This is my first attempt at a fanfic so I could use all the criticizm I
could get. First of all, I'm not a very good speller, but I did go through
with a spellchecker, though it might have missed grammer mistakes other
than the ones I ment to put in. One of my bigest concers is any cultural
errors I might have made. Please inform me of anything that might make my
story more believeable. Wait. This is Ranma. More believeable as a Ranma
story then.
Please visit my fanfic site at http://www.tstonramp.com/~crissik/index.html
where you can get all my latest stories, preview future works, and see some
of the background for my stories.
Ranma OWF
Toma K/9
by Eric "Crissik" Gondolf
crissik@tstonramp.com
Episode 9: Spring cleaning. More house guests.
[For the next few days, Toma, Chris, Kasumi, Isaru, and Kaoru clean and
repair the new house. Carpenters come and fix most of the damage and
dangerous areas. The house itself is in an U-shape. The left wing
contains the living room, kitchen, and bath. The right contains three
bedrooms and the master bedroom. The front of the house contains the rest
of the living room and master bedroom. In the center of the house is a
large pond with a dojo on stilts in the center. Stones lead to the dojo
doors. Chris spotted the obvious danger of the dojo and it's path.]
Chris: I sense trouble from this.
Toma: No kidding. Maybe I can have a more stable path put in. Something
wider with handrails.
Chris: Maybe you could just fill in the pond all together.
Toma: It's a thought.
[The rooms are divided up first thing. Kaoru takes the back room and Isaru
takes the next one forward. Chris and his uncle are uncertain if they want
to move in with Toma, but just in case, Toma leaves to room next to his
open. Until they decide, the room is used as a spare bedroom that they are
always free to use. Kasumi decorates the room herself. Kasumi is also
worried about moving in with Toma. Toma also feels that it's to soon.
They decide that Kasumi should live at home until they decide to advance
their relationship. Just to be safe though, they decide to put an extra
bed in the master bedroom, next to Toma's bed. Toma is home alone for a
couple of hours when the others go out for supplies. He is just finishing
his room when the door bell kind of rings. It sounds like some drunken
bird.]
Toma: There's another thing that needs repairing.
[Toma opens the front door.]
Toma: Hello?
[Nora jumps though the doorway and hugs Toma.]
Toma: N-Nora?
Nora: Hello, Toma. I see you've found us a place to be happy.
Toma: What?!
Nora: You must have heard about my apartment building burning down and
leaving me living in my restaurant for the past couple of days.
Toma: Actually, I don't have a TV or radio here yet, so...
Nora: I knew you cared. Is our room this way?
[Nora begins walking toward the bedrooms.]
Toma: Our... Room?!? Wait, Nora!
[Toma runs after her, but she has already entered the spare bedroom Kasumi
decorated.]
Nora: Oh. It's lovely. Did you do this for me?
Toma: What?
Nora: You set this room up just for me. How sweet of you. I was hoping
to sleep in your room, but after all the trouble you went through, how
could I refuse. Very well, I'll stay here.
Toma: What?!
Nora: My bags are outside the door. Would you get them for me?
Toma: Huh?
[Nora closes the door in Toma's face. He is left standing in confusion,
but goes to get the bags anyway. What does it matter anyway? She's just
one more house guest. There's already fourteen other people living, or
un-living as the case may be, here. He fetches Nora's bags just as Chris,
Isaru, and Kaoru is returning.]
Isaru: What's this?
Kaoru: Don't think you're moving out on us without fixing my problem first.
Toma: No, uh, we... Have a new house guest.
Chris: Who?
Toma: Remember Nora?
Chris: Are you crazy?
Isaru: Who's Nora?
Toma: It's a long story. Well, she's a crazy half-cat, half-human girl
that believes that we are supposed to marry due to some ancient law of her
village.
Kaoru: Half-cat?
Isaru: Half-human?
Toma: Yes. It's not the way you're thinking. Perverts. Her tribe grew
from people that turn into cats when wet and vice versa. It's kind of
complicated.
Isaru: You mean, they're like me, except I turn into a lizard.
Toma: Right.
Kaoru: You turn into a lizard?
Isaru: It's a longer story.
Chris: Still. How can you let that girl stay here?
Toma: I'm not. She is. Said something about her apartment burning down.
