This is just an additional chapter related to the plot just to give a bit more closure to the content. In no way will I keep writing over this, and even though it looks like rushed or with the possibility to keep going, all I wanted to do is show what happened next.
Thank you.
Time. . .
Time seems to be the force creating change. Before the ultimate disaster causing the planet to fall from its already descending state appeared, men ruled as the most powerful species, controlling and mastering all manner of aspects for their survival and comfort.
When the strange solar flare hit the world, it brought not only destruction and mayhem everywhere, but something changed in the heart of men. They saw how a few millions of their brethren perished by the hand of the most powerful weather anomaly, turning the tide between them as the predominating species and the subaltern masses left on the recently created wasteland.
The first thing they did was understand what had happened. When the flare did it's job, and subsequently waves of radioactive and invisible fire consumed most of the elders and group leaders trying to protect their families from the environment, the next course of action was to dominate instead of organize.
The death of good men left even less human beings on the face of this planet, thus at the end, only the cowards, the young and the unprotected were left as sole survivors. That alone had to be the single greatest lesson mankind needed to heed and obey, but no!. . .Men realized survival meant slavery of the weak as the law which could establish a stronger human race.
Humans turned into predators against young women, and children. . .Using the small resources of soil as the only way to trade goods while using flesh for the more despicable needs. Slavers became the trade of the day. . .Scavengers, a new social class trained to produce good dirt and the basics a family could need in a time like this.
At the end of the chain, the mercenaries. Men and women ruthless enough to work for the strongest landlords and those who worked on their own. Humanity had settled its new way of life, all thanks to the few years the world had left to live.
Families who hanged for dear life hid away from harm and those societies. There were those young men who became strong on their own and protected faithfully the old and the too young, they were the ones who realized something else was needed to change this new and twisted way of life.
Humankind was dying, the young ones finally agreed. The proud race formed as a massive group of living creatures co-existing by regions and countries at one time, were now getting extinguished by the stupidity of their own choices. Their young ones though, were the ones keeping some type of data recording all matter of tragedies and phases around this time, and they fortunately, were the ones that helped this species survive its own demise.
Notes and letters were exchanged through the months until others far and wide gathered into one entity. . .The world united forces became the only official organization capable to give some peace against the new world order and the only force they let pass thanks to their new honor code, were the Yakuza led by a certain man known only by the title, Mr. Zhao.
That man had the experience, valor and authority to command his own army, and although he could be one of those rich landlords, the Yakuza boss always showed trust and decency towards the weak and the poor.
He was the main source of information the young used to record several parts during the greatest change of all times, and even though some of those letters are still put in doubt at this time, his help was the best weapon the new humanity had to fend for the future.
When out of nowhere, the world began to change back into its former beauty, Mr. Zhao declared to all that two seventeen year olds and two children were the cause of such impossible task. Of course we don't take this letter as a factual precedent for the complete restoration, not only of the our precious earth, but the moon as well which was far beyond our reach, completely repairing both by magical causes.
Humanity had a new lease in life, letting the younger take over governments and countries again and letting them form alliances with those who needed protection. The world at this point became the paradise all living creatures dreamed for so long. No more damaged layers on the sky or pollution threatening a possible new disaster were left, but a complete virgin globe was the gift from this miracle.
Like its been said before, all those letters Mr. Zhao sent to the important organizations of the time were bundled into a full report used for future measurements and now, thanks to the Yakuza boss and the new political governments, many missing issues were resolved once and for all.
The Zhao report specified crazy descriptions about humans capable to project their body's energy as weapons of mass destruction. Examples like blasts, special moves and balls of "Chi". . .Like those documents describe, are the first points to be resolved.
The second phase in the same report talks about a Mr. Ryker. . .A very powerful businessman before the fall of the solar flare who seems it went overboard about human experimentation, his included, and at some point of his career he met twelve other high corporative men with connections with the economical world and it's complete domination.
They were the ones activating the flare but all those martial artists believing to be the greatest force in this world took the responsibility to take such threat on their own hands, causing the deed to go unpunished. The new governments decided then, that two rules needed to be implemented at once for the unification of this new world.
