[Ranma][Fanfic] Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty - Chapter 6: Pregnant Pause ======================================================================= Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty Chapter 6: Pregnant Pause Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and copyright 2000-2001 by Jim Lazar An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime. For maximum enjoyment of this fanfic series, please read my Childhood of Modern Dynasty series before reading Adulthood. E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: jim [at] animeprime.com Make sure to check out my Modern Dynasty website for all released AMD stories, graphics files, and other information: http://www.animeprime.com/ff/md ======================================================================= >From the Journal of James Davidson June 5, 2058 Moyashi and I stood at the back of the South Gate's media room and watched Shashiki walk up to the podium. I was more used to being on the other side of the podium, but ever since Birth was published, I've spent more time being reported on than being the reporter. Even today, I was here mostly to act as a semi-impartial witness to events instead of doing the reporting. Shashiki smiled pleasantly to the holo-cameras and the hundred or so assembled reporters that had been chosen from the over eight hundred reporters that had been camped out at the various gates to the Compound since Akane was critically injured three weeks ago. Living in the compound, we didn't notice the throngs of reporters that much. If not for the occasional holo-videos that the Reis showed on their private holo-channel, we might forget the reporters were there at all. That video usually involved the troublesome twosome turning the lawn sprinklers on or extending the anti-Buyierfei spikes when the reporters got too close to the outer wall. There but for the grace of God go I. "People of the Earth," Shashiki began. "As you know, three weeks ago the Matriarch was critically injured during a battle with the Buyierfei. Presently, she is in stable condition and is not in any danger. As we have told you many times before, the Task Force is still fully capable of defending the world against the Buyierfei while the Matriarch recovers." She took a breath. "So I have to ask that the people who have or are evacuating to the Great Shelters to please return to their homes and relax. There is no reason to worry, the world is in safe hands." She held out her hands, palms upturned. A wave of murmurs passed through the crowd. Moyashi leaned over to me and whispered into my ear. "She always has been a bit over-dramatic." I smiled. Shashiki cleared her throat. "Good hearing, too," I whispered back. Shashiki repeated her statement in English and then continued her media conference in Japanese. "Yesterday, the last civilian who was injured in the attack was released from the hospital. So the final report is twenty-seven civilians injured, treated, and released from the hospitals, five Task Force members injured--which includes the Matriarch--and about three hundred million yen in property damage--not including the Task Force equipment destroyed during our response to the Buyierfei attack. I understand the property owners were all fully insured for Buyierfei damage. In fact, many of them doubled their policies for the movie premiere." There were some chuckles from the crowd. "Despite what some reporters have indicated-" Shashiki glared at a tall man near the front of the crowd. "-there were *NO* fatalities. Civilian or Task Force." She repeated her statement in English again and then turned her heads towards Moyashi. "Here to fill you in on the Matriarch's medical condition is our Head Physician, Doctor Moyashi Ono." She stepped aside and let Moyashi take the podium. Moyashi smiled pleasantly, but kept a professional look on his face and stature. "Thank you. The Matriarch's wound was serious and life threatening when she was first brought into our clinic, but she is stable now and in no danger. After the initial operation to repair the damage caused by the Buyierfei tentacle being thrust through her chest, she did go into arrest seven times. Fortunately, she is a strong woman. We have since managed to stabilize her and we expect her to make a full recovery." As he repeated in English, I made a mental note of the fact that he didn't mention the light from her chest or what caused it. I wouldn't have expected them to mention it, but it's hard for me to listen to this while knowing about that particular detail. Moyashi pressed a button on the podium and then gestured at a holographic wire-frame representation of Akane's body. It showed her heart and lungs inside the wire-frame body, with her bones displayed in blue and red. "As you can see in this holo-image--which will be available from the Compound media feed after the media conference is over--the tentacle entered her back at her fifth rib, shattering that rib and perforating her lung." The hologram showed the entry point and the path through her lung. "The exit was between her third and fourth. The broken rib--shown blinking in red here--has been replaced with a carbon-bonded ceramic replacement." He gestured at the display, which had over a third of the bones displayed in red. "That brings her to an even eighteen replaced ribs altogether for those keeping track. Six more to go." Again, he repeated his statement in English. As ghoulish as it seems, there are actual ultra-global-net sites that track Akane's injuries, not to mention the auction sites that constantly have Akane's body parts--fake of course--for sale. Everybody wants a piece of Akane, it seems. "She has not regained consciousness yet, but we expect her to once we take her off the tissue-knitter regimen that is repairing her lung tissue." -A- -M- -D- After the media conference was over, I walked out of the South Gate building with Shashiki. Moyashi had left earlier to check on his patients, not the least of whom was Akane. "Well, that went well." Shashiki nodded slightly. "Yes, but you should have seen the circus I had to contend with when word first got out that she was injured. Even the mere hint that she may die always sends the media, politicians, and public into a frenzy." "I can't say I was that calm when it happened either." Shashiki nodded. "I guess it's a normal reaction, but it's just irrational to believe that one person holds the world's fate in her hands." "Like your mother?" Shashiki stiffened. "Sorry." "That's okay. My mom may have had more than her fair share of problems when she was Matriarch of the Amazons, but that was nothing compared to the pressures and problems Akane has these days." "Did your mom ever want to resign as Matriarch?" Shashiki smirked. "Quite often, but something kept her there. I never really understood what it was, but she seemed to like living in the village. Maybe it had something to do with the time she spent with my grandfather before he passed away. She always spoke fondly of him and even named one of my brothers after him." "How did you kids like the village?" "My brothers and I always wanted to see what was on the other side of the mountains." I laughed. "Whatever's over the next mountain always seems better than home until you go there." Shashiki nodded. "So true. So true..." *********************************************************************** August 10-11, 2007 - Joketsuzoku, China; Jusenkyo, China "Halt! What is your business with the Matriarch?!" The little longhaired girl looked up at the huge sentry with her pure and innocent eyes. "I got some flowers for my mommy!" She held out her hands and showed off the blue and white flowers in them. "Do you have any water on you?" The little girl shook her head. "When did you last pee?" The little girl started to count on her fingers and then held up eight fingers. "This many minutes!!" The sentry nodded. "Okay, you may see the Matriarch." The girl smiled and gestured for the sentry to come down to her. The large woman looked all around and then bent down. The girl put a blue