The first chapter can be found here
<a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5006055/1/A_wish_gone_horribly_wrong' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5006055/1/A_wi..._horribly_wrong</a>
Chapter 2
What has gone before:
Ranma tried to call for takeout from the UcchanÆs but reached the Goddess Relief Office instead. Very soon a woman claiming to be a goddess appeared in front of him. She told him that she had come to grant him a wish. Ranma, who doesnÆt trust in magic after having been screwed over so often by it, refused. Unfortunately that was not enough and after muttering some poorly chosen words, which werenÆt even formulated as a wish, BelldandyÆs goddess marks activated and the wish was granted, much to the NornÆs shock. Confused and especially dismayed by this Belldandy left for Asgard to find out what went wrong.
Tears threatened to leave BelldandyÆs eyes as she left the Tendo home in a hurry. A situation like this one had never occurred before as far as she knew and she was at a loss as how to resolve the mess sheÆd inadvertently made. Feeling responsible for the situation she vowed to get to the bottom of this fiasco and find a way to make it up to the unfortunate boy who already had enough on his plate without adding to it. If she had known about the curse and how the boy felt about it sheÆd probably have handled the situation differently.
She realized that sheÆd become complacent in her job. When she started out she took the time to read the files of the people she was supposed to help, but now she often skipped that step. She really had no excuse for being unprepared and an innocent soul had now to pay for her mistake. The first thing she would do once she was back in her office was to thoroughly study RanmaÆs file and make it up to the poor boy.
The first thing the Norn noticed when she stepped out of the mirror inside the Goddess Relief Office was the chaos reigning all around her. Gods and Goddesses were hurrying along in a panic and didnÆt take notice of her at all.
She grabbed one of the panicking goddesses by her arm. ôWhat happened? Are we under attack?ö
ôBUGS!ö She hysterically shouted. ôAn army of them; running amuck and causing some serious damage. We have to stop them or all will be lost.ö
The Norn let the hysteric goddess go and joined the hunt for the nasty parasites which in her opinion were the probable cause for the earlier mishap.
Belldandy was not a system debugger, but if the problem was really as bad as the other goddess had implied she needed to do her part. She grabbed a debugging mallet and joined the others in their hunt. She found her little sister not far away playing Whac-A-Mole with a group of the eight-legged, rabbit-like creatures and obviously having fun doing it. As Skuld seemed to have everything in hand on her side Belldandy joined a god and a goddess who had a harder time dealing with their group of bugs.
About 30 minutes later the invasion had been successfully dealt with and our exhausted heroes could finally rest and recover, except for Belldandy who was immersed in the martial artistÆs file. She had gotten a very short summary of the highlights when she had called earlier, but she needed to know more. SheÆd been around for a long time, but some of the information was hard to swallow even for her, but she knew that the files contained only the truth. SheÆd never seen anyone with so much bad luck and being the compassionate person she was she couldnÆt help but feel sorry for the unfortunate boy. If there was anyone who deserved some happiness in his life it was him. Oh, she knew he was no saint and that he could be an obnoxious, insensitive jerk at times, but he was a good person at heart whoÆd unfortunately been raised by a moron, and even if he was responsible for some of his problems most of them were not his fault.
RanmaÆs life story was so fascinating that she didnÆt notice her sister join her.
ôHey, big sis.ö
Belldandy looked up and when she saw her sisterÆs good mood she couldnÆt hide a smile herself even if she really didnÆt feel like it.
ôThat was a good workout just now. I must have squashed at least a hundred of them.
ôGood job,ö the Goddess of the Present praised her younger sister. ôI see that your skills are still as good as always. I only got about 20.ö
ôHeh! Of course. Did you expect anything less?ö The younger girl boasted until her curiosity got the better of her. ôWhat are you reading? It must be very interesting since you only answered after my third call.ö
The brunette grimaced. She really didnÆt want to burden her sister with her problems, but she knew that once the younger NornÆs curiosity was aroused there was no stopping her in getting to the bottom of it.
ôThis is the file of Ranma Saotome, a mortal who has been granted a wish. Unfortunately I didnÆt read the file and as a result I made a mistake which was made worse by the bugs in the system.ö
ôWhat happened?ö
I was sitting in my office when I got a call. I answered and immediately teleported to the girlÆs location. I told her about the wish, but before I could finish my explanation sheÆd already refused. I tried to get her to change her mind, but unfortunately I didnÆt know the cute redhead was actually a boy inflicted by a curse which turns him into a girl. Suffice it to say my suggestions as to what SHE could use the wish for were not really well received. My mission was made harder by the fact that additionally to his unwanted curse he has had some very bad experiences with magical artifacts, some of which were cursed and should have never ended up in a mortalÆs hands. I told him that a divine wish was different and that there were no strings attached.
Unfortunately this got him to rant and it was during this that my goddess marks activated and his wish was granted. The problem is his statement wasnÆt worded as a wish. I immediately came back and when I saw the chaos I immediately realized what had gone wrong; the bugs must have caused an error in the system, but I have my part of responsibility in this fiasco too. If I had been better prepared and taken an interest in the person I was supposed to help this probably wouldnÆt have happened.ö
ôHow do you know? Maybe this was supposed to happen?ö
ôFor what purpose? No, I think this was probably once again RanmaÆs bad luck at work.ö
ôSo, what will you do now?ö
Belldandy shrugged and gave her sister a sad smile. ôI donÆt know. As far as I know this has never happened before.ö
Tears were forming in her eyes and slowly running down her cheek as she continued. ôThat poor boy. HeÆs had it rough all his life and has more problems to deal with in his young life than most people have in a lifetime, and we only managed to make things worse, especially after I told him that everything would be alright. I--- I have to make it up to himà somehow.ö
Skuld panicked a bit as this was the first time sheÆs seen her sister react like that and had no real idea what to do, but then she remembered what her older sister used to do to calm her down. She took her crying sister in her arms and let her cry on her shoulder. SheÆd never thought that her perfect sister, who always was calm and composed in any situation, could ever break down like this.
ôShhhh, shhhh, everything will be okay. YouÆll see. IÆm sure youÆll think of something. Why donÆt you ask father? HeÆll know what to do.ö
ôYouÆre right,ö the older sister answered in a resolute tone, wiping the tears from her eyes. ôMoping around wonÆt solve the problem. IÆll ask him right away.ö
ôNow thatÆs the sister I know. Go for it!ö
Belldandy nodded firmly and went to see her father.
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Ranma was holding her head in pain. It had been a long fall, but the landing hadnÆt hurt nearly as much as one of RyogaÆs blows, not to mention one of AkaneÆs. Her ears were ringing and it took her some time to recover her bearings. The first thing she noticed was the awful smell, the origin of which easy to guess once she saw where she had landed. ôAh, crap.ö
As she was about to jump out of the smelly dumpster she saw an astonished teen staring at her with wide eyes with a line of drool coming out of his mouth.
ôWhatÆs YOUR problem, creep?ö She rudely asked the stranger, annoyed by the lustful look he was giving her.