Even when men were allowed to become whoever they wanted, a "one man company" would not be accepted ever and two. . .Martial arts had to be banned forever.
At this time, humankind faces its possible extermination when thanks to all the ordeal many years ago took young women like nothing more than a commodity, left in its place a race with few fertile men and fewer young maidens.
Men opted to apply all their knowledge and strength towards technology. They left the abstract matters of spiritual energy and ancient arts behind and embraced electricity and nanotech as fundamentals of their only advancement.
Years kept moving forward, giving human beings the crown as the strongest species once again. Advances in medicine, artificial prosthesis and artificial intelligence gave pass to the new way to keep humanity alive, while natural procreation became a second state of affair until further notice.
The old and dying were slowly "repaired" with those nano-parts. Other applications gave birth to the implementation of animal DNA into some willing men with the success to create stronger, faster and more resourceful specimens without the aid of ancient teachings or natural means.
At the end of this declaration, here we stand. . .Standing before the greatest civilization of all time where there is no evil corporations, senseless violence and peace on every corner. . .Humankind has finally reached perfection. . .
"What would you like to know next!?"
The last question remained blinking on the air, as part of the integrated database safely kept in the main library. The boy no older than sixteen stared at the marvelous things men were able to create over the years, and although he was something they had never seen before, his existence marked the end of an era he hoped they would never find out.
"Tell me. . .What are the latest news about inter-species alterations in the world?" Asked the teen at the red dot floating right next a column. The dot processed the information instantly, displaying a vast array of pictures, videos and documents all over the space between them.
"The newest and most advanced inter-species treatment was done three months ago. It's procedure has progressed optimistically and as of now, the new subject is conscious and able to function as a respected citizen in this planet. . ."
The boy raised a brow when this could be the clue he'd been looking for so long. Now days, hackers and computer savvies were nothing much compared to all the protective systems created by law, but when a smart person starts using certain tone, or "indirect questioning to a powerful databank, the effect was bound to be the same.
"What was the specimen used and from where was it taken from for this treatment to work?" Asked again, with a wondering yet, innocent tone. The red dot blinked a few more times, trying to process the answer but unable when the company released just limited information on the case to the public.
"I'm sorry. . .That data cannot be presented as of now. . ." The teen smiled slyly at the same time his hand slid close to the column with something firmly held in it. "Could you respond to my last question. . ."Please". . .?"
In that moment, the advanced computer found the last word confusing and illogical. The tiny magnet in the boy's hand scrambled some of the processing data. Although these systems were protected from such attempts, what completely screw the computer up was the very feminine and sweet voice, the male teen used last instead of his manly one.
"Error!. . .Voice recognition invalid. Specimen is a sixteen year old male with. . ."
Error!. . .Physical pattern malfunction. Specimen is a sixteen year old female with. . ." The computer kept fumbling in the spot, busily deciding if the human being in front of it was an specific gender, but unable to verify it as the parameters kept moving from one form to the next, and back.
"Tell me, what is the species used for the treatment and where It came from." Pressed the boy a few times over until the machine gave the desired information, confused from the analysis. "A very old snake was found in the wilderness of China."
"The specimen had no frontal fangs and its body was vastly different from any other of its species everywhere they looked. . .The subject presented highly cognitive abilities, skills strongly resembling those of a human intellect, and after all the precautions needed, it was shipped here, to America, for experimentation."
When the computer found the data corrupted by the visitor, alarms glared and sound all over the building called for the police. The time was well into the night and the teen had found his way in the middle of a public place which needed little to no protection, so it was safe to escape, at least at the beginning of the plan.
When the call went off, he knew this was the right moment to leave and so he did through the duct system and air-conditioned vents. When the police arrived, several hovering crafts surrounded the area, leaving no chance for the boy to escape.
"Area secure. . .Starting aerial scanning. . ." came the monotonous voice from the robot like officer high in the sky. Lines made of green and red passed by every feet of the land, stopping on heating escape vents or small rodents, and continuing after verifying their composition as not threatening or similar to the description by the report.
The boy was in incredible shape, and sprinting over several feet with noiseless stealth was easy for him. He managed to avoid the lines at all times until he jumped from the roof from the side where the tallest bush broke his fall.
