A!MG-R1/2 -- White Wolf <wwolf@cais.com>

			Moonlight & Cherry Pie


    Chapter One -- I Don't Have to Eat It to Know It's Toxic.

	*I'm doomed.*
	"Ok Ranma, what would you like for dinner?"
	*The gods must hate me.*
	"Ranma?  Ranma!  RANMA!!"
	"Huh?"
	"What do you want for dinner?!"
	"Ah...  I'm really not that hungry..."
	"Fine then!  I'll just make it for myself!!"
	Ranma watched Akane storm back into the house.  *Why me?  After
Kasumi went to cook for Dr. Tofu, I was the only person stupid enough to
not find an excuse to get out of here.*  Ranma looked down as his stomach
growled in hunger.  *Oh man, I'm starving!  I gotta get some food.  I
know!  Take-out.*
	Ranma got up and walked into the house, watching carefully for his
fiance.  *If she sees me...*  Lucky for Ranma, Akane was quite busy in the
kitchen.  He crept up to the phone, and listened for a few seconds.  Sure
enough, Akane trying to cook was making more noise than you would expect
to hear from a dozen cooks.  *What is she doing in there?!?  Nevermind, I
don't want to know.*  He picked up the phone, and dialed up the only other
Chinese place in town. 
	"Hello, Wok'n'Roll..."
	"Hi!  Can I order..."
	"Due to a Chinese national holiday, we will be closed... <Click>"
	"Damn.  Ok, who's next.  Hold on a second.  National holiday?" 
Ranma dialed another number he used fairly often.
	"Ni-hao, Nekohanten!"
	"Hi Shampoo..."
	"So sorry, but Shampoo no here today.  Have holiday...  <Click>"
	"Darn it!"  He punched in another number.  After letting it ring a
few times he hung it up again.  "That's right, they don't deliver before
eight!"  Ranma punched in yet another number, hoping for an answer,
anything to avoid eating whatever it was that Akane was cooking this time.
	"Hello..."
	"Hello?!?"
	"If you'd like to leave a message... <Click>"
	"ARG!!!"  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>
*beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Ring...
Ring...  Ring...>
	"HELLO????"
	"Hi!  You have reached the Goddess Relief Office.  I'll be right
down for a consultation!" 
	"NANI???  HELLO!!  HELLOO!!!!!"  Ranma slammed the phone down again.
"Who the hell was that?!?"  
	"Ranma?  Who were you just talking to?"  Ranma looked up in fear to
see Akane now standing in the hallway.  *Oh no, did she hear me...?*
	"Ah...  just a wrong number I think."
	"Um...  ok."  Akane looked suspicious, but decided to ignore it
just this once.  "Well, come on into the dining room, dinner is ready." 
Without waiting for a response, Akane turned and went back into the
kitchen to bring out the food.
	"Ah...  be right there."  *I thought I said I wasn't hungry...  Oh
man, she must want to poison me.*  Ranma turned and walked to the back
door.  *If only...*  That's when it caught his eye.  *What the hell?* 
Ranma watched as the small pool started swirling around, faster and
faster.  Some sort of disk of light appeared above it, also swirling in a
circle.  The disk of light dipped down in the middle until it touched the
water, and then something really strange happened.  A girl started rising
out of the disk.  A cute girl.  A cute girl... with a hammer on her back?


    Chapter Two -- When You Wish Upon a Star...

