The Phoenix Chronicles Episode Four: Darkness of Men’s 
Hearts & the Light of One Boy’s Heart… 
	A few weeks later, Yui approached Mousse, after he came home school. She 
hadn’t been feeling very well, and had to go to the hospital that morning while he got 
ready to go to school. She didn’t even get to make him a lunch, and she was sure he’d 
starve. 
	Once he arrived home, he started heading for his room.
	“Hikaru,” she called from the kitchen, “Come in here, for a second, will you?” 
	He was relieved to hear her voice, but the fact that she had to talk to him made 
him feel like there was still something wrong. He deeply hoped she wasn’t so sick that 
he’d lose her, too. He’d already lost his parents, and now, he was going to lose her, too. 
	He took a deep breath, and went into the kitchen. Once he got in, he saw her 
sitting on the table, with one chair pulled up before her. She looked a tad pale, but other 
than that, she didn’t seem very sick. He took another deep breath and sat in the chair she 
had picked out for him.
	“Yes?”
	“Hikaru, how would you feel about being a big brother?” She asked casually.
	“Well, I’m not really sure. I mean I could take care of him and all that, but I’m 
not sure I’d do much of good job.”
	Yui gave him a tense look, her mouth straight. She hated when he beat himself up 
like that, after she spent so much time trying to build him up. She felt that he put too 
much pressure on himself, and that was frustrating because she never gave him reason to 
feel pressured like that. She wished he could see himself the way she saw him, she 
wished he’d take a stand for once. For now, though, she just relaxed a bit, and put a hand 
on his shoulder.
	“I’m sorry,” he said.
	“Don’t apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong.” She snapped.
	“Sorry.” He repeated sheepishly. 
	“Hikaru, stop that! I’m trying to tell you something.” 
	“Sorry.” He said. Then, his eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with both 
hands.
	“Just listen to me, alright?” she told him, calmly.
	His hands still over his mouth, he nodded vigorously.
	“I’m going to have a baby.” She told him, softly.
	“That’s great, Yui-san. I mean, it’s what you’ve always wanted, right?” 
	She nodded, a smile on her face, and she gathered him up in her arms, and hugged 
him. He felt great. “You mean you’re not mad?” she asked.
	“Of course, not.” He answered, gladly. At least, this way she wouldn’t be so 
worried about him all the time. Once the kid was born, Mousse supposed he’d spend 
more time with his friends. Also, since Gendou would undoubtedly be home more often, 
Mousse wouldn’t be able to be as close to Yui, anymore. It saddened him, but he didn’t 
show her that, he loved her too much to make her feel bad. 
  	“So, you’re alright with it?” she asked him.
	“Yes, but I don’t see why you’re asking me.” He told her hesitantly.
	“Because it matters.” She told him, hugging him tighter.
	There was a knock at the door. Yui released Mousse from her hug, much to his 
disappointment though he tried not to show it.
	It turned out to be a salesman, whom Yui shoved away immediately. 
	
	When she came back to the living room, she could hear Mousse was starting 

dinner up, and that made her smile.  She supposed Mousse brushed it aside, as he usually 

did when something bothered him. That was fine. She went into the kitchen, and watched 

him take three steaks out of the freezer, and put them on the wooden cutting board to 

defrost. 

	{He’s getting used to me,} she thought blissfully, {He’s finally getting used to 

having a family. I’m glad.)

