Categories > Anime/Manga > Ranma 1/2 > A Werewolf in Nermia
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.
Timeline: starts at some point before Nodoka finds out Ranko and Ranma are one and the same, but I'm not sure where...
Warnings: There is some bashing of the characters Akane Tendo and Genma Saotome. There are lemon chapters later one, depending on where this story is posted, it will either be the full chapter or a link can/will be provided to the full chapter.
A Werewolf in Nerima
By: USA Tiger
Chapter 1
It was a calm, peaceful morning in Furinkan, located within the Nerima Ward of Tokyo, Japan. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the weather service had predicted clear skies and temperatures in the upper-seventies for a high. Yes, it looked as if it was going to be a perfect day. Which to an Outsider, would have seemed at odds with the unusually tense and hushed expectancy of the Nerima residents. It almost seemed as if time had been turned back to the end of the Second World War, to shortly after the Americans had begun their bombing runs of Japan, and the Nerima residents knew that an attack was coming... they just didn't know precisely when the attack would begin. And, until the first bombs began to explode, they didn't know which way to run.
Meanwhile, at the Tendo Dojo, which just happened to be located in the Nerima Ward, the residents were blithely unaware of the nervous attention their home was receiving from their neighbors... those that hadn't already moved far away, that is. In any case, in the modest garden beside the house, and often hovering over the large koi pond within said garden, Genma and Ranma Saotome, father and son respectively, were engaged in their usual morning sparring match. At least, that was what they called it, if asked. In actuality, Genma was once again attempting to beat his offspring into submission and, as had become far too common as of late, he was failing, miserably.
Within the residence itself, Soun Tendo sat at the low table in the main room, reading his morning paper and only occasionally glancing out through the open doors leading to the garden whenever one of the two combatants yelled something that might be of interest to him. Nearby stood Soun's middle daughter, Nabiki, seemingly only half-awake, with her normally immaculate hair a mess, and still dressed in her pajamas. She'd paused momentarily on her epic morning trek to the furo to admire the physical form of Ranma who, by the way, was wearing nothing more than his boxer-briefs and a muscle-t, which granted Nabiki quite a bit to look at, as Genma hadn't seen any need in allowing his son the time to don an athletic supporter before tossing him out of the house and attacking. Needless to say, Nabiki was watching his every move with rapt attention. Well, as much attention as she could manage before her bath and her usual cup of strong hot coffee, at any rate.
In the kitchen, Soun's eldest daughter, Kasumi, was humming along with the tune playing on the radio, gliding gracefully about the room, as she went about the task of preparing breakfast for her family and their houseguests, although she truly considered Ranma to be more of a family member than a houseguest. The less she thought about his father, the easier it was for her to maintain her optimistic and pleasant outlook on life. And finally, there was Soun's youngest daughter, Akane, who was just returning from her usual morning jog. And having long since grown bored with the Saotome's customary morning free-for-all and yelling match, she didn't even glance in their direction as she rushed into the house and sped back out the side on her way to the dojo to finish her own morning training, by destroying yet another pile of helpless and inoffensive building materials.
There was, actually, one other... person... in residence at the Tendo Dojo, but he was presently out and about somewhere, and with the very remotely possible exception of Kasumi, not one of the other residents would have cared if that particular individual was ever seen again... by anyone. So, let's not borrow trouble where it's not needed and worry about him, if and when he makes an appearance, shall we?
All in all, it was a rather uneventful and relatively quiet morning at the Tendo Dojo which, of course, was why the remainder of Nerima was on High Alert. The longer that nothing out-of-the-ordinary occurred, as defined by the rest of the world and not the residents of the Tendo Dojo, the greater the property damage and risk of personal injury tended to be.
"Breakfast!" Kasumi eventually called out to everyone, causing Ranma to jerk about, halting his leap to attack his father and thereby leaving Genma, who had already leapt into the air, suspended above the koi pond without anything to bounce off of. Of course Gravity, already rather irritated at how often the Saotome’s tended to ignore its laws decided that this was the perfect opportunity to remind Genma of their existence, by sending him plummeting into the very cold water of the koi pond.
SPLASH
"Better luck next time, Pop!" Ranma laughed, having already jumped clear of the resulting spray of cold water, as a shivering panda broke the surface of the pond. Rushing inside, he was just about to sit down at the table and dig into another of Kasumi's excellent meals, when Nabiki drew his attention by clearing her throat loudly.
"As much as I enjoy the view Ranma," Nabiki stated with a definite appraising look, and a bit of a leer, as she took her place at the table, "don't you think you should get cleaned up and dressed before joining the rest of us?"
