Urusei Yatsura: "Goes to Hell"
by Lewis Burden Jr.

* * * * 

Part I

"Dah-ling!" Lum pleaded, tugging at the intractable Ataru's arm. 

"No!" Ataru replied and turned his back to Lum. 

"But why?! Darling?" Lum flew around in front of Ataru. "What would it 
hurt?"

"Why can't you understand the word, 'No!?'" Ataru stood and went to his 
closet to get some reading material that he could bury his attention into 
until Lum went away.

Lum watched Ataru, and smiled coyly. "Because I know you don't mean it." 
She flew up to him, and grabbed hold of his arm again. "We could just go to 
a coffee shop. Would that be so bad?"

"We go to coffee shops all the time. Why can you be happy with that?" 
Ataru plopped down on the floor and tried to read the manga he had selected. 
Lum persisted.

"Because they weren't 'dates'. Couldn't we go to a coffee shop and call it 
a date?"

Ataru sighed, and turned to meet Lum's eyes. His eyes narrowed, and he said 
evenly, "When Hell freezes over."

At first Lum began to cry, but then her attitude changed... to righteous 
rage. "Dah-ling! You will take me on a proper date!" She yelled and let 
loose with such a zap that Ataru's manga burst into flames.

* * *

With ceremonial candles strapped to their heads, Sakura and Mendo Ryoko 
danced around a crystal ball waving spirit wands. They chanted incantations 
of great power. Cherry sat over in a corner. He was loudly munching on 
potato chips and viewing the whole spectacle with biting sarcasm. He was 
beginning to get on Sakura's nerves.

"Oh spirits, listen to our plea!" Sakura chanted.

"Listen to our plea!" Ryoko repeated.

"I'll give you a potato chip if you do," Cherry added, and crunched into 
another chip.

Sakura shot him a hard look, but didn't stop her dance.

"Be with us this night to aid our cause!" She continued.

"Be with us this night," Ryoko repeated.

"And we'll have a party," Cherry added.

Sakura stopped dancing, and angrily marched over to Cherry. She struck him 
across the head with her spirit wand. "Will you shut up! This is important 
business. I am trying to teach Ryoko the true power of Shinto."

"You mean you are wasting her time. If you wanted to teach her true power, 
you would be teaching her about Buddha."

"If I had time old man, I'd teach you a few thing about Buddha," Sakura 
threatened, but then collected herself. "But I don't. I have more important 
things to worry about."

"Like wasting this poor girl's time."

Sakura about lost it again, but said, "If you would kindly remain quiet 
during our incantation, I will show you what real power is!" Her face became 
dark, and her voice reverberated ominously throughout the room. 

"What are you doing?" Cherry asked munching another potato chip.

Sakura reached into Cherry's potato chip bag and pulled out a handful, 
nearly the remainder of its contents. She stuffed the chips into her mouth 
and swallowed them. "It is a spell, to grant the men of Tomobiki enough 
wisdom to accept the women that they are destined for. It is a difficult 
spell, as wisdom in men is extremely rare. Now be quiet, or I will call up 
the spirit of your mother again."

Remembering how embarrassing his previous encounter with his long dead 
mother was, Cherry promised to remain silent.

* * *

Meanwhile in yet another part of Tomobiki, Megane was making his way at as 
fast a walking pace as possible toward his home. He was walking so fast in 
hopes that one Sugoi would tire of following him. She didn't.

"Manju-sama," she asked brightly, not a bit tired, "when we are married, 
should we live on Earth, or on Urusei?"

Megane sighed and continued walking, trying desperately to walk even faster. 

"True it is a bit early to decide. After all we haven't decided where we'll 
even have the wedding."

Megane was about to comment on the last statement when Sugoi continued her 
line of thought.

"Or when," she realized. "We haven't set a date yet. I suppose we should do 
that first." She waited a few moments in innocent expectation, waiting for 
Megane to offer a date. He just continued walking, his head lowered, trying 
not to notice her. Sugoi decided to prompt him. "Manju-sama, when can we get 
married?"

Megane stopped and looked Sugoi squarely in the eyes. With all his will, he 
hoped to bury this one thought into her head. "We'll get married when Hell 
freezes over."

Sugoi squealed with delight. "Oh Manju-sama! You're so wise! What a 
wonderful time to get married." She latched onto his arm and leaned against 
his shoulder. Quietly she said, her eyes glazed over in utter rapture, "Now 
that we have a date, we can plan the wedding. We'll have it on the ice of 
Hell, with the sun shining in crystalline splendor. It'll be so beautiful." 
Megane was feeling a nervous breakdown coming on. He continued walking, 
leaving Sugoi momentarily behind.

She caught up to him. "Manju-sama? Where is Hell, and when does it freeze 
over?"

Megane thought about answering, but concluded that he could only get himself 
into more trouble. He continued walking in silence as Sugoi described their 
wedding day in Hell to him.

* * *

Sakura and Ryoko had re-begun their dance. Cherry was being quieter, but 
still very annoying. He had replaced the potato chips with a large cup of 
ramen and was slurping loudly. Sakura tried her best to ignore him.

"Oh great spirits, a special favor," she intoned.

"A special favor," Ryoko repeated.

"Womanly wisdom to men," Sakura continued. Cherry coughed loudly, but Sakura 
ignored him. Clouds began to swirl above the crystal ball, which flickered 
with a greenish light.

"Hear our litany!"

"Lum to Moroboshi," Ryoko began. She said it, but the thought made her wince.

"Shinobu to Inaba," Sakura added.

"Benten to Pygumo."

"Oyuki to Kaji."

"Sugoi to Megane."

"Ran to Rei."

"Asuka to Shutaro," Ryoko said and giggled slightly. Sakura gave her a stern 
look.

"Ryoko to Tobimaru," Sakura said and winked to Ryoko.

Ryoko smiled back and said, "Sakura to Tsubame."

"Oh spirits!" Sakura continued raising the pitch. Lightning was passing 
between the clouds above the crystal. The room had become much darker. 
"Grant these couples that which they were destined for. Grant that they..."

"...be free from worthless Shinto prattling," Cherry butted in.

Sakura, her concentration broken, let fling her spirit wand at Cherry. It 
impacted squarely on his forehead. "Go to Hell!" She shouted.

A thousand whispers answered her, "It is done."

Sakura turned back to her crystal. She had gone very white. "Oops," she said. 

Ryoko went to her. "What's happened? What did we do?"

Sakura just shook her head in fear. Suddenly Ataru appeared in the room. He 
immediately saw Sakura and Ryoko and made a lunge for them. "Sakura-sensei!"

Lum appeared directly in front of him. In mid-air he changed course to avoid 
her, but her arm shot out and she caught him. 

Then Inaba and Shinobu appeared. "Inaba," Shinobu said running to him. 
"What's happening?" Inaba shrugged.

One by one, everyone mentioned in the incantation appeared in the room. It 
soon became a loud cacophony and rather crowded. Sakura was starting to get 
annoyed at all the questions, but soon they were answered.

The answer came in a sudden shiver that swept over everyone as the crystal 
ball became very dark, and a shadow rose from it, taking the form of a man. 
A golden helmet hid his eyes, and he was dressed in a black cape and armor. 
He pulled out a note pad and looked around the room at all the astonished 
faces. He checked them off one by one. He was searching for the last one, 
when Sakura interrupted.

She shoved her spirit wand in his face, and demanded, "Who are you?!"

He slowly turned his gaze to her. It was cold, but not evil. She stepped 
back. "You are Sakura," he whispered slowly. "You cast the spell. You know 
who I am." 

"Sakura-sensei," Shinobu asked, "who is this man? What spell did he mean?"

"I'm sorry," she said, and then drew up her strength. "The spell was 
interrupted! You cannot have these people!"

"What is done is done," the figure whispered. "I make no exceptions."

Cherry jump forward. "It is not our time! We will fight you!" He thrust his 
staff at the figure.

The dark figure regarded him briefly and checked his notepad. "You are 
Cherry?" he asked.

"Yes!" Cherry answered. "A Buddhist monk of great power!"

"You are not on my list," the figure said plainly.

Cherry stepped back. "Oh. Well. Sorry." He looked around to everyone 
standing there. "It's fate. I will pray for you." He began to pray.

"Uncle?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Can't fight death kiddo," he said and continued to pray.

"Death?!" everyone exclaimed.

Sakura returned a nervous smile. "It's -- ah -- no big thing. I can fix 
this." She whipped out her spell book and began rapidly thumbing through the 
pages. 

"It is time to go," the figure whispered, and raised his arms. 

"You can't take my Dahling!" Lum shouted, and prepared to send a bolt at the 
figure. "Who are you?"

The figure sighed and lowered his arms. It usually didn't involve so many 
explanations, but he was bound by astral law to give all involved a chance 
to protest. He turned to see who was talking to him, and was quite surprised 
to see a demoness on Earth. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Lum was a bit taken aback. "I live here," she answered stunned by the 
question and it's tone, but then regained herself. She jerked Ataru to her 
and continued defiantly, "with my Dahling and you can't have him!"

The figure checked his notepad again. He looked up. "You are Lum?"

"Yes," Lum said.

He looked back to his notepad. "Hmm." He looked back up to Lum. He shrugged 
his shoulders and said. "I am charged to take you both."

Lum's eyes grew wide. "Dah-ling, protect me!"

Shinobu went to Inaba. "Can't you do something? Who is that?"

"That's Hades," Inaba whispered. "He's the lord of the Nether world. We 
don't have any power there."

Hades heard his name and turned to see. His eyes fell on Shinobu with Inaba. 
He paused on Shinobu. "Persephone," he whispered. He held her eyes in 
silence for a long moment. There was a great sadness in his bearing. 
Finally, he raised his arms and announced, "It is done!" Admist much protest 
everyone slowly slipped through the floor.

Cherry looked around at the empty room. He shrugged his shoulders. "It was 
inevitable." He went back to finish his ramen.

Tsubame appeared in the room. He looked around in confusion. "How did I get 
here?"

Cherry looked up from his noodles. "He is even late for his own funeral," he 
observed and continued his meal.

Tsubame went over to Cherry. "Please you have to tell me what happened. This 
is Sakura's house, isn't it? Where is she?"

Cherry looked up at him with one eye, and took a breath. "I believe she's 
had an off day."

* * *

A hunched demon led Megane through the gnarled and twisted corridors of the 
Nether world. Megane philosophically observed his surroundings. "So this is 
the Nether world? Very much as I expected it to be," he said confidently. 
He pushed up his glasses. "And you are taking me to the place where I am to 
spend eternity?" he asked the demon.

The lesser demon nodded, but didn't speak. The demon was experiencing his 
own part of Hell; listening to Megane and all the other people that he had 
to escort.

"I thought so," Megane continued. "It should be some unique image from the 
deep recesses of my mind. A horror so terrible to me that I can't bear to 
speak it or even imagine it, but it is there; a childhood memory, or an 
idea, a ravening monster that I feared when I was but two.

"Or maybe it is something more esoteric, more abstract; eternal loneliness, 
or perhaps a bad record being played over and over again. Demon, do you know 
what I am being led to?"

"Yes," the demon responded, and smiled a toothy demon smile.

"I imagine that it is truly horrible," Megane asked hoping to get some clue 
as to what it was.

"Oh yes, horrible," the demon said and grinned a toothy demon grin.

"Ghastly beyond all human description?"

"Beyond even that," the demon offered, and chuckled a toothy demon chuckle.

They finally came to a cul-de-sac in the corridor. There was only one small 
metal door. The demon went to open it. 

"Am I to be eternally torn apart by demons? Incessantly bombarded by every 
evil I can think of?"

"Something like that." The demon smirked a toothy demon smirk, and opened 
the door.

"It doesn't matter," Megane said confidently. "Throw your worst at me. I can 
take it!"

The demon snickered a toothy demon snicker, and motioned Megane in.

"You really ought to see a dentist," Megane observed as he went in.

"Manju-sama!" Sugoi squealed and threw herself at him. "Is this Hell?! Are 
we going to get married now? When will it freeze over? Are we going to be 
here forever?!"

As the demon closed the door, a most agonized scream issued through door. It 
was a more tortured scream, full of woe and terror, than had been heard in 
Hell in over an eon. The demon chortled a toothy demon chortle. "Sometimes 
it's not so bad being a demon," he said and went to find his next charge. He 
stopped momentarily and looked out at the reader. "You saw that coming, 
didn't you." He began down the hall again, but then stopped and looked back 
at the reader once more. "There's a room here for everyone, you know." He 
laughed a full toothy demon laugh.

Meanwhile, in another part of Hell a similar story took place. 

"Dah-ling!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgh!"

And in another place...

"Kyaaaaaaaaa, a man!"

"It's dark! I'm scared! Aaaaaaaaaagh!"

And in yet another place...

"There's no food here. What am I going to... Don't look at me like that. I 
told you to stop it!" 

"Hungry."

And again...

"But I just wanted to cool the place down."

"It was already too cold, it needed some heat."

But in one place...

"Let's see where did I go wrong? I'll get you Uncle. Some how, some way, 
I'll get you for this. I wonder where Tsubame is? I'm sure he was on the 
list."

And in a place much like it...

"Shinobu? Where are you? Where have they taken you? Shinobu?!"

* * *

Shinobu found herself on a tall dark throne. She was in a immense shadowy 
chamber. The air was cold and damp. There was another empty obsidian throne 
next to her. "Where am I?" she asked out loud. She wasn't sure how she got 
there. One moment she was with Inaba in Sakura's house and then she was 
here. She also didn't remember putting on the black dress she now wore. It 
was beautiful, but modest. On her arms she wore long black gloves, and 
feeling the top of her head she suddenly noticed that was wearing a small 
golden crown. 

"You look lovely," she heard a whisper, and turned with a start.

Next to her, in the once empty throne was Hades. He still wore the golden 
helm, which covered his face. Shinobu fought back the urge to scream. "What 
have you done with my friends?!" she asked firmly, or least tried to. She 
couldn't completely masque her fear. Her words seemed muffled, as if they 
were swallow up by a great stillness.

"Your friends are mine now. They were given to me by the witch."

"The witch? You mean Sakura?"

"Yes," Hades whispered. He sat back in his chair. He took a breath and 
turned back to Shinobu. He took off his helmet. Shinobu was prepared for the 
worst, but she was surprised to find that he was quite handsome, but very 
sad. He smiled at her. "It has been a very long time since someone has sat 
in that chair. I am glad to have you back." Without the helm, Hades voice 
was much firmer. It was no longer a whisper, though it seemed to come from 
far away. 

Shinobu felt herself being drawn into it. She fought it. "I think you have 
me confused with someone else. I have never been here before." She started 
to get up, but Hades laid a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder and sat her 
back down.

"You have been here before. It was a very long time ago. I almost don't 
remember myself now. Those were happier days."

"What happened?" Shinobu asked hoping to get more information, but also she 
was beginning to feel sorry for this seemingly tragic figure.

Hades sat back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling. "It was so long 
ago," he said.

He turned his head to her. "It is a long story. Can I get you something. 
Something to drink, perhaps? Anything you wish."

"I want to see my friends," Shinobu answered.

Hades smiled, and reached out his hand to brush Shinobu's cheek. She pulled 
away. "Of course you do, my dear. You were always like that. Always caring 
for the Shades. You brought hope here, but then you went away."

Hades clapped his hands and a shadowy figure brought a tray with two goblets 
on it. Hades took one and handed it to Shinobu. She hesitated, but then took 
it. He then took the other one for himself, and then the shadowy figure just 
disappeared.

Shinobu looked at the dark liquid in the goblet. It smelled like wine, but 
she didn't trust it.

Hades noticed her hesitation. "It is from the vineyards of Dionysus. He 
still has time to brew a few barrels. Mortals have nothing like it." Hades 
took a deep drink. "Sometimes it makes me regret that I don't live on 
Olympus." He studied the cup. "Olympus. My brother can be such an annoyance. 
We're better off here." He looked back to Shinobu. "Please try some wine. It 
is very good."

Shinobu cautiously took a sip. It was sweet, addictively so. She took 
another more generous sip. "It is good," she said.

Hades laughed. "How good it is to hear you say that! Now I will tell you my 
tale. I will tell you how you've been missed here." 

Hades took another deep drink, emptying the contents. He set the goblet down 
on an invisible table next to his throne, and began to speak. "Do you 
remember how I suffered when your mother first took you away from me? Do you 
remember how I begged her and my brother Zeus to let you return. And how you 
took my side, and they let you stay with me for half the year. 

"The times that you were gone were so lonely. I felt as if I couldn't bear 
it, and then you returned and my land was filled with joy. And so the years 
past and I bore your absence because I knew that you would return, but then 
one year, you did not return. I waited for you. I waited on the appointed 
day, and called your name, but you did not come. Cerebus howled for you. He 
misses you very much. You did not come. 

"The years passed and my land become more oppressive, until I could barely 
stand it, and I longed to leave to go and search for you. But now you are 
back. Even though you do not remember, I do. I know that you are my 
Persephone. You have returned to me, and now there will be hope in my land 
again." Hades stood. His face was filled with joy. He drew a very confused 
Shinobu up, and shouted, "Please go to your friends! Go to all the Shades 
and tell all the denizens of the Nether world that my queen has returned! 
Go! Go now! Tell them! Ha Ha! Tell them!"

Shinobu wasn't going to argue now. She had to find her friends. She ran off 
at the prompting of Hades, although she didn't know where she was going. She 
didn't know what to make of this. Was this luck, or yet another problem? 
Hades seemed to be pretty certain he knew who she was. 

* * *

Shinobu could not see where she was. Everything was black around her, until 
suddenly she came to a large metal door. With some effort she pulled it 
open, and then she saw it. For a far as she could see there was a vast 
barren land, dotted with small volcanoes and fire plumes. Covering this land 
were people, and yet not people. They didn't seem to be really there. She 
couldn't focus her vision on them. 

A demoness came up to her. Shinobu froze in terror, but then calmed for the 
female demon didn't seem to be threatening her. In fact, she bowed. "My 
lady," the demoness said, in a voice that sounded more like a man's. "It is 
good to have you back. Our Lord has asked me to accompany you. He felt that 
you might be disoriented still, and not remember your way. What is your 
wish?"

"Ummm." Although Shinobu had much experience with strange and unusual things 
she wasn't too comfortable with this hideous being wishing to be her 
servant. However, she had people to see. "I wish to visit the new people 
that our Lord brought. Could you take me to Inaba?"

"Yes, My Lady," the demoness bowed. "This way."

The demoness led Shinobu along a windy path that went along a narrow rock 
which looked high over the landscape. The path slowly led down into it, and 
as Shinobu came closer to the land of Shades she noticed that everyone was 
looking at her, perhaps even smiling. She tried to smile back, not knowing 
what else to do.

"Our Lord has been much out of sorts since you left, My lady," the demoness 
said. "The land has become much darker."

"It is very dark," Shinobu agreed. It was very dark, and no less her guide. 
Shinobu decided that it would be best for her to play along with this for 
now. It gave her some freedom, and a little authority, apparently. Perhaps 
she would be able to use it to free her friends from wherever they were 
being held. She didn't like the way that Hades had said that they belonged 
to him.

They had almost come down to ground level. Shinobu looked back up to where 
they had come. A huge castle sat upon a high mesa that dominated the 
surrounding landscape. The castle was as black on the outside as it was on 
the inside. The sky was clouded over, and seemed to be only lit by the fires 
on the surface. There were several thin paths like the one she was on which 
led in various directions from the mesa. They were the only access to the 
top. Everywhere else the face of the mesa was sheer and flat. 

