Akemi looked up into the sky, shading her eyes with a hand, and smiled.
"Isn't this nice, Elric?"

    Elric grunted.  "I'll need some more sun cream."

    Akemi blinked.  "...What?"

    "Skin like this burns easily."

    "Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't realize...Oh, I know!  How about we go see a
movie?"  Elric shrugged.  "Great!  There's a theater just down--"

    "Well!  If it isn't Akemi!"

    Akemi looked up from hanging on her date's arm to see a familiar face...
one that looked quite a bit like her own.  "Karen!  Why, what are you doing
here?"

    "It's my day off."  Karen smiled.  "Well, I didn't realize you two were so
close.  I didn't mean to interrupt anything, I was just saying hello."

    Akemi smiled back.  "Oh, no, it's okay.  We can stay and chat for a bit,
can't we Elric?  Oh!  I almost forgot, I don't think you two have been
introduced.  Elric, this is Karen, who I met at the Department of Mystical
Destinies; Karen, this is Elric, who I met at Matsuro's apartment."  Elric
nodded gravely.

    "Yes, I know," Karen replied.  "Just the other day some animals came in
asking about Matsuro and everyone's destinies."  She rolled her eyes.  "That's
a few hours of my life I'll never get back."

    Akemi blinked.  "Animals?"

    "Never mind, that's what I'm out here to forget about...for one day, at
least."  She ran a hand through her hair, and smiled again.  "So what's new
with you?"

    "Well..."  Akemi considered.  "Actually, everything that's new with me is
stuff that's tangled up with all those destinies you mentioned."

    Karen sighed.  "Yeah, I'm not surprised.  That's one thing about those
mystical destinies...they just seem to intertwine and grow until it seems like
they take up everything..."

=====


                             DO-GOODERS

                   The Proactive Teen Superhero Team
                  With One X Somewhere In Their Title

                      An ImproFanfic Improfanfic
                  http://pixelscapes.com/improfanfic

                    Episode FORTY!:
                    Fourth wall?  What fourth wall?

                  by John Evans (jevans@datablast.net)

                   Do-Gooders started by Stefan Gagne


=====

    "So then," Kireiko snickered, "he goes, 'Sore wa...himitsu desu!'"  He
broke down laughing.

    Tejina, Hanaki, Becky, Ayame and Matsuro all stared at him.

    Kireiko coughed.  "Aheh.  I guess you, uh, had to be there."  He took
three sips from a can of juice.

    Hanaki poked Kireiko in the side.  "Baka."

    "This is kind of unnerving," Tejina said.  "Keiko wasn't in class today...
And she's not here now..."

    Matsuro suddenly stood up.

    Everyone stared at him.  "What's up, Matsuro?" Becky asked.

    "I'm going to look for them," Matsuro stated.

    "But school's not out yet," Tejina said.

    "Aki's my sister, and Keiko's...well, I have to go find them."  He
gathered up his things.

    Hanaki's eyes were sparkly.  "That's so romantic!...Hey!"  She suddenly
turned to Kireiko.  "Why aren't you ever romantic like that?"

    "Hey, I thought you liked me the way I am," Kireiko replied.

    Hanaki crossed her arms and looked away.  "Well, it wouldn't hurt you to
try every now and then, would it?  Girls like that sort of thing, you know."

    Kireiko grinned.  "Oh really?  What about when we were under that stage?
I wouldn't quite call that 'romance'."

    Hanaki rounded on him, blushing furiously.  "You--I told you not to talk
about that!"

    "Oooh, what happened under the stage?" Becky asked, while Kireiko laughed
and Tejina sweatdropped.

    "Later," Matsuro said, starting to walk off.

    "Just a minute, young man."

    Everyone blinked and turned in the direction of the new voice, which
turned out to be...

    "Master Chiang!" Tejina said.  "What are you doing here?"

    "Just came by to chat," he said, kneeling down on the grass near Tejina.
"Actually, I wanted to ask Matsuro a few things."

    "No time," Matsuro replied.

    "It's important, Matsuro," Chiang said.

    Matsuro sighed.  "What is it?"

    "Well, I wanted to ask about 'those of the Center and Earth' that were
mentioned in the prophecy.  You said to come by today at lunch."

    "He can tell you."  Matsuro jerked his head in the direction of an
approaching figure, and resumed walking off.

    "Hmmm.  Got a lot on his mind, that boy," Chiang murmured to himself.

    "See, if you were in trouble, I'd go rescue you, Hanaki," Kireiko said.

    Hanaki blinked...and her eyes got sparkly again.  "You would?"

