A/N: This was written while I was bored in the four month period between updating my other fics. I have two other chapters written, but those won't be published for a while. ...Well. If I'm on my own, they won't be published for a while. This fic is going to be full of crazy stuff, and it's hard to keep all of the characters IC. At least, relatively IC. If I had a Beta (hint hint hint) then it would probably go much faster, but I can't probmise anything. Well, I can, but I can't promise and be honest about it. That said, enjoy! I have another A/N at the bottem to explain some things.

If I owned either Ranma 1/2 OR O!MG, then they would have been combined a long time ago. A long, long time ago.

Realm of Chaos, Chapter one - Ascension

It's amazing, isn't it?

The little things, I mean.

Just take one small thing, and you could completely change a day.

Change a day, and you can change a life.

Change a life, and you can change the world.

Change the world, and you can change all of creation.

Just think. All of that, because of one little thing.

Just one.

A tiny thing, really.

Such as... for example... a thought.

A stubborn thought in the worlds strongest martial artist.

Just one small thought that, in anybody else, at any other time, would have done nothing of any significance.

But this one thought... in this one person... at this one time... changed everything.

And that thought, as Ranma was considering what to do in regards to the Phoenix in China, all of his friends, foes and allies around him, was, 'I'm going to do this alone'.

So here we are. The moment when everything changes.

Ranma against a fully realized Saffron, all on his own. No allies, no fiance's, no family. Just a mortal and a god.

And he was losing.

Badly.

Desperately, Ranma looked around. He never lost! But even the greatest martial artist in the world had to admit that he was at a disadvantage. Not only was he barely on his feet, facing a magical sword and facing an entire empire on his own, but his ki... it ran dry a while ago.

In a fight with fighters on the caliber of Ranma and Saffron, time is a rather subjective thing. Just one bad moment and the fight is over, and yet it is rare for one fighter to not last over ten minutes.

In regards to Ranma's ki, he was out five minutes ago.

The fight started twenty minutes ago.

Ranma's brain was working as fast as it could, trying to find something, anything to get an edge, even as he dodged another hit from Saffron's sword.

'Okay,' he thought, 'Let's go though this again. Sources of power include; myself, Saffron, his weapon, and the world at large.'

'I'm tapped dry. I could probably draw from my emotions if I had something to work me up... turn my will into power... but there's nothing here. Well, besides my emanate death, but that's nothing new.'

'I've already done the Hiryu Shoten Ha, and that backfired. Not to mention I can't drain chi, so Saffron's out.'

'I'm not getting anywhere near that freaky flaming sword.'

'The world... in order to accept ambient chi, I need some kind of... chi matrix... something to let me flow in and out of everything. But even I'd need a good month to just get started on that!'

'Come on... what's left... THINK, Saotome!'

But he had nothing. The great Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes style of martial arts, had nothing. He could learn a technique in a moment, make a better one in less, and he had nothing.

'There most be something! Something deeper then all of this! Something that I can draw on! Something below the world! Something there! Something! I need energy! I need power! I need to win!'

But he still had nothing. The most talented, most determined, most honorable martial artist in a thousand thousand years, had nothing.

'There's something there! There has to be! I've been surrounded by power all my life! WHERE IS IT?'

Ranma dodged another attack that would melt a tank. He blocked a attack that could crack diamond. He managed to dodge time and time again... but even he knew that time was running out.

'What makes the world go round? Why do we fall? Why do we live? How do we live? What makes life life!'

And then Ranma, with strange circumstances and stranger thoughts, managed to make a breakthrough.

'My life... Akane's life... Shampoo's life... Ukyo's life... Ryoga's life... even Saffron's life... why is life life? It's all so chaotic! All running around! No time to sit and THINK! Something new every moment! It's almost not possible! Like something is making it happen! But that's impossible... right?'

It is now when Ranma's true talent showed. Every once in a thousand generations there is a person capable of Understanding. And every once in a million generations there is a person in a position to achieve Understanding. It has happened only twice, in all of species, in all of time, and in all of dimensions, only twice before has it happened. Even with millions of chances, only two have achieved Understanding. And now, yet again, a chance has been set.

'Chaotic energy... it's there... it's always been there! When I arrived with Pop's to Japan, it was there. When Shampoo came, it was there. When Ukyo came, it was there. When Ryoga came, it was there. When Moosse came, it was there. When Cologne came, it was there. When Happosai came, it was there. When every single person, every single event in my life came... it was there. Just a trickle... but it was there.'

Ranma's life was on the clock. It has now been seven minutes since he ran out of ki, and fate has decreed that his skill and luck will run out at ten. When the timer hits ten, he will die. The sword will slash his body diagonally, cooking his guts even as they spill out. His eyes, widened in surprise, will carry the dim of death. The greatest martial artist... is going to die.