flow behind the woman's ear, which looked good with the long green hair the Amazon sported. "There, you look pretty now, Nair." Nair smiled. "Get in there, Shashiki, before I change my mind." The girl giggled and the bounded past the large sign that read 'No Water Allowed' in Ancient Amazon, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, English, Tibetan, Russian, and about a dozen other languages. It also had a glass of water pictured with a big circle and slash through it to cover the occasional illiterate wanderer. -A- -M- -D- "There's no doubt about it. It's a healthy boy." "I'm happy he's healthy, but..." Shinuma looked up from the ultrasound image and finished his wife's statement. "But it'll cause some problems with the Circle." Yukiko, who was lying naked on a large fluffy bed, nodded. Shinuma reached over and pulled the ultrasound monitor off his wife's large belly. "Well, that's why we got this thing from the doctor in Shirazek. He even gave me instruction on how to use it on human animals." He smiled slightly. "Now that we know what to expect, we can prepare for the backlash from the Circle." "I hope so." "Whatever happens, I'll stand by your side." He wiped the gel off her stomach with a towel and then pulled a sheet and blanket up over her body. Yukiko smiled. "I know... The problem is that they are talking about you being a bad spermbank." Shinuma sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed and started rubbing her stomach. "I've been doing my best." "I know..." Yukiko touched Shinuma with her hand. "But a third boy will not sit well with the old bat." "Why don't you just kick her off the Circle?" "If only it was that easy. Unless she does something against Amazon law, there aren't enough Elders who would vote her out. Powder for sure and possibly one other, but the rest are still stuck in the past." "Well, whatever you decide, I'm here for you. Whether it's getting you pregnant again or fleeing to a tropical island with you, we'll be together." Shinuma bent down and gave his wife a long kiss. "Kissy, kissy!!" Shinuma and Yukiko broke their kiss and looked over at the entrance to the room. "Oh... hi, dear," Yukiko said as she made sure she was covered. Her daughter tackled her a second later. "Careful about the baby, dear." Shashiki smiled and nodded. "I brought Mommy some flowers." She held out her hand and offered the blue and white flowers to her mother. Yukiko smiled as she took the flowers and then gave her daughter a kiss. "Thanks, honey." "So another icky brother, huh?" Yukiko and Shinuma exchanged an uneasy glance. "Were you listening, Pu?" Shinuma asked as he brushed his six-year-old daughter's hair. Shashiki's eyes went wide. "No!" "Good Amazon's don't lie," Yukiko said softly. Shashiki scrunched up her face. "I'm sorry, Mother. Yes, I was listening." Shinuma pulled his youngest onto his lap. "Pu, it's very important that you not tell anyone about your new brother, okay?" "Okay. Can I tell Lather and Shave?" "No. No one." "Can I punch Lather and Shave then?" "Why?" "They bug me." Yukiko giggled. "They just look up to their big sister, that's all." "Can I tell Powder?" "Pu, do you know what NO ONE means?" Shashiki shook her head. Her parents laughed. "No one means everyone. Anyone not in the room right now. So you can't tell anyone who is not here in this room right now." Yukiko cupped her daughter's chin in her hand. "Understand?" "So..." Shashiki scrunched up her face in concentration. "I can tell Mommy, Daddy, and my brother-" She patted her mother's stomach. "But I can't tell Lather, Shave, Powder, Nair, Latexco..." Yukiko cut off her daughter before she tried to list the names of everyone she knew in the entire village. "Yes... that's right. Just don't mention it to anyone. Okay?" "'Kay!" Shashiki smiled and then ran from the room. "I hope she..." Shinuma started to say before a loud shout was heard from outside. "Hey, Nair, guess what?!" Shinuma shot out of the door and just managed to stop his daughter from spilling the beans. -A- -M- -D- "May the Matriarch give birth to a strong warrior!! I now declare this meeting of the Circle in session!" Powder proclaimed and then handed the golden staff to Yukiko, who was laying in her bed. Normally, Circle meetings were held in the Circle's hut, but with Yukiko effectively under house arrest to avoid her getting wet and turning into a cat during her pregnancy, they had been holding the weekly Circle meetings in the Matriarch's bedroom for the past four months. Yukiko looked at Powder, wishing the white haired woman didn't have to use the opening words that were traditionally used whenever the Matriarch was pregnant with a presumed 'warrior', which is the term Amazons used interchangeably with 'female'. She looked at each of the six circle members, lingering ever so slightly on the oldest of the Elders. "First order of business?" she asked Powder, even though she knew what it was. "Prayers and the ceremony to ensure a proud female warrior is born of the Matriarch." Powder grasped her... well, the two most recognizable female parts on her body and started to chant an ancient Amazon mantra which loosely translated meant 'Let the pure and mighty Matriarch bear a proud and busty female warrior that will lead the Amazons to victory against all who oppose the mighty mammary glands of our foremothers'. It sounded much more noble and dignified in the original language of the Amazons. The other Elders took up the chant as they squeezed their own breasts. Yukiko lowered her head, not wanting to watch the old women squeeze their breasts. -A- -M- -D- "Next order of business?" Yukiko asked after the Circle meeting went into its third hour. She looked very weary. "The last item is a special request by Elder Calluse." Power looked at one of oldest women in the hut. The old woman got to her feet. Although at first glance her slow and unsteady rise to her feet would make her look frail and weak, the noble posture she ended up in and the look in her gray eyes revealed her strong will and intelligence. Her long, white hair was tied up in an elaborate series of loops that ran down her back. Most of the other elders had much simpler styles, including Yukiko's simple triple ponytails that bound her waist-length white hair. The old woman waited in her noble pose to be recognized by the Matriarch. Yukiko waited to recognize Calluse a little longer than she would for the other Elders. Some might call it a power trip, but Yukiko knew she had to return Calluse's constant challenges to her power with the same intensity or risk losing face in the eyes of the whole tribe. After almost a minute of the two women staring intently at each other, Yukiko spoke. "Calluse, you may state your request." "Thank you, Matriarch," Calluse replied, her words tainted with a slight edge that revealed her contempt for the woman who she had to call her leader. "My request is simple. Being as you have dishonored the Amazon tribe by bearing two manchilds since you first bore a mighty warrior, we ask that you be tested to determine if your current child will be a warrior or not." There were a few shocked murmurs from the other Elders and a even a more shocked response from Powder, who stood up suddenly. "Calluse, you are out of order. The sex of the Matriarch's baby is not a factor until she gives birth." Yukiko had been prepared for something like this, so she just sat silently while Powder did her job as the Eldest. Calluse's expression didn't change. "True, but would it not be best for us to know now so we can prepare for a new Matriarch if she does indeed break the laws and bear a third manchild." The baby boy within Yukiko's uterus chose that moment to kick. "The laws do not preclude the Matriarch from having three manchilds," Powder insisted, glancing at Yukiko. She was a little surprised at how calmly her leader and friend was taking this latest challenge. "It does if she has married an unworthy spermbank." Powder's eyes narrowed. "You consider Shinuma unworthy?" "I do." Powder looked at Yukiko. "Matriarch, Elder Calluse has challenged the