%Epilogue

XXXXX

Akane's confidence had not been undeserved. The three returned to their own world without incident, apparently mere moments after their departure. With their arrival, the bracelets of friendship's color dulled, their magic apparently depleted, at least for the time being. After several explanations the day neared its end as like any other.

Shampoo and Ranma decided to postpone their wedding for the time being. Tae-il final words had to be heeded, and there was much to do to find him before the executioners could, and that was just a wee bit more important than a wedding.

With the night now gripping the Tendo home, Shampoo and Akane found themselves on the roof house, thoughts of the future on their mind.

"Do you think we can really change things, Akane," Shampoo asked as they looked off into the night sky. "Seems like an awfully lot of stuff is going to cause us nothing but trouble."

"We can handle it," Akane replied. "If we really are something... special then I plan to make use of that power. There is no way I'm letting my world blow up, and I'm not about to sacrifice our Soon Li either. One was enough."

Shampoo nodded in agreement. "Just wish we knew exactly what we're dealing with."

"The executioners? Yeah, I don't know. If Tae-il thinks only Shamne can take them on, they have to tough. I hope it was exaggerating a bit."

Shampoo smiled and nodded in agreement. "We can hope."

A long moment passed in silence, both looking off in the distance. "They're fine," Akane said suddenly. Shampoo only nodded.

XXXXX

Another time, and another place, another world...

"Great Grandmother, you no sleeping now!" Shampoo exclaimed as she came into the room, bringing Cologne out of a daydream.

Cologne shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry child. I got caught up in a bit of a daydream. Is something the matter?"

"No," she replied. "Shampoo just wonder where you are. Shampoo no want something to happen on night before wedding."

"Of course not," Cologne replied with a smile. "Come now, let us finish the preparations." She left with Shampoo, the daydream that had occupied moments before nothing more than a haze now. Still, it didn't seem all that important, especially on the night before her great granddaughter finally got married.

XXXXX

Ranma's landing was not pleasant. She ended up appearing a good 10 feet in the air when she was expecting to be on solid ground. Naturally, there was a slight bump. "Ow! Stupid..." she yelled out in anger and pain to no one in particular then took in her surroundings. It looked much like the place she had left, except it was night, and in one piece. But, most importantly, she was surrounded by the little noises that said this was no ghost town. 'It worked... Or did it? I wonder if this is the place or not,' Ranma thought as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. 'Now, where to start?'

Her choice was made for her when a couple walked by. One was instantly recognizable as Shampoo, a long haired version to be exact. In fact, she looked pretty much like the bubbly Amazon Ranma had gotten to know over the past several months, but it was not just the hair that was familiar. Ranma really had not been able to put her finger on it until now, but the other Shampoo and the one he once knew had a different air about them. The one he had just left seemed somehow more mature. The nature of her life probably demanded that she take things a bit more serious. But, this one, like the one Ranma once knew, still had that look in her eyes that conveyed a sort of youthful wonderment. 'Or, maybe I'm just reading too much into things,' Ranma thought as she turned her attention to Shampoo's partner.

Shampoo was pulled up close to the man, and Ranma did not recognize him, although he did look vaguely familiar. Whoever he was, he apparently had Shampoo's undivided attention. She looked at him with those soft, loving eyes that were once reserved for her 'Airen'. 'Of course, this was another dimension, so it was entirely possible that guys is her Airen here,' Ranma thought.

Ranma examined the man closer. He was quite tall, standing a full head above the Amazon. His hair was brown, held in a pony-tail that hung down to the middle of his back, not too unlike the one Ranma had once sported. He was also clearly a trained martial artist, as his toned build and measured movement gave away. Ranma also had to admit, he was quite handsome, and she could easily understand Shampoo's interest in him.

As Ranma continued to watch the pair pass by, the man sneezed and began to speak with Shampoo. Ranma strained to hear, but could not make out the words, but their tone confirmed that this man and Shampoo were involved. 'I wonder who he is?' she thought as she closed in, remaining as quiet and inconspicuous as possible.

"Two days?" the man said with a measure of disbelief as Ranma came into hearing range. He was looking over at his Amazon companion then nodded. "Perhaps a Japanese ceremony or maybe a western one? Those are quite popular too, and not very long, at least in comparison."

'Ceremony? Does he mean a marriage ceremony? Shampoo is marrying this guy?' Ranma thought in confusion as he noted Shampoo pull herself in tightly to the man's side, a smile on her face. 'At least she's happy, but who is he?'

"Shampoo no care. Shampoo just want be with Kasumi."

Ranma pulled to a complete stop, and let the pair continue on their way without further pursuit. Her face remained blank for a minute in shock. However, that did not last as a paper flew into her face. Annoyed, Ranma removed the paper and noticed Kasumi and Shampoo had already moved well up the street and out of earshot. "Wwweird," she said aloud then looked down at the paper, wondering where it had come from, and where the wind that carried it was from. Both questions were answered when she saw her name at the top.

Ranma, well, I guess you made it, kid. Hope your trip wasn't too rough.

