Original 8/22/04

I n t e r l y c a n t h r o p y

Chapter 5 - Places of the Heart

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"Where's Jade?" asked Ranma.

"That's right you've never been! We can go and have an adventure and meet all my friends Ranma!!" replied his mate.

And so they all packed to take a vacation to the Jade Realm. This was easy for Ranma of course since he's used to living out of a backpack.

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Later on that day

"And this is Onoli, Tirga, Raphiel, Thropan, Sheila and her bro Gar. They're members of the Edge Guard. Guys, this is Ranma." Brittany said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you as well."

"Yo"

"Hey ya"

"Hey there"

"Touch my sister and you're dead."

As everyone heard this they all looked towards Gar with eyes wide open except Sheila who had her eyes narrowed.

"Dammit Gar don't make me kapowie you."

"Ummmm, actually I'm dating Cheetah here."

When she heard that Sheila got misty eyed.

"Dammit, why are all the good ones taken?!?"

"Don't worry I'm here for ya babe." Tirga said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind with his hands on her breasts.

"Tirga.... Sweetie"

"Yes?"

"KAPOWIE"

Now leaving is flight Air Kapowie heading for lower Jaden orbit, destination: unknown.

The Diggers and Talbains are sporting sweatdrops all round.

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"So you are planning on just exploring around a little bit with Ranma while the rest of your family has a little vacation here in the Retreat?" asked Onoli

"We know Cheetah can take care of herself, but what about pretty boy here?" Gar said condescendingly towards Ranma.

Sheila whispered to Raphiel, "Guess he's still got a crush on Cheetah."

"Is that a challenge?" three guesses who that was.

"Maybe it is little man."

"Little man? Ok, I'm not even gonna go hybrid to kick your arse." He replied while cracking his knuckles.

"Bring it on punk!"

While Gar and Ranma headed towards the training room the others of the Edge Guard looked towards the Earth residents for an explanation of the hybrid comment.

"Come we'll explain while we watch." Said Nodoka.

They headed to the viewing area around the training room which was a raised area around the "pit" as they affectionately called the room. This training room was meant specifically for sparing. It was large and round in shape, with dirt covering the floor and magic reinforced walls to keep attacks from getting out of the building.

While the Terrans were explaining Ranma's origins Gar is getting his butt kicked all around the training room. Julia just finished telling how she was beaten by Ranma before they knew about his background when he first became their neighbors when they were interrupted by a sound from the training room.

CRUNCH "AAAAAAAAAAAH"

"Oopsy."

Sigh "Looks like Ranma went overboard." Nodoka sweatdropped.

"I'll take bro to the infirmary to get a splint till that heals."

(I know they heal fast, but I figure it will be a few hours at least.)

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"Alright, you can go, but since you aren't native here I want you to take Sheila as your guide."

"No problem. It's always great to have a good friend along."

Right after she said that, Tirga sidled up to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Why don't I join you and we leave that punk behind, we'll have a threesome."

He then heard KAPOWIE in stereo right before he went flying into the sky.

Whistle

"Good distance" Ranma said in appreciation.

And so Ranma, Brittany, and Sheila packed their things they needed for the trip and said their goodbyes. Well, Sheila packed, the other two helped her.

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At first Brittany just wanted to have this as time with Ranma all to herself, but with Sheila there and Ranma's insistence turned it into a training trip. First stop was her mother's old trainer, Master Leep.

On the way to Leep's training area known as 'Leep's Point' in the Dim Crag Mountains, the group gets to know each other better.

Of course Brittany already knows both of them well so just updates Sheila on what she's been doing recently. Sheila never did hear about how she caught Strype cheating on her.

Sheila told them of growing up with Gar looking after her when her parents died. About being treated like a child all her life because of her birth defect. Then training and joining the Edge Guard to get a little respect.

Ranma told Sheila about his life training on the road with only what he thought was his father. Of course this entailed the Neko-ken, stupid training techniques, Jusenkyo, the Amazons, Nerima, the fiancés, the rivals, the Akane Kidnapping Capers, Herb and the Musk, Ryugenzowa, Prince Tomah, the Umi and Yama Senken, all the failed cures, the supposed seppuku pledge, Saffron and the Phoenix, and finally finding out about his heritage and moving to America.

Needless to say Sheila was a little shocked. When she finally recovered a little she asked to see his hybrid form. As he shifted into his form he forgot that he didn't have his baggy clothing on, so when he became a wall of muscle his clothing shredded up enough to only cover his twig n berries. Even though they were covered it was still a really tight fit that left nothing to the imagination. Sheila, who had never seen a hybrid of two werecreatures was quite surprised to see a mix of werecheetah and werewolf. Through all this, the worse part for Ranma though was the fact that the piece covering his "Captain Winky and his Happy Sack of Treasures" was a tight fit, a little too tight. He quickly changed back to human for before doubling over and falling to the ground with his hands between his legs.

Brittany and Sheila were immediately by his side making sure he was ok. After most of the pain went away they helped him get up, of course their helping had nothing to do with rubbing all over his bare chest and stomach...

Ranma just blinked as he swears one of them just pinched his arse.

After he got changed into his baggy clothes, the three started up their trek once again.

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They had been traveling for a few weeks without passing by any rivers or lakes so the only water they've had contact with was their drinking water. Needless to say there were getting a bit ripe. Lucky for the three malodorous travelers, Ranma had good senses.

"Come on it's this way!" he yelled back as he ran towards where he felt a dampness coming from. "It feels wet, and a little warm. Oh sweet mother can it be?!"

