Suikoden One Half
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here that belong to Ranma 1/2. The Ranma 1/2 cast belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Suikoden 3 or any other characters that I put into this story except for my own OCs. Neither do I own any of the character in any of the crossovers I do. I'm just using them in this fanfiction and I have no money so don't bother suing me. You'll just lose money instead of gaining any.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 19 – Gathering Storm Part 3
The next day -
Ranma is walking to the warehouse area of downtown Shibuya. He knows that his parents and the two remaining Tendos are following him. They're the reason he is leading them there. There will be a lot of property damage during the meeting because Genma, Soun and Akane will try to force him to come back like his two former fiancées did. He wanted to avoid doing that in the temple where the damage the fight with Happosai incurred is still being repaired from his visit.
Since the old lecher said they would arrive today he just started walking around and sure enough they found him. The streets are deserted with only the Army and Core units around as they drove around on the lookout for monsters. He thought he would have to explain himself or something when they had spotted him, but for some reason they are very friendly to him. They generally nod in his direction or even wave sometimes. Some of the higher ups even tip their hats to him! He checked his all blue outfit for any stains and could not find any. He waved back though a bit hesitantly and nervously. He is not THAT famous, is he?
Genma, Soun, Nodoka and Akane are only a few steps behind him. He noticed them long ago. It is very hard NOT to with Akane glowing red like a bonfire. The two fathers are still hell bent on getting him to bring the two schools together. His mother, with everything he has done for the city, will want him back into the family. If he is to become a Saotome again then their place in the social order will soar why into the high social order. And all what Akane wants out of this is just that her punching bag back in her hands.
Of course there is the well-known fact that he is very rich. He knows that his father as well as Mr. Tendo wants his money all for themselves.
What they did not notice is that they are being followed themselves. By more then one group even.
As he walk down one of the streets when he spots an odd couple walking on the sidewalk. The guy is very gentle looking and a little older than himself. He has short brown hair and is wearing a white shirt and a pair of jeans. The girl with him is what got his attention. She is a bit shorter than the guy and has short blue hair. She is wearing a purple kimono that is tied in the back by a dark red slash. On her feet are wooden sandals and socks. She is wearing a very traditional outfit for a Japanese woman, but she stood out since kimonos are generally worn for formal occasions now. She is avidly talking to the guy as they walked towards him, but when she turned her head to face his direction her eyes opened up in shock and she tripped on the sidewalk.
Kaoru Hanabishi and Aoi Sakuraba had come down to Shibuya to pick up a gift for Chika whose birthday is coming up. The other girls that are living in the Aoi's big house said it was too dangerous to go. However, the two said that they will be fine and went to the city. Since there are so few customers at the surrounding malls and stores that prices went down to hopefully attract more.
The two are obliviously talking about what they should get when Aoi turned her head to see where they are going. When she did she saw the person that is from all accounts the city's monster protector. Her eyes widened at seeing the celebrity. Then she felt herself lose her balance and found herself falling.
Before she could hit the ground she felt herself stop. Looking to the arm that is holding her shoulders she spots the very celebrity that caused her to trip. "O-o-oh my! I'm so sorry!" She quickly recomposes herself and bows to Ranma. "Thank you very much for your help."
Ranma got flustered and quickly stood her up. "Y-your welcome. Just watch your step okay."
Kaoru scratched his head. "Thanks for catching…!" He froze when he recognized the person standing in front of them. "You're Ranma Wild! It's such an honor to meet you!" Kaoru quickly mimicked Aoi's action just a moment ago bowing to him from the waist.
Ranma got even more flustered. "Cut that out will you!" When the two stood up straight Ranma asked, "So what are you doing here out in the streets? Haven't you two heard that it's dangerous to be out on the streets now?"
"Well since the stores around here have little business they're all having sales," Kaoru spoke up. "We came here to get a gift for a friend of ours."
"Oh. That's a good idea. But you two shouldn't stay out late okay. I don't know when something will happen," Ranma said to them.
"We will. Thank you for your concern," Aoi said. "It's been a great honor to meet you. I'm sure that your family is quite proud to have someone like you bringing so much honor to the family na…" Aoi stopped speaking as she saw the look that she knows quite well. It is the same look that Kaoru gets when he talks about his family on his father's side. If the look did not tip her off the slight growl coming from him would have. Kaoru also noticed and wondered what is wrong.
"My family name means nothing to me," Ranma growled. "I broke all of my ties with my family long ago. To be frank my family name isn't really Wild. It's just a name that, I picked to use while I'm here in Japan."
"Why did you do that?" Aoi asked.
"Because all my former family just wanted me for is a person that they could live off of or just to make sure that the family name has great honor to it. They wanted me to bring in all the money and honor to the family name without doing a thing in return. They never once though about MY feelings on the matter or what I wanted to do with my life! Hell my life had already been decided for me even before I was born! They just wanted me to be their puppet to be used whenever they wanted," Ranma said with disgust in his voice.
Kaoru shook his head in disbelief. "That's the same thing that my grandfather did to me."
"You went through the same thing?" Ranma asked his eyes softening looking at Kaoru while inside he feels like jumping for joy. This could be someone that understood him!
Kaoru nodded with a dark look on his face. "Yeah. He and the rest of my family on my father's side cared nothing for me. They only care that I become the next head of the family."
