[Episode 226299] [Episode 226299]Approximately 2000 kilometres right above Tomobiki…
"My Lady Admiral. We have a signal from the Lady Governor T'uokch'eng."
Hearing that, the Noukiite military officer with the red-brown eyes and the short, ice bluehair with the thick bangs combed down over her right eye tensed. "Report."
"Her compliments, My Lady. The Lady Governor states she will arrive within the hour aboard the Hanek-ikeng with support forces for the Lady General T'ach'yet'."
Hearing that, Seu-Susa Yesu-Kyech Hechnich'-T'yenuo — known to all her close friends by the childhood name "Tap'uch" — could only sigh. "That's just like her, isn't it?" she muttered quietly to herself. "We're about to open official contact with the Terrans and she can't stand to stay out of the limelight."
"Dearest, you know Seup'it' doesn't like the idea of troops she is nominally in charge of deploying anywhere — especially to a planet outside Her Imperial Majesty's domain — without her making very sure they'll all return home safe."
Hearing her wife's words, Tap'uch took a deep breath, and then she sighed as she reached up to gently grasp Mienai's hand. "As always, my wife is quick to remind me of my own cousin's deepest convictions," she stated aloud, gazing on the communications officer who had spoken to her. "Forgive me, Lieutenant," she said. "My compliments in return to my beloved cousin and please tell her we anxiously await her arrival on the scene. We're still under three hours Earth-time before landing. I will receive her in the teleportation chamber as soon as the Hanek has pulled alongside."
A salute. "It will be sent immediately, My Lady Admiral. Excuse me, please."
With that, the young officer turned back to his board to compose the message. Noting that, Tap'uch took a deep breath as she shifted Mienai to stand directly behind her chair, located in the main pilotage section of the battleship Nek-kyeksech the flagship of Her Imperial Majesty's Expeditionary Forces of the Left. It was a title carried down from the days of old Eap'ye, when she and her cousin Tachp'uch were always assigned by Seup'it' to command forces depending on their position from their leader's physical viewpoint at the time. It was an odd title, but it was one she was used to. It had ruled much of her first life since she fell in with her cousin to help restore Noukiios under a single monarch. And it influenced her current life, when she now controlled forces whose total power she could never have dreamt of three thousand years ago.
A door swooshed open behind her, revealing a woman in a black armoured suit, clearly designed both for personal protection in the field when anything imaginable could be flying at you, as well as mobility when speed and agility could save your life. The amoral insignia of a major general in Her Imperial Majesty's Marines was imprinted above her left breast. The wearer of the suit appeared to be the same age as Tap'uch, though she had a more hawkish face, framed with shaggy short silver hair (save for a long French braid that went below her knees), purple-blue eyes and two ugly scars on her face, one bisecting her right eye socket and the other diagonally across her left cheek almost from her ear to her nose. "Everyone's ready," Seu-Kye Yesu-Nich Hechnich'-T'ach'yet' — "Ni" to her closest friends — then reported.
"Seup'it' is coming here," Tap'uch warned.
A smirk. "Good. A little extra luck is always welcome."
Tap'uch looked over, quick to sense the unease in Ni's voice. "Something wrong?"
"Not sure," Ni replied before calling out, "Lookout!"
Another officer turned and bowed her head. "My Lady General?"
"Show the movements of the forces with the odd life-readings into the target zone so the Lady Admiral can see this for herself," Ni ordered.
"At once, My Lady!"
The front screen then flicked on to reveal a map of Tomobiki, target icons now showing, all indicating something of interest at several places. Tap'uch was quick to recognise two of them: Tariko Moroboshi's family home and Tomobiki High School. Two more were located at the west and northern ends of the town, in areas appearing to be composed of very large and wealthy estates. Another icon appeared to be leaving the central rail turnpike gate, heading towards one of the parks in Tomobiki. Smaller icons also showed fast movement — clearly people being transported by ground flitters, Tap'uch quickly concluded — along the main corridors entering the town.
"What is this, Ni?" Tap'uch asked.
"Remember that odd report from Kuohu indicating that she, Kyekkyek, Kyech and At'at'at' had actually met spiritual counterparts that lived on Earth?" Ni asked in return, an amused smile crossing her face. "Born eighteen centuries ago in Nihon's neighbouring country, Zhönghuá? Then re-born many times in the successive years, the souls shifting across Zhönghuá into Han'guk and eventually into Nihon itself?"
Tap'uch blinked. "Yes, I did see that. Supposedly an emperor from that period was actually reborn as Tariko's twin sister; she took the name 'Hiromi.' What of it?"
Ni pointed to the screen. "There are an estimated eight to ten thousand of these people — 'tôshi' as they're called — alive in Nihon. Most are Tariko's age and currently attend seven academies scattered across His Imperial Majesty's domain of Kantô. All of them wear meson-based earrings on their left ear. Our sensors can pick them out even from this distance. And by the looks of it, most are now marching on Tomobiki as we speak." She walked up to the screen to point to various blocks. "Several at Tariko's home now. An echelon's worth here on the border with Nerima. Battalion-sized groups at these two estates. A light double battalion at the Tomobiki Academy. And multiple company-sized groups coming in through the tram station and supported by ground flitters driven by these tôshi. At least a cavalry squadron's worth by my estimates." She then gazed at Tap'uch. "When I land with Brigadier Eyu-T'up'ch'ang's forces, I'll have quite the local militia to call on for assistance."
