Daimakaicho Ranma Chapter 7 Ah! Enter Goddess' Part II, a Ranma + Oh My Goddess! Crossover fanfic

Daimakaicho Ranma!

Chapter 7

Ah! Enter Goddess' part II

- - -

Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on board the Australian Nuclear Submarine The Queens Revenge, yeomen Bates was bored out of his mind during his stint of nightshift duty in the dull thrum of the engine room.

'Be a part of exciting adventures around the world… yeah right… my ass…' Bates thought back to the recruitment posters to himself over the dull engine noise, as he yawned and flipped the same page of the 4 month old Archie comic for the millionth time.

"Oh man what I wouldn't give to know the surface time… is it day... is it night… warm or cold?..." Bates muttered to himself as he just flipped pages of the little book, no longer reading it as he had basically memorized it over the last 3 months of the duty tour.

Just as he was about to lean back into the steal folding chair to resume the monotony that passed for life on The Queens Revenge, suddenly there was a loud resounding bang throughout the whole of the engine room causing Bates to jump to his feet in surprise.

After calming his racing heart of the surprise, he soon found the cause of the bang; a simple wrench had just fallen from an open tool locker and onto the steel grating of the floor.

Shaking his head in disgust of the disorder the day-guys leave their tools, he began to re-rack some of the tools to relieve some of the tedium, when he suddenly caught motion to his right in the dimly florescent lit room.

"Hey, who's there? Johnny, that you?" Bates called out, no answer came, shrugging it off as part of his imagination running wild with him, Bates just finished cleaning up the tool locker and with nothing else to do, proceeded to return to his old comic. 'Maybe I can use it to cover my eyes and get a nap…" he thought to himself, hoping none of the CO's would catch him in dereliction of duty.

Just as he returned to his spot though, he noticed that his folding chair had been folded and put along the bulkhead.

"Alright wise ass, come on out, you've had your fun… I know it's you Johnny, no one else on this tin-can is as pathetic a joker as you are…" Bates called out, now sure that Johnny was getting a laugh in on him. No answer came.

Bates then noticed a human-shaped shadow move behind one of the engine struts on the other side of the engine room, and so he went after it saying playfully, "Now I gotcha' you little pricker, wait till I tell the crew chief about this one…" said Bates as he rounded around the engine strut he barely managed to gasp out, "What the fu…!"

The scene then played itself out on the wall like some sick twisted back-lit shadow-puppetry, of the mystery shadow whirling around to Bates' shadow, and in one smooth motion swung with a shadowed arm at Bates' shadow… moments later there was a gurgle sound as a large round object rolled off of the shoulders of Bates' shadow, followed by a dull thud of the round object… his head hitting the steal flooring and causing an arcing red spray that painted the far wall of the room in streaks of a macabre dripping red. Moments later the shadow of Bates' headless body fell to its knees, then down completely in death with a dull meaty thud against the steal grating.

Then from around the concealment of the engine strut, walked a pale sensuous woman with hair as dark as the moonless night and wide red-eyes, dressed in a black and forest green leather mockery of a Victorian School madam's dress. Turning to look over her shoulder at the pile of man-flesh that was once yeoman Bates, she grinned and said with glee, "What a cutie-pie…" as she then raised her upper lip, showing her fangs and then proceeded to roll out her grotesquely long tongue, and in an obscene gesture licked all the crimson away from her left hand… one digit at a time…

- - -

Moments earlier on the Bridge of The Queens Revenge the night watch were bored out of their witts themselves between the small sounds of strategic papers being shuffled to the slight pings of the navigational system, just another night on patrol as far as Second Officer Brigerton was concerned as he sipped at his coffee while intently studying "A Tale of Two Cities" from his seat in the very comfortable Captains chair in the middle of the bridge dais.

Suddenly there was a clipboard in front of Second in Command Brigerton's book. Annoyed, he looked up to see the nervous ensign fidgeting and signed the papers without looking at them as he thought in disgust, "Probably a request to audit how many sheets of TP we use to wipe…" as he then returned to his book.

He hadn't even gotten more than a paragraph when the Operations Office called out, "Sir! I've picked up something… I dunno' what… but something weird is on my screens!"

Annoyed; Brigerton drolled out, "Care to define 'weird' for us Officer?" Several of the bridge crew sniggered at that.

"I'm not sure Sir… there was a spike of energy… I think… like a power-surge in the aft sections a second ago… but now it's like fading off."

"This had better not be the Chinese up to their dirty tricks again… Very well, in that case keep your eyes open in case it happens again, but next time…" Brigerton said, only to be cut-off by a shout from the Weapons Officer.

"Sir! I've just got a spike of radiation across the boards! Aft starboard sections!"

"Damn! Is it the engine or the warheads?!" Brigerton shouted to the weapons officer.

"Neither Sir! We're reading full containment on all engines and missiles! Wait!..." the weapons officer called out as he paused to study the screen, "…This… this isn't possible…" he mutered after a moment.

"Well? Spit-it out man! What's going on, on this boat?!" Brigerton shouted at the man.

Coming to attention the weapons officer called out, "I'm not certain Sir… but the radiation spikes are Theta-band radiation!"

"So?" said a clueless Brigerton.

