WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING

This story isn't finished. In fact, its barely begun. This isn't even an 
alpha version of the text. It mostly still in script form, with little 
description or actions. Basically its a long list of conversations....

WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING


The only reason I'm even releasing this is because I have a couple of 
questions and requests about it. Namely, is it worth pursueing? This 
story has been on the back burner for about a month now, and I'm not sure 
if I want to finish it. I have one or two other stories I'd like to tell 
as well, but I really hate leaving unfinished stuff behind. So, tell me, 
do you think its worthy of any attention?

Secondly, I'm in desperate need of an editor. Taking applications now. 
^_^ Any volunteers?

- Mark Crewson (mcrewson@mts.net)


			  THE CHOSEN MAIDEN
			  =================
			  A Ranma 1/2 fanfic
			   by Mark Crewson


[Scene 1] The Letter Arrives

The middle of the afternoon. There is a knock at the front door.

Kasumi (from the kitchen): Can someone get that? I'm sort of busy...

No answer. After a few moments the knock comes again. Soun and Genma
are sitting in their usual places, playing shogi. 

Genma: Kasumi? Didn't you hear that? There is someone at the door.

The knock comes again.

Soun: KASUMI! There is someone at the front door.

Kasumi appears, a mess because she had to stop what she was doing...

Kasumi: I heard. I heard. I'm going.

She goes to open the door. Its the mailman.

Mailman: Good afternoon, miss. I have here a registered letter for the
	Tendo residence.

Kasumi (wiping her hands on her apron): Yes. That's right. This is the
	Tendo house.

Mailman: Very good, ma'am. If I could just get you to sign here...

Kasumi signs for the letter, looking to see who it's from.

Kasumi: "The Department of Draconian Affairs?" From the government?
	Now why would we be getting a letter from the government?

Mailman: I wouldn't know ma'am, but your not the only one. Every house
	in Nerima is receiving the same letter.

He opens his mail bag and shows her the contents. It is filled to with
top with letters, each identical to the one she is holding.

Kasumi: Oh my!

Mailman: Yes, well, thank you ma'am, but I must be going. I have a lot
	of stops to make still..

Kasumi: Oh yes. Thank you.

She closes the door as the mailman leaves. Walking back into the house
she flips the letter back and forth, trying to discern from the
envelope exactly what it could be about.

Soun: Who was it dear?

Kasumi: It was the mailman, father. We received a registered letter.

Soun: Really? From whom? Whats it about?

Kasumi: It from "The Department of Draconian Affairs..." From the
	government. I don't know what it is about. I haven't opened it
	yet.

Soun: Well.... open it.

Kasumi goes to the kitchen and gets a knife to open the letter. She
expertly slides the knife into the envelope and slices it open. There
is one single piece of paper inside, folded neatly in a business-like
manner.

Kasumi (glancing thru the letter): Oh my!

Genma: What? What is it about?

Kasumi: This is terrible!

Genma and Soun: What!? What is terrible?

Kasumi: Here. Read it for yourself.

She hands the letter to her father, but Genma grabs it first and reads
it.

	To the Citizens of Nerima:

	Dragons have long be a legend in many cultures, both east and
	west. There is even a legend of a dragon that haunts the
	district of Nerima. A legend that states that a dragon lives
	with the city limits, sleeping most of the time, yet every
	century it wakes to prey upon the young and the weak. But even
	legends have some basis of truth to them. Sadly, I must report
	that the legend of the dragon of Nerima is true. There
	actually is a dragon living in the city and it is due to wake
	up very soon.

	But fear not, for your elected government has long known this
	and has set up a department to deal with this problem. The
	Department of Draconian Affairs has long studied the problem
	and we believe we have come to a solution. As the legend
	states, the dragon may only be appeased by a virgin
	sacrifice. We believe that if we offered a young virgin to the
	monster it will return to its slumber and bother us no more.

	To that end, the Department of Draconian Affairs is organizing
	a lottery to fairly and honestly select the candidate for this
	great honour. Please be advised that an offical from the
	Department of Draconian Affairs will be visiting your
	household at the appointed time indicated below in order to
	take a census of the virgin population and to answer any
	questions you may have.

	Thank you for your cooperation.

	Signed,
	Shin Kurokawa
	Director, Department of Draconian Affairs.

Scribbled near the bottom is the date, June 12th 11:00am, the day
after tomorrow.

Genma: Oh my! Yes, I can see why you are upset, Kasumi!

Soun: What?

He snatches the paper out of Genma's hands and begins to read it for
himself.

Kasumi: You see the problem?

Genma (patting her hands gently): Yes, yes. But don't worry...

