DOJO YABURI SAOTOME RANMA 1/2 (EPISODE 1)
A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction Story
Copyright (C) 1998 Mark Ranel M. Lambo (maramala)
All Rights Reserved.
*Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and all related characters are copyright (c) 1997
Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty Film, Viz, etc. All Rights Reserved.
Used without permission (and hopefully _they_ won't bother to sue such a
humble homage of their work). The concepts are all mine however.
This has nothing to do at all with the Elseworlds series (hi, John!),
although the theme involved is pretty similar. I wrote the original draft
way before I have heard of RAAC. The premise: what if Ranma was an orphan?
*Author's Notes:
A ** ** indicates the character/s thoughts
A _ _ indicates the word/s to be stressed
A { } indicates what is written on the signs
A ' ' indicates a quotation
A < > indicates animal sounds
A > < indicates sound effects
This story contains violence, Parental Guidance suggested (yeah, right).
*********************
The rain has just stopped. The sun, slightly unnerved by the storm
constantly upstaging it at every opportunity in Nerima, peered out from the
now-thinning cloud cover. Seeing that the coast is all clear, the sun began
to shine brightly, while already-thinning clouds dissipating around it.
Below them, the story began to unfold...
Today was a beautiful day in Nerima. In the living room of the
Tendou residence, Soun Tendou, a man in his late thirties was reading a
telegram, weeping openly at the words.
Tendou Soun-
Arriving from China to fulfill Father's promise. Be prepared.
Saotome Ranma
"At last!" Soun cried out, tears of joy streaming from his eyes.
"How I longed for this day... Genma, rest his good soul, will be happy,
wherever he is right now... Kasumi? Nabiki? Akane?"
Kasumi entered the living room first. "What is it, father?" She
asked, her usual cheerful expression brightening the area.
"I have something important to tell you all..."
Nabiki followed, carrying a back of potato chips and a manga in her
hands. A look of curiosity crossed her faced upon seeing the telegram her
father was holding. "Someone's coming?" She guessed correctly.
"Yes, yes... Er, where's Akane?"
"Coming..." Akane replied, entering the room. She was wearing her
usual martial arts gi, and a towel was draped around her shoulders. "I was
in the dojo, practicing tameshiwari. (*Author's note: building strength by
breaking wood -maramala :) What's going on?.."
After a while, they were seated together crosslegged around the low
table. Soun told them.
"What?" Kasumi exclaimed, none too pleased by the tone of her
voice, very different from her usual demeanor.
Nabiki uttered a expletive that made even Kasumi frown. Soun
shifted uncomfortably in his position.
"Fiancée?" Akane asked.
"Yes. One of you is to marry him, uniting our two martial arts
schools and solidifying our family lines. The Dojo will then be entrusted
to the couple's care. That way, the Tendou and Saotome legacies will be
assured for the future."
"But... Don't _we_ have any say in who we marry?" Akane asked.
"Is he good-looking?" Nabiki asked.
"What is this _Ranma_ person like?" All three asked in unison.
Their father paused. "Well... I have no idea." he replied.
"No idea?" Nabiki asked.
"I've never met him. But... We'll see when he gets here. I'm sure
you'll like him. He is the son of my best friend, after all."
*********************
In the streets of Nerima, a short girl with red hair pulled back in
a pig-tail and dressed in a red Chinese Mandarin tunic and black pants tied
at the shins was walking down the road. She wore heavy black bracers on
each arm, and carried a huge backpack, on top which rested a red umbrella.
She was poring over a map of the district.
It was also quite obvious to see that despite the umbrella, she was
very wet. "Hmm..." She looks over her shoulder, noticing that her
appearance was drawing curious stares from the people. She could hear the
whispering among the crowd.
'Lookit that...'
'Strange girl...'
'Watta cutie...'
'Must be from the province...'
'That thing must be really heavy...'
"What are you looking at?" She glared at the gathering crowd of
bystanders forming behind her. Quickly the people melted away.
"Aw, geez..." **What am I doing here? I should be looking for
Ryouga-P and stayed in China to find a cure for us both. Instead, I'm here
following stupid cryptic instructions on an old letter from a father I never
knew. No telling what has happened to him all this time...**
Sighing, she headed for the Tendou Dojo.
**Man, I can't believe how fast the rain comes around here. I
wasn't able to bring out my umbrella in time...**
*********************
"I hope he's older than me..." Kasumi said. "Younger men are so
boring..."
