Chapter One: Two is Company, Three is Triplets . . .

Mana also affects people. Wizards quickly develop lots of quirks from manipulating the stuff. One man in London always gets the same driver when ever he calls for a cab. A wizard in the CAF has gotten accurate predictions from his fortune cookies each time he buys Chinese food. A woman in Crystal Tokyo has the absolute inability to operate an automobile. Many mage-gifted just become otaku of one stripe or another.

But here's what you may not have known: mana affects bloodlines. Usually this happens if one or more of the parents are wizards. All this mana usage changes their blood somewhat, making them prone to having the talents of their parents. Most of this can be explained by heredity, no doubt, but here come the kicker: IF THE CHILDREN KEEP MARRYING WIZARDS THEN THE END PRODUCT IS WHAT IS REFERED TO AS A MANA SPONGE!

These mana sponges are unusually talented youngsters who seem to have near endlesss mana reserves. In reality, the sponges will soak up any excess mana in the vicinity, channeling it unconsiously. In low mana enviroments, such as deep space, these children are nearly helpless relying on their smaller natural reserves to use their powers.

Currently there are a few dozen families of wizards that have no Dark Kingdom, Nemesite, or alien blood. Even so, there are some families that are fully human and high powered through some other means than being a sponge. The Mazaels, for example, use the phenomenon known as spellweaving to cast spells even in low mana enviroments. Their last remaining member, one Michael Robert Maxwell, would be a good man for any sponges to seek out to learn this technique. Getting back to sponges themselves, one family made up of such children is the McIntyre-Murainos. Our narative will focus on this family as we visit them one fine summer morning.

School has been off for a few days already and the children are finally getting into the routine of summer holidays. Summer holidays? Aren't those in September? This is Japan, isn't it? My dear, dear reader! Don't you remember the Great School Board Decision of 2437? The schools get to pick and choose between two different schedules, one the traditional and one slightly different. Sakurada Haruna Memorial School chose the latter. Now stop protesting and let's get into the narrative.

Journal Of Leia Organa McIntyre-Muraino, June 22 3004

"At long last our vacation has come, we have weeks of no school! Don't worry, Journal. Summer holidays won't mean we're doing nothing. Mom's just enrolled us in a class on basic magic. It's only an hour or two each day, but it's something to do. Our cousin, Lazurite, is teaching it. Luke and I happily await the prospect of getting instruction on this field though Mara is less than overjoyed at more classes. Even so, she does understand its usefulness.

"I worry about Luke sometimes. Lately he's been mumbling about showing someone up. I'm afraid that it's Alan. You would think that the two would be the best of friends since they're practically the only boys in the so-called Brat Pack but they've been at each other since Luke could talk. Lately, though, it's been getting worse.

"As usual Mara is trying to become more proficient in warfare. Right now she's learning the many nuances of kendo from cousin Daisuke. She's also been gazing through her latest issue of Senshi of Fortune numerous times. The subscription to it was a birthday present from our esteemed, soon to be our teacher, cousin Lazu. I think she's getting ready to start stockpiling weapons.

"I think the present Luke recieved, a publication called Conspiracy Theorist, has warped his mind somewhat. He's been doing tests on the city's water regularly. He's also been begging Aunt Ti to tell him the ingredients of wixxel grease. It seems that his magazine will pay very good money for that secret. As I said before, I worry about him.

"As for myself, I am a bit embarassed to reveal that I am beginning to think of Uncle Pyrite romantically. I mean, he has a great mind and even though he's not as gorgeous as some men, he still is cute in a quiet unassuming way. Of course, since he's already married and way older than I am it's a hopeless cause. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to work as a lab assistant for him and Dad though. Hey, it's a job.

"This morning, while my siblings and I are at lessons, Cousin Hematite will be flying in from the Wisconsin Republic for six weeks vacation from college. Pretty much my entire extended family will be picnicing on Mom and Aunt Ti's lawns. It's gonna be cool but I better stop writing now as it's almost time for our first class. Wish me luck!"

Leia McIntyre-Muraino set down her pen, hid the journal underneath the mattress of her bed, and gave one last check in the mirror at the blue-violet braids piled on her head. Her hair was almost waist length but she prefered to keep it plaited and pinned so it resembled somewhat of a crown. Even so, she would have balked at any attempt to wear it in the cinnamon roll fashion of her namesake.

