Akane watched Ranma's eyes go wide. "Wh-wh-what is this?" "Ranma?" "I'm a *boy*, aren't I?" he shrieked, grabbing Akane by her arms. "What have you and those Goddesses done to me!?" Akane blinked, her thoughts abruptly fleeing her mind. Why would Ranma be behaving like this? She knew it was foolish of her to expect Ranma to immediately come forth and thank her for returning everything to normal... if indeed he did think of thanking her. Oh, well; it was notably presumptuous of her to believe Ranma needed to thank her for fixing their reality - particularly when she'd had very little to do with that resolution. Skuld and Ranmira had said that they were only double-checking everything by extrapolating the details of Akane's original reality from her genetic structure, *not* that the only way to fix the mess was to have her link with Yggdrasil. Besides, trying to guess how a 'normal' day would come and go in this reality was somewhat difficult at best. How could she have foreseen Kunou Tatewaki declaring to their entire school that anyone who wanted to 'date' her had to defeat her in a fight? That she would wind up being engaged to a boy who was cursed to transform into a girl and back through the use of water, or any of the chaos that would come as a result of Ranma's arrival? "C'mon, change me back!" It suddenly occurred to Akane that while linking to Yggdrasil, what might have been considered to be a wish from certain viewpoints had crossed her mind. Akane had hoped that Ranma would not lose the memories of the time she'd spent as a girl, in body and mind, for a handful of reasons. Had the Ranma of that alternate reality again replaced the 'real' Ranma, Akane wondered? How would they fix matters this time, if she had? The bedroom door was thrown open as she yanked herself free from Ranma's grasp. "Akane, Ranma - what is going on here?" she heard a voice sternly ask, and pivoted to look at the source. Kasumi strode through the open doorway, her eyes carefully attempting to note everything she could see without making a formal, true investigation. Ranmira and Skuld quietly followed behind her, likewise studying the scene. Ranma stared almost indifferently at the two Goddesses, a note of horror still evident in that stare, then let his gaze fall on Kasumi. Kasumi, whom she had come to know as something of a pseudo-mother before being reunited with her true mother. What would Kasumi think of her, now that she was a boy? Or her mother, for that matter. Her friends, Hiromi-chan and everyone else... he despaired. The girl-turned-boy fainted, Akane lunging to catch him. An Aa! Megamisama / Ranma 1/2 Crossover Instruments of Change Part Eighteen written by Mike Koos ---------------------- Ranmira stepped around Kasumi and approached them. Cradling Ranma's cheek in the palm of her hand, she closed her eyes. Akane watched as Ranmira's facial markings took on a soft, barely visible glow for a brief moment. "I thought this might happen," the Goddess said at last. "But what has happened?" The question hadn't come from Akane, but Kasumi. "Well..." Skuld hemmed. Ranmira took the initiative. "Kasumi, do you recall what happened last week, on Wednesday... in the evening?" The eldest of the three Tendo sisters placed a finger to her lips in thought. "...Isn't that when the three of you went on that... 'debugging' trip?" "Essentially, yes," the elder Goddess confirmed as Akane arranged Ranma back on the bedroll. "Has either Skuld or Akane explained to you what the bugs are and what dangers they pose?" "...Yes." "That evening, we managed to remove all of the bugs - but not before damage was caused to Ranma's files, rewriting his reality." Kasumi inhaled sharply. "Dear me." "According to that reality, Ranma had originally been born as a girl, and never received a curse at Jhusenkyou. When her father brought her here, you, Nabiki and Akane welcomed her as a sister." Ranmira proceeded to give Kasumi an abbreviated version of Ranma's life in the alternate reality. "When this reality was changed, certain factors, such as the lingering magic from my presence as a part of Ranma, delayed the effects of the change on Ranma. It seems that the same thing has occurred tonight," Ranmira said, trying her best not to sound clinical. "So that means... right now, Ranma is..." Akane's shoulders slumped. "Ranma is the girl from that alternate reality," concluded Kasumi. She shook her head. "Poor thing - waking up to suddenly find herself a boy. She has to be terrified." "She was," Akane admitted. Ranma's screams had brought Kasumi and the Goddesses running, after all. But now that they were aware Ranma was still the 'innocent' girl they had known from the alternate reality, would Ranma become who he was supposed to be within the next few days... or had her thoughts while linked to Yggdrasil insured that Ranma would remain the 'other' Ranma, forever? "Skuld," Ranmira instructed her sister, "can you get us a glass of cold water? We need to change Ranma into a girl." Skuld nodded once, leaving the room. Akane idly wondered why Ranmira didn't simply elect to use a Water spell on Ranma in some manner, though she figured the Goddess was saving her power for more crucial tasks... not to mention the fact that a Water spell would likely get water everywhere... The Goddesses had already taught her that it was best to *not* spend her powers on tasks she could easily perform by hand, or use those powers and Yggdrasil as a substitute for taking the time to truly learn things. Skuld had repeated the latter for Ranma's benefit to answer a question - why were Skuld and Akane bothering to attend school if they were connected to Yggdrasil? She knew that resorting to shortcuts in her training as a martial artist was far from being a good idea, even though she *had* taken one or two such shortcuts in the past... none of which had given her any useful, lasting results. So what would doing the same in her quest to become a Goddess achieve... or ruin? Skuld returned to the room a moment later with the glass of water. "Here, oneesama." Ranmira thought to cast a Sleep spell on the unconscious boy before pouring a fourth of the full glass over Ranma's head. After the familiar change had transformed Ranma, Ranmira walked to the spot where Kasumi stood, and offered her the glass. "Ranma should remain asleep until tomorrow morning," she stated for Kasumi and Akane's benefit. "Hopefully, we will all - including Ranma - be better prepared to deal with this by then." She cast a somber glance in her sister's direction. "Come on, Skuld... let's go home." Electricity issued forth from a nearby wall outlet, swirling in a slightly awkward manner into a vortex large enough for Ranmira to step through. The vortex enveloped her, appearing as though the energy were swallowing her while it receded into the outlet from which it had come. Skuld, on the other hand, opted to take a route more direct