PROJECT A-KO: "FINAL EXAM"

Part 2

A few days later, B-ko, A-ko and Mari were working out the layout and arrangements for the wedding. While A-ko and B-ko settled the look for the ceremony and the reception afterwards, Mari worked on the floral arrangements. B-ko would decide on table arrangements and such, and then direct A-ko to move furniture, vehicles, statues, etc. A-ko really didn't mind much. It was B-ko's house after all, and she was the strongest of the group.

B-ko formally introduced A-ko to her father, which was about as pleasant as it could have been, considering the number of times that Hikaru Diatokuji had tried to personally kill A-ko. Mr. Diatokuji simply laughed the past off as "simply business". A-ko punched him once and declared everything "even". It was a gentle punch, and only knocked him back 50 feet. It was all B-ko could do to keep from laughing.

As B-ko pointed out, her father had tried to kill her a couple of times too. Nothing personal. Mari, who Mr. Diatokuji had never made an attempt at killing pointed out that Diatokuji only seems to try to get people he actually likes or admires. A-ko looked at her friends and just shook her head, and then moved a 3-tom statue across the lawn so that it wouldn't interfere with the seating.

But the actual arrangements didn't take too long, as all that A-ko and B-ko were doing was a re-arrangement of the same plans they had already put together when the wedding was to have been in the gym at Graviton high School for Girls. All the real work involved fitting these plans into the arrangements of B-ko's house, and considering the size of the grounds there weren't too many adjustments to make, except to account for the outdoor bathtub. A-ko and B-ko found themselves making small talk with each other for the first time in their lives.

"It's a nice place," A-ko said to B-ko at one point while moving a statue for the fourth time. "But it strikes me as a bit lonely. Do just you and your father live here?"

"Yeah," B-ko replied. "Although there are servants and people who work for father around all the time during the day. My own staff stays downtown, so you're right, it can be a bit lonely sometimes. But this is where I grew up, so I'm used to it."

"Ever think of getting your own place?"

"Sometimes, but I have workshops here, so it's convenient. Besides, I don't really think I could live like you do."

"Like me?" A-ko asked.

"You have a 1LDK right? That seems a bit cramped to me."

(Note from the author: for those of you not in the know, 1LDK means 1 bedroom, Living room, Dining room, Kitchen - it's Japanese shorthand for apartment size. Aren't you impressed with the research here? Back to the show...)

"I really don't need more than that," A-ko said. "After all, I'm just a college student. Someday I'd like to live in a house again, but that can wait until I'm married."

B-ko let out a small laugh. "You and Keiichi?" she asked, amused.

A-ko frowned. "Oh, we're a long way away from that. Maybe."

"Just maybe? Sounds like you're not too sure about your boyfriend. I've never known you to be indecisive about anything before now, A-ko."

A-ko glared, then scratched her neck nervously. "Yeah, well I've tried, and Keiichi is interested, but things just keep happening to keep us from getting closer. Right now he's immersed in his studies, I'm working on the wedding, and the one night we had together over the past few weeks the mood just didn't happen. I mean, it wasn't his fault, or mine for that matter..."

A-ko trailed off to see B-ko staring at her intently. "What?" she asked.

"But you would have if something else hadn't happened?" B-ko ventured.

A-ko nodded, suddenly realizing just how much intimate detail she had volunteered. "Hey," she said defensively, "I'm a modern woman, you know. If I want him to stay the night with me, I can do that."

B-ko sighed. "So she really is beyond me in these matters," she said to herself. "I made the right decision."

"B-ko?"

B-ko looked up to see A-ko standing in front of her. "Sorry," she said.

"You looked ages away for a moment there," A-ko said. "You all right?"

"I am. I still don't really understand why any woman would want to be shackled by a man. It keeps us away from running things, and I like running things."

A-ko laughed. "Our old arguments about Kei aside, do whatever suits you. Me, I'd like evenings of bliss to be a part of the picture."

B-ko laughed. "My evenings are too busy, I suppose. Anyway, not to change the subject or anything, but I had an idea."

A-ko groaned. "I'm not moving that statue again," she said.

"No, not about the wedding. Something else entirely. Now that we're not enemies anymore, why don't you come work for me?"

A-ko was shocked. "You mean work with Ina, Uma and Asa?"

"And sometimes Mari; she consults."

A-ko looked over to see Mari arranging flowers. Well, okay, stomping them into the ground.

"I don't know, B-ko," A-ko said cautiously. "I really want to be a journalist."

"So do so!" B-ko shot back. "But you have some skills that would be wasted as a journalist."

"My strength, you mean?"

"That's part of them, certainly. Tell you what, don't make a decision yet. There's something I want to show you. Do you want to see my lab?"

"Um, your lab?"

"The place I created all those mechas that I used against you in the past. I still use it, although for different uses now. I design the machines Diatokuji enterprises makes these days down there. We can essentially leave what's left of the wedding arrangements to Mari. She's good with flowers."

A-ko took one more quick look at Mari, who was pummeling the ground with her fists. Dust rose, then settled. What remained was a startling arrangement of the prettiest flowers A-ko had ever seen.

"All right, let's go talk privately," A-ko said.

* * * * *

A-ko followed B-ko into her study in the Diatokuji mansion. B-ko told her where to stand, and then punched in a code in the pedestal in the center of the room. Suddenly A-ko found herself heading with B-ko down an elevator shaft that had opened up in the center of the room. She looked up just in time to see a hatch close over her head. Soft lights came up at that moment.

"The mansion extends underground as well," A-ko noted.

"That's right. The complex is actually twice as big below ground as above." B-ko pulled out her portable phone and punched in another code. After a moment, the elevator stopped and then began to move sideways.

"Neat trick," A-ko said.

"Thanks." After a few seconds, the elevator began to descend again. Finally, after so long a period that A-ko was surprised that her ears hadn't popped, a door appeared before them, which opened into a large hanger.

"Wowee!" A-ko gasped, taking in the room. "You built all of this?"

B-ko smiled demurely, taking in the praise. There were thirty mechas in the hanger. A few that A-ko recognized, but most she didn't. There were even a few broken-down ones in one corner, all of which were familiar to A-ko.

"Those are the ones you sent after me," she said.

"All of them except the one my father stole and the one that looked like you."

"It did not look like me!"

"Beside the point now. After these machines suffered their various defeats I would have them brought back here so that I could analyze their flaws. It became a sort of monument to your ability to defeat me, I guess you could say. But I didn't bring you down here for those. I want to show you this one."

B-ko pointed to a 20-meter tall mecha, obviously still unfinished. "The Izumi/Takahashi 30XC," B-ko continued. "My latest and greatest work. It's specifically designed for surgical strikes, right down to the individual. Simply input selected DNA information and let it go hunting."

"Sounds like something you would have sent after me," A-ko said sharply.

"Oh, it was, it was. But then we patched things up before I could finish it. I changed a few parts of the design and now it's a government contract. You've always inspired me to do great work."

"Thank you, I suppose. But what does this have to do with me coming to work for you?"

B-ko pulled up a chair and sat down, motioning for A-ko to do the same. "I suppose what I really need is to be inspired by your skills," B-ko said. "You're the only person I've never been able to defeat, even temporarily. We've fought to a draw more than once, but I've never actually defeated you. But I've invented more things when we fought than at any other time. I guess you... inspire me."

A-ko rubbed her neck nervously. "Um, I don't know what to say..."

"You have no idea how difficult this is for me to say... but you've bested me in almost everything we've ever fought about. Strength, C-ko, even romance."

"Um, I'm only one boyfriend ahead of you," A-ko protested. "I really don't think that Kei should count."

"But you're still ahead of me. I need to know what it's like."

"Um, excuse me?"

B-ko bowed in her seat. "I need to know that I'm wanted. I want you to teach me how to attract a lover. That's what I want to hire you for."

A-ko sat and stared in shock. "She wants romantic advice from me?" a voice inside her head screamed. "This isn't happening!" Aloud she said, "Come on B-ko, you're the richest single woman I know! Surely that must attract some suitors..."

"But no one of any quality," B-ko replied, her head still hung down low. "I've done everything you've done except this..."

A-ko stood up. "I get it! You're jealous! C-ko's getting married and I've got a boyfriend now, so you're feeling left out!"

"No! It's more than that!" B-ko stood up as well. "I need you to help me learn to be wanted! I don't know how to get that level of happiness. The two attempts I've made have been disasters. At least you've made a success."

"So has C-ko! So has Mari for that matter!"

"Those cases are special. You actually have a relationship with a man you simply met. I need to know that I can do that too! Relationships are the only thing we have left to fight about and I don't even like Keiichi! That leaves me fighting about you and while that would be fun that would break our promise to C-ko, and that will never happen again!"

A-ko sat back down. "You're serious," she said with a sigh. "All right, I'll help you, although I'm not sure how. One thing, I'm not your employee. I'll do it because you've helped C-ko out of a jam. And because..."

B-ko looked down. "Yes?"

