Towards the unstoppable future.

With only a dream...

In the emptiness of space, a bottle of plum wine floats freely. Its
target is the hull of a newly-commissioned starship of the Urusian Defense
Force. Silently and with no friction to stop it, it smashes against the hull,
its reddish contents uncontrollably spreading over the freshly-painted hull
like water before flowing off into space, never to touch human lips...

* * *

Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year: "Towards the Unstoppable Future"
by Mike Smith
**** **** ****
Edited by Fred Herriot and E.B. Kushnir
fherriot@hotmail.com and kush1@iaw.on.ca
**** **** ****
A story based on the series in turn based on "Urusei Yatsura," created by
Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****

WRITER'S NOTES:

1) This is the "bridge" story between UY-TSY and UY-TIY and UY20YL. It
is set three months prior to the UY-TIY story "School's On."

2) Negau Renning was first created for Fred's lemon fanfic "A Remarkable
Destiny." Irunmei/Numon Kuk appeared in the Tales of the Daishi'cha story
"Furinkan Spring II."

3) DD - Deputy Director. The parts of the Sagussan Intelligence
Ministry are Operations (field agents), Plans (overall intelligence
evaluation) and Support (training, liaison with other departments).

**** **** ****

In the reception area of the spacedock orbiting Toshitto, a large
crowd made up of political leaders, military personnel and their families and
friends applaud what has happened. Many of them have good reason to, for the
name of this Kashin-class battlewagon, last of her class, is the "Koishii
Moroboshi."

It was difficult for the Urusian Defense Force to use that name.
Nagaiwakai took immediate objection to it when she first heard it proposed.
According to Moroboshi Clan tradition, no member of the clan is allowed the
privilege of having ships or other physical constructs like buildings named
after her...even if the person was no longer among the living. However,
strangely both Lum and Ataru overruled their grandmother. Koishii was their
first child and her loss continued to hurt although ten years had passed
since the Battle of Uru. Nagaiwakai, not wishing to upset her grandson and
his wife, relented for the first time in her life.

Still, the ceremony of the ship's christening struck a sad chord in
Lum's heart. She had attended the ceremony, although her parents said she
could have stayed at home with Amora, now eleven years old. Ataru had other
important things to do. Both he and Lum had graduated from teacher's college
and he was busy looking for a job. They had worked for a time at the
Ishinomaki Womens' Schools, but with the emphasis of female teachers serving
the students of the four units there, Ataru was given a subtle hint that he
may no longer be wanted. Both were bent on quitting, determined to have
something permanent that would keep them together.

Ataru wanted to attend the ceremony...a first for a man who had vowed
after the Battle of Uru never to leave Earth again...but he got called in for
an interview at a place he thought'd never even THINK of being interested in
him: Tomobiki High School! Ataru, who also had been interviewed for a job in
Hokkaido, had to back out at the last minute.

*There she goes,* Lum thinks to herself wishfully watching the ship
leave the spacedock. *The U.D.F.S. "Koishii Moroboshi," named after our
greatest loss.* Lum looks as the ship, with a skeleton crew, moves out of
spacedock under control of her thrusters. Lum wonders to herself what would
have happened if Koishii hadn't been lost with Henry so soon after she was
born. She would have been the same age as Amora is now and wonders what type
of girl she would have been. Would she have been as flirty and flighty as
her half-sister? Or would have been a more independent person like her
step-sister Reiko? Or maybe she would have been like Junba Miyaki,
aggressive yet good- natured? Lum computes the possibilities in her mind...

...only to have her concentration broken by her old friend Lan. "Lum-
chan?!"

"Oh, Lan-chan. What is it?"

Since she married Rei, had three children and lost her youth-sucking
powers, Lan has calmed considerably from her days of trying to get revenge on
her "best" friend. Being a few pounds heavier and older, Lan looks at peace
with herself for the first time in her life. Even Ataru has been on friendly
terms with her since he helped free Lan of her powers upon learning they were
killing her. "You looked lost in thought," the Seishin looks concerned. "I
hope this ceremony didn't bring up any bad memories."

"No, it hasn't," Lum tries to hide it.

"Lum-chan," another woman's voice calls.

It is Oyuki. Oyuki looks the same as she always does. The only
change is her crown and kimono pattern. Now Queen of Triton, she now sat on
the throne for which she had a claim since she was born. Still, Oyuki's
crimson eyes look at Lum with concern equal to Lan's. "Are you okay?" she
asks softly.

"I'm fine," Lum looks grumpy. "I'm just disappointed Darling
couldn't come. Noa-chan's too busy on Sagussa to come."

"Well, we all have our lives to continue," Oyuki smiles meekly, then
changes the subject. "How is your family doing?"

"Fine. Reiko's planning to enter the Young Woman's Academy. Nokoko
and her brood are busy raising their families. Amora's doing well in
school...except physical education."

Oyuki covers her mouth to chuckle. "I see," her eyes sparkle
brightly before turning to Lan. "And your children, Lan-chan?"

"Growing like weeds," Lan groans. "Lin and Len have appetites like
their father and they're developing powers just like him. Lon seems to be
taking after me..."

"Now that's scary!" Lum jokes.

Lan looks insulted. "And WHAT is so scary about that?!" she asks.
"She's very feminine and delicate, like I am!"

Lum and Oyuki refuse to comment. They know Lan may have calmed down
since becoming a wife and mother, but none of that calmed her chaotic
personality. Lan shoots an angry glance at Oyuki. "How come a woman who has
YET to get married and have children is so concerned about OTHER people's
children?!"

A little snow forms around Oyuki. "You know we Tritonians have LONG
courting periods as we move past the transformation time," she skilfully
evades the question.

"Sure," Lan calms down. Oyuki never did give straight answers when
it came to relationships. "Next, you'll want me to buy candy so I can hear
the rest of the story."

Before Lum can comment, another face from the past appears. Shutaro
Mendou walks up, wearing the dress uniform of a Japanese Maritime
Self-Defense Force officer, commander's rank on his arms. Physically, he
looks much the same as before, save for a moustache and shorter hair. Mendou
has had a bittersweet time since leaving high school. He did finally marry
Asuka but the marriage didn't last five years before a formal divorce
occurred, but the marriage did produce an heir for Shutaro in his son,
Tetsubou. After entering the Urusian Defence Force Academy after his time at
Eta Jima, Shutaro has risen through the ranks quickly, becoming first officer
of the "Koishii Moroboshi" faster than any officer, Oni or otherwise, in the
history of the U.D.F. Still, the loss of Sil Dedron is a heartbreak which
continues to hurt the young senior officer. "How are you, Lum-san?"

"Darling and I are fine, Shutaro," Lum replies politely. "Darling
couldn't come today because he has a job interview."

"I see," Mendou gets a sly smile on his face that Lum catches
immediately. The commander puts his arm around her slim waist gently. "Then,
we're alone..."

Lum zaps him. Not enough to harm him, but enough to tell him he had
gone far enough with his womanizing ways. "I see you haven't changed much
since Darling and I got married."

Mendou takes the hint. "I see you still love Moroboshi," he
snickers. "You know I'd never make a married woman cheat on her husband.
Besides, I still miss Sil-chan."

Lum suddenly feels sorry for the scion of the Mendou Clan. Sil had
been gone since before Nassur and Benten had gone missing and still he pines
for her, even after the short time they had together. According to rumours,
that pining had been one of the factors which helped end his marriage with
Asuka. "How's being a first officer in the U.D.F. treating you?" she changes
the subject.

"Oh, fine," Mendou replies politely. "I was surprised they assigned
me to the 'Koishii Moroboshi' when her shakedown ends. With all that's
happened between our two clans, it's rather ironic that a Mendou is serving on
a ship named after a Moroboshi."

"As someone we both once knew would say," Lum holds her hands in a
prayer mode, "...it's fate!" Everyone chuckles. "Still, you'll be coming
back to Earth to visit your family?"

"Yes," Mendou courtly kisses her hand. "Perhaps I'll come to visit
you. Or better yet, you and Ataru could drop around at the mansion sometime
to celebrate my promotion?"

"Perhaps," Lum sighs. "As long as you really mean that Darling is
invited as well!"

They both laugh together then Mendou leaves to mingle with some
senior officers. Lan and Oyuki also move on to talk with other guests. Lum
returns to looking out of a nearby porthole at the endless black sea of space.
Her thoughts return to happier days when she had just immigrated to Earth and
all she had to worry about was keeping Ataru away from other girls. Despite
the coming of the *saikoo jinseijitsu* and the problems between her and
Nagaiwakai, those were happy days...when she was young and innocent.

Then she remembers two people who she never got to say good-bye to.
Nassur and Benten were among Lum's closest and dearest friends. No matter
what happened between Lum and her Darling, they were always there to help
her. She would help them when she was needed in turn. Over ten years had
passed and all that is left of both of them are the Vosian-Ipraedies hybrids
they adopted and their daughter, in turn adopted by Shinobu Miyaki. Deep
down, their losses hurt Lum as much as the loss of Koishii. "I never got to
say goodbye," Lum says quietly to herself.

"Say goodbye to whom?"

Lum turns and sees a thirtyish Oni woman wearing a tiger-striped one-
piece bathing suit and knee-high boots. Her long, hip-length hair hangs
loose, making her look more like a teenager than an adult. Looking at her,
Lum immediately feels as if she should be on her guard. "Who are you?" Lum
asks immediately.

The girl blushes. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lum-sama," she giggles. "We've
never met. My name is Lara Skelad...I'm the new Urusian ambassador to Earth."

"Lara...Skelad?" Lum picks through her memory to find out where she
has heard it before. "Weren't you also working on the Alliance Negotiation
Committee?"

"I was a minor official for that," Lara smiles, outwardly flattered
Lum had remembered her name. "My father was very important in making sure the
Treaty was signed."

The treaty Lara speaks of is the Earth-Uru Alliance Treaty which
formally formed an economic, social and military alliance between the two
worlds. While the treaty allows both planets to develop their own
governmental systems and make their own relationships with other worlds, it
encourages economic and military aid as well as cultural exchanges and open
immigration between them. The treaty was signed shortly after the Battle of
Uru and was ratified by both the United Nations of Earth and the United
Tribes of Uru...with the blessings of Sagussa.

"I see. How is your father?"

Lara looks sad. "He died years ago, I'm afraid," she sighs. "A
stroke killed him."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lum frowns. "You have my sympathy."

"Thanks."

Amora appears beside her adoptive mother. Looking like a miniature
Elle with dark brown hair instead of strawberry blonde, Amora wears a cute
Earth dress of frilly pinks and whites which flatters her skinny form. She
also wears a white headband to keep her hair out of her eyes. "Hey, Mom,"
Amora looks excited for some reason. "I just saw the cutest boy..."

Amora looks at Lara and stops talking as if she had been just scolded
to stop. "Oh, you must be Reiko," Lara tugs on both of Amora's cheeks.
"You're a real cutie!"

"I'm not Reiko-onee-chan," Amora groans, disliking having her cheeks
pulled in such a fashion. "She's my sister. I'm Amora!"

"Oh, sorry," Lara blushes. "I should have known better. You don't
have any bumps on your forehead like Noukiites do."

"How could you make such a mistake?" Amora asks wondering what could
have possessed Lara to mistake her for a Noukiite.

"I'm Lara Skelad, the Urusian ambassador to Earth," Lara smiles at
Amora. "Pleased to meet you, Amora Moroboshi."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Amora replies.

Lum watches Lara and Amora shaking hands, suddenly suspicious. It
was as if Nassur was still looking over Lara as if she was a member of the
Mikado Marines instead of an Urusian ambassador through her eyes.

"I'll be staying at the new embassy in Tokyo," Lara turns back to
Lum. "Maybe someday, I'll come visit your house and meet the rest of your
family."

"Perhaps," Lum shrugs. "But, I have to take a 'rain-check' on that
because Darling and I are looking for steady work. In fact, he's being
interviewed for a job at our old high school, Tomobiki High School, as we talk
to each other."

"That's nice!" Lara says vaguely. Then she brightened with, "Should
he get the job, we'll be practically neighbours then! I cook great
traditional Oni meals, I'm told. Well, I've gotta mingle! See you!"

Lara then rushes off. Amora looks at her strangely. "That's weird."

"I was thinking the same," Lum sighs.

"Don't be surprised," a voice muses.

Lum and Amora turn to see a red-haired, green-eyed Oni walk up,
dressed in a beautiful gown. "Numon-chan!" the former embraces her. "How are
you?! Where's Negau-onee-chan?"

"Busy at the Agency," Numon Kuk sighs, sharing a knowing looking with
her fellow Oni. "She apologizes for not being able to get out here to see
you. It has been a while..."

"Since I played matchmaker for you two."

"Aye," Numon sips her tea. "Watch your step around that one, Lum,"
she nods at Lara.

She heads off. Lum returns to gaze on the ambassador. *Why do I
feel so suspicious of Lara? I don't even KNOW her. What did Numon-chan
mean; damn, I wish I could get the chance to talk to her more. No! Carmen
and Eluza wouldn't forgive me if something happened...not to mention what
Ranma and Akane would do. Oh, Lyna, I hope things are going better with
Darling on Earth...*

* * *

Ataru Moroboshi walks to Tomobiki High School. It is late afternoon
and the streets of Tomobiki are busy with shift changes and students going
home from school. Ataru, dressed in a dark blue suit with a white shirt and
black tie with a small gold phoenix printed on it, had changed little since
he first left this town. His beard is gone, but the moustache still remains
in place, making him more mature. His hair, once in a ponytail, is short and
off the collar. Now that he is a teacher, he had to look the part.

