God, it's been a long time. Waaaay too long. Over a month, in fact. Well, I hope this chapter makes up for my writer's block, which was followed by the time sucker known as Finals Week. Don't ask me my grades. I don't know. I don't think I want to know. If anyone is religious out there, pray for me.
Okay, on with the fic!
"What!" Yuka turned quickly to see a ninja-like shadow disappeared into the dark on a bicycle.
"I- I don't like this place," Sayuri said, and Yuka really couldn't agree with her more. "Let's get out of here."
"But we walk this way all the time." It was safe to say that Yuka's brave front was more to boost their own confidence, because it sure wouldn't fool any attackers in the early evening. From his perch on the roof, it certainly didn't fool Muu Tsu.
"Y-yeah. But still-" 'splash, clatter, Meowwll' "Did you hear that?"
"Some cat knocked over a bike and a trash can lid." I rather suddenly got the image of Ranma in the Neko-ken, but then shook it off. "Come on." The cat was walking rather daintily at a distance, shaking off her hind paws as they were wet. "We aren't really all that far from your house, right?"
"Nope, not far at all." Sayuri hoisted her dress bag farther off the ground and over her right shoulder. Yuka found herself suddenly glad not to be carrying anything.
"Hey, are you OK with that thing?"
"Yeah, I'm just glad I found one. And you aren't getting out of this that easy, you know. . ."
"I know, I know. I just need to find one, that's all" 'in a store without Nabiki-' she glanced over her shoulder. "I know this sounds weird, but do you have any fish or meat on you?"
Sayuri's look was the picture of surprise. "No, why?"
"I think we're being followed."
"What? Where?" Before she could whirl around, Yuka grabbed her elbow.
"I know this sounds weird, but I think there's a cat following us."
Sayuri looked to the right, then the left, then behind them. And ordinary little cat with purple fur was sniffing at a fish skeleton in the lamplight. As soon as Sayuri's head looked away, she wrinkled her nose and waited for them to start moving again.
"Yuka, isn't that the cat that usually puts Ranma in the Neko-ken?"
"Every cat puts him in the Neko-ken."
"If it follows us home, Dad'll have a fit. 'We can't afford a pet' or somesuch like that." She glanced back one last time and took a deep breath. "Let's just go. What's the worst it could do to us."
Xian Pu hissed in spite of her amazing Amazon calm.
'Tup, tup, tup, tup' Their feet sounded hollow against the high walls of the neighbors. They would be home soon. Very soon.
'Thum, thum, thum, thum' Leap, Land. Muu Tsu was at it again, trying to keep pace. There was no telling what Xian Pu could be up to, following Yuka like that- but she shouldn't really be of any concern to her. Not really.
The problem was, when Yuka asked Muu Tsu to the dance, she unknowingly laid a challenge. Normally, such a challenge would go generally unnoticed, but when Xian Pu discovered it the challenge became an obstacle.
'Girl is an obstacle. . . obstacle for kil-' the Purple cat paused midstep. She didn't have any weapons, but would easily have Yuka outmatched. A small neko-smile formed on her muzzle. If she didn't remember asking him. . .
"Do you have your key?"
"I thought I had my key."
"Where's your key?"
Sayuri furiously searched her pockets and finally was rewarded with a small silver object for her troubles. In went the key to the lock, and the door swung wide.
Yuka held open the screen door for a second, watching a purple cat leap down the street apparently in pursuit of some invisible string. That didn't stop her from continuing to glance over her shoulder the rest of the way home- especially when she thought she saw a shadow on a nearby rooftop. Then again, shadows were fairly common on rooftops in Nerima.
"Go to bed, kiddo."
"But I'm on the phone!" Yuka's dad would hear none of it.
"You have school, it's late. I want to go to bed. Your mother wants to go to bed. You are going to bed."
Yuka sighed. "Hey, Sayuri? Dad says I gotta letcha go."
"I thought so. Now go to bed. We are so getting you a dress tomorrow."
Yuka was too tired to argue, and so mumbled good night and hung up the phone.
"Good Girl. Now get some rest, kiddo."
A quick hug and she stumbled her way to her room, kicking off her shorts and generally not looking out the window. If she had, she would have seen a girl with a spatula hopping roofs with a sack on her shoulder, a boy with long white robes sitting on one nearby, and a boy with a yellow bandana on the street.
Instead, she fell asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.
I know this place. I can reach out my hand and touch the walls and feel the school's energy course through me. I think that's what Ranma feels like when he channels his Ki. . . I like the feeling. It's soothing.
It's new. It's different. It's changing. It's the schoolyard.
It has fighting with Akane and some other chick. . . Ranma? Ranma-chan. I watch for a bit, but before too long, my legs tug me away from the one-on-one matchup. I have to get to class.
Walking past Kuno-Sempai, I feel a slight shiver. Despite his tendency to speak in haiku, I'd still place him at a low brain capacity. He seemed to be quoting from Romeo and Juliet, but that couldn't be it- he was dressed like a samauri. After he finishes the Queen Mab speech, he guzzles a large quantity of sake, which Nabiki turns up to pay me for. I soundlessly accept the notes, counting them as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Before the bell rings, I reach my class via elevator.
I don't think the elevators ever had so many buttons before.
The classroom is the dull yellow of pollen. I can see the desk I sit in, the desk Sayuri sits in, the desk Akane sits in, the desk Ranma sits in, the desk Daisuke sits in, the desk Hiroshi. . . Hiroshi?
What is Hiroshi doing here?
Taking class, of course. I'm out of my seat. The teacher knows that she called me up to the board for a reason, but can't remember. It must have been for that gigantic math problem on the board.
2+2 equals 5.
No, that can't be right.
2+2 equals 3.
No, that's not right either.
The teacher tells me that I should get out more, and so I leave the room. Just like that, I wander outside with no real purpose. Hiroshi follows me, pulling my hair like he did back when we were in grade school together. I swing my hand to slap him, but he changes, becoming a much taller young man with black hair. He catches it easily.
"You aren't my sort of girl." He testily glances over my shoulder, then back at me. "I like my women strong."
Without his glasses, he wouldn't know a strong woman from a weak one, but I couldn't argue with him for some reason. It was like there was power in his eyes. A strange sort of power that I could almost drown in. Like he was draining me of all the energy I might have had. I felt very limp.
He releases my hand, and I fall into my body
Yuka looked over at her alarm clock. Four more hours to sleep. And she couldn't have been more awake.
She lifted her head just a bit, wishing for sleep again.
And when it finally came, she did not dream.
Yes, it was short. Hopefully I will get back to the story as we know it, but bear with me. This writers block has really started to get on my nerves. If you ARE still reading it, then drop me some lines so I know that there is an audience still out there.
A gigantic Thank You and a hug goes out to everyone reading this chapter- but especially to:
Millie Nomina and GriffinMiraur- I continued it! It's like, the shortest chapter I've ever written, but I know that the next one will be way longer. Otaku by Day, Goth by Night- Thanks for your encouragement. Without your e- mail, I don't know when I would have gotten back to writing this. You're awesome. (And yes, I did get the dream inspiration from you. Be flattered, not wary. I promise to steer clear of other ideas.)
Butterfly- Wish my luck with Ukyo. . . and let me know if she slips OOC. Thanks for sticking by me!