A-ko let out a small laugh. "And as much as I hate to admit it, we have become friends over the past year. That's lesson one. Don't expect guidance because you pay people. Get it from friends. You have few enough of those, so I guess I'll have to do. Besides, I have another reason not to be your employee."

"Oh?"

"I've seen your squad around. You don't pay enough. All they ever seem to eat is Ramen..."

* * * * *

I suppose you're wondering where C-ko was during this exchange. Why wasn't she with her friends? Well, a princess has duties sometimes, and today was one of those times. Not that C-ko was actually enjoying it. Having finally reconciled herself to actually being an alien princess after so many years on Earth was still a bit of a stretch for her. Fortunately she had Kyosuke to guide her through the protocols.

(Warning: this next paragraph is for the VH-1 set.)

The reception for the arriving wedding guests was held at the newly opened L7 space station. Along with C-ko and Kye were C-ko's mother (dressed in her royal gown), General Yoshida in his best uniform, the Captain and Dee, dressed in borrowed uniforms (theirs were showing some strain). Kye was dressed in the uniform he wore when he first arrived in Graviton City, while C-ko wore her princess gown (if you've seen Project A-ko: Final, you've seen it. If not, GO RENT IT BEFORE READING THIS STORY! sheesh, I have to tell you everything..................)

Also present was a full honor guard of Yoshida's best troops (squad Skuld, for those of you keeping track) to welcome the dignitaries. The first arrival was the fleet from Kyosuke's kingdom, and as such the first dignitary greeted was Kye's father. As the older warrior approached the reception group most everyone bowed, except for C-ko's mother, and Kye and C-ko themselves. "Just follow my lead," Kye told C-ko.

Kye and C-ko took two steps forward to greet C-ko's future father-in-law (gulp!) Kye bowed low and C-ko did the same. "Otoosan," Kye said, still bowed.

"Kyosuke," the older man said. "Please rise. You will be king one day."

Kye stood back up and smiled. "Ah, but you're the King now. It's not exactly my turn yet."

Kye's father laughed aloud, but said nothing more. He bowed in turn to his son and then faced C-ko. "We meet again, Princess Kotobuki."

"Otoosama," C-ko replied, straightening up. "Please, it's just C-ko."

"Among ourselves, perhaps," the King said. "A pleasure to see you again." He bowed down and kissed C-ko's hand, then straightened and walked three paces to face C-ko's mother. "Highness," he said with a slight bow.

"Sire," Queen Kotobuki replied. "Welcome to Earth. May the events of the next few days bring peace and unity between our kingdoms."

The King bowed. "May it be so," he replied formally. "May it please us all."

Queen Kotobuki turned her eyes to General Yoshida. The General, in turn, knowing his cue, stepped forward and bowed low. "Your Highness," he began, "on behalf of the people of Earth, Graviton City and the humble facility I welcome you. Once other parties have arrived there will be a small reception for you and your staff on the planet below..."

The King smiled. "Your cooking, I presume?" he said to his counterpart.

C-ko's mother bowed and smiled softly.

"I'd be honored to attend!" With nothing more said, the King took his place in the receiving line and the General resumed his place as well. The lead ship from the Kotobuki Empire had just arrived, and a small shuttle was landing. C-ko and Kye stayed where they were, two paces before the rest of the receiving line.

Back in the receiving line, Dee looked at her Captain. "Nervous?" she asked.

"Sake!" the Captain whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I need Sake! Sake sake sake sake sake sake sake sake sake sake sake!"

A moment after the shuttle had landed in the hanger, a strikingly handsome woman stepped out of the shuttle, with long blonde hair and a billowing cape. A muffled squeak could be heard from the receiving line as Commander Tripolipolita approached the royal party. Three paces from C-ko and Kye she stopped and knelt, bowing so low her forehead nearly touched the ground.

C-ko and Kye in turn bowed. "Please rise, commander," C-ko intoned, just as Kye had coached her. As Tripolipolita again stood, C-ko couldn't help herself. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "You really DO resemble the Captain!"

The commander bowed her head so that her anger wouldn't show. "I assume you refer to my sister," she said.

"Um hmm!"

Tripolipolita had herself under control and looked up again. "Yes, I suppose we do look a lot alike, your highness. However, our career paths have been quite different."

"Yes, we understand," Kye said, interrupting. He bowed briefly. "A pleasure to meet you Commander. I look forward to working with you on defense issues."

"With all due respect your highness, that may prove difficult. If you'll recall, we've met before."

Kye smiled. "Yes. That battle at Siria-Cygni-3. You inflicted quite a lot of damage on my fleet, as I recall."

Tripolipolita smiled. "I recall it that way as well."

"However, the fleet commanded by my father eventually prevailed."

The smile vanished. "Had my plan been executed as directed the outcome would have been different."

"Perhaps." Kye smiled. "We should discuss it further at some point, as you may be right. Commander, our fleets will be combined as our kingdoms merge, and you will be placed at my command. One thing I did discover during our previous meeting is that you're a soldier with honor, and with talent. Neither will be wasted." Again, Kye bowed, as did C-ko.

"I hope that is true," the Commander replied.

"Once the formalities here are over I'd like you to be my guest at a reception on the planet. You can get acquainted with your liaison in Graviton City begin discussing coordinating your efforts."

"I would like that." Tripolipolita glanced at the receiving line and spotted her sister. They made eye contact for the first time in many years. The Captain leaned against Dee, and then fainted with a sigh.

"Pathetic," Commander Tripolipolita murmured, facing her Queen and bowing.

"The Captain doesn't look so good," C-ko whispered to Kye.

Kye nodded. "I wonder why?" he whispered back.

* * * * *

Let's cut to the chase shall we? You can probably guess that the next set of big events to come will happen at the dinner party for the guests of the wedding, so let's go right to it, shall we?

* * * * *

Simply due to the number of guests, the dinner party was held at the Diatokuji Mansion. Queen Kotobuki supervised the meal personally, and had hired three dozen waiters, cooks, attendants, etcetera in addition to the staff that Hikaru Diatokuji normally retained for such events. Attending were officers of both galactic empires, as well as various dignitaries from Graviton City, Including General Yoshida and his wife. Also attending were A-ko, Mari, Dee, the Captain and a number of other familiar figures. (Except for Kei - have I forgotten to mention that he and Mari broke up after only a few dates? No spoiler here, Kei will not play a role in this story... sorry. Um, well.... he will show up for a cameo later on, however.)

The dinner itself went smoothly, with everyone savoring the cooking and enjoying the meal. Afterwards, the tables were cleared and the gathering became a party, with various groups discussing various things. Verily.

While A-ko went to find some more food (she could never get enough of Queen Kotobuki's cooking) C-ko had found General and Mrs. Yoshida and had cornered them about their upcoming child.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" asked C-ko.

"Yes," the former Miss Ayumi replied. "Although it's a bit wearing sometimes. I'll be glad when your wedding is over so that my General will be home a bit more often."

"Soon, I promise," Yoshida said. "So, Princess C-ko, will you and Kyosuke be having children of your own right away?"

C-ko blushed deeply. "We haven't really talked about it," she said with a bit of a pout.

"I didn't mean to put you on the spot..."

C-ko brightened up. "That's all right. So do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

"We don't know yet," Ms. Yoshida said. "But we do have a name. Ranma."

"Isn't that a girl's name?"

"I always thought of it as a boy's name myself..." the General said.

"It's fine either way," C-ko's former teacher said.

"Well," C-ko replied, "I prefer the name Akane myself. Or maybe Yuu. Or maybe Belldandy, that's exotic! Or perhaps Megami or Kurumi. Or Usagi. Isn't that a pretty name? You could call her Usako! Or Hitomi. Or Millerna. Or Shinobu maybe. Or Yukkuri. Or maybe Rei. Or A-ko! No? Or Kei or Yuri's a good name too..."

In another part of the house, B-ko was trying to try out some moves on one of the soldiers from Kyosuke's kingdom, using some of the suggestions that A-ko had made. Just as an experiment, you see.

"We could find someplace a bit more quiet to talk, if you like," B-ko was saying. "I know this house very well, you see, and know where the best private spots are."

"But I'm on duty," the soldier replied. "I have to remain on alert for the sake of my Prince and my King."

"I understand that," B-ko said back with a touch of silk in her voice. "It's all right, I know a good place not ten meters from here."

But the soldier wasn't listening. Another soldier had given him a signal, which he acknowledged with a quick nod. He turned to B-ko and sneered. "Get lost, bimbo," he said, storming off.

B-ko, jaw dropped, simply stood in shock as the soldier turned on his heel and walked away. Then she started to steam. "I'll bet A-ko set that whole thing up..."

The soldier, meanwhile, joined his comrade and the two of them began scouting for an empty room of the Mansion. Once they found one they began to change shapes.

* * * * *

I know, it's just getting interesting, but let's see what's going on around the orbit of Saturn or so.

"Captain, we won't be able to avoid detection much longer."

The Captain of the third fleet headed towards Earth smiled. "That's all right, Lieutenant. It appears that some of the other fleets have added some technology to the Graviton defense system. It won't do them any good."

