Ryu Anko knocked at the apartment door. After waiting for about a minute and hearing no stirring life, she opened it with her spare key. Inside, the apartment room smelled of booze, cigarettes and sex. It was a familiar smell to Anko, particularly around her stepmom. Finding the woman was a short task, within a few meters of the door, Anko found her stepmom's mostly naked body laying next to the living room couch.
"Come on you fiend, wake up," she lightly kicked the older woman. The woman slowly began to stir awake.
"Is it daytime already?" The older woman mumbled. Said woman would best be described as a 'sexy mess' if you were to ask her. An old beaten tank top was her only clothing, while her hair was 'sorta' in a ponytail with prominent side bangs and her makeup was just faded rather than smudged.
"It's about six am, mama," Anko said to her mother as she knelt down to her level, "And you have a busy day."
"Too early…" the time traveller Nabiki groaned before a large coffee paper cup was put next to her which she then pounced on.
"Good morning to you too," Anko sarcastically remarked as her mother somehow chugged the hot coffee.
"Ahhh, it's not a good morning until I've had coffee," she commented.
"Only the blackest of brews can awaken the Yuki-onna after all," Anko stood up.
"Ah,White Devilnow," Nabiki began to stretch on the ground, beginning with her legs.
"So less cool," Anko sighed.
"The other name is too close to Ice Queen after all," Nabiki chuckled, "Besides, I think Anko is less cool than Princess Rosemary."
Anko glared at her mom, "You gave me that name, jerk."
"Hehehe," the eye-patched woman smiled fondly at her daughter.
"Speaking of names, I think your mini-me is close to figuring things out," Anko began to walk about the room, cleaning as she went.
"Oh?" Nabiki was now doing standing stretches.
"Auntie decided to scream out myrealname while I was teaching my class. I'm certain she's already figured that I'm the new music teacher too."
"Mhhh," Nabiki stretched her back, "I won't worry too much. If there's one blind spot my younger self has, it's the supernatural. Back then, I kept expecting that I was in a weird bubble and that once I got out, I'd be in the real , did I get a rude wake-up call," the older woman chuckled.
"So, you think she doesn't have a clue?" Anko questioned, her arms now full of dirty clothing.
"Nah, she probably has it mostly figured out, she'll just be in denial of it for a long while. Time travel is pretty far-fetched for a high school girl," Nabiki cackled like a witch to herself. She stopped when groans became audible from a pile of blankets atop the couch bed. Slowly a brown-haired middle-aged woman lifted herself up, wearing only lingerie undergarments. She looked around and saw the other residents of the room, making her face go beet red and panicked simultaneously.
"Good morning, Taki-chan~" Nabiki grinned.
The woman patted the other moving blanket.
"Uh dear, wake updear," she shook. Another body rose up, a middle-aged man wearing boxers with black hair and glasses, who also quickly became aware of the situation.
"Good morning Maki-kun~" Nabiki waved.
The couple looked at one another before Taki spoke, "Huh, we will see ourselves out… Uh, thank you again for last night."
"Yes, thank you!" The husband bowed. The couple seemed to madly throw on some clothing, taking one shirt from Anko's arms and dressing just enough before exiting the apartment, waving and bowing once more each.
Anko turned to her mother, "And they were?"
"A failing marriage that wanted to try adding in another person to save it."
"And?"
Nabiki shrugged, falling backwards on her couch bed, which sprung back into a couch, "And the rest will be up to them, I gave them some advice and helped them communicate with one another. Turns out, the wrong one was on top during sex due to social teachings. Besides that, I had a fun time."
"You need better hobbies," Anko sweat dropped, re-examining the floor now covered in more clothes and blankets from the couch transformation.
Nabiki shot her index finger out, "Or I could just visit my darling wife-"
Bonk
Anko karate-chopped her mother's head.
"Ow!" Nabiki caressed her 'wounded' head.
"To jail horny with you, lest you end up sleeping with a minor," Anko squinted at Nabiki.
"Technically, she and I were only born a year apart and she's nearly eighteen, it's perfectly legal," tears, fake or real Anko was unsure, then began to fill Nabiki's eyes, "I, meanwhile, have been deprived of my wife for twelve years!"
"Technically,thenyou're a widow," Anko deadpanned, before returning to her endless task of cleaning the apartment.
"Technically, we never married," Nabiki giggled.
"That doesn't make it ethically right," Anko groaned.
"I'm already one of the world's most wanted criminals, I've long since stopped caring about ethics," Nabiki exclaimed, "What's that English saying you love?Be gay, do crime?"
