Northeast Tomobiki, near the border with Nerima…
"Easy! Easy with her! Be gentle, please…!"
The Noukiite soldiers currently carrying the relaxed Ken'yô Teigen tried not to smile too much at Hôsen Ryofu's spoken urges as they gently placed her into a hoverchair awaiting her on the front lawn of her home for the past six months; it had been beamed down shortly after Shaskaar's co-workers down the street had been marched off by the Noukiites for Tomobiki High School. Tôshi from Gogun under Ukitsu's charge were keeping the crowds back as the marines, under the charge of a young midwife who had come down with a small medical team, did their work. Chôsen, Shimei Ryomô and Hakufu Sonsaku were also there, standing to either side of Hôsen as she watched Ken'yô be placed in the chair. "Please stop that, Lady Shikuko!" the healer scolded as she gazed in amusement at the aqua-haired warrior from Rakuyô. "The Lady Motoko already has enough on her mind concerning her child without you adding to it!"
Hôsen ducked her head, her cheeks flushing as her fellow tôshi and some of the surrounding crowd all began to laugh. "Leave her alone, Sensei," Ken'yô said as she stared up at the healer. "I'm quite unique as tôshi come these days. If Shikuko wasn't here, one of the others would be saying something similar."
"Is it a boy or a girl, Teigen-sama?" one of the Gogun tôshi asked.
A shrug. "Don't know."
Explosions all around! "You DON'T KNOW?!" Hôsen screamed out.
The healer hummed. "Understandable, Lady Shikuko. Especially given the Lady Scout Shaskaar's fears of what her former co-workers would have done had they discovered the Lady Motoko's current state," she noted as she drew out a tricorder from her web belt. A quick scan of the pregnant tôshi then produced a smile as she gazed on the readings. "Well, good news, Lady Motoko. You'll soon be having a very beautiful baby girl. She appears in good health now, but I'd like to get you aboard my ship to make sure."
"Sure thing," Ken'yô stated with a nod. "How are we going up?"
"A space wormhole-based teleportation system. It's quite harmless, My Lady."
"You going with her, Semina?" Shimei asked as she gazed on Chôsen.
The healer looked over. "It would be wise for the Lady Semina to come with her friend, Lady Mimôko. Given that they've been Avalonians for almost ten months now, they would need to learn as much as they can about their new bodies," she advised.
Chôsen nodded as she headed over. "Hey, Motoko! Don't drop the kid before we can throw a baby shower for her!" Hôsen stated as she winked at her old schoolmate.
A grunt. "I'll try not to, Shikuko," Ken'yô promised.
Soon enough, the healer, her two patients and a guard of six marines vanished in a horizontal shower of light, leaving the semi-circle formed by the onlookers and the Gogun tôshi protecting them very empty. "Wow!" one girl in the dark blue suit-with-skirt uniform of Butsumetsu Girl's High School then gushed as she shifted the kendô bokken slung over one shoulder around. "That's even better than Star Trek!"
"Yeah, it is!" Hakufu stated with a smirk before she turned to head off. "Mô-chan! Fu-chin! Tsu-chan! I'm going over to see how Ma-chan's doing, okay?!"
"Sure thing, Fu-chan," Hôsen replied with a nod as the strawberry blonde headed off. She then took a deep breath. "Well, this was easy."
"Too easy."
The aqua-haired warrior perked, and then she gazed on her cousin. "What do you mean?"
Shimei blinked, and then she waved Hôsen with her into the house. Ukitsu followed them into the living room, which was still occupied by Bunken Gakushin and the three Niphentaxians that had been living here for well close to a year. Ni had ridden off some minutes before to return to Tomobiki High School so she could observe the gathering of the captured agents and their "presenting" to the public to ensure that whatever spirit of resistance the Lumites still felt would be crushed once and for all right on the grounds of their very own "holy citadel" and in the presence of the "holy company." Koeko was in the midst of serving tea when the three tôshi walked inside. "Oh, Ryofu-sama! Ryomô-sama! Ukitsu-sama! Do you three want to have some tea?"
"Please," the leader of Gogun responded with a nod.
"Hai!"
