To Cross Over or Not to Cross Over...

a Appleseed fanfiction by Fred Herriot

NOTE I:  In respect to Jim's writing style, all Oriental (Japanese, 
Korean, Chinese, etc) names are written in "family name-first" order 
in the narrative.  Western names are written in "family name-last" 
order.  Mixed names will be written dependant on the family name.

NOTE II:  Writer's commentary and translations of foreign language 
text will appear at the end of the story text.

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

  	Amherst, near Buffalo, New York State...

	"There!  Do you feel it, Jess?!  Do you feel it now?!"

	"I...!  I..." the panting African-American in her late twenties 
shudders, then her deep brown eyes begin to flicker with an eerie 
burgundy light.  "I...!  Y-yes...!  YES!!  Oh, Gaia, YES!!  I can feel 
it, Tariko!  I can feel it!!"

	"Atta girl!" the lovely Oriental teenager grins as she holds the 
gyrating American under her ample breasts.  The support was necessary 
to allow the latter to press her dripping womanhood into that of the 
third naked woman in the bedroom, a bosomy redhead with freckles.  
Like Jess' eyes, the third girl's eyes also flicker between their 
natural evergreen and a glowing burgundy.  "You still with us, 
Wendy?!"

	"Y-yeah!  S-still h-here..." Wendy stutters, then cries out as 
something much bigger than the penis of the man who raped and left her 
pregnant with their son three years before the Millennial Virus struck 
surges into her cunt.  "Oh, GEEZ!!!" she screams, her back arching as 
she grabs the sheets of the bed, the feeling of something hot 
exploding deep within her loins flooding her from head to toe.

	"HOME RUN!!!!" Tariko whoops as a shrill cry of delight escapes 
Jess' lips, then the older woman collapses against her.

	"Oh, God..." the strength in Wendy's body fails as she takes 
several deep breaths to replenish her blood oxygen content, then she 
weakly raises her head to gaze on Tariko.  "Tariko...?  Did it 
happen...?" she rasps, then collapses once more in a dazed stupor.

	Jess also slumps against Tariko, her hands feebly coming up to 
hold the younger girl's arm.  "Both of us...?" seeps from her mouth.

	Her head then rolls to one side, the fatigue finally 
overwhelming her.  "Yes," their guest nods.  "Both of you."

	Tariko takes a deep breath -- even if she had not been as 
directly involved in this event as Jessica Kennett and Wendy Myers, 
she was just as exhausted after empathically/telekinetically helping 
them conceive -- then she shifts herself off the couple's bed.  Taking 
a moment to stretch herself, she moves to turn the unconscious Wendy 
around so she could lay against her lover.  Once both are in place, 
Tariko draws a blanket over them.  Noting that all is well with her 
latest customers, she heads over to where her clothes are.  Making 
herself decent, she draws out a personal notepad, then writes down a 
quick letter before placing it on the nightstand.  Gazing once more on 
the couple, Tariko smirks, then heads out, closing the light behind 
her.  If she hurried, she'd catch the last bus to Toronto, then the 
red-eye flight home...

*    *    *

	Approaching Narita-New Tokyo International Airport, twenty hours 
later...

	Seeing the warning lamps flash throughout the Airbus A330 
delivering Air Canada Flight 469 from Vancouver and Toronto to Tokyo, 
Moroboshi Tariko sighs as she straightens her chair, her hand still 
holding this week's copy of "MacLean's" as she scans the national 
headlines.  Around her, the few couples taking first class on this 
trip grudgingly peel away from each other as they relax and buckle up.  
Tariko is unable to avoid seeing several of them out of the corners of 
her eyes, fixing up their makeup or wiping their faces clean of 
vaginal discharge with the warmed wet cloths the several flight 
attendants -- those who had not busied themselves attending to their 
passengers' needs in a more *personal* way! -- had readily provided 
them before moving to take their own seats by the exits.

	"Miss Moroboshi?"

	"Yes?  Oh, hello, Donna," she smiles on seeing a very lovely 
beach-blonde with blue-green eyes from San Diego gazing concernedly at 
her.  Tariko is quick to note the flash of hurt in the stewardess' 
eyes.  Donna Rowthorn had tried to offer her some "personal" service 
five times since the Airbus lifted off from Vancouver.  "Donna, you 
KNOW there are more nicer people aboard this plane you could've been 
with!"

	Donna gives her a cute pout.  "Miss Moroboshi, you're the only 
one on this plane who hasn't had ANYTHING done to her since we left 
Toronto," she coyly muses, wagging a motherly finger at her.  "I'm not 
the only one who's noticed this, you know.  None of us like the idea 
of any passenger leaving our plane without having some sort of..." she 
rocks her head in an "oh-well" gesture, "...*intimate* service."

	Tariko takes a deep breath, counting to ten in Korean -- *Hana, 
Tul, Set, Net, Tasout, Yousout, Ilgop, Youdoulp, Ahop, Youl...* -- 
then she relaxes, giving Donna a playfully inviting smile.  "Lean 
close to me, please."

	The attendant blinks, then leans closer.  Once in range, Tariko 
leans up to gently swallow the Californian's mouth wholesale, her free 
arm holding Donna safely in place as the other hand lets go of the 
magazine.  As their tongues automatically start to play, Donna 
shudders as a curious, wet *warmth* surges through her body from head 
to toe.  It was as if she was skinny-dipping in the Caribbean Sea...!

	No, no, no!

	She was in a jacuzzi with her best friends, they fucking each 
other's brains out...!

	No, no, no!

	She was in a soft, warm bed with a dozen very cute girls 
suckling away at her tits and cunt...!

	No, no, no!

	She was alone in her aircraft, a cute yet very BIG she-male 
giving her the pony ride of a lifetime...!

	No, no, no!

	She...

	She...

	Their lips part, Donna shuddering reflexively as the warmth 
surging through every cell in her body at that very moment starts to 
fade.  Fortunately, Tariko's hand is poised in the right spot to catch 
the stewardess in case she stumbled.  As new, heartening strength 
floods Donna's body, she automatically straightens herself, a sense of 
satisfaction making her nod.  "I hope you've enjoyed your flight, Miss 
Moroboshi," she gazes contently at Tariko.  "We'll be landing in the 
next several minutes.  Please fly with us again soon."

	She turns to head to her seat.  "Count on it, Miss Rowthorn," 
Tariko smiles, then perks.  "Oh...!"

	"Yes?" Donna stops, gazing at her.

	"The woman in seat Twenty-seven-Ef.  Is she alright?"

	"I..." the stewardess blinks, then slowly nods.  "I'll look in 
on her right now, Miss Moroboshi.  Excuse me, please."

	She heads off.  Tariko watches her, then sighs.  "Another day, 
another kiss," she mutters to herself as she picks up the magazine...

*    *    *

	Twenty rows back, in the business section, Special Agent Deunan 
Knute of the Federal Bureau of Investigations straightens herself.  
Right now, she is wondering for the umpteenth time why she was tailing 
the Moroboshi kid -- since nothing illegal had been pinned on her, 
calling her by the FBI's usual moniker for a criminal suspect, "mutt," 
seemed inappropriate -- when she could be helping chase down the 
weird, paranormal problems the "X" Files were forcing the Bureau to 
deal with.  While she certainly didn't mind a working vacation or two 
-- her office in Washington left MUCH to be desired -- Deunan was the 
type of G-woman who wanted to be actually ACCOMPLISHING something when 
she was on government time.  And no, that DIDN'T mean being a sex toy 
for her boss, Special Agent In Charge Dana Scully!  Still, despite the 
lack of any sort of criminal intent, Deunan had, over the last month 
or so, come to discover some curious things about the Moroboshi girl.

	Tariko was born on the thirteenth of April seventeen years ago 
-- a Friday the Thirteenth, that day had been, too, not to mention 
that it was also Butsumetsu, a particularly unlucky day in the 
Buddhist calendar! -- to Moroboshi Muchi, a man who had just graduated 
from Tokyo University to become one of Japan's endless legion of 
salarymen, and his lover, Yamaguchi Kinshou.  The birth had clearly 
been unexpected for the couple in question; Kinshou had been forced to 
drop out of college to become a full-time mother.  What was worse, the 
bad luck heralded by Tariko's birthday struck again with a vengeance 
when the Millennial Virus hit.  Muchi had been one of its earliest 
victims.  Kinshou would follow him soon enough thanks to an accident 
-- most likely, a suicide -- in a forested ravine outside of Tokyo, 
just after she had abandoned Tariko at the gates of a Buddhist shrine.  
Given the sheer chaos of those times -- Deunan was in her thirties, 
having joined the Bureau just after the Virus struck after a five-year 
stint with the Los Angeles Police Department -- it stood to rights 
that (until things were proven otherwise) some women would have 
concluded that after all the men had died, women might have followed.  
Sadly, Tariko's mother died long before the more benign elements of 
the Virus could have saved her, even from a twenty-metre drop off a 
cliff.

	Tariko spent a couple years in an orphanage, then she became the 
ward of one Mendou Haruka, matriarch of one of Japan's wealthiest 
industrial and trading conglomerates.  Why the girl hadn't been 
directly adopted into the Mendou family was one of the things Deunan 
hadn't learned from the Bureau's background check on Tariko.  However, 
despite the difference of family name, Tariko was said to be treated 
as no different than Haruka's real daughter, Ryooko.  With that, 
Tariko remained with the Mendou family until she turned thirteen, then 
set off to live on her own somewhere in the Nerima ward of Tokyo; the 
Mendous lived in the nearby town of Tomobiki.  At the same time, 
Mendou Industries established a new subsidiary, Love Destiny 
Enterprises, with Tariko as sole shareholder and chief executive 
officer.  Fortunately for her, some odd legal manoeuvres on the part 
of her guardian ensured that no regulator would harass the 
still-underage boss of LDE.

	It was the activities Tariko carried out on behalf of LDE that 
would eventually attract the Bureau's curiosity.  Oh, there was 
nothing wrong with Love Destiny's finances, at least as much as the 
Internal Revenue Service could discover through their counterparts in 
Tokyo.  Taxes were paid promptly by LDE every year.  Even more, Tariko 
didn't bother with any of the many legal loopholes Japanese tax laws 
gave a successful young businesswoman like her.  But what EXACT 
business Tariko carried out with her customers, both at home and 
abroad, remained a mystery.  Oh, it was listed under the general aegis 
of "personal consultations," which included fees for transportation 
and hotel room rentals, but as to what sort of "consultation" this 
young woman did with her customers, no one had any clear idea 
whatsoever.

	Even more -- at least for the last year or so -- Tariko had done 
much "consulting" with known or suspected elements of the worldwide 
organization of extreme androphobes called the "Hydra."  Her most 
recent trip to the United States -- visiting Boston, New York City and 
Buffalo before crossing the Canadian border at Niagara Falls -- had 
brought her in contact with three couples long suspected by the Bureau 
and the Central Intelligence Agency to be directly involved with the 
Hydra's largest American branch, the Sapphic Underground.  While 
evidence gathered against the Underground's "secret" supporters had 
yet resulted in charges being laid by a grand jury, Deunan knew it was 
only a matter of time before the long arm of the law would see those 
particular mutts' collective asses landed in Leavenworth.