	"Konichiwa!"
	Ranma tried to respond, but somehow, for possibly the first time
in his life, was without words.  Instead, he just watched in shock as she
hopped down next to the pond, and walked over to him. 
	"Hi!"
	"Uh...."  Then the reflex finally kicked.  "Who the heck are
you?!?  Ah...  that is..."
	The girl blinked at that, and then frowned.  "This is the Tendo
Dojo, right?" 
	"Yeah."
	"And you're Ranma Saotome, right?"
	*Oh no, Pop, you didn't.  Not another one!*  "Um, why do you ask?" 
	She frowned again.  "Because I'm from the Goddess Relief Office,
and I'm here on important business with him.  Now are you or aren't you?" 
	*Goddess...  Hey, that sounds like that last place I called*
"Well, actually, I am Ranma.  But, I didn't mean..."
	The girl smiled.  "Great!  Ok, what's your wish then?"
	"...to call you, you see I was...  My what?"
	"Your wish!  Everyone gets one wish and only one wish.  And no
wishing for lots of wishes or anything."  She mock-glared at him, but with
the hint of a smile.  "That's cheating." 
	"But I was just calling for take-out, because Akane was..."
	She leaned foward and said eagerly, "So is that what you wish for? 
Take-out?" 
	Ranma blinked a few times.  "You mean I really get a wish?  I can
wish for anything?" 
	"Just about.  You can't wish for me to stay with you or..."
	"But I could wish to stay a guy all the time?"
	"Huh?!?"  Ranma almost laughed at the look on her face, it was
confusion, surprise, and shock all rolled up in one.  "But you are a guy! 
Aren't you?"  She poked him in the chest. 
	"Right now I am... nevermind.  Could I wish I had one fiance?"
	"You want me to find you a fiance?"
	"NO!  I want to get rid of three of mine, so I only have one
left."
	At this, her jaw dropped, literally.  "You have four fiances?"
	Ranma grinned.  "Yeah, but it's not my fault."
	"Well, I guess I could do something about it..."  Ranma could hear
she didn't sound very confident now.  "Do you love any of them?  And do
any of them love you?" 
	"Well...  Ukyou, Shampoo, and Kodachi have made it clear how they
feel, but Akane..." 
	"What about you?"
	Ranma looked distinctly uncomfortable.  "I...  I sorta like..." 
	At this point, the laws of nature imposed themselves once again. 
"Ranma!  Where are you?  The food is getting cold!"  Akane poked her head
out the door, and opened her mouth to shout again, when she spotted Ranma
standing very close to a girl she'd never seen before. 
	"Akane!  Ah...  this is...  Oh, I don't know your name."
	The girl grinned and waved to Akane.  "Hi!  I'm Skuld."
	"Hi.  Ranma, um..."  Akane thought for a minute.  She didn't want
Ranma's food to get cold, but it would be rude to make him come in now
without inviting this girl in too.  "Ah, Skuld?  Would you like to join us
for dinner?" 
	Ranma's eyes bugged out.  "No, wait..."
	"Really?!  I'd love too!"  Skuld ran by Ranma and up onto the
porch.  "Ranma still has to decide anyway."  Skuld said as they both
walked into the house. 
	"Oh no!  Akane, if you kill her, I'll never be a guy again!"  Ranma
ran inside to find a table piled high with food that looked great, but he
knew from bitter, and I mean bitter, experience just how it would taste. 
	"Ok dig in!  Tell me what you think."  Akane piled three plates
high with food and handed one to each of them. 
	Ranma stared at the plate for a second, wondering how the hell
he'd get out of this now.  *Time to bite the bullet*  Ranma took a bite,
and felt his entire body lock up in pain.  He fell over on his side, but
recovered very quickly.  *Must be building up a tolerance*  He then turned
to Skuld to see how she reacted.  Her reaction was just as severe, and
just as temporary.  But even so, she reached for her water and drank the
entire glass at once.  *Probably to wash out the taste.*
	"That has a very... unique taste."  Skuld clearly didn't want to
offend her hostess, but her reaction was very difficult to hide. 
	"I ruined it again, didn't I?"  Akane could feel the beginning of a
tear forming.  She had tried so hard, and failed to produce an edible
meal...  again. 
	Ranma muttered under his breath, "Man, I wish Akane would learn
how to cook before she kills somebody." 
	Skuld suddenly sat bolt upright, and then stood up.  A white light
began to gather around her and then stabbed up into the sky, without
harming the roof.  She glowed for a few more seconds, and then slowly
began to dim.  When the light had faded completely, she spoke again. 
"Your wish has been approved." 


    Chapter Three -- ...Be Careful What You Wish For...

