Ranma 1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. Thank you for your cooperation.

Author's Notes: This is just to prove I am not only a KH writer. This idea could never be used with my other stories. If it seems like I am putting out stories too fast (as if that were a possibility), my brain conjures up a thousand and one ideas a minute. I hope you enjoy my latest brain-child. Always remember to tip your waitress.

Demon's Crossing

Prologue: Into the Nightmare,

Away from the Light

The night air of Nerima smelled much like the air in any other ward in Tokyo unless you possessed super human senses. Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School Of Martial Arts was definitely super human. Not many people could slay a god of all things. His closest rivals had enough power to level a building without even breaking a sweat. The pigtailed boy had survived this long by relying on his instincts and Neko-ken honed senses. His nose was scrunched up as an unpleasant smell hit his nostrils. It smelled like a youma, actually a normal smell with Sailor Senshi in the next district over. The sounds of battle reached his ears and he sped off in the direction the noises were coming from.

The sight that greeted his eyes was a disturbing one to say the least. At the end of the next street, it appeared as if a half dozen of the creatures were ganging up on someone. His eyes homed in on the person and blinked as he realized it was a girl. She had a cut across her forehead that was bleeding down the side of her face, her chocolate colored hair was done up in odangos with blue ribbons holding them in place. Her shirt was torn, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. He thanked the Kami he didn't get nosebleeds like Ryoga, but she was certainly threatening one. She was wearing a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off as well as denim short shorts. The girl was crouched with a feral look in her emerald eyes. His whole estimation took only a few seconds of actual time. The creatures were of varying of roughly the same size with arms that dragged on the ground, brutish faces, and massive claws. The young god-slayer took off running, shouting out to distract the beasts from their target. The creatures turned to look at what was approaching and prepared to fight him as well. What surprised Ranma was when the middle creature wound up with a white glowing blade protruding from his forehead. It writhed in agony before a downward motion tore out the chest. He couldn't get distracted as the remaining five spun back to their target. A powerful snap kick took one in the back of the head, a follow up wrench and throw hurled him into three others. The one still standing found his head parting ways with his neck as the girl slashed her blade in a burning arc, the wound instantly cauterized by the heat of the weapon. The remaining four stood up slowly, clumsily. The Saotome Heir hated to kill, but this was a special circumstance. There was plenty of time to wonder later on about how many times he can justify killing as "special circumstance". With a shout he unleashed several vacuum blades, dicing them neatly.

"Are you okay?" he asked the girl. With a final sweep, she dispelled the weapon and placed the metal cylinder that was the hilt into a leather sheathe at her side. The girl gave him a reassuring smile.

"Sure I'm just great. Those things just snuck up on me, that's all." She said in response, but somehow didn't look too good. As she fell, his natural reflexes kicked in and he caught her easily. Her whole body was trembling. "Uhm…Maybe I'm not feeling as good as I thought." She mumbled. He could sense her whole body was damaged, not just physically but spiritually as well. Her chi was almost nonexistent. "Well, I should know my rescuer's name, right?" she said in a weak attempt at humor.

"Ranma Saotome. What's yours?" he asked. The girl's eyes widened noticeably at the name, but in the next second he was left wondering if he had imagined it.

"Hmmm… Ranma. My name's Kyoko Miramoto, Demon Hunter. Oh man.. I'm so tired.." she muttered just as she drifted off into unconsciousness.

"I need to get her to Doc Tofu's clinic quick." He said before speeding off across the rooftops, unconsciously holding his precious burden closer. The girl smiled slightly in her "sleep".

"Ranma, you and I have a lot to discuss." She thought as they traveled.

End

Author's Notes: This is just a teaser really. The next chapter will be longer, but I want to gauge fan reactions before I proceed too far. Any suggestions welcome and if I use one of yours I'll be sure to give credit where it's due. Thank you and ja ne!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, but I do own Kyoko so please don't steal. Thank you.

Author's Notes: This is the first actual chapter of my story. Please be kind. I have an idea of what I'm doing with Kyoko. Someone suggested that she is someone else for Ranma. All I can say is just wait and see. Well, enough with the stupid notes and let's get on with the show.

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 1: Life is What You Make of It

Doctor Tofu's clinic was a hop, skip, and a jump away from where Ranma found his passenger. Well, at least it was that way for the pigtailed martial artist. Anyone else would have had to take bus. The young martial artist felt bad about waking him up, but this was an emergency. The girl in his arms had barely stirred the whole time. He gave the door a few firm kicks, not hard enough to break the door. The lights upstairs came on and a head poked out the window.

"Can I help you? Oh Ranma! What is it?" the good doctor called out softly. The young man stood back and showed the doctor his precious cargo. Tofu nodded as he saw the girl and pulled his back in. The lights in the clinic came on downstairs and the door opened to admit Ranma. As soon as he was inside, the door was shut and locked behind him. The boy figured it was a good precaution. The door might hold back a youma for a few seconds.

"I found this girl fighting a group of youma. She looks bad Doc." He said as he laid the girl down gently in the examination room.

"You did the right thing bringing her here as quickly as you did. Please wait outside." He gently shooed the concerned young man out into the waiting room. When he left, he addressed the young girl. "You can quit pretending to b unconscious." He said with a hint of a smile. The girl opened her eyes and gave him a slight smile in return.

"Thanks for not giving me away." She said to the doctor. He merely waved it off as he checked her injuries.

"Demon hunting is a dangerous business, you should be more prepared." he admonished her gently. The girl flushed guiltily.

"I wasn't supposed to be hunting tonight. They told me to take a break." She said, turning an even brighter shade of red. The young doctor chuckled softly as he made sure everything was as it should be. To Ranma's eye she had been nearly torn apart, but a demon hunter's body had great endurance for fighting their quarry.

"It would be best if you rested for a few days." He said to her. The girl smiled at an idea.

"I could always ask Ranma if I could stay with him." She smiled at the thought. Doctor Tofu sweatdropped at the idea. The normally calm doctor was understandably agitated.

"That's not a good idea. If you have any designs on him…" he began, but wasn't allowed to finish. The girl's sudden laughter interrupted him.

"I have no romantic notions in mind at all, dear doctor. My mother actually said I should meet him. Something about her 'manly son'." The girl giggled. Tofu was so surprised he nearly face-faulted. The doctor's thoughts were "This will certainly be interesting…"

Ranma was sitting in the waiting room. He felt an indescribable connection to the girl. The pigtailed martial artist was so worried he was holding the magazine upside down. Tossing that aside, he stood up and began to pace. Knocking his fists together and snapping his fingers, he wasn't normally this agitated and his concern for the girl was beyond his understanding. He only knew that she had somehow felt familiar. The door opened, his head whipped around to see what was going on. Kyoko walked out of the doctor's office, stumbling slightly, Ranma was there almost in an instant to help her. She tried to wave him off, but he insisted. Well, not insisted so much as just scooping her up and taking off. Doctor Tofu was actually snickering at how everyone was going to react to this twist in the usual dynamic. He silently wished the teens good luck.

"Y'know, ya didn't have to do this." Kyoko said to Ranma as they traveled. The boy was having trouble putting it into words, but the feeling was growing stronger. The girl merely snuggled in closer, relishing in the closeness. She just prayed that she didn't get her brother in trouble. His thoughts were roughly along the same lines, but his concern was for her.

"If the fiancée brigade gets wind of this, she's as good as dead. Shampoo would probably take her head off without even waiting for an explanation." he thought, rapidly thinking about methods of Kyoko-preservation. Some of the ideas were just plain exotic, but one stood out. "I could just say she's my cousin! Get mom to back me up. Even the Baka Panda would go along with it. On that thought, he took off flying along the rooftops towards the Saotome house instead of the Tendo-ke. His explanations to them could wait until morning.

The house looked dark and silent, considering it was close to midnight that would explain a lot. The only light was in a bedroom upstairs that Ranma knew was mom's room. The girl was quietly napping in his arms until he gently shook her awake so that he could set her down. He needed a hand free to unlock the door at least. The girl's eyes roamed over every inch of the house with a little smile that Ranma couldn't figure out. When they entered, he saw his mom walking down the steps in a bathrobe. She noticeably brightened up when she saw her "manly son".

"Hey mom, sorry 'bout this." He said to is mother. She smiled at him.

"That's alright, honey. What is it?" she asked, seemingly unconcerned about the late hour.

"Uhm.. I have a friend who needs a place to stay…" he began before a motion caught the Saotome matriarch's eye. Her smile grew even wider.

"I'm sure I can find a place for Kyoko." She said to the confused Ranma. The girl behind him suddenly rushed forward and gave the woman a big hug that was more then gladly returned. To say that the pigtailed martial artist was confused would be like saying the sun is a little warm. Meaning, it would be a gross understatement. The two smiling females looked to him. "Perhaps I should explain. Why don't you two go into the living room and I will get some tea." She gently shooed the two of them away before heading into the kitchen.

The two teens sat in the living room on the couch. Ranma feeling strangely at ease with the girl sitting next to him with his arm around her shoulders. She put his arm around her shoulders, but he just didn't feel like moving it. It brought a warm feeling to him, he squeezed her shoulder almost absently. The girl almost purred in delight, but refrained from doing so. The two were thinking the same thing. They were thinking about the battle earlier. Ranma was upset because he had to kill again, but he was glad Kyoko was safe. Kyoko was remembering her fear of dying. Her mind replaying it all in detail. She knew it was her last night on this planet when six demons surrounded her. She had already fought several others before them, but this was too much. She had given up hope, when she saw a pigtailed young man watching. It was too much, she had to give the boy time to get away, but the determined look on his face and hardened gaze seemed to pierce the lead youma's confidence even though the beast was facing away from him. The sweat had beaded on his brow. She blinked and almost missed it when the boy starting running **very** quickly at the monster. The fight was over before she knew it, but her reserves had been cut so low that it was a wonder that she had stayed conscious. She was so happy to be here right now. Soon the truth would be out.

In the kitchen, Nodoka Saotome stared at the kettle on the stove as if divining hidden mysteries from the smooth surface. She had cried briefly, but made sure she washed her face well. No sense worrying the children. The woman grieved for what she must now tell them. It shamed her greatly that she could do something like this. She looked towards the kettle and noticed it was steaming. She fixed the tea and sighed softly. It was time to confront her sin and her son.

She came in with the tea. To all outward appearance she looked fine, but it was obvious that something was bothering her to those who knew her. As she sat across from them, pouring the tea, the two teens fidgeted in anticipation of what she had to say.

"I believe I should explain to the two of you what is going on. Ranma, my son, your new friend Kyoko has information that you don't. I am about to correct that." The matriarch took in a cleansing breath before continuing. "Some time ago, before I met your father, I met someone of a 'lower caste'. He and I fell in love and had determined to get married, but my parents would have none of it." Her hand trembled while holding the cup, but she steadied herself with an effort. "We were to be forced apart. We didn't wish to forget each other. So one night, we gave ourselves to each other. The result was that I was pregnant. My parents were infuriated. They forced my marriage to Genma. In due course, a child was born. A beautiful little girl with her father's eyes. I-I named her Kyoko." The narrative was draining her quickly, but she had to finish. Ranma was staring at the girl beside him with new wonder. "Shortly thereafter, I became pregnant with you, Ranma. The r-reason you never knew your sister was because your father forbade me from keeping her. I-I made sure she was with a good family and always tried to maintain contact. She finally came to see me a few weeks ago, before your failed wedding. What I'm trying to say is, meet your sister Ranma." The woman was smiling, but the pain was clearly visible in her eyes. Ranma right then promised pain to his idiotic father, but returning his enthusiastic sister's hug was more important. Nodoka came over and embraced the two of them. Little did they know what had just begun.

End

Author's Notes: I'm just setting up the story. I swear the chapters will get longer, but I'm still feeling my way out through the story. Please read and review. Ja ne!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, but I do own a fine card collection. What that has to do with anything, I have no idea…

Author's Notes: My thoughts are overflowing and this chapter will be bigger then the last. I promise. If I can't think of anything, I refuse to stuff in filler material to make a chapter bigger. Well, on with the show and always remember to tip your waitress! (A scream and a crash follow this statement. The author sweatdrops.) He has returned…

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 2

Ranma woke up the next morning in his room at the Saotome home. The night before was full of revelations that his mind still tried to wrap around. The way his mom cried as she told them made his heart ache. No wonder she made the stupid seppuku pledge with Pops, it was reassurance that another child wouldn't be lost to that fat fool. Pops has **a lot** of explaining to do and if the pigtailed boy doesn't like what he hears, then the old fool will make a nice panda-skin rug. The thing that still hadn't added up was why Kyoko's father never came back for her. Maybe he just didn't know. He shelved those thoughts for later and went back to what the reason for this early morning thinking. His sister, the girl he had saved without even knowing who she was. Now he knew why he felt instantly protective of her. He had seen enough pictures of his mother when she was younger to recognize the girl's features and build. She even learned of his curse when he showed it to her and didn't immediately turn him away. Kyoko had hugged the smaller girl warmly and made a joke about shopping with her "little sister". He chuckled at the thought. If it had been anyone else he would have killed them for suggesting it, but his sister had the right. He rolled over in his bed (a real bed and not a futon) and stood up. It was time to greet the day and time for training.

Kyoko woke up at about the same time in the remodeled guest room. Mom had said it was her room and expected her to decorate it as such. The demon hunter girl couldn't wait to start. She knew that Ranma was her brother, but she had no idea he would be such a hunk. The green-eyed girl shook those thoughts away. A brother was much more important then the thought of a boy toy. Besides, from what she could see, he needed family more and she was glad to provide. The way he moved in last night's fight was amazing. She knew her skill was far above average, but he eclipsed her easily. The girl vowed to train with her "little brother". The curse had thrown her for a loop and she was tempted to freak out, but the sad look in those blue eyes made her decision for her. She had pulled the smaller girl in for a hug and felt tears in her eyes. As well as a deep loathing for whoever did that to her brother. The leather sheathe the hilt of her "blade" rested in rumbled ominously. As she pulled her hair back in a simple ponytail, she mentally prepared herself for her training this morning. Maybe her brother would already be out there, she thought happily as she bounced out of the room.

Nodoka was already awake and in the kitchen as Ranma walked past the door. Her manly son seemed deep in thought and she didn't want to disturb him, but breakfast was almost ready.

"Breakfast will be ready shortly, dear." She called; he smiled in response and walked outside. The next one to walk by was Kyoko. Whereas Ranma was dressed in his normal Chinese clothing, she was wearing a plain white gi and carried an unusual rod in her hand. "Kyoko dear, breakfast will be ready shortly." The Saotome matriarch felt like a broken record. Again, all she got was a smile before walking out the door. The two of them acted so similar they might as well have been born twins. She was a little more humble at least. She looked to the family blade and smiled slightly in resignation. It felt good to have them both home.

The pigtailed martial artist began with deep breathing exercises. Finding his center before slowly beginning one of his low level katas. He easily flowed through opening exercises, noting out of the corner of his eye when Kyoko emerged into the yard. He stopped paying attention to her as he picked up the speed, dedicating his total thought to the art. Plenty of time to spar with "big sis" later, he thought with a grin.

