Hi all, It's been a while since I posted part 3, and I just wanted you
to know that I haven't given up on the series. As always please tell me what
you think, and if you want 1-3 just ask.
Legal: The characters of Ranma 1/2 were created by the great Rumiko
Takahashi.
The characters of Gargoyles are the creations of Disney.
I am using them without permission, hopefully for the purpose of
entertaining someone. If anyone who has a right to sue me has that
desire, I have almost no money.
C&C is appreciated, you can contact me at
brenda02@sprynet.com
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What has happened so far: Ryouga and Ranma got into a fight, however
just as Ryouga was about to fire off a Shishi-Hokodan, Fox Xanatos
stepped into the line of fire with Alexander and in the course of
protecting them Ranma suffered a broken leg which Ryouga quickly
capitalized on before being thrown into the canal by Fox. When Akane
heard about this she decided that she had to put an end to the feud
between Ranma and Ryouga. In the hospital Akane demands that
Ranma tell her the reasons behind his and Ryouga's rivalry. Ranma
evades answering by telling her that Ryouga has two reasons for fighting
him, and gives a quick explanation for why he can't tell her either.
Ryouga had overheard her decision to end his and Ranma's feud, and
left after leaving her a letter. He wound up at Ucchan and on learning
about what Ranma had told Akane decided to tell her his feelings.
Akane was angry with him for treating her like an object to be won, but
told him she still wanted to be friends. When she questioned him about
the second reason Ranma spoke of for the feud between the pair;
Ryouga bolted with the promise of resolving it with Ranma, and
promptly wandered to Avalon where he promptly met the Wierd
Sisters. Meanwhile Ranma checked himself out of the hospital.
Ranma, the Time of Changes
By Brendan O'Donnell
Chapter four
Ranma stood at the doorway into the Dojo. One effect of the
Rapid healing of his leg was that there was virtually no atrophy of his leg
muscles. Rather than a month's worth of exercise, he merely needed to
make up five days worth. And that was not much of a problem with his
lifestyle.
"Well, your looking good today." a voice commented from the
unfamiliar but non hostile presence five and a half feet behind him.
Turning around Ranma acknowledged David Xanatos's
presence with a quick wave and the comment "Yep, good as new."
"I think I ought to judge that myself." Said Genma as he walked
up.
Dropping into a quick stance Ranma replied "Anytime your
ready, Pop."
Despite his unfamiliarity with this section of Japan, Xanatos
knew that staying where he could be caught between two fighting
Martial artists would be quite bad. He calmly walked a few steps to the
side of the Dojo.
"It's time for you to learn the price of your inactivity, Boy."
"Ha, don't count on it Old Man!" Ranma responded, leaping at
his father, and lashing out with a circular kick.
Genma dodged the blow, and countered with a strike at
Ranma's right leg. Ranma twisted his body in mid flight to avoid it, and
landed precisely a moment later.
David Xanatos watched the pair begin a series of attacks and
counters at a rate he could barely categorize. Despite the speed both
men were moving, he could see that Genma was concentrating much of
his efforts into attacks on the leg that Ranma had injured so recently.
*Wow, I wonder how long Goliath would last against one of
these guy's?* Xanatos thought. Then he turned his head to follow the
path Genma took when Ranma tripped him and sent him rolling to the
pond. The older man splashed into the carp pond, and a giant panda
emerged. *What?!*
"Ha! old age is definitely catching up with you!" Ranma
declared, then leaped over the wave the Panda splashed at him, landing
on the other side of the pond. "Even that Tomboy's better than you!"
A barbell hit Ranma in the back of the head, knocking him into
the Pond. In the Dojo Akane lowered her arm and called out, "who are
you calling a Tomboy?"
"Uh, is there something I should know about?" Asked Xanatos
as he walked up to the transformed pair.
Xanatos sat at the table in the Tendo's main room sipping a cup
of Kasumi's perfectly prepared tea while he listened to Ranma finishing
his explanation of the curse of Jusenkyo. *Incredible. I'd better keep
an eye on that area of China, these springs could be incredibly
dangerous under the right circumstances. Of course under other right
circumstances...* "So you fell into the spring of the drowned girl, your
father fell into the spring of the drowned panda, and you know people
who've fallen into springs of drowned duck, cat, young priest, and...
Let's see: I think you said it was the spring where a yeti, riding an ox,
and holding a crane and an eel drowned?"
"Yep." Responded Ranma.
