Final Nerima VII written by Shaun Garin *** A short guide Ukyou Kounji : Tifa Lockheart Kasumi Tendo : Aeris Gainsbrough Ranma Saotome : Cloud Strife Shampoo : Yuffie Kisaragi Ryoga Hibiki : Barret Wallace Mousse : Reeve/Cait Sith Tatewaki Kuno : Sephiroth Kodachi Kuno : Vincent Valantine Ataru Moroboshi : Cid Highwind Tofu Ono : Red XIII Happosai : President Shinra Cologne : Godo Cherry : Buganhagan Nadoka : Cloud’s mother Nabiki Tendo : Scarlet Akane Tendo : Elena Ryunosuke (UY) : Tseng Ryunosuke (Nuku Nuku) : Zack Kyusaku : Reno Nuku Nuku : Rude Genma : Hojo Kimiko Tendo : Aeris’ mother Herb : Dyne Mint : Palmer Lime : Heidigger Konatsu : Jessie Mikando : Biggs Tsubasa : Wedge and guest starring Saffron as Rufus Have fun. *** The Seventh Heaven was a peculiar place for people. But then again, the head waitress was more than enough for either crowd. Tall, leggy, built in all the right places, Ukyou Lockheart was someone to be reckoned with. With a combonation of Martial Arts and her Fists, along with a huge kickass Spatula on her back, she was very intimidating indeed. That didn’t stop the male crowd to watch her several times during the lunch and supper crowd. Which lead to several whackings upside the head. She turned about, sweeping long brunette hair back and called, “Konatsu! Where’s that food?” Konatsu came out, holding a tray of food. “She”, wore a pair of combat fatigues, a red headband across her head and wore earrings. Black hair was in a simple ponytail. “Coming,” she said in a demure voice as she set down the food in front of a customer. Ukyou sighed and returned to mixing drinks and cooking Okonomiyaki. Soon, a solidly built man, his height topping six feet, his body clothed with a ragged leather jacket, pants and two dog tags hanging from his neck on a chain. He carried a pack, his forehead decorated with a spotted headband and his right hand sported a huge gun grafted into his arm. He grinned, flashing fangs. “Ukyou, get these mugs outta here,” he called out, setting down his pack. He then glared at the stragglers and barked, “MOVE IT!” Within seconds, the Bar was cleared and two men appeared out from behind him. One was a tallish man with light brown hair in a ponytail. The other was tall with short brown hair and a haughty expression. Mikando Biggs and Tsubasa Wedge. Soon, Konatsu appeared from behind the bar, dressed in black ninja fatigues. “Get in here youse,” Ryoga barked, “We’re starting the meeting.” Ryoga Wallace was a man who broke no arguement. Soon, his daughter Marlene rushed out from behind the bar and he swept her up in a hug. As he settled down on a table, he was joined by Mikando, Tsubasa, Konatsu and Ukyou. “Our first hit tonight is the No. 1 Reactor. You all know what ‘ta do. And don’t fucking screw it up!” Mikando snorted and swept back his hair. “Don’t worry boss, we won’t mess up.” Ryoga grunted derisively and stood up. “Don’t move in a group less ya hafta. Biggs, you’re with me.” He stood up, turned about three times and asked, “Where the hell’s the freaking door?” *** Atop the large Shinra Tower, President Shinra watched the plate from his window. A shrunken old man with huge eyes, clothed in a red suit and constantly smoking a pipe, he looked like he couldn’t stop anything. Then again, nothing or no one is perfect. President Happosai Shinra was a powerful martial artist. Over nearly three hundred years of experience running Shinra Power, he was the most powerful and influencial man on the face of the planet. Suddenly, the plate was rocked with a massive explosion. He swivelled about in his chair and puffed his pipe. “Hmm, AVALANCHE,” he muttered as he drew a long drag from the pipe. He reached for his pager and rang it. “Scarlet, Reeve, report to my office.” Soon, two people came up the twin stairs to his office. Mousse Reeve was a tall slender man that looked almost gangly if not for the grace he moved with. He wore thick glasses which were currently slid down on his nose. Long black hair was tied in a ponytail. The other was a chestnut haired woman, her hair cut in a short bob. She wore a red dress that was nearly skintight. Her name was Nabiki Scarlet. “You called President Shinra?” President Shinra nodded. “There has been an explosion at