Koeko headed into the kitchen. "What's wrong, Ryomô?" Ukitsu asked.
A sigh. "Shasta-san, did you know anything about the amount of Avalonians that were brought here sometime ago?" Shimei then asked as she gazed on their host.
Shaskaar perked, and then she shook her head. "Nothing at all, Ryomô-sama. I knew that there was some plan to have Avalonians be prepared to replace us in case Moroboshi-sama unleashed that whatever-it-was he used four weeks ago on the Holy Company to destroy us, but I was never briefed on any details about it." A wry smirk crossed her face. "Since I was Fungi's nominal leader, I lost a lot of face with my co-workers when he was accused of apostasy and dragged back to the Homeworld for trial and execution. I was cut totally out of the loop when those Avalonians were brought here."
Ukitsu then perked. "Then how did Teigen and Chôsen become Avalonians?"
"That was done ten months ago, when a senior observer who was one of the first team leaders posted here saw them both and decided he wanted a pair of love slaves," Makasai explained to the leader of Gogun; Ukitsu hadn't been in the house when the full explanation concerning Ken'yô's and Chôsen's conversion into Avalonians was made. "They were captured and had their souls transferred over, but Fungi discovered what was going on and reported it to the leaders in Lumukyô. He was dragged back and imprisoned for his crimes while Motoko and Semina were turned over to our team's charge to ensure they didn't blurt out anything to people who might have hindered our operations." A sigh. "That's when Motoko and Fungi became lovers. Shortly afterward, friends of the man who saw them turned into Avalonians struck back by having Fungi's family investigated for apostasy and wiped out. He was swept up into that along the way."
"He died never knowing she would bear his child," Shaskaar added.
"So why didn't you try to find some way to tell Tôtaku what was going on?" Ukitsu asked. "These chumps wouldn't have lasted five minutes against any of us!"
"They were worried about what the backlash could have been had all the observers been taken out of the picture, Ukitsu-san," Bunken reported. "If you think those guys down the street are fanatics, they all pale compared to their bosses back home! What could have happened?" She sighed as she leaned over to squeeze Shaskaar's shoulder. "They were all afraid of the fact that if all of them were killed, Ôgi — he's the big boss on Phentax Two — would have invaded Earth as a result of it. Yeah, they didn't know what Lum-san was planning to do to them, but still…"
Hearing the name of their spiritual icon, both Shaskaar and Makasai looked down. "The Goddess must be so angry at us all to do this to us," the latter then said as she hugged herself, leaning into her friend's side as Shaskaar moved to hug her. "To bring down the wrath of the Imperial Dominion on all of us…!"
Hôsen shook her head. "Mack, why is it you guys see her as some living goddess?" she demanded. "Lum-chan's just a normal high school student trying to live her own life! Not to mention dealing with the problems her being a lesbian dumped on her…!"
"Because she IS the Goddess!" Makasai tearfully screamed out.
The tôshi leaned back from that, and then they perked on hearing Bunken sigh. "Don't press them on that, okay?" the oldest of Kyoshô's Three Pillared Goddesses whispered.
Hôsen, Shimei and Ukitsu blinked, and then they nodded. "So why did you want to know about the Avalonians brought here this month, Ryomô-sama?" Shaskaar then asked.
Shimei sighed. "There's a Butsumetsu Girl's student out there with a bokken," she reported, lowering her voice. "She's an Avalonian."
Everyone else's jaws dropped in shock at her declaration.
On the roof nearby…
"Excellent observation, Mimôko," Negako Moroboshi mused, her lips slightly curled in a dry smile as she gazed down the street at where the crowd was gathered.
Nerima, near Fûrinkan High School…
"Keep marching!"
The now-several dozen Niphentaxian observers, gathered from seven separate locations across the ward, were now being marched in single file down the street to Fûrinkan High School. They were guarded by at least triple the number of Noukiite marines, their weapons all pointed inward to make sure that none of the prisoners could get away with doing something rash. Flanking them on both sides was Ryûhi's squadron (rated a "troop" by the visitors from Noukiios) of Kôshi Kasshi bikers, augmented by groups of tôshi from Gogun Senior High School and Yôshû High School, all of them ensuring that none of the gathering crowd of onlookers didn't try to interfere. Which they weren't; while most of the people looking at this were angry over what had been revealed over the news concerning the replicas of Ranma Saotome and the Tendô sisters (especially Kaori Tendô, Kasumi's twin), they were more than pleased to see that there was at least ONE alien race in this galaxy that cared for the fate of the people of Earth. And better, were ready to DEMONSTRATE that caring, virtually at a moment's notice.
