[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 4, "D" Side (4/4)
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"Ah, Ninomiya-sensei, a pleasant evening to you." Kunou nodded
sagely as Ninomiya Hinako, in her child's body, stepped out the front
doors of the school. "I was called here by the pig-tailed girl
concerning the final fate of Saotome Ranma. According to the lovely
Toshiko, one of the lovely pig-tailed one's mirror-clones, Saotome is
said to be dead."
Hinako stopped, staring quizzically at the kendou-ka. "Are you sure
about that? We haven't received any notification of the sort."
"Ah, that seems understandable, Sensei." Kunou chuckled. "You know
how slow the government bureaucracy can be at times."
"True." She then started on hearing someone laughing. "Who . . .?"
A storm of rose pedals showered the ground around Kunou. "A good
evening to you, Sensei!" Kodachi hailed as she landed some distance
from her brother, and then she dramatically bowed to Hinako. "I see
we're the first ones here."
"It appears we are, sister." Kunou nodded before he tensed.
"What the hell're you guys doing here?!"
"Kuonji-kun!" Hinako turned as Ukyou came up, followed by Nabiki and
Akane. "Tendou-kun?! How many people are coming today?"
"Might be quite a few, Sensei." Nabiki looked around, and then she
perked on hearing a bicycle bell. "And there's Shampoo . . .!"
"Nihao!" Shampoo landed on the walkway, hopping off her bike as she
scanned around. "Where's Airen?! He said he'd be here!"
Akane glared hotly at the warrior-maiden. "Why'd he invite you?!"
"This one wonders why Airen invited you!" Shampoo retorted. "This
one knows he said he no longer wants anything to do with you . . .!"
Ukyou moved to moderate. "Girls, that's enough! Ran-chan's got
something important to tell us! There's no need for a fight!"
The other suitors glared at the chef. "What does a servant girl like
you know?" Kodachi hissed. "As far as I know, Ranma-sama desired to
treat us all equally and fairly." A sneer turned her lips. "Not that
I'd consider any of you equal to myself, of course!" she then added.
"Hey!" the others snapped.
"That's enough!" Hinako drew out a five-yen coin. "There'll be no
fighting on school grounds even if there are no classes on . . .!"
"Akane!"
"Dad?!" Akane spun around as Souun stormed onto the property, a
fretful look on his face. "What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here to take that back!" He pointed to the wrapped bundle in
Akane's hand. "You have no need to bring th- . . .!"
Before he could finish, much less get his hands on the doojou sign, a
glowing chain snared him by the legs. He was then flung toward the
clock tower. Everyone cried out in shock as Souun kissed concrete,
and then he dropped to the steps. "Tendou-san!" Hinako screamed.
Kunou looked around. "What was . . .?!"
"Aiyah! That was a psychic kusarigama attack!" Shampoo exclaimed.
"That's right."
Everyone spun around to look off to Kunou's right as someone stepped
up, a glowing hook-chain-weight hanging off one hand. "Ranma!" Akane
gasped.
"Ran-chan!" "Airen!" "Ranma-sama!" "Pig-tailed girl!" echoed from
the others as they swarmed toward the redhead . . .
As she vanished, a wall of air slammed into her would-be suitors,
sending them flying back to the walkway. Ranma reappeared some
distance behind Akane, an annoyed look on her face. "Do I have your
attention now?"
"Shanpú!"
Ranma ducked as chains raced for her head. The Psychic Kusarigama
flew. Mousse could not avoid it; he screamed out as it snared him by
the neck. Ranma sent him into the walkway beside Nabiki. "Nice to
see you, too, Mùsi."
She withdrew the ki-chain, allowing the energy to flow back into
her. "We're here," Nabiki said. "What's this about, Ranma?"
Ranma's eyes narrowed. "We're not all here yet, Tendou-san."
She vanished behind the Umisen-ken cloak as a scream howled from the
east. Genma slammed into the ground, his katana parting empty air.
Before he could recover, an invisible fist smashed into his nose,
sending him flying into the stonewall fencing the school property. As
Genma dropped in a dazed heap on the ground, Ranma reappeared.
"Pathetic," she hissed.
"What's he doing with your mom's katana?" Nabiki wondered.
"He attacked her at her house, looking for this." Ranma drew out the
Saotome doojou sign from under her jersey, popping open the hidden
hatch on the back. "Not to mention this." She then drew out the
envelope contained within.
"What exactly IS that, pig-tailed one?!" Kunou asked.
"Glad you asked, Kunou-san." Ranma dropped the doojou sign as she
drew out the license. "This's Oyaji's teaching license, given to him
by Jijii to help him start the Saotome-ryuu. So . . . " She moved to
rip it up. "Once this and the sign are destroyed, the Saotome-ryuu is
no more . . . "
"NO!"
Ranma jumped clear as Souun lunged, his hands grasping for Genma's
license. Before the Tendou patriarch could move to guard, a ki bolt
slammed into the dirt beside him, sending him flying into a tree. As
Souun slid to the ground, Ranma landed. "Stupid idiot!"
"Saotome-kun, you have no right to destroy that!" Hinako marched up,
five-yen coin at the ready. "That is your father's . . .!"
"I have no father."
" . . . property . . .!" Hinako stopped. "What did you just say?"