"Well, that's someplace to avoid on my next vacation," Xanatos
responded with a grin. Putting on a more serious expression he added.
"Ok, now as to why I came here in the first place; I've just about
wrapped up what I came to Japan to handle in the first place, and I'll
probably be heading back to the states by the end of next week. But,
during that week I'd like to get in some training here."
"You study martial arts?" Ranma asked. *Like I couldn't tell
just by seeing how he moves?*
"Well, I started training in Karate and Jujitsu eight years ago,
and I make it a point to stay in practice."
Ranma looked around. His father, had walked over to Soun
and the two of them were playing Shoji. Genma looked at Ranma a
second, then turned his attention back to the game. *Oh yeah, 'it's your
duty as the heir of the Dojo'* Ranma thought. He looked back at Mr.
Xanotos. "How good are you?"
"Third degree black belt in Tai-Kwon-Do, first degree in
Jujitsu." Replied Xanatos straightforwardly.
Ranma looked at Mr. Tendo a moment. Soun clasped his
hands in a position of Prayer. Ranma sighed and stood. "Come on,"
he said as he walked to the Dojo. Xanatos glanced at the two older
Martial artists before following Ranma.
In a park in Nerima a brilliant greenish light flared for a few
moments by a group of trees. The light faded leaving behind a young
man holding an umbrella in his right hand, and a very large backpack in
the other. He looked around, and said "Ranma," before collapsing.
Ranma and Xanatos stood facing each other in the Dojo. "Ok,
it seems my father wants me to handle the job of teaching you. You can
talk about money with Nabiki but first I need to get an idea what I'll be
working with." He looked over the billionaire and added, "and give you
an idea of what you're asking for."
David Xanatos looked down at the suit he was wearing. "Uh,
don't you think I'm a little overdressed?"
"Do you actually think you'll be able to control what you're
wearing when trouble shows up?"
"Good point." Xanatos responded as he took off his jacket and
put it in a corner of the Dojo. He walked back and bowed to Ranma,
who returned it. "So, shall we get started?" Xanatos said as he shifted
into a defensive cat stance.
"Yep." responded Ranma, who didn't bother to shift into any
kind of stance.
Xanatos kept still waiting for Ranma to make a move. Three
minutes later he concluded that Ranma wasn't going to make the first
move. He started slowly circling to the right, focusing all his attention on
Ranma. Ranma didn't even bother to move his head.
*He's sure confident.* Xanatos thought as he circled behind
Ranma. *Well, let's see if it's overconfidence.*
Standing about three feet behind Ranma, Xanatos made his first
attack. Stepping in he kicked low, aiming to knock Ranma's legs out
from under him.
Ranma jumped over the kick and landed still facing away from
his opponent. Xanatos rose striking a quick blow toward the back of
Ranma's head as he came up. Ranma leaned his head to the side,
letting the strike pass by with an inch of clearance. *OK, he's confident
with good reason.*
In the park Ryouga groaned as he regained consciousness. He
pulled himself to his feet, every muscle screaming protests at his head.
"Damn you Ranma." Ryouga said to himself as he supported himself
with his umbrella. *Wait, was it Ranma's fault? Let's see, those women
did that rhyme and light stuff because I had gotten lost. I had gotten lost
because I ran away from Ucchan, I ran from Ucchan because Akane...
because Akane,* tears began to trickle down the sides of Ryouga's
cheeks. "Akane didn't return my love. Ranma, it's got to be because of
Ranma. She'd love me if not for him! It's all his fault she rejected me!
It's his fault I got lost! It's his fault that they..." Ryouga trailed off as
he
recalled hanging in the air helpless while the three women...
*What had they done?* Ryouga thought to himself. *I
remember feeling like I was being taken apart and put back together,
but I can't remember any details.* "No time for that now. I've got to
find Ranma and..." *And kill him for what he's done to me.* Ryouga
thought. *No I can't fight Ranma because I told Akane I'd resolve our
fight. If she sees me attack she'll make me tell her about my curse!*
"I've, I've just got to get to the Tendo Dojo." *Maybe Akane really
does love me, and only hit me because Ranma had gotten her so upset.
Maybe she's calmed down and realized she isn't stuck with Ranma.*
"I've got to get to the Tendo Dojo!" He shouted. A greenish glow
surrounded him and he vanished.
"Well, you're not bad." Ranma said, extending his arm to
Xanatos.