Walking behind the last group of prisoners was Ranma, holding Hitomi's hand. Kaori, Minami and Atsumi remained behind them, all holding hands in a show of solidarity. Ryûhi herself stayed with them on her bike, with Happôsai and Cologne on the seat behind her. The major that was in charge of the company of marines that had been assigned to Nerima walked in front of them. He was a man in his mid-twenties with a very handsome face pierced by dark eyes and framed by spiky black hair that was cut short (clearly to ensure he could wear his helmet safely) but not at the crazy extreme his counterparts in the United States Marine Corps did it. His company senior sergeant — a woman (much to Cologne's approval) appearing to be in her late teens, as whipcord-lean as their commanding general, with bright red hair cut short, green eyes and tapered ears (she had identified herself as being part-Vosian) — marched beside her leader. Like all of the troopers here, their leaders had on the gold diamonds-in-a-black cat's head tattoos of mainstream Eyukhu on their cheeks.
"My Lord Ranma, how far is it to the Fûrinkan Academy?" the sergeant then asked.
Ranma smirked as he pointed. "Just a couple blocks more, then we turn right and go for two blocks to the front gate, Isanba," he replied.
Eyu-Ekhech Yeho-Isanba nodded her thanks, her eyes drifting over to gaze briefly on Atsumi Tendô before she turned back to stare at the prisoners ahead of her. That look hadn't been missed by any of the Tendô sisters. <<Atsumi, that girl is VERY interested in you,>> Minami psionically flashed her sister.
<<Well, at least she's pretty,>> Atsumi replied.
<<Go be with her, then!>> Minami then urged. <<Kunô-chan will be along any minute if I miss my guess, and he'll just be ecstatic on seeing a version of his 'goddess of war' all alone and available for the taking.>>
Atsumi jolted on hearing that warning from Nabiki's twin, and then she nodded as she let go of Minami's hand as she walked around Hitomi to march beside Isanba, her hand reaching out to gently touch the sergeant's left sleeve. Isanba blinked on sensing that, and then she smiled as she offered her hand. Atsumi grinned as she took it. Noting this, everyone close to them smiled. "A wise choice, Isanba," Cologne noted.
Isanba found herself laughing as her cheeks reddened, she slinging her rifle. Even the major to her right, Eyu-Ki Chusu-K'uch'uch'a, was nodding his approval. "I pray, Lady Elder, that I am truly worthy of the Lady Atsumi's attention," Isanba said.
"I would suggest, Cha-yu, you at least get the permission of her sire before you decide to court her officially," K'uch'uch'a warned as he stared at his old childhood friend.
Isanba glared at him. "You need not remind me of my obligations, My Major," she said with mock-reproof; in private circumstances, she would always look on K'uch'uch'a as her adopted little brother. "I'm sure that the Lady Atsumi's sire…"
"Is in no way competent when it comes to deciding the fate of his children, born or adopted," Kaori cut in. "You need not worry about him, Isanba-san."
The sergeant perked. "Indeed?" On seeing Kaori nod, Isanba then smiled as she raised Atsumi's hand to her lips so she could give her a courtly kiss.
The people all around them whooped in delight as Atsumi stopped to give the sergeant a graceful bow. At that moment, Ranma then perked before reaching into the sky. "Right here, Fu-chan!" he called out just as a lithe figure landed on one leg in the palm of his hand, and then she front-flipped around to land on the ground beside him.
The native onlookers gaped on seeing Hakufu Sonsaku then turn to swamp her boyfriend with a hug powerful enough to shatter a boulder and a kiss that nearly sucked all the air out of Ranma's lungs. The tôshi that were keeping them off the streets, not to mention those around Ranma, all beamed or cheered at the sight. After a minute of that, Hakufu then moved to walk alongside Ranma, keeping his other arm close to her bosom as they marched along. "Your wife, My Lord?" K'uch'uch'a asked.
