[MB/Ranma][FanFic] Mustard Girl - Episode 1: Miki's Strange Family

[Ratbat]

A Marmalade Boy alternate history crossover

MUSTARD GIRL

Episode #1
Miki-chan no Hen na Kazoku

by Urac Sigma

A. KISSATEN.

[Fairly average-looking coffee-house. Meiko and
Miki are here, both wearing their school
uniforms.]

MEIKO: I don't understand, Miki...I thought your
parents got along really well! [Pause] [sad] Not
like mine...

[Miki, in a major league fit, doesn't notice the
tangent.]

MIKI: They were! They are! They should be! This is all
ridiculous!

[She jabs a button on her little robot/memo-
keeper.]

MIKI [Distort]: Papa to Mama no baka!!

[Miki fumes in agreement with her recorded
self.]

MEIKO: ...and didn't they just go on that trip to
China?

[Miki slams her hands on the table.]

MIKI: China? That trip to China was the cause of it
all!

MEIKO: Un...did they have a fight while they were over
there?

MIKI: Iie. No, that's not what happened...

[Flashback to:]

B. MIKI'S FIRST LIVING ROOM.

[The living room of Miki's old house from the
first episode of Marmalade Boy. Miki is here,
sitting opposite her mother Rumi and her father
Jin, drinking tea.]

RUMI: Aa nee, Miki...?

JIN: We want you to listen. Please don't be
surprised.

MIKI: Ee?

[Her parents announce, happy as anything:]

RUMI & JIN: We're thinking of getting divorced.

[Miki all but spits out her tea.]

MIKI: !

[The room spins for poor Miki-chan.]

MIKI [VO]: That was certainly an exciting event. [Pause]
But that was...

[She leaps to her feet, angry.]

MIKI: Na-nani o sore?!?

MIKI [VO]: It's always the same old thing. I suffer every
day.

JIN: It happened on the trip we just took to China.

RUMI: A couple on the same tour as us...we're
completely compatible.

JIN: During the activities, Mama fell in love with
the husband, and I fell in love with his wife.

[Miki's eyes just bug out.]

MIKI: Ko...koi?

RUMI: Soonendo.

JIN: The four of us discussed the situation, and
decided to exchange partners.

MIKI [Thoroughly livid]: Partner exchange?! You've got to
be kidding! What are these people's names,
anyway?!

JIN: Their names are...Mr and Mrs Saotome.

TITLE SEQUENCE.

[At the end of Koi o Wakaranai, we hear the
jingle that used to herald Ranma episode titles,
and a character announces the title.]

MIKI [VO]: Miki-chan no Hen na Kazoku.

1. MIKI'S FIRST LIVING ROOM.

[This picks up right where the pre-titles left
off.]

MIKI: I'm not listening to such an idiotic story!

[Jin and Rumi are still smiling happily.]

JIN: Oh, don't think that the love between us has
disappeared, Miki-chan.

RUMI: No...but now it's not so much of a romantic
love.

[They start to forget Miki in this
conversation.]

JIN: Ee...it's more like brother and sister. We've
been like this even since before we got married.

[This is also a line from Koishikawa Miki's
original anime home, Marmalade Boy. It does raise
one question: If her parents feel like they are
brother and sister, what does that say about Miki
herself?]

RUMI: Yes...and by doing this, we avoid adultery,
which isn't very nice at all...

JIN: So...this is the best way...

[Miki slams the table.]

MIKI: Stop kidding around!

[Her parents look shocked, and a little sad.]

JIN: Na...nani?

MIKI: Please! Change things back to normal!

RUMI: Miki-chan...with the Saotomes, we both felt
things we hadn't felt in a long time...please,
forgive us.

2. KISSATEN.

[Miki has dug little holes in the table with her
fingernails through telling this story.]

MIKI: How am I supposed to forgive something like
that?! How can anyone!? They've always been
strange, but this...? Grrr!

[Meiko clearly thinks it's great.]

