Most of the attackers immediately swarmed towards Ranma. Kodachi went strait after Brittany, and Mousse was shooting at them. His shots were well aimed and Ranma had to avoid at least ten of them already.
Brittany was hard pressed to fend off Kodachi. Kodachi had gained some serious speed and power. Brittany managed to get an opening large enough for her to fire a blast of her new abilities at Kodachi. Brittany zipped back a few feet, her feet leaving trenches in the ground as the air blast slammed into Kodachi, sending her back.
Brittany sighed as Kodachi spun and landed gracefully before charging again. Brittany fended off a few more attacks when a blue streak appeared two inches from her nose. A silver bullet.
Brittany stumbled as she realized what had just happened. Kodachi had slammed her hand into Brittany's stomach. Brittany coughed and stepped back.
Brittany growled and started to glow slightly. She raced at Kodachi, electricity arching over her arms.
Kodachi screamed as the metal that ran through her conducted the electricity. Several of the metal plates upon her snapped open, releasing a gas out into the air.
Brittany screamed as the gas burned her throat and skin. She raced away from Kodachi, coughing and gasping. Julia ran up to her.
Ranma, Ryoga, and Shampoo were now fighting all those that were left. Shampoo was fighting Kuno, dodging around the swipes with the katana. Shampoo had definitely improved in the past few months, but Kuno was now showing uncanny speed.
Shampoo moved to block the blade by catching it in-between her hands. She succeeded, but soon afterwards her eyes went wide and she pulled her hands away, screaming. She buckled to the ground as she gazed at the burn marks on her hand. Shampoo turned back to Kuno to see him raising his katana again. Shampoo clutched her burned hands up close to her, and stepped away. Kuno followed.
Kuno's blade looked as if it was glowing with power. Shampoo felt herself become afraid, as if some inner fear was bubbling to the surface. She gritted her teeth, and ordered the ground underneath her and Kuno to flash freeze. She hopped over the blast of ice, and dashed towards Kuno, her hands still clutched in pain.
Kuno looked down and tried to remove his feet the ice. He actually got his right foot out of the ice before he saw Shampoo tackle him. The sword scraped up against her upper arm, causing her to yell out in pain again, before she slammed her elbow into Kuno's face. He was unconscious like Kodachi.
Shampoo buckled, and fell over onto the ground, landing to Kuno's left. The pain was too great, and she also fell unconscious.
Ryoga was against Nabiki, Soun, and Mousse. Nabiki was showing skills that Ryoga would have never though possible for someone that didn't know martial arts. She was fast as almighty hell, almost as fast as he was himself. Soun now had a long spear that was definitely silver. And Mousse was unloading clip after clip of bullets in their direction. Nabiki and Soun never even came close to getting hit with a bullet, but Ryoga had already been scratched by a few. The silver hurt like almighty fuck.
Ryoga avoided the spearhead and caught the shaft. The wood of the shaft instantly burst into flames. Soun didn't flinch; he simply dashed forward and grabbed the spearhead and began slashing at Ryoga.
Ryoga felt at least twenty blows land of his back. He staggered, but whirled around and caught Nabiki in the jaw, leaving three long slashes from Ryoga's claws. She flew backwards, impacting Mousse and knocking them both down.
Ryoga felt a sizzle as the spearhead almost hit him. He ducked low and swept Soun's legs out from under him. Soun recovered almost instantly, but was met with a fierce jab to the face as soon as he stood again.
Ryoga dodged a few more bullets, and started making his way towards Mousse. Mousse and Ryoga both staggered when the ground suddenly started shaking because of Akane. Ryoga used Mousse's stunned state to open up his physical center. He appeared in front of Mousse instantly (he nearly tripped twice). And slammed his hand into his stomach. Mousse rocked back, but stayed standing.
Mousse whipped out a machine gun and pointed at him at near point blank range. Ryoga swallowed hard, and concentrated on his center of reality. The bullets, inches away from hitting him, shimmered and disappeared, the ethereal form of the bullets went through Ryoga and disappeared after going out of his back.
Having so much silver in his 'pocket' made his body slightly numb and slowed his reaction time. Dumping them out wouldn't be good either, because it would create a large pile of silver in the backyard. Mousse dropped the machine gun and whipped out a silver scimitar that was strapped to his back. Ryoga grimaced and tried to ignore the pain as it raked across his furry left arm.
Ryoga attacked, his hand glowing red. It went through the silver sword, luckily too fast for too much of the now molten silver to get on him. Mousse must have been shocked, but his face showed no emotion. Ryoga slammed his foot into Mousse's stomach, sending him backwards, into a tree, and into unconsciousness.