Tap'uch took that in, and then she nodded. "Seems to be that way. Signals?"
The communication officer looked over. "My Lady Admiral?"
"Open a communication link with the Lady Free Warrior Kachnuk. My compliments to her and request that we find a way of convening a planning meeting between the Lady General and the leaders of this tôshi militia on the ground, either at the Venerable Lady Moroboshi's home or at the Tomobiki Academy. Be quick about it."
"At once, My Lady!"
Tomobiki High School…
"Gods, Shinobu! Are you serious?!" Sakura demanded.
"Oh, my! This is most distressing!" the Principal commented.
"I can't believe that!" vice-principal Mark Onsen exclaimed.
"Believe it, Lord Deputy Headmaster," Kuohu stated. The three Tomobiki High School staff were now facing Kuohu, Shinobu, Gentoku and Môki across Kotatsuneko's low tea table. Kotatsuneko and Kyech were seated to the staff's left, with Kyekkyek and At'at'at' to their right. On the main pathway leading to the school, a Mendô clan mobile kitchen was now set up, the cooks there serving hot miso soup, cool juice and small snacks to the gathered tôshi of Seito and Yoshû. While the students who normally went to classes were in school, all of them were at the windows staring at the visiting tôshi on their school's front lawn. "The threat is there and has been there since shortly after Lum came to this planet for the first time. For a year or so, she — as well as Tariko and Ataru — has had to play an insane game to ensure none among her so-called 'worshippers' would become alarmed enough to launch a full-out invasion of your planet. Especially one done in her name." A sigh as she sipped her tea. "She hoped that somehow, the chance would come that the Niphentaxians might finally lose interest in her. Say have another Great Awakening with a rival 'church' rising to challenge the Lumites' control over their society." She shook her head. "Sadly, that hope was dashed by the time the matter with Prince Rupa became public. In the wake of that, Lum and her wife decided the time was come to accept the offer for our assistance made by the Lady Chancellor Nakkyek five months ago when they were enjoying their time together on Okusei thanks to the Sky Lord Nengmek'i."
"And that's going to start at noon today, right?" Sakura wondered. "Your people are landing troops to get these observers and make sure they don't either scream for help from their friends back home or try to take hostages to make Lum and you heel?"
A nod. "Correct. Of course, on meeting our new friends among the tôshi spiritually descent of China's version of our Tri-Kingdoms era, we realised that they — as much as all living in and around Tomobiki, I should add — had every right to express their own desire to see your world free of such beings. Given their remarkable battle skills, plus experience in fighting in an urban setting, they could provide perfect assistance to our forces in taking these observers down and not risk potential casualties."
"Surely you won't do this alone, Kachnuk-dono," the Principal stated.
"Of course not, Lord Headmaster," Kuohu replied. "The armed forces of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan, as well as your Special Committee on Alien Activities, will also come out to assist, mostly with traffic and crowd control. And the militia forces of the Mendô and Mizunokôji families are also on standby to assist." A shrug. "But at most, we're dealing with at least three hundred-and-sixty of these people. Some would say having a force of sixteen thousand ready to land at a moment's notice will be a huge case of overkill. But it's better to be safe now…"
"…than sorry later," Môki finished for the Noukiite.
Nods around the table. "More than understandable. And I truly wish your friends luck in their mission," the Principal then said. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"One thing," Kuohu replied. "Save for the Lady Ryûnosuke Fujinami's apartment, this school and the Moroboshi home are the two places that are not compromised by devices the Niphentaxians have spread all over the city to record everyone's movements and conversations. We would like to ensure all of the 'Holy Company' who currently attend school here are prevented from making calls out on their personal phones (much less leave the school property) until Ni declares the situation secure. This is to ensure that if there is any live monitoring through those devices, compromising information will not be relayed to the observers in time to give them a chance to prepare."
A nod. "A perfect suggestion, Kachnuk-dono. But wouldn't your presence here at the school cause them to feel some concern?"
A chuckle. "A very valid question, Lord Headmaster. But I believe they wouldn't consider our presence here too suspicious. After all, Kyech's presence here was announced on your media shortly after she and we arrived." She waved to Kyech. "And we are now known to be Lum's friends, so what possible threat could we present?"
"Arrogant people, I take it," Onsen noted with a smirk.
"Very arrogant," At'at'at' said. "What would one expect of the religiously insane?"
Nods of understanding responded. "Miyake-kun, why don't you rejoin your classmates and make sure that they don't cause trouble?" the Principal then said.
Shinobu nodded as she stood up. "Please excuse me, Kôchô-san."
"Shinobu-san, feel free to ask Kan-san or Chô-san for help," Gentoku offered.
"Arigatô, Sonami-san!"
She headed off. At that moment, a beeping sound echoed from Kuohu's trousers. "It's Tap'uch and Ni, Kuohu," Kyech said before she sipped her tea.
Taking out her personal communicator, she noted it was a military signal. She held the unit to her ear as she talked in Noukiite to the person signalling in from orbit, and then she nodded. Placing the device on the table, she tapped a control, allowing the image of three people, one seated in what seemed to be a command chair on a starship, to appear. "Heaven's Blessings on you all, Tap'uch, Mienai, Ni. Welcome to Earth."
