This is something that I've been toying with for a while. No promises as to when there will be more, or even if there will be.
You'll be able to guess why I've called it this and what the major change is from this snippet.
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Brothers & Alarms
By Lord Raa
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Disclaim-me-do: Generally speaking, UFOs don’t poo.
@@@@@
Asuma Tendo returned home and rushed upstairs to change into a gi. He was not impressed with his sempai's antics. Growing up with two older sisters had caused him to be more understanding of women than some of the other male students in Furinkan High School. As such, he was considered to be something of a catch amongst the girls.
He would go on the occasional date, but he would always behave like a gentleman; never pressing the girl to do something she didn't want to.
However, his dates never went on to a second thanks to one Tatewaki Kuno.
The self-proclaimed rising star of the kendo world seemed to have an unnatural interest in who Asuma was seeing.
Unsurprisingly, this had caused some rumours to spring up around the school.
Asuma’s sister, Nabiki, had heard some of the rumours that had started to circulate after the eighth foiled date. She knew that these rumours would break her father's heart if he heard them, so she'd tried to convince Kuno to give her little brother some space.
Of course, this hadn't quite worked as planned, with Tatewaki insisting that Nabiki was trying to break a bond that the gods themselves had forged.
At least it was clear to everyone that it was Kuno who was the weirdo here.
Asuma quickly made his way to the dojo and began warming up.
"Son, is there something the matter?" his father asked from the doorway.
"It’s Kuno-sempai, father. I was arranging a date with Mikuru Aoyama and Kuno-sempai decided that he needed to interfere."
Soun Tendo had a concerned look on his face. It wasn't the first time that this 'Kuno-sempai' had interfered with his son's attempts to get a girlfriend. He felt that Asuma shouldn't have any trouble getting a girlfriend.
Asuma was strong, handsome, a skilled martial artist and a kind person.
He reminded Soun of his youth, though also having daughters made the moustachioed man glad that his son wasn’t a playboy who got girls into trouble.
"What was his reason for interrupting you this time?"
"Kendo club business."
"I'm beginning to regret pushing you to take part in all those martial arts clubs at school," Soun half-apologised.
Asuma shook his head. "I'll need to know all the martial arts I can if I'm to take over the dojo."
Soun smiled proudly at his son's attitude. "Oh, that reminds me, I received a letter this morning from my old training partner. I need to speak to you and your sisters."
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The four Tendos sat in the living room around the table.
Soun, with his long black hair and wiry frame sat at the head. To his left sat Kasumi, his eldest child. Opposite him sat Nabiki, his second daughter and to his right sat Asuma, his youngest child.
"Now, I've gathered you all here for some important news. Long ago, my training partner and I made a solemn pledge to unite the two schools of Anything Goes to secure the legacy of the Tendo Dojo. We decided that the best way to do this would be through marriage."
"An arranged marriage? That's a bit old fashioned," Nabiki said disapprovingly. "But hey, at least it'll stop Kuno from interfering with Asuma's dates."
"That's true," Asuma conceded. "So, what's your old friend's daughter like?"
"I've never met his son," Soun quietly admitted.
"Never met him?" the three Tendo children cried out in unison.
"Well, I do know that Ranma spent the last decade or so training with his father. Recently, they were in China."
"Oh, China, that's interesting," Nabiki said, suddenly feeling a little more intrigued by this Ranma character. "What else does the letter tell us about him?"
"Not a lot else," the patriarch shrugged.
"I hope he's older. Younger men can be so boring..." Kasumi opined.
"Well, his training trip should have some interesting stories," Soun insisted. "With his father teaching him, I can assure you that there was more than just meditating under a tree."
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted any reminiscing of youthful exuberance.
"I'll get it," Kasumi said rising to her feet.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to see a petite redhead and a panda standing there.
"C-can I help you?" the homemaker asked, slightly unsettled by the appearance of a panda bear on her doorstep.
"I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry about this," the redhead answered apologetically.
"Ranma? I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Soun said as he rushed forward and embraced the damp person. After a moment, he noticed that something was wrong. "Wait a minute, are those..."
