A Fox Helps a Wild Horse
(A/N: Warning! This is my first ever NarutoxRanma Crossover. If you do not like what you read, then quit reading, and don't review. Flames do not count as reviews. They are considered to be forms of negative criticism born from people unable to write their own stuff and are jealous of those who can write their own stuff. Do not be a jerk and try to bring other people down because of your own inability to write anything. This is not an insult, but a fact, and for those that do have stuff, but don't like my fics, then don't read, and move onto the next fic you want to read. Again, your negativity is not welcome here or in this site, and is considered rude so don't criticize my work or anyone else's if its not constructive in a positive manner. Enjoy!)
Saotome Nodoka sat peacefully in her house, sipping some herbal tea while trying to keep herself from worrying about her husband Genma, and her only son Ranma. She had a long talk with Genma about taking their child on a training trip and becoming a "man amongst men" in the process. While she trusted Genma to train Ranma in the School of Anything Goes Marital Arts, there was an underlying worry that her husband would do something unethical, or he would fail in his mission. If that happened, Nodoka would have no choice, but to enforce the seppuku pledge, which would result in their deaths, and finally her own.
The price of family honor.
A polite knock came to the door and snapped the women out of her thoughts and went to answer the door to see tall man with crimson red hair, deep blue eyes, and whisker like birthmarks. He was wearing a suit and tie with a serious expression on his face that told her this was man on business. She also sensed him his energy was something unique and almost otherworldly. Something which Nodoka felt was strange since such energy had not been around since she was a child growing up with her parents.
"Saotome Nodoka?" asked the man in a firm yet respectful tone.
"Yes," replied Nodoka curiously.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I came here at the behest of your parents," replied Naruto politely with Nodoka looking shocked.
"Mother and Father sent you?" asked Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"Yes. They sent me to talk to you about something of grave importance...about your son," said Naruto with Nodoka's eyes widening.
"My Ranma? Is he all right?" asked Nodoka worriedly with Naruto sighing.
"Your son for the most part is fine Nodoka-san, but...I think it would be best if we had this talk about Ranma inside," replied Naruto with Nodoka nodding and letting him inside the house.
"Who are you? What has happened to Ranma? Why are my parents involved? Just what is going on?" asked Nodoka with Naruto sitting down across from her and pulled out an old pipe before conjuring a small fire through the tip of his finger to light it.
"As you can tell from my abilities, I'm not human, and I know you sensed my power was not of this world either. As I introduced myself earlier, I am Uzumaki Naruto, and I am a demon. Now before you freak out as to why I am here, I wish to state for the record that I am not here for your soul, your son's soul, or anyone else's soul. I am here at the behest of your parents. They called in a favor I owed one of your ancestors from a long time ago and I always payback my debts," explained Naruto before smoking the pipe and letting the smoke move around him in an almost supernatural manner.
"Why would they summon you? And involve themselves in my affairs? Or in Ranma's life? They never have before in the past?" asked Nodoka with Naruto shaking his head.
"I thought as much. Not about your parents, but that of your fat, and stupid moron for a husband," remarked Naruto while Nodoka frowned.
"Genma? What about him?" asked Nodoka with Naruto frowned.
"When Ranma was born, did you know Genma called them?" asked Naruto with Nodoka nodding.
"Of course! I told him to call them and give the good news!" replied Nodoka with Naruto shaking his head.
"That's not how they told it to me. Genma called like you wanted, but not to tell them the good news of having a Grandson. Your husband basically told them that you didn't want them in your life now that Ranma was born. While you were in the hospital, Genma used this time to break all ties with your parents, make you sound like they weren't important to you anymore, and not to call them back at all," replied Naruto with Nodoka shaking her head in disbelief.
"No! No! You're lying! Genma said they were irate about not being told sooner that I had gone into labor. Genma said they wanted nothing to do with me or Ranma after the birth. That they willingly chose to not stay in contact with me out of spite," said Nodoka with Naruto shaking his head.
"Lies I'm afraid. All of it. Naturally, they were growing more concerned about you with each passing year, and after much searching into ways to find out...they summoned me," replied Naruto with Nodoka shaking her head.
"Why? Why would Genma do that?" asked Nodoka while trying desperately to keep the idea of Genma betraying her out of her mind.
"Basically? Control. Control over your son and you. The man had no intention of letting your parents being involved in your lives," replied Naruto with Nodoka looking away.
"And Ranma? You said you were here to talk to me about him?" asked Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"Yes. After they summoned me and I was informed of the situation at hand. They asked me to investigate your husband and to locate Ranma since they had learned about his little training trip with the boy. My findings were less than...encouraging to say the least. When I learned your husband took Ranma on a training trip all over the world, I had to hunt them down, and find out what Genma was doing," replied Naruto before taking out some pictures and showing them to Nodoka, who gasped in shock at what she saw.
Genma throwing Ranma into a pit, her son covered in what looked like fish sausages, and inside the pit was a small army of hungry cats. The cats tore into her son repeated and it was clear from the pictures it was on more than one occasion Genma had thrown Ranma into the pit by the evidence of similar photos of the moment with different fish based things cats loved to eat. The various pictures of the aftermath following this showed her son was scratched, beaten, bandaged, and bleeding from the attack of the cats.
"Why did he do this to Ranma?" asked Nodoka while Naruto sighed and pulled out a copy of the manual for Nekoken.
"This is why. This is a copy of a manual Genma used in 'training' your son since being on this 'training trip' of his and what they've been up to since their travels. This is sadly the tip of the preverbal iceberg in what your husband has done to Ranma while traveling," said Naruto before handing her affidavits from the people he met who had the unfortunate pleasantry of meeting Genma.
"Marriages? Multiple marriages?! He sold my son for a sandwich?! A food cart? He even sold my son to a Brothel?!" demanded Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"Yes. Several of them in fact. All with Matrons running them thank Kami. Had it been a man, you wouldn't be so lucky since some men who run Brothels don't let such things go. From my understanding, Ranma was used as a form of future compensation when they let Genma stay at these various locations in the Red Light District in different towns. While this happened, your son was left out in the cold in the woods, alone to fend for himself, and kept in the dark about where his moron of a Father had gone during that time. I was able to convince the Matrons at these Brothels to break off the contracts by paying the tab your husband owed with interest. You don't have to worry about your son being used as some kind of Man Whore to please women or Kami forbid...to please men. Not only that, but it turns out the two of them fell into some 'Cursed Springs' deep in China with your husband turning into a big fat panda, and your son...turning into a girl. The process can be reverse using hot water while cold water turns your son into a girl," replied Naruto, as he had used his skills of persuasion, and money he conjured to cover Genma's debts.
"Why would Genma do this? He's used my son for just about every form of collateral to pay off his debts!" exclaimed Nodoka while Naruto nodded.
"I know. My contacts took the pictures of your son. Not me. Whenever I got close, the fool took off to some other location, and racked up debts in your son's name. Apparently, from what my sources in hunting them down overheard, Genma plans to retire, and just mooch off Ranma for the rest of his life. Your son would be forced to pay off his tabs, debts, and anything else Genma has done since this started. Ranma would ultimately have been miserable until the day he died and cursing your husband's name," replied Naruto with Nodoka shaking at hearing this.
"But...Genma promised to make Ranma a 'man amongst men' under pain of death for failing. This is not manly!" stated Nodoka with Naruto sighing and trying to keep calm since part of the problem had been this woman's fault in letting Genma take the boy like this.
"Did you specify what you wanted in terms of such a statement? Did you even explain this to Ranma before he left? Or some kind of letter to be given to him when old enough to understand your wishes?" asked Naruto with Nodoka shaking her head no.
"Genma promised he would explain it. I trusted him," replied Nodoka with Naruto letting out an even bigger sigh.
"Shikamaru was right. Women can be soooo troublesome that they don't even know it," whispered Naruto to himself.
"Huh?" asked Nodoka with Naruto shaking his head.
"Inside joke. Don't worry about it. What I want to know is what you plan to do with this kind of information?" asked Naruto with Nodoka not sure on how to proceed.
