Strange Days: Fire and Rain Cpts 1 to 7

by Horosha

This is a sequel to Strange Days. Tenchi and Gang (inc. Mulder and Scully) face two new mysteries.

2. Strange Days, Part Two: Fire and Rain

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo!/No Need For Tenchi is a product of

Pioneer/AIC. As such, I'm getting no compensation for writing this

fiction other than my own enjoyment and to bring pleasure to the fans

of this wonderful series.

Disclaimer: The X-Files is the product of Chris Carter and 20th

Century Fox. As such, I'm getting no compensation for writing this

fiction other than my own enjoyment and to bring pleasure to the fans

of this excellent series.

Disclaimer: Oh My Goddess is the product of Kosuke Fujishima and

Where's Michael is the product of Makoto Kobayashi. Both are

mentioned here because characters from both series appear in Book

Two.

Disclaimer: All characters 'I' have created are purely a work of

fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is pure

coincidence.

Disclaimer: The copyright holders own the songs and poems that appear

in this series.

Forward: This is a squeal to Strange Days Book One: With a Little

Help From Our Friends. As always I would appreciate any comments

about this work. Currently I have no web site but I have two E-mail

addresses:

V_Bashaw@hotmail.com

Horosha@RC_Books.zzn.com

I can also be reached by leaving messages on the Ayeka Fan Club

message board.

This is part of my crossover series where I'm blending the OAV Tenchi

universe of romance/humor/action with other series. Currently I'm

mixing it with the X-Files universe of alien-government conspiracies

and weird events. The events in Strange Days Book Two take place just

after episode four ("Mihoshi Falls to the Land of Stars") and the

first season of the X-Flies (both take place in 1992). If anyone

wants to use any of the characters I have created here, please

contact me first (especially about Anthony MacClean). I don't know

the organizational structure of law enforcement in Nihon and have

assumed it is similar to ours. If you know something that would

improve my knowledge about this subject, please contact me. If you

have questions about the story or how I portrayed the characters

please read the notes at the end of the book or contact me at my

e-mail addresses. I have a separate glossary of Nihongo words, idioms

and titles for this series. A copy can be found with Strange Days at

the Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction Archive or you can ask me for a copy.

My prereaders for Book Two are Kuuta Kutani, Donald Dortmund, Fuzzy

Bunny and Top_Quark. Also Luriko-Ysabeth helped me on usage of

Nihongo in fanfiction while Beaglesan, John Robertson and Gregory

Himes have given some good feedback

Dedication: This series is dedicated to the people who brought Tenchi

Muyo into my life: Hayashi Hiroki, Kajshima Masaki, Hasegawa Naoko,

and Kuroda Yosuke. We also honor Chris Carter for his great series.

Warning: Just like the two works it is based on, this series contains

adult language and situations, some of them ecchi, so any minor

should get parents' permission before reading it.

**********

Tenchi Muyo/X-Files Crossover

Series Title: "Strange Days"

Book Two: "Fire and Rain"

A Fan-fiction by Horosha

Copyright: February 25, 2001

Chapter Two: The Sound of Silence

Galaxy Police Hospital

Darkness' wing lifted from Mihoshi's mind as her foggy consciousness

allowed her to sense her surroundings, then an unrecognized voice

touched her ears, "Sir, she's awake."

The sound of slow steps came close to her and her grandfather's

fearful voice asked, "Himawari, can you hear me?"

"I'm so sleepy, jiichan," Mihoshi's dark lips barely part. "Can't I

stay in bed a little longer?"

A touch of joy entered the Marshall's voice, "Na Sleepyhead, its time

to open those bright blue eyes."

Mihoshi's eyelids flutter for a couple of seconds before she can get

them open. Mihoshi noted the black specks floating in her version,

then watched them shatter. "OYA, MAA (Oh my)!" a piecing shout came

out of her mouth, with the last note accompanied by the sound of

breaking glass coming from the connecting bathroom.

She felt strong hands grab her shoulders and her eyes locked on her

grandfather's reassuring face as his commanding voice said, "Think,

Himawari. Remember our last conversation."

Comprehension filled her mind as she noted how different her voice

sounded, how her hearing could pick up the mumbled conversation about

the cracked bathroom mirror and the way her eyes tried to adjust to

her demands. "I'm in the GPCB," Mihoshi stated.

"Hai, Mihoshi-san," affirmed a doctor with Kuroda Yosuke on his

nametag. "And I must say, the responses of your voice, hearing and

visual components to your brain's impulses and their stimuli to your

brain are very impressive. None of the prototypes showed this kind of

early improvement."

"I saw black specks move across my eyes," Mihoshi's voice sounded

more like her own.

"Those are the nanobots, they are the only reason the GPCB can even

operate as an independent unit," pride in Kuroda's voice. "They are

self-generating micro-robots constantly repairing the GPCB, fine

tuning its functions to the brain's mental commands and converting

biological material into the necessary components to keep both your

brain and the GPCB operating."

"How many are in me?" Mihoshi's face reacted to her curiosity.

"We don't actually know," one of the assistants admitted. "The

nanobots will manufacture as many of themselves as is necessary to

keep the GPCB functioning at peak performance."

"Why don't you try to move your right arm, Mihoshi-san?" Kuroda

asked.

Mihoshi's sapphire eyes glanced down at her unmoving ebony arm and

she questioned, "Like this?" In seconds, Mihoshi moved it three

inches above the checkerboard blanket, then wiggled her long fingers

at them.

"Amazing . . . remarkably . . . beyond all estimations . . ." were

just a few words the assistants uttered about Mihoshi's simple act.

Suddenly, Mihoshi felt hunger pains push for her attention.

"Ojiisama, is it too late for choshoku, I'm very hungry?" she asked.

Her grandfather glanced at Kuroda, whose own frown matched the

Marshall's. Recognizing both men's expression, Mihoshi continued, "Is

there something special about me being hungry?"

"The two major flaws the GPCB has been the need to take in a higher

than normal amounts of nourishment and the necessity for naps,"

Kuroda answered. "The extra nourishment is for the replication of the

nanobots and the naps are to replace the need for long sleep

periods."

"Then the nanobots are bio-mechanical?" the Marshall's own curiosity

was perked.

"Alas no," replied the bald-headed, female technician. "For the past

twenty thousand years, the Ginga Yunion supported research into

nanobots as bio-mechanical entities but two setbacks have stopped

this endeavor cold. The first was the ouster of Doctor Clay from the

Oken Uchu Akademi (Royal Space Academy) and the second was the

disappearance of the super genius, Hakubi Washu."

"But both of those events happened a long time ago," Mihoshi's

grandfather countered.

"Such research is time consuming and expensive," the man with the

thick brow ridge answered. "Doctor Clay was on the threshold of a

breakthrough when his own personality flaws got him expelled. The

project passed to lesser competent people before Hakubi Washu showed

an interest in it. Her reports to the Ginga Yunion showed she had

made a major discovery when she, her assistant and her

fifteen-year-old daughter vanished five thousand years ago."

"Wouldn't you still have access to their research files and hardcopy

notes?" noted the Marshall.

"In a fit of anger, Doctor Clay destroyed all physical traces of his

experiment before leaving," disapproval strong in Kuroda's tone. "On

the other hand, Hakubi Washu was so secretive, she placed unbreakable

security codes to all entry points to her private lab and its

computers."

"So you ended at square one again," compression filled the Marshall's

blue eyes.

"Tadshii (Correct)," answered one of the Jurain doctors, "and we

would still be there if it wasn't for a bit of good luck."

"Oi . . .?" Mihoshi's listened carefully to the dialogue between her

grandfather and the others when she noticed the relief in that last

voice.

"Un (Yes)," confirmed Kuroda. "Seven hundred and ninety-five years

ago, an abbey on Kanemitsu received a cache of memory crystals from a

man described by the rector as very dark skin with flashing gray eyes

and blond hair. The crystals were of unknown origins but were

decipherable with the help of the Ginga Akademi's (Galaxy Academy's)

mainframes."

"Cool!" Mihoshi's use of English reflected her absolute absorption in

the story.

"It took centuries before we could fully understand the data

crystals' secrets," Kuroda's smiled at Mihoshi's response, "and one

of them was the design for the nanobots we used for the GPCB. They

are mechanical but have the memory capacity to act like biological

units and the ability to rearrange matter on the subatomic level."

"So they can convert matter into any form necessary to fulfill their

basic program?" the Marshall's questioned.

"Hai but they still have pluses and minuses," the man with the

elf-like ears answered. "As was mentioned before, unlike a biological

unit you don't need a long sleep time, but you do require short

sleeps so the nanobots can make major repairs and upgrades

unhindered."

"Sounds my mago is to live a lazy man's dream, to snack and snooze to

her heart's content," Mihoshi's grins at her grandfather's playful

words.

"Can you feel through your skin?" asked the green-haired Kuroda.

Mihoshi placed her right-hand first against her face, then moved her

left hand underneath the blankets to touch her left breast,

bellybutton and left thigh. "It felt tingling at first, like when

your arm falls asleep but it's already changing, feeling normal," but

the ebony woman's words stopped as her right hand brought strings of

blond hair before her vision. Her gaze locked on her grandfather's

own happy eyes as he brought a mirror out of his pocket and held it

before her, the reflection showed a face she has always had and life

in her sapphire eyes.

"We altered the GPCB outer features to match your former shell, to

help with your recovery and to make interaction with biological

entities easier for you," the white-eyed assistant answered the ebony

lady's unspoken question.

Excitement filled Mihoshi's face as her left hand moved to her

vagina, whose touch brought waves of strange sensations that quickly

transformed into pleasurable arousal, suddenly her fingers were

covered in moisture. "Oops," the English word escaped Mihoshi lips as

her wide eyes saw her scarlet embarrassment in the mirror. The ebony

woman glanced up at the others' attempts to hide their own reactions

before she asked in Juraigo, "Naze wa yo (Why)?"

"The mistake we made was to make the GPCB prototypes robotic," the

male albino tried to keep her voice neutral. "Without the sensations

produced by the biological body, the enclosed brain within the GPCB

will lose its ability to function in a humanoid society, the trapped

personality dissolving bit by bit into an android without care,

without sympathy and without a soul."

"But why this?" Mihoshi wondered as she held up her left hand, the

fingers covered in stickiness. The GP Marshal quickly gave her his

green silky handkerchief.

"Just like the cells in a biological body, nanobots have a short life

span," replied Kuroda. "Then they are recycled to form new skin,

hair, nails, perspiration and other bodily fluids for the GPCB, you

even have tears."

"Komatta na (Oh darn)! I was hoping I didn't have to use tampons ever

again," Mihoshi's pouted while Kuroda and the others tried to

suppress their laughter and blushes, her grandfather just smiled.

**********

Masaki Residence

Ayeka stood in the kitchen's entrance to the living room, she saw

Seto sleeping on the sofa while the GP officer knelt next to the

sleeping form. The big princess' ruby eyes watched Mihoshi take a

washcloth out of a small ceramic bowl of water, squeeze the excess

water out with her strong hands and return the damp item to her

godmother's forehead. By the mechanical way Mihoshi performed her

action and the glazed look in her eyes, the purple-haired lady could

tell the blond woman's spirit was somewhere else. 'Probably

remembering about the last time she saw obasama,' Ayeka guessed

before returning her attention to the three individuals in the

kitchen.

"So you take a raw egg, blend it with one cup of tomato juice, add

three teaspoons of kuzu sauce and a pinch of salt," Sasami carefully

said as she sautéed onion half-moons in a medium-sized skillet.

"Tadshii, Akaruime," satisfaction appeared on Katsuhito's tanned face

as he watched the child in the carrot apron gingerly add the onions

to a soup pot which contained the kombu and shiitake broth. "It

should help Seto-dono's hangover."

A feeling of yearning fluttered through Ayeka's soul every time she

heard Tenchi's grandfather use the nickname Yosho gave Sasami, an

echo of her brother's gentleness in his voice. 'I used to be angry at

oniisama for giving his love to another woman but now I just want to

find him, to show I still love him with all my ki and to show his

compassion is embodied by his seed.'

As Ryo-ohki noisily munched a carrot while on the kitchen's island,

Sasami sprinkled in the celery seed, added a few drops of shoyu sauce

into the broth while the little princess asked without looking up,

"Jiichan, Ayeka-oneesama told me you had something to ask me?"

"In three days is the Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) Festival at

the Achi-jinja, in Kurashiki," a sliver of hope in the old priest's

words. "I was wondering if you would like to go?"

"What is Shichi-Go-San?" a cat's curiosity in Sasami's pink eyes.

"Boys at age five, along with girls at ages three or seven, are taken

to a Shinto Shrine where they are presented to the Kami and prayers

are made on behalf of the child, asking for the Kami's blessing,"

Katsuhito informed the little one. Sasami's face brightened at the

thought of meeting other children but then dimmed. Seeing her

reaction, the older man asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm eight years old," Sasami mumbled with head downcast.

Katsuhito placed a hand on her left shoulder and gently turned her to

face him, then brought his head down to her level and said,

"Eight-year-olds, who were sick or unable to go to a shrine, can

still go." When the gray-haired man saw the sunshine returned to

Sasami's features, he again asked, "So would you like to come?"

"Yapi! (Yeah!)" Sasami stuffed the word with all her joy as her

oil-covered hands locked behind Katsuhito's neck. "Ara . . . Gomen

nasai, jiichan," the pink wonder pulled back her hands as she

realized what the oil had done to his neck.

"That's oke, Akaruime," forgiveness in Katsuhito's voice as he took a

light brown kitchen towel and cleaned his neck.

A small smile sneaked onto Ayeka's face as her heart was lightened by

the scene in the kitchen but she startled when a low voice next to

her speaks, "Don't worry, Ayeka-san. We'll take care of Sasami-chan

while you're gone."

Ayeka turned her head to see Tenchi just behind her, a reassuring

smile on his face. "Hai," a soft tone matched the only word she could

muster as both continued to watch the lively conversation.

"This afternoon, after Tenchi's kendo practice, why don't you come up

to the shrine and we'll practice for the Shichi-Go-San," Katsuhito

told Sasami.

"Hai," happiness in Sasami's voice as she poured the onion soup into

a large blue bowl. With a light flourish, the child garnished the

soup's top with minced parsley and homemade croutons. While the old

priest took a pair of potholders to carry the hot bowl in, Sasami

turned to the others and said with a smile, "Gohan desu

(meal is ready)."

Both Tenchi and Ayeka moved forward to help Sasami bring in the rest

of the food while Ayeka quietly stepped over to the sofa. The slim

lady could tell the GP officer was still daydreaming, so she stood in

front of the kneeling form and brought her pink face within inches of

Mihoshi's ebony face, whispered, "Keibu Mihoshi."

Mihoshi's bowed head bounced into the right side of Ayeka's face,

sending the big princess stumbling away while the blond bombshell

looked around. When the ebony woman saw the glaring Ayeka rubbing her

bruised cheek, Mihoshi realized what happened and said, "Gomen nasai,

Ayeka-san."

Ayeka's hard eyes soften at the sincerity in Mihoshi's apology and

replied, "It's ii ne, Mihoshi-san."

"Are you oke, Ayeka-san?" the words turned Ayeka to face a concerned

Tenchi just two feet away from her, a small dish of pickled cabbage

leaves in his right hand.

"I'm . . . fine, Tenchi-sama," Ayeka stammered over his display of

worry and looked over the young man's shoulder, fearful the others

had heard her muddled response but found Katsuhito was busy placing

the soup on the low table while Sasami kept Ryo-ohki from raiding the

medium-sized dish of pickled carrot sticks.

At the last moment Nobuyuki came down the living room stairs, the

scent of fresh onion soup brought him out of his home office. When

his brown eyes saw the prone Jurain princess, Tenchi's father asked,

"Should we wake Seto-san?"

"Mo, it's better to let her sleep it off," Katsuhito replied but

continued the thought in his mind, 'It's dangerous to wake a drunk

Jurain oni.'

Katsuhito took his place at the head of the table while Ayeka knelt

on his right with Sasami next to her and Tenchi knelt on his

grandfather's left with Mihoshi beside him. It was only at this time

Sasami noticed someone was missing and asked, "Where's

Ryoko-neechan?"

"Miya!" Ryo-ohki told her. When only questioning looks came from

Sasami and the others, the cabbit got on her hind legs, took her

forepaws from a low position, brought them across her chest, pointed

up into the air and then again said, "Miya!"

"You mean she went somewhere?" Mihoshi asked.

"Miya!" Ryo-ohki nodded vigorously.

"But I made enough for seven people," disappointment visible in

Sasami's words and face.

