Healing Chapter 2 *thoughts* [Signs] ^emphasis^ SHOUTS Insert standard disclaimer here. I don't have any money anyway so suing me will cost you more then you could hope to gain even in satisfaction. "Hello my son," called Nodoka coming in the front door at almost a jog. "Hello Mother," answered Ranma getting up and giving her a hug. Kasumi, Ranma, Skuld, Ukyo, Shampoo, Soun, and Genma were sitting in the living room of the Tendo house. Ranma, Kasumi, and Skuld had been talking about this and that, while Soun and Genma were pretending to play shogi but were plotting to get Ranma and Akane together instead. Probably not realizing that Ranma was listening with half an ear to everything they said. Nabiki was sitting, staring at a spot on the floor where her little sister had been knocked to the floor by Ranma twenty minutes ago. *Something is going on here. This Ranma is calm composed and seams to be very dangerous, not to mention that my only defenses against him have been that he doesn't hit girls and blackmail, but now that protection may have expired,* thought Nabiki with an unaccustom shiver of fear. *I'm going to have to be careful.* "Where have you been all summer?" asked Nodoka in the tone that all mothers have dealing with missing offspring. "I went on a training trip and spent a large part of it learning several things that had been severely lacking in my education, such as manners." "Oh!" Nodoka seamed a little startled at this reply. *At last he has finally started growing up and now I can see about getting him married for real. Akane is to violent, she would make a louse daughter-in-law and would embarrass the school when I taught her the sword. Nabiki schemes to much, but is quick. Shampoo, I just don't know. Ukyo, he sees her as a friend. Kasumi is just about perfect though,* thought Nodoka as she began plotting. "And whats with the tattoos?" "Yeah I'm back, but before I forget this is Skuld. A friend I met while on my training trip and the tattoos are something that I did while I was away," continued Ranma gesturing at Skuld. "Hello," said Nodoka. *She seams to be a little young to make it into the final equation.* "Hello, I've heard so much about you." Skuld then continued in a conspirator's tone. "All of it good." *I wonder if Ranma noticed that his mother started sizing up girls the minute that he revealed that he had started growing up. Akane flunked, but the others I'm not sure about.* "Really that was nice of Ranma. How did you meet him?" "He was introduced by my older sister," explained Skuld, at which the other girls started glaring but refrained from doing anything else after a look at ^that^ space on the floor. Kasumi retired to the kitchen to start dinner and everyone save Skuld was a little startled when Ranma followed and offered to help. "Thats not a job for a man!" insisted Genma from where he was playing. "As if you'd know, being far from one yourself," shot back Ranma without slowing. Once in the kitchen Ranma and Kasumi started preparing dinner with some help from Nodoka and they discussed what had happened in Nerima while Ranma had been gone. Ukyo had gotten an offer to sell her restaurant, but had refused. She said that she wasn't finished in Nerima yet. Shampoo had signed up for school. Kodachis had requested a transfer to Furinkan high school and the word was that she had been excepted. Most recently the word was out that Dr. Tofu was looking for a new assistant. After dinner Ranma offered to take Skuld home and so they headed away from the Tendo dojo. "Are you really going to stay there?" asked Skuld. "I mean Kasumi reminds me of Belldandy, Nabiki was still in shock but I'm not sure about her, and Akane is likely to do something drastic." "I'll be staying at least for the night and I think that I can handle anything that Akane can hand out," Ranma assured her. "Shall we go?" he asked as he led her into one of the pools of light cast by a street lamp and stepped though to the light in the temple. "So how did it go?" asked Hel from the couch, she was taking up half of it by herself. Belldandy and Keiichi didn't seam to mind because between them they were taking up almost as much room as one person needed. "About what I expected. Everyone thinks that I'm going to fulfill the pledge that applies to them no matter what happens," responded Ranma as he flopped down on the chair. "Hel, I'm going to hold you to that bet. I'm going to pick out a house and your going to have to buy it for me." "Your going to move out?" she asked. "Well I'm going to need an address for the school thats in Nerima, and a place for my mother to visit. So yes I'm going to move back to Nerima, at least for now." "Well you can always