From gorgo@kwangju.net Sat Dec 20 00:13:08 1997 Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 13:34:12 +0900 From: Fred Herriot Subject: [fanfic][lemon][UY] "A Remarkable Destiny" Part III It is the worst day in Lum's life. Screaming, she races into the bedroom, dropping to her knees as her hands reach for the bits of cartilage left on her temples. Discounting the physical pain of having one's horns cut off, the psychological trauma was devastating. Tagging an Oni's horns was seen as a desire to marry on her world...so consequently, chopping the horns off had the opposite effect. That didn't count the many revelations Ataru had revealed before he blew up on her. They were never married. His grandmother wants Lum dead. He is the Chosen One of the Eternal Voyager. With his new power, he'd remove all aliens from Earth. Lum shudders as the sobs explode from her lungs, her vision blurred as the tears flood her eyes. Her whole life had been centred around Ataru. He was the one, she knew. Ever since that day when he tagged her horns the first time, she knew it deep in her heart. Was it her fault that he wouldn't accept that?! "It's the way you've treated me for the last two years," he told her. He accused her of dominating his life, acting as if he was her slave. Well, how was a husband supposed to act, anyway?! Never married... Lum shakes her head, trying to vent out her anguish. Her ears then detect someone sliding the door open. "Lum-chan, what's wrong?!" Ten-chan cries on seeing his sobbing cousin. She shudders as he floats up to her. "Ten-chan..." The young Oni is very quick to notice something missing from her temples. Floating up, he gapes on seeing the shorn cartilage and the blood which had seeped out of shattered capillaries. "Lum- chan, who did that to you?!!" he cries, eyes wide. Lum shudders, then wails as the pain overwhelms her. Ten-chan stares confusedly at her, then he backs away, his eyes widening even more as the implications hit. He knew what chopping off one's horns meant...to someone who was married. "Ataru...?" Lum absently nods. Shuddering, Ten-chan's fangs splay as he races out the window. "I'll kill the creep!!!" he howls. "Ten-chan, wait!!!" Lum screams to no avail. Suddenly, the door slides open. The Oni spins around, her eyes widening on seeing who just came in. "You!!" * * * Hopping on his scooter, Ten-chan drives off. "Ataru!!! You a-ho!!! Where are ya so I can fry ya?!! Ataru!!!" he bellows, his eyes scanning left and right for the bastard who'd hurt Lum. "Hey, Ten, what's wrong?!" a voice calls out from below. Ten-chan stops, then looks down to see Ryuunosuke Fujinami setting garbage bags on the curb before Tomobiki High School. "Oh, hi, Ryuunosuke-chan!" he smiles. He always liked the tomboy. "Have ya seen Ataru anywhere?!" "Ataru?!" Ryuunosuke shakes her head. "Shit, no! He hasn't been back to school since that fight after the tag race! In fact, Nagisa overheard the Principal and Onsen-sensei saying that Ataru might be leaving the school before next term." "What?!" Ten-chan gapes. "Leaving for where?!!" "Don't know," she shrugs. "He called the Principal this morning, saying something really big came down and that people shouldn't expect him to come back anytime soon. He even dropped a hint that Lum and Lan might be expelled from Earth because of that shit with Rupa. You know what's going on here?!" "N-no...!" the young Oni shudders, his anger turning into wild confusion. "He...he and Lum-chan just had a big fight...he just cut off her horns...she's gonna get expelled?!" "He cut off her horns?!!" Ryuunosuke exclaims, gaping at Ten- chan. "Ouch!! That must've hurt!!" "It's worse than that! Cutting off an Oni's horns means a divorce!! Ataru's really gonna leave?!" "Yeah, by the looks of it...oh, man!" Ryuunosuke whistles, the information overload threatening to overwhelm her. "When the guys hear this, they're gonna have a collective heart attack!" "Yeah," Ten-chan shudders, then floats back to his scooter. "Well, gotta go now. 'Bye, Ryuunosuke-chan!" "'Bye, Ten!" Ryuunosuke waves as the young Oni drives off. "Man, what's going on here?!" "Excuse me," a woman's voice hails from her left. Ryuunosuke looks to see a seventeen-year old woman her height standing there. Dressed in jeans and a shirt, she has brown hair centre-parted, square-cut at the shoulders and very expressive blue eyes. Slender but well-developed for her age, she is quite pretty. "Is there a problem?" the tomboy wonders. "I'm looking for Ataru Moroboshi," the girl smiles, her voice flavoured with the mountains of central Kyushu. "Could you direct me to his house, please?" "You want to see Ataru?!" Ryuunosuke blinks. "Well, he supposedly ain't living there now, but it's four blocks that way, then turn left, go for two blocks and it'll be on the far right corner," she points north. "It's the one with the tiger-striped UFO floating over it. You can't miss it," she points into the air. "You mean they haven't expelled that eco-terrorist yet?!" Ryuunosuke faints! "'ECO-TERRORIST?!?!?!'" "Well, that's what everyone in Kyushu's calling that Oni," the woman shrugs innocently. "I'm surprised the U.N. didn't boot her off the planet for what she did. Not that it mattered; those mushrooms never left Tokyo thanks to those white daises someone brought in to eat them up." Ryuunosuke's jaw opens in shock. No one heard about someone stopping the mushrooms at Tokyo's borders. The way Lan predicted it, the whole planet was in danger. "Um...well, gee, I dunno! Ataru and Lum had a real jim-doozy of a fight just now. Lum'll be there, but who knows where Ataru is." "Well, if she's seen him, I'll find out," the woman bows. "Thanks, anyway. See you later!" Ryuunosuke watches her go. The very fact that some strange girl from Kyushu wanted to see Ataru was bizarre enough. But the revelations she just made...? "Geez, what next?!" * * * "A Remarkable Destiny" a Urusei Yatsura lemon fic by Fred Herriot gorgo@kwangju.net **** **** **** "Hold Me Slowly" written by Ikuko Noguchi and Hiro Ito **** **** **** Based on "Urusei Yatsura" created by Rumiko Takahashi **** **** **** NOTE: All standard lemon warnings apply. This is my second time at this, so please give me a break. I'll try to keep it as spicy as possible without going too overboard. WRITER'S NOTES 1) I coin the phrase "starboat" for Ten-chan's ship since "scout" seems too extravagant for a child's convenience. 