Ranma Strikes Back

by Robster80

Ranma returns after being gone for 2 months, though for him h spent almost a year traveling different dimensions. Now he's back to settle all his accounts: with his father, his rivals and especially his fiancées. It's time Ranma took back his life...

2. The Main Event

Ranma Strikes Back

The Main Event

By Robster80

Co-written by TheUNB

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Hello, everyone.

Here is the main piece of my story RANMA STRIKES BACK. But before we get into it, I believe I owe some character explanations asid from the ones I mentioned in the Prologue, for those whowere wondering who they were and where they're from...

Kiriya Sensho - She's from the series MOTHER OF THE GODDESS DORMITORY. Unlike in that series, I made her the same age as Ranma as in her series she was attending College.

Wakko Warner - If you haven't guessed, he's from the cartoon series ANIMANIACS. He's my favorite of the main trio of that show.

Deadpool - Marvel character who hs appeared in various series inclduing his own.

Allenby Beardsley - the fighter of Neo Sweden from the anime MOBILE FIGHTER G GUNDAM.

Akeno Himejima - from the series HIGH SCHOOL DxD.

Stitch - Experiemtn #626 from the Disney movie and franchise LILO & STITCH.

Ikkaku Madarame - a Shinigami from the series BLEACH.

Makie Sasaki- from the series NEGIMA.

And actually, this last one is an original character inspirdfrom FALLOUT 2 - Checkers the Deathclaw. In Fallout 2 there was a colony of sorts of intelligent Deathclaws that could speak and think like humans, comapred to their more natural "cousins" who attacked when provoked or hungry. This particular Deathclaw was inspired when I rewatched an old episode of HEATHCLIFF & THE CADILLAC CATS cartoon where the Cadillac Cats were trying to steal a banquet from a car dealer while he was filmig a seris of TV commericals where he had various pets that all had the name "Checkers."

Yes, I'm weird and I'm proud of it.

Again, a very special thank you to my writing partner, TheUNB.

Please enjoy this story

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DISCLAIMER: Most of the character suse din this story, I do NOT own! They belong to their respective creators! Exceptions are Piccolo Jaga (AKA PJ), Teletraan-5, And Checkers the Deathclaw.

The charcter Kou Uramecha belnsg to TheUNB, who was very gracious enough to let me borrow his character.

The M rating is mainly for language, and for Deadpool in general.

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Soon as I finished with my letters, Kiriya and I quickly went out and dropped them all off without anyone noticing us. After that, Mom fixed us a quick meal before the three of us headed for Furinkan High, where I would settle things once and for all. Mom insisted on coming, as a witness and in case she had to step in. I told her she could handle the old man and maybe Mr. Tendo, but everyone else was mine to deal with.

Kiriya agreed to let me try to handle things on my own, but said she'd step in to help if needed; she wanted to take on the girls in my stead if things got violent, especially with Akane. She promised me she wouldn't kill Akane but she'd only hold back unless Akane refused to back down.

I'm anxious… people are going to get hurt, but there's no avoiding it. Some of them were my friends at one point, and fewer I still consider my friends… family… …but I need to set the records straight with all of them. If I don't, my life will never change for the better.

But if I have to be honest… I'm actually looking forward to showing them that this Ranma Saotome isn't going to be bullied, pushed around, or controlled…

Even so, may I be forgiven… for what I have to do…

---

"They're all coming," Nodoka said as she waited at the opened gateway to Furinkan High School. She was speaking to Ranma and Kiriya, who stayed out of sight behind one of the walls connected to the gateway.

"Are you sure you want to do it this way?"

Ranma nodded; he was holding Kiriya's hand. Or was it the other way around? It didn't matter - he liked her touch. Strong and gentle at the same time. "You can step in if things get out of hand, but I have to try to do this myself."

"I'll handle the girls only." Kiriya gave a wink. "I know how you are about fighting girls."

"Just remember not to let Shampoo kiss you."

"Hey, compared to some of the bad guys we faced before we came home, some Chinese Amazon assassins would be tame."

Ranma smirked. Kiriya's words were true.

"Nodoka," Genma spoke first, "so it was you who called us all here?" He kept looking her over from a distance, wary if she had her katana.

Nodoka shook her head. "No, Genma… I did not. I'm only here as a witness, though I may step in if necessary." Seeing Genma flinch at her last remark made Nodoka inwardly smile. "Although I will say one thing… but not just yet."

"So why are we all here?" asked Ryoga.

Feeling Kiriya give his hand a gentle squeeze of assurance before slowly releasing him, Ranma said loudly "I called you all here" before he stepped out into full view. The reactions before him were as he expected - shock at first, then various speeds of recovery followed by the fiancees and rivals all charging forward, each one voicing their excitement and hatred/love. However, with inhuman speed, Ranma shot out his right arm, pointing at the ground while concentrating his ki. In an instant he fired a beam while swinging his arm across his front, causing the beam to draw a line in and across the ground. His actions made all of those who raced to him halt in their tracks, stunned by his actions and his power.

"Do NOT cross that line," Ranma barked, "not until I finish what I have to say!"

"Boy-!" Genma was silenced as he suddenly felt something hit him in the abdomen hard and fast. He didn't lose his wind, but the blow was enough to make him drop to his knees.

Again, Ranma's right arm was held out, aimed at Genma. He had created a hard blow of air by repeatedly punching said air in less than a second, launching it at his father to silence him. "I talk, YOU all listen, and listen well!" He gave them all a few seconds of silence to ensure they understood him. "Alright. …Where I've been for two months is probably what you're all wondering. Well it's none of your business! All you'll get from me is I've been on a journey… and while it's been two months for a lot of you since I left, for me it was almost a full year for me. During that amount of time, I thought about my situation with all of you. I thought long and hard… and I even talked it over with several people, mainly the friends I made along my journey. In the end, I understood things as they were, and as they are right now… I can't live such a life anymore.

"As far as the women in my life, that especially is a situation that needs to be resolved first and foremost. I've tried to figure it out without anyone getting hurt… and then I realized that there isn't any reasonable, feasible or painless way for that to happen. So I'm just going to get it over with; people will get hurt no matter what I'm about to do, so I'll just have to live with it."

Akane, Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyo all looked at Ranma expectantly. They understood he was about to say which one of them was his actual fiancee, his future wife.

But Ranma said something none of them expected: "Kodachi, Shampoo, Ukyo, Akane… I'm NEVER going to marry any of you."

"...WHAT?!" all four girls cried out, shocked. Even Genma and Soun joined them in voicing their surprise and disappointment. Cologne merely frowned heavily.

"I'll be brutally honest - I don't love any of you, and none of you know what love really is. My life, my future isn't going to be decided by…" Ranma pointed at Kodachi. "A whole family that prefers to delude themselves over facing reality." He pointed at Ukyo. "Or a promise made without faith when I was 9 by my father who used me for a damn bargaining chip to stuff his face and belly." Next he pointed at Shampoo. "Or some tribal laws from a female-dominant society outside of Japan. And he pointed lastly at Akane. "Or especially a pact between old friends who utterly failed to fully and thoroughly raise their kids to get married and join their families and so-called martial arts schools together! Any way I saw it, I'd be in a one-sided or loveless marriage that would likely drive me to either an asylum or the morgue.

"And before anybody says anything, let me be perfectly clear - I'm just as responsible for letting this all drag out as it did. I was an idiot, I let it go on for too long because in some sick way I enjoyed the attention of most of you girls… what I should have done was talked to each of you, to work out my relationships with each of you, tell you I honestly didn't know what I wanted out of life and everything. I don't need a fiance, or a wife, or a mistress… what I really wanted… …was a friend. Someone who'd listen to what I have to say. Someone who'd point out my faults yet try to help me work them out. Someone who didn't tempt me with food. Or lace my food with potions and poisons and the like. Someone who'd give me a chance to explain and not hit me.

"And when I do eventually want to get married… I want it to be for love, mutual love from both a girl, and myself." He looked right at Kodachi. "Let me be perfectly, clear,kodachi - I'd rather be dad than have anything to do with you! You and your whole family are deluded pricks, warping reality to suit your views. I don't love you, I don't wanna date you, and I sure as hell do NOT wanna marry you! Out of all the four girls, you're the LEAST I'd ever, EVER pick to marry!"

Ranma turned his attention to the other three girls, calming down as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo… but I don't love any of you. Maybe I thought I did before I went away… or maybe I was only fooling myself. Because I learned what love really is while I was away."

"...Bullshit," Akane muttered, shaking angrily. "BULLSHIT! As IF you'd know what love really is, Ranma Saotome!"

"Why are you angry, Akane?" Nodoka asked.

"I'm NOT angry-!"

"But you're free now," Ranma calmly stated. "Don't you see? I'm ending the engagement between us. You're free from a loveless marriage, you can be with whomever you want to be with."

"And who the hell are YOU to decide that, huh?! A half-man? Good luck finding a woman who'd accept you with your Jusenkyo curse! Any female aside from these three would probably freak out once they find out you turn into a girl. Good luck, Ranma! You're gonna need a shitlod of it-!"

"At least my curse doesn't turn me into someone's pet-."

"SHUT UP, RANMA!" Ryoga yelled, red in the face.

"No, Ryoga. Not this time. And never again. If I'm wiping the slate, I'm gonna do it clean. And Akane has a right to know about it. After all, even her father knows-."

This time it was Soun who spoke out. "Ranma! While I applaud you're finally accepting responsibility concerning the other false engagements-."

"Mr. Tendo, don't make me repeat myself! You and the old man really expect your kids to simply comply with your wishes? If you both really planned this before any of your children were born, you should have tried having us interact with each other over the years, not wait until we were 16 and then throw us together and say 'you're getting married because we say so and you have no rights whatsoever.' This is the modern era - arranged marriages are non-existent!"

Nodoka then stepped forward until she was next to Ranma. Her eyes were on Genma. "My son is right. And had I known all of this would happen years ago, I'd have NEVER let you take him from me, Genma Saotome. Yet somehow, Ranma has found morals and lessons he's learned that you clearly never cared for. If he wishes to be free of any and all of these so-called engagements, then he has every right to annul them."

"But Nodoka-."

"But nothing! You failed as a father, Genma, and as a husband. …After today, I'm going to see an attorney… I want a divorce, and I'll be taking custody of Ranma. You've done enough damage to him, and it's frankly amazing that he puts others before himself after spending all those years with you, and more so that he made up his own mind concerning his engagements. I'm proud of his decision.

"And Akane…" She looked at the youngest Tendo girl. "I'm highly disappointed in you. I thought you loved my son… And I know he's done you harm, he told me himself… but if you cannot see eye-to-eye with him, if you cannot trust him and earn his trust in return… then as Ranma said, you're free to marry whomever you choose, just as he's free to do the same."

"Auntie-, no… Mrs. Saotome, your son has been nothing but a damn thorn in my side ever since he first showed up at my house! These two months made me realize it, and that he's a curse, a plague amongst women! I was better off with him gone and so will all women everywhere! He should never have come back! Hell, he should have died and saved us all-!"

At that moment, a section of Furinkan's surrounding wall exploded outward, causing everyone to look at it. As the dust and debris cloud cleared, a lone figure was seen with a right fist outstretched through the massive hole, eyes narrowed and grit teeth showing through semi-closed lips. Everyone but Ranma was totally taken aback by the fact that this person, this girl, had punched such a hole through a concrete wall.

Akane blinked several times, recalling the first time she met Shampoo long ago when the amazoness had done the same thing. She was also surprised the new girl locked eyes with her, looking very upset.

Kiriya then blinked, her expression changing from angry to surprise, andthen embarrassment. "Uhhh, whoops?" She moved her right hand behind her head, using her left hand to wave casually. "Sorry about that. Lost my head."

Happosai, who had not been invited to the gathering but tagged along out of curiosity, looked at Kiriya with lustful eyes. "Whoa! Who is that cutie?!"

"Who's your friend, Ranma?" asked Kasumi casually.

Suddenly Akane's eyes narrowed, focusing on Ranma. "I knew it. Ranma… you were with ANOTHER GIRL ALL THIS GODDAMN TIME!" She charged at him, summoning her mallet and held it ready to bring it down on his head. "RANMA NO BAKA-!" But before she could begin to swing, Akane suddenly saw Kiriya facing her in between her and Ranma, right arm drawn back but only for a second…

"OH NO YOU DON'T," Kiriya roared, striking Akane with an open palm blow and sending the black-haired girl flying backward. "YOU BITCH!" Akane's grip on her mallet was broken and the object floated for a few seconds where she had been until it began to fall… to be caught by Kiriya.

"A-AKANE!" Ryoga moved quickly to catch Akane in his arms, stopping her but he was shocked he had to use a lot of his strength to keep himself from flying along with Akane from the force of the hit. He was joined by Nabiki, Kasumi, Kuno, and Soun. "Are you alright?!" He then looked up to see Kiriya, who then took the head of the mallet into both hands and began to press her hands together until, a second or two later, the head shattered into tiny pieces.

Nodoka stood there with mouth hanging had not only intercepted and struck Akane, but had destroyed Akane's mallet barehanded. ~My son knows how to pick his women!~

"Mystery girl very strong," Shampoo commented. Then her eyes narrowed as Kiriya moved to stand very close to Ranma on his right. "Who she, Ranma?"

"Yes," Kodachi added, "exactly WHO is that harlot who dares to situate herself by you so closely?"

"Start talking, Ranchan," Ukyo said, gripping her combat spatula tightly in both hands.

"You owe us an explanation, Son-in-law," stated Cologne.

"He owes you nothing," Kiriya stated with a slight glare. "However… I should properly introduce myself at least. I'm Kiriya Sensho, a martial artist. My family owns a dojo not far from here in the Northeastern section of Nerima. And I'm…" She paused only to move her hand to gently grasp Ranma's as he did the same. "I'm Ranma's girlfriend."

Only Kasumi and Dr. Tofu took it calmly: "Oh my," Kasumi said. "Huh," was all Dr. Tofu said.

The reactions of most of the Nerima Wrecking Crew, naturally, was a mixture of shock and anger.: "SAOTOME, YOU CUR!" "HOW DARE YOU BETRAY AKANE!" "BOY, THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WHILE YOU WERE GONE?!" "RANMA IS AIREN!" "RANCHAN, YOU JACKASS!" "SHAMPOO IS YOUR WIFE AND HER ALONE!"

Akane got back onto her feet, wiping the blood from her nose. She glared daggers at Ranma and Kiriya. "...You know what? TAKE HIM! Just don't come crying to me or anyone else when you realize what kind of man or half-man-!"

"Ranma's not perfect, no human being is. But at least he's got more honor and morals than your so-called pet!"

"Leave P-chan out of this-!"

"You mean Ryoga, right?" Kiriya asked.

