I decided to put thse two episodes up together, mostly because I'm on ep 9
in draft form.

Ranma 1/2: Siblings
Episode 3

All Ranma 1/2 characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.  Viz owns the US
rights, and I'm using them without permission.  Don't sue me, I have no
money.

***

"A fair?"  Andrew asked incredulously.  "I haven't been to one of those in
ages!"

Nodoka nodded.  "Yes, it should be fun.  Akane, Nabiki, and Ranma are
going, would you like to go along?"

"Sure," Andrew said.  He ran up to their room, and quickly put on some
nicer clothes.  He ran back downstairs and flashed her a smile as he
followed the others out the door.  "Thanks...Mom!"  Nodoka smiled faintly. 
He was still having trouble saying that one word, but it was getting
better.

The four walked down to the fair, and Ranma and Andrew had a blast racking
up the prizes.  Akane looked on partially amused and partially irriated. 
"I can't take you two anywhere!" she complained.  Ranma and Andrew
exchanged a glance and laughed.

"Ranchan!"  Ranma's face lit up and Akane's turned dark at that cry.  Out
of the crowds an attractive woman dressed in men's clothing approached
them.  She had a bandolier accross her chest, with several small spatulas
in it.  Across her back she had a very large metal spatula.

"Hey, Ucchan!" Ranma greeted.  "Meet my brother, Andrew."  Ucchan looked at
the two young men in confusion.  "Long story," he told her.  "He's
adopted."  He quickly intoduced Ukyo to Andrew.  "So if you ever see a big
grey dog walk in your store, you'll know it's him."  He ducked the swat
from Andrew.

"I'm a WOLF, damnit," he growled at Ranma.  "And I prefer to refer to my
coat as 'silver'," he said loftily, then smiled at Ukyo while Ranma and
Akane snickered.  "Any friend of my brother's is a friend of mine."  Ukyo
smiled brightly back at him and echoed the sentiment.

"Ranma!  You come to fair to see Shampoo?"  This time Ranma's face went a
little pale, and Akane's and Ukyo's faces both turned dark.  Andrew watched
a beautiful purple haired girl come out of the crowds.  She wore a
form-hugging purple outfit which didn't leave much to the imagination. 
"Shampoo see spatula girl and violent pervert girl here too.  Who him?" she
asked, pointing to Andrew.  Ranma performed introductions, and in minutes
the three women quickly fell to their standard bickering.

"My, they get along," Andrew noted as him, Ranma and Nabiki walked on,
leaving the three behind.  "So Ranma, Nabiki was telling me you actually
have three fiancees?"  Ranma stiffened and nodded.  Andrew grinned.  "My
brother the Don Juan.  Can I have one?"

"What're you talking about?"  Ranma demanded, shocked.

"Hey, you've got two to spare.  Brothers should share and all that..." he
trailed off as he felt a sudden heat at his back.  Ranma looked over his
shoulder and paled.  "Those two wouldn't happen to be the other two, would
they?"  Ranma nodded.  "They're all right behind me, aren't they?"  Ranma
nodded again.  "I'm dead, aren't I?"  Ranma nodded again.  Andrew whirled
and smiled his best please-don't-kill-me-it-was-only-a-joke smile.

"Ladies!" he said, holding his hands up and backing away, leaving Ranma
behind as the three women advanced on him, their battle aura's showing. 
"There's no need for violence..."  *I'm going to die.*  He suddenly looked
over their shoulders.  "Hey Ranma, stop showing off your muscles!"  The
three women whirled to see a startled Ranma, still wearing his shirt. 
"Bye!"  Andrew ran off through the crowds, the three fiancees in hot
pursuit.  "Out of the way!"  He yelled. "Hot soup, coming through!  Come
on, people, MOVE!"

Ranma and Nabiki watched them disappear.  "Hot soup?"  Nabiki asked
incredulously.

"It worked, didn't it?"  Ranma shrugged and laughed.  "I hope they don't
hurt him too much."

The girls eventually returned, still mad since they were unable to catch
Andrew.  Despite the hostility between the three women, Ranma still managed
to have a good evening, and he, Akane and Nabiki came home late that night
in high spirits.