The green-eyed girl watched him for a few moments before beginning her own kata. What she had seen looked a lot like the style she was familiar with. Then again, it wasn't a surprise. Her mother had taught her what she had seen of the Anything Goes Saotome Ryu. The woman had a sharp mind for martial arts and filled in the gaps with her own techniques. The result was a kendo style based heavily on Anything Goes and her mother's style. Her energy blade winked into existence, great for deepening chi reserves because it took so much to maintain it, and launched into a flurry of attacks. Ranma's own kata wound down and he went back to watching his sister as he cooled down. The girl was glowing as she gave the kata her all as if it was a real fight. He could barely see the blade flick and slice through the air. He could plenty of room for improvement and he was determined to fill in those gaps. Her talent was exceptional and he recognized the Saotome Ryu easily as she launched into the air to execute what would have been a multi-hit combo. When she landed, her blade winked out of existence and began her own cool down. Their eyes locked and both broke out into grins just as Mom called them in for breakfast.

"What are your plans for today?" she asked her children as they sat at the table. Ranma, currently female from a glass of spilled milk, chewed thoughtfully. It took thought for her to chew slowly. She tried to answer with her mouth full, but Kyoko's elbow to her ribs stifled it until she swallowed.

"I'm gonna talk to Pops n' see what's goin' on." The redhead replied before taking another huge bite of fish. The two natural women tried to educate her on etiquette, but Nodoka figured that if Kasumi could barely manage it then it won't be easy. "He has a lot of explaining to do 'bout this." Her weary mother sighed. There was no force on earth that could discourage her offspring from a chosen path. Kyoko grinned.

"And I could meet your fiancée." The chocolate-haired girl said with a smile. Ranma almost choked. This little vacation from madness was creating even more problems. How would the Fiancée Brigade react to this? Nabiki would scam her shamelessly, Akane would want to kill the both of them, and Kasumi would just say "Oh my." The pigtailed girl really did like Kasumi and knew there was more to her then that, but she had hidden herself too long that it was automatic. Shampoo might look upon Kyoko as an obstacle. Ukyou would probably be happy for him (hopefully). Kodachi… Let's not even go there. The green-eyed girl eyed her brother thoughtfully and could figure out where his thoughts were going. How much trouble would this cause? "Don't worry, you tell me what not to do and I'll be careful." She assured him. Despite her better judgment, she agreed.

The streets of Nerima during the daytime appear no different then at any other ward in Tokyo, but that is all a façade. The truth is that it happens to be the center for martial arts weirdness in all of Tokyo. The two teens were walking one in front of the other along the fence. Kyoko was wearing jeans and a red t-shirt with her hair back in her usual odangos. Ranma had managed to stay male, despite even the ladle lady. The poor woman was in the hospital with carpal tunnel for constantly swinging her ladle. Things were nice and peaceful. Ranma was nervous. This was too good to be true. His faith in Nerima was restored by a cry of "Saotome, prepare to DIE!" All was right with the universe again.

"Hey pork-butt. Where ya been? Been some time." Ranma quipped as his rival launched himself violently him. Kyoko dodged quickly just before the heavy combat umbrella took out the fence they were standing on. The pigtailed boy smirked confidently as his foe dropped into a ready stance. At some unseen signal, the two launched at each other. The fight was furious and violent. The green-eyed girl worried about her brother until she noticed something was subtly off about the "death match". The two boys were wearing poorly concealed grins. Blows that would have killed a normal person were traded with strangely good humor. If she had told anyone what she observed, she probably would have been thought of as crazy. The fight ended with a decisive blow from Ranma as he unleashed a Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken on Ryoga's spine and knocked him into the ground. The attack was so fast that Kyoko had to mentally slow it down and pick it apart; even then all she could see was a series of afterimages. "Not bad. Maybe next time." Ranma said as he pulled the dazed boy to his feet. The boy shook his head to clear it.

"Yeah, next time Saotome." He mock growled, and then his eyes found the observer. "Who's that? You ain't cheatin' on Akane now, are ya?" his tone was still joking, but a very real threat was there. The girl blinked at being sized up as she felt some irritation at the boy.

"Oh, hey sorry 'bout that. This is Kyoko." he indicated the girl, who waved in acknowledgment. "I found out somethin' 'bout my family last night." he began and sat Ryoga down on the ruined wall. The Lost Boy had an eyebrow raised, but decided to listen. When the tale was finished, he was glowing a faint red of anger.

"You're Pops has gone way too far this time." he snarled out. The girl in question was leaning against another wall, arms folded under her chest. Ryoga almost had a nosebleed when he realized the girl was built like Ranma's girl form. The pigtailed martial artist sighed as little hearts started floating around the Lost Boy's eyes, but stopped drooling as his irritation returned. "So, want some help?" he asked.

"Naw, it's a family thing, but thanks." the blue-eyed boy shrugged. Ryoga nodded his understanding. "If ya wanna tag along though..." his grin turned downright feral. This was one thing the Lost Boy understood well, revenge. Kyoko was wondering what exactly the connection was between the two boys and said as much.

"Do ya wanna tell her or should I?" Ryoga said with a grin. The pigtailed waved him on. The green-eyed girl sat down near the bandanna boy to hear him better, causing the poor boy just mentioned to become instantly tongue-tied. Ranma sighed before telling the story himself. The first part of the story everyone is familiar with, but what caused the two of them to become closer friends happened after the failed wedding.

It was raining that day and no Jusenkyou victims should have been out in it. It was raining cats (brrr) and dogs, Ranma hated the analogy, but the day was bad enough to fit the phrase. He was currently a she and bringing the groceries back to the dojo as Kasumi had asked. When she turned a corner, she saw a group of youma terrorizing someone. At first she couldn't see who it was, but when the beast shifted she caught sight of two small animals. Recognition came quick as she saw the pig and duck backing away, looking for a way out. The neo-girl snarled angrily at the creature. They were her rivals, but they had helped her enough times that she felt it was time to repay the favor. She hoped this would do it in spades.

"Hey ugly! Whatcha messin' with two happy meals when ya can have a full dinner?" she taunted, the youma turned around snarling and grinned horribly at the delicacy before it. The first claw swipe was easily dodged, but the second was much quicker. She was just barely dancing out of the path of the evil creature's attacks, but couldn't find an opening. It had long arms with three-foot long claws on the end; its fanged muzzle was full of teeth going in the wrong direction. The terrifying visage just meant he would be a little more difficult than her normal battles. With Amaguriken speed, she threw a fist in his face before dancing out of range as he reeled. Every time she tried to take to the air, he would slash and force her to dodge again. For every hit she made there were over a dozen near misses and she was getting tired. She realized she was being led into a corner, but too late. She found her head snapped back by a vicious backhand, claws cutting across her face before another slash ripped open her shirt. The youma leered at her. The ever-confident Saotome found herself strangely afraid and hated herself for it. A clawed hand shot forward and five knives embedded themselves in her shoulder. The redhead screamed in pain as the demon brought his claws back for the finishing strike. Before it could complete the stab, a white duck slammed into the side of the thing's head with enough force to knock it off balance just as an angrily squealing piglet slammed into the back of the demon's leg and knocked him away, howling. The redhead grabbed her shoulder in agony, tears in her eyes. The two animals had come to her defense; if that wasn't friendship she didn't know what was. They had the chance to run and leave their enemy to her fate, but stayed and risked themselves. Mousse somehow began raining shuriken upon the youma's unprotected body as Ryoga struck the beast with his snout again, using the Breaking Point of its leg and shattering it. The beast grew more enraged, ignoring even the pain in its leg to knock the side of bacon away and swat Mousse into the wall. Anger leapt in to replace helplessness, her hands growing like twin stars of energy before bringing her hands together and firing off the strongest Mouko Takabisha she had ever made since Saffron. The beast's eyes widened as the ball of chi approached before screaming as it disintegrated. With a sigh, she slid to the ground. The rain cold on her bare skin mixing with the hot blood leaking from her lacerations. She saw the two animals slowly getting to their feet with some difficulty, their tiny bodies more fragile then her own. She smiled before wincing in pain as she stood up and walked over to them.

"Hey guys, need a lift?" she asked the two. They looked at her in shock as she casually scooped them up, cradling them with her bad arm as she lifted the bag of groceries that had miraculously escaped disaster. For once P – chan didn't try to bite her and Mousse settled in her arm comfortably. The injured redhead began walking home again, only stopping long enough to gather their belongings, and trudging on home.

"After that," Ranma was saying, "we kinda just started gettin' along better. Mousse finally understands I'm not after Shampoo and Ryoga finally believes I am not evil incarnate."

"I said you were the son of Satan, not evil incarnate. Geez Saotome, get it right." he rolled his eyes in amusement. Kyoko was just amazed at the tale that took well over two hours to finish. She actually felt as if she had been there during every encounter. The green-eyed girl smiled at the two friends as they openly showed their camaraderie.

"Problem is, we gotta keep it under wraps or my fiancée will think I'm up to somethin' perverted." he sighed in resignation.

"When doesn't she accuse you of that?" Ryoga snorted before feeling a massive aura nearby. He turned to look at Kyoko and jumped to his feet, away from her. The nice-seeming girl suddenly seemed to swell in size. At least that's what it looked like from the size of her aura. Even Ranma looked nervous.

"There's some **bitch** out there that hurts my little brother on a daily basis and still has the gall to accuse him of being a **pervert**?" she all but screamed as she used her iron hard control to not fly off the handle. "If she says that to you one more time I **will** show her what an angry Demon Hunter can do!" so saying she whipped out her aura blade and sliced down the wall dramatically. The two boys cringed in sympathy for Akane. Ranma wondering where they would bury her and Ryoga wondering if he could be out of the country by nightfall.

"M-maybe I'll be going now! See ya around!" the Lost Boy said and made himself scarce. Ranma wished he could just get lost like that, but he needed to keep his big sister under control. He decided that the sooner they got there, the better. Better to get this over with before he lost his nerve.

As the two teens continued walking along, Ranma suddenly stiffened up like a plank. His well-trained ears alerting him to a sound he knew only too well. It registered a half step below a c-c-c-cat. It was the Bicycle of Doom. Bearing a well-endowed Chinese Amazon riding the bike like a chariot of old, with much the same effect if you're run over by one. The girl cried out "Airen!" as she aimed her bike for his back, her smile grew wider as she contemplated the trajectory, but it quickly turned to shock as a glowing blade flashed into existence and diced her vehicle into spare parts. When the purple-haired girl looked up from her ungraceful face-plant in the ground, she saw an outsider girl standing next to her Airen with undisguised hostility. The pigtailed boy was looking as if he was about to diffuse a thermonuclear bomb with a rubber band. The slightly taller Amazon jumped to her feet, all but shouting in the smaller girl's face.

"What'd ya do that for?" she roared in surprisingly good Japanese. Ranma blinked at the articulate response. Has she been practicing? Right now, that didn't seem to matter. His sister still managed to look down her nose at the taller girl, quite a feat.

"Assaulting my brother for starters." she began coolly. The Amazon stopped in mid rant, her anger dissolving into confusion.

"He's my Airen!" she exclaimed and realized she sounded like a native "Uh.. Shampoo mean, Airen is Shampoo's." she tried to cover the slip, but the cat (brrr) was out of the bag. The girl grinned smugly.

"I know 'bout your laws, by the way. You don't have our Mom's permission to even consider looking at him and you're declaring he's yours. Things like this are usually done through the females in the family. Even if it was by combat, an Amazon must respect the will of her elders and those of her betrothed's." she seemed to be reciting chapter and verse from the law book. To cover her horror, she snarled in fury.

"Fine. Law also states that if I defeat you then he is mine. You're the only female family actively resisting me." she grinned.

"Deal. Also, due to the nature of the challenge, I'm also exempt from the Kiss of Death so don't even think about it." her opponent replied smugly. Ranma was starting to feel like it was a tennis match and he was the tennis ball. The Amazon twirled out her fancy maces and struck a fighting stance. Kyoko once again brought up her aura sword, much to the girl's shock and chagrin. This was already looking bad. Hopefully the girl couldn't hold out long while using so much energy. Shampoo knew how those weapons worked, her grandmother was an Amazon elder after all. The pigtailed boy they were fighting over suddenly disappeared. The two girls were giving each other the stare down to really notice. Each sizing the other one up and never giving an inch.

Cologne, the Amazon matriarch and elder, watched the exchange with annoyance. When was her grandchild going to realize that the Saotome boy didn't want her. This new girl, on the other hand, promised to increase the chaos factor of Nerima even more. She was considering retirement here. The never-ending source of entertainment that was Nerima was good for her. Maybe even her grandchild would lighten up. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost didn't feel Ranma behind her. Almost.

"Greetings Son-in-...Never mind. Hello Ranma." she said to the martial artist. He seemed startled, but got over it.

"Did my sister have it right?" he asked, more then a little irritable.

"Yes she did. She misquoted a few lines, but had it mostly correct." she replied. "I'm watching the fight as you should be doing. Don't bother asking why I never told you either." she sighed. "I was just trying to teach Shampoo a lesson." she said. The pigtailed boy actually understood, somewhat, and stood beside the ancient woman to watch as the two girls began fighting at a speed ordinary people just couldn't see, but the two watching from the rooftop had no trouble watching. Shampoo was twirling her bonborri in increasingly more intricate strike and defend patterns, smiling that the blade couldn't seem to cut her weapons as she had expected. Kyoko was beginning to look hard pressed, her blade was dimming as if her energy was draining. The Amazon, blinded by her own greatness, never saw the trick until it was too late. After a particularly brutal strike to the smaller girl's ribs, the Amazon overextended a fatal half-inch too far. With blinding speed, even faster then Ranma could see, the blade was burning bright and Shampoo's weapons were disabled. The mace heads went one way from the swing and Shampoo went another way from a powerful kick hammering into her chest. The Amazon flew until she struck a far wall where her impact caused spider web cracks to form. The glowing blade was pointed at her throat.

"Yield." Was all she said. The girl looked at her enemy with loathing, but answered.

"I yield." She replied, Kyoko put her sword away and helped Shampoo to her feet, the girl was crying. Tears of rage and sadness fell down her face. Her great grandmother appeared and the girl ran to her, sobbing. The green-eyed girl looked momentarily distressed, but her brother putting his arm around her fixed that.

"There was nothing you could do. It had to be done." He said to her as he steered the unresisting girl away and down the street. The elder stared after them, realization dawning in her eyes. If what she had just witness was true, Ranma was going to be in for a whole new world of trouble. That girl showed all the signs, but some research may clear up any remaining questions. After tending to Shampoo, the two Amazons walked back to the Nekohanten. Almost like Pinky and the Brain, trying to conquer the world. Strangely apt mental image.

End Chapter 2

Author's notes: They finally make it to the Tendo Dojo in the next chapter and panda bashing ensues! Be here for the next (somewhat) exciting installment of Demon's Crossing! Ja ne!


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Please don't make me say it again, please! Oh all right. I don't own Ranma ½ and never will so STOP BOTHERING ME WITH THESE DISLAIMERS! Whew, that's better.