the Reactor. Have the Promised Land Project stepped up to Level 4. The Prophecies are being fulfilled.” Nabiki nodded and Mousse bowed. As they left, Nabiki spared a glare at him. “Don’t get in my way Reeve,” she snarled. “I don’t need your griping about the City now.” Reeve narrowed his eyes before retreating into his office. Within the confines of his large spacious office, he resumed work on the shadowed object that sat within the corners of his office. *** Ryoga stepped into the Seventh Heaven, seconds before bumping into a black haired man. He had his hair up in large spikes, a long ponytail trailing down his back. He wore a blue outfit, brown boots, thick gloves studded with Materia, shoulder armor and a huge sword, four and a half feet of solid steel with a few Materia, two green, two blue and a unfamiliar red one stuffed in a slot near the hilt. “Sorry,” Ryoga muttered. The man shoved past him before staring back. His eyes were strange. Blue with swimming gold flecks in them. Ryoga had a feeling that he knew what the eyes meant. As Ryoga stepped into the Seventh Heaven, he was greeted by Ukyou who was rushing out after the man. “RANCHAN!” The man stopped short, spinning about. “Hmm?” A expression of confusion greeted the leggy brunette. “Ucchan?” he asked quietly. Ukyou grabbed him in a hug. “Ranchan! I can’t believe it!” Ryoga scratched his head with his gunarm. “Hey Ukyou, who’s the stiff?” Ukyou turned about and stepped away to reveal the man named Ranma. “Ryoga, this is Ranma, an old friend from Nibelheim. He’s in SOLDIER.” That brought out Ryoga’s bad side as he leveled his gunarm at him. “Get outta da way! He’s Shinra!” Ranma glared at him. “I don’t want no trouble. Ukyou, I’ll see you later.” He turned about and stalked away. Ryoga growled darkly, ripping off several bandana’s and spinning them into razor disks. “I say we toast him and leave no witnesses.” Ukyou turned on the huge man and slapped him. “Idiot!” she bellowed. “He’s not in SOLDIER anymore! Do you even realize how LONG it’s been since I’ve seen him?!” She turned away angrily and ran after him. Ryoga crossed his arms and stalked back into the Seventh Heaven, muttering about the introspection of the female species in general. *** “Ranma?” Ranma Strife turned at the sound of the voice. Ukyou. Just as he remembered her. Tall, with long brunette hair, her hands covered with red gloves, her long long legs, perfect body, the short leather skirt and tanktop with suspenders. She had a new addition of a bandolier strapped across her front with small spatulas on the front and had a large one on her back. A major contrast to his blunt steel. “Ukyou. How’s it been? Four, five years?” Ukyou blinked. “It’s been Seven. How’ve you been? Since Nibelheim that is?” Ranma shrugged. “Well, since the town burned down when Kuno burned it down...” She blinked. “You were there? I didn’t see you.” “Sure I was there!” he said, folding his arms. “I was in SOLDIER, right?” She looked a bit uncertian before saying, “Yeah, you’re right.” Ranma looked at the Seventh Heaven. “Your Resturant?” he asked. “More like a Bar. But it brings good money.” “And the big guy with the gun on his arm? He your boyfriend?” She looked a bit shocked and then laughed. “Ryoga? No, he’s got a kid. We’re just friends.” He nodded and said, “Well, gotta go.” As he turned, she said, “Wait. Can you help us?” He didn’t turn before saying, “AVALANCHE, right?” At her shocked expression, he chuckled. “I’m not totally clueless. I saw you guys running away from the Number One Reactor and put two and two together. You want me to join, don’t you.” Ukyou nodded. “It’s for the Planet.” He snorted. “The Planet. I don’t care about that. All I need is money to get back to Cosmo Canyon. Mother is waiting for me there.” “Mrs. Strife?” Nadoka Strife was one of the survivors of the attack on Nibelheim. She was out of the place when the Shinra came. The Legendary Sephiroth Kuno, A SOLDIER First Class named Ryu and two normal Soldiers. Ranma wasn’t anywhere to be seen. So how did he know about the events Five years ago? She was twenty one and Ranma was the same age. He left for Midgar when he was seventeen. “Yeah. So I just need a few jobs before I get to Cosmo Canyon.” He swept