Ranma 1/2

[Paul A Gallegos]

Ranma 1/2 - A Gift For Her?!?


[Mid-afternoon at Furinkan High School. Several girls are sitting
together talking about Valentine's Day. Akane is holding P-chan.]

Akane: Really? That'd be so cool!
P-chan: Bwee!
Girl1: Yeah, I'd just die if I received something like that.
Girl2: I wonder what I'm going to get from my boyfriend...
Girl1: It'll prolly be something very romantic, eh Akane?
Akane: [somewhat distracted] Um, yeah...
Girl3: What do you think Ranma will get you? It's got to be something
very romantic, since you're his fiancee, huh?
Akane: [at the reminder of her engagement, her eyes narrow] ...
P-chan: Bwee!
Ranma: [entering room talking to some guys] No! Definitely not! Why
would I get something for a stubborn, uncute girl like...

[Ranma is interrupted as Akane bashes him over the head with a desk.]

Ranma: ...
Akane: Idiot! [picks up P-chan and walks out of room.]
Ranma: [raises his head on his elbows] She is NOT cute.

[Later that day at the Tendo household, Akane is in the dojo sitting
in front of her usual set of bricks.]

Akane: ...

[Akane remembers the events of earlier today.]
Ranma: No! Definitely not! Why would I get something for a stubborn,
uncute girl...

Akane: Ayaah! [smashes all the bricks]
Kasumi: [from dining room] Akane! Ranma! Dinner is ready!
Akane: [yelling back] ok!

[Akane enters the dining room and glares at Ranma, who in turn sticks
his toungue out at Akane and begins to chow down on a bowl of rice.
Nabiki notices this exchange.]

Nabiki: You know, Valentine's Day is coming up this weekend. [Ranma
semi-chokes on his food.] Ranma, what are you going to get
Akane? After all, it is the holiday for couples...

[Akane *glares* at Nabiki, but Genma and Soun have now taken an interest
in the conversation. All eyes are on Ranma.]

Ranma: What? Me? Get her [sticks thumb out at Akane] something? That'll
be the day.
Genma: [pounds Ranma] That's no way to treat your future wife!

[Akane suddenly stands up and walks out of the room.]

Ranma: A-Akane.

[Ryouga, who has been watching this entire exchange, steps back into the
hallway.]

Ryouga: [to himself] It looks like this is the perfect opportunity to
express my true feelings for Akane-san.

[Ryouga doesn't see Ranma walk up behind him.]

Ranma: [smirking] So. Thinking of ways to send Akane a valentine,
eh *P-chan*?
Ryouga: [flustered] I don't know what you're talking about.
Ranma: Oh you know. Box of candy. A flower bouquet. A big red heart.
But I'm sure you've thought of something better.
Ryouga: [getting angry] Oh and I suppose you're just going to give her
all the valentines that Ranma-chan is going to get. That is,
unless you want to keep all those cute things like teddy bears
and perfume and other 'manly' items...
Ranma: [pounds Ryouga and tosses him into the pond] Shut up! [walks over
to the pond and pulls P-chan out]
P-chan: Bwee! Bwee! [tries to scratch Ranma's face]
Ranma: Well, P-chan. It doesn't look like you're going to get anyone
anything for Valentine's Day.

[P-chan bites Ranma's hand, who screams in pain and pounds P-chan into
the ground snout first.]

Ranma: Bastard! Ulp. [looks up to see an expression of rage on Akane's
face] A-Akane.
Akane: Leave P-chan alone! [kicks him into the pond]
Ranma-chan: [sputtering] Why you!
Akane: hmpf. [turns and walks back inside carrying a slightly dazed
P-chan]
Ranma-chan: [muttering to herself] She is NOT cute.

[Switch to Kunou's room. Kunou is meditating in front of full-length
posters of Ranma-chan and Akane.]

Kunou: What shall I do? Akane is so lively, and thus deserves a gift
complimenting such qualities. But the pony-tailed girl is so
beautiful, and deserves a gift to that end as well. But I can't
let one gift be better than the other, lest i lose the other.
[thinks silently for a minute] hmmm. [opens his eyes and smiles]
Ah, I know now what to get you both.

