Michael Gutin


Disclaimer: This is the last time I have to write characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, AHAHAHAHAHA!


No replies cause it's three hours 'till the end of Wednesday and my internet is being shitty and I want to get this posted as soon as possible.


Also, translations for the attacks I made are displayed in the author's notes at the bottom of this chapter.


Sick of It


Final Chapter

Neko-ken (True)


Ranma stood outside waiting. As if to mock him, the morning was as beautiful as could be seen in Nerima. The sun was shining brightly, clouds lazily dotted the sky. A slight breeze ran through the empty lot, the grass swaying ever so slightly. All this went unnoticed by the martial artist; he had other things to worry about.

(I can do this. Just this. One more hurdle and I'll finally be done. Free, to live out my life as I want to. Cologne may have beaten me before, but this time I have It…this time, I'll win…this time…)


Everyone started to gather at the edges of the lot. Everyone who was affected by this fight. The Tendo's where there, as where his fiancés and rivals. His friends from school, Tofu, Ms. Hinako, and several people who came just to see the battle of a lifetime. All of them watched and waited.


Cologne came last to the lot. Her feelings the opposite of her opponents. Relief. Finally, finally all this would be over. No more potions and drugs, no more watching her grand-daughter through away her dignity due to the stubbornness of one male. She would go back home, to China, to her village…ah yes, today was a fine day indeed.


Ranma faced off against Cologne. He remembered the final part of the scroll.

# Once one has attained a mastery of the Neko-ken the activation become automatic, one will feel the Neko-ken come, and instead of the overwhelming feat that normally accompanies, a feel of calm will instead overtake you. Only then will you have access to the amazing array of abilities granted by the Neko-ken and truly understand it's power. #

Ranma grinned. The grin he was famous for. His cocky, never surrender grin, that self assured sneer that seemed so condescending and arrogant.

(I won't lose.)


And so the fight began.


Akane watched from the sides as Ranma and Cologne fought. A stunning display of speed and power. Watched as they traded punches so fast that even her eyes, trained from years of martial arts, had a hard time following. Saw both of them fighting harder than she had ever seen them fight before. But it wasn't enough for Ranma. She saw that as fast as he was, Cologne wasn't letting a single blow get past her cane, while sneaking in an occasional blow of her own.

(Please don't lose Ranma…not after all that's happened…I need to show you that…that your not the only one who's got to change around here, that I can overcome my flaws as well…)


Shampoo watched the fight half-heartedly.

(If Ranma wins, I go back with Cologne to China in disgrace. If he losses, he's forced to come with me to China, and will be stuck in a marriage he doesn't want. Why? Why must this fight happen? Either way people get hurt…why….)


Ukyo gasped as Cologne finally landed a hit on Ranma that sent him flying, she could only watch as Ranma flew back until he hit the ground, hard. Could do nothing as he got up again, looking exhausted, yet never relenting.

(You better not screw this up Ranma. Not after all this. It won't matter what you think, about any of us, if you lose. Everything you've worked so hard to do will all be for nothing. Ranma, you jackass, you started this stupid fight, you better win it.)


"Is that all you got boy?" Cologne taunted. Ranma gritted his teeth.

(It's not working! Why? What do I still need to do? Without the Neko-ken, can I win? I…I have to at least try…)

Cologne finally decided to go on the offensive. She lunged at Ranma with inhuman speed lashing out with her staff mercilessly. Ranma soon found himself with little time to think about winning, as all his energy was diverted to repel the sudden assault. For a time, it seemed to be working, but Ranma was getting wearier by the second. His form getting sloppy, until Cologne seized the opportunity, and stuck.


Akane watched in horror as Ranma went down, hard. And this time it seemed he wasn't getting up. She rushed over to him, not caring that tears were streaming down her face.

(It can't be over, this can't be the last time I ever see him... it can't!)

She crouched next to him.

"Ranma…" she sobbed. His eyelids fluttered, then opened.

"Akane?" he managed to groan.

"Ranma, I wanted to say I'm sorry for everything…"

"Huh?"

"Not just for the name-calling and the malleting, but for something else…"

Ranma's eyes began to close again. His head rolled to the side, and he seemed to stop all movement.