Looking ahead she could see that they were coming down to a crowd of people. 
They seemed to be waiting with much anticipation, but they were so strange. 
Shinobu could see none of them distinctly. They were like projections of 
people, old projections that were gray and faded. Shinobu did not know if 
she was brave enough to go down among them. She halted.

The demoness stopped also and turned. "Yes, my Lady? Your people await you."

"My people?" Shinobu said. "What are they?"

"They are the Shades, my Lady, spirits of the dead. Surely you remember 
them."

"You were supposed to take me to Inaba," Shinobu said quietly.

"And so I am," the demoness said coming closer.

Shinobu backed away. A terrible thought struck her. "Has Inaba become a 
Shade? Is he among these people?"

"No, my lady. He, like the others that came, is still living. They have to 
cast away their bodies before they can become Shades."

"Cast away their bodies? What is happening to them?! What are you doing to 
them?!" Horrible images of bloody torture and murder came into Shinobu's 
head.

"We are doing nothing to them," the demoness said, and for the first time 
Shinobu felt a hint of deceit in the demoness' voice. "They are being 
prepared, of course. Mortals cannot remain long here without being 
prepared."

"What does 'prepared' mean?"

A glint appeared in the eye of the demoness. "They must want to cast off 
their mortal bodies. It is our job to help them desire this. Believe me, a 
mortal spending too much time in the Nether world will undergo a far worse 
torture than anything that we could come up with."

"What will happen?" Shinobu wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.

The demoness smiled a little. Her deep voice was silky, quiet. "Earth matter 
cannot survive here. Soon their living flesh," the demon took Shinobu's hand 
and held it up, "will begin to decompose." Shinobu took her hand back. "Once 
it begins," the demoness continued, "it cannot be stopped. Only gods, demons 
and Shades can survive here."

Shinobu shuddered, showing her fear. The demoness caught it. "Since you are 
a goddess, of course, you have nothing to worry about. Shall we continue? 
Your people await."

* * *

Lum glowed brighter and brighter until Ataru had to turn away, then she let 
loose the energy she had built up. In a focused stream of blue light she 
fired at the door that blocked their exit. The energy beat against the door 
with great fury, but accomplished nothing. When Lum ran out of energy the 
door was still there, although it glowed some now.

"That's some door," Ataru commented.

"I don't understand," Lum said and sat down. She was feeling very inadequate 
at the moment. It was a rather strange room because of its striking 
familiarity. It was in fact an exact replica of Ataru's bedroom, the only 
difference being that they couldn't get the door or the windows open.

Lum looked accusingly at Ataru. "This is your idea of Hell?"

"Hey," said Ataru moving away from Lum. "I didn't tell them to put us here. 
They figured it out all on their own... Pretty accurate too, I'd say."

Ataru was safe right up until the last sentence. Lum always has a little 
energy left for her 'Dahling.' "I don't think this is funny at all," Lum 
continued. Ataru was no longer in any condition to reply.

Just then the door opened. Ataru and Lum nearly jumped. "Ouch," the tall 
purplish demon said, pulling his hand quickly from the door. "I see that 
you've been working on the door. So there was a demon with the last lot 
after all." The purple demon studied Lum briefly. "And a pretty one too. I 
don't remember seeing you around before."

Lum wasn't sure how to take this. She thought she should say something, but 
she couldn't think of what.

The demon glanced over at the still slightly frazzled Ataru. "You really 
shouldn't hog them all to yourself. Let me have a crack at him." The demon 
flexed his clawed hand and started to move over to Ataru. Lum blocked his 
way. "This one is mine. Nobody hurts my Dahling!"

"Yeah!" Ataru added and stuck out his tongue.

The demon stopped short. He looked a little annoyed. "You know that you're 
not suppose to lay claim to the humans. I demand you step aside!"

The demon took a step forward, but Lum's eyes narrowed. "You have the count 
of three to step back," she said.

"What are you talking about?" The demon was surprised at her defiance.

"One." Lum took aim.

"This is outrageous. I am a master level demon, you can't defy me!"

"Two." A blue glow formed around Lum's body.

The demon was starting to look a little nervous, but he didn't step back.

"Three!" Lum shouted and let loose. This particular demon didn't seem to 
have an immunity to electricity. When Lum cut off the flow of power, she and 
Ataru had a clear way out the open door, which they took advantage of.

The demon, lying in a crumpled mess, just repeated weakly, "I'm a master 
level demon, you can't defy me."

"Beeeh!" Lum and Ataru said simultaneously as they left the room.

* * *

Shinobu drew up her courage and walked into the throng of Shades. She could 
hear distant echoes of cheers and fond wishes. Many said how glad they were 
to have her back. She nodded and smiled. She tried desperately not to show 
that she was terrified. Not so much of the Shades. She got used to them. She 
was terrified of what was going to happen to her, and to her friends. Images 
of each of them screaming in agony covered with deep scars and green 
pus-filled blotches filled her head.

Still she tried to smile for the Shades, and soon the demoness led her away. 
"Uh excuse me," Shinobu began as they left the crowd, "but what should I 
call you? What's your name?"

The demoness stopped short, but then continued. "It isn't appropriate to ask 
a demoness her name."

Shinobu was a little confused. "Why is that?" She asked.

"Because it isn't! As a 'goddess' you should know that."

"Oh." Shinobu lowered her head. She wasn't sure before, but now she knew. 
The demoness knew that Shinobu wasn't Persephone. "Is it far yet?" She 
asked.

"Not at all, my lady," the demoness said stopping. "In fact it is just up 
ahead."

Ahead of them Shinobu saw a high stone arch forming a gateway into a tall 
rocky hill. The demoness led Shinobu in. "This is where we prepare the new 
arrivals to become Shades. I'll leave you with the demon in charge."

The demoness led Shinobu around many passages. There were many demons here, 
of all sorts. Many were simply talking among themselves in rough voices. 
Some however were busy escorting or rather dragging reluctant people to 
their destinations. There was a lot of yelling and moaning going on. Shinobu 
began to worry again about what had become of the others.

Finally, Shinobu was led to a back room. Shinobu had felt that she had 
gotten used to seeing demons, but the view before her changed everything. A 
large winged demon with a whip was lashing at five people held against a 
wall with chains. The demon was going about his task with great exuberance, 
and the five screamed in unearthly pain when he struck them. Shinobu was 
only slightly comforted that she didn't know any of them. It was still a 
horrible sight. She couldn't just watch it without doing something. "Stop 
it!" She shouted, almost in tears. "For pity's sake, stop it!"

The winged demon stopped in mid-stroke and turned to see who had come in. 
The tall demon glanced to Shinobu and then to the demoness, who nodded. The 
demon put up his whip, and then came and genuflected before Shinobu. He 
spoke and his voice was sweet as syrup. "My lady," he began, "I'm sorry that 
you had to see this. You must understand that it is for their own good, and 
also that they brought it on themselves."

"For their own good?! How is torturing someone for their own good?" Shinobu 
was indignant that this demon would try to justify what he was doing.

The demon stood and began to explain. Shinobu wasn't sure whether he was 
smiling or sneering at her. "We are charged to prepare these people to 
become Shades, but they can't do that if they still have their bodies."

"They came down here live as well?"

"Oh no, no. They are quite dead." The demon slapped the wounds of the one of 
the five to punctuate what he said. The person screamed in agony.

"Stop it! They're not dead! How could they be to suffer so much pain?!"

"That's the point, you see," the demon continued. "In life, they clung to 
their bodies and material things so much that their spirit has trouble 
parting with it. These aren't real bodies, just their spirits' projections 
of their bodies."

"The more selfish, arrogant and materialistic they were in life the harder 
it is to give all that up," the demoness added.

"And the more painful. You're friends are another case altogether. We don't 
get many real flesh and blood people here." The demon approached Shinobu 
until he was very close to her. 

She could smell blood and sweat on him, and some other smells as well, that 
she didn't want to name. "I hope that you understand," the demon said, "that 
the quicker we convince them to get rid of their bodies and become Shades 
the better it will be for all concerned. We don't enjoy hurting people." The 
demon put his arm around Shinobu's shoulder and began to escort her out. He 
continued talking. "I know we get a lot of bad press on the surface world, 
but we're really not all that bad."

The demon ushered Shinobu out of the room. She didn't like being touched by 
him. She didn't like it at all. It wasn't a tender touch he had on her, it 
was a controlling touch. A clawed hand held her shoulder firmly. She could 
feel the tips of the claws digging slightly into her flesh. Not enough to 
break the skin, but she didn't want to struggle.

As the demon led her down the hall, he said. "Actually demons are capable of 
giving as much pleasure as they are pain." Shinobu didn't like the way the 
demon said pleasure. "More perhaps." The demon stopped and turned Shinobu to 
face him. "My you are a beauty, aren't you? We don't get too many living 
specimens here. We demons are capable of giving more pleasure than you could 
ever imagine on Earth. Perhaps you would like to find out."

Shinobu felt that she needed to get away from that demon and quickly. She 
tried to pull away from him, but he held her firmly. He bent down so that he 
was eye to eye with her. She became very still as he talked to her. "Hades 
broods in his castle. This is our land. If you please me I might be able to 
arrange a way to return you and your friends to the surface. You know what 
happens if you stay. I hate to see such a precious face marred by creeping 
entropy."

Shinobu stared into the demon's black eyes. She did nothing to hide her 
terror, but at the same time, in the back of her mind she was considering 
his offer. Was it such a price to pay? For the others, for Inaba? Hades 
would never let them go. They belonged to him, that's what he said. It was 
the only way.

Shinobu lowered her head in resignation. She was about to speak her consent 
when there was a terrible whisper. "I expected this of you, Rgeisk!"

At the sound of the demon's name, he screamed in agony and crumpled to the 
ground. Shinobu stepped back. She had never heard anything so horrible as a 
demon's scream. Hades floated out of the wall. He wore his gold helmet 
again. Even from a distance, Shinobu could feel his anger. 

He held out his hand and Rgeisk was lifted into the air. "You will never 
touch Persephone again, nor will you ever speak to her in such a manner!" He 
bellowed. The walls shook at the sound of his voice. "If you do..." Hades 
closed his hand and Rgeisk screamed again. Hades let the demon drop. 

He turned to Shinobu. "I'm sorry," he said. His voice was very soft. "I had 
forgotten that it had been such a long time. I should never have let you 
come here alone. I will accompany you to see your friends." Hades held out 
his hand.

Shinobu hesitated.

Hades took off his helmet and smiled warmly at her. "It's just like it was 
before. Please trust me." Shinobu gave Hades her hand and he conducted her 
down the hall.

The fallen Rgeisk eyed the pair maliciously as the walked away. The demoness 
came up behind him. "I don't remember our lord ever chastising you before."

"I do," Rgeisk spit. "It was a long time ago..." Rgeisk growled quietly. He 
stood and turned abruptly heading back to the room where Shinobu found him. 
"...when Persephone was still here."

* * *

Lum and Ataru had been searching the myriad caves of the preparation area 
and had become thoroughly lost, not that they had any real idea about where 
wanted to go. It seemed that every other step they took, they came to a fork 
in the cave. The decision making although it had started easy was now 
beginning to get a little rough.

"We went the direction you wanted to go last time!" Ataru shouted.

"No we didn't! That was the way you wanted to go."

"I merely agreed with you. It was your decision!"

"You made the decisions for the last three turns. It was finally my turn, 
and so is this one!"

Not surprisingly, all this shouting and arguing attracted attention. "I hope 
this isn't your idea of stealth," came a voice behind them.

"Benten!" Lum exclaimed with a start.

Benten grinned. "So you got the Hell out of there too, huh?"

"One of the demons accidentally let us out," Lum said, "How did you get out?"

"Heh, I always keep a concealed weapon," Benten explained. She indicated the 
rather large rocket launcher she had resting on her shoulder.

'Concealed?' Ataru wondered, but then he recovered. "Benten-sama!" he 
exclaimed bounding over to her with his arms wide. "It is so good that 
you've escaped. Couldn't we go somewhere to be alone?"

"Idiot!" Benten shouted and took a swipe at him with the barrel of her 
cannon. The impact sent him flying against the wall. 

A voice came from behind her. "Benten, have you found someone?"

Benten froze. Then in a very girlish voice she responded, "Yes Pygumo dear, 
I've found Lum and Ataru. Isn't that wonderful?"

Lum blinked.

Benten dropped her rocket launcher and hurried lightly down the hall. She 
returned arm in arm with Pygumo, leaning against his shoulder. There was a 
glazed look in her eyes. Ataru and Lum blinked simultaneously, exchanged 
looks, and then shrugged their shoulders.

Ataru coughed. "Where should we be trying to get to?"

"We need to find the others, and then get out of here," Lum said.

"We should find Sakura first," Pygumo offered. "She cast the spell that got 
us here. She should be able to get us out."

"It's all her fault, that..." Benten began roughly but then stopped glancing 
up at Pygumo. Her girlish voice returned. "...poor woman. I hope she doesn't 
feel too guilty about it."

"You're always concerned about others," Pygumo said. "Mother would be so 
pleased."

"Do you think so?" Benten exclaimed blushing at the compliment.

"I'm sure of it."

"I think I'm going to be ill," Lum whispered to Ataru.

Ataru nodded.

"Well," began Benten, "they have to be around here somewhere. Shall we 
begin?" Then she caught herself and glancing briefly to Pygumo, she lowered 
her eyes. "If that is okay with you, dearest. I feel so forward suggesting a 
course of action without consulting you first."

Ataru and Lum stood with their mouths hanging open.

"That's quite all right," Pygumo said. "I think that it is high time for us 
to go." He then led Benten through the left corridor. 

Benten turned back to the still stunned Lum and Ataru as they were leaving. 
"He's so wonderful, isn't he?" 

Ataru and Lum just nodded back, dumbfounded. 

"What's with her?" Ataru asked.

Lum shook her head. "Don't know."

* * *

In a small, nearly unlit chamber in the farthest depths of the catacombs of 
Hell, a group of greater demons met informally.

"So who is this new Persephone?" One asked.

"Certainly not the real one," another said.

"It doesn't matter if she is or isn't if she inspires Hades to come out of 
his castle."

"We'll have to do something!"

"If Hades takes control again, we'll have to do his bidding."

"We won't be able to torture the new arrivals anymore."

"We'll have to make her disappear."

"What if Hades finds out this time?"

Rgeisk stepped forward and drew himself up. "My friends," he began. "Do not 
worry. We know that she is not the real Persephone. She is mortal, and 
though our Lord's vision is clouded for the moment, that will soon pass. She 
will begin to decay, and when she does Hades will know the truth."

"He will have to know!"

"Once that happens," Rgeisk continued, "Hades will return to his 
melancholia."

"More than before, certainly." Many of the demons nodded in agreement.

"Indeed! I ask you to look on this new arrival as a blessing. We need do 
nothing. In fact we can treat her like the queen that our lord expects us 
to, and thus increase his favor. For when she decays he will gladly deliver 
her up to us, and we'll have human flesh, with his blessing, to do with as 
we please."

"You already got burned for jumping too soon, eh," one demon joked.

Rgeisk, in two strides, went to this demon. "Just as you are about to get 
burned, if you don't learn to keep your mouth shut!" Rgeisk backhanded the 
offending demon.

He turned back to the assembly. "A new time of glory is coming! Tell the 
brethren to do nothing! Do not worry. Hades will return to his castle and 
we'll lock him in there so tight with despair and doubt that he'll never 
leave it again!"

A great cheer for Rgeisk went up among the demons and Rgeisk took it in. 
Then quietly to himself he said, "Maybe even the mortal world will not be 
out of grasp after this. Who would stop us?"
 
* * * *

Part II

Tsubame stood before Sakura's crystal ball. His forehead was furrowed in 
deep concentration. Cherry and Jariten were on either side of the crystal 
watching with interest, and not a little skepticism.

"Have you found them yet?" Ten asked.

Tsubame broke out of his concentration, gave Jariten a stern look and began 
again.

Jariten rolled over and put his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes 
and said, "All we have is this damn monk's word on where they've gone, I 
expect he just fell asleep and they all went to get some ice cream."

"My word is as good as gold, and my powers of observation perfect," Cherry 
responded.

"And your wisdom is heralded only by you."

"Shut up!" Tsubame yelled out. "Every time I almost make contact you start 
talking."

"Who are you making contact with?" Cherry asked.

"I believe it is Sakura, now quiet!"

Tsubame put out his hands, and closed his eyes. "Sakura, dear, can you hear 
me? Can you hear me?!"

"The number you are trying to reach," a voice boomed out, "is a 
long-distance call. Please insert your calling card now." Tsubame's head 
dropped.

Jariten looked at the crystal ball with wonder. "Where did that come from?"

"It's the metaphone company," Tsubame explained. "Sakura is at a long 
distance channeling location, and I've already used up my metaphone card."

Cherry reached into his robes and pulled out his own 'GS Mikami' metaphone 
card. He held it out for Tsubame. "You can use mine."

"Thank you," Tsubame said and stuck the card in a slot on the top of the 
crystal ball.

"I don't remember that slot being there before," Jariten observed.

Tsubame put out his arms again and an image of a demoness appeared in the 
ball. "You have reached the Nether world Metacommunications switchboard. 
How may I help you?"

"We'd like to speak to Sakura. She just arrived today," Tsubame said.

"One moment," the demoness said and the image faded. Shortly afterward the 
image reappeared and the demoness said, "I'm sorry but that number is not 
available at this time. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Could you get us Lum," Jariten asked.

"I'm sorry," the demoness said, "but none of the new arrivals are available 
for channeling. I'm sure if you call back in a few days they will be able to 
talk to you. Thank you for using HMC." The image faded again and did not 
return. Cherry took his card back.

The three stared at the ball for a few moments and then Jariten said, "Now 
what do we do?"

* * *

Shinobu walked with Hades. He was telling her all kinds of stories about his 
realm. He seemed pretty pleased with it. Shinobu wondered if he realized 
what his demons were doing. Finally, they came to a small metal door. "I 
believe this is where one of the people you came with is being held."

Hades opened the door. Inaba was inside. He was surrounded by seemingly 
unlimited piles of doorknobs, which he was cleaning. "Inaba!" Shinobu 
exclaimed and rushed in.

"Miss Shinobu," Inaba exclaimed and stood to receive her. "I was worried 
that something bad had happened to you." Shinobu came to him and they held 
each other. "You are wearing a crown," Inaba observed.

Shinobu pulled back, suddenly remembering that Hades was there. "Yes," she 
said.

"Of course she wears a crown," Hades broke in. "She is the queen of this 
realm." Hades came over and was scrutinizing Inaba. "You seem very familiar 
with my Persephone. Have you known her long? I don't recall seeing you on 
Olympus."

"I am a caretaker from the destiny realm," Inaba said proudly. He reached 
into his uniform and pulled out his card. Smiling, he handed it to Hades. 
"My name is Inaba."

Hades studied the card. "Hmm. Inaba. Yes, I believe that I recognize the 
uniform."

"Did you say that Shinobu was queen here?" Inaba asked.

"Her true name is Persephone. She has only forgotten," Hades corrected. "She 
was lost from this realm many centuries ago, but now I have found her 
again."

Inaba blinked. "I didn't think she was that old." 