Leia, like all of the McIntyre-Muraino children older than the younger twins, had her own room, although it was not incredibly big. Her parents believed that each child should have their own piece of space by the time they were in junior high. Actually, Ben and Anakin had stayed together almost a year longer than their older siblings had. Leia reasoned that it was because they had no real close friends but each other. Their older siblings had other bratpack members their own age but Ben and Anakin were quite alone.

As she climbed down the steps, the wonderful smells of her mother cooking assaulted her nose. Blueberries, she smelled blueberries. Muffins perhaps? It could be pancakes but the was betting on the former. And did she smell eggs? Poking her head into the kitchen, she smiled at being right. The entire family, which the name of clan would be accurate enough, was gathered around the table.

Leia watched her mother tap her father on the shoulder. Even the smell of breakfast couldn't wake her father when he was reading. Today, Leia noticed, it was "Contact." She fancied her father had read the novel enough times that he could recite it in his sleep. And why not? Brendan Muraino had idolised Carl Sagan ever since he was a little kid watching Cosmos. He had once told Leia that Cosmos and Star Wars were what made him want to be a scientist, maybe even an inventor. Brendan acknowledged that he was no Hawking, but he was happy tinkering with things, and with a friend to work with, what could be better?

Both sets of twins, Artoo and Threepio, Ben and Anakin, were talking to each other. The girls probably were discussing their friend's upcoming visit, but Leia hadn't the faintest idea about the boys. She thought of eavesdropping but then chided herself. The certainly wasn't polite, espescially at the dinner table. And if Leia didn't set an example for her siblings, who would?

She grabbed a platefull of food, and settled next to her co-triplets. Uh-oh, Mara had that look on her face, the one she wore before she'd bug Luke. Leia hated her siblings' fighting but could do nothing to stop it. Mara would mention something concerning Sylvite or Alan, Luke would respond angrily, and soon they would be fighting. Such things tended to ruin breakfast so Leia knew she had to act fast. "Sylvite seemed very happy to see you at the double feature yesterday evening, Luke. _Now_ aren't you glad we dragged you there?"

He nodded. "'Casablanca' wasn't as bad as I'd thought it would be and the interactive Dracula flick made it all worth it."

Mara grinned evilly. "But I noticed that lover boy here didn't even try to make his move on La Blue Girl during the films. Maybe Cape Boy will win her, after all."

Luke started to seethe. "Don't you dare call Syl-chan that! She's not a perverted ninja!"

"I bet you wish you were a tentacle everytime you sit by her, kissy-lips!"

"Them's fighting words, Kali Mara!"

"Children, breakfast is no time to fight." Leia gave her siblings a withering look. "Alan winning is nonsense, Mara. You know what Alan's like.

He's like whatshisname on Mom's anime tapes-"

"-Kuno-" Luke supplied.

"-oblivious to everything. And Luke, she may annoy you, but don't call her the name of a Hindu demon." She glanced at the clock. "By the way, we're going to be late if we don't go in five minutes. Artoo?"

"Yes, Leia?"

"Can I borrow Larrie today? I promise I'll take good care of her."

"Ask the girl herself." Artoo guestured to the laptop beside her.

"Larrie?"

"Sounds fine to me." The smooth tones of Majel Barrett-Rodenberry issued forth from the AI. "We can talk on the way."

Ten minutes later the triplets were trudging through the woods that divided their farm from Crystal Tokyo. Leia pulled the laptop from her satchel, and concentrated. All at once she felt the odd tingle she always got from working with circuitry.

LEIA? It was more than thought but less than speaking. To a cyber-telepath like Leia, it sort of felt like words printed on a screen were inputed right into her brain.

YES, LARRIE?

I HAD THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO TALK WITH ME. Somehow the computer seemed self-satisfied and Leia had an urge to stick out her tongue. AND FROM THE READOUT I'M GETTING, YOUR HORMONES ARE BUZZING.

I WANT FILE SPOSHI1.MOV, PLEASE. AND PERHAPS RAIFOR2.WAV.

YOU KNOW I WANT SOMETHING IN RETURN, M'DEAR.

