Chichibu…
"This…! Gods! Is this for REAL?!"
"I am afraid it is real, Sonami."
Staring at the black-haired alien woman that — save for the physical differences as well as the differences of clothing — she would swear was Unchô Kan'u's very own twin sister, Gentoku Ryûbi tried not to scream out in fright and disbelief as her mind tried to absorb the tsunami of information that had just been dumped on her by her two best friends and the two alien warriors who had come up to their shared apartment this day at their invitation. Also present in the living room were Shiryû Chôun, Myôsai Kakôen, Enjô Koshaji and Kômei Shokatsuryô. The closed-eyed tôshi from Seito and the jade shot warrior from Kyoshô — and yes, even the young shrine maiden from the Tôgen Abbey — were just as rattled by the news just brought in from Tomobiki.
"Kachnuk-dono, how many of these observers for this 'church' are believed to be in and around Tomobiki?" Shiryû asked as she "gazed" on Kuohu.
Kuohu breathed out. "Latest intelligence scan — and this is about three weeks old — indicate at least two hundred within the borders of Tomobiki itself. Another hundred-and-sixty scattered in small groups in the neighbouring communities: Nerima, Niiza, Higashikurume, Kodaira, Kogane and Musashino, plus the other elements of Nishitôkyô." A sigh. "All in heavily residential areas."
"So if they try to resist, we could be dealing with hundreds if not thousands of people becoming instant hostages for these lunatics," Shiryû concluded.
"Potentially," Kuohu mused. "Again, it's hard to say what sort of people these observers are. Chances are there that they're all relatives of the senior leaders of the Church of Lum. In other words, people used to privilege and believing they are the 'truly blessed.'" She made a face when she said that. "If there are any experienced warriors in that group, they'll be few and far between. From what I remember of the few times I've met active service personnel of the Niphentaxian armed forces, they believe their service as warriors to be of greater benefit to Lum." A smirk. "Always ready to fly to the side of their 'goddess' when they're needed."
"So the ones here are, in effect, spies," Myôsai noted.
A nod. "Exactly."
Snorts from all the experienced tôshi seated around the table. "Taking 'em out will be a turkey shoot!" Ekitoku muttered as she gobbled down some potato chips, and then held out the bag so Kyekkyek could have some. "All spies give a shit about is getting their intelligence and keeping invisible! We can take them down with ease!"
"Still, Asumi, they will have access to technology you're not familiar with," Kuohu warned as she gazed on the brown-haired tôshi. "I doubt Lum, much less Tariko or Hiromi, would like the idea of innocent people who really don't have any business dealing with outworlders being hurt because they blundered into something by accident."
Ekitoku tensed. "Hey! We're not helpless…!"
"Asumi, Kuohu didn't say that."
She stopped as she gazed on Kyekkyek, and then she sighed as she sat back in her chair. "What sort of people are coming in from Tengsei, Kachnuk-dono?" Enjô wondered.
"A brigade of Imperial Rangers. Our equivalent to what you would address as 'special forces' here on Earth," the raven-haired free warrior answered. "Trained to live off the land in almost any Class M planet we know of. Their leader is a former subordinate of my lover from the time of our first lives during the Tri-Kingdom period: the Lady Major General Seu-Kye Yesu-Nich Hechnich'-T'ach'yet'. She always makes sure all those under her command are prepared to face anything in either a rural or urban situation."
"She sounds like a fighter," Unchô noted.
"Wait until you see the scars on her body," Kyekkyek mused as she slurped down the big serving of Coke that Ekitoku had got for her after they had come to Chichibu. "When she's on leave, she goes to this one planet in our space were there're these reptiles, similar to the small hunting dinosaurs you had on Earth millions of years ago, the ones with the big claws on their feet. She actually likes hunting THEM down, just to get some exercise."
All the tôshi stared wide-eyed at the red-haired Noukiite. "Is this girl nuts?!" Ekitoku demanded. "Actually hunting and killing a velociraptor for SPORT?!"
"Yeah, Ni does," Kyekkyek muttered, shaking her head. "You gotta be DEFINITELY leaping from the hills to the valleys and back again to do that to a poor animal!"
"Kyech tolerates her," Kuohu reminded her adopted sister.
A snort. "Doubt it! We're talking about Miss I'll Terrorise Whole Villages Just to Get Food to Feed a Pack of Starving Wolves here."
