Disclaimer: And we all know what goes here, don’t we? I can’t think of anything clever to say, so I’ll just lay it out straight. Ranma and gang are the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi...Belldandy, Urd, and the rest of the Nekomi Tech bunch belong to Kosuke Fujishima (and I just got Queen Sayoko yesterday), Freya and Inanna...well, they don’t really *belong* to me (how can you own a goddess, after all), but I’m using them anyway...but the rubber duckie *is* mine!
AIYAH! *MY* GODDESS?
CHAPTER 10
Wishes are strange things, especially when they come true. And if that granting of a wish is facilitated by a goddess, things tend to get...even stranger. Take for example a certain wish made by a Chinese Amazon named Shampoo. She wished that a boy she had long desired would love her and everyone would be happy. That boy’s name, of course, is Ranma. Which means the happiness part of the wish had a bit of work to do.
As a result, the group dynamics of the Nerima Wrecking Crew had...altered somewhat. For one thing, Ranma doesn’t panic to *quite* the extent he once did at the sight of Shampoo’s cat form. And since he’s come to the understanding that he actually *does* love Shampoo, wish or no wish, it’s made him want to try working around that cat phobia, at least in Shampoo’s case. (He’s still not likely to be buying tickets to the Greater Tokyo All-Star Cat Show anytime soon, however).
There’s also the matter of Shampoo’s serious rivals in romance, Akane and Ukyo. The happiness clause has altered their way of looking at Shampoo and Ranma, and gave them a rather unpleasant false memory of a certain incident involving Shampoo and Ukyo that nearly led to tragedy. Ranma and Akane now know that memory is untrue (but, as the goddess in question demonstrated, it *was* a possibility), but Ukyo does not.
As a result, Ukyo, under a false sense of obligation to Shampoo, has ventured forth to China to find a cure to Shampoo’s curse. If Shampoo no longer turned into a cat, it would make Shampoo *and* Ranma pretty happy...and if Ranma no longer turned into a girl, it would make the whole lot of them happy. But, with Jusenkyo working the way it does, Ukyo’s expedition only resulted in *her* getting cursed.
Of course, since the wish fulfillment meant that not only Ranma, but Akane and Ukyo both now felt love and affection for Shampoo (and in the girls’ case, it *wasn’t* the sort of love that good friends have for each other, but rather something much deeper), Ukyo turning into a man had certain...possibilities.
As for Ranma’s other rivals...here again Shampoo’s wish acted in some...eccentric ways. Mousse currently has his hands full keeping a pair of catgirls named Annapuma and Unipuma out of trouble, Tatewaki Kuno and the goddess in question, Freya, have started dating a bit, and Kodachi’s beginning to spend a bit of time with Kasumi, of all people. Nerima’s premier Crazy Lady has found her turbulent soul calmed somewhat in Kasumi’s presence. And Kasumi, being the caring and nuturing sort she is, has recognized Kodachi’s need.
But there’s one major player in the epic saga of Ranma that has not been heard from...someone who could make a lot of trouble for Ranma...has Shampoo’s Wish touched Ryoga at all? Considering the fact that he’s returning to Japan in the company of a now cursed Ukyo *and* yet another goddess named Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love, sex, fertility, and war, its a distinct possibility.
One of the things that filled Kasumi with delight, other than feeding her family and keeping a home, was shopping. And, being Kasumi, she found her delight doubled if she could share it with someone. Thus she was in the company of her new friend, Miss Kuno Kodachi. They had been out shopping...at first Kasumi had been buying the day’s groceries, and then, at Kodachi’s insistance ("You have ever done so many things for your family, but seldom have you treated yourself. Today, you shall!"), they went shopping for clothes. Kodachi found herself some long. black and slinky numbers, the better to capture her dear Ranma-sama’s heart...or whatever other organ might be acquired...and Kasumi found some rather more conservative, but attractive skirts. They also stocked up on some lingerie, Kasumi again picking conservative, sensible, white cotton...and blushing rather hotly at some of the scandalous things her shopping partner held up for inspection.
