Legal stuff: Again, I don't own this stuff (except for Guy Bogard Hyabusa, I'm officially claiming him, now). Heck I'm getting NO money for this…unless you're willing to hire me. (B-D)

Ranma-chan: female Ranma

P-Genma: Genma in Panda form his signs

C-Shampoo: Shampoo cat form

D-Mousse: Mousse in duck form

'…': denotes thinking

(B-D) : Scene Change!

:-) Flashback (-:

LEO: Low Earth Orbit


Final Week

As much as I hate to admit it, despite the fact that Japan no longer has that many viable fighting clans anymore, the surviving ones still produce some really good fighters. I can't fight her at half strength because she's too good. Heck, she's about as good as Shampoo. I can't believe that I've never really noticed her skill before, although I also have to admit, it's a rare thing to have to face a battle spatula…

"Ok, Ukyo, let's see how well you fight in unarmed combat?"

"You're on, Mousse!"

As you can see, the roof of the Cat Café is quite busy this Monday mourning. The neighbors may have been awakened earlier then planned, but it would be a small price to pay for the extra training. For this fight they didn't have the luxury of a week of training, but a mere two days. Yesterday was intense, and this mourning most have school. That's why they started off at 4:30, to make sure that they could get as ready as possible for whatever Happosai had in store for them. The pairings confused everyone at first as Cologne had paired up Mousse and Ukyo in weapons sparring, Ranma and a very happy Shampoo for unarmed training, and even Akane had joined the training and was getting a personal lesson from Cologne. Her training had been slacking since she and Ranma-chan had won the dojo back from her sisters, and after what happened on Saturday, she knew she had to rededicate herself again. It was about six when Cologne called a break.

"Wow, that was intense," commented Akane.

"No kidding. Shampoo so tired…"

"Alright, my children, come to me for a moment."

The five fighters gathered around they matriarch. There were no hard feelings between the girls, and guys were cool, and everyone was respectful toward one another.

"What's up, Grans?" asked Ranma.

Cologne smirked. "I must say I am impressed with your progress since yesterday. I'm glad to see that everyone is taking this seriously. I must make a note, however. I was reluctant to allow Akane to participate," she held her hand up to stop the incoming protest. "It was only because of the situation that I had even considered helping her train, and although this does not happen often, I was surprised by her skill. You are not the half-serious fourth degree black belt that I had first met. I now suddenly find you on the path to become a great martial artist like these other young ones here. If you continue you'll even become as good a rival for Ukyo and my granddaughter as Ryoga is for Ranma."

Akane sniffed and shed a tear of joy at the praise. "Thank you…"

"I must also remind you that this month has been a hard lesson for all of us. I'm glad to see that you all have adjusted to having to truly fight for yourselves rather than depend on Ranma to win the big fight for you, but do not fret, children, for we will get through this, hopefully still in one piece. Now, for our last exercise. This will be an all-on-one spar to see how well you teamwork and defense has improved."

"Ouch," winced Ranma, knowing what was coming next. "So who's the unlucky one?"

"That would be me."

Everyone stepped back in surprise.

"You want fight all of us, great-grandmother?"

"Yes. I've been watching you all month, and I believe the most intense fighting is yet to come. Besides, I believe you may finally be at the level where you can make me break a sweat without the cat-fist."

"Are you serious, elder?"

"Yes, Mousse, I am. Although I would like to fight with you all, school starts soon and I don't want you to be late."

"Alright then," chimed in Akane as she cracked her knuckles, "let's do this."

"Come at me from where ever you like…"

(B-D)

"What's happened to us?" asked Akane as she relaxed in the bath.

Ukyo glanced away from the scrubbing of the pink cat in her lap. "What are you talking about?"

"Meow," replied C-Shampoo.

"I mean…just last month we were all fighting each other, and now…"

"Now we're acting like we've been girlfriends for years?"

"Yeah."

"Meow!" A now clean C-Shampoo gently jumped off of Ukyo's lap and into the bath with Akane. Now a girl, she popped her head above the water. "Shampoo almost no notice, either, but this is good thing. We three have warrior bond of friendship made from battle. You two Shampoo best friends if work things out about Ranma."