than using her medium - teleporting straight to the temple that currently served as a home for four Goddesses, a Mortal whose name was Morisato Keiichi, and the occasional guest. "How odd," Kasumi murmured, idly examining the glass she now held. "I thought she might use this water, instead. Oh, well." She returned her gaze to Akane, who had remained by Ranma's side. "Akane, come downstairs with me, please. I want to ask you a few questions about that... alternate reality." ** ** ** Urd felt her eyes begin to slowly droop shut once more and deliberately snapped her head upward, somehow managing to keep her eyes fixed on the television during the process. Besides which, if she did miss some of the show, rerun season wasn't for another month and a half... if indeed this late-evening drama did allow reruns. "...You went to the heavens to argue my case?" asked a voice from behind her. Urd breathed a quiet sigh of resignation. Picking the universal remote up from where it lay on the arm of her favorite plush chair - well, the plush chair in her room, anyway - she carefully pressed the Record button, turning to face her sister. How had Ranmira gotten into the room without triggering something, somewhere within her senses? True, she'd had her full attention elsewhere, and was a few steps short of falling asleep... Ranmira had admittedly been a natural when it came to stealth; as a child, she had always enjoyed a good game of hide-and-seek or trying to see just how long she could manage to sneak around near a person before they noticed her. She had grown into a quiet young woman - one who tended to fade into the background, so to speak. Could Ranma's martial-arts training and instincts have multiplied Ranmira's abilities in the field of stealth? "Yeah," was the only thing Urd could think to say. "Why?" Her mind was already telling her how she would normally behave in a conversation like this. She shrugged. "Had nothing better to do, I guess." "B-but even after I lost my temper like that, and refused to speak to you, forever?" Urd shook her head. "You were very emotionally stressed at that time," she said, vaguely recalling similar dialogue she'd heard at one time or another while watching her television shows. "All your anger and whatever had to go somewhere, I guess." The younger Goddess exhaled. "But it wasn't right of me to treat you like that." "Don't worry about it," Urd dismissed the other's concern. She forced an uneasy laugh. "You know, they were so impressed when I came in to argue for you. They said that if the great Urd was willing to come in and--" "Oneesama!" Urd cleared her throat, then smirked. "You know full well I wasn't going to say anything bad. Sheesh! Everyone here is such a prude. And that includes Keiichi, too." Ranmira stared at her in disbelief, but decided to keep her silence. Her oldest sister had a notable talent for being able to change the subject in any conversation at an instant's notice - even unintentionally, as was most often the case. She had no intention of letting Urd sidetrack her, for the time being. "Anyway," Urd said, drawing out the word, "I should probably apologize, too. I guess that every time I try to act the sage around here and give anyone advice, everything starts going wrong." That wasn't entirely true, either; Urd had a view of the whole of reality that could be somewhat different from that of everyone else. Ranmira knew not to dwell on the issue. "...Thank you, oneesama," she spoke in a softer voice, turning to leave the room. Cocking her head slightly, Urd gave her a wink and one of her standard complement of roguish smirks. "Whatever." ** ** ** Ranma jolted awake, sitting up with a start. She clasped a hand over her heart, carefully easing her breath and pulse back to what she considered tolerable levels. "I'm...... *me*," she said aloud, hoping that the voice she heard was her own - or at least, a girl's voice. Ranma cringed slightly at the thought. A minor weight at the back of her head warned her of the presence of something she'd thought she had lost. She reached over her left shoulder, pulling the length of hair forward to where she could see it. It was indeed the same length of scarlet hair she remembered, in a similar braid. Her pig-tail... which Kunou had effectively taken from her. Come to think of it, what had happened to the remainder of her tail after that incident? She'd had her hair cut short since then... so even if they recovered her pig-tail, attaching it to what was left of her hair wouldn't be easy. To be sure, Ranma gave the pig-tail a tug. The braid was definitely attached... in fact, she seemed to have all the hair that she had lost in either haircut. How could that happen? she wondered. Had the Goddesses decided to restore her hair without telling her about it, even going so far as to re-braid it? She slowly became aware of a somewhat familiar sensation - the dull feel of a hard floor underneath her bedroll. Years of sleeping in little more than her bedroll while on the road with her father - and later, the occasional sleepover - had taught Ranma the differences in feel between sleeping on the ground and sleeping on someone else's floors. Why had she been sleeping in a bedroll? As far as she could recall, she had gone to sleep in her bedroom, on her bed, while wearing her pajamas. Ranma noted that she wasn't wearing her pajamas, either, as she slowly drew herself out of the sleeping bag. Rather, she wore what looked like Chinese clothing - a short-sleeved shirt or blouse with ornate golden ties in place of buttons, and a somewhat worn pair of black cloth trousers that were obviously quite a bit oversized for her; those remained in place by virtue of the sash tied tightly at her waist. Having the pant legs tied shut around her ankles as well didn't hurt. She stretched, shaking away what was left of the urges to lie down once more and go back to sleep, then made a careful scan of the room. The nearly empty room resembled the barely-furnished bedroom she'd been given after moving into the Tendo home. None of her furniture or things were anywhere in the room, that she could see - and she doubted someone could hide all of it in her small closet. What was going on, here? Her bed, dresser, posters, books... well, whatever she'd had in her bedroom, none of it was *here*. Ranma padded across the wooden floor - blast, where had that carpet she liked gone? - to the only window and stared through it. Thankfully, the view from her window was as she recalled it. This was definitely her room. A close examination of the walls revealed none of the holes from nails and thumbtacks Ranma hoped would be there. The holes weren't patched or filled - they had never been there, from the look of the walls. She'd entertained the thought that everyone had moved all her furniture to her mother's house as some sort of surprise, but that seemed likely to be wishful thinking, the