Notes: I just wanted to say that I am not going to have an all powerful Ranma running around, the crushing might is devastating but it is extremely mentally taxing and probably won't be used in every battle. I am also undecided whether or not I should have Nabiki stay on Jade for a while, eventually she will go home. I wanted to add that i decided to post this chapter before i got it back from my proofreader so i probaly will be reposting this soon

---------------- A few miles away from Ranma's group -----------

Sheila was not in the greatest mood, today she was stuck escorting prisoners to a rendezvous with the actual prison guards. To make matters worse she had to put up with Tigra and his pitiful attempts to bed her. For the longest time she had thought that, she was in love with the incorrigible cat but after seeing what her friend Brittany had with her husband, she had reevaluated her opinion.

She was getting tired of being alone all the time. Most of the other werecats that she had met took one look at her and kept going. Tigra was one of the few exceptions, though his reasoning for wanting to be with her was no better. To everyone else's eyes, she was a sort of freak a genetic mishap, though most people did not know about her disposition. Those that did not know about her birth defect looked at her as if she was a child, mostly because her hybrid form left her looking like an early adolescent.

This feeling of inadequacy was her driving force in life. It was one of the reasons why she had joined the prestigious Edge guard. She felt that she had to prove to the world that just because she was not as big and strong as other lycans that she was able to handle and protect others. She wasn't the best by any means but she was quite skilled and able to wield her sword the ice fang. At times, she had even been forced to go without it and she still packed quite a wallop.

"Hey Sheila, what's that?"

Brought out of her musings she responded, "What's what? Sorry Gar I wasn't paying attention."

Annoyed at his sisters apparent lack of attention he said, "Are you kidding me, up ahead was just flooded with light, some sort of explosion or something. However, there was no sound to it. It looked to be just a few miles ahead."

Understanding the annoyance in her brother's tone she made a fist and shook it at him saying, "Well whatever it was we will be there soon enough, think that we should increase the pace or send someone up ahead?"

Gar grimaced and said, "I suppose that we could send Tigra up ahead, but I think if we increase our pace we should get there within ten minutes or so."

Sheila pictured a sudden image of Tigra tending to various grateful injured women and cursed to herself after a moment she said, "Yeah you are right we need to increase our pace that way we won't have to leave the prisoners without a proper escort."

----------------- Up ahead ------

Nabiki slowly came into consciousness, with a groan she made her presence known. Immediately she heard commotion around herself, after a minute she was able to distinguish who it was. In a tired voice she asked, "Aunty what happened?"

"Shhh, be still and rest. I Really, do not know dear. I was the first to wake up; Bill is scouting around to see where we are. Yuna is sleeping peacefully but should be ok."

Nabiki listened attentively and was curious to why she had not yet said anything about Ranma, she thought that since Ranma was her child that his condition would be the first thing she mentioned. As she listened, a feeling of dread started to grow in the back of her head the woman was avoiding talking about Ranma and Happossi. With a small amount of fear evident in her voice she asked, "Aunty what about Ranma and Happossi?"

Nodoka grabbed the young woman's hand and sat silently, carefully choosing her words she said, "Well Ranma seems to be in a coma, Bill said that the amount of power that Ranma had been releasing right before we teleported along with the excess energy with the blast that Happossi intercepted even though it didn't hit Ranma combined with the teleport somehow sent Ranma's system into shock." She sighed sadly before continuing, "Unfortunately the strength of the blast that Master Happossi intercepted was too powerful for him to handle and he," Unable to hold back any tears she sobbed out, " He, died, saving us all."

Nabiki ingested this information slowly, while it was true that the former grandmaster of anything goes was an insationable pervert, she really did not hold it against him. The old coot made life interesting; sure, he pulled several dangerous stunts that could have gotten almost every one killed at one time or another. Heck, he practically tortured Ranma nonstop ever since the old letch came to Nerima but he did have a redeeming feature. There is no telling what would of happened if the blast had gotten any closer and Ranma had been just a few feet away from her.

With a gasp, the full ramifications of the situation sank into her. With tears threatening to overwhelm her vision she asked, "Ranma is going to be ok, right?"

Nodoka tried to smile readsuradly to the woman and said, "I don't know, we need to get Ranma to a doctor or whatever they call them around here."

