[Ranma][FanFic] Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty - Prologue
Jim Lazar
Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty
Prologue
Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko
Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission
Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and
copyright 2000 by Jim Lazar
An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime.
For maximum enjoyment of this fanfic series, please read my Childhood of
Modern Dynasty series before reading Adulthood.
E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: mailto:jiml...@animeprime.com
Make sure to check out my Modern Dynasty website for
all released AMD stories, graphics files, and other information:
http://www.animeprime.com/ff/md
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Just a reminder: 'Birth of a Modern Dynasty' refers to events of the
original Ranma 1/2 manga and 'Childhood of a Modern Dynasty' is the
first fanfic series in my Modern Dynasty saga. These are also the names
of the books that James Davidson is writing about Akane and her family's
lives.
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>Excerpt from the New York Times, January 1, 2005
Five Years After the Blackness
By Angela Rodriguez-Davidson
(special to the Times)
Five years.
No one who lived through the Blackness can forget it, but at the same
time the scars left behind are getting harder and harder to see.
An empty lot where a high-rise apartment building once soared into the
sky. A high-rise apartment building that now stands where a block of
single family homes once overflowed with playing children. A single
family home that now stands where a corner bar once greeted its patrons.
A bar that now stands where a park once provided an escape from urban
life. A park that used to be a garbage-filled lot. The scars are being
covered over one by one.
And then there's Florida.
It isn't there anymore.
At least not as people knew it.
And not by that name.
The Miami where I was born, raised, and returned to raise my son is
gone. It is now at the bottom of the South Florida Sea, itself a
poignant reminder of what happened. Undersea exploration teams have
mapped the ruins of southern Florida and discovered what most people
already knew.
Florida isn't there any more.
The huge blast--which was calculated to be millions of times stronger
than
the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima--sent a shock wave rippling
across Florida, destroying everything in it's path. Examination of the
rubble that lines the floor of the South Florida Sea reveals that the
blast didn't leave much recognizable in its wake. Like the other blast
sites around the globe, no trace of radioactive fallout has ever been
detected in the ruins of Florida or the mysterious black dust that was
left behind.
Most of southern Florida is now under water. The few fragments of the
former Florida Keys that survived are now barren rocks jutting above the
ocean's surface. No one lives there. No one wants to. The recently
renamed Florida Memorial Keys will now only remind people how far south
Florida used to extend. The only things present on the Keys are the over
five hundred thousand white markers placed to honor those who lost their
lives to the Blackness. No one knows who put them there on the two-year
anniversary of V-B day (Victory over the Blackness), but no one has
questioned their appropriateness or dared remove them. In fact. after a
hurricane in 2003 the markers were blown away and had to be replaced.
When the U.S. Government hesitated and started discussing a more fitting
memorial to place on the Keys, the public took over. Within a month,
donations collected around the world allowed larger and stronger markers
to be set in place by thousands of volunteers. Still simple white
rectangular pillars, but made to last.
South of the old Keys, Cuba and the other Caribbean Islands were
devastated by the tidal waves generated by the blast. Cuba ended up
shielding the smaller island nations to the south and east of it from
most of the force of the tidal waves. So while Cuba and the Bahamas took
the brunt of damage and the casualties, the other islands were only
subjected to collateral damage.
Just north of the Florida Memorial Keys, several small isles now
surround the spot where the First Monolith stood. They are made up of
left over debris that accumulated around the blast site. From space the
isles appear as a vague bulls-eye. Very appropriate that.
Northern Florida didn't suffer nearly as much damage in comparison to
southern Florida, but only when you considered that the fact that it was
still mostly above sea level. Buildings and structures were torn apart
by high winds, flying debris, and the avian creatures that fell from the
sky. Although the U.S. Government has long since given the all clear for
people to start returning and to rebuild, many people--the same people
who routinely evacuated and returned after countless hurricanes without
giving it another thought--have decided not to return.
So the state of Florida effectively had a population of zero in January
of 2000.
History will have to decide if it was the right decision, but in 2003
the U.S. Government and the remaining government of Florida decided to
dissolve the state and divide its remaining land between Alabama and
Georgia. The missing star on the United States flag will forever remind
people that Florida isn't there any more.
Until we forget that the fiftieth star was there in the first place.
* * *
In less than a year, Walt Disney World will reopen after being virtually
destroyed during the destruction of Florida. Disney has undertaken the
task of rebuilding not only the theme parks and hotels at the resort,
but also rebuilding the roads, airport, and infrastructure since they
are effectively working from a blank state due to the amount of
destruction caused in ninety-nine.
Some people have complained about the vast amount of land Disney bought
from the government, but no one else wanted it. Not even Alabama and
Georgia. It was only after a long drawn out political battle, legal
challenges, and a promise by the U.S. Government to pay for the
reconstruction of the land that Disney didn't want, that Alabama and
Georgia agreed to accept the land.
And I know I don't want it.
I haven't been back to where Florida used to be since I narrowly escaped
the explosion of the First. I've decided not to return to it now because
I want to be able to always remember it the way it used to be when I
took my son for a walk on the beach, or a trip to the original Disney
World, or to his favorite lake near Kissimee.
I can't take my new daughter to that lake, because that lake is now part
of the South Florida Sea. I can only tell her about it when she's older.
I'll have to find someplace else to make new memories with her, my son,
and my husband.
Memories.
That's where Florida lives for me.
* * *
The Moon.
For untold thousands of years, Mankind has looked up at it and saw the
same unchanging features. It was a comforting sight in a world that kept
changing around us. Comparing photographs of the old Moon and the new
Moon clearly shows what the blast from the First Monolith did to one of
the only constants in human history.
Constant until five years ago, that is.
In addition to other minor craters and features created when the Moon
burned, the two large explosions dug out two craters that are easily
seen by the naked eye. According to leading scientists, the dust cloud
surrounding the Moon will eventually settle back to the Moon's surface,
but for now it reminds us of how close the human race was to extinction.
In some ways, those blemishes will remind us more of the Blackness than
the destruction of Florida. We can repair and cover over the scars left
on Earth from the events of ninety-nine, but the Moon will forever show
its wounds to those that watch from Earth.
