No one was around to see as the bowl of water, untouched for the past hour, swirled out into a vortex of liquid and power and disgorged five individuals into the peaceful confines of the small city park they had earlier met at.

Belldandy came out of the vortex gracefully and gently, a peaceful smile on her face. Skuld, however came out of it like a kid getting off the bus, full of irritation. Ranma and Nabiki were still a little overwhelmed by the enormity of what they were facing and came out like a pair of tribal natives that had skipped the cars, planes and trains and gone right to a ride in a helicopter. Midori of course was thrilled by everything as only a little kid could be.

"Now," Belldandy said. "I would show you our home, but I think it might be more appropriate if you come with Megumi first."

"That'll be good, I guess," Nabiki said. "Is your sister going to be fine with finishing that paper work?"

"She should be," Skuld said. "It's her normal job anyway."

"Urd will be fine," Belldandy said.

"There wasn't that much paper there," Ranma noted. "Looked like she was almost done."

Nabiki decided not to point out that the "paperwork" was being done on a computer screen and that there could still have been hours of work to get done with.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll find it easy when she finishes sorting it," Skuld noted. "And you have to go through it all and figure out which promises you want to deal with first."

Ranma and Nabiki sweated a bit at that reminder while Belldandy looked more than a little embarrassed,

"Keiichi should be finished with his class fairly soon," Belldandy said, smiling. "Skuld can you go to tell him that we're finished here?"

"Me?" Skuld asked, a little bit bewildered. "I don't even know which class he's in…"

"Oh, excuse me," Belldandy said, gently maneuvering the younger goddess away from the new gods.

As her back turned, Ranma and Nabiki noted Skuld looking a bit flushed and embarrassed herself, though they didn't seem to hear anything from the middle Norn. Then she pointed further into the college campus and her voice rose back to a level that Ranma and Nabiki could both hear.

"Now, he'll be in the Mixed Disciplines hall," Belldandy said. "Archaeological Engineering class. Second floor, third hall, first room."

"All right," Skuld said, a bit more contrite and less irritable than she had been before. She started to walk away and then stopped at a look from Belldandy, turned toward Ranma and Nabiki and, scratching the back of her head for a moment gave a quiet "I'm sorry for being rude."

And then the younger goddess turned awa

"Now," Belldandy said, smiling back at Ranma, Nabiki and Midori. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"I need to talk to this lady about parenting techniques," Nabiki whispered to Ranma.

"Oh," Belldandy said flushing. "I'm afraid I've never been a parent, I don't think I could help you much. Anything else?"

Nabiki laughed nervously as she realized that the other wom…goddess, whatever, had heard her.

"Well," Ranma said, looking a little funny. "There is something…"

"Yes?" Belldandy said, encouragingly.

"There are these…whispers…sometimes…" Ranma said, sounding uncertain.

Nabiki looked at Ranma in surprise as he mentioned that, she had thought they were just people out of her sight talking. She hadn't thought that they'd be something other than that. Or at least, she hadn't let herself think that they'd be something…weird.

"Oh," Belldandy said in realization. "That would be Miss Kuno. Maybe one or two others."

"What?" Ranma and Nabiki asked in shock.

"Dachi-Chan is funny," Midori said giggling, causing her parents to look down at her. "She asks about her plants a lot. And then she answers herself."

Belldandy looked down at the child-goddess and smiled at her.

"Most of the time they do," Belldandy agreed.

"Kodachi is in Nerima," Nabiki said. "How are we hearing her all the way over here?"

"Gods are not the only ones that can access Yggdrasil," Belldandy said. "Humans are capable as well, they just usually do not. You three, however, have made a heavy impression on Miss Kuno. She often thinks towards you three."

"She…prays to us?" Ranma said.

"Some…might call it that," Belldandy said hesitantly. "It is more appropriate to consider it an…appeal for advice. Most of the time, they answer themselves and need only someone to talk to, even someone not present. She was directing such thoughts to Ranma before either of you became deified, actually. However, save for some few, most humans do not notice such things."

"Sort of like making a call to a line that's off the hook," Nabiki asked.

"More like a line that has not yet been activated," Belldandy said. "Humans have the ability, but most do not know that they do. You are gods, you're connected to Yggdrasil constantly by nature. It is hard for you not to notice such things. You'll notice it more clearly now, however."

"And that's not really praying," Ranma said a bit confused.

"It is communication," Belldandy said. "The fact that she is able to reach Yggdrasil unconsciously indicates a degree of respect or even reverence, but not prayer."

"What's the difference then," Nabiki asked.

"Prayer is an act of worship," Belldandy explained simply.

Nabiki thought about asking if Gods weren't supposed to be worshipped, but thought better of it.

Somehow, she didn't need to ask that question.

"Well, we should get back to the daily grind," Nabiki said. "Thanks for explaining…things."

"Yeah," Ranma said. "Though I get this means more work for us."

"But isn't it so great to be helping others?" Belldandy asked cheerfully, disregarding all the work that was part of that.

Ranma and Nabiki nodded with a smile. At one point they wouldn't have been able to really get that sort of feeling.

For Ranma, it was because he'd spent most of his life just existing to train. He was fairly well used to hard work, at least of the physical or combat oriented variety, but not used to that work producing anything for people other than himself.

For Nabiki, she had spent most of her young life trying to avoid work where possible, just providing for her own amusement. It had been a selfish lifestyle that hadn't especially hurt anyone. At least, not that she had realized at first.

In the last year, however, they'd been living mostly for Midori and helping people as they came upon situations. Even if they could still occasionally complain about working on something, it wasn't the same anymore.

And there was a joy to living for the sake of others and knowing that you had helped make someone's life better.

Belldandy waved as the three new gods walked away towards their home and they waved back.