back his spikey hair before saying, “So, when do I start?” *** “Our target is the Number Five Reactor. We don’t have much time so we’ll make this a standard hit’n run. You, SOLDIER, you should know the place well so you got point.” Ranma shrugged before checking his Materia. The train chugged along before pulling to a stop at the Sector Five Station. Ryoga jumped off the train, followed by Ukyou, Konatsu, Mikando, Tsubasa and Ranma taking the rear. Soon, the reached the entrance of the reactor and Konatsu fiddled with a device before saying, “Code Deciphered.” Ryoga turned and barked orders. “Ranma, Ukyou and I will go on ahead. You get the hell out of here. We don’t want anyone getting blown up before their time. Ranma,” he said, swivelling about, “Gimme some Materia.” Ranma looked at him curiously. “Do you even know how to use Materia?” “Don’t give me that crap! Of course I know!” “No you don’t,” Ukyou put in, tightening her gloves. “Now let Ranma explain.” After a long and tedious explination while setting the bomb, Ryoga stuffed a few into the slots on his gunarm. “Okay, so I just shout Ice or Bolt and Magic’ll be used?” “That’s about it. But don’t use it too repeatedly or you’ll tire out.” He tossed Ukyou a Restore and an All and she stuffed them in her gloves. “Okay, good thing cause here comes the calvary!” From out of nowhere, a huge robot came out of nowhere and knocked Ryoga into the wall. “Damn that hurt!” He armed his weapon and started to shoot. Ranma drew his huge sword and stabbed it into its middle chest plate, and chanted quickly. At once, lightning ran across his sword and it started to break down. Ukyou came in, swinging her spatula and cleaved a arm, sending gouts of fluid into the air. The robot started to tremble violently before Ranma knocked Ukyou to the side, shouting, “RUN! It’s gonna BLOW!” Too late. With a tremendous explosion and a show of pyrotechnics, the robot exploded, leaving a gaping hole in the walkway. Ranma grabbed onto the hanging rails but a second explosion, this one from the Reactor itself, sent him spirling downward into the slums below. Ukyou shed a tear. “Ranchan... Gomen Ne.” *** “Kasumi! Kasumi!” Kasumi Gainsbrough, a happy child of twenty one, going on twenty two, looked up from where her mother Kimiko was calling. She stood up, wiping dust from her pink dress before gasping. Her mother was pulling a injured man from the slum area, a huge sword hanging on his back. “Kasumi, get some water for him and set up a bed.” She did so and minutes later, Ranma awoke. “Who?” He then looked up and his eyes widened. “Kasumi?” Kasumi looked down and she smiled in delight. “RANMA! It’s been so long!” “Two years. Pop’s introduced me to you, remember? Say, where’s your dad anyhow?” Kasumi blushed modestly. “He went to Wutai. Miss Cologne said that he needed some more training. His former Master, President Shinra is too busy to train him now.” Ranma shook his head as it started to cloud. “Man, and I’ll bet that Pops is still his scientest. Professor Genma Hojo. What a crock.” He sat up and tried to get out of the bed but Kasumi restrained him, whispering a few words. A gentle breeze washed over his body and he soon fell into a comfortable sleep. She touched her Materia in her ponytail before standing, straightening the wrinkles in her dress before leaving. *** “So you haven’t seen him anywhere?” Ukyou felt like beating the information out of the slender Tsubasa as she gripped her spatula tightly. Tsubasa shook his head. “Not a trace. We suspect that he fell somewhere near the border of Sector 5 and 6.” “Sector 6? Well, I know someone there. I can give her a call.” *** “Moshi Moshi, Kasumi speaking.” //Kasumi? Hi, Ukyou.// Kasumi beamed. “Ukyou hello!” //Hi. Kasumi? Have you seen a boy fall out of the sky? Huge sword on his back?// Kasumi’s hand flew up to her mouth in shock. “Oh, Ranma left for Sector Seven a few minutes ago. I can still catch him at the playground.” //Oh? Well, okay, see you there. Bye.