Well heres part nine of Neko Can't. Hope you enjoy. Please send C&C to
JLee100441@aol.com.
Story status:
The next story I'll have out will probably be Red String of Fate part 3. From
there? Who knows.
Privous parts of this story can be found at my website at
http://jlee.anifics.com/index.htm
Thanks
James
"It takes an idiot to do cool things. That's why it's cool!"-Haruhara Haruko
_______________
Neko Can't
By: James Lee
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko
Takahashi. Gold Digger belongs to Fred Perry. Suing me would be pretty
useless.
Part 9
"I can't believe father engaged us to some boy," bitched Akane as she and
Nabiki
walked to school.
"I figured dad would try something like this eventually," said Nabiki
thinking
about the events of the previous night.
*****
"This is my good friend Genma Saotome." Said Soun introducing the large
man
sitting at the table. The man was wearing a white gi and a handkerchief on
his head. "He
has just returned from China with very important business."
"Important business?" asked Nabiki.
"Yes, in a few days he and I will be leaving for the United States."
"Oh my!" said Kasumi. Akane was a little more vocal.
"You're going where?"
"And just how do you plan to get to America?" asked Nabiki calmly. "It
isn't like
we have money for plane tickets."
"That's where you girls come in."
"What do you mean?" asked Akane.
"We can use a little money from your college fund."
"No."
"We.what?" said the Elder Tendo turning to Nabiki.
"That money is to pay for our education."
"This is much more important than that," said Soun.
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
"It's a matter of family honor," said Genma.
"And what is this family honor matter that is more important than our
future?"
"Well umm." Nabiki could tell her father was stalling. This was not good.
Usually when he stalled like this it involved some get rich quick scam. "Out
with it
Daddy."
"Your fianc‚e is in America."
"Our fianc‚e!" yelled Akane.
"Ah yes, Genma and I promised our children would marry, before you were
born.
If one of you were to marry Genma's son, then the future of this dojo would
be secure."
"Oh my."
"We don't get a say in who we're going to marry?"
"So why is his son in America and not here?" asked Nabiki.
"Oh the tragedy," sobbed Genma. "My son was kidnapped by gajin who know
nothing of the ways of martial arts. Ten long years I've searched for him;
dreaming of the
day when we would joyously be reunited."
"Genma has just found the exact location of his son in the US. We must
move
quickly if we are to rescue him," continued Soun.
"What is your son's name Mr. Saotome," asked Kasumi.
"Ranma, his name is Ranma," Nabiki raised an eyebrow at that. Soun also
looked
thoughtful for a moment, but quickly dismissed it. There was no way he could
be the
same boy.
"Oh my isn't that." Kasumi stopped and looked at Nabiki who had poked her
in
the side. Nabiki shook her head. This wasn't lost on Akane. Nabiki then
looked back at
her father.
"I have to think about it."
"Nabiki!" cried Soun. He then turned to Akane. "Akane."
"No, no way! I'm not getting married to any boy!"
Soun then turned to the eldest of his daughters. He could always count on
Kasumi. "Kasumi please, it's a matter of family honor."
"Well ah."
"Forget it, you already spent hers remember," hissed Nabiki. Last year
her father
had asked for Kasumi to let him us her college fund to help repair the dojo.
Instead Soun
had lost most of it in a TV scam and had spent the rest on sake and
cigarettes. Nabiki had
not yet forgiven him for that. Kasumi did still have a college fund, as
Nabiki had taken
half of her own college fund and deposited it in a secret account. She would
give it to her
sister when she finally decided to find a life for herself.
"B-But." Nabiki ignored her father as she headed up to bed.
*****
Back in the present.
"So why didn't you tell them about Ranma Diggers?" asked Akane.
"You in that much of a hurry to get married?" asked Nabiki.
"What, to that freak? No way!"
"Relax, I'm joking," said Nabiki. "The truth is I don't want to give
Daddy the
wrong idea. Diggers may not be Mr. Saotome's son. Even if he is, I don't buy
that
bullshit sob story Mr. Saotome gave us last night. If Ranma is his son, I
want to hear his
side of things."