come back you know," broke in Urd from the other side of the living room where she had been watching Belldandy and Keiichi. "Thank you and I'll always treasure the summer that we spent together. However I'd better get back before anyone starts to worry." He vanished into the light and was gone. "How was school?" Belldandy asked. Still sitting on Keiichi's lap. "It was boring. I mean how do they expect their kids to grow up to anything meaningful when thats all the education that they give them?" responded Skuld. "You have to remember that all of the kids your in class with are far younger then you and that mortals don't have the same intellectual powers that we do. Later Skuld was getting ready for bed when Belldandy asked to come in. "Sure come on in," shouted Skuld who was dressed in her pajamas. "I wanted to ask you why your going to school now." "Well I figure that if I'm going to stay on the surface sooner or later I'll need to attend school and at least Ranma's going now," said Skuld and when she realized that she had said the last part she slapped a hand over her mouth. "So thats it. Thats why you've quit trying to break me and Keiichi up and why your going to school. Your interested in Ranma." "Well yeah I guess a little," admitted Skuld looking at the floor. "You see when he was in his girl form sometimes I would forget that he was a guy and got to like him. Then I realized that he was right that night, his personality doesn't really change when he does. After that I saw him and Keiichi practicing in the back yard without his shirt and realized that he was handsome, kind, and has a big heart. The god of Healing, and even the martial arts he always calls art not fighting. I mean he is willing to fight when he has to but he mostly fights as a means to play with his favorite toy, the art." "Well I'd say that you've got your work cut out for you. Weather he will admit it or not Kasumi is still in the running, Urd is interested, and Hel is defiantly interested. Beyond that is the fact that you look like your about twelve, add in his other fiancees and you have a lot of competition, but if you want to try for it I'll support you. However I will expect you and Urd not to turn this into your old fighting again." *** --Flashback-- The night of the carnival. Belldandy and Keiichi had arrived home to here explosions and cursing coming from inside the house. Ranma is walking out of his room right into a bomb tossed by Skuld. As the explosion cleared Ranma shook his head and turned to ask Skuld. "What was that for?" "Sorry I was aiming for that over sexed meddler," this was aimed more at Urd then Ranma. "I'm going to get you you undersized technorunt," shot back Urd. "Could you to do me a favor?" asked Ranma in his best nice guy look that had been know to charm girls out of the wood work, which explains why he was normally a jerk. "What can I do for you?" asked Urd leaning close to Ranam. *Boy he looks cute like that.* "I bet I can help you better then she ever could," insisted Skuld. "We I don't think that either of you could do this," held out Ranma. "Try us," they insisted at the same time. "Okay try being nice to each other for a whole week. I think that you'll find that you two actually like each other, but you letting normal emotions of not having a lot to do, and friction over something thats non of your business anyway get between you. Your both likable people, you have good hearts, lots of talent, and looks going for you. So as a personal favor to me could you try and be nice to each other." "What do you mean about something thats non of our business?" asked Urd. "Urd you think that Belldandy and Keiichi should get moving in their relationship because they won't have anytime together. Skuld you think that if Belldandy gets involved with Keiichi then she'll love you less. Well I've got new for you. Urd after hearing about my life you should know that attempting to force love is the fastest way to kill it. Skuld your sister is one of few people that will never run out of love to share, particularly with her sisters. So you should both just leave them alone for a time and see what happens. You both have my promise that you won't be disappointed with the result." After that conversation Keiichi and Belldandy flew up to the roof and spent the night up there. Sometime during the night someone put a blanket over them. Also Skuld and Urd stopped fighting because Ranma had asked them so nicely and found that when they weren't antagonizing each other they could actually get alone. The final piece was when they worked together to fix Keiichi's motorcycle. Skuld put all of the pieces back together, with ^improvements,^ and Urd created a new fuel for it. *** "And that doesn't mean that I'm not going to support Urd, Hel, or anyone else that asks," finished Belldandy snapping back out of the memories of that night. "All right Bell, but could you help me look a little less like a kid and more like an adult?" *** *Now what?