OKAY, WHOM IS IT THIS TIME?

D'YOU GOT ONE OF SYL-CHAN AT THE BEACH?

LAST SUMMER. IS THIS FOR YOUR DADDY?

LET'S JUST SAY I'LL EMAIL HIM A COPY. HE SENT ME THE SPOSHI SERIES,

YOU KNOW. WHAT A LOVING PARENT TO SEND ME FILES THAT COMBINE TWO OF MY

INTEREST: THE PLEASURES OF THE ENTERPRISE AND THE PLEASURES OF THE CIRCUITRY.

ISN'T THAT "PLEASURES OF THE FLESH?"

I'M A COMPUTER, CHILD. NOW HOLD TIGHT . . . and Leia felt the last summer's memory copied and downloaded into her friend's hard drive. Right after, she felt the presence of two new documents in her mind. Like always, she felt a bit of a voyeur when this happened.

MUCH OBLIGED. RAIFORI2 WILL BE USEFULL DURING CLASS IN CASE I GET

BORED.

WHAT ABOUT SPOSHI1?

LATER, LARRIE, LATER. YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I THAT HUMANS ATTEND TO

THOSE DOCUMENTS ALONE.

The computer giggled. WHO'D OF THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD BE THE ONE TO

ENJOY SUCH THINGS.

IT'S HOW I DEAL WITH THE ZOO THAT IS MY SIBLINGS. HAVEN'T YOU EVER

WONDERED HOW WHATSHERFACE FROM MOM'S VIDS-

* KASUMI-

* ACTS SO CALM? I NEED SOMETHING TO KEEP ME FROM GOING MAD. ANYWAY,

THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION ISN'T SINGLE. Leia glanced around her suroundings. HMMM, CTU ALREADY? I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER.

"Okay class" said Lazurite "Today we are going to cast illusions and glamours. Listen very carefully . . . " Someone once said that her teaching style was like watching Harry Anderson on stage. As Lazu had never seen him she really had no idea if there was truth in that statement. After she finished her lecture she decided to check if this was a good audience. "Now lets all try it out."

She surveyed the room. Her younger semi-cousin Luke was mumbling something about vengeance to himself. "Okay, Luke. You can go first.

The fifteen year old whirlwind scampered up to the front. "I am the eggman, goo," He shifted into a Humpty-like figure. "They are the eggmen, goo," The rest of the class came to resemble him in oviod form. "I am the walrus! Goo goo gjoob!!" He became an anthromorphized version of that tusked mammal and started to run around the room, all the while chanting "'The time has come,' the walrus said 'to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings. Calloo, callay! No work today! We're cabbages and kings!'" He and his classmates became extremely odd looking figures. They were dressed in robes and had crowns on their heads but those heads looked alot like the aforementioned green veggie.

Lazu sighed and broke the illusion. "Leia? Do you want to give it a try?" The quiet girl nodded and came up to the front. She held up her hands and suddenly the children became a rather botanical assemblage. Their skin had turned green and instead of hair they had flower petals. She broke the illusion and went back to her seat and the computer she had borrowed from her sister.

"I'm next" shouted Mara. She grabbed Lazu's pointer and it turned into a tommy gun. She aimed it at the class and little wounds appeared. "Top of the world, Ma!" she yelled as she mock fired. There was the world's biggest evil grin plastered on her face.

"Next time don't be so violent, Cuz. There are anti-gun laws in this city and I don't think even Mom could get you out on this one." said Lazu as she broke the illusion. Why did so many of her cousins happen to be insaner than her? And was she jealous?

On the other side of town, an hour later, a young red-haired woman who bore an uncanny resemblanced to a dead Arcadian monarch was stepping off the plane. Swinging her Tolkien publication filled backpack onto her back, she started to skip down the tunnel to the gate, whistling one of her mom's anime theme songs.

She was greeted by the shouts of "Hema-chan!" from her childhood best friends. Artoo and Threepio McIntyre bowled over Hematite, and then, laughing the whole time, gleefuly picked up their friend.

"It's great to see you two" Hematite laughed.

"Likewise" the droid twins said simultainiously and grinned which got them giggling.

"We've been practicing talking as one" said Threepio "It annoys the hell out of Tuxedo Baka."

