[FFML] [fanfic][UY/Ranma/SisPri] "Lonely Souls" Prologue "A" Side (final draft)

[Frederick Herriot]

Minna-san,

As I'm slowly getting myself back on my feet in many ways, I've been moving 
to clear up some things left undone in the fanfic world before I got sick 
and had my toe amputated, plus being forced to relocate to Canada.  Here's 
the first part of "Lonely Souls," with it redone in past tense, which will 
be the final draft prior to posting to RAAC.  Enjoy!

Fred

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

	The sorceress sat in her high-backed velvet chair, absently passing a 
cleaning rag over her crystal ball.  Before her stood a table, five tarot 
cards facedown on the surface.  Around her was a square of lit white 
candles.  Barely visible in the darkness directly ahead of the sorceress, 
beyond the candles, was a doorway that connected Hirosaki Chikage to the 
mundane world beyond.

	Hirosaki?

	"Is that who I am?" she whispered, gazing at the opaque ball on her lap.  
"Is that . . .?"  She dramatically paused.  "Who I really am?"

	The ball glowed softly before the light melted into an image.  A facial 
shot of a teenage man, nearly a year older than she.  Chikage blinked as she 
took in his measure.  He seemed a typical city fellow, yet there was . . . 
an untamed WILDNESS within him.  Best noticed in his eyes, she mused, 
relaxing herself.  Yes, to most normal people, this fellow would probably 
seem plain.  Dull, actually.  But Chikage was certainly NOT a normal person. 
  Not by far.

	"Are you him?" she whispered.

	She stared at the cards before her.  A hand touched the far right card.  It 
was flipped.  The Emperor, the card that normally symbolized the imposition 
of structured order on chaos.  "Family," Chikage whispered before staring 
once more at the image in her ball.  "Yes," she breathed out, she closing 
her eyes as her hand gently caressed the ball. "You are he, aren't you?"  
The barest hint of a smile tugged her mouth as she committed the image to 
memory.

	"Ani-kun."

	Suddenly, the image changed.  Chikage watched as it morphed into that of 
another person, this time of a young woman.  One of great beauty and 
passion.  Yet, like Ani-kun -- in fact, even *more* so than Ani-kun -- this 
one also contained within her heart a cauldron of wild fury.  Who was she?

	Someone who might take Ani-kun away?

	Her hand fell on the second card of the suite.  The Temperance card, ward 
against excessive hope.  Chikage blinked.  "So it is not meant to be.  Not 
this round," the sorceress mused before she smiled.  "But you will not take 
Ani-kun away from us, will you?  For you need us just as much as Ani-kun 
will need us, won't you?"  She closed her eyes as images, visions, flooded 
her mind.

	"Ane-kun."

**** **** ****
"Lonely Souls"
By Fred Herriot
pyeknu at hotmail.com OR fherriot at yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2," created by Takahashi Rumiko; and 
"Sister Princess," created by Tenhiro Naoto and Kimino Sakurako.
**** **** ****

NOTE:  The writer's notes are in a separate text file.

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

THE PROLOGUE, "A" SIDE - LIGHT BEFORE THE DARK

	"Baka Kaa-san!  How could she ask Lum to cook tonight's meal?!"

	An annoyed Moroboshi Ataru stormed down the street toward the one place in 
Tomobiki he could call a refuge from the madness which had haunted him for 
so long:  Tampopo's Ramen and Beefbowl Bar in the town's restaurant 
district.  And yes, this night, several days into winter vacation, he needed 
that refuge.

	Not that he would always seek that.  Truth be told, if he had the chance to 
sit down and talk it over with Lum, he could show her the error of her ways. 
  After all, he had many catastrophic encounters with Oni cooking (one time, 
he got turned into twins; another, a pseudo-werewolf) to show Lum that what 
might be good for an Oni's palate wouldn't be so good for a Terran's.

	But, no!

	Not this time.

	When he got back from the library, Lum was busy cooking . . . well, Ataru 
didn't know how to describe the pile of SOMETHING in the pot.  Before he 
could wonder what was happening, his mother came down, announcing that she 
and her husband were going out for the evening.  So, because it was some 
important Oni holiday -- which one it actually might be, Ataru didn't hear 
-- it only seemed right to have Lum cook dinner.  Before Ataru could 
protest, his parents stepped out, his mother parting with a warning:  "And 
DON'T run off to Tampopo's like you always do, Ataru!"  Then she added, as 
if in spite, "I told Lum-chan and Ten-chan to make sure you stay put.  
Honestly, I wish I never had you!"

	Remembering that, Ataru grimaced as he turns down the street that led right 
to Tampopo's front door.  His mother's warning didn't matter in the long 
term; Ataru had many ways of getting clear of Lum and Ten when he wanted to 
be left alone.  The many times -- WAY too many -- Moroboshi Kinshou said 
THAT to her own son flowed back through his mind's eyes.  *Baka a-ho 
Kaa-san!*  Did she honestly think that he was just going to TAKE all that 
crap from her for the rest of his life?!  Did she honestly believe he wasn't 
hurt EVERY time she said that, acted as if he didn't matter?  Stupid, 
selfish bi- . . .!

	Ataru sighed, his pace slowing.  Damn, he really shouldn't think things 
like THAT, should he?  Yeah, his mother was a jerk and idiot.  But still . . 
.!

	And his father?  Ataru snorted.  What did that fool ever really do?  Hide 
behind his paper and desperately try to ignore it all.  Or, when Kinshou 
finally cornered him to say something, Muchi would go spout some nonsense.

	Of all the things that Fate could've dropped on Ataru's head, did she have 
to drop the worst parents in Creation Itself on him?

	That ALMOST made a marriage to Lum worth it, Ataru sighed as he turned down 
the street to Tampopo's front door.  Once he and the Oni were bonded, he 
could persuade her to take him away from this dump, leaving the idiots at 
school -- and ESPECIALLY his parents -- behind once and for all.  Let's see 
how the jerks here liked life WITHOUT their favourite alien around to fawn 
over!

	*Yeah, it'd be almost worth it,* Ataru mused with a smirk as he opened the 
door and stepped into Tampopo's.  "Konban wa, Tampopo-chan!" he called out.

	"Irasshaimase!  Konban wa, Ataru-chan!"  Kamekichi Tampopo looked up from 
her stove behind the counter.  Then, quickly noting the depressed mood on 
her favourite customer's face, she frowned.  "Oh, what happened now?!"

	Ataru sat by the counter.  "Kaa-san's being her usual bakayaro self and 
left making dinner tonight to Lum.  Usual, please."

	"Sure thing."  The stocky cook got to work making a beefbowl with shrimp 
and marinated beef.  "Didn't you get a chance to talk Lum out of cooking 
dinner or did Kinshou sweet-talk her into ignoring anything you said?"

	"The latter," he answered with an uncaring snort.  "By the time I got back 
from the library, Kaa-san and Tou-san were about to go out on the town and 
Lum was making . . . "  A shudder raced through him.  "Well, making 
something.  What, I've no idea whatsoever!"  He gave her a wry grimace.  
"And personally, I really don't WANT to know what it is," he added.

	Tampopo shook her head.  "Stupid girl!  When's it going to sink into her 
skull you're not an Oni?  When you die from food poisoning?  When your 
heart's destroyed or you're crippled?  She should know better than that by 
now!"

	Ataru nodded.  "Yeah, I know, I know.  Still, just before I came in, I was 
thinking of one GOOD benefit of marrying Lum."

	She gazed curiously at him.  "What's that?"

	"That when we're married, we can move to her home planet and leave Baka 
Kaa-san and Baka Tou-san behind once and for all."

	Tampopo laughed.  "It'd serve those two idiots right!"  She wagged a 
knowing finger his way before turning back to the stove.

	Ataru sighed, and then he stood up.  "Be right back."

	"Okay."

	He headed to the washrooms.  Tampopo watched him go, a sigh escaping her.  
"They'd be better off without all the idiots flying out of the woodwork at 
them all the time," she muttered to herself, and then she blinked as the 
front door opens, heralded by a wind chime over the doorway ringing.  
"Irasshaimase!"  She looked at the door before sighing.  "What are you doing 
here, Jariten?!"

	Floating by the door, Ten ducked the annoyed stare Tampopo sent his way.  
He himself had been through enough encounters with the cook to know that 
he'd get away with NOTHING here.  Besides, being hit by that huge spatula 
Tampopo used when she made her Super-duper Special okonomiyaki HURT!  "Um . 
. . " he began, trying to not appear threatening.  "I'm s-sorry ta come in 
here, T-t-Tampopo-s-s-san, b-but Lum-chan was wondering where that a- . . . 
"  He caught himself before Tampopo winged him with a throwing spatula; the 
cook HATED it when people called Ataru "stupid" or things like that in her 
presence.  "Um, ah, wh-where Ataru is."  He chuckled.  "I mean, dinner's 
ready."

	A knowing hum escaped the cook.  "You of course mean dinner for yourself 
and Lum, NOT Ataru-chan, right?" she wondered.

	Ten blinked before stammering, "W-well, you see . . .!"

	Tampopo turned the heat on her stove down, and then she walked over.  Ten 
tried not to flee; he knew that, despite her girth, the cook could move like 
LIGHTNING when she wanted to.  "Jariten, I'm going to tell you something.  
And you will listen and when I am done, you will tell Lum the same thing, 
okay?"  At his nod, she sighed.  "Ataru-chan cares for Lum very much.  If 
they didn't have to deal with nosy busybodies like you all the time, they'd 
probably be formally engaged if not married by now.  But as long as people 
like you and all the fools at school -- and ESPECIALLY Ataru-chan's parents 
-- keep presuming you have the right to stick your noses where they don't 
belong, they'll never get there.  I'm sure that will make Lum VERY unhappy.  
Won't it?"  She stared knowingly at Ten.

	"Um . . . "  He shuddered before nodding.  "Um, yeah!  I guess so."

	"Alright, then."  Tampopo smiled, and then she jolted on feeling a hand on 
her shoulder.  She turned, blinking.  "Ataru-chan?"

	"It's alright, Tampopo-chan."  Ataru smiled before he stared at Ten.  "Yo, 
Jariten!  Why don't you get Lum to get some plates of . . . "  He paused, 
trying not to look repulsed.  "Er, what was that she was cooking, anyway?"

	The Oni blinked several times, and then he chuckled.  "Oh, it's . . . "

	"It's okay, Ten-chan."

	The voice caused everyone to turn towards the open doorway, where Lum 
stood, an ashamed look on her face.  Ataru blinked.  "Lum."

	"Gomen, Darling."  She walked in, keeping her hands to herself.  She had 
gone through her own troubles with Tampopo every time she tried to drag 
Ataru away from this place, especially when she tried to make something 
"special" for him.  Those incidents had decreased since some time before the 
Second Tag Race, but Lum wasn't going to assume all was well between herself 
and her Darling's friend.  "I should've realised that you'd be really scared 
of my cooking."

	"I . . . "  Ataru chuckled.  "It's okay."  He stared at Tampopo before 
turning back to his would-be "wife."  "Did you bring . . .?"

	Lum shook her head.  "Iie.  As soon as I realised that you'd come here, I 
threw it out.  Besides, it tasted a little too flat."

	Gazing at her, Ataru wondered if Lum wasn't making that up.  Then again, 
did it matter?  "Hey, it's okay," he declared, reaching over to squeeze her 
shoulder before he waved her in.  "Let's have something to eat.  I assume 
what Kaa-san said about this bein' some big holiday on your planet's true, 
right?"

	Lum nodded.  "Un . . . "

*    *    *

	Chikage stared at the suite before her.

	She then picked up the first card.

	The Three of Cups.

	"A reunion?"

	She then turned the next card in the suite.

	The Emperor.

	A glance to the crystal ball.

	"Ane-kun!"

*    *    *

	"Liberation Day?!"

	"Hai."  Lum then bit into a fork-full of kimch'i tchigae, a fried version 
of Korea's most well known food dish.  The Oni -- both, in fact; Ten was 
working on his second plate! -- appreciated Tampopo's willingness to give 
them something spicy.  "It's the anniversary of our liberation from a race 
known as the Seifukusu.  It happened about . . .!"  She paused to do a quick 
mental calculation before a sad smile crossed her face.  "Oh, nine hundred 
years ago as you tell time.  It's the most important holiday on our 
calendar."

	"Bad?" Ataru asked before sipping his water.  He didn't mind having kimch'i 
-- for one born in Japan, listing Korean dishes such as komt'ang, 
soulloungt'ang, kalbit'ang and samgyet'ang as some of his favourite was 
peculiar -- but he couldn't eat it every day.  "These . . . Seifukusu?"

	Lum shuddered.  "They were monsters.  Still are, in fact.  That's part of 
the reason we had to come to Earth, Darling."

	"So in other words, if they'd shown up at the same time as you people did, 
we'd have had a choice between 'bad' and 'worse,' right?"  He nibbled some 
rice before wincing on seeing a hurt look on her face.  "Oh, damn!  I'm . . 
. "

	He slapped his forehead.  Lum wanly smiled.  "It's alright."  She bowed her 
eyes.  "I suppose you have a right to think that, especially now."

	Ataru gazed at her.  "Lum?"  Getting no response, he smiled.  "I see."  He 
then hoisted his glass of water.  "Well, Happy Liberation Day.  Kampai!"

	He toasted her.  Lum stared at him, and then she beamed.  "Hai!  Kampai!"

	"Kampai!" Ten echoed them, lifting his glass.

	They touched glasses, and then drank.  "Well, this is a lot better," 
Tampopo mused as she moved to clean the table behind where Ataru was seated. 
  "See what showing a little restraint can do, Lum?"

	"Tampopo-san . . . "

	The front door opened.  "Irasshaimase!" Tampopo automatically called out 
looked at the doorway as a girl Ataru's age stepped in before she headed to 
the counter.  The newcomer was dressed in a hooded tracksuit with running 
pants, the hood drawn over her head to ensure people didn't get a clear look 
at her face.  Watching Ataru, Lum and Ten chat, the cook placed herself in 
front of the newcomer.  "What would you like?" she asked in a quieter tone 
of voice.