Ranma smirked as Hakufu blushed. "Hopefully soon…"
"HOLD!"
The people around Ranma tensed as he moaned. "Oh, crap…!"
Unfortunately for one Tatewaki Kunô, who had appeared at the head of the column as it was making its way on the final stretch of road to the front gate of Fûrinkan High School, the lead scout flitter holding up the bar that a group of observers were now chained to didn't stop before its prow slammed into his face, sending the kendô-ka falling flat onto his back. Before he could recover, the stumbling feet of alien observers were made to tramp him down. The corporal driving the scout flitter, who had been looking around to ensure nothing was coming up to attack the column, then blinked. "Did someone shout out something?" he asked the infantryman to his left.
A shrug. "I saw nothing."
The column marched on as feet were made to step all over the dazed Kunô as the prisoners were dragged on ahead. By the time the end of the column had passed, just as Ranma and the people around him were walking up, the poor kendô-ka looked as if Hinako Ninomiya had nailed him with her Happô Go-en Satsu attack. On seeing the downed son of the principal of Fûrinkan High, K'uch'uch'a and Isanba stopped and blinked. "Forgive me, My Lord Ranma, but is this some sort of odd local tradition you have?" the major wondered as he stared curiously at the man behind him.
Ranma stared at Kunô, and then he exchanged a look and smile with Hakufu before he then moved to walk all over the downed kendô-ka as he strove to catch up with the back of the column of prisoners and their escorts. Seeing that, Hakufu smirked as she slammed the toe of her shoe right into Kunô's crotch, which made him gasp out in pain before her other foot smashed down on his jaw to knock him back to the street again. Once she was done, it was Hitomi's turn: she jumped up to land BOTH feet on his crotch, then jumped again to cave in his stomach and jumped once more to smash his head back down again before she ran over to catch up to her brother and sister-in-law.
Seeing that, both K'uch'uch'a and Isanba exchanged a look, and then they marched over the unconscious kendô-ka's body, their heavy boots leaving very thick tread marks all over his hakama and tunic. Kaori did the same thing while Minami paused to drive her shoe into his crotch. "THIS, Kunô-chan, you've been deserving for a LONG time," Nabiki's sister stated as she walked on ahead. "Hey, Atsumi! Let's go!"
"Yeah, coming," Atsumi stated as she gazed down at Kunô before shrugging and walking over him to catch up with her sisters and the others. "See you later, Kunô-eta!" she snarled at him over her shoulder before she headed off.
Only a pained moan answered from the kendô-ka…
Tomobiki High School…
"Hey, guys! Look outside!"
Hearing Kakugari's shout, the others in Class 2-4 all got to their feet and headed to the window to stare outside. "Well, I'll be damned!" Megane stated as a column of captured prisoners was walked onto the front lawn, escorted by a very nasty-looking group of Noukiite marines and flanked on both sides by Seito and Yoshû tôshi led by Gentoku Ryûbi and Môki Bachô. "So these are our 'worshippers,' huh?"
"Don't look like much," Perm stated as he crossed his arms.
"That, I believe, is intentional."
Eyes locked on Mendô. "What do you mean?" Shinobu asked.
"Given the nature of their mission here on Earth, guarding against doing anything that could possibly attract outside attention would be paramount, Shinobu-san," Mendô explained as the prisoners were shifted apart and split into two columns to frame both sides of the walkway to the main doors. "No doubt, deep in their hearts, they may have suspected that Lum-san did not approve of their presence here, so they would have to have been extra cautious to ensure they didn't attract her attention."
"So why wouldn't Lum do anything to get rid of them earlier?" Yûki Konno, a girl with brown hair in side ponytails, dark brown eyes and a constant sarcastic smirk on her face — many of the people in Class 2-4 saw her as their version of Nabiki Tendô (without the mercenary tendencies) or Shiho Nagaoka from the anime series To Heart (she was the school's biggest gossip) — then asked, her arms crossed.
