Ranma 1/2: Man Among Men twisted idea that didn't make the cut, submitted for your amusement. Metroanime@aol.com http://members.aol.com/greggsharp/index.html
1: Here's Ranma..
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"A tiny change, here."
Toltiir looked over at the other three horsemen and told them that this would have to be for the entire set.
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Excerpts from the journal of Saotome Nabiki:
February 12, 1991
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There's nothing on the news but the Plague. It wasn't a big deal earlier, just some bug the Iraqis were threatening to use if the American led forces didn't pull out of the area.
The Americans didn't pull back, but they did pause. That should've been the first clue to the rest of us. For them to even consider giving in to Hussein's demands after all that was a red flag that they took it seriously.
There are many who blame the Americans. After all, if they had simply packed up and left within 12 hours of the speech, the virus wouldn't have been released, right? At least that's what some news agencies say. You look at the logistics and tell me that was gonna happen even if the Americans had been 100% sure that the man had what he said he did.
The illness was just nausea and pain for a couple of weeks. The world had a good laugh at the big threat, and those cruise missles reduced the weapons labs to a fine powder, right after some supposedly elite troopers crashed the place looking for files and information on the bug.
And because the pain and the attendant sensations were in some...sensitive areas, many of those inflicted were reluctant to come forward. By the time the dying began, the disease had spread through international travel throughout much of the world.
Women were unaffected, of course. Well, mainly. There's some...sensitive stuff. It was the men that got the full treatment. I leave the medical studies, the description of the disease, how the airborne disease attacks certain specific areas in the male body to the medical journals.
All this is well documented elsewhere. What brought it all home was school today. Quite a few of the guys looked as if they were walking dead. The news, of course, being that despite the ban on international travel, and all the quarantines, that the disease was cutting a swath through Japan.
By the end of the week, we'll know. Out of five men, one will survive. Out of five survivors, one won't be permanently sterile.
I hear Hussein, in one of those little bunkers of his, is refusing to come out or let anyone in. The powers that be are still debating turning the entire area into radioactive glass.
We'll see.
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February 24, 1991
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The Red Plague, as it is now called, has come and gone. They call it that because of the red striations, and because the withering sounds like something out of a horror movie. It was mainly as bad as everyone said it would be.
Kuno's alive. So are Hiroshi, Daisuke, Sanjuro, and a bare two dozen others. I stopped writing for awhile because it was so bad, but with three suicides today, I felt the need to put pen to paper again.
Testing of men is going on. Who will get the sought-after blue mark next to their name, indicating that they aren't sterile? The ones I mentioned above. Tatewaki, Hiroshi, Daisuke, Sanjuro, that foreign exchange student Jared, Kenji, Yuji, Hikaru, Shigezo, Akira, and Go. I put together a list to sell very discreetely, listing their known hobbies, family background, and what I could find out about their likes and dislikes.
Daddy was weeping about some arrangement he'd made with an old friend named Genma Saotome, to marry one of us off against the son of his old friend. However, he grabbed the chance to at least get an heir when he heard that Tatewaki Kuno was interested in Akane. They're now engaged and will be married when she reaches eighteen.
Akane is NOT happy about this situation.
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_May 10, 1992
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Daddy got a postcard today. His reaction was loud enough to reach me even with my stereo going.
His old buddy (see entry of Feb 24, 1991) is on his way back from China. Apparently both Genma and this son Ranma survived. There wasn't much detail other than their imminent arrival and the fact that Ranma was trying to avoid capture by the Chinese government for their "repopulation program." Yes, this Ranma person is one of those who came through the whole thing with his anatomy functioning.
Because of the various governments going into a panic, there may be some problems getting Ranma here. It doesn't take much imagination to see the problem. Billions dead or sterile means the next generation is in peril. You hear about these things, and the group marriages, and all the other stuff, but you're too busy getting through it all yourself to really feel it.
Now either I or Kasumi may very well end up with a fiance. On second thought, considering what's going on at school, Kasumi _and_ myself will likely end up as this guy's fiancees. This group marriage thing may suck, but considering what some of the European communities are doing- I think there are worse fates.
If this Ranma gets caught by them, well, I've never met him but he'd have my sympathies.
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The rainslick streets saw a rather large panda and a short girl walking down the street. Every time a siren wailed or a police car went by, the two would flinch and hurry their pace slightly.
