You read that right: 'Character concept'.
Sure, we get a lot of fanfics, and commentary thereupon; fanfic ideas, and queries. To my
knowledge, however, the following is something of a rarity.
This started when some friends and I were reading Johnny O'Brien's 'The Desire Doll' fanfic
series (quite good reading; check http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/3249/fanfics.html). We
liked it so much, we decided to create a new character for it. Below are the notes, exactly as sent
to O'Brien:
----Begin excerpt----
Hibiki, Ryozo
Age: 17
Height: 1.7m
Hair: brown
Eyes: black
Ryoga and Nabiki's near-genius son (he inherited his mother's keen mind, after all).
Like all Hibikis he is relatively strong (though not as strong as Ryoga was at his age);
however, he has little interest in martial arts... this is not to say that he doesn't know any;
rather, his interest is purely practical (one can wander into some rather unpleasant situations
while travelling; therefore, it would be wise to know a few things). Additionally, Ryozo is a
computer genius, equally at home optimizing hardware or software - or creating new
examples for his needs.
As a result of spending his entire life on the road (the family lives in an RV) and being
an only child (not for lack of effort on his parents' part), Ryozo shares his father's awkwardness
around women who want to be more than friends...
Distinguishing features
Looks very much like Ryoga, save for the slight brownish tint to his hair. Usually seen
in surplus military (BDUs or flightsuits w/ webbing) or corporate (think Ninja High School's Rivalsan
Lendo or Time Crisis' Wild Dog) wear. Has a milder form of Ryoga's directional 'curse' (it only kicks
in under high stress).
Ryozo's 'umbrella'
To all appearances, a perfect match for his father's; however, in addition to being much
lighter, it is in actuality composed entirely of a form of biomorphic plastic. Its morphing is
controlled by a dispersed processor and command console, with new forms programmable via
direct link to a computer with the proper software. Alternate forms include those of a solar stove
and a Pfhor combat staff.
[Example: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7210/pfhor.gif]
In this last form, it is capable of projecting incapacitating energy globes out to some 20m.
Ryozo's camping ensemble
Yet another example of cutting-edge tech, its crown jewel is a 'smart' tent (also made
of biomorphic plastic) which is equally at home attached to 'wall' or 'ceiling' as it is on a horizontal
surface.
Ryozo's computer
Originally a top-of-the-line Powerbook, Ryozo's alterations have turned it into every
computer aficionado's dream machine: 500MHz dual-platform processor (can use Mac and
IBM software), 1GB RAM, 10GB HD, 64x CD-ROM w/DVD capability, 1.44MB 3.5", T1
satlink-capable modem, 16.7-million-color display w/8MB video RAM, and a digital camera.
Also incorporates a voice-command system and tri-level security measures (thumbprint,
voice, and image recognition).
Powered by high-efficiency liquid-metal batteries; external power can be provided
by a universal transformer. Also has the special software necessary to program new forms
into his 'umbrella'.
Reality history [for 'The Desire Doll']
Ranma and company happened to be caught in the misfire of one of Makoto's
attempts to open a portal to Earth from El-Hazard. Over the course of their time there,
Akane died in a freak accident. Among the other reprecussions of this occurence,
Ranma and Shayla-Shayla drifted together and eventually married; Ryoga and Nabiki
also developed a relationship... and shared an elaborate wedding ceremony with Miz
and Mr. Fujisawa.
After their return to Earth, Nabiki and Ryoga finished school and went on to
found their own corporation; unsurprisingly, they did _very_ well. Ryozo is their sole
heir (not for lack of effort...).
-
As you might have guessed, Ryozo is seemingly out of place in the 'normal'
Ranma 1/2 world, a world in which more import is seemingly given to brawn than brains
and fighting is as common as saying 'how do you do' (lifted from 'Give Peace a Chance').
He would much rather outsmart or negotiate with an opponent than fight... but should it
come to that, he is hardly useless. Aikido was ideal for his mindset, and he inherited
his father's knack with the umbrella... from there learning to use a staff wasn't that great
a leap.