Nabiki digested the situation, calming herself she thought, "Why am I so upset, this is Ranma. He/she always comes out on top. Why should I be worried and crying over that lug? Maybe it is the death of Happossi that has me so worked up. No, that is not true. I am upset that Happossi died but I am more scared that I am going to lose my closest friend. Ever since she returned from her training trip, we have gotten closer. My god, I think that I am afraid that I might lose her." With that, thought Nabiki sat up and tried to make her way over to Ranma's body.

--------------Somewhere not meant for mortal eyes ------------

Ranma woke and opened his eyes to a grayish fog. Unsure of what was happening he hesitantly called out, "Hello, Mom, Nabiki, Yuna anybody there?" Realizing his voice was much deeper then it was before he woke up he looked down at his body and realized that he was in his male form. Thinking, "When did I shift forms, last thing that I remember was we were fighting and I got caught off guard. Oh, Kami no, Happossi tried to take the blast; we both must have been hit. I, I must be dead."

With that thought Ranma fell too his knees and started to cry while saying, "Mother, Nabiki, Yuna I am sorry I failed you all. I was supposed to protect you all and I failed now I am dead and Yuna might never find the other survivor of her clan. I am so sorry Yuni, I failed my pledge to you, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Why do I need to forgive you?"

Not realizing that the voice was coming from someone else Ranma said, "Isn't it obvious, I failed. I failed You, I failed Yuna, my mother, Nabiki and Happossi… I am a failure."

"Who say's you failed, heck who said your dead?"

Ranma realized for the first time that he was not alone and had been talking to some one very familiar to him. Turning around he shakily asked, "Yuni, is that you?"

Yuni smiled and stepped out of the grey mist to allow herself to be seen and said, "Yeah it's me."

"If you are here then I, I'm dead then. I truly did fail."

"Ranma listen to me." Seeing that she had his attention she continued, "Have I lied to you?"

Ranma shook his head.

"Now if I have never lied to you before, then why would I start now?"

Ranma considerer this and said, "Well I guess you wouldn't."

Yuni raised an eyebrow and asked, "Guess."

Ranma chuckled nervously and said, "Yeah I know you would not lie to me. But I am not dead then where am I and why am I here?"

Yuni smiled and strode forth, grabbing the confused martial artist's hands, she looked him in the eyes and said, "You just had what you would call, a very close call. The blast that Gothwrain sent towards you was magical in nature and if you combine that with the extra energy that Bill was using to teleport, you get some seriously potent magic. Even though Happossi intercepted it, you were still within the backlash of it. Normally you as well as the rest of your party would have died from it. However due to your new nature a lot of it was absorbed into your system and basically you short circuited."

As he, listened Ranma felt various emotions: at first, he was confused, then he was happy to be reunited with his love, then he was scared for the fate of the others. Feeling concern for the others he asked, "Was anyone else hurt?"

Yuni sighed and pulled Ranma into a hug, even though Happossi was a letch and a pervert she knew that Ranma would be distraught over his passing. It was one of the many things that made Ranma so attractive. Pulling slightly out of the embrace, looking Ranma in the eye's she said, "You were hurt as I said before but Happossi was not as lucky as you."

--------- Back with Ranma's friends -----------------

Nabiki sat next to Ranma's prone form with Yuna sleeping in her arms. Nodoka was busy wrapping Happossi's body for cremation while Bill was setting up a proper burial fire. (Think Darth Vader's fire at the Ewok village.) Bill had returned from scouting moments after he left and announced that there was a group on route and they would be there within ten to fifteen minutes. It had been decided that Happossi disserved a proper ritual before they could move on, even though Ranma was in a coma. Nabiki knew that Ranma would have wanted Happossi to be attended to immediately; it was just how he (or she at the moment) was.

Turning her attention to the horizon she noticed that the group that Bill had told them about was quickly gaining on their position, with a hopeful sigh she relaxed and prayed that these people were friendly.

Sheila was in the front of the group and after coming over the last rise was close enough to see the group. From what it looked like there were six figures up ahead, only two of the figures were actual y moving around. Their were two motionless bodies lying on the ground one looked to be in the process of being prepped for a burial rite. The other looked like it was laying their asleep with a woman holding a small child sitting next to her. With a friendly wave, Sheila approached them.

Bill Noticed the group arriving, stopped with his prep work and went over to greet the newcomers, almost immediately he saw that three of them were members of the edge guard. With a sigh of relief, he approached the closest one, a small werecat with tanned fur and small black circles on her fur. Smiling at her Bill said, "We mean you no harm, my name is Bill and I am a Psyionic mage, we are in need of assistance."

