While casting about for a way to not give up everything and return to the status quo he had just escaped, he had determined literally hundreds of potential alterations to his personal existence, and had seized upon one in particular.
In the new past, a spatial rift had erupted at Jusenkyo. Ranma had ended up in the middle of a battle taking place in a place called the Promenade in an area known as Undermountain which was itself beneath a city called Waterdeep.
In the new past, he'd spent five years as a martial artist turned mage and become one of the Chosen Of Mystra - sort of the elite of a local goddess of magic.
In the new past he'd returned to Japan, though somehow some ripple in reality had ended up with a Japan that now treated magic-users and shrine maidens and psychics as normal business. He'd, still in the retconning past, applied for and gotten a license and was now the Archmage of Tokyo.
Through Mystra's acceptance and a ripple in THEIR reality, there were now people on Toril who remembered Ranma's adventures and had interacted with him during that tumultuous five year mission. Tajra and Tarja being just two of them.
So Ranma had muddled memories, that being one aspect of the process he hadn't managed to get quite right. He half-remembered his old life as the martial artist staying at the Tendo home, and he half-remembered the new past where he'd found adventure and magic and really nifty side benefits in the Forgotten Realms.
Then he'd ended up getting a "temp" job as a teacher in a new reform school. One that seemed to have some dark secrets involved.
All of which had brought him here to this place and this time.
The clerk had seen everything over the years. Nothing could phase her. Nope. Well... maybe two dark elven teenage girls buying school uniforms. Especially with as one came in wearing a burgandy kunoichi outfit and the other had been wearing kendo garb in white decorated with blue flowers. That wasn't quite an everyday occurance.
"A school uniform?" asked Tajra as Tarja changed.
"I look like Popeye," said Tarja as she emerged, making a fist gesture.
"I don't think Popeye's sailor suit had a skirt, pleated or otherwise," pointed out Tajra.
"Hey, according to this," Tarja said, pointing to a section of the pamphlet, "we can have one hair accessory, one bludgeoning weapon, up to two pieces of jewelry of 'simple design', and as long as the socks are white we can choose any trim design."
"Check page five," advised Tajra. "If we volunteer for Hall Monitor, Nurse Assistant, or Team Lead positions, we get additional perks."
"Little print shuriken trim?" asked Tarja, noting the existence of socks with same in her sister's shopping basket.
"I'm going to keep my Brooch Of Shielding, my lucky hairband, and my Sai Of Abolution, what about you?" Tajra asked.
"My favorite bokuto, a hair ribbon, and a Green Turtle Badge," said Tarja.
"Why the Turtle?" asked Tajra. "Defensive, isn't it?"
"It's better than a White Rabbit Badge, which is the other one I've got," pointed out Tarja.
"True," said Tajra. "I could loan you my Playful Dolphin Badge..."
"Like that would help," said Tarja with a wince.
"Well, we're not exactly burdened by a lot of treasure, just stuff we've gotten for New Year's." Tajra frowned at a thought. "If Master Ranma didn't have that tradition of giving gifts at New Year we wouldn't even have that much."
"His mother left you those cosmetics, but I'm not sure about their use," said Tarja. "Hmmmm."
"They're different from the ones they sell back home," agreed Tajra. "ooh. I wonder what these earrings do?"
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(Posted Wed, 30 Jun 2004 09:46)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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