The beautiful redheadÆs reprimand snapped the teen out of his slightly perverted thoughts and he could only gape when he saw the girl jump out of the dumpster and over his head, landing not far away from him.
She looked around but didnÆt see any landmarks she recognized. The first thing she noticed about the few people that were wandering about and minding their own business was that all of them were foreigners. æIÆm definitely not in Nerima any longerÆ, she concluded. She massaged her forehead trying to remember how she had ended up in this place, but the reason eluded her. æDarn. I canÆt rememberÆ.
Her eyes fell once again on the boy who was frozen to the spot and had his mouth wide open.
As she was about to ask him for information he shakily pointed at the cursed boy and said
ôYou---You are Ranma Saotome!?ö
The martial artist blinked in surprise at having been recognized. SheÆd never realized she was that famous, but inwardly she was proud about the fact that the story of her exploits had crossed Neriman borders. ôHave we met?ö
ôNo, but I know everything about you,ö the enthusiastic teenager claimed. ôYou are Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes school of martial arts. You are a chick magnet and have many rivals and enemies... and youÆre my second favourite comic book redhead, just after Jean Grey from the X-Men. I have the complete Ranma ¢ manga collection and IÆve seen every single episode of the anime. To have you here in front of me is a dream come true.ö
If his friends could see him right now they would probably freak out at the enthusiasm the usually stoic boy was showing.
ôHey, hey, hey! Slow down! Who are you? And where the hell am I anyway? And how come you know so much about me?ö Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she asked the next question which would determine the blondÆs fate. ôAre YOU responsible for my presence here?ö
ôNo!ö He vehemently denied the accusation. ôI didnÆt do anything. I was just strolling past reading a comic when I heard a long-drawn shout coming from above. I looked up and saw you fall from the sky and land in the dumpster. I have no idea how you got here, but with all the crazy stuff happening here IÆm not surprised. We are in Tandy Gardens, in the USA.ö
ôHuh? IÆm in America? Then how come I can understand you? My English is not really all that good.ö
Jason just shrugged indifferently. ôMaybe a wizard did it. Honestly, IÆve given up trying to make sense of magic. Just go with the flow and youÆll avoid a lot of headaches in the future. Trust me; I have a lot of experience.ö
ôMagic?ö When she thought about it the word did indeed ring a bell, but her mind was a bit fuzzy at the moment. However, she had a feeling that that magic was the reason for her presence in this town.
She was trying hard to recall the cause of her physical displacement when another statement from the boy registered in her mind and she jerked her head violently towards the stranger. ôWait! What was that about a manga?ö
ôThe Ranma ¢ manga, of course. ItÆs one of the best selling titles in the US. Martial arts slapstick at its best. The curses in particular are incredibly funny.ö
ôWhat? ThereÆs a manga about my life?ö
Seeing the boy nod she cursed once again. ôAs if my life didnÆt suck enough. If I get my hands on the bastard who sold my story without asking me for permission heÆs gonna pay. I bet it was Nabiki. Wait till I get back. SheÆll be really sorry.ö
ôErm, excuse me,ö the boy politely interrupted RanmaÆs rant and cringed when the irate redhead gave him a venomous look. That didnÆt deter him from exposing his theory however. He knew from the manga that Ranma would never attack someone who canÆt fight back, if the manga was right of course.
ôDonÆt take this the wrong way, but I really doubt it. You see, youÆre only a fictional character; you donÆt exist... at least not in this universe. After reading the manga I got curious about Nerima and looked it up on the internet. Well, the real Nerima is nothing like the version described in the manga. There is no Tendo Dojo, Kuno mansion, or Furinkan High.ö
ôIn-ter-net? WhatÆs that? Something like a library?ö
ôSee, thatÆs another proof. Do you know what a cell phone is? A playstation? MP3 player? iPhone?ö
ôErm...ö
ôAn easier question then. What year is it?ö
ôOh, thatÆs an easy one. 1996ö
ôYouÆre wrong. ItÆs 2011.ö
ôWHAT? No way!ö
ôIÆm afraid so. Look, weÆll just grab a newspaper and youÆll see for yourself. IÆm afraid it wonÆt be that easy to get you back to your time and universe. You really have no idea how you got here? If you could remember it would at least give us a lead as to where we should start looking.ö
Ranma frowned as she tried once again to remember how she had landed in this place. Magic was involved; she was sure of that at least. What had she done before finding herself in the dumpster? She remembered a phone... and calling the UcchanÆs for takeout. Suddenly everything came back to her and she remembered the goddess and the wish. ôOoooh shit! I knew she was bad news!ö
ôHuh? Who are you talking about?ö
ôI think I know how I got here. You see, there was this goddess...ö
ôThat was definitely not in the manga!ö Jason interrupted her but shut up immediately when he saw the nasty look she was giving him
ôThis is MY life weÆre talking about and not that of some manga character. Maybe the manga isnÆt accurate. Did you ever think about that?ö
ôAh, yeah. You got a point there.ö
ôWhat am I going to do? Stranded in a world I know nothing about and no way to get back home as far as I know. If I ever get my hands on that goddess...ö
ôYeah. Tricky situation there,ö Jason sympathised with Ranma, ôbut look at the bright side; at least youÆre alive. Trust me. With all the magic related incidents in our little town thatÆs already a miracle. You know what? I got an idea. We know that youÆre here because of magic, right?
Seeing the martial artist nod, he continued. ôThen I suggest we ask a friend of mine. SheÆs the Wotch and might have a magical solution to your little problem.ö
ôSolution, my ass. From my experience with it I know that magic always tries to screw you over. So thanks but no thanks! And by the way, donÆt you mean witch?ö
ôNope, she really is the Wotch. You see, everyone makes that mistake when they first hear about her. There are a lot of witches, but there can only ever be one Wotch.ö
ôWitch, Wotch, I donÆt give a damn! IÆve had it with magic. IÆll just have to find an alternate way to get home.
ôGood luck with that; youÆll ready need it. Look, why donÆt you just talk to her? Just asking canÆt hurt. I doubt there are any other ways.ö
ôWell... I guess I could give it a try.ö
ôHeh! I knew youÆd say that. SheÆs a great gal and I can promise you this much, she wonÆt harm you,ö he reassured the redhead. æAt least on purposeÆ, he thought.
ôAlright. Take me to her and letÆs get it over with.ö
ôHey, hey, curb your enthusiasm,ö Jason tried to calm down the martial artist.
