Ranma ½ Rinne

[Lawra]

I think I got the right title.

---------

Ranma rolled his eyes and rocked back on his heels briefly as Ryoga boasted about his recent training and how he would be soundly defeated by his new skills. Around him eighteen other fighters were milling about, waiting as numbers were assigned for the martial arts tournament. A big board was placed on the wall showing the single elimination bracket.

The man with a megaphone reading off the numbers finally got to him. “Saotome Ranma, number nine.”

After a quick glance at the board, Ranma smirked at his good fortune. He got a first round bye so he just needed to beat three opponents to win the trip to China.

“Hibiki Ryoga, number fourteen.”

It took Ryoga far longer to figure out that he was on the opposite side of the bracket and would have an extra fight. “It makes no difference how many I have to fight Ranma, I’ll overcome any obstacle to get cured!”

“Like finding the ring?” He asked innocently and skipped out of reach of Ryoga’s angry punch. “I’m going to go grab something to eat, I wonder if they have something with bacon.” Turning his back on Ryoga, he headed out into the courtyard from a large shrine building.

“Shut up Ranma!” Ryoga called after him.

Glancing back, he raised an eyebrow, having expected Ryoga to follow after him. ‘Guess he got lost already.’ Shrugging at the expected result of his pseudo-friend moving more than three feet, he avoided a group of girls talking animatedly as they passed by.

A local temple to Inari was holding a martial arts tournament and festival. Booths were set up in a ring around the far outside of the main courtyard to sell food and for games. In the center was a decently sized size square platform raised up a meter above the stone courtyard. Cheap bench stands were placed on the west and east side with a judges table on the north end.

Quickly finding some abura-age to munch on and making a note of what stands he wanted to hit up later, he met up with his father and the rest of the Tendos to catch the first fight. “Hey, Ryoga actually made it.” He pointed out, earning a punch to his arm by Akane.

“Don’t pick on him.” She chastised.

‘Well this is going to be interesting.’ Ranma popped the last bit of food into his waiting maw and considered Ryoga’s opponent.

Standing as tall as Nabiki, she had bright blonde hair that bordered on orange tied up in a high ponytail that draped down to her shoulderblades. She had a slim dancers build hidden beneath a simple white gi tied shut by a white belt. Bright green eyes looked over Ryoga before some reason finding Ranma sitting on the sidelines for a moment.

“The first match is between Hibiki Ryoga and Shirokawa Kaede.” Announced a man sitting near the judges table and paused for a brief round of applause as well as to let more people find their seats.

“That’s the girl who got my spot!” Akane fumed, arms crossed angrily across her chest.

zx

‘This can’t be right.’ Ryoga scoffed, trying not to laugh in the girl’s face. No one but Ranma had looked capable of giving him a decent work out, and now he had drawn the easiest opponent. Although if she did have some moves then he would have to fight a girl, one of his weaknesses.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.” He whispered to the poor girl who had the bad luck to face him.

“You may not want to be such a patronizing pig.” She said in an otherwise polite tone, green eyes twinkling with amusement. “They often end up as dinner.” She ended, sounding a lot like Ranma did when mocking him.

“I tried to be nice.” He looked away dismissively and cracked his knuckles for show.

A tiny old man acting as referee stepped between them. “Just so you understand, this is a friendly martial arts tournament. To win, your opponent must forfeit, be unable to continue, or touch the courtyard. Attempting to purposely injure your opponent will result in forfeit. Do you understand?”

Ryoga nodded along with the girl, Kaede. He was eager to get the distasteful act of fighting a girl out of the way. ‘I’ll show Akane how good I am by not hurting her. Unlike Ranma who would knock her around for a bit.’

“Begin!” The man announced and stepped back rapidly.

“You should just give up so I don’t have to hurt you.” He explained, stepping towards the girl, and trying to imagine her as Ranma so he could work up the courage to push her from the platform.

“Why? Are you afraid to fight me, pig?” She asked, not moving a muscle as he reached out to grab her gi.

“Stop calling me pig!” He yelled and tried to grab her gi top. His hand passed completely through where she had been standing as she vanished. Stumbling forward, he stared down at his right hand in confusion.

“A swine is a swine.” She mocked from behind him.

Spinning around, his eyes focused on the annoying female who was now standing on the far side of the platform from him. “Hold still!” Rushing towards her, he nearly tripped to fall flat on his face as a clone appeared just to the side. “Wha?”

He saw her move this time, both versions of the girl moving in sync with surprising speed. Trying to block both attacks, the Kaede on his left was able to connect with her fingertips to his side just below his ribs. Gritting his teeth as the strike somehow hurt him, he noticed that the other girl’s attack passed through him harmlessly. ‘So it’s that one!’ Focusing on the left, he tried to take advantage of her momentum for a throw but his hand went through her arm.