// Kasumi gathered up her red jacket and picked up her staff, stuffing into the slots a Restore, two blue alls and a Fire. “Mom! I’m going out!” “Don’t stay out too late Kasumi-chan!” Kimiko called from the garden. *** Ranma hefted his sword in his hands, weighing the now familiar weight. How long was it? Five, six years since he took up the Mantle of SOLDIER First Class? Top of his class next to the Great Sephiroth Kuno. But he was destined never to achieve the fame of his idol. He remembered the day when he first put on the uniform of the Soldier...wait... you were young, fresh... Ranma agreed with the voice. Yeah. I loved the feeling of a new uniform. I was in SOLDIER, wasn’t I? of course. Then why do I feel like I’m not a normal First Class? Time will tell... Ranma placed the sword on the special magnetic clasp on his back and started to jog towards Sector Seven. *** “Isn’t this a bit harsh? I mean, dropping the Plate to take out AVALANCHE?” Kyusaku Reno shrugged. “Not my job to worry about it Elena. Or do you still prefer Akane?” Akane’s eyes narrowed and she tossed back a strand of short black hair. “Scarlet,” she said, emphasizing the name, “is not my sister anymore. I’m not a Tendo. My name is Elena, got it?” Kyusaku sighed and adjusted his cigarette. “Nuku?” A seemingly young girl of sixteen, with long purple hair and wearing a navy blue female Turk uniform bounded out of the helecoptor. “Hai?” she asked. Nuku was actually a top of the line Android, designed by Genma Hojo himself. “We’re moving in. Wait ten seconds before taking out the guards.” A shadowed figure darted towards the Seventh Heaven after narrowing it’s eyes darkly, the mako stained eyes glowing for a brief second. *** Ukyou stopped short in cleaning the grill. “You must be joking.” Ranma shook his head. “Why else would I come back? The Turks are going to drop the plate. Get everyone on evacuation now.” Ryoga then came up on the hidden lift. “What’s this shit about the plate falling?” he snapped irritably. His expression darkened. “And what’s this Shinra doing here?!” “Later,” Ukyou snapped. “The Turks are going to drop the plate...Akane’s with them.” Ranma’s eyes held some emotion in the gold tainted blue eyes. “Akane...” he shook his head to clear it before saying, “She’s a Turk now, her sisters a Shinra and Kasumi is in Sector...” “Ranma!” “...here.” Kasumi ran up to the Bar, and stopped, gasping for air. “Ranma, we have to get out of here! The Plate!” Ranma hung his head. “I know. Okay, here’s what we’ll do : Ryoga, Ukyou, and Ryoga will come with me to the top to try and stop the Turks from detonating the bomb. Kasumi, get Marlene, Mikando, Tsubasa and Konatsu out of the area into the garden in Sector Six. And try to take as many civvies as you can.” Before letting them answer, he darted towards the pillar. Ukyou shrugged before taking chase. Ryoga grumbled, cocked his gunarm and chased after them as well. *** “Okay, we’re at the detonation device. Elena, blow it.” Elena looked at the pillar with some worry. “But won’t everyone else be crushed when it comes down?” Kyusaku shook his head. “Don’t worry. Tseng assured me that there is a ten minute delay before it blows. All the idiots down below’ll be out of here by then. Now, blow it.” Akane’s hand reached for the button but suddenly, a hail of bullets richocheted off of the grating below. Three people were racing up the stairs. As the skidded to a halt, the large one raised an arm with a gun portruding from the end of the limb. The other raised her fists and the third unsheathed his very familiar sword. “Ranma?” “Akane. Last I heard, you and Nabiki parted on bad terms.” Akane glared at him. “And what if we did?” “For both your sakes, Kasumi is below.” From the helecoptor, a man jumped from it. He was tall with long hair in a ponytail. “The Ancient? Didn’t you know that Kasumi is not really Akane’s sister?” Ranma’s face took on a confused look. “What?” he muttered before quietly chanting under his breath. Kyusaku grinned. “Well, not that YOU’LL be alive enough about it to care!” He jumped forward and a device launched itself from his electro rod. It wrapped about Ranma’s arms and tied itself on the back. “Gotcha!” “Damn you!” Ukyou launched herself at Kyusaku but he parried her strikes and lashed backwards with his electro rod. She stumbled and slammed against the railing. Ryoga started up towards Nuku cautiously before raising his gunarm. “Don’t make me kill ya,” he rumbled threateningly. Suddenly, before he