MEIKO: What's wrong with it? I think it's funky. If I
had parents like yours, I'd love to have two
sets of them!

MIKI: You wouldn't say that if they were your
parents...

MEIKO: No. I mean it. [Solemn] Your parents are a lot
better than mine. Even if it is only like a
brother and sister, at least your parents still
do love each other. Mine...they don't. Not
anymore. The only reason they don't actually get
a divorce is because of the money...and they
don't want people to talk about them.
That's what makes your parents so good. They
don't care about that. They just do what makes
them happy...when your parents can't even make
themselves happy...it's really painful to grow
up like that.
I don't ever want to get married, not if that's
what it leads to.

MIKI: Meiko... Now I understand why you never go out,
even though you're so popular.

[Meiko waves a dismissive hand and is instantly
bubbly again.]

MEIKO: Nee! Just because I don't want to get married, it
doesn't mean I don't like men!

[Miki face-faults.]

3. STREET WITH JUNK JUNGLE.

[On this street we see a second-hand
store/coffee-shop called the Junk Jungle. We
hear a crash, then the owner of the store cries
out:]

KIJIMA [VO]: Oi!!

4. JUNK JUNGLE.

[We open to see a large panda and a red-haired
girl in a frilly blue dress at each other's
throats. She grabs a chair and swats it across
the panda's head. He, in turn, throws a clothes-
rack at her. In short, they're beating the crap
out of each other. At the counter, Kijima, that
with-it store guy, is getting rather cross.]

KIJIMA: Hey!! Stop it!

[Neither appear to take any notice of him.]

GIRL: Get off! I'm not wearing this stuff!!

PANDA: Graaarrr...!

KIJIMA: Stop it, or I'm calling the keikan!

GIRL: It's your fault I'm this way in the first
place!!

[The panda suddenly holds up a wooden sign,
reading: You're just as much to blame.]

GIRL: The hell I am! You were doing all the leading!

[The panda instantly holds a new sign: But
you'll still need new clothes!]

[Kijima's eyes widen. But they're behind his
shades, so we can't see them.]

KIJIMA [VO]: It's the panda's fault she's this way? She'll
need new clothes...? [Pause] Is this chick
pregnant to her panda?

[In a thought bubble by his head, Kijima briefly
has a mental picture of the red-haired girl
cradling a cute little baby panda.]

GIRL: I'll wear what I like!

[She kicks the panda quite viciously into the
wall, and Kijima snaps out of it.]

KIJIMA: I'm not going to warn you again!

[His only reply is getting hit in the face by a
thrown hat. He ends up below the counter. Once
there, he shakes his head and reaches for the
phone.]

KIJIMA: I gave her fair warning. If she can't control
her panda, she should leave it at home.

[We hear a new voice in the shop.]

NEWCOMER [OOV]: Stop.

[Kijima has dialled half a number, then realises
that the chaos has, in fact, stopped. He scowls,
and rises above the counter. Both the panda and
the girl have stopped fighting to turn to the
new entrant to the store: a woman in her
forties, looking very matriarchal, and holding
an outstretched katana.]

FORTIES: [Sigh] I'm beginning to think I can't take you
two anywhere.

GIRL: But, Okaas--

FORTIES: I don't need to hear it right now. Even if
you're not going to do it all the time, you will
need the clothes for it sometimes. [Beat] I dare
say that this man has already asked you to leave
his shop.

[Kijima nods slowly.]

FORTIES: And I hardly blame him.

[Both of them look kind of sheepish. The woman
gestures with the katana.]

FORTIES: Come on, you two - outside.

[The girl and the panda leave the shop. The
woman turns to Kijima.]

FORTIES: I'm so sorry about this. My son can be
quite...enthusiastic at times.

[She bows and exits.]

KIJIMA [VO]: Her son? But didn't the girl call her...? Maybe
the panda's hers as well as the girl... That
must be one interesting family.

[Shaking his head, he gets to clearing up the
mess.]

5. STREET WITH JUNK JUNGLE.

[The woman from indoors is here, lecturing the
girl and the panda.]