His mistake cost him as the real Kaede kicked him in the side of his thigh, twisting his leg inwards awkwardly. ‘Damn she hits harder than Ranma!’ His outstretched arm was caught by one of them and he was instantly flying high above the ring to land flat on his back near the opposite edge with his head nearly hanging over the edge.

“Psst.” Ranma’s voice cut into his disorientation. The pigtailed boy was kneeling down to be at Ryoga’s head height. “You may want to try harder, you’re getting your ass kicked, P-chan.”

“Shut up Ranma!” He yelled and spun around to take a swing at his most hated rival over the edge of the platform. The other teen easily avoided his blow and Ryoga nearly found himself falling over the edge.

“What did I say?!” Ranma called out from a new location.

Ryoga blinked several times before looking over to where the Saotome teen was sitting calmly next to Akane on the bleachers. “But.” He looked back to where Ranma had been kneeling and found only empty space.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.” Kaede’s lilting voice drew his eyes back to the middle of the ring where the girl stood as though she hadn’t moved the entire time. “Unless you want to give up?”

“I’ll never give up!” He boasted, struggling to explain her strange abilities.

“You can beat her Ryoga-kun!” Akane yelled to him.

“Now I can’t lose, Akane-san is cheering for me.” He had tricks of his own. All he needed to do was to figure out how she was creating an illusion of herself or at least when so he could go after the right one.

Seeing that she was going to obnoxiously stand there waiting like Ranma always did, Ryoga charged, and pulled back his right hand in preparation to use the bakusai tenketsu to shower the area with fragments from the platform. Watching her without blinking, he plunged his finger into the tile. ‘There!’ He caught the subtle shifting of her body and the movement to his side of something white and blonde. Without waiting for the explosion of tiny razor sharp shards to bite into him, he was up and moving towards this new Kaede.

“I got you now!” He yelled triumphantly, performing another bakusai tenketsu without considering that there were spectators behind the girl. “Wait-- where’d they go?” Ryoga stopped to stare dumbfounded at the empty bleachers. Shaking his head, he finally found Kaede smirking at him from the center of the ring again.

‘This is actually-- kind of scary.’ He admitted. She was fast, strong, and could make him see things. “There’s gotta be a limit to how many of those things you can make.” He guessed, figuring that it must take a lot out of her to do these illusions. He had the stamina to outlast her. She couldn’t hit him hard enough. It was only a matter of time before he got the small girl and then he won.

“There is a limit to my attention span.” She joked.

“Two! I bet two is the most you can make!” He tried to engage her but instead of making any more clones, she merely slipped out of the way. “You’re all talk! I bet you can’t even make anymore!” He laughed as he was pushed her towards the edge. “Victory is mine!” Throwing both hands forwards to shove her from the platform, she vanished once again.

“Don’t go hog wild.” Kaede’s voice echoed behind him. Freezing at the strange auditory effect, Ryoga slowly turned his head to see that the platform was now completely filled by smirking Kaedes.

zx

Ranma cocked his head to one side curiously as Ryoga made a loud eep and fell backwards off the raised platform to defeat himself. ‘What is wrong with that moron?’ He wondered. This Kaede girl had been moving almost as fast as he could but Ryoga had acted like he was fighting multiple opponents.

“Don’t underestimate that one, boy.” Genma commented while stuffing his face with food.

“She’s not much.” He commented, certain that he was superior to whatever trick she had been using to distract Ryoga. But he could see why a buffoon like Ryoga would have lost.

 

[nuclear death frog]

Interesting. Were all the girl's techniques illusions and psych-out attempts? Can she fight physically at all?

I'm thinking Genma has the right of it, and that the girl is more dangerous than Ranma believes.

You've called attention to the title, so it must be important, but I don't know why. "Rinne" refers to reincarnation; I think I read once that the word can also mean 'boundary', as in the boundary between the dead and the living.

 

[seitora]

So why does Ranma need to win a trip to China when he can just swim? Laziness, or basically plot device?

Also if Akane was planning on entering the tournament, presumably she would know the prize, and thus wonder why Ryoga wants to go to China as well? (though you can perhaps put that up to just Ryoga being competitive)

 

[Lawra]

Interesting. Were all the girl's techniques illusions and psych-out attempts? Can she fight physically at all?

I'm thinking Genma has the right of it, and that the girl is more dangerous than Ranma believes.

Genma's got kind of the right idea for all of it being something to be wary of. Oh that crafty old panda.

You've called attention to the title, so it must be important, but I don't know why. "Rinne" refers to reincarnation; I think I read once that the word can also mean 'boundary', as in the boundary between the dead and the living.

Depends on how much you want me to give away.

So why does Ranma need to win a trip to China when he can just swim? Laziness, or basically plot device?

Because canon Ranma never initializes a trying to get a trip to China.