"Sir, there's nothing on this ship… or maybe planet that generates Theta radiation! It's only theoretically produced from antimatter, subspace reactions, or blackholes!" The Weapons Officer called back frantically.

"Alright, then I'm taking us to Alert Status… Comm Officer, prepare a ship-to-shore communiqué to Sydney for instruction and to inform them of our status." Brigerton said as the bridge was bathed in red light. "And Dammit! Someone go and wake up the Captain!"

The Comm Officer called out next, "Sir! All communication just went down! All boards, all circuits… just fried!"

Then Navigation called out, "Sir! I'm getting massive pings on passive radar and sonar all around us!" The Navigation Officer then screamed and then ripped off the large earphones he had been wearing that had begun emitting a painful high-pitched screeching.

"Dammit it all to Hell! What the Devil is going on, on this ship!" Brigerton shouted across the chaotic bridge.

"What an interesting choice of words…" drawled a deep bass, deutsch accented voice to Brigertons right.

Slowly Brigerton craned his head to the side and first saw an armband of red and white with a black spider-like symbol best left forgotten in the near-past. He then looked up to see a blond man with a smiling face… but who had deep red eyes and a single red line tattoo down his left cheek. Looking over the man again, Brigerton couldn't help but notice the black naval uniform that was a design common 60 years prior.

With a gulp Brigerton asked, "Who the devil are you, and what are you doing on my ship!"

The man then smirked and said in his deep accent, "How rude of me to not introduce myself, I am Tiberius Mueller, Kapitan of the Kriegsmarine U-boot 27 by spezial appointment by the Weimar Council of Naval Affairs…" he paused to stare intently at Brigerton with his red eyes, and then grinned showing a set of fangs, "… and I'm here to commandeer this vessel."

"Never! Seize this intruder!" Brigerton shouted as he stood to face the man… only to slip in something wet to land on his backside. Quickly, Brigerton noticed that he had slipped in a pool of blood coating the deck plate; he looked around wildly, only to see more blood and small piles of bloody meat that mere moments ago had been the bridge crew.

Brigerton then looked up at the imposing man looking down at him with a mad-smile, screwing up his courage he stuttered out, "I-I w-won't a-allow this! I'll f-fight to the death t-to protect t-this- s-ship!"

At this Mueller's smile went to insane levels and he said with glee, "So be it!" as he blurred into motion, and moments after that Brigerton joined his crew as a pile of dead-meat with a madly grinning Kapitan Mueller standing over him, licking from the blood from around his lips.

Moments later the bridge hatch swung open and through it stepped the woman in the old styled black and forest green dress. She appraised the room with a look of appreciation of fine work, then said in a sweet French accented voice, "Having fun, are we Mon Capitan?"

"No more than I'm sure you've had with the crew dear Sarah… too bad the humans machines on this boat detected our arrival… could've had so much more fun…" Kapitan Mueller said back amusedly as he stepped over the piles of meat on the floor to seat himself in the captains chair, then taking a moment to luxuriate in the feeling. He then said, "The enchantments are in place, I trust?"

"Oh yes… Lord Akibu's enchantments have been placed on the warheads and are ready at anytime, Mon Capitan…" Sarah breathed out as she herself waltzed over and leaned her head over the top of the Kapitan's head with a contented sigh.

"Excellent… simply excellent! Now all we must do is wait for Lord Akibu's signal… he will be most pleased" Kapitan Tiberius Mueller said as he picked up the book on the armrest, "A Tale of Two Cities", opened it with a smile and flipped to the next page…

- - -

In the heart of the chambers of Helheim Palace, seat of the great Daimakaicho, the power to all Damnation and home of the darkness within the underverse, an end all argument was being waged in the gloom.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" shouted Mara.

"Me?! What did you think you're doing?!" Ranma shouted back getting into Mara's face.

Hild was having a ball as she lounged in midair with a smirk plastered across her face at the antics of the squabbling blond and redhead. 'I knew this was a good idea…' she thought to herself.

"I was falling you dolt! What kind of moron are you to just stand there like that?!" Mara shouted back poking at Ranma's chest.

"Weeeeeelllll Exxxxuuuuseeee ME if I couldn't get out of the way of some falling blond bimbo fast enough!" Ranma said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she batted away Mara's offending hand.

"Bimbo? BIMBO!? I'll have you know that I, Mara, demon fist class, category one unlimited is NOT a Bimbo you little red-haired tramp!" Mara retorted angrily.

The redhead snorted and said, "Suuuure, riiight, blonds that speak in third person AREN'T bimbos… gotcha' chief. And 'tramp'… seriously, is that the best you can do? Tsk tsk…"

Mara purpled in rage and said, "Why, you… You… ARG! I oughta' grind you into paste!"

"Bring it on Blondie!" Ranma retorted as a flare of red lightening flashed between the blonds and redheads eyes.

"You know, I would... But I don't really fight girly-girls, wouldn't want to rip your pretty little dress and all..." Mara said with an infuriating smirk.

"GIRLY-GIRL?!" Ranma roared "… and I don't wanna' be in this stupid thing either!"

Mara then roared with laughter, saying, "Buwahaha! How pathetic are you to not even be able to change your clothes?!"

"You… you… I… Don't know how! Happy?!" Ranma said with an almost snarl.

