Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Umbra Aureola ❯ Interlude ( Chapter 27 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Xylix 
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Martial Arts | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.12.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 385 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Martial Arts | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.12.2004 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.0K | Visits: 385 | Status: Completed
INTERLUDE
Ranma cleared his throat loudly. Lifting up a set of papers he read with precision. "We interrupt your standard broadcast of Umbra Aureola, The Fiction Formerly Known as Ranma: The Archmage Saga, for a special report-"
"We are hardly a broadcasting station here." Anito said while popping open a can of soda. Gulping down the fresh cold liquid the part time wizard stretched his arms. "Ah, it feels so good getting back into street clothes! Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry a tank around all day? I swear I should hit this author up with medical charges."
"Considering that you are a non paid artificial life form created on the writer's whim I highly doubt that you have the ability, or for that matter the aptitude to take this before a court of law, much less to win in the event that you did take such measures." Ranma said carefully the large words rolling off his tongue with ease. "Now if you wouldn't mind I am attempting to work here, why it is that this author has chosen you of all people to be the intellectual I will never understand."
Anito plopped himself onto the table lazily. "Maybe because I have a good face for it?"
"We are text characters, you external appearance hardly matters." Ranma returned. "And would you get off my desk."
"Jerk." Anito said under his breath. "Why did he give you a desk anyway?"
"Simple, I am the main character. Thus it is fitting for me to be the one that gives the address to the public. Now would you refrain from further disturbance or I will have you removed."
"You the main character ha! I am the author created character I of course am the main character!" Anito returned.
"Then perhaps you would like to explain why it is that I have the majority of scenes directed from my specific point of view?"
"I am mysterious of course. If the author used my point of view too much it would destroy my mystery." Anito retorted.
"Really? Cologne and Happosai carry the same mystery." Ranma returned.
"Yeah, but I am in more scenes than those two." Anito replied proudly.
"Mystery is hardly the highlight of importance. Instead I would say the sheer degree and volume with which my feelings are revealed, and indeed the very fact that my feelings are shown before all others is heavy evidence for the fact I am indeed the main character. Now..."
Ranma snapped his fingers. Instantly Soun and Genma appeared wearing black suits and ties. Both wore grim expressions and showed no more sign of thought, feeling, or movement than would a British palace guard. "Remove this man."
"Hey you can't do this to me! I have rights you know!" Anito called out as the two carted him out.
"You are a fictional character. Fictional character do not have rights." Ranma said in passing. Picking up the papers Ranma started again.
"We interrupt your standard broadcast of Umbra Aureola, The Fiction Formerly Known as Ranma: The Archmage Saga, for a special report. Here in we begin Interlude One where in all information now rendered declassified by the powers that be shall be revealed. I thank all you readers out there for your careful and lasting attention and hope you stick around to the second story arch that will be posted here following this informative program."
Ranma set down the papers. Done the pigtailed hero set his feet on the desk and pulled out a cigarette lit it and took a deep breath. Then reaching for a controller he pointed it directly at the camera. Click. Vanish. Darkness.
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-3-
-2-
-1-
SUPER SPEED RECAP
It all started when a wizard tried to cast a spell that made himself stronger. As with all spells of that sort something went wrong and then Anito became semi-evil. Battling his dark side Anito took off in look for the 'book of darkness' which just happened to be located in Nerima. Popping up in everyone's favorite city he took out Cologne, had a quick scuffle with Ranma and then got better... .
Unfortunately Anito still needed a calming aura so he went after Kasumi. Ranma tried to stop him, but forgot that Cologne told him Anito knew Hiryu Shoten Ha and thus let himself be led into a trap. Ranma gets defeated, but as usual this doesn't keep him down.
Genma then tells Ranma that Anito can be beaten, if Ranma can master Aura Sight, and thus improve his reaction time to Anito's teleporation technique. Ranma trains and learns the new technique. Then he faces down the arch-mage again defeats him and rescues Kasumi returning Nerima to normal... well that would have worked but Anito moves in instead.
Stuck with Anito Ranma deals with life as usual. Happosai shows up making things even more miserable. However Anito finds himself at odds with the old wretch and gets crushed under the old masters might, much to Ranma's pleasure. Damages from their fights pushes Soun to tell Ranma to do something about it. Ranma finds Anito's living spot under the house, but is cut off when Nabiki slinks into make a deal. In moments the pigtailed hero finds himself sold off to Anito by Nabiki in return for services rendered. Thus in the end Ranma helps stop Anito's wrath by teaching the wizard how to deal with Happosai and at the same time fortifying the house against future danger.
Ryouga then shows up and challenges Ranma. Ranma beats him into the ground having gotten used to Anito's insane combat speed, and having mastered aura sight enough that dodging ki attacks is easy. Ryouga gets pulled into Anito's testing/research/money making scheme learns a new technique and challenges Ranma again. The fight is much closer this time, but the pigtailed hero shows ingenuity by turning a digging technique into a defense and then finishes Ryouga yet again.
Following this Anito and Ranma spend some time discussing life in general. Anito reveals to Ranma the fact that the wizard is innately unstable. Ranma gets pulled into a deal in which he will kill Anito if Anito goes out of control. Ranma though doesn't really seem to take Anito's words to their full depth.
Next Happosai turns wrathful, again, and places Aphrodite's Bracelet on Ranma. Ranma now stuck as Ranma-chan has to get it off. This becomes more important when it is reveled that there is a demon living inside it, and that one of its powers is to twist women's minds so that they are 'flighty harlots useful only as a man's playtoy'. Fortunately that function is destroyed. Ranma-chan though understandably wants it gone as soon as possible.
At the same time the demon is bugging Ranma-chan in her dreams so she challenges it to a fight and loses because of unfamiliarity with the rules of mindscapes. The demon makes Ranma-chan wear her shoes which indirectly causes part of its essence to merge with Ranma-chan. Anito thinks this is actually not such a bad thing given the side benefits and brings Nabiki in for a discussion after the girl asks to be brought 'in'. Machiavellian politics ensue, a decision is reached, and when Ranma-chan loses a second time she merges more essence. After that sorely motivated Ranma-chan escapes the bracelet.
Free Ranma has chat with Anito who is trying out a new long range teleportation technique. A fight ensues and then Kiima shows up. She demands Kinjakan, which was destroyed back in the prologue. Anito ends up promising to make her a new one. Ranma gets dragged into the scheme by his debt.
Forced to help Anito Ranma manages to manipulate a phoenix feather off of Cologne. At the same time the pigtailed boy starts to develop a whole slew of techniques using new found knowledge in manipulating ki effectively. After this Ranma and Anito go raiding nukes out of American bases. At the end they get caught and have to fight there way out. After a whole lot of happy destruction the two escape 1000 nukes, 1 tank, and an entire armory richer.
Anito makes Kinjakan and provides Nabiki, Ranma and Himself with magical goodies. They get a chance to try these out shortly there after when Kiima shows up again and attacks Anito only to find herself in the middle of a three way fight involving a secret military group designated by the United States to deal with 'supernaturals.' Using highly advanced technology they give the two some trouble and nearly kill the people inside the Tendo home. After this it is reveled that the military was HOLDING BACK, by means of even more advanced technology fired to cover the retreat.
Disturbed the two set about rebuilding. Nabiki finds herself wrestling with the consequences of her decisions and lack of control over her gift. After a harsh talk with her sisters she chats with Ranma who has just stopped himself from killing Ryouga for the stupidest of reasons. For the first time since the bracelet in female form the two chat revealing Ranma-chan's fear that her mind is being tainted or twisted by the demons essence. Nabiki offers good old logic as support... and tells what happened to her. Ranma-chan agrees to train Nabiki so that she won't make a mistake, at the same time Ranma-chan decides to face her demons...
Anito nukes a island to warn the Americans what could happen if they push further. This finally catches the attention of the council that seems to be allied, or at least very friendly with the Americans. The council decides because of both pressure of their friends and personal reasons to resurrect the Eye of Eldritch to look further into matters.