The Lieutenant bowed. "As you say sir, but these forces seem formidable."

The Captain swerved in his chair and glowered. "We will have redemption, keep your place!"

The Lieutenant took a step back.

"Prepare for invasion to commence in 6 hours," the Captain said.

* * * * *

"Captain!"

The Captain stood next to Dee, cringing at the voice that came from behind her. She knew this moment was coming, but she had hoped to be spared it at the reception. Apparently not. She slowly turned around and saluted. "Commander," she said crisply. "Sister," she added.

Commander Tripolipolita marched slowly up to the Captain and Dee. "So pathetic that I'm actually related to a creature like you," she said. "While you are under my command you will address me by my rank only, is that understood?"

"Yes, Commander."

"I've been trying to decide what to do with you while you are still here on Earth. Nothing seems quite right. I mean eventually you will be sent back to our homeworld when Queen Kotobuki returns, after the Princess and Prince return to Graviton City from their honeymoon. But until then you're mine and I don't want you either."

"Commander..." Dee began.

Tripolipolita shot a severe glance at Dee, who fell silent. "I'll get to you in a moment." The Commander returned her gaze to a now frightened Captain.

"But it occurs to me that you will probably reach home a hero. You did find the princess, after all, as Her Highness keeps reminding me. How a drunken sot such as yourself could have done it is beyond me, but then again you've had help." The Commander looked at Dee again, then back. "There were more screw-ups than successes in your entire mission, but the fact still remains that the princess was indeed found and reunited with her mother. So the question becomes; what do we do with a drunken sailor? After all, keel-hauling is impractical in space."

The Commander began to pace around her two subordinates. "And just how do I return you to home deserving of the welcome you're going to receive?"

"Well," the Captain began.

"It was rhetorical you simp," the Commander barked. "I already know the answer; I just want you to squirm for a bit longer. It needs to be something you'll absolutely despise, and yet build some character into you that is severely lacking. I've therefore decided to put you in my Micro-stellar Mapping Department."

The Captain flinched.

"That's right, Sister," the Commander sneered, "the most boring and yet needed function on the ship, mapping out anything in the system less than 5 kilometers in diameter. And I'll want every last such object catalogued before you return home."

"But, but," the Captain stammered, "in order to do that I'd need to work nearly non-stop! There simply isn't enough time in a system with this many planets and moons! Not to mention an asteroid belt, comets, satellites and all the other garbage in this system!"

"Oh, there's time," the Commander said. "You just won't be able to leave my ship because you won't have any free time. And then when the ship becomes yours you will be leaving the system entirely, without even so much as a re-stock of supplies. I expect you to report at 2200 hours tonight to begin work." Tripolipolita took three steps back and turned to Dee. "You are of course welcome to join her, although not required to. Your services here on Earth have proven to be useful in the past..."

"I will stand by my Captain," Dee replied with a salute.

"Loyal to the end. I'll remember that. Very well." She turned to the Captain. "A salute from you would be nice as well."

The Captain saluted, and the Commander turned away.

"Oh, one more thing," she said over her shoulder. "There is no alcohol onboard my ship, and you won't be allowed to bring any on."

Commander Tripolipolita walked away, leaving her older sister to swoon and then collapse against Dee.

"I'm in hell," the Captain said with a sob.

* * * * *

Almost everyone at the party can tell you where they were and what they were doing when it happened. B-ko, who had been looking for A-ko to scream at because of her rejection, was looking directly at C-ko. The General and his wife were still discussing baby names, barely paying any attention to C-ko, who still stood next to them. The Captain was at a banquet table trying to stuff a half-empty bottle of Sake into a hidden compartment in her dress.

There are even people who weren't there who can tell you what they were thinking when it happened.

C-ko was just looking up to try and find A-ko when she spotted Kye. She waved and invited him over, and he came up next to her. Then with a speed that C-ko didn't suspect he had, he snatched the flowers from her hair and ran away. As C-ko looked on in shock, he passed the flowers to A-ko, who had been standing a few meters away. The split up and ran in opposite directions, disappearing into the crowd, all of whom were dumbstruck.

C-ko began to tear up. Her hair fell forward, much longer than most would have suspected. She then fell to her knees and began to sob.

B-ko just stared, dumbfounded, with her mouth open. She blinked just to be certain that her eyes weren't deceiving her. No, she really saw what the had thought she saw.

C-ko had been deflowered.

B-ko finally regained her composure and ran to C-ko's side. "C-ko, are you all right?"

C-ko didn't look up, but instead reached to the place in her hair where the flowers had been, as if denying they were gone. "Why?" she said, crying full steam now.

There was a rumbling sound, and B-ko looked up to see a dust cloud approaching. But then the dust settled and B-ko saw A-ko at C-ko's other side. "What happened?" A-ko asked, looking at B-ko. She looked down and noticed what was wrong. "C-ko! Your flowers!"

"As if you didn't know," B-ko seethed.

"What?"

"This is far lower than I could have ever thought you could go."

"B-ko? You think I did this?" A-ko looked up and for the first time noticed that everyone at the party was staring at her.

"Don't even try to deny what we all saw!" B-ko said. "The two of you, together! I never could have imagined it!"

"What?"

At that moment Kye arrived and knelt in front of C-ko. He saw immediately why C-ko was crying. "Your hair!" he exclaimed.

If B-ko was angry before now she boiled. "I've heard and seen enough of this!" She stood and tore her dress away, revealing her old power suit. "DIE!"

"B-ko, no," C-ko said, looking up. She stood up, shakily. "No more fighting." It was enough to make B-ko hesitate.

Kye stood and C-ko approached him. Then she started crying again, pounding her fists into his chest. Kye looked around, completely unable to fathom what was going on. After a moment, C-ko stopped and looked up, her eyes shaking. "I can't marry you," she said. "Not after you've done this."

Kye took a step back as if slapped.

C-ko slowly turned and approached A-ko.

"C-ko?" A-ko asked. A-ko looked into her friends eyes and saw something she had never seen before. Real anger.

"I... I..." C-ko paused, taking a deep breath. "I never want to see you again!" she shouted. C-ko began to cry again, and ran off into the crowd.

"C-ko!" A-ko shouted, reaching after C-ko. "C-ko!" she whispered, watching her friend run away.

"A-ko," B-ko said. "I suggest you leave. Take your lover or whatever he is with you." She pointed at Kye. "I'll respect C-ko's wishes and not kill either one of you, but you'd best leave before I change my mind."

A-ko turned to look at B-ko. "B-ko," she started, tearing up herself. She then ran off, away from everyone.

Kye collapsed to his knees. "What happened?" he whispered.

* * * * *

Late that night and into the hours before dawn, alone in her apartment with the lights turned very low, A-ko lay face-down on her bed.

Crying.

* * * * *

At the same time, C-ko lay in her room, also face-down on her bed. She hadn't stopped crying for several hours, even when her mother found new flowers to put in her hair. She had tried to get some sleep, but couldn't. Every time she closed her eyes she could picture A-ko staring down at her, a self-satisfied grin on her face.

"A-ko! Kye!" she sobbed. "Why?"

After a long time, there was a knock at the door.

* * * * *

"Enter!"

B-ko was still mad. She had been pacing her room for hours since the party had disintegrated, thinking of new and inventive ways to get revenge on A-ko. Not just for her sake, but for C-ko's as well. She had barked her command after hearing the knock at the door. After a moment's hesitation, a short woman with dirty blonde hair and prominent front teeth walked into the room.

"Ina?" B-ko asked. "What do you want?"

Ina bowed. "Please forgive the intrusion, Miss Diatokuji. I have something I think you will want to see."

"Not now! I'm working on plans to finally defeat that bitch A-ko!"

Ina bowed again. "After today's events that's not a surprise. But I think you should really see this before you make any further plans." Still bowed, Ina held out a small videocassette.

"What's this?" B-ko asked, taking the tape.

"My usual surveillance."

B-ko stared at Ina for a moment, the wordlessly placed the tape in a player and turned on the video monitor in her room. After a moment of viewing, B-ko coldly looked up at Ina. "Does anyone else know about this?" she asked.

"Does anyone else pay me to do this?" Ina replied, head bowed.

"That's not a reassuring answer," B-ko shot back. "If this is accurate, you're due for a raise."

"No one knows about it except you and I."

B-ko nodded, deep in thought. "Very well." she took the tape from the player and handed it back to Ina. "Make three copies of this tape. One for C-ko, one for Kye and the third for A-ko. Meet me at C-ko's in one hour. I expect you to get the others there, but tell no one else about this."

"Yes, Miss Diatokuji." Ina bowed again and left the room.

B-ko sat still for a moment, even more furious than before. Then she picked up her phone and placed a call to the Graviton Defense Force Headquarters.

"This is B-ko Diatokuji. I need to speak with General Yoshida immediately." There was a pause. "General? I need to find Kye right away. Do you know where he is?"

Another pause.

"What?" B-ko shouted.

* * * * *

"I can't believe it!"