"Idiot!" Akane growled, about to take her own place at the table, but turning instead to head toward the stairs, and calling back to him over her shoulder. "Since I'm already up, I'll get you some clean clothes, but don't expect any of us wait on you before starting to eat!"
"Surely, you want to set a good example for your son, Mr. Saotome?" Nabiki said pointedly, as a still very wet Genma-panda had been about to sit down.
With a "Growf" and a sigh, father and son headed off to the bathing room.
***
Ranma had been trying to ignore it, and had been wracking his brain in an attempt to discover what he might have done wrong this morning. And yet, try as he might, he couldn't think of any reason for Akane to be glaring at him so intensely ever since he'd returned from the furo. Deciding that a full stomach would slow his reaction time, Ranma sighed and set down his empty bowl, without asking for a fourth helping of rice.
"What did I do this time?" he asked in a resigned tone.
"Who is she, you pervert?" Akane snarled her voice fairly laced with pure venom.
"What are you talking about?"
With a growl Akane slammed her hand down flat onto the table, only to lift her hand back up and reveal the photograph of a rather attractive young woman, seemingly in her late-teens.
"Well?" Akane snarled, fists clenched and teeth beginning to grind audibly.
"Another girlfriend, Ranma?" Nabiki asked curiously, leaning forward for a better look at the photo, while attempting to remain out of the range of her father's waterworks as he began to wail about the families never joining and demanding to know why Ranma was cheating on his baby girl. "Hmm, very attractive, too!"
"Boy, how could even think of cheating on Tendo's daughter?" Genma bellowed, about to jump up and demand that Ranma marry Akane immediately in order to protect the family honor, when Ranma snatched up the photo and showed it to him. To Kasumi and Nabiki's surprise, Genma calmed instantly. "Oh, it's just her!"
Ranma turned back to face Akane, now showing a glare of his own.
"What gave you the right to go through my stuff, Akane?" Ranma growled at her, thankful that she had apparently not discovered his stash of letters. "And don't even think of saying you found it while getting me some clothes! This photo was in my pack, not the dresser!"
"Who is that floozy, you jerk?" Akane growled back, completely ignoring his question. "And don't you tell me what I can and can't do in my own home!"
"It's none of your business who she is, you Un-cute Tomboy! And my personal belongings--"
"RANMA YOU JERK!" Akane screamed in self-righteous outrage, her massive mallet already in motion.
WHAM
"Hmm, looks as if you're going to break your old record, Akane," Nabiki noted, calmly judging Ranma's current rate of ascent, present altitude and direction of travel. "He's actually going to be on time at school for once, it seems. That is, of course, if you didn't actually kill him this time."
"Why should I care what happens to that baka?" Akane snarled.
‘Because if you ever do kill him, little sister, there's no way I could save you from going to prison for murder! Not with your reputation of abusing him,’ Nabiki thought, as she gathered her things and headed out the door to school. She was shortly followed by a still boiling tomboy.
You can breathe a little easier now people of Nerima, the pressure valve has vented a bit, so the damages should be kept to a minimum this day... but keep your fingers crossed, just in case. And perhaps an offering or two at some nearby shrine wouldn't hurt, either.
***
It was nearing noon when a gaijin girl, seemingly in her late-teens, was noticed making her way into the residential section of Nerima. A bit taller than the average Japanese female, at around five-foot-seven or -eight, she was otherwise unremarkable physically, possessing a rather slender, yet fit, musculature, with a modest bust and slender hips. Her hair, a rich dark-brown, was pulled back into a low-set ponytail that extended to just between her shoulder-blades. And her complexion was clear, but fairly light, as if she didn't spend a great deal of time under the sun. All in all, there wasn't really anything about her physically that would draw the eye of others, unless you considered the mirrored sunglasses which concealed her eyes.
Her choice of clothing on the other hand was a bit more unusual for the area, and it was this that attracted the attention of passers-by...
She was dressed entirely in black, which made her already light complexion seem even paler in comparison. First, there was the cut-off, sleeveless, black t-shirt with the words Oh crap, you're going to try and cheer me up now, aren't you? written in red across the chest, which left her mid-riff bare and exposing the fact that she wore a fish-net undershirt beneath. Next were her loose-fitting trousers, made of black denim, and with an unusual number of seemingly pointless zippers and straps. And finally, there were the black, heavy, combat boots, which didn't really look as if they'd be all that comfortable to those who'd never worn such. Overall, if she'd presently been in let's say New York, in the Americas, she wouldn't have drawn any attention at all, being considered just another Goth, but... she wasn't in America, so her attire did draw the eye of the locals.