Ranma went to his room, and heard a knock in the window.  He opened it, and
saw Andrew hanging from the roof.  "Is it safe?"  Andrew asked.  "Does
Akane still want to kill me?"

"Nah, she's quick to forgive.  She might smack ya once in the morning,
though."  Andrew grimanced and climbed into the room.  "Big tip, bro: watch
yer mouth around them.  Ukyo will probably forgive you, but I think
Shampoo's out for blood."

"No kidding," Andrew replied.  "Short tempers your fiancees have there." 
He stripped down to shorts and an undershirt, and lay back on his futon. 
"Which one you in love with?  The cutest?"

"Akane is NOT cute!"  Ranma growled, and blushed as he realized what he
said.  "That was dirty!" he protested.

"Just checking," Andrew chuckled.  

Ranma grumbled and lay back on his futon.  "Hey, I meant to ask you, what's
your Kempo school?  It's alot like Anything Goes."

"Well, my sensei called it Organized Mayhem.  It takes the best pieces from
a bunch of arts and pieces them together into a kind of free flowing style,
it relies on speed and misdirection."  He fell silent a moment.  "Hey, who
taught you those moves, anyway?  I was told they were secrets of the
village I was in."

Ranma snorted.  "This old ghoul taught the Kachu Tenshin Amiguriken and the
Hiryu Shoten Ha to me.  She's Shampoo's great-grandmother.  The Moko
Takabisha is based on this move called the Shishi Hodokan that Ryoga uses. 
I'm not depressed enough to do it, so I use my confidence."

Andrew swore softly.  "I should have known they weren't secrets.  It's kind
of odd, though, I mean your blast has a tiger aspect, and your whirling
attack has a dragon aspect."

"So?"

"Well, I was trained to give both of mine Wolf aspects, since that's what I
turn into."  He was silent for a moment.  "I suppose it doesn't matter
since you change into a girl."  He laughed as the image of a girl-whirlwind
came to him.  "In fact, I'd say it's an awfully good idea."  He fell silent
again.  "By the way, can I punch the guys who say rude remarks about your
girl form?"

"Please do."

"OK, just wanted to make sure.  'Night, Ranma."

"'Night, bro."

***

It was Sunday, and the two families sat down to an excellent breakfast. 
Ranma and Andrew were still damp from their post-practice bath.  Nabiki
discussed some of the boys at school with Akane, enjoying her generally
negative reactions.  Soun and Genma ate quietly, enjoying the friendly
atmosphere.

Suddenly, the wall burst inward, reavaling a very angry purple-haired
amazon wielding twin bonbori.  "Andrew!  Shampoo kill!"  She thrust her
weapons at Andrew, who rolled out of the way.

Andrew lept out into the yard.  "Come on, Shampoo, it was only a joke!" 
Shampoo raced out after him, leaving large dents in the ground every time
Andrew dodged.

"Shampoo no joke about marrying Ranma," the amazon yelled, and attacked
harder.

"He's very good, son-in-law," Cologne said beside him.  Ranma yelped and
fell back.

"Damnit, don't do that!" he said, sitting up slowly.  He watched Shampoo
chase Andrew around the yard.  "Of course he's good.  I wouldn't let any
old sap be my brother."  

"Your brother?" Cologne asked, suprised, then slowly nodded.  "Ah, he is
adopted."  She suddenly cackled as she saw Andrew begin to lose his temper
and fight back.

"You know Shampoo," Andrew said as he weaved by an attack.  "I don't like
fighting girls, but in your case, I'll make an exception."  He quickly
counterattacked, knocking Shampoo back a few steps.

"Son-in-law, unless you want to share a fiancee with your brother, I'd stop
that fight."  Ranma paled and lept to his feet.  The sick feeling of dread
in his chest told him he was already too late.  He ran outside, just in
time to see Andrew knock Shampoo out.

"Andrew you idiot!" he screamed.  "Now she's going to want to marry you
too!"  Andrew froze, and shakingly walked over to Ranma, and grabbed the
other's shirt.

"She's an amazon?!"  Andrew demanded into Ranma's face.  Ranma nodded, and
the other let him go.  "WHY didn't you TELL ME?"  He sank to his knees and
screamed in frustration.  "I went through all that trouble to AVOID that!"

