Chapter 15

As the two fathers made their way towards the great hall they noticed something outside the wall that protected the estate. Walking closer to the window they both peered outside and saw Ukyo, Shan-Pu, Mu-Tsu, Ryoga and Ku-Lon trying to breach the stone wall. But, no matter how hard they tried they couldn't get through the magically enforced barrier. "What do you think they want Saotome?" Soun absently asked while watching Shan-Pu's repeated attempts to smash through the wall while using her bon-bori as a battering ram.

"They must be after the boy. I don't think that they can do them any harm now since the ceremony was performed. Besides," Genma placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and grinned, "I'm sure that our children will be able to handle themselves."

Soun frowned as he thought about the possible scenarios of what could happen. It wasn't that he was worried that his daughter and son-in-law couldn't take care of themselves. It was something all together different, he decided to mention this to his long time friend, "It's not the children I'm worried about. You are familiar with Akane's temper and her fits or jealousy?"

Genma scratched at his chin in confusion before asking stupidly, "So what does that have to do with letting the rest of the gang in? I think that they would be a great help in defeating this new threat."

The Tendo patriarch sighed, nodding his head before saying, "I do agree with you there...about being a help and all...but I'm more afraid that our children will kill their friends if angered." Sound gave an involuntary shudder while remembering what had just recently happened in the healing chamber when their two loving children had tried to fry them to a crisp.

Genma winced as the same memory ran through his mind but he was determined not to let it bother him. Turning, Genma started walking towards the gate to let them in while yelling over his shoulder, "I'm sure that if we explain the situation to our visitors they will behave." Soun felt a chill run down his back but he ignored the warning as he followed Genma outside.

When they reached the gate, Genma when to his post while Soun went to the opposite side. Each man placed their hand on the pillar to unlock the gates. Slowly, with a loud creaking sound, the large cumbersome doors opened to reveal the forest beyond. Both martial artists stepped outside, glancing around they tried to find Ranma and Akane's friends. As they walked away from the gate the huge massive portals slammed shut with a loud bang. The two fathers glanced back once and shrugged before continuing on their search. It didn't take them long to find the Nerima gang since they were slowly making their way around towards the portals.

Ku-Lon spotted the two men first and made her way over, Shan-Pu and the rest of the gang following close behind her. "I would like to know what is going on here! Why did you come to this place and for another thing...what is this place?" the Amazon Elder demanded somewhat civilly.

Soun glanced at Genma while using their silent form of communication that they had developed over their younger years while training under Happosai. Genma nodded, granting permission to tell them the reason since they might need the extra help when the time came. Seeing this Soun turned and spoke, "We came home elder because our children were chosen and nothing more. This is our ancestral estate and fate has demanded that the Saotome and Tendo clans return to their roots."

Ukyo stared at the men in disbelief, "Oh kami, this is their ancestral estate?"

Ryoga blinked stupidly totally forgetting about finding Ranma and Akane, while he kept switching his gaze from the two fathers towards the estate and back again, "You have to be joking...if this is your home than you must be rich!"

Mu-Tsu silently agreed with Ryoga's assessment and said, "Yes, you must be fortunate indeed."

Shan-Pu on the other hand didn't care about whether the Saotome and Tendo clans were wealthy, she was focused on finding Ranma, so she demanded in a strong voice, "Where husband?"

"I'm afraid that Ranma and Akane are still in training. They won't be coming out of the...training room for quite some time. Why don't you come with us and we will explain the rest to you over tea?" Genma suggested only pausing over the name for the healing chamber since he didn't want them to know the true meaning of the room, after all, it was their families secret.

As the Nerima gang followed Ku-Lon pondered what the two fathers had said, she had noticed Genma's slight pause while he was talking and it made her doubly curious as to why son-in-law and the Tendo girl were here..."And why did they call them the chosen?"

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Once in the great hall, the two fathers waited for everyone to be seated before Soun raised his voice so that it carried into the kitchen, "Kasumi, we have some guests could you please bring us some tea?" Then he and Genma sat down sitting stiffly in place, neither moving a muscle, waiting for Kasumi to enter the room with the refreshments.

"Yes, Father!" came the faint reply of Soun's eldest daughter echoing through the great hall.

Ku-Lon noticed the stiff way that the fathers are seated and sighed mentally, "So, they are going to be formal...ah well, I was hoping that it wouldn't be this way." The Amazon sat up straighter in her seat while giving a figurative glance at the youngsters, she absently noted that they had unconsciously mirrored the adults and remained silent except for her great-granddaughter. Shan-Pu, she saw was squirming in her seat, she was in the process of taking a breath to demand where son-in law was when Ku-Lon swiftly poked her from under the table with the tip of her staff. Shan-Pu winced and growled in annoyance. Glancing at her great-grandmother she noticed the evil glare and managed to get the message to be silent.

