Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Showdown... ( Chapter 51 )

Nabiki 1/2

(A Very Scary Thought)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Based Upon the Altered Destinies Storyline

Inspired by the works of such fans as

Wade Tritshler

Richard Lawson

James Jones

And Many Others

Standard Disclaimer: This is inspired by the work of Takahashi Rumiko and is not my original creation. All characters belong to her. This is only a fanfictional work, and is not intended to compromise the rights of the original owners, distributors and publishers of the Ranma series. I have no money to spare and would very much appreciate if no one tries to sue me.

"Remember," the Road Ronin told his subordinates as they assembled one block away from the designated battle zone of the park, "Tendo Kaneda and his cousin are mine! Do what you like with the others, but leave those two for me or you will feel my vengeance. Now go! Ride out and destroy! Sow terror among our enemies and make the name of the Road Warriors one to fear and respect! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

His minions roared their approval, raising weapons as they cried, "Warriors!" in a loud and strident voice. The sound of a hundred and twenty engines revving up together broke the silence of the early morning in Nerima, and then the motorcycles and four wheel vehicles moved out in three groups to the staging areas as the fully assembled gang prepared to wage war against a mere handful of fighters.

"So it begins," the Ronin murmured softly to himself before yanking on the chain of a hapless schoolgirl his people had recruited during the night for the occasion of keeping their Master company. Beneath his mask the Ronin smiled cruelly, then said, "You should feel honored to attend me at this moment of my latest triumph!"

"Go to hell," the girl spat weakly, her defiance a belated attempt at regaining some dignity after the humiliating ordeal that she had just survived, (with the promise of worse in store when the rest of the unpleasantness was over).

"Hah!" the Ronin gloated with his soft, snake-like voice, "I like your spirit, not that it means anything since you will either satisfy me or die horribly. I mean to use you to show these callow youths that I mean business! This day I will crush the latest of many insects who have tried to stand against me, and when this is through…you and I will celebrate by getting to know one another better."

Ryonami cringed inside but would not give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Chained and helpless as she was, weak from her injuries and barely recovered from the hospital bed that she had been stolen out from, she silently prayed that the gods of vengeance would show the Ronin the true meaning of his folly. She prayed that Kaneda would rip out his entails, a thought more savage than any she had ever felt for another human being.

She only hoped that Nabiki Tendo would be spared knowing of her humiliation, of how badly she had failed in her trust, because she feared that far worse was to come. If she survived the next hour she would pray to the Kami to be forgiven for whatever sins she had made against the memory of her ancestors. That or a chance at redemption, because if the Ronin were triumphant then her life would be as nothing and Ryonami's shame would be absolute.

The Ronin's vehicle started forward as the disfigured gang leader headed for his fateful encounter…

Nabiki studied the battlefield from the hood of the Subaru, hearing the distant sound of engines approaching before signaling to the others.

"All right, people," she murmured, "Fan out, and remember what I told you about the Ronin."

"Right," Ukyo replied, "We take out the rest of the gang but steer clear away from him."

"That would be very wise," Kenshiro noted, "Remember, all he needs is one clear shot and he can kill you where you stand. Jaggy doesn't believe in playing fair, and he won't hesitate to kill a woman as easily as he would a man, and as long as he has a weapon close nearby he won't have to be near you just as long as he has a clear shot."

"Right," Ranma murmured softly and levelly, "Then what's to keep him from just shooting you on the spot, Nab-chan?"

"He won't do it outright," Nabiki replied, "He'll want to make a show of it for the sake of his men. We rattled his cage earlier so he'll want to drag this out as long as he can. I'm going to play against his ego and draw him out into the clearing. Just remember to do your part, Officer Natsumi."

"Hey, no problem," Natsumi smiled, "I'll have you covered all the way."

"The real task will be Miyuki's driving," Saki noted, "Your reworked gas hog should be the telling factor when the Ronin makes his move. Keep in mind that this isn't your typical rumble in the park, people. These guys are killers."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Coach, but we've already figured out that part," Nabiki replied, "All right, you heard the lady, move out, and Akane…keep an eye on Ryoga-kun, would you? I don't want him wandering off right when we need him the most."

"Hey," Ryoga complained, "It's not my fault! I can handle myself as well as anyone, Nab-chan."

He started to storm angrily off when Keiko grabbed him by the wrist and said, "Uh, Ryoga-kun? It's that way."

"Oh yeah," Ryoga said sheepishly, right before Akane grabbed him by the hand and said, "Let's go!" after which he followed her as obedient as a puppy.

"Kodachi," Nabiki turned around, "You're sure this will work…?"

"But of course!" the gymnast said pleasantly, "My sleeping powders are guaranteed to work first time, every time against anything that is remotely human."

"That excludes my brother," Kenshiro remarked, "But it should even the odds a little."

"Anything for my darling Kaneda-sama," Kodachi cooed before vaulting away with her trademark laugh as Keiko followed more leisurely.

Miyuki shivered a little and said, "I don't mean to complain…"

"Yeah," Natsumi averred, "But your friend is one weird customer."

"You don't know the half of it," Nabiki shook her head then said, "Ranma…I want your solemn promise that you won't do anything foolish out there."

"Define foolish," Ranma retorted.

"Coming anywhere near the Ronin for one thing," Nabiki replied, "I'll have enough to worry about out there without being distracted worrying about you. There'll be plenty of people to beat up out there, so you don't have to be choosy."

"Doesn't that work both ways?" Ranma asked, his stubborn pride showing in his expression and bearing.

