Ok, folks.  I finally succumbed to the dark urges and have started writing
my first fanfic. <sigh>  Another conversion to the Dark Side...

Anyway...

C&C's welcome, of course.

This is just a teaser for chapter one of my (currently untitled) fanfic.  If
I get enough responses, I'll finish and post it.  If not, I'll finish it and
keep it to myself, so there!  :p

Anyway, enough babble from me.  Private replies please.

-=sofaspud=-
sofaspud@ior.com


NOTE: This is based on 1) the english-dubbed version of the tv series, and
2) the first part of the aforementioned series, when Ranma is still *very*
uncomfortable with his 'feminine side'.
--------------------------------------
Chapter One
Stripes on Akane?  Naaaahhh...


   "RANMA SAOTOME!  You get back here right now!"  Akane dived through the
open window, fingers clutching at Ranma's shirt.
   "No way!  I'm not doing it!"  With that, Ranma tore himself free of
Akane's grasp, leaving the girl with nothing more than a scrap of his shirt
clenched in her fist.  Her face flushed with fury as she raised her eyes to
the sky:
   "RAAAAAANNNNMMMAAAAA!!!!"

   "Crazy tomboy..." Ranma mumbled to himself as he examined the rip in his
shirt.  His anger was added to by the unfamiliar surroundings; America,
while pretty in spots, just didn't have the friendly feel of Japan.
   Ranma sighed again.  Here he was, stuck in America on a stupid
'vacation', meeting stupid people and doing stupid things, and that stupid
tomboy wanted him to... to... AAAAGGGHHH!!!  There was no way he was going
to become a girl just so he and Akane could go to 'Ladies Night' at the
movies for half-price.  He pounded his fist into the ground in frustration,
ignoring the small crater he left behind.
   "[Problems, son?]"
   Ranma yelped and whirled, fists coming up in an instinctive guarding
motion before his mind translated the words into a language he understood.
Carefully, he phrased his reply, hoping that his English was good enough to
pass.
   "[No problem.]"  He froze in shock as he realized what the badge and gun
most likely meant.
   The police officer smiled grimly.  "[That's good.  Then perhaps you can
explain to me why you JUST PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK!]"
   Ranma gulped nervously.  He hadn't understood half of what the policeman
had said, but the man was angrily indicating the hole in the sidwalk.  He
had strict orders from everyone, including Kasumi, to not get in trouble on
this trip.  "[I... not mean to.  Mistake.]"  <Ranma>, he cursed himself
mentally, <you are going to learn English if it kills you.  You must sound
like Shampoo!>
   The police officer glanced at the boy quizzically.  "[Where ya from,
kid?]"
   Ranma barely understood the man, but managed a reply.  "[Japan.]"
   The policeman flashed a gap-toothed grin.  "So how do you like America?"
he said, in fluent Japanese.
   Ranma gaped.  "I-i-it's fine."  A moments pause, then he blurted out,
"How do you know Japanese?"
   The police officer smiled.  "My wife and I hosted several foreign
exchange students over the years.  Most were from Japan, and they taught us
their language while we taught them ours."  His face grew somber.  "I would
like to know what is going on, though."
   "What do you mean?"
   "You just punched a hole in the sidewalk.  I have never even heard of
someone who could do that."  He looked around.  "Is this for a movie or
something?"
   "Ummm..." Ranma was sweating now.  <Oh, man, Akane is going to kill me!>
he thought.
   "RANMA!  Where've you been?" Akane was trotting towards Ranma, dodging
the hurtling traffic as if she'd done it every day of her life.  She skidded
to a halt as she caught sight of the police officer.  "[Good morning, sir.
Is there a problem?]"
   The police officer blinked.  "[I don't know yet, miss.  That's what I'm
trying to find out.  You wouldn't happen to be one of the movie crew, would
you?]"
   Akane glanced at Ranma, who was edging away carefully.  "Movie crew?
Ranma, what have you done this time?"  She turned back to the officer.
"[No, sir.  Why?]"
   "[I give up.]"  The police officer sighed.  "[Look, kids, I've got a beat
here.  Keep your friend out of trouble, ok miss?]"
   Akane nodded.  "Hai."
   The police officer leveled one more sharp look at Ranma, and then walked
off.  "[Right.  Mom always told me there'd be days like this.]"

