"..and then she knocked me out and had her way with my bod..erk!"
"DON'T ADD THINGS LIKE THAT!" Yelled Ranma, grabbing Shigure in a headlock. "I only used pressure points! Pressure points!" Hatori put a hand to his face and went back to Yuki, who seemed to be fine after all, just a little shocked. Seeing the shift in attention Ranma added defensively, "He coulda forfeited the fight."
Hatori looked between Ranma who was apparently uninjured except for a slight bruise on her cheek which was already fading, and Yuki. "Are you sure you won?" He asked suspiciously.
"Hmpf. A lucky shot!" Ranma rubbed her cheek as if to prove the point, a motion which was counter productive since she was rubbing the wrong one. Momiji worked his way resolutely back towards Ranma's lap, when she glared at him he searched his pockets to produce more candy which she reluctantly took, allowing him to snuggle against her arm, a contented smile on his face.
"Ano... dinner is ready.." interrupted Honda.
Ranma jumped to her feet with shining eyes. "Yatta!"
Hatori watched in wonder as Ranma easily balanced a half dozen plates of food easily, tossing them in an apparently haphazard fashion, where they skidded to a halt in front of the respective diners, nary a drop spilled. "Ranma-chan used to work in a restaurant!" Managed Honda. At his nod of acknowledgment she smiled obliviously.
"I made the shalad toosh!" Ranma added around a mouthful of food, before upending her rice bowl into her mouth.
"I'm so happy Ranma-chan likes my cooking so much!" Ranma just held out her bowl for more, while Kyou and Yuki held their bowls protectively close. Shigure was on the far side of the table. Ranma eyed them critically, there were openings enough but hardly worth the effort. Momiji was oblivious and while she might not have hesitated to steal food from a kid, Hatori's was closer. In an almost lazy movement she extended her chopsticks across to Hatori's rice bowl, which caught in his own. "AH! You got me!" She cried dramatically. "I'm so embarrassed!" She clutched her cheeks as if to cover a blush.
Hatori amusedly looked back to his plate, only to find his fish missing. "Eh?"
"Arghh!" Ranma managed, her cheeks bulging with the fish. "You." She said accusingly brandishing her empty-again bowl at Kyou who just smirked. "I am your enemy now!" She warned in honorific fashion, her battle aura flaring around her.
"You're both too easily distracted." Interrupted Yuki who had since emptied both their plates.
"Kyaa!!" Managed Ranma in a heartbroken way. She looked around the table and everyone else had finished too. She sat down at the table to sulk with Kyou. Hatori was suprised to see Yuki participate in such a childish game, and yet at the same time relieved to see him happy. He could swear he even saw him smile a couple times. Shortly Honda brought out some cake, pre-cut into equal slices. Ranma seeing she could no longer use conventional methods since the crowd was too wary, turned thoughtful a moment. She ate her own serve quickly to keep it from the vengeful Kyou, and then examined the situation. A real martial artist could overcome any situation she decided, either by strength, skill or wit. "Momiji-chan!" She cried, throwing her arms wide. As expected the younger boy jumped into her arms and she consumed his cake too. Shigure was openly weeping when he realized he'd already eaten his. Honda was still eating obliviously, but Ranma would never steal... er.. re-acquisition food from her. She met Hatori's eyes and held them in a glare for several minutes, his fork mere inches from his plate. He could feel a large sweat drop rolling down the back of his head at the intense scrutiny.
"I have a high metabolism."
Wordlessly he slid the plate across to her and she gulped it down too. "Ah!!" She patted her stomach contentedly and with a belch jumped up to help Honda with the dishes. "Please excuse me."
"I'm suprised she can still move with that much food in her." Hatori commented once he was sure she was out of earshot.
"Ah...it's cute for a girl to have a healthy appetite, Ha-san." Shigure.
"It's special training. Speed and coordination." Explained Ranma, extending her first in a few light punches in the air at a speed Hatori hadn't seen before. "Everything is training."