"Its been 10 years since they left. Even if I divorced Genma, I could never get the papers to him, and he could warp Ranma's mind into whatever he wants him to believe about me. For all my son knows, I could be portrayed as an evil woman, or maybe even dead depending on how Genma describes me to him," explained Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"And if I could get you to corner him in one spot? Get you to stand in front of him and personally hand the divorce papers to Genma?" asked Naruto with Nodoka frowning.
"I would do it. Though how that would happen is beyond me right now since I have no idea where Genma is or where he's headed," explained Nodoka with Naruto smirking at her.
"Leave that to me. You get the divorce papers ready and I'll handle the arrangements in getting you to hand them to him," replied Naruto with Nodoka nodding.
"I'll have them ready in a few days. Can you wait that long?" asked Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"Of course. It just so happens I know where Genma and Ranma are heading. They will be there in a few days time," said Naruto before he got up and headed for the door.
"I'm a bit nervous about seeing my son. Do you know if he's...manly?" asked Nodoka with Naruto smirking since his "contacts" had been instructed to help Ranma in small doses where it would matter in the long run of things.
"Manly enough that he doesn't have to commit seppuku. Though I honestly do believe that you being in his life wouldn't hurt to help in increasing his 'manliness' you wish him to have since he doesn't know what you want regarding that. I have been keeping an eye on his various "prospects" in terms of future wives from these arranged marriages Genma set up to get out of paying people and what's transpired in-between them. As of now, I see only two possible wives Ranma could possibly be interested in, and they are both strong girls. Unfortunately, uh...," said Naruto but hesitated at the door.
"Unfortunately what?" asked Nodoka with Naruto sighing.
"Unfortunately, Genma doesn't want Ranma to marry them. Your husband wants Ranma to marry one of the three daughters of his fellow Martial Artist Tendo Soun to 'unite the schools' and mooch off your son's life in the process," explained Naruto with Nodoka not liking this.
"I know Tendo Soun. He's a nice man is a skilled Martial Artist. Are any of his daughters worthy of my son?" asked Nodoka with Naruto sighing.
"Well...one is more of housewife and tends to the needs of the overall house. She gave up a career at going to Tendo University to look after the family after her Mother died. The second daughter is basically an information broker and she uses it to blackmail people in town to let her family get away with things. The third is quite possibly the worst out of the three and is the youngest around Ranma's age though she's more a spoiled crybaby tomboy. This one considers herself a Martial Artist as she trains, but from what I have been able to learn, this Tendo girl has anger issues, thinks every boy is a pervert, and has a very short temper while just going to basic katas when not breaking bricks. She would sooner hit your son and call him a pervert before willingly calling Ranma her husband," said Naruto before leaving the house for Nodoka to process what he just told her.
(Nerima-Days Later)
"Damn it Pops! I don't want to be here! I need to go back to China and get this damn curse on me removed," said Ranma, who was not pleased in being Nerima, or that he was soaked in cold water after a car nearby hit a puddle to splash it over him to change genders into a girl.
"You have no choice boy! We are here on business. Family honor is at stake!" was the reply on a sign held by a big fat panda.
"Family honor? What do you know of honor? You've been ripping people off for years and always running away when people you swindled want an explanation!" countered Ranma, as she saw her Father look away in a snooty fashion.
"I don't have to answer to them. I am a Saotome. I'm beyond their so called judgment and demands. Now we need to go see my dear friend Soun so we can have a place to stay," was the response on the sigh Genma had flipped to deliver his message to the boy turned girl.
"You mean swindle, cheat, and rob when the man isn't looking," mumbled Ranma since she now knew the score when it came to her dumbass of a Father turned panda.
"Don't speak ill of me brat! Its because of my ingenious you are such a skilled Martial Artist," was the reply via sign from the fat panda.
"Ingenious my ass! You made my life miserable from day one. Leaving me out in woods alone. Sometimes in the cold. You stole my food when you were still hungry and blaming me for not being faster. Not to mention that Nekoken training wasn't exactly a pleasant experience," said Ranma while glaring at the "innocent" looking panda face of Saotome Genma.
"You can't blame me for that! I'm a panda. Panda's can't be blamed for anything just like Saotome Genma," was Genma's response using his sign before being smacked upside the head with it.
"Turn back into a human and say it like a man!" challenged Ranma with Genma nursing his head and whimpering like a panda so people around them would take pity on him if they decide to intervene.
Basically make his son look like a panda hating jerk.
The two walked toward the Tendo house and knocked on the door with nice beautiful woman answering it. It was clear the woman had never seen a large panda with a red haired pigtailed girl standing side by side each other.
"Oh my! I'm Kasumi. Who are you?" asked Kasumi with Ranma sighing and Genma pulling out a sign for her to read.
"I'm Saotome Ranma. This big ball of fat and fur is my Pops," explained Ranma while Genma glowered at him.
"What he said, but without the insulting fat and fur part," was Genma's reply using the sign.
"I...see. Father! I thought you said Ranma was a boy?" questioned Kasumi while Soun was shocked to see this and was a second away from fainting.
"I am. If you could please let us in I'm sure my dumbass for a Father will explain it to your Father," said Ranma with Kasumi nodding and letting them inside.
"What the Hell is this?" demanded one girl, who was wearing a karate GI, and glaring at them with suspicion.
"Akane! Be nice. They are our guests," said Kasumi in a scolding manner.
"How is a panda a guest in our home?" questioned another girl with a bit of interest.
"If we could get some hot water please. It will help answer your questions," said Ranma with Genma holding up a sign.
"What he said," being the response written on it.
"So my friend. Its really you. I must say, the animal form you've chosen fits your size," remarked Soun with a small chuckle.
"I didn't choose anything. This brat here knocked me into a curse spring!" was Genma's written response.
"Its not like you didn't deserve it! You threw me into one during our training session out of spite after I beat you fair and square," countered Ranma with Genma looking more like a spoiled animal of a wealthy woman by looking away in a snooty fashion.
"Lies! Panda's are known for being cute, immune to blame, and always telling the truth!" said Genma with the sign while Kasumi came in with a teakettle filled with hot water.
"You're not a real panda so those things don't count!" exclaimed Ranma before smacking Genma in the head with it before pouring hot water on himself and his Father to turn them into their normal forms.
"You're a boy! A perverted boy!" exclaimed Akane angrily.
"I told you I was. The curse spring I was thrown into turns me into a girl. You already know what the other one did to my Pops," answered Ranma while the Tendo family was shocked to hear this.
"I see. So the stories about the cursed springs in China are indeed real. I had heard of the legends about them changing all who fell in them, but I never believed they were actually real. Just some made up stories to attract tourist," said Soun while processing all of this information.
"Well its true. I wanted to stay in China to find a cure, but Pops knocked me out, and dragged my ass here," replied Ranma with Genma glaring at him.
"Its for the honor of our schools and uniting them under one roof boy! You will do this. Family honor demands it!" exclaimed Genma with Ranma glaring back.
"Why not tell them about the other marriages you arranged for me Pops? Or the people you cheated when selling me as compensation?" demanded Ranma with Genma growling at him.
"Genma? Is this true? You really made multiple arranged marriages with your son while on the road?" asked Soun with Genma acting quickly, grabbed some nearby cold water belonging to the second daughter, and splashed himself to turn into a panda.
"I'm a cute panda. Nothing more! I don't have to answer to you!" was Genma's response before Ranma smacked him on he head with the sign and threw him outside into the koi pond.
"Now you see what I have to put up with? I don't even want to marry anyone right now," replied Ranma with Akane glaring, Kasumi letting out a sigh of relief, and the other one who had just to introduce herself seemed to be scheming.
"Why not? This curse aside, I'm sure any woman would want to marry you," said the unknown Tendo girl.
"Nabiki! Don't give the pervert any ideas. For all we know, this boy is lying about being thrown into one of those springs so he could turn into a girl in order to touch himself," said Akane with Ranma glaring at her.
"Like I want to be stuck in the body of a girl. Though I'm sure you'd be jealous of what I look like as a girl when compared to you!" retorted Ranma with Akane not liking the idea of anyone challenging her and made a large mallet appear in her hands.
"DIE YOU PERVERT!" yelled Akane, as she moved to send Ranma high into the air, but surprisingly the mallet was stopped from hitting when an unseen force ripped it out of her hand when they heard someone speak.