At the same time Ranma-chan is attempting to teach Nabiki, Anito shows up and discusses the stuff he used to buffer the houses defenses. The Eye is used and they all feel it. Anito tells them that they have thirty minutes to leave, fleeing into the Aether. Ranma-chan and Nabiki go to pack.
After packing Ranma-chan faces down her family, and that of the Tendos. She has one last face off with her Father, Soun, Mother and Akane. Kasumi acts as her support helping Ranma-chan through this difficult trial. Pushed by the seriousness of the situation Ranma-chan shows great maturity in her talk and in so is able to see her father in a new light understanding that beneath the gruff exterior he has 'some' kindness. In the end though time acts as a limit and she leaves with Nabiki to Stonehenge.
Here while activating the gate Anito tells the story of the three great artifacts and the council's real origin. It turns out that the council, while much weaker, once faced down an entire demon nation and won. This helps Ranma-chan and Nabiki accept Anito's decision, not that it matters at that point as the gate then rips them from that world.
The three head on their journey through the Aether. Anito though needs time to find a new world. A chat ensues about the qualities of the Aether, and then they break up to do what they do. After this, it is revealed that the military has plans of following the three. Skip back to Ranma-chan, who is bored. She goes out in the Aether and plays around.
Aphrodite's bracelet escapes and the Demon breaks free of the confines. The demon decides it wants Ranma-chan's flesh for interacting with the human world, and attempts to make the pigtailed girl into a suitable host. Ranma-chan resists, but falters under the demon's skilled hand and words. The demon though screws up and Ranma-chan tries to kill it. The demon survives, barely and Ranma-chan wrestles with the side effects of the demon's attempt, and the blood lust that drove her to go for a fatal wound in revenge.
The Anito and Nabiki notice that something happened. Ranma-chan though doesn't say anything. Instead the three focus on the now concerning themselves with the world they are now about to enter. After this a quick flip to P-chan who is currently careening through the Aether.
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AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS
Writing this work of fiction has been quite an experience. As an author I can say that without a doubt I have grown a whole lot with each chapter I produce. I feel that you, my readers, have come to the same conclusion. In fact, my rewrites of earlier chapters is largely inspired by my own improvements.
When I started this fiction I had several goals in mind. Most of them though did not particularly encompass creating an 'amazing tale' instead they were totally and completely selfish. The first was to improve my ability to write multiple character personality types, as at the time I started the first chapter I was wrestling with making several character in a original fiction unique and different in personality. Fan fiction seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel. It forced me to write already made characters with well defined personalities and histories. More importantly characters that I could at least in part already imagine the actions of.
The second reason was that before this I had literally never written a comedy before. Believe it or not I usually lean heavily on the darker story lines, preferring to create what I like to read, the more serious works. This is rather odd because it was a satire and irony class that truly started my love of writing. As such at first I was very worried that my already strange sense of humor simply couldn't render itself correctly through writing skills that I quite frankly considered (and on reflection of old chapters still consider) to be poor.
Thus writing this fiction was in a large part an attempt to write a completely different style fiction. It wasn't until around chapter 12 that I really allowed myself to depart from the Rumiko style plot line and instead write more along my own style. It turned out to be a good choice as that seems to correlate to the point where I started to pick up individuals that truly seemed to like my writing.
On a larger note I was attempting something slightly more than mere selfishness when writing this fiction. In addition I was attempting to show that even drained and heavily used worlds can still provide great stories. For this I hold out a vain hope that I can succeeded.
It is for these reasons that my choices involving Story Arch 2 were made. Not that telling you that helps...
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TECNIQUES: I think this is all the techniques used from the prologue to chapter 26 (Story Arch 1). If I am missing any feel free to say so.
--New--
Accent of the Earth - {That which stirs slowly in the deep} - A sort of magical variation of bakusai tenketsu. It strongly resembles a slayers Dill Brando and in general lacks usable attack power. -Known Users : Anito-
Aura Sight - This is a passive technique which allows an individual to sense ki much like a person can taste and smell. Advanced users can read aura's by detecting the emotional flux of an aura, or noticing a change in an aura much like adept individuals can read faces. Priests often use aura sight to detect supernatural influence or evil beings. Martial artists to detect their enemy or judge strength. -Known Users: Genma, Happosai, Cologne, Ranma, Tofu, and many many more-
Perfect Aura Sight - As aura sight, but so perfect that it substitutes as vision for ordinary life, in addition to the normal Aura Sight complement. For a person with perfect aura sight all things ki related are as visible as day. -Known Users: Anito-
Feet of the Mountain - A technique used to make one unmovable. Moving the user is the same as trying to move the earth. Not very practical in most situations, Anito though uses it to avoid Happosai's throw into the air counter. One though can imagine how it could be put to use with intelligent variations. -Known Users: Anito-
Fire Dragon's Apocalyptic Descent - A counter technique, or add on depending on how you look at it, to the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Taking advantage of the tornado's nature you invert it and then flood it with incredible heat energy. Instant bomb. By extension you can used the inverted creation, Fire Dragon's Apocalyptic Accent to add an extra bang to your buck. The energy involved though makes it much more useful when thrown downward... sort of like what Ranma pulled on Herb. -Known Users : Anito... though Saffron probably could do a pretty good show-
Full Teleportation Circle - {About a minute or more casting time!} - This technique is used to teleport an individual or even a group over massive distances... like say to America from Japan. While it cuts down on those airplane expenses it takes too much time and energy to use leisurely. That and the fact that the user cannot move while it is being cast makes things difficult. Definitely a nono in a fire fight. -Known Users : Anito-
Hiyouryu Uzumaki - [Flying Dragon Spiral] - Starts a Hiryu Shoten Ha using the hot and cold energy of the creator. Then using a sheath of wind ki funnels the spiral at the enemy. It is weakened by the fact that it has to spin up the aura's it comes into contact with, and if not powerful enough the technique can actually be snuffed out by too strong a source of energy. When used correctly the technique is supposed to allow near total control of the tornado at all stages. Ranma is far from achieving this. -Known Users: Ranma-
Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu - [Seismic Wave Explosion Point] - This technique works by sending a shock wave through physical material to trigger a breaking point at a distance. To master this one has to have an intuitive understanding of how such waves flow and must learn to augment these waves with just the right amount of ki. Anito stated that this technique can potentially trigger multiple points at the same time. Ryouga has used it to create weak walls of dirt to weaken Ranma's ki blasts. -Known User: Ryouga -
Kaze no Yoroi - [Armor of the Wind] - The technique spins up air around the user in a mini tornado compressing it and spiraling it around. It tends to slow down projectiles and knock them to the side. It works best against light and weak attacks. -*Known Users: Ranma-
Kyoufuu Bakufuu - [Fierce Wind Blast] - A huge gust of wind explodes from the hand of the user. A rather useless technique in principle. Ranma only created it as a stepping stone for his better wind techniques that rely on high ki manipulation. -Known Users: Ranma-
Mirror of Vasalis - Creates a energy wall that absorbs simple ki techniques and then takes in the energy placed into the mirror returning the attack at the attacker. Anito uses this in a few cases, but in general the technique is too slow to have any practical use. It doesn't work against more 'natural' energy sources, yet. -Known Users : Anito-
Raijin's Hammer - {That which flows violently through the wind} - A powerful lightning technique. It projects 5-7 lightning bolts each of which pack a huge punch. Anito uses this technique constantly as it is one of his favorites. In fact he is so good at it that he no longer needs to chant to use it! Bolts of lightning have several advantages in a fight. Incredible speed, destructive power and not to mention the fact they screw up human neurological response. Getting hit will result in the loss of muscle control for at least a fraction of a second and quite likely a bit longer. A fact that definitely ranks on the bad list when three more of those babies are barreling down on you. -Known Users: Anito-