"Who cares what his story is? That reminds me, I have to challenge him to
a real
fight," said Akane squeezing her fist.
{Ah yes. Why embarrass yourself in the privacy of your own home when you
can
do so in front of everyone?} thought Nabiki. Both she and her sister then
stopped as they
reached school grounds. "What the."
All around them were the knocked out bodies of boys, many of them in
Kendo
gear. Nabiki immediately recognized several as die hard Akane fan boys. She
didn't even
have to guess what had happen.
No doubt several of the boys were too stupid to take Ranma's warning and
the
results of his fight with Kuno seriously. The kendo team probably wasn't too
happy to
have their captain utterly defeated either. They no doubt attacked Monique
and Ranma
defended her.
"Hey, this was my fight!" yelled Akane. How dare he interfere in her
morning
fights? Sure she didn't like them, but this was her fight.
"I don't think it was today, Sis," said Nabiki. Seeing her sister only
getting
angrier, the middle Tendo just shook her head.
*****
At lunch time Nabiki started to look for Ranma. Seeing him sitting under
a tree
next to Monique, she walked up to them. "Hey Ranma, Monique."
Ranma looked up from his lunch. "Nabiki? Is this about Akane?"
Nabiki shook her head. Just as she said, Akane challenged Ranma to
another fight
just moments ago. Ranma had once again dodged everything she threw at him
then
gracefully put Akane into the school swimming pool. Fortunately her friends
fished her
out before she drowned. Normally she would be upset at such a thing, but one:
her sister
had asked for it and two: how was Ranma supposed to know she couldn't swim.
"No
Ranma, I need to ask you about something."
"Oh, what?'
Nabiki looked around to make sure no one overheard them. It wouldn't do
for
people to find out about the engagement just yet. "Does the name Genma
Saotome mean
anything to you?"
Ranma frowned at the mentioning of his father. "What about him?"
"He showed up at our door last night. Both he and daddy now want money to
go
to the US to find his son."
"If you know what's good for your family, you'll get rid of him."
"Is that a threat?"
"No, I'm just warning you. The man is nothing but trouble. He'll probably
eat you
out of house and home if you're not careful."
Nabiki nodded. From what she had seen at breakfast, she could tell Ranma
was
telling the truth. "So I take it you're his son then."
"I haven't been his son in over ten years," said the boy, with no small
amount of
venom in his voice.
"Can you tell me what happen?" asked the girl. "We heard Genma's story
last
night. He said you were kidnapped by foreigners."
"I don't think the police count as foreigners."
"The police?" asked Nabiki although she wasn't really surprised that the
story that
the story Genma gave was a lie. She was however, concerned about the police
being
involved. If that were the case, it could lead to trouble for her family.
"Of course he wouldn't have mentioned that," Ranma continued. "Let me
tell you
about the Nekoken."
Nabiki listen to Ranma as he told her about Nekoken training, being
rescue by the
Kyoto police, and his adoption by the Diggers family. Ranma also told her of
the various
families that he had been sold to. Nabiki now understood completely why the
boy wanted
nothing to do with Genma. Now she just needed to figure out what to do next.
"Ranma,
as soon as Genma hears about you, both he and Daddy are going to come looking
you."
Ranma sighed, "I guess I better go and see him then."
"Ranma?" asked Monique, who had been quietly listening to the
conversation.
She knew that he didn't care for his real father all that much, but this had
been the first
time she had heard the whole story. She couldn't understand why he would want
someone like that back in his life.
"Don't get me wrong, if I never saw the bastard again, I'd be too happy.
But I
can't hide from him and hope he never finds me. Besides there's a few things
I like to
talk with him about." Ranma then turned to Nabiki. "Meet me at the gate after
school."
Nabiki nodded, while hoping her family home didn't get wreaked tonight.
*****
Later that afternoon found Nabiki standing with Akane next to the school
gates.
"How much longer are we going to have to wait," said Akane. It was bad
enough
that she had lost again, this time in front of the whole school, but now
Ranma really was
the boy one of them was supposed to marry. {He better not chose me.} The very
idea of
being married to the sex changing pervert made her sick to her stomach.
