Chapter 25 On a Ship over the Ocean
Kenichi woke up after an indeterminate amount of time, without feeling the pain he had expected.
The darkness left his eyes, and he saw a ceiling. With a light on.
Not fully understanding, he blinked and realized something bizarre.
He had a dozen acupuncture needles stuck all over his body.
A little agitated, he sat up, realizing he had been lying on a bed.
Even more confused, he turned to notice that he was in one of the old passenger cabins, with Ranma crouched next to the door, watching the corridor through the keyhole.
"WHAT THE…?"
"Oh, you're awake. That's good," Ranma said, glancing at him for only a moment. "I'd ask you not to start yelling, though. I'm trying to keep an eye on them, and I don't want them to find us."
"Wait, let me get this straight… You… snuck onto the ship… We fought… You hit me… And THEN… you put me in this cabin and did acupuncture on me? To… heal me? These… are the needles Kensei gave you, right?"
"I'm glad to see you're spot on."
"But… this makes no sense. Why hit me just to heal me afterward?"
"I hit you because you hit me first, to start with.
And also because I was mad at you for this morning—obviously.
I took you away because I couldn't just leave you in the middle of the corridor—by the way, the goons you knocked out are in another cabin, tied up and gagged—and I treated you because you couldn't just keep sleeping when we need to help save the Shimpaku guys."
Kenichi's head was spinning a little, but as twisted as the reasoning was, it made sense.
He remembered what Ranma had said before hitting him—that he had ruined his life.
In fact, he realized that the boy, whose story he knew, had rebuilt his life at Ryozampaku, as he had said many times.
And now, because of their fight, he had to flee, thinking he could never return. As Ryoga had also told him.
He thought about it for a while and sighed.
"Ranma, I…"
"What?"
"I'm… sorry. Really. For everything.
I never… I never wanted the Elder to hunt you down. I… I didn't think about what I was doing.
Otherwise, I would have thought ten times before speaking.
Also, to avoid hurting Renka's feelings.
The truth is, if she was kidnapped…"
Ranma: "It was my fault."
Kenichi: "It was my fault."
Ranma: "HUH?"
Kenichi: "HUH?"
Ranma: "What are you talking about? It was my fault!"
Kenichi: "What are you talking about? It was my fault!"
Ranma: "You don't understand. When I talked to Saiga, he told me he intercepted a communication from Yami."
Kenichi: "Sure, he told us the same thing a little while ago, during the war council."
Ranma: "And he said that one of the disciples…"
Kenichi: "…would cause chaos…"
Ranma: "…dividing Ryozampaku…"
Kenichi: "…and they would take advantage of it…"
They stared at each other for a long moment, understanding each other's feelings.
And then, feeling ridiculous, they burst into bitter laughter.
"Oh, Kami, so we were both blaming ourselves for this?" Ranma said.
"Apparently, yes," Kenichi replied. "Even though, actually, Master Sakaki told me not to dwell on it too much, because it's obvious they had been planning this for a long time and would have done it anyway.
At most, it's only my fault for Renka… OWW!"
Ranma had pinched his cheek.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Do you really think it makes sense to keep throwing the blame back and forth?
It can't be your fault for THE KIDNAPPING.
It's your fault that I had to leave Ryozampaku.
And also for breaking her heart, poor girl.
But for the kidnapping? No.
The only ones responsible are the ones who took her."
Kenichi was momentarily speechless.
And then, he thought about something else.
At first, Kensei had been mad at him for the same reason. But then, he told him not to throw himself into battle recklessly. What had he said?
I consider all my disciples like my children, and today I've already lost one…
Kenichi felt a lump in his throat.
His Master had even found the time to worry about them, and yet…they still threw themselves into the fray, risking their life once again.
"Pfff… It seems like I can't do anything right today. They told me not to make reckless choices, but Miu and I jumped into the fray anyway…"
"And that was a mistake," Ranma replied sternly. "We don't know exactly what's on this ship."
Kenichi looked at him for a moment.
"Ranma, you… You're acting really responsible, you know? You seem… more mature. Did something happen recently? Something that made you grow up?"
Ranma thought about all the time he had spent with Kisara and blushed.
"Nothing in particular. Anyway, let's compare what we know."
And so, they updated each other on what had happened in the last few hours.
After running for hours, even the Invincible Superman, Hayato Furinji, was very tired.
But he finally caught sight of the ship.
There was no mistaking it, despite the pitch-black darkness.
He took one last leap and landed on board, causing a tremor that shook the entire structure—so much for stealth.
"WHAT… AN… EFFORT!" the massive man shouted.
They had to be miles from the coast by now, almost reaching international waters.
The sky was dark and was beginning to cloud over.
After catching his breath, the Elder of Ryozampaku gathered his thoughts.
The ship was gigantic. It would take him hours to search it all—at least if he wanted to be cautious.
At that moment, two sailors arrived, drawn by the impact, and he knocked them out without much ceremony.
Umph! Then I WON'T be cautious. After all, I think I know who's behind all this…
Let's see… I need to find the most suitable spot…
"Anyway, we need to get out of here quickly," Kenichi pointed out. "Miu-san is currently—"
"Miu will be fine," Ranma dismissed. "She's very capable, as you well know."
Kenichi wanted to protest against such nonchalance.
How could he not be worried?
But then he realized he still had a question stuck in his throat.
"Ranma, do you… love her?"
The young pigtailed man stared at him, embarrassed and surprised.
"W-what kind of question is that, right now?"
Kenichi continued.
"Well, because I… I do.
I think I've loved her since the first moment I saw her."
His interlocutor remained silent.
"I've loved her since I saw her take down those bandits, three years ago.
I love her in the rain, and I love her in the sunshine.
I love her when she fights, and I love her when she does the laundry.
I love her when she smiles, and I love her when she's sad.
Especially when she's sad, because I wish she never had to be."
He remained lost in thought, with a melancholic expression.
Ranma reflected carefully, then spoke.
"In my life, I…have felt what you're talking about"
Kenichi snapped out of his reverie but then found it natural.
