on Mom so
fast, it'll make all their heads spin. Though I'll hate it . . . "
"Do you wish to remain a martial artist?" Negako asked.
Ranma sat back, gazing at the ceiling as she contemplated that
question.
Oh, Kami-sama! That WAS the question, wasn't it?
"I do . . . " she whispered, "But I don't want to be the type of
martial artist Oyaji wanted to make of me. Fight everyone at the drop
of a hat, never turn back a challenge, never accept defeat . . . "
Her voice trailed off.
"Even I can be defeated, Ranma."
Ranma gazed in stunned surprise on her host. "You're not afraid to
admit that." She leaned on the table. "I could never admit it."
"You were not allowed to admit it." The ninjutsu grandmaster crossed
her hands under her chin. "And by not being allowed to admit it by
those who guided you down that path, you left yourself vulnerable to
attacks that, since they were not done within the bounds of martial
arts, hurt you greatly." A pause. "Ranma, what did I tell you before
you met Nokoko?"
"'Willpower without context is pure, blinding ego.'"
"What is the context then?"
Ranma looked down at her bowl of stew before she replied, "People."
"Not just people. Your environment as a WHOLE. People do not
compose the sum total of Existence. They are only a minute part. It
is only human arrogance that makes many presume that people are all
that matter."
"Like bears and sharks and dogs."
"And cats."
Ranma started on hearing that dreaded word. She then blinked as that
flash of raw terror suddenly faded from her mind. Seeing her
reaction, Negako smiled. The younger woman stared at her. "I guess
it's working," Ranma noted with a chuckle, she gazing at her hands.
"Finish your breakfast, and then proceed to meditate," Negako
ordered.
"Okay." Ranma picked up her chopsticks, grinning at her host.
"Don't tell Shirayuki-chan that I did this . . . "
She fired down the ttouk-manduguk with the same rigorous élan she
always demonstrated at the Tendous' dinner table, especially when
Genma was around. Negako shook her head as she took the empty bowl
back. As Ranma turned to leave, the ninjutsu grandmaster called out,
"One more thing, Ranma."
Ranma stared at her. "What?"
Negako held up a finger. "When you understand your environment as
much as you do yourself, THEN you can forge a proper soulsword."
The younger woman blinked before nodding.
* * *
"AH-CHOO!"
The door to the kitchen opened. "Are you okay, Shirayuki-chan?"
Karen peeked in to see the chef hard at work baking muffins.
Shirayuki rubbed her nose. "Hime thinks someone's talking about
Hime," she said before looking into the oven. "Maybe it's Nee-sama."
"Probably," Karen mused as she headed back to Ataru's room.
* * *
The sixteenth "day" began with Ranma reclining on the doojou roof,
she gazing on the energy overhead. "'Willpower without context is
pure, blinding ego,'" Ranma muttered. "Find the context, Saotome.
Find the context . . . "
Her eyes narrowed as she used her ki-vision to pick out what was in
the space between Sanctuary and the "cap" over the time-chasm. *Thank
the gods Ataru showed me how to pick out -- what did he call it? The
Te'a lines?* She relaxed. Her eyes then widened as tiny, spider web-
like lines of energy appeared in her vision. "Alright . . . "
Shifting her hands up as if she was reaching out, Ranma infused her
fingers with ki. Instantly, new matrix lines formed from her
fingertips to attempt to mesh with the surrounding area. Ranma
grunted on seeing patterns shatter when they were touched by her own
ki. "Whoops! That's not right!" she muttered before something came
to her. "The Umisen-ken, maybe . . .?"
Focusing ki on herself, she moved to match her aura with the
surrounding air. To an onlooker, Ranma appeared to slowly fade from
physical view. This wasn't the Goshin Buufu, however. The Body
Defence Air Cloak was a total-energy ki-cloak, perfected in secret by
Ranma, Toshiko and Kumiko after the mirror-twins had been freed from
the compact. No, doing THAT would probably be as much a disruption to
the surrounding matrices as a straightforward attack.