"Technically, you haven't been charged with any crime in this timeline," Anko deadpanned again as she put the massive pile of dirty blankets and clothes into an already-filled laundry basket.
Nabiki clapped her hands together, "Ah! So as long I don't get caught-"
Bonk
"Ow!" Another karate chop stuck her head, as her daughter returned to the couch and sat next to her mother.
"And this is why the combustible assassin is stuck being the therapist to her mother and friends…" Anko sighed deeply, "Why can't I have a reasonable adult in my life?"
Nabiki began to cackle, poking her daughter's sides, "Hehehe, you've seen the adults in our youth, we're an improvement!"
Rose rolled her eyes, "Smarter and perhaps more mature, but certainly not more morally correct."
Rose search her pockets and pulled out a cigarette pack, only to have it swiped from her hand.
"Hey-!" her swipe back was stopped by a stern look by her mother.
"But I do have enough to know how I raise my kid with some."
"Tch, let me live a little!" Rose crossed her arms, in a manner that reminded Nabiki of her deceased lover.
"I do, and smoking will kill you," She smiled fondly, "Sleep around, drink booze, whatever floats your boat as you're doing it responsibly."
"Pretty sure a lot of other things will kill me before lung cancer can," Rose mumbled before glaring at her mother, "'Sides, you ain't a model of responsibility yourselfmother."
"I like to dream that with each generation away, our burdens on our passing generation will lessen," Nabiki looked at the cigarette pack and pulled out one for herself.
"We both know demons and curses that can't be just solved with therapy," Rose held out her thumb to her mother who pressed her cigarette against it, lighting it.
"Demons, radiation poisoning, magical curses, generational trauma," Nabiki bit the cigarette, inhaling and exhaling, "It's all a pile of bullshit, ain't it?"
"Cancer and honour make a sweet couple in my view," Rose commented. Rose felt her mother's arms wrapped around her from the side, her mother's grip tightening until Rose lightly hugged back. They remained like this for several minutes, Rose's eyes left to stare at a table full of pictures taken from their future, the few that survived anyway. Many had fire and heat damage, a few were copies of copies that survived through relatives and Nabiki's private collection. Her eyes lingered on a photo of Rose winning an award when she was eleven for her piano performance, her mothers hugging each of her shoulders. This one had damaged like others, a bullet hole through the head of where her gramma stood. Rose felt her shoulder begin to get wet. The sobbing had begun, and the familiar mumblings of "I'm sorry," over and over again from her mama with it. Rose closed her eyes and hugged her mama tighter. Rose needed to be careful though not to damage her mama's tank top that was older than herself, it was her solo 'boyfriend' shirt after all and Nabiki wore it nearly every night.
Ranma could only see pitch black before it began to rain. The raindrops were shining. Catching one in their hand, the droplets were frozen, forming perfect crystals. There was something within the crystal, like a screen glowing brightly. A heat arose from behind them. Turning to face it, they saw a gigantic cat formed of fire. The beast roared while they stood petrified.
T̶͈̅̾͝h̷̝̝̓͗i̶̡̼̠̓s̸̞̈̇̈́ ̸̤̉͌̄w̴͈͑a̶͎͍͇̍ȳ̴̬̀!̸̘̗̃̅
Ranma fled to a cave now visibly in the distance. They could hear the frozen rain shattering as each hit the fire demon. The demon roared again and Ranma could feel its heat grow closer. They ran as fast as they could.
'̴͔̆H̵̨͝ų̸͆r̴̮̔ȓ̵͕y̸̺̏!̷͕̇'̶̠̚
The fiery monster continued to yell, its monstrous cries sounding more and more like words every moment.
"Boy!" It commanded.
C̵̼͔͓͗o̵̝͕̿̇͜͝m̴̨̌e̷͖̜̅̐ ̴̞̾o̶̮̯̽n̶̰͍͑͘͠,̷̢͓̰̄͂̂ ̵͚̮͊ẃ̴̨̙͉ě̴̻͔̿̆'̷͎̒̆͐r̶͖̀͜e̷̺̅͂̓ͅ ̷̡̼͇̾̒͂a̷̡̛̺͔͐̏l̸̬̝̖̈́m̷͔̅̑o̸͙̻͙̓s̸̮̒̅t̵̖̠͔͑́̔ ̸͈̿̌̾t̸̗̀h̵̰͊͑è̴̯̩r̷̡̘̮̈́̋é̵̹͌!̸̫̙͊
The cave was now visible, it was glowing blue. But then they heard the creature leap. Ranma was caught, the cat held them down in its palm, flipping them over. Ranma stared into its terrifying eyes of fury and flame. It opened its mouth and…
"Get up boy," Genma said standing over Ranma. Rapidly blinking his eyes, Ranma realized he was in his bed and his father was hovering over him, giving him a stern gaze.