    Kireiko smiled.  "Well, of course I would!"  [Hey...that wasn't so hard.]
He waved after Matsuro.  "Good luck, Matsuro!  Kick some ass!"  Hanaki
sweatdropped as the mood was stomped on.

    "Hi there, Sakyou," Becky said, as the Harbringer sat down with his pizza
box.

    "Hi guys," Sakyou replied.  "Is someone going to introduce me?"

    Ayame managed to pull off her gag and say "Why, this is Master Chiang,
Great Advisor to the Court of the Crystal City of Delight Beyond the Age of
Time, fount of wisdom and dispenser of sage advice; Master Chiang, this is
Sagare Sakyou, proud member of the Harbringers, distributor of har, warrior
working to preserve the world and ovo-lacto-vegetarian.  Sakyou, Chiang;
Chiang, Sakyou."

    "Ayame, would you like some of the mochi I brought for dessert?" Tejina
asked.

    "Why, thank you TejiMMPH!"

    "Ovo-lacto-vegetarian?" Chiang asked.  "That doesn't seem very
restrictive."

    Sakyou rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, I get that a lot."

    "Well, can you tell me about those of the Center and Earth, then?"

    Sakyou started, and looked at Tejina.  "Can he be trusted?"

    Tejina stuffed another mochi into Ayame's mouth before she could say
anything, and nodded vigorously.  "He's been a great help to us.  If you told
him, maybe he could try and figure out some of the weird destiny stuff that's
been going on."

    "Hmmm...well, I suppose that's a worthy cause," Sakyou said.  "Okay,
well...where do I start?  I guess with the fact that 'those of the Center and
Earth' refers to me."

    Now it was Chiang's turn to start.  "You?"

    "And my friends.  Yoruko, Hirata, our esteemed leader and his protege...
and, of course, Tejina."

    Chiang blinked.  "Tejina?"

    Tejina rubbed the back of her head.  "Yeah, apparently aside from being
Sailor Delight, I'm also a Harbringer."

    "Ah...the legendary distributors of har?  Now I see," Chiang said.

    "I told you he distributed har," Ayame sniffed, "but you weren't
listening."  She stared at the camera.  "I hope all of YOU were."

    "Ayame, will you *stop* that?" Tejina snapped.

    "But what does Center and Earth mean, specifically?" Chiang continued.

    "Ah.  Well, we serve the Dragon of the Earth, and I've heard the Center
mentioned in connection with us as well," Sakyou replied.  "We oppose the
Seals, who are apparently trying to destroy the world, under the aegis of the
Dragon of Heaven."

    "Interesting, interesting," Chiang nodded.  "Now, the Dragon of Center and
Earth...what sort of entity is it?"

    Everyone else perked up at the promise of new information.

    "Well...I've only heard stories...you know, legends," Sakyou said, "but it
seems to be an incredibly long, legless dragon, wrapped in some way around the
earth.  Sort of a manifestation of the spirit of the Earth, preserving it and
all life upon it.  While the Seals' Dragon of Heaven is a vengeful incarnation
of retribution."

    Master Chiang rubbed his chin.  "A serpent encircling the world.
Something about that sounds familiar..."

=====

    "I wonder what Yoru's up to," Kahi murmured.

    "What was that, Kahi?" Mariko asked.

    "Nothing."

    "So did anyone comment on the fuku?" Yaki asked.

    Mariko smoothed out a crease in her all-white fuku, smirking.  "Only one
teacher did, and he learned his lesson soon enough."

    "Funny, I would have expected more," Yaki commented.

    "I think Sailor Darkness and her fuku have got them trained."  Mariko's
eyes got slightly sparkly for a moment.

    Yumeki started to giggle, then suddenly stopped.  "Hey!  Do you think *I*
could wear something other than this boring fuku?"

    "I don't think any amount of training will make the teachers let one of
*your* outfits go by," Yaki smirked.

    Yumeki stuck her tongue out at her fellow Evil Sailor, then turned back to
Mariko.  "So...what are we going to do tonight, Mariko?"

    Mariko grinned.  "The same thing we do every night, girls...TRY TO
BRAINWASH SAILOR DARKNESS!"  Mariko laughed maniacally as her companions
rolled their eyes.

    "Excuse me, miss?"

    Mariko stopped laughing and looked down to the source of the voice.

    A very small...person? held up an envelope.  "I'm afraid I have to give
you this subpoena.  You're being sued for several million yen, for copyright
infringement."

    "Get lost!" yet another new voice snarled.  A rabbit hopped into view
holding a switchblade.  The diminutive summons server took the opportunity to
scram.  "Damn megalomaniacal bastards!  Everyone wants to take over the world
these days!"

    "...It's...you!" Yumeki said, with no small amount of trepidation.