"Goddesses do not age," Hades said. He then turned to Shinobu. "What 
dealings have you had with this one?" There was a little bit of accusation 
in his voice.

"He is my friend," Shinobu answered.

"Hmm. Is that where you were all this time, in the destiny realm?"

"I visited there, but I have been mostly on Earth."

"This is very interesting. Then your mother must have lied to me." Hades was 
becoming a little angry now.

"My mother?"

"Yes your mother, my sister, Demeter. She never did like me. She said that 
you were lost. She said that you never returned to the mortal realm. And you 
have been there all this time. Why did you break our agreement? Why didn't 
you return to me?!" Hades was becoming very angry now. His face became dark. 
He appeared to grow larger and towered over Shinobu.

Shinobu stepped back. Inaba moved between them. His face was stern. "I will 
not allow you to threaten Miss Shinobu!" He said forcefully. 

Hades was taken aback by the challenge. He momentarily felt a rage coming on 
at the challenge, and then noticed the fear in Shinobu's eyes. He softened. 
"I've always frightened you, haven't I?" He said gently. He became sad 
again, and turned away. "I will wait outside for you," he said. "Take as 
long as you like." He began to leave.

Shinobu felt sorry for him. She went and took his arm. "I know that you 
spoke from your long years of loneliness. It has been hard on you. I'm 
sorry."

He smiled weakly, and put his large hand over her small one. "I am glad that 
you are back. That is all that matters. I will wait for you. I always have." 
With that Hades left.

Shinobu stood watching the doorway. Inaba came up beside her. "Miss 
Shinobu," he said.

Shinobu turned to him and buried her head in his chest. Inaba was a little 
taken aback. "Oh Inaba!" She cried. "It has been so terrible. He thinks I'm 
Persephone, but the demons don't, and we're all going to decay, and we can't 
get out, and we have to become Shades. They torture and hurt. It's all so 
horrible!"

"He thinks that you're Persephone?" Inaba asked while still holding her.

Shinobu tried to collect herself and said, "Yes. I told him that I wasn't, 
but he won't believe me." She looked up into his eyes. "Do you know what 
happened to the real Persephone?"

Inaba looked up in thought. "I remember that she disappeared, but that was a 
long time ago."

"Hades will never let me go until he finds her or realizes that I'm not who 
he thinks I am. But you and the others, I have to convince him to let you go 
before..." Shinobu stopped when she saw Inaba start to scratch the back of 
his neck. "Stop that!" She yelled and pulled his hand from his neck.

"Stop what?" Inaba said.

"Nothing... I... I'll be thinking about you, and I'll get you out of here." 
She kissed him gently on the lips.

"What about you?" Inaba asked.

"I don't know about me. I have to go," she pulled away from him hurriedly 
and went to the door. 

"Miss Shinobu," Inaba called. 

Shinobu stopped.

"You'll be able to come back and see me again?"

Shinobu nodded and left the room. Inaba resumed scratching the little itch 
on his neck. It seemed very persistent.

* * *

Benten had said almost nothing while the four explored the convoluted 
tunnels of the Nether world. She walked demurely next to Pygumo. Lum was 
getting a little worried about her. She even told Ataru to grab Benten. 
Benten did nothing, but Pygumo reacted and flattened Ataru.

Lum was puzzling over what could be wrong with Benten. She also wondered why 
she itched so much. She noticed that the others were itching too. Perhaps it 
was because it was so dry, she thought. She was thinking about this and 
wondering how they were ever going to escape when the four encountered a bit 
of a surprise. They turned a corner and ran right into Shinobu and Hades 
coming the other way. 

"Lum, Ataru, Benten!" Shinobu exclaimed.

Hades eyes narrowed darkly on them. The four turned to run, but Hades raised 
his hand and all four froze.

"Escapees," Hades rumbled. "Where did you think you could go? You are only 
delaying the inevitable. Now I will think of a suitable punishment!"

"My Lord!" Shinobu interceded. "Please don't do anything to them."

Hades looked down at her. His face softened. "I must maintain discipline and 
rule in my realm. You understand."

"No, I don't! These are my friends. It's not their fault that they're here. 
It was all a mistake."

Hades chuckled a little. "Dear one, it is rarely anyone's fault when they 
come here. For the most part, death is just something that happens. It is a 
part of life for mortals."

"But they're not dead," Shinobu said. She was getting a little frantic now, 
tugging at Hades's arm. Seeing Inaba itching had put a new urgency on her 
need to get everyone home. "They haven't died, but they'll die if they stay 
here."

Hades sighed. "I explained this to you. The witch sent them down here. She 
gave them to me with her spell."

"I know. I know! But you don't have to take them. You can send them back." 
Shinobu was thinking hard, desperately trying to come up with some kind of 
argument. "You have me. You don't need them. I'm here with you. Please send 
them back. I'll never leave you again if you do."

Hades studied Shinobu thoughtfully. "And if I keep them here, you will leave 
again? Is that what you are saying?"

Shinobu didn't reply. She really wasn't in any position to threaten Hades. 
She didn't know how to go anywhere. She repeated her original promise. "If 
you let them go, I'll stay."

"What are these mortals to you?" Hades asked. "What does it matter to a 
goddess if mortals die? You know how short their lives are. I can send them 
back now, but they will return soon enough. All mortals come here 
eventually."

Shinobu lowered her head. "It is not their time now," was her only 
explanation.

"Is it because you love the caretaker, Inaba?" Hades asked. 

Shinobu looked up at the four frozen figures of Lum, Ataru, Benten, and 
Pygumo. "I love them all. They are my friends."

Hades studied her a bit more. "If you loved them, I would think that you 
would want them here with you, but... as you wish. I will send them back. If 
it is that important to you. But remember your promise."

"I will stay," she said quietly, but she knew that soon Hades would not want 
her. It was only a matter of time before she began to decay and then Hades 
would know. She feared his anger at that moment, but for now her friends 
would be free. Inaba would be free.

Hades waved his arm and Lum and the others began to move. Lum went to 
Shinobu. Even in their frozen state they had heard what she had said. "You 
can't stay here," Lum said. "What about your parents? What about Inaba?"

"Tell them that I'll be all right," she said and turned away. She ran off.

Hades watched her go. "What am I doing wrong?" He said to himself. "Why 
can't I ever make her happy?"

"Idiot," Ataru said, "who could be happy here?"

Hades turned on him. "What did you say mortal? Remember that it is only 
because of her that I do not roast you all, as you justly deserve!"

"That's exactly what I mean," Ataru continued, unafraid. "It's all pain and 
suffering down here. Everything is dark and black. How can anyone be happy 
here?"

"A woman needs bright things," Lum explained earnestly. "She needs laughter 
and freedom. It's stifling here. Shinobu can never be happy here. If you 
really want her to be happy you have to let her go too."

"Let her go? After my long years of loneliness? After all my torment? She 
offered to stay. She promised to stay! She can always leave if she wants. I 
will hear no more of this! She will be happy here! Be gone!" Hades roughly 
waved his hand and everyone sent to the Nether world by Sakura's spell was 
returned to Earth... except for Shinobu.

* * *

Shinobu quickly found her way out of the preparation area back into the 
valley of the Shades. The demons she saw along the way just made her run 
faster. She would be here forever. She looked at the Shades and knew that 
through some horrible process she would become like them. Finally, she ran 
out of breath and stopped by one of the small Shade dwelling places. It was 
solid enough and she leaned against it, trying to catch her breath.

It was built with stone blocks of gray and black. The roof was made of dead 
branches. She looked up and saw that one of the Shades had come around the 
house and was looking at her. It was a child. Briefly Shinobu wondered how a 
child came to be here, but then she realized that even children die. 

The child, a young girl, probably no more than four, cautiously approached 
her. She wore a kimono of ancient Japan. Behind her, she dragged a small 
worn cloth doll by the leg. Even the doll was shadowy, but Shinobu was 
getting used to it. She had better, she thought, since she was going to be 
one of them.

Reaching her, the young girl looked up at her and smiled. "My mama says that 
you're very nice," the little girl said in a young but faraway voice.

Shinobu lowered herself so that she was eye to eye with the girl. Shinobu 
smiled. "What is your name?" Shinobu asked.

"Hisae," the girl said gleefully. She held up her doll. "This is Mei! She's 
a good friend. She says she wants to be your friend."

"Does she?" Shinobu said, smiling even brighter. She had momentarily 
forgotten that she was talking to a ghost.

"Uh-huh. You can have her," Hisae said, shoving the doll at Shinobu.

Shinobu accepted it. As soon as she held it, the doll became solid. Shinobu 
looked back at Hisae. "But now you won't have a friend," Shinobu said.

"I got lots of friends," the little girl said, "but you were crying. You 
didn't look like you had any."

Instinctively, Shinobu went to hug the little girl, but hesitated, 
remembering where she was. However, Hisae wasn't going to allow it. She 
jumped at Shinobu and held her tightly around her neck. Shinobu was 
surprised that the girl felt solid, but a little cold. Shinobu had an 
initial negative reaction at the girl's touch, but then berated herself. She 
put her arms around the girl and held her tight. "Now I have two friends," 
Shinobu said.

The little girl nodded brightly. "Do you want to meet my mama? I think that 
she'll be your friend too."

Shinobu stood, and lifted the girl with her. "Okay," Shinobu said smiling, 
and carried the girl around to the front of the house.

From a distance, Hades watched the scene. He was pleased to see his 
Persephone happy. "Bright things, laughter and freedom," Hades repeated to 
himself, and then faded away.

* * *

Sakura sat in the darkened worship room staring at her crystal ball in deep 
thought. She bore the weight of failure on her shoulders. Concentration was 
the first rule, and control. She had lost both. She had let her uncle get to 
her at a critical moment and now Shinobu was paying for it. Shinobu had put 
Sakura to shame with her sacrifice. She had saved them all. Although she was 
a queen there, she was still a prisoner, and how long would Hades believe 
that Shinobu was his lost Persephone?

Tsubame came up behind Sakura and began rubbing her shoulders. "I can think 
of no way to fight this," Sakura said. "We cannot fight Hades, and according 
to astral law he had a perfect right to hold us and Shinobu in the Nether 
world. It is only through the courage of Shinobu that we are free, and 
technically, if he ever finds out that Shinobu is not Persephone he could 
return to collect us."

Tsubame was surprised. "Why is that?"

"While, as you know, verbal pacts made with gods are astrally binding, Hades 
believed that he was making the promise with Persephone. Since this is not 
the case it renders the pact void. Shinobu had no authority to make the pact 
in Persephone's name."

Tsubame paced a little and then said, "What if we found the real Persephone?"

Sakura nodded slowly, her gaze still intent on the crystal ball. "That is 
one solution, assuming that this Persephone would help us once we found her."

"Even if she didn't, Hades, I think, would be extremely grateful."

Sakura nodded again and then stood. "I believe that it is worth a try. We 
must gather everyone involved together at the Mendo mansion to plan our 
search. I will inform the women, and you the men."

Tsubame nodded. 

* * *

Shinobu spent a great deal of time with the Shade family and their daughter. 
She found out that they had been killed in a raid in the chaos that followed 
shortly after the death of Nobunaga. They told her that even then Persephone 
was missing, but they heard such wonderful things about her from the older 
Shades.

Many other Shades came to visit, once they found out that Persephone was 
there, and Shinobu heard all their stories. Shinobu was aware that she was 
spending a lot of time with them and Hades was not coming to get her. 

Shinobu asked about the demons, and what their role was, but none of the 
Shades would comment. They did say that Hades rarely ever came down from his 
castle, so the demons were pretty much free to do what they wanted. Though 
they didn't say anything, Shinobu got the feeling that the Shades felt the 
same way about the demons that she did. Maybe, as long as she was going to 
be Persephone, she could do something for them.

There was a loud knocking on the frail wooden door. All conversation stopped 
and the Shades froze in fear. Before anyone had a chance to get up, the door 
burst open. It was the demoness. 

The demoness bowed low. "My lady," she said in her masculine voice, "our 
Lord desires your company in the castle for evening meal."

Shinobu stood and smiled to all the Shades present. She thanked Hisae's 
parents for their hospitality, and promised to return. Then she picked Hisae 
up and gave her a big hug. 

Hisae presented Shinobu with her doll again. "Don't forget to take Mei," she 
said. "She'll be a good friend in that big lonely castle."

Shinobu accepted the doll and set Hisae back down. "Thank you," Shinobu 
said, "I'll take good care of her." With a last smile to everyone there, 
Shinobu turned to the impatient demoness.

"Are we ready to go now?" The demoness asked impertinently.

"I am ready," Shinobu said coolly and left the building, walking past the 
demoness.

The demoness caught up with her. "I really don't know how you can spend so 
much time with them. Persephone was the same way. They can't feel anything." 

"You mean they can't feel pain."

"Yes," the demoness admitted, "that's what I mean. What else are they good 
for?"

When Shinobu first met this demoness, she felt revulsion at her appearance. 
She had gotten used to the appearance, but now she was revolted by all she 
stood for. She was revolted by the demonic callousness, and cruelty that she 
encountered. She was revolted by the arrogance that each of them carried 
like a badge, and she was frightened. She knew that as soon as Hades saw 
that she was mortal, Shinobu too would be under their power. She was 
revolted because the demons knew this, and their every action was calculated 
to remind her of it.

In answer to the demoness's question, Shinobu merely said, "You wouldn't 
understand." She continued walking toward the high narrow path that led up 
to the castle.

The demoness was curious about the doll that Shinobu held. She held it 
tightly to her breast, as if it was a beloved child. "Why don't you throw 
that old thing away?" The demoness asked. "The little Shade can no longer 
see you, if that is your concern."

"It doesn't matter that she can't see me," Shinobu said simply. They turned 
on the path, and began the long ascent up to the mesa. 

The demoness puzzled about Shinobu's response briefly and then said, "Then 
what does matter? You cannot love this ragged thing."

Shinobu sighed. "I love the little girl, and this doll is a part of the 
little girl. Does that satisfy you?" Shinobu said testily.

"Forgive your servant, My Lady," the demoness mocked. "Do you fault a demon 
for being curious about the nature of mortal love?"

"I can't believe that you really wish to know."

"We demons are nothing if not curious, my lady. How is the doll a part of 
the little Shade?"

Shinobu really didn't want to talk about this, or anything else for that 
matter. She wanted to be left alone by this demoness. Also she wasn't sure 
if she knew the answer to this question. She knew that she was right, but 
she wasn't sure why. She had to think about it. Finally she spoke. She knew 
that this would really confuse the demon. "The girl loved the doll, and 
gives her love to me through the doll."

"The doll contains the little Shade's love?" The demoness asked, her 
expression one of confusion.

"Something like that," Shinobu said, feeling a minor sense of victory at 
stumping the demoness.

"But I thought love was a feeling, a mortal emotion."

Shinobu was surprised. The demoness was really taking this issue seriously. 
"It's more than that," she explained.

"And is it something tangible, something that can be picked up, held, moved 
around, placed inside a ragged doll-thing?"

The two had come half-way up the path now. Shinobu tried not to look down. 
The village was very far below, and the path was so thin. Shinobu was also 
confused herself. How can one explain love to something that has no concept 
of it. Shinobu began to wonder what would happen if she could explain love 
to the demoness. What if the demoness understood what love was about? Would 
that change her? Would she then take Shinobu's part? It was really too much 
to hope. "Love is a force," she explained. "A force in the universe that 
brings people together, and animals too."

"So the girl put this love-force in the doll?"

"Yes, in a way, and now, because of the doll, the girl and I are connected."

"Connected? If I took the doll away from you then would I be connected with 
the Shade?" The demoness asked. It sounded as if she was considering a 
possible weapon.

"No," Shinobu said quickly hoping to dissuade the demon from testing this 
theory. "You can't steal love. It can only be given to you."

The demoness eyed Shinobu skeptically. "If you gave me this doll," she 
began, obviously having some difficulty fathoming the concept, "then would I 
be connected to the little Shade?"

Shinobu stopped, momentarily. She had to think about that one. She started 
walking again. "Yes, I think that would work, and you also would be 
connected to me. That is, if I were to give you the doll."

"Then give me the doll!" The demon said forcefully, stretching out her hand 
to take it. "I want to experience this connection!"

"It doesn't work that way!" Shinobu said turning away from the demoness 
again, so that she couldn't get the doll.

"You said if you gave me the doll then it would work!"

"Bullying me for the doll is the same as stealing it! I have to want to give 
it to you."

"And you don't want to give it to me?"

"No! I don't want to be connected to you. I find the way the demons behave 
disgusting! I want nothing to do with any of you!"

The demoness's eyes narrowed on Shinobu. "I think that you are making the 
whole thing up. You don't want to give me the doll because there is nothing 
there. If you gave it to me then I would know for certain. Love is a 
meaningless mortal emotion. And I have news for you; the Shades do not feel 
emotion."

Shinobu knew that wasn't true. It was something that the demons must have 
missed. It must have been a close secret of the Shades. Shinobu knew that it 
was likely that if they could feel love and fear, emotions that Shinobu had 
witnessed, then they could probably feel pain. This was something that the 
demons should never find out.

The demoness brought Shinobu up to the castle and opened the large main 
doors for her. Shinobu entered and was hit by the utter darkness inside. She 
remembered that it was like that before. The demoness came in behind her. 
The eyes of the demoness glowed red in the dark. It was a horrid menacing 
glow, but Shinobu bore it. She had to. She had to follow the glow. It was 
her only guide. 

Eventually it became a little lighter, and Shinobu could see a little of her 
surroundings. She had run through here before, and had not stopped to look 
at anything. There really wasn't anything to look at, except for expertly 
laid black marble blocks. There were, she noticed this time, quite a few 
doors. She wondered where they led. The demoness stopped at one that was 
larger than the rest. 

"This is the dining hall," the demoness explained and opened the door.

Shinobu was almost blinded. Light and sound poured from the room. It took 
some time for Shinobu's eyes to adjust. Four large braziers lit the room at 
each corner, and all the walls were painted white with gold trim. Brightly 
colored flowers decorated every wall. On the opposite side of the room, 
Shade musicians played a bright tune. They danced over to her and their 
music surrounded her. 

In the center of the room was a great wooden table laden with a wide 
assortment of food on gold and silver platters. Garlands of roses, white and 
red, and molly flowers were laid among the plates. 

Shinobu was filled with all the light and sounds. It was such a contrast 
from the gloom and horror that she experienced during the rest of the day 
that she nearly fainted. Then she noticed that her own dress was not black 
anymore, but a bright violet. She saw Hades. He entered the room from a door 
on the other side. He still dressed himself all in black, but now he wore a 
fine black leather armor with polished metal ornamentation. He stood tall 
and proud. He smiled at her. 

A Shade waiter came over to her and motioned her to her seat at the opposite 
end of the table from were Hades was to sit. He stood while the waiter 
seated her. When she sat, he sat and commanded wine to be served. 

Two Shade waiters poured wine into each of their goblets. When they were 
done, Hades raised his glass. "To the most beautiful goddess ever to grace 
this realm or any other!" He proclaimed, and then took a deep drink. 

Shinobu could not help but blush at the compliment. She also remembered the 
wine from before, and took a generous, but reserved drink. It was difficult 
to drink because the goblet was nearly as large as her head. She needed two 
hands to lift it. 

Hades waited for Shinobu to put her goblet down and then said. "I thought 
you might appreciate some brighter surroundings."

"It's very lovely," Shinobu said.

"And why not! By the thunder of Zeus it fits my mood! Now that you are here 
all of my realm will be made bright!"