September 13, 1:00 A.M.
	The cold wind blew violently in Antarctica, more destructive than any tornado, or 
hurricane. A heavyset man staggered across the now roofless storage facility where he 
and his colleagues were only moments ago. The man was known to all as Doctor 
Katsuragi. He, and his colleagues were expressing their doubts over Gendou Rokubungi 
shortly before this horrible moment. The wind, which blew like a divine wind, only 
worsened the stench of the corpses strewn about what used to be Base Antarctica 
Research Facility. Even the extreme cold did numb his sense of smell, thereby sparing 
him of the foul stench in the air. He thought, perhaps he deserved it for his part in trying 
to take mankind to Heaven’s door himself, as Gendou had often planned with him. But 
they were so close, why wasn’t Gendou here at this moment? Didn’t he also propose the 
man made “Stairway to Heaven?” So strange that he wasn’t here, now. He looked about 
as he made his way over to a six-foot metal capsule. He was carrying his only child, a 
fourteen-year-old daughter, Misato, over to it. He had already done so much to his 
daughter and his wife that he felt something even he thought he was incapable of feeling; 
remorse. It was a sense that he had abandoned his family. No, it was not a sense. It was 
knowledge of all he’d done to both of them. 
	All he could do now was turn the metallic knob, though every bone in his body 
felt like it was going to break apart at any moment. He put his daughter into the capsule 
as gently as any man that was bleeding to death. Flying shrapnel had embedded itself in 
his lungs as he lunged to cover his daughter from the explosion. The shrapnel had gone 
right through him, and dug into her chest as well, though not as swift in impact, and 
buffered by the thick fur jacket were now wore. It did however leave a wide cut across 
her chest, and it would definitely leave a scar. For him, the burning was still searing his 
lungs as the shrapnel hung out of the open wound, held in tightly by the thick jacket he 
wore. 
	Misato looked up at her father, her blue eyes were long with worry. This was the 
only moment she would ever show concern for him. They both knew that, but she never 
even had time to grieve him. All she could do now is look up at him, though the blood 
trickling from her forehead blurred her vision. She could only see his through a screen of 
red. He said nothing. He only took off his own thick coat, exposing the hanging piece of 
metal, which jutted from his wound. Then, he placed the coat over her. Her father, 
however, was not the only thing she saw. It was a giant of light, lanky, save for the jutting 
shoulders that rose past the rounded head. It turned once, as if searching for something, 
its eyes were glowing red, and its arms partly reaching out as both hands were flexed in a 
claw-like manner.  
	“Is that you, daddy?” She managed, before two metallic screens closed, like a 
blinking eye, quickly to seal her in. That was the last time Misato Katsuragi ever saw her 
father alive. The hatched was secured, and locked. The father threw himself over the 
capsule in a useless gesture of protectiveness. Shortly after, a larger explosion claimed 
his dying body, not leaving anything for Misato to even mourn.
 	In Space one could see the beautiful blue jewel of the earth, tarnished by the 
Antarctic Circle burned like live coal. The circle phased flare red, and from that same 
place where the ice and snow once ruled, a heavenly fire burned upward to the stars, like 
a pillar. The golden pillar of fire that sank back to the earth, and then, two golden, insect-
like wings rose to the stars, as well. When the wings flexed, each wing was revealed to 
have two shorter branches.  
	From inside the capsule, she felt a severe jolt. Outward, she thought, towards the 
ocean. The explosion sounded as if she were near a cannon during firing. It deafened her 
temporarily, and then she began to frantically feel her way around the capsule, trying to 
find a way to get out of the darkness. Her hand brushed over a handle, and she quickly 
grabbed at it. The two steel plates, that sealed her in, opened.  She did her best to stand on 
the rocking capsule, and looked on at the pillar of fire that blazed in the night sky, 
burning through sheets of Aurora Borealis. 