"Banshō Ten'in" said Naruto, as he saw the mallet spin in his direction, and caught it with ease while standing next to the koi pond.
Beside him was Saotome Nodoka and she was not looking pleased in the slightest.
"Who are you? And how did you get my mallet?" demanded Akane with Naruto's strange eyes looking at her before crushing the mallet with ease to the shock of the Tendo family.
"That's not important right now. What is important little girl, is the Mother of the boy you tried to hit be reunited with her son after 10 years of being away from him thanks to this fat moron hiding behind his panda form," replied Naruto while Nodoka walked into the Tendo house and looked at her shocked son.
"M-Mother? Is it really you? Pops said you were dead," stated Ranma in shock while Nodoka looked back at Genma's shaking panda form and then back to the boy.
"Did he now? Well I assure you Ranma, I'm very much alive, and I'm sorry you suffered these 10 years while 'training' with your Father," replied Nodoka before she suddenly broke down in hugging him close and kissed his forehead.
"Why would Genma-san lie to Ranma about his Mother being dead?" asked Kasumi with Naruto having picked the panda up painfully by his fur and dragged him into the house.
"Why indeed. Care to explain it Genma?" said Naruto before pouring some hot water left from the kettle on the man.
Only for the man to make a mad dash for the koi pond, but was intercepted by Naruto, and kicked back into the house where he lay at the feet of his wife.
"N-Nodoka, I can explain. Really!" said Genma while Nodoka was glaring at him.
"Really? Explain it to me Genma. Explain the arranged marriages. Selling our son for a pickled sandwich? A food cart? Using him as future compensation and collateral when you were at brothels?!" demanded Nodoka with Genma sweating up a storm and looking for any cold water lingering around that could turn him into a panda.
"Don't even bother trying to find cold water. If you turn into a panda again, I will skin you alive right here, and in front of everyone. I will even go so far as to sell your fur on the black market. I could get a nice price for the stuff too and it would cover the expenses gained from tracking you all over the world for the past 10 years," commented Naruto, as a cruel smile appeared, and it made Genma shiver.
"Well? I'm waiting my soon to be ex-husband," said Nodoka while Ranma wanted to hear this too since he only knew some of it.
"It was necessary to cover my expenses. All right? You think I could just travel with the boy and not have money problems? Food, shelter, and other necessities cost money. You didn't want to give me any! So I had to improvise. I used whatever I had on me to get what I wanted. So I used Ranma since he was the only consistent currency I had. I was never going to honor half of those promises anyway and if I had to...so what?! Ranma was going to be sold and pay off my debts. Not me. Why should I pay off such debts when they are Ranma's now that's he's an adult in the eyes of Japanese law? They are his problems now so I'm a free man in this," explained Genma with Naruto frowning at him.
'Reminds me of the old leach Ero-Sennin. Always mooching off of others, running from his debts when he has money to pay, and sticks others with the bill so he doesn't open up his wallet. Namely me! Oh well. I got him in the end when I called Ero-Sennin out on it when I used my chakra chains to tie him up and literally ripped the flesh off his bones,' thought Naruto while remembering how good that felt and made Jiraiya cough up of the dough back during the lost Shinobi era to pay off his debts.
All the while, Jiraiya was giving Naruto the angry stink eye while writing them, and the Shadow Clones went to deliver each check to cover the debts owed. It was fun to see the Sannin write out so many zeros in a pen filled with his blood and moving his bleeding arms around a bit to write out his name on each check.
"Those debts are nullified Genma. The marriages you arranged are nullified in just about every sense of the word," said Nodoka with Genma looking furious.
"You can't! Our promise to unite the schools is at stake here. Ranma must marry one of my girls! Family honor is at stake!" protested Soun while Nodoka shot him a look that made him whimper in fear.
"And which one would it be Soun? The tomboy, who tried to hurt my son just now? The scheming information broker, who is no doubt planning to use what she hears here today in some scheme to make money? Or perhaps the eldest of your daughters, who while nice to be around from what I can sense, has been made to be the servant girl of the house, and attending the whims of others without seeking out her own desires. Hardly a choice," said Nodoka, as she had been informed by Naruto of the three girls, and what they were like.
"Wait! You were tracking me for 10 years? Why didn't you save me when you had the chance?" demanded Ranma with Naruto sighing.
"My contacts were tracking you. Your Father kept moving and didn't stay in one place for too long because of all things he had done. He's stolen fighting style scrolls. Food. You were used as collateral for brothels where you would have paid your Father's debt off by having to whore yourself out to possibly both genders since these brothels had clients who they made sure had certain kinds of...tastes ready so they would satisfy repeat returners. He owed money and used you for payment. Everyone who owns an I.O.U. on Genma during your 'training trip' was promised you, and you would be the payment when it came time to collect the debts. It wasn't until after your little 'training trip' to China that my contacts overheard your moron of a Father talking about coming here to the Tendo family to mooch off of them while getting you married off to one of three girls here," explained Naruto while Ranma looked livid since he had no idea his Father had sunk that low.
"What about my Mother?" asked Ranma with Nodoka holding him again.
"I'm sorry Ranma. I trusted Genma to make you manly. To be a 'Man amongst men' and instead he uses you like currency. Not to mention the seppuku pledge I made him take for both of you," remarked Nodoka with Ranma going ram rod straight.
"S-Seppuku pledge? What Seppuku pledge?" asked Ranma worriedly while Genma tried to crawl away, but found a sword pressed against his throat, and saw Naruto looking at him with those Rinnegan Eyes.
"Your Father convinced me that he would make you a 'Man amongst men' during his trip and I held him to it under pain of death via Seppuku. If he failed to perform his duties in that regard, I would hold him to it, and after you both were killed...I would join you for my own failure," replied Nodoka with Ranma becoming deathly afraid.
"Not to worry Ranma. I talked to your Mother about everything you went through and after discussing things before arriving, she acknowledges you are a manly man for being able to endure everything Genma put you through," said Naruto with Ranma letting out a sigh of relief.
"Does this mean you won't hold the seppuku over my head?" asked Ranma with Nodoka smiling at him.
"No. I was wrong to do that to you. The pledge was actually meant just for Genma alone to provide incentive in him keeping his promise, but he sent a copy of it to me with your own signature. He had bound you to the contract and no doubt hid what it was you signed at such a young age," replied Nodoka with Ranma glaring once again at Genma.
"As if I would keep a promise to a woman. All women are weak. Men hold all the power. Its why I made sure we left China after the incident with the curse spring. With Ranma turning into a girl, I could mold him to the concept, and make him submissive to what I wanted when in that cursed form," explained Genma with Naruto scoffing at him.
"Women are only weak if they choose to be weak. I've met strong women in my life and they can give as good as they can take. I fell in love with one such woman and she soon became my mate after I heard her confession during a life threatening war. The best kind of women to have in a fight or in a relationship is a strong one. They keep men like you in check and makes life fun for both sides," said Naruto with conviction while an image of a blue haired lavender eyed vixen came to his mind.
"So the Chinese Amazon...," said Ranma to himself.
"What Chinese Amazon? What is your perverted mind thinking up now?" asked Akane before she winced at being glared at by Ranma.
"Ah yes. Shampoo. The one you defeated in her village and ate the food that was to be presented to the winner of the tournament. Which she ironically enough won. She should be here any moment now," remarked Naruto before a knock on the door was heard and Genma went white as a sheet.
'No! Not her! That damn Amazon hussy is here!' thought Genma in fear since she was the only marriage Genma himself didn't setup to get out of the debts he piled up and was also technically the only marriage still valid.
"Kasumi, please answer the door," commanded Naruto in a soothing tone with Kasumi nodding and went to the door to see the beautiful girl wearing Chinese based clothing with a small smile on her face.
"My name is Shampoo. I was told to come here by powerful entity to see possible Airen," said Shampoo politely with Kasumi nodding and let the girl in while not understanding who this "powerful entity" was or if the girl has mistaken how to translate words.
"Shampoo," said Ranma while being a little nervous since the last time they saw each other, it had been when he was a she, and the Amazon had given him the "Kiss of Death" for beating her in combat.
Not the best first impressions.
"Airen!" exclaimed Shampoo, as she rushed at him with surprising speed, and grabbed him in a fierce hug.