2) More Sagussan terms (they just keep coming and coming!): rei'cha - Child. ru-jugh - Sagussan ale. Eii'sagh - Term applied to all nurses. tre'cha - The passing-on, when one places one's mei'na into another's mind if one is expecting death. The opposite is satre'cha (the refusion). mini-comp - Mini-computer. Each Sagussan carries one on her wrist-bracelets. Controlled psionically, it has no need for a keyboard. 3) Shinobu's being a Roman Catholic, as is her hobby as a potter, is inspired from an idea by Philip Gavigan, who introduces it in his Rumicworlds story. Write to Phil at PGavigan@aol.com or Ted Hsu at tgthsu@home.ifx.net for more information. The reason she utters "Jesu Cristo" is because her teacher is a Spaniard from Mexico. Along the same lines, Ataru's parents being Buddhists was inspired by Lew Burton's "Just a Dream." 4) "Hold Me Slowly" is from the "Cityhunter '91" BGM soundtrack. That soundtrack (code number SM-048) can be purchased from SM Records. E-mail them at sonmay@c2.hinet.net for more information. **** **** **** PART THREE - KIDNAPPING Ten-chan parks his scooter beside his duck-shaped starboat, then floats inside. What at first seemed like Ataru giving Lum a lot of unnecessary grief had turned into something which now scared the young Oni. The part about his leaving Tomobiki was bad enough; Lum was forbidden by her visa requirements from moving anywhere outside the district. But that Ataru was actually moving to kick Lum off Earth?! He had to tell someone. The best bet was Lum's father; he could knock some sense into the a-ho if no one could. Tapping into his private spacephone, Ten-chan cries out as something explodes under the console, showering him with sparks and soot!! He falls on his backside, gazing surprisedly at his now- wrecked communications gear. "Who did that?!" Suddenly, a hologram projects the image of a cute eighteen- year old Ellsian girl in jeans and T-shirt. "Sorry, Ten-chan!" she red-eyes him. "We can't let you go call Lum's old man so he could give Ataru even more grief! And don't bother going to Lum's, Rei's or Lan's ships either; their gear's been wrecked, too! Nyaaa!!" "What?!!" he screams as the image fades, then hops into the driver's chair. "Fine!! I'll fly ta Uru!!" He flicks on the controls for the impulse drive...then screams as the ship explodes around him in a pyrotechnic burst of energy and gunpowder!! Crawling out of the wreckage a moment later, the now-blackened Ten-chan wails as he throws a temper-tantrum. "I'll get you for this, Ataru, you a-ho!!!" Hiding in some bushes nearby, Nene snickers to herself as Ten- chan continues to rant and rave. It was terrible doing that to such a cute little rei'cha, but the boy had no sense of self- discipline whatsoever. If anyone deserved to be sent back to Uru, it was him. What type of parents did he have, allowing him to run amuck on Earth? Must be as bad as Ataru's. Suppressing that snide thought, the Pathfinder chief petty officer sneaks away... * * * "What are you doing here?!" Lum shudders. Noa sits down by the desk. "So here you are feeling sorry for yourself," the Ashi'cha muses. "Not to mention probably wondering what to do to put things back to the way you believe they should be. Ataru's right, you know: you have treated him like a slave for the past two years. Granted, he's had his own problems; you notice he did mention that. All he wants now is the chance to put his life back together again. Someone who really cared for him would've understood and given him the chance. Lyna, someone who REALLY cared for him wouldn't've allowed the morons around you two to treat him like he was their slave as well!!" "Get out!!!" Lum barks. "You have him; isn't that enough?!! I especially don't want to talk to you!!" "Fine, then!" Noa shrugs, turning to the door, then smiles. "But I must confess, I am very disappointed in you, Lum." The Oni jolts. Regardless of what she was like now, this WAS Noa Aruka, Uru's greatest hero, speaking to her. It had long been rumoured that she and Honii/Honey had become two of the Maidens, as did Syl Aruka/Sylia many centuries later. To earn THIS woman's displeasure was said to bring real bad luck. "Remember, he said you have the choice to back away or accept what's happened," Noa adds. "You certainly didn't give him the choice two years ago, did you? You just automatically assumed he wanted to marry you. Don't you know 'assume' means you make an ASS out of YOU and ME, Lum? Didn't Nassur teach you that?!" "You know Nassur?!" Lum blinks surprisedly. "I met him seven years ago before his wife's funeral," Noa smiles, then shakes his head. "Well, since you want to stay in your little fantasy world, I'll leave you there. Ataru has no wish to subvert himself anymore to your dreams, so he won't miss you at all. Though I must confess, if I had known what you'd be like now, I wouldn't've been so nice to you fourteen years ago." "Fourteen years ago?!!" Lum exclaims, then understanding begins to flash in her eyes. "That was when I was accidentally transported to Earth and Cinba...no!!" Noa remains silent as Lum looks down, then back at her. "That was you, wasn't it?" "That's right," Noa nods, inwardly smiling. Give Lum the chance and she came really far. "I was in the area with the 'Hasei'cha' looking for our first Daimon'cha candidate. Thanks to you, we got what we wanted." "Me?!!" "Yes," Noa returns to the chair, sitting down. "Don't you remember the boy who protected you when you were all alone on an alien world, wondering if you'd ever see home again?" "I was just four...!!" Lum protests, then her jaw drops as it finally hits her. "Darling?" Noa smiles. "Have you ever wondered why you stuck to Ataru all this time, even after Shinobu had dumped him like a hot potato for the likes of Mendou? Why he never once really contemplated calling his grandmother and ridding himself of you and your friends forever? You two have been surei'cha and marei'cha ever since you were little children. No one in this galaxy could change that." "You did that?!" "Yes. You remember what Ataru said about my people being on the lookout for someone who could teach us emotions?" "You really needed someone then?" "Unfortunately. Fourteen years ago, I was nothing better than a living logic