    "That's right, babe," Cecil said, "I'm back and I'm bad.  And...AHA!
Kahi!  There you are, you slimy reptile!"

    "Ssssso good to sssssee you again, Sssssecil," Kahi hissed.

    "Cut the coldblood accent crap, lizard.  What the hell have you been
doing without me?"  The rabbit peered at him with red (and not bloodshot)
eyes.

    "Who the hell are you?" Mariko snapped.

    "*I* am Cecil, Sailor Hatred's advisor, you blonde bimbo."

    Mariko swelled.  "You can't--"

    Suddenly Cecil was clinging to her shoulder, holding his blade in front of
her face.  "Whatever it was you were going to say...Yes, I CAN.  Now shut up."

    Mariko stared at the knife.

    "That's better."  He dropped to the ground.  "Now answer the question,
Kahi.  And if your 's's take more than one letter to type, I'll eviscerate
you."

    "I was merely following the last orders of the Darkverse," Kahi said.  "To
forge these girls into an effective fighting force."

    The girls looked back and forth between the advisors.  "Oh, of *course*
you were," Cecil sneered.  "And you felt no need at all to call up your old
friend Cecil and see if he wanted to come help."

    "I had no idea you were even alive until today," Kahi replied, his voice
emotionless (as it always was).

    "And as always, there's nothing I can do to prove you're lying.  Well,
that's fine, but now I'm here and there's nothing you can do about it."

    "Welcome," Kahi said.

    "Bastard," Cecil muttered.  In a normal voice, he said, "And what about
Yoru?"

    "Advising Sailor Darkness," Kahi said.  "He seems to...have his own
agenda."

    "You damn reptiles are all alike.  Great, just great."  He settled down
next to Yumeki, muttering to himself.

    The three girls exchanged some rather odd looks.  After a moment, Yumeki
looked down at her advisor.  "Um...Can I pet you?" she asked.

    "Go to hell."

=====

    Daichi slammed down the phone and sighed.  Organizing a concert was hell.
(And how's THAT for a transition?)

    Hasami looked into Daichi's office from the hall.  "Caterers on line two,
Daichi," she said.

    "Whatever possessed you to do this, Daichi?" Yoshimichi asked, frowning.

    "It seemed like a good idea at the time, okay?"  Daichi rubbed his eyes.

    "Want me to talk to the caterers for you?" Hanko asked.

    "Hm?  Yeah, go ahead, kid."

    "Wai!  Organizing a concert is so FUN!"  Hanko bounced out of the office.

    The three older Seals rolled their eyes.

    "Hey, has anyone seen my aluminum baseball bat?" Gary asked, poking his
head into the room.

=====

    And now...the scene you've all been waiting for.

    Villyn stepped majestically into the cave.  "All right, monster...hand
over my daughter, now!"

    Hiryuu took one look at Villyn, dressed in his metal armor, and his mind
became locked on one concept.

    "KNIGHT!!!"

    Hiryuu turned and ran, smacking into the cave wall after a few feet, and
started frantically scrabbling at it, apparently in an attempt to get even
farther away.

    Everyone else blinked.  [Wow, I really *am* impressive!] Villyn thought to
himself.

    "Wait!"  Aki stepped in front of Hiryuu.  "Don't hurt him!"

    "Aki!"  Villyn rushed forward and grabbed his daughter in a hug.  "Are you
all right?  Did he hurt you?"

    "Ooof!  No, Daddy, I'm fine, really.  He's not a bad person.  I promise.
He's just..."  She looked back and rolled her eyes.  "An idiot."

    "...oh."  Villyn said.  "...Well...if you're sure."  He frowned.  "Why is
he acting like that?"

    Aki looked back at Hiryuu, and frowned...then her eyes widened.  "Oh!  It
must be...he thinks you're a knight!  Because of your armor and stuff!  And in
all the fairy tales and things knights kill dragons!"

    "Dragons?" Villyn asked.

    "Yes, he's a dragon in human form."

    "...Oh.  Well, that makes sense then."  Dealing with the likes of the
Blank Psychic and Quake Camper had make Villyn accepting of those with
alternate viewpoints about the world.  "But he doesn't really have to worry.
Ah, hello?  You don't have to worry, son.  I'm not a knight."  He swelled in
pride.  "I, am an Evil Overlord!"

    "Hail Villyn-sama!" the minions chorused (they had been keeping a
respectful distance during their master's reunion with his daughter).

    Hiryuu looked back...and gradually stopped scrabbling.  "...you're...not
going to try and slay me then?"

    Villyn frowned.  "Well, you *did* kidnap my daughter..."  He looked at Aki
again.  "But, I guess if she vouches for you, I can forgive you."

