Categories > Anime/Manga > Ranma 1/2 > A Werewolf in Nermia

Chapter 12

by USA_Tiger 0 reviews

Category: Ranma 1/2 - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Fantasy,Humor - Characters: Nabiki,Ranma,Ryouga,Shampoo - Warnings: [!!] [?] - Published: 2013-02-15 - Updated: 2013-02-16 - 2700 words

2Original
Disclaimer: The characters of Ranma 1/2, of course, belong to Rumiko Takahashi (and lots of others). Sati Li, and any other strays that may appear, belong to me, unless otherwise noted.

A Werewolf in Nerima

By: USA Tiger

Notes: Sorry this took so long but me and my editor was having a bit of a problem is this characters and i had to keep writing parts of it but here it is finally.

Chapter 12

"Therio-what?" Ranma asked, blinking her blue eyes at Sati. She, Sati and Jasper were walking thru the Nerima marketplace. At the moment the eldest of the three was trying to explain a bit more about the different types of Were, mostly about the type Ranma was going to end up being. The three were speaking softly and in low tones so as to not draw undue attention to themselves. After all, if you appeared to be whispering and making an obvious effort not to be overheard, then someone was definitely going to be curious enough to find out what you obviously didn't want them to know. Speaking normally, on the other hand, even if softly and in low tones, would simply tend to indicate a private but relatively unimportant conversation that would just blend into the background of a multitude of other such conversations around them.

"Theriomorph, Cub," Sati repeated in a patient voice, it seemed Ranma had a bit of a hard time grasping this at the moment. Of course, she was trying to cram all of this information, and there was a lot of it, into the teen's head in less than a month's time. It was a lot to take in. "It means changing from human-form to animal-form, or hybrid-form, and then changing back on your own, without external stimulus such as chemicals, radiation, or even magic. All basic Shapeshifters are Theriomorphs really. Even your Jusenkyo curse is a type of Theriomorph, since the actual magic involved in your changing genders is internal, a part of you, rather than external. In fact, your curse is almost identical to a Theriomorph Lycanthrope whose change is subject to the phases of the Moon... the magic causing the change of forms is internal, but requires an external stimulus to trigger it. Plus, despite how you may appear to the casual observer, there will almost always be something... different about your human-form that will set it apart from 'normal' humans."

"You mean like the whole enhanced senses thing?" Ranma asked, stopping briefly in front of an ice-cream vendor's stall to gaze upon the creamy, sweet, cold goodness displayed so invitingly.

"That's part of it," Sati agreed with a chuckle, deciding to indulge Ranma's 'sweet-tooth', especially after noting that Jasper was displaying a similarly hungry expression, and purchased them a cone each, including one for herself of course, as she too possessed a bit of a 'sweet-tooth' of her own.

"Haven't ya been noticin' da changes in yer looks?" Jasper finally broke in, reaching out to lightly tap one of Ranma's ears. "Yer ear is startin' ta point. It's one of da tings that marks a werewolf in human-form. See?" Jasper brushed aside her hair, showing that her own ear was more 'pointed' than should have been on a human. Turning to Sati, Ranma watched as she brushed aside her own hair to reveal a similarly pointed ear.

"Also, Cub, you're going to find your entire body becoming denser, muscle and bone both, making you heavier than you look and stronger, too. Which means, we're going to have to re-train your body to compensate for your greater weight and strength," Sati explained, mentally cataloguing the various items she was going to need. "It's going to be some rather intense training. Think you'll be up for it?"

Ranma puffed out her chest, incidentally causing at least one boy to walk into a lamp post from the prominent display of female attributes, and stated proudly, "I can take anything you can throw at me!"

Sati laughed, slinging an arm about the shorter redhead's shoulders, as she witnessed another boy being slapped by his apparent girlfriend for staring at Ranma's display of obvious 'talent'. What made it so humorous was that Ranma didn't even have a clue as to the effect she was having on the males around her. For her own part, Jasper just rolled her eyes at the display.

"That's good to hear, Cub," Sati said, still chuckling a bit. "In any case, I think it's time we head back to the Dojo."

"You two go ahead, I gots business to take care of," Jasper said as she quickly finished off her ice-cream, before running off to do Kami knew what.

Ranma arched an eyebrow at Sati. "Is she always like that?"

Sati just nodded with an amused look on her face, before leading her charge back towards the Dojo, their conversation turning to other, weightier, topics, at least in Ranma's opinion... such as that night's dinner menu. Neither took notice of the small wizened figure watching them from the entrance of the Nekohanten as they passed, a quizzical expression on her ancient face.