Author's Notes: They finally reach the Tendo house and things are heating up! Don't think that Shampoo has given up either. Far from it! Well, before I spoil anything else, on with the show! Always remember to tip your waitress! (A male scream is heard this time and the waitress is seen holding a baseball bat) Great shot!

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 3

To Kyoko's eye the Tendo dojo appeared as any other fighting institution in Tokyo. The sign proclaiming brutal combat through rear entrance was ridiculous. Her brother sighed as he thought about the reception she was going to receive, but went inside anyway with his sister close behind.

"I'm home!" he called out. Kasumi entered the room with her usual smile, but it seemed to turn warmer and more genuine when she saw Ranma. The green-eyed girl certainly didn't miss that, but kept her mouth shut. If her bro didn't notice by now then he was denser then a lead weight. Her fears were confirmed when he just gave her a greeting smile and a wave. Yep, more dense then a truckload of lead weights.

"Where's Pops?" he asked, tone turning just slightly chillier. The eldest Tendo girl seemed to think a moment.

"I believe he is out back, Ranma-kun. Grandfather Happosai came for a visit." She said cheerfully, but as she mentioned Happosai, if one didn't know her better they could swear she bit the name off savagely. Apparently this Happosai guy was bad news, thought the Demon Hunter girl as Ranma suddenly realized he hadn't introduced the girl behind him yet.

"Oh, hey Kasumi! I'm sorry, I meant ta introduce ya to Kyoko. My long lost big sister." He grinned as he said it and was actually shocked to see the normally serene girl stiffen up and grab the smaller girl, holding her close. Kyoko actually was seeing funny little spots before her eyes as the girl buried her face in her shoulder and wept. Tears of joy and pain soaked into her shoulder.

"Whoa Kasumi-chan! W-what's wrong? I-I think Kyoko's turnin' blue…" he stammered. The girl loosened her death grip but still held on. Her eyes on the startled face as she smoothed her bangs back.

"Hai, I remember you Kyoko-chan. I was here w-when my f-father convinced that fat fool to give you up. Oh Kami-sama…A-at least you're back with family, right?" the girl said tearfully. The green-eyed girl blinked at **that** revelation! There were two people in on it! She felt the temperature drop a sharp thirty degrees and looked to where Ranma was using the Soul of Ice so furiously that it frosted the floor. Kasumi looked momentarily horrified as his normally warm eyes turned ice hard and diamond bright. The brown-haired girl pulled away from the crying girl and slapped her brother, hard, and almost howled in pain. It felt she had smacked a boulder! At least it surprised him enough that he calmed down, marginally.

"You're scaring Kasumi ya dumb jock! I thought she was like, your fiancée or somethin'." The irate girl demanded. Ranma and Kasumi both turned bright red.

"H-he's to marry Akane" "I'm supposed ta marry Akane." They said at the same time, but a look passed quickly between them. The seeds were sown, but they had other business. She grabbed Ranma and asked the eldest girl to show them to the two idiots. They came upon the two groveling in the backyard in the direction of the filthiest little man that Kyoko had ever seen in her life. The reek from this guy made most demons look like infant cherubs. She felt herself unconsciously slipping into hunter mode before Ranma set a hand on her shoulder. The battle ready girl let her aura bleed off gradually, but they already had the attention of the two baka wimps and the old pervert. Something in Ranma and Kyoko's eyes told him that a cry of "Sweeto" would result in pain beyond imagining. Genma and Soun were smiling in obvious relief as they saw the Saotome heir, ready to square of with his (literally) ancient nemesis and free them from their torture.

"Happosai. You have done nothing wrong that I see so just leave." The boy grated out in a dreadful voice. The Grandmaster didn't need to need to be told twice as, with a last pop to his students' heads, took off over the wall. As the two "men" got up and went over to thank Ranma, he pinned them with a doom-filled glare that threatened to start a blizzard.

"We are going to stand right here and have us a lil' talk. Actually, I'm gonna talk n' your gonna listen." He fumed. His father really put his foot in it this time as his next words destroyed any chance of a somewhat reasonable talk that didn't involve too many broken bones.

"If that **girl** is another fiancée, I certainly don't remember her. Obviously she's just pretending and you shouldn't give it any more thought, boy." He said loftily. Soun, however, recognized her immediately even though she was older. The face and build were a dead giveaway. He began looking for escape routes, finally slumping in defeat as Ranma exploded in rage, his Soul of Ice turning his aura into a fifty foot area of cold that frosted the ground and nearly froze the koi pond.

"You bastard! Obviously ya don't recognize her! I bet you'll be happy to hear this ya dumb prick, I found someone last night. Her name is Kyoko," his father blanched at the name, "and she's my sister. When were ya gonna tell me?" his voice so cold that a plume of steam came out as he snarled, a half step below Neko-ken. His old man had the decency to blush, but somehow managed to find bravery in stupidity.

"She was a sin on our family's honor. There was no way that **my** wife was goin' to raise some other bastard's child!" he declared.

"No, just the bastard in front of me." Ranma deadpanned. Nabiki almost fell out of the window when she heard that actually witty retort come from Ranma of all people! The two men started spluttering as it soon became apparent that he had also found out about Soun's involvement.

"You! You're wife would be ashamed. Y'wanna know how I know that? An obviously kind and loving woman like her who had such wonderful girls would **never** approve." He snarled in hate. Soun looked even more defeated, but Genma was far from out as he launched himself at the pigtailed boy to teach his "worthless offspring" respect, but found himself stopped by Kyoko's eyes. Her eyes burned with fury equal to Ranma's just before the panda man found himself drilled in the gut by a blow worthy of his son. He gasped in pain, a rib or two must have snapped, as he staggered away, retching. Ranma flashed just the barest of smiles, good technique but there was always room for improvement. Akane had made it through the gate at the start of the altercation. She was furious at first at the girl who stood so close to Ranma, but stopped fuming when she heard him say she was his sister. Normally her first instinct is to discount it as another lie, but the girl's resemblance to Ranma's girl form was too uncanny to be dismissed. His father even confirmed it! What Ranma had said about their mother rang true with her. She could see Nabiki and Kasumi staring as Ranma gave the damn fool a dressing down.

"Pops.. No, Mr. Saotome. I want nothing more to do with you. Honor obviously is only something you use to your own benefit. I will be leaving for Mom's house. If I catch either of you around there I will beat you both within an inch of your life. I don't wanna be a Saotome. Anyone who would abandon a child is beneath my contempt." He spat out angrily. This was going too far for Kyoko. She hadn't wanted him to do that, but his mind was made up. He noticed the Tendo girls and nodded to them. Kasumi grabbed him a fierce hug, sobbing.

"Hey Kasumi-chan… Don't cry. Ya can come and visit. Tell that to Nabiki n' Akane too." He told her softly as he gently let go. Genma suddenly straightened up with a fierce growl and launched himself at the blue-eyed boy, using the Umi-Sen-Ken at the last second. He tried to defend, but found himself battered harshly by two people! When had Soun learned that technique? He found himself hard pressed to stop two invisible assailants. Kyoko tried to help, but found herself thrown to the winds, barely dodging several vacuum blades fired in her direction. She screamed in agony as cuts crisscrossed her body, she barely dodged the killing blows, but a kick found its way into her face. Kasumi was frantically trying to stop the fight, but no one was listening. She saw a tiny distortion in the air and the grass suddenly flatten as if by a great wind and charged Ranma, who was facing another direction. He turned just in time to see the girl running at him, panicked, before a sight burned itself into his retinas. Soun had appeared to release the vacuum blades and Kasumi was caught in the cross-fire. Ranma tried to move, but couldn't get there in time. Suddenly a chain hurtled from out of nowhere and snared the girl, pulling her out of the way just in time. His aura erupted from his body, dispersing the attack with sudden ferocity as he gathered in the power that made him a match for Saffron. His eyes were once again hardened ice as he flung his arms outward, his aura erupting outward from his body. The sudden frost outlined Genma's body clearly. Soun had collapsed to the ground in horror at what he had almost did, but no relief was in sight for him as Ranma suddenly seemed to teleport in front of him and unleash a punishing series of knee and fist strikes to sensitive flesh, dropping him quickly. He looked to the one who saved Kasumi with gratitude. Mousse gravelly held a hand aloft to him.

Watching her brother fight was amazing to say the least. He was getting beaten by two cowards who couldn't fight out in the open and was still holding his own. If Ranma heard her thoughts at that moment he'd be asking what fight she was watching. While it seemed one of the assailants was merely trying to injure him, the other was actively trying to kill her. Her aura sword wasn't ignited because she didn't have the time to focus, but she also had no time to worry as another vacuum blade nearly killed her. She wanted to cry at the sheer injustice of it all. She was just reunited with her brother and already she was getting separated from him. As in separated into many pieces. The blows struck heavily, but she weathered them. Her fear on the other hand was growing beyond her control; she felt a strange burning in her head. Her eyes turned to cat-slits as she gripped her head in pain, two furry protrusions stuck out from her head. Her head snapped up just a millisecond before the next strike decapitated her. Her suddenly enhanced senses kicked in and she proceeded to hammer her opponent. The subtle sound of cloth rustling, the soft panting for breath, and the trip-hammer heartbeat that spoke of fear. Before she could begin fighting again, Genma was struck by a blast of cold aura that froze him solid. She knew that she was in trouble if Ranma saw her. How would he react to "big sis" being a hanyou? A neko-yokai? With his fear of cats she didn't want to cause him any discomfort or pain. With a visible effort, she pulled in her ears and fixed her eyes. Time enough later for telling him about it.

Ranma was walking rather quickly down the street. His sister was practically jogging to keep up. "Damn people with longer legs!" she thought angrily, but followed resolutely. His massive pack seemed weighted down with rocks or something heavier. She really wished that he hadn't done what he did. Those girls practically cried when he left. Even the one with the short temper seemed like she was going to miss him. The one that had surprised her brother the most had to have been the middle girl, Nabiki. Kasumi cried into his shoulder, but the mercenary girl looked as if her heart were breaking. She didn't even try to hug him until he was almost ready to leave. She had wrapped her arms around him from behind, not even crying. She seemed so conflicted. Kyoko was forced to concentrate again as the rain began to fall and her brother (now sister) had taken off running. This wasn't the way for him to solve his problems. She was so tired from the earlier fight that the sad redhead had no trouble getting away. Her legs felt like rubber, she bent over in exhaustion. The rain falling on her neck seemed to have been cut off by someone with an umbrella. The green-eyed girl straightened up and stared in shock at a heavily panting Nabiki.

"Nabiki?" she panted. The other girl was panting slightly as well. She was wearing a raincoat, however, and had a backpack on her back as well. "What are you doing here?" the confused girl asked. The middle Tendo girl stared off into the distance before looking back to the one who asked her the question.

"We drew straws to see who would follow him and I got the short one." She quipped, but the joke not reaching her eyes. "Besides, he's not much, but he's all that's holding our family together." She said quietly. Kyoko gave the girl a hug, maybe she was wrong about how Kasumi felt, but it sure seemed like she liked him. Then again, here was a girl out in the pouring rain to chase a guy who could run like the wind, and not complain. Nabiki's eyes widened before she allowed herself to return the hug from the smaller girl. The two stood together in perfect understanding. The easy part was over. Now for the hard part. Finding a young martial artist who wouldn't want to be found.

The End

Author's Notes: You're probably wondering why the lengths for the chapters keep changing. The reason is simple. I promised no stupid filler that would detract from the story and I meant it. More fights shall ensue. For every problem that gets stomped down in Nerima, a dozen or so spring up in its place. We haven't heard the last of Shampoo or the baka fathers. (Even if we want to) Remember some characters may be OOC, but it was the way I saw them in the series. I also have a funny way of looking at situations. I tried to keep the tone light, but declaring yourself ronin doesn't lend itself well to humor. Oh well, thanks for reading this installment and ja ne!


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Rama ½ (as if you didn't know you silly children). Y'know FLCL is a great anime (nods enthusiastically). Another warning, I'm writing this while hyper from a sugar rush. Hang on gang! This is gonna be a bumpy ride!

Author's Notes: No, FLCL will **not** be in this chapter.

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 4

Ranma truly was trying to run away from his (er..her) problems, but no matter how fast she ran they seemed to dog her steps. A nice therapeutic fight was what she needed. Apparently, the Kami decided to grant her request in the form of a massive youma. It was actually over eight feet tall and was vaguely tiger-like. The beast was easily hurling cars around as if they were toys and people were running scared. The pigtailed girl cracked her knuckles in anticipation of the fight ahead of her. Something seemed to be of about the giant youma and she couldn't figure it out for the life of her, but when it attacked, all she could concentrate on was the fight. It had the advantage in reach and strength, but she had speed and was using it mercilessly. It pissed the creature off as it began to speed up even more. Ranma was proud of herself for dodging so easily, even with a heavy pack on her back, but her pride turned to shock as a massive clawed hand blasted her into an armored truck. The pain was too intense for her more fragile frame and she felt something crack. Her eyes filled with pain as the pack she was wearing jammed into he back painfully. She struggled to get out of the straps, but the beast was upon her in seconds. A hasty Mouko Takabisha hurled her attacker off of her, giving her the breathing room to finish dropping her pack. The creature twisted in mid-air to land on its feet, snarling viciously. The redhead felt herself descending into the mindset for the Neko-ken. It was during the battle against Saffron that she had tapped into the unstoppable technique. Too bad the fear of cats remained. The tiger beast growled in confusion as its prey crouched down, hissing spitefully. The look that passed between them let the other know that one of them wouldn't be walking away from this.

Nabiki and Kyoko searched frantically for the young man, but couldn't seem to find him anywhere. The two young women were growing more frustrated by the minute until a loud explosion from the restaurant district gave them a clue to where the neo-girl was. The green-eyed girl was carrying the Ice Queen since she was faster and had more stamina. Upon arriving at the scene, however, she almost dropped Nabiki at the sight before her. Ranma was in full Neko-ken fighting a massive tiger beast. The neo-girl had seen better days, cuts and slashes adorned her body, her clothing in ruins, but the feral glint in her eyes never wavered. Kyoko set down her precious cargo and whipped out her Aura Sword, the blade flaring to life before leaping into the fray. Nabiki wasn't sure what she should do and needed a plan. The armored car, however, was giving her ideas.