Sasuke: [entering] What are you going to do?

Kunou: I shall let them both date me. Then it will be fair.

[Sasuke rolls his eyes and leaves the room as Kunou starts to babble.
Switch back to the Tendo household. Akane is in her room thinking about
today's events. She closes her eyes and puts her head on the pillow.]

Akane: [quietly] Ranma. You idiot.

[Ranma-chan is hanging upside down from the ledge outside Akane's window.
She watches her for a bit, and then finally taps on the window. Akane
looks up, startled.]

Ranma-chan: Akane?
Akane: [opening the window] What do you want? I suppose you thought I was
crying. Well I wasn't.
Ranma-chan: I, uh... just thought...
Akane: Leave me alone! [throws a book and catches Ranma-chan squarely in
the face, knocking her off the ledge and to the ground below. She
sighs and closes the window and gets ready for bed]

[Next morning at Furinkan High School. Ranma is sitting at his desk talking
to some of the guys around him. Akane enters the classroom and Ranma trails
off in his conversation as he watches her walk in and sit down. Akane
glances at Ranma, and noticing that he's watching her, turns away in a huff.
Ranma sighs.]

Ranma: [remembering the events of last night] Now what do I do?
Guy1: Hmmm? What did you say Ranma-kun?
Ranma: Hm? Oh.. nothing.
Guy2: You know, I was walking past the store today and saw a bunch of
stuffed bears and other cute things advertised as Valentine's Day
presents.
Guy1: Yeah, I noticed that as well. I was thinking of getting a stuffed
bear for my girlfriend, how about you?
Guy2: That's what I figured I'd do. How about you Ranma? What are you
getting for Akane?
Ranma: [thinking] Stuffed bears? Candy? Cards? There's just too many
things to choose from...
Guy2: Ranma-kun? Hello?
Ranma: [focusing back on the conversation] Uh... I don't know yet what
I'll get her. Excuse me, I've got to go outside. [walks out]
Guy1: You think that he had a fight with Akane last night?
Guy2: [nods] Wouldn't be the first time.

[Ranma is outside on the school grounds. He starts to sit down under a
tree but Shampoo appears.]

Shampoo: Hello, Ranma! [embraces him]
Ranma: Uh... Shampoo.
Shampoo: What are you doing tomorrow?
Ranma: Um, nothing I guess.
Shampoo: Stop by grandmother's restaurant. I'll have something for you.
Ranma: But...
Shampoo: [leaving] See you tomorrow!

[Ranma sighs and then looks around as if half-expecting Akane to pound
him. Not seeing her, he sits down sullenly under the tree and closes his
eyes to sleep for a bit. Meanwhile, Akane has witnessed the entire
exchange between Ranma and Shampoo from the upstairs window. Her thoughts
are disturbed, however, as Kunou appears behind her and hugs her from
behind.]

Kunou: [hugging Akane] Akane-san.

[Akane says nothing and calmly throws Kunou out the window.]

== Commercial Break ==

[Ranma is seen walking home by himself. He seems lost in thought, and
doesn't seem to notice the broken part of the fence in front of him.]

Ranma: Aigh! [falls into river]
Ranma-chan: [sputtering] Damn it! [sighs] Hmmm, maybe if I'm a girl I'll
think of something for Akane.

[Ranma-chan climbs out of the river and heads toward a row of stores. She
walks along for a while and then ducks into one that is carrying many
stuffed toys. Looking over them, she finally selects a medium-sized teddy
bear with a pink collar. As she is paying for it, Kunou appears seemingly
out of nowhere.]

Kunou: [attempting to hug Ranma-chan] Pony-tailed girl! [Ranma-chan pops
Kunou in the face]
Ranma-chan: What do you think you're doing?
Kunou: [seeing what Ranma-chan is buying] Ah, do you want that bear? It
is yours.

[Before Ranma-chan can say another word, Kunou whips out several bills and
pays for the bear.]