Kuohu laughed. "What would her name mean in our language?" Unchô asked.
Kuohu mused, and then she took up a pen to write Ni's name down in Noukiite. After a minute, she started to sketch kanji beside each name. "I would believe this would be the equivalent here on Earth. I could be wrong," the raven-haired warrior warned.
Unchô looked. "Bunken Gakushin?!"
Myôsai perked. "Bunken-san?! Are you serious?!"
"Again, this is my best guess," Kuohu noted. "What is Ni's equivalent here like?"
The raven-haired tôshi from Kyoshô breathed out. "Bunken-san is one of three girls we at Kyoshô refer to as the 'Three Pillar Goddesses.' All A-rank and possessing considerable skills beyond just martial arts abilities. Bunken-san herself has the ability to read thoughts by using her ki to link into someone else's ki. No tôshi can fight off her attempts at probing into their minds." She crossed her arms. "Bunken-san and her friends, Shungai Chôkô-san and Kômei Jokô-san, are always used as reserve troops by Môtoku-sama. Called in when their special skills are needed." Myôsai ignored the arched eyebrows from Unchô or Ekitoku concerning the revelation of that information concerning her leader's three special fighting aces. While Myôsai personally would do anything her cousin asked of her, even if it led to all-out war between Kyoshô and the others tôshi schools, she also knew that Môtoku Sôsô personally didn't care to press things with the others unless she was forced to do so. Or unless things began to play out elsewhere that could threaten Kyoshô in the long run. Since such had yet to occur since Môtoku had become leader of the school two years before, there was no need to worry about releasing secret information at this time.
Kuohu hummed. "Would your leader be willing to allow these three to come out tomorrow to assist Ni and her battalions in their efforts, Mien? Just in case the Niphentaxians might have hidden some surprises that may come back to haunt us?"
Myôsai nodded. "I'm sure Môtoku-sama will agree to such, Kachnuk-dono."
"Kakô-san?"
Everyone perked on hearing Gentoku's cold voice, and then they all turned to gaze on her, even the visiting Noukiites. "Hai, Ryûbi-sama?" Myôsai asked, surprised that Seito's pacifist leader was directly addressing her; from what she had sensed before concerning Gentoku Ryûbi, she didn't wish to involve herself in things of this nature.
A ripping sound was heard, and then Gentoku folded up a sheet of paper she had taken out of a notebook before she handed it over. "Take this directly to Sô-san, please."
Myôsai blinked, and then she nodded as she took the note in hand. "I will do so."
"Arigatô. You best be off, then."
"Hai!" A bow. "Please excuse me."
With a passionate kiss to Shiryû, the jade shot fighter was off. As everyone still stared in wide-eyed disbelief at Gentoku, she busied herself writing another note. When that was done, she tore that sheet out and folded it up. "Ko-san?"
Enjô tensed. "H-hai?!"
The note was handed over. "Take that to Ba-san, please. I need her to see that."
The stealth warrior from Yoshû blinked, and then she nodded. "Hai!"
She took the note, gave Ekitoku a kiss goodbye, and then she was off. Silence then fell over the room before the tôshi from Seito turned to their leader. "Gentoku?" Unchô asked as she reached over to gently grasp the other woman's shoulder.
"Kan-san?"
Unchô tensed. "H-h-HAI?!"
"Have everyone from school muster at the soccer pitch in an hour."
With that, Gentoku walked into her bedroom, the door slamming shut behind her. Those remaining in the living room could only gape in disbelief. Save for Kuohu and Kyekkyek, who simply exchanged a knowing look and a smile.
As the crow flies, it was a good seventy kilometres between the part of Chichibu where Seito High School was located and Ninomiya, where the Kyoshô Academy was based at. In the opposite direction, Utsunomiya, where the Yoshû Academy was, was seventy kilometres to the northeast of Seito. For both Myôsai Kakôen and Enjô Koshaji, it would take nearly two hours by car or motorcycle to get back home. And it could possibly take even more if either resorted to public transport like commuter trains or buses.
Fortunately for both, neither Myôsai nor Enjô could claim to have "normal" friends.
As she headed down the street towards Shiroku station, Myôsai had her cell phone out, dialling a number. The other end answered within two rings. "Shiba'i."