Neko Ranma smelled the presence of another cat just before the brown-haired figure touched down next to her. The neko's heart was warmed by the presence of her sister. She meowed to welcome her, the startled girl mewing in return. The tiger roared something obscene and the battle was on once again. Yellow ki claws hurtled at their enemy, but it dodged just in time to avoid becoming tiger salami, then had to dodge again as the Aura Sword came down and slashed the pavement. With its powerful arms it slashed, creating air blades that gouged the ground and forced it to erupt in a hail of shrapnel. The two cats hissed as the debris sliced their flesh. Kyoko couldn't control it anymore, her ears popped out of her head and her eyes changed once again. Neko Ranma seemed to resonate with the hanyou's energy. The Aura Sword grew in length and power just before she released a wave of white energy at the beast, actually smiling when it suddenly dodged left, directly into Ranma's attack range. The beast howled in pain as claws shredded its back, but the wounds healed over almost as soon as they were delivered. Neko Ranma felt something she rarely felt before, fear. Kyoko made a sharp hissing sound at her sister, the signal to attack. The tiger leapt at them as they leapt at him, meeting in the middle of the jump, followed by a flurry of actions too fast to see. White and yellow ki flared around the tiger in a furious swirl until with a mighty swing sent the two girls flying in two separate directions. Neko Ranma hit the far wall violently, coughing blood as something inside burst. Kyoko was tossed into the lip of an open dumpster before falling in with the lid banging shut on her. The tiger began striding over to its prey, fangs bared in an evil caricature of a grin. The wounded warrior looked up at the beast, her blue eyes clearly seeing death approach.

"Gee… Where's Ryoga 'n Mousse when ya really need 'em?" she thought, but knew it was stupid to hope for. She suddenly heard a car approaching at high speed, her gaze traveled to the rapidly approaching armored car. Her eyes widened in shock at who was behind the wheel just before the tiger turned to see what the noise was. It couldn't move, the headlights had blinded it and the fear of the unknown made it freeze up. The beast didn't even scream as the vehicle slammed into it and drove it into the wall with a deafening crunch. Kyoko pulled herself out of the dumpster, wrinkling her nose, but vaulting out to check on her brother turned sister. As she rushed over to the fallen form slumped against the wall, another figure rushed to the redhead as well. To say Ranma was surprised would be an understatement.

"N-Nabiki?" she asked weakly. Her whole body was on fire, but she knew she would live. After all, she had fought a god and won with worse injuries then this. The shorthaired girl smiled and gripped the smaller girl's hand just as the demon hunter girl held the other one. What drew the blue-eyed girl's attention were the cute brown cat ears on her sister's head. Surprisingly enough, even to her, she wasn't afraid. After all, this was her big sister, right? The two girls hugged the smaller girl gently, Kyoko's eyes narrowing slightly.

"Back up Nabiki. I can heal her, but I need room." she told the mercenary girl as she mentally prepped herself. Her hands began glowing a soft white as she lowered them to her sister's chest. Her eyes were closed, but her face seemed to slowly grow more confused.

"What is it?" Nabiki asked quietly. Ranma was writhing slightly from the pain of accelerated healing, but still managing not to crush Nabiki's hand into pulp. The neko hanyou's frown deepened.

"There's…something else here… Something not natural. It's unbalancing her chi." Her hands running along her sister's chest and stomach, fingers tracing the body's ley lines.

"Can you fix it?" Ranma asked with a gasp. Her back arching from pain. The girl smiled gently at her hurting sister.

"Of course I can." She replied as she traced where the block was located and sent her power to clear the block. She was pleasantly surprised when it gave way so easily to her power, but frowned at the sudden power buildup. "This shouldn't be happening." She thought frantically as a burst of energy suddenly blew her and Nabiki away from Ranma. As her eyes adjusted from the sudden flash of light, she noticed that where her sister had been laying was an older girl. Her red hair was longer and she seemed to be taller, red cat ears were on her head. Yeah, this was going to be interesting. Nabiki was also staring in shock at the sight before her. The redhead sat up, rubbing her head in confusion, but stopped when they reached her ears. She knew she should be screaming, but just couldn't seem to work up to it. Before she could freak out, however, her sensitive ears twitched and she could hear crying coming from where the tiger was smashed. She got to her feet smoothly and almost fell over from the differences in this body. She noticed that she was as tall as Nabiki, who had decided to hold her arm to steady her. Her green-eyed sister was looking her over, but that wasn't important. Something was telling her to get over to the wreck and quickly. The three girls made it over, as they approached the sound of someone crying grew with each step. In shock, they saw Shampoo crushed between the armored car and the wall. Her legs would occasionally spasm, blood running down to the ground from an unseen injury. The rain chilling her body and washing the blood away. How she was still human and not a cat would have to wait, thought Ranma.

"Nabiki! Move the car!" the redhead cried out, but didn't need to bother since the girl was already moving. The vehicle's gears ground, but it wouldn't start. Panic was setting in, as Shampoo's crying grew weaker; Ranma gripped the front end of the vehicle as Kyoko prepped for healing. Another healing so soon would drain her, but this was an emergency. "Put it in neutral!" she called to the frantic girl behind the wheel who did as she was told. The vehicle moved easily with just a push. Ranma's body felt so much stronger, but this wasn't the time to analyze it. The quick demon hunter cradled her body cushioned Shampoo's fall, her aura extending to encompass the critically injured girl. Ranma and Nabiki gathered around her, the purple-haired girl's eyes were filled with pain as she weakly clutched the one healing her. Ranma found herself stroking the poor girl's hair, feeling a strange, almost nurturing instinct. The mercenary girl had never been so angry in her life. What could have done this? It was too ridiculous to understand! It couldn't have been the old ghoul because she loved her granddaughter. When the healing was complete, the girl lay in Kyoko's arms, utterly drained.

"Who did this to you, Shampoo?" Nabiki asked. The girl opened her eyes weakly and fixed her with a stare before murmuring:

"Perfume."

End Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Whee, I am an evil person I know. It's not quite a cliffhanger but it still adds suspense! Next chapter tells what happened with Ranma after Kyoko's healing and what Shampoo's problem has to do with Perfume. Until next time my friends, Ja ne!


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not Ranma ½. Enter the broken record… Disclaimers can be so stupid.

Author's Notes: I see that people are warming up to the story and I couldn't be happier. It probably seems like I'm always writing something and I am. I'll admit I really had only a vague idea of what I was going to do with this story but the full idea hit me like a train. I hope ya enjoy it! Please remember to tip your waitress and enjoy the show!

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 5

Nabiki was currently sitting in Ranma's room, Shampoo lying on the bed. The shorthaired girl was amazed and horrified at what Shampoo had told them. The purple-haired girl had related to them, in between spells of exhaustion, a tale of terror. Cologne was sent back to China after Perfume had performed a supposedly forbidden technique and disabled the elder. When Shampoo tried to resist, she was forced into her cursed form, where she was force fed Ghoul Powder. The results on a living creature are horrific for the creature becomes a demon! When she had been defeated and forced to revert, she knew it wouldn't last. What she didn't count on was being healed, the demon expelled completely. The poor girl was wearing a pair of Ranma's pajamas, her body twisting in agony from a bad dream. The Ice Queen's heart thawed. Even if she didn't like Shampoo, no one deserved this. With that thought in mind, she climbed onto the bed beside her and held her gently like her mother used to hold her. The Chinese girl clutched at her softly, her quiet crying subsiding as the peace of sleep overcame her. Nabiki found herself smiling warmly, almost against her will, and held the girl as she slept.

Kyoko was sleeping soundly in her bedroom. Her mana reserves were low from saving her brother and Shampoo. What mystified her earlier was how her brother became a neko hanyou. Hopefully her mom would have an explanation. When she had first arrived at home, she had taken a bath to wash up from the exertions. Her mind was awash with thoughts about what had happened. She had heard some of Shampoo's story and had to get away before she broke something. This was the kind of thing her group tried to put an end to and these senile old hags weren't treating it with the gravity this deserves. Ranma hadn't let go of the girl's hand at all while she spoke, not even washing up or even asking to change back. Her kitty ears twitching with barely suppressed agitation while her eyes held only comfort. The green-eyed girl had a few theories as to why her sister was acting like this. What few knew is that female neko hanyou would "adopt" stray kittens. Think of it as a Cat Woman complex. Shampoo's cursed form was a cat and she maintained the scent and mannerisms. That also confused her. Her healing ability not only banished the demon, but cleansed the curse. She offered her sister a cure as soon as she was rested, but was told not to bother. She was told that the curse wasn't so bad anymore. Perhaps later she would ask why her redheaded sis thought that way. Until then, she slept on.

Ranma (now male) pondered his reflection in the mirror. Whatever had been done seemed to have let his body finally mature. He had grown another several centimeters, his black hair was to his waist and his ears were black as well. He grinned, showing off cute little kitty fangs, his blue eyes were cat slits. Somehow he didn't feel so afraid or shocked at his appearance. His thoughts were "After everything I've been through, this is supposed to bother me?" Well, he also appreciated the added muscle mass. He wasn't Ryoga by any stretch of the imagination, but he certainly felt stronger. His fingernails were cat claws that seemed to emanate a subtle power that felt reminiscent of his ki claws. His mom was surprised at this turn of events, but also seemed as if she knew. The blue-eyed boy decided it was time to stop preening and go find out what was going on. He could smell dinner and decided to convince mom to eat in his room. After all, everyone should know what was happening, right?

Nodoka sighed as she put the finishing touches on dinner. Her children were growing so fast and discovering things before she was ready for them to. The young redhead had actually seemed strangely happy with what had happened, but her concern for her friend outweighed everything else. She still seethed that the barbarian's laws and customs, but she had to admit the girl needed somewhere safe. She fingered the hilt of the Saotome blade, placed near her on the counter. She had never stopped practicing her family's Art. What that fat fool doesn't know is that she had been instructing their son in her family style. The woman could never have been more proud of her son. It was time for him to take over as clan head. His father wasn't the real Saotome; he was just a fat fool who took on the name to claim the rewards. The family sword vibrated under her touch as she stroked it softly. The weapon would protect her son just as his sister's Aura Sword would protect her. Nothing could withstand the Nameless Sword and she would bestow it upon him tonight.

Shampoo was slowly returning to the land of the living. She had the worst nightmares until what felt like an angel came and banished her demons. She had dreamt that her grandmother was desperately reaching out for her, but she couldn't reach her. Dark shapes were leaping out and knocking her away, trying to claw into her body. The girl wanted to cry and did, but someone gently hushed her and held her tight. Her eyes finally opened to find she was being held by someone, her bleary eyes found Nabiki's face, before involuntarily snuggling in tighter. The normally mercenary girl had almost a motherly presence that she couldn't put her finger on.

"Hey Sham-chan." She said with a quirk of humor. Her willing vigil had felt good. Her mother had always said what a gentle girl she was and here was the proof. If anyone at Furinkan found out her reputation was ruined, but the girl's happy smile made it almost worth it. The other began filing into the room with dinner, no one commenting on the sight before them. The brown-eyed girl helped the still tired girl sit up. Nodoka Saotome managed to look serene and almost regal, even with the cramped quarters. Kyoko was rubbing sleep out her eyes and staring at her brother when she thought he wouldn't notice. All female eyes were riveted on the new (and improved) Ranma Saotome. He was a hunk before, but now he was something on a whole other level. He fidgeted nervously as he noticed the female eyes on him. His sister was glad he was family and she seemed to be protected from his charms. Nabiki and Shampoo were staring at him almost hungrily, but backed off at Kyoko's slight hiss. He gave his sis a smile in thanks before his mother declared it was time to eat.

Dinner was delicious and plentiful; Ranma went downstairs three more times for the next helpings. Nodoka had assumed an air of authority that subtly got everyone's attention. Ranma was finishing off the ice cream sundae that his mom had practically force fed to him because he didn't want to appear unmanly. Sundae? A bloody sundae? That idiot had done damage in places the woman had never thought possible! As everyone began to calm down and settle in, the matriarch of clan Saotome began to speak.

"My dear son, Ranma. Your father is not the head of our family. I am. The hanyou blood comes from me. My grandfather wanted to breed it out of our clan and he sought Genma to do it." That brought many exclamations of shock, except from Shampoo oddly enough. "Your father had money, but no name. My father offered him me in marriage to join his money with our clan. When we were married, it was revealed that he had squandered the money on a bachelor party of all things, but the marriage was still valid. It really only called for an engagement between the two of us and nothing else. I have kept the ceremonial blade of our clan until the day I could give it to my manly son." She smiled warmly at her "boy" before continuing. "That was why the man amongst men agreement was so important, but it wasn't to make you afraid of your own mother. The seppuku pledge only called for his head, not yours. However, that is all in the past. Tonight we are here for a sacred purpose." She raised the sword delicately with both hands and gently held it out, reverently, to her son. He was struck by the sudden gravity of the situation and said the only thing he could. "I will never dishonor our name, Mother." And took the sword with the same reverence she bestowed it with. Shampoo and Nabiki shed silent tears at being allowed to witness such an important event. Kyoko embraced her brother with all the love in her heart as did their mother. The tears and well wishes would have lasted if not for a thunderous crash demanding attention.

All five of them ran outside to see what was happening. Nodoka stared in horror at her husband. The World's Most Dishonorable Father stared in amusement until he saw Ranma carrying the sword. Fury was etched upon his face as his eyes took in the fact that he also appeared to be a hanyou as well.

"Idiotic woman! What have you done to our son? As if he wasn't enough of a disappointment before, now the worthless boy is a freak as well!" he shouted in righteous anger. His friend Soun was also there as well, but looked as if it was against his will.

"Please Saotome. Let them be. This stupidity has gone on long enough." He pleaded softly with his friend.

"Where's your spine, Tendo? We must punish him for what he's done!" he fairly slathered maniacally. The Tendo patriarch raised pain-filled eyes to his friend.

"I almost lost my daughter to this idiocy." He said quietly. "If you move against Ranma, I will fight you. My own child is over there and after what you've done to Ranma. No. I will not allow this to continue. As a martial artist I swear it! Please beloved Kimiko, forgive me." The suddenly revitalized man prayed, steel returning to his eyes. Generations of Tendo's seemed to infuse the restored man, his posture becoming commanding. Genma stared in confusion as his oldest friend suddenly became something he had never seen before (and secretly wished he could have been). The man was ready for battle to protect those who could not defend themselves and bring justice for those wronged. The noble lion was ready to fight to protect his child and Genma realized that pandas are lion food. He had no choice; however, he had to do this to restore the family honor.

The fat martial artist adopted a lazy stance that invited attack, but Soun refused to be baited. Ranma shielded the others with his body, his heightened senses feeling something stirring in the air. The two men seemed to shimmer and become aspects of what they were. Soun was dressed in his usual outfit, but it seemed even more impressive. His stance was proud and ready, his steely gaze never wavering. Genma was dressed in black, his aura screaming of what kind of deceitful rat he is. One thing was plainly obvious the baka panda was scared. He began the assault on the restored man with a flying kick, but was countered with a dodge to the side. Soun's follow up chop to the neck sent the lazy fool flying, but Genma wouldn't go down that easily as he twisted and landed on his feet. Soun quirked a smile at his old friend, old reflexes coming back to him at an astonishing rate. The next charge was initiated by the martial artist formerly known as Water works. He released a powerful snap kick that his old friend turned aside easily, but the counter punch to the face took him by surprise. By the time he recovered, another kick was coming his way that sent him reeling. Genma countered with a flurry of lightning fast kicks, all the more impressive because they were delivered from the air, followed by a punishing bicycle kick. The two martial artists leapt away from each other, Genma was panting heavily and relishing the feel of fighting his old friend again. The lion glared at the panda, a feral smile on his lips that unnerved his old shogi buddy.