The long-haired man broke the embrace and looked down to see that the redhead was wearing a damp shirt that clung to her breasts.
"W-what are these?" he asked as he reached out to touch one of Ranma's feminine orbs
"Back off, mister!" Ranma warned, slapping the hand away. "I didn't come here to get felt up."
"But Saotome said he had a son..." Mr. Tendo said, suddenly feeling rather faint.
"Please, come in," Kasumi said, hoping that her father's actions hadn't upset the young girl.
"Thank you. If you could get us some hot water, we can explain why there's a panda on the loose," Ranma said. "We'll wait here rather than traipse through your house."
Kasumi nodded in approval before leaving to get the hot water.
Soun shook his head. "Saotome-kun said he had a son..."
"He does," Ranma said sharply. "Like I said, we'll explain when we've got some hot water.
There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone waited for Kasumi to return. Eventually, Asuma broke it.
"Hi, I'm Asuma Tendo,†he said, politely bowing.
"Pleased to meet you, Asuma," Ranma replied.
"So, why are we waiting for some hot water?"
"I'm going to perform a magic trick. I'll turn this panda into a creature with a big mouth that causes lots of trouble," the redhead smirked.
The Tendos looked confused by that comment for about thirty seconds before Kasumi returned with a kettle of water. "It's not boiling, is that going to be a problem?"
"No, this is hot enough for what I need," Ranma smiled.
The redhead poured some of the hot water over her head, further confusing the Tendos.
It was when Ranma's soft, feminine curves changed to a muscular body that their jaws dropped.
"If you think that was cool, wait until you get a load of this," the newly appeared young man smirked as he poured the water over the panda, turning it from a dopey looking black and white bear to a grumpy looking man with glasses and a bandana on his head.
"Tendo-kun," Genma Saotome beamed. "It's been far too long!"
"Saotome...?" was all Soun could manage before fainting.
"See what I mean?"
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The Tendos and Saotomes were sitting beside the semi-conscious Soun, waiting for him to recover enough for the explanation as to what was going on to continue.
"Wait, so how did you look like a girl earlier?" Asuma asked, genuinely intrigued by this trick.
"It's complicated," Ranma replied. "We were in China when we found this cursed training ground."
"Don't you mean 'accursed'," said Nabiki.
"No, we actually got magical curses from this place called Jusenkyo," Ranma elaborated. "If you fall into one of the hundred or so springs, you take the form of whatever drowned last in that spring. I fell into the spring of drowned girl; he fell into the spring of drowned panda."
"And the water thing?"
"Cold water triggers the curse, hot water changes us back. Well, until we get splashed with cold water again," the younger Saotome explained. "So, would anyone care to tell me why Mr. Tendo hugged me on the doorstep and tried to cop a feel?"
"I..." Soun slowly rose from the floor, the cold cloth still on his forehead. "I was just greeting my future son-in-law."
"Son-in-law?" Ranma repeated. "Pops, do you have anything to say about that?"
"Well, the idea is that you marry one Tendo-kun's daughters."
"Don't I get any say in the matter?"
"Of course you do, Ranma-kun," Soun insisted. "Kasumi is 19 and Nabiki is 17, pick one to be your fiancée."
Nabiki and Kasumi shared a panicked look.
"Father, I'm not sure..." Kasumi tried to find the words to voice her protestations.
"Daddy, you can't expect a lasting marriage between two people who've only just met," Nabiki said, quickly saving face for everyone. 'Besides, who knows what other weirdness this Ranma's hiding?'
Ranma nodded. "Besides, this is no time or fiancées. I've got to find a cure."
"Boy, we're not going anywhere," Genma said.
"And why not?"
"Because you need to learn how to take care of the dojo," the balding man replied.
"Why not Asuma? He's a martial artist," Ranma countered. "He can continue the legacy of the Tendo dojo without me getting involved."
"Yeah," Asuma nodded. He had nothing against this Ranma fellow, but he'd been groomed to take over the dojo from his father.
"You still need to learn how to teach at the dojo, even if Asuma-kun is running it," Genma replied.
