Magical Interludes:  December's End
Fanfic by J.K. Hayashi

Chapter 9:  Reflections - Part IV

After walking among the booths looking at the good-luck charms 
for sale, Ranma and Akane wait for the rest of the family to catch 
up.  Kasumi walks up to Akane and hands her one of the two 
hamaya in her hands.  Ranma looks at the arrows.

Ranma:  "What's this?"
Kasumi:  "Its the hamaya for the dojo.  This one's for the clinic."
Ranma:  "Oh.  And what's it for?"
Akane:  "Its for good luck, Ranma.  We'll hang it in the dojo when 
	we get back home."
Ranma:  "Its just that I never did these things before."

Nabiki, Midori, Keiko, and Ukyou walk up with small statues of 
either cats or daruma.  Ayuki, Soun, Genma, and Nodoka carry 
small votive plaques with words written on them.

Ranma:  "What's all this?"
Akane:  "Its for wishes for the upcoming year.  You write what you 
	want to have happen on the plaque."

Ranma goes to the booth with the plaques and buys one.  Akane 
comes up behind him.

Akane:  "What is it, Ranma?  What did you wish for?"
Ranma:  "Its nothing..."
Akane:  "What is it?"
Ranma:  "Its just..."  [takes out plaque and shows it to Akane]  "I 
	wished that Ukyou would find someone to love."
Akane:  "Oh, Ranma.  You didn't need to do that."  [takes out a 
	plaque from her kimono]  "That's what I wished for too."

Ranma hugs Akane and they walk back to their families.

*******************************************finis Chapter 9

[Author's note #1:  The usage of a game of Tag for training seemed 
a good way to motivate students to learn how to "jump" and sense 
"danger".  A successful "tag" would be an unblocked strike as 
students get better.]

[Author's note #2:  I don't know how much it really snows in Tokyo, 
if at all (Tokyo having the same rough latitude as Las Vegas), but 
flurries should certainly be possible.]

[Author's note #3:  The New Year's bell at the Buddhist temple is 
rung 108 times in the attempt to ring out the evils of the New 
Year's.  In Japan (I believe) large public bells also ring out the New 
Year.]

[Author's note #4:  "Soba", or buckwheat noodles, are eaten at New 
Year's for longevity and good luck.]

[Author's note #5:  I'm not sure if its been established in the manga 
if Ukyou's parents are still alive, so I'll just say that they are for the 
purposes of this story.  Similarly for Ryoga's family as of this point 
in time.]

[Author's note #6:  "Shimonawa" are the ropes that hang at the 
entrance to the temple (and other places).  They typically have the 
folded paper strips ("kami") hanging from them.  "Gohei" are wands 
with the paper strips on them.]

[Author's note #7:  I understand that sake is more typical of Hawaii 
than Japan temples, which would serve toso.  But I'm not exactly 
sure what toso is (except as a spiced herb wine), so I used sake.]

[Author's note #8:  The hamaya, or "demon-exorcising arrow" is 
placed in the NW corner of the room.  The plaques are hung in 
places where its believed they'll be the most effective, and the 
figurines are typically of cats, dwarfs, or "daruma" (the no-eyed 
figures).]

[Author's note #9:  Ranma's fear of cats was not activated by the cat 
figurines because he knows they're not real.  Besides, I have never 
seen a cat in the pose of the figurine.]

[Author's note #10:  Sources for the above was taken partially from 
the Spectrum Hawaii program previously mentioned.  Additional 
material was taken from Oh!  My Goddess (american) Vol. 3, Issue 
3.]

Next:
Chapter 10:  New Year's Day

Its the last chapter of this storyline (finally) with Kasumi's wedding.  
Ukyou (and Midori) leaves for her parents' house.  Mousse leaves for 
China.  And Kodachi gets offered a deal.