By the time they had finished shopping, both their stomachs were audibly protesting their empty states, reminding them it was high time for lunch. Luckily, Japanese department stores have very nice restuarants...in fact, Kasumi was somewhat dismayed at the prices on the menu, worried she might not have *quite* enough to cover her share of the bill. The Black Rose of Nerima, however, insisted that Kasumi get whatever she wanted, and that she would settle the bill. Generousity, after all, is the hallmark of the samurai.
All rather normal, just two friends out on the town. Nothing so strange, not even for Nerima.
But this *being* Nerima, normality mutates into weirdness quite fast.
It should be noted that Kasumi actually has a passion other than cooking and cleaning. Singing. She loved to sing, and certainly had the voice for it. And when they passed *that* karaoke parlor...well, she simply couldn’t resist.
"Oh my, is that *Mousse* over there?" Kasumi exclaimed in surprise as they entered.
"So it would seem. Strange to see him someplace that purple haired Amazon bimbo isn’t. I suspect the boy is part lamprey, the way he clings to her..."
"Kodachi! That’s not a nice thing to say about him...even though it might be true. But Shampoo is hardly a bimbo...she’s a very smart and beautiful girl. Simply because she hasn’t mastered our language is no reason to doubt her intelligence" Kasumi chided.
"As you say..." Kodachi conceded, unable to disagree with Kasumi. (I still think she keeps her brains in her bosom, she nonetheless grumbled to herself)
And then her attention was diverted from her erstwhile rival for Ranma-sama by who...or *what*...was mounting the stage. Two utter glamazons, strikingly beautiful, tall as empresses...but apparently, from the cat ears portruding from the thick wild mane of hair they both sported, they were also that lower order of life, cosplayers. Strange, though, the way those selfsame ears twitched and swivelled, as if alive...I wonder how they manage that?
And Kasumi was struck by the feline grace of the two now on stage. She had to wonder if they truly *were* cosplayers, or were indeed catgirls. Stranger things, after all, visited her house on a regualr basis, including, she reflected, goddesses. Along with martial arts master perverts, ghost cats, people who change sex or species at a drop of water...compared to all that, Kasumi reflected, living catgirls would be downright mundane.
But the way they were *dressed*...oh, how *improper*! Those Levi cutoffs were certainly too short, and simply *had* to be two sizes too small. How did they manage to fit *into* them? And their tops...what *is* that material...vinyl, latex? Whatever it was, it looked as if it had been painted on. And it was *quite* clear the two would be performers disdained the use of undergarments. The two girls on stage were evidently feeling a bit...perky.
Kasumi herself would never *dare* to wear anything like that...never! But she felt a hidden envy toward those who could. Perhaps, she thought to herself, she might return, in secret, to the shop where Kodachi found those scandelous undies...
As for Kodachi, she sniffed at the quite tacky display of flesh the two were putting on...but why were visions of Kasumi in black leather playing in her head?
And, at a motion from the girls on stage, the beat began. It was electronic...almost metallic...throbbing and insistant, but not the hard pounding that was so often found in music. Over the beat with girls chanted, alternating their lines. Soemtimes they would both say the same line, their voices harmonizing delightfully...and at other times they were perfectly accompanied by an unseen chorus, repeating or emphasising their lines...as below:
"Money means security..."
"No money means-"
"Terror...oh oh..."
"This is Anna!"
"This is Uni!"
"We are...the Android Sisters!"
"Today’s topic is..."
"Money."
"Money money..."
"Money is important..."
"Everyone needs money..."
"Money money"
"Have you been deprived of money?"
"Do you suffer from money withdrawl?"
"Do you need a money fix?"
"Is your money fix not bi enough?"
"What if you lost your job?"
"The job you can’t stand...
"The job a machine could do?"
"And do it better..."
"What if you lost that?"
"Then what?"
"Oh oh...No money...means...Terror...Oh oh..."
"Are you happy?"