Back to basics, then.
Just a simple Umisen-ken cloak . . .
Yes . . .
Ranma tried not to smile as the surrounding air's matrices began to
mould with her aura. Okay, first step. *Let's see if we can change
it,* she mused as she tenderly projected ki through her fingers into
the atmosphere . . .
And then she sighed as the matrices around her arms shattered.
"Damn, too much force!"
She relaxed herself, preparing to try again.
Well, if at first, you don't succeed . . .
* * *
Negako looked up. The ninjutsu grandmaster stood in the kitchen.
Nodding approvingly, she turned back to preparing lunch.
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 18 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"Damn, I haven't concentrated THIS much on perfecting a single
martial arts form since I learned the Hiryuu Shooten-ha!
"But I'm getting somewhere. Right now, I've evolved a variation of
the Goshin Buufu that would work perfectly in Sanctuary. I can't test
it somewhere else, not until I get home, but if it works on Earth,
then I'll give it the name 'Goshin Eifu.' I doubt I could perform
anything like the Goshin Kaze-fu here, though. I don't want to risk
doing something like THAT in Sanctuary.
"Oh, that's right! I forgot to tell you that Kumiko and Toshiko have
started creating their own variation of the Sen-ken forms. They
titled their personal approach the 'Fuusen-ken.' I like the name
since air can be both passive and active. They wanted to take the
best of both the Yamasen-ken and the Umisen-ken, and then mix it all
together to create something unique.
"From what I've been told by Negako when I discussed this with her
last night, they've already made progress, mixing the cloaking
techniques of the Umisen-ken with the more brutal attacks of the
Yamasen-ken. Oyaji and Akane's father got a taste of it before I came
here to train with Negako.
"Too bad for them.
"While I have the twins' permission to use the Fuusen-ken forms, I
want to make something for me. The Goshin Eifu is just the first
step. Right now, I'm thinking of calling my forms 'Eisen-ken.'
"That could change. It depends on what happens next."
Ranma paused for a moment. Taking a deep breath to collect her
thoughts, she put her fingers back on the keyboard.
"What happens next?
"I've gone the equivalent of twenty-five days or so as a girl with no
change back to being a boy -- unless someone's gone and switched me
back to being a boy when I was asleep and I didn't know about it.
"Better ask Negako about that first.
"But if I haven't, that means in the next three days or so -- if my
cycle's like any other girl's -- I should be facing my first period.
"My first period.
"To believe that I have to face THIS of all things?
"Right now, I say this: If any girl can live through it, so can I.
And if I DO become a girl in spirit and elect to have my curse frozen
in place, I'll have no choice BUT to face it every month until I reach
middle age."
Another pause.
"It's funny. I'm being pretty calm about this. What will happen to
me over the next while? How will it affect me?
"I wish I could predict it.
"Oh, well. Grin and bear it.
"Better talk to Negako, though."
* * *
"Your first period?"
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. I mean, the longest time I've ever been frozen
as a girl was twenty days. That's when Herb froze me with the Chiisui-
ton. What Elder Kelun did to me lasted nine days. So what can I
expect?"
The ninjutsu grandmaster considered that. "I noticed you wisely
packed some tampons with you when you came here," she then noted.
"When I had to deal with Herb, Kasumi told me stuff. On average, you
start getting wet the tenth day after the cycle begins. That lasts
eleven days. The eighth day of that period's the real bad one. After
that, you go dry until you start to menstruate." A wry smile crossed
her face. "I got wet down there right when Kasumi predicted it'd
happen. When I was stuck, I had to hide tampons in my backpack and
wear panties under my boxers to hold the damned things in place. If
Oyaji ever saw them . . . "
Negako shook her head. "Fool."
"How do you handle it, Negako?"
Silence followed as Negako considered what to say. "Experiencing
menstruation is a price I have to pay for having a woman's body,
Ranma," she replied with a shrug. "It is as much a function of human
biology as sexual arousal. When it comes, I deal with it. Like many
women, I prefer tampons when I confront both menstrual and cervical
mucus discharge. Unlike most, I use shiatsu in lieu of medication to
deal with cramps and other side effects of the process. I will teach
that to you over the next few days."