Eventually, the girl seemed to reach her destination, pausing to read the sign adorning the wall beside the main gate, Tendo's Martial Arts - School of Indiscriminate Grappling, before pushing open the gate and proceeding inside. Stepping up to the front door of the residence contained within the outer surrounding wall, she knocked loudly and then patiently waited. After only a fairly brief few moments, the door opened in response to her knock and she was greeted by yet another girl of about the same height and age as herself.
"Welcome to the Tendo Dojo," the new girl said in a friendly manner, bowing politely. "I'm Tendo Kasumi. May I help you?"
"Nice to meet you, Kasumi." the girl responded, bowing in turn. "Are either Ranma, or Genma, Saotome here?"
"Ranma is attending school at the moment, but Mr. Saotome is here. Do you wish to see him?" Kasumi asked a little startled at the girl's informality.
"Yes, I would."
"May I ask your name please?" Kasumi asked, stepping back and motioning for the girl to enter.
"Li Sati," the girl responded, stepping through the doorway, and then followed Kasumi further into the house.
***
Genma and Soun were once again in the midst of one of their seemingly unending games of Go when Kasumi and Sati entered the main room of the house.
"Mr. Saotome, someone is here to see you. A Miss Li Sati." Kasumi stated, before heading back to her kitchen to prepare some tea for their guest.
"Hello, Genma," Sati said, slipping off her sunglasses to reveal highly unusual amber-colored eyes.
Soun noted his old friend stiffen and begin to sweat, a normal reaction for Genma when his past had caught up with him. ‘Not another one, old friend,’ Soun thought to himself, remembering that this had been the girl in the photograph from earlier that morning. If Ranma had cared enough for this girl to keep a photo of her, the agreement to unite the families could be in serious jeopardy.
"H-h-hello, Sati. Um... uhhh... H-how are you?" Genma stuttered in fear. It was one thing to look at a photograph of the girl, when he'd been fairly certain of never seeing this particular individual ever again. It was quite another when she was only standing a few feet away and phantom pains of past injuries dealt out to him by her were once again being felt. Not even his wife's katana frightened him as much as this seeming girl did. After all, he could outrun the katana, but Sati... No. Running wasn't an option in her case, as she'd just overtake him.
"I've been doing all right," Sati said, placing her sunglasses into a pocket and raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Intro-... Oh, uh, S-Soun... This is... Li Sati," Genma stated, continuing to stammer and fidget nervously, as Sati bowed to Soun. "Sati, meet my old friend, Tendo Soun."
"Hello. I'm honored to meet you," Sati said standing straight again. "And before you ask, no, I'm not another fiancée of Ranma's." She noted his questioning expression and continued, "I've known Genma for about seven years now; I know what he's like. That and the letters I get from Ranma have kept me up to date on Genma's habit of engaging the poor boy left and right."
Releasing a frustrated sigh, Soun motioned for Sati to sit. His building anger at the arrival of yet another supposed fiancée for Ranma, due to Genma's stupidity, laziness, and lack of honor, dissipated, but... he and his old friend were definitely going to have a long talk, later. From Genma's reaction to her, Soun was fairly certain that he wasn't going to like the latest trouble Genma had brought to his home... even if she wasn't a new fiancée.
"Kasumi, bring some..." Soun began to call out, but trailed off as Kasumi entered the room with a fresh pot of tea and cups on a tray. Turning back to Sati, he decided to see what he could learn from the girl, before he had his talk with Genma. "So, where did you meet Saotome and his son?"
"Uhh... This is the person who snapped Ranma out of the Neko-ken, that first time," Genma said before Sati could respond, as she accepted a cup of tea from Kasumi who returned to her kitchen. He ignored Soun's raised eyebrow at his statement, as he really didn't want to discuss that period of his past again.
"I don't mean to seem rude, but I plan to be in the Nerima area for a while and will need a place to stay. I was hoping that I might be able to stay here, if you have no objections," Sati said, and pulled out her wallet, opening it slightly to display that it was quite well stocked with a substantial amount of cash. "Of course, I can pay a reasonable amount for room and board."
"Of course, of course. I'll have Kasumi prepare you a room," Soun said, and called out for his eldest daughter again, who exited the kitchen at his summons. "Kasumi, Miss Li will be staying with us for a time. Can you be a dear and prepare a room for her?"
"But Father, we haven't any rooms available, unless you want her to stay in the storage room beneath the stairs?" Kasumi said, a bit distressed, turning to look at Sati. "Would you be opposed to sharing a room with one of the others? Or myself?"
"Let's see this storage room first. I don't want to impose on anyone, if it can be avoided," Sati said, getting to her feet and motioning for Kasumi to lead the way.