ôWhatÆs the matter? I want to get this over with.ö
ôSorry to tell you, man, but you stink. Your garbage bath hasnÆt left you smelling like a rose, thatÆs for sure.ö
Ranma sniffed her clothes and made a disgusted face. ôYeah, I guess youÆre right. Are there any public bathhouses here and a shop where I can get new clothes?ö
ôYou can take a bath at my house and I can lend you some of my clothes. They should fit your male form. You may return them once your clothes are clean.ö
ôHey, thanks a lot. ThatÆs really nice of you. Usually people only help me if they want to get something out of me.ö
ôDonÆt worry. In fact, IÆm the one who should thank YOU. I mean, how many people can claim having met one of their favourite comic book characters?ö
ôIÆm NOT a comic book character!ö
ôWanna bet? IÆll show you my Ranma ¢ manga and anime collection once weÆre home.ö
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When Belldandy stepped out of the mirror in the Tendo dojo sometime later the place was in an uproar. She heard a lot of shouting coming from the living room and as she got closer to the action she could hear loud accusations being thrown around. She peered into the room an saw a loud crowd sitting at a table and insulting each other, except for a middle-aged woman in a kimono who was calmly watching the spectacle sitting seiza, a sheathed sword resting on her knees, a young woman in a simple housedress serving tea and a shorthaired brunette who was throwing calculating looks at the others, an amused grin on her face. The heteroclite crowdÆs behaviour left a lot to be desired in the NornÆs opinion, but she had a mission to accomplish and teaching them proper manners was not part of it.
She examined a crowd and recognized most of the people she had read about in RanmaÆs file. All the Tendos were there, as were the Saotomes. Also present were Happosai, the Kuno siblings, the okonomiyaki chef, and the Amazons. Even Ryoga had somehow managed to find his way to the Dojo.
She knew that listening to other peopleÆs conversations was impolite, but when she heard the words æRanmaÆ and ækidnapped by a glowing womanÆ she got really curious as she had no idea how they could know about that. She cast an invisibility spell on herself and silently approached the table. From the information she got it was easy to reconstruct the whole story. The middle Tendo child had witnessed the whole scene after coming back from her date much sooner than expected. When the goddess learnt the reason for her quick return she shook her head; as it turned out the boy was not as Nabiki as she had thought.
What Nabiki did after the goddess had left again really didnÆt come as a surprise to her. The greedy girl immediately called the usual crowd to tell them the news, for a modest fee of course, and it hadnÆt taken long for everyone to gather at the scene of the æcrimeÆ, all of them for their own selfish reasons.
Having heard enough the Norn cancelled her invisibility spell and introduced herself.
ôExcuse me,ö she tried.
ôThat ungrateful son of mine! How dare he run away without taking his fiancÚe with him?ö
ôHEÆS NOT MY FIANCE!!!ö
ôYouÆre damn right heÆs not. HeÆs MY fiancÚ. He was promised to me when we were kids and IÆve known him a lot longer than you. I know that he would have taken me with him if he had run away. After all, IÆm his cute fiancÚe.ö
ôHOHOHOHO! You are so amusing. My Ranma-sama would never marry a commoner like you. Only I am worthy to be his bride.ö
ôErm, hello?ö The goddess asked a bit louder.
ôI have to agree with you, husband. This is not how a man among men should act. I think IÆll have to discipline him once he returns.ö
ôSaotome! How dare your son run away and abandon my daughter? I demand that you bring him back immediately!ö
ôYes Genma. The ungrateful boy still hasnÆt modelled the latest pieces of my collection. Oh, how lovely sheÆd look in this little red number,ö he cried fake tears into the lingerie in question.
ôHELLO?ô Belldandy tried again, a little louder this time, but to no avail. Her left eyebrow started twitching as she was slowly losing her composure.
ôOh my!ö
ôMercenary girl, where husband?ö You know something. You call us here.ö
ôYes, Miss Tendo. I have to agree with my Shampoo here. It would be in your best interest to tell us right away or I will have to use other means. Either way I WILL get what I want.ö
ôHey! I have no idea where he is, but for some cash I could try and find him. Interested?ö
ôThe reason for the vile sorcererÆs flight is obvious. The vile cur has fled my mighty sword as he finally realized that a low-born commoner like him could never defeat I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High.ö
Anger veins popped out of the NornÆs forehead as she had enough of the silly spectacle in front of her. ôQUIEEETTTTT!!!!ö
A very powerful aura erupted next to the bickering group, blowing them into a corner where they huddled together in fear, blinded by the incredible aura surrounding the unknown person.
Just as fast as the aura had come into existence it was gone again. When the group could finally see the originator of said aura they were perplexed. æHow can a harmless looking woman like that produce such a powerful auraÆ, was the collective thought, except for two very old people who reacted rather uncharacteristically.
Cologne immediately recognized the nature of the woman standing in front of them, and she immediately fell to her knees and pressed her head to the ground wondering why a goddess would grace them with her presence.
Happosai on the other hand ran away, afraid that the goddess might have come to punish him for stealing those sacred panties all those years ago.
ôLady Goddess, to what do we owe the honour of your visit?ö
ôGODDESS!?ö Was the collective reaction of the incredulous crowd.
Having recovered her composure after her violent outburst, and seeing that her aura had effectively calmed the spectators she chose to use a solemn approach to explain the situation. ôRise, elder. ThereÆs no need for that. As to the reason for my visit, well, IÆm here in a matter pertaining to one Ranma Saotome.ö
ôITÆS HER! ThatÆs the woman who took Ranma away,ö Nabiki shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at the goddess.ö
ôMy son is so manly! He even seduced a goddess,ö one overjoyed mother was dancing around the room, wielding her victory fans, lost in her fantasy world.ö
The fiancÚes, wannabe fiancÚe, and wannabe wife on the other hand immediately took up an offensive stance, knowing that a new girl usually meant trouble. After all, what better way to prove their love to Ranma than to get rid of the people who could drive a wedge between their relationship?
ôHOHOHOHO! You trollop! I wonÆt let you steal away my darling Ranma.ö
ôThat cheating bastard!ö Wait till I get my hands on him.ö
ôWell, sugar. Ranma honey is mine. Just try and take him.
ôObstacles for killing.ö
The rivals had their own opinion on the situation.
ôDamn you, Saotome! Is my darling Shampoo not enough for you?ö
ôRanma, how could you cheat on poor Akane like that? Prepare to die!ö
ôFear not my divine beauty,ö the insane kendoist shouted as he attacked the young woman with his bokuto. IÆll free you of the spell the vile sorcerer has cast on you and then I can share my love with you, the fierce tigress and the pigtailed girl.ö
The fathers uncharacteristically kept quiet. They had not forgotten the insanely powerful aura, and seeing their master run away from the woman in front of them they knew they had no chance to defeat her, and pissing off someone so powerful could be the last mistake theyÆd ever make.
ôENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!ö
An even stronger aura surrounded Belldandy now as all the hostile people were launched with high velocity into a wall. Cologne had been wise enough to move away as soon as she had realized what the morons were about to do, taking Kasumi with her since sheÆd probably not survive the wrath of a goddess.