Besides, what's she going to do? Kill me? She's supposed to marry me,
remember?
Chris: What about Kasumi?
Toma: Oh yeah.
Chris: I doubt to much if Kasumi will mind Nora being here, but Nora will
mind Kasumi. That I have no doubt of.
Toma: Well, I have you guys to keep her under control. I'll talk to her
later.
Chris: Where is she staying?
Toma: She's taken your room.
Chris: I thought so.
Toma: What's wrong?
Chris: Well, I talked with uncle and we decided we're being to much of a
burden on the Tendo family, so we thought we'd take up your offer to live
here with you. After all, we're not that far from the Tendo's place.
Toma: Oh. I guess we can set you up in the dojo?
[Chris shakes his head.]
Toma: Right. To dangerous. I guess you can sleep in the living room.
I'll get a couple of extra futons.
Chris: What are you going to tell Nora about Kasumi?
Toma: I'll just be frank with her. Either she promises not to try and
separate Kasumi and me, or she can go back to her restaurant.
Toma: Please, Nora!
Nora: You expect me to share a house with that... Girl?
Toma: She's not a girl, and it's my house.
Nora: She's just going to try and separate us.
Toma: What us? I just want you to promise that you won't do anything to
Kasumi when she is here.
Nora: Why should I? She's just an obstacle to our fated marriage.
Toma: For one thing, you're a guest here. Besides, if it's so fated, then
it shouldn't mater if she's here or not.
Nora: You've got a point. Alright, I promise not to attack her in the
middle of the night or anything like that.
Toma: Great.
Nora: Now, I want you to do something for me.
Toma: What?
Nora: Let me cook dinner for you tonight.
Toma: Oh. Alright. Better make enough for seven people.
Nora: Seven?
Toma: Well, you see. There are a few other house guests here besides you
and Kasumi.
[Toma leaves Nora's room, satisfied with the agreements they made. As he
is headed to the living room, Kaoru runs past screaming. He is closely
followed by Kirichi.]
Kirichi: Come back. I just want to do a few experiments. It's won't hurt
at all. Well, not mich anyway.
Kaoru: Get away!
[Toma watches the two run out the front door. He shrugs and continues on
his way. In the living room, he finds Isaru playing a game of Go with
Akuta.]
Toma: Taking a break?
Isaru: Oh come on. We've been hard at work these past few days. Can't we
just take a little breather?
Toma: Well, in case you haven't noticed, we're almost done. Just the dojo
is all that's left to clean.
Isaru: Really? I've been so busy I haven't even noticed. Care to play a
game of Go?
Akuta: Hey! What about the game you're in the middle of?
Isaru: I meant after this one.
Toma: No thanks. By the way, how are you playing?
Isaru: You mean Akuta's moves? I'm moving the pieces for him.
Toma: Ah, right. Stupid question. Anyway, I was just looking for Chris.
Isaru: I think he went to the dojo.
Toma: Thanks. By the way, tell Kaoru that dinner will be ready in a
couple of hours. Nora is cooking our first dinner here.
Isaru: Does that mean we're staying here tonight? No more drafty dojos?
Toma: Right.
[Toma leaves and heads out to the dojo. Kirichi runs in, in Kaoru's body,
followed by the ghost Kaoru.]
Kaoru: Give it back!
Kirichi: In due time. I just need it for an hour.
[Kirichi tries to run through a wall to escape Kaoru. At the last second,
he remembers he can't do that anymore. The body slams into the wall and
Kirichi's spirit is sent flying. Kaoru grabs his body and runs for the
front gate to get a moment's peace. Toma just shakes his head and smiles a
bit before continuing to the dojo. The rocky path leading to the dojo is
dangerous to all the shape changers in the house. A couple of the rocks
are loose. Isaru had already taken one plunge the day before. Toma hops
over one of the loose rocks and almost slips on the next one. The
surrounding water makes the rocks slippery all the time. Toma safely makes
it to the dojo where he finds Chris hard at work.]
Toma: You really should cut back on the work. You might have a heart
attack some day.
[Chris jumps in surprise and grabs his chest.]
Chris: Speaking of heart attacks. What are you doing sneaking up on people
like that?
Toma: Just wanted to see what you were up to.