"Airen?" asked Ranma with Naruto whispering the translation into his ear.
"She was stalking you and the panda for quite some time. Your Mother and I intercepted her before we came here. We told her everything about the curse spring. She was a little confused at first on how to proceed. Not surprising since you were in your female state when you defeated her in combat and had the 'Kiss of Death' placed on you. BUT since you were also born a guy, it also gives you the 'Kiss of Marriage', and thus the only girl Genma didn't set you up with to marry. You did that on your own Ranma, even if it was unknowingly done. So we talked to Shampoo into fixing this problem with another fight, but in your male form this time, and seeing if you can pull off a repeat performance like you did in China. If you lose, your debt is paid off, and the honor of the Amazons will be restored without anyone being killed. You win...Nodoka gets one Hell of a daughter-in-law," explained Naruto with Shampoo looking excited while Ranma was shocked.
Genma was livid.
"Um...not that I don't mind this turn of events, but I'm not ready to get married now. I'm barely into my teens as it is. Marriage is so...sudden!" said Ranma with Shampoo looking sad at hearing that.
"It wouldn't be right away kid. Just something for the future to look forward to when the time comes to be with that special someone. Besides, you could always lose the fight, and not get arranged to be married. Shampoo maybe stronger then you this time around," said Naruto with Ranma glaring at him.
"Saotome Ranma doesn't lose!" exclaimed Ranma with Naruto smirking at him.
"Good, because I expect both you and Shampoo here to fight to the best of your ability in the next few days. Your pride and skills as fellow Martial Artists demands that you give nothing but your all when fighting each other," said Naruto with Ranma and Shampoo nodding.
"Who will referee the match?" asked Kasumi with Naruto raising his hand.
"I will of course. I am a neutral party in all of this," replied Naruto with Akane scoffing at him.
"Neutral party? You're here to help the pervert! How can you be fair?" asked Akane with Naruto gave her a soul withering glare.
"I'm here at the behest of a favor from the boy's Grandparents after the stupid fat man he calls a Father made sure they never saw him or his Mother. As for whether or not I'm in fact qualified at being neutral here, the answer is yes since I want to see these two fight each other with everything they've got. I gain nothing regardless of who wins the fight and therefore I will be the one to judge the match right down the middle without favoring one side over the other," explained Naruto with Ranma and Shampoo nodding.
"No! You will not! The pact between myself and Soun is binding as a pact made by men. Ranma will marry Akane here and that's final!" declared Genma while getting up off the floor and trying to put his foot down as the final authority.
He would have been better off keeping his mouth shut or turning back into a panda.
"I suggest you shut up Genma! I have enough dirt on you to have your ass thrown away in jail. So you can continue to bitch and complain with the end result being your ass is taken to prison. OR, you let these two have their match, and let them decide how things are going to play out from there. Decide!" commanded Naruto with his power showing in front of everyone and it was making him look like one scary individual.
"You're not human. You're a demon of some kind," said Genma while taking a step back.
"You could say that. I've lived a long time and had to deal with my fair share of sleazy, power hungry humans. I've had to deal with the moochers, the liars, and the betrayers of the species. You are one of them. Do not test me here or I will smear your guts all over this place," replied Naruto while giving Genma a "I dare you to challenge me" look with the fat Martial Artist from the School of Anything Goes fighting style now sweating up a storm.
"When do you want to fight Shampoo? Now seems a bit sudden," offered Ranma and if he were honest with himself...the boy really wanted to spend time with his Mother.
"In three days. Plenty of time for possible Airen to train, prepare, and spend time with Mother," replied Shampoo calmly while Ranma agreed since that would give him time to train and spend time with his Mother.
"Wonderful! And since Shampoo has no place to stay right now, I suggest she stays here with us," suggested Naruto with the Tendo family looking shocked.
"What? We don't have room for all four of these people and you!" protested Akane with Nabiki sighing.
"As much as I dislike the idea of agreeing with Akane on this, she does have a point. We can't hold all five of you here in the house. Even if we opened up the dojo to all of you, it would be cramped, and more when its time to train," remarked Nabiki with Naruto just letting smirk appear on his face before exiting the house for the large spot near the koi pond.
"Mokuton: Shichūka no Jutsu!" exclaimed Naruto and making a massive house made of wood arise from the ground.
"What the Hell?! You can't just make a house appear out of thin air on our property. Get that out of here!" protested Akane with Naruto smirking at her and the others clearly too shocked for words.
"Don't worry. Its only meant to stay here for the next three days. Its big enough to hold Nodoka, myself, Ranma, Shampoo, and even Genma so living here won't be a problem. Though I will be making sure his time here is more like a prison then a home for him after all he put his family through," said Naruto before looking at the scared man, who ran to the koi pond, and became a panda again.
"You can hurt me! I'm a panda. I have panda protection!" was what the sign now said in Genma's hand.
"You have my contempt and utter disgust. Now unless you want me to skin you alive or lock in your curse forever before selling you to a wild preserve for horny gay pandas, I suggest you not try anything stupid from here on out," replied Naruto with Genma in his panda form now shaking in fear.
"You're bluffing! No such preserve exists!" was Genma's response via his sign.
"You would be amazed what people will protect these days. Care to take your chances?" challenged Naruto with Genma thinking it over and looked down defeated.
For now.
"Well I'm glad that's settled. Now I can spend time with my Mom," replied Ranma with Nodoka smiling happily when hearing that.
"And I can learn about the boy my son had become in the last 10 years," added Nodoka while she walked to the new house with Shampoo following.
"So...what kind of demon are you exactly?" asked Nabiki curiously while knowing such information could make her set for life in terms of who she sold the information to or to hold over Naruto's head for a favor.
"The kind you don't challenge, threaten, or blackmail little girl. Many have tried and many have failed. If you try it yourself...and I will break you," said Naruto with a gaze that could melt steel.
"Don't threaten my little girl!" exclaimed Soun before Naruto's gaze locked onto him.
"Then keep your youngest and middle child on leashes while I'm here Tendo-san. Out of all of your daughters, the eldest seems to be the most polite, and the most competent. The fact her heart's desires for the future are being denied to take care of this family is quite sickening in my eyes," said Naruto before he walked toward the wooden house raised up beside the koi pond.
"I must send letter to Great Grandma about situation here," remarked Shampoo before she left to find a spot where she could send a letter via messenger bird that would make it back to her village in China.
"They better not do anything perverted while here. Now I need to get a new mallet!" said Akane angrily while Kasumi just sighed while keeping her personal thoughts from being made known.
"The schools...the schools must be...joined," whispered Soun, who had gone into a state of shock, disbelief, and anger at what was happening.
"Don't worry Soun. I won't let this farce of a fight go in Ranma's favor. If he wins, the Amazon would have to marry him, but if he were to lose...," was the what Genma had on his sign after getting out of the koi pond.
"The marriage would be called off and Ranma would have to marry Akane!" exclaimed a happy Tendo Soun, who was now dancing around happily in a circle with Genma in his panda form.
Not something you want to see.
"We just need to figure out how we can distract that demonic entity refereeing the match and my wife long enough for us to do something that will make Ranma lose horribly to the Chinese Amazon hussy!" said the sign Genma held after they did their disturbing little happy dance.
"How?" asked Soun his friend.
"Don't know yet, but we will think of something. We are men after all! And only men can think up smart things" was Genma's signed response and Soun nodding in agreement.
Someone should have told them differently.
(Tendo Dojo-Three Days Later)
The three days almost didn't seem to be enough for Ranma, as he spent his time training, talking with his Mother, and oddly enough talking with Shampoo. The Chinese Amazon was shown to have a lot of energy when being around them when she was using her time to train. Shampoo also wanted to get to know Nodoka, who was also interested in talking, and soon grew fond of the clearly strong girl. In the Saotome Matriarch's mind, if her son could marry a strong woman, Ranma would prove to her that he was indeed very manly, and while the woman wished Shampoo the best of lucky...part of her was in fact hoping the Chinese Amazon would lose.
Such a strong future daughter-in-law was not someone Nodoka wanted her only son to lose out on having.
