[FFML] [fanfic][UY/Ranma/SisPri] "Lonely Souls" Part 4 C Side (final draft)

[Frederick Herriot]

And this is it for tonight.

Fred

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

Fourteen years ago . . .

	Over two billion kilometres from the Earth, a girl in a tiger-stripped 
jumper crept through the control room of Triton's Central Warp Chamber.  
Slowly, she shuffled along the edges of the walls, hoping her friend Oyuki 
wouldn't find her.  Just as she was about to leave, she saw a shadow along 
the other side of the glass, where the workstations were located.

	Quick!

	She needed a place to hide!

	But where?

	She dived under the nearest table just as the person came into the room.

*    *    *

	Muttering, the junior technician reached over to his boss' terminal and 
flipped off the power-switch.  *Stupid senior technicians,* he grumbled to 
himself as he left the room to get back to his lunch.  *Can't be bothered to 
double-check his terminal!  Has to send someone ELSE to check it!  Who cares 
if a lowly junior tech has to miss **their** lunch?*

	As he turned behind him for one last spot check, he noticed a single light 
still blinking.  As mounting embarrassment surged from deep inside his gut, 
he confirmed it was coming from the relay transporter grid on HIS terminal.  
Looking quickly around the room to see if anyone might have caught his 
error, he flipped that switch off too.  *Good thing I checked after all,* he 
thought as he shut the door behind him.  Who knows what could happen if 
someone bumped the wrong button while the Chamber was on?

*    *    *

	A few seconds later, Oyuki and her cousin Toji pounced on Lum from two 
different directions, each shouting "IT!" gleefully.

	None of the children ever noticed the co-ordinates inserted into the grid.

	No one noticed the transport button being depressed.

	Since the primary power feed had been shut down, the computer controlling 
the Central Warp Chamber could do nothing.

	All three children shortly after ran out of the room barking with laughter 
just as the senior technician returned from his lunch.  Looking inside, he 
was quick to notice the mess.  To his relief, the power had already been 
turned off.

	Who knew what could have happened otherwise?

**** **** ****
"Lonely Souls"
By Fred Herriot
pyeknu at hotmail.com OR fherriot at yahoo.com
**** **** ****
The teaser was written by David Chamberlain.
**** **** ****
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 FOURTH PART, "C" SIDE - FREEDOM FROM DESTINY

	The tunnel seemed to last forever.

	Ranma grunted, adjusting the straps of her backpack as she followed Negako 
toward the beacon of light that lay an eternity ahead of them.  Glancing to 
both sides, then up, then down, she noted the stars surrounding them.  There 
was no discernible pattern to them, at least not one Ranma could recognize.  
She felt as though she was walking down some glass-lined corridor reaching 
throughout the Universe.  The air was breathable yet not stale, salty, misty 
or any other condition she might recognize as "normal."  Normal for Earth, 
that is.

	This was clearly NOT Earth.

	"Frightened?"

	Ranma stopped.  Negako glanced at her.  "I . . . "  An automatic denial 
surged up her throat, and then she fought it down with a sigh.  Lies sang 
out to the person before her.  "Somewhat.  I'm trying not to feel too 
overwhelmed."

	The grandmaster of Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu nodded.  "Understandable.  Ataru 
was the same when he first travelled to Sanctuary."

	She waved Ranma with her.  Ranma picked up her pace.  "How long?"

	"It depends," Negako replied.  "Remember, there is a profound difference 
between the temporal dynamics of Earth's dimension and the temporal dynamics 
in Sanctuary itself.  Sometimes, the journey is very short, a matter of 
minutes.  Sometimes, it can last for hours.  Hungry?"

	"I'm alright.  Can we walk side-by-side?"

	"If you wish."

	Ranma moved to her right, automatically reaching for the grandmaster's 
hand.  The latter blinked, trying not to grin too much.  The former was 
quick to notice.  "You know, you really are beautiful when you smile, 
Negako."  She winked at her companion.  "Why are you so afraid of showing 
emotion to other people?  Ataru told me you do have them."

	"True, I do," Negako admitted.  "But in most situations, I simply see no 
need to express emotion, especially to the extent 'normal' people take for 
granted.  Until I was freed of Ataru, I never . . . "  She paused.  "No, I 
RARELY had chances to experience the 'good' side of humanity.  Ironically, 
they all happened when I was with Happy."

	"Jijii?!"  Ranma gaped at her.  "So that's why you call him 'Happy' instead 
of 'Happoosai,' eh?  Did he try to free you before?"

	"Three times.  The third time, he paid dearly for his attempt at 'stealing' 
me from the Moroboshi Clan."  Negako sighed.  "His addiction to absorbing 
the ki from female undergarments was a result of that incident."

	"Damn . . . "  Ranma looked down as she considered that.  "I mean, he 
annoys the hell out of me at times, but I'd never really wish him dead or 
anything like that.  Just like all the others . . . "

	"Though he may not say it in the open, he deeply cares for you, Ranma.  You 
have the potential to become the living expression of what he wanted to 
create when he created Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.  In you, he sees what he's 
created preserved for future generations."

	"But what if I don't want to run a doojou, Negako?"

	"That is alright.  One needs no physical structure to pass the Art to a 
worthy student.  Your training trip with Genma, for all his faults in 
teaching you, did prove that."  Negako looked on her, humming.

	"What is it?"

	"Have you ever contemplated becoming a doctor?"

	Ranma's eyes widened.  She stared thoughtfully at the light.  "Not really.  
You saying that should be something I should consider?"

	"It is a possibility.  Toofuu spoke of your potential when I invited him to 
come to the Island to train with Chikage's grandfather Ryuuji and myself.  
Even in the brief time he knew you, he lamented that your skill level was so 
narrowly focused.  He did not understand why until we discovered what Genma 
did to you, though."  A pause.  "He sends his apologizes for not noticing 
that before.  He also apologizes for the one incident with Akane when he 
made your legs lose their strength so she could carry you home."

	Ranma took that in with a smile.  "Thanks.  And I'll thank him when we get 
back to the Island."  A pause.  "Negako?"

	"Yes?"

	"Where did I go wrong with Akane?"

	"That, I suggest you discuss with Sakuya, Chikage or Karen.  I am capable 
of many things, but emotional psychoanalysis is not one of my stronger 
suits."  She then stopped.  Ranma halted, she giving her companion a curious 
look.  Negako faced her new student.  Then, to the other woman's surprise, 
she leaned over to give her a tender kiss.  "Thank you, Ranma."

	Ranma blinked, and then she stuttered, "F-f-for wh-what . . . ?"

	"For rating my smile as 'beautiful.'  I know you rated Akane's smile the 
same way when you feelings for her were the strongest."

	"I . . . "  Ranma stopped.  "You're welcome . . .!"  She then turned as the 
light ahead of them suddenly seemed to grow.  "Eh?!"  She automatically 
shifted herself before Negako.  "What the hell's going on . . .?!" she 
demanded, tensing as Negako squeezed her shoulder.

	"It is alright," Negako reported.  "Our trip will be short this time 
around.  Brace yourself to jump at my command."

	Ranma nodded as the light seemed to encompass her whole field of vision.  
On hearing Negako call out "NOW!", she sprang . . .

	To land on a rock the size of the Tendou sitting room.  Quickly rolling to 
her feet, she stopped on seeing the rock's edge . . .

	And a black void beyond.

	Ranma backed away before feeling Negako's hands on her shoulders.  At that 
moment, her eyes picked up a faint aura of light lying above that darkness.  
She turned to Negako.  "Is there an end to that?"  She pointed beyond the 
rock.

	Negako shook her head.  "No.  Not until the end of Time Itself."

	Ranma took that in.  Gulping, she turned back, this time looking up and 
away from the darkness.  And upon a floating, flat-topped asteroid about 
five kilometres wide, it supporting a glittering city so futuristic in style 
and design, Ranma doubted the creators of "Star Trek," "Star Wars" or 
"Babylon 5" could equal it!  "Whoa . . . " she gasped, and then her eyes 
turned up to gaze into a -- well, "sky" seemed the most comfortable term for 
the panorama of boiling platinum, silvery, golden, crimson and deep azure 
energy that laid overhead.  A sky that seemed to stretch forever and ever, 
yet clearly melted into the pitch darkness lying beneath Ranma and Negako's 
feet.  "Oh, man . . .!"

	"Welcome to Sanctuary, Ranma," Negako announced.

*    *    *

	"Onii-chan?"

	"Hmm . . .?"  Ataru's eyes fluttered as he sat up, blinking on seeing Karen 
peeking into his bedroom.  "Oh, Karen-chan . . . " he called out before 
glancing at the clock on the nightstand.  "What's wrong?  Can't you sleep?"

	"Not really."  Karen stepped into the room, walking over to sit on his bed. 
  "I was wondering if you were feeling sleepy or not."

	"I . . . "  He shuddered as a bout of dizziness overwhelmed him for a 
moment.  "Oh, man!" he gasped.  "What the heck happened . . .?"

	"Onii-chan, are you okay?!"  Karen slid over to feel his head.  Ataru 
remained still for a moment, and then relaxed as she pulled her hand back.  
"Well, you're not running a fever or anything.  Was it something you ate?"

	"Better make sure Shirayuki-chan doesn't hear that," he warned with a 
chuckle before reaching over to draw her close to him.

	"Onii-chan!" she squealed before sighing as he drew her into his embrace.  
"Oh, Onii-chan!  You miss Onee-chan already, don't you?"

	He considered that for a moment before nodding.  "Funny.  I do miss her.  
And it's worse knowing that when she and Onee-chan comes back, five weeks 
would've passed for them.  And for us, it'd be . . . "  A pause.  "Five 
hours."

	"I'd love to see Sanctuary," she admitted.  "We all would love to see it, 
even just once.  Why won't you let us go there, Onii-chan?"

	He playfully ruffled her hair.  "Because it's not a safe place for nice 
girls like you," he reminded her.  "It's an asteroid floating in a null-time 
tunnel reaching all the way to this moment from the end of Time.  If you 
fell off the asteroid, you'd fall and fall and fall until you'd vanish into 
Eternity.  And THAT, I'd never wish on ANYONE."

	"Not even those jerks in Tomobiki?"

	He lightly smiled.  "No, not even them, Karen-chan."

	"You hate them, don't you?"

	Ataru leaned over to kiss her cheek.  "Not really. I just don't have any 
desire to be with them anymore, Karen-chan.  And I'm worried about you guys. 
  You and the others are WAY more important to me, Karen-chan.  You're my 
family now.  A family that cares for me a hell of a lot more than Muchi or 
Kinshou ever did.  What happens if people like Mendou find out that I've got 
twelve sisters, all who love me very much?  Would they accept it?  Would 
they decide that since, in their eyes, I never deserved anything good to 
happen to me, they'd do everything in their power to break us apart?  All so 
they could enjoy seeing me suffer?  I don't want that.  Do you?"

	"Of course not!"  Karen reached up to hold the arm lying on her tummy close 
to her.  "We'll never leave you, Onii-chan!  Never!"

	"Thanks."

	Silence fell as they relaxed, and then the door opened.  "Onii-chama?"

	"Kaho-chan?!" both called out on seeing the young cheerleader peek in.

	Kaho blinked on seeing Karen beside Ataru.  "Ah, Karen-chan, gomen ne!"

	She then yelped as a foot tripped over the doorstop.  Both winced as Kaho 
fell on her face.  Karen leapt off the bed so she could help her sister back 
to her feet.  "Kaho-chan, are you okay?"  Karen tried not to laugh; Kaho's 
tripping over something often seemed a daily occurrence.

	Kaho giggled in embarrassment as she walked over to sit on the bed.  "Kaho 
thought Onii-chama didn't want to be alone tonight with Onee-chama now in 
Sanctuary, so Kaho came to be with Onii-chama."  She slid in to embrace 
Ataru.

	"Kaho . . . " he whispered before kissing her forehead.  "Thanks."

	"Aaah!" she squealed.  "Onii-chama's beard tickles!"

	Laughter filled the room.  Karen slipped back into bed.  Seeing that things 
were becoming crowded, Ataru sat up, reclining against the wall.  Karen sat 
between him and the nightstand while Kaho reclined on the other side, 
draping herself on his lap.  "Oh, Onii-chan, what's going to happen if the 
others come in here to be with you?" Karen asked.

	"It best not become a fight," Ataru warned.

	"Onii-chama?"

	"Hmm?  What is it, Kaho-chan?"

	"Why won't Onii-chama or Onee-chama let Kaho go to Sanctuary?"

	"Why?"  He sighed as he considered if there was a nice way of putting it.  
Finding nothing, he began, "Well, when you go through the tunnel, you land 
on a rock the size of this room.  But beyond the rock is this big void of 
NOTHING that extends all the way to the end of Time.  If you fall of, you'll 
fall and fall and just keep on falling . . .!"

	Kaho quivered, and then she yelped, burying her face into Ataru's chest.  
"Kaho doesn't want to fall!" she wailed.

	He rubbed Kaho's forehead.  "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!" he apologised as he 
kissed her, allowing her to lay her head on his shoulder.  "Anyhow . . . "

*    *    *

	"Ranma, I DID warn you about taking a wrong step."

	"I REALLY NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THAT RIGHT NOW, NEGAKO!"

	Ranma grunted as she clawed her way back to the surface of one of the small 
rocks leading in a chain of ten such boulders between what she saw as the 
"beam in" point and Sanctuary.  As soon as she was on flat ground, she took 
a deep breath, and then she stood up.  Her eyes fell on the next rock in the 
chain.  It was the size of a king-sized bed, presently hovering forty metres 
away.  "Damn, how could I've misjudged that . . .?"

	Negako's eyebrow arched.  "Ranma, if the dynamics of time are different 
here, how different can the dynamics of space be?"

	The younger woman paused, staring at the grandmaster before a nod bobbed 
her head.  "So I can't judge distances here, right?"

	Negako nodded.  "Exactly.  When you are in Sanctuary itself, then you can 
relax since an artificial environment is kept there for the benefit of those 
who visit.  The same is true for the asteroids that allow people to enter 
Sanctuary.  If they are capable, of course."

	Ranma shuddered before calming herself.  "So how can I . . .?"

	She screamed as Negako grabbed her by the straps of her backpack.  Her eyes 
then widened to the size of saucers as she was pulled across that endless 
chasm to the next asteroid.  Negako, at least, allowed Ranma to land on her 
feet.  Gasping as she collapsed to her knees, the younger woman panted 
before looking up as Negako took the measure of the next leap.  "Damn it 
all, Negako!  WARN me about that, will ya?!" she spat out.

	"Things happen here without warning, Ranma."  Negako tried not to smirk at 
her new student's protest.  "Alright, three more jumps and we are . . . "

	Ranma screamed again as Negako grabbed her by the backpack.  In a single 
leap, they were flying.  As they turned to make a landing, the rock 
shattered!  "OH, SHIT!" Ranma yelped as they slipped towards the unending 
tunnel below.

	"***SEISHIN KUSARIGAMA!***"

	A ki-chain with a hooked end leapt from Negako's palm, soaring past the 
remaining rocks in the floating archipelago to dig into the hard rock of the 
Sanctuary asteroid.  Ranma cried out as she found herself yanked across the 
chasm.  She was then flipped up to land on the flat ground.  A second later, 
Negako flipped up to join her, and then she dispersed the Psychic 
Kusarigama.  She waved Ranma with her.  "We are here."

	Ranma panted.  "Shit, Jusenkyou was NICE compared to this place!"

*    *    *

	The city atop the Sanctuary asteroid was walled.  Two gates provided 
entrance to the city, one opening to the chain of rocks from the "beam in" 
point, the other opening directly to the time-chasm itself.  The city's 
interior was built on a spoke-wheel format, eight streets leading from the 
wall to intersect at the centre.  A lighthouse-like tower surrounded by a 
traffic circle marked the centre-point of the asteroid.  As they walked from 
the gate, Ranma noticed the buildings lining the streets were low 
structures, none higher than five floors in human terms.  Still, despite the 
rural feel, the building designs were as futuristic as Ranma assumed when 
she first gazed on this place.  "Hey, Negako, who built this place anyway?" 
she asked.

	"Their identities are unknown," Negako reported.  "From what I have 
ascertained in previous visits to this place, those who frequent Sanctuary 
refer to its builders as the 'Questors.'"

	"'Questors,' huh?  What were they looking for?"

	"That is unknown to everyone.  However, what is known is that the Questors 
hailed from the very end of Time Itself."

	"They were reaching back in time?"

	"Yes.  They reached to a point about three billion years ago as we measure 
time.  Then, for reasons unknown, they committed mass suicide. Sanctuary 
itself is all that remains of their culture.  In this time period, of 
course."

	Ranma whistled.  "Weird."

	"Indeed."

	They reached the traffic circle.  Negako lead Ranma to the second street to 
their left.  Heading back toward the wall, Ranma noted that some of the lots 
lining this street were undeveloped.  Trees -- many so alien-looking to 
Ranma, she couldn't HOPE to find words to describe them -- took up those 
empty lots.

	"None of these are dangerous, are they?" she asked, pointing at one.

	"It depends on how you define 'danger,'" Negako reported.  "The fruit they 
produce is incompatible to our digestive systems, but Ataru reported that 
when he sat on one of the limbs, it felt as if he was in bed.  I advise you 
to NOT try to injure them, though," she warned with a raised finger.

	"Gotcha . . . hey!  There's a doojou!"

	Negako silently chuckled as Ranma ran past her to a cleared lot bearing a 
simple wood and paper-walled doojou, like the Tendou's training hall in 
general design.  Stopping at the gate, she noted there was no sign to 
indicate what Art was practised here.  She opened the doors to head in.  
Glancing around, she quickly saw that a classical rock garden had been raked 
out around the doojou itself.  "Nice place . . . "  She whistled, and then 
she saw a small residence located behind the doojou.  "Hey, Negako, did you 
build this place or did someone else from Earth come here?"

	Negako stepped into the garden, waving Ranma with her to the residence.  
"Someone else did come here.  Around 1942 as we tell time."

	"Who?  Do you know her?"

	"I know OF her," Negako said.  "Deannette Antonia Raeburn."

	Silence.

	"Major Raeburn . . .?" Ranma gasped as her mind conjured images of a 
twenty-something, brown-haired, blue-eyed tomboy from British Columbia.  
History books credited her with being the top "specialized warfare" -- that 
was the Canadian euphemism for military operations by people possessing 
metahuman or paranormal powers and abilities -- soldier operating during the 
Second World War.  Major Dean Raeburn, atop becoming the last heir of the 
immortal Japanese ninjutsu grandmaster Hosan Hirosuke, had also won the 
right to make use of an alien "power jewel" which granted her Captain 
Marvel-like powers.  She also gained the use of a deadly, chisel-pointed 
sword called a "cat's claw" blade, said to be so tough, it could shatter the 
hardest diamond in one stroke.  With these weapons, Major Raeburn helped 
establish the "War Hawks," a team of Canadian military metahumans who fought 
Axis paranormals around the world.  Major Raeburn and the War Hawks 
disappeared shortly after VJ-Day, their final fate a total mystery to the 
general public.  In spite of Genma's assertions that women were weak when it 
came to martial arts, one only had to look at Major Raeburn's example -- 
Ranma learned of the Canadian when she attended junior high -- to see how 
wrong he was.  "Oh, man!" Ranma breathed out.