Shinobu heard a gasp and turned to see that the demoness had come in with 
her. Hades also heard the gasp. The demoness bowed to Hades. "By your leave, 
My lord, if I may go."

"Of course, of course! In fact, go get Rgeisk. I have some instructions for 
him. Hurry on now." The demoness left quickly. She was definitely going to 
get Rgeisk. Hades turned his attention back to Shinobu. He noticed the doll 
that she had placed next to her plate. "What is that you have there?"

"A little girl gave it to me," Shinobu said almost hoping that she wouldn't 
have to start explaining love to Hades.

Hades laughed. "You've won back their hearts already. I knew you would. I 
mean to change the face of the Nether world for you, my Persephone. Whatever 
you desire, I will do. I will make this a green growing place with gardens 
to rival Olympus itself!" Hades chuckled to himself and took another drink, 
then he added. "Hera will be so jealous."

"I would like that," Shinobu said, though she was having trouble imagining 
it. She also couldn't imagine how the demons would take it, but she soon got 
her answer, for not long after Rgeisk arrived. He bowed low. "My lord, you 
called for me."

"Yes, I did, dear Rgeisk," Hades said. Rgeisk winced a little at the sound 
of his name but remained with his head lowered. "I have another job for you. 
I want you to go back up for the mortal realm and get some more flowers, and 
get some trees this time too, of various kinds. Then I want you and some of 
the other demons to plant them in the valley of the Shades."

"But my Lord," Rgeisk said standing, "plants cannot grow without light and 
water."

"This is true," Hades said. He looked up toward the ceiling and then his 
eyes sparked with a white light. "And water," he said and then lifted his 
goblet. His hands glowed around it and then he spilled some on the floor. 
The wine coalesced into a small puddle, then the puddle turned a deep blue 
and disappeared. "Now," Hades said, "go get the plants."

"But my Lord," Rgeisk pleaded. He was obviously quite concerned about what 
was happening.

"What?!" Hades said testily.

"Mortal matter cannot survive here for long."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Rgeisk, you are a fool." He snapped his fingers and 
a Shade waiter came with a small flask of wine. "You know that mortal matter 
which has drunk from the fruit of Olympus is immune to the effects of this 
realm."

Shinobu stopped in mid-gulp, and slowly put her wine goblet down. Her eyes 
were open wide. Rgeisk also afforded himself a quick glance to Shinobu and 
her large goblet of wine. 

Hades didn't seem to notice the reactions his comment elicited and continued 
his instructions. "Water everything you plant with a little of the wine and 
it all will grow just fine."

The waiter handed the wine to Rgeisk who grabbed it out of his hands 
angrily. 

"Now hurry! The next time my Persephone steps out of this castle I want her 
to see a garden."

Rgeisk bowed and left.

Hades looked over to Shinobu and smiled. "I will remake everything for you. 
I want you to be happy here. Of course, it will take some time for 
everything to take root, so tomorrow I will take you to Olympus. It is quite 
beautiful, and many of the gods have missed you. I also think I need to have 
a few words with your mother about where you've been for the past few 
centuries." 

"My mother," Shinobu repeated quietly. She was still stunned by the 
revelation about the wine. Actually, she was still stunned by the bright 
room. And into all this she was going to meet a real goddess, Persephone's 
mother. Shinobu was saved from decay, but surely Persephone's own mother 
would not be fooled. She would certainly reveal the impostor. Shinobu 
cautiously took another sip of wine.

* * *

Searchlights splayed around the Mendo family military complex. Within one of 
the buildings, a great auditorium, a large gathering of students from 
Tomobiki high gathered to discuss a matter of great importance. Upon the 
great stage Mendo Shutaro stood proudly before a podium bearing the family 
seal. A row of his elite troops stood at attention behind him. Above them 
was displayed again, fifteen meters tall, the Mendo family seal, or rather 
one should say, the Mendo family octopus.

Mendo cleared his throat and brushed back a hair from his forehead. "Ladies 
and Gentlemen," he began, his voice richly echoed throughout the auditorium, 
assisted by a set of eight, 5000 watt, ultra-low noise speakers provided by 
the electronics division of Mendo Industries. "I welcome you all here at the 
request of Ms. Sakura to discuss a matter of great importance." He paused 
for effect. "Truly this would be the only proper place to discuss such a 
weighty issue. Ancient Mendo family history records that we have always 
hosted the greatest historical debates and decisions of Japanese history. 
Going back to my ten times great grandfather Mendo Unnai when Japan was 
wisely ruled by the Emperor..."

"GET ON WITH IT!!!" Came a unified shout from those assembled.

Mendo looked darkly out at the assembly. "Heathens," he muttered, but it was 
carried plainly over the sound system. "I give you Ms. Sakura," he said and 
gruffly left the podium.

Sakura entered from the stage left. She was dressed in her nurse's uniform. 
A hush fell on the auditorium. Before she got to the podium, though, Cherry 
suddenly appeared at the microphone and shouted, "You're all doomed!"

Sakura did not react. She merely picked Cherry up by the back of his robes, 
and drop kicked him toward the far end of the auditorium. "Ahem!" She said 
and arrayed on the podium the papers that she had brought with her. "We are 
only almost doomed!" She said. 

After the assembly recovered, she began again. "As most of you know, a spell 
that I was casting went awry, and doomed many of us to the Nether world. We 
were saved from this fate by the sacrifice of Shinobu and the fact that the 
ruler of the Nether world, Hades, believes that she is Persephone. 
Persephone is a goddess whom he once wed and who later disappeared.

"Of course we cannot allow Shinobu to remain trapped in the Nether world, 
especially after she sacrificed herself to free us. Further, the promise she 
made to Hades is only valid as long he believes that Shinobu is Persephone. 
If he realizes the truth he may return to reclaim us." At this there was a 
collective gasp.

Sakura continued her speech. "In consultation with Tsubame and other local 
mediums we have decided that the only logical solution is to find the real 
Persephone and return her to Hades. This will free Shinobu and hopefully 
engender the gratitude of Hades."

"Hopefully?!" Ataru shouted from the front.

"Yes, hopefully!" Sakura shouted angrily back. "What do you want from me?! 
We can't fight Hades. By rights we belong to him now."

"What kind of spell were you casting anyway, that we all got involved in?" 
Megane asked.

Sakura turned noticeably paler. "Um -- it was -- a uh-- a spell to help you 
all get better grades."

This received many calls of approval, but Megane wouldn't give up. "If that 
is true, then why were you there, or Benten and Oyuki who do not attend our 
school?"

Sakura was visibly sweating. "It's none of your business!" She said.

"I think it is very much my business if some evil witch is casting a spell 
on me." He turned to the congregation. "Ladies and gentlemen, something has 
occurred here without our knowledge. While I am all for trying to rescue 
Shinobu, and have no desire to return to that dread place, I am a little 
unclear as to how we got there in the first place. Ms. Sakura says the spell 
that she was casting did not go as planned, but what spell was she casting? 
It had to be a spell that involved all of us, or we all would not have found 
ourselves in the Nether world facing the most vile horrors the inhuman mind 
could dream up."

Megane turned back to Sakura. Sakura looked around the congregation. It was 
obvious that she had some explaining to do now. "It was just a little 
spell," she began weakly. "Certain -- uh -- things needed some speeding up, 
that's all."

"Things?" Ataru asked accusingly.

Suddenly Cherry appeared at the microphone again. "She was casting a love 
spell on all the men so they would accept the women who wanted them."

This produced a simultaneous squeal from the women and a gasp from the men. 
Things quickly fell apart. The men were about to make an attack on the 
stage, while the women were making wedding plans. Suddenly there was a loud 
explosion. "Dammit, we don't have time for this!" Benten yelled, then she 
realized Pygumo was next to her, and added weakly, "We really should rescue 
Shinobu."

"We must figure out a way to rescue Miss Shinobu!" Inaba concurred.

"All right," Megane said. "We'll rescue Shinobu first, but we're not going 
to forget!" He indicated Sakura. All the men were in full agreement.

"Persephone could be anywhere," Lum stated. "Where should we start looking?"

"She might even be dead," Ran added.

"She is not dead," Sakura said. "If she were then her shade would return to 
the Nether world and Hades would know about it. She is definitely alive."

"Then where?" Lum said.

"This will not be easy. She could be anywhere in the multi-verse. 
Fortunately, we have several means of interdimensional travel at our 
disposal so we can send out several search parties."

"Even so," Oyuki said, "It may take years or centuries before we find her."

"We can limit our search somewhat," Sakura explained. "It has to be a place 
where she would be alone, and it would have to be a place that she could not 
leave. Persephone is capable of interdimensional travel herself."

"If there is an interdimensional barrier, how will we enter?" Lum asked.

"There are many interdimensional frequencies. Someone had to put her in 
there. It may be only tuned to keep her in. We may be able to pass freely."

"You are assuming that someone captured her," Ataru said. "Maybe she's 
hiding."

"It is a possibility," Sakura admitted, "but I doubt it. Looking over 
ancient mythology, Persephone originally sacrificed her freedom in order to 
prevent a war between Hades and the gods of Olympus. I don't think that she 
would be the type to run away."

"Hades believes that she did leave on her own," Inaba offered.

"After Shinobu told him that she had been on Earth," Sakura pointed out. "It 
is hard to guess the mind of Hades. We have very little information to go 
on."

"Okay," Megane began, "let us assume that Persephone was captured and is 
being held. Who would have reason to do something like that? Shouldn't we be 
starting from there?"

"Again," Sakura said, "We have very little to go on there. The politics of 
the Olympus pantheon is very complex, and fickle. Additionally, Hades is not 
popular among them. Any one of them could have had a reason. I think that we 
should look into that, but right now we have no way of guessing who it might 
have been."

The conference continued, but the questions soon slackened, and they began 
to divide into teams. They took Lum's saucer, Ran's saucer, and Oyuki made 
passages. Additionally, Inaba took a group to the destiny realm, careful to 
avoid being spotted and Sakura with the help of Tsubame and Ryoko created 
astral gates. 

Once each of the groups was decided, they set out.

* * *

Meanwhile, Shinobu had finished her meal. After an evening of music, she was 
shown by a Shade to her room. The rest of the castle looked much the same as 
it always did, except maybe it was a little brighter, but her room was much 
like the dinning hall. It too was painted white, with gold trim, and it too 
was lavishly decorated with flowers. A thousand pleasant smells filled 
Shinobu at once. Hades was working hard to dispel all her fears and doubts, 
and he was succeeding. Shinobu had to admit that she enjoyed his company, 
and her heart was much lighter now that she knew that she wasn't going to 
decay.

The Shade showed her where the bath was and towels, as well as a huge 
wardrobe of new clothes. It was filled with dresses of various types. All of 
them were made of the best materials, and they ranged from modest to 
extravagant. There was also a vanity, and in a large box in front of the 
mirror were jewels and necklaces. Shinobu had no doubt that everything in 
there was real gold and gems. There was definitely no plastic here. 

Looking around her, Shinobu had to admit that there was something to be said 
for being a queen in a castle. It was a fantasy that every girl indulged in 
at least once in her life, and now here she was. 

She picked up a heavy jeweled necklace. A large emerald hung at the center. 
It was so heavy that Shinobu wondered if she could wear it and still be able 
to stand up again. It sparkled so. She tried it on, and looked at herself in 
the mirror. Crowned and covered with jewels, there she was the queen of the 
Nether world. It made her laugh.

She knew that it couldn't last. The demons knew, and soon Hades would have 
to admit that she wasn't Persephone. She missed Inaba, and the others. She 
took off the necklace and went back to the closet. Her hopes were confirmed. 
Her old clothes were there. She took off the crown and got out of her gown. 
She put on her old clothes again and went back to the mirror. 

"There you are," she said to her reflection. "I've missed you all day." She 
sat down on the bed. "And it has been such a long day." She got the old rag 
doll. There were other good things about this place. 

She sighed and said to the rag doll, "What am I going to do?"

"I think I can answer that," she heard an unpleasantly familiar voice say.

Shinobu nearly screamed. She stood up with a start. Rgeisk stood at the 
doorway. He certainly hadn't knocked.

"May I come in?" He asked, even though he was already in.

"What do you want, Rgeisk?" Shinobu asked coldly. Rgeisk flinched at the 
sound of his name. Shinobu now understood why demons didn't like to give out 
their names. She was glad that she had some power over him.

"My Lady," Rgeisk said, recovering. "It was quite a revelation for both of 
us discovering that Olympus wine saves a mortal from the effects of the 
Nether world."

"You really didn't know?" Shinobu asked skeptically.

"I knew, I must admit, though that I had forgotten. It changes things quite 
a bit between you and me."

"Hades won't find out that I'm mortal now, Rgeisk," Shinobu smirked. 

Rgeisk flinched again. It was obvious that he was becoming annoyed with 
Shinobu. "If you kindly would not use my name so freely," Rgeisk said 
between his teeth.

"Why not, Rgeisk?"

Rgeisk roared and charged Shinobu.

"Rgeisk, Rgeisk, Rgeisk," she said, trying desperately to stand her ground 
and not lose all her senses in panic and fear.

The demon fell to the floor. "Stop it!" He growled. "I have twenty-four 
thousand demons at my command, whom you do not know the names of!"

"And Hades will turn you into a Shade or worse if he finds you here, shall I 
call his name instead?"

Rgeisk looked up at Shinobu. He studied her for a moment and said, "You have 
accepted the mantle of queenship rather quickly." He stood. "However, you 
are still a mortal. The real Persephone was a goddess. Her crown will never 
quite fit you."

"I don't want to wear her crown. All I want is you and your friends to leave 
me alone." Shinobu also stood. "I think that you should leave now."

"Oh I intend to leave. You see as I said, Persephone was a goddess, but she 
interfered in our affairs, so we made her disappear. You are not a goddess, 
but you are also interfering in our affairs."

Shinobu knew why he was in her room now. Her eyes grew wide, and she started 
to scream, but Rgeisk moved quickly and covered her mouth. He held her so 
tight that she felt as if he would crush her. Two other demons appeared in 
the room. 

"Do not worry my queen," Rgeisk whispered mockingly in Shinobu's ear, "we 
won't kill you. Dead, you would return as a Shade and tell Hades what 
happened. We will take you to a place where you will live forever. Hades 
will believe that you left him a second time, and his land will become dark 
again to fit his mood. He will again brood in his castle and we will rule. 
Doesn't that sound nice?"

Shinobu tried to struggle, but Rgeisk was far too powerful. He handed her 
over to the other two demons. They took her and then they were gone. Rgeisk 
looked around the room and smiled. He picked up her discarded crown. "Oh 
dear, empty again," he said, studying it. "What a shame." He put it back 
down and then disappeared himself.

* * * *

Part III

Sugoi flitted back and forth across the bridge of Ran's spaceship causing 
Ran no end of annoyance. Sugoi was incessantly fascinated by all the pretty 
lights and the readouts. She asked numerous questions about the ship's 
destination. She also asked Ran repeatedly that if, being the captain of the 
ship, could she perform a wedding ceremony.

Megane was pleased that if the surly Ran deigned to answer Sugoi's questions 
at all, her answers were a firm "no." Ran would have gladly thrown Sugoi out 
an airlock, but she didn't want to offend Rei. Rei was in bull form, gulping 
down food from the vast stores of the ship. He was oblivious to any other 
activity, except should Megane try to leave the corner where he was sitting. 

Were Megane so much as move to scratch an itch, Rei would growl at him. If 
Megane were to try and stand, Rei would instantly move to block him from 
leaving his corner. Megane sat quietly.

The remainder of the guard sat next to him. They weren't being so quiet. "We 
should be flying with our dearest Lum!" Kakugari shouted.

"She is now unprotected from that lech, Ataru," Pama said.

"I am growing faint! The distance between us is so great," Chibi said.

"It's true," Kakugari exclaimed. "I am growing faint too!"

Ran pounded her fist into the control panel. She turned to gaze malevolently 
at the guard. "It wasn't my idea to have any of you here. Now shut up!"

"Are we going to find Persephone soon?" Sugoi asked brightly. "I hope we do 
and then she and Hades can get married, and if they get married then I can 
marry my Manju-sama, and..."

"You can shut the Hell up too!" Ran shouted to Sugoi.

Sugoi's eyes opened wide in fear and shock at the rebuke.

Ran pulled back, fearing the worst. She glanced to Rei, who had taken an 
interest in the display. Ran laughed nervously. "It's okay," she said 
sweetly to Sugoi, taking her hand. 

It was obvious that Sugoi's floodgates were about to open. It was something 
that Ran couldn't risk. She was desperate to hold it off. Even desperate 
enough to... NO! not that! Sugoi started to sniff. Tears began to slowly 
well up under her eyes. 

"Damn," Ran said under her breath. She had no choice. She turned on all the 
charm she had. "Sugoi-dear," she said kindly, as if trying to console a 
small child. "Do you want to help? Why don't you... Why don't..." This was 
hard. "Why don't you sit next to... next to... next to me in the co-pilot's 
chair." There she had said it. "You can help me fly the ship."

Sugoi squealed with delight. "Can I Sempai?! Can I?!"

"Y - Yes." Oh, what had she done?!

Sugoi leapt over the back of the co-pilot's chair and taking a seat, 
greedily eyed all the controls before her. She was like a child trying to 
decide which candy from the candy box to consume first. Ran could think of a 
dozen switches Sugoi could hit which would spell doom for the whole ship. 
She frantically pushed buttons on her own control panel; activating any 
lockout she could think of.

Sugoi finally decided on a button, a big red button. A big red, "this will 
doom the universe," candy-like button. Raising her finger high into the air, 
she went to press it.

Ran realized that she hadn't locked that particular button out yet. She 
wasn't even sure what it did. She, the Guard and Megane sweated profusely as 
Sugoi's finger closed rapidly on the unknown control. Sugoi stopped short of 
actually pressing it though and turned to Ran. "What's this one do?" she 
asked innocently. Her finger hovered dangerously just above the button.

Ran didn't take her eyes off Sugoi's finger and the button it threatened to 
press. She frantically tried to think of what the button did. Simultaneously 
she tried to think of some reasoning that would persuade Sugoi not to press 
it. 

Just then Megane decided to make a move to save the ship and everyone on 
board. He got up to make a lunge at Sugoi, in order to move her from the 
controls. Rei also got up to intercept Megane from getting too close to his 
sister. The result was that Rei shoved Megane into Sugoi, who pushed the 
button.

The ship faded out of known space. Just before it disappeared Sugoi said, 
"Manju-sama! You'll have to control yourself. We're not married yet!"

* * *

Shinobu was lost. There was no doubt in her mind. She had been lost before 
and this is what it looked like. Actually, she had to admit it was one of 
more pleasant places to be lost in. There were trees and flowers. The sounds 
of birds filled every tree. It was bright and cheery. There were gardens and 
bushes everywhere, all nicely manicured. She would have thought it was 
spring-time on Earth except for the fact that the sky was a swirl of gray 
and purple mist. 

Shinobu took a few tentative steps forward. There was apparently no one 
around her. The demons who brought her here had promptly left. They didn't 
seem to like the surroundings. She wasn't sorry to see them go. Still, she 
wished she knew where she was, and what she was going to do. She also wished 
that Inaba were here with her. He would have some kind words. He could 
always cheer her up.

She decided to chance a call. "Is there anyone here?" she called.

