VIDEO // Live Long and Pawsper

[catsgothistongue]

Type: Video
Sender ID: catsgothistongue (Ranma)
To: Public
Subject: Ranma done goofed and went to cat island, regretting it immensely
Warnings: Catfight, cat boy ranma

[For about a week, those acquainted with one Ranma Saotome might've noticed a distinct lack of pigtails running around Eltrut. No word or sight of the teen anywhere. Some would be forgiven for thinking he went into hiding due to the recent bounty placed upon him. Others, given how some will temporarily be whisked back to their homes and return with nary an explanation, may believe he simply went back home and could come back at any given moment.

The true cause of his disappearance... is a lot stupider than those sensible ideas.

When he heard of a mysterious island cropping up, he knew he had to check it out. Information about it was scarce to him, since Paladins received more intel on it and cause he skimmed the blurb, but that wasn't going to stop him! Adventure's afoot, and he's going to take it! The next voyage to this elusive island, Ranma stowed away hitched a free ride.

And from there, it all goes downhill from there.

That was around a week ago. In the present, the network would abruptly display a notification of a video call from the MIA martial artist. A... disconcerting image showed the camera unfocused and blurred, like someone strapped it to a speeding jet. A cacophony of caterwauls and the crashing of timbering lumber trees hitting the ground was the only audible sound that could be made out. Then, the repeated quick motions loosening it, the shellphone fell and hit the ground, conveniently landing in a clump of grass that propped it in the right spot for a clearer picture.

Anyone observing the feed would find a clowder of warrior cats, some looking banged and scratched up more than others, backs arched with their furry tails standing on edge. They yowled, spit and hissed in the direction of an unseen force, a predator perhaps? Whatever it was, the camera's barely able to track anything more than the red streak that rushed each cat one by one, until all ferocious felines were off-screen.

Strange scene, no doubt. Even stranger is the source of this stream. It's coming from Ranma's phone. This was the first form of contact anyone's got from him in a week, and he isn't even in view. So where is--]

MRRRRW!

[Oh.

There's Ranma, on the branch of a tree in the shot of the camera. Only instead of addressing the camera, give an explanation as to where on earth he's been, or even acknowledge the camera at all...]

Mrreow!~

[... He. Meowed? And started clawing into the bark of the tree he's lurching on like it was a scratch post??

Huh.]

Comments

[catsgothistongue]

[At the new sound, Ranma stopped making ribbons out of the tree and started looking around. Though the way he was moving and postured, it looked more like a frightened wild animal trying to figure out where the nearest threat was.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Oh, that can't be good. And it's hard to figure out exactly where he is.]

Hey, Ranma! Over here! Where are you?

[Well, he's giot to try.]

cw: injuries, animal harm

[catsgothistongue]

[There's that noise again. Ranma's head stopped its frenetic survey of the area to turn its full attention on that odd shape (toy?) on the floor. Roxas'll witness the familiar boy descend down from the treetop back to the ground, right up to his shellphone.

... A little too right up for anyone's liking.]

Rrrowr?

[It turned its head with intrigue, raised a balled-up fist miming a cat's paw...

... and smacked the phone, sending it flying off a good two feet. Video became unfocused as it spiraled through the air, refocusing only after the shellphone bounced and clattered on the dirt. Ranma had disappeared from view, which might be a bad sign. But what Roxas'll perceive now is those same ferocious felines from earlier in the video, all huddled together in a gaggle. Each one trembling, petrified in fear of the new threat, covered in fresh scratches and gashes that matted their fur with their own blood.

If Roxas has been paying attention to the posting board, this could clue him in to Ranma's location.]

[seasaltkeys]

[He is very familiar with the location now. And this is hard the time to think that he's going to be able to finally get some cat photos. But there's no time to waste.]

Hold on, I'm coming!

[Not that Ranma knows what that means at this moment, but after a bit of time, Roxas is rushing into the area.]

Ranma, where are you?

[catsgothistongue]

[No hide nor pigtail of any cat boys when Roxas arrived, at first. But with the clear path of destruction laid out of toppled over and cleaved trees and gouges in the dirt, he should have no trouble finding where Ranma had relocated himself.

That being further inside the forest, where the keyblade fighter will find a familiar shape.]

Mrrrr.

[There's Ranma... currently in the middle of biting on his shellphone. Not even paying any mind to Roxas. For the time being.

Approach with caution.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Well, this is going to be more of a Thing than Roxas thought initially it seems. And maybe he should have reached out to someone to let them know where he was.

...

!

Right, they have a group chat for that.

Message sent, he presses on to find Ranma. And well, caution's a thing to be thrown to the wind. He has a cat. He'll be fine.]

Hey, Ranma? Are you okay?

[catsgothistongue]

[Roxas' voice cut through, forcing the martial artist to become deathly still. In the next instance, its head whipped violently to gaze up with blank yet frantic pinpricked eyes. It dropped the shellphone from its mouth and began backing away on fours. Each step backwards created deep gashes in the ground, raking through the dirt like a red hot knife through butter.

That's probably a no to his question.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Well, that's several layers of not good. Roxas doesn't really want to summon his keyblade against a friend, so he doesn't. At least, not right now. Instead, Addersnap leaps from his shoulder to stand in front of him, hissing.]