	"The same," Negako confirmed as they stepped into the residence.  It 
reminded Ranma of her family home.  "Sanctuary is most frequently used by 
the various Seeker Power Jewel Warriors as a relaxation zone to help them 
recover from their various battles," she added.

	Ranma blinked.  The Seekers, according to an interview Major Raeburn 
granted in 1944 to Allied war correspondents, were a race of immortals, far 
above what Japanese might call "kami," who died out en masse long before the 
first signs of life appeared on Earth.  The Power Jewels were the only 
physical legacy remaining of that race.  "So how did you get the 'keys' to 
this place?"

	"Someone gave the 'key' to me two years ago.  I would rather not reveal 
that person's identity at this time, though."

	"Oh?  Sounds fair enough.  So where do I sleep?"

	Negako indicated one room.  "Right here."

	Ranma looked inside, smirking on seeing a thick futon and other basic home 
necessities awaiting her.  "Nice place."  She slipped off her pack, setting 
it aside.  "What about food?" she then asked.  "Where can we get that?"

	"There's a dry storage room in the basement here that has a fair selection. 
  If you wish to try it, there's also a replicator unit."

	"Like from 'Star Trek?!'"

	"The same.  The unit is Zephyrite.  Anything flagged in red indicates foods 
you should avoid.  Terran selections span Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, 
Italian and American cuisines.  There should be no problems in that regard."

	"Gotcha."

	"One other thing."  Negako reached into her own small pack to draw out a 
laptop computer.  "Rinrin believed you might need this."

	Ranma smiled, taking the machine from the grandmaster.  "Thanks.  I guess I 
would need it.  There're no power problems here?"

	"No.  I will leave you to make yourself at home.  Get some sleep as soon as 
you can.  When you wake up, we will begin training."

	"Right.  Um, do we try to keep time in this place?"

	"In a place where normal rules of time have little effect?"  Negako's 
eyebrow arched.  "What do you suggest, Ranma?"

	"Ah . . .!" the younger woman exclaimed.  "R-right!  I should've realized 
that!"  She shrugged embarrassedly.  "So how do we do this?"

	"Your body's internal timekeeping mechanisms will suffice for now.  Do not 
worry if you feel your internal 'clock' going out of sync.  Ataru found it 
to be of no real concern while he was staying here.  Try to get some sleep."

	"Okay."

	Negako stepped out.  Ranma sighed, moving to draw the shades over the 
window.  To her surprise, the shades blocked out all exterior light.  
Overhead, a two-tube ceiling light provided what internal light there was, 
though there was also a lamp on a nightstand by the futon.  There was also a 
worktable.  Ranma set the laptop there, plugging it into a nearby outlet.  
Flicking the machine on, she smiled as the programs clicked on.  She dug out 
her UHD diskette.  Loading that, she drew up her personal journal files:

"Journal Entry, Day 0 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"I never thought I would wind up on another PLANET of all things, even 
after meeting Moroboshi Ataru, Negako and their family.  Yet now, I'm 
writing this from a city in another DIMENSION, let alone another planet!  
Wild, huh?
	"Comparing this place to all the other places I've been to, Sanctuary is in 
a class all by itself.  There's no clear day or night here.  All light comes 
from a sky of burning energy above the rock where the city stands.  Have to 
ask Negako about that.  How far up is that 'sky' anyway?  It's hard to tell 
distances in this place.  And I HAVE to watch my step here.  If what just 
happened to Negako and me as we were making our way into this place is 
normal, all it would take is one bad move and I'm a goner!
	"Sanctuary floats over a tunnel that, according to Negako, extends to the 
end of Time.  How far ahead is that?  Billions of years?  Or is there no end 
of Time?  That's scary.  It's no wonder Ataru doesn't want his sisters, 
especially Kaho, to come here."

	"Ataru . . .?"  Ranma stopped, glancing at the futon.  Taking a moment to 
collect her thoughts, she turned back to the laptop.

	"I feel weird.  Tonight's the first night I'm gonna be sleeping alone since 
Ataru dropped the story about the Niphentaxians on me.  That was what?  
Three, four days ago?  And I . . . "

	She paused before continuing:

" . . . I miss him already.  Strange, isn't it?  I just left him in the 
House not an hour ago.  And yeah, Negako's here, but she's not Ataru.  What 
does that mean to me?  Does it mean that I really care for him?  Do I . . . 
"

	Another pause.

" . . . I love him?
	"I wish I could answer that.
	"I know that I LIKE him!  But is that enough for me now?
	"Oh, well, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

	Glancing over the words she just typed, Ranma sighed, and then saved the 
journal entry before closing down her laptop.

*    *    *

	"Onii-tama?"

	Ataru, Karen and Kaho looked up to see Hinako peek into the room.  "Hey, 
what're you doing here?" he wondered.  "Can't you sleep?"

	Hinako shook her head.  "Hina's worried about Onee-tama."  She walked into 
the room, rubbing her eyes, and then she crawled onto the bed.  "And Hina 
knows Onii-tama's also worried about Onee-tama.  Hina just wishes . . . "

	Ataru shifted Kaho away from him to draw his youngest sister onto his lap.  
"You wanted to go to Sanctuary too, huh?"

	Hinako giggled, leaning into his chest.  "Onii-tama really, really, really 
likes Onee-tama, doesn't he?" she said as she gazed knowingly into his eyes.

	"Well, if Hinako-chan likes her, then I have to like her too, I guess," he 
mused, rubbing his chin on her forehead.

	Hinako squealed.  Everyone then blinked as the door opened, revealing 
Sakuya carrying a rolled-up futon under one arm and Hinako's favourite 
stuffed teddy bear, a huge toy as big as Marie's dog, in the other hand.  "I 
guess I'm not the only one who thought of keeping Onii-sama company," the 
eldest of the sisters declared as she spread the futon and Mister Bear on 
the floor.

	"Waai!  Sakuya-chan brought Kuma-san!"  Hinako reached out for her prized 
bedtime companion.  "Hina wants Kuma-san!  Kuma-san!"

	"Ah!  You have to choose, Hinako-chan!"  Sakuya wagged her finger at the 
youngest of the sisters.  "What's it going to be?!  Kuma-san or Onii-sama?!"

	Giggling, Hinako leaned into Ataru.  "Hina'll always choose Onii-tama!"

	She rubbed her head in the crook of his neck.  "Aaah!  He's OUR brother, 
too, Hinako-chan!" Kaho wailed.

	Ataru rolled his eyes to the ceiling as the sisters started arguing.  
*Maybe I SHOULD have gone to Sanctuary,* he ruefully mused.

*    *    *

	"Wake up, Ranma!"

	Ranma grunted, looking up to see Negako gazing down on her.  "Oh, man . . . 
"  She yawned, sitting up.  "How long was I asleep?"

	"That is a hard question to answer," the grandmaster warned.  "In one 
respect, you got eight hours' rest.  Come.  Breakfast is waiting."

	Ranma watched her go.  Scrambling out of bed, she followed her host to the 
small sitting room located between the sleeping quarters and the dojo.  "'In 
one respect?'  What the heck does THAT mean, Negako?" she asked.

	"Observe."  Negako reached into her top to draw out a hand-held timepiece.

	Ranma noted it was a gear-driven automatic device, no doubt made in Europe. 
  "Needs to be wound up."  She took it from Negako, and then twisted the 
knob to wind the spring.  The clock began to tick, and then it fell silent.  
"Huh?!"  She then wound it up again.  Again, only a few ticks echoed from it 
before it fell silent.  "What the hell . . .?!"

	Negako took the timepiece back.  "A null-time vacuum."

	Ranma stared at her.  "'Null-time vacuum?!'"

	The grandmaster waved her into the sitting room.  Once Ranma was seated, 
she headed into the kitchen to bring out two bowls of soulloungt'ang.  
"Exactly.  Anything affected strongly by linear time is halted or slowed to 
a snail's pace when it is brought into Sanctuary.  Your aging process, for 
example.  As long as you remain here, you will not age.  If you so desired, 
you could be virtually immortal.  But since Sanctuary has little 'creature 
comforts' . . . "

	"People'd go insane here," Ranma mused, sniffing the delicious aroma of the 
soulloungt'ang as Negako retrieved kitchen utensils and a bottle of spring 
water.  "Then how can you cook food in this place?" she asked.

	"Cooking food, healing from injuries and other matters are not totally 
influenced by lineal time, Ranma."  Negako set out the chopsticks, and then 
she poured Ranma a glass of water.  "Take boiling soulloungt'ang.  The basic 
broth takes from one to two days to prepare.  But if you used a microwave 
oven or 'hot' ki to aid in the actual cooking . . . "

	"It goes faster," Ranma concluded.

	"Exactly."

	Ranma shook her head.  "It's hard to accept."

	"Even for me," Negako mused.  "Clearly, the Questors possessed -- or WILL 
possess if you choose to view it in that manner -- such an advanced 
understanding of temporal science, creating Sanctuary was child's play.  I 
believe I COULD come to understand it . . . "

	"But you'd be probably driven out of your mind doing that, right?"

	"Perhaps," Negako admitted.

	Ranma laughed.  "Guess what?  You're human, Negako!"

	Negako blinked.  "Should I feel complimented or insulted?"

	The younger woman's laughter picked up.

*    *    *

	Breakfast was soon done.  Negako directed Ranma into a furo.  There, Ranma 
received her healing shiatsu, something she received from Ataru before 
breakfast when she was staying on Promised Island.  As Negako worked on her, 
Ranma asked if the process could be increased given the differences between 
Sanctuary and Earth.  "I will attempt to do that, but there is a danger," 
Negako responded.

	"What sort of danger?"

	"Over-treatment."  The ninjutsu grandmaster gently vibrated a finger over a 
point on Ranma's scalp.  "You know of overmedication, do you not?"  Seeing 
Ranma nod, she continued, "Well, there is also such a thing as receiving TOO 
much shiatsu treatment.  Your body needs all the opportunities it can 
receive to adjust to any significant changes in your shiatsu or ki patterns, 
Ranma, just as it must adjust to 'normal' matters like a change of diet or a 
change in your exercise pattern.  If that time is not allocated . . . "

	"It'd be just as bad as not being treated at all."

	"Exactly."

	"Gotcha."  Ranma relaxed.  "Hey, Negako, can I ask you something?"

	"What is it?"

	"Was Ataru ever bothered whenever you and he were here in Sanctuary?"  A 
slow flush crossed Ranma's cheeks.  "You know, like in . . .?"

	"Sexual arousal?"

	Ranma's cheeks instantly went cherry-red.  "Um, y-y-yeah . . . "

	"Sometimes."  She pressed another point.  "As Sakuya and Chikage attempted 
to impress onto you when they spoke to you, there is no shame in feeling 
that.  In fact, I am aware of certain cultures that consider sexual 
relations between siblings to be not only natural but *proper.*"

	Ranma gaped at her.  "Really?!"

	Negako nodded.  "Indeed.  Sexual arousal is a function of human biology.  
It is the obvious physical sign that you are ready to procreate.  However, 
the physical desire to procreate does not always match to a compatible 
emotional need.  So our society considers it 'proper' to control the 
physical need, focus it only to those one emotionally considers to be 
'safe.'  You felt that way on occasion for Akane, did you not?"

	"Um, y-yeah . . . I g-guess so," Ranma stuttered.  "At least, I think I 
d-d-did.  I just didn't really u-u-understand it."  She shrugged before 
glancing quizzically on Negako.  "Does that make me perverted, Negako?"

	"No, not by the definition of the term I understand," Negako admitted.  
"Why are you so curious about this, Ranma?  You clearly do not wish to 
pursue an intimate relationship with Akane at this time, if ever again."

	"Yeah, I don't, but . . .!"  Ranma stopped, and then she sighed.  "I guess 
I just want to try to understand where things went wrong between us, Negako. 
  I mean, you're right.  I don't imagine marrying Akane anymore, not after 
what's happened.  But I still want to be her friend.  And I don't want to 
make the same mistakes Oyaji made with me when I finally have kids.  IF I 
have kids, of course!"  She held up her finger before she spat out, "Damn!  
Sakuya-chan was right.  I AM too young to worry about this!"

	"Well, it is good that you realize it now instead of when you are trapped 
in a marriage with no emotional underpinnings."  Negako then nodded.  
"Alright, we are done for this session.  Time for the doojou."

	"Hai . . . "

*    *    *

	"You can't access them at ALL?!"

	Genma shook his head.  Despite it being past midnight, the lights in the 
sitting room shone.  Kasumi and Nabiki were both in bed, though Souun could 
sense Akane was awake.  "I've tried everything, Tendou-kun!  Much that I am 
VERY wary to call upon the Sen-ken forms, the fact that the boy memorized 
them, then passed them on to those infernal mirror-twins of his . . .!"

	Souun sighed sympathetically.  Yes, the Sen-ken techniques, especially the 
Yamasen-ken forms, WERE dangerous.  One need not look past the example of 
Kumon Ryuu's father to see that.  But Ranma was more responsible than THAT!  
After all, had Ranma used those techniques for personal gain?  Of course 
not!  Since Ranma DID know them, they would have been copied into the 
mirror-clones . . .

	A shudder shook the Tendou patriarch as he remembered Toshiko's words to 
him about that incident.  Why did Ranma disregard what Souun had decided 
about those two, STEALING that compact from Nabiki to let them go free?  
Why?!  Did that mean . . .?  That Ranma had long come to the point where he 
no longer really cared about what Souun wanted?  It was very clear that 
Ranma had reached that point concerning Genma!  Which meant . . .

	No!

	The schools HAD to be united!  No matter what happened, the schools HAD to 
be united.  If what was happening with Nodoka and her relatives bore fruit, 
then everything his friend had done over the last decade and more will be 
lost.  And though Souun didn't appreciate the idiot stunts Genma pulled 
concerning Ranma's training, he knew Genma had trained a very fine martial 
artist.  That outcome had to be protected and nourished under their 
guidance.  It could NOT be lost to a family of greedy bastards like the 
Asagayas, much less a wandering family of cooks like the Kuonjis, a family 
of deviants like the Kunous and ESPECIALLY a clan of female chauvinists like 
those Chinese Amazons!

	"Dad?!"

	Both turned as Akane stepped in.  A smile was on her face as she twirled, 
modelling the now-restored Densetsu no Doogi.  Souun's eyes widened before 
he nodded.  "I see you wish to continue to press your claim for Ranma-kun."

	"I've no choice!"  The smile faded from her face as she glared at him.  "I 
don't know what the hell you were thinking earlier by saying that fake was 
going to marry Ranma!  If she wants him, she has to come through me first, 
Dad!"

	The fathers gazed on her, and then exchanged a look before Genma slid his 
glasses on his nose.  "Perhaps we were too hasty about moving the engagement 
away from you, Akane-chan."  He waved the youngest Tendou sister to a floor 
mat.  "Please understand that this is something your father and I've dreamed 
of for a very long time.  To come so close to making it happen, then have it 
snatched away . . . "  He shuddered.  "It galls me.  I . . . "  He stopped.  
Then, to Souun and Akane's surprise, he prostrated himself before her.  
"Tendou Akane, I only can but give you my sincerest apologies for the 
trouble my mistakes in raising my son, your fiancé, have brought you.  
Please, know I will be honoured to call you my daughter-in-law when we 
finally make my son see some reason."

	"I . . .!"  Akane's cheeks reddened.  "Uncle . . .!"

	Souun's jaw dropped.  "Genma . . . "

	Silence fell as Akane considered the older man's words before she nodded.  
"Thank you, Uncle.  That really meant a lot to me."

	"You deserve it."  Genma sat up to hold up a finger.  "Now, before we press 
on, I must ask you this:  Do you love my son?"

	Akane nodded.  "Yes!"

	Hearing that, Souun moaned, "Oh, Akane . . .!"

	"Very well."  Genma squeezed his friend's shoulder.  "Unfortunately, given 
what happened to you on Tuesday, the boy seems to think he has no obligation 
to you anymore.  That HAS to be corrected.  And it's best corrected by you, 
Akane."

	He pointed to her.  Akane sighed.  "You mean I have to challenge him?"

	"It may be the only thing we can do to make Ranma-kun come back, 
Akane-chan."  Souun nodded understandingly.  "That he's gone out of his way 
to pay back the debts he accumulated with the Kuonji girl and that China 
girl is fine enough.  That Kuonji's dowry has been returned to her is also a 
good thing.  As far as I'm now concerned -- and I hope, Saotome-kun, that I 
speak for you as well . . . "  He glanced at Genma, who nodded in return.  
"We have no need to concern ourselves with their troubles anymore."

	"They may disagree with that, Dad," Akane warned.

	"Indeed, given their actions in the past, I suspect they will."  Souun 
indicated the Doogi.  "Well, isn't it fortunate that you have this now?"

	Akane nodded.  "You have a point."  She then gazed intently at her father.  
"What about that double of mine?!" she demanded.

	Souun sighed, bowing his head.  "Akane-chan, I'm sorry that I said those 
things after Kimiko-chan had her *fight* with Saotome-kun here."  He 
indicated Genma.  "I admit that I've become desperate as of late to see this 
whole agreement through to its rightful conclusion.  That Nabiki-chan is 
capable of pursuing the Art again fills me with joy.  And your own desire to 
progress in the Art has never abated.  Please . . . "  He bowed low.  "Can 
you forgive your foolish father for what he did to hurt you?"

	Akane smiled at him.  "It's okay, Dad."  She reached over to rub his 
shoulder.  "We just wanted you to be yourself again!"

	He straightened himself.  "So," Genma spoke up.  "The time has come for us 
to plan on what we must do to bring the boy back."

	"Negako-san said he'll be in Nerima by tomorrow," Akane reported.

	"Good."  Souun nodded before he gazed intently at her.  "Do you intend to 
press your challenge against Kimiko-chan, Akane?"

	The youngest of the Tendous considered that for a moment before she sighed. 
  "I have to make sure of it, Dad," she admitted.  "I don't want to deal 
with another rival and I know Ranma doesn't want to deal with another 
fiancée."

	"Understandable, but remember . . . "  Souun held up a finger to emphasize 
his point.  "Ranma-kun DID name Kimiko-chan after your mother.  Certainly if 
he did that, it means he does care for what happens with our family, 
Akane-chan."

	Akane sighed.  "Yeah, that's true."  She then nodded.  "Alright, if you 
want, I'll ask her if she has any feelings for Ranma.  If she does, I have 
to challenge her then, Dad!  But if she doesn't, I'll leave her be."

	Souun nodded.  "Fair enough."

	"Then you have to challenge the boy himself," Genma warned.

	Silence.

	"Do you think I have to go THAT far with him, Uncle?" Akane asked.

	Genma sagely nodded.  "Yes, I do.  Remember, Akane-chan, the boy is 
extremely stubborn.  That has its good and bad sides.  The good side is that 
he will never give up when faced with a challenge.  Much that I would not 
want to remind you of this, but how did he manage to save you from Saffron?" 
  Seeing Akane tense before she relaxed with a nod, he added, "I'm sorry, 
child.  I didn't mean to hurt you.  But the boy has to face his obligations. 
  And if he runs around willy-nilly thinking he can avoid it . . . "  He 
shrugged.