Akane continued regardless. "Ranma, I'm sorry that…that I never really appreciated you, and what you did. I realize now, what you did for me…and what you gave up for me…Ranma…it was…it was so much. Even after all I did to you, you were still there for me whenever I needed it, and you risked your life so many times. And for so long I…I never really thought about it. But Ranma, I…I realize now, how much you gave…how much you cared. I guess what I mean is…well, Ranma…thank you. For everything you've done, I want to at least tell you that. It's not much but I want you to know how much I appreciate what you've done for me."

With that she collapsed on Ranma's chest sobbing, so she didn't notice when Ranma's eyes shot open.


He wasn't quite unconscious. But it was close. He vaguely registered that someone had come beside him. He heard a voice, her voice, it sounded sad, so sad. But in his tired state it took him a while to make sense of the words. It was Akane, and she was…thanking him? She was. And with that Ranma felt all the tiredness in him vanish. He realized what it had happened…

(That was it, wasn't it? My final fear. All the things I did, she never thanked me. No one did. Not my family, or my fiancés, nothing. Like it was expected, like it was something anyone would do. I was afraid of that, wasn't I? That no one appreciated what I did, that if I stopped, they'd say I wasn't living up to expectations, and leave me. But they…she does. She thanked me. And that's all I need. And now, I feel it, I feel the Neko-ken, victory will be mine!)


Cologne savored her victory.

(Oh yes, it's done now. I won. I beat him the final time, all that's left is to haul him back to China.)

It was then she felt a strange power radiating from the boy. She heard something that sounded like a mixture between a chuckle and a growl, the noise made her hair stand on end. She watched in shock as Ranma raised himself,

"It's not over yet, Old Ghoul." Ranma hissed.


Ranma felt a calmness envelop him, like he had never felt before. Gone was the worry of the battle. The limitless possibilities. The uncertain futures. It was just Ranma and the Cologne. And she was weak. Yes, now she was weak. He could sense it. Maybe she was a fine warrior, perhaps the best where she came from, but it didn't matter, what mattered was now, and now, now he would win.

The senses nearly overwhelmed him at first. Smell, sight, sound, all of it so much more detailed and powerful. He could see the sweat running down Cologne's neck. Hear her pants. And he could smell…he could smell her fear.

Oh yes, there was fear now. She was confused. She was worried.

She was screwed.

Oh, he would savor this, he would relish this battle.

"Myeeowrrrrr, come on Cologne…time to play…"

He flexed his hands, felt the ki-claws as if they were a normal part of him.

He lunged at Cologne, testing out his newfound powers, he sliced at her, and she dodged, he knew she would. But as she bounded away, she noticed the damage that had been done.

Her staff now lay on the ground in four pieces.

Ranma purred. "What's wrrrong Cologne….did I ruin yourrrr toy?"

As Cologne paled, Ranma laughed to himself.

(That's right Ghoul, be afraid…fear me, you should never have gone up against Ranma Saotome…)

Ranma watched with amusement as Cologne employed the Splitting Cat Hair's Technique.

"Silly Ghoul….mowrrrr…you rrrealize this is all pointless…it won't worrrrk….I can still smell you…"

He swiped at the real Cologne as she passed him, knocking her into the exact same spot she had earlier hit him into.

"Rrrready to give up yet?"


Cologne got up.

(So it's come to this.)

"You haven't won yet boy. Feel the wrath of the most ancient and forbidden of all Amazon Techniques, SHIKISHU YOGEN!"

The matriarch cupped her hands together and from them flew a giant dark beam of ki. Before Ranma could do anything, the beam hit him head on, slamming him down into the ground. Instead of quickly ending like the other ki attacks, this one continued. Everyone sat and watched as Ranma continued to be assaulted by it.

"What do you think now boy? Do you see how foolish it was too take on the Amazons?"

There was no answer save Ranma's grunts of pain.

Cologne kept pressing her attack, she was starting to get worn out, yet she could still sense that Ranma was alive.

(This makes no sense at all, it doesn't matter how good a martial artist he is, this attack should have killed him by now all the same.)

She then noticed a subtle change in the sound of her attack. She looked back at Ranma and saw the attack wasn't working like it was supposed to. Something was wrong. There seemed to be an invisible dome over Ranma deflecting the attack around him.

Cologne stopped her attack.