As for Shampoo, she had gotten in touch with her Great Grandmother Cologne, who used her wilily old Amazon ways to make it to the Tendo home on the third day, and asses her possible son-in-law herself. She was impressed by Ranma's skills, seeing why the boy had won against Shampoo in his girl form, and agreed that the intended match was the right thing to do. Either way, it was a win/win for her since Shampoo would regain her lost honor if the girl won, and if she lost...a strong young man for husband.
The boy had to be in order to endure Genma's stupid ways of training and the methods of the Nekoken fighting style.
What surprised and slightly scared Cologne was the appearance of Uzumaki Naruto, as she knew what he was since stories of him were told long before the old Amazon was even born. Long before she was born in fact and while the old Amazon could easily outdo Ranma using her years of experience, Naruto could do the same to her, and basically all of the Chinese Amazons in the village without breaking a sweat. For him to be involved at this stage of things, if only for a time meant one false move from any offending party would spell disaster to everyone.
"Okay you two. Let's go over the rules. This is one on one. No interference from anyone aside from myself and only when necessary. You two will fight on equal terms in hand to hand combat using only your Martial Arts fighting style. No weapons allowed. This is a battle of honor and possibly that of a future marriage. There is no killing, no crippling, and no maiming. When one person cannot fight, the match is over, and the one left standing will win. Do both fighters understand?" stated Naruto with Ranma and Shampoo both nodding.
"Yes!" exclaimed both fighters at the same time.
"Ready? Begin!" commanded Naruto before bringing his hand down and the two went at it in a battle of skill.
The Tendo family, Cologne, Nodoka, Naruto, and Genma watched intently at the sight of the two fighters going against the other. Ranma has the height advantage, but Shampoo was more nimble, and both were matching the other in strength. What one had, the other made up for with something else, and it was getting extremely intense with each passing second. Ranma was finding himself actually being challenged by Shampoo's own skills and was enjoying his fight with the Chinese Amazon. As for Shampoo herself, she was enjoying the challenge too, as all the boys around her when growing up were too weak, too young, or too old to defeat her in combat back home. Ranma was nearly the same age as her, was handsome, and skilled in fighting in his own version of Martial Arts.
He was the one who would be her future husband.
'Damn that boy. Fighting this Amazon hussy knowing full well he should be marrying Akane. I want to live the good life damn it! I earned it raising the brat for 10 years. He owes me!' thought Genma angrily while seeing Ranma being matched move for move by Shampoo and felt it was insulting to men everywhere that this Amazon slut was matching his son in a fight.
In Genma's mind, it basically said his son was weak and that he, the Father was weak by extension. Unacceptable!
Looking at Soun, the man nodded slightly knowing it would soon be time to bring about the distraction that would allow them to cause Ranma to lose, and thus keeping Shampoo from having the right to marry him. With a small little smoke bomb in Soun's right hand, which Nabiki was able to supply, the man was ready to carry out the plan after one of several secret meetings held during the last three days between them to plan out how they would distract everyone. This smoke bomb would cover the entire dojo in smoke and eye irritating dust potent enough to blind everyone not prepared for it. Meanwhile, Genma would move in, knock out his son with a few well placed moves, and sneak back out before the smoke cleared. Even if Shampoo protested in claiming she didn't cause the hits necessary to win the match, which Genma didn't believe she would, once Naruto made her the winner it would be too late.
Akane was also willing to help, but she had been told to stay put when it happened since it would give her plausible deniability, and thus couldn't be blamed if they were caught. While Akane didn't like the idea of possibly having to marry the gender changing pervert, the tomboy didn't want Ranma to win either, as he was a boy, and thus had a great deal of dislike for any boy being the winner over a girl. Besides, Akane believed she could use this soon to be defeat against Ranma in the future, always bringing up how he lost to a girl, and emasculating him in front of others while having the boy wrapped around her finger.
With a small twitch of his finger as the signal, Genma saw Soun launch the smoke bomb in the middle of the dojo, which exploded violently in front of everyone, and blinded just about everyone in the room not expecting it. While everyone coughed and crying out that they couldn't see, Genma moved through the smoke, leaping into the air, and planning on hitting Ranma with a foot to the face. The man was able to see through the smoke easily due to putting on his special goggles Nabiki had provided while he had been in mid-flight toward his intended target. Genma also put a scarf over his mouth to keep the powder from getting into his lungs and soon saw his target that was Ranma having a coughing fit.
The man would have struck true had chains of energy shot out and wrapped around his leg before slamming him into the wall of the dojo.
"Wind Style: Wind Blaze Jutsu!" exclaimed Naruto, as he launched his attack with an open palmed thrust while making sure a pair of chains wrapped around Ranma, and Shampoo so they wouldn't be hurt in the process.
"You baka! You interfered in the match!" exclaimed Akane while Naruto turned his eyes toward her with the Rinnegan active.
Damn how this bitch reminded him of Sakura.
"Shut up! I interfered because someone did with that smoke bomb. A certain baka who can turn into a panda," Naruto countered before freeing Ranma and Shampoo from his chakra chains, but kept them on Genma.
"This is an outrage! You dare attack my friend in my own dojo!" protested Soun he was hit in the head by Cologne's staff.
"What is an outrage is the match was interrupted by you and your friend. I saw what you did Tendo. You threw the smoke bomb into the middle and Genma tried to knock out son-in-law knowing that if he lost, Shampoo wouldn't be able to marry him in the future," replied Cologne before she smacked him again for good measure.
"You leave my dad alone you withered up old Amazon witch!" exclaimed Akane, as she got out a mallet, and moved to crush her with it.
Only for said old Amazon witch to dodge the strike and smack Akane into the same wall Genma had been slammed into earlier.
"Nicely done. Now for the fool that ruined this fight," remarked Naruto before pulling the stupid fat man across the ground with the chakra chains and made sure they kept the fool tied up without any means to escape.
"Genma! I have tolerated you for the last time. All you've done is hurt people around you! Don't you have any feeling of remorse for the things you've done? The people you have stolen from? Who you hurt? asked Nodoka with Genma struggling to get free.
"Of course not! I'm a man. A student of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts and therefore I don't have to answer to anyone or any thing!" answered Genma while he gave Naruto a glare, but the demonic entity was not impressed, and merely tightened his hold on the fat piece of shit.
"Now what do we do? Fight is ruined. Now we no determine who is stronger between us," said Shampoo with Naruto smiling at her.
"You'll just have a rematch Shampoo. Just without this moron or his family here for them to get involved," replied Naruto with the Genma and the Tendo family, minus Kasumi and Nabiki were protesting this.
"This is our dojo! You have no right to kick us out!" protested Akane angrily.
"We only interfered because the Tendo family honor is at stake! Ranma must marry my daughter Akane! I won't allow this farce with the Chinese Amazon to continue!" added Soun before killing intent filled the room.
"SHUT UP!" yelled Naruto in a demonic voice that scared everyone in the room.
'Scary,' thought Ranma and the others.
"The match will be rescheduled for later in the week. The only witnesses to this match will be myself, Nodoka, Cologne, and Kasumi. Each individual will be representing one side of each family here while I stay neutral as the assigned referee once more," stated Naruto with most of the Tendo family and Genma disliking that option.
"Why can't I stay and watch?" asked Nabiki with Naruto glancing at her.
"Because you aren't trustworthy. I know it was you who gave the fat panda the smoke bomb and I know you are a greedy girl who would sell out her family if a juicy enough deal presented itself," replied Naruto with Nabiki scowling at him.
"Don't talk bad about my two girls!" protested Soun before Cologne smacked him on the head.
"Thank you Cologne. His voice was getting annoying. Now, let's get something to eat since its around that time. The rematch will happen in...one week," said Naruto with the group nodding and walking out of the dojo while leaving Nabiki, Akane, and Soun there to strew.
Genma was thrown violently across the room again with the chakra chains before they left their sight and the sound of him being hurt was music to Naruto's ears.
"Great Grandmother, what do you think of Ranma?" asked Shampoo while seeing the old woman pogo stick beside her on the cane.
