Ah My Ranma ½ Pt2

Oh My Ranma ½!Oh My Ranma ½!
The not-so Temporary Goddess
Stared: 15Jul05
By Ozzallos

Chapter FOUR

Knock-knock-knock.

"Go away."

"It's Bell, Urd… Please open up?"

"No."

Belldandy stood outside her sister's heaven-side apartment in concern. She had caught a glimpse of Urds face just before she had left, and it worried the sibling to no end. The eldest sister was scared and nobody had a clue as to why. Whatever it was, it was serious and now she had left Ranma in Skuld and Keiichi's care so she could check things out. Belldandy tried the doorknob and found it locked. Normally, she was the first one to respect a person's privacy, but today wasn't going to be that day. The lock clicked open as she applied light mental pressure to it, a parlor trick for a Goddess such as herself.

She eased the door open slowly and might have winced at her sister's tacky 70's décor if not for the sight of Urd herself sitting at a table in the dining room face down, several bottles of empty sake scattered around the immediate vicinity.

"You never did listen." Urd's voice crackled with emotional pain.

Belldandy took a few more tentative steps into the apartment as her sister raised her head off the table, eyes clearly red from crying. "What's going…" Then she noticed the pictures spread out around Urd. Moving in closer, she picked one up. It was of a young boy. In a Chinese shirt. With a pig tail. What was she doing with pictures of…"Ranma!" Urd sunk even further into her chair and Belldandy picked up another picture. And another. They were all from various stages of his life, none recent however. "What is the meaning of this, Urd-chan?"

Urd grabbed for another bottle of sake, finding the only one in reach dry. She threw it across the room in contempt and turned those bloodshot eyes on her sister. "He was… A project I had a while back."

"A project?"

"Yeah," Urd sighed. "My finest work to date!" she stated sarcastically. Belldandy simply remained silent. "I just happened to run across him when he was six. Cute kid, but his father was a beast. Old fart tried to sell him to me for a bowl of raman." She leaned into her arms and Belldandy stroked her hair sympathetically. "So I began to track the boy and his old man, and found out just how much of a beast he was. I should have seen the connection sooner between today's Ranma and back when… Sometime before his curse, I began to feel sorry for him and decide that I had to do something… A blessing."

Belldandy's stroking stopped mid-motion. "That's a serious mea-"

"I know, I know," Urd waved the fact aside with annoyance. "of course it is. But after the torture I'd seen, I was convinced he needed one. So I did it. Can't remember the exact blessing for the life of me, but it was something to the effect of 'drawing women to him so that he'd never be alone.' That's what every guy wants, right?" she snorted with more sarcasm.

"Surely it would have run its course by now…?" Belldandy stated, not entirely sure herself.

"It sure has." Urd replied simply, then flared in anger, "and it set into motion ALL OF THIS!" her arm swept out violently, scattering most of the pictures and bottles of sake off the table and across the room. The without another word, her head collapsed back to the table and she began sobbing again. "Such a good person. MY friend. And this is what I do to my friends… I should have recognized her immediately, but had only seen her once as a female."

Belldandy was at a loss. It was quite incredible how the actions of so long ago had twisted and turned upon themselves, bringing Urd back nearly full circle. Then again, it was a Blessing they were dealing with. Their invocation was only one or two steps below a Wish. This entire situation had to be one long sequence of tragic events or… No… Could it be..?

"Goddess of Luck…" Belldandy whispered reverently.

Urd's sniffling ceased at her words. What was she trying to--

"Goddess of Luck." She repeated firmly and with hope this time. She had Urd's undivided attention. "Dear sister… do you even realize…?"

Sheer curiosity had supplanted the elder sister's misery now… "What are you saying?"

"Don't you see!" Belldandy had worked her way up from hope to excitement as she stared down at Urd. "Your path… Her path… They could easily be interpreted as one long series or tragic events… OR…" Her eyes sparkled, Urd hanging on every word, "it could very well be a series of highly improbably and unlikely events to reunite you with the person who would later become one of your best friends!"

It took a moment to sink in, but the realization hit her like the Anvil of God. "Improbable… Unlikely…. Goddess of… Luck?" Urd's eyes widened suddenly. "Impossible….!"

Belldandy reached down and gave her sister a warm hug. "Nothing is Impossible with God… And luck!"

"Do you think she'll even forgive me…?" Urd whispered in wonder and awe. It was so unlikely… So impossible… Dare she hope?

"You know that answer better than I do, Urd-chan."

Keeping Skuld occupied was quite easy, Ranma found. Find a park, spar a bit and keep the ice cream coming. Keiichi seemed somewhat uncomfortable escorting a woman close to his own age without Belldandy in tow, so Ranma let him off the hook by informing him that she was really a guy and already engaged to at least three other women. The last thing she needed right now was yet ANOTHER fiancée. Keiichi relaxed visibly after the initial shock; realizing that he was in no danger of being seduced, tricked or otherwise pursued by yet another supernatural being, and she marveled at how closely their situations mirrored one another.

Ranma was showing Skuld another stance for her hammer exercises when a cold feeling fell over her. Skuld visibly stiffened as the sensation passed through her as well. Keiichi, for his part, sat blissfully unaware, watching the sparring from the sidelines.

"Onee-chan, you feel that?" Skuld questioned as she stood up from her practice stance.

Ranma nodded, any sense of humor draining from her face. It felt like the Hellhounds, only more powerful. She scanned the park, noting only children and parents and-Ranma's eyes locked onto a woman clad in leather at the far end of the park, blonde locks blowing in the wind. She was flanked by two men in trenchcoats, but both Ranma and Skuld knew they weren't men, and the trio was walk directly toward them.

"Skuld, can you contact Bell-chan?" Ranma asked quietly.

"Already done." She replied with worry. "They'll be here in a few minutes."

"Good." Ranma nodded. "Any idea who we're dealing with?"

Skuld squinted at the distant figures and jumped. "MARA!" She didn't even wait for Ranma's question. "She's mean and evil!"

Ranma was hoping for a bit more information than "mean and evil" but figured "Demonic" would have probably fit well in there too. The women didn't appear as tan as Urd and had two small gashes running down her forehead. A cold smile complimented her sharp features. Her bodyguards were faceless, all of their features covered by hats and the mangled trench coats they wore …On an 80' day. No points for subtlety, Ranma thought sarcastically. She glanced down to Skuld who wore a mixture or fear and determination. I definitely like that kid, she thought. Scared to death but she won't back down.

Three on one odds. This'll be fun. "Skuld-chan, take Keiichi. Don't let anything get by you." Her sensei's order fueled her determination, displacing the fear in her eyes. With a quick nod, she fell behind Ranma and took her place next to Keiichi, whom she updated.

"Why hello Ranma Saotome!" The woman's sing song voice greeted. "Or should I say, 'Temporary Goddess of Luck?"

After being spied upon and blackmailed her entire stay at the Tendos, it wasn't a surprise she knew her name or position. But she had played that game too, and played it with one of the best in the business. "Mara, it's good to see you!" Ranma returned the greeting with her own icey smile. "How are the dogs?"

It was only a stab in the dark, but the look on Mara's face told Ranma she'd struck pay dirt. Mara blinked. She knew my name AND that the Hellhounds were mine? Her original plan was to verbally torment the new goddess, cow her into fear and submission before offering her a position with her agency. Mara scowled and went to Plan 'B'.

"I have a proposition for you, little godde--"

"Let me guess," Ranma's icey smile widened. "you'd like to recruit me over to the dark side, right?"

Mara's mouth simply hung open in mid sentence. This was getting very annoying. How could a person so new to her station possibly know so much?

Even as she sucked in breath for another sentence, Ranma cut her off yet again. "Because you thought I was so new that I'd be young and impressionable and be able to scare me into submission." It wasn't a question and Ranma was on a roll now. "And if I don't see things your way, you'll do all manner of nasty things to myself, Skuld and Keiichi here."

Mara simply nodded. Yeah, that was about all of it.

"No."

Mara blinked again. "No?"

Ranma let out a painful sigh, as if dealing with a small child. "No, Mara, I will not join your evil organization. Please, run along now." The demon was almost as easy as Ryoga, she thought with amusement.