Ryoga clearly looked nervous now, while Akane looked puzzled, and the rest of the NWC who were in on Ryoga's secret just eyeballed the eternal Lost Boy, wondering if the jig was finally up.

Suddenly a bolt of light appeared behind Ryoga, along with a new voice as the sound of a weapon being cocked was heard. "Allow me to elaborate this cockamamie pig-show! STICK EM' UP, PIGGY!"

Jumping a bit that someone actually snuck up on him, Ryoga turned, his eyes widening as he saw someone wearing a red and black costume, wielding two M16 machine guns his way. "Holy crap-."

"Saaaaaaaaaaaaaay hello to my little friend, P-chaaaaaaaaan!" Cackled the man, his glee evident as his fingers began to pull the triggers in unison.

Everyone else's eyes go wide with horror, some already making a move, while Ranma and Kiriya looked surprised, and puzzled.

"Wade?! W-wait, don't!"

Ignoring them the man pulled the triggers, but instead of a hail of bullets, it was a jet of water from each barrel. "It fools all airport security, and all convention security teams with their realistic designs! Eat super soaker, sucker!" Cackled the Merc with a Mouth as he doused Ryoga in thick waves of H20. The result was Ryoga shrinking until his clothes and backpack collapsed onto the very wet ground. The costumed man known as Wade just kept firing, and firing the disguised super soaker, well until finally the reservoir of water was fully drained.

Dropping the guns, Wade then produced a shotgun, and suggestively held it over his groin as he cocks it, doing his best Tony Montana impersonation. "Now you got to the count of three to come out with your pork rinds up or I swear I'm having pig on a stick tonight!" He cocked the shotgun again, making a very lewd sound. "Oh baby, don't even try anything dumb! I'm cocked, and ready to blow-w you away!"

"God… damn it, Wade, you gave me a heart attack!" Ranma called out, clutching his chest. "I want the porker dealt with, but not dead!"

"Leave it to Deadpool to be dramatic… and utterly crass…" muttered Kiriya, but relief that their companion had not resorted to absolute murder (and she knew he SO could!) was palpable.

A panicked oink was heard as something shuffled under Ryoga's soaked shirt, before a black piglet stuck its head out, with Ryoga's iconic bandana tied around its neck like a bow.

Smiling wide enough his mask was emoting his glee, Deadpool looked down at the pig and cocked the shotgun again. "Sooooo now that he's exposed… is anybody up for pork?! You, the brunette with the short hair and aura of murder flowing around your body? You up for some ham hocks over a roaring fire?!" Deadpool called out to Akane, who he could tell saw the transformation (FINALLY) and everything was clicking in her head. "Just say the word and I'll blow my load all over this pig!"

"Wade ENOUGH with the innuendos, damn it! Also, don't stoke Akane's murder boner!"

"HA!" The merc with a mouth pointed at Kiriya. "I FINALLY got you to say murder boner!"

Blinking once, Kiriya then facepalmed. "...Fuck!"

He gasped. "And she said FUCK too! Now let's go for shit, cunt, whore, tits-spaghetti-sauce! C'mon now all together!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Deadpool turned to see Akane, with a much larger mallet in hand, swinging it at him while her aura was now full-on blazing with murderous intent. "Yipe," he squeaked as he barely teleported away in time, making Akane's blow hit the ground instead. He reappeared next to Ranma. "Whew, that was TOO close! As in RETURN OF THE JEDI when Lando lost the Falcon's satellite dish inside the 2nd Death Star." He then looked at Ranma. "Uh, you are calling it quits on marrying that one, right?"

Exasperated, Ranma snapped "Yes!"

"Good call, man. That girl needs a gift certificate to the Betty Ford center, possibly for life. I doubt ol' Chuck Xavier could get her to get over whatever the fuck's wrong with her."

Before Ranma could ask what Deadpool was even doing here, he and Kiriya and Deadpool and Nodoka heard a loud squeal that turned into a human cry. They looked to see Ryoga was back to normal, albeit wet and steaming, as Akane held a steaming kettle in her hands. Ryoga looked at Akane, but she shook her head. "You I can forgive, Ryoga… but YOU!" She whirled to throw the empty kettle at Ranma, who easily dodged it. "YOU KNEW!"

"Well, DUH!" Kiriya cried sarcastically. She pointed at Akane. "Why the hell do you think he snuck into your room RIGHT AFTER you took in what you thought was a piglet?! While carrying a kettle of hot water on top of that?! HE WAS TRYING TO SHOW YOU THAT YOUR PET WAS A SLEAZE IN DISGUISE! And you call Ranma a pervert? I think the pervert around her, given how quickly you've forgiven Ryoga there, IS YOU!"

"Leave Akane Tendo alone, you misled wench!" Kuno stated aloud. This caused Kiriya to laugh hollowly at him.

"I'M misled?! Hello, Pot - this is kettle, you are SO TOTALLY BLACK! Kuno, you, your sister and your father have ZERO right to say anybody is not of sound mind! Hell, you and your sister can;t even tell that your precious Pig-tailed Girl and Ranma are ONE AND THE SAME PERSON! Ranma fell into a cursed spring in China, like Ryoga did, and he changes gender when he's touched by cold or hot water; cold for girl, hot for guy."

"What nonsense-?"

Deadpool then snapped, taking over for Kiriya. "Did you like NOT see what happened to Ryoag there, ya demented ding-dong?! I doused him with cold water and BAM, instant piglet! And the tomboy there poured hot water on him to change him back! What, you don't believe in magic or something?

"And hey, Mr. Tendo…" Deadpool turned his attention to Soun and Genma. "While we're on the subject, GREAT JOB looking after your youngest daughter there! You, too, Mr. Saotome! Instead of revealing Akane's pet was a guy in disguise you let him continue the ruse and try to court Akane, all because you thought it was a swell idea to motivate Ranma. GREAT PLAN, YOU IDIOTS! You both got my nomination for the Golden Gendo, under the category of WORST AND MOST STUPIDEST FATHER OF THE YEAR!"

"What the hell is a Golden Gendo?" Ukyo uttered, confused and eyeing Deadpool with continued wary concern, given all the antics she saw him pull.

"Never you mind, toots!" Deadpool hand-waved dismissively as he cocked the shotgun again and took aim. "I came to back up my posse and by God I will murder you all!"

"WADE!" Both Ranma and Kiriya screamed in exasperated tones at the Merc with a Mouth. "No killing!"

"Oh fine, I came with all my non-lethal guns anyway!" As if to prove his point he pulled out a handgun and carelessly fired a few rounds off a wall which ricocheted about until one of the rounds struck Kuno in the eye, then another round hit the other eye.

"MY RETINAS!"

"Oh, don't be a baby - they're rubber!" Deadpool then just fired again, this time with the shotgun, the bean-bag anti-riot round hitting the Kuno heir square in the gonads. "Oh come ON! That was just a bean bag, ya pussy!" He exclaimed in disgust as Kuno hit the ground, holding his injured pride in agony.

"Ranma… just WHO is this… person?"

Deadpool turned, noticing Nodoka for the first time. "Oh! Uh…" Suddenly becoming serious, a rarity for Deadpool, he bowed respectfully to Nodoka. "My apologies, madame. Wade Wilson is my name, but most know me as Deadpool." He looked at Ranma. "Your mom, right?" Without waiting for a response, he bowed at Nodoka again. "Very honored to meet you, Saotome-san."

"Ranma…."

Everyone turned again to see the NWC were all emitting battle-style auras.

"Uhhhh, time, time out here! I get why most of you would be pissed off at Ranma, but the dope with the thick glasses and the long black hair that makes him look like a woman… what's your beef? Ranma here said he doesn't wanna marry the girl you're chasing-."

"If I beat him, then I can prove my worth to Shampoo!"

Deadpool then faceplamed. "Riiiiiiight. I forgot what you said, Ranma… they're ALL idiots!"

"Ranma…"

"Saotome…"

"Boy…"

"Airen…"

"Son-in-law…"

"Darling…"

"Saotome-keke…"

~Oh great, even Principal Kuno's here. I didn't invite him!~

"What's this?" a new voice spoke up. Pantyhose Tarou then appeared, cracking his knuckles. "A beat-down on the Crossdresser party? And nobody invited me? I'm hurt… but not as hurt as you're about to be, Crossdresser."

"Oh for-!" Ranma and Kiriya both posed to fight back, though Ranma frowned heavily. He'd have preferred not to fight, honestly; even though he was prepared to fight and reveal he wasn't the same Rama they had beaten down two of their months ago… "Mom, you'd better get back… this is going to be ugly." he then addressed the enraged crowd before them. "Aren't ANY of you tired of this? The same goodman thing day in and day out? Don't you want it to end?!"

"YES," they all shouted, "AFTER WE BEAT YOU/SOME SENSE INTO YOU, RANMA/SAOTOME!" And they all charged sans Kasumi, Nabiki, and Dr. Tofu.

Deadpool drew his katanas. Unlike his guns earlier, they were the real deal. "I'll protect your mom to the last drop of… their blood!"

"We'll hold you to it, Wade," Kiriya said.

However, before the NWC was within a mere yard of Ranma and his group, a sudden massive shape slammed down before them and let out a blood-curdling, almost deafening roar. The NWC all came to a halt upon the realization of the shape before them - a gigantic reptilian-like bipedal monster with a long tail, sharp claws on its feet and hands, jagged teeth in its massive maw, and two horns that adorned either side of its head that were black and red… in a checked pattern. Multiple screams of horror came from the women as well as Soun and Genma, intermixed with a cry of "DEMON" from Kuno. When the monster quieted its roar, he loomed over the group, growling threateningly.

"...CHECKERS?!" Kiriya cried out, surprised.

~...Checkers?!~ everyone else sans Ranma and Kiriya and Deadpool thought.

Ranma moved quickly around Checkers to look up at its face. "Checkers, what… what're YOU doing here?!" He shot a glare at Deadpool.

Deadpool instantly waved his arms defensively, which also swung his katanas around and made everyone step away from him. "Nope, not me! I had nothing to do with it! After that one time, I learned my lesson - do NOT screw with the Deathclaw!" ~It took me WEEKS to heal all the damn scars!~

Checkers the Deathclaw kept its gaze on the group in front of it, but it spoke in a deep voice that made Nodoka think of that actor from America, James Earl Jones. "Sorry, Ranma. You said this was yours to deal with…"

"But we all took a vote in secret."

From either side of the wells surrounding Furinkan High came a number of people; some human, some other. Ranma and his group (and Nodoka) recognized them all: PJ, Teletraan-5, Akeno, Makie, Allenby, Wakko, Stitch, Ikkaku… all of them had been Ranma's companions like Kiriyu, Checkers and Deadpool during his near year-long journey. "You guys… you came back, for me?"

"We're your friends, Ranma," Allenby said with a warm smile.

"Your REAL friends," added PJ.

"And we want to help you, like we've done all this time," said Ikkaku.

"Because we see, after all you've told us about these people…" Makie nodded to Stitch.

"They all stupidheads!" finished the cute and fluffy alien.

Sniffing Deadpool wiped his eyes. "All this camaraderie is making me tear up!" He then held up his swords. "Whaddya say, pals?! Let's mop the floor with these losers so Ranma can have peace and quiet, and let's be honest, we all just wanna KICK THEIR ASSES!"

Taking out a whistle, Wakko blew into it, while Checkers coughed, then steepled his claws together. "You heard the whistle…" The Deathclaw's lips curl back forming a toothy grin, how such a thing was possible was not known, but it made the creature all the more terrifying to behold. "It's play time."

"Dibs on the morons with the Hawaiian get-up!' Deadpool called as he leapt into the air, and thrust his pelvis out as he fell, ensuring Principal Kuno got a face-full of Wade Wilson junk before hitting the ground for a good ol' tea-bagging. "Can't shave what's already hairless! Also did I mention I HATED my high-school principal?! I am so going to work out so much frustrations on you!"

"God… damn it, Wade!" Most of his companions muttered, save for Stitch who just quadruple-facepalmed.

"Send a lunatic to deal with a lunatic," Ranma muttered. He wasn't liking it, but if it worked he wasn't one to judge. He then felt a hand on his left shoulder, and turned to see a smiling Akeno, flanked by Makie and Allenby.

"Leave the girls to us," Akeno said merrily. "Kiriya, will you assist?"

"I call Akane," Kiriya stated, to which the other girls all nodded in agreement.

"And I call ALL YOU PRETTIES!" Heads turned as Happosai was leaping towards them, a perverted and lustful expression on his withered face. Such lovies before him, and what sexy lingerie they might be hiding beneath their clothes, leotard, and priestess robes…

"AIEE! SIC 'EM, STITCHIE!"

At Makie's cries, Stitch sprang into action. The former experiment #626 intercepted Happosai, knocking them both back and away from the girls before they broke away from Ranma and charged at the females of the NWC. Upon landing hard on his back, Happosai furiously pulled out one of his patent Happo Fire Bombs, only for the former experiment to cackle and eagerly flexed his digits as if anticipating a game of catch.

"Take this you foul creature, HAPPY FIRE BURST!" Tossing the explosive, the diminutive martial artist didn't expect the small blue creature to just catch the bomb, and let it explode in his face. "...Well, that was eas-, GOOD LORD!" He cried as the smoke cleared and Stitch was calmly smoothing out his fur. "It did nothing?!"

Eyeing the martial artist, Stitch grinned and waved cutely. "Hiiii!'

"Hi this!" and he threw not one, not two, but THREE Happo Fire Bombs. This time, however, Stitch opened his mouth and swallowed every one of them. Closing his moth and licking his lips, a few seconds later his small body expanded to four times its size as the bombs went off, and then he shrunk back to normal, smoke emitting from his mouth and his ears. "...Spicy meatballs!" he said with a cackle, much to the dumbfoundedness of Happosai.

"Inconceivable! …Damn it, I HATE that movie!"

Then suddenly Stitch jumped on Happosai and started going wild and rabid on him. Clawing, biting and punching the little man with his super-strength enhanced fists repeatedly. Happosai's cries filled the air as a fight cloud formed around the duo, with Happosai clearly losing from the increasing panic in his voice.

"TIME OUT! TIME OUT! TIME THE HELL OUT!"

Deadpool paused in his fight with Principal Kuno to turn and ram his foot into the face of Happosai as the midget pervert tried to claw his way out of the fight cloud, forcing him back inside. "I suppose you want the afternoon off!" That earned him a laugh from Stitch before Deadpool went back to his task at hand.

"Damn it, what the hell are you?!"

"Badass! Also… cute and fluffy!"

"Atta boy, Stitchie!" Praised Makie, making a mental note to give the little trog all the sweats and coffee he wanted… after ensuring she also had some chamomile tea to soothe out the caffeine high afterward. She then returned her focus onto Kodachi, who was in her own black leotard and wielding a black ribbon.

"State your name, young one," Kodachi sneered, "so I, Kodachi the Black Rose, may carve it on your tombstone!"

