If this looks good to you all, I'm sending it to r.a.a.s. today.  So 
please, could you take a close look at it?  I don't even want one 
spelling error in here.

			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 me to make 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 make it just for myself!!"
	Ranma watched Akane storm back into the house.  *Why me?  Kasumi
finally arranges to cook dinner for Dr. Tofu, and at his place.  So, then
Nabiki suddenly announces that Kuno is taking her to dinner.  Pop &
Tendo-san claim to have planned a night out on the town for weeks.  It
looks like I was the only person stupid enough to not find an excuse to
get out of here.*
	Ranma jumped up onto the roof and sat down.  *How did I ever get
engaged to such an un-cute tomboy anyway?  Oh yeah.  Pop.  Gotta remember
to thank him again for abandoning his only son to Akane's cooking again.*
He looked out over Nerima, noticing how peaceful it was for once.  *Hm... 
it's very quiet tonight.  I wonder why?*  Some half remembered line about
the calm before the storm ran through his head.  Off in the distance he
thought he heard something.  "...a haul!"  *Oh great.  Well, even Happosai
stays away from Akane's cooking...*  Ranma looked down as his stomach
growled in hunger.  *Oh man, I'm starving!  I gotta get some food, and
Akane's doesn't count.  I know!  Take-out.*
	Ranma jumped down and crept 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 cooking made more noise than you would expect to hear
from a dozen cooks.  *What is she doing in there?!?  Nevermind, I don't
really 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..."
	"We are sorry, but due to a Chinese national holiday, we will be
closed...  <Click>"  Ranma hung up the phone.
	"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.  "Oh, 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.
	"Ucchan's..."
	"Ucchan!  It's Ranma!"
	"...will be open again tomorrow at eleven...  <Click>"
	"ARG!!!"  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>
*beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Slam!>  *beepbeepbeep*  <Ring...
Ring...  Ring...>
	"MOSHI MOSHI????"
	"Hi!  You have reached the Goddess Relief Office.  I'll be right
down for a consultation!" 
	"NANI???  MOSHI MOSHI!!  MOSHI MOSHI!!!!!"  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 having heard him yelling
hello into the phone 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 she said she was just gonna
make it for herself.  I know 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, he 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 his superb training and reflexes finally kicked in. 
"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
just enough of a smile added to be cute.  "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.  "...cooking dinner, and...  Wish?  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.  *Uh oh.  Wishes about love always
get messy.*  Almost speaking more to herself, she said, "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..." 
	She tilted her head to the side and got a very curious look on her
face.  "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 almost ready!"  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.  And she needed to find out if Ranma
was at it again.  *If he has another fiance...*  "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.  It looked great, but he
knew from bitter, and I mean bitter, experience just how bad 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.  Hm...  I hope it
won't be literal.*  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 thankfully, just as temporary.  *Wow,
she's tough.*  But even so, she reached for her water and drank the entire
glass at once.  *Probably to wash out the taste.  Tried that before.  
Doesn't help.*
	"That has a very... unique taste."  Skuld clearly didn't want to
offend her hostess, but her reaction was very difficult to hide. 
	*You have a talent for the understatment.*  "Unique is a good word. 
Deadly would work too." 
	"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 smiled at Ranma.  She began
to float up into the air, while a bright white light began to gather
around her.  It grew brighter and brighter for a few seconds, and then
stabbed up into the sky, without even harming the roof.  She glowed for a
few more seconds, and then slowly began to dim, and sank to the floor. 
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 could have saved us both.  I blew it."
	"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..."  *He 
said my cooking looks good?*
	Ranma's eyes grew bigger with each word.  "You're not..."  Then he
heard the giggles start.  "Ha ha.  Very funny.  I use my wish for you and
you threaten my life."  *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?  Having guests here never stopped me before.* "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 Oneesama, she's a great cook."  *Arigato,
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...?"  *The phone didn't ring, I was right!*
	"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 a very few can dial that number 
at all, and even less by accident.*  "And he wished for..."
	"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, of all places."  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.  Something seemed to be in the way,
and then everything started going black...  There was twisting & spinning,
but she still couldn't move...  Akane screamed, then suddenly found
herself in bed.  Akane struggled to sit up and nearly ripped the covers
untangling them from herself, then threw them 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 Akane, 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 Ranma...  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
door opened, but didn't shut all the way.  *That must have been Ranma
leaving.  Only he would forget to shut his door.  But that means Akane
didn't hit him.  They were in there together for more than five minutes
and she didn't hit him.  I knew I was right, they do like each other!*


    Chapter Five -- Now You're Cooking!