* thought Rajeke as he stormed threw Niflheim. *I wonder if he has any idea. I always seam to get interrupted just when I'm getting to something important.* "You called for me Master?" he asked in a humble, fearful tone. *What does this idiot want now?* "I have summoned you because He has appointed a new God of Healing and a new God of Martial Arts. He has combined their positions and given their powers and abilities to a mortal! This upstart mortal must be stopped before my grand scheme can succeed. Rajeke, Class one, catagory one demon I'm changing you with the task of stopping or eliminating this new threat to me. You have all of the recourses that you can call upon. Tell me when it is done!" thundered the Prince of Darkness. "Yes Master, even though he was a mortal this may take some time as he does have great power now," insisted Rajeke. "Enough your whining just finish him!" *That fool has just given me all of the time I need to bring my plan to fruition and then I will rule all of creation!* *** At the Nekohanten that night Shampoo was telling Cologne what had happened. "Ranma actually ^hit^ Akane?" asked an astonished Cologne. "Yes, husband done protecting kitchen-destroyer. Now Shampoo and husband go back to China," responded a bouncy Shampoo, a fact that the male customers noted with interest and then thought 'husband, oh darn'. "We must be careful. You said that he said he wasn't going to marry anyone just now, right?" "Yes husband said he wasn't ready," confirmed Shampoo. "He is obviously over that fact that he won't hit girls so you must be very careful, his temper may get the better of you if you do something that would turn him against you," cautioned Cologne in a worried tone. *If Ranma is willing to hit girls and seams to have grown up then our pursuit could become dangerous and that boy has potential if he has reached even a small portion of that potential then we could be in grave danger indeed. I must look into this.* *** The next morning in the Tendo house hold Kasumi was just getting up to get ready for the day. It was Five thirty when she came down to the bath to find that it was warmed up and ready for her. The faint sound that was drifting thought the house from the yard didn't even register. *I wander who could have done this? Usually there is no one up yet,* thought Kasumi with a touch of sadness. *I would really like to have been someone's someone special. Akane had Ranma, who killed a dimi-god for her, and I would have liked to have someone that would protect and care for me. Instead I got scared of his curse and let Akane have him, and she wasted the chance that she had to have a kind hearted man that would take care of her for the rest of their lives.* Kasumi was lost in her musings when she came out of the bathroom and almost walked over Nodoka who was coming down the hallway. "Excuse me Kasumi," apologized Nodoka. She was carrying her bathing supplies. "It's my fault and thank you for warming up the water for me," countered Kasumi. "But dear I just got up," responded a puzzled Nodoka. They then both noticed that faint thread of melody drifting thought the house. After an exchange of glances they moved to the back door and looked out. It was a foggy morning like something that you would expect in London, not Tokyo. They could just see Ranma, dressed in his white outfit, sitting calmly ^over^ the pond playing a silver flute. When he noticed them he increased the volume so that they didn't have to concentrate to hear it. Though they didn't know it this was one of the spells that Ranma had worked out from using his own brand of Anything Goes Healing, and casting magic with music. A sense of peace washed over the two women as they stood listening to Ranma's music. *I feel great now,* thought Kasumi as the feelings of sadness were washed out of her as her soul basked in the glow of a God of Healing. *I haven't felt this much at peace since Ranma was born,* thought Nodoka also caught in Ranma's spell. "That was beautiful," said Kasumi clapping quietly as Ranma brought his song to a close. "Yes that was very good," agreed Nodoka. "Where did you learn to play? I don't see your father encouraging it." "No this was something that I picked up on my training trip. Me and some friends tried to learn some instruments on a dare," explained Ranma. "You might as well get comfortable because breakfast is ready and the dishes are done." "When