"Do you wonder why you are not happy?"
"Do you live in a constant state of fear?"
"Have they made you into a money junkie?"
"Do you hate your job?"
"Do you have a job to hate?"
"Are you looking for a job?"
"Are you looking for a job you will hate?"
"A job that could be done by robots?"
"Is this not a stupid way to live your life?"
"But...you need..."
"Money"
"Money money..."
"Money means security..."
No money means..."
"Terror...oh oh..."
"Are you happy?"
"Do you wonder why you are not happy?"
"Do you live in a constant state of fear?"
"Do you know..."
"How easy it is..."
"To control someone..."
"In that state..."
"Of mind?"
"Do you know..."
"How many hours of the day..."
"You think about...
"Money?"
"Do you ever think about...
"How much you think about...
"Money?"
"Aren’t you sick of..."
"Thinking about..."
"Money?"
"Money money money..."
Money...ugh, yech, pooiee!"
"But...
"Money means..."
"Security."
"No money means..."
"Terror! Oh...Oh..."
And while Anna and Uni were doing their mind-bending number on the stage, Kasumi and Kodachi joined Mousse at his table. He seemed to know the girls...they were looking in his direction rather often, and he was repeatedly shaking his head, either in embarrassment or in puzzlement at the lyrics. He had his head in his hands when he heard the other chairs at his table being pulled out, and he blushed when he realized who it was.
Terrific, he thought. I’m sure I could count on Miss Tendo to be discreet, but the crazy Kuno girl? As bad as having Nabiki discover me here with Anna and Uni. Could be worse, I suppose...could be Nabiki...so I don’t have to worry about being blackmailed...those two are costing me enough as it is...
"So Mouuse, change your taste in women? I’d never have thought you’d be seeing someone else behind Shampoo’s back...and *two* someone elses...how *bold* you are!"
"Now Kodachi, I’m sure there’s a sensible explanation to all this...isn’t there?"
"No...there isn’t" Mousse moaned. "I feel like I’m betraying Shampoo, but those two just don’t give me any *time*...not between their attentions (blush) and my trying to keep them out of trouble...which they’d be into inside a fast minute...they have no taste, absolutely no modesty (which you can see for yourself), no tact, and they are both ravenous and insatiable! What’s worse of all, they keep me from my darling Shampoo! But...the strange thing is...they kind of...well...grow on you. They both have to strength of an ox, and yet...they’re somehow...vulnerable. I hate the idea of leaving them alone...they’d feel like lost kittens. And God only knows what sort of trouble they’d cause if I did..."
The male Amazon took a swig of his latte (he was a secret coffee drinker, was Mousse), sighed, and continued. "But I have no idea what they’re going to do...they object anytime I mention the possibility of jobs. ‘Work?’, they say, ‘You want *us*, models of perfection that we are, to dirty ourselves with manual...labour?’ And any prospective employers we *do* talk to claim they *don’t* hire cosplayers!"
"Well, why not insist they take those silly cat-ears off?" Kodachi said, quite sensibly.
"They’re real..." Mousse muttered in a flat monotone.
"What?"
"Those ears...they’re real", the boy pointed out more audibly.
Kodachi panicked. "Oh God, *no*! You mean they’re geneitc mutants out to take over the world with..." and here she began to stumble, since on inspection, it would appear that the two girls were armed only with "their big boobs and fat asses..." she concluded lamely.
"They are *not* genetic mutants! And their bottoms are *not* fat, they’re shaped...just...right...oh god...did I just say that?"
Kodachi smirked. "Oh *really*...and what about their boobs?"
"Wellll...anyway, they are *not* mutants..." Mousse growled over his renewed blush.
"But then, what *are* they? And how did you meet them?" Kasumi asked.
And Mousse explained how he met them, the bank, their fight...*almost* everything, in fact. He *did* leave out what happened that first night, however. Not *anyone’s* business, he thought.