could blink, Nuku was behind him and grabbed him in a headlock. “Say uncle,” she said. Ryoga flipped her out but she pointed her hands at him. In an instant, a blast of condenced blue energy knocked him into the grating. He moaned in pain. Akane inched towards the button, and Tseng watched her. It was Elena’s first job as a Turk. As her hand rose, a sudden strike knocked it away and she stood, facing into Ranma’s angry face. She launched a attack, catching him totally off guard and he reeled. “Elena! Do it now!” Tseng shouted as he climbed into the helcoptor. “Time to go gentlemen!” The other Turks piled in and Elena slammed her hand down on the destruct system. She jumped in as well and made a rude gesture to the angrily firing Ryoga. “I wouldn’t DO that Mr. Wallace!” Ryu shouted from the coptor. “If you want to see this precious girl again,” he reached inside and pulled out Kasumi who fought weakily, “then come to Shinra HQ! Bwahahahahaha!” “Ryoga!” Kasumi called out, “Marlene is safe!” The coptor flew off and the plate started to rumble. Ryoga threw down his fist, denting the walkway. “Come on, lets get the hell out of here!” Ukyou motioned to them from a hanging crane. “Lets swing outta here!” Ryoga held on while Ranma and Ukyou sat behind him. With a great swing, they launched themselves out of Sector Seven as the plate came crashing down. *** “DAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMNNNNITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!” The rapid fire of the Gatling Gun’s bullets echoed off the smouldering remains of the plate as Ryoga unloaded his weapon into the debrie, and soon, it overheated, the weapon burning out. He ripped the gun off his arm’s connection and threw it on the ground, creating a small crater. Ukyou looked at the dejected Ranma who sat atop the playground, playing with a small sence materia that he turned over in his hands listlessly. “Ranchan... it’s not your fault that Kasumi was caught...” Ranma looked up, his eyes hollow, devoid of emotion. Ukyou carried on. “This is nothing but the Shinra’s fault. Look, I’ll contact Mousse inside the Tower and see if we can get inside, okay?” Ranma seemed to brighten at the thought of storming the Shinra Tower. Across the way, Ryoga stalked restlessly before stopping and glaring at the pair. “Hey, where’d that Kasumi girl live? She said that Marlene is safe. Where would be a safe place here in the slums?” “Sector Six,” Ukyou answered. “Kasumi lives in a house with her mother there.” Ranma leapt down, stuffed the sence materia in his gloves and said, “Come on, lets go.” *** “So, that’s why Kasumi was targeted by the Turks,” Ukyou said thoughtfully. “She’s a Cetra. An Ancient.” “Like the Espers of old lore,” Ryoga said. He may be big, but he wasn’t dumb. “I say we go in and fight our way through the building, grab Kasumi and get out.” Ranma nodded. “On my way here, I picked up some batteries from a trader in Wall Market. I think we can get to the plate that way.” *** Ukyou stopped short at the weapons shop and looked in. She slipped inside and pulled Ryoga with her, still disgruntled. “Excuse me,” she asked the elderly man across the counter, “How much for those gloves?” “3,000 Gil. They’re Motor Drives. Powerful suckers.” Ukyou paid for them and traded her old leather gloves for a good price. “Ranchan!” she called, “Take a look at this sword.” Ranma walked in and he whistled. “Nice, very nice.” The shopkeeper looked about and nodded. “Ah, the Hardedge. 2,000 Gil. And I see that Mr. Customer here is looking at the Assult Gun. 1,000 Gil.” Ryoga grunted before slapping down the coins. “Here. Outfit it,” He placed his arm on the counter and the gun was equipted in a few minutes. Ranma paid for his Hardedge and put his Buster Sword...into Who Knows Where. The Hardedge went onto his back and he adjusted it. *** “So, do we storm the castle?” Ryoga was itching to unload his weapon into anything. He cocked the weapon in anticipation. “Nope,” Ranma said, earning a facefault from Ryoga. “We go in the back way.” “ARE YOU #%#^^#@ STUPID?!” Ryoga cried out, “It’s nearly 52 flights of stairs!!” “All the more reason to get up there,” Ukyou said, tightening her gloves and palming a few spatulas in her free hand.