Chapter 14

There wasn’t a trace of her busty blond daughter left. And the children ... Grandmother had seen Earth movies ... even some of the XXX variety... (the things it took to get ‘that’ man-of-mine ‘up’) ... so she knew ... on a sub-rosa type of knowledge ... what her daughter had done. She hadn’t been prepared to admit it.

Here was the evidence.

The only redeeming grace ... grandchildren. It is so difficult to get a Cassandran male to perform that it seemed like it was ‘one and done.’ Even her neighbors ... disapproving bitches every one ... had no grandchildren ... and she had four.

Stick that up your ass.

Revenge was sweet.

Even better ... Ichiro Sato stayed. The others went back to Crossroads and returned to Japan ... where-ever that was. Magic ... and she used to disapprove of Damsels.

It was humbling to know that her planet was quickly dying until the damsels. Even more so to know that invaders from a distant shore were responsible for The Rejuvenation and resurrection of her beautiful world. And to have the proof broadcast live on Cassandra in the Morning ... worse!

Every time a returning damsel was featured on the show ... immense belly and all ... more daughters applied for the program. Sex is sex and one gets it where she can.

The children were paraded through the parks ... almost a ‘petting zoo’ ... and she had four. Oh the neighbors. It all came back to that ... she gained status in her community.

Ichiro was in school ... on Cassandra ... on the days he wasn’t on Cassandra in the Morning. Even then he had tutors. Cassandra has strict attendance rules.

But ... every Saturday ... one could find him at the city park ... schooling the JSCA (Japanese Society for Creative Anachronism) in proper Shogun manners and combat ... and he was getting paid. This was a pass the hat kind of pay ... but you had better chip in ... he wouldn’t teach for free. There were cheaters who stayed on the hills and watched through telescopes ... they missed the nuances, the tiny finish, the hidden gestures that make the move complete.

Every appearance on Cassandra in the Morning ... he was paid. Union Scale. Open his mouth and utter a sound... 1200 Dollars.

As he progressed in age... 16 now. He was paid for ‘other’ services ... and Eva was right ... the girls loved him. Ichiro is already doing his part in improving the breed. Save Cassandra!

On Earth, Odoroki is 17 and wow! just wow! She might be only half Cassandran but she has the same urges of a Damsel ... and Damsels go to Chaos so they can be rescued ... and rescued means child ... or children ... and that child helps save Cassandra.

Shoko was following ... a little too closely for mom’s point of view ... in Odo’s footsteps. Shoko is 15 and her hormones were raging.

Mahiro was doing his part and Mioko SENT him EVERY three weeks. He went even if he didn’t want to go ... because if Momma ain’t happy nobody is happy. Mioko has a duty to Cassandra. That duty is the prime directive ... breed. Cassandra needs the babies.

Kaito was in a rigid and rugged training program. Mahiro was preparing him for Chaos. Kaito was enrolled in Niten Ichi-Ryu, Yabusame, Tessenjutsu, Kenjutsu, Jojutsu, Hanbojutsu and Bujutsu. Kaito was in excellent shape. Because he is Ocean his underwater technique is amazing. Hold his breath 8 minutes, he could. He has been ‘banned’ from school athletics. He’s just a little better than the Gym instructor and broke the instructors arm. Scandal!

Single stick he usually defeats Papa-san. Usually ... sometimes not. His appearance is just peachy. He’s too handsome for his peers.

On Cassandra, Grandmamma is cheerful these days. Just saying. I make no inferences.

Things were moving along ... until Mahiro was late ... very late ... days late. He eventually came home ... Sam finally had someone he couldn’t fix. He didn’t come home in a box. Worse ... he came home in a special chair ... no legs ... and nothing south of his navel. That didn’t suit Mioko ... no siree-bob it didn’t. A man on the half-shell. An inoperable half-shell. A half man she had to change like a newborn.

He died one night.

“No, officer, he had his own bed.”

“No, officer, he insisted.”

“He didn’t want to be seen, officer. I didn’t go looking until the smell.”

Mioko Sato still looked eighteen.

Yup ... she did. You would too.