"Honey, I'm home!"
On hearing silence answer him, Moroboshi Muchi paused before he breathed out, his face aging ten years in an instant. "Oh, that's right…"
Slipping off his shoes in the genkan, he walked into the empty living room of the family home. A quick glance into the darkened kitchen revealed no sign that Kinshō had come home anytime during the day, which now made it the tenth day since their son had left the house he had not considered his own since after the aborted "wedding attempt" on Uru six months ago for the final time. When, in an act of justifiable revenge — and now, Muchi could understand that Ataru had every right to lash back against the people that had raised him (and quite poorly at that!) for many years for the abuse they heaped on him, especially in recent years — he ensured that Muchi and Kinshō understood that THIS time, there would be no reconciliation. That from that day onward, future generations of Moroboshis would be made to see what sort of MONSTERS Ataru had been forced to call his mother and father.
Sitting down at the coffee table, he placed down the copy of the Yomiuri Shimbun he had picked up at Tomobiki-chūō subway station and began to pick his way through it. The news was a soothing thing to him. It was his link to the world outside Tomobiki.
The normal world.
The world he wanted so much to be part of but couldn't due to a whole host of reasons that he couldn't really think of right now. And hadn't thought of for so long.
Since…
Muchi squeezed his eyes shut as he felt tears well up in them…
Several blocks away…
"Muchi-sama is so depressed."
The two other women in the small apartment flat overlooking one of Tomobiki's main thoroughfares tensed on hearing their elder sister's words, and then they gazed on her. She was currently in the kitchenette preparing tea for them. "Agreed," the second-oldest looking of the three Niphentaxian-form Avalonians said. "Has there been any sign of Kinshō-sama since she departed their home last week?"
"Negative," the youngest declared.
Silence fell as they considered that. The three women here had been brought to Earth from Phentax Twelve by Hoss bedai-Diyasbugh; they had been the first Avalonians to be brought to Earth ever since the covert mission to observe the Goddess' Holy Apostles and Holy Company began in earnest within a week of the Tag Race. All three had been genetically fashioned after Hoss' late sisters, all of whom had died three years ago in a shuttlecraft accident at Lumukyō spaceport. While they had been given Niphentaxian names — the names of Hoss' late sisters, of course — all three of them had adopted local Earth names when they came to reside with their brother/master on his assignment to help control the Church's operations in the Holy City.
To their neighbours, they were the Hayasaka sisters — Asagi, Torako and Fūka — who were all starting out in the wide world of adulthood, who (until recently) also allowed a tourist from Germany named David Höss (which was the Earth identity of the man that had seen them created) to stay at their apartment from time to time.
But now…
"Perhaps we should visit him."
Torako and Asagi blinked, and then they stared at Fūka. The youngest of the sisters was currently at the monitor unit, which was plugged into several sensor units that had been scattered close to (but never within) the Moroboshi home. "We are not allowed to open contact with any element of the Holy Company, Fūka," Torako reminded her.
"Agreed, but Reimi's group has now gone forth to meet with the Venerable Sakurambō at his campsite," Fūka reported. "Furthermore, Shasta's group may go forth to seek out the just-activated five replacement body units prepared for the Holy Apostles."
Silence.
"Can this be allowed?" Asagi asked.
"Only under most extreme circumstances," Torako stated.
"Which this could be seen as," Fūka advised them.
"Explain," the older sisters bade them.
Fūka turned to gaze on them. "We know that in the wake of Ataru-sama summoning the ch'uokyek of Noukiios to this world to remove the Yaminokuni mushroom plague and to drive Lum-sama and all the other aliens off the planet — including Onii-sama — Ataru-sama visited his parents' home for one last time until he himself departed, most likely for Okusei. Two days later, Hiromi-sama — whom we have all identified as Avalonian — arrives and begins to attend classes at the Holy Citadel. Within the day of that, Kinshō-sama left home and has yet to return." She stood, walking over to gaze out the window in the direction of the Moroboshi home. "Clearly, events have transpired that the Faithful will need to learn and analyse. If we do not take a more aggressive stance concerning acquiring the information the Faithful require, then the Prophecy Onii-sama feared so much will come to pass."
The others considered that, and then Asagi nodded. "Let us proceed."
Torako nodded as they moved to get their shoes on…
Some distance away from an now-empty lot in the north end of Tomobiki…
"It's gonna look good when it's finished," Benten noted.