"To you as well, Kuohu," Tap'uch replied. "Are we interrupting something?"
"We were just explaining to the Lord Headmaster and the Lord Deputy Headmaster of the Tomobiki Academy, as well as the Venerable Lady Healer Sakura, about the situation." Kuohu indicated the three people in question as she turned her device around to let her friends see them from the bridge of Tap'uch's ship. "We're making sure now that Lum's foolish friends don't do anything between now and the time your people land, Ni."
"What of these tôshi?" Ni asked as the device was turned back around. "We've detected nearly double-regimental strength with a cavalry squadron in support, all within or now approaching Tomobiki. A light double battalion at your very location." She sighed. "I would like to meet the battalion commanders and whoever commands that cavalry squadron to coordinate our actions before we actually do the landing. Preferably at Tariko's house since the Academy's a little too open for my tastes."
Kuohu nodded. "Fair enough. We have two of those battalion commanders here with me now." She waved to Gentoku and Môki as she did the introductions.
Greetings were then exchanged, including the formal way the Flower Youth allowed others to make use of their childhood names. "Well met to you. My people will look forward to working with yours," Ni then said. "Will you agree to meet us ahead of time?"
"Certainly, Ni-san," Gentoku replied. "Say in about an hour or so, just to give us time to alert the others and get them over to Tariko-san's place?"
"More than enough time," Ni stated with a nod.
The Mizunokôji estate, a half-hour later…
"Everyone?! Have you all had a chance to eat and drink?!" Kinko Makige, the curly-haired leader of the Kurotenshi troop that protected and served Asuka Mizunokôji, called out through a megaphone as she gazed on the crowd of tôshi there.
Cheers and whoops responded, which made Kinko blush before she walked over to rejoin Asuka, who was currently sharing drinks with Môtoku Sôsô and the senior leaders of Kyoshô. Several other Kurotenshi were close by, ready to answer their mistress' call or do anything else that might be requested by the people there. Much to her total embarrassment, Chûtatsu Shiba'i was being allowed to recline in a palanquin as she enjoyed her juice and snacks. Everyone had laughed as both the slight yet quite strong Orai Ten'i and the insanely tall and equally strong Chûkô Kyocho got into a fight with two of the Kurotenshi, Kinko's best friends Kokuko Baraki and Nagako Utsuku, over who would get to carry Chûtatsu around. Môtoku put a stop to that by firmly declaring, "If she's going over a threshold, ladies, I will be the one who carries her!"
THAT assertion had made Chûtatsu blush right down to her toes and give her lover a kiss that sucked the breath right out of her!
"We really appreciate the hospitality, Asuka-san," Genjô Kakôton said as he nibbled into an orange. "First time ever that we went into a huge scrap and were actually treated like liberators before we got in to start busting skulls."
Asuka smiled. "In a way, you are liberators, Makoto-san. It's our pleasure."
"Aren't you upset at Lum because these creeps are here?" Hôkô Kakuha asked.
A shake of the head. "No. Lum-san and Tariko-onêsama told both Ryôko and I the truth about what these Niphentaxians are like long ago as they were helping me overcome my androphobia. I can understand why Lum-san was so afraid of these people and what they COULD have done to all of us if given the chance. I'm just glad that it's going to be dealt with now." A sigh. "Hopefully this will be the ONLY time this has to happen."
Many of the tôshi shook their heads. "Not smart to think that way," Hôkô warned. "Fanatics like this have a long shelf-life. And if they get booted off the planet because Lum's been conspiring to get them off for a long time, it's gonna make these idiots REALLY mad. This is just the first fight, Asuka-san. More's coming."
"A sad thing to think about," Asuka noted…
…as someone's cell phone beeped to indicate a text message was coming in. "That's mine," Genjô said as she pulled out her phone, and then she popped the message up on her screen. Reading it, she gaped, and then whistled. "Damn!"
"What is it?" Môtoku asked.
"Being invited to a powwow, Torumi," Genjô replied as she handed the phone over.
Môtoku flicked on the volume button to flash up the screen and read the message:
From: Hakufu Sonsaku
Hi, Ton-chan! Tariko's friends are here to meet Sô-chan. Can you ask Sô-chan to come to Tariko-chan's place to meet everyone?
Môtoku blinked. "Well, someone's thinking ahead," she mused as she called up the operation to make a reply, and then she typed into the phone:
To: Hakufu Sonsaku
Hi, Hakufu! It's Môtoku. I'll be glad to meet everyone else. Can I bring friends?
She sent the message off. "Hey, go easy on the texting, you moron!" Genjô snapped.
Môtoku waved her down, and then she perked as a reply came back:
From: Hakufu Sonsaku
Hi, Sô-chan! You can bring 3 friends. Tariko-chan doesn't want a fight at her place, OK? See you soon!
Môtoku tapped a reply, and then sent it off before returning the phone to Genjô. "Asuka-san, please accept my apologies, but I need to get to the Moroboshi home as soon as possible to attend a war meeting before we head onto the streets…!"
A beep sounded off from Genjô's phone. "What does she want now?!" she asked as she drew out her phone, and then opened it up to read:
From: Hakufu Sonsaku
Ton-chan, tell Sô-chan to make sure your cousin En-chan and that really pretty Bunken-chan comes to the meeting, OK? Bye-bye!