"Makie Sasaki, also known as both the Pink Albatross and the Biblio Pink Tulip, of Mahora Academy."

"And what dare you say your relationship is to my darling?"

"Ranma is no way in hell your darling or your anything, psycho! And to answer your question, I'm his friend and ally."

Kodachi swung her head once, making her ponytail swish as she did. "Just so you know, Pink Hatchling… only one has ever dared bested me in my field…. And she is not here to protect or save you! And once I deal with you, I shall hunt down Ranko and-."

"HE-LLO! Buy a clue! Ranko is Ranma, Ranma is Ranko!"

Kodahci's face turned purple. "How DARE you spout such lies!" She snapped her ribbon at Makie like a bullwhip… only for Makie to deflect the attack with her own ribbon, almost effortlessly.

"Very sloppy."

"You DARE-! ACK!" Kodachi dodged a sudden attack by Makie's ribbon.

"I dunno how many blows to the head you've taken over the years to make you so delusional, lady… but maybe a few more will wake you up to reality!"

"Away from my sweet sister," Kuno cried, ready to bring down his bokken on Makie. Normally he did not attack females, not since he used to go after Akane back in the day, but his patience had run out and any ally, including females, of Ranma's were his enemies to deal with in whichever way he chose. He swung, but only for his bokke to be blocked by another.

"Oh, a Jack the Ripper, eh?" Ikkaku Madarame remarked with a scowl. "Hitting little girls…"

Without looking, Deadpool twitched beneath his mask. "Yo, Madarame, I do the Stooge riffs, thank you!"

Kuno looked at Ikkaku. "...A fellow bladesman, I see. Why dost thou serve Ranma Saotome?"

"I don't serve Ranma, cuckoo; he and I are comrades in arms. And he told me plenty about you… and truth be told…" Ikkaku grinned maniacally. "I've been itching to have a throwdown with you. Now I get to do it. That makes me extra lucky!" Ikkaku began striking at Kuno, only for the latter to block his strikes. However, the more Ikkaku swung, the harder Kuno had to avoid or block each hit. "Lucky, lucky, luck-ee!" Ikkaku sang.

Meanwhile, Ranma found himself facing not only Ryoga, but Genma and Soun. He said nothing, but held up one hand and motioned for the three to come at him. Suddenly he heard Tarou's voice from behind.

"Hey, Crossdresser…"

Ranma didn't move or react. He didn't need to… for before Tarou could kick him, PJ tackled Tarou hard and fast, moving them far away from Ranma.

"You're not even worth Ranma's time," PJ snapped, throwing Tarou to one side before landing on his feet.

"This has nothing to with you, green bean!"

"Oh go put on nylons, Silky Stockings! Oh wait, sorry, I got your name wrong… Pantyhose Tarou!"

Snarling, Tarou charged at PJ. "You're gonna DIE!" But every punch or kick he gave, PJ blocked or dodged it effortlessly.

"Would you have been happier if you were named Sue instead?"

"Fuck you-! URK!" Tarou didn't see PJ's kick, but he FELT it as he flew backward. However, either by fate or by PJ's own move, Tarou flew into a nearby drinking fountain, breaking it and causing cold water to spray all over. It triggered his Jusenkyo curse, turning him into his minotaur form. It roared at PJ while sneering, as if to say "Your mistake, and your last!"

But PJ stared back at Tarou-Minotaur unfazed. "My Uncle TK beat your counterpart in my dimension, before he unlocked his Super Human form." he held up a hand, blocking a hard punch from Tarou-Minotaur. "If I lose to you here, I'll never be able to look him in the eye again, let alone my dad."

"Out of Shampoo way!"

Akeno stood firm, facing both Shampoo and Cologne. "I will do no such thing, not while you intend to harm Ranma."

"This is a family matter, young lady - stand side."

But Akeno shook her head. "Ranma is not your family, nor your son-in-law."

Shampoo suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Priestess love Airen, too?"

This made Akeno laugh. "No, heavens, no! I have my eye on another boy back where I come from. He's perverted, yes… but he has a good heart, almost as big as Ranma's… but as Ranma's friend, I cannot let him be bullied by the likes of you." Her eyes took on a dangerous glint as she held up a hand rather casually, well to those unaware. "I am sporting, so if you both go away back to China and never come back, I will be merciful. If not…" An unsettling grin forms and her eyes flash briefly as a wisp of electricity arcs along her hands. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you." However her husky, and rather eager tone seemed to indicate she was hoping they would refuse and justify 'forcing her hand' as it were.

As she saw Shampoo rush her anyway while Cologne's eyes narrowed and the old matriarch held back, Akeno felt that life was good to her today. With a simple gesture and incarnation, she brought down a bolt of lightning down on Shampoo. It struck hard, fizzling the Amazon warrior who exclaimed in agony and pain as her body jerked and jolted about from the shock.

"Ooooh, that was a nice one… eager for more?" Without even letting Shampoo have a breath, Akeno brought down another thunderbolt. Smaller, but still potent.

"SHAMPOO! YOU BITCH!" Mousse charged at Akeno - woman or not, NOBODY hurt his beloved! Out of his sleeves appeared various chains, each one connected to an array of… Plushies and squeaky toys. Upon hearing said toys, Mousse skid to a halt and examined his chains. "What the-?! I don't have those! What happened to all of my…?" He held up one arm and looked inside the sleeve…

*POP*! "Guess who!"

"GAH!" Mousse stumbled backward after Wakko suddenly came out his sleeve while quoting Woody Woodpecker. Violently Mousse shook his arm, making his chains rattle loudly. "Get out, get out, get out!"

Wakko wasn't coming out, though - he held on with one hand while the other waved his cap; however, he was shaking too fast to show what his head looked like without his hat on it. "Yee-hah! Go Rawhide! Do the mash! The Monster Mash! It's a graveyard mash!"

~That boy is not right in the head,~ Deadpool thought, still dueling katanas to clippers with Principal Kuno. ~Then again, who the fuck am I to talk?~

"Thank you, Wakko-sweetie! Hmmm, I do enjoy making my foes cry out in pain…" Akeno murmured in clear ecstasy as her sadistic side began to unfurl. Her devil and fallen angel wings appeared and fully extended, shocking Cologne.

"You… what are you?!"

"Half a fallen angel, on my father's side… but I gave myself to the Gremory family and became a devil. It's earned me quite a few good friends, including the boy I want to steal from my king, Rias Gremory. It will be oh so worth it even if I must fight Rias to near death to do it. She's my dearest friend, my master… and my most worthy rival for Issei…"

Back in Akeno's world, both Issei and Rias began to sneeze uncontrollably, which coincidentally interrupted their attempt at a mutual kiss. Rias suddenly had a dark thought, a name and face crossing her mind. ~Akeno….~

Shampoo struggled to stand back up. "Shampoo… no… give up… will make… Ranma... Mine…"

"Oh my, such determination. I like you, Shampoo… but unless you can actually touch me…" Akeno summoned more lightning down upon Shampoo, again making the Amazon drop to her knees. "This battle is mine. Oh, and I am well aware of your tribe's tradition of giving women opponents the Kiss of Death. You're more than welcome to try it on me… but doing so could risk the very end of your tribe." While genocide was not in Akeno's sadism kink, she would not let such outdated fools ruin her friends' lives or her own. If necessary, she'd return to her home dimension and ask Rias and the others for assistance, and show these Amazons true hell. …She then quickly dismissed that idea, fearing for Kiba and especially Issei should either receive the kiss of marriage. They were both supreme warriors in their own rights, and quite handsome…

… Which meant if given a chance, Amazon hussies would go after her dear Issei on sight (which he MIGHT enjoy if they were hawt enough for him)! Poor Kiba, too! No, no, NO! She had enough competition! Still, she had to admit, she would LOVE to see the FEAR on all the Amazon's faces as the entire Gremory peerage decked in their battle forms appeared to wreck their village. It was hard to not get 'too excited', perhaps she would need to discreetly 'trap' Issei in one of the rooms of the house for some 'venting'.

Welp, so much for not getting 'moist' in the middle of battle, but Issei alone did things to her. Still battle first, then go and steal Issei away for an hour or two later~.

Again in her world, Issei and Rias began to sneeze again, with Issei having an extra shiver up his back that was the tell-tale sign he was being 'hunted'. While Rias felt her 'keep a sharp look out for Akeno wanting Issei' senses were on high alert.

"I must admit your powers are formidable…" Cologne murmured as she took the threat seriously. "However we Amazons have dealt with monsters and demons a plenty over the centuries. With the right method and experience, even one such as you can fall to over three-hundred years of Amazon experience and skill."

Akeno let out a quite haughty laughter. "My dear Elder Cologne… My Master and my comrades and I have battled Dragons, Gods and reincarnations of warriors of many ages, as well as rogue Fallen Angels and Demons/Devils. I have no doubt you are skilled and powerful… but to defeat me?" Her grin was malicious and blood thirsty. "You're insulting me… Again I offer an olive branch due to your sense of wisdom in not attacking me outright; but this is the last chance. Next time, I'll smite you both!" Both her hands crackled, show-casing she would deliver two bolts. "Nothing you have can interrupt, so think very hard, but very quickly on your response."

"You'll be sor-ree if you don't," Wakko sang while still holding onto Mousse's arm as it was being shaken. Suddenly Wakko ducked back into the sleeve and further into the robes. This made Mousse begin to twist, jerk, and jut while he tried in vain to find Wakko with his hands.

"Get out of me, you little… little… whatever you are!"

"Boy, you sure got plenty of room in here! Lots of fun stuff, too. Assorted weapons, odds and ends-. Hey, you even got a PS2 in here! …But don't you think it's time to upgrade? Or are you holding out for a PS5 with full backwards compatibility?"

"Get! OUT!"

"Oh hey, I found a lockbox-. Whoops. You might wanna get that lock fixed, or a new box. Hmmmm, assorted pictures of your friend Shampoo."

Mousse's eyes widened and he began grabbing and patting himself more frantically. "MY PRIVATE STASH-!"

"I knew you wouldn't mind if I have a peek at these! Ooo, she looks good in a swimsuit. Still, she can't hold a candle to Akeno. Oh my, these are really good shots. You do them yourself or-? HELLOOOOOOOO NURSE! Ohhh, I see why you wanna hide these, buddy - I'd be dead if Shampoo caught me with these cheesecake and nudie pictures!"

Mousse's skin from head to toe turned bright red. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Hey, what's this letter included with these? 'Dear Mousse, here are those pictures you requested, plus a few more you didn't but I think you'd really love them. Sorry, but these cost extra. You'll see why. Just remember to keep your glasses on your eyes, not your forehead. Signed, Nabiki Tendo. PS - you still owe me a free dish of the old crone's extra special Mugu Gai Pan.'"

Nabiki saw Cologne and the singed but still determined Shampoo shoot her glares that promised she'd be having a very long and quite painful "talk" with the two Amazons when all was said and done. She sweatdropped while chuckling nervously.

"Hey, Wakko, can you slip me a few of the nudie pics?"

Wakko stuck his head out from the back of Mousse's collar, Mousse being too embarrassed to stop him. Wakko narrowed his eyes at Deadpool. "Don't you have a girlfriend back home?"

"Yeah, but I can use those for blackmail or bribes."

"Gee, lemme think… No!" And Wakko ducked back into Mousse's robes.

"Awww damn it!" Deadpool bemoaned before he sheathed one sword, and just grabbed Principal Kuno by the face, and kept him out of arm's reach as the deranged Principal tried to 'sheer' him with his clippers. "Buddy c'mon! I've tea-bagged you, strung you along like a dumbass, you can't win- also!" Sheathing the other sword, Deadpool pulled off his mask and pointed at his face. "There's NO HAIR on this mug!"

"Great jumping Lualua!" Exclaimed Principal Kuno as he dropped his clippers, fell to his knees and started to vomit.

"Oh come OOOON! I know it's a face you gotta get used to, but seriously, puking right off the bat?!" Exclaimed Deadpool in a clearly insulted tone as he crossed his arms. "Fine then, I'll stop going easy on you!" Reaching into his pack, he pulls out a telescoping bat and proceeds to brain Principal Kuno into unconsciousness. Oddly enough, the clearly metal bat, made squeaky toy sounds as it pummeled the puking man out cold. "And stay there and aspirate on your own puke!" He muttered, putting his mask back on and tossing the bat aside. "Okay, I'm free to help my homies or be a cheerleader!" He proclaimed, taking two pom-poms from one of his belt satchels and began to cheer. "Ra, ra, rass, kick em' in the ass! Ra, ra, knee, kick em' in both their knees!"

As he dueled Ikkaku, Kuno snapped "Will you be silent, you insufferable nonsense-spouting buffoon?!"

Deadpool then whipped out a small pennant with a little K on it and waved it unenthusiastically. "Kuno, Kuno, he's our man. If he can't do it…" He then jumped high as he could, punching the air. "GREAT!"

Ukyo sweatdropped while she fought Allenby. "I dunno who's more insane - the usual dummies around here, or you guys Ranchan brought back with him."

"At least we respect Ranma," Allenby retorted.

"Say what?!"

"Respect! Like the Aretha Franklin song. Y'know… 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find out what it means to me!' Oh wait, you probably dunno American music."

"Overrated. And I respect Ranchan!"

"Bull!"

"I DO! And he respects me! I'm the cute fiancée! He-!"

Allenby used both hands to catch the head of the combat spatula, preventing Ukyo from pulling it away or bringing it down on Allenby's head. "He never proposed to you! He never saw you as marriage material, or even dating material! You know what he considers you?"

"If you say his best friend, I already know-!"

"He considers you as a sister!"

"WHAT?!" Ukyo yanked hard, freeing her weapon. "Liar! YOU'RE LYING!" She started swinging wildly.

"Why would I lie? Ranma said he spent almost a year journeying from one dimension to another. He had plenty of time to think hard about all his relationships and his mistakes… plenty of time to talk to us about his problems he was running from, and what should have done…"

"Why didn't he talk to me?!"

"His father raised him piss-poorly, naturally! Also, would you have listened, REALLY listened?! Like you did when Happosai used that Moxibustion technique to make him so weak?"

Ukyo blushed; she recalled that time… instead of trying to help Ranma back then find a way to get his strength back, she imagined them happily married with a kid. "O-kay, so that was one mistake-."

"Maybe but mistakes add up over time, just like they did to Ranma. Also, didn't you offer to help train Akane after she lost to two girls who claimed to be her dad's daughters from another marriage? But you were actually trying to kill her?"

"S-so what?!"

"You don't care about Ranma… or anybody! All you care about is yourself! You're the same as Ranma's father!"

Now Ukyo's face was purple. "I AM NOTHING LIKE THAT BASTARD! I'D NEVER SELL OUT RANCHAN-!"