Nabiki heaved a sigh then said, "I promise I won't take any unnecessary risks out there, Ranchan, if you can promise me the same thing. Trust the plan, it'll carry us all through this morning."

"If nothing goes wrong," Ranma turned away and said, "I'll remember to do my part, but if you get into real trouble, I'm not making any promises."

Nabiki resisted the urge to make a strangling noise and just glanced at Ukyo and Perfume, "Try and see he stays out of the firing line, would you? Shampoo?"

"No worry," Shampoo replied, "Boy make trouble he get Bonbori to skull, and that is promise."

Ranma gave the Amazon a wary look, knowing full well that Shampoo was willing and capable of carrying out her promise. Shampoo was wearing a Ryoga-like bandana to cover the bandage that she wore over the stitches in her scalp but she was more than capable of waging a one-woman war against anyone who doubted her readiness for this battle.

"How soon until Kaneda-san gets here?" Natsumi asked, "It's almost light, and I think I see the Ronin."

"A little trick I know will bring him right here on the instant," Nabiki said as she hopped off the car and accepted a water-bottle that Shampoo handed to her, pouring it over her head to activate her transformation into Kaneda. She turned around and let the two plainclothes policewoman see his now quite unmistakably male features, "Just add water, instant Kaneda."

"NANI?" came the inevitable female chorus.

Saki just smiled at her and said, "Damn, I never get used to that! You are some kind of babe in either form, Kaneda."

"Blame it on genetics," Nabiki replied as he handed the bottle back to Shampoo then climbed into the car beside the astonished Miyuki, affecting his most disarming smile as she said, "Better close your mouth or a moth may hibernate for the winter. I'll explain everything after this is all over, I promise."

"Trust him on this, girls," Saki said, turning to the sound of an automobile approaching, "Uh oh, there's our cue. Everybody make tracks because the show's about to start."

"Uh, right," Natsumi said as she started up the engine on her motorcycle but kept the headlight off so as not to betray her position. With rifle slung over her back she scooted off a short distance and took flanking position beside some bushes.

Miyuki had the presence of mind to start up the engine of her vehicle, and then she and Nabiki began to roll forward as they too caught sight of the Ronin's vehicle. Nabiki tensed as he considered her list of options, along with the discussion she had shared with Cologne and Ryuken on the previous night.

"How will you face the man who can kill with a single thrust?" the old woman had asked in tones of uttermost sobriety.

"Obviously I can't trade punches at close range," Nabiki replied before considering her answer, "I guess I'll just have to avoid him and stay out of his reach."

"Indeed?" Cologne replied, and suddenly her staff shot out, forcing Nabiki to counter with the Amaguriken while dodging each thrust as though her body flowed around the weapon. Cologne withdrew her staff and said, "Impressive, but you still have a long ways to go in developing your speed. Examine yourself closely."

Nabiki felt around with her hands then parted her shirt a little to expose a red mark that had appeared near her abdomen.

"One thrust is all that the Ronin will require," Cologne said gravely, "If you cannot block every thrust, then perhaps you had best stay out of his reach altogether."

"If I do that then how can I beat him?" Nabiki asked.

"Through skill and cunning," Cologne replied, "Your two greatest strengths. Speed is useful and power is needed, but without intelligence you are no more than a simple machine performing a task for which you were designed. You will have to be supremely innovative to survive this encounter, Daughter-in-law, so I ask again how will you defeat the Ronin?"

Again Nabiki considered the point then said, "I stay out of his reach and only attack when he attacks. He uses weapons, I use weapons of my own, but I don't fight him directly."

"Excellent response," Cologne almost smiled her approval, "But it is obvious that you still need more training if you are ever to achieve your ultimate potential as a fighter. I trust that this matter has suitably impressed upon you the need to further your skills?"

"More than adequately," Nabiki nodded gravely, "If anything it's also taught me why you thought it a good idea to move back to the village. I never realized before this that I was exposing Shampoo and my family to such danger."

Cologne did not immediately reply, but then she looked away and said, "Perhaps…but the world is a dangerous place. No matter where you reside there is always the potential for danger. We will discuss this another time, but now let us concentrate on the weapons you will use against this Ronin…"

Nabiki had to smile at the memory. If she did not know any better she would have sworn that Cologne had actually been moved by her offer.

He glanced at the approaching car that they were about to meet halfway into the middle of the park, keeping his eyes partly shielded in order to retain at least some of his night vision. She trusted Miyuki to know the way while he kept his senses open to the presence of danger.

They stopped only a few meters away from one another. The Ronin stood high in his car while Nabiki slid out on the left passenger side, exposing himself to view in the hopes that the Ronin would indeed not simply shoot him down where he stood. Nabiki assumed a casual crouch while the Ronin waited for the right dramatic moment before vaulting off of his car.

The two stood bathed in the headlights of the opposing vehicles and for a moment they studied one another, then the Ronin said, "Tendo Kaneda I presume?"

"And you are the Ronin?" Nabiki feigned nonchalance, "My Cousin seemed to think that you were…bigger," he deliberately let the implication stand, testing the waters to see how his enemy would react.

"And you were supposed to be some kind of heartthrob pretty boy," the Ronin said dismissively, "All I see is a wimp who's about to become a grease spot."

"You came alone, I trust?" Nabiki asked as she studied this enemy carefully, marking all of the likely pressure points that he would have to strike in order to take the man down a peg, if Cologne and Ryuken were accurate about the weaknesses of the Ronin.

"Not quite," the Ronin replied, and suddenly Nabiki saw that the man was holding a chain, upon which he gave a tug, causing a figure inside the car to suddenly sit upright and wince. The Ronin's voice implied dark amusement as he said, "I brought a friend along…I think you two know each other?"