(Kyoto Hospital)
	Akane lay in the hospital bed. She was very pale, and thin. Her arms looked as if 
she had been robbed of her bones. Her eyes were sunken in. Her skin was frightfully pale, 
and there were some bruises on her face. 
Ranko was outside, waiting in the hallway. He didn’t want Ranko, to see her 
mother like this, but he couldn’t deny her the last chance she’d have to see her.. Akane’s 
own mother had died when she was very young. He hated the fact that Akane was the one 
who inherited that condition. It was all so unfair. He didn’t want to be alone.
	“Ranma, is Ranko here?” Akane asked.
	“She’s waiting outside.” he told her, calmly.
“Bring her in.” Akane whispered.
“Not yet.” Ranma told her, “You have to rest.”
“Ranma, I want you to do something for me.”
“Anything, Akane. Tell me what you want.”
“I want you to arrange something between our daughter, and Yui’s ward.”
“Akane, we hated our parents for doing that to us. I can’t do the same to Ranko.”
“Our parents wanted the best for us. I want the best for Ranko, and this is the best 
way I know how.”
“Alright, but why Yui’s ward?”
“He seems like a nice boy, and I think our daughter will be in good hands if Yui is 
there. Don’t you think?”
“I’ll look out for our daughter, Akane.”
“Yes, but the thing about us parents, Ranma, is that we’re convinced no one is 
good enough for our daughter. Please, Ranma, do that for me?”
“Alright.”
“ I’ve rested enough. Ranma, I just want to see her one last time. I want to see the 
daughter we made.”
“I’ll send her right in.” Ranma said, his face grim.
	Ranko came into the room. She now looked at her mother, who was pale and thin 
in the hospital robe. Akane’s eyes seemed to Ranko as if they had sunken in somewhat.
“You’re going to have to take care of your father from now on. You know that, 
right?”
“Yes, mommy. I know.” Ranko managed.
“Hey now, that means you have to hold your chin up. Your father’s going to need 
you, now.”
“I know.” Ranko sobbed. “I just was hoping you’d get better.”
“Well, I’m glad you had some hope. I know it’s been hard for you. It’s been hard 
for your father, and I as well. We all knew this day would be here, soon.”
“I know, mom.” 
“Just promise me that you’ll be there for your father, okay?”
“I promise. You’ll be able to take care of him, too.” Ranko said, trying to keep 
from crying, “I won’t let you die.”
Akane smiled one last time at her daughter, and fell asleep. Ranko held her hand 
long after it had grown cold. Then, Ranma came in, and took his daughter out of the 
room, and closed the door behind them. 
----------------
	All Ranma’s friends attended the funeral, even Yui and Mousse, who knew the 
professor's wife a little. Ranma’s lifetime rival, Ryoga went up to him. He still had that 
shock of black hair, but he know longer wore his trademark bandanna. He wore a black 
suit, and he did whimper a little when Akane was lowered into the ground.
 	He went up to Ranma, and muttered, “I’m so sorry, Ranma. Although, I never 
thought you deserved her, you did take care of her. I see that now.”
	“Thanks, Ryoga. I- I’m glad we could be friends.”
	“If you need anything, just give Ukyou and me a call, ok?”
	“Thanks, Ryouga.”
	“I mean it. Don’t hesitate. We both lost a lot of time because of that.”
	“I know. I appreciate the offer.”
--------------- 
A week later, Ranma, out of grief, or loneliness, was now going to Yui. Actually, 
he was going over to her apartment to discuss the proposal his deceased wife had made. 
He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of Mousse with his daughter.
Then, Ranma thought about the other option. Maybe, there was a chance he could 
start something with Yui. He thought, maybe she would see that her staying with Gendou 
was wrong. He thought that Yui would be the perfect mother for Ranko, and then Mousse 
would just be sent off to Clamp Academy. That would be fine. That way, Yui would be 
able to focus her attention on him and Ranko. It would be a life without Mousse to take 
Yui’s affections. With Ranko there, and Shinji, of course, Yui would have no time to give 
her attention to Mousse. Eventually, Mousse would become more of a burden to Yui, and 
Ranma would be able to have a family with her. 
	He had been walking around in the rain, and had asked his nanny to take care of 
his daughter. Mousse had still been at school. Ranma saw the light on in Yui’s balcony, 
and could see her shadow pacing. He took the elevator, and walked through the hall until 
he got to Yui’s door, and when she opened it, she was only wearing a nightgown.
	“Hikaru, where have you been all this-Professor Saotome,” she gasped, and 
closed the door for a moment, and had a robe on when she opened it again. She let him 
in, and took his coat as he left his shoes at the foyer. “You’re soaking wet. Why didn’t 
you bring an umbrella?” she asked, genuinely worried. {A man his age could easily catch 
pneumonia.} she thought.
	“I wasn’t thinking about it.” He admitted, and looked at her.
	“What else would you be thinking about in the rain?” she asked, feeling very 
uncomfortable as he looked over her. He wondered how Mousse felt she wore that. He 
walked up to her, and took her warm hand into his own.
	“You…because I couldn’t think of anyone else.” He told her, pulling her close. 
He felt so aroused, holding her to him like that. “I can’t stop thinking of what we 
could have, Yui.”” He bent over to kiss her, and she began to puch on his chest for him to 
stop, but that only encouraged him further and he kissed her deeper. She dug her nails 
into his chest, making him grunt, as he backed away.
	“Why not?” he asked, frustrated.
	“I don’t love you.” she told him, trying to keep the shakiness out of her voice.
	“And yet, you can find it in your heart to care for someone like Gendou?” he 
asked, a note of anger, and envy in his voice. The, he grabbed her shoulders, and pulled 
down her robe, whispering, “I love you.”
	“Don’t do this…” she pleaded, trying not to cry. She knew he had lost his wife a 
short time ago, and she felt as if she were just a replacement. He began to kiss her neck 
with fervor.
	To their surprise, Mousse came in the door. Not being able to see Ranma’s face, 
he thought Yui and Gendou were busy so he tried to sneak to his room. Yui tore out of 
Ranma’s grasp and rushed over to grab Mousse by the shoulders.
	“Where have you been all this time? Do you realize how worried I’ve been?” she 