"Although Xian-Pu needs a little more training in patients..." Ku-Lon briefly thought before she noticed the elder Tendo daughter entering the room bearing an enormous tray heavily laden with food and tea. Ku-Lon blinked in surprise, she had never thought that any of the Tendo daughters were that strong and would be a danger to the tribe. But, seeing Kasumi carrying a trey that must have weighed about a hundred pounds, into the room with little or no effort at all, made the matriarch rethink her assessments.

"Hello everyone, it's so very nice of you to come and visit us," Kasumi said while smiling in her cheerful way as she placed the trey on the table with a loud, *Whomp!* The table shuddered, groaning from the load and the stress of holding up so much weight. Kasumi smiled as she poured the tea into the cups, handing them out before she grabbed a few plates of food and placed them on the table. Then she picked up the trey and started carrying it out of the room.

Taking a sip of tea Ku-Lon asked, "If you don't mind my asking this...but where is she going with all that food?"

"I imagine that Ranma and Akane are hungry now," Soun replied while glancing at the clock that sat in the corner. Nodding his head in confirmation to his answer as he absently noted the time. Then, Soun glanced back towards his guests and noted that the younger ones were trying to edge their way after his eldest daughter. "You will stay until the tea is finished and besides," he said while glancing out the door, "you will not be able to find Kasumi now...she is gone."

"Why so much food?" Ryoga asked curiously before continuing in a joking manner, "did they suddenly grow to be as large as the animals in the forest?" The lost boy was surprised when the two fathers suddenly looked at each other then burst out laughing.

When they managed to calm themselves down enough to answer the lost boy Soun replied, "Something like that. You see, since Ranma and Akane were chosen, their appetites have quadrupled in size.."

Genma suddenly elbowed his friend in the side as he gasped out, "Size....hahahaha....get it my friend...size, whooohooohahahahahah!" The fat bald martial artist was ready to fall out of his seat since he was cracking up. He was thinking about how large their children were due to their present...condition. Their guests looked at him like he had just lost his marbles but they managed not to say anything.

"Saotome, would you please get ahold of yourself so we may tell our guests what happened," Soun demanded while trying not to laugh at his friends jibes. He knew what Genma was referring to and wasn't entirely successful because his lips kept twitching, he desperately tried to keep the laughter in but let out a loud *SNORT*.

Ukyo glared at the two men as she finally had enough of their innuendo and demanded, "What the hell are you two laughing about!"

Mu-Tsu scratched his nose while he tried to figure out the meaning of the two men's reactions. He knew that something was happening and that it was going to be something big. "Every weird thing is always happening around Ranma...this is all Saotome's fault!" he thought furiously before asking, "Hey! Could you please explain what's going on?"


Ryoga blanched suddenly as the meaning of the two men's words finally registered. He didn't want to believe it but the way the two men were laughing about it made the lost boy believed that Ranma and Akane had actually turned into giants. "But that's impossible! There is no way that the water of life can do that!" he muttered loud enough for the chef to hear him. Ukyo glanced towards him and yelled, "What the hell are you mumbling about you jackass!"

Shan-Pu was confused and getting angry at the chaos that was going on around her and decided to put in her two cents worth, "Where Shan-Pu's husband!"

Ku-Lon was getting angry at the children and suddenly snapped, "Quiet!" Everyone shut up so fast that you heard their teeth clicking together. The Amazon Elder glared at them one final time before signaling for the two fathers to continue.

"Thank you," the two men said before continuing with their explanation. "Now, this is what has happened so far....."

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Ranma lay on the floor panting for breath, he had managed to learn the techniques but it had taken longer than he would have liked. Akane, he noted, was no better off, she was in the same condition that he was at the moment and to top it off, he felt a gnawing hunger in the pit of his stomach. "Hey, Akane?" he called through their link.

Akane lifted her wedge shaped head and glanced wearily at her companion before lowering it to the floor and answered, "Yeah, what is it Ranma?"

Ranma yawned tiredly while answering, "I'm hungry....what about you?"

"Now that you mention it...I am kind of hungry too, but..." Akane started to answer but she stopped suddenly when she noticed her sister entering the room with their lunch. They were too tired to move right now, but neither Noduka nor Kasumi weren't bringing the food over to them even with the pleading looks they were currently giving them.

