Healing 3

*thoughts*
<Telepathy>
[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.

	The people in the bar, and most of the surrounding street 
were stopped dead in their tracks as that voice boomed out once 
more.
	"WHERE IS YOUR BRAVADO NOW PUNNY GODLING?" laughed 
the balor as it snapped its whip.
	Ranma just ignored him as his battle aura sprang up around 
him in a flare of silver fire with a green core closely outlining his 
form.  He walked out of the bar through the missing wall.
	"Son-in-law do you know what that is?" demanded Cologne 
in a flash of horror when she realized what he was facing.
	"If I remember my lessons right that's a balor, denizen of 
the lower planes feared by mortals and used by demons," answered 
Ranma with perfect calm.
	"How did you learn that?" demanded Cologne.  The others 
were still trying to figure out just what it was that was going on here.
	Everyone turned to Ranma.
	"What are you talking about?" demanded Akane.
	"Yeah whats going on?" asked Ukyo.
	"Why monster call husband godling?" asked Shampoo.
	"Would you people hold on for a minute," said Ranma 
without looking back.  Then turning to the balor he said, "Is their 
some particular reason that you were looking for me?"
	"I have been promised my freedom, with your death."  With 
inhuman speed it cracked its whip hoping to catch Ranma off guard 
and wrap him in its coils.
	Ranma snickered as one lightening pass with the Nekoken 
turned the whip into confetti.  The balor threw its head back, his 
arms out and roared at him.
	Ukyo blinked not entirely sure that she had seen what she 
had seen.  *One minute Ranchan is standing there laughing at that 
thing and then it flew backwards and smashed into the building.  
Wait, its getting back up and Ranma isn't paying attention!  I have to 
help him!* thought Ukyo as she grabbed her spatula and charged 
forward.
	Meanwhile Ranma was occupied.  *I wonder who sent this 
thing?  More importantly is it a serious attack or is it a faint?*  Just 
then Ranma noticed that Ukyo had her spatula in her hands and was 
charging the still groggy balor.  *HUH?*  "Stop!" called Ranma as 
he realized that he had been to wrapped up in his thinking to notice 
that they were wondering what was going on.  "Oh well, time to 
finish this.  KAME." As Ranma pulled his hands back to his side and 
cupped them together a small ball of Ki formed between them .  
"HAME."  The ball had expanded to the point were it was covering 
his hand, about the size of a basketball, and was putting off enough 
light to throw shadows.  "HA," with a yell Ranma brought his hands 
in front of him and shifted his weight to brace himself.  The energy 
blast shot forward like a bullet, expanded to twelve feet across, and 
smashed into the balor like a freight train.  The balor was vaporized 
instantly, then Ranma turned one of his hands palm up and gave a 
lifting gesture.  The Ki blast obediently curved up into the air and 
flashed off into the ski.
	Ukyo was left standing, staring stupidly at the spot that she 
had been sure that she would have to defend her fiancée, only to 
have him blast the thing with an attack she had never heard of 
before.
	"What husband do to demon?" asked Shampoo staring at 
the spot that the balor had so recently been standing.
	"What have you done Son-in-law?" demanded Cologne 
looking a little startled for the first time in decades.
	"Not much.  Now if you'll excuse me I have to get Kasumi 
home," replied Ranma in an airy tone.
	Cologne started to demand an explanation again only to 
realize that all she was looking at was an afterimage.  She whorled 
around to look for Kasumi knowing ahead of time that she would be 
gone and she was.
	"What just happened here?" asked Nabiki looking at her 
sister and the mess left by the balor.