"Well, are you sure? The benefits are-" Mara cut herself off in sudden realization that she had been the one manipulated. "GRRRRR! Join us or DIE, little GODDESS! You're outnumbered and saddled with the young one there! WE have an advantage in firepower!" As if on cue, her bodyguards shrugged off their trench coats to reveal a figure that was more or less human. Their ashen grey skin was covered with scars and the hands replaced with giant steel talons. Both wore blindfolds to cover their obviously mutilated eyes.

"Reapers!" Skuld exclaimed from behind Ranma.

Whoa, Ranma thought as she took stock of the forms. She wasn't used to her opponents running in the survival-horror genre. Dangerous at hand to hand, but they have a humanoid physic so I can break them, Ranma decided quickly. Ah well. Same stuff, different day. "Are you just going to talk all day or do we get to see some action?"

Mara was furious now. "You'll need more than luck to get out of this alive, little goddess!"

Ranma's eyes glowed as she triggered the transformation without hesitation, the Chinese clothing washed away in a flash of light for her dress. The marks on her face flared to life and an aura of power enveloped her. As the transformation processed, pure Saotome arrogance took over. "Luck? It just so happens I'm lucky and good."

Mara lost it and triggered the Reapers, who launched from their positions in a blur. They're fast, Ranma noted with a trace of surprise as the two angled in for a simultaneous strike. If she was still in their paths when they intersected… Ranma took a few quick steps forward and the Reapers blew by her, unable to force the intercept inward so suddenly. That left their backs toward Ranma and she whirled around, blasting both with two ki balls with power leves her mortal self would have found impossible to match. Both flew face first into the park dirt, digging twenty-foot trenches into the earth. Mara saw her opening as the goddess turned to dispatch the Reapers, perfectly lined up for a shot in the back. Skuld's warning was too late as she let the lightning bolt that charged in her hands rip at light speed into the hated goddess …Who profiled right at the last possible second and smiled that cold smile before it missed and augured into the ground, obliterating the visibility around the trio with smoke and ash.

"I MISSED?" Mara's hatred soared. Even more infuriating was the fact that the goddess had rubbed it in her face by avoiding her attack at the last possible second! While the smoke and fire from the bolt was impressive, a near miss would come nowhere close to even harming a Class One goddess. And the most infuriating part was that she just couldn't erase her from existance without threatening one her own. "WHERE ARE YOU? COME OUT SO I CAN…"

Ranma was worried, and not necessarily for herself. That Mara character was right about one thing-Skuld was nowhere near ready for the odds they were facing and Ranma couldn't cover all the bases at once. The girl might be able to handle both Reapers, but not for very long if left to their own devices. Mara would keep distracting me, they'd finish Skuld and Keiichi then come gunning for me, Ranma ran down the likely scenario that would occur if she didn't think of a better plan, fast. She could feel the Reapers recovering and soon her own cover would dissipate. An idea took shape, and it was a nasty one. She hated to use Skuld as a chess piece, but if Ranma played it right, she'd last long enough for their reinforcements to arrive. It was a shitty decision to make, but it was her only shot for keeping everybody alive.

Mara had risen into the sky about fifty feet, hoping to catch a better view of her target through the smoke cloud. "DAMN YOU, BITCH, I SWEAR-"

"Right here." Mara twisted around, suddenly finding those azure eyes staring at her own and hovering behind her. Ranma had ten seconds. She took advantage of the stunned demon and flipped around, smashing an outstretched leg down into her collarbone with as much force as she could muster, collapsing it in with a satisfying crunch. Another twist and an elbow to the face, Goddess Chestnut Fist, a hard ki blast and Mara plummeted to the ground, hitting harder than her Reapers. Ranma reset her mental clock. She now had thirty seconds to do as much damage as she possibly could to the Reapers.

Skuld watched as the Reapers staggered out of their trenches, first one, then the other. With no Ranma in sight, she became the obvious target and they ran, their blurred forms raising those blades high. Skuld dropped into a stance she had only learned an hour ago and hefted the hammer up. "don't let them get past me don't let them get past me don't let them…" She repeated the litany with fear, being the only thing standing between them and Belldandy's fiancée. She knew she was over-matched, but she held her ground. Onee-chan would be there. Closer. She wouldn't abandon them. Closer. She would-

"DOWN!" Ranma's female voice screamed, and the two were flat on the ground as the first three ki-blasts ripped around the Reapers. The redheaded goddess didn't even wait for the smoke to clear, and took the stunned creatures hand to hand. Ranma cut loose, letting everything she feared and suppressed in her Goddess state come to the forefront. She Became, because the next thirty seconds would determine who lived and who died. Power flared and her mind lit with fire and change.

NOW.

Ranma slid in under the first Reapers guard and cracked several key joints before pulverizing its sternum with her new Goddess Chestnut Fist. An iron talon swiped overhead and she snatched the arm out of mid-air, reversed the angle and broke it viciously before flipping the Reaper to the ground. It took her less than fifteen seconds to hit everything she wanted before the second reaper obliged by coming to her. The talons shot out again and she deflected the arms outward, targeting the legs with five rapid kicks. The monster staggered and Ranma walked the kicks up the body, ending in a stunning roundhouse to the blindfolded cranium. The spinning Reaper didn't even have a chance to hit the ground before a massive ki ball torched it, blowing it back into the trench it had just crawled out of. Twenty-five seconds.

Skuld and Keiichi watched the massacre take place as Ranma the goddess came to life fully and completely for the first time. Round two with the reapers ended decisively in Ranma's favor and the Goddess withdrew to the defending pair.

"You're going to have to take it from here, Skuld-chan." Ranma patted her on the head and turned back to the other section of their makeshift battlefield where Mara was just regaining her senses. "You keep the Reapers off Keiichi's back and I'll keep her off yours." Ranma cracked her knuckles and looked down at the teen goddess, who wasn't happy about the prospect, but had absolute faith in Ranma. "You can do it."

Skuld nodded vigorously once more and dropped to her battle stance. Ranma smiled and walked over to her opponent. The reapers were up again. They ran for Skuld, but there was a difference. A big difference. The tortured forms were no longer fast and no longer coordinated. Skuld smiled tightly. Ran-chan's damage had taken its toll. She was still outclassed, but now she could see Ranma's plan-- She was buying time, and with the way those things were staggering, the time she had just bought Skuld was considerable.

The first staggering brute came in with an overhead slash and Skuld met it with the length of hammer. She remembered Ranma's first lesson in momentum and let the talon slide off, allowing her to use that force on one end to power the other, sending the block arcing into the first Reaper's skull. It spun around dazed, but refused to fall while the second reaper jumped in. Skuld used the priceless momentum she had gained from the first strike to send the hammer in a wide arc and into the falling reaper's chest with a solid crack. Even though a talon had sliced through her shoulder on the way down, the Reaper buckled as soon as it hit the ground.

"Keiichi, Run!" the mortal complied as Skuld took advantage of the miraculously immobile Reapers, pulling a couple bombs out of her raincoat through the pain. With an evil chuckle, she tossed both in.

Ranma was now fully engaged, she and Mara dancing around the sky trading lightening and ki blasts. Mara quickly found that letting the redhead in close was tantamount to suicide, as the little goddess could come up with enough devastating combos for days, while Ranma was having a wicked time avoiding lightening blasts and all the tricks a deity could only learn from experience. She was quickly realizing that it wasn't her power that was lacking, it was the total lack of that experience. Another lightening bolt glanced off her leg sending her rolling to the ground. The evil woman cackled maniacally. Ranma could feel her aura spiral around her, an imperceptibly field of "luck" blanketing the immediate area. She'd barely noticed it after she had taken the gloves off with the Reapers, but it was here now… and getting stronger. She just hoped it was strong enough for Skuld.

The Goddess of Luck rolled right as another bolt annihilated the patch of real estate she'd just occupied, angering her further. Fine. Let's see how she likes The Dragon. Ranma closed the distance with lightening speed and initiated the technique, spiraling around Mara as the Demon hastened to follow, barely able to keep up with her aggressor's movements. Finally, Ranma reached the center and the auras were perfect.

"Hiryu Shoten Ha!"

Mara's eyes lit up in surprise as she was sucked into a tempest of wind and energy, brutally compressed and whipped about like a rag doll. Ranma fed more energy into the attack and launched a ki blast her way for insurance. The energy ball found it's mark and Mara was blown into the stratosphere.