Below are some sample scenes we concocted, the better to give you an idea
of how Ryozo ticks...
-
[The alley behind the Nekohanten. From what we can see of the sky, it is early
morning. Shampoo comes out with two large garbage bags, and has just put them into
the dumpster when she sees... something...
[Shift to her POV. Some three-and-a-half meters above the ground, a large object
of vaguely organic aspect is clinging to the wall. Whatever it is, its coloration matches that
of the wall.]
Shampoo: {Aiya! What is that?!}
[Camera shifts back to an overview as she takes a cautious step back; as she does so, one
end of the 'cocoon' ripples, then opens. Shampoo now definitely wishes she had her bonbori.
As a matter if fact, she is on the point of dashing into the restaurant to get them when Ryozo
extricates himself from his tent and drops to the ground.]
Shampoo: Who are you?
Ryozo: Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that... Is the Nekohanten
open yet?
-
And we all know that if it's male and cute, it becomes a target for Akisu's... attentions...
-
{Hmm.. A Hibiki.}
Akisu flipped onto her stomach and considered the new arrival. In her world, one of
the most enjoyable nights she had ever experienced was when she managed to get Ryoga
into her bed.
{I wonder if the skills are genetic.} A really nasty smile then played across the young
girl's features. {Only one way to find out.}
[Several days later]
Ryozo and Akisu were just returning from a very... interesting date. While Ryozo
thought that Akisu was different from normal girls, he never expected that she would take
him to see a Sailor Moon movie (and cry her heart out) and then take him to watch female mud
wrestling.
"Thanks Ryozo, its been a fun date. Now only one thing is needed to make the evening complete," Akisu purred.
"Really what's that?"
Akisu then whispered into his ear. Ryozo paled, then blushed a very bright red. Donning
a nervous smile, he then tried to talk his way out of a suddenly complicated situation.
"Are you sure that we have to have sex on the first date?"
"Of course! It's tradition!"
While Ryozo would normally laugh at such a claim, this entire chain of events was new
to him. His mind immediately began the search for a contingency, leaving the body on autopilot.
Noting the expression on his face, and taking it for the trademark Hibiki stupidity, Akisu went for
the kill.
"You don't want me to look bad. Do you?"
"I don't think that we can do that at the dojo," Ryozo desperately argued.
"Who said the Dojo? On the first date it's done at the man's home. And as I recall your
tent isn't too far from here." With that Akisu dragged the helpless Ryozo into the alley behind the
Nekohanten.
"What's that noise?"
"It sounds... like a herd of water buffalos dancing out there."
"I hope it stops soon."
It didn't. Shampoo and Mousse, bleary-eyed from lost sleep, staggered out into the alley
and saw the source of the noise immediately: Ryozo's 'cocoon'. They were on the point of saying something when, as if somehow having been made aware of their presence, Ryozo stuck his head
out.
"Uncle Mousse, Aunt Shampoo... gee, I'm sorry; didn't know you could hear this."
Both Amazons blinked as a female hand settled onto Ryozo's shoulder and pulled him
back in. The mystery was solved when Akisu stuck her own head out to regard the visitors.
"He's such a sweetheart. Never mind, though, I'm glad you can hear," she said. And
returned to the tent's interior.
Mousse and Shampoo looked at each other and sighed. It would be a long night.
[Next morning]
Harumoni was waiting for the arrival of her friends from the Nekohanten. They had a lot of
things to plan for if they were ever to get back home. Things like, how were they going to fix that
damned doll!! Knowing that their parents may be keeping them back was the only reason she
wasn't banging on the Nekohanten door right this instant.
"Hey Harumoni have you seen Akisu? She didn't get back home from her date with Ryozo
last night."
Turning her head, she viciously replied, "Gee Mabushu. Are you missing the attentions of
the hussy? I never thought you would be the jealous type. But them you are _his_ child after all."
Mabushu waved his hands in furious denial. "It... It's nothin like that," he squeaked. "I
mean, did any of us tell Ryozo what Akisu was like? Ever since he arrived she has been on her
best behaviour. And from what I know about Happosai, this is not a good sign."