Scientists have speculated that the monolith in Florida used the shock
wave to convert the matter that made up Florida into energy that it then
fed into the golden beam that blasted the surface of the Moon. But they
have not been able to explain what the purpose of that beam was. Close
examination of photos of the Moon's surface taken before and after the
blast has revealed that there was a monolith on the surface of the Moon
at the exact spot where the beam hit. Considering the calculations that
would be needed to hit such a precise spot on the Moon from that range,
there can be no doubt that was an intentional act by the creatures.
Was it a simple power exchange, a signal, or something more? Whatever it
was supposed to do the explosion of that monolith on the Moon created
the large crater we now know as Florida Crater and it's smaller newborn
sibling. Although there have been some arguments over calling the
smaller one 'Hope Crater', almost no one has complained about
remembering Florida with the larger crater's name.
The explosion also caused the smaller explosions and blasts that forever
transformed the Moon's surface. Of course, the returning energy from the
explosion on the Moon finished off what was left of Florida.
Not long after the events that devastated Florida and the surrounding
areas took place, the Second Monolith exploded and destroyed a sizable
area of northwestern Tokyo.
Almost like a chain reaction, the Third Monolith followed suit and
destroyed a desert canyon that was never on any maps to begin with.
Fortunately for the residents of Tokyo and for some unknown reason, the
other monoliths did not appear to have anywhere near the amount of
destructive power as the First.
Pieces of the puzzle.
But do we have all the pieces?
* * *
The desert canyon--now known as the Canyon of the Blackness--in the
Middle East where the Third Monolith was discovered was unknown before
ninety-nine. Investigators believe that the desert sands must have
hidden it until the creatures uncovered it. Others believe that the
creatures blasted it out of the desert rock themselves. Considering what
else they did, that isn't completely out of the realm of possibility.
There are conflicting reports of how the Third Monolith came to be in
that canyon. Several members of a cult worshiping a resurrected 'Son of
God' claimed their 'Lord' parted the water, moved the monolith by his
will alone, could strike down unbelievers with a evil glare, and created
the canyon with huge bursts of black energy. Others say the monolith
exploded out of the ground to create the canyon. And still others say it
must have dropped out of the sky from the Moon and caused the canyon to
crack open from the impact.
There are those that claim this false-god was connected to the
creatures, some theorize that he might even have been their leader. But
since descriptions of the man vary greatly depending on whom you
ask--and in some cases how much they've drunk to be able to talk about
their experiences--it's hard to determine what the truth is. While many
people claim that he was a short, balding, middle-aged African, others
say he was a tall, good-looking teenage Asian boy. A good percentage of
the people interviewed insist that he was actually a short, curvaceous
girl. Even hair color seemed to vary depending on who you asked; black,
red, blond, and even purple was mentioned by those people who were
interviewed. This reporter tends to think the mention of him being a
large furry black and white animal--a panda most likely--is more than
likely caused by stress, than an accurate report by one of the former
followers of the false-god. The only known image of him or her known to
exist is a very low quality camcorder video smuggled out from one of his
'masses'. So far, no one has been able to identify the figure shown in
the static filled video.
Then there was the very small group of women armed with strange weapons
who reportedly appeared and fought the false-god and the creatures that
emerged from the Third Monolith. Although these women did not identify
themselves, most researchers believe they are related to the 'Chinese
Amazons' who appeared around the other two monoliths and helped combat
the creatures.
Like the other Amazons, they used various bladed weapons including what
one witness described as "the biggest darn spatulas I've ever seen", but
most researchers have indicated that description is probably referring
to either a large scimitar or maybe even a mace of some sort that just
happens to look like a spatula.
Witnesses also reported that the Amazons near the Third Monolith
generated fireballs from their hands in order to combat the creatures.
Although these 'fireballs' weren't seen in the other places that the
Amazons were seen fighting, some witnesses reported unusual wind
patterns around the Amazons as they fought alongside the world's armies.
Even after five years of sorting through all the reports and videotapes
of the events of ninety-nine, the reports are hard to reconcile into a
consistent picture of who and what the Amazons are.
* * *
The Chinese Amazons. Who are they, where did the come from, and where
did they go?
The Chinese government denies any knowledge of the Amazons and efforts
to track them down since they disappeared have failed. All that is known
about them is that they are strong warriors, all women, apparently know
about the creatures from their legends, speak Mandarin, and are almost
always described as 'unusually well-endowed' by witnesses. If not for
the video footage of the Amazons in battle that collaborates this
particular physical trait, this reporter might put that particular
description down as overactive imagination by young men in a stressful
situation.
So where are they now and why did they leave when the battle was over?
No one knows.
All they left us with was a name for the Blackness that engulfed the
Earth.
Buyierfei.
* * *
Buyierfei. In Mandarin, it means 'disappear without a trace'.
Ironically, that's exactly what they did after the Three Harbingers
exploded.
They are organic, that much is known. Based on reports by the soldiers
who fought hand to tentacle with the creatures and lived to tell about
it, the Buyierfei have a tough leathery hide which encloses a
honeycombed, gel-like substance than makes up most of their internal
structure. Some large masses were also noted and appeared to be organs
of some sort, but since the bodies dissolved into dust soon after being
killed scientists have not been able to make any first hand
examinations.
Their primary weapons are their long tentacles, which range in number
from six to at least twenty-six as shown in one photo taken during a
battle in Tokyo. The tentacles can be formed into a sharp point to
pierce, flexed to tear, or coiled to strangle. Some of the
creatures--but not all for some reason--have been seen to generate balls
of black energy that can burn through flesh and steel in seconds if
concentrated enough.
If that wasn't enough, they are invisible until they touch you. Barring
wounds--in which case you can see the black blood as it floats in
mid-air--the Buyierfei are invisible to both the human eye and to all
manner of electronic detection. At least to all the technological
methods of detecting them tried during the last days of ninety-nine.
One scientist has remarked after examining all that is known about the
Buyierfei that they are "the perfect killing machine".
Through first hand experience, this reporter has to agree with that
assessment.
