Mirrors Multiplied

Part Ten
Kasumi in Bed
or...
Ranma Gets Busted

by Jared Ornstead

Magical Disclaimer Pretty Ranma!

"Jugem, jugem, gokoh-no-surikire, Sammy Ranma respects all others
copyrights!"

************************************************

Oh, yeah, slight lemon scent warning again

Acknowledgements:
First part of this section owes thanks to Talis D. Merrill of
taalismn@tiac.net for some excellent suggestions.
I'd also like to thank the Dragonbard at dragonbard@hotmail.com for
understanding the direction I was taking this in, an offering
suggestions throughout.

**

"Some folks dream of the wonders they'll do
before their time on this planet is through.
Some just don't have anything planned
They hide their hopes and their heads in the sand.

Now I don't say who is wrong, who is right
But if, by chance, you are here for the night
Then all I need in an hour or two
To tell the tale of a dreamer like you.

We all dream alot - some are lucky, some are not.
But if you think it, want it, dream it, then it's real.
You are what you feel.

But all that I say can be told another way
In the story of a boy whose dream came true
And he could be you."

**

The incredibly talented mecha captain lucky enough to have inherited

Blue Squadron after Ranma had graduated to a higher command brought
forward a bag made of blankets, which he had his veritech deposit on the

lawn before the newly promoted Marshal of Robotech Forces.
General is fine for a big ship command, but when you're talking
overall command of an entire planet's defenses, including generals and
admirals and fleets, only a Marshal will do.
Ranma fingered his new rank tabs as the blankets spilled open to
reveal three ash-soaked figures.
The veritech commander spoke. "Found them in one of the bunkers we
opened. Enemy casualties were light, most of their systems were
automated. There were about forty personnel in their command center,
most of the staff had taken shelter, so primary losses were among their
mecha pilots. Staff on hand identified these as the ringleaders."
Ranma stepped forward and retrieved Kodachi from the tangle.
Brushing ash from her face he carried her back to a cleaner spot. "Hey,
Dachi-chan, you okay?"
She shook her head, but lay her head against him, drawing strength
anyway. Akiko had risen from the ash. Even in her bedraggled state she
had the energy for pride.
"How *dare* you handle my daughter so?! Release her this instant!
You may have ruined our house and fortune, but I shall never allow you
to touch my daughter!"
Ranma sighed. "Lady Akiko, the feud is *over*. And in case you
hadn't noticed, you lost. I recall that I'm within my rights to demand
that all of you that won't renounce your name commit seppuku. I'm not
*going* to do that unless you force me to. Frankly, I have nothing
against you or your family. Your house is ruined because you chose the
*wrong* moment to attack. If you'd withheld for another hour you'd have
been aware of the danger, another day and we might have found a peaceful

resolution. As it is you have no one to blame for your misfortune but
yourself."
Akiko seethed. "There will be no end to this so long as a Kuno
lives!!!"
He shrugged. "As you say, so let it be."
Suddenly Akiko recalled that she was the one standing in ruined
clothes, her estate and weapons smashed, beneath the guns of some
amazingly destructive mecha under the command of her enemy. She Eeeped,
eyes suddenly wide.
Ranma was glowing softly, his aura lifting dirt and ash out of
Kodachi's hair and clothes as he held her. Bruises and the marks of
tears faded away from her. He spoke. "You have tonight to prepare
yourselves. Tomorrow the Kuno clan ends. Take them away, let them clean
and rest themselves."
The very precise, very military guards in hardsuits dragged away the

two Kunos not currently being held in Ranma's arms.
Kodachi sobbed, raising her head slightly she implored. "Ranma,
darling. I know the harm they have done you. But please do not kill
them. On my life, as I have saved yours, please do not force my only
family to die."
Ranma had a grin. Turning to his mother he asked. "Mom, where is dad

buried?"
His careful mother indicated the location. Smiling, Ranma carried
Kodachi over there, the others falling in behind. The two other Kunos
disappeared behind the legs of a combat veritech.
Arriving at the damaged shrine in a smoking grove, Ranma handed off
Kodachi to one of the maids, then hauled out the Earth Staff, the Silver

Crystal shimmering in its head. Without being asked Belldandy came
forward and put her arms around his from behind, showing him how to hold

and move it, whispering in his ear the right words.