"Sasami, you shouldn't pin your hopes on that Ryoko-onna always doing

the right thing," a touch of anger in Ayeka's voice over Sasami hurt

feelings. "She is an uchu kaizoku after all."

"But so is obasama," Sasami's look of puzzlement showed she didn't

understand why her sister would consider Ryoko's profession proof of

dishonesty.

"Don't return my words to me, Sasami," a commanding tone to Ayeka's

words. "Seto is totally different from that bakemono. Obasama is of

noble Jurain birth while that oni was born in some back alley."

"Ayeka-sama, as long as you live in segare's house, you will reframe

from using your mouth wrongly while that person is not here to defend

him or her self," a stern tone in Katsuhito's words as he poured

Nihon tea into everyone's cup.

Quickly realizing she had acted improperly, Ayeka dropped her gaze

and replied, "I apologize for my words of thorns, I have trouble

separating my past from the present."

Ayeka's downcast eyes saw two small hands take hold of her left hand

and take it from her sight. The purple-haired princess looked into

her sister's two pink quartzes and the child's voice spoke to her, "I

know what Ryoko-neechan did to you . . . did to Jurai but since

Tsunami-megami forgave her and obasama forgave her and I . . . I

forgave her, why can't you?"

'She can't understand how my heart burns for oniisama, how these

centuries without him have left a rage inside of me,' the ruby-eyed

lady thought. But instead of telling these words to her sister, Ayeka

placed her right hand over Sasami's hands and replied, "For your

sake, Sasami, I will try to forgive her."

"Ee (Yes)," happiness in Sasami's approval and her warm smile made

pale the reluctance in Ayeka's spirit.

"Well, we still have this extra serving," commented Nobuyuki as his

chopsticks picked up a piece of broiled tuna.

"Don't worry, I was going to tell Sasami-chan to make mine extra

large," Mihoshi confided. "But Ryoko-san's share should fit the

bill."

An inner groan vibrated in Ayeka's thoughts, 'Not one of those. They

can eat all day and have not one ounce of body fat.' To cover her

frown, Ayeka took a sip of the onion soup and was surprised by its

taste. "Ara, what a delightful soup. Domo Arigato for making it,

Sasami."

"I agree with Ayeka-san. Dekashita (Well done), Sasami-chan," Tenchi

seconded.

"Me too," Mihoshi mumbled through a mouth full of cooked rice.

"Do itashimashite (My pleasure)," modesty in Sasami's tone.

"I wonder where Ryoko is?" Tenchi's concern muted his pleasure.

"There's the natural hot spring up in the hills behind us," answered

Nobuyuki.

"You mean the one Achika and Ninjin-chan used all the time,"

Katsuhito deadpanned.

"Eh . . . ee that one," Nobuyuki's right hand rubbed the back of his

head as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Why didn't I know about it, jiichan," asked a confused Tenchi.

"It was your okasan's favorite spot and I've never really felt like

sharing it with anyone before," fond memories brought softness to

Nobuyuki's voice.

Seeing the impact of those memories on Nobuyuki's face, Ayeka felt

sad for not knowing Achika because she would have liked to meet a

person who could still invoke such love in everyone she embraced.

Mihoshi bright eyes saw Nobuyuki's fond smile and Ayeka's sadness but

she also detected how Tenchi seemed to absorb every word spoken by

his two elders and how Sasami became very quiet.

"Didn't you draw some pictures of Achika and Ninjin-chan while they

were up at the hot spring?" a flicker of a smile on the old priest's

face.

"I think I'll keep those to myself," Nobuyuki hurriedly said as he

gave his rice bowl to Sasami to fill. It's then he noted Sasami's

silence and asked, "Is there anything wrong, Sasami-chan?"

"Ara . . . mo, otousama," the little one is startled out of her own

inward turmoil. To cover herself, she asked Nobuyuki, "I'm just

wondering when we'll get to see Ninjin-chan and Kitsune-san again?"

"I've been thinking the same thing, Sasami-chan, and I think it's

time for me to pick up my hips," Nobuyuki replied with a smile which

was immediately shared by Tenchi and Sasami while a hint of knowing

entered Katsuhito's dark red eyes, Ayeka was confused by the

conversation but kept her peace.

The warm feelings that filled the room brought a little smile to

Mihoshi's red lips as she reached for a pickled carrot stick but

found resistance as she tried to pick it up. Looking down, the blond

bombshell found the brown cabbit holding the other end. "Oi! That's

mine," an annoyed tone in Mihoshi's words.

"Grrr!" rumbled out of Ryo-ohki as she tried to pull her prize from

the GP officer's ebony hand.

"Let go!" shouted the woman with sapphire eyes.

Giggles, chuckles and shouts of encouragement resonated in the room

as the tug-of-war ensured between the upholder of law and the ex-uchu

kaizoku. Finally, with a mighty yank Ryo-ohki freed her treasure only

to go head-over-heels across the table. Sasami had already picked up

her dish on just the off chance of this happening, so the little

brown rocket's path sent her off the table and into Sasami's apron

pocket. Seconds later, the incited cabbit bounced out of the pocket

with fur bristling as she stood over her claim and said to the

upside-down officer, "Grrr!" Ryo-ohki didn't realize that on her head

was a set of headphones, whose wire led to the Walkman in Sasami's

pocket.

"Oi . . . we're missing Kawatta-san's broadcast," regret in Sasami's

words.

"I thought today was his day off?" puzzlement in Nobuyuki's words.

"He's covering for another DJ, whose wife is due to have a baby any

day now," Sasami informed him.

"Why don't I turn the stereo on so we can listen to his opening while

we finish our choshoku?" suggested Nobuyuki.

"Iie (No) . . . it might wake obasama," a drop of disapproval in

Ayeka's tone, mostly because she has caught Sasami using

Kawatta-san's Nihongo-Amerika slang.

"Mo, Ayeka-san," Mihoshi courteously countered. "An anti-matter bomb

could go off next to Seto-dono and she wouldn't hear it in her

drunken state."

Ayeka glared coldly at the GP officer's calm assertion, then stated,

"I just find his vernacular to be a little too addictive."

"It helps me pass the time while I'm cleaning the house, oneesama,"

Sasami innocently replied, knowing what her sister was hinting at.

"Let's put it to a vote," Katsuhito calm voice cut in. When his

suggestion is met with nods, the old priest continued, "Those who

want to listen to Kawatta-san, raise your hand."

A forest of hands filled the air, with Ayeka the lone exception, even

Ryo-ohki lifted a paw. In his brown pants and tan shirt, Nobuyuki

went over to the entertainment unit and hit the on button.

**********

WHOSHI, Kurashiki

Ishido Natsuo looked through her bleach blond hair at the digital

clock on her desk, noting it was time. The young lady's slender form

got out of her chair, turned right and went to the metal table with a

pot of hot water on a hotplate. Her white-nailed right hand opened

the table's drawer and removed a thirty-two-ounce plastic cup with

the Sacramento Kings logo on it; she also removed a container of

cocoa mix. She carefully measured the necessary amount of powder into

the mug, energetically mixed in the steaming liquid and securely

locked the lid into place. As Natsuo walked to the office's glass

door, the coffee cup held level in her left hand, her petite ears

heard a growing thunder of footfalls coming from the hallway. A small

smile graced her white-lipstick colored lips as her right hand

grabbed the door handle, she backed up to open the transparent

partition and held the cup out.

In a good impersonation of Dagwood Bumstead, Anthony MacClean flew

through the open door, his lips brushed Natsuo's left cheek while his

right hand deftly took the black cup out of her hand and his parting

words danced into her ears, "Domo Arigato, Nat-chan."

With a little slide, MacClean pulled a ninety-degree turn to the left

and rocketed down the narrow hallway to the announcer's booth as his

warcry filled the air, "PONY EXPRESS COMING THROUGH!"

As Natsuo headed back to her desk and chair, she remembered. Her

mind's eye replayed the times MacClean helped with her English

lessons, helped balance her budget and helped by letting her cry on

his shoulder when her boyfriend called her yesterday's news. It was

then that he first called her, Nat-chan, and how his compassionate

expression brought sunshine back into her body, into her soul. This

chance exchange opened a door to a nine-month romantic adventure,

which brought healing to her being but some sadness to her life.

Healing in the form of MacClean's gentle honesty and sadness because

she couldn't heal him, for somewhere in his past a scar was placed on

his heart that wouldn't close. Now she was his dear friend, like many

other women. Each he greeted with affection, never with a harsh word

or wounded pride. When she asked the others why they left him, their

answers matched hers, "He'd hold and protect your kokoro but he

wouldn't let you hold and protect his."

Just as she was about to sit, Natsuo curvy body froze as her

green-lensed eyes saw a glint of metal next to MacClean's right ear.

'He was wearing an earring,' her voice full of wonder.

In the announcer's booth, the morning crew of Tom and Dick heard

MacClean's shout as they stood next to the door. Tom grinned and said

to his partner, "Bet's you 500 yens he can make the jump."

"You're on," replied the well-tanned man.

Tom hurriedly grabbed one of the rolling chairs, brought it back to

where they were standing and rested his right leg against the chair's

seat. In a few seconds, the door opened and MacClean spun through the

doorway, his gray eyes locked on the clock over the electrical

equipment. As he took his first steps into the room, Tom kicked the

chair into his path. Without hesitation, MacClean made a little jump

over the chair's back, landed on the moving seat and commented over

his shoulder, "Arigato, Thomas-san."

Tom passed through the open door. Dick followed his partner as his

right hand gave Tom the money and his left hand pulled the door

close, but all this action took place without MacClean's knowledge as

he set up the first two selections for the day and waited for the

advertising CD to end. When the CD sound graph went dead, MacClean

hit the mike switch and shouted enthusiastically, "Good Morning,

Kurashiki! This is Anthony MacClean covering for Kizaki Toru whose

wife is having a baby. I wish you luck and remember who is making

this possible when you name the child. Now open your soul to a little

Rock & Roll, for here's Jefferson Starship's 'We Built This City.'"

MacClean relaxed while a smile touched his lips over his getting to

work almost on time but the expression vanished as his gray eyes saw

a reflection in the booth's exterior window, a reflection from the

hallway window. The man's head twisted around but found no one

looking in yet a knowing look appeared on his face and he thought,

'So that's the reason why I felt like someone was watching me. I

picked up a stray cat at the hot spring.'

If anyone from the surrounding buildings had looked at the top of the

WHOSHI building's roof, they would've seen an ample lady floating in

the morning sun, gyrating on the salty breeze from the Inland Sea,

hearing music only the glowing Gem, on her left wrist, allowed her

ears to hear. For a good hour, Ryoko lost herself in the harmony of

the spheres before she finally stopped and commented, "Well, that was

fun but he's going to be stuck in that booth until late afternoon. I

wonder if there's something else here to entertain me. Except for

that midnight outing three weeks ago, I haven't been in a big city

for a long time."

Ryoko's image faded from the station's roof, then appeared and

disappeared from roof to roof as her sharp amber eyes scanned the

parks and streets below. It took the uchu kaizoku fifteen minutes

before her vision caught something that might break her boredom. From

the roof of a nearby building, she saw a four-story building with its

top floor blackened around the windows. In front of its glass

entrance are police vehicles, a fire chief's red truck and a circular

ribbon of yellow tape to keep the large crowd of onlookers out of the

way. The sight of blue uniformed officers placed a frown on the

lady's plain lips but the frown turned upside-down when her gaze

locked on two familiar figures, a brown-haired American and his

redheaded partner. A quick look to the left revealed an empty

alleyway to her, so in a moment she was gone.

**********

11:14 a.m. North-Forty Ranch

"So it wasn't arson?" asked Lieutenant Miyaji Michiyuki of the

Kurashiki Police as he stood in front of the soapland motel, the

surrounding ground still covered with puddles.

"So far our dogs haven't detected any of the normal chemicals used by

arsonists," asserted Fire Chief Mizuki Shigeru.

"Was there any other yakitori (fire fatality)?" quarried Michiyuki.

"Mo, just the one on the fourth floor and the coroner has already

moved it to the forensic lab," as he answered, the silvery haired

fire chief caught sight of the two Americans walking toward them. "I

think your NZK investigators are here."

The two turned to Mulder and Scully, exchanged bows and cards before

Miyaji continued in slightly accented English, "It's been three weeks

since we've last met. Did your investigation ever catch the murderer

of your fellow officer?"

"Yes, in a way we did," Mulder replied in a somber voice while Scully

nodded her head.

"Gu, let's hope you have the same success with this case," the

middle-aged Michiyuki added. "Shigeru-san, could you show us what

your men have found."

As the three follow the white helmeted man into the building, a

familiar voice caught Mulder's and Scully's ears, "Excuse me, pardon

me, coming through."

Wary looks envelop the two pairs of green eyes as they watched Ryoko

weave her way toward the yellow border. A lopsided smile touched

Mulder's lips as Scully's eyebrows arch at the sight of the ample

lady wearing a mirror image of the redhead's brown suit, except

Ryoko's vest and pant are a hot pink, the coat a darker shade of the

same color and a white necktie covered with blood red hearts.

"I think I'll help our specialist," Mulder told the other three as he

walked quickly toward the oncoming Ryoko.

Just as Ryoko reached the tape, a young officer held up his

white-gloved right hand in front of her pink face and said, "This

area is restricted, you can't go any further."

Mulder saw a menacing gleam enter Ryoko's eyes. So to save the

officer from a deadly encounter, the American in the black trench

coat quickened his steps and called out as he held up his ID, "That's

alright, officer. She's a specialist I've requested for this case."

"Does she have the necessary identification to be here?" the

black-eyed man asked in heavily accented English.

"Don't worry, I'll vouch for her conduct," Mulder reassured the

policeman as he handed the man his NZK card to examine.

With his right hand, the officer lifted his mike from the left side

of his vest, hit the button and asked in Nihongo, "A Mulder Fox wants

to bring an onna into the restricted area. He's told me she's a

specialist but doesn't have any identification for her."

"You mean this kind of identification?" a sweet purr came from

Ryoko's lips as she held out an NZK ID card similar to Mulder's.

The policeman took Ryoko's card, compared it to Mulder and found them

to be alike, except for the photo, badge number and title. Again he

pressed the button and requested in Nihongo, "I have two NZK badge

numbers for you to match: Mulder Fox, badge number JTT047101111 and

Hakubi Ryoko, badge number TEN070052001."

After a few minutes passed, A reply came over the pocket speaker,

"Identities confirmed."

The officer gave the cards back to their owner, then lifted the

yellow tape so Ryoko could enter. As the two walked toward the two

puzzled men and a frowning Scully, Mulder asked, "When did you join

the NZK?"

"Well, I do have to keep a low profile," Ryoko whispered in English.

"Where I used to blow my way through obstacles, I must now relay on

more subtle means."

"But why here?" curiosity in Mulder's tone.

"I was bored," Ryoko's answer mixed with a suppressed yawn but Mulder

thought he detected an undercurrent in her voice.

As the two reached the trio, Mulder gave the introduction, "This is

Ryoko Hakubi, the NZK specialist on the supernatural."

Scully's eyebrows went up in surprise and she said, "Indeed."

Michiyuki bowed and politely said, "Konnichiwa, Hakubi-san."

Miyaji gave a bachelor's smile to the lady in pink as he bowed and

matched the older man's words, "Konnichiwa, Hakubi-san."

Ryoko bowed to them and replied with a smile on her lips, "Domo

arigato, shinshi, and please call me Ryoko and I'll call you

Shigeru-san and Miyaji-san."

"Oke, Ryoko-san," Shigeru warmed to the lady's charm.

As the group headed for the glass entrance, Miyaji told the ample

lady, "You handle our language quite well, Ryoko-san. Not many

gaijins are able to."

"Don't let Scully-san's and my face fool you, Miyaji-san. She lived

in Nihon as a child and I've been in this land for many years," Ryoko

gave a friendly retort as she switched to English, "Mulder is the

only newcomer to this land."

"We'll try to remember to speak in English when Mulder is with us,"

Miyaji promised the NZK agents, Mulder had to turn his head away from

the others to hide his smile.

"Mulder-san, I was wondering why did you ask for this kind of

specialist?" confusion in Shigeru's face.

"I believe someone mentioned something about a demon woman," Scully

interjected while her eyes locked on Ryoko.

"Oi . . .?" both Mulder and Scully were satisfied with the complete

surprise on Ryoko's face.

"I have my suspicions about that witness' statement, Scully-san," a

hard look on Miyaji's face. "I think the witness might be adding a

tail and fins to his story to cover his own failure."