more she examined her room. Aside from her clothes - which looked more like an outfit a *boy* would wear, in her opinion - everything was reminding her of the first week she'd spent in this room. Ranma thought, biting her lower lip. Her mind flashed back to what she could remember of her visit to Jhusenkyou. Ranma stood atop a bamboo pole, above a valley filled with several small ponds or pools, stunned by the fact that a panda had erupted from the pool in which her father had fallen. As the giant panda assumed an offensive stance on a pole opposite hers, she heard the Guide somewhere on the ground off to her right, telling her that the panda's pool was cursed. Whatever entered that pool would be cursed to become a panda. That meant... her father had been changed into a panda? By the time she recovered from her shock, the panda had sent her flying back-first toward another pool with a wide swipe from one of its paws. Ranma frantically tried to twist her body so that she could see where she would land. The pools were cursed, their guide had said. If she fell into any of those pools... An instant later, she landed on an uncomfortably narrow strip of land, the left shoulder of her already overly threadbare gi wearing away as she slid to a halt just short of another pool at the far end of the strip. The Guide helped her to her feet. "Good, good! You almost fall in Nan-nii-chuan. Legend say young man drown there one thousand, seven hundred year ago. You fall in, you cursed to turn to boy." Ranma applied pressure to her shoulder to temporarily stop the pain she felt from the abrasions there. Her eyes went wide at the thought of possibly being transformed into a boy. "I could have...?" she spoke almost in a whisper. Absently, Ranma knelt and began to roll up her bedroll. Could Akane and the Goddesses have somehow rewritten reality so that she would have a curse like her father's, that transformed her into a boy whenever anyone threw water on her? A thought occurred to her. Assuming nothing else was different from what she remembered of her world, aside from her bedroom and a possible curse, Kasumi would probably be downstairs running through her normal morning routines. The eldest Tendo sister was actually the best candidate to help her figure out if her world had somehow been changed... ...But first, to change out of these boyish clothes into something better. It even felt as though she were wearing boxer shorts, and *that* was one thing Ranma didn't want to think about. She was a *girl*, blast it! Not a boy, or whatever her father, some Goddess or anyone else wanted her to be... "K-Kasumi...?" Kasumi glanced up from the pot of miso soup she had been stirring. At the other end of the kitchen, Ranma peered around the edge of the door's frame, as if reluctant to enter. understood Kasumi. In the reality from which she'd come, this Ranma had looked up to her as an honest-to-goodness older sister; Kasumi continued to wonder what the Ranma of *this* reality thought of her. Ranma's mind and thoughts had to be in a sort of turmoil. Waking up to suddenly find herself in a different body... her counterpart certainly refused to take it well, though he occasionally put the fact that he could be a girl to use. She had taken the time to dress herself in one of the few articles of girls' clothing hidden within Ranma's wardrobe - the off-white sundress Akane had bought for Ranma when a blow to the head caused the cursed martial-artist to 'become' a girl in mind as well as body. Ranma also seemed to be wearing the proper underclothes... Kasumi noticed the edge of the shoulder strap of a bra shifting out from underneath the sundress' own shoulder strap. She guessed the younger girl would also prefer to wear the proper underwear as opposed to the boxer shorts Ranma insisted on wearing, even as a girl. "It's okay, Ranma-chan," she assured Ranma. "Come in. I assume you want to talk about what has happened to you?" Ranma blinked. "Kasumi-oneechan," she spoke hesitantly, cautiously approaching the older girl while making sure to maintain some distance between them. She wanted to hug her 'older sister,' to hear Kasumi's reassurances that maybe this was a dream or an amazingly elaborate joke and everything would soon be okay - but what if reality *had* been changed, and this wasn't the same Kasumi? "I don't know what's going on. I... thought I had a weird dream where I woke up and I was a guy, but then I woke up this morning and everything in my room is gone, and I'm wearing guys' clothes... in fact, that's almost all that's in there! I had to dig to find what I'm wearing now..." A look of sadness briefly manifested on Kasumi's face. "I'm not sure how I should tell you, but... you need to know this. Ranma-chan, you have been moved into a different reality." "*What*!?" Ranma retreated a step in response to Kasumi's reprimanding stare. "Sorry," she apologized, sheepishly. "Don't worry about it," Kasumi soothed, motioning for Ranma to join her in taking care of the morning chores. "Though, I can't say I know what it would be like to awaken in a different reality." "Really lousy," was all Ranma could think to offer. This Tendo home wasn't exactly the same as the home she held within her memories; neither was Kasumi. The next step, obviously, was to learn all she could about this reality *before* she confronted Akane and the Goddesses, asking them if they could return her to her true reality. ** ** ** The sight of a young Goddess stepping forth from the momentarily churning waters of the small koi pond had become a commonplace sight in the Tendo household. Skuld's arrivals and departures were now a normal part of the expected odd happenings that took place within the high property walls. "Skuld-chan," Kasumi acknowledged her presence with a nod, before returning to her task of setting the family room table for breakfast. She paused for a few seconds as though she were expecting something else to happen. "Is Ranmira dropping by this morning?" The older Goddess had used her power or magic to help Ranma sleep until this morning, with the hope that Ranma - as well as everyone else - would be in a better frame of mind to approach the problem. There was perhaps another benefit to letting Ranma sleep for a while. Based on what Ranmira had said the night before and her conversation with Akane after the Goddesses had taken their leave, Ranma would likely become the person he or she was supposed to be in this reality, within a day or two. Kasumi had noticed the look of guilt that briefly crossed her younger sister's face when Akane mentioned the eventual change, and instinctively maneuvered her into explaining *why* she felt guilty - a skill she had had to develop in assuming her mother's duties. Akane seemed to believe a spur-of-the-moment thought during the time she'd spent linked to Yggdrasil might mean that Ranma would forever be the girl from that altered