"You've made an excellent recovery, my **old** friend, but this is where it ends!" Genma cried before using the "Umi-Sen-Ken", but before he could vanish, Soun used his last resort attack. No one knows that Soun had actually created the original mallet attack, but it was quite different when he made it. With a roar, he manifested a massive spiked mace attached to a very long chain and hurled it with deadly force at his old friend. The startled martial artist couldn't use his most deadly technique, but he could be blasted off his feet by the oncoming weapon. Soun nodded once as he pulled the mace back.

"W-what was that?" Genma gasped out from a demolished wall courtesy of his own body.

"Anything Goes Tendo Ryu Ultimate Attack: Gaia's Hammer" he replied. His old friend stared in shock at the powerful technique. The Tendo patriarch went into full blown demon-head mode and roared at the pathetic little man. "If I catch you anywhere near this house, your wife, her children, or especially **MY** children, I will **FINISH** **YOU**!" The sensory overload drove his defeated adversary into unconsciousness. Everyone stared at the changed man before them. Nabiki stepped forward slowly, her wide at seeing a man who had died years ago with his wife. With tears in her eyes, she ran to the man she most wanted to see again.

"Daddy!" she cried as she hurled herself at him, sobbing. He caught his crying child and held her close, his own tears trailing slowly down his face. His heart was heavy for everything he put his children through, but that was going to end. He looked up as a hand rested on his shoulder. He noticed Ranma smiling at him, there were no words needed. Without a sound he ushered everyone back inside to give the two some time alone. Soun whispered to his child.

"Let's go home. We have a lot to discuss." He said as he scooped her up, making her giggle. In that moment they were transported years into the past as he took off with her at full tilt along the rooftops.

End Chapter 5

Author's Notes: The return of Soun and the fall of Genma. I like throwing in twists where I can and I decided it was finally time to break Soun out of the mold that many fanfiction authors cast him into. I wish to thank you all for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoy the next! What will Ranma do now that he is the Saotome clan head? Will they confront Perfume? What will happen next? Stay tuned to find out! Ja ne!


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½.

Author's Notes: I'm going to slow things down a little bit. One of my reviewers pointed out that the story seemed to flying along too quickly (Thanks dogbertcarrol). This chapter will be more along the lines of plot development. After all, they need to rest sometime, right? I hope you enjoy this slightly more sedate chapter.

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 6

Tendo household…

The morning breakfast ritual had to be altered somewhat. Their father's appearance last night carrying a gleefully smiling Nabiki had been a surprise. Kasumi couldn't quite put her finger on it, but he certainly seemed different. The youngest, Akane, recognized the look in his eyes immediately. After all, he had favored her with those looks the most when she was little. He had said that he was a little tired, but would explain everything at breakfast. Hence, the tense atmosphere. The eldest Tendo girl was putting the finishing touches on breakfast as Daddy finished up his training with Akane. Nabiki was already wide awake and at the table unlike her usual zombie/sleepwalker appearance. The gentle girl smiled at the implications of their father training. After mother had died he had seemed to die as well. She had never felt so alone, but had to forget her own needs in the face of the family. The girl had to be mother and homemaker all these long years, but it looks as if she will finally have help now. Father is back and seems to be the same as he was before mother died. With a final prayer to mother, she took the food out.

Nabiki's thoughts were on the night before as well. She was the only one who had seen their father fight the former Saotome. It was amazing to see and the memory was all hers. She had so few just Nabiki and Daddy memories that even though it was a fight, she would treasure it. It was also something funny as well. Ranma had been totally speechless over the spectacle. It was obvious he wanted to know how to do the Gaia's Hammer, but he instead decided to let them have some alone time. Her father had seemed different though, not because he was actually back to normal, but because of the way the fight went. She knew he had sealed the technique because of its power. Not that she was complaining, but this was going to take some getting used to. Ranma becoming a hanyou was still in her mind as well. She had yet to tell her siblings that tasty piece of info. It certainly figured prominently in her thoughts. She felt a warm flush as she thought of how handsome he had become and those cat ears were cute, too.

Akane sat in the furo with a blissful smile on her face. Daddy was home and had begun training her again. The man she thought had been lost was back again. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she was a "Daddy's girl". Despite these pleasant thoughts, however, she couldn't help but scowl at Genma's actions. Her usual "blame everything on Ranma" attitude had been revised drastically when she saw first hand what kind of hell his life is. She usually ignored the fat panda's actions, but when he attacked his own son and his sister, it opened her eyes. To see her father going along with that crap was too much for her to stomach. Whatever happened last night had changed her father considerably. The two fathers had gone over to the Saotome house to confront Ranma, but her Daddy had come home a changed man. Maybe Ranma wasn't so bad after all, she thought. If his father was the only role model he'd had for ten years then it wasn't all his fault. The idea actually felt good. With that on her mind, she finished bathing and got ready for breakfast.

Soun, the head of the Tendo household, sat at the table without his usual morning paper. His thoughts were on past days. The Tendo patriarch could still remember the night his old friend had arrived on his doorstep shortly after Kyoko's birth. Genma was almost incoherent with rage and a strange fear. When questioned about it he had explained to his friend a version that had become truth to the more naïve man. The tale was of an evil neko youma that had raped the poor woman and convinced her that it was out of love. The child must be disposed of to save the mother so the two began to plot. The plan was to take the child and destroy it in the woods after convincing Nodoka that the girl would be safe. He couldn't go through with it in the end and managed to convince Genma that he would finish the deed. The man should be with his wife so soon after such a traumatic event. The fool had no reason to doubt his friend. In the time he had held the child; he felt the goodness in her and realized he had made the right choice. Still, he must get the child away from Genma and left her on the doorstep of a nice young couple who had just lost a child. His duty as a martial artist fulfilled, he went home to his wife and children. The day before was a terrible mistake that he still had trouble stomaching. How had he allowed himself to become so weak-willed? He had almost destroyed his own child to hold onto something that wasn't even his. Soon his children would all be here and he would tell them everything. It was time to come clean with the whole story.

Breakfast was a relatively tense affair as Soun related the story to his daughters. He knew in his heart that he didn't deserve forgiveness for abandoning them as he had done and was glad that they still loved him. When he mentioned what happened with Ranma, he found he had undivided attention. The focus of the three girls was almost frightening. Kasumi's eyes had glazed slightly and let out a hushed "Oh my", Akane had turned faintly red and refused to look at anyone, and Nabiki was still somewhat shell shocked. Kasumi was the first to speak.

"Quite a bit has changed, it appears." She remarked softly. Nabiki's eyebrow rose.

"He also has the power to cancel the engagements because they were made with the assumption that Genma was the head of the family." The mercenary girl replied.

"The baka wouldn't really end it, would he?" Akane half pleaded, painfully aware of how she abused him. Her little Akane still kept chanting squash the perverts, but her common sense and logic returned to clobber her into submission. Her internal battle went largely unnoticed. The girls looked to their father as if he held all the answers.

"I really have no idea. The whole fiancée mess was a terrible thing to inflict on you, Akane, but it was also terrible to do to Ranma. We should have allowed you to be friends. The chance is still there, if you truly wish to be his fiancée then be his friend first." He said to her. The young girl looked at her father before bursting into tears. Nabiki was faster then Kasumi, surprisingly, and pulled her little sister in for a warm hug. The poor girl cried her heart out over lost chances and stupid choices. Kasumi looked to their father, her posture straight. If her sister wanted finally realized what she had done, then she would help her with all her heart. Nabiki was feeling vaguely guilty, while she loved Akane, she had hoped the girl would have remained clueless. The Ice Queen was now a mere puddle on the floor as she once again emerged from her cold sleep. Their father watched with a mixture of pride and sorrow. Whatever Ranma chose, people would still be hurt.

Saotome household…

Ranma sat in the furo, his lengthened hair floating in the water. It resisted every effort to cut it, but it really didn't bother him too much. The hair just made a much longer braid, that's all. No sense worrying about things, he had to sort through one mystery before jumping to the next. What had infuriated him was that the demons kept thrashing him. His sister had explained what had happened. Apparently what she had unlocked would have been released in good time anyway. His was related to his eighteenth birthday when he finally came into his majority, but he was still suffering from the weak spells that hanyous get. The reason for that peculiarity was because of his rapid power growth. He was subtly tapping into his innate abilities unconsciously. She had informed him with a smirk that his "weak" state was linked to his girl curse. It counted that way because of a loss of strength when he changed. She didn't get a weak period because she had learned to repress her powers; hence they didn't wear down and need a recharge. She had been surprised when he got the concept immediately. Another thing to ponder was his engagements. Ukyou had come over this morning to find out if what Nabiki had said was true. The girl had trouble believing free information from the middle Tendo. When he had said yes, she actually sobbed in relief and begged forgiveness. The chef girl had been so afraid her father would disown her that she pursued him out of fear. She was actually coming over to say to hell with her dad and declare the engagement off. The strain between her and her best pal "Ranchan" hurt too much. Now that was something he hadn't expected to see in all his time in Nerima. There was too much going on in his skull right now to sort out comfortably, so he decided to finish his bath in peace and worry later. After breakfast.

Kyoko's morning began as it should, in her opinion, with meditation and a workout partner. Two people were out there with her this morning, much to her delight. Shampoo and Ukyou had at first been catty to each other, but once they realized the source of animosity was gone, they burst out laughing. Mom was understandably confused at the two "bitter rivals", but figured it was just more weirdness from son's life. The green-eyed girl was far from blind as she watched the two square off. Each incidental hit that would have leveled a normal person merely caused them to smile. If Ryoga had been here the vibes would have given him an instant nosebleed and the need of a transfusion. Last night was bizarre in her opinion, but her brother seemed strangely unsurprised. What kept him from being as perplexed as everyone else? Was it a new Zen technique or was he just playing? No, he wasn't that good of an actor. His heightened instincts may have given him the edge or his knowledge of Tendo. As it was, she knew who wanted Ranma the most. Nabiki, Kasumi, and Akane all wanted him. Maybe she should convince them to share? There was enough cat boy to go around. After all, her brother was the greatest martial artist in the world. If Nodoka had read some of her daughter's thoughts she would have frowned in disapproval. Merely because she didn't think of it first.

Nodoka was looking out the window as she cooked. Quite a few mouths to feed, but she could handle it easily. She could teach Nabiki a few moneymaking tricks. As it was, her sharp mind had a big pay off. Winning the lottery wouldn't have given her this much money. However, money doesn't buy family, it just keeps them fed. She was amazed at her son's ability, but also had heard the terrible price he had paid to be the best. That idiotic training trip and pledge stole her child, but she had the chance to get him back. Last night when Soun fought her fat ex-husband, she finally saw what Kimiko had seen in him. She chuckled at her own foolish thoughts. Didn't this line of thinking get her in trouble already? Oh well, her son was barreling down the stairs as Kyoko came in with their guests to breakfast.

Breakfast in the Saotome house looked like a demolition derby where the food was being demolished. Ranma and Kyoko arguably ate the most with Shampoo and Ukyou eating almost as much. They all thanked the matriarch for the food. Ukyo kept looking across at the Chinese girl when she thought no one was looking. The chef began suspecting that all that time pretending to be a boy had a bad effect on her, but couldn't fault her taste. The young Amazon was well aware of her admirer and, reluctantly, decided to wait on any experimentation. Saving her grandmother was more important then immediate pleasure. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the purple-haired girl missed the old ghoul. The blue-eyed boy smiled reassuringly at her.

"We'll get her back." Ranma said to her.

"Shampoo not see how. Grandmother trapped in village. Perfume control village. No can rescue." She said, disheartening herself. The chef girl wrapped an arm around the despairing girl's shoulders in a hug. It was meant to be comforting, but it caused Shampoo quite a bit of confusion. She leaned in; perhaps she could enjoy a little pleasure. Kyoko had a mysterious smile.

"Oh, Shampoo dear. A friend of yours, Mousse I think, stopped by. I sent him to find that other nice boy, Ryoga. If you wish to storm an Amazon village, don't you need warriors?" she asked innocently. Everyone at the table stared at her in open shock. The woman couldn't hold it in, she giggled like a much younger girl.

"I gotta hand it to ya Ma, great idea." Ranma said in wonder. His wonder turned to a wide grin. "She's right, we need warriors. I think it's time we got ready to go on the offensive. First stop is the Nekohanten." He said before a throat clearing interrupted him.

"Before we do that, could we perhaps get some breakfast? Ryoga hasn't had a thing to eat and I'm starving." Mousse said from out in the yard with the Lost Boy in tow. Kyoko began getting the suspicion that this seemed too easy. If only she knew how right she was.

End Chapter 6

Author's Notes: Whew, another chapter cleared! I tried to clear up a few problems with the last few chapters as well as explain Ranma's "weakness". Rather devious, ne? Oh well, next chapter brings the fight to the Nekohanten and the mummy of doom, Perfume. Please read and review, dear friends. Until next time! Ja ne!


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. I think constantly repeating it is silly, but getting sued is sillier.

Author's Notes: This is the moment we've been waiting for! The epic battle at the Nekohanten is waged here! Who will show up to do battle? Enough with hype and let's get ready to rumble! Mwa ha ha ha! Oh hello doctor, is it time for my medication now...?

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 7

Nodoka once again was amazed at the sheer amount of food that a martial artist could pack away and still keep their fighting figure. Mousse and Ryoga were eating voraciously as Ranma explained the situation. It didn't take them long to plan out a course of action. They did have to be reigned in at a frontal assault. Sure, they had power, but they could be much more effective in a sneak attack. The Saotome matriarch took that time to call over to the Tendo house to talk to Soun. The Tendo patriarch agreed to come over. It was the least he could do after everything that Ranma had done for them he said. When she came back in, she almost tripped over Ryoga's combat umbrella. The fanged young man looked sheepish as he pulled it back over. She chuckled as she once again resumed her place at the table. Her "manly son" looked curiously at her.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I figured you could use some back up, so I called Soun." she replied easily. Kyoko grinned, if Soun was there with his restored skills and techniques, then they stood a better chance. The blind boy and the pig were still in a state of shock from hearing about the Tendo patriarch's return. Shampoo kept sneaking looks at Ukyou. The chef girl, for her part, was trying not to be too obvious. So much was going on that it was agreed that they should all take a breather. Nodoka smiled as her green-eyed daughter helped her clear the table.

"Shampoo scared for Grandmother." the purple-haired girl said quietly. The chef girl sat beside her, legs stretched out in front of her. The two girls had decided to sit in the backyard together. The once proud Amazon was still in tatters. She felt there was no one who could understand what it meant to lose control. Yet even as she thought that, she remembered how Ranma loses control during the Neko-ken. Maybe one person would understand, she amended. Ukyou looked over at her.

"Don't worry, we'll save her. How can anyone stop us? You're the best warrior in your village for your age group. Ranma is a neko hanyou, but before that he was the best martial artist of his generation as well as a literal Godslayer. I happen to be a great fighter as well. Mousse is the Master of Hidden Weapons. Ryoga is a tank, just point and say "Destroy". Not to mention Soun is coming as well as Akane. Between all of us, Cologne will be saved easily." she smiled in confidence. Shampoo sat with stars in her eyes over Ukyou's speech before glomping her startled companion. "Ack!" the chef girl said intelligently as the Amazon girl nuzzled into her chest happily. "Is this how Ranma felt?" she thought fuzzily, but couldn't deny it felt pretty good to have her own personal humanoid octopus.