Ranma reached into her tunic, drawing another envelope. Stuffing
Genma's license into a pocket, she handed the new envelope to her
teacher. Hinako opened it. Scanning the contents, she gaped.
"Oh . . .!" She covered her mouth, and then she gazed on Ranma.
"Saotome-kun, is this true?"
"It is." Ranma turned to the others. "As of noon today, I applied
for and was given the right to form MY OWN branch of the Saotome
Clan. I have renounced all familial ties with BOTH Saotome Genma AND
Saotome Nodoka of Nerima. As of that moment, Saotome Ranma, son of
Genma and Nodoka, ceased to exist. I am now Saotome Ranma of Odawara
in Kanagawa-ken." A pause. "And I am an orphan. Because I am still
under age, I am under the legal guardianship of Grandmaster Moroboshi
Negako of the Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo Jinseijitsu Ninjutsu-ryuu,
presently resident of Kasuga-chou in Nerima. None of you can use
either Genma or Nodoka to get at me anymore."
Ranma waited for someone to say something, and then she turned to
Akane and Nabiki. "Whatever claim your family has towards me is now
null-and-void." To Ukyou. "The same applies to you." To Shampoo.
"Given that our situation is unique, Shanpú, I will explain what will
happen in your great-grandmother's company in the near future." To
Mousse. "But that doesn't give you a free ticket to molest Shan like
you did before." To the Kunous. "And no, I've no desire to have
anything to do with you two. Not now, not EVER . . .!"
"NO!"
Ranma spun out of the way as Genma charged, the katana ripping close
to her heart. The older martial artist spun around as he tried to cut
off her legs. Ranma wheeled clear, sending a Mooko Takabisha at
Genma. He dodged, and then he lunged toward Ranma. Hinako leapt in
the way.
"***HAPPOU-GO-EN-SATSU!***"
Genma howled in frustration as the ki-drain began, his hands letting
go of the katana. Seeing the blade fly right at Hinako's face, Ranma
lunged. The teacher was knocked clear as the katana buzzed past. The
others watched Hinako fall, and then they turned back as the sword
plunged through Ranma's chest, punching out the back to the left of
her spine.
"***RANMA!***" Akane screamed.
Unseen by the combatants, a certain crucifix given to Ranma some days
before touched the edge of the blade. As contact was made, the rose
in the heart of the cross blossomed, a burst of brilliant light
blinding everyone.
* * *
Chikage grimly nodded. "Yes . . .!"
* * *
Negako closes her eyes. "Perfect."
* * *
Cologne perked. "What was that?!"
* * *
Happoosai puffed his pipe. "You did it now, Genma!"
* * *
"Ranma . . .!"
Looking confusedly around his bedroom, Ataru stood. As a whispered
metallic voice began to echo in his mind, he raced out the back door
so that the sisters wouldn't notice his departure. Leaping for the
nearest roof, Ataru then took off at a dead run toward Fuurinkan
High . . .
* * *
"***OYAAAAAAAAAAAAAJIIIIIIIIIIIIII . . .!***"
Genma's vision was full of spots as he staggered to his feet. Before
he could sense any danger, a hand covered in fur grabbed him by the
throat. One hard toss later sent him back first into a cherry tree.
Before he could slide down, something bracketed his shoulder joints to
pin him in place. His hands, feet and legs were likewise nailed
down. Dizzy from the impact, he closed his eyes as he tried to
recover. "R-r-Ranma . . .?"
Blinking, he looked up to where he thought his son was . . .
And then he wished he hadn't looked at all.
"**Nice try.**"
Standing before him was what should have been Saotome Ranma in female
form. But Genma knew Ranma's female form didn't include golden fur
covering her skin, a cat-like tail sticking out her back that ended in
a diamond-shaped pad, cat-slit eyes, fanged canines, puffed cheeks
sprouting a grove of whiskers, elegantly pointed ears tipped in black
fur and large, bat-like wings sticking out of her shoulders. On her
chest, the crucifix Chikage passed on to her through Ataru glowed
softly. The katana that nearly skewered Ranma's heart was in this
being's hand, no blood anywhere on the steel.
Gazing at this monstrosity from a safe distance away, the others were
speechless. "Ranma-sama . . . " Kodachi whispered for them all.
"**But no cigar,**" Ranma added, playfully waving the katana close to
Genma's face, her voice ringing with the rumble of thunder mixed with
a tiger's purr. The older martial artist winced as the blade flashed
before his eyes, he turning away as he squeezed his eyes shut. A faux-
pout turned her lips at the supposed lack of attention. "**What's the
matter? Aren't you happy to see what YOU created, Oyaji?!**" she then
mockingly asked.
"YOU MONSTER!" Kunou then roared, drawing his bokken as he prepared
to strike this beast down. "RELEASE THE PIG-TAILED GIRL THIS
INSTANT!"
He charged at Ranma's back as she swung around, the katana flying.
That sliced through his bokken in a flash. Along with his neck!
"TATEWAKI!" Nabiki shrieked in disbelief as Kunou's severed head
flipped in mid-air before hitting the ground with a hollow, wet *thud!
* His body collapsed right afterward. That sound was enough to make
Genma's eyes snap open, they dropping at once to stare upon the corpse
lying not two metres from him.
Before he could think of what to do, claw-tipped fingers tapped
several places on his face. "**Uh-uh!**" Neko-Ranma shook her head.
