Here's Neko Can't part 8. Please send any comments to JLee100441@aol.com. 

Story Statis:

Alternate Future: A quarter of the way done.

Secret Lies: Only have the outline so far.

Mrs. Brisby and the Mystrey Rat: Halfway done.

I'm also working on a few other crossovers as well.
___________________________________________________

Neko Can't

By: James Lee

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko 
Takahashi. Gold Digger belongs to Fred Perry. Suing me would be pretty 
useless.

Part 8
    Ranma and Monique followed Nabiki down the streets of Nerima. As they 
walked they engaged in small talk. What the school was like, what there was 
to do in Nerima, how long would it take Kuno to recover. 
    Finally they came to a house surrounded by a high wall. Ranma stopped as 
he noticed the sign.
    [Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts]
    "Something wrong Ranma?" asked Nabiki noticing the frown coming to his 
face.
    "Oh, nothing. Just looking at the sign, that's all." Nabiki filed that 
away for later.
    "Please, follow me." Said the short haired girl, opening the gate. As the 
trio entered the compound they ran into another girl. The girl was slightly 
older than Nabiki and had long brown hair. Ranma noticed that she had a calm 
aura about her.
    "Welcome home Nabiki. You brought guests?"
    "Hi, Kasumi, this is Ranma Diggers and his girlfriend Monique Pincer. 
They're the new exchange students at school. Guys this is my sister Kasumi."
    "Welcome to our home."
    Both Ranma and Monique bowed at her as Nabiki continued. "I've invited 
them for dinner. That won't be a problem will it?"
    "Of course not. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
    Nabiki nodded and they all headed for the house.
    "What are you doing here?" Ranma turned to see Akane Tendo coming from a 
small building on the side of the compound and looking angry as ever. Before 
he could answer, Nabiki stepped in.
    "I invited them here."
    Akane glared at her sister. It was bad enough that she had lost all her 
allowance betting on Kuno. Ok, so he had beaten Kuno earlier that morning, 
she had thought that it was just a fluke. So she had bet everything she had 
on Kuno. Now her sister had invited the boy who had caused her to lose her 
money to their home. "Why did you have to invite HIM!" 
    "Because he helped me make a lot of money today. It isn't his fault you 
didn't know who to bet on. Now he's a guest in our house, I expect him to be 
treated as such."
    "Right." Growled Akane, crossing her fingers behind her back. Nabiki then 
decided that it might help to keep her pig-tailed guest away from her sister.
    "Come on, we'll talk in the living room while we wait on dinner. Why 
don't you get cleaned up Akane" That said the middle Tendo sister, entered 
the house.

Tendo Dojo Dining Room...
    A short while later the family was gathering at the table. It was at this 
time, that a middle-aged man came down the stairs. The man had long black 
hair and a mustache. Coming to the table, he noticed Ranma and Monique.
    "Hello, we have guests?"
    "Why yes father," said Kasumi. "These are Nabiki's friends, Ranma and 
Monique. This is our father, Soun Tendo."
    Soun suddenly rushed up to Ranma. "Did you say your name was Ranma!"
    Ranma blinked then nodded. "Yes Tendo-san, I'm Ranma Diggers."
    "Oh." Said the older man, as he visibly deflated and walked back to his 
spot at the table.
    Seeing the light leave Soun's eye at the mention of his last name, Ranma 
frowned. He had this sinking suspicion but didn't want to say anything, lest 
it come true.
    None of this was lost on Nabiki. Her father's reaction had affected Ranma 
somehow. She filed that information away along with all the other tidbits she 
had collected on Ranma. She also promised herself to corner her father and 
find out why he had reacted the way he did.
    Kasumi then came out with the food. As they ate, the Tendos and their 
guests talked. Ranma commended Kasumi on her cooking, while Monique told them 
about Atlanta. 
    As soon as everyone was done eating, Akane suddenly got up. "Ranma 
Diggers, I challenge you."
    Ranma looked up from the last of his meal. "What?"
    "She wants to spar with you in the dojo." Said Nabiki.
    "That isn't what I said at all, Nabiki! This is a formal challenge of 
honor."
    "Jeez Akane, you've got to be so melodramatic about everything. It's just 
a little sparing match." Said Nabiki, while looking at Ranma pleadingly.
    Ranma seemed to get the message. "Well if it's just sparring I don't see 
any problem in it."
    "Nabiki!" Akane growled.
    "You promised you wouldn't start anything."
    "Fine, sparing then." It wouldn't be her fault if it got a little rough.