	"Indeed, you have a point."  Souun gazed on Akane.  "Child, I know you 
might want to hesitate before facing something like this, but you MUST 
challenge Ranma-kun to force him into acknowledging the agreement.  And you 
must also focus the challenge to ensure he no longer defers to his other 
would-be suitors . . . "  A pause, and then he shook his head.  "Not to 
mention his mother."

	"What if he refuses?" Akane asked.  "His mother means a lot to him."

	"He won't," Genma warned.  "I won't allow it.  If he does, I'll disown him 
on the spot and declare that he can no longer practice Musabetsu 
Kakutou-ryuu.  He certainly doesn't wish to face THAT."

	Souun nodded.  "Indeed.  And Ranma-kun's NEVER refused a challenge.  You 
must use that against him if you're to bring him back."

	Akane sighed.  "I don't like this."  She squeezed her fingers into fists as 
a determined nod twitched her head.  "But he's my fiancé.  I've no choice 
now."  She then nodded.  "Alright, I'll do it.  On one condition."  She 
pointed to Genma.  "You vow right here and now that when I bring him home, 
you'll NEVER do what you did to Ranma when he was a boy.  I want him as my 
fiancé, but I don't want to marry a scholastic roonin."

	Genma tensed.  "But . . .!"

	"Please."  She held up a hand.  "I know you wanted to make sure he would 
become a fine martial artist.  Uncle, you succeeded beyond your wildest 
dreams.  But in other situations, he's hopeless.  I don't want that anymore. 
  I'm sure he doesn't want it, either.  If you try to put that on him again, 
HE might be the one who makes himself roonin and walk away from ALL of us!  
Do you want that?"

	Genma shook his head.  "No."

	Akane nodded.  "Alright.  If Negako-san can fix up what you did, not to 
mention rid him of his ailurophobia, let's let it happen."

	Souun nodded.  "Agreed."  He then nodded upstairs.  "You best get some 
sleep, child.  You'll have quite the busy day tomorrow."

	"Hai!  Good night, Dad, Uncle."

	Akane headed upstairs.  They watched her go.  "We're close, Genma."  Souun 
chuckled, raising his teacup.  "We're so close!"

	"That, my old friend, we are!"  Genma returned his toast.

*    *    *

	Ranma sighed, sitting on the doojou roof as she gazed on the swirling 
clouds of gas and fire overhead.  It was the late "morning" of the sixth 
full "day" she had stayed in Sanctuary.  Not two hours before -- at least, 
Ranma believed it to have been two hours -- Negako pronounced her healed 
from the neural damage Genma's actions years ago provoked, not to mention 
the recent damage taken on thanks to Akane and all the other people in 
Nerima.  Come "tomorrow," the healing from the damage the Neko-ken training 
caused would start in earnest.  The final step before she would learn if 
Chikage and the Jusenkyou guide were right about how the Nyanniichuan curse 
would ultimately affect her.

	Now she had a decision to make.

	"Ranma?"

	Ranma gazed on Negako.  Damn, even without using the Umisen-ken cloak, she 
could sneak up on anyone!  Taking a deep breath on sensing what the 
grandmaster wanted to know, she sat up.  "Before I say 'yes' or 'no,' can 
you answer me something, Negako?" she then asked.

	Negako's eyebrows arched.  "Why Ataru?"

	Ranma nodded.  The grandmaster stared toward the tower in the heart of 
Sanctuary.  "You were four years old.  Genma took you on a small training 
trip to get you used to various changes in weather conditions while camping 
on the road.  That trip took you to Sendai.  Ataru's uncle Komeru owns 
property in the area.  From what I have been able to deduce, Genma tried to 
sneak onto the property to steal food.  He left you alone in the camp you 
made outside the property line.  And you, being so young and alone . . . "

	"I got scared?"

	"Very," Negako replied.  "Fortunately, you were found by Ataru, who was 
then visiting his 'cousin,' Nokoko.  You know the real story about her."

	"Yeah!  She's really his older sister, but Kinshou sent her up to be raised 
by Komeru after Ataru's twin brother Kaeru died."

	The grandmaster nodded.  "Ataru and Nokoko found you, and then they invited 
you to the house.  By then, Genma had been spotted by security.  He managed 
to evade them, but when he got back to the camp, he found you gone.  Tracing 
down where you went, he found you playing with Ataru and Nokoko.  Naturally, 
that displeased him, so he tried to take you away."

	"What happened?"

	"Nokoko and Ataru were both pleased to see you as a new friend, so it 
naturally displeased them when Genma tried to take you away.  They tried to 
follow Genma through the snow to 'rescue' you.  Nokoko fell behind, but 
Ataru stayed on as best he could."

	Ranma's eyes went wide.  "Really?!"

	"Yes.  At that moment, things become unclear.  Security later found you and 
Ataru at the camp.  Genma . . . "  A smirk turned her lips before she 
continued, "Was thoroughly beaten down.  It looked as if both a person and 
some wild animal had their way with him.  As to who it was that dealt with 
Genma, no one was able to properly ascertain."

	"Do you have an idea?"

	"I do.  Clearly, whoever it was, he or she is not native to Earth.  The 
animal's footprints and the injury marks on Genma indicate a . . . "  She 
glanced at Ranma.  "Type of animal you would not presently like to hear of."

	Ranma gulped.  Negako sighed.  "There is something else.  As of now, there 
is a low-level psionic bond connecting you to Ataru.  A bond that, I 
believe, could only have been forged by a high-order telepath or broadcast 
empath."

	Silence.

	Ranma gaped.  "What . . .?!"

	"It is true.  You cannot access it at this time due to the damage your mind 
incurred from the Neko-ken training."  Negako ignored Ranma's shiver.  "And 
because you are 'silent' in that regard, Ataru cannot consciously access it, 
either.  Even if both of you could access it, I do not believe it will allow 
you to communicate 'in the clear' to each other.  But it will allow you to 
understand the other's feelings."  A pause.  "And before you ask, I do not 
believe that bond can be severed.  Not without killing you both."

	The ninjutsu grandmaster fell silent as Ranma took that in.  The younger 
woman then stared toward the tower in the centre of Sanctuary.  "Who would 
do something like THAT to us?  WHY would they do it?  I don't get it!"

	"I cannot answer that question.  The only one who can . . . "

	"Is whoever bonded us," Ranma finished.  "Does Ataru know?"

	"I have not told him that you are the one he is bonded to.  Not yet.  But 
he does know he has a bond with someone.  His 'Other' as he likes to refer 
to you as.  When the repairs on your mind are complete -- IF you want me to 
complete them to that extent -- the truth can at last be revealed."

	"Can't you try to dredge up my memories and put this puzzle together that 
way?"  Ranma stared curiously at her.  Seeing Negako shake her head, the 
younger woman sighed.  "Damn.  All because of the N-n-n-Neko-ken, r-right?"

	"Exactly."

	Ranma took a deep breath.  "Damned if I do, damned if I don't."

	"You need not look at it that way, Ranma."

	"What do you mean?"

	"Would it not be better to learn the truth?  Instead of always living in 
fear and uncertainty?  There are those in this existence who would take 
gross advantage of that.  Do you wish to leave yourself vulnerable to that, 
Ranma?"

	Ranma shook her head.  "No."

	"Then you have only one choice before you."

	They looked on each other before Ranma nodded.  "Yeah."

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 7 of Sanctuary visit (I think!),
"Dear Diary,
	"Well, it's started.
	"This morning, Negako kept me in the furo for about an hour or so as she 
did the first shiatsu treatment to help me be rid of my ailurophobia.  Man, 
it's easier to think of that Latin term instead of using the 'N' word.  And 
believe me, the idea of finally being rid of that fear and the madness that 
comes with it when it gets triggered just fills me with joy.  Still, the . . 
. "

	Ranma paused.  She then sighed as she continued to type:

" . . . the idea of facing what the Jusenkyou guide and Chikage told me 
MIGHT happen when I'm mentally back 'in shape' sends chills down my back.
	"Part of me, even with what I feel now for Ataru, still wants to BE a man 
in my heart and soul.  Would it really matter when this is all over?  What 
would happen to me if I came out of this and still felt I was a guy?  What 
would happen between Ataru and me?  I mean, when we slept together, he 
didn't do anything I'd consider perverted."

	A giggle ran through her.

	"Oh, jeez, if any of those morons from Tomobiki heard that Moroboshi Ataru 
did NOT do something perverted in close company with a pretty girl like me, 
they'd probably think the world was coming to an end.
	"What a bunch of jerks!
	"Just like Akane would think about me, I guess.
	"Stupid, ignorant tomboy.
	"Rinrin was right about that, I guess.  Who the HELL gave Akane the right 
to judge what I could feel?  If I feel anything about that idiot now, it's a 
desire to get back to Nerima, then use a soulsword and make that tomboy's 
precious 'Dou-chan' go bye-bye.  The look on her face when that happens . . 
. "

	She stopped typing.  Gazing at the screen for a moment, Ranma then took a 
deep breath before putting fingers back to keys.

" . . . happens would be priceless!"
	"That requires that I actually LEARN how to make a soulsword.  I've seen 
Ataru and Negako do it, but for some reason, I can't picture in my mind how 
they can manipulate their own body's ki into doing THAT!  Heh!  Isn't that 
something?  Me, Saotome Ranma, who can pick up martial arts techniques on 
the first try -- and I can't get the knack of THIS one!
	"Maybe it's because the soulsword's a KILLING technique?
	"I guess so.
	"And I suppose I can see why learning the soulsword's the last major thing 
one does in learning the basics in Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu.
	"Oh, well, I can wait.  Lots of other things to do first."

	Ranma stopped again to read through what she had written.  A few spelling 
corrections later, she moved to finish the entry:

	"Thinking on Ataru and what's going on between us, I guess Chikage was 
right about one thing, though.  Love, in all its many ways of being 
expressed, really doesn't recognize a person's gender.  And I . . . "

	She paused.

" . . . I miss him.
	"And I miss the sisters, too.
	"I wish they were here.
	"Hell, I wish I was back on Promised Island right now.
	"I miss them all.
	"What does that mean for me?
	"I suppose I'll figure it out soon.
	"I hope."

	Reading that over, she nodded before saving the entry.

*    *    *

	"No day OR night, Aniki?"

	"And no way to keep track of time?  Man, that's rough, Anii!"

	Ataru shook his head.  "No, it wasn't too rough."  The futon Sakuya brought 
into the room was laid out.  Mamoru had brought a second futon -- "Just in 
case!" the athlete explained -- while Rinrin brought her alarm clock -- a 
miniature Mecha-Rinrin with a "02" on the chest; she called it the 
"Prototype Robot Number Two" -- to set up on Ataru's nightstand.  A CD 
player nearby played nature music.  Hinako, asleep, was on the futon, her 
head resting in Mister Bear's lap.  Kaho was asleep beside her.  Sakuya was 
with Karen on Ataru's bed.  "You know, they say time flies when you're 
having fun.  I guess Onee-chan's gonna be keeping Ranma so busy, she won't 
have *time* to notice the time."

	Rinrin shook her head.  "I just can't imagine what sort of temporal 
dynamics must run that place, if at ALL!" she asserted.

	Mamoru groaned.  "Rinrin, ain't there ANYTHING you've never looked at?!"

	She gazed in exasperation at the teen scientist.  Rinrin shrugged.  "I 
haven't studied the Tarot," she quipped.

	"Who said the magic word?"

	Everyone gasped as Chikage stepped out of the shadows, she draped in the 
long, black nun's habit she normally used as pyjamas.  "Chikage, for the 
love of Heaven, do you MIND?!" Rinrin snapped as the young sorceress sat 
beside her.

	"Huh . . .?  Is Onee-tama back . . .?"

	People stared at Hinako.  The youngest of the sisters was blearily looking 
around the room.  "Go back to sleep, Hinako-chan."  Ataru waved her down as 
he gave the sorceress a look.  "Chikage just came to visit and Rinrin got 
upset."

	"Huh . . .?"  Hinako tried to focus on Chikage.  Moaning, she leaned once 
more against Kuma-san.  "Silly Chikage-chan.  'Night . . . "

	The others giggled while Chikage tried not to look annoyed.

*    *    *

	"So what do you think?"

	It was the ninth "day" in Sanctuary.  As part of her training, Negako 
decided to teach Ranma how to express herself in a classic way:  Ukiyo-e 
painting.  Making the woodblock carving for the prints was easy for someone 
who required an exacting sense of distance to help in combat.  Once a "test" 
print was made to ensure her carving was the way she wanted it, Ranma 
quickly produced her first coloured painting.  Inspecting it, Negako quickly 
noted Ranma was a reds and blacks lover.  "A decent interpretation of the 
energy matrices overhead," the grandmaster stated.  "I would dare say that 
with practice, you will equal if not surpass some of the classical masters 
of this art."

	Ranma chuckled.  "I bet you met some of them."

	"Personally, no.  Several of my hosts did meet some of the known experts.  
People like Hishikawa, Hiroshige, Utamaro and Hokusai."  A hum escaped her.  
"I do not remember if any of my hosts ever met Sharaku, though."

	Ranma chuckled.  "Anyhow, I'm going out to do some sketches of the city."  
She picked up a sketchpad and pencils.  "Be back later."

	Negako nodded.  "Take your time."

	Stepping out, Ranma looked around, and then she headed up the street toward 
the city wall.  Arriving there, she hopped up to the flat surface, and then 
she sat down to gaze on the city.  The silence froze her for a moment.  
Unlike other urban zones, Sanctuary was not haunted by "normal" city sounds 
like cars, trains, birds or children.  Shuddering, she laid the sketchbook 
on her lap to do a detailed drawing of the city.  Time became meaningless to 
her as she glanced at a particular building, and then moved to capture it on 
paper.  Soon enough, the sketch was done.  Taking a few minutes to inspect 
her work, Ranma smiled with satisfaction.  "Maybe I should follow 
Hokusai-sensei's example and make thirty-six views of Sanctuary . . . eh?"  
Her eyes widened on noticing an odd colour in a vacant lot nearby.  "What 
the . . .?"

	Hopping off the wall to the roof of a nearby building, Ranma bounded over 
to the next street before dropping to ground level.  Walking toward the city 
centre, she stopped before an empty lot on her left.  Looking at it, she 
noted the absence of plant life save a trimmed layer of blue grass.  She 
then stepped off the street.  She only had to take a couple of steps before 
realizing what was there.  "Graves . . . " she gasped.

	There were eleven mounds.  Given the very nature of Sanctuary, Ranma could 
readily assume that they had been here since the day this place was created 
by the Questors billions of years ago in "real" time.  However, the simple 
wooden poles acting as markers had some of their bark taken away.  The 
underlying wood had been smoothed into a flat plate.  Etched on there were 
several lines in kana and kanji.  Leaning up to one of those posts, Ranma 
read:

Here likes a soldier of the Union of Uru
Who died not knowing the truth of why she fought.
Though we were made enemies by Fate and Circumstance,
I, the unwilling vessel of her Judgement,
Do wish her peace and happiness
In the embrace of Eternity.

	The two kanji at the end of that invocation sent chills down Ranma's back.  
"'Moroboshi' . . .?" she whispered.  "That means . . .!"

	She straightened herself, turning around to leave.  She halted on seeing 
Negako standing on the roadway.  Ranma blinked before walking onto the 
street, and then she looked back on the graves.  "They're the group that . . 
.?"

	"Some were," Negako confirmed.

	"Ataru said there were twelve of them," Ranma said.  "There're only eleven 
graves here.  What happened to the last one?"

	Negako nodded toward the city wall and the timeless void beyond.  "He 
boasted too much about what he did.  Foolish thing to do.  After Ataru 
ripped his horns off, then slit his throat, he pitched the fool over the 
wall.  In front of their very own eyes."  She pointed to the graves.  
"Whatever illusions those fools might have had towards Lum's 'Darling' 
vanished in an instant."

	Ranma paled.  "Man, I can see why Ataru doesn't want to talk about things 
like this to his sisters."  She shook her head before turning toward the 
doojou.

	"This could easily have been you, Ranma."

	The martial artist stopped, gazing on Negako.  "What do you mean?"

	A knowing grin crossed Negako's face.  "I will allow you to contemplate on 
that.  But know this.  I told Lum's cousin Jariten this before he left 
Earth:  'Wars do not make one great.  Wars normally make one *dead.*'"

	She leapt away for the doojou.  Ranma watched her.  She then looked nowhere 
in particular as Negako's words echoed in her mind.

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 10 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"'Wars do not make one great.  Wars normally make one dead.'
	"What did she mean?
	"Ever since I could remember, I was always taught something by Oyaji that, 
even now, I agree with:  'Martial artists live to protect those who can't 
protect themselves.'  That's something I've always strived to succeed in.  
It's a good theory.  It's decent.  Hell, it's RIGHT!
	"Or is it?"

	Ranma shifted her hands from her keyboard.  Taking several deep breaths to 
calm herself as her mind roiled over what Negako said to her the previous 
"day," she returned to typing.  As a new string of characters appeared on 
the screen, her eyes started to glisten with tears.

	"No.  I haven't succeeded in doing that at ALL!  Yes, I've been there when 
people needed help, but most other times, I've fought for the sheer joy of 
fighting.  And what has that ultimately done for me?
	"Nothing.
	"NOTHING!
	"All it's got me is more enemies and rivals than I want to deal with, a 
pack of 'fiancées' who are just impossible to handle, no real respect from 
those of my peers I don't fight on a day-in and day-out basis and . . . "

	A pause.

" . . . and no real friends."

	Another pause.

	"Yesterday, I saw the graves of eleven of twelve Oni warriors Ataru and 
Negako killed here in Sanctuary.  Some of them were involved with what 
really happened to Ataru's grandmother.  One of them, according to Negako, 
boasted about what he did so much that Ataru lost it, then pitched him over 
the wall.
	"Well, I suppose that bastard had it coming.
	"But the rest got a beautiful farewell note from Ataru.  Yes, he killed 
them, but he showed them RESPECT for what they went through.
	"Now, I understand another reason Ataru doesn't want anything to do with 
Tomobiki.  Those people see him in a certain way.  But because Sanctuary let 
Ataru do a heck of a lot more things in the six weeks he had been gone than 
most others could suspect, he . . . "

	Another pause.

" . . . he simply outgrew them.
	"Fate and time forced him to grow up.
	"And that's something people in Tomobiki probably just wouldn't know HOW to 
deal with, I think.  And with twelve sisters on Promised Island to worry 
about, Ataru doesn't want to take the CHANCE of mending fences with people 
like Miyake Shinobu and the rest of them.  Can he trust those people after 
what he's been through?  Can he trust any of them with the knowledge that he 
had sided AGAINST Lum and her people?  Can he trust them to understand he 
had all the right reasons in the world to stand against the Onis?
	"For the sisters' sakes, he can't.
	"And regardless of what he really feels for the people in Tomobiki -- and 
what he really feels for Lum -- that decision hurts him.
	"Badly."