The two shape-shifters were back at their headquarters, discussing their next plans. For the first time since they had begun their mission, they were in their natural forms. The leader was a cadaverously tall and thin man with a lengthy mane of silver-gray hair, with shoulders than seemed unnaturally large. His companion was much nearly the same height, with flowing blonde hair and a bust that seemed to defy gravity.

"What is it specifically that you cannot bring yourself to believe?" The leader asked.

"That it worked!" the female said. "When you first told me the details of your plan to break up the wedding I had my doubts."

"Then why didn't you raise them before?"

"You're the leader. It wasn't my place."

The man smirked. "Good. I was right to bring you into this mission then. The value of discipline hasn't been lost on you."

"I am a soldier, after all, Gail."

The thin man laughed, a deep sinister laugh. "And I have not forgotten that, Liza. Come. We need to see to our guests and prepare for the next phase of the operation..."

* * * * *

A-ko awoke to the sound of pounding at her front door. She was groggy from a very poor night's sleep, and it took her a moment to reach the door. "Go away!" she shouted.

"A-ko! We need to talk! Right now!"

A-ko frowned. "B-ko?"

"Yes, it's B-ko. Can we talk?"

A-ko shook her head, but opened the door. B-ko stood there, along with Mari, Ina, Ume and Asa. "The whole gang huh?" she smirked. "If you've come to kill me just get it over with. I doubt I could be any more miserable." She left the door open and sat down at the couch in the living room. The other girls followed, with Asa closing the door behind them.

"As tempting as it would be to let you twist in the wind for a while we don't have the time," B-ko said. "Good news or awful news first?"

A-ko looked up. "Good news," she said.

"Fine. We know you didn't do it. I had you under surveillance and during the time C-ko was attacked you were in the kitchen stuffing your face. The way you eat I'm surprised that you're not grotesquely overweight."

"You were having me followed?"

"I'd think you'd be used to it by now," B-ko said. "Anyway, the tape shows you in the kitchen, and shows Kye arguing with his father about something behind you."

A-ko's eyes went wide. "You mean we're both clear? I didn't even know he was there!"

"That's obvious from the tape. As soon as C-ko's scream can be heard you tear out of there like a woman on fire to come to the rescue. The resulting mess in the kitchen wasn't pretty, and it delayed Kye."

A-ko looked at her long-time rival for a moment, then hugged her with as much strength as she could muster. "B-ko! Thank you! Thank you! Arigatou! Thank you!"

"Not so tight," B-ko choked out. A-ko released her.

"Sorry," A-ko said, grinning. "Wait a minute. Does C-ko know?"

B-ko sighed. "No."

"Why not? You should have gone to her first!"

"We did," Mari said with a grunt.

It took a moment for that to sink in. "Where's C-ko?"

"That's the awful news. No one knows. Both she and Kye are gone," B-ko said.

"Together?"

"I don't think so. Kye was so bewildered by how things happened at the party that he left with his father shortly after C-ko did. C-ko went home; I was able to confirm that. But sometime during the night C-ko vanished. Kye disappeared from his barracks shortly afterward."

A-ko nodded. "You have a plan?"

"I do."

"Count me in."

* * * * *

"Captain, all the preparations have been made. We await your command."

The Captain of the invading force hiding behind Saturn sat at his command chair for a moment, contemplating the moment. "A dark stain on our honor will be erased today," he muttered softly. "For 20 years I have borne this dishonor, and today I will finally triumph against the odds and be able to begin my return to glory..."

The Captain stood dramatically, startling his Lieutenant. "Proceed with the attack!" he yelled.

* * * * *

"Captain, there's something I think you should see."

Barely a minute later, in a darkened room in the bowels of a darkened ship docked at a darkened space station darkened even further than usual by the dark events of a dark 24 hours, the comment brought even more dread than could possibly be expected for someone in as dark a situation as she could imagine. That Dee's voice also sounded dark didn't help.

"What is it Dee?" the Captain asked, nursing what might be the last hangover she might face for a long time.

"I need you to confirm these readings around the 6th planet in this system," Dee replied. "Something strange is going on."

"Strange?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that a group of ships is out there. Somebody besides ourselves and the others already here."

The Captain stood and staggered over to the console for a look. "That's odd," she said. "Do we have the resources to launch a probe?"

Dee nodded and proceeded to launch a visual sighting probe. Telemetry came back quickly, and the look of confusion of the Captain's face (and on Dee's too) was quickly replaced with one of alarm. The Captain staggered quickly to a communications console.

"Get me Commander Tripolipolita! It's an emergency!"

* * * * *

Commander Tripolipolita was on the space station, overseeing quarters that she now doubted she would ever use, now that the wedding was off, when the page came. She took her private communicator and switched it on. When she saw who was on the other end she said, "Oh, it's you."

"Sister, save the rebuke for another time. We have a problem!"

"Tell me."

So the Captain told her.

"I see," Tripolipolita said. "Meet me on the bridge in two minutes, and send your findings to the science station on the bridge now. If this is a hoax or if you've made an error of this magnitude you'll get a dressing down that even you can't recover from." She changed channels without waiting for a reply. "Lieutenant?"

"Yes Commander," came the crisp voice of another officer through Tripolipolita's communicator.

"Look at the readings coming to your work station right now. Tell me what you see."

The Lieutenant did.

"Damn! Patch me through to General Yoshida at Graviton City Central Command. And sound general quarters. We have work to do."

* * * * *

General Yoshida had just returned home when the call came. His wife wasalready on the phone with Yoshida's office, and she sadly handed the phone to him. After a moment of listening, he nodded and hung up the phone.

"You have to go back," the former Miss Ayumi said.

Yoshida nodded. "First Kye disappears, and now it looks like we're being invaded from space."

"Again?"

* * * * *

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you!" C-ko said, crying as if the world had ended.

It had, sort of. C-ko had graduated high-school, after all, and could at least put 2 and 2 together. A couple of hours after she had gone to bed two dark figures had broken into her room in her house. She remembered them attacking her and then everything went dark. When she awoke again she found herself tied back to back in an unlit room to another person; Kye. Kye had told her a similar story about how he had wound up here. It didn't look good.

They had talked; angrily at first, then as it became clear to C-ko that Kye had had nothing to do with the incident at the party, she had broken into tears. She hadn't stopped yet.

"It's all right C-ko," Kye reassured from his position behind her, facing the exact opposite direction but looking over his shoulder. "I could never do something so rotten to you, and I knew you'd realize that. I love you C-ko, and that will never change."

C-ko shook her head. "I still don't understand it. Why? What's going on? Where's A-ko?"

"I don't know. Seeing as whoever is behind all of this set me up I would bet that A-ko was probably set up too. Somebody wanted to discredit the two people closest to you. My guess is that probably something really bad is about to happen."

"That much I had guessed," C-ko replied.

"How things look really depends on your point of view," came a deep masculine voice from the doorway. Both C-ko and Kye squinted to look at their captor. Strike that. Captors. From the shadows it looked like there were two of them. The second one had to be female judging from the profile shadow.

"Why have you kidnapped us?" Kye demanded.

"Where's A-ko?" C-ko added.

"One thing at a time," the tall thin man said. "Why have we kidnapped you? Why should I tell you? The less you know the better."

"I've seen movies!" C-ko shouted through her tears. "I've read manga! Revealing your plans to tied-up enemies is what the bad guys always do!"

An overly-busty woman in spandex turned on a light in the room. "She does have a point, Gail," she said. "It seems to be the custom on Earth."

Gail gave his companion a disgusted look. "Oh, I suppose. When in Graviton..." He began to pace around his captives. "As you just heard, my name is Gail. Under other circumstances I wouldn't concern myself with a planet so small and petty, but as another me failed in his mission, I must take over."

"Huh?" Kye said.

"There is a theory, one that I believe, that there are an infinite number of universes and that we all exist in some form in each of them. Apparently, one of me from another universe tried to destroy all of them and recreate them in his own image."

"Talk about the king of all power grabs," the busty woman said. "Liza, by the way."

"Hello, old lady," replied C-ko.

"Old? I'm only 22!"

"Well in this universe," Gail continued, unperturbed, "I'm more interested in real power. At the moment of the death of the other me, he sent me a message. Not directly, of course, as he could only hope that I actually existed. But that communication told me about you, C-ko. You were the key to the other me's plan, and you're the key to mine."

"Kye, I'm confused."

"You're not alone," Kye replied.

"In this universe, I have certain talents that I doubt I have in others. Liza as well. So we came to this planet to take over the empires your families have created." Gail smiled and stopped pacing. "And that's essentially it. We plan to replace you."

"Are you ever going to make any sense?" Kye asked.

"To your addled way of thinking, probably not. But it will make sense once you know the whole story. Forget about the other me. Just realize that I will be replacing the two of you with the two of us."

"Not possible!"

"Really? Watch." Gail nodded to Liza, and the two of them began to change shape. Gail into C-ko, Liza into Kye. The real Kye and C-ko both watched in awed surprise as their captors transformed themselves into copies of themselves. As soon as they were done, Gail/C-ko said, "Neat, huh?"

