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The Long and Winding Road.
Book 1: The Truth Behind the Neko-Ken
Chapter 3: A new problem arises. Ranma goes cat.
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Disclaimer: All the characters used so far in this story do not belong to me. They are the property of their respective owners and I am only borrowing them for a short while (okay, so the short while is a lie since I don't know how long it'll take me to finish my planned storyline). In the future more characters will be introduced some who will be my own creation while others will belong to their respective creators.
(A/N: I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I was having trouble writing chapter four and ended going back to this one a few times to make small changes so that ideas in the fourth chapter will work. Other then that I credit the delay of this chapter with me getting hooked onto pokemon emerald for a bit and now that I'm able to step away from it to work on this story, the first book should be completed in the next little while. I'm sorry for any inconvenience, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.)
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Yohmei was sitting back against the wall on his porch once again watching Ranma run through another kata. The skill displayed by the currently male Ranma was the farthest thing from his mind. 'It has been a week since he came here.' He lit his pipe and took a puff. 'I'm worried about him though. Not only has he had a tough life but he seems to have a spirit that is hanging around his neck that I can't seem to identify.' He blew out the smoke with that thought. 'I wonder if I should try to do a scribing on the spirit to make direct communication with it.' He watched Ranma finish the kata before turning and walking to the porch where Yohmei handed him a towel he used to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
"Domo arigato, elder Yohmei." Ranma dabbed some more sweat from his forehead as he sat down.
"You're welcome Ranma." He returned.
'For having a Father like this Saotome Genma I'm surprised that Ranma turned into such an honorable man.' He turned an eye to the boy who was now leaning back against the wall of the porch with his arms rested behind his head. Yohmei knew that there was something familiar about the boy. 'He shows such great skill and dedication to his art but when he isn't practicing there is something about him that seems to shine out that tugs at the back of my head reminding me of someone else.'
At that moment Yoh walked by heading past them towards another part of the estate giving a small greeting as he passed. Yohmei watched Yoh continue until he was around the corner before returning to his own thoughts. 'Maybe I'll do that spirit scribe next time Ranma falls asleep. I just hope that it isn't a malevolent spirit bent on some sort of revenge. He really is a one in a million boy.'
When he looked over to Ranma he noticed that Ranma's breathing changed in such a way that it suggested sleep. Yohmei got to his feet and stood there for a few seconds before Ranma. He looked at the mysterious cloud around Ranma's neck then turned and walked away, deciding that it'd be better to put it off until he had a word with the boy.
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Shortly after Yohmei's departure Ranma started to sweat. In his dream Genma was a giant standing over a child Ranma. They were both surrounded by shadows that Ranma was able to see the glowing orbs of the animal he'd of become so afraid of.
"Ranma, if you can't even handle this training then I have no reason to keep you around. Men do not show fear." Due to the fear Ranma went into a fetal position. "Look at you, you inconsiderate disgrace." He pointed directly at Ranma who just tried to tuck up into a tighter ball. "Why did my son have to be so weak?" With that Genma walked into the shadows where two sets of the bright yellow orbs gave way to let him through before going back to their previous positions.
Ranma knew that this wasn't a good thing. The last thing he remembered was a loud feral growl that emanated from the shadows before the light left his view.
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"YYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Yoh was startled from the scream that split the air. It was like nothing he'd of ever heard. He began running to the source of the scream hoping that he'd be able to make it in time to help whoever was in trouble.
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Yohmei was at a full run. From experience he knew how to recognize a scream that came from the very depths of ones being. Idly he wondered if it had something to do with the spirit that hung on Ranma's neck.
"On no, what's the matter Ranma? " At hearing this yell he sped up.
"Hold still Ranma." Yohmei finally turned the corner to see Anna trying to hold back a thrashing Ranma. He kept running, but he idly knew what was about to happen.
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Yoh rounded the corner opposite the porch that Yohmei had just come up on and was startled to see the insane looking Ranma. He continued running towards Ranma until he heard a shout from Yohmei.
"Stay away from Ranma you two."