Ranma rubbed his face and grumbled, "What for? Is this about chains-"
"This is about something far more important; yourtruehappiness. Me in the dojo, we have some time before breakfast."
His father left the room. Ranma shook himself, he was sweating all over.'Some nightmare'he thought before he got up and dressed himself. Eventually making his way to the dojo, Ranma found his father sitting on his knees in the centre.
"What's this about pops?"
"Take a seat boy," he gestured in front of him.
'Does he got a new martial arts move or something to teach?'Ranma thought sitting down.
"I had intended to only tell you this once you were married, fearing you won't understand and protest out of spite. But with this Ryu woman causing such turmoil, I think it's time I told you. Better you know the truth before this woman gets you thinking like an idiot," Genma looked away.
"The truth?"
Genma turned his eyes towards Ranma, "Tell me, boy, when in life were you truly happy?"
The question hit Ranma like a punch to the stomach, as various scenes of his life flashed before his eyes. The first time he had a sundae, times with Akane, getting his strength back, being accepted by his mother, being buddies again with Ryoga, playing the violin…
"It was when we were training for a decade wasn't it boy?" Genma smiled.
'̸N̸o̴'̵
The only moment from that time that came to mind was playing with Ukyo, everything else from the deadly training, stealing and fleeing angry citizens made Ranma's stomach feel sick.
"It is because you're like me boy and I knew when you were but a small child. Domestic life isn't suited for men like us, love and such are just things that weigh us down, keeping us from the life of a martial artist. I think back fondly on my times of my training with Tendo every day, even with our terrible master's presence."
A vein popped on Ranma's forehead, "Then why the hell would you not only set up a marriage but push it through high and hell water to make us seal the deal as quickly as possible!"
"Because my boy, it will make leaving so much easier."
Ranma choked, "What?!"
"Love, the way the world tells it, isn't real. I came to that realization when I was a young man. My father, my mother, everyone told me I would fall in love one day, a love that makes you feel butterflies, want to kiss a woman and whatnot. It never came. Love, like that for friends and family is real, but this stick of romance is hogwash. Still, the world will beat you down and punish you if you don't marry and have children. Whether it's taxes, inheritance or alike, if you don't put up appearances they will take it all away. The world will leave you alone and call you a heartless man if you dare stray from its path. Do you understand boy?"
Ranma's eyes looked like they had fallen out of his head. "Huh?"
"If you don't, you'll end up marrying a cherished friend, a kind girl, all you feel is guilt at failing to be in love like her. It will eat away at you boy. Akane is perfect in that way, you both understand the honour to go through with the marriage but she won't guilt you if you leave for years to practice your art. Hell, the girl would relish in the independence I think. Kasumi is the type that would weigh on your conscience. Nabiki would get you tied up in contacts to make you her manservant and the second the better alternative appears, you'd find divorce papers in front of you. So you see my son, true happiness, I've already set you up for it."
Ranma stood, "Pops…"
"Yes, my boy?" Ranma approached his father and from Genma's perspective, it looked like his son was about to hug him, grabbing his shoulders. He didn't notice the kick coming straight for his face. Genma went flying through the dojo and its wall, all the way to the cement wall of the house which cracked from the force. Genma was instantly knocked cold. Ranma stared at the unconscious body of his father, his fists charged with massive ki energy. After a minute of staring at him, he turned away and went into the house. Ranma went straight for the door, but his exit was only paused by Kasumi who approached him while he was kneeling and putting on his shoes.
"Ranma, is anything alright?" She asked.
Ranma stopped, "My father… is an idiot."
"But Ranma… everyone knows that."
Ranma's head snuck lower, "Yeah, I thought I did too. I'll grab some food while I'm about, laters Kasumi."
"Ok, Ranma, have a good day."
He left without another word.
"It may just be my imagination but it seems like everyone is struggling right now," Kasumi looked distantly towards a shrine in the living room, "What would you do, Mother?"