ôYou people make me sick! I come in peace to try and explain what happened to Ranma and what do I see? A group of people bickering among themselves and only looking out for their interests instead of trying to help Ranma. And when I try to tell you what happened you jump to ridiculous conclusions and attack me.ö
She was shaking in anger now and probably not thinking rationally, but the time for diplomacy, civility, and politeness was over. ôWell, you WILL listen... and listen good! First of all, the elder is right. I am indeed a goddess; Belldandy, first class goddess, second category, unlimited license. Earlier today Ranma was granted a divine wish, but unfortunately there was an unexpected error and as a result he was sent to another universe. IÆve come here to tell you not to worry and that I could bring him back, but seeing you all here bickering and only thinking about yourselves IÆve changed my mind. You donÆt deserve him.ö
Studying their reactions the goddess was satisfied to see them finally shut up and listen.
ôWhat---What do you mean?ö Nodoka hesitantly asked, afraid as to what the NornÆs words implied.
ôThatÆs quite simple,ö she continued in a no-nonsense tone. ôIÆll leave him where he is now. It canÆt be any worse than here. At least in that other universe he might find some people who will appreciate him for himself and not for what he can do for them.ö
Having said her piece she turned around and without giving the gaping assembly any further consideration she left for the nearest mirror. As she was about to enter the reflective surface an uncharacteristic, cruel smirk formed on the usually very jovial face as she decided to twist the knife even further in. ôIÆll leave you with the knowledge that youÆre the ones responsible for this situation. Think about what you did wrong and how you would handle things differently if you had another chance.ö
Belldandy hated playing the bad guy as she was not a cruel person by nature, and she hoped that her parting words might make them think about changing their ways and maybe not end up in Hell after their deaths, although for some of them it would not be enough.
She stepped into the mirror leaving the shocked crowd to their thoughts and was gone from their lives forever.
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The first thing the goddess did after reappearing in her home in Nekomi, where she lived with Keiichi and her sisters, was to raid UrdÆs sake stash and down every bottle she could find.
When Urd arrived an hour later she was in a rather good mood... until she found her sister that is. Belldandy was snoring on her couch, completely out of it, a few extremely familiar sake bottles lying next to her. The older goddess immediately ran over to her secret hiding place and let out a howl of disappointment when she found it completely empty.
UrdÆs anguished cry was loud enough to wake the dead, and as it turned out the drunk too since the comatose Norn slowly opened her eyes which landed then on her sister who was slumped down in front of the bottles offering a silent prayer to the unfortunate victims of BelldandyÆs drunken binge who were deprived of the honor of ending up in her own stomach.
ôHi *hic* Urd,ö a giggling voice could be heard from behind the white-haired woman. ôWant *hic* some?ö I think *hic* thereÆs still some *hic* left in this one,ö she continued in a slurred voice, demonstratively shaking the bottle she had picked up.
Urd, who had spontaneously decided to be the responsible one for once, immediately confiscated the bottle from an inebriated Belldandy who tried in vain to get back at least one of the three bottles her three (!?) sisters were holding.
ôI think youÆve had more than enough,ö the older woman admonished her sister, the irony of that statement not lost on her. ôWhat in fatherÆs name is wrong with you? Since when do you drink? And more importantly, why donÆt you buy your own alcohol instead of raiding my stash?ö
Not being used to such harsh words the younger goddess burst into tears and hugged a very surprised Urd. ôIÆm... *hic* IÆm so sorry. Please *hic* forgive me.ö
ôAaah, donÆt worry,ö the panicking white-haired woman tried to calm down her sister. ôIÆm not angry with you. Why donÆt we sober you up and you tell me what happened? This is so not like you. I have juuuust the right potion for this. I always keep one since you never know when you need it.ö
Urd got up and approached the shelf with her collection of potions. She grabbed a vial and forced the liquid down BelldandyÆs throat.
The effects of the potion were spectacular. Belldandly turned fire red as steam erupted from her ears with a loud hiss. She breathed out a huge gout of fire before running for the nearest water tap and dousing the fire burning in her belly with several litres of water.
She closed the tap and slowly returned to UrdÆs room, still recovering from swallowing the foul tasting liquid. However, she had to admit (much to her surprise as she was well aware of some of her sisterÆs most spectacular foul-ups when it came to brewing) that the concoction had really worked as advertised.
ôSo, are you ready to talk now?ö
Belldandy nodded and sat down next to her sister. She calmly told the whole story to her sister, starting with the wish and finishing with the scene at the TendosÆ. ôI shouldnÆt have lost my temper like that. ItÆs not worthy of a goddess. And I was so horrible to them.ö
ôHmpf! If you ask me, they deserve everything they got. I would have done much worse, believe me! Honestly, the nerve of those people.ö
ôWhat should I do? Maybe the Tendos and Saotomes really need a wakeup call, but Ranma is completely innocent. It wouldnÆt be fair to just leave him there, especially since he only ended up there because of a system error. I just want to bring him back and grant him another wish.ö
ôYou could do that,ö Urd offered, ôor you could go with my idea.ö
Seeing her sisterÆs dubious look she quickly elaborated. ôDonÆt look like that. I have good ideas too, you know. Look, you sent this Ranma to another universe, right? Well, how about you leave him there for... say three months? If he doesnÆt like it youÆll still have the possibility to bring him back later. Just tell him youÆre sorry and that heÆll get another wish. ItÆs a win-win situation for the boy. On the one hand heÆll get a much needed vacation away from his problems and heÆll still get his wish once heÆs back, and on the other hand he might like it there and not want to return at all.ö
ôYes, but what if he gets into trouble there? He doesnÆt know anything about that world and might end up in a bad situation.ö
ôWell, thatÆs where the second part of my idea comes in. One of us will monitor the situation over there and bring him back if things get too hairy. After all, heÆs there because of an error and simply correcting that mistake canÆt really been seen as interference, right? And since you and Skuld have your duties here and IÆm on vacation IÆm the only one who can take care of this arduous task.ö
ôYOU are volunteering?ö The shocked goddess asked before narrowing her eyes and staring at her sister. ôWhatÆs in it for you? DonÆt tell me youÆre doing this out of the goodness of your heart.ö
ôYou wound me, sister,ö Urd put her hands on her heart and gave Belldandy the most pitiful look she could manage, which didnÆt work, as usually. ôDo you really think so little of me? That I would only offer my help for selfish reasons? What have I done to arouse so much suspicion?ö
ôStop your little show! YouÆre not fooling anyone.ö
ôOh, alright. IÆm booooored. There hasnÆt been anything interesting going on here lately. This Ranma guy on the other hand really sounds like he could be a lot of fun.ö
ôSo thatÆs the real reason. I should have known. You just want to have some fun at the expense of the poor boyö
ôHey! ThatÆs not true. IÆm not going to interfere. IÆll just watch and get him out of there if things get dicey. Honestly. Believe in me. So what if I have my own reasons? ItÆs not like heÆll even know IÆm there.ö
ôYouÆre really not going to interfere?ö
ôWell, not on purpose anyway.ö
ôThatÆs probably the best I can get out of you. Okay, IÆll trust you. I might end up regretting it, but I will give you a chance. Before you go, however, I want you to read RanmaÆs file; ALL of it.ö
ôThankÆs sis. You wonÆt regret it.ö
The older goddess left in a flash leaving a worried Belldandy behind. æI already doÆ, she thought.