	Still, Deunan had no real idea why Dana Scully's "X" Division of 
the Washington Field Office had been asked to help out in this, even 
with all the curious things about Tariko and LDE other special agents 
had discovered.  And even if Dana herself personally knew what was 
going on, she had seen no reason to pass it on to Deunan.  Why?  What 
was the big mystery here...?

	"Miss Knute?"

	Deunan's head snaps up, she finding herself gazing at one of the 
stewardesses.  "Yes?"

	"Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but the woman in seat 6C asked 
about you," Donna Rowthorn gives her a reassuring smile.

	Deunan blinks.  "Six-Sea?  I don't know the person there..."

	"Tariko Moroboshi?" Donna ventures, giving the Japanese woman's 
name in Western "family name-last" order.

	A surge of surprise rips through the FBI agent, then she sinks 
back in her chair as the name echoes through her mind.

	How on Earth did she...?

	Unless...

	Oh, shit...

	Oh, SHIT!

	"Miss Knute?"

	Deunan blinks, then focuses once more on Donna.  "Um..." she 
pauses as her mind rolls around what her training and experience with 
the "X" Division just made her conclude.  "Please tell Miss Moroboshi 
I'm okay.  And..." she pauses again.  Oh, damn, what should she do 
NOW?  "Could you please tell her that I'd like to meet her once I get 
through immigration and customs, alright?"

	"Sure thing," Donna nods, then heads forward.

	Deunan watches her go, then sinks back into her chair as she 
feels her heart thud loudly in her sinuses.  "Dana, I'm gonna KILL you 
for not telling me about this!" she hisses, grateful that she was 
alone in her particular seat row...

*    *    *

	Soon enough, the A330 is locked alongside one of the jetways at 
Narita's Terminal Two, its passengers spilling out to make their way 
through immigration and customs check before hooking up with whatever 
mode of transportation would take them to their final destination.  
Deunan, being a sworn agent of America's chief law enforcement agency 
currently operating WAY outside her usual jurisdiction, is held up at 
immigration for a while as the local officers quickly confirm the 
letters of authorization from the Bureau and the National Police 
Agency allowing her to come to Japan on business.  Once that is 
resolved, Deunan is cleared through customs, then makes her way to the 
arrivals lounge -- to see the object of her trip to the Land of the 
Rising Sun standing near one of the terminal restaurants, her soft 
brown eyes locked on the American's face, a friendly smile turning her 
very kissable lips upward.  "Nihon e youkoso, Special Agent Knute."

	Deunan stops a metre away from Tariko, trying her best to find 
some way to seize SOME control over this situation.  It is difficult, 
though.  Atop all the oddities about this whole damned case that 
needed to be finally aired out, it was hard not to ignore how 
beautiful the young woman before her actually was.  Neck-length, 
shaggy brown hair with the slight tinge of deep chestnut at the tips.  
A finely sculptured face dotted with a dimple under the left eye.  A 
trim track-runner's body currently under a turtleneck sweater and 
brown corduroy pants, her overnight bag now slung over a shoulder.  
And while Deunan had taken advantage of some "personal" service from 
one of the stewardesses during the long haul from Vancouver (not to 
mention a quickie with another passenger on the Toronto-Vancouver leg 
of the flight), the FBI agent could feel her loins firing up yet 
again.  No, no, damn it all, NO!!  She couldn't start feeling THAT way 
about Tariko...!

	Yet...

	Deunan blinks, surprised to see Tariko -- they are the same 
height -- now standing close to her, a hand gently gliding over the 
American's cheek as the soft touch of Tariko's lips on her own nearly 
makes her faint.  Right at the precipice though, a tidal wave of 
iron-hard control surges through the FBI agent's body, firming her 
muscles, heart and soul from the oncoming rush of passion the Virus 
forces on almost everyone it touches.  Tariko pulls away, drawing her 
hand from the blonde's cheek as she waits for Deunan to get a hold of 
herself.  Deunan's hand rises to touch the place where Tariko had 
touched her, then she stares intently at the Japanese woman.  "How did 
you know?"

	Tariko's smile widens slightly, an amused twinkle flashing from 
the corner of her eye.  "I can sense that you have a Smith and Wesson 
1076 ten-millimetre automatic in your travel bag right now.  That 
seems to be the popular sidearm of choice for special agents of the 
Bureau.  Your Secret Service, especially members of the President's 
Protective Detail, are still wedded to Sig Sauer nines.  And yes, 
before you ask, I have been to the White House on previous trips to 
America.  So, what exactly have I done to earn the Bureau's interest 
in me?"

	Deunan's jaw drops as that avalanche of revelations crashes into 
her mind, then she sighs.  "Maybe you can tell me then, Miss 
Moroboshi, because right now, I'm not sure what the hell I'm supposed 
to be doing with you!"

	A chuckle responds.  "Oh, I understand!  Poor FBI special agent 
sent after a foreign national who just visited suspected members of an 
international criminal organization on her last trip to the United 
States and she has no idea how to proceed.  Well, then..." a 
thoughtful hum escapes the younger girl.  "My ride back to Nerima 
won't be here for a bit, so why don't we get something to eat and talk 
about it," she notions to the restaurant.  "The wantan-men they serve 
is really good and I think you'd want something more to eat than 
whatever that was for lunch and dinner aboard the plane, not to 
mention whoever it was you gave a blowjob to while we were over 
Saskatchewan."

	"Um...!" Deunan feels her eyebrows twitch.  "Ah...!  
R-right...!"

*    *    *

	Somewhere in Nerima...

	The bell rings as the door to Otimtim's opens and closes.  
Automatically, the woman at the cashier calls out, "Irasshaimasen!"

	"Eh?!" Morisato Ryuunosuke perks on seeing the ponytailed, 
sienna-haired beauty with the well-toned body now behind the counter.  
As typical for her, Ryuunosuke is dressed in a pair of faded jeans and 
a loose-knit sweater, a black ski vest providing some extra warmth.  
"Misa-chan?!  What are you doing here?!" she walks up to the counter 
as Tanaka Misa shifts over to stare at her.

	"Oh, Satomi-chan has an errand to run, so..." Misa suddenly 
forgets to breathe as the door opens and closes once more.

	"Darling?"

	Ryuunosuke turns on hearing that greeting, then with a smile, 
reaches out with her hand.  Staring at the heavenly, blue-green 
haired, green-eyed vision -- even one dressed like Ryuunosuke in 
jeans, shirt and vest in a frankly failed attempt at downplaying her 
heartbreaking looks -- Misa shakes her head, VERY envious at her 
friend's choice of fiancee.  "And this MUST be Lum, right?"

	"Hai!" the Oni princess beams as she gently grasps Ryuunosuke's 
hand, then she blinks as surprise crosses her face after staring at 
Misa.  "Darling, this isn't Satomi-chan," she gazes confusedly on her 
fiancee.  "You said this was her restaurant!"

	"It's okay, it's okay!" Misa waves Lum down with a chuckle, then 
indicates a pair of stools by the counter.  "Satomi-chan had to go to 
Narita to pick up Tariko-chan and bring her back here.  She'll be back 
in a few hours, depending on traffic.  So what will you have?"

	Ryuunosuke orders an expresso while Lum gets a chocolate cocovi.  
As Misa prepares their coffee, the door to the kitchen opens, 
revealing a woman somewhat shorter and paler than Misa, her long burnt 
brown hair extending straight to her waist, though she has decorative 
ribbons tied over her ears.  "Oh, Ryuunosuke-san, ohayou gozaimasu!" 
Sakuragi Mai beams, then she notices her companion.  "Eh?!"

	"Ohayou," Lum smiles back.  Ever since her arrival on Earth, the 
Oni had been attracting stares, especially when she ventured out of 
Tomobiki.  While it was annoying, it was also understandable.  "It's a 
pleasure to meet you.  I'm always happy to meet Darling's friends."

	Ryuunosuke quickly does introductions.  "So it IS true, huh?" 
Misa chuckles as Mai comes up to help.  "When's the big day?"

	"Soon, hopefully," Ryuunosuke gives Lum's hand a squeeze.  "In 
fact, the sooner the better."

	"Shinobu-san?" Mai gives her a knowing look.

	Lum's smile instantly fades, a threatening scowl crossing her 
face as tiny sparks of electricity dance over her body.  A resigned 
look crosses Ryuunosuke's face.  "Yeah," she nods.  "She ain't too 
happy about what happened between Lum and me."

	"Oh, of course not!" Misa snorts.  "The whole world just HAS to 
revolve around the exulted Miyaki Shinobu-sama.  All hail the Great 
Shinobu!" she waves her hands towards the ceiling.  "Geez, what a 
bitch!  How many girls is she screwing now?  Five?  Six?"

	"I heard she's hooked up now with Maijima Karen," Mai notes.

	Misa spins on her lover.  "Eh?!  You mean Karen's going to try 
to stop chasing Yui-chan?!"

	"What do *you* think, Anata?!" Mai gives her a look, then hands 
Lum her cocovi.  "Over half the girls at Hachijuuhachi High want to 
jump Yui-san's bones if she'd ever give any of them the chance!  
Karen-san's just at the head of the line!!"

	"You mean no one's figured out who Yui-chan's 'secret love' 
is?!" Ryuunosuke chuckles, then nods thanks as Misa gives her a cup of 
expresso.  "The one who'll finally pull Yui-chan's ribbons out of her 
hair come graduation day?!"

	"It's a tag race, Darling?!" Lum spins on her fiancee.

	"Sorta," Ryuunosuke smirks, then nods over to a photo album 
sitting on a top shelf behind the bar.

	Mai retrieves the book in question.  Ryuunosuke opens it to a 
page, then indicates a picture for Lum.  "That's Yui-chan, Lum.  
Narusawa Yui, most popular girl at Hachijuuhachi High School here in 
Nerima.  You can see why, ne?"

	"Kawaii!" Lum whistles on seeing the raven-haired teenager with 
the burning chestnut eyes, her hair tied up in side buns with plain 
gold ribbons.  The Oni then leans over to kiss Ryuunosuke's cheek.  
"But no girl compares to my Darling," she adds in a whisper.

	"Lum..." Ryuunosuke's cheeks flame.

	"You're a lucky girl, Ryuunosuke-chan!" an envious sigh escapes 
Misa, then she blinks.  "Um, do you know that...?"

	"Darling's a hermaphrodite?  Hai, I do," Lum nods, then looks 
down ashamedly.  "But right now, Darling's being a hermaphrodite might 
not be the best thing for her, Misa-san.  That's why we came here 
today.  Hopefully, Satomi-san could help her."

	"Huh?!" Misa perks.  "You haven't told her...?" she turns on 
Ryuunosuke.

	"Haven't had much of a chance," the raven-haired herm shakes her 
head.  "Ever since we left Tomobiki, Lum here's been cursing the blue 
streak over Shinobu's latest little plot to get me back in her 
clutches!"

	"Oh?!  And what's the bitch got in mind now?"

	"She threatening to tell everyone at school what I am."

	Mai and Misa wince.  "Ai-cha!" the latter slaps her forehead.

	"That would make things rough, especially for you, Lum-san," the 
former muses.  "It's like what Mother once told me about the way some 
men in the old days here in Japan and over in Korea would view Western 
men when they married local girls."

