Wai! Mihoshi is going to post another fic now... a silly little thing,
really, just a light-hearted filler episode you might have seen animated if
the series had kept going(one can dream, ne?). ^^; Hope the format works,
RPM posted my last fic, so I'm unsure how this will work. Ah well. Here
goes. ^_^ Feel free to send opinions, compliments, criticisms, flames,
whatever to Mihoshi@ptw.com
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All characters involved belong to Takahashi, I wouldn't dream of thinking
any were mine. ^^; If I did, I might get mauled, beaten, and otherwise
mercilously forced to watch 'The Smurfs' for 48 hours straight... or
'Samurai Showdown' dubbed, which would be equally traumatizing.
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It's nearly a year after Ranma and Akane have confirmed their love for one
another. They aren't yet married, but some people have finally given up on
the prospect of being with Akane...
*Somewhere in a Tokyo alley...*
Gosunkugi: I... have lost.
Gosunkugi sat rather dejectedly in an allyway of downtown Tokyo. He stared
at a cauldron filled with a bubbling liquid substance set to boil over a
small, personal stove.
Gosunkugi: I will never have my dear Akane-san. Saotome-kun is more of a
man than I. It hardly seems fair, that such an unkind person should have
the most wonderful girl I've ever known.
The pot continued to simmer, Gosunkugi stood to approach it. He frowned
somewhat as he peered into the liquid.
Gos: I am now attempting another spell, one that will find me a girl who
can return my love. I don't know why I'm bothering, my spells never
work... and I don't think such a girl exists anyway.
He stirred the pot for a while rather absently when the liquid began to
shimmer slightly.
Gos: Eh?
The simmering liquid began to glow, giving off a blue aura. Gosunkugi
stared as it seemed to go clear and a very blurred image slowly formed in
the surface.
Gos:(thought) Is it... can it be?? It's... working??
Gos: HA!! YATTA!!
Gosunkugi leaned well over the caldron, trying to make out the image now
forming in his mystic brew. So intent was he, he didn't even notice...
Cat: MROWR!!!
Gosunkugi looked up suddenly, but not in time. He felt himself shoved
forward into the cauldron by a heavy weight... a dog? Then something
clawed at his face before he hit the liquid. He couldn't be totally sure,
but he was mostly certain it was the clawing of a cat... something he was
painfully familliar with. He managed a strangled 'GYAH!' before the huge
explosion, and ensuing darkness.
-
Hours later, the sun was rising... and now peeking over the wall of
Gosunkugi's alley. This in and of itself was enough to get his notice.
Gosunkugi blinked one tired eye open, then the other. He sat up very
slowly from the pile of garbage bags he'd landed in.
Gos: I.. hurt everywhere. What happened?
Dizzily, Gosunkugi extracted himself from the trash and leaned against a
handy wall. From here, he appraised the damage. The cauldron was on its
side, a large crack went from the lip to its bottom. The personal burner
was now unlit... having run out of fuel. The ground was blackened in a
ten-foot radius around the pot, giving proof of the explosion which had
occured the previous night. Gosunkugi sighed.
Gos:(thought) So close. So very close. I... I saw it. It was working.
At least nobody heard the explosion.
Gosunkugi felt himself starting to cry and instinctively went to rub his
eyes... this greeted him with a face full of fur. His reaction was
spectacular.
Gos: GEEEYAAH!! N-N-NANI??
Quickly, he rubbed his face with a sleeve, then splayed his hands to stare
at them. Fur. They were covered in a soft, white fur but for his palms
which were now black. Nails were replaced with fine, sharp claws which
seemed to retract slightly when he flexed his hands. Gosunkugi stared in
wide-eyed terror. He slowly reached for his face and felt the outline of
his cheeks, fur. More fur. He tugged at something wirey on the lip of his
now muzzled face. Wincing, Gosunkugi came to the realization that these
were whiskers.
Gos: I'm... I'm... iie, this can't have happened....
He felt himself beginning to cry again, this time not over the failure of a
spell. Something suddenly hit him across the back of the legs. Startled,
he scrambled recklessly away, sending trash flying in his wake. He hit a
wall rather hard and flipped around so he could see the whole area. No
one.
Gos: ...
He clutched his now pounding heart and scanned carefully. His back was to
a wall and he could see everything. Something hit him again, this time
across the side of his leg. Gosunkugi moved his gaze downward very slowly,
and promptly fainted. It had been a tail. A long, white, fur-covered
tail. And it had been his.
-
Ten minutes passed without event, and Gosunkugi finally wobbled to a stand.