It was considered wisdom in the Emperor of Japan, when finding his
country the subject of orbital laser barrage, swarmed by combat mecha
they could not hope to defeat or avoid, seeing his most powerful
neighbor, mainland China, humbled in an instant, that he elected to save

his country and his people from destruction by offering himself in
honorable surrender to his foe.
Ranma made it easy for him. The event was of course televised. Ranma

*could* have shown up in a set of old sweats, accepted the keys to the
Imperial Palace and gone in to raid the kitchen. His power was such that

it didn't matter what impression he gave to the public. If he chose he
could conquer the planet whether they approved or not.
It really didn't matter what kind of table manners Attila had, he
had his huns.
However, it would have humiliated the entire nation of Japan to be
surrendered to a man in boxer shorts scratching himself on international

TV. So for the benefit of the public, as well as the departing Emperor,
Ranma put on a grand spectacle. Bell-chan helped him a little with the
wardrobe. Well, actually she helped him *alot*. Urd threw in her two
cents and Ranma was attired, literally, as befitted a warrior god.
Better, in fact. Thor and crowd usually didn't bother dressing up,
while people would be basing entire fashion lines off of Ranma's style
for the next thousand years.
Skeptics claimed the signs and miracles were just an elaborate show,

but every shrine in Japan from household to temple gave off sweet scents

and joyous caroling as Ranma accepted the throne on Imperial Hill.
All that was extra. The show viewed worldwide was of an impressive,
even staggering, array of military might. Fast assault landers pulled
atmosphere-wrenching gut drops, braking at eleven gees or more to go
from space to setting down on landing fields in mere seconds, troops
spilling from their boarding ramps in fresh and sparkling style (despite

the fact that the physics of their landing should have disabled or
crippled every one of them) out into neat rows and files that were
militarily precise, screaming of well-drilled parade form.
Actually, they were the Zentraedi combat-rugby teams, and they
*liked* that style of parade dress. But Ranma would never have *dreamed*

of letting that be known. The real troops spent their time in coveralls
seeing to their equipment.
Fire-Support dropships orbited the area, more to be seen and be
impressive than out of any real need to control the area. The Japanese
police were allowed ground duty, along with all the forces who normally
see to such things. This was a change of command, not suppression duty.
Besides, if anybody pulled anything they'd find that Marshal Saotome

was far more dangerous than they realized, all by himself.
With an impressive background of awesome destructive potential Ranma

went through the change of command graciously, then flew over to China
to do the same there. Since they had pretty much of an absence of
central authority he allowed the remaining military command to step down

instead.
They'd already gotten an official "Nice Shooting!" from Tibet.
Anyway, Ranma was just figurehead for this maneuver. He went through

the ceremonies so that the Robotech Diplomatic Corp could have less of a

guilty conscience in utterly removing the former systems of government
and putting in place something new and just, instead of old and corrupt.

A description that could be used of all too many of Earth's governments
at the time.

Nodoka entered the private corridors usually reserved for servants,
slipping into the head butler's apartment. He was reading with his feet
up on the desk, the spine of the book held the logo of the Wayne
Enterprises `Alfred' series. Catching a look at the title she noted with

bemusement that it read.
"How To Keep A Straight Face When The Young Master Brings Home A
Fifty Foot Transforming Combat Robot."
Nodoka giggled, causing the butler's attention to be brought to her.

She laughed, seating herself. Those times when she confronted the staff
in their quarters were rare, everyone deserves privacy, but the few
times she had done it they'd got along very well. Her face was alight
with amusement.
"I don't suppose Alfred has advice on how to deal with household
divinities?" She asked.
Priory closed his book with a suppressed, but still very wry grin.
"It is all the good instructor can do to advise on the more common
household tasks." He airily indicated the roof above them. "I distinctly

recall these ceiling tiles getting stepped upon by an instrument
weighing not less than sixty tons. It was most disturbing to many of us
when the young master's second bride put it all to rights. I shall have
to give instruction on the merits of cleaning in spite of the fact that
your employers could well dispose of dust and grime with a wave of the
hand."
Nodoka's smile was genuine. "I'm sure Belldandy has her limits, as
do we all. Even Ranma, though what they might be I couldn't be certain."

The butler was mock-stern in his expression. "If I were you I should

speak to him regarding raising the dead before witnesses. I've had no
fewer than three of the maids request that I address him regarding some
lost relative of theirs or other. I shouldn't be surprised if the
subject is risen at the next staff counsel. Which is all well and good,
but somehow it troubles me to see a world where resurrection of family
members is written into the service contract."
The smile on Nodoka's face acquired an otherworldly quality. She
closed her eyes to enjoy it a moment, then looked at her hands. "There
are limits, I'm sure. Again, my son surprises me in that regard. So much

has changed so quickly. I'm *so* grateful to have my husband back. Tell
me, I came down here to ask, how are the staff reacting to all this?"
The butler was very amused as he hefted the book he'd been reading.
It was part thirty in a sixty-book series. He indicated his bare
bookshelf. "I seem to have rather suddenly lent out my collection. The
cook informs me that her, rather substantial, library on mythology and
folklore suffered similarly. Seeing as how many of the maids have never
indulged in deeper reading than the society column of fashion magazines,