	The scent began somewhere in the kitchen, and slowly wafted its
way out.  It got caught for a few minutes in the hallway crossdrafts, but
slowly worked its way onward.  It ran into a tricky bit of navigating near
the stairs, but bolstered by reinforcements, it slowly worked its way
upstairs.  The final obstacle in its way was the door, but Ranma had
forgotten to close it all the way last night, so it didn't have to work
its way under the door.  It entered the room, and drifted by Ranma's nose,
tickling it.  Ranma breathed deep, and pulled the scent in.
	"Um... that smells great!"  Ranma sat up and began to think about
another of Kasumi's wonderful breakfasts, and how great it would taste. 
Then his face twisted in fear.  "Oh no.  Akane starts cooking this
morning."  Ranma shuddered.
	A few minutes later, the smell had grown stronger, it was much
clearer than before.  Ranma could now smell each and every part of
breakfast...  and it *still* smelled great.  *This is not possible.  Akane
can't cook good food...  What is going on here??*
	Ranma pulled together his courage and decided to brave the 
horrors of the kitchen.  Getting up, he pulled on a red shirt and black 
pants and went downstairs.
	When he reached the kitchen he discovered that Akane wasn't
cooking breakfast.  In fact, no... person... was at all.  Some... thing...
he had no idea what else to call it, was.  It was some sort of robot,
sitting there on the countertop.  Not too much unlike a metal octopus, it
had eight arms, all ending in kitchen utensils of one sort or another. 
And it was cooking.  *Well, it smells good, Akane didn't cook it, so...  I
guess I will have breakfast this morning after all.*
	"Ranma!  Ohayo gozaimasu!"
	"Um, ohayo.  Ah...  what *is* that thing?"
	"Skuld said it's a 'cooking instructor'."
	"Oh...  um, where is Skuld anyway?"
	"She's still asleep.  I think she stayed up all night building it." 
	"Oh.  Are you just supposed to watch it and learn from it or
something?" 
	"Hai.  Skuld left a note to just let it make breakfast today to
test it, but after that it'll demonstrate by making half of our meals, and
I copy it to make the other half."
	"Oh, I get it.  So only half our meals will be deadly.  50-50 
odds.  I can live with that."
	Akane reached behind her where her wooden hammer was and grabbed 
hold of it.  "Would you care to repeat that?"
	Ranma turned, and then considered his words.  "Sure.  I can live
with you cooking half our meals."  *Wait a second, that's not quite what 
I meant to say.*
	Akane face faulted.  *What...?*  Her grip on the hammer slipped 
and it dropped out of her hand.  "You...  can live with me cooking half 
the meals?"  She looked very carefully at his face as it twisted up in 
confusion.  *Does he mean that, or is he just planning a new way to 
insult me?*
	*Did I mean that?  Why would I say that anyway?*  "Sure I meant
that.  Besides, what choice do I have?  Someone has to test your food, and
we can't risk Kasumi."  *What the hell??  Ususally I speak without
thinking.  Now I'm thinking and I'm not saying what I meant to.*
	Akane started to smile, then stopped, unsure if it was an insult 
or not.  "Ok then, you can be the food taste-tester for me."
	Ranma swallowed hard.  *Of course.  Me and my big mouth.*
	"Ohayo!"  Ranma & Akane looked up as Skuld walked in.  She 
grinned at both of them, then noticed the confused looks on both their 
faces.  "What's wrong?"
	Ranma looked at Akane, then spoke up.  "I'm... not sure.  I keep 
saying things I don't expect to."
	Skuld frowned in concentration.  "What sort of things are you 
saying, and what did you expect to say?"
	"He's saying nice things for once, instead of being mean, like
usual."
	Skuld tilted her head to the side for a second, then paled 
slightly.  "You mean, you're not saying anything that would make Akane 
want to kill you??"
	Ranma's face lit up.  "Yeah!  That's it exactly!"
	"It's the wish.  You said something like... 'learn before she kills
somebody'.  Well, then... the Ultimate Force is preventing you from saying
anything to make her angry enough to kill you."
	*That's it?? The wish???  He's only saying that because he *has*
to?  I'll kill him.*


    Chapter Six -- You Want Pork For Dinner?!?
	
	Ranma wandered outside, so distracted by thoughts of eating Akane's
cooking, plus being forced to be nice to her, not to mention being nice
about her cooking, that he failed to notice the figure standing next to
the small pond.
	"You're late," snarled the figure waiting for him, who then
attacked. 