As he walks down the streets, Ataru's mind returns to his days
growing up in Tomobiki. He remembers being tagged the "Snapping Turtle Third
Grader" by the local high school girls because he always held onto their
skirts when they came home from school. He later became "Ataru the Hugger,"
a sex- crazed moron who would do anything, no matter how weird or dangerous,
to date a cute girl. Such actions, though influenced by the *saikoo
jinseijitsu,* brought a lot of shame to both him and his family.

But, Ataru remembers the good things about living in this town. He
had found love here. First Shinobu, whom he met in school shortly after his
parents moved here. Then Windy, before meeting his wife Lum. Ah, what
bittersweet memories they were!

Still, Ataru harboured doubts about getting a job at Tomobiki High
School and moving back here. The last year he lived in Tomobiki was FAR from
happy. He was tormented viciously by his classmates, his mother and just
about everyone in the town. Even Lum was getting to be a problem with the
appearance of Nassur, then his adopted daughter Hazel coming to visit. Then,
the *saikoo jinseijitsu* broke loose and more or less, that ended it.

Even after he and Lum graduated from Tomobiki High School, there were
further bad feelings. Jariten, Lum's cousin, became a student of the school
and though he never burnt the place down with his flame breath, he did lose
someone very close to him. Ataru remembers Minami Michini as she grew up
when she and Jariten would visit Oshika regularly. She seemed to tame the
Oni boy down a lot more than any other girl. To top that, she grew into a
beautiful young woman with a passion for motorbikes and racing.
Unfortunately, that was to be an unlucky combination for her. Ataru
remembers the shock on Jariten's face when news of Minami's death was
released. At the funeral, Jariten had the same look on his face he noticed
Nassur had at Cinba's funeral years before. Her casket was closed for obvious
reasons, but Ataru had always felt she did not deserve to die before her
time.

Then the sound of a group of motorcycles' brakes bring him out of his
self-imposed remembrance. He sees three young men, all dressed in black
leather jackets with the characters for NERIMA TORANOTENSHI BOUSOUZOKU on the
back and faded blue jeans, surround a cute, well-endowed Japanese girl
dressed in a tight mini-skirt and a sleeveless top, with their motorcycles.
Ataru also notices the street immediately clearing of people as the three men
dismount and walk up to the girl.

The girl, now noticeably afraid, holds her school books up close to
her chest. Her long black hair has a slight curl to it, making her look more
mature. Ataru feels upset when one of them, a heavyset one with sunglasses
and a crew cut, grabs the girl from behind and holds her arms so she can't
escape. Another, a tall, thin one with pencil-thin mustache and curly hair,
rips the girl's books out of her hands and drops them to the pavement. "This
ain't classtime, chickie!" he yells at her.

The remaining one, the leader, is seven feet tall with the
musculature of an Arnold Schwartznegger. His hair is in a dovetail and his
face is scarred from numerous knife fights and acne. "You're a cutie," the
leader looks the girl over and admires her assets. "Let's see what you look
like without the top!"

The tall goon immediately unbuttons the girl's top. The girl offers
no resistance despite the noticeable fear in her eyes. Finally, she stands
there with her top open and showing her bra to all three of them. They look
impressed. "Wow!" says the tall one. "You're stacked! How old are you?"

"T-twelve," the girl stutters nervously.

"You look like you're sixteen!" the leader humphs. "You're perfect
for a photo spread on our kiddie-porn website!"

The girl then begins to struggle when she hears the words "kiddie-
porn." "Let me go!" she demands to the amusement of the goons, sadistically
delighted at her useless struggles for freedom. "I don't wanna have nude
pictures of myself on the 'Net!"

Ataru could take no more. Noticing no policemen around, he decides
to stop them himself. "Hey!" he yells at them, causing them to momentarily
stop their sick teasing. "The girl said to leave her alone!"

The leader turns towards Ataru and doesn't look impressed by the
sight of him. "Fuck off, salaryman!" he humphs. "This is Toranotenshi
territory!"

"THIS IS TORANOTENSHI TERRITORY!!!!" the other two chant
automatically. "YEAH!!!! THIS IS TORANOTENSHI TERRITORY!!!! YEAH!!!! YA
WANNA MAKE SOMETHING OF IT?!?! YEAH!!!!"

Ataru is not impressed. He had heard of the Nerima Toranotenshi
Bousouzoku. They were an up-and-coming gang who were recently broken up by
the police weeks ago after holding the town in terror for a few months
shaking down shopkeepers and selling porn and drugs according to the
newspapers. Most of their members are now serving long jail terms or had
gone into hiding. "I thought the cops broke you guys up," Ataru replies.

"They didn't get all of us!"

"THEY DIDN'T GET ALL OF US!!!!" the other two yell. "YEAH!!!!
DIDN'T GET ALL OF US!!!! YEAH!!!! WE'LL RISE AGAIN!!!! YEAH!!!!"

The girl eludes her captors and runs up to Ataru. "Onii-chan," she
sobs. "They wanna use me for their kiddie-porn! And after, they're gonna
kill me!!"

Ataru looks at the girl sympathetically. Barely into puberty, no
matter how developed she already is, and has her whole life ahead of her. She
shouldn't have to worry about having her body abused and her dignity destroyed
by some paedophile and his slimy friends. "Oh, they are, are they?" Ataru
hums. "I never liked kiddie-pornographers!"

"Wanna make something?!" the leader pulls out a switch blade. "Let's
give him a taste of what happens to anyone who bothers us!!"

"YEAH!!!!" the other two pull out their switch blades. "LET'S GIVE
HIM A FIGHT!!!! GIVE HIM A FIGHT!!!! YEAH!!!! YEAH!!!!"

Ataru shoves the girl behind him. "You really DON'T know who I am,
do you?" he neutrally gazes at the three bikers.

"It's a little late for introductions!" the leader makes a stab at
Ataru...

...and six seconds later, all three goons lay broken and bloodied on
the pavement thanks to Ataru and the abilities he inherited from his Avalonian
sister Negako. "They wouldn't even give Amora trouble," he dusts himself off.

The girl is awestruck at the man who had beaten up three members of
the Toranotenshi and not even mussed up his hair. "Y-you saved me!" she hugs
him. "Oh, thank you!!!"

Ataru looks taken aback by the girl's hug. "It was nothing. I'll
call the cops and they'll take care of them for you." He looks into the
girl's eyes. *Her face is pretty, a young Sakura Ozuno...* he thought. Her
eyes are filled with open adoration for him. "We should call your parents,
too."

"I was going to meet my mom at her workplace," the girl gets a hold
of herself. "She works at Tomobiki High School."

Ataru is surprised. "Tomobiki High School?!" he smiles. "I'm going
there for an interview. How about I escort you there, in case these goons
have friends?"

The girl nods. "Then, let's go!" Ataru leads the girl away. *Now,
if only the girl didn't look so familiar...*

* * *

After giving their statements to the police and watching the
paramedics take the motorcycle goons away, Ataru and the girl continue on the
way to the high school. While they walk together, Ataru notices the girl
holds his arm as if he is her boyfriend. *She doesn't know I'm married.* He
looks at his wedding ring. *Lum would go crazy if she saw me with this
jailbait!* Yet, Ataru couldn't get the thought out of his head over how this
girl looks so familiar to him.

Finally, they both enter the front gate of Tomobiki High School.
Ataru notices the school has changed little since he was a student. It's
almost empty as the last of the staff and students return home for the day.
"So," Ataru turns to the girl. "Your mom's a teacher here?"

"Sort of," the girl giggles childishly.

"I take it the principal's office is still in the same place."

"Yup."

As they enter the school, in the principal's office, Sakura Ozuno
sits behind her desk impatiently watching the clock. "He's late," she snorts.
"NOT a good sign!"

Sakura had cut her hair shorter and it's peppered with grey. Her
dress is more modest, as reaching her mid-thirties and a few extra pounds on
her hips began to take their toll on her beauty and her position at the school
demanding a certain level of decorum. While still a Shinto priestess, Sakura
seems equally as comfortable as a school principal as she was as school nurse.

Ataru enters her office. Sakura stands and smiles. "Oh, you're here
finally," she nods. "Both of you! I see you didn't waste time picking up
someone again, Seiteki."

Ataru is surprised that Sakura knows the name of the girl on his
arm. "Seiteki? You know her name?" he asks Sakura.

"She should," Seiteki smiles coyly. "She's my mom!"

Ataru falls over in surprise. "I knew she looked familiar!"

With a snort, Sakura sits down to looks at Ataru's resume. "Trying
to pick up my daughter won't guarantee I'll hire you, Moroboshi!" she sternly
announces.

Ataru immediately takes a seat in front of Sakura's desk. Even
though he knows Sakura, she STILL outranks him and the economic future of his
own family depends on him getting a job here. "I wasn't trying to pick up
your daughter," Ataru retorts. "We met over some goons called the
Toranotenshi."

"I see," Sakura turns towards her daughter. "Is that true?"

"Yeah," Seiteki smiles. "You should've seen him, Mom! He beat up
those goons like he was making okonomiyaki!"

"I understand. But, since Moroboshi-san is to be interviewed by me,
why don't you go wait somewhere else until we're done."

"But, I wanna stay with Onii-chan!!!"

"You'll be a bad influence..."

"I WANNA STAY WITH ONII-CHAN!!!!"

"Er...I don't mind," Ataru looks meek.

Seiteki sits on Ataru's lap and begins to hug him lovingly. "It's
settled," she coos as she kisses him. "I stay with Onii-chan!"

Sakura stares coldly at Ataru. Soon, he is covered with snow. Even
frost comes out of Sakura's mouth. "Okay, you can stay! But, please calm
yourself, Seiteki!"

"Y-you m-mean s-she a-always l-like t-this?" Ataru shivers.

"She's rather tame now," Sakura replies, not impressed by how her
daughter is acting around a person she once thought was the most annoying and
troublesome idiot she ever met.

Finally, despite Seiteki's behaviour, the interview begins. "I see
you graduated first in your class," Sakura looks over Ataru's resume. "Both
Shinobu Miyaki and Koosei Ryooki have put in good words for you."

"My speciality is teaching geography," Ataru speaks up.

"How ironic," Sakura replies. "We have an opening in the geography
department with the retirement of Takeda-san."

"Takeda-san?" Ataru remembers the teacher's name from his days at
Tomobiki High School as a student. "Wasn't she Jariten's and Minami's
homeroom teacher?"

"Yes, she was," Sakura sighs. "They were members of her final
class. A pity about what happened to Minami. Ten loved her dearly."

"He still misses her," he muses.

"I noticed you and Lum spent time at the Ishinomaki Womens' Schools,"
Sakura continues.

"I worked at the Junior High School and Lum was at the Girls' Primary
Academy."

"We can offer Lum a job helping with the exchanges between Earth and
elsewhere," Sakura nods. "Next year, we're having an increase in the number
of alien students."

"She'll be pleased to hear about that," Ataru smiles. "Up in
Ishinomaki, we didn't get many foreign students, let alone aliens. That's
changing in the Girls' High School and the Young Womens' Academy; Reiko-chan
has an Oni and a Tritonian classmate now."

"You'll also need to relocate."

"No problem," Ataru smiles. "My parents want to move into an
apartment. The house is too big for them to live on their own and Dad wants
to retire from his company."

"Oh, he's still working in the same company?" Sakura asks.

"Yes, he is," Ataru muses. "Everyone is starting to say 'Is he STILL
here?'"

Ataru chuckles at his joke but Sakura joins in with cold silence
which quickly ends his laughter. It's obvious that Sakura is going to be hard
to please like always...and Seiteki wasn't helping.

Ataru remembers his visits back to his former home over the years.
*Funny how Fate can change things.* Shortly after he married Lum and before
the loss of Henry and Koishii, Ataru never thought about visiting his parents
unless it was to kill them. But after Koishii and Henry were lost, Ataru
began to feel life, despite possessing a 800-year lifespan, was too short to
spend hating the very people who brought you into it. At first, the visits
were tense and short, but soon, they became longer and more relaxed. Even
Nokoko and Mal had come down on occasion with their daughter Katsura.
Biggest surprise of all was Reiko, who once vowed she'd never acknowledge
Muchi and Kinshou as her adopted grandparents. Today, most relations between
the Moroboshi Clan have been repaired...although his mother still on occasion
moos toward Rishiri-tou.

"As you know, being a part-time teacher is different than full-time,"
Sakura breaks Ataru's train of thought. "Do you think you can handle a class
full of teenagers, some of whom are not from this planet?"

Before he can answer, Seiteki kisses him again. "I don't know about
that," she coos. "But can he handle a little girl like me?"

*THIS is Sakura's daughter?!* he mentally compares the two. Sakura
is as straight as they come and as long as he has known her, has always been
that way...even with the stories Koosei had told him when she was at North
Tokyo High. Seiteki, despite being only twelve and built like a
fourteen-year- old, is so bold, he begins to feel emotions he long thought
dormant since he contributed to the Grand Design returning.

"Please excuse my daughter," Sakura groans. "She usually doesn't act
his way with any boy older than her!"

"Let's play 'jarou-ya,'" Seiteki demands.

"What's jarou-ya?" Ataru asks.

"You really DON'T want to know, Ataru," Sakura groans. "Seiteki,
DOWN, girl!"

Reluctantly, Seiteki breaks off her seduction of Ataru and sits on
another chair in the office. "Sorry, Mom," she sighs dreamily as she phantom-
kisses Ataru.

"W-well," Ataru tries to get his mind back on the interview. "As
long as they can behave, I'll do my best!"

"I see," Sakura nods. "Well, I don't think there's anything left to
ask." Sakura stands and offers her hand to shake. "We'll be in touch in a
week if you get the job."

"Thanks," Ataru stands, bows, then shakes her hand. "I hope next
time I see you, you'll be my boss!"