Kunou: Now when do you want me to arrive tomorrow for our date?
Ranma-chan: [angry] Just because you bought me a bear doesn't mean I'm
going to go out with you!
Kunou: Ah, [moves to hug Ranma-chan again] but you will enjoy my company.
[Ranma-chan kicks Kunou in the face] That didn't hurt.
Ranma-chan: [very angry] Pervert! I'm not going anywhere with you. [begins
to walk away but Kunou grabs her in a tight embrace]
Kunou: I cannot let you go...

[Ranma-chan throws Kunou into the horizon]

Ranma-chan: Why can't these perverts leave me alone? [notices everyone in
the store watching her and turns slightly red] Uh...
Salesclerk: Will, uh... that be all?
Ranma-chan: [nods] Um... yeah, thanks. [runs out of store]

[Back at the Tendo household, Akane is seen in the dojo again practicing
with the bricks. Cut to the dining room with Genma (in panda form) and
Soun are playing their usual game of shogi at the table. Soun all of a
sudden stops and looks up at the Panda.]

Soun: What are we going to do about Akane and Ranma?
Panda (holding up sign): Huh?
Soun: It doesn't seem like Akane is enthusiastic about Valentine's Day,
which may end up hurting her marriage to Ranma since Valentine's
Day is important to young couples.
Panda: Yeah. They must exchange gifts.
Soun: Hmmmmm.
Akane: [entering room] Where's Ranma?
Soun: [looking at Akane] He hasn't returned home yet from school. [gets
suspicious look] Why do you ask?
Akane: [noticing her father's look] Uh... no reason, really. Just wondering
if he got home by now. [walks out quickly]
Panda: There is a definite problem.
Soun: [nods] hmmmm.

[The sound of Ranma-chan returning home drifts into the dining room.]

Ranma-chan: [entering room carrying a wrapped package] Hi! Where's Akane?
Panda: She just went upstairs.
Soun: [curious] What have you got in the box?
Ranma-chan: [noticing Panda trying to sneak a look in the box] Uh, nothing
important. [keeps box away from Panda] I'm going upstairs and
take a bath. [glances over her shoulder as she leaves the room]
Soun: I wonder what was in that package...
Panda: Akane's present?
Soun: hmmm. We'll find out later tonight.

[Soun's attention focuses back on the shogi game and a look of surprise
appears on his face. Apparently the Panda had turned the board around.]

[Ranma-chan walks towards the bath dressed in her usual outfit of boxers
and tank top with a towel around her neck. As she walks past Akane's room
she stops and hesitates, listening to what is going on behind the closed
door. Hearing nothing, she continues on to the bath. On the other side of
the door, Akane, hearing Ranma-chan's footsteps approaching her door, gets
up off her bed and listens at her door. She hears Ranma-chan's footsteps
fade as she heads for the bathroom.]

Akane: [thinking] Whew. I hope he doesn't come in here for a bit.

[We see that Akane is working on a Valentine's Day present by the scraps
of paper littering the floor around her bed and desk. The scene switches
to Kodachi's room as she too is making a Valentine's Day present.]

Kodachi: [laughs] This will be the best Valentine's Day present that
Ranma-sama ever gets. He'll be so overwhelmed that he'll be
mine! [laughs] Oh Ranma-sama, you are so handsome. You should
be with me instead of that shrew Tendo girl. [she pauses for
a bit and then laughs again]

[We notice that her working area is littered with black paper and flower
petals. The scene fades as we look up and see the starry night sky.
Kodachi's laugh breaks the silence once more, and then stops. Cut to
Ranma, asleep. He has an arm around the box. Soun silently enters and nods
to the now awake Panda. Both move over to Ranma's bedside. Soun reaches
out to take the box, but Ranma turns over onto his other side, taking the
box with him. Panda then grabs the box, but Ranma turns over again,
trapping the Panda's paws under Ranma. Panda gets a worried look on his
face. Soun then grabs the package away from Ranma. Unfortunately, this
causes Panda to fall on top of Ranma, who immediately wakes up.]

Ranma: [from under Panda] Jerk! Get off of me! [throws Panda off] What
are you doing? [sees Soun trying to open the box] Hey! Gimme that!