"That's true," said Ukyo. "Kodachi's dropped out, so we're it now. We're the final three real fiancées of Ranma Saotome."

"Amazing, isn't it," said Akane. "Actual progress."

They shared a laugh at something that they had started to doubt would ever happen.

"Heh, can you pass me that bath pail?"

"Which one?"

"Strange, Shampoo not see wood bath pale here before."

Akane's face went pale as she remembered her 'lesson' in bathhouse-fu. She immediately chopped the floating pail in half, unleashing its contents, which was a dispersing blob of suds. The girls looked at her strangely.

"Why did you go and break my bath pail for?" asked Ukyo.

"I…I'm sorry…I thought…I must be more paranoid than I thought."

"So she finally admit."

"The first step to recovery."

"H…HEY!"

(B-D)

The mourning went by and lunch was peaceful. Shampoo and Mousse had come by with lunch and they were all eating joyously under the tree next to the baseball field.

"I don't like this," said Ranma between bites.

"If you don't like it, then stop eating it," retorted Akane.

"Ranma never complain about Shampoo food before."

"No, not the food."

"I see Akane's not the only one who's paranoid," said Ukyo.

Ranma and Akane shot glares at Ukyo, which she deftly dodged.

"You wanna go to the roof and workout a little," asked Mousse. "It may help your nerves some."

Ranma looked around the field, searching for anything out of the ordinary. He found nothing.

"Jeez, not even Kuno's around, so I guess you'll have to do."

"Heh, cocky to the end, eh Ranma?" Mousse smiled.

"All the way," grinned Ranma as they got up and got a running start to get to the roof, leaving the girls on the field.

"Guess that's more for us," said Akane.

"Yep," responded the others.

Up on the roof the two boys had finally gotten there and looked around the school grounds through the fence.

"You have to admit, this is a nice view," said Mousse.

"I guess. I kinda like nature better, though."

"I had no idea you were a tree hugger," replied a voice behind them, causing them both to almost jump out of their skins. They turned around to the voice and their eyes went to the top of the stairwell.

"So many girls here that I haven't reached yet," as the other voice spoke up. "I've no idea why I haven't come by here before."

"Mikado," growled the still sour Ranma.

"And Copycat Ken," added Mousse with an equal growl.

"I still owe you from our last fight, Ranma Saotome," said Ken.

"And I've decided to try you in combat, Mousse."

Ranma and Mousse glanced at each other and quickly jumped the two, with Ranma jumping Ken and Mousse jumping Mikado. Back on the field, the girls heard the boys' battle cries.

"Sounds like they're having fun, aren't they?" said Akane.

"Yeah, but they sound serious."

"They spar much different then we do, so Shampoo no too concern."

"Then I suggest you become more concerned…"

The three girls began choking on their Raman as the voice surprised them all. They only needed a few seconds to recover, however, which was good, because Taro was just about to attack.

(B-D)

"I'm sorry, but we're temporarily closed right now…" her words faded as she saw the woman before her.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," replied the beautiful young woman. "I was on my way to see if my husband and son had returned from their training journey and thought to stop by here first. I'll just be going then…"

"Wait!" Cologne called out just as she turned away. She looked her in the face once again and this time she was certain. "Please, come in for a moment."

"Thank you."

Cologne led the woman inside and seated her at the center table. After taking her order, she returned in record time, but with double her order.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't order two."

"No, this one is for myself, and yours is on me. I have a strong feeling that we have much to talk about, particularly if your son's name is Ranma Saotome."

Nodoka's eyes went wide as she heard her son's name. She quickly recomposed herself as best she could before answering.

"Do you know where he is? How is he? How do you know him?"

"Please, calm down, Mrs. Saotome. I understand that you haven't seen him for quite a long time, but first, allow me to introduce myself. I am Cologne, Matriarch of the Amazon tribe of Jusendo in China."

"It is an honor to meet you, elder. I am Nodoka Saotome."

"As I had thought. The resemblance between you and your son is uncanny. You would almost be confused as his sister even now."

"Thank you, and please, call me Nodoka."

"And you may call me Cologne."

"Thank you again, Cologne. This was most unexpected."