"Kakôen," Myôsai replied. "We have a problem, Chûtatsu-san. I need to see Môtoku-sama as quickly as I can. Can someone pick me up near Shiroku Station?"
"How bad?" Chûtatsu Shiba'i, the master strategist of Kyoshô and Môtoku Sôsô's current lover, asked immediately, a touch of annoyance in her voice.
"An alien threat. Just revealed to us by our recent visitors from afar."
Silence.
Genuine surprise echoed in Chûtatu's voice as she asked, "This real?"
"Very."
A pause as Myôsai heard the clicking noise of computer keys over the line; no doubt, Chûtatsu was currently in her family home in Ninomiya. "Helicopter will be on its way in five minutes. They'll call you with the exact pick-up point."
"Arigatô."
The other woman's voice then hardened. "This BETTER be for real, Mien."
A sigh. "Believe me, Yoiko-san, I wish this wasn't."
"Right…!"
Meanwhile, Enjô was also on her phone, making a call to a house located in Utsunomiya. "Moshi-moshi, Hôtoku here," the other end answered. "What's up, Enjô?"
A sigh. "We've got a very big problem, Mioshi-san."
The woman at the other end of the line paused. Whenever any of the tôshi allied to Môki Bachô used their birth names over the phone, it meant something beyond the normal bounds of the conflicts between the Seven Schools. "What is it, Kyoko?"
"I just learned something really important concerning events in Tomobiki," Enjô stated as she slipped into an alley. "Komi-sama needs to hear this quickly so the news can be spread to everyone at school. Sonami-sama is already mustering all the tôshi of Seito as a result of this. I need to get back to the school as quickly as possible."
A pause, and then Reimei Hôtoku replied, "Gotcha. We'll get a chopper out to you as quick as we can. We'll call ahead to tell you the pick-up point, Kyoko."
"Arigatô."
"Is this for real, Kyoko?"
The stealth-trained tôshi sighed as she closed her eyes. "More real than you can ever believe possible, Mioshi-san. Our visitors from Noukiios are the heralds of something quite ugly. They're actually coming here to prevent something worse."
"Really?"
"Hai." Enjô then sighed. "I'll explain as soon as I'm back."
"Will Enshô end up raising a stink over this?"
A chuckle. "She'll have no choice but to play along if she doesn't want Yoshû to appear weak in the face of the other schools, Mioshi-san."
A laugh. "Good for us, then."
Back in a certain tôshi's bedroom…
"You're showing promise, Sonami."
Gentoku gasped on hearing that low voice from somewhere near her closet, and then she sighed as she closed her eyes. "How did you get in here, Shinmi-san?!" she hissed as part of the darkness inside her bedroom melted into a figure dressed in solid black from neck to toe, a dark brown poncho and a wide-brimmed hat being the only things of colour she currently had on her. "If Kan-san or Chô-san sensed you…!"
"Relax, Sonami," the other woman said as she fully came out of the shadow, revealing herself to be a beautiful girl of eighteen years of age, with well-styled caramel brown hair combed and tapered to the level of her shoulders, almost-black eyes staring out of a very beautiful face which normally didn't reflect any deep emotion save for a casual disinterest in all around her. Of course, Gentoku knew that the woman known by her battle name "Suikô Kajin" was capable of feeling a lot whenever the mood struck her. When it DID strike the wandering tôshi — unlike most of her peers, Suikô had not attended regular school since she was a young child — Gentoku knew that the passion and the power her current guest could display were awesome to behold. "The only worries I have are your two visitors from very far away."
Taking that in, Gentoku nodded. "Are they telling the truth?" she then asked as she sat down at her work desk. "About these worshippers of Lum-san?"
A nod. "The whole truth and nothing but it," Suikô stated as she took up a long blade of grass and stuck it in her mouth. "I've swept through that place every once in a while and there are certainly a lot more aliens in Tomobiki than what the official records state there should be." A smirk. "Don't worry about it, though. All of them are meek and helpless against real strength. If the power and skill of our pending visitors is anything like what Haneko's spirit-sister just described, no one will be hurt." She walked over to place a reassuring hand on Gentoku's shoulder. "That's what you want in the end, isn't it, Sonami? Where no one is hurt?"
The leader of Seito considered that for a moment, and then she nodded. "Hai," she hissed out, her eyes tearing. "No one should ever be hurt. Especially not for me."