Sheila not wanting to usurp her brother's authority decided to get a better handle on the situation and asked, "What do you need?"

Bill smiled at the young woman and said, "One of our groups is in a coma and another is dead. Once we finish doing the burial rites for our dead, we will need assistance to get to seer's hamlet."

Sheila nodded and said, "Just let me talk to the others, we are escorting some prisoners right now but we could probably spare one of us and some supplies to stay with you until we return."

Bill nodded and replied, "Take your time."

Sheila walked back over to where her brother Gar and Tigra standing making sure that there were no problems with the prisoners.

Gar waited for his sister to get a few feet away before saying, "I heard so what do you suppose we do?"

Tigra seeing that this conversation was not going to involve him decided to go and check out the women, after flashing his best winning smile at Shelia he wandered off.

Tigra walked over to get a closer look at the young woman holding a small child sitting next to a prone figure. Internally whistling he thought, "Wow, for a normal human, that girl is a fox. Looks like she has been crying lately too, if I could get rid of the kid I wouldn't mind shagging that." Taking a few more steps, his attention was brought down to the prone figure. Upon seeing her, he could barely contain himself he thought, "That girl is fuckin hot. She looks kinda like a werecheetah but her fur is red and does not cover her full body. She looks more like a cross between a werecheetah and a human." Kneeling down barley able to contain himself from drooling down the girl's cleavage, which happened to be very bountiful he said to the other girl, "So what is the deal with your friend here?"

Nabiki had been watching the tiger man scoping Ranma and herself out and was barely holding in her irritation at the seemly forward were beast. Answering his question she said, "She's in a coma. As it was explained to me Ranma was overwhelmed by a magical blast during the teleport."

Tigra oblivious to the tone the woman flashed his best winning smile and said, "Oh, I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself yet, my name is Tigra of the edge guard. Who might you be, besides a flower of endless beauty?"

Nabiki cringed at the pitiful attempt of a pick up line and said, "My name is Nabiki Tendo and this young lady is Yuna, Ranma's daughter."

Tigra looked at the sleeping girl and sniffed, while the three of them had their scents on each other he could tell that none of them was of any relation. Giving off a roguish grin he said, "Well it is a pleasure at making your acquaintance. I hope to have a more intimate introduction later. Perhaps once your friend here gets better we can all get together and get to know each other."

Nabiki cringed, while Ranma was attractive and all she really had no type of sexual attraction to him/her. The main reason as to why she cringed though was the absorb thought of Ranma ever willingly bed with another man no matter whom else shares the bed. Letting her displeasure vocally know to the presumptuous were tiger she said, "I really don't think so, your not my type and I doubt that you are Ranma's type."

Tigra frowned momentarily before he had an idea, standing up he walked over until he was standing right in front of Nabiki. Grinning from ear to ear, he reached down, pulled her off the ground, and tried to give her a kiss.

------------------------- A minute earlier ---------------

Nodoka was walking over to where Nabiki and a tiger man were talking. She arrived at the scene right as the caiman was bringing in Nabiki into a kiss, unsheathing her sword she swung.

Tigra was sweating he was about to kiss this young woman when he was stopped by the feeling of cold steel against his neck

---------------------- Back to Sheila and Gar ---------

Sheila and Gar had been discussing whether one of them should stay with this group for protection or if they should try to force them to come with.

"Gar I think that we should just have one of us stay here so they can finish dealing with their dead."

"Sis, it would be safer for them if we brought them with. From what I understand from Bill (Bill had came over briefly to further explain some details then left to finish setting up the fire.), they were under attack by werewolves and wererats."

"I know gar but I think that they really need to do this. I mean are we just going to lug around a dead body, besides they will be done by the time we get back. Listen brother if you do not want me to stay maybe Tigra can stay with them as long as he behaves. If he doesn't I'll just give him a Kaposi."

Gar turning his gaze to where Tigra was talking with one of the females; saw the hapless creature standing still with a sword assisting him in keeping his chin up. With a sigh he said, "I think it's a little to late for that."

Sheila had her back turned to the group and started to say, "Huh, what do you …" As she turned her head she saw with her own eyes what her so-called boyfriend was doing and yelled out, "TIGRA YOU ARE SO DEAD WHEN I GET OVER THERE I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MOTHER OF ALL KAPOWIEE'S. YOU CHEATING BASTARD, HOW DARE YOU, MY BACK WAS TURND FOR NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES."

