Having avoided the Neko-ken for years, Ranma's secret
has finally been revealed. Turning his cute fear of kittens
into one of the most powerful and forbidden forms known.
Now Ranma's past and present threaten to collide. What
else is buried in Ranma's past. Can Akane and Nabiki learn
the truth before it's too late?
Greetings...
This story is set somewhere shortly before Happosai's
arrival. Although, I may alude to later plot themes.
I have listed it as [DARK] as it deals with atleast
twilight if not dark themes.
It should go without saying, that I own none of the
characters in this story with the possible exception of
Hiromi, Yuota, and Koji. And should bear no resemblance to
any real person alive or otherwise. (If so, you may need
help.) As such, please please don't sue me. I have no
intention of earning money from this story. This is only my
way of paying homage to a great story filled with fun and
wounderful charcters. Thank you Rumiko Takahashi-san.
Of Cats and Men (Part B Ver: 2.5)
By Kit [12/01]
Ranma puzzled as he waited by the school gate to
protect Hiromi on her way home. Every since lunch, she had
either been avoiding him or out right glaring at him.
"Hiromi-chan!" Ranma called out as he saw her
approaching. She immediately bore into him with that same
glare.
She didn't say a word when she got to the gate. She
just kept walking. Ranma followed her, not knowing what to
do.
"Giru had to go to the hospital last night," she
finally said about 2 blocks later.
"So?" Ranma answered back.
"The police wanted to talk to you, but the teachers all
defended you, describing how you didn't even try to hurt
him."
"Ah, they didn't have to do that." Ranma remarked.
"You did it, didn't you?"
"He tried to attack me last night." She stopped and
turned to look at him for the first time since they left the
school grounds.
"He has both his arms broken, both of his legs broken,
one of them in two places, a cracked rib and a broken nose,"
she almost sobbed.
"He didn't learn, so I had ta teach 'em!" Ranma said,
getting defensive. "Besides you weren't there!"
"Oh, so you think I only care about what you do in
front of me!" Tears freely flowing down her face now.
"Look," Ranma started.
"No, you look! I don't want to walk home with you any
more. You don't care about anyone but yourself! I can't and
I won't be friends with someone like that!" She turned and
stormed off toward her home.
Ranma just stood there, not knowing what to do.
=====
"Tis a sweet moment that hath finally come this very
day." Kuno started as he stepped out from around his
favorite tree. "For this day, I shall end your enslavement
of Akane and the pig-tailed girl, finally freeing them from
your ill begotten ways," Kuno boasted.
Ranma only shook his head as he cracked his knuckles in
preparation of delivering a much-needed pounding to a
pompous jerk.
"Be forewarned, Dark Sorcerer, I have come to learn the
secret that binds your magic."
"That'll be the day!" Ranma called out as he got into a
battle stance.
"Do not worry Akane nor the fair pig-tailed girl, I
shall free you both into my embraces once I have defeated
Saotome!" Kunou called to the skies, in hopes that the
pig-tailed girl could hear, and have hope.
The pig-tailed girl, currently in her male form decided
she had had enough, and the fight began.
Ranma burst forth, before Kunou could finish bringing
his boken to the first position. Walking his strikes up
Kunou's chest, Ranma made sure that he used only enough
force for him to feel each blow. A swift kick to Kunou's hip
and Ranma danced back out of range. Frustration from the
events from this morning and the day before combinded with
his anger at Kunou both for this daily idiocy and for his
dishonorable actions that caused his secret of the Neko-ken
to be revealed burst forth.
Kunou slashed forth at his nemesis. He growled once as
he attempted to push for advantage. Ranma dodged and waited
until Kunou fell into his usual comfortable pattern, then
leaped back into range. At Kunou's first words, Ranma had
decided that his usual way of handling Kunou had been his
mistake all along. They had always left Kunou unconscious.
That allowed him to interpret how things had gone for
himself.