    Hiryuu slid down and slumped against the wall, breathing heavily.

    Villyn disengaged from his daughter and walked over to the dragon.  "But
why *did* you kidnap her in the first place?"

    Keiko took this opportunity to walk over to Aki.  "Aki?  Are you...are you
all right?"

    "Keiko!"  Aki smiled in relief.  "It's...it's good to see you."  After a
moment, she gave in to the temptation to give Keiko a hug.

    Keiko hugged back with just a little bit of awkwardness.  "I'm glad you're
all right.  The Queen told me what happened, and I was really worried..."

    "The Queen?...Oh.  Hello, Charity-san."  Aki smiled at the Queen, who
smiled back hesitantly.

    "The Queen...the QUEEN?"  Hiryuu stared, then broke off his conversation
with Villyn to resume scrabbling against the wall.

    Villyn sighed.  "What is it this time?  Aki?"

    Aki blinked.  "I don't know.  I don't think...there were queens in the
fairy tales..."

    "It's not that," Hiryuu sobbed.  "This is real.  The Queen, here..."

    Villyn looked uncertainly at the Queen.  "Now...calm down, son..."

    The Queen stepped forward resolutely.  "Whatever reason you might have to
fear me, son, if Aki says you deserve it, I will forgive you."

    Hiryuu slumped down again and sort of stared at the Queen.

    "...Oh!  I remember!" Aki said.  When everyone looked at her, she sort of
blushed.  "Um...he used to be a yoma, you see."

    The Queen blinked.  "...One of my yoma?"

    Aki nodded.  "Someone sent him to attack us.  You remember, that one huge
battle right before we went back to the Darkverse and got sent to that lost
city."

    "Yes, I remember that battle," the Queen said.  She looked at Villyn, then
quickly looked away.  [We fought together...]

    "What happened was, I found Keiko, Matsuro and..."  She looked at the
minions.  "Oh, it was the, ah, Bluefaced Black Shadow, here, they were
fighting these three yoma.  You remember, don't you Keiko?"

    "Actually, I do," Keiko said, peering with at Hiryuu with an expression
that had suddenly turned suspicious.

    "Um...yeah.  So I, uh, used a Sailor Joy attack and, uh, purified the
three yoma.  And he was one of them.  So now he wants to marry me and stuff."

    "That was YOU?" Keiko screeched.  "We fought you for half an hour!  I
thought we were going to be killed!  Several times!"

    "But that's all over with," Aki said quickly.  "Right, Keiko?"

    "...Sure!  Fine!  Whatever!"  Keiko threw up her hands.  "Let's just all
be one big happy group, no matter who wanted to kill who!"

    "You wish to marry my daughter?" Villyn asked Hiryuu.

    "...well...yes," Hiryuu said.

    "Hmmm...well, all right.  I like your perspective on things."

    "DADDY!"

    Villyn blinked.  "Yes, dear?"

    "I hardly KNOW him!" Aki shouted.

    "Oh!...well..."  Villyn leaned down to Hiryuu.  "I'm sorry, but these
aren't really the days when parents can engage their children anymore.  But
you have my blessing."  He winked.

    Aki rolled her eyes.

    "Aki-chan?" the Queen asked.  "You say there were three?"  Aki nodded, and
the Queen frowned in thought.  "Well...as I thought all the yoma had been
destroyed...I guess there's no harm in granting amnesty to those who left in
this manner."

    "Well, that's good to hear," a new voice said.  Everyone turned to the
mouth of the cave to see, standing next to the members of Dragon Childe (who
had been watching the proceedings with a kind of quiet amazement), an old,
bearded priest with light brown hair fading to white, carrying a heavy pack on
his back.

    The Quake Camper waved.  "Hi Senki-san!"

    The priest nodded.  "It's good to see you again, Camper."

    "You...were you one of the yoma too?" Aki asked.  "One of the turtle
ones?"

    "Correct.  And like Hiryuu, I am grateful to you."  He bowed.
"Although...not quite as grateful as he is."  There was a smile in his voice.

    "Well, that's good," Aki muttered.

    "We have new lives now, Queen," Senki continued.  "And you say you can
forgive us?"

    "Well...Are you planning to work against me?" the Queen asked warily.

    "Not at all," the former yoma replied.  "My brother and I have discovered
the faith of Genbu, the turtle god, and wish to spend our days devoting
ourselves to his worship."

=====

    "Now, as you can see, this pamphlet describes how the followers of Genbu
wish to balance the world," the green-haired priest said.

    "That does sound like a worthy goal, Tsuriai-san," Yukiko said politely.
"But you said something about him being the god of winter as well?"

    "Oh, that aspect interests you?  Let me find the other pamphlet..."  He
began to rummage in his pack.