Nabiki's attention swiveled to focus on the half-naked girl in the car, and then with a gasp he said, "Ryonami?"

The girl looked to be in pain but was otherwise all right. Nabiki saw that the bandages on her left arm were fresh and took that to mean that the Ronin had spared her the worst of his treatment. If the bandages had been soiled or bloody it would mean Ryonami had been put through worse hell than Nabiki even wanted to imagine.

"I thought a little insurance would be in order in case you thought bringing the rest of your gang along would give you an edge," the Ronin crowed, "She's going to watch me take you apart, and then when I rip your head off and stick it on my hood as an ornament the two of us are going to have some real fun."

Nabiki had to fight to keep his temper down. The Ronin wanted to goad him, to rattle Nabiki's cage and make him behave rashly. It took real effort to steady his voice enough to say, "So what I hear about you is true, you really don't have enough manhood to fight your own battles."

The Ronin did not take that well. Nabiki could see him tense up as his eyes widened behind the leather mask and his harsh breathing grew deeper.

"You think you are clever," the Ronin growled hoarsely, "But I think you're nothing but a sniveling coward and a weakling who will turn and run, exactly as did your cousin…"

"Because she had sense enough not to fight against your guns?" Nabiki asked rhetorically, but inwardly he was galled at the memory of having to run from the battle. This time he had no intention of running, though the Ronin did not know that. Nabiki allowed himself to feel contempt for the other man, who had squandered his chance to take advantage of Nabiki's momentary distraction. The man really was all ego, and that was about to prove to be his undoing.

"I don't need weapons to deal with the likes of you," the Ronin voiced his contempt, "However, if using them will shorten the time it takes to bring you down, then so be it!"

The Ronin's hands moved to his sides as Nabiki called out, "Hey, is it also true what they say about you being a Eunuch?"

A strangled curse showed how badly enraged the taunt had made the other man, which also made him that much more careless. He had his guns out of their holster when a soft hissing noise split the night and suddenly a headlight exploded on the Ronin's car. The man instinctively flinched to one side as Nabiki took advantage of his reaction, plus the fact that he was now effectively invisible while the Ronin was bathed in the headlights of Miyuki's car. The Ronin never saw Nabiki unwind a metal-lined belt from around his own waist and snap it forward like a whip, striking the gun out of the Ronin's right hand while the man staggered backwards. He blindly pointed with the other sidearm but Nabiki was already airborne and landed on top of his head like the proverbial gold brick.

The Ronin pitched forward, having already lurched off balance, and in so doing he released the chain that was affixed to Ryonami's collar. With a leap to the side and a dodge from one of the thugs in the car he disarmed the man and snatched up the girl in both arms, then vaulted over the other side to safety.

The Ronin looked fit to spit nails as he pushed off the ground and pulled a remote microphone from his belt, then grated out, "All Warriors converge on this location! The one who brings me Tendo Kaneda's head will be rewarded handsomely, the one who fails will lay at my feet when I find him!"

Miyuki had already started up her engine and was moving forward as Nabiki came running up beside her, throwing open the back door and thrusting the startled Ryonami in across the seat. He then jumped in on the passenger side and said, "Drive! Let's cut the odds down a bit, then we come back and finish the Ronin!"

"Don't need to tell me twice, lady--uh--sir," Miyuki lamely responded, shifting gears as she hit the accelerator and drove like a madwoman while the sounds of cars and motor cycles erupted from nearly every other point on the opposite side of the field. Their headlights alone split the night like a false dawn and proved that the Warriors were out in force on this occasion.

Her partner, Natsumi, had already become aware of this from her sniper's point as she turned to see a pair of motorcyclists bearing down on her position. She slung her rifle back over one shoulder and hopped onto her own machine, praying to the Kami as it started on the first try then popped a wheelie accelerating out of the way of the oncoming bikers.

"That's our cue," Ukyo noted as she and the rest of the Tendo Posse emerged from cover and launched an immediate counter-attack at the unsuspecting bikers.

Ranma vaulted over a hedge and landed atop a four-wheel vehicle, wasting no time taking out two of the men inside before knocking the driver into his on wheel then vaulting to safety. The car overturned as it hit another vehicle and went flipping end-over-end, just like in the movies, while the vehicle they struck careened out of control until it hit a pole, which pitched its occupants out onto a children's sandbox. Meanwhile Ryoga threw his umbrella at a pair of motorcycles to great effect, bowling them to either side like a couple of tenpins. He charged another vehicle and threw himself at the occupants while Akane vaulted onto the hood and took care of the driver.

"Look out!" Ryoga cried as he left off pummeling the men, seeing the car was headed for a tree with a low branch about to strike the unsuspecting Akane.

Like a shot he vaulted over the convertible's windshield and snatched Akane up before she knew what he was about. With his free hand he grabbed the branch and used it to swing the both of them to safety, where he landed holding Akane in both arms.

"Are you all right, Akane-chan?" he asked, ignoring the cries of the men as they dove from their doomed vehicle a moment before impact.

"Ah…hai," Akane replied, too distracted by the sense of near-fatal injury, not to mention the even more distracting sensation of having been carried in his strong male arms. For a moment they shared a brief look, then remembered that they were not yet out of danger.

"Later," she promised.

"Of course," he replied, then the two of them turned and started unleashing their fury on their would-be assailants.

Ukyo's spatula was doing devastating damage every time she connected with one of the cyclists that tried to encircle her, then a car came bearing down at her with gunmen waving their arms, firing wildly in her direction. Ukyo raised her baker's peel to deflect the bullets, only to see Perfume vault into the way with both axes at the ready.