Ranma felt a bit sorry for him and a bit amazed to find someone that went through the same thing he did. "Let me give you some advice. Don't ever let them have the upper hand and control you. If you can't stop them for doing so just go public with what's happening to make them stop. Their kind are always all the same. It's their public image that they care about. They'll back down once the public knows what's really happening."
Kaoru smirked at him. "Thanks for the advice."
"No problem." Ranma said then studied the two for a second. "If I'm reading you two right you two are engaged to join the two families together, right?"
Kaoru and Aoi looked at him in astonishment. "How did you know?"
Ranma shrugged. "That's one of the reasons why I left in the first place. My family tried to force me into marrying someone that didn't even treat me kindly. I'm no expert but something told me that you two were put in an arranged marriage. From what he…" Ranma pointed to the man since they did not introduce themselves. "…said about his family it would make sense for them to arrange for him to get married to someone of their choosing."
Ranma then smiled widely. "But I can see that you two are truly in love with each other. Never forget why you're in love with each other and not why you two are engaged. You two will live a great life together. I just know it."
Kaoru and Aoi are touched by what he said. The two properly introduce themselves to him before leaving. When Ranma shook hands with Kaoru and even Aoi something unexpected happened. The sky blue side of the Chaos Rune glowed a little momentarily before returning to normal as if blessing the couple.
The two lovers watched as Ranma walked away from them. They felt something in those words of his and felt their bond to each other grow with it.
Ranma continued on towards the warehouse district. On the way he thinks about what the two had said to him. It is true that the stores ARE having sales all over the place. With that in mind he entered a store that he passed by. The Saotomes and Tendos can wait a bit right?
Half an hour later he came back out. He stored the tiny packages he bought from the store with Hidden Weapons and went on. Good thing he came out at that exact moment too as his stalkers were about to storm the store.
As they continued on he can hear them snickering evilly. He can imagine the two fathers rubbing their hands together. He can also sense Akane's aura getting bigger. He swears he heard his mom say, "My son is so manly!" What are they up to?
What he did not realized is that the four of them had seen what store he went to and are ecstatic. Only someone with a lot of money goes into one of those stores! When they looked into the store and saw the glittery things he bought they became really excited. The fathers thought that soon that money would be theirs while Nodoka is quite happy to have such a well off son. Akane's knuckles turned white from the pressure she is using, That baka never bought her anything before!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warehouse district -
Someone else besides the Saotomes and Tendos were following Ranma. Ellen had been on her motorbike when she had spotted Ranma walking down one of the side streets and had been following him down to the warehouse district of the city. It looks like he is going to meet somebody since that's what most warehouses are used for in the movies. The warehouse district was empty of people ever since the monster attacks on the downtown police station. Most of the other busy areas in the city are left empty since the fear of another attack might happen again soon. The streets are eerily empty since this is a Japanese city and she had an odd feeling that something is going to happen soon. It was like that Resident Evil and other zombie or monster movie flicks where the streets were all empty of people and the monsters are lucking in the shadows.
Ranma feeling that he led them far enough waited for them to catch up. He heard their footsteps approaching and planned out everything in his head. He was going to show them that he is no longer their puppet to be used anymore. As if the sky knew what he is feeling the dark clouds that are hanging above the sky let rain fall down to the ground below setting the right mood. The Saotomes and Tendos are a bit surprised he did not change but shrugged it off. They can always get the cure from him after they have him under their control again.
Ranma had stopped in a clearing that is surrounded three sides by warehouses. "So you finally came," Ranma said to the Saotomes and the Tendos as they approached him and stopped a few feet away.
Ranma's eyes widened a bit now that he can truly look at their state of being now. They just all look awful! All their clothes are in horrible states. Akane's yellow dress is especially bad. It looks worn out and very much needs a good cleaning. The four look like they have not bathed in a long time. You can almost see the stink lines coming from them. They look very tired and travel worn. The most surprising of all is his biological mother. She would never have let herself turn out like this in the past. Her red kimono is wrinkled and has dirt stains all over it. Nabiki told him that she earned all the money for them and that she did not give them money to reach Shibuya. Her reasoning is that they are so poor at manipulation that they would have chased him away rather than bring him back. Only his mother had a chance but even then with her views on honor might have chased him off again like last time. Just what happened? Did they pool their money together so they can get here and sacrificed everything else? He felt a hint of pity for them.
Genma didn't beat around the bush as he made his demands. "Boy! You will marry Akane today and join the two schools together!"
The pity went away at his former father's statement. Ranma crossed his arms together. "Why should I?"
If she could she would have fingered her katana. "If you do we will welcome you back to the Saotome clan my son. By saving this city many times you have proven that you are worthy of being reinstated into the clan." Even in her horrendous state she acted regal.
Ranma snorted. "Save it NODOKA. All you care about is about the family honor. You already know the family that has me in it will be the most honorable family in Japan with only the Emperor's family and a few others being better. It doesn't matter to you that you're taking my life from me just as long as I'm back under your control. As I said before when we parted that you were never a parent to me at all!"
"How can you say that to your own mother!?" Nodoka shouted. She would have taken out her katana if she still had one. Right now she's itching to force Ranma down to her will even thought his insult about control is true. She'll just have to change his thinking later on.