"The feeling is mutual to be sure. And to answer a few questions, yes, I know where he is, and yes, he is fine, just going through one of many of his life trials right now."

"I understand. You seem to know a lot about my son. The last I heard from my husband he was in China, but that was over a year ago."

"And that is where I had first met him, and have since followed him here."

"Why did you follow him here from China?"

"And that is where I shall begin this story…"

(B-D)

"Just how many techniques did you steal, anyway?" Ranma exclaimed as he continued to fight the ever-changing Copycat Ken.

"I've been training extra hard so I can beat you, Ranma Saotome!"

"More like trying to get on Japan's Most Wanted."

"You are so dead, Saotome."

"I'd rather die than be the freak's toy, so you're welcome to try, fake boy."

Ken again obscured himself with his signature cloaked switch maneuver. When he was visible again, there was a clone of Ranma where Ken once stood, except he had a short-sleeved yellow shirt with a small red bowtie and dark blue drawstring pants.

"I've been training these techniques especially," said Ranma-Ken.

"Heh, you're not the only one who's been training," the real Ranma said with his trademark smirk.

"We'll see!"

Ken rushed Ranma and they traded chestnut fists. Then Ranma rushed Ken in the middle of the flurry, surprising Ken as he started to backpedal, still throwing punches. Two blurs ran by the going in the opposite direction, distracting nobody. The blurs slowed down to visibility to reveal Mousse running along side the skating Mikado. They stopped after another few yards, Mousse breathing heavily while Mikado simply sighed.

"I can go on like this forever, but I'm afraid that your friends won't. Not against Taro, anyway."

"I don't know where you get off, but I'm going to go through you one way or another."

"I've only lost once, and that was because of my stupid partner. I've since been undefeated in my solo career."

"Big deal. Despite the fact that you're rollerblading on grass and dirt, I'm not impressed."

"I wouldn't expect you to be. I can tell that you're a strong martial artist, but I fight for a higher purpose."

"To please the perverted freak of nature?"

"No, it is to kiss the unkissable…to steal the lips of those three girls," as he pointed dramatically toward the girls fighting Taro.

"You're right about one thing, at least. They are unkissable."

"Really? Have you…?"

"No, but not for the lack of trying. They save themselves for the man they love…and that man is my friend, Ranma."

"They love him? Ha, don't make me laugh…"

"But I can one up you as well." Mikado arched his eyebrow. "They're also engaged to him."

Mikado pratfell, but recovered quickly and angry.

"There's no way that Ranma Saotome of all people can have THREE fiancées!"

He suddenly noticed several chains wrapping around him. He started twirling in the opposite direction that the chains were going, resulting in a small pile of chains landing on the ground around him.

"Ok, Mikado, now I'm impressed."

"As am I, but this fight will end now."

And the battle was rejoined. Meanwhile, the girls were having a grand time with Taro, who had assumed that they wouldn't be much of a challenge, and we all know about what assumption does. ;-)

"I must admit, you are better than I thought."

"Why do you men always underestimate girls?" said a very ticked off Akane.

"Shampoo still owe you for what you did in mountain last time."

"And just who the heck are you, anyway?"

"His name's Pantyhose Taro…"

Bonk!

Taro hit Akane over the head.

"Don't call me that!"

Double Bonk!

Ukyo and Shampoo both bonked Taro on the head.

"And don't do that!"

"Alright then," he said as he cracked his knuckles, "Who gets hurt first?"

"You," growled Akane as she let loose a barrage of punches and kicks.

He blocked them with some effort and was about to counterattack when he just barely dodged a battle spatula upside the head. Now he was blocking with a lot of effort, and was again about to counterattack when he had to hop over a bonbori aimed for the back of his left kneecap. Now Taro was officially in trouble. It was bad enough that it was three-on-one, which he didn't mind, but he didn't think that they had been practicing for a three-on-one fight. He also knew a warriors' bond when he saw one. He shared one with three others back at his village before he left on his quest to have his name changed. He also thought that these girls couldn't form this bond because of their conflict over Ranma, but apparently he was wrong. He did know, however, what was going to happen as Akane's unusual strength finally got through his defenses. He got it hard, and he staggered for a step, which the girls were going to be all over that action when they were blindsided by a flying Kuno.