"Per-chan!" she tried to call out in warning, but need not have bothered.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Perfume cried as she thrust forward with one of her axes, and suddenly the car in front of her exploded as though it had just rolled over a land mine. The men inside it were hurled about in every direction while those motorcyclists closest to the blast suffered far worse than mere concussion as huge pieces of rubber, plastic and metal were thrown about at such speeds as made collision a most unhappy occasion.

"Not too shabby," Ukyo complimented, "You're a handy one to have around."

Perfume flashed a brief smile at the compliment, then the two fought back to back with a fury that made short work of enemy numbers.

Other men found themselves falling prey to a pair of Bonbori being wielded by a woman who seemed part living hurricane as Shampoo whirled about like a dervish, never staying in one place long enough to make herself an easy target. The Warriors drew maces, clubs, swords, axes, chains, knives and pole arms and tried to use them, both on foot and on wheels, to no great effect as the Amazon was an unstoppable engine of destruction. She flowed from one foot to the other as though gliding across the grass from one prospective target to the next. Gang members were sent flying every which way, many hammered into unconsciousness while others were not so lucky.

And where the Bonbori did not strike, the gang members fell prey to a pink-haired phantom flashing a special yo-yo that was made from bullet-proof ceramics with an unbreakable string attached, a toy-turned weapon that moved as though it were alive, striking men down as though the thing were a blazing comet while Saki made equal use of hands and feet to show why she was once known as the terror of Takanoma High School.

And then there was the ribbon that struck without warning, accompanied by a terrible laugh that froze Gangsters in their tracks and made them feel as though they were under attack by a raving madwoman. Kodachi leaped about from place to place using her acrobatic skills to mete out punishment in her own peculiar form. No one dared come close enough to counter-attack as a redheaded demoness from hell laid out and about with fists and feet like iron and a long ponytail that had a weighted blade attached to one end. A mere flick of her head sent the deadly thing snapping forward as she and Kodachi worked like a team to trim down the ranks of the opposition.

"Man, these guys are good," Natsumi murmured under her breath before turning her attention back to the men trailing after her. She smiled before gunning her engine, then pulled an incredibly tight U-turn and through herself into the path of her attackers. They scattered on either side while she pulled another wheelie, then Natsumi brought her bike down on the rear of the vehicle she spotted and revved the engine once again, startling the men in the car who had not even seen her coming.

Lastly, a four wheeled vehicle turned about to see a young man standing calmly in their path, expression dark and sullen. The gang members stared for a minute, then one of them cried, "Well, what are you waiting for? Run him down!"

The driver growled, "Okay," and gunned his engine, bearing down on the young man with the intent of smashing him silly.

Much to their surprise, however, the young man simply leaned forward and braced himself for the impact, then caught hold of the car with both hands as his feet skidded backwards on the grass for several meters.

"What the…?" one of the four gang members gasped as suddenly the boy heaved the front end of the car off of the ground.

Kenshiro paused just long enough to firm his grip upon the vehicle, and then he heaved upwards and tossed it end-over-end. The gang members had to leap for it before the car landed upside down like an upended turtle. He then moved around and casually dispatched the surviving gangsters one by one without hardly breaking stride.

And so it went while Miyuki was still busy dodging the Ronin to have much care of what was going on all around them. Her battle was presently being waged with three other cars and a couple of persistent bikers all trying to cut her off as she shifted gears and darted through every gap they created, every opportunity they left open. Her mind was in full tactical mode and she was using the terrain to its fullest advantage, staying one step ahead of the Ronin and his people.

Nabiki was busy trying to fend off the frantic cries of Ryonami as the girl tried awkwardly to glom onto him for support. Ryonami had just come through the worst day of her life and being rescued by her dream idol was like a fantasy come true. The girl was bouncy in her enthusiasm, and Nabiki had to struggle to keep his mind on what was going on around him as the matter of their lives was in no way a done deal.

"Ryonami-chan, stop it!" Nabiki pleaded, "At least wait until we're out of danger!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Ryonami pleaded, honestly wanting to let go but finding it hard to will herself to do so. A one-armed glom was difficult to maintain in a car that was careering over hill and dale at top speed, but her recent escape from a fate that literally was worse than death left her feeling the need to grab hold of someone, and since Kaneda's wife was not presently in the picture…

"Mou," Nabiki breathed faintly, fully understanding why Ryonami was having trouble leaving him alone at the present, but this matter was not at all helping his concentration. If Shampoo could see them now he just knew that he would be in for a major tongue-lashing. Shampoo was not like Akane in the way she expressed her anger, but when she got mad at you there was no mistaking the terror that she could inspire. Nabiki would rather walk barefoot over broken glass than risk one glare out of his Amazon wife, and the last thing he needed to do at the moment was think about the consequences of such a forced explanation.

Instead, he concentrated on Miyuki's driving, taking note of everything that the pretty policewoman did with such intuitive flourish. Miyuki drove on instinct and had a real knack for anticipating her opponents moves, almost like a Martial Arts master behind the wheel, and she had uncanny intuition for the performance of her vehicle, as though it were an extension of her own body. She was keeping the other cars at bay while darting all over the field in a seemingly random pattern, always one step beyond the reach of the Ronin and his minions.

It was beginning to grow light all around them, and very likely the commotion they were causing would shortly draw the Nerima police to the scene. If that happened, everything would get really complicated, and Nabiki did not relish explaining to the local authorities of her involvement in these matters. More to the point, her friends would likely be mistaken themselves for gang members and arrested. Saki might be able to pull rank and get them out on bail, but the whole mess would still put her family in an untenable legal situation.