"I'd feel better about that if I had actually been able to touch
you once." Xanatos replied as he let Ranma pull him off the floor. He
touched the spot where Ranma had hit him, just a few seconds ago.
There would definitely be a bruise tomorrow. *And he definitely
reigned that punch in by a substantial margin. What am I getting myself
into?*
"That's the right attitude. If you don't really want to improve
you ought to quit now and save yourself some pain." Ranma responded
with a little grin.
"I didn't get where I am today by quitting easily." Xanatos
responded as he walked to the corner and picked up his jacket. *Well
this outfit's had it. I hope he'll let me wear a gi during the rest of the
sessions.* "Oh yeah, about the weeks training sessions?"
"You'll have to talk to Nabiki about how much, but just drop by
the Dojo after school and be prepared to stay a while."
A green light appeared in the center of the Dojo, and it
suddenly became Ryouga Hibiki. He staggered forward a step,
catching himself from falling with his Umbrella.
"Ryouga?" Ranma blurted as he stepped toward the lost boy.
Hearing his rival's voice, Ryouga straightened up, and lifting his
umbrella to a fighting stance, he turned to face him. "Ran..." was all he
managed to say before passing out.
"This is Ryouga Hibiki?" Xanatos asked in a voice like ice.
Ranma looked at the Billionaire, then down at Ryouga. "Yeah."
"Your sure you don't want me to have him arrested?"
"Ryouga's bad tempered, violent, and really narrow minded, but
he's also got a bunch of good traits to make up for it. The only reason
he didn't stop his attack is that he's so obsessed with our fight. If I can
get him to quit fighting me, he wouldn't be dangerous anymore."
"I owe you one, so I'll take your word for it." Xanatos replied
with a sigh. "But if you change your mind I'll want to be there for the
trial."
Ryouga opened his eyes. He was in the Dojo at the Tendo
house. There was a blanket covering him, and another on the floor
under him. His backpack was beside him. Ranma was siting in a
corner reading a Dragonball compilation book.
"Ranma!" Ryouga shouted, leaping to his feet and assuming an
aggressive combative stance.
Ranma looked at Ryouga, closed the manga and set it down,
and got up.
"Hi Ryouga, you're finally awake." Ranma responded.
"Prepare to die Ranma! You've turned my life to ashes for the
last time!" Ryouga declared as he rushed at Ranma.
"What did I do? I was in the hospital the whole time!" Ranma
replied, pausing only to jump over Ryouga's charge. Ryouga managed
to come to a halt just before hitting the wall, and pivoted to face Ranma
again. "Why are you attacking me? In case you've forgotten, you told
Akane you were going to make peace with me. So that you don't do a
better job of killing an innocent bystander the next time we fight."
Ryouga froze. *I can't fight Ranma. He's made my life hell and
I can't do anything about it.* "Ok, we'll talk." Ryouga responded in a
numb voice as he almost collapsed into a sitting position on the floor.
"Right, just a second." Ranma responded, looking at the
ceiling. A quick jump and snatched something from the Rafters.
Holding the microphone in his hand he said into it "Sorry Nabiki, this is
a private conversation." With a yank he snapped the cord where it
rested against the edge of the ceiling beam. Crushing the microphone,
he dropped the remains to the floor. "Ok, that takes care of that."
In her room Nabiki winced at the burst of static in her
earphones. Reaching over to the panel she turned off the switch
marked 3. Turning on switch 2 she heard Ranma say 'I noticed Nabiki
plant that earlier. She can't listen in on us now.'
"What do you want Ranma?" Ryouga asked quietly.
Ranma looked at him. Ryouga was staring at the floor with an
expression of one who had lost the last of his hope. Then he glanced up
at Ranma, and shifted his hate filled look back to the floor. *Damn, this
wouldn't be easy.* "So Ryouga, how did you just appear like that?"
Ryouga shuddered. "It's all your fault. After Akane... After I
left Ucchan, I just ran, I didn't care where I was going, I just ran. All of
a sudden I was running through this forest onto a beach, and the next
thing I knew there were three women circling me chanting. I'm not sure
what happened or how long it happened but all of a sudden I was
standing in the park. And when I started thinking about how much I
wanted to get to the Dojo, all of a sudden I'm here feeling like the time I
walked a week straight."
"Hmm, well at least that explains you passing out here." Ranma
said contemplatively. He sighed, then said, "Look Ryouga, this doesn't
have to be a big deal. All you have to do is quit trying to kill me for
Jusenkyo, and agree to add a little structure to any future fights and we
can tell Akane it's resolved."