I should say they are adapting well to the shock. Indeed, I've sent a
boy running down to the bookstore for half a dozen more copies of
"Coping With Maniacal Villains And The Men Who Fight Them," which is
book one of the series."
Nodoka nodded, smiling again. "You may put the bill on my account,
of course."
Priory solemnly nodded his gratitude. In light of certain recent
events some rather special arrangements had been necessary in order to
acquire them. But in accordance with Book Three: "Never Let The Master
Know You Had To Face An Organized Crime Syndicate In Order To Procure
The Needed Materials" he said nothing.
Nodoka stood up. She was intruding and had learned what she came
for. With a proper nod of thanks she departed.
As she left Priory again took out the dictation-recorder he had
concealed. "Book sixty-one. Dealing with Divine Household Members. It
should be noted that the more common variety of goddess is as helpful as

her own distinct rules of behavior allow. Most pressing then, is the
need to define those rules and accommodate them, while interfering with
those more reckless members of the junior staff who might abuse such
things as an auto-dialer set to Asgard..."
Nodoka had failed to notice who co-authored half those books.

Admiral Lisa Saotome conferred with her individual ship commanders
in the large briefing room of the gigantic SDF-2. The fleet was in good
order, military alerts were at a minimum as both surrendering nations
were submitting well to the diplomatic corp's rebuilding of their
governmental structures.
The meeting was just about to close when a large monitor screen
suddenly acquired a reflective shine and began to glow abnormally. The
expanding patterns of light terminated when a young woman in a plain yet

lovely house dress stepped out of the screen and stood looking around
her.
It was not conducive to the officer's confidence that the charming
young woman was standing four feet above the floor, as unconcerned as a
maiden picking flowers on a sunny spring day.
The goddess picked Lisa out of the crowd and floated over with a
huge smile on her face. "Lisa Saotome? I am the goddess Belldandy. I
have some things I'd like to discuss with you, if you don't mind. But
first, Kami-sama has informed me that you meet all the criteria for a
mortal to receive a wish. Do you know what it is that you want?"
The sweet expression of Belldandy's face was enough to weaken any
barriers. Like those imposed by people not wishing to believe what they
were seeing. Lisa found herself studying this young woman.
One of the colonels interrupted. "Excuse me, but in light of what
just happened I'd like to pass on reports given to me by our veritech
squadron commanders. It seems that after the fight on the surface all
battle damage was repaired to structures and buildings in the area. Our
pilots report a young lady as responsible."
Belldandy glowed at him, laughing softly. "Well of course. I could
hardly allow that all those people who lived there who were not involved

in the fighting to suffer, could I?"
The innocence in her eyes was sufficient to draw agreement even from

grizzled combat commanders, regardless of what she'd been saying.
"Perhaps you and I should talk privately." Lisa suggested. She
recalled seeing this woman in Ranma's company when she'd been down on
the surface.
Belldandy bobbed agreeably, floating to the side so that Lisa could
rise and walk with her to an attached conference room. Lisa sat down
behind the table, drawing the symbols of her own power around her, doing

what she could to treat this situation normally.
"Could we begin by you explaining how you know my husband?" Lisa
asked once the door had shut and the goddess was in the room.
Though Belldandy was used to far friendlier receptions than this, if

she was put off by it no one could notice. She floated into a seat,
allowing the atmosphere to fall into a scenario the mortal was more
familiar with.
"I work with the Goddess Relief Office. It is our job to come to the

aid of mortals who are in distress. Ranma was found worthy to receive a
wish, based on his efforts to always improve himself and make those
around him happy. So it was decided that I would intervene and allow him

a chance to alter his destiny."
"You said mortals who are in distress." Lisa pointed out.
"Well, yes," the goddess responded, bring a hand to her own heart.
"You see, Ranma has led a life of great danger and hardship. It is a
testimony to the wondrous beauty of his soul that he allows personal
suffering to improve the man that he is, instead of becoming bitter."
The gentle goddess looked to the side, fighting tears. "You see, his
destiny in this world was not a pleasant one. A few days ago his enemies

were to have assassinated his mother, then other things were destined to

happen. It was not a pleasant life he was to have led."
Lisa found herself believing the story. What had Dr. Lang warned
her? The rules of this universe were not necessarily the same ones she
was used to? Well, seeing goddesses had certainly been in that light.
She found herself curious. "What wish did he make? Did he know if
any of this were to happen beforehand?"
Belldandy dried her tears, happy once again. "Oh no, you see, we
have been taught to listen to the most casual comment when granting a
wish, we even encourage them in mortals we aid. Because our father tells

us that the true heart is often reflected best in what a person says
when they are not being serious. If we were to listen only to the most
well-thought-out, carefully prepared wishes then our office wouldn't
need to exist. Heaven could just send a form down asking whether they
preferred wealth, power, or a relationship with someone. Instead we find

people are far happier if their inner thoughts are brought to the fore.
It really only takes a minor change in a person's life for them to be
feeling much better."
Lisa blinked, she hadn't thought of that. "So what did he wish for?"