worthiness of your spermbank. How say you?" "My husband's sperm is of the highest quality and I deny that he is unworthy." "How many warriors has he fathered before he became your spermbank?" Yukiko was caught a bit off guard by Calluse's question, since she knew that Shinuma had only dated a few girls during high school and college and had definitely not gotten them pregnant. "None. His sperm has only fathered my three children." Calluse reached into her robe and extracted an old scroll. "According to Amazon law, a spermbank that marries an Amazon without a track record of fathering warriors and then proceeds to father three manchilds in a row is considered unworthy." She handed the scroll to Powder. Powder unrolled to scroll and studied it carefully. "Where did you find this?" "In the archives." Powder glanced at Yukiko. "She speaks the truth, there is a clause in the ancient scroll of sperm policies." She handed the scroll to Yukiko. Yukiko studied the scroll, trying her best to remain calm. Her calmness vanished when she realized that the scroll was genuine and binding. She looked over at Calluse and saw the smug smile the old woman was trying to hide. Yukiko slowly scanned the other faces of the Elders. She looked back at the scroll. "I will need time to study this issue before responding." "I ask that you respond now," Calluse declared. Powder spoke up. "The Matriarch has three months before giving birth, there is no reason that this issue has to be resolved now." -A- -M- -D- Shashiki climbed to the top of a small hill on the west side of the village. "Matriarch of the hill!!" Another six-year-old girl promptly tacked her. Together they tumbled to the bottom of the hill. "Matriarch of the hill!!" The two girls stopped wrestling and looked up at the top of the hill. "Lather, you can't be Matriarch!!" Shashiki yelled at her five-year-old brother. "Why?" "You're a boy!" "Then I'm king of the hill!" The little girl with Shishiki's fist in her gut frowned. "What's a king?" Shashiki looked at the girl. "It's what my mommy calls my daddy at night. Sometimes she calls him a stallion too." The girl's eyes widened in recognition of what Shashiki meant and looked at Lather. "Oh, you mean that you're spermbank of the hill!" Lather heard that and smiled. "I'm spermbank of the hill!!" Another boy just shy of three years old was digging in the dirt at the base of the little hill. He looked up at his older brother. "Whatcha doing, Lath?" Lather puffed out his chest like he'd seen the Amazon warriors do when they defeated their opponent. "I'm spermbank of the hill!" "Why?" "Because it's here!" Shave scratched his head with his dirty hand, leaving a streak of dirt down the side of his head. "Stupid reason." He continued digging. "Digging is funner." Lather grinned. "This special hill!" "Why?" Lather looked down at the ten-foot high hill and frowned. "I don't know." He looked down at his big sister. "Hey, Pu, what's so special about this hill?" Shashiki stopped her swing before her fist reached the crying girl's face. "It's the biggest hill in the village!" "Oh..." Lather looked at the hill again and then looked around at the tall hills, mesas, and mountains that surrounded the Amazon village. "Someday, I'll be spermbank of those hills too!" "Those hills are Mommy's." "Well... I'll be spermbank of what's behind them then." Shave looked up with his dirt-covered face. "What's beyond them?" Lather frowned and scratched his head. "I don't know." "Let's ask Mommy!!" Shashiki suggested, earning agreement from her two brothers. They looked at the girl Shashiki had been fighting with. "You'll get in trouble again," the skinny girl with short hair tucked into two buns said. "So?" Shashiki asked. The girl thought for a moment and then smiled. "Okay, let's go!" -A- -M- -D- After the Circle had left her hut, Yukiko was in her husband's arms and crying softly. "I hate that old hag!" Shinuma stroked her white hair. "I know. I can't believe the Amazons made laws regarding the sex of babies." Yukiko sighed. "They've always been a female dominated society ever since the First Matriarch. Whether out of fear of being outnumbered by males or because they just didn't know any other way of thinking, their laws favored the women and promoted that more women should be born than men." She wiped a tear out of her eye. "What are we going to do?" "You could just resign." "And let the old hag become Matriarch? Not a chance." "Why? We were only originally going to stay for that first year anyway." Yukiko looked at her husband's eyes. "Don't you like it here anymore?" "I love it here. This is our home now, but you don't have to be Matriarch to live here." "But... but... she called you an unworthy spermbank!" "So?" "But... but... I don't think she would be a good leader for the Amazons. She is so set in the old ways." "So? Although the Amazons may a bit extreme in some of their views on male-female relationships, they are still good people. Many of the changes you've made have been readily accepted by the tribe. They won't suddenly change if she becomes Matriarch." "She could reinstate the separate huts for husband and wife law." The official name of the law was actually 'separation of sperm and egg' and was the first law to go after Yukiko became Matriarch. Shinuma went pale. "That... that would not be good." "No..." Yukiko sighed heavily. "Mommy!!" The two parents looked over and saw their three kids and the skinny girl rush in. After a series of hugs, Yukiko asked, "What's up kids?" "What's on the other side of the hills?" Lather asked. "Huh?" Shave climbed onto the bed with his mother. "The hills around the village." Yukiko smiled. "Oh, well there's more hills, more villages, more people. The world is very large." Shinuma slid off the bed and over to one of the bookshelves in the room. "Let's see... here." He pulled an atlas out and walked back to the bed. Opening the book, he flipped to a map or Asia. "This is Asia. It's one of seven continents on the Earth. We live in the Amazon village which is here." He pointed to a spot in northwestern China. "Here is Japan, where I was born and met your mother." He pointed to Japan. Yukiko smiled as her husband went into teacher mode. Since the Amazon teachers concentrated on combat training and Amazon history and traditions, Shinuma had taken it upon himself to give their kids a broader education. He was so good that many other Amazon kids attended his 'classes'. The kids were studying the map with keen interest. "How many hills between here and Ja... ja... Japon?" Shave asked. "Ja... pan... is many hills away. Someday we'll go and visit your grandparents." Shave tilted his head. "When?" "Someday when you're older, dear," Yukiko responded and smiled at her children. "I want to walk there tomorrow!!" Shave insisted. Shinuma shook his head. "You can't walk there. We'd have to fly." Shave's eyes went wide. "You can FLY?! Wow!!" Yukiko giggled. "Well, we can't fly by ourselves. There are machines called airplanes that allow us to fly." "I wanna airplane!!" "My mommy went on an airplane once," the little skinny girl said. Yukiko nodded. "Yes, when Powder went with me to visit the Amazons in Japan." "Mommy said it was high." Yukiko decided not to mention how terrified Powder was of flying. One does not insult the bravery of an Amazon warrior. Especially not when that Amazon warrior is as good of a fighter as Powder was. "Well, Floss, your mother is right. The planes fly very high." "Let's fly!!" Shave said and jumped off the bed. "Let's fly!!" Lather repeated and jumped onto his brother. Needless to say all the kids started to jump around. "Kids... kids... we can't go anywhere right now," Shinuma insisted. "Why?" Shashiki asked mid jump. "Because..." Shinuma's explanation was cut off by his wife. "Yeah, why can't we?" Yukiko asked, looking at her husband and smiling. -A- -M- -D- "Matriarch, you have the floor," Powder said the next day and knelt down with the other elders, who were arranged in a semi circle around the Matriarch. Instead of being in her bed, Yukiko was standing in front of the