If one was willing to brave the heat, and if one were to look at a
small
empty lot near the house of one Ryoga Hibiki on a hot summer day in
early
August, one would see a fascinating sight. Not wild pink elephants, but
a
young man and a young girl.
Doesn't sound very fascinating to me.
Sure, but some people live a very boring life.
Ranma rolled his eyes. "Did you find the compass, lost one? I
thought
you were keeping it around your neck?"
I'm surprised a magical compass even works for him. I'd expect such
things to
just spin around wildly. However it wouldn't be any picnic anyway. It
would
always point in a straight line even when that route is inadvisable. For
example
if Ryoga was in his house and looking for the lot, it would point at his
house's
rear wall which has no door.
Eh, it's magical. It just works, okay?
"Were there always this many restaurants here? Where's that
compass?
It's right...back...in...that field behind my house! Ranma, where am I
now!
This has gotta be someone's fault!"
It doesn't seem plausible to me that Ryoga would go to China. His first
priority
would be finding that vacant lot again and if he did, he'd have the
compass again
with no reason to be upset.
I'm a firm believer that Ryoga is more drawn to Ranma than to where Ranma
goes. It's more of a mystical connection than anything else. They're gonna
have a relationship akin to the one they share in Celeste's _A Little
Motherly Love_. (Besides, I never said anything about him going to China.
You seem to be assuming a conclusion just because of what I said later on.
Don't assume.)
"How are we getting there?" wondered Ukyo.
"Swimming, of course!"
I've always been skeptical of that story. It seems like an awful hardship
for Genma to put himself through unless he had a serious reason. For
example
he might have swum because someone was after him and that was
the best way to escape. Or perhaps they ended up swimming across because
the
ship they stowed away on caught them and threw them overboard.
Well, they do leave rather quickly...
"Of course," moaned Ranma and Ukyo together.
-----
(Some Time Later)
Had anyone been near a distinct point on the shores near the Chinese
city of Lianyungang, they would have been most surprised as three people
dragged themselves ashore.
Um...why? People go swimming all the time.
UKYO: Yeah, what's so surprising about that?
RANMA: Well, we did have our packs on, and we're wearing clothing.
UKYO: Oh.
"Hush, boy. It was all for the Art!"
"Ranchan, it'll take me weeks to clean off my grill! Waaaah!"
Okonomiyaki in new barnacle flavour!
It's a big seller, actually. Those Japanese will eat anything! ^_^
Genma didn't realize that the Qinghai province was about one
thousand
two hundred and fifty miles from where they were.
Nor did he care.
Of course not.
"Oh no! Young Mister and Miss Customer fall into Spring of
Drowned
Girl! Miss Customer not be too affected, but young Mister Customer turn
into...turn into...that never happen before. Never seen tattoos on face
after falling in. Miss Customer not have tattoos. Miss Customer?"
Ukyo was happily smiling. "Wow, you should sell this water. I've
gotta
be a whole size bigger! Um, yeah?"
It would have been interesting if Ukyo got the magic powers.
UKYO: Those are magic powers, jackass.
"Mister Customers awake now? Curse not so bad, you turn back to
human
male with hot water. Cold water turn you to panda and girl again."
"Errggg," replied Genma.
"Well, you deserved it. Taking us to a place like this, and not
even
listening to me. I wonder how I did that lightning thing anyway. So,
Ranma already has magical powers doesn't he? So what's the mystery?
Hmm? He doesn't know he has anything. He think's he's perfectly normal,
only that he can talk to cats.
I have a serious question: Did you read either of the prologues? They
might explain some of your questions better. You can find them at
http://www.patchmonkey.net
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Yes, that is correct, I am Hu."
"No, who can tell us how to get rid of our curses"
"Hu can!"
"That's what I'm asking you!"
In point of fact, the guide could have told Ranma and Genma that jumping
in the boy pool would reverse the curses for them at least under normal
circumstances. They just never asked...possibly because the curse
wouldn't
let them ask. However in this case since Ranma has a non-standard "curse"
(Oh wo is me, for I have been cursed with phenomenal cosmic power) the
standard
remedy might not do the trick. Too bad Ranma already has magic powers.
Otherwise
I'd assume a "transporter accident" just happened, which would be a really
neat
idea. What happens when Skuld water transports through a Jyusenkyo pool
just
as someone falls into it?
Again, Did you read either of the prologues? They're on the site, and I can
repost them to the FFML if necessary.
"There a village of women warriors to the north. I shall take you
there, yes?"
"Sure. Lets go there then."
----------------
(End Fit the First)
Next time: Hair Care Bare Bear
Author's Notes: Well, how do we think of this thus far? To answer your
questions:
(1) Yes, C&C, public and private is accepted. Please ask me before
using my
work in an MST, that's common courtesy.
It may be courtesy, but it isn't common.
It should be.
Flames will be ignored, as my fire
resistance is at 100%.
(2) Ryoga and Ranma are at about the same level, because Ryoga has been
able
to make it to the dojo where he trains more often, ever since Ranma made
him
that compass. Neither Ukyo nor Ranma know that they're technically
engaged,
and probably won't find out about it for a while. Ranma's slightly more
refined because of the wishes and Ukyo's presence, and Ukyo is a little
rougher in speech patterns because of the training. She's more
feminine,
however, as she wants to be good at martial arts but she doesn't buy
Genma's
girls can't do it attitude, and she never had her Quest for Vengeance.
Ranma, because of his mother's wish, now also has a passion for making
mecha. His clothing style is a cross between Marller's, Skuld's, and
his
own. Uyko has no respect for Genma.
Why not? He hasn't doublecrossed her as far as she knows and has been
acting in loco parentis and as martial arts sensei to her for ten years.
At the least she should respect his skill which must be impressive if he
routinely takes on both Ranma and Ukyo. For that matter, why are they
engaged if Ukyo didn't ask for the engagement?
Read the prologue, again. In this continutity, Ranma knew about Ukyo, and
he knows Genma was upset when he chose her. Ukyo saw the catfist training,
and she read the manual. She respects his skill, yes. But you can respect
skill and not respect the person.
------------------------------------------
Patch Monkey
"One item could not be deleted because it was missing." - Mac OS 7.01
patchmonkey@patchmonkey.net
http://www.patchmonkey.net