"A-lo-ha, kiekes," greeted Taro's savior. "It be lookin' like my pa'tner be needin' a bit of da' help, ya'?"

"What are you?" he so gratefully responded.

"Heh, I be da' help peacekeeper Happosai be tellin' ya' about."

"Oh, the principal. I see." He rose to his feet and faced down the now four fighters.

"Curse you, Principal, for your foul play in honorable combat!"

"Yeah," shouted Ukyo. "No fair using him as a projectile!"

"Huh-huh-huh-huh-huh, who said anything about fighting fair?"

"Guys, why's he taking out that flask for?" asked Ukyo, causing Shampoo's and Akane's eyes to go wide.

"We gotta stop him!"

"All attack NOW!"

Ukyo and Kuno didn't miss a beat as the four charged Taro and Principal Kuno. They knew they wouldn't have made it, though, as they were near first base and they were near the pitcher's mound, but they tried anyway. Suddenly there was a tornado in the outfield courtesy of Ranma, causing Taro and Principal Kuno to do a full-body flinch, slow down Kuno, and give the girls the chance they needed to tackle Taro before that water to get to him. The flask flew out of his hand and dumped all of its contents on Principal Kuno. Akane and Shampoo kept Taro pinned to the ground while Ukyo got up to help Kuno face his father.

"You want a hand with him, Kuno? I still owe you for what you did last weekend."

"Very well, Ukyo Kuonji, I accept your gracious offer. Shall we?"

Principal Kuno looked nervously between the two armed students of his. Sure, he had techniques designed to stop and counter his son's sword, but who would've thought of developing counters for a battle spatula?

"Ah, but I got da' better idea, son. Check!" He suddenly pulled out a water balloon.

"What are you going to do, splash us into submission?"

"Heck no, kieke. Peacekeeper Happosai be sayin' dat if dis kieke der be getting' into th' trouble, just hit 'em wit' dis."

"He's cursed?" asked Ukyou.

"Cursed?" repeated the Kunos.

"Heck wit it, 'ere we go!!!!!"

Everything went in super slow motion as the water balloon flew towards the girls' prisoner.

"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" yelled Ukyo with an unusually bass voice as she leapt and extended her spatula to block the Impending Water Balloon of Transformation Doom. She just barely noticed some movement from his other hand, seeing a hair clipper going straight for her hair. "WWWWHHHHOOOOAAAAA!!!!!" Things are still moving is super slow motion, by the way. She instinctively readjusted her spatula to parry the clippers, causing them to veer off harmlessly. Unfortunately the newly sharpened edge of her spatula was now going through the Impending Water Balloon of Transformation Doom, of course splitting it in half, causing the water to splash out. Shampoo and Akane saw this and reacted differently. Knowing full well that if that water hit her she'd be out of the fight, leapt to the left and away from Taro. Akane, on the other hand, figured that an unconscious Taro would transform into an unconscious monster Taro and raised her elbow to deliver a knockout blow to his face. She brought it down with all her might, hoping that it wouldn't crush his head in the process, but her elbow only traveled a few centimeters as her elbow now rested on the snout of a smirking minotaur. Time finally resumed normal speed as he simply shoved the shocked Akane away from him as he got to his feet and gave a mighty roar, startling everybody on the baseball/battle field and causing a mass wave of soiling throughout the undergarments of the students watching the fight.

(B-D)

"Ok, class. Let call role…hey, where is everybody?" asked the teacher.

The three students in the class glanced at each other unknowingly. A fourth student finally made it to class.

"Umm, teacher?"

"Yes, Gosunkugi?"

"There's a lot of students watching the big fight outside. I think Ranma started it…"

"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHHGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Everybody including the teacher face-faulted comboed with a full-body flinch.

"What the heck was that?" yelled Daisuke.

"Everybody stay in here," commanded the teacher. "I'll go take care of those delinquents."

The students just stared at the door that the child teacher had exited, wondering what in the world she could do to something that could've made a roar like that.