The almost inaudible sound could've been ignored by anyone, except this was a computer floating on top of the buildings and noises processed and filtered sure gave the right idea of a perpetrator fleeing. "Stop!. . .You are under arrest!"
The boy scrambled with his impossible speed, thanking at the machine for its procedure to look closer first and then, far into the distance. Still, this wasn't a one cop job and before the teen could escape, three more floating patrols arrived to the area.
He barely stopped when several dozen lines of green and red came at him from all directions. To avoid them all was impossible even with his dexterous skill, so. . .In a desperate move, he stood ready to fight them straight ahead.
When the three flying aircrafts joined into the same path, all lines merged in the only spot not revised and right before they began to scan at the same time, the waiting boy met a new turn of events in this chase. A strong hand grabbed his, pulling him rather violently against the wall, pinning him there while another boy embraced him from the front.
"I know what you've been doing lately. . .Michael, and I think there's something fishy in all this. Now, I have a theory I want to test and it's up to you if it's really true or I'm hallucinating. . .Brace yourself, 'cuse I'm going to kiss you, and if you want to escape those cops, this might be the only way for you to do so."
The boy trying to flee could have thrown this new pest with ease, but something kept him glued to the wall. . .Something deep inside this boy he saw sometimes in school was powerful enough to call out certain ancient energies.
The clock moved faster and faster, leaving not many options for the boy with strange brown eyes and red hair to choose. When Brian closed in on his face, the heat in his body raised, his heart thumped incredibly and the incoming lines from the police didn't help one bit to his case.
In the last moment, when everything could be lost, Michael closed his eyes and instinctively changed from who he was, and into a beautiful girl with bright, blue eyes and the darkest of hair. Brain felt the difference as well, not only enjoying what he saw when he quickly open his eyes, but feeling those two big female breasts poke directly against his chest, gaving him all the reassurance he needed all along.
The kiss was soft, but firm. Giving a sensation the girl had never experienced ever before, and what made things awkward the most, was the weakening of knees and whimpering grunts she moaned through their sealed lips.
At that point all lines, lights and scanners rested on the couple far below. The boy turned around and smiled at his audience without moving an inch from the prettiest girl he had ever met. "Scanning complete. . .Male and Female are local students and they have no precedents to be near the break in."
"Young Brian Ashcroft. . .Michel Fang. You are soliciting close encounters of sexual nature in the dark, specially when you do not display the minimum age restricted by law to engage in such activities. You are released with a warning, but the next time this happens, the director in charge of your student facility will be informed of your disciplinary misconduct. . ."
All four patrols went back to search the area for the culprit while the couple stayed a few seconds close, or so the blonde teen thought, but when the danger passed, the girl shoved Brian aside with force, walking out of the place with stomping steps.
"Hey!. . .Don't I deserve a thank you at least!?" Asked with a blush the boy. Michael turned around and walked back at him, lifting him with ease at his level at the same time he turned back into his old male self. "What you did was stupid, I'm a boy like you!. . ." Said just as a blush crossed his face and his eyes darted to the side. "But it worked so thanks."
"Now!. . ." Advised the redheaded boy a lot closer this time to his face. "Don't you ever follow me. Don't try to make conversation or act smugly around me. . .And!, if you tell anyone about what I can do, I will deny it and accuse you of being a pervert. . ."
Michael let Brian hit the floor again, releasing him just as he veered in place and walked away angry. The blonde teenager, although surprised by the change, smiled satisfied when his guts were always right. "I knew his constant disappearing when "cousin Michel appeared" were nothing more than some magic curse. . .Like the hidden letters Mr. Zhao wrote about said."
His monologue stopped when night started to clear out by the dim light of sunrise. His eyes bulged and the next alarming news made him stand in one go and leave running home. "Man. . .I got class in one hour!"
Michael, on the other hand arrived to his tiny apartment away from schools, prying eyes and other students. He entered into his room, locking right behind before dropping like a rock on the bed. "Man. . .I'm exhausted. . ."