The Goddess turned toward Skuld.

...Who wasn't doing quite so well, and had the lacerations to prove it. There was no doubt she had been lucky so far, but luck was a poor crutch for skill. The Goddess of the Future deflected another strike before the second Reaper managed to close the distance and mount it's own attack. It was a retreating battle and it was one that Skuld was losing.

Ranma began willing Skuld to last longer. Mara wasn't done yet. If I take pressure off her to help the girl… Skuld took another slash, this one to the belly. It was deep and her defenses were crumbling. Time had just run out. Ranma teleported in just as the final strike came down, deflecting it from Skuld and turning her full attention to keeping the Reapers at bay. Keiichi dragged the near unconscious Skuld from the battle zone as Ranma once again lit the Reapers up. She was breaking them, and breaking them hard, but in true demonic style, they just wouldn't go down without a severe and prolonged beating. The two circled around for another simultaneous strike and a warning sense screamed. Ranma looked up just in time to see Mara, cackling manically with a fiery sword on its downward arc. The Reapers were in the air and Ranma didn't have anything that could deflect a three-pronged attack in so little time… This was going to hurt….

The Valkyrie weapons officer on duty at the Asgard Armory in heaven yawned and took another sip of coffee. A lazy glance at the wall clock said quitting time was only two hours away. She kicked back and pulled up the paper to read once more.

Beep!

Hmf. Remote access, the Valkyrie noted as her terminal brought up the log. Who's checking out weapons this late in the day? She hit a few keys to bring up the details.

Asgard Armory Access 12.664.88/ Time: 15:20.53 Locale
Key: Ranma Saotome/ First Class/Cat.1/Unlimited
Weapon: Phoenix Wind/ Cat.Alpha/ Restricted Use/ Approved
Remote Checkout: Approved

Well somebody is busy today. A One-One checking out an Alpha weapon. Phoenix Wi-- The Valkyrie spit coffee through the transparent terminal and stared in utter disbelief. Somebody had just checked out the freakin' Phoenix, for cryin' out loud! She threw aside the paper in favor of the desk phone, punching an ominous red key. "Yeah, Darius. You'll never guess what just processed out..."

CHaaaNNNG!

She knew it was in her hands before it had even appeared and all three strikes rebounded off it's length simultaneously. Her three opponents pushed down along the ivory shaft hard in an attempt to force her or it to buckle. Something told Ranma she would, long before the staff- wherever it had come from -gave way. She shifted right, putting everything she had into supporting the right edge. The demonic weapons, who's total force was directed downward, slid off in a trail of sparks down into the dirt.

Ranma could hear the staff sing, whispering. She could feel the song flow through her body and it promised many things… Peace. Protection. And pain. Which was pretty convenient, because that's what she was just about ready to dish out. Ranma tore into the entangled trio with staff in hand and it sang punishment with each successive, bone-pulverizing blow. She took one Reaper in a hard uppercut before twirling it's length around and forcing it into its chest, sending the monstrosity sliding to the ground. Mara freed her sword from the Earth, but it was too late as Ranma spun the staff around in one fluid motion, sweeping her legs and knocking her silly with a round house courtesy of the tip. The final Reaper came in with its talons, who Ranma instantly entangled with the staff's length. Using her body as leverage, she kicked a leg out and flipped the Reaper away.

Ranma twirled the staff with satisfaction and it echoed contentment within her. Mara clutched her head and stood up shakily while her Reapers stumbled to their feet. Undistilled hatred filled her eyes as she gave a silent command. The Reapers charged first, attacking by land as Mara floated skyward and powered up another lightening blast. To Ranma, the Reapers were still slow and she was able to hold both off simultaneously without any effort. Employing the staff almost made it unfair as it dug deep into their forms. Well, unfair until he saw Mara float up with another ball of lightening in her hand. There was no eye contact and Ranma knew she wasn't the target. She disengaged and rolled back wildly, bringing the staff up in time to deflect a bolt meant for Keiichi. Somehow she knew the staff would easily take the bolt, and the excess energy rebounded chaotically. The Goddess shifted her stance to a defensive one and knew she still faced the same problem: too many attackers and too many targets to defend. I can hold out, but not indefinitely. She could even mount a crushing offense on any one of them, but would loose Skuld and Keiichi in the process to the others. And Mara finally seemed to realize that, spreading her minions out to threaten all of them at once.

They charged, and Mara had finally realized the man-to-man offense. Two Reapers on Skuld and Keiichi while Mara pressed her little Goddess with Lightening Attacks. She cackled with glee. She was definitely going to get somebody this ti--

CRRaaCK! CRaCCK! BOooOM!

One moment Mara was in the air savoring her moment of victory, the next finding herself buried in a smoldering crater. Oh, and there was the pain as well. Excruciating pain. Her vision finally focused and it was exactly what she didn't want to see: Urd and Belldandy, side by side in the air. Now it was Mara's time that was up. She didn't need to see them; her Reapers were gone. Urd's scowled and her aura flared. Oh, this is gonna-

BOOM!

Ranma smiled as the witch's position lit up in fire before collapsing to her knees and passing out.

Chapter FIVE

Everything was black, but the aura swirled around her being clearly for the first time since the initial transformation… She was the Goddess of Luck and all that fell under that domain was hers to command. Chance. Probabilities. Outcomes. They were as much a part of her now as any arm or leg and it was becoming stronger. She had Become and it was changing her. Changing how she thought, how she acted how she felt…

And unlike before, she couldn't put it back.

Ranma's eyes blinked open. "Owwwww…" She couldn't decide which was worse, the pounding in her head or the sucking pit of her stomach. Movement. Kasumi smiled at him. Ah, there were definitely worse things to wake up to. Ranma sat up with a shakiness the betrayed the strain she'd endured.

"Ranma, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times…" Kasumi admonish solemly.

"Don't play with the supervillans." They both intoned simultaneously, bursting into laughter at the same time.

"Ow!Ow!Ow!" Ranma clutched side with a pained smile. "Don't make me laugh like that… You'll kill me!"

"I believe that would be your fault, not mine." Kasumi's plesant smile returned. "Besides, from what I hear, that might be nearly impossible now anyway."

Ranma shrugged. "For the next few days, at any rate. How is Skuld?"

"Probably sound asleep in the guest room as well. Belldandy says she'll be ok with a bit of rest. Oh," Kasumi continued. "She asked me to give you these when you woke."

Ranma took the paper bag and opened it, a scent wafting across his nose. "DONUTS!" For the next five minutes, Ranma made every effort to suck down as many at once and in the shortest period of time. "Ahhhhh…."

Kasumi giggled. "She warned me that might happen too."

"Eh…" Ranma hesitated, suddenly embarrassed at his display of glutton. "Yeah, sorry about that. Supposively it's my fuel source. Come to think of it, I do feel better." She stood up carefully, making sure everything was in working order before taking a step. Kasumi rose with her as she walked to her bedroom door, sliding it open.

The entire family was gathered in the living room bustling with conversation that instantly ceased the moment Ranma and Kasumi entered together. Nodoka rose to meet them with motherly concern. Soun, Genma, Akane and Nibiki, however, stared with a predatory gleam in their eyes.

"Um, Mom… What's up with them?" Ranma whispered.

"Oooh, ummm… How to put this…" Nodoka shifted around uneasily. "They think you and Kasumi are…"

Ranma and Kasumi looked at each other in disbelief. Ranma ventured to guess, "Seeing each other?" Nodoka nodded,

The two looked at one another again and then to the family before erupting into massive fits of laughter. It was actually Ranma that broke out into laughter while Kasumi simply giggled uncontrollably. Both decided to leave the room before their fits produced tears and more uncontrollable laughter in front of the family.

Skuld was indeed resting in the guest room, and beside her a sleeping Belldandy and Keiichi, while Urd was awake and reading a manga in the corner chair. Her eyes came up as soon as the door slid open and locked onto Ranma as if she were a deer staring into the headlights of doom. Somehow Ranma doubt she registered Kasumi's presence.

Kasumi sensed her state, however, and tentatively decided to break the silence. "I assume Skuld is feeling better, Urd?"