As it turned out, the storage room beneath the stairs was just large enough for a futon and a bit of moving about room, and the built-in shelves could double as a make-shift dresser. There was even a small window looking out onto the yard beside the attached dojo. Sati felt that it would do for her stay and helped Kasumi carry the few items stored inside out to the dojo, but Kasumi politely refused any further aide in cleaning the room, so Sati returned to the main room of the house to await the arrival of Ranma.
"So, Genma," Sati began, making herself comfortable at the low table once more, refreshing her cup of tea from the pot, and interrupting Soun and Genma's game of Go. "Have you told Soun there about me?"
"Um, only that you traveled with the boy and me for a time," Genma nervously said. "And that you'd helped the boy snap out of the Neko-ken, of course."
"Yes," Soun agreed, but gave Genma a dubious look, as he knew for a fact that Genma wouldn't have allowed any female to travel with his son or himself if he'd had any choice in the matter. "However, you'd said that it had been an old woman who'd done that. Miss Li can't be much older than Kasumi, if that, and would have been but a child when she traveled with you and your son."
"Actually, I'm far older than I look, and please, just call me Sati, I detest honorifics," Sati said with a small grin, before adopting a serious expression. "In truth, I'm essentially immortal. Both Genma and Ranma are already aware of what I am, but I feel that you, also, have a right and... need to know. I, Tendo Soun, am a Werewolf."
"What?" Soun asked in disbelieving shock.
"Oh, come on! Genma here turns into a panda from what Ranma said in his letters, and you're having a hard time believing that I'm a Werewolf?" Sati snickered. "Here, I'll show you."
Soun's mouth fell open and his eyes shot wide as Sati closed her amber eyes and... shifted. Sati's face quickly elongated into a short muzzle, with a black nose, and dense, dark-gray, fur suddenly sprouted all over her body, while her ears seemed to move higher upon her head, becoming a bit larger and more triangular in shape. She also appeared to become a bit larger, more muscular, and a thick, bushy tail could be seen resting on the floor behind her. Oddly enough, the hair atop her head remained the same dark-brown, rather than turning gray to match the rest of her.
"I think he's in shock, Genma," Sati stated, ironically, when she opened her amber eyes to note Soun's slack-jawed, wide-eyed gaze upon her.
"He'll be fine in a few minutes," Genma sighed, and sure enough, a minute or two later Soun shook himself out of his daze.
"You're not going to bite any of us and turn us into werewolves too, are you?" Soun asked warily, eliciting a burst of laughter from Sati.
"I'm not that kind of werewolf, Soun!" Sati said, still chuckling, and shifted back to her full-human form. "My bite won't turn anyone into another werewolf, as I am a true Lycanthrope. I was born as I am; not turned into one by being bitten. In any case, could you do me a favor and keep this to yourself? I'd prefer it if the number of people knowing about what I am kept to a minimum, for obvious reasons."
"Will you inform my daughters, as to your true... nature?" Soun asked.
"I don't have a problem with it, but I'd like to be the one to show them, if that's okay?"
"Provided that you do so as soon as possible, I am agreeable to your request," Soun said and returned his attention to the go board. Noting that Genma still seemed a bit preoccupied with watching Sati, Soun took the opportunity to rearrange the board to his advantage before coughing softly and gaining Genma's attention. "I believe it was your move, Saotome!"
"Huh? Oh, sure, I was just about... What?!?" Genma sputtered, looking frantically at the new arrangement of the pieces.
***
"I didn't do nothin'! Nabiki, you tell her! You were there, too!" Ranma loudly stated as he entered the Tendo home, and thereby announcing that the school day had ended and that he, along with the two younger Tendo sisters, had returned.
"Sorry, Ranma, but I was talking with one of my associates and wasn't paying attention," Nabiki stated calmly, as she followed him and Akane into the house. "What was it again that you supposedly did?"
"He was being his usual perverted self and hitting on another girl, that's what was he was doing!" Akane growled.
"I was givin' her directions, for cryin' out loud!" Ranma responded. "She wanted to know how to get to Ucchan's after school, and I was tellin' her how to get there! Sheesh! I can't even talk to somebody without you jumpin' to some whacked-out conclusion where I'm bein' some kind of pervert!"
"That's because you are a pervert!" Akane growled as they stepped into the main room.
"Hello, Cub!"
"Hiya, Auntie," Ranma responded without looking, but subconsciously recognizing the voice that had greeted him. "And I am not a... Huh?" Ranma stopped his rebuttal of Akane's claims in mid-sentence as his brain caught up with what he'd just heard. Turning in the direction from which the voice had come, he was overjoyed to see Sati sitting at the table.
"AUNTIE!" Ranma shouted, and jumping over to her, proceeded to give her an enthusiastic hug, much to the growing ire of Akane and the stunned shock of Nabiki.
****
Edit 5-4-14: Mostly changed the format from notepad to word, didn’t change much. Just cleaned it up here and there.