He's talking about Miu? Or about that other girl?
"Yeah, I understand. Then maybe you can imagine how I feel…"
Ranma thought about it for a while.
How would had he felt if Akane had gone with another man?
He couldn't even consider the possibility.
When he had thought Akane had fallen for Shinnosuke, he had almost lost it.
Perhaps, if he had ever had to witness them in an intimate moment… yes, he might have caused the same mess as Kenichi. Maybe even in less time.
"Kenichi, I understand you, but…"
The boy looked up.
"…If you really love Miu that way, why don't you act accordingly?
I mean… I'm SORRY for hurting you, but… it's not like I ended up in bed with her just to spite you, you know? I really didn't think there was… something like that between you two.
Yes, maybe some attraction, a crush, a youthful passion… but nothing that deep. I… I didn't realize it."
"I… I don't know. It's complicated."
"Yeah, tell me about it. Honestly, even though I said that, I… well, I can't say I'm an expert on love matters. Much less that I've always been able to admit and express my feelings. Actually, quite the opposite. As much as I want to, I can't criticize you for this."
Kenichi looked at him and felt like he was seeing him for the first time.
He had always seen Ranma's external, more striking aspects, and only now did he realize… that he was a person with his own shyness and insecurities.
"Pff… I think I misjudged you.
From the first day you arrived at Ryozampaku… I could only see you as someone special, someone I wanted to be but couldn't quite reach. So, I feared this would happen. Something between you and Miu, I mean. The fact is… you two are so similar. You really are… made for each other. It's hard to admit, but it's true.
It's like my insecurities were ringing an alarm bell… as if, from the beginning, that little voice saying, 'Kenichi, you can't do it, she's too much for you,' had started speaking again. I had heard that voice for a long time, but lately, I had managed to silence it."
Ranma was surprised for a moment. Finally, he was beginning to understand.
"Bah! You really are an idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"You've known Miu all this time, and you still don't understand how she is?
She DOESN'T WANT to be considered special.
She DOESN'T WANT to be put on a pedestal.
She DOESN'T WANT to be seen as someone who needs protection.
She simply wants… to be like everyone else. To be judged for who she is, for her character, and not for everything else."
Shirahama's eyes widened.
"And so," the pigtailed boy continued, "if you don't start thinking… if you don't CONVINCE YOURSELF… that you DON'T NEED TO RISE to her level… that you're ALREADY at her level… that you have the same chances as anyone else… actually, even more, because of the bond you've built over the years… if you don't start treating her the way she WANTS to be treated… making her feel… normal… you will never have a chance."
A silence full of reflection followed.
"Miu and I… we're not just similar because we're special, Kenichi. We are because we feel THE BURDEN of being special. Of being constantly judged by others. To have to prove ourselves all the time. And so, maybe, we just needed someone with whom we could be ourselves, without judgment."
"And I don't think being similar is a determining factor. It's true, she and I would work well even in a real relationship… but in the long run, i can't be sure we would be the right choice for each other. The right person for someone like us could be someone different… complementary… similar in some ways, but not in others… someone who doesn't judge you, who can understand you, but also gives you something different that you don't find in yourself, and that you need, understand?"
Kenichi seemed to have reached a realization.
"So… has this always been the problem? I should be more confident? Approach her with trust? Give her what she needs, not what I think she needs?
Stop waiting to BECOME the right man for her… and start BEING him?"
Ranma nodded.
"Now that I think about it," Shirahama resumed, "you've always treated her as an equal…"
"Of course. I treat men and women the same way. With her, I've always been impartial, on a level of equality and trust…
Actually, no, to be honest… there have been ups and downs in our trust level.
Miu… she noticed 'the red-haired girl' on the ship, during the mission with Sakaki, and thought I was hiding something from her.
At first, I denied it, but then I chose to be honest. A rare thing.
Until that moment… yes, there was attraction, but neither of us had really thought about… now that I think about it, that was the trigger… the thing that set everything in motion.
But believe me, I never wanted you to feel betrayed.
By her and… by me, as a friend. I never intended it that way.
It just happened.
And there's one more thing I feel bad about. When she realized that… you and the Masters of Ryozampaku… knew my secret… my transformation… and kept it from her… she was upset with all of you.
I tried to explain to her that you must have done it out of respect for me, but…"
"Yeah, sure, I get it. She probably couldn't understand how I could keep something secret from her after all this time."
At this point, Ranma flinched.
Just like Akane with Ryoga's transformation.
Just like me with the water secret at the failed wedding.
When trust is betrayed… it's hard to go back.
"Yes, honesty, trust… they're difficult to build and maintain in a relationship. I know that all too well," Ranma concluded.
"But now, things are even worse than that," Kenichi continued. "Not only did I act possessive and jealous, but I did so despite already being in a relationship with Renka.
She's the one I should apologize to the most…"
"To be honest, for the way you treated her, i won't forgive you, too."
"I KNOW! I did something… horrible.
I can only say that… when I saw you two… the night of your promotion, I was… shocked.
I was in a state of shock, and Renka was there… and I… I had never realized her feelings for me before…"
"What an hopeless idiot."
"Yeah, and after that… well, I tried to pretend nothing happened.
To think… that maybe I had to accept Miu's choices and the new status quo: there were two new, unexpected couples at Ryozampaku, but it was fine that way…
I really believed it could work with Renka, I truly did.
I never wanted to deceive her.
But in the end, I just couldn't keep… seeking comfort in her arms… I couldn't… lie to my own heart."
Yeah, sex is one thing, love is another, huh?
"Alright!" Ranma snapped back. "Maybe it's still possible to fix things.
I've learned that some things can't be fixed, but others can—look at Ryoga, for example—and if you want your chance to apologize, we first need to… wait!"
He heard footsteps in the corridor.
Rushing to the peephole, he saw two scientists passing by.
There was no doubt in his mind: he pulled out the remaining needles—the ones he hadn't used to heal Kenichi—dipped them into the liquid Kensei had given him, then slipped out in complete silence.