	"My 'stealing' someone like Darling from those who'd want her 
for themselves, you mean?" Lum's eyebrow arches.

	"Hai," Mai nods, then perks as she stares at Ryuunosuke.  
"Wait!"

	"What?!"

	"Tariko-san can help you, Ryuunosuke-san!" Mai declares.  
"Satomi-san told us sometime back that Tariko-san was able to turn a 
hermaphrodite into a normal woman -- albeit one like Tariko-san 
herself -- when she last visited England."

	Silence falls as Mai's words sink into Ryuunosuke's mind, then 
the raven-haired girl gazes on the counter.  She had come here to seek 
Moroboshi Tariko's help to conceive hers and Lum's baby within the 
herm's own womb.  Despite her having a penis and testicles, Ryuunosuke 
also has a womb and ovaries which could help her bear a healthy baby 
like other women.  But to believe that Tariko could do THAT...!!

	Ryuunosuke tenses on feeling Lum's hands gently grasp hers.  
Giving the Oni princess a thankful smile, Ryuunosuke takes a deep 
breath, then stares once more at Misa and Mai, hope burning deep in 
her eyes.  "Are you guys sure Tariko-chan could help me THAT way?!"

	"You bet!" Misa grins.  "Matter of fact, Mai-chan and I're gonna 
ask Tariko-chan to help us have our own babies when she gets home!"

	She draws her lover close.  Staring at her hosts, Ryuunosuke's 
eyes widen as Misa's words echo in her mind, then gulping, she turns 
back to Lum.  "Lum, would you...?" she stutters, then blinks 
surprisedly as the Oni's finger lands on her lips.

	"Darling, I love you," Lum smiles.  "It's you and only you.  And 
if this'll get that bitch Miyaki off your back, so much the better!"

	They slide together in a passionate kiss, Misa and Mai watching 
them approvingly...

*    *    *

	Narita...

	"AH-CHOO!!!!"

	"Geseuntheit!!"

	Tariko groans, rubbing her nose.  "Damn!  Who's talking about 
me...?"

	"Must've been one of your old customers," Deunan smirks, then 
sips her tea.

	The younger woman gives the FBI agent a look, then she takes up 
her chopsticks and begins to slurp down her wantan-men.  "Maybe..." 
Tariko replies after gulping down some noodles, then she gives her new 
friend a curious look, a light smile tugging her lips.  "So you want 
to know what is it I actually do with these people when they hire me 
for 'personal consultations,' ne?"

	"A lot of us in the Bureau, not to mention our friends in the 
Agency, are curious," Deunan confirms.

	"Alright, then," Tariko's smile, akin to what a magician might 
project when she pulls a rabbit out of her heat, widens.  "Tell me 
this:  with the people you've watched, how many of them have given 
birth to children?  Oh, say, in the last three months or so?"

	Deunan stops, a dumpling now held in chopsticks half-way to her 
mouth, then she slowly lowers it back into the broth as a reflective 
look crosses her face.  "Well, now that you mentioned it, about a 
dozen or so that we know have met you did give birth to babies, at 
least since I was assigned to this whole operation.  Sarah Benson, 
Joanna Ashburne, Michelle Florence, Karey Simpson..."

	"Oh, I remember them," Tariko titters.  "Did you check up the 
records in the fertility clinics to see if they paid visits there 
around the time when I saw them?  No?" she blinks on seeing the 
American shake her head.  "Well, don't bother, because I can assure 
you that they never did visit them.  And thanks to me..." she turns 
back to her wantan-men, "...they never will.  Not for the rest of 
their lives."

	Silence falls as Deunan gazes wide-eyed on the young Japanese 
woman, her mind overloading from the data dump Tariko just dropped on 
her head.  Carefully placing her chopsticks on the table beside her 
bowl, the FBI agent turns away for a moment, then she gazes once more 
on Tariko.  With her years of experience as a police officer in Los 
Angeles, then as a Bureau special agent, she had considerable amounts 
of practice in ferreting out falsehood from suspects.  That experience 
could only make her conclude that Tariko just told her the truth, the 
whole truth and nothing but the truth.  "You mean to tell me..." her 
voice turns into a rasp, then she coughs.  "That you have some way to 
give women the ability to mate and conceive children in some form of 
fusion pregnancy...?  Without having to go to a conception clinic?"

	"Exactly," Tariko nods.

	"Are you sure you're not a hermaphrodite?"

	Tariko smirks before reaching out with her free hand.  Deunan 
doesn't resist as Tariko pulls the hand to the top of her trousers.  
Deftly, the American flicks open the pants, then reaches in to find -- 
much to her surprise! -- a pair of silk panties awaiting her.  Keeping 
her fingers to the outside of that soft fabric, Deunan reaches down to 
rub the area directly between Tariko's thighs.  The Japanese woman 
shudders as her companion's fingers press the fabric against her clit, 
then she breathes out as Deunan pulls her hand back.  Quickly making 
Tariko decent again -- despite the fact that no one in this particular 
restaurant wouldn't have minded given the three couples in nearby 
tables already engaged in some deep tongue-to-pussy conversations and 
a five-way orgy in one corner booth involving two of the waitresses 
and three executives from one of Saudi Arabia's larger oil firms -- 
Deunan then pulls back.  Her mind rolls through what information she 
just acquired on the woman beside her, then she whispers, "You're 
clearly some sort of psychic..." she gazes intently at Tariko.  "Have 
you...?"

	"Been tested?" Tariko shakes her head.  "No, nor do I intend to 
get tested.  Much that I've got some questions about how I got all 
these abilities, the idea of spending time in a government laboratory 
as the resident guinea pig doesn't turn my crank."

	An understanding nod responds.  As the first post-Virus psychics 
began to emerge throughout the States, mandatory testing was imposed 
on them by Washington through DOSREM, the government's new Department 
of Special Resources Management.  However, within two years, a DOSREM 
internal investigation revealed that those who had been forced through 
such testing had been made to live in inhumane conditions -- which in 
this age, usually meant a near-total absence of any intimate 
companionship.  Fortunately, the Secretary of Special Resources 
Management, a lovely Tennessean from Nashville named Amy Elliot -- 
said SECSREM (pronounced "Sex-Rem") remains the only Cabinet-level 
officer in post-Virus Washington history to have posed as a "Playgirl" 
centerfold while in office! -- had been more than willing to end 
mandatory psychic testing.  These days, any form of testing done on 
budding psychics was jointly monitored by the Bureau, DOSREM and the 
American Civil Liberties Union.  Outside America, DOSREM's counterpart 
agencies -- in Japan, that was called the Ministry of Special 
Resources -- quickly followed suit.

	"I can see that," Deunan muses.  "I assume your powers have 
something to do with this ability you're able to pass on to others..."

	"Tariko?!  Is that you?!"

	Tariko spins around, then gapes, bolting to her feet as a 
crimson-haired Israeli in a Saville Row business dress with slacks 
runs up to swamp her with a warm embrace.  "Mikki!" the Japanese woman 
laughs before they share a tongue-filled kiss, then Tariko quickly 
notices the beautiful woman who accompanied her Israeli friend into 
the restaurant.  She is dressed in a stylish abaya with the hood drawn 
back to show a wavy storm of ruddy-brown hair held down by a 
green-white-black headband.  "Israa!!" she squeals before sharing a 
warm hug and kiss with her.

	Deunan rises, nodding pleasantly to the newcomers as Tariko gets 
a couple of seats for them.  "I thought it was you!" Mikki chuckles as 
she and her companion relax, then she gazes curiously at the American.  
"Who...?" her eyebrow arches as her eyes take in the conservative 
grey-brown, two-piece suit with the black turtleneck sweater the FBI 
agent currently wears.  "A new customer, Tariko?"

	"No, Mikki, just a curious American government agent who wants 
to know why I'm helping suspected members of the Hydra have babies 
outside a conception clinic," Tariko takes her seat.  "Deunan, this 
lovely gingi here is Miriam Ben Gal, a colonel in the Mossad.  And 
this equally lovely lady beside her is Mikki's wife, Israa al-Khalid 
of the Palestinian State Senate, representing Bethlehem.  They're two 
of my earlier customers; Israa also acts as my personal go-between 
whenever people wish to seek out my consultation services throughout 
Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.  Mikki, Israa, Special 
Agent Deunan Knute of the FBI's 'X' Division, Washington Field 
Office."

	The travellers from the Middle East perk.  "You work for Dana 
Scully!" Mikki grins, extending her hand.

	"It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel," Deunan gives her a warm 
squeeze, then offers her hand to Israa.  "Senator."

	"Sophia's Blessings on you, Special Agent Knute," the 
Palestinian nods pleasantly.  "So why is it your Bureau is suddenly 
picking on our beautiful Tariko?  Don't they have better things to do 
than try to infringe on a young entrepreneur's business?"

	The American blushes.  "Well, ma'am, we are a little curious as 
to why Tariko's been soliciting business from suspected supporters of 
the Hydra, so I was sent to trail her.  However..." she emits a deep 
sigh, gazing on Tariko.

	"However, trailing a Class Thirty empath/telepath who is also 
rated a Class Twenty-five telekinetic and a Class Ten psychokinetic is 
simply next to impossible," Mikki chuckles, waving a waitress over, 
then seeing the American's dropped jaw, laughs.  "Tariko's already 
told you that she's never been tested, eh?  What you just heard is the 
Mossad's best guess as to her true abilities."

	The waitress comes up to take their order, then heads off.  Once 
she is out of hearing range, Deunan gazes on Tariko, then turns back 
to the Israeli.  "Then why is it the Mossad hasn't shared any of this 
with the Agency, Colonel?  Someone with *that* level of power..."

	Amused laughter responds.  "It's alright, Agent Knute," Mikki 
waves her down.  "First of all, until now, we believed that those 
other agencies who might've noticed Tariko would've drawn their own 
conclusions about her -- unless Agent Scully's been keeping 
information from you, which definitely doesn't strike me as normal 
given her usual *modus operandi.*  Secondly, as Tariko just hinted, 
Israa and I aren't the only ones from our part of the world to be 
'gifted' by her.  She's done a considerable amount of business in the 
Holy Land.  And yes, some of it was with those who we suspect support 
the Daughters of Belitis.  You've been visiting some of the 
Underground's backers, right?" she gazes on Tariko, then seeing the 
Japanese girl nod, turns back to the American.  "Has she told you the 
reason why she does that?"

	"She was starting to explain it when you and the Senator 
arrived, Colonel," Deunan nods.

	"Well, let's let her finish her 'sales pitch,' then," Mikki 
waves to Tariko.

	The waitress returns with two bowls of ramen sans pork for the 
Israeli and the Palestinian.  "Well, before I carry on, how are Sarah 
and Zakia anyway?" Tariko asks.  "They'd be both about three right 
now?  Walking?  Talking?"

	"Yes, we've finally got past the terrible twos," Israa politely 
covers her mouth.  "And they both take after Dearest here," she 
reaches down to squeeze her beloved's hand, she leaning up to place a 
warm kiss on Mikki's cheek.

	"Oy, vay!  She insists on me taking total credit for this!" 
Mikki shrugs, then playfully reaches around Israa's neck to give her a 
wet kiss on the lips.  "Damn, what did I ever do to deserve a lovely 
lady like you to share my bed for the rest of our lives, Israa?"