"But you'd sell out anyone else as long as it meant you'd get Ranma, right?"

"SHUT UP! SHUT! UP!" Ukyo swung hard… but then Allenby rammed her fist into the spatula, making it shatter to Ukyo's shock. "What the-?!"

"Where I came from," Allenby said through grit teeth, "I was used by my country to win a tournament involving martial arts and mecha… they used a system that overwhelmed my senses so I'd turn into a berserker, not knowing friend from foe."

"Will you stop talking!" Ukyo nearly screamed, throwing her miniature spatulas.

Allenby did not stop; she kept talking while dodging or deflecting each thrown weapon at her. They didn't care how much it hurt me as long as I kept on winning; even when I told them straight not to use it, that I could handle myself and would rather lose than depend on such a system… they still chose winning no matter the cost over my health and my sanity!" Step by step, she drew closer to Ukyo until she grabbed the okonomiyaki chef by her gi. "I can never forgive them! And I will never, ever forgive people who put their selfish desires over everyone else! People like you, Ukyo Kuonji!"

"MY FATHER HATED ME BECAUSE I WAS BORN A GIRL, NOT A BOY! RANCHAN WAS THE ONLY GOOD THING IN MY LIFE, AND IF HIS FATHER HAD KEPT HIS WORD I WOULD HAVE BEEN FREE FROM MY FATHER! BUT THEY LEFT ME BEHIND! THEY OWE ME! THEY FUCKING OWE ME-!" Ukyo said no more when Allenby rammed a hard fist into her abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. Her eyes met Allenby's… as she was confused when she saw her opponent was now crying.

"And that's why Ranma still has hope to make things right with you, so you BOTH can have a proper relationship, as friends… Even after everything, he still clings to those fond memories from childhood," murmured Allenby as she spoke softly, the rage and anger that had been coursing through her; giving way to pity. "Out of every fuck-face duking it out here… He still wants you in his life. Maybe it's not how you want it to be, but at least it's something."

Holding her abdomen still as it smarted like the dickens, Ukyo listened to the words. Her eyes briefly go to Ranma, fighting his own battle, and then back to Allenby. However she couldn't speak, her throat felt numb and raw from the swirling emotions consuming her.

"...Ranma didn't leave you. Hell, he thought you were a boy, he's… I love the guy like a brother, but he can be deeeense… It felt over his head you were crushing on him. To be fair you were both, nine right?" Allenby stated, with affectionate teasing in her voice, with a clear fondness for Ranma. "He got a chance to grow and become a better person with all of us the last year, something his life on the road and in Nerima, he never got that chance with everyone pulling him left and right, and making choices for him rather than allowing him to live his own life. You clearly got fucked over in that area, too, by your old man, you both are victims of shitty fathers." Allenby briefly flashed her gaze at Genma. If Ranma wasn't handling his old man, she would have loved to have cleaned his clock herself, and really vent her frustrations. Kneeling to eye-level with Ukyo, she held out a hand. "Please, for both your sakes, I'm asking you to hear Ranma out and have a proper talk with him once this mess is over with. I know just one talk won't heal years of pain and miscommunication between you, but it's a start. A chance for a clean slate."

Swallowing, Ukyo hugged herself, "B-but what if the chance… what if it's already too late?"

"Only way that is gonna happen is if I have to finish this fight with knocking your ass out; and you reject listening to Ranma. If you do love him as you claim, in any capacity… tap out, and let's both… sit and talk, okay?"

Hesitant, Ukyo sighs and sniffles. "...No bullcrap?"

"No bullcrap." Allenby smiled widely as she held her hand out. To her relief, Ukyo took it, but did give a hardy squeeze. She was fine with that.

"I'll…I'll talk to Ranchan… I want… I dunno what I fully want but…"

Ranma's earlier words came back loud and clear: Aren't ANY of you tired of this? The same goodman thing day in and day out?

"...I am tired… tired of everything," murmured the chef, Allenby's words seeming to have cut through the veil of anger that held her heart for so long. Which seemed to have left her drained emotionally and physically. "...Does he really…still want to have me in his life?"

Allenby felt for the girl, she could FEEL her emotional vulnerability. "Why don't you ask him yourself once the smoke clears?"

Makie grimaced - Kodachi had upped the ante by flinging every gymnastics weapon the raven-haired Kuno could summon, including replacing her normal ribbon with one that had razor edges. Makie's uniform from Mahora was cut in several places, and she was bleeding in at least two places, one on the right arm and the other on her left leg. Not to mention Kodachi was all-out CHEATING!

"One last chance, harlot," Kodachi said between bouts of haughty laughter, "renounce your ties to Ranma darling and I just might spare you! Why should he waste his precious time with one such as you, who doesn't even love him or lust after him, when he has me and me alone?"

~She reminds me a lot of Iincho… and Evangeline… …but unlike them, this Kodachi really, REALLY pisses me off!~

"Then again… your oh-so-cute face makes me want to vomit. Perhaps scarring it up a little will improve your looks."

"NAGA!" Hearing Kodachi's intent to hurt Makie, Stitch delivered a triple haymaker to Happosai into the ground, making a Happosai-shaped crater from the blow. He then charged at Kodachi, fangs and claws bared. However, Kodachi snapped her ribbon and caught him.

"Away with you, you vile, evil, ugly creature!" Kodachi cried as she used her ribbon to throw Stitch into the wall of Furinkan's gates.

Makie grit her teeth hard; what Kodachi did wouldn't have hurt Stitch, but it was UNFORGIVABLE! So was calling such a cute and fluffy alien ugly! "You… you'll pay for hurting Stitchie, you heartless banshee!" Both her hands produced ribbons, which she twirled at inhuman speed until the entirety of both ribbons covered her hands like boxing gloves, and she charged at Kodachi, her vision going blood red with anger.

Kodachi saw her coming and again whipped her razor ribbon, but she was surprised when no matter how many times she swung her tool, Makie would dodge and dodge… one whip cut Makie's cheek but Makie ignored it and sped up until she was close enough she rammed her right fist hard into Kodachi's midsection. "Gemu!" Makie cried out upon her hit's impact. Not stopping, she swung her left fist, striking Kodachi hard across the face. "Giru!" She followed up with a right cross to give Kodachi's other cheek equal and harsh attention. "Gan!" The momentum going strong, Makie spun on her left heel to deliver a spinning kick to Kodachi that was fast and sharp enough it cut the female Kuno across her nose. "Go!" When she faced Kodachi she swung both arms to deliver a crushing hit on both sides of Kodachi's head. "Gufo!"

Kodachi was unable to retaliate, not as Makie kept hitting her again and again and again. The last blow greatly disoriented her, making her stagger backward a few steps. Her field of vision was spinning from how hard she'd been hit. Where did this girl's rage and power come from?! Was it all because she dealt with that small monster?

Makie undid her ribbons before joining her hands together and had both ribbons twirl over her joined hands, and then she charged at Kodachi, spinning like a ballet dancer while her arms were outstretched to their fullest. Her memories of Negi Springfield and every battle she'd seen him fight flashed before her eyes as she focused on giving one hell of a finisher unto Kodachi. ~For Ranma… and for Sitchie!~ "VIIIIIIITAAAAAAAS!" Makie screamed as she struck Kodachi's face with all her might, sending her opponent flying backward and to the ground hard. Makie stopped herself and allowed her vision to regain focus. Seeing Kodachi lying face up, unmoving, Makie smiled as she panted.

"I'm known by one more nickname…" she said as she regained her normal breathing. "I'm the mistress… of everything cute… and Stitchie… …IS OH SO CUTE I COULD SCREAM!"

Kodachi couldn't move, but she could still think since she was still conscious. ~That… thing… …cute?!~

Makie turned, and froze when she saw Stitch was before her, unharmed. "You okay?"

Nodding, Stitch moved up and climbed up to let Makie hug him. "Stitch happy to have Makie as friend."

Outside Makie was calm and collected as she petted Stitch's head. Inside, though… ~KAWAIIIIIIIIII!~

Kuno saw his sister get taken out. Unlike with his father's defeat, Kuno was stunned; his sweet yet misguided little sister, beaten up and knocked down?! A rage he'd never known before overflowed within him. ~ENOUGH!~

Ikkaku blinked when Kuno threw aside his bokken. "What the-?"

"Unforgivable… what you have done… is UNFORGIVABLE!" Opening his robes enough, Kuno drew out a sheathed katana before drawing it. "No more holding back! No more treating you all like children!" He cast the sheathe aside before taking his balde into both hands. His eyes flashed with new intent - bloodlust. "Beating sense into you lot is no longer enough! I will hack and slash the insanity out of every one of you, even if it kills you to do it! I will end your vile insanities!"

"Oh hell, he's finally flipped," Ranma commented while he fought his opponents. Then he saw Kuno disregard Ikkaku, and his eyes widened when Kuno started for Makie and Stitch. ~Oh no!~

Ikkaku saw it, too, and like Ranma he grew concerned. Racing with all his might he moved to intercept Kuno. "Makie, get away!"

But Makie was frozen in horror as Kuno neared her, katana raised. Stitch growled, ready to shield Makie…

"Let your blood cleanse you, milady!" Kuno cried out as he swung with murderous intent…

The sounds of metal striking metal echoed throughout the scene. Kuno blinked once, surprised to find another sword was blocking his own. He followed the blade to its hilt, and the hand holding said hilt…

"Let me introduce you," Ikkaku stated, no longer smiling but looking very pissed off. Kuno saw Ikkaku's "bokken" in his left hand, an opening clearly visible now at the one end. "This is my zanpakutou - Hozukimaru."

"You… insult me further? Why did you not use your blade from the start?"

"Because you weren't worth it, asshole. But now that you tried to attack a girl who did you no harm-."

"She harmed my innocent sister-!"

"...Okay, reasoning isn't gonna work. Plan B… let's just kill each other." And the two began to cross blades over and over, ignoring Deadpool's comment about Ikkaku copying John Travlta from FACE/OFF. This allowed Makie to take Stitch and run away.

Or she tried, as soon as she got a few feet, Makie tripped as something wrapped around her leg and made her trip. "ARGHH!" It was also sharp! Looking down, she saw a razor ribbon. "Oh c-crap!"

Somehow Kodachi was up, barely, staggering. She ached everywhere like she never had before… and despite the pain she also felt very, VERY pissed off! She held her favored weapon, as she spun a spiked gymnastics club. "N-not bad you questionably sane woman, but the Black Rose does not wilt so easily!" Spying Stitch growling at her, Kodachi threw the club at the alien, who caught it, only to learn it was a feint, as gas sprayed out of the club and right into Stitch's face.

"GAAAH!" The alien scrambled backwards, rubbing his face all covered with intense irritation pepper spray, as well as a sleep serum. His enhanced biology kept him from instantly passing out or going blind as anyone else would from Kodachi's intense concoction, but he was hampered severely. "M-Makie… r-run!"

"Stitchie!" Seeming to ignore her own plight, she tried to crawl towards the alien. While Kodachi merely chuckled and twirled her ribbon and prepared to bring it down.

"Now, prepare to meet your maker!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Ikkaku caught this and cursed at himself for not noticing the other Kuno had gotten up. ~God damn it! I can't get away in time!~

"MAKIE!" The young girl could hear several of her friends call her name, as the razor ribbon was moving closer toward her head. Closing her eyes, Makie awaited the pain, or perhaps the end if Kodachi was going for a fatal hit.

However she heard the ribbon wrap around something, but not her. Blinking, she felt something familiar, an energy in the air. Looking up, eyes open she saw someone in a strange suit that looked familiar, kind of like one of those Sci-Fi pilot suits-. Wait, she knew this guy! "Y-you!"

Holding his arm up to intercept the ribbon, a pair of angry purple eyes narrow at Kodachi, his pilot suit briefly surging with a green-blue energy causing the bandana he wore to flutter. "I barely got here in time…" He muttered, gripping the ribbon, uncaring it had cut into his hand and some of his arm. With a jerk he yanked hard and pulled Kodachi from across the way, and with his free hand grabbed the Kuno woman by the throat and squeezed.

"Ack-gack-akkkk!" Kodachi sputtered, her wind-pipe dangerously close to being fully closed off by the man's sheer grip.

"You hurt my friends… Usually, I break those who hurt them… However, since Ranma clearly doesn't want you idiots dead… I'll settle for this." Rearing his head back, the young man smashed his forehead into Kodachi's; a sickening crunch is heard as her nose was broken and her forehead fractured. However, he made sure the impact didn't push her broken nose into her brain. With Kodachi well and truly out cold, he drops her like a sack of potatoes, and then just as coldly, kicks her body so it rolls over twice before stopping.

Turning instantly after removing the razor ribbon from around his arm, the young man kneels by Makie, touching her cheek gently. His expression softened immensely. "Sorry I'm late…"

A voice came from his wristwatch, female and slightly monotone. "I told you; we should have taken the dimension gate at the Albuquerque System like that Bunny-Alien man told us, but you had to listen to the Duckian's squawking."

"Yeah, yeah I know ADA…" Grumbled Kou Uramecha as the Frame Runner gently scooped up Makie, and then the groggy Stitch in his arms. Carrying her bridal style while Stitch rested on top of Makie. He glanced at Ikkaku seeing the man's relieved face as he kept Kuno at bay, and the rest of his friends. "I got Makie and Stitch, and ADA's got Jehuty cloaked nearby in case this gets out of hand." He explained, flashing a confident if apologetic smile. "Please continue with the ass-kicking, friends."

With one arm cradling Stitch, Makie wrapped the other around Kou's neck, peppering his face with kisses unashamedly in gratitude. "Thank you… at least you're late with a good sense of timing."

"Sorry Mak-chan, like ADA said… took a damn wrong turn…" He muttered, blushing from the affection, but not disliking it either. "TK and his group send their regards. ..And they got him home."

Makie smiled, memories of another group of dimension-hoppers she and Ranma and the rest had encountered a few times. "That's good…"

"Why don't you fight back, damn you?!" Ryoga snarled. Ever since the fighting started, Ranma had been merely blocking or avoiding the attacks from him, Genma and Soun. "Or were those tricks you did earlier just for show?!"

"Start fighting me seriously and I'll start fighting back."

"You mocking us, boy?"

"You wish, old man. Y'know, I used to look up to you, even respected you… but then I saw what you really were: "A weak, spineless, dishonorable glutton who only cares about keeping his fat belly full even if he has to use his own flesh and blood as currency."

"That is no way to talk to your father-!"

"You've got zero right to lecture me, Mr. Tendo. You really thought keeping Ryoga's curse from Akane would help your plan to have Akane and I get married? Not to mention your other schemes, like the Dojo Destroyer?"

"It was for the good of you both-!"

"You both don't give a damn about your kids! If you had, maybe your girls wouldn't have turned out as they are now! Even Kasumi… she's the most normal of them but even she was scarred by your terrible parenting!"