"Quit... Ranma, when you knocked me into that spring you
completely destroyed my life. DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN I'VE
ALMOST BEEN EATEN??!!" he screamed.
"Ryouga, you're curse is worse than mine in a lot of ways. But I
am not going to let you hang it over me for the rest of our lives!" Ranma
responded. "I let myself get too angry at my dad, I wasn't watching
where I was going, I knocked you into the spring and turned you into a
pig. That much is my fault. And I give you my word that if I ever find a
cure for Jusenkyo I'll share it with you. But face facts, that instant by
Jusenkyo is the only incident that you can call my fault. You've had a
hand in everything else you insist on blaming me for!"
"WHY YOU!!" Ryouga leaped to his feet. He jumped at
Ranma who sidestepped his rush. "HOLD STILL AND DIE LIKE A
MAN YOU HALF-GIRL!"
"HEY!" Ranma responded, dodging Ryouga's punch, then
crouching under his high circle kick to sweep his other leg. As Ryouga
fell, Ranma grabbed his arm, twisting it and pushing it to the floor in a
way that would make it impossible for Ryouga to move the limb or the
rest of him without breaking the arm.
"I'm trying to help you for crying out loud. Is this the kind of
thanks I get?"
"SHUT UP!!" Ryouga said, struggling against the hold. He
began to psyche himself up to the point where he could ignore the pain
of a broken arm. "You've taken everything that's worth anything to me
and turned it to ashes! I don't want your pity, Ranma! I don't want
your help! I JUST WANT YOU DEAD!!!" He exerted all his
strength, then flopped and rolled a few feet away as Ranma released his
arm just before it could break.
"Look, calm down Ryouga!" Ranma said as he watched him
come to his feet.
"NO WAY!" Ryouga responded. "I've got nothing left but
revenge against you!" He charged at Ranma, throwing a dozen of his
fastest punches.
Ranma jumped over Ryouga, the lost boy spun round, lashing
out with the back of his fist. *Hmm, I've got to calm him down. If he
doesn't at least seem to be working out an agreement with me, Akane'll
keep pushing till she finds out about P-chan. That'll get him out of her
bed, but it'd be dishonorable not to do everything I can to prevent it.
Gotta help him, can't let Akane find out that he's the one she should
have been hitting and not making nice to all this time...* Ranma ducked
under the blow and stepped into range, both fists lashing out at Tenshin
Amaguriken speed, hitting every vital point on Ryouga's upper body a
dozen times.
Ryouga staggered back a few feet from Ranma's sudden attack.
He shook his head a second. "Nice try, I almost felt that." he taunted
while he concentrated on making the world stop spinning and come into
focus. The focus it came into was Ranma, who was standing a few
away, looking him over calmly. *DAMN IT!! We're blood enemies
fighting our final battle, doesn't he realize that!?* Ryouga began thinking
his most depressed thoughts, building his aura brighter and brighter.
"Ryouga!" Came the voice from the door of the Dojo.
Ryouga's aura winked out like a candle in a hurricane. He
looked to the door to see the person he knew would be standing there.
Akane.
Akane stepped into the Dojo. She was wearing her gi, and had
a highly disapproving look on her face. "Ranma, didn't you promise that
you wouldn't get into a fight with Ryouga?"
"I promised that I'd do my best not to start a fight. Is it my fault
Bacon-Boy here has such a short temper?" Ranma replied loudly
"If you keep teasing him like that then yes it is!" Shouted Akane
back.
"Akane," Ryouga said quietly. *What do I say. I gave her my
love, and she doesn't want anything more than my friendship.*
"Oh Ryouga, how are you feeling? I guess I should apologize
for hitting you last time, it's just that what you said was so out of
nowhere I didn't know how to react." Akane said, a slightly
embarrassed look on her face. Behind her Ranma scowled.
"Uh, I've tried..." Ryouga trailed off as he tried to come up with
something, anything appropriate to say. Part of his mind thought up the
perfect answer, but it got lost on the way to his mouth.
"Well, I'm sorry things took so long to come out into the open
like this," Akane said. "I'll always value your friendship, Ryouga."
"I...I'll always be happy to have you as a friend." Ryouga said
quietly. *Always a friend never anything more...*
"Ok, and since you've shown that you can't discuss things
together, I'm here to help you come to an agreement."
"Hey, this is guy stuff!" Ranma responded.
"Wrong, it's martial arts," Akane countered.
