[FanFic] Ranma 1/2: The Dragon Comb
Edward T. Hrzic III
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RANMA 1/2: THE DRAGON COMB MYSTERY -- PART 1
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A FanFic by Ed Hrzic
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Okay, so I put my Ranma FanFic out before I completed Macross:
Ecstatic Vision. Hopefully, those Ranma addicts out there will
act favorably to it. My congrats to Chris Shumacher for the fab
"Crys Saga." If you have any questions or comments, direct them
to me at bd981@ yfn.ysu.edu.
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(We begin above the clouds, we catch a few shots of sea-gulls as
we pan downward to the ocean. A young man is standing upon a
large piece of driftwood, floating along with the tide. A pair of
red, wire-rimmed glasses frame his face, and has a back-pack. He
wears blue-jeans for pants, and has two silver combs in each of
the back pockets. Otherwise, with red shirt and ponytail, he
looks like Ranma. He has his eyes closed, and his arms are
folded.)
(A large tanker drifts toward him. It starts passing by him.)
HELMSMAN. (seeing the man) Uh, Captain?
CAPTAIN. (approaching him) Yes, what is it?
HELMSMAN. There's a strange object floating in the water next to
us. Possibly a ship-wrecked person.
(The Captain leaves the cabin, and walks to the railing to the
side of the ship. He looks down at the man. The Helmsman comes
out as well.)
CAPTAIN. Ahoy there! Can we give you some assistance?
HELMSMAN. What's your name?
(The man looks up.)
TRALE. My name is Trale. I only have one question. (He pauses as
they listen intently) Which way to Japan?
(The Helmsman and Captain look at each other. They both point in
the opposite direction the tanker was coming from.)
TRALE. Thank you both. (Trale continues away)
CAPTAIN. I'm getting too old for this.
HELMSMAN. You and me both. Remember we saw those two other
weirdos swimming past us to China that one time?
CAPTAIN. (Pulls out a bottle of Sake and drinks deeply) Don't
remind me. (The Helmsman takes the bottle and drinks as well as
they both enter the cabin again)
(Several hours later, Trale sees the shore of Japan. As he
approaches the shoreline, he jumps off of the piece of driftwood,
and lands upon the sand. Two small children, playing with a
volleyball, scamper past him. He finally realizes he is on a
public beach. He pulls his hair out of the ponytail. There is a
bright flash as he pulls one of the combs out and straightens up
his hair. He then puts his hair back into a ponytail. He begins
walking for the road, despite weird looks from several people.)
(Meanwhile, somewhere else...)
(Ranma is pursuing Hopposai down the street. Hopposai is grinning
like an idiot and jumping around, as he holds several pairs of
panties in his hands.)
RANMA-KUN. Come back here you little perverted freak!
HOPPOSAI. Fat chance Ranma! (He leaps over a wall, onto the next
street. Ranma follows)
(Down that same street...)
(Kuno is walking down the street. Sasuke is walking beside him,
bent over as he carries a very large, very tasteless cake.)
SASUKE. Master... (he struggles with it) do you think that... (he
stumbles some) this could be just a little too much for Akane?
KUNO. I doubt that very much.
(Ranma and Hopposai tear down the street. Sasuke and Kuno fail to
see them. Hopposai jumps at Kuno, then over him. Kuno slightly
bumps Sasuke. He is about to spill the cake when he regains his
footing. Ranma jumps on Kuno's shoulders, and leaps off in
pursuit of Hopposai again. Kuno spins around and falls right into
the cake.)
KUNO. (Wiping the mess from his face.) My...my cake! AKANE'S
CAKE! RANMA SAOTOME (he pulls out his bokken), YOU SHALL DIE! (he
begins running after Ranma)
SASUKE. (Sits up. He takes a finger-full of icing and eats it)
Too sweet though.
(Back to Trale...)
(Trale wanders around for a bit. He turns down a street, and
stops in front of Ukkyo's Ryokan. He pushes the small drape out
of the way, and takes a step inside.)
TRALE. Boy am I hungry. Nice place though. I wonder who owns it?
(Ukkyo comes walking in after making a delivery, and sees Trale
sitting down at the bar. She notices the ponytail, and mistakes
him for Ranma.)
UKKYO. Ran-chan! (see throws her arms around him. Trale gasps)
I'm so glad you came! What can I do for you?
TRALE. Uh...excuse me...
UKKYO. What, Ran-chan?
TRALE. I think you have me mistaken with someone else.
UKKYO. What do you... (she takes a look at his face) when did you
start wearing glasses?
TRALE. I've always worn glasses.
UKKYO. Nonsense Ranma. I saw you just this morning, and you
weren't wearing them.
