kunoichi@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au wrote:

Well, that didn't work at all... What's this Latin1 stuff? Something
from a word processor?

Kun-chan...

Latin1 is the extended character set used to write most European
languages (accents and stuff). Depending on the system and mail
reader you're using, you can or cannot decode and display them.
I could, but then I'm using the same mail reader as the author
so I guess it helps.
Since he wrote in English, it should be the same when posted
using the ASCII set, here it goes:

Enjoy!

Everything between this line and the .sig is from the original message.



This is my first try at fanfiction.  I wrote it last week on
sunday and tried to post it to rec.arts.anime.creative for half a
week (Grrrr, damn newsserver!)
When it finally worked I was told that I should put it on the
Fanfic Mailing List, too, so here I am.  :)

This piece is meant to take place within regular Ranma continuity
and doesn't change much (there are too many alternative timelines
flying around as it is).

I wrote it in a kind of "script-like" style, because that helps me
to visualize it as a manga or anime.  I haven't seen much of that,
so I figure that it isn't a very popular style.  Feedback would be
appreciated (and corrections of spelling and grammar as well).

I put a HTML'ed version on my homepages that might be easier to
read.  You might want to check out that one instead.

All right, no more excuses!  Here goes...

        ------------------------------------------------

Fade in opening shot of the Tendo Dojo from above at an angle.

Voice: Ranma no BAKA!

<SLAP!!>

Cut to the inside.  We see Ranma walking down the hall with a red
palmprint on his left cheek.  He tries (but utterly fails) to
look completely unfazed by what just happened offscreen.  Calmly
he strolls into his room and closes the door before letting his
anger out - a rather futile exercise, considering the doors and
walls of the dojo.

Ranma:  All RIGHT!  Then *don't* listen to my side!  See if I
  care! [thinks] It's not as if it was *my* fault...
  Well, maybe it was, but that's no reason...
  Well, maybe it is; but still...
  She's always so... so...

He doesn't finish his thoughts as he sees a package lying on his
and Genma's futon.

Ranma:  Hmm, what's this?  Pop's?  [thinks] Heh, if it *is* pop's,
  it's probably something to eat.

He opens the package and looks inside.

Ranma:  Huh?  Roses?  Bla-  Hey, waitaminnit.

He has a flashback thought-balloon of Kunou Kodachi with one of
her poisoned rose bouquets.

Ranma:  Aaahh!

He throws the package in the direction of the window, but it is
too late - The bouquet in the package explodes, enveloping the
room (and Ranma) in a yellowish cloud of gas.  Maniacal laughter
can be heard from outside.

Voice:  Ohohohohohohooo...

Cue Title music and opening credits:

RANMA 1/2 Fanfic:  "Ranma in Love!  Can Akane Cope?"
----------------------------------------------------

   Love hits you when you least expect it.
   Love hurts you where you cannot guard.
   Love obeys no rules or reasons.
   Except: It always strikes your heart.

(keeping with the rhythm of the percussion, we see:  Akane
slapping Ranma because of Shampoo, slapping him because of Ukyou,
Slapping him because of Kodachi and slapping him just on general
terms)

.
.
.

Fade in on an aerial view of the Kunou household.  Cut to
Kodachi's room. We see an uncoscious Ranma lying on her bed in the
foreground, while Kodachi is working on something on the other end
of the room in front of the window.

Kodachi:  Ohohohohooo!  This will finally seal our love, darling
  Ranma!  How could I - master of the sneak attack and poison - not
  have thought of this sooner?  It was so laughably easy to locate
  the recipe for *this*...

She turns around and we see what she was working on, as she holds
a bottle in her hand.

Zoom in on bottle.  It reads "Love potion - allow 15 minutes for
effect to set in."

With a manic grin Kodachi walks over to Ranma and lies down next
to him on the bed.  She drapes herself decoratively half over him,
her face but inches from his.

Kodachi [wispers]:  Beloved you must be thirsty...

She opens Ranma's unresisting jaw and pours the whole bottle into
his mouth.  She flings it carelessly into a corner where it
shatters.

Kodachi:  Digest it well, my darling.  [thinks] By the time
  Ranma-darling comes out from under that gassing, the potion will
  be in full effect.  He will immediately fall in love with whomever
  he sees first.  And that will be me!  I will make sure that it is.

We see her flashing back to some of her disastrous attempts of
snaring Ranma - all of them smashed in the last instant.  She
starts to look around paranoidly.