Ranma meanwhile exited to the quiet morning of Nerima. It was a bit foggy and unsurprisingly chilly being late February, but Ranma had swiped his sweater last moment before he'd left thankfully. It was looking into these quiet streets that Ranma heard a feminine giggle. Turning to its direction, he couldn't believe his eyes. She was gone the second he blinked, but he swore he had seen his female self skip down the street corner. Finding himself with no destination in mind, he followed his other self. She always made herself known with a distant but all too close giggle. Her appearance was a perfect reflection of his other self, save she was wearing his usual red Chinese silks instead of his current attire. She seemed to move at impossible speeds, always just out of view. She was almost glowing as she skipped through the fog. Ranma chased after the ghost, her giggling taunting him ever forward. He found his trail go cold though as he came before the front of Nekohanten.
"Damnit, where did she-?" Ranma looked all around but even the guiding giggling was absent.
"Are you alright Son-in-law?" Ranma looked down at Cologne standing in front of her shop, her titular cane absent.
"I-" Ranma thought to himself and decided that seeing a ghost of himself was insane, even for Nerima. "Nothing I thought I saw something."
Cologne nodded, "You seem troubled."
"Aren't I always?"
Cologne walked up to him, "Have you eaten?"
"None of your-" his stomach growled.
Cologne didn't laugh like he would have expected, instead just waving him over, "Come in, I have food that will spoil soon anyhow."
Ranma reluctantly followed the elder inside. Inside, the Cat Cafe seemed as haunted as the rest of Nerima, the dust blanketing the place and all its furniture covered in white sheets.
"Something happened here?"
"Shampoo and Mousse are away training with another elder, I'm uncertain if they will even return. I've closed the shop in the meantime," Cologne stepped into the back house.
"What ya mean 'not sure they will return'?"
Cologne returned with a tray in hand and some bowls of rice with fish and vegetables on its platter. "The elder that's taken them away is… a dangerous woman. From what I know, her training methods are excessively dangerous."
"Wait, coming from you?"
Cologne nodded, as she placed the platter onto a table.
"Why didn't you stop her from taking them?" Ranma asked as he sat down.
"I'm not sure if I could nor sure if I should have," Cologne sat across from Ranma, "There are dark times approaching Saotome, be on your guard. Although… I suppose that some part of you already knows this."
"What do you mean?"
"I noticed this when you approached the cafe, your ki is off. I felt your presence coming two streets down was so unbalanced and erratic."
"I…" he was going to say he felt fine, but he knew that was a lie. He's felt off increasingly by the day for who knows how long. This morning, between the dream, his father's talk, and seeing 'her' in the streets only made it much worse.
"If you are needing advice, please come and visit me. I know I have no right with the troubles I've caused you with the engagement affairs and whatnot, but I do cherish you Saotome."
"What happened to Son-in-law?"
"The kiss has been formally voided by myself after the events of the past few days."
"Wait really?"
Cologne nodded, "Yes, although I do request I continue to mentor you in exchange for you aiding my village in times of need."
Normally, Ranma would have been celebrating but the dour atmosphere and anticlimactic ness of it sorrow his mood. "A martial artist's duty is to protect the weak,"
"No Saotome, you do so because you are a good person at heart and don't forget it."
A phone began to ring, "I have much business to conduct today, please come and visit me tomorrow evening and we shall see if we can begin to sort out your ki issues. Feel free to eat as much as you like."
Ranma nodded, as the elder left. She was always old but she always had an energy to her now, now she seemed as ancient as she said she was. Seeing the time on a clock in the corner, Ranma continued to eat before cleaning up and leaving. The elder Amazon remained on her call the entire time although it being in Chinese made its conversation unknown to him, but he did catch the familiar Chinese words of 'Musk', 'Jusenkyo', and 'Phoenix'.
Back at the Tendo dojo, it was still morning and for some reason unknown to Nabiki, she was practicing sword kata under the tutelage of Kuno Takewaki.
"Now strike!"
She followed through to the best of her ability.'Why am I entertaining this clown?'Nabiki kept questioning herself over and over again that morning.'If I do the bare minimum, neither he nor the White Devil should have any issue as I'm fulfilling their demands!'Despite these nagging thoughts, Nabiki couldn't help but put her all into the training.
"Excellent!" Kuno nodded with pride in his eyes, "Why, that's a sight unseen in good memory!"
"What? Me working hard?" She remarked.
Kuno chuckled, "A genuine smile on your face."
Nabiki couldn't believe it either and touched her cheek,'I'm smiling? Why am I damn smiling? I can't enjoy training! That's Akane's thing, I hate training! Hated it ever since-!'
She struck forward and her mind cleared.