"There's a male Tendo heir and someone who can train him on how to train people, you don't need me to be here."
"Not for this, no, but there are other reasons for us to stay in one place for a while. Your schooling, for one."
"Your father does have a point," Soun added, finally removing the cloth from his forehead. "My son, Asuma will inherit the dojo, but he cannot teach every class. And my daughters are not suited for the rough and tumble world of Anything Goes. In order to qualify as a teacher, you'll need to complete your schooling."
Ranma remained silent for a moment as he evaluated the situation. It seemed that the 'pledge' had been made before Asuma had been born; otherwise there'd be no need for him to even be at the Tendo dojo now. And there was clearly something that his father was hiding from him.
They never remained in one place for very long before, and that was when Ranma was learning to read, so school couldn't be the real reason.
But everyone here seemed nice enough, attempted indecent assault aside. Asuma didn't seem to be the lecherous sort, unlike many of the men Ranma had encountered when in his cursed form. And Nabiki and Kasumi were pretty and hadn't tried to hurt him.
'Things could be worse,' the pigtailed youth mused. "All right, Pops, we'll stay for a while. But no promises about engagements, OK?"
"Agreed," Genma smiled. "Now, how about you spar with Asuma-kun?"
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Ranma followed Asuma to the dojo, noting that he carried himself with a practised grace and a fluidity that minimised unnecessary movement.
‘He’s been training for a while,’ the pigtailed youth realised. “So, Asuma, what styles do you practice?â€
“Anything Goes,†the Tendo heir answered with a smile. “I take it you know what that entails?â€
“Oh yes,†Ranma nodded, smiling back. “So, are we sparring armed or unarmed today?â€
“Unarmed, I think. I’ve had enough of kendo-based shenanigans this week.â€
The cursed martial artist smirked before starting a few stretching exercises. “Ready when you are, Asuma.â€
Asuma nodded before falling into a tight, defensive stance. Ranma’s lack of stance seemed rather unsettling to him, but if he said he was ready, then he had to take him at his word. “Begin.â€
The Tendo heir advanced slowly, he was tempted to go with a charge, but he’d also appraised his opponent’s movements. Ranma seemed like the sort of person to hide his true position, and experience had taught Asuma the dangers of just rushing hard way. He threw a few punches to test Ranma’s reflexes.
Ranma’s weight shifted lightly on the balls of his feet as he dodged and blocked the punches that came his way. After a moment, he counterattacked with a few light jabs that probed the tightly-guarded stance of his sparring partner.
Asuma lashed out with a sweeping kick, which Ranma jumped over.
The pigtailed martial artist landed on his hands before springing back into the fight, feet first.
Asuma rolled out the way for Ranma’s two-footed kick. “I see you like jumping around like a grasshopper.â€
“One of my old teachers called me ‘the Caffeinated Grasshopper,’†Ranma replied, preparing to leap back into action.
“But did he mention that it was a bad habit in a long fight?â€
“...†the cursed teenager paused. The teacher in question, Junichi Saito had proved that very point.
It had been a painful, but incredibly useful lesson. The training to correct that deficiency had been a little humiliating, but the benefits it had brought carried through to many aspects of his training trip.
The ability to hike several kilometres extra a day had been useful on so many occasions for different reasons.
Ranma changed tactic and started to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks that started to back Asuma into a corner.
Seeing that the only chance to escape a pummelling, Asuma rolled out to his left and lashed out with a lightning quick leg sweep.
Ranma was toppled, but quickly recovered to catch Asuma on the back of the head with an elbow, stunning the Tendo heir.
Asuma blinked and he found that he was pinned to the floor.
“What the... How did you manage that?â€
“Pure luck,†Ranma answered truthfully. “I haven’t had a sparring session like that for a while. You’re pretty good.â€
“You’re not too shabby yourself, Ranma. Now, how about you get off me and we can get something to eat?â€
The offer of food was all it took for Ranma to release Asuma. “Lead the way, my friend.â€
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It would be nice to get some feedback as to whether or not it's worth continuing this idea, as the last couple of updates for various stories seem to have gone by uncared for.