[Panda trips Ranma as he runs at Soun. Ranma goes sailing past Soun into
the wall.]

Soun: Now to find what he's giving Akane... [Ranma dives at Soun,
knocking the box away] Eh??

[Panda catches the box, but Ranma tackles him, sending the box out the
window and into the pond, where it sinks to the bottom. Ranma looks out
the window for a bit and then turns to face Panda and Soun with an
expression of pure rage on his face.]

Soun: [backing up with Panda, hands held up in front of him with a look
of fear] Well, I think it's time for bed. [runs out of the room]
Panda: 'Night! [follows Soun]
Ranma: Oh, no you don't! [runs after Panda and Soun but crashes into
Akane, knocking her to the floor and falls on top of her]

[Akane and Ranma lay like this for several seconds, faces inches apart.
Both turn shades of red, and then Akane's eyes narrow, while Ranma gets a
look of terror in his face. The scene cuts back to the outside of the
house with the noise of someone being chased (and occasionally hit)
eminating from within. We look up and see the starry night sky for a bit
and then look down again to see Ryouga wandering through the forest outside
of town.]

Ryouga: [muttering] Where is that damn flower shop! I know it's around here
somewhere!

--------end part I


Ranma 1/2 - Won't You Be Mine?

[Morning in the Tendo household. Kasumi is in the kitchen cooking
breakfast. Nabiki is walking around with her toothbrush in her mouth.
She pauses to look out the window and sees Ranma and Genma fighting.
The scene follows them for a bit, and then closes in on the upstairs
window. Through the window, we see Akane just barely getting up. Her
finished present sits on her desk: a decorated, handmade card with
various pictures on the front as well as many hearts and paper
flowers. All in all, it's a job well done.]

Kasumi: Father! Nabiki! Akane! Breakfast is ready!
Akane: [getting out of bed] Ok! [looks around room] Hmmm. Where's
P-chan?

[Ranma and Genma are still practicing outside]

Ranma: Ha!! You're getting slow, old man!
Genma: I'm holding back!
Ranma: Sure...

[Ranma and Genma jump and attack each other in mid-air.]

Kasumi: Saotome-ojisama! Ranma-kun! Breakfast is ready!
Ranma & Genma: Ok! Aaaiiiigh! [both fall in the pond]

[Akane bounds down the stairs, followed by Nabiki.]

Akane: Nabiki, have you seen P-chan this morning?
Nabiki: Nope, sorry.
Akane: Hmmm.

[Everyone enters the dining room. Kasumi and Soun are already seated.
Ranma-chan and the Panda come in from outside, slightly damp.]

Soun: *ahem* Today, as you know, is Valentine's Day, the most...
[gets a frightened look as he notices Ranma-chan glaring at
him] Uh... we'll exchange gifts later this afternoon.
Akane: Ranma, have you seen P-chan?
Ranma-chan: Why are you worried about that stupid pig? He can take
care of himself. [aside] Or he'll wind up as Katsu-don
somewhere...
Akane: ...
Ranma-chan: [finishes eating] Well, I'll be back later. [stands up]
I've got some stuff to do. [picks up kettle of hot water
and pours it on herself and then walks out]

[The girls clean up the remains of breakfast while Soun and Panda begin
another game of Go. Cut to Ranma walking down the street.]

Ranma: [to himself] If worse comes to worse, I can always paint father
pink and give him to Akane... eh?

[Ranma notices he's walked to Cologne's restaurant. Remembering Shampoo's
words the previous day, he enters.]

Ranma: [loudly] Hello!...?
Shampoo: Ranma! [jumps over counter and hugs him]
Ranma: Sh-Shampoo.
Shampoo: I have something for you! [goes into storeroom]
Ranma: [to himself] oh boy...
Shampoo: Here. Happy Valentine's Day! [hands him a package]

[Ranma hesitantly opens the package. Inside is a bag of cookies and a
red rose. The card says simply "I Love You". Ranma forces a smile as he
pulls out the cookies and smells them.]