'Ah, that's it, isn't it? An old love rekindled, I used to love martial arts before that day…'
Nabiki was able to ponder such thoughts as her mentor was equally distracted by nagging thoughts. His vision became filled by Saotome Ranma, both male and female versions when his eyes shut.'It always has been just you hasn't it? What a fool I've been, more blind than any bat, more perverse than any beast…. May perhaps save that one devilish imp that stalks our city.'
Kuno looked skyward, his eyes stalking a bird flying freely.
'Master Ryu was corrected that my mind was unclear but who would believe to such an extent? Certainly not I in my great ego. But with quicker wits, now my encounter with Master Ryu seems strange, theatrical even. Someone put a show for my foolish self that would tempt even my great ego. But for what purpose? Neither Master Ryu nor my therapist has asked for a single coin of my vast wealth when I have been nothing but profligate historically. Then there is the fact that my own retainers, trust advisors and father have pushed me away from those who could have cured me of my delusions my whole life. Ah, more questions! What a nasty hoard of festering questions with no means to solve their riddles I have found. Alas, I should give my attention to my student. Perhaps I should see my training as a form of justice for her extortion of my family's wealth or perhaps a penance on my part for causing her family so much grief by ensuring she can defend herself in this dangerous world. Justice lies in both paths before me, ensuring my redemption in an auspicious manner!'
Kuno began to chuckle to himself, not to the level of his past maniac extremes but enough to be concerning.
"Well, good to know he hasn't been replaced with a doppelganger…" Nabiki remarked.
Takewaki 's laughter ceased as another question came forth in his mind, a deeply troubling one.
'Wherefore art thou Saotome Ranma?'
The school bell rang, bringing the school day to a close. Nothing for once eventful happened that day, besides the continued off-ishness of Ukyo although it was noted that her cooking skills had somehow improved. Akane seemed wrapped in her own world as well, although she jumped on the opportunity from her friends to go shopping that afternoon. She practically sprinted out of the classroom, sparing a single glance at Ranma, who half-heartedly waved away at her before she did the same and disappeared.'What's with her? Girls, I just don't get them,'Ranma, however, remained seated in the class, staring at the item of his contempt.
"You know, people usually play their violins with their hands, not their eyes," Ranma looked up to his teacher Mercury smirking at his suffering.
"Butt out," Ranma glared at his music teacher.
"Come on Saotome, it's my job to teach, what's the problem?"
Ranma mumbled.
"I'm sorry?"
"I… I'm not good at this," Ranma looked away from her, his face blushing.
His teacher laughed at the comment.
A vein popped on Ranma's forehead, "Ha ha, very funny, you're just like all the other teachers,"
"Sorry Ranma, but that was a very silly comment," Ranma wasn't convinced so she continued, "Pretty much everyone who can play the violin starts as a child. You're a bloody prodigy for being able to do a few notes starting at your age already."
"Guess all that training was good for something other than martial arts," Ranma shrugged.
"Indeed, after all, you would know how many things can be turned into a martial art. It makes sense really, everything involving skill of some manner can be an art, whether it's martial or not I guess depending on how close they are to Nerima."
"Like anything? Even cooking an egg or driving a car?"
"Of course, master chiefs have their specialties and there are many professional race car drivers. Art is about passion, honing a skill and expressing that to the world around you. Not just a painting in Paris or how hard you can punch something. The question is Saotome, is it the art or the martial that you're most passionate about?"
"I… don't know. Like I'm passionate about martial arts but it's all I've ever known really. Everything else was a distraction or just something to be turned into training like eating a meal."
"They fuck you up, your mum and dad."
"Huh?"
"They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had, and add some extra, just for you," Mercury smiled at him, "It's part of a poem by an English fellow. I hated it when I first heard it, but I couldn't deny it to be true."
"Huh…" Ranma looked distantly.
"Don't worry too much about your practice, you're young. So I am, so I'm told and that means we have to fail to know success. So fail at a lot of things while you can and hopefully, when choices come knocking at your door, you'll know which one to answer for yourself."
"Uh, thanks Sensei?"
"Anytime kid," she winked, but before she fully turned away, she stopped and looked back at him, "Do you want to do some extra one on one practice today Saotome?"
"Uh, sure," if martial arts taught him anything, more training was never a bad idea. Mercury moved to her personal piano, "Let's try a piece together, you good to try that one I gave for homework?"
Ranma nodded before standing and putting his musical sheet onto a stand.
"Alright, you good?"
Ranma nodded, moving his violin beneath his chin and readying his string.