"We're going to have to end this now," he decided aloud, "Keep moving and don't stop for anything. I don't want Ryonami exposed to any more danger than necessary, got that?"

"No problem," Miyuki said mechanically, "What are you planning to do?"

"You'll see," Nabiki replied as she undid her seat belt and opened the car door.

"Hey, what--?" Miyuki gasped as Nabiki jumped from the car and started to roll clear of the other cars while the door shut behind her on its own. Miyuki had no time to further contemplate what Nabiki had just done because the Ronin's car was trying to cut her off again, so she cut down her speed and shifted to third, then deliberately skidded slightly to one side before accelerating and breaking free of the attempted entrapment.

Nabiki finally managed to stop rolling and jumped back to his feet, just in time to see one of the four-wheel vehicles bearing down on him with no time to avoid it. Nabiki just smiled and did not bother avoiding it, he merely jumped onto the hood of the car and started to run, vaulting over the astonished heads of the gang members in the pursuing vehicle who had not expected a human being to react that quickly.

The Ronin was quick to spot the fleet-footed form even amidst the confusion of the makeshift battle front and tried to get his subordinates to turn their car around when suddenly a Motorcycle came screeching from out of no where and startled the driver, who instinctively swerved to avoid the perceived obstacle. This sudden change in vector and velocity caught his boss by surprise as the Ronin felt himself pitched forward while the car turned out from under him. He was pitching out over the side while it careened out of control and struck two bikers before plowing into a ditch, sending the rest of the passengers tumbling out onto the ground with disastrous consequences.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang was beginning to convene on a small gathering of heroes while Ukyo and Ranma held the high ground with Perfume, Shampoo, and Ryoga gathered to support them. All the Warriors with sidearms had been taken out so far, but even though the rest had less conventional weapons they still stood in greater numbers while the defending group was pressed and appeared to be near to the point of exhaustion.

Naturally, that brought out the hyena in the predators that surrounded them, yet Ukyo appeared unusually calm as she waited for just the right moment before turning her baker's peel to just the right angle to catch the budding rays of sunlight and reflect them to where Kodachi, Akane and Keiko had retreated. With a nod to the others she cried, "Now!" and quickly slipped a scarf over her lower face then stood ready.

On cue the three members of their group who had taken concealment in the bushes unleashed a salvo of thrown bags, which they chucked at the enemy bikers and thugs with carefully aimed lobs. The bags exploded on contact, unleashing a fine mist wherever they hit that was one of Kodachi's special brews. At once men gasped as limbs seized up and muscles tightened while drivers slumped at the wheels to their vehicles, and at once the milling throng of motorized carriages became readymade death traps, the entire mass devolving into anarchy and confusion.

"Let's get out of here!" Ranma cried as all five defenders vaulted from their defensive position, dodging and darting about in an effort to escape the demolition derby that erupted all around them.

"Whoah!" cried Natsumi as she paused alongside Saki, witnessing the carnage taking place at the other end of the field, "Looks like your friend's plan is working like advertised. I can hardly believe it but we appear to be winning."

"We're not out of danger just yet," Saki cautioned, "It won't be over until we've dealt with the--watch out!"

Natsumi gave a yelp as suddenly a huge form rushed at her and seized hold of her motorcycle, heaving both it and her high over his head before casting them aside as though the hundreds of kilograms they massed together was as nothing. Natsumi landed badly but still managed to roll clear of her overturned vehicle, leaving Saki to turn and face a very angry Ronin, who glared at her with hate-filled eyes both cruel and bloodshot.

"This isn't over yet!" he declared as he lunged at her, but Saki was already in motion vaulting backwards to land in a handspring that she used to carry her away from his deadly grasp.

"Ronin!" Nabiki's male voice checked the giant man's intent to pursue his quarry.

The Ronin turned and sneered, "So, the coward has decided to stop running, has he? You think you're clever because you outsmarted my men?"

"Naw," Nabiki smiled humorlessly, "That wasn't very hard. Outsmarting you wasn't that much more of a challenge."

"We'll see how confident you are when you lay broken at my feet begging for mercy," the Ronin declared as his hands suddenly flashed at Nabiki, only to have the other man snatch the daggers out of the air and effortlessly deflect them.

"Is that the best you've got?" Nabiki continued to taunt, "If so, then this fight is as good as over."

"Laugh all you want," the Ronin snarled, and suddenly he had both automatics in his hands as he sneered, "Let's see you dodge nine millimeters!"

Nabiki stood his ground until the last second, then moved with a speed that the other man had barely anticipated, dodging to the side in a feint before leaping high and landing in a roll while the Ronin's fists spat fire in his direction. One bullet whizzed past his ear by too narrow a margin, but Nabiki remained in motion the whole time, letting him waste his fire while the true threat moved ever closer, and suddenly the Ronin's vision was blocked by a shape that all but appeared in the space beside him.

"Remember me?" Kenshiro asked as his hands suddenly flashed, and both pistols fell to the ground in neatly chopped pieces.

His fists lunged for the Ronin but were blocked at the last second. The Ronin stood back and glared at the younger man before he grated, "So…it's you, dear brother. I should have suspected!"

"You always were the slow one, Jaggy," Kenshiro replied as he assumed an attack posture before launching his assault on the larger man, who met and deflected his attacks with a speed that was utterly inhuman.

"Not quite, my brother, as you will discover," the Ronin retorted, "I've improved considerably in the time since our last meeting."

"Not enough!" Kenshiro declared as he lunged forward with a palm-strike that seemed to pick the other man back and send him backwards.

