Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, but I do own a fine card collection. What that has to do with anything, I have no idea…

Author's Notes: My thoughts are overflowing and this chapter will be bigger then the last. I promise. If I can't think of anything, I refuse to stuff in filler material to make a chapter bigger. Well, on with the show and always remember to tip your waitress! (A scream and a crash follow this statement. The author sweatdrops.) He has returned…

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 2

Ranma woke up the next morning in his room at the Saotome home. The night before was full of revelations that his mind still tried to wrap around. The way his mom cried as she told them made his heart ache. No wonder she made the stupid seppuku pledge with Pops, it was reassurance that another child wouldn't be lost to that fat fool. Pops has a lot of explaining to do and if the pigtailed boy doesn't like what he hears, then the old fool will make a nice panda-skin rug. The thing that still hadn't added up was why Kyoko's father never came back for her. Maybe he just didn't know. He shelved those thoughts for later and went back to what the reason for this early morning thinking. His sister, the girl he had saved without even knowing who she was. Now he knew why he felt instantly protective of her. He had seen enough pictures of his mother when she was younger to recognize the girl's features and build. She even learned of his curse when he showed it to her and didn't immediately turn him away. Kyoko had hugged the smaller girl warmly and made a joke about shopping with her "little sister". He chuckled at the thought. If it had been anyone else he would have killed them for suggesting it, but his sister had the right. He rolled over in his bed (a real bed and not a futon) and stood up. It was time to greet the day and time for training.

Kyoko woke up at about the same time in the remodeled guest room. Mom had said it was her room and expected her to decorate it as such. The demon hunter girl couldn't wait to start. She knew that Ranma was her brother, but she had no idea he would be such a hunk. The green-eyed girl shook those thoughts away. A brother was much more important then the thought of a boy toy. Besides, from what she could see, he needed family more and she was glad to provide. The way he moved in last night's fight was amazing. She knew her skill was far above average, but he eclipsed her easily. The girl vowed to train with her "little brother". The curse had thrown her for a loop and she was tempted to freak out, but the sad look in those blue eyes made her decision for her. She had pulled the smaller girl in for a hug and felt tears in her eyes. As well as a deep loathing for whoever did that to her brother. The leather sheathe the hilt of her "blade" rested in rumbled ominously. As she pulled her hair back in a simple ponytail, she mentally prepared herself for her training this morning. Maybe her brother would already be out there, she thought happily as she bounced out of the room.

Nodoka was already awake and in the kitchen as Ranma walked past the door. Her manly son seemed deep in thought and she didn't want to disturb him, but breakfast was almost ready.

"Breakfast will be ready shortly, dear." She called; he smiled in response and walked outside. The next one to walk by was Kyoko. Whereas Ranma was dressed in his normal Chinese clothing, she was wearing a plain white gi and carried an unusual rod in her hand. "Kyoko dear, breakfast will be ready shortly." The Saotome matriarch felt like a broken record. Again, all she got was a smile before walking out the door. The two of them acted so similar they might as well have been born twins. She was a little more humble at least. She looked to the family blade and smiled slightly in resignation. It felt good to have them both home.

The pigtailed martial artist began with deep breathing exercises. Finding his center before slowly beginning one of his low level katas. He easily flowed through opening exercises, noting out of the corner of his eye when Kyoko emerged into the yard. He stopped paying attention to her as he picked up the speed, dedicating his total thought to the art. Plenty of time to spar with "big sis" later, he thought with a grin.

The green-eyed girl watched him for a few moments before beginning her own kata. What she had seen looked a lot like the style she was familiar with. Then again, it wasn't a surprise. Her mother had taught her what she had seen of the Anything Goes Saotome Ryu. The woman had a sharp mind for martial arts and filled in the gaps with her own techniques. The result was a kendo style based heavily on Anything Goes and her mother's style. Her energy blade winked into existence, great for deepening chi reserves because it took so much to maintain it, and launched into a flurry of attacks. Ranma's own kata wound down and he went back to watching his sister as he cooled down. The girl was glowing as she gave the kata her all as if it was a real fight. He could barely see the blade flick and slice through the air. He could plenty of room for improvement and he was determined to fill in those gaps. Her talent was exceptional and he recognized the Saotome Ryu easily as she launched into the air to execute what would have been a multi-hit combo. When she landed, her blade winked out of existence and began her own cool down. Their eyes locked and both broke out into grins just as Mom called them in for breakfast.

"What are your plans for today?" she asked her children as they sat at the table. Ranma, currently female from a glass of spilled milk, chewed thoughtfully. It took thought for her to chew slowly. She tried to answer with her mouth full, but Kyoko's elbow to her ribs stifled it until she swallowed.