He threw the two needles at the first vertebra of the scientists' necks. They remained paralyzed and unable to speak for a few seconds.
Half a minute later, they were in the same room as Kenichi.
"Who are you? What do you want from us?"
"Hey, buddy, I'm the one asking questions here."
Ranma had always wanted to say that.
"Let's start with something simple," Ranma began, cracking his knuckles.
"You look like scientists, and you work for Yami. We know these kids were kidnapped, but why? Where is this ship headed?"
"Go to hell! We won't tell you a damn thing!"
Ranma punched him in the face, sending him straight to dreamland.
"RANMA!"
"Shut up, Kenichi, let me handle this. These are Sakaki's interrogation methods, and you should know he's rarely wrong."
Yeah, I should have expected this… those who lie down with dogs, gets fleas…
"W-what do you want to do to me?" the still-conscious scientist pleaded, trembling.
"Oh, for now, nothing. But if you don't answer our questions… maybe a lot worse. What do you say?"
The poor guy swallowed hard, then nodded.
"This ship is headed to a small island in the South Pacific. We don't even know exactly where, for security reasons."
"Alright. Next question: WHY did you kidnap the kids?"
"Well, Ranma, we already know that—it's because…"
"I still want to hear it from him!"
"We don't know much, but it seems these kids have great martial arts talent. They were chosen personally by Ogata-sama. He… wanted to take them back. To make them the next members of Yami."
"But I imagine that if they've been your enemies all this time, getting them to cooperate won't be easy…"
"Well, actually…"
Kenichi had an intuition.
AH!
"Does this have anything to do with… those chemicals that were smuggled into Japan a few months ago? Saiga-sama said they were used in a research facility to prepare a serum… what is it?"
The scientist looked caught off guard. "I…"
"TALK!"
"If I talk, I'll be a dead man soon!"
Ranma punched the steel wall next to his head, leaving the imprint of his knuckles.
"BUT IF YOU DON'T talk, you'll be dead NOW!"
The guy swallowed hard again and then said:
"Alright! The fact is… we knew there would be problems getting them to obey, so… we were ordered to work on reproducing a certain formula… to create an… obedience serum."
"AN OBEDIENCE SERUM?" the two young men asked in unison.
"Yes, a type of preparation, or drug, that, when taken… neutralizes the will of the person… making them extremely suggestible to the orders given by whoever's voice they hear.
After some time, continued use makes the effects permanent.
But apparently… it was necessary to start administering it to the subjects as soon as possible.
That's why… we had to smuggle the ingredients into Japan… synthesize it here… and then transport the equipment onto the ships… to start injecting it intravenously into the kidnapped individuals, even during the return journey."
"Wait a second," Kenichi interrupted. "I know a story like this. You said RE-produce the formula? Where… did the original come from?"
"I don't know for sure… but it's said that Ogata-sama and Kushinada-dono found it… while rummaging through the belongings of a deceased martial arts master… in Indonesia."
Now even Ranma made the connection. He had heard this story before.
Strangely, this time Kenichi was the one to snap.
He grabbed the man by his collar and slammed his head against the wall.
"IN THE TIDAT? Are you telling me… that you're recreating Silcardo Jenazad's potion?* Really?"
"AAH! Yes, maybe that was the name! I… I don't know anything else! Just that the formula was… complicated, it took us months to reproduce it. More than science, it seemed like…"
"Magic," Ranma finished for him.
"Kenichi, it's exactly what I think. Miu told me about it, it's really…"
"Yes, Ranma, it's the same formula they gave her last year. They want to turn our friends into killing machines, brainwashing them… to make them perfect members of Yami!"
Miu had been running through the hallways for a while now.
She wasn't too worried about Kenichi, but she still preferred to find him as soon as possible.
Since she had exited through the ventilation ducts, she had decided to retrace the same ones that led out of the room where Kenichi had been locked up…
except that when she reached a junction with another corridor, she noticed something strange. There was a trail of unconscious bodies belonging to security guards like the ones she had seen. About ten of them. They had all been struck with great violence by someone who wanted to harm them.
However, none of them had fatal wounds. They were like breadcrumbs that could lead her to the mysterious individual.
If they didn't kill them… could it be a member of the Saving Fist?
What should my priority be now? Contact this new ally, or…?
She thought about it briefly, but she had no doubts: the priority was finding Kenichi.
The two boys had almost finished the interrogation.
"And when is the administration supposed to begin?"
"In about an hour—an hour and a half, the preparations will be complete… but even if it starts, it will take twenty-four consecutive hours before the first effects can be seen… and then another two or three weeks before they become permanent."
"That means we'll have time to stop them!" Ranma concluded.
"Yes, and that's a huge relief," Kenichi confirmed. "I was already afraid we'd have to fight against our own comrades, turned into zombies."
"You… you're delusional," said the thug, who had regained some courage upon seeing them relaxed and less threatening.
After all, he remembered who he worked for. And they were just two kids.
"What do you mean?"
"This is an operation of Yami! Whoever crosses their path ends up dead! Don't fool yourselves! You can let me live or take me out, but if A Shadow, Nine Fists has decided so… you can be sure that Operation Pygmalion will be carried out!"
"Aaaand… let's say that's enough," Ranma decided, knocking him out with a punch.
"Hey!" Kenichi protested. "He could've told us more!"
"Nothing useful, anyway. He's already explained the most important thing, hasn't he? How to get to the lab with the prisoners."
"Well, but that's not enough. It'll be guarded; we'll have to infiltrate somehow."
"I suggest we go back to my previous idea: let's use the uniforms and helmets of the guards I knocked out. I saw it in a movie* and… by the way, what did he call it? Operation Pygmalion? What a strange name."