did you have time to do all of that?" asked Nodoka. "Besides I thought you always slept in?" "Naw not always I just didn't have a reason to get up. This morning I'm expecting someone." Just then they hear a motorcycle pull up in front of the house. After a few second a form jumps over the wall. "Morning Ranma," calls the figure. "I notice that you don't think that this'll be a good morning, Keiichi," countered Ranma. "Skuld said that your ploy with Kami-sama to get your father to leave you alone didn't work, so I figure that you'll either be to agitated to teach or you'll take out your frustrations on me." "You do realize that we're not alone," commented Ranma as the realization of what Keiichi said sank into Kasumi and Nodoka. "You've met Kami-sama?" asked Nodoka in a stunned whisper. "Yes actually I have, twice. Now about that lesson," finished Ranma with a predatory look at Keiichi. "I'm in for it now. You will leave me with enough time to write out my will, won't you?" "Yeah sure I will-." Ranma was cut off as he stepped aside just in time for a large spear to fly through where he was standing. "Saotome prepare to punished for making Shampoo cry," yelled Moose from the top of the wall. He got ready to lunge at Ranma with a large broadsword that he pull out, but Ranma pulled one of his 'Katas' out of the back of his mind and got ready for him. "Die!" shouted Moose as he leaped quickly at Ranma. At least thats what he planed. What happened was that Ranma turned lose his spell that seamed to freeze Moose in mid air, but if you looked long enough you could see that he was still moving but at a very small fraction of normal speed. "Are you going to do anything else to him?" asked Keiichi. "Why should I waste the effort? It'll take the rest of the day for him to hit the ground," laughed Ranma. "Now about that third kata of yours." *** "Morning Doc," called Ranma as he walked into Dr. Tofu's office. "Ranma your back," responded Tofu as he ran around his desk and gave Ranma a hug. *I can't believe this is Ranma. This young man has a aura of peace and well being that I can feel like warm sunlight.* "Yeah, I'm back but if you don't want people to get the wrong idea you should probably let go." "Where did you go? Kasumi said that you said this was as much medical as marital arts." Tofu was sitting back behind his desk and Ranma was sitting in one of the facing chairs. "Well I can't tell you most of it just yet, but I learned some very interesting things along with some magic. Is that position still open for an assistant?" "Of course, but if you advanced as fast there as you did here you may qualify as a partner instead." "Well maybe I'll just have to see about that," said Ranma with a smile. *** School was just about to start when a chilling laugh cut through the yard. "HOHOHO, where is my Ranma darling?" demanded Kodachis looking around. "That foul sorceror has not the courage to stand against one such as me and is hiding like the cowardly dog he is!" proclaimed Kuno loudly. "He shallt not hide from my divine justice much longer!" *This guy is a genuine nut case,* thought Skuld as she walked out of the gym, the pool made a convenient way of transport. *And the idea of him exercising ^divine^ judgment on anyone is a laugh let alone Ranma. Now I have to get to class and speaking of him, where is Ranma?* Then she felt a tingle run across her from the sunlight. *There he is.* *** Everyone had made it to class without incident this morning which meant that anyone that was familiar with Nerima was holding their breath. Also everyone in the class was on the verge of losing it entirely, Ranma was paying attention in class. Not just looking at the board but taking notes and listening to the teacher. At least that was what it looked like. *This is sorta boring. I mean after the third time he explained patiently what was going on in the problem I could have done them in a coma,* thought Ranma. As a result he had stated to let his mind wander. He was using a skill that he had noticed when he had first started to travel. *I wonder why Kami-sama agreed to let me have two travel methods, I doubt that it was the result of my argument that if I have twice the work I should have twice the perks, but I'm not going to argue.