"What's Alan done?" Hematite asked as the three made their way to the baggage claim. "Is he hitting on you again now?"

"Would you belive he's interested in Sylvite?" the green-haired twin replied.

This merited a facefault from Hema. "Still? No way!"

"Yes way!" replied Artoo, as she ran her fingers through her silver tresses. "Who would of thought he was a pedophiliac? Though her Arcturus costume may have something to do with that. And speaking of alter egos, Aunt Ti knows that you're the Butterfly."

"I guess I couldn't keep it from her for long. Does she know anything else?" Hematite's brows furowed.

"Ot-nay about-hay a-thay olden-gay illennium-may." Artoo replied in English and Pig Latin. That was the three's standard way to keep secrets as not many people in CT were fluent in both languages.

"Good. What's weird is that this guy in a rabbit suit chases me around with a giant butterfly net when I'm transformed. He keeps yelling something about direspice and looking for a job at the Haven. Sometimes he's chased after by these three ninjas. I never knew that the world outside Tokyo was so weird."

"Maybe you should get a lesser guise that doesn't attract lunatics and isn't so weird." suggested Threepio, as she looked over the turnstiles.

"Like yours, Bishoujo Squirrel?" Hema answered sarcasticaly "Or maybe like Sailor Woodstock's?"

She was refering to the twin's lesser guises. The two actually had no need of them, as they weren't bound to secrecy of identity like Hematite but since she couldn't show her true form they decided to do the same once they left CT. Which meant that as soon as they would get accepted into their colleges of choice the world would get to meet a squirrel-tailed, hammer-throwing woman dressed like Tuxedo Kamen sans hat and a fighting hippie that would try to choke you with love beads.

Threepio blushed. "Hey, sorry." She spied one of Hema's two suitcases and snatched it. "I had no right to judge."

"Apology accepted." Hema grabbed the second suitcase.

Artoo wrapped her arms around the two. "I'll give you a lift."

"You like to do that, hmmm? You know, I can teleport too. Just because you enjoy having your arms around me . . ." Hematite joked. Artoo gave her reply by 'porting them.

They reappeared in front of the McIntyre-Muraino homestead.

"SURPRISE!" called out the assembled friends and relations.

"Gee, thanks," Hema replied "I can't believe you all came here to welcome me." And they were all here, even the triplets who had arrived a few minutes before Hema. The only person missing was Margrave. About two years ago she and Ferrite had concocted out some sort of business plan and now she was working in some space colony. The whole bratpack missed her.

After getting a plateful of food each, the three sat down with the rest of the bratpack, where a contest of "Fuzzy Bunny" aka "How many marshmallows can you cram in your mouth and still stay coherent?" was in session.

The contestants were down to two. Cramming his twentieth Luke murmured "Ftheebnnee". As the audience waited with bated breath, Mara placed in hers.

"Fuzzy Bunny" Mara grinned "Fuzzy Bunny! Fuzzy Bunny! Fuzzy Bunny!

I won!" She looked like the proverbial cat who ate the canary.

"Only because you have such a big mouth." Luke complained, after he swallowed. He looked at his sister pointedly.

"That stung," she replied. He didn't have to rub the Shampoo mishap in! She stuck her tounge out at him.

"You are most discourteous to your sister, McIntyre-Muraino. I would not push it if I were you," Alan added.

"And like you're all sunshine and happiness to Kodi, Aino. Get real, Cape Boy!" Luke bristled.

"You are nothing but an inbred lout," returned Alan, "My fair Sylvite must not know this and so is courteous to you because of her giant heart." Alan watched with interest when Luke bristled at the word "inbred". Truly, he hadn't thought that there had been any instances of incest in the McIntyre-Muraino clan. But then why did the child hang upon that word of many in the insult?

"Buzz off Alan," replied that fair maiden, "Luke's my friend. And I am not 'your Sylvite'." She looked pointedly at her elder second cousin. Why did he always have to try to annoy poor Luke?

"So, what have you two been learning with Aunts Ti and Chrys?"

Artoo asked Sylvite and Kodachi, trying to difuse the situation.

"Posing, speeches, and attacking!" Kodachi replied, proudly.

"Is that all?" Artoo was incredulous.