    "Oh, for...Yukiko-chan.  Who is this?"

    "Oh, Daddy!"  Yukiko looked up and smiled.  "I just met this really
interesting priest, who...oh, wait, I wanted to ask you something."  She grew
serious.  "Why didn't you ever tell me about my three twin sisters?"

    Yukiko's father's head grew a sweatdrop.  "Three?  I thought there were
only two..."

=====

    "...So you see, now that we have lives outside the Darkverse, we really
just want to be left alone," Senki concluded.

    "I see," the Queen murmured.

    "You can't blame him, yoma have rather nasty lives," the Bluefaced Black
Shadow put in.

    The Queen blinked, and started at the minion.  "Now how would you know
about that?"

    The BBS suddenly sweatdropped.  "Er...you know...I've heard things.  You
know.  Hanging around the Do-Gooders all the time.  And I've been to the
Darkverse too with Villyn-sama."

    The Queen continued to stare at him.

    "And I'm sure Hiryuu has no more interest in the Darkverse," Senki put in.

    "Wait!"  Koohii pushed her way past the Queen.  "There's one thing I don't
understand.

    "One thing?" T-kun muttered.

    "Is he a dragon or a yoma?" Koohii asked.  "I'm really curious."

    Hiryuu, who had been talking with Villyn for a while, heard Koohii's
question and walked forward.  "I'm a dragon.  At least, I've always thought of
myself as one."

    Koohii walked to Hiryuu, and peered at him.  She walked around him in a
full circle, as he stood nervously, and even sniffed him a few times, finally
coming back to stand in front of him.

    "I don't know," she concluded.  Ignoring the crash, she continued.  "He's
not a yoma.  He might be a dragon, but a kind I'm not familiar with.  But
then, I heard Un--I heard someone say that there are lots of different kinds
of dragons, once."

    "I AM a dragon," Hiryuu insisted.  "...I just didn't grow up around other
dragons."

    Koohii nodded.  "Well, we'd be happy to share what we know.  Although all
the dragons we knew were always talking about the Blue Dragon of Heaven and
East."  She rolled her eyes.

    Aki and Keiko blinked.  "Something about that sounds familiar," Aki said.

    "Well...okay, I'm sorry for taking Aki like that, everyone," Hiryuu said.
"Really, I am.  ...It was a stupid thing to do.  But...can everyone get out of
my room now?...Please?"

    "Of course, son," Villyn said, slapping the dragon on the back.  "Come by
and visit anytime."  He walked toward the entrance of the cave, but stopped as
he came face to face with the Queen.

    "...Um...Nemesis," the Queen said, awkwardly.

    Aki looked around and noticed everyone staring at the couple.  "Come on,
this isn't free entertainment," Aki snapped, herding the minions and Dragon
Childe outside, Keiko following.

    "...Charity," Villyn replied, just as awkwardly.

    "...I--" the Queen began.

    "Oh, Nemesis, there you are!"

    Both blinked, and turned to see a figure walk through the crowd
surrounding the entrance of the cave.  Through, because she was insubstantial.

    "...Oh.  Itako-san," Villyn said, looking confused.

    "I've been looking all over for you."  The ghost smiled, and then blinked.
"And who is this?"

    "...um...this is..."  Villyn trailed off as he looked at the Queen.

    The Queen's face was expressionless for a long moment...then, she smiled.
"Sorry to be a bother," she said.  "I'll just be going now."

    "...Going?...but...wait!" Villyn said, outstretching a hand...but the
Queen vanished into a tear in space.

    "...did I interrupt something?" Itako asked.

    "...Go away."

    "What?"

    "Go AWAY!" Villyn yelled.

    Itako shrank back, then faded into the air.

    Villyn stalked off, the minions following him.

    Aki turned back to the cave and began to slowly beat her head against the
wall.

    "...Um...Aki?"

    Aki stopped...then turned around.  "Yes, Hiryuu?"

    "...I was just wondering..."  He looked down.  "Um...well...that is...if
you'd like togooutsometime?" he managed.

    Aki looked at him for several long moments.  Then she took out a piece of
paper, wrote something on it, and handed it to the dragon.  "Here's my number.
Call me tomorrow, and ask me then."

    Hiryuu took the paper...his eyes shining.  "...Thanks!  I will!"

    "I'm tired.  I'll see you later."  She turned and walked off, Keiko with
her.  (And Dragon Childe following at a slight distance.)

    "Was that a good idea?" Keiko asked.

    "I really don't know," Aki said.  "I'll worry about it later.  ...Can I
come over to your house for a while, Keiko?  I'm not sure I want to go home
right now."