FORTIES: You two have really got to learn to behave
yourselves! You're not on the road anymore - you
can't just start beating the stuffing out of
each other every time you have a disagreement.

GIRL: But I'm a martial artist! That's what I do!

[The woman sighs heavily.]

FORTIES: Oh, dear...that's not all there is to being a
martial artist. Just what were you being taught
all this time? [To the panda] I knew letting you
handle the upbringing was a mistake...I should
have at least made you promise to be responsible
or something...

GIRL: Hey! Quit talking about me like I'm not here!

[The panda growls softly, but the woman holds up
her hand.]

FORTIES: Not now. We've got a dinner to get to, so we'd
better get changed. You two especially. Now,
come on.

GIRL: Hai, Okaasan.

[The panda holds up a sign that reads 'Yes,
dear.']

FORTIES: Mmmm...I think you'd better get used to not
calling me that...

[The panda rearranges his sign to read 'Yes,
Nodoka-san.']

[Nodoka smiles sweetly, and leads them away.]

6. MIKI'S FIRST LIVING ROOM.

[Miki picks up a ringing telephone.]

MIKI: Moshimoshi?

[Wipe to:]

7A. MIKI'S FIRST LIVING ROOM. SPLIT-SCREEN.
7B. GINTA'S ROOM. SPLIT-SCREEN.

[In Ginta's room, unsurprisingly, sits the good-
looking youngster known as Ginta. He is dressed
in tennis gear, and has obviously been at it not
long ago.]

GINTA: Miki-chan?

MIKI: Aa! Ginta!

GINTA: Miki - you didn't show up for practice today.
Are you all right?

MIKI: Hai! I just...[trails off]

MIKI [VO]: What can I say? No way can I tell him it's
because I'm going to dinner to meet the new
couple my parents are going to marry. It'd be so
embarrassing to talk to Ginta about the weird
things my family's doing!

MIKI: I...had to get ready for something. Gomen - I
should have told you. [Quick] Aa, see you at
school tomorrow!

[Miki hangs up the phone dead fast. Cut to:]

8. GINTA'S ROOM.

[Ginta stares at the dead receiver. Dissolve.]

9. RESTAURANT.

[A big, six-seating table. Drinks are already
served, but Miki's parents have evidently got up
to do something, as Miki is here alone.
Frustrated and bored, she slips the chopsticks
out of their paper sheath. As they are the
joined-together cheap kind, she goes to pull
them apart. They're a bit on the incredibly
cheap side, as they won't come. She pulls and
pulls, and eventually it gives: with the motion,
her arms go flying to the side, and she knocks
over the wine of the person to her right. She
panics. First, she rights the glass and pours
what's gone into the saucer on the table back
into the glass. She then dries the saucer on the
tablecloth. Then, she picks up the serviette
(that has also been soaked), and wrings it out
into the glass.]

JIN [OOV, off]: This way...we've already ordered drinks.

[Miki gives a final surge of panic, mops up the
chair as best she can, then replaces the
serviette with her own. She looks up as five
people arrive at the table. Two are her parents.
The third we recognise as Nodoka, last seen
brandishing a katana. The fourth and fifth are a
middle-aged man who looks unused to wearing his
suit, and a boy of Miki's age, wearing a red
Chinese shirt. Jin beams happily.]

JIN: Miki-chan...these are the people we met on our
trip. This is my soon-to-be-wife, Saotome
Nodoka.

[Lays a hand on Nodoka's shoulder.]

NODOKA: Konbanwa.

[Rumi puts an arm around the bespectacled man's
waist.]

RUMI: And this is the man I'm going to marry, Saotome
Genma.

[Miki just sits there looking rather stunned.]

MIKI: Ha...hajimemashite...

[Genma smiles broadly and slaps the boy on the
back.]

GENMA: And this is our son, Ranma...

[He says something else, but we don't hear it.
We see through Miki's eyes as she finally pays
attention to Ranma. Everything acquires a
startling blue tint, and the background becomes
a pattern of hearts and flowers. Miki's eyes
glaze over.]