* He had noticed that when he was in the midst of travel that he could see the landing site that he wanted, but when he focused less on the target he could get glimpses of other areas. Only ones that were connected to his current travel medium, but it was kinda neat. Then he and the goddesses had worked on it and now they could sort thorough the images that are connected to the area around a possible destination. Now he was just using sunlight though, playing hookie without leaving the classroom. *** Ranma's next class was interrupted by the secretary bringing him a fax that had been sent to the school for him. "Ranma this fax is for you, but I think that it was messed up during sending because all it is is gibberish, but its for you so here you go," commented the secretary handing Ranma as fax that could only be read by a god or a demon. "Thanks anyway," responded Ranma politely as he took the fax from her. He ignored the questioning stares and quickly scanned it. *Hmm, Kami-sama wants to talk to me after school. Well he's the boss. I wander what for though?* The rest of the day passed without incident which meant that Nabiki was stocking up on house insurance, Kasumi had contacted the repair company that they frequented, and Cologne was just about to lose it. *** *Well thats over,* thought Ranma as he jumped to the roof of the school. *I forgot how nosy these people were. Now they want to know where I disappeared to for the summer. I should have known. Oh well time to see Kami-sama.* After that thought Ranma faded into the sunlight and arrived outside Kami-sama's office. He walked over to the angel and showed her the fax. "Of course. He's expecting you," she said waving him through. Once inside Ranma looked around the miniature jungle and noticed a plant that wasn't doing so good. So with a quick whispered spell he revived it. "Thank you Ranma. No matter what I do to that plant it always seams to wilt," said Kami-sama from behind his desk. "No problem Sensei. The problem is that all of your jungle plants need a warmer climate and this one is a temperate climate," explained Ranma. *I'll never forget the look on Tyr's face when I first called him that, but to me he has been a bringer of wisdom and love.* "What was it you wished to speak to me about?" he asked. "You know I used to know ever plant by its first name and friends, but now I'm just to busy to get to all of it. However I wanted to ask you how your settling back in with the Tendos and if your plan worked." "You of all people should know that I'm not settling very well and the plan was pretty much a failure, but I never expected it to make my father back off in the slightest, but this does give me a way out without having to reveal who I am now to everyone," responded Ranma with a smile. "Speaking of work you really should get out of the office sometime. All work and no play you know." "Who would mind the shop while I was away? Who would want to?" "Well you could pick a group and have a committee, they wouldn't get far enough alone to mess anything up or you could pick one person and drop responsibility on him or her. After all you'll only be on Midgard just a message away." "I don't think that it would work. Now, I need to know how you feel about your curse." "Well it really doesn't bother me that much because I'm learning who I really am. A luxury that I didn't have until I spent the summer with the three Norns and a mortal. Why?" "Well I was going to assign you to the Goddess Relief Hotline and that might have caused a few eyebrows to go up if a guy answered the phone." "I can do that. Its just like wearing a uniform to work. And you should think about that vacation." "You know very well that I can't leave. Now get out you impudent scamp, I have work to do." However after Ranma departed Kami-sama didn't go right back to work instead he sat staring out the window. *He's probably the best thing to happen to Asgard in a long time. He is shaking things up for a while and some of his training accidents are still being retold all over the place,* thought Kami-sama. *I think the reason I'm so fond of him is because doesn't treat me like, well a god. To him I'm a teacher or maybe a senior partner, someone to respect but can still be at ease around.* *** *Lets see, Ranma was going to find a house today but he had school so maybe he hasn't had time yet,* thought Hel as she stepped out of a window and into Nerima. She was going to find the perfect house for Ranma and then buy it for him. *Then maybe I can move in with him,* she thought with a smile that was well recognized in Nerima. It meant that the girl in question was thinking about a boy and that would probably lead to massive property damage. *Too small, too shabby, too close to the Tendo place.* Hel was categorizing houses that she had found around Nerima. *That one has potential,* she thought looking at the add for a new subdivision. *Hmm, maybe I could by two and that would be big enough. What am I thinking? I'm trying to find a house for the two of us, which isn't an unpleasant thought, but I'd better worry about getting him first.