Ranma kept his eyes locked on Kunou's. He had fought
the idiot too many times not to know what his next move
would be. With a speed just short of the Amaguriken, hard
hand chops rained down Kunou's left and right arms. This
time, Kunou would have to beg for unconsciousness.
Weaving in and out of Kunou's range, Ranma continued
his assault on Kunou. He made sure that he used only enough
force and stuck in places that would leave him standing.
Kunou's hands where already beginning to swell from constant
strikes rained upon them. Even if this didn't teach him the
lesson, Ranma would make sure he wouldn't be able to try
anything for a few weeks.
Ranma's eyes lit with the dark fire not seen in them in
years.
"Something's wrong," Nabiki heard Akane pronounce. The
fights between the two had long since become to boring to
watch. After all, it was a forgone conclusion how they would
end. She turned her attention back to the fight. Ranma was
giving Kunou a beating. More than a beating really. From the
size of the bruises that had started to appear and the pain
clearly lit in Kunou's eyes, it was clear that Kunou had
somehow pushed the wrong button this time. He wouldn't be
bouncing back from this one; he'd be lucky to be back up
this month.
Quickly she glanced around, looking for a way to try to
stop this fight. Akane gasped then froze in place. Surprised
by the quick change in her sister, Nabiki again looked to
see what had changed. It was hard to see it at first. No one
else on the field had seen it yet, either. Nabiki blinked.
She blinked again. It was subtle, but she now saw the shift
in the fight.
"What does he think he's doing," muttered Nabiki.
Akane had no answer as she looked worriedly on. The
one-sided fight continued.
At fist he had held back. He had wanted this victory at
his own hand. However, that was not to be. The demonic
magics that protected his foe were as strong as ever.
Remembering what his would be ally had told him one night
previous, Kunou began the incantation. He was warned that
the results would be unpredictable, but he didn't care. The
promise of revealing Saotome's true nature was too tempting
to pass up. He would show them all that he had been right
all along. How could they not see it?
It was difficult at first. To even say the word. Not
because of the word itself, but because of the overwhelming
pain his body was informing him of. But Kunou was stronger
than normal men. He had long before become accustomed to
pain. It began as no more than a whisper. Slowly his chant
grew in volume.
Suddenly, the foul sorcerer slipped. Oh, he tried to
hide it, but Tatewaki Kunou was the rising star of Furinkan.
His chanting grew stronger. He know fully understood it now.
It was a calling, a calling for heavenly aid. Today the
vengeance of heaven would be swift and sure. "Hiromi -
Hiromi - Hiromi."
From a distance, a figure watched as the fight
progressed. Yuota wasn't sure why he asked that Kunou person
to try shouting her name during their next fight. At the
beginning, he had felt somewhat disappointed as it looked
like what he had expected. Now he began to doubt his course
of action, as he wasn't quite sure what to make of what he
was seeing.
Ranma Saotome was losing. Losing bad enough that
everyone could recognize it. Every time Ranma attempted a
punch or kick, he would see that face that had plagued him
for the past few days, and he couldn't follow through. Every
time he pulled his punch, Kunou rewarded him with a blow.
Once again, Ranma jumped back out of range. He fought
the dizziness that threatened to take his consciousness.
Ranma took stalk of the battlefield. For the first time, he
noticed the looks of the students watching the fight. He
remembered the day all of the male students had acknowledged
defeat to Ranma, as he alone had defeated Kuno. 'If Kuno
wins now.' He glanced over at his worried iinazuke.
"Alright!" Ranma shouted. "Playtimes over!" Ranma
jumped up and over Kunou's reach. Kunou looked up trying to
follow his arch. Two feet planted themselves on his
forehead. Gravity combined with leg strength to shove Kunou
to the ground.
"You dare mock the mighty house of." was as far as Kuno
got before he blacked out, once again.
"Just what kind of game did you think you were playing
with him!" Akane shouted storming over to Ranma. "He could
have hurt you!"
"Like Kuno could ever touch me!" Ranma claimed
nonchalantly.
"Oh, yea?" Akane poked him in the chest. Ranma
collapsed to the ground.
