Subject: [FFML] [R1/2][GD] Neko Can't part 9
From: JLee100441@aol.com
Date: 1/31/2004, 12:48 AM
To: ffml@anifics.com

    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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