Also if Akane was planning on entering the tournament, presumably she would know the prize, and thus wonder why Ryoga wants to go to China as well? (though you can perhaps put that up to just Ryoga being competitive)

No no, Ryoga is just being a good friend is going to give Ranma the trip.:angel:

 

[nuclear death frog]

You've called attention to the title, so it must be important, but I don't know why. "Rinne" refers to reincarnation; I think I read once that the word can also mean 'boundary', as in the boundary between the dead and the living.

Depends on how much you want me to give away.

Don't give out spoilers. I'll just keep it in mind that it's important and wait for how.

 

[Lawra]

You've called attention to the title, so it must be important, but I don't know why. "Rinne" refers to reincarnation; I think I read once that the word can also mean 'boundary', as in the boundary between the dead and the living.

Honestly it should be fairly obvious at the end of the first chapter what's going on although it is a little different. Kind of hearkens back to the first story I ever posted for a few concepts. (Definitely going to be different in one aspect from pretty much any story)

I'm plotting out how much I want Kaede to be in the story and what role she may play. Already cut out one more established character I thought would work but she fits into that part better.

 

[Lost Star]

I will state that her running around Ryoga is sadly in character. When she fights Ranma I expect her not to do as well. Especially since she's playing her hand here.

 

[Hawk]

Is this a Negima crossover? Since there's a ninja named Kaede with a clone technique in that isn't there?

 

[Lawra]

I will state that her running around Ryoga is sadly in character. When she fights Ranma I expect her not to do as well. Especially since she's playing her hand here.

She hasn't actually played her hand. Everyone else just saw Ryoga fighting someone that wasn't there. If Ranma can't resist her tricks then he'll be caught up in it as well. That said, Ranma is going to win primarily off his own merit. (And some new training he started to do in wake of the Hiryuu shoten ha arc)

Is this a Negima crossover? Since there's a ninja named Kaede with a clone technique in that isn't there?

If it does match I wouldn't know, not a fan of Negima at all.

 

[Revan]

...I think this is the first crossover with Tales of the Otori that I've ever seen. Nice. Now I have to go reread the first book, and finally get around to reading the rest.

 

[Lawra]

...I think this is the first crossover with Tales of the Otori that I've ever seen. Nice. Now I have to go reread the first book, and finally get around to reading the rest.

It's not. It's something far more mainstream and obvious. I'd say what but I kind of want to be able to get through the first chapter without it being obvious. (Even though ff.net will make it so)

 

[Lawra]

Ranma cocked his head to one side curiously as Ryoga made a loud eep and fell backwards off the raised platform to defeat himself. ‘What is wrong with that moron?’ He wondered. This Kaede girl had been moving almost as fast as he could but Ryoga had acted like he was fighting multiple opponents and seeing things that weren’t there.

“Don’t underestimate that one, boy.” Genma commented while stuffing his face with food.

“She’s not much.” He commented, certain that he was superior to whatever trick she had been using to distract Ryoga. But he could see why a buffoon like Ryoga would have lost.

Seeing as there was no more food he could steal from his father and Akane was already rushing over to check to see if Ryoga was alright, he followed after his fiance in order to poke at the pig boy for losing to such an obvious trick.

“Ryoga-kun are you alright?” Akane asked worriedly, shooting a brief glare at Kaede who was being announced the winner, the girl ignoring the youngest Tendo to give Ryoga a tiny bow of her head.

“Akane-san you saw right? Right?” Ryoga asked desperately on his knees. “She’s a monster, there were dozens of her!”

“When did you take a blow to the head?” Ranma asked, visually inspecting the lost boy’s head to add to his joke. Ryoga’s fist finding it’s way into his stomach had not been in the plan. Doubling over in pain, he stumbled back to sit on the edge of the platform.

“Ryoga-kun, it was just you and her, there was no one else.” Akane explained.

“But-- but-- but-- that-- it can’t.” Ryoga fumbled over some reason to justify his loss.

“Well that’s too bad Ryoga, guess you don’t win a trip to China.” He jabbed, skipping off before Ryoga could blow his top, and leaving him to try and explain his interest in the prize to Akane.

Ranma barely registered that something cool had soaked the shoulder of his shirt, changing him to a red haired girl with similarly colored eyes as she rushed after Kaede. Even though most of the people attending the festival were watching the competition, Ranma kept losing the girl in the few people still playing the games. It took nearly twenty minutes before she could finally pin down Kaede to one location.

“Sorry about that!” Some girl yelled at her. Ranma ignored the exclamation, not realizing that the girl had splashed her with a drink after celebrating for winning a prize.

“Hey, wait up!” Ranma called out to Kaede and skidded to a stop next to the girl. “I’m Saotome Ranma, you were pretty good out there against Ryoga.” She remarked casually, being about the same height as Kaede she could look her directly in the eye.

The girl hesitated as though she was searching for a response before settling on a polite thank you. “I look forward to seeing your matches as well.”