Her guest smiled. The smile didn't reflect in the other woman's eyes. "That's wonderful. That's what has to happen if there's to be peace between everyone." She then patted Gentoku's shoulder. "Now, get yourself ready to make the speech of a lifetime to everyone at the pitch. I'll probably see you tomorrow, okay."
A hand reached up to gently squeeze Suikô's. "Be careful, Shinmi-san."
The other woman grinned, this time with a genuine show of emotion. "Hey! It's me, remember?!" she said before she pulled her hand away from Gentoku's shoulder.
The leader of Seito remained silent for a moment, and then looked around her room. Sure enough, there was no sign of her visitor. After a moment, Gentoku sighed as she hugged herself. "That's what worries me, Shinmi-san…"
An hour later, Seito High School…
"So what's this all about?"
"Don't know! The message just said to get here as soon as possible!"
"Who ordered this, anyway?"
"Supposedly, it came from Ryûbi-sama herself!"
Multiple gasps. "EH?!"
"Ryûbi-sama ordered this?! Impossible!"
"It's true!"
"You've got to be lying!"
"Hey, look! There's Ryûbi-sama right now!"
Eyes looked over, and then multiple gasps echoed from the gathered tôshi, all lined up by school year and class (as would normally happen at the standard school assembly every morning before classes) in front of the spectator stands at the soccer pitch. Standing by a podium set in the middle of the stands — where the school banner was currently flying at one corner, just like a regimental flag once would have been held in front of a Western infantry battalion before the men that marched with it were ordered to charge across the field at the enemy — was Gentoku Ryûbi, flanked by Unchô Kan'u and Shiryû Chôun to either side of her and backed by Ekitoku Chôhi. Kômei Shokatsuryô stood in front of and to the right of Gentoku. Seated off to Gentoku's left were Kuohu and Kyekkyek, the former looking politely relaxed while the latter was trying to get some sleep (much to her adopted sister's total annoyance). As hushed whispers, stunned stares and pointed fingers were directed towards the Noukiites from the crowd, Gentoku took a deep breath, and then tapped the microphone in front of her, allowing the loudspeakers to send out bursts of noise to quiet the crowd. Once silence had fallen, the leader of Seito took a deep breath before she gazed on her schoolmates.
"Everyone, thank you very much for coming today," she said before waving to her left. "And yes, to answer all those who can't see them from the back of the crowd, we do have two of our planet's honoured guests from the planet Noukiios joining us today." Gentoku then paused as an outburst of noise erupted from the tôshi before her as eyes locked in on the two free warriors in the stand. Letting that go for a moment, Gentoku then tapped her microphone to make everyone calm down and look back at her.
"Arigatô," she called out to them once quiet had settled over the crowd. "Everyone, while I'm sure we're all honoured and touched by the presence of our extraterrestrial visitors today, they unfortunately come bearing very interesting news from Tomobiki." Gentoku adjusted her glasses. "To answer a question before people try to ask it, yes, both Kachnuk-dono and Kingch'eng-dono are very close friends of Lum-san's, as well as Lum-san's wife, Tariko Moroboshi-san, a relative of Ataru Moroboshi." She then stopped as a shocked chorus of gasps and screams echoed from the crowd as the people there took in that news with the expected mixture of disbelief and surprise that generated. After a moment of that, Gentoku tapped the microphone once more to quiet them down.
Once silence fell, the leader of Seito sighed. "Arigatô. And yes, it is true. Lum-san is married to Tariko-san; in fact, Kachnuk-dono and Kingch'eng-dono were witnesses to their bonding this morning in Tomobiki. However, in part because of that, the whole of Earth — NOT just Seito! NOT just all tôshi! NOT just all the people in Japan! But ALL living things on EARTH! — are potentially under dire threat from an alien race we've not heard of before but who would, if given the chance, unleash unspeakable harm on us all." She waved to Kuohu as the latter stood. "If I may beg your indulgence, I'll ask Kachnuk-dono to come up here and explain this in person."