"Well, I don't want any part of this." Akane declared. "After
all..."
"Hold on..." Nabiki interrupted. "Wait until he shows up. He
could be cute, you know."
>TOK TOK TOK< As if on cue, a knocking was heard on the front door.
"Speaking of which... That must be him now!" Soun said with glee.
Kasumi stood up to open the door. Outside stood a red-headed
pig-tailed girl, who was wearing Chinese style clothes and carrying a big,
heavy-looking backpack and umbrella.
"Oh, hello there..." Kasumi greeted the small girl before her.
The girl simply stood there dazed, looking back at her with clear
blue eyes.
"Come in, come in..." Kasumi said, slightly bowing. "You are..?"
"Uh... Hi... I'm Saotome. Ranma Saotome." Ranma-chan slowly
sputtered out, gathering his wits as she walked to the yard. "Sorry about
this..."
"Ranma!" Soun rushed out the house and headed towards her, followed
closely behind by Akane and Nabiki. "It's so good to see you!" He began to
hug tightly a stunned Ranma-chan, causing her pig-tail to stand on end.
"Your father will be so pleased. I'm so happy..."
"Oh, no! He's younger than us..." Kasumi said.
"He is cute!" Nabiki commented, poking Ranma-chan's chest several
times. Ranma-chan gritted her teeth.
Akane noticed Ranma-chan's face darken, from being red-faced into...
...Something else... more menacing...
...After a moment it was gone, replaced by pure embarrassment.
"But I don't think _he_ would make a good husband." Kasumi spoke.
Soun froze. He began to realize that something was _very_ wrong
with the young man. He slowly let Ranma-chan go as he took a better look at
him.
Her.
Nabiki poked Ranma-chan's chest a few times. "She's a girl." she
announced.
"Would you _please_ stop that." Ranma said.
"Oh, my..." said Kasumi.
Soun cried.
*********************
"Why didn't you know that Ranma was a girl!" Nabiki exclaimed.
"Father, at least you should have made sure first..." Kasumi added.
All of them were now gathered at the front porch of the house which
faced the garden. Ranma-chan was sitting to one side all alone, deep in
thought. She felt very uncomfortable with Akane who scrutinizing her as she
sat there. **What the hell's going on?** She thought. **What are they
talking about?**
**Thank goodness Ranma's not a boy after all...** Akane thought,
feeling relieved.
Soun remained mute, at a loss on what to say to her two daughters.
Funny, he knew Genma wouldn't lie to him about something important, like his
only child's true gender. Still, it wasn't a surprise, considering that
stranger things have happened between them, in the old days...
While the two older sisters continued berating their father, Akane
went over to Ranma's side. "Hi."
"Uh, hi." Ranma-chan replied.
"I'm Akane Tendou. Let's be friends, OK?" Akane spoke, holding out
her hand.
At the word 'friend', Ranma-chan brightened. "Sure." She said,
taking Akane's hand.
Smiling, Akane pulled her up. "C'mon..."
"What... where?"
"I've heard that you study Kenpo..."
"Yeah, a bit... and a few others, here and there..."
Akane laughed. "I see... I was wondering if you would like to have
a sparring match, then."
"Huh? Um... I dunno..."
"It's only a little fun... here, the dojo's this way..." With that, Akane
began leading Ranma-chan outside the living room.
"Wait, my bag..."
"Don't worry, just leave it there. Kasumi'll take care of it."
"O-okay. I guess it couldn't hurt..."
*********************
Ranma-chan looked around. "Wow..."
"Great, huh? This is the famous Tendou Training Hall of the School
of Anything-Goes Martial Arts."
"Famous, huh?" Ranma-chan said, obviously impressed. "Neat."
"Was famous, actually..." Akane continued, a hint of sadness in her
voice.
"Huh? Why?"
"Well, you see... Your father and my father were partners and were
the best of friends. They both used to run this place together. In fact,
we were one big happy family, or so my father used to say."
"So, was it successful?"
"Yes... until Mr. Saotome... that is, your father... passed away,
twelve years ago." She stopped as she noticed the change in Ranma-chan's
expression. "I'm... sorry, Ranma. I shouldn't have said that..."
"Oh, that's alright," Ranma-chan replied. "I'm... used to it. I
never knew my father, anyway." She leaned close to her. "Was he... a good
man?"
"He... He was," Akane answered. "That's what my father said, back
then."
"I didn't mean it like that... I mean, was my father a good fighter?