Still, a pressing numbness lingered on his lips. Something extremely strong and profound filling his mind and bringing his conscious back to that moment. "C'mon. . .Snap out of it! I know it was the first time someone. . ."Anyone" has ever kissed me, but is not like you're a woman. No!. . .You are a man like your father and those things will never affect me at all. . ."
He soon realized the refusal to that experience brought him closer and closer to the sensation he craved the most. . .To be cared and embraced as a loving human being capable to give birth and create a family of her own. That was the last straw he could bear though, snapping from his tiredness and grabbing both sides of his head firmly.
"Snap. . .out!. . .That was nothing more than a way to escape, that is all!" His constant complaining didn't leave much room for doubt in his heart because, before he could do something about it, his smile returned the second that same boy with the golden hair acted as a knight in shiny armor saving "her" popped one last time in the deranged, little mind if his.
He shook his head again, this time snarling at the stuck memory but what made him snap for real, was the red light brightly lit besides his bed and the only communication between him and his parents which flared madly in that precise instant.
He quickly picked it up, holding it closer to his ear while the trembling of his voice made difficult for the boy to speak. "H-Hello. . .?"
"How are you man!. . .It's been some time we haven' heard of ya M'boy. . .Is everythin' Ok?" The very tomboyish but still somewhat feminine voice made him remember old times, but he knew someone else made the call, forcing his tone back into a submissive demeanor.
"I-I'm fine mom. . .I just. . .I-I just picked the shell up. S-Someone on the other side called me first."
"Meh. . .Someone else you say?. . .Well, your father has been a bit worried about you lately but you know how that moron gets every time somethin' weird gets in his idiotic brain. . .All you need ta do is. . .Crash!" There was no more speech on the other side after the last message except for heavy sounds though.
Everything Michael could hear was a very loud smack on the head he supposed was his mother's , and a body flying through the air and crashing against dishes and furniture. "I told you Ranma to let me to talk to Ichi first. . .This is something you have no idea how to handle. . .Hello!"
"H-Hi dad, it's Michael. . .I mean. . .Ichiro. . ." The disdainful scoff was loud enough through the seashell, both sides gasped silently when they heard it immediately. "S-Sorry son. . .I'm still not used to hear your new name and it just came out, but more importantly. . .How did it go with what happened last night?"
The question made Ichi's ears heat up increasingly, forcing his eyeballs to roam all over the room and his breathing accelerate by the memory. "D-Dad!. . .I know we are linked from when we saved the earth, but you can't just blurt something like that so easily. I was getting ready to mention it a bit later during the chat!"
After another loud smack heard from the device which told Ichi his mother had arrived furiously and was scolding his dad, the boy blinked nervously when the conversation had to deal with another big problem. "Damn it Ryoga!. . .You never told me little Ichi had problems like ours?"
"It's not like ours Ok!?. . .He has his own problems but I want him to know we are here for him every step of the way." Said the male voice to the girlish one on the other side of the shell. "Oh!. . .Gotcha!. I'm goin' ta get somethin' ta eat, let me know if I can help on somethin' else. . ."
"Sorry about that son, but you know how idiotic your mom gets when her male side flares all around." Michael rolled his eyes annoyed when through the years, his parents always fought for something, kept mastering their abilities, but most importantly trusting each other while trying to love him so closely as either in male or female forms depending on the situation. . .In the end, Ranma accepted the title of mom, letting that defeat being the only one he enjoyed as the family matriarch.
"Tell me about it dad. Mom is just as stubborn than you when in male form, and I hate to admit you make a better mom, but I've learned so much from you two by switching genders, that I feel so at peace with my curse. . .Well, that is until last night when that stupid guy openly warned me about the kiss."
There was a moment of silence, but Ichi took that as a permission to go on. "So dad. . .I was cornered and chased by the police. I knew if they caught me, their scanners would identify who I was and if apprehended, they would test me medically."
That explained a lot to Ryoga, who considered his son a very smart boy capable to protect himself, but if anyone were to know how old the boy really was, many questions would be raised and he'd be taken into a lab or else.
"I understand the urgency son. So, you were caught suddenly by this boy, but how did he know you could change. . .Or, was he going to kiss you like a boy anyway?" The question was a fair one Michiko taught for some time as well.