"You don't know anything!" Soun and Genma both raised their voices.

"Do I? Where PJ comes from, there was a Rsnma Saotome like me… he got forced into an engagement with the Akane there. But you know what happened to him?"

"Enlighten us-!" Genma suddenly was seized by Ranma and thrown over the shoulder hard

"HE DIED!" Ranma roared. "Like me he let things get out of control, but he tried to settings right… only by then it was too late. His Akane rejected him for Ryoga, even after she found out about Ryoga's curse, just like Akane here did! But unlike me… unlike me, he was broken by Akane… he loved her, honestly love her… but she told him to go die… …so he did. He went out a hero, sacrificing himself to save Earth from a monster, but he died with a broken heart." Seeing the cause and effect of his counterpart's passing alone was as heart-breaking as the actual story of the other his's demise. Reinforcing to himself he could NEVER go down that path, as it wouldn't just destroy him; but hurt those he cared about.

PJ, even though he was fighting Tarou-Minotaur, heard Ranma's every word. He closed his eyes in pain, recalling how hurt this Ranma had been when Teletraan-5 revealed his counterpart's fate. He remembered all the stories he heard about his Ranma from his parents and all his aunts and uncles, of how Ranma wasn't a perfect man or a good man, but he tried to be good to the very end…

Even Kiriya, as she locked hands with Akane, was saddened with what she could hear. Because she knew…

"And I could have ended up like him," Ranma said, "or worse. But what's that matter to two sorry excuses for not just men, not just martial artists but parents? So long as your dumb pact is finalized and your houses joined so your schools can go on and you both can retire and take it easy?"

"Oh cry me a river," Ryoga snapped, "you don't care about anybody but yourself, Ranma! You're just as bad as your father-!"

"Wanna bet?" Kiriya snapped, pausing her fight with Akane. "When he realized you had a Jusenkyo curse of your own, Ryoga, Ranma understood why you were so pissed off at him, how humiliated you were to never be able to go swimming and cool off normally ever again. He vowed to keep your curse a secret as a show of respect… but then you got adopted by Akane as her pet and you took full advantage of it!"

"Like a complete SLEEAZEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!" Crooned Deadpool who was still waving pom poms and a changing pennant during all of this. "Give me a creep, give me a perv, give me a backstabber, what does that spell? R-Y-O-G-A! Ryooooooogaaaaaaa!"

"We second this!" Kou, Makie and even the still disorientated Stitch from where they were called out in joint disgust. The Frame Runner having laid the two down to tend to their injuries. Stitch then uttered something in an alien dialect and… flipped Ryoga the bird with all four limbs.

"Stitchie! No! He deserves it, but it's not cute of you!" Makie half chided, half teased, and soothed as she patted his furry head. Seeing Kou raise a hand to give a similar gesture, Makie smacked the pilot in the chest, which made him drop his hand and resume applying antiseptic and bandages to her cuts.

"It's still Ranma's fault for what happened to Ryoga," Akane then interjected.

Kiriya returned her attention to Akane. "Did Ranma invite Ryoga to follow him to Jusenkyo?"

"Doesn't matter-!"

"Yes, it DOES! Ranma showed up at their agreed spot to fight, but Ryoga got lost! The empty lot near to his house, and Ryoga STILL got lost trying to get there! How the hell can he get lost when all he had to do was take a right and go down two lots to get there?!"

"Why do you defend Ranma?! He's insulting! He's a glutton! He's a macho jerk!"

"If there was maybe one thing his old man taught him that was at least good advice, it was not to hit females!"

"I'm a martial artist just like him! Just like you!" And Akane threw her hardest punch, which connected to Kiriya's face…

Kiriya didn't move; even when the fist struck her, she stood as still as a tree. "...I've taken a lot worse than that," Kiriya said calmly, "even before I joined Ranma on his journey. But you know why you're anything but a martial artist?"

"The hell you-?" Akane stopped when Kiriya took hold of her fist, the one she used to punch her. Eyes went wide as she felt pain in that fist, from Kiriya's hand gripping her tight enough she felt her bones threatening to break. "HaaaaaAAAAAAA!"

"You… lack discipline!" With that cry, Kiriya struck Akane with a palm strike, hard enough to hurt but not enough to make Akane go flying. It was to further her point.

Ryoga moved towards the girls, but Ranma blocked him. "Out of my way! Akane-!"

"That's her fight and hers alone. And this is something she needs whether she understands or doesn't."

"I said MOVE!" Ryoga threw a punch, but Ranma calmly grabbed the fist with one hand, handheld it firmly enough that Ryoga was unable to move, to his disbelief.

Mousse was once more trying to find Wakko… and finally decided there was only one way to do it. He started tearing off his clothes until he was down to his loincloth. However, even with his robes and clothes in small tatters, even with all he had kept within said robes now scattered about the ground, Wakko was nowhere to be found. Turning here and there, he looked but couldn't find him. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Wakko popped up from behind and over Mousse's right shoulder. "Here I am, Moe~!" Grabbing Mousse by the face with both hands, he pressed his lips to Mousse's in a huge smooch before he jumped up, hung in the air, took out a huge mallet from his gag bag…

"We stand 'em up against the wall and POP!"

And Mousse could only watch as Wakko brought the mallet down on him, hammering him into the ground like a vision was then filled with numerous stars spinning and dancing around him.

"Goes the weasel," Wakko finished singing.

"Pitiful as always," Cologne muttered, shaking her head. She then heard a thud and looked to see Shampoo had finally collapsed to the ground, unable to get up. "Granddaughter!"

"So… so sorry… great… great-grand… mother…"

Akeno finally lowered her arms, dissipating her electrical attacks. She licked her fingers seductively. "My win…"

Cologne moved to Shampoo, gently rating a hand on the fallen girl's shoulder. "Yes, you have… and made a lifelong enemy. This child may not be able to give you the Kiss of Death, but I-."

"You sure are a stickler for laws that mean absolute dick outside of your tribe, lady…" Deadpool was now beside Akeno, as was Wakko. "Even though technically Ranma didn't beat your girl there in actual combat."

"You should not speak of matters you do not understand, you lunatic."

"Were you there to see her defeat happen?" Wakko then asked.

"...Well… no. I was not-."

"Then how the fuck do you know it was legit?" Deadpool snapped.

"Shampoo told me. And my great-granddaughter never lies-." She stopped when Deadpool gave a hollow laugh.

"No matter the age, lady, kids lie!"

"Were YOU there when it happened?" Cologne shot back. "Have you evidence to disprove our claim on Son-in-law?"

Deadpool and Wakko exchanged grins. They had been WAITING for this moment. "Oh Teletraan-Fiiiiiiiiive!"

Soon enough a flash of light not unlike Deadpool or Kou's own teleportation methods occured and a free-floating cube-like being appeard. On each side was a face, the same face. "Ah greetings my friends! I was waiting for the signal."

"Gotta enjoy having a walking, talking database as a pal…" Mused Kou as he finished bandaging Makie and giving Stitch some medicine to counter Kodachi's toxins. He looks over at the fracas, but doesn't move, one eye kept on the two injured. Given the volatile nature of the NWC, he cared not move from their spot. Any one of them might jump at the 'easy target, and could even take him out from a blindside. ~Hell, even other versions of me have fallen victim to these nutjobs antics in some form. I dunno how they handle this shit on a daily basis…~

"Hey Teletraan-5! It's time, time for the FINAL COUNTDOOOOOOOOOOOWN!" Deadpool proclaims, before Wakko and he start to strum air guitars as somehow that actual musical melody begins playing out of nowhere.

"Final count-, oh yes, code for that particular historical reference, a moment please!" The cube smiled, then flashed as it spun and then projected a hologram of China years ago, at the Amazon village. A wide shot showcased the gathering at the tournament Shampoo and other Amazons were attending and competing in. Soon the camera while still showing the battle, high-lighted the arrival of the Jusenkyo Guide along with Genma and Ranma, both in their cursed forms of a panda and girl. It goes as usual; the two hungry martial artists neglect to notice the 'free spread' laid out is actually for the winner of this tournament! Curse their inability to read Chinese!

The Guide then translates and explains the situation, and their transgression with Shampoo insisting on a duel with Ranma-chan. The red-head agrees, and promptly one-shots Shampoo, knocking her off the log.

"Um, isn't this kind of proving Ranma did beat Shampoo?" Murmured Makie softly to Kou as she gently reached to touch his hand, rubbing her fingers over his own cuts he sustained in protecting her.

Kou smiled and winked. "The context is what matters… watch…" He gestured, giving her hand a squeeze as he pointed to the hologram.

Watching this, Cologne watches as Shampoo staggers over to Ranma, to inflict the kiss of death, and her eyes close, sighing. "...It would seem, I have been a fool." She tapped her cane against the ground. "My Grand-Daughter neglected to perform certain decorum when placing such a thing on an outsider-." However before she could elaborate she was interrupted.

"Oh, but wait, there's more!" Deadpool said in his best (as he figured) impression of Abby Schuto. "Now, T5, play the rematch!"

"Ah yes… that!" Teletraan-5 changed the holo image so it took place in the Tendo Dojo. Cologne watched as Shampoo attacked Ranma with her weapons, only for Ranma to kick one of them out of Shampoo's hands, making it twirl above her before it came right back down and - BAM! - collided with Shampoo's head, knocking her out.

"Was that too fast for your old eyes to follow?" Deadpool sked Cologne.

"Better replay that part in slow-mo, Teletraan-5," Wakko suggested.

"Agreed." The cube rewound the footage and then began playback, at a slower speed to allow for a more clear showing of exactly how Shapoo "lost" the fight. Once her image had hit the ground, the speed returned to normal, showing the aftermath and how Shampoo was told Ranma had "beaten" her thus he earned the Kiss of Death… only did the others realize that instead Ranma had earned the Kiss of Marriage since an Amazon losing to a male meant she'd found a husband strong enough to bear children for.

Wakko, now wearing a lawyer's suit, addressed Cologne. "And there you have it, your honor - the so-called defeat was nothing more than a total accident. Therefore, Ranma's win as a man was nd is totally invalid. The defense rests." To prove his final comment, he whipped out a folding chir and sat in it to relax.

Shampoo said nothing; she was still in great pain from all Akeno did to her. She could only move her eyes… averting them from Cologne in shame as she felt her great-grandmother looking at her with disappointment as well as disapproval.

"So, it would seem, my Granddaughter did mislead me… While it's not absolute, usually outsiders are told of the Kiss of Death as a courtesy, so that if they wish they can ask for a rematch, to 'amend things' or work out some other sort of…bargain… After all, it's not unheard of that a non-fighter did something that knocked out or seemingly 'defeated' an Amazon… so safety measures had to be in place…"

This made Ranma gawk, and fume with anger. "YOU MEAN I HAD OPTIONS THIS WHOLE FREAKING TIME?!"

Cologne sighed, "I admit I too neglected to inquire as I let my giddiness for Shampoo finding a worthy man since most of the males of the last few generations have… well…" The old crone gestured to the out-cold Mousse. "However it would seem, that the nature of this 'defeat' is not worthy of the kiss of death, due to the technicality of how the knockout blow came about. So it seems we have no claims by our own laws…"

Hobbling over to her (mostly) out-cold Granddaughter, Cologne looked at her, with sadness, pity and remorse. "Perhaps, I put too much pressure on her to succeed me, and find a proper husband. In hindsight, I have failed as an Elder and Grandmother. As an Elder I enabled her behavior and let us both spend years harassing an outsider who did not truly earn the ire that sent Shampoo after Ranma. Even if I could argue the kiss of marriage is valid since he later DID best her in his true guise… It's clear there is no way we can force Ranma to return with us."

With a sigh of defeat, Cologne then uttered. "We give up, I will gather my foolish Granddaughter and errand boy and take us all home for keeps."

As much as it was an immense relief, Ranma was actually surprised Cologne just gave up that easily. "...Really?"

"Miss Akeno alone made it clear trying to force our will upon you was beyond our means… Plus my pride as an Amazon is torn because I allowed my family to engage in behavior that is…dishonorable for not adhering to certain principals… All three of us have many amends to make when we return home." Cologne hobbled over to Shampoo, and Mousse, gathering the two out cold warriors and carting them out of harm's way of the remaining battle. While going home to pack and making preparations should have been her priority, she wanted to see how this all turned out, if just to satisfy her curiosity on how Ranma and his band would come out.

Oh no doubt they would win; but how that victory came was a question yet to be answered.

But Shampoo was angry. Despite now she lost Cologne's support and approval… she wanted Ranma, and she wouldn't give up. If she could only move…

Ikkaku grimaced as he fought Kuno; it seemed Kuno was getting after with his strikes while not getting winded. Something was rotten in Denmark, as the saying went. ~I think I'd better take it up a notch, before he tries again to go after someone unarmed.~ Using Hozukimaru's sheath, he struck Kuno's abdomen hard, making the kendoist stop just enough for Ikkaku to leap away and make his move. Without a word, he inserted the hilt of Hozukimari into the sheathe, and the two combined and morphed into what appeared to be a spear.

"That… was a cowardly tactic!" Kuno snarled.

"So was attacking Makie!" Ikkaku took the transformed Hozukimaru into both hands. "Try to preach to me again, and I'm definitely calling you out on the whole pot and kettle thing."

"Change your weapon as many times as you wish, you imposter samurai! It will avail you not!" Kuno gripped his sword tighter, and Ikkaku saw it - a purple "mist" was emitting from the sword and enveloping around Kuno.

"If I get a last request, there's something I want to know… what's with your sword?"

"This blade has been in the Kuno family for generations! They say a demon lives within it, but the Kuno family, a righteous bloodline, have kept the demon sealed since the blade came into our possession."

~Somehow, I doubt that,~ Ikkaku thought s Kuno's eyes were turning a deep red like blood.

"Should I assist you, Ikkaku?" Checkers asked. Ever since the fighting began, the Deathclaw took a defensive position near Nodoka for her protection. It wasn;t he didn't want to fight, but while his kind had been made to kill, he and his fellow Deathclaws that had gained human intelligence and reason preferred NOT to kill humans, if only to prove they were somewhat better than humans in regards to valuing life.

"No, Checks, this is Shinigami business now…"

"Very well."

Ikkaku and Kuno resumed fighting, this time Ikkaku had a better edge. However, he knew this was only temporary… he had to either get that sword away from Kuno, or destroy the cursed weapon totally. If this dragged out too much longer, he feared the blade would grow more powerful and fully possess Kuno, if the demon within it didn't escape fully first.

He could go Bankai, but… well, even though Ranma and the group knew about it, Ikkaku didn't like the idea of more people finding out, especially Ranma's enemies… Yet it wasn't a good idea to try and lead Kuno away to find a more secluded location; the unhinged "samurai" would likely go after another target and then Ikkaku would have more work on his hands.