(B-D)

"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHHGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"What the?!" exclaimed the combatants as Mousse had just laid about three feet of bladed chains in Mikado's path. Mikado skidded to a stop, distracted by the inhuman roar, failing to notice the chains on the ground. The skidding along sharp blades shredded the wheels on his rollerblades, causing him to trip. Mousse cursed his luck and returned his attention to his opponent, only to find him trying and failing to stop himself from tripping at high velocity into a nearby phone pole headfirst. Mousse flinched mightily as Mikado hit the pole and crumpled to the ground. He then apologized to his luck and rushed to help the girls fight off that nasty mino.

(B-D)

"Wow, you survived. Now I'm impressed."

"What…the heck…was that, Saotome?"

"Like I'm going to let you steal that, too…"

"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHHGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"EEEKKKK!!!!"

"Whoa…ok, that was manly, fake girl."

"I thought he was scary in the dark, but he's even more frightening in broad daylight."

"No kidding. I hate fighting that form of his."

Ken looked at Ranma with unbelieving eyes.

"There's no way YOU could beat Taro in that form."

"Not only did I beat that form, but I did it twice."

"Dude…which means that if I can beat you, then I can beat anyone!"

"Um…"

"Take this!" yelled the now Ryoga-Ken.

(B-D)

"What foul wizardry is this?"

"When you said he had a curse, you could've warned me about this!"

"We did warn you, Ukyo."

"What curse is this you speak of, my love?"

Akane let that slide for the moment.

"He went to a cursed training ground in China called Jusenkyo. He fell into a spring were if he's splashed with cold water, he becomes that."

"Taro land in very cursed spring called Niuhoomanmaorenniichuan."

"And what is that in Japanese?" asked the still curious Kuno.

"The Spring of Drowned Yeti Riding A Bull While Carrying Crane and Eel."

"What the?"

"But Shampoo no know where tentacles come from."

"He went back to the springs and willingly went into the Spring of Drowned Octopus to make his cursed form even stronger."

"Is frightening man, yes?"

"Indeed. Since you seem to have fought him before, do you know how this…thing can be defeated?"

"Hitting him with hot water changes him back to a man."

"Hhhmmm…."

"Don't tell me that you actually have a plan, Kuno," said Ukyo.

Kuno ran his free hand through his hair as he smiled. "Heh. I wish I did."

Everybody including Taro and the Principal pratfell.

"Ggrrrrooowwwww!"

"Incoming!" shouted Ukyo as the fighters scattered. It managed to grab Shampoo and Ukyo with its tentacles.

"Kuno, we have to help them!"

"I know, Akane Tendo, but how…wait a minute. I may be able to slice off those…"

"FIST OF THE WHITE SWANN!!!!"

Taro never saw what hit him, mainly because the attack came from behind. The blow wasn't enough to knock him out, but it did cause him to let go of the girls.

"NOW!" as the now five fighters converged on the giant minotaur. Principal Kuno seemed to stand there in shock as his 'teammate' turned into a monster. Taro's tail lightly swatted him in the face, causing the still form of the Hawaiian disaster to fall over, still in shock at the display he saw.

(B-D)

"Hey, what's going on out…eeepp!"

Crush!

"What is that…?"

"This is the best fight I've ever seen," said a Hiroshi. "One even turned into…uh oh…um, hi…Ms. Hinako."

"It's so big," she said with wide eyes.

"I know, it's huge."

"And it's so cute!" 3

Hiroshi and a few surrounding students pratfell.

"But there's no fighting allowed on school grounds. I have to stop this."

"But how? There's at least two major fights going on out there. Not even you can stop them both."

"We'll see about that…so how do I stop them?"

(B-D)

Taro was in very rough shape. He had cuts all over his body, what with Kuno trying to cut off his tentacles. He also had a couple of small spatulas sticking out of his back and a large spatula mark under his right arm. He also was covered head-to-toe with bruises. His left eye was swollen shut, and could no longer feel his tail or one of his tentacles, although he did check and they were still connected. Yes, they did put up a good fight.

"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHHGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He roared in triumph as he held up high the even more battered bodies of Shampoo and Ukyo in his hands and Mousse, Kuno, and Akane in his three remaining good tentacles. Ranma spun around to see the sight that caused him to go into a rage.

"NNOOO!!! My friends!!!!"