And that's only the land variety. The flying 'avians' come in at least
two types: a small, fast moving form and a large, slow--but
powerful--large form. The last form was responsible for large explosions
as they plummeted to Earth. Living bombs, as one researcher described
them.
One other type may exist, but it has never been seen. Scientists have
detected a sharp decrease in the amount of marine life spreading out
from where Florida used to be. Although originally thought to be due to
some sort of contamination or from the blast that destroyed Florida, the
current theory is that when the First Monolith disgorged the land and
avian Buyierfei, it also released some sort of aquatic creature into the
oceans. Hopefully, we will never know for sure.
Why hopefully? Because the Buyierfei would have to return to confirm
that theory.
And no one wants that.
* * *
Of course, no one is counting on just hope.
The world's governments are reportedly preparing their armed forces in
case the creatures return. For instance, sword-fighting skills are now
taught to all soldiers, old and new.
Despite these preparations, some critics doubt the armed forces would be
able to defend against the Buyierfei should they return. They point to
how badly outnumbered the armed forces were and how weapons designed to
kill humans proved only marginally effective against the black demons.
Unfortunately, humans once again used those weapons against humans in
the madness that followed the Blackness. The human madness that is.
Although fighting the almost insurmountable numbers of attacking
Buyierfei depleted their resources and caused large numbers of
casualties, the job of the world's armies didn't end when the black dust
settled. As well as helping with rescue and cleanup efforts in 2000, the
military forces were called on to help quell the riots and looting that
followed the explosion of the Three Harbingers. If that wasn't enough,
the small regional skirmishes that broke out as one group or another
decided to take advantage of the situation added to the world's problems
and changed the world as we knew it.
Knew it before the Blackness, that is.
In addition to the smaller military engagements that broke out in Cuba,
Iraq, India, Brazil, Israel, Congo, and Costa Rica, the biggest military
confrontation came in early 2001 when a full-scale war broke out in
Colombia between the government and a group of drug cartels. The drug
cartels banded together and attempted to take advantage of the confusion
following the Blackness to take complete control of that South American
country, foregoing their years of bribery and other forms of control
they used to run that country from behind the scenes.
By the end of that war, Colombia looked a little like the southeastern
United States did after the Blackness. The drug cartels had lost, but so
had the people of Colombia and the international force sent to fight in
that war. No one knows--or have not revealed if they do know--where the
drug cartel obtained the nuclear bomb that leveled Bogata (the former
capitol city of Colombia), but they know it ended that war.
They just aren't sure who won.
The leaders of the drug cartels were dead, but no one celebrated the
end. They were too busy treating the wounded and burying the dead.
Much like what the human race did after the Blackness: Treated the
wounded and buried the dead.
But unlike the leaders of the drug cartels, we don't know if the
Buyierfei are gone for good. We don't even know why their Monoliths
exploded and why the black creatures turned to dust afterwards leaving
only destruction and questions behind.
Was their mission accomplished?
Did they even have a mission?
Did something or someone stop them?
And will they return?
* * *
Life goes on.
We rebuild out of the ashes and continue our daily lives as best we can.
We can hope that the Blackness won't return, but we can never be sure.
So we remember.
We remember the dead to give us strength to go on.
We remember the Buyierfei to give us strength to fight should they
return.
We remember what the Moon looked like to give us strength to rebuild our
own world.
We remember our old world to give us hope for the future.
We remember.
I won't forget, but will my children remember? What about my children's
children?
What about the World's children?
* * *
Angela Rodriguez-Davidson is the author of the best-selling book
'Buyierfei: Fact and Fiction' detailing her first hand experiences with
the Buyierfei and the First Monolith. She has also collaborated on
several movies based on the events surrounding the Three Harbingers.
***********************************************************************
January 1, 2005 - Nerima, Japan
The sun was peeking through the morning fog and bathed the
immaculate streets of Nerima in its golden glow. A boy in his early
teens rode a bicycle down a pothole-less street and past a four-story
school building. The new Furinkan High School had been in use for less
than a year, so it still looked brand new. Since no Tendos or Saotomes
would attend for at least eleven years, it would probably stay looking
new for at least that long. Hopefully.
The boy on the bicycle tossed papers from his heavy bags as he made
his way past a row of businesses, pausing briefly in front of a fancy
French restaurant that had been one of the first buildings rebuilt along
the street. The large sign for the restaurant read 'Mon Carnard Deux'
and a smaller sign by the front door read 'Tendo Enterprises (upstairs,
down the hall, first room on the left)'. He craned his neck hoping that
the owner would walk by one of the upstairs windows in one of the myriad
of skimpy outfits she had. "Damn, no tip for me today." He sighed.
<Well, that outfit last week was worth more than anything my other
customers give me.> He dropped off the paper and rode away as a white
duck opened the door and picked up the paper in its beak. <That is one
well-trained duck.>
He continued his route, not even pausing at the little shrine where
an okonomiyaki restaurant used to stand. There were dozens of similar
shrines spread across Nerima and many times that across Japan. The
Blackness had taken its toll on Japan, physically and emotionally.
He pedaled up a small hill and rang his bike's bell as he
approached the clinic at the top of the hill. Unlike the old clinic's
boxy appearance, the new building was very traditionally styled and had
a single story clinic in front and covered walkway that led to a two
story house where the newlyweds and their young son lived. Well, if you
can consider people who have been married five years newlyweds, which
the residents of that house still did. Young people in love rarely use a
calendar to keep track of their feelings.
The paperboy smiled as a smiling woman appeared at the front door.
"Morning, Mrs. Ono."
Kasumi smiled. "Morning, Jitaru. So what's going on in the world
today?" She held out a rice ball to the young boy.
"Thank you, Mrs. Ono." The boy traded the newspaper for the rice
ball. "A lot of remembrances of V-B Day mostly." He took a bite of the
rice ball and savored it. "Hmmmmm..." <Well, maybe this is a better
tip.>
Kasumi smiled sweetly and patted her large belly as she felt a
kick. "Nice to know everything is so calm."