He frowned. "You were never a mother to begin with. You are just like the rest of your family just as GREAT-GRANDFATHERsaid they are." Nodoka's eyes widened in fear and she started shaking. "Yes, I know the family secret that you've been hiding from me all this time Nodoka. Does the name Indiana Jones mean anything to you." Nodoka became pale. "Yup, I know that I'm part American and so are YOU."
"How did you…?" Nodoka trembled as the secret shame of her family is coming to light.
He rolled his eyes at her. "What? Did you expect that he would just leave his only family member he has left besides you alone? He has told me the whole story of how my great-grandmother's parents hated anything that is not Japanese and how they took your father away from him after great-grandma Hina died during the war. He told me of how they made him into what they are, which is people who are still living in the past and refusing to change with the times as if their way is the only real way to live."
He uncrossed his arms and looked at them with a look they couldn't read. "He took me in, no questions, no requirements needed. He took me into his family without a second thought. Even though I'm using a fake name right now my real name is RANMA JONES! I am the great-grandson of Indiana Jones to carry on his legacy and I do it with pride!" he said with true pride in his voice.
"Is what he said true?" Mr. Tendo asked before his mouth returned to imitating a goldfish.
Nodoka with great shame said, "Yes. My family has done everything to erase that blood away from our veins. It is the secret shame of my family."
Genma looked livid. "That doesn't matter! We are still your parents and you will do as we say! Oh why do I have such a dishonorable son!"
Soun thought about this. Ranma is not a pure blood. A year ago he would have broken off the engagement and burned everything that even HINTED that the boy was at his home. Only the burakumin would have gotten an even worse treatment from him. Now, however, even he can't ignore the dire situation of his family and so must make sacrifices. In other words Ranma's rich and it does not matter! No one knows this secret fact but them!
Ranma took out one of the coins from the other world and twirled it around his fingers. Genma and Soun followed its path with drool going down their chins. "All you want from me is my money and the gold coins that grandpa gave to me that he had found on one of his old adventures. Don't forget as a way to live off of me while you do nothing to earn your keep. Don't forget as Akane's punching bag and keeper as well."
Akane looked even madder if that's possible. "You PERVERT! You're just a stupid hentai! How can you run off like that!?" Akane shouted, mad because she has seen all those women that have been hanging around her fiancée. Yes, Ranma is hers! She owns him and she won't give up anything that's hers! She's the one he fell in love with! She's the one he should stay with!
"Is that all you can say?" Ranma asked her, "You're just a little girl that's been sheltered from the rest of the outside world. Your sisters are both ashamed that they helped to make you what you are and how you act like the world goes around you. Both of them agree that if your mother was still alive that she would die of shame to have a daughter like you."
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THOSE THINGS ABOUT ME! RANMA NO BAKA!" She looked ready to whip out her mallet and imbed his head into the ground. Only Nodoka's intervention stopped her from doing so.
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THOSE THINGS TO MY DAUGHTER!" Demon-head Soun bellowed.
Ranma ignored Soun's submission technique and addressed his former fiancée. "You are mad because you know what I say is true. Grow up CHILD! It's time for you to see the outside the real world. You never really loved me! All you see me is as something that you owned and nothing more! As long as you owned it you never let it go! It's because you lost your mother so you never want to lose anything that's yours ever again! That's a bad attitude as it makes you greedy and possessive and it's even worse since I'm a human being! The time for keeping slaves has been over for years! You have no right to think that you own me! I should have noticed it before but when Shampoo arrived is when you started to REALLY bash me around! Before that you had no threat to your property so you didn't need to 'punish' me as much!"
Genma ran up to him and grabbed him by the collar. "Boy that's enough! You will marry Akane and that is final! Don't you have any honor left in you!"
Ranma crushed his wrists and kicked him in his gut so that he skidded to right next to his wife. "You're one to talk! Grandfather has already press charges to both of you Saotomes for child abuse and has all the proof needed to put you in jail for a long time! A ten-year training trip that puts the child in mortal danger constitutes as child abuse! Oh, and don't even think of running to Happosai. I have already dealt with your master so he is of no help to you."
Genma and Soun started to celebrate the master's demise while his mother beamed at him. "My son is so manly! You bring much honor to the clan for defeating such a powerful opponent! I will forgive all your past transgressions if you come with us now. There is no need for all this. Can't you see that you are better off by listening to your parents. I know we are part gaijin," she said the last word as if it were a curse. "However, we are also mostly Japanese and should act as such. Come now son. Don't you want your mother to love you? Don't you want to come back to us?" His mother looked at him imploringly.
Ranma felt his defenses weaken at that. He had dedicated so much to pleasing her. The way his mother looked at him with pleading eyes and with trembling lips made the walls crumble. He took a step towards them.
Genma saw this and laughed triumphantly. "That's right boy! Listen to your mother! We will hold the wedding as soon as we get a priest!" He, his wife and the father of the bride ignored Akane's protest.
Ranma's defenses came back at that. Nodoka almost got him that time! "No."
All four looked at him at his refusal. "No?"
"No. I won't be controlled anymore. I have my own life now. I have someone I want to marry. I really shouldn't have fallen for that. You haven't loved me since Genma took me on that training trip. I refuse to let you dictate my life anymore by using duty and honor as if you had any."
Nodoka bristled. "Then prepare yourself my son. As soon as I am able to find a katana we will hold the seppuku ceremony. I deem you unmanly. Genma, Soun, Akane, please restrain him and serve as the witnesses. "
Ranma shook his head and got into a stance. He needs to teach them to leave him alone the hard way. From her hiding spot Ellen is filming everything knowing that this will make great news as it showed the man behind the mask.