In apparent answer to her, she heard a thud and what sounded like a voice. 
She turned quickly toward the sound. Bushes hid her view. Shinobu felt her 
heart pound. 'It was probably just some animal,' she worked to convince 
herself. All the same she began slowly backing away. Her eyes were peeled in 
case there was any movement. Suddenly, she backed into something. Or was it 
someone? It was warm... furry... breathing!

"Hello Miss Shinobu."

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Shinobu yelled, grabbed the nearest arm and flung 
it as far as she could.

"Bye Miss Shinobu!" She heard Inaba yell as she saw him fly away.

"Oh my God!" She yelled and ran after him. He landed in a clump of bushes, 
just as she caught up with him.

Suspended rather awkwardly on the branches of a thick shrub, he smiled at 
her. "Hello Miss Shinobu," he said. "You're very pretty, today."

"I'm so sorry," she replied. "I thought... well... I was kidnapped... and 
I... I'm sorry." She bowed.

Inaba twisted and fell out of the bushes he was tangled in, hitting the 
ground with a thud. Shinobu knelt next to him. "How did you find me?" she 
asked.

"I don't know," Inaba admitted. "We were looking for Persephone." He looked 
up at his surroundings. "This isn't the Nether world, is it?"

"No," Shinobu said. "The demons kidnapped me. They were going to make me 
disappear like Persephone." 

"Maybe she's here too then," Inaba inferred. 

Shinobu stood. "Do you think so? I don't know if I'm ready to meet her."

Inaba also stood. "But we think that if we find Persephone for Hades, he'll 
let us all go. Including my Miss Shinobu."

Shinobu turned to Inaba. He was looking warmly at her. "I would really like 
to go home," she said.

"When you do go home can I take you to a movie?" Inaba asked.

"I'd like that," Shinobu said and hugged him. Then she had a thought. She 
stepped back. "If you got here, can you get us out?"

"Of course," Inaba said brightly. "I just have to use my key again." He 
patted his pocket where the key was. A look of confusion crossed his face. 
He patted another pocket, and then another.

Shinobu put her hand to her forehead. "Not again."

"No Miss Shinobu," Inaba tried to reassure her, "I know that I have the key. 
I had dropped it when I fell out of the door, and then I put it back in my 
pocket." He began to make a more extensive search of his rabbit costume.

Failing to find the key, he looked to the dense clump of bushes he had just 
fallen out of. Shinobu looked there too. They looked very thick and bushy. 
Whoever maintained them was doing a good job. They both sighed, got on their 
hands and knees and began looking. Suddenly they heard somebody clearing 
their throat.

"Excuse me," came a feminine voice behind them.

Shinobu and Inaba both stopped cold. They slowly backed out of the bushes 
and looked toward the direction of the voice.

Behind them, Shinobu was shocked to see a beautiful woman. She was young, 
and wearing a long white gown. There were flowers in her dark hair. Grace 
was in her every movement. She had an unearthly loveliness about her. 
Shinobu could not imagine how Hades could have ever confused Shinobu's 
plainness with this incredibly attractive goddess.

Inaba felt that he was looking at the exact twin of Shinobu. Perhaps not 
quite as pretty, but it still the likeness was uncanny.

Both Shinobu and Inaba stood. Persephone smiled at them.

"I'm sorry to trouble you," she said in a very polite voice. "I was planting 
tiger lilies here this morning and I think that I left my shovel. You 
haven't seen it have you?"

Inaba and Shinobu shook their heads. They were stunned to see her, and even 
more stunned that she wasn't surprised to see them.

Persephone looked around, scanning the ground. She stopped when her eyes 
fell on a small pile of pulled weeds. "Oh, there it is." She went to the 
pile, and pulled out a shovel. "I've been so careless lately," she said to 
the still stunned couple. She waved the shovel and smiled at them. "I'll 
leave you to whatever you were doing. I'm very sorry for disturbing you." 
She turned to go.

Shinobu raised a finger. "Um."

Persephone stopped and turned. "Yes, dear."

"Are you Persephone?"

Persephone smiled kindly back. "I must be since there is no one else here. 
Bye bye." She disappeared through an opening in a hedge and was gone.

Shinobu took a quick glance at Inaba's uniform and remembered an old English 
story. She took a breath, and said, "Come on." Together they went after 
Persephone.

* * *

Benten was taking a bath. Ataru knew this. No one had told him. In fact they 
had locked him in one of the less accessible rooms of Lum's ship almost from 
the onset of the journey. He was used to being treated like that. No one 
understood him. He was only responding to basic human needs. 

His basic human needs told him that somewhere on the ship Benten was taking 
a bath, which of course meant that... Benten was naked. Ataru stood and felt 
around the walls of his room/cell. He could feel Benten's nudity aura 
flooding him through the walls. Its call was undeniable. Her bareness was 
unbearable. 

Having found her direction, he sat in the corner opposite the door and 
thought. He stared at the door and thought hard. Lum was too smart. Even 
were Ataru dying, she wouldn't open the door while Benten was still bathing. 
Mendo and Pygumo were probably watching Benten. Why was Ataru singled out 
for punishment? 

Ataru stood with purpose and strode toward the door. He took a long breath 
and concentrated deeply, calling on his aura. "Harem... harem... harem," he 
chanted as he pressed his hands against the door. 

He pressed and pushed, trying to slide the door open, all the while 
chanting. As the door started to give, he chanted quicker and with more 
passion. Suddenly the door gave and he flung it open with a triumphant 
shout. "Harem!" 

Bolting faster than the eye could see, he navigated the halls of the ship, 
hot on the trail of the nudity aura. He reached the bridge and turned to 
where he knew the baths were. He prepared to leap, judging on sense rather 
than sight. 

Unfortunately, electrons travel faster than even Ataru could scamper. In 
mid-leap his trajectory was abruptly changed by an intense electrical 
charge. Lum stomped over to the charred remains. She put her hands on her 
hips and starred down at him. "Dah-ling, you know better than that."

Ataru's only response was the sound of searing flesh.

"I took a bath before Benten. Why didn't you escape for me? I would have let 
you." She bent down and lifted up his head. "If you want to take a bath with 
a girl so bad, I could take another one. Wouldn't that be good, Dah-ling?"

Ataru looked up into Lum's pleading eyes. She almost felt there was some 
kind of accepting response and then suddenly with renewed strength Ataru 
leapt into the air toward Benten's bath. "Benten-sama!" he yelled. 

He came face to face with a towel-rapped Benten and the muzzle of a very 
large gun. She didn't look pleased.

"Benten-sama," Ataru said. "I'm sure that towel is scratching you. Let me 
take it off for you."

"Bastard!" Ataru heard shouted from behind him. He turned quickly to catch 
Mendo's blade between his hands. "Can no one have any peace from you?!" 

"And what are you doing here?" Ataru insinuated. "Come to take a peak at 
Benten yourself?"

Mendo turned and crossed his arms. "Of course not! I came when I heard some 
shouting, that's all."

"Fuckers," Benten sneered. She turned to go back to the bath.

Ataru tried to follow her but walked into a rather powerful force field 
instead. With a zap it threw him back.

"There now," Lum said, "you see there's a force field, so don't even bother 
trying." 

Ataru stood. He brushed himself off and walked into the force field again. 
This time it didn't throw him back. It crackled and sputtered but he endured 
it. "Harem... harem... harem," he chanted quietly. Slowly he began pushing 
his way through the field.

Lum and Mendo stood in awe, but only momentarily. They were about to take 
action when the secondary defense kicked in. Jariten, wearing a bath towel 
himself floated out of the bath rooms. He sized up Ataru, aimed, took a 
breath and fired. 

Ataru recovered quickly. "What were you doing in the baths with Benten?!" he 
accused Jariten.

"Taking a bath," Jariten explained.

"You were in there taking a bath with Benten?!" 

"I'm just a kid, not a lech like you," Jariten said smartly.

Ataru stood and locked eyes with Jariten. "I'm going to tell Benten what 
you're really like."

"No one would believe you," Jariten chided. "I'm just an innocent kid. Now 
if you think you can behave yourself, I'm going to return to my bath."

"Jerk," Ataru said.

"Idiot," came Jariten's response and he disappeared back into the baths.

Ataru sat on the floor and crossed his arms. He could feel Benten's aura 
more intensely than before, and the knowledge that Jariten was in there with 
her didn't help matters. His mind was busy thinking of another plan.

Just then, he looked up and saw Lum's face right in front of his. She was 
studying is features with great accusation. "You had better not be planning 
another way to get to Benten, Dahling."

"What if I am?"

"Stupid question," Lum said, and zapped him hard. She dragged the charred 
remains over to one of the bridge chairs, and tied him in it. She then sat 
in the one next to it and guarded him.

It wasn't long before Benten emerged from her bath. Much to Ataru's 
consternation, she was fully clothed. Jariten followed closely behind. When 
he emerged, Ataru gave him a look that conveyed his utter contempt for the 
diminutive Uruseian. Jariten enjoyed it.

Benten flung herself into one of the chairs and said, "So where the Hell do 
we go now?"

Mendo also sat. "It is a great dilemma. She could be anywhere."

Lum sighed. "I know a way to find her."

Benten looked quizzically at Lum.

"I don't really want to use it," she said. Her eyes glanced to the tied up 
Ataru and then back to Benten.

"Oh," Benten and Mendo said simultaneously.

"What?" Ataru asked, looking between their faces.

"Once it is unleashed, he -- it will be hard to contain."

"He -- it is hard to contain now," Benten observed.

"You are talking about me, aren't you," Ataru said. "The way I have been 
treated I don't see any reason to cooperate. Now if Benten were to take 
another bath and the force field were to be turned off..."

Benten stood and pulled out a gun. "Fucker! We'll search the galaxy meter by 
meter before I'll let you do that."

"Suit yourself," Ataru said and turned his seat so that his back was facing 
them.

Lum was about to zap him when Mendo strode into the center of the room. "I 
understand that this Persephone is very beautiful," he said.

"Beautiful?" Ataru asked showing a modicum of interest.

"And she's been a prisoner too," Jariten added.

"A prisoner?" Ataru said turning his chair slightly.

"She's probably real desperate," Benten said, "being locked up for thousands 
of years."

"Desperate?!"

Lum turned away and tried to control her jealousy. She knew that this was 
necessary.

Mendo came over to Ataru and whispered in his ear, "Probably even desperate 
enough to accept you."

Ataru quickly stood up. The ropes that he was tied with just fell away. 
"Don't worry Persephone!" he proclaimed. "I'm coming to rescue you!" 
Suddenly he grew perfectly still. His eyes glowed with a lecherous light. 
"Processing," he said. His head jerked back and forth as if he was reading 
something very quickly. "Processing... stand by."

Everyone stood back and let him work. Lum felt the awesome power she hoped 
someday to contain. It almost made her despair. Benten put a hand on her 
shoulder. "You know the truth," she said quietly. "Just remember that." 

Lum smiled back at her. "Thanks."

"Target acquired!" Ataru announced. He let out a lecherous laugh. "Harem... 
harem... harem!" His eyes still glowing, he turned toward the ship's 
controls. Working at a blinding rate he began pushing buttons. "Harem!" he 
yelled and pushed the final button that caused the ship to wink out of 
existence.

* * *

Shinobu and Inaba followed the trail that Persephone had left on. They 
didn't catch up with her, but they did eventually come to a small thatched 
hut. It was modest, but ample. Flowers grew all about it. They thought they 
heard singing, and went around the hut. 

Around the other side, they saw Persephone kneeling on a blanket that she 
had placed on the ground. She was working in the dirt with her shovel, and 
humming to herself.

She noticed the couple coming around the hut. She smiled at them and then 
went back to her work. 

"Um," Shinobu said.

"Yes dear," Persephone said pleasantly. She stopped her work and looked at 
Shinobu with bright attentiveness.

"You've been trapped here along for a long time, haven't you?" Shinobu 
asked.

Persephone's bright face got a little darker, but then she cheered up again. 
"A very long time, yes," she agreed.

"Aren't you surprised to see us here?"

"No," Persephone said plainly, "not this time."

"This time? But we've never been here before," Inaba said.

Persephone looked to Inaba. "Well you haven't, but she's been here several 
times. I've decided not to believe in her anymore. So you can both just 
disappear now. I don't believe in either of you." She went back to her work.

"Um," Shinobu said.

Persephone sighed, and looked back at Shinobu. "You are a persistent 
delusion, aren't you?"

"I'm not a delusion, maam," Shinobu said. "I'm real. I was brought here by 
the demons like you."

Persephone used a towel to wipe the dirt off her hands, and then she stood. 
It was obvious that she was losing patience. "You're real, are you?" She 
asked with a great deal of doubt in her voice.

Shinobu nodded.

"Of course, what else would a delusion say? You say that you were brought 
here by demons like I was, and also you look like me. It seems pretty 
certain that you are just a projection of my very lonely mind. Please don't 
torture me anymore. Just disappear to wherever you came from and leave me in 
peace."

"How do you explain me, maam?" Inaba asked.

"You're obvious. A rabbit has wandered into my garden and I am so lonely 
that I believe that you are a man. I'm having this whole conversation with a 
rabbit. I guess I am finally going mad. I'm going to close my eyes and you 
will be a rabbit again and you, my pretty reflection, will be gone." 

Persephone closed her eyes. She counted to five and then opened one eye. 
"Go away," she said, and closed her eye. She continued on to ten. "Now I am 
alone again," she announced and opened her eyes. She looked between Inaba 
and Shinobu.

"You're still here," she observed disappointedly. She sighed. "Well, if 
you're going to stick around you might as well come in for tea. This way." 
Persephone led the couple around to the front of the hut. She opened the 
door and showed them in. Inaba and Shinobu were a little cautious, stunned 
by Persephone's suddenly change in attitude. Persephone certainly wasn't 
anything like Shinobu expected she would be. 

Once inside the hut, it seemed to Shinobu that is was a little bigger on the 
inside than it was on the outside. There was only one large room, divided 
into a kitchen and a bedroom. It was decorated very rustically, but it was 
homey. 

Persephone got a brightly painted ceramic kettle from the kitchen and some 
cups. She set the cups on the kitchen table. She then poured what appeared 
to be steaming hot tea from the kettle. Shinobu wondered where she got it 
from. There was no faucet for water, nor was there any apparent way of 
heating it. There was no stove or fire place anywhere to be seen. 

After Persephone had poured the hot tea she looked up at Shinobu and Inaba 
standing in the doorway. "You may come in," she invited them, "but only if 
you promise not to disappear before tea is done."

Shinobu and Inaba came in and sat down in two of the chairs at the table. 
Persephone waited for them to be seated and then sat herself. "It would be 
rude," she continued, still smiling at them.

"I don't believe that I've gotten your names yet," Persephone said, taking a 
sip of tea.

"My name is Shinobu," Shinobu said. Persephone smiled and nodded and then 
turned to Inaba.

"My name is Inaba," Inaba said brightly and handed Persephone his card.

Persephone read it. "Oh, a destiny apprentice, very nice. I guess that 
explains that rabbit costume."

"Yes, I suppose," Inaba said lowering his head bashfully.

"Now tell me how you got here?" Persephone asked.

"We were sent to the Nether world by a spell that went wrong," Inaba 
explained. 

"Hades thought I was you," Shinobu added.

"Did he?" Persephone said, seeming surprised. "Well, it has been a long 
time. Are you a goddess then?"

"No maam, I'm just a girl."

"And a very pretty one too."

Shinobu blushed.

Persephone took another sip. "And how is the great Hades?"

Shinobu lowered her head. "Probably not very good now. He was so happy when 
he thought that you had returned. Now he'll think that you left him again."

"Left him?!" Persephone stood suddenly. She looked angry. Shinobu and Inaba 
were shocked and moved back. "Left him?! That ungrateful... How could he 
think that of me?! No wonder he never came to look for me!"

"He did look for you!" Shinobu said, defensively. "But after a while he gave 
up. He's been missing you all this time."

Persephone sat back down. "He gave up, leaving me trapped here." Persephone 
sighed and tried to regain her pleasant demeanor. She smiled at Shinobu. 
"For a delusion, you got me stirred up pretty good there. I guess it still 
hurts some." 

She became sad again and looked into her tea. "How could he think that I 
would ever leave him," she said absently. She looked up at Shinobu and 
Inaba. "At first he can be very frightening, but underneath he is kind and 
gentle."

Shinobu nodded, and then said, "We have a way out."

Persephone brightened a little. "I wish you did."

"We do." Inaba said. "I have a key to get us back into the destiny realm. 
Once I find it again, that is."

Persephone took another sip of tea. She then reached for her tea pot and 
refilled her cup. "More?" she asked. Shinobu offered her cup. After 
Persephone filled Shinobu's cup, she took another sip from her own. "I am a 
goddess, my young rabbit. I can travel through dimensions."

Shinobu and Inaba looked questioningly at Persephone waiting for her to 
explain.

"I tried several times to leave when the demons first put me here. The field 
around this world is a one way door. It is easy to get in, impossible to get 
out." Persephone put down her cup and held out her hand. Inaba's key 
appeared, and she held it out for him. "Please try," she said.

Inaba took the key and brought it over to the entrance of the hut. Shinobu 
watched him with great interest. He closed the door, inserted the key, 
turned it and reopened the door. Much to his surprise the scene outside the 
door remained unchanged.

Inaba studied his key. It looked okay. 

"There's nothing wrong with your key," Persephone said. "I do hope that you 
are real. It would be nice to have companions after all these years."

Inaba sat back down at the table. "We have many friends who are looking for 
us."

"And they will become trapped here too," Persephone said, matter of factly.

As if in response to her statement there came a loud noise from just outside 
the hut. Wonderment crossed everyone's faces as they got up to find out what 
it was. "I have never heard anything like that before," Persephone said as 
she went to open the door.

She opened the door. Ataru leapt through the threshold and latched onto her. 
"Ojoo-sama! I am here to rescue you! Give me a kiss?"

Persephone screamed and suddenly Ataru became a white mouse. He fell to the 
floor. Persephone was about to take a broom to scoot him outside, when 
Shinobu stopped her. Soon everyone else came to the door, led by Sakura.

Persephone had jumped on a stool with the broom in her hands. She was 
holding it before her like a weapon. She wasn't ready for all this company 
at once, especially Ataru. Shinobu and Inaba were also surprised. 

It might have calmed down, but Ataru-mouse scurried over to Sakura and up 
her leg. She began dancing wildly and screaming. She shook Ataru-mouse away. 
He went flying, and landed on Shinobu. He immediately tried crawling down 
her blouse. She also sent him flying. Lum caught him as she flew in.

"Did my Dahling come here?" she started to ask before the mouse flew into 
her hands. She was about to scream and drop it when a funny feeling came 
over her. She lifted the mouse up and looked into its eyes. There was a 
familiar lecherousness to them. "Dahling?"

"Dahling!" she said more confidently. "What happened to my Dahling?!" 
Ataru-mouse was desperately trying to squirm out of the Lum's hands, but she 
held on tight. "What happened to my Dahling?" she asked again.

Everyone was too shaken-up to respond. Sakura was the first to recover. "Are 
you Persephone?" she asked the terrified woman with the broom.

"Who are all you people?!" Persephone demanded.

Mendo pushed through the crowd and confidently walked to Persephone. He 
pushed back a hair and offered a hand to help her down. "We are here to 
rescue you," he said smoothly.

Persephone eyed him nervously, but took his hand and allowed him to help her 
down from the chair. Ataru-mouse was squealing at the top of his little 
voice. "It's all in the approach," Mendo said to Ataru-mouse.