Cologne came out of the house to check on Shampoo, and Akane followed her,
and placed her hands in sympathy on Andrew's shoulders.  She smiled
impishly.  "Blame Ranma," she told him.

Andrew looked up at her, confused.  "Huh?"

"Blame Ranma.  Everyone else does.  You'll feel better."

Andrew stood, and faced his brother.  "RANMA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" he
roared, Ranma flinching under the verbal onslaught.  Andrew looked over at
Akane with a sheepish smile.  "You're right.  I do feel better."  His eyes
hardened, and he walked over to Cologne.

"Respected Elder," he began.  "I will not marry her," he said, wilting a
little under the elderly woman's implacable stare.  "I will fight to my
death before I accept a marriage I do not want.  I expect my brother feels
the same."

"I always liked a challenge, son-in-law," Cologne told him.  She picked up
her great-granddaughter and leapt out of the yard with her.

***

"I can't believe you!" Andrew said, exasperated.  "Why exactly did you have
to change into your girl form to eat ice cream?"

Ranma-chan sat at the table with the remains of several sundays before her,
busily finishing off another.  "Because," she said through a mouthful,
"guys don't eat ice cream like this."

"HUMAN BEINGS don't eat ice cream like that."  Andrew took a final sip on
his milkshake.  "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look?  You weigh
maybe 50 kilos soaking wet like that, and you eat like a horse."  He
sighed, and paid the waiter.  "Last time I ever go out to eat with you. 
Come on, lets go, I want to go apologise to Ukyo."  He fingered a bruise on
his jaw, and winced.  "Considering Akane's and Shampoo's reaction to my
joke, I'd rather play it safe."

The two got up and left the restaurant, taking the back streets to
Ucchan's.  "Hey, Ucchan's OK," Ranma-chan told him.  "She won't hit ya or
nothin'."

"So says the master of understatement.  'Akane'll smack ya' he says, and
what do I get?  An uppercut that sends me flying 5 city blocks."

"Hey, you're lucky she likes you," Ranma-chan said, laughing.  "She knocks
Kuno into LEO regularly."

"Yeah, but he deserves it," Andrew reminded her.  He suddenly froze and
jumped straight up, as a handful of shuriken stuck into the ground.

"DIE SAOTOME!"  Upon a nearby wall, a young Chinese man wearing long white
robes stood.  He had some very thick glasses pushed up on his forehead.

"Mousse, you idiot, put on your glasses, I'm right here!"  Ranma-chan
bounded up onto the wall and decked the young man, who staggered back a few
steps.  Ranma-chan leapt straight up as a few chained weapons flew at him.

"Stay out of this, Ranma," Mousse cried.  "I'm here for the OTHER Saotome. 
One of you was bad enough, I will not stand for two of you!"

"Oh, he's right behind you," Ranma-chan told him.  Mousse whirled, and the
last thing he saw was the sole of a shoe before he was launched into the
air by a kick from Andrew.  Ranma-chan watched him fly through the air. 
"Nice form."

"Who's that twerp, and what did I do to him?"  Andrew asked, looking in
suprise at all the weapons on the ground.  "How the hell does he WALK with
all this stuff?  Even better, where does he KEEP it?"

Ranma-chan ticked off her fingers as she answered him.  "Mousse, he's in
love with Shampoo, I dunno, and I still dunno."  Ranma-chan picked up a
blade.  "He's a Hidden Weapons artist, maybe it's some secret trick."

Andrew groaned.  "Why do I keep on inheriting your problems?"

Ranma-chan laughed and pattered her brother on the shoulder, leading him to
Ucchans.  "Hey, you're not a Saotome til you've got an unwanted fiancee and
an enemy.  Besides, as you said, brothers share."

After a few minutes the two reached Ucchan's.  Andrew made his abject
apology while Ranma-chan gorged on a few okonomiyaki.  Aside from a rather
half-harted smack from Ukyo's battle-spat, she accepted the apology.  Soon
later Ranma (now male) and Andrew were walking back to the dojo.  "Not
bad," Ranma said.  "I'd give it an 8."

"This from the guy who's never said sorry in his entire life if what Pop
tells me is right."

"I have too!"

"Name one," Andrew challenged.  Ranma was silent for a very long time.
Andrew looked over at him, and laughed when he saw Ranma concentrating
heavily.  Ranma heard him laughing and lost his temper.