	"Essiac tea," the brown-haired, brown-eyed girl replied.  She then glanced 
briefly at Ataru out of the corner of her eye.

	Tampopo got to work, lowering her voice to a bare whisper; the newcomer 
would hear her.  "So you decided to come back now."

	"There is no choice," the newcomer replied as the chef prepared the tea.  
"Matters abroad are turning against the Onis.  Within a day, the United 
Nations will learn of a war between Lum's people and one of their more 
passionate enemies.  The people in the United Nations are now looking for 
any excuse to see Lum sent home.  This conflict will give them the excuse; 
after all, they would desire to ensure such a conflict will not come to 
affect anyone here."

	Tampopo blinked.  "It's that bad?"

	The newcomer nodded.  "It is that bad.  It would be best to resolve matters 
now.  I will intercept Ataru when he goes to the washroom."

	Tampopo finished with the tea, and then set the cup before the newcomer.  
"It might've been better if you came earlier, Negako-san."

	The newcomer took that in before she shook her head.  "Too many things were 
still unknown to me when the Onis first came to Earth."  She sighed, and 
then took a sip before adding, "Plus, there was the matter with Nagaiwakai."

	"Have people figured that out yet?"

	"Not yet.  Then again, is it truly relevant in the end?"

	"True."  Tampopo nodded, and then she walked into her kitchen.  She came 
out a moment later with what appeared to be a red pepper.  "Lum, how'd you 
like to try this?"  She handed it to the Oni.  "It's a Jalapeño pepper from 
Mexico."

	Lum took the pepper in hand, and then she bit.  She jerked as the hot 
spices danced around her mouth before she swallowed it.  "That's good!" she 
replied with a smile before she handed it to Ten.  "Try it."

	The younger Oni took a bite.  "Wow, this IS good!"  He whistled.  "Where'd 
you get this, Tampopo-oneechan?!"

	The cook chuckled.  "There's an international food market down in Shinjuku 
I raid every once in a while.  I'll give you the address if you want.  Here, 
Ataru-chan, give it a try."  She handed another one to Ataru.

	Ataru picked it up to take a tentative bite.  He jerked as his mouth nearly 
exploded from the avalanche of hot spices, and then he gulped down some 
water.  "Whoo!" he breathed out.  "Man, how can the Mexicans eat this 
stuff?!"

	"It's just as tasty as kimch'i, Darling," Lum noted.

	Ataru took several deep breaths to cool his mouth down.  "Well, not all of 
us are blessed with a high tolerance for spices, Lum," he stated with a dry 
chuckle, and then he stood.  "Be right back.  I gotta raid the water 
cooler."

	He headed back.  Not noticed by Lum or Ten-chan, the newcomer stood, she 
heading back.  "Oh, dear!"  Lum sighed as she reached over to nibble on the 
pepper Tampopo gave Ataru.  "If Darling has a problem liking something like 
this, he definitely couldn't enjoy a Liberation Day festival back home."

	Tampopo smiled.  "Oh, give him time, Lum.  That's how a proper relationship 
develops.  It requires time and patience . . . "

	An inhuman scream echoed from the direction of the washrooms.  "DARLING!" 
Lum cried out, she leaping up to fly back and look in on Ataru.

	Tampopo's eyebrow twitched with annoyance, she turning to look herself.  
"Which I think Negako-san still needs to learn."

	Tampopo and Ten watched as the stranger, her hood drawn away from her head 
as she carried a dazed Ataru from the washrooms.  Lum trailed her as the 
stranger placed him in his chair.  She touched several places on his head 
and the back of his neck.  Getting a closer look at her, Ten was instantly 
struck by the resemblance to Ataru, especially when it came to hair and eye 
colour.

As if she was . . .!

	"Is he alright?" Tampopo wondered.

	"What was done five years ago is easily undone," Negako reported.  "When he 
recovers, he will be in shock as his memories return."

	Lum blinked.  "'Memories?!'  What's going on here?!"  A surge of fear and 
worry crawled up her spine.  "Who are you, anyway?!"

	Negako stared at her, causing the older Oni to stop and gape as her facial 
features become clearer.  "Lum!  Ten!  Let her work," Tampopo called out.  
"Ataru-chan needs help first.  Explanations can come later."

	Lum grudgingly nodded.

*    *    *

	"An ill air."

	Standing in the empty lot he used as his campsite, Cherry's eyes were 
narrow as a hollow wind warped past.  He then turned to his saucepan.  
Drawing out ingredients, he allowed them to go into the pan before waiting 
for an image to emerge.  When it did, his eyebrows arched.  "'Memory?'" the 
aged Buddhist monk read before he turned to gaze heavenward.  "What can that 
mean . . .?"

*    *    *

	"Something has awoken."

	Sakurambou Sakura stared at her crystal ball.  Within it flashed an image 
of Ataru, turning away from a crowd shrouded in darkness.  The Shinto shrine 
priestess/nurse gazed closely at the image of the crowd, quickly picking out 
certain details.  "Something awakening in Moroboshi which will prompt him to 
leave Tomobiki?"  She gazed towards the ceiling.  "What does this mean . . 
.?"

*    *    *

	"Darling, are you alright?!"

	Ataru moaned, a cacophony of sound, images and feelings hazing out Lum's 
plea.  "Leave him be, Lum," a strange woman ordered.  "He needs time to 
adjust."

	That voice.

	Why was it so familiar?

	Who . . .?

	Was it . . .?

	"Who are you, anyway?!" Ten then asked.

	"Jariten!" Tampopo scolded.

	The stranger:  "Patience, Jariten.  All will be made clear soon."

	Her.

	The one who was once inside me.

	The one I let free.

	"Onee-chan . . .?"

	"Darling!"

	His eyes opened, he finding himself gazing at the ceiling of Tampopo's 
restaurant.  In the blink of an eye, a familiar face popped into view.  He 
gazed at her before sighing.  "Lum.  It's you . . . " he rasped as his head 
rolled right -- and then he found himself staring into HER eyes.  Ataru 
blinked several times as he took in her looks, and then he sat up before 
reaching out to touch Negako's face.  "Onee-chan?" he whispered.  "Is that 
you?"

	Negako seemed to freeze.  She then lightly smiled.  "Yes, Ataru."

	The others remained quiet.  His gaze turned inward for several minutes as 
he recalled events five years before, when so much had been blanked out.  He 
then stared knowingly at Negako.  "She made you do this?" he wondered, an 
edge appearing in his voice.  "Didn't she?"

	Negako nodded.  "She did.  At the time, she convinced me that it would be 
safer for you that all knowledge of me -- not to mention the abilities my 
being inside you bestowed you -- was suppressed.  She . . . "  A pause, and 
then she closed her eyes.  "She convinced me that allowing any ties between 
yourself and Nagaiwakai to remain intact would do you no good.  At that 
time, I did not . . . "  A pause.  "Comprehend the full extent of Kinshou's 
selfishness."

	Lum blinked.  "Darling's mother?!"

	"Yes."  Negako gazed briefly on the Oni before she turned back to Ataru.  
"If I had truly understood then what I do now, Ataru, I would not have 
denied you your memories and knowledge.  For that, I am sorry."

	Ataru cupped Negako's chin, a smile crossing his face.  "You mean that, 
don't you?" he wondered.  "You really mean that?"

	"I have said it," Negako replied.

	"Darling!" Lum growled.  "If she said she's sorry, you can't . . .!"

	Ataru waved the Oni down.  "Lum, you don't understand!"  An exasperated 
sigh then escaped him, he shaking his head as his eyes turned heavenward.  
"Oh, damn!  This'd be easier if things hadn't bit me in the ass five years 
ago."

	"Among other places," Negako added.

	Ataru jolted.  He then stared at her before a grin crossed his face.  
"Well, I'll be damned!  You can tell a joke after all!"

	Negako winked.  "Much that I do not see the necessity of expressing 
emotions, Ataru, it does not mean that I cannot tell a joke."

	That was true, he thought, though Negako's add-on to his comment was as dry 
as Sahara dust in mid-summer.  "Yeah, you got that point, I guess," he mused 
with a chuckle.  He then glanced at Lum, quickly noting the frustration 
etched into her face.  "Oh, gomen!  Gomen, Lum!"  He caught himself before 
indicating Negako.  "I guess you need to understand what's going on here."

	"It would be appreciated," Lum dryly noted.

	Sensing her sarcasm, he took a breath.  "Well, it's like this . . . "

*    *    *

	Minutes later, a geyser of electricity shot through the roof of Tampopo's 
Bar, echoed by Lum's cry of, "***SHE DID WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!***"

	Seeing the lightning from the town park, Ataru's parents blinked before 
exchanging a look.  "Good grief!  What's that son of ours done now?!" 
Kinshou demanded, imagining the fallout of yet ANOTHER of Lum's 
temper-tantrums.

*    *    *

	"***YOU MEAN TO TELL ME SHE BLANKED OUT YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR FAMILY JUST 
BECAUSE SHE HATED YOUR GRANDMOTHER?!***" Lum screeched.

	"That's right."  Ataru, unaffected by Lum's lightning -- a decided change 
from all the other times the Oni had lost control of herself while she was 
close to him -- nodded.  Negako was currently enjoying her tea.  Tampopo and 
Ten busied themselves inspecting the damage in the ceiling.  "Don't ask me 
why this happened between Obaa-chan and *her.*"  His voice dripped with 
scorn as he added, "Try as I might, I couldn't make *her* understand why I 
hated it."

	"What could you expect, Ataru-chan?" Tampopo mused.  "After all, that's the 
way Kinshou's treated you all along."

	Lum gazed at the cook, and then she turned to Negako.  "So Tampopo-san knew 
what happened all along.  Did you tell her, Negako-san?"

	"No need," Negako reported.  "Tampopo possesses her own . . . 'mission,' if 
I may describe it as that.  She is compelled to seek out children who have 
suffered emotional abuse or abandonment from their parents or other 
relatives, and then aid them into bettering their lives."

	Lum blinked.  "Her family, too?"

	"No, Tampopo herself.  She is much more than she seems, Lum."

	Lum gazed at Tampopo before she shrugged.  "I guess so."

	"You're not bugged by that?" Ataru wondered, his eyebrow arching.

	"Darling, on a station near Uru, there's a being -- his name's Koruneko -- 
who's believed to have lived for thirty thousand years," Lum said.  "I've 
been bugged whenever Tampopo-san's moved to shield you from me or the 
others, but I've never ONCE been compelled to attack her like I went after 
Shinobu after we first met.  I assume that's because of some empathic power 
she has . . . "

	"Let me have my secrets, Negako-san," Tampopo warned.

	"Your choice."  Negako reached into her top to draw out a folded document.  
"The Court of Special Appeals has prepared this for your approval.  It 
concerns your legal status vis-à-vis Kinshou and Muchi.  I have asked to 
become your legal guardian for the remaining time you are underage.  When 
you become twenty, you will then be acknowledged as the new Patriarch of the 
Moroboshi Clan."

	She handed it to him.  Ataru took it and opened it before he gazed nowhere 
in particular.  "When did Grandma die, Onee-chan?"

	"The eve of the sixth day of your first tag race with Lum."

	Lum jolted, and then she bowed her head.  "Darling, I'm so sorry."

	Ataru smiled on feeling her hand grip his.  "Thanks, Lum-chan."  He 
squeezed her hand before he began to read.

	"You should realise, Lum, that if Ataru does allow me to become his legal 
guardian, your engagement will then have no legal standing in Japanese 
society regardless of how long you've lived with him," Negako warned as she 
stared on the Oni.  "I believe even your planet's laws state such an 
engagement cannot be since they demand the heads of both clans must have 
final say in a coupling between members of two different clans."

	"Hai, that's true."  Lum nodded, a twinge of worry flashing deep in her 
heart.  She then shook her head.  "But if those idiots believed they could 
manipulate me into keeping Darling down just to get their hands on his 
grandmother's fortune, they're wrong!  VERY wrong!  I can only imagine what 
Daddy will think when he learns of this!"

	Ten smirked.  "He'll hit the roof!"

	"And most likely, fly through it," Negako added.

	Everyone stared at her.  Ataru grinned.  "You're getting there, Onee-chan." 
  He turned back to the document in his hand.  After he finished reading it, 
he declared, "Well, this seems clear enough to me."  He then noted a place 
where his signature had to be applied.  "Tampopo-chan, can I get my hanko?"

	"Alright."

	Tampopo headed into the kitchen.  Lum's eyes widened as she gazed on her 
would-be husband.  "You keep your hanko here?"

	He chuckled.  "Yeah.  After you came -- and please, Lum, don't take this 
personally -- I felt I had to find a place where I can keep the very 
important stuff in case things went crazy.  Besides . . . "  He nodded 
toward Tampopo as she returned from the kitchen, a small case in hand.  
"Tampopo-chan is, believe it or not, a special 'notary public' with the 
Family Registrar of Japan."  He then grinned.  "It sure shocked the hell out 
of me when she told me that."

	Tampopo sighed.  "I felt becoming that was necessary just in case instances 
like this happen.  Can I see that, please, Ataru-chan?"

	"Hai."  Ataru handed the document over.  He then noticed the pained look on 
Lum's face.  "Hey!  What's with the rainy-day look, Lum?"

	The Oni closed her eyes, feeling them sting with tears.  "I guess I haven't 
done much to really earn your trust.  Have I, Darling?"

	"Hey!"  Ataru reached over to cup her chin, tilting her head up so she 
could gaze into his eyes.  "Now cut that out.  Look at it this way, 
Lum-chan:  Would you WANT to continue living under a lie?"

	"No!  Of course not!  But . . .!"