She repeated.
Belldandy smiled. It was her fondest memory. Clasping her hands
before her she related. "It was his wish that I remain with him forever,

helping things to turn out alright."
Electroshock could get interesting reactions.
Lisa threw both hands to the table. "He did WHAT?! Why the NERVE of
that!..."
Belldandy spoke softly. "I'm afraid that if he had made a different
wish then you would never have met him."
That calmed the female admiral instantly.
Bell-chan went on. "You see, the Ranma you know actually started in
a universe much like this one. He is not from your world at all. When he

made the wish he had not yet been to your world. It was because of his
wish that I was able to help him. I've done some things directly, but
most of the work of any divine being is to manipulate threads of
probability long before an action arises, so that the outcome will be
what we desire. Without that wish, Ranma would have been trapped in a
dimension far from this one, and would never have reached yours."
Because if things had been allowed to proceed as originally would
have happened, Ranma would have been presented with the bloody head of
his mother. Instead of using the final wish of the destiny ring for
power to return here always, it would have been for another thing
entirely.
"The result would have been a Ranma very lost and alone after he had

been flung from this place." The goddess said.
Lisa pondered this. "I wish that I could fully understand him." She
breathed softly to herself.
Gotcha! Belldandy crowed inwardly, even as her eyes closed and the
marks on her face began swelling with light.

*****
Random Universe 4

Breetai kicked back in a beach chair watching the last of the female

volleyball teams compete for the day. There was sand in his shorts and
his sun hat was skewed by the scars, but he was no longer required to
wear a steel face mask either. Ranma had taken care of that, doing what
even Robotech medicine had been unable.
The former leader of all Zentraedi, and still one of the most high
ranking officers in the fleet, gazed down fondly at the small girl
asleep on his spread out T-shirt. Her little body nearly obscuring the
"Greater Baja Nousjadeul-Ger Spike Champions" written across its front.
Breetai was just under eight feet even reduced to human size, and his
shirt was as good as a blanket for the young girl.
Azonia ran up to him, her game finished. The ball held casually
against one bikini-clad hip. "Lord Breetai," she bowed, then smiled.
"How about a little game of one-on-one?
He scratched his chin with a hand bearing a huge and ornate golden
ring. "I must say, this human custom of speaking in strange paths still
has me confused sometimes. Do you wish to say that you seek sex with
me?"
A volleyball rebounded off his head, then Azonia was in his lap and
arms. "You stupid giant, what *else* would I have married you for?"
He conceded the point. But motioned to the child. "Beloved, I would
accede to your request, but I have a responsibility here."
Azonia frowned. The sleeping child was beautiful, but that was not
what had her upset. "Earth command should never have forced her to
choose." She spoke of somebody entirely different.
Breetai lifted his wife in his arms. "You know the truth of that as
well as I do. But would you have stood for no fleet going after him at
all? Lisa would not. Nor could she bear the thought of not knowing if
ever they found him. It was not in her to do so. She is not the waiting
kind."
"But to force her to leave her children?" The thought was enough to
pain the woman, even having only two of her own she could appreciate how

it must have felt.
"I do not like the law any more than you do, Beloved. Some of these
humans are no better than races I would have destroyed and never given a

second thought." The man-giant actually allowed himself an introspective

sigh. "Which is precisely why they demanded that Saotome's heirs remain.
I would never think to betray the Great Saotome, nor would any of my
officers. One thing I *do* know of human society, our society, is that
it is symbols which bind people together. Our friend was one of them.
Now his children will serve in that stead. They could not stand to lose
that as well as the man and his wife."
"But how it must have hurt her so."
He met his wife in the eyes. "And that is why I cannot even think of

abandoning the care of her child. Lisa will take comfort in knowing that

her friends here will do all in their power, *more* than all in our
power, to see that they are safely raised. And today is my turn for
little Misa. The rest are playing with their grandfather, Admiral
Hayes."
Azonia smiled at her husband. He had this habit of straying into
unnecessary detail. *She* knew that a mother's father was called a
grandfather, he didn't have to name him. Even though, strictly speaking,

Zentraedi had no parents of their own, they were learning. Even a race
of clones can adapt. Did Azonia not have natural born children of her
own to prove it?
"Tomorrow we can take them to play with Rick and Minmei, his wife.
Perhaps Max and Myria would join us?"
Azonia pouted her lip. She wanted her husband *now*. Then she had a
thought and bounced out of her husband's arms. "Excuse me, my lord." She

raced off, kicking up sand. In moments she was returning with Khyron in
tow.
Breetai could sense what his wife was planning. He eyed the officer.