Gos: I... I must get help.
Gos:(t) This can't be happening. Who can help me? I don't know, who
would? Nobody knows me, nobody cares.
He dusted off his clothes and looked out to the street from his alley. All
clear.
Gos: (t) I should get home... I can't let anyone see me like this.
He dashed across the street to another alley and made his way over a wall.
Gos: I know... dear Akane-san will help me. She's so kind.
Gosunkugi blushed slightly at the thought as he ran across a yard and
pounced almost effortlessly over another wall.
Gos: And Saotome-kun... he will help. He's helped me before. I hope they
understand.
With that, Gosunkugi made his way home totally unnoticed in the early
morning hours.
-----
Script format (sorta) fanfic by Mihoshi
Title:
More Strangeness:
Gosunkugi, what have you done to yourself?!
(Would be filler TV episode. ^_^)
-----
*At the Tendo Dojo...*
At the Tendo home, there was a knock at the door. Akane was the first, and
perhaps only one to hear it...
Akane: Ranma! Someone's at the door, could you go get it? I'm kinda busy
here...
Ranma erked, Akane was busy because she was cooking something. He was less
than willing to give any indication of his presence. Yes, he loved her
dearly, but he had grown rather fond of survival as well. Rather than take
a pot shot at her cooking skill, he remained silent in hopes that the old
'out of sight, out of mind' proverb worked.
Akane: RAANMAA!
Apparently not.
Ranma: WHAAAAT?!
Akane: Go get the door!
Ranma: I can't! I'm, ah, on my way out! Yeah! Training with Pop, that's it!
Akane: Don't lie to me! I'm working very hard in here for you, the least
you could do is GET THE DOOR!
Ranma grumbled and finally came out of hiding. He started for the door,
and halted when he heard another voice.
Kasumi: It's okay, Akane, I'll get the door. Wait here.
Akane: But Kasumi, Ranma's just sitting around doing nothing anyway! He
can get it, I really need your help...
Kasumi: It will take but a moment, Akane. I'll be right back.
Akane: Well, okay.
Ranma let out a sigh and moved for the window, intending to leap out and
flee while he had a chance to.
Kasumi removed her apron gingerly and made her way to the Tendo-ke door.
The door squeeked open slowly, and a soft 'Oh my' was heard by both Akane
and Ranma.
Kasumi: Why, yes, Gosunkugi-san... please come in and sit down.
Kasumi sounded very calm, she always did. It took a lot to startle her,
but no one had ever seen her unhinge. Even now, nothing sounded out of the
ordinary. The conditoins should have warrented more surprise than this,
but Kasumi was somehow... totally undaunted.
Gos: Hello, Kasumi-san. I am sorry to disturb you. Is Saotome-kun in?
Kasumi: Why, yes he is. I'm not certain he should see you like this.
Maybe I should call Mr. Saotome first?
Gos: Iie, only Saotome-kun... er, Ranma-kun can help me. No other would be
bothered.
Akane listened carefully to the ongoing conversation. Her curiousity was
piqued. Gosunkugi Hikaru hadn't approached her house in over a year, and
barely even spoke to her at school any longer, what would bring him here
now? He sounded anxious about something, then again, didn't he always?
Ranma listened from his room, frozen in a crouch on his windowsill. The
realization that Gosunkugi was at his door creeped him out slightly, but he
couldn't help but be curious.
Ranma:(t) What does he want anyway? The little jerk, he's probably up to
something. I better go out and see what he wants.
Ranma climbed down from the window, straightened his shirt, and made his
way out to the livingroom. Stepping into the room, he first saw Kasumi
talking to someone now seated at the couch... presumably Gosunkugi. He
casually flipped over the couch and seated himself beside the person, his
arm slung over said person's shoulder.
Ranma: Okay, Gosunkugi, I'm here. What do...
There was a long silence.
Akane listened at the door, and jumped back as a high-pitched scream
sounded! Then more silence.... and a muffled *Oh dear, that wasn't good*.
Akane:(t) That sounded like Ranma!
Akane burst through the door.
Akane: Ranma! Are you alri--EEK!
A bizarre scene unfolded before Akane. Kasume was kneeling on the floor
looking very concerned for a twitching, layed-out Ranma. A rather scrawny
figure literally clung to the ceiling in sheer fright... and hung there for
a full minute before losing his grip and crashing to the floor. She took
it all in slowly. The thing that startled her most was the figure who
could only be Gosunkugi. He was whiter than she remembered, and had
pointed, triangular ears set near to the top of his head. Large, green
eyes stared back at Akane from a muzzled, white-furred face.