You'll be able to guess why I've called it this and what the major change is from this snippet.
@@@@@
Brothers & Alarms
By Lord Raa
@@@@@
Disclaim-me-do: Generally speaking, UFOs don’t poo.
@@@@@
Asuma Tendo returned home and rushed upstairs to change into a gi. He was not impressed with his sempai's antics. Growing up with two older sisters had caused him to be more understanding of women than some of the other male students in Furinkan High School. As such, he was considered to be something of a catch amongst the girls.
He would go on the occasional date, but he would always behave like a gentleman; never pressing the girl to do something she didn't want to.
However, his dates never went on to a second thanks to one Tatewaki Kuno.
The self-proclaimed rising star of the kendo world seemed to have an unnatural interest in who Asuma was seeing.
Unsurprisingly, this had caused some rumours to spring up around the school.
Asuma’s sister, Nabiki, had heard some of the rumours that had started to circulate after the eighth foiled date. She knew that these rumours would break her father's heart if he heard them, so she'd tried to convince Kuno to give her little brother some space.
Of course, this hadn't quite worked as planned, with Tatewaki insisting that Nabiki was trying to break a bond that the gods themselves had forged.
At least it was clear to everyone that it was Kuno who was the weirdo here.
Asuma quickly made his way to the dojo and began warming up.
"Son, is there something the matter?" his father asked from the doorway.
"It’s Kuno-sempai, father. I was arranging a date with Mikuru Aoyama and Kuno-sempai decided that he needed to interfere."
Soun Tendo had a concerned look on his face. It wasn't the first time that this 'Kuno-sempai' had interfered with his son's attempts to get a girlfriend. He felt that Asuma shouldn't have any trouble getting a girlfriend.
Asuma was strong, handsome, a skilled martial artist and a kind person.
He reminded Soun of his youth, though also having daughters made the moustachioed man glad that his son wasn’t a playboy who got girls into trouble.
"What was his reason for interrupting you this time?"
"Kendo club business."
"I'm beginning to regret pushing you to take part in all those martial arts clubs at school," Soun half-apologised.
Asuma shook his head. "I'll need to know all the martial arts I can if I'm to take over the dojo."
Soun smiled proudly at his son's attitude. "Oh, that reminds me, I received a letter this morning from my old training partner. I need to speak to you and your sisters."
@@@@@
The four Tendos sat in the living room around the table.
Soun, with his long black hair and wiry frame sat at the head. To his left sat Kasumi, his eldest child. Opposite him sat Nabiki, his second daughter and to his right sat Asuma, his youngest child.
"Now, I've gathered you all here for some important news. Long ago, my training partner and I made a solemn pledge to unite the two schools of Anything Goes to secure the legacy of the Tendo Dojo. We decided that the best way to do this would be through marriage."
"An arranged marriage? That's a bit old fashioned," Nabiki said disapprovingly. "But hey, at least it'll stop Kuno from interfering with Asuma's dates."
"That's true," Asuma conceded. "So, what's your old friend's daughter like?"
"I've never met his son," Soun quietly admitted.
"Never met him?" the three Tendo children cried out in unison.
"Well, I do know that Ranma spent the last decade or so training with his father. Recently, they were in China."
"Oh, China, that's interesting," Nabiki said, suddenly feeling a little more intrigued by this Ranma character. "What else does the letter tell us about him?"
"Not a lot else," the patriarch shrugged.
"I hope he's older. Younger men can be so boring..." Kasumi opined.
"Well, his training trip should have some interesting stories," Soun insisted. "With his father teaching him, I can assure you that there was more than just meditating under a tree."
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted any reminiscing of youthful exuberance.
"I'll get it," Kasumi said rising to her feet.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to see a petite redhead and a panda standing there.
"C-can I help you?" the homemaker asked, slightly unsettled by the appearance of a panda bear on her doorstep.
"I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry about this," the redhead answered apologetically.
"Ranma? I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Soun said as he rushed forward and embraced the damp person. After a moment, he noticed that something was wrong. "Wait a minute, are those..."