"Actually," Kenichi began to explain in a scholarly tone, "it makes perfect sense. According to an ancient Greek myth, Pygmalion was a king with a hobby for sculpture, who crafted a statue of a woman so perfect that he fell in love with it. He begged the gods to bring it to life: they granted his wish, and he was able to marry her. His name was later used as the title of a famous play by George Bernard Shaw, in which a speech professor bets that he can transform a poor girl into a perfect member of high society by giving her the right education. Since then, by antonomasia, the expression 'to act as a Pygmalion to someone' is used to indicate shaping someone to be like oneself or how one wants them to be. Consequently, it perfectly fits our enemies' intentions and—"
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it, no need for the whole lecture."
Damn him. He makes me feel ignorant. Now I understand why he wants to enroll in Literature…
"So, we grab the uniforms from the guys locked up in the next room and—"
"KENICHI-SAN! WHERE ARE YOU?"
"But that voice…"
"MIU!" Kenichi darted out, to hell with caution.
He and Miu embraced briefly—a moment that embarrassed them both, given the events of the day—before explaining themselves.
"How did you find me?"
"Well, I noticed that up there, the ventilation duct was broken, but I didn't see the pieces, so I thought…"
Just then, Ranma stepped out of the room.
He didn't know how he would be received, but he simply looked at her, standing a few steps away.
"Yes, as I was about to explain to you, it's an incredible coincidence…" Kenichi began.
The blonde was first astonished. But then instinct took over.
"RANMA!" she threw her arms around his neck. They remained in a long embrace.
Kenichi wanted to protest, but he realized it wasn't the right time.
"I was afraid… I was afraid that my grandfather had…"
"Fortunately, no."
"But," she said, pulling away, "how is it possible? How did you end up here?"
"I'll tell you everything. Actually, I informed Ryozanpaku of my presence here," he said, pointing to Sakaki's radio transmitter in his ear, "and they alerted me to the situation, but they didn't mention you.
I guess they didn't know yet. I met Kenichi purely by chance."
"Actually," the boy admitted, "he had infiltrated really well and blew his cover to save my life," he clarified, remembering the throwing knife aimed at the thug.
Ranma was a little surprised that he made him look good in front of Miu.
The girl looked back and forth between them and then said, "Alright, you'll tell me everything. But first, I have TWO things to say to you."
"UH? What?" Miu gave him a light slap on the right cheek.
"HEY! What was that for?"
"Never hide anything from me again!"
At first, the young man seemed not to understand.
"I know you spoke with my father! He told us a few hours ago! He used you to send a warning to Ryozanpaku, but you didn't say anything to us! To me!
I thought… we had agreed to stop keeping secrets. At least between us."
Ranma's eyes widened, then he lowered his gaze and gave a bitter smile.
"Pledge. And… I'm sorry. It was a direct order… but I didn't like obeying it."
"It doesn't matter. The Masters and their stupid rules!
It doesn't seem to me that they've been the most mature and reliable people in the world lately.
It's about time we started thinking for ourselves."
Ranma had a flashback to what Miu had told him on the dormitory roof a few months ago.
I… think we should do better than this.
Find a different way.
Maybe it's our duty as future Masters.
For a moment, he had a vision of the future.
A different, better Ryozanpaku, led by the people standing before him.
He nodded with a smile but added, "On one hand, I understand you, but on the other… lately, I can't help but understand some of their concerns.
I mean, coming here alone… without a plan… without knowing the number and level of the enemies…
recently, someone really wise told me that rushing into a danger you can't handle is madness, not courage.
And I… think I agree."
"Message received," the girl said, blushing, "and I appreciate the concern, really.
But now that we're here, the three of us, we should be able to do something for our friends."
"Didn't you have another thing to ask me?"
"Ah, right. But HOW did you find out about the kidnappings and locate this place? At Ryozanpaku, we had to struggle like crazy to find out."
Kenichi felt like an idiot for not asking him earlier.
"Oh, right," Ranma continued.
"Well, actually… I went to see Kisara. To warn her that… I might disappear for a while. And I ran into those bastards while they were taking her away. After that, I just followed them here."
"Wait, you went to Kisara… as a MAN?"
"Yeah, I… wanted to tell her the truth. It seemed like she deserved it, even if it might hurt her. It was time to stop keeping secrets."
Miu shaped a silent "OH!" with her mouth.
Kenichi's eyes widened. "Wait, but… what are you talking about?"
"Uh? Well, the fact that… for the past six months… I've been training Kisara… in my female form, disguised as Ranko, my fictional twin sister," Ranma admitted.
The boy nearly jumped. "But… but how? Something like that? Miu, did you know?"
The girl showed an embarrassed expression, holding her bun with both hands and sticking out her tongue like a child. "Teheheh."
"Look, look… who's keeping secrets from people now?" Ranma teased.
"Well, I couldn't tell him! It was YOUR secret, after all, not mine."
For a moment, silence fell after that statement.
In the air, an unspoken thought loomed:
just like when Kenichi didn't tell you about Ranma's transformation,
or when Ranma didn't tell you about Saiga…
The girl playfully protested against the implicit reprimand.
"OH, COME ON! Since when are you two teaming up?
This morning, you wanted to tear each other's throats out because of me, and now…"
Kenichi (embarrassed): "Well, you see, Miu, we had a chance to talk a bit, and…"
Ranma (impassive): "Actually, we were punching each other less than half an hour ago…"
Miu: "WHAT?!"
Kenichi: "Ranma! Was that really necessary?"
Ranma: "Well, we said no more secrets!
Besides, why are we standing around talking about our business?
We have hostages to rescue, don't we? Especially considering that on this ship, there must be also…"
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed throughout the ship, shouting a name:
OGATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Hayato Furinji had found the lowest and most central point of the ship.
A large space, perhaps twenty meters by thirty, which, back when this ship sailed the seas for cruises, must have been a ballroom.
It was accessible from the upper deck via a grand spiral staircase.
He positioned himself in the center of the hall, legs bent, hands on his hips, and took a deep breath before unleashing his full lung power in that roar.
"OGATAAAA! WHERE ARE YOU, SCOUNDREL?
COME OUT AND SETTLE THIS LIKE MEN, IF YOU HAVE THE GUTS!