"Son-in-law is very skilled. There are few in this world with such potential like his own. Its a shame he suffered so much at the hands of his Father. But it seems to have helped in some cruel and twisted manner though not in the way Genma was planning. The cursed springs have caused this situation to become unprecedented in terms of your rematch with him. On one hand, he defeated you as a girl, and thus deserves to be killed per our own traditions. On the other, Ranma was born a male so he should be treated as such from what Master Naruto has told me, and should be considered for the 'Kiss of Marriage' at the same time. Win or lose my dear, you win in the end, and that's all that matters to me," answered Cologne with Shampoo looking at her curiously.
"Great Grandmother respects Master Naruto. Is demonic man really that strong?" asked Shampoo curiously while Cologne nodding.
"As strong as I am Shampoo, you should know Master Naruto is at a level I could never hope to achieve even if I lived to become 1000 years old. I had heard stories of him back when I was a little girl, told to me by my Great Grandmother, and the stories were told by hers. Do not challenge him Shampoo. Ranma is your potential future. Besides, I believe Master Naruto already has a mate, and seeks no other," replied Cologne with Shampoo nodding.
"I don't wish to step on Master Naruto's toes or challenge him. Besides, I like Ranma better," said Shampoo with a giggle.
"That boy will make a fine husband if he defeats you in battle Shampoo. I honestly can't decide on what I would prefer more from your rematch with Ranma. Regardless of the outcome however, I expect you to give this your all like you did just now in the dojo. Win or lose Shampoo, it is all I will ever ask of you in the end," stated Cologne with Shampoo nodding.
"Thank you Great Grandmother," said Shampoo, as she was happy to have the woman's support, and would give the rematch all of her effort.
(Tendo Dojo-One Week Later)
"Ready? Begin!" exclaimed Naruto, as the two fighters once again went at in a fierce battle of Martial Arts fighting, and both intending to be the victor.
Unlike last time, there was no risk of interference from anyone wanting to stop this match from reaching a final outcome, as several members of the Tendo family, and Genma were locked away in the house. Naruto also told them that if they tried to escape and interfere a second time, he would kill them all, and make sure their very souls were tortured in Hell for all time.
"Your son is very skilled. You must be very proud," commented Cologne while seeing Ranma dodge a spin kick and counter with a punch kick combo that Shampoo blocked.
"Your Great Granddaughter is no pushover either. Oh I can just imagine the wedding and the grandchildren I will get from those two!" replied Nodoka happily with a pink flowery background appearing behind her out of nowhere.
Naruto smirked hearing that since he knew Ranma wasn't ready for either thing, but it was fortunate such a thing was meant for the future, and not the present moment in time. Everyone was planning to pressure poor Ranma into marrying one girl or this girl or that girl or someone else entirely. It was sickening! The boy was young and marriage should not be in the boy's future for a few more years and before that moment in time, Ranma still had to get some form of education. Being a Martial Artist is fine and all, but if Kami forbid Ranma was taken out during his prime, he would have no plan to fall back on, and have to live as an old crippled hermit in the cold mountain depths.
Like Jiraiya of the Sannin had become once Naruto got through with him for his years of living and neglect in his duties of being a Godfather.
As for Ranma overall, the boy did have potential, and was indeed a real Prodigy sans the arrogance one found in the Uchiha or Hyuuga. He was more like Lee with a small hint of Sasuke in there, but nothing that couldn't be stomped out by himself, Nodoka, or even Shampoo if given enough time. The boy didn't train and fight others for power, glory, or any other selfish things people did in pursuit of it. He did it to push himself to be better than he already was and Naruto knew Ranma's pursuit could be altered to become protect those he cared about.
Like what Haku had shown him ages ago in a time long forgotten.
'Maybe I'll teach him a few things. His Taijutsu is literally 'anything goes' so a little help from me would only benefit the gaki,' thought Naruto while seeing the two combatants pushing the other to their limits.
It actually reminded Naruto of himself and Hinata. The similarities were almost scary. In fact, shyness aside, Shampoo was very similar to Hinata in terms of grace, and flexibility of the body. Hell, Naruto might have Hinata come out of the demonic realm to teach the girl a thing or two just to see how far the Chinese Amazon could take it.
But that was then. This was now. And right now, Ranma was pushing Shampoo back. The boy took to the air to avoid a sweeping kick and descended with a flying vertical kick of his own that Shampoo blocked. However, Ranma used the force behind the block to flip backwards, and unleash a spin kick that hit Shampoo in the temple.
The girl was down and out.
"Shampoo has been knocked out! Saotome Ranma is the winner!" declared Naruto with Ranma panting heavily and moved to help Shampoo up while the Uzumaki healed their injuries.
"You too too strong Ranma. Shampoo is honored to have you as Airen," replied Shampoo before she gave him the "Kiss of Marriage" with Nodoka now squealing about getting grandchildren soon.
Cologne smirked at the sight of the two kissing and Kasumi just sighed while mumbling something about "young love" to herself.
"Now remember you two, this whole marriage business is only going to happen in a few years. Not this second. Get to know each other first. All right?" said Naruto with the two fighters nodding while smiling at the other.
"Agreed," said Shampoo happily.
"No arguments there," replied Ranma with Naruto smirking.
"Something tells me you two will get along fine. Also, I think its everyone's best interest if I help you guys out for a time, and maybe even bring my mate into the picture," said Naruto with everyone looking shocked.
"Your mate? As in the rumored lavender eyed vixen herself?" questioned Cologne with Naruto nodding.
"The very same. I think she would enjoy teaching Shampoo a few things just as I will in teaching Ranma," said Naruto with Ranma and Shampoo looking floored.
"That's...incredible! I am honored sensei!" exclaimed Ranma before bowing humbly and so did Shampoo.
"Shampoo just as honored. Shampoo do her best to learn under the legendary lavender eyed vixen," added Shampoo since she had heard the tales of the demonic woman being an entity of grace, beauty, and skill in the ways of combat equaled only to her mate now standing before them.
"I'll let her know. Also, another reason I'm staying here, is to help Ranma with his path in life, and ensuring its a sound one," stated Naruto with Ranma looking a bit confused.
"What do you mean?" asked Ranma with Naruto sighing.
"I won't lie to you Ranma. Your so called Father really messed you up mentally inside during your travels. For starters, your Nekoken training should never have happened. I have a copy of the manual he used to train you and it clearly states that no one under any circumstances should know such a style. Hence why it was considered incomplete and the results of it bring about a fear of cats. I'm going to help you get over the fear of cats by using one of my powers to trick your mind into removing the fear all together. Next, I'm going to see to it you understand some things about women your moron of a Father either neglected to mention, or deliberately failed to mention," said Naruto with Ranma nodding while being a bit embarrassed that Shampoo heard he had a fear of cats.
Not very manly.
"And Shampoo?" asked the Chinese Amazon.
"You will be taking a course in speaking better Japanese. I think Nodoka could help with that if she's up to it?" questioned Naruto with Nodoka nodding.
"Of course! I would be honored to help my future daughter-in-law learn more about our language," replied Nodoka happily.
"And I can help Ranma in learning how to speaking Mandarin Chinese since he will be visiting our Amazon village from time to time. Not to mention teaching him a few moves I've learned over the years to incorporate into his Anything Goes School," said Cologne since she liked the idea of passing on what she knew to someone with the potential to learn them.
"What about the Tendo family?" asked Ranma since he felt kind of bad for them for some odd reason.
"The pact between Soun and Genma was nullified when the latter made all those other arranged marriages despite them all being illegal at face value. Not only that, but your future marriage to Shampoo kind of takes care of it anyway since its the only legitimate one made," replied Naruto since Nodoka would never allow Ranma to marry one of the Tendo girls after presenting her with the information he had on them.
"Okay. But...what will happen to Pops? I mean...he's been in my life for 10 years. Should I...do something?" asked Ranma with Naruto sighing and shook his head.
'Wow! Genma really fucked his mind up. Mental and physical abuse to the point, plus the isolation from the rest of the world that would have done something to stop it. The man has made Ranma desire to keep some form of bond and not wish to leave the fat fucker on bad terms,' thought Naruto sadly.
"Ranma, your Father will no longer have a say in your life. I'm divorcing him. In fact, I gave him the papers before your match today, and told him to sign. When he refused, I told him to sign, or pictures of his abuse to you would be made known in court. Genma would be exposed as a child abusing man, who has no empathy for what was done to you, and myself during those 10 years traveling," replied Nodoka with Naruto nodding.
