Tendo Dojo and Petting Zoo
M A Davis / Miko
4-2-99
Soun sat at the table, with his three daughters seated in a row opposite him. Beside him were the two strangers that had arrived only a few minutes ago, weary and covered with dust from their travels.
"Allow me to make proper introductions," Soun said. "This is my good friend, Genma Saotome." He indicated the large man in the greying gi and glasses.
"And this," Genma said, indicating the boy in the red silk shirt, "is my son, Ranma."
"My name is Soun Tendo," Soun said, turning to the boy, "and these are my three daughters, Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi. Choose any one, and she will be your bride...."
"Ahem," Ranma said, clearing his throat. He glared at his father.
"Ah, yes," Genma said. "There's something more you need to know, friend Tendo. It happened a month ago, while we were travelling in the Bayankala Range, in the Qinghau Province of western China...."
Soun's eyes went wide. "No! Friend Saotome, don't tell me that you've been to that horrible place!"
Genma blinked in confusion. "What horrible place is that, friend Tendo?"
"Jusenkyo, the training ground of accursed springs!"
Genma looked even more confused. "How do you know about...."
Soun quickly snatched up a glass of water and tossed it at his old friend. Instantly, the large man transformed into an even larger furry panda. "Growf?" the panda asked, startled.
Tears flowed down Soun's cheeks. "Oh, friend Genma, I had hoped you would be spared the horror! And what of you, Ranma? Do you transform too?"
"Listen, Mr. Tendo, I...."
*SPLASH* Soun hit Ranma with another glass of water, and where the boy had been sitting, there was now a small animal with floppy ears and brown fur.
"Miyaaa?" Ranma the cabbit said.
"Growf!" his father replied. Quickly he held up a sign that said, "HOW DID YOU KNOW, TENDO? DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU...."
Soun nodded his head sadly. "I regret to say that, four months ago, our dojo recieved as a gift an all-expenses-paid trip to an exotic training ground in China. I took Akane and Nabiki with me...."
Soun tossed a glass of water at his daughter Akane, who instantly became a strange, round creature with long ears, white fur, and a round red gem in her forehead.
"Pu!" Akane yelled. "Pu! Pu!"
"Growf?" Genma asked.
Soun splashed Nabiki next. She transformed into another strange round creature, this one yellow with brown stripes on it's back and a kinked tail.
"PIKAAAA!" the creature exclaimed angrily. "Piii ka pika ka pika chu!"
Soun upended a final glass of water on himself. Moments later, a small, grey creature sat there. It looked like a cross between a monkey and a mouse, and it sported a striped tie.
"Chu!" Soun cried.
"Growf?" Genma asked.
"Pu!" cried Akane.
"Miyaa!"
"Pii ka! Pika chu!"
"Chu!"
"Pu!"
"Oh my," Kasumi said, "breakfast conversations are certainly going to be confusing!"
FINI