Then, as Ikkaku and Kuno locked and held their weapons, trying to push back one another, Ikkaku sensed a kind of spiritual power encircling them both. He risked glancing about, and noticed the area was getting dark around them as a circle of gold descended in a perimeter of ten turned around and saw Akeno smiling at him, her hands making a gesture he recognized. ~Heh, thanks, Akeno!~

"I demand you tell me where we are now!"

Grinning, Ikkaku faced Kuno again. "We're inside a barrier- we're not coming out until at least one of us falls."

"Then prepare to-!"

"You've lost."

"What?!"

Ikkaku pushed back hard while leaping backward, giving himself plenty of distance from Kuno. "Nobody can see us in here… which means I can go all out. But don't tell a soul what you're about to see…" Ikkaku took Hozukimaru and began twirling it above his head. "BANKAI!"

Kuno watched in bewilderment as the spear again changed form, growing larger and into three parts connected by a heavy chain.

"Ryumon Hozukimaru!" Ikkaku now held giant blades in each of his hands while a third one was on his back that featured an engraving of a dragon.

"What sorcery is this? No, it matters not! You are still about to go back to Hell-!"

"Oh, I'm not the one going to Hell. You, the demon of that sword possessing the dumbfuck! I'm sending YOU back to Hell; and if I gotta beat that guy within an inch of his life to do it, I'm just fine with that!"

Meanwhile, Akane was furiously swinging her limbs at Kiriya. She was totally furious; aside from the "lacking discipline" crack, Kiriya was now avoiding all her attacks. "FIGHT BACK, DAMN YOU! STOP INSULTING ME AND MY PRIDE AS A MARTIAL ARTIST!"

"You're a disgrace of a martial artist is what you are."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"There you go again… showing your lack of discipline, letting your anger cloud you completely. A real martial artist has not only control of their body, but also their mind, their spirit, and especially their emotions." Letting out a clear snort of disdain, Kiriya dodged another failed kick. "For someone spouting all the posturing you do; you don't have anything to show for it. Other than a sloppy basic form, and super-strength, which anyone with the right training can obtain. You run your mouth and claim to be a martial artist, and yet barely act like one and just let your anger cloud your mind. Like I'm almost impressed but more terrified at how your selective reasoning works. You hate Ranma so much; you can't see the fault of others and reach for the stars to find some tangible link to justify blaming it on him. Even when clearly he's either the victim or at least in cases where Ranma himself has contributed to the problem the lesser 'evil'. For any of the times Ranma probably did earn your ire, your reactions and tendency to overreact makes me conclude whatever you dealt out was wholly blown out of proportion." She shook her head. "I pity you, but I also think you need serious help. So once again, I'm going to ask you to back off, before I am forced to get serious and show you how a true fighter handles things."

"What she's saying, lady, is you need a stay at the klink! With padded cells, a straight jacket, and all the soundproofing so you can scream and scream and bother nobody! Also, all the best loopy drugs your tax-payers' yen can buy!" Deadpool chanted as he continued his playful 'cheer leading' from the sidelines.

"Not helping, Wade!"

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"See you're just making her angrier! Also, when the hell did you put on a Furinkan Cheerleader outfit?!" Thank God it was OVER his costume and not-, no, no Kiriya did not need to vomit in the middle of a fight!

"Would I be a horrible person, if I admit I was hoping she'd turn and charge at me so I could use the Spanker-9000 on her?" The Merc with a Mouth admitted with cute-sparkles somehow floating around him; and utterly failing to sell him as 'cute'. "As for the uniform I stole it from the locker room when I snuck off to get a Ramune from a vending machine. I have to say it's a bit tight…"

"For fuck's sake, Wilson, that thing is just barely bigger than Makie's size, of course you can't fit into it!" Yelled Kou from the sidelines as he shot daggers at the Merc for once again causing eye-trauma to all of them.

Nodoka eyed Deadpool warily. As if reading her mind, Checkers commented, "Yes, Mrs. Saotome… he's got every kind of screw loose imaginable. But his insanity cannot fully hide his deadly skill as an assassin and soldier. And compared to another like him, one who is evil and madness incarnate, Wade is an… angel, minus the wings."

"Angel?"

"I do not wish to insult Akeno by saying he is a fallen angel."

Akeno flashed Checkers a grateful smile.

A loud roar caught mostly everyone's attention as Tarou was failing to connect any of his attacks on PJ. The monster even tried using its tentacles to shoot ink onto PJ, but he swiftly dodged each shot so all that the Minotaur was doing was making a rather large mess all over the school grounds.

"Yo, PJ, why not just go all Red and end it already?" Deadpool complained, "that freak's roaring is giving me a headache."

"He's not worth wasting the energy, Wade!" ~Not to mention I might kill him if I go Super Namek… but I guess this Tarou's never gonna match up to the one back in my dimension.~ Like his father and all his uncles and aunts (least the ones of Z-Warrior/Mega Avenger class), PJ preferred to see if his opponents could match or exceed his levels. However, this dimension had no one like his family and friends, or even the same abilities. Least not until Ranma had returned here, but he'd leave that tidbit quiet.

Finally, PJ tapped into the Instantaneous Movement to get up close and personal with Tarou-Minotaur. Concentrating, his right arm became encased in red ki, a technique he learned from the cousin of the Ranma of his dimension and one of his favorite "uncles." "IDEON CRUSHER!" he yelled, striking Tarou-Minotaur's midsection hard. The monster's eyes bulged immensely as he was overcome with a sensation he NEVER felt in his cursed form before - SEVERE PAIN. As PJ retracted his fist, Tarou dropped to his knees and then slowly fell forward in a slump, his eyes blank due to loss of consciousness.

"Huh… tougher than I expected," PJ remarked mainly to himself while he adjusted his cap. "I thought he'd vomit first before passing out, at least." ~But thank god I didn't pierce his body with my fist.~

Suddenly the black sealing dome spell Akeno had used erupted at the very center, causing said spell to come undone. Most looked to see purple mist rising and evaporating while a loud shriek not of this world was heard for a few seconds. When the black done fully vanished, Ikkaku stood with his zanpakuto back to normal in his hands, looming over an unconscious and semi-bloody Kuno. Around Kuno were the shattered remains of the sword he had used and been possessed by, its demon exercised and gone for good.

Ikkaku spat, a small glob of blood and mucus he'd hacked up striking the ground. He was bleeding in a few places, including from his mouth. "A few lucky hits," he commented, "but honestly… that traitor Aizen's Arrancars hit much harder than that. Seriously, though, next time your family gets their hands on a sword housing a demon… don't even THINK about touching it, dumbass!"

Cologne sweatdropped, mentally debating whether or not to point out that Kuno and his family HARDLY thought such rational concepts.

A loud crack drew the Elder's attention, and she saw Akane back-pedaling as Kirya sent her flying, with a big fat black eye. As Akane managed to avoid falling on her ass, she tried to lunge forward but got another fist to her face for her trouble. "I TRIED to be nice!" Kiriya snarled, clearly reaching her own limits of her patience. "However, you seem to ignore every damn bit of advice and good will I've extended you, so one… last freaking time: back the FUCK down or I will put you down!"

"She said fuck again!" Deadpool whooped as he swung his pom-poms. "Gooo, Kiri!"

Ignoring Deadpool's antics, Kiriya saw Akane just rush at her for another futile assault and sighed. "Suit yourself." She effortlessly dodged the sloppy swings and kicks, and then spun and delivered a spin kick that if not for Kiriya's expert control, could have snapped Akane's neck. Instead Akane was left with a large bruise on her face and her head spinning from the near-concussion the blow caused her. Kiriya didn't let up, following up with a kick to the sternum, and then another blow to the right temple. Since she could see Akane was slowly succumbing to all the head blows, she avoided a pure blow to the cranium, but she wanted Akane out cold sooner than later.

Akane could barely keep up, pain, pain was all she could feel as she was laid into, with surgical precision. It wasn't just speed; her opponent was hitting the right vital spots to make her feel weak and disorientate her. It wasn't… fair! Those were Akane's last thoughts as she slumped onto the pavement. Standing over her, Kiriya dusted off her hands. "I almost feel like a bully, but while you're a sloppy piss-poor excuse for a fighter… You're still a DANGEROUS sloppy fighter, who can easily hurt someone." She knelt down, eyeing the out-cold Akane (at least she hoped Akane was out cold). "I hope when you wake up you get the reality check you need, otherwise… I'll be back to beat your ass again and again until you just flat out give up being a martial artist if that's what it takes." She glanced over at Ranma's fight. "Now to clean up the remaining clowns, and we can go back to some normalcy."

Hopefully ALL these clowns would get the message and leave Ranma and by extension the rest of them alone after today.

"YOU!" Kiriya turned, and nearly jumped when she saw a gigantic purple head with fangs and fiery eyes looming over her. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY GIRL?!" the head roared.

Kiriya almost couldn't believe it - this demon was Akane's father?!

But then, the gigantic head stopped and its eyes lost their fire while looking pained. Slowly the head began to shrink and return to normal coloring, revealing Soun Tendo…

And Ranma, who was in front of Soun with a hand punching hard into the older man's midsection. "That gimmick won't work on me anymore," Ranma stated coldly while he pulled his fist back. "I've come to understand the truth about it… it's only good for intimidation." He saw the look in Soun's eyes upon him, the realization… "That's right, Mr. Tendo - I'm not afraid of you. Because I've seen things during my journey that make your 'Demon Head' exactly what it really is… just a party trick!" And Ranma dropped down to give a sweeping kick, taking the legs out from under Soun and making him fall flat onto his back.

"By the way, Akane's loss? You're also to blame for it. You failed to properly train your daughter as a martial artist." Suddenly Ranma was grabbed from behind and taken off his feet. Arms and legs gripped him tightly in a vice-like grip he recognized - it was Genma's Cradle From Hell technique.

"Time you learned another lesson, boy," Genma grunted, putting all his strength into his hold on his only child. "Ryoga, do your worst!"

"With pleasure," Ryoga cried out. Seeing Akane take her beatings had enraged him. However, instead of charging for the held-down Ranma, he went for Kiriya.

Even Genma was stunned. "R-Ryoga, what-?!"

"She hurt Akane! Girl or not, I'll break every bone in her body!"

Ranma's eyes narrowed - like hell he'd let Ryoga lay a finger on Kiriya. While she could deal with Ryoga, she'd already done enough. Plus, Ranma wanted to see if he could HURT Ryoga now, after his journey and reaching new heights. "Over my dead, rotting corpse, RYOGA!" And summoning all of his strength, to the shock of his father, Ranma forced himself free in three seconds, nearly breaking Genma's limbs in the process. Ranma jumped to his feet and zipped past Ryoga to get in front of the Eternal Lost Boy. Before Ryoga could even react, Ranma punched him 23 times in rapid succession with speed that far surpassed the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, right in the face. Not only was Ryoga stopped but also sent backward about three yards before he skidded to a halt. His hands flew to his face, trying to stop the pain. Wait, pain? He felt pain?! From Ranma?! But the Bakusai Tenketsu training had raised his resilience to the point that Ranma's punches couldn't even phase him! A feeling of wetness on his fingers and palms alerted Ryoga and he moved his hands down, and what he saw made him doubt his vision.

His hands and fingers were red with blood, from his nose.

"Your fight's with ME, P-chan," he heard Ranma snap. "ME!"

Anger surged through Ryoga once more. His vision turning as red as his bloodied hands, he looked at Ranma while tightly clenching his fists. He didn't care HOW Ranma did it, but knowing Ranma had hurt him only made Ryoga all the more then cupped his fists together, raised them over his head, and gave a roar as he brought them down hard onto the ground as he dropped to his knees: he'd spent the last two months working on this variation of the technique he'd learned from Cologne.

"BAKUSAI TENKETSU ARROW!"

Upon impact, the ground in front of Ryoga began to burst apart while a large crack opened up and shot forward, heading right for Ranma.

But Ranma wasn't even phased. Knowing dodging was useless since this attack would just keep going until it hit someone to something, instead he clenched right fist and drew it back for a second before he punched the ground in front of him with a cry: "POWER WAVE!" A blue ki shot out from where his fist had struck, shooting forward in a zig-zag pattern until it collided with the Bakusai Tenketsu Arrow, causing both attacks to cancel each other out.

Ryoga was stunned. HOW did Ranma get so strong in the last 2 months-?! Wait, he mentioned that, for him, he'd been gone for nearly a year… but even so…

"Pathetic," Ranma spat venomously at Ryoga. "Ryoga, you're just pathetic! You're a failure on equal levels as Akane, both as a person and as a martial artist! You're so beneath me you have to look down to look up! And even if Akane forgives you for your Jusenkyo curse, you're STILL just a perverted porker who got close to Akane more as a pig than as a man!"

"What is he-?" Makie began.

Kou stopped her by speaking up. "He wants Ryoga to hit him with his hardest - the Shishi Hokodan. But that required Ryoga to be depressed since its a ki attack that requires negative emotions."

"Well, looks like it's working, "Checkers commented as Ryoga was suddenly surrounded by a black and depressive aura.

"You couldn't even protect Akane," Ranma continued, wanting Ryog to go all out, but he had to keep pushing Ryoga past the brink. He moved closer to his longtime rival and former best friend. "You got strong for her, always for her, right? Well, you still failed to defend her - you couldn't get past me!"

~Yes,~ Ryoga thought, ~he's right… I failed Akane… how she must hate me, despise me… …but at least I can take Ranma down right here and now, or else I'll rally be a failure… if I can;t beat him for sure this time, then I… I…~ He imagined Ranma besting him, doing to him what had been done to Akane and the rest… His imagination took over, replacing Ranma's allies with Ranma himself defeating them all. And he failed to stop Ranma. He failed them all, especially Akane…

Cologne saw Ryoga was past the brink, ready to deliver the full version of his ki attack. "Son-, Ranma, stop now! Apologize before-!"

"Kiriya… I'll need your help."

Understanding what Ranma was doing, what he wanted to do, Kiriya moved to his side. "Ready."

And Ryoga, his fists clenched so tightly his palms began to bleed from his fingernails cutting into them. He reared his head back and shouted with all his might: "FULL SHISHI HOKODAN!"

As expected from those who knew, a large cylinder of ki formed high above Ryoga, descending quickly. It would come down and, while leaving Ryoga unharmed, overwhelmingly crush anyone within a certain diameter of Ryoga. The only way was to snap Ryoga out of his depression…

Akane glanced up, seeing Ryoga's attack about to come down on Ranma and that Kiriya girl… She smiled; she could hardly wait to see those two get their just desserts. And then, while struggling to get back onto her feet, she told herself she'd go over to their fallen bodies… and kick the living shit out of them but good.

Ranma and Kiriya, however, had other plans. Cupping all their hands together, they focused energy into their joined hands, creating a bright pink aura between them that expanded all over their bodies.