	Ranma stopped, staring at the words she had written.  Wiping her eyes, she 
made some spelling corrections before carrying on:

	"Now I face the same decision.
	"Which path do *I* choose now?
	"I can't be what Oyaji tried to make of me.  I DON'T want to be what Oyaji 
tried to make of me.  I can't be what Mom wants me to be.  And I don't want 
to be what Akane wants me to be.  That doesn't mention what Ukyou, Shanpú or 
Kodachi might want, too.  It's MY life.  And I want to live it.
	"Should I do what Ataru did?
	"Will I have a choice in that?"

	Another pause.

	"No.  There is no choice now.  It IS my life.
	"And if they got a problem with that, that's just too bad.
	"And if I hurt them?
	"Then they get hurt."

	She looked at the diary entry before saving it.

*    *    *

	"The Sun?  What does that mean for Anegimi-sama?"

	"This is the card that marks enlightenment."  Chikage held up the card for 
Haruka's view.  The sorceress and the martial artist had moved into the 
dining room to enjoy some tea.  The Rinrin Viewer was on, Rinrin verbally 
directing the Viewer's Internet link to click on some favoured web pages.  
Aria slept on the couch, leaning into Michael's side.  She came down to be 
with the others in Ataru's room, and then promptly fell asleep on the futon. 
  Haruka carried her into the dining room.  "At this time, it appears that 
Ane-kun has made some profound discoveries about either herself or someone 
she cares for."  A shrug then rolled Chikage's shoulder.  "Ani-kun perhaps?"

	Haruka sighed.  "We may be pushing her too hard, Chikage-chan."

	The sorceress shook her head.  "Perhaps, if this was anyone but Saotome 
Ranma.  I believe the one thing all those who interact with Ane-kun agree on 
is this:  She lives to face challenge.  No doubt, Negako-anekun is doing her 
best to force Ane-kun into new types of challenge."

	Haruka nodded.  "I believe the one thing Anegimi-sama has to learn is to 
separate the good challenges from the bad ones."

	Chikage sipped her tea.  "Experience has taught her that, not to mention 
the many betrayals Ane-kun has faced in her lifetime."

	She set the cup down on the table.  The slight vibration was enough to let 
the top card on the Tarot deck slip off.  Chikage gazed on that before 
flipping the card around.  The Emperor, upside-down.  Chikage's eyes 
narrowed, a thoughtful hum escaping her.  "Is there something wrong?" Haruka 
wondered, and then she gazed on the card herself.  "What does that mean?"

	"It's hard to say," Chikage whispered.

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 12 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"So far, I've completed ten ukiyo-e blocks of Sanctuary.  When I told 
Negako that I wanted to emulate Hokusai-sensei's thirty-six views of 
Fuji-san with thirty-six views of Sanctuary, that got me a big smile.
	"I guess she does have feelings after all.
	"Training in Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu is going ahead.  I've got the main 
'seishin' attacks -- the Psychic Laser Beam, the Psychic Shuriken Storm and 
the Psychic Kusarigama -- down pat.  All it takes to do them is to visualize 
what you want in your mind, implant that desire onto your ki energy, and 
then focus it on the target.  I think learning how to do the Kusarigama is a 
necessary precursor, if not THE necessary precursor, to learning the 
soulsword, but I haven't asked Negako about that just yet.
	"I think I got the basic philosophy of the Art down.  It depends on using 
your TOTAL willpower to make something happen.  Now, in a fight, that's 
often next to impossible, especially if you wind up facing multiple 
opponents, which is normal for me.  And thanks to Oyaji, I couldn't think 
too much beyond the fight before me at the time.
	"Well, now I can evolve from that.
	"I'm going to spend the next while on some meditation, try to stretch my 
ability to sense things beyond the obvious direct threat.  Heh!  If I can do 
that, then I won't need Negako's shiatsu shield to avoid the tomboy's 
tantrums.  Won't she be surprised?  Not that she doesn't deserve it, of 
course."

*    *    *

	The "afternoon" of the thirteenth "day" found Ranma sitting on the apex of 
the tower in the centre of town.  She was in lotus position, her breathing 
shallow and highly regulated as she focused her mind's eye on herself.  
Every step of the way, she pulled her attention away from parts of the 
outside world onto herself.  Every step, parts of her she never really paid 
attention to in the past came into focus.  Her vital organs, muscles and 
skeleton, physical senses, heartbeat, breathing, thinking, her very soul.

	Her soul . . .

	Wait a second.

	Ranma clenched her fists, and then she relaxed herself as her battle aura 
began to flare.  At first a brilliant crimson shade, it then faded in 
colour, morphing to pure gold, and then a brilliant white.  Taking time to 
regulate her breathing, Ranma shifted into a one-knee stance.  She let her 
arms reach out.  Slowly, they came together as if she was grasping the 
scabbard and handle of a sword.  A sword . . . yes.  Think of a sword . . . 
a sword . . .

	Her ki flared.  On feeling something fill her hands, she screamed:

	"***KONTOU!***"

	Her eyes snapped open as she mimed the unsheathing of a katana.  Then they 
focused on what was in her right hand.  They widened in stunned shock on 
seeing her chi form something that looked like a sword.  Unfortunately, it 
was leaking energy to the surrounding air like water flooding the "Titanic" 
after she brushed past the iceberg!  In several heartbeats, the 
proto-soulsword faded into nothingness.  Turning her hand to gaze on her 
palm, Ranma sighed.

	"I did SOMETHING wrong . . . "

	She returned to a sitting position, and then she tensed on feeling someone 
standing behind her.  "That was a remarkable first attempt."

	Ranma looked up to see Negako standing behind her, a bemused smile on the 
grandmaster's face.  "What did I do wrong?"

	"You focused on only one thing, Ranma."

	"Isn't that the way it's supposed to work?"

	"No.  Now try it again."

	Ranma blinked, and then she closed her eyes as she assumed the unsheathing 
position.  Her battle aura flared, soon melting into pure white as she 
focused on her hands.  "Good.  Excellent form."  Negako nodded.  "Now draw."

	"***KONTOU!***"

	The soulsword blazed to life as Ranma got to her feet.  Then it started to 
flare as ki leaked from it.  Negako shifted around to place herself beside 
the blade.  One hand reached for the tip.  She pushed in.  Ranma watched as 
the soulsword MELTED as Negako's hand advanced.  In two seconds, what little 
was left vanished.  Silence fell as Ranma stared at Negako.  "Willpower 
without context is pure, blinding ego, Ranma," the ninjutsu grandmaster 
declared.  "THAT can get you killed if you are not careful.  You need not 
have to see beyond Akane's example to understand that."

	With that, she leapt off the tower.  Making a perfect landing, Negako 
turned to calmly walk back to the dojo.  Ranma remained atop the tower, a 
lost look on her face.  "'Willpower without context' . . . "

	"Why do you think it's called 'the Way of the Supreme LIFE?'"

	Ranma spun around to see whom she at first thought was Negako.  The martial 
artist stopped herself as the newcomer's older looks and more plain clothes 
came into focus.  Her nose then picked up a salty tang in the air around the 
newcomer.  "Who are you?" she demanded.

	"Nokoko, what are you doing here?" echoed from below.

	Ranma looked down to see Negako standing by the base.  She then looked back 
at the newcomer.  "Nokoko?" she whispered.  "You're . . .!"

	"Ataru-chan's older sister."  Nokoko nodded approvingly, she giving Ranma a 
very intense look.  "My, I have to admit, Ataru-chan's taste in girls is 
superb.  Even if you were born a boy.  Eh, Ranma-chan?"  Her eyebrow cocked.

	Silence fell over the tower.

*    *    *

	"So you don't know who it was that bonded Ataru and I, right?"

	Ranma, Negako and Nokoko sat in the living room by the dojo, teacups in 
hand.  "No.  I fell behind Ataru-chan when he was chasing you and your fool 
father back to your campsite outside Uncle's property.  By the time I got 
there, I had half of Uncle's security people protecting me.  In the long 
term, I know as much as anyone else."  The eldest-born of Muchi's and 
Kinshou's children sighed, she giving Ranma an apologetic shrug.

	"So what happened to you after Oyaji took me home?" Ranma asked.

	"I stayed with Uncle Komeru until I turned six.  As a birthday 'present' to 
me, he finally told me about my relationship with Ataru-chan and his 
'parents.'  Well . . . "  She looked down.  "I didn't like hearing that.  
The next thing I knew, a voice echoed in my head, asking if I'd want to meet 
some new friends and try to have a real family to call my own for a change.  
So I left and wound up going to another dimension."

	"Another dimension?!  You mean here?"

	"No.  The dimension I'm talking about is a place most people in our galaxy 
calls 'the Outland.'"  Nokoko smirked.  "It's a quantum hyper-warp pocket, 
between normal warp space and transwarp space.  Only access point in the 
Milky Way galaxy is near planet Elle."  Her smirk turned sarcastic as her 
eyebrow arched.  "Did Ataru-chan tell you about their queen?"

	"The bitch with the hundred thousand guys in deep freeze?"

	"That's her.  I've stayed in the Outland ever since, save for the odd trip 
to Elle or back to Earth.  Brief visits, of course."

	Ranma blinked.  "Why?"

	Nokoko sighed.  "For Ataru-chan's sake and especially for our half-sisters' 
sake, I can't come back home, Ranma-chan.  Not for some years to come."  
Sensing Ranma about to launch into a protest, Nokoko held up a hand.  
"Please!  There's a reason I made that choice, Ranma-chan.  Will you hear me 
out first?!"

	Ranma relaxed herself.  "Why?"

	"You know how succession works in our family, don't you?"

	"Yes."

	"Then you know what might happen if I do suddenly appear alive?"

	"You'd be the next Matriarch.  Matter of fact, I'd say you're over twenty 
now, so you'd be able to take over right away."

	"What happens to Sakuya-chan and the others, then?"

	"Well, they can still be cared for, can't they?" Ranma wondered.  Seeing 
Nokoko shake her head in response, she demanded, "Why not?!"

	"All were born out of wedlock, remember?  In fact, according to Negako, 
those poor girls have been either abandoned or orphaned by their birth 
mothers and stepfathers.  Do you really think people who associate with our 
family would choose a girl like Sakuya-chan over me, the *legitimate* 
blood-descendant of Moroboshi Nagaiwakai?" Nokoko wondered, and then she 
shook her head.  "No, Ranma-chan.  Even if my family has welcomed orphans 
left, right and centre into the overall family, the CORE of the family has 
to remain as 'pure' as possible."

	"Even if our clan, not to mention the others forming the Tenchiaiki 
Juukazoku, were founded to shield 'illegitimate' births from public outcry 
in the first place."  Negako lightly smiled before sipping her tea.

	"What does that mean?" Ranma asked.

	"Have you ever heard of the Empress Shootoku?"

	Ranma shook her head.  "I don't know the name."

	"She was one of the last of the Nara monarchs," the grandmaster explained.  
"In fact, Shootoku was one of the rare rulers of Japan who spent two 
separate periods on the throne.  The first time she ruled, she went by the 
name 'Koken.' It was the second time that influenced the early history of 
our clan, Ranma.  Thanks very much to Shootoku's passionate interest in a 
fellow named Dokyou."

	Ranma held up a finger.  "Oh, wait a sec'!  He was a Buddhist priest who . 
. . "  A pause.  "I remember now!  Damn, I should've paid more attention in 
history classes!  Dokyou was the guy an empress -- Shootoku, right? -- fell 
in love with.  It came to the point where she wanted to make him the 
emperor, but folks hated the idea, so they kicked her off the throne.  Right 
after that, they shifted the capital to Kyoto, right?"

	"Exactly.  But what has never been mentioned in a history book is that 
prior to her reported death, Shootoku managed to . . . "  She sipped her tea 
before she gave Ranma a look.  "Consummate her relationship with Dokyou."

	"They had a baby?"

	"Yes," Negako replied.  "A girl they named Mihei.  In fact, according to 
the old tales that were preserved in the psychic database that eventually 
evolved into me, Mihei was so beautiful, those who wanted to see her dead 
because her existence threatened the Imperial succession vowed they'd rather 
kill themselves than raise a knife against her."

	"So what happened?"

	"It was decided by Shootoku's successor, Koonin, that she, Dokyou and Mihei 
would be banished from the court.  To the public at large, Shootoku and 
Dokyou would be dead.  No mention would EVER be made of Mihei.  But in 
private, they would be allowed to live in peace as long as they never 
revealed their affiliation to the Imperial throne to anyone else.  To better 
facilitate that, Shootoku and Dokyou were adopted into a low-rank noble 
family, the distant ancestors to the modern-day Moroboshi Clan.  And they 
lived to the promise they made to Konin for the rest of their days."

	"What happened to Mihei?"

	"She married the young heir of the family and eventually bore him ten very 
healthy children.  For the time, it was seen as the greatest of miracles 
that none of them succumbed to the many illnesses rampant then.  That 
brought Mihei to the attention of Master Hosan, who at that time served as 
Emperor Kanmu's personal inspector for the noble houses."

	Ranma blinked.  Almost EVERYONE involved in the more esoteric of Oriental 
martial arts these days knew the story of Master Hosan Hirosuke.  Believed 
to have been born five thousand years ago, Master Hosan gained his 
immortality -- as to what sort of immortal he was, that remained a mystery 
-- very young in life.  Gaining an appreciation for the martial arts, Master 
Hosan, over the centuries, came to develop his own personalized school of 
ninjitsu, the Tensei-ryuu.  A servant of the Japanese throne since the days 
of Prince Shootoku in the seventh century, Master Hosan was the one man 
EVERYONE trusted when it came to the paranormal.  That is, until the rise of 
the militarists in the early 1930s.  Horrified that his homeland was being 
forced towards an apocalyptic war with the Americans, Master Hosan 
demonstrated his disapproval in a way that would deny the militarists the 
chance of using Tensei-trained warriors against their foes:  By allowing 
himself to be killed and bestowing his millennia of martial arts knowledge 
to his last student, Major Dean Raeburn of Canada.

	"Did Kanmu know about Mihei being Shootoku's daughter?" Ranma asked.

	"Master Hosan discovered that soon enough.  He then persuaded Kanmu to 
allow things to stand.  In fact, Kanmu and Mihei came to maintain a lively 
-- albeit top secret, of course -- correspondence for the remainder of their 
lives.  It was during that time that Mihei came up with an interesting idea. 
  Since many children were being born out of wedlock among the noble houses, 
why could there not be a place where they ALL could go to live their lives 
in peace?  A place where they could also learn to be active and productive 
assets for Japan as a whole?  Kanmu was intrigued by the concept -- I 
believe Master Hosan persuaded him -- so the agreement that created the 
Tenchiaiki Juukazoku was made.  All of Mihei's children, sons and daughters, 
were the founders of the Ten Families."

	"So that started the whole idea of your family adopting people who were 
orphaned or abandoned because they weren't 'pure,' right?"

	Negako nodded.  "Exactly.  Over the years, the Juukazoku have been forced 
to conform to some set standards imposed on them by outside society.  But 
the primary mission remains.  In fact, in this day and age, with there being 
so much of a struggle between 'traditional' and 'modern' values, our clan's 
primary mission becomes more paramount.  How better to symbolize it than by 
allowing those who were not of 'pure' birth to take control of the family's 
future?  If Nokoko returns . . . "  She indicated her adopted sister.

	"What happens to the sisters?" Nokoko finished.

	Ranma considered that.  "Don't you miss Ataru?"

	Nokoko's eyes hardened.  "Yes, I DO miss him!  I miss him very much.  
Before Negako got pulled out of his head, my fondest dream was to go back to 
Tomobiki and pull Ataru-chan away from Muchi and Kinshou.  I couldn't do it 
at the time though; I was stuck in the Outland dealing with other matters.  
By the time I DID get to Earth, what did I find?  Ataru-chan brainwashed, 
Kinshou just waiting for the chance to get her hands on the family fortune, 
Muchi following along with whatever Kinshou decided, Uncle off 
who-knew-where, and . . . "  She shrugged.  "There was Nagaiwakai on 
Rishiri-tou, acting as if it was totally BELOW her station to go down and 
straighten this whole mess out herself."

	She sipped her tea.  "Didn't you offer to handle this mess?" Ranma asked.

	Nokoko stared at her.  "And what would that have done?"

	"But Ataru was . . .!"

	"Suffering?"  Nokoko's eyebrows arched, and then she shook her head.  "Not 
exactly.  Yes, he was being lied to and manipulated to a certain extent, but 
not suffering, not like you did under Genma.  And Negako-chan was planning 
to go back to him sooner or later, regardless of what she 'promised' 
Kinshou.  We wanted to wait or the right time to move in.  Well . . . "  She 
shrugged before taking a deep breath.  "Lum's arrival complicated matters."

	"Not to mention Nagaiwakai's death," Negako added before sipping her tea.  
"Plus the many questions hovering over the sisters."

	Ranma sighed.  "You guys wanted to do it in such a way that didn't wind up 
hurting the ones you really wanted to help, right?"

	Nokoko nodded.  "Exactly.  Ranma-chan, if I went back when she was still 
alive, Nagaiwakai would've made me the Matriarch-in-Waiting, and then 
abandoned Sakuya-chan and the others without a second's hesitation.  Yeah, 
she could've used the sisters to break up Muchi and Kinshou's marriage, but 
what would that have done?  It would've put those girls through an eternity 
of pain and misery for no real benefit whatsoever.  And you know how 
Ataru-chan eventually came to think of what Muchi and Kinshou did."

	"Nagaiwakai's death cleared matters since Nokoko never bothered to reveal 
she was still alive to anyone, not even Komeru or any of Komeru's wards like 
Yumoa Reigi," Negako added.  "For the sisters' sakes -- and in some ways, 
for Ataru's as well -- Nokoko must remain 'dead' until well after Sakuya 
turns twenty and is made the new Matriarch.  After that, it will be of no 
concern."

	Ranma considered that.  "And because you've obviously got access to some 
powerful stuff -- if you didn't, how the hell could you've come to a place 
like Sanctuary, eh? -- you felt it was more proper to stay away even if Lum 
was busy making hash out of Ataru's life, right?"

	Nokoko nodded again.  "Yes.  I'm not fully human, Ranma.  I was transformed 
the instant I first entered the Outland.  These days, in part, I'm of a race 
who calls themselves 'the Great School of the Nendo-kata.'  Socially, my 
Great School is very advanced and we do our best to bring peace -- what we 
call 'Unity' -- to other species without forcing any of our core beliefs on 
them.  We don't want to provoke something that would bring misery to others. 
  It's wrong.  It flies against our core beliefs."  She sipped her tea.  
"Ranma-chan, if we tried to set matters aright concerning the Urusians and 
their interest in Earth, what might've happened?  I'm sure Ataru-chan's told 
you about all the fun he had dealing with Uru's Imperial sects while he was 
busy learning the Art.  Do you really think they'd tolerate something like 
*that?*"

	"After they helped kill Ataru's grandmother?"  Ranma grimaced.  "No."

	"It hurts me to do this, Ranma-chan."  Nokoko then reached over to squeeze 
Ranma's hand.  "But for my brother's and sisters' sake, I have to do this.  
It doesn't mean that I won't stay away forever.  I will come back to be with 
you guys.  It just can't happen now."

	"Does he know you're still alive?"

	"He knows," Negako replied.  "And it hurts him.  The sisters do not know, 
though Chikage may come to suspect it sooner or later."