Hey, I'm here to help...

Rolled a 19, RNG was on Roxas' side today

[catsgothistongue]

[The feline-minded teen's rigid stance softened, relaxing just a little. Could be Roxas' tone, could be the sight of another cat that isn't immediately jumping at its throat. It's still cautious, but for the time being, it isn't perceiving the two as a threat. For now.]

Mrrw..?

for now at least

[seasaltkeys]

It's okay...

[He really doesn't know how to deal with animals in general, never mind people acting like animals. Still, he kneels down to be on Ranma's level.]

You can come with me. I'll get you away from here.

[catsgothistongue]

[It likes your calming words, nice brunette boy.

Question: how good is Roxas' strength? Cause there's a cat boy attempting to leap in his arms.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Not great, so if there's a Ranma in his arms then Roxas is definitely toppling over backwards.]

Okay. It's okay...guess we're just gonna...lie here first.

[catsgothistongue]

Mrow!~

[A few brief biscuits would be baked, before Ranma settles down on the other boy's lap. Lying here sounds nice, and it hasn't slept for several days. Never got the chance to when there was danger all around.

But now, it could rest, and drift off to sleep...]

[seasaltkeys]

[Roxas frowns a bit at the biscuits because that's a lot, cat or not. But at least Ranma seems to be content. There's a few gentle pats to his back, awkwardly though. This is not a cat, this is Ranma.]

C'mon, don't fall asleep here. We gotta get off the island first. You can sleep on the boat.

[This feels like it isn't going to work.]

[catsgothistongue]

[The pats on the back get a couple purrs -- actual purring like a real cat's -- from the boy, who cock its head to the side. Its so tired, and this spot feels so comfy... But fiiiine, only cause the brown-haired boy seems nice enough. Ranma'd step off Roxas's lap, waiting for the latter to lead the way back to the boat and off of this island.]

[seasaltkeys]

[That worked? That actually worked?

Well, if he doesn't have to fight it and he doesn't have to carry Ranma, Roxas will get up and start heading for the boat, constantly turning his head to make sure Ranma's following.

They just have to get off the island. That's all. Easy.]

[catsgothistongue]

[Watch what you say, Roxas.

The cat boy was close on Roxas's trail, occasionally stopping a few seconds whenever it heard the rustling of bushes and leaves. Undoubtedly other wildlife, most likely running off to steer clear of the danger that's been plaguing their island for the past days. It takes a couple of minutes until they reach near the dock where the boat made land--

Chirpchirpchirp!

There's a flock of birds, sitting on a nearby tree. If Roxas is still glancing over at Ranma... Well, those pinpricked eyes are dilating to big circles. Ranma hunched over, shaking his body in anticipation, staring intently at the birds in the tree.

Oh no.]

[seasaltkeys]

[If Roxas wasn't part-Disney, he'd probably swear right now. Instead, he charges in, waving his arms and trying to scare the birds off.]

Ranma, no!

Get away!

1/2

[catsgothistongue]

[Let Roxas say fuck 2024]

MROW!!!

[Translation: RANMA YES!

Bent over, hips shaking, it took to the air with a yowl at its avian prey. He zips through the air like a red stream of lightning...]

[catsgothistongue]

[... overshot the jump, missed the now disbanding flock of birds out of the feral teen's way...

SPLASH!

Annnnnnnd took a dive in the water, just barely missing the boat by a hair.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Well, that's one way to solve that problem. At least until Ranma ends up in the water. Because while Roxas can swim, he's hardly on the level of a lifeguard.]

Ranma!

[But he's going to try anyway. Cats don't like water after all, right?

So he's running in to find his friend and drag him out.]

[treebornekettlegirl]

[Ranma hadn't gotten too far in jumping, so Roxas only had to wade through the water for about one-two feet. Not that he really needed to go beyond that, as–]

*COUGH COUGH*

[A familiar redhead resurface out of the water, sputtering and hacking up a lung while shaking her head to get the matted pigtail out of her face. Ranma looks around, disoriented. She was essentially mentally comatosed for several days, so it takes her a sec or five to get words out, or notice Roxas right there.]

Where-? What is-??

[seasaltkeys]

[Well, Roxas did think he was going to have to be dragging a cat out of the water. So to hear Ranma speaking is something of a relief.]

Ranma, are you okay?

[Roxas says as he reaches his hand out to put it on Ranma's shoulder.]

[treebornekettlegirl]

[Shaking her head rapidly. That isn't cause she's hurt or anything, she's just trying to get the water out of her drenched hair.]

Y-Yeah, I'm fine.

[Ranma answers with uncertainty in her voice. Her mind's a whirlpool of static at the moment, her body's on high alert while she's trying to figure out what the hell's going on here. Don't be too offended that she pulls away from the hand reaching out, Roxas.]

... I didn't sleepwalk off th' ship or anything, did I?

[King Explosion Murder or whatever the fuck Bakugou christened it wasn't even around for her to draw that conclusion...]

[seasaltkeys]

[He's sticking close by, regardless.]

I dunno...You just.

There was this video on the phones of you acting like a cat and I figured I should come and find you since you're on the warrior cat island.

I don't really know how you got here.

Sorry.