Ataru and his other lovers all nodded in understanding as they watched the construction team continue to work on their new home. Built in a mixed Western-Oriental style, it would be large enough for all the Moroboshi siblings and their chosen companions, plus guests. And it would come with defences that would ensure that any attempt by any possible malcontent known to them — both on Earth and off it — would not cause them harm. "Yeah, it would be nice to sleep in a room that isn't so damned crowded," he admitted as he shifted the briefcase slung over his back. "But we better not dally anymore! Tampopo-chan doesn't like it when we promised to help her out in the restaurant and we don't even bother showing up! Let's go!"
The others nodded as they headed down the street towards the restaurant district. "So how was it, anyway?" Ran asked as she gazed on Oyuki and Benten, both of whom were now dressed in normal Earth clothes in lieu of their traveller's robes.
"It actually was a pleasant experience," the Neptunian said. "Most of the people in Tomobiki have now come to accept what Darling and Hiromi have said about what happened to us, so those patrons that did come to Tampopo's were quite friendly and nice." She then giggled. "There were the odd ones that found Benten and I irresistible, but Tampopo-san was quick to keep them in line before something bad happened."
"Good thing," Ataru said as he gently pulled Lum closer to him with his free hand. She gave him a tender kiss on the cheek in response. "We're trying to wean all the idiots in this town from drooling all over the place when it comes to Lum."
"Amen to that," Benten muttered under her breath as her free hand clenched in a fist. "If all the dorks on Okusei weren't bad enough when it came to her…"
The others nodded…
Muchi perked on sensing movement outside passing his front lawn, and then he looked over from his paper to see five people walking as a group towards downtown. At first confused as to who they were, he then perked on noting the unique features they had:
A green-haired girl with small horn-buds on her head and tapered ears.
A rose-haired girl with tapered ears.
A raven-haired girl with elongated lower earlobes and chain-link earrings.
A girl with silver hair that seemed like solid ice, styled in a ponytail.
And in the middle of them all…
Ataru.
His son…
Ten days before…
Shinobu watched as Ataru struck a match, and then dropped it into the metal garbage can now filled with all the pictures that had been taken of him over the years by his parents, and then she gazed in understanding on her former boyfriend as she watched him emotionlessly stare as the pictures began to burn.
The past being burned away…
Thinking of that, she turned to stare at Ataru's parents. Muchi was still reading his newspaper though the smell of burning celluloid and paper was starting to fill the air of the living room. And Kinshō was still frozen in place — and could not move thanks to a pressure point attack unleashed on her by the ominously silent Negako, Shinobu now knew — though her eyes were wide and her mouth was fluttering as she tried to say something, ANYTHING that could stop what was happening before her…
Stop her son from walking out of the house once and for all time.
Her son…
"Ataru-kun?"
A hum. "What is it, Shinobu-chan?"
"What's going to happen when you move out? You're still underage, remember?"
"That has been dealt with."
Shinobu turned to gaze on Negako. "How?"
"Once OnĐ-san's identity has been properly established with the National Family Registrar, she'll become our legal guardian," Ataru explained.
"That won't happen!"
He smirked as he looked over his shoulder at Kinshō, who was now glaring at him. "Well, I'm afraid you're wrong, Okā-san," he said, his voice a torrent of scorn as he said that last word. "You may think you're the boss here, but HE is still the head-of-family according to law." He pointed to the unmoving Muchi in emphasis. "And it was simplicity itself to get him to sign and stamp the forms necessary to transfer legal guardianship of myself to Kamekichi Tampopo four months ago." As Kinshō's breath sucked in on hearing the name of the one person in all of Tomobiki she couldn't begin to intimidate, he turned away. "Furthermore, while I was enjoying a pleasant two-month vacation away from you and your husband on a lovely planet named Okusei, I was adopted by a local couple there. Which now guarantees that Lum's parents won't be able to claim me as their son-in-law even after I just divorced her earlier today."
Silence.
"You divorced her?!" Shinobu demanded.
"That's what the crushing of the horns meant," Ataru said as he stared at her, and then he smirked as he stood up. "Oh, dear!" he moaned as he gave Kinshō a mock-sympathetic look. "No nice job on Uru waiting for you! That's just too bad!"
Kinshō shuddered as she watched him walk out of the living room. "What does that mean?" Shinobu asked as she followed him.
"It's what happened when we met up with Elle," he explained as he slipped his shoes on. "Lum's parents agreed to their daughter marrying me if they could provide the idiots here with good jobs on Uru, away from all the nosy gossips in Tomobiki."
More silence.
"They SOLD YOU OFF?!" Shinobu shrieked.
In the living room, Kinshō winced. "Why do you sound so surprised, Shinobu-chan?" Ataru asked, and then he gazed on Negako. "What was the count again?!"
"Two thousand, six hundred and thirty-nine."
