"Ladies and gentlemen of the planet Earth and beyond," Zed stated as everyone now stood in front of the CBC commentators' booth located on West Main Street close to the Aqueduct Academy. "In light of what has happened this morning here in Welland, I would like to turn this now to Captain Invader of Uru so he can announce his decision regarding the tag race between his daughter Lum and Ranma Saotome. Captain?"
Polite — even enthusiastic — applause sounded as the large Oni stepped up to the microphones. "To the people of Earth," he said as he gazed intently at them all before a smile crossed his face. "In light of what happened when the man that we selected to represent your race in this game of tag did for my daughter when those terrorists showed up to try to kill her — NOT TO MENTION thousands of innocent bystanders! — I declare, in the true spirit of this game which is sacred to my kind…"
Silence.
"…that as far as I — and my superiors! — are concerned, we will consider this a victory for Earth and, henceforth, consider your world and race worthy of respect AND independence from any outside interference!" Invader declared. "From not just us, but all our allied races in the Galactic Federation of Planet-States!"
More silence.
Everyone then broke out in cheers and screams as people applauded and hugged each other. Noting this, Invader could only nod as he stared on the crowd before them. Given the quickness of this race — seventeen minutes from the firing of the starter's gun to when Ranma tagged Lum's horns — most people, even in the crowd before them, on Earth hadn't fully absorbed what could have happened in Ranma had lost nine days from now. For despite the support he had in this missing from his president, he knew there were forces loose on Uru now that wanted nothing else but to attack and conquer Earth, find some way to seize the Avalonians' technology and then…
He shook his head. No. Don't ever think THAT, Invader! he scolded himself as people came up to hug and shake Ranma's hand as well as give Lum hugs and shake her hand; the latter was under the VERY watchful eyes of a dozen soldiers with loaded rifles, not to mention two sniper teams on nearby rooftops. He had always known that, despite their many problems, the Terrans were a fundamentally good people. Divided politically and culturally as they were, they had a massive strength within them, even those in places that were poor both technologically and resource-wise in lands across Africa and parts of Asia. A never-say-die attitude that would have seen them do ANYTHING that was needed to survive and thrive. An attitude that frightened some of his peers back in Onishuto, but fascinated others. And now with the Avalonians involved…
A scowl then crossed his face as he recalled what had been discovered a couple days ago, when Kashin had met up with Fort Erie in the asteroid belt. A dead crewman — who had a wife and two young children back on Toshitto, he knew — replaced by a lifeless moron from Phentax Two who desperately wanted to find some way to get his 'slaves' back. Well, no doubt he'll be spending some time at this "Club Ed" prison Misaki Natsuko told him about. Hopefully, the two lunatics captured by the soldiers in town here would get the same experience. As for that young telekinetic…
A hand then gently grasped his. "You okay, Captain?"
He jolted, and then turned to see Moroboshi Tariko standing there, a hand offering him a piping-hot cup of Tim Hortons. Nearby stood a smiling Sugimoto Sakurako. Seeing that, he laughed as he took the offered cup in hand, and then moved to follow the two teenagers towards the Academy. The crowds around them allowed them to pass though many people reached out to Invader to pat his arms and shake his hand, people shouting out reassurances such as, "I'm glad your baby's alright! Those monsters do NOT speak for us!" and "You should've challenged us to something better! Better luck next time!" Hearing that, he nodded in understanding, once again grateful that these people here hadn't fully realised what could have happened if Ranma had lost…
"You came to us as sportsmen, Captain," Sakurako then stated as she wrapped her arm around his, which made him blink in surprise as he stared at her. "We've hosted three Olympic Games in the last forty years. The rules were well defined and you accepted what happened in the spirit of fair play and respect for your opponent. THAT should be the legacy of this close encounter between our peoples, not anything else."
"Damn! You ARE precognitive, aren't you?!" Invader asked.
"She is that! And we love her all the more because of it," Tariko stated as they walked up one of the sidewalks to head into the Academy building. "We can't count the number of times that Sakurako sensed something was about to happen that — if we HADN'T acted on it — could've seen some people seriously hurt. Even seen the Academy burnt down one time! So when she says ANYTHING, we all listen to her!"
Invader laughed as they headed inside and proceeded to the student's lounge. "A smart thing to do, Captain." He then gazed at Sakurako. "Are you in the service?"