"Like you care!" Ranma cried back from the ground,
unable to stand on his own.
"Why would I care about a pervert like you!" she
responded.
"Pervert! Who are you calling a pervert, you dumb,
uncute, tom-boy!"
"I'm calling you a pervert, you dumb pervert!"
Yuota watched the spectacle before him with a frown. 'I
have to, or she will be next.' He thought darkly to himself.
=====
"Hey, you! Homeless Boy!" Yuota called out to Ranma,
who was practicing hitting a post with his bare fists. His
sister had come home crying the day before, but she hadn't
let him go out to confront him. This had been his first
chance.
"The name's Ranma!" He challenged. Looking the boy up
and down, he knew he wasn't a match.
"You have been bothering Hiromi. I want you to leave
her alone!"
"What's it." he started to retort, hoping to enrage
him, but then he recognized him, Hiromi's brother. 'I bet
she wouldn't be too happy if I beat him up.'
"I know your kind, and your all no good!"
"You should go!"
"Or what?" Yuota taunted back.
"I am not going to fight you!" Ranma said defiantly.
"Then maybe I'll just beat you to a blood pulp!"
"What would your sister think of you then?" Ranma
called back. Yuota looked like he was getting very angry
when Ranma heard the door to the house squeak open.
"Want to know what she really thinks of you?"
"What should I care what some dumb know-it-all-chan
girl that thinks she can tell me what to do!" Ranma called
out.
"Fine, then we don't have a problem do we!" Yuota
shouted, getting really nervous seeing Ranma big father
staring at him in a disapproving manner.
"Fine!" Ranma returned.
As Yuota turned to leave, Ranma turned to go back
inside with his father. Yuota noticed for the first time a
large bruise partially covered by his gi and several small
scratches on his arms and legs. All of which would normally
be covered by his school uniform.
"Just what do you think you're doing!" he heard Genma
shout, just before the door shut.
=====
Akane and Nabiki left the school building slowly. Ranma
had left early again, but after word made it around as to
just how badly hurt Kunou was, no one seemed to mind that he
was gone, not even the teachers.
The school day had past as a complete haze for the both
of them. Over and over they the fight played in both their
heads.
"Just what happed out there?" Nabiki thought aloud,
once most of the crowd was past them.
"I don't know," Akane replied, equally soft.
"You're the girl that that drifter likes, right?" A new
voice broke into their silence.
"What are you talking about?" Akane returned
indignantly. Both girls looked up. Nabiki recognized him as
the boy that had talked to Kunou yesterday. Suddenly more
pieces of the puzzle seemed to snap together.
"That no-good low-life drifter boy. Saotome."
"How dare you insult Ranma like that! If he were here."
Akane began yelling out.
"If he knew I was here, he would probably kill me, just
like he is planning on killing you!" Yuota's face flushed as
he interrupted Akane. Both girls just blinked.
"He would never."
"Both he and his father already killed my sister, and
who knows how many other children."
"What!" Akane returned.
"You had something to do with the fight this morning,
didn't you?" Nabiki stepped in.
"Maybe," he replied trying to meet Nabiki's stare, just
not quite making it.
"What did you do to Ranma, and what do you mean he
killed your sister?" Nabiki glanced at Akane to stop her
from making her next comment. Akane closed her mouth,
settling for just glaring death at the 'boy.' Ranma would
never kill anyone!
"They moved into my neighborhood a few years back and
started sacrificing children and animals." Nabiki didn't
flinch. Akane wanted to do a lot more than just flinch. "We
tried to stop them, but they ran away before they could
finish on my sister."
"I thought you said they killed your sister?" Nabiki
responded.
"We scared them off before they could bath in her
blood, but they had already stolen her soul."
Nabiki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I think
you should start at the beginning."
"You don't believe him do you!" Akane accused.
'After today,' Nabiki thought. "Let's just say that I
would prefer to hear all sides before I make a decision."
Akane looked like she was about to say something, but didn'
t.