MIKI [VO]: Ara...he's so cute...

[She follows his movements, mesmerised, as he
takes a seat. Suddenly she snaps out of it.]

MIKI [VO]: Dame! I can't be thinking of romance at a time
like this! If they've got a kid my age, then
he'll feel the same way I do about this whole
mess!

[She turns to Ranma, having trouble focussing as
she does so. In the background, the parents are
having their own conversation. Glenda only knows
what it would be about.]

RANMA: Hey.

MIKI [Sotto]:Ranma, neee?

[Ranma nods.]

RANMA [Sotto]: Hai...Miki?

MIKI [Sotto]:Ee. Listen...what do you think about all this?

RANMA [Sotto]: Well, I was in China not so long ago, so I
was hoping we'd maybe eat at a French re--

MIKI [Sotto]:Not the restaurant! This crazy idea our parents
are having! Wanting to exchange partners!

RANMA [Sotto]: I've gotta say it's pretty weird, yeah. I'm
not exactly in love with the id--

MIKI [Cuts him off]: Good. Then you're with me. Sumimasen,
minasan!

[They all turn to Miki. Genma is caught in mid-
gesture, using his hands to describe how big it
is.]

MIKI: I think it's best for everyone all round if I
just get this straight out. We both think that
this whole idea of exchanging partners is sick!
We're completely and totally opposed to the
entire thing! And neither Ranma here nor myself
are going to stand for it!!

RANMA: Ano...that's not what I said.

[Miki's anger loses flow, and she turns to him.]

MIKI: Nan de?! But you said---

RANMA: I said it was a bit weird. I said I wasn't in
love with it. I don't remember saying that I was
completely opposed to it.

[Miki now looks very embarrassed, and registers
the stares the parents are all giving her. They
look a little hurt.]

RUMI: Miki...we're all very sorry that you're upset,
but...we're happy now.

JIN: Yes...we're not hurting you in any way, are we?

GENMA: It's not as though Nodoka and I are bad
people...

[Miki looks slightly guilty. She casts a look at
Ranma. He gets up and whispers in her ear.]

RANMA [Whispers]: Listen...ever since I was a kid, Oyaji's
been all over me, training me in Musabetsu-
school martial arts. He's done all kinds of
stupid things in his time when he's supposed to
be 'educating' me. So if he's found a woman that
he wants to settle down with and he'll leave me
alone, then that's fine by me!

[Miki makes a nervous little squeak.]

NODOKA: Miki...it doesn't really sound like you've given
the idea full consideration.

[Miki, seeming to debate whether or not to start
tears, sinks back in her chair, drawing her
hands across the table as she does so. This
action causes her to knock another glass:
Ranma's water. It tips over, right onto Ranma
himself...then no sooner has the water hit the
martial artist than his physical form has
changed. Sitting there, looking alarmed and
slightly embarrassed is the red-haired girl we
saw at the Junk Jungle.]

MIKI: Aaaiiieee!

[She looks back at the parents, but they give
little reaction. Evidently they were prepared
for this. Ranma looks down at herself.]

RANMA: Uh-oh.

MIKI: Na...na...na...NANI?!?

[Jin sighs and buries his face in his hands.]

JIN: We were going to tell you about this, Miki...

MIKI: What?! That you're marrying the parents of
a...of a...[brain snaps]...of aaaa....

GENMA [Self]:To think I wanted to raise him to be a man...

[Ranma hears this, and throws the rest of her
water over Genma. He suddenly becomes the panda
we saw in the Junk Jungle.]

RANMA: Yeah, a chip off the old block, nee? A panda
amongst pandas, was it?

GENMA: Mrowf!!

RANMA: That's easy for you to say!

[Genma holds up a sign: You just watch it, boy.]

NICOLE: [Sigh] Not again...

[The other two Saotomes start laying into each
other.]

MIKI: Wa...wakaranai. What happened?