* *** Just over the top of the Tendo house a faint distortion of light heralded the coming of the God of Healing to Midgard. "I'm home," called Ranma dropping off of the roof into the back yard. *Moose seams to have gotten free,* he noted as he walked into the house. "Hello Ranma. How was your day?" called Kasumi from the kitchen. "Not bad how 'bout you?" "Just the usual cleaning an such. No one knew where you had went and Akane thought that you might have gone to Uchan's or maybe the Nekohanten so everyone is out looking for you. Including the Panda," Kasumi added as almost an afterthought. "Well in that case skip dinner. You don't have enough fun as it is. Lets go out to eat," suggested Ranma with one of those smiles that could make girls go gooey and start seeing hearts. "Oh my, do you think we should?" asked Kasumi. *Did he just ask me out on a date?* "Yes I think we should. You don't get out enough. Your going to turn into a hermit if you keep going like this. Let me change and you can pick the restaurant," countered Ranma as he bounded up the stairs. *If we're going out I really should change cloths,* thought Kasumi as she went upstairs. *Well maybe he doesn't see me as an old maid.* *** An hour latter Ranma was wearing a button down shirt and slacks, while Kasumi had changed into a dress that she had bought while in pursuit of Tofu. *I'm glad I bought this dress even if I did decide that what me a Dr. Tofu had was a youthful crush and after Tofu couldn't control himself I think its time I moved on,* thought Kasumi as she and Ranma strolled down the sidewalk. Unknown to them Shampoo was watching. She had discovered them while she was looking for Ranma after Akane had run into the Nekohanten demanding that Ranma show himself. *I must tell Grandmother about this,* thought Shampoo as she raced away on the roof topes. "So where did you want to go tonight?" Ranma asked Kasumi glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. *Gee, thats a nice dress, maybe we should go somewhere fancier than Uchan's or something.* "There is supposed to be a new restaurant in town thats very good," suggested Kasumi. "By the way why did you get those tattoos?" "As long as Akane isn't the cook I'll try just about anything," countered Ranma with a grin. "The tattoos are part of a very long story, Maybe I can tell you sometime." *** *Now let me see what I have to work with,* thought Rajeke as he arrived in Midgard. *I think I should start working on the Amazons, but not that Cologne. She seams to be a bit better then you average Amazon at overlooking males stepping out of line, which just won't do.* After a quick check of his surroundings he disappeared back into a pool of water and emerged in Jusenkyo. *First I need something to keep the new god of martial arts busy. Rajeke started chanting in a language that had long be forgotten on Midgard. The air started to swirl in front of him and with a thunderclap a being stood before him. It was a Balor. It was a twelve foot tall ugly humanoid with dark red skin and wings. It was from one of the lower planes of existence that lay next to Niflheim. The creatures from those planes were not true demons as most people assumed, but they were darker spirits that found a way to sustain themselves short of true death by using magic, blood, and inflicting pain. "Why have you summoned me," it boomed out in a voice that would send brave warriors fleeing for safety. It was glaring at Rajeke like it would like it would love nothing better than to tear him to very tiny pieces over the course of several hours. "I have summoned you to perform a task for me," responded Rajeke in a voice like steel. He looked back at the Balor impassively, he had see them many times before. "You are to attack and destroy the new God of Healing, and the people around him." "You know my kind and still you tell me to kill a God?" laughed the Balor. "I know your kind very well. He is but newly come into his powers so for a being of your caliber this should be difficult but not impossible," snarled Rajeke. "Now go and kill him, afterwards you may go free." Rajeke smiled as he pictured what would happen after this upstart mortal was dead. The Gods would be in disarray anyway and then they would be forced to hunt down and kill a Balor that had been released totally without restraint on Midgard. "Very well," answered the Balor smiling as it too pictured what was to come. After the Balor flew off in search of its prey Rajeke turned back to regard the amazon village. *Now I will start my plan to conquer creation,* he thought as he walked toward the village. Once at the village he stopped and asked to speak with the elder of the village on the subject of the missing