	He tapped her nose.  "But nothing.  Okay, a lot of illusions just got 
flushed down the toilet tonight.  But it isn't the end of the world.  It's a 
new beginning, Lum.  For you AND me.  What happens, now those idiots are out 
of the way, is between us to figure out.  There's no dishonour in letting 
this fall apart.  Not for me, not for you and not for your family."  His 
eyebrow arched.  "What's wrong with that?"

	Lum considered that before nodding.  "Hai, if you think so, Darling."

	Hearing them, Negako remained curiously silent, though her eyes did scan 
the walls of Tampopo's establishment.  Hmm.  Freshly painted.

	Some fools thought they were SO intelligent.

*    *    *

	"Kaneda-san, is this possible?!"

	Kaneda Isamu, a special agent of the KCC -- the agency within the Justice 
Ministry that normally dealt with intelligence and counter-intelligence 
matters in Japan -- gravely nodded.  "Yes, Gospodin Tuchenko, it IS 
possible.  Indeed, if the Court of Special Appeals is involved in this, it 
is not JUST possible.  It will happen just as Moroboshi-kun and 
Moroboshi-sensei foresee it."

	The other intelligence officers seated in the monitor room, located two 
blocks from Tampopo's, nodded understandingly.  Gazing at the others, Isamu 
felt a sense of amazement bubble up once more in his heart.  Elsewhere in 
the world, these people's friends and co-workers were busy working to 
undermine each other in pursuit of their governments' overall goals.  But 
here, in the one place on Earth where uncontrolled contact between Terrans 
and other races was permitted, these people had been forced to become -- 
well, if not friends, at least working acquaintances.  Intelligence they 
gathered on aliens was pooled here, and then distributed to their 
controllers home.

	Hearing the Japanese officer's reply, Grigory Alekseyevich Tuchenko, an 
agent of the Russian SVR -- and the KGB when the Soviet Union was still a 
single nation -- nodded.  Beside him, Mark Reilly of the CIA snorted.  "It's 
about fuckin' time, if you ask me.  You know, every friggin' time that bitch 
said 'I wish I never had you' to that poor guy, I seriously dreamed of the 
day I'd take a gun and shoot her dead!  How can any mother say **that** to 
their own kid, for cryin' out loud?!  Now hearin' that . . .!"  He waved to 
the computer linked to the various sensors that could potentially allow 
these people to eavesdrop on almost any conversation in Tomobiki.

	Basel Wallis, a long-time agent of the British SIS, sipped his tea.  "I 
dare say, my friend, justice is truly about to be served."

	"Agreed."  Ling Chai, of mainland China's GAB -- and the only woman in this 
particular group -- nodded.  She then turned to the Japanese agent.  "How 
soon will this Special Appeals Court make this happen, Kaneda-san?"

	"In all effect, Comrade Ling, it HAS happened."  Isamu then smiled.  
"Strange to see a Japanese court of law move so quickly, eh?"

	Laughter filled the room.  Rene Falques, an officer of France's DGSE, 
hoisted his coffee in a toast.  "It is, mon ami, a delightful change."

	Basel smirked.  "Bloody right about that!  So once the dear boy is finally 
free of those monsters who sired him, what then?"

	"I suspect that when he becomes of age, he will likely publicly declare 
them roonin and expel them from the Moroboshi Clan," Isamu explained.  "Even 
though it wouldn't make any real changes to their legal status -- not like 
the old days -- it would still have an impact.  That fate is greatly feared 
in my society, my friends.  Even if Kinshou's birth family agrees to take 
Muchi on and they switch over to using her maiden name, it is too late.  The 
news of that will spread quickly thanks to those private investigators 
companies employ to ensure their workers' 'purity.'"  His mouth twisted; 
having spent years before the First Tag Race working as a liaison officer 
with the CIA, he had come to personally hate that particular aspect of 
society.

	"It's as bad as having burakumin ancestry?" Grigory wondered.

	"Not THAT extreme, but close."  Isamu sighed.  "I suspect when it is all 
said and done, Muchi will lose his job.  They will most likely be forced to 
relocate elsewhere.  That in and of itself will mark them as odd."  A wry 
smile crossed his face.  "Yes, my friends, as I said, they will be marked 
for life by this.  If Ataru-kun wants revenge against his parents for all 
they've done to him -- especially given what we just heard now -- this is 
the way to do it."

	Basel nodded.  "Good for him."

	"Hear, hear!" Mike whooped.  "Well, now that those two are out of the way 
thanks to this Negako -- whoever the hell she is! -- we can concentrate on 
doin' what our governments want us to do:  Get rid of Lum."

	The others nodded.  Having lived in Tomobiki since the First Tag Race, the 
intelligence officers had often been appalled by the behaviour aliens like 
Lum had shown.  Many times had they said to themselves, "They call US 
uncivilised?!"  Thus, when orders arrived from their controllers concerning 
finding a way to see Lum and her countrymen expelled from Earth, they got to 
work.

	The Second Tag Race had left too vile taste in many people's mouths.

	Rene sighed.  "Easily done, mes amis.  Once Lum is no longer engaged by 
either Earth or Oni law, she technically has no reason to stay on Earth.  We 
know she came here to pursue a marriage with Ataru, do we not?"

	"But what if Ataru DOES want to marry her?" Mark asked.  "I mean, it's 
pretty obvious he really does like her deep down."

	"I think, my friends, we'll have to wait on discerning that until matters 
with Comrade Moroboshi settle themselves out," Chai cut in.  "At this time, 
I believe we have messages to send to our friends back home?"

	The others stared at the GAB officer, nodding.

*    *    *

	Chikage turned a card.

	The Hierophant, symbol of the pursuit of knowledge.

	"Many watching Ani-kun?"

*    *    *

	"Ataru?!  Lum-chan?!  Are you here?"

	The door closed as Muchi and Kinshou walked into the foyer connecting the 
living room and kitchen with the stairs to the second floor.  Noting the 
silence that responded to her hail, Kinshou frowned, ascending to Ataru's 
room.  "Ataru?!" she called out.  "Lum-chan?!  Ten-chan?!  Are you here?"

	She slid the door open before she stopped, her jaw dropping on seeing the 
empty room awaiting her.  ALMOST empty, that is; Ataru sat at the 
windowsill, gazing outside.  "Ataru!" Kinshou growled as she stormed into 
the room.  "Why didn't you answer me, you stupid boy?!  Where's Lum . . .?"

	The door slammed shut behind her, causing Kinshou to spin around.  She 
jolted on seeing Lum standing there, a hooded look etched on the Oni's face. 
  "Lum-chan!" she gasped.  "What's going on here?!"  She tried not to shiver 
as she took note of the look on Lum's face.  While Lum was on Earth, Kinshou 
shared legal custody of her with her husband.  But even with that, Ataru's 
mother knew not to push matters too much with her would-be daughter-in-law.

	"I would've appreciated learning when Grandma died, you know."

	Kinshou stopped, a chill as cold as an Arctic wind freezing her.  She then 
turned to gaze on Ataru.  His eyes were closed, he still having not decided 
to look at the woman who gave birth to him.  Sensing the iron control he 
presently projected, Kinshou turned sheet-white.  He remembered.  
Everything.

	"A-a-Ataru, wait," she feebly stammered.  "You don't understand . . . "

	"So it's true?" Lum growled, sparks flashing over her body as she fixed the 
older woman with a glare that could melt neutronium.  "All because you hated 
your MOTHER-IN-LAW, you took advantage of Darling's kindness to another 
sentient being.  And THEN you tricked Negako-san into blanking Darling's 
memories of the only elements of his family who LOVED him?  Then, when 
Ten-chan and I came, you goaded us into keeping Darling down, forcing us 
together so you could embezzle HIS inheritance when we married and leave him 
with NOTHING?!  WELL?!"  Lightning snapped in her hands, causing Kinshou to 
leap back.  "Is it true?!  IS IT?!"

	"Lum, don't!" Ataru called out as Kinshou nearly crumpled on herself.  
"Don't bother!"  He shook his head.  "She's not worth it."

	Lum stopped.  "You're right, Darling.  She's NOT worth it.  Neither is her 
husband.  Maybe it's time we left them once and for all."

	"Hai, the stench is getting high here, I guess."  Ataru smirked as he 
glared down at Kinshou.  She shuddered before she gave him a pleading look.  
His fists clenched, and then he relaxed as he summoned a gob of spit, firing 
it into her face.  She recoiled, looking nowhere in particular, stunned that 
all that she had done to secure her future had crashed so easily.  "You and 
your husband are both dead to me, Yamaguchi Kinshou," he declared in a 
frightfully neutral voice.  "As of today, all legal rights you had 
concerning me have been stripped from you.  I no longer consider myself your 
son.  But you won't get any satisfaction from that, I assure you."  He then 
held up a finger, a knowing smile crossing his face.  "Negako-oneechan is my 
legal guardian.  I don't think you'll be able to do much against her, eh?"

	Kinshou gargled, her face turning white as the image of that living machine 
of destruction, a being born from the carefully-preserved knowledge of over 
a millennium's worth of ninjutsu grandmasters, flashed through her mind.  
Lum walked around her, taking Ataru's hand in her own.  "Darling, shall we 
go?"

	"One more thing."  Ataru glared once more at the woman who was now his 
mother only by genetics.  "When I become of age, you will both be stricken 
from the clan register and made roonin.  So, if you don't want to live with 
just one name, I strongly suggest you make up with your relatives, Kinshou.  
Then again, given what a greedy bitch you are, I somehow have to wonder if 
they'd WANT you back!"  He turned his back on Kinshou for the last time.  
"Let's go, Lum."

	"Hai!"

	Lum boosted Ataru into the air.  They then flew out the window, Ataru's 
mocking laughter tauntingly trailing their path.

	In the empty room they left behind, Kinshou remained still before an 
outraged scream escaped her.  "DAMN YOU, YOU OLD COW!"

	A lightning bolt then jabbed through the window to fry her!

*    *    *

	Chikage turned a card.

	Judgement, symbol of honesty.

	"Freedom for Ani-kun."

*    *    *

	"So where did you sleep last night?"

	"Where do you think?"  Lum gave the stocky cook a pouting look, and then 
she grinned as Tampopo placed a kimch'i-laced beefbowl before the Oni for 
breakfast the next morning, her hand reaching over for some chopsticks.  
"Ten-chan was pretty mad about it because Negako-san kept him away from my 
ship."

	"I wanted to see what you were doing, Lum-chan!" Ten moaned before jerking 
on feeling Negako's finger stab into his forehead.

	"That is none of your affair, Jariten," Negako declared.  "Leave them be.  
Your cousin is happy with Ataru.  Be thankful for that."

	"Yeah, Ten.  You really shouldn't worry about it now."  Ataru slurped down 
his ramen with rice cakes, and then he slyly grinned.  "Unless you want to 
find Mako-chan and start practising things with her?"

	The young Oni gagged.  "NO WAY!"

	Laughter escaped everyone else but Negako.  In the brief time she had come 
to know this strange woman, Lum learned most "normal" human emotions were 
alien things to Negako.  In many ways, Moroboshi Negako reminded Lum of 
CAO-2, the robot teacher who had been one of hers, Benten's, Oyuki's and 
Ran's instructors when they were in school.  Then again, given what her 
Darling had said about his adopted sister's overall abilities, Negako could 
reduce CAO-2 into a pile of scrap metal with but the touch of a finger.

	Lum stared at Negako.  "So what has to happen now with Darling?"

	The ninjutsu grandmaster -- the title was automatically seen as hers given 
the knowledge that was her very birthright -- sighed.  "I will have to make 
repairs to Ataru's immune system before properly indoctrinating him in the 
Art.  Not here in Tomobiki, of course.  Ataru's classmates, especially 
Mendou Shuutarou, Aisuru Satoshi and their peers, would greatly fear his 
'evolving' from an annoying nuisance into a being who could kill them with 
but a touch of a finger."  She gazed on Lum.  "To most bullies, nothing 
panics them more then when one of their victims turns the tables against 
them, especially in front of others.  A public duel between Ataru and 
Shuutarou would, if executed properly, destroy Shuutarou's reputation, 
especially among those women who fawn over him.  Satoshi or his friends?  
Same result.  Perhaps even worse if Ataru fights Sedoyama Keizou in public.  
Or Rei, perhaps?"

	Lum jolted on hearing her former boyfriend's name.  She then cautiously 
exhaled, "Ran-chan won't like that at all, Negako-san."

	"Do you fear Ran might strike back at Ataru in revenge?"

	"Probably, especially now that Ran and Rei have become so close."

	Ataru shook his head.  "Somehow, I don't think Ran-chan will ever get much 
out of that jerk.  All he cares about is food, food and more food!  Ask any 
yatai owner in town."  He glanced over at their host.  "Hey, Tampopo-chan, 
how many of 'em have been cleaned out by that pig, anyway?"

	Tampopo sighed.  "Too many to count.  Lucky thing I can deal with idiots 
like that.  Though it IS strange that he always tries to come here every 
time he visits Tomobiki, even with Ran ready to cook for him."  She hummed 
as she considered the point.  "Maybe I've brained him too much?"

	Ataru laughed.  Negako shook her head.  "Not exactly."

	Everyone gazed at her, surprised by her willingness to defend the pilot who 
had, in the period following the First Tag Race, come close to killing Ataru 
so he could "win" Lum back.  Ten blinked.  "Why'd'ja say that?"

	"Rei suffers from dyslexia and dysphasia."

	Ataru gaped.  "Dyslexia AND dysphasia?!"

	"I've heard of dyslexia, but not dysphasia," Lum reported.

	"Dysphasia is where a person has an inability to properly vocalise his or 
her thoughts," Tampopo explained, and then a thoughtful look crossed her 
face.  "No doubt, because of that, his hunger and the fact that he can't fly 
like other Onis, he must've been ostracized by his peers when he was 
Jariten's age."

	Lum nodded.  "He was."

	Ataru winced.  "Jeez!  Poor guy."

	The door then opened.  "Irasshaimase!" Tampopo called out automatically.  
Her eyebrow then arched on seeing who stood there.  "Oh, Jay-san!  Kay-san!  
What brings two of the venerable 'Men in Black' to my establishment today?"