"Have you ever thought of becoming a mother?"
"To bear a child?" Negako glanced at her before shaking her head.
"No. I still require time to fully comprehend the human condition
before I could consider bringing new life into this world. To bring
life into this world is a grave responsibility, Ranma. Who would I
choose as my potential mate? Would I be a good mother to my child?
What would my feelings for my child be? Would it be healthy for my
child if I raised her?" A pause. "And, being what I am, would
bearing a child make me vulnerable?"
Ranma squeezed her host's shoulder. "Emotionally, you mean."
"Yes. Emotional attacks are just as vicious, if not more so, than
mere physical attacks. You know that as well as I, Ranma."
"Hai, true."
* * *
"Shirayuki?"
"Is there something wrong, Chikage-chan?"
"I recommend you prepare some red beans and rice for Ane-kun when she
returns from Sanctuary," the sorceress instructed.
The chef, standing beside the stove in the rotunda's kitchen,
considered Chikage's words before her eyes widened as it hit her.
"Oh, Hime forgot that Nee-sama'll be staying in Sanctuary for a
month!" She nodded. "Hai, Hime'll make some today! Um, Chikage-
chan, do you think Negako-neesama'll make some?"
"Do YOU believe Ane-kun would do something like that?"
Shirayuki then sighed. "Hime doesn't think so."
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 19 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"It's happening.
"I started getting bad cramps after breakfast. Negako kept me in the
furo longer today, teaching me how to use shiatsu to moderate the
symptoms. It won't make it go away, but it will allow me to function
with some normalcy. It's not full-blown PMS -- that normally hits
between five to eleven days before menstruation starts -- but it's
close.
"Felt something like a headache just before lunch. And when I
changed my clothes after a spell in the doojou, it felt as if someone
stuck a handful of knives into my breasts. More shiatsu in the furo
to deal with that, then I decided to go topless when I went out to do
some sketches. Heck, no one's here save us, so who the hell would
notice?
"Negako tells me this is pretty much normal.
"Some 'normal!'"
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 20 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"Oh, man! This is so damned ANNOYING!
"Girls put up to this crap every MONTH?!
"Oyaji always said girls were weak!
"Oyaji no baka!
"What the hell does HE know?!"
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 21 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"The blood. Oh, damn, the BLOOD!
"Kami-sama, why did you force girls THROUGH this shit?!"
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 22 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"The blood's not so bad now, but gods, it's DISGUSTING!
"Anyone ever tells me that girls are weak, I'll strangle them.
"Heh! I'll bet Shan and Elder Kelun would love to see THAT!
"Akane, too."
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 23 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"Only two more days of this garbage.
"And then I wait twenty-three more days for it to hit the NEXT time!
"And this'll last until my mid-FORTIES?!
"Kami-sama, I've decided.
"For forcing women throughout time to put up to this crap, not to
mention forcing ME through this crap, you're FIRED!
"I want a Megami-sama instead!
"At least She would understand this and DO something about it!
"I hate this."
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 24 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"When she was doing shiatsu in the furo with me this morning, Negako
told me that I'm a very healthy girl. When I decide to have children
of my own, I wouldn't have many problems conceiving and bearing them.
"I almost wanted to hit her for that!
"One more day.
"One more day.
"One more day."
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 25 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"Breakfast was red beans and rice.
"I actually cried.
"I never thought Negako had it in her.
"Even better, she prepared the dish Louisiana Cajun style, which she
picked up when she travelled to the States a year ago.
"Damn, it was GOOD! Spicy as heck, but good!
"The blood wasn't that bad today. It's easier to concentrate now.
Looks like I'm one of the fifty-to-seventy percent of women who have
to deal with some sort of PMS, THEN deal with menstruation atop that.
"Negako assures me that, the next time this happens, it won't be so
distracting. I hope, I hope, I HOPE that she's right!"