Ranma, Mousse, and Ryoga were sitting on the roof. They "accidentally" overheard the two girls talking. Ranma and Ryoga were snickering over the thunderstruck expression on the blind master's face.

"I lose one rival for her affections and gain another. This time a **woman** of all things!" he spluttered until he realized how ridiculous he sounded. As suddenly as one flipping off a light switch he's snickering as well.

"You could win an award for your acting talent." Ryoga said with some amazement. The Amazon boy grinned in response. Ranma's ears twitched slightly.

"Tendo's here." he said to them, but still didn't want to move. A light thump was heard as Akane jumped up to them easily. The three young men jumped before laughing sheepishly. The youngest Tendo girl gave them a sunny smile before sitting near Ranma.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" she asked cheerfully. Her clothing looked like a skin tight, black ninja outfit with a long handled warhammer on her back. If they couldn't guess the implications then are as dense as people think.

"Takin' a breather. Kinda hard to think when about eleven different things goin' on." Ranma replied.

"Isn't always hard for you to think?" she said without thinking before blushing. "Uhm... Sorry." Akane apologized sheepishly. Ranma just waved it off easily. "I need to talk to you alone for a few minutes." she said shyly. The pigtailed boy nodded, not quite understanding. The other two boys looked at each other in mutual, if in this case misplaced, understanding and jumped down from the roof. The two teens looked at each other in silence for what seemed like forever. Finally, Ranma spoke.

"So, what did ya wanna talk about?" he asked.

"I wanted to apologize for how I've been." she began.

"No need, I know I was a jerk and..."he tried to say, but was cut off.

"A lot of what I did you didn't deserve. You wanted to be my friend and I never gave you the chance. Could we try to be friends, please?" Ranma looked shocked at her question, but wisely didn't laugh.

"Of course, but I thought we were friends." he said to her. The girl favored him with a beautiful smile before hugging him tightly, which he returned warmly.

"I already know someone who would really like to be your fiancée." she said mischievously.

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Nabiki. Every time someone mentions you she blushes and gets all nervous." Akane giggled. The blue-eyed boy looked speculative.

"I'll think about it after we get through one crisis." he smirked. The Tendo girl merely rolled her eyes before the two jumped down from the roof.

Once again Mousse and Ryoga "accidentally" overheard what was being said. Ryoga was grinning wide enough to split his face.

"I can finally tell Akane how I feel!" the Lost Boy nearly whooped until the blind master clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Do you **really** want them finding out we were listening?" he asked rhetorically. Bandanna Boy still shook his head anyway. "Now that you know, I suggest you hold off anyway. Ranma has a good point, one thing at a time. We need to win at the Nekohanten before we think of anything else." Once again, Ryoga was in perfect agreement. He hated to see girls cry and anyone who made a friend cry was going to feel the full weight of his power.

Soun was waiting impatiently outside for everyone to gather. He was sure that Ranma had a special idea for the Tendo patriarch and found himself strangely thrilled by the notion. He heard a soft noise behind him and spun around to find Happosai staring intently at him. The old master used to frighten him, but somehow he felt no fear. The little pervert nodded in approval.

"I heard what happened. Welcome back, student." he said cheerfully.

"Whatever it is, I will have no part in it." Soun said to the diminutive man. Happosai grinned as if he expected that.

"Actually, I'm here to help with the assault. Ranma asked me to come to provide distraction." he said. Tendo couldn't help but smirk.

"You certainly can be distracting indeed." he answered. As everyone met out front, it was apparent that this wasn't just a simple little get together, but a war party. Before they set out, Ranma had a few final orders.

"Alright, we're splitting into teams. Tendo, you will go in the front and act like a customer to distract them long enough for the second phase of the frontal assault. Happosai, this is where you come in. I don't need to tell you what to do since you are a master of distraction." Buttering up the old pervert would only help them. "Ukyou and Mousse. You two are good at stealth so you sneak in through the roof, Shampoo will go with you to provide muscle." the three in question nodded. "Konatsu, help Ukyou." he didn't need to know the male kunoichi nodded. Everyone jumped in surprise except for Ukyou. "Finally, me, Ryoga, and Akane will go in through the back. A distraction from the front, an assault from behind, and a sneak attack from above should demoralize them enough to make this a quick battle. Oh yeah and Kyoko? Just help out wherever you can." Everyone stared in astonishment at Ranma's grasp of tactics. The young man sheepishly grinned "I got addicted to a game called Final Fantasy Tactics." Once again everyone was in shock. Ranma playing a videogame was unthinkable! Finally the braided martial artist grew testy with the looks his friends and family were giving him. "If you're finished." His eyes dared anyone to comment. "We have work to do. Let's go!" no sooner did he say go, then everyone disappeared in a cloud of dust as they all kicked off at the same time. Even Ryoga's directional curse was powerless against his desire to help.

The Nekohanten in the past has been a place where you could enjoy a good bowl of ramen and the sight of a busty Chinese girl waiting tables. All that innocent fun is gone now. In its wake is a feeling of darkness and an ominous presence. Soun Tendo actually felt sweat break out from his forehead, but wiped it away. He needed to be focused. After all, he was the decoy and the perverted master was nearby, ready to have some fun. The door was locked and the front windows were boarded up. He thought of many ways he could do this, but decided on the most demoralizing and the most fun. With barely any effort, he drew in power for another secret attack before slamming his palms flat on the door before him and calling out "Gaia's Fury!" The attack unleashed a massive wave of pure, green energy that was drawn from the land and his own reserves. The Amazons inside scrambled for cover as the destructive blast tore through the front entrance. The one responsible merely stepped through the opening, dusting himself off as if it were nothing.

"Could I get an order of ramen to go?" he inquired politely with a smile. The smile would have frozen magma. The warriors vaulted to their feet with their weapons in hand before rushing at the intruder with intent to kill. However, before they reached him, a small blur began hurtling at them with tremendous speed, but doing no damage. It wasn't until he revealed himself (with a pile of undergarments next to him), that they realized what had happened. In righteous fury they attacked the perverted little gnome, but found they were only hitting each other as he led them on a merry chase. The ones fighting Soun were growing exasperated as he merely dodged or redirected their attacks. Such a fine figure of a warrior would make one of them an excellent husband despite his age! Tendo knew it was only a matter of time before he made a slip. He was only human after all and it didn't help that these young girls all had to be rather busty (or healthy as he would have said). He had no choice but to keep going. The other teams would be there soon. Until then, he ran the very real risk of slipping in the blood from a sudden nosebleed.

The roof was heavily fortified, Perfume had taken into consideration the people of Nerima's roof hopping hobby. The marvelously trained Amazons were stationed secretly on the roof, waiting for action. If only they knew that the action they were expecting had discreetly swept on by them, in full view of the warriors, and that some of their warriors were unconscious. The stealth team knew that one wrong move would bring the whole place down on their heads, but they couldn't deny the exhilaration of the mission. As they passed, warriors decided to "take a nap" or disappear entirely. Konatsu was truly in his element. No one saw the deathly quiet kunoichi slip by and send them into darkness. Ukyou was experienced at disguises and hiding who she was. What they hadn't realized was the Mandarin she had picked up from just visiting the Nekohanten. Mousse had enough Amazon weapons to outfit everyone and was carrying Ukyou's battle spatula. He wanted to finally prove to Cologne that he wasn't a weak male. Shampoo's thoughts weren't as bleak as they had been. The time had come for revenge on the woman who had ruined her life and stripped her of her humanity. Being a cat wasn't so bad, but the loss of control from the Ghoul Powder was inexcusable.

Perfume sneezed and looked around for what could have caused it.

Ranma gritted his teeth as they waited at the back door for the chaos to start. It was a simple plan, really, so he wasn't worried about them following it. The loud crash from the front was the signal to move. The pigtailed boy signaled Ryoga, who merely nodded in response before unleashing a Bakusei Tenketsu that not only ripped out the back, but sunk the kitchen into the basement. The fanged boy smiled sheepishly at his friends before the trio leapt at the startled Amazons who looked like ants after their hill was ripped open. Panic seemed to be the pervading emotion as the teens set about them with powerful blows. Ranma bouncing around the room like a ping pong ball on speed, knocking heads together, tripping people, and generally causing chaos. Ryoga really was a tank as Ukyou had proclaimed him, shrugging off blows that would have killed a normal man before delivering strikes powerful enough to smash down mountains or at least really big hills. Akane was amazing the two boys as she used her warhammer with skill and dexterity not usually associated with that weapon. She was parrying, blocking, and even fencing with her opponents before a well timed swing would remove several Amazons from the fight at a time. Things were going well for the attackers as the three groups joined up once again, surrounded by the broken and battered Amazon troops. Then their leader appeared.

"Well that was certainly unexpected. You have done so well. It is a shame I can't just take you all back to the village, but this game ends now." Perfume snarled out venomously.

"Game? Sorry, but we're dead serious. You mess with one of us and you mess with all. Shampoo n' I have problems, sure, but I hope we can be friends. I won't let you take away my chance at that! Surrender ya old mummy and give us back **our** old mummy!" he shouted. He was sure it sounded good, but the end of it may have needed work. The boy had spoken with such eloquence that they began thinking he'd been kidnapped and replaced by a clone, until that last bit. At least some things don't change.

"Give me back my grandmother!" Shampoo shouted in mandarin. How impressive would it have sounded in Japanese with the too-too cute voice? No, there was a certain level of drama that must be maintained. The Amazon Matriarch snarled out evilly.

"Stupid children will only get what they deserve and nothing more. You have walked right into my trap, by the way." With a wave of her staff she signaled the warriors to use their "Extreme Measures". As one, they poured the contents of the vials in their hands down their throats. Perfume joined them in the fun with her own larger vial. The confidence the Nerima Wrecking Crew had felt was rapidly disintegrating as their enemies turned into ferocious demons. The once beautiful women and old crone became gruesome caricatures of humanity. In a voice from the abyss the former Elder turned Demon Lord ordered them to attack. She sneered in anticipation of their screams and death cries, but didn't realize what had kept her warriors alive through the initial assault. They had been human. Now that they were demons, restraints were removed and the terrible slaughter was entirely one-sided as demons were destroyed left and right. Ranma was leading several into a small circle before unleashing a concentrated Hiryuu Shoten Ha that rocketed several demons into the upper stratosphere. Happosai's Fire Burst and mysterious knowledge left demons broken and dying in his wake. Ukyou and Konatsu seemed to have vanished and were playing the demons off of one another. Akane was happily hammering her point home, industriously braining her opponents with ruthless efficiency. Mousse and Shampoo were fighting back to back. He would snare and she would dispatch. There was nothing that could get at them. Soun was incensed at what he was seeing. Innocent people who didn't know what they were doing, blindly following orders, and they're paying for it with their lives. In that moment he decided to put their souls to rest. All fighting stopped as the Tendo patriarch roared in total fury and unleashed his Gaia's Hammer attack, destroying the remaining demons. The Elder visibly panicked, her demon body trembling violently as human instincts overrode demonic thoughts of conquest. Without another thought, she ran.

Kyoko was biding her time until she was needed. The casual disregard for life that the Amazon elder displayed enraged the girl to unprecedented levels. Her ears poked out from her head and her eyes transformed. It was time to do what she had come to do. The panicking demon didn't realize anyone was following her until a kick to the back of the head hurled her through a wall and into the alley. The green-eyed warrior found herself staring down a youma well over seven feet tall. The elder assumed a combat stance that would have worked well if she was the same height. Youma who tried using their human thoughts were vastly less dangerous then those who let their instincts kick in. There was no bluster, no bravado, only the Aura Sword winking into existence and the Elder's life force winking out.

"Truly pathetic. Your crimes have earned you a place in Hell." She spat on the decapitated body before staring off into the sky. The girl noticed a heavy storm rolling in. The lightning was purple and the clouds were glowing with silver light. The unnatural phenomenon made her hair stand on end.

"What awaits us in China?" she mused aloud before heading inside to her friends.

End Chapter 7

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay but the dreaded writer's block knocked all thoughts from my head. Luckily I was able to get my thoughts together enough to finish this chapter. All reviews are welcome. I do my best not to make my story seem rushed, but that seems to be something I can't unlearn. I will strive my utmost to do so, but please be kind. No flames either. Oh well, enjoy your evening and as always, ja ne!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ but I do own Kyoko. I am also very poor so don't sue me! Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let's press on. Enjoy the show!

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 8

The aftermath of the battle left more questions then answers. The strange clouds hanging overhead were a good indication that something was seriously off. Ranma's heightened senses were going haywire as he detected the sheer malevolence from the atmospheric anomaly. The city of Nerima was acting in the usual fashion and ignored it. Everyone waiting for their resident superheroes to save the day. The "family" sat around the TV watching the news. The silvery cloud was the top story. According to the reports it seemed as if the bizarre cloud had originated over a remote region in China. Kyoko looked over to her brother and saw him staring with almost frightening concentration at the screen. The silence was like a heavy weight pressing down on them. Finally, Ranma spoke.

"We're not done yet. If this has anything to do with the Amazons then we're gonna have to act fast. The longer Cologne remains in their control then the harder it'll be to get her back." he said to the assembled martial artists (and worried mother).

"That much obvious." Shampoo grumbled from her place on the floor, Ukyou stroking her back soothingly.

"Do you have anything else to add, Saotome?" Mousse inquired of the pigtailed martial artist, trying to head off a confrontation.

"Yeah, I called Nabiki a lil' while ago and got her to arrange a ship to go there. I'm in her debt again and I hope she doesn't charge interest." he got a few scattered chuckles from his joke until he looked at them confused. He was serious.

"I'm sure she won't charge anything beyond the cost of the ride." Soun said reassuringly. The ones who know the girl stared at him openly until they saw the glint in his eye. He was serious, too.

"The next order of business is combat outfits. How can we strike fear if we're not coordinated?" Kyoko asked so cheerfully it caused another round of stares until they realized she **wasn't** serious. The serious council of war degenerated into laughter, wrapping up soon after that so everyone could get some sleep.

His room felt a little crowded, but he was glad he wasn't sleeping on the floor. The blue-eyed boy had quickly come to the conclusion that Ryoga could literally beat him in his sleep from the way he was thrashing around. He chuckled as the blind master of Hidden Weapons reflexively dodged the unintended attack. They weren't very noisy, but they seemed to be making animal noises in their sleep. Pig-like grunts and duck-like quacks made a strangely soothing harmony. His thoughts were a messy jumble that couldn't be sorted out the more he reached for them, but came within range when he relaxed.