Seeing that, Genjô laughed. "What?!" Môtoku demanded.
The other woman showed her the message, and then she looked over to where the Three Pillar Goddesses were standing. "Hey, Susumi! Guess what?!"
Bunken Gakushin looked over. "What?!"
"You just got called 'really pretty' by Hakufu Sonsaku!"
The brown-haired tôshi/monastic blinked as her mind took that in, and then her cheeks instantly flushed as both Kômei and Shungai — not to mention a host of tôshi around them — began to whoop and catcall at her. She then tried to bury her face under her straw hat as a group of freshmen began to chant, "Bunken-sempai's got a girlfriend! Bunken-sempai's got a girlfriend! Bunken-sempai's got a…!"
"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH, ALREADY! I GET THE HINT!" Bunken shrieked at them.
More laughter responded. "Okay, Miss Stone Mountain, shake a damned leg!" Môtoku yelled before she looked to Myôsai. "You're coming with Susumi, Yoiko and me."
Myôsai perked. "Me?! Why me?!"
A shrug. "We're gonna find out soon enough."
"We'll arrange for discrete transportation, Sôsô-sama," Kinko vowed.
"Arigatô."
Sometime later…
"THIS is 'discrete' transportation?!"
"For this town, it is," Chûtatsu replied as she, Môtoku, Myôsai and Bunken rode in the back of a Mizunokôji Clan GKN Sankey FV510 Warrior armoured fighting vehicle to the Moroboshi home, driven by Kinko and directed by Tetsuko Kurogane, another of the Kurotenshi who normally served Asuka directly. "Remember, the equivalent of an armoured and a mechanised infantry division are based in this town, including organic air support." She rolled her eyes at what she saw as a very frivolous use of money to maintain such military-like arms for personal usage, especially at the levels the Mendôs and the Mizunokôji currently possessed. "And since both Shûtarô Mendô and Tobimaro Mizunokôji don't mind falling back on such forces when needed…"
"Travelling around this way won't be so noticeable, even by the observers we're ultimately after," Môtoku finished for her lover as she gazed on Bunken, who had muttered the complaint several times since they had left Asuka's home.
Hearing then, Bunken sighed as she crossed her arms. "If you say so."
They fell silent as the Warrior turned the last corner, and then made its way down the street to the front gate of the Moroboshi home, stopping right behind a large truck full of construction supplies, now in the midst of being unloaded by a very large work crew. Kinko killed the engine, and then got out of the vehicle, heading to the back to open the doors. "We're here, Sôsô-sama," she announced with a bow as the four Kyoshô tôshi disembarked, Chûtatsu being carried in Môtoku's arms. "We'll stay here until you're ready to return back to the estate," she then promised.
"Dômo, Kinko-san," Môtoku said with a nod as everyone stretched themselves.
"Hey, Torumi!"
Môtoku perked, and then she grinned. "Hey, Mijiko! Yumi! Where'd you two come from?"
"Straight from school, you nut," Shigi Taishiji said with a lanky smile as she and her childhood friend, Seirei Ryûyô, came up from a side street. "Got half of the school with us; we parked ourselves over at the park closest to Nerima to prevent people rubbing each other the wrong way before we could get flags of truce out." A slender eyebrow arched over one of the exotic part-Polynesian's dark blue eyes. "I assume you're here for the same reason we are?" she then asked, a knowing smirk on her face.
"People peeking into diaries when they shouldn't be?" Môtoku asked, smirking in return. "Not to mention people being on this planet who shouldn't be here."
"Damn straight, sister."
"The same." Shifting Chûtatsu fully onto her left arm to free her right, Môtoku offered a clenched fist to Shigi. "Truce?"
Shigi held up her own fist and tapped Môtoku's fist, nodding. "Truce it is."
"Ohayô."
The six tôshi turned to see a smiling brown-eyed girl with brown hair down to her waist and partially braided at the level of her ears very much like Shintô shrine maidens often did it. She was dressed in plain clothes and while she didn't register as a fighter to the visitors from Kanagawa and Ibaraki (Yôshû High School was located in Mito, the prefectural capital), there was something alien about her. "Ohayô gozaimasu," Shigi said with a beautiful smile as she gazed on the girl before her. "I assume you actually live in this budding apartment complex."
"Hai, I do," the other woman said as she waved the tôshi onto the grass, escorting them to the just-erected dôjô-like structure that now sat in the square between the old Moroboshi home and the three homes neighbouring it. "I'm Anna Wakatsuki, one of Tariko Moroboshi-nêya's adopted sisters. You're the first people to arrive, so why don't you come in and relax yourselves while we wait for the others? Mizuho-chan is making tea for you all in the dôjô as we speak. Please, make yourselves at home."
"Our thanks, Anna-chan," Môtoku said with a nod.
Everyone slipped off their shoes in the genkan, and then they walked into the dôjô, which was currently an empty square space lacking anything that one might find in a normal martial arts training all. Still, the tôshi all bowed to the spirit of the dôjô before stepping over to the laid-out floor mats close to where a tall, busty woman with green-dyed black hair to her waist and turquoise eyes was currently preparing tea with the help of a portable stove. "Ah, our first victims," she said with a knowing smile. "Arigatô, Anna-chan. I'll take over here. You go wait for the others."
