Disclaimer

All characters from Ranma 1/2 were created by Takahashi Rumiko, not me. Rights to such are owned by Takahashi-sama, Shounen Sunday Comics, Kitty Video, and (in North America) Viz.

Urd, Skuld and Verdandi are mythological. But the interpretations of them within this fanfic are the work Fujishima Kosuke, not me. Rights to such are owned by Kodansha, AIC, ADV Films and (in North America) AnimEigo and Dark Horse Comics.

Tail Kinker Presents

Goddess Fayu

Chapter 5: Of Sisters And Friends

"I can't believe it."

The eight had returned to the temple. Belldandy had made tea--like Kasumi, she felt that everything improved over a cup of tea--and Kasumi now clung to her teacup as though it were a lifeline. To her left was Keiichi, Belldandy on the other side of him; The thought had flicked through Nabiki's mind that Bell and Kasumi looked like bookends. Peorth and Nabiki sat on the other side of the table.

Kasumi shook her head. "I'd come to accept that we had two more sisters. I realized that you meant well, Belldandy. You did not want to be a disruption on our lives.

"But now I see you two..." She shook her head. "Peorth must have been confused." She pointed to Skuld, leaning against the door. "For this to be true, this girl would have to be older than me!"

Nabiki frowned; explaining this discrepancy was going to difficult.

"Oh, that is easy to explain." Belldandy smiled. "You see, we're Goddesses."

Kasumi blinked. "Really?"

"No!" Keiichi jumped up. "She likes to joke around a bit, but the truth is..."

He paused.

"You didn't think that far ahead, did you, Keiichi?" Nabiki sighed.

"Now I am confused." Kasumi shook her head.

"Okay," said Nabiki. "Let me spell it out as clear as I can.

"Skuld and Belldandy are our sisters, through our mother. But they have a different father. One whom, as I recall, had already left her former husband. She must have had good reason to leave Belldandy and Skuld with their father, but whatever reason, I still haven't been told."

Nabiki paused, and poured herself a cup of tea. "Now, Skuld and Belldandy have another sister, Urd. As I heard it, Urd's mother was far too career-oriented to have a child, and felt she'd do a bad job of raising her, so left her with her father. I haven't met their father yet..." And with luck won't anytime soon, she thought. "...But he sounds like he's a saint, at the least."

Kasumi nodded. "I can certainly agree. To take on the raising of three daughters on your own..."

Peorth nudged her. "Much like you did, kiddo."

Nabiki sipped her tea. "Chamomile and mint, lemon grass, tilia flowers...Nice combination, Bell." She flashed a grin at her Divine older sister, then looked back at the mortal one.

"At any rate. You might have noticed that none of these three look very Japanese."

Kasumi wrung her hands. "I didn't want to say anything..."

"We know you're not racist or anything, Kasumi, but it must have preyed on you." Nabiki grinned. "Their father wasn't Japanese, but Norse. Skuld's older than you by more than a bit, Sis, and Belldandy older still. They get their longevity from their father. Skuld may only look fourteen, and sometimes act it--"

"Hey!"

"--But to misjudge her wisdom would be an error." Nabiki set down her teacup. "Does this help?"

"A bit." Kasumi sighed. "But why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"Because Bell asked me not to!" Nabiki stood, and started to pace. "Of course I wanted to tell you everything, right from the moment I learned of it! But Bell told me a few other things, things that I was asked not to share. Some things, I'm not ready to share. But there's one thing I can tell you."

"Sister." Belldandy stood. "No!"

"I'm sorry, Bell. This I have to tell them." Nabiki turned back to Kasumi. "Mother knew she wouldn't be with us long."

Anguish crossed Kasumi's face.

"No..."

"Mom new she'd be leaving us alone, and she went ahead and had three kids anyway." Nabiki knelt down in front of Kasumi, and took her hands. "She knew that she'd be leaving all this on your head. You know why?"

Tears streaked Kasumi's face; her only answer was a shake of the head.

"Because she knew we'd be special. She knew that we--that you, could handle it." Nabiki clasped Kasumi's hands tightly. "She was right."

- - - - -

Akane sat near the shrine, away from the residential part of the temple.

She'd been unable to join the conversation. Seeing two sisters, both older than Kasumi but both looking younger, had been just about too much for her. Add to that Kasumi's tears and general unhappiness, and Akane had been left confused and uncertain. And since there was no-one she could attack--Ranma was nowhere nearby--she had chosen to run instead.

Three times, she'd jogged around the compound, trying to sort out her feelings. By the third time, she'd started to get tired--the compound was quite large--and so had run back through the gate.