Circle in the First Matriarch's armor. Although she looked a bit odd in the golden armor while pregnant, it did have the effect that she desired. "As Matriarch, I have many duties. Bearing future warriors is one of them. Protecting the Amazon Way is another. Of all these duties only one supercedes all other concerns." Yukiko paused to all them to wonder what. "Every Matriarch since the First has embarked on one, and now I do too. Tomorrow, I will perform my Wan-haang." Gasps resonated across the room. Those gasps were drowned out by an angry shout, just as Yukiko had expected. "You can not do that!! Not while you are under suspicion of carrying a manchild!!" Calluse shouted as she jumped to her feet. Yukiko remained calm and tried her best to retain her regal pose. "There is no prohibition as to when the Matriarch can take her Wan-haang, only that she must do it at some point. I have chosen now as the appropriate time." "But... but..." Yukiko was doing backflips in her head at seeing Calluse so flustered. Powder stood up and she backed up Yukiko's claim, as she had been requested by Yukiko before the meeting. "The Matriarch has declared her Wan-haang!" She made a fist with her right hand and pressed it between her breasts. "Wan-haang!!" All around the room, the other Elders released the gesture and chanted 'Wan-haang'. Except for Calluse. She was still standing silently and staring at Yukiko with a venomous stare. After it became obvious that Calluse wasn't going to recognize her Wan-haang, Yukiko raised her golden staff and started to talk. "Save one, the Circle honors me with my Wan-haang. I will go forth tomorrow." -A- -M- -D- "Calluse is really pissed," Powder remarked to Yukiko the next day in the Matriarch's bedroom. Yukiko looked up from the duffel bag she was packing and grinned. "I know." "You can't stay away on your Wan-haang forever, you know." "I know. But this will give us time to relax, have my son, and..." Yukiko slapped her hands over her mouth when she realized she had let that slip out. Powder smiled knowingly. "You know you're having a boy, don't you?" Yukiko nodded. "Yes. And this is the only way I could think to keep the old hag from becoming Matriarch." "She says than she had no interest in being Matriarch and is only looking out for the good of the Amazons." "You don't really believe that, do you?" "No..." "Well, just keep the Circle in line while I'm gone. I trust you with my proxy." Powder nodded. "Thank you. Um... I was wondering something." "What is it?" "Floss kept me up all night asking to go over the hills." Yukiko smiled. "Yeah, our kids have been excited ever since we told them we were going on a trip." "Well... do you think she could go with you? Ever since her father passed away she's been so wild and I think she could use the time away from the village." Yukiko smiled, never considering Floss to be 'wild'. Quite the opposite, actually. "Sure, the more the merrier." "I just hope you know what you're doing. One splash and you'll lose the baby." "We have my plastic suit." Powder looked at the waterproof suit that was hanging near the door. It was made out of clear plastic and meant to be worn over Yukiko's regular clothing. It looked a little like a bio-contamination suit, complete with a large headpiece with air hoses running from under the chin and down the back to a small portable air conditioner that was worn like a purse. "You can't stay in that thing all the time. You've always complained that it gets too hot if you use it for an extended period." "It does, but I won't have to stay in it where I'm going." Powder looked puzzled. "Where are you going?" "Somewhere where I once lost myself and found myself." -A- -M- -D- August 16-20, 2007 - Nerima, Japan; Shinjuku, Japan Nipplering stood in front of the Compound's South Gate, dressed--barely--in a pair of cutoff jeans, high heels, and T-shirt with 'I am not an Amazon...' emblazoned across her ample bosom. That ample bosom was currently the focus of the tall teenage boy with a crewcut that Nipplering was talking with. "You're kidding?!" "No, they really look like they're hiding beach balls under their armor." Nipplering spun around, revealing the back of her T-shirt, which read '...and neither is the big breasted woman next to me'. The boy ran his hand through his hair. "You Amazons are sure strange." Nipplering glared at the boy. "We are not Amazons." The boy waved his hands in front of her. "Sorry.. sorry..." Inside, his thoughts were different. "You're forgiven, but remember we're just really big fans of the Amazons, nothing else." The boy laughed. "Okay, Nip, I believe you." Nipplering ran her hand playfully down the boy's chest. "We're still on for Saturday, right?" The boy gulped and his voiced rose several octaves. "Yeah, but my parents are coming with us." Nipplering frowned. "Why?" "They still aren't comfortable with you being my fiancee." "I told them that I would not take your virginity until you were eighteen. What more do they want, Jitaru?" Jitaru laughed. "Well, you are a little older than me, Nip." In a flash, Nipplering whipped out dagger from... somewhere... and placed it against Jitaru's throat. "It's not nice to remind a woman about her age." Jitaru gulped. "Well, I tried to tell them that two years isn't that much, but they..." Nipplering smiled. "Well, I guess that's understandable." Jitaru relaxed. Nipplering lowered the dagger. Suddenly, Jitaru sprang forward, grabbed Nipplering's wrist and twisted in an attempt to disarm her. Nipplering's counter attack sent Jitaru flying down the street. "Nice try, my future husband, but you need many more classes at the dojo before you'll best me in anything but marital arts." She winked. Jitaru laughed as he arced through the air. The laughing stopped when he crashed into someone. "Matriarch!!" Jitaru opened his eyes and saw a woman in her twenties, who was enclosed in clear plastic for some reason. "Um... sorry." He suddenly found himself violently flung off the woman by his fiancee. "Matriarch, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there or I'd have never thrown my fiance at you!" Nipplering apologized as she helped Shinuma help Yukiko to her feet. Then she noticed her stomach. "Oh no... I may have hurt the future warrior of the Matriarch!!" As she got to her feet, Yukiko rubbed her stomach. "No, he didn't hit the baby." Then she exchanged an uneasy glance with her husband. Shinuma knew that his wife was concerned about Nipplering already starting on the 'warrior' comments. They had hoped to lessen some of that by leaving the Amazon village, but an Amazon is an Amazon no matter where they are. "Nipplering, can you please refrain from discussing the sex of the baby?" "Why?" "Ummm..." Yukiko saved her husband. "In Shinuma's family, its considered bad luck to discuss the sex of a baby." "I understand, I will make sure no one ever discusses your baby's sex while you're on your inspection." Nipplering glanced at the four kids and the two dozen Amazon warriors that had come with Yukiko. Jitaru bowed in front on Yukiko. "I'm terribly sorry." Yukiko smiled. "That's okay." "No, I will make sure he's punished severely, Matriarch!" Nipplering snapped. Jitaru gulped and tried to change the subject because he knew what that look on Nipplering usually meant. "So, this is the leader of your fan club?" Nipplering flinched and quickly fell into the cover story. "Yes... yes she is." She looked around awkwardly. "You'd best get home, Jitaru." Jitaru grinned. "Sure thing, Nip," he said, then made a hasty retreat. Yukiko and the others watched Jitaru scurry off. "Your fiance?" she asked Nipplering. "He rendered me unconscious with a blunt object." "Just don't get carried away. You know that I changed the laws regarding engagement by blunt objects, right?" "Yes, Matriarch," Nipplering said sadly. "I have explained my honorable intentions to marry him to his parents after he hit me with the Sunday edition. He and his parents have not rejected the engagement and I have not taken his virginity." Yukiko nodded. "Good. Marriage by love is much more