"Did you learn something different from your mother?" Sylvite asked.

"Of course! Philosophy; Psychology; Theology; Basic Latin; Basic

Hebrew; Basic Welsh; Basic Gaelic; Basic Magisci; High Magic;

Teleportation; Fencing with Lightsabers; Working with Pocketspace;

Courtesy; Politics; ; Simulating Offensive and Defensive Attacks; and, of course, Traveling Dimensions."

"She taught you all that?" Kodi was dazed at the list of subjects.

"Well, Dad taught me the fencing and magisci, because he's better at them than Mom, but they were part of the cirriculum. I already knew English, Lyandrashi, and youma'shak."

"Oh. What's Lyandrashi? And why did you learn all those things?"

Sylvite questioned.

"Lyandrashi is the common language of the Silver Millennium in the world we came from. As for your other question, I'm a regular senshi with powers from my own planet. Don't look at me that way, Charon and Pluto are twin planets just like the Earth and the Moon. Anyway, that stuff will be useful if I'm fighting evil outside of Tokyo." Artoo grinned.

"Good thing we're only lessers," Kodachi whispered to Sylvite "Though maybe we should learn some of that stuff." Her comrade nodded and made a note to talk about that with their tutor.

While the girls were talking Luke had taken Alan aside. "Look, Aino. Keep away from Sylvite. If you don't there will be consequences."

"I highly doubt that you have the options that will allow you to do harm to me, McIntyre-Muraino. And why do you wish to keep me separated from my one true love? Are you truly just a sadist who takes pleasure at one's anguish." Alan looked down on Luke, disdainfully. Now would the boy finally state his feelings? He had made allowances in their feud because he thought Luke too scared to talk. But now it seemed that the breaking point had been reached.

"No, Sylvite is one of the best friends I've ever had and if you continue to irritate her with your prattle I'll finish you off, so help me Bob!" Luke was shaking so much with rage that his glasses flew off and you could see into his pained eyes, full of rage and passion. "In fact, I love Sylvite and you won't take her away from me!"

Alan was amazed. This boy actually meant it. Here was a worthy opponent, then. He would show his Sylvite the extent of his love and then she would give up socializing with this small shadow of a man. Alan bared his teeth. "I dare you to try and stop me!"

Luke Skywalker McIntyre-Muraino's Notebook of Doom, 6-26-3004

"That Alan Aino really irks me. He goes sashaying around, dressed in that ridiculous tuxedo, and spouts the world's most insipid poetry at Sylvite! She's seven years younger than him, by Bob! He's worse than that Kuno idiot on those disks Mom and Aunt Ti watch all the time. If I see one more rose I'm gonna puke!

"The worst part is that _I_ love Sylvite. She's brave and strong and smart and . . . and . . . I've got to calm down. This isn't doing any good. Nothing is doing any good. I'm too shy to talk to her. Everytime I start to my tongue gets tied up and I feel like nosebleeding.

"It's hopeless, thats what it is. She doesn't even like boys. 'Stupid, anoying, macho idiots' she calls them. For some reason my older sister Artoo's eyebrows shot up when she said that. And Kodachi got this introspective look on her face. I have no idea what my sister meant by that although, from a conversation I had with Syl a few months back, I have a pretty good idea what Kodi meant. Maybe Artoo looked funny for a similar reason.

"Still, that prig Aino has got something coming to him. The lightsaber Dad's helping me make will be done very soon. I'm using a clear crystal I found as a focus. When I showed it to Mom she got this odd look on her face, the same one she gets around cousin Hematite when she thinks Hema-chan isn't looking. I told you that girls were inexplicable.

"I'm also working on a blue powersuit. Just for fun I've added a face mask with little antennae. That way I can be on a similar physical level as the abomination of Aino. But somehow I feel that my costume is not just mine alone. I know it's weird but that's how I feel.

"On an entirely different note, Artoo has been going on and on about this master of High Magic theory and how she 'needs' to study with him. Named Mazael or Maxwell or something. Mom isn't jumping for joy but she said that if she could let the girl go dimension traveling so much during 2999 she could let her study in California. So Artoo's sending a letter to the man today and hopefully he'll reply with a yes."