But still, he fought on. He knew he was going to die. He wasn't a fool. He knew that the most he had ever lasted without ki in a fight like this was nine minutes. His time was short.

And so his mind raced.

Ranma Saotome is, if nothing else, a genius at energy, the ebb and flow of the world. He knows instinctively just how much force to put into a kick to make Kuno get just out of range of the 'able to get back to school' circle. He knows just how strong Akane's mallet is, and how much he has to resist to get to a location he desires.

And now, he has three minutes to decipher, replicate, and master that tiny trickle of energy he has barely felt since he was born. It's there. He knows it. All he has to do is master it.

But what hope does a mortal have, even a genius mortal, at deciphering something like that in just three minutes? It hasn't been done, and according to the base code of the universe, it can't be done.

Part of Ranma, deep down, knew this. It knew all of this. At this time, everybody else would have deemed such a thing 'impossible' and let it go. But not this one. Deep down, he also knew, he was going to die. And deep down, he knew he didn't want to die. Deep down... he never gave up. Not for a moment. He always fought on. And so, with three minutes left, a foolish mortal tries to defy everything the world is made of for no other reason then he won't give up.

Truly a foolish mortal.

'It's there... that strange... swirling energy... begging for real ease, but always held back. I can see it... I can feel it... THERE!'

Ranma saw it, a small trickle of the energy right behind Saffron. It was small, tiny, and totally unnoticeable... but Ranma saw it. Maybe it was because he was the best. Maybe it was because he refused to die. Maybe he was delusional and got lucky. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that he saw it.

Eight minutes on the clock. Only two are left. Yggdrasil, the world computer, prepared to accept another soul into the ranks of the dead.

'Run... run... dodge... jump... feint... run... got it! There! Right above it! Now... it's flowing... it's swirling... it's still... it's fast... it's square... it's round... oops, gotta dodge.'

Nine minutes on the clock. One minute left. The mortal Ranma Saotome is going to die. His soul would be recycled, and he would be no more.

'Gah! It's changing too fast! I can't copy it! I need to... feel it... let my senses open... dodge duck don't die... there... it's there... I can feel it...'

Nine minutes, thirty seconds. The profile of one Saotome, Ranma was finalized, a printed copy made for storage.

'It's there... duck dodge... feel it... let it in... don't copy, feel...'

Nine minutes, forty five seconds. The copy was looked over by Kami-sama and stamped with his approval.

'Wait... a crack... a crack in the world... dodge jump dodge... and through that crack...'

Nine minutes, fifty seconds. The final drawer was opened.

'I see... I see it now...'

Nine minutes, fifty one seconds. The folders were sorted alphabetically, and it was tough going finding the 'S, R' segment.

'So that's it...'

Nine minutes, fifty two seconds. The S's were found... now the R subsection...

'It makes sense now...'

Nine minutes, fifty three seconds. The folder was rather thick, hard to find just were to place the file.

'There it is...'

Nine minutes, fifty four seconds. The goddess chattered a bit, making her lose her place.

'I understand now.'

Nine minutes, fifty five seconds. With just a moment of looking, the goddess found her place again.

'Chaos...'

Nine minutes, fifty six seconds. The goddess chanced a look at the picture, and liked what she saw. Immensely.

'Love...'

Nine minutes, fifty seven seconds. Hmmm, maybe this 'Ranma' would be up for the god pogrom...

'Hate...'

Nine minutes, fifty eight seconds. Nah, that's too risky. She better put it away.

'Everything...'

Nine minutes, fifty nine seconds. There it is. Just open the place, aim the paper...

'I see it...'

So lost in his trance like state, Ranma didn't notice Saffron aim his sword. And as the paper landed, at ten minutes after losing the last of his ki, thirty minutes after picking a fight with a god, Ranma Saotome died. He was slashed diagonally across the torso, and his guts were cooking even as they fell out. His eyes were widened in surprise.

Ranma's soul started floating up and away.

'What...?'

His body and Saffron where getting rather tiny.

'I... died...?'

He could see all of China now.

'But... I don't want to die...'

He could new see the globe, floating in space.

'I... I'm not done yet...'

The Earth was now a speck of dust in his vision, so far away.

'I... I never...'

He could here the songs of Heaven, calling him to surrender.

'I never had a good laugh...'

The sounds were so tempting... so inviting... just come here, it said. Come to us, and sleep forever.

'But... I never laughed...'

The sounds were getting louder... maybe he should just give up. Just let it all wash away.

'But I never laughed.'

Is that really an issue? Just relax, and rest, and come into Heaven's arms, child. Sleep.

'But I never fucking laughed!'

The sounds were deafening now, his will had to fight his spirit to stay together.

'No! I'm not done! I never played a prank! I never taught anyone! I never got a real kiss!'