TRALE. (struggling from her grip and yelling) I tell you, I don't
know what you're talking about! (Ukkyo backs off a bit. Trale
shakes his head) I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to yell.
UKKYO. I guess you aren't Ranma after all.
TRALE. I came in to get something to eat, and for some
information.
UKKYO. What can I get you them?
TRALE. Something good. I don't know much about Japanese food. I
haven't spent any time in Japan at all.
UKKYO. (puzzled) Then why are you speaking in Japanese?
TRALE. (adjusting the glasses on his face) Every nationality in
anime knows Japanese. (his lenses flash with light)
UKKYO. (mutters an ah and begins to fry the batter on the grill)
So, who exactly are you?
TRALE. My name's Trale. I'm a bit of a wanderer.
UKKYO. (she smiles) Just like an acquaintance of mine.
TRALE. I've been searching for a friend of mine that I used to
know several years ago in China.
(Cut to a flashback)
(A shadowed boy is teaching a young Trale how to jump kick.)
TRALE VOICE-OVER. He taught me some of his martial arts.
(Another picture depicts Trale smashing a rock in half.)
TRALE VOICE-OVER. It's helped me out a great deal.
(Back to Ryokan).
TRALE. I'd like to meet him again, to thank him, to show him how
I've progressed.
UKKYO. (not paying much attention as she flips the pancake) What
was his name?
TRALE. (he leans on the bar) That's the problem.
UKKYO. (leans forward toward him) What's the problem?
TRALE. I haven't a clue. (they then both back off)
UKKYO. (sighs deeply) I don't know if I can help you. (she puts
the pancake on a plate and says) Here ya go.
TRALE. Thanks. (he starts eating it slowly)
(On that same street)
KUNO. Ranma! Come back here an face your payment for destroying
my cake!
RANMA. Oh great, Kuno's here too! (Ranma passes by Ukkyo's)
TRALE. (steps outside, and talks into the shop) Thanks again, it
really hit the spot.
UKKYO. (from in Ryokan) You're welcome.
KUNO. RANMA! (he swings his bokken)
TRALE. (turns to Kuno's yell. He pulls both combs out of the
backs of his pockets. he parries the bokken with the left, and
slashes with the right, tearing a hole in the torso area of
Kuno's costume)
KUNO. (reeling from the attack) You are... (he squints at Trale)
not Ranma! (he smiles and laughs) But that shall not save you!
You have now made an enemy of Tatewaki Kuno! (fires blaze around
him) The Blue Thunder of Furin-kan High School! (lightning
strikes his out-stretched bokken) Tremble before me!
TRALE. (shocked) Uh-oh. I think I made him mad. (Kuno continues
with his usual speech) Perhaps I'll run while he's still giving
his credentials... (Trale disappears in a cloud of dust, running
in the same direction as Ranma)
KUNO. (sees Trale running) Where are you going swine?! You must
take your punishment!
(Trale leaps over a wall, intent on losing Kuno. Kuno merely cuts
a hole in the wall to pursue him.
(Up ahead...)
MOUSSE. (carrying a medium sized cake, without his glasses in his
hair) Gee, I hope this cake will lessen the tensions between
Shampoo and I. Perhaps she'll go out on a date with me... (Mousse
has a fantasy of asking Shampoo out. As in all fantasies, she
says yes. As well cut back to reality, Mousse is grinning)
(Trale takes a look behind him, and fails to see Mousse in front
of him. As he turns back forward, he runs into Mousse. The cake
splats all over him. Trale mutters a sorry as he continues to
run.)
MOUSSE. (barely seeing Trale's ponytail) Ah-hah! Ranma! You shall
not escape unscathed! (he initiates pursuit as well)
TRALE. (looks back to see Mousse and Kuno chasing him) Things
don't look as well as they could...
(Even farther ahead...)
RYOGA. (carries a small cake as well) Now, if I could only find
my way to Akane's house. (he turns as he hears yells and
footfalls from behind him) What the...
TRALE. (tearing up the ground behind him) EXCUSE ME! OUTTA THE
WAY! (He crashes into Ryoga. Ryoga is left dazed upon the ground
for a few moments)
RYOGA. (thinks for a moment. he catches a small flashback before
the crash) Ranma? Was that...? (he stands and makes a cool
poster-shot type pose) RANMA! (he chases Trale)
TRALE. (looks behind at the trio running afteOGA. RANMA!
TRALE. (stops dead in his tracks and turns to them. he puts up
his hand) STOP FOR ONE BLOODY MOMENT! (All pause in mid run, then
automatically pop into a calm form. Trale calms down) Just who is
this Ranma?
MOUSSE. (puts on his glasses) You appear to be Ranma, but
something's different...