Urd blinked and stammered before final recovering her train of thought. "Uh, yeah, she's a tough cookie." The goddess shot another uncertain look at Ranma before continuing. "She'll be up and around before tomorrow. How about you, Ranma?"

"I'm a tough cookie too." She grinned, but Urd's next words stopped her.

"I know."

Now Urd was looking directly in to her eyes and Ranma saw sadness and pain. "Kasumi, can you watch Skuld? Ranma and I need to talk."

"Of course."

Stepping out the door, they found Akane ready to assail Ranma with any number of questions, a mixed look of anger and confusion evident on her face. "Ranma, what was--"

The fire in Urd's eyes shut her off like a light switch. "Not now. I'm in absolutely no mood for your self centered temper tantrums and will not tolerate your emotional outbursts tonight, is that clear?" Akane shrunk against the hallway wall. "Good. If you want to talk to her after I'm done fine, but I'm the last person you want to push tonight, got it?" Akane nodded in silence, afraid to produce any more movement.

With that, Urd turned back to Ranma and the fire instantly died. "Ranma, please." She took her hand and led Ranma outside into the cool night. Once in the courtyard, Urd snapped and threw herself into Ranma's arms, balling.

Those were the last coherent words Ranma understood from the Goddess of Love for the next half hour as she cried her tears into the redhead's shoulder. Ranma wrapped her arms around Urd and rocked her slowly as she cried. She didn't even care what the woman had done now, she just wanted to sooth her friend's pain, because she could feel it too. The connection was so much tighter than before she had…Given in. Slowly Urd found herself again and Ranma led her to a seat by the koi pond. Funny how that pond had once the center of his world and how it's significance had been reduced to nothing. Especially now.

"I..I'm sorry for what I've done to you." Urd stifled the tears and tried to begin once more.

"You haven--"

"I have." Urd cut Ranma off softly. She didn't know. But she would. From the folds of her robe, Urd pulled out the pictures. Ranma looked them over. It was him, many years younger from several points in his life. She looked at Urd with the obvious question. Urd answered. "I've known you since you were six. I've watched your training up to the curse. I've seen how your father treated you. And I wanted to help…"

"What did you…?"

The tears had faded into resolute acceptance of whatever fate had for her now. Good or bad, she would tell him the entire story. "I have influenced your life. Your development. All the chaos in your life is my responsibility and mine alone. I gave you my Blessing without thinking of the consequences and it was that act that drew your fiancées like moths to a flame."

Ranma's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"If not for that one act of compassion," she spat word out in disgust, "these problems would have never existed for you. You'd have a normal life. None of this pain. And now we've done this too you. I've destroyed your past life and turned your present to shambles and I have nothing by an apology to spare you."

She lowered her head in defeat, emotionally exhausted. She had discharged her duty and now it was time to face judgment.

Ranma thought on it beside her, silence hanging in the air for the next ten minutes. Finally, her head snapped up.

"Not accepted."

Urd's head whipped around in horror. But that's what she should expect after such a-- Ranma put her finger to Urd's lips, silencing the thought process, if not her words.

"Not accepted, because I refuse to accept that you're a source of pain in my life."

Hope dawned in Urd's eyes for the first time since this morning. Could Belldandy really have been right?

"Let's say for a moment that you hadn't… Blessed me," Ranma was still trying to wrap her mind around the implications that held. "I would still have my curse. I would still be chased by an Amazon assassination squad. I would still have to contend with the likes of Ryoga. I would have still have been engaged to marry a Tendo daughter," Urd began to protest, "No, remember? That engagement was in effect long before you met me. Which means I would still be walking much the same chaotic path I am today, all the way to Saffron." Ranma looked at the Goddess thoughtfully. "As for this screw up? It sounds like you dang near saved my life! I'll take this over the alternative any day, y'know?"

Urd sat there staring at Ranma in silence. Impossible. It was utterly impossible. The improbable and unlikely series of events that had start with Ranma at age seven had ended up here in an equally unlikely outcome… Acceptance. Not just forgiveness, but complete acceptance. It was at that very moment that she decided Belldandy had been right. Chance. Probabilities. Odds. The Goddess of Luck. Both surrounded by the chaos of their duel nature and both… friends for life. A single tear dripped down onto the grass.

"And if you cry anymore, I'll instruct Kasumi to hide the sake." Ranma deadpanned.

'WHAT?" Urd stood up suddenly. "I thought you forgave me!"

"HA! I'll never tell you where it is no-" Urd tackled Ranma , sending both tumbling to the ground in laughter.

It was the happiest she had ever seen her sister in a long time, Belldandy observed from the shadows and smiled. Good for her.

"WAKE UP, ONEE-CHAN!"

Oh my God… My head…were Ranma's first thoughts as a jubilant voice pierced the morning air.

"COME OOOOONNN!"

Something had grabbed her arm and was now pulling her upright, even though her eyes hadn't even completely opened. God could that woman drink…

"I WANT PRACTICE, ONEE-CHAN!"

Ranma's vision finally cleared and she found herself sitting upright while Skuld tugged at an arm. Apparently, she was tired of waiting and would drag her out to the Dojo if necessary. Ranma yawned and snatched her arm back. "Ok, Ok… Sheesh! Get out there and do the warm up I showed you yesterday." Her voiced strained as she stretched. "I'll be right behind you."

The youngest goddess was out of her room in a flash and Ranma summoned her favorite clothing. She was about to take a step when she realized-- She had summoned her clothing. As in mentally willing the robe out of existence in favor of her everyday wear. The fact that she had done so wasn't as frightening as it had been, but it was still worrisome as she watched herself become more in tune with what she had become, and at such a subconscious level to boot.

Another yawn and she trudged through the dining room and into the kitchen where she was greeted by one of the oddest sights she'd had seen in the household to date- Akane. Helping Kasumi prepare breakfast. The younger sister's eyes snapped wide as soon as she noticed Ranma's head poking into the kitchen.

Kasumi smiled. "Akane offered to help make breakfast this morning."

Ranma looked from Kasumi to Akane and back to Kasumi. Well, as long as Kas-chan didn't have a problem with it. She was just turning to leave when Akane cleared her throat, stopping her.

"Um, Ranma…" Akane hesitate. "Can I practice with you this morning?"

Even Kasumi blinked while Ranma barely succeeded in suppressing her gaping shock. She remembered their first and only time they'd tried to do so and it had ended… Bitterly. "Skuld will be there." Ranma was going to give her every opportunity to back out this time.

Akane produced a weak smile. "I know. But I'd like to… Try."

"We'll be waiting."

Minutes later she was supervising Skuld as her hammer went into a high arc and came down at high speed. "Now." The goddess shifted the momentum at her sensei's command and brought the arc horizontal. "Again." The momentum shifted once more. Power wasn't her problem, but control was, so Ranma was running her through a series of exercises to fine tune that control. Across the dojo sat Akane in a meditative state. It had been a miracle that Ranma had convinced her to do it at all, but her problem wasn't power or technique, it was self-control. "Alright Akane." The youngest Tendo's eyes snapped open and she rose to practice. Ranma knew their past and decided less words were probably a good thing given how socially inept they both were, so she chose to correct her on the fly through action. She gently nudged her arm downward as Akane proceeded with the next kata. Spread her legs a bit further apart. Adjusted her stance. And so it went for the next hour.

"Ok, that's enough. You both deserve breakfast." Ranma smiled. Skuld bounced up and smothered her with a hug before running out the door. Akane remained behind with a pensive look on her face. Ranma remained silent, if only because it seemed to be the best thing he could do around the fiancée.

"I… I know we don't always…" Akane shuffled nervously. "…and our parents don't help…" Ranma nodded. Coherent sentence weren't really needed to describe their predicament. "I just don't want to be forced…"

Ranma took her hand and smiled warmly. "Neither do I. So let's just take it a day at a time, kay?"

Akane looked up and smiled. "Okay."

Ranma ate breakfast, but something was gnawing at the back of her mind. Something she was forgetting. Akane. Nibiki. In uniform. "School!" Ranma exclaimed suddenly, gathering the attention of the table. She had completely forgot that it was now Monday.

"Baka." Akane quipped with a friendly smile. Not that she had blamed him really. The Weird Shit-o-meter® had been off the scale for the last few days.