machine. We all were. You have your own telepathic powers. Ataru is descent from Vosian empaths who crash-landed off Japan seven centuries ago. And there I was, so naive to the ways of the heart it wasn't the least bit funny...and there you two were, two beautiful children falling in love." "We were just kids!!" "We're trained to listen carefully to children's words," Noa smiles. "And even though you didn't say it then, you certainly implied that you two never wanted to be apart though your presence on Earth was forbidden and that the chances were slim to nil that you'd ever see each other again. Lyna's Soul, back then, you were as cute as my sandpanther Alphonse when he was a kitten. And there was Ataru, the gallant little ninja protecting his lady from the strange, dark world she found herself in. What was I supposed to do? Deny your desires and break your hearts? I couldn't do that; none of us in that situation could've done that. So I bonded you, ensured that no matter what, you'd never be apart." Lum stares at the Sagussan, fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. Finally, she understood why she loved him! "Oh, gods, what have I done?" she moans, gripping her temples. "Relax," Noa gently takes her into her arms. "It's not too late. The bond's still there; only death can break it. Ataru's angry right now; who wouldn't be after what he endured? But once he cools off and thinks about it, he'll come around. Fights happen in all relationships, even on my planet. It doesn't mean the end of the world unless both refuse to give and take. Up to now, there's been little give and take from either of you. That can change, quite easily. You've learned your lesson. Once Ataru feels a little more confident about himself, he'll come back." Lum sniffs, then wipes his eyes. "I hope so," she smiles, then warmly embraces Noa. "Oh, thank you, Noa...for everything." "What are friends for," Noa gently breathes into Lum's hair. The Oni gasps as a jolt of pleasure rips through her body. Noa had exhaled onto her cut horn bud, still possessing the massive cluster of nerves which made that part the most sexually sensitive area of an Oni's body. Suckling one's horns was considered the most erotic act imaginable among Lum's people; it was said that in such a position, an Oni's soul was bared for all to see. Noa leans back, realizing what she had done. "Oh, Lum-chan, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that..." She stops on seeing Lum shudder, her eyes hungrily gazing at the Sagussan. What was going on? Had Lum subconsciously sensed the period of intense pleasure Noa and Ataru enjoyed the previous night? Was the bond she had begun to form with the Daimon'cha reflecting already in his Other? What had she done?! Lum feels the jolts of pleasure ricochet through her nervous system, her eyes locked on Noa. She didn't begin to understand it but somehow, someway, she had to have her. "Noa-chan..." she sensuously coos, pressing her body into the Sagussan's. Noa jolts, her meipyokgh twitching expectantly as the Oni's considerable telepathic powers began to jab at them. Oh, Lyna, she hadn't realized until now how beautiful Lum really was. Damn, NOW wasn't the time to lose control of herself! "Lum-chan...w-wait!" Noa pulls away, waving her hands in hopes of keeping Lum at bay. "Think for a moment!! Do you really want to do this?!" Lum smiles knowingly. "Noa-chan, I'm not an idiot! I can tell...I don't know how...that you and Darling took pleasure in each other's company last night! That's a little unfair especially after what you did for us years ago, isn't it?!" "Lum-chan, I'm sorry, but things just got...!" Noa babbles, then stops. Why was she apologizing? Where she came from, sex, in its recreational format, was considered acceptable as long as the two or more parties agreed to participate. This was the primary reason Sagussans were so disgusted with the concept of marriage. The demands other societies forced on people, blithely ignoring the fact that human mating cycles weren't regulated to a specific season, seemed so restrictive. In fact, it was Noa's private hope that Ataru and Lum would both come to Sagussa and that the Ashi'cha, after the Daimon'cha had done his duty for the Grand Design, would live with the two she had united so long ago. To do that logically demanded that she and Lum become marei'cha. Had Lum sensed that through the faint trails of psychic energy connecting them? As if she did, Lum smiles as she walks to the bed, then sits down. Her hands deftly undo her shirt, then after pulling it out of her jeans, she reaches behind her back to undo her bikini top. As it falls to the floor, she unbuckles her jeans, then steps out of them. A moment later, her bikini bottoms are slipped off her knees. Now with her evergreen namghsupgh exposed for all to see and her very round meijasha jutting through the light cloth of her shirt, Lum leans back, her eyes speaking volumes. "Well, Noa- chan?" she coos. "Care to enjoy the fruit of your labours?" "Oh, Lum-chan..." Noa hoarsely gasps. Lum licks her lips. "Take your clothes off." Noa shudders, as if someone just offered her a super-sized chocolate sundae, then smiles. "You wish is my command." Lum purrs as the Sagussan slips off her bomber jacket, then very slowly begins to undo her shirt. It would be a lot faster since Noa's people eschewed things like brassieres and panties, but the Oni didn't mind. The very fact that she wanted to make love to this beautiful woman was heady enough to take. And why not? While just an hour before, the very thought of Ataru losing his virginity to another woman would've drove her crazy; the fact that Noa, who had influenced her life so much so long ago, wanted Lum and Ataru to be together brought the Oni such boundless joy. Lum breathes in as Noa's perky breasts are exposed, then her eyes dances down to the trimmed brown pubic hair framing her groin. This was crazy! She was being turned on by a girl...a knockout if Ataru was any judge, but still a girl. What made it more exciting was the obvious flash of hunger in the Sagussan's eyes. By Noa's standards, Lum was the most beautiful woman she had ever met. She had received the accolades from hundreds of admirers over the last two years and more, most of all from Mendou and the guards. What did they know, what did their