Author's note: If you're reading this, thank you. You endured a harsh ride during the last chapter, however I've done some basic rewriting of it. I'd recommend rereading chapter 4 since I've changed a few elements to make it a bit less dark. Also, I have to shout out to Slade3 for his help. This chapter is much longer thanks to him (thought it's a shame Kari and Sheila aren't doing a bit more...).

Chapter 5version 1.0status: Unknown

Akane watched the helicopter slowly lift off with Nodoka's still body in tow. She asked to go with Nodoka, but they wouldn't allow her.

'Ranma, where are you?' Akane thought, the nervousness plain on her face.

"Don't worry. She's in good hands," the paramedic called out as he boarded the chopper.

"Which hospital are you taking her to?"

"The one just over in Juuban. It specializes in severe trauma patients. The address is on that card."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank us. We're just doing our job ma'am." With that, the helicopter took off leaving Akane to pray.

'Damn Kuno... What the hell is he up to? Taking my child and killing my mother... He'd better hope he's not home...,' Ranma-chan thought as her body began to heat up.

"I see her," the ninja whispered.

"Yes, it's just as the Master planned."

"I don't know... She doesn't seem all that in love from here... Looks more like she's ready for a fight."

"I know what you mean, but the master said looks can be deceiving..."

"Some times I think he's referring to himself..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'll go and inform Kuno. You keep an eye on her."

"Sure..."

"What!" Kuno shouted.

"She's here," the blue clothed ninja repeated.

"My pigtailed goddess is finally here! At last. Tell the guards to stand down. I'm sure she's just here to express her love."

"Sir, are you sure that's wise?"

"Of course man, don't be a fool. Why would she want to harm me?"

'Cause you ordered that her mother be killed, had her child taken, and this is on top of the fact that she doesn't really like you,' went through the ninja's mind, but he held his tongue. "I can't think of a single reason."

"And while your at it, can you do something about that racket?" Kuno asked as he tried to shut out the crying that Ryoko was making.

"I'm afraid I'm no good with children master."

"Then kill it. I have not further use for such a noisy thing!"

"No master!"

"No?"

"It is her child. Even if she really does love you, I don't think she would continue to do so if harm came to the child."

"Bah. That is where you are wrong. The child is merely the product of a loveless union. She would be grateful to be rid of it."

"Then might I suggest you wait for her to arrive before eliminating it. Then she'll know who to...," the ninja hesitated as he tried to think of the right word. "Thank for killing her unwanted daughter."

"Hmm... You might have a point. Very well. Prepare the pit. Follow these instructions," Kuno ordered as he handed a scroll to the ninja.

"You can't be serious... This is a training scroll."

"Yes, but any fool can see that it is merely meant to kill. I mean, come on, what man could learn anything from a pit of starving cats?"

"True, I can't see any value there..."

"Then it will be perfect. Plus, if that meddlesome Ranma should appear, the cats will prevent him from diving in and saving 'it'... What are you still doing here? Get going!"

"Yes sir!" the ninja replied before taking off.

"Sir! She's here!.. ack..." the ninja's voice was cut off as he was sent flying across the courtyard.

"Kuno! I'm here for my child... and your life," came the cold female voice.

"Pigtailed girl?" Tatewaki called out. His eyes light up, till he saw the look of hate on Ranma-chan's face. "This can not be! Guards, come to me! The pigtailed girl is under some form of madness!" At his call, twenty armed ninja appeared at the ready.

Seeing the human barrier blocking the way to her child, Ranma-chan dropped all pretences and tricks the normally are the fare for her style. As each ninja approached, they met with the unstoppable force that is a mother. The first fell to a quick strike to the throat, and the next to a feint to the crotch. As the next three descended upon her with the extent to bring her down peaceably, she laid them out violently; another crotch shot to one, a solid roundhouse to his friend, and a vicious strike in the stomach for the last.

As the Next wave moved in, she became a wave of motion and fury unlike anything the poor ninja had seen or felt before. Each one taken out with a vile swiftness. With the second wave down she pressed her advantage, moving to meet the next wave head on. Having seen the effectiveness, or rather lack there of, of they're tactics; the remaining ten engaged her with a decisiveness born of hard training and year of working side by side. And their enemy was not unfamiliar to them. What they did not take into a count that this was not the Ranma, man amongst men of the past that they had studied before. No, this was Ranma-chan, the mother... and she was more then pissed off. They watched as she cupped her hand in an particular motion that signaled them the she was going to use her Moko Takabisha. What they didn't know was the instead of her confidence, Ranma used the love she has for Ryoko and the burning rage she held for her captors to fuel the technique. The resulting blast scared the courtyard with an impressive trench. The ninja were flung every which way form the resulting blast.