"Hai!" Anna said as she headed out.
"'Victims?'" Môtoku said as Bunken and Myôsai moved to prepare extra floor mats for Chûtatsu to sit on. "Should we be scared of something, Mizuho-san?"
"Other than getting your first taste of tea prepared Noukiite-style," Mizuho Yamashina stated with a smile as she placed cups on a tray, and then she moved to serve them. "I don't know how many of you like Korean food, but this has a teaspoon of red pepper powder on the surface. I have spoons if you want to stir it in. On Noukiios, this would be called etahut'tu; it's actually Korean ginseng tea."
The tôshi nodded their thanks, and then they took a sip of the spicy brew. "Man, that's good for the sinuses!" Shigi said, nodding in approval. "I take it the folks from Noukiios are seriously into spicing everything they eat and drink, right?"
"Hai," Mizuho replied as she returned to the stove to prepare more tea. "If all goes well today, tonight, you'll get introduced to etahena, which is equal to Korean-style soju with red pepper powder sprinkled into it. I hope you have the stomachs for it."
"Well, a little celebratory drink at the end of a good victory won't hurt anyone," Môtoku stated. "Just as long as it's one drink."
"If you're worried about people drinking underage, fortunately the Noukiites do have a very nice cider — spicing comes extra — they can bring out."
"What type of cider?" Chûtatsu asked.
"It's their version of the type of non-alcoholic apple cider you get in the States or Canada, but it's a lot sweeter," Mizuho explained as she then perked on sensing someone approach, and then she moved to make more tea. "So if there are any diabetics in your groups, they better watch out and not drink too much of the stuff."
Mutsumi Horikawa then walked in, escorting Ranma, Hakufu, Shimei and Shikei Roshuku. "Hey, Hakufu!" Shigi said as she toasted the Nan'yô tôshi. "Nice to see you here!"
Hakufu smiled as Mutsumi headed over to help Mizuho with tea. "Glad to be here, Ji-chan!" she said as she wrapped her arm around Ranma's. "Ready for a rumble?"
"We're always ready," Shigi returned with a smirk. "Are you?"
Hakufu huffed up. "Of course we are!"
Laughter filled the dôjô as Môtoku took in the scene around her while Mutsumi headed over with a tray to serve the three Nan'yô tôshi and Ranma Saotome. The spaciousness of the room they were all in allowed for each of the groups of floor mats to be evenly distributed in such a way that people wouldn't be bunched up against each other. There was a large group of mats at what she believed was be the "head" of the room, opposite from the main door leading outside. There were four side doors at the corners that would lead into the four houses physically touching the dôjô building itself; the Nan'yô group had just entered through the door to Môtoku's front right. There were a total of eight groups of mats as well as the "host" group. Noting that, Môtoku nodded. Clearly, the Moroboshi family had heard of what could potentially happen whenever tôshi of different schools found themselves in the same physical location, and were taking necessary precautions. That was good. A sign that today's events would go well.
The main door then opened, allowing four Seito tôshi — Gentoku Ryûbi, Kômei Shokatsuryô, Ekitoku Chôhi and Shikei Môtatsu — to walk in, escorted by Hinako Kawai. They were then followed by three tôshi from Yoshû, escorted by a blue-eyed girl with black hair done in a high ponytail: Môki Bachô, Bun'yaku Kansui and Enjô Koshaji. The two groups took their places to Môtoku's right as their hosts moved to get tea served. Once that was done, Môtoku looked at Gentoku. "Sonami-san?"
She returned the other woman's look. "Torumi-san?"
The red-haired leader of Kyoshô raised her tea cup. "For inviting us to your delightful party here, dômo arigatô," she said with a nod of her head.
Gentoku raised her cup in a toast. "It was necessary for us all to do this, Torumi-san," she replied. "To not invite you to it would be quite rude, I believe."
Môtoku nodded in understanding. "Where's Haneko-san and Kumomi-san?" Chûtatsu asked.
Gentoku exchanged a look with Ekitoku, and then both women laughed. "They're busy bustin' up some heads back at Tomobiki High," the latter said.
"And having tons of fun doing it, too," Môki added.
Ranma, Hakufu and Shimei all laughed on hearing that while the other tôshi all blinked in confusion as Mizuho moved to refill her guests' tea cups…
Tomobiki High School…
"And just where are YOU four going?!"
Hearing that icy voice, Megane and the Stormtroopers all awked as they froze. They were just a metre from the back door of Class 2-4, which they hoped to use so they could flee to the clock tower. All slowly turned to see an icily-smiling Unchô Kan'u standing there, Lêngyànjù's gleaming blade not twenty centimetres from Megane's throat. "Um, w-w-we were j-just going to th-the washroom…" Megane sputtered out.
"All together?" Unchô wondered as she moved to swing her deadly guändäo closer to them. "I don't think so. Park it in your seats and relax. It's just a couple more hours to lunchtime. You can hold onto it until then. Besides, English class is starting soon."