Just then there was a yell, and Asuka came rushing into the room. "Get these 
men away from me!" she yelled. She grabbed a very surprised Mendo and ran 
out through the wall on the other side of the hut.

As Persephone stared dumbfounded at her new back door, Sakura came forward. 
"We are here to rescue you, and bring you back to Hades."

"I see," Persephone said. She turned to Shinobu. "Are these your friends?"

Shinobu nodded.

Persephone sighed. "Well I didn't mind having two new people here, but I'm 
not sure if I want this crowd."

"We don't plan on staying," Sakura said.

"None of us have much of a choice," Persephone explained. "There is no way 
out."

"What do you mean?" Ryoko asked.

"There's a one-way dimensional barrier," Inaba explained sadly. "I already 
tried. I can't even make a door."

Sakura raised her spirit wand and felt the air. "He is right. The doors are 
closed. We are trapped here."

"What happened to my Dahling?!" Lum exclaimed.

* * *

Persephone was not pleased about much concerning her new arrivals. She 
particularly didn't like where their spaceships had landed. They were 
crushing some of her favorite gardens.

In one moment she had gone from being completely alone to being overcrowded. 
She wasn't comfortable with all the activity around, especially after her 
initial experience with them. For that reason, it took a great deal of 
convincing from Shinobu and Lum, for her to eventually consent to change 
Ataru back to human form. It came down to the fact that in mouse form he was 
harder to keep track of. She also felt that Lum's method of containment, 
once demonstrated, was adequate.

Eventually Persephone withdrew from the crowd, or rather, she demanded that 
they withdraw from her. She allowed, and even encouraged Shinobu and Inaba 
to visit. Sakura and Ryoko tried desperately to break through the barrier 
but without success. As the days, and then weeks passed they too gave up.

There were several debates about living arrangements. Ataru's plan of having 
all the women live with him was quickly voted down. Similarly, the women's 
plan of coupling up was also met with limited approval, with some 
exceptions. Rei stayed with Ran on her ship. Ataru didn't want to live with 
Lum, but in the end he had no choice. Jariten moved in with Ataru and Lum, 
which also served to placate the Guard that there would be no funny business 
in the Moroboshi hut. And Sakura and Tsubame built a place together. For the 
rest of them, there was a girls' hut and a boys' hut. 

All was coming down to a comfortable routine. Food and water were easy to 
come by, and Sakura even set up a small school. Shinobu went to visit 
Persephone often, and eventually Persephone began stopping over to visit the 
others. 

It was beginning to look like they would spend their lives in Persephone's 
prison. Or actually much longer. The demons didn't want anyone dying and 
returning to Hades to tell him what had happened, so there was an 
immortality spell placed around the world.

Not all were pleased with the idea of being immortality trapped in that 
world. Megane had suggested killing someone so that they could go and tell 
Hades, but no volunteers could be found. Many suggested that Ataru should be 
drafted, but Lum wouldn't allow it.

All in all, however, it wasn't a bad existence.

* * *

Shinobu knocked on the door to Persephone's hut. Persephone came to the door 
quickly and opened it for her. "You know you don't have to knock," 
Persephone admonished Shinobu.

"I know," Shinobu said coming in, "but I wouldn't feel right just walking 
in."

Shinobu went to her accustomed seat at the kitchen table, and Persephone 
poured her a cup of tea. Shinobu put the rag doll she was carrying on the 
table and accepted the cup.

"What's that you have there?" Persephone asked.

Shinobu picked up the rag doll again. "This is a doll that one of the Shades 
gave me. I found it among the hedges. I must have dropped it when the 
demon's brought me. I thought you might want to see it."

Persephone picked it up and examined it. She smiled. "It belonged to Hisae," 
she said.

Shinobu was confused. "How do you know that? The girl said that she came 
after you had disappeared."

Persephone's eyes remained on the doll. They started to glass over. "Her 
love is all over this doll." Persephone looked up, she was smiling broadly 
and there were tears forming in her eyes. "And little of yours too."

Shinobu got up and went to Persephone. "Are you going to be all right?" 
Shinobu asked.

"I'm going home," Persephone said, barely able to say the words. She looked 
up to Shinobu. Tears rolled down her face. "We're all going home."

* * * *

Part IV

Persephone's hands shook as she held the small doll. "I'm going home," she 
said quietly. "After all this time, I can finally go home." She turned to 
Shinobu. "It has been so long since I've seen my mother."

"I don't understand," Shinobu asked. "How can we go home now?"

Persephone smiled at Shinobu. "I think you know," she said. 

Shinobu shook her head in confusion. 

Persephone handed her the doll. "Look at the doll and concentrate. Think 
about the little Shade."

Shinobu was doubtful, but did as she was told.

"What is she doing?" Persephone asked.

Shinobu was broken out of her concentration. "What?" she said.

"What was Hisae doing when you saw her just now?" Persephone repeated.

Shinobu blinked. "I -- uh -- she was crying."

Persephone nodded. "Yes, that's what I saw too. The Nether world looks much 
darker than I remembered."

"It seemed darker to me too," Shinobu admitted. "Are you saying I really saw 
her?"

Persephone put a hand on her shoulder. "There's a great power in you that 
you hold back. Look into the doll again and call to Hisae."

Hisae sat by her small house. She was crying. Persephone was gone, and the 
demons were tearing up everything. They were knocking down houses and 
herding the Shades into smaller areas. Fire pits were springing up 
everywhere. There was a lot of yelling and wailing. Hades paid no notice to 
any of it. He stayed in his castle.

Suddenly, Hisae thought she heard a voice. It was faint at first, but then 
it grew louder. It was Persephone, she was sure of it. Hisae looked up. 
Shinobu was surprised that her words were having some effect.

"Persephone?" Hisae said quietly.

"Yes, Hisae-chan, it's me," Shinobu answered in her thoughts.

"Where are you?" the little girl asked.

"I'm far away, but I need your help."

"Where did you go?" Hisae asked urgently. "The demons are so mean now, and 
our lord doesn't do anything about it."

"The demons stole me away. You have to go and tell our lord Hades."

Hisae shivered and looked up at the castle on the high mesa. "I can't go up 
there. It so high, and the demons will hurt me if they see me."

Shinobu lowered her head and looked to Persephone. Persephone's eyes were 
closed. Her hand was also touching the doll. "I know that it is dangerous," 
the real Persephone said, "but it is very important that you go. Only Hades 
can free me and stop the demons."

"But I'm so little," Hisae protested. She looked around as if the demons 
might already be coming for her.

Persephone smiled. "I will give you courage." She concentrated hard and 
Shinobu saw a white smoke rise from her body. The white smoke floated above 
Persephone's head and then flowed down into the doll. Persephone herself 
became very still. Shinobu turned her attention back to the doll to see what 
was going on. She couldn't believe that any of this was happening.

A faint image of Persephone formed in front of Hisae. The astonished child 
stepped back. 

"It's okay," Persephone assured her. "I'll walk with you."

The little girl relaxed, and approached the image of Persephone. "You look 
different," she girl observed.

Persephone bent down so that she was eye to eye with the Shade. "You're very 
perceptive. I'm the first Persephone. The doll that you gave to the other 
Persephone helped me get home."

"Couldn't you just go and tell Hades, now that you are here?" Hisae asked.

"I wish I could, but you are the only thing that allows me to stay here. I 
have to stay close to you. I can't go to Hades, unless you go to Hades."

Persephone could see that Hisae was still very frightened. "Do you trust 
me?" Persephone asked.

The little girl nodded. 

"I'm going to help you go to our lord Hades, but you have to let me."

The Shade nodded again.

Persephone turned into smoke again, and flowed into the little girl. Shinobu 
saw that Hisae became a bit more substantial. She looked almost solid. 
Hisae's face became determined. She stole over to the base of one of the 
paths to the castle. She moved from house to house, keeping a look out for 
any demons. 

This was the easy part. Once she started on the path up, she would be a lot 
more visible. There was apparently no one watching. She made a dash for the 
path. Shinobu hoped that Persephone and Hisae were small enough not to be 
noticed. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

* * *

Shinobu lost contact with Hisae and Persephone. Her heart sank. There was 
another knock. Shinobu went to answer the door. She knew that she wasn't 
really doing anything but she hated missing what was going on. 

Shinobu opened the door. Ran stood there with a large measuring cup. "Is 
Persephone here?" She asked. "I need to borrow some flour." Ran noticed the 
stone still Persephone, and also a certain paleness to Shinobu. "What are 
you two doing?"

Shinobu had to think. "Go tell everyone that we think we've found a way out, 
but don't let anyone come in here until we're ready."

"A way out?!"

"Yes, please go. I need to get back to Persephone."

"A way out," Ran repeated, taking the concept in. "Um, before you go back, 
though, could you get me that flour? It's really urgent."

Shinobu sighed. "You know where it is." She stepped back to let Ran in.

"Thank you," Ran smiled, "I'll just be a moment." Ran went straight to 
Persephone's kitchen. She took out a bag which apparently contained flour 
and filled her measuring cup. She examined the cup briefly and then poured 
its contents back into the bag. "Better take the whole bag," she said to 
Shinobu.

"Whatever," Shinobu said letting her impatience show.

"Could I borrow some sugar too?" Ran asked with hope.

"Take the whole kitchen, just hurry!"

"Yes, that would be best," Ran agreed and began picking up every bag and jar 
she could find. Well overloaded, she then tried to make her way back to the 
door. Shinobu had to direct her out. Once Ran was out the door Shinobu 
quickly closed it behind her. Shinobu started go back to the table, when a 
lone container of spice caught her eye sitting on the kitchen shelf. 

Shinobu sighed. She went to the container. Picked it up and brought it to 
the front door. She opened the door just before Ran was about to knock 
again. "Oh hi," Ran said smiling. "You don't have any basil do you? It's 
really, really urgent."

Shinobu resignedly handed the container to Ran. "Oh, thank you. I think I 
have everything I need now." 

"Good," Shinobu said. "Go!"

"No need to be snippy," Ran said and turned to leave. 

Shinobu closed the door. She rushed back to the table, after making a quick 
scan to see if the kitchen was empty. Shinobu took hold of the doll and 
concentrated. The image she saw wasn't pleasant at all. It was an image of 
Rgeisk.

"Where are you going?" Rgeisk asked Hisae roughly.

"I wanted to go make our lord happy. He must be really sad with Persephone 
gone again," Hisae explained.

Rgeisk seemed puzzled about something. There was something wrong with this 
Shade, but he couldn't decide what it was.

Shinobu observed that Hisae was almost to the castle. How could they have 
gotten so close to be stopped now? Shinobu couldn't imagine how Persephone 
was going to be able to get past Rgeisk.

Rgeisk bent down to examine Hisae more closely. Hisae wanted to run, but 
Persephone held her. "Please trust me," Persephone kept saying to her. "I 
won't let him hurt you."

"There's something I really don't like about you, Shade," Rgeisk growled. 

Hisae-Persephone was eye to eye with Rgeisk. Her face showed the mixture of 
emotions. From Hisae came abject terror. From Persephone were anger and fear 
of being stopped. Persephone needed a plan to get around Rgeisk. She 
couldn't reveal herself by using her powers yet. Such a display would risk 
the Shade.

"My lord Hades!" Hisae said in surprise, looking off to the left. Rgeisk 
froze and looked in the direction that Hisae was. Hisae ran between his 
legs, and toward the castle. She reached the doors just as Rgeisk was about 
to catch up with her.

Shinobu heard another knock on the door. She let out a scream in 
frustration. She went to the door, threw it open, and yelled, "Leave me 
alone!" She was about to slam it when she realized that she was looking at a 
very hurt Inaba.

"I'm sorry that I am bothering you, Miss Shinobu," he said. His eyes were 
downcast. "I'll go away." He began to turn.

"I'm sorry, Inaba," Shinobu said taking hold of his arm. "I thought you were 
someone else. Please come in."

Inaba noticed the still Persephone setting in the chair at the table. "What 
is wrong with the goddess?" he asked, stepping in. 

"We're trying to get out," Shinobu explained, whispering. "Her spirit is in 
the Nether world. She is trying to contact Hades." She closed the door 
behind Inaba after checking to make sure that no one else was coming.

"We may be leaving soon?" Inaba asked. He didn't sound completely pleased 
about the notion.

"Yes, Inaba," Shinobu responded, confused by Inaba's incomplete enthusiasm. 
"Don't you want to leave?"

"Well," Inaba said lowering his head. He looked into Shinobu's eyes. "I like 
being with Miss Shinobu every day. If I return to the Destiny realm then I 
can only be with Miss Shinobu when I can escape the others."

"I liked being with you more too," Shinobu admitted blushing.

Inaba's faced brightened with an idea, he said, "Perhaps Miss Shinobu would 
move to the Destiny realm?"

Shinobu was about to answer when she suddenly realized that she was 
forgetting something important. "Oh dear!" she exclaimed and rushed back to 
the table. "I left Persephone and Hisae alone," she explained to Inaba.

"I don't understand," Inaba admitted moving to sit next to Shinobu.

Shinobu put her hand on the doll that Persephone was holding. She turned to 
Inaba. "This doll was giving to me by one of the Shades. I didn't know how 
true it was when I was explaining it to the demoness, but this doll is 
connected to the Shade. We can reach her through it."

"That's amazing," Inaba said. "And my Miss Shinobu can travel to the Nether 
world too, like a goddess." He smiled warmly at her when he said "goddess."

Shinobu blushed. "Well, yes -- I -- uh -- I need to go back. Please wait 
next to me."

He put his hand over her free hand and said, "I will stay with you forever."

Shinobu took hold of his hand and squeezed hard. As she began to concentrate 
on the doll again, she took time to wonder, could she believe him? She had 
been hurt so many times. Inaba seemed so innocent, so faithful. She wanted 
to believe him. She wanted to give her heart to him fully, but she held 
back. She couldn't bear to be hurt again, but forever is such a long time to 
be alone. If she opened her heart to him and he left her, she didn't know 
what she would do.

She held his hand tightly as she tried to find Persephone's spirit again. As 
her spirit traveled through the doll to Persephone and Hisae she felt Inaba 
with her. She knew that their love for each other was completing the 
connection and allowing him to follow her. She used that knowledge to drive 
away some of her doubts about him.

Suddenly Shinobu felt panic. Everything was black. She thought she felt 
Persephone and Hisae, but she couldn't get an image in her mind. Perhaps 
they were dead? Then Shinobu berated herself. Hisae was already dead. 
Perhaps, though, there was a deeper death that even a Shade could suffer. 
She turned to Inaba's warmth.

Persephone felt Shinobu's confusion. "It's okay, my precious reflection," 
she said. "We are inside the castle. I had to use some of my power to escape 
Rgeisk. It won't stop him for long. We must find our lord Hades before he 
calls the other demons. Rgeisk surely knows that I am here now."

"Do you know where Hades is?" Shinobu asked.

"Unfortunately," Persephone admitted, "I don't remember the castle as well 
as I used to. I can't find my way in the dark. I was hoping that you could 
help. If we could get to the throne room, he will surely come."

Shinobu could feel that Hisae was almost frozen with fear. It was all that 
Persephone could do to keep her moving and to keep her from screaming. 
Shinobu felt sorry for Hisae. This was a lot to take a four year old girl 
through. 

"It's okay," Shinobu thought comfortingly. "When Hades comes everything will 
be all right." 

"I'm scared," Hisae said with a whimper.

A thought occurred to Shinobu. They were in the castle. Rgeisk was 
temporarily immobile, or held up some way. "Why shouldn't Hisae scream?" she 
asked. "Why don't we try to bring Hades to us?"

"It will bring the demons on us," Persephone said.

"Hades will be close behind, and you can hold them off for a little while."

"Only a small portion of my powers are here," Persephone explained, "but you 
are right. It is time to trust to luck. Hisae, you can scream to your 
heart's content. Yell "Hades" as loud as you can."

Persephone released some of her control that was keeping the Shade from 
panicking. Hisae took a deep breath and yelled as loud as she could, which 
for a Shade wasn't really all that loud. Persephone, however, used her power 
to amplify the call. "Lord Hades!!!" Hisae yelled. "Help!!!!!"

Shinobu was startled to see two all too familiar red glows in the dark. It 
wasn't Hades who had found them first. Hisae froze. Her fear had finally 
overcome her. She couldn't move, and nothing Persephone did could make her.

"There you are, you little brat," the demoness spat. "It was a nice try." 
The red glows came forward and were bending down. The demoness was coming to 
grab the Shade and take her away.

"Who disturbs my silence?" came an ominous whisper.

Shinobu felt her heart leap, but she realized that Hisae was still 
paralyzed. Persephone couldn't get her to speak, or do anything. 

The demoness stood up. "My lord," came the voice of the demoness in the 
dark. "A young Shade has wandered into the castle. I was about to remove 
her."

"Good," Hades said. "I wish nothing to disturb me."

"I exist to serve," the demoness said. Even though it was completely dark, 
Shinobu knew that the demoness was grinning.

Persephone was using all the power she had to try and reach Hades through 
the frozen Shade. The demoness reached down and picked up the Shade. Hisae's 
mind had gone blank with fear. Persephone could barely hold on to her. She 
felt Hades moving away.

The demoness was about to disappear with the Shade when Hades turned. "Stop 
a moment," he said. 

The demoness froze. Shinobu could feel her tense up. She knew that the 
demoness was considering pretending she didn't hear Hades and just 
disappearing with her charge. However, she also knew that she had already 
hesitated too long. She turned. She had to hope that she could use Hades' 
grief to help him deny what he probably felt. It was something that the 
demoness felt all too clearly. As she held the Shade, she could feel a 
slight fading glimmer of Persephone. She didn't know how it was possible, 
but she knew the danger. 

A soft light appeared over the demoness. She hid her eyes. Hades stepped out 
of the darkness. He wore his helmet, and looked more like death than he had 
ever been before. Shinobu felt sorry for him. He studied the Shade. "What is 
your name?" he asked coldly.

Hisae said nothing. Her fear grew and Persephone felt herself being pushed 
out further. She did everything she could to hold on. "Please My Lord," she 
hoped, "you must feel me."

Hades was distressed at the Shade's silence. He also felt something tugging 
at him, a feeling of some sort. He didn't know what it meant. He didn't want 
to feel anything. He wanted to be numb. He wanted to exist forever in death 
and silence. He wanted to dismiss this Shade and return to his silence, but 
there was something. What was it? Hope, perhaps?

The demoness held her position, trying desperately to hide her own feelings. 
She felt fear and hatred. If she could figure out a way to drive Persephone 
completely out of the girl she would, but she couldn't understand how 
Persephone was there in the first place. Then she had a thought. Something 
she remembered. Something that she couldn't believe. This was the Shade. 
This was the Shade with the doll, the doll that connects. It was true!

"What is your name?" Hades asked again, this time a little softer.

The demoness knew her danger now. Persephone had returned to the Nether 
world through a means that the demons couldn't block. If Hades discovered 
Persephone, then he would discover the truth. The demons would not survive. 
It would be better, she thought, if Hades was angry with her for running 
than if he knew the secret of Persephone. The demoness disappeared with 
Hisae.

Persephone, with the help of Shinobu and Inaba, fought hard to retain her 
link with Hisae. It was like they were holding on to a ledge with two 
fingers while winds tried to tear them away. If only Hisae could fight her 
fear, but that was too much to ask. Held in the grip of a terrible demoness, 
this was beyond anything that the child could be expected to bear.