But still, she could not approach the residence. So instead, she had sat down here, on the front step of the shrine, and wondered what to do next.

There was a footstep behind her, and she turned, ready to chew someone out...but it was a little girl, perhaps ten or eleven, who stood behind her.

"State your name." The girl had a fist cocked in her general direction. Akane blinked at her rudeness.

"Tendo Akane." She rose, putting herself into a defensive stance. It was a well-defined stance, as it looked casual, even cowardly, to the observer, but was a good stance for avoiding or countering attacks. "And who are you?"

"Tendo Akane..." The girl lowered her fist. "You are recognized, Akane, and welcome to the Tariki Hongan Temple."

"Why, thank you," Akane replied dryly. "Since the owners already invited me in, why exactly do I need your welcome?"

"Because I am the Guardian of the Temple." The girl's expression did not change. "Sigel."

It took an effort of will not to chuckle at that. "You take your job seriously, don't you?"

"Of course." She cocked a thumbs-up. "Banpei may have been built as a Guardian, but I chose to do so. Who has the greater determination?"

"Never thought of it that way," mused Akane.

"At any rate, Skuld-sama told me that you were a guest, and I have verified your identity by your voiceprint--"

"Voiceprint?"

"A recent upgrade." Skuld had walked up behind Akane; her voice startled Akane. "I equipped her with a voiceprint identifier, so that she'd be more easily able to identify people. I gave her a sample of yours--" She reached down the top of her shirt, and produced a handheld recording device. "--from when we met at the fair."

Akane blinked. "That gizmo's bigger than both my fists."

"Yeah. And?"

"So how did you fit it down the top of your shirt? That collar looks loose enough, but I don't see how I couldn't have noticed that thing."

Skuld darkened. "Are you saying something about my bust size?"

"No!" Akane raised her hands. "That's not what I mean!"

Skuld smirked. "I was told you were the second greatest martial artist in Tokyo. Surely a simple hidden weapons technique shouldn't faze you."

"I guess I--hold on." Akane leaned in. "Second greatest?"

"Well, even you gotta admit, Ranma's better."

"Hmph. Better at collecting girlfriends, or mooching off people, or being a pervert--"

"Sounds like someone I know." Skuld glanced toward the residence. "I've said the same things about Morisato. How the heck, I always wondered, could he catch my sister's attention?"

"You ever figure it out?"

"Yeah." Skuld grinned. "I spent some time with him. Once I saw his good points, I started to understand."

Akane snorted. "There you go. Ranma has no good points."

"Has he ever broken a promise?"

"Well, no, but--"

"To anyone at all?"

"...no." Akane looked down at her sneakers.

"Has he ever let someone weaker than him get bullied?"

"No."

"Does he ever give up?"

"No."

Skuld raised three fingers. "There are three good points. I don't even know him, and I came up with those." She crossed her arms. "You're his fiancee; you should be able to do better than me."

"I...I guess you're right."

"You have wronged him, Akane, and you will have to do penance before all is right between you two again." Skuld smiled. "But I think Ranma will forgive you."

- - - - -

"Fayu, I would speak with you."

Nabiki sighed; she'd suspected that this was coming, and sooner rather than later. She turned to the black-haired Goddess. "Yeah?"

Peorth bowed deeply. "I apologize, and I beg your forgiveness."

Nabiki blinked. "I forgive you." She shrugged. "It was a rotten trick, but no harm done. I can look back at it now and laugh."

"Others won't." Peorth stood up straight. "But I thank you."

"Listen, Peorth, I found out that you wanted my portfolio."

"Yes."

"I don't think I can give it to you..."

"Not as a Fourth Class Goddess, no."

Nabiki smirked. "I should have said, I'm not willing to give it to you." Her expression softened. "But if there's any way that you and I can co-operate...let's just say that we don't have to oppose each other."

"You mean..."

"Yes." Nabiki nodded. "I can assist you with your duties, if you will assist me in mine."

"But you don't have any duties." Peorth was looking more puzzled by the second. "You're still in training."

"Exactly."

You could almost hear the click. "You would trust me to assist with your training?"

"I just said I forgive you, didn't I?" Nabiki tilted her head.

"Then yes, I shall assist you." Peorth smiled, and Nabiki was taken aback.

She looks almost as sweet as Belldandy right now...

"Of course, I will need to clear that with your primary instructor, and I can't do anything until my suspension is lifted. That should happen tomorrow."

"I understand." Nabiki sat down, her back against the wall. "I know we got off on the wrong foot--"

"I was tired and cranky, and then I found out that you'd gotten the portfolio I'd wanted." Peorth waved a hand.