As he felt his body become leaden with sleep, several thoughts made themselves known. He was at an impasse for what to do about the Tendo engagement. Akane wasn't chasing him anymore she said. The youngest girl just wanted to be friends. That thought put him more at ease somehow. It just wouldn't work out between them if it was a relationship, but friendship certainly stood a chance. Another thought practically grabbed him. Why had Nabiki chased after him that day in the rain? She could have been seriously hurt by the youma, but still fought anyway. Sure, she used an armored car to take care of it, but the fact is she stayed. He had caught the girl staring at him on more then one occasion with a contemplative look. She certainly was pretty and had a sharp mind that would keep him out of trouble in cases where fighting wasn't an answer. The two of them were actually similar in some ways, both had to hide who they were because of people's expectations. Another thought intruded as soon as that one ran its course. What about Kasumi? Beautiful was the word to describe her, but other words fit too. Kind, gentle, caring, and nurturing spring immediately to mind. She would blush whenever he would accidentally touch her, then again so would he. Kasumi served as sort of a surrogate mother for her family and even for him. That was strangely attractive too. Sleep cut off further thoughts as he drifted off, but he was sure that his dreams would be pleasant.

Nabiki had arrived shortly before everyone had gone to bed. Her and Kasumi were to share the same room as the rest of the girls. The mercenary girl's eyebrow raised slightly at the sight of the Chinese bimbo cuddled up to someone other then Ranma and that it was Ukyou. Stranger things have happened as she knows well. Her mind went back to comforting the poor girl after she woke up. Since it was too late to wake anyone up, she decided to wait until morning to tell everyone the news. What had her really surprised was Kasumi had her face against the wall as if peering at something. The eldest girl had held that posture since she entered the room and seemed completely unaware of her surroundings. The young mercenary smirked before tapping her elder sibling on the shoulder and covering her mouth quickly to prevent her shocked squeal. The longhaired girl had a faintly guilty look on her face as Nabiki went to see what she was staring at. She whistled softly in appreciation at the view. The pigtailed boy seemed deep in concentration about something. A plan rapidly forming in her mind that she discussed with Kasumi. The two girls had equally devilish grins on their faces as they hammered out the details. They knew that they were fighting over the same guy, but that didn't mean they couldn't work together to ensure that one of them got him. The plan was brilliantly simple: cosplay.

The neko hanyou sighed as she stared at her cellphone with a slightly numb feeling. Ranma had asked her why they could save Shampoo and not the others. Her colleagues searched hard for the answer and in the end came up with one that depressed her. If the subject willingly ingests the Ghoul Powder then they can't be saved. If coercion was used, however, then the soul doesn't become demonic. The only person who could save a lost soul was a young miko almost fifteen hundred years ago who got lost in China. Her power was legendary and many stories were created around her. Something was nibbling at her, but it couldn't get a solid bite. There was something about that story. It couldn't be that important, she decided as she headed back inside.

The adults in the house sat out back, close enough for companionship but not close enough for it to be inappropriate. The auburn haired woman looked at the man beside her. He appeared to be lost in thought. Perhaps it was the same thing that she was worried about. Would everyone make it back home alive? She shivered slightly in the nighttime breeze. The woman almost jumped out of her skin when a warm arm draped across her shoulders. All she could see was concern in his eyes. The restored man smiled slightly at her. She was certain that her blush was clearly visible to her neighbors down the street. The two looked at each other, magnetism hit and they found themselves drawn to each other. Just before they connected, Nodoka's eyes widened and she pulled back, blushing furiously. She found herself muttering apologies that he was echoing just before she fled into the house and away from the feelings churning inside of her.

Soun stared after the rapidly retreating woman and cursed his own foolishness. He knew he was lonely, and saw how lonely she was, so he let his own need win out. The poor woman wasn't looking for a suitor yet, if she ever would, and now their friendship was strained because of his inattention. He knew he was a fool. With a sigh, he looked up to the stars as if seeking answers. What he saw there made him scowl. That damned cloud obscured everything. It seemed like it was trying to cut them off, dishearten them, but it failed terribly. All it did was strengthen his resolve to see it banished. Perhaps under a clear sky he can make his feelings known to her. Maybe.

The next day the sky had grown even darker. To those with the power to read auras it seemed as if the cloud had tripled in power literally overnight. The waves of darkness were spreading out to encompass all of Japan and the surrounding area. The Saotome house seemed largely unaffected, an aura of peace was prevalent making it the last bastion of light on the whole island. Not even the shrines were safe places. Demon Hunters from all over were fighting in the streets as the cloud spat out evil minions, yet the minions couldn't get through whatever was protecting the house. As it stood, breakfast that morning was a crowded, but pleasant affair. Everyone was seated out in the backyard because of how many people were there. A surprise visitor to the house that morning managed to brighten everyone up more. Hinako appeared at the door inquiring as to Ranma's whereabouts and offered her services. The chi vampire was welcomed warmly into the house by Nodoka and ushered to the backyard. With a mischievous smile she called out to them.

"Delinquents!" she cried out suddenly, everyone suddenly went from easy and relaxed to almost military posture. The sight caused her to dissolve into giggles. Space was made for her at the makeshift table and she found herself almost enveloped in warm hugs and exclamations of surprise. Soun looked around before voicing a thought out loud.

"Where are Kasumi and Nabiki?" he asked no one in particular, but it was a good question.

"Sorry we're late Daddy." Nabiki drawled as she and her big sister stepped out of the house, almost causing an eruptions of nosebleeds and exclamations of "Kawaii!" The mercenary girl was wearing what looked like the outfit of a monk from Final Fantasy Tactics, having remembered that he liked the game. She didn't even have to change her hair. She had the costume down to even the metal gauntlets with elbow guards as well as the knee guards. It wasn't immediately obvious that it was a rush job and the sleeveless dress with mini skirt looked great on her. She did a charming flirt with her skirt. The Tendo patriarch was almost frozen in stone at the sight of one of his baby girls wearing something like that. When they're eyes traveled to Kasumi that prompted the "Kawaii". She was dressed as Aerith, right down to the staff. Her costume had a less hurried look then her sister's, but both were stunning. After receiving a round of congratulations, everyone sat down to eat.

Happosai was being visibly restrained by Ranma. He wanted to glomp all the pretty girls at the table and get away from his blasted heir, until a cup of cold juice turned him into a her. Then Ranma had to keep the perverted master off of her matured body. The fight left him, however, when Nodoka's sheathed katana flashed down and knocked him out. The meal continued at a much more relaxed pace with the two costumed girls taking turns feeding him and giggling a lot. Akane was sitting beside Ryoga, casting him speculative looks. The poor Lost Boy was flushed by the sight of so many beautiful girls in varying states of dress. Shampoo was cuddling with Ukyou and feeding her from her plate. The chef girl was unrestrained by the bandage and feeding her Amazon girl. That sight once again prompted the questions, "How does she hide those behind a simple bandage?" and "Why haven't I needed a blood transfusion?" Kyoko had this faraway look as she watched Mousse. That girl radiated something wild and exciting, the blind Master couldn't help looking over at her, but would just miss her looking at him. Ryoga was fairly sure something would happen eventually, but decided to butt out. His gaze wandered to Akane and caught her staring at him with the same look Ukyou was giving Shampoo and was caught like a deer in the headlights. Thankfully there was so much general chaos that no one noticed.

"I have some news about departure. We'll be leaving as soon as we arrive at the dock. I had to call in some serious favors, but it's worth it for what we're doing." Nabiki announced. Her saying "we" meant she was coming along and wouldn't take no for an answer. Rather then argue, Ranma kept his peace but was determined to speak to her once they were on their way. That wasn't the only surprising announcement that morning as Nodoka and Kasumi also announced they were going. Once again the blue-eyed boy knew he couldn't argue with them.

"If you're going to Jusenkyou, then count me in!" a young man with pantyhose wrapped around his neck proclaimed as he vaulted over the wall. There was a mass sweatdrop as a bush began inching its way over before getting punted into orbit. What the assembled warriors didn't realize was that the pigtailed boy had a plan. A simple plan, but a brilliant one, he thought. Just wait until they were out to sea.

The ship captain was still staring at the large collection of people. Someone had informed the Kunos about what was happening, but they were knocked out and tossed into a barrel of pickled herring. At least thy weren't bringing luggage, aside from an assortment of backpacks and spare weapons. The leader of the group wore an old sword tucked through a cloth belt at his waist. The arrangements were made in short order and all was set for launch. As part of the agreement, they would be helping out the crew on deck. Seemed simple enough considering the bizarre training they had all been through. They would learn to regret those thoughts.

It would take them some time to actually get to their destination. The reason it was a ship and not a plane was because it would be quieter and they could actually go straight from a handy beach right to their destination. The Nerima Wrecking Crew was geared for battle against anything, but running a ship was demanding work. It wasn't surprising to see someone sacked out on the deck exhausted. The only one who wasn't getting tired was Ryoga, who was discovering a love for the sea he never knew of. It was disturbing to watch him almost casually do the work of ten men and still not be winded. The trip was largely uneventful. Little did they know that someone was about to jump ship.

Later on that moonless night, a figure crept along the deck quietly and quickly. He was alert for any signs of trouble that would inhibit his plan. What he actually failed to count on was his own darling sister standing by the lifeboat he planned on commandeering.

"When were you going to tell me you were leaving?" Kyoko asked softly.

"This is for the best and we both know it. All we'd be doing is leading them all into danger." the boy replied.

"Remember brother, where you go, I go. Besides, ya need two people to unhitch a lifeboat." she pointed at the winches. He merely nodded and the two set to work immediately to release their stolen craft. The green-eyed girl went down the ladder first with all the grace of the feline. Ranma almost made to the ship before his luck kicked in and he plummeted into the water. He (now she) hauled herself into the boat. Her shirt clinging to her wet frame in a way that would give anyone a nosebleed. The two merely exchanged a look before setting off into the night towards China. Ranma's arms rowing at Amaguriken speed.

Their disappearance wasn't noticed until the next day when the two of them missed breakfast. A Saotome miss breakfast? Unthinkable! Nodoka was growing more concerned when no one found them in the rooms. She had figured where one was, the other would be. Little did she know how right she was. The chef girl and the Amazon were leaning against each other sleepily as Nabiki got her coffee. Even with coffee she wouldn't have seen this.

Suddenly one of the ship's crew sounded the alert. One of the lifeboats was missing. All eyes turned towards the man, their minds in frightening synchronicity. They knew where the two had gone and it just became more important to catch up to them.

End Chapter 8

Author's Notes: My writer's block is returning. I had to update before my mind turned to mush and I hope I managed to beat it. Well, I must apologize as well for not following through on my promise for this chapter, but I tried to set it up for the gradually approaching ending. Oh well, until next time! Ja ne!


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not Ranma ½. Short, sweet, and to the point. Like me. Bwahahahahaha

Author's Notes: Last chapter before the epilogue. Why do I tell you this? It's just to let you know I do have these things planned out somewhat. Oh well, enough with explaining myself. Let's get on with the show!

Demon's Crossing

Chapter 9

Amaguriken speed is a wonderful thing, Kyoko concluded as she watched the ocean seem to race beneath their craft. Her brother so far had shown no signs of stopping and looked to be enjoying himself immensely. The two hadn't said much the entire time they were traveling, but some things didn't need to be said. However, she did realize that if she didn't let him rest then he wouldn't be fighting fit when they landed. Therefore, after much cajoling and pleading, she got to row the boat. While she may not be as fast as him, she could keep the craft going with surprisingly powerful strokes that almost made up for her lack of speed. Ranma grinned at her infectiously and was even happier when she returned it. He amused himself by using the Amaguriken to catch fish, skinned and boned them, and somehow managed to make a small fire to cook them without burning up the boat. The only thing making Ranma unhappy was that he was currently a she and could little about it. Her green-eyed sister rolled her eyes.

"Try heating some water over the fire." She suggested, the redhead flushed at not thinking about that herself.

"Thanks sis." The girl said sheepishly before doing just that. When the fish was done, Ranma ate at light speed while simultaneously tossing food into Kyoko's mouth. This went on until all the fish was gone. The only problem would be water, they concluded, until it began to rain. The sudden redhead growled at the sky while her sister laughed her head off.

Several days later…

They had rigged some canvas to collect the water from the rainstorm to drink, but that was running out. Ranma had given it another go at rowing while Kyoko steered the little boat. Not surprisingly, they reached China in record time. Fortunately, there was no one around to see their spectacular feat. The two teens collapsed on the beach in relief. As nice as it would be to pass out with soft sand beneath their heads, the duo managed to make it off the beach and into a small cave. The first thing Ranma noticed was that it was full of crabs then he noticed a small spring. She was having some serious thoughts about this being some kind of bizarre trap, but shrugged it off as her own paranoia. The neko hanyou beside her smiled as she happily began spearing crabs with small sticks. The pigtailed girl sighed before joining her sister in her little project.

"No sense fighting on an empty stomach! Right lil' bro?" she said cheerfully as a nice bonfire got started with dry debris from the beach.

"None at all, but why do I feel like this is all a setup?" the blue-eyed girl (now boy) asked. That caused Kyoko to pause, briefly, a one-hundredth of a second pause, before she went back to roasting crabs.

The ingredients for disaster are all in place. Stir vigorously and serve warm, or in this case, roasted.

The two found themselves feeling sleepier then they did even after reaching the beach. They barely had enough time to pile fronds under their heads for pillows before falling into a deep slumber. The crabs resting nicely in their bellies and the water having helped their parched throats. In this state of total comfort, they completely failed to sense the Amazon war party as they crept into the little cave quietly. They also didn't notice when they were bound tightly or that they were being smuggled out of the cave and being taken back to the village as fast they could go.

A few hours later…

Ranma awoke with a start. His eyes were hurting and so was his head. The boy tried to remember the last thing before he fell asleep, but drew a blank. The martial artist knew he was stuck inside of a room with a stone floor covered in straw. Bamboo bars covered the windows and he could detect only one guard outside the door. Well, it was always a good idea to check your surroundings before leaping to conclusions. His eyes roamed the small room he was confined in, his heightened sense of smell picking up the scent of decay and depression. What really got his attention was that he wasn't alone. He sidled over quietly to the figure in the corner and almost screamed in terror at the mummy before him, until he recognized Cologne. The old woman looked terrible. Her hair was tangled and matted with blood caked in, her chest was barely rising. She appeared so weak and frail that Ranma felt sympathy for her, true sympathy.

"Hey ya old ghoul. Don't give up now." He whispered to her as he set about checking her injuries. The old woman's body gave a jolt as if electrified and her eyes opened to see the young man so busy tending her injuries.

"Hello there Son-in-Law." She said weakly, but with some good humor. How could she not feel better with the Godslayer so close? The pigtailed boy gave her his trademark grin as he finished the last of his examination.

"Nothin' too bad. Most that's wrong with ya is no food and little water. Oh yeah and you're old." He smirked. The old woman began laughing until it was interrupted by a fierce hacking fit. The guard from outside shouted.

"Keep it quiet in there!" before returning to her idle contemplation of how she would have her way with the young man in the cell. Cologne noticed something was different about Sonny Boy. His body seemed more mature, even more graceful then before. What really gave her pause was when she detected the trace of youma in him. She had sensed it when they first met, but had discarded the notion. Now his slaying of Saffron made sense.