“He likes to think he’s my rival, sure would be nice if I had a technique like yours to psyche him out.” She explained, trying to sound a bit desperate for help with the lost boy. “Do you think you could give me a few tips?”

“I would be happy to.” Kaede gave her a big smile that shifted from friendly to condescending. “If you could learn.”

“Ranma!” Akane’s yell interrupted Ranma asking more about Kaede’s strange technique, her unwanted fiance approaching. “Sheesh, can’t you pick a body and stick with it for five minutes?” The girl berated half heartedly.

Glancing down, Ranma finally noticed that her curse had been activated. “Oops.”

“Oops.” The short haired girl rolled her eyes. “Hurry up and find some hot water, your match is next.”

“Ya ya.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I got plenty of time.” Turning to Kaede to tell her that she would be right back, Ranma found that the blonde had vanished once again.

zx

Ryoga really did hate his curse, completely, utterly, totally, and without reservation. Trapped in the weak form of a small piglet all because some innocent kid decided to shoot him with a water pistol he had won at a game. So now he not only had to live with the shame of being defeating himself but being lost as a pig.

His far more sensitive nose twitched and he looked around nervously. Over the strong smell of humans and all the food he could smell multiple predators. He had purposely neglected his porcine nose and learning to differentiate a wide variety of smells. But he knew without a doubt the scent of a predator.

Deciding that he would be better off getting lost somewhere else, he hurriedly rushed through the forest of legs to try and get away from the shrine as fast as possible. After a brief lapse in his attention, he found himself next to a nice little stream in a pleasant clearing in a forest. Stopping to get a drink from the stream, he sat back on his haunches at stared down at the water to see his reflection.

‘I will get a cure!’ He resolved, it didn’t matter he had lost, and was not going to win trip to China. He would find a way to do it on his own and then rub it in Ranma’s face when the pigtailed boy could no longer hold the curse over his head.

In his wavering reflection he found another figure suddenly appear, one that was a bright reddish orange. Slowly looking away from the water, he found a young red fox looking at him inquisitively with it’s vulpine head cocked to one side. In an almostly deliberately slow move, the fox licked it’s lips.

Ryoga cursed his luck with a disgusted bwee before running away, the fox hot on his tail.

 

[Lawra]

Standing with his arms crossed, Ranma regarded his opponent warily but kept it from showing on his face by plastering a confident smirk there instead. Kaede was in a relaxed stance across from him, a small smile on her face. He had plowed through his opponents with no trouble and Kaede had done the same. Ranma was no closer to figuring out the mind trick she was using because her other opponents had all been low level martial artists. He had watched her play with them a short time but it wasn’t to the same extent as Ryoga.

It didn’t matter what kind of technique she was using because he was going to win this. He was faster and infinitely smarter than anyone else she had faced. And with his special training he had an ace up his sleeve that only Happosai or Cologne could counter.

“This is the final match!” The announcer exclaimed excitedly. “Shirokawa Kaede is facing Saotome Ranma.”

Ranma ignored the moderate amount of applause that came from their names. Breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth in deep controlled breaths, he focused on what he had dubbed heavy ki. Happosai had unwittingly brought it to his attention after applying the ultimate weakness moxibustion. A pressure point that cut off the part of his aura giving him his physical strength. He had always unconsciously used it in conjunction with his ki and if it hadn’t been for losing it that may never have changed.

He didn’t need to hear the referee tell them the added rule not to damage the platform or to begin, his attention never leaving Kaede. Getting caught in her mental manipulation would only complicate his victory.

“It’s really too bad I had such an easy run.” Ranma remarked casually. “You had a much harder time of it than me.”

“If you consider them to be difficult opponents than your standards are very low.” She answered his comment calmly.

“Just so you know, I am going to win.” He boasted with complete confidence. “I promise you that.”

“You shouldn’t throw around promises so frivolously.” She responded with more seriousness.

“I don’t.” He stepped forward into a stance, waiting for her to make the first move. Ranma felt something from her as she assumed an aggressive stance. It was like the heavy ki he was developing but something about it felt different.

The first time he blinked he was suddenly facing five Kaede’s arranged in a half circle around him. Stiffening in surprise, they all rushed him at once. ‘That’s what beat Ryoga.’ He smirked and waited for them to attack. Using his speed, he intercepted every punch and kick in a blur of movement too fast for the spectators to see. Finally he found the right Kaede who was about to hit him square in the chest with a side kick. Attempting to catch her foot with both hands, his arms buckled, and he felt the full force of the blow.

Ranma couldn’t recall anyone hitting him as hard in his life. She was small, slim, and wasn’t moving that fast yet he was nearly thrown over the edge before he landed. Laying in a daze and hoping he didn’t have broken ribs, he slowly got to his feet. ‘Defense is not going to work.’ He concluded.