Kasumi: Don't worry?!  But we're going to have guests soon! The day
	after tomorrow! And the house is a mess! We need
	groceries. Plus the roof needs repair to fix the holes Akane
	sent Ranma through this morning. And on top of that I know I
	won't have a thing to wear!





[Scene 2] The Lunatic Official

On the appointed day, the officials from the Department of Draconian
Affairs arrive, right on time. Ranma is the one who greets them at the
door. There is a group of five men, all dressed in conservative
business suits, except for one who is dress in a flamboyant kimono and
sandals. He is busily talking to one of the others.

Official: ...pet store was selling them for five cents a piece. I
	thought that odd since they were normally a couple
	thousand. But I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth
	so I bought two hundred.

Ranma: Two hundred what?

He startles the official in the kimono who jumps and spins around to
face Ranma.

Official: Oh! I didn't hear you open the door, young man. We're from
	the Department of Draconian Affairs. I believe you are
	expecting us. May we come in?

Ranma: Yeah, come on in. I believe everyone is gathered in the living
	room. We all stayed home today so we could meet with you.

Official (rubs his hands together): Good. very good. Well... lead the
	way.

Ranma (leading the party into the house): You said you bought two
	hundred, sir? Two hundred what?

Official: Hmmm?? ... Oh yes. I did. I bought two hundred monkeys.

Ranma stares at him incredulously, stopping dead in his tracks.

Official: I like monkeys...

Ranma: Uh... Yeah.

Official: Shall we go. Take me to your leader.

He giggles uncontrollably at his own lame joke. His associates
nervously laugh as well. Ranma just stares blankly at him.

Official: That's a joke, son. You're s'posed to laugh.

Ranma saying nothing

Official: *sigh*  Nobody understands me. Lets go, young man. I don't
	have all day, you know. I have several other households I have
	to visit yet today.

Ranma (snaps out of his trance): Oh. Right. This way, sir.

He leads the party to the Tendo living room where everyone is
gathered. Only Akane is absent at the moment. Soun gets up from his
game of shogi to greet his guests.

Soun: Good morning, gentlemen. I assume you're from the Department of
	Dra..

Official (interrupts): Yeah. We're from the Department of Draconian
	Affairs. My name is Shin Kurokawa. These are my associates (He
	gestures at the four men in business suits).

Soun: Pleased to meet you. My name is Soun Tendo. These are my
	daughters Kasumi and Nabiki. And my friend Genma is over
	there. I believe you've already met Ranma, his son.

Shin: I'm pleased to meet you all. Is this everyone?

Kasumi: Akane is upstairs at the moment. She'll be down in a moment.

Shin: Very good. We'll wait for her then. I don't want to have to
	repeat myself.

Nabiki: Excuse me, but wasn't it your name on the letter we received?
	Are you the director of the Department of Draconian Affairs?

Shin: Yes, you are correct. Your a very observant young woman. 

Nabiki: Yes, well... We were expecting to receive someone else from
	the government. Not the head of a whole department...

Shin: Well, yes, most of the families of Nerima are receiving visits
	from my underlings, not myself. But I am making a few personal
	house calls on the more ...uhmmm... more unusual households of
	Nerima.

Soun: Unusual?

Shin: There have been numerous strange reports of disturbances
	emanating from this house. To be frank, none of my employees
	wanted to come here, so I was forced to do it myself.

Soun: Strange reports, eh?  What kind of report, if you don't mind
	that is...

Shin: Well. Your neighbours are almost constantly submitting reports
	to the government about disturbances at all times of the day
	or night. Plus there seems to be a lot of low earth orbit
	projectiles launched from this vicinity, not to mention the
	explosions or fireworks. Some reports even mention things like
	magic.

Nabiki (sweat drop): Err... That would be Ranma and Akane.

Ranma: Hey! Its not my fault! If your sister wasn't such uncute
	violent tomboy...

This is the point where Akane enters the room, of course. She only
hears the last sentence.

Akane: Oh yeah? Well if you weren't such a perverted jerk!

Ranma: I'm not a pervert, you klutzy violent uncute excuse for...

Akane: RANMA NO BAKA!

And she promptly mallets him flatter than a pancake (okonomiyaki?).
Shin has been staring in awe at Akane ever since she arrived. It's
instant love/lust at sight.

Soun: Akane! That is no way to treat your fiancee.

Akane: He's not my fiancee.

Ranma just gurgles and groans.

Soun (to Shin): I must apologize for her behavior. Please pay no
	attention to them.

Shin is still staring at Akane though. He's practically drooling over her.

Soun: Err.. ?? Mister Kurokawa? Over here?

Shin snaps out of it, glancing up suddenly at Soun's voice.

Shin: Hmm??  Oh yes. We should get down to business. Boys, if you
	would please set up my stuff.