He continued. "They claim to be androids, and from how strong they are, I suppose it could be true, but...well, they’re not what I’d expect androids to be...they aren’t cold, but warm...*very* warm, sometimes. And they’re *very* emotional, too...the odd thing is that while they sometimes act like...well, sex-crazed bimbos (Oh, just like Shampoo, thinks Kodachi, but in deference to Kasumi’s certain disapproval, and the potential of a violent reaction from Mousse, doesn’t say it...), they aren’t that at all...some of the stuff they get out of the library...I mean, what sort of book *is* Genetic Alchemy, anyway?"
The girls finished their number and hopped off the stage, after giving their applauding audience some bows and kisses, and rejoined Mousse. They began to scowl and claws started to show at the tips of their fingers, but the boy headed off a potential and unfortunate confrontation by introducing Kasumi and Kodachi, making it *absolutely* clear he had no interest in either in any realtionship other than friends, so there’s no need for any jealousy, none at all, so be good girls, both of you, pretty please? And with that, the girls relaxed, but all the same, they stayed close to Mousse. Like a lamprey stays close to a shark.
The five of them chatted a little, then Kodach and Kasumi both excused themselves. As the two were leaving, Kasumi observed a man in a black suit, there in the back of the parlor, talking into a phone while occasionally looking at the girls. The eldest Tendo daughter hoped it wouldn’t mean trouble...Anna and Uni seemed...nice...in their own way...and they and Mousse made a lovely...couple? None the less, it all seemed somewhat...strange, she thought.
"How very odd..." Kasumi commented as she and Kodachi entered back out onto the street.
Being as heavily laden as they were with purchases, Kodachi, again to Kasumi’s amazement, flagged down a taxi. Thus they were able to make their way back to the fastness of the Kuno mansion in comfort.
The two gorgeous passengers got out, and Kodachi gave the cabbie instructions to take Kasumi whereever she wanted to go, and gave him a rather large yen note to cover the charges. With that, the two took their leave, but before Kasumi got back into the cab, Kodachi, creature of impulse that she was, flung her arms about the older girl and gave her a light kiss on the lips.
Back in the cab, Kasumi wondered just why she had allowed it. Admittedly, Kodachi took her a little by surprise with the embrace and the kiss, but it still didn’t seem *quite* proper...but then, she remembered, some of her friends in high school kissed each other all the time, and there was that kissing practice she and her girl friends indulged in in junior high (when Yukiko slipped her a bit of tongue)...compared to that, this brief contact of lips was so innocent that there was likely nothing to it. Strange, though, how so benign a thing made her lips tingle.
On the way home, Kasumi made a quick stop and bought for herself a sheer black lace teddy. It was *so* naughty, and she was *certain* she’d never wear it, but still...she couldn’t seem to resist.
It was well indeed that Kasumi should have had such an enjoyable morning, for pure chaos she found awaiting her at home was hardly welcoming. She entered, placed her purchases and packages on the floor, and frowned ever so slightly at the shouting she heard emanating from the dojo. Unlike so many times in the past, it was not the voices and Ranma and Akane that were raised in uproar (much to her relief, since the two were getting along so nicely of late), but rather a masculine voice she had not heard before.
Drivien by both curiousity and the need to protect her house from possible violence, Kasumi made her quick way to the dojo, where she saw...
A young boy, one she had never seen before, but clothed in the same garments that Ukyo was wont to wear, and with hair the same as Ukyo’s, swinging in absolute rage a giant spatula at an armorned, winged Freya, who was parrying with sword and shield. Leaning against a door post was Nabiki, toward whom Kasumi made her way...over *there* was a travel-soiled Ryoga, and by his side was a gleeful looking stranger, a Beauty as dusky and dark as Freya was fair and blonde...and surrounded by the same sort of nimbus that she had seen around Freya many times.
And *there* was Ranma and Shampoo, looking upon the fierce fight with concern, the sex-changing boy shaking his head in dismay.
"Nabiki, what...? and Kasumi made a helpless gesture toward the battle before her. "Who *is* that boy and why is he fighting Freya?" And at another look at the boy, Kasumi had to loosen her collar a bit, so flushed she felt as hormones she never knew she had started perculating.