				*****

	Akane waited until after Ranma had left before turning to Skuld. 
"He doesn't mean any of the nice things he said?"
	Skuld thought for a moment of another couple she knew who had once
had trouble saying how they truly felt about one another.  "Maybe..."  *Or
maybe he's finally saying what he really feels.*
	"Fine!  Who needs him anyway?"  Akane tried to ignore the little 
voice that told her just who did need him after all.  *I don't!*

				*****

	"HI-YA!"
	Ranma eyed his oppenent carefully.  It was never easy to win 
against him.  "Ready to go for a swim?"
	"You'll be the one to take a swim, Ranma.  Your arrogance will..." 
	Ranma used the moment while his opponent was distracted to knock
him into the pond, changing him into his cursed form.  "I'll be 
swimming?  I don't think so."  Ranma turned to see Akane coming up to the 
pond.
	"Breakfast is ready."
	"Ok."
	Ranma followed Akane back into the house, and right behind him 
was his early morning opponent, now changed into his animal form.  Ranma 
sat down between Akane & Skuld, then noticed that everyone else was 
staring at Skuld so intently, no one saw the animal wander in.
	"Oh, whoops.  Akane, did you remember to introduce them to Skuld?" 
	Akane turned to Ranma, then blushed.  "No, I forgot.  You're the
one who called her anyway.  You introduce her."
	"So Ranma...  who is this girl?  Don't tell me you have another
fiancee..."  Nabiki grinned at Ranma.  *I wonder how much he'll pay to 
keep it quiet.*
	"No, it's nothing like that!  This is Skuld, she's a Goddess."
	"Well, she is very pretty, but that's a very Kuno-esque thing to
say, Ranma."  *Hm...  a little defensive.  That's a good sign.*
	"No!  I mean she really *is* a Goddess!"  Ranma looked around at
the rest of the Tendo family and saw only incomprehension there. "Oh,
nevermind.  She's going to be here a lot.  Skuld is going to teach Akane
how to cook." 
	Akane glared at Ranma.  *You don't have to tell the whole world I 
can't cook, Ranma.*
	"Oh Akane!  How wonderful!"  Soun could feel the tears welling up
in his eyes.  *My girl, learning how to cook finally!  Saotome, you & I
will bring our children together yet!*
	"Akane, you must be so happy.  You'll be able to cook for Ranma 
whenever you like now."  Kasumi beamed at Akane.  
	Akane looked very uncomfortable, and carefully avoided looking at 
Ranma.  Of course, this meant she missed Ranma fidgeting and avoiding 
looking at her too.  "Well, now that we all know who Skuld is, could we 
please eat?  I don't want to be late to school."
	At last, the rest of the clan sat down and started eating
breakfast.  While Kasumi got a few strange looks for the very
untraditional breakfast, it disappeared very fast.
	"Ah, another wonderful breakfast Kasumi.  Thank you."
	"Oh!  I didn't make this father.  I thought Akane did."
	"Nah, couldn't have.  We're still alive."
	Akane turned to Ranma.  "That can be fixed Ranma..."
	Suddenly, Nabiki jumped up.  "C'mon guys, we're gonna be late." 
	Ranma leapt up and ran back upstairs.  "Oh man, where's my school 
bag??"
	Akane got up also and followed Nabiki out the door.  *I'll settle
with him later.  School is more important.*  Ranma never even noticed his 
close escape.

				*****

	Skuld got up, and bowed to her hosts.  "Thank you for having me 
for breakfast."
	Always the perfect hostess, Kasumi replied, "You are quite 
welcome, thank you for cooking it.  Will you be back when they get home 
from school?"
	"Yes, as long as I'm not intruding."
	Soun thought to himself.  *What perfect manners.  Perhaps Akane 
will pick those up as well.*  "You could never intrude here.  You are 
welcome for as long as you wish."
	"Arigato!  I'll be back then."  Skuld grinned, then skipped out 
back to the pond and jumped in.  When she didn't come back out after a 
few seconds, Soun and the panda exchanged looks.
	"Kids.  Who can understand them?"