Noduka had noticed that her son and Akane were tired. They had been working on perfecting the techniques mentioned in the scrolls for over six hours non stop. She ignored the pleading looks from them and continued setting places for their human forms. She knew that they would have to change back soon, so she decided to give the two an incentive, "If you two change back...you can eat. I don't want you choking on a bone accidentally if you stay in your draconic forms."

"I'm too tired to move and my wing muscles are sore," Akane groaned as she slowly tried to call up enough energy to twitch a single muscle.

"Well, think of it this way, Akane. If we change back...we can eat...like mom said. I'm tired too, but if we continue to lye here without stretching and cooling down, our bodies will stiffen up and we'll regret it." he suggested.

"Ranma, I just realized, we don't know how to change back," Akane said as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.


"Shit! I have no idea, either. But, I think it has something to do with our ki," Ranma replied as he stretched and lumbered to his feet. Glancing down at Akane he tried to encourage her to stand up, "Come on, Akane...you can muster enough energy to stand up. If you can't then...you're weaker than Kuno."

Akane blinked for a second as what he had said registered in her mind, then she got angry, "Grrrrr...Ranma!"


Suddenly, she was standing, nose to nose with the golden dragon that was her fiancé. She couldn't believe that he would go so far as to call her weaker than that jerk Kuno...."And after what we shared last night, no less!" Just as she was about to give him the beating of his life, by using her tail since her mallet wouldn't fit in her hands right now, Ranma interrupted her before her temper got out of hand.

"That's it! I knew you could do it, Akane," he grinned showing rows of sharp teeth. It looked strange to Akane in a funny sort of way. It was almost like when a dog pants to keep cool, except without the tongue handing out. Akane giggled slightly at the display, but Ranma ignored it as he continued talking. "Now since I think it has something to do with controlling our ki and our tempers...I think we should concentrate on staying calm while calling our ki and picturing ourselves as human," Ranma suggested in a thoughtful tone while cocking his head at a slight angle.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. The faster we change, the faster we can get to that food that Kasumi brought," Akane nodded her head in agreement as her stomach gave a particularly loud rumble.

Akane didn't notice that her sister and Noduka were watching them. The two older women were trying to figure out what was going on with the two changed martial artists and how it was that they were carrying on a conversation while not being able to actually talk. "I think that they are able to speak to each other by using their minds," Kasumi suggested.

Noduka nodded her head and replied, "Yes, I think you just might be right about that." The two women waited patiently for Ranma and Akane to change back while watching as Ranma sat up on his haunches, gesturing with his arms.

Ranma and Akane closed their eyes and concentrated hard on changing back into their human selves. First, they summoned up their ki and then tried infusing themselves with it while picturing their bodies changing shape. "Nothing is happening," Akane complained impatiently. Ranma answered, "Wait for a few more moments and concentrate harder, Akane!" Suddenly, the room was lit with a bright flash of light.

When it cleared Noduka and Kasumi saw Ranma and Akane lying on the floor without a stitch of clothing on. "Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed blushing, she was surprised at seeing the male Ranma without any clothing. Quickly, they each grabbed a set of clothing and rushed over to help Ranma and Akane to their feet. When Ranma and Akane finished dressing they thanked them and quickly staggered over towards the food. "Mmmmm, lunch!" they both said reverently," their eyes never wavering from the mounds of food placed before them. Each picked up their chopsticks and began selecting the morsels that they favored the most. Faster than and of their previous eating bouts, the two shoveled the food into their waiting mouths, making it disappear in less than five minutes.

The feeling of weakness gone, Ranma and Akane stood, stretching their tired muscles before they spoke simultaneously, "Thank you that was good. We're going to go to the courtyard garden and talk about a few things. Is that alright with you?"

Noduka replied, "Yes, go ahead while Kasumi and I cleaned up here. You two deserve a rest after what you have learned without a break."

"Oh my...yes," Kasumi joined in as she began cleaning up the empty plates. "I think that you worked very hard at learning those techniques, so you should have some quite time for yourselves," she smiled vacantly while secretly thinking, "Maybe this telepathy will let you two learn about each other and bring you much closer. Oh, I hope there will be a wedding soon. I don't know how much longer I can keep up the charade with Ono, and I can't marry my Tofu if you..little sister, don't marry Ranma...stupid inheritance laws!"

Kasumi and Noduka watched as the two young teens smiled, waved, and walked out of the room for some well deserved rest and recuperation or at least until The Dark God finally shows up. Noduka waited until the two had disappeared out the door before she spoke, "Oh kami, I wish it wasn't my son or Akane, that had to be chosen. They may not survive this fight. I...I have read further into the book and found out that our ancestors didn't make it through the battle. They defeated The Dark God and warded its prison but...they were seriously wounded then." Noduka paused, took a deep breath, then lifted a hand while indicating the surrounding walls and continued, "At that time this chamber didn't exist. Our families were lucky that the previous chosen had several brothers and sisters to carry on the clans." The Saotome matriarch turned, her eyes tearing up and whispered brokenly, "Oh Kasumi, I don't know what I will do if I loose them."