	"And a good morning to you, too, Tampopo-san," a silver-haired American in 
a black business suit greeted as he slipped off his Ray-Ban glasses.

	Gazing at the two agents of the United Nations Special Committee on Alien 
Affairs -- the "Men in Black," as they were nicknamed -- Ataru was 
immediately reminded of Mendou's personal bodyguards/aides, the Kuromegane.  
However, compared to the SCAA field agents, the Kuromegane were a pack of 
stumbling incompetents.  "And a good morning to you."  Kay nodded at Ataru 
and Lum.

	"Ohayou, Kay-san!  Jay-san!"  Lum nodded to Kay in return, and then his 
partner, a young African-American with a moustache and goatee.  "So what 
brings you people over to see us today?  Nothing wrong, I hope?"

	Kay and Jay exchanged a look.  "I'm afraid, Lum, we've got some real bad 
news," Kay reported.  "Can we talk in private?"

	Ataru and Lum blinked, exchanging a look.

*    *    *

	Chikage looked at the five cards spread before her:

	Death, the ultimate symbol of endings;

	The Tower, marking the presence of powerful forces;

	The Eight of Wands, another symbol of endings;

	The Five of Cups, marker of loss and good-byes;

	The Eight of Cups, marking the time to move on.

	Such an ominous suite meant only one thing:

	"War."

*    *    *

	"The Noukiites?!"

	Everyone sat in a back corner booth.  The sign had been changed to CLOSED 
and the curtains drawn to guarantee privacy.  Kay shook his head.  "Afraid 
so.  About seventy hours ago, a colonial militia squadron staging from 
Machibusu sneaked over the line into Noukiite space to raid a convoy of 
refugees leaving Okusei for one of the Dominion's newer colonies beyond 
Noukiios itself."

	Ten gaped.  "The Noukiites have new colonies?"

	"Five, all terraformed, though no one knows how or who did it."  Jay sipped 
his coffee.  "The Inquisition is investigating."

	Ataru's jaw dropped in surprise.  "You mean the Inquisition doesn't know?  
That's being really off the ball, even for THOSE guys!"

	The Onis stared wide-eyed at Ataru.  "Darling, how do YOU know about the 
Holy Inquisition?" Lum wondered.

	Ataru sighed, and then he shook his head.  "Sorry, Lum-chan.  I should've 
mentioned this, though I guess it doesn't matter now.  My grandmother was a 
Righteous Gentile of the Protestant Reformist Church of Zephyrus."

	Lum jolted, her eyes widening as his statement sank in.  "I see."

	"Lady Nagaiwakai was also the one who got us our gear."  Kay opened his 
jacket to reveal a Lawgiver, a Zephyrite computer-controlled, photon-plasma 
pistol with multiple-targeting command and shooting ability.

	Ten whistled, drifting close to Negako's shoulder.  "Wow!  To believe Uncle 
chose Ataru to be Earth's tag champ!"

	Jay smirked.  "Got that right, little guy!"

	"What happened?" Ataru asked.  "I don't know much about these Noukiites at 
all, save for them being neighbours of the Holy Republic."

	"Well, in a nutshell, think of what Japan did to Korea back at the start of 
the last century -- expanded to a century's length of time instead of 
thirty-five years -- and then tack onto it three very nice colony planets 
that the Noukiites settled long ago, planets the Urusians want to claim as 
their own."  Kay sighed.  "For the last two hundred years, there or about, 
the Urusians have done almost everything possible to force the Noukiites 
from those three worlds."

	"Like us trying to make the Koreans give up claim on Tok-do," Ataru mused.

	"Including illegal attacks by volunteer colonial paramilitary forces over 
the border," Jay added, holding up a finger.

	"That's not true!" Lum protested.

	Jay stared at the Oni.  "Lum, c'mon!  Everyone knows that!"

	"I . . .!"  Lum stopped herself before she sighed.  "Well, I asked Daddy 
about it once and he denied it, but . . . "

	She looked down.  "He didn't sound convincing?" Ataru gently prodded.

	"Tcha."

	"It's alright," Kay breathed out before carrying on, "Anyhow, the Oni 
militia got close to Okusei.  The Ip'ihu bushwhacked them.  They're the 
Noukiite equivalent of the Oni colonial militia," he added for Ataru's 
benefit.  "Atop that, there were Noukiite naval craft there.  They pitched 
into the fight and captured one of the militia vessels intact.  The 
surviving militiamen were interrogated and made to confess that they 
operated with secret support from various elements of the government in 
Onishuto."

	"WHAT?!" Lum cried out.

	"Is this EVERYONE in the Oni government?" Ataru wondered.

	Kay shook his head.  "Fortunately, no.  The Onis have been living under a 
military junta for the last two hundred years.  But in their government, 
you've got a wide span of opinions.  Lum's father is a progressive.  Some 
are liberal, working for the day Uru becomes a true democracy.  And some of 
them . . . "

	He paused, shrugging.  "Want to turn back the clock to something that 
people wouldn't really like?" Ataru finished.

	"Exactly.  Well, instant they got wind of that, the Noukiite government 
sent a secret message to the Zephyrites, informing them that they couldn't 
tolerate this continued and ongoing disregard of their home space by 
elements of the Urusian government.  To that end, today, an all-out attack 
was launched on Machibusu, hitting the naval bases and the known militia 
bases.  It was a complete surprise.  Details are sketchy, but I'm afraid 
your people took heavy losses."  Kay stared at Lum.  "Most likely, by 
tomorrow, Uru will be at war."

	Silence fell as Lum considered Kay's words.  She then looked down.  "Five 
centuries of hate," she whispered.

	Ataru placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.  "Lum?"

	"Five centuries.  That's how long we've known those people.  And . . . "  
She shook her head.  "It's like Kay said.  Think of what's gone on between 
Japan and Korea, especially what happened between 1910 and 1945, then . . . 
"

	"The Eo War, the 'protectorate' that led to the Occupation, the Union 
Revolution, the dispute over Okusei and two other planets, the Ip'ihu, the 
militia . . . "  Jay sighed.  "Man, that's one BIG mess to get settled out."

	Lum nodded.  "Tcha."

	"So what happens to Lum?" Ataru wondered.  "She could've learned all this 
from her father if she had to.  Why are you guys here?"

	Kay and Jay exchanged a look, and then they gazed on him.  "Ataru, along 
with that message the Noukiites sent to the Zephyrites was a warning."  The 
former indicated Lum.  "The Noukiites, pretty much because they have no love 
for the Onis, know about what Lum's presence here has caused.  In their 
eyes, it would be sheer poetry to drag her off to face a Dominion court for 
violating the Galactic Non-Interference Treaty, of which both Lum's people 
and the Noukiites are signatories to.  Now, never mind that the so-called 
'invasion' which led to Tag Race One was a bluff to make several other 
powers leave us be . . . "

	"The Seifukusu being one, right?" Ataru cut in.

	"You know about them?" Jay asked.

	"Lum told me last night.  There're more?"

	"One other race, the Ipraedies," Kay provided.

	Ataru shook his head.  "Never heard of them."

	Lum sighed.  "Be thankful for that, Darling."

	"Well, anyhow," Kay continued, "The Noukiites warned that if Lum and all 
other Urusians don't leave Earth and return to Urusian space soon, they . . 
. "

	His voice trailed off.  "They'll come get her, the little guy here and the 
psycho-airhead that's living here, too," Jay finished.

	Hearing that, Lum's eyes went wide.  "They said that?!"

	Kay nodded.  "I'm afraid so."

	"There's another way out, you know," Ataru proposed.

	"Not a chance."  Jay shook his head.  "If you're thinking of trying to use 
your grandma's influence to keep Lum free of the Noukiites, you're DEAD 
wrong!"  He pointed at Lum.  "The instant she goes into Zephyrite space, 
she's as good as in the dock at Star Chamber on Jiyuu."

	Ataru winced, Lum turning white at the thought of her facing Star Chamber.  
The Supreme Blessed and Most Faithful Congregation of the Holy Inquisition, 
the highest-ranking law enforcement group within the Holy Republic of 
Zephyrus, was well renowned -- and likewise feared! -- throughout the galaxy 
for their ruthless ability to track down "heretics" and see them brought to 
justice, both within and beyond the Holy Republic's borders.  Zephyrite 
justice, Ataru knew, was brutal.  Capital punishment -- colloquially known 
as "excommunication" on Zephyrus -- was frequently used for those guilty of 
serious crimes.  And, yes, if you found yourself facing the High Court of 
Star Chamber -- the equivalent of one of the eight High Courts in Japan -- 
your chances of acquittal were small.

	"Damn."  Ataru sighed before he sensed Lum staring at him.  Without 
hesitation, he drew her into an one-armed embrace.

	Lum kissed his cheek.  "Arigatou, Darling."

	Jay blinked, his jaw dropping in shock.  "THIS is surprising!"

	"That it is."  Kay chuckled.  "I'm sorry to ruin the mood even more, but 
there's one other thing I have to tell you."

	Lum stared at the SCAA agent, and then she lowered her head.  "I see."

	Ataru blinked.  "What?!"

	"You will not be allowed to leave Earth, Ataru."

	Eyes turned to Negako.  Ataru took a second to absorb that, and then he 
turned back to Kay.  "Now, just hold on a second!" he protested.  "I'm not 
going to let Lum go back home ALONE in the midst of a war, for heaven's sake 
. . .!"

	Kay held up a hand.  "That's not the point!"  As soon as Ataru calmed down, 
he continued, "Look, Ataru, I know you mean well, but Lum's safest bet is to 
be on Uru, where her father and a whole load of combat troops can protect 
her.  I don't think the Noukiites will press this into a no-holds-barred 
thing.  All they'd want is for Uru to give up claims on Okusei, Kurrusei and 
Tunchusei, plus disband the colonial militia groups.  It's not going to be 
an intergalactic version of World War Two, alright."

	Ataru considered that.  He then jolted as a hand squeezed his shoulder.  He 
turned right to see Negako gazing on him, a warning stare etched in her 
face.  "There is another concern, Ataru," the ninjitsu grandmaster advised.

	He blinked as her words surged through him.  "Hai, Onee-chan."

	Lum stared at him. "Darling?"

	Ataru jolted, and then he reached under the table to squeeze Lum's hand.  
"I'll explain later, okay?" he told her before kissing her cheek.  He then 
turned back to the SCAA people.  "Try not to make this permanent, okay?"

	Kay nodded.  "We'll try."

*    *    *

	"Hey, Ataru.  What did Negako-oneechan mean?" Ten-chan asked.

	Two hours after meeting Kay and Jay at Tampopo's found Ataru, Lum and Ten 
on an island located off the northwest coast of Hokkaido.  The teens stared 
at the young Oni before Ataru sighed.  "She means something that has a lot 
to do with her being in my head from when I was six up to five years ago, 
when Obaa-chan's friends from Magairu discovered she was there."  He waved 
them with him towards a large house.  "Let's go over to the practice field 
and I'll show you."

	They walked up a stone pathway toward the large mansion that, until just 
over a year ago, Ataru's grandmother Nagaiwakai called home.  Staring at the 
edifice, Lum was reminded of the Mendou mansion.  She was quick to note 
differences, however.  The Mendou home was littered with all sorts of items 
indicative of the family's wealth: statues galore -- mostly of octopuses, 
though there WAS that one cursed goat statue, Lum ruefully remembered -- 
priceless antiques, old military gear and the like.  The Moroboshi mansion 
on Rishiri-tou, however, was spartan in its austerity.  Realising that 
difference between a family of selfish show-offs and a woman who thought it 
below her to rub her wealth into other people's faces, Lum decided that she 
would have loved to know Moroboshi Nagaiwakai.  *Would she have liked me?* 
she mused.

	Ataru gazed at her.  "Yen for your thoughts?"

	Lum sighed before she returned his look.  "Gomen.  I was just thinking 
about how much you'll miss now that your grandmother's gone."

	"I guess so.  I didn't really get a chance to know her, as you can guess, 
but . . . "  He paused, directing her around the house towards the farming 
tract that extended to the centre of Rishiri-tou.  "Grandma was a lot of 
things, I guess, but she was CARING.  She was worried about me, even living 
with *them* in Tomobiki."  His lips twisted into a frown, and then he 
relaxed.  "I really wish I understood what happened between Grandma and . . 
. well, you know."

	He shrugged.  "It'll be okay in the end, Darling," Lum promised.

	"I hope so."  He stared at the side of the mansion, and then he looked to 
the fields.  Peacefully grazing in the tall grass was a good-sized herd of 
dairy cattle, about two hundred head, born of both Oriental and Occidental 
stock.  Keeping watch on them was a pair of men dressed in the plain, brown 
woollen robes of Zephyrite monks.  Ataru gaped.  "Damn, they stayed 
behind?!"

	"They were not the only ones, Young Master!"

	The voice caused Ataru and Lum to spin around as something leapt out of the 
shadows, melting into a lithe teenage woman with long, pony-tailed black 
hair.  She was dressed in a black bodysuit, a sheathed shinobigatana 
strapped to her back.  Staring at her, Ataru's eyes widened.  "Jinseiko!  Is 
that you?!"

	The woman looked up, revealing a well-sculptured face.  However, there were 
laugh lines around her eyes.  The eyes seemed hooded.  No doubt, Fusegu 
Jinseiko would carry the pain of her mistress' death to the grave.  "Hai, 
Young Master."  She bowed respectfully before she stared pleadingly at him.  
"Sir, I . . . " she started, and then she collapsed and prostrated herself.  
"Forgive me!  We should've been there for the Mistress!  Please, forgive me 
. . .!"

	"That's enough!"  Ataru knelt to help the chief of Nagaiwakai's kunoichi 
troupe, the Kuromoroboshi, up.  He tilted her face up to stare into his.  
"It's over and done, Jinseiko-chan.  Yes, I'm hurting.  But Grandma wouldn't 
want us to flounder along like this, eh?  It's over and done, Jinseiko-chan. 
  Okay?"