You know, as a martial artist?"
"Hmm... Since your father was my father's best friend and partner, I
guess he was pretty good."
"I see... Is your father always like that?"
"Like what?"
"You know... crying and stuff. Too emotional."
"He's always like that... ever since... Mom died..." Akane looked
down, the sad memories returning to her.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Akane..." Ranma-chan apologized.
"Don't be..." She looked up, smiling at her. "Now we're even."
"No, we're not... At least you remember your mother. I... I never
knew both my mother and father."
"Oh... so you were orphaned..."
"Yes..."
They were silent for a moment. Then Akane spoke up. "You know, if
Mom haven't... passed away, this Dojo would be packed with students all day
and night... and Dad would still be running it."
She backed away. "C'mon... Time for our little match." She said,
dropping into a fighting stance.
"Should we?"
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you too much..."
Ranma-chan chuckled. "Okay, then... Ready when you are." she said,
bowing a little as was the usual formality.
Akane waited for Ranma-chan to make her move, but she just stood
there, her hands behind her back. After a while, Akane decided to take the
initiative. She charged.
"KIIIYAAAH!"
She began by launching a series of standard kicks that Ranma-chan
dodged without the least bit of effort showing. Akane let out a barrage of
punches, but not of them were able to hit Ranma-chan as she weaved, ducked,
bend and turn away from her.
"What are you doing?" Akane exclaimed, panting. "ATTACK ME!"
Ranma-chan simply shrugged, smiling faintly.
**What's going on?** Akane thought frantically. **What sort of
defense does she have? Is she reading my moves?**
They continued fighting for over half an hour. Ranma-chan was
slowly maneuvered towards a wall, giving her less avenues of escape.
**Alright then, this is it...**
"Take... THIS!" With that, Akane threw the strongest attack she
ever let loose, as she punched with all her might. Ranma-chan leaped up at
the last minute, and Akane only managed to make a hole on the dojo wall.
Ranma-chan landed directly behind her.
Akane felt a tap behind her, and froze. She slowly turned around,
her hazel eyes meeting Ranma-chan's gaze.
"..."
Both of them silently stared at each other for a few minutes, then
Akane started to laugh.
"That was a great match." Akane spoke. "You were good."
"Likewise." Ranma-chan said, laughing with her.
"Good thing you aren't a boy after all..."
"Huh? Why is that..?" Ranma-chan asked, curious.
"I mean, I'd hate to lose to a boy..." Akane answered, fiercely
waving her fist for emphasis.
"Oh, I... see..."
Akane could not help but notice the sadness in her expression as
Ranma-chan stopped smiling.
*********************
Kasumi carried Ranma's backpack upstairs. **Oh, father,** she
thought. **You can be so... so... so naive, sometimes...**
She stopped, wiping the sweat from her brow. **My goodness... this
thing is _heavy_...** She thought as she dragged the backpack to the only
guest room in the house.
When she reached the room, her hands, slippery from her sweat,
slipped on the straps and the backpack turned over, spilling the contents
onto the floor. They were mostly odds and ends, some scrolls here and
there, along with some dirty clothing, knicknacks, (**Probably souveniers,**
she thought) and uneated food. Most of the space in the backpack, however,
were taken up by several strange wooden boards.
**Oh, my... I wonder what these are?** She thought, absently
picking up one of the larger boards from the backpack. **Hmm... looks just
like...**
After reading the Japanese engravings written there, she dropped it
on the floor, realizing what it was. The sign made a dull clanking sound.
Kasumi began to pale.
"Oh, my..."
*********************
In the bathroom, Ranma-kun, now male, settled down the bathtub, deep
in thought.
**What to do... What to do... They're bound to find out sooner or
later... They seem to be nice people... How can I tell them without...
Oh, Ryouga, where are you now?**
Suddenly, the sliding door opened. "Ranma?" Akane called, entering
the bathroom with a towel on her shoulder. "I see you're already here..."
She stopped, staring at her.
Him.
They both froze.
Akane turned around, closed the door, and quickly got dressed.
Ranma-kun quickly got out of the bathroom. **Damn! Here goes...**
Akane screamed.
Nabiki rushed towards the bathroom. "Akane, what's going on?"
Akane brought out her Mallet(tm). "There's a pervert with Ranma in
the bathroom!"
"What?!?" Nabiki opened the sliding door... and stared at the young
man standing before her.
"I guess... that would be me." Ranma-kun, now fully clothed,
explained.