Kaede had lost her clones and was no thrusting both hands towards him palm first. A spout of water exploded upwards from the platform in front of her towards him. Ranma’s eyes widened in alarm and he sidestepped the stream that bypassed him to crash harmlessly into the courtyard. Launching himself towards Kaede, he was just able to reach her as she retracted her hands.

His kick passed through her throwing him off balance. As the fake Kaede vanished, he could feel the real one behind him. Spinning in time to set his feet, he caught her knife hand strike by grabbing her wrist. Unlike her kick, he had no trouble stopping her but felt a discharge of heavy ki from her hand.

‘That’s how she hits so hard.’ He realized, gripping her wrist with far more force to keep her from moving. Unfortunately that meant her control of it was well beyond his. “My turn.” He smirked at her grimace and spun in place to throw her with enough force to send her over the edge.

Kaede hadn’t been thrown very high so after briefly flailing her arms and legs, she was able to reach down to grab the platform. Without even digging into the material with her fingers or feet she stopped after barely a meter.

‘More heavy ki.’ He guessed while moving towards her before she could recover.

zx

Genma crossed his arms and glared forward sternly as the fight between his son and the blonde haired girl rapidly escalated. Ranma was moving as though he was fighting at least six opponents, his limbs a blur as they rapidly hit invisible Kaedes surrounding him. The blonde was sometimes in the fray other times she remained outside catching her breath. Even with Ranma’s impressive stamina he would be worn down from this soon.

“What are you thinking, Saotome?” Soun asked him, equally as interested in the fight.

Watching as Ranma and Kaede traded blows again, he noticed that his child was being exceptionally careful with how he blocked her. Genma remembered the first blow and how it had thrown Ranma like a ragdoll. ‘The boy is actually afraid to be hit by her.’

“He can’t win.” He finally answered. Ranma was breathing heavily while Kaede looked barely winded. The unknown girl was clearly a master of some kind of mental technique to overwhelm her opponent and Ranma had no counter to such a thing.

zx

Trying not to show how tired he was getting, Ranma kept his eyes firmly locked on Kaede. She had stopped with the copies for now but he was beginning to see through that. Not by much but it was enough to narrow down which one was real. His mind was rapidly rolling through possibilities on how best to knock her out of the ring or to incapacitate her. If it came down to holds he had the strength advantage but even the lightest tap of her hand had to be avoided as far as he knew.

“I apologize for not taking your promise more seriously.” Kaede called to him from across the platform.

“That was your first mistake.” He decided to switch tactics, trying to exude a cool aura with the soul of ice technique. His response made her cute face scrunch up in anger. “No that’s not right, your first was entering. Second was thinking you were hot stuff when you beat Ryoga. Your worst was thinking your illusion trick was going to keep fooling me.”

“Your worst mistake is to think all I can do are illusions.” She growled, raising both hands up in front of her chest to make a complicated hand sign. Directly in front of her a small circular pool of water formed, a ring around the edge bubbling upwards. Ranma tried to close the distance between them but was too late, a water dragon shooting upwards from the pool to coil around Kaede before rushing towards him.

He barely heard the gasps from the crowd, too busy diving to the side to let the dragon pass him by. Reaching out to confirm that the liquid was real, his eyes widened at the confirmation that this was no illusion. A bubbling roar heralded the dragon turning around to make another pass. After another sidestep, he was going to try and attack Kaede but the dragon’s head curled and hovered between them. Ranma nearly missed the water still floating next to him moving to hit him from the side.

Leaping straight up, he realized his mistake immediately when the water dragon rocketed towards him. With no way to twist out of the way, he felt like he was hit by a freight train when the dragon’s jaws closed around him. Crying out in pain as it squeezed, he was dimly aware of a sudden shift of momentum, and that it was now going to drive him down into the ring.

Ranma came back to his senses enough to notice that the groan exiting his mouth was the wrong pitch and his clothing was soaked. She didn’t immediately try to move, looking upwards at the soft fluffy clouds floating by overhead, the sky turning orange as the sun started to set.

“He’s a girl now--.” The referee commented, not knowing about her curse.

“I apologize for the ring.” She heard Kaede say. “I know that disqualifies me.”

“Like hell it does.” Ranma spat and started to pull herself out of the indentation she had been laying in. “We’re not done yet.” She told the referee, a thinly veiled threat hidden in her tone. The little old man nodded and quickly vacated the area.

“That was foolish.” Kaede said sadly. “You could have won.”

“I’m not going to win like that.” She sneered, her pride was more injured than her body at being pitied.

Trudging forward slowly, Kaede met her on the side of the impact point. The blonde hit her several times but each blow didn’t carry the same weight from earlier so she could shrug them off. Ranma’s face twisted into a scowl, Kaede had to be pulling her punches now. Through with any pretense of chivalry, she weaved around one of Kaede’s strikes and planted a kick underneath her jaw.