"That trick…served you once before," the Ronin grated as he landed on his feet no more than five meters away, "Did you think I had not figured on a counter? Admit defeat and I may spare your life when I am through humiliating you."

"You always did love the sound of your own voice," Kenshiro unleashed an onslaught of kicks and punches that forced the larger man to give ground, right up until the Ronin snatched his gunbelt from his waist and used it to snag one of Kenshiro's arms as his brother lunged forward in one of his attacks.

"And you were always too confident!" the Ronin declared as he jumped back and drew his brother off-balance, then took full advantage of his greater mass to throw Kenshiro like a cracking whip around and about before releasing him in a hammer-throw.

Kenshiro went flying as the Ronin turned to his three astonished onlookers and said, "It will take time for him to get back from where I've sent him, by which time you three will all be dead, beginning with you, Tendo Kaneda."

Nabiki closed his mouth, recovering from the shock of seeing their ace-in-the-hole sent airborne. Instead he took a fighting stance and pretended to a confidence he did not actually feel, saying, "Now who's the one who's being overconfident?"

The Ronin's response was cut off by the sudden advent of a yo-yo encircling his neck as Saki yanked on the string and attempted to cut off his windpipe. Rather than waste time in fruitless struggle, the Ronin reached out to grasp the string in one hand, then pulled hard before Saki was fully braced to counter the effort and with a single back-hand sent her flying. He wasted no time detaching the string of the Yo-yo before tossing it aside in contempt.

"Hold it!" Natsumi cried as the sound of a pistol cocking broke the silence, her own automatic held in both hands as she aimed carefully and declared, "You're under arrest for numerous counts of Rape, Murder, Racketeering and Extortion!"

"So," the Ronin declared without much concern, "You are a policewoman in disguise. I thought as much, you and that other girl doing the driving."

"Get your hands where I can see them, Mister!" Natsumi declared coldly, "Make one more move and I won't hesitate to blow you away!"

"You may believe that you will try," the Ronin sneered, "Go ahead if you think I'm that easy."

Nabiki sensed the other man tense up and was about to cry warning when Natsumi's gun discharged, hitting the Ronin square in the chest with force enough to knock the man backwards. To everyone's surprise and horror the man just squared his shoulders and straightened up. Natsumi was so startled that she hesitated to fire again for a critical half-second, by which time the Ronin had laid her out at his feet and confiscated his weapon, which he then pointed at Nabiki.

"You people continue to underestimate me," the man hissed malevolently, "You think I am weak, that you can take me like some ordinary man? I was trained to be the Fist of the North Star, and in spite of what my idiot brother may claim, it is he who is the weakling, not I! And now, if we are done with the distractions…"

Nabiki saw him tense as his finger pulled on the trigger, and she instinctively twisted her body to the side while bending backwards and flowed out of the way as the bullet hissed by her head by centimeters. The gun spat again, but this time well clear of the mark even as Nabiki twisted again to avoid it, then took note of the gleaming mini-spatula that protruded from the Ronin's armband.

With a single cry Ukyo threw herself at the Ronin, baker's peel lashing out like a giant battle-axe as she sought to cleave the man's skull. The Ronin raised his burly forearm and took the impact there, deflecting her assault. Perfume darted in and took a defensive position at her Airen's side while Ranma, Ryoga and Shampoo covered the man's opposite flank, each remaining out of reach while staying near enough to support one another.

"All of you at once?" the Ronin sneered, "Not very sportsmanlike."

"You're a fine one to talk," Nabiki said as he straightened up, finding Kodachi, Keiko and Akane were now supporting her flanks, "I don't suppose you'd care to surrender now?"

"Why should I surrender?" the Ronin asked, assuming a fighting stance with both arms lowered as his legs bowed a little. The man's eyes rolled back up into his head as he made a sound of deep exhalation, and suddenly the air around him tensed and Nabiki felt her nape hairs stand on end, sensing the build up of the other man's Chi-force.

"Everybody get back!" she cried out as she heeded her own advice and got clear of the Ronin's expanding aura. She could sense the swell of power as the man tapped into some unnatural source of anti-life energy to cause the very molecules of air that surrounded him to supercharge like plasma.

With a sudden motion of both arms, he caused the glowing field of energy around him to erupt, catching everyone but Nabiki off-guard while scattering them like chaff in the wind.

Nabiki's senses screamed to her of wrongness as the sense of palpable evil swept over them all, then faded into nothing.

The Ronin remained where he stood in the center of a radiating blast field, then calmly looked around and surveyed his handiwork before once more turning his attention towards Nabiki.

"Is this really the best that you can do?" he sneered, "If so, then our fight is truly over."

"Oboy," Nabiki murmured as he got back to his feet once again, suddenly feeling very unsure of himself in the face of the Ronin's seemingly inexhaustible bag of tricks. His forces lay scattered, stunned, or hurt was difficult to determine. The Ronin, by contrast, hardly seemed even winded by his exertions.

Nabiki started to move into another defensive crouch when the Ronin attacked again, barely telegraphing his warning moves as he forced him to retreat beyond the reach of the giant. The Ronin paused to regard him once more, then declared in deadly earnest, "I see that you still intend to be difficult. Very well, then I will end this now before you can bore me."

Nabiki had a sense of the man summoning his power once again and knew this time that the Ronin's attack would be in deadly earnest. Nabiki looked wildly around for a weapon to use and caught sight of one of the gunman, who was starting to regain consciousness. In one wild, desperate play Nabiki vaulted over the man and hefted him by his collar, taking advantage of the greater strength his male form possessed to thrust the semi-alert gang member forward like a human shield as the Ronin unleashed his attack with a solid punch that struck the other man directly in his solar plexus.