"Wow! She even sounds like me," C-ko exclaimed. "I mean, he..."

"I've heard of you," Kye said. "Shapeshifters from the Delta Quadrant. Rare, secretive. Not much known about them but usually the mercenary type."

"Ah, but not me, not today," Gail/C-ko said. "Disguised as you, we simply re-appear, saying that we've reconciled our differences and the wedding is back on. Then I will rule your empire. The Kotobuki empire is the stronger one, so I will play the part of the Princess, who will show an un-suspected aptitude for rule after the wedding. It is flawless."

"A-ko will see right through you!" C-ko exclaimed.

The shapeshifters laughed.

Kye hung his head. "It won't matter," he said. "The incident at the party discredited her, and the false you will still be angry at the real A-ko. A-ko won't be able to do anything, even if she figures out the truth."

"Smart boy," Gail/C-ko said.

"B-ko! B-ko will figure it out."

"Afraid not," Liza/Kye said. "You see, everyone involved in Earth's defense will be very busy in a few moments. In addition to the fleets of your two empires, a third is about to invade. Not ours, interestingly enough, but someone just big enough to be a distraction while we carry out our plan. They'll fail, of course, thanks to the presence of the combined forces of your empires, which will be combined in fact as the two of you will be married quickly to seal the alliance. Well, the two of us at any rate. And then there will be some needed direction from the ground forces. Miss Diatokuji will be too busy with other issues to even be around us while we complete our plan."

"And the two of you won't be able to interfere either," Gail/C-ko said. "Unfortunately for you, as you know our secret, you will need to die now." Gail/C-ko leaned back to laugh an evil (and very non-C-ko like) laugh when the building shook. There had been a small explosion in the distance.

"That idiot!" Gail/C-ko said, angrily looking up. "He's launched his attack early!" He looked back down. "Well, this accelerates and changes our schedule just a bit. We need to get to L7 in a hurry, but we'll be back and kill you later when we know we can dispose of your bodies easily. Liza, make certain the restraints are secure."

Liza/Kye examined the bindings. "They are."

The two shapeshifters left the room. Before turning the light back out and securing the door, Liza/Kye leaned in and smiled. "See you soon!" Then the door slammed shut and C-ko and Kye were plunged into darkness.

* * * * *

On the bridge of Commander Tripolipolita's ship, the Commander and her sister were going over plans. The bridge was a flurry of activity as ships were launched at the attackers. A number of forces were being dispatched towards the ground to help protect against the splinter group that had attacked Graviton City.

"It's a big planet," the Commander was saying. "Why the focus on Graviton City?"

"They're after the Princess, of course," the Captain replied.

Commander Tripolipolita looked sternly at her sister. "You're probably right. If so, they might already have her. She's been missing for hours."

The Captain looked up, shocked. In a flash, Dee was by her side. "The Princess is missing?"

"That makes no sense," the Captain said. "Why attack after an abduction? It makes some amount of sense if we're alone, but with Prince Kye's army here as well the attackers are overmatched, and they should know it."

"But with the wedding off we're not allied. Not yet. So they must know that the wedding was called off!" The Commander paced, thinking furiously.

"What you're saying would mean either they have a spy in one of our crews," the Captain said. "Or even worse, they arranged the cancellation of the wedding themselves! If nothing else they at least know about it!"

"If you're right, we have more problems than we think we have."

"Captain," Dee said, finally unable to stand it any longer. "Allow me to return to the surface. I will help in the search for our Princess."

The Captain nodded. "Keep us informed." Dee bolted from the bridge in a flash, leaving a wake of injured soldiers behind her.

The communications officer pulled herself from the deck to notice a flashing light on her console. "Commander! Incoming message from the attacking fleet!"

Tripolipolita looked up. "On screen."

A tiny little man appeared on the Commander's viewscreen. "Commander, I am Captain Maruten of the Space Patrol."

The Commander looked at the cartoonish-looking man with the circular head. "Are you for real?" she asked.

"Most probably. I will call off my attack if Princess Kotobuki is immediately turned over to my forces."

"And why should I do such a thing?"

"I'm going to take her home to her mother."

After recovering from their pratfalls, the Commander and the Captain looked at each other incredulously. "Excuse me?" Tripolipolita asked.

"Commander," the little man said, "I was in charge of the mission that ultimately stranded the Princess here on this backwater world. I have a duty to see that she is safely returned to Queen Kotobuki."

Tripolipolita barely knew what to feel; outrage or pity at this misguided individual. "The Queen is here on Earth! They were reunited three years ago! Your attack means nothing. I recommend you call it off and go home."

"My attack means the restoration of my name in this quadrant."

"Perhaps you should speak with Her Highness the Queen directly. If you would give us a moment I could arrange..."

"I will brook no nonsense from you. I know the Queen is here on Earth. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Do you want an honest answer?"

"I simply need to finish my mission, first given to me more than 20 years ago by Her Highness. That is my only aim here. The Space Patrol ALWAYS finishes its missions! I will not become the first black mark on the Space Patrol's records! Hand over the Princess and this ends! Maruten out."

The two sisters looked at each other for a moment. Then the Captain started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" The Commander asked.

"Captain Maruten obviously won't listen to reason. He ignored you. I would imagine that his battle tactics are going to be about as sound as his logic. Yes, we're out-gunned, but we can out-think him to bring about his defeat. But one thing is for certain."

"Which is?"

"He doesn't have the Princess. He doesn't even have the slightest clue where she is."

Slowly, Commander Tripolipolita also began to laugh. "Once upon a time you were pretty good with battle tactics, as I recall."

"And?"

The Commander waved her arm at the tactical display showing the incoming fleet. "Destroy them!"

* * * * *

I'm sure that by now you're wondering what's happened to the rest of the girls. Me too. Well, let me hold you in anticipation no longer.

Mari, Una, Ina and Asa along with A-ko were riding in Mari's newly-refurbished bicycle-helicopter-winged-thingy. Una and Ina were busily searching the ground for any traces of C-ko or Kye, while Mari pedaled. Asa, meanwhile, was working with a sophisticated piece of electronics supplied by B-ko.

"And what does this stupid thing do?" A-ko was asking Asa.

"It's a DNA tracer," Asa replied, busily studying the controls. "One of B-ko's latest inventions. You put in genetic information about someone and this machine tries to find that person."

"Snazzy. Does it work?"

"It's supposed to. We've never actually tested it before."

A-ko snorted.

"But if it does," Asa continued, "it should find C-ko if she's anywhere within 100 kilometers of here. Alive or dead."

"Dead?" A-ko nearly screamed. "Don't talk like that! She's alive, I tell you!"

Asa smiled. "Probably. She's much more valuable that way."

"What?!"

"Besides, if she can survive being fought over by you and B-ko for so many years I don't see what a simple kidnapping can possibly do to her." Asa flipped a switch. "Aha! Got her!"

"Where?"

"Mari, head for the old warehouse district by the waterfront! The tracer says she's in that direction!"

Mari grunted and turned the contraption in the direction indicated.

A-ko frowned. "Wait a minute," she said. "How does B-ko have a DNA sample of C-ko?"

Asa laughed this time. "She keeps records of everyone. Didn't you know?"

A-ko nodded. "I suppose I should have. When will B-ko be joining us?"

"Soon, I imagine. She went to get reinforcements, is what she said."

"Probably some new toy of hers."

"Most likely. Unless we're being invaded again, I expect she'll join us any minute now."

All five girls laughed, and then had to hold on for dear life as a missile exploded a few meters away. Amidst the screams A-ko shouted, "Now what?"

Mari pointed up. The others looked and saw several spaceships descend on the city.

"I am getting so tired of this," Una said. "I think I'm going overseas once this is over."

"It looks like they're heading for the same place we are," Ina pointed out. "Probably after C-ko again."

"Definitely heading overseas."

"A-ko!" Asa yelled as they dodged another salvo. "You can fly now, right? That's what B-ko said at any rate!"

"Yeah, but I've never flown this high before!" A-ko yelled back.

"Here!" Asa handed the DNA tracer to A-ko. "You go find C-ko while we hold them off!"

"But..."

"We don't have much time! Go! Hurry!" Asa gave A-ko a shove, and A-ko lost her balance, falling out of the, er, what-ever-it-is-called.

Mari circled around and put the gang right in the path of the oncoming ships, in a futile but broadly majestic and honorable sacrificial defense.

Meanwhile, A-ko had finally stopped screaming and had started thinking. "How is it that dad always does this?" she thought to herself. Finally, she held one fist forward and another behind her back and leveled her descent, slowly gaining altitude again. If she had been just a bit higher when she had leveled out she wouldn't have caused as much damage to the Soyota Office complex, but let's not cry over that, shall we?

She looked at the tracer. "Now how does this thing work?" she asked aloud. She fiddled with the controls for a moment, nearly losing flight for a time, but finally getting the hang of it. "Got it!" she exclaimed.