"He still refused to sign them. Claiming he was well within his right as a parent, but then I told him about how I had proof of his infidelity, and would provide the evidence during the court proceedings. Not only would Genma go to jail if such evidence came out, he would have to pay Nodoka back financially for years, and have to work it off until time turned him into a frail old man," added Naruto since he had been there when it happened.
"Did he sign it?" asked Ranma with Naruto smirking.
"Not only did he sign it, but I made Genma sign the divorce papers in his own blood for good measure. I made the thing that more binding," answered Naruto with Ranma just nodding from hearing this.
"Fat panda can't get out of that!" exclaimed Shampoo knowing once you sign something in blood, you were bound to it forever, even after death, and held to a high standard that if broken would damn your soul to Hell.
"That's why I made him sign it in blood. The man can't be involved in Ranma's no matter what and intend to make sure it stays that way," stated Naruto with Ranma understanding why this happened.
"When do we start training?" asked Ranma with Naruto letting out a laugh.
"Anxious are we? We'll get started in a few days. I have to get in contact with Hinata-chan and tell her what has been going on since I left to help your Mother out," replied Naruto with the two warriors nodding excitedly.
They couldn't wait.
(Four Years Later)
"It seems like only yesterday those two were fighting each other. Now look at them," said Hinata while watching Ranma and Shampoo from a distance at their home within Nerima living a semi-peaceful life.
Semi-peaceful because of the occasional problems that popped up. It had been rough few years for the two Martial Arts fighters. First, they had to attend school with Akane, and Nabiki during their time in Nerima. Ranma was wondering why he had to at first, but it was explained by both Naruto, and Nodoka that it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan in the event his Martial Arts career is put in jeopardy. Naruto further explained how some athletes focused so much on their sport's career that they had practically forsaken their means of getting an education. Several athletes who did, would suffer injuries to their limbs that took that high life of being rich, and famous out of their hands with little to nothing to fall back on. Leaving them almost dirt poor with just enough of an education to get by to a certain point in life.
After hearing something like that for an example, Ranma agreed to go to school, and get an education worthy of himself. Plus his Mother had stated a manly man makes sure his mind was as strong as his body, and wanted him to become as manly as possible. So with that in mind, Ranma took to his studies like he did Martial Arts, and did exceedingly well in all his subjects.
Shampoo was also in the same boat as Ranma, but when she wasn't training, or getting an education, the Chinese Amazon was working at the Cat Cafe her Great Grandma Cologne setup in Nerima. It was a nice way for the girl to be welcome to Nerima, its people, and make some income for the family she would one day have with Ranma. The boy had felt he should setup a dojo like the Tendo family did, but unlike the said family, he intended to have it packed with plenty of students, and have a long line of students learning from him. To ensure this was possible, Naruto had arranged for Ranma to have a house of his own in Nerima near the Cat Cafe, and made sure it was fully paid for. Wasn't hard when using what was essentially pocket change when a small amount of his wealth he had seen grow over the years was spent for the couple.
"Yep! Now they are happily married, Ranma's graduating from the University top of his class, Cat Cafe is doing well, and word has spread throughout Japan about the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts," added Naruto with a smile on his face knowing those two would go far when things really opened up for them.
Still, the problems with the Tendo family was a pain, as Nabiki had let loose information on the two, and how Ranma apparently "broke" Akane's heart. Thus getting the Captain of the Kendo Club Kuno Tatewaki's undivided attention in his strange Shakespearean way of talking. Ranma defeated the older male easily in combat since the moron was telegraphing his attacks and an enrolling Shampoo easily swatted Akane away when she tried to launch a sneak attack on Ranma with her mallet. If that wasn't enough, the Kendo Captain's sister, who was just as off her nut as the brother if not more, was made aware of Ranma thanks to Nabiki taking a picture of him, and making sure it was given to the crazy girl.
While this happened, Genma was able to escape his now ex-wife, and run into one angry Kuonji Ukyō. She had finally tracked Genma and Ranma down to Nerima after what happened 10 years ago with the former stealing the family food cart that was part of the dowry. Genma tricked the girl into going after Shampoo and Ranma while pinning the blame on his son for choosing food over her while keeping the hidden fact that his son didn't know Ukyō was in fact a girl at the time. The young girl made her way to Furinkan High to attack Ranma, but on her way there, she was intercepted by Naruto, and was told the reason behind what really happened all those years ago that Genma kept out of their little conversation.
You see what Genma didn't know was before he escaped his ex-wife's continued wrath, Naruto used the power of his Sharingan Eyes, and the Kotoamatsukami on the fat man to tell the demonic fox everything he did without even known. While Genma confessed to every misdeed, which Naruto made sure to record for good measure, he also told the Uzumaki about of all the supposed fiancés Ranma once had thanks to his stupidity during those 10 years traveling. It took some doing, but Naruto had managed to get in touch with just about all the parents of such daughters, and nullified each of their engagements to Ranma before explaining why.
Naturally, many people wanted Genma's head on a plate, and right away since they felt cheated by him. Naruto explained to them that they would have to get in line behind the man's ex-wife, who suffered the most, and assured those the fat fool cheated that they would get their 10 pounds of flesh.
As for Kuonji Ukyō, Naruto explained to her that Ranma's understanding of life between boys and girls had become...narrow thanks to Genma, and was just now expanding his own horizons. The girl understood, but still wished to see Ranma, and wanting to see for herself just how he was doing. Naruto had agreed and the two went to the school to see both Ranma and Shampoo walking out while holding hands before seeing Ukyō there with a giant spatula for a weapon on her back. After explaining things to Ranma, the poor boy humbly apologized to Ukyō, as he had no idea his fat panda of a Father had done that to her family, or she was in fact a girl when they first met.
In his defense, Ranma had never really been around any other girls at the time, and didn't know any better. Not the best defense, but it was understandable to Ukyō since Ranma's poor excuse of a Father had done little to properly educate the boy, and forgave him for the incident 10 years ago. She had hoped to be worthy of his affections in terms of one day being more than just friends, but after hearing what happened with Shampoo, it just seemed the girl's hopes were lost on the idea. However, Shampoo seeing the girl's chance of being unable to be with Ranma proposed something that shocked even Naruto since he didn't think the Chinese Amazon suggested it.
Shampoo suggested Ranma have a second wife.
It had floored the various individuals hearing this, namely Ranma since he was at the center of it all, and asked Shampoo why she suggested such a thing. Shampoo explained to everyone that Ranma was in need of a family, a big one at that in the future, and the Chinese Amazon wished to give him one. However, given the Cat Cafe, Martial Arts training, the dojo, and the inevitable with her having one maybe two children at a time...it would be small one. Shampoo wanted her Airen to have a big family, one that would not only make him happy, but prove his manliness to his Mother, and expand the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts in the future with family members taking it up.
Before Ranma could make a decision however, Naruto decided it would be in the best interest of everyone if they ran this by the boy's Mother, and Ukyō's Father since it would be a bit awkward if he found out about this from another source. Ranma the others agreed with his assumption before made their way to the house Naruto had provided for them. After Naruto explained the situation to Nodoka, the woman showed just how appalled by her ex-husband's actions she was, and hugged the girl while whispering an apology. After that, the woman heard Shampoo's offer one more time to add the giant spatula wielding girl to the family as a second wife to help give Ranma a bigger family than first intended. The instant Nodoka heard that, she squealed with joy at possibly being given even more grandchildren, and instantly accepted the idea while stating, "My son has truly become manly in having such strong girls wishing to be with him!" with a pink backdrop with flowers on it.
It was kind of disturbing.
Still, if Nodoka was happy about the idea, then Ranma was going to give it some serious thought, provided Ukyō's Father was happy with it too, and would at least continue the friendship the two once had. Which he was glad to have since another problem came up in the form of the "Lost Boy" Hibiki Ryoga, who was Ranma's "eternal rival", but in a twisted messed up way that had been different between Hatake Kakashi, and Maito Gai when they had their rivalry. The boy constantly tried to kill Ranma, but declared it every time like Konohamaru did in wanting to kill the Sandaime Hokage when Naruto first met him. Unlike Konohamaru, this fool kept on bitching about "how he had seen Hell", and how he would have his revenge. It was so pathetic! It was like young Konohamaru mixed with Sasuke, and Neji's pity party lives all rolled into one.