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Ranma and Akane made their way into the courtyard in comfortable silence, each thought about what they had gone through and what would be expected of them in the near future. Akane was the first to have doubts about whether or not they'd be able to pull this off. But, she felt confident that as long as she had Ranma by her side, she would be able to accomplish a great deal. Glancing towards her silent companion, she ran her gaze over his muscular chest and strong arms. Oh my, she thought as she took in every detail of his muscular frame, grudgingly she admitted that he wasn't half bad looking even in his draconic from. Akane blushed as memories of what he had done to her early this morning surfaced. She flushed as her desires ignited once more. Taking a small step closer towards the pigtailed boy, Akane ran her hand down his arm in a gentle caress.

Ranma was startled from his thoughts, as pictures from their bout of love making flooded his mind. Arousal flooding his system caused his breathing to accelerate while his heartbeat frantically in his chest. Nostrils flaring, the pigtailed boy detected the faintest scent of arousal coming from his fiancée, turning towards her, he reached out his arms and brought her closer into his embrace.

He lightly brushed her mind with his and picked up the faintest trails of insecurity and fear coming from her, along with a brief thought of the up coming battle with the dark god. Trying to reassure her, Ranma lightly brushed her bangs from her eyes and said, "Don't worry Akane, we can do this. I will be by your side the whole time. As long as you are confident in your abilities and in yourself, you won't fail.

Akane smiled softly; You really mean that?

Nodding, Ranma released Akane from their hug and tugged her hand to get her to follow him. He led her over towards a bench that sat under a Japanese maple, the trees shade provided a welcome relief from the heat of the day and the dappled light played tricks to the eye, revealing secrets one moment, then hiding it the next. As the light gently kissed Akane's face it made her eyes sparkle with a nameless emotion that made Ranma feel strange, he pushed it aside to think about later. Akane, you have learned the techniques faster than I woulda thought you could. You soaked up everything mom said on how to do them and you even managed to point out that I was doing something wrong. He squeezed her shoulder while giving her a lopsided smile.

But, I'm not as good as you with martial arts and my cooking makes everyone sick to their stomachs. How can you say stuff like that? Akane asked him, lowering her eyes to stare at the ground.

Because I believe in you. I trust you more than I do the other girls, he replied quietly as he gently lifted her chin and stared her directly in the eye.

You do? she said, blinking in surprise.


Yes. You never tried to poison me intentionally like Kodatchi. Shan-Pu keeps trying to drug me to be her husband. I don't want to live in her village since I'd probably be looked at as less then nothing. And Ukyowell, Ukyo is my best friend and I could never look at her as wife material, Ranma explained seriously.


what about me? Do you see me aswife material? Akane asked shyly.

Uh, um.well I Ranma nervously stammered, trying to answer Akane's question.

Akane waited for him to answer but after a few minutes of senseless muttering and stammering she turned away in disappointment, I see. Suddenly, Akane was angry, she faced him once more and glared at him while growling, You don't think that I'm good enough to marrybut I'm good enough to sleep around with! Akane stood quickly and had taken a step when she was stopped.

Ranma blinked as her words hit him like a slap in the face. Blinking, the pigtailed boy grabbed her shoulder while yelling, Akane no! That's not how it is!

Than, what is it, huhbecause I'd really like to know! she replied brokenly while trying to contain her tears.

you're different from the other girls, Ranma replied while gesturing wildly. Lowering his head he continued in a softer and more thoughtful tone, You have a generous heart and loads of compassion. He glanced directly into her eyes and said in a stronger tone, you also have a great fighting spirit that makes you unique. I know it's not in you to ever give up. That is one of the reasons why...Ilove you."

Oh, Ranma, Akane whispered with a watery smile, her heart softened with the emotions that flooded her system. I love you too, she replied, moving closer into his embrace as Ranma leaned forward to kiss her. Just as their lips were about to touch they heard a scream that was all too familiar.

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Ryoga, Mu-Tsu, Ukyo & Shan-Pu finally managed to escape the great hall, and were currently wandering the corridors and hallways in search of Ranma and Akane. Ryoga had decided to let the others lead for a change. When they came to another intersection of hallways he decided to ask, Hey! Do you even know where you're going?