The silver was taking affect on Ryoga, and he started to lose his strength. His hand was covered partway with molten silver. He ordered it to freeze, and he forced it off of his hand. He strained to remain conscious, but now he could only sit and watch.
Theo dashed over to where Ryoga was kneeling on the grass. Julia had already brought Brittany and Shampoo inside. Brianna and Gina were somehow keeping Pee-wee, the bald woman (Zelda), and the ninja guy (Daishi) occupied.
Theo looked over the battle, looking at everyone's auras. From almost all of the people from Nerima, there was a small tendril of power going from their heads to Pee-wee.
Pee-wee was controlling them directly. Theo's eyes narrowed.
Ranma dodged the attacks from Genma and Akane. Taro was only a bit faster than he used to be, so he wasn't the first on Ranma's list. Akane was fifty times stronger, but Genma was still the most dangerous. Akane's face showed no emotion, but Genma and Taro were definitely smiling.
"Foolish boy," Genma said, "You cannot beat me now even with your unholy powers."
"I'm not unholy, you idiot!" Ranma said, dodging Genma's incredibly fast attacks, "I'm a werecheetah!"
Ranma was suddenly grabbed from behind by Taro. Genma took this opportunity to slam his fist into Ranma's stomach rapidly. Ranma grunted with every hit, but didn't cry out.
Ranma opened his center of cold, and Taro had to release him or get his arms frozen. Ranma landed, and opened another center.
A sonic boom echoed out from the yard as Ranma flowed towards Genma with a visible afterimage following him. Genma grunted as he was hurled across the yard by Ranma's hit. Genma managed to land on his feet, digging two long trenches in the ground.
Genma stared at Ranma. The energy given off by Ranma was almost like the energy that Happosai himself had.
Genma didn't move for a long time.
For those that are wondering where Happosai, Cologne, and Nodoka are, they are on the sidelines. Happosai and Cologne watched, making sure that if they were needed, they would be there. Happosai glanced at Pee-wee, and suddenly disappeared.
Ranma dodged the huge attack that came from Akane. The attacks made the ground shake, knocking everyone off balance. Ranma, being in the air at the time, burst towards Taro using his wind. Taro blinked at him.
Taro was suddenly met with a blur full of fur and really sharp glowing red claws. The tubes covering Taro were sliced open; green and blue liquids burst from them. Taro howled as his body suddenly started to spasm. Ranma could sense the raw life energy now flowing from the liquids. Taro opened a bottle and dumped the hot water contents over himself.
He shifted back into human form. The liquid coming from the tubes stopped.
Akane suddenly cried out and fell to the ground, grasping her head in pain.
"What the hell happened to you, Taro?" Ranma asked.
"Stupid fem-boy," Taro said, "They gave me power. Even without my cursed form, I can kick you're ass, cat."
"Hmph," Ranma said, "Try."
Taro charged at Ranma.
Ranma didn't move. Taro punched his head. Taro blinked as his fist went through Ranma's head, causing the figure to waver and disappear. Taro howled as pain burst through him from behind. Ranma, with his feet braced on Taro's back, was holding several of the tubes, making him effectively stand on Taro's back. Taro swiped at Ranma, trying to get him off his back.
"Careful now," Ranma said.
Ranma summoned his wind, and blasted Taro into the ground with it. Taro was knocked unconscious as his head struck a solid rock.
Ranma landed, and smirked.
That is, until he realize something.
"Where the hell is Genma?" Ranma asked himself.
"BRITTANY!" Julia's voice called.
Ranma swiftly turned around. He noted that all of the fighters besides Zelda, Julia, and Genma were either unconscious or in no state to fight. Gina and Brianna weren't hurt, but they were both firmly connected together in Zelda's grip. Genma was holding Brittany, a silver knife just below her chin. Theo and Julia didn't dare move.
Brittany was hardly breathing because of Kodachi's gas, and she didn't have enough strength to get away from Genma.
"Genma…" Ranma growled, "Release my sister… NOW."
"Shut up, boy," Genma yelled, "I will not have my son a monster!"
"And how do you expect me to be a human," Ranma said, "I was NEVER a human!"
"You shall return with me to Nerima," Genma said, "You shall never turn into… whatever you are again, and you WILL marry Akane, or I shall kill her."
"I will NEVER marry Akane!" Ranma yelled, "And if you do one thing to hurt Brittany, I will destroy you."
"You cannot defeat me," Genma said, "My abilities have increased fifty fold thanks to that brat over there."
Genma motioned to the unconscious Peewee. He also touched the knife to Brittany's neck. She yipped as the silver burned her.
Ranma's feline eyes narrowed, and his form shimmered.