However, everyone froze when someone began clapping.
A man dressed like a vampire out of one of those American horror movies stepped out of the shadows. "What an interesting story. I am highly entertained."
Ranma turned to face him. "So, Neclord, you overheard my story did you?"
Neclord's grin allowed everyone to see his fangs. "Yes. I must say I'm very surprised that you didn't become someone like me after going through all of that. In my long life, I have seen many people that were good as kids are turned evil thanks to stuff like that in their childhoods. But of course you are too kind hearted to ever be turned to the darkness that's inside of you. Don't even try to say you don't I seen it with my own eyes there's a darkness in you that could turn you into someone like me."
Ranma snorted. "Hmph. Just shut up and let's get started." He drew his sword out.
"I agree, but first," Neclord said, pointing to Akane and shot a beam of energy through her chest near her spine making her fall to the ground in a pool of her blood. "I got to get rid of the trash first."
"AKANE!" yelled Soun, Genma and Nodoka as they rushed to her side.
"Ran…ma…help m…me," Akane gasped as she held her bleeding wound.
Ranma looked her over. The wound isn't really that bad, just enough to stun you for a few minutes. "You'll live. Hmph. Help you? All you would do after I save you is blame me and hit me with that mallet of yours like you always do. Every time I save you is the same thing, and I'm betting this time will be the same. For once save yourself!" he said to her coldly.
Neclord grinned in feral delight. "So you're going all out then! Very good! Destroy him!" He snapped his fingers.
Coming out of the warehouses are all of Neclords monster enforcers as well as the Tyrants. Bloodsmash, Mr. X, Nemesis armed with a rocket launcher and the new monster Fossil coming right out from behind him. Ranma stared at the hybrid of dinosaur and man as it came into view as well as one of each of the monsters that he had already created. Multiple copies of the monsters that attacked the mall and the police station flooded the scene as well. Riding up in motorbikes are Hammer Fist and the three remaining members of his crew.
"Time for some payback punk!" Hammer Fist yelled as he and his men got off their bikes.
Ranma's eye twitched when his parents ran away screaming leaving Akane on the ground. Freaking cowards! They could've at least taken Akane with them!
He didn't like the odds one bit. But if he ran Akane will die. While he doesn't love her anymore he's not about to leave her to the mercy of these monsters. He especially didn't like the look that dino-whatever it is has on its 'face' as it stared at her bleeding form. Besides, he's no coward! He activated his Twilight Blade and Gale Rune and screamed a battle cry as he attacked them head on.
From the safety of her hiding spot Ellen filmed the battle right out of a movie or an anime.
Ranma blocked the mace hand of Bloodsmash with his sword as it attacked him first and delivered a sidekick to his face, knocking the monster back. Nails and Gunner began shooting at him as he dodged out of they're attack. Jestbomb nailed him with a magic energy blast then threw one of her bombs at him. Even though he's dazed he saw the bomb coming at him and jumped back up, coincidently dodging an attack by a Hunter. He grabbed the bomb in midair and threw it at one of the bikers who decided to get back on his bike and try to run him over. The bomb blast caused him and his bike to crash into Nails and Gunner sending them crashing through a warehouse wall. Ducking under the metal arm of Hammer Fist as he zoomed by him on his bike he then jumped out of the way of Neclord's lightning blast by scant millimeters.
Ranma punched Faceless into a wall as he landed before he could attack. Then he began blocking the blows from a Licker's claws with his sword as it attacked him. However, things are starting to look bad for him as even more monsters and a few of Neclord's enforcers joined in trying to skewer him. He's good but not that good! He tried to lead them into a spiral but the bikers figured out what he's doing and had the others keep him from doing so. Even with his runes were all working overtime and him killing as many of the weaker monsters as possible they are working him over. He should be a lot faster than this! To his immense surprise his Twilight Blade doesn't cut through the tyrants completely like he expected and is much weaker than usual.
Finally Jestbomb got in a kick that toppled and stunned him for a second. It seems things are about to end for him as they went in for the kill.
That's when he's saved from the killing blows meant for him. A ribbon and a pole arm suddenly pushed back his intended killers.
Ranma smiled. Viki and Kodachi are here!
However, his jaw dropped at seeing who is at the ends of the weapons. However, being momentarily frozen can get you killed so he faced off against the monsters that have formed a circle around the three of them. The two others went back to back with him, forming a triangle.
"What are you two doing here?" he asked his saviors without turning around.
"No time to talk!" one of them said seriously.
"Yeah! It's monster killing time!" the other one said as if the situation is something to be happy about.
Ranma realized why he lost that first round so fast. He still has his limiters on this is good training and all but he can't let anything weight him down now. He quickly takes them off. "Alright! Let's do this!" He yelled as the monsters converged on them.
The situation looked up for them. By forming a triangle with their backs to one another they cover each other's backs and by moving around in a circle while staying in the triangle they prove to be a great team as they kill more and more of the weaker monsters like the Lickers and Hunters while keeping back Neclord's enforcers and the much bigger ones. Ranma idly thought that these two are MUCH better than the last time they met.