As she flew on towards the bay, the signal got stronger on the tracer. after a few moments of frantic searching, with the sounds of the explosions first getting more faint and then stronger again, she finally narrowed the search down to a heavily locked warehouse next to a run-down sushi bar. She looked over the warehouse and decided that entrance would be a bit tough.

"Now would be good, B-ko," she muttered.

* * * * *

While all of this was going on, B-ko had rushed home to get changed and power up her latest mecha design. It had been her experience that you could never tell when extra firepower would be needed. Besides, considering how often her cellular phone was chiming for her attention, she figured that Graviton City was probably being invaded again. She ignored the summons. Finding C-ko would be her top priority.

However, the mecha wouldn't start up. She went through a rapid checklist, then a more complete one, but the dumb machine refused to respond to her commands. She was getting ready to jump out and find an older mecha when she heard a voice call her name. She nearly growled, as suddenly everything made sense.

"I'm a bit busy right now, father," she intoned. She looked out the front window and down on the ground to see Hikaru Diatokuji standing there.

"You should be at defense headquarters right now," her father scolded. "I presume you know you've been paged?"

"We're being invaded again, right?"

"And you're needed to help with the defense! You know these designs better than anyone. The visiting fleets are helping with the defense but Kyosuke's army hasn't mobilized! It's going to be a close battle, and unfortunately that drunk is in charge!"

B-ko bristled. "General Yoshida is no drunk!"

"Not the General, that idiot Captain who's been hanging around for the past few years! Yoshida is nowhere to be found!"

That registered a bit of surprise with B-ko. The General was one of the most dependable men in the Graviton Defense Force.

"It gets worse, I'm afraid," the elder Diatokuji continued. "The invaders want your precious C-ko! I figured that you'd start searching for her yourself so I disconnected the power supply to your mecha here."

Now B-ko was fuming. "That makes it even more critical that I find her!" She frantically began to look for signs of her father's sabotage.

"And she will be found! Get that red-headed girl to find her! Put her to some constructive use for a change!"

"I've already done that."

"Good! Then you can focus your energies on defending the place your friend calls home! Think girl! You're needed elsewhere!"

"No, you think father! If they're after C-ko then the most logical thing is to defend C-ko! A-ko will probably find her and then I can help with the defense at the source!"

"And just who will coordinate the ancillary battle?"

"Let Commander Tripolipolita handle that. She's competent enough."

"But she put that drunk in charge!"

B-ko scowled but said nothing. She had found her father's sabotage, and was now repairing the damage. It would only take another moment. "I'm sure she had a reason!" Even B-ko knew it sounded weak.

"B-ko! I'm ordering you down here now!"

B-ko's answer was to start up the mecha, now that the sabotage was repaired. The instrument panels came to life and B-ko noticed a red light flashing. A-ko had found C-ko, according to the slave circuit from the tracer to the mecha. She made the mecha wave to her father. "I've got to run now. Bye!"

As the mecha took off, leaving a cloud of dust in its place (well, had there been dust there would have been; it actually just blew a lot of air around), Hikaru Diatokuji yelled after her. "I'll dis-own you!" Once his hair had settled back into place, He shook his head.

"Time to call the family lawyer..."

* * * * *

A-ko had circled the building twice now, taking in all of the armaments. And cameras. And other possible traps. Oh, and let's not forget the lasers.

"I hate death rays!" A-ko muttered. "This may take a bit of extra effort." She started to take off her wristbands when the ground shook, as if something very heavy had landed next to her, throwing her off-balance. She looked up to see a mecha she didn't recognize. It stood nearly 10 meters taller than the building. "B-ko!"

A window in the front of the face of the mecha opened. "Why aren't you in there?" B-ko asked. "My sensors show both C-ko and Kye are inside! And they're alone!"

A-ko jumped up to the face-plate "This place is better armed than it looks," she replied. "Lasers on the entire perimeter. Good camera coverage. I'd bet on at least a dozen traps inside. I can tell at least one poison gas trap, but if I've missed one the consequences would be, well, bad, and I don't have sensors other than the one I used to find this place. I was about to barge in and give it a try anyway."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Give me a break! I've only been here a couple of minutes! Besides, now that you're here, I figure there's probably a better way. Is this thing shielded?"

"Of course. It's the best defended model I've yet built. Those lasers you mentioned wouldn't even be noticed."

"Good, because I'm not shielded either. Here's my idea..."

* * * * *

A-ko hovered 30 meters above the building. B-ko had discovered that the prisoners were in a room in one corner of the building. B-ko looked up. "Ready A-ko? You'll need to be fast!"

"I know!" A-ko shouted. "Do it!"

The right arm of B-ko's mecha began to transform. After a moment it resembled a giant can opener. B-ko used the new tool to peel away the roof of the warehouse, as if it were a can of whale-sized sardines. Or maybe a very large can of Spam. A-ko dove down quickly into the warehouse. Smoke began to pour out of the building, and lasers began to fire. After a tense few seconds, A-ko flew back out, with C-ko under one arm and Kye under the other. B-ko released the roof and flew her mecha upwards to join the others.

Once she was up with the others a hatch in the mecha opened up and A-ko with the others flew in. A moment later they were all in the control room.

"A-ko!" C-ko shouted, hugging her. Then she jumped to B-ko, momentarily forcing her to lose control of the mecha. "B-ko! You came for me!" "Of course we did, silly," A-ko said. "Once we figured out what was going on we knew what we needed to do."

"You mean once I figured out what was going on," B-ko added with a sardonic smile. A-ko frowned, but nodded. "Good job A-ko. The gas didn't even have time to act."

"I diverted a vent when I first got in. I don't think you'll be seeing any birds flying over that building for a while."

"I don't mean to be ungrateful but there's a lot going on. Where are we going?" Kyosuke asked.

"Defense headquarters," B-ko said. "We're being invaded again, and General Yoshida has vanished. I'm needed there and quite frankly so are you."

Kye sighed. "You have no idea. And we all need to stick together for security's sake."

"We know. At least one of the enemy looks like me," A-ko said. "Another like you."

"It's even worse than that. They're shape-shifters. They could look like any of us!"

Both A-ko and B-ko looked at Kye dumbstruck. "There are people that can do that?" B-ko asked.

"Yes," Kye answered. "And there's more. The invaders are another group being used by the shape-shifters. They're being manipulated to attack."

"Ah, yes and no," B-ko said. "They're here for C-ko."

"Again?" A-ko asked. "I swear, C-ko, you're the most popular woman in the universe!"

"Don't let them take me!" C-ko wailed.

"Not a chance," A-ko replied.

"Never happen," Kye added.

"With all of us on the same team they don't stand a chance," B-ko said. "Let's get to headquarters and see if we can salvage this mess."

* * * * *

Do you remember that I earlier mentioned a bar next to the warehouse that C-ko and Kye were held prisoner in? Well, a couple of familiar faces were inside getting seriously drunk. One because his review for an adjustment to his pension had been denied by his former subordinate, and the other because of the breakup of his relationship with another familiar face. They had met there by accident, but were now drinking in each other's company.

When the smoke began pouring out of the warehouse, a small yet lethal amount of it poured into the bar, and these two patrons, arm in arm, decided to step outside for a breath of fresh air. They were one step away from the entrance when a large object dropped out of the sky directly in front of them.

Asa, Ina, Uma and Mari slowly picked themselves up from the rubble of the helecopter-bike-winged-thingy.

"Definitely transferring overseas," Uma said.

Kei and General Zuma (retired) took in the scene in front of them, looked at each other, nodded (to silently say that they would take the risk), then spun around and walked back into the bar.

* * * * *

B-ko radioed into Graviton Defense Headquarters to get an update of the battle.

"It's going well!" came the reply. "One of the fleets in orbit has been defending us, and with the Princess and Prince showing up the Prince's fleet has joined the battle!"

"Great!" Then it registered. "The Princess and Prince have been there?"

"With General Yoshida, barely five minutes ago! They're on their way to L7 as we speak to meet with Queen Kotobuki."

"What! The Queen is on L7?"

"Who am I talking to?" Kyosuke asked, coming to the microphone.

"Lieutenant Tenchi, communications officer first class!"

"This is Prince Kyosuke. Are you saying that I was just there?"

"I saw you with my own eyes... sir..." a pause. "You weren't here?"

"No. And Princess Kotobuki is with me. You've been visited by an impostor."

"Miss Diatokuji?"

"I can confirm this," B-ko answered. "The Prince and C-ko were rescued just a few minutes ago from a warehouse near the crater basin."

"I'll... I'll radio L7 Immediately!"

"Good man. We're changing course and heading up there ourselves. Let's see if we can't stop this war today, all right?"

"Done. Tenchi out!"

A-ko tapped B-ko on the shoulder. "Is that wise? I mean, the enemy is up there and we're going to face them?"

"We have to expose the shape-shifters," B-ko replied.

"Haven't we already?"

"I don't think so. In a minute or two that Lieutenant is going to grow a brain and realize that we might be the impostors. We have no time for Tenchi causing us complications. If we're all in the same place I think we can actually sort this out. C-ko's mother is going to be the only person who can show who the real C-ko is."