Shadow Step - A rapid short range combat teleportation technique. Anito the only user of the technique has shown himself capable of executing the shadow step so fast as to nullify the point of learning any other way of dodging. The ability to move through obstacles, change location in air, relocate behind an enemy and so on make this technique very powerful. At first Anito shows himself getting worn from using the technique... Ranma though finds out that the wizard is increasingly able to use it not only constantly, but over much much greater distances at the same time. A fact that is driving the pigtailed warrior insane. It is important to note that a skilled user can teleport even while executing other techniques with a build up time. There are some SPECIAL exceptions to this rule. -Known Users : Anito-
Shadow Dance - Implementing the Shadow Step the user bats the enemy into the air and then steps the speed up to the max hitting around the enemy like a ping pong ball. The Shadow Dance is a very potent technique its speed mainly limited only by ki output, and raw physical attack speed. -Known Users: Anito-
Shadow Strike - After a normal hit a lightning fast teleport is made and a second strike follows both at full power. While not as devastating as the Shadow Dance it is far less exhausting. -Known Users: Anito-
Shiva's Blast - {That which haunts the arctic mists} - Fires out a icy blast that covers whatever it hits in a nice layer of frozen material. It doesn't really hurt, but it is great for holding someone still. Anito uses this to freeze up Ranma in chapter five, and doesn't use it again. The reason is obvious, it is simply too weak. Probably works wonders when the air conditioning is broken though. -Known Users: Anito-
Strike of the Mountain - This technique jacks up an object's effective mass. Generally the effect is placed the moment before the blow hits because of the drain it can cause when used at high levels. It is largely limited in scale by the volume of the object rather than actual mass. Anito uses this constantly on his staff elevating it from a puny attack worthy of Kuno or Akane into one of the most powerful hand to hand attacks out there. Ranma's bracers use this to a lesser degree in part bumping up his punching attack power high enough that one blow will down even Ryouga. -Known Users: Anito-
Sure Step - This is Ranma's sticky technique. The idea was to use the ability to stick to the ground to allow greater speed and maneuverability and thus be able to keep up with Anito and his Shadow Step. The technique though has yet to show profit there, on the other hand Ranma has used it to hold bulky items and to brace himself against massive forces. -Known Users: Ranma-
Thunder Storm - { The chaotic storm of power that the gods themselves do fear. Let loose thy wrath on this world } - A high powered Rajin's hammer. Instead of tossing off 5-7 bolts of electrical energy this monster tosses off 30+ unleashing five times the devastation of its lesser cousin in only a mere second. In general the raw number of strikes and charge up time make this most useful for an area attack, however it could be used to swat a pesky little fly that has proven capable of evading lesser swarms of energy blasts... like say Ranma... -Known Users: Anito -
Total Inversion - Less a technique really than a fancy high ki manipulation trick. This basically inverts certain aspects of ki construct when used. The energy though must be specially prepared to pull it off. While fundamentally used in High Ki Manipulation Theory the only direct battle use was against Ranma's Hiryu Shoten Ha, where Anito intentionally fed the spiral energy prepared for inversion. Poor Ranma was caught completely off guard when that hit him! -Known Users : Anito... and by extension Ranma-
---Weird / One Use / Psuedo / Unnamed Techniques ---
Digging Technique (Unnamed) - Push ki into a section you want to remove and then resonate it until it is soft. Then using solid ki lift it right out. -Known Users: Ranma and Anito -
Fire Spell (Unnamed) - {Spirits of Fire arise} - Heats up pots nicely and can ignite your enemy's grenade in a pinch. Probably works well as a lighter too. -Known Users: Kasumi-
Pit of Doom - Use the Shadow Step to carry an unsuspecting individual somewhere they would never want to be taken. Drop them and vanish before anyone can do anything about it. - Known Users : Anito -
Resonance Shield (Unnamed) - Create a shield of resonating ki that causes materials to disintegrate when making contact. This technique uses up energy fast for no good reason. It does poor damage, doesn't work on living people (difficult to push your ki into their bodies) and doesn't even protect well. - Known Users : Ranma -
Saotome Desperation Technique: Lecherous Demon Summoning Attack - Ranma-chan squeals girlishly and tosses out her anti Happosai weapon in a new manner. Accusing her attacker of attempting to destroy the silky garment immediately summons forth Happosai who then promptly pounds your adversary into oblivion. Warning: escape quickly after use or the demon may come after you as well! -Known Users : Ranma -
Saotome Fetch the Ancient Master Without Dealing With the Master's Students - Let your aura splash out softly enough only to be felt by masters of aura sight, and thus signal only the person you want to feel your presence. -Known Users : Ranma-
Tank Smash - Pull out a tank from your hidden weapon space while above your enemy. Add Strike of the Mountain. Let gravity do the rest. -Known Users : Anito -
--Old--
Look it up yourself lazy bastards!
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The Lost Chapters / Events and Whatnot:
Every good author cuts stuff out, my work isn't an exception.
Ranma and Akane's Infamous Date: A chapter scheduled directly after the Ryouga situation involved Ranma attempting to get together with Akane again. The idea was thrown in to help lessen Anito's impact on the early story line. Equally it was cut to hurry the more important and more interesting events, and because there was never, at any time, long term plans for a Ranma and Akane match up. -Categorization : Waste of time -
Anito's Curse: In the original story line Anito was supposed to return from his trip during the opening of Aphrodite's Bracelet with a Jusenkyo Curse resulting from an attempt to study Ranma's curse. It was removed not only because it felt too 'Stock Rumiko' but also because I simply couldn't imagine Anito making that kind of mistake in a general, much less off scenes situation. To top it off I couldn't find anything that would actually fit the wizard. -Categorization : TRASH -
Dreamland Adventures!: After Aphrodite's Bracelet a chapter was planned to introduce Anito's new gate / training machine. In this they would create a 'dream sphere' in the Aether using it to train. (The Council in its final form wasn't created until after chapter 20!) The result would have dragged the three (Akane at this point not Nabiki!) along a convoluted chapter or two facing down Sword Master of Monkey Island Nabiki, Dread Black Knight Kuno and finally Jadeite of Sailor Moon as the Sailors of the Negaverse, where upon I had a wondrous speech all planned out because Jadeite wasn't evil enough... weird huh? - Categorization : A Klein Bottle in a Square Hole-
Where did Akane go?: The first story planning had Akane playing major parts all the way up until the last few chapters before Story Arch 2, where Ranma and Anito would be ripped from her presence after a 'mistake' when using their gate machine. This is what would finally break Ranma's connection with his first love. However, all the way back in Chapter 7 I so liked writing the Anito / Nabiki scenes, and just writing Nabiki in general that she managed to integrate herself heavily into the story line during Aphrodite's Bracelet. Given that Akane wouldn't influence the story after SA1, I gave Nabiki Akane's spotlight instead. A fact I am sure Nabiki is still regretting. -Categorization : GREAT!-
Cut through the Light and Darkness Gundam! : Yes, you guessed it the first ending arch of story arch 1 was nothing like this one. Instead it involved a crazy Gundam fight between both Ranma and Anito. The CIA would show up just in time to witness this and negotiate the acquisition of the Humanoid weapons in exchange for forgiveness. Instead though I tied the Council and the US together making for a much darker and grittier ending. -Categorization : I miss my mecha... -
Ranma's Bracers : Ranma's bracers are much more mild than their first versions... The first versions acted as inner Ki amps doubling Ranma's Strength / Toughness / Ki blast power. At the same time they could create dual light saber style blades that could chop enemies to pieces.
This was changed when I kept feeling that this was just 'off', instead inspired by Scar in Full Metal Alchemist I gave Ranma his resonance bracers allowing his same old combat style taken to a whole new level. At the same time I gave a constant strength bonus fitting it more with the linear idea of Nabiki's ribbons. Keep in mind though that Ranma hasn't even come close to figuring out how to use those golden toys of his to the max. -Categorization : GREAT-
The Council : The council underwent the heaviest revisions. In most of SA1 The Council was kept purposefully in the background largely because it was supposed to be part of the plot line WAY later, and as such I didn't want to trap myself with statements of fact before getting to that point. Some parts though still remain the same, for instance the Council's Enforcers were being imagined as a far back as chapter 13, even though they weren't supposed to show up until SA3!