reality, that the cursed martial artist might not revert to the person she had previously been. Whether or not Ranma would or would not become a different person was a possibility Kasumi had purposefully kept from the girl. She had listened while Ranma described her own reality in further detail, and answered the confused girl's questions about their present reality. Though the need to lie to Ranma pained Kasumi, she knew Ranma would take that particular piece of information terribly; the girl was liable to run away and try something desperate to keep herself from being changed. Even if *this* Ranma was simply the product of a computer error or temporarily altered reality, did she deserve being forced to fade from existence? Skuld made her way across the yard and stepped up onto the outer deck. "No," she said, shaking her head. "Oneesama was summoned by Kami-sama this morning. She may not be able to visit until the afternoon." She took a seat before the television and, with a glance toward Kasumi to ask for permission, turned the television on. Everyone tended to stick to a schedule for TV-watching at the temple, mostly because Urd spent a lot of her free time occupying either set. "Where is Ranma? How is she?" "She is in the kitchen," Kasumi answered. "Ranma... doesn't really feel like speaking to anyone for the time being." In truth, Ranma had said that she didn't want to speak to Akane or the Goddesses for a while; Kasumi had thought it best that Ranma also avoid everyone else during that time. At least Ranma's parents were both staying at Mrs. Saotome's home, now... she wasn't sure how Mr. or Mrs. Saotome would react to this Ranma. "Ah. Well, Ranmira-oneesama said that it was probably best if Ranma didn't go anywhere today, like school." Kasumi brought a hand up to her mouth in surprise. "Dear me. I forgot she had to go to school today. You're right - she should probably stay home." Going to school, much less anywhere else, might be the last thing Ranma wanted to do. Ranma's teachers and classmates would expect her to be the Ranma they had come to know, and if someone stepped forward to fight her... well, Ranma remained a fighter, but she shouldn't have to answer for fights or a life that weren't hers. The 'original' Ranma reportedly had been forced to live somewhat over a day of the life of his counterpart - including a visit to school - however, at the time the Goddesses were attempting to convince everyone that nothing was at all different. Thank goodness Akane and the Goddesses weren't hiding the changes in reality, now. How had the 'original' Ranma reacted, for that matter? What had the Goddesses done to convince Ranma to pretend she was the Ranma of that other reality? But no matter what they had done, Kasumi doubted they could convince Ranma to assume the role of her counterpart. The girl was frightened enough without having to worry about changing gender with the help of water. Nabiki stepped into the room, stifling a yawn, and took her seat at the family-room table. "Morning," she tossed the greeting into the air, not caring if anyone acknowledged her words. thought Kasumi. Certainly not if Ranma's account of what Nabiki's counterpart had done to her was truthful. Ranma reflexively flinched at the sound of Nabiki's voice, from where she remained hidden in the kitchen. She kept her attention focused on the food Kasumi had left simmering in a small pot atop the stove, forcing herself to remember that this Nabiki wasn't the same 'sister' who'd sent Kunou to disrupt Ranma's first date because she believed her judgment to be better than her "little sister's." Though, Ranma mused, this Nabiki might just do the same thing, if anyone gave her the chance. Akane, Skuld and her sisters - *they* remained the same between realities, if only because the Goddesses were exempt somehow from changing when... well, reality changed. Everyone here knew Saotome Ranma as a boy with a Jhusenkyou curse that made him become a girl... against his will. Oh, sure, finding yourself stuck with a gender-changing curse had to be difficult for anyone to adapt to. She definitely did not like the idea. But Ranma had discovered how easy it was to tell herself she didn't belong here... that nobody wanted her to be here. She'd been greatly tempted to run away - but distancing herself from this problem would only make it more difficult to solve. Never mind the thought of making her problems approach her on her own ground; that was nonsense. If she couldn't resolve her problems by directly confronting them as soon as possible, what good would running and waiting for everything to catch up to her do? Temporarily retreating while involved in a fight with an opponent to gather oneself or reconsider her fighting strategy, was one thing. Running away from a change in realities would *not* improve her standing in this predicament. Ranma continued to preoccupy herself with Kasumi's breakfast preparations while the remainder of the Tendo family filtered into the family room, one by one, fighting the urge to react as she heard each voice speak. Nabiki. Mr. Tendo. *Akane*... Kasumi returned to the kitchen on occasion, checking on both her and the cooking. Ranma made a valiant effort at hiding her emotions from Kasumi, although she was well aware the eldest Tendo sister knew exactly how she felt, miserable or otherwise. She didn't think that letting Kasumi console and comfort her all day would accomplish much, either. "You have nothing to worry about, Ranma-chan," indeed. A tear began to form in Ranma's eye; she wiped it away with a forceful motion. Did any of her friends exist here - and if so, what did they think of Ranma the boy? Ah, well... not much sense in worrying about the difference between her reality and this one, if she was going to somehow talk the Goddesses into sending her back to her reality of origin. This reality's Ranma could keep it... A deafening thunderclap shook her from her motley collection of thoughts, just as it shook the entire kitchen around her. Skuld peered down at the writing that had been etched into one of the flat stones bordering the koi pond, left behind by a giant bolt of lightning from the heavens. Everyone save herself and Akane were still recovering from the brightness and sound that accompanied the message. Nabiki was fully awake by this time, blinking and forcing a yawn in an attempt to clear her ears. Kasumi was helping her father back to his seat; the man had been thrown backward in his chair by the force of the delivery. Akane warily edged closer to Skuld, who knelt on one knee to take a closer look at the message. Small wisps of smoke wafted from each etching. "Is that... is that from Kami-sama?" Skuld glanced up, studying Akane's face in surprise. She nodded. "Yes. But how did you know?" Only Kami-sama used this form of messaging in recent times, and only when He wanted to convey a highly important message. Akane