The people on the podium clapped politely as the raven-haired warrior took the stage and then faced the crowd, bowing and saluting them. Seeing that, everyone in the crowd immediately applauded. That lasted for a moment before Kuohu raised up her hands to quiet them down, and then she began. "Heaven's most sincere blessings upon all of you, the noble friends, allies and fellow free warriors of this fine lady standing beside me now," she declared as she waved to Gentoku. As whoops of delight and cheers echoed from the crowd, Kuohu blushed as she raised her hands again to calm them crowd down. Once they were again silent, she took a deep breath. "Forgive me, my friends, but I'm not much of a speech composer. Anyhow, Sonami here spoke the dire truth about what Haneko, Asumi and Asumi's beloved heart-mate Kyoko Ebisu all learned when they bore witness to Lum and Tariko taking the promise oath this morning. And since she feels it vital to relay same to all of you, allow me to explain what has happened on Earth since Lum's coming to this beautiful world, not to mention what happened on other worlds prior to her coming to this world to be with the one she loved…"
Meanwhile, down in a certain warehouse in Ninomiya…
"Cousin, is this shit for REAL?!"
"Hai, Makoto. It's real," Myôsai replied as the inner circle that ruled Kyoshô gathered together at the usual place where Môtoku Sôsô came when she wanted to be alone and rest herself. "While I wasn't there, I could sense the emotions Kan'u, Chôhi and Koshaji were feeling concerning what they were told while they were in Tomobiki. And Kan'u's and Chôhi's spirit-sisters from Noukiios affirmed that information when they reported it to Ryûbi-sama." Her face turned neutral. "This is as real as it gets."
"So why on Earth would this concern us then?" Chûtatsu Shiba'i demanded. The crippled grey-eyed, strawberry-blonde tôshi was currently relaxing in her wheelchair, having been pushed in from her private limousine by her devoted aide, Orai Ten'i.
"Because Gentoku is going to march all of Seito into Tomobiki to act as a citizen's militia to help the Noukiites keep the peace and protect the normal folks."
Silence fell as everyone took that in, and then everyone turned to look up on the reclining figure on top of the container where she normally could be found whenever she wasn't in classes. "Holy SHIT, Môtoku! Are you kidding us?!" Genjô Kakôton exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at her cousin and leader.
"It's true," Môtoku said as she held out the note Myôsai gave her. "Read it."
Hôkô Kakuha took the note from the other woman's hand, and then she scanned it, her deep brown eyes widening every second as the meat of the message sank in. Once the girl with the spiky short blonde hair took that in, she whistled before she walked over to hand the message to Chûtatsu. "That's quite the surprise coming from Gentoku."
"What's your opinion on that, Yoshimi?"
Hearing Môtoku call her by her real name, Hôkô took a deep breath. Use of birth names in private meetings like this immediately marked an increased level of seriousness when it came to what was planned at these gatherings. "Torumi, we know Sonami-san doesn't really like any sort of fighting between any of the schools. Gods only know, given the number of times people from Kyoshô have tried to put the hit on her, it's a wonder that Haneko-san doesn't mobilise the whole school to declare all-out war on us."
"Not to mention all the other schools that have tried to do the same thing to the girl," Genjô added before Chûtatsu handed her the note.
A shake of the head. "It'd be a multi-front war, Makoto," Môtoku said. "Haneko-chan isn't that stupid, even if she's got Mien's lover and Asumi-chan backing her up." As people stared at Myôsai — who, at least, had the courtesy to blush — the leader of Kyoshô took a deep breath. "So, opinions. Do we join in?"
"Kachnuk-dono — Haneko-san's spirit-sister — specifically requested the aide of Susumi-san, Akiko-san and Ami-san in tomorrow's operation," Myôsai stated.
"What?!" Bunken Gakushin gasped from the place where the Three Pillared Goddesses — all dressed in their normal black tunics and hakama trousers; despite their being tôshi with considerable skill and experience in battle, all three of them were also practicing Sôtô Zen monastics — were standing. "WE were asked for?!"
"Specifically yourself, Susumi-san," Myôsai stated, and then she blushed. "I learned the leader of the Noukiite special forces landing tomorrow at Tomobiki is none other than your own spirit-sister from that world, the Lady General T'ach'yet'." A chuckle. "Just as Kachnuk-dono is Haneko-san's spirit-sister and Kingch'eng-dono is Asumi-san's spirit-sister. K'ekhech-dono, I believe, is Shikuko-san's spirit-sister."
Silence.
"R-r-really…?" Bunken stuttered as her cheeks started to flame.
"What on Earth do you mean by that, Mien-san?" Kômei Jokô demanded.