Unfortunately Neclord's minions got smart and another one of the bikers got on his bike and tried to plow into the three. It served to separate Ranma and his two teammates into two groups, Ranma by himself and the two by themselves. The monsters immediately separated them by having the two take on the Lickers and much weaker but more in quantity monsters while all the others took on Ranma.
Feeling that something is coming at him from behind Ranma sidestepped and the fire blast from Afterburn and the blast instead fried Mr. X and a couple of other monsters that were behind him since they couldn't get out of the way in time. Ranma had to run as Fossil came after him with all the grace of a bull in a china shop. He led the giant dino/human half-breed straight into a wall and ran up the wall as the monster slammed into it. Jumping through the air Ranma dodged the claws of the Dac as it swooped at him in the air. As soon as he landed another one of the bikers began firing at him as the biker race after Ranma. One of the Gamma Hunter jumped onto the back of the bike and shot out its tongue at Ranma. Its tongue wrapped around Ranma's left arm in a firm hold. Looking ahead of him and seeing that Afterburn is just ahead of him preparing to fire another one of his fireballs Ranma jumped behind him to one side as the bike went on the other side and wrapped the still attached tongue around a street lamp and pulled tight. The tongue slammed into Afterburn. It knocked him down to the ground and made the Gamma be thrown from the bike and caused the biker to lose his control. He crashed right into Bloodsmash and sent both of them into one of the warehouse walls.
Stab ran at Ranma as he faced off with the Hunter who had jumped in front of him. Neclord's enforcer shot out his deadly eye beams at Ranma. The beam would have hit his back if he had not grabbed the Hunter's arms and pulled it into the eye beams path. While still running Stab pulled out a short sword from his coat and began attacking Ranma at close quarters. Seeing that Stab is going to shoot out another one of his eye blasts at him Ranma kicked Stab on his face so that he would face away from him. The beams ripped into the wheels of one of the bikers making him lose control. Luckily he jumped off at the right time. The bike crashed into one of the warehouses and its back tire launched into the air. By sheer luck it slammed into one of the Dac's that were flying above and knocked it out of the air.
Stab got in a few strikes at Ranma's torso. Those wounds hurt! Ranma used all the speed his Gale Rune granted him to blast his opponent back with a 'Hand of Chaos'. The beam made him slide across the street before crashing into a warehouse wall.
The skinny biker that had jumped off of his bike tried a jumping attack at Ranma. Unleashing his metal claw gloves he tried to kill the one who had destroyed his precious bike, but Ranma blasted him back with another Hand of Chaos. Spindrive sent his drill tentacles from a distance at Ranma while Jack-O fought him up close. Ranma is able to deflect Jack-O's attacks but is not as successful with the drills. The drills tore at him and left numerous cuts numerous as he didn't have his armor on him this time. Fossil, who had dug itself out of the rubble, came back charging at them with a head butt. The monster, not thinking of the consequences, hit all three of them.
His two saviors finished killing off their umpteenth Brainsucker and tried to get to Ranma to help him. However, the two are blocked off when a Bandersnatcher came to challenge them. The two are good, but even they have a hard time killing a monster more than twice their size. It also didn't help that somehow more Lickers and Hunters came out of the warehouses and attacked them.
As soon as he gets up Mr. X punches Ranma in the back. Even though he's charred from one of Afterburns fire attacks he can still fight. Getting back up, though his body protested it, Ranma sliced off the head of a Brainsucker as it tried to attack him while his back is turned. He would have used his sword to push back the charging Mr. X but Nemesis used his tentacle arm to take it from him. Ranma ducked under Mr. X's massive right hook and slammed an uppercut into his jaw knocking him down. He had to jump back and fire off a Moko Takabisha when Jestbomb tried to blast him with her magic. Then Ranma faced off with Nemesis as it fired its rocket launcher at him. Ranma knocked the rocket away from him with a kick. The rocket went straight at Hammer Fist's bike. It hit right in front of his incoming bike making a large hole in the street. The bike's front wheel hit it and Hammer Fist and his bike flipped through the air. Hammer Fist landed on the sidewalk and his bike crashed into Nemesis sending him crashing back and dropping Ranma's sword which he grabbed up and activated the Twilight Sword again.
The two saviors of Ranma finished off the Bandersnatcher and the almost never-ending pack of monsters. However, Spindrive and Jack-O became their next opponent.
Neclord swooped down from the sky and used his cape like a blade cutting into the street as he tried to hit Ranma. (1) Ranma's surprised that Neclord can use his cape like that as he blocked his blows with his sword. The Gamma Hunter that had gotten up joined its master as he attacked Ranma from behind. Ranma had to move fast as he is attacked from two sides. Neclord flew into the air again and unleash a hailstorm of energy bats at Ranma. (2) Ranma jumped out of the way as the bats struck the Gamma Hunter tearing it apart leaving nothing left of it as the bats returned to Neclord. Ranma jumped into the air and sliced through him but didn't hit anything.
'Must be that phase magic that the Zodiac Sword told me about,' Ranma thought to himself. 'But he can't use that spell when he's attacking, which means I can hit him then.'
Faceless jumped in front of him and began attacking with his twin blades. Ranma is forced back as Jestbomb attacked him too with her sword cane. The three exchanged blows before Ranma's able to grab Jestbomb's sword arm and kicked Faceless away from him towards the charging Fossil. Then he threw Jestbomb after Faceless' still flying form. Faceless hit Fossil's legs and toppled the dinosaur on top of him and Jestbomb. Hammer Fist ran screaming at Ranma with his metal fist ready for a powerful hook. Ranma waited till the last second before slamming a left hook into his face. Hammer twisted around before falling down to the ground.