"YES! Buwahah! Even an infant infernal can picture how they want to appear! You just picture it in your mind and poof! Buwahah!" Mara roared between guffaws.

Ranma was reluctantly beginning to catch on to what the blond-bitch was saying and closed her eyes to try, she was just beginning to visualize in her minds-eye something she might usually wear when suddenly her train of thought was broken Mara's jibe of, "…But a girly-girl like you might as well wear a fuku like those sailor sluts! Buwahaha!..." and suddenly an image from her memory of the blond Moon Sailor girl she had fought alongside once in a different life, floated up to the surface of Ranma's mind, and she then felt a blanket of energy cover her for a moment.

Mara's laugh then cut through the chambers like a gunshot as she said in mirth, "Oh… oh… let me guess! You're Sailor Goth right?! Oh… oh no… no! I get it! Sailor Xena! Buwahaha!"

Confused, Ranma looked down at herself… then "ACK'D!" at her appearance. She found herself in a skin-tight black patent-leather bodice with silver metal fittings across the chest with two metal skulls predominant over the important bits, along with a skirt made of long shiny strips of steel plates bonded with steel-mesh, and thigh-high lace-up black stiletto boots and some sort of clawed silvery metal glove molded to her hands and forearms. Of course what Ranma couldn't see was massive billowing red-ribbon behind her floating and twisting in an imaginary breeze and her spiked silver tiara, much like the one that adorns Lady Liberty, that accented the red star mark emblazoned on her brow.

Ranma was just about to begin to hyperventilate when the blond hyena redoubled her laughing at Ranma's expense, with the occasional, "Sissy!" or "fighting for love by moonlight!?" leaking through Mara's cackling laughter.

Ranma's gloved-claw fists clenched and unclenched as anger at her tormenter welled up inside her, she then hissed out, "You think this is funny blondie?! I'll show you funny!..." Ranma then blurred into motion and called out as she leapt at Mara, her hands outstretched, "…Happosai founding school of Anything Goes Attack, Panty Pilfer!"

The next thing Mara knew after the attack that she had been expecting didn't come, was that Ranma was behind her… and that she felt a draft down-low as Ranma snickered, "Oh man… a purple vinyl thong?! Jeez lady, don't these things chafe?! Haha!..." then muttered to softly to herself, "…jeez never thought the old freaks techniques could come in useful…"

Mara then whirled around to face goth-fuku'd redheaded bitch just in time to catch Ranma sniff Mara's purple vinyl thong, then clutch her nose and say, "Pee-yew! Oh man, you'd better see a doctor lady 'cause this thing stinks!"

This was enough to drive the already frazzled Mara over the edge as she growled out, "I'm going to spread your entrails across 9 dimensions for this! Nobody embarrasses Marler and lives to tell the tale!" and with that Mara raised her arm above her head and formed a crackling ball of purple and coruscating black light in her hand and lobbed it at the redhead… who deftly avoided the explosive force of the magic and then even taunted her, "Is that the best you can do?! I know pigs that throw blasts better than that!"

"Argggg! You, die now!" Mara screamed as she reared back both hands, several orbs of the ominous purple energy formed, hovering in each open palm, then lobbed the dozen or more purple-hued attacks at Ranma, who "Eeped!" as she ducked, rolled, slid, and jumped through the air of Hild's chambers to avoid the blasts as they came crashing down, breaking floor stones and sending dust into the air around her.

Smirking Ranma said, "Not half bad… but try one of mine on for size! Moko Takabisha!" she shouted thrusting her hands out… but no attack came… no energy ball of destructive ki, no nothing, just Ranma standing there like an idiot.

As Ranma stared stupidly at her hands, as a smile slowly crept its way across Mara's face as she jibed, "I'm still waiting for your 'Fierce lion Bullet shot' if my Japanese is correct…"

Ranma looked up at the annoying blond, stupefied, her mouth gasping like a fish at the latest surprise, and then Mara jibed again, "What? Can't throw a simple, little blast 'cause you'll break a nail, girly-girl?"

At the jibe Ranma's eyes became slits, her glove-clawed hands clenched into fists and she growled deep in her throat. Mara jibed again, "Oh, what now? Going to scratch my eyes out?! Buwahaha!"

Ranma roared inarticulately as she leapt at Mara, knocking her to the floor on the back with Ranma straddling her, taken by surprise Mara only had milliseconds to turn her head to the side as Ranma's steel-plated fist came down to crunch the stone floor where Mara's head had been.

"Damn you're a fast one…" Mara muttered as she brought her knee up and kicked Ranma off of her, only to see Ranma perform a graceful back flip pirouette in midair and land softly on her feet facing Mara.

Smirking, Mara rolled back on her back and in one smooth motion bucked her hips up and leapt to her feet from the floor to face Ranma and sneered as she said, "You know, I know some great pole-dancing clubs where you'd fit right in…" Ranma then noticed the lump of metal Mara dropped from her hand to land with a clatter to the stone floor as the skirt she was wearing mere moments prior. She then looked down to see her newest fashion faux-pas of the now revealed indecently thigh-high cut of the shiny black bottom of her body-suit and growled back at Mara.