Things should turn out fairly well.

The water swirled again and a beleaguered looking Urd appeared in the park next to Belldandy, watching as the younger deities vanished into the tree-lined paths of the campus.

"Did you tell them about their miko?" Urd asked.

"They asked," Belldandy said, simply. "I explained appeals and connections. I wonder if we should tell them more."

"Eh, too early," Urd said. "The Kuno girl needs to build her psyche up a bit more, and they need to get a few of the basics down before they can do anything deliberate without hurting her. Besides it isn't like anything serious is going down right now."

Belldandy look to Urd doubtfully.

She'd seen the files herself, and thought about the domains of the three gods. Between Shampoo and Kodachi, there seemed to have been an almost…instinctual response to leave protectors behind.

That implied something…bad.

She hoped she was wrong.

****

"Tadaima," a high-pitched voice called out at the door of the Tendo household. "Is there anybody there?"

Akane frowned as she heard the voice. She'd never liked hearing it, to tell the truth. And it was even less so now. The tomboy walked to the door and looked out to see Kodachi standing there in an outfit that last year would have been completely uncharacteristic of her.

It was almost an affront to Akane, actually, Kodachi of all people putting on airs like she had been the past three months.

The Black Rose of Saint Hebereke stood there in her black hakama, which was a new addition to the outfit, and white kimono blouse. Her normal off-set ponytail was held in place by an elegant red ribbon tied into a simple knot and left to hang in an uncomplicatedly beautiful manner.

"What are you doing here?" Akane demanded.

"Akane," Kodachi said, enthusiasm melting somewhat as she recognized the younger Tendo. "I hope that you are well?"

Akane crossed her arms, not fueled by the politeness at all. She knew that Kodachi was fighting the urge to tell her off, and yet the self-proclaimed "miko" wouldn't back off her most recent hypocrisy to do so.

There was a cool wind between the two girls that seemed to be almost physical.

"I'm fine," Akane said in return.

"So I see," Kodachi said, looking her over. "Have you heard back from any schola…"

Akane was shutting her ears out and rolling her eyes at the usual veiled offer of financial aid. Then Kodachi stopped mid sentence and, when Akane turned to see why, seemed to be leveling a confused look at the youngest Tendo's stomach.

"She can't tell can she?" Akane asked herself nervously. "I'm not even showing yet."

"Oh! Kodachi-chan," Kasumi called out, distracting the Kuno away from whatever had drawn her attention, much to Akane's relief. "I didn't mean for you to come straight from the shrine."

"That's perfectly all right, Kasumi-san," Kodachi responded. "I wanted to show you my new hakama anyway."

The girl gave a quick spin around her feet to show off the mentioned apparel. It was, in Akane's opinion, a very un-miko-like action.

"New…oh my! They let you have a black hakama?" Kasumi asked.

"Higurashi-sensei says that it fits my spirit," Kodachi said proudly.

"And that's a good thing," Akane whispered as she got out of the way of the door and started walking into the living room.

"Well, I believe all your flowers are already here," Kasumi said. "We have about three, maybe four hours until the guests start to arrive. Is that enough time for your arrangements?"

"Hai, Kasumi-san," Kodachi said proudly. "I have truly mastered the art of flower arrangement. Three hours is the same as three years for one such as I, OHHH-HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!"

Akane put her head under a cushion at the sound of the laugh, but she knew her elder sister was simply giggling at the display as if Kodachi were a cute girl rather than a raving lunatic.

Why was she the only one that knew Kodachi was a fraud that had bought her way into a shrine?

As Kodachi and Kasumi walked down the hallway, Kasumi looked back down the hallway and then down toward Kodachi.

"Were you and my sister getting along as usual," Kasumi said.

"Hai," Kodachi said, more than a little guiltly. "She seems to bring out the worst in me."

"Well," Kasumi said. "She has a hard time believing that you're serious about this change."

"Lots of people don't believe me," Kodachi said quietly.

"And I am very proud of how well you've kept your temper," Kasumi said.

"Except around Akane," Kodachi noted bitterly.

"It will be okay, Kodachi-Chan," Kasumi said, hugging the smaller girl around the shoulders and patting her on the head. "If you keep at it, they'll see soon enough."

The elder girl paused as Kodachi stopped in mid-stride and looked around uneasily.

"Is there something wrong?" Kasumi asked.

"There's something…" Kodachi started to say. Then she shook her head clear. "Nevermind, I must be imagining things."

****

Across town, the Joketsuzoku were taking the opportunity afforded by a lull in traffic to watch the television in their front room. Shampoo was sitting irritably on a stool next to her mother and trying to ignore Mousse's watching her.

Cologne was behind the bar, between the kitchen, where Mousse was, and the dining area, where Shampoo was. She was in an easy position to watch for either teenager to make a problem.

Which meant she was also in a good position to see as Shampoo stood up straight and, for a brief instant, a wash of fur and cat-features worked over her face and form, only to vanish almost as soon as it came.

"What was that?" Shampoo asked, a bit shocked herself at the sudden feeling.

That was your curse reacting to something dangerous in the area, Cologne thought to herself. Perhaps it was time to tell Shampoo just exactly what Ranma had given her.

****

Gosunkugi looked down at his handiwork and smiled. This would show them all what he was capable of.

Eventually.

The budding warlock frowned as he realized that if he didn't want to be dog-piled by every martial artist in the area, he'd have to do something that was just the exact opposite of what he wanted.

He had to go unnoticed for a while.

The young man growled under his breath at the irony of it. He finally had real power, but it wasn't yet something strong enough that he could stand out on his own and be noticed.

He was still too weak.

Fortunately, Master Happosai was helping with that, and he calmed as he realized that this was just the first step.