RUMI: Genma's told me this story many times. It
happened on the last training trip Genma took
Ranma on...in China, just before he rejoined
Nodoka and they went on the same tour as us...

[Flashback to:]

10. JUSENKYOU.

[Pan across a sky, eventually finding three
figures standing in a clearing amongst some
mountains. Zoom in on the three figures to
reveal that they are Genma and Ranma, both
wearing gis, and a bald man dressed as a guide.]

RANMA: What, is this it?

[He looks out across the various ponds before
him. On the parts of ground between them, there
are tall poles.]

RANMA: This is the 'legendary feared training ground of
Jusenkyou'?

GENMA: What were you expecting, boy?

RANMA: Something other than a bunch of poles and some
ponds. You know, as in something that didn't
look like it could be put together in the vacant
lot at home after a trip to the garden centre.

GUIDE: Okyaku-sama! Please do not underestimate this
place!

[He holds up a sign saying 'Jhusenkyou' in
Chinese.]

GUIDE: Jusenkyou is very dangerous place to train.

RANMA: Yeah, whatever.

[Genma points upwards.]

GENMA: Nonsense, boy. This place has many...

[He is walking forwards while looking upwards.
Not a bright thing to do at Jusenkyou.]

GUIDE: Okyaku-sama! Please take caution! You could fall
into--

[Genma obliviously walks straight into a spring
and disappears from sight.]

GUIDE: Aaaayyyaaahh!

RANMA: What? What happened? It's just a pool!

[Guide holds up a sign saying 'shongmaoniichuan'
in Chinese.]

GUIDE: Honourable father has just walked into
shongmaoniichuan. Two thousand years ago, a
giant panda drowned in that spring. And since
then, anyone else who fall in there...

[He trails off as Genma rises up once more. As a
panda.]

RANMA: ...comes out as a panda.

GUIDE: Yes.

RANMA: Chikusho.

GENMA: GRAAAA! MARF! ROWR!

GUIDE: Many apologies - there is no cure. Hot water
will change you back, but only until you next
get wet---

RANMA: You hear that, Oyaji? This is what you get for
coming to weird places that you don't even know
what they are!

[Genma growls, then leaps onto one of the poles,
making 'come and fight me' gestures.]

RANMA: Nani? You still want to train? Get real, Oyaji.

[Genma looks at him aggressively.]

GENMA: GRRAAAAA!!

[He leaps down from the pole, taking a flying
kick at Ranma. He misses, hitting the ground
just by his feet, as Ranma flipped himself into
the air anyway to avoid it.]

RANMA: Ha! Still too slow, old man.

[He whirls in mid-air, realising where his
course is taking him.]

RANMA: AAAUGGHH!

[Down into another spring.]

GUIDE: Oh no! Okyaku-sama!

[He goes and bobs down by the spring. Holds up a
Chinese sign that reads 'Nyanniichuan'.]

GUIDE: Okyaku-sama! You just drop yourself into
Nyanniichuan - where young girl drown, 1500
years ago.

[Onna-Ranma splashes out of the water.]

GUIDE: See - you turn into a girl.

[Ranma looks about, opens the top of her gi,
sees her breasts, and screams.]

[End flashback.]

11. STREET WITH RESTAURANT.

[We see the door being slammed closed behind
Ranma and Genma. The other four are already
waiting for them.]

[Panda sign: What a brusque fellow.]

[Ranma nods.]

[Jin and Rumi are walking close to Miki.]

RUMI: Miki...you still seem very upset.

[Miki, near to tears, stops and has an
outburst.]

MIKI: I can't take this anymore! I love...I love both
of you! Very much! And the thought of having to
be separated from either one, I...it just... I
don't want it to happen!

MIKI [VO]: There. That should do it.

[There is a long pause. Rumi and Jin look at
each other.]

JIN: Oh. Ja, Miki-chan...you won't need to worry
about it.

MIKI: I won't?

[Her parents' new spouses catch up with them,
and they stand with their arms around each
other. [Yes, Genma's still a panda.]]