Shan-Pu turned towards the lost boy and growled, Pig boy shut upShan-Pu not know this placeso it take longer to find Airen!

I still say we've been walking in circles, Ukyo pointed out for the fifth time while trying to remember if they had been in this part of the estate just twenty minutes ago.

Mu-Tsu grinned as he tried to contain his amusement and said, Hey! At least we're not letting Ryoga leador we'll really get lost!

Ryoga glared at the near blind martial artist and growled, Shut up! At least I don't talk to light pole and call them Shan-Pu!

Mu-Tsu scowled at the slight to his eyesight before he silently promised to get Ryoga back for that, Just you wait you walking pork chop.you'll get yours after we finish getting even with Ranma! Then, he growled and said loud enough for the others to hear, At least I'm not somebody's pet! How would you like it if I told Akane what you've been doing for the past year?

Ryoga blanched, then growling he yelled, NO! I

They were interrupted when a pair of Chinese battle maces slammed into their faces, effectively silencing them. the two managed to say while franticly trying to push the weapons off but they seemed to be stuck.

Shan-Pu tugged on one but it wouldn't come off so she lifted her leg and braced it against Mu-Tsu's chest and pushed while gripping the mace with both hands and pulling. It came free with an audible popping sound.

Ukyo took one look at the blind martial artist and almost laughed herself silly because Mu-Tsu's nose had seemingly grown a few more inches in length. She figured it might be from the force of the suction holding the mace when Shan-Pu had pulled it off. She didn't do so well when she noticed Shan-Pu's expression when the Amazon saw his face. Shan-Pu's mouth was opening and closing like a landed fish while her eyes were wide as platters and her face was turning an odd purple shade.

Ukyo sniggered before she burst out laughing. Hahahahahahahaha! Yyou sshould see your f she managed to say while pointing at the amazon boy. Her laughter was suddenly interrupted by a high pitched squealing snort that disintegrated into a booming belly laugh. It sounded to the chef, like a donkey braying. Ukyo looked over to where the sound was coming from and gaped. The strange laughter was coming from one purple hared Amazon girl who, was currently rolling on the floor clutching her stomach with one hand while pointing at Mu-Tsu with the other.

The near blind martial artist just stood in the center of the hallway grinning like a fool while whispering, Oh Shan-Pu, I haven't hear you laugh like that in a long time. I'm glad that I was able to hear your true laugh once more.

Say what? the okonomiyaki chef asked while blinking. That's her real laugh?

Mu-Tsu nodded as he gazed at his love, his smile became near blinding with adoration. Yes. The walking mummy had done something to her to make her stop laughing like that. Now, she has finally broken it! he replied. Ukyo was about to ask him another question when she felt something tap her on the shoulder. Turning, Ukyo spotted the lost boy as he blindly groped at the bon bori that was still lodged on his face. The chef rolled her eyes while grabbing the weapon and pulled. Needless to say, Ryoga's face now matched Mu-Tsu's. Ukyo joined Shan-Pu on the floor, laughing hysterically. It was a while before they managed to calm themselves down enough to choose a new direction to take.

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Nabiki ran through the halls searching for her sister and Auntie Noduka. She needed to tell them what she had heard on the radio not more than twenty minutes ago. The middle Tendo had already searched the healing chamber and found it empty, so now she was searching all of the available routes that lead to the great hall. Spotting a turn up ahead, Nabiki reached out her hand to help steady herself and grabbed the corner as she swung around the bend. Once she completed the turn she spotted the two figures of her older sister and Aunt Noduka all the way at the end of the hall. The were about to leave this corridor completely when Nabiki took a deep gasping breath and screamed, Matte! Wait! Please wait!


Kasumi and Noduka paused as they hear the distant shout echo down the hall. Turning, they saw Nabiki staggering down the hall, exhaustion clearly showing with each step. What is it Nabiki? Noduka asked curiously.

Nabiki closed the last few meters before she slumped, placing her hands on her thighs and gasping for breath. Auntie. * gasp * Itit's coming.The Dark God is

What do you mean it's coming, Nabiki Kasumi asked with a touch of worry lacing her words. The eldest Tendo shifted slightly, putting herself closer to her middle sister and placed her hand on the girls' shoulder.

Nabiki stood up straight, looked both her sister and Noduka in the eyes, fear written clearly on her face and answered, I was in my room, listening to the stock market on the radio I brought with me. Nabiki gestured with her hands as she stared her older sister in the eyes, You know I always do that when we're away from home. Focusing her attention towards both of them, she continued with her explanation, When all of a sudden it was interrupted by an emergency report. The news said that a village had been destroyed by what looked to be a dark cloud moving steadily towards Ryogonzawa. Everything in its path.and I mean everything alive was...was torn apart! Nabiki grabbed their hands while trying to control her rising fear, What are we going to do?


