Chapter 11: Face Off

"Okay, this place is big. Really, really big," Ranma stated for the fourth time. He stood with the others on the first tier of the series of elevated plateaus that surrounded the grand Arena of Champions field of battle. The field itself was nothing special, just a vast area of stone covered in sand, mostly smooth except for an occasional dune. Floating above the sand at regular intervals were metallic ovals three feet in length sprouting cylindrical lenses and antenna Ranma could only assume to microphone. Of course from what little he knew about technology, they could be squirt guns and he wouldn't know any better. He nervously examined them closer. With his luck, they probably would be. Maybe he'd get lucky and they would just be simple death rays or lasers...

Sure, it was a large field but it was the stands surrounding the battlefield that commanded his attention. From a distance, it looked like stone rings, set on top of one another like stairs leading up from the sands into the sky. Now that he was actually on the lowest tier, closest to the floor, he realized how large each one was. The ring was four hundred feet wide and the area adjacent to the wall forming the next higher ring had merchant stalls and restrooms and all the essentials required for the free fighters attending the match as they awaited their turn to combat. Of course, those combatants that were attending against their will weren't nearly as comfortable but Ranma was trying very hard not to think of such things.

Extravagant chairs levitated gently near the wall, available for a rest or simply for a better view. Ranma assumed he would be using one of those later; they sure looked comfortable, however, for the moment he was content to look around. While the structure itself was impressive the denizens of the construct were odd even from Ranma's vastly expanded experience. Directly opposite him almost too far to see with the naked eye was a huge octopus creature with a gigantic eye in the center surrounded with spikes, wallowing in a pool of viscous liquid. The size of the thing was not obvious until he noticed tiny ant-like beings scurrying around the monster and he realized that one of them was the Highlord he had come here to find. A Highlord that supposedly stood seven feet tall. Even from here, he could feel the life force of the creature, as powerful as the gods he had previously faced and infinitely more alien. Malevolent. Ranma glanced stonily from the eye that had been following him for weeks to its master and had a hard time stifling the urge to make a rude gesture.

The rest of the arena was very far from barren as well and Ranma heard his manager, Syushra, waving his various appendages this way and that to an enthralled pair of girls. They had finally stopped their verbal, and often very physical, grudge match for the first time in weeks and were listening to the insectoid. "And over there we have the Powerlords and a few Highlords, notice how they each have a retinue of slaves and servants? Over there we have the Kittani, they love their sports." There followed more arm-waving, one limb Akane only narrowly ducked. "That thing over there is a Volute Metztla," he pointed to a 40-foot tall tower of twisted flesh and chitin with the odd blade arm and claws sticking out of it. "They are one of the Splugorths higher up minions."

"How do they serve him," Shampoo asked in her native Chinese. After much shouting, heaving of breasts, and gnashing of teeth Akane had been given a translator talisman. This hadn't really stopped or even slowed down the shouting and the gnashing, however, at least the two women were in synch with one another. Definitely a mixed blessing.

"The same way they are floating. They and their variant races not only possess huge physical strength but monumental psionic powers," Syushra expounded, seemingly satisfied to answer girls' questions all day. "Over there we have a few demons, your friends Abdul-Ra and Rhada among them. On the opposite side we have the dyvils, well except Rhada..." the insectoid paused for a moment. "They are not allowed near each other. The last time they interacted here was very... messy. Mind you the crowd loved it... at least those far enough away to survive." His prism-like eyes darted around the arena seeking something. "Now that's odd... where is that Leviathan you were telling me about? I find it hard to believe that she would miss this."

"That would be the 28-foot tall woman the security guards are trying keeping at the far end of the fighter section," Ranma stated absently, his steely eyes not leaving the Splugorth lazily consuming some poor human. Fortunately, the distance was so vast that no cries were heard. He was pretty sure the girls hadn't noticed many of the horrors in the Atlantian city and he wasn't anxious to draw attention to them when there was nothing any of them could do about it... at the moment. Whited knuckles and coldness in his aura were the only signs of his distress. Hopefully, everyone simply thought he was nervous.