***

	"Are you sure that you're ok?" asked Kasumi as Ranma got 
ready to leave the Tendo house after having brought her home.
	"Yes, I'm fine I just need some time to think about some 
things," answered Ranma.  He walked out of the house and jumped 
up on the roof to take a walk to clear his head.  *Why in the world 
would someone send a balor after me?  The balor knew I was a god 
so whoever sent it must also know that.  Anyone with that much 
information would have to know that even a low power non-combat 
god would be able to take out a balor, they just aren't strong enough 
to go up against a full god.*  This thought carried him right in to the 
middle of an older man that seemed intent on beating up on the little 
boy that he had cornered.
	"Is this how you spend you time, picking on those that can't 
defend themselves?" he demanded.  The man turned to him.
	"Get out of here before I take care of you too, boy.  This no 
good trash was bothering my customers in my store with his 
begging," responded the man.  He was dressed in nice cloths and he 
obviously had access to money.
	"So now being poor is a crime punishable by assault, is it?"  
The boy was looking for a way to escape, glancing this way and that.
	"I told you to go away but if you insist..." began the man as 
he turned to swing at Ranma.  The man had time to realize that he 
had made a mistake and then the world vanished into darkness as 
Ranma deftly knocked him unconscious with a tap on the correct 
pressure point.
	"Well young man I think that we had better get you back to 
your parents," said Ranma turning to the boy that he just rescued.
	"I don't have any family left," responded the boy as he 
started to sniffle.
	"I'm sorry.  Would you like me to take you to someplace 
that you can get some help?" offered Ranma only to be pulled up 
short as those instincts that were beyond the realm of the mortal 
reared up and without even thinking it through he asked, "Or would 
you like to stay with me?"
	"You mean you'd help me?" asked the boy with a look of 
wonder in his eyes, then they narrowed.  "Why would you do that?"
	"Would you believe that I'm just a nice guy or would I have 
to admit that my child hood wasn't such a good thing either?" 
responded Ranma with a crooked grin.
	"I don't know if I can trust you," started the boy when his 
growling stomach interrupted him.  He looked down in 
embarrassment.
	"How about if we find some place to eat and then we'll talk 
about it," suggested Ranma leading the boy toward one of the all 
night restaurants in the area.

***

	The Real-estate agent was rather surprised when he had his 
first client before he had his first cup of coffee, a striking woman 
that introduced herself as Hel Norseman walked into his office and 
sat down.
	"Can I help you ma'am?" the agent asked, pulling a chair 
out for her.
	"Yes I saw one of your ads and was interested in 
purchasing a house that you are representing," responded the 
woman.
	"Which house would that be?" asked the agent as he took a 
drink of coffee.
	She told him and he spit his coffee backout.
	"You want to buy that house?  Are you sure?  I mean it's a 
lot of money to spend on a house."  The house in question had been 
the home of a wealth family that had recently fallen on hard times 
and had to sell.  It was a huge house complete with its own dojo.
	"I'm acting for a friend of mine.  He'll actually be the one 
that owns that house.  Speaking of which I'd like to close this deal as 
fast as possible, I'm on a time limit."
	The agent could see salesman of the year plaques in his 
eyes as he closed the deal, quickly as requested.
	The woman walked out the door and after making sure that 
no one was watching, stepped into a window.  She emerged from 
another window and quickly climbed up onto the roof of the Tendo 
home.  Ranma was sitting up on the roof in a mediation position and 
glowing faintly around the edges.
	"Well the sale is complete.  I made it clear that my friend 
needed to move in as soon as possible, so I paid a little extra and you 
can move in today," Hel told Ranma.
	"Thank you so much," responded Ranma.  "If I had bought 
a house not only would it have been known to Nerima almost 
instantly, but they would have the address also."
	"Not a problem but why in the world are you sleeping on 
the roof in a tent?  If you were that desperate to move out why didn't 
you just come home and stay in the temple for the night?" said Hel 
looking at the dome of magic that had been pitched like a tent on the 
roof.  It was easily the size of a three man tent and was a faded tan 
color so that it could pass for a used tent at a distance.
	"Because I'm not at all sure that I'm ready to move out yet.  
I need a place of my own that I can go and not worry that the 
neighborhood is going to start World War III while I'm not looking."
	"I understand.  Did you want me to tell the others where 
you're staying or did you want to keep this retreat entirely to your 
self?"
	"By all means you can tell them.  I'm not hiding from them 
just making a place to forget mortal society for a time," answered 
Ranma with a grin.

***

	Rajeke was humming a tune to himself as he sauntered out 
of the Amazon village after having given them the book that he had 
promised.  I had a spell in it that had terrified the gods and demons 
since the dawn of creation.  The spell that could unleash the Titans 
on the Universe once more was now in the hands of a race of people 
that believed that they had a right to rule the world just because they 
could fight well.  *Now on to phase two!*