"**You're not going to avoid seeing THIS, Oyaji! There's no escape
for you THIS time!**"
"Ranma, are you INSANE?!" Akane screamed as the others around her
braced themselves for what might happen next. "He didn't . . .!"
"**He didn't WHAT?!**" the felinoid snapped as she loomed over Akane,
the air around her ablaze with fiery rage. "**Deserve what I just
give him?! SO WHAT?! He always kept screaming at me 'Die, Saotome!'
all the time! WHAT SHOULD I'VE DONE?! THE WORLD'S BETTER OFF WITHOUT
HIM!**"
"***RAAAAAAAAAAAAANMAAAAAAAAAAAAA . . .!***"
"Dad, NO . . .!" Nabiki shrilled.
"SOUUN!" Genma screamed.
Everyone was frozen in place as Neko-Ranma used the claws of one hand
to shred Souun's Demon Head. The katana slashed across at the same
time, catching Souun in the abdomen. "TENDOU-SAN!" Hinako screamed as
the winged felinoid wheeled around to deliver a stroke through his
side, ripping him in half! As the severed parts of his body slumped
to the dirt, Neko-Ranma's wings spread out, the blazing aura of ki
surrounding her flaring.
"**Just in case you get any ideas of leaving . . .!**"
Energy lashed out to touch the four corners of the school property.
In the wink of an eye, a large ki-dome formed, sealing off Fuurinkan
High from the rest of Nerima. Watching this, everyone still standing
shuffled closer together, their eyes locked on the monster who just
struck two people down with the same nonchalance one might apply to
swatting an annoying fly.
"**Now . . .!**" Neko-Ranma purred. "**Where were we?**"
* * *
"Toofuu-sensei, what IS that?!"
Toofuu shook his head. "I'm not too sure, Kasumi!" He and Kasumi
had met two blocks from the school's front gate seconds before the
strange energy dome was formed. "Energy unlike anything I've EVER
seen before."
The chiropractor peered intently at it.
* * *
"***HAPPOU-GOJUU-EN-SATSU!***"
Neko-Ranma remained still, allowing the tip of her mother's katana to
punch into the dirt, as Hinako's energy-absorption powers tried to
absorb her fighting ki. "**Oh, please!**" The felinoid's lips
twisted in a demonic approximation of Ranma's cocky grin. "**I hardly
feel that!**"
Hinako screamed as she felt NOTHING coming at her. She then spun her
coin on Mousse, who was closest to her. He cried as she drained his
ki. Now in her adult body, Hinako spun on Neko-Ranma. "***HAPPOU
TSURISEN GAESHI!***"
The felinoid held up a hand. "**No thanks! I don't want that!**"
The ki bolt slammed into the palm. Neko-Ranma curled her fingers to
pool the energy into a spheroid. "**Here, have it back!**" She then
grinned savagely as the ki ripped out, lancing right for the teacher's
heart.
Ukyou moved to shove her clear. "Look out, Sensei!"
All the fiancées and Nabiki were then snared around their legs by
spirit kusarigamas. As they were sent flying away from the hapless
teacher, the ki bolt punched through her fifty-yen piece. She
screamed as the energy flooded her system. Then, a mindless shriek
stole her voice as even MORE ki, a virtual tsunami of energy, flowed
relentlessly into her. Neko-Ranma smirked. "**Here you go. I've got
much, much more to spare . . . **"
She then blinked in mock-surprise as Hinako's body exploded thanks to
her cells becoming supersaturated with energy! As the area was
showered with a fine reddish mist, Neko-Ranma covered her mouth.
"**Ooops! Overdid it!**"
"Why, Ranma?"
She then turned to see Nabiki standing nearby. Reaching down to yank
the Saotome honour blade from the ground, Neko-Ranma walked over to
the still-weakened Mousse. "**I'm doing to them what they long
threatened to do to me, Tendou-san!**" She raised the blade, and then
she contemptuously slammed it into the back of his head. "**I'm
giving them a taste of what they've long wished to see happen to me!
**" She then twisted the blade to ensure that the weapons-master's
brain was sufficiently shredded. As soon as his body stopped
twitching, she pulled out the katana, and then she turned to face
Nabiki. "**Any reason I shouldn't be doing this?**" An eyebrow
arched amusedly.
Despite the calm look on the felinoid's face, Nabiki was quick to
realize that this thing before her was in NO mood to be civil. And
given what Neko-Ranma had just done to Kunou, her own father, Hinako
and Mousse, she knew that any false step she made, any wrong word she
said, could easily be her last. Hopefully, the others would recover
fast enough so they could find some way to take this damned thing
DOWN. "I can think of some."
Neko-Ranma crossed her arms. "**Oh?**"
* * *
"Uhnnn . . . " Nabiki blinked. "Where . . .?" she grunted, sitting
up as she rubbed her eyes. "What the hell . . .?! Where am I . . .?"
All around her was white. Not the blinding white one might associate
with staring into a noon sun. But a ghostly white, what one might
find in a billowing cloud. Standing, Nabiki took an intense look
around. Wait . . .! She could pick out darker elements in the bland
scenery. And her feet were clearly pressing on something solid. What
could it be? Kneeling, she reached down, running her hand at the
level of her toes. Wait . . .! Was that . . .?
"Grass?"
She had to still be on school property!
Standing, Nabiki straightened. Then, remembering nearly forgotten
lessons about perceiving surrounding ki fields, she relaxed.