"Huh?"
"I'm Ranma Saotome. Disappointed?"
*********************
"You... you're that sweet young girl who was here this morning?"
Kasumi asked.
They were all seated in the living room, the Tendou family in a
semi-circle facing Ranma-kun. He brought down his backpack and set it down
beside it.
This time, it was Soun who felt relieved. **Why, Genma you sly
fox... Thank the gods Ranma is a _man_...** He looked Ranma-kun over again.
**Such a well-built young man... It's hard to believe he and that
young girl were one and the same. Takes after his own father.** He smiled
at the memory. **Ranma would make a perfect husband.**
Akane kept silent, seething at the sudden turn of events. **Ranmais
aguydamnitIwasbeatenbyaguyRanmaisaguydamnitIwasbeatenbyaguyRanmaisaguydamnit
IwasbeatenbyaguyRanmaisaguydamnitIwasbeatenbyaguyRanmaisaguydamnitIwasbeaten
byaguy...** (Note: Yup. She's really pissed... -maramala :)
"Right." Ranma-kun replied.
Nabiki looked incredulous. "Prove it."
Ranma-kun looked around for something. "Now, how do I begin..."
**There,** he thought, seeing the koi pond in the garden. He jumped into
the pool.
>SPLASH!<
"Oh, my... what's going on?" Kasumi wondered.
Before their very eyes, Ranma-chan emerged from the pond. "Ta-da."
Everybody else's mouth dropped. "..." Even Akane stopped frowning.
"Sorry 'bout this. It's a long story..." Ranma-chan said, climbing
out of the pool.
"Tell us, then." said Soun.
"Yeah." Nabiki added. "Talk."
~Flashback:~
Two young Japanese men, one wearing a yellow bandanna with mottled
black patterns, the other having his hair tied into a pigtail, were standing
on top of a small hill overlooking a valley filled with numerous small
springs. Bamboo poles jutted out of each of the springs forming a strange
pattern high above the waters.
Behind the two, a fat man wearing Chinese Cultural Revolution-era
outfit (aka Communist outfit) spoke. "Over here is what you both look for
so long."
"Is this it?" The young man who was wearing the yellow bandanna
asked.
"Yes, honorable customers. Is legendary springs of Jusenkyo." The
fat Chinese man, a guide, answered. "Each spring has own story, very tragic
legend."
"Alright, then." The young man with pigtails spoke up. "Let's go,
Ryouga!" He dropped his backpack, immediately jumping up to the nearest
bamboo pole.
Ryouga put down his backpack. "Hey! Wait for me!" He leaped after
Ranma-kun.
"Wa-wait, honorable customers! You no go there! Is very dangerous!
Come back! Very bad if you fall in spring!"
Ryouga managed to reach the bamboo pole adjaent Ranma-kun. "Hey,
Ranma?" He said.
"Yeah, what?"
"Do you think we should listen to the guide, for once?"
"We don't need to." Ranma-kun replied. "You've read the guidebook,
right, Ryouga? You should know if it's really dangerous or not."
"Well, yeah, and it _is_ a training ground... but..."
"Aw, c'mon." said Ranma-kun. "Don't tell me you're starting to
believe all that backward superstitious crap about curses in the springs?"
He leaped into the air towards Ryouga.
"Hey!" Ryouga cried out, leaping out of the way as Ranma nearly
knocked him off the pole. He barely reached the nearest pole but was able
to stay upright. "What gives?"
"Stop talking and start FIGHTING!" With that, Ranma-kun shouted a
battle cry and leaped again towards Ryouga.
"Okay, if that's the way you want it..." Ryouga sprang off his
perch, intercepting Ranma-kun in mid-flight. The two combatants began
fighting furiously.
The guide shrugged, then turned away. "Ah, no one listen to me.
Why? Me am paid to say warn of curses, but when I talk, they no pay
attention. Me no at fault if they go in trouble..."
>SPLASH!<
"Aiyaa!" The guide quickly turned around to see where one of them
fell into. "Mr. Customer fall into Spring of Drowned Girl! Is sad story,
very tragic, of girl who drown there fifteen hundred years ago. Now anyone
who fall in spring take body of young girl. Is bad, very bad indeed."
Ranma-chan emerged from the spring. "See, Ryouga, nothing's
happened..." She said, stopping when she noticed that her voice sounded
different. She also felt something very wrong with her body. She quickly
opened her training gi and looked...
...down...
...at...
...her...