In a large part the decision came from wanting Anito and Ranma to suffer some REAL consequences for their acts, thus bringing into light that what they do isn't exactly 'good'. After a tough and long thought out decision I revised the US's response to what happened allowing them to get lucky enough to track the two down. Then I gave the US advanced technology to do something about it. The sense of realness fit what I wanted perfectly, and everything flowed from that. -Categorization : GREAT -
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Q&A :
Here upon a lot of questions are answered, but only those questions that don't reveal 'classified' information. A lot of these center around political responses as this seems to be the major questionable arena. Keep in mind I don't give the US's thoughts in actual story time because I feel that such a perspective would only detract from the story I am trying to tell. However, this is not something that needs to be hidden.
Q: The Political Implications of Stealing Nukes would result in the USA declaring war on Japan right?
A: First and foremost politics are largely effected by those in power.
Now aside from this there are several problems with this analysis. The primary problem is that the initial thought of a Japanese citizen would probably be incorrect. The first consideration of an Asian Special Forces Unit would immediately be North Korea.
Now, given that Ranma and Anito are not particularly subtle in their most basic of actions (Yes, Anito can be, but usually he blows it for a short cut...), it isn't particularly surprising that both were found connected to this incident. So why didn't the US declare war then?
A couple of reasons:
#1: Japan sits high in international favor, the US declaring war would have to be backed by something physical, or believable. Reports of SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY don't meet this criteria. The US also lacks the physical proof. There is no photographic evidence of Ranma and Anito at the military base. In fact, there are witnesses in Nerima that would truthfully point out that the two were on Japanese soil within an hour of the attack. Explaining that to the UN would be difficult. Explaining it to your own populous, impossible.
#2: There is no reason for Japan to steal weapons from America. Japan is more than capable of building its own if it wished to. Further, Japan and America are rather buddy buddy these days. In other words, there is no reason that America would see Japan in that light. Without a doubt America's first thought in the case of Japanese citizens would be terrorists.
#3: America is familiar with Supernaturals. Given that you know demons used to run around in the world, and that martial artists run rampant in the streets you can assume governments DON'T control the majority of them. Further, you can assume that this is not the first time America has dealt with 'Supernatural Terrorists' (especially since they have a special division to deal with it!). As such America would be already primed to believe that this was of individual origin.
This would only be confirmed when America gathered intelligence before striking.
Q: Why didn't America work with the Japanese?
A: They didn't want to. It was easier to keep things they already hid once in continual secret and deal with it on their own. The political rewards for success were high, and there was no reason to believe that they couldn't succeed with their black technology. (And they would have if not for Ranma's, Anito's and Nabiki's new weapons!).
Further, the same principle of explaining to the UN applies to the Japanese government. The Japanese are going to ask for proof before letting someone attack their civilians. Proof the US doesn't have, and can't get without warning very dangerous individuals. (Ranma and Anito)
Q: Why would Anito escalate the situation?
A: He was providing something called a 'show of power'. It upgraded the two immediately in America's eyes from 'mere supernatural terrorists' to 'nuclear powers'. Now America's military doctrine for nuclear powers consists of diplomacy, or nuclear response. Given they can't nuke an ally's city... things would be very very hairy. Still America isn't the type to let itself get pushed around, and it would find a way to strike back.
Unfortunately, the US happened to have friends that had the resources to deal with someone like Ranma and Anito. So the play failed.
Q: Why not take nukes from Russia?
A: The original alpha write of chapter 20 (never saw the light of day) did say that they went to Russia first. At that point though the two where making off with some 2000 nuclear warheads. I thought that was way too much, so I set them in America first, where upon they halted their actions with the failure at the US base.
Keep in mind I don't tell the reason they didn't go to Russia, as it simply isn't important from a storyline perspective. It only matters that they were caught at America, and had 1000 nukes.
If I edit later chapter, Anito might mention this in passing.
Q: Why wouldn't America send an army?
A: Several reasons, first because they can't keep an army hidden and thus are subject to having to inform others what is going on. Something America would rather NOT do. Next, because against a teleporting wizard with nuclear fire power you may as well have sent paper airplanes for how long your forces will last.
In other words, Anito could probably gut the entire US Navy, and Air force in three days if he was willing to use nuclear weapons to do it. (one or two per a aircraft carrier, a few at major harbors, wipe out those air strips... etc... etc...)
America is actually more likely to succeed with a small elite force that can strike without warning than with a massive one that has a giant bull's-eye painted on it.
Q: Where does the Eye of Eldritch come from?
A: It is the Eye that Sees the Eye that Knows, and no it was not blinded a long time ago...
The Eye of Eldritch is heavily inspired from The Shadow Chronicles: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. In turn that eye was quite obviously inspired by the Eye of Sauron (Lord of the Rings). So you can say my Eye is inspired by both.
In addition, historically an eye is a heavily connected symbol for knowledge or a sense of omniscient knowing.
The name actually came from a lazy thought. Eye of Eldritch just sort of rolled right out of my mind when I was attempting to create artifacts for the Council. The same is true for Daedalus's Key.
Q: Is Daedalus's Key from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever? Ranma has a key there.
A: Nope, Daedalus's key isn't connected in any way shape or form to that key. For the first point the powers are incredibly different. One grants the ability to travel through gates. The other makes Anti-gating Barriers / Extra-dimensional prisons acts as a key for those, and channels demon power from prisoners to wizards.
However, one with a sense of humor could declare that Daedalus's Key is what caused the demon invasion in Cast a Long Shadow. It would even explain their penchant for destroying Ranma-verses! ;)
The key is from there inspired by the name I slapped on an artifact and the decision to meet them up to the categories : Bind, Measure, and Cut
Q: And where did Tenmou come from?
A: Tenmou was created specifically for a specific character rather than the other way around. The connection to the other artifacts was made at a later date.
Q: There aren't any nukes on the Japanese US Military Bases.
A: They went to the American bases in America via long range teleportation (Full Teleportation Circle). Again this isn't mentioned directly.
Q: What happens to Akane when Ranma becomes immortal (doesn't age).
A: Akane slowly ages into an old hag and dies from the various causes of 'natural' death. After which he mopes around for a few hundred years and then gets a life. For an example of what might happen read : "Destiny's Child" by Fire.
However, Ranma will get with someone else in this story, so that doesn't apply.
Q : What's up with the blood on Anito's robe in the beginning?
A: A method Anito used to hold back his 'dark side'. It may be mentioned in the rewrites of the earlier chapters.
Q: Anito can't go away from Kasumi right?
A: Don't be silly, Anito is the expert on this magic stuff not you! Actually moving away from Kasumi does put Anito's sanity at more of a risk. Then again Anito stated he will continually become more stable for the first year, so Anito would be a lot more stable than in the beginning.
Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this. Anito's problems will be brought up, but because this fiction concentrates on Ranma, Ranma's problems are given a great deal more concern. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean character don't have problems. In fact, Ranma's problems with his demon essence pale with what Anito deals with continually.
Q: The demon said [Blah blah], but then you contradicted yourself later!
A: Its a demon. Really? You didn't do anything silly like trust it did you?
Q: What is going to happen to P-chan?
A: You can't even imagine half my plans for P-chan! Mwhahahahaha. Look forward to having that answered in the future Omakes. Ryouga will show up again in SA3.
Q: Who's boat was Anito on when he set off that nuke?
A: Principle Kuno's. Anito got the boat through a 'High Energy Physics Demonstration' as part of his Resume. Principle Kuno was impressed.
Q: Why did Nabiki agree to leave?