"Wait a minute!" A-ko said. "You and I can, and everyone knows it!"

"But right now you're discredited, and I might be as well for coming to your defense. We need Queen Kotobuki. And your father," B-ko added, pointing to Kye.

"Agreed," Kye replied. "He knows things about me that no shape-shifter would. Let's get there. Fast!"

* * * * *

And how, you just might ask, is the battle going so well against the invaders? You can thank the Captain for that. Yes, the drunken, marooned, former hotelier and mall proprietor, awful kareoke singing Captain just recently put in charge by her superior; her younger sister.

In a series of brilliant moves, the Captain and her forces had outflanked the invaders near the asteroid belt and had then taken the battle to them. The battle was a fairly even match until word came from General Yoshida that the Prince and Princess were together again. Suddenly the invaders were faced with two fleets coming at them. Yet still they fought, if a bit less enthusiastically than before.

The Captain put Dee in charge of the landing on the invader's lead spacecraft. Dee, not known for her subtlety, crashed her small scoutship through the bridge of the invader's ship and had Maruten of the Space control securely captured moments later. Maruten's army surrendered after their leader was captured. They didn't have much enthusiasm for this fight anyway. Perhaps only their leader would be punished. It would be nice, after all, to have the chance of having someone other than a 6-inch man with a circle for a head lead their missions.

Dee took Maruten back to L7, and soon an audience was granted with both Queen Kotobuki and Kyosuke's father. Also present were Captain Tripolipolita and the Captain.

Maruten was thrown rudely at the Queen's feet. He looked up, did a double-take, then attempted to prostrate himself. Well, at least as much as he could bound by duct-tape. (Yes, yet another useful application for duct-tape).

"So we meet again, Maruten of the Space Patrol," the Queen intoned.

"I can explain," Maruten stammered.

"Silence! It has been more than 20 years since this little man was put in charge of transporting my infant daughter from Alpha Cygni 3 to Alpha Cigna Taura 5. I had placed some hope in the fact that when C-ko disappeared you has as well. The ship you piloted at that time crashed on the planet below. Aren't you dead?"

"I spent many years in recovery after my failure, my Queen. My efforts today are to reunite you with your daughter, who is also on the planet below."

"Ah. But I was reunited with C-ko several years ago, you pathetic little man. Your mission is over." She looked up at Dee. "Find a dark and cold room for him to rest in. Something small. Check in on him in a year or so."

Dee saluted and picked up Maruten.

"Wait! I've discovered things over the years!" Maruten begged. "Size doesn't matter! And I know a great place to get squid on a stick!" But then Dee had gone around a corner, and they were both gone.

"Commander Tripolipolita," The Queen intoned next. Tripolipolita came before her Queen and bowed deeply. "You have done a commendable job today."

"I had help, your majesty. The honorable King's forces did exactly what was asked of them, as well as any troop under my command." She bowed to the King, who nodded proudly in response.

"I would be proud to work with them again," Tripolipolita added.

"And you will," The Queen replied.

"Your Majesty?"

"During the battle my daughter and Prince Kyosuke resurfaced. The wedding is back on."

Commander Tripolipolita straightened. "I will see to arrangements at once!"

"Good. One more thing. You took a rather unexpected move by placing your sister in charge of the defense. Why did you do it?"

"I've been wondering that myself," the Captain muttered. She straightened up quickly, lest she had been overheard.

"Begging your majesty," The Commander began, "but I believe in giving my officers initiative. It was the Captain in fact who discovered the invaders, and as such I allowed her to lead the effort. I would have done the same with anyone else in that position. Besides, for a moment, I could see the spark that once made her a great officer. It may be gone now, but it was there."

"I see. Well, I suppose it will be a good thing to go home a hero. I assume you still wish to return home," the Queen said, addressing the Captain for the first time.

The Captain nodded so vigorously that her dark glasses flew off, injuring a repair technician slightly.

"Very well. Dismissed. Go have a drink or something."

The Captain bowed, then turned to leave, running squarely into General Yoshida, who had just entered the room. With him was Princess C-ko Kotobuki and Prince Kyosuke. The Captain bowed nervously.

Kye looked up. "I understand we owe you some gratitude," he said.

The Captain stood back up, shaking a bit.

"You've never liked me, have you?"

"We met under not the best of circumstances," The Captain replied. "It simply doesn't matter anymore. For my part, I simply wish to go home."

"Then please do," Kye said with a bow and a flourish.

The Captain nodded, then walked around General Yoshida and his companions. Then her breathing stopped. Coming up the hallway towards the audience chamber was A-ko. And B-ko. And Prince Kyosuke. And Princess C-ko Kotobuki.

The Captain looked back at the General, with Kye and C-ko, then back to the others, also with Kye and C-ko. She looked back and forth between each group twice more, then with a small squeak ran away for parts unknown.

"Nice to see you too," muttered the C-ko with General Yoshida.

"General!" B-ko called coming up the hallway.

Yoshida turned and saw the group coming towards him. He brought a hand to his lips, telling the others to be quiet. His eyes were a bit wide, but he didn't seem too surprised. Then the Kye and C-ko with him turned around to see the others now only scant meters away.

Yoshida spun and grabbed the two changelings, dragging them towards Queen Kotobuki and Kyosuke's father. "Your Majesties!" He pronounced. "May I present to you two impostors intent upon your thrones!"

"What?" The C-ko with Yoshida said. "General, what is this?"

"I've been working with Prince Kyosuke for a long time now," the General said. "This isn't him, and you aren't C-ko. I figured out that you were impostors almost immediately."

"General I must protest," said the Kyosuke with Yoshida.

"Way to go General!" yelled A-ko. "The real C-ko and Kye are right here!"

"That's right! I'm right here!" C-ko yelled, jumping into the air.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * * * *

The shape-shifters broke free from General Yoshida and charged the Queen and King. The royal guard, seeing their leaders in peril, ran to protect them, forming a wall between the shapeshifters and the royalty. The shapeshifters, seeing this, reversed course and ran towards A-ko and the others, changing shape as they did so. Then they collided with the group. When the dust settled, there were two A-kos, and two B-kos, with Kye and C-ko standing between the two sets.

Both sets of A-ko and B-ko suddenly found themselves under fire, as the troops protecting the Queen and King opened fire. General Yoshida raced forward and grabbed C-ko and Kye, pulling them out of harm's way.

"We have to settle this fast!" A-ko yelled to B-ko.

"Agreed!" replied both B-kos. Together, both sets of A-ko and B-ko ran at the soldiers, proceeding to disarm them with lightning speed. In a moment, both sets of A-ko and B-ko were standing facing each other, not under fire (although there was a lot of broken machinery around the soldiers), but now indistinguishable from each other.

"Which are the real ones?" C-ko asked. "I can't tell just from looking."

"Neither can I," said Kye. "General?"

"I'm having trouble too," Yoshida replied.

Then one set of A-ko and B-ko attacked the other, and suddenly everyone was treated to the sight of two moving blurs of A-ko fighting B-ko.

The B-ko shapeshifter had A-ko in a headlock. "When we assume someone's form," the shapeshifter said, "we take on their abilities as well. We've researched you two and know you're evenly matched. We'll eventually wear the two of you down and take over as you. Then we'll escape."

A-ko replied by throwing the B-ko shapeshifter over her head. "Like hell you will," she replied, charging.

The A-ko shapeshifter was having a similar dialogue with B-ko. "Once we've escaped we'll of course come back somehow to destroy you two," the shapeshifter said. "You've ruined all our hard work."

"Aw, poor baby," B-ko replied, taking a swing with her left hand. "Hey, weren't you two dressed differently before?"

The A-ko shapeshifter swung back. "The clothes are a part of us."

"Really," B-ko replied, dodging the blow. "A-ko! Take off your wrist bands!" B-ko took a step back and with a flourish took off her outfit, revealing her well-known power suit. "Bet you can't do that!" she said proudly.

Meanwhile, A-ko had taken a step back and removed her arm bands. "You can't take off clothing if it's a part of you, can you?" she sneered.

The false A-ko and B-ko each took a step back, and then looked at each other. Then they ran at each other, melding into a single form.

"What the hell?" B-ko stammered, slowly making her way towards A-ko.

"Okay, this I didn't expect," A-ko said.

The two shape-shifters melded into a large lump, and then quickly transformed into a large creature. So large, in fact, that it started to take up most of the available space in the room.

"What the hell is that?" A-ko asked.

"It's a Xena-Dragon!" Kye yelled. "These things are nasty!" Kye looked around the room. "Everyone get the hell out of here! Now!"

B-ko looked at A-ko. "All right, let's finish this thing off," she said.

"No B-ko," A-ko replied. "Help with the evacuation. Protect C-ko. I'll handle this."

"Alone?"

She handed her wrist bands to B-ko. "Get out while you can." She then turned to look at the dragon, now spouting three heads and growing still larger. "I've been through a lot because of you! You discredited me, kidnapped my best friend, started a war, but this is too much!"