With that, Sheila took off running determined to deliver righteous punishment, with gar trailing right behind her.

---------------------- Ten minutes later ----------

Tigra was sitting cradling his jaw as Sheila and Gar were making preparations for the continued track to their rendezvous to dispose of the prisoners. It had been decided that Shelia was going to stay behind while they went on. Sheila ad gar were talking a good distance away from him.

"Hey Gar."

Gar grunted out, "Yeah."

"You think that there is something familiar about that little girl."

"Besides that fact that she is a werecat no."

Sheila sighed at her brother's ignorance and said, "Don't you think that she looks familiar? You know, like some one we both know."

Gar paused shortly before shrugging and said, "Nope, no one that I know."

Sheila really felt like smacking her brother but was able to refrain from doing so. After taking a second to compose herself she said, "Don't you think that she looks a lot like Brittany."

At the mention of Brittany gar's face lost it's focus and went off into lala land where he and Brit were happily married with litters of baby werecheetahs. Brought back to reality by a slap to the face Gar said, "Yeah I guess I can see the resemblance. Do you think that she is a werecheetah too?"

Annoyed Sheila shot back, "Yeah, I think she is a werecheetah. But I am not sure."

Trying to look contemplative Gar said, "Well since you are staying behind I want you to find out whether or not she is. In addition, find out exactly what happened to them, I find it hard to believe that wererats and werewolves attacked them, I mean if they were than there would not be very much of them left. The mage is the only one that would have been able to fight besides the dead guy."

Sheila snorted and said, "What about red?"

Gar shot back, "If she fought in that form, there is no way. She barely has any muscle mass and while she is bigger than you she is still small."

Sheila slapped Gar for the insinuated jab at her stature and growled out, "Don't you think that you and Tigra should get going, isn't there a deadline."

Holding his check gar grunted out, "Yeah fine I'm going." Raising his voice he called out, "Tigra get over here we are leaving."

---------------------------- Early evening -----------------

Sheila had sat through the small ceremony listening to all that was being said of the diseased; it painted a very curios picture. The man they described was a 300-year-old honorable pervert. Never in her life had she ever thought that she would here those words used next to another describing a man. What made it more interesting was that during the Eulogy she heard the woman Nodoka slip and say that the man was from the werecheetah clan long before its almost annihilation. Seeing the woman named Nabiki walk off and stare into the distance she decided to go talk to her.

Nabiki was not sure on her feelings, for so long she had kept up her ice queen façade and never let things get to her. Now she was upset and wanted to cry, the tears were not totally for Happossi though. She was upset with herself angry because if she still had practiced martial arts then maybe she could of done something. NOwn because of her helplessness Ranma was in a coma and Happossi was dead.

Sheila walked up to Nabiki and asked, "How are you holding up?"

Nabiki did not fully trust this woman but needed to vent. Turning her head, she motioned for Sheila to sit next to her. Tucking her head into her knees she started, "I suppose that you are wondering what exactly is going on huh, since you is some type of police."

Sheila nodded and said, "We at the Edge guard are responsible for the safety of the public."

"Yeah we got police on earth too, doesn't mean that we trust them."

Sheila smiled and said, "I never said you could trust me. However, I do know that Yuna is a werecheetah and Ranma is some type of werecheetah human hybrid. The old man Happossi was a former member of the werecheetah clan but was not a werecheetah. "

Nabiki sat quietly deciding what she was going to tell her, after a few moments of silence she said, "Well it appears that you know a lot. Just out of curiosity how did you know about Yuna?"

Smirking Sheila said, "Well I have meant one before."

"Oh, so you know a werecheetah?"

"Yep, she is one of my friends."

Nabiki was excited after hearing this and thought, "IF she is friends with the other werecheetah then maybe she can intro duce us to one another, that way Ranma won't have to worry about carting his mother and Yuna all around Jade looking for her." Calming herself she said, "Well I suppose that we she tell you a little more."

"Why is that?"

"Because, we came to Jade to seek out the other werecheetah so Yuna would not be alone. It was Ranma's quest, given to him by Yuna's mother who had continued until shortly after her husband was killed. See her husband was also a werecheetah and had been searching for a few years for any kin that he might have had."

Shelia was confused, for the umpteenth time that day someone had used the wrong gender in speaking about Ranma. Deciding that it was no coincidence she asked, "You keep calling Ranma a he, she is a woman right?"

