"And so it comes down that what we have, we prize not while it is ours. But by being lacked and lost, why then we find the virtue, then we find the value that possession would not grant us whilst it was ours." - Tatewaki Kunou, Ranma 1/2. Probably the best Shakespearean quote to ever to come from his mouth.

Quick Warning: I was not happy with how Backlash Wave ended originally. However, I really don't feel up to re-writing the WHOLE final chapter. As lame as it is, I'm going to be changing the ending SLIGHTLY to make it a happier one.

247 AS

Colonel Arima looked up from his paperwork as he heard a knock at the door, "Come in."

The largest man Arima knew, Alex Louis Armstrong, opened the door and stepped inside. Despite being only twenty years old, he looked just like his father, a man of 47 years of age. Arima had no doubt both men would retain their appearance for years to come. The big man spoke, "You wanted to see me, Colonel?"

Colonel Arima nodded, "Come in. How's your first year teaching at Vale turning out?"

"Not as well as I'd hoped. I'm still getting used to dealing with pranksters." the former military War Mage answered.

"It does take a while to used to children, doesn't it?" Arima inquired, smiling. His own wife was trouble enough, but getting used to parenthood was a whole new adventure.

"Forgive me for my rude behavior, but I don't think you'd call me here for a minor discussion." Alex answered.

Arima sighed, "No, I'm afraid not. Since you left just after his award ceremony and you were closest to him of anyone in the military, I felt you should know."

With that Arima pushed a folder across the table.

Alex opened it and sighed in pain. What he'd feared most had come to pass, "I have to say, I'm not that shocked, given the actions that got him his award."

On the sole piece of paper inside the folder were four words that read Major Benjamin Fury: KIA.

"How did it happen?" Alex inquired.

Arima smiled sardonically, "He apparently went out with quite a bang."

One week prior...

Thinking back on it, becoming involved in the military was a stupid idea. After all he'd known about the Crimson League, he really should have been better prepared for the other shoe to drop.

Following the investigation into the laboratory that still gave him infrequent nightmares, Ben had been "asked" to join in the investigation for the so-called "Debutante Pirates".

Ben knew that name. It wasn't even known on the group that he wrote on, but when he'd invented them, they were to become the precursors for the Limbec Pirates that he'd thought up. After the loss of their leaders, they would be swept up by Madam Mao, and turned into the infamous Limbec Pirates.

The problem was, he hadn't even written about them, nor had he finalized any information on their leaders, which was why he hadn't recognized them when he'd encountered them prior.

And yet, here he was, facing down Sassymarou and her lover, Quintette, the two women he'd challenged back in the mansion only a few months ago.

It was hard to believe that they were actually the leaders of the Debutante Pirates, but fate had tied them together from the instant he'd knocked out Quintette.

It felt odd to know them both so well, considering how little he knew of them beforehand. And yet, he'd also foiled their plans thrice without really knowing how. The first time was when he and Honey had freed Kagome, Rebecca and Vesta. The second time had when he'd destroyed the Jusenkyou lab. The third and final time had been when he'd stumbled on that dork Dardanel's feeble plan to use three artifacts to replace the leader of the Crimson League, which had crumbled when Kagome told Ben what she remembered about the plot. Apparently, Dardanel had been setting himself up for a fall anyway, as his reward was to include Quintette, Sassymarou's own lover. They'd killed him for his failure (and probably for his arrogance too) and were trying to get away in their self-named derrigible, "The Beautiful Invincible" when Ben and his pokegirls had leapt into the blimp in an effort to keep them from escaping like they had before.

This time, however, there was no more backing down. He was trapped inside their blimp, a mobile base they'd come up with to claim air superiority over the rest of the world. Admittedly, it was a stupid plan from his point of view, but this plan would later give birth to the Gesselschaft, which would sink the Langoud while simultaneously being destroyed.

Honey had taken Kagome to safety after she'd been knocked out during the battle to get to the cockpit, and though the Titto thought she could make it back in time to grab Ben as well, Ben knew neither Quintette nor Sassymarou would allow them the benefit of stolen time.

Ben had never faced down the barrel of a gun, but for some reason, he felt like one was pressed against his head. Only he would decide when it would go off.

Sassymarou was getting impatient. It was easy to tell because she had both arms at her side, which Ben had learned to take as a sign that she was about to attack. Quintette had looked ready to attack for some time, but she feared he might get inside her defenses in that brief instant, as he had before when he'd destroyed their Jusenkyou lab.

"By the way, this fortress of yours.... did you by any chance learn from Hindenburg?" Ben inquired, as he drew a gun. Neither Quintette nor Sassymarou so much as flinched, indicating that neither saw the weapon as a threat.

"Who's Hindenburg?" Quintette asked.

Ben steeled himself as he pointed the gun up at the blimp, "I guess we'll learn the hard way if you know the lesson of hydrogen versus helium."

"All set." came the whisper behind him, causing him to pause briefly, before a cruel smile formed on his face and his finger tightened on the trigger.

As the explosion began, it became clear that they'd decided against helium.

"Quite an exit." Alex commented.

"We eventually had to ask Vale for help to find out what really happened. From what we can tell, the inferno cooked all three alive within a matter of seconds."

Alex sighed and closed the folder, "What about his pokegirls?"

"We haven't been able to locate them. We think they might attend his funeral, but other than that, the higher ups have decided to just let them be." Arima responded.

Alex nodded, "When is his funeral? I'd like to pay my respect."

"Next week. I'll have my secretary send you a copy of the exact time." Arima told him, "In any case, take care."

Alex nodded, turned and left.

"Promoted postumously. I wonder if he would even care." Arima murmurred as he glanced at the folder.

Arima loosened his tie as he watched the major leave before glancing down at the folder.

Arima felt back about not being able to let the major know the truth, that Vale and the League Military had agreed that the "dead" man had earned a quiet retirement. Besides, the organization that Quinette and Sassymarou had started wasn't gone. It had destroyed, certainly, but not in it's entirety. And it was highly likely that the remnants would seek to join other anti-league pokegirl organizations.

And were it known that the man who'd slain their leaders was crispy, but alive, they'd likely rally quite the force to kill him.

End of Backlash Wave.

If you're wondering, Honey managed to turn into a Drow Zee, allowing her to Shadow Teleport Ben out with it just as the explosion started. Hence, he's burned, but not dead. A happier ending. The last one was so... blah.

Explanations:
Major Benjamin Fury: Being an egomaniac, Ben would of course choose a last name that would sound tough.
The pokegirl who saved Ben's life prior? Actually a Megami. She stopped looking out for him after he met Honey, fearing that Honey might find her out.
The illusion pot? Originally, it was supposed to be broken, but I started playing with the idea of making it part of a ritual. I ended up making it part of a play for the leadership of the Crimson League.
Alex Louis Armstrong: Yes, it's the same man in Vale Studies. Many years older and wiser by then, but virtually the same.