"I do, too," Sakura bows. "I think."

"Someday, I'll be your student!" Seiteki coos. "Care to teach me
some lessons now?"

Ataru blushes before rushing out of the office. *Is that daughter of
hers for real?! Maybe I'll be lucky and she'll calm down before she gets to
high school!*

Lost in thought, he misses a step and falls down the stairs!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


Lum pilots her ship back to Earth. Amora sleeps in the back of the
ship; the excitement of the day with all the boys finally getting the best of
her. As she sits behind the helm, Lum barely sees the stars slip by as she is
lost in thought. The biggest thought which fills her head is Lara Skelad.

Lum had rarely heard of the Skelads. The family's chief focus was on
economic matters. As one might expect, they were probably rich but, in the
days of the Union government, they would've had little in the way of direct
political or military influence. Their power would be indirect because
someone had to pay the bills the Defense Force ran up and all the other
things the Imperial Round did when in charge. Still, something within Lara
seems to put her on edge...like her mentor Nassur would be...when she met
her. *Nassur- chan...I wish he and Benten-chan were around to find out why I
feel this way.* Even though becoming a Sagussan dimmed most of the *pe'cha*
bond between her and her mentor, there are still times she feels...something.
She couldn't explain it because the feelings changed from situation to
situation. Sometimes, it was like a little voice telling her to be wary.
Other times, it was stronger, as if someone was trying to take over her body
for Lyna knew what purposes when something bad happened. Catty, when Lum
visited Sagussa last time, stated to her there was nothing physically wrong
with her, just that she was getting used to the final stages of her evolution
to becoming a Sagussan.

That was years ago. The feelings haven't disappeared and since she
met Lara, they appeared stronger than ever. It almost seems like two people
are trying to contact her.

Why?

* * *

The next day was Sunday. Reiko has gone out on the town with her
friends while Nokoko and the other Nendo-kata are busy. The only ones in the
house are Lum, Ataru and Amora, who spends the day as usual: eating chocolate
and watching television.

Lum always wonders about Amora. Sure, she is bright and intelligent,
but she is discovering boys (not like Seiteki has). Dressed in loud-patterned
stretch pants and a white, baggy T-shirt, she looks like millions of other
Japanese children her age...except for one thing: she eats tons of chocolate
and never exercises! She should be as wide as she is tall for the amount of
chocolate she eats and how little she moves (her physical education marks put
her physical abilities very low in her age bracket). But, Amora is as thin as
a rail; even her stretch pants are loose on her skinny legs. But there is one
side-effect from Amora's chocolate mania: she has the worse teeth in all of
Japan!

Ataru is on the phone talking to Sakura. "Okay, I'll consider
it...'bye," he says before hanging up and turning to his wife. "Sakura. The
job is mine if I want it."

"That's nice," Lum smiles. "When will you have to make a commitment?"

"Well," Ataru sits down. "We still haven't heard from that job up in
Hokkaido."

"You mean the one near Grandma?"

"That's right. It has better benefits and more pay...but, they
aren't offering you a job like Tomobiki High School is."

"So, you want to live up near Grandma..."

"I want us to be together!" Ataru interrupts. "Shit, Lum, I don't
want to have us only seeing ourselves on weekends and holidays." He takes Lum
by the hand and they look lovingly into each other's eyes. "If we move, it
will be together not apart!"

"I understand, Darling," Lum sighs.

The doorbell rings. "Who can that be?!" Ataru tenses as a familiar
rush races through his system, then heads to the foyer.

At the door is Shinobu Miyaki and her daughter Junba. "Hello there,
Ataru-kun," Shinobu gives Ataru a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello, Uncle Ataru," Junba bows reverently to him.

Ataru notices except for the ears, which are tapered, and the dark
brown hair in a pony-tail, Junba looks like a young Benten. She is dressed in
a baseball undershirt with PROPERTY OF THE YOMIURI GIANTS printed on it, gym
shorts, and a Nihon Ham Fighters' baseball cap on her head. She looks very
cute to Ataru; a rival to his own pair of daughters. "How's little Aiotoga?!"
Ataru pats her on the head. "Have you been a good child?"

"Yeah," Junba removes her baseball cap.

Shinobu and Junba enter and remove their shoes. Now dressed in a
cute white dress, Shinobu looks at peace with herself for the first time in a
while. She had a hard time since her involvement in the Grand Design ended.
Being both a single mother AND Kyotos' princess was taxing on anyone's
nerves...not to mention an Ebola outbreak in the Congo three years before.
These days, she leaves her responsibilities in Kyotos to her grand duchess
royal, Carona, thus permitting her to concentrate on raising Junba and become
a school nurse and health teacher. Still unmarried, Shinobu seems to be
comfortable being a single mother of an adopted child. "Oh, sure you have!"
Shinobu kids her daughter. "She and Dansei Fujinami have been tearing up
Onigakkou Public School together!"

Junba blushes. "We've only been beating up bullies, Mom!"

"Just like her mother!" Ataru hides a laugh. "Lum and Amora are in
the living room." He leads them into the living room. "Lum-chan. Shinobu
and Junba are here!"

A broad smile comes to Lum's face as she greets her former classmate
and the daughter of her missing best friend and mentor. "How nice!" the Oni
woman smiles, then she notices Junba and sadness overcomes her. "B-Benten?"

Junba looks at Lum strangely. "Who's Benten, Aunt Lum?"

Lum tenses. *This couldn't be Benten!* she scolds herself.
*Benten's been missing for years...but, she looks so much like her!* "Sorry,
Junba," Lum blushes. "You just look like your mother when she was your age."

"Really?" Junba asks. "Everyone says I don't look at all like my
mother!"

"Maybe you do," Ataru saves them, "...in some way."

Shinobu turns towards Junba. "Aiotoga, why don't you and Amora-chan
go out and play while I visit Ataru-kun and Lum?"

"Sure," Junba nods.

Amora nearly falls through the floor in shock. "Do I hafta play with
Junba? She always wants to play rough games!"

"You need the exercise, Amora-chan," Ataru taps his younger daughter.
"All you do is sit around, watch TV and eat chocolate! Girls who do that
get fat and bad teeth!"

"But..."

Before Amora can say any more, she is dragged away by Junba to the
back door. "C'mon, Amora," she smiles slyly. "Lemme show you what 'Gojira'
Matsui taught me about swinging a bat!"

"Sports are so ungirly!" Amora yells in protest. "You are a girl,
ain'tcha?!"

Her protests fall on deaf ears as Junba drags Amora out the door by
her T-shirt. Ataru and Shinobu then turn to Lum. "Lum, are you all right?"
he asks. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"You nearly told Aiotoga that she was adopted," Shinobu looks at both
of them. "Let ME tell her that someday!"

"Sorry," Lum replies. "But, I've been getting those strange feelings
ever since I went to the christening."

"What sort of feelings?" Ataru asks.

"I don't know. They began when I met the Urusian ambassador to
Earth, Lara Skelad."

"Lara Skelad?" Shinobu blinks confusedly. "I'm not familiar with
that House. But, I heard somewhere that she's the new Urusian Ambassador to
Earth."

"I'm not familiar with them either," Lum replies. "But, the word
back home is the family's very rich. They ship all over the place. Anyway, I
started feeling as if I were in contact with Nassur and Benten."

"But that's impossible," Shinobu blinks. "Both Nassur-kun and Benten
have been missing for years. All the searches conducted by the hybrids,
Dakejinzou and Varanko, have been in vain. There's been no evidence over what
happened to them. Only rumours."

"I know," Lum sits. "But, it's like I know they're alive, like the
same way I felt after Koishii-chan was lost. Like we're able to contact each
other at some level."

Ataru looks at Shinobu. "Shinobu, you were *pe'cha* with Nassur," he
asks. "Do you feel anything like Lum is feeling?"

"Nope," Shinobu replies immediately. "But, I was human when we
became *pe'cha.* That could make a difference."

"I see," Ataru sighs. "But, if it gets worse, Lum, we'll go see Chie
or go to Sagussa and get to the bottom of it!"

"*Tcha!*" Lum nods.

Ataru turns back to Shinobu. "Now, Shinobu," he asks slyly. "How's
Junba doing in her job as a batgirl at Tokyo Dome?"

Hours pass and everyone puts aside Lum's feelings in favour of a
quiet visit. Lum and Ataru are informed of the latest goings-on in Shinobu's
life...a life getting back together since the loss of so many people she
loved. Junba soon returns with a semi-conscious Amora, who collapsed after
fielding only five ground balls a little leaguer could handle without any
problem. Reiko returned home and the two families then had dinner together
before Shinobu took Junba o visit her Nendo-kata sister Nintaiko and her
family.

* * *

Hours later, Lum and Ataru go to bed. Amora, barely able to finish
her dinner before conking out, snores inside the mess she calls her room.
Reiko goes to bed after finishing her homework. But, sleep does not come to
Lum easily this night. Sure, her Darling snores without any concern for
anything...like he normally does. But Lum's mind is too full of questions to
permit sleep to take her. *Why do I feel so suspicious of Lara Skelad? Why
did I react in such a way to Junba? Why was I always thinking about Nassur
and Benten so much today? Why am I always starting questions with the word
'why?'*

The questions are endless and the answers evasive as time slipped by.
It is two o'clock and Lum decides to enter the Dreamscape to take her mind
off things. Lum hadn't been a regular user of the Dreamscape since the
Battle of Uru, but she dabbled with it once in a while. Usually, it was
empty of the other *daishi'cha* owing to the fact they had other important
things, like building a society.

Entering the Dreamscape, Lum feels different. Unlike her previous
encounters with this psychic Internet, this time she enters a realm of total
darkness. There are no signs of anyone nor are there any structures...only
an endless sea of black...with two large, glowing stars coming towards her at
warp speed.

Lum looks at the stars and they are as beautiful as anything she
could imagine. They stop before her and hover like hummingbirds in front of a
flower. "What...who are they?" she asked herself. All the times she has
accessed the Dreamscape, she has never come across anything like this before.

"We finally got a hold of you, Lum-chan," one of the stars announces
in a man's voice which sounds very familiar. "This must mean you have come in
contact with Lara Skelad."

"N-Nassur...?" Lum gulps upon recognizing the voice. "Is that really
you? What's going on? How can you access the Dreamscape?!"

"We can't answer that," the other star answers in a very familiar
female voice. "Because we can't explain it ourselves."

"B-Benten?" she gulps upon recognizing that voice. "But that's
impossible! You've both been missing for years! I must have stepped into
Hunba's dream site by mistake."

"You haven't!" Nassur's star announces. "We've always been with you
and will always be with you...until your dying day."

"We've waited all this time," Benten's star adds, "...to carry out
our last mission. You have made contact with Lara Skelad. We must stop her
or else all of what you and Ataru have done will be destroyed!"

"What do you mean?" Lum asks.

"We can't explain," Nassur replies. "In the cold, dark place we are,
we need a body to carry out our mission. It will be hard on you and it could
cause problems with you and Ataru and your other friends, but we will try to
be understanding. Will you be that body?"

Lum thinks. Nassur and Benten are in a cold, dark place? But where?
There are thousands of places like that in the known Galaxy, if not on Earth
itself...if Nassur and Benten are both still alive, that is. And why are
they after Lara Skelad for?

"Your mind is filled with questions. We will explain," Benten
replies. "Look into our light!"

Lum looks into the two stars' light...

...and all hell breaks loose in her mind!

* * *

Meanwhile in our reality, Ataru continues to sleep unaware of what
has just happened to Lum in the Dreamscape. He doesn't notice a woman's
shadow appearing over him which has been formed by a body standing in front
of the light of the moon coming through the window. The voice of Benten
tries to stir him from his slumber. "Ataru!" Benten says. "Wake up!"

A pillow hits Ataru in the face and he wakes up immediately. Dumbly,
he looks around for the person who hit him. "Whozzat?" he groggily tries to
wake up.

"Have we been gone so long that you've forgotten the sounds of our
voices?"

Ataru's eyes grow big as he realizes who is talking to him. "B-
Benten?" he gasps. "Is that really you?"

"You remember!" Benten says in her characteristic cynicism. "You
should, since you tried to kiss me the first time we met!"

Ataru notices the woman-shaped body in the darkness. In what little
light there is, Ataru can make out few details. The woman has her hair up,
like Benten normally did. He also could see the glint of something metallic
across her chest. A chain maybe? But, Ataru could not be sure. He wasn't
used to being caught off-guard this way since he became a Sagussan and he
feels both terrified and in awe of what has happened. "I was a different man
then," he replies. "Where have you been?"

"We don't know," Benten replies. "But we seem to be both still be
there."

"'We?'" he asks before he feels the barrel of a gun pointed at the
back of his head. "I-is this some sort of joke?" he gulps, knowing no matter
what he can do, he cannot dodge a laser beam at this close range. "T-there's
no need for violence, please."

"Forgive us taking liberties with you, Ataru," Nassur says. "We only
wanted to test you to make sure you're up to fight what's coming. We thought
living a life of a Terran had made you soft!"

"Nassur, is that you?" Ataru recognizes the voice of the long-lost
Vosian. "What are you talking about? What test? What in Lyna's name is
going on here?"

"Lum has already agreed to help us carry out our final mission,"
Nassur replies. "Will you do it as well?"

"What final mission?!" Ataru tenses for a counter-attack.

"You must stop Lara Skelad," Nassur says.

"Lara Skelad?" he mumbles. "Who is she?"

"She is someone who will destroy all you have worked to avoid,"
Nassur replies.

"I see," Ataru nods...

...then attacks. With a back kick, his foot connects with a body. He
feels the gun moving away. He hears a thump of the body hitting the bed and
the clunk of the gun landing beside him. Ataru grabs the gun, turns and
points it at the body laying on the bed. "Living on Earth hasn't made me
soft, Nassur...or whoever you are!"