Noduka and Kasumi paled as white as a sheet when they heard Nabiki finish her explanation. Oh my! Those poor people! Kasumi whispered covering her mouth as tears ran down her face in silent grief.

Oh dear. This is badthis is really, really bad. Ranma and Akane haven't had enough training, Noduka muttered, worrying her lower lip, she unconsciously fiddled with the katana strapped to her back. There are still many more things that they should know before going against The Dark God. Suddenly, she glanced up from her musings and shouted, Quickly, we must get my husband and Soun, then we have to find your sister and my son!


The two younger girls nodded in agreement and gaped in shock as the scion of manners dashed down the hall. They remembered all of the rules that Noduka had taught them about what isn't ladylike or proper. Glancing toward each other, they both shrugged while Nabiki piped up and said, I guess this is one of those times that you sayTo hell with being proper!

Kasumi grinned in agreement with her younger sister before they both started running after Noduka. They were amazed that she was able to run so fast and figured that it must be from chasing uncle Saotome around the yard with that katana of hers. The two Tendo girls barely managed to keep up as they followed the Saotome matriarch around the corner and into the main hall. Spotting the great hall doors, they put on an extra burst of speed, making it just in time as Noduka burst through the doors yelling at the top of her lungs, Husband! It's coming! We must find the children!

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Soun and Genma were in the great hall explaining to Ku-Lon, what had occurred within the past few days, So we found our ancestral book up in the attic of my home. We decided to wait till Genma's wife arrived, to read it. The thing is.just before we started reading it, Ranma and Akane had been doing some strange things. It all started a few days before that. We noticed that they had a slight increase in appetite. But, we ignored it. When they turned seventeen though, it became a totally different matter. Their appetite had exploded and when compared to Ranma's and Genma's normal appetites.well lest just say that it had tripled in size.

Genma nodded his head and interjected, Tendo is right. On their seventeenth birthday they literally vacuumed up the food faster than Ranma's chestnut fist attack. You should have seen it! They put it away so fast that there was nothing left for meand I didn't even get to eat that much. We had to plaster ourselves against the walls in order to keep our dinners.

The elder Amazon blinked a few times and began to imagine the scene, then she began laughing so hard that she had to clutch the edge of the table to prevent herself from falling out of her seat,

The two men waited patiently for her to calm down enough so that they could finish their explanations. When the elder's laughter had slowed down till she had managed to control herself they continued, "So we made our way here. To make a long story short, it would be a very bad idea to get the children angry right now. Their ki is effecting their emotions and they are prone to viloent outbursts. So it would be a good idea to tell the others to leave off anoying Ranma and Akane.

"I understand what you are telling me but yet I am very puzzled as to why. What is going on here..." Kulon started to ask when the great hall door burst open, slamming against the wall with a loud booming sound. In the doorway stood a slightly dishevieled woman carrying a katana strapped to her back. Before any of them could ask Noduka what was wrong, she yelled,"Husband! It's coming! We must find the children! Then she turned and dashed down the hallway in search of Ranma and Akane.

Soun and Genma turned white faced before they both jumped to their feet and sent the bench crashing to the floor. They didn't bother to explain to the Amazon what was going on and Ku-Lon had seen their expressions of fear before they had raced after Noduka. Sighning, the elderly Amazon pursed her lips in thought, "I better follow them to find out what is really going on." Quickly, before got to far ahead of her, Ku-Lon raced after them through the hallways.

As they passed an open door that led to the courtyard, the amazon could hear faint sounds of a fight. "Over here!" she yelled to get their attention.

Soun, Genma, Nabiki, Kasumi and Noduka all managed to slow their forward momentum enough to turn around and head out into a scene of total chaos. Only one thought crossed the Saotome and Tendo families minds, and their thoughts echoed each others as one, "Oh shit!"


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As the gang entered the garden in the courtyard they could vaguely make out two figures hidden by the boughs of a Japanese maple tree. The two figures seemed to be talking quietly until one of them said something to make the other angry. The other figure, obviously male, quickly grabbed his companion's shoulder, which was obviously a girl, and said something that seemed to startle her. The Nerima gang saw the two figures leaning closer towards each other. They were going to kiss each other It was then that their faces were revealed when a sudden gust of wind bent the branches. wait a minute! I know them! the thought came simultaneously.


the Nerimians screamed at the top of their lungs startling the pair and causing them to turn towards the oncoming threat. The two seemed to be acting a bit differently but their friends couldn't seem to figure out what it was, exactly. It might have been the scowl covering Akane's face or Ranma's bared teeth and the low growling noise coming from the pigtailed boy. What ever it was, the Nerimian Martial artists stupidly ignored the warning signals coming from the Anything Goes heirs, and attacked.