"1, 2, and a 3…"
Her fingers began the first few notes, Ranma beginning soon after. Mercury soon began to sing the song's lyrics which she knew by heart.
"Almost heaven, West Virginia…"
She sang with her heart, her singing never anything particularly special in skill but decent to most ears. Ranma unsurprisingly struggled to keep up, even master reflexes and dexterity didn't advance someone too far during their first week. But he tapped to the beat even when he missed a note, the song similarly familiar to him. It was just the two of them in the classroom, the sunlight seeping orange through the windows. Mercury seemed to struggle to sing the last few words, her throat catching on itself as the song closed. When the last note played, Ranma turned to his teacher and was shocked to see her crying.
"Hey, teach you ok-?!"
"Oh I'm fine Saotome, that song just gets me sometimes. My mom taught me when I was little, something to distract me while we were travelling. Brings back a lot of memories," she smiled.
"Yeah I can get that, this song does the same for me I guess too. I, uh, travelled a lot as a kid, but I heard this on the radio a few times in different places and it got stuck in my head. I didn't understand a word of it, but I liked it."
His teacher giggled, "It's a catchy one. Glad I chose the right one for you to practice on."
"Yeah, funny how that worked out," Ranma smiled.
Mercury wiped away her tears, "I've kept you long enough I suppose. How about you pack up and I'll write down some pointers for you?"
Ranma nodded. They didn't stay long after, while Ranma was very fast at packing up his violin, although very carefully after she mentioned the price of the instrument, Mercury was equally quick at writing and Ranma found himself holding three pages of instruction and guidance as homework. Soon, he was walking the streets back home alone. The streets were quiet but thankfully absent currently of a pestering giggling. His eye did catch what he thought might be another approbation sitting atop a distant cell tower, her red hair flowing in the wind.
"Hey, Ranma!" Ranma instinctively braced himself hearing a girl's voice calling out for him from behind but was surprised to see Anko running up to him when he turned.
"Mind if I join ya on this walk home?" She asked.
"Uh, sure," Ranma shrugged, "Not sure where everyone else has gotten to."
"Used to being Nerima's center of attention?"
"Something like that," Ranma scanned his surroundings, "It's almost unsettling."
"How have you been lately?" She shoulder-taped him, "Having any luck with finding happiness?"
"I don't know," Ranma readjusted his pack, "Everyone seems to have a different idea of what it is and I'm used to going with the flow I guess."
"Punching and kicking with the flow you mean," she smirked.
"Yeah yeah, I fight every day for a meal and what have you so by the time I'm supposed to fight for myself or against myself, I find myself exhausted I guess."
"Mhh, that's a good way to think of it,"
"How are you supposed to know when I've found true happiness anyhow?"
"Oh, I know I'll know it when I see, it helps that I know some things that do make you really happy."
"Care to share?"
"Mhh, completing a hard challenge whether it's a tough foe or a new skill has you smirking for days, your eyes shine when you're in love, you giggle and laugh when you get delicious food, especially sweet, and you're a sucker for making someone you like smile!"
"Anko, have I mentioned you scare me a little,"
"Ah, but I haven't even tried on my cat girl outfit yet."
Ranma shivered while Anko laughed.
"Relax, I won't do that to ya," Anko chuckled, "But yeah, I'm used to people being scared of me. Not that I mind much, it can be a lot of fun even."
"See, it's stuff like that concerns me,"
"Why would you need to be concerned about me?"
"I…" Ranma looked off, "I don't know, you remind me… well… it's a martial artist's duty to protect women I guess."
"Right, cause I totally fall under the category of weak and vulnerable," it's then that Anko noticed they'd reached the dojo and her bike sitting outside, "I'll catch up, I just want to fix up a few things on my bike," she said before kneeling down to her motorcycle.
"Sure thing," Ranma walked into the house, "I'm home."
Kasumi turned the corner and approached Ranma, clearly sweating while keeping her smile, "Oh Ranma, your mother is here and she… brought a guest," Kasumi shook.
Saotome Nodoka turned the corner and greet her son, "Ranma, my manly son, there's someone I'd like for you to meet."
I̷̯͂̈́͘͝ ̸̹̠͌h̵̯̰̊̈́͐͌͜a̷̗̅t̸̨̻͍̮̿̑é̴̜ ̵̡̗͍͇̈͗į̷͖̯̺̌͗̈́̉t̵͙̘͒̓͝ ̴̝͐͜͝
Ranma shook their head and approached their mother, "What's up ma?"