snapped, holding his shoulders.
	“Did I interrupt something?” he asked, trying to change the subject, and then saw 
that Ranma was standing in the living room. He felt relieved it wasn’t Gendou.
	She looked at Ranma cautiously, and told Mousse, “Listen, don’t be embarrassed 
about that. You didn’t interrupt anything.” The last word hung in the air with a note of 
spite. “There’s nothing between me and the professor. What you should worry about is 
giving me an explanation, mister.” She snapped, making him look away.
	“I’ll go home, now.” Ranma told them. 
	Yui watched him leave, and he felt whatever trust she had for him was gone. As 
much as he hated to admit it, he had lost her.
--------
	That same year, Ranma had decided to take a position as a medical official in one 
of the most badly hit areas. He was living in a floating home in the lake that used to be 
old Tokyo before the tsunami, caused by Second Impact, hit. That was when an agent, 
representing the U.N, paid Ranma a visit.
	“It’s so hot today, as usual.” said the suited rep. 
	“I guess you’re still feeling the summer. I can’t really stand it myself. It makes 
everything so much harder.” Ranma complained.
	 “Why don’t you move to a taller ship? I can’t believe you’re here, but I guess I 
know why.”  The rep said, looking over at the school bag by Ranma’s chair.
	“My daughter, and I, don’t really like the polluted air.” Ranma said, his tone 
dismissive.
	“You know, it was really hard finding you out here.” the rep told him, handing 
him a letter.
	“They don’t have a doctor here. I’m all they have, and that’s better than nothing.” 
Ranma said as he tore the envelope open. He removed the neatly folded letter, and looked 
over it briefly. “They want to send me to Antarctica? At a time like this?”
	“It’s an offshore UN research team. Your help would be more beneficial there, I 
think, more so than staying here and posing as a doctor. Professor Saotome….”
	“Ex-professor,” Ranma bit out, “Who recommended me? It doesn’t say…”
----------
(2002)
Ranma  was relieved that he had left his daughter with Yui. She had been very 
understanding about his situation. She hadn’t complied with the arranged marriage idea 
but she did agree to take care of Ranko. At any rate, Ranma believed that he was in good 
hands with Yui, and even Mousse. The two seemed inseparable when he left. He was so 
envious that Mousse had gotten to where he wanted to be. However, the latter years 
would prove him wrong, and watching the drifts of floating ice in the dying Antarctic 
Ocean, he wasn’t sure if life would be better for anyone. 
He now stood on the bridge of the aircraft carrier Explorer, named for one of the 
space shuttles, which were now considered obsolete. He looked out at the Antarctic 
Ocean, because that was all that was left of the continent, save for the chunks of ice 
floating limply in the red waters. Professor Ryoga Hibiki, his old friend and fellow 
colleague from the university, stood next to him. He was as tall as Ranma, and had his 
black hair combed back. The both of them wore heavy fur boots, and thick jackets. They 
had been given orders, by the U.N, to investigate the site.
 “This use to be a continent of ice. The entire thing is gone.” He nearly groaned. 
	“Professor Saotome, Hibiki.” Called a third voice, making the two turning to face 
him.
	“I don’t believe it. You’re alive?!” Ranma asked Gendou incredulously. “I heard 
you were with the Katsuragi research expedition.”
	“Fortunately, I returned to Japan one day before the incident happened.” Gendou 
said almost smugly. Ranma knew that Gendou was controlling his tone from sounding as 
smug as he usually spoke, although Ranma had no idea why. Gendou always seemed like 
he had his own agenda.
	“Mr. Rokubungi, you’re a very lucky-” Ranma began.
	“Excuse me,” Gendou interrupted. “But I’ve changed my name.” He told the old 
professor, handing him a small card.
	“A post card? Not a business card?” Ranma snickered, taking the card. He looked 
at the little angel Yui had drawn on it, but it was the message that bothered him. 
	It said,
“We got Married.
	Yui and Gendou Ikari.”
	Ranma looked up at the other man, “Ikari? Gendou Ikari?!” he almost seethed, 
and Gendou relished that angry look on Ranma’s face. At least, Gendou thought, he had 
what others wanted.
	“My wife has been asking me to give that for long time. She still quite a fan of 
yours.” Gendou said, in his most civil voice. 
	“Quite an honor…Considering.” Ranma replied, trying to keep the bitterness out 
of his voice. What did Yui see in him? Well, at least she seemed to love Mousse as well, 
so maybe Gendou wasn’t as influential as he thought. “So why isn’t Yui on this 
expedition?”
	“Oh, Yui wanted to come, but we have a child to consider, now.” Gendou said 
smugly, trying to give an air of affection to his words. 
	{You just love to rub that in, don’t you?} Ranma thought, and then, “Isn’t Yui 
still looking after that boy, Hikaru?”
	“He’s almost of age, and soon we’ll send him off to boarding school.” Gendou bit 
out. Ranma resisted smiling at that, but he knew he’d accomplished something.
	“There are many ugly rumors about this organization you work for, SEELE or 
whatever it’s called. I don’t like the way it bullies the committee.” Ranma commented as 
they climbed the metallic stairs that lead to his office.
	“I’m afraid that it’s necessary.” Gendou replied smugly, “An organization can’t 
have too many Moral dilemmas in this day and age.”
	“Second Impact may have changed many things, but if this expedition had been 
composed solely of SEELE personnel, there would have been trouble. Were the rest of us 
invited for political convenience?” Ranma asked bitterly, turning to face Gendou, who 
still had that smug look on his face. Gendou said nothing, he knew the round had gone to 
him.
	Gendou had returned to his quarters soon afterward. Ranma was glad to be 
without his company, at least for the time being. Instead, he went down to the brig cells, 
where they had placed some of the artifacts recovered from what was left of the base, 
which floated in the poisoned water.
Explorer had gotten there in the first few days, and they had recovered the 
catatonic Misato Katsuragi, who now spent her days sitting in a wood chair in the brig 
with her knees drawn up to her, unmoving, and silently rocking.