KUNO. I agree wholeheartedly. Ranma does not wear spectacles.
TRALE. Glasses. But you still haven't answered my question.
KUNO. Yes.
RYOGA. If you aren't Ranma, then who are you?
MOUSSE. He's the one who destroyed my cake that was for Shampoo!
RYOGA. Yeah! He smashed mine that was meant for Akane!
KUNO. Mine as well! (All three make their fighting poses -- Kuno
extends his bokken, Mousse pulls a spear from his robe, and Ryoga
brandishes his umbrella)
KUNO. Prepare to meet thy maker, young fool!
TRALE. Uh, fellas, can we talk this over?
(Mousse swings with his spear)
TRALE. Guess not. (he unsheathes the combs from his back pocket
and makes his own fighting stance. the combs glow green, and he
slashes downward, cutting the Mousse's spear in half.)
MOUSSE. Eh? (Trale kicks straight forward, sending him backward)
TRALE. (dodges Ryoga's umbrella and Kuno's bokken) I HAVE to
remember to dodge any people with cakes from now on.
(All three continue to fight.)
(On the next road...)
HOPPOSAI. Ha Ranma! You are just way too slow. (he turns and
sticks out his tongue. He then jumps on a wall and sees the fight
ensuing. he stops)
RANMA. (leaps upon the wall and grabs him) Who's slow now, old
man? (he sees the fight as well)
TRALE. Can we stop now? I'm not really in the mood to do this!
KUNO. If not, (attacks) then stand and receive what's coming to
you!
TRALE. (ducking) I think not my good man. (he rolls backward)
This has gone on long enough! (he spins the combs around in his
hands and places them forward. the background turns black)
RANMA. Huh? What's he doing?
TRALE. ***KINETIC BLAZING DRAGON COMB BLAST!***
(A huge wave-motion cannon type blast erupts from the combined
powers of the combs. Mousse, Ryoga, and Kuno are swept up in it.
The screen goes white)
(Ranma and Hopposai look with wide, disbelieving eyes)
TRALE. (breathes heavily) Whew. (A crowd has gathered around
them. Mousse is up in a tree. Kuno is laying upon the wall next
to Ranma and Hopposai. Ryoga is laying on the ground. all are
making the usual anime "I've gotten beat and I can't get up"
looks on their faces. Trale begins to walk away)
KUNO. (looks up and sees Ranma. Then he looks and sees Trale
leaving) That wasn't Ranma? What's going on...? (he falls
unconscious again)
HOPPOSAI. Hmmm.
RANMA. What old man? What are you "hmmming" about?
HOPPOSAI. The past, student. I feel as though I know that
fighting style from somewhere.
RANMA. (bending over him) Just what, or who, don't you know?
HOPPOSAI. You are very naive Ranma.
RANMA. Yeah, and you're a leach. (Ranma places his foot at the
back of Hopposai's head, and come here in the
first place? (In the distance. He sees a panda sweeping the
street in front of a house. He stops in front of the panda and
takes a look at him. The panda regards him with equal interest)
GENMA. [What are you looking at? Never seen a panda clean up
before?]
TRALE. Huh? (reading the sign) Oh! Not really. (he reads the
plaque outside of the house) Hmmm. "Tendo's Anything Goes Martial
Arts Training Hall". Why not? I guess I can read Japanese too.
Sounds like a good idea. (Genma makes several weird gestures)
TRALE. (pulls out a stick of bamboo from heaven knows where. He
gives it to Genma and Trale pats him on the head) Good boy.
(Genma's face turns into a "I can't believe that just happened"
face)
(Trale walks into the courtyard, and knocks on the door. Kasumi
is vacuuming in the living room. Trale knocks again. She hears
and answers the door.)
KASUMI. Ranma, you didn't have... Oh, you're not Ranma.
TRALE. You know, you're the fifth person today to mistake me for
this Ranma.
KASUMI. Well, yes. What can I do for you?
TRALE. I'd like to join the dojo.
KASUMI. Join? My father isn't here right now. In fact, nobody is.
TRALE. Oh.
KASUMI. Would you like to come in and wait for them?
TRALE. Uh...sure. (he follows her into the living room)
KASUMI. Have a seat there. (he does. she leaves for a bit then
comes back) Would you like some tea?
TRALE. (puts down his pack) Yeah, I guess so...
KASUMI. (she comes back almost instantly with a tray) Here you
are. (she sets the tray down on the table, and is about to pour
the tea)
TRALE. (stops her) No, let me do that.
KASUMI. It's no troub... (Trale takes the teapot and pours a cup)
You didn't have to do that.
TRALE. My parents taught me to do anything for a lady.