...breasts...
Ranma-chan screamed.
~End of Flashback:~
"Who's Ryouga?" Kasumi asked.
"He's... an old friend..." Ranma-chan replied. "He's cursed too,
but not like mine... Last I saw him, he was still in China..." Everyone
became silent for a moment.
"So I see." Soun finally spoke. He reached for a kettle and started
pouring hot water over Ranma-chan. "So cold water activates your curse, but
hot water restores you to normal."
"HEY!" Ranma, now male, exclaimed. "It needn't be _that_ hot!" He
started blowing on the scalds the hot water gave him.
"Your... problem isn't so terrible after all." Soun smiled, patting
Ranma-kun on his back. Ranma-kun gritted his teeth as Soun patted right on
the scalds.
"Here are my daughters." said Soun. He pointed a finger towards
Kasumi. "My eldest daughter Kasumi, age 19." His finger moved towards
Nabiki. "My second daughter Nabiki, age 17." His finger finally settled on
Akane. "Lastly, my youngest daughter Akane, age 16."
Akane growled.
Pick the one you want," Soun continued, "and she'll be you fiancée."
"Fiancée?"
"You mean, you don't know?" Nabiki asked.
"Of course I... what's going on?"
They told him. Akane, who kept silent the whole time, glared more
fiercely at Ranma-kun.
"Let me get this straight... Years ago, you and my departed father
have made a contract." Ranma-kun asked Soun.
"And now you are here to fulfill it, right?"
"Not really..."
"But what else could you be here for?" Nabiki asked.
"Finally." Ranma-kun stood up, eyes glinting. "Somebody decided to
bring that subject up." With one sweeping motion, Ranma-kun dumped the
contents of his backpack on the table, which were several wooden planks.
Written on each of them was a name.
The name of a martial arts school.
"I am Ranma Saotome, the Dojo Destroyer, and I am here to challenge
your school, and take down your sign..."
Everyone else froze.
*********************
Soun reacted first. He started crying. "NOOO!!!!!"
"Well..?" Ranma-kun spoke, ignoring Soun.
Akane stood up. "I, Akane Tendou, sole heir of the Tendou School of
Anything-Goes Martial Arts, will not let you take down our sign. I hereby
challenge you to a fight."
"You lost, Akane Tendou, remember? Besides, as far as I could see,
_you_ are no match for me." Ranma-kun turned to bawling Soun. "Soun
Tendou..."
"Father is in no condition to fight." Akane interrupted, crossing
her arms together. "Or are you just afraid to _lose_ to a girl?"
"Oh, really?" Ranma-kun frowned.
"I was being easy on you, since I thought you were a girl then. I
won't be this time..."
"Nor shall I. Very well." Ranma-kun leaped out to the garden.
"Ikuzo! (C'mon!)"
Akane followed. "Kisama (Damn you)..."
"Akane! Watch out..."
"No! Yamero (stop), Akane..."
She ignored the warnings by her family, rage burning in her chest.
When they reached the garden, Akane immediately attacked. "I will
not forgive you... KIYAAAH!"
Ranma-kun merely smiled, blocking her punch. Metal collided with
bone, making a dull crunching sound as bone gave way.
Akane pulled back her hand, wincing in pain. "Kuso (damn it)...
Steel bracers..."
Ranma-kun rushed at her, roughly shoving her around. Akane tried to
fight back, but her moves were too sluggish when compared to a more faster
Ranma-kun, not to mention her injured hand crippling her actions.
**He's... he's playing with me... toying with me like a helpless
pet...**
"Give up, Akane Tendou. I don't want to hurt you," he taunted her.
"Badly."
"BAKA (Jerk)! Shut up! I'll beat you yet!"
"Feh. Teme (bitch)..."
Running out of breath, Akane threw a crooked jab. Ranma-kun ducked.
"Gomen nasai, Tendou Akane..." His eyes glinted.
Akane was thrown twenty feet by the force of the punch on her gut.
She flew right towards a nearby wall. Coughing blood, she blinked in shock
as Ranma-kun elbowed her torso. Her eyes bulged out of her sockets as she
saw him rear back his right arm, his hand forming a claw aimed right at her
throat.
Everything went dark.
**NO...**
END OF PART 1
*(Author's Postscript: This has got to be the most disturbing series I
ever wrote. Send C&C email to maramala@geocities.com (no flames, please!)
'Till next time,
-maramala :)
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geocities.com/tokyo/ginza) (
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