As soon as she heard him Anna leapt backwards away from Ranma just as he ended up taking what looked like a swipe with his hand that was aimed directly at Anna's chest.
As Anna landed she started staring at Ranma who was still thrashing around on the ground. She was broken out of her reverie though when she heard Yohmei yelling at her.
"Anna go and get as many people as you can. I have a feeling that we'll need everyone to help with Ranma."
"Yes sir." She took off running towards the living quarter where the telephone was. As she ran though she heard what sounded like a yowl.
Yohmei and Yoh watched as the cloud around Ranma's neck sunk into his skin and disappeared. Once it was finished that Ranma stopped thrashing and just lay still on the ground. Yoh went to approach Ranma but was stopped.
"Don't Yoh. I believe that he's just been possessed by that spirit. Considering that we don't know what it is, it isn't safe to approach him at this time. We must be patient and see what happens."
Ranma's eyes opened and he looked around. He saw two familiar people staring at him. He was able to sense the nervousness on them though. He shrugged it off though and yawned. He didn't know why he was tired and quite frankly he didn't really care either. He watched as the older man approached him with a curious eye. He heard the old man speak though he couldn't understand what was being said by the man. When the man put his hand on Ranma's shoulder he finally decided to ask a question.
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After Ranma went limp Yohmei became worried for Ranma. He started approaching but stopped when Ranma opened his eyes and started looking around. 'I hope that this spirit isn't going to attack. I don't think I could stand up to the power that Ranma has in his body. It would surely be a tragedy if Ranma's strength was to be used by a malevolent spirit.' Yohmei stopped his approach and watched Ranma as he looked around. He continued as Ranma yawned and decided that he might be able to get a little closer. As he did this he stared into Ranma's eyes as he stared back into his. When Yohmei was finally up to Ranma he was going to put his hand on Ranma's shoulder but was interrupted by a meow that came from Ranma.
'A cat spirit?' Yohmei quirked an eyebrow at that thought. 'That cloud around his neck has been the spirit of a cat.' He looked back in his memory to what Ranma had told him about his training trip and came to a realization as he remembered the last form of training Ranma ended up taking before his father left him.
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Yoh watched his grandfather as he approached Ranma. He wanted nothing more then to run up to Ranma but was held back by Yohmei's command and the memory of seeing Ranma take a swing at Anna.
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Ranma was having what seemed to him to be a nightmare. In it there was a giant c-c-animal with grey fur, black stripes and yellow eyes standing before him that was staring at him in such a way that Ranma knew it was staring into his very soul. He couldn't bring himself to move away from it. He wanted nothing more then to run for his life. Ranma's mind kept telling him that he was going to die if he stayed there with the giant feline but there was also something in its eyes that told Ranma that no harm was going to come to him. He was truly caught up in a conflict of will and common sense.
Ranma stayed unmoving for a few minutes. He continued to stare into the giant c-c-creatures eyes. He was slowly calming down until the cat laid down with it's head on it's paw. He blinked at that then watched as it rolled onto it's back and resumed staring at him from it's upside down position.
"Could you please scratch my belly for me?"
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From this hilltop one would be able to see many things. Mt. Fuji, some forests, and what is currently more important the highway, where a scream could be heard. "What the fcking hell do you think you're doing?" Ren for the first time in his life was riding in the passenger car of Ryo's motorcycle which was currently flying down the highway at excess speeds of over eighty five miles per hour.
Ryo was wearing a huge grin as he enjoyed the panic that was evident in Ren's voice. "You heard the panic in Lady Anna's voice didn't you Ren? (A/N sorry, I don't know the pet names/insults they use when referring to each other.) She's normally never fazed by anything. This is the first time I've heard actual panic in her voice."
Ren blinked as he thought about it. "Oh fine, go ahead and continue driving like a maniac." At that Ryo's grin grew bigger and Ren went back into panic as the bike picked up speed.