KASUMI. That's nice. (she smiles brightly)
TRALE. (eyes her with obviously curiosity) <Is she for real?> (he
shakes his head)
KASUMI. Troubles?
TRALE. Huh? No.
KASUMI. What's your name?
TRALE. Trale.
KASUMI. Trale? Where are you from?
TRALE. The States. I just like to wander around.
(Trale and Kasumi talk for a long while, as Soun comes home)
KASUMI. (she stands and walks out to the door) Father!
SOUN. (walking in) Yes?
KASUMI. You have a visitor.
SOUN. A visitor? About what? (He walks into the living room and
sees Trale)
KASUMI. He wants to join the dojo.
(Soun looks down ar him intently.)
TRALE. What?
SOUN. Hmmm.
TRALE. The next person who does that is going to get...
SOUN. Please follow me, young man.
TRALE. If you say so.
(Cut to the dojo...)
(Soun and Trale are standing far apart. Genma walks in and sits
down, chewing on bamboo.)
TRALE. (inquisitively) By the way, what's with the panda?
SOUN. We'll...talk about that later.
TRALE. Does this mean I've joined?
SOUN. Possibly. Have you had any martial art experience before?
TRALE. Oh, a little that a friend taught me.
SOUN. (laughs) Well, it's better than starting at the beginning.
Then, let's see what you've got.
(Fast paced combat music accompanies the battle.)
(Soun charges at him. Trale flips backward, kneeling on the
ground. Soun closes in again. Trale sweeps his leg forward, Soun
jumps upward and comes down. Trale punches forward. Soun jumps
backward.)
SOUN. (folding his arms) Not bad, so far.
TRALE. Do you mind if I use a weapon or two?
SOUN. (shrugs) I don't see why not.
(Trale pulls the two combs from his pockets, and makes a fighting
stance. Genma and Soun laugh hysterically.)
TRALE. What's so funny?
SOUN. Combs?
TRALE. (pulls back, and tosses one at Soun, it spins by him,
right in front of Genma, then returns to his hand. Soun's pants
fall to his ankles and Genma's bamboo is shredded into several
pieces that fall to his lap.)
SOUN. (retying his pants, he laughs stupidly) Well then, I've
learned my lesson.
TRALE. Shall we continue, or talk all night?
SOUN. There can be one who is too eager. Don't overestimate
yourself, and don't underestimate your opponent.
(Trale attacks, shredding the floor where Soun once stood. Soun
was now behind him. Trale closes in and commences hand-to-comb
fighting. )
(Outside...)
(Ranma arrives back at the dojo. Kasumi is washing dishes.)
RANMA. Hey Kasumi, where's everybody?
KASUMI. (stopping) Father's in the dojo right now, teaching a new
applicant.
RANMA. Uh...applicant? For what?
KASUMI. The dojo.
(Back to the dojo...)
(Trale is hit and rolls backward to the wall.)
TRALE. Ow!
SOUN. Told you.
TRALE. (gets up and channels his energy into the combs)
***REELING DRAGON ENERGY STREAM!*** (The bolts fly at Soun, who
blocks them and stands his ground)
GENMA. [Nice.]
SOUN. That's just about enough for right now.
TRALE. (puts the combs away) You're the boss.
SOUN. (walks up to Trale and puts his hand on his shoulder)
You've got the skill it takes. Where will you be staying if I
need to get in contact with you? And, just what is your name?
TRALE. My name's Trale, and to tell you the truth, I don't know
where I'm staying.
SOUN. (slaps his hands on Trale's shoulders a few times) Well
then, you'll stay with us. We have another room.
(Ranma enters)
SOUN. (hearing the door open) Ah, Ranma! Meet our newest student!
RANMA. <It's him. From earlier today.>
TRALE. You're Ranma? Finally I get to meet you. I've been
mistaken for you several times today.
SOUN. I don't know about all of you, but I've worked up quite an
appetite! Let's eat! (he and Genma leave)
(Trale and Ranma are left in silence for a moment)
TRALE. You realize why I'm here.
RANMA. What?
TRALE. (his glasses flash with light) Don't tell me you've
forgotten already.
RANMA. Forgotten what? (Trale walks out past Ranma. after
thinking, Ranma turns) Forgotten about what? Just who are you?
TRALE. I'm Trale. And that's all I'll tell you for right now.
(Fade to black as Ranma stands in the doorway of the dojo,
thinking.)
<< END OF PART ONE >>
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! ED HRZIC, author of the Macross and a RanmaMUCK and !
! FanFic "Ecstatic Vision", the AnimeMUCK user! !
! Crisis Hard Suit Rifts stats E-MAIL--bd981@ yfn.ysu.edu !