Kodachi [thinks]:  The window!  I must make sure that noone
  interrupts us.

She strides over to the window to shut it, screams

Kodachi:  Eeeek!

and ducks from a splash of water flying in through the window.

<Splash>

The "gardener" appears in the opening as she rises again.

Sasuke (in a "please don't kill me" voice):  I am most sorry,
  mistress, for disturbing you.  It was in no way my intention to
  cause harm.

He looks past her into the room and continues,

Sasuke:  I must apologize again for splashing your honourable
  guest.  I sincerely hope not to have caused too much
  inconvenience.

Kodachi whips around and freezes when she spots Ranma-chan where
she expected Ranma.  Sasuke quietly leaves, when he sees that he
is miraculously saved from Kodachi's revenge.

Kodachi:  I knew it!  I knew someone would try to interfere.

Rushes over to Ranma-chan.

Kodachi:  The pigtailed girl!  She is out cold.  [thinks]
  Ranma-darling must have come out of his sleep early and knocked
  her out when she tried to steal him again.

Suddenly she shudders nervously.

Kodachi [thinks]:  My god, if the potion had already been in
  effect, he could have fallen in love with *her*.  No!

She jumps up, clasping her hands to her bosom in a theatralical
pose.

Kodachi:  I must follow him and be the first one he sees when the
  potion takes effect. - But first...

She looks down on Ranma-chan

Kodachi:  I don't have the time to deal with you, pigtail girl.
  You are lucky.

Suddenly she grins evilly.

Kodachi:  But I know *just* the place to put you while I look for
  Ranma-darling.

She snags Ranma-chan with her ribbon and bounds out of the door
with her carried behind.  She leaps across the yard in long
bounces and as she passes Tatewaki's rooms, she yells

Kodachi:  Here, brother, a present for you.

and hurls Ranma-chan at Kunou who just poked his head out of the
door.

Kunou:  Aaaaaah!

He catches Ranma-chan reflexively.  When he realizes who she is,
he holds on to her even tighter.

Kunou:  My pigtailed goddess!  I knew you would return to me.
  Without doubt my sister has treated you cruelly, let me rectify
  that.  I will allow you to sleep it off in my room and when you
  wake...

Again he clasps Ranma-chan to his chest.  He carries her over from
the door to his bed and arranges her on it like a still-life.

Kunou [thinks]:  I will be the first face she sees upon awakening.
  She will be so grateful for what I did, that doubtlessly she will
  want to date me.  [out loud] Yes, I will date you my love!

Akane:  Are you beginning with *that* again?  For the last time: I
  don't want to...

Kunou:  AAaaahh!

He jumps at Akane's voice.  Akane is looking in from the yard
through the still open door.

Kunou:  Ha?!  Whatever brings you here, lovely Akane Tendo?
  [thinks] can it be...?

He drops to one knee, and faces the ceiling with his fists
clenched.

Kunou:  Thank you, oh gods, for finally smiling on your humble
servant.  You have delivered *both* my loves to me on the same
day - surely this means that I will finally...

Akane (interrupts):  I'm looking for *Ranma*!

Kunou looks disgusted.

Kunou:  Why would you be looking for this despicable felon?  He is
  not worthy of you.

Akane (a little too loud):  It wasn't *my* idea.

Flashback to an hour earlier at the Tendo home.

Soun and Genma-Panda are sitting in the living room playing shogi.
Akane sits to the side reading a manga.  She is quite amused.


Akane [thinks]:  Why, that Ataru guy is almost as unfaithful as Ranma.

She furrows her brow.

Akane [thinks]:  Not that I care a bit about how faithful Ranma
  is, or anything.

Kasumi walks in from the kitchen with a tray.

Kasumi:  Lunch is ready.  Father, Mr.Saotome - Akane, could you
  fetch Nabiki and Ranma, please?

Akane:  I'll tell Nabiki.

Soun stops her as she is leaving.

Soun:  You two have been fighting again.

Akane (innocent):  Not at all.  Nabiki and I are in perfect
  harmony.

Genma (signs):  You know whom we mean.

Kasumi ignores all this, smiles and says

Kasumi:  Oh, then I'll get Ranma.

The sisters exit and the fathers get back to their game.  When
Akane returns with Nabiki Kasumi is already laying the table - but
there is no Ranma.

Akane:  Where is Ranma?

Kasumi (looks up):  Oh, he's not home.  It seems that young
  Kodachi came by and took him along.