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Anna hung up the phone and rested her face in her hand while. 'Why were those two the only ones I was able to get a hold of? If I know them, they'll find some way to screw this up.' She looked out the window to see Yohmei ducked down by Ranma with his hand on the younger boys shoulder. She let out a sigh. 'Maybe I didn't need to call those two. It seems that Yohmei has the situation under control now.' She smiled to herself as she watched Ranma get up into a position that seemed very much to her like an animals. She watched Ranma walk around on his hand and feet rubbing himself against Yohmei's legs. "What the⦠Isn't that weird." She shrugged her shoulders and went to go back outside.
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Ren was shaking. His life was passing before his eyes and he didn't like it. Ryo's panicked riding was an experience like death itself.
Ryo poked Ren getting no response. He shook his head before taking his boken and bopping Ren on his head.
"Hey, what'd ya do that for?" Ren shouted as he came out of his shocked reverie. This came so suddenly that it shocked Ryo into falling off of his motorcycle. He was back on his feet as suddenly as he fell off.
"What the hell did you think I was doing? You seemed so out of it that gentle means wouldn't wake you up. Besides," He gestured behind him. "we're here."
Ren looked to where Ryo gestured and noticed the sign stating that they were indeed at the Asakura estate.
"Oh." Was all he was able to say.
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Yoh and Yohmei were now sitting on the porch petting the feline behaving Ranma that was sitting between them.
"This has got to be the most interesting possession I have ever seen." Yoh commented. Yohmei nodded his head in agreement.
"A cat spirit who is able to possess a human is quite unusual. I've never seen anything like it. It seems to have calmed down now so I don't believe anyone will get hurt." As soon as this was said Ranma went back onto his standing cat position and arched his back towards the front gate. He then began to hiss. "I hope this doesn't mean what I think it means."
Ranma ran off the porch and jumped to the roof, then proceeded to run for the front gate across the roof. Yoh and Yohmei exchanged one look before nodding and chasing after Ranma knowing what they had to do.
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Ren opened the gate with his pike and peeked to either side of the gate expecting something to jump out at him. He was being cautious since he had a feeling of impending pain. That was about the time that Ryo chose to run through the gate incidentally running Ren over. As Ryo disappeared inside Ren dusted himself off.
'Ok, that did hurt but I still have that feeling that I'm about to be in a lot more pain.'
It was at that point that he heard yelling from above him on the roof.
What Ren looked up to see, he would never forget for the rest of his life.
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Yoh and Yohmei were running as fast as they could. Yoh was running on the roof while Yohmei was running on the ground.
"I can't keep up with him grandpa. He's just too fast." Yoh gasped out as he slowly watched Ranma pulling ahead of him.
"Don't give up grandson. We're nearly at the front gate now. That is where Ranma was heading anyways. Try yelling to him again. You're closer then me so you should be more likely to be heard."
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Ranma couldn't believe it. To his mind there were several things wrong that only helped to confuse him.
A: The giant feline wasn't trying to eat him.
B: He wasn't running scared.
And C: It was lying on its back asking him for a belly rub.
Ranma was able to think about points A and B with relative calm but point C obviously hadn't of sunk in yet.
"What the hell!" Ranma yelled.
The cat somehow managed to quirk its eyebrow.
"Don't tell me that you've never seen a cat (Ranma flinched) talk before?" At that point Ranma fainted. "Well there goes my tummy rub."
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End Chapter 3
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Ooh, this has gotten interesting. Hehehe. Ranma has now gone cat and it seems that it wants a little Ren on its menu. Inside of Ranma's mind he is also dealing with the cat spirit and promptly fainted when the cat spirit started talking to him. (I know that it doesn't make sense since he shouldn't be able to faint in his own mindscape, but hey, play along with this writers illusions of sanity.) ((Hehehe))
At the moment I don't have much else to say so if you have questions put them on the reviews and I will do my best to answer them on the review board. Just please keep in mind that I'm a working man with a busy life so this isn't going to be one of those stories that's updated every two or three days and more then likely to be updated at random times. Towards the beginning I'm updating fairly quickly but I'm starting to approach a bit of writers block. So please be patient.
Calks shotgun
Now please excuse me. I have a bit of block hunting to do.
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Written by: Cloud12399
P.S. By the time you read this I should be finished the fourth chapter.