Ranma: Wow! [eats one] These are great! [eats another]

[Shampoo gets a wicked grin on her face as Ranma continues to eat her
cookies.]

Shampoo: You like?
Ranma: Um hmm! [looks at rose and then thinks to himself] I still
have to get Akane a present!! [gets up without looking at
Shampoo] Gotta run! I forgot I had something to do! Thanks for
the cookies! [waves back as he runs out without looking back]
Shampoo: Ranma!! Wait! [runs after him]

[Cologne's words float in the air as Shampoo follows Ranma: "Once he
eats this, the first girl he makes eye contact with will be the object
of his desire forever..."]

Ranma: [glancing over his shoulder and noticing Shampoo following him]
Damn!!

[A small chase ensues. Ranma jumps over several houses and cuts through
different alleys in an effort to lose the tailing Shampoo. He finally
ducks into an open courtyard and closes the gate behind him. Turning
around, he breathes a sigh of relief, and then he notices the nameplate
above the door. His jaw drops as he reads aloud...]

Ranma: ... "Kunou".

[Kodachi, upon hearing the gate close, goes to investigate. She sees
Ranma lean against the gate, shut his eyes and hang his head. She
quickly darts back towards her room.]

Kodachi: My darling Ranma-sama is here! [grabs her present for Ranma
from her room] Oh, Ranma-sama... one whiff of these flowers
and you will be mine forever! [laughs]

[Back at the gate, we see Ranma trying to open the gate, but it seems
to be locked.]

Ranma: Damn! I don't want Kunou to see me here... [he hears Kodachi's
laugh as she approaches] Shit! Not again! [quickly ducks into
nearby bushes]
Kodachi: [appearing] Ranma-sama? Ranma-sama, where are you? I have
something for you... [begins searching in the bushes]

[When Kodachi has her back turned, Ranma jumps up into a nearby tree.]

Ranma: [to himself] Sooner or later she's going to find me. I've got
to get out of here somehow. [the tree branch he's sitting on
cracks] Eh? Aaaah! [falls]
Kodachi: Ranma-sama!! [runs over to him and lifts his head up] Are you
all right?
Ranma: [groans] Ow. [shuts his eyes as he involuntarily winces]
Kodachi: [thrusts her present in Ranma's face] Here! This is for you!
Happy Valentine's Day, my dear Ranma-sama!
Ranma: [knocks it away] Get that out of my face!
Kodachi: [pushes it back into his face before he can look at her] What?
Don't you like it?

[Before Ranma can do or say anything, Shampoo arrives in her normal
fashion - breaking through the wall. Unfortunately, the wall falls on
top of Ranma and Kodachi's flowers, crushing them. Shampoo enters and
stands on top of the fallen wall (and on Ranma as well).]

== Commercial Break ==

Shampoo: Ranma!? [looks around] Ranma!?
Kodachi: What do _you_ want?
Shampoo: You have Ranma. Give him to me.
Kodachi: Never! He is mine!

[Shampoo ducks just in time as Kodachi sends her ribbon streaking above
Shampoo's head. A fight ensues between the two girls. Ranma, finally
awakening, takes this chance to try and escape. He crashes through the
bushes, but at that same moment a stray gymnastics ball thrown by
Kodachi misses Shampoo and knocks Ranma into the nearby pond. Ranma-chan
surfaces and finds herself looking directly at Kunou, sans clothing.]

Ranma-chan: [nervous laugh] Uh... hi.
Kunou: It's you! You've finally come to claim your Valentine's Day
present!
Ranma-chan: [backing away] Well... not really...
Kunou: [moving towards her] Do not be frightened. It is the most
wonderous gift anyone could give someone as beautiful as you.
Ranma-chan: [slightly interested] Oh? And what is that?
Kunou: [pauses for dramatic effect] ... Me.

[Ranma-chan's eyes narrow. Kunou takes a step towards her and then
Kodachi and Shampoo come crashing through the bushes. Shampoo throws
Kodachi's own hoop at her, tripping her into Kunou (and the pond) with
a splash. Ranma-chan scrambles out of the pond.]

