[AMG/Ranma/SM][FanFic] A Certain Distance - Chapter Seven
Rob Kelk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We're now moving into the final third of the story. I guess I should
get the plot moving a bit, shouldn't I? <grin> This is where we
start to see some conflict (although the Big Fight Scene won't start
until Chapter Nine).
Oh, yes - I seem to have forgotten about a certain Goddess who hasn't
made an appearance since her cameo in Chapter One. It's time to
rectify that, right after the legal stuff ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Legal disclaimer:
"Aah! Megami-sama" (or "Oh My Goddess!") was created by Fujishima
Kosuke, and is licenced to Kodansha and AnimEigo.
"Ranma 1/2" was created by Takahashi Rumiko, and is licenced to
Shogakukan Inc., Kitty, Fuji TV, and Viz Communications Inc.
"Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" (or "Sailor Moon") was created by
Takeuchi Naoko, and is licenced to Koudansha, TV Asahi, Toei Douga,
and DIC Entertainment, L.P.
No challenge is intended to any of these intellectual properties.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Seven - The First Snows of Fimbulvetr
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Belldandy was happily drawing up the dinner menu for the evening.
Then Time shifted, and she gained a second set of memories for the
last decade. She reviewed the memories, smiled, and planned for two
more people at dinner that night.
Then she prepared to go shopping. The last thing she expected was a
telephone call ...
"Morisato residence, hello."
"It is I."
"Kami-sama! Is there a problem?"
The Almighty's voice was the gravest Belldandy had ever heard.
"Fimbulvetr might begin today."
"No!" gasped Belldandy, just before she started to cry. Fimbulvetr
was the time when Midgard would be shrouded in ice for years, thawing
only at the End Time, Ragnarok. She understood that it would be
nearly impossible for any mortal to survive. After a moment, she
gathered her wits enough to ask, "Isn't there *anything* we can do?"
Although Belldandy couldn't see The Almighty, she was sure He smiled
at her question. "Yes, child, there is. All of the preparations are
in place, now that Skuld has granted her first wish ..."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Urd looked at Skuld. "*WHAT*???"
Skuld wrapped her arm around Ranma's. "I said, 'I'm Ranma's
fiancee'."
Ukyo looked at Ranma and Akane, shock in her eyes. "Ran-chan, I never
intended this to happen! I just wanted to be able to let you and
Akane get married without honour demanding I kill you. What went
wrong?"
They all thought for a moment. Finally, Akane asked, "Skuld, exactly
how did you grant Ukyo's wish?"
Skuld pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "I wrote this and got
sister," and she nodded toward Urd, "to make sure Kuonji-san saw it.
That kept him from engaging Ukyo to Ranma."
"And exactly what does that document say?" asked Urd.
Skuld's eyes widened, then narrowed. "You didn't read it, did you?"
She sighed. "Okay: 'Saotome Genma and Urd Odinsdotter agree that a
son of Saotome and a sister of Odinsdotter shall become affianced.
This shall take effect on the day that either of them turns sixteen.'
Honestly, Urd, don't you *ever* read the paperwork involved with a
wish?"
"And why should I have read the paperwork on a wish *you* were told to
grant? That's your job, not ... Hey! Is that *all* it says?"
Akane nodded. "Except for your and Genma's signatures, that's all it
says."
"So my sister doesn't actually have to *marry* Ranma, does she?"
"Nope!" Akane smiled. "And since she's already agreed not to get in
our way, I don't have a problem with the situation." She turned to
Ranma and Skuld, and started to glower. "Although I might get upset
if she keeps hanging onto Ranma's arm ..."
Tears filled Skuld's eyes. "But ... but ... fiancees always act like
this in the shojo manga Usagi let me read! I'm sorry!!!"
Despite herself, Akane smiled. She wondered whether this was an
exceptionally well-developed survival trait of Skuld's, or some
Goddess power, or was she really that sad? Either way, it was
working. "Skuld, dear, ..."
"Yes, Akane-sempai?"
"You don't have to live your life exactly like the comic books. Now,
would you *please* let go of my fiancee?"
"Oh. Okay." As Skuld released Ranma's arm, she noticed her
wristwatch. "Oh, no! We're going to be late for class!"
Urd watched the others run to make it inside in time for their
homeroom. "Was I ever that young?" She smiled and started walking to
the train station, intending to window-shop on her way home.
But she didn't get to the station. As she was walking around a
corner, she had an urge to look at the sky. Thus, Urd was the only
being on Earth to see the invader enter the atmosphere. She
immediately turned around and ran for the school - she wasn't allowed
to interfere in mortal affairs, but she *could* warn Ranma, Akane,
Ukyo, and the Sailor Team ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The day's first class was over, and some lucky students were starting
a free period. They didn't expect to see the sister of one of their
classmates barge into the room, out of breath and panicky ...
"Skuld! Where's ... Never mind! I see her!" Urd raced over to
Akane's desk (conveniently right beside Usagi's). "Akane! Do you
know where to find the Sailor Senshi?"
"Why would *I* know where to find them?"
"Right! Sorry! I just have to tell them I saw something come out of
the sky, on a course to land in Hokkaido. If you *do* see them, let
them know, okay?" And Urd left, saying, "Now, where's that Kintaro
boy? He might know where to find the Senshi! I have to tell him,
too!"
Ranma walked over to Akane's desk. "What was *that* all about? Why
would she ask you to get in touch with the Sailor Senshi? I mean ..."
Akane kicked Ranma's shin. "You're right - we don't know any of the
Senshi. Do we, Usagi?" She turned to her classmate.
Usagi was fast asleep.
Ami nudged Usagi's shoulder. "Huh? Is it time for class already?"
"Not yet, Usagi," answered Ami. "But if you're falling asleep in free
period, I think you should get some fresh air."
"Okay!" And Ami, Usagi, Ranma, Akane and Ukyo all stepped outside,
where they found Urd and Belldandy waiting for them.
"It's about time you got here! Look, I'm breaking a lot of rules just
warning you about this invader ..."
Belldandy interrupted Urd. "No, you're not. The non-interference
rule has been lifted for the duration of the emergency. We can help
whoever we think needs our help."
Usagi smiled. "That's wonderful!"
Ami frowned. "Maybe, and maybe not. Urd, exactly what did you see?"
"I didn't exactly *see* it, Ami. But I couldn't help noticing its
aura. It was dark, and malevolent, and *cold* ..."
Ami's frown grew. "I was afraid of that. Usagi, do you remember what
Mamoru said Michiru told him yesterday?"
Usagi stopped smiling. "That's right."
Ranma, Akane, Ukyo, Belldandy, and Urd stared at the Sailors. "You
already know what we're up against?" Belldandy asked.
"Yes, we know," replied Ami. "And the Sailor Senshi will not stop
it."
Belldandy gasped in horror. "But they mean to start Fimbulvetr, the
Last Days before Ragnarok! We *must* interfere!"
Usagi put her hand on her locket. "This will help bring peace to the
world! We *must not* interfere!"
The two of them stared at each other, neither giving an inch.
Ranma leaned to Akane, and whispered in her ear. ["What the hell are
*we* going to do?"]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming in Chapter Eight:
Our heroes have to decide where they stand - are they with Usagi, or
with Belldandy?
When their teachers asked where they were going, they all said
the same thing: "We're going to save the world."
School seemed empty, with so many people absent.
--
Rob Kelk http://members.tripod.com/~robkelk/ rob...@ottawa.com
"I'm *not* a kid! Nyyyeaaah!" - Skuld (in "Oh My Goddess!" OAV #3)
"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of
childishness and the desire to be very grown-up." - C.S. Lewis, 1947