Timeline: starts at some point before Nodoka finds out Ranko and Ranma are one and the same, but I'm not sure where...
Warnings: There is some bashing of the characters Akane Tendo and Genma Saotome. There are lemon chapters later one, depending on where this story is posted, it will either be the full chapter or a link can/will be provided to the full chapter.
A Werewolf in Nerima
By: USA Tiger
Chapter 1
It was a calm, peaceful morning in Furinkan, located within the Nerima Ward of Tokyo, Japan. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the weather service had predicted clear skies and temperatures in the upper-seventies for a high. Yes, it looked as if it was going to be a perfect day. Which to an Outsider, would have seemed at odds with the unusually tense and hushed expectancy of the Nerima residents. It almost seemed as if time had been turned back to the end of the Second World War, to shortly after the Americans had begun their bombing runs of Japan, and the Nerima residents knew that an attack was coming... they just didn't know precisely when the attack would begin. And, until the first bombs began to explode, they didn't know which way to run.
Meanwhile, at the Tendo Dojo, which just happened to be located in the Nerima Ward, the residents were blithely unaware of the nervous attention their home was receiving from their neighbors... those that hadn't already moved far away, that is. In any case, in the modest garden beside the house, and often hovering over the large koi pond within said garden, Genma and Ranma Saotome, father and son respectively, were engaged in their usual morning sparring match. At least, that was what they called it, if asked. In actuality, Genma was once again attempting to beat his offspring into submission and, as had become far too common as of late, he was failing, miserably.
Within the residence itself, Soun Tendo sat at the low table in the main room, reading his morning paper and only occasionally glancing out through the open doors leading to the garden whenever one of the two combatants yelled something that might be of interest to him. Nearby stood Soun's middle daughter, Nabiki, seemingly only half-awake, with her normally immaculate hair a mess, and still dressed in her pajamas. She'd paused momentarily on her epic morning trek to the furo to admire the physical form of Ranma who, by the way, was wearing nothing more than his boxer-briefs and a muscle-t, which granted Nabiki quite a bit to look at, as Genma hadn't seen any need in allowing his son the time to don an athletic supporter before tossing him out of the house and attacking. Needless to say, Nabiki was watching his every move with rapt attention. Well, as much attention as she could manage before her bath and her usual cup of strong hot coffee, at any rate.
In the kitchen, Soun's eldest daughter, Kasumi, was humming along with the tune playing on the radio, gliding gracefully about the room, as she went about the task of preparing breakfast for her family and their houseguests, although she truly considered Ranma to be more of a family member than a houseguest. The less she thought about his father, the easier it was for her to maintain her optimistic and pleasant outlook on life. And finally, there was Soun's youngest daughter, Akane, who was just returning from her usual morning jog. And having long since grown bored with the Saotome's customary morning free-for-all and yelling match, she didn't even glance in their direction as she rushed into the house and sped back out the side on her way to the dojo to finish her own morning training, by destroying yet another pile of helpless and inoffensive building materials.
There was, actually, one other... person... in residence at the Tendo Dojo, but he was presently out and about somewhere, and with the very remotely possible exception of Kasumi, not one of the other residents would have cared if that particular individual was ever seen again... by anyone. So, let's not borrow trouble where it's not needed and worry about him, if and when he makes an appearance, shall we?
All in all, it was a rather uneventful and relatively quiet morning at the Tendo Dojo which, of course, was why the remainder of Nerima was on High Alert. The longer that nothing out-of-the-ordinary occurred, as defined by the rest of the world and not the residents of the Tendo Dojo, the greater the property damage and risk of personal injury tended to be.
"Breakfast!" Kasumi eventually called out to everyone, causing Ranma to jerk about, halting his leap to attack his father and thereby leaving Genma, who had already leapt into the air, suspended above the koi pond without anything to bounce off of. Of course Gravity, already rather irritated at how often the Saotome’s tended to ignore its laws decided that this was the perfect opportunity to remind Genma of their existence, by sending him plummeting into the very cold water of the koi pond.
SPLASH
"Better luck next time, Pop!" Ranma laughed, having already jumped clear of the resulting spray of cold water, as a shivering panda broke the surface of the pond. Rushing inside, he was just about to sit down at the table and dig into another of Kasumi's excellent meals, when Nabiki drew his attention by clearing her throat loudly.
"As much as I enjoy the view Ranma," Nabiki stated with a definite appraising look, and a bit of a leer, as she took her place at the table, "don't you think you should get cleaned up and dressed before joining the rest of us?"
"Idiot!" Akane growled, about to take her own place at the table, but turning instead to head toward the stairs, and calling back to him over her shoulder. "Since I'm already up, I'll get you some clean clothes, but don't expect any of us wait on you before starting to eat!"