"What…what is…" she stammered.

"Ki-shield you old bitch." Ranma replied.

"But that…that's impossible, to have that level of control over ki is…"

Ranma laughed. "And what…mowrrr… did you think the trrrrue powerrr of the Neko-ken was?"

"But…"

"The claws! Think of how prrrecise my claws are, as a cat I didn't have the brrrain powerrr to make anything more than my naturrral weapons, but now old bat, I have the contrrrol and the intelligence to use my abilites…"

(….Fuck.)

Ranma grinned "Heerrrre's an attack of my own Ghoul, SEN NIDURO JIGOKU!"

Ranma's hands moved to attack Cologne at inhuman speeds.

(But this, this is just the Kacchu Tenshin Amaguriken Technique.)

Cologne moved to block the attack. But she noticed that each time she moved her arms to block, they came away with a bit of blood.

(The claws, of course, how could I forget about the claws! But with this and the shield…if he really has that kind of control…"

"Your toying with me, aren't you?"

Ranma's grin grew vicious. "Meeowrrr…why would I do that…?"

"Why you…"

"Do you rrreally want me to end this now crrroone? Allrrright…"

Ranma's hands shot out again, but this time only once.

"NEKO NO KATAINIGIRI!"

A ring of golden light sprung in between Ranma's hands. It almost looked like a halo had appeared over Cologne's head, except for on thing.

It was perfectly level with her throat.

"Well Cologne….it's yourrrr choice….surrrender now….or we see how small I can get this rrring before yourrr head pops off…"

Ranma stepped away from Cologne, though the ring remained intact.

"It's over now….meoooow…go back to China forrrr good…"

Cologne was defeated. And she knew it. It made her mad, made her furious, but she had honor. She had lost fair and square, she would go.

(All that work for nothing…)

"I concede"

The ring disappeared. Cologne slumped to the ground, thoroughly exhausted.


The fight being over, Ranma felt the Neko-ken recede from him. He looked around to see all the people that had come to cheer him on, and a few that didn't.

He saw Dr. Tofu standing there, smiling. Saw the Kuno siblings, fighting as usual. Saw Ukyo who stared at him for a second, a relieved look on her face, before turning away. Saw Shampoo huddling over the figure of Cologne, and Mousse with his arm draped around her. Saw the Tendo's there, all happily waving at him.

(They all came to see me fight. Friends, enemies, I choose who they are now. Finally, I can make whatever I want of myself. I can decide who these people are to me, what they mean to me. It was hard, one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But the things that are worthwhile are never easy to get…)

He looked up and saw Akane, with the brightest smile he had ever seen.

Ranma took her hand in his and said "Let's go home."


Author's Note: Well, that's it, it's done. I feel pretty good actually. It's really about time I finished this story. And I've got several other stories I'm working on, so I don't really miss the characters I made. I didn't really make them though, did I. But in a way I did. Because I added to them, and changed them, and because of that they'll always feel partly mine. But that's enough of me yapping.

Now, I bet you people are wondering about what the attacks that I created mean, and I shall be more than happy to tell you. Now, these most likely aren't very accurate, but I tried my best, honest.

SHIKISHU YOGEN- Now the Japanese word 'shi' can mean a lot of things. Among them, it can mean 'four' or 'death' so this attack is either Death Horseman Prophecy or Four Horsemen Prophecy, I did this on purpose, because if you take it to mean 'death' well, death horseman sounds pretty ominous, but if you take it to mean 'four' then it's referring to the four horseman of the apocalypse, in which case, their 'prophecy' is also quite bleak.

SEN NIDURO JIGOKU- 'Thousand Needle Hell' I called it that cause the claws they're…you know…sharp….like needles…and with Amaguriken speed…there would be a lot…c'mon, it's pretty good…well…you try coming up with a better one!

NEKO NO KATAINIGIRI- 'Cat's Grip' because…I really don't have to explain this do I? I mean, c'mon, it doesn't get much more obvious then that.

And that's about it really. I guess I left enough open to make a sequel for this, but at this point I'm really not interested in doing one. Ah well, maybe someday I will.

Just because this is my last chapter does not give you an excuse not to review. So make sure you do. Or I'll have to…I'll have to… (Insert vague, impossible-to-carry-out threat here)

That's it. See ya.