rewarding." "I agree, Matriarch." Yukiko studied the tall woman and wondered if the unlikely couple actually shared some attraction. "Matriarch, we were not told of your visit." Yukiko smiled from within her plastic suit. "I am on my Wan-haang. You will not report our presence here to anyone and especially not to Joketsuzoku." Nipplering nodded. "Yes, Matriarch." "And instruct all the other warriors of the same." "Yes, Matriarch. How long to you plan to stay?" "That..." Yukiko exchanged a look with her husband. "That hasn't been decided yet. At least several months." She patted her large belly. "May the Matriarch give birth to a strong warrior!!" Nipplering called out, and was echoed by the other Amazons. Both those that came with Yukiko and those from the compound. Yukiko rolled her eyes. -A- -M- -D- Word of the Matriarch's arrival spread fast and before long all of the Amazons who called the Compound home were in full armor and assembled to greet her. "May the Matriarch give birth to a strong warrior!!" Yukiko sighed, leaned over to her husband, and whispered, "Maybe we should have gone somewhere without Amazons around." Shinuma smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "At least here we have help to keep you away from water." "Can your parents come up?" "Yes, they'll visit as soon as they get the summer crops harvested." Nipplering marched over and stood at attention. Instead of looking like an extra in the Dukes of Hazard, she was now in her full formal armor. "Matriarch! Your warriors are ready for inspection!!" Yukiko laughed. "I'm not here to in... spec... um... err..." She trailed off as she caught sight of Deeod and Rant in the row of Amazons, since they kind of stuck out from the rest of the warriors. "Um... how did Deeod and Rant get pregnant?" "I believe Soun Tendo is the father." "Mr. Tendo?!" A very bad feeling crossed Yukiko's mind. "Err... is Mr. Tendo still in one piece?" "Matriarch?" "I mean, is he still... um... attached to his... um... you know." "I believe he still has his penis and testicles, Matriarch." A thought occurred to Nipplering. "I haven't personally verified that, but if you would like me..." "No... no, that's alright." A sigh of relief emerged from Yukiko's mouth, but her mouth dropped open in surprise at Nipplering's next statement. "I believe they asked him to do it." -A- -M- -D- Later in the Amazon's west house that had been 'waterproofed' for Yukiko's use, Yukiko and her husband were listening to Deeod and Rant explain their pregnancies. Soun, Hinako in her child form, Akane, Ranko, and Ranma were all there as well. "And that's how I got pregnant," Deeod said, finishing her explanation. Yukiko rubbed her head. "That's... a very interesting way to get pregnant." "Well, Rant and I wanted a child and since Hinako's spermbank was an acceptable male, we decided to make use of him." "So, the baby you're carrying-" Yukiko pointed at Deeod. "Is from your egg and Mr. Tendo's sperm?" Soun blushed. Deeod nodded. "Actually, I am carrying two babies. We started out with four eggs; two from me and two from Rant. Two of the eggs took, so these babies will be both of ours." "So, why is Rant pregnant as well if you're carrying eggs from both of you?" Rant rubbed her belly. "This is not our child." "Then who?" Soun and Hinako clasped their hands and recited in unison, "It's ours!!" "Huh?" Rant smiled at Soun and explained. "After our first choice turned us down, we evaluated the various males available to us." "I was honored that they thought so highly of me," Soun said proudly. "After we went through the first fifty-three men on our list, we asked Mr. Tendo." Soun's shoulders slumped. Ranma puffed out his chest and smiled. "I was number one." "Actually-" Rant interjected. "-you were number twenty-eight, right after the fish salesman down the street." Ranma's ego popped like a Goodyear blimp being hit by a pin traveling at warp speed. Hinako giggled and rubbed her husband's shoulders. "Anyway, when they asked us we were having our own troubles trying to have a baby of our own. Since I can only hold my adult form for short periods using my fighting fish, I can't stay adult for nine months. We tried once and it turned out to be impossible." Yukiko nodded. "I know the feeling. I have to take extreme precautions to avoid triggering my curse." She glanced at her plastic suit that was hanging near the door. Akane smiled. "Your four kids are darling." She looked towards the window, outside of which all the kids could be seen playing. Actually 'playing' and not fighting for once. "Actually, Floss is Powder's child." Yukiko patted her stomach. "This is number four." She looked at Hinako. "So Rant is carrying your egg which was fertilized by your husband?" Hinako nodded. "Yes, we are so grateful for them for helping us out." Rant smiled. "It's the least we can do since they helped us have children." Yukiko suddenly burst out laughing. "You... you have built quite an Amazon tribe here, Akane." "Huh?" "Amazons sharing spermbanks is a very ancient tradition." Akane giggled. "Well, we're not making a habit of it. Deeod, Rant, and Ranko are as far as the sperm sharing goes." "Ranko?" Yukiko asked and looked at the woman in question. Ranko blushed and touched her stomach. "I'm two months along." Akane beamed like a proud father. "It would have been sooner, but the sperm donor was reluctant." She looked at Ranma. "It's not a very manly way to get my sister pregnant, okay?" Ranma muttered irritably. Akane's eyes narrowed as she looked at her male husband. "You'd rather get her pregnant the normal way?" "Of cou... err... no!!" Ranma stammered. Yukiko giggled. "Well, at least I'll have some company as I go though my last three months." Akane nodded. "Yup, even more so. Nabiki's second child is due in four months." Yukiko smiled. "Another one so soon, huh? I saw the pictures you sent us of her first child. How did Nijiko get those rainbow colored eyes?" Akane smiled. "They are striking, aren't they? Apparently, they run in Mousse's family." "I'll have to go see them when I get a chance." Shinuma cleared his throat. "I'm sure they can come here. It's safer." Yukiko nodded. "Of course." She looked around the living room they were in. "So this is my new prison for three more months, huh?" Shinuma took his wife's hand and squeezed. "As long as there's no rain in the forecast you can take walks outside in your plastic suit." Yukiko giggled. "You're so good to me, my sweet warden." She looked at the other pregnant women. "At least I'll have some pregnant company." Smiles flowed across the room. -A- -M- -D- Shashiki introduced herself and her brothers to the other kids in the Compound. "I'm Shashiki, this is my brother Lather and this is my other brother Shave," she said in perfect Japanese--well, as perfect as any Japanese six-year-old spoke Japanese. Then she pointed at the skinny girl. "This is Floss, my best friend." Floss bowed. "Pleased to meet you." "She's a bit stuck up, but other than that she's nice." "Pu!!" Shashiki punched Floss's arm playfully. Which for an Amazon meant that Floss ended up on her butt, rubbing the bruise on her arm. Yohachi looked at the fallen Floss. "My mommy says you shouldn't hit girls." Shashiki looked confused. "It's part of training." Yohachi laughed. "That's what Daddy says." "And Papa-chan!" Ayami blurted. Yohachi nodded. "I'm Yohachi, this is my little sister Ayami and my brother and sister, Daiji." He gestured to his side, only to find no one there. He spun around and found Daiji cowering behind him. "Come on, Sis, they're nice." Daiji gulped and stepped into view of the Amazon kids. "Um... hi." Shashiki smiled. "Hi... why did he say brother and sister?" Daiji looked at Yohachi, who nodded. "Go ahead, Sis, Mommy says they know about it." Daiji dug into a deep pocket on her oversized pants and pulled out a small plastic bottle of water. She tipped a little of the water over her arm and suddenly grew a few centimeters in almost all directions. "My daddy says I have a blessing." "Cool!!" the formerly stiff Floss blurted. "Hey, that's like my Mommy, but