Kaede was knocked upwards, her limp body twisting in mid air so that she would land face first on the stone outside the ring. Without thinking Ranma jumped to intercept, catching Kaede’s unconscious body, and landing safely. ‘Why do I always have to be so manly that I have to save the girl?’ She sighed, hearing a loud round of applause from the audience she had forgotten.

“Saotome Ranma is disqualified! Shirokawa Kaede is the winner!” The announcer screamed excitedly.

“What?!” She screeched, turning a look promising unending pain and death at the man.

“Ring out.” The referee explained helpfully from a spot far away. Ranma looked down to see that she had landed outside of the platform before Kaede, the blonde now stirring in her arms.

“Thank you for saving me-- Saotome-sama.” Kaede delicately left her arms and bowed deeply to her.

‘Wait-- she wasn’t out of it?’ Ranma’s shoulders slumped. “You’re welcome.” She answered Kaede’s show of gratitude before falling flat on her back. “I lost.” She said in a daze.


--------

I need something goofy for the 2nd place prize.

 

[seitora]

I need something goofy for the 2nd place prize.

All expenses-paid trip to Kuno Land, a themed amusement park built on a tiny Japanese island with a supposedly dormant volcano

 

[Hawk]

Guessing Kaede is actually a kitsune. From the fox and illusion techniques.

Not sure what to think of it overall.

 

[varth]

How about free meal coupon to Neko Hanten?

Is this Naruto? I stopped reading it waaaaay before Rinnegan, so I'm not in the know.

Anyways, good work.

 

[Lawra]

Guessing Kaede is actually a kitsune. From the fox and illusion techniques.

She is.

How about free meal coupon to Neko Hanten?

Not exactly goofy and the problem there is that I need to go back and include the amazons who wouldn't be tied to a tournament without being there.

Is this Naruto? I stopped reading it waaaaay before Rinnegan, so I'm not in the know.

Maybe.

 

[ThreadWeaver]

How about a tour of Ja-pan?

You know, the new local bread franchise?

Hey, you asked for goofy...

 

[seitora]

How about a tour of Ja-pan?

You know, the new local bread franchise?

Hey, you asked for goofy...

Is that a reference to the bread-making manga I see there?

 

[ThreadWeaver]

How about a tour of Ja-pan?

You know, the new local bread franchise?

Hey, you asked for goofy...

Is that a reference to the bread-making manga I see there?

Yes. It's called Yakitate Japan. I don't think there's a franchise called that even in the manga/anime but the whole thing is about the battles to find the Japan, or Japan's Bread, since 'pan' is bread in Japanese.

 

[Lawra]

Unfortunately I'll probably go a different route so what the second place prize is becomes irrelevant.

 

[Lawra]

Akane propped her head up with one hand and looked out the window with a sigh. It had been raining all morning and didn’t look like it would be letting up anytime soon. Shifting her eyes to glance at Ranma’s usual spot she once again found his chair empty. ‘That idiot.’ She snorted and went back to paying attention to the English lecture.

Yuka was first to her desk when the class ended. “No Ranma today, Akane?”

“No.” She answered, waiting to make sure all the busy bodies in the class were close enough to hear her. “He’s still pouting that he lost.” Akane explained further.

Ranma had already missed yesterday and the tale of how he had lost to an unknown girl had made it’s way around the school. Kuno had heard and was now planning parties along with being an intolerable ass. She had pounded him into the ground yesterday and he had been quiet since. But she knew that it was only a matter of time before he popped up again to declare his undying love.

“I know, we’re making cookies today, those will cheer him up.” She suggested to her friends who suddenly looked queasy.

“Ranma will love that.” Sayuri laughed nervously.

“Oh-- he will.” Akane couldn’t stop a slightly manic smile from spreading over face. A chance to rub a failure in Ranma’s face as well as show how good her cooking was becoming at the same time? How could she miss this glorious opportunity?

zx

Ryoga struggled for every step, his muscles burning, and his mind degraded from two days without sleep. With a pained snort, his front legs gave out, and his tiny body fell to the ground. To think that he, Hibiki Ryoga, would meet his end at the underdeveloped jaws of a young fox. Should he meet Ranma in the afterlife he would never live his demise down. Perhaps his ancestors wouldn’t judge him too harshly for such a lowly death.

Any moment now, the fiend would tear into his body, and he hoped that it would be a quick end.

“That was fun!” An androgynous young child's voice exclaimed excitedly, bopping him on the shoulder. “Now you chase me!”

Ryoga heard the rapid patter of paws on grass now moving away from him. Popping one eye open, he watched the fox bound away before coming back after Ryoga failed to follow. Yipping at him, the fox darted forward before running away again.

‘A talking fox?’ Ryoga struggled to sit up, two days of near constant running had drained him of all his stamina. ‘A real kitsune?’