	Jinseiko blinked before she faintly nodded.  "Hai, I understand."

	Lum and Ten exchanged a look.  Both then tensed as a shadow fell over them. 
  "Welcome back, Young Master," a grave voice caused both Onis to spin 
around and stare UP into a granite-hewn face framed by black hair, left 
cheek embossed with the phoenix of the Holy Republic.  "It is good to see 
you again."

	"Brother Sunfire."  Ataru walked over, dropping to one knee to kiss the 
monk's ring.  After the Zephyrite cleric, once the personal advisor to 
Moroboshi Nagaiwakai, bestowed a blessing, Ataru stood.  "It's good to see 
you, too."  He glanced to the other monks tending his grandmother's old 
herd.  "How many people stayed behind after Grandma . . .?"  He bit his lip 
before waving around.

	"All of us in the cabal who advised her, some of the farm hands, plus 
Jinseiko and her co-workers," the monk reported, waving the visitors with 
him toward the herd.  "Since matters concerning your problems with those 
people . . . " -- Lum didn't need to guess who Brother Sunfire was talking 
about -- "Have been in limbo since the Mistress' passing, we haven't been 
able to decide what to do.  Mistress Negako has been able to help, as has 
Master Komeru."

	Lum blinked confusedly.  "'Komeru?'"

	"My uncle," Ataru provided.  "Where is he, anyway?"

	"In Peru or Bolivia last I heard, exploring Inca ruins."  Brother Sunfire 
sighed.  "We tried to get word to those people when the Mistress passed 
away.  I called Kinshou a fortnight after the Tag Race ended."  He glanced 
at Lum.  "Unfortunately, all she said in return was . . . "  His lips 
twisted quite distastefully, and then he sighed.  "Well . . . "

	"She was happy Grandma was dead and that she'd do everything she could to 
get her hands on Grandma's money, right?  And that she didn't care who tried 
to stand in her way, because she was in the right," Ataru guessed.

	"In much more vulgar language, I confess."  Brother Sunfire nodded in 
acknowledgement.  "Well, the matter is somewhat better, now."

	Jinseiko then tensed.  "Young Master?  Please . . .?"

	Ataru closed his eyes.  "No, Jinseiko.  Leave them alone."

	"But . . .!"

	He turned to the leader of the Kuromoroboshi.  "I said 'Leave them alone,' 
Jinseiko.  Killing those two idiots won't do a thing in the end.  Letting 
them live, in fear of what I COULD do to them, hurts more."

	"Ah . . . "  Jinseiko balked, and then she sighed, bowing her head.  "Hai, 
Young Master, I understand.  Forgive me for my impertinence."

	Ataru nodded.  "It's alright."

	Brother Sunfire sighed.  "A pity it happened at all."

	"Darklight!"

	Everyone turned as a monk, a bespectacled fellow who reminded the visitors 
of Megane, ran up.  "What is the matter?" Brother Sunfire demanded.

	"Forgive me."  The younger monk, Lightstar Firewind, bowed before he stared 
at Lum.  "We received a call from the Special Committee concerning you and 
your fellow Urusians, Miss Redet.  You're going home.  Tonight."

	Hearing that, Ataru jolted, and then he looked nowhere in particular, his 
hands clenching.  Ten seemed lost, he hovering close to Lum.  Lum's eyes 
went wide on hearing Lightstar's statement before she bowed her head.  "I 
see."

*    *    *

	Chikage turned a card.

	The Five of Cups.

	"A parting?"

*    *    *

	A hand slammed down on the table.  "Damn it all, Kay!  Is there ANYTHING 
you could've done to stop this?!  Tried to slow it down . . .?!"

	Kay held up his hand.  "Relax!"  The look on his face and his partner's 
echoed the shock and anger on Ataru's.  "The Security Council caught us by 
surprise.  People got wind of your divorce from your parents -- probably 
from spies who've worked in Tomobiki since after Tag One -- then decided 
that, since there was now no 'legitimate' reason for her to be here, they'd 
throw Lum off!"

	Ataru blinked.  He was meeting the two SCAA agents in the penthouse 
apartment of the Toranoseishin Finances building, one of the three tall 
skyscrapers located in the heart of Tomobiki.  "What spies?!" he demanded.

	"The whole alphabet soup."  Jay shook his head.  "The KCC, CIA, SVR, SIS, 
DGSE, Mossad, CSIS, the KCW from South Korea, the GAB from China, North 
Korea's special forces . . .!"  A shrug.  "Hell, you name it, they're here 
somewhere!"

	"They came here after the oil incident, when the United Nations decided to 
restrict all Galactic Federation aliens to Tomobiki," Kay added.  "And in a 
way, I can understand.  When the Onis came, Captain Invader spoke to the 
United Nations directly about the Tag Race, avoiding any talk with any of 
the national governments along the way -- save Japan, of course, when you 
got selected as Earth's champion.  That sure as hell miffed a few people, 
especially in Washington, Moscow, Beijing and elsewhere."

	Ataru considered the SCAA agent's words.  "Gotcha.  When I broke off from 
those two idiots and the word got around . . . "

	"People saw an opportunity to remind the U.N. of who they were 'working' 
for."  Jay scowled.  "The Big Five called for a vote on the matter six hours 
ago.  It was passed unanimously.  THEN Zed . . . " -- Zed was the Director 
of the Special Committee -- "Got told."

	"Cute," Ataru grumbled.  "Tell Zed-san he has my sympathies.  So tell me:  
Is this permanent or temporary?"

	Kay shook his head.  "Don't know.  From what Zed said, one representative 
on the Council -- don't know which one -- said they MIGHT allow the Onis to 
come back.  IF Lum publicly apologized for the oil incident, Tag Two and 
everything else she or her friends from beyond caused that ended up hurting 
someone here."

	Ataru nodded.  "I see.  So what happens now?"

	Before either of the SCAA agents can answer, Kay's special video cell-phone 
ringed.  "Kay," he answered it.  "What is it, Zed?"

	"A Zephyrite destroyer just pulled into orbit over Japan," Zed reported.  
"They're beaming Inquisitors down to link up with your team and Dee's team 
to deal with Lum and her friends.  Is Ataru with you?"

	"Yeah, he's right here."  Kay waved as Ataru walked up.

	The older man nodded on seeing Earth's tag champion.  "I'm really sorry 
about this, son."  He tried to smile.  "I heard things were starting to get 
better between you and Lum.  I wish this didn't have to happen."

	Ataru nodded.  "Thanks, Zed-san.  Let me see if I can try to get something 
better from the Inquisition, alright?"

	Zed considered that, and then he sighed.  "Don't go overboard."

	"I'll try not to," Ataru promised.

*    *    *

	Minutes later, the door leading to Ataru's guest bedroom opened.  Looking 
in, he frowned on seeing a quivering, wet-faced Lum being held by Negako.  
Also there was Kotatsuneko, who cradled a crying Ten.  Fortunately, Ataru 
understood well about keeping this secret from certain parties in Tomobiki.  
Negako assured him earlier that, when she had arrived in town the previous 
afternoon, she used her shiatsu skills to incapacitate Mendou, Megane and 
the Bodyguards.  They weren't expected to recover for another two days at 
least.

Far too late to "help" Lum.

	Gazing at the giant cat-ghost, Ataru smiled, gently stroking the fur on 
Kotatsuneko's head.  "Thanks for coming."

	Kotatsuneko smiled, and then he stared at Negako.  "He says he was more 
than happy to come at this time and wishes the silly humans in New York 
would be more compassionate about matters," the ninjutsu grandmaster 
provided.

	Ten sniffed, and then he stared at Negako.  "You can understand wh-what 
K-k-Kota-chan says, Negako-oneechan?" he burbled.

	"I can understand the language of all sentient beings on this planet, even 
the non-corporeal ones," Negako explained, and then she raised a finger.  
"Understandable, seeing that, until five years ago, I was one of them."

	Ataru sighed.  "Yeah."  He turned to the door.  "Gentlemen?"

	Kay and Jay stepped inside.  Following the two SCAA agents into the room 
were two young Zephyrite men in black, ankle-length robes tied with gold 
cord at the waist; Ataru knew that the Lawgivers would be holstered on thigh 
straps, easily accessed through a slit in the robe.  Seeing the Inquisitors, 
the Onis began to quake as Negako helped Lum stand.  Noting the looks on 
their faces, Kay and Jay exchanged a look, and then the former reached into 
his jacket pocket to draw a piece of computer printout, opening it to read:

	"Lum no Midorinokaminoke-oni," he began, addressing Lum by her "tribal" 
name and not her Imperial one, Redet Lum.  He looked at Ten.  "Jariten no 
Midorinokaminoke-oni.  By order of the Security Council of the United 
Nations of the planet Earth, under Special Resolution 6964 passed this day 
in New York City, your visas allowing you to live on Earth, in the town of 
Tomobiki, city of Hooya, metropolis of Tokyo, in Japan, a member 
nation-state of the United Nations . . . "  A pause, and then he finished, 
"Are revoked.  Thus, you both will vacate this planet by twelve o'clock 
midnight local time today, returning to your home planet.  Further, under 
Clause Two of Resolution 6964, neither of you will be permitted to take with 
you any citizen of any nation of Earth back to your home planet."  He 
indicated Ataru.  "To aid us in ensuring this happens, Inquisitor-Deacon 
Malefire and Inquisitor-Archdeacon Skyrain of the Inquisition of the Holy 
Republic of Zephyrus are here to monitor your departure and return to your 
home planet."  He gazed at the visiting lawmen.  "Your Grace?"

	The older of the Inquisitors stepped up.  "Redet Lum, Redet Jariten."  He 
thinly smiled, his dark eyes radiating such a level of menace, it caused 
even Kotatsuneko to falter.  "I trust your affairs are all in order?"

	Lum sniffed, jerkily nodding.  "Hai, they are."

	"Very well, then."  Highridge Malefire stared directly into her eyes.  "Be 
warned, young lady.  There are many on this planet that would GLADLY see you 
dragged to their World Court in The Hague and face charges of crimes against 
humanity for what you allowed to happen two weeks ago.  Not to mention all 
the OTHER times you decided your personal desires mattered more than the 
good health of the inhabitants of Earth, especially your so-called 
'husband.'  While the United Nations has not seen fit to see you charged, WE 
will gladly do it for them.  But we will respect their desire that this 
matter is resolved peacefully.  Do NOT cause problems if you both value your 
continued freedom.  Understood?"

	"H-hai," Lum stammered.

	Watching this, Ataru quaked, his fists clenching.  Damn it, they didn't 
need to hold a bloody axe over Lum's head to make her leave the planet!  
Calming himself, he cleared his throat.  "Your Grace?"

	Malefire blinked, and then he turned to Ataru, his icy look melting into a 
warm smile.  "Young Master Ataru."  He politely inclined his head, his 
companion doing likewise.  "I was overjoyed to be told by Brother Darklight 
Sunfire of the wonderful news concerning the restoration of your memories 
and your final parting from those heretics you once called your parents.  If 
you wish to see those heretics properly punished for their barbarous acts 
against you and your truly most righteous grandmother . . .?"

	"Thank you, Your Grace, but I believe leaving them to wither on the vine, 
with no access to Grandma's wealth, is punishment enough."  He shook his 
head.  "I realise I have no right to ask this, but I will.  Regardless of 
how the Six Churches may look upon Lum, I'd strongly hope that you and your 
comrades will see to it she and her cousin receive a *safe* escort back to 
Oni space."

	The Inquisitor deacon, a man equal in rank and responsibility to an 
assistant police inspector in Japan, blinked.  "An . . . unusual request, 
indeed, Young Master.  Considering her many acts against your own person . . 
.!"

	"That, I would've hoped to have resolved with Lum *without* interference," 
Ataru cut in.  "Sadly, I accept now that such a chance has been taken away.  
But I hope for such a chance in the future.  Surely, you can understand 
that."

	Malefire's eyebrow arched, and then he sighed.  "Please understand why I 
must say this, Young Master.  But I feel you are TOO forgiving to this 
woman, not to mention those who've allied with her."  He stared wrathfully 
at Lum.

	Ataru closed his eyes.  "Perhaps.  But forgiveness is an option I choose to 
exercise, Your Grace.  That is my right, is it not?"

	Silence as he considered it, and then a chuckle escaped the Inquisitor's 
lips.  "It is.  Very well then.  Your friends will make it home, whole and 
hearty.  Besides, I doubt the Noukiites will foray anywhere close to 
Toshitto."

	Lum's would-be husband nodded.  "Thank you, Your Grace."

	With that, Malefire's eyes hardened as he gazed on Lum.  "You have fifteen 
minutes to say your good-byes.  No more."

	Lum jerkily nodded.  "H-hai!"

	The Inquisitors walked out of the room.  Jay and Kay exchanged a look, and 
then the former patted Ataru's shoulder.  "Nicely played."

	With that, the SCAA agents stepped out, followed by Kotatsuneko.  Ataru 
watched them go, and then he turned to Ten.  "Didja really mean that?" the 
younger Oni asked as he floated up to stare into Ataru's eyes.

	"Yeah, I meant that."  Ataru placed a hand on Ten's shoulder.  "Now, listen 
to me, Ten.  I want you to promise me something.  I want you to keep an eye 
out for Lum here, okay?"  He pointed to Lum, and then he held up a finger to 
emphasize his point.  "And tell Benten and Oyuki to help keep an eye on 
things, too, alright?  It's time for you to become a big boy now.  Can you 
do it?"

	Ten blinked, and then he shakily straightened himself.  He bit his lip, 
trying not to break down and cry.  "O-okay!"

	"Alright."  Ataru squeezed Ten's shoulders.  "Now, remember, Ten.  Wars are 
not fun, not one bit.  Don't take chances, okay?"

	"Indeed, he is correct," Negako spoke up.  "The fact that Ataru is willing 
to turn his back on such matters does speak highly of him."