	"Your seductive technique the day we met was quite convincing, 
Beloved," Israa purrs.  "And given that you were at the time leading a 
strike team from the Directorate to ensure those fanatics in Hamas 
wouldn't have detonated a tactical nuclear bomb in Ramallah, that went 
a long way to allowing our lives to be an example for so many others 
who chose to seek their lifemates across the Green Line."

	Tariko sighs as the couple across from her share another warm 
kiss.  Watching them, Deunan blinks, then reaches over to gently grasp 
the Japanese woman's hand.  "You gave them both such happiness, 
Tariko," she leans over to kiss Tariko's cheek.

	Mikki and Israa pull apart.  "As Beloved just told you, Agent 
Knute..."

	"Please, Senator," the American blushes.  "Deunan."

	"Israa," the Palestinian returns.  "Anyhow, she's given many 
people in our shared federation much happiness," she leans her head on 
her life-mate's arm.  "Thus, I believe I am speaking for both the 
Palestinian Senate and the Israeli Knesset when I say that we will 
view it quite dimly if your Bureau or any other agency of the American 
government seeks to persecute Tariko in any way, shape or form without 
just cause.  And I must note that the United States of Israel and 
Palestine will not be the only government who'd take that view should 
something like that happen.  The Commonwealth of Australia, the 
Dominion of Canada, the United Democratic Republic of Korea, the 
United Emirates of Afghanistan and the Federal Republic of Brazil, 
atop thirty other nations, might also take that stance given the work 
Tariko's done there."

	Tariko flusters.  "Israa, I'm just one person...!"

	"Who helped give Mikki and I two of the most beautiful children 
any mother could ever ask for!" Israa cuts her off.  "What do the 
Aboriginals of Australia and the First Nations of Canada call you?  
'She Who Brings The Gift of Motherhood?'  How many goddaughters do you 
have now, Tariko?  Ten thousand?  Twenty?  Thirty?  More?  How many 
now feel secure knowing that they have total control of their ultimate 
destiny, the destiny that is still demanded of women?  Even now in a 
world without men, even with the effects the Virus forces on us to 
this very day?  And all that, Tariko, is because of YOU!" she points 
to the Japanese woman.  "I believe, Mikki believes, we ALL believe 
that some great power gave you the ability to pass on this 
'telekinetic-assisted parthenogenesis' to those who desire it.  So 
some of them turn out to be suspect supporters of the Hydra?  That's 
good!  If they're busy worrying about children, that means they won't 
have time to consider sending money to those lunatics who blow up all 
the research clinics dedicated to finding some way to bring men back 
into society!"

	Deunan gazes at Tariko.  The Japanese woman is picking absently 
at her wantan-men, then she gazes at the American before an apologetic 
smile cuts across her face.  "Many of those I've helped in the past 
have been just as passionate as Israa here when it comes to what I 
do," she sighs, then she sets her chopsticks aside.  "Deunan, what 
drives the people of the Hydra, anyway?"

	"Hatred of men, of course," the FBI agent shrugs.

	"But where does that hatred come from?"

	Deunan stops, then gazes anew at Tariko.  "Fear of men?"

	"Yeah," the Japanese woman nods.  "Didn't your President 
Roosevelt say at his first inauguration back in 1933, 'We have nothing 
to fear but fear itself?'  THAT, Deunan, is what I'm fighting.  If I 
eliminate the fear, then anger and hatred have no place to set up 
roots.  Look at the people I just visited before I met you.  One of 
them was raped when she was twelve, forced to become a mother because 
her own mother couldn't afford a regular abortion.  She had to drop 
out of high school to raise her son.  The Virus then hits, killing her 
son as well as killing the man who raped her.  She was torn up deep 
inside by what happened back then, Deunan.  On the one hand, she ached 
beyond belief at the loss of her only child.  On the other hand, the 
only memories she has of men, to this day, are unkind ones.

	"THOSE are the type of people who form the core of the 
Underground, the Daughters of Belitis and all the other parts of the 
Hydra, Deunan," Tariko points nowhere in particular.  "Oh, yes, you've 
got the young intellectuals, those who were born during or after the 
time the Virus first struck.  Those who've never seen a man save from 
pictures, the ones who've looked at history and concluded that having 
men back would do womankind no good in the long run.  And yes, you've 
got those sociopaths and psychotics who like nothing better to do than 
to destroy things just to get their sexual kicks or adrenaline high.  
But the deep core of the Hydra are people like the ones I've been 
with.  Victims of rape, child abuse, spousal abuse and Heaven only 
knows what else.  Bright women who were discriminated against when 
they tried to make a better life of themselves ONLY BECAUSE they were 
women and weren't interested in dropping to their knees and giving men 
blow-jobs to advanced themselves.  THAT'S what the Hydra is composed 
of, Deunan.  And believe it or not, they've got a right to BE afraid!"

	"I agree with that, but not all men were monsters, Tariko," 
Deunan nods.

	"I know," Tariko nods.  "I can sense from here that there was a 
special someone in your life that you loved very much..."

	"Two."

	"Eh?"

	"Two," Deunan blinks, her eyes misting over.  Before she could 
react, Israa gives her a handkerchief.  "Thanks," she wipes her eyes, 
then sighs.  "First was my father, Carl.  One of the toughest beat 
cops in the LAPD.  Everyone loved him, respected him.  He was about to 
be promoted to Commissioner when the Virus killed him.  Then there was 
my boyfriend, Briareos Hecatonchires.  He came from Greece originally, 
was working in SWAT when he died.  Oh, GOD, I miss Bri so damned 
much!" her fists squeeze tightly as she closes her eyes.

	"You're not the only one who lost good men in those days, 
Deunan," Mikki sighs.  "My husband, Avi, was a colonel in the Agaf 
Modiin, the Defence Force's primary intelligence group.  He was a 
patriotic man, but a realist, too.  He knew we had to make some 
serious concessions with the Palestinians if we were EVER going to 
have a lasting peace.  I only wish he'd live long enough to see what 
we finally had to do to make that peace possible.  But..." she gazes 
heavenward, "...I believe that in whatever better place he is now, Avi 
is happy."

	"My father, Ibrahim, was also such a man," Israa adds.  "Papa 
was Western-educated, which was rare for my people at the time.  And 
because of that, he often was ostracized by his comrades in the PLO 
because he often said that for us to make a real state, we had to 
adopt the ways of the West and mould them to our faith in Islam.  I, 
too, hope that, wherever he now resides, Papa is also happy."

	"Deunan, with most of the Hydra, they've never known good people 
like your dad," Tariko concludes.  "And me?  My dad died when I was a 
baby.  I lost my mother right after, then wound up in an orphanage for 
two years.  What type of man was my father?  I'll never really know, 
Deunan.  But regardless of how I feel about men, I know I've no right 
to impose my opinions on other people.  That's me.  Others don't feel 
that way.  Others let their fears govern their actions.  And many 
allow their fears to make them do all sorts of awful things.  I only 
can thank the Fates that the Hydra hasn't gone all the way to killing 
people to make their point.  And no, I would NEVER do business with 
those who're guilty of blowing places up.  I'd help you put those 
animals in cages where they belong.  But until that happens, all I CAN 
do now is help people manage and overcome their fears.  And by giving 
them the power to have children outside of any government conception 
clinic..."

	"You give them the power to directly influence their immortality 
through their offspring," Mikki finishes.

	"Hence, 'Love Destiny Enterprises,'" Israa adds.

	Deunan considers that, then asks, "How long will you keep doing 
this, then?"

	"As long as I'm needed," Tariko shrugs, then perks.

	"Or when you finally can find someone else to take over from 
you, eh, Tariko-chan?"

	The four spin around to see a smiling woman in a blue-and-white 
blouse and blue skirt standing nearby.  With eyes the grey of 
rain-laden storm clouds, she has a head of shaggy platinum-blonde hair 
-- quite strange for a Japanese woman, Deunan muses -- that went to 
mid-neck.  The sultry look now etched on her face sends Deunan's heart 
into her throat as a very welcome heat begins to slow-burn in her 
loins.  Even Mikki and Israa react positively to Kurokawa Satomi's 
presence.  Tariko's response is a delighted grin as she rises, opening 
her arms to let her beloved girlfriend embrace her.  "Hey, stranger, 
where've you been all this time?" Tariko coos in Satomi's ear.

	"Traffic," Satomi grins, then leans up to give the other woman a 
passionate kiss before glancing past Tariko.  "Hi, Mikki-san, 
Israa-san.  You guys want to stay with us at Otimtim's or would you 
prefer a hotel somewhere in Nerima?"

	"It's only going to be a quick visit, Satomi-san," Israa 
replies, a knowing smile crossing her face.  "Dearest was only given a 
week off from the Directorate and the new session of the Senate's 
starting in five days, so we have to head back to Jerusalem as soon as 
we can."

	"Well, you can stay at Otimtim's, then!" Satomi points 
heavenward, then notices Tariko giving her a curious look.  "What...?"

	"Why do I suddenly scent a conspiracy?"

	The owner of Otimtim's Coffee House giggles.  "While you were 
gone, Mikki-san gave me a call and asked that when you came back, she 
and Israa-san could come over so you could be there when they 
conceived their second set of children," she winks at Tariko.  "I told 
them 'yes,' so I made sure that I could come here after their flight 
arrived from Tel Aviv, which was right after yours..." her voice 
trails off as her eyes take note of the beautiful blonde American in 
the casual suit sitting across from Israa.  "Who...?!"

	Deunan pulls out her identification badge.  "Deunan Knute.  It's 
a pleasure to meet you, Satomi-san."

	Satomi's eyes go wide on seeing the big letters "FBI" on the 
card, then trepidation crosses her face.  "Is Tariko-chan in 
trouble...?"

	"No, ma'am," Deunan slips her wallet back into her jacket.  "But 
one must make sure when it comes to a special lady like her, ne?"

	She winks.  Satomi blinks, then a delighted grin crosses her 
face.  "Hai!" she nods, then slips her arm around Tariko's.  "C'mon, 
let's get the baggage and load up.  I want to get back to the place 
before Misa-chan and Mai-chan burn it down!"

	"Hai, hai, Ojou-sama!" Tariko dramatically bows, then calls out, 
"Cheque, please!!"

	Mikki, Israa and Deunan exchange looks, then giggle...

*    *    *

	Nerima, sometime later...

	"Are you sure this is the place, Ran?"

	"Hai!  Otimtim's Coffee House, just like Darling said in her 
letter."

	"Nice place," Benten muses as she and Ran slip off the former's 
motorcycle, then head across the street to stand close to Otimtim's.  
"Yep, there they are!" the former points at the couple they now seek, 
both visible through the coffee shop's front windows.

	"Alright!" Ran firmly grips the Fukunokami's hand as she 
half-pulls Benten through the front doors.

	"Irasshaimasen!" Mai calls out from behind the counter as the 
door bell chimes.

	"Hey, Lum!  Ryuu!" Benten calls out as the door swings shut 
behind her and Ran.

	"Konnichi wa, Darling!  Lum-chan!" Ran calls out in turn.