At once the gunman lurched violently in Nabiki's grasp, shuddering like a leaf with convulsions that were so violent he that broke loose and started to stagger around like the proverbial chicken. Nabiki stood back with very round eyes and gazed in horror at the man, whose head began to swell as though the blood were fountaining into his brain. Another moment later the inevitable happened as fragile skin began to rupture, spraying blood, brains and gore everywhere as the man screamed in horrible agony and died where he was standing.

Nabiki felt his stomach churn as the contents of his last meal threatened to join the rest of the mess littering the parkway. The Ronin looked down at his own handiwork then glared at Nabiki before grating out, "Now look what you've made me do! Just for that I'll do the same to all of your companions!"

Nabiki saw the man's hands begin to glow as he once more summoned his power and began to lunge forward when the Ronin abruptly staggered off balance. He turned halfway around while grating an angry curse at the new source of his pain, which came represented in the form of several daggers now protruding from his backside.

Beyond him, standing there calmly with both hands tucked into his sleeves was Mousse, who glared at the Ronin and said simply, "You hurt my Perfume. For that you will suffer."

"What is it with you insufferable insects?" the Ronin asked as he considered this new threat, "Can none of you understand that I am invincible? You may wound me, but you cannot kill me with these petty toys and devices.

Nabiki could not believe that the man was still on his feet with so much metal protruding from his backside. Perhaps he had withstood the bullet because of the heavy leather vest he was wearing, but to ignore these other wounds suggested that the man was not even barely human!

That was when a voice suddenly called into her mind, "Strike now, Tendo Nabiki! The Mask is his weakness! Remove it and you will win the battle!"

As though his eyes moved of their own volition, Nabiki found himself staring at the strap to one side of the Ronin's headdress and saw that it had come loose during the fighting. Without pausing to consider a plan he charged the Ronin, who naturally sensed this new attack and turned to thrust a fist in Nabiki's direction. Nabiki merely vaulted over the arm and used it to help him spring forward as he went sailing completely over the head of the other man, hands moving swiftly to remove the straps and yank the mask away before landing close to where Mousse was standing.

The Ronin slowly turned, revealing a face to the newborn day that not even a mother could love. Both Nabiki and Mousse gasped in unison at the horrible ruin of a face that was presented to full view. The Ronin's lips were permanently curled back to reveal yellowed teeth and a horrible expression lined with bloody veins and throbbing temples. The head was wrapped in leather strips that criss-crossed around the scarred, disfigured creature that stood staring in disbelief at his unveiling.

Then, very slowly at first, the Ronin lifted both hands to his head and fell to his knees as his eyes shut tight and he let out a scream that would have struck terror in the heart of a demon. The leather strips were beginning to buckle as veins protruded into unnatural shapes. His massive body began to shake like a leaf before the leather strips began to part and snap as the head expanded to twice its normal dimensions.

With a last desperate cry the Ronin voiced his mortal protest before his head exploded, exactly as had been the case for his now-dead minion. By that time Nabiki and all others capable of staring had long since looked away in disgust, and now Nabiki was certain he would lose it once he opened his eyes again. It was almost in surprise that he felt Mousse lay a hand to his shoulder as if to lend support in their moment of shared horror.

At last the gurgling noises became still, and without having to glance in his direction they both knew that the Ronin was quite dead. Nabiki almost did not hear his own name being called to him as he felt his own temples throb with the beginning of a sympathetic headache.

But finally he sensed the concern in the other man's voice as she realized that it was Kenshiro asking, "Are you all right, Tendo-san? Did my brother harm you in any way?"

"N-No…" Nabiki managed to blurt out before sensing Mousse withdraw his hand, and he stared at the Chinese youth, who returned a look of mutual sadness. After a long, tense moment he asked, "Why?"

Mousse shrugged, "I have no quarrel with you, or anyone else save Kuonji Ukyo, Miss Tendo. My fight with her can wait until another day, however, as the true danger has at long last past. Feel no remorse at that one's passage, he only lived cause suffering for others. It is fitting that he is his own final victim."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Kenshiro nodded, "But it wasn't your hand that killed him in the end. I was the one who inflicted a mortal injury on my own brother. Jaggy's been dead for the past year…it's only now that his own body finally discovered the truth and caught up with his spirit."

"How did he manage to survive this long?" Nabiki wondered.

"Jaggy knew enough about pressure-points to slow the effect of the Fist until he could wrap his head in something that would contain the inevitable rupture," Kenshiro replied, "The mask was the key. How did you figure it out in time to prevent more killing?"

"I-I don't know," Nabiki started to say when he felt hot water suddenly pour over his head and spun around to find Cologne standing there with Happosai, Ryuken and Genma. She looked directly at Kenshiro's father and said, "You! It was your voice I was hearing!"

"Of course," Ryuken replied, "I thought you only needed the suggestion to work your way through the crisis. Once you knew what had to be done I was confident that you would bring an end to my son's rampages."

"It doesn't bother you that I've effectively killed your son?" Nabiki wondered, reflecting on the irony that it was the middle son of Ryuken whom she had been facing.

"My son chose his own path," Ryuken said simply, "He ceased to be my son when he set out on the path of evil. I will mourn him in my own time and way. The Fist was never meant to be used in the hands of one who believed the power served him rather than him serving the power. In abusing his teachings Jaggy ended his own life. I am only grateful to you that the shame on our House has finally been put to rest."

"Now if only my other brother could be reasoned with," Kenshiro said sadly, "Rao was never as twisted as Jaggy. Perhaps one day he'll come to accept his own destiny."