"Why you…" Ranma grit-out through clenched teeth, she then charged at Mara in a sprint, but Mara crouched-low with a spinning leg kick and swept Ranma's feet out from under her, knocking her to the floor. But before Mara could mock the redhead even more, Ranma kicked her legs out, entangled Mara's own and brought the blond-demoness down atop her.

Looking down at Ranma's angered face, feeling Ranma's hot breath on her checks from only inches of separation, Mara smiled coyly and said, "Why… had I known you liked me you could've just said so…"

Ranma just smiled back and said, "Sorry, I don't go for dumb blonds!" as she then reached up, grabbed the top-line of Mara's leather bodice and pulled hard, ripping the garment from Mara and leaving her bare chest to hang free.

"You… you… BITCH! You have any idea how much that cost?!" Mara screamed into Ranma's face.

"Nope and don't care either!" Ranma said back as she rolled the both of them over so now she was on top of Mara.

Off to the sidelines of the vast chamber's, Hild was smirking like she'd never smirked before as she looked upon the scene and thought, 'Something's missing… what could it be…' she thought for a moment tapping her chin, then mentally exclaimed, '…I've got it!' then snapped her fingers.

Without any warning, a ten meter square of the solid stone floor began to warp, heave and twist under the blond and redhead. They barely even had time to mutter a combined, "What the fuck…" before the floor under them gave way to become a sloshing and frothing pool of rich and thick brown mud, that they promptly fell into.

"Now, look what you did?!" Mara shouted as she flung a handful of mud up into Ranma's face.

"ME?! This is YOUR fault!" Ranma proclaimed as she, from her position above the blond, rocked Mara onto her belly in the mud, then grabbed a lock of the blond's hair and pulled back hard.

"OW! OW! Not The Hair!" Mara screeched as she pounded her fists into mud.

"Fine!" Ranma chirped happily, letting go of the blonde's hair and letting gravity pull Mara's face into the mud with an oozy splat.

Mara then sat-up as best she could with the weight of Ranma on her back, her bare chest heaving and spit out a mouth-full of mud and said, "Why you little dirty…" as she bent her legs back and grabbed Ranma by the waist with them, and then pulled, taking Ranma down belly first into the mud-pit with a splash.

Quickly Mara pounced atop the mud-caked Ranma and said, "Now whose the top-dog, bitch?!" as she then grabbed the back-straps to Ranma's body-suit and pulled the stretchy material until it snapped off like a rubberband.

Ranma was in a locked position, unable to get a hold thanks to the viscous mud, and unable to get out from under the crazy-blond, and dammit having that thing snap off of her body hurt! When inspiration struck, she managed to reach her arms back just enough to begin to fly along the exposed sides of Mara's chest.

Atop Ranma, Mara tried to bat away the magic-fingers, but to no avail. Soon her mouth began to quirk, then she let out a giggling gasp, then the fingers increased their tempo along her bare exposed sides and she couldn't take anymore as she began to let out crazy laugher. Yes, Mara was ticklish.

This proved to be enough to Ranma, who used Mara's laughing weakness to flip the blond to her back in the mud, straddle her and redouble her infamous tickle-attack on the blond woman's sides.

"Do you give up?" Ranma asked sweetly.

"Buwahahaha! No! Never! Buwahahaha!" Mara gasped out in her laugher.

"Oh that's too bad…" Ranma said in a guiltless voice as she began to spread her attack out on the laughing defenseless blond.

Mere moments of this ticked by when Mara made a gasping noise almost like talking.

"What was that? I could hear you…" Ranma said into Mara's ear.

Wheazing and with tears leaking from her eyes, Mara said through her laugher, "I give! Buwahaha! I give up! Buwahaha! Please! Buwahahaha!"

"Oh, I'm not so sure…" Ranma drawled as she kept up the "attack".

"NO! Buwahaha! Please! Buwahaha! I promise! Buwahaha!" Mara pleaded in her hysteria.

"I think she's had quite enough, Daughter; she's made her promise." Hild addressed Ranma as she approached the two mostly naked women whose modesty was only being preserved by the copious layering of mud.

"Awe… it was just getting fun too…" Ranma lamented as she stopped the tickling torment of the blond.

Sitting up in the mud, still breathing heavily from the laughing inflicted upon her, Mara caught-hold of the most horrifying news she's ever heard… Hild… calling the red-haired bitch she was doing her best to kill… 'Daughter'.

Mara then gulped as a horrible sinking feeling settled into her belly, then began to hyperventilate, she then pointed to Ranma then to Hild saying, "Her?... You? You... her? Daughter?!"

Ranma's mud-caked face grinned as she said, "Yeah… I guess so…"

Mara's hyperventilation reached new heights as she turned around to look at Hild, smiling down at her. She then went into full self-preservation mode and said, "Oh Hild-sama! I'm sorry! I had no idea she was your daughter! I mean… you're so slim and trim! Not even a trace of paunch left! Who's the father? I mean… I'm sorry… I really didn't mean to presume…" and so Mara babbled.

After a moment, Hild's face twitched and she said plainly, "Mara, shut-up." And so Mara was silenced, "… and Ranma is…" she cast a glance at the mud covered gir,l "… adopted, of sorts."

Bending down with her hands on her knees Hild asked Ranma kindly, "And how are you feeling now Ran… err… daughter?"