opinions matter? Noa's mattered. That made it all so perfect. Just in her shirt, Noa shashays over to the Oni, dropping to her knees as she gently guides Lum's north gate to hers. Their lips gently press together as their tongues begin to play. Pity that Lum's horns were gone; Noa would've really gone to town on them. Well, there were other ways. With that, the Sagussan's hands then drop to Lum's meijasha, her fingertips flicking at the nipples as the fingers press down on the soft tissue. That elicits a delighted purr from the Oni as she leans back, drawing Noa onto the mattress so they could be more comfortable. Their lips part as Noa begins to trail kisses down Lum's throat, homing in on her left breast. Her hands continue to mend the soft flesh as she takes the quivering nipple into her mouth. At the same time, her nervous system begins to fire out meisuyang to stimulate the nerves that controlled the produce of milk. To Lum, it was like her whole breast had been juiced full of electricity. Gasping, she grabs Noa's temples and pushes down, egging the Sagussan on. "N-n-Noa, wh-wh-what are you d-d-doing?!" Noa pulls up, a touch of white on her tongue. "Just giving you a taste of what you'll feel when you become one of us, love," she draws Lum's produce over her lips, then dips for seconds. "Oh, gods!!!" Lum screams as Noa continues her attack. Her breast was now reddening from the savage attack, but the Oni hardly felt it; that's how confused her nervous system had become thanks to the Sagussan's psychic ministrations. All she knew was that it felt wonderful, as if her whole body was being charged with a live current...and she wanted more. Much more! Finally draining one of her meijasha, Noa quickly attacks the others. Lum howls with sheer delight as the Sagussan's agile tongue...and unseen, her meisuyang...forced her breast to secrete its precious fluid. The jolts of psi-energy race through her body, causing her to convulse in sheer ecstacy. Every once in a while, Noa pulls back, tracing Lum's life mounds with their produce, then she'd go back for more. After what seems an eternity, Noa then leans up to deliver another deep kiss. "Oh, Noa-chan...that was so beautiful...!" Lum moans deliriously, her eyes hazed as her nervous system tried to return to normal functioning. "We've just got started, Lum-chan," Noa purrs as she slowly backs down the Oni's legs. "Without your horns, we'll have to make do with what we have. Time to gong your tower!" Lum blinks as Noa leans down, her tongue landing square on her clit. "Noa-chan, wh-what...WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIING?!?!?!" the Oni howls in sheer joy as more jolts of psi-energy lance up from that particularly sensitive spot on her body. Noa attacks Lum's south gate with gusto, the husky smell of the Oni's passions an even better stimulant than Priss' ru-jugh. Back in the old days, the idea of allowing someone other than one's marei'cha to taste a woman's namghmun juices was as insulting as not sharing one's surei'cha with one's bond-mate. Until she and Lum both really got to know Ataru in an intimate sense, Noa would only allow herself to partake in this delightful treat. Her hands were wrapped around the Oni's legs, the fingertips right over her meija just several centimetres under the skin. No sense in stimulating them; that would be Ataru's job once he had the ability to do that. Still, it was just fun enough to keep tapping Lum's tower, flooding her body with even more wonderful jolts of psi-energy. The wild Oni under her tongue was already bucking from the attack; very soon, she'd allow herself to explode. To most outside observers, Noa's ministrations on Lum's clit could be seen as quite timid. Try telling that to the writhing Oni; to her, it was as if the Sagussan was a dozen people suckling her horns at the same time! Already, her body was rolling back and forth as her passions built and built to a thunderous climax that made all her dreams about doing Ataru look quite timid. Still, as her sanity finally drowns in the torrent roaring from her groin, she reflects on one thing that would happen. Darling, soon you'll do this to me, give me pleasure... Soon, I'll have you take me... Very soon, my love... * * * "Excuse me?!" Ataru stops, then turns to see a beautiful brown-haired woman walk up to him. A haunting pang of familiarity thunders through his mind as her features become more clearer. "Yes?" "Hi!" she smiles, placing her hands behind her back. "Um, my name's Mie Seikou. I'm from Fukuoka-ken in Kyushu..." That voice! Ataru's eyes go wide. Haunting echoes from his time touching Noa's memories flash back. "It's you!!" he points at her. "You're Iiiieo, the missing pilot from Eluza's ship!!!" Mie recoils, then her eyes widen. "You know me?!" Ataru shudders, then sighs. "Look, can you pull down your pants? I need to see the back of your thighs." Mie blinks, then nods. Without a second's hesitation, the jeans go down. Ataru circles around to gaze at the back of her gorgeous thighs, where three Sagussan numbers were tattooed into the flesh. "Three-...three-...seven!" he reads one leg, then whistles. "Son of a bitch!! It IS you!!!" Beaming, her eyes flashing relief at the end of twelve years of questioning, Mie spins around, now not caring that her pants were now around her ankles. "You know me?! Do you remember where I come from?! Please, please tell me!!" "I...!" Ataru shudders. Suddenly, heat explodes over him. "***ATARU!!!!!!