	The couple spin around.  "Eh?!  Benten!  Ran-chan!" Lum beams on 
seeing her best friends.

	"What are you two doing here, anyway?!" Ryuunosuke demands as 
Ran comes up to give her a hug, Benten doing the same to Lum.

	"Well, when we saw your note telling us you were finally going 
to have a baby, we figured we had to be close by just in case 
something happened to either of you," Benten chuckles, wrapping an arm 
around Lum's shoulders.

	"At least you two didn't come here dressed in your usual 
bikinis," Ryuunosuke muses.

	"You wouldn't believe how hard it was to persuade Benten to put 
on some pants, Darling!" Ran rolls her eyes.  Both she and Benten are 
dressed in casual slacks, full-sleeve polo shirts and pullover 
sweaters.  Even more surprising to Ryuunosuke, Benten's wavy head of 
raven hair is not bound up in a bun with her usual fine-linked chains, 
it now cascading to mid-shoulder.

	"Oh?!  Well, I bet after you gave her one of your wonderful 
blow-jobs, Ran-chan, you changed her mind," Ryuunosuke grins.

	Ran and Benten blush while Lum collapses into a heap of giggles.  
"Well, I wouldn't mind giving you a blow-job right now, Darling," the 
pink-haired, green-eyed alien teenager with the finely-tapered ears 
and fanged canines muses.

	Ryuunosuke blinks, then gazes on Benten.  While Shigaten Benten 
and Aruka Ran both respected the Terran teenager's engagement to their 
beloved friend Redet Lum, both alien teens were also under the sway of 
the Millennial Virus for good and ill.  Within two weeks of their 
arrival on Earth, what scars Benten possessed from many air-cycle 
injuries acquired over the years had vanished.  Also gone was Ran's 
"youth-sucking" empathic vampirism, something that had afflicted her 
since she was a child.  Even better -- in Lum's eyes -- the sniping 
rivalry that had existed between Benten and Ran since both were 
elementary school students was no more.  That had been replaced by a 
warm friendship which, as could be expected here on Earth, was also 
laden with lots of sex, both between themselves and with Lum and her 
Darling.  The Oni princess could only smile at Ran's comment.  Even 
though becoming a full woman would make Morisato Ryuunosuke's life a 
LOT easier, especially when it came to dealing with other people, she 
would miss having her Darling's love machine fill her mouth or vagina 
to overflowing.

	"Let's all give Darling some pleasure," Lum then proposes.

	Benten and Ran perk before delighted grins cross their faces.  
Ryuunosuke jolts, then feels three pairs of hands pull her off her 
stool and drag her towards a back corner booth that, thanks to some 
well-positioned plants outside and a curtain inside, would ensure that 
the truth about the herm wouldn't wind up on public display.  Sitting 
her down, Lum and Benten relax beside her as Ran gets to her knees in 
front of Ryuunosuke, her hands already attacking the Terran's jeans.  
In seconds, they and Ryuunosuke's specially-designed panties are 
pulled down to her ankles, letting her stiffening member fully rise to 
the occasion.  "Oooh, Darling, you're so BIG!!!" Ran purrs delightedly 
as she firmly grasps the Terran's cock, then after giving it a steady 
whiff of air to let it stiffen some more, swallows it wholesale.

	Ryuunosuke cries out, then her mouth is swallowed wholesale by 
Lum's as Benten's hands reach under her shirt to get at her breasts.  
As the three aliens move to give their Terran lover the time of her 
life, Mai walks over to the sign by the front door, flipping it to 
CLOSED as Misa pulls the curtains in to ensure no one could peek in on 
the fun from outside.  With that, the couple quickly strips to their 
birthday suits, then Mai reaches unties Misa's hair, allowing it to 
flow free.  They share a kiss, then walk over to join the others in 
the booth.  "Benten-san, I think Lum-san deserves to have a chance to 
have Ryuunosuke-san give her pleasure one last time before Tariko-san 
gets to her," Mai whispers into the Fukunokami girl's ear as her hands 
reach under Benten's sweater to play with her own hardening nipples.

	Benten gazes at the lovely pale-skinned woman, then she rolls 
away from Ryuunosuke, offering no resistance as Mai proceeds to seduce 
her.  This allows Lum, her own clothes now being skilfully removed by 
Misa and Ran, to slide herself onto Ryuunosuke's tummy, her already 
dripping cunt poised directly over her beloved Darling's love shaft.  
"You sure a really nice girl like you wants something to do with a 
crazy space-biker chick like me?" Benten wonders as Mai gently pulls 
down her pants and panties.

	"I'm undressing you, aren't I?" Mai pulls Benten to her feet.  
"I'm touching you, aren't I?" she guides the alien away from the 
booth, then draws her into her arms.  "I'm hugging you, aren't I?" she 
sighs as the feeling of Benten's soft bust and hardening nipples 
floods her upper chest with a tsunami of warmth, then she feels gentle 
fingers touch her chin, tilting her head so they can gaze into the 
other's eyes.

	"May I then be honoured with a kiss?" the Fukunokami whispers.

	Mai blinks, then leans up.  Meanwhile, Lum has been shifted onto 
her back, Ryuunosuke now thrusting hard into her.  The table has been 
shifted clear by Misa and Ran to give the raven-haired herm some room 
so she could give her beloved alien princess a good pony ride.  Ran 
and Misa sit nearby, both fondling and kissing the other with gusto.  
Every once in a while, they would break away to watch Ryuunosuke and 
Lum or Mai and Benten.  Ran is quick to sense the connection between 
the well-honed track runner in her arms and the pale girl now about to 
do the horizontal Lambada with her friend.  "You sure you're not 
bothered by this?" she gazes concernedly at Misa.

	"It's okay," Misa reaches down to gently massage the alien 
teen's buttocks.  "Yes, I love Mai very much.  Yes, one day very soon, 
I'm going to call her my wife.  But it doesn't mean that we're going 
to cut ourselves off sexually from everyone else.  Girls've got needs 
these days.  And if Mai and I can help them when those needs start 
making some loud demands, then we will.  And right now..." she leans 
in to give Ran a very warm kiss, "...by the looks of things, you 
really need to have your needs looked after right this very minute..."

	Ran remains still as Misa slides down to her knees, placing 
herself between the former's legs as the alien's deep lavender pussy 
hair and dripping womanhood loom before the latter's eyes.  Before 
Misa could lean in to take a taste of Ran's beautiful honey, the front 
door opens, the door bell jingling ominously.  Everyone freezes in 
place, then their eyes spin to the door to see the small crowd 
standing there, headed by a certain platinum-haired lady in shirt and 
skirt.  A certain lady who now looked VERY displeased.  "Oh, SHIT...!" 
Misa trembles.

	"S-s-Satomi-s-san!" Mai stutters, pulling herself away from 
Benten.

	Satomi's eyebrows twitch menacingly, then she sighs.  "Girls, 
what did I tell you about having sex in my coffee house?!"

	Embarrassed laughter responds...

*    *    *

	Later...

	"I thought she was going to rip you girls' heads off," Deunan 
chuckles.

	"Well, it is Satomi-chan's place, after all," Misa smirks as 
they ascend the stairs to the second floor of the building housing 
Otimtim's, where Tariko's and Satomi's private apartment, several 
guest rooms, plus the offices of Love Destiny Enterprises, are 
located.  Both women are dressed in button shirts and panties, the 
unofficial "relaxed" dress in this building whenever its proprietors 
were home and Otimtim's was closed for the day.  "Otimtim's was 
originally her uncle's place.  He willed it to her.  After Tariko-chan 
started up LDE, she had her guardian buy out the building, then she 
and Satomi-chan became joint owners.  They make quite a tidy profit 
from renting the upper floors to private business schools or couples 
just starting out who want a cheap place to live they could renovate 
themselves."

	"Oh," the American nods as they step into the main reception 
lounge of LDE.

	Tariko and Satomi sit across a low coffee table from Ryuunosuke, 
Lum and Mai.  Misa quickly sits beside her fiancee while Deunan takes 
the armchair at one end.  Mikki and Israa share a love seat at the 
other end while Benten and Ran stand behind Lum and her fiancee.  Once 
everyone's taken their places, Tariko sits back, giving Mai and Misa a 
look.  "So you've both talked to your mothers about this?"

	"Mom's got no problems with this," Misa reports.  "Especially 
since it's you that's helping us, Tariko-chan."

	"I guess saving you from several bad spills when you were riding 
your bicycle did much to endear Tariko-san to your mother, ne, Anata?" 
Mai coyly gazes at her fiancee, reaching over to embrace one of Misa's 
arms with her own.

	Misa chuckles.  "What about your mom, Mai-chan?" Tariko asks.

	"It's no problem," Mai shakes her head, then reaches down to her 
purse.  "And..." she draws out a thick envelope, opening it to reveal 
a wad of 10,000 yen bills.  "I believe this will cover the standard 
charge for your services, Tariko-san."

	She hands the bills to her host.  Tariko holds up the wad, then 
her eyes glow the eerie shade of burgundy Mikki and Israa, not to 
mention many thousands of others around the world, knew so well.  
Everyone's jaw hits the floor as the ends of the bills flutter rapidly 
from Tariko's index finger to thumb.  Once it is done, her eyes revert 
to normal as she sets the money on the table.  "Five hundred thousand 
yen," she announces, then gazes on the couple in question.  "Alright, 
I want you both to go call your mothers and tell them you'll be here 
for the next two nights.  Go now," she waves them to the phone by the 
main doors, then she sighs.  "Ran-san, I don't like being scanned."

	Ran jerks, the small tricorder in her hand nearly slipping from 
her fingers.  She thought she had been as discrete as possible when it 
came to doing a deep DNA/RNA scan of this strange woman whom everyone 
else had said was the key to Lum's and Ryuunosuke's future happiness.  
"Ran-chan!" Lum gives her friend an annoyed glare, then she turns to 
Tariko.  "I'm sorry about that, Moroboshi-san, but..."

	"It's okay, it's okay," Tariko waves the Oni down, then she 
takes a deep breath.  "Your friend's concern for you is quite obvious 
for anyone to see, Lum-san.  And given that you are about to make my 
friend's life a LOT better, I'm willing to let it pass.  Besides..." a 
smirk crosses her face.  "If Ran-san could discover where exactly I 
got these powers, I'd be tempted to give her and Benten-san a 
freebie."

	The visitors from other planets blink.  "You mean you have no 
idea where you got your powers?" Benten asks.

	"Iie," Tariko shakes her head, then wryly grins.  "I bet you 
didn't suspect for an instant that I was born a man."

	Silence.

	"WHAT?!?!" everyone save Mikki, Israa and Satomi exclaim.

	"It's true," Mikki nods.  "The Mendous were able to hide it very 
well, but it didn't escape our attention."

	Everyone looks at the Israeli colonel, then turn back to Tariko.  
"You were actually born a boy...?" Deunan gapes.

	"Yep," Tariko closes her eyes.  "My birth name is Moroboshi 
Ataru.  That, at Haruka-obachan's request, was buried very deep in the 
records at the National Family Registrar when she became my legal 
guardian.  As to how I became what you now see before you, I'm sorry 
but I can't answer that.  My first memory, the one I can still recall 
with clarity, is of me standing nude beside the baby carrier holding 
my old body in the middle of a rainstorm beside the gate of the shrine 
where my mother left me after my father died."