"Oh. I was wondering why she was screaming obscenities at that woman over in demon section," Akane commented, looking over her shoulder warily. At that moment, the giant dyvil woman grabbed one of the ten-foot-tall Power Lords and threw the writhing figure out over the arena ground towards her hated rival. The Power Lord arced over the field for three hundred feet and landed in an explosion of sand. After a few seconds of stillness, the Power Lord struggled to its feet mostly unharmed, brushed itself off, and started to jog back to where the altercation was taking place. Ranma frowned as he saw that out of the corner of his eye. It was too bad the Power Lord was unhurt.

"She's cursing at Rhada, and probably at Abdul-Ra," Ranma offered in explanation. "The only reason she hasn't attacked me, aside from the moron squad," Ranma said while gesturing over his shoulder at the Power Lords desperately trying to restrain the Deevil Lord without turning the struggle into life and death brawl... most likely their own death. Although she wasn't going anywhere she looked far from subdued as dozens of Splynncryth's minions dangled from her like tree ornaments. "... is that she would be disqualified and she probably thinks I would run."

"Oh, is that Rhada? I was wondering why she was waving at you," Akane pouted, trying to rein in a vague feeling of jealousy.

Ranma darted a glance over at the demon section. Sure enough, there was Rhada, completely ignoring Leviathan and waving enthusiastically, her fourteen-foot tall height making her stand out even among the tall raksasha and fenry surrounding her. Next to her, holding her other hand stood Abdul-Ra, grinning... or perhaps snarling at him. It was hard for him to tell with cat-headed humanoids. Ranma waved back and his forced smile became more genuine as he saw some very unhappy fenry awkwardly standing on their wolf hind legs and holding up a large sign that boldly proclaimed "GO RANMA!" in the Splugorthian language.

"That lady looks way too happy to see Ranma," even Shampoo groused slightly with a small frown.

"Well I did save her from captivity and we are going to be business partners together with Nabiki," Ranma said while waving at her, now trying to ignore the evil alien intelligence opposite him. Another Power Lord flew overhead, cursing, barely missing them as it involuntarily flew towards Rhada.

"Business partner," the girls exclaimed in unison.

"Oh, right. Didn't I mention that?" Ranma said hesitantly.

"No, I think I would remember that," Akane stated darkly. "Is Nabiki okay dealing with demons?" she stated with some concern.

Ranma simply looked at her incredulously. Admittedly, he hadn't gotten around to telling Nabiki yet, but...

"Ah... never mind, silly question," Akane said looking away. She suddenly stopped as she stared in the direction of the monstrous Splugorth. "Hey! Is that..." Ranma twisted around grabbed Akane and spinning her around in the opposite direction. Desperately he looked for something to grab her attention. Giant oriental dragon... nope, 28-foot tall tantrum-throwing Deevil Lady...nope, sunaj assassin...nope, 20 foot tall armored, four-armed giant ...nope. Ah there! "... Ryouga!?"

Ranma's brain finally caught up with his mouth and he found himself pointing stupidly at the umbrella touting martial artist. "Ryouga what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were wandering Japan or something," Ranma called out more than a little mystified. Steel entered his tone, "Somewhere far from here."

"Ranma? What are you doing fighting at an alien tournament," Ryouga questioned, obviously disturbed. "I thought you were doing... something in that weird version Japan we found."

Ranma's gaze went down to the ankle restraints and could barely see the tips of them under some weird looking ski boots. "You took off the anchors?" Ranma said his voice growing in volume. "Damn it, Ryouga! You're not supposed to be here!"

"Ranma! Stop picking on Ryouga," Akane lightly slapped his arm. She had almost been trained not to strike Ranma with full force. For the last several weeks every time she did, Shampoo would leap upon her and they ended up fighting tooth and nail for hours. Ranma still wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was nice not to always be hit by Akane but there was a lot of endurance training he was missing out on. "I'm sure he just came to help you out just like I did," Akane continued.

Ryouga scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um, actually I had no idea you were here. I'm just here to win the tournament, I somehow ended owing some guys for bail... it's a debt of honor you understand."

Ranma's left eye twitched. "Ryouga... I," he paused, at a loss for words. "Ryouga, you..." Counting to ten slowly, he tried to gather his thoughts.

"Ryouga, you don't understand," Akane urgently exclaimed. "Ranma has to win! If he doesn't..." her explanation was cut off as Ranma pressed his hand to her mouth to stop her speech.