"I'm gonna talk to Pops n' see what's goin' on." The redhead replied before taking another huge bite of fish. The two natural women tried to educate her on etiquette, but Nodoka figured that if Kasumi could barely manage it then it won't be easy. "He has a lot of explaining to do 'bout this." Her weary mother sighed. There was no force on earth that could discourage her offspring from a chosen path. Kyoko grinned.

"And I could meet your fiancée." The chocolate-haired girl said with a smile. Ranma almost choked. This little vacation from madness was creating even more problems. How would the Fiancée Brigade react to this? Nabiki would scam her shamelessly, Akane would want to kill the both of them, and Kasumi would just say "Oh my." The pigtailed girl really did like Kasumi and knew there was more to her then that, but she had hidden herself too long that it was automatic. Shampoo might look upon Kyoko as an obstacle. Ukyou would probably be happy for him (hopefully). Kodachi… Let's not even go there. The green-eyed girl eyed her brother thoughtfully and could figure out where his thoughts were going. How much trouble would this cause? "Don't worry, you tell me what not to do and I'll be careful." She assured him. Despite her better judgment, she agreed.

The streets of Nerima during the daytime appear no different then at any other ward in Tokyo, but that is all a façade. The truth is that it happens to be the center for martial arts weirdness in all of Tokyo. The two teens were walking one in front of the other along the fence. Kyoko was wearing jeans and a red t-shirt with her hair back in her usual odangos. Ranma had managed to stay male, despite even the ladle lady. The poor woman was in the hospital with carpal tunnel for constantly swinging her ladle. Things were nice and peaceful. Ranma was nervous. This was too good to be true. His faith in Nerima was restored by a cry of "Saotome, prepare to DIE!" All was right with the universe again.

"Hey pork-butt. Where ya been? Been some time." Ranma quipped as his rival launched himself violently him. Kyoko dodged quickly just before the heavy combat umbrella took out the fence they were standing on. The pigtailed boy smirked confidently as his foe dropped into a ready stance. At some unseen signal, the two launched at each other. The fight was furious and violent. The green-eyed girl worried about her brother until she noticed something was subtly off about the "death match". The two boys were wearing poorly concealed grins. Blows that would have killed a normal person were traded with strangely good humor. If she had told anyone what she observed, she probably would have been thought of as crazy. The fight ended with a decisive blow from Ranma as he unleashed a Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken on Ryoga's spine and knocked him into the ground. The attack was so fast that Kyoko had to mentally slow it down and pick it apart; even then all she could see was a series of afterimages. "Not bad. Maybe next time." Ranma said as he pulled the dazed boy to his feet. The boy shook his head to clear it.

"Yeah, next time Saotome." He mock growled, and then his eyes found the observer. "Who's that? You ain't cheatin' on Akane now, are ya?" his tone was still joking, but a very real threat was there. The girl blinked at being sized up as she felt some irritation at the boy.

"Oh, hey sorry 'bout that. This is Kyoko." he indicated the girl, who waved in acknowledgment. "I found out somethin' 'bout my family last night." he began and sat Ryoga down on the ruined wall. The Lost Boy had an eyebrow raised, but decided to listen. When the tale was finished, he was glowing a faint red of anger.

"You're Pops has gone way too far this time." he snarled out. The girl in question was leaning against another wall, arms folded under her chest. Ryoga almost had a nosebleed when he realized the girl was built like Ranma's girl form. The pigtailed martial artist sighed as little hearts started floating around the Lost Boy's eyes, but stopped drooling as his irritation returned. "So, want some help?" he asked.

"Naw, it's a family thing, but thanks." the blue-eyed boy shrugged. Ryoga nodded his understanding. "If ya wanna tag along though..." his grin turned downright feral. This was one thing the Lost Boy understood well, revenge. Kyoko was wondering what exactly the connection was between the two boys and said as much.

"Do ya wanna tell her or should I?" Ryoga said with a grin. The pigtailed waved him on. The green-eyed girl sat down near the bandanna boy to hear him better, causing the poor boy just mentioned to become instantly tongue-tied. Ranma sighed before telling the story himself. The first part of the story everyone is familiar with, but what caused the two of them to become closer friends happened after the failed wedding.

It was raining that day and no Jusenkyou victims should have been out in it. It was raining cats (brrr) and dogs, Ranma hated the analogy, but the day was bad enough to fit the phrase. He was currently a she and bringing the groceries back to the dojo as Kasumi had asked. When she turned a corner, she saw a group of youma terrorizing someone. At first she couldn't see who it was, but when the beast shifted she caught sight of two small animals. Recognition came quick as she saw the pig and duck backing away, looking for a way out. The neo-girl snarled angrily at the creature. They were her rivals, but they had helped her enough times that she felt it was time to repay the favor. She hoped this would do it in spades.

