Final Duty Part 6 'Mater' " Damn it , damn it , damnit !" Akane pumped her fists up and down in frustration . " We were so close !" " If bandana boy hadn't lost it ." She shook her head . " We just needed a second more !" She snapped at Ryouga . " Bastard ran off again ." Ryouga snarled to himself , ignoring them . " Something is most definitely peculiar about Son-in-law ." Cologne muttered . " Oh ?" She prompted . " His movements were off , more than his wounds and level of fatigue would account for ." She replied , walking over to a spot near Ryouga and Ranma's brief altercation . " Wounds ?" She asked . All other conversations suddenly ground to a halt . " Yes , I fear Son-in-law has more than a few wounds . Nothing life threatening , but they do affect his performance especially in his fatigued state . Ah , here we are ." She knelt and swiped her finger on a spot on the sidewalk . " One moment ." She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together before looking at them with half lidded eyes for a moment . " As I thought ." " What is it ?" The concern in Akane's voice was obvious . " He's poisoned as well , but no matter ." " NANI !?" Akane almost leapt at the elder . " What do you mean 'no matter' ?" " I mean ," The Amazon matriarch looked back at Akane with a calm gaze . " that the poison has almost run it's course . Be that as it may , it also means that Son-in-law will not be at his peak for a day or so ." " So ka ." She nodded to the elder . " But that gives us a better chance of catching him . Can you track him ?" " I'm afraid that I cannot , or I would be already ." Again she nodded . " I think I know where he's going ." Genma piped up softly . All eyes were on him . " Um..." He looked about uncomfortably . " He's fought Kuno Tatawaki right ? Then Mousse ? So who else does he need to fight if it's not Ryouga ?" " Who ?" She was not in the mood for twenty questions . " The m-master ?" He stammered before looking about . " Oh come on !" Akane snorted . " Saying Happosai won't summon him !" " Hi ya !" Happosai glomped onto Akane's breasts . * * * That hour did me a world of good . I did not fall asleep but opted to mediate . I had only begun to manipulate my body's functions a few days ago but I found speeding up healing is a really useful thing to know how to do in situations like this . All of my bruises are gone and all of the minor cuts and scrapes are too . The more serious wounds are just a bit better than before , the bleeding has stopped on all of them . But an hour of convalescent meditation still didn't give me much rest . I was too busy healing . But it makes moving a lot easier on me . I opted to take a bus and just lay down in the seat instead of running . That gave me some rest , but it was a horribly short drive to the bus stop near my destination . Reluctantly I paid the fair . " You alright ?" The driver asked before I stepped out of the bus . " Huh ?" " You look like you're going to your doom or somethin' ." I doubted he knew the irony of his wording . " I'm going home to Mom ." I reply with a tired smile . " I'm just sad I didn't do this a long time ago ." " So ka ." He nodded . " We all got to go home sometime ." I stepped off that bus with my pack . After it drove off I began to walk down the street to the Saotome residence . At once the walk was short and the longest I've ever taken . I had expected memories to flood back to me . None were there . I expected to feel a sensory overload . I was only aware of every millisecond as I walked . After an eternity and a scant few minuets I stood at the doorway . Without thought I lifted my hand and knocked on the door . I could feel her approach before she was even half way to the door . I steeled myself for her reaction , I knew I was still very much a girl . " Konichiw-Ranko !" She smiled down at me . " What are you doing here ?" " Um..can I come in ?" I ask in a soft voice . " Of course ?" She steps aside to let me in . " What is with the backpack , are you on a trip ?" " Yeah , I guess you could call it that ." My voice seems to be leaving me . " Ranko-chan ?" She shuts the door and touches my shoulder lightly . Wrong shoulder , I wince in pain before I can stop myself . " You're hurt !?" She exclaims . Before I can say anything she has taken my backpack off and his helping me into the living room . " You stay right here , I'll be back in a moment ." She drops my pack by the table and makes to leave the room . " Wait , please ." My voice is still weak and each word is shaky . " I'm alright , just don't go ." She hesitates but returns and to my surprise she sits beside me . " Ranko-chan ," Her voice is so tender and caring I almost break right then and there . " please tell Auntie-Saotome what happened ." The 'Auntie' slams something inside me that was slipping back into place . " I had a real bad fight with Akane ." I began , truthfully . " So I figured I'd leave for a while and take care of some business that I should have a long time ago ." And I thought that everything up until now was hard . " But I ran into a few people that ...that really don't like me ." I guess a little understatement can't hurt . " I got away and I'm fine now but ...but.." Oh man . She gathered me up in her arms at the same time I burst into tears . I just broke then . All of the tears I had been holding back just came pouring out . She just held me in her arms and rocked me back and forth . I just wanted to die right then and there . I'm not sure how long I've been weeping there in her arms , but my best estimate is somewhere around ten minuets . I wanted to go on , to just cry out all of the pain of more than ten years . But I couldn't . Damn it all . I had to stop while I still could . With a supreme effort of sheer will I force myself to stop . All the shuddering sobs the tears , everything just stopped at once . I can tell she is shocked . I am too . But I have to continue on . With one sigh , a normal controlled one . I gently disengage myself from her comforting embrace . Exerting all that I have left I control my face , my posture , my emotions . I must finish this . " I'll call the Dojo and talk to Akane ." She says before I can speak . " You're fight is going to get sorted out now !" So that's where I get my decisive attitude from . " Don't bother , they're not at home ." Now I recognize my voice , it's strong and controlled again . " Nani ?" " Listen to me very carefully ." I say , getting up . " Stay here and I'll be back in a moment ." To my luck she was about to make tea before my arrival . I take a glass of cold water and one of hot . On my return she reaches out , expecting one of the glasses to be for her . I don't bother to verbally correct her . I just place both side by side on the table . " Did you ever find it odd that in all of your visits to the Dojo you never came there when Ranma and Genma were back ?" I ask slowly . The look in her eyes is one of absolute bewilderment . Perhaps she thinks I've snapped . No matter . " Yes I had thought it odd , but I've seen much stranger things than you could imagine ." I seriously doubt that . " What if Ranma had been there right in front of you the whole time , only fear keeping him from you ." " But , why would my son be afraid of me ?" Her expression reveals that she has no idea whatsoever . I nod to the katana on the display rack across the room . " Seppuku ." Her face goes ashen . " But , from what I have heard Ranma is a man-among- men ." She protests . " He has no reason to fear ." " Perhaps he does ." I respond . " Ranko-chan , I don't know where you're getting this but this conversation is starting to scare me ." " Please listen ." I answer , taking the glass of hot water in hand . " You said you have seen strange things ?" " Hai ." She agreed apprehensively . " Do you believe that curses exist ?" " Some curses are real ." She answered . " Have you ever heard of a place called Junseikyo ?" " Never ." She shakes her head . I take a deep breath . Before continuing . " It is a small valley of cursed springs . If something has drowned in a pool then whatever falls in that pool afterwards is cursed with the form of that drowned victim ." Another deep breath before continuing . " The curse is permanent , but it turns off and on . Cold water triggers the change , cold reverses the change ." I pour some of the hot water over my other hand . The change is instantaneous . " Nyannichuan ." I explain , my voice now tenor . I had expected her to faint , but to my surprise she did not . She only paled further and gaped at me in absolute horror . I let her gape for a few minuets , but she recovers before I expect . " So you are not Ranko , but Ranma ?" Now she is controlling herself much as I am . I nod . " There is no Ranko is there ?" I nod once more . " You believed this curse would force you to commit seppuku because of your promise ?" " A man-among-men cannot be a girl half the time ." I state . " So why are you revealing it to me now ?" By feel alone I reach behind me and retrieve the family tanto that I took from Pop before I left that night . Slowly , deliberately , I place it on the floor in front of me . " I'm through with lies and tangled promises ." I say just as clearly . " Pop has me engaged to two women and there are many other promises I cannot fulfill without breaking others . It's time to end this ." We stare into each others eyes for a long time , not a sound is made . Until she breaks the silence . " A long time ago ," Her eyes