OR ARE YOU ONLY CAPABLE OF KIDNAPPING DEFENSELESS KIDS, USING YOUR LACKEYS AS SHIELDS?
DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO END THIS STORY THE WAY IT STARTED?
JUST YOU AND ME; ONE-ON-ONE.
COME OUT, OR, BY ALL THE KAMI, I SWEAR I WILL START DISMANTLING THIS TUB PIECE BY PIECE AND DUMP IT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN!"
In an unspecified part of the ship, a hooded figure, sitting cross-legged with arms folded, suddenly opened his eyes.
Isshinsai Ogata of Yami, the former Ryozanpaku disciple who had turned to evil, had received his old Master's message loud and clear.
He sharpened his senses and tensed his muscles like a feline ready to pounce.
The power of the sound waves spread, vibrating through every corner of the ship.
Perhaps the only ones who hadn't heard it were the drugged prisoners.
Perhaps.
A terrified security captain with graying temples rushed, trembling, into his cabin. "
Sir! Uh! I'm… I'm sorry to inform you that…"
"Calm yourself, Commander Japstein. I heard. Do you think there's anyone in the entire Sea of Japan who didn't hear it? And besides," he added with an amused smile, casting a glance at his terrified subordinate, "I don't intend to scold or punish you… not yet, at least.
There is no force in the world that could have kept that old man off this ship. We were unlucky.
It was a matter of espionage and information, not security. Our opponents are skilled too."
"Y-yes, sir, but… you're not really planning to face him, are you? I mean, he is still the Invincible Superman!"
"Relax, Commander. First of all, I HAVE to face him, whether I want to or not.
He said that if I don't, he will sink the ship, and you can bet your life he would do it."
"Secondly, fortunately for me, I have an ace up my sleeve that might level the playing field. Rather," he said, turning while already at the door,
"one thing I WILL hold against you, if you don't take care of it immediately, is THE OTHER intruders.
We can't risk them trying to free the prisoners while I face the old man.
And you wouldn't want to leave the honor of eliminating them to our… revered guests.
You see, it's a matter of… internal Yami reputation.
Also of etiquette, in a way.
The hosts must deal with them, so to speak."
"Yes, sir! I will take care of it immediately, sir.
A couple of patrols have already disappeared, and I suspect they were annihilated.
This is no time for half measures: I will divide all forces into two large divisions.
One will guard the science section where the prisoners are, and the other will hunt the intruders, splitting into no more than three large platoons to explore every corridor. We will crush them with sheer numbers."
"Simple but effective. Proceed," he said, stepping out.
The three young people were still in shock as the echo of Hayato Furinji's words faded into the distance, and the metal barriers of the bulkheads stopped trembling.
Miu: "Grandfather! That was definitely Grandfather! So, the traces from earlier…"
Kenichi: "The Elder… is on this ship? But then…"
But they both realized that their companion had taken it the hardest.
They turned in unison.
Ranma had wide eyes and was trembling slightly but was trying to maintain some composure.
Instinctively, the two exchanged a brief glance, then each took one of his hands.
The pigtailed boy was breathing only a little heavier than usual.
"Relax, Ranma, he's not here for you."
"And anyway, we wouldn't let him do anything without hearing him out first, this time."
Ranma snapped out of it and withdrew his hands, a bit embarrassed (but less, he realized, than he would have been in the past for the same thing).
"Tch! I know that! It just caught me off guard! What is he doing here?"
Kenichi: "Well… actually, we don't know either. Apparently…"
Miu: "…my father managed to warn him somehow. And it's a good thing he did.
From what I can sense, Isshinsai Ogata is on this ship, one of Yami's most dangerous members.
He was the one who recruited our friends when they were part of Ragnarok… so it makes sense that he wants them back.
We could never have faced such an opponent. But now… Grandfather will handle it.
And we can use the opportunity to free our friends!" she concluded with optimism.
"Calm down!" Kenichi intervened. "A fight of that scale will put the entire ship at risk… we could get caught up in it too!"
"And I'd like to remind you that this wreck is crawling with guards and who knows what other enemies," Ranma pointed out.
"Now that I think about it… I saw traces of the Elder passing by a little while ago," the girl suddenly remembered. "Maybe, if I'm fast enough… I can warn him!" And she dashed off at high speed.
"Miu, wait!"
But the girl had already disappeared around a corner.
Kenichi turned to Ranma.
"So? Should I have let her go because I accept her for who she is, or should I have stopped her because she's doing something too reckless?"
Ranma shook his head.
"I really wish I could tell you. Sometimes I think I'll never truly understand women."
Miu was sprinting down the corridor she had already traveled, all her senses on high alert. She could follow the trail of unconscious henchmen to find her grandfather—after all, judging by the voice's direction, she could more or less guess the area—but she had to hurry. A siren started blaring through the corridors.
She could still hear another patrol approaching and pressed herself against the wall to let them pass.
"Are you sure they sounded the general alarm? This is ridiculous."
"Trust me, in a moment, all hell is going to break loose on this ship!"
"According to orders, we're supposed to guard the prisoners, while divisions A, E, K, F, and J hunt down the intruders. Let's move!"
So that's how it is. Not bad to know.
Also, I'd like to follow them to find out where the prisoners are, but that'll have to wait.
Right now, there's something more urgent to do.
She resumed running in the direction they had come from and soon found the right path.
When the trail of unconscious guards ended, it was harder to figure out where to go, but then she tried to guess which access led to the lower deck and managed just fine.
I have to hurry. Otherwise, I risk of running into Ogata on his way here.
At last, she reached a final, rather wide corridor and ran all the way to the end, arriving at a terrace overlooking an enormous open space, as cold as a gymnasium.
A spiral staircase led down below.
A figure in a brown cloak stood in the center of the room, waiting.
"GRANDPA!"
"MIU?"
The reunion between grandfather and granddaughter was touching but brief.
"But, my dear granddaughter, what are you doing here? I thought that…"
"First of all, Grandpa, don't blame Kenichi. It was my idea."