   "Honestly, Ranma!  How is it you manage to get in trouble all the time?"
   "Hey, it wasn't my fault!"
   "What do you mean it wasn't your fault?!  You broke the sidewalk!"
   "Yeah, well, if you hadn't tried to get me to turn into a girl-"
   "So you're blaming this on me?!"
   "What?!"

   "They're at it again."  Nabiki slouched against a lamppost across the
street from the park, eyeing the proceedings with a faint air of boredom.
   "Oh, my."  As usual, Kasumi had a slightly vacant-yet-worried look on her
face.  The vacation had been so much fun up until now too...

   "Uncute tomboy!"
   "Pervert!"
   "Hey, I'm not!"
   "Oh yeah?"
   "Yeah!"
   "You're still a dummy!  Dummy!"
   "Tomboy!"
   "Ooooohhhh!" Akane prevented further response from Ranma by punching him
into the wall.  A loud, echoing crack sounded over the din of traffic as a
Ranma-shaped hole was pressed into the unyielding concrete.  Akane turned
away, crossing her arms defiantly.  "Stupid Ranma.  Why does he always have
to be so-"
   "[EXCUSE ME, MISS!]" The booming voice from just behind her caused Akane
to jump.  One foot slipped as she landed, and she found herself windmilling
her arms for balance as she teetered on the edge of the curb.  Cars whizzed
by, ignoring the flailing girl as she started to topple forwards into the
busy street.
   "AAAAAAAA-" Akane started to scream, but it was choked short,
"-AAAhhhhuhh?"  She felt something warm grasping her wrist tightly,
preventing her from falling.  "Thank you." she started to say, but the words
were barely starting to form when her breath was snatched away  as the
police officer who had caught her wrist now forced her facedown onto the
sidewalk.  Akane was too startled to struggle, and was quickly cuffed.
   "[You are under arrest.  You have the right to remain silent.  You-]"
   Akane lost the rest in the roaring that was building up in her head.
<Arrest?> she thought.  <Under arrest?  I can't be under arrest!>  Her
thoughts ran wildly in circles.  <What will Kasumi say?  What will Father
say?!  What will _Ranma_ say?!> She began to cry.  Fingers snapping in front
of her face brought her back to reality.
   "[I said, 'do you understand these rights as I've explained them to
you?'"
   "H-h-hai." Akane sobbed, more from fear than anything else.  She really
didn't, but felt that it wouldn't be wise to anger the police officer any
further.  In her mind, the word 'police' conjured up images of brutal
efficiency and fear.  Police were people to be careful of and always be
respectful towards.  If they commanded, you did.  No questions asked.

   Akane was good in school, and had learned a lot of English, but learning
the language doesn't mean one understands the cultural differences.


   Ranma's vision remained mostly dark, with patches of light and shadow
playing tag in his eyes.  <What happened?> he thought.
   "[-me?  Can you hear me?]"
   "[Let's get him to the hospital, Joe.  I don't think it's broken.]"
   "[Funny, that.  It should be.]"
   "[Watch that sort of stuff, man.]"
   "[Oh, he can't hear us.]"
   "Ranma!  Ranma!"  Sounds of feet running.  <Hey, that sounds like -
naaahh...>
   "[Watch it!  Joe, watch it!!!]"
   "[Huh?  Oh, sh- ooooff!]"
   "[Run for it!]"
   "Grrr....growr?"
   "AAAAAHHH!!!"  <Good ol' Pop.> Ranma thought to himself.  Foggy bits of
his brain were starting to come back online - he remembered running from
Akane, he remembered the cop, he remembered Akane talking them out of
something, then... what?  <Akane probably hit me again.> he thought to
himself.  <Crazy tomboy.>  Sounds of squealing tires, collisions, and
gunshots jolted his mind back to the present.  His vision was still a bit
wobbily, but he could make out a police car screeching to a halt at the curb
beside him.  Shakily, Ranma raised his head to get a better view of his
surroundings.
   "[Shoot it!  Shoot it!]"
   Ranma managed to get one clear glimpse of Genma-panda disappearing into
the park as bullets whanged off the gates before a sudden pain in the back
of his head sent him whirling into unconsciousness again.
   The rookie cop, half out of his seat, paled as he looked down at the
young mans head that he had just opened his car door into.  <This is not
going to look good on my report.> he noted sadly, before raising his voice
hesitantly: "Um... Sarge?"


C&C welcome, if you're interested in the rest let me know and I'll write it.

sofaspud@ior.com

Private replies only, please.