Entering the living room, Ranma saw the whole household, minus Happosai and Anko, sitting around the dinner table. Akane looked pissed, Nabiki was holding back laughter, his Pops was in Panda form and depressed, and Soun looked greatly annoyed. When he looked over to his mother who was smiling radiantly he realized someone was sitting next to her. She looked like a poor country girl, with tan skin, messy black hair and a well-worn kimono. The girl also didn't look happy.
"Ranma, this Naito Moyoco, a poor girl has gone through a lot and unfortunately your father is partially to blame."
Ranma sighed, "Did he put me up for another marriage?"
The table collectively nodded.
"Yes, unfortunately, but speaking with the girl's parents we've come to the agreement that they are fine with Moyoco being your second wife," Nodoka explained, "Honour can be fulfilled."
"Honour you say?" It was then that Ranma felt a dark aura behind them, full of murderous intent. Leaping in front of his mother to protect her, Ranma was shocked to see Anko standing in the hall. Her eyes seemed to be burning, the floorboards beneath her creaked, and the aura she was producing made her previous outbursts seem tame. Ranma swore it'd be dangerous to touch her aura as it burned with such malicious rage. Ranma was scared, but all they could do was hold themselves in front of their mother.
Everyone in the household with basic ki training felt similarly. Even Nabiki had fallen back, staring at this monster.
"Oh, who is this my son?" Nodoka asked, unintentionally igniting the aura further.
Ranma entered a fighting stance, but it was Nabiki who leapt forward.
"Uh, Rosebud!" Nabiki yelled out.
Anko's eyes switched to Nabiki, who for a second thought she was going to die, till Anko's aura simmered down. Its dark aura was still visible but nowhere at the level it once was. Anko breathed in and out,
"I'm going for a walk, don't know when I'll be back," Anko turned and began to walk away.
"Now hold just a moment, I do not-" Nodoka objected.
"Fuck off and die bitch," Anko let out before disappearing through the door.
For half a minute there was silence,
"What a rude woman!" Nodoka said.
"My apologies Auntie, that's Ryu Anko, the new grandmaster of Anything Goes. She's usually quite polite."
"What was all that about?" Soun questioned.
"Uh, super screwed up martial arts training from what I've gathered?" Nabiki put forward. Nearly everyone looked at Genma who signed,
-Why is everyone looking at me?! I have nothing to do with this-
'There's something we're missing,' Akane thought before turning to her fiancé, "What do you think, Ranma?"
Ranma, however, was silent. Akane watched his face express turmoil of some sort.
"Ranma?" She asked again.
"Can… Can I go home now?" In the display of furious aura, everyone had forgotten the new mistress. Her plead to go home would go unanswered as everyone was fully distracted at this moment.
Near the stroke of midnight, in a fortified estate not unlike the Kuno home, several men meet in a hall. They were all lined up in two rows with a head at the end facing both rows. They all wore suits in a variety of colours but of expensive make save for the head. Said head was an elderly man, likely in his early sixties, with a fierce face one would have found suitable on a samurai warlord of old. His long white hair was well kept and the same was his full beard. He wore an elegant maroon yukata with a katana by his side. He kept his arms crossed, hidden in the other arm's sleeve.
He opened his eyes to the group, "You all know why I ask you here."
One of the men raised his hand, "Is it… about the White Devil?"
"Yes, their acts have provided… troublesome as you all know," his gaze turned downward, "The men they've targeted I will not defend as honourable, but they did deserve to die with dignity."
"Do… you think they will come for us boss?"
"Of course, I call you all here because I received news that Rando was slain just this afternoon."
"What?!" The men all made auditable sounds of shock and disbelief.
"Why did we not receive word of this?"
"Because, if you all did, most of you would have fled into hiding. Not that it would do much good, this assassin has proven they are perfectly capable of killing even the most well-hidden and trained. They would merely pick us off one by one."
"Then… what is there that we can do?"
"Simple, we make a trap."
"A trap?"
"Yes, we place all of their targets in one place, something they could not resist."
"But we're their target?!"
"Indeed, which is why I am so pleased this worked," the man looked upwards at the ceiling, "Would you kindly come out from the ceiling and introduce yourself, White Devil?"
The dozen Yakuza leaders drew their weapons, handguns, swords and even a chain in one case, and took combat stances while their leader continued to sit patiently. Their readiness did little to help as a white robe figure with an oni mask burst down from the ceiling onto two of the men, quickly performing a circular sword swing, killing the two men still standing next to them.