And quickly, she told him everything that had happened.
"I see. Damn, what a situation.
On one hand, I don't like that you're here. It's too dangerous.
On the other, you're here at just the right time—you can take advantage of this to…"
"Wait, Grandpa, I need to tell you something else, and you have to promise me to stay calm.
Ranma is also on this ship. Kenichi and I already met him."
"WHAT? RANMA? BUT—"
"GRANDPA! I told you to stay calm!"
The expression on the blonde girl, the last heir of the Furinji was unwavering. Annoyed, stern, and cold.
Hayato found himself thinking that his granddaughter had grown up if she could make a face like that.
"Fine. In any case, now is not the time."
"IT WILL NEVER BE THE TIME, and I want that to be crystal clear.
It never should have been, not even this morning.
I refuse to be treated like a child.
I am an adult woman, and I can make my own choices.
I will not tolerate Ranma or… anyone else in the future, having to pay the consequences.
Have i made myself clear?"
Hayato raised an eyebrow.
Then he shrugged and let out a deep sigh.
"Alright, maybe you're right. I might have gone a bit overboard, huh?"
"A BIT? I bet Tokyo is still calling the firefighters because of your little trip today!"
"MUAHAHAH, that might be true. It's just that," he continued in a softer tone,
"I've raised you since you were little, my child. I can't stand the thought of someone taking you away."
The girl gave him a sweet smile. "I'll always be your little girl, Grandpa. Even after I'll have gotten married."
The two embraced.
"So, what is Ranma doing here? Did you find him and bring him with you, or…?"
"No, that's not it. He… to put it briefly, in the past few months, he's been Kisara's teacher. In the afternoons, in secret.
Today, he was warning her that he might have to leave the city—" and here, she gave him another glare, "—and that's when he saw her getting kidnapped. Then he followed them here.
He used Sakaki's radio transmitter to warn Ryozanpaku—the others know he's here… but maybe they didn't know about us, at least at that time."
He came to save a friend, risking his life…
"Ranma himself wasn't happy to see us, to be honest. He says we put ourselves in too much danger."
"Smart kid. I'm starting to like him again.
Very well. I'm sure Saiga and the others will do their part on the other ship.
But what about Kenichi? Have you and he talked?
And he and Ranma? Will they be able to put their jealousy aside at a time like this?"
The girl blushed slightly.
"Well… given the situation, I'd say pretty well.
Kenichi and I… talked today.
And in the meantime, he must have cleared things up with Ranma too.
We split up for half an hour, and they met first.
We'll be able to work together, that's for sure."
"That's what I wanted to hear. Listen, Miu, there's no time. Ogata will be here any moment.
Our fight will damage the ship, but I'll try to keep it minimal.
You have to free everyone and escape on the lifeboats, without waiting for me.
I'll catch up with you later. Here, take this.
This little friend might be very useful to you."
"Tochoumaru!" the girl exclaimed upon seeing the small ninja mice.
"OH MY, WHAT A TOUCHING SCENE! I COULD CRY"
"Ogata! Damn you!"
"Don't worry, Hayato Furinji.
Isshinsai Ogata will not stoop to laying hands on a little girl.
I have my task to fulfill, and she has hers… just as others on this ship have the task of stopping her."
"Go, Miu!"
The blonde girl hesitated at first, walking past Ogata cautiously.
Then, once she was sure he wouldn't try any dirty tricks, she shot him one last look of contempt and ran off.
"Hmm! That look! They grow up so fast, don't they? But you too, Hayato, you've started breathing normally again now that I've let her go. Don't tell me even the legendary Invincible Superman was worried."
"You can expect anything from a filthy kidnapper, Ogata."
"In that sense, you're mistaken. The people on this ship… are mine. They always have been.
I simply took them back, to lead them to their glorious destiny.
Of course, it seems that some rats have sneaked aboard this ship… but all it takes is a cat to hunt them down."
"Hmph! That is, unless a dog shows up to chase the cat away."
"Oh? You really think so? And yet, even that dog seems a bit winded to me. Well, of course, crossing all those miles of water, at your age… you can't be in top form, huh? What would happen if the dog, instead of a cat…"
Ogata's Ki began to swell, taking on a sinister, almost wrong aura.
"…were to meet a panther?"
Damn him!
Hayato began raising his own aura in response, as Ogata declared:
"SEIDOU GOUITSU!"
Ranma and Kenichi had been waiting for Miu for almost twenty minutes, and they were getting irritated.
"Damn it, I swear if she's not back in two minutes, we're going to look for her."
"I get it, but if we run into Ogata, we don't stand a chance! Even together, we can't take on a Grand Master."
"But she's running the same risk," Ranma reminded him.
"Don't make me think about that."
"YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT YOURSELVES INSTEAD."
"Damn! They found us."
The two were standing at an intersection, a crossroads of four wide corridors, near the cabin where they had interrogated the prisoners.
Three of those corridors were blocked by squads of ten armored guards. All of them had drawn their extendable batons.
The fourth direction was the one Miu had taken.
Just one look was enough. If they fled that way, they would lead the guards straight to her.
They had to hold their ground. They took a fighting stance, back to back.
"Are you ready, Kenichi?"
"Whenever you are."
The guards charged at them.
Just before they clashed, a blonde whirlwind shot through the corridor and into their midst.
"Were you planning on having fun without me?" she asked.
"MIU!" they shouted in unison.
A battle broke out in an instant.
At first, the three of them stood back to back, fending off the thugs' attacks while rotating to take turns facing their enemies.
A whirlwind of baton strikes, blocks, punches, and kicks erupted in the corridor.
Then, realizing they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers in such a confined space, Ranma leaped away from his companions, drawing some of the enemies toward him and fighting them alone.
For a moment, the battle continued this way. But Kenichi grew annoyed that Ranma was taking on too much, so he seized an opening and rushed to his side.
Once again, they stood back to back and continued fighting off the enemies together, taking down many—one defending while the other counterattacked in perfect sync.