Ranma briefly toyed with the idea of not going to school today but decided against it. Sure she was a goddess, but not for much longer. Ranma was just getting up to fetch her books when a bracelet on Skuld's person chirped happily.

"Email!" Skuld exclaimed. "Terminal!" and without really thinking of the effect it would have on the rest of the mortal breakfast goers, Skuld called the transparent interface into existence right above the table. Ranma was surprised. The shock was minimal. They must be getting used to this stuff. "Oh, the Reversal we sent to HR is back already!" Ranma's eyes widened and her stomach sank. Well, it was a wild ride while it--

"WHOA." The single word escaped Skuld's lips. Belldandy and Urd crowded around her. Nabiki tried to sneak a peek too, only to find out she couldn't make sense of the heavenly script. Ranma, on the other side of the table simply waited in expectation.

"Declined!" Urd stood up in disbelief.

"Most peculiar." Belldandy agreed.

"Declined what?" Nabiki asked the question before Ranma had a chance to form it herself.

"Well, it looks like your gonna be staying a goddess for time being, Ran-chan." Urd sent a grin her way. "Remember how we had to get the department heads approval before busting you back down to mortal status?" Ranma nodded. "Well five out of the six heads declined the request. In fact, it never made it to Kami-sama because it had so many declines."

"Now why would they…"

Skuld released the terminal back into ether and shrugged. "No reason why they shouldn't. You were a mortal accidentally turned goddess. The case for reverting you is obvious. Almost a certainty."

"We should investigate." Belldandy observed. "If Ranma can't become a mortal or male again, we should at least find out why."

Urd nodded. "Let's go Skuld!" then she turned back to Ranma. "Think you can stay out of trouble by yourself today, Ran-chan?"

"Beats the hell out of me." Ranma smiled slyly.

"Good enough," Urd returned her smile and to everybody's amazement, stepped into the TV and vanished.

Skuld gave Ranma a hug and both remaining sisters waved to everybody, stepping outside and out of sight. Ranma was certain he heard the splash of the koi pond seconds later. The weirdness just never stops, Ranma thought as she grabbed her school books, following Nabiki and Akane off to school.

"Director Mikasa will see you now." The little cherub politely informed Belldandy before fluttering back to her desk. Urd silently praised the Lord. The waiting room muzak was driving her absolutely bonkers. Belldandy thanked the Cherub and Skuld put down an outdated copy of 'Teen Goddess NOW!' magazine that she'd found on the waiting room table.

Director Mikasa's office was thankfully much nicer than the waiting room. Soft lighting, elegant bookcases, plush carpeting and a mahogany desk were the highlights. Behind the desk sat a woman whose dark brown curls and pale exotic features were offset by the stylish reading glasses wore. Though her attire was a professional business dress, it did nothing to hide her figure. She put aside a folder she had been reading and rounded the desk. Belldandy smiled and the two embraced one another warmly.

"Mikasa! It's wonderful to see you again!" Belldandy smiled, quite pleased to see her old friend.

Mikasa slipped her glasses off and into a pocket. "Likewise, Bell-chan! It's been too long!" A conspiratorial smile crept across her face. "Still dating that little cutie downstairs?" Belldandy's blush was the only answer she needed. After letting her pine a bit, the Director decided to let her off the hook. "So what brings you over to HR? Not looking for a desk job already, are you?"

Belldandy waved the question aside. "Oh no. We just have a few questions on a request we sent up a few days ago."

Mikasa returned to her desk and summoned a terminal. "Ah? What sort of request?"

"A Revocation." Urd stated flatly. Silence hung in the air.

"I see." Mikasa frowned. "It's not often we get those, especially hard-copies. Was that your doing?" Urd nodded and was surprised by the director's chuckle. "You created quite a stir up here with that, I'll have you know." She turned to the terminal. "Ranma Saotome, right?" Urd nodded once more and Mikasa tapped something in. "Yep. Denied, five to one."

It was Skuld's turn to pipe up now. "But why? It was a mistake to begin with."

"Extenuating circumstances." Mikasa replied. "Actually, lots of extenuating circumstances, the first of which being Saffron." Neither Urd or Skuld knew the case clearly, but Belldandy did and it wasn't a pretty tale. "When he went rogue, he burned a lot of bridges and people went looking for him. Then he seemed to simply vanish. Nobody knew where or how, but he simply ceased to exist. Needless to say, it annoyed certain parties to no end." Mikasa sighed. "Nobody had a clue until your hardcopy and the accompanying report showed up."

Belldandy looked at her friend thoughtfully. "But that still doesn't explain why…?"

Mikasa smiled. "Let's just say Saotome unknowingly made a lot of friends in high places the day your report arrived."

The pieces just weren't fitting for Urd however, and she pressed the point. "Ok, that's one thing… But leaving her One-One Unlimited is something else entirely. At very least, I'd expect her to be demoted to Third Class Apprentice until she can be trained."

"Like I said, there are a number of extenuating circumstances in play here." She answered directly. "As soon as your report came up, we did a deep search on Ranma," Skuld winced. Deep searches involved turning over millions of miles of filing cabinets and their paper hardcopies. They were the ultimate backup, but extremely painful to dig through and they hadn't the time during Ranma's restoration. "And found to our surprise that he has fought no less than three to four high level super-natural beings of dubious or evil intent over the last five years with pure motive." Which came as no surprise to either Urd or belldandy, who had heard the accounts from Ranma first hand.

Mikasa noted the lack of surprise. "But you already know that obviously." Mikasa's grin gained a hint of mischief. "What you don't know is that she accessed the Asgard Armory yesterday." The director watched them twitch visibly. Now THAT got their attention.

"Remotely?" Belldandy asked. Mikasa nodded.

Urd had this sinking feeling in her gut. "What… Did she check out?"

Mikasa's smile vanished. "Phoenix Wind."

Belldandy froze. Urd's jaw dropped. Skuld watched everybody without a clue as to what they were talking about.

"Do you realize how much paperwork it takes to check out an Alpha Category weapon?" Mikasa asked, totally serious. Belldandy and Urd both nodded. Alpha Categories were restricted use because they were incredibly powerful and incredibly difficult to use, making them incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. Some even had souls… Like the staff Ranma had checked out. No one could afford their misuse, least of all the wielders themselves. And Phoenix Wind was… Picky about who touched it. Violently so, at times.

"And she remotely checked it out?" Urd confirmed and Mikasa simply nodded. The Yggradsil doesn't simply pass out Alpha Category weapons on a whim, Urd thought. It examines the summoner, their ability, and current need, as well as the rank. Ranma had plenty of the latter at least, but to summoned an Alpha without prior clearance? It was nearly impossible.

Skuld didn't have the entire picture, but she was pretty sure she had a good idea. "Don't worry about it." The three adults turned to the teen goddess, who now wore a smile. "Ran-chan can take any weapon you throw at him! I saw it with my own eyes."

Mikasa chuckled. "The child might be right. The footage from her battle has been floating around and I've already got calls from several departments requesting her transfer, including Special Duty."

Urd stared in disbelief. "The Valkyries can't do that! She's been a goddess for less than a week! She's barely now getting the first clue of what that actually means!"

Mikasa waved her off. "Oh I agree completely, but they know potential when they see it. If they see enough of it, they might be able to push a request through regardless." Urd's anger began to spiral out of control. "Ok, look, I can't promise anything, but if a request comes across my desk, I think I can 'lose it' until I pass word along to one of you. Be that as it may, I think she'll be retaining her rank for some time while people watch just what she does with it."

Belldandy's touch on her sister's shoulder helped quell the anger. "Thank you Mikasa." The Director inclined her head to Belldandy. "Any help you can give us will be greatly appreciated."

Chapter SIX

Ranma was having trouble concentrating. It was the second period when she began to see things. First they started in at the corners of her vision, but slowly began to invade the rest of her sight. She could even see it all when she closed her eyes. They were auras that surrounded everybody and everything in the widest spectrum of colors. But unlike the battle aura's she knew all too well, these auras were like lightening, dancing around between everything. Some would remain stable, others were gone the instant they appeared. Ranma closed her eyes and tried to center herself. Relax. Focus.

"Ranma? Raaaanma?" Akane's voice snapped him out of the meditation suddenly.

She looked at her with concern. "Second period is over. You Ok?"