she turns into a cat!!" "Really? We have an uncle who turns unto an elephant, a pig, a..." Daiji started to recite the list, smiling broadly. When she was done, Yohachi added, "Our grandpa is a panda sometimes and we have another uncle that turns into a duck." "Uncle Lost Boy's a pig!!" Ayami blurted, using the term for Ryoga she had heard her father use frequently. "Wow, I thought Mom was the only one." Shashiki looked around. "Wanna play something?" "Sure, what?" Yohachi scratched his head. "Um...." He looked at Daiji. "Sis, you choose." Daiji looked a bit nervous as all the other kids looked at her. "Um... hide and go seek?" "Great!" Yohachi and Ayami chorused together. "What's that?" Shashiki asked, looking between the Amazon kids and the Nerima kids. Daiji smiled and stepped forward to explain. "Well... one of us is *IT* and has to..." After Daiji explained the rules, Shashiki nodded. "That's similar to an Amazon game. Seek and destroy." "Except they don't destroy anything in their version," Floss remarked. "When Kenage was around we used to destroy a lot of stuff!!" Ayami interjected. -A- -M- -D- The next day, Shinuma stood in front of an old, two-story building located along a busy street in Shinjuku. "Oh, Mr. Dobutsu, I didn't know you were in Japan." Shinuma flinched at the sudden voice that shook him out of his thoughts. He turned around and smiled pleasantly. "Mrs. Ono, nice to see you. We got in yesterday and I thought I'd take a look at my old animal clinic." He gestured to the building that now had a sign that read 'Bunny Club' emblazoned above its entrance. Kasumi smiled pleasantly. "I guess they get different kinds of animals in there now." Shinuma nodded. "Do you miss it?" "Sometimes, but I like life in the village too." Kasumi tilted her head. "I'm on my way home from the hospital, would you like to take the train back to Nerima with me?" "Sure." As they started to walk to the train station, Shinuma asked a question. "I thought you were going to go into private practice after your internship ended, so why are you still working at the hospital here in Shinjuku?" Kasumi smiled. "At the moment, Tofu can handle the clinic by himself and the kids. They really don't need me around, so I decided to continue at the hospital. I enjoy the work and I think I can see a much wider variety of patients this way. Just today I had to set three broken legs, assist in a heart bypass, and pull a Lego block out of a boy's nose." Shinuma smiled. "Yeah, I've dug some interesting things out of my kids' cavities too. You know, I'm sure they wouldn't mind having you around. When Yukiko is busy with the Circle or other Amazon affairs, it can be quite boring around the hut." "I hope Tofu isn't bored. He doesn't seem to be." Kasumi looked at Shinuma with concern. "Does Yukiko seem to spend more time on her job than with you?" Shinuma flinched as Kasumi hit the bull's eye. "Maybe. Do you think your husband feels that way?" "Maybe." Kasumi's expression didn't change, but Shinuma could tell there was some problems under Kasumi's calm expression. "He says he's happy and always encourages me to do what I want, but I'm not sure." "Maybe your heart is telling you that you want to spend more time with your family and you're hoping Tofu will give you an excuse to back off on your job at the hospital." "No." Kasumi paused. "Maybe." She looked at Shinuma. "Do you ever regret giving up your practice?" "Never." Shinuma paused and then gave the real answer. "Sometimes. I help out with the animals in the village and help our resident human doctor as best I can when she needs help, but it's still not the same as life in the big city." "You should talk to your wife." "Yeah. You should talk to your husband." "Yeah." -A- -M- -D- "Watcha doing?" Shashiki asked a couple days later as she walked up to Daiji, who was digging a hole in a large sandbox behind the dojo. "Digging." "Shave would love to be here. He's always digging." Daiji looked up from the hole that she was digging out. "He's over in the corner." Shashiki looked over in the cover of the sandbox and saw her youngest brother's head peeking out of the sand. "Shave!!" The head smiled. "Daiji digs big holes!" Shashiki exhaled heavily. "I swear my brother's a mole." Daiji looked up and blinked a few times. "He turns into a mole if you splash him with cold water?" Shashiki giggled. "No. He's just always digging, making a mess, or getting into tight places." She glanced at the head. The head squirmed a little. "I gotta pee!!" Daiji and Shashiki exchanged a nervous glance and then rushed over and started to dig out Shave. They had gotten most of his chest cleared when he said, "Too late." "Ewwww..." Shashiki sighed and brushed off her hands. "He never did have a lot of holding power." Daiji looked at Shave for a moment before she started shoveling sand back around him. "Hey!!" Shave cried out. Daiji didn't stop reburying him. "What? You already went." Shave thought about this for a moment before nodding. "Yeah... that makes sense." "So what else is there to do around here?" Shashiki asked as she started to build a sandcastle around her brother. "We, train a lot." "We do too." "I think Ayami and my cousin Moyashi are in the dojo right now with Papa." Shashiki suddenly lost interest in the sandcastle. "Let's go see!" "Okay!" Daiji agreed and scurried to the front of the dojo with Shashiki, leaving Shave behind. "Hey!!" When Shashiki and Daiji slid the door open they saw Ayami fly across the room and crash into the wall. "I'm sorry!!" Moyashi blurted as he ran to his cousin and hugged her. Ayami giggled. "Sissy... don't apologize for throwing me." Ranma stood over to the two kids. "Moyashi that was very good, but in a real match you normally don't hug your opponent." Moyashi looked up at Ranma with worried eyes. "But.. but... it looked like she got hurt." Ayami stood up. "I'm a Saotome! Nothing hurts us!!" One punch to her stomach later, she cried out, "Ow!!!!" "I thought nothing hurts you?" Moyashi asked. Ayami smirked. "Well, almost nothing." She punched Moyashi in his gut. Ranma smiled proudly as Moyashi collapsed to the floor. He clapped his hands. "All right. Square off, you two. Free form drill until I say stop." Ayami helped Moyashi to his feet and then they took up positions opposite each other. "Bow," Ranma commanded. The kids bowed. "Begin!" Ayami flew at Moyashi feet first. Moyashi sidestepped her lunge, swung around and pegged her back. She did a back flip and kicked his shin. In the doorway, Shashiki looked at Daiji. "This isn't very interesting." Daiji shrugged. "They're just training." "Training is much more aggressive in the village. This is baby training." Hearing the voice from behind them, Shashiki and Daiji turned around and saw Floss standing there. "Floss, that isn't polite," Shashiki said softly. "It's the truth. Amazons train much harder than this. I could easily take the girl. I can see the holes in her stance from here." Over hearing the little girl's comments, Ranma's lip twitched, but he continued watching his students. "Left jab, but the boy will evade." Ayami's left jab went wide. "She'll get hit on her left leg." Ayami crumpled to the ground after Moyashi landed a kick to her left hip. "Hold." Ranma looked back at the three kids in the doorway. "Floss, our method of training does not emphasize hurting your opponent during training like the Amazons do. It focuses on the techniques and how to apply them in challenge matches and, if needed, how to apply them in real combat." "Silly way. Combat is combat." Shashiki slapped her hand over her friend's mouth. "Sorry, Mr. Saotome. Floss is a little stuck... owwww!!" She shook the hand that Floss had just bit. Ranma smiled. "Floss, there are different ways to train. The Amazon way is a good way too. Our way focuses more on the form than the power." "I could beat them both." Ranma nodded. "Maybe. From what Yukiko tells me, you're quite a good fighter." "How dare you speak of the Matriarch in such familiar terms!" Ranma sighed. "Sorry, it's just that I've known her since way before she became