M hmmed, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "Were you expecting something more?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, I'm something you neva seen before, I'm holdin on to a baby that ain't mine, and aside from wonderin what race I am and if I knew how to take care of a baby, you ain't got nothin else to ask?" Ranma didn't believe for a second anyone, except maybe himself, was that trusting. No one in Nerima had been, so why would this guy be?
"Good point." M conceded, "I have numerous questions to ask you, I was simply waiting for a more.. opprotune time. Do you feel up to answering a few more of my questions?"
"Eh, sure I guess." replied Ranma with a shrug, careful his sudden gesture didn't wake the slumbering baby in his arms. "Shoot."
"Whats your name?" M began.
"Saotome Ranma."
"Whats your species?"
"Were-smilidion." Ranma drawled, a tad annoyed the guy had asked a question he had only just answered a few moments ago.
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen."
"Really?" M seemed surprised. He certainly didn't look seventeen in that form.
"Yes, really." he drawled again.
"Whats your Birthday?"
"November 19th, 1974."
"Eh.. what year was that again?" M replied with a blink. Certainly he hadn't heard 1974.
"1974." Ranma repeated with a scowl. Geesh this guy was starting to really get on his nerves with the repeated questions.
"Ah.." M made a note to question the boy about the date at a later time. "Do you have any family?"
Ranma shrugged, "Yeah, I guess." he then hmmed for a second, before adding, "But they ain't were-smilidion's like me."
M nodded slowly, "So.. are there any others like you? A were-smilidion to be more specific."
"Nope. I'm the one and only." At least, thats what Bast had told him right? Right.
"Ah.. so.. how long are you going to be here?"
"Eh.. don't know. Probably until I die, why?" he may have been turned into a were-smilidion, and made Bast's Avatar, but he didn't believe he was Immortal by any stretch of imagination. Since he was pretty sure he was suppose to take care of Brit until she knew how to defend herself well enough, after which he'd probably have to guard her or somethin till she popped out a few kids of her own. At least, thats what he figured. Bast didn't want the species dying out after all.
"Ah.. so.." M began, "You are the only one of your kind, stuck here till you die, charge by the Goddess Bastet, or Bast for short, to guard, raise, and defend the little girl in your arms for.. what purpose?" M crossed his fingers, hoping the boy would let some information slip about Bast. Thats why he had asked all those questions earlier. Repetive questions tended to lower people's guards.
Ranma shrugged. "Yeah, yep, yep, and so the were-cheetahs won't die out." He didn't even bother trying to lie about it. His time in Nerima had taught him well that he couldn't lie, or even bend the truth slightly to safe his life. Why bother now?
"I see.."
Silence reigned over the two for a few moments, until an errant thought struck M, "You know Ranma, you and Brittany are in the same boat."
"Hmm? What does that mean?" replied Ranma with a curious frown.
"Well.. Brittany is, at least as far as we know, the only remaining Were-cheetah on this planet." M stopped, waiting for Ranma to nod. "Well.. you said so yourself, your suppose to guard, and train the child until she is old enough to begin mothering the Were-cheetah race. Right?" again Ranma nodded, "Well.. since you yourself said you were probably here until you die, don't you think you would be required too... " he motioned towards the baby, hoping the boy caught the not so subtle hint.
"Eh? Required to what? I'm only suppose to take care of Brittany as far as I know." Ranma replied, confused. Just what was this gaijin trying to get at?
M coughed, idly scratching the back of his head nervously. "Well.. don't you think, since you are the only were-smilidion in exisitance... don't you think you would be required to.. begin.. fathering the were-smildion race?"
Ranma blinked once. Then twice. Then thrice. "No fucking way!" he exclaimed suddenly. He could SWEAR he heard a woman laughing in the back of his head about that revealation. He looked down at the child, before cursing, "Kaki kuso!"
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(Posted Tue, 13 Jan 2004 20:00)
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