"I don't know about that," countered Scully. "According to the

hospital report, Mogami Sunao will probably be blind for the rest of

his life. His loss of sight would more than prove his courage."

"I'm still not convinced," Miyaji countered with some heat.

"That's why I'm here," Ryoko cut in. "To allow the invisible forces

around us to give aid in our search for the truth."

Scully rolled her eyes toward the heavens while Mulder open the glass

door for them. The odor of burnt plastic and rubber assaulted their

noses when the group crossed the threshold. Ryoko separated from the

others and closed her amber eyes. After a few minutes, she opened her

eyes and said with some concern, "It's going be hard to get anything

here, there's still so much fear of last night's fire in this

building. Plus, the fragments of other emotions you would find in a

place like this."

"Imagine that," Scully deadpanned, Ryoko could tell from Scully's

body language she was not happy with the uchu kaizoku's

impersonation, which only spurred on the mischief Ryoko saw in

Mulder's green eyes. In fact, Scully was not happy with Ryoko's

subterfuge or Mulder's permissive attitude yet she decided to remain

silent as long as the pink lady didn't sabotage the investigation.

"Well, we better put our gloves on," Shigeru told the others. Each

person took a pair of surgical gloves from their pockets, except

Ryoko. A bit of confusion marked Ryoko's pretty face until Scully

gave her the extra pair the redhead carried with her at all times.

"Thanks," Ryoko politely said as she took the offered gloves and put

them on.

With Shigeru in the lead, the little group entered the stairway. As

they climbed the concrete steps, the humidity made their skin damp

and the air hard to breathe, only Ryoko seemed unaffected. When the

party reached the third floor, the fire chief told the others,

"Although the fire spread quickly, it didn't come down the closest

staircase to the source but instead it followed the one at the other

end of the hallway and only halfway through this floor."

"Your men probably stopped the blaze from spreading any further,"

Scully commented.

"Something to be proud of Shigeru-san," added Miyaji with conviction.

"Yes it did," Shigeru nodded his soot-covered head. "But this unusual

pattern made us believe it was a suspicious fire."

"Well, lead us to where you found the body," Mulder calmly suggested,

the others nodded their agreement. As the group made their way to the

fourth floor, Mulder noted Ryoko placed herself behind him so his

body would separate her from the young officer and the fire chief.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Miyaji and Shigeru led the others

into room with the number 40 on it. Mulder could feel his shoes

crunch down on burnt plastic carpet while Scully noted the fire had

turned every color in the room to black. Both watched Ryoko walk

between the fire chief and the young detective as she headed to the

large bed at the far end of the room. Curiosity touched Shigeru's and

Miyaji's eyes as they beheld Ryoko pressing her left palm against her

heart, then bend at the waist while her right hand, with fingers

spread wide, hovered inches above the chard remains.

"Uhhh . . . " Ryoko moaned as her amber pupils rolled into the back

of her head, then more words floated from her glossy lips,

"Bodies . . . full of passion . . . wrestling as one . . . ecstasy

turned to agony . . . blue flame consuming . . . demon

watching . . . " The slight rocking of Ryoko's body gave Mulder the

warning he needed. With quick steps, he came up behind the pink lady

and grabbed her by the shoulders, Scully just a few steps behind her

partner with green fire in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" concern in Mulder's voice.

"Water," Ryoko choked out but her right eye gave a wink only Mulder

and Scully could see.

"I'll get it," Miyaji energetically answered. The young man took a

few steps toward the bathroom, stopped when he realized it was part

of the crime scene, instead he turned around and headed out into the

hallway. The sound of an opened door told the others he was going

into another room.

"While you're checking this room, I think I'll ask my building

inspector if the structure is repairable," Shigeru barely kept his

amusement from leaking into his words.

When the fire chief left the room, Scully turned her hard eyes on

Ryoko and harshly said, "What was you thinking of, Ryoko. Putting on

an act like that?"

"Well, it was you two who put limits on how much I can show other

Earthlings," Ryoko calmly retorted as she brought her left hand away

from her chest, revealing the Gem's bluish glow.

"You did go overboard with the dramatics," relief in Mulder's tone.

"A girl just wants to have fun," a playful smile on her glossy lips,

then placed her left-hand back against her chest as Miyaji came back

into the room with a small glass of water.

"Thanks," Ryoko softly said as she took the offered glass from the

dark-eyed man with her right hand, took a sip and returned it to him.

"I feel much better."

"What did you see," asked the Kurashiki detective.

"I saw two naked bodies upon this bed, the man on his back with a

woman riding him, the man was having an organism but she was not,"

Ryoko amber eyes take on a distant look. "Then she burst into flames

and his cries of ecstasy turned to agony. Within minutes, his skin

blackened and his body became alit in blue flames. She kept him there

until his pain destroyed his consciousness. Then she stood up, looked

upon her handiwork and left the room by the opened door."

"Anything else?" surprise in Miyaji's voice but Ryoko could see

skepticism in Scully's face and thoughtfulness in Mulder's eyes.

"Follow me," Ryoko answered as she headed for the door, turned left

and headed down the hallway, keeping her left hand against her chest.

The others made their way through the charred surroundings while they

followed the pink lady down the stairs and onto the third floor. At a

door numbered 35, Ryoko pointed at the knob. All of her companions

saw how misshapen the bass shell was. Then Ryoko opened the door with

her right hand, led them to the room's single window which was

already open. Outside was the fire escape but she didn't need to

point out to the others the scorched marks on its white paint. With

some difficulty and a helpful hand from Miyaji, Ryoko managed to get

out the window and go down the metal steps with the rest right behind

her. Upon reaching the alleyway, she walked toward a side passage

between two other buildings. Even in the shadow-covered blacktop,

Scully, Mulder and Miyaji could see impressions of footsteps going in

the direction Ryoko was heading.

Halfway down the passage, Ryoko commented, "They're getting fainter."

The others noted the same thing, as the footsteps became lighter and

lighter, then completely disappeared.

As the group looked around, Miyaji walked past Ryoko, crouched about

five feet from her, touched the ground with his right hand and

brought the gloved hand back up to reveal it was covered with fresh

oil. With precise words, the young man said, "A car was parked here

for a long time,"

"This killing was carefully planned," Scully tone matched Miyaji.

"A professional assassin," Miyaji added as he stood up.

"Or a very gifted amateur," Mulder added.

"Either way, someone wanted Shigeru dead very badly," the others

nodded at Miyaji's statement.

"Well, let's go back to the building and tell the men to go over this

area for more evidence," Mulder suggested. As Scully and Miyaji

turned to leave the area, Mulder's green eyes caught Ryoko's still

form, a look of deep pain within her cat eyes as she stared up at the

hills surrounding Kurashiki.

With gentle touch, Ryoko felt Mulder's right hand on her right upper

arm and her ears could hear his worried voice, "What's wrong?"

Ryoko turned her cyan-haired head to the American, the pain banished

from her face but her words were wistful, "Oh, I'm just homesick.

This is the first time in seventeen years, I've ever been on my own,

away from the shrine, away from my Tenchi."

"Just remember you have a friend here, too," Mulder asserted with a

smile as he carefully led her back down the passageway.

"Friends," Ryoko couldn't keep from matching the brown-haired man's

grin. "Something I haven't had in a long time."

Ahead of the pair, Scully had stopped and looked back when she didn't

hear the pair's footfalls. While the redhead no longer saw the

anguish, on Ryoko's face, she recognized the ample woman's attempt to

cloak her warring emotions. From other times before, Scully knew

Ryoko used light words much as the emerald-eyed lady used logic to

hide her own feelings. Deciding upon a logical distraction, Scully

asked Ryoko, "Since we know you're not clairvoyant, how did you come

up with all that information?"

Sensing faint traces of understanding underneath Scully's critical

statement, Ryoko smiled down at Mulder's partner and replied, "With

the Gem, I extended my senses to the microbe level. Even with the

acidity of the smoke, my elevated sense of smell detected the man's

lust but not hers."

"A professional attitude?" suggested Mulder.

"Uh huh, no hooker ever gets that cold. It would affect her

performance," Ryoko's incisors glisten with her grin. "Since he

didn't leave the bed and the air was heavy with his burnt fat, I

believed she held him down while her fire turned him into a

blue-flamed candle."

"Spontaneous combustion," stated Mulder.

"Although the cases vary, usually an outside source causes the body's

fat to burst into a blue flame," Scully's voice took on a professor's

tone.

"I thought you didn't believe in the supernatural, Scully," Mulder

chided.

"Spontaneous combustion is a well-documented phenomena and has a

scientific explanation," a touch of fire in Scully's emerald eyes.

"In this instance, about as scientific as pigs flying," Mulder

countered as he gave Scully as slight nod toward the lady in pink.

"Her body was so hot, I could see where her feet stood as she watched

his death, her path to the fire escape and her footprints in the

melted blacktop," Ryoko's curiosity overwhelmed her sorrow.

"Truly, a demon dressed in flames," a playful smile on Mulder's lips.

"Is that why you two gave me the once over when I showed up?" Ryoko

accused them but with amusement in her amber eyes.

"Well, you know the reputation the Demon Ryoko has for causing every

catastrophe in Kurashiki," a causal tone in Mulder's words is

betrayed by a flicker of sadness in his eyes, he remembered who else

said those words.

"Once a demon always a demon?" more levity in Ryoko's accusation.

"Your reaction told us you're in the clear," Scully couldn't keep her

own face from smiling at the other two's interplay.

"We believe a leopard can change its spots," Ryoko detected a thread

of gentleness in Mulder's mirth.

"Thanks guys," a happy tone in Ryoko's words.

"Well, we still have the one witness to interview," Scully words

brought them back to earth.

"Uh . . . Can I tag along?" both Americans could hear hope in Ryoko's

voice.

"Actually, your experience might help us with this witness," Scully's

answer left her partner a little bit surprised.

"So I can come?" Ryoko was also baffled by Scully's statement.

"Yes," confirmed Mulder while Scully nodded her agreement. By the

time the trio reached the back entrance to the pink hotel, the uchu

kaizoku's body language showed she didn't need Mulder's hand on her

arm as her confidence, her old pride, returned.

**********

Soja

The first thing Washu saw after entering her botanical garden, was the

six-year-old standing before the redhead's transparent laptop, the

child's eyes never leaving the screen as the fingers on her right

hand tapped some buttons, every so often. The green-eyed scientist

had purposely left the instrument there to discover the level of the

blue-haired child's intellect. Since their return to the Royal

Academy five days ago, the child had said not a word and Washu became

worried about the youngster's mental skills. The passivity she showed

when Washu poked and prodded her young body ran counter to the usual

reactions of her guinea pigs. Now those dull amethyst eyes are alit

with fascination, her fingers are nothing close to being idle.

Dressed in her favorite light purple nightie and creeping on stealthy

feet, the child-woman was inches behind the girl so she could peek

over the little one's shoulder, what she saw surprised the scientist.

Upon the headline were the words, Galaxy Police Criminal Archives.

Washu also noted the girl's gaze would lock on the criminal's face

for a few seconds before she would hit the mouse's left button to go

to the next portrait.

After a few minutes of observing the young one's abilities, Washu

gently commented with a sly smile, "You show great potential, kochan

but breaking into GP computers should only be done by a

professional."

The child's dark green nightie went slack as her body froze and the

mask of passivity dropped upon her face but Washu's could see

droplets form on her pink forehead. With a light touch of her

right-hand Washu moved the little one a few steps from her laptop

while a snap of her left hand summoned her levitating purple pillow.

As the little scientist sat, her hands danced across the keyboard

while her childlike voice asked, "I assume you were using my search

and retrieval program to break into the GP mainframe?"

The sweat had reached the girl's round cheeks but the dull eyes

remained, which made Washu's smile a little wider and her voice

continued, "While my program is perfect, an expert should still be at

its helm due to the need of speed and the use of countermeasures."

The redhead brought up her right index finger to motion the

blue-haired girl closer, then with the same digit she pointed at a

flashing light and said calmly, "See, some GP technician has detected

your intrusion and started a trace to find and arrest you."

Washu's smile became a grin as she saw the child's eyes slightly

dilate and her sweat became a river. With a few dramatic taps, Washu

let out a high-pitch shout, "THERE! While we strategically withdraw

from the GP sever, the tech will have to deal with his computer

downloading Jurain love poems from the AFC databank."

Still with the Cheshire Cat's smile upon her lips, Washu continued

her lecture, "The next time we'll first go through several secondary

systems to indirectly enter the GP computers, then create some virus

traps and EMP mini-bombs to cover our tracks."

"Oi . . . " the little word escaped from the child's barely open lips

as hope tried to struggle through the child's fear.

"Hai," Washu sharp vision could see the war of emotions fracture the

child's mask. "Although I can understand you wanting to find your

otousama's killers, why didn't you use my laptop to find your

okasama?"

"I can't," tears gathered at the edges of the child's eyes.

"Nani?" shock again touched Washu's vast intelligence.

"I CAN'T REMEMBER!" the child's scream accompanied the river of tears

running down her face.

Quickly Washu's turned around, her firm hands pull down the shaking

body and held the girl against her petite body. Washu gently rocked

upon her cushion and whispered calming noises to the child as the

scientist felt her chest become wet. When the sobbing slowed, the

redhead murmured, "Akachan, what do you remember?"

"I saw them destroy my otousan's ship, then three of them skinned him

alive, just like they did the onna who fought with him," terror

etched in the child's voice.

Washu felt her body go hollow as the girl's words told her of Akara

Naja's fate. Without thought, the little scientist's own tears ran

down her cheeks to find their home in her floating cushion. Even

after the blue-haired girl's sobs cease and the garden filled with

nature's night music, the two girls continue to accept each other's

sorrow. By the time grief's hand lifted from their hearts, the soft

dawn of the artificial sun told the redhead they had been there for

hours. With her mind now composed, she found her charge had fallen

asleep during the night. In a sweet voice, the redhead said, "Wake

up, it's time to leave dreams' streets."

With a tiny yawn, the child with shoulder length hair brought her

small hand up to rub the sleepy bugs from her eyes. With very little

effort, the woman in a preteen's guise saw a ghostly image

superimposed upon the little girl, an image of a boy with sunshine

hair and azure eyes. To banish away the past's phantom, Washu asked,

"Do you remember your name?"

"Hai, my name is Seto," sleep lingered in her soft voice but the

redhead saw the child's passive mask was gone. Then with words full

of a child's trust, the little one asked, "Can I ask your name?"

"I am Washu! The greatest genius in the universe!" the redhead packed

her words with all the self-assurance she could muster. "Until we can

find your kazoku, you can stay with me!"

"What if you find no one?" Washu felt the shake of Seto's body.

"Then you can stay with me forever, Seto-chan," Washu's certainty as

sharp as the wind off a glacier.

As Washu saw gratitude in Seto's ruby eyes, a stab of anguish ripped

through her mind, slashed apart her remembrance and left her the hard

reality of her transparent prison. 'Mo, I can't let Seto's presence

fill me with those memories,' the words occupied her mind as she

replayed the events surrounding Ryoko's most recent pain. Her mind's

eye saw her daughter in the red ground mover, trying to use light

words to mask her suffering. 'I must keep myself alert for

Ryoko-chan's sake. Once, I allowed my happy moments to cloud my mind

but not now, Kagato-san is preparing to strike.'

**********

11:59 a.m. Miyaji's Crimson 1991 Mustang

"So to my amazement I found the little white bottles were filled with

this clear liquid," Ryoko's words tried to capture the puzzlement she

had felt. "When I took a careful sip, I found a wonderful warmth fill

my body. It's then I realized this must be that Nihongo rice wine,

sake."

"So that was your first drink?" asked Miyaji.

"No, I've drunk harder stuff but sake's light sensation and warmth

makes it my favorite drink," Ryoko's smile matched her words. "I

always keep a bottle where I can find it."

Both Mulder and Scully grinned at Ryoko's answer but the noon horn

awoke a new feeling in Mulder, urgency. "Officer Miyaji, can I turn

on the radio and set it to WHOSHI?" Mulder tried to keep a

professional tone in his voice.

"Oi . . . that's right, it's time for Kawatta-san's noon program,"

startled Nihongo words left the black-haired man's mouth before he

added in English, "Go right ahead."