Being a water magnet made Ranma very good at sensing water. He just had to put up a show for the idiot back in Nerima.

As he came through the clearing his legs suddenly started shaking before he fell to his knees with an expression of pure bliss on his face. The girls came out right behind him and slowly came up behind him.

"It's... it's" began Sheila.

"Beautiful" finished Brittany.

In front of the trio was a small grouping of hot springs, each one has a bit of steam coming from them. As they said this Ranma was already on his way down with pieces of clothing trailing behind him. He was already scrubbing by the time they noticed that he wasn't in front of them anymore and were on their way down to join him. Unfortunately for the two female werecats he was already done scrubbing and was soaking in the spring before they got down there.

The girls were also a little disappointed that he had his eyes closed so they weren't able to tease him. He may be getting used to Brittany's body, but he was still a little girl shy, and Sheila was a girl.

Silence reigned supreme while they relaxed in the hot springs. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Ranma was so content and relaxed that he never opened his eyes or realized he was in the hot springs with two female werecats, all naked.

As they were relaxing Brittany got close enough to Ranma to take his hand. When he felt something take his hand he looked in that direction and saw Brittany. Seeing the contented smile on her face brought a smile to his as well. They were so comfortable with eachother that they failed to notice the look of longing on their friend's face.

It wasn't until Sheila got out and dried off that they noticed her. Ranma never did see her face as she was facing the other direction and Ranma looked away with a blush as soon as he recognized what he was seeing. Brittany on the other hand did when Sheila took a quick look back before wrapping her towel around herself and walking out of the clearing.

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She went a little ways out of the clearing and sat on the trunk of a fallen tree.

'What was I thinking, he has Brittany. I could never take away my best friend's boyfriend.' Sheila thought as tears made their way down her face.

She thought of how everyone back at the retreat treats her like a child because of her size and the only one to look at her sexually was a playboy who cheated on her more times than she could count. With each minute that passed she was crying harder and harder till she was full out sobbing with her head in her hands.

She flinched as she felt a hand on her shoulder but relaxed when she felt a set of arms encircle her as she cried.

"What's wrong honey?" inquired a concerned Brittany.

"No-nothing."

"Like hell it's nothin, I haven't seen you cry like this since the first time you caught Tirga cheating on you." Brittany winced as Sheila started crying harder on her shoulder.

"I hic 'm never gonna fi hic nd someoooo hic ooone!" she got out between sobs. "Nobody wants a defective werecat like me, even Tirga only wanted me cause I was someone he hadn't had yet. I thought I loved him and he cheated on me.... 20 times!!!! I'm gonna die alone and a virgiiiiiiiiiiiin." She wailed out.

(I couldn't put all the hics in there and still have it readable so you just have to imagine she still having her sob/hiccup fest while speaking.)

Sigh 'I don't really wanna share him, but she needs to feel loved right now.'

Brittany then looked at Ranma, who had stayed a few steps away with a look of concern on his face, and motioned to Sheila with her eyes and a small dip of her head. The quirk of an eyebrow from Ranma almost set her off giggling, but that would be bad form to giggle while consoling one of your best friends who is crying on your shoulder.

She motioned again and he came up behind Sheila to give her a hug from behind turning it into a group hug.

Sheila felt Ranma embrace her from behind and she was soon encased by her two friends, both molding to her to increase the intimacy and feeling of caring of the embrace, Brittany then kissed Sheila on the forehead, then the cheek, and then on the lips. Sheila was so shocked her mind went blank and she quit sobbing as hard. She got another shock when she suddenly felt a tongue beckoning to be let in passed her teeth. Even though her mind wasn't processing very fast right now her body knew what to do as she opened her mouth and returned the kiss.

Ranma was just a wee bit shocked to see his girlfriend making out with his month long friend while in his arms. Although he is a guy so he had the natural reaction. Brittany stopped the kiss just before Sheila let out a gasp as she felt what she correctly assumed was Ranma's purple headed yogurt thrower poke her in the bum. Brittany then kissed Ranma briefly before motioning once again to Sheila. As understanding dawned on him, he gave a look of 'are you sure' to her at which she gave a nod.

Sheila was once again thrown for a loop as Ranma then started to kiss her as well. While he was doing this Brittany was pecking down here neck and removing her towel.

That night Sheila found out just how much her friend loved her; and that Ranma has an extremely caring heart, which he allowed her a part in. She would never feel lonely again, not as long as these two were alive.

a/n:

Hey all, sorry about the long wait. I may have found an idea that will keep me writing for a while. It is something that I can easily put out in one chappie, but I'm gonna try and stretch it to a few. Hell, I may be able to get around 10 just from this one idea if I play it right.

So how was my writing I've been working on incorporating the ideas from yall. Like that past tense thing. I didn't even notice that writing style in my readings and am now trying to do that too.

I am a 'modern hermit' as I have AIM and Yahoo Messenger, but haven't used them in 6 months. I check my email about once a month... if I remember. For instance, I gave Xerxes permission to do a remake of this but got a mailer-daemon back, didn't notice till a few weeks later. Haven't tried since.... Btw xerxes, you can redo this, I told ya in a few reviews to your story, but didn't see anything come out of ya yet. I will continue as well. but you know me, I will probably take forever to update. So feel free. We'll see what ya do when I bring out my new idea. I think you'll like it when I finally get to the last part of it. Give you a hint, part of it comes from Naruto. ï