Ranma-chan: Thanks.
Shampoo: [peers into Ranma-chan's eyes] Hmmm.
Ranma-chan: What? [backs away slightly]
Shampoo: Is there something you want to say?
Ranma-chan: Uh... no.
Kunou: Pony-tailed girl!! [dives at Ranma-chan]

[Kunou is immediately met with Ranma-chan's fist in his face and hangs
in mid-air for a moment before falling back into the pond.]

Ranma-chan: Let's get out of here.
Kunou: Wait! You cannot leave! I've not given you my present yet!
Kodachi: Where is Ranma-sama?!
Shampoo: Shut up!
Ranma-chan: Shampoo, c'mon!

[Ranma-chan and Shampoo hurriedly run out of the pond area, followed
by Kunou spouting off words of praise for Ranma-chan and Kodachi
spouting threats at Shampoo. Cut to Akane, walking down the street
with Ranma's present in her hand. As she rounds the corner, Ranma-chan
runs into her. There is a long pause as both Ranma-chan and Akane realise
what has just happened, and then, slowly, both focus on Akane's present
now lying, crushed, underneath her. Both slowly get up off the ground,
neither looking at each other. Kunou and Kodachi come running around the
corner - Kunou, seeing Akane, moves to embrace her and is quickly pounded
while Kodachi and Shampoo go after each other again.]

Ranma-chan: A-Akane. I...
Akane: [furious] Damn you!! [turns and walks away]
Ranma-chan: Akane!

[Akane ignores Ranma-chan and leaves her sitting in the middle of the
street. Ranma stands up and is about to go after her and then something
else catches her eye. She bends down and picks up Akane's torn and
crumpled present. Looking at the front, she sees a message written on
it: "To Ranma. I hope you'll be my Valentine..." The rest of the message
is missing, ripped apart with the rest of the present. Ranma-chan takes
a deep breath and then trudgingly heads home. Cut to Akane sitting at
home alone. She is watching a boy being chased on TV by a flying girl
who keeps screaming "Darling!" Annoyed, she changes it to another channel
where several people are having a party at a ronin's expense. She watches
this for a bit, and then rests her head on the table, as if trying to keep
from crying. Ranma comes downstairs, still dripping slightly from the hot
water and sees her there. He stops behind her and is silent for a while,
before quietly backing out of the room and making a lot of noise in
re-entering.]

Ranma: Ah... much better! Oh, hello Akane.
Akane: Go away. [turns back to the TV]
Ranma: Look. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what happened
earlier today. I know how much work you put into it and all...
Akane: ...
Ranma: [pulls out a red rose from behind his back] Well anyway, this is
for you. Happy Valentine's Day.
Akane: [shocked] Ranma! [softly] It's beautiful. Thank you.
Ranma: It's the least I could do...

[Akane's and Ranma's eyes lock and they seemingly draw closer together as
if to embrace each other...]

Soun: [barging in] Look! They are happy! Go ahead, kiss her!
Ranma: What?
Panda: Kiss her!
Kasumi: Isn't that sweet? A red rose for love.
Ranma: What??!? [looks at the rose]
Soun: Go ahead... kiss her!
Ranma: No way! I wouldn't kiss her if she was the last girl on earth!
Akane: Is that so? Who would want to kiss a pervert like you anyway?
Ranma: What are you saying?
Soun: Look at them, the perfect couple! [smiles and Panda nods]
Ranma: You're an stubborn, uncute girl who couldn't get anyone to kiss
you anyway.
Akane: Pervert!
Ranma: Uncute!

[Cut back to the outside of the house where the sounds of the argument
can be heard along with Soun's and Panda's laughter. We look up at the
night sky and the gathering clouds and return down to earth where Ryouga
is still wandering the countryside.]

Ryouga: Where is the Tendo dojo?? Eh? [looks up as thunder rumbles and
lightning flashes across the sky]

[We follow Ryouga's gaze and watch the rain start to fall... fade to black]

-----fin



Credits
=======
Original storyline: Paul Gallegos
Creative Editor: Charles McCarter
Pre-reader: John Joganic