"So what if I can't remember?" he demanded.  "I know I've said it!"  He
took a swipe at Andrew, who dodged and ran off laughing.  "Why you....COME
BACK HERE!"  Ranma took off after his brother.

***

Ranma caught up with Andrew to see him stopped in the gate like a statue. 
"Hey, what's..."  he trailed off as he saw the devestation.  The yard was
ruined, and there were large holes through the house.  "What the HELL?"  He
ran into the house, Andrew right behind him.  Inside, they saw Soun sitting
in the living room, tears pouring from his eyes.  Genma-panda lay on the
ground, unconscious.  Seeing Ranma, Soun rose to his feet and grabbed
Ranma's shirt.

"RANMA! It's a disaster," he wailed.  "They're gone, all my daughters,
gone!  And your mother too!  My poor Kasumi! And Nabiki! And Akane!  What
am I going to do now?"  Andrew looked around frantically.

"M..mother?" he whispered.  "NO WAY!"  He ran into the kitchen, and came
out with some hot water, which he poured on Genma-panda, waking him up. 
"What happened?  Who the hell did this?"

Genma groaned and sat up.  "A very powerful artist.  He calls himself Lord
Shinzo.  He came in, saying a Tendo must be his bride, and took them all
away."  Tears began to stream from his face.  "I tried to stop him, son.  I
really did, but he was too strong."

"NOT AGAIN!!!"  Ranma yelled.  "I'll...I'll kill him!!!"  Ranma lifted up
the dining table, which had been overturned.  Under it he saw Ryoga, the
crap kicked out of him.  "Oh man, he trashed Ryoga too, this guy is good." 
He pulled a piece of paper from Ryoga's hand.  He read it and crumpled it. 
"Let's go, 'Drew," he said, his voice grim.  He kicked Ryoga lightly. 
"Come on P-chan."  Ryoga groaned and woke up.  He sat up, holding his head.

"Where?" Andrew asked, almost growling.

"China," he said.  Just then, Shampoo came running through a wall, and
stopped just short of glomping on Andrew.

"Aiyah!" She exclaimed.  "What happen here?"

"Another kidnapping," Ranma said shortly.

"Violent pervert girl again?" she asked.  "Shampoo not suprised."

"Not just her," Ranma snapped.  "Nabiki, Kasumi, and Mom!"

"Aiyah," Shampoo breathed softly.  "That bad...Shampoo go get
great-grandmother and Mousse.  We go rescue, OK?"  She turned to walk out. 
"Shampoo get spatula girl too."

"Shampoo," Andrew said softly.  "Thanks."

Shampoo nodded.  "Shampoo know how she feel if someone hurt her family." 


Notes:

Andrew's Attacks: Yes, they're alot like Ranma's, they're supposed to be.
Konton Irichen Seme = chaos series attack
-it's a bunch of very fast attacks where the attacker telegraphs one move
but strikes with another

Ookami Takabisha = Wolf Domineering
-Moko Takabisha with a wolf motif

Ookami Gufuu = Wolf Tornado
-Hiryu Shoten Ha 



Ranma 1/2: Siblings
Episode 4

All Ranma 1/2 characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.  Viz owns the US
rights, and I'm using them without permission.  Don't sue me, I have no
money.

***

"Thank you again, Respected Elder," Andrew said, staring over the boat's
gunwale, watching the sun set.  "You didn't have to pay for this trip. 
Ranma says we could have borrowed a boat from Kuno."

"I'm old, son-in-law, not heartless," Cologne told him sharply.  "Besides,
I'd rather give up some trinket than have to listen to that sword-wielding
idiot."

Andrew, Ranma and Cologne stood at the side of a small boat.  Somewhere
near the stern, Shampoo was arguing with Mousse.  Ryoga was lost below,
while Genma attempted to keep Soun's mind occupied with a game of shogi. 
Ukyo was absent, having begged out due to an audit.

"As Shampoo said," she continued.  "I'd know how I'd feel if someone did
this to my family."

Ranma's hands tightened, crushing a bit of the railing.  "You don't know
the half of it."  Andrew nodded darkly.

***

The company stared up at the mountain.  Spiralling around it was a long
path, and at the top stood a tall tower.  "Reminds me of Kirin's place,"
Ranma said.