"Thank you for the rice ball... see you tomorrow!!" The boy waved
as he sped off on his bike.
Kasumi patted her belly again. "Calm down in there... everything is
alright." She turned around and returned to her home to cook breakfast
for her family, a slight limp noticeable as she walked.
The paperboy continued his route until a spear landed in front of
him. He swerved to the left and then to the right to avoid the next
spear. After dodging an assortment of sharp objects, he screeched to a
halt in front of a tall, buxom woman who was dressed in armor.
"Halt, who goes there!!"
The boy smiled. "It's me, Jitaru."
The woman remained impassive.
"The paperboy?"
No reaction.
The boy sighed. "Do we have to do this every day, Nipplering?"
Nipplering just stared at the boy.
The boy rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry my parents won't let you marry
me, okay?"
Nipplering fingered her sword.
The boy cringed. "Maybe when I'm older... we can... you know... go
on a date?"
Nipplering smiled.
The boy sensed a trap.
"Okay, Jitaru."
The boy relaxed, but remained cautious. <I wonder why she's been
hounding me ever since that day I knocked her out with that large Sunday
paper?> He glanced at the gates and fence around the Tendo and Saotome
residence--although most locals called it the 'Compound', including
those that lived inside--and noticed the other warriors dressed in armor
sitting on the turrets that made up the corners of the fence. "Are you
sure you girls aren't the real Chinese Amazons?"
Nipplering shook her head. "I've told you a thousand times, we are
just the Nerima branch of the 'Chinese Amazon fan club'. We only dress
this way for fun," she explained, repeating the standard cover story
Akane and her husbands had decided to use for the Amazons. So far it had
worked. Of course, it helped that there really was a worldwide Amazon
fan club that dressed in armor and reenacted the battles that took place
at the end of ninety-nine. Nipplering found the national meetings of the
Japan branch very interesting whenever she went. Mostly because of all
the things the fan club members got wrong. <I don't know why they seem
to think we're all lesbians.>
Deeod and Rant chose that moment to steal a kiss in the turret they
were stationed in.
The boy glanced at the spears that had just tried to perforate him.
"Uh uh... okay." <I could do without the 'tip' of these spears.> He
pulled out the four papers--two for the Tendo house and two for the
Amazons--and handed them to Nipplering. "Here's your papers."
"Thank you." Nipplering took the paper and turned towards the
gates, pausing briefly to watch the paperboy ride away. Some might say
she was being overly cautious to make sure he left without incident, but
she knew better: She just liked the way Jitaru's butt wiggled as he
pedaled away.
-A- -M- -D-
Later that morning, Ranma walked into the family room rubbing the
stubble on his chin. "Wha'cha doing?" He stretched his arms out and let
out long yawn.
Akane smiled and looked up from the paper she was reading. She was
dressed in a beautiful robe that Ranko had gotten her for their fifth
anniversary months earlier. The robe covered Ranma's recent gift for
their own anniversary which they were currently celebrating, but it's
best not to go into details about that particular present in mixed
company. "Just reading an article by some American who was in Florida at
the end of ninety-nine."
"Do you really want to read that today? Everyone left the house so
we could have some time alone for our fifth anniversary." Ranma winked
and bent down to give his wife a long kiss.
Akane had to take some deep breaths to catch her breath after the
kiss finished. "I know... but it's hard to avoid hearing or reading
about it. This day will always be remembered as the day the Earth
emerged from the Blackness, you know."
Ranma frowned as he knelt down next to his wife. "I still don't see
why we can't tell everyone that *WE* saved the world."
Akane giggled. "We've been over this many times already. We could
tell everyone, but what if they want us to pay for the damage the
exploding monoliths caused? We did technically blow up two of them."
"Well, we don't have to tell them that part," Ranma muttered.
Akane wrapped her arms around Ranma and gave him a long kiss.
"Despite the seemingly impossible odds against it, I'd like our children
to grow up in as normal a family as possible."
Ranma caressed Akane's thigh and started to work his way up it.
"What odds? We seem perfectly normal to me."
Akane put her hand to Ranma's cheek. "There was a time I'd have
thought you were being serious, my lovable idiot."
Ranma smiled and leaned Akane back onto the floor. Slipping her
robe open in the process. Her red teddie--what there was of it--made its
appearance. "We are as normal as we say we are." He made to kiss her
lips.
"Daddy!!"
Two startled heads snapped around at the sound of the voice. As a
little redheaded boy ran into the room, four hands tried to close the
robe. They were only partly successful. The bottom closed, but in the
process of closing the top, Ranma snagged the red teddie and the robe in
his clumsy attempt to cover his tracks and ended up exposing Akane's
chest.
The red headed boy blinked. "Why is Daddy naked?"
"Um..." Ranma was lost for words as he tried to explain to the
little boy. "Well, Daiji, it's... well..."
"Get up, Ranma," Akane hissed between clenched teeth.
Ranma looked down. "Oh... um... sorry." He slid off his wife,
allowing her to close the top of her robe.
But not in time to prevent a snide comment from a new arrival in
the doorway. "I really didn't get Akane that robe for your pleasure,
Ranma." Ranko smirked at her brother as she walked in carrying a small
boy wrapped in a blanket.
Ranma glared at Ranko. "You were supposed to be away until
tomorrow, Ranko." He did not sound happy, to put it mildly.
A three and a half-year-old girl with long, black hair scurried in.
"Yohachi got broke!!"
Akane eyes snapped fully open and she jumped to her feet. "What?"
She was at Ranko's side in a heartbeat. She ran her hands over Yohachi's
head and checked for bruises and contusions, both of which were common
in her family. And extended family for that matter.
"I'm afraid he had a little fall and broke his leg." Ranko sighed.
"Again." She slid the blanket and revealed a small cast around Yohachi's
lower leg. "Dr. Tofu said it's just a minor fracture and should be good
as new in a few months."
Akane fingered the cast and then brushed Yohachi's black hair. "How
are you, dear?"
Yohachi looked up at his mother with a tear stained face. "Daiji
pushed me down the stairs!!"
"I did not!! You fall when you yanked my hair!!" Daiji yelled back
angrily, causing his short red hair to bounce.