"Look Akane, I'm glad you calmed down pig boy," Ranma
said, ignoring Ryouga's glare at the name, "But we don't really need that
much help. Ryouga and I were just agreeing that all our future fights will
be planned and arranged. It's the fighting anywhere bit that endangers
bystanders."
"You shouldn't be fighting at all!" Akane yelled looking at the
pair.
Ranma raised his hands defensively. "I think Ryouga's
overreacting too."
"Ranma!!" Ryouga responded.
"Quiet you two!" Akane screamed. As the two looked at her
she glared at them. "It's not important who started this, only that it gets
finished."
"Akane, we can take care of that now." Ranma responded.
Turning to Ryouga he said "Ryouga, I'm willing to swear off any non
formal fights between us if you are. What do you say?"
Ryouga looked at Ranma. He shifted his gaze to the woman he
loved, then back to the man he blamed for taking her from him. "I...
ok."
Akane smiled. "Well, would you like to have dinner with us?
We'd all enjoy having you."
"I... No, I really have to be leaving. Have to head back home."
Ryouga laughed nervously as he put all his effort into funneling his rising
tide of despair into something other than hatred for his one true rival.
He had to get away. Maybe alone he could find a way to deal with the
pain.
"I'll show you the way." Ranma said walking to Ryouga's side.
*How can I put his crimes from my mind when he's right in front
of me!* "I can find my home on my own!" Ryouga shouted at Ranma.
"Oh, like you did all those times I used to walk you to school
and back?" Ranma responded.
*I have promised to Akane! I can't hit him!*
"Ranma! Stop picking on Ryouga!" Akane said angrily.
Turning to Ryouga she said "I remember where you're house is if you
want me to show you the way."
*Me and Akane alone in my house... She doesn't love me
there's no hope of it...* "No need, besides I really think I should do this
myself. I have some things to think about."
"Ok, I'll just start you on your way then." Ranma said.
"NO WAY!! I'M GOING HOME WITHOUT ANY OF
YOU!!" Ryouga screamed. Running from the Dojo, he jumped to the
top of the Tendo house, then continued his leaps in a straight line
forward.
"I'll be right back." Ranma said as he jumped after Ryouga.
"RANMA!" Akane called to the already departed figure. She
sighed. "Oh well, at least they agreed not to fight."
In her room Nabiki took off her headphones and turned off the
Xanatos Corp. surveillance equipment. *Hmm, the other motivation for
Ranma and Ryouga's fights is some sort of Jusenkyo curse Ranma
inflicted on Ryouga. Hmm, what does he...* Nabiki's eyes widened.
"THAT HENTAI!!" *That shape shifting pervert! Ryouga has to be P-
Chan!* Her eyes narrowed angrily. "I'd give Akane that kind of
information for free! Lucky for me she paid me in advance."
"Hold up Ryouga!" Ranma called as he caught up with his
fellow martial artist.
"WHAT!" Ryouga screamed back at him with a hate filled look.
"I've got one last thing that I couldn't say in front of Akane pig-
boy."
*I must not kill him, I promised. I've just got to stay calm and I
can smash a few boulders and pretend their him.* "Talk and go,"
Ryouga said angrily, not bothering to turn to face his arch rival.
Ranma scowled. "Ryouga, I just want you to know one thing."
He jumped over Ryouga and landed face to face with him. "I am sick
and tired of P-chan, and I want it to end!"
Ryouga looked in Ranma's eyes. "And?" he said, focusing most
of his attention into not striking at his hated Rival.
Ranma sighed. "Ryouga, Because I was partially responsible
for cursing you I've done my best to help you keep it secret. In order
to do that I've had to help you keep up a continuing lie with Akane.
That ends now."
Ryouga's anger was suddenly eclipsed by an overwhelming
wave of fear. "Y-You wouldn't..."
"I'm not going to tell her, I'm not going to show her, I'm not
going to set up any kind of situation that would expose you. But from
today on you've lost your silent partner! If Akane wants to give P-chan
a hot bath, I wouldn't say a word. If you're falling into the pond when
she can see, I wouldn't make any attempt to catch you or distract her.
If you need an alibi or a story, you can look somewhere else. From this
day forward if you want to be P-chan, you're on your own!" Ranma
looked at Ryouga for a moment, then walked past him and began his
housetop treck back to the Dojo.