The four men hesitated, and then they jolted on hearing the sharp yet sensual sound of a katana being partially drawn from its scabbard. "Gentlemen, Unchô-san is being very nice to you today," Shiryû Chôun's quiet voice drifted past them as they turned to see her with a partially-drawn blade. Despite the fact that Shûtarô Mendô (who NEVER went anywhere without a katana at his side!) was their classmate, the Stormtroopers all knew that the threat of being made "a head shorter" by THIS woman was infinitely worse. "I am, however, losing my patience with your intransigence. You were ORDERED — by your own PRINCIPAL, in fact! — to remain in this classroom until noon hour. As were all the other boys in this class. Now OBEY that order and sit down."
Hearing that, Megane tensed, and then he gasped as Lêngyànjù's sharp edge touched his throat as Shiryû fully drew her katana. His friends were instantly in their chairs, all cowering in fear as they tried to make themselves as invisible as possible. Watching this, the girls in the class all giggled or laughed on seeing the resident loudmouth finally cowered low. Momoe Marubeya then smirked as she crossed her arms. "Don't worry about four-eyes there, Kan'u-san. He just can't hack the fact that Ataru Moroboshi was ten times the man he'll ever be!"
Megane croaked out with a mixture of outrage and fear as the other girls nodded at that. Instantly, Mendô was on his feet, reaching over. "Momoe-san, you…!"
A second later, a painful scream nearly shattered the windows of Class 2-4. "And here is another weakling who cannot respect his betters," Shiryû calmly stated after nearly scalping the class' richest student with her katana, that action sending him cowering into his chair. "In three hours, Mendô-san, you will understand not only why we are doing this, but why you would have never been able to win Lum's love even if you still can't accept the fact that she is a lesbian. Be patient. You will learn something quite vital." She then perked as the front door opened to reveal Mark Onsen. "Ah, Dairikôchô-sensei," she hailed as everyone else in the class rose to bow to him. "I trust you can see this fellow hasn't been damaged too much."
Onsen chuckled ominously, which made all the boys quake in horror. In the last month, ever since Lum stopped attending classes, all of the teachers at Tomobiki High had been cracking down hard on the students and their urges, much of which originated with their overwhelming interest in a certain Oni. Of course, they would have cracked down hard on Ataru as well, but since his time back at school after the Second Tag Race had produced NO disruptive incidents from the late iinchô of Class 2-4 (save for the times when others tried to force their will on him, which directed the teachers' righteous anger their way), nothing had happened. "I would not have blamed you if you were forced to make him a head shorter, Koeru-kun," he frostily stated as he nodded his permission for everyone to take their seats. "I take it they still can't seem to comprehend that they must obey teachers' orders while in school?"
"Regretfully, Sensei, they still seem incapable of comprehending that," Unchô reported as she grabbed Megane by the throat, and then slammed him into his chair, his face being mashed into the desk to ensure he kept quiet.
As a moan escaped the leader of the Stormtroopers, a hand went up. "Sensei?"
Onsen looked over. "Hai, Inu-kun, what is it?"
A slight, plain-looking black-haired, brown-eyed girl stood up, and then reached into her school bag to draw out a picture. "With your permission, Sensei?"
She displayed the picture. It was a class picture of Ataru Moroboshi, showing him smiling and flashing a "V" for Victory with his left hand. A black ribbon was drawn over the top right corner of the picture. Seeing that, all the boys shuddered while all the girls looked sad. Onsen blinked, and then he nodded. "Hai, you may do so."
"Arigatô." And with that, Chigaiko Inu walked up to Ataru's empty desk. People watched as she placed the picture on the desk, and then reached into her skirt pocket to draw out several incense candles in cup-shaped bowls. Putting them in a bracket around the picture, she then lit them. With that, she returned to her desk to draw out a rose from her bag, walking back to place it on the desk before the picture. With that done, she clapped her hands once to summon the attention of the kami, and then she whispered a prayer, bowing her head. Once that was done, she straightened herself, touched two fingers to her lips, and then touched the fingers to the picture. "I'll always love you, Ataru-kun," she whispered. "Be as free as you've always been."
With that, she returned to her desk. Immediately, other girls rose up, also reaching into their bags to draw out roses as they moved to form a queue to Ataru's desk. The boys in the class all gaped in disbelief as they all moved to place the roses on the desk, then offer prayers and a parting kiss to him. Seeing this, Onsen nodded. "I will miss Moroboshi-kun as well," he solemnly stated. "While we never understood why he did what he did, that he did it to free the sentience of the entity that was within his subconscious mind and guarantee she will live her life free is a noble act in and of itself. That he also covered for Hana-san as she pursued her relationship to Lum-kun also speaks well of him." Instantly sensing all the boys trembling on hearing that, he then cleared his throat. "Seki-kun?" he called out.
Unchô perked. "Hai, Sensei?"
"You told us you have a friend accompanying you today who is a shrine maiden, right?"
"Hai."
"Could you ask her to come here to ward Ataru's desk so that none of the idiots in this class can sabotage that?" Onsen said as he indicated Ataru's desk.
Shiryû smiled as she sheathed her weapon. "With your permission, Sensei, I will be more than happy to summon Kômei-chan here to do that now."
"Arigatô, Koeru-kun."
The Moroboshi home…
"AH-CHOO!"
Lum jolted. "Bless you, Darling! Are you alright?!"
Tariko moaned as she rubbed her nose. "Someone's talking about me, Lum."