A giggle. "Haneko-san asked Kachnuk-dono what T'ach'yet'-dono's name meant in Japanese and she wrote down the exact characters that went into Susumi-san's battle name," Myôsai stated as she then recalled what she had been told earlier before Gentoku was briefed on the Niphentaxian threat by Unchô and Ekitoku. "Earlier, Haneko-san and Asumi-san confirmed both Kachnuk-dono and Kingch'eng-dono were their counterparts on Noukiios. It appears they are tôshi, just like we. Noukiios also had a Three Kingdoms period, but it started three thousand years ago and lasted a millennium. And they've only been resurrected once, all reborn at the equivalent of ten years of age as bioroids, adopted by barren parents or parents unable to have further children yet desired another child to raise on their own." She closed her eyes. "Both of them lost their parents — and in Kachnuk-dono's case, an elder brother — to bandits and highwaymen when they were children, thus making them both vow to hunt such monsters down and ensure none other may suffer as they did when they were children."
Silence fell over the scene as everyone considered that. At the end of it, Môtoku took a deep breath. "Okay, that seems to settle it for me." She glanced over to Bunken and her friends. "You girls want to go in there to help out?"
The Goddesses considered that question as they exchanged a look, and then they nodded. "If we were specifically asked for and if we can help, why not?" Bunken answered.
"Fair enough. Yoiko?"
Chûtatsu took a deep breath. "It gives you the chance to pull the reigns tight on the loose cannons at the school. I saw we all go in."
"Makoto?"
Genjô shrugged. "We've been invited to brawl. Kinda rude to refuse."
Môtoku laughed. "Fait enough, you nut! Yoshimi?"
"Let's party," Hôkô said with a shrug.
A nod. "Fair enough. Have everyone meet here at first light."
"What about you, Sempai?"
Eyes locked on Orai as the young, brown-haired girl stared with overwhelming concern at the leader of Kyoshô. Noting that, Môtoku smirked. "Somumi-chan, I can take care of myself, you know," she gently scolded as she winked at the freshman student.
A pout answered him. "But Sempai…!"
Môtoku breathed out. "Okay! Okay! I'll have Choko-chan with me! Alright?!"
The pout disappeared as the younger girl nodded in understanding. "Okay, let's get the word out," Genjô said as people stood and moved to leave. "We got shit to do, people!"
With that, everyone filed out of the warehouse save for Môtoku, Chûtatsu and Orai. Once they were alone, Chûtatsu looked up at the younger girl that helped her come inside, nodding. Seeing that, Orai smiled as she headed out. Once they were alone, Môtoku grinned as she casually flipped herself onto her feet, and then bounded down to the floor beside Chûtatsu, scooping her out of her chair. "HEY!" the latter screeched as she playfully pounded the former's shoulders as Môtoku carried her out of the warehouse, where a limousine was waiting, the driver already having the back door open and waiting for his mistress. "I can do this myself, you know! Put me down!"
"Oh, hush, you!" Môtoku scolded as she leaned in to passionately kiss her lover. As she pulled back from the now quite happy Chûtatsu, she leaned down to slip her into the limousine, and then she scooted in beside her. The driver quickly closed the door behind them, and then headed back into the warehouse to retrieve his mistress' wheelchair before he would take the car and its passengers back to the Tsukasame mansion, located in one of the more affluent sections of the nearby town of Ôiso. "I want to baby you tonight, so I'm going to baby you like silly! Don't complain!"
Chûtatsu stared at her, and then she grinned as she shifted herself into Môtoku's lap as she drew her arms around the other woman. "Okay, I'll let you baby me, you big sissy!" she playfully scolded as they shared a kiss, and then she leaned her head against her lover's shoulder as they waited for the driver to get her wheelchair.
Soon enough, the limousine was heading off down the street…
The grounds of Seito High School, an hour later…
"I have to confess this: That was a very rousing speech you made, Sonami."
Hearing that compliment from Kuohu, the leader of Seito found herself blushing as she led everyone back to the apartment block Gentoku shared with Unchô, Ekitoku and Kômei. "It was necessary, Kuohu-san," she stated. "While we've never had any direct contact with extraterrestrials until today when you and Kyekkyek-san came to visit us, the events in Tomobiki — especially given what you just told us now — will come to affect everyone on the planet, including us." A sigh. "Besides, here's a chance I've always hoped would come our way. And since it's here, I'm not letting it pass."