This blonde teenager used to assist where Ichi did most of the time, and although he always lived as a boy in public, his alter ego was used only on special occasions or to confuse pursuers. But he mentioned something as well. . .He said how "he had been watching me for the longest time"
Does that mean that he figured both Michael and Michel were the same person by accident?. . .Or that he actually caught him changing between genders and knows about curses. "I don't know dad. Now days, many boys declared themselves gay here in America. In fact, there are some who believe to be bi-sexual and they proudly recognize it to society, weird isn't?"
On the other side of the shell, both voices stayed with a humming tone, using the time to ponder on how humanity embraced most intimate values through the years and turned them into casual topics. "Can you believe it Ryoga. . .If we had try somethin' like that in our time pops would have skinned us alive, although your mind wouldn' have melted either and we could have avoided so much pain too. . ."
Michiko's father, Ryoga Hibiki, agreed with his wife about the subject but decided to leave the world aside for the good of his son. "Well, that may be so, but remember who you are and do as you feel son. Now. . .The things you are going through are some things both, Ranma and I went as well."
"So, don't think you are living our lives, but "know" we understand your situation. Follow your choices Ichiro and enjoy them whether they get you in trouble or make you happy. Before we end this transmission, could you tell us what got you so spooked last night besides the kiss?"
Ranma argued angrily about the last word, fighting over the shell with her man only to be rejected gently with a kiss of their own. Michael knew they were making out when the sound of locking lips was clearly distinctive from their competitive manner to prove who was the best, so he patiently waited.
After the ten second session finished, a very sensuous voice mellowed close to his father, musing things quietly that made him blush so hard, he could feel the heat on the other side. "Damn it Ranma!. . .Don't whisper that stuff now!"
"Ah!, Ah!. . .I win!. . .Ranma Saotome always wins!" Ichiro laughed out loud, admitting he knew this was bound to happen after the way they loved each other. "You know you'll always win honey, keep loving me as you do and second place for me is better than being the best." Replied back the male voice
"Damn it man. You know I'll always love you Ryoga. . .Ahem!" The girl cleared her throat from the feeling, asking her son to please go on with his conversation, promising there wouldn't be anymore delays or interruptions from her.
"Thanks mom, but I really enjoyed that fight. Anyway. . ." When he said that, the redheaded boy cleared his own throat, forcing both parents to pay attention and to understand this was a very serious matter. "I found him dad. . .I can't believe it but Chimera survived this long and after some researchers found him lost in China, the new technology has given him a human body of his own."
"In fact, that's pretty much one of my main reasons why I left home. I knew he would raise eventually, but I had no idea he would live this many years. . .It has been a bit longer than five hundred years since we declared him dead, and now he's surfacing into humanity."
"That is serious Ichi-kun, We need to contact my sister in Joketsozuko and warn the rest of the family for a possible war." After they planned the rest of the conversation, both Ranma and Ryoga blessed him and asked him to be careful since they weren't able to leave the country.
Japan and most of ancient China had been militarized in the last centuries, purging all matter of martial arts or secret techniques from the country until a few years recently where they became a purely technological region.
All those who followed a school or Dojo were either destroyed or given new jobs to work on, while the real masters were exiled with the warning to be killed on sight. Ranma and Ryoga preferred to stay hidden in Nerima as simple folk, but knowing this was bound to be a fight of great proportions, the couple decided to leave on their way to China.
Back on the United States, Michael Fang, which was Ichiro's fake name, lived among regular human beings during decades. Of course, thanks to Mazu and the sacrifice he did to save the earth, the boy was blessed with a very slow aging process, but it was something easy to hide once you knew the right connections and were able to move a lot.
At that time, he was a six-years old, but as years began to climb rapidly, the tiny child noticed how there was no change compared to other children in the village. A few centuries passed when he had turned fourteen, and at the age of fifteen. . .five hundred and twenty years later, little Ichiro migrated to the USA with hopes to act as the eyes and ears from the advancement of the world to the village.