Matriarch." Floss opened her mouth to speak again, but Shashiki clamped he hands over the younger girl's mouth. "Sorry, Mr. Saotome, we'll just go now." She left the dojo, pulling Floss with her. Daiji smiled at her papa and then followed the other two girls. Ranma sighed and then turned back to his students, who were playing patty cake. "Hey! That's not the drill I told you to do!" -A- -M- -D- "Floss, we're guests here!!" Shashiki scolded Floss later. "This is an Amazon outpost, so we outrank them all." Shashiki slapped her head. "My mommy told you to behave yourself." "I have." Shashiki slapped Floss's head. "Floss, my mommy says that we're not better than anyone else. We are all equals." "What about Elder Calluse? Your mom always calls her a..." Shashiki slapped her a hand over the other girl's mouth. There were a lot of things that her mother called Calluse and Shashiki was afraid her friend would spout some of the more colorful ones. "Well, just try to be nicer to the other kids. I like them and think they fight pretty good." "Well... okay, but I doubt any of them are any better than us." "Maybe not, but it's more fun to play with them than the kids in the village, so please be nicer." "Okay..." -A- -M- -D- "Sorry." Daiji looked up from the large, two-meter high castle she had built around Shave's head and saw Floss and Shashiki standing at the edge of the sandbox. "About what?" "What I said in the dojo," Floss mumbled. "Oh..." Daiji shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal." She turned back to her sandcastle. "You okay, Shave?" There was no response. "Hmmm..." Daiji looked over the castle walls and saw nothing but a hole. "Huh?" The sand erupted behind her and Shave shot towards her back. Daiji immediately twisted to the side and grabbed Shave's wrist. She spun around and flung Shave into the air with a mighty heave. "Nice try." Shashiki watched her brother crash onto the sandcastle and shook her head sadly. "He should know better." "Wow!! She's good." Shashiki looked back at Floss. "Huh?" "She didn't even hesitate." Floss looked at Daiji with awe in her eyes. "Her body just reacted without any indication of what she was going to do to your brother." She clasped her hands together and pressed them to her chest. "She is so cool!!" If eyes could sparkle, Floss' eyes would be lit up like a super nova. -A- -M- -D- Yohachi and Lather sat on the roof of the Tendo house and looked out across the Nerima skyline. "What's that?" Lather asked and pointed at a tall building the to east. "That's the high school where my mommy used to beat up boys." "What's that?" "That's were Aunt Kasumi and Uncle Tofu live." "What's that?" "That's the train station." "What's that?" "That's Ucchan's." "What's Ucchan's?" "The best okonomiyaki in the world." "Oh." Lather wasn't sure what okonomiyaki was, but he was more interested in what he saw around him. "What's that?" "A hill." "What's behind it?" "Another hill." "You been there?" "Not that one, but we went on a camping trip once. Lots of hills there." Lather looked longingly at the hill, but could only see the houses lining the nearest hill. He sighed. "Wherever we go, we only see the nearest hills." Yohachi looked at Lather. "Really?" "Yeah. I wish I could see some more hills." Yohachi's eyes brightened. "Then let's go see them!!" "Huh?" was Lather's confused reply. "We can go hiking and find out exactly what's behind those hills!!" And thus was the origin of 'The Great Nerima Hills Expedition'. "Great!! Let's go!" Yohachi looked at the late afternoon sky. "We'd better wait till tomorrow. It's pretty late." Expedition delayed due to an early bedtime. -A- -M- -D- It was dark. Very dark. "Ouch!! You bumped into me!" "Sorry, Daiji." "Why do we have to go this way?" "Because they wouldn't let us out of the Compound alone." "Why do we have to be alone?" There was a pause. "I don't know. It's funner this way." "Is it much farther?" "I don't know." "What?! How could you lead us down here then, you stupid boy!" "Don't yell at my brother. We've never used this thing before." "Sorry, Daiji." "Tell him." "Sorry, Yohachi." "No problem, Floss." "We should have brought more batteries." "Moyashi's right." "Arghhhhh.... Ow... Ow... Ow..." "What's wrong, Yoyo?" "I think we found the end." A loud clanking sound was heard and then a bright light assailed their eyes. All the kids shielded their eyes from the sudden morning light that poured into the escape tunnel that they had been walking through for almost a half hour. After their eyes adjusted, they saw Yohachi rubbing his head in the open doorway. "It looks kind of overgrown, but we can get out," Yohachi said as he pushed a bush out of his way and stepped outside. The other kids followed. Shave, Lather, Daiji, Floss, Shashiki, Ayami, and finally Moyashi left the tunnel and made their way through the bushes to find themselves on a sidewalk about five blocks to the north of the compound. They all had little backpacks on, carried canteens, and were wearing various clothing suitable for a long hike. "How did you know that was there, Yoyo?" Daiji asked as she adjusted the backpack she wore. "Nippy told me about it once." "For a boy, he's fairly intelligent," Floss remarked. "Hey, don't talk that way about my brother!" Daiji snapped. Yohachi frowned. Floss bowed her head. "Sorry, Daiji." Moyashi looked back at the steel door and then down the street to where his home should be. "We shouldn't be doing this." "It's okay, I'm here with you, Moyashi." Ayami smiled. "Well..." Moyashi looked around nervously, then saw Ayami's confident look. He nodded. "Okay..." Lather looked around. "Where's the hill?" Yohachi smiled. "We're halfway up it. The top is that way." He pointed away from the door and the Compound. "Let's go find what's on the other side of the hill!" -A- -M- -D- The group of small children crested the hill and saw... "Another hill," Lather said, somewhat flatly. "And more houses," Shave remarked, searching the ground for some dirt to dig in. "Lather! You were the one who wanted to do this! Show some spirit!" Yohachi blurted and pointed at another hill. "Now we see what's beyond that next hill." "Why are you posing, Yoyo?" Daiji asked, causing Yohachi to blush. "Yohachi's right, I'm embarrassed to be your sister!" Shashiki said, shaking her head. "Sorry, Sis," Lather and Shave said together. "We should go home," Moyashi said for the hundredth time. Ayami slugged Moyashi's shoulder for the hundredth time. Hundredth time that day, that is. -A- -M- -D- Back in the compound, Akane poked her head into the kitchen, where Ranko was cooking something on the stove. "Have you seen the kids?" Ranko tasted the sauce she was making and then looked at Akane. "Not lately. Why?" "It just seems too quiet." Ranko smiled. "Enjoy it while it lasts. With Sanma and Ukyo coming over with their kids, dinner tonight is going to be anything but quiet." "Need any help?" Ranko smiled. "I could use some Akane on my lips." Akane took the hint and leaned over and gave her husband a long kiss. "Hmmm... that sauce is good." "Not as good as you." Ranko leaned over for another kiss. -A- -M- -D- In the main room of the west house, Yukiko looked up from the book she was reading. "What's that?" Shinuma looked over at his wife, pausing in flipping through all the television channels offered in Tokyo. It was the first time he'd seen a television in almost two years. "Huh?" "That noise." "Huh?" "That noise." Shinuma cocked his ear and listened. It was a distant roar. And it was getting closer. "Um... I don't know... but..." He jumped forward and grabbed his wife's arm to help her up. Yukiko rose from the floor. "It's here!!" she cried out as she snapped into a defensive posture and stared at the doors to the garden where the noise was coming from. Both of their eyes went wide as the door was slid open to reveal six crying two-year-olds being herded in by two very tired looking parents. Yukiko relaxed. "Ukyo!" Ukyo looked up with weary eyes. "Shinuma, Yukiko... meet the Six-pack." Sanma--currently human and male--jumped to the side and grabbed a shirttail