“What? You tired? Okay, let’s rest.” Finding a nice sunny spot the fox laid down and seemed to fall asleep instantly.

‘A nap does sound good.’ Ryoga’s piglet body finally gave out and he crashed snout first into the grass.

zx

Kasumi’s hands froze at the dejected sigh of her sister’s betrothed. Relaxing, she tried to start up her knitting again when a pitiful groan interrupted her concentration. Finally giving Ranma her attention, she watched him slink across the floor until he was fully stretched out face down before sighing again.

“Would you stop that?” Genma reprimanded and threw several shogi pieces to bounce harmlessly off Ranma’s head.

“I lost!” Ranma bemoaned dramatically into the floor. “My trip to China.” He whined. “My cure.”

“Don’t be down, son. You’ll find another.” Soun added as he moved a piece.

“Not having a cure doesn’t stop you from going to school, does it?” Kasumi asked, struggling to get back into the rhythm of knitting. ‘Knit one purl two, knit one purl two, knit one purl two.’ She repeated in her head to drown out the boy.

“It’s raining.” Ranma groused.

“You could always borrow a spare uniform from Akane.” Kasumi suggested, causing Ranma to blanch. Happy that her joke had the intended effect, Kasumi excused herself to go check on lunch, deciding to put an unpleasantly spicy pepper on Ranma’s portion.

The doorbell pleasantly chiming was one more distraction to add to her plate. Making sure nothing would burn, she answered the front door. Kasumi recognized Kaede from the tournament immediately, the blonde girl was standing underneath a red Japanese umbrella to keep the rain away. She was wearing a modest light green dress with embroidered pink cherry blossoms around the bottom, ending beneath her knees.

“Good morning.” Kaede greeted with a polite bow. “I’m Shirokawa Kaede, I was told that Saotome Ranma lives here.”

She politely smiled and bowed back to the girl. “Good morning, I’m Tendo Kasumi. Ranma is inside right now, would you like to see him?”

“Please.” Kaede bowed her head again. “I have something to share with him.”

“Please come in.” She backed away from the door allowing Kaede to come in and remove her green flats, and place her red umbrella next to the door.

 

[ThreadWeaver]

Wow... Kasumi's a real bitch in this one... Heh. Okay, she really kind of is, the little we see of her personality in canon.

I wonder what Kaede's going to "share"?

-----------------
"Oh, Ranma, here's your daughter..." Kaede says as she hands a baby fox with red hair over to the stunned boy.
-----------------
That's about what would be right up at Ranma's level of bad luck.

 

[Lawra]

Wow... Kasumi's a real bitch in this one... Heh. Okay, she really kind of is, the little we see of her personality in canon.

Ranma is intruding upon her quite sphere of influence, if he would just gtfo they would get along fine. (That and I want to fake people out a bit by her acting mischievousness.)

I wonder what Kaede's going to "share"?

I will just answer this one, she exchanged her trip to China for a two person trip to the Inari shrine in Kyota. (Plan B since she messed up the plan by not losing) That way more eyes can be involved and higher chance for success. Although what they are going to do will require a different route that's much more hazardous.

-----------------
"Oh, Ranma, here's your daughter..." Kaede says as she hands a baby fox with red hair over to the stunned boy.
-----------------
That's about what would be right up at Ranma's level of bad luck.

Later.

 

[Lawra]

The doorbell pleasantly chiming was one more distraction to add to her plate. Making sure nothing would burn, she answered the front door. Kasumi recognized Kaede from the tournament immediately, the blonde girl was standing underneath a red Japanese umbrella to keep the rain away. She was wearing a modest light green dress with embroidered pink cherry blossoms around the bottom, ending beneath her knees. A high quality leather purse was slung over her left shoulder. Her long hair was unbound with her bangs held to the side by an ornate gold clip with a large white pearl embedded in the metal.

“Good morning.” Kaede greeted with a polite bow. “I’m Shirokawa Kaede, I was told that Saotome Ranma lives here.”

She politely smiled and bowed back to the girl. “Good morning, I’m Tendo Kasumi. Ranma is inside right now, would you like to see him?”

“Please.” Kaede bowed her head again. “I have something to share with him.”

“Please come in.” She backed away from the door allowing Kaede to come in and remove her green flats, and place her red umbrella next to the door.

Leading the girl inside, she considered asking why Kaede wasn’t in school as well but decided not to pry. Most of her house guests friends appeared to be rowdy delinquents unconcerned with normal activities like school. Although Kaede did carry herself as a polite and well groomed young woman. “Ranma-kun, your friend from the tournament is here to see you.” She announced, smiling vapidly.

Ranma looked up from where he lay on the floor and gave Kaede a disinterested look before settings his head back down. “Hey.” He mumbled into the floor.

“You were very impressive, young lady.” Soun greeted.