He sure was glad the most powerful of techniques he developed belonged to his father, rewarding him with the skill to shape his body as he saw fit, a very nice treat for a spy he always thought to play best. When he arrived, forging papers for his two alter egos was easy enough, and by moving every six months from city to city, he managed to become invisible to all external eyes.
As he pondered about the conversation with his parents, and how he come to live here, the boy had cleaned his apartment and was already out, ready to fulfill his part-time job at the local high-school.
Days ran like water for someone who aged incredibly slow. At first, Ichiro noted how Eon accepted to live among the people in Joketsozuko, giving its citizens a radioactive wave of Chi no one expected to receive. Such power infected the system around the land as well, making the day and night stay in their normal cycles.
When he decided to leave in search of adventure, days moved so fast he almost went crazy, but since we are talking about a boy, adapting became an easy transition the longer he met other people. Old countries took their faithful names back and before he knew, Ichiro was already walking into the United States of America.
The redheaded boy finally arrived to the main office where paperwork, grades and homework were the job of the day. Most students always complained why wasn't he in classes, but what they hated him the most was when teachers would defend him with his early diplomas through college and the local university.
"Shush girls!. . .Here he comes!. Michael!. . .Hey, how are you?" Goaded one of the girls who loved to entice him every time he was busy. The boy always acted nice and politely, mingling with all the girls while the rest of the boys glared daggers from afar.
"Doing great!. . .How's everything for the party this weekend?. . .I'm sure is going to be a blast after the test results this morning." Most girls giggled and screamed delighted by his cheery demeanor even when some found him too comfortable to be with.
"Yes!, it's going to be great. . .Are you planning to go with someone special?. . .I am available if you don't. . .I mean, we are friends already aren't we. . .C'mon!" The loud gossiping and idle talking kept raising all the way where most guys started to find annoying.
"Well girls, time for classes. . .I'll see you later." Bid the boy his goodbyes before leaving with a stack of paperwork down the building. Ichiro thought as he walked how comfortable he felt talking to girls, choking the idea at his other form which had given him a better sense to understand both genders.
"Well, well. . .Seems our only Japanese boy finally arrived to his destination. . ." This was Ruben, the bigger and older of the boys in school, and one of the few who loved looking for trouble when he knew how to circumvent security.
"I think is time for you and my fists to meet each other." The taller boy kept walking closer to the redhead who opted to drop the box and his arms. Ichiro could have taken them so easily, but to be exposed would have been to bad for his identity.
The first punch went directly to the stomach. No effect of pain of course, but the boy winced anyway, trying to play his part as the victim. When the bully readied to go on with the beating, another teen about his size walked in accompanied with a girl.
"Leave him alone!. . .Or else." Ichiro turned to see a group of three standing ready to fight at his side. Brian was the leader right in front of the other two who looked strangely familiar. "Guess this is going to get interesting, c'mon guys. . .I've been waiting too long for this moment. . ."
The taller man left Ichiro alone, lunging with his other seven friends against the blond, and his two comrades. The redheaded boy wanted to intervene. . .To show his loyalty and deserve the trust they were showing towards him, but his disguise. . .He couldn't just jeopardize everything.
That's when it happened. Ichiro saw flimsy sparks of Chi flaring on the few hits all three teens decorated on the eight until they gave up, leaving the place at once. "Are you Ok?" Came the question from the same boy he kissed the previous night.
"Y-Yes. . .Thanks." The redhead accepted his hand, pulling himself rather reservedly while the other two noted how "dreamy" both boys stared at each other. After a second too long, but turned to see the silent snickering from their friends, clearing their throats as they all decided to skip classes and go for ice cream to celebrate the bigger sized club.
"So. . .Bri told us you can do "special things". . .Can you?" Ichi's eyes bulged, staring angrily at the boy who just raised his hands defensively and apologize for the comment. "Sorry Michael, but they are my best friends and only comrades in arms. . .Besides, they know about curses because of certain crystals I've found in my family's archives."
That was the theme Ichi preferred to address when the two boys and the girl were able to produce Chi unlike any other person he had found over the years. They explained Mr. Zhao left instructions on how to develop internal energy through certain Katas, but the government decided to expunge or destroy all evidence.