	Ten blinked.  "But you're gonna t-turn him into a great warrior, 
N-Negako-oneechan, j-just like you and Nassur-chan are . . . "

	"Jariten."  Negako stepped up to him, placing her hand on his other 
shoulder.  "There is a simple philosophy in our clan when it comes to war:  
'Wars do not make one great.  Wars normally make one *dead.*'"

	"In other words, don't fight unless it's for the right reason and there's 
no other choice but to fight," Ataru added.  "Okay?"

	Ten sniffed.  "O-okay.  I guess you aren't such an idiot after all."

	He tried to smile, looking down.  "Yeah, guess not," Ataru mused with a 
chuckle, and then he stared at Lum.

	"Come, Jariten.  We best leave them be."

	Negako walked Ten out.  "'Bye, Ataru."  The young Oni waved.

	The door closed behind him.  Ataru sighed, and then he turned back to Lum.  
She smiled as she sank into his embrace.  "Darling . . . "

	He kissed her forehead.  "Gomen."

	"I love you."

	Ataru tensed.  "Lum . . . "

	The Oni stared into his eyes.  "Darling?"

	He returned her look.  "What do you want me to say now, Lum?  The truth or 
what you've always wanted to hear from me?"

	Lum considered that.  "The truth," she whispered.

	"Okay."  He nodded.  "The truth is this:  At the least, I looked on you as 
the most wonderful person ever to enter my life.  There were so many times 
ever since you came where I pinched myself, wondering what the hell I did to 
deserve you.  Maybe . . . "  He bowed his eyes, shrugging.  "Maybe my 
doubting it so much lead to a lot of the problems we had.  I'm sorry.  If . 
. . "  He bit his lip.  Tears streaked down his cheeks.  "If we had the 
chance, I'd have learned HOW to love you.  That we could've made something 
special for us.  And . . . "  He took a deep breath before drawing her close 
to kiss her forehead.  "I hope if the chance comes, you'll come back, Lum.  
I really do."

	"Darling."  She pulled away, bowing her head.  "I'm sorry I presumed so 
much, let them . . . "  She gazed out a window at the city beyond.  "Let 
them trick me into trusting them so much.  I . . . "  She gazed at him.  "I 
promise if I come back, I won't let it happen again."

	Ataru smiled before drawing her close.  They kissed, and then pulled apart 
to gaze into the other's eyes.  "Be careful, okay?" he whispered.  "If these 
guys have *that* long a grudge against you, it isn't going to be pretty."

	Lum nodded.  "I will."

*    *    *

	Ten minutes later, Lum's scoutship, towing Ten's starboat, lifted away from 
Tomobiki for the final time.  Launching from her lot near the Moroboshi home 
at the same time, Aruka Ran's rose-hued scoutship joined its tiger-striped 
counterpart over Shinjuku.  Both arced into the heavens, as if they were 
flying to the bright Moon overhead.  Then, a grey-hulled Zephyrite 
destroyer, a flamingo-shaped craft about the same size as Captain Invader's 
command battlewagon "Kashin," slipped in behind the two Urusian ships.

	On the streets of Tomobiki, people stopped to watch, many pointing and 
calling out to their friends, quickly spreading the word.  Watching from the 
top of the Toranoseishin Tower, Ataru shook his head.  "Guess none of those 
people expected something like THIS to happen, eh, Onee-chan?"  He sighed as 
he stared at Negako.  "You guessed something like this would've happened, 
didn't you?"

	The grandmaster remained nonplussed by his unspoken accusation.  "Yes, I 
did.  There were many scenarios in this situation.  Indeed, some might 
conclude that my restoring your memories, thus leading to your rejection of 
Kinshou and Muchi, DID make this happen.  I could have chosen to stay away 
and let you live in ignorance.  But if that happened, one of several things 
might have occurred that would have lead to a far-less pleasant conclusion 
for you and Lum.

	"The Noukiites are not the only factors to be considered in this matter.  
As James and Kevin could have informed you, there are many governments on 
Earth who would have done anything to see our planet forever rid of Lum and 
her friends.  Fundamentalist factions from a dozen religions.  
Ultra-conservative social groups and industrial corporations who, for 
whatever reason, would not have blinked an eye if Lum was coerced to their 
cause.  What of Lum's friends?  Those you know and those you do not?  What 
trouble could have arisen from that quarter, perhaps?"  She sighed, turning 
to gaze on the city.  "Knowing you as I do, I chose the scenario which led 
to the most peaceful solution for all."

	He considered that.  "Yes, it was that, wasn't it?"

	"I am pleased you agree."  She turned her back on the cityscape, heading 
for the stairwell.  "Now, it is time for you to learn exactly WHO you are.  
We best be out of Tomobiki long before the sun rises, before any of the 
fools who normally preyed on you -- those I did not personally disable 
myself, of course -- decide to seek you out and try to ascertain what 
happened.  Agreed?"

	Ataru winced.  "Yeah, I can do to not see any of those dorks for a few 
months, I suppose.  What about school and all that?"

	"I will have Reigi arrange your withdrawal from Tomobiki High School as we 
are travelling, plus ensure no one like Shuutarou learns of it," Negako 
stated as they stepped inside, heading towards the suites where she had 
stayed last night.  "You can be inserted into another school if you so 
desire.  But that should not concern you at this time, Ataru.  Other matters 
are more important."

	He nodded.  "True, true.  So where are we going?"

	"You will see."

*    *    *

	"This is NHK BS News at fifty minutes after the hour."  The reporter gazed 
at the camera.  "Early this morning in the Diet, Internal Affairs Minister 
Kooga Mogataru announced that the Oni-Urusian princess Lum, who has been 
residing in the town of Tomobiki in Hooya, was expelled from Earth late last 
night at the direct order of the United Nations.  Also forced to leave 
Earth, potentially never to return again, are Lum-san's cousin Jariten and a 
friend and former middle school classmate of the Oni princess, Ran.  When 
questioned by reporters, Kooga-daijin reported that the 'Second Tag Race' 
factored heavily into the United Nations' decision to see Lum-san expelled . 
. . "

*    *    *

	"WHAT?!" Mendou Shuutarou bellowed.

	He then gasped, clutching his chest as searing pain overwhelmed him.  
"Lum-san . . .!" he rasped, his eyes rolling into his head.

	"Young Master!" his bodyguards and servants screamed as they swarmed him.

*    *    *

	"The room is bare?"

	"Yes, Young Mistress."  A Kuroko bowed his masked head to the woman he 
served.  "It appears Moroboshi-sama moved out of his home two days ago.  On 
overhearing his parents, it appears someone has granted Moroboshi-sama the 
legal right to renounce all links to his parents.  And he has taken 
advantage of it."

	"Do you wish Master Shuutarou to learn of this, Mistress?" another Kuroko, 
kneeling beside his co-worker, asked.

	"No."  Mendou Ryooko shook her head, and then she looked away.  "Ensure he 
does not learn of this for the time being."

	Both Kuroko nodded.  "Yes, Mistress."

*    *    *

	"Lum, expelled?  And Ran and Ten-chan, too?!"  Miyake Shinobu blinked, the 
unreality of the moment hitting her like an avalanche.  She then stared at 
her parents, Toshoba and Kimiki; the Miyake family was enjoying breakfast.  
"Who on Earth would ever have imagined something like that happening?!"

	"I wonder what happened to Ataru-kun," Kimiki mused.

	"Doesn't say," her husband noted as he read his paper.

*    *    *

	"***CURSE YOU, ATARU!  THIS IS ALL YOUR FA- . . . URK!***"

	Aisuru Satoshi -- "Megane" as he was known to friends and classmates -- 
gasped before slumping into his bed, his hand clutching over his heart.  
Staring at him, his mother Rui shook her head.  "Serves you right for 
worshipping that . . . that ONI all the time!" she then spat out before 
heading to the kitchen.

*    *    *

	"Momoe-san, what's going on here?!"

	"I've no idea whatsoever, Nabiki-san," Marubeya Momoe relayed over her 
cell-phone.  "I don't know when I can get more information, either!  But I 
AM going to find out about this!  If she's really gone . . . "

	"Hai, hai, got you . . .!"

	*CRASH!*

	"***BAKA OYAJI!  THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!***"

	"What was THAT, Nabiki-san?!"

	Tendou Nabiki glanced at the door of her bedroom.  She was dressed in her 
kimono.  "By the sounds of it, Ranma-kun just got wind of my father's and 
Uncle Saotome's LATEST stupid brainstorm," she muttered.  "Anyhow, I've got 
to go."

	"They're too young to get married now, Nabiki-san."

	"Agreed.  That's why it won't happen.  Keep me informed, okay?"

	"Right."

*    *    *

	"It is clearly a conspiracy against the Goddess!"

	"Agreed!"

	"Where is the Great Evil now?!"

	"No idea!  We're searching for him, but it seems as if he has vanished from 
the Holy City itself!  Should the President be informed?!"

	"Immediately!"

	"Hai!"

*    *    *

	"An ill-wind," Cherry mused, gazing at the morning air.

*    *    *

	By that time of the day, the potential object of interest to many in 
Tomobiki was crossing an isthmus of sand littered with seashells towards a 
five-kilometre wide island sitting in one arm of the Sagami Sea south of 
Tokyo.  Like Negako, who walked ahead of him towards Oomure-jima -- Promised 
Island -- Ataru was dressed in hiking gear, a backpack slung over his 
shoulders.  His eyes darted from the sand at his feet to the water to the 
island.  They then stopped on focusing on what sat on the island's highest 
point:  A gold-brown statue resembling a nude, smiling, super-deformed pygmy 
dancing the hula.  "I've got to say this, Onee-chan:  That has GOT to be the 
weirdest statue I've ever seen!  Even the octopus statues on Mendou's pad 
have more class!"

	"I do not consider myself a connoisseur of artwork, but many people, I 
believe, will agree with you, Ataru," Negako replied, her eyes warily 
turning left and right as she gauged how close the sea was from her feet.

	Ataru sensed the tremor in his sister's normally ramrod-straight body.  He 
squeezed her shoulder.  "I'd think you'd finally be over your hydrophobia."

	Negako relaxed, touched by his concern.  "It has been difficult."

	He chuckled.  Within minutes, they stepped into the lee of the Island, 
making their way to a sea ladder to get them onto First Street.  Climbing 
onto dry land, they stretched themselves. They then turned as a wry-looking 
gentleman in his sixties came up.  He projected the air of the classic old 
man of the sea.  "Ah, Negako-san!  There you are!  I see you brought your 
brother with you!"

	Negako stared at him.  "Indeed, I have.  Were arrangements with Welcome 
House made for Ataru's accommodations?"

	He nodded.  "Hai, hai, all ready to go!  Maybe when you leave the island 
next time, you'll take the boat like normal people do."

	"Onee-chan's not 'normal,' Jii-san."  Ataru patted Negako's shoulder.  
"What exactly IS Welcome House, anyway?"

	"The island's youth hostel," Negako explained.  "This way."

*    *    *

	Going *this* way for five minutes lead Ataru and Negako to a dead-end lane. 
  Past an archway announcing they had just come to WELCOME HOUSE, they found 
themselves looking at a three-floor Victorian-era commons.  That was framed 
on the side closest to the shore by a three-floor rotunda topped with a 
lightning rod, the other by a circular chapel complete with bell tower.  
Negako directed her brother towards the rotunda.  "Nice place."  Ataru then 
whistled before he took note of several lights being on in the rotunda.  "We 
alone?"

	"No, there are others here.  Children of parents who work on the mainland 
or abroad," Negako reported as they walked through twin doors into a foyer 
framed with stairs leading to the second floor.  Under the second floor 
overhang was a hallway and doors leading to a central room.  Negako guided 
Ataru to his right past that to the first apartment, it located beside a 
storeroom.  "Here."

	Ataru noticed that a sign with his name was posted there.  "Guess they 
think of everything."  He opened the door to look inside.

	*POP!*

	*POP!*

	*POP!*

	*POP!*

	"***WELCOME HOME, BIG BROTHER!***"

	Ataru balked, his eyes wide.  Confetti from noisemakers showered him as he 
blinked, stunned to see four girls awaiting him.

	To his left sat a girl of about fifteen, with golden-brown eyes and long 
brown hair, part of it styled in beautiful French braids.  She was dressed 
in a ruffled shirt with string tie over a thigh-length skirt.

	Sitting in front of the girl with the French braids was a pixie-cute 
eight-year old with purplish eyes and dirty blonde-brown hair done up in 
side ponytails.  She wore a gold dress with string tie and a black 
petticoat.

	To Ataru's right was a slender woman, about his age, with royal blue eyes 
and brown hair done up in twin Usagi-like ponytails (sans odangos).  She was 
draped in a black-and-blue T-shirt and a false-leather skirt.

	Sitting before that girl was a cute twelve-year old with maple-fudge eyes 
and neck-length brown hair partially covered by a white headband.  She wore 
a green-and-white seifuku top with a blue-and-white plaid skirt.

	Negako stepped up beside him, nodding.  "I see you received my message."

	The girl with the long ponytails smiled.  "We had to rush some things to 
make sure Onii-sama's homecoming was done right, Onee-sama."

	The girl in the seifuku blinked.  "Onee-chama, didn't Onee-chama say that 
Onii-chama would be coming with Onii-chama's girlfriend?"

	The girl with the braids stared at the other girl.  "Kaho-chan, didn't you 
see the news?  They sent Onii-chan's girlfriend home."

	"That means Onii-tama and Onee-tama can read to Hina even more!" the 
littlest girl gushed, leaping up to hug Negako's legs.

	Ataru blinked, and then he shook his head.  "Er . . .!"  He slapped the 
side of his head.  "Not that I don't mind the reception, but what the heck's 
going on here, anyway?!  Why are you girls calling me 'big brother' . . .?"

	"They have more than enough reasons to do so, Ataru."  Negako smiled, and 
then she proceeded to perform introductions.  "May I present Tanenobu 
Karen," -- she waived to the girl with the French braids -- "Eigo Kaho," -- 
the girl in the seifuku -- "Sukeyama Sakuya," -- the oldest girl.