"You sure about this, oyaji," the girl said in a quiet conversational tone. "They're not gonna turn us in? You heard how much money that one collective was offering. I don't wanna be snatched and hauled off to some 'Breeding Camp' where I'm forcefed a buncha drugs and zoned out of my mind..."
The panda held up a sign. [Just be glad we made it to Jusenkyo. One of my better ideas.]
"Yeah, yeah, like you knew what was gonna happen." Ranma snorted. "You suppose that bit about draining completely dry..."
Ranma and the panda shuddered. THAT had been one rumor they had no wish to investigate any further. The Americans had an artificial insemination program going, but...the drugs they used supposedly had a few side effects. Supposedly this was why some of the remaining Studs (the new slang for nonsterile males) in that country were showing up in other countries.
There was a brief silence as they walked up to the house.
"Tendo dojo, huh?" Ranma sighed and looked down at herself. "Go in like this?"
The panda nodded.
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"So, hot water returns you to being male? How clever of you, Saotome. With the checkpoints and barricades in place, it was very prudent of you."
"Well, yes, I have my moments," said Genma with an off-handed gesture.
"And he did test?"
"Had the tests done in one of the encampments near Shanghai when the Plague was finished sweeping through. High marks across the board," Genma's pride was evident.
"Nonsterile, no testosterone deficiency, no withering."
Ranma blushed and started to find his hands very fascinating. He studied them.
"Well, this IS lucky." Soun beamed and clapped Ranma on the back. "I've already made arrangements for my youngest daughter to be the First Wife of a local boy. Now I have a chance to engage the other two!"
"What?!" Ranma blinked.
"This is my eldest daughter, Kasumi. She's 19. This is my middle daughter, Nabiki. She's 17. They'll both make excellent brides."
"What?" Ranma repeated.
"It's for your own good, Saotome." Nabiki smirked. Married women in the new society had a certain...advantage. Particularly now that all the important financial and political positions were being held by women. The better jobs tended to come their way, partly because most employers wanted there to be a next generation. "You DON'T want to be conscripted, do you?"
"But BOTH of you?" Ranma looked as shocked as Kasumi and Nabiki had been earlier at Ranma's transformation. What Nabiki had said caused him to break out in a cold sweat. Yes, he'd heard about the conscription programs.
"It's common now in Japan, Taiwan, some parts of South America, a few other places." Kasumi poured tea as she explained. "Group marriages are fairly common in the Mid-east as well." She was using the formal tea set.
They both noticed Ranma's hand was shaking as he took the cup of tea. "B-But it's not right! I mean, I..." He obviously hadn't noticed that it was the formal tea set.
"Really, Ranma. Where have you been over the past year?"
"Well, there was that monastery, and then there was Jusenkyo, and then that amazon village, and the place with the odd..."
"Hmmm," Nabiki looked over at Kasumi. "I guess he has been out of touch this past year."
"I would guess so," Kasumi said. She had noticed the panic in the boy's eyes. "Ranma, you've got to be sixteen by now, right?"
"Yes...."
"Ranma, most of the nonsterile guys your age are either engaged or married by now, and to four or more women. Here we are just suggesting you go with two, isn't that much more reasonable?" Nabiki smirked. Marriage to a nonsterile guaranteed she'd find employment fast after school, even preferred status for some government loans including college.
"Four?! More?! Married?!"
"Information overload," Kasumi said with a sigh. "He'll never be able to work this out at this rate. Oh my."
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On that very rooftop, purple hair waving in the wind, a certain amazon smirks. Soon, she promised herself, soon.
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Ryouga was running. He'd been running for some time. They knew his secret, and if they saw a little black piglet, they'd throw hot water on him.
He dodged around a boulder and screeched to a halt. It was THEM!
One of the amazons smiled as she came forward, a brass kettle in one hand. "<Here piggy, piggy. Nice piggy, we hear you passed the tests and aren't sterile. Good little piggy...>"
Ryouga backed up, there were twelve of them! He knew he could get away if he just...
Seeing him about to bolt, one of the amazons played a hunch and ripped open the front of her shirt.
"<Shu Ga! Such a dishonorable tactic.>"
Shu Ga pointed at the twitching form of the little black piglet. "<It worked.>"
"<True. Can't argue with success.>"
"<Let's wait on transforming him back until we're at the village. We know from the reaction that he's the one we've been tracking.>"
Picking up the little pig, Shu Ga smiled at him. "<Little piggie, you're gonna just love your new home.>"
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"Oh, hello," said a very worn looking girl about Ranma's age. "You must be Ranma. I'm Akane. I hear you're engaged to my sisters."