"My family kept some of those letters as a heirloom, but I took and practice them with my friends." Said the blonde boy. After the ice desserts were on the table, Ichiro considered this a sign, and so he started to explain about his life back home.
Arne and Bara accepted the boy who could turn into a girl as part of the team from now on, and As the day passed, Brian found a lot in common with Ichi to the point to ask what he never expected during his journey.
Both teens arrived to Ichiro's apartment where, under the begging inquiry from the blonde, the raven-black haired girl acted as host instead of the redheaded boy this time. "Thanks for letting me see you like that Michel. . .At first I was going crazy thinking how to contact you since the first time we met."
"But I stopped seeing you until that second time you came from an alley after I followed the male you." Declared a bit flustered the blonde. "And why would you chase me at all Brian?" The blonde cleared his throat for a second, trying to not make the next part a big deal, but failing horribly when doing so.
"I. . .I thought you were his boyfriend and I wanted to meet her so bad Ok?. . .I like her a lot. . .I mean. . ." The silence became loud enough for both teens to ran out of the place immediately, but something kept them together, something that almost keep pushing them together.
Far away from that tiny apartment, a couple a bit older kept snickering on a table as the center had a seashell decorated with a red gem. The device kept reproducing all the intimate situation Ichiro was experiencing for the first time, and on the other side, a man and a woman proudly witnessed the beginning of a new love.
"Ranma. . .I don't think we should be peeking on his affairs. . ." Whispered the fanged boy to the redheaded girl who was enthralled with the conversation. "Shush Ryoga!. . .My girl is getting' her fist boy an' I want that to go perfectly. . .So, shut up an' let me listen. . ." Whispered back the girl.
The shell slowly kept playing sounds of kisses and hugs until the mood changed to a point where Ryoga had to turn it off. After both parents agreed they would leave his son/daughter alone, they walked outside the house, ready to watch a sun set into the night.
"You think he fare better than is Ryo-kun?" Asked the woman well in her twenties as she rested her head on the chest of a mainly, bearded man. "Of course Ranma. The other boy seems nice and polite, and I'm sure Ichi won't try to play tricks on him, or make him fall in love by acting as his fiancée or girlfriend."
Ranma laughed against his chest, admitting their story was unique and special. "You got that right. We've had the most interesting relationship a couple could ever have an' you know what?. . .Even if I could have ended up with 'kane. There is no way I could enjoy my life as much as with you."
"With you I get ta be the dad sometimes, and the mom most of the time. We fight like there's no tomorrow an' even when a long time has passed, I find so challenging dealing with you as my friend and rival."
The sentiments were the same when the man raised that pretty chin upwards, kissing the girl passionately as the man could feel how much he loved his wife. After they separated the sun was almost gone. "Same here Ranma. I could have ended up with who knows whom, but with you I need to keep up at all times, being your woman makes me feel fulfilled and having my best friend and my wife in the same person is just the greatest of honors baby. . ."
They kept lingering a bit longer before heading back downstairs. As the night grew over the city, one last comment made Ryoga cry in happiness and shame at the same time. "Honey?. . .There's somethin' I need you ta do tomorrow for me Ok?"
Ryoga heard every bit of the news just as his face lit like the sun itself, that is, until the girl asked the favor he hoped not to do ever again. "Oh!. . .C'mon Ranma. You can't make me do "that" after all these years. . .Is not fair!"
But there was no complaining he could beg, the girl was willing to listen. After so many tries both left the roof decided to see forward a new day.
Right before the light would shine, Nodoka and Akemi were already up, and working on the kitchen ready for the breakfast all the family loved to enjoy together. Later on Ryo, Ukyo and the other girls would appear to help, but to the surprise of the elders, Ryoga in female form entered into the kitchen dressed in the most sensual little piece the grown women had seen before.
"Son!. . .I didn't expected you this early and. . .A-And so. . .So skimpy. . ." Said Akemi rather nervous by the size and tightness of the outfit. "Don't worry mom, I feel horrible and I don't want to dress like this, but this has something to do with an announcement Ranma has for everyone this morning."
