Puns abound

Akane had come home after a day out with her friends. When she entered her home she discovered that Genma and her father were unconscious and there were two strangers standing near the hall. Her mind went through its normal process of determining what was happening. This process was incredibly slow. Then Ranma and Kasumi entered the picture, with their belongings packed. Akane looked on in shock, "Are you leaving somewhere Ranma?"

Ranma, not even missing a beat, "Nope, I just like carrying all my things around in a large backpack," here's yer sign

Kasumi stopped and giggled slightly. Ranma was always entertaining. "Where are we headed first Ranma?"

Ranma sighed, "I have to meet with Cologne, so I can get that mirror for Ed and Winry. You got everything you need?"

Kasumi nodded as the Elric couple joined them. They began to walk out when Akane finally figured out she had been insulted. "Ranma you Jerk!"

Ranma prepared for the assault but nothing happened. He turned to find that the mallet had been stopped by wrench. Ranma stared in shock. The evil sledgehammer had been stopped by Winry's personalized wrench. The handle had been molded to her hand and had a stylized W on both sides. Ed stepped away when he saw a battle of tools. Winry was a master.

For the first time Ranma finally got a good look at the mallet that always nailed him. I was an actually a sledge most commonly used in railroad work. The handle had a 'John Henry's Own' label burned into it. He could tell it was a quality tool; it never broke when she tried to cave in his skull.

The two eyed each other, neither letting the other an opening. Kasumi was about to step forward but was pulled to the side by Ranma, "Are you crazy Kasumi? You could have been hurt!"

Kasumi watched as the two exchanged blows. Winry knew how to work a wrench in a fight. "I never knew Winry was a martial artist,"

Ranma shook his head, "Nope, she is a master of her craft. When your done learning from her, you can do that too."

Kasumi was stunned. She watched as Winry took down her little sister with little effort. When all was said and done, Winry got a bored look, "A mangled arm takes more energy."

Ranma and Ed came out of hiding, weary of the tool in the blond woman's hand. Kasumi followed in an almost reverent pace. The inner tech geek was winning the battle against her reserved mask.

Ranma hefted his pack then turned to Nabiki, "Here, If all works out, I wont need this anymore,"

Nabiki looked in her hand to find roughly one hundred dollars in US currency. She looked up to ask how but they all had departed. Only one thing sprang forth "Damn, life is going to get dull,"

Ranma sighed as he kicked the pebble around as he walked down the street. He had scrounged up that money for an important occasion. He huffed, I guess delaying Nabiki so we could make a get away is important. But still… he thought as he continued.

Ed and Winry noted Ranma's sudden funk. "Hey Ranma, What's up with getting a mirror? How does that help us?" Winry ventured.

Ranma looked back, "The mirror is magical. Since it got cracked it won't work. But if you fix it, it can send us to where you came from, even back to when you left!"

Winry looked at Ed, "Send us back?"

Ed looked around to feign ignorance. He caved in and confessed. "Look, Ranma said that their might be a way to get us back. I said I would talk to you about before we even think about trying. I want to go back because Al and Auntie Pinako need us. You heard Ranma, we could be back only after a week went by!"

Winry stopped dead in her tracks. How could she have forgotten Al and Grandma?

Ed bumped into Kasumi when she stopped. He apologized and looked around. He discovered that he was outside a restaurant called the cat café. Ranma was on the verge of glaring at the door. "We get the mirror and we leave. I just hope it isn't a struggle to pry it from them."

They entered and discovered the place to be empty. Ranma located Cologne and began what he called torture. "Hello Cologne. I've come for the Naban mirror."

The elder's eyes narrowed, "You know the mirror is cracked so it won't work. Why do you need it Son in Law?"

Ranma sighed, "I can get it restored so I can help my friends get home."

She turned to the Elrics, "How do you know Ranma?"

Winry answered without thinking, "I'm his Automail mechanic,"

Ranma cringed when she said that. He looked at the old ghoul, "Long story. Now about that mirror?"

The ghoul pulled it from her sleeve, "I sincerely doubt you can fix it, but go ahead and try,"

Ranma handed it to Ed. The Alchemist frowned as he looked at the mirror, "Small order Ranma. How is this thing going to get us back?"

"I'll explain afterwards. You do what you do,"

Ed put the cracked mirror on the table. He clapped his hands and then put them on the mirror. Light issued forth and the crack was gone, it was good as new. He held it up for all to see. "Now how do we get home?"

Cologne was stunned by what she had seen. Not only was the crack gone, but she could feel the power return to it as well. "I thought I'd never live to see the day,"

Ranma took the magical item from the diminutive Ed. "Does it work again Granny?"

She nodded, "Yes indeed. They need it to return home you say?"

Ranma nodded, "Yea they do. This is the only way I could think of. Will you let them use it?"

The elder just nodded, "A one way trip that is permanent requires more than a tear. A drop of blood from all those departing is needed. Just say where and when you need to be and off you go,"

Ranma and Kasumi looked at each other, "Now or never," he whispered.

Ranma stood close to the mirror as he pricked a finger. Ed and Winry had done so and turned to them. "Well, time to go guys."

Ranma and Kasumi paid their fee for travel and Ed said their destination before Cologne could react. The four were off to another world, leaving Cologne to catch the mirror before it hit the ground.