"My coming on to you had nothing to do with it?"

"I wasn't really in the best of moods, as I'm sure you discovered." Peorth smirked. "If not for all that, you might have discovered that you'd bitten off more than you could chew."

"...Really?"

"Oh, yes. My job is granting mortals their heart's desire." She grinned evilly. "I am very good at my job."

Belldandy ran by the family room door.

Nabiki's head twisted around fast enough to produce a crack. "Bell was--"

Urd ran past next, followed by Kasumi and Keiichi.

"What's going on?" Nabiki jumped up and followed them, as quick as she could.

"Fight!" Keiichi yelled over his shoulder. "Akane's gonna fight Sigel!"

- - - - -

By the time they got out to the compound grounds, it was obvious that this was merely a sparring match, and what had been a rescue party turned instantly into a cheering section. Divided into three camps.

"Show her your stuff, Sigel!" Urd flashed the diminutive robot a V.

"You can take her, Akane!" Nabiki brandished a fist. "Show her what the Tendo School stands for!"

"Do your best, both of you." Kasumi smiled. Of course.

Akane smirked at her opponent. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a kid."

"Kid?" Sigel's smile turned evil. "I shall teach you not to underestimate me."

Akane launched herself towards Sigel, closing with a quick snap kick. Sigel countered, by stepping to the side, grabbing Akane's ankle, and pulling her past. Akane's rear leg overextended, and she pulled the front leg back, to turn the throw into a roll.

She regained her feet, and smiled at her opponent. "Not bad. I think I've just been taught."

Sigel grinned.

"This time for real." Akane approached with a bit more caution this time. She launched a three-punch combo, only to have each attack parried. She dropped, and spun into a foot sweep, knocking Sigel off-balance. She shifted again, following up with an axe-kick to Sigel's backside. The smaller girl was knocked to the ground with a loud clang.

"Clang?"

Sigel picked herself up, and looked down at her backside, which now showed a definite dent. "It's going to take Skuld-sama hours to put that right."

"What--How--?"

On the sidelines, Kasumi raised a hand to her mouth. Belldandy looked over in surprise.

"Didn't you know?" Belldandy sighed. "Too many other things to talk about."

Sigel turned to face Akane, and raised a fist. "I don't blame you. I wasn't made to fight, but I've chosen this job. And it seemed that I underestimated you as well."

Akane shook off the surprise, and grinned. "An android, huh? Skuld's cooler than I thought."

"Shall we?" Sigel opened the extended fist, and beckoned Akane.

Akane's grin sharpened, and she launched herself towards the droid.

"Rocket punch!" Sigel's lower arm and fist detached, and blasted towards Akane. It grazed her temple, and Akane stopped, her forward momentum stalled by the impact. Sigel's fist retracted on its cable, snapping back into her upper arm.

Akane grinned. "An opening."

"Rocket punch!" The fist blasted forwards again, but Akane was prepared this time. She stepped an inch to the side, and the fist sailed past her, striking the wall behind her. Akane waited a fraction of a second, until the fist started retracting, then grabbed the cable and leaped into the air.

"She's riding it in!" Keiichi whooped.

The cable's retraction gave Akane's kick terrifying speed, and she slammed into Sigel, releasing the cable just as she made impact. The droid was knocked backward into the dirt, sliding five meters before coming to a halt.

Akane touched down, but before she could come to full readiness, Sigel's other Rocket Punch caught her directly in the stomach. She sat down heavily.

Peorth nodded. "Basic tactics."

"Your opponent has two fists, just as you do." Nabiki sighed. "But I suppose that there was no reason to suspect that Sigel didn't have something else in the other arm."

Both combatants regained their feet. Sigel's chassis was now badly marred, a foot-shaped dent in her torso armour to match the one on her rump. She finished retracting her fists, and snapped into a ready pose.

Akane regarded her warily. Rather than leading with her left hand, Sigel was now leading with her right. Did I damage her internals? No--she's out of power on the right fist!

Sigel grinned. "You're quite good."

"Thanks. You too."

"One more round?"

"Oh, yeah." Akane ran forward, and Sigel promptly blasted a Rocket Punch at her.

"Got you."

The Rocket Punch missed, as Akane leaped clear over the attack, and landed within inches of Sigel. With a quick pivot, she snagged the line, and promptly tied up the robot.

Jaws dropped across the compound.

"She only has four, right, Skuld?"

"Yeah." Skuld shook her head. "I can't believe you beat her!"

"She's a bit too predictable." Akane winced, and rubbed her temple. "But very powerful." She knelt next to the struggling Sigel. "Yield?"