"Hai!" Put in Honda. "Ranma can mop a floor faster than anyone I've even seen!" Ranma just sweatdropped at Honda's statement referring to their part-time job.
"You take the martial arts very seriously?"
"The art is my life!" She declared standing excitedly.
'My god, she's a female version of Kyou.' Hatori thought absently. 'Right down to the red hair.'
***
"The neko-ken training?" Ranma's face dropped immediately and she hugged herself defensively.
"Was my pop's idea." She shivered uncontrollably. "I was only a kid at the time." Hatori nodded. Judging from the girl's reaction what he'd read was probably true. Akito was most interested in this girl since she seemed to not activate the curses, and had given him permission to help her if he was able. Living with the Sohma's he had more than his share of experience when it came to psychological traumas.
"What is the neko-ken training exactly?" Asked Kyou with his normal tact.
"Hmm.." Ranma contemplated this momentarily, trying to choose the words as best she could. "Well, you dig a pit and fill it up with cats, starve them for a few days, then you wrap the trainee in fish cakes and toss them in." She scratched her chin thoughtfully, "I guess it wouldn't have been too bad," she continued, not noticing the appalled looks around her, "but it didn't take straight away, so then he tried fish sausage." Honda had started to tear up at this point. "dried fish, sardines... uhmo... bonito flakes, fish dumplings... aw I forget the rest...."
"Di... didn't your mother try to stop him?" Asked Honda shakily.
"My mom wasn't with us, we were on a training trip... she probably still doesn't know..."
"... when was the last time you saw her?" Ranma shrugged uncomfortably.
"I dunno.. eleven, twelve years ago... I might like to see her but in my current state she might make me commit seppuku." Ranma rubbed her hand on the back of her head nervously with her eye's squeezed shut. "Haha! I guess you all think I'm a bit of a coward for running away and all..." She peeked out one eye nervously when no one commented.
"Ranma-chan..." Murmured Honda trying to be strong, "Ranma-chan I had no idea your life was so bad before you come here!" Hatori looked concerned too but for a different reason. If the girl had been physically or emotionally weak Akito could have had no claim on her. Ailurophobia and perhaps a little social misconduct were easy enough to deal with. His research had shown Jusenkyo curses were non-transferable. This one would inevitably become a tool. Pushing the thought aside he concentrated on the room again.
"Ranma-chan has incredible strength!" Continued Honda, clutching a furiously blushing Ranma's hands to her chest and staring into her eyes. "I want to have strength like that too!"
"So Ranma-mei is scared of cats now?" Asked Momiji.
"Ehhh?!? When did you get so close?!?" Ranma demanded, prying Momiji off her chest again, wondering if the boy had any amazon ancestry. "I'm not scared... I just don't like 'em very much." She added defiantly.
At this Shigure produced a photo album from under his Kimono, labeled 'Precious Memories'.
"De... lets see... " He flipped through a few pages including one with Yuki in a dress which caused a blush form that department, several of Kyou getting beaten by Yuki, even more of people in various states of undress.. before coming to the page he was after, "Ah! Here!" The others crowded around to look.
"Ano.. Shigure-san..." Asked Ranma suspiciously, "Do you have hidden camera's in all the rooms?"
"Security camera's, Ranma-chan, Security cameras."
"Ehh..."
"Oh look! Here you are not liking Kyou, and look at this expression of absolute not-like as you lose control of your mental facilities and become a cat... oh and here you are carrying Kyou, and look! this one's much later when Kyou wasn't a cat anymore!" He finished pointing at the photo of Neko-Ranma on Naked-Kyou.
"...You know I despise you." Ranma managed calmly, seething at the indignity of the shots and Shigure's attempt at humor.
"I'm so hurt... and I only wanted to preserve these kodak moments..." The album quickly disappeared under the kimono again, to the chagrin of the others who would have dearly liked to see it destroyed.