* * *
"So why are we doing this again?"
The twenty-sixth "day" found Ranma and Negako in the living room,
knitting needles in hand as they created a pair of thick wool
blankets. "Part of your time with me will not be spent in Sanctuary,"
the grandmaster stated. "I will take you to Noukiios and her older
colony worlds so you may see for yourself why Ataru ultimately decided
to side with them against the Urusians. We are preparing these
blankets . . . " She waved to dozens of blankets already done, they
folded and sitting in one corner of the living room. "As an offering
to the homeless when we make our journey."
Ranma stopped. "How long are we going to be there?"
"Two days."
The younger woman's eyes widened. "Won't that affect our going back
to Earth? Or can we do some sort of time-travel from here?"
"Limited. At most, one could shift him or herself to a maximum of a
week either forward or backward in 'real' time as it is measured in
our dimension. That also depends on the exact conditions between
there and here," Negako reported. "And no, it will not affect our
return to Earth. Besides, there are some people I would like you to
meet. You will understand when we arrive."
Ranma nodded. "Oh, okay. How many of these do you want to make?"
"Two hundred full-sized ones for adults. Three hundred half-sized
ones for the children. We will depart when they are done."
"Don't rush this, right?"
"Yes."
"Gotcha."
* * *
"Journal Entry, Day 27 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
"Another world.
"I'm going to another planet.
"No, FOUR planets.
"The first world I'm going to is Noukiios, home to a culture
approximately five thousand years old. The culture itself is akin to
a mix of Hindu India with Three Kingdoms, Koryou and Chosoun Korea
tossed in.
"The other planets -- Okusei, Tunchusei and Kurrusei -- are Noukiios'
oldest colony planets. They got settled three hundred years ago by
Noukiite refugees not wanting anything to do with the Urusians
occupying Noukiios. Many of the settlers eventually became the
Ip'ihu, an 'outcaste' society who made life REALLY rough for the
Urusians for a century.
"When the Onis got their asses booted off Noukiios, they demanded
Okusei and the other planets 'back,' ignoring the fact that no Urusian
had ever WENT to those planets in the damn first place! The Noukiites
told them where to stick it and the two peoples have been in a cold
war state since.
"I can't imagine what it'll be like. To actually walk on another
planet. One with a different sun, different length of day -- it's a
few hours longer on Noukiios -- and people who, from how Negako
described them, look like fair-skinned Klingons from 'Star Trek - The
Next Generation.'
"Damn, I'm excited!
"I'm going to places I could've never imagined going to not more than
a year ago! Good thing Negako's got a camera with her; when news of
this gets out, no one outside Ataru and his sisters will believe a
damned word I say!
"Oh, well, it's their loss."
* * *
"So why do you want me to watch the ki patterns, Negako?" Ranma
demanded. "Aren't we supposed to be going to Noukiios?"
Negako quietly chuckled. "Patience, Ranma. There is method to my
madness. Tell me, in the meditations you have engaged in over the
last 'week' to create the Eisen-ken, have you noticed the many null-
time bubbles?"
She pointed up. Ranma looked, her eyes narrowing. "Hey, yeah, I do
see them! The little white-ki air bubbles, you mean?"
"The same." Negako then stood up, she reaching behind her to draw
out Mister Bunny. "Now, observe."
She crouched to send the stuffed toy flying into the sky over
Sanctuary. Ranma panicked. "Hey, Negako! What the hell are you
doing?! You toss and lose him, Hinako-chan'll throw a fit for a
month!"
"Patience, Ranma."
Negako then sent Mister Bunny flying. The stuffed rabbit soared up
to about fifty metres. It then stopped. Ranma quickly noticed that
Mister Bunny was trapped in a null-time bubble. "Okay, it's trapped
there! Now what?!"