At least Neji got over his crappiness.
As for Ryoga himself, Naruto had basically told the brat to leave Ranma alone, and after curing the fool of his own curse spring transformation...the Uzumaki punted him all the way to the United States. As it turns out, the Lost Boy landed in the water outside of a place called Gotham City where Batman had just saved its people from a Nuclear Bomb, which had exploded around the area where Ryoga landed.
And thus ending the pointless rivalry between the two fighters.
"How is Ukyō doing? I hear her restaurant is doing remarkably well these days. It would be Cat Cafe's rival if it weren't for the fact both girls married the same man," said Hinata while watching Ranma's fraternal twins, a son and daughter from Shampoo's side sitting with their Mother, and watching as their Father was now teaching students outside in the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.
"Still pregnant and looking ready to pop actually. It won't be long before she gives birth to some children of her own," remarked Naruto with Hinata smacking his arm lightly.
"I still can't believe Shampoo suggested the idea of sharing him," remarked Hinata with Naruto smirking at her.
"Would you prefer they act like constant rivals and just tear Nerima apart while slowly causing things to escalate out of control? We both know it would have made things worse if the offer wasn't made. Besides, it made Nodoka happy to see her son become so manly in having two strong women for wives. Not to mention it gives her twice as many grand children to spoil," countered Naruto with Hinata shrugging.
"Good point. Though I do question something. Why did you decide to payback the debt owed to the Saotome Clan now of all times? You could have said no. It wasn't even an obligation or mandatory?" questioned Hinata with Naruto shrugging now.
"I was tempted to say no, but when they explained to me how Genma acted when they first met him, and how they suspected he was a dishonest man...I was easily reminded of Jiraiya. How the man betrayed my parents and me all for his selfish desires. I saw Jiraiya of the Sannin in Genma and I saw a bit of myself in Ranma. I easily saw the events that would have transpired had I not interfered and it would have made the boy miserable for the rest of his life. I simply...evened out the playing field," answered Naruto while seeing the students were eager to learn, yet didn't make light of the training.
"Not to mention removing his curse in turning into a girl every time he was splashed with cold water," remarked Hinata with Naruto laughing.
"That too. Genma was so angry when he learned of a way to cure his son. I think the fool wanted to hang that part over Ranma's head until he got what he wanted in having his boy marrying Akane," added Naruto with Hinata growling at the mention of the boy and now man hating feminist.
"Don't remind me. That girl got on my last nerves. Calling me a slut just for loving you and calling you a pervert for it. She's lucky I let her live without rearranging her organs to make her crap out the mouth and piss out the nose," remarked Hinata, as she had given the tomboy feminist a vicious beating, and loved every second of it.
"Well she was half right. I AM a pervert. At least when it comes to you," replied Naruto with a grin and made the demonic Hyuuga girl blush.
"Where is Genma anyway?" asked Hinata while trying to change the subject.
"Siberia. After he fled Nerima, the fool went North. Waaaaay North. As in past China North into Russia and got in trouble with the Russian government. He apparently tried to seduce a high ranking government official's wife and it was caught on video camera. Naturally, he tried to play it off as an innocent misunderstanding, and the tape blew it out of epic proportions. But...well...he had hard time explaining the photos I gave them in secret showing him hurting his son with the Nekoken training and the other things he did since that time. Apparently, his...interrogators all have children, and they pictured what it would have been like for their children to suffer like that, and thus gave Genma a pretty vicious beating before throwing his broken body deep within the snowy depths of Siberia to suffer. He's still there, freezing his ass off, and waiting for the end," answered Naruto since it was only fitting the fool die alone and in the cold where no one would miss him.
Naruto did something similar to Jiraiya as a final punishment to the Sannin.
"The Tendo family hasn't been doing well. Akane got arrested for assaulting a police officer. Nabiki tried to intervene using her means of persuasion, but the cop in question had ties to a powerful Yakuza family on his Mother's side, and they decided to make an example of the two. Akane was thrown into a prison for 10 years at a Maximum Security Women's Prison and Nabiki's markers have all been collected. All her contacts have been liquidated and she is now being forced to work for the Yakuza with swords drawn. If the girl so much as sneezes in a way that they dislike...they will kill her," said Hinata with Naruto nodding.
"I heard they're forcing her to marry a member of their clan. A real hard ass. He expects Nabiki to be a most obedient house wife to him when not using her skills for the benefit of the Yakuza," added Naruto since he heard the same thing.
"At least Kasumi made it out okay. Better late than never I suppose, but still she was the only one of the three Tendo women to get a good life after everything put on her plate," remarked Hinata with Naruto remembering how the woman had met one Dr. Tofu and both hitting it off well before marrying the man just a little over a year ago.
"I hear she's expecting soon. Around the time Ukyō is with her child," added Naruto with a knowing smirk.
"Naruto! You wouldn't dare!" Hinata challenged with Naruto's smirk becoming a grin.
"Of course not. I didn't use my eye on them. I merely stated in passing that the Saotome and Tendo families could merge as one depending on the gender of each side's child. If Ranma gains a son or daughter and Kasumi gives birth to the opposite gender on her end, they might succeed in completing that stupid pact Soun and Genma made years ago. Only this time it would done correctly!" stated Naruto with Hinata looking at him with probing eyes.
"Without Soun there since he died of a heart attack six months after Akane was thrown in jail," added Hinata with Naruto sighing.
"I warned him the stress would hurt his heart. Add to the fact he didn't exercise much and acted like a lump all day made it worse," replied Naruto while feeling slightly bad for the man, but Soun did bring it on himself, and everyone in Nerima knew it.
"I know. I saw all the signs of it with my Byakugan when I first came to see you here in Nerima and Kasumi mentioned her Father's health concerned her. I know she tried to get him to eat healthy and exercise again, but all he did was play Shogi and act lazy all day," commented Hinata with Naruto finding himself thinking of Shikamaru for a moment.
"At least Ranma and Shampoo were able to use our training we gave them to its fullest potential. All those enemies they made, no thanks to Genma on certain occasions, and all of them very powerful. Ranma, Shampoo, and even Ukyō would have had difficulty in defeating them all if they didn't have our guidance," remarked Naruto knowing this world still had strong (by Ranma's standards) fighters and were not (most of them) to be taken lightly.
"And they are still so young. Its a shame we can't stay longer, but our services have expired for now. Let's go home," said Hinata, as she kissed Naruto, and the two left for their dimension with pride knowing their students defeated every enemy that came their way.
The Kendo Club. Herb of the Musk Dynasty. The Seven Lucky Gods. Saffron. Even the Crimson Cat Gang. All of them targeted Ranma, Shampoo, and Ukyō with the intent of crushing the three beneath their feet.
They should have known better to challenge students of Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hyuuga Hinata.
But that's what happens when a smart fox helps out a wild horse in need of focusing his potential.
(A/N: YAY! A super long NarutoxRanma one-shot. Possibly my only one. You have no idea how long it took me to write this! I had this idea in my head for over a year! A year in my head, my muse banging against my skull saying "WRITE THIS! WRITE THIS DAMN YOU!" until I couldn't take it anymore, and said "All right! All right! I'll write it...you asshole!" before writing it. LOL! I hope it was worthy of any such crossovers. I never did like Akane since she was always bitchy man hating girl. Nabiki was basically a shark hyena hybrid in the water looking for blood that led to an injures body to munch on. Kasumi was always the smart, polite, and nice one of the group so I felt I shouldn't hate her like I do the others. Soun is a moron and so is Genma. You know its true! I like Shampoo the most out of all of Ranma's girls because she actually doesn't care about his curse (you could argue the Kiss of Death shouldn't count because Ranma was born a boy so that should take precedent for such a thing) and likes him for him. Sure she uses all these sneaky and dirty tricks on occasion, but look at some of her competition. Besides, I made sure she didn't need to use them with Naruto getting involved, and Cologne is too terrified of him so she's not instructing Shampoo in that method since I'm fairly sure the old bat encourages it in the canon. Until next time...PEACE!)