"Ah so maybe I am scared a little... as long as I stay away from cats it's fine!" Four very dark and wary expressions were directed at the oblivious red head.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"DON'T ADD THINGS LIKE THAT!" Yelled Ranma, grabbing Shigure in a headlock. "I only used pressure points! Pressure points!" Hatori put a hand to his face and went back to Yuki, who seemed to be fine after all, just a little shocked. Seeing the shift in attention Ranma added defensively, "He coulda forfeited the fight."
Hatori looked between Ranma who was apparently uninjured except for a slight bruise on her cheek which was already fading, and Yuki. "Are you sure you won?" He asked suspiciously.
"Hmpf. A lucky shot!" Ranma rubbed her cheek as if to prove the point, a motion which was counter productive since she was rubbing the wrong one. Momiji worked his way resolutely back towards Ranma's lap, when she glared at him he searched his pockets to produce more candy which she reluctantly took, allowing him to snuggle against her arm, a contented smile on his face.
"Ano... dinner is ready.." interrupted Honda.
Ranma jumped to her feet with shining eyes. "Yatta!"
Hatori watched in wonder as Ranma easily balanced a half dozen plates of food easily, tossing them in an apparently haphazard fashion, where they skidded to a halt in front of the respective diners, nary a drop spilled. "Ranma-chan used to work in a restaurant!" Managed Honda. At his nod of acknowledgment she smiled obliviously.
"I made the shalad toosh!" Ranma added around a mouthful of food, before upending her rice bowl into her mouth.
"I'm so happy Ranma-chan likes my cooking so much!" Ranma just held out her bowl for more, while Kyou and Yuki held their bowls protectively close. Shigure was on the far side of the table. Ranma eyed them critically, there were openings enough but hardly worth the effort. Momiji was oblivious and while she might not have hesitated to steal food from a kid, Hatori's was closer. In an almost lazy movement she extended her chopsticks across to Hatori's rice bowl, which caught in his own. "AH! You got me!" She cried dramatically. "I'm so embarrassed!" She clutched her cheeks as if to cover a blush.
Hatori amusedly looked back to his plate, only to find his fish missing. "Eh?"
"Arghh!" Ranma managed, her cheeks bulging with the fish. "You." She said accusingly brandishing her empty-again bowl at Kyou who just smirked. "I am your enemy now!" She warned in honorific fashion, her battle aura flaring around her.
"You're both too easily distracted." Interrupted Yuki who had since emptied both their plates.
"Kyaa!!" Managed Ranma in a heartbroken way. She looked around the table and everyone else had finished too. She sat down at the table to sulk with Kyou. Hatori was suprised to see Yuki participate in such a childish game, and yet at the same time relieved to see him happy. He could swear he even saw him smile a couple times. Shortly Honda brought out some cake, pre-cut into equal slices. Ranma seeing she could no longer use conventional methods since the crowd was too wary, turned thoughtful a moment. She ate her own serve quickly to keep it from the vengeful Kyou, and then examined the situation. A real martial artist could overcome any situation she decided, either by strength, skill or wit. "Momiji-chan!" She cried, throwing her arms wide. As expected the younger boy jumped into her arms and she consumed his cake too. Shigure was openly weeping when he realized he'd already eaten his. Honda was still eating obliviously, but Ranma would never steal... er.. re-acquisition food from her. She met Hatori's eyes and held them in a glare for several minutes, his fork mere inches from his plate. He could feel a large sweat drop rolling down the back of his head at the intense scrutiny.
"I have a high metabolism."
Wordlessly he slid the plate across to her and she gulped it down too. "Ah!!" She patted her stomach contentedly and with a belch jumped up to help Honda with the dishes. "Please excuse me."
"I'm suprised she can still move with that much food in her." Hatori commented once he was sure she was out of earshot.
"Ah...it's cute for a girl to have a healthy appetite, Ha-san." Shigure.
"It's special training. Speed and coordination." Explained Ranma, extending her first in a few light punches in the air at a speed Hatori hadn't seen before. "Everything is training."