A sigh. "No. Unlike many of my sisters around the world, I was blessed with something of a very kind master back on Phentax Nine. He always saw me more as a trusted close companion and wise advisor than merely a receptacle for his sexual lusts." A sigh as all three walked into the student lounge, where Cherry was currently relaxing and having some tea. "That, sadly, did not save him from the Church's internal security forces when they discovered his more forgiving nature towards me. The day he was to be executed was the day the Flower Youth came to free us all. And as Elder Ganzo activated the recall mechanisms aboard the factory that saw me whisked to safety, the leader of the team trying my beloved shot him dead right before I was fully whisked away from that world." Sakurako closed her eyes. "I vowed on his memory never to do anything that would cause another pain. I refuse to join the military because of it; a soldier, sailor or airwoman may (depending on circumstances) be called to kill someone else. I, for one, will not be a part of it as best as I can."
Invader nodded. "I'm sorry that happened to you. In a way, I can understand why you decided to find some place and get allies after you broke free from Ōgi's control. But there are some people in the Federation who won't like the idea of you controlling half this solar system and yet not being a PART of the Federation." A sigh before he sipped his coffee. "Well, that's in the future. Hopefully, some of the less hot-headed folks in Onishuto will think it over and decide it's for the best."
"But there will be fanatics from your side as well," Cherry warned.
A nod. "Yeah."
"Well, maybe there's something we can do to help it along."
The captain stared at Tariko. "What do you mean?"
"So you actually married this girl back in December…and you're just getting back together now?" Don Cherry asked as he (with a wireless microphone; a cameraman was with him now) followed the Saotomes, the Miyakes and Lum into the Academy.
"Yeah, we are," Ranma stated before he paused as Shinobu kissed his cheek. "You have to understand something of my dad. He wasn't much of a real father to me, but he WAS a very good teacher in the Art. However, thanks very much to my mother here…" — he gazed on Nodoka, who blushed in return — "…I finally came to realise there was much more to life than just martial arts. It's just like you with hockey, right? Sure, you spend most of your time doing your show for Hockey Night in Canada, but you do all those other things, especially for the troops out in Afghanistan."
"I sure…"
"MY BABY!"
"«My God! What was that?!»" Kimiki demanded in Japanese.
"Uh-oh…"
Eyes locked on Lum, who had an embarrassed look on her face…just as Invader came soaring out of the student's lounged to land in front of her, his eyes wide and tearing as he grasped her by the shoulders. "IS IT TRUE?!" he bellowed enough to nearly stagger all the Terrans. "IS WHAT SHE SAID TRUE?! SHE TAGGED YOUR HORNS?!"
Lum sighed. "Daddy, calm down!" she said before looking around him to gaze at a now-blushing Tariko and a giggling Sakurako. "Darling, couldn't you have waited?!"
Tariko flustered. "Well, the conversation kinda swung that way, Lum…"
The former NHL coach blinked. "Wait! What's this mean?! What does Miss Moroboshi's tagging your daughter's horns mean, Captain?! Nothing serious, I hope!"
Invader moaned as Lum gazed in amusement at him. "What it means, Mister Cherry, is this: outside a tag race, when you tag the horns of someone you love, you're now seen as married to that person." As Don and the cameraman both gaped in shock on hearing that and Ranma and Shinobu both laughed at their reactions while Nodoka was translating things for Shinobu's parents, Lum flew over to embrace her wife from the side. "And believe me, sir, when Darling did that to me, I was MORE than happy to say 'yes!'"
"Now all we have to do is decide what sort of wedding we'll have!" Nodoka then stated.
"Um…what's that got to do with it, Mom?" Ranma asked.
"Well, Tariko IS Japanese, my son. While I'm sure the good cleric standing beside Sakurako now could do a Buddhist wedding, it would be more appropriate to do a Shintō rite," Nodoka noted before she gazed up at Invader. "Tell me, Captain, are there very important rites your people practice when it comes to marriage?"
"I…well, ah…um, you see…" Invader sputtered.
"Lum, is your dad okay?" Tariko asked as she gazed with concern at her wife. "I knew he was going to be taken aback by how fast this was, but this is kinda…"
"Oh, settle down, Darling!" Lum scolded. "He'll have to accept it." She then leaned close to whisper into her ear, "Besides, I don't want to shock him about us going to Noukiios to participate in the next Tip'heng ceremony…"
"TIP'HENG?!"
Everyone was blown down by Invader's shout as he began to bawl. As most of the others stare at him, Sakurako gave Lum a sympathetic look. "You weren't quiet enough, Lum," she advised before gazing down at Cherry. "Any signs of bad luck, Venerable?"
"It's hard to tell, my dear," Cherry stated as we now…
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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