There was no escape now. Persephone was the child's only hope. The demons 
would do whatever was necessary to Hisae to make sure that Persephone 
couldn't establish another link. The little Shade would suffer terribly if 
Persephone couldn't maintain her hold and do something to free the child.

Persephone also needed to muster her own courage. She knew that the child 
was partially frightened because Persephone was frightened. Persephone was a 
goddess of gardens and springtime, not of demons and the horrors of the 
Nether world. She recalled the day that Hades had stole her away. He seemed 
such a monster to her then, but soon his loneliness touched her. He desired 
solitude, but soon found complete solitude unbearable. He needed her. She 
grew to love him.

Now she found herself in a desperate situation. She was fighting to leave 
her gardens and meadows and return to the barren Nether world. It seemed 
ridiculous, but it was true. She was fighting to return to her love.

She held her fondest memory of Hades in her heart, and the warmth of the 
image grew. It traveled from her still body through the tenuous link across 
the astral plane that connected her to Hisae. Hisae felt it, and reached out 
for it. The demoness, almost to the still form of Rgeisk felt it too. It was 
a pain that coursed through her body, and she dropped Hisae.

Hisae recovered herself and ran back to the castle. It was then that Hades 
appeared in front of her. Hisae stopped cold, feeling his anger. 
Fortunately, it was not directed at her, but at the two demons who stood 
outside the doors to his castle.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed.

Hisae ran to him, and bowed. "My lord," she said and held out her hand.

Hades looked down at her in confusion. He didn't know what to do so her took 
her offered hand, and then he knew all. Hades snatched up the child and, 
removing his helmet, looked deep into her eyes. "Two Persephones," he 
whispered. He closed his eyes and suddenly he was gone. The demons watched 
in astonishment and fear. There was much to do. They were caught.

* * *

Hades appeared in Persephone's hut, still holding Hisae. Hisae became solid 
as he sat her down. Smoke swirled above her head and returned to Persephone 
who awoke. "My lord," she said. She stood quickly, but became dizzy. Hades 
rushed to hold her up.

"My Persephone," he whispered, and then threw off his helmet. There were 
tears in his eyes. He looked to Shinobu. "Two Persephones. Hah! I am doubly 
blest!" He looked back to the goddess he held in his arms. "I have missed 
you all these years," he said.

Persephone straightened herself up, but remained in Hades' arms. She put her 
arms around him. "And I you, my lord," she said. They kissed.

Shinobu brushed a tear from her eye. She looked down and saw Hisae looking 
up at her. "You're the Persephone who is my friend, right?"

Shinobu smiled and picked the little girl up. She was a little girl now and 
not a Shade. Shades cannot survive outside of the Nether world, so Hades 
changed her. Shinobu sat Hisae down on her lap. "Yes, I am your friend, and 
you have been my very best friend."

Hisae nodded, smiling and took the doll Mei from the table. She held it 
tightly in her arms.

Hades and Persephone separated. Hades turned to Shinobu. "I guess that you 
were right after all. I am grateful that you found my Persephone for me." 
Hades stepped back. His face became imperious. He looked to everyone in the 
room and said, "Now I wish to know how you came to be here."

"My lord," Persephone began, "it was the demons. They kidnapped both of us 
and brought us to this plane. There is a field that keeps me trapped here, 
and I'm afraid you might be trapped as well."

Hades went back to Persephone and put his hands on her shoulders. "There is 
nothing that Rgeisk could create to hold me." Hades stepped back. He thought 
and then his face became red with rage. 

"Rgeisk!" he spat. "He did find a way to hold me. He kept me trapped in 
despair and doubt for millennia. Me! His lord and creator. Now the demons 
will be organizing. They will be plotting a means to keep me from returning. 
What a fool I have been!!!"

"We must take our kingdom back!" Persephone said in a surprising show of 
anger.

Hades' face dropped. He went to sit down. Everyone was astonished by his 
sudden change in mood. All the fury had run from his face, now it appeared 
he was ready to give up.

"My lord," Inaba said. "you created the demons, so you can defeat them, 
can't you?"

"Separately they are like small clumps of sand between my fingers, easily 
crushed. But together..."

"You're a god," Shinobu protested. "You're immortal."

Persephone smiled. "We gods live forever, but we can be defeated, even 
killed." She turned to Hades. "But my lord, I don't remember the demons 
being so powerful that you could not easily destroy them."

"They have grown over the years, my precious one. They have grown as I gave 
them more responsibility and control over the Nether world. They have been 
feeding on the woes and miseries of the human world, which have grown great 
without you." 

Hades lowered his head. "I have only become weaker, as all the gods have. 
They have explained us all away, the humans. Lightning is created by the 
ionic friction between swirling masses of water vapor. The sun is a hydrogen 
fusion reaction 93 million miles from Earth. The stars are other suns 
trillions of miles away. No one calls on Zeus or Apollo anymore. 
Fortunately, they still cannot completely explain away death, so I retain 
some authority on Earth."

"I do not feel weakened," Persephone said.

Hades looked up at her. His face brightened. "They tried to explain away 
springtime, but they couldn't do it completely." He looked over to Shinobu 
and Inaba. "There's still something about springtime that seems magical to 
humans." 

Inaba reached over and took Shinobu's hand. She blushed, and lowered her 
eyes. Persephone went to Hades and knelt next to him, sitting in the chair. 
"Has my lord given up all hope?"

He took her hand. "Not all hope. I will fight for my land, I must, but I 
will be alone."

"Not alone, my lord," Persephone said.

"No sir," Inaba spoke up. "We will fight with you."

Hades turned to him. "I appreciate your gesture, but you are just mortals, 
my son. There is nothing you can do."

Just then there was yelling outside. "Come back here, Dahling!"

"Persephone my love, your savior is coming!" came Ataru's voice. He burst 
through the door, but was halted in mid-air by a lightning bolt. He fell to 
the ground in a mass of charred flesh. 

Hades stood up. "The demons have come to attack us here!"

"No, my lord," Persephone protested and took his arm.

Lum came into the room to collect her "Darling". She noticed all the people 
in the room and smiled at them. "Sorry to intrude," she apologized.

"It IS a demon!" Hades shouted and prepared to attack Lum.

Persephone worked to hold him back. Lum looked up from her collecting and 
suddenly noticed Hades in the room. "How did he get here?!"

"It's a long story," Shinobu explained.

Hades realized his mistake. "You're one of the beings that witch gave me and 
I released," Hades said, sitting down.

"They came looking for me," Persephone explained, "and got trapped here too."

Hades turned to Persephone. "I spent a century looking for you and these 
mortals found you in a matter of days?"

"Several of us," Shinobu began, "have --um-- abilities." To illustrate her 
statement, she smashed the table into little splinters with her fist.

Hisae, Hades and Persephone looked at Shinobu in stunned silence. Shinobu 
blushed, smiled and shrugged her shoulders. 

Lum floated further into the room, carrying Ataru. "What's going on?" She 
asked. Ataru recovered and tried to jump at Persephone, but Lum, in almost a 
reflex action zapped him again. 

"And none of you are demons or gods?" Hades asked, still quite astonished. 
He looked down at Ataru, admiring his durability.

Shinobu turned to Lum. "We need everyone's help to fight the demons."

Lum thought about this. "Does this mean that we're leaving? I like living 
with my Dahling."

"But don't you live with him on Earth," Inaba pointed out.

"Yes," Lum admitted, "but that's his parents' home. This is our home." A 
dreamy look came into her eyes as she said, 'our home.' "Besides," Lum 
continued, "there's plenty to eat, and we're immortal here, aren't we? We'll 
be young forever."

Shinobu looked to Inaba and remembered their own conversation about the 
advantages of staying. She thought about leaving her parents and moving to 
the Destiny realm. She wondered if she was ready for that kind of change.

Persephone looked into Shinobu's face and read her thoughts. She looked up 
to Hades. There were many reasons for Persephone not to leave as well. This 
garden world suited her, and now that she wasn't alone anymore, it had 
become a true paradise. She desired to ask Hades to forget the demons and 
stay with her.

Hisae, almost forgotten on Shinobu's lap, realized what was going on. She 
turned, and stood on Shinobu's knees. "The demons are being real mean to us 
Shades. My mama and papa are still there. Aren't you going to save them?"

That was all Persephone needed to hear, and Shinobu as well. "Yes," Shinobu 
said, "we're going to save your parents."

"I'll go get the others," Lum said.

"I'll stay here and guard Persephone," Ataru announced. He leapt, but then 
froze in mid-air. Hades lowered his hand and went over to the frozen Ataru. 
"What is this mortal? Now that I view him closely, he reminds me of someone."

Shinobu was about to answer with a snide comment when, surprisingly, Ataru 
slowly began to move again. Hades stepped back. "How can this be? He is 
breaking my spell."

Suddenly, Ataru was engulfed in electricity. He fell to the ground. Lum came 
over to the pick him up. "There's really only one way to stop him," she 
said. "I'll go tell the others." With Ataru in tow, she left the hut.

Hades stared in astonishment. "The demons have nothing like that."

* * * *

Part V

Megane crept along the wall of one of the Shade's stone houses. He wore the 
leathers of a Greek warrior. Next to him, similarly attired were the rest 
of the guard. Megane cautiously peeked around the corner, on the look out 
for any demons. 

"Hello Manju-sama! I didn't see any demons did you?!" Sugoi exclaimed coming 
around the other way.

Megane fell back against the wall and worked hard to slow his heart back 
down to a reasonable rate. 

"Are you okay?" Sugoi asked, concerned about how pale Megane had gotten. 
"Maybe you should rest. You can lay your head in my lap."

"We are supposed to be QUIET!" Megane shouted. 

"The demons could be anywhere," Chibi added nervously.

"Yeah," Kakugari agreed. "Big horned demons with huge gnashing teeth."

"Ugly ones that smell bad," Pama said.

Sugoi looked around, hoping to see one of these demons. "I don't see 
anything."

"Demons are crafty beings," Megane began. "They know that we are powerful 
and they fear us. No matter, we will find them." He planted his feet and 
pulled out his sword. Wearing a grim look, he continued, "We will seek them 
out, and we will run across them in a dark foreboding place, and then... and 
THEN!..."

"We'll run like Hell," Pama finished.

"Precisely," Megane agreed. Everyone nodded. Megane sheathed his sword and 
said, "Let us admit that we are raw cowards and be done with it."

"I'll admit that!" Chibi said enthusiastically.

"So what do we do? We're supposed to be fighting," Kakugari said.

"And we shall," Megane stated. "However, why should we seek out trouble? I 
propose that we claim this area for Hades, which we have dutifully cleared 
of demons, as all can plainly see, and guard it."

"There were never any demons here to begin with," Sugoi observed.

"Shh, shh, minor point. All in favor of guarding this spot, signify by 
saying, 'Hai.'"

There were five 'hai's.'

"All opposed?"

There was a low-pitched 'Iie.' Everyone froze. They slowly turned around. A 
large slobbering demon with huge gnashing teeth stood behind them. 

"Is this your spot?" Megane asked nervously. "If so, we'd be more than happy 
to move on."

The demon shook his ugly head and snapped his fingers. The ground below them 
opened up and they all disappeared into the hole.

* * *

Sakura and Tsubame, Ryoko and Tobimaru, Shutaro and Asuka were exploring 
another part of the Shade village. All were dressed for battle. Sakura and 
Ryoko had numerous wards in hand and were prepared for any onslaught. Mendo 
had his sword ready.

However, there was nothing in sight. There were no Shades and certainly no 
demons. "I do not like this," Sakura observed.

"Nor I," Tsubame added. 

"I can feel their aura all around us," Ryoko said. 

"It seems darker than it was before," Mendo observed with a hint of tension 
in his voice.

"Yes, dark and sinister," Tobimaru observed. "I wish there was something to 
fight."

"That is why the Nether world is such a wonderful place," came a voice. "All 
your wishes can be granted."

Everyone turned toward the voice. A smiling imp was crouched on the eves of 
one the Shade's huts. 

Mendo stepped forward. "Come down here and face my blade, demon!"

"Now why would I want to do that?" The imp asked.

"To avoid my wards!" Sakura answered and tossed one at it. The ward smacked 
the imp square in the forehead.

With an annoyed look, the imp pulled the ward off. "Stupid witch," he said. 
"Where are you going to banish me to? The Nether world?"

"Oops," Sakura laughed nervously.

"You seem to be saying that a lot," Ryoko observed cynically.

"Well, enough fun," the imp said and snapped his fingers. As before, a hole 
opened up below them and they all fell in. 

* * *

Lum, Ataru, Benten, Jariten and Oyuki were stealthily making their way 
toward the demon's caves. It was rather distressing that there were no 
demons in plain view. 

"I thought we were going into battle," Benten said. "This is boring."

"I too understood that we would be attacked here," Oyuki observed.

"I knew that you wouldn't be afraid," Ataru cooed to Oyuki, putting his arm 
around her shoulder. "I hope that'll you'll be able to protect me."

Suddenly Ataru was surrounded by a sheet of ice. Oyuki stepped away from 
him. 

"Well, you've been attacked," Jariten said to Oyuki. "The idiot."

"It was the demons who were my chief concern."

Lum blew up the ice around Ataru. "Dahling," she said. "I expect you to 
behave yourself." She gave him a behavior modification zap.

Ataru recovered quickly and shouted at Lum with indignation, "Behave 
myself?! Behave myself?! You pull me away from my dearest Persephone, the 
woman that I plan to marry, and as if you hadn't punished me enough, you 
have to electrocute me! How can I behave myself? Don't you understand the 
urges that drive a man?!"

"I understand them all too well. You can't marry Persephone. You're going to 
marry me!" Lum protested.

"Of course," Ataru agreed.

Lum was stunned. "Dah-ling?"

Ataru continued, "And Oyuki and Benten, and Sakura, and Ryoko, and..." ZAP!

"I saw that coming a mile off," Benten said.

"As did I," Oyuki agreed, then turning to Lum, she said, "I do not 
understand why you continue to put up with it."

"Because he's my Dahling," Lum explained brightly, and picked him up. Benten 
and Oyuki sighed.

Benten stopped to study their surroundings. "Something's watchin' us," she 
whispered, and drew her gun. Everyone became wary. There was nothing to be 
seen.

"The demons do not believe they can fight us so they seek to trap us," Oyuki 
said. "They are lying in wait."

"A fuckin' ambush, huh?" Benten said. She grinned. "I don't care what they 
want to try as long as they get on with it!"

Three demons appeared, circling them. They looked very confident. "You have 
no power against us here," one said.

Benten grinned. "Yes! Targets!"

The demon who spoke was quite surprised to see a rocket heading rapidly 
toward his head. The other two demons also found themselves unready for 
their respective sudden changes in environment. It seems that not only don't 
demons have much resistance to electricity, they are also completely 
vulnerable to cold, and high explosives.

Benten studied what was left of her target. "Not much, are they," she 
observed.

"There is almost certainly more than these three," Oyuki said.

"I hope so," Benten replied. She slung her gun over her shoulder.

"I wonder why they only sent three after us," Jariten thought out loud.

* * *

Shinobu held onto Inaba's arm as they walked through the palace of Hades. 
Hades and Persephone walked in front of them. It was very quiet and dark. 
Hades stopped and looked around. There was anger and confusion on his face. 

"Rgeisk! Show yourself!" he bellowed. The palace shook with the power of his 
voice. Shinobu and Inaba had to cover their ears. "Rgeisk!" Hades called 
again. There was still no answer. "He hides from me," Hades said evenly.

"He knows that he cannot defeat you openly," Persephone said.

"He plots and he plans. He devises some trick or trap to capture and destroy 
the great Hades." Hades turned and called out again. "I am the Lord of this 
realm, Rgeisk! You cannot defeat me! I created you! You all will pay with 
oblivion!" Hades paused to let the echo reverberate throughout the palace. 
He listened for a reply. There was none.

"Your only option now," he called out again, "is how much I'll make you 
suffer before I wipe you out. Give yourselves up!"

Rgeisk appeared before Hades. Thirty-six demons appeared with him. Rgeisk 
bowed. "My Lord," he said, "you called and we come. How may we serve?"

"I know all now, Rgeisk. I have no forgiveness for you. You will assemble 
the demons on the plains. I will make their destruction quick."

Rgeisk looked stunned. "Destruction, my Lord? How could you wish such a 
thing on we who have been such faithful servants for all these millennia?"

"Servants?" Hades scoffed. "You sought to use me. It was you who stole away 
my Persephone, leaving me in my despair. I have no mercy for you. Assemble 
your demons, Rgeisk."

Rgeisk stood. There was a gleam in his eyes. Shinobu noticed that he no 
longer flinched at the sound of his name. Rgeisk oozed confidence. He smiled 
slightly as he looked between Shinobu and Persephone. Shinobu moved to the 
protection of Inaba. "They do look very much alike, don't they," Rgeisk 
observed. He then looked to Hades. "I think that there are some rules that 
you have overlooked," he said. 

The other demons laughed harshly. It made Shinobu freeze. Shinobu felt Hisae 
hold her leg very tightly. Shinobu bent down to pick Hisae up.

"I am not in the mood to play games, Rgeisk," Hades said. "Your time is at 
an end!" Hades drew himself up. He seemed to grow very large. A aura of 
power grew about him. With a wave of his hand, he roared, "Be gone!" The 
walls shook with the power of his voice. The other demons quaked in fear, 
but Rgeisk stood confidently.

Hades' aura lessened. There was a look of confusion on his face.

Rgeisk took a breath. "Only the ruler of this realm can dismiss its denizens 
in that fashion," he said plainly.

Hades narrowed on Rgeisk. "What have you done?"

"Only what I had to do to protect this realm," Rgeisk said. "As you should 
remember the Nether world exists, or should I say existed by the power of 
your will. When you left so abruptly earlier you neglected to cast the 
appropriate spells to maintain it, and bind it to you. It was falling apart 
before my eyes. I had to do something. It was a great sacrifice, but now I 
am the lord of this realm."

Persephone gasped. Hades simply crossed his arms, and stared at Rgeisk. 
"Indeed. I am so reassured that you were here. Now you will relinquish 
control back to me."

Rgeisk blinked. "You know," Rgeisk said, "at first I had fully intended to 
do just that. The weight of maintaining this realm was almost too much for 
me to bear. I have to admit that some things did slip, a few of my brothers 
didn't quite make it, and I have misplaced the Shades somewhere, but so much 
power feeds into the ruler of this realm that I can quite manage now, and I 
believe that I rather enjoy it." 

Rgeisk began to laugh. As Hades did before, he drew himself up and seemed to 
grow massively in size. A bright aura grew about him. "Gods!" he bellowed 
mockingly. "I have your power now. To think that you had such abilities all 
this time and have squandered them. You let the mortals forget you and 
explain you away. No more! The mortals and Olympus too will quake at our 
might!"

"You can't defeat the gods," Persephone protested.

"The gods?" Rgeisk laughed. "What gods? They are all faded away. The only 
god with power was Hades and I have just taken his power for myself. As Zeus 
took the power of Cronos, and Cronos the power of Uranus, so I take the 
power of my lord! Demons will rule in the place of the gods, as the gods 
supplanted the titans. On your knees before my power!" Rgeisk pointed toward 
Hades and power leapt from his hand. 

Hades put up his arm and an invisible shield blocked the shot. Persephone 
waved her arm and they all disappeared. 