Ranma and Ryoga looked in on the girl. Ryoga was looking at a clipboard he had 
gotten from the captain’s quarters after signing a release. 
“Who is she?” Ranma asked.
“The only survivor of the research team. Her name is Misato Katsuragi.” Ryoga 
told him.
“Katsuragi? You mean Doctor Katsuragi’s daughter?” Ranma asked 
incredulously.
“Yes, but according to the report, she hasn’t said a word in two years.” Ryoga 
informed him.
“How awful.” Ranma commented
“She saw hell first hand. The damage to her body will be easy to mend. But the 
damage to her mind will take much more time.” Ryoga added.
“Indeed.” Ranma said as they went to his office. The two sat in the small office, 
looking over the articles, which they had recovered from the sunken base. They had 
found documents that had been placed in an airtight vault. Fortunately, it wasn’t very 
hard to recover.
“The results of this investigation weren’t very easy to analyze. This giant of 
light,” Ranma said, holding up a picture of Adam, the giant that destroyed the Antarctic 
base two years before. “is but one of many mysteries.”
Shortly after the expeditionary team returned from Antarctica, the United Nations 
gave an official declaration that Second Impact had been caused by the crash of a 
massive meteorite strike on Antarctica. Others knew that Ranma, and Ryoga had 
suspected those stories were obvious fabrications. SEELE, and a man named Lorenz Kihl 
were behind the cover up. Ranma became obsessed with finding the truth behind Second 
Impact, even if his former student, Yui, was involved. He spent a year doing research on 
the project, of course giving time to his daughter as well.
-------------- 
	Mousse was waiting for Ritsuko while he sat on the couch. Ranko was sitting next 
to him. She was older now, and a budding teen. She wore a white tee shirt, and pink 
overalls. 
She had liked him since she saw him in her father’s office that day. That was 
when she first met Yui, as well. He didn’t talk much, and he always seemed to be 
brooding. She liked that about him, though. He wasn’t a loud, proud jerk who tried to 
make everyone feel worse so he could make himself feel better. She also liked the way he 
spoke softly, yet always had a certain amount of discipline in his tone. 
Sitting next to him made her nervous. She was rubbed her knees together, looking 
at him. She smiled quickly, then looked away again. She picked up one of the magazines 
on the coffee table, and put it back down.
	“Are you okay?” Mousse asked.
	“Yeah. Hikaru-san, what do you think of girls?”
	“Is this a trick question?”
	“Nevermind.”
	“Why do you ask, Ranko?”
	“Well, you seem to be hanging around Ritsuko a lot.”
	“She’s my best friend, besides Yui-san isn’t too crazy about the guys.”
	“Do you think we could be friends?”
	“Sure, I don’t see why not.”
	“Great.” Then she went back to rubbing her knees, and looking at him.
	“Hey, I want to show you something, Ranko.”
	“Okay, sure.”
	He went into his room, and came back out with little black box. It looked big 
enough for a ring. Ranko’s heart started to beat a little faster. He sat down next to her, 
and settled on the couch.
	“Hikaru, you too?”
	“Me too, what?” he asked, looking at her warily.
	“You’ve been thinking about that too?” she pointed at the box.
	“Of course, I worked really hard for this, you know.”
	“Yes.” she mumbled, covering her face with her hand.
	“Yes, what?” he wanted to know.
	“I’ll marry you.”
	He blanched, nearly dropping the little box, but held it firmly, and wanted to 
know, “What are you talking about, Ranko?”
	“You don’t have a ring in there?”
	“Well, yes. It’s a graduation ring, because I’m leaving Junior High Level, and 
moving onto high school-level at Clamp. I wasn’t going to get one of these, but Yui-san 
insisted.”
	She frowned at that, “Oh, I see.”
	“What’s the matter?”
	“Nothing. I was just hoping we could be like a couple…even if it’s just pretend.”
	“Well, I’m not really thinking about that sort of thing.”
	“Give me a break. I’ve seen the way you look at Ritsuko.”
	“What? Ritsuko’s older than I am, Ranko.”
	“That doesn’t mean you like her even less. You look at her the way you look at 
Yui-san.”
	“What are you talking about, Ranko?”
	“Nothing.”
	“Hikaru, could you open the door? It’s pretty cold out here.” Ritsuko yelled from 
outside, and Mousse was relieved to get up. He went to get the door. He didn’t hear 
Ranko mutter, “Oh, she wants you to warm her up, then?”
	Ritsuko came into the living, and sat down on the couch next to Ranko. Mousse 
just sat on the armchair, and handed the remote control to Ritsuko.
	{You don’t seem to mind giving HER anything.} Ranko pouted inwardly as she 
saw Mousse joke with Ritsuko. She hated the way Ritsuko laughed. She hated the way 
Ritsuko always seemed to make Mousse smile somehow. 
	“Hikaru, come down from there, and sit next to me.” Ritsuko almost purred.
	He chuckled, “I’m fine here, thanks.”
	She pulled him down on the couch, anyway. She managed to bring him down next 
to her. Unable to take anymore, Ranko stood up and said, “I’m going to bed.”
	“Goodnight, Ranko.” Ritsuko said sweetly.
	“G’night…” {you bitch.}Ranko finished mentally.
	She heard Mousse and Ritsuko still laughing outside, in the living room. She 
wanted to go out there, and pound Mousse. Then, she realized that he wasn’t with her, or 
as close to her. She remembered seeing him that first time. He was still pretty thin at the 
time, not to mention worse for wear. What struck was how polite he was back then. Now, 
he seemed to have changed. She kept hearing how Ritsuko and Yui had opened him up.
	However, Ranko wanted to be the one to help him open up. She wanted to bring 
out that side of him that seemed almost noble, and humble. Not Yui. Not Ritsuko. She 
fell asleep in the quest room. She lay on the floor, wishing she hadn’t overreacted when 
he showed her his graduation ring. She wished she could’ve played along with Ritsuko 
little game. At least then, she would be joking with Mousse too.
	She just wished Ritsuko would go home pretty soon. That usually wasn’t the case, 
though, because Mousse would sleep on the couch, and offer his room to Ritsuko. {Why 
for her, Hikaru? Am I not good enough for you?} 
	She could still hear Ritsuko’s laughter, and Mousse was muttering something 
else. That made Ritsuko laugh even harder. Then, they started talking quietly for a while, 
and Ranko took the pillow off her head so she could listen.