Kiriya… I know now that running away from my problems didn't solve anything… but still, I'm glad I ran off with PJ and Teletraan-5… because otherwise, I may have never met you. And I wouldn't have realized… what love really is…

I don't regret meeting you, Ranma… it was a very wild ride together with you and the rest… but they're my friends… and you… you're the only guy I've met who makes me feel more like a girl, in such a wonderful way…

…I love you, Ranma/Kiriya…

Then, both of them looked up, determined, and moved their joined left (Ranma) and right (Kiriya) hands up towards the nearly descended attack. Their hands unlinked and turned, palms up, but still touching each other.

"Just let your love flow," they remembered the teachings of the master who taught them this special move. And so, they did…

"CUPID'S TWIN ARROW, REVISED - SKYWARD STREAM!"

Two beams of pure pink ki fired from their palms like arrows from a crossbow; they shot up and struck into the dead center of the Full Shishi Hokodan, puncturing it. Within a few seconds, the Hokodan dissipated harmlessly into a shower of yellow flakes of ki that faded away before they even reached the ground.

"Ooooo, pretty-." *WHAP!* "OWIE!" Rubbing the back of his head, Deadpool turned to see Ikkaku next to him, the Shinigami glaring at him.

"Don't ruin the moment, jackass."

Akane, and Ryoga, couldn't believe it. Ranma and that girl, the two of them stopped the Full Shishi Hokodan? How? HOW?! "...HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" Both of them roared in shock.

"...The power of love," Cologne said, surprising all of the conscious NWC, especially Shampoo and Akane and Ryoga. "Ryoga Hibiki, when I saw you using the Shishi Hokodan, I warned you that that kind of emotional-based technique had its risks and drawbacks. It's a powerful attack, yes, but there are other emotions that are far stronger than depression and any other negative emotion-based attacks. What Ranma and that young lady used is a powerful emotion that trumps all others… the power of love, true love. That fact they used that move in perfect unison and sync is the final proof… this Ranma before us is not the same Ranma we used to know. He has broken free from the shackles of Happosai's secrets to the Anything-Goes Martial Arts."

This made Ranma blink. "What secrets?"

"...The secrets of how the School is tied to the Seven Deadly Sins: Greed, Wrath, Sloth, Lust, Envy, Pride, and Gluttony. Ranma, you were ensnared by Pride; your father, Gluttony; Happosai, Lust, naturally; Soun Tendo, Envy; Akane Tendo, Wrath; Nabiki Tendo, Greed…" Cologne cast a sad glance at Kasumi. "And yes, I'm afraid to admit it… Kasumi Tendo, you represent Sloth, though only a very minor showing."

Kasumi then did something that she hadn't done in years, not since the death of her and her sisters' mother - she cried quietly, a hand going over her mouth. She was shocked, and yet… yet… somehow, she saw the truth.

"L-lies," Soun said, "Lies! All lies! My daughters, especially Kasumi, could never represent-!"

"You are truly blind, Soun Tendo," the Amazon elder snapped. "Happosai, your very master, is Lust incarnate! How else would you explain his incredible strength, even at his advanced age? Lust is the strongest of the Sins, followed by Wrath and then Pride. You should be lucky that two of your daughters got the two weakest of the Sins."

"So… you figured it all out, Cologne…"

Heads turned as a battered Happosai was now visible. Ignoring the growling coming from both Checkers and Stitch, the midget master of Lust bore the look of unrepentant defiance. "Yes, it's true. All of it. I planted the seeds long ago, back when Genma and Soun were first my pupils… They were around me for too long, and the Sins of Envy and Gluttony took root… and when they married and had children of their own, the other Sins watched and waited, for the exact moments those children would be vulnerable to becoming the Sins' vessels…"

Nodoka gasped loudly. She understood what Happosai had hinted at - the Sin of Pride had entered Ranma all those years ago while Genma had him away from her.

Kasumi, Nabiki, and even Dr. Tofu made similar realizations. After Mrs. Tendo's death, the remaining three Sins had three little girls left wide open for them to infest.

"I know what you're thinking," Happosai cackled, "and it's all true… the Sins were weakest against mature women, particularly loving and devoted wives and/or mothers. Pride and Gluttony together had to put the idea into Genma's small brain that Ranma would never be strong while Nodoka was around, and so he was convinced to take Ranma away on a long training journey, to make him a 'man among men.'" He grinned at Nodoka. "And you fell for it!"

Ranma clenched his fists. Hearing the sneer and flight in Happosai's voice made home want to give in to his own wrath, but he held back… the question was, though, for how long could he do it?

"As for Akane and her sisters, it was pure chance that their mother died while they were still young… but it worked in the favor of the remaining Sins. When I felt the other 6 Sins' powers at high enough levels, I knew it was time to stop playing the imprisoned former master and see the fruits of the School's labors." The midget then glared at Ranma. "But you, Ranma… somehow you overpowered the Pride Sin. How? How did you do it? I must know!"

"...Isn't it obvious, old perv?"

Everyone looked as Ukyo moved into view. She motioned with both arms. "Look around, all of you. Take a good long look… Ranchan… no… Ranma found and made friends while he was gone. REAL friends. Friends who not only fought beside him, but also listened to him, REALLY listened, when he needed someone to talk to, that showed him he had to change and work at making his problems better and not worse."

Ikkaku's eyes were on Deadpool, not Ukyo as the girl spoke. He was waiting for Deadpool to say something or break into a horrible song. Yet the Merc-With-a-Mouth was eerily silent. Then, Deadpool turned to look at him, feeling the bald swordsman's eyes boring into him.

"What?"

"Usually this is where you jump in and ruin the moment with your schtick or comments. So why are you clamming up?"

"... Well, I can't decide which song I wanna sing here. You realize there are quite a few songs about friendship I can use? The group song 'That's What Friends Are For," the song by those vultures in Disney's take on THE JUNGLE BOOK, that one song 'Friendship' Ethel Merman sang part of in her appearance on THE MUPPET SHOW… the list goes on. I can't make up my mind here-." Deadpool then froze as a VERY familiar hand gripped the font of his costume and he felt a death glare without bothering to turn and see from whom. He understood Kou's silent warning. "Shutting up now."

"Good choice."

Ukyo looked at Kiriya, her expression softening. "...He found a girlfriend. Not a fiancée, or a wife… a girlfriend. Someone who loved him from the heart and not because of an arranged marriage or some foreign law… Ranma met the right people, and they helped him change his life and view of life around, for the better. So what did he need of Pride, when he had such people?"

"You're just-."

"I am NOT kissing up to him, Akane! …They helped me see the light, too. And so… this is me, letting most of it go." Ukyo looked at Genma. "The pact between you and my father is as dead to me as I am to my father. I'm not going to marry Ranma, or dare come between him and… Kiriya, was it?" Seeing Kiriya nod with a smile, Ukyo smiled with equal warmness. "I won't try to break them up. Ranma sees me as family… and for now, that's all I really need."

"Then you're just stupid!" Ryoga now emitted a flaming battle aura of anger. "Letting go? You're letting go of all the terrible things that ranma and his father did to you? Then you're a fool! Me, I'll NEVER let it go! Not after all Ranma has done, to me, and especially to Akane! My pride won't stand for it! You hear me, Ranma? MY PRIDE WILL NEVER STAND FOR IT!"

Ranma and his group sweatdropped, but Ranma also grimaced; the Sin of Pride was no longer in him, but instead of being left to the wayside in some other dimension along his travels, it had remained hidden within or on him… and now it latched onto Ryoga!

"Ranma… I'm going to KILL YOU!" And Ryoga shot forward… and a split second later he was stopped dead in his tracks, eyes bulging out from pain. He heard a voice inside him, that wasn't his own, say "...Ohshit…"

"Never gonna happen," was all Ranma said; his right fist was rammed deep into Ryoga's body, making Ryoga hunch over. "You picked the wrong host, Pride… you should have run away and never came back." He then did a spin kick to send Ryoga flying, making him crash hard into Genma. "This isn't me bragging, it's me giving a warning - those days are over, long over. I'm not the same Ranma you guys can gang up on and beat mercilessly, or try to defeat with cheap tricks or ancient curses… I'm the Ranma who won't put up with any of your nonsense from this day onward! …So walk away, while you still can. And stay out of my life, and my friends and family's lives."

"...LIKE HELL, RANMA!" A collective yell rose. Akane, Ryoga, Genma, Soun, Kuno, Kodachi, Shampoo, Mousse, Happosai, Tarou-Minotaur, and even Principal Kuno were all back on their feet. They were all ready to go on fighting, despite their various injuries.

"Shampoo-."

"Honored Elder," Shampoo stated coldly amongst the other NWC members' various protests, heated words and excuses, "Shampoo no can let go… Shampoo want Ranma as husband… or Shampoo KILL Ranma!"

"Please, stop it," Kasumi pleaded loudly, still crying. "Father, Akane, Mr. Saotome… it's over!"

"Forget it, Kasumi," Nabiki commented, "if they were anybody else, they would take the hint and do as Ranma said… but they're obsessed with him, with beating him one way or another." ~And, Kami help me, I can somehow make some quick yen from it.~ Nabiki held her camera in her hands, ready to score some nice pictures…

Makie groaned loudly. "They really are total stupidheads!"

"I guess we have to put them in the hospital-." PJ suddenly saw Ranma walking towards the NWC. "Ranma-?"

"Stay your hand, Piccolo Jaga," Kou warned, noticing Ranma was tapping into something he had yet to see.

Ranma looked out at his former fiancees, his rivals, and the rest… his eyes turning dark red while his teeth changed into fangs. "You don't get it, Ranma no Baka," he heard Akane scream, and he snarled inhumanly.

"No - none of YOU get it…" And he began to change and the ground started to tremble as if a mild earthquake was starting.

Everyone of the NWC slowly stopped speaking, Akane being the last to do so, as they saw Ranma's form shift and grow. His skin and clothing turned green, and scaly… his body became long like a snake… his fingers and toes all became sharp claws… his mouth lengthened, filled with razor sharp teeth… horns grew out of either side of his head while his hair became long and silvery… his voice grew deeper and booming…

All of them looked up at Ranma and he loomed over them, fear gripping every single one of them. Nabiki dropped her camera in shock.

For Ranma had become something they had never dared imagine or believe… he had become a gigantic Eastern Dragon, not unlike the one from the DRAGON BALL franchise.

Kou looked up in surprise. "...Well, something new has been added."

"I'M DONE TOLERATING ALL OF YOU! I'M DONE FIGHTING WITH ALL OF YOU! I'M JUST PLAIN DONE WITH ALL OF YOU! IT ENDS, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW! THE ENGAGEMENTS, THE FEUDS, THE COMPLETE HELL THAT MY LIFE HAS BEEN SINCE I WAS BROUGHT TO NERIMA - I'M ENDING IT ALL FOR GOOD! IF YOU EVEN TRY TO KEEP IT GOING, YOU'LL BE DAMN LUCKY TO LIVE TO REGRET IT!"

"It's just a trick," Happosai suddenly dared to say, "like Soun's Demon Head! Watch! I'll prove it, bring down Ranma once and for all, then we'll drag his ass back to the Dojo and set him straight!" Taking out his biggest Happo Fire Bomb, Happosai jumped high, as high as he could and prepared to make a pitch to Dragon-Ranma.

Dragon-Ranma's mouth flew open, aimed directly at Happosai as it began to glow within; he/it didn't say a word. A split-second later fire shot out from his/its mouth at a speed Happosai had no time to fathom or even react. Before the midget master could even make a sound, he was consumed by the dragonfire, incinerated in only a few seconds; his Fire Bomb went off but its blast was consumed by the dragonfire with barely any notice. When Dragon-Ranma ceased breathing his/its fire, the blackened and charred bones of Happosai fell to the ground, shattering into smaller pieces upon impact to the horror and disbelief of everyone around the spot where the bones fell.

"Well, that takes care of him," Deadpool muttered emotionlessly.

"I highly doubt anybody will shed a damn tear for that old lech," Kou added matter-of-factly.

Again, Dragon-Ranma glared over the people he no longer wished to be associated with or deal with. He saw the fear on their faces, and deep down… seeing it felt DAMN good! "THIS IS NO TRICK- THIS IS REALITY! PUSH ME FURTHER, AND ALL BETS ARE OFF! I AM NOT ASKING YOU LOT, I'M TELLING YOU - LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" And as he said those last five words, Dragon-Ranma let out a long and nearly deafening roar that shook the area.

Akane reacted first - she turned tail and ran like never before. Genma and her father were close behind her, followed by Ryoga and all the rest; including Tarou-Minotaur, who took to the air to get as far away from there as its wings to carry it. Even Nabiki gave a terrified scream as she (though she never dared dream she'd use it) did the Saotome Secret Technique - RUN AWAY. As the group ran away, a mixture of particular odors in the air confirmed one thing - those people would all need immediate changes of underwear and pants.

Cologne hobbled along on her cane. Unlike the others, she was calm. She paused to turn and look back at the bones of Happosai… and then spat in their direction. She wouldn't miss him, not a bit. Looking up at the roaring Dragon-Ranma, she smiled. "Bravo, Ranma. Bravo." And then she turned to go after her retreating great-granddaughter. She was quite certain that from now on, Shampoo and Mousse would no longer trouble Ranma. Once things had calmed down, she would approach Ranma to make it official that he would never be bothered by her tribe ever again.

Kasumi and Dr. Tofu both stayed behind - they were too shocked to move. However, neither of them felt any ill will towards Ranma and this group, nor did they fear them.

And then, Ranma's group broke into either laughter, cheers, or applause. Wakko and Deadpool both waved at the retreating NWC, alternating farewells.

"¡Adiós, amigos!" "Sayonara, suckers!" "Bon Voya-agee!" "We'll have lunch, right after your lobotomy!" "Skip the gutter!" "DO forget to write!" "Dasvidaniya!" "Stay off social media! Please!" The two then locked arms and did a dance while singing a part from a song from HAMILTON: "There's one less thing to worry about, one less thing to worry about!"

Even Stitch jumped down from Makie's arms and moved next to Deadpool, waving. "Byeeeee! Aloha! …Good riddance!"

Dragon-Ranma ceased his/its roaring before, feeling satisfied, beginning to shrink. Soon ranma had changed back to normal, his clothing still intact. However, he dropped to his hands and knees, panting. Nodoka and Kiriya were immediately at his side, asking if he was alright.

"Y-yeah… just… j-just takes… take a lot… outta me… when I… use… Anim… Animality…"

"Animality?!"

"We'll explain later," Kiriya said to Nodoka while the two helped Ranma up to his feet. She looked over at Wakko. "Got anything Ranma can eat to regain his stamina?"