"You could go on home, you know," said Nabiki.
"What? I'm not leaving you alone with that pervert."
Nabiki was just about to respond to her sister's remarks, when Ranma
finally
arrived.
"Sorry I took so long. I had to make a phone call."
"Whatever, let's go!" growled Akane. Ranma had not rode his bike this
morning,
so he followed the girls as they walked to their home. As they walked Ranma
prepared
himself for meeting his long lost father. There was no doubt that there was
going to be an
argument. In fact it was probably guaranteed that the night would end in
violence. Then
there were the Tendos; just what type of deal had his father come up with
this time?
"Hey, you shouldn't just ignore us you know." Akane yelled.
"Excuse me?" asked Ranma.
"Nabiki's been trying to talk to you," growled the short-tempered girl.
"Sorry, I've just have a lot on my mind right now."
"It's alright," answered Nabiki. She couldn't imagine what it was like
for Ranma.
"Just so you know, I'm not going to marry you," said Akane. Nabiki closed
her
eyes and shook her head.
"Don't worry, I don't plan to," said Ranma frowning. It was just as he
thought;
Genma had set up another marriage scam. Now all he had to do was figure out
if this was
real or not. The fact that Genma came back to the Tendos seemed to show that
he was
taking this one seriously. {Then again, he may just be using the engagement
to get money
out the Tendos for his trip to the US.} All too soon for Ranma, they arrived
at the Tendo
Dojo.
Entering the Tendo compound the first person they ran into was Kasumi.
"Hello Nabiki. Why is Mr. Diggers back?"
"Simple Kasumi he's Genma's son."
"Oh my. Father isn't going to be very happy about that."
{I got the feeling that he's going to be less happy by the end of the
night} thought
Nabiki as they entered the house.
Stepping into the living room, Ranma quickly noticed the two men huddled
over a
shogi board. Ranma narrowed his eyes as he easily recognized Genma. Although
it had
been ten years, the fat martial artist had not changed a bit.
When Soun noticed Ranma, he bolted up, startling Genma. He then stormed
up to
the boy. "What are you doing here!? I told you never to return."
"I didn't mean to return so soon," said Ranma, still glaring at Genma.
"However I
have some things I need to discuss with my 'father'."
Soun was taken back by this. However, as he thought about it, certain
things
started making sense. He had the same first name and he did come from
America. Still he
had to reprimand the upstart for the treatment of his fianc‚e, not to mention
his cheating
with that gajin floozy.
Fortunately, before Soun could open his mouth and earn himself a good
beating,
Genma suddenly jumped up. "Ranma you're here! Now you can fulfill you're
family
obligation."
"Oh, and which obligation is that?" asked Ranma in a cold voice.
Genma blinked as if truly surprised. "Why you're engagement to on the
Tendo
girls and the union of the schools."
"Really? And what about the Daijkoku clan?"
"How'd you kn.I mean what are you talking about?"
"You know the guy you sold me to for a fish. How about the Shintoro and
Shiga
families."
"That's not important; this is a matter of family honor."
Ranma turned to Soun. "Bull! The only time he does anything like this is
when
there's something in it for him. So what he trade me for this time?"
"I-I don't know what you mean," answered Soun.
"Was it some fish? A few bags of rice? An all you can eat buffet?"
"No, that's not it at all, this is to unite the schools so that the
future of this dojo is
assured."
"Oh, so it's real estate he's after now. At least he's setting his sights
higher,"
Ranma finished sarcastically.
"Oh my son, how could you think so little of me?"
"I think it was the third family that showed up at our door. Although,
the Nekoken
might have had something to do with it."
"I just wanted to make you the best, Boy."
"By trying to make me lose my sanity? Great teaching technique old man."
"That isn't important right now," said Soun. "This engagement was made
before
you were born, it has precedence over any others."
Ranma glanced back at Soun. "You so sure? I think some of the other
families
might have something to say about that. At any rate there is someone else who
has a say
in all this and I'd rather not talk anymore until she arrives."