"You know… it's sorta' weird I guess… but I feel pretty good" Ranma answered.

"Good, I'm glad. Do you think you're ready to go to Japan again?" Hild asked with a smiile.

"Oh man, I thought you'd never ask!" Ranma answered happily as a hard glint of anticipation formed in her eyes.

"Well then… in that case we can't very well travel with you two looking like that…" Hild said as she gestured down at the two mud-caked women, "… let's see what I can do about that…" and with that Hild snapped her fingers and an echoing bang crashed thought the chamber, rattling the sparse furnishings. The first thing to happen was the mud pit immediately became a stone floor once more, and then suddenly a downpour of steaming water cascaded down over Mara and Ranma obscuring then from view completely for a moment.

The next thing Mara and Ranma knew was the water clearing away as though it had never existed… and that they were oddly dry. Looking themselves over they saw why as they had been cleaned and coifed and re-outfitted. Mara's blond-locks draping down over her favorite outfit of a black cape a purple and gold hemmed leather bodice and baggy maroon parachute pants. Ranma found herself once more with her vibrant red hair in a ponytail, and to her elation she was in pants! Tight black pants, more like spandex, and a mid sleeved chinese high-collared tunic in shimmering red silk that almost became violet as it moved… with the same six-pointed star cut-out across the décolletage. But it wasn't a dress! And most of all, it wasn't overly girly! Ranma just barely noticed the simple gold band covered in smaller gold dangles around her neck like a choker and the matching bracelet on her right hand, and then dismissed it.

Smiling Hild bent down, hands on knees again and asked, "Do you like it daughter? You didn't seem too pleased with your last outfit so I…" she then motioned with her hand at Ranma's new threads.

"Are you kidding?! It's like a thousand times better than that horrible skimpy dress thing! Thanks! um…" Ranma then stood and gave a quick reluctant half-hug to Hild and said again nervously, "… um thanks… um… Hild-mama…"

A feeling Hild wasn't certain of began to fill her chest and her eyes moistened as she stared at Ranma. At a loss for further words, Hild just smiled and nodded at girl she'd only known for a day.

Standing up, Mara reached back behind her, and there was the sound of a rubber-band snapping as she adjusted her vinyl thong, she then said to Hild, "Sorry to break the Hallmark moment Hild-sama… but that was HIGHLY unnerving…"

Hild just smiled a big toothy grin in response at Mara.

"Now are you two going to behave?" Hild asked the Mara and Ranma standing before her.

"Yes Hild-sama." and "Yes Hild-mama." The two replied in polite unison, and then turned to glare at each other.

Smirking Hild said, "Are you sure? I'm not going to have to separate you two now am I?"

"No Hild-sama." and "No, Hild-mama." The two replied in unison, heads down feeling like they were being scolded.

"Good, now shall we go? There's still a whole day ahead of us…" Hild said as a doorway shape of blackness arose from the floor.

"There's just one thing Hild-mama…" Ranma asked quietly but quickly.

Hild had a look of curiosity cross her face as she urged Ranma to continue, "Yes, what is it daughter?"

"Well… I was just thinkin', 'bout earlier… well, why didn't my Moko Takabisha work?" Ranma asked seriously.

"Oh that?" Hild asked with a quirked eyebrow, then continued, "… that's simple. You have no Ki. Hence, no Moko Takabisha."

"No Ki! But… but how'm I supposed ta fight?!" Ranma asked with some panic.

Hild closed her eyes and said in a soothing voice, "Yes your Ki is gone, replaced by Pishogue, don't worry you have time to learn, much as you learned to manipulate Ki into attacks, with time we'll teach you to use pishogue." Hild's eyes then snapped open and addressed Ranma with a smile, "Does this help?"

Ranma wavered for a moment then said reluctantly, "I guess so… startin' over kinda' sucks though."

"I'm sure it does… Now are we all ready?" Hild asked gesturing with her hand to the still open doorway of ethereal nothingness.

Catching on, Ranma strode to face the doorway, with Mara already waiting there to crossover.

Just before Ranma and Mara crossed the threshold of the rip in space and time, Mara leaned over and whispered, "Just for the record, I hate you."

Ranma then leaned over and whispered back, "Good, 'cause I hate you too." As they both stepped through the blackness together.

Hild then followed through the doorway of her darkness with a bark of laughter to ring-out across her chambers as she stepped through, the doorway collapsing away after her passage, once more leaving the massive chambers of darkness and gloom empty.

- - -

As soon as the helicopter had landed in the expansive courtyard of the Grand Imperial Palace, a small black piglet leapt out of the window of the flying machine and literally began kissing the ground with loud and happy squealing pig-oinks.

Just as the rotors of the helicopter came to a stop at its doors slid open, the passengers inside were greeted by three bowing geisha women dressed in elaborate robes with perfectly painted porcelain-white faces, tiny red lips and black hair appointed in buns high on their heads.

The three lovely geisha then looked up into the cabin of the machine and said in an eerie unison of polite quiet voices, "The receiving rooms have been prepared for your arrival. If you'd be so kind as to follow us please, we will guide you the way..." The three then turned and delicately walked back into the palace through the opened shoji screen doors.