had only seen an example of Kami-sama contacting the Goddesses by way of the telephone. "I guessed," shrugged Akane. She had, at that. "*Anyway*," Skuld made an effort to keep her composure, "this is important. Kami-sama wants us to report to His office immediately." The Goddess-in-training withdrew her breath. "But... am I in trouble? Are we both in trouble?" "I don't know! The message doesn't say! But when you're called to appear before Kami-sama, it's always for an important reason, and it's something you do not ignore." Akane's voice had become quiet. "I wasn't going to ignore it." Why would Kami-sama want to see her? Hadn't she essentially done what the Goddesses asked of her? She and Peorth were finally speaking to one another, she'd admitted that she *did* care for Ranma and then proceeded to help the Goddesses restore reality to its proper state. As far as she was aware, she hadn't done anything that would require a summons from Kami-sama... Skuld had paled almost as much as Akane imagined she herself had. "Let's go, Akane," the Goddess of the Future solemnly announced. She took one of Akane's hands in hers while pulling herself to her feet, before teleporting them both away in a familiar flash of golden light. "*Wait*!" Everyone started as Ranma launched full-tilt into the family room from the inner hall, dashing past them and leaping through the open outer door. She landed in a crouch just as the last of the golden light faded. Kami-sama's message dissolved from sight before she could notice it. "It figures," she snorted. Skuld and Akane were avoiding her yet again. Nabiki carefully sized her up in one casual glance, as was her habit. The skill of evaluating another person in such a manner was one of the few leftovers from her father's attempt at putting her through martial-arts training, that Nabiki had kept and continued to maintain. That the cursed martial artist was at present a girl and upset, wasn't a new occurrence in any way for the morning hours. But Ranma wearing a sundress an hour or two before school *was*. Especially when Ranma had stated that she never wanted to wear *that* particular dress again, for reasons she'd refused to tell anyone - even Akane, who had bought her the dress. Maybe, Nabiki mused, the dress reminded Ranma of the time she believed she was a 'complete' girl... behaving and thinking in a 'feminine' manner, in addition to physically being a girl. Unless Ranma had changed her mind about the dress - which Nabiki doubted - maybe Ranma was in a different frame of mind... "Hey, Ranma - you don't think you're a 'girl' again, do you?" she called to the other girl. Ranma angrily rounded on her, her cobalt eyes flashing. "So what if I do?" she snapped, and for a second Nabiki wondered if Ranma's anger was a sign that the girl was about to charge her. "I know everyone wants me to be that guy, but there's nothing I can do about it!" She stormed past Nabiki on her way to the kitchen, leaving behind a puzzled Nabiki, Kasumi and their father. Kasumi blinked, then took a moment to explain Ranma's seeming change. "She sounds as if she may be upset that everyone expects her to be the Ranma of this reality. Goodness," she rested a finger upon her lips in thought. "I hope she doesn't decide to run away or do anything she might regret." Nabiki paled slightly. "I'll find her, Kasumi, and make sure she's not doing anything bad." It had been her question that triggered the scarlet-haired girl's outburst, after all. Once his daughters had left the room, Soun let both of his hands rest against the edge of the table and exhaled softly. When he had agreed - years ago - to marry one of his children to one of his best friend's children, if it were possible, all in an attempt to strengthen their legacy and schools of musabetsu kakutou, neither he nor Genma had envisioned the chaos that would make it difficult for them to realize that agreement. Admittedly, a fair portion of that chaos could be blamed on either himself or Genma; agreements and other ghosts from their pasts being left to Ranma, Akane and their friends to handle. Their Master, alone, was easily the most dangerous of those problems. But most of the confusion could be traced - somehow - to either Ranma or Akane, or both. Ranma had been the primary element of chaos from the day he stepped onto the Tendo property... as a girl. Everything proceeded to spiral violently out of control from that event forward. Of late, he'd learned that a Goddess had taken the place of his wife, his youngest daughter was attempting to become a Goddess herself, and Ranma had gone from discovering another Goddess portraying a part of him to coping with shifts in realities. Worrying that Ranma and Akane might not marry was easily becoming lost amidst the latest rush of concerns. She found Ranma in the kitchen, the martial artist busying herself with whatever was left of Kasumi's early-morning chores. "...Ranma...?" No response. Ranma did not turn to face Nabiki, or even pause to acknowledge she'd heard the call. "Stop trying to ignore me, Ranma. I'm here to apologize." That caused the pause Nabiki had expected. Ranma slowed. "...Apologize?" Nabiki risked a step toward her. When Ranma didn't react, she resumed walking until she stood beside the other girl. "Yeah. I didn't know what happened last night - I was out at the movies with my friends - and I didn't know you weren't the same Ranma until Kasumi told us everything, just now." She stopped to consider her words for a handful of seconds. "But I don't know why the Nabiki you knew would do... that to you. If your Ryouga's anything like the Ryouga here, he's decent enough, except for things like trying to hide his curse from Akane." She saw the blood begin to rise in the younger girl's cheeks. "You're making it sound like he's my boyfriend," Ranma said, recalling how, less than a week ago, she'd been telling Nabiki quite adamantly that she did *not* want a boyfriend. Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "He isn't?" "Well... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to date or have a boyfriend. Or I *was*, anyway." Nabiki's words came back to Ranma. "Did you say Ryouga's got a curse?" When Nabiki nodded in response, she snorted. "So he's cursed here, too, like I am. Now." "Yeah. It came as a surprise to me, too. I hate to think what Akane might do to poor little P-chan if she finds out." "P-chan?" Ranma looked at her, fully confused. "Little black pig?" "Yeah." "What does my - er, P-chan, have to do with Ryouga being cursed?" thought Nabiki. Now, to see if she could explain away her question. "You know how emotional Akane can be. Once, when she was upset and crying over something, she squeezed P-chan so tightly that she accidentally broke one of his ribs." Ranma gasped. "What? Is he still hurt?" "No." Nabiki waved the thought away. "P-chan heals quickly, just like Ranma. Um, our you." When Ranma didn't object to her slip, she continued. "When I last saw him, he didn't look like there was anything wrong with him." There was nothing wrong with him *physically*, at any rate. Ranma's shoulders slumped. "I'll probably have to take care of him for Akane, since she's going to be a Goddess, and I don't know how long I'm gonna be here..." In a smaller voice, she added, "Like this." Nabiki was aware that cheering another person up wasn't a skill of hers. How *did* one cheer up a girl from another reality trapped within the body of her male counterpart in this reality? "I'll tell you what... I won't ask you to trust me like you did your version of me, but maybe... would you like to be friends?" This 'alternate' Ranma's world did intrigue her; how different would everything have been if she'd known Ranma as a little sister all this time? "Friends?" She leaned forward, placing herself further into the other girl's line of sight. "Friends." There was another moment of silence, after which Ranma spoke up. "Okay," she agreed. ** ** ** Akane stepped gingerly upon the vaguely transparent walkway that led to Kami-sama's office. When she had last passed through these halls, something - in addition to the apprehension she'd felt at the time - had kept her from either paying much attention to the environment around her, or being able to remember most of it. She had only her apprehension now, that concern effectively distracting her from whatever scenery she might see. The entire walk had seen Akane reviewing every detail of her actions in the past week and a half. she realized, the thought accompanied a surge of paranoia. The last door in their path slid open and disappeared as they approached. "Please enter," they heard His voice instruct them. "I know that you are nervous, but there is no reason to worry." Once the door had reappeared long enough to slide shut behind them, Akane found herself standing within what appeared to be a spacious office, one given strong earth tones by way of actual elements of Nature. In one corner of the main room lay a rock garden, framing the quietly-flowing miniature waterfall that emerged from the corner itself. Foliage in almost every imaginable shade of green concealed the walls - which were seemingly thin enough to barely exist at all. Akane couldn't detect the presence of any animals lurking in the growths, or insects. The entire office had no doubt been constructed to set everyone at ease; she decided to let herself be calmed by the atmosphere. Skuld chose to ignore the simple illusion Kami-sama's office had created for her. "Now," He said, issuing a silent call for two chairs to appear. "Have a seat." For all her slowly-increasing calmness, Akane still continued to fidget. His gaze settled upon her. "I have not summoned you both here for the purpose of punishing you, Akane," He assured her. She blinked. "You... you haven't?" "No. In fact, I wished to inform you that you are now eligible to become a full Goddess." Both Akane and Skuld's eyes went wide. "A f-full Goddess? M-me?" stammered Akane. "But I haven't... taken that many tests! Or finished my training!" "You were evaluated while you trained, became acquainted with who you are and the importance of the power to which you currently have access. Akane... you are now aware that being a Goddess does not mean that you are perfect or automatically choose the correct course of action." "You have also demonstrated that you are able and willing to accept the consequences of whatever mistakes you make." A smile formed on Kami-sama's face. "It is my opinion that these factors, along with others, prove that you are ready to become a full Goddess. Do not misunderstand, however - your training will continue, and from this point, you will be evaluated in a markedly more critical manner." Akane added these considerations to the new spiral of thoughts forming in her mind. She hadn't had the status of Goddess-candidate for long... but to her knowledge - without checking Yggdrasil, anyway - few Gods or Goddesses had ascended from being Mortal, so she could well be progressing at exactly the right pace... or lagging behind. Akane mused. "As you say, there will be time for that later," Kami-sama spoke into her thoughts. She blushed; how foolish of her to not assume that He could easily read her thoughts. "Now, stand up, child, and walk around my desk so that you stand before me." She followed His instructions, feeling a thrill play through her body in the process. What being wouldn't, she thought, in the presence of the Creator? "Close your eyes, and open your mind and spirit." Akane felt Kami-sama touch a finger to the marking on her forehead, then the markings on her right and left cheeks in succession, returning at last to her forehead. A sense of warmth and power swelled at each point. For a second, she wondered if her limiters would have any influence on whatever power was circulating about and through her... but the jewelry she had been instructed to wear to help keep her powers under control felt inert to her. The feeling flowed through her entire body, seemingly gathering within her feet and flowing upward from there, as though she were a drinking glass being filled with the aid of a tidal wave. "Repeat after me..." ** ** ** Kasumi quickly folded the dishtowel she had been using to dry the evening's dishes, taking care to smooth each edge, and returned the towel to where it normally hung on the oven's handle - aligning it parallel to the right side of the oven door. Her kitchen was always properly arranged and clean, an environment in which nothing remained dirty or out-of-place for long. It was one of the few rooms in the house that could well be immune to the chaos that thrived in the rest of the house, or the world. Not counting Ranma's reality, of course. Kasumi had to admit to being curious about her own counterpart; how different was that Kasumi's life from hers? Was there anything she might possibly choose to change about her own life? She paused. "Kasumi?" a voice asked from behind her. "What are you thinking about?" She looked over her shoulder to see Ranmira standing within the kitchen door... reminding Kasumi very much of the confused girl who had been reluctant to pass through the doorway that morning. "Ah, Ranmira-san... I'm sorry, I didn't hear you arrive." "I apologize if I startled you," the Goddess said. "I didn't know whether or not Ranma would want to see me yet, so I kept my arrival quiet." Kasumi nodded. "Where is she?" "She's spent most of the day in her bedroom, going through everything. She said that she wants to get to know 'our' Ranma better." Kasumi studied Ranmira's face, hoping to find a clue to the Goddess' intent. "Nabiki has been keeping an eye on her. Should I call Ranma?" Ranmira shook her head, reclining against the rounded edge of the countertop. "No, that's okay." She changed the subject. "I can't be sure, but