Gos: A... Akane-san...
Gos:(t) Iie, this is all wrong... I didn't want her to see me like this...
not without explaination! Curse you, Ranma!!
Akane: ...
Ranma:(twitching) GETITAWAY!! GETITAWAY!!! B-B-BIG C-C-CAT!!!
Gos: I... can explain...
Akane: ...
Gosunkugi sat up slowly, then stood. He approached Akane carefully, and
frowned as Akane stumbled backward, somewhat frightened.
Gos:(t) Iie! It shouldn't have happened like this! Saotome no baka!!
Gos: Akane-san, it's me...
Akane: Hikaru? What... what happened to you?
Gos: I... ah... was working on an enchantment... heh heh heh... *sigh*
Akane: An... enchantment?
It suddenly occured to Akane that Gosunkugi may have been trying to hurt
Ranma, even though it seemed impossible for him to ever hope to do so. But
still, the thought was there. Akane suddenly got over her fear.
Akane: Just WHAT were you trying to do, Hikaru?!
Ranma: B-B-BIG C-C-CAT!!! GETHIMAWAY!!
Kasumi: Akane, please take Gosunkugi-san into another room? He seems to be
affecting Ranma somewhat.
Akane nodded. She stomped up to Gosunkugi and grabbed him by the collar.
She then uncerimoniously dragged him off to the kitchen and away from
Ranma's view.
*In the Tendo Kitchen...*
Gosunkugi stood very quietly as Akane rushed about to turn of the oven.
Something was most definately burning. She pulled out a bubbling mass of
goo which rivaled most any other horrifying mass of goo Gosunkugi had ever
seen in countless B-movies. He instinctively cringed, luckily, Akane
didn't notice.
Akane: My homemade bread!
Gos: (t) That was bread?
Akane: Well, it actually doesn't look too bad...
Gosunkugi only nodded... mostly unwilling to offend Akane.
Akane set the the pan and it's still oozing mass on a counter to, er,
settle... hopefully.
Akane then turned to face Gosunkugi, and glared at him.
Akane: What did you think you were doing, Hikaru?!
Gosunkugi frowned, was she implying something? He looked embarassed as he
searched for words to explain with.
Gos: It was... a simple scrying enchantment....
Akane: Scrying?
Akane grabbed Gosunkugi by his collar and pulled him very close, her nose
to his. Her intent was anger, but Gosunkugi found it... absolutely the
most wonderful thing somehow. He sighed, even as Akane shook him... her
words unheard. He snapped to full attention as Akane yelled at him.
Akane: YOU WERE SPYING ON US?!!
Gos: Ano... it wasn't like that...
Akane: Then what was it?
Gos: I... I was looking...
Akane loomed over Gosunkugi rather angrily. Gosunkugi couldn't help but
love every minute of the proximity. He began to fade into a daydream about
her, something he hadn't done in a long time. He was snapped back harshly
by a quick shake.
Akane: Well?! Looking at WHAT?
Gos: I was looking for someone to love.
Akane blinked.
Gosunkugi watched Akane through slitted pupils, looking for a reaction.
Akane slowly uncurled her fingers from his collar, and felt sorry for him.
Akane: You were using a spell to find a girlfriend?
Gos: Hai.
Akane: That's sad.
Gos: ...
Akane: Then what?
A yell came from just beyond the kitchen door, it sounded an awful lot like
Ranma. The door flew open to reveal, in fact, that it was.
Ranma: GOSUNKUGI!! Where are you, you little creep!
Gos: ...
Kasumi stepped into the doorway just behind the now raging Ranma.
Kasumi: He seems much better now.
Kasumi smiled.
Ranma: Where is he?? I'll rip that little-EEP!
Large cat eyes stared back fearfully from behind Akane.
Ranma suddenly began to back away, going deathly pale.
Gosunkugi BLINKED!! It suddenly dawned on him, he was the epitome of
Ranma's fear. He suddenly grinned and came out from behind Akane, making
his full form totally visiable to the now cowering Ranma.
Gos: Heh heh heh... Saotome-kun... nice to see you again.
Ranma froze in place, wide-eyed and terrified.
Gos: Eh-heh heh heh heh heh!!!
Akane blinked.
Gounkugi struck a pose almost, making sure Ranma got a good look. He
grinned a toothy, cat-like grin and twitched his whiskers for effect.
Large green eyes locked with Ranma's as he approached the now cowering
martial artist. He flicked his tail lazily and flexed a paw at Ranma.
Akane blinked again. Then began to glow with an outraged red aura. She
knew what Gosunkugi was up to.