"Well folks this is our stop best follow the Ladies now…" agent Kasewagi said as he stepped off the helicopter and then assisted Nodoka off as well, the rest following suit.

Soon after that the entire gang of passengers had disembarked from the Imperial helicopter; and were already beginning to follow the geisha into and through the palace halls. That is until Akane crossed the threshold of the doors and muttered, "…damn." And rushed back out to the courtyard and picked up the little black pig still kissing the ground by the scruff of its neck and admonished, "Jeez Ryoga, could you be any more embarrassing?" as she then jogged to catch up with the pig-Ryoga cradled in the crook of her arm.

After several minutes of roaming in the Imperial halls, the three geisha ushered the Nerima crew into a large room; elaborate, and in the truest sense of traditional Japanese minimalist decoration. The gray light filtering in from the cloudy skies did nothing to detract from its beauty and presence.

The three geisha, then kneeled to the assembled persons and said again in their unison voice, "The Emperor will see you shortly, please enjoy the refreshments provided during your wait." And with that, they walked backwards, closing the shoji screen door as they went.

After several uncertain minutes passed it to Imperial agents in the detective began to quietly help themselves to the table full of beautifully elaborate foods set in the room.

"How can you eat a time like this?" Dr. Tofu asked of agent Fujito.

She then looked up to the doctor, and said with a fishcake in her lips, "…quite easily actually, it's not us the Emperor wishes to speak with after all…" with that the room fell silent save for the sounds of nervous gulping at the obvious implications.

"I don't like this… not one bit…" Nabiki said aloud to the room.

"What'dya' mean Nabs?" Ukyo drawled out boredly as she flopped herself onto a floor cushion.

"What I mean Ukyo is that it all seems so fast, so very deliberate... it kind of makes me feel like we're being setup…"

"A very astute observation, Ms. Tendo." came a mans voice as the paper doors slid open to reveal the speaker as a tall well groomed 70ish looking man in simple blue denim slacks and an old 'Go Go! Tokyo U!' varsity sweat-shirt followed by a similarly aged graceful woman in a plain green housedress holding a mug of steaming coffee.

"And just who might you be?" asked an immediately suspicious Nabiki of the plain looking man.

The man made to open his mouth, but was interrupted by a chorus of, "Emperor Akihito!" from Soun performing a hasty standing solute, and Nodoka who bowed with her face to the floor in prostrate.

With a gulp Nabiki said nervously, "I'm… I'm sorry Emperor... ah… san, I guess I was expecting trumpets and those big fancy robes like are shown on TV…"

The man, now identified as the Emperor, chuckled slightly muttering in mirth, "Heh, heh… 'Emperor-San' she says…" he then looked at Nabiki with a grandfatherly smile and said, "…No, at this time of day we try to keep those types of superficial formalities to a minimum so we can lead somewhat normal lives. Sorry to disappoint."

At this point Kasumi spoke; "If you're Emperor Akihito-Sama… then you would be…" she trailed off gesturing her hand at the woman at his side.

Said woman, just "Hmm'd" absently from taking a sip of her hot drink, then said apologetically, "Oh yes dear, pardon my manners, I'm Michiko, Akihito's wife."

"Empress-sama..." Kasumi breathed out in awe as she curtseyed to the woman, eliciting a smile from the Mother of Japan.

"Now enough of these formalities, we have much to discuss yet…" Akihito said with command, then address agent Kasewagi, "… Agent, where are the Chinese persons? I wished to speak with them as well."

Kasewagi, ever the professional said, "Your Majesty, it would appear they fled the local officials custody before our arrival at the Tendo Dojo, the guards stationed to them are currently suffering from a drug-induced loss of short term memory as well."

Akihito "Hmm'd" in concentration as he took a seat at the prominent position of the table, he then said, "Oh dear, that will be a problem, since I wished them to also witness tomorrows main Event…" he then clapped his hands softly and a ninja dressed entirely in black seemed to fade into existence in a head-bowed kneel behind the Emperor, he addressed the man simply, "The Chinese Amazons, I wish for them to be found and brought back."

With that said the ninja made a slight grunt of acceptance and faded off again.

Akihito was about to speak to the assembled Neriman's again, but frowned looking at Nodoka, then said tersely, "Mrs. Saotome, sit up like a dignified person, I dislike the thought of speaking to the back of your head."

Quickly Nodoka straitened herself, and all were gathered around the table where the High-Great One Akihito and his wife Michiko sat.

Akihito then turned slightly to address Nabiki and said, "To answer Nabiki's growing suspicions first. Yes, you are all being set up… by me."

He then closed his eyes as if weary and spoke, "But first some history as to why I've intervened at all. You see, some time ago, slightly under a year, my son and daughter-in-law were returning from holiday in the Caribbean islands when their Limousine came under attack from a rather powerful Youma that seemed to control an element of fire. It was at this time that Ranma came forward unknowing that it was my boy in that limo and put his life in jeopardy to fight the Youma, and when the Sailors arrived he still fought the beast alongside them to the beasts defeat. And for this, I believe he saved the lives of my son and his wife as well as all the innocents in the vicinity at the time. And for this I feel a strong debt of honor to Ranma."