"***SEISHIN KUSARIGAMA!***"
A glowing chain-and-hook formed around Negako's arm, the hook itself
resting in the grandmaster's hand. Glancing up, she let the chain
draw out and sent it flying. Ranma blinked on seeing the hook snare
another time bubble close to the one holding Mister Bunny. "Watch me,
and then do as I do, Ranma. And do it GENTLY!" Negako said as she
tugged the time bubble gently over to touch the one holding Mister
Bunny in place.
Ranma gaped as the two bubbles suddenly merged as one. "Oh, man!"
she breathed out in shocked disbelief. Then drawing her own Psychic
Kusarigama, she got to work. "How many of them do you want to draw
in, Negako?"
"Five hundred-and-two."
"Why so many?!"
"You will see."
"Gotcha!"
Within thirty minutes -- as Ranma perceived it -- the requisite
number of time bubbles had been made to merge with the one holding
Mister Bunny. Once that was done, Negako ordered Ranma to create a
modified Psychic Kusarigama Storm. "Now, observe. Then be ready to
retrieve," the grandmaster said as she held up a finger, aiming at the
time bubble. "***SEISHIN HASAI HI-KOOSEN!***"
The Spirit-Breaker Fire-Light bolt sheared through the time bubble
like a laser through a hot-air balloon. Ranma blinked at the moment
of impact. She then gaped on seeing a SHOWER of Mister Bunnies
descending towards Sanctuary. "How the HELL . . .?!" she sputtered.
Then, immediately realizing why Negako told her to prepare multiple
Psychic Kusarigamas, she got to work. In less than a moment, all 501
Mister Bunnies were piled up on the ground beside the doojou. Negako
waved Ranma with her to ground level. She then took one of the
stuffed toys and transported it into the doojou. "One for Hinako when
we return to Promised Island," she announced on coming out. "The
remainder will come with us to Noukiios as gifts to some people Ataru
knows."
Ranma glanced skyward. "How . . .?"
Negako gently pushed her head so they could gaze into each other's
eyes. "Time, Ranma, is perception first and foremost."
The younger woman blinked as Negako moved to bundle all the stuffed
toys in the blankets they knitted. "Right."
* * *
"Hinako-chan, why are you awake?"
Hinako rubbed her eyes. "Hina just had a really, really, really
strange dream," she muttered as she sat at the dining room table.
"What sort of dream?" Rinrin asked.
"Hina dreamt that Onee-tama somehow helped Usagi-san have babies."
The others in the room considered that for a moment. Rinrin shook
her head. "You're right, Hinako-chan. That IS a strange dream!"
Everyone else nodded as Hinako rested her head on her arms.
* * *
"How does it smell?"
Ranma's nose crinkled before she glanced up. "Stale."
An orange-gold sun, about the same size as Sol, blazed overhead. The
sky itself was a brilliant pale blue, though there was a tinge of
green in the clouds to her right and behind her. The land itself was
quite rugged, somewhat like the mountains around Jusenkyou and the
Nujiézú village. The trees were similar in shape to what Ranma was
used to hiking in the back woods of China and Japan, but the leaf
colours spanned the spectrum. There were many bare spots in the
surrounding landscape, revealing worn, arid soil.
"What happened here, Negako?" she asked.
"Famine. It is not as acute here as it is on the colony worlds."
Negako waved Ranma down a trail towards a valley about a kilometre
away. "And with the new colonies the Noukiites are establishing far
from any reach by elements of the Urusian military or their colonial
militia, the famine should vanish within five years or so as more food-
producing areas are put into production."
"Don't the Onis know what they're doing to these people?!"
"No. The normal Urusian would actually be horrified on learning such
information. However, until this war started, the government did as
much as it could to censor such information in the Urusian press and
public media. Do you have your translator with you, Ranma?"
"Hai." Ranma tapped the pen-like device slung around her neck. She
then grunted on feeling the weight of the massive bundle currently
perched on her back. "By the way, how far before we get to where
we're going?"
"Not too far," Negako assured her; she was carrying a similar
bundle. "I would not recommend running. The Lost Stars might
interpret it as an attack."
"Right . . .!" Ranma paused. "'Lost Stars?!'"