Akane sighed and looked at Ranma and mouthed 'sorry'. She reached
out and took Yohachi into her arms. "There... there."
Ranma smiled and picked up Daiji. "Did you push your brother?"
"No!!" Daiji blurted.
"Good girls don't lie."
Daiji looked down at his body, as if to verify something. "I'm a
boy!"
Ranma stifled a laugh. "Good boys don't lie either."
Daiji considered this for a second, before replying. "Well, I might
have pushed him... a little bit. But... but it's his fault for pulling
my hair and causing me to fall into that fountain!"
Ranko's eyes narrowed. "I didn't see that part." She looked at
Yohachi. "How many times have I asked you not to tease your big sister?"
Yohachi scrunched up his face. "I... I... I'm sorry."
Akane smiled and nodded to Daiji. "Tell your sister."
Yohachi looked over at Ranma and Daiji. "Sorry, Sis."
"Me too..."
Ranma smiled and rubbed a dirty spot on Daiji's face. "You'd all
better go get cleaned up." He put Daiji down and then swatted his little
backside.
Akane and Ranko nodded and took Yohachi and Daiji down towards the
wash room.
Ranma looked down at his three-year-old daughter. "You too."
The little girl smiled broadly and held out her arms towards Ranma.
"Play!!"
Ranma laughed. <I was hoping to play with Akane today, but what's a
father to do?> He bent down and lifted her into his arms. "What do you
want to play, Ayami?"
Ayami dug into a pocket on her little dress and pulled out a little
rag doll. "Let's play with Baka-neko!"
Ranma shuddered. <Calm... remain calm.> A drop of sweat rolled down
his forehead and onto the little kitty rag doll, which was about the
size of Ranma's hand. "Don't you want to put that back in your pocket
and play something else?" Ranma suggested.
Ayami thought for a few seconds, looking between the doll and her
father. "No."
Ranma sighed. "Okay..." He hefted up a little in his arms and
walked towards the door. <If I ever find out who gave that doll to her
I'll...>
"Meow!!" Ayami purred wiggling the doll in front of Ranma's face.
Ranma shuddered. <Remain calm, it's just a piece of fabric filled
with beans.>
Ayami suddenly smiled and wrapped her arms around Ranma's neck. "I
love Daddy!"
Ranma smiled at his daughter. "And I love Ayami!" As he gave her a
peck on her forehead, he remembered the conversation he had been having
with Akane. <Yup, maybe we can be a nice, happy, normal family after
all.>
Just then, a naked, redheaded girl ran by being chased by a taller
redhead, whose clothes were soaking wet. "Daiji!!"
"Mommy can't catch me!!" Daiji taunted as she turned the corner.
Ranko's eye twitched as she chased her daughter down the hall.
Ranma laughed out loud. "Well, a happy family at least."
***********************************************************************
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[Entry aaaa.0000.0000.0001]
From the Journal of James Davidson
May 15, 2058
Well, here's my first journal entry on my new TendoWrist 5000.
Ack, that sounded lame. How do I delete on this new thing anyway?
Ah, well.
The keyboard is a bit funky, but hopefully I can get used to it. I
tried to get the Reis to find me an old 3500c like my old palmcard that
I've been using for over seven years, but they talked me into using the
newest wristpad model from Tendo Enterprises.
I have to admit it's a great little system. The holo-displays are
rock solid, the memory capacity is more than I'll ever need, it's
smaller, and it isn't uncomfortable to wear on my wrist, unlike the
older wristpads.
I've been through a lot as I researched and wrote Childhood of a
Modern Dynasty. I just sent the--hopefully--final version out to my
editor a week ago. No angry calls from him yet, so he might actually be
happy with it. Finally.
Now if only I could decide on how to start Adulthood. I've done
some preliminary research and even talked to Akane about some of the
events that followed two thousand, but it's still difficult to decide
where to begin.
Hanaki poked her head into the room. "Are you ready, honey?"
I looked up and smiled at my wife. "Yeah." I stood up and walked
into the hallway. My jaw dropped. "Wow."
Hanaki smiled and spun around to show off her tiny--and I do mean
tiny--black strapless dress. Even seven months pregnant, she looked
stunning.
"What about mine?" Jaki stepped into view and struck a pose. "Pick
up your jaw, James."
I shut my mouth, but I don't think it was open that far. Jaki's
dress was almost identical to Hanaki's, but Jaki filled it out just a
bit more on top. I'd better not mention that to either of them since
Hanaki's been pretty moody about her looks since she started showing. I
think that's why she picked a dress that you rarely see pregnant women
wearing. "You both look gorgeous."
"Wait till you see Grandma in hers." Hanaki winked.
I hope Hanaki was kidding. Kasumi was a beautiful woman, but I
don't think she'd go for a low cut mini-dress like the ones Hanaki and
Jaki were wearing. Of course, she has been showing off her repaired hips
whenever she's had a chance, so who knows.
-A- -M- -D-
"How's that for a eighty-year-old thigh, James?"
I gasped as the skirt was pulled up and revealed Kasumi's thigh.
Kasumi swatted Jaki's hand away and pushed her skirt down. "Jaki,
please don't expose auntie's thighs." She straightened the hem of her
long skirt.
I laughed. "The doctors did a good job."
"Thank you. " Kasumi smiled and then looked at Jaki. "Everyone here
has already seen my new hips, there's no reason to do that."
"Just wanted to show off those sexy thighs. I hope mine look that
good when I'm eighty." Jaki winked at Kasumi.
Kasumi blushed.
I chuckled and looked down the length of the private tube car we
were travelling in. Like all tube cars, it floated soundlessly down the
tube tunnel on an electromagnetic cushion. Of course, most tube cars
weren't as luxurious as this one. It basically reminded me of the rear
cabin of the old Tendo One, before it was destroyed of course.
Comfortable seats and conversation areas were located down the length of
the tube car.
Akane and Sanma were having a conversation in one of the areas now,
although it was more of an argument.