    Keiko smiled.  "Of course you can."

    Back at the cave, Hiryuu was almost dancing with joy.

    "I got her phone number!  Woohoo!  All right!  Now...I need a phone."

=====

    The final school bell rang.  Students went to those neat little shoe
lockers to get their shoes, or stayed to clean up the classroom, or
disappeared into other dimensions.  Among those walking out to the front gate
was Tejina.

    Unusually, she was alone.  Most days she'd walk home with her fellow band
members, or Aki or Keiko, or at the very least a clone sister or two, but
today everyone had seemed to have something to do.  Aki and Keiko hadn't been
in school, Matsuro had left during lunch, Kireiko and Hanaki had gone on yet
another date, Becky had said something cryptic and BA-3ish about her parents,
and Ayame had started to tell Tejina where she was going but Tejina had just
said goodbye before that could happen.  As a result...she was alone.

    It was a new experience for Tejina, and not a welcome one...and yet, at
the same time she felt at ease.  The routine activity of walking was giving
her an opportunity to think about the things that had been going on...there
was certainly enough of that to fill a few dozen walks home...

    "Oh, hello there...Tejina, was it?"

    Tejina looked up and was confronted with the face of Hanamichi Mariko.

    "Um...yeah.  Hi there, um...Mariko."  Tejina couldn't help staring at
Mariko's blinding white fuku.

    Mariko smiled.  "Do you mind if I walk home with you?  My friends bailed
on me."  She rolled her eyes.

    "...No, it's okay.  Um...I was just alone myself."  Tejina resumed
walking, and the other girl fell into step beside her.

    "So as you can see," Mariko said, "I took your advice on the fuku."

    "Hm?  Oh...well, I just sort of explained what Keiko was doing..."

    "Well, you also told me how to deal with the teachers who didn't like it."
She giggled.

    "But I..."  Tejina sweatdropped.  Something about this girl was giving her
a strange feeling...

    "Say, do you know Keiko at all?" Mariko asked suddenly.

    "Um...well, yeah.  Actually she's more really good friends with a couple
good friends of mine," Tejina said.

    "Really, how interesting..." the blonde girl purred.  "I think she's so...
striking.  Don't you?"

    Tejina considered.  "Yeah, that's a good word..."

    Mariko gave her companion a shrewd glance.  "I'd really like to get to
know her more..."

    Tejina blinked, and looked at Mariko.  "Uh...why?"

    "Well, come on...like I said, she's so..." Mariko waved her hands vaguely.
"You know."

    [Does she mean...uh...hm.  I'm not sure I want to know.]  "Well, um...I'm
not sure how much I can tell you," Tejina said.  "I mean, like I said, I don't
personally know her that well myself..."

    Mariko shrugged philosophically.  "Well, I understand.  Still..."  She
peered over at Tejina.  "If there's *anything* you can tell me..."

    Tejina laughed nervously.  "Um...yeah.  Well...Oh!  Saito-san!"

    A nearby guy their age blinked and looked up.  "...Um...yes?  Do I know
you?"

    "Well, no, but my friend Becky told me about you...Becky Anderson?"  She
smiled a bit at the faint blush that appeared on Koji's face.  "Want to walk
with us for a bit?"  [Please?] she thought.

    "...Okay.  Thanks."  He smiled shyly as he started to walk on the other
side of Tejina.

    "Okay, Saito Koji, this is Hanamichi Mariko...it's okay, isn't it Mariko?"

    "Sure," Mariko beamed, but Tejina was startled to see that her eyes seemed
to be glittering dangerously.

    "...Um...yeah.  So how are you Koji?  Can I call you Koji?  You can call
me Tejina if you want."

    "...Oh.  Okay.  Yeah, you can call me that."  Koji looked down again.
"Uh...well...things have been...okay, I guess..."

    "You don't sound too sure of that," Tejina replied.

    Koji sighed.  "Well..."

    "Koji, do you happen to know Yamanaka Keiko?" Mariko asked.

    Koji blinked.  "...er...what?  ...Um, no.  No, I don't know who that is."

    "Oh."  Mariko frowned.

    Koji stared at Tejina, who rubbed the back of her head.  "Please, go on."

    "Well...the other day I was walking home with Becky and..."  He blinked
and looked at Tejina.  "Um...well, actually it was nothing."

    [Wait a minute,] Tejina thought.  [I bet he's talking about seeing Becky
transform.  She mentioned that.]  Out loud, she said, "I think I might have
heard about that.  Quite...a shock, I think."

    Koji looked at her oddly.  "Uh...I guess."

    [I guess he doesn't really believe me...]

    "This sucks," Mariko muttered.

    Tejina's head swiveled.  "...um...Mariko?  You okay?"