<a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5006055/1/A_wish_gone_horribly_wrong' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5006055/1/A_wi..._horribly_wrong</a>
Chapter 2
What has gone before:
Ranma tried to call for takeout from the UcchanÆs but reached the Goddess Relief Office instead. Very soon a woman claiming to be a goddess appeared in front of him. She told him that she had come to grant him a wish. Ranma, who doesnÆt trust in magic after having been screwed over so often by it, refused. Unfortunately that was not enough and after muttering some poorly chosen words, which werenÆt even formulated as a wish, BelldandyÆs goddess marks activated and the wish was granted, much to the NornÆs shock. Confused and especially dismayed by this Belldandy left for Asgard to find out what went wrong.
Tears threatened to leave BelldandyÆs eyes as she left the Tendo home in a hurry. A situation like this one had never occurred before as far as she knew and she was at a loss as how to resolve the mess sheÆd inadvertently made. Feeling responsible for the situation she vowed to get to the bottom of this fiasco and find a way to make it up to the unfortunate boy who already had enough on his plate without adding to it. If she had known about the curse and how the boy felt about it sheÆd probably have handled the situation differently.
She realized that sheÆd become complacent in her job. When she started out she took the time to read the files of the people she was supposed to help, but now she often skipped that step. She really had no excuse for being unprepared and an innocent soul had now to pay for her mistake. The first thing she would do once she was back in her office was to thoroughly study RanmaÆs file and make it up to the poor boy.
The first thing the Norn noticed when she stepped out of the mirror inside the Goddess Relief Office was the chaos reigning all around her. Gods and Goddesses were hurrying along in a panic and didnÆt take notice of her at all.
She grabbed one of the panicking goddesses by her arm. ôWhat happened? Are we under attack?ö
ôBUGS!ö She hysterically shouted. ôAn army of them; running amuck and causing some serious damage. We have to stop them or all will be lost.ö
The Norn let the hysteric goddess go and joined the hunt for the nasty parasites which in her opinion were the probable cause for the earlier mishap.
Belldandy was not a system debugger, but if the problem was really as bad as the other goddess had implied she needed to do her part. She grabbed a debugging mallet and joined the others in their hunt. She found her little sister not far away playing Whac-A-Mole with a group of the eight-legged, rabbit-like creatures and obviously having fun doing it. As Skuld seemed to have everything in hand on her side Belldandy joined a god and a goddess who had a harder time dealing with their group of bugs.
About 30 minutes later the invasion had been successfully dealt with and our exhausted heroes could finally rest and recover, except for Belldandy who was immersed in the martial artistÆs file. She had gotten a very short summary of the highlights when she had called earlier, but she needed to know more. SheÆd been around for a long time, but some of the information was hard to swallow even for her, but she knew that the files contained only the truth. SheÆd never seen anyone with so much bad luck and being the compassionate person she was she couldnÆt help but feel sorry for the unfortunate boy. If there was anyone who deserved some happiness in his life it was him. Oh, she knew he was no saint and that he could be an obnoxious, insensitive jerk at times, but he was a good person at heart whoÆd unfortunately been raised by a moron, and even if he was responsible for some of his problems most of them were not his fault.
RanmaÆs life story was so fascinating that she didnÆt notice her sister join her.
ôHey, big sis.ö
Belldandy looked up and when she saw her sisterÆs good mood she couldnÆt hide a smile herself even if she really didnÆt feel like it.
ôThat was a good workout just now. I must have squashed at least a hundred of them.
ôGood job,ö the Goddess of the Present praised her younger sister. ôI see that your skills are still as good as always. I only got about 20.ö
ôHeh! Of course. Did you expect anything less?ö The younger girl boasted until her curiosity got the better of her. ôWhat are you reading? It must be very interesting since you only answered after my third call.ö
The brunette grimaced. She really didnÆt want to burden her sister with her problems, but she knew that once the younger NornÆs curiosity was aroused there was no stopping her in getting to the bottom of it.
ôThis is the file of Ranma Saotome, a mortal who has been granted a wish. Unfortunately I didnÆt read the file and as a result I made a mistake which was made worse by the bugs in the system.ö
ôWhat happened?ö
I was sitting in my office when I got a call. I answered and immediately teleported to the girlÆs location. I told her about the wish, but before I could finish my explanation sheÆd already refused. I tried to get her to change her mind, but unfortunately I didnÆt know the cute redhead was actually a boy inflicted by a curse which turns him into a girl. Suffice it to say my suggestions as to what SHE could use the wish for were not really well received. My mission was made harder by the fact that additionally to his unwanted curse he has had some very bad experiences with magical artifacts, some of which were cursed and should have never ended up in a mortalÆs hands. I told him that a divine wish was different and that there were no strings attached.
Unfortunately this got him to rant and it was during this that my goddess marks activated and his wish was granted. The problem is his statement wasnÆt worded as a wish. I immediately came back and when I saw the chaos I immediately realized what had gone wrong; the bugs must have caused an error in the system, but I have my part of responsibility in this fiasco too. If I had been better prepared and taken an interest in the person I was supposed to help this probably wouldnÆt have happened.ö
ôHow do you know? Maybe this was supposed to happen?ö
ôFor what purpose? No, I think this was probably once again RanmaÆs bad luck at work.ö
ôSo, what will you do now?ö
Belldandy shrugged and gave her sister a sad smile. ôI donÆt know. As far as I know this has never happened before.ö
Tears were forming in her eyes and slowly running down her cheek as she continued. ôThat poor boy. HeÆs had it rough all his life and has more problems to deal with in his young life than most people have in a lifetime, and we only managed to make things worse, especially after I told him that everything would be alright. I--- I have to make it up to himà somehow.ö
Skuld panicked a bit as this was the first time sheÆs seen her sister react like that and had no real idea what to do, but then she remembered what her older sister used to do to calm her down. She took her crying sister in her arms and let her cry on her shoulder. SheÆd never thought that her perfect sister, who always was calm and composed in any situation, could ever break down like this.
ôShhhh, shhhh, everything will be okay. YouÆll see. IÆm sure youÆll think of something. Why donÆt you ask father? HeÆll know what to do.ö
ôYouÆre right,ö the older sister answered in a resolute tone, wiping the tears from her eyes. ôMoping around wonÆt solve the problem. IÆll ask him right away.ö
ôNow thatÆs the sister I know. Go for it!ö
Belldandy nodded firmly and went to see her father.
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Ranma was holding her head in pain. It had been a long fall, but the landing hadnÆt hurt nearly as much as one of RyogaÆs blows, not to mention one of AkaneÆs. Her ears were ringing and it took her some time to recover her bearings. The first thing she noticed was the awful smell, the origin of which easy to guess once she saw where she had landed. ôAh, crap.ö
As she was about to jump out of the smelly dumpster she saw an astonished teen staring at her with wide eyes with a line of drool coming out of his mouth.
ôWhatÆs YOUR problem, creep?ö She rudely asked the stranger, annoyed by the lustful look he was giving her.