"Darling," Lum gasps. "What are you doing? Why are your pointing
that gun at me?"

Ataru looks surprised to hear Lum's voice. "L-lum?" he turns on the
nearby light.

When his eyes adjust to the brightness, he sees Lum on the bed and he
is holding a *qu'f-piaqu'r* in his hand. "W-what is going on?" he gasps. "I
could've killed you?"

"That's my line!" Lum looks rightly upset. "I couldn't sleep, so I
accessed the Dreamscape and met Nassur and Benten!"

Ataru relaxes and lowers the musket. "Nassur and Benten never could
access the Dreamscape!" he replies. "Even if they were still around here!"

"They wanted my help to stop Lara Skelad from doing something bad!"
Lum frets as what happened to her finally registers in her mind. "But, I
can't remember what it is!"

"Funny," Ataru sits beside his wife as he scratches the back of his
head. "Nassur and Benten appeared wanting me to do the same!"

Lum hugs her husband tightly. Ataru can feel her shivers of fear.
Right, like he was not afraid as well! "What is going on?"

"I don't know," he shrugs. "But, we're going to Chie first thing in
the morning!"

"Dad? Mom?"

They notice Reiko standing at the door. The Noukiite looks as if
something had just awakened her and she went to see what it was. "What's
going on?" she then notices the gun. "Why are you pointing the
*qu'f-piaqu'r* at Mom for?"

"It's nothing, Reiko," Ataru stows the musket. "Just a bad dream."

"Funny," Reiko continues. "I thought I sensed four people in this
room but now I only sense and see two!"

Ataru and Lum look concerned. Reiko is both telekinetic and
telepathic; if anyone was here, she would know. What she claims to have
sensed only further complicates things. "Do you know where those other two
people are and who they were?" he asks.

Reiko thinks a moment before giving her answers. "It's real
strange! It seemed to be Mom's friends Nassur and Benten. They were here one
moment...then they were gone the next like they were never here!" Reiko
shrugs. "But that's not right!"

"What do you mean?" Lum wonders.

"If they were dead as some people think, they would be facing King
Muchach, then reborn," Reiko muses. "I guess they must be still alive
somewhere."

Ataru and Lum look confusedly at each other.

* * *

The next morning after Amora and Reiko go to school, Lum and Ataru
arrive at Chie's shrine in Tsuchiura. The old Shinto priest's shrine still
looks as intimidating as ever as the couple enter the grounds. Once inside,
they notice the shrine is as empty as an open field. "Where is Chie?" Ataru
asks himself. "He said he was going to be here today!"

"I don't know," Lum shrugs. "Maybe he had to be called away for
something."

Then suddenly, the lights go out and everything goes dark as
pitch...except for a little light in front of them mirroring a
horrible-looking face. "You've arrived finally," a voice so gothic, it could
scare Leonard Cohen, asks. "It's about time!"

"What the...?!!" they scream in horror.

Ataru and Lum hammer the face with a pair of sledgehammers. When the
lights come back on, they notice the face belongs to none other than Chie
Budou who was holding a lit flashlight to his face. "I was looking for a
blown fuse when you arrived," he groans.

"Why can't you look for stuff like that like NORMAL people?!" Ataru
yells. "You nearly scared us to death...and we're both got 800-year
lifespans!"

"Sorry," he sighs. "What's the problem?"

Lum explains the situation. After Chie muses about Nassur's and
Benten's previous inability to access the Dreamscape, Ataru then explains his
encounter with the missing hunters. After confirming that this is the first
time this has happened, Chie then inquires about Lara Skelad. "Well," Lum
tries to remember meeting the ambassador. "She was very youthful-looking and
flighty...like I was when I first came to Earth. She seemed to be very
cheerful and happy. Yet, I feel like I should be beating her up."

"I see. You have a 'Lolita Complex!'"

Lum and Ataru fall over!! "That's NOT it!" Lum yells at the old
Shinto priest. "I'm not attracted to her at all! Do you think I'd want
anyone outside Darling and Noa-chan?!"

"Thank the gods," Chie sighs with relief. "I thought you were
getting into something sado-masochistic there!"

"Are you REALLY a priest or do you just act like one?!" Ataru snarls
back.

"I have to look at ALL the options," Chie replies. "It seems Lum has
a fixation on her missing friends and this Lara person. Lum, when you last
met Nassur and Benten, did they mention anything about this Lara."

"The last time we met," Lum tries to remember back to that time long
ago. "They visited us shortly after the Tag Race to see how Darling and I
were doing!"

"I remember!" Ataru adds. "Nassur offered to train Koishii-chan in
kari-fugh. I said she'd be better off training on Sagussa because their
martial forms more advanced than anywhere else."

"And was he upset about that?"

"Disappointed," Ataru scratches his head. "But, he seemed to accept
my decision."

"Did they mention anything about their last mission?" Chie asks Lum
again.

"If I remember correctly," Lum tries to remember. "Benten mentioned
they were helping the new Urusian government to look for Imperial supporters
hidden as moles. It seems the Sagussans got the open supporters and didn't
think to look for the ones who would be hiding behind the scenes."

"I heard about that," Chie nods in remembrance. "The court cases
made the Recruit Scandal look tame! Something like fifty people were
convicted of supporting the Imperials either through secret loans or being
planted as spies inside the Democratic Alliance to report on their
activities."

"I see," Lum nods. "All of that happened when Darling and I were on
Sagussa. We were too busy to notice it."

"It's obvious," Chie announces suddenly.

"What is?" Ataru asks.

"We don't know what is going on!"

A cannon goes off and Lum and Ataru faint! "Sometimes I wonder who
is MORE incompetent, you or Sakura!" Ataru snarls.

"What I can tell you is that the spirits of Nassur and Benten have
somehow managed to possess Lum's body!" Chie replies.

"Possess?!" Ataru gulps.

Chie pulls out his spirit sensor and points it at Lum. The veins
flutter freely. "Look. Such a strong powerful aura!"

"Can you do something about it?"

"I'll try!" Chie says before standing up to swing his spirit sensor
and chant. "Exorcise! Purify! Exorcise! Purify!"

The spirit sensor snaps. "Gods! Their spirits are stronger than I
thought!"

They notice the light around Lum growing darker and her demeanour
changes into some sort of mixture of Benten's and Nassur's body gestures.
"Why are you trying to harm us?" Lum says in a voice that is the mixture of
all three. "We mean Lum no harm! We only need a vessel to finish our
mission!"

"What is going on?" Chie asks Lum. "If you are dead, why are you
trying to finish this mission you talk about?"

"We are NOT dead!" the voices reply. "But, we are unable to come to
Earth for reasons we don't know or understand! As for our mission, if we
don't finish this, then millions on Earth, Uru and Sagussa may die!"

"Such high stakes," Ataru gulps. "What must we do?"

"You must stop Lara Skelad," the voices continue. "She is..."

Lum sags. "Her body weakens. We must stop! We'll tell you later!"

"Wait!" Ataru yells to grab his wife before she falls. "Don't go
yet!"

Lum looks exhausted. "Darling, what happened?" she blinks. "I feel
like I ran a marathon, then banged my head against a brick wall for the rest
of the day after!"

"You mean you don't remember what just happened?" Ataru asks.

"Nope."

"I see," Chie nods before turning towards Ataru. "May I talk with
you somewhere in private, Ataru?" he asks cryptically. "Lum can rest here for
now!"

In the bathroom, Chie faces Ataru. "This is serious!" the old priest
doesn't mince words. "Lum is possessed by two spirits so powerful that I
can't even save her!"

"That's impossible!" Ataru gulps. "Lum has been genetically enhanced
to be a Sagussan as has I. We can't be possessed!"

"How do you know Sagussans can't?" he asks calmly. "After
interacting with Sagussans from time to time, I have found them to be a little
on the arrogant side."

"Arrogant?!" Ataru looks defensive. "What do you mean?"

"They try to use their technology to find answers when they should
use something else."

"Which is?"

"Faith," Chie smiles. "Oh, there is a kind of spirituality on
Sagussa, but when it comes down to the ultimate in faith, they're as
emotionless about it as they were before they first met you."

"What are you saying?"

"There are things above technology. The Sagussans have yet to learn
that there are some things even stronger than them."

"So, what does this have to do with Lum?"

"I'll have to see if I can get some alien friends of mine to see if
they can help Lum," Chie hums. "But for that, I must be able to supervise her
here as much as possible."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Ataru gulps.

"Yes," Chie nods. "Sakura says she offered you and Lum jobs at
Tomobiki High School but you haven't yet decided on whether or not to accept
them."

"Well, I want to see what that job in Hokkaido is offering..."

Chie looks Ataru in the eye sternly. "You have seen what happens
when Nassur's and Benten's spirits take over Lum," he says. "It is easier for
me to help her here than it is in Oshika or Hokkaido! Understand?!"

"I see your point!" Ataru shivers. "Lyna, you look really scary up
close! But, I want some other opinions before I make up my mind!"

Chie relaxes. "Understandable!" he nods. "But, don't wait too
long! Until then," a sly smile appears on his face when there is a small peep
coming from his pocket. "...I've got to look after my tamagotchi!" He pulls
out a computer game from his pocket.

* * *

On the train ride back to Oshika, Ataru and Lum sit quietly. They
are almost halfway home before either of them says anything. "What did Chie
say?" Lum finally asks him.

"Well," Ataru looks nervous. "He says he'll try to help you. But,
it won't be easy. So I'm looking for other opinions."

"Why won't you help us, Ataru?" Nassur's voice says coming from Lum.
"We only want to save lives. Don't you?"

Ataru looks a little rattled by what has just happened. "I do want
to save lives. It's just that you haven't given us a reason not to think
you're hurting Lum."

"I see," Benten replies. "There are other people to talk to besides
that crazy old dork. There's a whole base of them in space."

Lum then returns to normal. "What just happened, Darling?"

"Oh, they possessed you again, Lum!"

Lum looks upset. "Again! *Tcha!* I'd like to know what I did to
deserve this?!"

"So would I!" Ataru sighs. "Do you still have the number to Home
Base?!"

"Yes, I think I do!"

"Good," Ataru stands in the aisle. "Now, we can get into the bottom
of this...!"

Before Ataru can get to the bottom of anything, he is run over from
behind by a group of passengers led by a young salaryman carrying a bottle of
an energy drink. "Get a little 'Genki' and do your best!" he sings to the
tune of a popular commercial jingle.

*What a time for the writers to stick in an obscure pun!* Ataru
muses...

* * *

Hours later, after Ataru and Lum return home, he uses the videophone
to call Home Base. It has been a long time since Ataru or Lum has dealt with
Nassur's hybrids...almost since the loss of Henry and Koishii. He had heard
through the Intergalactic News Network about some of their adventures. For
the most part, the fifty young Vosian-Ipraedies hybrids are doing well enough
to bring honour to the two people who risked their lives to librate them from
Project: Superwarrior. The last of them, Yukio, had earned a name for
herself as an Executioner in Kyotos, even going as far as becoming an
earl-countessa in a district close to the principality's capital city.

After going through the e-mail section of Home Base's computer (we
won't tell you what she programmed as a web page but remember the Emergency
Medical Hologram?...M.S.), Ataru finally gets hold of Hazel at the office her
adoptive parents used. She had changed a lot in looks since he had last seen
her at the Battle of Uru. Now physically sixteen, she has shed most of her
childish cuteness for the ravishing beauty of an adult. She is also a lot
heavier than the last time he saw the former feral child, at least by fifty
kilos. But the excess weight makes her even more attractive than a thin girl
the same age. Because of this, her green and gold sleeveless uniform is
stretched to its limit and her kill-belt is tied around one of her thighs
instead of her ample waist. With the amount of cleavage showing, Ataru could
agree with Nassur's concerns over her lack of protective clothing on missions
before he went missing.

"Sempai!" a wide smiles comes to Hazel's face when she looks into the
videoscreen, then she apologizes for her obesity.

Ataru smiles back. "There's no doubt you're part-Ipraedies! This
isn't a social call, unfortunately. Do you know anything about Nassur's and
Benten's last mission?"

"Sensei's and Benten's last mission?!" she hums. "It was for the
Urusian government. They were trying to find hidden Imperials with influence
on government policies."

"I know that. Were they looking after someone in particular...like
the Skelads?"

"Skelads? That name sounds familiar. Let me look it up." Hazel
turns to a nearby computer terminal and her fingers tap out the request.
Seconds later, there is a response. "I was right. Sensei and Benten were
investigating the Skelads who may have been secretly bankrolling some of the
Imperial Round. According to the last transmission, Sensei and Benten were
going to Uru with proof of their links when they disappeared."

Ataru feels a chill slip down his spine. Once he knew that, even he
could figure out that Nassur's and Benten's disappearances weren't accidents.
They had been set up by someone in the Skelad family. But, why? What did
they find out that would be so dangerous? "Did you find out what information
they had?"

"I haven't a clue," Hazel replies with a shrug. "But without the
proof they had, the case against the Skelads fell apart and they were let free
after the hearings ended."

"I see," Ataru nods in understanding.

"How's Lum-sensei?" Hazel asks. "Is she all right since Koishii-
chan...?"

"We still grieve for Koishii-chan," Ataru interrupts. "But, she's
got another problem right now! It seems somehow, some way, both Nassur's and
Benten's spirits are possessing Lum and they want to finish their mission."

"Weird! I didn't know Sagussans could get possessed!"

"I didn't know myself! Maybe it's something to do with their
*pe'cha* bonds."