***

'I wonder...' the Amazon Elder, Cologne, thought to herself, as she turned away from the entrance and made her way back to the kitchen. She was beginning to wonder if maybe... No, it couldn't have been. Her old friend had stated that she was only visiting Son-in-law, but... Could Ranma be... a Werewolf? Or some other sort of Were? Of course, that wouldn't change the fact that he was her great-granddaughter's husband. In fact, it would just make Cologne more determined to bring the boy into the tribe with those genes. But, on the other hand, Were, or Lycans as they were often called nowadays, were notoriously difficult to control, male or female and regardless of specific subtype. Males would rather perish violently than submit to even the mildest forms of domination, and while females were slightly more... accepting in that regard, at least in terms of their chosen mates... woe unto anyone or anything that attempted to separate them from their offspring. The Joketsuzoku had lost some of their best Warriors attempting to acquire a very young Lycan, which this or that Elder had wished to raise into their own personal Enforcer. To date, no such attempt had ever been successful, and all had ended up costing the Joketsuzoku Tribe far more than they could reasonably afford.

As it was, it was now considered extremely unwise to even consider attempting bringing a Lycan into the Joketsuzoku Tribe, as either a Husband or as a Wife, due to their past experiences. Still, it wasn't forbidden outright to make the attempt, but Cologne could expect no assistance whatsoever from the rest of Tribe if Ranma were indeed a Lycanthrope.

Cologne felt a shiver travel down her spine, as she considered Ranma's past resistance to any attempt to subjugate him, in light of this new possibility. If Ranma were indeed a Lycanthrope, then she had been badly mishandling the entire affair. And, again if Ranma were a Lycan, then it brought into serious question Cologne's plans for her heir's future, as all too often any Joketsuzoku Warrior that became the mate of a Lycan eventually withdrew from the Joketsuzoku Tribe to live among the Were Clans with their Mate. If her suspicions proved to be true...

Cologne sighed tiredly, as she looked out of the kitchen towards her great-granddaughter. She'd had such hopes and plans for the girl. With a bit more molding and life experience, Shampoo possessed all the qualities of becoming the next Joketsuzoku Matriarch, and of leading their people into an uncertain future. If Ranma were a Lycan, though...

With yet another sigh, Cologne turned back to her pots and pans on the stove, her mind awhirl with possibilities and options. She had some difficult decisions to make in the near future, not the least of which was... which did she consider more important? Continuing to mold Shampoo into the new and future Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku Tribe? Or, attempting to ensure her great-granddaughter's future happiness?

Like it, or not, she was going to have to confront Sati on this matter, as she had to know. Was Son-in-law a Were?

***

Kodachi seethed as she slammed her bedroom door shut. "I can not believe that bastard!" The girl threw herself into one of the comfortable chairs in the room, crossing her arms over her chest and letting out a huff. "Hitting on me like that, it's just wrong! And what does my dear, dear brother do? HE TAKES NOTES!!!"

"Mistress Kodachi!" Sasuke said as he melted out of the shadows in the corner. "I bring you news from the Tendo Dojo." Kodachi perked up, happy for the distraction from the earlier events.

"What is it?" she asked, not bothering to sit up straight like a proper young lady as, in private at least, she viewed the diminutive ninja like a father, or much loved uncle. In truth, Sasuke had done more to raise and care for her than her own father had. "Have you gotten any information on their latest houseguest?"

Sasuke nodded, taking out some photos and a few sheets of paper filled with handwritten notes. Kodachi picked up the photos, flipping through them, until she noted a new individual.

"Who is this new girl?" she asked, turning one of the pictures about to indicate the individual in question. On it was Jasper and Sati, looking as if they were discussing some serious topic.

"That would be MacTavish Jasper, of New York, America. She resides with her father, whose name is, strangely enough, Silvereye. As far as I can tell, Miss MacTavish is not a new fiancée of Young Master Saotome," Sasuke stated, reading from his notes. "The other, as previously identified, is Li Sati. The Young Master has continually referred to her as 'Auntie', so it is highly unlikely that she is another fiancée as we at first suspected. Unfortunately, Mistress, I have been unable to locate any further information on either young lady. All of my attempts to acquire further information have been met with governmental and corporate inquiry as to my identity and reason for seeking such information."

"I see. So, they are protected," Kodachi stated, noting Sasuke's nod of agreement before returning her attention to the stack of photos.