GENMA: Of course not!

RUMI: We've decided to get...

NODOKA: ...one big house...

JIN: ...and all six of us can live together!!

[Miki's eyes start spiralling, and she sways
where she stands.]

MIKI [Feeble]: How...nice...

[She faints. Dissolve.]

12. BEFORE SCHOOL.

[Meiko is walking towards the school building,
lost in her thoughts.]

MIKI [OOV]: Meiko...!

[Meiko waits for her friend to catch up with
her.]

MIKI: Ohayo!

MEIKO: Ohayo. How's your new house? You were moving in
with your new family over the weekend,
weren't...you...

[She trails off as she realises Miki is hushing
her.]

MEIKO: What's wrong?

MIKI: It's so embarrassing! You're the only one here
who knows about how warped my family is, and I
want it to stay that way!

MEIKO: Ja...you can trust me!

MIKI: My home life might be completely insane, but at
least at school I can still be normal.

[Ranma-kun (male) walks up behind her.]

RANMA: Hey, Miki.

[At first, Miki sighs at the handsome vision
before her. Then she realises what this actually
means, and all but jumps out of her skin.]

MIKI: What are you doing here?!!

[Ranma shows her his bag.]

RANMA: Going to school. What else?

MIKI: But...but...

RANMA: I know, I didn't expect it either. But Okaasan
and Oyaji figured that since I wouldn't be on
the road training all the time, it'd be a good
idea.

MIKI: But why this school? Why not Tomobiki? Or
Furinkan? Or Degrassi? [Little laugh]
Gomenasai.

RANMA: This is the closest one. It doesn't look too
bad, I guess...

[Miki starts to adopt a look of switched-off
panic, with Ginta arrives.]

GINTA: Miki!

MIKI: Ginta!

GINTA: Miki...Na-chan says that since you weren't at
practice, there's a few things he wants to go
over with you.

MIKI: Ee...hai! I'll go now! Mata nee, Meiko-chan!

[She follows Ginta away. Ranma stares after
them.]

MEIKO: Akizuki Meiko.

RANMA: Nan? Oh. Saotome Ranma.

MEIKO: Miki's told me all about your two families
living together. It sounds so great to me!

RANMA: Ah, it's not that exciting. [Beat] Who was that?
Is he Miki's boyfriend?

[They don't notice that the clouds above are
looking rather heavy.]

MEIKO: No...he was once...kind of, but he dumped her in
middle school. They're just friends now.

RANMA: Right...and Na-chan?

MEIKO: That's Namura-sensei, our teacher! He's a great
teacher. In fact, he's very good all round!

RANMA: Sooda.

[Meiko looks up.]

MEIKO: Nee, I think it's about to rain.

RANMA: Nani!? Oh, th--

[It does rain. All over Ranma. He changes. Meiko
just stands and goggles at her.]

RANMA: Ja, well so much for keeping that one a secret.
I guess I'd better go and finish registering. Ja
ne!

[Meiko stares at her as she goes.]

MEIKO: Ja...ma...ta.

13. DOORWAY.

[From a doorway, Ginta watches as Ranma-chan
runs off. His eyes look a little bit glazed
over. From his POV, we see someone go up to
Meiko.]

14. BEFORE SCHOOL.

[Meiko is standing here, getting quite wet.
Someone we can't quite make out comes up behind
her.]

SOMEONE: Sumimasen.

MEIKO: Un?

SOMEONE: Where's that girl going?

MEIKO: What? Oh. She thinks she's going to register,
but actually she's headed for the library.
[Beat] Never mind, I'm sure someone there can
tell her where to go...

[Still distracted, she moves off. The figure
goes in the direction that Ranma did.]

15. DOORWAY.

[Ginta moves back, obviously considering
something.]

GINTA [VO]: She's...but did she really just change like
that? Or was it the light?

[Yes, Ginta. The kind of light that makes your
entire body structure change.]

[Miki emerges from the doorway, evidently having
gone over whatever she had to with Na-chan. She
notices Ginta's gaze.]

