CHAPTER 29

-"OKAY, EVERYBODY, LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH…THE STORY THUS FAR"-

Hey, everyone! This is your friendly neighborhood narrator! You know, the one who was supposed to have been fired, oh, about ten or so chapters ago? I'm still here! Hee hee!

Well, a LOT has happened since our story began! So let's review some of the events and the major players involved, shall we?

It all started out as a usual day for Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts, and his fiancée Akane Tendo:

"Geez Akane," Ranma snaps, "Why do you always have to be so violent?"

Akane counters back with, "Cause you're always being a hentai, and a pervert that's why!"

"Now why do you say that?"

"Don't give me that innocent face you jerk! I saw you flirting with that Chinese bimbo Shampoo!"

"For the 12th time Akane, I wasn't flirting! She came onto me and asked me as usual to take her out. It's nothing to get jealous about."

"Who's jealous! You can go out with whomever you want! I don't care!"

"Riiight. I don't know why you can't control yourself, I mean, you blow up at everything."

Akane glares at him. "What did you say to me?"

The next thing Ranma sees is the terrible mallet that Akane takes out and uses to pound Ranma into the pavement. After that she walks away, leaving Ranma on the pavement:

A hurting Ranma groans, "Ugh… Damn Akane and that mallet… I swear, why do I follow this stupid engagement? Man, I got fiancés who want to marry me, people who want to kill me, a crazy family… Things can't get weirder than this!"

Of course, Ranma doesn't know how right he is….

The girl apologizes, "Oh I'm sorry! My name is Ran Hayami, sorry about this…"

Ran Hayami, a girl suffering from amnesia, shows up on the doorstep of the Tendo Dojo one rainy night. Because of her memory loss, Ran has no recollection as to who or what she really was, or where she came from. All she could remember was her name and that she was supposed to find Ranma Saotome for some reason.

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

"WHY YOU... THAT'S IT! TAKE THIS! KYAAAAAAAAA!" Then with pure rage, Akane charges against Ran, but Ran just evades her attacks, Akane couldn't believe the speed this girl has. She's getting very, very, frustrated. "STAND STILL YOU BITCH SO THAT I CAN HIT YOU!"

Ran laughs, "You cannot be serious, girl! Why would I let you hit me? What a joke!"

That only makes Akane even angrier then before. Then with blind rage, she throws punches and kicks, but Ran dodges them all with ease. Ranma was watching the fight; when he sees Ran fighting, he recognizes the moves that she was doing: Ranma thinks, WOW, Ran's fighting skill looks very much like… like the Saotome Special Techniques, but how? How is it that she knows that fighting style?

And Ran was getting tired of Akane, then, she decides to end it. She hits Akane with a powerful punch in her stomach. Akane goes down to the floor, twitching in pain.

-( END FLASHBACK)-

To the surprise of everyone, Ran possesses exceptional fighting skills and somehow knows the techniques of the Saotome-ryu Anything Goes Martial Arts. But how does she know how to fight? Why does she look like Ranma's girl form, and why doesn't she have any memories of her past? Nevertheless, Ranma and Ran hit it off and become friends from the start.

Akane Tendo, Ranma's "un-cute" fiancée, of course doesn't like Ran at first, thinking she's yet another fiancée for Ranma. But surprisingly, it is Ran who helps Akane get over a personal trauma from her childhood and in the process saves Ranma and Akane's engagement. From that day onward, Ran and Akane have been friends, almost like sisters.

However, Ran's been having some strange dreams. They frighten her, because they keep telling her to kill Ranma over and over again. In addition, some of them reveal clues to her clouded past. The events that gave her amnesia, and led up to her arrival in Nerima, cause her to wonder who she really is and the identity of her long-lost brother.

"The name's R. Remember it in hell!"

We meet R, a young fighter with fists of steel and a king-sized grudge against Ranma.

He's here in Nerima on orders from his boss / foster father, that mad scientist and archenemy of Megaman, Dr. Albert W. Wily! His mission is to hunt down and kill Ranma! To accomplish this, he poses as a transfer student and attends Furinkan High. While at school, R meets a familiar-looking girl (Ran Hayami)….