* * *
"**Let me tell you what I think.**" Neko-Ranma placed the tip of her
sword on a large rock. "**I think the time has LONG since come for
EVERY LAST idiot who's imposed himself, herself or itself on my life
to finally understand what doing that will COST them! After all,
Tendou-san, you don't allow people to take advantage of you without
extracting a pretty steep penalty in return, ne? Why shouldn't I do
that, then?!**"
Nabiki shook her head. "It's not the same . . .!"
The felinoid's eyebrow arched. "**'Not the same?!'**"
One hand then lashed out, a psychic kusarigama leaping from the
palm. A scream echoed from where that ki-chain went. Nabiki watched
as a dazed Kodachi sailed through the air toward Neko-Ranma. "**Take
our local psycho-maniac gymnast here.**" The felinoid snared Kodachi
by the neck, slamming the katana through her heart before ripping open
her throat with her claws. "**Assumed she's my fiancée when I made it
VERY clear that I wanted nothing to do with her!**" She allowed
Kodachi to drop to the ground, and then she produced another
kusarigama. "**She poisons me, paralyses me, then has the utter GALL
to presume that because she's of 'higher' birth, she could do whatever
she wanted to do with me regardless of what my 'honour' demanded
otherwise!**"
The ki-chain flew off to Nabiki's left. The felinoid yanked back
soon enough, this time producing Shampoo. "**And speaking of people
who think they've got the right to impose their worldview on me, let's
talk about Miss Kitty here!**" Neko-Ranma allowed the katana to
impale the warrior-maiden through the forehead. With a yank, the
felinoid ripped off the top of her skull, allowing the rest to drop to
the ground beside Mousse. "**Represents an 'advanced' culture that's
survived on its own for three thousand years! Feh! One nuclear
bomb'd wipe them out in the blink of an eye! Doubt all their magic'd
help then!**" She shrugged before gazing disparagingly at the fallen
warrior-maiden. "**And to believe I actually defended them from
Saffron! Heh! Maybe I should've let them die! Best way to get rid
of them, ne?!**"
"R-Ran-chan . . .!"
Neko-Ranma turned to see a wobbly Ukyou emerge from the darkness, her
battle spatula in hand. Snorting, the felinoid walked over to glare
into the chef's eyes. "**Friend or fiancée, U-chan? What'll it be?
**"
Ukyou shuddered before she shook her head. "You're not Ranma . . . "
In a flash of steel, Ukyou's head flew off her neck. Nabiki gulped
helplessly as the okonomiyaki chef's headless body dropped to the
ground, her head landing nearby. Still bound to the tree, Genma could
do nothing but gaze in horror as the heartless beast that had been his
child carried on its work. "**Jeez! Ask a simple question and you
get THIS crap!**" Neko-Ranma shook her head as she turned. "**There
you are!**" She crossed her arms on seeing Akane standing there.
"**So, 'friend,' what do you want?!**" She smirked. "**Think that
cute little bunny suit'll save your ass THIS time, tomboy?!**" A
shake of the head. "**And to actually believe I really wanted to WEAR
that flimsy thing! Dear Fates, WHAT was I thinking?!**" She turned
away, shrugging.
Akane charged. Neko-Ranma faded from view. A thunderous "***KONTOU!
***" then filled the air. Nabiki and Genma watched in horror as a
blazing katana popped out of NOWHERE to punch through Akane's abdomen,
psionically slicing the Densetsu no Doogi's buckle in half. The blade
twisted around, and then it vertically "ripped" her in half from groin
to head. A surprised scream bursting from her lips was instantly cut
off as her very soul was shredded by the soulsword. As Akane dropped,
Neko-Ranma dropped the Goshin Buufu cloak, dispersing the soulsword as
her eyes fell on Nabiki. "**She was supposed to be the 'heir' to your
school?!**" A snort. "**Get real!**"
"Actually . . . " Nabiki assumed a ready stance. "If you really
want to know, Saotome, I'M the real heir of the Tendou-ryuu!"
They gazed on each other. Neko-Ranma then walked over to pick up the
dropped Tendou doojou sign. Tapping the back of it, she popped open
the small compartment, drawing out Souun's teaching license. "**Is
that a fact, huh?!**" She held up the envelope, and then she used a
ki ball to burn it. "**Well, I guess it's your doojou now, Nabiki!
Here, catch!**"
She tossed the sign at the middle Tendou daughter. Nabiki caught it,
and then she screamed as the Saotome blade punched through the wood --
and her heart! "**Some heir.**" Neko-Ranma sneered as Nabiki looked
in stunned disbelief at her before dropping lifelessly to the ground.
* * *
"Where are we, Dou-chan?!"
A small sign appeared hanging off Akane's left arm. [I CAN'T TELL.]
The sign twirled around. [THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED
BEFORE!] Another twirl. [HE'S BEEN DOING SOME REALLY STRANGE
TRAINING, AKANE!]
"Yeah, but WHERE?!" Akane frantically looked around. She then
blinked on seeing a human-shaped shadow pass by to her right. "Hey!"
She ran over to intercept it, and then Akane screamed out as the
shadow faded into the cloudy white without a trace. "DAMN IT!"
* * *
"Wh-why . . .?"
Neko-Ranma perked, turning to see Genma staring blearily at her.