"Patience, Ranma. You will see."
"Hai . . . "
They proceeded into the valley. Ranma took the chance to gaze at the
scenery. Despite the strange colours and shapes, not to mention the
splotches of bare soil, this place could be mistaken for one of the
rural parts of Japan. Gravity seemed to match Earth's. The air was
breathable despite the lack of moisture. No doubt, they were some
distance from any large bodies of water. And the mountains would
block the flow of air. No, this part of Noukiios would match some
places in North or South America, Ranma decided.
Twenty minutes later, they stepped into a wide clearing. Set up
there was a small village, walled in like Sanctuary. The walls were
wood, not concrete. A heliport or something like it sat off to
Ranma's right. The trail she and Negako had used to get to this place
lead right to the main gate. Standing guard by the gate were two
burly, bearded men in camouflage fatigues, advanced-looking assault
rifles in hand at port-arms. Both tensed on seeing the newcomers.
Then, on recognizing Negako, they lowered their weapons.
"Greetings," Negako hailed as they stopped before the gate, she
lowering her bundle to the ground. Ranma did the same. A quick
glance towards the centre of the walled village later, the ninjutsu
grandmaster asked, "Are the girls up to visitors today, Ch'ekaech?"
"They are, Most Venerable." The guard to Ranma's left nodded before
gazing quizzically on her. "And this is . . .?"
"Ataru's 'Other,' Saotome Ranma. A student of mine," Negako stated.
He smiled. "Heaven's blessings on you. Welcome to Noukiios,
Venerable Ranma. Please allow me . . . " Ch'ekaech nodded as he and
his friend slung their rifles before carrying the bundle off Ranma's
back. "Where do you wish this placed, Most Venerable?" he then asked
Negako.
"The blankets are for whatever homeless group requires them. The
stuffed animals are for the girls themselves," Negako ordained.
The guards nodded. "We understand, Most Venerable."
Ranma stared at Negako. "'Most Venerable?'"
She rolled her eyes. "Try as I might, I cannot make any of them
address me as anything but with that particular title. Their society
is, as I warned you, more structured than India's was before the
British took over the country. In their eyes, Ataru and I are
considered the equivalent of the Yekhu . . . "
Ranma nodded. "Their top caste."
"The same. 'Venerable' is their form of address to those Yekhu who
do not serve as anointed priests in their native religion."
Ranma tried not to grin. "And 'Most Venerable?'"
Before Negako could answer, voices squealed "Auntie Negako!" as two
typhoons around Hinako's age slammed into her, they sending her to her
knees.
Ranma gaped on seeing Negako then rise, she holding twin girls, both
possessing electric blue hair and blue-green eyes, close to her. As
befitting those of Noukiios' highest caste, circular gold dots adorned
their cheeks. Their head-ridges were in a crow's feet pattern based
above the bridge of their noses. Both were now dressed in the same
type of military fatigues the guards from the main gate wore, though
they did not have any noticeable weapon on their person. One girl
wore her hair loose to past her shoulders while the other tied her
hair in a shaggy ponytail to her waist. "Hello, girls," Negako
greeted, her voice softening considerably. Interpreting the change of
tone, Ranma smirked. Yeah, she could understand why Negako was so
hesitant on the idea of having her own children. "How are you? At
least you are eating well."
"How can we eat so well when so many are starving?" the girl sans
ponytail asked, her eyes falling on Ranma. "Auntie, who's this?"
"Ah." Negako lowered them to the ground. "She is the one your
father has been bonded to since he was a child, girls. Her name is
Saotome Ranma. 'Ye-Neap'ye Yesu-P'ucht'u' in your format.
Ranma . . . " She waved to the twins. "May I present Ataru's adopted
daughters, Moroboshi Reiko . . . " She indicated the girl without the
ponytail. "And Moroboshi Kaneko . . . " She indicated the girl with
the ponytail. "Two of the Lost Stars of Noukiios."