	Ranma took a deep breath.  "You don't want me to tell them anything at all, 
right?"  She stared concernedly at Nokoko.

	Nokoko shook her head.  "No, not now.  Let them feel they're in control of 
their lives, Ranma-chan.  It's what they deserve."  A snide smile then 
crossed her face as she added, "And if they have that, then everything the 
rest of those fools tried to force on them will be nothing but hot air.  
After all, they say that living well IS the best revenge, ne?"

	Ranma laughed.  "True!"

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 14 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"'Willpower without context is pure, blinding ego.'
	"I think I understand that now.
	"Telling me that, Negako hinted to me that to properly forge a real 
soulsword, I have to tap into my willpower within 'context.'
	"I didn't understand it at first, but Nokoko-oneechan's visit, the reasons 
she gave me for staying away from Ataru and the sisters, pretending to be 
'dead' to the rest of her family, woke me up to something I've never really 
sat back and thought about.  That I realize it *now,* after so much wasted 
time digging myself into a pit I probably could never had got myself out of 
hadn't the Moroboshis entered my life, hurts me worse.
	"It's my ego.
	"The same ego that prodded me on regardless of the crap that came down on 
my head.  The ego that made me always say, 'Saotome Ranma doesn't lose.'  
The ego that made me learn some of the most ridiculous forms for some of the 
most idiotic reasons conceivable.
	"To think it took me THIS long to wake up to that."

	Ranma sighed, wiping her eyes as she continued to type:

	"I hate myself now.  Rather, I hate what that ego of mine blinded me to.  
I'm not the only one who has it.  Everyone has ego; it's what drives people 
to do what they feel is good for them.  From ego comes confidence, the 
belief that makes my Mooko Takabisha attack possible.  But when one allows 
one's ego to take control of his life, well . . . "

	A pause.

" . . . well, we get situations like Akane, who says that she's a martial 
artist when she hasn't really put her heart into studying the Art.
	"We get situations like the Nujiézú, who believe their way of life is 
perfect and kill anyone who disagrees with them.
	"We get situations like Kunou Tatewaki and Kunou Kodachi, who feel that 
because they're noble-born, they're entitled to anything.
	"We get people like Oyaji -- and Mom, too -- who say they're right when 
it'd be clear to a blind man that they're wrong.
	"And we . . . "

	Another pause.

" . . . we get me.
	"'Never Loses A Fight' Saotome Ranma.
	"'Best Martial Artist in the World' Saotome Ranma.
	"'Won't Refuse A Challenge' Saotome Ranma.
	"Kami-sama, I hate myself!"

	Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks as she finished the entry:

	"I'm gonna stop now.  I think I need to cry a bit."

	She saved the entry.

*    *    *

	"Feeling better?"

	Ranma stared nowhere in particular as Negako placed a bowl of 
ttouk-manduguk before her, it now being the start of the next "day."  
Picking up her chopsticks, Ranma fished out a couple of the flat rice cakes 
to nibble on them.  "Not really.  Part of me wants to quit," she then 
admitted.

	Negako gazed on her.  "Then quit."

	"Is everything so black-and-white to you?"

	"No.  Existence Itself is not black-and-white."  Negako smiled.  "If you 
decide to 'quit,' you must realize that your decision will have a profound 
effect on those who believe they have a place in your life.  If you press on 
the path you are on now, that decision will also have a profound effect on 
those who believe they have a place in your life.  The question you must ask 
yourself at this time is this:  Which path will produce the most positive 
effect, to both yourself and those associated with you?  And are you willing 
to make the necessary sacrifices to your heart and soul to achieve that 
goal?  Or, if neither path can produce what you want . . .?"

	"Find a third path."

	"Exactly."

	"Shit!"  Ranma shook her head, leaning on a palm as she looked nowhere in 
particular as she considered that.  "Well, for one thing, I know I can't 
live in Nerima anymore.  And I don't want certain people in my life from now 
on."

	"Who exactly?"

	"The Kunous, Oyaji and his 'friend' are on the 'out' list. The Nujiézú and 
Jijii aren't bad, now that I understand where they're coming from, but I 
still want to keep them at a distance.  I might be able to remain friends 
with Ryouga.  Ditto with Akane and Ukyou once we get this engagement 
business out of the way.  Kasumi, too.  Maybe Nabiki, but that's a BIG 
'maybe.'  And I'll certainly count Doc Toofuu as a friend.  And Mom . . . "  
She took a breath.  "Well, that all depends on her relatives, I guess.  If 
they're out to manipulate me into earning money just for them, screw 'em!  
I'll walk out on Mom so fast, it'll make all their heads spin.  Though I'll 
hate it . . . "

	"Do you wish to remain a martial artist?" Negako asked.

	Ranma sat back, gazing at the ceiling as she contemplated that question.

	Oh, Kami-sama, that WAS the question, wasn't it?

	"I do . . . " she whispered, "But I don't want to be the type of martial 
artist that Oyaji wanted to make of me.  Fight everyone at the drop of a 
hat, never turn back a challenge, never accept defeat . . . "  Her voice 
trailed off.

	"Even I can be defeated, Ranma."

	Ranma gazed in stunned surprise on her host.  "You're not afraid to admit 
that."  She leaned on the table.  "I could never admit it."

	"You were not allowed to admit it."  The ninjutsu grandmaster crossed her 
hands under her chin.  "And by not being allowed to admit it by those who 
guided you down that path, you left yourself vulnerable to attacks that, 
though not done within the bounds of martial arts, hurt you greatly."  A 
pause.  "What did I tell you before you met Nokoko?"

	"'Willpower without context is pure, blinding ego.'"

	"What is the context then?"

	Ranma looked down at her bowl of stew before she replied, "People."

	"Not just people.  Your environment as a WHOLE.  People do not compose the 
sum total of Existence.  They are only a minute part.  It is only human 
arrogance that makes many presume that people are all that matter."

	"Like bears and sharks and dogs."

	"And cats."

	Ranma started on hearing that dreaded word.  She then blinked as that flash 
of raw terror suddenly faded.  Seeing her reaction, Negako smiled.  The 
younger woman stared at her.  "I guess it's working," Ranma noted with a 
chuckle, she gazing at her hands.

	"Finish your breakfast, and then proceed to meditate," Negako ordered.

	"Okay."  Ranma picked up her chopsticks, grinning at her host.  "Don't tell 
Shirayuki-chan that I did this . . . "

	She fired down the ttouk-manduguk with the same rigorous élan she always 
demonstrated at the Tendous' dinner table.  Negako shook her head as she 
took the empty bowl back.  As Ranma turned to leave, the ninjutsu 
grandmaster called out, "One more thing, Ranma."

	Ranma stared at her.  "What?"

	Negako held up a finger.  "When you understand your environment as much as 
you do yourself, THEN you can forge a proper soulsword."

	The younger woman blinked before nodding.

*    *    *

	"AH-CHOO!"

	The door to the kitchen opened.  "Are you okay, Shirayuki-chan?"  Karen 
peeked in to see the chef hard at work baking muffins.

	Shirayuki rubbed her nose.  "Hime thinks someone's talking about Hime," she 
said before looking into the oven.  "Maybe it's Nee-sama."

	"Probably," Karen mused as she headed back to Ataru's room.

*    *    *

	The sixteenth "day" began with Ranma reclining on the doojou roof, she 
gazing on the energy overhead.  "'Willpower without context is pure, 
blinding ego,'" Ranma muttered.  "Find the context, Saotome.  Find the 
context . . . "

	Her eyes narrowed as she used her ki-vision to pick out what was in the 
space between Sanctuary and the "cap" over the time-chasm.  *Thank the gods 
Ataru showed me how to pick out -- what did he call it?  The Te'a lines?*  
She relaxed.  Her eyes then widened as tiny, spider web-like lines of energy 
appeared in her vision.  "Alright . . . "

	Shifting her hands up as if she was reaching out, Ranma infused her fingers 
with ki.  Instantly, new matrix lines formed from her fingertips to attempt 
to mesh with the surrounding area.  Ranma grunted on seeing patterns shatter 
when they were touched by her own ki.  "Whoops!  That's not right!" she 
muttered before something came to her.  "The Umisen-ken, maybe . . .?"

	Focusing her ki on herself, she moved to match her aura with the 
surrounding air.  To an onlooker, Ranma appeared to slowly fade from 
physical view.  This wasn't the Goshin Buufu, however.  The Body Defence Air 
Cloak was a total-energy chi-cloak, perfected in secret by Ranma, Toshiko 
and Kumiko after the mirror-twins had been freed from the compact.  No, 
doing THAT would probably be as much a disruption to the surrounding 
matrices as a straightforward attack.

Back to basics, then.

	Just a simple Umisen-ken cloak . . .

	Yes . . .

	Ranma tried not to smile as the surrounding air's matrices began to mould 
with her aura.  Okay, first step.  *Let's see if we can change it,* she 
mused as she tenderly projected ki through her fingers into the atmosphere . 
. .

	And then she sighed as the matrices around her arms shattered.

	"Damn, too much force!"

	She relaxed herself, preparing to try again.

	Well, if at first, you don't succeed . . .

*    *    *

	Negako looked up.  The ninjutsu grandmaster stood in the kitchen.  Nodding 
approvingly, she turned back to preparing lunch.

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 18 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"Damn, I haven't concentrated THIS much on perfecting a single martial arts 
form since I learned the Hiryuu Shooten-ha!
	"But I'm getting somewhere.  Right now, I've evolved a variation of the 
Goshin Buufu that would work perfectly in Sanctuary.  I can't test it 
somewhere else, not until I get home, but if it works on Earth, then I'll 
give it the name 'Goshin Eifu.'  I doubt I could perform anything like the 
Goshin Kaze-fu here, though.  I don't want to risk doing something like THAT 
in Sanctuary.
	"Oh, that's right!  I forgot to tell you that Kumiko and Toshiko have 
started creating their own variation of the Sen-ken forms.  They titled 
their personal approach the 'Fuusen-ken.'  I like the name since air can be 
both passive and active.  They wanted to take the best of both the 
Yamasen-ken and the Umisen-ken, and then mix it all together to create 
something unique.
	"From what I've been told by Negako when I discussed this with her last 
night, they've already made progress, mixing the cloaking techniques of the 
Umisen-ken with the more brutal attacks of the Yamasen-ken.  Oyaji and 
Akane's father got a taste of it before I came here to train with Negako.
	"Too bad for them.
	"While I have the twins' permission to use the Fuusen-ken forms, I want to 
make something for me.  The Goshin Eifu is just the first step.  Right now, 
I'm thinking of calling my forms 'Eisen-ken.'
	"That could change.  It depends on what happens next."

	Ranma paused for a moment.  Taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts, 
she put her fingers back on the keyboard.

	"What happens next?
	"I've gone the equivalent of twenty-five days or so as a girl with no 
change back to being a boy -- unless someone's gone and switched me back to 
being a boy when I was asleep and I didn't know about it.
	"Better ask Negako about that first.
	"But if I haven't, that means in the next three days or so -- if my cycle's 
like any other girl's -- I should be facing my first period.
	"My first period.
	"To believe that I have to face THIS of all things?
	"Right now, I say this:  If any girl can live through it, so can I.  And if 
I DO become a girl in spirit and elect to have my curse frozen in place, 
I'll have no choice BUT to face it every month until I reach middle age."

	Another pause.

	"It's funny.  I'm being pretty calm about this.  What will happen to me 
over the next while?  How will it affect me?
	"I wish I could predict it.
	"Oh, well.  Grin and bear it.
	"Better talk to Negako, though."

*    *    *

	"Your first period?"

	Ranma nodded.  "Yeah.  I mean, the longest time I've ever been frozen as a 
girl was twenty days.  That's when Herb froze me with the Chiisui-ton.  What 
Elder Kelun did to me lasted nine days.  So what can I expect?"

	The ninjutsu grandmaster considered that.  "I noticed you wisely packed 
some tampons with you when you came here," she then noted.

	"When I had to deal with Herb, Kasumi told me stuff.  On average, you start 
getting wet the tenth day after the cycle begins.  That lasts eleven days.  
The eighth day of that period's the real bad one.  After that, you go dry 
until you start to menstruate."  A wry smile crossed her face.  "I got wet 
down there right when Kasumi predicted it'd happen.  When I was stuck, I had 
to hide tampons in my backpack and wear panties under my boxers to hold the 
damned things in place.  If Oyaji ever saw them . . . "

	Negako shook her head.  "Fool."

	"How do you handle it, Negako?"

	Silence followed as Negako considered what to say.  "Experiencing 
menstruation is a price I have to pay for having a woman's body, Ranma," she 
replied with a shrug.  "It is as much a function of human biology as sexual 
arousal.  When it comes, I deal with it.  Like many women, I prefer tampons 
when I confront both menstrual and cervical mucus discharge.  Unlike most, I 
use shiatsu in lieu of medication to deal with cramps and other side effects 
of the process.  I will teach that to you over the next few days."

	"Have you ever thought of becoming a mother?"

	"To bear a child?"  Negako glanced at her before shaking her head.  "No.  I 
still require time to fully comprehend the human condition before I could 
consider bringing new life into this world.  To bring life into this world 
is a grave responsibility, Ranma.  Who would I choose as my potential mate?  
Would I be a good mother to my child?  What would my feelings for my child 
be?  Would it be healthy for my child if I raised her?"  A pause.  "And, 
being what I am, would bearing a child make me vulnerable?"

	Ranma squeezed her host's shoulder.  "Emotionally, you mean."

	"Yes.  Emotional attacks are just as vicious, if not more so, than mere 
physical attacks.  You know that as well as I, Ranma."

	"Hai, true."

*    *    *

	"Shirayuki?"

	"Is there something wrong, Chikage-chan?"

	"I recommend you prepare some red beans and rice for Ane-kun when she 
returns from Sanctuary," the sorceress instructed.

	The chef, standing beside the stove in the rotunda's kitchen, considered 
Chikage's words before her eyes widened as it hit her.  "Oh, Hime forgot 
that Nee-sama'll be staying in Sanctuary for a month!"  She nodded.  "Hai, 
Hime'll make some today!  Um, Chikage-chan, do you think Negako-neesama'll 
make some?"

	"Do YOU believe Ane-kun would do something like that?"

	Shirayuki then sighed.  "Hime doesn't think so."

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 19 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"It's happening.
	"I started getting bad cramps after breakfast.  Negako kept me in the furo 
longer today, teaching me how to use shiatsu to moderate the symptoms.  It 
won't make it go away, but it will allow me to function with some normalcy.  
It's not full-blown PMS -- that normally hits between five to eleven days 
before menstruation starts -- but it's close.
	"Felt something like a headache just before lunch.  And when I changed my 
clothes after a spell in the doojou, it felt as if someone stuck a handful 
of knives into my breasts.  More shiatsu in the furo to deal with that, then 
I decided to go topless when I went out to do some sketches.  Heck, no one's 
here save us, so who the hell would notice?
	"Negako tells me this is pretty much normal.
	"Some 'normal!'"

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 20 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"Oh, man!  This is so damned ANNOYING!
	"Girls put up to this crap every MONTH?!
	"Oyaji always said girls were weak!
	"Oyaji no baka!
	"What the hell does HE know?!"

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 21 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"The blood.  Oh, damn, the BLOOD!
	"Kami-sama, why did you force girls THROUGH this shit?!"

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 22 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"The blood's not so bad now, but gods, it's DISGUSTING!
	"Anyone ever tells me that girls are weak, I'll strangle them.
	"Heh!  I'll bet Shan and Elder Kelun would love to see THAT!
	"Akane, too."

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 23 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"Only two more days of this garbage.
	"And then I wait twenty-three more days for it to hit the NEXT time!
	"And this'll last until my mid-FORTIES?!
	"Kami-sama, I've decided.
	"For forcing women throughout time to put up to this crap, not to mention 
forcing ME through this crap, you're FIRED!
	"I want a Megami-sama instead!
	"At least She would understand this and DO something about it!
	"I hate this."

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 24 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"When she was doing shiatsu in the furo with me this morning, Negako told 
me that I'm a very healthy girl.  When I decide to have children of my own, 
I wouldn't have many problems conceiving and bearing them.
	"I almost wanted to hit her for that!
	"One more day.
	"One more day.
	"One more day."

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 25 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"Breakfast was red beans and rice.
	"I actually cried.
	"I never thought Negako had it in her.
	"Even better, she prepared the dish Louisiana Cajun style, which she picked 
up when she travelled to the States a year ago.
	"Damn, it was GOOD!  Spicy, but good!
	"The blood wasn't that bad today.  It's easier to concentrate now.  Looks 
like I'm one of the fifty-to-seventy percent of women who have to deal with 
some sort of PMS, THEN deal with menstruation atop that.
	"Negako assures me that, the next time this happens, it won't be so 
distracting.  I hope, I hope, I HOPE that she's right!"

*    *    *

	"So why are we doing this again?"

	The twenty-sixth "day" found Ranma and Negako in the living room, knitting 
needles in hand as they created a pair of thick wool blankets.  "Part of 
your time with me will not be spent in Sanctuary," the grandmaster stated.  
"I will take you to Noukiios and her older colony worlds so you may see for 
yourself why Ataru ultimately decided to side with them against the 
Urusians.  We are preparing these blankets . . . "  She waved to dozens of 
blankets already done, they folded and sitting in one corner of the living 
room.  "As an offering to the homeless when we make our journey."

	Ranma stopped.  "How long are we going to be there?"

	"Two days."

	The younger woman's eyes widened.  "Won't that affect our going back to 
Earth?  Or can we do some sort of time-travel from here?"

	"Limited.  At most, one could shift him or herself to a maximum of a week 
either forward or backward in 'real' time as it is measured in our 
dimension.  That also depends on the exact conditions between there and 
here," Negako reported.  "And no, it will not affect our return to Earth.  
Besides, there are some people I would like you to meet.  You will 
understand when we arrive."

	Ranma nodded.  "Oh, okay.  How many of these do you want to make?"

	"Two hundred full-sized ones for adults.  Three hundred half-sized ones for 
the children.  We will depart when they are done."

	"Don't rush this, right?"

	"Yes."

	"Gotcha."

*    *    *

Journal Entry, Day 27 of Sanctuary visit,
"Dear Diary,
	"Another world.
	"I'm going to another planet.
	"No, FOUR planets.
	"The first world I'm going to is Noukiios, home to a culture approximately 
five thousand years old.  The culture itself is akin to a mix of Hindu India 
with Three Kingdoms, Koryou and Chosoun Korea tossed in.
	"The other planets -- Okusei, Tunchusei and Kurrusei -- are Noukiios' 
oldest colonies.  They got settled three hundred years ago by Noukiite 
refugees not wanting anything to do with the Urusians occupying Noukiios.  
Many of the settlers eventually became the Ip'ihu, an 'outcaste' society who 
made life REALLY rough for the Urusians for a century.
	"When the Onis got their asses booted off Noukiios, they demanded Okusei 
and the other planets 'back,' ignoring the fact that no Urusian had ever 
WENT to those planets in the damn first place!  The Noukiites told them 
where to stick it and the two peoples have been in a cold war state since.
	"I can't imagine what it'll be like.  To actually walk on another planet.  
One with a different sun, different length of day -- it's a few hours longer 
on Noukiios -- and people who, from how Negako described them, look like 
fair-skinned Klingons from 'Star Trek - The Next Generation.'
	"Damn, I'm excited!
	"I'm going to places I could've never imagined going to not more than a 
year ago!  Damn good thing Negako's got a camera with her; when news of this 
gets out, no one outside Ataru and his sisters will believe a damned word I 
say!
	"Oh, well, it's their loss."

