Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video. I have no ownership to these characters, or names.

Ranma 1/2

Chapter XX: The Death of a Master

Drake let his sword fall to the ground. 'Damnit, we're just not powerful enough!' Drake thought. 'If he can use attacks like that, then what chance do we have?' Drake glanced at Ranma. 'Wait, there's still a chance!'

"Wahoo! I just love the sight of ruble in the evening, don't you boys?" Happosai taunted.

Ranma fell to his knees. "No, this can't be real!" Ranma slammed his fist into the ground. "Mom! Pop! Shampoo! They gotta be okay, they just gotta be!"

"Face it, Ranma, they're all dead! No one can survive a blast like that!" Happosai said.

Ranma whirled around to face Happosai. "You! I'LL KILL YOU!" Ranma was about to charge when a bucket of water hit him in the face. "Ow, what'd ya do that for?"

Happosai's jaw hit the floor. "Wha? You still didn't change? How, why, it's just not fair!" Happosai got all teary eyed.

"Ranma!" Drake said. "I know your mad, I am too, but we need to focus on the here and now. We've still got a shot here. I need you to lead him in to the hirou-shoten-ha, can you do that?"

"Yeah, but, he can avoid it." Ranma said.

"I've got a plan, just do it okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Ranma turned back to happosai. "Yo, freak! I'll make you a deal, okay? If you can beat me, I'll turn back into a girl and try on some of your collection."

"What? You mean it?" Ranma nodded. "Alright then, Ranma! Here I come!"

Happosai charged and Ranma began to lead him into the spiral.

"Ha! You can't really think that attack will work on me again, do you?" Happosai said. He kept up his offense on Ranma. When they neared the center, Happosai invoked the soul of ice as Ranma did. Ranma's soul of Ice wavered when he thought of Shampoo.

'Damnit! I knew this wouldn't work!' Ranma thought. But then he sensed an enormous ki behind Happosai. 'What the heck?'

Drake grabbed happosai and pinned him to his chest. "Hey, what're you doing?" Happosai protested.

"Now, Ranma! Use the hirou-shoten-ha!" Drake yelled.

"But, you'll be!" Ranma protested.

"Just shut up and do it!" Drake said.

"No, cheaters! That's not fair!" Happosai said.

"You're finished old man! HIROU-SHOTEN-HA!" Ranma cried, his eyes ablaze with a rage that the old man had never seen before.

The attack went straight for Drake and happosai. Happosai strugled but couldn't get out of Drake's grip. When the attack hit them, it created a massive explosion that knocked Ranma out cold.

Kuno was half-way to the dojo when he saw the blinding light that Ranma's attack had caused. "I must hurry, they shall need my aid!" Kuno kept running until he came to the dojo. He couldn't believe his eyes when he got there, nearly the entire city block had been leveled. "What sorcery is this?" He surveyed the crater created by Ranma's attack, and he spotted Ranma near the edge of it. Kuno ran over to him. "Saotome! Saotome, are you alright?" Ranma didn't respond. "He's out cold!" Kuno looked into the crater. "Such devastation, it's unreal!" Kuno jumped when something began shifting in the center of the crater. "Who goes there?" Kuno yelled. Drake barley managed to stand. "It's you, what are you doing down there?" Kuno asked.

Drake was covered in his own blood, he felt like everything in his body was broken. "Damn, it worked. But, I don't have very much lifeforce left. I used it all to channel my ki into Happosai. I shouldn't even be concious." Drake said.

"What are you saying? I asked what you were doing there, do you need help?" Kuno asked.

"Don't worry about me. The dojo, there were people inside. You need to go help them." Drake said.

"Alright I shall." Kuno ran off towards the dojo.

"I hope they're alright. Ukyo, please be alive." Drake said. He looked around at the devestation that had been caused. "It's finnaly over, I've avenged you, Sazuka." Drake blacked out and fell to the ground.

XD

Ranma woke up to the sound of Shampoo's voice. He sat up, ignoring the flaring pain throughout his body. He couldn't believe how much destrustion the hirou-shoten-ha had caused.

"Airen? Is you okay?" Shampoo asked with a very shaky voice.

Ranma looked at her. She looked okay, so he figured he must look like hell for her to sound so afraid. "I'll be okay, I hurt everywhere, but I'll live. You okay, Shampoo?"

"Aiya, Shampoo fine. Ryouga manage to keep room for completly cave in on us. So, almost eveyone else is okay."

"What about Drake?" Shampoo looked away. "Shampoo, tell me."

"He nearly dead, Ranma. Doctor say he have very little ki left, and he think it just matter of time before he pass on." Shampoo began crying.

Ranma put his arms around her to comfort her. "I'm sorry Shampoo."

"Saotome! You're awake!" Kuno said.

"Kuno? What're you doin here?" Ranma asked.

"I came to help you fell the demon, but alas, I was too late to help you in the fight. Forgive me for that, Saotome. But, I did manage to dig out everyone in the dojo, and they were then able to tend to your wounds."

"Uh, thanks, Kuno."

"It was a matter of honor, Saotome." Ranma blinked at Kuno. "Either way, come, the weather looks to turn grim, we shall go to my mansion, I have plenty of room for you all there."

XD

The whole group went to the Kuno estate. Kuno had Sasuke guide them all to guest rooms. Ranma was the only one who seemed to object to staying there, but when he saw no sign of Kodachi, he calmed down. Ukyo and Akari had yet to wake back up and Dr. Tofu said that there wasn't anything he could do for Drake. The herbs Drake had brought with him had all been used up, and Dove didn't have any with her either.

XD

Ukyo woke with a start. 'What? Where am I?' She thought. 'This isn't my apartment, these arn't my clothes either.' She tried to stand but fell back down. 'Guess I'll just have to settle for looking around.' She glanced around the room and saw Akari laying on a futon. 'What the hell happened?' Her thoughts were interupted by the sounds of arguing outside of her door.

"There's just gotta be somethin we can do doctor Tofu!" Ranma said.

"I'm sorry, Ranma, but it's just a matter of time now. I don't have the ability to heal the type of damage that has been done." Dr. Tofu said.

"Airen, calm down, Shampoo want help too. But, it do no good to get angry." Shampoo said.

Ukyo managed to stand and walk over to the door so she could hear better. 'I wonder what's going on?' She thought.

"But it ain't right doc! We wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Drake, we can't just let him die, we gotta do somethin!"

Ukyo gasped. She slid the door open, startling the two men, and Shampoo.

"Ucchan, hey, you okay?" Ranma asked, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Ran-chan, tell me what happened to Drake." Ukyo said. Ranma remained silent. "I said tell me you jackass!" Ukyo yelled at him.

"Ranma." Shampoo said. "Shampoo tell her."

End Chapter 20

ss4-link: Mwahaha. thanks as always. Response to random quote: I kill everyting in my path to gain that experiance.

Wonderbee31: Happi is dead now, I assure you. Lol, Ranma's Hirou-Shoten-Ha wouldn't have been so destructive if he had stayed calm.

dana-san: Hope the end of the fight was decent enough. Thanks for the review.

Innortal: Happi probaly flew. Similar to Cologne when she first showed up in Nerima. I'm not sure I actually said he had attacked the Joketsuzoku that day, but I see where you got that, lol, my bad.

nonengel: Yes, he won't be remembered fondly.