As a result, she wasn't all that put out by letting him stride off to the quarry on his own. Near as she could tell, he was not going to be able to hurt himself all that quickly, and so checking on him could wait a while. Besides, she rather preferred the idea of him taking himself away from the house for some time.
No, her main concern was the boy who was likely her sole male friend, and whom she cared for like he really was her brother. There was something going on with him, and she wanted to know what it was. It might have been nosy, but she wasn't about to let it go after what she'd just heard.
Concern going with each and every thought, she stepped softly into the dojo, letting the creak of the wood beneath her feet echo into the space.
"Yeah," Ranma grunted, not even turning around to look. "Whaddya want?"
"A little more courtesy might be nice," she growled, planting her fists on her hips.
"Huh? Akane?"
"What? Did I turn into someone else?"
"Nah, that's not it. I just...."
Her stance softened. "Had a fight with your father, right?"
"How'd ya know 'bout that?"
"I heard you two yelling," she admitted as she strolled towards him.
Ranma's expression was a little sour as he looked her in the eye. "Ya didn't haveta listen in."
"It's not like I tried. Neither one of you was being that calm in your little discussion."
"Guess you're right."
"Could be. But still, do you want to talk about it?"
"What's there ta talk 'bout? My old man was just bein' stupid again."
"There's more to it, and you know it," his sister in law admonished. "Come on. Let me know what's going on."
"Pop was insistin' that he teach ya, and I told him that ya ain't his student. End of story."
"No, there is more to it."
"Like?"
"What is this 'Nekoken' thing that you mentioned?"
"Oh man," he sighed. "Ya heard that?"
"Yeah. But do you really know a technique that makes you go crazy?"
"Actually...."
"Ranma?" she whispered.
For a long moment, it was apparent that he was thinking, as one could see it on his face. There was no hiding the fact that he was trying to figure out what exactly he should say in this instance. A struggle went on deep within him, and he didn't even really look at her as he mulled it over.
He did come to a conclusion though, and looked up at the walls as he spoke. "If ya call runnin' round thinkin' that I'm a... c... c... ca.... One of those furry things that chase mice."
"A 'cat'?" Akane asked, blinking slightly at the shiver that single word brought up in him.
"Yeah, that."
"Maybe you should tell me what exactly that means...."
"Might as well. Ya see, Pop decided ta train me in the Nekoken when I was little, and it's messed me up but good." The pigtailed boy smiled in self derision as he snorted. "I see one of those furballs, and I wind up hissin' and scratchin' stuff up. Ya see, I move fast and hit hard enough ta beat lotsa people, but it's all 'cause I that I'm a cat. I can't even think, just act. And it lasts only til I calm down, or at least that's how it seems. No stoppin' ta think or listen. Just attack, play, or sleep."
"Damn. Sounds horrible."
"Kinda thought that myself."
"I suppose that you would. But how could that happen? What would happen to you to make you like that?"
"Simple. Pop taught me the way that he saw in the manual 'bout it. He got a pit, dug it, or found it, doesn't matter. Grabbed a whole bunch of ca... ca... cats, and stuffed them down there until they were a starvin' mass of teeth and claws."
"How horrible!"
This time, his expression was wry. "And that ain't the last of it."
"It's not?"
"He took me, his little kid, wrapped me in fish paste and rolls, dunked some fish oil onto my head, and dumped me inta the pit. Left me ta crawl out on my own."
"And he didn't help you get out?!"
"Nah. Tied me up again, and tossed me back in. Kept on doin' that."
"That's terrible!" Akane yelped, and pressed her fingertips to her mouth.
"Did it until came out yowlin' and lookin' ta defend myself with my claws."
"But how did you get better?"
"Didn't really," Ranma revealed, shaking one shoulder in a shrug.
"You aren't hissing or climbing trees now...."
"Thanks for noticin'."
Akane's face grew heated with embarrassment. "It's just that you seem to be able to function like a person now."
"Thank the old lady that lived nearby for that. She'd manage ta calm me down so that I'd fall asleep, and I'd relax until I woke up, back ta bein' myself."
"Then that means...."
"If I see one of those hairballs, I'll flip out, until I calm down again," he muttered. "It'd probably take someone that I really trust for it ta really work."
"All because your father insisted on teaching this so called 'technique' to you."
"Didn't even see anythin' wrong with it when he read the warning about the trainin' on the next page."
"And he wants to train me?"
"Makes ya wonder why I was aimin' ta keep him from forcin' ya ta be his student, now doesn't it?"
Staring at him in disbelief, Akane wondered what sort of complete and utter idiot Genma Saotome had to be, while:
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Tue, 27 May 2008 05:07)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.