"Hey ugly! Whatcha messin' with two happy meals when ya can have a full dinner?" she taunted, the youma turned around snarling and grinned horribly at the delicacy before it. The first claw swipe was easily dodged, but the second was much quicker. She was just barely dancing out of the path of the evil creature's attacks, but couldn't find an opening. It had long arms with three-foot long claws on the end; its fanged muzzle was full of teeth going in the wrong direction. The terrifying visage just meant he would be a little more difficult than her normal battles. With Amaguriken speed, she threw a fist in his face before dancing out of range as he reeled. Every time she tried to take to the air, he would slash and force her to dodge again. For every hit she made there were over a dozen near misses and she was getting tired. She realized she was being led into a corner, but too late. She found her head snapped back by a vicious backhand, claws cutting across her face before another slash ripped open her shirt. The youma leered at her. The ever-confident Saotome found herself strangely afraid and hated herself for it. A clawed hand shot forward and five knives embedded themselves in her shoulder. The redhead screamed in pain as the demon brought his claws back for the finishing strike. Before it could complete the stab, a white duck slammed into the side of the thing's head with enough force to knock it off balance just as an angrily squealing piglet slammed into the back of the demon's leg and knocked him away, howling. The redhead grabbed her shoulder in agony, tears in her eyes. The two animals had come to her defense; if that wasn't friendship she didn't know what was. They had the chance to run and leave their enemy to her fate, but stayed and risked themselves. Mousse somehow began raining shuriken upon the youma's unprotected body as Ryoga struck the beast with his snout again, using the Breaking Point of its leg and shattering it. The beast grew more enraged, ignoring even the pain in its leg to knock the side of bacon away and swat Mousse into the wall. Anger leapt in to replace helplessness, her hands growing like twin stars of energy before bringing her hands together and firing off the strongest Mouko Takabisha she had ever made since Saffron. The beast's eyes widened as the ball of chi approached before screaming as it disintegrated. With a sigh, she slid to the ground. The rain cold on her bare skin mixing with the hot blood leaking from her lacerations. She saw the two animals slowly getting to their feet with some difficulty, their tiny bodies more fragile then her own. She smiled before wincing in pain as she stood up and walked over to them.

"Hey guys, need a lift?" she asked the two. They looked at her in shock as she casually scooped them up, cradling them with her bad arm as she lifted the bag of groceries that had miraculously escaped disaster. For once P – chan didn't try to bite her and Mousse settled in her arm comfortably. The injured redhead began walking home again, only stopping long enough to gather their belongings, and trudging on home.

"After that," Ranma was saying, "we kinda just started gettin' along better. Mousse finally understands I'm not after Shampoo and Ryoga finally believes I am not evil incarnate."

"I said you were the son of Satan, not evil incarnate. Geez Saotome, get it right." he rolled his eyes in amusement. Kyoko was just amazed at the tale that took well over two hours to finish. She actually felt as if she had been there during every encounter. The green-eyed girl smiled at the two friends as they openly showed their camaraderie.

"Problem is, we gotta keep it under wraps or my fiancée will think I'm up to somethin' perverted." he sighed in resignation.

"When doesn't she accuse you of that?" Ryoga snorted before feeling a massive aura nearby. He turned to look at Kyoko and jumped to his feet, away from her. The nice-seeming girl suddenly seemed to swell in size. At least that's what it looked like from the size of her aura. Even Ranma looked nervous.

"There's some bitch out there that hurts my little brother on a daily basis and still has the gall to accuse him of being a pervert?" she all but screamed as she used her iron hard control to not fly off the handle. "If she says that to you one more time I will show her what an angry Demon Hunter can do!" so saying she whipped out her aura blade and sliced down the wall dramatically. The two boys cringed in sympathy for Akane. Ranma wondering where they would bury her and Ryoga wondering if he could be out of the country by nightfall.

"M-maybe I'll be going now! See ya around!" the Lost Boy said and made himself scarce. Ranma wished he could just get lost like that, but he needed to keep his big sister under control. He decided that the sooner they got there, the better. Better to get this over with before he lost his nerve.

As the two teens continued walking along, Ranma suddenly stiffened up like a plank. His well-trained ears alerting him to a sound he knew only too well. It registered a half step below a c-c-c-cat. It was the Bicycle of Doom. Bearing a well-endowed Chinese Amazon riding the bike like a chariot of old, with much the same effect if you're run over by one. The girl cried out "Airen!" as she aimed her bike for his back, her smile grew wider as she contemplated the trajectory, but it quickly turned to shock as a glowing blade flashed into existence and diced her vehicle into spare parts. When the purple-haired girl looked up from her ungraceful face-plant in the ground, she saw an outsider girl standing next to her Airen with undisguised hostility. The pigtailed boy was looking as if he was about to diffuse a thermonuclear bomb with a rubber band. The slightly taller Amazon jumped to her feet, all but shouting in the smaller girl's face.