+++(BEGIN SERIES OF FLASHBACKS)+++

The next morning, R got up, got dressed, then he rushes toward Furinkan High School. Being his first day, he tries to study the scene. While on the way he spots Ranma, Ran, and Akane running toward school:

R thinks, There he is… Ranma Saotome, but wait, who's that girl with him? –(Ran)- She seems very familiar, but from where? Nah, I'll worry about that later.

At lunchtime, we see R sitting under a tree outside the school. He sees Ran coming toward him. R thinks: That girl is... familiar...Where have I seen her before?

The next thing he knows, Ran is sitting beside him! "Hi!" she says cheerfully.

R just turns around and glares at this girl. She's got some nerve!

Stung by his response, Ran counters, "Hey! Can't you be a little more friendly?"

Ran gets no response from R. She just looks at him. R looks back at her. Irritated, R asks, "Why are you still looking at me like that! Didn't your folks teach you not to stare?"

Ran's hurt. "I…I don't have any."

"What? Any what?"

"Folks…parents…a mother and a father…. I never had either. I've been all alone." Ran looks like she's about to cry.

"Ah, geez… Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Don't cry, okay?" R he hands Ran his handkerchief, a red silk one with a golden letter R embroidered in it; Ran dries her tears. "If it'll make you feel any better, I've got no folks either. I've been on my own for pretty much most of my life too. Anyway, let's not talk about such unpleasant things."

Ran breathes sadly, "Oh, R…."

R doesn't turn to look at Ran one bit. So focused is he on chatting with his late parents that he doesn't notice her coming toward him. The next thing he knows, she's right beside him, holding him closely, tenderly.

Huh? This catches R totally by surprise. He's never been this close to a girl before, not even with Kodachi. At this range, R gets a faint whiff of Ran's scent. He wonders if she's wearing perfume or if that's the way she naturally smelled. Either way, she smells nice. For a moment, R couldn't move, couldn't speak, his mind too shocked at their current position to consider his reaction.

"R…you must miss them so much."

Still shaken by how close she is to him at this very moment, the sound of her voice snaps R back to reality. All he can say is…

+++(END SERIES OF FLASHBACKS)+++

As a result of meeting Ran, R becomes curious about her origins as well as his own and begins to question Dr. Wily's motives.

Dr. Wily, that loony mad scientist, is back again! He blames Ranma Saotome for foiling his plans one year ago, during a fighting competition called "Anything-Goes Martial Arts 2000".

But prior to that, Wily had joined forces with that fiendish feline, that psychotic pussycat, the Cat Ghost King and his followers the Red Cat Gang! The Cat Ghost King promises Wily the power to defeat Megaman if Wily can gather strong warriors for the RED CATS' army and provide them with technology and weapons.

Bass, the strongest of Wily's creations, has been given the task of retrieving the Phoenix Stone, a powerful magic stone the RED CATS need in order to resurrect the Cat Ghost King! The Cat Ghost King promises Bass a kingdom if he can get the stone back for him, which was stolen by Ran Hayami!

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

The man sits there for a moment, lost in thought. He then comes to his senses, and asks the Guide, "So what happened to the angel after that?

"Don't know. After Cat Ghost King banished, angel disappear. May have gone back to heaven after all, or still here on Earth. No one know. Why you ask?"

"Because… " The man concentrates, and glows with a soft white light. He changes into an angel right before the Jusenkyo Guide's eyes!

The Guide is totally surprised, shocked even. "AIYA! YOU IS ANGEL! He panics, "AIYAAA! I TOO YOUNG TO DIE NOW!" Then, he realizes something. "Hey…how come you change without getting wet?

The angel facefaults, thinking Aw, man! Why is it when some people see an angel, they freak out and think they're gonna die? It's like those shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Geez! Sigh… Some things never change. Out loud, he tries to calm the frightened man. "That's not important. Look, fear not, OK? My name is Michael Angelus, and I need your help…"

-(END FLASHBACK)-

In chapter 5, we're introduced to the world champion martial arts master THE MCD, who's really the heavenly warrior Michael Angelus and yet another member of Jusenkyo's "Fellowship of the Cursed"! You would think that when splashed with cold water, Angelus turns human! Well, yes, but….so far, he is the ONLY Jusenkyo-cursed individual who can control his transformations at will, without the need for hot or cold water!