	"Then you must be Ataru's twin sister!" Deunan insists.

	"There were only one set of birth records, Deunan.  And that was 
for Ataru.  You'd think that a society like Japan wouldn't take notice 
of a twin sister being born to Moroboshi Kinshou at the Nerima General 
Hospital?"

	"And you've no idea how this happened to you?" Ran wonders.

	"None whatsoever," Tariko shakes her head.

	"Fuck!" Benten spits out.

	"Ran-chan?" Lum gazes on her friend.

	Ran sighs.  "I'm sorry, Lum-chan, but Tariko-san's DNA pattern 
doesn't match anything our people've ever encountered before.  Yes, 
most of it is Earth human female norm, with all the modifications the 
Millennial Virus unleashed on everyone here.  But there are some 
really strange modifications that..." she shakes her head, then shuts 
off her tricorder, slipping that into her shirt.  "I'm sorry, 
Tariko-san, but whatever power or race changed you, it's a race that's 
totally unknown to all the spacefaring races in this galaxy."

	Lum takes that in, then gazes on Ryuunosuke.  "Darling?"

	The raven-haired herm returns her fiancee's look.  "Lum, she's 
helped thousands of people before.  Her record speaks for itself.  And 
even if I don't hang around with her much these days, she's still my 
friend."  With that, she reaches into her purse to draw out an 
envelope like the one Mai just gave Tariko, then hands it over.  "Mom 
already knows about all this, Tariko-chan."

	Tariko picks up the bundle, then telekinetically counts the 
bills before setting that pile aside.  "Alright, then," she breathes 
out, then gazes on Lum.  "Now, before I say 'yes' or 'no' to doing 
this for you two, would you mind satisfying my curiosity as to how you 
and Ryuu-chan got together in the first place, Lum-san?  I mean, any 
girl that can get Ryuu-chan away from that sex-crazed idiot Shinobu is 
automatically 'okay' in my books, but I'd figure that news of the 
Virus would've made your races stay away from Earth."

	"Hai, that's true," the Oni chuckles, gently grasping her 
Darling's hand.  "Do you want to tell this, Darling?"

	"Hell, why not..." Ryuunosuke smirks...

*    *    *

	Tomobiki, three months ago...

	Her eyes were as wide as saucers.  The UFO kind.

	Her heart hammered like the artillery barrage at Vimy Ridge in 
her chest.

	Her loins were heating up, her cock threatening to rip out of 
her pants.

	To believe...

	The woman before her now...

	Had thrown so much away...

	For...

	For...

	"Lum-san..."

	Was that her voice?

	Lum blinked, then gazed on the raven-haired girl sitting across 
from her.  Flanked on both sides by Ran and Benten, they dressed as 
she in their usual strapless bikinis with knee-length boots -- Benten 
is also decked out in her sash and hair chains plus loin guards and 
arm shields -- the Oni princess tried not to break down and weep.  If 
she succeeded at this mission, she would personally be cut off from 
the familiar sights and sounds of home for a long time to come.  If 
she failed, billions of lives, both here on Earth and on her 
homeworld, would be thrust into harm's way by a group of senile, 
war-mongering old fools who couldn't see past their horn-buds.

	"It's true, Ryuunosuke-san," the woman kneeling to Ryuunosuke's 
right reported.

	Ryuunosuke's head snapped around to let her gaze on Japan's head 
of government, the lovely Kahoru Iroka, before she turned back to the 
stunning alien beauty in the orange tiger-stripped bikini and boots.  
"You mean to say..." she stuttered, then gulped, "...you came all the 
way to Earth to stop your people from trying to destroy us?  By 
letting yourself be infected by the Virus?!"

	"Hai," Lum nodded.  "It was the only way to stop Dad's advisors 
from doing something so stupid..."

	She shook her head, then perked as Ran's hand squeezed her 
shoulder.  "I...!" Ryuunosuke breathed out.

	What on Earth could one say to THAT?!

	"Madame Prime Minister, could there've been another way to 
handle this?" the woman to Ryuunosuke's left asked.

	Ryuunosuke gazed on her adopted mother, Morisato Yukari, then 
she relaxed as the older woman gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.  
"No, Morisato-san, there was no other way open to us in this case," 
Iroka shook her head.  "I confirmed this several times with the WIB in 
New York City."  In this, the Prime Minister referred to the "Women In 
Black," the nickname given to the United Nations' special 
extraterrestrial investigations service, the Special Committee on 
Alien Activities.  "Lum-san's father, the Emperor Shin'nyuusha of 
Oniboshi, is surrounded by advisors who look on the Virus' potential 
threat to every race living close to us with nothing short of mortal 
terror.  And deep down, given how vicious the Virus was to our men 
when it first was unleashed, I can't really find fault with that 
attitude.  While many of them would probably have not given our planet 
a second glance in normal circumstances, the fact now that there's a 
virus that specifically targets men for death while giving women 
nearly eternal life..." she shrugged.  "Well, if some of those people 
advising Lum-san's father had their way, our planet would be nothing 
but a lifeless cinder and all of us would be dead.  Kill the patient 
to cure the disease."

	"Gaia..." Yukari's lifemate, an American from San Francisco 
named Christine Garland, gaped, then she gazed on the Oni princess.

	"Hai, it's true," Lum bowed her eyes ashamedly.  "Dad himself 
doesn't want something like that to happen.  He believes that 
isolating Earth from the rest of the galaxy until such time as the 
Virus finally burns itself out is sufficient enough.  But some of 
those..." she spat out a word Ryuunosuke didn't comprehend, though the 
alien's tone clearly indicated it was a particularly nasty profanity, 
"...don't care too much about that.  All they see when they think of 
the Virus is a weapon other races could use against us.  As if they 
could control something that seems to bypass every known shielding 
system to kill men wholesale.  Atop that..." she shook her head.

	"Your planet is run by a bunch of men who wouldn't have found 
anything too odd with the Wahhibis in Saudi Arabia," Christine mused.

	Lum gazed on the Californian, then slowly nodded.  Seeing the 
depressed look on the Oni's face, Ryuunosuke could only feel her heart 
ache.  Crown princess and most likely heir to the throne of her 
particular galactic empire, Lum would have been quite the privileged 
child growing up.  And now it was all gone, cast out forever with the 
speed one needed to snap one's fingers.  Still...!

	"What's to stop them from trying to take you back home, then 
blow us up?" she asked.

	Lum stared intently at her, then she sighed.  "The fear of the 
Virus, of course.  We watched events here fifteen years ago, 
Morisato-san.  We saw how fast the Virus killed all the men of your 
planet.  Our remote scan probes showed us how easy it was for this 
thing to get past every attempt at containment your scientists tried 
to raise against it.  And..." a wry smile crossed her face.  "I am the 
Crown Princess, am I not?  There's no way that, even if I was infected 
with the Virus, Dad's advisors would ever prescribe anything that 
would directly threaten me.  By my being here, Morisato-san, I, on 
Dad's behalf, have extended a 'special favour' to the people of 
Earth."

	"Thus, if they even tried to do something against us, all 
Lum-san here would have to do is contact her father and those who were 
out to destroy us would be guilty of state treason," Iroka augmented.  
"And, as in Russia, the punishment for state treason is quite ugly."

	"I'll bet it is," Christine whistled, then she gazed on the 
girls sitting on either side of Lum.  "What about you two?"

	"I had to come, ma'am," Benten shrugged, a devil-may-care smirk 
crossing her face as she placed a hand on Lum's shoulder.  "Someone's 
gotta watch out for this dumbass, reckless idiot here," she indicated 
the Oni with her free hand.

	Giggles filled the room.  "What about you, Ran-san?" Yukari 
asked.

	"Well," the rose-haired alien teen sighed.  "I've heard a lot 
about how beneficial the Virus has been to the women of Earth and..." 
she paused, then blinked as Lum grasped her hand, a supportive smile 
crossing the Oni's face.  "Well, I suffer from a form of empathic 
vampirism.  Every month or so, I'm driven by this *hunger* that makes 
me seek someone out to literally suck the youth right out of them.  I 
haven't killed anyone with my power yet, Morisato-san, but..." she 
shrugged.  "What if I did?"

	"You poor child," Yukari blinked, her eyes tearing automatically 
on hearing Ran's story, then she reached over.  "Come here!"

	Ran doesn't resist the older woman's embrace.  Ryuunosuke gazed 
understandingly at her adopted mother -- given the circumstances that 
brought the former Fujinami Ryuunosuke into the Morisato household, 
that Yukari would automatically open her heart to another suffering 
girl was pretty much expected -- then she turned to the woman to her 
right.  "Madame Prime Minister, why did Lum-san and her friends come 
here, then?  I mean, here to our house, not just to Earth itself..." 
her voice trailed off as a knowing smile crossed Iroka's face.

	"Well, Morisato-san, when my staff and I discussed this matter 
with the WIBs, we came to the conclusion that giving Lum-san here the 
chance to seek out a full-time companion while she lives with us here 
on Earth was only proper given how much she's willing to sacrifice on 
our behalf," the Prime Minister explained.  "Naturally, said 
girlfriend would have to be of the type who would stay reasonably 
loyal to Lum-san as well as potentially give her a child.  You can 
draw all the necessary conclusions from that, can't you, 
Morisato-san?"

	Ryuunosuke blinked, then shuddered as she felt her member grow 
slightly more inside her pants as she gazed once more on Lum.

	She had it all...

	She just threw it all away...

	All for people she'd never known...

	A society that wasn't hers...

	Threw it all away...

	She had it all...

	She threw it all away...

	For the women of Earth...

	For her...

	Without hesitation, she rose to her feet.  Everyone stared 
spellbound at her as Ryuunosuke began to unbutton the high-collared 
dark blue jacket worn by the young men who had attended Tomobiki High 
School in the days before the Virus.  Letting that fall off her 
shoulders, Ryuunosuke then went to work on the white shirt underneath.  
That soon joined the jacket on the floor, allowing Ryuunosuke to 
expose her quite ample breasts.  "Whoa..." Benten shuddered, a deep 
jolt of envy surging through her on seeing those beautiful mounds with 
their jutting dark pink tips, then her eyes travelled down as 
Ryuunosuke's hands unbuckled her pants, then with one thrust of both 
hands, her pants and specially-designed panties joined the rest of her 
clothes on the floor.  "Holy fucking SHIT...!!" the Fukunokami's jaw 
hit the floor.

	"Your daughter is very well endowed, Morisato-san!" Ran's cheeks 
ripened to the shade of cherries on seeing Ryuunosuke *au naturel.*

	"She is that, isn't she?" Yukari beamed with pride.

	Staring at the raven-haired herm standing before her, Lum was 
rendered totally speechless, then feeling a surge of mixed desire and 
determination flood her body, she stood up.  Within seconds, her 
tiger-stripped strapless top and bikini briefs are on the floor.  She 
gazed directly into Ryuunosuke's warm brown eyes.  "Oh, my Heaven...!" 
Yukari gasped.  "Your friend is equally well endowed, Ran-chan."

	"Yeah, she is, ne?" Ran chuckled.