Drool dripped from his mouth; his whole body was sagging as if
Ninomiya Hinako had just nailed him with her ki drain. "**Why?!**"
Genuine surprise appeared on the felinoid's face as she walked over to
stand beside her father, waving to the corpses scattered across the
lawn. "**Well, isn't this what you wanted, Oyaji?!**" She gazed
intently into his eyes. "**It IS what you wanted, after all!
You . . . **" She pointed at Genma. "**Wanted ME . . . **" She
pointed to herself. "**To be able to defeat and destroy anyone who
faced me in a fight! Isn't that why you taught me the Neko-ken?
Isn't that why you took me away from Mom? Isn't that why you never
wanted me to have friends or know a normal life?**" A hard edge
appeared in her voice. "**So I COULD be the best martial artist
ever?! Isn't that what you REALLY wanted of me, Oyaji?!**"
Genma shuddered, his eyes trying to turn away from the carnage. Not
a muscle in his head or neck responded. "**Well, then . . . **" Neko-
Ranma sighed, concentrating as a strange, icy fire seemed to consume
her. Within seconds, she was back to normal. "I guess you just
didn't meet up to my expectations, Oyaji." Her voice reverted to
normal, though her eyes were still cat-slits. "Gee, isn't that just
too bad."
She drew out a cell phone, dialling a number. A second later, a
man's voice called back, "Toranoseishin Finances, Yumoa here."
"Reigi-san, it's Ranma."
"Yes, Ranma-san, can I help you?"
"Has Judge Nozawa put out the arrest warrant for Genma?"
"It went out two hours ago. In fact, the Nerima District Police Box
got a call from Saotome Nodoka's lawyer sometime ago. Genma is wanted
now for assault and battery on both Nodoka and her sister, Asagaya
Hisayo."
"Is that a fact?" Ranma shook her head. "Stand by a moment."
"Hai, standing by."
* * *
"Ataru-kun!"
"Stand back, Kasumi-san!" Ataru waved Kasumi away from the sealed
gate of Fuurinkan High School, and then he touched the handles.
"Be careful, Ataru-kun!" Toofuu, who had been trying to analyse the
energy field encompassing the school when Ataru came, warned.
"Relax, Ono-sensei! I know what this energy's about!" Ataru grunted
before he relaxed himself as he tried to pull the doors apart.
* * *
"Well, Oyaji, what's it gonna be?"
Genma quaked as Ranma glared amusedly into his eyes. "Do I tell
Reigi-san to get the police down here so they can haul your ass into
jail? Make you face up to ALL the things you did? After all, during
those weeks I was gone from Nerima, I had some friends do some
research on the stuff you pulled during the trip you NEVER, even to
the day of the wedding, bothered to tell me about!" She leaned into
his face, snaring his full attention with those burning, slit eyes.
"Does the name Asayama Yuuko sound familiar to you, Oyaji? How about
Fujiki Sayuri? Or maybe Sasamoto Miwa, Sasamoto Narumi and Sasamoto
Mizuho?! What the HELL was I supposed to be doing marrying TRIPLETS,
Oyaji?!"
No answer. Ranma raised a hand. A sphere of ki appeared. With a
fling of the hand, she sent it to the corpses littering the school
grounds. In a flash and clouds of smoke, they vanished. "Or do I
give you one last chance?"
"L-l-last ch-chance . . .?" Genma sputtered.
She nodded. "Oh, yes! You see, Oyaji, much that right now, I hate
you, I can't deny for a minute that you did teach me some important
things about martial arts. And life. And honour." A sarcastic grin
crossed her face. "Especially where it concerned upholding promises
made on that honour. Ne, Oyaji?" Her eyebrows wriggled. "All I have
to do is call Reigi-san and tell him that you're not here. It might
give you a few hours' head start to get out of the country. Say head
to Korea or China, where the police can't catch you. After all, you
*stealing* Mom's katana, not to mention *hitting* Mom and her sister,
isn't going to go down well with a lot of people."
"Wh-what do I have to d-do . . .?" he asked in a stronger voice,
though Ranma was quick to sense the truth behind his words. To Genma,
anything looked better than facing what Ranma had just unleashed. "T-
t-tell me . . .!"
"Well . . . " She glanced to the gate. "Just meet my new fiancé!"
she gushed. "After all, all YOUR choices for my fiancées kinda . . .
well, as Yotsuba-chan would say it, just took the Last Checky to Saint
Peter's Gate." She waved to the empty lawn where there had lain nine
corpses. "Not to mention them having all sorts of problems and all
that!" She snorted. "So I felt it was time to choose my OWN fiancé.
After all, a 'man above men' should have full freedom of choice when
it comes to his wife, ne?"
He rapidly nodded. "Yes! Y-yes! Of c-course!"
"Fair enough, then," she said before sauntering to the gate.
* * *
"You bastard . . .!"
Nabiki's teeth gnashed as she gazed through the fog at the bound,
sagging Genma. She had come to this point in this weird place a
minute before. She was unable to overhear everything Genma and Ranma
had said, but with her years of experience reading lips, she got the
general point. Ranma had his father over the hot coals. One call to
Yumoa Reigi -- Oh, yes! She knew who that man was! -- would see the
lazy ass panda jailed once and for all.
So why the HELL was Ranma willing to give the fool one last chance?
Unless . . .