"I can't recall *pe'cha* bonds doing something like that," Hazel
thinks. "Usually when the bonded person dies, the link ends right there! A
non-Vosian would feel nothing, while a Vosian would feel like a piece of their
brain has been carved out."

"I see," Ataru mentally considers the possibilities, but winds up
with a headache. "If I need some help, I'll call you!"

"You've got it!" Hazel nods. "But, don't have any chocolate around
should I come," she pats her stomach. "I can barely get my kill-belt around
my thigh now!"

"Don't worry," Ataru smiles. "Amora can get rid of chocolate faster
than a vacuum cleaner around our house!"

After a laugh, Ataru cuts off contact. *If it's not pe'cha, then
WHAT is it?*

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


"You understand now?" Nassur wonders.

Ataru turns. Lum is standing at the doorway. "I'm beginning to,
Nassur," Ataru nods. "So what's the story?"

Lum sits down, then begins...

Nassur and Benten had found evidence the Skelads were secretly
financing the Imperials until the Sagussans destroyed the Round. But, what
they didn't know at the time was the Skelads had been using their wealth from
the business world to buy influence in the new government. Lara's father,
Slan, began such influence himself by first having his daughter appointed to
a key post in the Alliance Treaty Negotiation Committee, formed shortly after
the last Tag Race. He, then bought off a few "soft" democrats to slowly
undermine the treaties Earth has with Sagussa.

The reason was simple: have Earth break up with Sagussa, then
NOTHING could stop the Urusian Empire's return. Even Nagaiwakai and Zephyrus
are technically helpless against what the United Nations would decree.

With Sagussa isolated, the Skelads would use secretly developed
weaponry on the planet should they try to protest any break with Earth. The
weaponry itself is photon-based and designed to transport itself through a
series of wormholes, rendering the Galactic Barrier useless. Being photon-
based, the radiation would kill most of the Sagussans immediately upon impact
in a high densely populated area. The rest would die slowly and horribly from
incurable radiation sickness. It would also serve notice to the Zephyrites
that the Urusians meant business.

The logic of this, outside revenge, is unknown. The Skelads are
among the largest and richest business corporation on Uru with offices
everywhere in their space and in other parts of the known Galaxy. Their
corporation is so diverse, there's no way of telling where their weapons
plants are located or if they had succeeded in perfecting the weapons yet.

When Ataru hears what Nassur's and Benten's tale, an icy shiver of
cold snakes through him. He had naively thought once the political and
military arms of the Imperial Round were gone, their threat would be gone.
All the Sagussans succeeded did was drove the Imperials underground where
they could plot their revenge upon his adopted planet. "But, what's Lara
Skelad's role in all of this?"

"The last we heard," Benten's voice says through Lum, "...is that
Slan Skelad was seriously ill. When he dies, Lara will take over. According
to our intelligence, she would carry on his work."

"She's on Uru! Out of our reach!"

"Oh?" Lum holds up a newspaper with the headline AMBASSADOR LARA WOWS
THEM AT URUSIAN EMBASSY IN TOKYO.

Ataru's jaw nearly hits the floor. "S-she's here?" he gasps. "But,
why?"

"She is the new Urusian Ambassador."

Ataru scans the article. It details a party thrown in honour of her
appointment, but little else about her. Does she still harbour the resentment
of Sagussa her father had? He had to know.

"Darling," Lum interrupts. "Take that job at Tomobiki High School,
please."

Ataru looks surprised then realizes it isn't Benten or Nassur talking
to him. "Lum, do you know what you're saying?"

"*Tcha,*" tears form in her eyes. "I know you don't consider Nassur
and Benten your friends, but they've always had our best interests at heart.
When they sensed danger to us, they tried to warn us about it. They may be
dead now, but it's up to us to carry out their last wish. We owe them that
much."

Ataru takes Lum by the hands and gazes lovingly into her eyes. The
soft sounds of violins flow in the background. "Lum," he sniffs. "It might
mean a return to the hell we worked to stay away from. We've no proof of what
they're saying is true!"

"Perhaps. But what if Nassur and Benten are telling the truth?
Darling, I was just as sceptical as you are. But my interaction with them
erased my doubts!"

"But, how? For all you know, this could be a trick."

"I understand how you feel, Darling," Lum nods. "But, I've always
had faith in them. They have never proven me wrong!"

Ataru is silent for a moment. He has never been much of a spiritual
person, even after interacting with the *te'a* and Lyna. But listening to
Lum and seeing how she has been acting since this began, he knew what Chie
had said to him has been true. He had to have FAITH. "Okay, Lum," he
smiles. "We take the jobs. But at the first sense of betrayal, we're outta
that slime pit! Got that?!"

"*Tcha!*" Lum nods and they hug each other tightly...

* * *

Late that afternoon at a huge, tiger-striped building in downtown
Tokyo housing the Urusian Embassy, Lara Skelad is busy working in her office.
The building was once a factory which had gone belly up after a lean period in
Japan's economic history in the early 1990s. Unoccupied, except by the
occasional street person, the Urusian government bought the building and the
land shortly after the Alliance Treaty. Rebuilding it took months and it took
more months to decide who would be the first ambassador. Lara Skelad had more
experienced and willing candidates to top. It is amazing what money to the
right people can do for a career.

Lara's office is a huge room about the size of an average house in
Japan with the walls, ceiling, and floors painted in tiger designs and lots
of paintings and flags from her home planet in full view. The room is also
highly computerized with Lara working at her personal terminal to finish the
paperwork from the past day. The work she had to do is routine: signing
visas for visitors of Uru from Earth, preparing schedules for her workers,
and the regular authorizations for the next day.

A door opens to reveal a cute Kurokaminoke-seishin man in his late
twenties. "Lara-sama," he bows to her.

"You must be Popok Aruka!" Lara beams, rising to greet him. "Welcome
to Tokyo. How are you?"

"Very fine and ready to serve, Lara-sama," he nods, sitting at the
chair across from the ambassador. "When your agents contacted me and asked
for my assistance, I was surprised. I can't believe you're willing to go
this far to restore the Empire."

Lara sighs. "I know. But the animals who destroyed all we've
supported and indirectly killed our fathers won't like it when we bring Earth
under our fold. They're too arrogant and idealistic for my taste. They need
to be eliminated. Don't forget, it was they who built the creature that
killed your father."

"True," Popok's eyes flash as he remembers the dark day his mother
told him, then a boy of fifteen, about his father's death at the hands of
Ataru Moroboshi's Cyborg persona prior to the Colony Four Massacre. "But if
you desire my opinion on the matter, Lara-sama, our eyes should be turned
toward Noukiios, not Sagussa."

"Noukiios?!" Lara snaps. "Those ingrates?! Be serious!"

"I am," Popok warns. "You haven't been keeping in touch with what's
going on there, Lara-sama. Do you know that there's now a drive to emancipate
the remaining slaves still active in the Dominion and eradicate the Naihu from
the Ten Orders?"

Lara stops, staring at him. "No, I didn't know that. But I fail to
see the problem..."

"The problem is our lack of understanding towards Noukiios and their
culture, just like our ancestors failed to understand when we conquered
Noukiios," he sighs. "Five thousand years ago, their founding king, Muchach
Euket', decreed there would be TEN Orders, super-castes if you will, dividing
Noukiite society. With the Naihu gone, there'll only be nine."

"So promote one up," she proposes.

"They will," Popok nods. "The Ip'ihu."

Lara stops, her blood chilling. If there was one group even she
never wanted to tackle, it was the Wolf People, as the Ip'ihu were commonly
known on Uru. Since well before Noukiios' liberation in the Union Revolution,
these two-legged predators had, with near-total immunity, ravaged Urusians at
will. First the colonial administration during the Occupation, then Urusians
in general in the years after, seizing Noukiios' colony planets Okusei,
Kurrusei and Tunchusei (once earmarked for Urusian colonization in the peace
treaty signed between Uru and Noukiios after the Revolution) along the way.
Try as they might, Noukiios couldn't control the Ip'ihu. But if they opened
the doors and accepted the Wolf People back...?

"Gods!" Lara shakes her head. "It's monstrous!"

"Indeed," Popok nods. "Further, the Ip'ihu's return would force all
Noukiites to remember that Muchach once decreed that the Ten Orders were NOT
meant to be a pyramid-type social structure. Their own version of democracy
would be unleashed right away. And we both know how democracies can succeed
when they're properly organized and running smoothly. The Noukiites've always
possessed a potential to make a democratic society; it's spelt out in their
holy texts. And if they do succeed, they'll be a power we'll have to reckon
with sooner or later. I rather not see that happen."

Lara nods understandingly. "How will it happen?"

"It's happening as we speak," Popok sighs as the ambassador sits
down. "Noukiite clerics are now going out to locate all Naihu and have them
re- baptised into other sects. The most well-know group are the Ip'achk'yep'
Noukihek...the Lost Stars of Noukiios."

"The group of esper warriors Lum-sama's husband saved some years
back," Lara nods. "He adopted one."

"That's right," he nods. "Despite her living here on Earth, despite
her not having gone home in the years since the Masters were killed, Reiko
Moroboshi is very famous. A priestess right now has been sent to Earth to
obtain her support. When that happens, all the Lost Stars would then be re-
baptized. And as a group, they would then become emissaries to the Ip'ihu to
bring them home."

"So what do you want to do about it?"

"Kill Reiko Moroboshi."

"No!" Lara snaps. "I will NOT condone that."

"Do you want us to fight a war with a Dominion charged with the
fervour the Ip'ihu have always expressed?!" Popok wonders.

"Why fight a war when we can coerce them?" Lara smiles. "Think.
Reiko is adopted, but she is still the elder daughter of our future Empress!
If we are seen to be willing to accept her, then the Noukiites'll believe
that we'll accept them. Coercion, Popok-san, not war. If the other castes
could be persuaded to be more friendly with us, the Ip'ihu would be
marginalized all the more. Without any support, they'll dry up like old
leaves. It'll take time, but it'll work and we wouldn't've had to do a
thing."

Popok considers the point, then nods. "I could accept that. I still
think there's a danger, but I could accept it."

"Good!" Lara rises, hand out. "Then, I welcome you as my chief of
staff, Popok-san. Let's make history."

Popok shakes her hand as the office door opens. "Forgive me, Madame
Ambassador, but I need your signature," a clerk walks in, a datapadd in hand.

"What is it?" Lara nods.

"A high school student wanting her visa extended so she could study
at a local college," the clerk hands her the padd. "This has already been
approved by the SCAA and the Japanese government."

Lara looks at the name. "Aya K'ech'chut'a?! Who's she?!"

"She's from Toshitto, a farmer's daughter," he supplies. "The school
she'll attend is the Ishinomaki Young Woman's Academy."

"I've heard of that place," Lara hums. "Has a bit of a sordid
reputation. Let me meet her."

The ambassador walks out into the visa/passport application centre.
Waiting by a counter is a single-horned Midorinokaminoke-oni dressed in a
tiger- striped button shirt and skirt. "Hi!" Lara holds out her hand. "I'm
Lara Skelad, the ambassador!"

"Aya K'ech'chut'a; my friends call me Willow," the younger woman
shakes her hand. "Congratulations on your appointment, Lara-san. I hope you
like it here."

"Well, you seem to like it here; you've been here for three years, I
see," Lara looks at the padd. "I've heard of the Young Woman's Academy; what
do you intend to study there?"

"Languages and music," Willow supplies. "They have one of the best
foreign languages departments I've ever seen, certainly one of the better
music schools. I want to go there for a year, then head to university."

"Where to?"

"Muchach Euket' Ch'uosungye..." Willow then flusters. "I'm sorry!
King Muchach University."

Lara blinks. "That's one of the most prestigious universities on
Noukiios...and one of the most exclusive! Your family has to have several
relatives who've attended there just to get in."

"Everyone in my family's gone either there or to Noukiios Dominion
University since after the Revolution," Willow shrugs.

Lara stares at the young woman, then scrolls the datapadd to learn
where Willow had been before. "You spent your junior high years on private
exchange on Noukiios."

"Yes," Willow nods. "My family's always done that."

By then, Popok has come up. "I noticed your family name, Aya-san.
It's a Noukiite name, isn't it?"

"Hai," Willow smiles.

"That would mean you're one of the 'Freedom 500' families, right?"
the chief-of-staff crosses his arms.

"That's us!" Willow beams.

Lara and Popok stare at the young woman, remembering tales of their
ancestors and how they were nearly ruined when all their businesses on
Noukiios were lost after the Liberation...and how five hundred Urusian
farming families like Willow's aided the Noukiites in throwing off their
oppressors. The ambassador then sighs, stabbing controls to mark her
approval. "There you go. Have a good time," she hands the padd back to the
surprised Willow before she and Popok walk away.

The younger Oni blinks. "Was it something you said?" the clerk
stares at her.

"Imperial wanna-bes," Willow snorts, winking assuredly at him before
turning to leave. "Gyaa, who needs them?!"

* * *

Around midnight, the hard hours of Lara's day began to catch up to
her. The videophone rings. Answering it immediately, the young Oni sees an
older Oni man dressed in a white lab coat on the screen. His hair, what
there is of it, is almost totally grey. He looked to be in his late fifties.
"Skelad-sama," the man nods. "We have the latest results in the testing of
the wormhole technology your father authorized before his untimely death."

A sparkle appears in the ambassador's eye when the news comes to her.
"Yes," she grins evilly. The light from the vidphone casts a more wicked
look when contrasted with the low lighting of her office. "It has been
almost three years since his project started. How did it do this time?"

"The prototype survived with minor damage from the stresses of the
wormhole," he smiles. "Our lab on Spotak reported the prototype went through
the Barrier with no problem."

"Excellent. And of the warhead tests?"