"Yeah, he had that effect on me, too..." Nabiki smirked. "But that’s no boy, that’s Ukyo. I don’t really understand all this, but Ukyo came in, evidently looking for trouble. And with her comes in Ryoga and Inanna...that’s the one standing by Ryoga."
"It would seem the two somehow know each other, because when Ryoga’s friend saw Freya, she said, ‘Well, well, it’s the Nordic Nookie...’ Freya didn’t much take to that, and came back with ‘What do you want, you Sumerian Slut’...I mean, you could almost *hear* the capitalizations."
"It looked like the two would have continued like that, but Ukyo came up and slapped Freya, and hard, too. Her eyes glowing in rage, she shouted at Freya, ‘Do...you...*know* what HAPPENED to me?! *What I suffered?! And all YOUR fault?’ And at that, she poured some water she had in a flask over her and *poof*...instant boy."
Kasumi was amazed. "You mean poor Ukyo went to Jusenkyo? But why? I thought she was on some sort of training journey..."
"Yeah, well, that’s what we all thought. You should have seen Ranma and Shampoo’s faces when Ukyo changed. I never thought I’d ever see Ranma cry, but he did then, moaning ‘No no no no...’
"But why did Ukyo attack Freya? ", Kasumi wondered.
"Well, you know how Freya explained about Shampoo’s wish to Ranma and Akane...seems she didn’t explain it to Ukyo. Don’t know if she forgot, just didn’t have the chance, or if that ommision was deliberate, but...from what I gather from those two (and Nabiki gestured towards Ryoga and his companion), Ukyo went to the Springs in order to find a cure for Ranma and Shampoo. Instead, what she got was...well, you can *see* what she got."
"Oh my, poor Ukyo!" Kasumi looked around once again, did the math, and noted the absence of someone. "Where’s Akane?"
Nabiki smirked. "In the kitchen..."
Kasumi drew in an ever so slight breath. "The kitchen?"
"Relax, sis...would you believe it, our crazy lill sis actually tried to play peace-maker for once, and got clonked on her head by Ukyo as a result. She’s getting some ice for the lump..."
And a wincing Akane came in, holding a plastic bag of ice to a slight swelling on her head. "That’s the *last* time I do that sort of thing...should have just taken something heavy to the pair of them...ouch!"
Kasumi tsked and examined her sister’s slight injury while Nabiki continued her explanation. "You know how aggressive Ukyo can be when she gets riled up...and I’d have to say that she was downright *pissed*...I mean, I’m the farthest thing from a martial artist, but even I could feel the battle aura she was giving off...even though she’s a he at the moment."
"I think Freya was surprised at the ferocity of Ukyo’s attack...she did...something, I don’t know *what*...and suddenly there was her sword and she was fending off that dirty big spatula. She was trying to calm Ukyo down, but I don’t think our chef was in any mood to listen. But I guess Freya’s a bit short tempered herself, because soon there was a near blinding flash and there she was, in that armor, wings, and shield. And no longer on anything remotely defensive, either..."
Indeed, Kasumi could see the goddess was pressing Ukyo severely, and she was beginning to worry that blood might be shed...and blood tended to leave stains which were very hard to shift. And just at that very dramatic moment, Ukyo, her arms beginning to burn, dropped her guard *ever* so slightly...possibly no one mortal would even have noticed...but there were two who did...
"Well...that is it for Ukyo..." commented Inanna in her odd, formal accent.
And Freya also noticed, and took advantage of the opening, thrusting her sword into the cat’s whisker space it provided and levered Ukyo’s weapon down, smashed her shield against the currently male chest, and forced him bodily against the wall of the dojo.
Holding Ukyo trapped there, the goddess thrust her sword into a supporting pillar and pressed her now free sword hand onto the chef’s face, fingers splayed. A glow surrounded them as Ukyo fought against Freya’s grasp, then as the struggles diminshed, the trembling began.