They made their way to a nearby park, letting him
collect his thoughts before starting.
"After Hiromi." He closed his eyes. "She was my baby
sister." He know had Akane's full attention. "I am sorry, I
just haven't talked about this in a long time."
"It's okay." Nabiki attempted to reassure him. Though
she though Kasumi would do a better job.
Taking a deep breath, he began his tale.
=====
"Come on guys," Yuota called as he grabbed his coat
from the closet. "We need to go pay a visit to the local
low-lifes."
"Hey, I ain't going near that place. You know he put
all of Koji's gang in the hospital!" one of Yuota's friends
responded.
"My sister has been missing all day! And I know that
kid has been pestering her every since they got here," he
responded with all the emotion he was feeling at that
moment. "I am not looking for a fight, and I'll go alone if
I have to."
Everyone else jumped up and started getting ready,
including grabbing bats, lights, and just about anything
else they could think of.
The house was dark and quiet when they arrived. Yuota
called out, but no one answered. As they looked around, they
could see signs that someone had been staying in what was
left of the living room, but looked as if they had packed up
and left. The house was old, and considering how expensive
land is, it was surprising that such a place would remain
unused except for the rift-raft that might blow through
town.
"Hey, Yuota, I think I see her!"
"Where?" he came running toward the voice that called.
"She's in the back yard."
"It's freezing outside, what's she doing out there!"
"Hiromi!" Yuota called as he went out to her, but she
didn't respond.
"Hey what's this?" another friend called out, but Yuota
was focused on his sister.
He took off his jacket and flung it around her. She was
just sitting there, staring into nothingness. All her
clothes ripped to shreds. She was cold to the touch.
"Man, help me. She's freezing. Somebody call for a
doctor!"
"Yuota, I think this is blood!" someone called out as
another pulled out his cell and started to make a call.
Everyone cast their lights where he was and gasped.
Something that was a deep red seemed to cover most of the
ground.
"I think there's something down there!" another
shouted. He was looking down what appeared to be a pit of
some kind. There had been a covering of some kind, but it
had been broken to bits. As they cast their lights down into
the pit, they heard very soft meowing.
"Cats?"
=====
"They where torturing cats. Over thirty in all. Most
had died from malnutrition and the cold before the animal
shelter could get there. We thought the blood must have been
cats blood, but the police said it was human blood."
Nabiki and Akane were stunned.
"Hiromi, had caught pneumonia. She lived for several
weeks, but never got any better. You could see it in her
eyes." He wiped his eyes and looked up at the darkening sky.
"They had stolen her soul."
Nabiki looked at him. "You said a pit of cats?"
"Her final words were a plea to help save her and the
cats from Ranma," he said solemnly.
"Come on, we have to go!" Nabiki said jumping up from
the park bench.
"What where are we going?" He asked.
"Dr. Tofu's."
"Why there?"
"To get some answers!"
===== =====
AN: This is version 2.5 of this story. Some scenes have
been fleshed out further than they were before, and a new
ending has been added.
As I believe I stated when I first posted this story,
it came to me in the night. Not as a dream (shiver at the
thought of that nightmare) but as hard and swift as a
mallet. Slammed me across my bed room, then dragged me over
to my computer and sat there until the first draft was
completed. After posting its second draft, I left it alone
to work on other ideas I had been kicking around (as opposed
to them kicking me around.)
For those interested, "Daughter of Amazons" is
currently on hold. I originally only posted it, because I
was more than happy with the progress I was making, and had
the next several chapters plotted out. Unfortunately when my
ideas actually met the characters on virtual paper, they
began to fall apart. I do intend to return and write more on
it; however, right now, I seem to have written myself into a
corner. :(
In the meanwhile, I have been working on other stories
which, if I can flesh them out enough, may even see the
light of the FFML. :)
I forgot how big this turns out in e-mail when I sent
the first half, so I broke the second part in-half again.
Hopefully this will make it somewhat less ungangly. :) So
after this, one last part.
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'