She smiled ruefully. "Just more weird stuff." The good news was that she had succeeded somewhat, and she now only saw the faintest of flashes. Akane just looked at him, trying to determine if that was good or bad.

As the day progress, Ranma realized she had forgotten a minor detail in her appearance- Her long, ribboned ponytail, which had been draped around her shoulder for most of the day. It was yet another one of those disturbing little parts of her transformation that had wormed it's way into her subconscious to stay. It felt very natural and unless she consciously thought about it, it was going to stay that way. Since half the school population had already seen it, she couldn't exactly will it away without answering more pointed questions than she was already receiving. Replying that she just felt like something different today' wouldn't have been so bad if the look it created wasn't so feminine. Half the student body knew that she was normally a guy, which created yet MORE questions in itself, such as 'Why are you still a girl?' That was definitely not a subject she wanted to focus on at the moment because it invariably got her noticing things about herself that were downright disturbing. Others hadn't noticed yet because she was suppressing them ruthlessly, but if she let her guard down, femininity crept in. It crept into her walk. It crept into her gestures. Even her voice would start to feminine if she let herself go. The change wasn't affecting her actual speech patterns, but the boundary between her male psyche and her female body was starting to wear thin.

Lunch came as usual, plus a half dozen or so of those questions. She was just brushing off another one when one Tatewake Kuno scooped her up and into his arms.

"Ah, my pig-tail goddess!" He swooned, "Or should I say my pony-tailed goddess!"

You have no idea, Ranma thought.

"You must have lunch with me! I shall entertain you with some poetry and we'll--"

"Oh no!" Ranma interrupted suddenly. Normally she had to pour on her womanly charm like surup, but now it came naturally. Too naturally. "It's that awful boy Saotome! Save me!"

"Where is that lecherous cad? I'll strike the peasant down for scaring you!"

Ranma simply pointed. "He leered at me and ran to the gym!"

"Curses! I'll have his head!" With that, Kuno was gone, looking for a boy that at that moment didn't exist.

Nibiki walked over. "You're getting too good at that."

"A necessity of survival, trust me." Ranma stated evenly. "Besides, it's more fun than taking the time to kick the snot out of him. He'll be looking for me all day if I'm lucky."

"So kick a man once and he'll come back for more. Mislead a man and he'll get lost for days?" Nibiki smiled. "I thought that was my area of expertise."

Ranma smiled back, then noticed her eyes. She was in information gathering mode. "I take a page every now and then from the Nabiki Bible of Misdirection. Was there something you wanted?"

Nabiki shook her head. "No, I think I found out everything I needed."

Ranma stared at her as she walked back over to her friends. Damn, I hate it when she does that.

Akane met Nabiki at her sister's locker at the time prescribed on the note. "What now?"

"For you, a discount," the older sister held out her hand. "2000 yen." Akane scowled and dug out a few coins, slapping them into her sister's palm, then waited expectantly. "You're losing him."

Akane glared. "You already told me that! And I'm trying the best I can anyway! I want my money back."

Nabiki ignored her and continued. "You're not losing him as a fiancée or friend anymore, however."

Akane stopped. "Then how am I losing him?"

"You're losing him as a man." Nabiki let the implications sink in. Akane was very still now. "I've been watching him. Overhearing him talk. Even talked directly to him. Most of the time you won't even know it's there because I suspects he keeps it under tight control, but there are moments when he lets his guard down…"

"And...?"

"And underneath that guard is most definitely a woman." Nabiki finished and Akane's eyes widened.

Akane's mind was numb. "A-Are you sure?"

Nabiki nodded. "I wasn't entirely until a half hour ago. Before then, I could only see the faintest traces of the woman. That was, until he started to yank Kuno's chain this afternoon at lunch. It's normally like a switch with Ranma," She explained to an intent Akane. "His girl-type was a tool, a switch to be turned on an off whenever needed. But now I'm beginning to suspect quite the opposite is happening. It's his masculinity that's the switch and he-- no, she," Nabiki corrected herself. "is trying to keep that switch on all the time as to keep the fact from others and maybe even herself."

"But… Maybe… You were wrong about Kasumi and Ranma… Could you be…" Akane was desperate. Her world just wasn't sane anymore.

"I wasn't wrong about Kasumi and Ranma," She chided Akane. "I merely made an observation, just like I'm doing now. She let that guard down over lunch for the entire conversation with me. The sound of her voice, her body language. Most definitely a woman. The Ranma you and I know would have turned the girl-type off the moment he was done with Kuno, but this one didn't. I doubt she even realized it herself."

"But…"

"The pony tail, Akane?" Nabiki countered the unfinished protest. "Sure, it happens when she's transformed, but how could she manage to conceal everything on purpose for school but that?" Akane opened her mouth, then closed it. She had no idea. "Exactly. I don't know how much she's holding back, but I suspect the wall she's holding it back with is starting to crumble."

Akane now looked totally lost. "So what can I …do?"

Nabiki sighed, sympathizing with her sister. "I honestly don't know. Unless they change him back soon, I really don't know. Even if they do change him back, I'm not so sure how much of a division will remain between his boy-girl type at this point. We're dealing with a lot of unknowns here. There is one thing I do know for certain, however." Akane hung on every word.

"The choices you'll be forced to make will get a lot harder from here on out."

Ranma idly wondered how Belldandy, Urd and Skuld were doing as she walked home from school. Hopefully still not working on her case, she winced mentally. From the way they talked, Divinity involved a fair amount of paperwork and bureaucracy. She was also wondering where Akane and Nibiki had run off too. Normally she would have waited on both, but school had been an intolerable torrent of questions today, and the sooner she left campus, the better.

Ding-ding!

"Airen!" A bike landed next to him and skidded wildly to a stop, the puffy purple haired girl who rode it smiling as if there wasn't a care in the world. Lucky miss, Ranma noted wryly. With a quick dismount, she ran over and promptly attatched herself to Ranma's arm. "Hard day at school, yes?" Ranma nodded. Here again was another fiancée where the less said, the better. "Come to restaurant and relax!"

"I'm not so sure…"

Shampoo knew exactly which levers to press from three years experience in trying to obtain her fiancée's company, if not a promise of marriage. "If Ranma come, Ranma no have to date Friday night."

Ranma ran down the risk versus gain chart. Getting out of the Friday night date in exchange for one hour together and free food. Not just free food, good food too. It wasn't too tough a choice to make. Ranma took her bike in hand. "Alright, deal."

Shampoo's smile widened as she pulled her fiancée closer. Success! Of course, she had to chuckle inwardly- There was no date Friday night. Never had been, but she had asked him so many time in the past that he was bound to miss one or two. Even as she recounted her victory, something annoying occupied the space normally reserved for her embrace on his arm. She looked, finally noticing the gold braided pony-tail that stretched nearly the entire length of her body draping down her shoulders. Normally, Shampoo didn't care whether her Airen was in boy or girl form because it was nothing more than clothing to her; Something to be worn and discarded, and she knew Ranma treated it in much the same manner. But this ponytail was so… Elaborate. It had taken time and effort to produce the braids she was seeing, all wrapped in a pretty bow.

"What Ranma do with new pony tail?" Shampoo asked curiously.

Ranma slapped herself mentally for the five hundredth time today. If she didn't go insane by days end from that question, it would be a small miracle. "Uh, would you believe fashion ninjas attacked me last night while I slept?"

Shampoo sniffed in amusement. "Ninjas do very good braid. Maybe attack Shampoo next time."

Ranma let out a mental sigh. She was letting her go… For now at least. That'll change once the old crone sees it, though. Man, what have I gotten myself into now?

The Neko Han Ten was busy as it turned out, and Ranma allowed a tiny sliver of hope to emerge. Maybe it was busy enough to where the old bag wouldn't notice-

"Son in-law, nice of you to join us this evening." A voice rasped.

Some how, she wasn't surprised. Ranma turned and there was the little old lady balancing on her cain behind them. "Uh, yeah. Shampoo was very persuasive tonight."

"In other words you got out of a date and are here for free food." The elder stated with a frown.

Dang, she's good, Ranma thought. At least she hasn't noticed--

"That's a very nice braid for such a long pony tail, Son in-law." Cologne observed. It was so out of place compared to how he normally wore his hair that it might as well have been a flashing beacon, she thought. Very interesting. "Did you braid it yourself?"