matriarch. After an hour of waiting he was shown in to see her. "What is your name?" demanded and ancient woman on a stick. "And what information do you have about the Matriarch?" "My name is Rajeke and I have come to tell you that the husband still has not been captured and now he has gathered allies from the depths of hell to aid him against the wrath of the Amazons. Learning of this I have come to offer my assistance to you on a method that would be able to bring the rest of the world to its knees," promised Rajeke with a deep bow. *Along with the rest of creation,* he mentally continued. "As it the ancient destiny of the Amzons." "Why should we have need of you, male?" asked the elder. She was trying to hide it but was obviously thrilled with the idea of conquering the world. "I have managed to recover a book of Amazon lore that had been stolen from the amazons centuries ago," he explained. "Where is this book of lore that you have recovered for us?" insisted the elder, who was obviously very interested in restoring the glories that were told of the days of old when nations trembled at a threat from the amazons. "I had to make sure that you were still the warrior women of old and not someone who just tried to claim the glory that is the birthright of the amazons," continued Rajeke as the elder almost seamed to draw strength from the words and continued respect that was evident from the outsider. "Bring us this book and you will be rewarded for your trouble in returning our knowledge." "I will return within the hour," promised the demon as he smiled inside where the woman could not see it, for if she had she would have spent the rest of her life in pray to ward off the memory of that smile. *** "That was nearly as good as one of yours," Ranma told Kasumi as they walked out of the new restaurant. "Do you really think so?" asked Kasumi looking at him. "Yes I do. Now where should we go next?" "Maybe we should head home, the others will be coming back." "Don't be such a party pooper, the night is young. This is the first night of your vacation, isn't there anything that you want to do?" Ranma was thinking about a conversation that he had had with Dr. Tofu when Tofu had been explaining that he and Kasumi would probably never work out. He had mentioned that Kasumi loved to dance. "Well now that you mention it I was going to bake a cake because of you coming home," started Kasumi. "You know you need some classes on vacationing," replied Ranma smacking himself in the forehead and sliding the hand down his face. "Lets go dancing instead," he suggested with a smile. "Since I know you like that as much as I do the art." Twenty minutes later they arrived at a club and Ranma paid their way inside. There were people dancing, drinking, and gambling. "Are you sure this is ok?" asked Kasumi looking around. "Are you having fun yet?" "Well it has been along time since I went dancing so yes I am," responded Kasumi losing the plastered permanent smile and replacing it with the genuine article. "Then everything is right with the world," countered Ranma with a grin as he pulled her out on the floor. *** "You say son-in-law is going out with Kasumi?" asked Cologne with a sharp look. "Yes Grandmother, Shampoo see them walking to restaurant," elaborated Shampoo. "This may mean that you possession of him may not be as easy as we thought. We must find out what is going on here." They closed the Nekohanten early and left to find Ranma. Cologne was worried, never before had Ranma dated without coercion on someone's part. Now he had hit Akane and was willingly dating Kasumi. Shampoo just wanted to get a date of her own. Nor where they the only ones that wanted to find him. Ukyo had left her restaurant to search for him, Akane was still in Ranma bashing mode, Kuno wanted to kill Ranma and date Ranko, and Kodachis well nobody knows what goes on in her mind. *** After several hours Kasumi and Ranma were still having fun. Several of the guys at the back had challenged Ranma to a game of darts, after cleaning up on the board Ranma offer to try some trick shots. After years of Martial arts training it was child's play to throw darts while standing on his head or flipping in the air. "That was great," said an excited Kasumi as Ranma finished with the darts. "Yeah, I've never see anyone that could do that before," spoke up the man that he had beaten at darts the first time around. "I've had a lot of training that gives me and advantage with hand eye coordination," countered Ranma. He signaled for another sake, no one can party with Urd and not come up with a tolerance for alcohol. "Son-in-law what are you doing?" demanded Cologne as she walked in the door followed