    "You wouldn't belive how my day's been," she snapped.  "Psychotic rabbits,
little tiny lawyers running around, it's just been hellish."

    Tejina's head swiveled back to Koji.  "Uh, say, Koji...hey, what's that?"

    Koji blinked and looked down at his hand.  "This?  Uh...a dandelion.
That's odd, I wonder where it came from..."

    "...Yeah," Tejina said.  "Um...hey!  That's my street!  Bye guys!"  She
sprinted off.

    Koji and Mariko stopped and watched her run, and turn a corner.  "...That
was odd," Koji noted.

    "Hmph," Mariko hmphed.  "The hell with this, I'm going home."

=====

    "Master Chiang!"

    "Zathras, old friend.  What are you up to today?"

    "Eh, Zathras try to find cave.  But lose Queen.  Distracted by music shop,
they have sale on accordions."

    "...I see."

=====

    Matsuro put down the phone, and exhaled, then flopped down on his bed.

    It seemed he'd been worrying, skipping school, and scouring town for
nothing, as Keiko had just called to say that she and Aki were all right.

    It was a great relief.  In fact...he was *very* relieved that Keiko was
all right.  Even *more* relieved than he was that Aki--his sister!--was all
right.

    Unfortunately, his attempt to sort out his feelings was cut short by the
return of his mother.

    "Hi, Mom.  How was your date?"

    "Oh, it was very nice, dear.  And I ran into an old friend, too."

    "Hello again, Matsuro."

    "Hi, Other Mom."

    "Please, call me Karen."

    "Hi, Karen."

    Pleasantries were suddenly cut off by loud, tearful sobs.

    "Why, oneechan!  What's the matter?"

    Matsuro sighed.  It was one of those days.

    Again.

=====

    Malaise hummed a little tune as he/she watered the palm tree in the middle
of the Darkverse throne room.  Straightening up, the androgynous general
smiled.

    Suddenly there was an explosion of dark power and the Queen was on her
throne.  Malaise stared, then remembered him/herself and bowed.  "Your
Majesty!  How was your stay on Earth!"

    Silence.

    Malaise dared to look up a bit.  "Your Majesty?"

    "...Malaise..."

    "Yes?"

    "Find Lessente...and ask if he's got any Zokujin rock cleaning fluid."

    "...oh."

=====

    Keiko idly flipped through the pages of her Book of Penultimate Evil.  Aki
had gone home, and now she was working on a problem that had been bothering
her for a few days.  The magical design she'd found on the paper still
resisted her efforts at deciphering it...but she wasn't in any hurry, really.

    [I feel sorry for Aki,] she thought.  [Her father's kind of cool, but sort
of a wimp when it comes to women.]  Her mouth twitched sardonically.  [Not
that I should be talking, what with me and Matsuro-kun...But...even with
all the weird stuff, I'm glad Aki and I are friends.  She really is...wait a
minute...]  Keiko's eyes suddenly stopped on a particular page.

    "Unraveling the spells attached to designs of further complexity," she
read, "is beyond the scope of this text.  Interested readers should seek out
the Book of *Ultimate* Evil for further reference."

    Keiko stared at the book for several long seconds.

    Then she closed her eyes and yelled something.

    Mermaid looked up from the card game.  "What did she say?"

    "I don't really think we want to know," Koohii muttered, drawing another
card.  "Hey, I got threes."

    "WHERE am I supposed to find a Book of ULTIMATE Evil?!?"

=====

    "Hey, are you done with the Book of Ultimate Evil yet?"

    "Just a sec," the man said irritably.  "I know that anti-mildew spell is
in here somewhere."

    The woman snorted.  "More baths?  What is it with you and baths, Sansuke?"

    "Hey, it's my calling in life," Sansuke said, waving his saw.  "I build
baths, therefore, I am.  That's all there is to it.  ...Oh wait, here it is."

    The woman flopped down in a chair near his and sighed, the ice cubes in
her drink clinking.  "Why am I here?"

    "You want the Book, of course, Haruka," Sansuke said.  "You always want
the Book this time each night for that manicure spell."

    "No, dimwit," Haruka snapped.  "I mean, why am I here?  Doing odd jobs for
you guys?  I could have had a great life!"

    "With your legendary husband?"

    "Yes.  Okay, he was nuts, but he was dependable in his own way!"  Haruka
sighed, and tossed back her drink.  "Hggk.  Hm.  I hope we have more vodka."

    "What the hell are you two doing?!?" another woman snapped, entering the
room.

    "Wassit look like we're doing, Nanami?" Haruka said, waving her
screwdrivers (one liquid, one covered with runes) at the now-named Nanami.