"Braid by Fashion Ninjas." Shampoo quipped, clearly amused.

"Did they leave a card?" Cologne asked as she ribbed her grand daughter's fiancé. "I might have a job or two for them."

The only thing Ranma could do was sigh. It was going to be a long night. He pulled out a chair for Shampoo and they sat at an open table.

The old woman hopped up behind them. "Grand daughter, could you please fix your fiancée some raman?"

Shampoo's eyes lit up. "Shampoo be right back!"

Ranma was horrified. Her worst-case scenario had just come to pass-- Alone with the old bag and her questions.

Cologne discarded the cain and hopped onto the table, staring at Ranma intensely. "What are you hiding, Son in-law?"

She doesn't beat around the bush, does she? Ranma thought as she continued to be backed into a mental corner. What could she possible say to the manipulative witch? "Honestly, you don't want to know."

Cologne hopped closer. "Oh, but I do. That braid is not normal for you and you wear it much too naturally to simply explain it way." She made her case point by point. "Especially since I know for a fact you've had it less than a week. A lot of care went into its creation and I'm sure I've seen the style somewhere before." Ranma remained silent. "Cooperate Son in---"

Cologne suddenly stiffened and Ranma arched an eyebrow. "Now what?"

The old lady hopped back up onto her cain. "Power, Son in-law. Great power heading our way." Cologne gasped as three women in regular clothing stepped into her restaurant. "There!" With that Cologne hopped off to intercept them.

Ranma smiled. This might be fun after all.

The women's chatting suddenly ceased as Cologne hopped up to the ladies, bowing from her cain. "The Amazon tribe of Joketsuzoku humbly offers its services to you, Lady Goddesses."

"She recognizes us." The youngest goddess observed in surprise.

"Of course." Cologne bowed once more. "Divinity is not hard to see when you know what to look for, especially when it radiates from you so easily. Any and all that I have is yours. Simply ask."

"We're simply here to meet a friend." Belldandy said with a smile.

"Of course. Let me find a table for you." It was a busy night indeed, and nearly every table of convenience was occupied, save the one Ranma was sitting at. Oh well. Shampoo and her fiancée will have to have their un-date in the kitchen tonight. "Please follow me, O' Great Ones."

She hoped back up to Ranma with the three goddesses close behind. "Beat it, Son in-law. You and Shampoo will have to eat--"

"Onee-chan!" Skuld bounced past the old lady and crushed Ranma with a hug.

"Onee-chan?" Cologne mouthed silently as the remaining Goddesses filed around her to sit at Ranma's table.

"Nice place you found here, Ran-chan!" Urd remarked casually, then winked suggestively. "Trawling for the hotties?"

Ranma blushed and Belldandy sat last. "Yes, it is a very nice place. How was your day, Ran-chan?"

Cologne was finally able to form a coherent thought. "Onee-chan, little one?" She directed the question toward the youngest goddess. "As in sister?"

Skuld had released Ranma and found her own chair, smiling. "Of course!"

The old woman's eyes widened. "What a secret you've been hiding, Son in-law! Is my Shampoo to be supplanted for a goddess now?"

Urd leaned across the table to Ranma, eyeing the old lady. "How many fiancées do people think you have, anyway?"

"Ten to fifteen at any given time, I think," Ranma whispered back. "Look old hag, this really isn't--"

"I was under the impression that you were an honorable man, son in-law." Cologne continued her admonishments. "When Shampoo finds out that you have been dating behind her back, she will be heart broken."

Ranma sighed. She just couldn't take any more of this today. "Fine. Have it your way." And with that, she dropped the guards, letting her power intermingle with Urd, Skuld and Belldandy's. It wasn't her first choice given the uncertain state of her psyche, but boy letting all that pent up power flow freely sure did feel good, she thought and visibly relaxed.

Cologne hopped back in shock. Impossible! Son in-law was a.. a… Goddess?

Ranma read the look on her face easily. "I told you wouldn't want to know."

"And these…?"

"My friends, sisters Urd, Belldandy and Skuld." Ranma introduced the three. "Ladies, this is the Old- er, this is Cologne, Great Grandmother to fiancée number three." She was going to at least attempt to get off on the right foot tonight.

Belldandy smiled politely, though with a tad less warmth. Urd wasn't quite so kind. "We've heard so much about you…"

Cologne didn't like the look in the white haired goddesses eyes one bit, she decided. If the little ones reaction were any gauge as to Ranma's relationship to them, then son in-law might very well be considered family amazingly enough, and my strong arm tactics concerning him and Shampoo might come back to haunt me if I don't play my cards right.

It was at that moment Shampoo reappeared with two bowls of raman and a curious expression on her face. "Why strange womens sit with Airen?"

Ranma made introductions once more, thankful that Shampoo hadn't jumped immediately on the 'got a new fiancee' bandwagon as well. Unfortunately, that little bit of insight was wasted with her next comment.

"Little girl move," The Amazon singled out Skuld, who was sitting right next to Ranma. "Shampoo place by Airen, not you."

Instant anger flashed into Skuld's eyes. "Who are you calling a little girl!"

Ranma sighed. While Shampoo was sweet and nubile, she was about as subtle as a tank most of the time.

"Move-move little girl." Shampoo patronized, then with an edge of steel in her voice, "Or challenge Shampoo for--"

"Shampoo !" Cologne cut her off decisively, much to her grand daughter's shock. While she normally encouraged such aggressive behavior in the child, Shampoo couldn't have any idea of what she was really getting herself into by making that threat. Surely she expected the little one to be cowed and relocate, and on a normal day, that would be the correct course of action for an Amazon of her standing. But today simply wasn't that day. "Grandchild, Ranma's friends are Divinity." She stressed the word so that there could be no misinterpretation. "The little one knows Son in-law as 'Onee-chan'. You are the one who will have to find another seat tonight, Grandchild."

The purple haired Amazon's mind was racing wildly. She had known from the instant she met them at the table that they were not potential fiancées, if only because Ranma was too comfortable around them and didn't usually travel with harems. But hanging out with Divinity? And she was 'Onee-chan' to the girl? While Shampoo's grasp of spoken Japanese was rough, her understanding of it was quite clear. That placed her fiancés status affectionately as older sister… to Divinity? …Whom she had just patronized and almost challenged!

Shampoo postrated herself suddenly before the goddess, bowing formally. "Shampoo intend no insult to Ranma-Airen sisters! Please accept humblest Amazon apology!"

"Well, I guess…" Skuld grumbled and only then did Shampoo recover from her bow.

With that she took a place directly opposite of Ranma across the table, mind still working in overdrive. Exactly how literal was the little girl's meaning? She couldn't imagine any goddess using the term 'older sister' as this one had without good reason, implying the impossible had occurred. But then, the impossible is already sitting in their restaurant, the Amazon thought with no small sense of irony.

"Please forgive our behavior, Ladies of Divinity," Cologne began, "It is just so many plans have been made around Ranma's engagement to Shampoo that sudden changes in them can be… Problematic at best. If I may humbly ask Son in-law a question…?" The elder lowered her head in submission, waiting for her response. Ranma could all but guess what that question was, but allowed her to ask. "How has this affected your… Condition?"

Ranma wasn't exactly sure what happened next. Maybe she just wanted to throw the old hag off. Maybe she wanted to intimidate her. Or maybe she was tired of the fiancée game Cologne continued to play. Whatever the reason, Ranma let her control slip further. "I no longer have access to my male self for the near future. My goddess form is dominate in this body."

Cologne noticed the change immediately. Most of it was intangible. The way she folded her hands. Her posture. The way she pursed her lips. And the most telling sign of all, her voice, which was slightly deeper and held a seductive hint to it now. It was still Ranma, but that core of masculinity had suddenly been diluted by a troubling shot of femininity. She knew that even with his curse, the core of Ranma remained masculine and Cologne was beginning to see the problem. Before, there had been separation and now there was none. It was only logical to assume that the without that separation between male and female, any changes would occur in favor of whichever form held the most sway. Most troubling, indeed. She looked over to her great grand daughter, who was seeing the subtle differences as well. "Do you understand, Grandchild?"