Then Neclord appeared in front of him and blasted him with a beam of energy. Blocking the beam with his sword he held the attack off. The sheer force of it pushes him back. Jestbomb joined her boss after getting herself free with a beam of her magic. Then they're joined by Stab using his eye beams. All three energy attacks forced Ranma back into a wall. Looking to the wall his back is pressing against Ranma saw it is a fuel tanker. If the tanker wall gives the energy attacks will light the gas inside!
"Ranma either you or the fuel tanker is going to eventually have to give! Either way, I win!" Neclord shouted as he forced more of his power into his energy attack. (3)
But he and his two enforcers are blasted away by an unknown power. At last free Ranma pitched forward onto his knees and panted for breath. His sword clattered next to him robbed of its magic. He looked up into the sky and saw Iris in her hovercraft flying above with Landis right next to her. Then hurried footsteps made him look down. Running up to him are Sakura and her friends, his silver haired daughter, his group, Ms. Hinako, the Gunsmith Cats and his two saviors. They all formed a protective ring around him while his grandpa and Hinako helped him to his feet. "All of you are here? How did you know?"
Hinako retrieved his sword and put it back in its sheath. "Didn't you notice me helping them fight Jack-O and Spindrive?" She indicated the two who gave him a fighting chance by drawing most of their forces away from him. She then showed him her cell phone.
Ranma shook his head. "Sorry been too busy trying not to get killed to notices." He coughed up a bit of blood but still tried to get back in the fight.
Jones pushed him into a sitting position. "Rest up for now. Let the others take care of them while you get your breath back.
"How could you leave us out of this?" Lachette said as she pulled out several of her knives.
"You are our leader and my friend. We are there for you whenever you need help," Sakura said.
"Let's get them!" Maria shouted as she unleashed a volley of bullets from her gun pinning down the monsters and giving the others cover fire as they charged. Next to her the Gunsmith Cats also helped.
The Dac, who had gotten back up, didn't stand a chance against the might of Iris and Landis. Swinging his weapon around Landis took down the flying Dacs close to him down. The others began blasting the rest of the monsters with their own attacks. Lachette is throwing her bomb knives blasting them back. Kanna who learned how to use her ki began throwing energy balls. Orihime is casting the fire spells that she learned from Piccolo. Kohran is using her energy cannon on them. Green Tea and Red Bean combined their energy attacks into one big one taking out a Bandersnatcher blowing its head clean off. Sumire and Sakura are using the special energy attacks that were passed down to them by their grandparents. All of their attacks are forcing Neclord and his horde of monsters forcing them back under the onslaught.
Fossil getting back up decided to eat the silver haired girl and came after Reni. She pulled out her lance but it's knocked aside by its clawed hand. Pulling out her rapier Reni stabbed Fossil's right eye causing it to roar in pain. Running to her lance Reni grabbed it and aimed it at the charging Fossil.
The giant monster was only one step away when the spray of bullets crashed into its gut. The bullets flew out of the gatling-gun lance; a clattering, rattling string of tiny explosions that shook Reni's body. The sheer force of so many rounds slamming into it pushed it back. But then Fossil began slowly forcing its way through the wall of bullets to get to the food that's hurting it. It's so focused on its meal that it didn't see Ranma coming in to save his daughter. He buried his sword into the skull of the beast and then pulled it out and cut off its head just to be sure.
If the damage that's being done by Sakura's group was bad the damage being done by Ranko whose hair keep on changing colors for magic attacks and the others is devastating. They are fighting against Neclord's enforcers and the bigger monsters and winning easily. The bikers are all down for the count and even the enforcers are having a lot of trouble. They are forced back towards their master, especially since Sakura's group finished up and joined in.
Neclord seeing that Fossil has been killed thought it is a good time to leave. He can also hear the sounds of police cars and Army and Core units heading their way. His forces are too weak to force them back and still kill Ranma and his group. "Jestbomb get us out of here!" Neclord shouted to her as he made a shield of magic to protect them from the attacks being thrown at them. Jestbomb waved her staff and teleported them all out of there. Only Neclord, his enforcers, the bikers, Bloodsmash, Mr. X, and Nemesis made it out of there.
"Damn! They got away!" Ranma shouted in anger seeing his chance to end it all gone. "We need to leave before the reporters get here." They all nodded since they didn't want to be in the spotlight yet and also Landis is here.
As they ran through the back Ranma stopped and saw Akane was still laying where she had fell. She's unconscious but he can see her wound has stopped bleeding. In all the fighting he forgot that she's there only automatically stirring all the fighting away from her area. His disgust at his parents and Mr. Tendo for leaving her to die came back. Even if she is a b!#$ he can't leave her here. Picking her up Ranma and the others ran to Tofu's office to get her treated then back to the temple to question his two saviors on what they are doing here.
From her vantage point Ellen lowered her camera with a grin. She's going to be rich! She's going to be famous! She has the footage of Ranma Wild's past! Or should she say Ranma Jones! Maybe she should call him Ranma Saotome! She even has proof that the winged creature is part of his group!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a doctors office -
Akane woke up on a bed in a doctor's office like the one that Dr. Tofu had. She shook her head to get the cobwebs out of them. She tried to move her legs but she couldn't feel her them. She couldn't move her lower body at all! She almost panicked wondering what's wrong with her when she saw her two sisters sitting by her bed.