	"Don't forget Hina!" the youngest then chirped.

	"Ah, yes.  And Saeru Hinako.  They . . . "  Negako then turned to gaze at 
Ataru.  "Are your half-sisters."

	Silence.

	More silence.

	Still more silence.

	Sakuya blinked.  "Onii-sama . . .?"

	Ataru swayed.  "Half-sisters . . .?"

	He dropped, his eyes spiralling as his mind overloaded from that bombshell. 
  "Onii-chan!" Karen called out as the girls crowded him.

*    *    *

	"So what made Onii-tama faint, Onee-tama?"

	"You should've warned him ahead of time, Onee-sama!"

	Ataru moaned, he presently finding himself staring at a glass ceiling 
crossed by timbers in a pentacle pattern.  The room that ceiling topped was 
circular, the walls an evergreen shade.  Looking to his right, he found 
himself staring into Hinako's face.  "Onii-tama, are you okay?" the young 
girl asked.

	Ataru blinked, and then he reached over to gently touch the young girl's 
nose.  "You're . . . really . . . my sister?"

	"Ah, I see you have recovered."  Negako stepped into his viewing range, 
leaning down to gaze into his eyes.  "And yes, as I said before you fainted, 
they are your half-sisters, Ataru.  You all share the same father."

	He took that in, and then he sat up.  A quick glance around revealed that 
Karen, Kaho and Sakuya were close, they sitting beside a large, round table. 
  A dining room, he noted.  Ataru then stared at Negako.  "How the hell is 
THAT possible, Onee-chan?" he sharply demanded.  "I mean, when did . . .?"

	"During the early part of his marriage with Kinshou, Muchi often did work 
for Nagaiwakai and Komeru on Oomure-jima," the grandmaster reported, placing 
a hand on Hinako's shoulder.  "It appears that at that stage of their 
marriage, Muchi had not emotionally committed himself fully to Kinshou.  
Fortunately, since he was Nagaiwakai's son, there were many on the island 
receptive to his feelings.  Karen, Kaho, Sakuya and Hinako . . . " -- she 
indicated each of the girls as she named them -- "Resulted from that."

	Ataru sighed.  "And everyone says **I** had no tact?" he muttered to 
himself before burying his face into his hands.

	"It's alright, Onii-chan."  Karen sat beside him, placing a hand on his 
shoulder.  "Believe me, I always wondered why Tou-san . . . "  She stopped, 
and then she sighed.  "Well, my stepfather, I should call him now -- was 
always distant to me when I was growing up.  But when Onee-chan came and 
told me the news, I . . . "  She shuddered, her joy radiating from her like 
a nova.  "Oh, it made me feel so happy to know I have a brother, not to 
mention sisters, too!"

	She indicated Negako and the others.  "Kaho really liked it when Onee-chama 
came and told her the truth!" Kaho gushed, and then she knelt before Ataru.  
"Now Kaho can cheer Onii-chama while he's training with Onee-chama!"

	Ataru blinked.  "Er . . . well . . .!"

	"It's alright, Onii-sama."  Sakuya placed a restraining hand on Kaho's 
shoulder as she gave him a smile.  "This is all new to us, too!"

	"Hina's happy Onii-tama is here!" Hinako declared as she walked over to hug 
one of Ataru's arms.  "Now, Onii-tama can take Hina out to find Kuma-san and 
read books to Hina and eat fruit parfait with Hina and . . .!"

	"Hey!  He's OUR big brother, too, you know!" Karen gently scolded.

	The sisters exchanged wary glances.  A grin split Hinako's face.  Soon, 
laughter filled the dining room.  Even Negako seemed to have room for a 
smile.  Ataru watched this, and then he took a breath before shrugging.  
"Well, this will take some getting used to!" he announced with a chuckle, 
pulling himself out of Hinako's embrace, though he held onto hers and 
Karen's hands.  He then stared at Negako.  "I take it Muchi never knew about 
any of this."

	"No," Negako replied with a shake of her head.  "Nagaiwakai ensured there 
was no way that Muchi, Kinshou or anyone else would learn of this.  After 
all, given the way our clan's leadership succession works . . . "

	Negako indicated Sakuya with one hand, an eyebrow arching knowingly.  Ataru 
nodded.  "Gotcha.  Instant she comes of age -- I think we have to get her on 
our family register, too -- she becomes the next Matriarch."

	"Exactly."  Negako nodded, and then she blinked, her eyes turning up.

	"Onee-chan, are you alright?" Karen asked as the others stood up.  She then 
looked to the ceiling.  "What's wrong?"

	Negako sighed.  "It appears Shirayuki does not listen."

	Sakuya blinked.  "Shirayuki-chan?!  You mean she's the one who made those 
awful kimch'i rice puddings last night?"

	"Onee-chan, who's Shirayuki anyway?" Ataru wondered, his stomach 
automatically doing a flip-flop on hearing the phrase "kimch'i rice 
puddings."  To him, it sounded like something Lum might have created on a 
mad lark.

	"Osamu Shirayuki.  She lives here, too," Negako explained.  Her eyes then 
narrowed as her ki senses picked out additional details from one of the 
rooms two floors up.  "Karen, have some cold water prepared.  Aria, Rinrin 
and Yotsuba are with Shirayuki in Rinrin's room.  They were affected."

	"Hai!"

*    *    *

	Pitchers of ice water and glasses were quickly set out on the dining room 
table.  Negako went upstairs with Sakuya, Kaho and Hinako as Karen set 
things out.  Ataru offered to help, but was waved down by Karen.  "It's 
alright, Onii-chan," the younger girl said.  "You just arrived.  We're used 
to this."

	Ataru sighed.  "You mean bad cooking?"

	"Well, Shirayuki-chan really, really, really tries her best when she cooks 
something," Karen moderated.  "But then again, she hasn't had much time to 
practice.  Her parents left her in the House's care only two months ago."

	"Where did they g- . . .?"

	The doors flew open.  He and Karen watched as the others streamed in.  
Negako carried in two girls, though Hinako held one's hand.  Sakuya carried 
another piggyback-style.  Kaho helped a fourth stagger in.  The newcomers 
were placed in chairs, and then glasses of water were poured for them.  
Seeing that, they grabbed the glasses and chugged them down.  "Ah!" one 
breathed out, scratching the back of her head.  She was a girl of fourteen 
or so, with brown eyes and mauve hair bob-curled at her shoulders, that held 
down by a big, black bow tie shaped somewhat like cat ears.  She was wearing 
a white blouse with tie, black vest and matching black skirt, plus 
thigh-highs and mary janes.  "Oh, how could Hime make such an awful mistake 
with her kimch'i rice puddings?"

	"It's okay, Shirayuki-chan!" the girl beside her replied as she poured 
herself another glass.  She was on the near side of fifteen, with brown eyes 
and dark brown hair cut short at her neck.  She was draped in a green, 
ankle-length, full-sleeve cheongsam-like skirt with white collars, welding 
goggles perched on her forehead.  "It's like science!  You gotta keep 
testing to make it right."

	"Maybe it was that oven you built, Rinrin-chan," the newcomer to Ataru's 
right noted, her voice tinged with east end London.  The same age as Rinrin, 
she had golden-brown eyes and shaggy brown hair done up in side-by-side 
ponytails at the back of her head.  Further indicating she was part-English 
was her clothing:  A blue tie with the Union Jack painted on it, it wrapped 
over a white shirt, that topped with a red vest, gold skirt and black 
stockings, the whole topped by a brown cape Sherlock Holmes might wear.  She 
had a spyglass in her pocket.

	The last of the quartet was a ten-year old dressed in something straight 
out of the period Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lived in when he wrote about his 
detective:  A blue-and-white, ankle-length hoop skirt with bow ties, gloves 
and more crinoline lace trimming that you could shake the proverbial stick 
at.  Her platinum hair was covered by a bonnet, the hair tied in four buns 
at the back of her neck.  As she finished her glass of water, her purple 
eyes suddenly fixed on Ataru, and then they went wide with recognition.  
"Ah!"  She smiled, her voice airy, her accent strongly flecked with Paris.  
"Nii-ya!  Nee-ya brought Nii-ya to be with Aria like Nee-ya promised!"

	"EH?!" everyone gasped as the other newcomers stare at Ataru, the Sherlock 
Holmes-wannabe taking a close look with her spyglass.

	Shirayuki bolted up, grinning delightedly.  "Nii-sama?!"

	"Aniki!  You're here!" Rinrin gushed.

	"Ani-chama!"  The Holmes-wannabe shuddered before she bopped the top of her 
head with her fist.  "Yotsuba's slipping!  Yotsuba should've checked that if 
Ane-chama's here today, then Ani-chama came with her!"

	Ataru jolted, his eyes going VERY wide before he started to sway.  "No, not 
you, too . . .!" he moaned before collapsing on the couch.

	"BIG BROTHER!" all the younger sisters cried out.

*    *    *

	"Aniki, are you okay?!"

	"Ani-chama sure didn't check THAT pretty well!"

	Ataru moaned, and then he sat up, noticing that TWICE the number of girls 
was staring at him.  Shaking his head, he jolted on seeing a hand holding 
his left arm at the wrist.  Attached to that was Aria.  To his other side 
was Hinako.  "Onii-chan, are you okay?" Karen asked.  "Do you want some 
water?"

	"I . . .!" he stuttered before exhaling, "Onee-chan, if this is your idea 
of a surprise, I have to confess, it's working brilliantly!"

	Everyone except Negako laughed.  "Yes, they are also your half-sisters," 
she said as she indicated the newcomers.  "Yotsuba Nemain Dunn, Hatoyama 
Rinrin, Osamu Shirayuki and Aria Claudia Jeanne Michelle des Beauchamps."

	"Um . . .!"  His eyebrow twitched, and then he waved.  "Hi, girls!"

	"Oh, Nii-sama!  Hime's so happy Nii-sama's here!"  Shirayuki clapped her 
hands in anticipation before a thoughtful look crossed her face.  "Hime 
should try to make something good for Nii-sama so he can feel at home here 
with us!"

	Rinrin's eyebrow arched.  "Um, Shirayuki-chan, do you really want to give 
Aniki a taste of those rice puddings you made last night?"

	Shirayuki balked, and then she sighed.  "Soo desu no . . . "

	"Well, it doesn't mean to stop trying, Shirayuki-chan."  Ataru gazed at 
her.  He then hummed, turning to see that Yotsuba was scanning him intently 
through her spyglass.  "And what are **you** looking at, Yotsuba-chan?"

	She smirked.  "At Ani-chama!  Yotsuba is going to keep checking Ani-chama 
until Yotsuba learns all of Ani-chama's secrets!"

	"Oh?!"  His eyebrow arched as he snapped the spyglass away from her.  SHE 
then got the look-over.  "And WHO checks the checker?!"

	Yotsuba gargled as some of the others laughed.  Ataru then jolted as Aria 
gently tugged his sleeve.  "Nii-ya."  She smiled at him as he stared at her. 
  "Did Nii-ya walk with Nee-ya to see Aria?" she asked.  "Aria hopes so.  
Nee-ya doesn't like coming here because Umi-san scares Nee-ya."

	He took that in.  Returning Yotsuba's spyglass to her, Ataru then patted 
Aria's hand.  "Don't worry, Aria-chan."  He winked playfully at the young 
Parisian.  "Nii-ya made sure Umi-san didn't scare Nee-ya."

	Aria impishly shrugged.  "Kusun."

	Suddenly, a rolling sound echoed through the dining room, causing everyone 
to look up.  "What's that?!" Sakuya demanded.

	"Sounds like Mamoru-chan skating around," Kaho reported.

	Negako was nonplussed.  "Ah, the others are coming now."

	Everyone looked at her.  "'Others?!'"

	Ataru paled.  "You mean . . .!"

	A sharp *crash!* echoed from overhead, causing people to look up as part of 
the glass ceiling fell away, soaring right for Ataru's head.  "ANII!  ANEE!  
EVERYONE!  LOOK OUT!" someone screamed from above.

	Before it could hit, a flash of steel ripped it in half, sending the pieces 
flying to either side of the room.  As the people in the room -- save Negako 
-- began to crowd around Ataru, a lithe form landed on the table, and then 
flipped to the floor.  "Anigimi-sama, Anegimi-sama, minna-sama, are you all 
right?" the newcomer asked in a voice tinged with the Ruhr Valley of 
Germany.

	The questioner was a woman Sakuya's age and height, with blue eyes and 
black hair tied in a high ponytail.  She was draped in a pink top and black 
hakama over lace-up, high-heel boots.  A naginata rested in her hand.  
Before people could say a word to her, someone else landed hands-first on 
the table, she then somersaulting to the floor beside the naginata-welder.  
"Haruka-chan!  Mamoru-chan!" Karen called out on recognising them, and then 
she gasped as she looked at Negako, stunned disbelief flashing in her eyes.  
"Them, too?!"

	The second newcomer, a girl of thirteen though looking more mature, 
distantly resembled Rinrin, though her chocolate-shaded hair was shaggier.  
A cap covered most of that.  As befitting one who was a serious sportswoman, 
she was dressed in a dark green spandex bodysuit topped with a 
green-and-orange track top.  In-line roller blades covered her feet and 
sunglasses were perched on her forehead.  "Sorry about that, everyone!" she 
then apologised. "I was trying to get down the stairs, but when I saw Anii, 
I got too excited . . . "

	"And you might've killed some of us were it not for Haruka-chan," Sakuya 
said as she sent the skater an annoyed look, she waving to the 
naginata-welder.  "Good grief, Mamoru-chan!  You KNOW the people running the 
House don't like it when you skate around indoors on your roller blades!"

	Mamoru looked miffed.  "So?!"

	Ataru stared at Negako.  "Them, too?"

	Negako indicated each girl.  "Tenhiro Haruka.  Itou Mamoru."