"Because Lum-san was afraid that any action on her own would have resulted in a possible invasion of Earth," Shiryû Chôun replied. "She couldn't do anything to remove them until she had gained the promise of assistance from the Noukiites. Given the problems plaguing her planet (as we overheard on the news), she had no choice…"
"But to 'play dumb,'" Unchô Kan'u stated. "C'mon, let's give them a hand, Shiryû."
A nod. "Hai. Excuse us, everyone."
The two Seito tôshi walked out of the classroom. Seeing them go, Megane then snorted. "C'mon, let's go down and see these idiots for ourselves," he bade, waving everyone else with him. "I want to know what sort of dorks these bastards actually are."
"Asô-sensei, you mind?" Chibi asked.
Yûko Asô, the school geography teacher, shook her head. "Go ahead."
"Arigatô!" everyone chimed as they headed out.
Meanwhile, at Fûrinkan High…
"So these are Lum's so-called 'worshippers,' huh? I'm not impressed!"
"Neither am I, Nabiki-chan," Minako Sawada, a girl with chestnut eyes and purplish-red hair cut very short at the back of her head (save for two bangs dropping from her ears to the level of her chin), breathed out in a snort as the members of Class 2-D watched the column of prisoners being escorted by K'uch'uch'a's company of marines walked onto the front lawn of the school. "They don't look the least bit tough."
Nabiki stared at her classmate for a moment, and then she nodded as she turned back to see the prisoners split into individual groups by their captors, spread out to both sides of the main walkway. Minako, a native of Maizuru, a seaport suburb of Kyôto, was a kendô-ka with even greater skills with both live blade and bokken than Tatewaki Kunô. She was the girl's kendô team captain, but due to Kunô's overwhelming pride and influence, never got any chances to really strut her stuff save for interschool competitions. Which was a damn shame, too; Minako was proud of her skills but nowhere close to being delusional. "True," Nabiki replied, and then she perked. "Oh, my…!"
Minako blinked, and then she turned to look before her jaw dropped. "Holy…"
"Guess you really got yourself another sister, Nabiki," Nagisa Ishida, a tall girl with long black hair tied in a high ponytail (which still fell to the level of her hips; that really made Nagisa popular with the principal), light brown eyes and a birthmark under her left eye, noted, and then she grinned. "Excuse me. Make that 'sisters.'"
The others in the class all got up to look for themselves. "Well, at least they all look healthy," Naoko Kubo stated. She was another girl who had long black hair (though nowhere close to Nagisa's length; the native of Sakai, south of Ôsaka, wore her hair to mid-back), though she had green eyes in lieu of light brown.
Nabiki took that in, and then she froze as she sensed Minami's eyes suddenly lock with her own. On seeing that her own sister was gazing at her, Minami then smiled as she waved. Nabiki felt her own arm raise up as she waved back, and then she caught herself before her cheeks started to flame. Seeing that, the people around her all began to laugh. "Nabiki, go on down to see her," Nagisa said as she waved a tarot card — the Emperor, right-side up — to emphasise her point. "Today's the day for family for you. I'm sure all the teachers will understand that, at least."
Nabiki blinked, and then she nodded before heading out. Watching her go, the others in the class smiled, and then Mami Taniguchi, a dusky-skinned girl from Higashimuro district in Wakayama prefecture, then laughed. "What's so funny?" Nagisa asked.
"I'm just hoping that if she comes to school, Minami-chan isn't as much of an ice queen as Nabiki," Mami stated with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes.
Hearing that, the others blinked, and then they laughed…
Meanwhile, back at Tomobiki High…
"Get on your feet, slime! You haven't been exercised at all! Stand straight!"
The man with the very short blond hair, chiselled looks and dark blue-grey eyes gasped as a rifle butt stock slammed into his abdomen, nearly making him double over as his feet were boosted right off the ground by the impact of the blow. A choking noise then began to echo from his mouth as bloody spittle poured out of his lips. Seeing that, the Noukiite marine snorted as he stepped back. "Feh! That wasn't a hard hit at all! I've taken worse than that in training exercises!" He then chuckled. "Destroying the rest of your perverted 'church' should be simplicity itself if all its 'worshippers' are as lazy and flabby as you!" He spat on the ground in front of the man in emphasis.