***" Before he could turn around, the sound of someone's body being slammed into a nearby tree, followed by a shocked cry and the click of a weapon's safety being switched off alerts him to the presence of another Sagussan, probably sent by Noa to watch over him. Sighing, he turns to see Sakura slammed against a cherry tree, her skull pressed against the unyielding wood by Makoto's hand, her other holding an Urban Assault Cannon to the priestess' throat! "Holy shit!!" Mie gapes as she slips her pants back on, her eyes focusing on her would-be bond-mate. "Makoto?!" Ataru blinks. "Awaiting your orders, sir," Makoto announces. He sighs. "Let her go, Makoto." "Aw..." her shoulders droop. Fire flashes in his eyes. "Be creative when you do it!" "Yes, sir!!" she icily grins. Tomobiki then quakes as Sakura's inhuman screams echo from one end of the district to the other!! Ataru and Mie look away, then when the screaming turns into a pained whimper, look back to see Sakura twisted into the shape of a pretzel. Makoto is now slinging her Cannon over her shoulder. "She's let go!" "Very creative," Ataru muses. "Always am...eh?!" Makoto stops. Mie blinks as the First Fleet watchmistress comes fully into the light. Her own heart does a flip-flop on seeing the taller, shapely Yehisrite-born woman, her eyes seeking out details such as Makoto's auburn hair, now in a high ponytail; her eyes, green as the forest, as expressive as Mie's, now tearing on recognizing someone she had once thought lost; the taunt muscles covered by flawlessly tanned skin which was only marked by the heart-and- lightning bolt tattoo which indicates Makoto's former life as one of Yehisril's Most Dangerous Ones. Silence falls over the scene as they gaze into the other's eyes, unspoken messages flashing between them. Ataru remains silent, not wanting to intrude on their reunion. Finally, Mie's mouth twitches into a delighted grin. Finally after so long, she had her answers. "Makoto-chan..." "Mie-chan..." Makoto sniffs, tears drenching her cheeks as the pain of twelve years' separation ebbs away, replaced by the thirst for many wonderful tomorrows. Mie's arms open, allowing her would-be bond-mate to fly into her waiting embrace. Both shudder as sobs rock their bodies. It would take a while to get the missing Gladiator pilot back up to speed, but Makoto knew that everything from now on could only get better. She'd make sure of that! Ataru then walks up, adding his embrace. "Welcome home, Mie- chan," he gently kisses Mie's forehead. "Arigato," Mie sniffs, then tenses. "Look out!!!" Sakura was now lunging at him, her spirit-sensor ready to send him to the moon. "***A-...TA-...RU!!!!!!***" Makoto's Cannon roars, sending the surprised priestess into orbit! "GET OUTTA HERE, YOU WORTHLESS EXCUSE FOR AN EII'SAGH!!!!" "It's fate...!!!" Sakura wails as she breaks escape velocity. "Aw!!" Ataru pouts. "I wanted to do that!!!" * * * Consciousness slowly returns to the panting women as Noa slowly rolls out from between Lum's legs, her hand absently wiping her mouth of the Oni's liquid gold. Lum is flat on her back, her body spent from the unparalleled assault the Sagussan unleashed on her. After a moment, Noa slides up to her, delivering a warm thank you kiss. "How was that?" "For my first time...?" Lum purses her lips, then her shoulders seem to deflate. "I hardly remember half of it!" Noa laughs. "Believe it or not, Ataru felt the same way after we went at it." Smiling, she delivers another kiss. "I wish you would've been there." "So do I," Lum embraces her. "So tell me...how good is he?" "Oh, I'm not gonna spill all his secrets, love," Noa smirks. "I'll save that for when you and he do the tamgh va ragh. In the meantime, let's get those horns healed." "Eh?!" Lum blinks confusedly. The Sagussan walks over to her purse, pulling out a small device the size and shape of the cap to a can of aerosol spray. Walking back to the Oni, she places the open end over her shattered horn bud. Lum gasps as warm energy floods her nerve clusters, her legs dampening from the sensual feelings those nerves were firing from her temples. "N-noa..." She looks down as Noa spreads her legs. "Time for seconds," the Sagussan playfully coos as that wonderful tongue begins to lap up the Oni's love juices. Lum breathes out in relief as Noa's psi-powers this time move to dilute the rampaging energy in her body from overwhelming her. For this reason, local regeneration on an Oni's horns was usually done with the subject unconscious. Noa didn't mind it and Lum certainly didn't. After a moment, a *ding!* from the regenerator signals that everything is done. Noa stands up, taking the device from one healed horn, then places it on the other. Back south to soothe Lum's aching namghmun until another *ding!* flashed that the Oni's powers were now fully restored. "Done!" Noa kisses her, then takes off the regenerator. Lum smacks her lips on tasting her own love juices, then looks at her hands. Small flashes of electricity dance over her skin. Sighing in relief, she stands as Noa puts away the regenerator. "Thanks! What was that, anyway?!" "Local regenerator modified to work on an Oni's horns," Noa smiles, then draws Lum into her arms. "Since I wanted to ensure you and Ataru came with us, I brought it along just in case." "*Tcha,* you think of everything, don't you?" "Don't you know the Pathfinders' motto?" Noa wonders. "'Be prepared.'" "I thought that was the Boy Scouts' motto." "Them, too." Both laugh as they drown themselves in another kiss. "So, what should we do now?" Lum wonders, biting her lips. "I mean, I don't think Darling'll be in a good enough mood to try to make up with him tonight..." "Hey, he'll surprise you," Noa places her finger on Lum's lips. "Let's get something to eat. I'm starving." "Okay!" Lum smiles... * * * "She's moving," the strike team's scout reports. The leader watches as Lum and Noa walk out of the Moroboshi home hand-in-hand. "Damn! Not alone," he grits his teeth, then pulls out his communicator. "Let's call this in." The others nod... * * * "What can I do?" Ataru sighs, hugging himself as music blares over Noa's stereo set. "Shit, after cutting loose like that on her, I doubt she'll want to say a thing to me for a long time!" Shinobu places a hand on his shoulder. Right now, several couples were on the floor gyrating to the music. Mie and Makoto were off to find the "Hasei'cha's" crew on patrol to pass on the good news. Eluza had signalled Sagussa to have Hotaru, Mie's twin sister, come to Earth right away. Ataru's former girlfriend steals glances from time to time at the dance floor. Seeing people like Eluza and Pony get wickedly passionate had blown her mind away. For one raised as a descendant of one of "Christ's hidden flock" which had protected themselves from persecution over the years, the idea of seeing two women vent their passions in public to each other was insane...not that her ideas about God's plans had taken such a battering over the last two years. Ataru gazes at her, then at the gyrating shipmistress and her marei'cha. "Shinobu, I look at it this way. If your God is said to be the One who created all living things, then He purposefully permitted people