"Hai!" Put in Honda. "Ranma can mop a floor faster than anyone I've even seen!" Ranma just sweatdropped at Honda's statement referring to their part-time job.
"You take the martial arts very seriously?"
"The art is my life!" She declared standing excitedly.
'My god, she's a female version of Kyou.' Hatori thought absently. 'Right down to the red hair.'
***
"The neko-ken training?" Ranma's face dropped immediately and she hugged herself defensively.
"Was my pop's idea." She shivered uncontrollably. "I was only a kid at the time." Hatori nodded. Judging from the girl's reaction what he'd read was probably true. Akito was most interested in this girl since she seemed to not activate the curses, and had given him permission to help her if he was able. Living with the Sohma's he had more than his share of experience when it came to psychological traumas.
"What is the neko-ken training exactly?" Asked Kyou with his normal tact.
"Hmm.." Ranma contemplated this momentarily, trying to choose the words as best she could. "Well, you dig a pit and fill it up with cats, starve them for a few days, then you wrap the trainee in fish cakes and toss them in." She scratched her chin thoughtfully, "I guess it wouldn't have been too bad," she continued, not noticing the appalled looks around her, "but it didn't take straight away, so then he tried fish sausage." Honda had started to tear up at this point. "dried fish, sardines... uhmo... bonito flakes, fish dumplings... aw I forget the rest...."
"Di... didn't your mother try to stop him?" Asked Honda shakily.
"My mom wasn't with us, we were on a training trip... she probably still doesn't know..."
"... when was the last time you saw her?" Ranma shrugged uncomfortably.
"I dunno.. eleven, twelve years ago... I might like to see her but in my current state she might make me commit seppuku." Ranma rubbed her hand on the back of her head nervously with her eye's squeezed shut. "Haha! I guess you all think I'm a bit of a coward for running away and all..." She peeked out one eye nervously when no one commented.
"Ranma-chan..." Murmured Honda trying to be strong, "Ranma-chan I had no idea your life was so bad before you come here!" Hatori looked concerned too but for a different reason. If the girl had been physically or emotionally weak Akito could have had no claim on her. Ailurophobia and perhaps a little social misconduct were easy enough to deal with. His research had shown Jusenkyo curses were non-transferable. This one would inevitably become a tool. Pushing the thought aside he concentrated on the room again.
"Ranma-chan has incredible strength!" Continued Honda, clutching a furiously blushing Ranma's hands to her chest and staring into her eyes. "I want to have strength like that too!"
"So Ranma-mei is scared of cats now?" Asked Momiji.
"Ehhh?!? When did you get so close?!?" Ranma demanded, prying Momiji off her chest again, wondering if the boy had any amazon ancestry. "I'm not scared... I just don't like 'em very much." She added defiantly.
At this Shigure produced a photo album from under his Kimono, labeled 'Precious Memories'.
"De... lets see... " He flipped through a few pages including one with Yuki in a dress which caused a blush form that department, several of Kyou getting beaten by Yuki, even more of people in various states of undress.. before coming to the page he was after, "Ah! Here!" The others crowded around to look.
"Ano.. Shigure-san..." Asked Ranma suspiciously, "Do you have hidden camera's in all the rooms?"
"Security camera's, Ranma-chan, Security cameras."
"Ehh..."
"Oh look! Here you are not liking Kyou, and look at this expression of absolute not-like as you lose control of your mental facilities and become a cat... oh and here you are carrying Kyou, and look! this one's much later when Kyou wasn't a cat anymore!" He finished pointing at the photo of Neko-Ranma on Naked-Kyou.
"...You know I despise you." Ranma managed calmly, seething at the indignity of the shots and Shigure's attempt at humor.
"I'm so hurt... and I only wanted to preserve these kodak moments..." The album quickly disappeared under the kimono again, to the chagrin of the others who would have dearly liked to see it destroyed.
"Ah so maybe I am scared a little... as long as I stay away from cats it's fine!" Four very dark and wary expressions were directed at the oblivious red head.
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