Tendo Dojo...
    Everyone, except Akane, started gathering in the dojo. The youngest Tendo 
had to change back into her gi. As Akane was getting ready, Soun walked up to 
Ranma.
    "Tell me Ranma, what style do you study?"
    "Shun-Leep style." Answered Ranma.
    "I've never heard of this style."
    "Not many people have." {On this planet.} Ranma mentally added.
    "Is this the style that your father teaches?"
    "No, my mom is the one who taught me martial arts. Dad is more into 
education."
    Soun shook his head. With such poor training, there was no way the boy 
could stand up to the might of Anything Goes. It was unlikely he could even 
stand up to Akane, being trained by a woman. Soun would have to make sure to 
stop Akane, before she actually hurt Ranma. (He just doesn't get it, does 
he?)
    A short while later Akane entered the dojo wearing her yellow training 
gi. Positioning herself across from Ranma, she took a basic stance. She 
narrowed her eyes when the pig-tailed youth didn't seem to take any stance. 
{Hpmh! Some martial artist he is, he isn't even in a proper stance.}
    Little did Akane know that Ranma had in fact assumed the deceptive "Lazy 
Man Standing Around" stance. A stance designed to lull ones opponent into a 
false sense of security by looking as if one didn't know how to fight. When 
combined with three other stances (Lazy Man Sitting on Ass, Lazy Man Sleeping 
on the Job, and Lazy Man Walking Away from Work) it formed a horrifying art 
that was the terror of Jade and was even said to scare the mythical 
were-rats. 
    "KIIYAAHH!!" yelled Akane as she threw a punch at Ranma, that the 
pigtailed boy easily dodged. {What the...} Akane tried a kick, but Ranma just 
jumped over it.
    {Jeez, why doesn't she just announce her moves with a loudspeaker?}  
Thought Ranma. "Your speed and tactics need work."
    "Shut up, I don't need advice from you!" yelled Akane. {Why am I not 
hitting him? Is he reading my moves?} Akane threw several more punches, all 
of which Ranma dodged. "Stop dodging and fight me!"
    "I don't think you're ready for that," said Ranma as he continued to 
dodge. "You're concentrating too much on you offense and neglecting your 
defense."
    "My defense is fine!" (Slap! Slap! Slap!) Akane jumped back rubbing her 
burning face. Soun almost jumped in at that point, but Nabiki grabbed hold of 
his arm.
    "You were saying. As my mom would say 'You've got a lot to learn 
junior.'" Akane growled and charged forward.
    "You're also way too angry Akane," said Ranma as he slipped to the side 
and threw the girl into the wall. "If you can't control that temper of yours 
then I've already won this match."
    "ARRGGH! I'll show you. This time for real!" Akane screamed as she made a 
flying kick. Ranma grabbed her leg and threw her yet again. This time 
however, Akane went out the door and into the koi pond. 
    "Cool off Miss Tendo."
    Nabiki then decided to put an end to the match. Pointing at Ranma, she 
announced, "The winner!"
    In an instant Soun was once again in Ranma's face, this time with his 
demon head at full strength. "HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY LITTLE GIRL! YOU 
APOLOGIZE TO HER RIGHT NOOOOWWWW!!!"
    Monique screamed and hid behind Ranma. Much to Nabiki and Kasumi's 
surprise however, the boy wasn't impressed! {Hmm impressive size, but no 
where near as intimidating as Dad's flaming skull.} "She isn't hurt."
    "You threw her into the pond!"
    "I could have just as easily broke her leg."
    "You bastard!" Yelled Akane, as she burst back in and charged at Ranma 
blindly. A second later she was sent flying back towards the koi pond.
    "Mr. Tendo, I seriously suggest you teach Akane some control before she 
becomes a danger to herself and others."
    "You get out of my house this instant and don't come back!"
    "Come on I'll show you guys out," said Nabiki, ignoring her father's 
protest. "I'm sorry about Daddy, he's a little over protective at times. 
You're right, Akane really does need to reign in that anger."
"Ranma, how you able to dodge all of Akane's attacks?" asked Monique.
    "With training, one can start to read an opponent's moves."
    "Oh, so you read my sister's moves like 'War and Peace'."
    {Actually she's like 'Green Eggs and Ham'.} Thought Ranma as he nodded 
his head. "Thanks for the dinner Nabiki. You have a nice evening."
    "I'll see you guys in school tomorrow."

    After leaving the Tendos, Ranma decided to walk Monique home. As they 
walked the girl turned to him.
    "Ranma, what do you think of Nabiki?"
    "She seemed ok to me. Why do you ask?"
    "It's just, I've heard stuff about her from some of the other students, 
most of it bad. But she doesn't seem that way."
    Ranma nodded as he had heard some of the very same things. "Maybe she has 
a reason for doing those things."
    "What do you mean?"
    "You saw her room before we had the match right?" Monique nodded. "What 
did it look like?"
    "It looked like a room. It was rather plain, no posters or anything. It 
was almost like a hotel room."
    "If she's making so much money why isn't she buying things for herself?"
    The dark skinned girl shook her head. "I don't know."
    "Did you notice those signs on the dojo wall?"
    Once again Monique nodded. "Yes, what about them?"
    "Those are list of students who have studied there. From what I saw that 
dojo hasn't had students in the last ten years. Kind of makes you wonder how 
they're paying the bills."
    "I guess," Said Monique. She then noticed Ranma frowning. "Is something 
wrong?"
    "What? Oh, I was just thinking about Mr. Tendo that's all. The way he 
acted..."
    "I see what you mean. That monster head was kind of scary."
    "It isn't his head I'm worried about," said Ranma. "It was the way he 
acted at dinner."
    "Oh yeah, he was real excited until he heard your last name. What was all 
that about?"
    "I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I got a bad feeling that Genma is up to his 
old tricks again."

    Back at the Tendos, Soun was fuming. How dare that boy treat his daughter 
that way? Of course what could he expect? The boy was dating a gajin and 
obviously had no respect of the honorable (old) ways. He would have to talk 
to Nabiki. His middle daughter was too friendly with him. It wouldn't look 
good when the Saotome heir showed up.
    Soun then heard the doorbell. Being close to the door he decided to 
answer it. {It had better not be those two. Not after I told them not to 
return.} Instead Soun found himself facing a large man with glasses and a 
handkerchief on his head.
    "Genma, my old friend at last you've come," Soun then noticed something 
wrong. "Where's your son?"
    At this Genma's face became very serious. "Soun, I need your help."



To be continued 



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