Everyone stared at her. "What do you mean by that, Gentoku-san?" Shiryû asked.
"Have you ever wondered what people outside our groups think of us?" Gentoku mused. "How they view seven schools filled with top-rank martial artists?! Who do nothing more than fight and maim each other to the point where the luckiest of us barely get off with several weeks in intensive care and the unluckiest of us wind up in an early grave?! Have you ever wondered what people who don't have these on their ears actually think about people like us?" She pointed to her magatama in emphasis.
"They'll never understand us," Unchô stated.
"And what's to stop that lack of understanding from turning to fear and then to hatred, Kan-san?" Gentoku demanded as they stepped into the lobby of their apartment building. "What happens if the authorities try to get involved? What happens if an innocent bystander gets hurt? Or Heaven forbid, killed?!" As some of the people around her winced, Gentoku took a deep breath. "That's why I want this to stop finally, Kan-san. That's why I want to do everything I can to promote friendly relations with the other schools. If people see we're at peace with each other, they won't fear us. I don't WANT us to go down that damned road, Kan-san!" She reached into her pants pocket to draw her apartment keys. "And I'm sure there are many others who feel the same way."
"There are many others who DON'T feel that way, Gentoku," Unchô warned.
"Then we show them they're wrong, Kan-san," Gentoku said as she unlocked the door, and then led everyone into the apartment. "Kuohu-san, Kyekkyek-san, will you want to stay with us tonight or are you going back to Tomobiki?"
"I think it would be best if we did return to Tomobiki," Kuohu stated with a smile. "If we stay here overnight, it might arouse suspicions. No doubt, the observers here are busy tracking us, wondering what four of Noukiios' most feared free warriors are doing on Earth when they've never suspected a relationship of any sort between us and Lum, to say anything of us and Tariko. And while Kyech's presence here on Earth was readily explained on your news media yesterday, ours may not be so easily explained now that Kyech's intentions concerning Ranma have been made public."
"Gentoku-san, I'll be more than happy to escort them back home," Shiryû offered.
Gentoku nodded. "Your company is welcome, Lady Kumomi," Kuohu said with a smile.
Shiryû's cheeks instantly flamed. "'Lady'…?"
Laughter filled the room. As soon as the Noukiites and their escort had left the apartment, Unchô headed into her own bedroom, closing the door behind her as she moved to undress and get into the shower to wash herself down. Before she got far, though, her cell phone beeped the signal that it had just received a text message. Taking the NTT DoCoMo silver SH-05A out of her skirt pocket, she flipped it open and tapped the control to bring up the message on her screen:
From: Môki
Unchô, at least 600 are with me for your fun tomorrow. See you in Tomobiki. ;-)
Seeing that, Unchô grinned as she moved to get her toiletries, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she sent a quick acknowledgement…
Meanwhile, near the soccer pitch at Seito…
"It was truly a rousing speech. Wasn't it, Nê-chan?"
"That is was," Suikô mused to herself as she slipped the poncho over her younger sister's shoulders, drawing it tight around her so that she didn't catch a cold as they headed in the direction of the bus terminal so they could travel to downtown Chichibu and make their way into Tôkyô proper. "A good sign from Sonami."
A nod from the other girl. A year younger than Suikô, she looked very much like her sister save for her hair (which was dyed electric blue, held down by a hair band to keep her forehead clear, and extended well down to mid-back) and the fact that she was forced to wear glasses. She was also dressed in the non-reflective black jumpsuit her sister currently had on. "I don't want to think about her right now," Reishi Kakyô said as she closed her eyes, allowing Suikô to guide her down the street. "All I want to think of is that as of tonight, I will at last have my beloved in my arms again for the first time in eighteen hundred years." She then stared intently at her sister, her eyes narrow. "Are you sure those eunuchs won't get in the way?"
A smirk. "That, Mioko, I guarantee," Suikô said as she leaned over to kiss her sister's cheek. "If Hiromi herself can't be made to see reason, the ultimate means of their destruction lies within her very own twin sister's subconscious mind." She then pulled Reishi's arm closer to her as they stepped off the school property. "All it needs is one good whack in the back of Tariko-chan's head…"
Her face turned into a lethal smile.
"…and the Black Death of the Martial Arts runs WILD!"
A haunting, mirthless laugh escaped her as we…
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(Posted Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:43)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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