Akane: Hikaru, stop PICKING ON RANMA!
Akane punted Gosunkugi through the roof of the kitchen. She huffed angrily
and grabbed the still trembling Ranma, dragging him from the kitchen.
Akane: I can't believe you, Ranma! Afraid of someone as harmless as Hikaru!
Ranma: B-B-BIG C-C-CAT!
Akane: Geez.
Akane stomped off, leaving Kasumi behind in the kitchen.
Kasumi looked around the kitchen, then up at the Gosunkugi-shaped hole in
the ceiling. She tsked softly and took it all rather calmly.
Kasumi: Akane should learn to control her temper. I should get father to
repair the roof, at least before the next big rain.
Kasumi cleaned up in the kitchen and moved to find Soun.
Meanwhile, in a tree just outside the dojo, Gosunkugi dangled like a puppet
from multiple branches.
Gos: Ano... how do I get down?
----
*Out in the yard...*
Twenty minute later, Kasumi helped Gosunkugi down from the tree. She had
seen him clinging to a branch as she walked by searching for her father.
Kasumi: Gosunkugi-san, please forgive Akane's violence. She's really a
kind-hearted person, she doesn't mean to be so short-tempered.
Gos: H-hai... I... heh, I s-sorta deserved that. I can not blame sweet
Akane, only myself.
Kasumi: Very kind of you.
Gos:(t) Akane... touched me! Sort of...
Gosunkugi sighed blissfully.
Gosunkugi finally made his way down with some guidance, just in time to
face Akane as she stormed up angrily.
Gos: Akane-sa-*ERK*
Akane had him not at all gently by the collar, again.
Akane: WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?!
Gos: I... I... gomen nasai.
Akane: Picking on Ranma like that...
Gosunkugi sighed wistfully in Akane's grasp, he still loved her.
Gos: It won't happen again. Please help me return to normal? I don't know
what to do, or even how this happened.
Akane thought for a moment, she could only really come up with one person
who could help him.
Akane: Okay, Cologne is still in town. She runs the Nekohanten. You've
heard of it, ne?
Gosunkugi nodded solemnly.
Gos: Hai, the Amazon priestess. I will go to her. Thank you, Akane-san.
Akane looked Gosunkugi over a final time and nodded. A look of sympathy
crossed her face.
Akane: Good luck, Hikaru.
Gosunkugi blushed, giving his white fur a pink hue.
Gosunkugi: Hai! Thank you.
Gosunkugi stalked off through the side gate and seemed to just disappear.
Kasumi: Bye bye!
Akane remembered about Ranma, who she knew was now cowering under her bed
and stormed off to tend to it.
Kasumi returned to her routine, continuing to search for her father.
-----
*The Nekohanten...*
Cologne idly scrubbed down a counter as she prepared to close up shop for
the day. Although Ranma had denounced her Shampoo, the priestess had never
quite given up. She was still convinced that her Shampoo would win if
there were just a window of opportunity.
Cologne flipped the sign on the door to 'We're Closed' and pogo'd to the
kitchen. She paused when when a strange feeling washed over her. Slowly,
Cologne turned her head and found herself staring at a meek, slouching
figure who did little more than stare back in the silence.
Cologne: Ah, the failed shamen. What brings you to Nekohanten?
Cologne noted the cat-like appearance immediately, but didn't put it past
Gosunkugi to do such a thing to get at Ranma. Thusly, she didn't even
comment on it.
Gos: Ano...
Cologne:(t) I didn't even hear him come in, he is very stealthy. I am
impressed.
(Actually, she'd just failed to notice him, just as everyone else fails to
notice him.)
Gos: I am told... maybe... you can help me?
Cologne: Help you? Perhaps. What is it you've come to me for, child?
Gosunkugi thought it was pretty obvious, perhaps she was just toying with him.
She was.
Gos: I seemed to have... errored in my attempt at a simple mystical enchantment.
Cologne: I see. Yes... yes... so you didn't intentionally turn yourself
into a feline, I can assume.
Gos: Iie.
Cologne: And you've come to me to repair your foolish mistake?
Gosunkugi looked to the floor in shame. It was the first 'spell' he'd
gotten to work, ever, and he botched it.
Gos: Hai.
Cologne: I think... I think we can work something out, but you must first
perform one simple task for me.
Cologne:(t) I can use this pathetic little man to my own good. This will
work nicely.
Gos: Eh?
Cologne: Come with me.
Cologne led Gosunkugi into the kitchen , mumbling her plans as she pogoed
through the swinging doors.