MIKI: What's wrong, Ginta?

GINTA: Were you with a guy or a girl just now?

[Miki thinks [amazingly enough], then decides to
dodge the issue.]

MIKI: Meiko's a girl. You know that! [Laughs]

[Ginta is about to ask again when he notices a
newcomer. They're not quite in shot. They tap
Miki on the shoulder.]

MIKI: Hai?

[They point to where Ranma is disappearing into
the library.]

SOMEONE ELSE:That is Saotome Ranma?

MIKI: Hai.

SOMEONE ELSE [Self]: Finally...good thing!

[They go.]

16. LIBRARY.

[Ranma enters the library, trying to shake
herself dry.]

RANMA: Man...stupid martial arts training. I should
have gone into video instead...

[She walks on for a bit, then realises she is
surrounded by books.]

RANMA: Hmm...somehow I don't think this is reception.
I'll just have to ask someone the way.

[She turns to find herself face-to-arm with a
long-haired youth leaning against the bookcase.]

RANMA: Aa!

MIWA: Hey...why don't you ask me the way?

[Ranma starts to fume, as she quickly realises
what the guy wants.]

RANMA: I'll manage!

[She tries to move around him, but somehow he's
already there.]

MIWA: Oh, I'm sure you'd at least like a tour of the
school. Then maybe of a movie theatre...

[Ranma steps right back and tries to overcome
the sheer futility of her next statement.]

RANMA: Listen!! I'm a guy!

[Miwa smiles.]

MIWA: Hey! We've got something in common, then!

[Ranma notices the figure emerging from behind
one end of the bookcase.]

SOMEONE ELSE:You stop there!

[Judging from Miwa's reaction, she turns to see
someone come out from the other end, as well.]

SOMEONE: What do you think you're doing with my fiance?

[On Miwa's justifiably surprised reaction.]

END CREDITS.

[Over which is played Platonic Tsuranuite.]

Written and created by
URAC SIGMA

Based on
Marmalade Boy created by
YOSHIZUMI WATARU
and
Ranma 1/2 created by
TAKAHASHI RUMIKO

(c) Recycadelic Cacti Productions MCMXCVII

AUTHOR'S NOTES

'You're evil.' 'Have you considered professional help?' 'Oh
my GOD.'
These were just some of the reactions doing the rounds when I
first put the teaser for this series out.
For those of you who don't know, Mustard Girl is a what-if
fanfic that combines two anime series: Marmalade Boy and Ranma
1/2. Basically, I'd decided while writing Narrabundah 1/2 that
I wanted to write a 'real' Ranma fanfic, and that I also
wanted to be one of that small percentage of fanfic authors
who writes about a series other than Ranma. So I did both.
A few notes here:
1) It's probably become obvious by now that Nodoka, in this
timeline, knows full well of Ranma's curse. I considered
having him still trying to hide it even as he was always
living with her, but the more I looked at it, the less viable
it seemed for long-term use. I think we just have to assume
that this Genma was never made to promise to raise Ranma like
a man.
2) This episode is terribly derivative of the first episode
of Marmalade Boy. Basically, as it had to set up mostly the
same kind of thing (and I wanted it to at least initially
focus on Miki), this was nigh on unavoidable. Now that the
Saotomes are settling in, things should start going all kinds
of places.
3) Where does the title come from? In one episode of
Marmalade Boy, Miki deduces that Yuu is worthy of being called
'Marmalade Boy'. Stunned by the inescapable logic of this, Yuu
returns that Miki must thereby be 'Mustard Girl'. As Yuu isn't
in this fic, we're left not with a Marmalade Boy, but a
Mustard Girl...
4) This one isn't going to even pretend to follow a weekly
schedule like Narrabundah does. At the time of writing, I'm
not even entirely sure if it'll be me that does the next
episode.
5) Yes, Miwa is that long-haired guy. We all knew he had to
have a name.

Ja ne,
Urac Sigma
Canberra, June 1997

--
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