"Hey, Negako! Can you tell what's going on?" Ranma wondered.
Negako hummed as she gazed towards Tomobiki High School. "Those of Tariko's female classmates not aware of what truthfully happened to Ataru are saying good-bye."
Tariko tensed, and then she looked down. "Oh, damn…!""
"Don't feel ashamed."
Eyes locked on Shigi Taishiji. "Ji-chan…?" Hakufu began.
The woman with the French braids of raven-black hair down to her breasts smiled. "You changed yourself from Ataru to Tariko all for the lady beside you. You also did what you did as Ataru for the lady to the other side of you." She raised her hands and did the fist-in-palm salute as she bowed her head. "It was always righteous. Don't worry about your friends back at school. You can let the rest of them in on the secret once this is all over with." She then lowered her hands. "And speaking of which…"
"Calm yourself, Mijiko," Negako stated as a strange ringing sound echoed from outside. "They have just arrived. Anna, let them inside."
"Hai, Nê-ya!" Anna said as she headed out the main door.
Everyone turned to watch as she stepped back inside a moment later. Following her were Kuohu and Kyekkyek, their appearance making those who hadn't met them beforehand (much less took notice of their "connection" to Unchô Kan'u and Ekitoku Chôhi) to gape in shock and disbelief. Both of them were then followed by three other women, one of which was clearly armoured underneath the hooded black cloaks with the golden Noukiite dragon sigils on them. As people turned to look at them, a sudden intake of breath then turned the attention of all the tôshi to Môtoku Sôsô. "Torumi, are you alright?!" Chûei Tôtaku — who led the Rakuyô delegation composed of herself, Bunwa Kaku, Shisui Kayû and a very quiet Hôsen Ryofu — called out.
Môtoku didn't answer as she stood up, moving to place herself in front of the person in front of the three cloaked women who had come with Kuohu and Kyekkyek. Silence fell for a moment as they stared on each other, and then the leader of the group of newcomers reached up to draw her hood away, revealing the face of an older teenager with blonde hair tied in twin screw-like pigtails from just behind her temples and the most beautiful ice blue eyes the leader of Kyoshô had ever seen on anyone. And like all of her kind, she had the bony ridges on her forehead indicative of a daughter of Noukiios, the tattoos on her cheeks blooming with the blossoms of the Flower Youth.
"It's like looking at myself," Môtoku then admitted.
The other woman chuckled. "Imagine how I am thinking right now."
Both then stood to attention and gave the other the fist-in-palm salute that was common today on Noukiios as it was in the China of old. The ones behind the blonde did the same before they removed the hoods from their heads, causing both Myôsai and Bunken to gasp in disbelief, making their counterparts turn to stare wide-eyed them. The others in the room save for the people hosting this meeting were also just as surprised. "Holy cow!" Ukitsu — the leader of Gogun had come to this meeting with only her chief advisor, Bunki Saien — breathed out. "It's all true?!"
"Hai, U-san. It's all true," Gentoku provided.
Noting that, the blonde Noukiite governor could only smile before she turned to gaze upon everyone in the room. Once she had done that, she gazed on Môtoku before nodding. "Heaven's most sincere blessings upon you all. I am Seu-Ne Yesu-Ne. I am of the House of Ne born this life to the ranks of the Seup'uk, the Heart and Soul of the Fourth of the Sacred Orders of Noukiios, the Eyukhu. I am the first daughter of that family. My style name as listed in the Scrolls of the Sacred True Bone Rank of the Flower Youth is T'uokch'eng. My birth name in this life was Eyu-Ne Yesu-Seup'it'. To all of you, I give my birth name Seup'it as the name you all may address me by."
Tap'uch and Ni moved to announce themselves, turning to face their own spirit-sisters as they performed the ritual introductions. Once that was done, Môtoku nodded. "I was born this life as Torumi Tsukasa, though I bear within me the soul of Cäo Cáo of Hàn, styled Mèngdé, thus I also answer to the name 'Môtoku Sôsô.'" She smiled at Seup'it'. "I give my birth name to you all as the name you may address me by."
Myôsai and Bunken both rose to introduce themselves in following their leader's example, and then Môtoku introduced Chûtatsu to them. Once that was done, Seup'it' tenderly smiled. "So you have called to us, so shall we do unto you in return as Heaven Itself so has witnessed this day," she declared, and then she stared upon the others in the room. "My humblest apologies to all you honoured warriors with us today for not allowing you the chance to properly introduce yourselves to us at this time, but regretfully, time is of the essence." She indicated the clock on one wall beside where the Rakuyô tôshi were seated. "Within seventy-five your minutes, the Imperial Chancellor of the Outmarches, the Lady Nakkyek, will present herself officially to the Secretary-General of your United Nations, Lord Kimun Pan, who is in Tôkyô here today visiting your Emperor's ministers. By then, Ni must have her troops landed on the ground and attacking Ôgi's warren of spies here in Tomobiki and in the surrounding boroughs. We know you've all dispersed yourselves to excellent locations to support us, but things must still be arranged to ensure no unnecessary casualties."
"So how are you guys gonna do this?" Shigi wondered as Hiromi stood up, moving to spread the map of Tomobiki she had been using earlier on the floor.