He then held up his hand for forestall Akane who looked like she was about to speak and said, "I'm not finished. There'll be time for questions later." He then regained his composure and continued, "This is why I felt it necessary to… to… no, I should say, this is why I felt honored at the prospect of giving this young-man the honor he so richly deserved… doubly so after I learned HOW he died." He sent at glare around the room.

"Now you see also, even though my position is inherited, and will one day pass to my son and his wife, politics is as important to me as any underhanded power-hungry politician. That being so, I've planned to commence a Full State Honors funerary service tomorrow at Sunset this you've already been told. But what hasn't been told is that at that time, with the cameras running broadcasting the Death of a National Heroine to the entire nation, indeed even the world, my aides will interrupt the service, 'Inform' me of several highly damming facts, and I will decree them to the audience, the list includes murder and abuse, after that my plan is to declare both Saotome and Tendo clans along with Ryoga Hibiki and Ukyo Kuonji completely and totally honorless and enemies to the Crown and the people of Japan."

There were several gasps of shock in the room as faces grew pale and slack at the news.

Akihito smiled at the reaction and said, "Now also at this time the Imperial Prosecutors will come forward to begin legal proceedings of capital murder, very publicly. And while my position is largely ceremonial, the bureaucrats still listen when I make suggestions. All in all, I think that between the show of National Pride and my strong leadership in the pursuit of Justice, I'll get a 40 point jump in the public opinion polls."

"Oh, and before I forget it. Ms. Kasumi, this is for your consideration." Akihito slid a small sheaf of papers topped with a pen towards her.

"W-what is it?" Kasumi said in a small numb voice.

Michiko smiled and spoke for Akihito, "Well dear, we're not heartless, and we could find no wrong-doing on your part strong enough to be tied up with what's about to happen, so when we heard of your request to bring Dr. Tofu Ono along, we had those marriage papers drafted so you could marry to the good Doctor Tofu Ono with the Imperial Blessings. Just sign and you'll be sparred much if not all the coming tumult."

"I… I… I…" Kasumi stuttered in shock, Tofu came up from behind her and gave her a reassuring rub to the small of her back, trying to be supportive.

"Kasumi! You can't seriously consider that can you?! We're family!" Soun shouted in surprise.

Tears began to leak from Kasumi's eyes as she slurred out, "I'm… I'm sorry father… but yes, yes I can…" and with that said she grasped the pen in a shaking hand, and signed her name and whirled around in Tofu's arms and began bawling into his chest with both sadness and happiness.

Michiko smiled slightly, reached over to grasp the papers, and looked them over and said "Congratulations are in order Mrs. Ono."

"Kasumi… how could you?" Akane said, sounding betrayed.

Without looking to her youngest sister Kasumi said though muffled sobs, "No sister, how could you! You did all those awful things, manipulating Ranma, beating him/her, twisting her into your sick lesbianism… something he only did because you asked… because I think he really loved you… He KILLED for you… I don't even know you…"

"But… but it was just games… like all the other craziness before…" Akane said quietly as Soun bowed his head in shame with Akihito and Michiko looking on sadly.

Sitting next to an ashen faced Nodoka who was shaking slightly, Genma hugged her and said through clenched teeth, "I may have done some wretchedly bad things in my life… but this was an accident! And… and if you think you'll get away with this…" he let the threat hang.

Akihito quirked an eyebrow and asked dubiously, "An accident you say?" he seemed to consider this for a moments then said, "If that's what you wish to claim, who am I to dispute it… BUT! The coroners report… tsk, tsk… everything there would say the whole tragedy was anything but an accident." He took a sip of tea to refresh his voice and continued, "And even if you did manage to get through the plans that are already underway… nobody in this nation… or several others will believe you in the face of the facts."

To illustrate his point Akihito pressed a remote control, and a moderately large TV slid up from concealment under the floor and came on. On it was a lively debate on DeutscheWelle News, the sound muted, of a blond anchorwoman speaking with a Japanese man as pictures of all the gathered Neriman's, save for Kasumi and Tofu, flicked by in the upper corner of the screen as words like "Murdererous liars" and "Traitors" scrolled by in the translated closed caption bar.

"As you can see… the entire world already knows; there's no stopping it now… most we can do is roll with it, and use it to our best advantage" Akihito said

A muttered "Wow, I'm on TV…" from a lackluster Ukyo, the first sign of life from the girl as a picture of her in a flying leap her weapon coming down in a flashing arc, flashed in the corner of the TV screen.

Nabiki on the other hand starred on in growing horror, as she realized that the image was one she personally took and hadn't even had it developed yet from her camera, 'they've gotten into my secret stash of pics…' was an absent thought laced with dread at what sorts of nasty pictures the authorities were bound to find...

"Now, if you'll all excuse us, Michiko and I still have MUCH to do. Mrs. Tufu, Mr. Tufu, you'll both find you have a private room in the east wing for the rest of the day. The geisha will be by shortly to show you the way. If there are no other questions…" Akihito paused to awaiting the inevitable questions, none came, "… alrighy then. We'll see you tomorrow then." And with that Akihito and Michiko left the silent room.

Moments after the doors slid closed; Nabiki and Soun put their faces into their hands, feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Akane still holding P-chan/Ryoga just had her head cocked to the side, watching the TV, as if not comprehending, and Ukyo just looked as if she no longer cared at all ashe she flopped backwards and folded her arms under her head. While Kasumi and Tofu shared an embrace, mimicking the Saotome's on the other side of the table, though the two couples had drastically different reasons for their comfort-seeking.