***

	Teachers all over the school were shaking their heads.  It 
was only the third day of school and Ranma had skipped already.
	"I wonder where Ranchan is," said Ukyo as the first period 
started.
	"Shampoo not seen him since he fight balor and stupid 
spatula girl almost get killed," answered Shampoo with a smile on 
the last part.
	"Well a lot of help you were that thing could have hurt him 
and you were just standing there and letting it charge him!" shot 
back Ukyo with a lot of heat.
	"Shampoo know that Shampoo not have skill to fight such a 
creature and know that Shampoo just get in way of husband if 
Shampoo try," glared Shampoo.
	"I still don't know why he was out on a date with Kasumi," 
mumbled Ukyo.
	"Did you say that Ranma went out on a date with Kasumi?" 
asked one of the other girls in the class.  "Akane, why would your 
sister do something like that to you?"
	"Did you hear that Ranma is going to marry Kasumi," said 
one girl in the hall to the other as they passed the classroom.
	By lunch time rumor mill was already running away with 
the story that Ranma had seduced Kasumi and was now going to 
marry her.  Many countered that he was still going to marry Akane 
and just have Kasumi as a mistress.
	"Calm down everyone.  Yes, I have information on the 
Ranma and Kasumi story, but this is going to cost you extra," said 
Nabiki from where she was standing under one of the trees in the 
yard.
	After making sure that everyone had paid up front Nabiki 
started, "Last night Ranma disappeared and when everyone went to 
look for him he came back and took Kasumi out to dinner.  Then 
after dinner he took her to a bar where we confronted him and he 
grabbed Kasumi and carried her home."
	"RANMA YOU SHALL PAY FOR BETRAYING AKANE LIKE THIS!" 
shouted Ryoga.  He had arrived just in time to hear Nabiki tell the 
story and then he stormed off after Ranma to make him pay, it was 
of course Ranma's fault that he got turned around and headed the 
opposite direction that he should have.

***

	*Well I wonder if that kid'll be staying?* thought Ranma as 
he finished his work at Dr. Tofu's and headed for his new house.  
	"Hi, dad," called the boy that he had met last night.
	"Dad?" asked Ranma.
	"Well you did say that I could live with you, so that makes 
you my dad?  Right?"
	"Well I don't know much about being a dad, but if you 
want to stay here your welcome to."  Just then the phone rang.  
"Hello?" answered Ranma.  
	"Ranma, its Belldandy.  I hear you've been transferred to 
the Goddess Relief Hotline, right?"
	"Yeah I have.  Why?"
	"Well that makes it your turn to take this one.  Are you 
ready?"
	"Yeah I can handle it," Ranma assured her.
	"Good luck then," finished Belldandy.
	"Thanks," responded Ranma just before he hung up the 
phone.
	"What's going on?" asked the boy, Goku.
	"Nothing I just have to do some work," relied Ranma as he 
moved over to the ordinary looking computer on the desk and 
quickly typed in a command.  *She didn't say who this was for, uh 
oh,* thought Ranma as he saw the file.  *This is going to be a 
problem.  How in the world am I supposed to explain this.*  "I have 
to go out for a few minutes," he said as he transformed to his girl 
form.  Just before teleporting out he closed Kasumi Tendo's file.
	After Ranma-chan had teleported out of her house to her 
office in Asgard, she waited by the phone.  When it rang she 
snatched it up and answered, "Hello, Goddess Relief Hotline.  Please 
hold and one of our staff will help you in a moment."  Before the 
person on the other ended of the phone could respond, hang up, or 
runaway Ranma-chan faded out of the sunlight beside her.
	"Ranma what are you doing here?" asked a startled Kasumi 
while staring at the red head that was suddenly standing next to her.  
"And I thought you were cured."
	"Well you see I am cured but now I can control my curse, 
besides it would look pretty silly if I answered the phone 'Goddess 
Relief Hotline' and arrived as a guy, now wouldn't it?" responded 
Ranma-chan.
	"What does Goddess Relief Hotline mean?"
	"That's the tricky part.  What it means is that your entitled 
to have anyone wish of yours granted, by me."
	"I still don't understand," responded a confused Kasumi.  
*It sounded like he said that he would grant anything that I want.*
	"I'm working for the Goddess Relief Hotline and have been 
authorized to give you any one wish you desire," repeated 
Ranma-chan.  When Kasumi just stared at him he continued, "Look 
at it this way if you wish for something and don't get it you'll know 
that I'm for real, if you don't then you know I was lying to you."
	"I don't know.  What should I wish for?"  *If this is for real 
I don't want to waist it, but if its not do I really want to tell Ranma 
what my hearts true desire is?*
	"You should wish for something that would make you truly 
happy.  This once don't worry about the rest of the family or even 
the rest of the world.  Just wish for what would make you happy," 
whispered Ranma-chan.
	"I wish that I would find someone to love that would love 
me for the rest of my life!" wished Kasumi.
	"Here we go," muttered Ranma-chan as the energy flared 
up around her and the marks on her forehead blazed a blinding 
white.

***

	To be continued.

	Sorry its so short this time but inspirations temporarily 
deserted me.  I had the ideas but the story wouldn't come out.  I'm 
not sure what I'm going to be working on next so I don't know when 
I'll get back to this one.  Thanks for staying with it.  As always I'll 
take all comments, good, bad, or otherwise, at Sjiriki@aol.com