	Akane blinked.  "Wish?  What do you mean, his wish has been 
approved?  What wish?"  
	Skuld hugged herself in happiness.  *My first contract!  Oneechan 
will be so proud!*  Then she realized Akane was staring at her.  "Oh!  
You didn't hear him.  He wished for..."
	"AHHH!!!!  That wish counted?!?"  Ranma felt his heart stop.  
*I'm gonna be a girl forever.*  Ranma sank to the floor.  "Pop is gonna 
kill me.  I blew it again."
	"What wish?  Ranma, what did you wish for?"
	Skuld looked back and forth between the two, and began to look 
worried.  "You didn't want that wish?"  Skuld started chewing on her 
bottom lip, and could feel the beginning of a tear form in her eye.  
*Could I have made a mistake?  Urd will never let me live that down.*
	Akane glared at Ranma.  "What wish?!?"
	"Ah..."  *She'll kill me.  I know it.  Why couldn't I just keep 
my big mouth shut for once.*
	A blue aura began to form around Akane.  "RANMA!!  WHAT WISH?!?"
	Ranma jumped, and blurted out before he thought, "I wished you
would learn how to cook." 
	"You don't like my cooking?!?  Die Ranma!!"  Akane pulled out a 
wooden hammer from nowhere and jumped to her feet.
	"I'm glad I made that wish!  Then maybe your food would taste as 
good as it looks!"
	Skuld looked up in surprise.  *Glad?  Glad!*  "Great!" 
	Ranma turned to look at Skuld.  "Great?  You want her to kill 
me?"  *Well, at least it's a change from wanting to marry me.*
	Skuld and Akane looked at each other.  "But if you kill him," 
Skuld said with a grin, "Then the contract is broken."
	Akane pretended to think for a minute, the hint of a smile
creeping onto her face as well.  "Well...  it might be worth it..."
	Ranma's eyes grew bigger with each word.  "You're not..."  Then he
heard the giggles start.  "Ha ha.  Very funny."  *Why am I being so nice
to her today?  It's not like I...  ah...*
	Akane sat back down, and dropped the hammer.  *That's strange. 
Why didn't I hit him?*  "So, um...  what does this wish mean?"
	Skuld sat down as well.  "Well, it means I get to teach you how to
cook.  I learned from Oneechan, she's a great cook."  *Thank you,
Belldandy.*
	"But why?  I mean, why did Ranma get a wish anyway?"
	"Yeah.  All I did was dial the wrong number."  *It would be nice if
she could cook.  Then... wait a minute.  Why should I care if that tomboy
can cook or not?*
	Akane glared at him.  "I thought you said it was a wrong
number...?"
	"Well it was!  I dialed the wrong number."  Ranma looked at her and
raised an eyebrow.  "Didn't I just say that?"
	"But he dialed *my* number, so he gets a wish."  *No need to
explain how he dialed the number.  Only those very few friends to nature
can dial that number at all.*  "And he wished.."
	"But I know how to cook!"
	Ranma looked at the...  food...  before them.  "And this is a
perfect example of her cooking.  It looks great, but...  It'll kill you." 
	Skuld jumped up and grabbed Akane's hand, dragging her into the
kitchen before she could react to Ranma's words.  "Ok, first, let's start
by taking a look at the classroom..."  Her words trailed off as they left 
the room.
	*I wonder if even a Goddess can teach Akane to cook.*

				*****

	Kasumi hummed as she opened the oven to check on dinner.  *Dr. 
Tofu will love this.  If only...*
	Dr. Tofu walked into the kitchen then.  "Kasumi!  What a surprise 
seeing you here."  He then proceeded to trip over the open oven door.
	Kasumi giggled at him.  *If only Akane could learn to cook for 
Ranma, she wouldn't have to worry about his other fiances as much.*

				*****

	"Ah Saotome!  What a wonderful meal that was."
	"Yes it was Tendo.  What a splendid idea it was, going out to
dinner like this."  *I hope Ranma is alright.   Akane will surely poison 
him with her cooking if he's stupid enough to eat it.*
	"Yes, well, we must discuss our plans to join our children in
marriage, Saotome."  *If Ranma is still alive after Akane's meal tonight.*


    Chapter Four -- ...You Might Get It.