* * *
Ataru gritted his teeth. "I think I got it . . . "
The front gates opened. Before he could understand what was
happening, Ataru was snared by his collar and yanked into the school
grounds. "Ataru!" Toofuu moved to catch him, but nearly got his face
smashed in when the gates closed up. "Ataru!" He grabbed the bars,
moving to yank hard. They did not move. "Damn it!" he screamed out
in frustration.
"Toofuu-sensei, wasn't that Ranma?!" Kasumi wondered.
"I . . .!" The chiropractor stopped, gazing nowhere in particular as
he considered her question. "I'm really not sure, Kasumi."
* * *
"Hello, Ataru!"
"Ranm- . . . mmmfpht!" Ataru's voice was cut off as Ranma swamped
him with the proverbial mother of all French kisses.
Stuck to the tree, Genma stared at his son -- his perfect martial
artist, his own legacy, his icon of manliness (even if he was
currently in a girl's body!) -- presently kissing another MAN! And
not just any man, but one of the most girl-crazy teenage men ever to
walk the face of the planet! And that was no friendly kiss, either!
Finally, Ranma pulled away from a stupefied Ataru, and then she turned
to gaze at Genma. "You failed, Oyaji. Completely, totally failed!"
She looked up as Ataru seemed to recover. "Right, my love?"
He looked at her, and then he shuddered as something overcame him.
His eyes closed, and then opened. His left eye glowed with a burning
crimson fire. "**You can say that, dear.**" A smirk twisted his
lips. "**So why haven't you killed this fool yet?**" he then
wondered, crossing his arms.
Ranma pulled away from him, closing her eyes as that icy fire
returned. This time, it consumed Ranma and Ataru both. Once the fire
faded, Neko-Ranma stood once more on the grounds of Fuurinkan High.
Seeing that homicidal felinoid again sent a painful weight into
Genma's stomach.
But the being standing beside Ranma . . .?!
HE was the stuff of nightmares!
* * *
Nabiki paled. "Kami-sama have mercy!"
* * *
[AKANE, I THINK I CAN SENSE NABIKI!]
"Okay! Get me to her, Dou-chan!"
[RIGHT!]
* * *
Water exploded!
"DARLING!"
Yamada moved to help the brunette get out of the pool before she
drowned in what had just been her native environment. "Lum-san!"
"N-no . . .!" Lum sputtered as the door to the poolroom opened,
revealing Ran, Shinobu and Ryuunosuke. "N-no . . . D-DARLING . . .!"
* * *
A growl escaped Neko-Ranma as she glared towards Tomobiki. "**NO!**"
she howled. "**DON'T YOU DARE, ONI! HE'S MINE! HEAR ME?! MINE!
*MINE!***"
The Cyborg sighed. "**Ranma . . .!**"
* * *
"Y-y-yeah . . . when Ranma-chan falls in love with someone,
h- . . .!" Nabiki sputtered before spitting out, "*She* doesn't mess
around!"
* * *
Lum looked up, her deep brown eyes glowing. She didn't sense the
towels moving to wipe off the gestation fluid from her, much less the
comforting hands of her friends squeezing her shoulders. "Y-y-
yours . . .?!" she gasped.
* * *
"**Yes!**" Neko-Ranma snarled. "**Mine!**"
She slunk herself against the Cyborg, one of her clawed hands tracing
the outline of the gunmetal-grey ascending phoenix insignia fused to
the cybernetic right side of his chest. The finger traced down to the
point where that symbol merged seamlessly into a golden cloth mirror
version on his human left side. "**And we have YOU to thank for this,
Oyaji.**" She gazed on Genma. "**Remember when you took me to
Sendai? When you left me alone at our campsite when you tried to
steal supplies from Ataru's uncle? Remember when you tried to take me
from Ataru and Nokoko, who found me at our campsite, ALONE?!**" Her
voice took on a brittle edge. "**Remember what happened next?!**"
Genma paled. "N-no . . .!"
The felinoid peered at him, and then she snorted, looking at her half-
machine soul-mate. "**He doesn't remember. Typical, ne?**"
"**Hai, that it is!**" The Cyborg shrugged before straightening
himself. "**Well, if it must be done, it must be done right.**"
Neko-Ranma pulled away from him as Ataru approached Genma. Stopping
in front of him, the machine-man closed his good eye. Icy fire
enveloped him, restoring him to normal. Almost normal; his left eye
still glowed. "Saotome-san, I've a request of you," he then
announced.
Genma stared blankly at him. Ataru looked tense. "Sir, having come
to know your child over the last couple of weeks, may I . . .?" He
paused dramatically, and then he finished, "May I ask for her hand in
marriage?"
* * *
Sweat-drop, eyebrow twitch. "At least he's doing it right," Nabiki
muttered before gasping on feeling a hand touch her. "Who . . .?!"
"There you are!" Akane breathed out. "Are you okay?!"
"Akane!" Nabiki felt a lump in her throat. She started on hearing
her sister cry out in shock. "What . . .?" She turned to the image
before them. "Oh, that!" She chuckled in embarrassment, rubbing the
back of her head.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO RANMA?!" Akane shrieked.
A shrug. "Something to do with the Neko-ken, I guess."
* * *
"Marriage . . .?"
Spittle dripped from Genma's mouth as a laugh burst from him, he
gazing maniacally at Ataru. "Marriage?! MARRIAGE?! WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?! I HAVE NO DAUGHTER! I HAVE NO SON! I HAVE NOTHING!