Crush!!!

Ranma lay in an imprint of his body in the ground with a victorious Akane-Ken giving a wicked smile while resting a giant hammer on his right shoulder. The now normal Ken dragged Ranma's body to Taro, who dropped the others unceremoniously on the ground.

"We win," said Ken as Taro nodded in response.

"Good job, boys." From out of nowhere their short master landed from the top of the screen. "I didn't want you to go all out on them, but they asked for it. Can you still fly, Taro, my boy?" He nodded in the negative. Happosai shrugged. "Oh well, we'll just change you back and we can carry them back to my place. Ken, go get Sanzenin and we're outta…"

"Here we go!!!!"

"What the?" exclaimed Happi and Ken as Mikado wobbled back onto the field.

"Take this, delinquents and cute monster."

"Aaww, nuts," said Happi as he realized that it was too late to react.

"HAPPO CHAIN-LINK FENCE SATSU!"

"Happo what?" asked Ken.

"NO! Not the fence!" yelled Happi as he tried to leap toward Hinako, but as he thought, it was already too late.

The baseball cage pulsed a dark green for a moment, and then started to suck the battle aura out of everybody on the field, including the students and other bystanders that heard the roars and came by to investigate. Hinako struggled to hold on to the fence when she realized what was going on. Now in her adult form, she knew she had made a mistake, and could even sense that she was starting to drain some life force as well. Definitely not good. What was even worse was that she couldn't stop it until every hole in the fence had absorbed something. She knew what she had to do now, and she prayed that those on the field would be able to survive what she was going to do next to try to stop sucking the life out of everybody. She managed to get her hands off of the fence.

"Happo…" she found it hard to stand without the fence for support, "…No Chain Link…Fence…" she took a deep breath, "RETURN!"

(B-D)

"Wake up, kids. We're almost home."

The girl in the back seat didn't even realize how much time had past, something she knew she had to get out of the habit of missing. She then noticed an arm on her side, holding her? The she recognized the yellow shirt that she was resting her head on. She thought for a moment, then relaxed for one last minute before getting up and tapping the boy on the shoulder.

"Ok, Ryoga, we're back in town." He still had that silly grin on his face from last chapter. 'Heh, that shyness is kind of cute…too bad I don't like cute that much, but he does have a few other traits that I've never noticed before. With some proper training…"

Scrrrrreeeech!

"Whoa!" exclaimed Ryoga as he finally snapped out of his little haze.

"What's up, doc?" She cringed as she realized what she had just said.

Dr. Tofu looked behind him, not looking at them, but something behind the car. Their gazes followed his and saw a huge greenish explosion relatively close to where they were.

"Good Lord, what was that?" exclaimed Tofu.

"That's back at the school!" she whispered.

"We have to check it out, don't we?" asked Ryoga.

"And quick. I doubt even Ranma cold stand a blast like that."

"Well," said Nabiki, "step on it!"

Dr. Tofu peeled rubber as they raced back to the school. It only took them two minutes to arrive at the scene. The wind picked up a little as they got out of the car. It wasn't much, but what surprised Nabiki anyway was a large dark piece of paper flying into her face. She swatted the paper away, and was surprised even more when the paper said "ouch." Now that they got a good look around, Nabiki and Ryoga knew what had happened.

"Man, Ms. Hinako really went off this time, didn't she?"

"No kidding."

"What happened here?"

"Our teacher did this," explained Nabiki. "She has an attack that can drain someone's battle aura and this is what happens to them."

"Wow. She must be an incredible fighter, then."

"Actually, she can't really fight."

"I see, then…oh no…look at the field!"

"AKANE!!!" yelled Ryoga and Nabiki as they ran down to the field of shriveled up bodies floating about.

The baseball cage was all but destroyed, and a huge crater replaced the area within the bases. Various students and other innocent bystanders were floating down onto the field and others simply remained where they were on the ground, unable to move.

"I've never seen anything like this before," commented Tofu.

Nabiki caught Akane's form as she was almost blown away by a gust of wind.

"Akane! Are you ok?"

"…"

"Ryoga," yelled Tofu, "the others are here, too. I need you to collect them, quick." He turned toward the school and saw students and teachers alike looking out of the shattered windows. "SOMEBODY CALL 911!"