The beautiful redheadÆs reprimand snapped the teen out of his slightly perverted thoughts and he could only gape when he saw the girl jump out of the dumpster and over his head, landing not far away from him.
She looked around but didnÆt see any landmarks she recognized. The first thing she noticed about the few people that were wandering about and minding their own business was that all of them were foreigners. æIÆm definitely not in Nerima any longerÆ, she concluded. She massaged her forehead trying to remember how she had ended up in this place, but the reason eluded her. æDarn. I canÆt rememberÆ.
Her eyes fell once again on the boy who was frozen to the spot and had his mouth wide open.
As she was about to ask him for information he shakily pointed at the cursed boy and said
ôYou---You are Ranma Saotome!?ö
The martial artist blinked in surprise at having been recognized. SheÆd never realized she was that famous, but inwardly she was proud about the fact that the story of her exploits had crossed Neriman borders. ôHave we met?ö
ôNo, but I know everything about you,ö the enthusiastic teenager claimed. ôYou are Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes school of martial arts. You are a chick magnet and have many rivals and enemies... and youÆre my second favourite comic book redhead, just after Jean Grey from the X-Men. I have the complete Ranma ¢ manga collection and IÆve seen every single episode of the anime. To have you here in front of me is a dream come true.ö
If his friends could see him right now they would probably freak out at the enthusiasm the usually stoic boy was showing.
ôHey, hey, hey! Slow down! Who are you? And where the hell am I anyway? And how come you know so much about me?ö Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she asked the next question which would determine the blondÆs fate. ôAre YOU responsible for my presence here?ö
ôNo!ö He vehemently denied the accusation. ôI didnÆt do anything. I was just strolling past reading a comic when I heard a long-drawn shout coming from above. I looked up and saw you fall from the sky and land in the dumpster. I have no idea how you got here, but with all the crazy stuff happening here IÆm not surprised. We are in Tandy Gardens, in the USA.ö
ôHuh? IÆm in America? Then how come I can understand you? My English is not really all that good.ö
Jason just shrugged indifferently. ôMaybe a wizard did it. Honestly, IÆve given up trying to make sense of magic. Just go with the flow and youÆll avoid a lot of headaches in the future. Trust me; I have a lot of experience.ö
ôMagic?ö When she thought about it the word did indeed ring a bell, but her mind was a bit fuzzy at the moment. However, she had a feeling that that magic was the reason for her presence in this town.
She was trying hard to recall the cause of her physical displacement when another statement from the boy registered in her mind and she jerked her head violently towards the stranger. ôWait! What was that about a manga?ö
ôThe Ranma ¢ manga, of course. ItÆs one of the best selling titles in the US. Martial arts slapstick at its best. The curses in particular are incredibly funny.ö
ôWhat? ThereÆs a manga about my life?ö
Seeing the boy nod she cursed once again. ôAs if my life didnÆt suck enough. If I get my hands on the bastard who sold my story without asking me for permission heÆs gonna pay. I bet it was Nabiki. Wait till I get back. SheÆll be really sorry.ö
ôErm, excuse me,ö the boy politely interrupted RanmaÆs rant and cringed when the irate redhead gave him a venomous look. That didnÆt deter him from exposing his theory however. He knew from the manga that Ranma would never attack someone who canÆt fight back, if the manga was right of course.
ôDonÆt take this the wrong way, but I really doubt it. You see, youÆre only a fictional character; you donÆt exist... at least not in this universe. After reading the manga I got curious about Nerima and looked it up on the internet. Well, the real Nerima is nothing like the version described in the manga. There is no Tendo Dojo, Kuno mansion, or Furinkan High.ö
ôIn-ter-net? WhatÆs that? Something like a library?ö
ôSee, thatÆs another proof. Do you know what a cell phone is? A playstation? MP3 player? iPhone?ö
ôErm...ö
ôAn easier question then. What year is it?ö
ôOh, thatÆs an easy one. 1996ö
ôYouÆre wrong. ItÆs 2011.ö
ôWHAT? No way!ö
ôIÆm afraid so. Look, weÆll just grab a newspaper and youÆll see for yourself. IÆm afraid it wonÆt be that easy to get you back to your time and universe. You really have no idea how you got here? If you could remember it would at least give us a lead as to where we should start looking.ö
Ranma frowned as she tried once again to remember how she had landed in this place. Magic was involved; she was sure of that at least. What had she done before finding herself in the dumpster? She remembered a phone... and calling the UcchanÆs for takeout. Suddenly everything came back to her and she remembered the goddess and the wish. ôOoooh shit! I knew she was bad news!ö
ôHuh? Who are you talking about?ö
ôI think I know how I got here. You see, there was this goddess...ö
ôThat was definitely not in the manga!ö Jason interrupted her but shut up immediately when he saw the nasty look she was giving him
ôThis is MY life weÆre talking about and not that of some manga character. Maybe the manga isnÆt accurate. Did you ever think about that?ö
ôAh, yeah. You got a point there.ö
ôWhat am I going to do? Stranded in a world I know nothing about and no way to get back home as far as I know. If I ever get my hands on that goddess...ö
ôYeah. Tricky situation there,ö Jason sympathised with Ranma, ôbut look at the bright side; at least youÆre alive. Trust me. With all the magic related incidents in our little town thatÆs already a miracle. You know what? I got an idea. We know that youÆre here because of magic, right?
Seeing the martial artist nod, he continued. ôThen I suggest we ask a friend of mine. SheÆs the Wotch and might have a magical solution to your little problem.ö
ôSolution, my ass. From my experience with it I know that magic always tries to screw you over. So thanks but no thanks! And by the way, donÆt you mean witch?ö
ôNope, she really is the Wotch. You see, everyone makes that mistake when they first hear about her. There are a lot of witches, but there can only ever be one Wotch.ö
ôWitch, Wotch, I donÆt give a damn! IÆve had it with magic. IÆll just have to find an alternate way to get home.
ôGood luck with that; youÆll ready need it. Look, why donÆt you just talk to her? Just asking canÆt hurt. I doubt there are any other ways.ö
ôWell... I guess I could give it a try.ö
ôHeh! I knew youÆd say that. SheÆs a great gal and I can promise you this much, she wonÆt harm you,ö he reassured the redhead. æAt least on purposeÆ, he thought.
ôAlright. Take me to her and letÆs get it over with.ö
ôHey, hey, curb your enthusiasm,ö Jason tried to calm down the martial artist.