The long-haired man broke the embrace and looked down to see that the redhead was wearing a damp shirt that clung to her breasts.
"W-what are these?" he asked as he reached out to touch one of Ranma's feminine orbs
"Back off, mister!" Ranma warned, slapping the hand away. "I didn't come here to get felt up."
"But Saotome said he had a son..." Mr. Tendo said, suddenly feeling rather faint.
"Please, come in," Kasumi said, hoping that her father's actions hadn't upset the young girl.
"Thank you. If you could get us some hot water, we can explain why there's a panda on the loose," Ranma said. "We'll wait here rather than traipse through your house."
Kasumi nodded in approval before leaving to get the hot water.
Soun shook his head. "Saotome-kun said he had a son..."
"He does," Ranma said sharply. "Like I said, we'll explain when we've got some hot water.
There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone waited for Kasumi to return. Eventually, Asuma broke it.
"Hi, I'm Asuma Tendo,†he said, politely bowing.
"Pleased to meet you, Asuma," Ranma replied.
"So, why are we waiting for some hot water?"
"I'm going to perform a magic trick. I'll turn this panda into a creature with a big mouth that causes lots of trouble," the redhead smirked.
The Tendos looked confused by that comment for about thirty seconds before Kasumi returned with a kettle of water. "It's not boiling, is that going to be a problem?"
"No, this is hot enough for what I need," Ranma smiled.
The redhead poured some of the hot water over her head, further confusing the Tendos.
It was when Ranma's soft, feminine curves changed to a muscular body that their jaws dropped.
"If you think that was cool, wait until you get a load of this," the newly appeared young man smirked as he poured the water over the panda, turning it from a dopey looking black and white bear to a grumpy looking man with glasses and a bandana on his head.
"Tendo-kun," Genma Saotome beamed. "It's been far too long!"
"Saotome...?" was all Soun could manage before fainting.
"See what I mean?"
@@@@@
The Tendos and Saotomes were sitting beside the semi-conscious Soun, waiting for him to recover enough for the explanation as to what was going on to continue.
"Wait, so how did you look like a girl earlier?" Asuma asked, genuinely intrigued by this trick.
"It's complicated," Ranma replied. "We were in China when we found this cursed training ground."
"Don't you mean 'accursed'," said Nabiki.
"No, we actually got magical curses from this place called Jusenkyo," Ranma elaborated. "If you fall into one of the hundred or so springs, you take the form of whatever drowned last in that spring. I fell into the spring of drowned girl; he fell into the spring of drowned panda."
"And the water thing?"
"Cold water triggers the curse, hot water changes us back. Well, until we get splashed with cold water again," the younger Saotome explained. "So, would anyone care to tell me why Mr. Tendo hugged me on the doorstep and tried to cop a feel?"
"I..." Soun slowly rose from the floor, the cold cloth still on his forehead. "I was just greeting my future son-in-law."
"Son-in-law?" Ranma repeated. "Pops, do you have anything to say about that?"
"Well, the idea is that you marry one Tendo-kun's daughters."
"Don't I get any say in the matter?"
"Of course you do, Ranma-kun," Soun insisted. "Kasumi is 19 and Nabiki is 17, pick one to be your fiancée."
Nabiki and Kasumi shared a panicked look.
"Father, I'm not sure..." Kasumi tried to find the words to voice her protestations.
"Daddy, you can't expect a lasting marriage between two people who've only just met," Nabiki said, quickly saving face for everyone. 'Besides, who knows what other weirdness this Ranma's hiding?'
Ranma nodded. "Besides, this is no time or fiancées. I've got to find a cure."
"Boy, we're not going anywhere," Genma said.
"And why not?"
"Because you need to learn how to take care of the dojo," the balding man replied.
"Why not Asuma? He's a martial artist," Ranma countered. "He can continue the legacy of the Tendo dojo without me getting involved."
"Yeah," Asuma nodded. He had nothing against this Ranma fellow, but he'd been groomed to take over the dojo from his father.
"You still need to learn how to teach at the dojo, even if Asuma-kun is running it," Genma replied.