    Chapter Seven -- Sisters Have To Stick Together

	Skuld walked into the kitchen, looking around to see who was
there.  "Belldandy?"  She wandered around the rest of the temple for a few 
minutes, surprised that Urd was gone.  *I guess no one's here, but Urd 
never gets up early.*
	Keiichi's door opened, and Belldandy poked her head around the
corner.  "Oh, Skuld!  I'll... be right out."  Skuld blinked a few time. 
*Those two...  they make me wish Kenji was here.*  The door opened again
and both Keiichi and Belldandy came out.  Keiichi was blushing, but
Belldandy looked perfectly innocent. 
	"Ah...  so Skuld, how did it go yesterday?"
	Skuld grinned at Keiichi.  "I finally met someone who has a harder
time saying those three little words(1) than you do."
	Keiichi blushed even harder, and glanced at Belldandy.  "Um... 
how about I just leave you two alone to talk shop..."  He turned and left
to go to the garage, where he could find something calming to work on,
like that bike that seemed to have a death wish for him.  He found
machines trying to kill him much easier to deal with then Skuld.  Of
course, it was frequently both when it came to Skuld...
	As soon as he was out of the room, Belldandy started giggling. 
"Skuld, you're so mean to him!"  What normally would have been a strong
rebuke, was weakened by Belldandy's giggling.
	"Gomen, Oneesama.  I just can't help it.  It's so funny to see him
blush."  Skuld tried to look contrite, but it was hard when she could
barely stop from giggling at Keiichi herself.
	Skuld followed her sister into the kitchen where they began to
prepare lunch together.  Belldandy noticed that Skuld wasn't talking about
her first wish.  Belldandy reached out and took hold of Skuld's hands.
"So, how did it go?  Did you have any problems with the wish?"  *Oh
Skuld-chan, I hope it went well!*
	"Not yet..."
	Belldandy blinked.  "What do you mean, 'Not yet'?"  Belldandy
picked up her bowl again.
	"I'm not finished yet.  He wished that his fiancee could cook...
and, it's going to take a while to teach her.  She's very... dangerous in
the kitchen.  Well, at least that one is."
	"'That one'?  What do you mean by that?"
	"He has four fiancees."
	Belldandy dropped the bowl she was mixing in shock.  *Four?!?*

				*****

	It only took Ranma a minute to catch up to the Tendo sisters. 
"Hey Akane, I just thought of something..." 
	"Oh, that's a good one Saotome."
	Akane glared at Nabiki.  *He's MY fiancee Nabiki.  I'm the one
that gets to insult and abuse him, not you.*  "Nabiki, leave him alone. 
What did you think of, Ranma?" 
	"Um...  well, I was thinking...  Skuld is teaching you how to cook,
and she cooked some strange gaijin food for breakfast.  Is that the kind
of cooking you'll be learning?"  Ranma jumped up on the fence, and
continued to walk along.
	*That's strange.  Not that my sister's fiancee is stupid, but
that's a remarkably intelligent comment.  I should have thought of that.*
	Akane turned to look at Ranma.  "I...  I'm not sure.  I didn't 
think of that.  Do you think...  it'll be easier to learn, and maybe...  
thats why...?"
	Ranma shrugged.  "I dunno.  Even if she teaches you how to cook 
strange foreign food, I don't care..."
	Akane's eyes grew wider.  *Does he mean...?*
	"...Just as long as it isn't toxic anymore."
	Akane smiled sweetly at Ranma.  "Ranma..."
	Ranma turned to look at Akane, and blinked when he saw her 
smiling.  *Woah...  that's weird.*  He jumped down and stepped closer to 
Akane.  "Yes...?"
	"DIE!!!!!!"  Akane pulled out a one way ticket, stamped Tendo
Airlines, and handed it to him.  Then she kicked him.  Hard.  "RANMA NO
BAKA!!!!!!!!" 
	"KAWAIIkune....."  Ranma yelled as he flew out of sight.  *All I
said was I'm glad she's learning to cook!*  Lucky for him, Ranma landed
face first in front of Furinkan High School.  Unlucky for him, someone 
was there waiting for him.
	"Saotome Ranma.  How I have waited for this day, you sorceror of 
black arts..."
	Ranma pulled his face out of the ground.  "Oh, hey Kuno.  Nice to 
see you too."

				*****

	"She's learning to WHAT?"
	"Cook.  I, ah...  met this girl who, um... offered to teach her." 
*Gotta be careful.  Can't let anyone know she's a Goddess*
	"But, Ran-chan!  Why do you need Akane to cook for you when you 
have me?!"
	"Um..."

				*****

	"Tendo, this is a great day."
	"Yes it is, Saotome.  Our children will be together soon."
	"And Akane will be able to cook for them."
	"Perhaps we should can call your wife now.  I'm sure if Ranma was
married it would fufill the promise, curse or no curse." 
	*Splash!*  A large Panda sitting in the pond held up a sign.  
<Not just yet, Tendo-san.>

				*****

(1) One way of saying 'I love you', in japanese, is 'Suki da yo'.