Luke took the long route home from class the next day, past Renegade's Haven and his mom's favorite cafe, his mind preoccupied with vengeance. However he was paying enough attention to his surroundings that he examined a poster he passed twice. Yes, what he thought at first was right. But how did the guy on the poster have the same costume that he did?

"THE MILLENNIUM COFFEE SHOP PRESENTS THE FIRST ANNUAL TICK-A-THON ON

JUNE 27 FROM NOON TO TEN PM!" the sign read. Wait, wasn't that today? No wonder they call this place a synchronistic zone. Hmmm, only an hour till the show starts. Luke supposed that he could give up one day's worth of planning Aino's demise to find out who the man who shared his blue power-suit was.

Luke called home to explain his absence that evening. The idea bore well with his parents as they were of the "Let them run amok and hope they don't start practising daemonism" School of Child Rearing. This might have come as a suprise to some people as Rhiannon had previously had bad luck with children, but she and Brendan believed that their way would work out with these children.

Luke then ran into the building to eat some lunch before the film festival. He was greeted by a couple in costume; the girl wore the golden garb of a ninja and her companion wore a moth suit. "Food's on us today in honor of the film festival," the moth-man said. The two bustled around the kitchen, laughing and joking as if they were a couple in truth. Luke sighed, would he and Sylvite ever be this way?

Seemingly sensing what was on his mind, the girl said, "You're Rhi McIntyre's boy aren't you? Luke, right?" Luke nodded and the girl continued. "Aha, I thought so. Your mom used to be a regular customer of ours a few years back. You had the McIntyre-Muraino look; that's why I asked. Why are you so sad, Luke? Girl trouble?"

"In spades." Luke sighed. "Syl doesn't even know I'm anything but a friend to her. I'm afraid she'll hook up with that idiot, Aino." And leave me all alone. I just know she's the girl for me. I hear music at the sound of her name. But Luke did not voice these thoughts.

"We know what that's like." The girl replied. "Lurker and I both. I doubt you want to hear much about us, though. Still . . . he got me into Tick, did you know? That's why I'm dressed like Oedipus from the comics. I usually wear the standard black gi of the order of the Niichuan Ninja but since it's the Tick festival I decided to dress up. Pity that you're the only on here besides us." She glanced up at the clock. "Noon already? I guess it's time to roll."

The next few hours flew like the breeze. Lurker and the ninja laughed and joked between episodes as they set up the round things that sent pictures up to the screen. Reels. Luke remembered his mom telling him about them. The costumed ones were willing to sell these things called omnibusses, so Luke bought one or two of those. In fact, he had probably blown more than a month's pocket money but oddly didn't mind.

"Are you going to have another Tick festival?" he asked the Lurker while browsing through a stack of Paul the Samurai. "Armless But Not Harmless" had just been shown and he needed to keep his mind off Sylvite. The evil Venus had somehow reminded him of Minako, who in turn reminded him of Kodachi, who in turn reminded him of . . . well, you know.

The older man shrugged."Probably, but not for awhile. We'll be closing up shop for a few weeks soon. Might as well pick up enough stuff today to last you. Hey, ever tried Chainsaw Vigilante? I have a copy of the first issue over here."

He left the storefront a changed man. No wonder he had the same ideas as this . . . this . . . mighty blue genius! He clearly felt that Tick was a kindred soul. Humming the themesong he headed for home wondering if he could find someone to be his Arthur. Too bad the Lurker said he was booked, the man even had his own mothsuit! Oh well, with time he would find his own sidekick . . .

Meanwhile, quite a few blocks away, Mara, Leia, Kodachi, and Sylvite were heading home after an evening of shopping, including a half hour at the oddest of stores. It was called "Worship the Trenchcoats" and had all kinds of silly/funny/weird things. Kodi had located the kawaii-est stuffed kitty that somehow resembled an orange-furred Margrave. Syl had found an animated documentary, "Akane Tendo's Guide to Getting Rid of Boys". Mara was getting a green and brown camoflaugue-patterned bandana.

What Leia had purchased was something special. At the back of the store, stretched over a mannequin, was a white jumpsuit. Her comrades said things like how kawaii the bunny suit was. "No," Leia had replied, noticing the retractable wings "It's a moth suit."