"The warhead was tested in our lab in the asteroid belts outside
Oyatsui this morning," the scientist reports. "It has proven strong enough
to destroy a city the size of Tokyo, leaving an estimated casualty rate of 99
percent from the initial blast. The photon radiation will leave the blast
site uninhabitable for the next two hundred years."

"Perfect!" her face stretches into a grin. "That should be
sufficient to wipe out any large settlement of Sagussa and finish off any
survivors! Operation: Breakapart will be a success once I begin pulling a
few strings with the UN over the next few years!"

"Skelad-sama," the scientist warns. "Do you think the Sagussans will
find out what we're doing and stop us?!"

An irritated look flashes across Lara's face. "Don't be silly!" she
snorts. "Those bimbos there don't even SUSPECT what we're planning to do!
The only ones who know the truth about me are now lab animals for Queen Elle
and her attempts to stay young forever! Once they find out what is going on,
it will be too late! Sagussa will be a radioactive wasteland and the
Imperials will be back in power as Father wanted them to be!"

Lara then cuts the contact with the scientist and fills the empty
building with maniacal laughter...

* * *

...but had she a camera located in a simple home located in a
beautiful grove near Onishuto, her confidence would be shattered because
someone who had secretly hounded her for the past decade was on to her.
"That's what you think, Lara," Numon chuckles as she relaxes in her chair,
turning to gaze outside at the flower garden she had meticulously planted over
the years she had lived here. "They're not all as naive as you want to
believe."

The grove had once been the site of the Renning mansion, once home to
Numon's "husband," General Uday Renning. An ambitious Imperial who had
secretly broken away from the Round to pursue his own goals, Uday and his
entourage was cut down one gory night after a failed assassination attempt
against Sugoi Seq, then under the protection of one of Sagussa's greatest
warriors, Master Chief Petty Officer Priss of Pathfinder Troop Six.

Numon herself had been a victim of Uday's arrogance; after the birth
of her daughter Shunran, she had been infected with the virus that provoked
Hifuto Syndrome, perhaps the deadliest disease in the known galaxy. Driven
mad by the Ebola-like filovirus, Numon deluded herself into believing Uday
loved her, that she needed to assert her proper place in the Renning family.
With that, she went to Earth during the Planet of Shadows mission to retrieve
her beloved Shunran and present her as a "proper" Imperial to her
brother-in-law and Uday's successor, Admiral Sayan Renning.

What happened next took most Urusians by surprise when the story came
out. The Sagussans, then protecting Earth from the Mikado and the
Niphentaxians, took pity on the dying woman, and used their medicine and the
regeneration matrix...plus DNA spliced from a *daishi'cha* named Irunmei,
herself dying of a mutation of Hifuto...cured Numon of a virus whose gross
mortality rate is a brutal 98 percent. Free of her insanity, Numon realized
what Uday did to her, then rejecting all ties to the Imperial Round, threw
her support behind the Democratic Alliance. It paid off; during the Imperial
Round trials, the Rennings were stripped of all their accumulated wealth,
everything handed to Numon, turning her overnight into one of Uru's richest
people.

She wasted no time putting that wealth to use. Numon spear-headed
advanced medical research, the financing of hospitals, walk-in clinics and
training centres, sponsoring exchange courses for doctors on Sagussa and other
worlds and advocating traditional medicines thought lost during the Seifukusu
occupation. She also focused on education, building schools and universities
that could teach the new generation of Urusians the meaning of participatory
democracy, to stand in the shoes of Syl Aruka and Yedris Seq and fight for the
rights of ALL Urusians.

But only a very select few knew the REALITY behind Numon Kuk...one of
which was now coming into her office. "What is it, Nokosu-kun?" she looks
over her shoulder.

The secretary bows respectfully. "Forgive me, Numon-sama, but
Captain Negau called. She wishes to know if she could see you later this
evening," he gazes at her.

Numon sighs, trying not to weep at his red-shot eyes. Hifuto
Syndrome, third stage near-terminal. Too late for regeneration, but not too
late to have a duplicate bioroid body constructed on New Avalon. She had
already made the arrangements; thanks to the recent influx of Tokkaebi
refugees, the Avalonians could now build both male and female bioroids. "Take
the day off, Nokosu-kun," she rises. "You're in no shape anymore to do any
meaningful work. I'll contact Otako and have your new body shipped in right
away."

"Thank you," he nods, then stares at her. "Something wrong?"

"A lot wrong," she bites her lips. "Lara Skelad is moving a lot
faster than I anticipated. They've already done tests on both their weapons
and the wormhole projectors. Both very successful."

"Then now is the time to strike."

"Perhaps," Numon sighs. "But I won't act without Negau-chan's
blessings. The one thing my people have never really learned is to inform
others of our actions before acting. It's been a minor sore point between us
and Earth for some time. I'll not make that mistake here. Negau-chan's been
after Lara for some time, ever since those hunters disappeared. Apart, we
can't do much...but together, we can save millions of lives."

"I hope so, ma'am," Nokosu nods.

"Go home," Numon smiles. "I'll be over tonight to help you."

"Yes, ma'am," he nods, then leaves.

Numon returns to gazing at her flowers...

* * *

Three weeks pass and the Moroboshi household becomes the scene of a
change of ownership. Lum and Ataru move into the old house to replace his
parents who moved into a apartment in nearby Hachiouji. The move was carried
out by Komeru's ninja corps who moved Ataru's parents things out and Ataru's
family things in so fast, one thought they were using a transporter. Within
an hour, Ataru's parents were happily on their way to their new home and
Ataru and Lum were nicely settled in.

"There we go," Lum looks at how everything looks so nice in their
'new' digs. "It looks almost like back in Oshika!"

"It does," Ataru nods. "Uncle Komeru's ninjas make the best movers
I've ever seen."

"*Tcha!*" Lum then frowns. "It's too bad that Reiko didn't want to
come with us!"

"Well, all of Reiko's friends are in Oshika and Ishinomaki, Lum,"
Ataru puts his hand on her shoulder. "She's old enough to look after herself.
If not, Nokoko and the Nendo-kata can help."

Amora then comes in the house eating some chocolate. "We already
moved in?"

"That's right," Ataru says. "Your room is on the top floor. It used
to be my room until I moved to Sendai and Jariten stayed there when he went to
Tomobiki High School!"

Amora smiles before going to climb the stairs. "This I gotta see!"

Lum turns to Ataru. "Maybe we should get a picture of her room while
it's still clean, Darling," she reminds her husband what a slob their youngest
daughter can be. "In a few hours, it'll look like a typhoon has hit it!"

"You may be right!" Ataru looks around.

* * *

Meanwhile on the street, Seiteki is walking up the street eating an
ice cream cone. "That Mr. Shapiro makes the greatest ice cream cones in all
of Tomobiki," she hums to herself before noticing the remaining members of
Komeru's ninja corps leaving in a moving van. "Movers? Could it be that
weird newspaper-reading man and his mooing wife are finally moving out of
this town? Good, I hope the family moving in has a cute son!"

Shinobu and Junba walk up, noticing Seiteki standing there looking at
the Moroboshi house. Shinobu carries a large gift in her hand. "Oh,
Seiteki," Shinobu asks. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Miyaki-sensei, Junba," Seiteki notices them, before pointing at
the house. "What's going on at that house over there?"

"Oh, there's a new family moving in there, Seiteki," Shinobu answers.
"They're Ataru and Lum Moroboshi...the son and daughter-in-law of the people
who lived there before. Junba and I're taking a little housewarming gift for
them."

Seiteki nearly has a heart attack. "Onii-chan is gonna live there?!!"

"Who's 'Onii-chan?!'" Junba asks. "The Moroboshis don't have any
boys in their family. Only girls! So forget going there!"

Seiteki grabs Junba by the T-shirt. "You KNOW that vision of
manliness?!" she asks her.

"Yeah," Junba looks annoyed and wonders who she is talking about,
"...but ain't you listening? They got no sons!"

Seiteki grabs the gift out of Shinobu's hands and makes a run for the
Moroboshi house. "This is a housewarming gift, ain't it?!" she announces.
"Lemme give it to him!"

Shinobu and Junba look at each other dumbly. "Since when is Seiteki
hot for old men?" Junba asks her mother.

"There's more to this than meets the eye!" Shinobu sighs before they
pursue.

* * *

Ataru and Lum come downstairs, both dumbfounded at what they
witnessed. "Boy, that girl is sloppy," Ataru groans. "She just got into that
room and it looks like Sagussa just after the Clone Rights War!"

"That's putting it mildly!" Lum adds. "We didn't even have time to
get a picture."

A knock. "Now who is it?" Lum asks.

"Probably the welcome wagon," Ataru opens the door...

...then gets knocked into next year by a charging Seiteki! "FORWARD
THRUST!!!!!!"

Before Lum or Ataru can do anything, he is flat on his back with
Seiteki right on top of him kissing him. Somehow in the confusion, Lum was
handed the house-warming gift. "Oh, Onii-chan, you've come back to stay!!!"
she yells. "AIYA!!!!"

Lum begins to crackle. "Darling!!" she bares her fangs. "WHO is
this girl?!!"

Shinobu and Junba then enters. "Oops, sorry!!" Shinobu gulps. "I
didn't know Seiteki was so strong!"

"You should see her with the guys at school!" Junba sighs.

"Oh," Lum looks to them. "You KNOW this...this..."

"Meet Seiteki," Shinobu hums. "Sakura's daughter! The world's
biggest boy-chaser!"

"Oh, then THIS is the slut that tried to seduce Darling during his
interview!" Lum snarls at Seiteki.

"Who's a slut?!" Seiteki barks. "I love men who're in bloom!"

"Get her off me!" Ataru groans. "Off!! Off!!! OFF!!!!"

Lum zaps lightning at the girl to make her back off. All it does is
make Seiteki move around to the back of Ataru and not lose her stranglehold
around him. "Ow!! Who is this...this OLD Oni?!"

Lum looks insulted. She knew she looked physically like someone in
her late teens, but even though she is chronologically 30, she is NOT old.
"I AM Darling's wife!" Lum points to herself. "Get away from Darling before
I get really mad!!"

"Wife?!" Seiteki looks surprised then to Ataru. "Onii-chan, YOU
married an Oni?"

"Yeah, I did!" Ataru groans.

"Eyew! How gross!" Seiteki blanches and lets go of Ataru so
suddenly, he hits his head on the floor. "I nearly disgraced myself!"

"Trying to make out with a married man?" Lum asks, crossing her arms.

"No," she pulls out a make-up kit, then proceeds to "prepare"
herself. "I forgot to put on lipstick!"

Everyone faints! "Is she always like this?" Lum asks Junba.

"You should see her when she REALLY likes a boy!" Junba sighs.

Amora comes down. "What's going on?"

Seiteki notices Amora. With her hair short and wearing a baggy track
suit, she looks like a boy. With speed that defies explanation, Seiteki is
standing in front of Amora and taking her by the hand. "Oh, what a cute son
you have, Onii-chan," Seiteki coos. "Maybe when you're older, I'll date you,
too!"

Amora faints! "S-son?!! I'm a girl!!"

Seiteki falls over. "G-girl?!" she gasps, then looks down Amora's
track suit pants. "Oh, sorry, you looked like a boy!"

"I told you, Seiteki," Junba sighs. "The Moroboshi family doesn't
have any boys."

Shinobu takes a hold of Amora. "You have to forgive Seiteki,"
Ataru's ex-girlfriend states. "She's mindlessly boy-crazy!"

"Tell me about it!" Ataru groans as Lum puts a bandage on the lump on
his head. "She doesn't care if they're married or not!"

"Boy-crazy?!" Amora hums. "I like boys!"

An evil grin appears on Seiteki's face. "Really?" Seiteki puts her
arm around Amora. "I've lived here my whole life, so I know where to find
where the best boys are! Wanna find out the best places around here?!"

"Sure!" Amora turns to her adoptive mother. "Mom! I wanna go boy-
watching with Seiteki! Can I...huh...can I?!"

"If it means that Seiteki will leave your father alone, of course!"
Lum replies.

"I'll pillow him later!" Seiteki smiles. "But, first we'll have to
dress you up a bit."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Amora points to her track suit.

"On a boy-hunt, you want to attract attention to yourself. Not make
them guess what sex you are! Leave the track suit in case you get fat! Boys
LOVE a girl in something tight and revealing!"

As Seiteki leads Amora up the stairs, Shinobu looks concerned. Amora
is a nice girl and Seiteki is...well, let us not go into that. "Are you sure
it's all right to allow Amora to hang around Seiteki? Seiteki isn't above
anything when it comes to boys."

"Amora's different," Lum shrugs. "Maybe she'll stop that harlot from
being a slut!"

"You call that a pun?" Ataru groans.

Then Koosei Ryooki comes in carrying a large vase of flowers. A few
years older, but still looking much the same, the vice-principal of Tomobiki
High looks surprised to see Ataru getting medical attention. "Welcome
back...what happened to you?"

"A little typhoon named Seiteki," Shinobu sighs. "It seems she's got
a crush on Ataru."

"I feel sorry for Ataru," Koosei hands the vase of flowers to Lum.
"Here, Lum, a housewarming gift from Tomobiki High. Thank Buddha Seiteki's
not a student there yet."

"Maybe Amora'll calm her down some before then," Ataru groans.

"You don't know how wild her mother was at that age, Ataru," Koosei
chuckles. "Old Thunderthighs was even WORSE in her prime!"

"Don't say such things!" Lum chuckles.

While Koosei and the others continue the discussion, they do not know
they are being watched by someone in a black limo with diplomatic plates.
Inside the car are a pair of Onis, both male and a bit harsh. One looks at
the house with a pair of scanning binoculars. "Our intelligence is
correct," he whispers. "Lum and Ataru Moroboshi have moved back to
Tomobiki!"