"Surely, you want to set a good example for your son, Mr. Saotome?" Nabiki said pointedly, as a still very wet Genma-panda had been about to sit down.
With a "Growf" and a sigh, father and son headed off to the bathing room.
***
Ranma had been trying to ignore it, and had been wracking his brain in an attempt to discover what he might have done wrong this morning. And yet, try as he might, he couldn't think of any reason for Akane to be glaring at him so intensely ever since he'd returned from the furo. Deciding that a full stomach would slow his reaction time, Ranma sighed and set down his empty bowl, without asking for a fourth helping of rice.
"What did I do this time?" he asked in a resigned tone.
"Who is she, you pervert?" Akane snarled her voice fairly laced with pure venom.
"What are you talking about?"
With a growl Akane slammed her hand down flat onto the table, only to lift her hand back up and reveal the photograph of a rather attractive young woman, seemingly in her late-teens.
"Well?" Akane snarled, fists clenched and teeth beginning to grind audibly.
"Another girlfriend, Ranma?" Nabiki asked curiously, leaning forward for a better look at the photo, while attempting to remain out of the range of her father's waterworks as he began to wail about the families never joining and demanding to know why Ranma was cheating on his baby girl. "Hmm, very attractive, too!"
"Boy, how could even think of cheating on Tendo's daughter?" Genma bellowed, about to jump up and demand that Ranma marry Akane immediately in order to protect the family honor, when Ranma snatched up the photo and showed it to him. To Kasumi and Nabiki's surprise, Genma calmed instantly. "Oh, it's just her!"
Ranma turned back to face Akane, now showing a glare of his own.
"What gave you the right to go through my stuff, Akane?" Ranma growled at her, thankful that she had apparently not discovered his stash of letters. "And don't even think of saying you found it while getting me some clothes! This photo was in my pack, not the dresser!"
"Who is that floozy, you jerk?" Akane growled back, completely ignoring his question. "And don't you tell me what I can and can't do in my own home!"
"It's none of your business who she is, you Un-cute Tomboy! And my personal belongings--"
"RANMA YOU JERK!" Akane screamed in self-righteous outrage, her massive mallet already in motion.
WHAM
"Hmm, looks as if you're going to break your old record, Akane," Nabiki noted, calmly judging Ranma's current rate of ascent, present altitude and direction of travel. "He's actually going to be on time at school for once, it seems. That is, of course, if you didn't actually kill him this time."
"Why should I care what happens to that baka?" Akane snarled.
‘Because if you ever do kill him, little sister, there's no way I could save you from going to prison for murder! Not with your reputation of abusing him,’ Nabiki thought, as she gathered her things and headed out the door to school. She was shortly followed by a still boiling tomboy.
You can breathe a little easier now people of Nerima, the pressure valve has vented a bit, so the damages should be kept to a minimum this day... but keep your fingers crossed, just in case. And perhaps an offering or two at some nearby shrine wouldn't hurt, either.
***
It was nearing noon when a gaijin girl, seemingly in her late-teens, was noticed making her way into the residential section of Nerima. A bit taller than the average Japanese female, at around five-foot-seven or -eight, she was otherwise unremarkable physically, possessing a rather slender, yet fit, musculature, with a modest bust and slender hips. Her hair, a rich dark-brown, was pulled back into a low-set ponytail that extended to just between her shoulder-blades. And her complexion was clear, but fairly light, as if she didn't spend a great deal of time under the sun. All in all, there wasn't really anything about her physically that would draw the eye of others, unless you considered the mirrored sunglasses which concealed her eyes.
Her choice of clothing on the other hand was a bit more unusual for the area, and it was this that attracted the attention of passers-by...
She was dressed entirely in black, which made her already light complexion seem even paler in comparison. First, there was the cut-off, sleeveless, black t-shirt with the words Oh crap, you're going to try and cheer me up now, aren't you? written in red across the chest, which left her mid-riff bare and exposing the fact that she wore a fish-net undershirt beneath. Next were her loose-fitting trousers, made of black denim, and with an unusual number of seemingly pointless zippers and straps. And finally, there were the black, heavy, combat boots, which didn't really look as if they'd be all that comfortable to those who'd never worn such. Overall, if she'd presently been in let's say New York, in the Americas, she wouldn't have drawn any attention at all, being considered just another Goth, but... she wasn't in America, so her attire did draw the eye of the locals.
Eventually, the girl seemed to reach her destination, pausing to read the sign adorning the wall beside the main gate, Tendo's Martial Arts - School of Indiscriminate Grappling, before pushing open the gate and proceeding inside. Stepping up to the front door of the residence contained within the outer surrounding wall, she knocked loudly and then patiently waited. After only a fairly brief few moments, the door opened in response to her knock and she was greeted by yet another girl of about the same height and age as herself.