"There's a male Tendo heir and someone who can train him on how to train people, you don't need me to be here."
"Not for this, no, but there are other reasons for us to stay in one place for a while. Your schooling, for one."
"Your father does have a point," Soun added, finally removing the cloth from his forehead. "My son, Asuma will inherit the dojo, but he cannot teach every class. And my daughters are not suited for the rough and tumble world of Anything Goes. In order to qualify as a teacher, you'll need to complete your schooling."
Ranma remained silent for a moment as he evaluated the situation. It seemed that the 'pledge' had been made before Asuma had been born; otherwise there'd be no need for him to even be at the Tendo dojo now. And there was clearly something that his father was hiding from him.
They never remained in one place for very long before, and that was when Ranma was learning to read, so school couldn't be the real reason.
But everyone here seemed nice enough, attempted indecent assault aside. Asuma didn't seem to be the lecherous sort, unlike many of the men Ranma had encountered when in his cursed form. And Nabiki and Kasumi were pretty and hadn't tried to hurt him.
'Things could be worse,' the pigtailed youth mused. "All right, Pops, we'll stay for a while. But no promises about engagements, OK?"
"Agreed," Genma smiled. "Now, how about you spar with Asuma-kun?"
@@@@@
Ranma followed Asuma to the dojo, noting that he carried himself with a practised grace and a fluidity that minimised unnecessary movement.
‘He’s been training for a while,’ the pigtailed youth realised. “So, Asuma, what styles do you practice?â€
“Anything Goes,†the Tendo heir answered with a smile. “I take it you know what that entails?â€
“Oh yes,†Ranma nodded, smiling back. “So, are we sparring armed or unarmed today?â€
“Unarmed, I think. I’ve had enough of kendo-based shenanigans this week.â€
The cursed martial artist smirked before starting a few stretching exercises. “Ready when you are, Asuma.â€
Asuma nodded before falling into a tight, defensive stance. Ranma’s lack of stance seemed rather unsettling to him, but if he said he was ready, then he had to take him at his word. “Begin.â€
The Tendo heir advanced slowly, he was tempted to go with a charge, but he’d also appraised his opponent’s movements. Ranma seemed like the sort of person to hide his true position, and experience had taught Asuma the dangers of just rushing hard way. He threw a few punches to test Ranma’s reflexes.
Ranma’s weight shifted lightly on the balls of his feet as he dodged and blocked the punches that came his way. After a moment, he counterattacked with a few light jabs that probed the tightly-guarded stance of his sparring partner.
Asuma lashed out with a sweeping kick, which Ranma jumped over.
The pigtailed martial artist landed on his hands before springing back into the fight, feet first.
Asuma rolled out the way for Ranma’s two-footed kick. “I see you like jumping around like a grasshopper.â€
“One of my old teachers called me ‘the Caffeinated Grasshopper,’†Ranma replied, preparing to leap back into action.
“But did he mention that it was a bad habit in a long fight?â€
“...†the cursed teenager paused. The teacher in question, Junichi Saito had proved that very point.
It had been a painful, but incredibly useful lesson. The training to correct that deficiency had been a little humiliating, but the benefits it had brought carried through to many aspects of his training trip.
The ability to hike several kilometres extra a day had been useful on so many occasions for different reasons.
Ranma changed tactic and started to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks that started to back Asuma into a corner.
Seeing that the only chance to escape a pummelling, Asuma rolled out to his left and lashed out with a lightning quick leg sweep.
Ranma was toppled, but quickly recovered to catch Asuma on the back of the head with an elbow, stunning the Tendo heir.
Asuma blinked and he found that he was pinned to the floor.
“What the... How did you manage that?â€
“Pure luck,†Ranma answered truthfully. “I haven’t had a sparring session like that for a while. You’re pretty good.â€
“You’re not too shabby yourself, Ranma. Now, how about you get off me and we can get something to eat?â€
The offer of food was all it took for Ranma to release Asuma. “Lead the way, my friend.â€
@@@@@
It would be nice to get some feedback as to whether or not it's worth continuing this idea, as the last couple of updates for various stories seem to have gone by uncared for.