before one of the boys managed to escape. "Oh no you don't!!" Ukyo's head snapped to the side. "Iori!! Don't do that!" Shinuma jumped forward and caught the vase on the table that Iori had just knocked over. "Got it!" A crash was heard from across the room. "Seto!!" -A- -M- -D- Later after the kids had quieted down a bit, the adults were kneeling around the low table. Except for Yukiko who was sitting in a low chair with one of the girls in her lap. The girl had long bright-red hair like her father's girl form, but not in a pigtail. The boys were all stumbling around the room, looking for something interesting to break. One of the boys had short red hair and the other two had black hair--one short and one in a pigtail. The other two girls had long dark red hair, similar to Sanma's male form's dark red hair. And Sanma was male at that moment. "I see you've managed to stay male since you last visited Jusenkyo three months ago," Yukiko remarked. "Yup." Sanma glanced at Yukiko's plastic suit. "I don't envy you having to use that suit." Yukiko's eyes narrowed. "Well, if SOMEONE didn't buy all the no-get-wet-soap from Jusenkyo, I wouldn't have to be this careful." Sanma gulped. "Sorry, when we bought our supply I didn't know they lost the instructions on how to make that special soap." Yukiko grinned slightly. "That's okay, we'll manage." "How are things back in the village?" Ukyo asked, since she hadn't been able to go to China with Sanma the last time the Spring of Drowned Sanma refilled because she had to take care of the babies and the restaurant. Yukiko sighed. "Okay, but the old hag is giving me trouble again." Ukyo smirked. "That explains the vacation." Shinuma and Yukiko nodded in unison. "Kida!! Don't even think about it!!" Ukyo suddenly snapped without even looking in Kida's direction. Yukiko looked at the boy and saw him put down the tatami mat he had lifted up. "How do you keep track of their names? They look a lot alike to me." Ukyo smiled. "It's a combination of knowing each of their mannerisms and what they're likely to do at any given time." "Plus, we always dress them in a different color," Sanma added, revealing one of their little secrets for raising sextuplets. Yukiko scanned the kids situated across the room and then down at the redheaded girl in her lap. The girls were in yellow, pink, and orange. The boys were in blue, green, and red. "What a great idea." Ukyo smiled. "Thanks. It was almost required to keep track of them when they were younger, but now with the different hairstyles and hair colors, it's not as hard to mistake one for the other." Sanma looked at the dark redheaded girls, who were playing patty cake. "Except for the twins. They refuse to get different hairstyles." "Because then we wouldn't be twins, Daddy!!" the twins chorused together and then went back to their game of patty cake. Sanma smiled. "Now, THOSE two are a handful by themselves." Yukiko looked around at the kids again. "They're all adorable." A loud crash was heard. Terrible twos times six. Be afraid, be very afraid. -A- -M- -D- "Akane, where are Yohachi and Daiji? They missed their lesson today," Ranma asked as he poked his head into the family room where she was knitting a... something for... something with five... or maybe six arms. "Have you checked to see if they're with Yukiko's kids?" Ranma shook his head. "I checked, but Yukiko and her husband have their hands full with the Six-pack." Akane frowned and reached for the phone. Pressing one of the quick dial buttons, she held the receiver to her ear and waited. "Nipplering?" she asked when the phone was answered. "Have you seen any of the kids?" Ranma's gut tightened when he saw the worried look that passed over his wife's face. -A- -M- -D- After walking for an hour in the hills to the west of Nerima, Daiji stopped and looked all around her. "Um... shouldn't we be out of the woods by now?" Yohachi nodded. "Yeah... um... which way is it back to our house?" Daiji, Shashiki, Lather, and Floss all pointed. Unfortunately, they each pointed in a different direction. Yohachi sighed and looked into the sky. He could see a faint light along the horizon. "That has to be where the sun set... and we've been mostly walking towards the sun, so let's go-" He turned around and point away from the light. "That way." Shashiki nodded. "Yes, that is very logical. You would make a worthy Amazon warrior." "If he wasn't a boy, you mean," Floss added. "Of course." Yohachi blazed the trail through the forest; not realizing the light he was walking away from was the Tokyo city lights. The others all followed close behind him, holding hands so they wouldn't get separated in the darkness. Daiji brought up the rear. -A- -M- -D- A figure climbed out of an open manhole on top of a tall hill and then looked down on western Nerima. His black eyes scanned the city below, his vision being only one of many that reached out to find his prey in the dark city below. "Ah... finally, they move..." a hoarse male voice said slowly. "Several... no all of the collectors are headed away from their fortress." He tilted his head. "And most of the bitches are outside the walls as well." He took a step forward. "Their fortress will be virtually unguarded now." A low rumbling sound emanated from his mouth as strode forward towards the compound. It wasn't quite a laugh or a cackle, but if anyone had heard it they would have run in terror from the inhuman sound. "My wait is over." After taking several steps, the figure flinched and stopped suddenly. "What? " He turned around slowly, reaching further out with his senses that were not of human origin. "Another collector..." He closed his eyes and concentrated. "A pure one. And several other rich energy sources close by." The figure stood up straight and tossed off the hood covering his head, revealing the split male and female sides that made up its face. "So far from the other collectors and the bitches... this should be even easier than devouring the energy from those within the fortress." Shuma started walking silently towards a forested hill with a shrine at the top of it. When he reached the hill, Shuma had put the hood on his black cloak back up over his head and forced his skin and eyes to turn completely black. As such, he was nearly invisible as he walked silently through the dark forest in the direction from where he had sensed the collector's energy. Hearing voices coming from the darkness, he stopped in his tracks and listened. "I think we're lost, Daiji." "Yeah, me too, Yoyo." A large grin spread across Shuma's face. "It's so dark!!" "It's cold!!" "Don't worry, Ayami, I'll protect you." "Thanks, Moyashi..." Shuma moved through the thick bushes, making barely a sound. Reaching a small clearing he could just make out a number of small children crouched together, shivering from the night breeze that blew through the forest. He reached out to the nearest child. [End - Chapter 6] Coming soon: Chapter 7: For the Sake of the Children; Past, Present, and Future ======================================================================= The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings: I set the forest the kids got lost in around a shrine since that is about the only forested land left close enough to Tokyo for the kids to walk to. Wan-haang is a term that means 'soul/spirit walk/travel' in Cantonese (I think). The closest English term that corresponds to the original Amazon meaning is "Getting away from it all." I'd like to thank my pre-readers Michael A. Chase and Thomas C. Kinnen helping me find and fix problems with this story. FFML member Christopher J. Olsen was also helpful in fine tuning this story. Thank you all. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are my fault. Revision 0.0 - Rough draft began (July 15, 2000) Revision 0.1 - Rough draft finished (July 28, 2000) Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (November 12, 2000) Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (November 27, 2000) Revision 1.0 - Final version (December 19, 2000) Revision 1.1 - First RAAC posting (January 3, 2001)