Khyron had been an unpredictable and dangerous officer, but he now was
one of the finest combat-rugby players in the solar system. He noticed
him wearing the traditional attire of a Thai kick-boxer.
Breetai saluted Khyron's arrival with a glass of punch. "Nice to see

you again."
Khyron received the salutation and dropped to his butt in the sand
next to the sleeping child. He tried to disguise a huge sappy grin.
Looking down at the girl, he failed. "Thanks, Breetai. Your wife tells
me that you need me to babysit for a few hours. I would be honored."
Breetai stood up, collecting his wife. "My thanks Khyron. Just don't

forget I was sparring partner with Ranma for far longer than you were.
If harm comes to her..."
"If harm comes to her I will be dead myself for having spent my last

breath in defending her. You may relax your concern, Breetai." The
kick-boxer said without looking up, tickling the sleeping girl's chin.
"Do you think we'll spoil them?" Azonia asked as they walked away,
speaking of all the children.
Breetai grinned. "We'll see that they get sufficiently teased to
offset whatever concern might be overweening. Besides, they will still
have to deal with their stuffy grandfather and with Myria's cooking."
In the sidelines, an invisible Belldandy smiled approval. She could
inform her double that all was well.

*****
Universe B

Ranma returned to the estate thoroughly disgusted with ceremony and
willing to heckle the next person who was more than modestly polite. He
found Skuld working on a veritech engine, a look of apparent glee on her

face.
He came up to her, feigning a better composure. "Hey, Skuld, could
you please gimme a whack with your mallet again?"
"Huh?" She pulled her upper torso out of the engine housing. "But
Belldandy made me promise not to! Why do you want me to, anyway?"
He wiped sweat off his brow, tossing his hand as if to indicate
*everything*. "Look, Bell-chan didn't expect me to *ask* you, did she?
I'm sure she won't mind. There's just some things I have to check on in
that other universe, some promises I made. And I have to keep my
promises, don't I?"
The adolescent goddess nodded in firm agreement. "Uh huh, that's one

of the things they *really* expect of us, you'll be glad you started
early."
Huh? Nevermind, it didn't matter.
Skuld was already whipping out her mallet. "Now you have to come
back to us. It should be easy if you talk to one of us there. You have
the number?"
He recited the telephone number Belldandy had given him.
"Okay!"
*Smack!*

*****
Universe A

Ranma landed in the yard, late evening, early night. Not the best
time to get in touch with people who had enough trouble getting up for
school in the morning anyway. He could contact the Scouts and check up
on them later.
He poked his head into the Tendo kitchen. Kasumi was there washing a

bare handful of dishes.
"Oh, hi Ranma! I'm afraid all the others are out on an outing
gathering materials for Shampoo's great-grandmother. They should be back

by late tomorrow or so. Would you like some dinner?"
Standard Kasumi, and one not upset by aliens blowing up her kitchen.

Exactly what he'd needed to relax. "Thanks, Kasumi. Maybe in a while.
Right now I'm going to do some thinking."
She nodded and allowed him to shut the window, cutting her off from
his outside world.

Ranma sat upon the Tendo rooftop, playing a violin. The two most
relaxing things for him were solitude and music. He needed both just
then, and the act of creating music always seemed superior to mere
listening.
He scratched out a pleasant, simple tune to order his scattered
thoughts.
Kasumi opened the attic trapdoor and emerged with a tray of things.
She padded softly over to Ranma and began to serve him. He lowered his
violin, unsure of why she'd come.
"Kasumi, I would have come down when I'd thought some things over.
You didn't have to do this."
She responded with simple dignity, setting out two places of a light

meal. "You would have waited until morning, Ranma. You're very upset."
He had to agree that this was so.
He knelt across from her, looking at the light repast. He looked at
her sideways. "This is about what Urd said, isn't it?"
Kasumi served him tea, the formal set. "Yes, Ranma. I am to marry
you."
Somehow his hand would just not move. He gasped out a choked sob,
leaping across the tablecloth to bury his face in Kasumi's shoulder he
cried. "Kasumi, every person on this and every other *world* wants to
marry me! Please," he raised wet and running eyes to hers. "Can't I just