	“Really? She thought you were proposing to her?”
	“I don’t know. She’s okay, but just as a friend. You know what I mean?”
	“Yeah, I do. Hikaru, you know that saying about liking yourself before anyone 
else can?”
	“Yeah, what about it?”
	“Well maybe, she beat you to it.”
	“Ritsuko, she thinks I’m sort of weird. I think she’s right.”
	“Did she say that to you?”
	“Well, no.”
	“Hikaru, Do you like her?”
	“Truth?”
	“That’s all I expect from you, Hikaru. Besides, you’re a horrible liar.”
	“One of the many things I’m horrible at, Ritsuko.”
	“Oh, stop that. Now, tell me. Do you like her?”
	He shook his head softly, and looked at Ritsuko as he did so.
	She nodded in understanding, and put a hand on his shoulder.
	
	Ranko, having seen all this, was clenching her fist, restraining herself from hitting 
the frail door. All she could think of Ritsuko was, {Bitch, bitch, that damned prissy, stuck 
up, know-it all BITCH!}
	
	“Hikaru, Are you going to let her down easy?”
	“Ritsuko, I’m not going to assume she likes me. That’s being pretty bold, don’t 
you think?”
	“If you don’t, I’ll tell her.”
	“I’ll do it. What’s the worst that could happen?”
	“She could gouge your eyes out.”