    "It LOOKS like you're using the Book of Ultimate Evil for trivial purposes
again!" Nanami snapped.

    "Mildew is NOT trivial," Sansuke averred.

    "Shut up!  We're supposed to be MENDING the world!  That book is only to
be used as a last resort!  If you use it just any old time, who knows what it
could lead to?!?"

    "Judging by the way you use the appearance spells, I think you're hoping
it leads to a date," Haruka snickered.

    *WHAM!*

    The table jumped as though it had been hit with a heavy object...which was
something of a strange coincidence.

    Haruka brushed at her robes.  "Damn it, there *better* be more vodka in
the pantry."

    Nanami returned her hammer to her shoulder.  "Now hand over the book."

    "Okay, I think I got it."  Sansuke closed the book and handed it over,
then stood up with a gleam in his eye.  "Mildew...your days are NUMBERED!"

    "Look on the bright side," Haruka muttered to herself.  "It could probably
be *worse*..."

=====

    "OW!  OW!  OWWWWW!!!"

    Kireiko hopped around, shrinking, until he finally reassumed his fully
human form.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, son," his father said sternly, "You
can't just go traipsing off around town like that!"

    "I have to!" Kireiko growled.  "There are these nutball shrine maidens
chasing me!  With ofuda launchers!  It's getting harder to avoid them!  And
what the hell is 'traipsing' anyway?  Nobody uses that word anymore!"  *WHAM!*
A dictionary impacted against Kireiko's face.

    "Look it up, son."

    The dictionary slid off and landed with a thump, revealing a rather angry
Kireiko.  The two faced off, son growling, father's glasses reflecting the
light...

    "Oh, now, calm down you two," Kireiko's mother said.  "I've got cookies!"

    "Cookies!  Kickass!"  Kireiko grabbed a handful and headed for the TV.
"Thanks Mom!"

    "You spoil him too much, dear," Kireiko's father said.

    "Oh, but I can't help it!  He's my baby!  And Kireiko?"

    "Yeah, Mom?"

    "Since you lost that jacket of yours, I got you a new one."  She held up a
leather jacket, and turned it around.  "And look, I sewed in a white tiger on
the back.  Since the white tiger symbolizes 'yin', it will help control your
transformation."

    "Yeah, I know about the tiger, Mom.  Wow...hey, this jacket is really
cool.  Thanks, Mom, you rock!"  Kireiko wandered off to his room to see how
the jacket worked with his other clothes.

    Kireiko's father look at his wife.  "Dear...doesn't the white tiger also
symbolize brute force and rage?"

    She blinked.  "...Oh...does it?"

=====

    Maeda wiped his forehead with his blindingly white handkerchief.  "So...
What now?"

    "...Good question," Wataru replied.  He sat, frowning, for several
moments...then reached for the telephone and dialed a number.

    "Good luck," Maeda said.

    Wataru rubbed his chin, and listened intently.  Then, after a moment, he
seemed to relax.  "Yes, it's me, Natsuki-san.  Yes, Wataru.  ...Yeah.  Well,
it's like this...No, well, we know where she is, and her identity and address
and everything...yes.  That's it exactly.  ...Well, there are other factors.
She has powerful friends.  ...Yes.  ...Yes, I know.  Believe me, I know.  Yes.
Well, maybe.  Okay.  ...Okay.  All right, bye."  He hung up the phone, and
exhaled.

    "That actually sounded okay," Maeda said.

    Wataru nodded.  "Simply the information was a large step, and so we're
doing better than expected so far.  ...We just have to make sure to succeed at
the next phase within two or three more tries...at the most."

    Maeda nodded.  "I understand perfectly."  He folded the handkerchief
neatly.

    "But we may be able to get some help," Wataru said.

    Maeda blinked.  "Help?"

    "Yes.  Other...associates of our team.  Nothing definite yet, but..."

    "I see."

    ...Yes, one way or another...things were definitely going to get
interesting.

=====

WHAT NEXT?!?!?

Damned if I know.  Stay tuned for DG #41, by Kimberli McClanahan.  Yaaaaaay.

Apologies also go out to Delfina...I said she could preread, but then ended up
not getting a chance to set things up with her.  Next time, I promise.

I'd like to 'thank' these sources, whose ideas I sto^H^H^Hpaid homage to:
WKRP in Cincinnati, Primus, Suikoden (by Konami), Clue (the movie) and Rich
Wulf.

Well, that's that.  I didn't get to address all the plotlines I might have
liked to (believe it or not), but that was still a good effort, I think.
Better than another recent part I finished, definitely.

If any of this seems strange, it's because my sleeping schedule is way wacked.

That's all for now...

Beware the Radish