*    *    *

	"So why do you want me to watch the ki patterns, Negako?" Ranma demanded.  
"Aren't we supposed to be going to Noukiios?"

	Negako quietly chuckled.  "Patience, Ranma.  There is method to my madness. 
  Tell me, in the meditations you have engaged in over the last 'week' to 
create the Eisen-ken, have you noticed the many null-time bubbles?"

	She pointed up.  Ranma looked, her eyes narrowing.  "Hey, yeah, I do see 
them!  The little white-ki air bubbles, you mean?"

	"The same."  Negako then stood up, she reaching behind her to draw out 
Mister Bunny.  "Now, observe."

	She crouched to send the stuffed toy flying into the sky over Sanctuary.  
Ranma panicked.  "Hey, Negako, what the hell are you doing?!  You toss and 
lose him, Hinako-chan'll throw a fit for a month!"

	"Patience, Ranma."

	Negako then sent Mister Bunny flying.  The stuffed rabbit soared up to 
about fifty metres.  It then stopped.  Ranma quickly noticed that Mister 
Bunny was trapped in a null-time bubble.  "Okay, it's trapped there!  Now 
what?!"

	"***SEISHIN KUSARIGAMA!***"

	A glowing chain-and-hook formed around Negako's arm, the hook itself in the 
grandmaster's hand.  Glancing up, she let the chain draw out and sent it 
flying.  Ranma blinked on seeing the hook snare another time bubble close to 
the one holding Mister Bunny.  "Watch me, and then do as I do, Ranma.  And 
do it GENTLY!" Negako said as she tugged the time bubble gently over to 
touch the one holding Mister Bunny in place.

	Ranma gaped as the two bubbles suddenly merged as one.  "Oh, man!" she 
breathed out in shocked disbelief.  Then drawing out her own Psychic 
Kusarigama, she got to work.  "How many of them do you want to draw in, 
Negako?"

	"Five hundred-and-one."

	"Why so many?!"

	"You will see."

	"Gotcha!"

	Within thirty minutes -- as Ranma perceived it -- the requisite number of 
time bubbles had been made to merge with the one holding Mister Bunny.  Once 
that was done, Negako ordered Ranma to create a modified Psychic Kusarigama 
Storm.  "Now, observe.  Then be ready to retrieve," the grandmaster said as 
she held up a finger, aiming at the time bubble.  "***SEISHIN HASAI 
HI-KOOSEN!***"

	The Spirit-Breaker Fire-Light bolt sheared through the time bubble like a 
laser through a hot-air balloon.  Ranma blinked at the moment of impact.  
She then gaped on seeing a SHOWER of Mister Bunnies descending toward 
Sanctuary.  "How the HELL . . .?!" she sputtered.  Then, immediately 
realizing why Negako told her to prepare multiple Psychic Kusarigamas, she 
got to work.  In less than a moment, all 501 Mister Bunnies were piled up on 
the ground beside the doojou.  Negako waved Ranma with her to ground level.  
She then took one of the stuffed toys and transported it into the doojou.  
"One for Hinako when we return to Promised Island," she announced on coming 
out.  "The remainder will come with us to Noukiios as gifts to some people 
Ataru knows."

	Ranma glanced skyward.  "How . . .?"

	Negako gently pushed her head so they could gaze into each other's eyes.  
"Time, Ranma, is perception first and foremost."

	The younger woman blinked as Negako moved to bundle all the stuffed toys in 
the blankets they knitted.  "Right."

*    *    *

	"Hinako-chan, why are you awake?"

	Hinako rubbed her eyes.  "Hina just had a really, really, really strange 
dream," she muttered as she sat at the dining room table.

	"What sort of dream?" Rinrin asked.

	"Hina dreamt that Onee-tama somehow helped Usagi-san have babies."

	The others in the room considered that for a moment.  Rinrin shook her 
head.  "You're right, Hinako-chan.  That IS a strange dream!"

	Everyone else nodded as Hinako rested her head on her arms.

*    *    *

	"How does it smell?"

	Ranma's nose crinkled before she glanced up.  "Stale."

	An orange-gold sun, about the same size as Sol, blazed overhead.  The sky 
itself was a brilliant pale blue, though there was a tinge of green in the 
clouds to her right and behind her.  The land itself was quite rugged, 
somewhat like the mountains around Jusenkyou and the Nujiézú village.  The 
trees were similar in shape to what Ranma was used to hiking in the back 
woods of China and Japan, but the leaf colours spanned the spectrum.  There 
were many bare spots in the surrounding landscape, revealing worn, arid 
soil.

	"What happened here, Negako?" she asked.

	"Famine.  It is not as acute here as it is on the colony worlds."  Negako 
waved Ranma down a trail toward a valley about a kilometre away.  "And with 
the new colonies the Noukiites are establishing far from any reach by 
elements of the Urusian military or their colonial militia, the famine 
should vanish within five years or so as more food-producing areas are put 
into production."

	"Don't the Onis know what they're doing to these people?!"

	"No.  The normal Urusian would be horrified on learning such information.  
However, until this war started, the government did as much as it could to 
censor such information in the Urusian press and public media.  Do you have 
your translator with you, Ranma?"

	"Hai."  Ranma tapped the pen-like device slung around her neck.  She then 
grunted on feeling the weight of the massive bundle currently perched on her 
back.  "By the way, how far before we get to where we're going?"

	"Not too far," Negako assured her; she was carrying a similar bundle.  "I 
would not recommend running.  The Lost Stars might interpret it as an 
attack."

	"Right . . .!"  Ranma paused.  "'Lost Stars?!'"

	"Patience, Ranma.  You will see."

	"Hai . . . "

	They proceeded into the valley.  Ranma took the chance to gaze at the 
scenery.  Despite the strange colours and shapes, not to mention the 
splotches of bare soil, this place could be mistaken for one of the rural 
parts of Japan.  Gravity seemed to match Earth's.  The air was breathable 
despite the lack of moisture.  No doubt, they were some distance from any 
large bodies of water.  And the mountains would block the flow of air.  No, 
this part of Noukiios would match some places in North or South America, 
Ranma decided.

	Twenty minutes later, they stepped into a wide clearing.  Set up there was 
a small village, walled in like Sanctuary.  The walls were wood, not 
concrete.  A heliport or something like it sat off to Ranma's right.  The 
trail she and Negako had used to get to this place lead right to the main 
gate.  Standing guard by the gate were two burly, bearded men in camouflage 
fatigues, advanced-looking assault rifles in hand at port-arms.  Both tensed 
on seeing the newcomers.  Then, on recognizing Negako, they lowered their 
weapons.

	"Greetings," Negako hailed as they stopped before the gate, she lowering 
her bundle to the ground.  Ranma did the same.  A quick glance toward the 
centre of the walled village later, the ninjutsu grandmaster asked, "Are the 
girls up to visitors today, Ch'ekaech?"

	"They are, Most Venerable."  The guard to Ranma's left nodded before gazing 
quizzically on her.  "And this is . . .?"

	"Ataru's 'Other,' Saotome Ranma.  A student of mine," Negako stated.

	He smiled.  "Heaven's blessings on you.  Welcome to Noukiios, Venerable 
Ranma.  Please allow me . . . "  Ch'ekaech nodded as he and his friend slung 
their rifles before carrying the bundle off Ranma's back.  "Where do you 
wish this placed, Most Venerable?" he then asked Negako.

	"The blankets are for whatever homeless group requires them.  The stuffed 
animals are for the girls themselves," Negako ordained.

	The guards nodded.  "We understand, Most Venerable."

	Ranma stared at Negako.  "'Most Venerable?'"

	She rolled her eyes.  "Try as I might, I cannot make any of them address me 
as anything but with that particular title.  Their society is, as I warned 
you, more rigidly structured than India's.  In their eyes, Ataru and I are 
considered the equivalent of the Yekhu . . . "

	Ranma nodded.  "Their top caste."

	"The same.  'Venerable' is their form of address to those Yekhu who do not 
serve as anointed priests in their native religion."

	Ranma tried not to grin.  "And 'Most Venerable?'"

	Before Negako could answer, voices squealed "Auntie Negako!" as two little 
typhoons around Hinako's age slammed into her, they sending her to her 
knees.

	Ranma gaped on seeing Negako then rise, she holding twin girls, both 
possessing electric blue hair and blue-green eyes, close to her.  As 
befitting those of Noukiios' highest caste, circular gold dots adorned their 
cheeks.  Their head-ridges were in a crow's feet pattern based above the 
bridge of their noses.  Both were now dressed in the same type of military 
fatigues the guards from the main gate wore, though they did not have any 
noticeable weapon on their person.  One girl wore her hair loose to past her 
shoulders while the other tied her hair in a shaggy ponytail to her waist.  
"Hello, girls," Negako greeted, her voice softening considerably.  
Interpreting the change of tone, Ranma smirked.  Yeah, she could understand 
why Negako was so hesitant on the idea of having her own children.  "How are 
you?  At least you are eating well."

	"How can we eat so well when so many are starving?" the girl sans ponytail 
asked, her eyes falling on Ranma.  "Auntie, who's this?"

	"Ah."  Negako lowered them to the ground.  "She is the one your father has 
been bonded to since he was a child, girls.  Her name is Saotome Ranma.  
'Ye-Neap'ye Yesu-P'ucht'u' in your format.  Ranma . . . "  She waved to the 
twins.  "May I present Ataru's adopted daughters, Moroboshi Reiko . . . "  
She indicated the girl without the ponytail.  "And Moroboshi Kaneko . . . "  
She indicated the girl with the ponytail.  "Two of the Lost Stars of 
Noukiios."

	Ranma took that in, unsure of WHAT to say.  Hearing who she was, Reiko and 
Kaneko smiled.  Finally, Ranma stared at Negako.  "If they're his daughters, 
what are they doing HERE, Negako?!" she demanded, pointing to the ground.

	"Would you abandon your friends if they were fighting a war for their 
race's survival and freedom, Venerable P'ucht'u?"

	Ranma looked through the open gate, surprised to see a mass of girls 
standing there gazing at her.  Some were younger than Hinako by at least two 
years.  Not one Ranma could see appeared to be older than Shirayuki.  The 
one who just spoke to her was a silver-haired, golden-eyed girl about Aria's 
age.  She bore the silver dots of a K'et'hu -- the caste of wandering 
missionaries, second only to the Yekhu in social standing on this world -- 
on her cheeks and a ray of five head ridges on her forehead.  All of the 
girls were dressed like Reiko and Kaneko, none bearing arms.

	She gazed on Negako.  "I'm not going to like hearing this, am I?"

	Negako shook her head.

*    *    *

	Within an hour, Ranma and Negako were secured in the guesthouse, a raised 
structure located near the main gate.  The blankets were quickly separated 
from the Mister Bunny clones and prepared for transport.  As soon as Negako 
told the Lost Stars that the stuffed toys were theirs thanks to Hinako, a 
mad frenzy of girls nearly saw the grandmaster and Ranma's work in Sanctuary 
undone.  Once all the toys were matched with a Lost Star, a plain yet 
well-cooked lunch was prepared by a smiling platinum-haired girl Kaho's age 
who reminded Ranma of Kasumi.  "Chyek, did you remember to not serve foods 
that are not compatible to Terrans?" Negako wondered as Ranma drew 
chopsticks.

	"Yes, Most Venerable."  Ei-T'e Yesu-Chyek then gazed apologetically at 
Ranma.  "There isn't much to spare for visitors, Venerable.  I'm sorry."

	"Oh, heck, please!  Don't worry about it."  Ranma smiled, drawing up a 
strip of brownish-grey meat from the bowl to nibble on it.  "Hmm.  Odd 
taste," she mused before taking down the rest.  "What is this, anyway?"

	"Nat'echinai stew," she explained.

	Ranma heard "opossum" instead of the nicer-flowing Noukiite word thanks to 
her language translator.  "Opossum stew?!  Well . . . "  She brought up 
another slice of meat to nibbles on it.  "I've had a lot worse.  It's good."

	Chyek blushed before looking over as Reiko and Kaneko walked in, both 
carrying Mister Bunny clones.  "Mama, could you tell Auntie Hinako when you 
get back to Earth that we really appreciate her presents!" Kaneko said.

	A funnel of half-chewed stew burst from Ranma's mouth.  "***WHAT DID YOU 
JUST CALL ME?!***" Ranma shrilled, she making warding signs with her hands.

	Their eyes instantly began to tear.  "B-but you're b-bonded to Papa!"  
Kaneko sniffled, she pointing to Negako.  "Auntie Negako said you were 
bonded to Papa!  That means you and Papa are going to marry!  Wh-why don't 
you w-want us to call you 'Mama' . . .?!"  She then started to cry.  Reiko 
joined her.

Ranma's bluster instantly crashed.  When it came to the waterworks, Reiko 
and Kaneko were Aria times two, magnified to the hundredth degree.  "Oh, man 
. . .!"  She deflated.  Staring at the weeping Noukiite pre-teens, she 
sighed, and then placed her plate down.  "Oh, c'mere . . . "  She reached 
over, drawing them into her arms.  Sensing her warm embrace, the twins 
sniffled, and then they moved to cuddle, allowing their stuffed toys to fall 
to the floor.

	Chyek gazed quizzically at Negako.  "Most Venerable, why is the Venerable 
One so hesitant on the idea of marrying the Euk Hisehek and adopting P'yeknu 
and At'nu as her daughters?" she asked.

	Ranma blinked.  The translator did not work on "Euk Hisehek" -- it allowed 
its wearer to hear the Noukiite words -- though it did translate the 
Noukiite names as "Reiko" and "Kaneko."  "Ranma is unique as would-be 
spouses come," Negako then replied.  "Give her time."

	Chyek sighed.  "If you believe so."

*    *    *

	"Anigimi-sama, are you alright?"

	Ataru sat down at the dining room table.  He seemed to be distant for a 
moment, and then he flashed Haruka a reassuring smile.  "I was just thinking 
about something, Haruka-chan.  It's alright," he assured her.

	"Aniue-sama, would you want some tea?" Marie asked.

	"Sure!  Some of your cherry tea?"

	"Alright!"

	Marie stepped out of the room to head into the kitchen.  Ataru sighed, 
sitting back in his chair.  Looking over to where Hinako was sleeping on the 
couch beside Aria, he took a deep breath.  So beautiful.

	So much like Reiko and Kaneko . . .

	Reiko.  Kaneko.

	Damn it!  How was he supposed to explain THEM?

	"Oh, by the way, did you girls know you're AUNTS now because I adopted a 
pair of Noukiite girls as my very own DAUGHTERS?"

	After they got over the shock THAT would unleash, he would then have to 
explain why their seven-year-old nieces were off fighting the war against 
Uru.  And that wasn't in a support role, but actually in the front line of 
battle!

	How . . .?

	"Ani-kun?"

	He looked up to see Chikage gazing at him.  "What is it, Chikage-chan?"

	Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, she leaned down to whisper, "I 
would like to meet them sometime soon, Ani-kun.  So would the others once 
you tell them of our nieces.  You have nothing to fear, Ani-kun."

	She walked away.  Ataru watched her before turning to look at his hands.

*    *    *

	"Venerable?"

	Ranma turned to see the silver-haired K'et'hu girl she had first seen when 
the Lost Stars as a whole confronted her and Negako at the front gate 
standing at the door.  Shushing her, the former pointed to the sleeping 
girls on a futon, both clutching their Mister Bunnies.  The girl nodded, 
waving Ranma to follow her.  In a minute, they arrived at another hut, this 
one looking more lived-in.  "This is where you live, Sister?" she then 
asked.

	The girl stopped, her cheeks flaming.  "V-v-venerable!  You don't need to 
address me as *that!*  I haven't taken any vows!" she stammered.

	Ranma laughed, sitting down beside one futon.  The girl relaxed beside her. 
  "Sorry, but being called 'venerable' all the time'd drive me up the wall!" 
  She waved to herself.  "I haven't done anything to earn that sort of 
title."

	She considered that for a moment.  "I'm sorry.  But in my culture, respect 
for those born of a higher element of the Ten Orders must be shown.  Though 
many of us do envy the social and cultural equality the Ip'ihu project, we 
fear doing something which could threaten our advancement to the next life 
when we face the Ch'uoeuk."  Ranma knew "Ch'uoeuk" served as the posthumous 
title of the founder of Noukiios' first worldwide dynasty, Muchach.  A 
thoughtful look then crossed the young girl's face as she offered her hand.  
"Forgive me.  My name is K'e-Nuk Yeho-Niap'yeng.  It's an honour to meet 
you, Ven- . . . "  She stopped on seeing an annoyed look cross the older 
woman's face, and then she smiled.  "Ranma."

	"Niap'yeng," Ranma repeated her given name, hoping she got the burst of air 
on the "p" right, plus enunciating the "ng" as it might be said in Korean, 
with a slight "g" sound.  She grasped Niap'yeng's hand to draw it close, 
which made Niap'yeng shift onto her lap.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, too. 
  So how the heck does a cute girl like you wind up fighting for your 
planet?"

	Niap'yeng stared at her before forlornly sighing.  "How much has the Most 
Venerable One told you of us, Ven- . . .?  Er, Ranma?"

	"Not much, but I can see through your auras that you've been through quite 
a lot."  Ranma cradled her as she gave Niap'yeng a knowing look.  "And I can 
tell you've all been to Sanctuary.  Is that where you met Ataru and Negako?"

	"Yes.  We were the victims -- or if you wish, the *beneficiaries* -- of an 
evil plot to create a group of metahuman-powered Naihu warriors to be 
indentured across the Galactic Federation."  Hearing that, Ranma nodded.  
The Naihu were Noukiios' slave caste, though in pre-Occupation society, they 
served along the lines of the English concept of "gentleman's gentleman" or 
"lady's lady-in-waiting."  "Most of the Lost Stars were abandoned at birth, 
left to die because their families couldn't support them due to famine or 
poverty.  Some, such as I, were kidnapped from our families to fill the 
quotas our 'dealers,' who styled themselves 'the Masters of Noukiios,' 
needed to fill."

	Ranma blanched.  "What happened?"

	"Well, when the war with the dog people . . . " -- Ranma knew that was a 
common Noukiite way of addressing the Urusians -- " . . . started, the 
government drafted us.  The Masters tried to keep us under their control, 
but they were put to death by the Inquisition, aided by the Most Venerable 
One and your soul-mate."  Niap'yeng ignored the blush crossing Ranma's face. 
  "When your soul-mate announced his intention to persecute the Imperials 
responsible for his grandmother's death, the Dominion offered their 
assistance.  In repayment of that, the Most Venerable One offered to train 
us in Sanctuary so we can help the Dominion's cause against the Urusians and 
bring the war to an end."

	Ranma considered that.  "Yeah, I can see that.  What about Reiko-chan and 
Kaneko-chan?  How'd Ataru end up adopting them?"