Nabiki laughed after cursing herself for letting her guard down and revealing Ranma's secret and said, "I meant she sorry, Ranma can be such a tomboy sometimes that I sometimes call her a he."

Not really buying it Sheila let it go. The two just kept talking about inconsequential things occasionally mentioning something about Brittany.

------------------ On earth the next day --------

Gothwrain paced angrily contemplating the situation at hand. He was pretty much pissed beyond compare because his men's failure to catch the Damm werecheetah and the other werecat known as Ranma. He was racking his mind for a way to ensure the defeat of the redheaded beast.

To make matters worse he had made a massive mistake, he underestimated the werecats battle prowess and the ability of her friends. WIth a frustrated grunt he sat down at his desk and looked through the information he had detailing Ranma's friend's rivals and enemies. As his eyes searched the papers looking for something that he could use, they stopped at a picture of one of her rivals. Reading the information under the photograph Gothwrain smiled and said, "Yes, you will do nicely Ryouga Habiki, now all I need to do is break you out of prison and find you a few allies to assist you."

---------------- At a hotel in Atlanta ----------

Cologne sighed; she was doing a lot of that recently. Currently she was wondering if a wererat/Amozon alliance was really worth it. Romeo, Moesha and Lydia were borderline incompetent, no strike that they were incompetent.

A few days ago when Shampoo, Moesha and Lydia were watching the Digger Homestead the digger sisters had returned. From what she was told by Mousse who had been stalking Shampoo while ditching Romeo, Shampoo had decided to lead a valiant charge at the three sisters. The three of them had been getting worked over when Mousse decided to intervene and attack the werecheetah. That lead to Romeo charging in an attempt to save his unwilling wife. Somehow, Romeo tripped and received a face full of Lydia's chest; this in turn got him smacked to where he was slammed into Gina, knocking them both down. Romeo being Romeo had used the woman's breasts to regain his footing. That in turn lead to him being smashed into the one named Brianna, where he once again was treated to a face-full-of-boob. This in turn leads to the dimwitted wererat to be promptly surrounded by a large mass of things that were called peebos. The resulting explosion had been spectacular. Romeo had been flung into Shampoo, who was then sent flying into Gina's outstretched arm, where she was close lined by accident. Shampoo being the proud Amazon that she was decided to give the girl the kiss of death. That had been a huge mistake, one the girl named Gina had thought that Shampoo was trying to make out with her, kneed the girl in the gut, and sent things called hurt bots after her. Secondly, Cologne just found out that the Digger sisters were the daughters of the Arms master of Jade, who was of the giant clan. The problem with this is that they now had to tread lightly as to not let their origins slip. The Chinese amazons were also allied with the giant clan; fortunately, it was a loose alliance and one that could be overlooked as long as no birth member of the clan was put into any danger.

So now she had a problem, Shampoo had given the kiss of death to a member of the giant clan. It was a kiss that could not be sought out without dire consequences. That meant that Shampoo was dishonored and had to make amends by serving the girl, acting as a slave for ten years if the council of elders knew about the kiss given. One of the few blessings being away from the rest of the elders meant that she did not have to release any information that might hinder her own actions. So as long as they laid low for a while they might be all right, but that still left the werecheetah to be dealt with.

-------------------- Meanwhile in Nerima -------------------

Kasumi was worried; it had been a day since Ranma was supposed to leave. Nabiki should of returned shortly after, because she had not mentioned anything when Ranma came by to say her goodbye's. Now she had a half-destroyed kitchen because she had school yesterday and without her or Nabiki, her aunty in line she would get Akane to cook so she could go out drinking. With a bitter thought of, "Well at least Mr. Saotome moved out. I hope Nabiki is ok"

--------------------- Elsewhere ----------------

Ryouga sat in her cell, wishing she still had her strength; it has been a long three-plus months for her. She was either beaten, molested, ridiculed on a regular basis. Her hate for one Ranma Saotome has grown exponentially during her incarceration. It was lights out now a she was huddled in the corner hoping that her roommate was not in the mood. Her thoughts were interrupted as an explosion shook her cell. After the debris settle a man with buckteeth came out of the shadows and asked, "Are you Ryouga Habiki, rival of Ranma Saotome?"

Seeing a chance at freedom she said, "Yes that's me, what do you want?"

The man chuckled and said, "Let's just say we have a common enemy."