"Perhaps in time," Ryuken replied, "No one can escape their destiny. It is folly to try, and the result is ever tragic."

"Whatever," Nabiki sighed, daring to glance at the battlefield before taking satisfaction in seeing her friends and sister were recovering consciousness. That was when she took note that Miyuki had pulled up along side them, and the rear door had popped open before the car was fully at a standstill.

The next moment Nabiki staggered as a warm and enthusiastic body collided with her in a tight embrace, crying, "Kaneda-sama! Thank the Heavens you are all right…!"

"R-Ryonami?" Nabiki gasped, her mind suddenly jolted off track by the suddenness of this encounter.

"Oh, I was so worried!" Ryonami was almost bubbling in her relief, "First they kidnapped me then tortured me and threatened to do all sorts of wicked things, and then you saved me and I got sick on the back seat…"

"I know," Miyuki said as she got out of her car with a wince, seeking out her semi-conscious partner, "I'll send you the cleaning bill later…UGH! What happened here? Somebody decide to play 'Scanners'?"

"A short and not-pretty story, I'm afraid," Saki groaned as she felt her own head as though surprised to find it still attached to her shoulder, "Let's just say the bad guy went all to pieces."

"Yuck!" Natsumi exclaimed as she stared at the bits of blood and gore that had sprayed over her body, "I don't think I even want to know the answer to this one!"

"Um…" Nabiki started to say as Ryonami's hands started to explore her with questioning intensity, "Would you mind…not doing that, Ryo-chan?"

"S-Sempei?" Ryonami gasped as she suddenly let go of Nabiki and stared at her with a sheepish expression.

"What going on here?" Shampoo growled, now fully recovered.

"Uh oh," Nabiki faintly whispered.

"However you answer that one, you're in trouble, Nab-chan," Ukyo winced in sympathy as she felt her own head, then sensed Perfume's sensitive fingers exploring her temples.

"Is it all over?" Ranma asked, his expression remarkably composed in spite of a certain queasiness about the gills when he glanced at the Ronin, "Did we win?"

"You don't win battles such as this, my boy," Genma sagely advised him, "You just survive them. Be grateful none of our people were badly hurt in this engagement."

"Oh tut, Genma my boy," Happosai said dismissively, "Where's your sense of accomplishment? You all did yourselves proudly! There's no need to feel modest."

"Indeed," Cologne remarked, "To defeat even a fallen Master of the North Star technique is a feat worth preserving in our legends. You have surpassed yourself this time, Daughter-in-law. In fact you all have earned praise for the effectiveness of the teamwork you have displayed. Were you all Amazons of Joketsuzoku I could not be more proud to have you for students."

"Really?" Keiko looked up as Ryoga helped Akane and Kodachi to stand.

"But of course," Cologne replied, then her tone shifted abruptly, "Of course that doesn't mean that I've suddenly gone blind and senile to miss the numerous mistakes you also made. You each have a long ways to go before you can rightfully call yourselves Martial Artists. Some of you are slow and lazy, others lack finesse and imagination in their fighting style, while a few…"

"All right," Nabiki chuckled, "We get the point, Elder! We'll table this discussion until we can all meet back home…" she suddenly took notice of the sound of approaching sirens, "…which may be a while in coming unless we clear out of here right away."

"No need," Saki replied, "I'll work everything out with the locals. The rest of you can leave, except for you two," she nodded to Natsumi and Miyuki, "I'll need at least one of you to back me up when we say we made this arrest as concerned citizens instead of three cops operating outside of normal channels."

"Good point," Natsumi noted, "Last thing we need is to have our Captain put us back on suspension."

"It would make the fifth time this year," Miyuki sighed, "I for one cannot afford another three weeks without pay. You promised us anonymity this time."

"And I keep my promises," Saki reassured her, "But just the same we go with the story that you're with Internal Security and we'll call this a Terrorist operation."

A rumbling noise caused Nabiki and several others to glance skyward in alarm. Ryoga alone was casual as he noted, "That's odd…the weather man said we've be having clear skies this morning. Where did this overcast come from?"

"Who knows," Keiko winced, "But we'd better find cover quick!"

"I second motion!" Perfume declared, and Kodachi backed her, for once the two of them being in total agreement. The first few drops of rain were starting to fall, and those with cause to dread the inevitable could feel the change about to take them.

"S-S-Sempei?" Ryonami gasped again as she suddenly noticed that a panda, a vulture, a ferret and a fluffy pink kitten were standing next to her, along with several piles of discarded clothing.

"Just wonderful," Nabiki groaned as Ryonami's eyes rolled up in her head, then the semi-nude brown haired girl fainted. Something brushed against her leg and he stiffened before determining that it was the ferret.

"All right, people," Ukyo sighed as she bent down to pick up a pair of discarded axes, while Nabiki hefted Ryonami into his arms, "Grab your stuff and let's clear out of here."

"I wonder how we'll file this out on our report," murmured Miyuki faintly as she and her partner watched Nabiki and the others silently withdrew from the aftermath of the battle, skirting the dozens of overturned cars and motorcycles--not to mention the hundreds of unconscious bodies.

"How about right beside our admittance forms for the Sanitarium?" Natsumi whispered back, "I, for one, saw nothing just happen, and if anybody asks, we'll just claim a circus was passing through town and decided to stop by for a little community service action."

"Right," Miyuki nodded, "But I still want somebody to pay my cleaning bill," she noted forlornly as she gazed back towards her car, then adopted her most innocent expression as uniformed police arrived to take in the scene of carnage…

Continued

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