by all of the others. "Saotome you shallt pay for holding the fair Akane and Pigtailed goddess in your foul magic," proclaimed Kuno. "Husband ready to marry Shampoo?" asked an ecstatic Shampoo. "Ranchan are you ok?" asked Ukyo. "You pervert what are you doing with my sister?" demanded Akane with her mallet at the ready. "My darling I'm ready to marry you now," called Kodachis. "What the name of the God of Martial Arts is going on here?" demanded Ranma looking around. Also unbeknown to the rest of the group he was building his battle aura deep inside where it wouldn't show. "We were kinda wondering what happened to you," answered Nabiki from where she was standing by the bar. "And then we got back to the house and Kasumi wasn't there so we started getting worried until Shampoo told us that you and Kasumi had gone somewhere together. After that it was just a matter of looking around town for you." "Oh, well in that case I decided that Kasumi works so hard for the rest of us I was going to do something for her and since the rest of you were gone I thought taking her out to dinner would be a nice thing to say thank you," replied Ranma calmly. "Well if you want a date all you had to do was ask," said Ukyo. "I'd be happy to go anywhere with you Ranchan." "Shampoo love to go on date with husband," added Shampoo. "I think you guys are missing the point. This trip was to thank Kasumi for all of the hard work she does." "Thats it you pervert you had better stay away from my sister," snarled Akane as she swung the Mallet of Doom at him. Ranma pointed his index finger at her like it was a gun and fired a Ki blast the size of a rubber bounce ball and it blasted the mallet into powder. "Don't you have any real attacks or do you need to try and use that thing on me all the time?" asked Ranma in a bored tone. "How did you do that?" asked Nabiki looking quizzically at the dust still falling around her sister. "Do what?" "Destroy the mallet with out hurting Akane?" snapped Nabiki. "DIE FOUL SAOTOME!" cried Kuno as he lunged forward with his bokken at the ready. "Hold on a moment," said Ranma as he slid into a golfers stance, grabbing a mallet out of hammerspace and with a cry of 'Four' belted Kuno into the stratosphere. Then he turned and saw Kodachis lunging at him he hurled the mallet and knocked her to the floor. "Anyone else care to take a swing?" he asked looking around. "You jerk I'll show you who the best martial artist is!" yelled an enraged Akane swinging her fists as she charged. "You know I'm tired of your temper, I'm tired of your accusations, and I'm tired of your attacks," said Ranma in a slightly angry tone as he stepped out of the way and tripped her. "So if you want to fight, lets fight." "Finally I get to pound you like you deserve instead of holding back because you won't fight back," yelled Akane. She stepped up to Ranma swinging as hard as she could. "Kitchen-Destroyer actually think she can beat husband," laughed Shampoo as the truth dawned on her that Akane had talked herself into believing that the reason she couldn't hit Ranma was because she was holding back because he wasn't fighting back. Mean while Ranma had started deflecting her swings, most of which were defected mere inches away from their targets. Then he switched to one hand and started snapping pressure point hits against her. The first round caused her legs to lockup, the second her upper body and finally as she started yelling at him he tapped the point that stopped her voice box. "That should pretty much prove that I can more than take anything that you can hand out," said Ranma calmly, ignoring the fuming Akane. "DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN TAKE WHAT I CAN HAND OUT GODLING?" demanded a booming voice from outside the club. Just then the front of the wall was smashed in and a twelve foot, flame wreathed, Balor with his lightning sword in one hand and nine tailed whip in the other stepped into the middle of the street and beckoned Ranma forward. "HUH?" demanded everyone but Ranma who was starting to glow silver and green. TO BE CONTINUED Don't you just hate that? Well if your still reading this story you should know that I wanted to get this chapter out before the next round of updates on the pages I post to. This one seams to be much more popular than the Untitled one I have posted so it got the first chapter two. Next I'm going to work on Chapter two of my Untitled, so it might be a few weeks before I get back to this one. I would like to thank both Lady Cosmos and Darkchan for continuing to host this and for getting me started in the first place. I'm still taking all comments at Sjiriki@aol.com. Thanks for putting up with my writting.