"I don't care who's place it looks like, I'm going to kick his ass." 
Andrew snarled.  He and Ranma started to run up the path, stopping when
they came upon a small building blocking their way.

"Yep, lots like Kirin's place," Ranma commented.  "I'll take this guy."  He
ran into the open door, Andrew a few steps behind him.  The others,
catching up, heard a high-pitched scream, and Ranma came running out,
bowling over Andrew.  "C-c-c-c-cat!!!!" he stuttered, hiding behind Ryoga.

"What the hell?" Andrew groaned, sitting up.

"My son's afraid of cats!" Genma cried, "Oh, the shame."  

He was knocked on the head by Ranma.  "It's your fault!" he roared.  Andrew
chuckled evilly.  Ranma and the others looked at him in shock.

"Oh, excellent," he said to no onein particular.  "I HATE cats."  Shampoo
paled slightly.  "This is just what I need."  Cracking his knuckles, he
walked into the small building.  The others followed.

Inside, they saw an luxurious room.  The walls were covered in tapestries,
and in one corner there was a huge pile of cushions.  A little man lay on
them, looking at Andrew in amusement.  He yawned delicately, and stood,
stretching.  He wore nothing but a pair of short black pants on his wiry
form.  He moved with a slow grace.  They noticed with a shock that his eyes
were slitted like a cat's.  "Oh dear, another one."  He sighed.  "The
challenge is this: defeat me and the other 6 guardians of Shinzo, and you
may a challenge Lord Shinzo," he said in a monotone, almost mechanically. 
"Oh course, you won't even beat me."

"Big words, little man," Andrew said, flexing his hands.  "Bring it on." 
The other laughed in disdain.

"If you wish."  His eyes flashed, and the others could see his battle aura
glow, and resolve into a large cat-like form.  They felt a feat grip their
hearts, and backed away.

"CAT!"  Andrew growled, and charged at the little man, suprising him.  He
jump-kicked the other in the chest, knocking him back into the cushions. 
The little man rose to his feet and glared at Andrew in anger.

"How dare you touch me!"  His cat aura glowed again.  Andrew roared and
leapt at him, striking him again and again.

Ryoga shivered as Ranma cowered behind him.  "How can he do that?  I'm
fighting with everything I have to stand here, and I'm NOT afraid of cats."

Cologne watched Andrew batter the little man about a bit more.  "He's all
bluster," she said, indicating the little man.  "Notice how he doesn't even
fight back.  He relies on intimidation."  She looked at Shampoo. 
"Great-granddaughter, you may want to avoid changing forms around
Andrew-son-in-law.  This hatred of cats is a side effect of his training."

Shampoo nodded softly.  "Aiyah," she breathed.  "Why all Shampoo's husbands
have cat problems?"

"Maybe it's a subtle hint, Shampoo," Mousse said.  "The gods themseves are
telling you I'm the only one for you!"  He glomped on her, and seconds
later flew through the air into the little man, knocking him out.

"HEY!"  Andrew yelled at the group.  "No butting in!"  He turned and picked
up the little man, and tossed him into the cushions.  "What a loser.  Hey,
Ranma," he called, "you can come out now."  Ranma looked up, had a full
body shudder, and walked up to Andrew.

"Thanks, bro," he said shakily, then got ahold of himself.  "Next one's
mine."

"No way!  I gave you first crack on this one, it's not my fault you
chickened out!"

"It's not my fault!"

"It's always your fault!" Andrew yelled.

"You sound like Akane!" Ranma yelled back, and the two fell silent.  The
looked around and noticed the others were gone.  "Not again," Ranma sighed.
 "Come on, we'd better go save them too."  They ran out after the others.

Soon, they came upon the ruins of another gate.  As they climbed past the
wreckage, Andrew noticed several craters in the ground.  "What happened
here?"

"Ryoga happened,"  Ranma said.  "He's got this move called the Bakusai
Tenketsu."  He pointed at a crater.  "Shatters rocks, and wood.  Doesn't
work on people though."  He grimaced.  "But the explosion from one of the
explosions can really hurt."  He looked at his brother seriously as they
travelled to the next gate.  "Ryoga's strong, really tough, and almost as
fast as me."  He grinned.  "I beat him all the time, you might find him a
challenge."