"I cannot!" Sigel struggled harder.

"She's not programmed to yield, Akane." Skuld pulled out a device, and tapped it; Sigel stopped struggling. "She needs the countermand signal."

"I see." Akane untied the robot, and helped her to her feet. "You're very good, Sigel. I enjoyed our match."

"As did I." Sigel grinned, and offered a hand. Akane took it warily, and they shook. "But I'm going to ask Skuld-sama to install a random number generator, and then you better watch out."

- - - - -

"They're really cool." Akane examined Banpei's power systems, and shook her head. "I've gotta admit, I know nothing about this sort of stuff, but this is way more complex than anything we have in our home."

"Banpei-kun is a state-of-the-art combat robot." Skuld grinned. "His algorithms are self-programming and randomized, and his emotion circuits quite elaborate. He's as much a friend as a Guardian."

"When you make new friends, you really make new friends." Akane laughed. "And what about her?"

"Banpei saw her once, and I guess decided that he wanted to keep her. She was just a store-front mannequin, and Chihiro was going to use her at the bike shop. But I got her, and installed her servos and AI systems."

"Why?"

"Because Banpei-kun fell in love with her." Skuld snapped a component into Sigel's torso, and flipped a switch. "Problem is that Sigel doesn't much care for Banpei. They've sort of evolved into complementary programs."

"Just friends, huh?"

"No, more than that." Skuld tugged out another component. "You kick like a Fire Giant, Akane! This part is rated to fifty gees." She tossed it aside and started fishing through a box of parts. "You see, Banpei-kun was built to protect Belldandy. Mostly against Keiichi, but I altered his programming later. But he'll protect Sigel just as much. For the most part, Sigel will protect Banpei as well, but it's hard to call their behaviour 'love.'" She closed up Sigel's chassis, and rebuttoned the android's dress. "Sigel considers Banpei-kun's behaviour to be boorish and perverted."

Akane sighed. "Like me and Ranma. Ranma worries about me, and all I ever do is brush him off as a pervert."

"It's good to see strength." Skuld touched a hidden control under Sigel's hair, and the robot came to life with a sudden jerk. "Welcome back, Sigel."

"Good morning, Skuld-sama." She looked over at Akane. "Akane-sama, it is good to see you."

"Good, her recognition circuits weren't damaged."

"Damaged?" Sigel blinked. "Oh, yes, I recall. Akane, that was a good fight. You taught me quite a few things. I shall remember them."

"Sigel, I would like you to continue patrols. I'll fix the dents tomorrow. Is that all right?"

"Yes." Sigel bowed to Skuld.

"All right. I'm starving. Akane, you want some ice cream?"

- - - - -

"It was very good of you to have us." Kasumi bowed to her sisters. "I promise, we will come and visit again, though I cannot say when."

"Thank you for visiting." Belldandy smiled. "I was worried how it might turn out, but I'm glad it happened."

Skuld grabbed Akane's hand. "Listen, Sis. I know we only just met, but please, trust me. Give Ranma a fair chance. He may surprise you."

"Who am I to argue with my older sister?" Akane grinned.

"Akane, we have to catch the train. Nabiki, stay well."

"You too, Sis."

Nabiki waved to her mortal sisters as they walked down the street, then lowered her hand with a sigh.

"What's wrong, little sister?" Belldandy looked down at Nabiki. "I promised you that you'd see them again."

"Yeah, but what happened to Strength and Truth?" She sat down on the steps. "It seemed that I spent a lot of my time lying to them."

Belldandy laid a hand on Nabiki's shoulder. "It is true, that we had to keep them from learning our true nature. I am afraid that I have a hard time at this; I tend to speak without thinking."

Nabiki chuckled. "And you still manage to say the right thing every time."

"The precise circumstances that allowed you to join us are still unknown." Belldandy looked up. "We may never find out what they were. But it is very unlikely that your other sisters can join us, as anything other than mortal sisters."

"So we gotta keep this lie going for the rest of their lives."

"Unless they discover through their own merits, yes."

"About that cause..." Skuld frowned. "I think we will know."

"Cause...You mean why I became a Goddess?"

"Yeah. I think I know why you came here, why your Divine spark was empowered."

"You do?" Nabiki jumped to her feet. "Why?"

"The Doublet System." Skuld looked up. "It prevents Gods and Demons from all-out war; whenever a God is slain, a Demon also dies. No-one knows their Doublet, except for one Demon. Even then, his Doublet doesn't know."

"So how does this affect me?"

"Banpei detected a new demon about a month ago. Very powerful, Class Two or better." She looked up. "The Demon was created in Nerima."