"What’s happening?" Ryoga pondered.
"Mind-melding" Inanna explained. "It has to be done carefully...a mortal cannot enter fully the mind of a goddess without great damage mentally...I suspect Freya is showing Ukyo something, though I don’t know what..."
Ranma, Shampoo, and Akane, who had joined them, shuddered...for they could guess what was being revealed to Ukyo.
All the strength left Ukyo and she slumped to the floor, held and supported by the strong arms of Freya. Once the now boy chef was down, the goddess slowly let go and stood.
Shampoo, seeing her erstwhile rival all alone and huddled so forlornly on the floor, left Ranma and Akane and went to the chef, kneeling down and laying a hand lightly on his shoulder. Ignoring the strange rush of hormones she felt at this touch, she murmured, "Spatula-gi..." then she reconsidered her choice of words..."Ukyo is okay?"
Ukyo didn’t answer. Instead he reached out and pulled the Amazon into a tight embrace and pressed the girl close, shaking and basically bawling his eyes out, while Shampoo simply stroked his hair and cooed soothing sounds.
"Man, when she blows, she doesn’t do it by halves, does she? Ranma commented.
"Ranma, be *ncie*" Akane chided. "Awww...look at them together...isn’t it *sweet*?"
"Yeah, I guess...you think Freya showeed her what she showed us? Kuso, no wonder Ukyo lost it..."
"C’mon, I think we should be in on this too,,," Akane prompted.
"What? Hey! Guys don’t hug other guys!" Ranma protested in reflex, but got pulled over to where Shampoo and Ukyo were anyway by Akane...and there were shortly four figures, all huddled together...
Ryoga, poor boy, looked lost. Well more lost than usual. After all, seeing Shampoo, Ukyo, Akane...and *Ranma*...all snuggling together in such intimacy and closeness was not something to which he was used or was ever a witness.
With remarkable restraint, Ryoga scratched his head and commented "I feel I may be missing something here. Anyone care to fill me in?"
Nabiki smirked again. "Long story, Ryo-kun..."
"And I’n not really sure we understand it all ourselves..." Kasumi added.
"Allow me to make some educated guesses here..." Inanna said. "You remember, Ryoga, what I told Ukyo there when we were all travelling together...that Ukyo bore all the signs of divine interference, and that she was led to that Jusenkyo place for reasons other than those that she was thinking..."
"Yeah...so who could do those things?"
Inanna plopped a hand on the pig-boy’s head and turned in Feya’s direction.
"You man...*she’s* a *goddess*? Like you?"
"That’s right" Inanna confirmed. "And I suspect she’s here because someone in this room made a Wish...in fact..." the Sumerian goddess paused as she studied each person. "Hah! It was *that* one!" And she pointed out Shampoo, still locked in her huddle with the others.
"But what did she wish for? Wait, let me guess...she wished for Ranma, didn’t she...and that means...Oh Akane!" Ryoga enthused.
Then gurked, because Inanna sudenly clasped his arm in a rather tight grip. Tight enough to crush the arm of any not as strong as the lost boy.
"That’s...not quite true..." Freya hedged. "She wished for Ranma all right, but..."
"But?"
"Wellll...there was a proviso to the wish...that everyone should be happy." the Nordic goddess explained.
"Ah, one of *those*", Inanna commented. "Things went a bit perverse, did they, Nordic Nookie?"
"Well, yes...and if you call me *that* one more time, you and I are going at it, right here, right now!" Freya gritted. "And I wouldn’t really call it perverse as such...it just seems to be operating in...unexpected ways."
"What do you mean, unexpected?" Ryoga was wondering just why he was beginning to feel a bit like Arthur Dent right now.
"Well, Shampoo’s wish included a false memory to get them all...Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, and Shampoo herself, all together. But that meory was actually based on a potential future, which is what I showed Ukyo. Ranma and Akane already know about it..."
"Let me guess...Doom, Despair, and Tragedy?" Inanna speculated.