	Wordlessly, Ryuunosuke and Lum stepped up to the other, then the 
latter's hands reached for the former's waist.  Ryuunosuke's right 
hand then reached out to shift Lum's left hand to her crotch.  Feeling 
that hard muscle in her hand, Lum's cheeks suddenly ripened, then she 
gazed once more into Ryuunosuke's eyes.  "Is this...?" she rasped, 
then she gulped to moisten her mouth.  "Because of me?"

	The herm blinked, then slowly nodded.  "All for you, Lum-chan.  
It's all for you..."

*    *    *

	Today...

	"Well, there was no way Lum was going to refuse a compliment 
like THAT!" Ryuunosuke giggles, rubbing the side of her head.

	"Then she zapped you!" Benten cuts in.

	"Excuse me?" Tariko blinks.

	Lum sighs.  "I have the ability to produce large levels of 
bio-organic electricity that I can fire off from anywhere on my body," 
she explains.  "When I realized how much I was becoming aroused by 
Darling's...!  Ahem!" she clears her throat.  "Well..."

	"I didn't realize it until I went down to one knee and proposed 
to her," Ryuunosuke smirks.  "When she said 'Yes'...!"

	"*ZAP!!!*" Ran giggles.  "Lum-chan nailed Darling right then and 
there!"

	"Girls!!" Lum's cheeks flame embarrassingly.

	An understanding grin crosses Tariko's face.  "Have problems 
controlling your powers, Lum-san?"

	"H-hai!" the Oni stutters.  "Fortunately, girls on Earth are 
capable of recovering right away from things like that!"

	"I see, then," the president of Love Destiny Enterprises nods.  
"Well, when you and Ryuu-chan here go through what I can give you, you 
should be able to better control your zaps from then on.  My abilities 
have helped other paranormals get better control over their powers, 
so..." she pauses, then nods.  "Alright, then," she reaches for the 
bundles of cash on the table between her and her customers.

	Taking one 10,000 yen bill from each pile, Tariko folds the two 
bills up, then slips them into her shirt pocket.  She then gives the 
rest of the money back to Mai and Ryuunosuke.  "Tariko-san!!" the 
former exclaims, her eyes widening with shock.

	Tariko says nothing as she places the money back into their 
hands, then rises.  "Satomi-chan, would you show the girls the guest 
rooms, please?  Mikki, Israa, I'll get to you two as quickly as I can, 
okay.  I'll get started with the tea."

	She heads out of the room.  The others watch her go, then 
Ryuunosuke stares at Satomi.  "Why...?"

	The silver-haired coffee shop owner rises.  "Remember when 
Tariko-chan made her promise to you?"

	Ryuunosuke blinks, then slowly nods.  "I don't understand..." 
Lum stands.

	"It's simple, Lum-chan," Satomi sighs.  "Tariko-chan has no real 
use for the likes of Miyaki.  Being an empath, Tariko-chan can't avoid 
sensing the feelings of those around her.  Especially her friends, 
which Ryuunosuke-chan is since we spent time at the same orphanage 
when we were kids.  Two years ago, Tariko-chan promised 
Ryuunosuke-chan that she would be there to help when the day came that 
your fiancee finally gave Miyaki the heave-ho.  Thanks to you, it's 
happened."  She gazes warmly on the Oni.  "And Tariko-chan isn't the 
only one who's happy to see that, Lum-chan.  I'll show you guys where 
you're gonna be for the next day," she waves them out of the room...

*    *    *

	Later...

	Tariko now relaxes in her bedroom, gazing out the window at the 
starlit evening now descending on Tokyo and her suburbs, a cup of tea 
in hand.  She raises the cup to her lips, then stops as a strange 
twitch jolts her nervous system.  "Come in!" she calls out.

	The door opens seconds later to reveal Deunan.  The American 
stops, her eyes widening on seeing her host sitting on her bed naked, 
then she takes a deep breath, walking over to sit at the end of the 
bed.  "They're all asleep."

	"That's good," Tariko tries not to grin on seeing her guest's 
arousal.  "So..."

	"So..."

	"Deunan?"

	"Yes?"

	"Why don't you make yourself comfortable?"

	Deunan blinks, then smiles, reaching down for her shirt.  A few 
seconds later, the nude American lays down on the bed beside her host.  
Tariko sets aside her tea cup, then turns to gaze on her guest, her 
eyes drinking in Deunan's perfectly-shaped breasts, well-honed yet 
still sensuously curved abdomen, her strong yet gracefully-shaped 
arms, the trimmed patch of dark blonde hair over her dampening 
womanhood, those lovely legs, her firm yet plump buttocks, then back 
up to her beautifully-sculptured face.  Humming, Tariko leans close to 
trace a finger over Deunan's skin.  "A little native American, 
probably one of the southwestern tribes.  Some African.  South 
European, maybe Greek or Italian.  All mixed with a lot of central 
European, most likely German.  The personification of the American 
melting pot."

	Deunan gapes at her, then laughs.  "You got it right!" she leans 
up to kiss Tariko on the cheek, then she gazes absently on her for a 
moment before reclining herself once more.  "Tariko?  Can I tell you 
something?"

	"Sure."

	"I want you."

	A titter escapes Tariko's lips.  "I rather figured that out when 
you stepped in."

	"I guess so," Deunan flusters, then sighs.  "Still..."

	"What is it?"

	"Something's...!  Well, holding me back, I guess," the American 
admits, then her gaze intensifies for a moment before she looks 
nowhere in particular, then she turns back to her host.  "It's you, 
isn't it?  You're doing something to me."

	"Not intentionally," Tariko admits, shifting herself into a 
sitting position.  "It's more automatic than anything else."

	"Automatic?"

	"Hai.  You see, my empathic powers are always active.  It's like 
a psychic 'early warning net' to me.  Any person who enters the range 
of that 'net' is detected subconsciously by me.  If they emanate 
something that might threaten me or someone close to me, that's when I 
get a conscious 'nudge' and I go check her out with a more active 
empathic scan or switch to a telepathic scan," Tariko then points to 
her eyes as they glow for a brief moment.  "When I use my telepathy or 
my telekinetic powers, my eyes glow as a result."

	"You must've had problems mastering those abilities if you never 
resorted to government assistance," Deunan notes.

	"Well, I didn't need to.  When my powers first started to 
demonstrate themselves, Oba-chan went out of her way to find someone 
who could help me master them."  With that, Tariko leans over to open 
the top drawer of her nightstand to draw out a framed picture.

	Deunan looks, then whistles.  "Masudamasu Yoshiko!" she takes 
the beautiful nude picture of the lovely twentysomething with the 
ample breasts, smoky grey eyes behind glasses and the black hair 
extending to past her waist.  "We've heard of her over in my 
department.  A lot of her studies in DNA and recombinant RNA research 
are considered mandatory course material for biology undergrads in the 
States."

	"Yeah, Yoshi-chan really is something, isn't she?"

	The American blinks.  "'Yoshi-chan?!'" a knowing grin crosses 
her face.

	Tariko takes the picture back, then pulls it out of its frame.  
Turning it around, she shows Deunan the written message there:

"Dearest Ta-chan,
	"Let me be the mother of your first child.
"Love forever,
"Your Yoshi-chan"

	"Your first lover?" Deunan wonders.

	"Iie," Tariko shakes her head as she restores the picture.  
"Back when I was learning how to master my abilities, I looked on 
Yoshi-chan as the big sister I never had.  My first lover, as you 
might now suspect, was Oba-chan's daughter Ryooko-chan."

	Deunan's gaze turns inward as she calls up what information she 
has on the Mendou family.  "Oh, that's right!  Ryooko's a mother now, 
isn't she?  She has a girl of four.  Tomiko, right?"  A pause, then, 
"Is she your...?"

	"Daughter?  Iie.  Tomiko-chan's my first goddaughter, though," 
Tariko smirks.  "Her co-parent is Ryooko-chan's wife, Mizunokoji 
Asuka.  It..." she pauses for a moment as that tumultuous year starts 
to replay through her mind, then she sighs.  "Like I said, Ryooko-chan 
was my first lover.  We were both twelve at the time and...!  Well, 
you know, getting to the time when people want to explore their bodies 
and what it means to have sex and all that.  At the same time, though, 
Oba-chan and Asuka-chan's mother Saeko wanted Ryooko-chan to be 
engaged to Asuka-chan as a way of ending a feud between the Mendous 
and the Mizunokoji that's gone on since before Sekigahara.  Anyhow..."

*    *    *

	Tomobiki, the Mendou mansion, five years ago...

	"Should I have sex with Asuka-chan after the omiai, 
Tariko-chan?"

	Tariko hummed as she and Ryooko walked across a wooden bridge 
overlooking a small pond near the Western-style nobleman's mansion 
which served as their family home.  "Well, Oba-chan and Saeko-ojousan 
want you and Asuka-chan to get married so the clans could be united, 
Ryooko-chan.  And since neither of you aren't herms, it'd be okay to 
have it before you get married since you don't have to worry about 
having babies."  She shrugged, then stared at the lovely raven-haired 
girl with the eyes of burnt chestnuts.  "I guess it's okay."

	"But..."

	"What's wrong, Ryooko-chan?"

	The young heiress to the Mendou family fortune shuddered, then 
she sighed.  "I've never done it before, Tariko-chan!"

	"Eh?!" Tariko blinked surprisedly.  "Not even with any of the 
Kuroko or the Kuromegane?"

	Ryooko rapidly shook her head.  The Kuromegane -- the name meant 
"Black Glasses" -- were the Mendou Clan's special investigations and 
intelligence group, so-called because of the Ray-Ban sunglasses they 
wore with their three-piece business suits.  The Kuroko, who dressed 
in the traditional uniforms of Kabuki and Noh "invisible" stagehands, 
were Ryooko's private troop of bodyguards.  And Tariko knew well that 
all of them were beautiful.  "I didn't want to do something that might 
upset Okaa-san," she twitted her fingers, then sighed.  "Tariko-chan?"

	"What is it, Ryooko-chan?"

	Ryooko gave her sister-in-all-but-name a pleading look.  "Please 
have sex with me, Tariko-chan!!"

	Tariko jolted, her eyes going wide...

*    *    *

	Today...

	Deunan giggles as the image of the young Ryooko asking Tariko to 
be her first plays out in her mind.  "And you did it, right?"

	"Well..." Tariko chuckles, rubbing the back of her skull, then 
she sighs.  "I didn't take her cherry, of course.  I figured that 
Asuka-chan deserved the right to do that when they slept together the 
first time, which WAS right after the omiai.  But..."

	"She drank your breast milk, right?"

	Tariko nods.  "Hai," she reaches down to gently fondle one of 
her D-cup breasts.  "I didn't realize what had happened to her and 
Yoshi-chan never thought of giving my breasts a detailed look-over 
until later.  But three months after the omiai, Yoshi-chan was giving 
Ryooko-chan an examination when..." she shrugs.  "Whammo!  She 
discovered that Ryooko-chan was pregnant with hers and Asuka-chan's 
baby."

	"That must've caused a big stir!"