like the Sagussans to exist. You gotta remember, that book..." by which he meant the Bible, "...was written by a small group of men two thousand years ago. They couldn't've predicted aliens back then, could they?" "No, not really," she admits. Ataru was one of the few people in Tomobiki who knew of her Catholic upbringing. He'd never taken her to task over it; in his eyes, it wasn't his business how Shinobu looked on Existence. It was one of the many things she loved about him. "I was raised to believe Christ's Word since I was old enough to understand it. It's been hard for me to reconcile what I've experienced with that Word." "Maybe God gave you a defence," he muses. "Your strength." Shinobu stares at her hands, her cheeks suddenly reddening. She had been tempted from time to time to bring Ataru to her pastor, Father Cristobal Rodriguez, who worked out of a church in Shinjiku, and introduce him into the Church. The way his parents, both nominal Buddhists, treated him, she doubted they'd care which way he went. "Ataru-kun...what do you believe?" she stares at him. The other times she asked that question, she had never got a response. Ataru was very defensive about people probing into his personal feelings. This time surprises her. "I believe in the power of Existence, that there's a natural order to the way things are throughout Existence. The Sagussans call That Power 'Te'a,' 'That Which Is Above mortal understanding.'" "They believe in God?" "No. The Supreme Being, as they call That Power, was just the intelligence which set things in motion," Ataru shakes his head. "In a Sagussans' eyes...in my eyes...once the process begins, other forces take over and the Creator vanishes. The Te'a is the special energy that flows through everything. You, me, all living beings on all the planets in the Universe, even all inanimate objects. Without That Power, nothing could exist. "We believe that when you're born, your mei'na, your spirit, is extracted from the Te'a. When you die, your mei'na goes back to the Te'a. Therefore, there's no Heaven and Hell and without that, no real need for a theologically-based religion like what you're used to. And what's the need to personify the Creator as a man? Would a sandpanther believe that a human Creator made his existence possible? What about a windrider or a stormwalker? They'll have different views, too. And why must God be male? On Sagussa, women came first, not men; that's why the Grand Design emphasized getting Daishi'cha before looking for Daimon'cha." "A sandpanther?!" Shinobu exclaims. "Ataru-kun, that's an animal, not a person!" "Wanna bet?" Ataru turns to the kitchen. "Starleaf!!" Shinobu screams as the "Hasei'cha's" mascot limbers out of the kitchen, all two metres of golden fur shaped loosely like a cougar, a metre-long tail, sensitive feelers and two muscular grippers emitting from behind his jaw...and that didn't mention the eight- metre bat-like wings now comfortably folded to his side. Ataru's former girlfriend nearly scrambles over him as Starleaf sits before him, a questioning growl escaping his lips. Ataru smiles. "Shinobu, this is Starleaf. Starleaf, Shinobu." Shinobu shudders as she gazes at the curious sandpanther. A planet of bisexual women was hard enough to take. But an alien tiger with wings who seemed as tame as a domesticated feline? However, sensing Ataru's calm, she slowly dismounts him, then approaches the sitting sandpanther. He seems bemused by her hesitancy, then leans up to lick her face. She gasps on feeling his wet tongue, then giggles as his licks dance over her skin. "I think he likes you, Shinobu!" Linna calls over from a couch she was sharing with Nene. "Hey, cut it out!!" Shinobu squeaks as she tries to fight off the ticklish feeling of Starleaf's tongue. Finally deciding this pet was nice enough to join his brood, Starleaf rubs his head on Shinobu's cheek, causing another spasm of giggles. "Yeah, you're part of his flock now," Priss snickers. "'His' flock?" Shinobu blinks. "Sure," the coxswain winks, then gulps down her personal ale. "Sandpanthers own their humans on Sagussa, Shinobu." Everyone smiles as they return to personal business. Ataru gazes at his former girlfriend. Despite what she did when Mendou first came into their lives, he had always cared for her, wanted the best for her. What Shinobu needed right now was good friends who wouldn't shake up her life more than it already was. He had found his peace within Sagussa's embrace. Would she be the same? He hoped so. Despite her strong faith in Christ, Shinobu was in essence an open, forgiving sort, taking to heart one of Jesus' most forward-thinking ideas: turning the other cheek. It had been the primary reason she still treated him with respect despite all their past problems. He wanted in some way to repay her kindness, but as of yet, hadn't figured out a way. But now, he had other problems on his mind. A green-haired Oni woman for one. "If you'll all excuse me, I'm going over to see Lum," he announces, standing. "I'll be back soon." "You sure you don't want someone with you?" Priss stands. "No," he shakes his head. "If I don't face Lum by myself, she'll never respect me. No relationship can come out of that." The coxswain nods, sitting down. Ataru heads out as Shinobu gazes at Priss. She sensed the Sagussans tense when he announced his intention to see Lum. Jesu Cristo, their loyalty to him was absolute. If the others found out about this, they'd be driven insane. After all, people in Tomobiki fervently believed that Ataru's dreams were NEVER meant to come true, especially if he dreamt of finally marrying Lum. If anything would shake people out of their private fantasies, this would. Shinobu shudders, then offers a silent prayer for God to forgive her for thinking ill of her fellow man. They were mortal and therefore capable of mortal mistakes and were to be forgiven for them. Even Noa's people. A shadow falls over her. Shinobu looks up to see Sylia smiling at her. "Shinobu, would you care to dance?" she waves to the floor where couples were gathering for a slow song. Shinobu recognizes the song: "Hold Me Slowly." It was one of Ataru's favourites. Smiling, she stands, taking her hand. "Sure." They slip onto the floor as Sylia draws the shorter Terran into her arms. To Shinobu, it was like dancing with Ataru...if you