are unreadable . " when I believe you were ten , I asked myself if I would force you to commit seppuku for a promise made when you were too young to understand such things . I did not agonize over that decision long . I released you from your portion of that promise a long time ago my dear son ." I won't let myself relax . " As for Pop ?" " His portion still stands ." " Knowing what you do now , will you hold him to seppuku ?" She is silent in thought for a moment . " He engaged you to two girls you said ?" " Hai ." " I have a feeling that he has done much worse than that ." I say nothing , but I do not deny it . " Then I shall ." " No ." I protest . " It is not your decision ." " I shall go in his place ." I offer . " I won't let you ." She protests . I have not forgotten that my end is the answer to all of this . I will not lose . " Whether or not I am the cause of all the problems and chaos is not what matters . What matters is I am the focal point . When I go I take everyone's problems with me ." " What on earth are you talking about ?" Her emotional control wavers . " The engagements , the supernatural occurrences , the attacks , everything is because I am here . After I am gone I take all the problems of now and the future ones with me ." " You're not making sense , Ranma , please ." She shakes her head in confusion . " I still might let Genma repent , after you marry Akane-" " You didn't listen did you ?" I cut her off . " I'm also engaged to Kuonji Ukyo as well . She gave up ten years of her life looking for me after Pop ran off with her dowry ! Then there is the fact that Akane hates me ! The last time we were in the same room together she was screaming at the top of her lungs for me to kill myself ! I don't even have time to tell you the rest ." " If you kill yourself I'll kill myself , I swear it ." She clutched at my shirt , tears in her eyes . It takes all the emotional control I have to keep from breaking again . " Saotome Ranma , man-among-men wantabe is the cause of almost all the pain of everyone he knows ." I say slowly . " So I end that name right now ." " Huh ?" Confusion and hope war in her eyes . " I have no name ." I state , handing the Saotome tanto to her . " As a Saotome you own this , I have no right to hold it ." " Oh Ranma !" She took the ceremonial dagger from me with a teary smile ." Oh , wait . I mean .....what is your new name ?" " I don't know yet , actually ." I put a hand behind my head and give a long overdue laugh . " Well , I don't care what you say , you still have to answer when I call you my son ." Now tears of joy stream down her face . " I will , Mom ." I gather her into my arms much as she had done for me just a short time ago . I let her cry and hold me for a long time . But I know that time is running out . " Mom ?" I gently take her by the shoulders and sit her up . " Have to leave soon ." " Why ?" Her face is now as pleading as her voice . " I woke up today thinking that I would die here . I spend all of today before I came here fighting and setting things as right as I can . The Tendo's and Pop are after me , so is Ryouga , and a few others . Sooner or later one of them will think to check here . I can't be here for them to find me ." " I'll come with you ." She started . " No you won't . I'm not going to risk you getting killed ." My last sentence caught her off guard . " I'm probably the best martial artist of my generation , you're not . Considering that I'm going to have a hard time surviving this means you probably wouldn't . But don't worry I'll write , and once I'm sure I have things settled I'll come back to you ." " Promise me !" She begged , gabbing my shirt . " I promise Mom ." I nod , meaning every word . She arrived at the Saotome house apprehensively . What if it was too late ? What would she do if he was already dead ? All of that was washed away when she saw his form leap from the backyard and take off at a run . Without further thought or hesitation she took off in hot pursuit . But she kept a fair distance , if he were to see her he would only disappear again . This might be her only chance . The others she had left behind after hearing Genma's thoughts about who Ranma had left to fight . At once she realized what he had meant in his letter to her . His promise of seppuku to his mother . It had taken her an eternity to find the address . Thankfully her love was alive and well . Sadly they had only gone a few klicks when Ranma ran into someone who was far from happy to see him . " Not you !" She heard him yelp . Taro Pantyhose's response was to grin and dump a thermos of cold water over his head . Now a hulking monstrosity , Pantyhose attacked . Despite what Cologne had said Ranma was better than she had ever seen him . By