Ranma-chan finished off the last of the twenty ninja and returned her focus to where Kuno was. Unfortunately, he and Ryoko weren't there. Scanning the horizon, she saw Kuno headed towards a pit and her stomach knotted instantly.

Her nose had picked up the scent. Several in fact. Most of them were cats and she was sure that they'd been in that pit for a few days. It reeked of unwashed felines, blood, and fecal matter. If this what she thought it was and Kuno was running towards it, she knew what he had planned.

"No! I won't let you do that to my daughter," she screamed as she charged towards the insane Kendoist. Before she can reach him, Kuno released his grip on Ryoko and let her fall towards the pit. Without thinking, Ranma-chan jumped towards her daughter. As she did, time seemed to slow for Ranma-chan as she fought to reach the pit in time and against her fears.

As her body flew over the pit on the intercept course, her feral part began to sense the cats in the pit and began to claw at Ranma-chan's conscious mind, hoping to shut it down so it could gain control. Her eyes screwed shut as she tried to reign in her control of her senses, control she was losing fast. Holding on with everything she had as tears of stress and sorrow began to brim at the corners of her eyes, one thought crossed her mind. She needed control, to protect her only child.

It was then that her eyes snapped open and she felt it. The sleeping neko within her came to life. But instead of fighting, it worked in agreement with her. Without thought she angled her body just right and before her rational mind could comprehend, she felt her daughter land in her arms. She looked down in the eyes of Ryoko and managed a smile. Ryoko was smiling back and despite the horror below her, she felt a great peace.

Unfortunately that peace wasn't able to last longer then it took gravity to slam her hard into the ground in the pit. Ranma-chan's landing was rough, but she held on to Ryoko.

After taking a moment to ensue that Ryoko was alright, Ranma-chan looked about her. Despite being starved and half crazed, the feral felines knew when there was a superior cat in their presence. The way they cringed in fear from her filled her with a strange sorrow. A similar feeling filled heart heart when she first lost her child.

'The neko-ken considers these like her own?' she thought. Suddenly the two halves of her shattered soul sung in concert. 'First mom, then Ryoko, and now this!'

Holding tight her precious cargo, she made the leap to the top of the pit.

Kuno had been standing, watching the pit where Ranma-chan had thrown herself into for the sake of that illegitament child. As he was still trying to figure out why the pigtailed goddess would sacrifice herself for the worthless whelp, when the aforementioned 'goddess' practically glided out the pit and landed lightly on the ground. The reason for the fierce snarl upon her face was lost on the bokken wielding cretin.

"Why'd you have to kill my mother!" Ranma-chan demanded.

"Your mother? Where was she?" Kuno asked as if he'd been given a trick question.

"She was watching my daughter you bastard!"

"I was informed that the vile Ranma's mother was watching the infant, so I saw it as no big lose."

"What! You monster!"

"I'm sorry my pigtailed goddess, it was a small slight on the part of my information. I promise such a thing shall never happen again." This statement caused Ranma-chan to see red. She advanced on him and thrusted him violently against the nearby wall.

"My mother is already dead!" Just as Ranma-chan was about to reach back for the killing blow, she heard a soft cry come from Ryoko. It was a totally different sound then she had ever heard from her child. It wasn't like when Ryoko was hungry or needed changing. This one had more sorrow in it, as well as a hint of pleading. She knew then that Ryoko did not want her to kill. Ranma-chan squeezed her hand tightly and punched the wall. "I won't kill you Kuno. Not in front of my daughter. But count your days. I will be back to finish what I've started."

With one last growl, she turned and stalked off.

The further from the threat she walked, the calmer the neko within became, till at last it slipped back into slumber in the back for her mind. As it did, she silently thanked it for assisting her

Looking down at the precious bundle in her arms she finally calmed down enough to think rationally again.

"He may have taken mom, but I got you back," a determined look hardened her features as tear began to drop from her eyes with increasing frequency, "and next, I'll take his life."

Ranma-chan landed just outside Ukyo's restaurant. As luck would have it, Ukyo was just returning from taking the garbage out.

"Ran-chan? Are you ok?"

'Ok? Am I?' Ranma-chan asked herself.

"Ran-chan, be careful!"

"Huh?" that's when Ranma-chan realized the bad position she was holding Ryoko in. Instead of trying to make Ryoko more comfortable, she passed her off to Ukyo's waiting arms. "Thanks Ucchan."

"No problem Ranma honey, but what's wrong? You look like hell." Unfortunately, this caused Ranma-chan to finally break down into tears. Seconds later, she began to lay out the whole story to Ukyo, from Ryoga using the ladle to Kuno killing her mother and stealing her child. As she went over each event her sobs grew more labored and she trembled with a deep and terrible sorrow. When she was done, her body couldn't take anymore of the stress of the memories and she collapsed on the ground hard.

"Ran-chan? Ranma!" Ukyo screamed.