	"At first, but when Yoshi-chan did the DNA test on the fetus and 
discovered who were the parents, Haruka-obachan and Saeko-obachan were 
beside themselves.  You see, uniting the Mendous and Mizunokoji into 
one family had been their husbands' fondest dream.  And had they 
survived, their sons would've been made to marry Asuka-chan and 
Ryooko-chan and unite the clans that way.  Then, after the celebration 
died down, Haruka-obachan and Saeko-obachan wondered how it happened.  
So Yoshi-chan put Ryooko-chan through a bunch of tests and 
discovered..."

	"That some elements of Ryooko's DNA had been reconfigured to 
match the equivalent DNA in you, right?"

	"Hai.  That's when Yoshi-chan discovered that somehow, my breast 
glands absorb stem cells from my bones, then allows me to transmit 
them orally into another person to change them."  Tariko takes a deep 
breath.  "It doesn't 'remake' a person into someone that's my equal in 
all respects, of course.  Telekinetically, Ryooko-chan would only be a 
Class Four, I think.  And she can only empathically bond with the 
woman who is the 'father,' so to speak, of her baby.  I don't know why 
that happens.  And even more, Ryooko-chan couldn't pass on her 
abilities to someone else like I did to her, or wound up doing with 
all my customers after Oba-chan and I founded Love Destiny."

	"You're bothered by it, aren't you?" Deunan notes.

	Tariko blinks, then nods.  Slipping off the bed, she walks to 
the window, gazing into the starry night.  "Yeah.  I mean, Ryooko-chan 
was happy beyond belief to have Tomiko-chan.  And Asuka-chan loved it, 
too.  But the fact that I forced Ryooko-chan to become a mom at age 
THIRTEEN, for Heaven's sake..." she closes her eyes.  "Yeah, I could 
sense that they're grateful to me, but..."

	"You didn't know the truth about yourself then, Tariko."

	"I know, I know.  That's what Oba-chan told me!  That's what 
Yoshi-chan told me!  That's what Ryooko-chan and Asuka-chan told me, 
too!" Tariko leans against the window, then sighs.  "And even though 
I've loved and enjoyed bringing my gift to everyone's whose asked me 
to give it to them, that it started THAT way..." she gazes at the 
American, then shrugs.  "Well, maybe sometime in the future, ne?"

	"That's a good attitude to have," Deunan beckons Tariko back to 
the bed.

	As the Japanese woman reclines herself beside her guest, Deunan 
reaches over to draw her close, allowing their nipples to gently rub 
against each other as Tariko's hands press down on the American's 
buttocks to allow their bodies to gently caress the other's.  They 
stare into each other's eyes, then share a warm kiss before Tariko 
slides onto her back, Deunan partially draping herself over her.  
"Tariko?"

	"What is it?"

	"Do you think there're others like you out there?"

	Tariko sighs, closing her eyes as she reaches down 
telekinetically to draw a quilt over them.  "Maybe.  It would seem 
kinda odd that I'm the only one like myself running around the place, 
ne?  But still, I guess it would be nice to be friends with people 
like me."

	"Just 'friends?'" Deunan's eyebrow arches.

	Both laugh, then Tariko flicks off the light...

*    *    *

EPILOGUE

	Tomobiki High School, four days later...

	"Ohayou, Ryuunosuke-sa-...!!  WOW!!!"

	Gasps and cries of delight echo across the front yard of the 
quaint high school as the eyes of other students and teachers lock on 
the lovely form now walking through the front gate.  Given the radical 
revolution in cultural, social and sexual mores since the Virus first 
struck Japan, the uniform standards of Tomobiki High had changed from 
a drab dark blue seifuku to a white button blouse with red-and-blue 
bowtie, a navy blue vest with the school crest over the left breast, 
and a pleaded, red-trimmed blue skirt that most girls left cut only a 
centimetre below the crotch.  The drab bloomers girls once wore to 
protect their modesty in the old days have long been banished to the 
recesses of gym class and it was even odds that girls would be wearing 
any sort of underwear beneath their skirts, windy day or not.

	"My, Ryuunosuke-kun, what a delightful change!" the new school 
nurse, Mitsuki Shizuka -- having just transferred in from Uzuki High 
School in one of Metro Tokyo's more rural sections, she had no idea of 
Ryuunosuke's true nature -- chuckles admiringly as she walks past the 
raven-haired teen and her fiancee.  "Looks like Lum-kun there's 
finally getting you to show off much more of yourself than you did 
before!"

	"I...!" Ryuunosuke flusters, then laughs, rubbing the side of 
her head.  "Y-yeah, she did, Mitsuki-sensei!!"

	"Hey, Morisato!  Great-looking ass!!" another girl heckles from 
nearby.

	"Take it off, Ryuunosuke-chan!" yet another girl whoops.  "We 
want to see it all!!"

	"Give us a joint strip-tease, Lum-chan!!" still another girl 
challenges.

	A chorus of wolf-whistles echo those words, making the couple in 
question blush even more, then Ryuunosuke jolts on hearing a shocked 
shriek from behind her.  Spinning around, she and Lum stare at a 
slack-jawed Miyaki Shinobu, her eyes about to shoot out of her skull 
as a shaking hand flips up and down from Ryuunosuke's face to her 
crotch.  As an incomprehensible stammer escapes the lips of 
Ryuunosuke's former fiancee, several girls gather around the 
raven-haired teen and her present fiancee.  "What the hell's with 
her?" Shindou Reiko, a former Uzuki High student who transferred to 
Tomobiki about the same time Shizuka had changed jobs, wonders.

	"Oh, I dunno, Reiko-san," Ryuunosuke shrugs.  "Somehow, 
Shinobu-san got it into her head that I was a hermaphrodite.  Don't 
ask me why, though; we've slept together for Heaven only knows HOW 
long.  That is," she leans over to kiss Lum, "...until I met a REAL 
girl!"

	Questioning hums escape some of the other women present, then 
Reiko shrugs.  "Well, what can one expect from a girl who keeps 
six-to-ten girlfriends on the go all the time, ne?" she turns head 
inside, then stops, looking back.  "Ryuunosuke-san?"

	"Hai?"

	"Ryooko-chan..." -- Reiko refers to her girlfriend, Kano Ryooko, 
who still attends Uzuki High -- "...is going to be coming down this 
weekend to do some painting.  She told me she wants to do one of you 
and Lum-san together as a wedding gift.  Interested?"

	Ryuunosuke and Lum exchange looks, then both grin.  
"Definitely!!" they answer as one.

	"Alright!  See you in class!" Reiko waves, then heads off.

	Tomobiki High's star couple watch her go, then gently grasp the 
other's hand.  "Lum?"

	"Yes, Darling?"

	"When it really starts to show, we'll get Kano-san to do another 
portrait of us.  Okay?"

	Lum stares at her, then gushes.  "Hai!"

	Both head into school, ignoring the still-sputtering Shinobu, 
who remains rooted to the ground by the front gate...

*    *    *

	Nearby...

	"Another satisfied couple."

	"You really liked seeing that girl humiliated, did you?"

	Tariko blinks, then stares at Deunan before shaking her head.  
"No, not really.  Shinobu's got her good points, Deunan.  Many of them 
in fact.  But the simple fact is, she and Ryuu-chan weren't couple 
material.  After all my experiences with real couples, seeing what was 
going on between Shinobu and Ryuu-chan just got to me at times."  She 
takes a deep breath.  "So it's back to Washington for you, eh?"

	"Yeah.  I guess Dana misses me or something like that," the 
American shrugs, then looks down.  "Tariko?"

	The Japanese girl gazes intently at her for a moment, then 
smiles.  "I'll be seeing you soon, Deunan-chan."

	"Eh?!"

	A knowing laugh escapes the boy-turned-girl.  "Several senators 
and distinguished ladies of the United States Congress, representing 
the Commonwealth of Virginia, have asked me to consult with them on 
some personal matters as soon as I can arrange to fly over to 
Richmond.  That'll be next month; I've some more pressing business in 
Kitakyuushuu, Fukuoka and Pusan to take care of, first, then after a 
break, I'm flying over to Europe to do some business in Berlin, 
Copenhagen and Amsterdam.  I'll fly to Washington right after that."

	Deunan blinks, then smirks.  "I'll have some money ready when 
you come across the pond," she winks.

	"I'll be willing," Tariko touches two fingers to her lips, then 
blows her new friend a kiss...

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

WRITER'S NOTES:

	This story, like the other times I've written "add-on" stories 
to another writer's work, came out of repeated readings of Jim's 
"RanPorn World."  While I'm personally not a big fan of "pure-lemon" 
stories in general, "RPW" did draw my attention.  In fact, one of the 
underlying themes of Jim's work -- the main underlying theme -- is 
what got my muse going to eventually produce what you've just read.

	As those of you who're familiar with my other stories will no 
doubt guess, a certain diploid monogender alien race from a 
water-bound planet far away from Earth, a race I first created for my 
first fanfic series "Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year," are the ones 
responsible for the transformation of the Moroboshi Ataru of the "RPW" 
universe into Moroboshi Tariko.  As to why Tariko is not aware of her 
true origins and the motivations behind his/her Crossing Over, that 
will be explained in the future.  There are more story ideas in this 
line which are churning now inside my mind as I write this now.  
Pending Jim's final nod -- it IS his universe that I'm writing this 
story in after all, of course! -- you'll be reading about Tariko's 
future adventures, not to mention the adventures of others like 
Tariko, soon enough.

	And while I'll do my best to keep to the spirit of "RPW," I will 
warn you now that things might get moody.  Not violent, of course; as 
far as Jim is concerned, that really has no place in the "RPW" 
universe and I respect that.  But there'll be some angst.  Count on 
it.

	As for a meeting between Tariko and the main stars of "RPW," 
especially a certain blue-eyed redhead, that is also possible, but it 
won't happen right away.  I will admit that one of the things that 
first prompted me to put fingers to keyboard on this story was a 
general concern that started to echo in my mind about the way the 
Ranma of "RPW" was being treated by everyone else, both those who have 
direct contact with him/her and those watching him/her from afar.  As 
to what this concern might be, I won't say right now.  But if I have 
the chance to talk about it -- and if it gets the nod from Jim, of 
course -- it'll be addressed in these stories.

	Other than that, any constructive suggestions are always 
welcome.

Cheers and enjoy!

Fred Herriot
25 March 2003

*    *    *

Translations and explanations:

Nihon e youkoso ... Welcome to Japan

wantan-men ... ramen with "won ton" dumplings

Irasshaimasen ... Be welcome here (greeting given by restaurant/bar 
owners when customers arrive)

cocovi ... warmed milk served with whipped cream and candy shards

Anata ... Dear (wife's address to her husband/lifemate)

hachijuuhachi ... eighty-eight (88)

gingi ... redhead (Hebrew)

Knesset ... the unicameral legislative branch of Israel's government

Ojou-sama/Ojou-san ... Lady, Mistress (very formal mode of address to 
a young woman)

Sekigahara ... the battle in 1600, fought west of modern-day Nagano, 
that unified Japan under the Tokugawas, launching the Edo Dynasty

omiai ... a formal meeting between prospective life-mates, arranged 
usually via their parents

Kabuki ... traditional Japanese stage theatre, originating in the 
1600s, known for its lively performances

Noh ... the oldest form of Japanese stage theatre, renowned by its 
simplicity and the masks worn by the lead actor (shite)

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