"Kasumi? Nabiki what are you…?" Akane began but stopped as she remembered what Ranma did to her.
Her red battle aura sprang up around her. "That pervert! He didn't even try to save me tha…!" A hard slap from Kasumi stopped her.
Akane looked at her sister wide-eyed and her battle aura went away. "W-w-why did you slap me!?" She screamed.
"Stop acting like a child Akane," Kasumi said in a voice that reminded Akane of their mother before she died.
Nabiki looked at her with an intensity never seen before. "Kasumi and me saw what happened earlier today. It's still being shown on the TV right now."
Before Akane could say something her sister interrupted her. "All you do is blame Ranma for everything don't you," Kasumi said to her accusingly.
"Of course! He's always the cause of everything!" Akane growled.
"You should blame yourself you dummy!" Nabiki shouted to her.
"But I could have died out there! I'm now paralyzed from the waist down because of him!" Akane screamed back.
"That's better than being dead! I should know. I have already died once." Akane gasped and is about to shout that her sister's a ghost when she continued. "No, I'm not dead. Ranma brought me back to life. Akane, he fought off those monsters that would have eaten or killed you just for fun. Don't you feel the least bit grateful for that?"
"Akane, Ranma is never going to love you again as you have broken his trust too many times to be ever trusted by him again," Kasumi said in that same tone as their mother used to use. Akane looked like she wanted to say something but suddenly shut her mouth. It's not like she cared for that perverted jerk anyway. When the paralyzed girl didn't speak for a few moments Kasumi continued. "Akane, what happened to you? You were, while violent, still a nice girl on the inside. But after the failed wedding you turned into a demon. Where is my little sister that used to be so carefree and so adorable? I miss her so much." She adopted a pouting face that would have made the most stubborn people give her their life savings.
Nabiki leaned back in her chair. "I agree with sis, sis. I barely remember that you used to be a lot like Kasumi just that you were also a tomboy. I can barely picture it now. You were never this bad before."
Akane seethed. "It's all those perverted boy's fault! They keep on attacking me every day to get a date with me! Don't forget Kuno! Oooooh! I hate perverts! Especially Ranma!" This time she gets a slap from Nabiki.
"Don't ever call Ranma a pervert! The boy practically had no sex drive whatsoever! If you haven't noticed all he had in his head back then is martial arts and that's it! All those times he acted 'perverted' is because your hatred towards men made you think he is!" Nabiki breathed in and out hard after having shouted at her little sister.
If she could she would have stood up and faced her older sister down. "I wasn't thinking that he was acting perverted, he WAS acting perverted! I saw him hanging all over Shampoo and Ukyo that sex changing freak!"
A meaty slap is heard throughout the building making many look in the direction it came from.
Kasumi huffed and trembled with fury after having given the hardest slap she has ever given anyone. Akane held her stinging cheek while Nabiki edged away from her older sister.
Kasumi glared venomously at Akane making the younger girl cringe. "Don't EVER call him that! I will not stand for it! Now listen up Akane while I make you see what kind of a person you REALLY are."
For the next half hour Kasumi gave account after account of when Akane would act violently at even the smallest slight against her. When Ranma first came to their home it wasn't so bad. However, as time progressed she got worse. The failed wedding seemed to bring out the worst in her as well. If Ranma so much as saw a girl on TV she would mallet him again and again.
All through this Akane listened. She could not do anything else. She stared wide-eyed as her sweet, oblivious sister described a person with a nasty temper and an itchy mallet hand. All through this she wore an expression of a mother disciplining a child so well that it cowed Akane and even Nabiki even though the words are not being directed at her. The youngest Tendo began to recognize a side of herself that she did not previously see. She saw the uncontrolled mallet happy girl with a fetish for violence.
At the end Kasumi took a deep cleansing breath. "But you are still our sister and like Nabiki I will give you one last chance. But I will make this clear Akane. You are not going to be the child of the family anymore," Kasumi said while patting her belly that was clear to anyone that she is with child.
"But he and I… but dad…" Akane began.
"Akane if you really want to go with dad then leave," Nabiki said to her. "But remember this. You are going to go back to the same man that left you to die to save his own hide."
Akane looked to her sisters and to the door that is behind them. She's so confused. What will she do now? She can tell that she is now paralyzed from the waist down. She is a martial artist no more. Tears fell from her eyes at that. She will be a sitting duck if she went back to Nerima. There is nothing left for her. Her father would just cry about it and she doesn't know what the Saotomes would do.
She cried for an hour. Her sisters gave her hugs and rubbed her back but gave her no reassuring words.
She turned to the two with a pleading expression. "What do I do to be forgiven?" Akane asked her sisters.
Nabiki smiled a bit and put a hand on her sister's stomach. "Then why not start with who is the baby's father."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gunsmith Girl's place -
Becky has been hacking away at her computer for days now. Ever since the attack at the mall she's been trying to find the lab that all those monsters are being made at. While Rally and Minnie did all of the legwork to look for any leads on the lab Dr. Jones had left to call on an old friend of his for some help.