An amused Mulder reached with his left hand, pushed the on button and

turned the dial. As the red indicator reached 101.9 FM, a familiar

English voice filled the car, "Howdy guys and gals, this is American

Karaoke. For all wannabes trying to show you have a fine pair of

pipes, this is your chance to sink or swim. But before we listen to

Igarashi Satsuki's and Nekoi Mick's version of

'Aruki Ni Mujin Chi'iki', let me give you 'Strange Days'." After the

usual introduction music, MacClean's voice continued, "After the last

two dull weeks, things have livened up again. In the vicinity of

Bisei, an onsen was trashed by an uncontrolled demon summoned by an

unidentifiable witch. People should keep an eye open because the

demon has since gone missing. At the same time, a freak windstorm

produced extensive damage to fields and orchards around the same

area. As a capstone, several stargazers in central Nihon witnessed a

UFO passing between the Earth and the Moon. Authorities have not

confirmed this last event.

"Now that we have had our daily dose of the bizarre in our diet,

let's jump into our skirt, spiked heels and wig to follow Mick and

Satsuki on their reckless walk." As the song first bar filled the

car, Mulder quickly turned it off while saying, "Sorry but I don't

want to listen to song about that subject."

"He called me a witch," Ryoko's voice filled with growling anger but

that feeling vanished when she saw the two Americans stare at her

with no small amount of suspicion in their eyes, then her eyes go

wide at what she just let out of the bag.

"So that's your real alibi, isn't it?" asked Mulder with very little

humor in his voice.

"I made a simple mistake," Ryoko hung her guilt heavy head.

"Nice to know what you consider to be a low profile," the sound of

betrayal in Scully's words cut into Ryoko's soul.

"I'm really sorry, guys," Ryoko put all her shame into her words. "I

and Ayeka got into a slapping match and I kind of lost it."

Upon hearing the cause of the incident, both agents exchanged a

knowing look, then Mulder said with a hint of humor, "Just remember

to keep the cat fights down to a low roar, alright."

"We wouldn't want to take you two in for damaging public property and

disturbing the peace, now would we?" Scully's voice matched her

partner's mix of seriousness and mirth.

Catching the tone of their words, Ryoko raised her left hand then

pulled it back down so she could replace it with her right hand, palm

up, before embarrassingly saying, "Scout's honor."

"Did I just miss something?" asked a bewildered Miyaji, he had heard

the exchange but couldn't fathom the hidden meaning behind the words.

"Ryoko is a secret project Scully and I have been working on for the

past three weeks," Mulder replied with a grin. "She's got a few rough

edges that some friends of ours are trying to smooth over."

"You mean she's on probation?" the local detective tried to make

sense of the answer.

"Essentially correct, Miyaji," Scully's answer widened Mulder's smile

and produced a nod from Ryoko. "Ryoko helped us against the people

responsible for the death of First Lieutenant Hideyuki Koyama, of the

NZK."

"I read the official report and I there was no mention of a Hakubi

Ryoko," the confusion in Miyaji's voice deepened.

"The official report was written by our superiors, to hide an

interdepartmental rivalry over an important piece of evidence,"

Miyaji heard anger in Mulder's reply. "Without Ryoko's help, I would

most likely be dead and justice would've been denied for the

murderers."

Miyaji let out a low whistle at Mulder's revelation before he asked,

"But Ryoko is some kind of criminal?"

"Ryoko has a long checked past," Scully came to the ample lady's

defense. "But her file was composed of criminal activities where she

had no control of the events except as an involuntary participant."

"Because Ryoko saved my life, I was able to get her file expunged

from the NZK databank in return for her agreeing to probation and

assignment to my department as one of our specialists," everyone in

the car heard the affection in Mulder's tone.

"That makes sense," Miyaji remembered his first encounter with the

two Americans, three weeks ago, and how enraged both of them were

over Hideyuki's death.

As relief made Ryoko sigh, the amber-eyed woman's thoughts returned

to the source of her annoyance and she asked, "The rest of the gang

has been wondering if you found out more about our man in white?"

Mulder caught Ryoko's allusion and answered honestly, "So far, the

Three Kings found his record before nineteen-seventy-two is as empty

as Christ's Tomb. The only thing we've got is the photograph taken

when he was given his driver's license here in Japan."

"Nihon," Scully corrected.

"Potaytoe, potahtoe," Mulder quipped lightly, then continued,

"Anyway, I've sent a copy of the photograph to a friend in Chi-town,

who relayed it to one of his friends. Maybe she can find something

out."

"In other words, nothing," the redhead finalized.

"Oh, the Three Kings did find rumors of his being found in different

locations across the globe, even now he will disappear during his

vacation only to reappear weeks later," Mulder added to counter his

partner's absolutism. "A name here, a mysterious stranger there but

one thing most of the rumors pointed at."

"Which is?" curiosity in Ryoko's amber eyes.

"He's like the Saint," puzzled looks appear on Ryoko's and Scully's

face before Mulder continued, "He's a catalyst for whenever he

appears, havoc occurs."

"Well, let's hope your snoop can find out more," a frown on Scully's

red lips matched her words. "Smoke and mirror is not my cup of tea."

"I prefer sake, myself," Ryoko countered. "All this mystical stuff

about tea just gets boring." Cheshire Cat's grins broke out on the

faces of the Americans while Miyaji let out a low chuckle. Seeing the

others' reaction, a baffled Ryoko asked, "Now what did I do wrong?"

**********

Masaki Residence

Tenchi stood just a few steps from the backdoor, a hoe in the left

hand, his lunch in his right as his brown eyes stare into the woody

hills surrounding the glassy lake, in direction of Kurashiki.

Suddenly, a golf ball sized rock thumped into his left ear, sending

him crashing onto his right side. Shaking the pain out of his head,

the youth's brown eyes caught the sight of his grandfather standing

over him with Sasami next to him, a look of shock on the little one's

face and Ryo-ohki between the girl's blue ponytails.

"Tenchi, you better show more alertness during today's practice or

that lump on your head will have company," the short haired youth was

very sure he could hear amusement in his priestly garbed

grandfather's voice.

"Hai, jiisan," the tone in Tenchi's words made it sound like he just

called Katsuhito an old man.

"Nani," a dangerous vibration in the old priest's response as his red

eyes slightly narrowed.

"Hai, ojiisama," Tenchi words filled with respect, fearful the number

of lumps might outnumber his fingers and toes.

"Let me help you up, Tenchi-niichan," a wide-eyed Sasami told Tenchi

as she walked forward and raised her little hands to him, the young

man took both of them with his right hand.

With a little huff, the small princess' body counterbalanced the

priest's grandson's larger frame, allowing him to stand in one smooth

motion. "Arigato, Sasami-chan," Tenchi thanked her.

"Atashi warui (I'm at fault), Tenchi-niichan," regret plain in

Sasami's words. "I didn't mean to throw the rock so hard."

"You threw it?" raggedly asked Tenchi as he bend over to brush the

dirt from his brown autumn work clothes.

"Jiichan gave me the rock and told me to throw it at you," Sasami

lowered her head to hide the misery in her pink eyes but Tenchi could

also see it in Ryo-ohki's yellow eyes. "Instead I tried to throw it

so it would pass just in front of your face but I was off-target."

With body still bent over and his head just inches from Sasami's sad

face, Tenchi said in a conspirator's whisper, "That's alright,

Sasami-chan. You have to watch out for jiichan, he's the kind who

doesn't like it boiled or grilled."

Sasami's head moved upward a little so her pink orbs could see

Tenchi's brown orbs. When she saw the sincerity in those mirrors, her

shame dropped from her own and she whispered back, "Hai,

Tenchi-niichan."

"Miya!" promised Ryo-ohki with her right white-socked paw stretched

upward. None of the three caught the fleeting smile on Katsuhito's

face.

As Tenchi stood up with hoe and lunch in hand, Sasami noticed he gave

a backward glance in the direction the youth had been originally

looking. With her inquisitiveness perked, the little girl in the

green-black child's kimono asked the youth, "You were putting your

heart so much into your thoughts that you didn't hear us come up,

Tenchi-niichan."

"Tadshii, Sasami-chan," embarrassment in Tenchi's words and face.

"Can you tell us what you were thinking about?" Katsuhito's own

curiosity brought to the fore by Sasami's observation.

"It . . . wasn't as much a . . . a thought," Tenchi hesitating words

dropped from his plain lips, " . . . as it was an overwhelming

feeling."

"What kind of feeling?" Sasami carefully asked.

"Like . . . a heart being shattered," Tenchi tried to put into words

what he had felt.

Immediately all three of Tenchi's listeners knew what he was talking

about but for different reasons. Because of the link between them,

Ryo-ohki sensed the same emotional echo Tenchi had and knew its

origins, Ryoko. The fuzzy animal filed the information away for later

use but he also noted how quiet her perch had become. Like the

cabbit, Sasami knew the owner of the broken heart. Seventeen years

ago, while the child's body was in icy sleep, she watched Tsunami

free Ryoko's astral body from the dark cave, so it could meet

Tenchi and her mother. When the little princess' asked why Tsunami

did it, her adult form replied, "It's the only way I can answer

Katsuhito-dono's prayer and your advice. By bringing Ryoko-san out of

the darkness and linking her ki to Tenchi-san's ki, she will survive

and become whole again."

"Whole?" the small one asked her larger self as both looked into at

the event unfolding in the goddess' blue pool.

"Once she was like you, with quick dainty feet, a laughing voice and

a loving okasama but it was all taken from her by a ja'akuna otoko

(wicked man)."

"Couldn't anyone save her?" sadness in Sasami's eyes.

"Mo and every time Ryoko-dono found someone to love, the same

ja'akuna otoko would destroy it," Sasami could hear regret in Tsunami

mature voice. "In the end, her life as the akurei no hakai was all he

allowed her to have."

"Maa (Well), I better head to the shrine. I'll see you both later,"

Katsuhito's calm words brought Sasami back to earth. On seeing

Sasami's reaction to Tenchi's words, he now understood why Tsunami

created the psychic link between Ryoko and Tenchi. It was not only

because of his prayer on Ryoko's behalf but also because of Sasami's

influence as the goddess' bondmate.

"Oke, jiichan," Sasami's memories made her voice soft.

"Ee, jiichan, I'll be there after I've tended our vegetable patch,"

Tenchi replied as he watched his grandfather walk under the red

torii, then purposely walked to his destination as he waved his right

hand over his shoulder, looked from the corner of his right eye and

said, "Sayonara, Sasami-chan."

"Bai-bai (bye-bye), Tenchi-niichan," Sasami banished away her sad

thoughts and waved enthusiastically with both hands at the departing

youth.

"Miya!" Ryo-ohki's voice the same pitch as the little girl's.

From the living room window, Ayeka saw the events play out near the

lake, she could barely suppress her own giggles when Sasami's missile

nailed Tenchi's melon. 'That was improper of me to laugh at his

injury but it was so funny,' the merry words danced in her head. Then

she saw the show of emotions on Tenchi's and Sasami's faces as she

carefully read their lips, a handy skill to have when dealing with

sleazy diplomats, hardhearted rulers and stubborn bureaucrats. While

she was intrigued by Tenchi's comment, it was the deep sadness on her

sister's face that worried her. 'I'll ask Sasami later,' concern very

evident in her mind.

"Iie . . ." escaped Seto's pink-painted lips as her red eyes

fluttered open while her right hand reached up to shade them from the

painful light.

"Maa . . . Mihoshi's calm voice supplying a soothing sound to Seto's

sensitive ears.

Upon hearing the exchange of words to her left, Ayeka turned her

attention to them. At a proper pace, the older princess walked to the

Western styled table next to the sofa, picked up the glass with the

red concoction in it, gave it a quick stir before tapping the long

silver spoon on the crystal edge.

"Kya . . . please, my head," Seto cried at Ayeka's tinkling action.

"C'mon, Niji-dono (Rainbow)," Mihoshi softly said as she got up,

slipped her hands underneath Seto's head and shoulder and gently

helped her to a sitting position, the damp cloth held firmly to the

woman's head by her pale hand.

"Niji?" Ayeka's eyebrows lifted in wonder.

"Our kazoku's nickname for Seto-dono," the ebony-faced policewoman

sat next to her godmother, then continued in a cheerful voice, "You

can't let the neighbors know a wanted criminal is your houseguest."

"Oi . . . don't shout," Seto's own words causing her pain.

"Drink this, obasama," Ayeka had a commanding tone as she handed the

glass to Seto. "Sasami fixed it for you."

Seto took the glass and asked as her nose smell the acidic drink,

"What is it?"

"According to Katsuhito-sama, it's an Earth cure for a . . . a . . . a

hangover," Ayeka's voice faltered a little when she used the

vernacular word.

"Gu," Seto's voice bounced in the glass as she brought its contents

to her mouth, barely tilted her blue-haired head back and in one long

feat, she downed all eight ounces. Both watchers waited as a mask of

calm slowly replaced the greenish one, the now empty stained glass

held loosely in the tall lady's long fingers. After ten minutes, Seto

opened her eyes and both Ayeka and Mihoshi could see her wise eyes

were once more full of smiles. Looking at both of them as she

withdrew the cloth from her forehead, Seto asked them, "Did I miss

anything important?"

"I was defeated by an uchu kaizoku," Mihoshi moaned in a little voice

but both princesses could see gaiety in her sapphire eyes.

"What did the uchu kaizoku get away with?" glee in the tall lady's

voice.

"A pickled carrot stick," the ebony lady laughed. A burst of chuckles

tumbled from Seto's lips and a small smile found its way to Ayeka's

face.

"I'm glad you are feeling better, obasama," Ayeka commented in

perfect diction.

"I'm just grateful Ryoko-kun was honest with me," relief plain on

Seto's face. "I'd blown half the island away in my drunken state."

Seto's mentioning brought seriousness to Ayeka's mind but before she

could open her mouth, Mihoshi asked in a subdued voice, "Speaking of

the Akakani (Red Crab), I need to ask a favor from you?"

"Ask and I will steal it for you, ne," a look of shock enveloped

Ayeka's face at her grandmother's words.

"Ara, Mo!" Mihoshi barely kept her giggles in check. "It isn't like I

was a kodomo and you brought the Nova Star to me, just because I

asked you to. I wear a badge now, so I would have to arrest you if

you did something like that."

"A star upon my beautiful star," Ayeka caught a note of pride in

Seto's voice. Again Ayeka fought down the jealousy she felt toward

the policewoman, for she had never been able to form such closeness

with anyone except Sasami. Yet with each hour she spent beside

Mihoshi, she saw how the bubbly blond easily won everyone's warm

regards and trust.

"I wouldn't mind if you steal something for me," a cheerful shout

came from the hallway, followed by the twin thumps of shoes being

kicked off, then came the sound of bare feet upon wood as Sasami

skipped into the living room with the brown cabbit at her heels.

"Don't say such foolish words, Sasami," fire in Ayeka's eyes and

words. "A princess does not place herself above the law, she

upho . . . " the flame went out of Ayeka's spirit as Seto's tall

figure blocked off her sight of the littlest princess. The First

Princess of Jurai stared up at her grandmother, expected to see

smoldering embers in those eyes but instead she saw quiet compassion

in that ancient gaze, which weighed her head down in guilt and placed

shame to her words, "Forgive me, obasama. I have allowed my anger to

release wor . . . " Ayeka's words stop when she felt a hand touch her

chin.

Offering no resistance, Ayeka allowed the firm fingers to raise her

gaze to meet those strong eyes, then Seto's voice touched her soul,

"Ii ne, Oujo-chan. In a perfect world, you would be correct but

sometimes good people must do bad things for the right reasons."

When Ayeka heard Seto use her nickname and the understanding in her

grandmother's words, her feet hesitantly stepped forward. Seto

responded by opening her arms, closed them around the slim lady and

gave a forgiving hug, which Ayeka returned.

A few minutes passed before Ayeka and Seto heard someone next to them

give a little sob. Both looked down to see Sasami's pink eyes glisten

with unshed tears while her little voice said, "Atashi warui,

oneesama. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not your fault, Sasami," gentleness in Ayeka's voice as her

left hand reached out, carefully placed it on the little one's back

and drew her sister into the loving embrace she was sharing with her

grandmother. As she held both of them in her warm affection, Ayeka

lowered her head as she tried to hide her scarlet shame.

"It's not your fault either, Oujo-chan. Ignorance has stripped away

your defenses, leaving you vulnerable to the storm within your ki,"

Seto could see surprise in Ayeka's reddened face and a momentary look

of understanding in Sasami's pink quartzes before it was replaced by

childlike innocence. While she still held her grandchildren, the tall

lady turned her ruby vision upon her godchild and softly asked,

"Mihoshi-dono, you were going to ask a favor from me?"

"Hai, Seto-dono," replied the unusually calm Mihoshi. The ebony

detective wasn't shocked by Ayeka's actions for her blue eyes had

noted Ayeka's body language and the sea of feelings that threatened

to drown the young princess. After a short pause, the blond

continued, "I need to make contact with the Seventh Galaxy Police

Headquarters, to let them know about the loss of my shuttle craft,

Yukinojo. I was hoping you could give me a lift to my main ship?"