ignored your partner's ample superstructure, which seemed to be straining to burst free of her blouse. Listen, my baby. Do you remember? It's been a long since last we saw the stars I hope we could see, all night together, Stars in the sky. Hold me slowly, my sweet babe, Touch me gently, 'cause a special night. Kiss me softly, as many as stars. I love you really, Baby can I? Mendou hated this song. It was a song everyone associated with Ataru. Shinobu still loved the song even after she broke up with him. But get Mendou to dance with that tune? Fat chance! Tell me, my baby. You know the number. Yeah, of the wrong thing that you did for me. I want you to forget it all right, We go there to find our stars. Hold me slowly, my sweet babe, Touch me gently, 'cause a special night. Kiss me softly, as many as stars. I love you really, Baby can I? The others hated this song, but had to put up to it whenever Lum wanted it played. It spoke of forgiveness. How could one forgive Ataru of anything, especially taking Lum from them? And besides, it was the only time when Ataru and Lum could get close in public without others interfering. People brazen enough to try to cut in were zapped or punched out of the way. If that didn't prove that Ataru had some strong feelings for Lum, nothing would, Shinobu smiles as she leans against Sylia's shoulder. Do you wanna move our bed tonight? Just tonight? Yeah, on the roof. It's gonna be a special night. Hold me slowly, my sweet babe, Touch me gently, 'cause a special night. Kiss me softly, as many as stars. I love you really, Baby can I? As the chorus fades, Shinobu and Sylia gazes at each other. "Thank you," the Pathfinder commander leans up. It was tender but a chaste kiss she gives her. Shinobu doesn't feel any revulsion. After all she heard of Noa's people, for one woman to give another a kiss would seem quite natural. Shinobu smiles. "Thank you," she firmly squeezes Sylia's hand, then heads over to the kitchen for something to drink. Sylia watches her go, trying desperately not to follow her. Shinobu had no idea what that hand squeeze meant. It was typically the sign for the one squeezed to rendezvous with the other for some intense sex. Just like asking "do you have a cure for a headache?" While she wouldn't follow up on that tradition right now, Sylia couldn't deny that she was tempted. Very tempted. On the plus side, Shinobu was effectively single (Sylia knew there was no way Shinobu could continue her relationship with the extra-dimensional being Inaba), hurting from past heartbreaks and looking for some stability in her life. Quite strong in her own right, she was also very forgiving of many people's faults. The perfect Daishi'cha, Honey had earlier surmised. On the minus side, Shinobu professed faith to a narrowly-minded paternalist religion which frowned on anything that deviated even slightly from the prescribed behaviour laid out in the Bible. Though Christianity had loopholes built into its beliefs, they were not vast enough to take something like what Sagussa represented. Yes, it was worth the try, Sylia smiles as she follows Shinobu into the kitchen... * * * "Hey!" Ataru smiles. "How're you guys doing?!" Lufy, Catty, Mie and Makoto smile as they meet in the district park. The doctor was just putting away her scanner. "We're fine," Catty smiles, gazing at her once-missing shipmate. "Other than a bout of amnesia easily understood because of her performing tre'cha with Hotaru before leaving Sagussa, Mie's in perfect shape. Hotaru and Setsuna'll be here tomorrow to perform satre'cha to get Mie back up to speed." "You sure you're up to this?" Ataru gazes concernedly at Mie. "I really don't know to be honest with you," the amnesiac pilot shrugs. "I mean, when I'm with Makoto-chan or the others, all I get are faint impressions. They're strong, but nowhere close to proper memories. I'm grateful none the less; for the last twelve years, all I've been doing is looking into space and wondering who and what I was." "So what made you come to Tomobiki?" Ataru wonders. "You," Mie indicates him. "When I saw you on TV during the Tag Race, I had a feeling you would somehow lead me to my answers. I was right." "Near as we can figure, she came here to keep an eye on you while we were waiting for you to grow up," Lufy beams, then tenses. Ataru notices the others tense, then hears the putter of Ten- chan's scooter. Oh, shit, he must've heard what happened. "Ataru, you a-ho, there ya are!!!" the young Oni growls as he dives towards him. "Now, ya gonna get it!!!" Without his asking, the four Sagussans form a wall between the Terran and the Oni. Ten-chan brakes his machine, then floats off to get a clear shot. He dodges right to get around Catty. The Sagussans shift with him, keeping Ataru obscured. Ten-chan then goes left to get around Makoto. They shift with him. "Hey, get out of the way!!" he screams. "I'm after the a-ho behind ya!!!" Mie's eyes narrow as she walks up, then delivers a sharp blow to the young Oni's cheeks, sending Ten-chan to the ground! "You naughty little boy!!" the pilot growls. "How dare you try to hurt this man?! Why don't you go back to Uru where you belong?!!" Ten-chan's eyes widen in shock. NO girl ever snapped at him like that before! "B-but, I'm a g-good boy...!" he feels tears well up in his eyes. "A likely story!!" Mie growls. "Now, go home!!" "He can't do that, Mie," Lufy snickers. "Nene had her way with his ship sometime ago! I'll bet it's nothing more than a pile of junk right now!!" "Nene's bored," Makoto snickers. "Having nothing to do makes Pathfinder Troop Six's resident hacker a VERY naughty girl!" The others laugh. Ten-chan blinks, then floats up to Lufy. "Hey, you know the creep who wrecked my ship...ulp!" he gags on seeing the tattoo on her cheek. "Yeah, I know her!" Lufy snarls at him, filling his vision with those angry eyes. "What're you going to do about it?!" Ten-chan screams fearfully as he leaps on his scooter and drives off. There was no way he was going to mess around with a Yehisrite, especially a *pirpirsiw'r.