	Niap'yeng sighed, she gazing at her hands.  "P'yeknu and At'nu are very 
unique.  They're both bioroids, Ranma.  Purpose-built from the DNA of some 
of Noukiios' greatest heroes, emperors and philosophers, all mixed 
together."

	"'Bioroids?!'  Like Negako?"

	"Yes.  Their creators wanted to give Noukiios living symbols of what makes 
us who we are, symbols that could help us finally overcome the pain and 
misery the Urusians left behind.  They simply tricked the Masters into 
paying for P'yeknu's and At'nu's creation.  It . . . "  Niap'yeng stopped to 
take a deep breath.  "It's been hard for them, though.  The DNA that went 
into P'yeknu and At'nu had to be taken from the graves of their 'parents,' 
but grave robbing of any sort is a capital crime on Noukiios.  So . . . "

	"So they needed to be adopted by someone who wouldn't look down on them 
because of how they came into this world, right?"

	"Yes."

	Ranma sighed.  "So when did it happen?"

	"After your soul-mate had his encounter with those dungheap-dog 
Niphentaxians."  Niap'yeng made a face.  "When he returned to Sanctuary, he 
was on the brink of a total nervous breakdown.  We . . . "  She closed her 
eyes as echoes of pained screams reverberated through her mind.  "We helped 
as best as we could.  P'ye and At'nu most of all.  Eventually, he came out 
of it.  And as he did, he started to call P'ye and At'nu 'musume-chan.'  
When the Most Venerable One told them what that term meant, P'ye and At'nu 
knew they had found someone who could adopt them as his children.  When our 
training with the Most Venerable One was complete, her brother formally 
adopted them."

	"But they had to come back here to help end this war, right?"

	"Yes.  Your soul-mate didn't want them to come back here, but to return 
with him to Earth to be with him and his sisters.  Many of us felt it 
wouldn't be right, either, especially now that P'ye and At'nu now had a 
family to call their own.  But . . . "  Niap'yeng shrugged.  "They just 
couldn't envision leaving Noukiios once and for all while we were still 
fighting the Urusians.  So they came back with us to help us finish the 
war."

	"They WILL go back to Ataru, won't they?"

	"When it's all over, yes."

	Ranma breathed out.  "That's good.  I mean, they're both sweet girls and 
all.  I . . . "  She paused.  "Ataru never told me about them."

	Niap'yeng sighed.  "I would not blame him for that."

	Both perked on hearing someone, turning to look as a crimson-haired girl 
Niap'yeng's age walked up.  "Nia, we've got a problem."

	"What is it, Han?" Niap'yeng asked.

	"Our friends on Okusei received a message from across the line," Han -- her 
full name was Eyu-Teo Yeho-Hanak'at' -- reported, eyes sparkling with 
excitement.  "Seq Yethis is still alive!  As are his sister and his niece.  
They fled to Machibusu after Onishuto was destroyed.  A group's preparing to 
try to get them.  They want us to help out."

	Niap'yeng's eyes widened.  "Still alive?!  I thought all the major leaders 
of the Imperial Round were accounted for by P'ye's father!"

	Hanak'at' shrugged.  "Who could identify bodies after Onishuto was 
atomized, Nia?  The sighting's been confirmed."

	Niap'yeng considered that.  Ranma stared at her, and then at Hanak'at'.  
"Did he have a hand in what happened to Ataru's grandma?"

	Hanak'at' gazed at her.  "He had a hand in a LOT of things concerning your 
kind, Venerable.  He was the one who slipped in a clause in the First Tag 
Race agreement that would've forced another tag race onto the people of 
Earth if P'ye's father was killed or permanently crippled, even AFTER the 
original race was done.  He and his kind have dreamt of conquering your 
planet, just like they dreamt of re-conquering us!  In his eyes, Venerable, 
your people are the 'uo-t'ich.'  And before this war started, he was the 
chief-of-staff to the Urusian President himself!  What do you think we 
should do?!"

	"Han's right, Ranma."  Niap'yeng sighed.  "If Yethis is allowed to live, 
then he could reconstitute a government that would present a threat to your 
people and mine.  He has to be eliminated.  Quickly."

	Ranma considered that before a sigh escaped her.

*    *    *

	Night came.  Ranma relaxed on the roof of the guest hut inside the village, 
gazing on the stars.  The star pattern was different from what she was used 
to on Earth, but some of the constellations were recognizable.  Another big 
difference between this world and Earth was the absence of a moon, though 
there were a pair of -- she assumed this -- large planets visible in the sky 
off to her left.  Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she shuddered as her 
conversation with Niap'yeng's and Hanak'at' replayed in her mind.

	Damn, was THIS ugly or WHAT?!

	Young children -- both of who should be with their families, playing with 
each other and their friends -- forced to fight a war.  And there they were, 
calmly discussing ways of KILLING somebody with the same tone of voice 
others would use to discuss going to a movie or buying some cosmetics at the 
local beauty salon.  Yeah, this Seq Yethis sounded like someone who clearly 
had no sense of honour.  And he clearly was someone who was not just a 
threat to Niap'yeng's people but to Ranma's.  But still . . .!

	"Ranma?"

	She looked left to see Niap'yeng standing beside her.  "I needed some time 
to think to myself, Nia-chan," she whispered.

	She blushed on hearing Ranma give her the "-chan" appellation with her 
"pet" name.  She then sat beside her.  "It has to be done, Ranma."  She 
stared at the stars.  "For the sake of millions -- on my planet, on yours -- 
and yes, on Uru, too -- he has to die."

	"Why can't you just capture him and put him on trial?  Make him admit what 
he did wrong in a court?  That could hurt."

	Niap'yeng shook her head.  "If we did that, Ranma, he could do all sorts of 
things that would hurt us both in the short and long term.  He's THAT 
committed.  He's THAT convinced he's right.  No attempt at persuasion will 
help, not now."  She took a breath.  "If we make him disappear, make his 
final fate a mystery, the Imperial cause will be dealt a crippling blow.  
That is what we want, Ranma.  We don't want to kill every Urusian alive.  To 
do THAT is a hideous crime before the Ch'uoeuk and we would be damned to the 
lowest level of the Ten Orders for it.  Just like the fellow who took that 
annihilation bomb into Onishuto.  P'ye's father told you about that, didn't 
he?"  Seeing Ranma nod, she continued, "Yes, he was able to destroy the 
whole Urusian government machinery, but millions of innocent people died, 
too.  That he did that . . . "  She shuddered.  "That he would do that would 
make me pray for the salvation of his soul and the souls of those who helped 
him, for the Ch'uoeuk will not show him any mercy when he faces judgement at 
the Pool of Reincarnation."

	Ranma nodded.  "Is Negako going with you guys?"

	"Yes, she is.  Do you want to come?"

	"I guess I should.  And for that . . . "  She sat up.  "I best get in some 
practice before going to bed tonight, Nia-chan."

	"Practice in what . . .?"

	Her eyes widened in shock as Ranma vanished before her.

*    *    *

	Ranma smiled as she felt her body slip into the embrace of the Goshin Eifu. 
  She then stopped on seeing Niap'yeng frozen in place, her eyes wide as her 
jaw seemed to drop toward the roof.  "What the . . .?" she blurted out 
before taking a detailed look around.

	What the . . .?

	Holy . . .!

	Oh, gods, this was JUST not POSSIBLE!

	EVERYTHING . . .?!

	"Now do you understand, Ranma?"

	Ranma gasped, spinning around to see Negako sitting on the roof nearby, a 
bemused smile on her face.  "NEGAKO?!  Jeez, you're just as . . .!"  She 
stopped to look at her hand.  "Negako, what did I just do?!" she then 
demanded.

	An eyebrow arched.  "Remember what I told you in Sanctuary, Ranma?"

	Ranma considered that before a surprised grin crossed her face.  "'Time is 
perception first and foremost.'  Then that means . . . "

	"By mixing your ki with the energy of Sanctuary, you've given yourself the 
ability to, for brief periods, step completely outside of linear time," 
Negako explained.  "And I emphasize BRIEF periods.  If you do this TOO often 
. . . "

	She held up a warning finger.  "I could be stuck here forever, right?"

	"Exactly."

	"Ranma, why did you do that?!"

	Ranma screamed, spinning around to see a mildly annoyed Niap'yeng glaring 
at her.  "What the HELL?!"  She nearly backed into Negako before turning to 
face the ninjutsu grandmaster.  "H-how the heck . . .?!" she sputtered.

	Negako wryly chuckled.  "Niap'yeng has the ability to temporarily shift 
herself out of linear time herself.  She has the added advantage of being 
able to shift herself forwards and backwards through time."

	Ranma blinked, blinked again, and then she sighed.  "Oh!"

	Niap'yeng giggled.

*    *    *

	The next morning saw a group of Lost Stars, including Reiko, Kaneko, 
Niap'yeng, Hanak'at' and Chyek, plus Ranma and Negako, board a 
clunky-looking starship for Okusei.  The ship blasted off from the village, 
soaring into orbit without any noticeable side effects on her passengers.  
Glancing out a view port in one of the ship's recreation lounges, Ranma 
sighed as Noukiios, a water-bound planet with two Asia-sized continents, 
they shaped somewhat like the two Koreas as if they were separated by a 
narrow sea where the DMZ would be, plus many island archipelagos, receded 
from view.  As soon as the ship entered warp, she relaxed.  "Man, I'll be 
glad when this is over with . . . "

	"Mama?"

	She perked, turning to see Reiko and Kaneko standing there.  "What is it, 
girls?" she asked, beckoning the twins to approach her.

	Both sat down to either side of her.  "Mama, we made these for Papa's 
sisters."  Reiko held up a computer chip.

	"What's this?"

	"It's a replicator code-chip," Kaneko explained.  "Auntie Negako can help 
you work it when you get back to Sanctuary.  It'll create sets of formal 
noukik'eng for our other aunts.  We . . . "  She looked down.  "We can guess 
that Papa hasn't told his sisters about us.  But no matter what, we want to 
care for them as much as Papa cares for them."

	Ranma considered that.  She then smiled, slipping the chip into her jersey 
pocket.  "Don't worry."  She reached over to draw the twins into her 
embrace.  "I'll make sure they get it.  When this is all over . . . "

	"We'll be together as one family," Reiko finished.

	Silence fell as Ranma reflected on what Reiko said.  She then nodded, 
leaning down to kiss their foreheads.  "Yeah.  One family."

*    *    *

	Within two hours, the ship arrived in orbit over Okusei.  Staring at the 
planet, Venus' size, Ranma was stunned to see the visual differences between 
here and Noukiios.  Most of Okusei's landmass, broken up into a dozen 
Greenland-sized continents in a planet-wide ocean, was a brownish-grey, not 
the lush green of Noukiios.  If that was the consistency of the planet's 
surface . . .!

	Negako stepped up behind her.  "Terrible, is it not?"

	Ranma breathed out.  "Bad?"

	"Very.  Look."  Negako pointed to their right.

	Ranma watched as the ship drifted alongside what appeared to be an orbital 
docking station, like the one from the first "Star Trek" movie near the dock 
where the "Enterprise" had been refitted before her encounter with V'ger.  A 
glass-lined lounge was located beside the docking collar.  Staring into it, 
Ranma blanched on seeing a sea of living skeletons in bare rags.  Men and 
women of all ages, children . . .!  Oh, gods, the CHILDREN . . .?!

	The martial artist spun around and raced to the nearest washroom, a hand 
covering her mouth as nausea overwhelmed her.  Negako watched her, and then 
she sighed, staring at the station.  "Not as pretty as you would think, eh, 
Ranma?"

*    *    *

	The ship took on a battalion's worth of Ip'ihu irregulars and two companies 
of Dominion Marines, the Noukiites' elite shock troopers below the Lost 
Stars.  Once aboard, the leader of the strike force, a wizened brigade 
commander Genma's age, called everyone together for a meeting in the ship's 
largest lounge.  Ranma and Negako were invited along, the grandmaster doing 
the introductions.  On hearing Ranma's "relationship" to Ataru, Eyu-Uch 
Chuho-Nakseuch grins.  "So you are the one the Euk Hisehek bonded with?"  He 
gave Ranma a firm squeeze of the hand.  "We've heard of his so-called 
'girl-hunts' even on Noukiios.  It's nice to see that his taste in ladies is 
so high."

	Ranma flustered, embarrassed that she was seen as THAT in the soldier's 
eyes, yet she felt . . .!  Complimented?  "Um, y-yeah!"

	"Oh, it's quite alright, child."  Nakseuch chuckled before staring 
concernedly at Negako.  "Most Venerable, did young Niap'yeng speak the truth 
to me earlier on about the Venerable One's ability to step clear of linear 
time?"

	Negako nodded.  "Yes, she does speak the truth.  Unlike Niap'yeng's power, 
however, Ranma's is not based on alterations of her DNA, but her ability to 
manipulate her very own life-force to do what she desires."

	"Indeed?"  Nakseuch grimaced.  "Good.  We've heard reports that some 
scientists from the Urusian Defence Chronology Institute -- those who 
survived the Euk Hisehek's attack some weeks ago, I should add -- might be 
trying to develop defences against our manipulating time to our benefit.  
They're unsubstantiated, but one can't run the risk."

	Ranma perked up on hearing that establishment's name.  "You mean the stupid 
jerks that helped Pochik Ando kill Ataru's grandmother?"

	The Noukiite nodded.  "The same.  One of the goals of our current conflict 
with the dog people is to see to it that all commercial use of time-travel 
devices -- 'spacializers' as they call them -- is put to a stop.  What 
happened to the Most Venerable Lady Nagaiwakai is just an example of what 
their kind could do to every race in the galaxy and beyond if they're not 
checked."

	Ranma shuddered as Nakseuch's words sank in.  "Damn!"  She crossed her 
arms.  "If they succeeded in screwing around with history . . . "

	"Many would be affected across a dozen worlds," Negako finished.

	"So how can I help if these guys did what the general just said?" Ranma 
demanded.  "I can't slip from one time-frame to another like Nia-chan.  I 
CAN step out of linear time, but everything around me freezes . . . "  Her 
voice trailed as her eyes widened.  "Oh."

	Nakseuch grinned.  "Exactly."

*    *    *

	Another two-hour trip finally brought the ship to Machibusu.  Gazing on the 
planet, Ranma whistled.  "Man, THAT'S different."

	"Indeed it is."  Niap'yeng walked up beside her as they stared on the 
pink-orange hued world.  Electric blue seas, some as big as the 
Mediterranean, dotted Machibusu's surface, but there were no oceans like the 
ones found on Earth, Noukiios or Okusei.  Taking a closer look, Ranma 
quickly picked out the fair-sized cities hugging the shores of those seas.  
"This is one of their larger food-producing worlds, Ranma.  With what is 
made here, the Urusians have more than enough to sustain their people, plus 
export the surplus elsewhere," the young Noukiite explained before she gazed 
on the martial artist.  "Why then do they seek to deprive us of the ability 
to sustain our own people?"

	Ranma shuddered as she tried to consider how to answer.  The arrival of 
Nakseuch and Negako cut that short.  "The intelligence forces here have 
located Yethis and his relatives," the grandmaster reported.  "They have 
hidden themselves in a farming village near the planetary capital."

	Ranma stared at her.  "That was pretty quick!"

	"Clearly, someone in the general's party is sympathetic to our cause."  
Nakseuch chuckled.  "Not all Urusians are 'dog people' as we term them, 
Venerable.  Many of them are descent of commoner families who were made to 
resettle on our planet during the Occupation.  We have always treated them 
with the respect they deserve even if their own government at times views 
them as traitors to the Urusian 'cause.'"

	Ranma considered that before nodding.  "So what do we do?"

*    *    *

	Twenty minutes later -- after Ranma's first ride via matter-quantum 
transporter; it made her feel like someone had infused her body with a sea 
of ants for about five seconds -- found her and Negako, both presently 
masked by the Goshin Buufu, sneaking into a village about the same size as 
the Lost Stars' home base.  The differences between Niap'yeng's current home 
and the village here were stark.  Everything appeared to be pre-fabricated, 
either reinforced plastic or some form of stainless steel.  All the houses 
sat on stilts, the main floors ten metres or so off the ground.  That made 
sense.  Most Oni-Urusians could fly and those who couldn't could be given 
anti-gravity belts with thruster jets to compensate.  "Where're the folks 
who live here?" she asked Negako as they placed themselves under the 
overhang of a family home.

	"In the capital city being processed by the occupation forces," Negako 
reported.  "Another goal the Noukiites seek in this war is the destruction 
of the colonial militia forces who've raided Okusei, Tunchusei and Kurrusei 
since the Union Revolution two centuries ago.  It has resulted in the 
near-extermination of whole towns on this world."

	Ranma paled.  "But . . .!"

	"Ranma, remember what I told you about wars?"

	Silence fell as she considered that.  "Right . . . " she drawled.  "Wait!"  
Her eyes focuses on a building, built of the same design as the village's 
other structures, located near a line of pink-leaved trees.  "Someone's 
there."

	Negako looked.  "Good.  Shall we pay them a visit?"

	"Let's go."

	The two slipped into the open, casually making their way to the hut. Given 
their presently being hidden under a total-ki shield, there was no fear of 
anyone spotting them.  Even better, the grass was cut low, thus no tall 
stalks could get in their way or rustle when they walked amongst them.  
"Negako, this is too easy," Ranma warned as they came within ten metres of 
the hut.

	"Perhaps.  Then again, the Onis are too addicted to technology to worry 
about this," Negako said with a smirk before her eyes widened.

	"What's wrong?"

	The ninjutsu grandmaster stopped, her eyes narrowing as she focused her 
senses on the hut.  "Interesting . . . " she mused.

	"What?" Ranma prodded.

	"Ranma, do you remember what Yedris and Sugoi look like?"

	"Um, yeah!  What about them?!"

	"Use the Goshin Eifu to get in there, and then carry them out.  When you do 
get to them, strike them here . . . "  Negako pointed to an area on the back 
of her head, an inch above where the skull joined the spine.  "Before 
handling their bodies.  I will explain why later.  Go now!" she ordered.

	Ranma nodded, concentrating as she shifted from the Body Defence Air Cloth 
to the Body Defence Cloth of Eternity.  Everything around her froze in place 
as she raced to the hut.  Getting there, she noticed an open hatchway 
leading into the lowermost floor.  Leaping inside was child's play.  Once 
there, she looked around before relaxing as she switched to the Goshin 
Buufu.  With that, she perked on hearing voices.  Finding stairs, she headed 
to the upper floor.

	" . . . very unsafe for you and your family here, General."

	The speaker was a burly Oni soldier, he presently standing by a window.  
There were a half-dozen others like him in the room, along with three other 
people.  Seq Yethis reminded Ranma of a green-haired Oni version of Abraham 
Lincoln, though he also wore glasses.  Seq Yedris was Nodoka's age and every 
bit as beautiful, though she wore her hair loose to her waist.  Seq Sugoi, a 
girl Rinrin's age, was a slender teen about to blossom into womanhood.  
Unlike her mother and uncle, Sugoi had one horn on her head, just above the 
point where Ranma had to strike her . . .

	Wait!