The chain wearer charged the White Devil, throwing forward his chain and wrapping it around the Devil's blade while two others took aim with their guns. The smirk on the chain wearer quickly faded as he felt ice freeze his hands to his weapon before he was pulled in front of the White Devil, acting as a body shield as the bullets riddled him. The White Devil wielded the improvised human fail and swung at the gun wielders, smashing their comrade's corpse into them and knocking them down, before flickering their blade and shattering the ice and chain that locked their blade. The devil turned their attention to the other half of the room as two sword-wielders charged them but were cut down before they could even finish their swings. The three still-standing yakuza aimed their handguns as the Devil swung their sword, a sheet of ice projected flying through the upper halves of the men. Their bodies slip in two before the ice had even embedded in the wall behind them. The Devil turned their gaze to the recovering men, the two knocked down by the ceiling and the other two by their comrade's corpse. The Devil chuckled,
"It would be preferred if you stayed down, much easier to stab," they commented.
They dashed forward to strike down the remaining men but found themselves blocked by the elder's blade.
"Interesting techniques you have there young one," he said.
The Devil grunted and leapt back. The four others recovered and began to aim their guns when the elder raised his hand.
"Yu, Minato, Saghara, and Yugi, be good sports and leave this to me kindly,"
"But boss-!"
"Nobuts, it has been a good long while since I've faced someone with actual talent in the blade," the men recognized the look on their boss's face, it was the same that made him so feared. How a normally calm and peaceful man became the leader of one of the largest Yakuza organizations. Why he was called the Red Wolf. His pure love of fighting. The men made no further protest as they vacated the room.
"Now that's settled out of the way, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself?" He lowered his blade ever so slightly, "I am Ohara Yoshiaki, head of the Ohara-gumi."
The devil remained silent.
"Oh come now, I already know you're a woman from your movements, ki, and the purposeful demasculinizing of others."
The devil raised three fingers, "30 million."
"Yen?"
"Dollars."
The old man laughed, "Really? When it's becoming clearer by the moment who you are?"
He shook his head, "I will admit, I'm curious how you came to know my family's sword techniques," he finally let his sword fall to his side, "So which is it, time travel or alternative dimension?"
The White Devil did a face fall, "How the hell could you even know that?!"
"It's really quite logical. I never taught anyone my techniques save for my foolish daughter but she never finished her training. You, on the other hand, know my secret technique, and have it so refined I must have taught you myself; thus that leaves only two possibilities. I will teach you in the future or in an alternate reality."
"You're correct about your daughter at least," the devil laughed aguishly, "You and your annoying damn logic."
"Now I'm positive I taught you. That laugh could only come from someone who knows me, plus you also know all our secret hiding places and your way around my maze of a home."
"Fine, you got me pegged," she raised her sword, "But I'm afraid that's all you'll learn tonight without paying 50 million."
"Perhaps, if you can get away that is," he smiled, "My men are loyal but I did warn my guards that a guest would be joining us tonight and I was not expecting you to be so entertaining. You have less than a minute before the equivalent of a Texan household's supply of guns begins to fire upon you."
"Where's the honour in that?"
"Please, in the Sengoku era, Japan had more firearms than Europe. We're merely the modern-day samurai."
"Overrated backstabbing bastards that killed, raped and looted anything that moved?"
"Ooh, I do like you. Mind the red dots, my snipers like to give their prey a chance."
At that, the devil heard doors opening and the running of heavily armed men not far. She dove past the yakuza boss and to the balcony behind, leaping off it as gunfire began to shoot past her. Most missed, but not all. Yoshiaki looked from his balcony below at the waters of his moat, blood visibly in its waters. Several of his men reached him and began to aim their guns down.
"Don't bother, she's already swam into the secret passage."
"But how-"
"You see white powder in the water, that only happens if you moved a certain tile and she landed precisely where she needed to," Yoshi sighed, "My other selves trained someone very dangerous."
"Uh, what sir?"
"Never mind me, clean this mess and send forward the prepared messages to the dead's loved ones and alike," Yoshi looked among his now busying men, "Yu, stay would you?"
"Uh of course sir," once the others had left, Yu whispered, "What do you need boss?"
"Yu, I need you to be a good man and kindly find out where my dumbass of a daughter is, please. No funny business either," Yoshiaki's glare was enough threat on its own to understand the consequences.
"Of course boss," Yu bowed and left the balcony.
Ohara Yoshiaki looked distantly at the half-moon, its shape like a god laughing at him.
"Nodoka, what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"