"I am the Lord of this realm now, Hades!" Rgeisk yelled. "You can't run from 
me!" Then he and his demons disappeared also.

* * *

A small blue flame worked feebly to drive away the darkness. Tsubame stood 
and tried to see where he was. He brushed himself off. He was still a bit 
sore from the fall. Tsubame looked up. The light of the flame that burned 
magically on his finger didn't illuminate much.

He turned and found himself face to face with a ghostly image. "We appear to 
be trapped." the image moaned.

Tsubame yelped and lost his concentration. He fell backwards over something 
lying on the floor and landed on top of another body, who also yelped.

"Tsubame, darling, are you all right?" Sakura said. She rushed to him and 
also tripped over the body on the floor. She fell forward and landed on top 
of him. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Mendo Shutaro, who was knocked unconscious by his fall, was twice roughly 
disturbed to alertness. He opened his eyes, and quickly noted that all was 
black before him. "It's dark!" he yelled, and stood quickly. "It's real 
dark! I'm frightened! Help! It's dark!" He ran off screaming. 

About this time, Asuka awoke. There was a body on her. "Hello," she said 
cautiously, and tapped it. The body stirred, and groaned. It groaned with a 
man's voice. "A man!" Asuka shouted in alarm. She stood up, throwing 
Tobimaru hard against the opposite wall. She too ran off screaming. "Fianc, 
brother, help me! A man!"

Tsubame created the blue flame again. Sakura looked into his eyes, and 
caressed his cheek. "I'm glad you're all right," she said softly.

"It's good to see you too," he said and started to move up to kiss her. 

He stopped suddenly, when glancing to the side they both saw Ryoko's face 
staring angrily at them. "I'm sorry to break this up, but my brother and my 
fiancé's sister are chasing through the darkness and we are at war and all."

Sakura coughed and stood up. "Yes, of course." she said. "We should go and 
look for them."

"Yes, -- uh -- certainly, we should." Tsubame agreed. He stood and brushed 
himself off again. They could hear Tobimaru groaning in pain at the far 
wall. Under Tsubame's light they could make out a faint silhouette. Ryoko 
ran to it.

"Ton-chan, are you all right?"

"I need to get a new sister," Tobimaru groaned, trying to get up. Ryoko 
helped him. 

Tsubame and Sakura came over to them. 

"I thought it was bad when we were trapped in the Nether world," Ryoko said. 
"Now we're actually trapped below the Nether world."

"Our affairs do seem to have worsened," Sakura agreed.

"So are all your wards worthless, or only the one's that you use?" Ryoko 
asked sarcastically.

Sakura seemed to ignore her. "We must be off to find Mendo and Asuka, as 
well as a way out."

* * *

Using a flashlight that Pama had brought, the guard were gathered in a 
circle on the ground discussing their current situation. Light shining on 
the underside of their faces gave their conversation a sinister feel.

"We seem to have suffered a minor setback," Megane observed.

"We could be trapped her forever!" Chibi shouted.

"We'll slowly starve to death, rotting away to nothing!" Kakugari said.

"One of our company may be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to 
provide food for the rest of the company," Megane explained, "but that is 
not our chief concern."

"Oh?" said Pama skeptically. "What do you think our chief problem is?"

Fear crossed Megane's face as he looked side to side. "I can't see where 
Sugoi is," he whispered.

"You're worried for me! I'm right here, Manju-sama!" she squealed latching 
onto his arm. Megane screamed in terror and stood. Suddenly, Mendo came into 
view, frantically proclaiming his fear of the dark, and slammed into Megane. 
Both of them fell roughly to the ground. 

They were about to get up, when Asuka, frantically proclaiming her fear of 
men, ran into them. She picked up Megane, noticed he was a man and slammed 
him into a wall. She almost did the same to Mendo, but then realized who he 
was and hugged him tightly. "Protect me, fianc!" she shouted, hugging the 
life out of him. "There are men everywhere here."

"Manju-sama!" Sugoi exclaimed, and rushed to tend the injured Megane. 

Pama turned to Kakugari. "Do you think our situation's gotten better or 
worse?"

Kakugari turned to Chibi, who nodded. He turned back to Pama. "Worse," he 
answered plainly. All three of them crossed their arms, bowed their heads, 
and sighed.

* * *

The ground shook and there was a great rumbling. Benten, Lum, Oyuki, Jariten 
and Ataru looked up toward the castle. Benten, who had quite given up on 
seeing anything interesting, perked up a little.

"Something has got to be happening somewhere," she said, with a glimmer of 
hope.

"Indeed. There seems to be some occurrences in the castle," Oyuki agreed.

"You mean they could actually be fighting there?" Ataru asked, a little 
nervous.

"Yeah," Benten said and pulled out a large mega-rifle from no where. "It's 
time to kick some demon butt, at last!" She started to run toward one of the 
walkways up to the castle.

"I believe that our friend Benten has chosen a course of action for us, but 
perhaps a shortcut would be preferable," Oyuki said and glided over to one 
of the small huts. She opened the door. Behind it was a mystical land. Ran 
was sitting in a tree with Rei, tossing candied eggs into his mouth.

"Ran!" Lum yelled. "I wondered where you went. You're supposed to be 
fighting with us!"

Startled, Ran turned quickly toward them. "Hah, hah, Lum, Oyuki, it's good 
that you found us. Some terrible demons put us here," Ran explained.

"Save it." Lum said dryly.

Ataru rushed through the door, and leapt into the tree, "Ran-chan, I missed 
you!" Rei batted him back through the door. Ran and Rei jumped down from the 
tree and came penitently out the door.

Oyuki closed the door, and then opened it again. This time it was opened to 
a dark hall in the castle. They all went through and Oyuki closed the door 
behind them. 

Just then the main doors exploded open and Benten rushed in. She was quite 
out of breath. She was surprised to see everyone already there. She lowered 
her gun and marched over to Oyuki. "I hate you," she said.

"You could have waited," Oyuki replied.

The castle shook again, and they could hear Rgeisk yelling, "I'm the Lord of 
this realm now, Hades! You can't run from me!"

"That doesn't sound good," Ataru commented.

"Perhaps we should go find the others first," Ran said and with Rei she 
started to turn.

"No," Lum said, grabbing the back of Ran's dress. "We'll go on."

Benten started to walk forward, "Here, demon, demon..." she called out.

"Benten!" Lum protested.

"I want something to shoot!" Benten complained.

Rgeisk appeared before them, his demons behind him. "More gnats in my 
realm!" he bellowed.

"He seems much bigger than I remember," Ataru commented.

"Easier to hit," Benten said maliciously, and aimed.

* * *

Hades, Persephone, Shinobu, Inaba, and Hisae appeared in the grand courtroom 
of the castle. 

"Is what he says possible, my lord?" Persephone asked. 

"I no longer feel the weight of the realm. I am no longer its lord," Hades 
admitted. He stood. "I would never have thought such a spell possible. 
Rgeisk must have been working on it for centuries. To think that they are my 
creation. I could not imagine such deceit."

"Was it true that the Nether world fell apart when you left?" Shinobu asked.

Hades sat in his throne. "There are many spells that I must cast in order to 
leave this realm. I was in a rush. Many important things were on my mind." 
He smiled at Persephone. "It is so good to have you back. This realm means 
nothing without you."

"But my parents!" Hisae spoke up, but she shrank back when she caught Hades 
eye.

Hades smiled warmly and nodded. "Yes, your parents. Do not worry. Their 
disappearance is only temporary. I can bring them back, once I regain this 
realm."

"How can we do that?" Shinobu asked. "Rgeisk seems so powerful now. You 
couldn't banish him."

Hades laughed. He laughed loudly and long. "There is more than one way to 
banish a demon, my dear. Did no one ever tell you to never trust the words 
of a demon?"

"But isn't he the ruler of the realm now?" Inaba asked. "That's what you 
said."

"What's left of it," Hades corrected. "He's lost most of it already. He's 
feeling the power now, but it's leftover power. My leftover power. He's 
feeling strong because he's getting a greater share of my power than he 
usually does. He is still not an independent being. He survives by feeding 
off of the Nether world, and I am no longer regenerating it. I can't until 
he lets go."

"Are you saying that he's won the war for us?" Persephone asked.

Hades nodded. "Yes. It is only a matter of time now. The more power he uses 
the faster his time runs out."

"How long then?" Shinobu asked.

Hades paused to think. "I can't say. I suppose it could be days."

Suddenly there was the sound of an explosion in the hall. Everyone stood to 
take notice.

"Would that be him coming for us?" Inaba asked nervously.

"No," Hades said. "He would appear here before he attacked."

There came another much closer explosion, and Rgeisk burst into the room at 
a mad dash. He was only four feet tall now. There was another explosion 
directly behind him, and another. He tried to pick up speed. 

Benten burst into the room; rocket launcher at the ready. She fired again 
and this time the explosion caught Rgeisk. He was knocked forward. "Got ya! 
Ya bastard! Take a swipe at me will ya!"

Rgeisk got to his feet. He was only three feet tall now. He had a look of 
dread fear as he watched Benten approach him, then he noticed Hades. "My 
Lord," he squeaked, "What is happening to me?!"

"Or it could take a few minutes," Hades said and began to walk over to 
Rgeisk. He bent over and spoke to him as if he was speaking to a child. 
"Something go wrong with your plans?"

"Where's the power?! How did you take it away from me?!"

Hades straightened up and breathed a contented sigh. He shook his head. "My 
poor misguided demon. I created you, remember. How can the creation be 
greater than the creator? I can't create something greater than myself. The 
concept doesn't even make sense. You need me to survive, but you rejected 
me. How did you expect to live?"

Rgeisk was only two feet tall now. "But all the power? There was so much!"

"The reason you lost all the Demons and the Shades was because you were 
feeding off the power I gave them. Now they're all gone you have nothing 
left to draw from."

"Save me, My Lord!" Rgeisk pleaded, his rate of shrinking was increasing.

"Now you understand," Hades said. "I glad that at the last, you understood. 
But Death plays no favorites."

Persephone came up behind Hades, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Be 
merciful, my lord. Oblivion is too terrible a fate, even for him."

"It is what he chose. He has done this to himself. Why should I intervene? 
And why do you want mercy? He imprisoned you."

Persephone turned. "I know, but it wasn't oblivion. He didn't understand 
what he was doing. I beg you to be merciful."

Hades took Persephone's head gently in his hand. He looked into her eyes. 
"I've missed you so. You warm even my cold heart. I will do as you ask." 
Hades put out his hand over the place were Rgeisk had been. He was too small 
to be seen now.

Suddenly, he reappeared at his normal height, but at the moment he appeared 
crystals spread throughout the castle, and then throughout the realm. 

"What happened?" Inaba exclaimed, coming forward. "Everything's turned to 
ice."

"I have released your realm, my lord," Rgeisk said and knelt before Hades. 
"If a demon can be truly sorry, I am." 

"It's so beautiful," Shinobu said. 

Oyuki, Lum, Jariten and Ataru came through the great doors. They were 
staring in awe at their surroundings. 

"I approve," Oyuki commented.

"Persephone-sama," Ataru called and came rushing toward her. However, he 
lost his footing, and fell to his knees. His arms were still outstretched as 
he slid right by her. "I'm yours forever," he said as he passed. He 
eventually slammed into a wall, which cracked at his impact. 

"Dahling!" Lum called out and flew over to him. "Are you okay?"

"He *does* remind me of someone," Hades thought out loud.

* * *

With Sugoi helping by phasing through walls, the others finally found their 
way out of the dungeons of the Nether world. Megane was the first to reach 
the surface. He stopped cold.

His stop was so sudden that Chibi ran right into him, and then Pama and 
finally Kakugari. Sugoi was curious as to what was going on, so she went up 
ahead. She squealed with delight when she saw what Megane saw. At this point 
Megane also made a sound, but it had nothing to do with delight. It was 
closer to pure terror.

"It's our wedding day!" Sugoi exclaimed.

"Wedding day?" Sakura said coming up to the front.

"Uh huh," Sugoi nodded enthusiastically. "Manju-sama promised."

Megane made another sound, but it didn't sound quite human.

Sakura looked out over the frozen plain in shock. Soon everyone else had 
come to the surface. "How could this happen?" Ryoko asked.

Sakura raised her spirit wand. "The Nether world has no ruler," she stated. 
"It is in a state of suspension." 

"It's frozen!" Sugoi corrected, bouncing around. "Hell has frozen over!"

"Ga -- ga -- ga," Megane responded to the frozen realm.

"What's the matter with him?" Kakugari asked.

"Oy?!" Pama called into Megane's ear, "What's wrong!?"

"Ga -- ga -- ga -- ga," Megane responded.

"I'm getting married! I'm getting married!" Sugoi sang out. She grabbed 
Megane's arms and tried to get him to dance with her. He wasn't very 
responsive.

"Ga -- ga -- ga."

Mendo turned to Tobimaru. "I wish that just for one second in my life I knew 
what the Hell was going on."

Tobimaru nodded. "Me too."

"I'm getting married! I'm getting married!"

"Ga - ga - gaaah."

* * *

Persephone and Hades stood hand in hand at the edge of the mesa, outside of 
Hades' castle. They looked out over the crystalline realm. The others stood 
behind. 

"It's beautiful," Persephone said. 

Hades nodded.

There was actually a lot of hand holding going on. It seemed to be the thing 
to do. Inaba held Shinobu's hand. Ran held Rei's. Even Ataru was standing 
with Lum. 

Lum was enjoying the moment. "You know Dahling," Lum began. "We Uruseians 
have long memories."

Ataru suddenly became tense.

"Didn't you say you'd take me on a real date when Hell froze over?"

Ataru became even tenser, but then softened up. "How does a movie sound?" he 
said without turning.

"Oh Dahling!" she squealed, and lunged toward him. She knocked him off 
balance and with a yelp they both slid off the mesa. Every gasped and came 
rushing up to see what happened.

Soon Lum and Ataru floated back up, in a warm embrace. However, the tender 
moment was suddenly broken when a familiar sounding voice called out, 
"Persephone dearest! I'm here to rescue you!"

From out of no where, Ataru came rushing up and made a leap for Persephone. 
Hades pulled her aside at the last second and Ataru flew off the side of the 
mesa. Everyone watched the event in astonishment. 

Lum pulled her head back to see who she was embracing. It certainly looked 
like Ataru. Ataru was quite surprised too. They flew back to the mesa and 
settled down. Everyone was peering over the side of the mesa to see where 
the other Ataru had gone.

"It sure did look like him," Benten commented.

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't," Ataru said, but he didn't sound altogether 
certain.

Shinobu felt a tap on her shoulder and she yelped in panic. She turned 
quickly. Ataru was standing behind her and smiling. "Your very pretty," he 
said. "Would you go out with me?"

"But, aren't you...?" Shinobu said and glanced over at the Ataru who was 
with Lum.

Ataru came marching over. "Now wait just a second," he said bearing down on 
the other Ataru. "First of all, here's only one of me, and secondly that's 
my girl you're propositioning."

Ataru turned into a mouse. "Not any more," his mirror replied.

"By Olympus!" Hades exclaimed with delight. "I knew I recognized that boy. 
And to think I didn't know my own brother. Zeus! By the seven sisters, it's 
great to see you!" They embraced.

"Zeus?" Inaba and Shinobu said simultaneously.

Lum scooped up Ataru-mouse. "I'm very confused," Lum said. Ataru-mouse 
squeaked in agreement.

"I heard that you were having some trouble," Zeus said, and looked around. 
"I see that what I heard was true."

"It was," Hades admitted. "But everything has been resolved."

Zeus nodded and went to Shinobu. He turned to Hades. "I see you have two 
Persephones now. Couldn't I have one?" He turned back to Shinobu. "Say yes 
and I'll make you a goddess, and my wife!"

"YOU ALREADY HAVE A WIFE!" yelled a voice from out of the sky. A lightning 
bolt struck Zeus, who collapsed with a wretched scream. Everyone looked up. 
Sure enough, Lum (or someone who looked like Lum) came swooping down and 
picked Zeus up. She stopped in front of Persephone, and smiled brightly. 
"It's so good to have you back." 

"Thank you Aunt Hera," Persephone responded and looked down demurely. 

She locked eyes with Hades. He stepped back. "You had better take care of 
her this time!" she accused him.

Hades nodded, and averted his eyes.

"Come along, Darling," she said to Zeus and flew off with him.

Lum fainted.

Benten turned to Oyuki. She slung her bazooka over her shoulder. "Yep, it's 
gotten plenty weird around here for me."

"I must agree. I believe that it is time for us to depart."

"Hell yes!" Benten agreed.

* * *

About a month later, Shinobu was walking with Inaba to their favorite coffee 
shop. They stopped when they heard a woman clearing her throat behind them. 

They turned to see Persephone. Shinobu's eyes grew wide. "One-chan!" she 
exclaimed, and rushed to Persephone. They embraced. 

"I missed you too," Persephone said warmly.

Inaba came forward. "It is good to see you, Miss Persephone," Inaba said and 
bowed. 

Persephone giggled. "No need to be so formal." She turned to Shinobu. "I 
have really missed you. I had forgotten how pretty I looked."

Shinobu stepped back and blushed. "Your much prettier than I am," Shinobu 
said.

"She is not!" Inaba protested. "You're twice as pretty as..." He looked up 
to see Persephone beaming at him and covered his mouth. He bowed. "I'm 
sorry, Miss Persephone."

"No need to apologize, my little rabbit. I quite agree. She is three times 
as pretty as I am."

Shinobu really blushed this time. "I'm not pretty, I'm plain," Shinobu 
whispered.

Persephone shook her head. "If you're going to be spending your time with 
goddesses we are definitely going to have to work on your self-confidence. 
I believe you were going to get something to eat. May I come?"

"Of course," Shinobu said. "But we weren't going to anyplace fancy."

"Did you consider my hut to be fancy?"

"No." Shinobu admitted reluctantly.

"Then why should we go something fancy now? Lead the way."

They started walking down the street. A thought occurred to Shinobu. "What 
did you mean 'hanging around with goddesses?'"

"You don't think that you can be queen of the Nether world and then go back 
to just being a plain mortal, do you? I've been telling the girls on Olympus 
all about you and they're just itching to meet you."

"But I am a plain mortal," Shinobu protested. "I was never really queen of 
the Nether world. It was just a mistake."

Persephone smiled. "Was it? You drank the wine of Olympus, didn't you? How 
plain do you think you still are?" 

Shinobu stopped. She feared the worst. "What do you mean?"

Persephone hugged Shinobu. "Maybe I'd better give you some more time to 
think about it. I'll give you another hint in about three hundred years." 
She stepped back. "Bye now," she said and disappeared. "Call for me, 
whenever you just want to sit and talk," Persephone's voice rang out, and 
then was gone.

Shinobu was very confused. Inaba put a hand on her shoulder. "What do you 
suppose she meant by that?"

"I'm too scared to think, but I do know one thing," she said.

"What's that?"

"One-chan?" Shinobu called out.

Persephone's face appeared in mid-air. "Yes?"

"I thought you were going to the coffee shop with us."

"Are you sure you still want me?" Persephone asked.

Shinobu nodded.

Persephone reappeared, and the three walked together hand in hand down 
toward the coffee shop. "Remind me to teach you how to dimension travel, so 
you can visit me some time," Persephone said.

"I can do that?!" Shinobu exclaimed.

"I told you," Persephone said. "There's all kinds of things that you can do 
now."