Harumoni laughed. "Relax, he's camped out near the Nekohanten. I doubt that Lotion and
Perfume would let Akisu pull off any of her hentai stunts."
Moments later the group from the Nekohanten arrived.
"Nihao," a bleary eyed Shampoo managed. Mousse, standing next to her, scarcely looked
any better. Deep circles surrounded his eyes and looked quite haggard. Lotion and Perfume on the
other hand were in great shape, bouncing on their toes and waiting to enter the Dojo. However, when they saw Harumoni the two began to look at their feet and fidget, as if they had done something
wrong.
Bounding out to her friends, Harumoni noticed their expressions and wondered what could
make them so pensive. This question was soon answered as Ryozo walked in supporting an
exhausted Akisu.
Akisu simply walked past the stunned Harumoni and murmured, "Hi everybody." before
crawling to the couch and going to sleep. Ryozo was instantly the center of attention.
"Perfume, Lotion. What happened at the Nekohanten last night?"
"Pervert girl and staff boy keep Shampoo and Mousse awake entire night. We not going
through this again." Shampoo pointed to a somewhat embarrassed Ryozo, who is carrying all his
possessions in his backpack. "Staff boy staying at Dojo from now on. Shampoo need sleep."
"Sorry..."
"But what happened?" Harumoni repeated, realizing a bit late that Ryozo was doing a fair
impersonation of a Boston lobster.
"I... think you'd all better sit down," he said, gesturing to the open front door.
"Good morning," Keiichi and Kasumi chorused as people filed into the living room. When
everyone (well, almost everyone; nobody had been able to find Ryoga and Akisu was still out like
a light) had been seated and provided with breakfast Ryozo cleared his throat.
"Well, after dinner, we went to see the new Sailor Moon movie..." The collective thought
at this point was something to the tune of 'Akisu likes Sailor Moon?! Naaah...'
"...and afterwards we went to a wrestling match." Collective thought: 'Ahh, that's more like
it.'
"A really interesting ev-"
"Especially when you keep Shampoo up all night."
As one, some dozen voices wanted to know what happened.
"Well we.. "
"What happened, is that stud here wore me out last night."
Ryozo began to wish he'd learned ninjitsu - invisibility (or the ability to teleport) was beginning
to look really handy about now. And made a note to look into it at the earliest opportunity.
"It seems that Hibikis do pass down certain things..." Akisu drawled from her position on the
couch.
Happosai looked at Ryozo in a very appraising way.
Outside the dojo, Ryoga had finally made it from the bathroom. Akane had wanted P-chan
last night and after changing back he was really hungry.
Everyone else saw the look in the old pervert's eyes and decided they didn't like it one bit.
Harumoni and Mabushu exchanged glances. "You're right," the former conceded. "We didn't tell
him."
Nabiki groaned, remembering Akisu's change in behavior after Ryozo had arrived. "And
Akisu convinced him her behavior was quite normal..."
Ryoga had found the back door.
Ryozo, on the other hand, was confused. From what everyone was saying (verbally and
otherwise) something was wrong with Akisu. But what?
Happosai was practically beaming. "My boy," he told him, "I never thought I'd be saying
this, but" - it was at this point that Ryoga wandered in and noted that nobody had eaten their food
yet - "I believe you to be worthy to carry on the _true_ secrets" - people began to pale (except
Keiichi, Akisu, and Kasumi) - "of Anything-Goes Martial Arts!"
----End excerpt----
As things turned out, O'Brien was unable to fit Ryozo into the fanfic; as a result, the
following alternate history is proposed: much like Kosumo from Gagne's 'Give Peace a Chance',
he is simply Ryoga's brother (half-brother?) and decided one day to pay a visit.
While I plan to write him into a story sometime, I do need your help. Specifically, I would
like to hear people's opinions on such matters as 'how would the rest of the Ranma cast interact
with him?', 'who, if any, of the women would take a liking to him?', etc. Any and all commentary
will be appreciated.
-Arthur Edwards
White Knight of the Order of Mihoshi Enthusiasts
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/7210/index.html