The songs of heaven were surrounding his being, and Ranma knew he couldn't last.

'No! I refuse! I will get back!'

His soul, his very essence, was being ripped at the seams.

'There must be a way! Something here that's there! Something that I can follow!'

The songs, ever changing, kept on attacking, refusing to let him go.

'Chaos!'

He felt himself being torn to shreds.

'I see the line!'

The song was almost done.

'Just... need to... grab it...'

And, when the song finished, Ranma's soul was nowhere to be seen.

It was careening at high speeds back to China, Earth.

'YEEEEEEEEEEEEEHA!'

But Chaos is a fickle thing, and one can only grasp it's patterns and it's essence for so long. Eventually, it will always slip out of your grasp.

'Huh...?'

Ranms was slowing down.

'I... couldn't hold it?'

He started drifting back to Heaven.

'Where is it? It's gotta be somewhere!'

The song of Heaven picked back up.

'WHERE IS IT?'

Calm down, child. It's okay. Rest. Relax.

'I see it!'

There is no need to fight.

'WHY CAN'T I GRAB IT?'

There is no need to struggle.

'No...'

We will take care of your soul.

'I can't grab Chaos...'

It's okay.

'I was almost there...'

Losing against death is nothing shameful.

'...what?'

You tried your best, better then most gods, even, but the end was inevitable.

'…'

So just rest. It's okay. It'll be fine.

'...Sorry.'

It's fine to struggle. It's fine to fight. But know it'll be easier to just rest.

'You're wrong.'

I'm sorry, what did you say?

'I said you're wrong.'

Wrong about what?

'I'm Ranma Saotome. And I never lose!'

Ranma grabbed the strange line of chaos, not caring what it was, or how it formed, but understanding it. He has lived in Chaos for all of his life, and he now understood his constant companion.

'I see it now.'

He was careening away from the dangerously beautiful melody in the sky.

'Chaos...'

He could see the earth.

'Love...'

He could see China.

'Hate...'

He could see his body.

'Is life!'

And so, thirty minutes into his fight, ten minutes after running out of ki, Ranma Saotome... didn't die.

And it was then that his real troubles began.

You see, the world, in all of it's advance and endless time, has had similar occurrences happen before. A soul who doesn't want to die refusing to go. It's actually pretty common. It happens about three times every year. But Saotome, for whatever reason, he didn't just stay... he stopped his own death.

And so, in the world computer Yggdrasil, a bug was born. And that bug represented Ranma's life. If that bug dies, Ranma dies. For real. He will not return a second time.

Now a bug such as this represented something impossible, so impossible that it was trying to rewrite the world computer just for the right to exist. And, as such, to get to that end, it started multiplying.

From one to two.

From two to four.

From four to eight.

To sixteen.

To thirty two.

To sixty four.

One hundred twenty eight. Two hundred fifty six. Five hundred twelve.

Up in the world computer, as Ranma was getting a second breath of life, an alarm sounded.

-ATTENTION ALL PERSONEL. THE WORLD COMPUTER IS IN DANGER. A MASSIVE INFLUX OF BUGS ARE THREATENING TO REWRITE REALITY. ALL PERSONEL TO THE MOTHERBOARD. REPEAT. ALL PERSONEL TO THE MOTHERBOARD.-

Back on Earth, Ranma had just dodged a strike that was impossible to dodge. He raised up a hand, and blast of pure chaos energy pushed the phoenix god back. Ranma slowly rose, a grin on his face, his face stained by his streaks of tears.

"I see it now, Saffron..."

Skuld and Urd rushed towards the Motherboard.

"What did you do this time, Urd?"

"Me? Aren't you the mech genius here?"

"Aren't you the system manager?"

The two settled for glaring at each other as they ran down the hallway.

Saffron was suddenly on guard. Whatever that energy blast was, it wasn't normal, not ki or mana. What was it?

"I see you, Saffron. I see the grass. I see the base code of the universe."

Saffron scoffed at that. Only Kami-sama could see the base code of the universe. Hild could sense it out. To think that this... mortal dare state that he could see the base code? Preposterous.

"Saffron: God class 1, unlimited. Currently on an ongoing contract for the being Kiima. Wish: To be part of a worthy empire for all time. Date of projected death: Never."

Saffron started. No... that's just a... lucky guess. Right?

Urd and Skuld finally managed to get to the motherboard.

Skuld started. "Holy..."

Urd finished. "Shit..."

In front of them was so many bugs it was practically impossible to see the ground. They were swarming, and even more where growing! Never have either of them seen something like this!

"Skuld bomb!"

"Urd strike!"

Suddenly, Ranma laughed. That caught Saffron off guard.

"Bwahahaha! It's hilarious! Don't you see it? No, wait, of course you don't. You're just a first class."