Sasuke stood by silently, knowing his report was not yet finished, but allowing his mistress to absorb what information had already been presented. He had seen Taeko hitting on and molesting her as if she were just some random girl on the street, instead of his cousin. The ninja remembered Taeko's father, who was Miyu Kuno's, Tatewaki and Kodachi's mother, cousin, acting much like his son whenever he had seen the man, but he had never behaved as poorly as his son. He'd never gone so far as to do more than outrageously flirt with Miyu, which Miyu had returned to a lesser degree, but he had never attempted to take it any further than that and he had never attempted to actually touch Miyu with anything other than honorable intentions. Sasuke would have known if he had, Miyu had been his best friend as they'd grown up, despite their different social status, he a lowly family retainer, she the heir to the Kuno fortune. He had also known that she hadn't been all that pleased with the man whom her family had arranged for her marry, one Kaitou Himura, who upon their marriage took the Kuno family name.

Miyu had once told Sasuke that her children were the only good things that came from her marriage to the man, whom she had found to be all too unfaithful and wasteful of the Kuno fortune, leaving a string of Paternity Suits and dishonored young girls wherever he went, using her family's fortune and connections to keep himself out of prison. Sasuke had felt immense sorrow for his young charges when his friend, their mother, had been killed. Tatewaki had been affected the most adversely, as he had witnessed her brutal murder. It had been that horrible event that drove him to his present behavior, attempting to be the noble samurai that he believed could have prevented his mother's death.

Kodachi, on the other hand, Sasuke had been able to protect and care for enough that she hadn't sunken into the madness that had claimed her brother. She had some problems, certainly, but she wasn't, in truth, nearly as mad as she pretended to be around others. For the most part, it was an act, a ruse mostly, to keep her father and brother away from her, as both had, at various times, attempted to 'educate' her in the 'proper' way for her to show her respect for them... namely by appeasing them sexually.

Of course, the way Kaitou Kuno behaved was an act as well, one intended to throw off suspicion. Sasuke knew that the Principal of Furinkan High School was responsible in some way for the death of Miyu Kuno, but... he had never been able to find any proof. The man had certainly only grieved for his murdered wife, publicly, until he could conveniently run off to Hawaii, where he wasted little time in setting up a luxurious lifestyle, which was paid for from the Kuno coffers, while leaving the various family businesses in the hands of Trustees.

Of course, he immediately returned to Japan when Tatewaki began making larger and larger withdrawals from those same coffers in his pursuit of Akane Tendo and the Pigtailed Girl. Also, Tatewaki had been making inquiries into the family businesses, and of what would be required for eventually taking over the reins of power when he came of age. That was something Kaitou Kuno could not allow, as there had never been any love between him and his offspring, and he knew that if either of them gained control of the Kuno fortune, he'd be left with nothing.

So, Kaitou Kuno had returned to Japan, took up what had previously only been an 'honorary' position as Principal of Furinkan High, and pretended to be completely off his rocker, as it were. This allowed him to keep a close eye on his son and to interfere in any attempts by said offspring to gain control of HIS money. It also provided him with a readily available legal excuse, if it ever became known that he was taking advantage of several underage girls, sexually. It was truly amazing what one could get away with when everyone thought you were crazy.

"Sasuke? Is this what I think it is?" Kodachi asked, disrupting the little ninja's thoughts. He turned his head towards the photo she was holding up, looking at it, and slowly nodded his head. It was a photo of Sati Li in her hybrid-form as a werewolf.

"Yes, Mistress. It has been confirmed that Miss Li is, in fact, a Werewolf. It has also been claimed that Miss MacTavish is a Werewolf, although I have yet to witness evidence of this." Sasuke knew that this information would please his mistress, since the teenager had a fondness for the dark creatures just like she had for her black roses and potion making. "And Mistress, it has also been claimed that the Young Master is one as well."

"What?!" Kodachi's head snapped up in surprise. "My Ranma-sama, a Werewolf!?"

Sasuke nodded then added, "If I heard correctly, Mistress, the Young Master is expected to shortly undergo his very first transformation."

"Leave me, while I think of this."

Sasuke bowed, respectfully, before stepping back into the shadows and fading from view.

Kodachi sat back into her chair, her thoughts drifting to images of Ranma Saotome... covered in fur. "A Werewolf, hmm? My, my, my, how you keep surprising me, Ranma-sama. And such a pleasant surprise, too."

**

Edit 5-12-14: Not much changed, a little clean up here and there. I did change ‘Amazon’ to ‘Joketsuzoku’ since technicality Cologne, Shampoo, Shampoo’s Father and Mousse are not Amazons. They call themselves the Joketsuzoku, it’s the other characters that refer to them as Amazons I think.
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