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

"…oh before I forget, I want to introduce you all to our new member…say hello to Erick Genryusai…"

From the shadows a man emerges, wearing a dark red cloak, silver iron boots, a purple scar around his neck, black shirt with a skull-shaped necklace, and black pants. Erick bows to the group and introduces himself. "Hello you all, I am Erick Genryusai. Pleased to meet you."

-(END FLASHBACK)-

And in the same chapter we meet the Cat Ghost King's chief henchman, High Priest Erick Genryusai. Don't be fooled, guys and girls, 'cause underneath that handsome face is the darkest evil! Betrayed by the woman he loved and left for dead, he used magic from a forbidden scroll. He emerged from what would have been his burning tomb, now immortal and wielding terrible power!

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

CHINA -(ASIA)- 200 B.C

Michael Angelus, now in his Jusenkyo-cursed human form, is face to face with Erick in the place where the Great Wall of China will be in the future…Erick is still wearing his same clothes. Angelus found out that Erick has now become an evil person. With the spells learned from those forbidden scrolls, Erick wrought chaos on many lands:

Angelus angrily asks, "Erick, why are you doing this? Why are you using those spells to hurt people, instead of helping them? Have you lost all sense of humanity in you?"

Erick snorts, "Oh please, Michael, don't give me that lecture…have 'I' lost my humanity? I don't think so, it is Humanity that has lost its Humanity… you think very little of them Michael!"

"What you're saying is rubbish, Erick! What has happened to you? You used to be a noble man, and now, you're a dishonorable one."

"Maybe I woke up. You should do that too Michael."

Angelus is confused. "What do you mean?"

Erick explains for his former friend, "What I mean is…you should realize that this world we live in isn't a fantasy, it ain't no Heaven. Maybe if you try to think more with your head, with more conscience, maybe then you'll realize that God isn't such a nice person after all."
Oooh, Angelus is mad now. "Don't you DARE insult my Lord, Erick! I won't allow you to!"

Erick gives Angelus the no-no finger gesture. "Michael, Michael, how pathetic of you…You're like a dog, protecting its master, obeying every command its master gives, You're like a slave to Him."

Angered by this, Angelus declares, "ENOUGH! Listen, Erick, I don't want to be your enemy, but if you continue to behave like this, and do all those nasty things…then I'm afraid that I'll have to stop you, do you understand?"

Erick laughs, "My, my, aren't WE in a foul mood?" Then, seriously, he says while charging a fireball, "I don't think so, Michael. If you want to be my enemy, so be it."

Erick then launches his fireball at Angelus, who evades it and the fireball explodes. When the smoke clears, Erick is gone…all Angelus finds is a note to him saying…

-"There is no worst Blind, then the one who doesn't want to see…Erick"-

Angelus snarls while holding the paper, "Erick…!"

-(END FLASHBACK)-

He and Michael Angelus have a history together going back for centuries. Once great friends, after Erick's fall from grace, the two became bitter enemies.

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

"Well… Every good king needs a royal advisor. Allow me to serve you, Lord Bass." Erick bows to Bass.

This surprises Bass "HUH? Uhh…" Then, "Yeah, right. Serve me? Why would you want to do that?"

"I have my reasons, Bass. For now, let's just say that you're not the only one who's not too keen on the new star of the RED CATS."

Bass knows who Erick's talking about. "Lemme guess…."Dog-Boy"?"

Erick laughs, "Yes, that's a good name for Lord R. I like it! It fits him. He is a dog isn't he? You have a great sense of humor, Bass!" His tone of voice at this point gets serious. "But anyway, with my help, you'll be able to find Lady Ran and the Phoenix Stone a lot quicker."

Bass seems to like Erick's idea. "Hmm…. Sounds interesting. But what do YOU get out of it?"

"Bass, I'm hurt! I guess working for Dr. Wily has made you rather skeptical. Believe me, I'm on YOUR side. I believe we'll make a great team. Besides, seeing Lord R humiliated and broken is more than enough reward for me." For now, anyway…

Bass is interested. "Really? Is that so? Hmmm…. Very well, you've got a deal." He then shakes hands with Erick.