A: Several reasons: Obligation, Threat to herself, Threat to her family if she stays, and not a whole lot of choice in the matter. She isn't happy about it though.
Ranma cleared his throat loudly. Lifting up a set of papers he read with precision. "We interrupt your standard broadcast of Umbra Aureola, The Fiction Formerly Known as Ranma: The Archmage Saga, for a special report-"
"We are hardly a broadcasting station here." Anito said while popping open a can of soda. Gulping down the fresh cold liquid the part time wizard stretched his arms. "Ah, it feels so good getting back into street clothes! Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry a tank around all day? I swear I should hit this author up with medical charges."
"Considering that you are a non paid artificial life form created on the writer's whim I highly doubt that you have the ability, or for that matter the aptitude to take this before a court of law, much less to win in the event that you did take such measures." Ranma said carefully the large words rolling off his tongue with ease. "Now if you wouldn't mind I am attempting to work here, why it is that this author has chosen you of all people to be the intellectual I will never understand."
Anito plopped himself onto the table lazily. "Maybe because I have a good face for it?"
"We are text characters, you external appearance hardly matters." Ranma returned. "And would you get off my desk."
"Jerk." Anito said under his breath. "Why did he give you a desk anyway?"
"Simple, I am the main character. Thus it is fitting for me to be the one that gives the address to the public. Now would you refrain from further disturbance or I will have you removed."
"You the main character ha! I am the author created character I of course am the main character!" Anito returned.
"Then perhaps you would like to explain why it is that I have the majority of scenes directed from my specific point of view?"
"I am mysterious of course. If the author used my point of view too much it would destroy my mystery." Anito retorted.
"Really? Cologne and Happosai carry the same mystery." Ranma returned.
"Yeah, but I am in more scenes than those two." Anito replied proudly.
"Mystery is hardly the highlight of importance. Instead I would say the sheer degree and volume with which my feelings are revealed, and indeed the very fact that my feelings are shown before all others is heavy evidence for the fact I am indeed the main character. Now..."
Ranma snapped his fingers. Instantly Soun and Genma appeared wearing black suits and ties. Both wore grim expressions and showed no more sign of thought, feeling, or movement than would a British palace guard. "Remove this man."
"Hey you can't do this to me! I have rights you know!" Anito called out as the two carted him out.
"You are a fictional character. Fictional character do not have rights." Ranma said in passing. Picking up the papers Ranma started again.
"We interrupt your standard broadcast of Umbra Aureola, The Fiction Formerly Known as Ranma: The Archmage Saga, for a special report. Here in we begin Interlude One where in all information now rendered declassified by the powers that be shall be revealed. I thank all you readers out there for your careful and lasting attention and hope you stick around to the second story arch that will be posted here following this informative program."
Ranma set down the papers. Done the pigtailed hero set his feet on the desk and pulled out a cigarette lit it and took a deep breath. Then reaching for a controller he pointed it directly at the camera. Click. Vanish. Darkness.
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-3-
-2-
-1-
SUPER SPEED RECAP
It all started when a wizard tried to cast a spell that made himself stronger. As with all spells of that sort something went wrong and then Anito became semi-evil. Battling his dark side Anito took off in look for the 'book of darkness' which just happened to be located in Nerima. Popping up in everyone's favorite city he took out Cologne, had a quick scuffle with Ranma and then got better... .
Unfortunately Anito still needed a calming aura so he went after Kasumi. Ranma tried to stop him, but forgot that Cologne told him Anito knew Hiryu Shoten Ha and thus let himself be led into a trap. Ranma gets defeated, but as usual this doesn't keep him down.
Genma then tells Ranma that Anito can be beaten, if Ranma can master Aura Sight, and thus improve his reaction time to Anito's teleporation technique. Ranma trains and learns the new technique. Then he faces down the arch-mage again defeats him and rescues Kasumi returning Nerima to normal... well that would have worked but Anito moves in instead.
Stuck with Anito Ranma deals with life as usual. Happosai shows up making things even more miserable. However Anito finds himself at odds with the old wretch and gets crushed under the old masters might, much to Ranma's pleasure. Damages from their fights pushes Soun to tell Ranma to do something about it. Ranma finds Anito's living spot under the house, but is cut off when Nabiki slinks into make a deal. In moments the pigtailed hero finds himself sold off to Anito by Nabiki in return for services rendered. Thus in the end Ranma helps stop Anito's wrath by teaching the wizard how to deal with Happosai and at the same time fortifying the house against future danger.
Ryouga then shows up and challenges Ranma. Ranma beats him into the ground having gotten used to Anito's insane combat speed, and having mastered aura sight enough that dodging ki attacks is easy. Ryouga gets pulled into Anito's testing/research/money making scheme learns a new technique and challenges Ranma again. The fight is much closer this time, but the pigtailed hero shows ingenuity by turning a digging technique into a defense and then finishes Ryouga yet again.
Following this Anito and Ranma spend some time discussing life in general. Anito reveals to Ranma the fact that the wizard is innately unstable. Ranma gets pulled into a deal in which he will kill Anito if Anito goes out of control. Ranma though doesn't really seem to take Anito's words to their full depth.
Next Happosai turns wrathful, again, and places Aphrodite's Bracelet on Ranma. Ranma now stuck as Ranma-chan has to get it off. This becomes more important when it is reveled that there is a demon living inside it, and that one of its powers is to twist women's minds so that they are 'flighty harlots useful only as a man's playtoy'. Fortunately that function is destroyed. Ranma-chan though understandably wants it gone as soon as possible.
At the same time the demon is bugging Ranma-chan in her dreams so she challenges it to a fight and loses because of unfamiliarity with the rules of mindscapes. The demon makes Ranma-chan wear her shoes which indirectly causes part of its essence to merge with Ranma-chan. Anito thinks this is actually not such a bad thing given the side benefits and brings Nabiki in for a discussion after the girl asks to be brought 'in'. Machiavellian politics ensue, a decision is reached, and when Ranma-chan loses a second time she merges more essence. After that sorely motivated Ranma-chan escapes the bracelet.
Free Ranma has chat with Anito who is trying out a new long range teleportation technique. A fight ensues and then Kiima shows up. She demands Kinjakan, which was destroyed back in the prologue. Anito ends up promising to make her a new one. Ranma gets dragged into the scheme by his debt.
Forced to help Anito Ranma manages to manipulate a phoenix feather off of Cologne. At the same time the pigtailed boy starts to develop a whole slew of techniques using new found knowledge in manipulating ki effectively. After this Ranma and Anito go raiding nukes out of American bases. At the end they get caught and have to fight there way out. After a whole lot of happy destruction the two escape 1000 nukes, 1 tank, and an entire armory richer.
Anito makes Kinjakan and provides Nabiki, Ranma and Himself with magical goodies. They get a chance to try these out shortly there after when Kiima shows up again and attacks Anito only to find herself in the middle of a three way fight involving a secret military group designated by the United States to deal with 'supernaturals.' Using highly advanced technology they give the two some trouble and nearly kill the people inside the Tendo home. After this it is reveled that the military was HOLDING BACK, by means of even more advanced technology fired to cover the retreat.
Disturbed the two set about rebuilding. Nabiki finds herself wrestling with the consequences of her decisions and lack of control over her gift. After a harsh talk with her sisters she chats with Ranma who has just stopped himself from killing Ryouga for the stupidest of reasons. For the first time since the bracelet in female form the two chat revealing Ranma-chan's fear that her mind is being tainted or twisted by the demons essence. Nabiki offers good old logic as support... and tells what happened to her. Ranma-chan agrees to train Nabiki so that she won't make a mistake, at the same time Ranma-chan decides to face her demons...
Anito nukes a island to warn the Americans what could happen if they push further. This finally catches the attention of the council that seems to be allied, or at least very friendly with the Americans. The council decides because of both pressure of their friends and personal reasons to resurrect the Eye of Eldritch to look further into matters.