***NOTHING!***"
Ataru blinked. "You've abandoned your child, then," he wondered.
Seeing Genma readily nod, he shrugged. "Well, I guess you have to
die."
That stopped Genma short. "'D-d-d-die' . . .?"
"Of course." Ataru turned away, an unwelcoming smile crossing his
face before that cold fire came back. "**After all, according to the
laws of that land where my Other and I hail, those who willingly
abandon their own flesh-and-blood -- those who KILL their child's
happiness for their own greed -- must pay for their sin with their
LIVES!**" He gazed on Neko-Ranma. "**Agreed?**"
* * *
"What manner of beast IS that?!" Kunou hotly demanded; he had arrived
ten seconds before. "What has he done to the pig-tailed one?!"
Akane's and Nabiki's elbows slammed into his head. "Shut up!"
"That, you had coming to you, Stick Boy!" Shampoo snapped.
* * *
"**Agreed,**" the felinoid replied with a smirk before she allowed
the cold fire to transform her. Unnoticed by anyone, the energy dome
enclosing Fuurinkan High faded. Drawing out her cell-phone, she
dialled a number.
"Toranoseishin Finances, Yumoa here," the other end answered.
"It's Ranma!" Ranma barked. "Genma's at Fuurinkan High! Get the
police here right away! I don't think we can hold him down long!"
"Right away!"
The line was cut off. Ranma drew out the Saotome doojou sign.
Walking to Genma, she stuffed that into his gi top. The teaching
license then came out of her pocket to join the doojou sign. Ranma
playfully tapped her father's cheek. "I won't be needing that
anymore," she said with a smirk before stepping back as ki began to
coalesce in her right hand.
"***KONTOU KITEI: SHIHI OOGAMA!***"
A wave of ki leapt from the soulsword to cleave Genma from head to
groin!
* * *
"Saotome-kun . . .!" Souun burbled.
* * *
A sonic boom shattered the windows of Fuurinkan High as the cherry
tree Genma was bound to was instantly shredded. Two balls of energy
billowed from the impact point. The one to Ranma's right quickly
formed into a panda, a replica of the same animal that drowned in
Jusenkyou all those thousands of years ago. The one to Ranma's left
formed more slowly into Genma. "There!" She dispersed the
soulsword. "Now you can't hide, Oyaji!"
"Ranma-kun!"
Ranma started on hearing Ono Toofuu's voice. She then closed her
eyes. They opened a second later, once again their normal sapphire
blue shade. Ataru remained in shadow as he allowed cold fire to
revert him to normal. "Yo, Doc!"
Toofuu and Kasumi stopped, their eyes widening in stunned shock on
seeing Genma and the panda separated into two living beings. "What
the . . .?" the former gasped before he spun on Ranma. "Ranma-kun,
what happened . . .?!"
"***SAOTOME GENMA! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST!***"
Genma jolted on hearing that scream, and then he bolted to his feet
as a storm of Tokyo's riot police raced onto the property, shields and
batons ready to do their necessary work. Flanking them on both sides
were representatives of the Nerima division, guns out. Screaming, the
martial artist turned to flee. He then cried out as a glowing
kusarigama chain snared him by the leg. He kissed the ground as Ranma
dispersed the ki-chain. She waved the police on to their target.
"He's all yours, boys!" she called out.
Genma spun on the riot police, a weak ki ball in hand. "NO!"
It blasted through the phalanx advancing on him like a cannonball.
Fortunately for the riot police, their shields and body armour
protected them from serious injury. Seeing what just happened, one
Nerima policeman levelled his revolver on Genma. A squeeze of the
trigger later, half of the target's head disintegrated in a shower of
crimson blood, pulped grey matter and shattered bone. Movement
stopped as the burly martial artist wavered before he dropped to the
ground. Silence fell as people stared wide-eyed at Genma. Smoke
suddenly billowed from his body before a bright fire began to consume
his corpse. Screams escaped the police as they backed away from the
bonfire. They then fell silent as the fire instantly faded, leaving
nothing behind.
A riot officer turned to Ranma. "What happened . . .?"
"We can explain that."
Everyone turned to see Negako, Cologne and Happoosai perched on her
shoulders. "Negako-san?!" Toofuu blinked. "What . . .?"
"When Ranma separated Genma's birth form from his cursed form using
the Fire Scythe, she didn't do it precisely enough to ensure both
could live separate lives to their fullest, Doctor." Cologne's eyes
narrowed. "Happy here learned that the hard way a century ago when he
tried to sever the birth form and cursed form of a boy cursed by the
Nyanniichuan."
"We had to watch the poor boy grow weak and die over a year's time,"
Happoosai continued as he bowed his eyes. "When he died, he
disintegrated. There was nothing left to bury. Nothing at all. Save
memories."
He looked away. The others took that in. A detective from Nerima,
the senior officer present, then holstered his weapon. "Pity." He
stared at the spot where Genma fell. "It would have been interesting
to see that fool on trial. Alright, everyone, let's secure the
scene!"
"Hai!" the other policemen chanted as they went to work.
"Ranma, did you forget something?" Negako asked.
Ranma looked nonplussed. "Oh, shit!"