"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Ranma shouted in rage. A series of three sonic bursts echoed through the yard, symbolizing Ranma's usage of his top speed, which was about 1080miles per hour. Ranma didn't trip, luckily, and Genma suddenly disappeared.
Ranma, now holding Genma, used his center of speed as he rocketed strait up into the air. When he was at least a few miles up, and stopped.
"Genma," Ranma said, glaring at Genma, whom he had by the neck, "You will go back to Nerima, and you shall leave me and my family alone."
Genma stared at where he was and at Ranma. Ranma's furry face was quite scary. And where did the boy learn to fly?
"Wha…" Genma asked, "What are you!"
"I am Rhys, son of Xerxes," the boy said, "I am a werecheetah. I am a student of the Anything Goes Ideology and the Amazonian Wu Shu. I am also the man who holds your life in his hands. Decide quickly, Genma Saotome, and decide well. Your life depends on it."
Genma swallowed hard. He hadn't heard the name Rhys since the day at the orphanage.
"Well?" Rhys said, "Quickly now."
Ranma shook Genma around. Genma whimpered. He was pretty sure the fall wouldn't kill him, but that's the best-case scenario. If he stayed at this height, the cold would kill him, and Ranma didn't seem the least bit bothered by the searing cold that now numbed Genma's skin.
"Too late," Rhys dropped him. Genma yelled as he suddenly started hurtling towards the ground. Genma managed to stop flipping over and over and look at the ground.
Best-case scenario be damned, he was dead.
About ten seconds before he hit the ground, he suddenly stopped as someone grabbed his collar.
"Do we have an agreement?" Rhys' voice said from behind him. They were still about a hundred feet up.
"Fine, fine, just put me down!" Genma whimpered.
"Okay," Rhys casually tossed Genma to the side. Genma landed harshly on the room of the mansion, before rolling off and landing on Taro's unconscious form.
Rhys floated down to the ground. He saw that Brittany was still choking. Zelda was also unconscious (and extra crispy) thanks Brianna and her explosion fetish.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"The gas that she inhaled had silver particles in it," Theo said, "Gina, take her to the lab and get her patched up. We'll bring the others."
"Ahead of you," Julia ran inside, carrying Ryoga.
Rhys flashed over to where Shampoo lay, next to Kuno's unconscious form. Ranma could plainly see that the katana had silver in it. He then saw that Shampoo had blade shaped burn marks on her hand.
Rhys slowly picked up Shampoo, and carried her into the house.
"Why would Shampoo have burn marks?" Rhys asked, "She isn't a werecreature, she's a human."
"Or she used to be," Theo said, "Was you ability to infect others sealed away?"
"Of course it was," Rhys said, "My folks did it when I was three. Ryoga's too, I asked him when we started training with Shampoo. There was no way we infected her."
"Hmm…" Nodoka said, "Maybe she turned herself into a werecreature?"
"Huh?" Rhys asked, "How could she do that? No human was ever able to do that."
"Happosai," Nodoka said, "You came up with the Anything Goes Ideology, correct?"
"Yes," Happosai said, "But there were many other people all throughout history that came up with similar ideas. The Anything Goes Ideology is the only one left alive and the only one that involves martial arts. Why do you ask?"
"Julia, tell me," Nodoka asked, "What is the origin of the werecreatures species?"
"Uh…" Julia said, "No one really knows actually."
"Ranma had said earlier that Shampoo wanted to try to form a hybrid form by mixing her curse and her human form," Nodoka said, "The center between her animal and human form."
"Nodoka," Rhys said, "Please don't call me that anymore. Genma almost killed Brittany, I don't want anything to do with him anymore. Call me by the name my mother gave me, Rhys."
Nodoka nodded, smiling slightly.
"I see what you're getting at," Theo said, "You believe that werecreatures originated from people with training in centering themselves, much like the Anything Goes style. Curses that turn one into an animal have been around for a long, long time. Finding a center between the two forms may be how werecreatures were created."
"Yes," Happosai said, "It does make sense. The reason why werecreatures can cause lasting damage to each other because of their wealth of spiritual energies, the same with magic. That still doesn't explain the weakness to silver."
"That just seems to be a coincidence," Theo said, "Silver does have many inlaid magical properties. That's why many magical artifacts has at least some silver in it."
"When she heals, we will find out if Shampoo is still human," Cologne said, "Although I do hope she still is. Being a werecreature, it's going to cause a massive unrest in the Joketsozuko amazons."
"Yeah, didn't Mousse freak out when he saw me?" Rhys asked.
"Yes," Cologne said, "About a fifth the amazons from Joketsozuko are descended from were-hunters. Mousse is one of them."