"Come on, Sanma, put a dress on. It's an important night for
James," Akane insisted, holding a black dress out to her husband. She
was wearing a dark blue dress with a long skirt similar to Kasumi's long
black dress.
"No, my tux is fine," Sanma insisted, straightening the bow tie on
her black tuxedo.
"Come on, old man, just wear the dress," Yohachi chided from the
other side of his mother.
Sanma glared at Yohachi. "You wear it!"
Yohachi shook his head and pulled on his tux's collar. "I may hate
this tux, but I don't have the body for a dress."
"Brat."
Akane sighed in resignation. "You're hopeless. Ranko loved to dress
up."
Sanma grinned. "I'd call it a bad influence from Ranma."
Akane giggled. "Ranma never... well almost never... wore dresses
after we got married."
Sanma smiled and flipped her white pigtail back. "Which is why I
won't either. Everyone will stare at me and laugh at me like that time
Ranma..."
I laughed, but stopped when Sanma glared at me. "Sorry, but I
always thought you were the type to want to draw attention to him or
herself."
Akane chuckled and restrained her husband's protests. "He is, but
he still hasn't gotten over all the boys who used to send him love
letters, so he still resists being seen in public in anything that may
give anyone any dirty thoughts."
Sanma looked at her wife. "As I recall you got quite a bit of fan
mail from the drooling fanboys too."
"Not as much as Ukyo did."
"Well, she had those long legs that boys like."
Akane scrunched up her face. "Ranma loved my legs."
Sanma slid her hand up Akane's thigh. "So do I."
"What about these gams!!"
We looked around to see Jaki flipping up Kasumi's skirt again.
"Jaki, stop picking on grandmother's legs!!" Hanaki snapped and
pulled Jaki away. "You're just upset that she was voted the 'Best legs
in the Compound' last month."
Jaki grinned devilishly. "Well, if I had a butt lift I could easily
regain my place at the top of that list!"
Hanaki laughed. "If that scrawny butt gets any tighter, you won't
be able to use the bathroom."
Jaki staggered back, as if hit by a nasty putdown. Suddenly, she
jumped forward and got my wife in a headlock.
Bad move.
Hanaki bent down and flipped Jaki across the tube car. An
impressive feat in her condition.
Jaki smiled as she performed a graceful two-point landing. "If you
weren't pregnant, I'd wipe the floor with you."
Hanaki laughed as she walked over and gave her best friend a hug.
"And what's your excuse for all those other times I've flipped you?"
Jaki looked at me. "James, your wife is picking on me!"
I laughed. "Yeah, I can see that."
"Well, do something!"
I nodded and stood up. I walked over to my wife and gave her a
kiss.
"That isn't exactly what I meant," Jaki muttered, and flipped back
her long, black hair.
-A- -M- -D-
The tube car slowed to a halt, rocking its passengers forward
slightly. I stood next to the door with Hanaki on my left and Akane and
her husband to my right. The others all waited behind us.
I gulped loudly. Akane was used to this, but I wasn't.
"Take it easy, James, I'll speak first and then you can." Akane
patted my shoulder to calm me down.
"I'll be okay," I replied, betraying my nervousness with a slight
rise in pitch of my voice.
Hanaki squeezed my arm tighter to reassure me. "You'll do fine.
This is your big moment."
I smiled at my wife and then Akane. "Let's go." I nodded towards
the doors. We took a step forward and the doors slid open.
We were immediately attacked by a horde of reporters asking a
mixture of questions that couldn't be understood in the cavernous tube
station.
Then Sanma lit up a chi ball and held it in front of her.
The reporters went silent really fast.
Sanma smiled and looked at his wife.
Akane had a look of annoyance and at the same time mild amusement
on her face. She smiled at the reporters. "Now that we have your
attention, I have a statement to make."
Cameras, microphones, and wristpads snapped to attention, but no
one dared advance on us again.
"I am very proud to come to the premiere of the first Birth of a
Modern Dynasty movie based on the book by James Davidson, my dear friend
and the father of my future great grand nephew." Akane looked at James
and then at Hanaki, who blushed and self-consciously touched her
pregnant belly.
A reporter opened his mouth to ask a question, but shut it when
Sanma raised her hand menacingly and focused some more chi into the
ball, causing it to glow brighter.
I could tell Akane was resisting the urge to smile at her husband's
reporter control tactics. "I will *NOT* be answering questions now.
Maybe a couple after the movie, but only if you behave. This is Mr.
Davidson and his wife's day. My family and I are just here to see a good
movie."
Sanma smiled. "Actually, we're going to heckle everything they get
wrong."
Some of the reporters chuckled at that.
Akane smiled. "Now then, I present to you Mr. James Davidson,
author of my and my family's life story." She gestured at me.
I was kind of amazed at how she remained so graceful under
pressure. But then maybe this wasn't pressure for her, she had
experienced worse than a horde of rabid reporters. Much worse. I smiled
and looked at the reporters. "Thank you all for coming. I... I
appreciate it. When they first approached me to do the movie based on
Birth of a Modern Dynasty, I wasn't sure they could accurately portray
it, but judging by what I've seen of it so far, they have."
The first question came from the crowd. "So you haven't seen the
movie?"
I shook my head. "Not in it's entirety. I've approved the script
and seen a lot of rushes, but never had a chance to see the whole thing
yet."
Hanaki smiled. "My husband's been too busy finishing Childhood of a
Modern Dynasty."
"When does that go on sale?"
Plug time. "My publisher says July 10th."
"Will they make that into a movie too?"
I nodded. "They have an option on it, but they also have two more
Birth movies to make."
"So, you're saying this movie premiering today is only part of
Birth?"
One of the other reporters answered that question before I could.
"What do you think the 'Birth of Modern Dynasty: Part One' means,
stupid?"
The original questioner slunk back into the shadows.
"Why weren't Sanma or Ranko included in the first book?"
I had been expecting that question, because it comes up every time
I make a public appearance. You'd think they'd read the author's notes
of the book where that's explained, but for some reason no one ever
seems to read those. "It's quite simple, Ranko and Sanma-" I glanced at
Akane and Sanma, exchanging a knowing grin with them. "-had not...
arrived in Nerima yet. They will be prominently featured in Childhood-"
"Which goes on sale in two months," Sanma helpfully reminded
people.