Erick seems pleased. "I knew I could count on you, Bass. You won't be disappointed."

-(END FLASHBACK)-

Erick Genryusai and Bass find out they have something in common – they don't like R! They decide to team up in order to find Ran and the Phoenix Stone…. and maybe humiliate R in the process.

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

Erick states, "As you may already know Bison, we of the Red Cat Gang are asking you for your partnership…a team-up as you may call it."

M. Bison's skeptical at this point. "I don't know. I still don't know much about this. Why do you need my cooperation?"

Erick cheerfully explains, "You're just the right man for it…I mean, Shadowloo has a powerful army at its disposal; you have almost all the necessary equipment to accomplish our ultimate goal."

Bison snickers, "Finding the Phoenix Stone I presume?"

"Yes…I see that Delia told you about it, didn't she?"

"Yes, but only a little…just what is this Phoenix Stone?"

"The Phoenix Stone is a powerful magic stone that is said to have come from the –"Legendary Phoenix Bird"- millions of years ago…legend says that the stone has enough power to destroy an entire world…or conquer it in a flash!."

Power…that word rings so true to M. Bison. He loves that word:

Erick continues, "And…its power is so destructive that it makes a nuclear blast looks like a little firecracker."

Sagat gasps, "Say what?"

Balrog's wide eyed. "No way! You're bluffing!"

Erick points to himself. "Do I LOOK like I'm bluffing…?"

Even Bison is shocked. He gasps, "But, how can a stone have so much power?"

Erick replies, "It's a real mystery…that's why we need your help, to find the stone."

Bison thinks about it for a couple of minutes. He's thinking about the possibilities of obtaining that stone: Hmm, If I team up with these jokers, I'll be able to find this Phoenix Stone and claim it for myself…then I'll combine its power with my Psycho Power, giving me the powers of a God!"

Then he addresses Erick. "Very well, I accept. Shadowloo will help you."

Erick smiles. "Good, M. Bison. You have made a wise decision. We are grateful to you."

-(END FLASHBACK)-

Thanks to Erick, M. Bison and Shadowloo join forces with the RED CAT GANG to get the Phoenix Stone.

-(BEGIN FLASHBACK)-

In the Underworld, within a castle, lies a Vampire called Demitri Maximoff. Once exiled from Makai centuries ago, he has returned from the human world, hungering for even more power to give him once again the title as Ruler of the Night. He sits on his throne, when one of his servants enters the room. "Excuse me, Master Demitri."

"What is it?" Demitri looks down on the servant.

"I have being doing some research on the mortal realm, Master, and found out something very interesting."

Demitri raises an eyebrow, "Oh! What is it?"

"It seems that there's this movement of many peoples who are trying to find this object called…-"The Phoenix Stone".-

"Phoenix Stone! What's that?"

"Well…according to our spies, it is a legendary magic stone that said to have tremendous powers, which come from the legendary Fire Bird itself!"

Demitri's interested. "Really? Tell me more."

The servant begins to explain to his Master Demitri all about the Phoenix Stone and its power, as well as all those who are trying to find it. At the end, Demitri makes a new plan. "Very interesting indeed, oh yes. If I could get a hold of that Stone, my powers will be supreme! It will give me the powers to reclaim my title as the "True Ruler of the Night"! I think I will go to the mortal world and find that stone!"

The servant risks asking, "Is it wise, my Master? What if the other ones who are also trying to find it harm you or…"

Demitri laughs, "Oh please…what could those miserable humans ever do to me? I am the supreme vampire. No mortal could ever hurt me!"

The servant is unsure. "I don't know, Master. I have seen some mortals who are as powerful as a Darkstalker, and some of them are very skilled."

Demitri scoffs at this. Mortals as powerful as Darkstalkers? Ridiculous! "No matter, they wouldn't stand against my powers!"

"If you say so, Master."

"And call Morrigan. I'll need her help."

"Right away, my Master." The servant bows and departs from the throne room.