Chris: Just thought I might see how much work needs to be done in here.
Toma: Well, we've all been working hard. The house is finished. All
that's left is the dojo. I thought we might get to that another day. Is
your uncle coming tonight?
Chris: Yeah. He should be here within the hour.
Toma: Good, 'cause Nora should have dinner ready in a couple of hours.
Chris: You're sure letting Nora stay here is a good idea.
Toma: No, but it's not entirely a bad idea. Just as long as she behaves,
it should be just fine.
Chris: Does she know about... Everything?
Toma: What's everything?
Chris: The curses? The ghosts?
Toma: Well, I know she knows about my curse. I don't think she's heard
about Isaru's or yours. I also don't think she's met the gho--
[Suddenly, Nora's scream pierces the walls of the dojo and the rest of the
house.]
Toma: Then again.
[Toma and Chris run out of the dojo. Toma quickly hops over the rocks and
runs to Nora's room. He throws the door open and Nora, naked except for a
towel, huddling in a corner. She sees Toma and screams again. Toma slams
the door closed, opens it again, yells "sorry," and quickly closes it
again. Then he notices Mieko sulking next to the door. Toma kneels now
next to her.]
Toma: Mieko, what happened?
Mieko: [Crying, sort of] I'm sorry. I just thought I should introduce
myself. I didn't know she was changing.
Toma: Ah. Well, not everyone is going to take meeting a ghost calmly. I
should have told her when she decided to move in.
Mieko: You're letting her move in?
Toma: Not quite. She's letting herself move in. She kind of thinks she
has to marry me.
Mieko: What about Kasumi? You're not going to be unfaithful, are you?
Toma: Of course not. Her apartment burned down. I'm just to nice of a
guy I guess. Besides, I have you her to protect me from her charming ways,
right?
[Mieko smiles and nods.]
Toma: Come on. Let's go help Isaru with his game of Go.
Mieko: OK.
Ryu: I don't think so.
[Ryunosuke leaps through the opening leading to the dojo. Apparently Chris
didn't make one of the steps.]
Toma: Ryu--Ryunosuke...
Mieko: Ryunosuke?
Toma: Heh, heh. Funny running into you here.
Ryu: Yes. Funny. You and your companions managed to defeat me back at
that other place. What was that place anyway?
Toma: A movie theater.
Ryu: Movie?
Toma: Motion pictures. By taking several hundred feet of a transparent
film and putting a million pictures in that film, you have a film strip.
By shining light from--
Ryu: I don't care how your "movie theater" works. I only care about
defeating you and releasing myself from Chris' evil grasp.
Toma: Chris? Evil? Right.
[Toma can't help but laugh at the thought.]
Ryu: You mock me again, do you? Then once again, die!
Toma: [Dodging] Wait--Ryu--can't--we--talk--about this?
Ryu: There is nothing to say. I shall defeat you. Then I can go to Edo
and free myself of this curse and warn the Emperor. Afterwards I shall
return to make your woman my bride.
Toma: Oh come on. You only met Kasumi that one time. How can you be so
eager to marry her?
Ryu: [Stops swinging] I know her from somewhere. I believe it was in a
dream. I knew from the first moment I truly saw her, that we were destined
to be married.
Toma: [Puts his face in his hand] Not another one.
Ryu: And you, [Points his sword at Toma] will not stop me. Aisa Ken!
[Ryunosuke smacks the flat of his blade against Toma's shoulder. The
impact sends Toma through the wall next to him and into the pond. But
before he hits the water, a block of ice forms around Toma. He lands with
a splash and proceeds to just float inside the cube.]
Mieko: Toma!
[Mieko floats out to Toma.]
Ryu: Hmm. So, Toma is his name. Now I just need to learn the name of
that goddess from my dreams.
[Ryunosuke leaves the house, in search of Kasumi.]
[Dinner time rolls around. Tazuki and Kasumi show up on time.]
Nora: Where's Toma?
Tazuki: And Chris?
Isaru: Last time I saw Toma, he was looking for Chris.
Kaoru: He'd better be out finding a cure for me.
Isaru: I don't know. I checked the entire house, including the dojo, for
them before dinner. All I found was a broken wall.
All: A what?!
Isaru: Oh yeah. A broken wall would mean something, wouldn't it?
