Randy Grant wrote:
I'm interested in the authors take on how

the Japanese culture of stoicism would play out here, especially with a
Ranmathat knows this happens to girls on a daily basis. Would SHE fight her
initial instincts to clobber the guy or would she try to endure it?     

Of course "she" wouldn't.  We've already seen how Ranma reacts to getting 
groped and it ain't with stoicism.  Nor is he interested in playing the
female role in any play.  

When

I saw this challenge, I immediately thought of a story I am writing,
as yet untitled, in which Ranma becomes a soldier.  Admittedly, this was
somewhat inspired by _Ranma Goes to War_, but only the fact that he ends
up in the JSDF; in my story it was completely voluntary, not compulsory,
and during peacetime.  It's partially based on what I'm going through
right now as I am considering joining the Navy (with nuclear engineering
as my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)) and have most of the
paperwork done.  I like to bend the rules, which is why I handled this the
way I did; _Ranma_ doesn't beat the perverts up.  This takes place on a
holiday trip during Ranma's MOS training (after a few weeks, you can get
weekend and holiday passes out of uniform).  I apologize for the stock
names, but I'm not exactly an expert on Japan.  And if anybody knows where
there are any military bases and training bases in Japan (the only one I
know of is Yokota, which is an American Air Force base), I can change
Osaka to a city near one of those bases; I like to be accurate.

I take it the story fragment starts here.  

Theodd thing about soldiers on vacation is that, despite their
intense training in discipline, they are the most rowdy people you will
ever find once they get out of uniform.  A casual observer would never
associate the boisterous crowd that boarded the train for Osaka with the
perfect military groups he or she might have seen drilling in perfect
precision on a parade field.  Even less would they equate the short,
busty, sullen redhead that accompanied them with the tough, stern women
that had come to be expected in the military.

Is that what they expect?  Or cute and perky office staff in uniform?  

        "Hey, my invitation's still open; you can come stay at my place if
you want.  I know you're not in to the kind of partying the rest here are
probably going for."  A last few people boarded the train, and the doors
closed.
        "Thanks, Ryo.  I think I'll do that."
        "Maybe we can invite your fiancee over some day... or night," Ryo
said with a grin, eliciting the expected blush from Ranma.  "Man, you are
too easy to tease, you know that?  I don't know how you expect to be an
intel agent."  The train began to move.
        "I didn't really; I kinda got railroaded by my drill sergeant and
the captain at basic.  I've got some skills that'll be useful."

Like his poker face!  That'll be invaluable...

        "Like your changing."
        Ranma seemed slightly uncomfortable when Ryo mentioned her curse.
"Yeah, that.  It'll be useful in the future... if it doesn't ruin me
here."
        "What, you're afraid of what everyone else thinks of your curse?"
Ryo shook his head when Ranma nodded hers.  "Man, we think it's great!
You'll be able to do things no one else has been able to dream of; you've
got a foolproof disguise!  Matter of fact," Ryo rubbed his nose self-
consciously, knowing that what he was about to say might be a blow to
Ranma's ego, "you've become a kind of unofficial company mascot.  

I don't quite buy that.  He's just too formidable to be regarded as a pet.  

        "Hey," Hiroshi said, "what're you doing?"  A quick glance showed
the rest of her companions converging on her.  "You always get all the
fun; let us get in on the action for once."  It took her a moment to
realize that he was talking to her and not the would-be rapists.  

I'd say "molesters" not rapists.  

Then she

smiled and placed the wrist she was holding none too gently in Hiroshi's
hand.
        Ranma grinned as she said, "They're all yours."  The men looked
around nervously as seven other faces spread in their own grins beneath
fourteen cold, hard eyes...

A manly man doesn't let other people fight his battles.



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