Not so far away, a man and a little girl were walking. This man is wearing some monk-type garments, has hair that's tied in a long pigtail, and is carrying a huge sword on his back. The little girl accompanying him was around 5 or 6 years old, wearing some fancy clothes, had two little pigtails, and is carrying a small doll. The man's name is Donovan Baine, and the little girl Anita. While they are walking Anita suddenly stops and begins to feel something:

Donovan's concerned. He turns to his young charge and asks, "Anita, what's wrong?"

Anita normally doesn't speak much, and if she does, it's usually important. "I felt something. Something powerful is coming."

"What is it…is it another DarkStalker?"

"No…I sense energy so deep and yet so powerful, Donovan, I have a feeling that this is something that could spell disaster!"

"I see…from where do you sense it?"

"It's coming from the Human world."

"Then to the Human world we'll go to investigate."

-(END FLASHBACK)-

Now the Darkstalkers are involved in the search for the Phoenix Stone!

Fast forward to the year 21XX. After Megaman X and Zero finally defeat Sigma, the world is at peace, and humans and Reploids now share the Earth together.

That is, until a terrible evil mist spreads throughout the world, endangering humans and Reploids alike! It turns Reploids into Mavericks, and has the power to resurrect the Mavericks that X and Zero already defeated in their previous adventures back from the dead! Could this be a new form of the Sigma Virus?

The Maverick Hunters discover that the mist is actually an artificial virus. The only clues they were able to extract from the virus's program were "The cells….Deimos….Japan….20XX."

Of course, you and I know that these "cells" are in fact Erick Genryusai's DVL Cells!

The Cells are viral nano-machines created by Erick. Not much is known about them yet, but their effects are unpredictable - and terribly powerful. When used on humans, the Cells infiltrate their bodies and then take over their minds, turning them into mere puppets of their evil master. As a test, Erick uses them on Ryoga Hibiki and sends him to kill Ranma!

On machines, the cells take on the traits of their host, giving them unlimited potential for regeneration, reproduction, mutation, and evolution. This ability gets the attention of Bass, who figures Dr. Wily might be interested in this kind of power.

But who is this "Deimos" the Cells refer to? Could he be…

To combat this new threat, Megaman X and Zero undertake a dangerous mission. Using a time machine, they will travel back in time to destroy the Cells and their creator!

In a conversation between Dr. Wily and Bass, we learn of R and Ran's true origins, and find out that they are indeed brother and sister! But thanks to Ran's amnesia and R getting brainwashed by Dr. Wily, neither one knows it. Bass learns that R's parents never existed, their "deaths" a malicious lie cooked up by Wily to further provoke R to kill Ranma!

Now knowing this, Bass believes he can one day use this knowledge against his hated rival R and that annoying girl Ran, and destroy both siblings in one fell swoop!

And what about the Phoenix, who appeared to Ran in a dream? What is the meaning of its message?

-(Dream-Sequence)-

Ran is standing on a cliff… suddenly, the sky turns red, and a huge fire-bird appears before Ran:

Ran blinks at the magnificent creature. "Who…who are you? What are you?"

The Fire-bird speaks telepathically. Its beak doesn't even move, and yet Ran can hear its voice so clearly: (Listen Ran, you must be prepared for the outcome…for the approaching evil.)

"What are you talking about?"

(There is an evil being who wants to take over the world. You must stop him.)

"But, how will I do that?"

(Listen carefully Ran…When Fire and Lightning become one, evil will fall.)

Ran blinks. "When Fire and Lightning become one? What does that mean?"

(You'll know it, when the time is right.)

-(End of Dream)-

And, on a lighter note….

+++(BEGIN SERIES OF FLASHBACKS)+++

The statue's eyes light up. "MEOW! HEY! I'm no statue! I'm the Cat Ghost King! The most rotten villain in the universe! You'd better watch your mouth, bubble boy!

Bubbleman corrects, "Uhh…no you're not. You're a statue. Statues don't talk." Bubbleman notices that the statue's getting angry! Uh oh! "Err..um…well, at least I don't think they do…."

"Oh yeah? Can a statue do THIS?" The statue's eyes glow brightly, dark clouds of energy appear overhead, and they hear the sounds of thunder, then a huge bolt of lightning strikes Bubbleman down!

"ACK!" Electrocuted, Bubbleman falls over!