[Kaoru and Nora slug Isaru and go run to look for the hole Isaru mentioned.
Tazuki follows and begins investigating.]
Nora: This is some hole. Is this ice around the edges?
[They look out the hole, but by now Toma has floated around behind the dojo
and out of view from the house. Tazuki notices some water on the floor
leading from the doorway to the dojo.]
Tazuki: Hmm. Just as I thought. Ryunosuke. I has to be.
Nora and Kaoru: Who?
Tazuki: Ryunosuke. My nephew has a curse on him. Now whenever he is
splashed with cold water, he turns into a crazed samurai warrior that
thinks he never died. He's bent on destroying me, Toma, and Chris. Now,
he's loose somewhere in the city. We have to find him!
Kaoru: Right. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?
Tazuki: Hmm. He did seem to have an infatuation with Kasumi. He might
be out trying to find the Tendo home.
Nora: Let's go then.
[They leave the house just in time to miss Toma floating back into view.
They also leave the gate and round the corner just in time to miss
Ryunosuke coming from the other direction. He reenters Toma's house, in
search of Toma.]
Ryu: Toma might know where that woman is. I must force him to tell me!
Kasumi: Oh. Hello again.
Ryu: Huh?
[Kasumi stands at the end of the hallway.]
Kasumi: You're Ryunosuke, right?
Ryu: Huh, yes. How did you know that?
Kasumi: Mr. Tazuki and Chris told us all about you. We bumped into each
other before, but we were never introduced. I'm Kasumi.
Ryu: Kasumi. What a beautiful name.
Kasumi: Thank you. How kind of you to say so. Would you care for some
dinner? Nora made some for all of use, but everyone just left to find Toma
and Chris.
[Ryunosuke winces at Chris' name.]
Ryu: Why thank you. I would be honored.
[Kasumi and Ryunosuke go to the living room where all the food has been set
out at the table. Out in the pond, Toma is thawing out.]
Kasumi: So, Mr. Ryunosuke, what was life like back in your time?
Ryu: What do you mean, "my time?" This is my time.
Kasumi: I'm sorry. I thought you were from Mid-evil Japan.
Ryu: What is, "Mid-evil Japan?"
Kasumi: Where you're from.
Ryu: But, I'm not from any Mid-evil Japan.
Kasumi: Then when are you from?
Ryu: When? Why I'm from now. The thirteenth century, according to the
gajin calender system.
Kasumi: Yes. That was seven hundred years ago.
Ryu: S-seven hundred... years ago?!?
Kasumi: Right. Could you hand me your rice bowl?
[Ryunosuke's mind is racing with thoughts as to what this could mean. He
numbly hands Kasumi the bowl.]
Ryu: (Can what she says be true? Bah. What does she know. She is just
a simple woman. Although... A stunningly beautiful woman whom I desire
for my wife.)
[Ryunosuke smiles wickedly, and Kasumi smiles pleasantly in response.
Meanwhile, in the pond. The melting ice around Toma has turned him into
his cursed form. He is now free from the ice and slips into the cold pond
water. The sudden increase of Hydrogen and Oxygen in his lungs wakes him
and he paddles to shore. Half drown, he climbs into the house and
collapses on the floor. He lets out a sigh, which comes out as a whimper.]
Ryu: So, Kasumi. What kind of men do you like? Have you ever had a
Samurai?
Kasumi: Huh? What do you mean? Did you just hear something in the
house?
Ryu: I didn't hear anything. Anyway, how many times have you--
Kasumi: I'm sure I heard something. Maybe the others have come back.
I'll go check.
[Ryunosuke starts to protest, but Kasumi is already out the door and into
the hall. She instantly spies little Pochi lying on the floor. She picks
him up.]
Kasumi: Pochi! Oh. You're half frozen. What happened? Did you fall
into the pond? How did you get here? Did Aiko bring you?
[Naturally, Pochi doesn't answer any of these questions. Partially because
they might reveal the truth, but mostly because dogs can't talk. Kasumi
goes to the hall closet and takes out a couple of towels. She dries of
Pochi in one and then wraps him up in the other. Pochi is just glad to be
rid of the cold, and as Kasumi takes him to the living room, he rests his
head against her.]
Ryu: What is that?
Kasumi: He's Pochi. He belongs to Toma's sister.