ôWhatÆs the matter? I want to get this over with.ö
ôSorry to tell you, man, but you stink. Your garbage bath hasnÆt left you smelling like a rose, thatÆs for sure.ö
Ranma sniffed her clothes and made a disgusted face. ôYeah, I guess youÆre right. Are there any public bathhouses here and a shop where I can get new clothes?ö
ôYou can take a bath at my house and I can lend you some of my clothes. They should fit your male form. You may return them once your clothes are clean.ö
ôHey, thanks a lot. ThatÆs really nice of you. Usually people only help me if they want to get something out of me.ö
ôDonÆt worry. In fact, IÆm the one who should thank YOU. I mean, how many people can claim having met one of their favourite comic book characters?ö
ôIÆm NOT a comic book character!ö
ôWanna bet? IÆll show you my Ranma ¢ manga and anime collection once weÆre home.ö
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When Belldandy stepped out of the mirror in the Tendo dojo sometime later the place was in an uproar. She heard a lot of shouting coming from the living room and as she got closer to the action she could hear loud accusations being thrown around. She peered into the room an saw a loud crowd sitting at a table and insulting each other, except for a middle-aged woman in a kimono who was calmly watching the spectacle sitting seiza, a sheathed sword resting on her knees, a young woman in a simple housedress serving tea and a shorthaired brunette who was throwing calculating looks at the others, an amused grin on her face. The heteroclite crowdÆs behaviour left a lot to be desired in the NornÆs opinion, but she had a mission to accomplish and teaching them proper manners was not part of it.
She examined a crowd and recognized most of the people she had read about in RanmaÆs file. All the Tendos were there, as were the Saotomes. Also present were Happosai, the Kuno siblings, the okonomiyaki chef, and the Amazons. Even Ryoga had somehow managed to find his way to the Dojo.
She knew that listening to other peopleÆs conversations was impolite, but when she heard the words æRanmaÆ and ækidnapped by a glowing womanÆ she got really curious as she had no idea how they could know about that. She cast an invisibility spell on herself and silently approached the table. From the information she got it was easy to reconstruct the whole story. The middle Tendo child had witnessed the whole scene after coming back from her date much sooner than expected. When the goddess learnt the reason for her quick return she shook her head; as it turned out the boy was not as Nabiki as she had thought.
What Nabiki did after the goddess had left again really didnÆt come as a surprise to her. The greedy girl immediately called the usual crowd to tell them the news, for a modest fee of course, and it hadnÆt taken long for everyone to gather at the scene of the æcrimeÆ, all of them for their own selfish reasons.
Having heard enough the Norn cancelled her invisibility spell and introduced herself.
ôExcuse me,ö she tried.
ôThat ungrateful son of mine! How dare he run away without taking his fiancÚe with him?ö
ôHEÆS NOT MY FIANCE!!!ö
ôYouÆre damn right heÆs not. HeÆs MY fiancÚ. He was promised to me when we were kids and IÆve known him a lot longer than you. I know that he would have taken me with him if he had run away. After all, IÆm his cute fiancÚe.ö
ôHOHOHOHO! You are so amusing. My Ranma-sama would never marry a commoner like you. Only I am worthy to be his bride.ö
ôErm, hello?ö The goddess asked a bit louder.
ôI have to agree with you, husband. This is not how a man among men should act. I think IÆll have to discipline him once he returns.ö
ôSaotome! How dare your son run away and abandon my daughter? I demand that you bring him back immediately!ö
ôYes Genma. The ungrateful boy still hasnÆt modelled the latest pieces of my collection. Oh, how lovely sheÆd look in this little red number,ö he cried fake tears into the lingerie in question.
ôHELLO?ô Belldandy tried again, a little louder this time, but to no avail. Her left eyebrow started twitching as she was slowly losing her composure.
ôOh my!ö
ôMercenary girl, where husband?ö You know something. You call us here.ö
ôYes, Miss Tendo. I have to agree with my Shampoo here. It would be in your best interest to tell us right away or I will have to use other means. Either way I WILL get what I want.ö
ôHey! I have no idea where he is, but for some cash I could try and find him. Interested?ö
ôThe reason for the vile sorcererÆs flight is obvious. The vile cur has fled my mighty sword as he finally realized that a low-born commoner like him could never defeat I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High.ö
Anger veins popped out of the NornÆs forehead as she had enough of the silly spectacle in front of her. ôQUIEEETTTTT!!!!ö
A very powerful aura erupted next to the bickering group, blowing them into a corner where they huddled together in fear, blinded by the incredible aura surrounding the unknown person.
Just as fast as the aura had come into existence it was gone again. When the group could finally see the originator of said aura they were perplexed. æHow can a harmless looking woman like that produce such a powerful auraÆ, was the collective thought, except for two very old people who reacted rather uncharacteristically.
Cologne immediately recognized the nature of the woman standing in front of them, and she immediately fell to her knees and pressed her head to the ground wondering why a goddess would grace them with her presence.
Happosai on the other hand ran away, afraid that the goddess might have come to punish him for stealing those sacred panties all those years ago.
ôLady Goddess, to what do we owe the honour of your visit?ö
ôGODDESS!?ö Was the collective reaction of the incredulous crowd.
Having recovered her composure after her violent outburst, and seeing that her aura had effectively calmed the spectators she chose to use a solemn approach to explain the situation. ôRise, elder. ThereÆs no need for that. As to the reason for my visit, well, IÆm here in a matter pertaining to one Ranma Saotome.ö
ôITÆS HER! ThatÆs the woman who took Ranma away,ö Nabiki shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at the goddess.ö
ôMy son is so manly! He even seduced a goddess,ö one overjoyed mother was dancing around the room, wielding her victory fans, lost in her fantasy world.ö
The fiancÚes, wannabe fiancÚe, and wannabe wife on the other hand immediately took up an offensive stance, knowing that a new girl usually meant trouble. After all, what better way to prove their love to Ranma than to get rid of the people who could drive a wedge between their relationship?
ôHOHOHOHO! You trollop! I wonÆt let you steal away my darling Ranma.ö
ôThat cheating bastard!ö Wait till I get my hands on him.ö
ôWell, sugar. Ranma honey is mine. Just try and take him.
ôObstacles for killing.ö
The rivals had their own opinion on the situation.
ôDamn you, Saotome! Is my darling Shampoo not enough for you?ö
ôRanma, how could you cheat on poor Akane like that? Prepare to die!ö
ôFear not my divine beauty,ö the insane kendoist shouted as he attacked the young woman with his bokuto. IÆll free you of the spell the vile sorcerer has cast on you and then I can share my love with you, the fierce tigress and the pigtailed girl.ö
The fathers uncharacteristically kept quiet. They had not forgotten the insanely powerful aura, and seeing their master run away from the woman in front of them they knew they had no chance to defeat her, and pissing off someone so powerful could be the last mistake theyÆd ever make.
ôENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!ö
An even stronger aura surrounded Belldandy now as all the hostile people were launched with high velocity into a wall. Cologne had been wise enough to move away as soon as she had realized what the morons were about to do, taking Kasumi with her since sheÆd probably not survive the wrath of a goddess.