Nodoka preferred not to say anything, but welcome her to the place and assign the girl some chores. Later on Natsume walked in, and so Akane, Ukyo and Ryoga's twin sister. . .All staring and giggling uncontrollably at the girl who tried to pull her dress down as it kept pulling up by itself.
"Shut up!. . .This is not my idea Ok?" Said Ryoga flustered by the laughs of the girls. "Ryoga-kun, I know you and Ranma love to bet in weird stuff during your fights, but loosing a battle and dressing as a lost bet is just too cruel. . .Specially for someone so shy as you. . ." Implied Ukyo without loosing a glimpse to her long and beautiful legs.
"Nice pair though. . .If Akane would let me, I'd do so many things with you right about now. . ." Said the chef as her eyes ogled Ryoga in such manner, the rest of the women could do nothing but smile at a blushing fanged female.
"Damn it Ukyo. . .Don't give Ranma ideas or I may end up doing things I will regret the rest of my life!" Snarled the girl while keeping battering eggs on a giant bowl. "C'mon children, leave poor Ryoga-kun alone and get the rest of the food ready." Admonished Nodoka with such maternal tone, the fanged girl smiled satisfied for her help.
"Thanks mom, I swear. . .I don't know why those two kept avoiding you all these years, but I sure love your company." That small declaration of love made the Saotome matriarch tear from the feeling, bowing at the girl and her mother while from the frame of the kitchen, a redhead waited patiently for her gifts.
"That's 'cuse if mom were to find her manly son turned into a weak girl and by the hand of another boy no less, pops an' my head would be rollin' down the hill immediately. . ." Said a bit smugly the girl. Nodoka pouted by the hurtful words and, after a moment later when the redhead realized what she said sounded so horrible, she ran at her mom desperately trying to explain how her big mouth worked.
After a big fuzz was averted, all the girls prepared the giant table which began to fill with all the family living in the city.
Akane and her family, Zhao and Shihong, not to mention most Elite Amazons and even Wu and Shampoo arrived making the group increasingly big and crowded. They all sat at the table, waited as the food moved around and when everyone waited for Akemi to bless breakfast, all gasps became too loud to keep silence at the table.
At the end of the formation, Ranma Saotome walked by the hand of her lover, Ryoga Hibiki. What made the fuss a lot louder though was the tiniest of mini-dresses the fanged girl wore to the table. The first one to react was Zhao, who began to cough loudly as he remembered that dress and what it did to his mind the first time he met Ryoga as a waitress.
Kenta seemed genuinely Ok with that, if it was ok for his daughter, but the one who brimmed with pride was Genma who boasted before Ryoga's father how "manly" his daughter was over "her" son and how Ranma always stood up better as a man than Ryoga.
"Whatever Genma. . .I'm happy for my daughter and nothing could make me less proud of her." Said Kenta with an air of tranquility in him. After the couple moved on the center stage, both bowed respectfully although Ryoga had to grab the sides of her dress so it wouldn't go too high when bending over.
"Family!. . .We got an announcement to make. The beautiful jet-black haired girl you see here is my wife when she is a female. I decided to make her dress like this for a reason though. . .We have fought for the longest time and despite how hard we beat ourselves up, I love her like there's no tomorrow."
"Right now things have changed I'm afraid. From now on my girl will be my man in charge of me in detail. . .Specially during the next "nine months". . ." Ranma stopped momentarily after insinuating something so hard to admit for a man, and letting the words sink which they did when Nodoka and Akemi started to scream like crazy and dance out of their chairs.
"Is it really true daughter. . .Are you. . .?" Ranma lit brightly as her nod made Genma's mouth hang all the way to the floor, his eyes started shedding tears and his silence accepted the fraternal pats on the back given by a happy Kenta. "Just be proud of your daughter. . .No one won or lost. . ."
The family cheered, had breakfast and celebrated the first pregnancy the Saotome-Hibiki line were about to have in such a long time. Happiness went all around, and although there were other concerns to be worries about, the life in Joketsozuko couldn't any better.
With time Ichiro made his own choices, eventually taking Brian with her back to China and so the new tests went underway for a possible threat the world was always bound to confront against evil. . .
THE END