He directs his men to set up a tripod and place a group of
bristol-board posters on the stand. He pulls a long pointing stick out
the sleeve of his kimono. Shortly, everything is set up and he begins
his lecture.

Shin: As you know from my letter, Nerima is facing a crisis right
	now. This dragon we are faced with is actually not a new
	problem though. There are records dating as far back as the
	sixteenth century that describe situations almost identical to
	ours. It is from these records that we were able to deduce the
	course of action we plan to follow.

He points his stick at the first poster on the tripod stand.  The
poster shows a timeline of a sort. 

Shin: It seems that every century or so, this dragon appears in the
	district of Nerima and terrorizes the population. In previous
	centuries many lives were lost before a way found to get rid
	of the beast.

Nabiki: Excuse me, but...

Shin: Yes?

Nabiki: Why don't you simply send the army to go kill the beast or
	something?

Shin (smiles grimly): We tried that. We sent an entire squadron down
	into the depths to meet the beast. No one returned,
	unfortunately. We tried all sorts of chemical weapons and
	numerous other methods but nothing seems to have worked.

Nabiki: Oh. Did you try appealing internationally for help.

Shin: No. Despite my protests, my superiors feel that this is a local
	problem and that we should handle it locally.

Nabiki: I see...

Shin: No, the only way we can rid ourselves of this beast is to
	perform the ancient ritutual just like our forbearers did.

Akane: You mean the virgin sacrifice?

Shin: Yes. That is what I mean.

Akane: But... But... Thats barbaric!

Shin (nodding): I know. But its better that we sacrifice one and let
	the city live than to do nothing and let the city die.

Ranma: *groan* .... So, what does this have to do with us?

Akane: Ranma! Didn't you even read the letter?

Ranma: No. I was busy.

Shin: What it has to do with you, boy, is the lottery. 

Shin gestures and one of his men place another poster on top the
previous one.

Shin: The lottery. Its been decided that to be fair and honest the
	person chosen to be sacrificed should be chosen randomly. To
	that end the lottery has been devised. Every eligable person
	that has lived in the city for over a year will be entered
	into the lottery and, three weeks from today, one name will be
	chosen randomly...

Kasumi: What makes a person eligable for this game?

Shin: That's a good question.

He points to his chart..

Shin: First, age. No one under the age of 14 is eligable. We don't
	want to kill any babies. Second, the person must be a virgin,
	of course.

Nabiki: Does it have to be a woman?

Shin: No. Traditionally it has been a woman, of course. But these are
	the 90s. Equal opportunity and all that...

Soun (wailing): Oh, this is terrible!! To think that some young life
	will soon be snuffed out.

Genma: Pull yourself together, Tendo. Just be grateful it isn't your
	own life...

Ranma: DAD! Don't be such a coward.

Shin: Ahem...  There is just one more thing. We need the names of any
	eligable people in this household.

Genma: Oh yes. Lemme think now. There are four names. Kasumi, Ranma,
	Akane, and Nabi...

Nabiki: Three.

Soun: WHAT!?

Nabiki (calmly): Three. Three names. I'm not a virgin.

Soun: WHAT! Nabiki! How could you? You're not even seeing anyone!

Shin: You're telling the truth now, you lady? We can have your story
	checked out clinically, you know.

Nabiki: I know. I'm telling the truth.

Soun, of course, is going into a fit of hysterics over this news. He
paces back and forth in front of his second daughter, lecturing her on
honour and marriage, chastity and protection, etc, etc. Nabiki just
sits there calmly listening to her father.

Akane: Well... This will take a while, would anyone like some tea?

Kasumi: Oh! Good idea, Akane. I'll go get...

Akane: No. I'll do it. 

She gets up and heads towards the kitchen to make some tea. Shin
watches Akane go with facination.

Shin (to Ranma): Is he going to be at it for a while?

Ranma: I'm afraid so. He is pretty hung up on this...

Shin: Well then, if you don't mind, could I use your washroom?

Ranma: Sure. Through those doors Akane went through, down the hall, on
	your right.

Shin: Thank you.

He gets up and exits the way Akane did, but instead of going down the
hall to the washroom he detours to the kitchen. Akane is in there
furiously trying to make tea. She has just started but already its
quite a mess. Shin stands in the doorway, casually leaving on the door
frame.

Shin: Do you like monkeys?

Akane jumps and turns around.

Akane: OH! You startled me. I didn't expect anyone to be here.
	(pause)  What was your question?

Shin: Monkeys. Do you like monkeys?

He walks into the kitchen to stand beside her.

Akane: I suppose. I've never really thought about it.

Shin: I do. I like monkeys. I recently bought some. Cheap.