"Rough?! I nearly got killed," Ranma replied to the air then continued to read.

Yes, yes, I know. But you're still here. So, let me welcome you to your new home. First a few pieces of advice. Assume nothing. Things may look similar, but making assumptions will get you in trouble. Remember, you're a guest, so act like one. Try not to step on anyone's toes, and don't fix what isn't broken.

Ranma looked up briefly to see Kasumi and Shampoo turn a corner then looked back down at the paper.

Yes, that includes them. You'll understand in time. By the way, this isn't a free ride. You'll have to do a little work to earn your keep, if you catch my meaning. But, I think you knew that already. So, try to enjoy yourself a bit. You're not the center of attention here so that shouldn't be nearly as difficult as it was in your old life.

"Tell me about it," Ranma said with a sigh.

One last thing, Ranma. You've made it this far, but there are still many junctions ahead. It's up to you to choose which ones you take, for good or for ill. In other words, it's up to you to make this work, not fate. With any luck, you'll never hear from me again. This letter will disappear in five, four...

Ranma watched in amazement as with each number he read the paper vanished, until nothing remained. 'Yeah, well, guess I better settle myself in... somewhere,' she thought as she looked around, but paused a moment to look up at the night sky. 'A fresh start. It's going to be interesting.' A smile crossed her lips and she set off.

XXXXX

'God damn it!' the mercenary cursed as he hid behind a truck, just as a shadow passed by. In the distance, another scream could be heard with but a single round discharged from a rifle. 'I go to the damn can and all hell breaks loose! I didn't sign on for this!' he thought as he held his breath. 'Can't go that way... The boss's cabin, it is my one chance.'

With no signs of being detected the man took in a quick breath and darted around the vehicles and then spotted his destination. There was a light on, and he could just make out the boss's lieutenant standing watch at the door. 'Alright!' he thought triumphantly as he made his way there. He made it cleanly to the door without incident and burst in, nearly yelling, "Boss, we-re-" before being sharply cut off.

A beam of light instantly pieced his forehead, severing the perfect set of neurons to end all cognition in an instant. Simple motor response kept him on his feet a few seconds longer as the beam disappeared and a click of fingers could be heard. With that click the man burst into blue flame, burning to a pile of ash in mere seconds.

Sitting on the desk nearby, the mercenary's killer lowered his hand, licked his finger and used it to move to the next page of the book he was reading, never once having looked up. Two pages later another figure, that of a red haired woman, came to the door, although this one prompted no such response from the man.

She looked at the lieutenant next to the door, frozen in stone, then down at the pile of ash before bowing. "My lord, my apologies for letting this one escape us."

"No need. Report," the man replied.

"The camp has been completely subdued. There were some... advanced guards but they were easily dealt with."

"Yes, that one there was one. Can't regenerate as stone though."

"Yes. They also had some interesting technology at their disposal, not that they got the opportunity to use it. We have prisoners as you requested-"

"No longer necessary. Their master gave me everything I needed. Dispose of them, and then begin clean up."

"Yes my Lord," the woman replied, straightened and started to leave but was called short.

"Do it cleanly and quickly. We aren't monsters," the Lord directed.

"As you wish," she replied and left.

A moment passed in silence as the man leafed through several more pages before looking up curiously. A second later another woman came to the door, this one raven haired. Like the one before her, she regarded the pile of ash and statue, but with an air of sadness.

"You don't normally come to this sort of thing," the man commented, standing up and gaining her attention. He closed and raised the book. "A summoning ritual requiring a great deal of blood sacrifice."

"I see. Anything to worry about?"

With a gesture the book burst into flame and vanished. "Not anymore." In the distance a number of screams were heard, then silence. The woman looked back and sighed. "You know it had to be done, and they were killers, all of them. I gave them a quick end. It is more than they deserved."

"If you say so."

"Hmh," the man huffed as he walked to the entrance of the cabin to join her. There he gestured to the floor first saying, "Ashes to ashes," then in turn to the statue which spontaneously crumbled, "Dust to dust." So ending his little mock prayer a magical wind carried both sets of remains out into the night to be scattered. "What brings you here then?"

"There has been an unexpected change?"

"Oh?" The man said with an upraised eyebrow.

XXXXX

%End Epilogue

And that brings Most Unlikely of Friends to a close... sorta. For those not in the know, Ranma here popped in on my other story, A Scary Thought, at chapter 28 of such to be precise and has been involved in that story since. MUOF itself I won't be continuing as an independent story, but I do have the framework of a few cross overs in mind to tie up some loose ends that will appear in the AST continuity.

Speaking of loose ends, I'm sure some are puzzling over this final scene. The reason for its existence is that I realized as AST and MUOF are supposed to share a world continuity in a sense, that this opens up some real questions as to what is going on with certain characters who should exist in MUOF's world too. I'm not going to reveal what exactly is going on, but if you know what is going on in AST and think on it, you might just be able to puzzle out some idea of what we're seeing here. I certainly do plan to revisit this during the cross overs whenever I get to them.