Shan-Pu kill Kitchen destroyer! the Chinese Amazon screamed in fury.

Die Ranma! the bandana wearing martial artist screamed as he launched himself into the air, leg extended in a classic aerial jump kick.

You Enemy of women, I will defeat you and Shan-Pu will become mine! the blind robe-wearing amazon yelled as he pulled out two scimitars and charged off in the wrong direction to start hacking away at a tree.

You BITCH! Get away from my Ran-chan! Ukyo screamed, drawing her battle spatula and throwing a few mini spatula shirkin directly at Akane's face.

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The family entered the courtyard garden and into a scene of total chaos and destruction. All around them a battle waged between the two heirs of the Saotome and Tendo School of Martial Arts against the Nerima gang. They blinked while absently noting that Ranma and Akane were trying not to attack their friends. Akane it seemed was quickly loosing it her hard-earned control of her temper. Deciding that it would be a wise idea to stay out of the way, they quickly stepped back into the shelter of the house when the fight began to escalate.

What did you call me! Akane growled angrily at Ukyo as she dodged a wild swing from the girl. Shan-Pu cam up behind her and tried to connect with one of her bon bori, but with a quickness new to the Tendo girls current state, Akane was able to dodge out of the way. Akane shook with suppressed rage at the chef's comment about Ranma belonging to her. Akane knew for a fact that Ranma was hers! Growling, she dodged their another attack from Shan-Pu, she could feel her control slipping, clenching her fists, the youngest Tendo girl yelled, Cut it out or you'll be sorry! Her cheek muscles twitched with the amount of effort it took to suppress the draconic rage that was bubbling to the surface. The need to kill was strong and slowly it blocked out all reason until Ranma interfered.

Ranma felt Akane's control slip but he couldn't do anything since he was currently occupied in avoiding Ryoga's jump kick. As he blocked the kick, he accidentally used too much of his new strength and sent the lost boy sailing through the air to slam into the outer wall. "Oops," Ranma muttered when he realized what he had just done. Seeing Mu-Tsu still occupied with attacking the tree, Ranma checked to see how Akane was faring. He noticed that so far she had managed to avoid most of the girl's attacks but was loosing control of her volcanic temper. He decided to try to calm her down, "Akane get ahold of yourself." Seeing that his fist attempt wasn't working he took a step closer as he tried to reason with her but inadvertently stuck his food in his mouth when he said, "You can't loose it here in front of them or you might kill them, ya stupid tomboy!"


Noduka blanched as she recognized the usual signs of a fight that was about to become dangerous to their guests. Elder hurry! Everyone...come inside and get away from them now! Noduka yelled at the group of Nerimians who had decided to join them. Now that they had come, the younger ones were causing trouble for Ranma and Akane. With the completion of the ceremony Akane and Ranma's tempers had climbed to the point of being welldracaonic in size. Their rages, when they were set off, tended to be extremely dangerous.

Hey! What's going on? I thought that they had turned into giants...but I see that they're normal. Ryoga yelled as he ran after the Amazons.

Nabiki stepped forward and growled at them, You just had to set them off! Everything was fine until you guys started with the fighting over Ranma and Akane. Nabiki took a deep breath and pointed towards the courtyard and screamed, Now look at what you've done! Everyone turned to watch the fight between the two martial artists left standing in the courtyard.

Aieya! Something very wrong with pervert girl and Airen! Shan-Pu exclaimed as she watched.

Ku-Lon balanced on her staff and remained silent throughout the exchange, briefly glancing back and forth between Ranma and Akane, her senses told her something big was about to happen. Yes, their fighting is more than what it would usually be back in Nerima, the Amazon Elder murmured before turning her attention back towards the Saotome matriarch. Why are they like this? I sense something out of balance between them. Does it have to do with the music and light show we saw last night?

Noduka sighed before turning her attention towards the Amazon elder and replied, Yes, last night the ceremony was performed. We had no idea what it would do. But, in our families there is a prophecy of the chosen. The chosen were to be born with a mark appearing on their seventeenth birthday. They are here to do one thing, and that is to defeat a great and powerful evil that would destroy our world. Noduka gave the elder a wan smile before once more, turning her attention to the escalating argument.

Ya heard me, Ranma growled back at her while taking an aggressive stance closer. Something in the air had them extremely agitated and since they had nothing to focus on, they started fighting more aggressively with each other.