Andrew snorted.  "Yeah, whatever, LITTLE brother."  They came upon another
gate, and found it empty. Weapons and chains littered the ground, and a
tall, sticklike man lay unconscious on the floor, his body covered with
minor cuts and bruises.  "Let me guess.  Mousse."

Ranma nodded.  "They did this at Kirin's too."  He looked up the path,
"Jeez, we better move."

The two ran ahead after the rest of the group.

***

After passing two more gates, each one showing the remnants of a battle,
they finally caught up to the group.  Mousse, Shampoo, Genma, and Ryoga lay
on the ground unconscious in their cursed forms, soaked.  Andrew growled
and started for Shampoo, but Ranma held him back.  Soun wailed.  Cologne,
predicting Andrew's reaction, was heating some water.

"Where the hell did you guys find water?"  Ranma asked Cologne while he
held Andrew back.  Cologne quickly poured the hot water on the unconscious
cat, turning her into a girl.  Andrew relaxed.

"The artist inside uses water as a weapon, son-in-law.  He stands in the
middle of a spring, and shoots streams of water that strike like hammers. 
You are the only ones who can defeat him."

"Umm, Respected Elder?"  Andrew interrupted,  "Why didn't you fight him?" 
Cologne whacked him on the head.

"Because, son-in-law, I choose not to," she said haughtily.

Ranma looked at Andrew.  "I'll go in."  Andrew nodded.  Ranma ran into the
gate, and soon they could hear a feminine voice yelling battle cries. 
After a few moments, Ranma-chan came hurtling out of the building, soaking
wet.  Andrew kneeled at his sibling's side.

"You OK?"  Andrew asked.  Ranma-chan nodded, and tried to catch her breath.

"He's fast," she gasped.  "I can't get close to him."  Andrew stood and
began to take off his clothes.

"What are you doing, son-in-law?" Cologne asked.

"Ranma needs a diversion.  I'll be it."  He walked over to Ryoga's pack and
rummaged through it, pulling out a canteen.  "Unlike them," he indicated
the cursed teens.  "My other form's useful."  He openned it and poured the
contents on himself, morphing into a silver wolf.  He padded over to
Ranma-chan and licked the other's face.

"Ah, so you are cursed too, son-in-law," Cologne said approvingly.  "And a
fine form it is."

"Hey, stop that!"  Ranma-chan protested, batting Andrew-wolf away. "Come
on, lets go."  Andrew-chan barked once and ran into the gate, Ranma-chan
waited a moment, the followed.

Ranma-chan entered to see the guardian throwing blast after blast of water
at Andrew-wolf, who twisted and leapt out of the way.  Every once in a
while he would get hit by a jet of water.  Ranma-chan took advantage of the
diversion, and charged the guardian.  She jumped in the air, attempting a
kick, but was blasted out of the air by a jet of water.

"How foolish," the guardian mocked.  "To think I would not see through your
little trick."  He blasted Andrew-wolf again, and the wolf lay still. 
"That's one." He then turned his attention to Ranma-chan, and began to
attack her.  It was all Ranma-chan could do to avoid being hit.

The guardian laughed.  "How pathetic.  I expected people who beat the other
five to be a chall-urk."  He was knocked down by a heavy weight on his
back.  He felt the jaws of a wolf at his neck, and lay very still. 
Ranma-chan walked up to him and carefully drove her fist into his face,
knocking him out.  

She looked at the soaked wolf, who sat on the guardian, panting, looking
inordinately pleased with himself.  "Weren't YOU supposed to be MY
diversion?"  Andrew-wolf wagged his tail, and barked.  "Yeah, I suppose. 
Whatever works."  She sighed.  "Let's heat some water so we can all change
back."  Andrew-chan barked again and followed Ranma-chan out to the others.

***

"Well, ladies, are you enjoying your stay?"  Akane looked up from the
bricks she was breaking to see a large man, probably in his thrities,
wearing traditional samurai armor.  She, her sisters, and Nodoka sat in a
rather luxurious apartment.  Nabiki lay back on a couch, drinking tea,
while Kasumi and Nodoka worked on some sewing.  The man looked with an
amused glance at Akane.  "I see you did not lie.  Your Ranma HAS come for
you," he chuckled.  "He and his friends have been most amusing."