“Not often that the boy gets put in his place.” Genma added.

“Thank you for your praise.” Kaede bowed deeply to both men. “But I was defeated, Ranma-dono lost because of a technicality.”

“Nonsense, he knew the rules.” Soun slammed a shogi piece down in a new position. “Take pride in your accomplishment.”

“Would you like anything to drink?” Kasumi offered, wanting to be a polite hostess. “Oh-- we were just about to have lunch and I don’t think I have enough for another.”

“She can have Ranma’s.” Genma sacrificed his son’s share. “To the victor goes the spoils.”

“Give up your own food, you fat idiot!” Ranma bounced up from the floor to kick his father out into the rain who rapidly turned into a giant panda.

“That’s perfect.” Kasumi beamed. “We still have some left over bamboo.” She celebrated the small victory of being able to serve everyone. “And what would you like to drink?”

“Water is fine, but if you are making tea then I wouldn’t mind a cup.” The blond answered.

“Tea then.” She gestured towards the table. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

zx

Ranma kept himself alert so he wouldn’t be taken by surprise by his father’s inevitable retaliation. His curiosity was on overdrive as he tried to figure out why the girl had tracked him down. She had been nearly impossible to find at the festival but was now calmly kneeling next to the table. She also hadn’t responded in the slightest to Genma changing forms. Now that he thought about it, she hadn’t reacted at all to his own curse.

Kaede noticed his intense look and looked away shyly for a moment and patted her right ear. “Ranma-dono--.” She looked back at him with a pleasant smile adorning her face. “I didn’t feel right in accepting the prize. I should have been disqualified for destroying the ring and for falling off the platform. So I--.”

Ranma interrupted her. “So you’re giving me the ticket to China?!” He asked excitedly, sliding across the floor to be right in her face. Any qualms he may have had about accepting a prize he didn’t technically win flew right out the window.

The blonde recoiled and shifted her kneeling position. “Sorry but no.” She shook her head and shifted again. “The ones sponsoring the trip wouldn’t accept that. But they did offer me an alternative. Since the match was so close, they were willing to accept that we both-- technically won.”

“And?” Ranma’s enthusiasm was dashed but he did still want to know what they offered.

“And they offered two tickets for a trip to Kyoto to visit their Inari shrine.” She answered.

“A trip to another Inari shrine?” His face fell completely. Ranma had been to that place a long time ago but he had mostly forgot about it because he was seven.

“Not just a Inari shrine, it’s the Inari shrine.” She amended.

“Thanks but no thanks.” He sat back in a huff. “I’m sure you got a boyfriend, go take him. I needed that trip to China.”

Kaede gained a faint blush to her cheeks and she looked down demurely. “I don’t have a boyfriend, but I thought I could try to teach you some of my techniques. I did say I would give you some tips.”

Ranma froze completely up in indecision. A trip to another boring shrine that he really didn’t care about. But he would be able to learn more martial arts techniques. Just learning how to control his heavy ki like she could to augment his strength would be worth it. But maybe he could learn her illusion abilities or how to create that cool water dragon.

“What are your intentions towards my son-in-law.” Soun suddenly demanded and Ranma could see the beginnings of his demon head technique.

“I don’t have any intentions towards him.” Kaede answered after a moments hesitation.

“I think it sounds pretty good.” He ignored Soun to try and get the conversation back on track. “When’s the trip?”

“Really?” Kaede’s mood brightened considerably. “Wonderful! Oh-- uh the trip is set for this Friday, Saturday, and then returning on Sunday.

“Kay, so you want to get started? How’d you make those copies of yourself?” He asked without enough force to be demanding.

“Here’s lunch.” Kasumi interrupted him this time, sweetly announcing as she brought in a tray with food.

Kaede seemed to ignore his question to focus on Kasumi and the food. Ranma grudgingly decided that food was the most important consideration at the moment. As he ate his strangely spicy lunch, he noticed that his father had yet to change back into a human and was just sitting on the porch watching Kaede intently while munching on a stalk of bamboo.

He was about to try asking again after shoving everything in his mouth as quickly as possible but a cell phone started to ring from Kaede’s purse. “Excuse me.” The blonde girl hit a few places on the touchscreen phone before listening to someone on the other end for only a second before hitting more buttons, and returning the phone to her purse. “I’m very sorry but I need to leave. I have-- work I need to return to for an emergency.”

Kaede took one last sip of tea before standing and bowing deeply to Kasumi. “I thank you for your hospitality Kasumi-sama and I will not forget it.”

“It was my pleasure.” Kasumi replied and started to get up.

“Please, no need to get up, I can see myself out.” The blonde looked back over to him. “Ranma-dono, I’m sorry I won’t be able to offer any tips until Friday. But I’ll see you here at three.”

“I’ll be ready.” He crossed his arms, considering ways he might be able to train in the meantime.