"First things first. I need to find my sister." He said to the woman, who stared at him in shock. He chuckled softly before explaining all about his sister. The old ghoul cackled at the idea that there were two of them now. Ranma peered out the window and stared in growing shock and horror. It was Kyoko, strapped to a what looked like a bamboo cross, and they were trying to force something into her mouth. Obviously, they had used a few pressure points on her because not even her neko ears were up.

"Kuso! I don't need to look far, but they're tryin' to cram somethin' in her mouth!" his language was degenerating as rapidly as his temper. The former Matriarch swore softly.

"Go on and save her. That's Ghoul Powder. The same thing they did to my Shampoo." The old woman tried not to cry, but was failing.

"I'll save her, but before I go. Shampoo is fine and coming here with the whole NWC. I guess it was stupid to come here alone." He finished softly. He didn't fail to notice the old woman's look of hope at the news and vowed to keep it there. Without any preamble, the wall blew out as if it was little more then paper. The gathered assemblage was shocked as a mere **male** stalked towards them. The only thing that kept them from attacking was the look of absolute fury on his face. His sister smiled happily before crying out.

"Ranma!" but her cry of happiness turned to a look of horror as the Ghoul Powder was finally forced down her throat. The wrathful martial artist stopped and stared as the bonds began to snap. Her ears snapped up as her eyes grew to evil slits. She hit the ground without a sound, crouched on one knee. The foolish Amazons cheered at this latest edition. As the elders of the village came up to welcome their new sister, something strange happened. The massive cloud overhead seemed to coalesce into a single sphere of darkness. The sun was shining brightly upon the gathering, but that black orb still radiated enough menace to make a man weak in the knees. Ranma wasn't an ordinary man, but seeing his sister become this brought tears to his eyes. The girl raised a hand to the sky and summoned down the darkness.

"Well, this has certainly been interesting. It has been almost fifteen hundred years since my last revival and that bitch isn't here to stop me now! It is time that I reclaimed my power!" the manic neko youma cried to the sky as she slammed the darkness into her chest. It expanded outward before transforming into body hugging black bodysuit before turning into layered plates. Her chocolate brown hair turned a deep crimson, almost black. Her smile revealed a mouth full of fangs, his worst nightmare come to life in his own sister. She looked upon the assembled Amazons with that feral smile. They stared back at her in awe and fear.

"My warriors! Partake of the powder and grow strong!" she encouraged them. The ignorant elders also telling them to do so.

"No! Don't do it! She'll control you if you do!" Ranma shouted, not sure how he knew that. The warriors' resolve was hardened, especially from hearing a male condemn it, and did as they were told. The pigtailed boy acted fast, revealing his neko ears and going into hanyou form. Several of the girls were startled before a lightning fast blur of red and black knocked them out, destroying their vials in the process. The Amazon warriors couldn't mount an effective offense against someone moving their whole body at near Amaguriken speed. Even the possessed Kyoko was surprised as they were dropped left and right. Ranma was sure nothing could go wrong until a powerful punch found its way into his gut, the breath exploding from his lungs. His bleary gaze found its way up to the face of his sister, but the eyes were definitely not hers. The remaining warriors downed their vials, mutating before their eyes into hideous monstrosities of varying sizes and types. It looked as if the entire Musk tribe had suddenly shown up, until the utter lack of humanity was felt. An assorted cacophony of roars, howls, hisses, and other animal noises deafened the boy.

"That was almost good. Almost. Too bad this girl's memories clearly remember your strategies and even your attacks. I know everything about you. If you manage to defeat me, I'll leave and never return. Fail, she is mine for eternity. Deal?" the demonic girl asked her new toy. The blue-eyed boy snarled in a definitely feline manner.

"You're on!" he roared before flipping into a ready stance. The transformed Amazons formed a circle around the two combatants. The two just stared at one another, waiting for the signal to begin. A war waged between them as they attempted to stare the other one down. It was obvious that Ranma didn't want to fight his sister, but he had no choice. He had to save her. To his surprise, all he could see was an afterimage just before she struck him, folding him in half and flinging him into the crowd. He was tossed back in roughly, determined to not be caught off guard again. Ranma readied himself for the next attack. Again, she seemed to disappear, but found her attack blocked. A counter punch to the head was smoothly dodged as she released a roundhouse kick. Ranma saw the attack coming and went to stop it before suddenly finding himself flat on his back. She was moving so fast that he was only reacting to her afterimages! He rolled backwards to avoid the stomp, but was hurled into the air by a punt. He tumbled into a ready position before firing a Mouko Takabisha at her. The girl easily dodged the attack, but failed to notice that the blast was a feint to distract her from the sudden leg drop. The neko youma flew into the primitive water tower, snapping out the supports. The water washed over the battlefield, flooding out the warriors. Girl Ranma was smiling at her opponent, a smile of pure confidence.

"Wh-what are you smiling about?" her foe gasped before she used Kyoko's memories to access about the curse. Her look of horror was plain on her face before a snarl dispelled it. The fight moved up a notch as the two combatants began moving at speeds previously unseen in any battle. The two neko girls bounded off of anything available, houses, buildings, anything that could be used as a springboard. Their battle was almost entirely in the air, legs flashing and fists flying. No one could see the battle except for the frozen afterimages of particularly powerful blows. Ranma wondered when the girl would prove that she knew her attacks and instantly regretted thinking that. The battle quickly moved from "Insane" to "Total Chaos" as all the skill and knowledge of Ranma was used against her from everything her sister had seen. The redhead really wished that the girl wasn't such a quick study. Everything Ranma did, there was a counter and a painful landing. She needed a new plan and fast, especially after the green-eyed youma drew the Aura Sword. The blue-eyed girl knew her time was up until she saw the blade sputter but not ignite.

"Heh… Of course… You're not… Kyoko so…it won't obey you." She gasped painfully as she brought herself back to a standing position.

"No matter. I can finish you with a lesser weapon." The evil one replied calmly as she hefted a Chinese broadsword. If she knew all of Ranma's tricks, then there was nothing she could do… Wait! The Nameless Sword! With a smirk, she drew the Saotome family blade and smirked at the stunned expression.

"You don't use swords!" she protested.

"Always a first time for everything, ne?" the girl replied before gasping as a wave of dizziness passed over her. Her eyes suddenly brought everything into focus as if they were magnifying glasses, all her senses became much more acute, she felt her reflexes increase. She disapproved of power-ups on principle, but this was a special case. Her opponent suddenly looked much less sure of herself.

"Th-that sword… It can't be, but it is… The sword that **she** used to banish me!" she cried out in shock. Ranma wished she could play poker against this girl, she has no emotional control at all. "B-but that doesn't matter. No, of course not. I can still destroy you easily. You can't use the power of the sword." She stated confidently. Ranma just shook her head in disbelief.

"How can you stop me?" she asked, bewildered.

"Simple. Screw this honor crap, I've had enough! All of you maggots attack!" she gestured sharply, the demons surging forward to fight. This was certainly not expected, she reflected. The powerful beasts may have been slow, but there were a lot of them. As she braced for battle, she heard something welcoming to her drooping ears.

"Gaia's Hammer!" "Breaking Point!" came a dual cry as the ground erupted in dirt and rocks that quickly turned into huge balls of earth that hurled her attackers to the ground. She was never so happy to see someone in her life as she watched her friends arrive on the scene. Her mother was standing there with her kimono loosened, showing that she wrapped her chest in classic style, hands gripping a finely crafted samurai sword. Any beast that got too close found themselves hurled away by a powerful burst of chi enhanced wind. Ryoga and Soun were fighting side by side, the tank knocking down the heavier enemies while the reborn man kept anyone from attacking him from behind. The neko hanyou watched as the assembled Amazons went down under their combined might. Her opponent looked vaguely distressed before directing a harsh gaze towards Ranma. Mousse, Kodachi, Kuno were handling things nicely until they were surrounded by massive turtle looking youma, but were quickly rescued by Sasuke, Konatsu, and Happosai. Mr. Green Turtle was snapping at any demon that came too close, his broad back supporting Ms. Hinako as she sucked their chi away before blasting them with it. Akane and Kasumi were set upon by another group of demons, mallet and staff flailing about and striking them into submission. As one appeared behind them, it fell down dead after being speared with a nodachi. The girls turned to stare in shock at Nabiki of all people. The mercenary just gave her sisters a wink before returning to the fighting. Shampoo and Ukyou whirled in a dance of death, back to back and turning around and around. One would parry while the other would attack before reversing the process. The result was a lot of devastated enemies.

Ranma just shook her head at the needless waste of lives. The neko youma noticed the distraction and decided to capitalize on it. Without a sound, she rushed at her prey, ki claws extending from her fingertips before releasing them in a flurry of slashes. Only her heightened senses saved her from becoming sliced thinner then cheese. The girl dodged to the side before rolling back into a ready stance, the sword held in a way unfamiliar to her. She knew how to wield a sword, but something seemed different this time. With a sudden flash of insight, she knew what to do. There was no more room for thought, this was the last attack. There would be nothing beyond this. She gathered in her energy, clenching her will in tightly. It was time. Her opponent actually wasn't surprised, but she was determined to win. Her wide grin as she readied herself for her next attack suddenly turned to surprise.

"I won't let you hurt my brother!" Kyoko screamed in the vaults of her mind. The neko youma tried to move, but found her stolen body paralyzed. All she could do was watch as Ranma assumed the stance that had been her bane all those years ago.

"This is divine punishment! Seraphic Law!" she cried before rushing at her enemy and ramming the somehow insubstantial blade through the evil one's chest.

"Nooooo!" she screamed in utter defeat as she felt her soul banished back to the darkness once again. She tried to clutch at the wrist of the one killing her, but couldn't even do that. As the evil youma disappeared, Kyoko reverted to her own form before collapsing against her brother-turned-sister. With their leader gone, the evil youma howled one last time before vanishing and leaving tired Amazons in their place. The brightly shining sun was blessing their victory. It would be a great day, Ranma thought with a smile as she put her sword away. She sighed in resignation.

"Time to see about the casualties." She said before going over to join her celebrating friends.

End Chapter 9

Author's Notes: The next chapter is the conclusion! What can I possibly do to wrap this all up in a neat package? Am I even going to bother? Send in your suggestions for the Ranma pairing cuz I honestly had no idea who I would put him with. Well, enjoy your day and ja ne!


	11. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ and for the love of god don't steal my character. Thank you and enjoy my paranoia.

Author's Note: Last chapter. The final update on a story that I truly enjoyed, but struggled mightily through. Please be kind and if you have constructive criticism please tell me. Well, the pairing votes are in. Drum roll please! (someone plays a kazoo) Urhm… Not what I had in mind but… Okay! The lucky "couple" is! Ranma/Kasumi & Nabiki! What an upset! Strange idea, but it works! Okay then, on with the show!

Demon's Crossing

Epilogue

Several months later…

Ranma lay in his room thinking about the past few months. His injuries from the major battle were long healed, but his ears were still ringing from his family screaming at him. So it wasn't quite the best idea he had in mind, but at least everyone was safe and sound. The trauma from fighting his sister didn't last as long as he thought it would. She was safe and seemed happy. The green-eyed girl had taken off on a long training trip with Akane of all people. The blue-eyed boy reasoned that if she didn't like boys then maybe she liked girls. That thought was disturbing, especially how well he accepted it. There were other things to think about anyway. Last night would be a prime example of how crazy things could get around here. Soun had dropped by with something to talk to his mom about. The pigtailed wonder still couldn't believe what he had heard. The once spineless patriarch, that had miraculously become a warrior, had asked his mom on a date! He smiled at the memory of her blush and say yes. Perhaps the two lonely people could get together. Certainly a pleasant thought to the martial artist.

The problem with the Tendo girls on the other hand still made him scratch his head. Why consult Ranma when they could just decide themselves? At first he was offended until he realized just what they had in mind. He flushed so red it matched his girl form's hair color. There was still going to be a problem since a person could only have one wife, but they were going to hammer that part out as well. When he asked what they meant, they said they were going to decide who married him and who was a mistress. The two had drawn staves and he decided to let them handle it on their own. Strangely enough, it didn't bother him. He knew how he felt for the two girls and how they felt for him, so let them figure it out in a way they can live with. Either he was growing up or he was going crazy. His sister, before she left, told him it means roughly the same thing. Comforting thought.

Shampoo and Ukyou were also prominently in his mind as well. The two girls had truly started dating seriously. It bothered Mousse at first, but seeing how happy his childhood friend was finally got to him. Too bad he took it the wrong way and thought his attentions had turned her into a lesbian. He left for China a little over a month ago and had managed to defeat both Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung by a total fluke. All that was known was it involved a cheese sandwich, a barrage of chains, and an ill-placed flower pot. Ranma's mind shuddered away from that thought. The old ghoul, Cologne, has continued to train him. She seems unusually pleased with about the whole situation. In return for his training, however, she did ask one favor. When the girls decided they wanted children, would he donate sperm? He had been eating at the time and almost lost his lunch. Yet a Saotome vomiting good food was unheard of. He decided to get his mind off of that for a bit as well. Though the two did make quite a cute couple.

Ryoga, strangely enough, hasn't become lost in the whole time after the battle. He started attending school with Ranma and Akane shortly after he discovered his newfound sense of direction. The Former Lost Boy was also pretty good in school as it turned out. His shyness around girls made him somehow really cute to said fairer sex and the notes piled up on his desk repeatedly. The boy had decided, however, on being with Akari as soon as he could find her home again. Ranma still frowned at that. The pigtailed boy felt bad for his former rival. Ryoga had finally made his way to the pig farm only to find Mikado there with Akari doing an act straight from a hentai. Not much to say on that except that the dirty half of the Golden Pair wouldn't be figure skating for quite a while. Just when the boy had reached critical mass with depression, a girl in their class finally got through to him. The two went on their first date a couple days ago. Ryoga's Shi Shi Hokodan has been rendered useless, he just can't work up the depression for it anymore. Thank Kami-sama for that.

For reasons still not quite understood, Happosai has taken to molesting penguins. That was an unsolved mystery of the bizarre kind. The pigtailed boy was glad he didn't have to solve it, even if zoo officials were worried. His pop was missing too. Mom had come into a sizeable sum of money recently just after said zoo gained a new panda. Was there a connection? Ranma chose to turn a blind eye on that mystery as well.

A final look at the time let the weary boy know that it was time for bed. The young man kind of missed being able to roll over, but he didn't want to disturb the two girls using his chest for a pillow. They still couldn't agree who would do what, but they both agreed they wanted him. He knew that a few months ago this kind of thing would freak him out, but that was then and this is now. With a last kiss on their foreheads, he snuggled in and went to sleep.

End

Author's Notes: It doesn't need to be long to be good or to answer questions. I hope you enjoyed this story all ye who have stayed on since the beginning. I got the Happosai/penguin thing from a fanfiction called "Girl Days" by Kenko. Look it up, it's truly great if you like to laugh. Well, I'm sad it's over, but don't cry! There will be plenty other stories to come! In the mean time please read my earlier works, k? Ja ne!


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