the time Pantyhose had struck he was already delivering a vicious kick to the monster's temple . Before Pantyhose could grab him he was suddenly standing between the monster's horns . To her horror Pantyhose began to flap his wings in preparation for flight . " Ran-chan !" She yelled , leaping onto the monster just as it left the ground . " Ukyo !" He called back . " Get off while you still can !" " Not without you !" " DAMN IT !" He cursed as Pantyhose took their flight above the level she could safely land from . Both of them saved their breath for holding onto the flying monster for dear life . Pantyhose was obviously not very happy about having two passengers , the monster began barrel rolling and loop-de-loops in an attempt to dislodge them . On one such roll she caught sight of the Tendo group following their erratic flight path . Surprisingly soon they came to a rough landing just beyond the outskirts of Tokyo . Ranma sprang off of pantyhose and did something very unexpected . " LINGERIE !" He shouted . Both Pantyhose and her stood stock still for a moment in shock . Then a small blur resolved by Ranma . " Wherewherewhereisit !" The small Happosai looked about him excitedly . Ranma snatched the small man up by the back of his shirt , and wielded him like a western shield . Each punch by the massive fist of Pantyhose was blocked by Ranma with Happosai . Pantyhose did not seem to mind which he hit , so long as one was hit . She did not like standing idly by , but she was at a loss as to what to do . Any help she offered might mess up Ranma's battle plan . On and on Pantyhose and Ranma played rock and a hard place with Happosai until the old master had had enough . With a howl of anger Happosai kicked the oncoming fist away and broke free of Ranma's grip . " YOU ! BOTH OF YOU !" The master glared from hulking beast to martial artist . But who he would attack first was decided for him . Pantyhose drilled the small pervert into the earth with one hammer fist . However , moments later the old master sprung from the hole with a lit stick of dynamite . " You first then !" He shouted before throwing the explosive at the monster . As one mind both her and Ranma dove into the nearest ditch only outpacing the ensuing explosion by the barest of margins . " Ran-chan !" She shouted over the noise , throwing her arms about his neck . " Don't Ran-chan me !" He snorted at her . " Didn't you read my letter !" " Yes , and it didn't change my mind one bit !" He only started to bang his head on the ground . The battle between a miniature man and a cursed beast raged on . " Ran-chan , don't do that ." She grabbed him by the pigtail . " Ukyo , I said if you love me then leave me ." He deadpanned . " So why are you not out getting a normal life ?" " Baka ! You may be the love of my life ," She snapped . " but you don't have the right to tell me not to love you ! I don't want a normal life I want you !" Another explosion followed by a roar interrupted their conversation for a moment . " Ukyo , I'm the cause of all of your problems !" " Call me a glutton for punishment then !" She countered . A bomb exploded close enough to shower them both in dirt . " Maybe we should argue while we run ." He suggested . " Let's !" She nodded vigorously . The pair leapt from their impromptu foxhole . Ranma led the way , she followed close behind , with only a few glances behind . Happosai had notice their flight and was steering the battle after them . * * * When Happosai had abruptly streaked off ahead she had been annoyed . When they began to find smoking craters she had been worried . Now she was just agape at the scene before her as her party ran up to the battle . Happosai had apparently defeated the monster that was Pantyhose , as the beast lay smoking in a crater . Now the old master faced off with Ranma . It was a battle unlike anything she had seen before . The pair would alternate between standing and glaring at each other then clashing together , exchanging hundreds of strikes , blocks , and counters in the space of half a second . Again and again they would clash , minor shock waves erupting from each flurry of exchanges . Ukyo stood a few dozen meters away . Looking on with a expression that told she knew she could do nothing more than get in the way , and she didn't like that fact one bit . Not seeing any reason not to she directed her party over to the other onlooker's position . Ukyo noted their arrival but did nothing . After her Father set her down on her own feet they all watched the raging battle . Happosai and Ranma were nearly equal in speed , but the old master had a extraordinary maneuverability advantage . Happosai could zip his whole body about just as fast as Ranma could move his limbs . As a