[Ryu takes a close look and then snubs the dog.]
Ryu: A vial beast of a vial man's family.
[Toma looks up and notices Ryunosuke. He growls.]
Ryu: Humph. Must run in the family.
Kasumi: How odd. Puppies don't usually growl at people like that.
[Kasumi sits back down and keeps Pochi in her lap. Pochi never takes his
eyes off Ryunosuke.]
Kasumi: Now where were we?
[Pochi's ears perk up at this.]
Ryu: I was about to ask you how would you like to become my wi--
[Pochi struggles in Kasumi's arms and begin's barking, trying to get at
Ryunosuke's throat.]
Kasumi: Pochi. What's wrong?
Ryu: Vial beast. I say kill it and be rid of it.
Kasumi: I couldn't do that. Poor Aiko would be heart broken.
Ryu: If she cares so much about her pet, what is it doing here?
Kasumi: I don't know. Maybe he needs to go out. I'll be right back.
[Kasumi takes Pochi outside, much to Ryunosuke's delight. She sets Pochi
outside the door and watches him. Pochi wanders around and pretends to do
what Kasumi expects of him. Meanwhile, Ryunosuke is impatiently waiting
Kasumi's return.]
Ryu: Damn the day I left Japan.
Voice: And why did you leave?
Ryu: Why, for the adventure of course. My master had recently died in an
accident and I was left alive to roam.
Voice: Sure there was no other reason?
Ryu: Of course not. (Why does that voice sound familiar?)
Voice: And now here it is. Seven hundred years later, and you are back in
Japan. Perhaps some divine fate?
Ryu: Divine fate for what?
Voice: Revenge.
Ryu: Who's?
Voice: Mine!
[Ryunosuke stands up quickly and draws his blade.]
Ryu: Who are you? I demand you show yourself!
Voice: Very well.
[One of the house ghosts floats out of a wall. It is Katsuma. She has her
Katana drawn as well.]
Ryu: [Pale] Kat--Katsuma!
Katsuma: Hello, husband.
Ryu: Wha-what are you doing here?
Katsuma: I've been waiting for your return, darling husband.
[With that, Katsuma lashes out with her sword. Ryunosuke dodges and the
blade cuts a fern in half.]
Ryu: Katsuma. I'm sure we can work this out.
Katsuma: I'm sure we can once you've joined me in the afterlife.
[Ryunosuke jumps out of the way of her blade, only to end up on the table,
His tea spills over the table and turns Ryunosuke back to Chris. Katsuma
halts her attack.]
Katsuma: Yes. Just as I thought.
[She fades back into the wall. Chris recovers himself and brushes rice off
of his clothes. Just then Kasumi and Pochi walk back in. Kasumi notices
the mess.]
Kasumi: Oh my. What happened here?
Chris: I'm not quite sure.
[Chris notices Pochi in Kasumi's arms.]
Chris: Hmm. I see Pochi's here. Maybe he needs to go out. I'll take him.
Kasumi: Actually, I just--
[Chris grabs Pochi and heads to the bathroom. There he douses Pochi with
warm water.]
Toma: Thanks.
Chris: What happened?
Toma: I'm not sure. I fought with Ryunosuke soon after you changed. He
froze me in a block of ice in the pond. I thawed out and found him having
dinner with Kasumi. From the damage, I'd say Ryunosuke fought someone
while Kasumi and I were gone for a minute.
Chris: But who? Uncle?
Toma: No. I didn't see him or anyone else around. Besides, I doubt
Tazuki would be brave enough to face Ryunosuke.
Chris: True. I wonder what happened to Uncle and the others.
Toma: I don't know. We'd better get back to Kasumi.
Chris: What about Pochi?
Toma: I'll say I met Aiko outside, she dropped of Pochi here for a while
and returned to pick him up.
Chris: What happens if Kasumi ever questions Aiko about Pochi?
Toma: I'll cross that chasm when I come to it.
Chris: Just make sure it's not the Grand Canyon.
Toma: I'm sure I could navigate the Grand Canyon if need be. By the way,
where is the Grand Canyon?
Chris: [Sigh]
Tazuki: Chris! Where are you?!?
Eric "Toma/Crissik" Gondolf
crissik@tstonramp.com