* "I think he'll leave you alone from now on," Lufy smiles at Ataru. "Lyna, and Noa said **I** had no tact?!" Ataru sighs. Everyone laughs. Suddenly, weapons fire echoes from another part of the park. Everyone's head snaps around as the throaty bark of a personal defence pistol becomes very audible. "Shit, that's Noa!!" Lufy snaps as her subliminal senses picks up the Ashi'cha's psionic signature. "She's in trouble!!!" The five quickly race towards the flash of weapons fire and the explosion of lightning. Moments later, they burst into a clearing to see Noa and Lum being ganged up on by the small group of Niphentaxian agents sent to obtain the Oni. Without thinking, Lufy and Makoto draw weapons, then begin firing as Ataru, Catty and Mie circle around to try to get close. Two of the original dozen were dead, burns from Noa's pistol having cored out their hearts. Another was writhing on the ground, her body scarred by Lum's lightning. The others were circling around the two, who were now back to back. Lufy's and Makoto's bolts strike true as two more drop, their heads hollowly bouncing off the asphalt. "Ambush!!" the Elvis impersonator snaps, then tosses a grenade. Noa moves to shove Lum clear, but the weapon explodes right at their feet, the force of the sonic grenade throwing them against a nearby tree. "Lum-chan!!! Noa-chan!!!" Ataru screams as his legs kick up a rifle, then he begins to rain fire at the attackers. Unfortunately, his skill with a firearm isn't good; the shots go wide. Not so with Mie; her shots core wounds in the attackers' heads and chests. Seeing they are outgunned by the newcomers, the leader lunges at the unconscious Oni and her Sagussan companion, stabbing a button on his jersey. A second later, a teleport beam takes the three away. "Shit!!!" Lufy drills another attacker through the neck, then races into the clearing. "Gone!!" By that time, the only one still alive was the one Lum's lightning had taken down, the Bardot-wanna be in the bikini. "Is there anyone on the 'Hasei'cha?!'" Ataru wonders. "Alphonse is there," Lufy stabs her communicator. "Lufy to 'Hasei'cha!' Alphonse, we've got a ship in orbit with Noa and Lum aboard it. Probably cloaked! Find it!!" A sandpanther growls, then a quick message scrolls over the small LED screen on Lufy's mini-comp. "No dice!" she spits out, then faces Ataru. "We're up against pros here, Boss." Ataru shudders, then stares at the Niphentaxian woman by Makoto's feet. "But we've got a prisoner," he walks over to her, then yanking her by her hair, jams the barrel of his machine pistol into her throat as he glares into her eyes. "Okay, bitch, talk!!! What do you want with Lum and Noa-chan?!!" She smiles, her finger triggering a hidden palm-switch. "We were doing you a favour..." she smiles. A muffled *pop!* jerks her head, blood exploding from her nose, mouth and ears as her body goes limp, her eyes rolling into her skull. Catty leaps to her side, scanner out, then winces. "Mini-explosive surgically implanted in her brain!. Not enough to be really noticed, but enough to turn her brains to mush!!" Hearing that, Ataru howls as he lets go of her, then spins away to vomit. The others wince at such a gristly fate, then Makoto walks over to help the heaving Terran teen back to his feet. "Ataru, we'll get them back, both of them! We're not going to lose them! You hear me? We'll get them back!" Ataru blinks, then nods weakly at Makoto, then stares at the beautiful woman who just killed herself to ensure that Lum's and Noa's whereabouts remained a mystery. Revulsion and anger thunder through his heart. "Who are they...?" "Niphentaxians," Catty reports. "You won't know of that race; Lum wouldn't tell you unless she really had to. As far as she's concerned, they could all die and she wouldn't care one bit. It's a very long story." "So it's true," Lufy bites her lips. "Koosei's death was gonna lead to Lum! Fuck!!" "Who's Koosei?" Ataru wonders. "Oyuki's fiance," Makoto reports. "He was one of a few inside the Barrier who were privy to our existence. People like them," she waves to the slaughtered strike team, "...killed him not more than a week ago on Gomiana. That's what made Noa decide to come down here and see you. It could've easily reflected on both you and Lum, especially since Koosei and Lum were friends." Ataru reels. A week ago, Oyuki was panicking with everyone else over Lum's decision to use a memory-erasing device to make him give in. *Shit, she must be hurting right now!* he gasps, then shakes his head. "Okay! Options?!" "Limited," Lufy sighs. "We've no idea where these jokers were based. Rover units could scour the Phentax system, but that's twenty-three planets, all but the first inhabited. It'll take a while unless we get a lucky break." "Get them to work," Ataru orders. "Any other ideas?" "Yes," Catty sighs. "We have to close Earth up. If news of this leaks out, it could compromise this planet's safety. News of you becoming Daimon'cha could spark an intergalactic war as everyone tries to take control of Earth or get their hands on you. We'll not be doing your people any favours by allowing that." "We've got the assets," Makoto adds. "They're just sitting around Sagussa doing nothing. Let's put them to use." Ataru sighs, then nods. "Okay. Signal the U.N., tell them what's happening, then get everyone here. I want our forces in place BEFORE news of this gets to Lum's father. I can only guess what'll happen afterward. Keep an eye on Jariten. He might try to use Oyuki's space-warp to get the word out to his uncle. His concern'll be more than understandable, but his strategic sense needs loads of work. What about Lan's ship?" "It's down; ditto with Lum's and Rei's," Lufy reports, then grins, winking. "Speaking of that airhead and that pig, how about I go over to the hospital and MAKE SURE they stay put?" "Don't tempt me!" Ataru snarls, then kneels beside the dead Niphentaxian agent, his hand trailing the gentle curve of her cheeks. Why did she do it? They could've talked it out. He really didn't want her to die...did he? "Damn," he bites his lips, feeling tears sting his eyes. "Did she have a family, I wonder?" "Ataru," Catty kneels beside him. "If you don't mind, we'd like to take the women's bodies..." the strike team was three- quarters female, "...and put them into storage. You know some of our companion androids are aching to become organic." Ataru feels his mouth twitch. "Catty, you're a ghoul," he sighs, then closes the agent's eyes. "Sure, go ahead. As for them," he glares at the male agents. "Do whatever you want!" "No problem," Lufy nods... * * * To be continued...^Z