(B-D)

"I can't believe that something like this could've happened to them. We had worked so hard to prevent this, too."

"This is the first time I've ever seen this, too, Elder."

"Please, call me Cologne."

"Thank you. They seem to have been severely beaten even before their ki was sucked out of them. They'd normally be able to use their ki to heal themselves, but even with applying several ki replenishing regimens I'd say it'll be at least three or four days before they can even get out of bed, never mind rehabilitation."

"What about the others, Doctor?"

"I'll do what I can, Mr. Tendo, but given the situation I have a feeling that you'll just want them to rest and recover naturally at your place."

"A wise plan, Doctor."

"Thank you, Cologne. Mr. Tendo, Mr. Saotome, everyone will be okay here. Between Cologne and I, we should be able to get them up and about in a few days."

"A few days?"

The adults looked toward the new voice at the door to see a worried girl with a red rose in her hair and a brown and white school uniform.

"We meet at last, Ms. Kuno," greeted Cologne.

"I had received a call from my brother's school and I rushed over here as fast as I could. How are they?"

The three men glanced at each other while Cologne spoke.

"They'll be fine. It would seem that they should be safe from my husband's" collective twitch "advances for a while."

"Um," started Soun.

"She will not be of any harm, Mr. Tendo. She is in the process of reconciliation."

"Oh, I see."

Kodachi looked around at the makeshift triage. Her former rivals, her former fiancé, and even her own brother, all lay completely drained and beaten. There was an occasional moan, and a possible twitch, but that was about it. The sight was almost more than she could bear.

"This is…my fault…all of it…"

The adults looked at her as she collapsed in tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sob sorry…"

"Am I missing something here, Tendo?"

Before Cologne could act Kodachi's crying was calmed by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up behind her to see a warm smile and a sister smile leaning on the door to the kitchen.

"Why don't you sit and have some tea," calmed the soothing voice of Kasumi.

"Yeah, and we have a few napkins here for you, too," chimed in Nabiki.

"You don't hate me?"

The sisters glanced at each other.

"You're a good friend of Ranma and Akane," said Kasumi.

"And you've almost paid us back for the damages you've caused."

"Nabiki!"

"Just kidding, sis."

"Thank you…thank you both…"

The adults were touched by the scene, well, most of them, anyway. Genma managed to distract himself and missed the whole thing. Cologne, however, let her smile surface. She was actually proud at how much everyone had grown this month. She turned to say something to Dr. Tofu when she noticed his glasses fogged up.

'So, he's in love with one of the Tendo sisters, is he? I'll have to tell him about the Soul of Ice technique sometime…hhmmm, why am I feeling so generous all of a sudden?'

"Alright, Saotome, let's take these boys to the dojo."

"Right, Tendo."

"Please call us if Akane wakes up…"

After waiting a few seconds or Tofu to respond, Cologne spoke. "You'll be the first to know."

"Thank you, Cologne."

And the men left dragging the bodies of their master and his minions. Cologne sat on the sofa in the waiting room to reflect on what had happened that day. Early mourning training, a long and very insightful conversation with Ranma's mother, and a major battle. Not to mention she still had to visit the Tendos to use that interesting artifact that Nabiki had rented to her. She rubbed her temples for a few moments, then glanced up at the doctor who was still pretending to be a statue, then shook her head. "If things get any worse the children are going to need a major vacation after this…heh, who am I trying to kid. I'm going to need a vacation after this."

(B-D)

A/N: This fight has been brewing in my head since Happi called in the heavy artillery. This battle was a lot of fun to watch and even more fun to type down…in case you're wondering, I tend to watch my stories in my head and simply type what I see. Hey, it's a lot more fun than an outline. Anyway, I really want to thank everyone for your support and reviews. I wouldn't be able to see this story through without you guys, and you ladies, too. I'm honestly amazed at how much you all like this story, and because of you I'm excited and can't wait to continue. This has been a very rewarding experience for me and I hope that I've been able to return the favor. Thanks, everybody, and I'll see you again in a couple of weeks. (B-D)

© 2004 Den Scurman