"What'd ya do that for?" she roared in surprisingly good Japanese. Ranma blinked at the articulate response. Has she been practicing? Right now, that didn't seem to matter. His sister still managed to look down her nose at the taller girl, quite a feat.

"Assaulting my brother for starters." she began coolly. The Amazon stopped in mid rant, her anger dissolving into confusion.

"He's my Airen!" she exclaimed and realized she sounded like a native "Uh.. Shampoo mean, Airen is Shampoo's." she tried to cover the slip, but the cat (brrr) was out of the bag. The girl grinned smugly.

"I know 'bout your laws, by the way. You don't have our Mom's permission to even consider looking at him and you're declaring he's yours. Things like this are usually done through the females in the family. Even if it was by combat, an Amazon must respect the will of her elders and those of her betrothed's." she seemed to be reciting chapter and verse from the law book. To cover her horror, she snarled in fury.

"Fine. Law also states that if I defeat you then he is mine. You're the only female family actively resisting me." she grinned.

"Deal. Also, due to the nature of the challenge, I'm also exempt from the Kiss of Death so don't even think about it." her opponent replied smugly. Ranma was starting to feel like it was a tennis match and he was the tennis ball. The Amazon twirled out her fancy maces and struck a fighting stance. Kyoko once again brought up her aura sword, much to the girl's shock and chagrin. This was already looking bad. Hopefully the girl couldn't hold out long while using so much energy. Shampoo knew how those weapons worked, her grandmother was an Amazon elder after all. The pigtailed boy they were fighting over suddenly disappeared. The two girls were giving each other the stare down to really notice. Each sizing the other one up and never giving an inch.

Cologne, the Amazon matriarch and elder, watched the exchange with annoyance. When was her grandchild going to realize that the Saotome boy didn't want her. This new girl, on the other hand, promised to increase the chaos factor of Nerima even more. She was considering retirement here. The never-ending source of entertainment that was Nerima was good for her. Maybe even her grandchild would lighten up. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost didn't feel Ranma behind her. Almost.

"Greetings Son-in-...Never mind. Hello Ranma." she said to the martial artist. He seemed startled, but got over it.

"Did my sister have it right?" he asked, more then a little irritable.

"Yes she did. She misquoted a few lines, but had it mostly correct." she replied. "I'm watching the fight as you should be doing. Don't bother asking why I never told you either." she sighed. "I was just trying to teach Shampoo a lesson." she said. The pigtailed boy actually understood, somewhat, and stood beside the ancient woman to watch as the two girls began fighting at a speed ordinary people just couldn't see, but the two watching from the rooftop had no trouble watching. Shampoo was twirling her bonborri in increasingly more intricate strike and defend patterns, smiling that the blade couldn't seem to cut her weapons as she had expected. Kyoko was beginning to look hard pressed, her blade was dimming as if her energy was draining. The Amazon, blinded by her own greatness, never saw the trick until it was too late. After a particularly brutal strike to the smaller girl's ribs, the Amazon overextended a fatal half-inch too far. With blinding speed, even faster then Ranma could see, the blade was burning bright and Shampoo's weapons were disabled. The mace heads went one way from the swing and Shampoo went another way from a powerful kick hammering into her chest. The Amazon flew until she struck a far wall where her impact caused spider web cracks to form. The glowing blade was pointed at her throat.

"Yield." Was all she said. The girl looked at her enemy with loathing, but answered.

"I yield." She replied, Kyoko put her sword away and helped Shampoo to her feet, the girl was crying. Tears of rage and sadness fell down her face. Her great grandmother appeared and the girl ran to her, sobbing. The green-eyed girl looked momentarily distressed, but her brother putting his arm around her fixed that.

"There was nothing you could do. It had to be done." He said to her as he steered the unresisting girl away and down the street. The elder stared after them, realization dawning in her eyes. If what she had just witness was true, Ranma was going to be in for a whole new world of trouble. That girl showed all the signs, but some research may clear up any remaining questions. After tending to Shampoo, the two Amazons walked back to the Nekohanten. Almost like Pinky and the Brain, trying to conquer the world. Strangely apt mental image.

End Chapter 2

Author's notes: They finally make it to the Tendo Dojo in the next chapter and panda bashing ensues! Be here for the next (somewhat) exciting installment of Demon's Crossing! Ja ne!