"It's a nazukeoya's (godmother's) duty to happily spoil her

nazukrgo," Seto said with a small smile, then she returned her

attention to Ayeka and Sasami and said, "Ayeka-dono, Sasami-chan."

"Hai, obasama," they both replied with fondness.

"It's time for you two to be fully initiated into the Secrets of

Jurai," preciseness in Seto's tone. "After yushoku, we will meet in

your bedroom and perform the ritual."

Ayeka quickly realized what those secrets might contain and she

worriedly asked, "Do you think Sasami is old enough for the ritual?"

"It is necessary, Ayeka-dono," firmness in the tall lady's face and

words. "Because of my oath to the Kaizoku Guild, there are some

secrets I can't reveal to you but Sasami-chan might be able to."

"Because I'm Tsunami-megami's bondmate?" Sasami carefully asked, only

Mihoshi caught the little gasp Sasami made before she spoke her

question.

"Un (That's right), Sasami-chan," reassurance in Seto's reply.

"During the ritual, Tsunami-megami might grace you with the

enlightenment necessary to complete both of your educations."

"We will be ready when you have return," the fragile calm in Ayeka's

voice was betrayed by the slight bodily tremble Seto's and Sasami's

hands felt.

"Sayonara," Seto told them as she gave the princesses' a little

squeeze before she detached herself from them, her hands holding

theirs until the distance broke the fleshy link.

With Mihoshi walking next to her, Seto went to the front door. At the

genkan, both women slipped on their shoes while Ayeka opened the door

for them. At this moment Nobuyuki came out of the kitchen with a

black ceramic coffee mug in his right hand, a cloud of steam arose

from the cup's black liquid, and one of his manga comics in his left

hand. The small group watched from the doorway while the duo walked

ten feet from them. Then Seto reached underneath her kimono with her

right hand and brought out her mirror. As a child, Mihoshi marveled

at her godmother's key, the ornate interweave of Royal Teardrops

around the diamond glass with a handle shaped like a man and a woman

forever interlocked in love.

"Ready," asked Seto.

"Ready," Mihoshi matched the blue-haired lady's dramatic tone.

Then Seto tossed the mirror five feet over their heads. When the

mirror reached its apex, it froze above them as white light rained

down on them from its glass. As the forms of both women and the

mirror disappeared into the illumination, mimicry of thickly accented

English drifted to the spectators' ears, "I'll be back."

"So Arnold-san is known even in space," Nobuyuki commented while

Ayeka closed the door. When the older princess turned to go, Tenchi's

father inquired, "What was that mirror Seto-sama used?"

"That was her key to her Tree, Akakani," Ayeka answered the question

like it was asked by a child, then continued her journey to the benjo

on the first floor.

As the brown-eyed man turned to go to his second floor office, he

felt someone tug on his pant leg. Looking down, he saw Sasami and

asked, "What is it, Sasami-chan?"

"How many candles do we have?" Sasami tentatively asked.

"I don't know," a surprised Nobuyuki replied. "Why?"

"After dinner, obasama will be doing an important ceremony for me and

oniisama," seriousness in the little one's words.

Unknown by the ladies, Nobuyuki had listened at the kitchen door to

the women's discussion, his peeping being the only way for him to

learn anything in this family. Add what Katsuhito told him about the

rite the two princesses performed three weeks ago and the wake done

afterward, brown-eyed man concluded these customs and traditions are

important for the princesses. With a grin on his tanned face, he

asked, "Are candles important to the ceremony?"

"Oi ni," Sasami's answered honestly.

"How many do you need?" as the words left the black-haired man's

lips, an idea entered his mind.

"Lots," hope entered the child's heart when she saw the smile on

Tenchi's father's face.

"Tell you what, I'll get you all the candles you need if you'll fix a

special yushoku for me," a smile slowly developed on Nobuyuki's face

as he held out his little pinky on his right hand. "Deal."

"Deal!" Sasami cheerfully confirmed, linking her right hand's little

pinky with his.

"I'll get you the recipes I want you to use for the meal," boldness

in the older man's voice.

"How many servings do I need to make?" a little puzzlement in

Sasami's tone.

"Just two per recipe," Nobuyuki's teeth flashed in his wide grin.

Sasami's peepers went wide and her little pink hands went up to her

lips in a vain attempt to stop a string of giggles from escaping

from her blushing face.

Quickly the bespectacled man raised his right index finger vertical

to his lips and said while his left hand reached for the telephone,

"This is a secret, Sasami-chan, na?"

"Ee," a happy grin on the child's face.

**********

12:45 p.m. Kurashiki General Hospital

The white clad nurse led Mulder, Scully, Ryoko and Miyaji through a

doorway, into the intensive care unit. In a room without odors, the

group found an unconscious man in a bed near a window, with another

man seated in a metal chair, dressed in a bright yellow sport's coat,

matching pants and ties. All four pairs of eyes saw a bedridden man's

face and hands are fully covered with bandages.

"I'll translate for you, Mulder," Ryoko whispered in English.

"Alright," Mulder replied with a crooked smile. For the last three

weeks, Scully would see this smile on Mulder's face from time to time

and when she asked what was so funny, he'd replied, "Nothing,

really."

Hearing the steps at the foot of the bed and whispered foreign words,

the man peaked over his sunglasses at them, then he told the injured

man in very contemptuous voice, "The deka is back and he's brought

some gaijin tourists."

With eyes narrowed, Miyaji told the seated man, "Benkei-san, I'll

thump your head if you don't keep a civil tongue to these

keisatsukans."

"So filling your ranks with himes (princesses) isn't enough," the man

smirked. "You have to import them."

Miyaji started to retort but Scully raised her right hand. As the

young officer closed her mouth, the rest followed the redhead's lead

by reaching into their coat pocket, pulling out their IDs and showing

them to the man.

The man reached up with his left hand, removed his sunglasses and

gave the ID cards a quick glance, Mulder noted the left-hand pinkie

was missing a digit. With less acid and a drop of interest in his

voice, Benkei asked, "So the old man's money has brought in the NZK

to find his gaki's (brat's) killer."

"And you are . . .? " Scully's tone showed she could barely stand the

man's contempt.

"Benkei," his unshaven face sneered at the officers, "the loyal

partner of the man in this bed."

"Yakuza," Miyaji's disgust made the word harsh.

"You could help us a great deal if you and your associate would

answer a few questions," Scully brought neutrality to her voice.

Benkei showed no reaction to the emerald-eyed lady's request, instead

he directed his gaze on Miyaji and asked, "So our statements weren't

enough to maximize your efforts, you've decided to bring in a dokufu

(femme fatale) to give us a nama enso (raw fellatio), to jog our

memories."

"Only if you want me to bite your dankon (male root) off," Ryoko's

words matched the dangerous smile on her lips.

"I would like to see that," a painful chuckle came from the bandaged

head. "Since the akapori asked so nicely, I'll answer her questions."

"Did you see the suspect?" Scully asked as she got out her notebook.

"Hai, the oni onna was the same shojo (girl) that came in with

Lee-san," a wounded voice replied.

"Can you remember what she looked like?" the redhead asked while she

wrote down the first answer.

"The suke (bitch) wore a wig and colored contacts when she came in

but I got a good look at her in the room, she was the last thing I

saw," anger touched his muffled words. "Her hair was jet black, her

glowing eyes were brown and her skin was burning red. The fire danced

around her body but didn't do any harm to her. Then my sight went

black."

"Can you remember anything else?" Scully carefully asked.

"It's strange," puzzlement entered the victim's voice. "The look on

her face, I'd swear the rain of blood only made her miserable."

"Can you add anything, Benkei-san?" Miyaji's voice had a warning tone

to it.

"Mo, I reached Sunao-kun as he was coming down the stairs," Ryoko was

sure she heard shame in the large man's voice. 'He failed his

companion, his band of brothers,' she realized.

"Dewa (Well), let us know if you remember anything else," Scully

politely told the two men but she was certain from the seated man's

glare, the words were wasted. With those last words, the group filed

out.

After a few minutes of silence, Sunao asked, "Did you bring it."

"Hai, I placed it under your pillow when the eteko (apes) came in,

just on the chance they decided to pull me in for some gomon

(the chair-and-lamp treatment)," a note of finality in Benkei's

voice.

"Arigato for taking the risk," pain in the bandaged man's voice.

"Kazu-kun wanted me to relay his deep gratitude for your unshakable

loyalty," Benkei's right hand touched Sunao's shoulder. "He regretted

not being able to show his appreciation in person."

"I know," understanding in Sunao's tone. "Sayonara, Benkei-kun."

"Sayonara," Benkei sadly returned before he stood up.

As the blind man heard his companion's footsteps reach the foot of

the bed, he commented, "I'd still like to ask the oni onna why she

was so sad."

"I'll send the akurei back to Jigoku (Buddhist Hell), so you can ask

her," with those last words, Benkei left the room.

**********

In the downward moving elevator, Scully's cellphone started to ring

its cheerful tune, "Do You Believe in Magic?" The redhead retrieved

the palm size device from her coat pocket, tapped the receiver button

and said, "Moshi-moshi (Greetings), Scully here."

"I was wondering when I would hear your voice again, Ninjin-chan," a

voice full of warmth touched Scully's ears and her soul.

"Inkushimi," the one word echoed Scully's longing for him before she

realized the others had heard her. Quickly she turned her back to

them but not before her emerald eyes saw happy smiles on Ryoko's and

Mulder's lips while Miyaji looked confused. In a low whisper she

asked in Nihongo, "What brings you calling."

"I was wondering if you would like to have a private yushoku, just

the two of us?" Scully could hear hope in his voice.

"I would love to, Inkushimi, but Mulder and I are in the middle of a

case," Scully spirit brought low by her own reply.

"How about a working dinner?" Scully heard Nobuyuki's hope

undeterred.

Desire touched Scully's heart only to be demolished by her own

logical mind, "I can't, Inkushimi. I'm going to be doing an autopsy

on a body and I don't know how long it's going to take."

"Where at?" a note of optimism in the man's voice.

"The Kurashiki Forensic Lab," then puzzlement entered her mind,

"Why?"

"Oi, have you seen Ryoko-san?" Nobuyuki asked with an innocent voice.

"She's been missing most of the morning and Sasami-chan is very

worried."

"Ryoko-san been helping us with our investigation," Scully allowed

the conversation's subject to change. Ryoko's sharp ears went up when

she heard her name.

"Ara . . . now that's a surprise, Ninjin-chan," honesty in his tone.

"Nani wa, otousama?" a faint worried voice came out of the

background, Scully knew it was the little princess she heard.

"Ryoko-san is with them," the redhead heard Nobuyuki tell Sasami.

"Would she like to talk to Ryoko-san?" Scully friendly offered.

"Would you like to talk to Ryoko-san?" Scully could hear kindness in

Nobuyuki's tone.

"HAI," Sasami shouted loud enough for Ryoko to recognize the speaker.

Scully turned around and told the cyan-haired woman as she held out

the phone, "Ryoko-san, someone wants to talk to you."

Unsure of how to use the cellphone, the uchu kaizoku took the device

from the American's hand, imitated the way Scully used it and said in

Nihongo, "Moshi-moshi?"

"Ryoko-neechan, I missed you at choshoku," unhappiness in the little

one's words. "Why did you leave without telling anyone?"

"Gomen nasai, Sasami-chan," a guilty tone in Ryoko's apology. "I just

wanted to get away from the house for a while."

"It's the way oneesama is looking at Tenchi-niichan, ne," a note of

determination entered Sasami's words, "I'll make her stop if it hurts

you so much."

"Mo!" an edge in Ryoko's response before she concealed it with a

cloak of gentle words, "It's oke, Sasami-chan. Ayeka-san's actions

don't bother me."

"Honto ni?" Sasami's voice full of concern.

"Honto ni, imoto," Ryoko tenderly replied. "We'll talk about it when

I get home, oke?"

"Oke," the uchu kaizoku's large ears detect a child's trust in

Sasami's words.

"Sayonara, Sasami-chan," Ryoko lovely spoke into the receiver.

"Bai-bai, Ryoko-neechan," Ryoko heard Sasami's happiness return.

Silently Ryoko handed the black device back to Scully but the

redhead's right hand felt something wrong with the cellphone. Looking

down, she found a hand impressions in the plastic, one forged by

constant pressure. When her emerald eyes met Ryoko's amber ones, each

could see a mirror of the other's suffering, only Miyaji's English

words broke the link between them, "Your sister, Ryoko?"

"Something like that," all three saw Ryoko's face alit with

affection.

"And Inkushimi?" the young man's curious gaze turned to Scully.

"A blast from the past," Mulder replied for Scully, who gave her

partner a grateful look while the detective puzzled over Mulder's

meaning.

When the elevator's door opened, the group entered the soft lights of

the hospital's entrance as Scully said, "Mulder, while I'm busy with

the autopsy why don't you finish our other case."

Both Americans exchange knowing looks before Mulder replied, "Sounds

like a plan, I'll be back . . . " the green-eyed man looked at his

silvery watch as they walked toward the entrance, " . . . around five

o'clock."

"Mulder, Matsumoto is a four-hour train ride from here, so let's meet

at your apartment in Tokyo," Scully's own humor reduced the ache in

her heart, then asked in a sympathetic voice, "Why don't you take

Ryoko with you, she can help you with any language problems?"

Like Scully, Mulder had witnessed the play of emotions upon Ryoko's

face when she talked to Sasami, so he turned to the pink lady and

asked while holding the glass door open for them, "You won't mind

coming, Ryoko?"

"I don't have anything really planned," Ryoko's tone was light but

both Americans could see the appreciation in her amber eyes, the

gratefulness of not being left alone with her emotional turmoil.

"Miyaji, could you give them a lift to the train station after you

drop me off at the forensic lab," Scully asked as the group walked

toward the lieutenant's car.

Miyaji nodded his head and said, "It's on my way to police

headquarters," then a slight dread entered his tone, "I've got to get

going on the paperwork," then a question popped into his mind,

"Ryoko-san, did you pick up anything during our conversation with the

two witnesses?"

"Only that the man in the canary yellow suit felt guilt because he

couldn't help his comrade against the demon woman," Ryoko recalled the

shame in the man's black eyes.

"That could become a problem," the other three heard the concern in

the young detective's voice.

"Why?" puzzled Mulder.

"Certain members of the Yakuza see themselves as the upholders of

this country's traditions," Scully explained. "Including its military

past."

"So some of these criminals believe they're samurai?" the light of

understanding filled Mulder's pale green eyes.

"Including Bushido, the way of the warrior," Miyaji continued the

explanation. "Because Benkei failed to help his companion and came

out of the fire without a scratch, he has lost face, honor, with the

other members of his criminal clan."

"Which means he might seek out the cause of his shame and regain his

face through vengeance," Mulder finished.

"Most likely we're in a race as to who will reach our demon woman, us

or him," certainty in Miyaji tone.

"This is turning out to be really fun," Ryoko's comment brought a

rolling of emerald eyes from Scully, a lopsided grin from Mulder and

a shocked look from Miyaji.

The cool fall sun drenched the group as they reached the officer's

vehicle. As Miyaji and Mulder opened the rear door for the ladies,

Scully noticed the clouds coming in from the sea and remarked, "You

might find it snowing by the time you reach your destination,

Mulder."

"Burr . . . I hate the cold," Ryoko's body shivered as both women got

in the back of the car.

"I'm sure we'll find someway to stay warm," a playful tone in

Mulder's words.

"That might be fun if the other passengers don't object," Ryoko

licked her lips as her fangs shined in a predator's grin.

"Eh . . . I meant we could buy a heavy coat or blanket at the

station's mall, to keep you warm," Mulder tried to backpedal. "I'm

not that hedonistic."

"Hedonist, I thought you were Hasidic?" deadpanned Scully.

Laughter burst forth from Ryoko lips while Scully gave her

I-got-you-this-time look to Mulder, which the pale green-eyed man

acknowledged with a flash of his white teeth while the confused

Miyaji started the car.

As the car pulled out of the hospital's parking lot, Ryoko's mask of

levity was replaced with one of bitter determination as she placed

her hand against the car door's cool glass window, stared at the

distant hills and silently mouthed, 'C'mon, Ayeka-san. I'm counting

on you.'