B-ko had reached C-ko. "We have to get out of here now," she said.

"I'm not leaving without A-ko!" C-ko wailed.

"We're going to be in A-ko's way if we stay. I think I know what she has in mind. We need to be off the station before it happens."

"The station?" Kye asked. Even the General's eyebrows were raised.

"I doubt the station will survive this," B-ko said, "and I've got her wrist bands. Remember when she punched out that hotel? she's that strong right now. Even that thing couldn't stand up to her strength right now. Come on, we'll use my mecha to escape!" She grabbed C-ko and pulled her down the corridor. Kye and General Yoshida followed.

"A-ko!" C-ko yelled, her cry growing more faint as she was hauled further away.

A-ko took a quick look around. Finally, all that was left behind was the dragon and herself. She nodded. "Now I'm really mad!"

The dragon charged A-ko. A-ko charged back.

* * * * *

From outside the station the explosion was incredible. From their vantage point in the mecha, B-ko and A-ko watched as a first explosion took place near the bridge, and then a second one near the docking bay they had left (along with several other ships carrying everyone else from the station) a moment later. Then came the big one, ripping the space station to bits. For a moment you could see the dragon, and then it too exploded, ripped apart by the lack of pressure. There was nothing left larger than a grain of sand.

Debris scattered quickly. After a moment, even that was gone. Everyone in the mecha stood in stunned silence.

A tear came to C-ko's face. "A-ko..." she started. Then the tears came in full force. Kye held her to his chest to comfort her, but said nothing.

B-ko was stunned. "I can't believe she did actually did that," she said.

General Yoshida stood up straight and saluted. "A noble sacrifice," he commented. "The impostors are also gone."

"After all those years of trying to kill her she goes and kills herself?" B-ko said, slumping in her seat. "Why?"

B-ko broke free from Kye and fell against B-ko. "Why, A-ko? Why?" she bawled.

"I thought she had a plan," Kye said.

"I thought she was going to use her extra strength to fling them into space," B-ko commented. "She is... was... much stronger without the wrist bands..." Finally B-ko lost her composure and started to sob. She hugged C-ko close. "Now what am I supposed to do?"

After a moment, B-ko detached herself from C-ko and guided her back to Kye. "It can't end like this," she said. She started towards the door of the control room.

"Where are you going?" Kye asked.

"I'm going to go find her. Alone."

"What good would that do? You can't breathe vacuum, even in that suit!"

"I'll last a few minutes in the suit," B-ko replied. "But that doesn't matter. I'll stay out there as long as it takes."

"Even if it kills you too?"

B-ko said nothing for a moment. "Take care of C-ko," she said. "She's yours now."

C-ko looked up. "B-ko?" she said, hesitatingly.

But B-ko was gone.

* * * * *

B-ko stood at the airlock, composing her thoughts. She knew she would only survive a few minutes, but she had come to accept that. Going with A-ko in a dual suicide seemed to be only appropriate. It had almost happened before. When she opened the airlock door she would be sucked out into space, and after a moment or two it would all be over.

She held her breath in spite of herself. Then she hit the release on the airlock door, and was swept into space.

* * * * *

Kye looked at the instrument panel and saw the airlock door open. After a few moments, it closed again. "That's it, I'm afraid," he said.

"B-ko!" C-ko cried. "A-ko! Don't leave!"

* * * * *

The End.

* * * * *

This would be a good spot to end the trilogy, nice and bittersweet, if a bit tragic over the loss of our heroines. But I'd probably get a ton of hate-mail for that, so I'll continue...

* * * * *

B-ko only made it a meter past the airlock door. She was caught on something, although she couldn't see what. She sighed. "How pathetic," she thought. Then she noticed she was moving, back inside! Before she knew it she was lying face down on the floor of the airlock. The door hissed shut, and air quickly filled the room.

It took a moment, but she struggled to a sitting position, to see A-ko bent over, coughing and trying to regain her breath. At her feet was a crumpled form.

"About time you opened that stupid airlock," A-ko gasped. "I couldn't hold my breath much longer!" She pointed down. "Look what I found!"

The heap at A-ko's feet rolled over. The Captain had looked better, but was alive.

"How long were you going to leave me out there, anyway?" A-ko asked, looking angry.

B-ko struggled for words for a moment, realizing finally that A-ko was alive and had probably saved her as well, then flung herself at A-ko, embracing her in a warm hug. As tears ran down her face, she managed to say, "Oh, please just shut up!"

* * * * *

On a perfect spring day, cherry blossoms in full bloom, the wedding was held at the Diatokuji Mansion, as planned. Many of the guests wore bandages or casts, but they all attended. B-ko was the maiden of honor, and A-ko gave the bride away. Mari arranged the flowers, and The Captain (who would be leaving for home as soon as the last cast came off) and Commander Tripolipolita stood as honor guard, with Dee in charge of the guard itself. General Yoshida and the former Miss Ayumi sat to one side, still discussing children's names. Queen Kotobuki and Prince Kyosuke's father sat next to them, both smiling proudly. There was hardly a dry eye in the Estate, except for Uma. Her transfer paperwork had come through earlier that day, and she was headed for America. Hikaru Diatokuji was nowhere to be seen.

When Kye kissed his bride, a cheer and a sigh of relief went through the assembled guests. Fireworks went off, and rice was flung.

Much later, towards the end of the day, after photographs, the first dance, and food, C-ko, looking radiant, went looking for A-ko and B-ko. She found them near the buffet table, chatting and eating cake.

"And then after I finally got back," B-ko was saying, "there was father, saying he had called his attorney and had transferred ownership of the company into my name! He said he had finally had enough and wanted to retire. He's in Jamaica right now with his secretary, enjoying a vacation for the first time in my memory."

"So you're in charge now," A-ko said. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." B-ko put down her plate and turned to see C-ko approaching. "We have a visitor," she noted.

"There you are!" C-ko said.

"Ah, it's Mrs. Kyosuke," B-ko said with a small laugh.

"How does it feel to finally be married?" A-ko asked.

"It feels great!" C-ko replied.

"We're going to miss you, you know," A-ko said.

"But don't worry about that," B-ko added quickly. "You go enjoy your honeymoon. And tell us all about it when you get back."

C-ko looked down, blushing a bit. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you two about that," she said.

"Oh, Don't tell me you're not going," A-ko said.

"No, we're going. We'll leave in the morning and come back in three months, just like we planned. It's just... about... tonight... What happens next?"

A-ko dropped her plate of food. She turned to face B-ko, who looked equally stunned. She motioned for both B-ko and C-ko to come closer, and all three girls huddled close, whispering.

After a moment, C-ko took a step back, beet-red and embarrassed. "Really?" She asked. She let out a soft scream. "Kya! Kye, can we talk?" She ran off, looking for her husband, with a huge grin on her face (still very red).

A-ko and B-ko stood back up. "Looks like she's the first one to get that night of bliss," B-ko observed.

"And good for her," A-ko replied. "She's earned it."

"Say, don't you have a boyfriend?" B-ko asked.

"Haven't seen him since all the excitement began. I should probably call him, see how he's doing."

B-ko nodded. "Meanwhile, what do you say we go catch a movie once this is all over? Once C-ko and Kye go to their bedroom there's going to be nothing to do here."

A-ko smiled. "A late show? How about 'The Colonel Part 15'? I hear that's good, and I know we can get tickets."

B-ko laughed and put an arm around A-ko's shoulder. "Friends?" she asked.

A-ko nodded. "Friends." She put her arm around B-ko.

And they walked away from the buffet table, heading into the sunset.

* * * * *

The End. Really.

* * * * *

At least until C-ko and Kye came back, three months later than planned, C-ko with a larger belly than before...

* * * * *

* * * * * *

When I first started writing fan-fiction set in the Project A-ko universe, I had no idea that I'd wind up writing a complete novel. A couple of short stories was all I had originally planned, but we got a novel instead. I suppose you could call it "The Seduction of C-ko" when all three stories are put together, but that kind of spoils a number of surprises, so I elected to refer to my stories as the "School Trilogy". Now that you've read the whole thing, now we can call it "The Seduction of C-ko", I suppose. Most fan-fiction is fairly short. I've written one story set in Kimagure Orange Road, but Project A-ko was my first real attempt at comedy, as sparse as it was. Okay, more parody than comedy.

I've written long works before. "The Seduction of C-ko" in fact is my second novel. The first is a serious science fiction work called "Senses" (warning - if you click on the link to the novel, it's very long and contains graphic adult situations). I may write more A-ko fiction, but for now I'm going to return to my other fiction, including a sequel to "Senses" and a new work I've begun called "The American", about a wizard born in America moving to Tokyo. I also run a music business and should get back to that work. And then there's the work I do for Anime Raiders.

I hope you've enjoyed my twist on Project A-ko, and the things I've tweaked along the way. For the bad Anime puns I offer no apology at all.

Mata ne Mina-san!

-Chris Reed

San Francisco, CA

2/99

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