Ataru smirked. "That count started when I turned six," he said as he gave Shinobu a look. "I'm seventeen right now. Eleven years. Four thousand and seventeen days!" A shrug. "It's simple math. Average it out to…"
Shinobu was now scowling. "Once every two days."
A nod. "Exactly." A shrug. "Now, once in a while? That, I can understand. Things have been pretty out of control, especially since Lum came into our lives. But once every two days?!" Ataru shook his head. "That's child abuse, Shinobu-chan. No different than what Ryū-chan's stupid old man pulls on her all the time."
"A pity this is not Oku-ch'ehek."
Shinobu blinked as she turned to gaze on Negako. "What do you mean, Negako-san?"
"On Oku-ch'ehek — that is Okusei's proper name — child abuse (which is what Kinshō can be charged of) and child abandonment (which is what Muchi can be charged with) are both seen as capital crimes." The barest hint of a smile then appeared on Negako's face as a choking sound echoed from the living room. "And there have been times that Ataru's adopted mother has been tempted to come down here from Oku-ch'ehek to have then dragged off so they can be so punished."
Shinobu took that in, and then she sighed. "Ataru-kun?"
"Yeah?"
A sniff. "I'm sorry."
Hands gently grasped her shoulders. "It's okay," he assured you. "There've been times that I've actually felt myself hating you for abandoning me like I felt you did to me when Mendō came into our lives." A sigh. "There are times I equated you with Mendō and Megane's good squad, especially with that whole nonsense with the Rosebuds." He then gave her a light smile. "But in many ways, you've been the only real friend I've ever had in this town. You've been the sister I always wanted." He then leaned over to gently kiss her cheek. "I can forgive you if you can forgive me, Shinobu-chan." He then pulled his hands away as he briefly stared towards the living room.
"But some things can never be forgiven," he said in a quiet voice.
Shinobu took that in, and then she nodded before she gazed towards the living room. "So what happens to them now?" she asked.
A shrug. "None of my business. They've wanted me out of their lives. By word and deed, they made it very clear that they don't love me at all." A nod. "Fine. I can take it. I've got a place to go and a new family to call my own. I don't need them anymore. Hell, I really haven't needed them for four months, since I came back from Okusei and you all got out of the hospital after Nengmek'i-jichan put you all there."
Shinobu blinked. "Why did he do…?"
"Ataru, we must go."
Hearing Negako's warning, Ataru looked at her, and then he nodded. With that, they stepped out of the house…and in a flash of energy, vanished. Shinobu watched them go, and then she sighed before she turned and looked once more into the living room of her ex-boyfriend's now former home. Seeing Muchi still frozen in place behind his paper and Kinshō shivering helplessly as her eyes remained fixed on the garbage can and the burning pictures within. Seeing them as if for the very first time, Shinobu then shook her head. "You must be very proud of yourselves," she said before turning and walking out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
"DEAR! DO SOMETHING!" Kinshō then wailed.
But he couldn't move or speak…
A son no more. Save only in genetics.
Muchi shuddered as he turned away from the scene of Ataru walking down the streets, surrounded by people that loved him very much — he had heard the street gossip about the Lum that had lived with him and his wife having NOT been the REAL Lum, but didn't know what to think of that — and tried to focus back on the paper.
On the normal world.
The normal world…
Normal…
A knock. Muchi jolted on hearing that sound echo from the back door, and then he got up, walking through the hallway to the rear entrance to open it. "Hai?"
He then gaped on seeing who was standing there.
Beautiful woman in her early twenties, long dark brown hair and brown eyes.
Tomboyish woman also in her early twenties, short-cut black hair and deep brown eyes.
Cute woman just turned twenty, bobcut dark brown hair and brown eyes.
All dressed in flattering yet fashionable and normal clothing.
All with tapered ears.
"H-h-Hai?" Muchi then sputtered.
The Hayasaka sisters all looked at him for a moment, and then exchanged a silent look before they moved to step inside. "We will be with you now, Muchi-sama," Ayase said.
Ataru's father blinked several times as they walked past him, and then he jolted on feeling Fūka's hand gently tug his so he could follow them…
"Avalonians?"
"All three of 'em, Darling," Benten affirmed as she gazed in the direction of her beloved's former home. "When's Hiromi gonna shut down all the Church's stuff here?!"
"We might have to do that quite soon, Benten."
Everyone turned on hearing Cherry's voice, and then they blinked on seeing the old monk now accompanied by several tōshi — including the Sebone cousins, Ataru and his lovers were quick to note — and seven other girls with pointed ears.
"Oh, crap," Ataru moaned on sensing what the seven alien women really were, and then he sighed. "C'mon! Let's go to school! Hiromi's there now!"
The others nodded as we…
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:24)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.