have someone to *talk* to?"
She was a little taken aback by this. "Talk about what, Ranma? Is it

something I can help with?"
Ranma relaxed, sitting next to her. "Kasumi. I feel as if every
person everywhere is depending on me for answers. I can do alot of
things, but I can't do *everything!*"
The dam was open, and the flood began to flow. Without even thinking

about it Ranma slid an arm around Kasumi's waist as he unloaded his
heart to her. "Can you imagine what it's like to be me? The first couple

of dozen of lives or so sucked, I mean *really* sucked. I was jumping
into lives where I'd done every dirty thing imaginable. I had friends
lost or hate me, I'd been involved in some despicable stuff..."
His voice lowered and his shoulders sagged. "Don't ever wish that
everything was different, Kasumi. You won't like the results. I don't
even know how long it took to clean up after that one."
Ranma sighed heavily and gazed back up at the stars. "Do you know
what the worst part is? Everyone's a stranger. No one knows what I've
been through, or could ever know. I know people. I know what they'll act

like in the most unusual situations, because I've *been* there and
*seen* them. I've grown closer to some of these people than most guys
can even imagine." He choked back a sob. "Then, a careless wish later,
none of them remember a word of it. They don't even know that it
happened."
Kasumi, their arms intertwined, leaned into him, listening.
Ranma could feel her support. "I love these people. They are my
friends. But there's not one among them with whom I can share all the
times and memories I've had with them. It's like living in a world all
alone. I know all about them, but there's not a single person who can
understand *me!*" He wiped back a tear.
"I can be everything that just about anyone can desire, but the one
thing I want." He choked back a sob. "No one can give me."

Behind a faintly puzzled expression Kasumi's vast mental faculties
churned over this problem with a power and efficiency that would have
stunned any of her immediate family.
Diagnosis: Emotional overload.
Prognosis: Emotional burden had exceeded allowable parameters.
Triggering a release state would permit the reestablishment of existing
controls, returning patient to normal operating condition with the
burden once again within allowable limits. Further treatment pending
success of original.
Translation: Get him over the crisis and he'll feel better on his
own. Then she could find something to fix the real problem.
Prescription: Male Release Valve #1. Other methods unacceptable as
not time effective or having incomplete results.
Translation: Sex. Nothing burned off emotional tension in men
faster.
Availability of Medication (required a whole second of thought):
Yes, the cure was available. To one patient only, but this was the one.
Initiate Administration of Treatment.

Kasumi asked a question very softly, so softly that it grabbed
Ranma's instant attention. "Ranma, have you ever made love to me in any
of those lives?"
Emergency gears kicked into motion in Ranma's mind, nearly sobering
him from his hysterical state. "No, why?"
Kasumi sniffled slightly, almost too slight to be noticed. "Because
you talk of all the horrible things you've done..."
Ranma seized her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Look,
Kasumi, even at my most horrible I could never do that to you! You're
the closest thing I have to a real friend anymore! You may not *know*
what I've been through, but sure as anything you care. You *always*
care! I think that counts as much as knowing anything anyway. You care
about me regardless."
Ranma stumbled with his words. "I told your other self that the
world would be an awfully empty and lonely place without you, and I
meant it."
Her lip quavered. Tears began to form.
He knew that he'd said something wrong.
"I didn't mean that making love to you would be horrible, Kasumi. I
just, I just *care* about you too much." That sounded lame.
Her eyes did not believe him.
He couldn't stand to see that level of self-accusation in her. He
dropped to one knee before her, surrendering. "Anything you say, Kasumi.

Ask me anything you will. Any question, any action, I will do it. Just
please don't believe that you are *anything* but the most delightful
thing that could ever happen to anyone."
And he found himself fully believing of it.
Kasumi let him take her hands. "Make me a woman tonight, Ranma."
He sweated. But he'd just offered a blank check, and couldn't deny
her anything anyway. Ranma took a big breath, raising his eyes to her.
"I believe the wedding things are downstairs. Our parents were saving
them for Akane and me." He took a second big breath. "But I don't think
I want to do that anymore. Kasumi, can this at least be legal?"
She nodded, pleased to find him honorable even in the face of being
trapped in a dishonorable request.
"Good, because if I soiled your virtue I'd have to kill myself. I
have *no* idea how this will work with me living in another universe,
but I promised to give you anything you asked. Are you *sure* you want
this?"
She bent down to kiss him.
Answer enough.