Hearing that taunt, Hoss bedai-Diyasbugh bit down a thunderous retort as he tried to twist his body around so that he could jar loose the iPhone-shaped device in the shallow of his right pants pocket. Unlike most of his co-workers, he had been more than quick to understand what the presence of the Noukiite Imperial Chancellor of the Outmarches could mean. Just before the platoon of Imperial Marines had smashed their way into the apartment block where he and his particular group of observers had been located close to the Holy Citadel, he had managed to grab this particular unit and hid it in his pants pocket, making sure his hands were clear of them before he was spotted by the attacking warriors from Noukiios. And it was a very good thing.
The Church of Lum — despite all the ridicule all the non-believers across the galaxy heaped on it — did have very intelligent people serving it.
Hoss proudly saw himself as one such servant to the Living Goddess.
And he would, even in the face of the potentially ghastly defeat his co-workers were currently facing, be the one who would snatch ultimate victory in this battle.
Once he got that device out of his pocket…
Unseen by him, though, a pair of bright blue eyes was staring his way, they narrowed as ki senses honed over years of fighting began to probe the one agent who was acting very tired though he was clearly in excellent physical shape.
"He's faking something."
Hearing Shiryû's comment, Unchô blinked as she gazed briefly on her friend, and then she nodded. "Noticed, didn't you," she mused before turning to walk over…
Near Shaskaar's home…
"Ryofu-sempai, what's wrong?"
Shortly after Hakufu had gone off to join her boyfriend, Hôsen had made her way down to the house where Shaskaar's co-workers had been quartered. It was currently under guard by a platoon of Ground Self-Defence Forces personnel, all with Type 89 assault rifles at port arms, their eyes scanning the area around them to ensure that any potential intrusion into this place before it could be secured by the Men in Black would not happen. Ignoring the question by one of the small group of Rakuyô tôshi who had joined their upperclassman in the mission to this location, Hôsen crouched down as she picked up a black rectangular device not so far from the cordon of infantrymen guarding the former home of Shaskaar's co-workers. Noting that, the sergeant first class in charge of the platoon looked over. "Is there something wrong, Ryofu-sama?" he asked.
Hôsen stood up, holding the device in her hand. "Yeah, one of the Niphentaxians dropped this thing from his pants when the Noukiites strung them up to walk them off, Nijino-rikusô," she said as she gave him a quick look to read his nametag and rank slip-ons on his field dress. "Looks like an iPhone to me…"
Fûrinkan High School…
"Ma-chan! Look at this!"
Ranma perked on hearing Hakufu's shout, and then he looked over as his girlfriend came up, holding a device that reminded him of that new-fangled touch-screen cell phone recently put out by an American company that was now becoming the rave worldwide when it came to mobile communications. "An iPhone?" he asked as she held out the device to him. "Oh, man! Who the hell dropped this thing? These things are…!"
A gargled gasp then escaped from someone nearby. Ranma and Hakufu spun to see one of the Niphentaxians staring in wide-eyed shock at them…or specifically, the device both were holding in their hands. "This yours?" Ranma then asked.
The observer nearly choked on his tongue, unsure as to what to do now that THAT unit was in the hands of the Great Evil's most accursed friend and his current lover. Noting that, Minami (who was currently standing beside Nabiki) perked, and then her eyes narrowed as her empathic senses screamed a warning. "Ranma-sama! Tsueko-sama!" she then screamed out as she stared at the couple holding that device. "Be careful! That device is dangerous!"
Ranma and Hakufu gazed on her, and then looked down on the device…
Tomobiki High School…
"So what's this?!"
Hoss gasped on seeing the device he had tried to get his hands on now in the hands of the very tall and beautiful tôshi with the dragon-headed polearm in one hand. As he tried to figure out what to do in the light of THIS, Unchô Kan'u turned the device around to gaze intently at it. "Looks like an iPhone…" she mused as her finger tapped the switch at the top of the device, allowing the screen there to light up.
Hoss' eyes widened even more, and then he began to laugh. "Quiet!" several Noukiite marines snarled as one moved to give him another butt-stroke in the gut.