"Well, I sure showed him!" To Dr. Wily and Bass, the status says, "Now, what was I going to say before our good friend, the late Bubbleman, rudely interrupted me…"

Bubbleman gets up and says, "But I'm not dead!

"What?", the statue says, surprised.

Wily tries to cover up what's happened. "Oh no, it's nothing your highness!

"I'm not dead!"

"Hey, Doc! Bubbleman says he's not dead," Bass says, stating the obvious.

"Of course he is!" Wily insists.

"I'm not!"

"He isn't? Err…well, anyway meow, as I was saying before the near-fatal wounding of Bubbleman…."

"Um, I think I'm getting better!

Bass angrily whispers, "Yo, Bubbles! Shut up or you'll REALLY be dead!"

Dr. Wily nods discreetly to Bass, and the two villains step aside, leaving Bubbleman to await whatever horrible fate the Cat Ghost King has for him….

"As I was about to say ... before Bubbleman, when he seemed about to recover, felt the vengeance of heaven upon him...!" The Cat Ghost King charges up another blast, and zaps poor Bubbleman again!

Bubbleman cries out, "ACK! Again!"

Bass says plainly, "Well, now we know – lightning DOES strike twice!"

"…..," Bubbleman groans.

An irritated Bass turns on Bubbleman and says, "Hey, Bubbles! You tryin' to make me look bad in front of the Doc and the Big Cat?"

"Oh no, Bass! I was only trying to help."

"Be quiet."

"I mean, all you had to tell them was that we didn't find the girl and…."

"Shut up!"

"Well, I don't see why you're so mad at me. I was just saying…."

Bass has had it! He grabs Bubbleman by the collar and shakes him. "Shut up, will you, shut up!"

"ENOUGH!" Dr. Wily yells. Bass stops shaking Bubbleman and tosses him to the ground. Bubbleman's out cold, with little dizzy swirls in his eyes.

As R and Bass fight, Bubbleman enters the living room, holding a large triple-decker sandwich filled with every edible thing possible and a can of cherry cola. The two fighters are so busy trying to beat each other senseless they don't even notice him! "Hey, Bass! What's going on? I heard a lot of noise from the kitchen, and…." Bubbleman then freaks out when he sees R. "ACK, R'S HERE! OH NO! WHEN DID HE GET HOME?"

At that moment Bass fires another Buster Shot at R, who leaps out of the way. The blast hits Bubbleman instead, burning up his sandwich, and blows up the can, spilling soda all over Bubbleman, shorting out his circuits! "ACK! MY SANDWICH! WAAAHHH!" He falls over, defeated!

Bass finally notices the slain Bubbleman. "BUBBLES!" Then, he yells at R, "WHY YOU, DODGING LIKE THAT! YOU KILLED BUBBLEMAN! YOU BASTARD!"

Bubbleman wakes up, groaning, "Uhh…I'm not quite dead, Bass!"

Bass is a bit deflated upon finding out that Bubbleman is not yet dead. "Err..well, uh…" He yells at R again, "YOU MORTALLY WOUNDED BUBBLEMAN! YOU BASTARD!"

"No, really, I'm OK!" Bubbleman insists.

"Oh, I see." Damn it!

As he's getting up, Bubbleman says, "Actually, I think I'm all right to come help you…"

Just then, a piece of the ceiling weakened by the battle cracks apart and falls on Bubbleman, clocking him in the head!

CRACK! WHUNK!

"OW!… Ugh….!" Bubbleman falls over unconscious, little dizzy swirls in his eyes again.

+++(END SERIES OF FLASHBACKS)+++

Yes folks, even Bubbleman is in the race for the Phoenix Stone! He believes if he can get it for Dr. Wily and the Cat Ghost King, then he will get a much-needed vacation! Of course, this begs the question – Can he do this without injuring himself or something bad happening to him in the process?

What's going to happen next?

What new enemies will Ranma and Ran face?

What are Erick Genryusai's real intentions, and why does he help the Cat Ghost King? What evil plan does Erick have in store for R?

Will Bass realize his dream of becoming a king?

Will Ran discover the true identity of her long-lost brother?

And will poor Bubbleman survive another chapter without something bad happening to him?

And so, our story continues...

TO BE CONTINUED…