"R-Ranma… Real girl-type now." She stared, unsure what to make of the new development.

It was the first time the goddess trio had noticed the change as well, though it troubled Belldandy and Urd more so than Skuld at the moment. Urd leaned over to Belldandy to whisper, "I knew she was worried about this outcome, but I had no idea just how much she was repressing."

"Nor, I, but the pressure must be enormous… If she countinues, there will be… Side effects." Belldandy agreed with concern.

"Of couse she's a girl!" Skuld blurted for the benefit of anybody who doubted otherwise, without really having any idea of the changes that were even now taking place. To her, a girl was a girl, end of story.

Her control snapped back into place as Ranma suddenly became self-conscious of the attention she was receiving. "Alright, enough!"

"Ranma boy-type again?" Shampoo cocked her head, noticing the change.

Ranma stood up suddenly, glaring at Cologne. "I have no idea what's happening to me, but I'm done with your precious Amazon scheming for one night." And with that, her red tail flipped around and she was gone into the night.

That was the sister's cue. Belldandy bowed while Skuld and Urd got up. "Thank you for the use of your establishment."

"I apologize for any inconvenience you may have suffered," Cologne returned the bow from her cain. "If there is anything you--"

Cologne was stopped short as Urd leaned in close with an evil gleam in her eyes. It was a look Belldandy knew well, and became worried. "Match making is my hobby too, but Ranma is a very dear friend of mine." Her eyes narrowed on the Amazon elder. "If I find you've become too bothersome, you won't enjoy what I'll have in store for you."

Then they were gone, leaving Shampoo befuddled and Cologne in a cold sweat.

"Saotome, you enemy of women!" The black haired Chinese boy leapt down from the roof tops, blocking Ranma's path. "How dare you yell at Shampoo like that! I saw it all from the kitchen!"

"This is not the time." Ranma's statement was totally devoid of emotion. She didn't even look up at Mousse.

Mousse pushed his thick glasses up and spread his arms out. From their white oversized sleeve sprang two gleaming blades. "Prepare to die, Cassanova!" he declared and leapt high into the air, whirling the swords into a deadly arc down onto the waiting redhead. Ranma sidestepped and Mousse rolled passed him.

"One." Ranma said simply.

Mousse recovered quickly and spun about, blades slashing high. Had Ranma been inattentive, they probably would have aided in a tracheotomy. She took one step back and the blade cleaved air.

"Two."

The Chinese boy changed his stance and charged, swords dragging in the wind until Ranma came into range, where he swept them both inward like scissors… But she was gone. Mousse skidded to a halt. "Wha-Where did you go?"

"Three."

Mousse spun around to the voice behind him. The flash blinded him and Ranma transformed before his very eyes. The boy gaped. What had once been Ranma Saotome had become an impossible vision of his rival for Shampoo. She was radiant, robes flowing to an invisible breeze. Mousse staggered back, knowing instantly that he was out classed. "R-Ranma…!" The ladies' azure eyes held him and she walked slowly over in a most womanly manner. Mousse staggered back another step and fell to the ground.

Ranma's honeyed voice carried through the night air. "I told you now was not the time, Mousse." She continued walking and he continued to shuffle back until a wall blocked his progress. "But since you insist, I'll make the time." She now stood over him and Mousse shrank against the wall. Even as he feared for his life, he noticed that there was no hint of man in this Ranma. The clothing said it all, in fact. There was a slit up the elegant dress now that revealed a tantalizing leg before disappearing back into the folds. It was also lower cut, leaving no doubts as to the figure of the woman who occupied it. The biggest change was that her hair was no longer bound by a ponytail, allowing its red mane to flow peacefully in the night. An arm shot out from the beauty above him and it hauled his person up by the collar. Mousse was taller than her, but she lifted him with ease, pinning him against the wall roughly. Ranma leaned in close, feminine menace still in her eyes. He could feel her breath now. "So what should I do with you?"

"Don't hurt him too bad, Ran-chan! He's kinda cute!" Urd's voice carried from the opposite sidewalk. With her stood both younger sisters, Cologne and Shampoo right beside them.

"I knew that boy had run off to get in trouble!" Cologne grumbled. The last thing she needed was love struck duck-boy to ruin her plans and calling down the wrath of a goddess.

"Stupid Mousse always embarrasses Shampoo." The younger Amazon agreed, but watched with interest.

Ranma leaned closer, lips and breasts nearly touching Mousse's body. "I'm sure you'll agree with me," The Goddess of Luck whispered softly, "when I say that you do not want this to happen again." Mousse whimpered compliance. "Good." Ranma released her grip suddenly and Mousse dropped like a sack of potatoes. The goddess spun gracefully and walked to the waiting group of women.

"Well she certainly looks… Different?" Belldandy watched the approaching Ranma with concern.

Overall, Urd approved of her change in wardrobe, but was more worried about her change in personality. She wasn't totally gone, but the change in her appearance indicated that there was a conflict going on inside that head of hers.

"WHOA…" Skuld was mesmerized by the approaching Goddess. "Onee-chan is so beautiful…!" But even as she said it, the girl could see the tempest brewing in her adopted sister's eyes.

Cologne had to agree, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing, especially if the other goddesses were so taken by surprise and concern. The Ranma she saw now was definitely a woman. Not just a woman, but a woman's woman. That fact was totally at odds with the person she had just talked to less than five minutes ago, and it didn't bode well for Shampoo or her own future.

"Didn't I leave you back at the café?" Ranma inquired with annoyance as she passed Cologne.

Cologne saw the look of razor edge tolerance in her eye, similar to that of her white haired friend earlier. She could feel the waves of discontent emanating from Ranma, and realized she was in a very dangerous situation. Cologne decided to take the high road. "We are merely here to collect the Duck Boy, nothing more, Your Divinity."

The razors softened, and Ranma continued to the other Goddesses.

Shampoo blinked. It had been the first time since their meeting three years past that she had ever heard Great Grandmother call Ranma anything other than 'son in-law' Cologne saw the question in her eyes, and explained. "We no longer have the luxury of trying to bend Saotome's will to the Amazon's, and such a path has already led us onto very dangerous ground for not only us, but the entire tribe as a whole. One misstep here could bring the wrath of a Goddess down around us."

Shampoo frowned. "But tribal council say must bring back Ranma and-"

"Ranma is beyond tribal law now which has given us a way to avoid dishonor." Cologne continued. "Unless they would like to try to bend a goddess to their will, it is no longer my intention to actively pursue this mission any further. You may continue to pursue Saotome as fiancé if you wish, but be reminded you are dealing with Divinity now and as such represent the entire tribe in your successes …And failures." Shampoo remained silent. The Elder knew she had just unloaded an entire world of responsibility onto her shoulders, on top of the fact that her fiancé would more than likely not be a man ever again. Such relations were not uncommon, but it was a sharp departure from the goal they had both pursued for the last three years.

"Give this matter great thought before you decide, grand daughter."

Author's Notes
More plot, more chaos. Hope you're enjoying it!

Mara vs Ranma;
Both Mara and Ranma are technically the same rank in their respective factions; thus, I give the edge to Mara, especially with her henchmen and experience, where as Ranma has a lot of mortal combat experience but none as a Goddess. It explains why she can clean up reapers all day long, but had a harder time with Mara for those wondering. Also, I can't say I've ever seen Mara directly attack anybody since she seems to primarily rely on stupidity and subterfuge. Given that, I cast her primary ranged attack as lightening bolts.

About Urd;
Like I said, very possessive of her good friends, who are about the only people she has real feelings for and thus affect her so. This possibly makes her look like a sap in certain situations, but only in private or close company.

About Ranma;
Yes, her friendship with Urd has made her an unintentional drinking buddy. I know they really didn't drink in Ranma ½, but Urd does :p Ranma's mind is falling apart in trying to coping with power, permanent gender change etc. Developed more in 7-10.

About Mikasa;
It's a store. In Singapore. Sorry, couldn't think of a better name :P

About Blessings;
I needed a prop that had the potential of effecting the outcome of Ranma's entire development since childhood, so I created this one. It was either that, Or have Urd mettle in numerous points through out his life, which has been done already in other fics.

About Special Duty Division;
Featured in the AMG Movie with one-shot character Lind. Think of Heaven's Special Forces unit.