At the same time Ranma-chan is attempting to teach Nabiki, Anito shows up and discusses the stuff he used to buffer the houses defenses. The Eye is used and they all feel it. Anito tells them that they have thirty minutes to leave, fleeing into the Aether. Ranma-chan and Nabiki go to pack.
After packing Ranma-chan faces down her family, and that of the Tendos. She has one last face off with her Father, Soun, Mother and Akane. Kasumi acts as her support helping Ranma-chan through this difficult trial. Pushed by the seriousness of the situation Ranma-chan shows great maturity in her talk and in so is able to see her father in a new light understanding that beneath the gruff exterior he has 'some' kindness. In the end though time acts as a limit and she leaves with Nabiki to Stonehenge.
Here while activating the gate Anito tells the story of the three great artifacts and the council's real origin. It turns out that the council, while much weaker, once faced down an entire demon nation and won. This helps Ranma-chan and Nabiki accept Anito's decision, not that it matters at that point as the gate then rips them from that world.
The three head on their journey through the Aether. Anito though needs time to find a new world. A chat ensues about the qualities of the Aether, and then they break up to do what they do. After this, it is revealed that the military has plans of following the three. Skip back to Ranma-chan, who is bored. She goes out in the Aether and plays around.
Aphrodite's bracelet escapes and the Demon breaks free of the confines. The demon decides it wants Ranma-chan's flesh for interacting with the human world, and attempts to make the pigtailed girl into a suitable host. Ranma-chan resists, but falters under the demon's skilled hand and words. The demon though screws up and Ranma-chan tries to kill it. The demon survives, barely and Ranma-chan wrestles with the side effects of the demon's attempt, and the blood lust that drove her to go for a fatal wound in revenge.
The Anito and Nabiki notice that something happened. Ranma-chan though doesn't say anything. Instead the three focus on the now concerning themselves with the world they are now about to enter. After this a quick flip to P-chan who is currently careening through the Aether.
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AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS
Writing this work of fiction has been quite an experience. As an author I can say that without a doubt I have grown a whole lot with each chapter I produce. I feel that you, my readers, have come to the same conclusion. In fact, my rewrites of earlier chapters is largely inspired by my own improvements.
When I started this fiction I had several goals in mind. Most of them though did not particularly encompass creating an 'amazing tale' instead they were totally and completely selfish. The first was to improve my ability to write multiple character personality types, as at the time I started the first chapter I was wrestling with making several character in a original fiction unique and different in personality. Fan fiction seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel. It forced me to write already made characters with well defined personalities and histories. More importantly characters that I could at least in part already imagine the actions of.
The second reason was that before this I had literally never written a comedy before. Believe it or not I usually lean heavily on the darker story lines, preferring to create what I like to read, the more serious works. This is rather odd because it was a satire and irony class that truly started my love of writing. As such at first I was very worried that my already strange sense of humor simply couldn't render itself correctly through writing skills that I quite frankly considered (and on reflection of old chapters still consider) to be poor.
Thus writing this fiction was in a large part an attempt to write a completely different style fiction. It wasn't until around chapter 12 that I really allowed myself to depart from the Rumiko style plot line and instead write more along my own style. It turned out to be a good choice as that seems to correlate to the point where I started to pick up individuals that truly seemed to like my writing.
On a larger note I was attempting something slightly more than mere selfishness when writing this fiction. In addition I was attempting to show that even drained and heavily used worlds can still provide great stories. For this I hold out a vain hope that I can succeeded.
It is for these reasons that my choices involving Story Arch 2 were made. Not that telling you that helps...
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TECNIQUES: I think this is all the techniques used from the prologue to chapter 26 (Story Arch 1). If I am missing any feel free to say so.
--New--
Accent of the Earth - {That which stirs slowly in the deep} - A sort of magical variation of bakusai tenketsu. It strongly resembles a slayers Dill Brando and in general lacks usable attack power. -Known Users : Anito-
Aura Sight - This is a passive technique which allows an individual to sense ki much like a person can taste and smell. Advanced users can read aura's by detecting the emotional flux of an aura, or noticing a change in an aura much like adept individuals can read faces. Priests often use aura sight to detect supernatural influence or evil beings. Martial artists to detect their enemy or judge strength. -Known Users: Genma, Happosai, Cologne, Ranma, Tofu, and many many more-
Perfect Aura Sight - As aura sight, but so perfect that it substitutes as vision for ordinary life, in addition to the normal Aura Sight complement. For a person with perfect aura sight all things ki related are as visible as day. -Known Users: Anito-
Feet of the Mountain - A technique used to make one unmovable. Moving the user is the same as trying to move the earth. Not very practical in most situations, Anito though uses it to avoid Happosai's throw into the air counter. One though can imagine how it could be put to use with intelligent variations. -Known Users: Anito-
Fire Dragon's Apocalyptic Descent - A counter technique, or add on depending on how you look at it, to the Hiryu Shoten Ha. Taking advantage of the tornado's nature you invert it and then flood it with incredible heat energy. Instant bomb. By extension you can used the inverted creation, Fire Dragon's Apocalyptic Accent to add an extra bang to your buck. The energy involved though makes it much more useful when thrown downward... sort of like what Ranma pulled on Herb. -Known Users : Anito... though Saffron probably could do a pretty good show-
Full Teleportation Circle - {About a minute or more casting time!} - This technique is used to teleport an individual or even a group over massive distances... like say to America from Japan. While it cuts down on those airplane expenses it takes too much time and energy to use leisurely. That and the fact that the user cannot move while it is being cast makes things difficult. Definitely a nono in a fire fight. -Known Users : Anito-
Hiyouryu Uzumaki - [Flying Dragon Spiral] - Starts a Hiryu Shoten Ha using the hot and cold energy of the creator. Then using a sheath of wind ki funnels the spiral at the enemy. It is weakened by the fact that it has to spin up the aura's it comes into contact with, and if not powerful enough the technique can actually be snuffed out by too strong a source of energy. When used correctly the technique is supposed to allow near total control of the tornado at all stages. Ranma is far from achieving this. -Known Users: Ranma-
Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu - [Seismic Wave Explosion Point] - This technique works by sending a shock wave through physical material to trigger a breaking point at a distance. To master this one has to have an intuitive understanding of how such waves flow and must learn to augment these waves with just the right amount of ki. Anito stated that this technique can potentially trigger multiple points at the same time. Ryouga has used it to create weak walls of dirt to weaken Ranma's ki blasts. -Known User: Ryouga -
Kaze no Yoroi - [Armor of the Wind] - The technique spins up air around the user in a mini tornado compressing it and spiraling it around. It tends to slow down projectiles and knock them to the side. It works best against light and weak attacks. -*Known Users: Ranma-
Kyoufuu Bakufuu - [Fierce Wind Blast] - A huge gust of wind explodes from the hand of the user. A rather useless technique in principle. Ranma only created it as a stepping stone for his better wind techniques that rely on high ki manipulation. -Known Users: Ranma-
Mirror of Vasalis - Creates a energy wall that absorbs simple ki techniques and then takes in the energy placed into the mirror returning the attack at the attacker. Anito uses this in a few cases, but in general the technique is too slow to have any practical use. It doesn't work against more 'natural' energy sources, yet. -Known Users : Anito-
Raijin's Hammer - {That which flows violently through the wind} - A powerful lightning technique. It projects 5-7 lightning bolts each of which pack a huge punch. Anito uses this technique constantly as it is one of his favorites. In fact he is so good at it that he no longer needs to chant to use it! Bolts of lightning have several advantages in a fight. Incredible speed, destructive power and not to mention the fact they screw up human neurological response. Getting hit will result in the loss of muscle control for at least a fraction of a second and quite likely a bit longer. A fact that definitely ranks on the bad list when three more of those babies are barreling down on you. -Known Users: Anito-