Ranma took that in, unsure of WHAT to say. Hearing who she was,
Reiko and Kaneko smiled. Finally, Ranma stared at Negako. "If
they're his kids, what are they doing HERE, Negako?!" she demanded,
pointing to the ground.
"Would you abandon your friends if they were fighting a war for their
race's survival and freedom, Venerable P'ucht'u?"
Ranma looked through the open gate, surprised to see a mass of girls
standing in a group, gazing at her. Some were younger than Hinako by
at least two years. Not one Ranma could see appeared to be older than
Shirayuki. The one who just spoke to her was a silver-haired, golden-
eyed girl about Aria's age. She bore the silver dots of a K'et'hu --
the caste of wandering missionaries, second only to the Yekhu in
social standing on this world -- on her cheeks and a ray of five head
ridges on her forehead. All of the girls were dressed like Reiko and
Kaneko, none bearing arms.
She gazed on Negako. "I'm not going to like hearing this, am I?"
Negako shook her head.
* * *
Within an hour, Ranma and Negako were secured in the guesthouse, a
raised structure located near the main gate. The blankets were
quickly separated from the Mister Bunny clones and prepared for
transport. As soon as Negako told the Lost Stars that the stuffed
toys were theirs thanks to Hinako, a mad frenzy of girls nearly saw
the grandmaster and Ranma's work in Sanctuary undone. Once all the
toys were matched with a Lost Star, a smiling platinum-haired girl
Kaho's age who reminded Ranma of Kasumi prepared a plain yet well-
cooked lunch. "Chyek, did you remember to not serve foods that are
not compatible to Terrans?" Negako wondered as Ranma drew chopsticks.
"Yes, Most Venerable." Ei-T'e Yesu-Chyek then gazed apologetically
at Ranma. "There isn't much to spare for visitors, Venerable. I'm
sorry."
"Oh, heck, please! Don't worry about it." Ranma smiled, drawing up
a strip of brownish-grey meat from the bowl to nibble on it. "Hmm.
Odd taste," she mused before taking down the rest. "What is this,
anyway?"
"Nat'echinai stew," she explained.
Ranma heard "opossum" instead of the nicer-flowing Noukiite word
thanks to her language translator. "Opossum stew?! Well . . . " She
brought up another slice of meat to nibbles on it. "I've had a lot
worse. It's good."
Chyek blushed before looking over as Reiko and Kaneko walked in, both
carrying Mister Bunny clones. "Mama, could you tell Auntie Hinako
when you get back to Earth that we really appreciate her presents!"
Kaneko said.
A funnel of half-chewed stew burst from Ranma's mouth. "***WHAT DID
YOU JUST CALL ME?!***" Ranma shrilled, making warding signs with her
hands.
Their eyes instantly began to tear. "B-but you're b-bonded to
Papa!" Kaneko sniffled, pointing to Negako. "Auntie Negako said you
were bonded to Papa! That means you and Papa are going to marry! Wh-
why don't you w-want us to call you 'Mama' . . .?!" She then started
to cry. Reiko joined her.
Ranma's bluster instantly crashed. When it came to the waterworks,
Reiko and Kaneko were Aria times two, magnified to the hundredth
degree. "Oh, man . . .!" She deflated. Staring at the weeping
Noukiite pre-teens, she sighed, and then placed her plate down. "Oh,
c'mere . . . " She reached over, drawing them into her arms. Sensing
her warm embrace, the twins sniffled, and then they moved to cuddle,
allowing their stuffed toys to fall to the floor.
Chyek gazed quizzically at Negako. "Most Venerable, why is the
Venerable One so hesitant on the idea of marrying the Euk Hisehek and
adopting P'yeknu and Atnu as her daughters?" she asked.
Ranma blinked. The translator did not work on "Euk Hisehek" -- it
allowed its wearer to hear the Noukiite words straight out -- though
it did translate the Noukiite names as "Reiko" and "Kaneko." "Ranma
is unique as would-be spouses come," Negako then replied. "Give her
time."
Chyek sighed. "If you believe so."
* * *