"WAIT!"
Lêngyànjù's sharp blade quickly snapped up to separate them. "Wait a moment!" Unchô stated as she gazed on the marine, and then she stared intently at the Niphentaxian as that deadly blade swung around to prod the underside of his cheek. "Now," the raven-haired tôshi then said as she smiled. "What the hell is this?"
Hoss glared right back at her. "Your death, heretic!" He nodded left towards the school. "Gaze upon the Holy Citadel with your unworthy eyes and see for yourself!"
"KAN-SAN!"
Unchô spun on hearing Gentoku's shout, and then she blinked. "Oh, shit…!"
As the people watching this began to mutter — the Niphentaxians actually now sounding joyous, the Noukiites wary and the Terrans quite confused — a small procession of women was now marching out of the school. Quickly spotting the blank looks on their faces, Unchô tried not to gulp as she found herself staring at the device she had just picked out of Hoss' pocket. Shaking her head on seeing the alien characters there — If these idiots are said to worship Lum so much, why don't they at least write things in Japanese?! she mentally railed — she then looked up to take a quick tactical scan with her ki-senses as to what was coming.
There were thirty-five of them altogether.
All with the curious variations of ki patterns that matched that of Negako Moroboshi, Tariko Moroboshi, Hiromi Moroboshi and their twelve adopted sisters.
Avalonians.
Worse, they all seemed to feel like very skilled warriors, from the two teachers in the lead — one of them being Yûko Asô, Unchô instantly recognised — to the youngest student. INCLUDING the thirteen girls that were part of Class 2-4 that she was quick to spot, currently advancing on her behind their geography teacher…
Near the border with Nerima…
"RYOFU-SEMPAI! LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!"
"SHIKUKO! WATCH YOUR SIX!"
Hôsen jolted on hearing those shouts, and then she spun around before her jaw dropped in shock on seeing a considerable number of girls, all in the uniforms of Butsumetsu Girl's High School, marching her way with totally blank gazes on their faces. Taking a quick scan with her own ki senses, she then blanched on realising that one of those girls was the kendô-ka that had attracted Shimei's attention earlier.
"Oh, crap…!" the aqua-haired tôshi muttered as she braced herself…
Fûrinkan High…
"What the HELL…?!"
Ranma and Hakufu blinked on hearing Nabiki's surprised shout, and then they spun around to see a considerable number of students now walking out of the school building and heading their way. In the lead were two recognisable faces to Ranma: two of his former classmates from Class 1-D, Kei Arimori and Ruriko Minegishi. As both of them took in that sight, they then jolted on hearing Hitomi gasp. "Oh, no!"
"What?!" Ranma said as he stared at his sister.
Hitomi pointed. "They're Avalonians, Onii-chan!" she said as she stared wide-eyed at him. "They must've had their bodies switched just like what they were planning to use our bodies for with you and the others!" She waved to the Niphentaxian agents, who were all laughing and shouting in delight, to emphasize her point.
Ranma took that in, and then he spun back to gaze intently at the approaching group of students. Thirty-five in all, representing all three grades and all five classes in each grade. All women, of course. And all possessing considerable stores of ki inside them as well as a considerable amount of knowledge to use said ki. And that didn't mention the fact that some of the people in that group — Nabiki's classmate Minako Sawada, for example — were all trained martial artists.
"Oh, hell!" he breathed out…
And back at Tomobiki High…
"You're all doomed…! DOOMED, I say…!"
Hoss then gasped as the sharp end of a katana prodded the side of his neck. "What have you done to these poor women?" Shiryû icily demanded. "We're aware that you brought an entire production line of Avalonians here! We were forewarned that you were planning to substitute innocent people around this town to act as replacement observers should Ataru-san have succeeded in killing you all. Now what is happening?"
Hoss stared at the close-eyed tôshi, and then he laughed. "Watch for yourself, heretic!" he snarled before barking out towards the advancing Avalonians, "SLAVES! IN THE NAME OF THE GODDESS! DESTROY THESE HERETICS!"
Instantly, people on the front yard were at guard as the Avalonians…
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(Posted Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:28)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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