Shadow Step - A rapid short range combat teleportation technique. Anito the only user of the technique has shown himself capable of executing the shadow step so fast as to nullify the point of learning any other way of dodging. The ability to move through obstacles, change location in air, relocate behind an enemy and so on make this technique very powerful. At first Anito shows himself getting worn from using the technique... Ranma though finds out that the wizard is increasingly able to use it not only constantly, but over much much greater distances at the same time. A fact that is driving the pigtailed warrior insane. It is important to note that a skilled user can teleport even while executing other techniques with a build up time. There are some SPECIAL exceptions to this rule. -Known Users : Anito-
Shadow Dance - Implementing the Shadow Step the user bats the enemy into the air and then steps the speed up to the max hitting around the enemy like a ping pong ball. The Shadow Dance is a very potent technique its speed mainly limited only by ki output, and raw physical attack speed. -Known Users: Anito-
Shadow Strike - After a normal hit a lightning fast teleport is made and a second strike follows both at full power. While not as devastating as the Shadow Dance it is far less exhausting. -Known Users: Anito-
Shiva's Blast - {That which haunts the arctic mists} - Fires out a icy blast that covers whatever it hits in a nice layer of frozen material. It doesn't really hurt, but it is great for holding someone still. Anito uses this to freeze up Ranma in chapter five, and doesn't use it again. The reason is obvious, it is simply too weak. Probably works wonders when the air conditioning is broken though. -Known Users: Anito-
Strike of the Mountain - This technique jacks up an object's effective mass. Generally the effect is placed the moment before the blow hits because of the drain it can cause when used at high levels. It is largely limited in scale by the volume of the object rather than actual mass. Anito uses this constantly on his staff elevating it from a puny attack worthy of Kuno or Akane into one of the most powerful hand to hand attacks out there. Ranma's bracers use this to a lesser degree in part bumping up his punching attack power high enough that one blow will down even Ryouga. -Known Users: Anito-
Sure Step - This is Ranma's sticky technique. The idea was to use the ability to stick to the ground to allow greater speed and maneuverability and thus be able to keep up with Anito and his Shadow Step. The technique though has yet to show profit there, on the other hand Ranma has used it to hold bulky items and to brace himself against massive forces. -Known Users: Ranma-
Thunder Storm - { The chaotic storm of power that the gods themselves do fear. Let loose thy wrath on this world } - A high powered Rajin's hammer. Instead of tossing off 5-7 bolts of electrical energy this monster tosses off 30+ unleashing five times the devastation of its lesser cousin in only a mere second. In general the raw number of strikes and charge up time make this most useful for an area attack, however it could be used to swat a pesky little fly that has proven capable of evading lesser swarms of energy blasts... like say Ranma... -Known Users: Anito -
Total Inversion - Less a technique really than a fancy high ki manipulation trick. This basically inverts certain aspects of ki construct when used. The energy though must be specially prepared to pull it off. While fundamentally used in High Ki Manipulation Theory the only direct battle use was against Ranma's Hiryu Shoten Ha, where Anito intentionally fed the spiral energy prepared for inversion. Poor Ranma was caught completely off guard when that hit him! -Known Users : Anito... and by extension Ranma-
---Weird / One Use / Psuedo / Unnamed Techniques ---
Digging Technique (Unnamed) - Push ki into a section you want to remove and then resonate it until it is soft. Then using solid ki lift it right out. -Known Users: Ranma and Anito -
Fire Spell (Unnamed) - {Spirits of Fire arise} - Heats up pots nicely and can ignite your enemy's grenade in a pinch. Probably works well as a lighter too. -Known Users: Kasumi-
Pit of Doom - Use the Shadow Step to carry an unsuspecting individual somewhere they would never want to be taken. Drop them and vanish before anyone can do anything about it. - Known Users : Anito -
Resonance Shield (Unnamed) - Create a shield of resonating ki that causes materials to disintegrate when making contact. This technique uses up energy fast for no good reason. It does poor damage, doesn't work on living people (difficult to push your ki into their bodies) and doesn't even protect well. - Known Users : Ranma -
Saotome Desperation Technique: Lecherous Demon Summoning Attack - Ranma-chan squeals girlishly and tosses out her anti Happosai weapon in a new manner. Accusing her attacker of attempting to destroy the silky garment immediately summons forth Happosai who then promptly pounds your adversary into oblivion. Warning: escape quickly after use or the demon may come after you as well! -Known Users : Ranma -
Saotome Fetch the Ancient Master Without Dealing With the Master's Students - Let your aura splash out softly enough only to be felt by masters of aura sight, and thus signal only the person you want to feel your presence. -Known Users : Ranma-
Tank Smash - Pull out a tank from your hidden weapon space while above your enemy. Add Strike of the Mountain. Let gravity do the rest. -Known Users : Anito -
--Old--
Look it up yourself lazy bastards!
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The Lost Chapters / Events and Whatnot:
Every good author cuts stuff out, my work isn't an exception.
Ranma and Akane's Infamous Date: A chapter scheduled directly after the Ryouga situation involved Ranma attempting to get together with Akane again. The idea was thrown in to help lessen Anito's impact on the early story line. Equally it was cut to hurry the more important and more interesting events, and because there was never, at any time, long term plans for a Ranma and Akane match up. -Categorization : Waste of time -
Anito's Curse: In the original story line Anito was supposed to return from his trip during the opening of Aphrodite's Bracelet with a Jusenkyo Curse resulting from an attempt to study Ranma's curse. It was removed not only because it felt too 'Stock Rumiko' but also because I simply couldn't imagine Anito making that kind of mistake in a general, much less off scenes situation. To top it off I couldn't find anything that would actually fit the wizard. -Categorization : TRASH -
Dreamland Adventures!: After Aphrodite's Bracelet a chapter was planned to introduce Anito's new gate / training machine. In this they would create a 'dream sphere' in the Aether using it to train. (The Council in its final form wasn't created until after chapter 20!) The result would have dragged the three (Akane at this point not Nabiki!) along a convoluted chapter or two facing down Sword Master of Monkey Island Nabiki, Dread Black Knight Kuno and finally Jadeite of Sailor Moon as the Sailors of the Negaverse, where upon I had a wondrous speech all planned out because Jadeite wasn't evil enough... weird huh? - Categorization : A Klein Bottle in a Square Hole-
Where did Akane go?: The first story planning had Akane playing major parts all the way up until the last few chapters before Story Arch 2, where Ranma and Anito would be ripped from her presence after a 'mistake' when using their gate machine. This is what would finally break Ranma's connection with his first love. However, all the way back in Chapter 7 I so liked writing the Anito / Nabiki scenes, and just writing Nabiki in general that she managed to integrate herself heavily into the story line during Aphrodite's Bracelet. Given that Akane wouldn't influence the story after SA1, I gave Nabiki Akane's spotlight instead. A fact I am sure Nabiki is still regretting. -Categorization : GREAT!-
Cut through the Light and Darkness Gundam! : Yes, you guessed it the first ending arch of story arch 1 was nothing like this one. Instead it involved a crazy Gundam fight between both Ranma and Anito. The CIA would show up just in time to witness this and negotiate the acquisition of the Humanoid weapons in exchange for forgiveness. Instead though I tied the Council and the US together making for a much darker and grittier ending. -Categorization : I miss my mecha... -
Ranma's Bracers : Ranma's bracers are much more mild than their first versions... The first versions acted as inner Ki amps doubling Ranma's Strength / Toughness / Ki blast power. At the same time they could create dual light saber style blades that could chop enemies to pieces.
This was changed when I kept feeling that this was just 'off', instead inspired by Scar in Full Metal Alchemist I gave Ranma his resonance bracers allowing his same old combat style taken to a whole new level. At the same time I gave a constant strength bonus fitting it more with the linear idea of Nabiki's ribbons. Keep in mind though that Ranma hasn't even come close to figuring out how to use those golden toys of his to the max. -Categorization : GREAT-
The Council : The council underwent the heaviest revisions. In most of SA1 The Council was kept purposefully in the background largely because it was supposed to be part of the plot line WAY later, and as such I didn't want to trap myself with statements of fact before getting to that point. Some parts though still remain the same, for instance the Council's Enforcers were being imagined as a far back as chapter 13, even though they weren't supposed to show up until SA3!