**********

Momo Hana Sanitarium, Kurashiki

At the first floor front desk, a jet-black haired woman signed the

entry book. Although dressed in a bright blue knee length skirt, with

matching short brim hat and glossy black shoes, her body contained

none of the joy of life her clothing suggested, only sorrow touched

her features. When the receptionist looked at the signature, she

picked up the telephone and pushed a few buttons. After giving the

person's name over the device, the brown dressed woman nodded her

head, put the phone down and told the calm lady where to go.

With no recognition at all, the young woman turned to her right,

walked down the hallway, made her way between the patients, doctors

and nurses as she headed for the building's rear patio. Her brown

eyes look out the expanse of glass that covered the first floor back,

searching amongst the white-gowned people for the one she sought.

Near the bubbling fountain, her eyes locked on a short, black-haired

woman with a lifeless face. With slow steps, she made her way to the

young woman in the wheelchair, seated herself on the fountain's wide

tiled brim and took the silent woman's thin hand with her right hand.

They didn't hear the sounds of greetings, complaints and nonsense

from the people around them and nothing came from their lips, no

laughter, no smiles, only silence. Soon, the visitor's head leaned

forward to touch the other's forehead with her own, only then does

four rivers' of tears begin to flow, staining one pink face and one

pale face, finally the tears end but not the sound of silence. After

placing tender kisses upon both cheeks, the longhaired lady stood up,

still reluctant to release the other's hand. With a short bow, she

walked away from the woman with dead brown eyes.

Twenty yards away a very old man in a pale blue sweater watched the

two women's meeting with grief-stricken thoughts, 'Two shitei

(children) I brought into this world, twin joys to their loving

ryoshin. They were a pair of enchanted spites leaping and twirling

through adolescent wonderment, now they're strangers to all!'

**********

Shoji

Kagato watched the Treeship moving away from the dark side of the

Moon, on a course to the far side of Saturn. The calculations

continued to hum in his mind as he weighed the pros or cons of the

chance being given to him. With a final decision, the white-haired

man said, "This is too great to leave alone, to eliminate both the

greatest Jurain alive and the most dangerous GP detective in one

blow. It must be done."

Kagato's mind reached into the ship's mainframe and gave the command.

Suddenly, a vibration erupted from deep within the vessel, sending a

numbing pain down the Shoji's numerous chemical neural connections

into its master's brain. The tall man stumbled away from his command

platform, falling on the organ's stool with his right-hand sending

crashing notes into the air. With a cold sweat upon his pale face,

Kagato mentally activated the central control's diagnostic program.

In ten minutes the shaken man received his answer, the auto-repair

system had missed a weakening fiber connection between the energy

flow control cube and the number 5 engine. When the command was given

to intercept Seto's ship, the additional power running through the

fiber tube had caused it to rupture. Not only was the number 5 engine

down but the ultra-energy radiation from the spill had fried the main

navigation computer.

"I can't risk it," cold words dropped from Kagato's lips. "I can't

attack with the Shoji at less than 100 percent." Then a grim smile

appeared on his lips as his eyes returned to the monitor. "Continue

your journey, it seems good fortune rides upon your shoulders, for

now."

**********

Akakani

Seto's let out a small sigh of relief as her red eyes noted Shoji's

go and stop motion in her viewer. 'It's not my doom to fight you,

Isekiwari,' the tall lady's silent words matched her hard eyes. 'I'll

let those you've harmed have their vengeance.' Turning her head to

the right, her gaze softened as she took in the dozing figure in the

floating full body chair. Even in the dim artificial light, the tall

lady could still see the same youthful hope in her godchild's happy

face as it was the first time they met. She knew what had happened to

her beautiful star but she also knew a body of bio-metallic and

chemicals couldn't stop Mihoshi's soul from radiating out, encasing

all in her sunshine.

As a wave of old memories continued to thunder in Seto's mind, her

eyes went back to the monitor, to stare at the Shoji. Impulsively her

right hand stretched out to touch the white image, tears dropping to

the wood floor as her silent lips called out a name. When the tall

lady's hand dropped to her side, her long blue ponytail and curls

wave while Akakani's leaves rustle in a sudden breeze.

"Donata (Who)?" asked a perplexed Seto as she felt intelligence

behind the natural occurrence but it was gone just as quickly as it

came. During the whole event, Seto is unaware of the half-opened blue

eyes watching her before they close so the sleeper could return to

her nap.

**********

Masaki Residence

Ayeka knelt before her desk, carefully typing into her light blue

diary that lie upon her small table, in the room she shared with her

sister. Finished with the last paragraph, she turned the device off,

stood up and carried it with both hands to the secret compartment in

one of her log shaped carrying cases. Her dainty left hand reached

out to touch a hidden button. With an electric buzz, a ten-inch

square of the case popped open so the purple-haired lady could hide

her most secret thoughts in a place where a curious pirate, a sneaky

sister and a young man's nosy father couldn't find them. After

closing the compartment, the older princess walked to the room's

window to look at the view it showed her. As she enjoyed the beauty

of the dancing sun upon the shimmering lake, the woman's ruby eyes

note the buildup of clouds on the horizon. 'I better change into

something more waterproof than what I have on now, looks like we're

going to have late afternoon showers and I don't want to get soaked

like the last time,' a touch of blush upon her cheeks as more of that

memory lightened her heart.

Down below in the living room, Sasami was pulling the Hoover vacuum

out of the closest underneath the staircase. With a white square

cloth covering her bundled hair, the child took a few minutes to

stare at the closest door before she softly asked, "Will we be able

to rescue Ryoko-neechan's okasama?"

A gossamer presence encased Sasami's spirit as a bluish glow came

from the key upon her pink forehead and sad words entered her mind,

'I don't know, Sasami-chan. The future is like the silky down of the

Jurain Star Thistle, radiating out in all directions from the head.'

"We have to help her, Tsunami-megami," Sasami's soft words matched

her own longing. "Ryoko-neechan needs her okachan, just as you need

your imoto."

Sasami felt Tsunami's presence fade back but she could still hear the

goddess' teary last words, 'I can only hope our steps will bring us

to her.'

"Miya?" Sasami heard a voice call up from her feet and she looked

down to see the fuzzy cabbit looking questionably up at her.

"I'm oke, Ryo-chan," Sasami forced a smile upon her face. "Just

drawing a dream in my mind."

"Miya," acceptance in the brown animal's tone.

"So did you get enough ninjins (carrots) from Tenchi-niichan?"

mischief in Sasami's pink eyes.

"Miya!" Ryo-ohki shook her head vehemently.

"Don't worry, if you keep bugging Tenchi-niichan, he'll plant more

for you," Sasami smiled as she patted the happy cabbit's head with

her right hand, then she picked up the vacuum with both hands and

carried the machine to the middle of the room, where she put it down

and took the plug with both hands toward the electrical outlet but

not before she slyly flipped the switch on.

As the little princess walked away from the vacuum, Ryo-ohki moved in

to investigate the device. The cabbit saw where the cord Sasami was

pulling out is coming from but it is the cylinder object's long hose

that caught her attention. Following the rubbery, gray tube to the

steely tube attachment, the little animal carefully sniffed the

opening. Since she smelled no danger, the amber-eyed critter pushed

her head as far into the metal end as possible in an attempt to see

anything. This was the moment Sasami had been waiting for. With an

impish look still in her eyes, she plugged in the vacuum.

"MIYA!" Ryo-ohki shouted as she found her head grabbed by an unseen

assailant. As much as she tried to escape her attacker's grasp, the

cabbit couldn't break its hold. Sasami let out pearls of giggles as

she watched the fuzz ball at hose's end jump three feet into the air,

then tried to yank away the vacuum with her powerful hind legs but

this only caused the machine to imitate her every movement.

In the manga library, Nobuyuki was retrieving a small wooden box from

the top of one of the shelves when he heard the sounds of chaos

coming from the living room. With strong legs, the middle-aged man

bolted out of the room, into the kitchen and through the swinging

door. In the living room his brown eyes beheld overturned furniture,

Sasami rolling on the ground in a fit of laughter and the wailing of

a cabbit stuck at the hose end of a very lively vacuum. Shaking his

head with mild disapproval, Nobuyuki's right hand grabbed the

cleaner's electrical cord and pulled the plug out of the socket.

Instantaneously Ryo-ohki shot out of her metal prison and rocketed up

the living room staircase. Upon the house's third floor, Ayeka was in

the hallway, closing the princesses' bedroom door after changing into

her glossy dark green and blue kimono with the matching wide brim

hat. As the slim lady turned from the door, her ruby eyes picked up

an increasingly catlike wail heading to her. Suddenly her red gaze

caught sight of a flying softball of brown fur heading for her head.

With instincts she earned by playing with her childhood friends in

the city, Ayeka brought her hands up and deftly captured the cabbit.

Ayeka delicately brought Ryo-ohki to her face then examined the

cabbit for any injuries as she asked, "Are you all right?"

When Ryo-ohki's dizziness left her mind, she gave a happy reply and

leaned forward to rub against her savor. A tinkle of mirth came from

the Ayeka's plain lips as the cabbit's appreciation tickled her

perfect nose. With her hat wedged underneath her left arm, Ayeka

carried the furry animal in her left hand while petting it with her

right as the purple-haired woman walked down the hallway and down the

stairs. As the duo approached the living room, Ayeka saw Sasami

vacuuming the area underneath the upturned sofa with Nobuyuki right

next to her. With her sensitive fingertips, Ayeka felt Ryo-ohki

stiffened in her hands, then with lightning bounds the animal hopped

to the princess' right shoulder then leapt onto her purple-haired

head. Upon reaching her perch, the cabbit let out a deep growl. Taken

aback by Ryo-ohki's fury, Ayeka continued down the stairs while she

asked the two down below, "What happened to Ryo-ohki?"

"Sasami-chan was being a kitsune with Ryo-ohki," Nobuyuki answered

when he turned the cleaner off. Then he nudged a downcast Sasami

forward with his left hand while saying, "Go on."

"Do I have to, it was funny?" the little one mumbled back.

"Hai, this way you're learn to be more sly," Nobuyuki countered with

a grin.

Hearing the humor in the brown-shirted man's reply, Sasami looked up

at the still bristling Ryo-ohki and said sheepishly, "I'm sorry I

pulled a prank on you, Ryo-chan."

At first Ryo-ohki is puzzled by Sasami's words but as she replayed

the events in her mind, her amber eyes gained a hurt expression, then

the cabbit sprang from Ayeka's head, landed before the startled girl

and began to shout up at the child, "MIYA MIYA MIYA MIYA MIYA MIYA

MIYA . . ."

As the string of rapid words left Ryo-ohki's animated body, Nobuyuki

and Ayeka shared a knowing look as Tenchi's father suggested, "I

think Sasami-chan is being read the riot act."

"Masaka (Jeez), Ryo-chan, I said I was sorry," Sasami was taken aback

by Ryo-ohki's anger.

"Sasami was always an eye of ocha but sometimes her jodan would go

too far," Ayeka replied with a small smile. "Just ask the servants

who got on her bad side."

"Oke, Oke, how about if I fix some glazed ninjins for yushoku,"

Sasami pleaded. Ryo-ohki stopped her yowling but her furry face still

looked mad although her cottontail said otherwise. "I'll make sure

you'll get a double portion," Sasami's promise sent the cabbit's tail

wagging a mile-a-minute.

"Bribe accepted," Nobuyuki chuckled while Ayeka nodded. As Tenchi's

father headed back to the library, his right hand waved the brown box

at the white clad child and said, "I found those recipes I want you

to use for me. I'll leave them on the kitchen's island."

"Ee," responded Sasami as she turned back to the vacuum cleaner but

stopped when she saw her sister still rooted to the same spot. A

thought entered the little one's mind and she said to her sister,

"Oneesama, why don't you watch Tenchi-neechan practice with jiichan."

A look of naughtiness flashed across Ayeka's face before she was able

to suppress it. "I think that is a good idea, Sasami," the older

princess barely able to hide the anticipation in her voice. An impish

smile made its way to Sasami's lips as she watched Ayeka keeping a

dignified pace to her steps to the genkan but noticed her sister's

hands fumble a little while putting on her shoes and hat before she

went out the door. Sasami rushed to the hallway's side door to the

vegetable shed, with Ryo-ohki at her heels. After opening the door a

crack, the eight-year-old watched her sibling walk toward the

shrine's stone steps. Sasami's freckled face glowed with mirth as she

beheld Ayeka's pace increasing with every few footfalls. By the time

Ayeka's small feet carried her onto the first granite step, she was

moving at a very undignified pace.

"Why don't you go with her, Ryo-chan," Sasami smiled down at her

fuzzy companion. "I'm going be busy with the cleaning for a while."

"Miya!" replied a terrified Ryo-ohki as she made her getaway through

the opening, the cabbit really didn't want to become a dust bunny.

"Gu, now I can listen to Kawatta-san while I'm working without

oneesama finding out about it," Sasami gleefully said to herself as

she closed the door, then pulled the earphones out of her white apron

pocket and clicked the Walkman on. "I hope I learn some more nauii

(groovy) words."

**********

The Training Area at the far end of the Masaki Shrine's property.

By the position of the sun, Katsuhito knew it was nearing two o'clock

before Tenchi reached the practice area. Seeing how his grandson was

sweating and himself feeling the humility in the air, the old priest

suggested, "It's a wet day today, Tenchi. Let's strip so we don't

pass out during our matches."

"You think it would be safe, jiichan. I mean with . . . eh . . .

Sasami-chan around," Tenchi quickly pointed out.

"Sasami-chan won't be here for another hour," gray-haired man

countered. "But if you feel the need to protect your dignity, we'll

keep our fundoshi (loincloth) on."

With most of his clothes already sticking to his body after working

in the garden, Tenchi gave a nod of agreement and began to strip. By

the time he was down to his boxers, he felt much better thanks to the

moist breeze dancing amongst the leaves and grass. After placing his

garments out of the way, he turned back to his grandfather but

allowed himself an amused smile as his brown eyes note the priest was

indeed wearing a loincloth, instead of Western style underwear.

"First we'll do some simple warm-up exercises so we can gather the

necessary chi for our matches," Katsuhito told Tenchi as the youth

stood before him.

"Hai, jiichan," the shorthaired young man knew the warm-up well.

Both men stood parallel with each other, then with deliberate

actions, the two preformed the same pattern of hand, arm and leg

movements similar to those used by Taoist monks. After a certain set

was completed, the pace would pick up and a new one begun. By the

fifth series, the trio was moving at an incredible speed but neither

one of them showed any fatigue nor loss of precision in their rhythm.

Fifty yards down the path to the training area, Ayeka finally slowed

her pace. 'Did I do what I just did?' her question reflected the

confusion over her frantic steps and her palpitating heart yet her

feet kept moving forward between the trees in autumn's colors. 'I

allowed one simple hint from Sasami to cause my face to lose color.

Why?' As she replayed the events of the day in her mind, she returned

to Seto's words, 'Obasama said my loss of control is caused by not

knowing the Secrets of Jurai but how? I've never had this prob . . ."

a sudden remembrance stopped her train of thought but then she

continued, "That doesn't count for he was just helping Sasami and me

in searching for our niisan and I reacted to his kindness. Besides, I

didn't even know his name, let along see his face.' It is only when

the deep thinking Ayeka moved out of the shade of the trees' canopy

to the cloudy light of the training field, did she consciously

stopped her steps and looked up.

With only the occasional noise of crushed leaves underneath their

feet Ayeka observed something she didn't expect to see, two men using

the mental conditioning drill of the Royal Family of Jurai. As a

child, Ayeka watched her father train Yosho with the family's secret

techniques just as her mother would train her when she was old enough

to understand their purpose, to discipline the mind, the body and the

soul. But right now it wasn't the calming nature of the routine or the

psychological toughening of the two males' minds the princess was

fascinated by, their almost nude bodies captured her gaze.

Katsuhito's muscled body was like lean leather while his fluidity

allowed him to store his energy instead of wasting it. When the

purple-haired princess shifted her eyes from the old priest to the

youth, a squeak of excitement left her barely parted lips. She had

seen Tenchi's body before, at the garden shed and the onsen, yet this

was first time she had seen his body and mind acting as one. His

motions weren't like his grandfather's, his had the endless energy of

youth powering them as his mind concentrated on perfecting each

footfall, each leg spin and each arm sweep. This was also the first

time she saw how perfect his muscle tone was, how perfect his arms

and legs were but it was something else that had produced her little

noise, for even with his boxers on, her wide ruby eyes could see how

well-endowed the young man was.

As a flushed face statue, Ayeka continued to watch Tenchi until the

mid-afternoon's peace was interrupted by Ryo-ohki inquiring voice,

"Miya?"