Ni knelt by the map. "What we plan to do now is teleport the assault teams right to the front doors of every house that has the spies living in them. It's done all at once so there's simply no chance of them screaming the alarm to their friends by the time we blasting the doors down and moving to stun them unconscious." She gazed on the leaders of all the tôshi there. "What we need for all of you to do is make sure any bystanders are kept well clear when that happens. Move into good positions at least fifteen minutes before we come in. Scout the terrain you're operating on quickly, but be thorough about it. I don't think we'll be encountering surprises but…"
"You never know," Chûei finished for the visiting general.
"Hai."
"There is one small problem."
Eyes locked on Chôjô, who had come into the meeting when Hiromi and Mioko had come with Tariko, Lum and Negako. "What problem is that?" Seup'it' asked.
A sigh. "Two tôshi, both of Rakuyô, are now prisoners of these aliens." As shocked gasps filled the room, the leader of the Attendants held up her hand. "Both are not harmed as far as we can tell!" she called out to silence the comments. "However, one is very pregnant at this time, almost on the verge of giving birth."
Chûei, Bunwa and Shisui exchanged worried looks. Hôsen remained silent, her eyes turned away, though she was listening in. "Who exactly?" Bunwa demanded.
A sigh. "Ken'yô Teigen and Chôsen. Ken'yô's the one that's pregnant."
A startled gasp escaped Hôsen as her eyes snapped around to stare in disbelief at Chôjô. The other tôshi are just as shocked. "How?!" Gentoku demanded.
"We haven't had a chance to deeply scry into what happened to them, Ryûbi-san," Chôjô replied. She then took a deep breath. "But we have noted this: the Niphentaxians who are holding them hostage have treated them very well. T'ach'yet'-dono, when your people attack this place, could they at least not be too harsh on them?"
Ni hummed. "We could offer them parole if they surrender to us honourably," she then stated. "If they show they have treated your sister warriors with decency even if keeping them prisoners." A nod. "I'll lead the team that goes there."
"I'll have a midwife ready for her," Seup'it' added.
The general nodded. "That's in the area Hiromi-sama marked as our patrol zone," Ukitsu stated as she looked on the map before looking at Chûei. "If you want to send your guys there instead, Takumi, I won't mind. I can keep mine under control."
The leader of Rakuyô nodded. "It's appreciated, Kichimi."
"I'll lead that group."
Eyes locked on Hôsen. "Alright," Chûei said, nodding.
As people turned back to the planning, Hôsen sighed before nodding, a smile crossing her face as Hiromi Kawai moved to refill her tea cup.
She didn't a narrowed light blue eye gazing at her…
The meeting broke up fifteen minutes later. As people headed out of the dôjô to return to where the rest of their classmates were, Hôsen kept away from her schoolmates as they headed to the Rheinmetall AG Marder 1A3 armoured fighting vehicle that had transported the Rakuyô representatives from the Mendô estate. That was quickly noticed by Bunwa. "Hey! Aren't you coming back with us?" she wondered.
Hôsen shook her head, lightly smiling. "It's not that far from here to where Motoko and Semina are. I can handle this myself, Hokona. Don't worry about me, okay?"
Bunwa blinked, and then she nodded. "Alright! We'll see you later."
With that, she got aboard the armoured personnel carrier. As soon as it was away, Hôsen allowed the smile to drop on her face. "Farewell, my friends," she whispered to herself as her eyes turned to the glowing figure in the sky off in the distance. "At least this time, it won't be because I betrayed any of you. Or anyone else."
Squaring her shoulders, she then turned to head down the street.
"Who says you're going alone?"
She stopped, and then turned. "Please…!"
"Too late," Shimei said as she hopped over the wall screening off the expanded Moroboshi property to stand beside her. "Kichimi already knows."
"Mô-chan, please…!" Hôsen hissed, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt tears surge into them. No! I'm not going to cry! Please, don't let Mimôko see me crying…! she mentally pleaded…
…and then Hôsen gasped as a hand grabbed her by the arm and swung her into Shimei's embrace, the latter's lips landing hard and passionately onto the former's. They remained still for a moment before Hôsen felt her stiff body soften, and then she moved to return Shimei's hug as their kiss deepened. After a moment, they then pulled apart to gaze into each other's eyes. Hôsen then blinked before she smiled. "I'm scared," she then admitted. "For the first time in so long, I'm scared…"
"So am I," Shimei stated, her own eyes tearing, though her jaw was stiffening. "I've lost one cousin in this accursed town. I'm gonna be damned if I lose the other one."
"Sekitoma…"
"Don't talk about that damned bird!" Shimei snarled, causing Hôsen to jolt, and then she drew her closer. "I don't care, Shikuko! Our fates belong to ourselves! Ranma did that for Tsueko! Once her fate changed, all our fates changed, too!"
A shake of the head. "Not mine…!"
Shimei pulled her closer. "Don't be too sure about that, Shikuko."
They remained still as they held each other. Unseen by either of them, a pair of green eyes, both awash in tears, was watching them from near the dôjô. "Mô-chan…" Hakufu whispered as her fists shook in denial. "Fu-chin…"
"You want to come with us, Hakufu?"
She perked, and then she turned, blinking. "Tsu-chan…"
Ukitsu grinned as she nodded the Nan'yô tôshi with her. "C'mon!"
As Hakufu raced off to get Ranma, we…
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