"Ranma's here?" Akane demanded.  "Where?"

"Calm yourself, girl, he has yet to defeat all my guardians."  He looked at
a piece of paper in his hand.  "He must be an impressive warrior.  I do
hope he defeats them all, I look forward to killing him myself."

"You won't find my son so easy to kill, Lord Shinzo," said Nodoka coldly. 
The man laughed.

"I do hope so.  Which one is he?  I'll save him for last."  He read the
paper again.  "The grey-haired boy?" He noticed the sparks of recognition,
but no great reaction.  "No? Then he must be the boy with the pig-tail." 
Akane's face brightened, and he nodded with satisfaction.  "He is.  Good." 
He turned to leave.  "Farewell ladies, I will return to inform you when the
funeral is scheduled."

Akane looked worriedly after the man.  "Ranma, you jerk, be careful," she
whispered.

***

The group entered the last gate, and saw a large, empty room.  In the
middle, a lone man stood.  He was the most decidedly average man they had
ever seen.  Even his hair and eye colors were of unremarkable shades, a
sort of grey-brown.  The man looked at them, an amused smile on his face.

"Oh, eight against one.  That's not fair," he said.  Suddenly there were
two of him, then four.  Then eight.  "How about." He doubled again. "We
even." Again.  "The odds?" Soon there was a large crowd of the nondescript
men standing in front of them.

Andrew looked at the crowd of men.  "Ranma, you go on ahead.  Save them. 
We'll handle these guys."  Ranma started to protest, but Andrew grabbed him
and flipped him past the group of men.  Ranma yelled in suprise as he flew
through the exit.  Andrew looked over at Ryoga.  "Hey, pig-boy."  Ryoga
scowled over at him.  "Ranma tells me you're pretty good."  Ryoga looked at
him blankly and nodded slowly.  "Good.  You take the ones on the left, I'll
take the ones on the right.  The rest of you," he turned to he others. 
"Take the center."  With that, he charged into the crowd of men, fists and
feet flying.  A moment later, the others joined him.

***

Ranma ran on to the tower, trying to ignore the sounds of combat behind
him.  *Thanks, bro.*  He burst through the doors, and stopped just inside. 
There, all alone, stood a giant of a man wearing armor.  He wielded a
traditional katana and wakazashi combination.  "You must be Ranma," the
warrior boomed.  "I've heard so much about you."

"Give me Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, and my mother, and you won't get hurt." 
The warrior laughed.

"Oh, I like you, boy," the man said.  "You stare death itself in the face. 
Consider youself lucky, boy, you will die by the hands of Lord Shinzo
himself."

"Shut up and fight!"  With that, Ranma charged the man.  He leveled a punch
at the Shinzo's head, only to pull his hand back suddenly as a sword swung
at his fist.  He attempted several more attacks, yet each time he had to
abort them at the last moment or lose an appendage.  *God, he's good.* 
"KACHU TENSHIN AMIGURIKEN!"  he roared, and his hands blurred as he threw
scores of punches at the warrior, smiling as felt a couple impacts, and
then wincing as he felt the blades cut into his arms.  He fell back and
looked at his arms, which were covered in shallow cuts.

"Excellent, boy.  I haven't been touched in ages," the warrior laughed, and
his eyes hardened.  "But enough play."  His swords flashed out, and Ranma
cried out in pain as he felt hundreds of shallow cuts appear up and down
his body, his clothing in shreds.  Ranma fell to his knees in shock. 
"DIE!"  He started to swing his katana.

"OOKAMI TAKABISHA!"  The samurai was knocked back by a yellow blast.  Ranma
looked behind him to see Andrew standing behind him, his hands smoking. 
"Just what," he asked, his voice like ice, "did you think you were going to
do to my brother?"  He walked up to Ranma.  "I'll take him, bro, you rest."
 He turned to the warrior, who was shakilly getting to his feet, and
entered a battle stance.

"Such an affront I shall not accept," the warrior growled.  "My marriage to
a Tendo was fated in the stars, and no child shall defeat me."  He took a
few steps forward.  "Prepare yourself," he said, entering into a battle
stance.