Akane (warily): Err.. Thats nice.

Shin takes the pot and spoon Akane is stirring away from her and
casually stirs it himself. She lets him and instead goes to the
cupboard to fetch some cups.

Shin: Yes. I took my two hundred monkeys home. I have a big car. I
	even let one drive. His name was Sigmund, but he was
	retarded. In fact, none of them were really bright. They kept
	punching themselves in their genitals.

Akane (gives him a queer look): Eheheh... ok...

Shin (doesn't pay attention to her): I laughed at that. Until they
	punched *me* in the genitals. Then I stopped laughing.

Akane: I suppose....

Shin puts down the pot. He steps close to Akane. In the background
Soun can still be heard droning on and on to Nabiki.

Shin: But that's not what I came in here to talk to you about.

He talks one of her hands in his.

Shin: Do you know how beautiful you are?

Akane is stunned at this turn of the conversation. She steps back,
trying to pull her hand from his grasp, but he is too strong.

Shin: But you must. A person as beautiful as yourself must know
	it. Tell me, do you love someone?

Akane: .... Huh? ... Uh... No.

Shin: Good! Excellent. Then, my lovely Akane, you must be mine!

Akane struggles a bit to free her hand, but she can't. Now she is   
starting to get a little angry at this man.

Akane: Look, sir. I'm flattered that you think that of me, but I'm not
	interested in you, ok?

Shin: Oh, but you could learn to love me. And I can provide you with
	many beautiful things to compilement your own beauty.

Akane: I said I'm not interested.

Shin: What if I could offer you something no one else could. Like
	safety from the dragon, for instance.

Akane (shocked): But, We're already safe because of this cursed
	lottery.

Shin: No. No. I mean safety from the lottery. What if I could
	guarantee safety for you and your family from the
	lottery. That would be worth something, wouldn't it?

Akane (really angry now): Are you saying you could get my name and my
	sisters names removed from the lottery? Are you trying to
	bribe me or something!?

Shin: I would do this for you, my lovely. You would but have to
	declare your own love for me and all would be taken care of.

Akane: NO!

She reaches back to grab her mallet and swings, but misses. Shin
easily dodges her blow. He doesn't let go of her hand, but his mood
takes a decidedly downward turn.

Shin: Now that wasn't a nice thing to do, my dear. You really
	shouldn't upset the ones who are trying to help you.

Akane: You aren't helping me, you pervert! Let go of me!

Shin: I'd keep my voice down, if I were you. I can arrange for
	your sister to go to the dragon just as easily as I can
	arrange for your not to go.

Akane stops, stiff at that statement.

Akane (barely whispering): You wouldn't. 

Shin: No. I don't think I would. After all, your sister has nothing to
	do with this. But you...

Akane (still quiet): Your a sick man...

Shin (ignoring her): I'd reconsider my offer if I were you. I can
	offer you a life of wealth and luxury. Or I can offer the
	honour of being the dragon sacrifice.

He lets go of her hand and stands back.

Shin: Think about it.





[Scene 3] Akane's Decision

	As soon as Shin Kurokawa and his associates left, Akane ran up
to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her, and threw herself down on the
bed.
	"It's not fair," she sobbed into her pillow.
	Life's not fair, her own thoughts echoed back. She hated being
thrown into impossible situations like this. But lately, her whole
life had seemed to become one big impossible situtation. Still, this
was worse.
	Akane spent the next several hours spawled across her bed,
crying quielty into her pillows. She refused to answer the door when
Kasumi called on her to come down for supper. She didn't want anyone
to see her weakness. And she especially didn't want anyone to know
about the conversation she had had with that evil man in the kitchen.
	Two choices. Either go with Shin Kurokawa and live in misery
for the rest of her life, or refuse him and end her life
immediately. Neither was much of a choice. If only there were some
third option.
	"Maybe if I'd been born a guy," she rambled to herself. But
no, that wouldn't help. Guys were just eligable for the lottery as
girls were. 
	"Dammit! I wish I was never born a virgin!" She shouted into
her damp pillow. But that was ludicrous, of course. No one can not be
born a virigin. Its just the way things are.
	Suddenly, she bolted straight up in bed. That's it! She had
it. She may have been born a virgin, but there was no reason she had
to be one now.
	Nabiki had done it, why couldn't she?
	Akane got out of bed, quickly wiping the tears from her
eyes. She went to the mirror mounted on the wall behind her dresser to
inspect her face. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her cheeks
were still red. Running a comb through her hair, she tried to
straighten herself up to be presentable.
	She had to look at least halfway descent. She now had the hard
task of convincing Ranma to go a long with her plan.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
  Mark Crewson <mcrewson@mts.net>            http://www.mts.net/~mcrewson