As Kasumi goes back to her work, Akane freezes.  With clenched
fists she says

Akane:  Kodachi... !

and runs to Ranma's room.  Everything is covered in black rose
petals.  She looks out of the window, but nothing is to be seen.

Akane (mutters):  Ranma no baka!  How does he always get caught by
  that freak?  I wonder why I always have to get him out of trouble.

Soun (suddenly behind her):  Ha ha ha!  How nice of you to be so
  concerned with your fiance's wellbeing.  That you think of
  rescuing him even after fighting...

He looks stricken by such dedication.  Genma looks out behind him
and signs

Genma:  You don't have to hurry.  I'll eat his.

Akane:  B-but I...

Soun:  Oh, don't let us keep you.  Ha ha ha, we wouldn't want
Ranma to think you abandoned him, would we?

Flashback ends

Kunou is still half kneeling.  Akane spies the sleeping Ranma-chan
on the bed behind him.

Akane:  Sa-ay, Kunou, isn't that Ranma peeking in by the window?
  He probably is after the girl with the pigtail.

Kunou whips around.

Kunou:  Never!  I'll defend my goddess from him.

He leaps out of the window - right into the pool with Kodachi's
pet crocodile Mr.Turtle.

Kunou (from outside):  Gyeeeh!

Akane examines Ranma-chan and finds him still out cold.

Akane:  Hmph!  At least it seems that he didn't do anything with
  Kodachi.  Come *on*, "Osage no onna".

She slumps Ranma-chan over one shoulder and leaves.  At that
moment a rather battered Kunou crawls in through the window.

Kunou:  No, Akane!  There is no need to be jealous.  I love you
  both!

He collapses.

Outside view of Dr. Tofu's clinic.

Voice:  Well, let's see...

Cut to the inside.  A now male Ranma lies on a stretcher and is
checked by the doctor.  A kettle stands nearby.

Dr. Tofu:  This doesn't seem too serious.  Apart from that
  horrible bruise on his left cheek, of course.  Whoever caught him,
  must have knocked him pretty badly.

Akane stares to the ground with a hot face.

Dr. Tofu:  From what I see, I'd say he is under the effect of some
  sleeping poison and...

He stops.  The he turns to Akane and looks her straight in the
face.

Dr. Tofu:  And I'd really want to monitor him until he wakes.
  But, alas, I have other appointments.  Akane, would you do this
  for me?  Stay with him until he wakes up?

Akane:  Uh...

Dr. Tofu:  I would be *really* grateful If you could make sure to
  be with him when he wakes up.  Er, *until* he wakes up, I mean.

Akane (relutantly):  All right, Doctor.  I will look after him.

She smiles at him.

Akane:  Thanks for helping us again.

Dr. Tofu (bowing):  It was a pleasure.

He looks after them as she shoulders Ranma again and thinks to
himself.

Dr. Tofu [thinking]:  Well, I just hope this works out.

He shakes his head and returns to work.

Close up on Ranma's head with a wet towel on his brow.  Akane's
hand enters the picture and touches the towel lightly.  His
eyelids flutter a little.

They are in his room again and he is lying on his futon.  A bucket
of water and another towel lie close by. Akane kneels down next to
him and watches as he slowly wakes up.

Akane (softly):  Ranma.

Ranma:  A- Akane?

His eyes now open fully and he looks at her.  After a few seconds
his eyes begin to widen and his look becomes a stare.

Akane:  Uh oh.  What *now*?

Ranma:  Akane!  You saved me!

Akane:  Well, not really, I...

Ranma:  Why, you *do* care about me.

Akane:  Now listen, I just...

Ranma grabs her hand.  His stare begins to disturb Akane more and
more.

Ranma:  And I thought you hated me.

He leans over to her and kisses - a pillow that Akane has shoved in
his face.  Her heart is thumping furiously.

Akane:  What *is* it with you?  Are you still drugged?

Ranma:  I'm completely normal.  We're fiances - I can kiss you.

Akane:  Just you try!

She goes into a fighting stance.  Ranma gets up from the futon and
faces her.  Her face is quite red.

Ranma:  Akane...

Akane:  Stay away from me you weirdo.

Ranma:  All right, then.

He jumps high into the air screaming

Ranma:  The Flying Stolen-Kiss-Attack!

He flies towards her with spread arms ready to embrace her.

Akane (shouts):  Flying Pervert Block!

She backhands him across the face in mid-air.  We hear

<Smooooch!>

as his puckered-up lips connect with the back of her hand.  He
grabs her hand, flips over and lands on one knee before her, his
lips still kissing.  He effectively turned her block into a
gallant hand-kiss.