Now Saffron was angry. A first class god was the best thing this mortal was ever going to see, and he was INSULTING him?

With the last of his chuckles fading, Ranma grinned and Saffron, and gestured with his hands in a 'come and get it' motion. "Common' Saffron. Let's dance."

Mara was surprised when she was instructed by Hild-sama to help with the bugs in the world computer. She was even more surprised with the sheer amount of bugs there. But what really surprised here was the full battalion of Angles and Demons already fighting the hoard. That had to be all of Heaven and Hell!

"Mara!" A familiar voice from her childhood shouted. "Bout' time you got here! Come on, we gotta beat this thing back!"

"Wha... Urd? What's going on here?"

"How am I supposed to know? All I know for sure is we have to beat this thing back, and NOW! The whole of everything is in danger!"

It was then, after the latest wave of explosions and powers that lit up the motherboard, was exposed a rather large hill of bugs... that was in the shape... of a middle finger. Several middle fingers. About a hundred of them.

Now, normally, it is rather hard to annoy gods and goddess. A hundred middle fingers would do it, though. Demon's are just naturally angry.

And so the hoard charged, and the bugs ran.

Ranma grinned as Saffron striked. He could see it. All possibilities. All chances. Put his head there... a miss. Jump now... a miss. And he started a spiral, into a Hiryo Shoten Ha.

He knew, somehow, that right now, Saffron wasn't his only opponent. And he knew that if he faltered for even a step, he was done for. He wouldn't survive.

A dodge. A duck. A leap. He must not get hit! He had to remain in this spiral! If he didn't, he would die. No second chances. No running. Only this one chance. And he knew it was slim.

As Ranma and the bugs fought for the same cause, they seemed too... overlap. Ranma would catch glimpses of the hoards of Heaven and Hell, and Saffron would catch glimpses of millions of bugs.

A dodge here. A jump there. Regenerate there. Relocate some bugs there. Sidestep. Regrow. Lean back. Duplicate. Step. Step. Step.

The possibilities, the chances to dodge, where growing less and less. But Ranma's impossible skill, and the bugs countless numbers, fought and overcame it all. The ultimate force was doing it's best, but even it could not stand up against Ranma's will. Until, finally, Ranma and the bugs where in the center of the spiral, and Ranma shouted the name of his attack, and it echoed throughout all of creation.

"Hiryo Shoten Ha revised: Chaos Dragon Strike!" Ranma and the bugs moved as one, and a fist impacted creation. A whirlwind, powered by the Gods and Demons, whirled throughout all of creation. A violent combination of mana and chaos roared.

It was the most beautiful sight any of them had ever seen.

The mana made physical due to the interaction with the Chaos showed all the feelings of those it came from, showed the feelings those who used it. It was happiness, and love, and hatred, and sadness, and ecstasy, and everything in between.

The Chaos showed colors that have never been seen before, and never will be seen again. Colors that don't have names, colors that can't have names. They flashed, and some of them were even shining with blackness, showing a bright black.

The two impossible energies coalesced and spiraled up, ending in a giant ferocious dragon head. The dragon head started heading down the tube of the inter-dimensional whirlwind, ending at the bottom. The tail end came up and the dragon formed a spinning sphere of energy that was expanding.

And it expanded and expanded until it covered all of creation, reprogramming the base code.

-NEW PROGRAM ACCEPTED. EXECUTING. FOURTH WORLD BEING CREATED. RANMA SAOTOME UPGRADED TO ALL-POWERFULL. PLEASE HAVE A NICE DAY.-

All the bugs were destroyed.

Saffron died the final death, and in his place was a star-shaped seed.

Every god and demon that was not Hild, Kami-sama, and Ranma were knocked out.

Ranma looked around at this new world with new eyes and said, "Huh. That was cool, but what the heck just happened?"

A/N: Okay, a few things, to avoid some flames about how Ranma said he hasn't really laughed. First off, I am aware that he has laughed before. At least, I'm pretty sure he has. It's been a while since I read the manga, so I'm not sure, but he has almost defenatly laughed. Just not for himself.

He's laughed mockingly, kiddingly, out of fear, but not because of relief, or happyness, or because someone was tickling him. That said, NO RANMA IS NOT ANGSTY EMO. It's cannon that he is not. He can't use depression chi! One of my pet peeves is angsty Ranma. It's not who he is! Sad Ranma, smart Ranma, complecated Ranma, fine. But no angsty Ranma. And no humble Ranma! ...sorry. Just my pet peeves. ...well. My giant peeves that threaten to destroy me because I fed them too much, but still.

One last thing: Chi and Ki... I don't know the diffrence, and I don't see a reason to care. Unless somebody gives me a good reason to care, I will be using them more or less interchangably. If this bugs you, I humbly apologize.