I smiled and continued. "All I can say is that if you think Birth
had some surprises, Childhood will really make you question what you
think you know about the Tendos and the Buyierfei."
"Speaking of that, some people were disappointed that the first
book started so far before the Buyierfei appeared and didn't even cover
their appearance, why was that?"
"After talking it over with the Matriarch and looking at the events
that followed, I decided I had to start where Ranma and Akane first met
for the story that follows to make any sense. At the core of Birth and
Childhood-" I looked at Akane. "-is a love story, so you really had to
see how their love developed to understand the woman you all know as
'The Matriarch' and I know as my friend, Akane. I had planned to include
more in the first book, but Akane gave me some surprises during our
interviews for the first book." I glanced at Akane. "And some doozies
for the second."
Akane smiled devilishly. "You haven't heard anything yet, James."
Somehow I knew she was right.
-A- -M- -D-
We sat in the downtown Tokyo holo-theater that had been chosen for
the world premiere and watched the opening credits float across the
holo-stage. Like most modern holo-movie theaters, the actual movie was
displayed on a large stage in front of the audience. They had
experimented with three-D screens when the technology became available
to make holographic movies, but that didn't give the depth and visual
appeal that an image with real depth provided. So the designers of the
holo systems returned to the 'stage' approach. A tall and deep stage was
packed with holo emitters and recreated the image of the scenery and
actors so accurately that some people swore they were really actors on
the stage. Well, until you turned the power off. Of course, most modern
holo-movies varied the size and positions of the shots, so the actors
were rarely life sized on the 'stage', but they did appear very lifelike
otherwise.
This had the advantage for the theaters as being something that
most people couldn't duplicate with their home holo systems, thus
ensuring paying customers. I had jokingly asked if they wanted to
premiere the movie in the large theater that the Tendos had in the
Compound, but was told the producers wanted it to be a public event.
This was, of course, understandable, but that did mean we had to run the
gauntlet of reporters and crowd that gathered to see Akane and her
family.
When my name appeared on the stage, Hanaki started to clap and was
soon followed by the rest of her... no our family. I felt my face heat
up in embarrassment.
Then a hushed silence came over our group as a young redheaded girl
with a pigtail leapt into view and kicked the stuffing out of a panda. I
was amazed at how realistic the CG panda looked, since they had yet to
put it into the rushes I had seen.
I heard Akane gasp and looked at her. I could see her intently
studying the movements of the 'Ranma' on the screen. Even though she had
'A' Ranma sitting next to her, I know a part of Akane considered them
separate people and felt the loss of the other two deeply. In a way, all
three of her husbands were in that little redheaded girl on the screen.
And with computer effects, they had perfectly reconstructed Ranma's face
on the actress playing his girl-side.
"I wasn't that busty," Akane commented a short while later as her
alter ego walked in on Ranma in the bath.
"Sure you were," Sanma commented and stole a kiss from his wife.
"You showed more flesh when you walked in on me though." He nodded
towards the towel 'Akane' had draped over her chest and lap on screen.
I smiled and leaned over to whisper to them. "I insisted that they
not actually show any nudity."
"My wife not built well enough for you?"
I shook my head. "No, I just didn't think it was appropriate for
the 'Matriarch' and 'Great Hero' to be seen running around naked.
"I appreciate the thought, James," Akane said and smiled at me.
Then she looked up at the screen. "Uh.. oh. This is going to hurt."
There was some laughter as Akane bashed Ranma over the head with
the table.
"My first bruise from the love of my life," Sanma commented.
I smiled at that. Shortly after, the audience booed as a certain
poetry spewing boy appeared on screen and challenged Ranma.
Kuno didn't exactly go down well in history despite Akane's
attempts to make his role in events during the Black Wars seem out of
his control. I can't really say one way or the other, since I haven't
heard the full story from Akane yet.
Ryoga got a better reaction from the viewers. That likely was due
to his frequent 'good will' tours where he would go out and visit with
people during the height of the Black Wars. Of course, those tours were
really just due to him getting lost and asking for directions.
Probably the biggest reaction was when Ranma got his first kiss,
but not from Akane.
Sanma grimaced and wiped his mouth off. "I hate that jerk."
"Let it rest, Sanma, it was over sixty years ago."
Sanma grumbled something I didn't quite catch.
-A- -M- -D-
Ranma took Akane into his arms and held her close. "Akane, I have
defeated the evil one and retrieved your bra!!" He handed a very small
bra--also known as a training bra for pre-teen girls--to Akane and then
stomped on Happosai's head again. Just to make sure he was defeated, of
course.
Akane pounded Ranma into the ground with a mallet. "I'm not that
small, you idiot!!"
The audience laughed and applauded as the end credits started to
roll. We started to rise, but sat back down when they started showing
bloopers from the filming.
Akane and the rest of her family members got a great kick out of
them.
In the near-kiss incident with Akane and Ranma during the ice
skating sequence, the actors--who looked a little unusual without the
digital reconstruction used to make them look like Akane and Ranma--lips
neared each other just before the Tendos and panda interrupted. Akane
looked at her family and then back at Ranma. "Oh, who cares about them."
She leaned forward and gave the actor playing Ranma a long kiss.
'Ranma' got a devilish smile on his face after the kiss ended.
"Marry me, Akane!"
'Akane' batted her eyelashes. "Okay, you stud!"
The real Akane sighed. "If only our courtship was that easy."
During the bath scene blooper, Akane started to laugh hysterically
at the naked Ranma. "What's so funny?" he asked.
"Sorry... I just can't understand how Akane could resist this guy."
'Akane' winked and looked at the well-built actor in front of her.
The real Akane smiled. "I couldn't..."
Probably the funniest blooper was when male Ranma raced onto the
set in a lace teddie and panties.
The director's voice was heard. "Um... Shin, you're supposed to be
in your red outfit for this scene."
'Ranma' looked down at his outfit. "Are you sure?"
"Quite sure, the teddie scene is this afternoon."