- - -

The three Goddess sisters sat around the dining table of their temple home and just stared at the grey-haired spirit Lizasa Lenaoko.

Urd, drummed her fingers on the hardwood, leaned forward and said incredulously, "You mean to tell us, that ol' Futsunushi granted that perv Happosai's dying request… and if that weren't all, you decide the best was to fulfill it was to BECOME Happosai and pick-up where he left off?"

Lizasa shifted uncomfortably in his seat, coughed into his hand, then replied sheepishly, "Yeah… that is, Yes… more or less the jist of it…"

Urd rubbed the temples of her head and muttered, "Of all the stupid, harebrained, absolutely moronic things to do…" Urd then looked up and asked, "And to top it all off, you can't contact the Spirit Relief Office, so you want us to call them for you to check in on your marching orders?"

Lizasa just twiddled his thumbs and said meekly, "Yes, if you'd be so kind, oh great High One to…"

He was cut off by Skuld saying curtly, "Cut the flattery and groveling, it's embarrassing for a high ranking spirit!" she continued it a overly irate tone, "You probably did something to really, really irritate one of the higher-ups, which is why you can't call them anyways."

"What do you think Bell'?" Urd asked her unusually serious looking sister.

Belldandy took a sip of her Darjeeling tea, then another, then took a glance at Lizasa and said with only a touch of her usual cheer, "I do suppose we could try to assist him. He is just seeking guidance after all."

"Well I still say we toss him off to Fenrir as a nice snack." Skuld said with none too-little venom as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"But, I said I was sorry…" Lizasa tried to defend himself but was stopped by the cold stares from Urd, Belldandy and most of all Skuld, so he just hung his head.

Finally Urd said, "Fine, I guess I can make a call if it'll get him out of our hair faster, might even get some juicy dirt too…" she was just about to get up and go to the hall phone when the lights flickered, once, twice, then went out.

"Great, just great… the power is out again… probably took the phones with it." Urd grumbled to herself.

Just then the sound of winds beginning to howl came through the doors, and the bright sunny day rapidly turned severe as dark ominous thundering clouds began to swirl and gather over the area.

"Oh my, Urd! What's going on?" Belldandy shouted over the din of the winds whipping against the temple.

"We're about to have company again, Bell'." Urd said tonelessly as she looked out to the front yard.

Without warning a massive column of spiraling wind descended into the courtyard along with many arcing bolts of purple lightning causing a deafening roar to sweep through as it kicked up debris and dust.

Then the winds began to fade out to just a slight breeze, letting the residents and spirit-guest of the temple see who it was that had ridden the storm. First there was Hild, standing with dedicated poise in the middle, her arm still held high drawing back in the power of the elements.

To Hild's right there was Mara scowling at the third person standing to Hild's left, a tall leggy Red-head that looked more than a little queasy as she wobbled from the transport.

"Urd-Chan! Long time no see!" Hild squealed as she ran to hug her baby girl.

Visibly unaffected by the hug from her mother at all, Urd said blandly, "You were here just day before yesterday."

"You see! That was far too long!" Hild chastised.

"What I mean to say is; Why are you here?" Urd asked bluntly.

"I can't just come to see my beautiful baby Urd-chan? I have to have a reason? Oh Kami-sama where did we go wrong?!" Hild wailed over dramatically.

None of the spectators to Hild's antics bought it, so she settled and said, "Fine, we're actually just stopping by, so I thought I give you the good news and a chance to meet your new baby sister, Urd-chan!"

Off to the side both Belldandy and Skuld mouthed "Sister?" with shocked expressions, while Urd knelt down, looked to Hild's smooth belly and said with false cheer, "Pleased to meet you, Sis'. Guess it's no surprise, but I gotta' admit Mother sure does move fast."

'Why do people keep thinking I'm pregnant?!' Hild thought in exasperation as she then said, "Urd, don't be silly, I'm not pregnant, Ranma-chan is you're new sister!" with that said Hild grabbed a green-looking Ranma and presented her to a very shocked Urd and her doubly shocked sisters.

"Hi… glurg I'm Ranma… pleased ta' meetcha'…" the red-head introduced herself just before she leaned forward and evacuated her stomach contents onto Urd's white shoes… "Hild-mama, I don't feel so good…"

Urd's right eye just twitched at supernatural speed in response…

- - -

In a darkened room lit only by a single paper-backed candle, a man in full Samurai regalia was in deep meditation; he then unsheathed the katana-sword in his lap and held it up so only his eyes were reflected in its finely polished surface.

He then said, "Slowly but surely the justice of heaven will be swift culling into the hearts of darkness, and at the set of tomorrow's sun, I shall see it be done to the vile wicked things inhabiting these shores, and thusly in triumph shall I breath life once more into the stilled breast of mine beloved and resurrect her once more into mine embrace." And with that he blew out the solitary candle, casting the room into darkness through which his mad-laugher roared.

- - - - - -

Revised: 1-12-08

Emperor Akihito. The actual name of the Emperor of Japan.

Empress Michiko. The actual name of the Empress.