With one word all looked at the brown cabbit, then two pairs of eyes

went wide as they locked on each other while an older pair gained an

amused look and only the priest noticed the shininess of the animal's

Gem. Tenchi's left foot slide back but his action was stopped cold by

a throat clearing next to him. A glance at his grandfather showed

Tenchi a stern look on the old priest's face and the young man

gulped, knowing full well what that look meant, 'You will not

embarrass your itoko.'

Tenchi's glance freed Ayeka's crimson face and her head dropped down

in shame but snapped back up with a flash of anger in her eyes. 'Mo!

I must show the proper respect for how skillfully they have

accomplished the discipline,' she mentally scolded herself. 'I have

watched otousama, oniisama, okasama, and Funaho-okasama train like

this, proud of the oneness in each of them . . . ' It was at this

moment comprehension entered the slim lady's thoughts. Ayeka closed

her eyes so her mind could be flooded by the image of Misaki's

motherly glee at their first session together, her inner ear heard

the encouragement from Funaho as she practiced with them and her soul

felt the wonderful togetherness. With purpose, the purple-haired lady

tapped into the completeness the discipline had brought her in those

days and again merged all her facets into one. Then another voice

lightly caressed her being, repeating three words she had heard many

weeks ago, 'Meiyo, gimu, kazoku.'

Tenchi looked on with concern at the stillness of Ayeka's body but

relaxed when he saw a small smile touch her lips. At the same time,

Katsuhito's stoic mask hid his relief over his sister's rediscovery.

When the princess open her eyes, both men could see peace in them.

Still smiling, the lady turned right, bent down and picked up

Ryo-ohki with both hands. Holding the cabbit so neither male could

see her face, the young woman looked into those amber eyes and softly

whispered, "Domo arigato gozaimasu, Ryoko-san."

"Miya," Ryo-ohki's voice had a 'you're welcome' tone to it.

Once again cradling the cabbit in her left hand and petting its silky

brown fur with her right, Ayeka confidently walked to Tenchi and

Katsuhito while saying, "I'm overjoyed this branch of our kazoku has

kept our traditions close to their kokoro."

"With respect to our ancestors and the quality of life the discipline

gave us, they have been passed down by each generation to the next,"

Katsuhito informed her.

Seeing how at ease both Ayeka and his grandfather were, Tenchi tried

to ignore his own bareness before the princess and asked, "So,

Ayeka-san, these exercises are practiced by our relatives on Jurai?"

"Hai," amusement glittered in Ayeka's eyes over the young man's

continued discomfort. "With warships and handheld laser pistols, we

still practice with exercises and bokken so we will know oneness

within."

"Balance must be maintained between the yin and the yang, so the chi

can be gathered without loss and used with integrity," the

gray-haired man added with a nod.

"Un (Yes)," confirmed a calm Ayeka.

"Since the subject has come up, would you and Sasami-chan like to

train with us?" Tenchi saw Ayeka's face went blank at the old

priest's words.

"Gomen nasai but men and women train separately," Ayeka smoothly

recovered from her shock. "Sasami's training hasn't begun but I can

teach her the basics while I continue my own."

"Dewa, you can use this area," Katsuhito barely kept his voice from

cracking with laughter. "It's isolated so no one will see you, just

let me know what time you want to use it."

Ayeka thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Hai but we won't

need to use it until after I come back from Tokyo."

"How long will you be gone, Ayeka-san?" both Ayeka and Katsuhito

could hear the concern in Tenchi's voice.

"I should be gone for about five days, Tenchi-sama" a stroke of

scarlet touched the purple-haired lady's cheeks but cleared as she

focused to still the surface of her consciousness, then her voice

continued, "Katsuhito-sama, I would like to thank you beforehand for

taking Sasami-chan to the Shichi-Go-San Festival. For the last seven

hundred years we were inseparable and I was afraid she would be

miserable without me."

"You must be very close to each other," the old priest commented.

"She held me when my hope threatened to be overwhelmed by fear and I

held her when her ki was filled with loneliness for our otousama and

our okasamas," affection filled Ayeka's words. "Our knees have always

mingled."

"I see," the tanned man barely able to hide his pain. "Tenchi, let's

continue with our practice."

"May I watch?" a proper measure of hope in Ayeka's face as she

continued to pet Ryo-ohki, who produced a loud purr of ecstasy. "I

would like to see if you've added anything to improve the kazoku's

method."

Katsuhito could see from the right corner of his eye the return of

Tenchi's discomfort when he replied, "I don't see why not."

As Ayeka walked over to a fallen tree trunk to sit on and the two men

walked to their bokkens, Tenchi desperately whispered, "Jiichan, can

I at least put my pants on?"

"I'm sure your enemies would allow you some modesty," his

grandfather's biting sarcasm brought a groan out of the young man's

closed mouth. Katsuhito's glasses flashed with sunlight as he picked

up both bokkens and tossed one of them over his left shoulder toward

Tenchi.

Tenchi's grandfather had done this before so the young man deftly

caught the bokken with his right hand but his loss of eye contact

with the old priest's body allowed the older Masaki to pivot on his

right foot, sweep the practice weapon left to right and knock the

short-haired seventeen-year-old off his feet.

As Tenchi looked up at his disappointed grandfather and heard a

mature woman's shy laugh, he thought, 'I wonder how much my head is

going to hurt today.' Then the bokken he had let go of came crashing

down on his nose.

**********

Masaki Residence

Sasami turned off the Walkman as she entered the kitchen after

finishing her vacuuming for the day. After changing back to her

carrot apron, the curious child carefully opened the six-inch deep

box and found it full of yellowed paper. She gingerly lifted the

first piece and concentrated on the faded kanji written next to the

romaji-printed recipe. "Ninjin-chan favorite, mine too," the girl

read out loud, then saw two tiny ink-drawn eyes next to the comment.

'Achika-sama,' Sasami heard the sadness in Tsunami's soundless voice

as she identified the owner of the symbol.

Sasami remembered. Her dream body stood before the blue-haired

goddess' pool and watched the thin woman under the white covers while

her tear-stained husband held her hand long after death had removed

the pain from her eyes. Behind the child, she heard a half-choked

snob. When her small frame turned around, her pink eyes widened as

she beheld Tsunami collapsing to the green grass. With quick feet,

the little one closed the distance and with tiny hands, she held the

shaking head to her breast and her soothing voice said,

"Maa . . . it's not your fault, Tsunami-megami."

"I'm powerless," a mature version of Sasami's voice cried out. "She

did everything I asked her to do and I could do nothing in return."

"If . . . I . . . gave back the life you've given me, could you save

her," Sasami fought to check her own tears, to be strong for both of them.

"Mo, what I gave I cannot take back," Sasami's hug tightened as a new

wave of shakes coursed through the goddess' body.

"Atashi warui, then," Sasami lost control of her tears. "If the part

you used to create me wasn't frozen onboard oneesama's ship, you

could've saved her."

With blinding speed Tsunami scooped up Sasami, then leaned back her

rainbow-colored kimono body so the crying child was nestled on the

goddess' lap while loving words filled the girl's pink ears, "Never

say that to me, Sasami-chan. You gave me a chance to return to a

world I'd lost. Always remember, whatever the cost for you to be in

my life, in the lives of others, I know it was worth it."

"It is by your simple acts, Sasami-chan, the universe is changed,"

both sets of ears heard those gentle words come from the direction of

the lake. Four pink eyes look up to see a body floating above the

pool now shimmering with white light. The body was not the fragile

thing in the bed but the strong youthful one Tsunami had first known.

As the body continued to hover, the owner asked, "Are you ready to

guide me?"

"Hai," Tsunami answered as she reigned in her emotions. She carefully

placed Sasami on her grass stained feet, so she could stand.

As both goddess and child walked to the edge of the radiance, the

body with long black hair moved to meet them, saying, "Do you think

you can do something for me, Sasami-chan?"

"Hai!" Sasami loudly replied.

A honey smile touched her ghostly lips at the fervor of the child's

answer before she proceeded, "Could you take care of segare for me,

make sure he eats properly. You know how boys are, they'll eat

whatever their hands can stuff into their mouths."

"Watashi yakusoku (I promise)!" certitude in Sasami's face and voice.

"Domo arigato, Sasami-chan," the lady in white thanked the youngster

as Tsunami joined her over the lake of light. The pair turned and

walked to the middle but at the last moment the ruby-eyed woman

turned back to the little one and said, "Let Inkushimi and

Ninjin-chan know I approve of their choice."

"Oi!" Sasami's mouth dropped open, her hands tremble with shock as

her mind snapped back into the present. "Ts . . . Tsunami?" the

little one's question quaked with wonder because on that day, those

last words were not the ones Tenchi's mother spoke.

'I believe a friend just left us a message,' the child heard

admiration in the goddess' voice.

**********

Galaxy Police Hospital/Akakani

Mihoshi sat on the bed's edge, holding her left hand out so the

technician could attach sensors to her fingertips. A pearl of a

giggle escaped her red lips when the first piece of wire and plastic

touched her left pinkie and she said in English, "It tickles!"

The male nurse smiled while the female technician he was standing next

to replied in Juraigo, "What you're feeling are the nanobots

activating the diagnostic connections so we can take a detailed

readout of the GPCB and feed new data to them."

The bubbly woman nodded her head but with each connection her giggles

increased in volume until her curvy body shook in an uncontrollable

fit which caused her to raise her right hand and slam the palm

against the bed frame. The nurse was distracted by the pair of bouncy

breasts in front of him but the female tech's face went pale as she

saw the dent Mihoshi's ebony hand placed in the metal.

"Go . . . Gomen," Mihoshi said while trying to control her laughter.

"I hear someone is having a good day," these words came from a

red-eyed woman with dark blue pants and vest, red cavalry boots with

an equally crimson cape draped over her left arm as she stood at the

hallway entrance.

"NIJI-DONO!" the joy in the policewoman's shout equaled her bounce

off the bed as the tech and the nurse dexterously moved out of her

way. Her first two steps were straight but her balance began to pitch

and yaw, which sent her stumbling forward then backward. At that

moment, the brown-haired nurse's body met hers, his well-muscled arms

wrapped around her chest and stomach, a groan was forced out of his

mouth because of Mihoshi's weight. The white-clad woman regained her

balance but noticed the nurse hadn't removed his hands from her bosom

or flat tummy. With a blush to her dark cheeks, she turned her head

upward and back so she could see the man's own scarlet face. "Arigato

for helping me," Mihoshi's voice heavy with appreciation for his

attention, the tall man nodded his head and released her but with

some reluctance.

Mihoshi returned her blue gaze to Seto, whose azure eyebrows are

lifted with mild surprise but the blonde's ears hear her godmother's

positive words, "Come on, Himawari, you can do it."

Carefully Mihoshi took one barefooted step at a time with the nurse

right behind her, ready to catch her, while the tech's eyes are

locked on the important data the handheld device's monitor was

showing him. After what seemed to be forever, the lady with the

wine-colored ribbon in her hair stood before Seto and said proudly,

"Ano (Look)! I made it wa."

"Dekashita, Himawari," Seto's white teeth shine in her grin as she

walked forward and hugged the policewoman tightly, which produced a

hug from the blond bombshell. "Oi . . . you could give Misaki-dono a

run for her money with that one," Seto complemented with what air was

still in her lungs.

"Niji-dono, I've got someth . . ." dread filled Mihoshi's voice.

"I know and it doesn't matter," Seto gently interrupted. "My eyes

have reached yours and I see only you."

Mihoshi looked over her shoulder at the nurse, the unspoken question

upon her face. The young man smiled and nodded his head. As a

relieved Mihoshi placed her head on Seto's shoulder, she felt

something touch her nose and heard her godmother's gentle voice,

"Himawari, it's time to wake up."

Mihoshi jerked to a shoulder stiff attention in the floating chair

but Seto knew better than to linger too near this awakening person,

having received a spilt lip from a five-year-old version of the woman

before her.

"So we're here?" Mihoshi asked while she got up, pulled the wrinkles

out of her dress blues and picked up the GP cap from the wooden floor

where it fell from her grasp as she slept. The gurgling of the white

fountain's water, the buzzing of insects and the fragrance of

Startica Bells had always made the Akakani a happy place for the

dusky female, even when her world had threatened to dissolve away.

Making one last check of her appearance, the police officer said,

"I'm ready, Niji-dono."

Seto gave a sharp nod and pulled her mirror out from her kimono's

right sleeve, then turned her attention back to the viewer before she

spoke out strongly, "Akakani, proceed with ship-to-ship interface."

Akakani's branches filled with rainbow light, next the brilliance

changed into bands that were broadcast from the Tree's green leaves

and entered Seto's mirror. In the airless land between the heavenly

bodies, the colored threads reappeared between the two ships and wove

their way along the hall of Mihoshi's main ship and blend gradually

with the ship's mainframe. While this was going on, the ebony lady

came to stand two feet in front of the screen while the tall princess

positioned herself just behind her godchild. The mirror glowed

briefly and Seto said, "Interface completed, awaiting password

clearance to activate super interspace hotline."

"Oi . . . eh . . . Mary had a little lamb," Mihoshi gave the first

password to enter her mind of the thousands she knew.

"The password is correct," a mechanical voice came over Akakani's

speakers as both women saw the Galaxy Police ship's communications

dishes deploy from their protective compartments. The same voice

reported, "The super interspace hotline is ready."

"Send the written report," ordered the blond, her voice tinged with a

little apprehension.

"Is something wrong?" concern very visible in Seto's tone.

"The report is sent, waiting for confirmation," the mainframe stated.

"Nothing is wr . . ." Mihoshi's words trail off as she saw the tall

princess' eyes narrowed. The blond let a long sigh flow out of her

lips, before she restarted her statement, "I just hate to report bad

news."

"Because you would rather feel the sunshine instead of the rain?"

Mihoshi felt the blue-haired lady's hand upon her right shoulder and

the comforting squeeze it gave.

"Mo, Niji-dono," the ebony woman countered. "Because I'm the

Marshall's mago, I won't be treated like any other keibu which makes

me unhappy because of the comments I've heard others make about me."

"Dewa . . . there's nothing you can do about it, Himawari," Seto left

unsaid her own feelings.

"I know, I know," resigned tone to the young woman's voice.

"Confirmation given, Chief Nobeyama awaiting oral report," the

emotionless voice ended their conversation.

"I'm ready to give my oral report," Mihoshi announced in her best

professional attitude.

"MIHOSHI-KUN, YOU'RE ALIVE!" both women jumped at Nobeyama's relieved

words bombarded their ears. His next words were at a lower volume,

"Because of our fear over your last statement, a re . . . eh . . .

a support group is organizing to fi . . . eh . . . to help you!"

Seto could see Mihoshi's body stiffened at the Chief's words but her

words were calm, "Sir, I must report the loss of Yukinojo due to a

battle with what the locals call an akurei, I've also broke

regulation 060457.735, making contact with a non-hyperspace race."

Both ladies could see the man's eyes dilate slightly while he picked

up a hardcopy of Mihoshi's report and quickly read it. In a few

minutes, her superior's left hand started to rub his left temple as a

painful look entered his eyes. Seto noticed the man's blue eyes

jumping from one part of the report to another. After a few more

silent moments, Nobeyama looked back at them but as he opened his

mouth, his face paled when he recognized the blue-haired woman next

to the officer. "Kamiki-sama . . . gomen nasai for my rudeness in not

greeting you properly," a gleam entered the tall princess' eyes at

the policeman's nervous apology.

"I accept your apology, keisatsukan," the officer's face became a

chalky white at Seto's own rudeness, then sweat lined his forehead

over the princess' next words, "Now please continue, I and my

nazukrgo await your judgment."

Thinking quickly, Nobeyama locked onto two facts his quick scan of

Mihoshi's report gave him. He brought his right hand up and coughed

into it before he said in a grave voice, "Mihoshi-kun, while the lost

of a sentient support shuttle and the breaking of regulations are

serious transgressions yet your finding the missing members of the

Oken Kazoku Jurai and your discovery of the breaking of Earth's

Special Protection Area are very important achievements. As such, I'm

going to recommend your violations will be placed in your file but no punishment."

"Hai!" Mihoshi strongly affirmed but Seto could see pain in the

viewer's reflection of Mihoshi's face.

Seeing the gleam in Seto's red eyes intensify, Nobeyama knew his

career as a Kishi of Jurai would end in the next minute unless he did

something fast. With a hint of dread in his tone, Mihoshi's superior

continued, "Since your report showed you didn't find any evidence of

Kagato-san's presence near the Earth, I'm changing your assignment."

"Ara?" Mihoshi wondered while the force of Seto's stare seemed to

lessen.