'Akane' giggled. "He just likes wearing woman's underwear, that's
all."
"I do not! I'm all man!!" 'Ranma' spoiled his statement when he
adjusted his panties, which were riding up on him.
"Boy, that actor really nailed me," Sanma remarked while adjusting
her bra.
Akane laughed and kissed her husband.
-A- -M- -D-
The reporters ambushed us again as soon as we left the theater
where we had just seen Birth of a Modern Dynasty: Part One. "What did
you think of the movie, Matriarch?"
Akane looked at me and then at the reporters. "It was fun to
remember those good times and I think the actors did very well in
portraying my family and me. It was a little rushed at times, but an
enjoyable look at my early days with Ranma."
"Mr. Davidson, you said that you hadn't seen the finished movie,
what did you think?"
I smiled and stepped forward. "I was very grateful they stuck so
closely to the book and to the script I approved. I know a lot of people
disbelieve some of the events in Birth, but they did happen."
"Mr. Kounji, what did you think?"
"Well, the part when Mikado kissed me was really gross."
"You mean kissed Ranma, don't you?"
"Um... yeah." Sanma looked at me and winked.
We had agreed not to spill the beans on the splits until Childhood
was published. I had a hard enough time convincing my editor that it was
real and then to convince him that they shouldn't use it to advertise
the book. Some surprises are better kept surprises. Or so Akane keeps
telling me.
More questions and answers followed until one really unexpected one
was asked. "Mrs. Ono, what did you think about your husband being
excluded from the movie?"
Kasumi trembled and looked a little awkward. She wasn't used to the
amount of attention Akane got, so I started to answer for her. "Um, Mrs.
Ono was con..."
"That's okay, James," Kasumi said as she stepped forward. "I was
disappointed when James told me the screen writers didn't want to
include him, but I understand that they had a lot of story to cover in
this first movie." She looked at me. "I'm more than happy with how James
wrote about my late husband in both his books."
I smiled at Kasumi, realizing she must have read Childhood. I don't
know exactly who in the Compound has read the final version of
Childhood, but it is in the public part of the Compound's system for all
to read. I figured they shouldn't have to wait to read it like the rest
of the public since it is a part of their families' history. And they
probably know most of it anyway.
The next question stopped all of us in our tracks. "Do you think he
married your granddaughter just to get closer to your family so he could
get material for his books?"
I was so stunned, that I couldn't even think of replying.
Akane and Sanma exchanged an astonished glance, as if they couldn't
believe someone would ask such a thing.
Hanaki frowned and took a step forward, ready to respond. By the
look of her expression, that response might not be very diplomatic.
Hanaki's rage was interrupted by Kasumi's calm response. "No. I
know he loves my granddaughter with all his heart. I could see it before
they could." She looked lovingly at Hanaki and me. "Sometimes it's
easier to see the love between others-" Her gaze shifted to Akane and
Sanma. "-than to recognize your own love for someone."
Hanaki smiled and snuggled up to my side. "I couldn't have put it
better myself. James has made me very happy and will be a great father
for our son."
I smiled and hugged my wife. "What they said."
"Mr. Davidson, aren't you just making money off the Tendos just
like your grandmother did?"
I frowned. I really didn't like the way these questions were going.
I could handle the snide remarks or people who thought I might be
writing the books and marrying Hanaki for the fame and fortune, but my
grandmother couldn't defend herself anymore. "I won't deny that the
first book and the payments for the movie have made me a wealthy man,
but I will deny that I *OR* my grandmother have ever exploited the
Tendos or the events surrounding the Buyierfei. We had a story to cover
and to tell. We both reported it and told it as accurately as possible."
Akane started to speak, but I waved her off. This was my fight.
"And I really don't appreciate you dragging my grandmother into
this. She got her family though some difficult times and helped tell the
world of those times, she deserves more respect. Now then, any questions
about the movie?"
"What ever happened to that Shampoo?"
I smiled as the conversation shifted back to safer ground. "You'll
have to read Childhood to find out. That's one of the surprises."
"Matriarch, did you ever find yourself attracted to Ranma's
girl-side?" The reporter looked at Sanma as he asked his question.
Akane opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a high
piercing cry.
I looked at Hanaki to make sure she hadn't gone into labor. It was
two months early, but you never knew with this family. But she was
scanning the area for the source of the cry like everyone else around
us.
"Crap, two by two defense. Keep them away from Kasumi, Hanaki, and
James," Sanma called out and jumped into the air with a chi ball in each
hand.
Akane was right behind her husband. "Protect the innocents at all
costs." She glanced at Sanma. "Even the reporters, honey."
Sanma grumbled something.
Akane jumped into the air and soared over the reporters' heads,
laying down a barrage of chi balls at nothing.
Well, there was nothing until they hit and caused invisible
Buyierfei to flash into existence as they were blown apart.
"Here we go again."
As the battle began, I realized that this was just another part of
being a Tendo. Be it by blood, by marriage, or by proximity, one's life
was never dull as a member of this family.
[End - Prologue]
Coming soon: Chapter 1: Growing Up Cursed; One Small Step
=======================================================================
The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings:
Well, here we go again. Adulthood is filled with problems for everyone,
Akane and her husbands more so. Hold onto your keyboards, the Black Wars
are coming.
Be sure to check out the AMD Additional Information page on my website
for a family tree (as known at the end of CMD) and before and after
diagrams of Florida.
http://www.animeprime.com/ff/md/amdindex.html
I'd like to thank my pre-readers David Johnston, Michael A. Chase,
Reaver, and Thomas C. Kinnen for helping me find and fix problems with
this story. FFML members Xstylus, Firethorn, Jourdan Bickham, and
Thierry Chartrand-Chamblay were also helpful in fine tuning this story.
Thank you all. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters
are my fault.
Revision 0.0 - Rough draft began (March 8, 2000)
Revision 0.1 - Rough draft finished (March 21, 2000)
Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (May 17, 2000)
Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (June 2, 2000)
Revision 1.0 - Final version (June 25, 2000)
Revision 1.1 - First RAAC posting (July 6, 2000)