Kasumi was singing merrily to herself as she washed the counter tops

the next morning. Nabiki was the first of the family to return to the
house. She poked into the kitchen.
"Say, sis. Any monsters stop by when we were gone?"
Kasumi turned a radiant glow on her younger sibling. "No, Nabiki.
None did. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Nabiki nodded. "Yeah. Dad was too hungry to wait, so we ate at the
station. Everyone should be along in a few minutes with the bags."
Nabiki dropped the curtain back over the kitchen door when Kasumi
nodded, then headed upstairs with her overnight bag. Nabiki was just
skipping up the first steps when she came to an abrupt and total halt.
Ranma was crawling down the stairs looking like he'd been in a
hundred fights too many. His body was *DRENCHED* with sweat, his hair
was even dripping with it, making little puddles on the floor. The
exhausted young man was crawling on his hands and knees toward the
bathroom, fighting weakly for every inch of progress.
After seeing what Ranma had been able to handle before Nabiki could
only assume that he'd just won Ragnorak, the battle where the gods
themselves were reputed to be doomed to die.
Nabiki dropped her bag and knelt beside him, yelling. "Kasumi! Come
quick! Something's just killed Ranma!"
The eldest sister wandered in, drying her hands on a dish towel.
"What is it, Nabiki?"
Nabiki was sitting beside what had once been a powerful martial
artist. "Look at him! Something big must have gotten him when you
weren't looking! Quick! You'd... No, wait a minute. *I'd* better call
Dr. Tofu."
Kasumi blinked, then smiled. "Yes, that's right. I'd like a
pregnancy test."
Nabiki dropped the phone handset. Chills shivered up and down her
spine. She turned to Kasumi with a bland expression masking stark,
screaming horror. "What did you say, sis?"
Kasumi knelt and lifted Ranma up from the floor. He seemed to be
recovering slightly. "Ranma is just tired from making love to me all
night. I'm sure he'll get his energy back when I've had a chance to
bathe him."
Nabiki backpedaled, lifting an arm as if to defend herself,
grimacing in fear.
Kasumi bobbed her head in joy. "Yes. He had *alot* more energy than
I expected. We only got done a half hour ago."
The smile on Ranma's face looked to be permanent.
Nabiki's reality filters refused to accept the scene before her as
real.
That thing smiling before her could not be her sister, could it?
"I opened the windows to air out your room, Nabiki. The air in there

was getting a little stale."
Nabiki facefaulted. "You used *my* room to do your dirty work?"
Kasumi smiled, nodding. "Only for a couple of hours, though. I'll
get the bedding washed this evening. But I don't know what we're going
to do about your floor, replace it, I guess. I just finished cleaning
the kitchen and was going to start on the bathroom. I'll have to get to
Akane's bedroom this afternoon, but there wouldn't be much point in
doing mine. Ranma and I are just going to get it dirty again."
Nabiki had a rare moment of bravery. She didn't faint.
"Are you sure you didn't get the guest rooms as well?" Nabiki asked
in disbelieving shock.
Kasumi smiled. "Oh, my. Of course we did! But Mr. Saotome can sleep
down in the living room for now and we don't expect Happosai back for a
number of days yet. So I'll have a chance to clean everything." She
beamed. "Making love in piles of lingerie was really quite
exhilarating!"
Nabiki fainted.

Urd wiped the sweat from her brow. Cleaning up after the two of them

had taxed even *her* magic, despite recent practice. Urd turned sternly
to glare at Ranma and Kasumi. "Look, I like it. I even approve. But even

*I* would have broken the news to your sister a little differently."
Belldandy put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Now, Urd." She froze

the two mortals with a flare of light. "Is it really that bad?" She
asked suddenly in concern.
Urd pointed a finger. "Ask the expert."
Skuld looked *very* concerned. "We've got a crossover rip. I can't
fix it."
Belldandy looked at the two mortals. "We've got to ask father."
"You know what he'll say." Urd supplied.
Belldandy sighed, deflating slightly. "Yes, I suppose I do. Still,
we must warn him."
Urd put her hand on her younger sister's arm. "He already knows,
Bell. We got the call from him, not the other way around."
The three goddesses looked at each other.
"Damage control?" Skuld asked.
Urd looked at Belldandy, then nodded. "Yeah. I'll handle this end.
Bell, you take the other. Skuld can create the gateway."
"What about *them?*" Skuld inquired of the two mortals frozen in the

middle of the Tendo living room.
"Ranma and his wife will wake up after we're gone." Belldandy said,
reassuring her little sister. "For now it's best that they don't know.
We've got alot of work ahead."
The three goddesses vanished.
Outside a borrowed car pulled up. Four men scrambled out wearing tan

coveralls, one of them was holding a sensor.
"I can't believe things like this happen on our vacation!" One
groused, coming out of the car with bulky equipment strapped to his
back. Two others were lifting similar kits from the trunk.
At least one seemed ready to treat it casually. He sauntered up to
the first two, getting his straps straight. "So what? Another four-fold
crossrip? Another minx in too tight tights? Look, if it's another
hundred-foot marshmallow man we can handle it."
"Who ya gunna call?" Ray asked, as the last of their members joined
them.
"Ghostbusters!" They shouted, running as one into the Tendo dojo.

