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EDITOR'S NOTES, MISC
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-Tenative Title:  "The More Things Change..."-
-Possible Alternate Titles
  -"Stuck in the middle with You"
  -"Things Change"
  -"Ryoga's Hell"

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Character Profiles/Ideas/Translations:
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Akari:
   I've heard some people complain about fanfics that put Ukyo and Ryoga
   together with the main protest being "what about Akari?"  Well, since
   I've NEVER read anything with Akari in it (and won't, not for a long long
   time since I don't read japanese and Viz is up to book five only
   (and Akari is in book THIRTY, right?) I had NO idea how to properly
   portray the girl.  I read the translations from the net, and it
   helped a little.  And so now ya got a Ryoga fanfic WITH Akari in it.
   So she isn't his main love interest.  If I did that, I'd probbably
   write her amazingly off-character anyways.  Besides, I needed to stick
   Ryoga with as many love interests as possible (Let's see, so that's
   Ukyo, Akari, Kodachi, Manami, and for a brief while Shampoo).
Ryoga-Chan:
   I was trying to think of exactly HOW Ryoga would look like if he had been
   dunked in the same spring as Ranma.  Nothing would come to mind at all.
   And then I saw New Dominion Tank Police.  Take a _good_ look at Leona
   from that show.  I did, and it immediately clicked.  _THAT_ was exactly
   how Ryoga would probbably look like when dunked into drowned-girl-spring.
Mousse:
   C'mon, nobody's got enough patience to be put through what Mousse goes
   through every day in his fruitless pursuit of Shampoo.  I figured he'd
   go nuts after long term exposure.  Wouldn't you?
Gosunkugi:
   Wishy-washy wimp.  Finally turning his life around, slowly, until Ryoga
   returns and ruins everything.
Tsubasa:
   Let's face it:  Tsubasa's always been a wuss.  I decided that infusing him
   with some serious Mecha know-how would be fun.  I thought it was, anyways.
Unorthodox Weaponry School of Martial Arts
   Well, it was born as the school of Umbrella Martial arts, but after a day
   or two that just sounded stupid.  Then I tried out Unusual Weaponry blah
   blah blah... sounded not too bad.  Then I needed Ryo to have a small
   supporting cast, and Unorthodox etc etc etc sounded great.  Then I
   realized I had to validate the existence of such a stupid school, and
   what better way to explain all the utterly stupid martial arts techniques
   in Nerima than this school?
Ryo Muhoshin: 
   Heir to the Unorthodox Weaponry School of Martial Arts (Umbrella Division)
   Roughly translates like "Accomplished" + "Pointless".  He bears a strong
   resembalence to Gosunkugi.  If someone looked closer, they might notice
   that he actually looks a bit healthier than Gosunkugi usually does.
   A bit taller, bigger, and at the very end of this story, he's got a
   short version of that weirdo dragonball-Z spiky hair thing going on.
   Unstable personality.  Will go through several types of personas.
   If he's ticked off a bit and deems his opponent inferior, he'll slip
   into Kuno-esque mode.  In dealing with normal day to day situations he'll
   be quite a gentleman.  In combat his arrogance will rise to the surface.
   When he deals with his siblings, he looses his cool entirely because
   he can't deal with them like he deals with everyone else (negociate or
   beat up), and is somewhat overprotective of them as well.
   Fashion sense is a slight mystery to him, so after his uncomfortably
   expensive venture into the good-suit look, he goes plain.

 *The following names for these moves were swiped from King of Fighters '95,
  A NeoGeo game.  Thanks to Galen Komatsu (sp?) for the translations.
   Gekihou:  "Shock Blow"
   Ryugeki-ken:  "Dragon Strike"
   Gou Rugeki-ken: "Great Dragon Strike"
     (well, I _think_ it translates this way...)

Ryoko Muhoshin:
   Student of the U.W.S.o.M.A. (Children's Toys Division)
   Roughly translates into "Travel" + "Pointless"
   Nabikiesque in persona, only more criminally inclined.  Will often find
   a way to get a free lunch.  Dresses tomboyish with a Nabiki-esque haircut.
Megane Muhoshin:
   Student of the U.W.S.o.M.A.  (Musical Instruments Division)
   Rough Translations "Glasses" + "Pointless"
   Doesn't express much care about anybody or anything, it seems.  Very
   cynical in a calm fashion, with a low opinion on everything and everybody.
   Doesn't get excited, just grouchy.  Wears round-frame glasses, hair is 
   shoulder length and always pulled back into a pony-tail.   
Kyoko Muhoshin:
   Student of the U.W.S.o.M.A. (Hair Care Products & Equipment Division)
   Rough Translations "Noisy Child?" + "Pointless"
   Looks for beautiful & fashionable things.  Keeps on seeing Ryo as hopelessly
   ugly/out of fashion.  Will act cute (See Azusa) if in trouble.  Wears
   whatever is cool these days and has a ton of hair, usually kept in a
   ponytail.  Slightly reminiscent of Azusa, I guess.
Nuku-Nuku:
   I _wanted_ to find a place where she could put a cameo in, but alas, my
   imagination fails me.

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GUEST STARS & SWIPES
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URUSEI YATSURA
-Lum
-Ataru
-Mendo
KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD
-Kyouske (In case you didn't get the joke, He's an ESPer)
-Madoka
STREET FIGHTER
-Ken
-Ryu
-Bison (Vega in Japan)
-Unnamed Master
SUPER CATGIRL NUKU NUKU
-Mishima Heavy Industries Inc.
MISC. CINEMA & ENTERTAINMENT REFERENCES
-Jacky Chan
-Pulp Fiction
-Reservoir Dogs
-Terry Pratchet's DISCWORLD (See:  Librarian "ook!")
-Douglas Addams HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE (See:  Earth "Mostly Harmless")
-U2


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WHAT'S NEXT
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   Well, first I'm gonna smoothen out the edges in this little story.  I still
do NOT like the title.  My cousin suggested "Stuck Here In The Middle With You"
which isn't bad, but..... dunno.  There's other stuff I still feel
uncomfortable about as well.  Gotta do something to more neatly wrap up
Shampoo's outlook on life.  Dunno...   I can see that the last two parts (part
8 and 9) are... kinda jumbled, not as neatly organized as the rest of the story,
but I'm not sure how to fix it.  I mean, there's alot more going on at the end
with more characters in different locations.  Not sure if that problem can be
fixed.
   As for other stories, I'm trying also to work out a reasonable storyline 
that would cover the rise of Tatewaki Kuno in Furinkan High _BEFORE_ Ranma came
and ruined everything for him.  I'd call it "Blue Thunder Rising" or something
like that.  He'd face down the previous Leader of the Kendo Club.  I'm thinking
of modeling him and even naming this nemisis of Kuno after Genjuro of Samurai 
Spirits 2 fame.  Good idea?  Bad idea?  I dunno.  I feel I'd better get better
information on the Japan school system first, though...

------------
Wanna read something better?  Check these authors out:
Stephen "Twoflower" Gagne:  Ministry of Chaos, March of the Pigs..
John Biles:  Ranma Elseworlds series, Ranma/Bubblegm Crisis crossover, etc..
Mike Latus:  Ryoga:Crossover, Guyver Ryoga...
Leslie Mills:  Life's Dulse Moments
J. Palmer:  Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

aw heck, just check out ftp.std.com.  and grab everything.  70% of the
stuff aint' bad at all.

-rpm@uh.edu