"Welcome to the Tendo Dojo," the new girl said in a friendly manner, bowing politely. "I'm Tendo Kasumi. May I help you?"
"Nice to meet you, Kasumi." the girl responded, bowing in turn. "Are either Ranma, or Genma, Saotome here?"
"Ranma is attending school at the moment, but Mr. Saotome is here. Do you wish to see him?" Kasumi asked a little startled at the girl's informality.
"Yes, I would."
"May I ask your name please?" Kasumi asked, stepping back and motioning for the girl to enter.
"Li Sati," the girl responded, stepping through the doorway, and then followed Kasumi further into the house.
***
Genma and Soun were once again in the midst of one of their seemingly unending games of Go when Kasumi and Sati entered the main room of the house.
"Mr. Saotome, someone is here to see you. A Miss Li Sati." Kasumi stated, before heading back to her kitchen to prepare some tea for their guest.
"Hello, Genma," Sati said, slipping off her sunglasses to reveal highly unusual amber-colored eyes.
Soun noted his old friend stiffen and begin to sweat, a normal reaction for Genma when his past had caught up with him. ‘Not another one, old friend,’ Soun thought to himself, remembering that this had been the girl in the photograph from earlier that morning. If Ranma had cared enough for this girl to keep a photo of her, the agreement to unite the families could be in serious jeopardy.
"H-h-hello, Sati. Um... uhhh... H-how are you?" Genma stuttered in fear. It was one thing to look at a photograph of the girl, when he'd been fairly certain of never seeing this particular individual ever again. It was quite another when she was only standing a few feet away and phantom pains of past injuries dealt out to him by her were once again being felt. Not even his wife's katana frightened him as much as this seeming girl did. After all, he could outrun the katana, but Sati... No. Running wasn't an option in her case, as she'd just overtake him.
"I've been doing all right," Sati said, placing her sunglasses into a pocket and raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Intro-... Oh, uh, S-Soun... This is... Li Sati," Genma stated, continuing to stammer and fidget nervously, as Sati bowed to Soun. "Sati, meet my old friend, Tendo Soun."
"Hello. I'm honored to meet you," Sati said standing straight again. "And before you ask, no, I'm not another fiancée of Ranma's." She noted his questioning expression and continued, "I've known Genma for about seven years now; I know what he's like. That and the letters I get from Ranma have kept me up to date on Genma's habit of engaging the poor boy left and right."
Releasing a frustrated sigh, Soun motioned for Sati to sit. His building anger at the arrival of yet another supposed fiancée for Ranma, due to Genma's stupidity, laziness, and lack of honor, dissipated, but... he and his old friend were definitely going to have a long talk, later. From Genma's reaction to her, Soun was fairly certain that he wasn't going to like the latest trouble Genma had brought to his home... even if she wasn't a new fiancée.
"Kasumi, bring some..." Soun began to call out, but trailed off as Kasumi entered the room with a fresh pot of tea and cups on a tray. Turning back to Sati, he decided to see what he could learn from the girl, before he had his talk with Genma. "So, where did you meet Saotome and his son?"
"Uhh... This is the person who snapped Ranma out of the Neko-ken, that first time," Genma said before Sati could respond, as she accepted a cup of tea from Kasumi who returned to her kitchen. He ignored Soun's raised eyebrow at his statement, as he really didn't want to discuss that period of his past again.
"I don't mean to seem rude, but I plan to be in the Nerima area for a while and will need a place to stay. I was hoping that I might be able to stay here, if you have no objections," Sati said, and pulled out her wallet, opening it slightly to display that it was quite well stocked with a substantial amount of cash. "Of course, I can pay a reasonable amount for room and board."
"Of course, of course. I'll have Kasumi prepare you a room," Soun said, and called out for his eldest daughter again, who exited the kitchen at his summons. "Kasumi, Miss Li will be staying with us for a time. Can you be a dear and prepare a room for her?"
"But Father, we haven't any rooms available, unless you want her to stay in the storage room beneath the stairs?" Kasumi said, a bit distressed, turning to look at Sati. "Would you be opposed to sharing a room with one of the others? Or myself?"
"Let's see this storage room first. I don't want to impose on anyone, if it can be avoided," Sati said, getting to her feet and motioning for Kasumi to lead the way.
As it turned out, the storage room beneath the stairs was just large enough for a futon and a bit of moving about room, and the built-in shelves could double as a make-shift dresser. There was even a small window looking out onto the yard beside the attached dojo. Sati felt that it would do for her stay and helped Kasumi carry the few items stored inside out to the dojo, but Kasumi politely refused any further aide in cleaning the room, so Sati returned to the main room of the house to await the arrival of Ranma.