	"Ok!  Dinner is ready."
	"Oh Akane, that's wonderful."
	"Yeah, thanks Sis."
	"Saotome, I'm so proud of Akane, cooking such a wonderful meal." 
	"And well you should Tendo, having a daughter who can cook as well
as Akane can."
	Akane watched proudly as her family, and Genma, dug in.  However,
one person wasn't eating.  "Ranma, don't you like it?"
	Ranma turned to her.  "Like it?  I'm afraid to try it."
	"But...  Skuld taught me how to cook now."  Akane grinned.  "I can
cook as good as Kasumi now." 
	"Yeah right, Akane.  You'll never be as good as Kasumi."
	"RANMA NO BAKA!!!!!"  Akane tried her best to jump at him, but
found her arms and legs couldn't move, and something seemed to be in the
way, and everything started going black...  There was twisting & spinning,
and she couldn't move, and nothing was making sense...  Then she woke up
and threw the covers out of her way.
	Akane sat up and felt her heart pounding and her pulse racing. 
She let her breath go and drew in a calmer one.  Exhale.  Inhale.  Exhale. 
Inhale.  *Relax, it was just a bad dream.*
	"Akane!  Are you ok?"  Ranma burst in through the door, but stopped
when her saw her sitting up in bed.  "Bad dream?"  Ranma walked over and
sat down next to her.  "Kuno chasing you again?"
	Akane glared at him.  She was angry.  No, hurt.  No, angry was
right.  No, more like insulted.  No, confused.  Yes, confused is more like
it.  *How does he feel about me...  He insults my cooking, my martial
arts, my swimming, me...  But then he runs to my rescue, even when it's
just a bad dream...* "I'm fine...  it was just a dream."
	"Akane!  Are you alright??"  Soun rushed into the room, stopping
halfway inside upon spotting Ranma sitting on Akane's bed.  *Iniative boy,
that's what you need!*
	"Hey Sis, you okay?"  Nabiki poked her head around the corner of
the door. *Ranma?  What is he doing sitting...* "Ranma.  I should have
known."
	"Akane?  Was it that cooking nightmare again?"  Kasumi stepped in
the door, only then noticing everyone else was there already.  "Oh!  Did
everyone wake up?"
	In another room, a large panda rolled over and went on sleeping.
	"Girls, I think Akane will be fine, let's go back to bed."  Soun
herded the two older Tendo girls out of the room, then shut the door
behind him.  *Now all he has to do is be nice for five minutes.  What am I
saying?!?  Oh well, at least they're alone in her room, it's a start.*
	As they walked back to their rooms, Nabiki spoke quietly to
Kasumi.  "Did you notice, Ranma actually seemed worried about her..."
	"Yes...  he can't hide it too much longer now..." 

				*****

	Ranma sat quietly, waiting for Akane to speak first.  *Cooking
nightmare?  Her cooking gives nightmares to me!   I wonder how bad it is 
for her, since she actually cooks the stuff* 
	Akane suddenly grinned at Ranma.  "You weren't worried about me, 
were you?"
	*Me??  Worried?  Why would I be worried about an un-cute tomboy
having a nightmare?* That was what Ranma meant to say, but what came out
was, "Me??  Worried?  ah...  um, no, I wasn't..."
	Akane blinked in surprise.  *He didn't...*  "Oh, ok."
	"Um...  Kasumi said it was a cooking nightmare?  What did she 
mean by that?"
	Akane froze up.  "It means I sometimes have a dream about cooking."
	*That is a nightmare, but not for you!*  Once again, Ranma's 
mouth betrayed him, in reverse.  Now instead of insulting her without 
thinking, he said, "What's so bad about that?"
	*What??  Twice in a row?  Why is he being so nice?*  "The way it 
ends.  Everyone loves my food except for one person.  He always refuses 
to eat it."
	"So?  It's only one person.  If everyone else likes it, what do 
you care what this one person thinks?"  
	Akane face faulted.  "But...  I cooked it especially for him!  
He's the one I most wanted to like it, and he hates it!"
	Ranma thought for a second.  "I thought you said he wouldn't try it."
	"Yes!  He won't even try it."
	"Well then, how can he hate something he won't try?"
	Akane face faulted again.  "But...!"
	"Besides, who is this guy anyway?  I always tried your cooking, 
even when I knew it was going to be painful.  You should forget about 
this guy, he's not worth it."  *Ryoga eats her cooking, Shinnosuke likes 
it, who the hell is this guy she's dreaming about?!?
	"Ok...  besides, what do I need him for when I have you to hate 
my cooking."  
	"Exactly!"  *Wait a minute...  uh oh*
	Akane grinned.  "Ranma no baka."
	Ranma got up.  "Goodnight..."
	"'Nite"

				*****	

	Kasumi listened as a door opened, then closed.  Then another 
one.  *She didn't hit him.  They were in there together for five minutes 
and she didn't hit him.  I knew I was right, they do like each other*


    Chapter Five -- Now You're Cooking!


--
OCS-IRC