Rotten, Stinking Curse
by Lara Bartram


	3Oh sirs!  You fall in very bad spring!2  The guide tsked and 
shook his head.

[Nerima, Japan]

	The TV was on and was in the middle of an important news flash.  
The Tendo family was eating and all paused to see what was so 
important.
	"Today, just outside of Tokyo, two mysterious figures were 
spotted making their way toward the Nerima district."
	There was some blurry footage of two figures, one immense, the 
other smaller, walking down the street.  People were fleeing in all 
directions from them, and as they approached the camera-person, the 
picture got all jumbled and flipped upside down as the camera was 
carried away.
	"What WAS that?" Akane asked, peering at the screen.
	"Looked like a big... thing," Nabiki answered.
	"Well, I could see that."
	"And they're headed towards Nerima.  That's a concern," Kasumi 
said, setting down another bowl of rice.
	"Yes, well I'm sure the police will do something about whatever 
they are before that.  We have nothing to fear," Soun said 
confidently.  "I just hope Saotome and his son arrive safely."
	"And who would they be, Father?" Kasumi asked brightly.
	Soun cringed.  He hadn't meant to say that.  Swallowing an extra 
large bite, he stared at his food for a moment, then took a drink of 
his beer.  "Girls, there's something I need to tell you..."

[A Few Moments Later]

	"WHAT?"
	"Father!"
	"For some reason, I'm not surprised.  Is he cute?"
	Soun looked sheepishly at his daughters.  "I couldn't really 
say.  I've never meant his son, but I'm sure he's a fine young man."
	"Oh Daddy, this really takes the cake as the most boneheaded 
thing you've done."  Nabiki shook her head slowly.
	Akane fumed.  "I don't BELIEVE this!"
	"Now, now, Akane.  Don't be so quick to judge.  You don't even 
know the young man," Kasumi said gently as she poured more tea.
	"Cheh.  Neither does Dad.  What a joke!"
	There suddenly was a knocking at the door.
	"Oh dear, that must be them," Kasumi said, looking up.
	"My friend!" Soun called out and ran to answer the door.
	"Watch, he'll be some sumo wrestler wannabe," Akane said 
disgustedly.
	Nabiki shrugged.  "Hey, if he's cute, it might be worth it.  Who 
knows."
	Akane shook her head and folded her arms.  "You know what I 
think of..."
	A scream cut her off.  It sounded like her father.  "Dad?" Akane 
asked, rising from the table.  She started down the hall when plodding 
footsteps stopped her.  Two shadows were thrown on the wall, and they 
didn't look promising.
	"Who's..." Nabiki started to ask, but stopped when she saw the 
shadows as well.
	The shadows grew in size, the footsteps louder on the wooden 
floor.  Akane took a few steps back and got into a defensive posture.  
"Show yourselves!" she yelled.
	Around the corner they appeared, and all three girls nearly 
fainted.
	There was a huge yeti-looking creature that had to duck to avoid 
hitting his head on the ceiling.  It regarded them all casually with 
no appearance of menace at all.
	The other figure shuffled along slowly ahead of the yeti.  The 
clothes hung off his frame, baggy and wet.  The eyes stared through 
each of them as it moved, one arm extended.  The face was locked into 
a permanent sneer as half of the upper lip was missing, and it made a 
moaning sound.
	The skin was gray and peeling, devoid of any hair.  It moaned 
again and reached inside its pocket for something.  It pulled out a 
slip of paper and held it out.
	Akane looked from the sunken face and yellowing eyes to the slip 
of paper.  Reaching out slowly, she suddenly snatched the slip from 
the bony fingers.  Unfolding it and keeping an eye on the thing, she 
read the paper aloud.
	"I'm Ranma Saotome.  Sorry about thing."

~

	"Sirs!  That very bad spring of drowned yeti!  And that extra 
very bad spring of drowned zombie!"