-----
A Day Later...
*The Return to the Tendo Dojo...*
Beneath the wood flooring of the Tendo Dojo, Gosunkugi lurked quietly and
waited. He worked his way to just beneath the kitchen and mulled over what
it was he had been instructed to do.
Gos:(t) I must put this powder in the Tendo meal and then my task will be
complete. anyone consuming the tainted food will loathe Saotome-kun for 24
hours...
Gosunkugi looked the powder over in wonderment.
Gos:(t) If only I could have gotten something like this much sooner.
Gosunkugi shook the packet gently and frowned.
Gos:(t) I don't really want to do this, I actually am starting to like this
form. I can defeat Saotome like this, but... iie. To what end? Akane
could never love me before, and could never love me like this. I must
return to normal lest I never walk among mankind again.
Gosunkugi made a fist and trembled dramatically, a grey, sickly glow
engulfed him.
Gos:(t) I don't want to hurt Akane, but I must do this to return to normal.
It's only for 24 hours, Ranma's a jerk anyway, he deserves to be detested
for as long. I hope Akane isn't too upset by it.
Gosunkugi slowly pushed up on a floorboard when the coast was clear and
climbed into the kitchen silently. Without pause, he dumped the powders
into a pot at random and skampered back down under the house. Returning
the panel to place, he slipped away to tell Cologne that the deed had been
done.
The activity went unnoticed as Akane entered the kitchen to check up on the
meal she'd worked so hard to prepare...
Nodoka entered close behind Akane and looked carefully at the disaster.
Luckily, Nodoka had been preparing something in the oven along with a few
other side things, safe from Akane's corruption. Akane was only really
cooking for Ranma anyway, and the poor dear really did mean well.
-----
* The Family Room...*
The plates had been set out on the table nicely and everyone had seated
themselves accordingly. Kasumi and Nodoka layed out the meal bit by bit,
while Akane thumped what she had made uncerimoniously before Ranma.
Everyone suddenly stared to watch the all too familliar drama unfold.
Ranma flinched peering at the meal, it... had... eyes. No, it wasn't
moving, but it sure LOOKED like it could. It was moving! No, wait, those
were bubbles... er...
Akane smiled brightly at Ranma and handed him his chopsticks.
Akane: Well! here you go, Ranma! Mrs. Saotome helped me a little with it
this time... and I think it turned out okay! Eat up, Ranma!
Ranma:(t) Akane, we both KNOW you can't cook, why are you doing this to me?
Akane nudged Ranma.
Akane: Go on!
Ranma poured some of the goop onto his rice and paled. Akane smiled cutely
as he did so. He then mixed the stuff slightly and raised a small bit up,
not to his mouth, mind you. He eyed it narrowly as the chopsticks wilted
slightly.
Ranma:(t) I don't wanna die!
Akane: *giggle* You'll like it! It turned out okay!
Ranma just kinda stared at it for a while. All eyes were on him. He
swallowed hard and trembled, still staring at the gruel.
Genma: Go on, Boy, eat hearty! It's a groom's duty...
Genma:(t) My poor son, I shall never have another of your like.
Soun: Yes! Eat it! She worked hard to prepare that for you! Don't dare
disappoint my dear daughter by refusing!
Nabiki:(t) Well Ranma, either you'll eat it and die, or run like a coward.
Ranma: NO WAY!!
Ranma thunked the sticks back into the bowl and grabbed up a couple of the
other side dishes. He fled upstairs.
Nabiki: I knew it.
Ranma: NO WAY I'm eating that!!
Ranma fled to the roof with people screaming through the house after him.
It was at this moment Cologne had come to check up on wether or not her
little plan had worked. She pogo'd to a tree and stopped to listen.
Cologne: Perfect, around dinner time. Let's see if Gosunkugi has done his job.
Screams echoed through the house accompanied by things breaking.
Soun: RANMA!! How DARE you!! Come back here!
Genma: My foolish boy, YOU MUST BE PUNISHED!
Nabiki: "Yeah, go get him, dad!"
Akane: RANMA!! You're such a jerk, I HATE you!!
Cologne blinked, then nodded. She pogoed away in the direction of the
Nekohanten.
Cologne: Now, to fix that silly failure of a magician and shoo him on his
way. Appears he's done his job well. THEN for preparations. My Shampoo
will be so happy to hear she has another chance at son-in-law.
Still back at the dinner table, Kasumi and Nodoka quietly ate their
respective meals.
Kasumi: Wonderful meal, Mrs. Saotome.
Nodoka: Thank you, Kasumi.