"Less talk, more fighting," Andrew said, and charged the other.  "KONTON
IRICHEN SEME!"  Like Ranma had before him, he weaved through Shinzo's
defences until the warrior discovered his rythym, and soon had to pull out,
his arms stitched with shallow cuts.  "Damn it," he panted.  "You're good."
 He concentrated, and began to gather chi in his hands again.  "Let's see
you defend against this!  OOKAMI TAKABISHA!"  Another yellow blast flew at
Shinzo.  He looked in shock as the samurai crossed his swords, catching the
blast on them, then flung it back at him, knocking him back several meters.

Ranma ran to him, helping his brother up.  "Andrew, you OK?"  He looked at
his scorched and bleeding brother, and his own tattered form.  Andrew
groaned and nodded.  "Listen, remember what happened in our duel?"  Andrew
looked blank for a moment, and then nodded slowly.  "Lets see if he can
take that."

The two brothers faced the samurai, who looked back haughtily.  "Ready to
die, boys?" he asked, anger in his voice.  "I promised your fiancee and
mother I'd tell them when the funeral was.  Since you both have soiled me
with your touch, you both shall die."  Ranma and Andrew exchanged a glance.
 

Ranma took a deep breath.  "HIRYU SHOTEN..." he began.

"OOKAMI..."  Andrew started.

"...HA!!!" Ranma roared.

"GUFUU!!!" Andrew finished.  As Ranma's fist flew into the air, so to did
Andrew's foot.  The resulting twin blasts crashed into the warrior, dazing
him, but not knocking him out.

Shinzo shook his head.  "For that..." he trailed off as he saw the two
whirlwinds the attacks had formed merge into one, and crash into him,
flinging him into the high ceiling of the room.  He cried out in pain as he
slammed into the ground, and lay there unconscious as the bottom of a
smoking crater.

"We..did..it," Ranma panted.  Andrew fell to his knees, and then forward
onto his face.  "Andrew!"  He stumbled over to his brother rolled him over.
 "Bro, wake up!" he cried, shaking him.  Andrew groaned and opened his
eyes.

"Oh man, do I have a headache," he said, and slowly sat up.  "We win?"

"Yep," Ranma said, and helped his brother to his feet.  "Lets go find Akane
and the others."  The two stumbled forward, each one holding the other up.

"We're right here, son."

Ranma and Andrew looked up and saw Nodoka standing off to one side, the
Tendo daughters flanking her.  "Were..you here the whole time?"  Andrew
asked.

"Just the end, Andrew," Nabiki told him.  "You two work well as a team." 
Kasumi came forward and helped Andrew stand, while Akane helped Ranma.

"Akane..." Ranma whispered.  "You dummy, how many times do I have to save
you?" he asked.

"Raaannmmaaa..." she began, then fell off as she noticed his wounds. 
"Ranma!  You're hurt!"

Ranma and Andrew exchanged a glance.  As one, they spoke.  "Ah, it's
nothing," they said, and began to laugh weakly.  After a moment, Andrew
gasped and fell unconscious.  Kasumi laid him on the ground and began
tearing up her skirt to use as bandages.

"Use these." Ryoga said, pulling bandanas off of his head and handing them
to her.  Behind him, the other members of the rescue party came through the
door.  They were all battered from their combat with the last guardian. 
Nabiki held her father off of Kasumi while he wailed, so she could treat
Andrew.  Shampoo, Mousse and Cologne stood away a ways, watching the
proceedings.

"Ryoga!" Akane cried. "You're here too?"

Ryoga snorted as he pulled off bandanas to use as bandages, handing them to
Nodoka.  "Like I would trust Ranma to do this by himself."

"Without us you wouldn't have found it, P-chan," Ranma said weakly as his
mother trated him.  His upper body was covered with black and yellow cloth.
 "Besides, who needs ya.  Andrew's a better fighter than you any day of the
week."

Genma pulled himself up proudly.  "Of course, he's a Saotome."


Notes:

Andrew's Attacks: Yes, they're alot like Ranma's, they're supposed to be.
Konton Irichen Seme = chaos series attack
-it's a bunch of very fast attacks where the attacker telegraphs one move
but strikes with another

Ookami Takabisha = Wolf Domineering
-Moko Takabisha with a wolf motif

Ookami Gufuu = Wolf Tornado
-Hiryu Shoten Ha