	Hearing their names, the newcomers perked, and then they turned to gaze 
affectionately at Ataru.  "It's so good to meet you at last, Anigimi-sama," 
Haruka declared as a blush crossed her face.  She then clapped her cheeks as 
they reddened to the shade of cherries as she spun from her brother.  
"P-poh!"

	Mamoru grinned.  "Yeah!  When Anee told us you can run marathons and all 
that 'cause of that alien girl, I got really excited!"

	Ataru took that in, and then he stared at Negako.  "Is that all?"

	The ninjitsu grandmaster moved to answer, and then she turned towards the 
doors as a voice almost as timid as Aria's called out, "Hello?  Aneue-sama, 
did you finally come with Aniue-sama . . . oh!  Hello, everyone!"

	People turned as a girl Karen's age, possessing blue eyes under a set of 
round-frame reading glasses and long black hair in a thick braid, stepped 
in.  She wore a white shirt and black vest over a green, ankle-length skirt. 
  Beside her was a beautiful golden retriever as big as Hinako.  
"Marie-chan, what are you . . .?" Karen began before she spun on Negako, she 
pointing to the newcomer.  "Onee-chan!  You don't mean that Marie-chan's . . 
.?"

	"A half-sister.  Yes, Karen.  Ataru, this is Susumu Marie.  The dog beside 
her is her pet, Michael," Negako did introductions.

	Marie stared at Ataru, and then her cheeks flamed before she started to 
sway.  "Oh, Aniue-sama!  I'm so glad you . . . you . . . "

	She collapsed.  "Marie-chan!" Sakuya cried, and then she gasped as a blur 
ripped past her to land beside Marie before her head bounced off the floor.  
That blur became Ataru as he carried Marie to the couch.  "Onii-sama . . .!"

	"Marie-chan, are you okay?!" Hinako called out as Ataru sat Marie down, and 
then he moved to pour the dazed girl a glass of water.

	A star-shaped patch of light appeared on the dining room table, causing 
everyone to gasp as they spun around to look.  The light faded, revealing a 
girl Sakuya's and Haruka's height, draped in a solid black cape from neck to 
toe, a witch's pointed hat perched on her head.  Mamoru tensed on 
recognising the newcomer.  "Oh, man!  You don't mean . . .!" she moaned.  
"Her, too?!"

	The newcomer whipped off the hat and cape, revealing a girl Sakuya's age 
with purple hair in a bun at the crown of her head and very dark eyes.  
Under the cape, she wore a shirt, red tie emblazoned with a white Gothic 
cross, plaid vest, ankle-length grey skirt and a black blazer.  As everyone 
relaxed, she stared at Ataru, giving him a jaunty wave.  "Ya, Ani-kun.  I 
see all's well."

	Sakuya sighed.  "Chikage-chan, too?"

	Ataru stared at the sorceress, and then he sat down beside the dozing 
Marie.  "Excuse me, please," he muttered before passing out.

	Everyone stared at him, and then they exhaled, even Negako.  "I see Ani-kun 
took THAT very well," Chikage noted with a titter.

*    *    *

	Ataru recovered, and then he was introduced to the sorceress.  Afterward, 
he moved into his room.  Negako took up residence in a spare bedroom on the 
third floor, located between Rinrin's quarters and the men's furo room.  
Once everything was squared away, Shirayuki headed into the kitchen, that 
located between Kaho's bedroom and the foyer on the ground floor, to whip up 
a feast in Ataru's honour.  To ensure the would-be chef didn't make mistakes 
-- especially when it came to Nii-sama -- Sakuya stayed with her to be the 
taste-tester.

	As that happened, Ataru took some time to visit everyone in their own rooms 
to spend time with each.  He learned something of their stories, how they 
came to be in Welcome House and what happened to their mothers and 
stepfathers.

	Ataru was quick to learn that Marie was an orphan.  Her mother had died of 
ovarian cancer when she was in kindergarten; her stepfather having passed 
away the previous year, pretty much of a broken heart.

	Chikage's mother and stepfather, along with her maternal grandfather, were 
"indisposed," whatever that meant.

	Haruka's mother had passed away two years before thanks to pneumonia.  
Stricken with grief, her stepfather was currently somewhere in Southeast 
Asia on a wandering quest similar to the Australian Aboriginal "walkabout."

	Rinrin's stepfather had died in a laboratory accident, but as of yet, her 
housewife mother had not elected to come back to the Island.

	Sakuya's mother disappeared sometime after she entered junior high.  Try as 
people might, no one had yet learned what might have happened to her.  That 
broke her stepfather's heart; he had died two years ago.

	The others' families were intact, but all were currently off the Island, 
working in Japan or abroad (that being the case of Karen's, Yotsuba's and 
Aria's families).  Ataru understood that; no doubt, when Negako met his 
sisters, the fact that they were ALL born out of wedlock -- and the fact 
that their being born out of wedlock might soon go public -- must have hit 
their parents hard.

	He also learned that none of them had either stepbrothers or stepsisters, 
but they had friends, save a social recluse like Chikage.

	By the time all their details were implanted into Ataru's mind, dinner was 
served.  Shirayuki's determination, added to Sakuya's watchfulness, produced 
a meal that, while not up to Kamekichi Tampopo's standards, was scrumptious! 
  Of course, Ataru did not engage in the rapid-fire eating style he 
sometimes used when he got challenged to a "lunch duel" back at Tomobiki 
High School.  Not only was that pretty rude, but Shirayuki clearly wanted 
those who ate her creations to enjoy every last morsel.  Ataru was MORE than 
happy to oblige.

	After dinner, Rinrin brought in her Rinrin Viewer, a flat-screen 
150-by-120-centimetre television with built-in Internet modem and high-speed 
central processor.  Everyone pitched in to mount it on the wall.  Once it 
was in place, Rinrin tried out the Viewer's latest modification:  An AI that 
was programmed to allow voice-activated Internet surfing.  After the links 
were tested, Ataru and the sisters began visiting Web sites from Japan and 
abroad, all by the power of their own voices (using written notes on 
addresses that were kept by Karen).

	One of the websites visited was NHK News Online.  To Ataru's surprise, the 
article about Lum's departure from Earth wasn't in the "Top Ten" listings.  
Quickly shifting to the old news page, they found the entry, and then logged 
in.  Once there, Ataru was stunned to find that certain organisations in 
Tomobiki had, in the wake of the Oni's departure, spoken out AGAINST Lum's 
presence on Earth.  One of them was the Tomobiki Parent-Teacher's 
Association.

	Megane's mother Aisuru Rui had made the PTA's statement:

	"'Today, liberation finally came for the people of Tomobiki,'" Sakuya read. 
  "'After two years of numbing uncertainty, interspersed with moments of 
terror, the Oni girl Lum and her friends from off-world have been driven 
from our planet, hopefully never to return.  Despite the widespread 
idol-like adoration many of our children, especially those of high school 
age, expressed towards the Oni, her living in Tomobiki was NOT to the 
benefit of her long-suffering citizens.  We, the parents of Tomobiki, 
rejoice that the Oni is no longer amongst us.  We hope and pray that the 
United Nations will ensure that none of her kind visit Earth ever again.'"

	"There's no mention of you, Nii-sama," Shirayuki noted.

	Ataru shook his head.  "Oh, heck!  Don't worry about it.  If they didn't 
say anything about me, I wouldn't really care.  It means they're too busy 
trying to think up ways of making me their primary scapegoat for whatever 
weird thing that might hit that place these days.  Especially since I don't 
live there now."

	"Won't you say something about this, Onii-sama?" Sakuya asked.

	He blinked before he shook his head.  "No.  I've no interest in allowing 
any of those clods to get anywhere close to any of you.  You don't deserve 
that."  He then gazed on the Rinrin Viewer.  "Still, it is shocking."

	"What is, Onii-chan?" Karen asked.

	"That there were people in town who hated Lum."  Ataru crossed his arms.  
"I always was under the impression that everyone there liked her."

	The others hummed.

*    *    *

	"***NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  DON'T GO!***"

	It is the middle of the night.  The four residents of the rotunda's ground 
floor -- clockwise from the front door:  Kaho, Sakuya, Hinako and Karen -- 
sat up, wide-eyed with shock as that blood-curling scream echoed through the 
building.  Karen, living in the room next door to her just-arrived big 
brother, quickly recognised who was doing the shouting.  "Onii-chan!" she 
screamed out.

	Surging out of bed, she raced out the door as the door to Hinako's room 
opened, revealing the youngest of the sisters, her eyes tearing as she 
clutched her precious Mister Bunny.  "Karen-chan, who screamed?!" Hinako 
burbled.

	"Onii-chan!"  Karen knocked on Ataru's door, and then she opened it to look 
inside before stopping, her eyes widening.  "Onee-chan!"

	Negako looked up from a pale-faced Ataru.  Staring at this nearly ageless 
entity she looked on these days as an elder sister, Karen was stunned to see 
-- well, SOMETHING! -- etched in Negako's brown eyes.  "Onee-chan . . .?"

	"No . . . please, Lum-chan . . . don't leave me . . . "

	Negako turned to Ataru, the latter quaking as the nightmare seared through 
him.  She tapped several points to force him into a deeper sleep.  By then, 
Sakuya, Kaho and Hinako have joined Karen.  "Onee-sama . . .?" Sakuya 
whispered.

	Negako grimaced.  "I should have anticipated this."

	"Anticipated what?"

	"The backlash the restoration of his memories would have unleashed," Negako 
answered.  "While he was in the amnesiac state I placed him in five years 
ago, Ataru was unable to tap into his learning and intelligence potential.  
It is no wonder that so many in Tomobiki considered him an idiot; he did not 
have the mental capacity to truly evolve and mature himself as most others 
do."

	Karen's eyes started to tear.  "Didn't you realise this when you did this 
to him in the first place, Onee-chan?"

	"I did.  But at the time this happened, I was too euphoric at being free to 
foresee the potential dangers I was placing Ataru in," Negako replied as she 
closed her eyes.  She then perked as she detected something.  "Interesting."

	"What is it?" Kaho probed.

	Negako blinked, pulling her hand away from Ataru.  "He will sleep better 
this evening."  She stood up, moving to step out of the bedroom.  "You may 
remain here if you wish.  I have something to discuss with Chikage."

	She walked out.  The sisters watched her depart, and then they exchanged a 
look.  "There are times I really worry about her," Karen mused.

	Sakuya shook her head.  "Nothing you can do, Karen-chan.  In a way, 
Onee-sama was abandoned to fend for herself just like Onii-sama.  Right now 
. . . "  She gazed on the sleeping Ataru, her eyes tearing.  "All we can do 
is to be there for them.  Be the family they both really need right now."

	The others nodded before they walked out to return to bed.  All save 
Hinako.  The youngest of the sisters walked over to stare intently into her 
Onii-tama's face.  She then took Mister Bunny and tucked that into the bed 
beside him.  She kissed Ataru's cheek.  "Good night, Onii-tama," she 
whispered.

	With that, Hinako headed out, closing the door behind her.

*    *    *

	"It's natural for Ani-kun to start having nightmares about his experiences 
in Tomobiki," Chikage stated, pouring herself and Negako drinks from her own 
spirit locker.  None of the bottles, Negako was quick to note, were less 
than a century old, they preserved using techniques vintners and distillers 
would kill to possess.  "Though there were times Ani-kun easily manipulated 
others to do his bidding, the sheer number of potential real and perceived 
enemies were often overwhelming.  Atop that, elements of Ani-kun's psyche 
were fractured from the core conscience when you were inserted into him when 
he was six years old."

	"Multiple-personality disorder?"

	"Potentially."  The sorceress served the drinks, and then she sat across 
from the ninjutsu grandmaster.  "Studies about multiple-personality problems 
are still problematic.  From what I have been able to divine, all parts of 
Ani-kun are aligned on one emotional path.  It is the precise methodology 
each of those fragments might use in specific situations which differs."

	"Keeping him isolated from his former classmates is wise, then?"

	A nod.  "In my estimation, yes.  In fact, if we engage in a campaign where 
we place the people of Tomobiki, especially those who stood against Ani-kun 
the most, in a negative light, it would be healthier for all.  Ani-kun -- 
the 'core' of him -- could be made to desire never to deal with them again.  
He would avoid them, frustrating them if they wished to seek him out.  They 
might decide to do so in the wake of Lum's banishment . . . "  A pause.  "Or 
they might turn out to be so overwhelmed at Lum's 'loss,' they'd not 
contemplate seeking Ani-kun out at all.  That, I think, would be better.  
The violent elements of Ani-kun's fragmented conscience, I fear, would kill 
them all at the first opportunity.  And given the skills he inherited from 
you, Ane-kun . . . "

	"It would become, as the Americans put it, a 'turkey shoot,'" Negako 
finished.  "It is fortunate I removed and destroyed the listening device Lum 
placed in that UFO catcher doll she once made for Ataru.  To believe that 
Lum expressed NO real trust to Ataru, yet she loudly claimed she loved him.  
I may not be able to feel 'true' love myself, but I know at least it is not 
THAT."

	"Indeed, it isn't."  Chikage sipped her brandy, and then she gazed at 
Negako.  "So you noticed the psi-bond Ani-kun has now."

	"Do you know who he is bonded to?  The part of Ataru's memory from when 
that bond was formed was damaged when I was placed in him."

	Chikage reached for her crystal ball, and then she held it up before 
Negako.  Chanting an ancient incantation, the sorceress smiled as an image 
appears in the opaque crystal.  "This is Ani-kun's chosen one."

	Negako looked, her eyebrows arching.  "Saotome Ranma?"

	Chikage blinked.  "Saotome Ranma?!"  Her eyes widened -- whom in the 
immediate area of the Tokyo megalopolis had NOT heard of him?! -- and then 
one of her eyebrows arched in return.  "But Ranma-san is supposed to be . . 
. "

	"A man?"  Negako lightly smiled.  "So he was born.  But as you should be 
aware, Jusenkyou altered that far more than most believe."

	"True."

*    *    *

To be continued . . .

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