At that point, Miu was at risk of being overpowered. Ranma leaped toward her, and they too positioned themselves back to back, clearing the area with impeccable teamwork.
Finally, Kenichi broke away to lure in the last remaining henchmen, and this time, Miu was the one to launch into the air and join him.
And, of course, they stood back to back, defeating the last of the guards until none were left standing.
When the dust settled, thirty armored guards with helmets and batons lay unconscious on the ground.
The three took a few seconds to catch their breath. They were a bit sweaty, but none of them were hurt.
"Well!" exclaimed the blonde at last, satisfied. "Hats off to Ryozanpaku's training for teamwork and facing multiple armed opponents at once. That went well!"
"I didn't think that... we would cooperate so well," admitted Ranma.
Is it because... we cleared things up in our hearts? Kenichi wondered to himself.
"Anyway," Miu continued, "we have a unique opportunity. Let's go free our comrades. I spoke with my grandfather, everything is set.
Right now, he's fighting Ogata. And Tochoumaru can help us!" she added, as he appeared on her shoulder.
"Wait a moment," Ranma intervened. "It's true that we just proved that unity is strength, but don't you think the prisoners will be guarded? They could use them as hostages."
"Ah, that's true!" exclaimed Miu. "I overheard some guards saying that half of them are guarding the laboratory."
"So how do we do it? Do we just keep attacking in force until we beat them all? Assuming there's only common guards and not also high-level practitioners," Kenichi pondered.
"I have an idea," said Ranma. "We'll go back to my previous plan, but with a slight modification... listen carefully."
When he had finished explaining, Miu and Kenichi shook their heads, doubtful.
"Mmh... I don't know... it means splitting up again..."
"It seems counterproductive. Although I do recognize that..."
"Trust me. It will work. It might be the best chance we have," insisted Ranma,
"for THREE good reasons:
FIRST, because they won't expect it;
SECOND, because attacking simultaneously from the inside and the outside will give us a better chance;
and THIRD, because we need a reconnaissance round to mislead or take out any other opponents... and I'm the only one who can do it because I'm at Master level."
Seeing him so confident convinced them.
But both still teased him a little.
Kenichi: "Now don't let it go to your head..."
Miu: "Are you saying that role can be filled by anyone at a high enough level?"
Ranma: "Of course, and if next time you surpass me, I'll let you do it, I promise," he replied mischievously.
"One last thing. Take these." Ranma pulled out a special army energy bar that Apachai had given him (although, like almost everything, it had been prepared by Akisame and Kensei), broke off three squares (out of ten), and handed two to his companions, eating the third himself.
"It should give us energy, and besides, we haven't eaten in hours. I'll give the rest to the others once we free them."
"Do you also have the rest of the supplies? First aid and everything?"
"Of course I do, nurse," the boy said ironically, "and actually, all that stuff will probably be very useful."
He gave them a farewell nod and walked off in one direction, reminding them,
"See you at the laboratory in at most half an hour."
"Do you think we can do it, Kenichi?" the girl asked.
"Well! To tell the truth, it's the first time I've believed it since this afternoon."
Captain Mallard was in the cockpit with the officers in charge of instrumentation and maps.
Mallard was a veteran of about sixty years who had spent his entire life sailing to transport all kinds of cargo, legal or illegal.
This wasn't the first time he had worked for Yami, but he knew this would be the most dangerous job of his life.
He just hoped it wouldn't be his last.
The man the captain had summoned entered.
His name was Specks, and he was a living stereotype of a sailor: short, stocky, wearing a short-sleeved shirt with white and red stripes, a thick brush-like beard, and matching salt-and-pepper hair covered by a cap. One eye was blind, crossed by a long scar, and he always had an unlit pipe in his mouth.
"You called for me?"
"Yes, Specks, for a specific reason. Soon, things will get rough on this ship."
"Are you referring to the incoming tropical typhoon? The POSEIDON can withstand far worse."
"I'm more worried about the INTERNAL typhoon on the ship than the EXTERNAL one, Specks.
If Mr. Ogata and the new intruder go wild, not only could they damage the structure... but also awaken some of the little beasts on this ship... which, in turn, could damage Yami's precious scientific equipment. You see, many of them are connected to rubber cables, easy to gnaw on.
If that happened and the experiment was compromised, the clients would take it out on us. I know you're the one in charge of these things. Take care of it."
Specks walked down a dark, foul corridor and entered a grated armored door, for which he alone had the key.
Inside, the air smelled of the wild, everything was dark, and muffled growls of unspecified creatures could be heard, locked in cages stacked on top of each other.
"Hey, beasts! Wake up! Soon there will be work for you. But even if you hate me now, you'll be thanking me soon."
Thirty pairs of eyes lit up in the darkness.
A couple of late guards reached the formation marking the beginning of the laboratory's protective line with the prisoners.
One who looked like an officer addressed them sharply: "What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to go annihilate the intruders? Where is your commanding officer?"
"W-we barely escaped!" one of them justified himself, almost whimpering under his dark helmet. "We didn't think the intruders were that strong. When we realized we couldn't win, we hid and spied on them for a while before coming here to warn you: it seemed more useful than just getting defeated!"
"Damn it! Fine! How many are the intruders, and where are they?"
"There are only three!" said the other, his voice slightly muffled. "At least, I think so, those are the three we saw, but there could be more."
"Damn it! And just three of them defeated THIRTY of ours? The Ryozanpaku disciples never disappoint. Where are they now? Do you think they know where the laboratory is? Could they have followed you?"
"No, they couldn't have followed us, we checked. Also, I have two good pieces of news: they decided to split up, I think, to explore the ship better, so they must not know where the laboratory is.
They were in the central corridor; I think they'll return there if they don't find anything. So it's still possible to catch them one by one—they'll be much less dangerous—or, at worst, wait for their return to the meeting point to set a trap."
"I don't need you to tell me that!" the commander snapped.
"Hey, you! Squads B, C, and D: go explore the corridors to intercept the intruders. Use BOTH batons in ELECTRIFIED mode, and fight TO KILL, understood? Engage only if you're facing one of them alone, clear? Move!"