	*Well, I'll be damned!  They're just like Kimiko-chan!* she mused before 
turning back to the conversation as Yethis moved to reply.

	"There's no need to concern yourself, Captain."  He smiled, turning to look 
out the window.  "The Noukiites have been VERY lucky of late, but they're 
not the warriors they like to think they are.  One strong strike against 
them would send them reeling back past *our* colonies, then we'll show them 
who are the REAL warriors in this galaxy."

	Ranma scowled.  *Jeez, this asshole's like Kunou!* she snorted before her 
eyes widened as an idea popped into her head.  With that, she allowed the 
Goshin Buufu to shift back to the normal Umisen-ken cloak.  "Let's test that 
theory of yours, General!" she then called out.

	Everyone screamed out on hearing that alien voice as Ranma shifted into the 
Goshin Eifu.  The screams faded into total silence as she yanked the weapons 
out of the troopers' hands to shatter them.  They wound up in a pile on the 
floor.  Over to Yedris and Sugoi.  Shiatsu strikes to the backs of their 
heads, and then Ranma called out, "Negako!"

	"Bring them downstairs!" Negako ordered from the lower floor.

	Ranma grunted as she carried Yedris to the stairwell.  "Sorry about that, 
ma'am!" she apologized as her hands brushed past the older woman's bust.  
Once Negako had her, she went back to Sugoi.  Once she was passed down, 
Ranma shifted to the Air Cloth.  Everything went back to normal.

"Hey!" the captain screamed out, finding himself without a rifle, and then 
he looked around in desperation.  "What the hell . . .?!"

	"Who was that?!" Yethis demanded before he noticed two people missing from 
the room.  "Yedris?!  Sugoi?!  What the . . .?!"

	"That was me!"

	Ranma dropped the Goshin Buufu.  The Onis spun on her, stunned to see a 
TERRAN here.  "Who are you?!" Yethis demanded.

	"Name's Saotome Ranma, Yethis."  She smirked, her battle aura flaring.  
"Just in case you were wondering about your other Imperial pals in Onishuto 
and elsewhere, I got a news flash."  She tensed.  "Moroboshi Ataru killed 
them!"

	Yethis' eyes went wide.  "Moroboshi . . .?!"

	"Yeah!"  Ranma nodded as ki coalesced in her hands.  "***KACHUU TENSHIN 
AMAGURIKEN KITEI!  SEISHIN SHURIKEN TAIFUN!***"

	A storm of ki bolts slammed into the troopers protecting Yethis, sending 
them flying through the window to crash-land on the ground beyond.  Suddenly 
finding himself alone, the general moved to flee.  A Psychic Kusarigama 
snared his legs to yank him back to make him kiss Ranma's fist.  He dropped 
to the floor, blood showering from a broken nose and shattered teeth.  
Ranma's foot then slammed into the back of his head to keep him down.  She 
then allowed ki to flow into her hands.  "Jeez, Yethis!  Did you REALLY 
think Ataru was gonna let you get away with murdering his grandmother?!"  
She leaned down to contemptuously flick the horns from his head.  "I don't 
think so!"

	Yethis shuddered as he sensed Ranma fade from view.  He then screamed out 
as a storm of fists smashed into his body from all over.

*    *    *

	"Impressive," Negako mused, sensing what Ranma was doing from nearby the 
hut.  Around the grandmaster, the troopers Ranma dealt with were tied up, 
stripped of their horns and made to sleep thanks to some deft shiatsu 
strikes.  Yedris and Sugoi were asleep nearby, they having been given their 
own shiatsu treatment to allow them to better function among other people 
without their un-moulded Avalonian powers overcoming them.

	A second later, a broken body sailed out one of the shattered windows to 
smash into the ground some distance away from Negako.  She gazed at Yethis' 
battered face before turning back as Ranma leapt down to join her.

	"I trust your first test of the Eien Mooko Taifun-ke went well?"

	Ranma sighed.  "Needs some work."

	"Fair enough."  Negako then drew out a communicator.

*    *    *

	"She sold her own brother out?!"

	Nakseuch nodded.  "Yes!"  The general was meeting with Ranma in one of the 
Noukiite ship's lounges, the ship still in orbit over Machibusu.  It was an 
hour after the raid on Yethis' hideout.  "Lady Yedris is the leader of the 
Urusian Democratic Alliance.  We want them to survive this war so they can 
lead their people to a better future.  They will need strong leadership, 
especially after what happened some weeks ago."

	Ranma took that in before sighing.  "That's a brave lady.  I take it 
Sugoi-chan backs her mom up all the way."

	"I do."

	Both turned as Sugoi stepped into the room, followed by Yedris and Negako.  
Seeing the two Onis in plain noukik'eng in lieu of the tiger-striped 
cheongsam-like dresses Ranma first saw them in on the planet below, the 
martial artist grinned as she accepted the Seqs' embrace.  "So you are the 
one who was truly meant for Lum-chan's Darling."  Yedris gave the Terran a 
careful look-over, nodding approvingly.  "Well, at least, if what Negako 
told us is true, he'll have someone who truly understands him."

	Ranma nodded.  "I do.  So what's going to happen to you two?"

	"We'll stay with the Lost Stars," Yedris explained.  "They're interrogating 
my brother as we speak.  He supposedly has knowledge of a Noukiite 
missionary colony that was established on Uru over a thousand years ago, 
before the Seifukusu conquered us.  If the remains of that colony are found, 
everything the Imperial Round has espoused concerning our relations with the 
Noukiites will be made hollow.  And, if the good general here . . . "  She 
gazed on Nakseuch, who bowed in return.  "Speaks the truth about his 
people's war aims, once Heaven's Gate Bridge -- that's the colony's name -- 
is found, the Dominion will then move to bring hostilities to an end."

	Nakseuch smiled.  "That is something we all want, Lady."

	Ranma smirked, popping her knuckles to emphasize her point.  "Hey, if you 
need help with that creep, let me have some time with him."

	Yedris chuckled.  "It's alright.  The Lost Stars have many strong telepaths 
among them.  You won't be needed."

	"And if Uncle proves stubborn about it, that's just too bad," Sugoi added.  
"Don't they say on your planet, 'You reap what you sow?'"

	Ranma chuckled.  "Yeah, that's true.  Um, General, if you don't mind, I'd 
like to talk to Yedris and Sugoi-chan here alone . . . "

	"Of course."  Nakseuch nodded before heading off.

	Once she sensed that they were alone, Ranma turned to Yedris.  "Um, if you 
were wondering about Lum and Ran, ma'am, I can tell you . . . "

	"It's alright."  Yedris squeezed Ranma's hand.  "Negako told us about them. 
  It's good that they're safe on Earth.  Even if Lum-chan wouldn't EVER 
think of doing what my brother and his friends might have wanted, there are 
many on Noukiios who wouldn't hesitate in 'finishing the job' as your 
people'd say.  I just hope the chance will come that Lum-chan and your 
fiancé will reconcile."

	Ranma nearly gagged on her bile, and then she sputtered, "Hey, wait a sec' 
. . .!"  She backed away from Yedris only to feel Negako's hand on her 
shoulder, the ninjitsu grandmaster moving to guide her out of the lounge.

	"Come, Ranma.  It is time to return to Sanctuary," Negako ordained.

	"Um, y-y-yeah, r-right!"  Ranma nodded, waving.  "'Bye!"

	"Mama, wait!"

	Ranma stopped as Reiko and Kaneko ran in.  The twins carried long, narrow 
cases, cases that could only contain swords.  Stopping before their father's 
friend, they held out the cases.  "Here you go, Mama!" they chimed in sync.

	"What're these?" Ranma wondered.

	"Seucheuchet'," Reiko explained, that being interpreted as "eunuch's sword" 
thanks to Ranma's language translator.  "It's okay!  Papa has two of his 
own; he found them when he helped the Inquisition deal with Yethis' 
friends."

	"It's only right that you have a pair of your own," Kaneko added.  "These 
were ones welded by our . . . "  She paused before shrugging.  "Well, two of 
the people -- the two women of the group -- whose DNA went into us."

	Ranma considered that before she sighed, shaking her head.  "They should go 
back to the graves where they were found, Kaneko-chan . . . "

	"It's alright."  Reiko shook her head.  "One of them -- this is her blade . 
. . "  She patted her case.  "Was the T'yekhek Empress.  She was murdered by 
Urusian agents before the Occupation began.  Her grave was destroyed mid-way 
through the Occupation.  She . . . "  She looked at the case.  "Wound up 
with Auntie Yedris' family on Uru after the Liberation."

	Ranma gazed on Yedris.  Seeing the older woman nod, the martial artist then 
turned on Kaneko.  "What about that one?"

	"This was a posthumous present for the Most Venerable Ye-Hit' 
Yeho-Huit'ch'uk, the mother of one of our planet's greatest philosophers," 
Kaneko explained.  "It was never buried with her, but it was kept by her 
family until some Urusian stole it during the Occupation."  She glanced at 
Yedris and Sugoi.  "It wound up with the Seqs, too," she added.

	"And there's no one left of the Most Venerable's family, Mama," Reiko 
added, holding up the case to Ranma.  "Please?"

	Kaneko echoed her sister's actions.  Seeing the pleading looks in their 
eyes, Ranma nodded.  "Alright, then.  I vow on my honour as a student of 
Saikoo Jinseijitsu Ninjitsu-ryuu, home Art of your adopted family, that I 
will keep these blades in my company until such time as the government of 
the Dominion of Noukiios requests their return.  OR until such time that you 
two are old enough to weld them yourselves," she then declared.

	Hearing that, the twins beamed.

*    *    *

"Journal Entry, Day 30 of Sanctuary visit (counting time elsewhere),
"Dear Diary,
	"They called me 'Mother.'
	"That scared me, but at the same time, it warmed my heart.
	"Once we returned to Sanctuary, Negako explained to me that if it wasn't 
for Reiko-chan and Kaneko-chan, Ataru's recovery from what happened in 
Lumukyou might not have happened.  It's no wonder he was willing to adopt 
them once he learned of the problems they faced being what they are.  If 
that had been me, I would've done the same thing.
	"The blades they gave me, according to Negako, have nice names to them.  
According to the traditions concerning this particular make of sword, they 
have to be given 'soft' names to offset their very dark purpose.  
Huit'ch'uk's blade is Et'a Yekaechsuch-at', 'Mother's Eternal Dream.'  
T'yekhek's blade is Aeyek-hup'uk, 'Righteous Love.'  Oh, man, some of these 
syllables are tongue-twisters, but I won't give them Japanese names.  After 
hearing what happened to Reiko-chan's and Kaneko-chan's people, it doesn't 
seem right.  Reminds me too much of what Japan once did to Korea."

	Ranma paused to collect her thoughts before she carried on:

	"It's nice to be back in Sanctuary, even if I can't work on the new form I 
used against Yethis.  When I get back to Earth, I'll have to practice it 
quick.  There's no telling what might happen when I go to Nerima and have to 
worry about the tomboy or the lunkheads, especially with what Negako has in 
mind now.
	"Oh, I forgot to tell you that.  Negako's come up with an idea about my 
breaking away forever from the panda.  What I'd have to do is apply to the 
Family Registrar to start up an independent branch of the Saotome family 
based on Promised Island.  Along the way, I have to talk to the Court of 
Special Appeals to ensure Oyaji couldn't dodge around that and make me 
roonin before I could finally stick it to him.  Even if he HAS dragged our 
family honour through the dirt, I'm not taking another name.
	"To do THAT would give the bastard some satisfaction in the end.
	"He gets NONE because of me.
	"NONE!
	"To do that, though, I'd have to turn over all the information Tampopo-chan 
helped collect on the bastard when I was off modelling to the Court of 
Special Appeals.  I doubt that showing some of that, including information 
on the five OTHER fiancées Oyaji got me engaged to -- Honestly!  What the 
hell was I supposed to do with TRIPLETS as my fiancées?! -- to Akane's dad 
won't make him turn away from his so-called 'dream' of uniting the schools.  
That also means I have to attack him where it'll hurt the most:  Going after 
his doojou sign.  I've got a couple ideas about that, but I'll bounce it off 
Negako first before making any firm plans.  And no, it won't involve a 
Doojou Destroyer!
	"Whoo, won't HE be in for a surprise!"

	Ranma stopped, and then she saved the entry.

*    *    *

	Six "days" later, Negako silently stepped into Ranma's room to crouch 
beside the sleeping girl.  Fortunately, Ranma was reclining on her side.  
Reaching over, the ninjutsu grandmaster tapped several points on the younger 
woman's head and back.  With that, she rose, moving to the door.

	"Time to wake up, Ranma.  Go have a bath first."

	A moan escaped Ranma, and then she rolled onto her back.  "Right . . . "

	Negako headed into the kitchen as Ranma gathered her toiletries before she 
jogged into the bathroom.  Turning back to her cooking, the grandmaster 
relaxed as she extended her ki-senses to keep an "eye" on her student.

	Any moment now . . .

	"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

	That was a BOY'S yell, by the way.

	Negako walked to the bathroom door to peek in.  Kneeling beside the furo 
was a MALE Ranma, staring down at himself with a mixture of stunned shock 
and horror.  *Perhaps the same expression he showed when he was initially 
immersed in the Nyanniichuan?* she wondered to herself as she crossed her 
arms.

	"Are you alright, Ranma?" she calmly asked.

	He shuddered as he gazed at her, and then he sputtered, "W-why . . .?"

	"You had to feel it for yourself," Negako reported.  "Change back, and then 
meet me in the doojou.  It is time for your final lesson here."

	She headed out.

*    *    *

	Minutes later, a female Ranma stepped into the doojou.  Negako knelt by the 
head, where the kamidana would be located.  Ranma placed herself before her, 
and then she bowed.  Negako nodded.  Straightening herself, Ranma sniffed 
before wiping her eyes.  Silence then fell as she collected herself.  She 
then stared at her host.  "Could you please lock me up as a girl again, 
Negako?"

	"Are you a man or a woman?" Negako asked in return.

	Silence.

	More silence.

	Still more silence.

	Then . . .

	"I'm a woman.  Chikage and the Jusenkyou guide were right."

	Negako beckoned Ranma with a hand.  Ranma shifted over, and then she 
remained still as the grandmaster fused new ki into her.  Once that was done 
and the Chiisui-ton lock was again in place, Ranma shifted back to where she 
first sat.  "How did you feel when you changed?" Negako asked.

	"Ugly!" Ranma immediately responded.  "I went over a month without a 
change.  My sense of balance was totally out of whack.  And I . . . "  She 
quaked.  "I saw myself in the mirror there, as a guy.  And it just HIT me, 
Negako!  That just wasn't ME!  It wasn't ME anymore, Negako!"  Taking 
another deep breath, she pointed to herself.  "THIS is me, Negako!  A woman 
who wants nothing to do with that . . . that . . . "  She sputtered.  "That 
macho, sexist FREAK Oyaji wanted to create to please Mom!  Oh, gods . . .!"

	She covered her face with her hands, wiping away the tears.  "Now that you 
have allowed that to escape you, it is time," Negako said.

	She reached behind her to draw a box.  Laying that before Ranma, she opened 
it.  Ranma looked in.  A black belt with a kanji symbol.

	"Mizu."

	Ranma stared at Negako.  "Happy, Kelun and I made an agreement before you 
and I came here," the grandmaster explained.  "If you show to me that you 
have proven the right to have this, Happy will release you as a student of 
Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu and acknowledge you as a student of Saikoo 
Jinseijitsu-ryuu under my tutelage.  Furthermore, he will strip Souun and 
Genma of their teaching licenses.  The Tendou-ryuu and the Saotome-ryuu will 
cease to be.  Happy will then take Nabiki and Akane under his direct 
tutelage."  A pause.  "Furthermore, if you earn this, Kelun will send a 
message to her sister councillors about your emotional change of gender, 
then have you adopted into the Nujiézú as a warrior of full standing.  You 
and Shanpú will become blood-sisters under their Blood Sibling Law.  Chikage 
explained to you about that after you first came to Promised Island.  Once 
that is done, if you desire, you will be free to pursue your own future.  It 
will NOT force you into a marriage with Ataru, though."

	"And if I desire to marry Ataru?"

	"Do you desire that now?"

	"I . . . "  Ranma stopped before sighing.  "I don't know."

	"Then you have to find out."

	"I guess I do."  Ranma looked down.  "Negako, I haven't learned all the 
forms yet.  I don't even deserve a plain black belt . . . "

	Negako held up her hand to silence her student's protest.  "Ranma, your 
time here wasn't meant to be spent learning ALL the basic forms.  Some of 
them, including the Earth-Heart Fire Geyser and the Paranormal-Power Inverse 
Fire Bomb, require special training.  And you might not be compatible to 
learning those forms since, even with your curse locked in place, your 
natural affinity is water."  She pointed to her own belt with the "chi" 
kanji.  "What you had to prove, to yourself most of all . . . "  She pointed 
to Ranma.  "Was the fact that before a teacher can truly teach others . . . 
"

	"I have to learn how to teach myself."

	"And to fully THINK for yourself.  To take what you hear from others, make 
your own theory, and then proceed to prove it and use it to your benefit.  
You did it when you created the Mooko Takabisha.  You did it when you 
modified the Hiryuu Shooten-ha to suit your style of combat.  You did it 
when you created the Goshin Buufu, then later the Goshin Eifu and the Eien 
Mooko Taifun-ke.  You CAN do it, both within martial arts and beyond, that 
you see and do for yourself.  What you will learn over time is how to 
differentiate between the good forms and the bad forms.  That comes with 
experience."

	Silence falls as Ranma considered that before she sighed.  "What now?"

	"Part of the trial will be done here.  The rest comes in Nerima when you 
deal with your would-be suitors and the other hangers-on."

	Ranma's eyebrow arched.  "So this includes the thing with the Court of 
Special Appeals and the Family Registrar, right?!"

	"Exactly.  Not everything in life is battle, Ranma."

	Ranma grinned.  Life.  "I can see that.  Nokoko-oneechan was right."

	"She was.  Up!"

	Both rose, and then properly greeted each other; practitioners in Saikoo 
Jinseijitsu used the left fist-in-right palm salute employed by certain kung 
fu and t'ai chi schools.  Ranma stepped back to give Negako space, and then 
she assumed a standing sword-draw stance.  Negako nodded, concentrating her 
ki into her hand.  Seeing that, Ranma nodded, relaxing herself.

"Better," Negako said.  "Now, draw."

	"***KONTOU!***"

*    *    *

	"Ranma . . .?!"

	Everyone in the dining room perked on hearing Ataru.  They then turned to 
gaze on him.  "Onii-chan, are you alright?!" Karen asked.

	A lost look was on his face as he rose, heading out.  "Anigimi-sama, what's 
wrong?!" Haruka demanded as the sisters crowded the door.

	"Leave him be."

	"Chikage!" Karen snapped.  She then fell silent as everyone watched Ataru 
place himself before the doors leading out of the rotunda.  He lowered 
himself into seiza, and then he relaxed, his eyes fixed on the doorknobs.

	"What's wrong with Onii-tama?" Hinako wondered.

	"What we have wished for has taken the largest step toward coming true, 
Hinako," Chikage replied.  "Now, we wait."

	The others nodded.

*    *    *

To be continued . . .

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