"Aa (Yes)," a little hope replaced Nobeyama's fear. "Your new mission

is to discover those who broke Ginga Yunion law, by interfering in

Earth's development, and relay that information to me, so the Galaxy

Police can arrest them."

"Yes sir!" blue fire in Mihoshi's eyes as she inadvertently switched

into English. "I will find these gangsters and arrest them."

"But your . . . " Nobeyama's words were stopped cold by Seto's

narrowed eyes.

Mihoshi gave an enthusiastic salute with her right hand as she

continued in English, "I will not fail you, sir. This is Galaxy

Police Officer Mihoshi Kuramitsu, ending transmission."

When the screen went blank and Akakani withdrew its connections to

the GP ship, Mihoshi held her chin with both hands and said

absentmindedly in Juraigo, "Now how should I approach this

assignment?"

"Because it's your eighteenth skill level, may I suggest you join a

law enforcement agency and use their resources to reach your goal,"

Seto warm voice answered.

Not expecting a reply, Mihoshi spun on her heels and with starry

eyes, said, "Uaa (Wow)! Niji-dono! That's a great idea!"

Seto smiled as she stepped forward to take Mihoshi's long-fingered

hands in hers then kissed the bubbly blonde's forehead like she was a

little girl.

"Niji-dono, I'm a big girl now, ne," Mihoshi's disapproval made false

by her happy face.

"Of course," Seto's smile became Cheshire Cat's size, prompting the

younger one to giggle at their private joke.

**********

Masaki Residence

The sun's face was slowly covered by clouds heavy with late afternoon

showers but their presence only made Sasami work even faster to

prepare Nobuyuki's special dinner in time so she could change her

clothes and go up to the shrine for her first lesson with Katsuhito.

On her little fingers, she counted out aloud her deeds as her pink

eyes gaze at each of the special containers, "Etto (Let me see),

wakame white miso soup, rice with shrimp, streamed green beans

sprinkled with gomashio, tossed salad with mellow miso salad dressing

and carob amazake brownies." With a smile born of pride, the little

one happily said, "They're ready."

With precise movements, Sasami packed the different sized containers

into a tanned two-by-one-by-two-foot box with the Masaki family mon

on it. After she ran her right index finger along the top to seal the

box, she allowed her excitement to put speed to her slippers as she

made her way to the library where she joyfully shouted from just

inside the entrance, "Otousama! Gohan desu!"

"Domo arigato, Sasami-chan," Nobuyuki's cheerful words reached the

little princess just before he walked out from behind one of the

library's bookcases with a partly opened doujinshi (fan manga) in his

hand. When Sasami looked at the manga's glossy front cover, her

freckled face turned a bright red before she turned around and fled

back to the kitchen. Puzzled, Nobuyuki looked at the cover and

chuckled as he placed it on closest top sheaf. 'I'm sure none of

Sasami-chan's shojo manga showed Charming-oujosama sharing a glass

double dildo with Cinderella-oujosama,' Nobuyuki mentally mused as he

followed the stiff blue ponytails.

**********

Hanawa Kazuichi Machiya (Kazuichi Hanawa Townhouse)

MacClean slid the townhouse's front door open, bolted out of the

rain and hurried up the stairs to the second floor. As he walked to

his apartment, the door to his left opened to show a black-haired

woman. "I hope you haven't forgotten we're going to the play

tonight?" her accusation lessened by the small smile on her face.

"Ya da atashi, Rumiko-dono, especially the costume party afterwards,"

MacClean gave one of his most toothy smiles while his gray eyes note

the lady was concealing her attire under black rainwear. "Just give me

a few minutes to take a quick bath and shave my legs."

"Oke, Anthony-dono," the lady's black eyes could see the warmth in

the man's eyes at her use of his given name instead of his nickname,

even though she was the creator of it.

MacClean gave her a nod then continued to the next door on the left,

partly opened the door but stopped to call down the hall to his

watcher, "Watch out, the Yonnozoku (Gang of Four) are up to their old

tricks again." The dishwater blond purposely walked out of sight but

reappeared with a light blue towel over one shoulder, a plain wooden

stool in his left hand and matching small bucket in the right. The

Westerner made his way to the door at the end of the hall, knocked

once, then slid the door open by hooking one of the stool's leg to

the door's handle. After he went in and closed the door, Rumiko

pulled her head in, closed the door and went over to the makeup salon

she had set up in one corner of her crowded apartment.

When Rumiko finished her face, she looked into the mirror to make

sure the eyepatch and facial scar are perfect. The woman got up from

her chair and removed her rainwear so she could swing her black and

red cape on. After that task was achieved, the patient lady sat next

to her artist's easel where drawings of her costume hung. As she

waited for MacClean's knock, her gaze became distant as she

reminisced about her male friend.

'Friend,' the wispy word was conjured up in Rumiko's mind as she

remembered her first journey into his room. Her catlike curiosity

over her first Westerner's vague answers about his past had brought

her stealthy feet past his door. After a quick eye search of the

apartment, the young lady made her way to a large brown desk tucked

into the right corner, next to the room's window. As she sat in the

plain wooden chair, she could look out the window at the rock garden

in the townhouse's central courtyard. Looking down she saw a

legal-size piece of paper in a picture frame in the middle of the

desk's top. Rumiko had been very good in her English class, so the

words proved no problem for her to read:

I see a tombstone,

But I don't read the name.

I don't need to

Because I know my heart is buried there.

The sun on the horizon gives me no warmth

When you're not here.

The moon in the sky

Doesn't bring sleep to me

When you're not here.

I see the bed our bodies shared,

But I sleep there no more

For my heart isn't there,

It's in the grave.

Sometimes I see a girl go by,

Who looks like you.

Sometimes I hear a voice

That sounds like yours.

Sometimes I smell the cherry blooms

You wore in your hair.

They are phantoms of you.

I see the path where we once walked,

Between the laughter and the tears,

But I don't walk there anymore,

For my heart is beneath the ground.

The blackest Hell,

The darkest dream,

Can't match the loss I feel when you're gone.

I know my memories of you will be with me,

Every moment of daylight and night,

From this day to forever.

Rumiko now realized MacClean had detected her inclination and left

the poem out for her to see, to read, but her younger self had been

caught up in the sweet sorrow within those words. Over the twenty

years they had lived in this townhouse, she watched him heal the

wings of women broken by callous men so they could soar again yet the

gentle man wouldn't let any of them mend his own wounds. She knew the

poem was his warning for her not to get too close to him, for her not

to try to capture his heart because it wasn't his to give, not yet.

So the imaginative lady never tried to become his lover, instead she

became his closest friend and the keeper of his many secrets.

A light rap to her door brought Rumiko's eyes into focus. Looking at

her watch, she noticed an hour had passed by. Giving her attire the

quick once over, the manga queen got up from the chair, walked to the

door and slid it open with her left hand. This action revealed a

figure that caused her jaw to drop. Before her stood a barely

recognizable MacClean in a white knee-length female nurse's uniform

with matching white shoes and pantyhose, amongst his long red curls

was a white cap with a red cross imprinted upon it.

A surprised Rumiko saw MacClean's gaze taking in her costume then he

said in a female soprano voice as he brought his clutching hands to

his fearful face, "Oi! Harlock-kyaputen, please leave my patients

alone!" the body before the uchu kaizoku bent and twisted which

accentuated the bountiful bosoms and shapely ass, "You can take me,

seduce me and ravish me if it will keep my charges safe from your

lust!"

In wonder, Rumiko took a step forward, looked between her high collar

flaps and said, "Kimi kirei wa yo! (You're beautiful!)"

"Arigato," MacClean's girlish blush only enhanced the way he had

used cosmetics to bring out his feminine features. Unlike the

ridiculous way most men looked as drag queens, Rumiko observed how

the man's boyish face and firm body made him look so natural.

Intrigue by what was before her, Rumiko raised her right index finger

in front of her and poked MacClean's right breast. Their authentic

response brought more amazement from her lips,

"They feel so real, ne."

"You know me, oneesan, always the perfectionist ne," a proper smile

matched MacClean's girlish response.

"Honto ni, bishojo (Truly, a beautiful girl)," a whispered voice came

from the staircase leading to the third floor. Looking up, the two

down below could see four shaggy tops just above the railing.

Rumiko saw a wicked gleam appear in MacClean's gray eyes as he said

in a mature female voice, "Let's proceed to your ship so the shitei

can finish their studies before going to bed, wa."

With brown eyes glaring, Ohkawa Nanase's popped halfway up, leaned

over the banister, pulled down the edge of her right eye with her

right index finger and stuck her tongue out. Both Rumiko and MacClean

saw six young hands come up and yank her back down. "Kya, Nanase-kun,

don't let his words go to your head, he's just teasing us," said a

voice Rumiko and MacClean recognized as belonging to Apapa Mokona.

"I believe you're correct, oneesan," MacClean's gleam spreading into

Rumiko's eyes as they walked to and started down the stairs.

"Akachans should always get their sleep, ne."

Two pairs of ears could hear a tussle break out on the stairs behind

them. "Mokona-kun, now who's acting like kochan, ne," both travelers

grinned at hearing Nanase's voice.

When they reached the front door, both put on their shoes and then

MacClean pulled a traditional umbrella from amongst the more modern

ones while Rumiko opened the door.

"Domo Arigato, Rumiko-sama," a hurried voice came to them as a young

man dodged in while holding his black coat over his head. When the

black-haired man saw her companion, a wide smile appeared on his face

as he said, "I've not seen your friend before?"

"Hitoshi-san, this is Antoine-san," Rumiko barely able to keep

mirth's music out of her words. "She's a pen pal from Amerika."

"Goo . . . Good day," Hitoshi said in halting English as he offered

his hand to MacClean. "I'm Okuda Hitoshi."

Permitting the umbrella to lean against the open door, MacClean gave

a bashful bow and then gently touched Hitoshi's fingers with his

right hand while his left covered his red lips, the soft light of the

late afternoon shone off the hand's long fingernails. "Dozo yoroshiku

(Nice to meet you), Hitoshi-sama," replied in a delicate voice. "I'm

Antoine Deauville."

"Do itashimashite, Antoine-sama," Hitoshi's words tried to bring ease

to Rumiko's friend. "You handle Nihongo very well."

"Arigato," MacClean's kept his voice softly tense.

A burst of giggles came from above them. Three pairs of eyes turned

to the source but saw only the retreat of four young ladies up the

polished stairs, their silly laughs mixed with bare feet running on

wood. "By those kawaii sounds, the Clamp girls seem to be having a

good day," a slightly puzzled Hitoshi commented.

"Dewa . . . we've got to catch our train," Rumiko had to bite her lip

from matching the laughter she heard.

"Where you're going?" genuine interest filled Hitoshi's voice.

"We're going to the Takarazuka Revue," Rumiko noted MacClean was

allowing her to do all the talking. "We going to see their production

of Riyoko-kun's, Versailles no Bara (The Rose of Versailles)."

"I presume by your costumes, there's a Halloween party afterwards,"

Hitoshi observed.

"Ee," both replied.

"I hope you enjoy it, Antoine-sama, na," a pleasant tone in Hitoshi's

words.

"Un," MacClean kept eyes lowered as his right hand took hold of the

umbrella's bamboo handle. "Sayonara, Hitoshi-sama."

"Sayonara, Hitoshi-san," Rumiko added as the two exited through the

door where her companion opened the umbrella, its large decorative

cap produced the music of the rain.

"Sayonara, Rumiko-sama, Antoine-sama," Hitoshi gave them a short bow

which both returned before they started to walk to the bus stop.

When Rumiko heard the door closed, she released a titter she had

suppressed. "Shinjinnai (I don't believe it), Hitoshi-san usually

isn't fooled that easily and you played the shy female to a tee."

"It's the reason I let you do all the talking," MacClean gave a sigh

of relief. "I didn't want a lapse of concentration to blow my

performance."

"Ne ne (Ohhh)! I love this, Antoine-oneesan!" enthusiasm in Rumiko's

voice. "It's going to be so fun tonight!"

"Hai!" MacClean's girlish tone matching Rumiko's, "The Arcadia awaits

us, ne!"

**********

Notes:

The Galaxy Police Cybernetic Body: The GPCB is a first generation

android body to make it out of the testing program to everyday use

for the Galaxy Police, with Mihoshi being the first non volunteer to

benefit from its existence. Some might cringe at me for using nanobot

technology in the series (especially after Star Trek Next Generation

started the blitz of sci-fi shows using them as a plot device) but I

couldn't think of anything that could handle the high maintenance

caused by the constant use yet I wanted the mechanical body to be as

close to a living body without it being biological. Remember that

both Ryoko and Ryo-ohki are considered major breakthroughs as

artificial biological beings but no where in the OAV series or in the

X-Flies do you find computers with mecha bodies. So Mihoshi's new

body must have certain limitations to its ability to duplicate a

normal humanoid body.

Characters:

Ryoko: I dropped clues about Ryoko's behavior without showing my hand

but a major clue got bumped to the next chapter due to page

limitation. If you can't figure it out what is going on, you are

going to need to wait until chapter three.

Sasami: As I've stated in my notes at the end of Book One, I look

upon Sasami as a unique being. While she has the personality of an

eight-year-old girl, she also has the mental capacity of a

seven-hundred-year-old. This produced within the little princess a

blend of adult maturity and child impishness, she has a understanding

of the universe yet remains innocent. Furthermore, I decided early

that she is not passive in her relationship with Tsunami. Sasami has

a major influence on Tsunami, which the goddess has benefited from.

Washu: Because of Washu imprisonment in the crystal, most of her

scenes must occur as flashbacks and observations.

Mihoshi: I'm starting to get a feel for the character but she is

still the hardest one for me to write about.

Tenchi: Tenchi is the easiest character to write because I was just

like him when I was seventeen but even more so. I knew about sex and

girls but I was extremely shy to the point I didn't start showing my

feelings toward them until I got into college. If five beautiful

females dropped into my life when I was seventeen, I probably would

have acted just like Tenchi.

Ayeka: Ayeka is fun to write because the character offers so many

possibilities. While Sasami's rebirth has made her a unique being,

Ayeka is a young Jurain with all the cultural baggage you would find

in such a person, plus the addition of her being the First Princess

of Jurai. I want to stay within the limitations that the first OAV

Season placed on her but still expand her personality.

Scully, Nobuyuki and Mulder: Things will get more interesting for

them in chapter three.

MacClean: I want to slowly bring the character into contact with the

others but still keep him a lesser character, Tenchi, the girls,

Mulder and Scully are the main characters.

Seto: She is the link between Jurai's true past and the Earth's

present situation. As I have shown, she is connected to each of the

main characters in some way and her gentleness is tempered by hard

love.

Rumiko and Miyaji: Both will remain minor characters but both will

sparkle from time to time.

Writing:

Startica Bells: The mention of this flower is a tip-of-a-hat to one

of my favorite authors and friend, Literary Eagle (darling Lita, may

you soar over all the stormy seas to find your rest in paradise).

Nihongo words, idioms and slang: I have received both positive and

negative feedback on my use of Nihongo words, idioms and slang.

Besides the reasons I gave in my notes at the end of Book One, there

are three more reasons for me using them:

One: Except for a handful of writers (Lita, K'thardin, Dav, Happosai,

and a handful of others) I've found several fanfic writers use very

stale dialogue in their stories. They seem to be afraid to go beyond

the straitjacket the dubb dialogue has placed on them. If I can show

them that language is something you can have fun with, to do

sleight-of-hand with and give deeper meaning to your characters, I

will do it.

Two: I have found it a lot easier for me to hear the characters

voices when I am using Nihongo and its kissing cousin, Juraigo. It

also gives me another avenue for jokes, puns and personality traits

with the characters (like when Mihoshi switches back and forth from

English to Juraigo when she gets excited or Ayeka's concern over

Sasami's use of Nihongo-Amerika slang).

Three: Because of what has happened to Cardcaptor Sakura on the WB

and Tenchi Muyo, Sailor Moon and Outlaw Star on CN, I'm fearful that

the anime companies will decide it is more profitable to sell their

dub distribution rights to an American company that to do the work

themselves. If this occurs, it will be the death of any quality to

the dubs for the American companies are only interested in making a

profit and will ram conformity down our throats. Our only hope is the

parent companies will still sell subtitled versions on DVD. I'm

hoping by using Nihongo in my story, I'll spark the readers' interest

in the language and get them familiar with the most of the common

words, idioms and slang used in subtitled anime, especially to form

jokes and puns, whose potency is sometimes lost by the subtitled

English words. If the parent companies decide the subtitled market is

too small to make a profit and stop producing them, then it's fan

subs for me.