	{I’ll gouge yours out first, you snobby bitch.} Ranko thought.
	
	“I’ll do it tomorrow, after school.”
	“I don’t think that would be a very good Idea.”
	“Well, you’re the expert. Tell me, when should I talk to her?”
	“Well, just leave it to me. Okay?”
	“I have to do this myself, Ritsuko.”
	“I don’t want her to be mad at you, Hikaru.”
	“She’ll be even madder if you went as my messenger. Anyway, you can’t always 
do everything for me.”
	“Wish I could.”
	 “Then, I’d never learn anything.”
	“Well, I’ll go ahead, and look at the classifieds for seeing-eye-dog…just in case 
she doesn’t take it very well.”
	“That makes me feel so much better.”
	“Hikaru-chan, If I don’t, who will?”
			                                                                              Continued
Ending Theme: Fly Me to the Moon. 
--------------------------------
Trailer
-------------------------------  

Mousse: Yui-san, Ritsuko, watch out!

Yui: Hikaru, why did you do that?

Mousse: You’re both much better than I am.

Yui: Don’t talk like that! Hang on!

Gendou: I say, Let him die…Yui, what’s this?

Yui (V.O.): Hikaru’s glasses, the least I can do is keep them safe until he comes back to 
me…uh, us….

Gendou: Yui, why are you keeping these?

Yui: Give me those!

Gendou (V.O.): And so the little brat has won you over as well…

Yui: Next on Phoenix Chronicles is An Expert’s Guide to Running Away…