result , Ranma had to fight an opponent attacking from nearly every direction . Without warning on the next separation a flurry of explosions surrounded and engulfed Ranma . " Arrogant boy thought he could take me on ." Happosai laughed after the roar of the blasts faded . " You think I'm done already ?" Came Ranma's voice from the dissipating dust cloud . Sure enough , Ranma was standing in the midst of the craters , unharmed . He remained in a odd defensive position , his arms crossed over his chest Egyptian fashion . When he slowly uncrossed them a layer of dirt fell from the air about him , as if it had been suspended in the air about him . " So you've mastered the rudiments of defense utilizing your ki , big whoop-de- do ." Happosai remained unconcerned . " Then show me better ." Ranma challenged , taking a defensive posture . Happosai responded by punching at Ranma even at this distance . Ranma sidestepped . The trees a few meters behind Ranma snapped in two as if by a mighty blow . " A distance attack ?" Ranma snorted . " That's all ?" This time Happosai's response was much more violent . With a screech in place of a battle cry the diminutive master lunged at his opponent , fists and feet flying . Ranma closed his eyes , his hands open palmed and streaking from sight . There were no impressive shock waves for her to feel or light effects for her to watch . But whatever ki bonanza was going on it must have been awe-inspiring . Because all the martial artists in the area gasped in amazement and began to backpedal . " What's going on ?" She asked her Father . " I-I-I-" He stammered helpfully . " D-d-d-don't believe it !" Genma finished . " R-Ranma's channeling all of Happosai's ki !" Akane's eyes were wide in awe and fright . " The Old Freak can't touch him !" Ukyo cheered . Indeed , Ranma had not taken a step from where he was . His arms and torso twisting and flowing beyond any speed her eye could see . Happosai was nowhere she could see , but swift winds throwing dust about in a whirlwind marked his passage . " TO HELL WITH THIS !" Happosai bellowed , appearing on the far side of the clearing . " That's it ?" Ranma looked at the master in something akin to disappointment . " No , you'll feel my wrath soon enough ." Happosai calmed , a evil smile forming on his face . " You mean this ?" Ranma produced a lit stick of dynamite . " HA !" Happosai celebrated prematurely . " What's so bad about this ?" Ranma asked , after plucking the fuse from the stick . " HEY !" The small man screeched . " That was my most powerful bomb !" Ranma tossed it playfully from one hand to the other before tossing it to the old man . " Then here you go if you want it so bad ." Ranma said . " You idiot !" Akane screamed at him in dismay . " I'll deal with you some other way then ." Happosai tucked the bomb into his gi and continued to smile evilly . " No ," Ranma stood straight and held his left hand aloft . " you won't ." Ranma depressed a button on a small device , before he dove for the ground . Taking his cue the spectators hit the dirt as well . Happosai barely had time to blink before the bomb he had been given back exploded . The initial blast was compounded by the following explosion from the remaining bombs in Happosai's gi . No one looked up for a while . The dust dissipated on the slight breeze . Through the ringing in her hears she could hear Ranma's voice . " I thought I wouldn't have to deal with you so soon , but I had been ready for your bombs for a while now ." Half expecting to see the splattered remains of the old master she was surprised to see him still standing . Albeit in the middle of a scorched crater and swaying from side to side . By the time everyone else got to their feet a strong wind had taken the dazed master off of his . A quick look about relived her , aside from the master no one else was hurt by the blast . " Where the hell did Ranma get that thing ?" She asked aloud . " Nani ?" Genma asked her . " What did you say ?" Akane asked them both . " I guess I was the only one who covered their ears huh ?" She sighed . A second look around them revealed another important fact . Ranma was getting away . Knowing that shouting wouldn't do much she resorted to wild gesticulation and running after the young martial artist . While not the most dignified solution it worked nonetheless . Again her Father scooped her up into his arms so that she would not slow the group down . However , it seemed that Ranma had finally transcend human limitations . For all of the battles he had fought , all of the wounds , and the poison , all without rest . He was outpacing them all by a good measure . It seemed that try as they might the one boy would beat them all at their own game . End Part 6 'Mater'