Ranma 1/2: Half a loaf of Bastard
*INSERT STANDARD DISCLAIMER HERE.*
*None of these characters are mine, they all belong to their respective
creators*
Chapter 1: A New Arrival
Ranma sat on the porch of the Tendo Dojo, looking out at the koi pond. No
one was home but him, her at the moment. Akane had gone off for the weekend
on a home ec class field trip to some bakery. Ranma just hoped they didn't
let her try to cook again like last time. As if on cue, a wooden mallet fell
out of the sky and hit Ranma on the top of the head. "Baka tomboy...", she
said as she rubbed the bruise that was forming. Luckily, Kasumi had been
asked to go along as a chaperone, so maybe she could keep Akane from
poisoning half of the country. "Gee, I miss Kasumi's cooking already..."
Nabiki had gone off to a business school for the weekend, at the invitation
of a college friend that went there. "Knowing her, she'll wind up having
the school pay her to attend..." she mumbled. Still, she thought, you had
to admire Nabiki's skill at manipulating people to make money. She just
wished that she wouldn't do it to her quite so often.
Ranma sighed and leaned back on the porch, "Man, this is going to be a boring
weekend." Thunder rolled ominously even though there wasn't a cloud in the
sky. Her father was off with Mr. Tendo on one of Happosai's surprise
training trips... "No Ranma, call it what it is... Organized underwear
theft." They wouldn't be back till Monday or Tuesday probably.
"Wish I could change back..." Poor Ranma, the hot water heater was broken
again, and the repair man wouldn't be there till late Sunday, and it was
Friday now. To make matters worse, the gas lines were off because of a main
line break at the end of the block.
"At least things have been quite on the fiancee front." Indeed, Ukyou was
off visiting an old friend in Osaka and Cologne and Shampoo were out of the
country till tomorrow. Kodachi was off someplace doing something, which
would probably turn out to not be good for him.
"Wish Ryouga was here, I could use a good fight." Ryouga was lost again as
usual, "Wonder where he is this time."
Truth be told, Ryouga didn't know where he was either. He hoped Akane would
like this hat with black mouse ears he got her. Behind him, there was a big
silver sphere and a sign that said 'Welcome to EPCOT Center'.
Back at the Dojo, Ranma sighed again as she went inside to get some food.
"Well, looks like salad tonight... " Ranma began to assemble things for a
salad when she heard an explosion outside and a loud SPLASH. "Gee, someone
ELSE falling in the pond... " Ranma walked outside and saw a man with long
platinum white hair floating face down in the pond. She rushed over and
splashed in, dragging the man out. After checking for a pulse and to see
if he was still breathing, he had one and he was, she laid him out on the
porch and went back inside.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Shampoo was looking at the food that Ranma had
out, and trying to figure out how to add yet another Chinese love spice to
it. She heard Ranma returning and hid in the pantry quickly, accidently
leaving the spice on the counter top.
As for Ranma, she walked into the kitchen and finished making a salad, making
sure to make enough for the new arrival as well. She might not always act
like it, but she DID have some amount of common courtesy in her. As she was
putting things away, she noticed the spice, and after opening it and smelling
it, "Mmm, smells good.", she put a fair quantity in the salad.
As she was finishing, she heard some groaning coming from the porch and
glanced in that direction with a worried frown, "I hope he's okay...
Kasumi's not here to for first aid..." After putting the salad back in the
refrigerator and putting the spice into the spice rack, she went back out
onto the porch to check on the latest person to drop in on the dojo.
Shampoo crept out of the pantry and looked around hurriedly, located the
spice, and sped off. She couldn't risk using the spice if there were others
in the house. Last time she had tried that, Ranma had almost confessed his
love for Nabiki of all people. She'd try tomorrow, after all Ranma would be
down to the Nekohanten for food with Kasumi out of town.
On the porch of the dojo, the mysterious man was sitting up and holding his
head groaning a bit. "Oh man, that last spell of Arshe's was wild. Who knew
she got so good." Ranma peered quizicly at the man, the cleared her throat to
announce her pressence. The man whipped around and looked at Ranma as she
spoke, "Hi, I'm Ranma. Welcome to the Tendo Dojo."
The man looked at Ranma for a moment before speaking in slightly accented
Japanese, "Hello. My name is Dark Schneider."