ôYou people make me sick! I come in peace to try and explain what happened to Ranma and what do I see? A group of people bickering among themselves and only looking out for their interests instead of trying to help Ranma. And when I try to tell you what happened you jump to ridiculous conclusions and attack me.ö
She was shaking in anger now and probably not thinking rationally, but the time for diplomacy, civility, and politeness was over. ôWell, you WILL listen... and listen good! First of all, the elder is right. I am indeed a goddess; Belldandy, first class goddess, second category, unlimited license. Earlier today Ranma was granted a divine wish, but unfortunately there was an unexpected error and as a result he was sent to another universe. IÆve come here to tell you not to worry and that I could bring him back, but seeing you all here bickering and only thinking about yourselves IÆve changed my mind. You donÆt deserve him.ö
Studying their reactions the goddess was satisfied to see them finally shut up and listen.
ôWhat---What do you mean?ö Nodoka hesitantly asked, afraid as to what the NornÆs words implied.
ôThatÆs quite simple,ö she continued in a no-nonsense tone. ôIÆll leave him where he is now. It canÆt be any worse than here. At least in that other universe he might find some people who will appreciate him for himself and not for what he can do for them.ö
Having said her piece she turned around and without giving the gaping assembly any further consideration she left for the nearest mirror. As she was about to enter the reflective surface an uncharacteristic, cruel smirk formed on the usually very jovial face as she decided to twist the knife even further in. ôIÆll leave you with the knowledge that youÆre the ones responsible for this situation. Think about what you did wrong and how you would handle things differently if you had another chance.ö
Belldandy hated playing the bad guy as she was not a cruel person by nature, and she hoped that her parting words might make them think about changing their ways and maybe not end up in Hell after their deaths, although for some of them it would not be enough.
She stepped into the mirror leaving the shocked crowd to their thoughts and was gone from their lives forever.
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The first thing the goddess did after reappearing in her home in Nekomi, where she lived with Keiichi and her sisters, was to raid UrdÆs sake stash and down every bottle she could find.
When Urd arrived an hour later she was in a rather good mood... until she found her sister that is. Belldandy was snoring on her couch, completely out of it, a few extremely familiar sake bottles lying next to her. The older goddess immediately ran over to her secret hiding place and let out a howl of disappointment when she found it completely empty.
UrdÆs anguished cry was loud enough to wake the dead, and as it turned out the drunk too since the comatose Norn slowly opened her eyes which landed then on her sister who was slumped down in front of the bottles offering a silent prayer to the unfortunate victims of BelldandyÆs drunken binge who were deprived of the honor of ending up in her own stomach.
ôHi *hic* Urd,ö a giggling voice could be heard from behind the white-haired woman. ôWant *hic* some?ö I think *hic* thereÆs still some *hic* left in this one,ö she continued in a slurred voice, demonstratively shaking the bottle she had picked up.
Urd, who had spontaneously decided to be the responsible one for once, immediately confiscated the bottle from an inebriated Belldandy who tried in vain to get back at least one of the three bottles her three (!?) sisters were holding.
ôI think youÆve had more than enough,ö the older woman admonished her sister, the irony of that statement not lost on her. ôWhat in fatherÆs name is wrong with you? Since when do you drink? And more importantly, why donÆt you buy your own alcohol instead of raiding my stash?ö
Not being used to such harsh words the younger goddess burst into tears and hugged a very surprised Urd. ôIÆm... *hic* IÆm so sorry. Please *hic* forgive me.ö
ôAaah, donÆt worry,ö the panicking white-haired woman tried to calm down her sister. ôIÆm not angry with you. Why donÆt we sober you up and you tell me what happened? This is so not like you. I have juuuust the right potion for this. I always keep one since you never know when you need it.ö
Urd got up and approached the shelf with her collection of potions. She grabbed a vial and forced the liquid down BelldandyÆs throat.
The effects of the potion were spectacular. Belldandly turned fire red as steam erupted from her ears with a loud hiss. She breathed out a huge gout of fire before running for the nearest water tap and dousing the fire burning in her belly with several litres of water.
She closed the tap and slowly returned to UrdÆs room, still recovering from swallowing the foul tasting liquid. However, she had to admit (much to her surprise as she was well aware of some of her sisterÆs most spectacular foul-ups when it came to brewing) that the concoction had really worked as advertised.
ôSo, are you ready to talk now?ö
Belldandy nodded and sat down next to her sister. She calmly told the whole story to her sister, starting with the wish and finishing with the scene at the TendosÆ. ôI shouldnÆt have lost my temper like that. ItÆs not worthy of a goddess. And I was so horrible to them.ö
ôHmpf! If you ask me, they deserve everything they got. I would have done much worse, believe me! Honestly, the nerve of those people.ö
ôWhat should I do? Maybe the Tendos and Saotomes really need a wakeup call, but Ranma is completely innocent. It wouldnÆt be fair to just leave him there, especially since he only ended up there because of a system error. I just want to bring him back and grant him another wish.ö
ôYou could do that,ö Urd offered, ôor you could go with my idea.ö
Seeing her sisterÆs dubious look she quickly elaborated. ôDonÆt look like that. I have good ideas too, you know. Look, you sent this Ranma to another universe, right? Well, how about you leave him there for... say three months? If he doesnÆt like it youÆll still have the possibility to bring him back later. Just tell him youÆre sorry and that heÆll get another wish. ItÆs a win-win situation for the boy. On the one hand heÆll get a much needed vacation away from his problems and heÆll still get his wish once heÆs back, and on the other hand he might like it there and not want to return at all.ö
ôYes, but what if he gets into trouble there? He doesnÆt know anything about that world and might end up in a bad situation.ö
ôWell, thatÆs where the second part of my idea comes in. One of us will monitor the situation over there and bring him back if things get too hairy. After all, heÆs there because of an error and simply correcting that mistake canÆt really been seen as interference, right? And since you and Skuld have your duties here and IÆm on vacation IÆm the only one who can take care of this arduous task.ö
ôYOU are volunteering?ö The shocked goddess asked before narrowing her eyes and staring at her sister. ôWhatÆs in it for you? DonÆt tell me youÆre doing this out of the goodness of your heart.ö
ôYou wound me, sister,ö Urd put her hands on her heart and gave Belldandy the most pitiful look she could manage, which didnÆt work, as usually. ôDo you really think so little of me? That I would only offer my help for selfish reasons? What have I done to arouse so much suspicion?ö
ôStop your little show! YouÆre not fooling anyone.ö
ôOh, alright. IÆm booooored. There hasnÆt been anything interesting going on here lately. This Ranma guy on the other hand really sounds like he could be a lot of fun.ö
ôSo thatÆs the real reason. I should have known. You just want to have some fun at the expense of the poor boyö
ôHey! ThatÆs not true. IÆm not going to interfere. IÆll just watch and get him out of there if things get dicey. Honestly. Believe in me. So what if I have my own reasons? ItÆs not like heÆll even know IÆm there.ö
ôYouÆre really not going to interfere?ö
ôWell, not on purpose anyway.ö
ôThatÆs probably the best I can get out of you. Okay, IÆll trust you. I might end up regretting it, but I will give you a chance. Before you go, however, I want you to read RanmaÆs file; ALL of it.ö
ôThankÆs sis. You wonÆt regret it.ö
The older goddess left in a flash leaving a worried Belldandy behind. æI already doÆ, she thought.