"How right you are, child," said one of old woman owned the store.

"It's the Carmelita model," cackled another.

"Normally we wouldn't part with it but for you, 2500 yen," the last crone called.

It really was a great bargain, though almost three weeks pocket money. She was lucky that she had been saving for six. Anyway, she could always borrow money from Mara, in exchange for talking a computer into transferring money into her secret account. She nodded to the black clothed coven and with unexpected speed they packaged it and presented it to her. After that her sister and semi-cousins went on to make their purchases.

Shouldering the bag with the two tie-died bears she had bought for Artoo, the ones that the lady at the antique store had called Beanie Babies, she and the others hurried on home to the sounds of a song about kicking boys' butts coming from the trio in the store.

After many loud goodbyes, the female triplets scampered on inside. Mara dumped her bag on the kitchen table, grabbed her bandana and ran up to her room. Being a neat soul, Leia was aranging her purchases in her closet, most of which were to be birthday presents for all her friends and relations with summer birthdays. Garcia and Peace were for Artoo, and for her mother the hardcover copy of "The Princess Bride." All three triplets had saved up for both Princess Usagi's rabbit-shaped chocolate pudding machine and Threepio's magisci moving mallet-target (including a dust cover with Alan's face). And, in the attic, there was a set of Sailormoon R laserdisks that Leia's mom had picked up dimension traveling. Aunt Ti would get a kick out of that.

Feeling slightly hungry, Leia took a book she found at a thrift store and went back down stairs for a late night snack. And found Luke talking to himself over mint ice cream. "Okay, my Tick-suit is ready but I still need an Arthur. And my Arthur needs a moth-suit. And I need to keep Aino away from my Sylvite. Must distract him, then. But I still need an Arthur."

"Luke?"

The blonde boy turned around and blinked. "Leia?" he croaked. "What did you hear?"

"Enough to want to know who Arthur is."

"Oh . . . well . . . he's this guy on Tick."

"Tick?" Wait, wasn't that what her book was about? She showed the cover to Luke "Is this Tick?"

Luke's eyes bugged out. The book! It was a sign from Bob, maybe even Sidhe! "That's Tick all right. I'll buy the book from you." he offered.

"You can have it if you tell me about Arthur."

She handed him the book and he paged through, looking for some pictures. He stopped at a two page spread labled "Sidekicks" that featured a man, a woman, and a capybara. He pointed to the man. "That's Arthur."

Leia took her turn at looking agape. The man in the picture was wearing a moth suit just like hers! And the woman next to him was wearing one with wings retracted and mask off! And she was named Carmelita, like the model the crone had said her suit was. Leia's head started to swim.

"Luke" she whispered "I can be your Arthur or maybe your Carmelita. I bought a suit like that at a store tonight. I'll show you. It's in my closet."

Having been led to his sister's room, Luke stared at the white moth-suit. "Leia, I'm beginning to get scared." He would have said more but there was a knock on the door.

Mara poked her head in. "Something weird has just happened, sis. Oh, hi Luke. Didn't know you were here." For some odd reason whenever Mara got tired she and Luke got along better. Maybe she just didn't have enough energy to needle him.

"Come on in," Leia answered, "Things are already weird so what happened to you won't make much of a difference." Mara nodded and crept into the room and stood in front of them.

"Watch" Mara tied her new bandana around her head. She started growing taller and becoming furry. She looked somewhat like a spikey-haired orange Margrave. "I know, like Kodi's stuffed cat, sort of." Mara said to her sister "That's also what I look like. I'm a Werecat. Maybe even the Werecat Vigilante."

"That sounds familiar," Leia thought out loud.

"It should. Don't you remember Aunt Ti's old stories? When Auntie

Margrave was out offing punks in MegaTokyo they called her the _Werewolf_ Vigilante."

"Guys, I have an idea!" Luke spoke for the first time since Mara came into the room. "We too can become super heroes, just like the other Bratpackers. We'll be the Edlundian Trio, fighters for truth, justice . . . and the love of Sylvite!"

"I'm on a super hero team with him?" Mara rolled her eyes. "Heaven help me."

"Now, now, Mara. It's not so bad. In fact, I think it would fun."