In a large part the decision came from wanting Anito and Ranma to suffer some REAL consequences for their acts, thus bringing into light that what they do isn't exactly 'good'. After a tough and long thought out decision I revised the US's response to what happened allowing them to get lucky enough to track the two down. Then I gave the US advanced technology to do something about it. The sense of realness fit what I wanted perfectly, and everything flowed from that. -Categorization : GREAT -
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Q&A :
Here upon a lot of questions are answered, but only those questions that don't reveal 'classified' information. A lot of these center around political responses as this seems to be the major questionable arena. Keep in mind I don't give the US's thoughts in actual story time because I feel that such a perspective would only detract from the story I am trying to tell. However, this is not something that needs to be hidden.
Q: The Political Implications of Stealing Nukes would result in the USA declaring war on Japan right?
A: First and foremost politics are largely effected by those in power.
Now aside from this there are several problems with this analysis. The primary problem is that the initial thought of a Japanese citizen would probably be incorrect. The first consideration of an Asian Special Forces Unit would immediately be North Korea.
Now, given that Ranma and Anito are not particularly subtle in their most basic of actions (Yes, Anito can be, but usually he blows it for a short cut...), it isn't particularly surprising that both were found connected to this incident. So why didn't the US declare war then?
A couple of reasons:
#1: Japan sits high in international favor, the US declaring war would have to be backed by something physical, or believable. Reports of SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY don't meet this criteria. The US also lacks the physical proof. There is no photographic evidence of Ranma and Anito at the military base. In fact, there are witnesses in Nerima that would truthfully point out that the two were on Japanese soil within an hour of the attack. Explaining that to the UN would be difficult. Explaining it to your own populous, impossible.
#2: There is no reason for Japan to steal weapons from America. Japan is more than capable of building its own if it wished to. Further, Japan and America are rather buddy buddy these days. In other words, there is no reason that America would see Japan in that light. Without a doubt America's first thought in the case of Japanese citizens would be terrorists.
#3: America is familiar with Supernaturals. Given that you know demons used to run around in the world, and that martial artists run rampant in the streets you can assume governments DON'T control the majority of them. Further, you can assume that this is not the first time America has dealt with 'Supernatural Terrorists' (especially since they have a special division to deal with it!). As such America would be already primed to believe that this was of individual origin.
This would only be confirmed when America gathered intelligence before striking.
Q: Why didn't America work with the Japanese?
A: They didn't want to. It was easier to keep things they already hid once in continual secret and deal with it on their own. The political rewards for success were high, and there was no reason to believe that they couldn't succeed with their black technology. (And they would have if not for Ranma's, Anito's and Nabiki's new weapons!).
Further, the same principle of explaining to the UN applies to the Japanese government. The Japanese are going to ask for proof before letting someone attack their civilians. Proof the US doesn't have, and can't get without warning very dangerous individuals. (Ranma and Anito)
Q: Why would Anito escalate the situation?
A: He was providing something called a 'show of power'. It upgraded the two immediately in America's eyes from 'mere supernatural terrorists' to 'nuclear powers'. Now America's military doctrine for nuclear powers consists of diplomacy, or nuclear response. Given they can't nuke an ally's city... things would be very very hairy. Still America isn't the type to let itself get pushed around, and it would find a way to strike back.
Unfortunately, the US happened to have friends that had the resources to deal with someone like Ranma and Anito. So the play failed.
Q: Why not take nukes from Russia?
A: The original alpha write of chapter 20 (never saw the light of day) did say that they went to Russia first. At that point though the two where making off with some 2000 nuclear warheads. I thought that was way too much, so I set them in America first, where upon they halted their actions with the failure at the US base.
Keep in mind I don't tell the reason they didn't go to Russia, as it simply isn't important from a storyline perspective. It only matters that they were caught at America, and had 1000 nukes.
If I edit later chapter, Anito might mention this in passing.
Q: Why wouldn't America send an army?
A: Several reasons, first because they can't keep an army hidden and thus are subject to having to inform others what is going on. Something America would rather NOT do. Next, because against a teleporting wizard with nuclear fire power you may as well have sent paper airplanes for how long your forces will last.
In other words, Anito could probably gut the entire US Navy, and Air force in three days if he was willing to use nuclear weapons to do it. (one or two per a aircraft carrier, a few at major harbors, wipe out those air strips... etc... etc...)
America is actually more likely to succeed with a small elite force that can strike without warning than with a massive one that has a giant bull's-eye painted on it.
Q: Where does the Eye of Eldritch come from?
A: It is the Eye that Sees the Eye that Knows, and no it was not blinded a long time ago...
The Eye of Eldritch is heavily inspired from The Shadow Chronicles: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. In turn that eye was quite obviously inspired by the Eye of Sauron (Lord of the Rings). So you can say my Eye is inspired by both.
In addition, historically an eye is a heavily connected symbol for knowledge or a sense of omniscient knowing.
The name actually came from a lazy thought. Eye of Eldritch just sort of rolled right out of my mind when I was attempting to create artifacts for the Council. The same is true for Daedalus's Key.
Q: Is Daedalus's Key from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever? Ranma has a key there.
A: Nope, Daedalus's key isn't connected in any way shape or form to that key. For the first point the powers are incredibly different. One grants the ability to travel through gates. The other makes Anti-gating Barriers / Extra-dimensional prisons acts as a key for those, and channels demon power from prisoners to wizards.
However, one with a sense of humor could declare that Daedalus's Key is what caused the demon invasion in Cast a Long Shadow. It would even explain their penchant for destroying Ranma-verses! ;)
The key is from there inspired by the name I slapped on an artifact and the decision to meet them up to the categories : Bind, Measure, and Cut
Q: And where did Tenmou come from?
A: Tenmou was created specifically for a specific character rather than the other way around. The connection to the other artifacts was made at a later date.
Q: There aren't any nukes on the Japanese US Military Bases.
A: They went to the American bases in America via long range teleportation (Full Teleportation Circle). Again this isn't mentioned directly.
Q: What happens to Akane when Ranma becomes immortal (doesn't age).
A: Akane slowly ages into an old hag and dies from the various causes of 'natural' death. After which he mopes around for a few hundred years and then gets a life. For an example of what might happen read : "Destiny's Child" by Fire.
However, Ranma will get with someone else in this story, so that doesn't apply.
Q : What's up with the blood on Anito's robe in the beginning?
A: A method Anito used to hold back his 'dark side'. It may be mentioned in the rewrites of the earlier chapters.
Q: Anito can't go away from Kasumi right?
A: Don't be silly, Anito is the expert on this magic stuff not you! Actually moving away from Kasumi does put Anito's sanity at more of a risk. Then again Anito stated he will continually become more stable for the first year, so Anito would be a lot more stable than in the beginning.
Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this. Anito's problems will be brought up, but because this fiction concentrates on Ranma, Ranma's problems are given a great deal more concern. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean character don't have problems. In fact, Ranma's problems with his demon essence pale with what Anito deals with continually.
Q: The demon said [Blah blah], but then you contradicted yourself later!
A: Its a demon. Really? You didn't do anything silly like trust it did you?
Q: What is going to happen to P-chan?
A: You can't even imagine half my plans for P-chan! Mwhahahahaha. Look forward to having that answered in the future Omakes. Ryouga will show up again in SA3.
Q: Who's boat was Anito on when he set off that nuke?
A: Principle Kuno's. Anito got the boat through a 'High Energy Physics Demonstration' as part of his Resume. Principle Kuno was impressed.
Q: Why did Nabiki agree to leave?
A: Several reasons: Obligation, Threat to herself, Threat to her family if she stays, and not a whole lot of choice in the matter. She isn't happy about it though.