As the guards obeyed, the two survivors crossed the human wall of guards, moving toward the back, closer to the laboratory.
Their colleagues commented on what cowards they were, preferring to stay as far from danger as possible.
Was Ryozanpaku really that terrifying?
Suddenly, however, a little mouse slipped between the legs of one of them and looked around.
Its presence had not yet been noticed. It also seemed to not be the only one: two or three more followed.
Only at that moment, a terrifying SKAAAAAAANK! was heard, and the entire ship trembled. The guards seemed unsettled but maintained control.
"Tsk! Are these the effects of the Invincible Superman's battle? Truly incredible!"
"It's none of your business! Hold your positions!"
From afar, however, an insistent, undefined noise could be heard.
A squeaking sound.
Soon, HUNDREDS of ship rats invaded every corner of the corridors.
"Damn it! Just as I feared! These old rust buckets host a lot of these pests, and the noise of the blows has scared them!"
"You MUST PREVENT these filthy rats from entering the laboratory at all costs!
If they gnaw on the machinery cables, the entire operation will be ruined!"
Before long, the remaining guards found themselves battling the frenzied rats, which squeaked, climbed on them, bit their legs and arms, and swarmed everywhere.
"Damn it! This isn't easy! We need some..."
"Yeah, that's already being taken care of!"
One of the two cowards turned to look.
How exactly were they handling it?
Ranma had taken a wide semicircular route (it was incredible how big the ship was) to intercept any other patrols, praying that they wouldn't encounter Miu and Kenichi before he did.
He also prayed that his plan would work.
Finally, he prayed that Hayato's battle wouldn't sink the ship.
He had already heard three SKAAANK! and each time, everything had trembled.
He was spotted by a group of six guards, who, upon noticing him, abruptly stopped, drew pairs of batons—one for each hand—pressed a button to electrify them, and then surrounded him.
"Tsk! You'll need more than those toys."
But as he faced them, hundreds of rats began swarming among them, undoubtedly frightened by the explosions.
And then something else appeared.
Sailor Specks, holding on a leash something like THIRTY famished cats, all as happy as a child in a candy store.
"Don't pull, you beasts! There's plenty for everyone! You'll eat until you burst, but LATER! First, we have to drive them as far away as possible from the laboratory, and only then..."
"CAAAAAAAAAAAATS!"
Poor Ranma was more terrified than he had been in a long time.
He quickly took down five henchmen but ignored the sixth, turned toward the cats, and began trembling, shaking his fist.
"D-don't come near me, you beasts, or else I..."
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
He had all the promotional gifts.
So he also had Kenichi's.
Lightning-fast, he pulled out the vial with the green liquid from his tunic.
The cat repellent.
Kenichi, may you be blessed. I forgive you for today. Well, almost.
"Don't move, you demons' spawn, or else I..." and he raised the vial to throw it between himself and the cats.
"What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed the surviving henchman, striking his arm with the electrified baton.
The effect was that the vial flew through the air... farther than expected.
"IDIOT! You don't know what you've done!" shouted Ranma, spinning around and knocking him out with a single blow.
The vial spun a few times and…landed a meter past Specks, shattering on the ground.
For a moment, the cats seemed doubtful, then they appeared disgusted by the smell coming from the green liquid and bolted in the opposite direction.
Directly toward Ranma.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The boy was literally buried under the fleeing cats, which soon passed over him, dragging Specks along with them as he shouted, "Hey, damn it, stop! What's gotten into you?" and hitting Ranma square in the forehead as he passed.
When everything was over, there was no trace of Specks except for a trail of dust, and both Ranma, lying on the ground, staring at the ceiling with white, wide eyes, and the six henchmen he had defeated were covered head to toe in scratches from the felines' claws.
The pigtailed boy remained unconscious for a good couple of minutes before stirring up.
He let out a huff, his pupils regained color.
And he emitted a sound.
MEEEEEEOOOOOOUUUWWWWWW
Author's Note:
Here we are! You asked, you waited…and now poor Ranma is in Neko Ken mode…at the worst possible moment
This is a chapter of heartfelt confessions, of revelations, and of surprises.
This is perhaps THE chapter where MOST of the plot threads that i have spread over the entire fanfiction will come together.
Ogata is the culprit. It was him speaking with Mikumo in chapter 17 (the male and female voices)
The Jenazad brainwash potion will be used on the kidnapped kids, a rush against the time to stop it.
This was the secret behind the smuggling in chapter 14.
Ranma, Kenichi and Miu speaking to each other.
It was too much since the last time they were ALL interacting with each other, tbh.
And a necessary moment to wrap up all the plotlines.
Miu speaking to Hayato.
Everyone working together.
But…will it be enough?
What OTHER threats the ship is hiding?
Will Hayato damage the ship?
Will Neko Ranma be able to help or will he hinder his own plan?
And what about the other fights, with Ryozanpaku and the Nerima Wrecking Crew?
You will see them next time
GLOSSARY:
Silcardo Jenazad: The Grandmaster of Pencak Silat who, in the Kenichi manga, kidnapped Miu to make her his disciple by brainwashing her, as seen in volumes 47-51; this was also mentioned in chapter 3 of the fanfiction. The potion referenced in Mikumo and Ogata's conversation in chapter 17, as well as Saiga's warning in chapter 19, refers to this event.
A movie: Guess which movie Ranma is referring to, and you'll discover his grand plan…
SEIDOU GOUITSU: The forbidden technique developed by Ogata, which he first taught to his disciple Ryuto Asamiya and later to Kanou Sho and Kajima Satomi of Yomi, using them as test subjects. It allows the user to harness both Sei Ki and Dou Ki simultaneously—something normally impossible—greatly increasing their power. However, this exposes the user to severe health risks. Nevertheless, Seidou Gouitsu enables a Grandmaster to rise significantly in level, and by the end of the Kenichi manga, it was hypothesized that Ogata could use it to roughly match Hayato's level.