Ryouga stood there trembling slightly. *WHY THAT
COWARDLY DISHONORABLE...*
"AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!" Ryouga
dropped to his knees and struck the ground with his right fist. His arm
sank through the pavement of the street to halfway between his shoulder
and his elbow. Ripping the limb back from the ground he rose to his
feet and screamed to the heavens, "RANMA, BWEE BWEE
BWEEEEE!!!" He took no notice of the water spraying from the
broken water pipe in his just created hole.
"Hey Akane," called Nabiki as she came down the stairs.
"Oh, hi Nabiki," Akane replied.
"I just discovered reason number two for the Ranma Ryouga
feud, and I really think I should tell you." Nabiki said with a serious
look on her face.
"I don't know, maybe I should wait and see if they can keep
their promise not to fight first."
"No, trust me, you want to know this now." Nabiki grabbed
Akane's hand and pulled her into the yard.
"Hey, what?"
"I don't want you near anything too breakable when I tell you."
Nabiki said as she brought her sister by the pond. "It seems that
Ryouga followed Ranma to China and got knocked into a Jusenkyo
spring."
"What!? But which spring?"
"They didn't say, but I think I've got it figured out. What does
Ranma always call Ryouga? Who around here shares Ryouga's bad
sense of direction? What four legged being wears the same Bandanna
as Ryouga?"
Akane was staring at her sister in shock. She clenched her fists
tightly, and started to tremble slightly. "THAT PERVERT!! THAT
DIRTY ANIMAL!!" *'Violent tomboy too stupid to see bandanna.'
EVEN SHAMPOO KNEW!* Then she thought of Ranma's taunts.
"And Ranma knew!?"
"Apparently he felt that since he had knocked Ryouga into the
spring, he was obligated to keep it a secret." Nabiki said calmly.
*'If I tell Ryouga's secret I'd be no better than my father'*
Akane's rage died a moment as she remembered Ranma telling her this.
Then it rose again as she said, "Well, I am going to have a little talk with
him as soon as he gets home.
"Hey Ranma!" Nabiki called.
Ranma looked at her. He was standing just outside the Tendo
home, and had been about to open the door and enter. "What do you
want."
"Do you know how much that bug you wrecked cost?"
"Look, I needed to talk with Ryouga about something
personal." Ranma replied in an annoyed tone.
"Yeah, no telling what I'd do if I found out that Ryouga fell into
a Jusenkyo spring and became a pig."
Ranma froze and looked at her. Nabiki smirked at him. "As
they say in America, never put all your eggs in one basket."
"If you want something to keep this a secret talk to Ryouga. I
just told him that I'm not going to do anything to help him hide this
anymore."
"I'm so glad to hear that. Actually I already told Akane
everything. I didn't think it was appropriate to just let someone sneak
into her bed all the time. At least not unless she wanted it."
Ranma scowled. Then he sighed. "Will she be calm enough to
talk to?"
"I'm honestly not sure. She was really mad when she found out,
but she's been a bit calmer than I expected when she talked about you
knowing."
Ranma looked at her a moment. "I'd better not put this off too
much. Where's Akane?"
"After I told her she went to her room."
"Thanks, Nabiki." Ranma said as he jumped onto the roof and
made his way to his fiancee's window.
"Welcome to Nekohanten, may I take order?"
">Um, my Japanese isn't that great, do you speak English?<"
He replied taking off his black hat to reveal his short combed back
reddish brown hair.
Shampoo looked at the customer and winced inwardly. She
had started studying English before she had learned Japanese, however
she had always avoided any form of linguistic study when she realized
just how bad she was at it. *Hmm is Mousse here? He was always the
linguistic expert..*
">No trouble, I'll take care of it.<" Shampoo turned back to
the kitchen, recognizing her great-grandmother's voice.
">Ah, thank you. I've just flown in and I'd like an order of the
deluxe Ramen before I head to my hotel.<" He unbuttoned his black
coat and sat at the table close to the Kitchen window.
">Coming right up!<" Colougne prepared the dish with the skill
only a true master chef could match and a few moments later the bowl
was on the table before the Gaijin customer.
">Umm, smells quite good.<" A quickly slurped noodle
confirmed his estimation.
">So would you object to a little company? I haven't needed to
speak English in years and I fear I'm out of practice.<"
">I have no objections, ms?<"
">My name is Colougne.<"
">Mine is Antoine Sevarius.<"
--------
In episode five, Xanatos begins studying Anything Goes, Ranma and Akane
attempt to
talk without insulting each other, and Ryouga visits distant lands and meets new
people.