She had seen the news footage with Ranma fighting off Neclord and his monsters all at once along with those two young girls. She was worried when Neclord had Ranma against that fuel tank. Then Sakura group and the others had arrived saving Ranma from his death. And all together made Neclord and the surviving monsters ran away from their onslaught of long attacks.
Finally she found the information that she has been waiting for. A large quantity of special equipment and chemicals all meant for bioengineering has been steadily going to an office building downtown. The building is owned by one of the crime lords meaning only one thing, the office building is just a cover for the lab and it is in the middle of the ocean side business area of Shibuya. At last they know where to strike.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the temple -
Ranma was inside his room getting dressed for bed. The reporters have all been trying to get an interview with him and his group. Somehow Ellen had managed to film him as he battled against Neclord and those monsters of his. Now the reporters were all trying to get to him and Sakura and the other girls for an interview. Worse of all everyone knows that Landis lives here and he's part of the group. At least they thought that the winger was working for him. The only thing that was keeping the reporters out of the temple is the security system that Mind had made for both of the houses. That and also that Mr. Green Turtle keeps trying to eat anyone that tries to get over the temple wall. Katsunishiki has also been chasing them away. Akari seems to have taken residence here that is fine by him. Edge and the others are helping her cope with Ryoga's actions. Edge has started taking a real liking to her.
He started thinking about his two saviors and what he learned when they got back to the temple and questioned them. He shook his head to clear it. 'No. Not now. I can't deal with Genma's mistakes right now. Tomorrow, I'll deal with it tomorrow.'
Then suddenly Ranma felt a sharp pain on the left side of his back. He screamed, loudly. It felt as if something is popping out from underneath his skin. The Sky Blue part of his Chaos Rune began glowing brightly. Since he does not have his bandanna on the room is filled with its light. Gasping as the pain intensified Ranma fell to the floor and passed out.
If he had stayed conscious he would have felt the pain go away as something came out of his back. A single massive wing now took up residence where the pain had originated. The feathers glowed a sky blue color. Everybody heard his scream and came running to his room. When they opened his door they are met with the blinding light and shielded their eyes and pulled back from the door. When the light receded they peeked inside the room. What they saw left them gapping. (4)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next time – Just what mistakes did Genma make? Who are Ranma's two saviors? How will everyone fare with the raid on Neclord's base? And also does anyone know what movie monsters that I base Neclords enforcers on?
Author's Notes
1 – Like the vampire in Vampire D Bloodlust.
2 – Think of Myotismon's (is that spelled right?) second attack in Digimon.
3 - Got it from the He-Man show the new one that use to be shown on Cartoon Network
4 – Think of Sephiroth and Cloud who both have only one wing on their backs in the Kingdom Hearts game.
Co-writer's notes
To Locke1,
Thanks for the review. Okay, on the girls falling for him I said it before we admit we went a bit overboard on it. Sorry about that. Believe it or not this started out as a single girl for Ranma pairing until we went overboard with it by accident. We each had our favorite girls so we just went 'what the heck' and put them all in. For too many characters showing up not all of them are important. They are just there. Keep in mind that Ranma is leaving this world soon and will never see most of these people ever again. As for Kasumi (DOA) we don't pair him up with just anyone. She has an important part in this. You just have to wait and see it when it comes. As for the sudden power increase due to the Chaos Rune that plays a part too. It's been planned for a long, long time now. We usually plan things many chapters ahead of time and there is a reason he got it besides that he needed the power-up to have a chance against the Hat siblings. The Giga Slave also plays an important part in this too. It's my fault that I put it in too soon. Sorry about that. Most of the things we include in the fic play a vital role way later on while others are just bit parts. Just remember one thing; there ARE two worlds where the story takes place. Think about this; we haven't been saying what's happening in the other world have we?
To Anonymous,
If he can do the Dragon Slave why not the Giga Slave. No, he is not some Lina Inverse reincarnation or anything. Remember in the earlier chapters Piccolo, Magic Hat and Ranma tried to copy the manga's spells. (Shrugs) Madhat and I really like Slayers.
To Master Chaos,
Well, now you know what it is. Oh well, I guess the surprise is gone. I should have known someone would reveal it even though I asked everyone not to.
To Bahamutzero94 and L.Mc'clown and any who think Dark Hat is too powerful,
Madhat wants Darkhat to be powerful so he will be powerful. He decided to make him that way. People long ago wanted Ranma to have a challenge so we gave him one. Their fight is not anywhere near now though. We DO have to at least give Ranma a fighting chance right?
For those who think Ranma's too godly,
(Shrugs) There are a lot of fics where he's godly. This is just another one of them.
For those who think too many girls fall for Ranma,
(Shrugs again) Madhat wants it that way and it will be done that way. There are many fics where that happens. This can't be the first time you encountered this .
Althenais and our other supporters,
Thank you for supporting our work. We will do our best to update as much as possible and hopefully fix the problem areas. Help would be really appreciated as I said. How am I going to fix my tense problems if I don't know how it's wrong and how to fix it? As for Tina and immortality thing wait till the very end of the fic. Madhat already decided on what to do about that long ago.
To everyone in general,
Before you complain about something please think about this first. Almost everything that we put up has some bearing on a future chapter. Yes we make mistakes, especially me with my tense problems, but if there is something you don't like please think about what it could mean in the future before complaining about it. Some things are majorly important while others are filler. If you are still confused then put up a review asking why so and so is done.