"Lara-sama will be pleased," the other replies. "With them
here, we can begin to work on moving them to her Clan's viewpoint. Lum-sama
still has a lot of clout with the people of Uru even though the monarchy has
been abolished."

"And Ataru Moroboshi still holds some sway with the Terrans," the
other replies. "Once they are ours, the movement to break Earth from
Sagussa shall begin! But first, Lara-sama wants the first doubts of the
Sagussans' intentions to be placed in the Terrans' minds first."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


The next morning is Ataru's first day as a teacher of Tomobiki High.
Expectantly, Ataru is anxious. A billion possible things that could happen
run through his head. This is normal for Ataru, he was always a little
nervous before the first teaching day. He remembers the first time he ever
taught a junior high school class in Sendai for his university field
practice. He forgot to wear pants...and did not notice until he arrived at
school. Luckily, Lum managed to personally fly a pair to him before school
started.

Lum, on the other hand, was unbelievably calm. She managed to get
Ataru properly dressed, cleaned up, and out the door with his briefcase and
lunch like she always did. *She is lucky!* Ataru mused. Lum's job did not
start for another week, so she had time to get used to living in Tomobiki
again.

Amora was even easier. She had got herself ready and looked anxious
to go to Onigakkou Public School with Junba Miyaki. Not needing a uniform
(not until high school), Amora dressed in some clothes Seiteki lent her.
They were tight and revealing even on Amora. Lum barely managed to stop her
adopted daughter before she left and made her put on something a little more
modest.

Ataru entered school early to familiarize himself with the new
layout. Much had not changed over the years, but the number of students are
lower, something which has been happening to Japan for years, and some of the
classrooms in use when he was a student are now store rooms or have been
converted into new uses, such as a first-rate computer centre. He notes the
ratio of aliens to Terrans, realizing that without the former, Tomobiki High
might have been closed down years ago due to Japan's aging population.

After collecting his supplies he needed from the office and after
being introduced to the staff, he proceeds to his homeroom class...ironically
HIS old homeroom when he was a part of the Class of 1984...Room 337. The
class was a group of second year students, normal in terms of scores and
attitude.

But in Tomobiki, normal is abnormal.

As soon as Ataru enters the classroom, he unknowingly presses a
hidden button on the floor. He immediately feels a Buddhist bell-knocker
slam him from behind, the force of the blow knocking him on a skateboard
which moves him uncontrollably towards an open window. The skateboard hits
the window and sends the hapless Ataru out through it like an torpedo.

Screaming through the air, Ataru lands on a trampoline, which then
sends him into the air back towards the school. Flying with the grace of an
elephant, he comes crashing through the window of another classroom in the
opposite wing and lands hard on the teacher's desk to the shock of all the
students and the teacher in that classroom.

The force of Ataru's body hitting the desk, sends him and the desk
crashing through the floor. From there, he lands on the teacher's desk in
the classroom directly below it. The excess weight of Ataru and the desk
also crashes through the floor and lands on the teacher's desk of a classroom
on the ground floor...where they stopped!

Ataru wonders how his homeroom managed to think up such an elaborate
series of initiation traps. As he loses consciousness, he wonders if he
should laugh with his class or expel them for a thousand years.

Yamada was there to count him out.

* * *

While Ataru regains consciousness in the nurse's station, Lum has
gone out on the town to do some errands. *Tomobiki hasn't changed that much
since I was a student,* Lum muses. *They're still much the same.*

Many of the buildings are more or less the same, although some of the
stores have changed owners or function. Some landmarks still remain. Mr.
Shapiro's Ice Cream Shop is still in business with the Vosian-born adopted Jew
running it but with some local teens helping out. Esmeralda's Boutique is
still going, although her store has grown to fill two of the neighbouring
shops. The ramen shop which doubles as a Mendou Clan emergency post is still
there but under new ownership.

Lum reaches the park in the middle of Tomobiki. While it looks the
same, it now had a name. It is now called Heroes' Park and in the middle,
near a man-made lake, are statues of Nassur and Benten. Lum had never seen
the statues of her friends before...and really didn't care to. That would
have admitted to herself that they are both dead...but after all that has
been happening lately, she still couldn't bring herself to believe it. Their
spirits always say they aren't dead, only in some place they can't locate.

It was Nagaiwakai's idea in naming the park and commissioning the
statues. Lum and Ataru both disagreed, but her grandmother-in- law was firm
in making sure her wishes were met. Nagaiwakai loved and respected Nassur
more than she would admit to and it was rumoured she took his disappearance
as hard as Lum or Dakejinzou. Without her husband Nyassur around, the
youthful clan matriarch would have gone mad with grief. Still, Lum did not
attend the dedication ceremony and even when a statue went up in honour of
Ataru's near- sacrifice to save Earth from invasion by Sheko, she did not go
to see the statues.

The statues are beautiful, Lum thought as she looks at them. Cast
from a bronze alloy from Vos and carved by a Fukunokami artist, both statues
look so life-like they look as if they could just walk off their pedestals and
tromp away. *They must have cost Grandma a fortune!* Lum gasps to herself.

Then she feels sad...or rather, Nassur's and Benten's spirits feel
sad. Lum feels like a jerk because she keeps them bottled inside of her when
they really want to be free. Whenever Junba appears, Lum has to mentally
chain Benten down. Lum wants to let Benten and Nassur meet their child, but
her respect for Shinobu and her wishes to keep Junba's origins a secret until
she is old enough to deal with them holds her back. Lum thinks about
Koishii, how she would have been the same age as Junba and wonders how she
is...wherever she is.

Lum looks at the pedestals of the statues. Both of them have the
name of each hunter in the six official languages of the United Nations and
Japanese with the caption WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU ARE THERE...the saying on the
"Renegade's" dedication plaque.

Finally, the emotions of seeing the statues and reading the plaques
are too much for Lum and those whom reside within her. Her eyes begin to fill
with tears as she tries to leave. "Aunt Lum," a girl's voice interrupts.
"What are you doing here?"

Lum sees Junba standing there. It is noon and Junba had left
Onigakkou Public School to have lunch in the park. "Junba..." Lum looks at
the adopted daughter of Shinobu and could feel Benten rising within her
again. "I...was only visiting a couple of people I haven't seen in a long
while."

"I see," Junba replies after a few seconds of confused silence. "I
was just going to have lunch here."

Lum falls over in surprise. "Here?! Near these statues?!"

"Sure," Junba sits at the foot of Benten's statue. "I always sit at
this statue to eat my lunch when it's a nice day!"

"I see," Lum looks nervous.

"I don't know what it is," Junba takes a bite. "But, I feel kinship
with this Benten statue. I feel as if she's hovering over me like my mother.
I don't even know her."

"I once knew both these people," Lum kneels beside Junba. "They were
good friends of mine who never let me down."

"I see," Junba nods.

Lum sees Benten's spirit hovering over Junba's body in her mind's
eye. If only Benten could be here to touch her, to hold her, to talk to her,
Junba then could know her better than any story Lum could tell about her
biological mother. "They trained me in how to use my powers effectively," Lum
sighs. "Maybe I could some day train you the same way?"

A slight smile appears on Junba's face. "Maybe. I'm always having
trouble with guys who are bigger and heavier than Dansei-chan and me. Plus, I
keep developing these weird mental powers that Momma keeps saying are from
her. Maybe you could help me?"

"I'm not sure I can," Lum smiles. "But, I'll try. What are you
doing after school?"

"Homework," Junba replies.

"Why not come visit me tonight and I'll give you some pointers on how
to fight well?"

"Sure," Junba nods. "Right after I finish my homework."

"I wouldn't have wanted it any other way," Lum stands. "I've got to
go now because I've still have errands to do. See you!"

Lum moves away from Junba and waves goodbye. "Bye!"

"Bye." *I'll train your child for you, Nassur-chan, Benten-chan. So
she'll be ready to take your place if she wants to...*

* * *

Minutes later, Lum walks towards her home. The streets of Tomobiki
are now a lot more busier than before as the lunchtime crowds begin their
breaks. Lum comes across Lan, heavily loaded with groceries to the point that
she can barely move without dropping anything. "Oh, Lan-chan," Lum smiles to
her old friend. "Out shopping I see!"

"Oh, Lum-chan," Lan smiles. "I had to do a little grocery shopping
because Rei-chan is coming home on leave this week."

"I see," Lum groans. "That stuff should keep him full for about an
hour."

"What he won't eat, Lin and Len will," Lan smiles. "Could you give
me a hand here?"

"Sure," Lum takes a couple of packages.

They walk a few feet then notice a group of people rushing to a
nearby electronics shop where several televisions are showing a news program.
"Looks serious," Lan points to the group. "I hope it's not another gas
attack!"

Lan and Lum make their way towards the televisions. Their combined
sound and combined pictures of devastation fill the screens. "As you can
see," an unseen reporter announces. "This facility has been almost totally
destroyed by a bomb planted by someone unknown. Preliminary tests show the
bomb may have been composed of materials exclusive to Sagussa! This lab was
sponsored by both the Urusian government and the United Nations to work on
cures for diseases which inflict both races and set up shortly after the
Alliance Treaty. Luckily, no one was working in the lab at the time and all
biological safety procedures have been followed..."

Lum feels a shiver. "It's started."

Lan blinks. "What's started?"

Lum sets down the packages she took from Lan and walks away sadly
without another word to the surprised Lan. "What is she on about?"

"That's how they're going to start the breakup between Earth and
Sagussa," Lum whispers to herself while she trudges off for home. "Lara's
making it look like the Sagussans are doing it. Oh, Nassur-chan, Benten-chan,
how could I have doubted you...?"

* * *

The news of the bombing fills the airwaves for the next few days. The
tension turns ugly when it is confirmed that Sagussan technology was indeed
involved in the explosion. The lab was used for peaceful purposes only, Lum
knew as she watched each and every report in horror.

The seeds of doubt are sown. Although the Sagussan Embassy denied
it, rumours of a coverup persisted in the newspapers for days. There were
rumours of a break-in at the Embassy, materials used in security weapons there
stolen. But no proof of such a break-in materialized to appease public
outrage. Of course, Lara Skelad milked the anger for all it was worth and
watered the sowed seeds of discontent which began to sprout.

Trash television shows from all around the planet and in neighbouring
states around the Federation began criticizing the Sagussans for bungling the
affair. Public opinion, once pro-Sagussan, turned slowly pro-Urusian.

Then it happened. A security videotape from the lab found by a
journalist connected the Sagussan Defense Force, in full combat uniforms, to
the bombing. Although no faces could be visibly seen on the tape, the
uniforms were definitely Sagussan.

When that occurred, public opinion went openly against them. There
were serious talks over breaking of diplomatic relations, but Nagaiwakai
managed to stop the U.N. from jumping to conclusions. The Sagussans, visibly
harmed, could do nothing but take the scorn heaped upon them. Their
technology could do a lot of things, but not change public opinion
immediately in their favour.

Soon, Ataru's phone was ringing off the hook as call after call came
from Sagussa asking what they could do to fix things. They could destroy any
fleet in the known galaxy, but public opinion was unbeatable. Ataru, an
expert on losing and regaining popularity, was for the first time, unable to
help.

But soon the anger and scorn calmed down and a threatened break
between Earth and Sagussa never happened. Though relations between the two
planets were strained for a while, things quietened down enough for life to
return to some sense of normal...

* * *

"Negau Renning here."

"It's me."

"What is it?"

"We're needed. Carmen wants to see us."

"I understand."

* * *

At the Moroboshi household, everyone settled on their normal
routines...no matter how abnormal some of the routines were.

Amora and Seiteki would go out together to boy-hunt. Despite
Seiteki's flirtatiousness, she was turning Amora away from endless hours of
TV watching and chocolate eating. Amora's teeth had improved to the point
where she had no cavities from her last visit to the dentist, something
unheard of by the Moroboshi's youngest.

Junba became a nightly visitor to the house, as Lum would give her a
workout to train her. Lum couldn't train Junba in her mental powers or get
Amora to join them in their workouts. Some things can't be changed.

Lum began her job and after a short adjustment period, had no trouble
fitting in her new surroundings. Ataru though, had to wait a while before he
taught again due to the injuries from his initiation. But once he came back,
he never had any problems with any students...although Seiteki still managed
to appear in front of him at the most inopportune times trying to turn him
on.

Chie Budou visited regularly with some new way of exorcising Nassur's
and Benten's spirits from Lum's body. All were doomed to either failure,
making the old Shinto priest look silly, or nearly killing everyone in the
house...or all three.

All the while, Lara Skelad had her henchmen watch over Lum and Ataru
on a regular basis. The stakeout was so effectively hidden, no one suspected
a thing.

Over time, friends and family came to visit the Moroboshi family. Lan
visited constantly and even got to kiss Ataru once in a while. Mendou
wandered by to visit when he was not on duty for the Defense Force. Nokoko
and some of the Nendo-kata came to visit. Even Komeru once in a while
dropped in just to see how everyone is doing.

Then came Megane.

Now a wandering Buddhist monk like Cherry was when he was alive,
Megane wasted no time in targeting the Moroboshi house for his next meal.
Many times Ataru kicked him out, sometimes before he said anything, but the
former Lum otaku always managed to get something to eat...no matter how small
it was.

Then Jariten came to visit.

Lum was busy training Junba in some gymnastic moves when Jariten came
knocking at the door. "Hey, Ataru," Jariten enters the house smiling and
carrying his sack of clothes and wearing his cadet duty uniform.

Ataru eagerly greeted his cousin-in-law. Since the Grand Design,
they have long since put aside their differences and became friends...more so
since Minami died. "How's the Academy doing for you, Ten-chan?" Ataru teases.
"Ready to quit yet?"