you seem a bit preoccupied, Kasumi. Is anything troubling you?" The other sighed. "I hated not telling her that she may be 'replaced' by our Ranma, even though I know she might not take the news well. It's such a shame; I can see how much being taken from her reality has hurt her." A mixture of hope and pleading appeared within her eyes. "Isn't there a way to return her to her reality before she is... lost?" "She... is in her proper reality, I'm afraid." Blink. "But..." Kasumi began, then closed her mouth. Better to let Ranmira explain than attempt to puzzle through all of the details on her own. "Our reality was altered around us, a result of Ranma's own past being considerably rewritten, and Ranma became a different person. Other realities do exist, their Universes separate from ours, where any and every possibility may be played out." Ranmira paused for a breath. "I do not doubt that there is a reality that matches what ours had temporarily been in its altered state. One in which Ranma was born a girl, and proceeded to live her life precisely as this Ranma recalls hers." Other realities, where all possibilities could be experienced, thought Kasumi. Did that mean that somewhere, she had a male counterpart? Perhaps a Jhusenkyou-cursed Kasumi existed... She bit back a quiet gasp. Could there be a cursed Ranma for each pool in Jhusenkyou? Or Akane? Tofu-sensei? Father? Any one of Ranma or Akane's friends? Herself? "But to overlay this Ranma over that other Ranma, in all likelihood," Ranmira was saying, "would only hurt her... and neither Kami-sama nor His counterpart in that reality, or our counterparts, would allow it." "Could things have been left alone?" Kasumi asked, once she had found her voice. The question seemed to give Ranmira pause. "One of our duties as Goddesses is to ensure that this reality remains on its proper path. If the bugs corrupt Yggdrasil and cause any part of reality to be altered, it is our job to reverse that damage." She pushed herself away from the counter, idly walking to the closest window in order to stare at whatever she could see through it. "However, since the effects of the change were largely centered upon Ranma, and had no true indication of harm in the long run... we did give Akane the choice as to whether or not we should restore everything to what it had been." Wait. Akane had been given a choice? Had Akane given thought as to what resetting everything would do to Ranma? "Hmm... I see I should have another talk with Akane about this." The corners of Kasumi's lips descended into a frown. Recalling Ranma's innocence in the whole matter only troubled her more. Come to think of it, where *was* Akane? Her youngest sister had been summoned by Kami-sama before breakfast; now, the dinner hour had passed, and Akane hadn't yet returned. Did meetings with Kami-sama customarily last for hours? "Akane became a full Goddess this morning," Ranmira answered Kasumi's question. "Did you sense anything... unusual today?" Kasumi thought about it. "...I think I did. There was an odd burst of... *something*, late this morning." Her eyebrows furrowed intently as she searched for the relevant words to say. The sensation had been considerable, very nearly overwhelming. "Euphoria, and... a sense of loss." She tried to keep her concern from showing in her voice, yet failed. "Nabiki told me that she had sensed it as well. Wh-what does it mean?" "You felt Akane's transition from Mortal to Goddess, through your link to her as sisters. Your father may also have experienced it." Kasumi detected a slight unease in the Goddess' words - was this a new experience for her, just as it was for them? "But where is Akane, now?" Ranmira sighed. "Skuld decided to take her off to celebrate. They found and dragged me away to join them, too. It took me a while to finally break away and come here, because I thought I should check on Ranma and let you know what was going on." "Oh, dear. I hope they aren't drinking alcohol, or..." "Goodness, no," Ranmira said quickly. "The three of us are really still too young to do anything like that. The celebration was more of a small-scale tour for Akane's benefit, and introducing her to others." "Oh," Kasumi deflated, her gaze falling briefly to the floor. Ranmira caught the gesture. "Are you concerned that she might possibly leave home?" "A little. I think about my future every once in a while. Many of the futures I imagine have me watching my sisters grow older and leave home for their own lives. Akane simply may leave home sooner than I expected." Ranmira momentarily considered bringing up the engagement between Ranma and Akane, reminding Kasumi that both might choose to continue living in this house, even now that Akane was a Goddess. Given a choice, Kasumi would probably choose to help everyone else she could before herself. "And the other futures? Do you dream of getting married, leaving home, or traveling?" Kasumi's cheeks colored slightly. "Yes, of course. But I'll have time for things like that later. My family needs me to be here." "Kasumi, there is something I believe you should know. But you must promise not to mention this to anyone else just yet - except Akane, who already knows about this." The sudden firmness in the Goddess' voice caused Kasumi to stare at her. "I... I promise," she managed. "What is it?" A longer pause. "Your mother... is coming home." ** ** ** The window above the desk in Akane's bedroom began to glaze over with a thin sheet of golden light that seemed to have an almost liquid quality, obscuring the night sky outside. Akane pushed her head through the portal, cautiously peering into her room. She'd made it a point after learning of her medium to keep her window shut - though Akane presently had no way of determining whether or not anyone would be present at any of her destinations to see her step out of a closed window. Satisfied that no one was present, she levitated forward, slowly clearing the airspace above her desk. One of these days, she'd have to move that desk... The portal dissolved behind her once she had completely pulled herself free of it, plunging the room back into darkness. She started, immediately losing her concentration. An instant later Akane dropped, crashing painfully into her desk chair. "Owww......!" As she untangled herself from her chair - desperately hoping that her crash wouldn't bring anyone running - she caught sight of the time on her alarm clock. Two thirty-two in the morning. "I've been out *that* long?" Akane muttered in amazement. Her mind was still swimming from what Skuld had shown her, and the people to whom she'd been introduced. Oh, but that was only a miniscule fraction of what she could see now that she was a Goddess, according to Skuld! She finally had true access to the wonders of the Planes... Akane forced herself to sober as much as she could. There was plenty of time to see everything and be awed. she