"So, Genma," Sati began, making herself comfortable at the low table once more, refreshing her cup of tea from the pot, and interrupting Soun and Genma's game of Go. "Have you told Soun there about me?"
"Um, only that you traveled with the boy and me for a time," Genma nervously said. "And that you'd helped the boy snap out of the Neko-ken, of course."
"Yes," Soun agreed, but gave Genma a dubious look, as he knew for a fact that Genma wouldn't have allowed any female to travel with his son or himself if he'd had any choice in the matter. "However, you'd said that it had been an old woman who'd done that. Miss Li can't be much older than Kasumi, if that, and would have been but a child when she traveled with you and your son."
"Actually, I'm far older than I look, and please, just call me Sati, I detest honorifics," Sati said with a small grin, before adopting a serious expression. "In truth, I'm essentially immortal. Both Genma and Ranma are already aware of what I am, but I feel that you, also, have a right and... need to know. I, Tendo Soun, am a Werewolf."
"What?" Soun asked in disbelieving shock.
"Oh, come on! Genma here turns into a panda from what Ranma said in his letters, and you're having a hard time believing that I'm a Werewolf?" Sati snickered. "Here, I'll show you."
Soun's mouth fell open and his eyes shot wide as Sati closed her amber eyes and... shifted. Sati's face quickly elongated into a short muzzle, with a black nose, and dense, dark-gray, fur suddenly sprouted all over her body, while her ears seemed to move higher upon her head, becoming a bit larger and more triangular in shape. She also appeared to become a bit larger, more muscular, and a thick, bushy tail could be seen resting on the floor behind her. Oddly enough, the hair atop her head remained the same dark-brown, rather than turning gray to match the rest of her.
"I think he's in shock, Genma," Sati stated, ironically, when she opened her amber eyes to note Soun's slack-jawed, wide-eyed gaze upon her.
"He'll be fine in a few minutes," Genma sighed, and sure enough, a minute or two later Soun shook himself out of his daze.
"You're not going to bite any of us and turn us into werewolves too, are you?" Soun asked warily, eliciting a burst of laughter from Sati.
"I'm not that kind of werewolf, Soun!" Sati said, still chuckling, and shifted back to her full-human form. "My bite won't turn anyone into another werewolf, as I am a true Lycanthrope. I was born as I am; not turned into one by being bitten. In any case, could you do me a favor and keep this to yourself? I'd prefer it if the number of people knowing about what I am kept to a minimum, for obvious reasons."
"Will you inform my daughters, as to your true... nature?" Soun asked.
"I don't have a problem with it, but I'd like to be the one to show them, if that's okay?"
"Provided that you do so as soon as possible, I am agreeable to your request," Soun said and returned his attention to the go board. Noting that Genma still seemed a bit preoccupied with watching Sati, Soun took the opportunity to rearrange the board to his advantage before coughing softly and gaining Genma's attention. "I believe it was your move, Saotome!"
"Huh? Oh, sure, I was just about... What?!?" Genma sputtered, looking frantically at the new arrangement of the pieces.
***
"I didn't do nothin'! Nabiki, you tell her! You were there, too!" Ranma loudly stated as he entered the Tendo home, and thereby announcing that the school day had ended and that he, along with the two younger Tendo sisters, had returned.
"Sorry, Ranma, but I was talking with one of my associates and wasn't paying attention," Nabiki stated calmly, as she followed him and Akane into the house. "What was it again that you supposedly did?"
"He was being his usual perverted self and hitting on another girl, that's what was he was doing!" Akane growled.
"I was givin' her directions, for cryin' out loud!" Ranma responded. "She wanted to know how to get to Ucchan's after school, and I was tellin' her how to get there! Sheesh! I can't even talk to somebody without you jumpin' to some whacked-out conclusion where I'm bein' some kind of pervert!"
"That's because you are a pervert!" Akane growled as they stepped into the main room.
"Hello, Cub!"
"Hiya, Auntie," Ranma responded without looking, but subconsciously recognizing the voice that had greeted him. "And I am not a... Huh?" Ranma stopped his rebuttal of Akane's claims in mid-sentence as his brain caught up with what he'd just heard. Turning in the direction from which the voice had come, he was overjoyed to see Sati sitting at the table.
"AUNTIE!" Ranma shouted, and jumping over to her, proceeded to give her an enthusiastic hug, much to the growing ire of Akane and the stunned shock of Nabiki.
****
Edit 5-4-14: Mostly changed the format from notepad to word, didn’t change much. Just cleaned it up here and there.
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