"I have to win to show the universe the true supremacy of my martial arts," Ranma proclaimed in an overblown pompous manner. "Ouch!" he yelled as the short-haired girl promptly bit his hand.

"What's the big idea Ranma," a furious Akane spit out.

"Ixnay on the savinay of the universy," Ranma whispered while glancing at the Splugorth minions flooding the fighters' area.

"Ranma! I am tired of your pompous attitude and your mistreatment of women," shouted an outraged Ryouga seeing his rival manhandle Akane right in front of him. He had thought better of him than that. Believed that despite their differences Ranma was worthy of respect. Obviously, his first reaction so many years ago had been correct. Ranma was evil and had to be put down. "I am going to put you in your place. In front of this whole alien nation, I am going to show exactly who the better man is and expose you for the fake you really are."

During this heated speech Ranma held his hand over his face and was shaking his head as if to block out the reality of the situation. Ranma absently noted that the situation was so bad that his mind was amplifying his rival's voice until it seemed to resonate through the arena. With a certain amount of trepidation, he peeked through his fingers and groaned in dismay. Holographic screens, fifty feet high had flickered into existence all around the tiered audience seating and Ryouga's challenge was being replayed for the benefit of those not able to see the drama themselves. I guess that's what those tubes are for, was the thought that flitted through his mind.

Ryouga hesitated, it was only fair to warn his rival. "Ranma... I," he paused put his thoughts into words. "Ranma, it's only fair to tell you that I've been heavily training." He looked down for a moment. "Even though you've shown your true loathsome colors and I realize that I was only fooling myself to think, even momentarily, that you weren't a cowardly beast... I feel obligated to tell you that my skills and strength have increased by a huge amount from what they were." Ryouga put on a grim face and looked his rival straight in the eyes. "I'm afraid I can't guarantee your safety if we fight in the arena."

"Why you..." Ranma shouted, but his cry was choked on the emotions roiling within him. "I'm going to... I outta..." Ranma finally brought his Soul of Ice technique to bear and the more sensitive mortals stepped back as an arctic breeze began to circulate around him. As his outrage began to subside his brain started to race.

"I mean... darn. You found me out," Ranma said in a strained voice. "I was only pretending to be good and nice and... er, good." He felt a headache build up behind his temples as he saw his image, far larger than life projected for all to see. Even Leviathan had temporarily stopped tossing minions across the arena in favor of watching the drama in front of her. "I am a bad person, a rabid dog that needs to be put down. Evil incarnate," Ranma tried to give a vicious snarl but suspected it lacked true feeling. "I live for pain and chaos and I'm going to show everyone just how badass I really am." This last part actually contained something he felt strongly about and so he ended his impromptu speech on almost a strong note.

Ryouga looked slightly taken aback. He had known the truth but to see his rival... no ...his enemy, admit it for the entire world to hear. Off to his side, Akane had her hands over her face and he could see that she was shuddering with emotion and horror as the final masks were removed. Truly this must be what vindication feels like. He sighed, "I'm sorry it has to end this way Ranma." Ryouga in a moment of weakness placed his hand on his enemy's shoulders and gently squeezed in one final act of camaraderie. Then he slowly turned and heavily walked away.

Ranma turned back to the arena and shook his head in disgust and then just glared at the holographic projectors until they decided the drama was over and flickered off. Next to him, Akane was shuddering and choking.

"Right, laugh it up," Ranma said sarcastically, "The big, bad Ranma will get his revenge in the end." This of course sent the girl into another paroxysm of stifled laughter.

Ranma for his part was working his shoulder. Ryouga apparently had indeed been training. His shoulder ached where his rival had rested it as if a ten-ton hammer had slammed it. Although his strength was monstrous, and oddly enough his weight, his increase in chi had him concerned too. The arena was huge but he worried about it being large enough to contain the two of them if they both really let loose.

His manager just seemed puzzled at the whole display. He didn't really understand what had happened. It must be a human thing.

Ranma looked over to Shampoo, wandering why the amazon had stayed silent so long. He frowned again as he saw her looking over at Splynncryth as the Splugorth consumed another human. It was a bad time to find that she had exceptional vision. Moving over to her he gently took her by the shoulders and led her to meet some of the other fighters. Maybe they would get lucky and they could start a brawl. He could usually do it by accident; surely it couldn't be too hard to do it on purpose.