Immediately Wakko reached into his hoodie's collar and fished out his gag bag before he ducked his head and one arm inside said bag for several seconds. When he stood up, he pulled out a refrigerator that he set down and flung the door open, revealing various unspoiled foods within the appliance. "Lemme see… half a meat lovers' pizza, McDonald's 20pc chicken nuggets with sweet & sour sauce and honey mustard, twisted string cheese, pumpkin pancakes, chicken tortellini soup, cheeseburger & french fry casserole, salmon and grilled asparagus, a quart of pork fried rice hold the carrots and peas-. Ah-ha!" Wakko pulled out three wrapped subs and raced them over to Ranma. "One footlong steak and provolone on white, one footlong teriyaki chicken and pepperjack on multigrain, and one footlong meatball marinara and mozzarella on italian herb & cheese; all with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, cucumbers and spinach."

Ranma took one of the subs, tore off the wrapping and began wolfing it down almost ravenously. Within twenty seconds, he had devoured the first sub and was working on the next one. He couldn't argue that his Animality got results… but he hated how it drained him afterward. At least Wakko had been prepared for when he was back to normal. He only hoped none of the NWC found out about this drawback…

"Feeling better?" asked Kiriya.

"A little," Ranma said. He then rewrapped the remaining half of the second sub before handing it back to Wakko. "I think I'm good for now… Thanks, Wakko."

The cartoonish Warner gave a salute before he raced back to his fridge and replaced the subs and then effortlessly dropped the fridge back into his gag bag to store.

"Think they got the hint?" Allenby then asked, looking at Ranma.

"If they didn't, they're just asking to end up like Happosai," PJ commented.

Ranma felt his mother's eyes on him, and the way her hand was on his shoulder… "I'm not proud of what I did, mom," he then said, a hint of true regret in his voice. "However… they had to know I was serious."

"Not only that, Ranma," Kou spoke up, approaching him. "Killing him, the source of the Sins, was the key for the others to hopefully turn away from the remaining Sins they fell under. And maybe, just maybe… they'll be at least a little wiser. But, what do I know?"

"And let's not forget that Oompa-Loompa-gone-bad was armed when you eradicated him, Ranma," Deadpool pointed out. "That meant it was self-defense, not murder."

Akeno nodded. "Wade has a valid point. …For once."

"Cold, babe - ice cold." Deadpool then flinched when Akeno began emitting lightning around herself with a scowl on her lips. "Sorry, sorry! Won't ever call you that again!"

Kou looked at PJ and Teletraan-5. "I think it's best if we clean up around here and then get everyone not supposed to be here back to their proper dimensions. But leave the old lech's bones to me. I think sending them back to the Tendo Dojo would serve as a nice message reminding them Ranma's off limits for good."

"Excuse me?" Kou turned as Kasumi approached him. "If it's alright, sir… I can take the bones with me back to the house."

"Are you sure?"

Nodding, Kausmi said, "Given it was Happosai who started everything that damaged my family, at the least I can take them back with me to serve as a reminder of how his evil tainted our lives in various ways. They will also help me ensure my father and my sisters keep to themselves from now on."

"We both will," Dr. Tofu stated, moving next to Kasumi and gently putting a hand to her shoulder.

Ranma blinked. Dr. Tofu was next to Kasumi all casual-like. Last he remembered, the doctor got flustered around Kasumi, to the point his glasses fogged up and couldn't see clearly. "W-wait a second, since when did-? I mean, you two-? Did you both-?"

Kasumi and Dr. Tofu exchanged knowing smiles. "You have your story to tell, Ranma," Kasumi said to him, "and we have ours to tell you. That can wait, though. I think you should go back home with Mrs. Saotome and relax… you've more than earned it."

Nodding with understanding, Ranma bowed to Kasumi. "Thank you, Kasumi. For everything. And I am sorry for all I and my old man caused you and your family."

Kasumi bowed in return. "And I am very sorry for all my family and I put you through." Kasumi then put a hand into her apron's pocket and withdrew a key, which she gave to Ranma. "After you were gone for two weeks, Dr. Tofu suggested having your things put in storage until you returned, lest they were thrown out or sold against your wishes. The Nerima Storage company is where you'll need to go, using that key to retrieve everything."

"The monthly fee is paid up through the end of this month," added Dr. Tofu, "so it shouldn't cost anything to have your things taken out of storage. I can accompany you to get them if you'd like, whenever you're ready. No hurry, though."

Ranma looked at the key in his hand. "...We'll see how I feel tomorrow." He smiled at the key, and then both Dr. Tofu and Kasumi; it was heart-warming that even after all this time; some of the bonds he made in Nerima were not tainted by the Sins; or the messed-up neurosis of the NWC in general. His own bad judgment calls of the past included.

He then turned to his friends, smiling at them warmly. "Guys, you didn't have to come, but I want to thank you for having my back."

Deadpool and Wakko both appeared on each side of Ranma. The taller man leading his arm on Ranma's shoulder, while diminutive Wakko outright sat on his other shoulder. "What're friends for, pal?!" They then both cupped Ranma's head, with Wakko planting a kiss on Ranma's left cheek, Wade pulling up his mask enough to do the same to Ranma's right cheek. The two jokers drawing it out with a loud smack sound, before pulling away out of striking distance.

"OH GOD, POISON!" Ranma shouted as he rubbed his face repeatedly. "You two are dead to me, dead!" He bellowed, not really meaning it, but letting his ire be known. When a water bottle and a towel were offered to him by Checkers, he nodded to the Deathclaw and poured water onto the towel and rubbed it over his face. The faint amount was not enough to trigger his transformation but ensured his face was clean. "Urgh, I feel violated."

"Now that's no way to show gratitude to a sign of affection!" A 'faux' wounded Wakko uttered, with a pout.

"Can't please nobody these days!"

Ikkaku and Kou facepalmed, while Stitch just made gagging noises.

With an impish smile, Akeno whispered to Kiriya, who blushed and eyed the other girl momentarily and then nodded and smiled. She then waved Allenby and Ukyo over, whispered to them, both blink, think about it, blush and nod, with Ukyo looking a bit hesitant, until Allenby touched her hand and flashed a smile of assurance.

"Here Ranma, let us cleanse your poor face." Kiriya insisted as she walked over and gave him a hug and an unabashed kiss on the lips. Akeno moves onto his side and kissed his cheek. On the other side Allenby and Ukyo move in and get the other cheek. Causing Ranma to turn beet red and stammer.

"Hahahhahaha!" Ikkaku laughed, while Kou snickered and gave Ranma a thumbs up. PJ shook his head, snickering as well. Deadpool did a 'whoop' and held up a sign that read 'See we did you a favor!'. Wakko made an 'aww' sound, while Stitch made a fake 'gag' sound but smiled to show the trog was not really grossed out.

Makie pouted. "Hey I want in!" She rushed over, hobbling some due to her ankle injury but she managed to latch into the group hug and plant a kiss on Ranma's nose after standing on her tippy toes.

"Hey Teletraan!"

There was a flash, several of them, discreet but audible. "I have photos and video data, Kou."

The Frame Runner gave a thumbs up. Hey, just because they were friends didn't mean blackmail/teasing material was off the table.

Nodoka was gushing. "Oh, my son… is truly manly." She couldn't help it; it warmed her heart to see him loved in so many ways.

Once the girls gave him space, Ranma was still several shades of red. "W-was that necessary?"

"Hey we all coulda smooched your lips." Allenby pointed out.

"Mmm, given Kiriya's lingering I bet he tastes good." Mused Akeno in a sultry voice.

Ukyo sighed and thought to herself. ~Easy girl, easy that was a friendly kiss, control the hormones, you wanna make good on actually being friends, don't screw it up!~She felt Allenby's hand rubbing her back, which somehow helped to soothe the old emotions running in her head. Plus seeing Ranma like this was funny.

Makie giggled. "Maybe we should-."

Kiriya now moved before Ranma, arms out. "Uh-uh! Ladies, don't make me bust your butts! I actually like you all!"

"Fufufufu, don't worry Kiriya, I have Issei to love upon back home, Ranma is all yours. 'Tis just fun to tease."

Allenby grins. "I prefer being sparring partners and besties anyway."

"As for me somebody ELSE still owes me a date!" Makie glanced toward Kou who blushed and tugged at the collar of his flight suit.

"Hey, I hadn't forgotten, once I get you back to Mahora, we can hash that out…" He stated assuredly as he could, while glaring at the snickering from Ikkaku, Deadpool, Wakko and Stitch.

"Heck of a bunch of weirdos you brought home Rancha-, er, Ranma… I like 'em." Ukyo giggled herself, feeling well still awkward but glad the intensity of everything had passed.

Ranma rubbed the back of his head. "You can still call me 'Ranchan,' Ukyo, it's your pet name for me. Just cuz we're not dating doesn't mean that has to go away."

Her eyes misted. "Y-you mean it?"

Nodding, Ranma moved around Kiriya who he glanced at as he passed, and she nodded in approval. Once before Ukyo he pulled her into a hug. "I'm just glad I didn't lose another person I care about Ucchan, and while we got stuff to iron out, well not everything has to change."

She means into the hug. "I'd like that Ranchan…thank you. For not just giving me a chance but proving our friendship has always been true, even if it's been awkward."

"Hehe, likewise, Ucchan, likewise." He let go of her and eyed his friends. "So everyone's gotta go I assume, well don't be strangers, okay?"

"Oh trust us, we won't be gone forever." Allenby gave a thumbs up. "Speaking of, how shall we go home? Teletraan-5 or use Jehuty's dimension drive?"

"If Teletraan-5 needs a rest, Jehuty, ADA and I are at everyone's service." Offered Kou with a nod and a two-finger salute. "Just give the word."

"Perhaps it would be quicker if we split the duties between us," suggested Teletraan-5.

"That… actually sounds like a good plan. Just need to divide up who goes with whom." Kou looked at Ranma. "We can work it out ourselves, Ranma. Why don't you go on home and rest? You've had a rough first day back."

"That sounds like a plan. Just let me say goodbye to everybody. Again."

One by one, Ranma and Kiriya gave their farewells to each member of their former group. When they were done, Nodoka bowed to all of them, thanking them sincerely for all they did for Ranma, and for being her son's true friends. With that, Ranma led his mother, Ukyo, and Kiriya away.

"There goes a man who finally has his head screwed on right," remarked Ikkaku with a grin.

"One who can turn into a very big dragon." Deadpool chuckled. "Loved how he spooked those mooks."

"Reminded me of that scene from THE MUPPET MOVIE," remarked Wakko.

"Oh yeah. …Actually I coulda sworn I heard the music from that bit playing while Ranma was in Animality."

This made Wakko blink. "You did? …So did I, actually."

"Ih! Ih! Stitch heard it, too."

The trio all exchanged bewildered looks. If all three of them heard that particular music at the time… A whistle caught their attention, and the three turned. Not far off from where they stood was a man in a brown suit with tie, a long brown coat, spiky brown hair, and running shoes. In his one hand he was holding the handle for a familiar-looking silver and red boombox with a yellow tape deck cover and a small red "face" symbol in the corner of the cover. The man smiled at the trio, quietly putting a finger to his lips as if to say "Let's keep this our little secret, boys."

Wakko ran his fingers over his lips, a zipper appearing over said lips to shut them tight. Stitch put all his hands over his mouth, nodding. Deadpool also motioned like he was zipping his lips shut over his mask, but then gave two thumbs-up signs to the man before he hissed "Nice one, Doctor."

Satisfied, the man in the suit and coat turned and began walking away, taking his boombox with him.

"Then it's settled," Kou said aloud, "you and T5 take the girls, PJ; I get the bozos and the trog and Ikkaku."

"I'm going to get you for this, Kou!" ADA threatened, but the pilot ignored her. He knew how to keep Deadpool in line, and knew exactly HOW and WHERE to hurt him the worst. He could see Makie pout at him and he mouthed back 'Once I take them home, I'll see you'. He knew better than to break a promise with the gymnast… Besides her friends gathered here, there were a crap-ton of magically-inclined girls, and a Mage-Teacher who'd make him pay in her world if he did.

Plus he technically owed Teletraan-5 with the 'easier' travel duties dein the last time they split up such duties. Tapping his watch he looked above as a shape slowly phased into view, revealing a large floating robot that slowly descended and knelt down onto the street. "Better hurry up before somebody notices us, ADA can only run the jammers that keeps cameras and video from taking pics for so long." He turned and waved toward Ranma, Kiriya, Ukyo and Nodoka as he rushed over to the robot's cockpit. "See you around Saotome, you and Kiriya better look after each other!"

Ikkaku waved as he walked over to the lowered hand of Jehuty to get onboard. "It's been an honor, until next time!"

"We won't forget to write, so don't you forget!" Wakko shouted as he bounced after Ikkaku.

"Byyyyyyyyyyyyye! Hehahahhahaha!" Stitch cackled, waving all his arms before scrambling after Wakko. Deadpool just short-ported over to the hand and waved both arms up and down. "MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU!"

"REALLY WADE?!" Everyone of the dimension-traveling party exclaimed as Jehuty slowly stood up and began to float effortlessly into the air. Three bits at its waist separate and float around the Orbital Frame, emitting a pulsing light that arc from the bits and create a portal. Returning to Jehuty, the mech gently cupped its hands together to shield the travelers and flew into the portal which closed behind it, leaving no trace that they had even been there.

"T-that thing was in the sky this whole time?!" Ukyo exclaimed once the shock wore off and she looked to Ranma for answers.

"Yeah, that's Jehuty, Kou's mech, long story. But' yeah wherever he is, Jehuty isn't far away. Good thing too, if somehow my Animality wasn't enough to dissuade those guys, well I'm not above the ol' 'summon the mech to smash things' routine."

Allenby grinned, "Oh jeez if you wanted a mech to smash those guys I could also summon my Nobel Gundam. Don't forget Kou got me one of those sweet hyper-space pocket things to carry it around so I can summon it or just the Core Lander by itself wherever I go."

Chuckling, Ranma exchanged a high-five with her. "Well, it would be hilarious seeing them run from a giant mech that looks like Sailor Moon as opposed to something ripped from Egyptian myth."

"Sounds like you've got a lot of stories to tell, Ranchan…"

"Yes, but… they can wait." Indeed they could, for Ranma wanted to simply lie down and get some rest. Later tonight, he felt he might get a nice and proper night's sleep. And tomorrow… he'd try to pick up the normal parts of his old life, like school…

---

No - this is not the end, not quite yet. I have an epilogue to add.

I have to admit I was concerned with posting this chapter with all the language involved.I had to constantly check on random fanfics of tehM rating to see if I could geta way with some of the choice words. Well, I suspect I'll hear from the site's administrators if I broke any rules. Just hope they time edit the story and not have it removed or especially get me banned.

"Hey, you could alwys edit it so I break the 4th wall like I usually do."

I'll make a note of it, Deadpool...

Please read & review. See you in the Epilogue.

-Robster80