"Big time..." Freya nodded.
"Then Akane..." Ryoga started to whimper...
"Sorry, kiddo...who knows, if you were actually here, maybe the wish would have given you Akane. But then, maybe it would have brought you into that loving little circle there...just think, you...and Ranma...which one would you want, girl-type or boy-type?"
Ryoga didn’t dignify that with an answer. He was too busy turning green.
"Besides, looks to me like you’ve already got your hands full." And Freya gave a pointed glance in the direction of Inanna, which the clueless lost boy totally missed.
"What *I* don’t get is why *you* are still dirtside. After all, wish granted, on to next assignment, that’s how it works..." Inanna remarked.
"Normally, yes, but it seems this is an ongoing assignment. These *aren’t* ordinary people...I mean, have you looked at them...*really* looked at them?"
Inanna did just that, using her goddess insight to examine each one, including Ryoga. "Hmm...see what you mean there."
"And I got another news flash for you, Inanna-babe...unless I totally miss my guess...*you* are here becuase of this Wish, too!"
"WHAT? No way! A godess *can’t* be affected like that...its in the books...somewhere..." Inanna protested.
"Hey, think about it. This guy...ummm...Ryoga, right? He’s got the hots for Akane there...but Akane’s locked into this relationship with those other three...and here lill ol’ you just happen along into his life. The Powers of Coincidence work in strange ways, but not *that* strange. And as for not being affected like that...well, you hear about Belldandy *and* her sisters?"
"Well, yes, but...that couldn’t happen to *me*, could it?"
"What makes *you* so special? You’re just a goddess, same as me..."
Kasumi and Nabiki, left to the sidelines, had been listening to the goddesses fill Ryoga in. Kasumi stepped up to them. "Oh, do you two know each other then?"
The two godesses glared at each other and nodded.
"Strange...I get the ever so slight impression that you two...don’t really get along?" Nabiki observed.
"Different offices...same manager, as you might say, of course, but different offices...and sometimes those offices aren’t on the best of terms..." Freya explained.
"Oh, like you and Urd?" Kasumi chirped.
"Nah...Urdie and I get along well enough, when she’s not doing her little ‘Cupid of Love’ routine...that’s *my* department, after all...but then, we *are* in the same office, after all..."
"Oh, I think I understand. So the different mythological constructs each correspond to a separate office...in other words, the Greco-Roman pantheon, the Nordic pantheon, the Sumerian, the Chinese...all different beaurocratic units, yes?"
Three pairs of eyes blinked as Kasumi said this. Nabiki just shrugged and said, "That’s my sis..."...but Freya and Inanna peered at the eldest Tendo daughter closely.
"Say...umm...doesn’t she remind you...of someone?" Inanna asked.
"Been trying to figure that out myself...there’s something about her..." Freya agreed. Then she shook her head, dismissing the Kasumi puzzle for another time.
"Well, it’s ben fun, but all that canoodling over there has given me the pips. Gotta get meself out and walk things off." Freya said, exiting first the dojo, then the house. The fact was, she hadn’t gotten so violent as she was during her fight with Ukyo for a couple of centuries, and there was also...something about ukyo...about the girl in her male form...that was both troubling and arousing. What she really meant when she left, but couldn’t say, was that she had to get out of the dojo before she shredded the girl-boy’s clothes and jumped his bones. Or one bone in particular.
Her aimless wanderings brought her to the Kuno mansion.
STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS!
NOTES:
Additional disclaimer: Yes, for those of you who know of "Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe", the lines the Puma sisters "sing" in the karaoke bar *are* taken straight out of Ruby One. I’m not so clever that I can come up with something comparable all on my own, and anyway, why *shouldn’t* the Android sisters from Ruby look like the Puma sisters? Anyway, yes, this is massive infringement, to which I most humbly admit...And if you *aren’t* familiar with "Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe", well for Kami’s sake, why not? Check your local library, see if they have it...if not get them to do an inter-library loan for you...they likely need the circulation, you know...