She walked over to tap a point in mid-air over the walkway leading to
the school's front doors. A fizzle later, nine people dropped into a
heap by her feet. "Sorry about that!" She helped Nabiki and Mousse
up. "We needed you all out of the way so Oyaji could be finally taken
care of!"
The others were silent as they stared at Ranma or Ataru or the place
where Genma just fell. Ranma was quick to notice the fear, disbelief
and shock in their eyes as they glanced either at her or Ataru. Once
they appeared to have sufficiently recovered, she headed to where the
Tendou doojou sign rested, splattered in blood and nearly cleaved in
half thanks to the Saotome honour sword. The sword in question was on
the ground nearby. Ranma picked up the sword to stare at it for a
moment before she gazed curiously at Ataru.
"Would you mind?" she asked.
He nodded. "Toss it."
She did. Ataru reached into his jacket to yank out his Lawgiver.
Aiming on target, he barked, "Homing disrupt! Five shots!"
"*Homing disrupt, five,*" the pistol's on-board computer responded.
Five *cracks!* later, the sword was gone. Staring at the billowing
mist that followed a disintegrating shot from a Lawgiver, Ranma shook
her head. She glanced at the Tendou doojou sign. Taking a deep
breath, she picked it up.
"Ranma-kun . . .?" Kasumi whispered.
Nabiki, Akane and Souun also noticed. Seeing the damage the sign had
taken, it wouldn't require much from Ranma to destroy it. Staring at
the wood, symbol of something that had warped the lives of so many
over the last decade and more, she sighed. Shaking her head, she
tossed it contemptuously at Souun. "Train a REAL martial artist!
That is, IF Jijii gives you a new license!"
She moved to depart. "Ranma, wait . . .!" Akane called out.
The redhead stopped, snapping her fingers. "Oh, forgot . . . " She
gazed on Akane, ki coalescing in her hand. "***SEISHIN REEZAA KOOSEN!
***"
Akane screamed as the Psychic Laser Beam slammed into her, the
impact's force sending her skidding back a half-dozen paces. As the
youngest Tendou collapsed to the dirt, Ranma held out her hand,
cupping it. "Kontou!"
The soulsword formed, causing almost everyone present to take a
hesitant step away from Ranma. Even if they did not know exactly what
that burning blade could do, that Ranma was willing to strike Akane --
with a KI blast of all things! -- spoke volumes. Sensing no one
moving to stop her, she marched over to the slowly recovering Akane,
swinging the deadly tip of that energy blade toward her face. "Ranma,
don't . . .!" Nabiki cried out before her voice caught in her throat
as Ranma's gaze raked over her.
Akane grunted, and then she tensed on sensing something hot yet icy
cold hovering very close to her ear. She turned to see a burning
column of very intensive energy, and then she shakily looked up into
Ranma's eyes. "Do not EVER again presume you have the right to fight
ANYONE because of me, Tendou-san," the redhead warned. "If you do
that again, I will see to it you NEVER practice the martial arts for
the rest of your LIFE!"
Without another word, Ranma turned around and marched off towards the
front gate, the soulsword perched on her shoulder. Akane was still
too out of it to make any attempt at pursuit. Save for one, the
others on the lawn were just too shocked over seeing Ranma STRIKE her
former fiancée to do anything.
A Demon-Head then exploded from Souun. "***RANMA! HOW DARE YOU
STRIKE MY LITTLE GIRL?!***" he bellowed.
"Heavy stun, one shot!"
"*Heavy stun, one.*"
*ZZZAP!*
Souun dropped to the dirt as Ataru holstered his Lawgiver.
"Lieutenant, does Ranma have to be here to give testimony?" he asked,
staring at the senior police officer as Kasumi headed over to help her
dazed father.
"No, Moroboshi-san. We can send someone to talk to her tomorrow."
The detective nodded, inwardly smiling on seeing Tendou Souun finally
brought down so low -- and with such speed, too! Unlike many of the
other senior public officials in Nerima, he knew how truly ineffectual
Souun was when it came to matters such as the panty thief. "She
looked tired. She best get some sleep."
"Hai." Ataru nodded as he headed off after his friend.
* * *
"Much more happened here than what they know," Cologne mused.
She, Happoosai and Negako sat on the front steps of Fuurinkan High.
They were quick to note that none of Ranma's other would-be lovers had
moved to accompany her and Ataru off the grounds. "Indeed," Negako
said. "It would be interesting to see how these ones put this puzzle
together."
Happoosai cackled. "Yes, it would be, wouldn't it?"
* * *
"Welcome home, Ani-kun."
Ataru stopped. A teary-eyed Ranma was in his arms, asleep. She had
finally broke down some distance from Fuurinkan High. He stared
neutrally at Chikage, she leaning against the wall beside the door
leading into the old shrine. "Was this really necessary?" he finally
demanded.
"It would've happened sooner or later. Just like the emergence of
your hidden side would've occurred sooner or later, Ani-kun," the
sorceress calmly replied before her eyebrow arched. "What would you
prefer? What would Ane-kun prefer? Have it happen now when it could
be controlled? Or have it happen when you least suspect it and risk
the deaths of many?" A pause. "You at least had to confront the mass
slaughter of Oogi's mindless minions when the Cyborg first appeared.
I shudder to wonder what might have happened had that part of you
emerged when Lum was still living in Tomobiki."
Ataru considered that, his lips twisting sourly. "True."
* * *
To be continued . . .