Violent girl not very smartshe stupid like brick! Shan-Pu yelled towards the pair in the courtyard. She didn't realize that what she had said was the final straw on Akane's slipping control.

You shouldn't have done that, Shan-Pu, Kasumi whispered, her face as white as a sheet, the eldest Tendo backed away from the Amazon while frequently checking her sisters position.

Nabiki growled, You are going to so wish that you hadn't have said thatshe's going to kill you now. I hope you've made peace with your ancestors. Ku-Lon was about to ask the Tendo sisters what they meant when both of them lifted their arms and pointed towards the courtyard.

When Akane heard Shan-Pu's yell the growl deepened. You Bitch! Akane roared as her aurora started pulsing violently. Then in a bright flash of light, Akane had transformed herself into her draconian form. She wasted no time in lunging for the Amazon girl with her jaws wide open. Her rage had taken control, fueling her instincts to attack the thing that was making her angry.

Ranma saw her heading towards the Amazon and tried to intercept her, No! Akane Stop! he yelled, but Akane slashed at him angrily with her claws. Ranma's control on his temper snapped. The anger he felt overruled his human thoughts for a brief moment, "How dare she try and attack me!" Jumping out of the way, Ranma transformed in mid air. He barely heard the startled gasps of his friends as he hovered, stuck between air and land. "AKANE!" he roared, landing on top of her and pinning her to the ground. Instintivly he knew that a dragon's rage became uncontrollable when past a certain point. It was up to him to get Akane to see reason once more.

"Roooarrrr!"Akane screamed, completely enraged, she struggled to free herself. Huge claws scrabbled on the stone courtyard, tearing gouges out of it and flinging those chunks into the air. She tried to gain enough leverage to throw him off but she wasn't having much luck. Snaking her long neck around, she chuffed a few times, bringing precious air into her secondary lungs and then breathed fire towards him. Ranma's eyes widened in surprise but he ducked just in time as the flames passed harmlessly over his head.

Then, Akane lunged her neck forward and she tried to bite him. But, she only managed to snap at the air as he jerked his head back. Her jaws snapped closed inches from his face. Before Akane could do any serious damage, Ranma placed his huge forearms on the ground in front of her, grasping the stone, and pulled. Forcing her to the ground, he began to growl, oblivious to his surroundings he brushed his huge head along Akane's neck crooning while trying to break through her clouded mind.

After a time her struggles ceased and her breathing evened out as she was slowly calming down. Ranma didn't let up though; he knew that if he stopped she would probably go berserk again and attack Shan-Pu and Ukyo. What the girls had done to make Akane this angry was unforgivable, they had tricked him into saying those things, it was like waving a red flag in front of an enraged bull. Only this time it was very dangerous. Now, they knew what they were up against and hopefully they wouldn't get Akane angry again. Akane was his and he belonged to her and they would stay together for the rest of their lives if they lived through the upcoming battle with The Dark God.

Akane, pleaseya gotta calm down or ya could kill them! Ranma pleaded while slowly lifting himself off of her. I'm sorry I said what I didI wasn't thinkin and it came out by accident, he said, poised and ready to pin her down to the ground once more if she decided to try to attack their friends again.

Akane panted for breath, her control now firmly in place she nodded her head, I'm o-ok, Ranma. She felt his massive weight lift from her back. Standing up, Akane stretched her wings to work out the kinks before settling back into a comfortable position, she glared at the Amazon girl, giving a brief hiss of warning before turning back towards Ranma and stroking her neck along his in an unconscious caress.

Ku Lon noticed the by-play between the two transformed martial artists and remembered an ancient law, she sighed in resignation. The Amazon Elder was disappointed that Ranma wouldn't be her great-granddaughter's husband, but there were other ways of bringing them into the tribe. "Shan-Pu you should have never angered them. You are lucky to still be alive, thanks to Ranma, Ku-Lon said wearily, glaring at the young Amazon girl. You know the laws of our tribe. I invoke law number two hundred and fifty nine! It is a law that hasn't been used in over one thousand of our years, The old woman thumped her staff on the flagstones once, signaling that the discussion was over before she glared at her great-granddaughter and growled, Ranma is no longer your husband!"

No! Ranma still Shan-Pu's Arien! the busty Amazon shouted in denial, she refused to give up so easily but Ku-Lon silenced any further protest by a violent movement of one hand, paralyzing Shan-Pu on the spot. Then, she started to explain a few important facts. "My great-granddaughter, there are a few things that you must know about dragons. One is that they are very territorial. Two. They will kill anything that gets them angry. And three...they mate for life."

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