Ranma:  Akane, please.  Will you not hear me?

<Sploosh!>

He gets a faceful of water.  As the camera pulls back we see Akane
holding the now empty bucket in her other hand.

Akane:  Will you calm down *now*?

Ranma-chan still stares at her.  She gets up and takes a step
towards Akane.  Akane takes a step back.  Seeing that her plan
completely backfired she frantically slaps at Ranma-chan.

Akane:  Gyeee!  Get away from me!  You're a girl!

Ranma-chan:  I'm a boy.

Akane:  You have a girls body!

Ranma-chan:  It's my boy's mind that loves you.

Akane sees Kasumi passing by the door.

Akane:  Kasumi!  Ranma wants to kiss me!

Kasumi:  Oh?  How nice of him.

She walks away again.  As Akane turns back to Ranma-chan again she
finds her mere millimeters from her face.  Their lips connect.

Akane's Eyes widen in shock.  She freezes completely while
Ranma-chan kisses her.  When Ranma-chan finally parts from her and
looks at Akane dreamily, Akane shakes with anger.

Akane:  HYAAAAHH!

A shot of the Tendo Dojo from above.  The building shakes and the
picture becomes obscured by a cloud of dust.  When the dust clears
the roof of the Dojo has aquired a Ranma-shaped hole.

We now see the front of Dr. Tofu's again.

Voice:  Oh dear!

Close up on Dr. Tofu's head.

Dr. Tofu:  Why, I had no *idea* that he was under the influence of
  this love potion.

The shot widens and we see Ranma looking more like a mummy lying
on a stretcher again, Akane stands looking rather flustered.

Dr. Tofu:  So he kissed you?  How good that you are engaged
  already.

Ranma (moaning):  Naah, it was temporary insanity.

Akane looks ready to kick him of the stretcher, but she holds
back.

Dr. Tofu (surprised):  What, so you don't want to kiss her now?

Ranma:  What do I look like?  Some crazy fool who *enjoys* being
  beaten up by a macho chick?

He barely dodges a blow from Akane that almost shatters the
stretcher.

Dr. Tofu:  That is strange.  The love potion that I think this is
  doesn't work that way.  The initial mad rush fades, but the
  recipient stays in love forever.  The only people whose behavior
  wouldn't change would be those that are in love with each other
  already.

Kasumi (walking in):  Oh, then it must be a *different* potion
  than that, no?

Close up on the doctor whose glasses are already too fogged up to
let us see his eyes.

Dr. Tofu:  Uh, Ka- Kasumi.

He begins to fidget nervously and runs into things.

Dr. Tofu:  Heh heh, yes it must, mustn't it?  Hello Kasumi, what
  good wind brings you here?  Surely you are not ill, you look like
  the very picture of health.

Since he is saying this to Betty-chan, his skeleton, Akane and
Ranma realize that there won't be any medical treatment to get
here at the moment and Akane hoists Ranma upon her back.

They make their way back in silence.

That night as Akane lies in bed her mind replays over and over the
scene of Ranma-chan kissing her.

Akane [thinks]:  Hentai!  Hentai!  Hentai!

Her heart thumps loudly.  Suddenly She remembers something else.

Ranma-chan (in flashback):  It's my boy's mind that loves you.

Echo:  Loves you... loves you... loves you...

She sits up.  Silently she slips out of her room and down to
Ranma's.  She knocks hesitantly.  The door shifts open and a
yawning Ranma looks out.  Trying not to blush Akane asks him

Akane:  Uh, Ranma... I-I've been thinking about what Dr. Tofu
said.

Ranma (waking up):  About the potion?

Akane:  Yes, what he said about it's effect...

Ranma:  I think he was perfectly right.

Akane's heart thumps in her throat.  She barely manages to speak.

Akane:  He-he was?

Ranma:  Yes.  It *definitely* must have been a different potion
  than he thought first.

We see the Tendo Dojo from above, from the same angle as in the
opening shot, only that it is dark outside now.

Voice:  Ranma no BAKA!

<SLAP!!>

Cue closing music and roll credits.

The End!

    ----------------------------------------------------

Now, that didn't hurt a bit, did it?

I repeat:  Please give me feedback.  I'm so incredibly vain that
I *must* know that you read my story. :)

Sebastian
--
       <http://enterprise.mathematik.uni-essen.de/~bastian/>
                         Comics reviewed
--
Accuracy:
The vice of being right.