Leia smiled. "Aren't our teachers always telling us to work together? Still, maybe we should talk about it more in the morning. You two need to get some sleep."

Grumbling at their sister's parental admonishment, Luke and Mara slunk out of the room. Since they had so rudely forgotten to shut the door, Leia did it for them. She quickly changed into an old shirt of her father's and settled herself in bed. Then she opened SPOSHI1. Hey, sometimes even the smallest of dealings with the others called for a little bit of relaxation.

Mara Jade McIntyre-Muraino's Log, 6/29/3004

"Sensei, here is the log of my experiences you asked me to write. I hope you know that anything I say must not go out of your hands or I will kill you as you sleep. But I will pay a very good price to see your younger brother Alan's Journal. Not that you'll lend that to me. You are honorable, which is nice but it's often so useless.

"Since you are one of the few people I trust I intend to be truthful in this record, at least more truthful than usual. As everyone but Sylvite knows, Luke is head over heels in love with her. Pretty dumb of him but hey! he's a boy. That gender is not known for rational thinking. No offense Sensei but so many of them are. I don't know what you see in them.

"Luke has just finished his Tick suit and Dad's helping him put the finishing touches on his lightsaber. This consists of adding the Tick insignia as a border. Dad says that he is at least half craftsman at heart, as his favorite part of making lightsabers and other artifacts is turning them into works of art. Well, I have little Empire logos on mine and it looks great so maybe they have a point.

"My mini-recorder has finally came in the mail. Luke broke the first one after I recorded his confession of love for Syl, which was totally unnecessary! I was merely threatening that time, I make a good part of my pocket money that way. (Well, you can't always bet on the foolishness of people, even when you run a casino.) Just because I took some pictures of him in the Ewok pajamas of his youth to school and then posted them in the girl's change room last time he didn't pay up, he's become paranoid. But, luckily for him, Sylvite consoled him. I got revenge on the little weasel for smashing my toys, though. His underwear has all mysteriously gone pink and Mom won't let him get new ones. Excuse me while I grin evilly.

"Anyway tomorrow, since it's Usagi and Serenity's birthdays (23 and 1026 respectively) the whole gang is going to the fair. I hear they have a tunnel of love which shall please Luke. MWHAHAHA! Sorry about that, I seem to have a laugh that resembles Kodi's namesake's. It will be fun, but probably a bit boring. It would be interesting if some villain came around but since when do wishes come true? Well, frequently around here but that's not the point. The point is . . . damn, I forgot the point."

End Chapter One

Credit Where Credit's Due

Naoko Takeuchi created Sailormoon, thus without her there would be no story

Sylvite, Alan and Kodachi were created by Mark Latus

Hematite has dual creators, Andy and I

Lazurite was thought up by Berk Watkins

Mike Maxwell was concieved of by my most excellent comrade, Sam Ashley Lyandrashi is currently being thought up by Aponar Kestrel with my help Oedipus, Arthur, Tick, and others were created by the great Ben Edlund Luke was quoting from Lewis Carroll during the learning of ilusions "The Tick: Mighty Blue Justice" by Greg Hyland made a cameo appearance Bob just happens to be the deity of the Church of the SubGenius Various members of SME may have acted as extras . . .

The rest is verbatum Becky Malsin

P.S. The mystery stone is clear Beryl- inside joke there. Whoever gets that one is either in SME or has less of a life that I. There's in-jokes with the net-guy, Lurker and the ninja, and the coven of crones as well. Kudos for anyone who figures it out. Two kudos if you aren't a member

P.P.S. Oh yes, Leia's files. RAIFOR1.WAV is merely one of those songs where they play music over nature sounds. The SPOSHIs, however, are animated shorts featuring a certain pointy-eared alien undergoing pon farr with the ones who wear fuku. Given the nature of that, you can guess who Larrie's daddy is. If not, he'll be revealed in due time.

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Next Chapter: The World's at the Fair

It's Princess Usagi's birthday and the entire palace crew is spending the day at the Cabbitland Amusement Park. A nice relaxing day off, right? Unfortunatly Mara's wish for a villain has come true and a man named Hunter CURE is out for the princesse's blood. Can the bratpack save the day? Will there be a repeat of the Masaki Shrine Cotton Candy Disaster? Stay tuned to find out!