"Please, it's Jariten. I've only just begun," Jariten teases, "...or
do you want to see how strong my flame breath has become?"

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life dead?" Ataru doesn't look
scared.

Both of them laugh while they remember the early years of their
relationship when Jariten would spit flame into Ataru's face at a moment's
notice. Ataru would then get upset and try to brain Jariten with the nearest
blunt object. Nowadays, such taunting was merely for show with no malice.
"Lum's outside training Junba like a monkey!" Ataru motions Jariten to the
back door.

"Lum told me she was training her now," Jariten follows Ataru to the
backyard. "I haven't seen her since I graduated from Tomobiki High School."

Lum has Junba doing a routine on the even parallel bars. As usual,
both are dressed in leotards; Lum's tiger-stripped, Junba's blue and red.
Junba tries to hold the rest of her body in the air using only her arms and
shoulders. "My arms are getting tired," Junba complains. "Can I stop soon,
Aunt Lum?"

"You'll stop when I tell you to, Aiotoga," Lum replies. "Not a
second sooner!"

She then spots Jariten coming in the backyard with Ataru. "Yo! Lum-
chan!" he calls to his cousin.

Lum flies over to greet her cousin. "Oh, Ten-chan, you're here!" she
hugs him.

"A-Aunt Lum..." Junba groans as the strain of holding her body in the
air begins to show on her face even more.

Lum cuts short the greeting to turn to her student. "You can relax
now, Aiotoga!"

Junba collapses to the ground and flexes her tired shoulders in an
attempt to return proper feeling to them. "Hello, Jariten," Junba smiles
nervously. "Long time, no see."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Jariten nods.

Junba has always been friendly towards Jariten...almost to the point
of being a crush. Of course, Jariten has always stated he actually talked and
played with Junba while she was still in Benten's womb, but no one really
believes him and Junba can't remember. When Minami was alive, Jariten rarely
spoke to Junba but to the young girl, what few times he did do so was enough
for her.

Jariten looks at Junba. She was only nine years old when he last saw
her shortly after graduation. She looked like a child then but now she was
beginning to blossom into a beautiful young woman. Somewhere inside of him,
Jariten felt something for the adopted child but couldn't say what it was.

Junba could feel something about Jariten within her. It felt like a
longing as if she desired him desperately, similar to Seiteki's perverted
crush on Ataru. But unlike her shameless schoolmate, Junba could keep those
urges under control...though she wonders why she never feels the same way
towards any of the other boys she knows at school.

"I was teaching Junba endurance," Lum smiles. "You never know when
you need them."

"I told you she was training Junba like a monkey," Ataru pats her on
the head.

"I should have the best endurance of my class," Junba sighs,
"...except for Seiteki."

"Don't remind me," Ataru groans. "Let's take a break and have some
tea."

Minutes later in the living room, Ataru, Lum, Jariten and Junba are
joined by Amora. Amora has changed a lot since settling in Tomobiki and
meeting Seiteki. She is now much more outgoing and less a coach potato. Her
clothes, though, still make her parents nervous. "I put in a request to be
assigned here to crew the 'Lum-san,'" Jariten reports. "The commandant says
I've got a chance in getting an assignment with them since I've lived on Earth
for so long that I'm familiar with Earth's cultural norms."

"If not," Ataru kids Jariten, "...I can always help you!"

"Yeah, right," Jariten remembers the times Ataru told him the 'truth'
about Earth culture and how he looked foolish each time.

"That means we'll be seeing you more then," Lum smiles.

"I guess so," Jariten nods.

Amora notices Junba has been blushing every time she looks at
Jariten. "Why are you blushing? You've met Jariten before!"

"I know," Junba shrugs. "But, I don't understand. I feel strange
seeing him now. I can't describe it. Maybe I'm developing another of those
weird mental powers again!"

"Maybe you're finally acting like a girl!" Amora snorts.

Junba gives Amora a cold glance. "I've got plenty of boys who hang
around me at school. Only Jariten makes me feel this way."

"Hello?" Shinobu yells from the front door. "Anybody home?" she
hails as she walks in, noticing Jariten. "Oh, Jariten," she smiles. "Welcome
back."

"Thanks, Shinobu-san," Jariten nods. "How's things going being
school nurse?"

"Oh fine," Shinobu sits beside Lum. "It's been a lot easier now I
don't have to treat burn victims at school."

"Yeah," Jariten giggles. "Well, I had to do something to keep the
bullies away."

"Good thing Koosei-kun could sympathize," Shinobu adds, "...or else
he would've suspended you from school!"

"Don't remind me," Jariten sighs. "It was bad enough keeping Mako
and Minami-chan from killing each other over me, let alone having some punk
trying to hurt me as well."

What Jariten meant is when he went to high school, he not only had
Minami to deal with but also his "wife" Mako Reshidou. While Mako was always
violently jealous of Minami, Minami could retaliate with equal ferocity.
Unfortunately, Jariten was often caught between them and suffered for it.
Luckily, Koosei managed to step in and set up Mako with another boy, whom she
later married legitimately, and left Minami to Jariten. But, alas, Koosei
couldn't have foreseen what horrible fate Minami would have which would leave
Jariten alone since then. "I'm surprised I didn't burn down the school when I
was a student," he sadly muses.

"There were times I would have wanted you to," Ataru snorts.

Everyone laughs together. The doorbell rings. "I'll get it!" Lum
flies to the door, then opens it. "Reiko-chan!"

"Hi, Mom!" Reiko embraces her.

Everyone watches as Reiko walks in, followed by two of her best
friends. Along with Willow is Yuri, a demure blue-haired Tritonian girl
distantly resembling Catty save for her eyes, which were pure azure in both
pupil and iris, now wearing a red halter top, jeans and high-heeled mary
janes. Introductions are made, then everyone relaxes. "Hey, stranger,
where've you been for the last while?" Reiko kisses Jariten. "Slumming?"

"No, getting my body dragged through the mud," Jariten sighs.
"Recruit Week at the Defence Force Academy is murder!"

"Too bad," Reiko sighs. "I never figured you to be the type to go to
a military school. I missed you," she slips her arm around his. "Very much."

Seeing the closeness between them, Junba feels a hot flash
of...jealousy?...race up her spine. "So have I," Jariten sighs, then looks
around. "Where's Belle-chan? Isn't she here?"

"No," Reiko looks away. "She moved out, left for San Francisco
sometime ago."

Jariten sighs. "Sorry to hear that."

"We thought she'd come to the Young Woman's Academy with us," Willow
muses. "I mean, a whole pack of people'll be there. Emiri Yayoi, Hitomi
Koomei, Chiaki Takeshi..."

"And Hiromi-chan," Yuri smiles knowingly at her friend.

Willow flushes. "You mean you've found a girlfriend?" Lum blinks
surprisedly. "Congratulations, Willow-chan!"

"We haven't done much!" Willow shudders...

...as the door flies open. "Onii-chan!!!"

Reiko's eyes glow, her hand reaching out as she forges a telekinetic
wall in the foyer! A *crash!* later sees Seiteki flat on her back, her eyes
spiralling. Everyone looks into the foyer. "Aw, Onee-chan, did you HAVE to
do that?!" Amora pouts.

"So this is the little *uo* who thinks she can seduce Dad away from
Mom, eh?!" Reiko walks over to pick Seiteki up by the scruff of her shirt.
"Wait outside!!"

Another telekinetic shove sends Seiteki into the telephone pole
across the street! "Onee-chan!!!" Amora screams.

"Did someone...get the number...of that truck...?" Seiteki shudders,
sliding to the ground.

Inside, everyone laughs. "Thanks, Reiko-chan!" Ataru sighs. "Now,
if you could do the same thing to Megane, it'll be perfect!!"

"I really wish you would've stayed in Oshika, Dad!" Reiko sighs.
"You don't have to put up to dorks like this up there!!"

Ataru sighs. Reiko had been hurt when her parents elected to move
back to Tomobiki. That, tacked onto Annabelle's departure for America, had
practically stripped the Noukiite of her parents, sister and best friend in
under three weeks! "It's okay, Reiko-chan," he whispers into her ear. "Until
we figure out what's going on with your mother, we have to remain here."

"Well, if you want to believe Budou-san, I won't stop you," Reiko's
eyes roll.

By then, Seiteki is storming up to the door. "Hey, lump-head!!
What's the idea of throwing me out of Onii-chan's house?!" she points
accusingly at the older woman.

"Why, it's my house too!" Reiko shrugs as Ataru returns to join the
others. "I may not live here now, but this is my family."

Amora sighs. "This is my big sister, Reiko. Sorry about that, Sei-
chan."

"'Sister?!'" Seiteki blinks. "You never told me she was as OLD as
your father, Amora-chan!"

"This idiot really doesn't have a clue, eh?" Reiko stares at her kid
sister.

"She's harmless," Amora smiles.

"In a pig's eye," Reiko turns to rejoin her parents. "Take this as a
warning, Kozue. Keep harassing my father and your mother won't HAVE a
daughter when I get finished with you! And you better know, your mother
doesn't scare me one bit!!"

She heads into the living room. Seiteki feels a tremor run down her
spine. *How did she know my real name...?!*

* * *

"Did you see that?" one of the observers wonders.

"Yeah!" another nods. "Damn, that girl's scary!"

"Who are the others who came with her?"

"One is the farmer's girl from Toshitto, Aya K'ech'chut'a. The
Tritonian is Yuri; her parents are environmentalists working on cleaning
Neptune up. We're having the names of the others Reiko-san knows at her
school researched now."

"Good. Inform Popok-san."

* * *

Cold golden eyes stare at the image of the hidden embassy car
sequestered near the Moroboshi home in the sacred fire. "Well, well, well,"
lips curl in an icy smile. "So the little flies are trying to learn more
about P'yeknu, eh?"

Rising, the missionary turns from the sacred fire and enters the main
part of the Heaven's Gate Temple, just recently completed on the outskirts of
Ishinomaki. Turning to the icon of Muchach sitting at the Pool of
Reincarnation judging those worthy to enter Heaven, the woman clasps her
hands. "Blessed Lord, aid me in my sacred task to reunite our divided tribe
scattered across the darkness of space. Aid me to smite those who would seek
to conquer us and show my fellow Lost Star the way to Your Peace...amen."

Her eyes then flash as her telepathic powers sense someone approach.
"Is that you, Hanak'at'?"

"It's me," a crimson-haired woman steps into the temple, bowing to
the icons before her, then walks up to join her fellow former Lost Star.
"K'yech just confirmed that P'ye's parents are being spied upon. What do you
want to do, Nia?"

"Have an accident occur to the little puppies," the silver-haired
priestess gazes at her friend and fellow Lost Star. "Make sure there are no
witnesses. Tell K'yech to be...creative."

"Now?"

"Yes. Go now; a visitor is coming."

The crimson-haired woman nods, then vanishes in a flash of energy.
With that, the priestess turns, her powers opening the door. "Enter, Budou-
san. Heaven's blessings on you."

Chie gasps, surprised that someone was able to sense him before he
could surprise her. "I forgot that you were once like Reiko," he breathes
out, removing his shoes as he walks in.

"I apologize," the woman smiles. "I am K'e-Nuk Yeho-Niap'yeng, the
priestess of Heaven's Gate Temple. Please, feel comfortable here. We may be
of different faiths, but we should always welcome each other in peace."

"A pleasure. So, why did you ask for me to come here?"

"It has come to my attention that you are seeking to exorcise the
'ghosts' of Lum Moroboshi's former teacher and his wife from her. I would ask
you to stop at once."

Chie blinks, unused to having any priest make such a demand of him.
"Why? Do you have any idea what they're doing to Lum...?"

"I am fully aware of the problems Nassur and Benten may force on
their friend," Niap'yeng sighs. "If they were 'ghosts,' then I would not
interfere in your desire to rescue Lum from them. But I believe as does Lum
that they're alive and well, contacting her by means neither of us can
understand. However, what now goes on within Lum's soul is part of a more
vast problem, with implications that could affect billions of lives, not only
here on Earth, but Uru, Sagussa AND Noukiios. That is why I ask you to
stop."

The Shinto high priest blinks. He had not sensed anything like this
when dealing with Lum's problem. Obviously, Niap'yeng's precognitive powers
were even stronger than his son's. "If that is so, how will this affect your
people?" he wonders.

"I have been sent here on a task that will, if it works, bring all of
Noukiios' lost children back to our tribe...not just those like Reiko
Moroboshi, but the Ip'ihu as well," Niap'yeng sighs. "If I succeed, Noukiios
would become strong, living in the light of freedom King Muchach has desired
of us. And the little flies who desire to slay the Maidens of the World of
Holy Reincarnation, were they to succeed, could easily come to inflict their
poison on my people again. That will be stopped."

"You seem very sure," Chie hums.

"I am," Niap'yeng smiles knowingly. "And it will be one of Lara
Skelad's own people that will finally render her dreams dust and see her
slain. I have already foreseen it..."

* * *

"Man, your sister's mean!" Seiteki shudders as she and Amora leave
the Moroboshi home to watch boys. "Is she ALWAYS like that?"

"Yeah, pretty protective of Dad..."

Both then jolt as an explosion rips through a nearby alley!! "Hey,
what was that?!!" Seiteki gasps.

The two race down to look around a corner as other people race out of
their homes to investigate, finding the blazing skeleton of a car surrendering
to the flames. "Whoa!!" Amora whistles, feeling a touch of nausea as the
stench of burning flesh begins to assault her senses. "What happened?! Was
someone in there?!"

Seiteki blinks, then looks up, before turning away as sirens are
heard. She could have sworn that she had seen a woman with bat-like wings
flying into the night...!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)