thought, stumbling across the room to collapse immediately beside her bed, letting her head fall face-first onto the mattress. A lot had changed in her life, hadn't it? She was a Goddess, her mothers were both coming to live in this home, and... Akane sat bolt upright. *Change*. "Ranma!" she exclaimed. One lone question ran through Akane's mind while she approached Ranma's door - who would Ranma be? The 'original' Ranma? A day had already passed; Ranma had become the Ranma of that other reality in as much time. Would he be the 'other' Ranma? Or... someone else? Trust Fate and Destiny to pitch curveballs at her, at any hour during the day. Or medicine balls, perhaps. Whatever changes came to her life were often far more than the simple turn of events one would expect. She rested her hand on the edge of the door, preparing to slide it open. What would she do if Ranma hadn't changed? Ranma definitely had not appreciated being taken away from her world. How would she react to Akane, now? Akane knew she couldn't return Ranma to that reality, whether she wanted to return her or not - and that wouldn't help Ranma feel any better. Of course, she couldn't stand outside Ranma's room all night, either. Peeking into the room through the window as she had done with her room was out... Akane knew she hadn't yet mastered entering and exiting her medium, and another crash would only make an awkward moment more so. She had to know who Ranma was. Besides, the longer she avoided Ranma, the more Ranma would resent her. Particularly if Ranma *was* that formerly uncursed girl. Akane slid the door open just enough for her to edge into the room, then carefully closed it once more. Another step had the lights on. Ranma normally kept his bedroll in the center of his room. His counterpart hadn't moved the roll; Akane quietly knelt beside the top end of the roll, intending to take a look at the person asleep inside. She noted that Ranma had gone to bed as a girl. Ranma's infamous scarlet hair spread in a few odd directions, making Akane wonder if the girl had had a restless sleep. Quite a few things had changed in Ranma's life as well. How many of those changes could somehow be traced back to her? After another few seconds of thought, Akane reached out to grasp one of the sleeping girl's shoulders and gently shook her. "Ranma, wake up." "Mmm..." Ranma slowly bleared awake. She stared at Akane a full moment without saying a word. "What?" demanded Akane. "You're back," was all the cursed martial artist would say. It was Akane's turn to stare. Ranma's reaction suggested that she wasn't happy with Akane. Akane had expected her to be less than thrilled, however. She had to know - one way or another - exactly who Ranma happened to be. "Wh-who are you?" she blurted. "I mean, are you the Ranma of this reality, or--" "What do you care?" The newly-promoted Goddess drew back as though Ranma had struck her. Her first instinct was to counter with a volley of her own, or consider actually hitting Ranma, but Akane wanted to avoid those options until she could guarantee she wouldn't accidentally use her powers on the martial artist in anger. "Your life had been changed by the damage the bugs created in Yggdrasil, Ranma. We're supposed to fix things like that if it happens." "Oh, and I suppose you asked me if I wanted everything 'fixed?'" Irritation flashed through Ranma's eyes. She drew herself out of the bedroll, kicking it away. "I actually had a normal life, for once, Akane. Would it've made *that* much of a difference to let me live a normal life, even if I *was* a girl?" Akane wasn't sure how to respond to that question. Seeing her hesitation, Ranma continued. "Yeah, I'm the 'original' Ranma you wanted me to be, I guess. As far as I can tell. But I also remember everything from the time I was that other Ranma. Clearly." She folded her arms. "I remember that you didn't like who I was, was scared of her, or something. So tell me, Akane - why *did* you put everything back the way it was?" "Because we were supposed to!" Ranma frowned. "Maybe. But Kasumi told me the Goddesses said they gave you a choice." Silence. "Admit it... you didn't 'fix' everything for my sake. You did all this for *you*." "Me!?" Akane fought to keep her voice down. "Baka! I thought you'd WANT to be changed back!" "Since when did you start caring about what *I* want?" "All the time!" "Yeah, right," snorted Ranma. "*Sure* you did." She walked to the door. "Out." "What? Why?" "Because I don't know if I can trust you. And now that you're gonna be a Goddess, you can make me do whatever you want even more, right? No, thanks," Ranma raised her voice. "I wouldn't do--" "Out," the other girl insisted. Akane reluctantly agreed, stepping out of the room and letting Ranma shut the door behind her. She wearily leaned against the wall on the other side of the hall, sighing. Perhaps Ranma would be more willing to talk things through if she gave the cursed martial artist more time alone... ------------ Akane has realized her goal of becoming a full Goddess, but her training is far from being completed. How will Akane deal with her new role as a Goddess, and will she be able to regain Ranma's trust? What will the return of Hiroko and Peorth mean for the Tendo family? Will Kaede finally figure out what in the Planes she wants to do? What has Marller been up to all this time, anyway? Will Ranma's demon decide to make an appearance? Is Happosai actually more than he appears to be? These and many other questions will hopefully be answered in "A Goddess' Dilemma," the sequel to "Instruments of Change." ------------ (soap opera mode: OFF) I'd like to apologize for the delay in releasing this part... between a schedule that's been miserable since the beginning of the year, a queue full of writing and art projects, and a story part that was longer and more complex than I thought it would turn out to be, part eighteen took a while. :I But it's here, now, though, and I'd like to thank everyone who's read this series and enjoyed it, as well as everyone who's taken the time to email me about it. Thanks, everyone! It may be a while before I start A Goddess' Dilemma, however... I want to try to clear some of the projects out of my writing queue before I begin another series. ------------ Credits: Written by: Mike Koos Prereaders: Richard Beaubien, Kevin D. Hammel, Jonathan Ng, Andrew Norris, Shadowmane, Tom Williams With apologies to Takahashi Rumiko and Fujishima Kosuke... All parts of this series are available at the RAAC archives at ftp://ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime-fan-works/Ah-My-Goddess/ Instruments-of-Change/ or from my WWW pages at http://www.fanfic.net/~makoto/ Comments and questions welcome. * Mike ('Kino Makoto') Koos: makoto@cal.net * http://www.fanfic.net/~makoto * * "I can do nothing to stop you. Your background music is too strong * for me." - Sam Johnson, Whose Line is it Anyway?