At the word 'she' Genma concluded that Ranma had a girlfriend and that
she was
on her way here. After all, who else would have an interest in who his son
married? He
was only partially right. However, that didn't stop him from yelling.
"Foolish boy! That
filthy whore has no say in this what so ever!"
"I think this filthy whore has every say in this." Genma's jaw dropped as
he felt a
blade rest on his shoulder. This made it slightly difficult to turn his head
to look behind
him.
"N-N-No-chan," Genma couldn't believe Ranma was stupid enough to visit
his
mother.
"Don't you No-chan me!" growled Nodoka as she slapped him with the flat
of her
blade. Genma recoiled as if hit with the blade itself. "To think I trusted
you with Ranma's
welfare!"
"But Nodoka, I'm only securing the boy's future."
"By using him to pay for your expenses!"
"Surely you don't believe those stories about the other families?" asked
Genma in
a serious tone. "How can you not have faith in your honorable husband? It
isn't proper of
a noble samurai wife. Oh the shame."
Genma knew how traditional his wife was and he was trying to exploit that
fact.
Nodoka however, was having none of it.
"Oh, I had trouble believing it for a while. That was until this came in
the mail,"
said Nodoka as she slammed a set of papers onto the dining room table.
"Ah, what is that?" asked Genma sweating.
"This is the combined bill from the merchants of the Abenobashi shopping
arcade
for skipped restaurant bills, stolen food, and property damage."
"Surely, you don't believe."
"I've all ready checked it out Genma, as well as the other claims,"
Nodoka yelled.
"Okay, so I accidentally broke that dragon statue while I was esca.er
shopping,"
said Genma. It wasn't like anything bad would happen because he broke a
statue.
"Listen old man, I only came here to tell you that I'm no longer your
son. Any
messes you make are your own to clean up."
"Stop talking foolishness, Boy!"
"I said what I've come here to say. I'll be leaving now," said Ranma as
he started
heading towards the door.
"No! I won't allow this!" yelled Genma as he suddenly charged the boy.
Just
before he reached him however, Ranma turned, grabbed the fat martial artist,
and threw
him out into the Tendo yard.
"I was kind of hoping you do that," said Ranma with an evil grin.
"Boy it's time I thought you a.BLARGH!" Genma's tirade was cut off by
Ranma's foot going into his fat stomach.
"Shut up and fight!" Yelled the boy as he started beating the shit out of
Genma.
"Wait a.ow.sto.OUF.How'd you get so strong.OW.No not the.AHHH!" Realizing
that close combat wasn't working, Genma jumped back. "Now I'll show you real
martial arts mastery!" Genma yelled as he threw a ki fireball at his one time
son.
Akane gasped at the sight of a ki blast. She had heard of such things,
but had
never seen one before. Looking at the target, the youngest Tendo guessed that
Ranma had
never seen one before either, as he just seemed to stand there. Didn't he
know that thing
would hurt?
"OOOhhh a ki blast. I'm impressed, NOT!" Genma jaw dropped, as Ranma
simply backhanded the fireball, sending it careening off harmlessly into the
air. He then
placed his hands in front of him. "Here, try one of mine!"
Genma tried to dodge, but wasn't fast enough as a pure white ki ball
slammed into
him with a furious explosion. When the smoke cleared, Genma lay at the bottom
of a
large crater.
Seeing that Genma wasn't getting up anytime soon Ranma turned and bowed
to
the Tendo family. He then left the Tendo home. Nodoka started to leave as
well, when
Soun suddenly spook up.
"Nodoka, if Ranma is no longer Genma's son. Then he won't want him
staying at
his house."
"It is not his house to kick my son out of. It is my house; the deed is
still in my
family's name. I've already talked to them, and they have agreed to take me
back. When
he wakes up, tell Genma that I am filing for a divorce." That said, Nodoka
turned and left
the stunned Tendo Patriarch.
To be continued
Next time on Neko Can't:
WHERE ON EARTH AM I NOOOOOWWWW!
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