Ranma wandered out of the house, holding his head. Unbeknownst to
him he was glowing with a soft nimbus.
"Got him!" Someone shouted. Ranma looked up just in time to dodge a
red and yellow stream of energy which promptly destroyed several rocks
behind him. His attacker was wearing some kind of image enhancing device

over his eyes. Without thinking Ranma blew him over the wall with a blue

chi attack.
Another energy beam smacked into his side, blowing Ranma into the
koi pond.
"That last shot took something outta him!"
"It's a girl." *zap*
"It's whatever it wants to be." *crack* *sizzle*
"Maybe now you'll be polite to guys with positron colliders!"
Yeah, right. When Ranko had tried talking they'd just ignored her,
as if she didn't exist as anything but a target.
Ranko couldn't *believe* how those weapons were affecting her,
taking huge chuncks out of her chi like Kuno hacking watermelons. Even
coming close the beams sapped her energy worse than her best chi blast,
and the energy streams seemed to consciously seek her out.
And utter exhaustion is not the best state to be forced to fight in.

Then one of the bands of light wrapped around her, pinning her arms
and scorching her flesh. Two other bands swiftly joined it around her.
"You've got it! Don't cross the streams. Bring her down, easy,
easy... I'm sliding the trap under it."
Ranko didn't know what that device was they slid under her, but the
rest of their weapons were working and she didn't want to change this
one not doing what it was supposed to. Gathering the vestiges of her chi

she blew it into small, smoky bits with a tiger ball.
Two of the scientists looked at each other. "Are they allowed to
*do* that?"
"I'll go for another!" One of the scientists called.
"Hurry, Igon. This isn't like what we normally face every day!"
Ranko watched the figure get into the car and drive off. Her own
energy was utterly spent in thwarting the energy beams from ravaging her

flesh into blackened unrecognizability.
There weren't many things Ranko could do without *some* chi energy
to draw on, and when she was bound as well her options dropped to one.
It was the only one she knew of that didn't rely on her own power to
cast.
She had hoped never, in her entire life, to use this spell. It was
that dangerous.
Composing herself in the cage of energy beams Ranko could sense the
power reaching to her already across the void. This time when she lifted

her voice in song it was not her who was providing the deep and dark
organ music that seemed to flow from the very stones around her.
**

"In sleep he sang to me
In dreams, he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name

And do I dream again?
For now, I find...
The Phantom of the Opera
is there...
inside my mind."

(A voice arose, sourceless and unidentifiable, seeming to rise from the
very stones)

"Sing once again with me
Our strange duet...
My *power* over you!
grows stronger yet...

(Even as the Ghostbusters looked around themselves in a state beyond
apprehension Ranko knew there was no turning back. It just wasn't
possible anymore. The voice sang on)

And though you turn from me
to glance behind...
The Phantom of the Opera
is there...
inside your mind."

(Ranko prayed she didn't hurt anyone, least of all herself. She replied)

"Those who have seen your face
draw back in fear...
I am the mask you wear."

(Phantom)
"It's *me* they hear!"

(Both)
"Your/my spirit and your/my voice
in one combined!
The Phantom of the Opera is there!
Inside your/my mind..."

(A ghostly chorus arose)
"He's there,
The Phantom of the Opera!
Beware,
The Phantom of the Opera!"

(The Phantoms voice rose smugly even as the Ghostbusters reached a
conclusion and sought to cross the streams of their mighty weapons)
"In all your fantasies,
you always knew...
That man and mystery,"

(Ranko flexed contemptuously and flung the energy beams off from her,
singing)
"Were both in you."

(Both joined again as darkness began to form in a void around Ranko)
"And in this labyrinth
where night is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is here
inside my/your mind!"

(Ranko)
"He's there,
The Phantom of the Opera!"

(She began vocalizing strangely, her voice growing more and more
extravagant as the darkness form a palpable aura around her)

**
The Ghostbusters scrambled for their weapons. But their prey was
already gone.

To be continued?

************************************************
************************************************

Author's Notes:

It gets worse. *Believe* me, it gets worse.