"It wasn't my idea!"
Giving him a flat look, Akane sighed. "Hey, it could be worse. Look at me, I'm engaged to marry Tatewaki Kuno..." She shuddered slightly.
"If he grosses you out..."
"What? The agreement has already been made. I'm to be Kuno's First Wife, though some of the others are going to be...difficult for me to take. I have a feeling life with Azusa Shiratori will be all sorts of hell." Akane's expression was one of disgust. "Look, you'll do fine."
To be continued:
Gregg Sharppe's Notes:
Well, this was one i was advised not even to submit as a Bet entry. Though i thought the concept amusing enough to throw out to the FFML before I delete it off my HD.
In this world, four out of five males over puberty died in between 1991-1992. Out of those infected, one in twenty-five, hasn't been left permanently sterile and with a sex drive of zero.
There are also sports and aberrations.
Survivors from the series: Tatewaki Kuno, Hiroshi, Daisuke(sterile), Sasuke(sterile), Ryouga, Ranma, Soun(sterile), Genma(sterile), Tarou, Herb (who's in female form during the plague), Saffron (likely sterile in the first place).
Enemies that Ranma & Co would face include government agents, foreign agents, the equivalent of body chop-shops, rich and powerful women, etc. Ranma's girl troubles were increased to the nth degree. Kuno's ego has gotten even more out of hand.
The particularly amusing part of this is Nabiki and Kasumi having to rescue Ranma on a regular basis. Of course, once he agrees to marry them, the Japanese government switches sides and is now helping to protect him.
Countries that have a history of polygamy have returned to the practice, with official sanction. Parts of Europe have the nonsterile males rounded up into breeding camps where the "Studs" are drugged into near mindless states and have to perform their duties. The United States has a similar approach, but the rumors are much worse. In both cases, the drugs used have side effects.
Canada has taken a similar stand to the US, Mexico is a refuge and dispersement point for refugees, mainly because the area was thrown into anarchy by the swath cut through its political powers by the plague.
Despite some predictions by feminist activists, a world run by female politicians doesn't seem significantly better than it was under predominantly male rule. My apologies to anyone whose religion states otherwise.
Some nonsterile males stranded in foreign countries by the quarantines and ban on international travel either decided to stay, were captured, or have been trying to escape since the plague.
If Ryouga shows, he's got a lot more to blame Ranma for. "Thanks to you Ranma, I have been passed around like a bottle of cheap wine! Do you have any idea what the 'Maiden's Kiss' is?"
Then later, it is revealed that Hussein was just a puppet in this too. The real villain behind this piece wanted social upheaval and to eliminate the weak as a consideration. An "active evolutionist" who seeks to make the human race stronger by eliminating the chaff.
Dark? Yes. Humorous? That too.
Other series. One can see Tuxedo Mask being pursued by ALL the Senshi now, as well as being protected by them. Tenchi would have survived, as would his grandfather. His father, probably not. Ryunosuke (Nuku Nuku) survived. His father, doubtful but the last orders to Nuku would have been to protect Ryu. From Darkstalkers, one can see the various males surviving either from their supernatural nature or undead status. Of course, undead is pretty much a guarantee of sterility. That leaves Talbain and Frank. Keichi Morisato survived, you can bet that Belldandy would have protected him even if he wouldn't have survived otherwise.
From American products, one would expect Jeremy Feeple's luck factor to protect him. Prince Stripe from Gold Digger would survive, either by being strong enough or due to his inhuman heritage. Gen is likely to be sterile as a magical being with no true gender of his own. Seance could have been conveniently off on Jade with Doctor Diggers. (You'd expect anyone with a planar transport spell to try getting out before the plague reached their part of their world. So the Chris Angel and Brett Handy of this universe would have been safe and likely in hiding.)
Near humans would likely be affected. Truly alien creatures probably not.
As for the villain of the piece, I leave the identity to whoever picks up this idea if someone does. Apocalypse from Marvel's comics has similar views to Ken-ou (Raou) from "Hokuto No Ken" and either could have done the deed.
My Notes:
Not all the ideas will be used, some, just not all.