[Ranma/misc] Festina Lente - ABU 1

[KLSymph]

Aha, writing!

This piece is a sidestory for my Anime Addventure thread Festina Lente.  If the thought of entering the AA causes you to flee shrieking from the forum, like it does a some people, you don't really have to read that story before reading this one, since this one is more or less self-contained.  In fact you're probably better off not trying to understand how this sidestory connects to the thread, because the connection is a bit arcane. Simply put, the character of Ranma is the same in both stories, but not much else.  I wrote this as a character study more than anything else, and while it does somehow relate to the main story, the relation isn't important at the moment.

This was originally the first half of one big chapter, but 120k chapters are a bit much for the Addventure, so I decided to stop here and write the other half in a different setting.  Thus, all the setup is in this chapter but all the interesting stuff being set up is somewhere else.  Also, this uses the Zero no Tsukaima setting, since I felt it fit as a generic "medieval fantasy" setting for this chapter, but the chapter is part of a series and most of them won't use Tsukaima, hence why the tag says Ranma/misc.

For the people on #soulriders who remember, this is what I was talking about during the conversations about wielding katanas in a medieval setting without killing people, and writing entire 30k+ chapters without using any character names besides Ranma. <_<

Lastly, this story is a standalone not meant to be read at the current point in the Festina Lente thread (doing so will throw off the timing for the thread), so please avoid telling readers on the AA that this chapter exists until I post it or announce it over there at the proper time.  Not that I really think anybody here would do that.

[KIJIN]

So, Ranma has a sort of 'Kenshin' outlook in this setting? Or does he eventually resort to killing ocassionally in the near future?

And where's the rest of the chapters >_< ?

[KLSymph]

So, Ranma has a sort of 'Kenshin' outlook in this setting? Or does he eventually resort to killing ocassionally in the near future?

I think whether Ranma kills or not isn't really something I want to make a big deal about. Doing so will overshadow the rest of the story, and there's plenty of more interesting points I'd rather emphasize. Therefore, I recommend that you keep reading and come to your own conclusions about that.

And where's the rest of the chapters >_< ?

I think I've got about twenty or thirty kilobytes of raw material scattered across a few folders. You could always read the Addventure thread while you're waiting. If you're really eager for more of this stuff, you could try feeding my ego and encouraging me to write that way. Of course, historically that has never worked, but you could always try. ^_^

[Jason_Miao]

Whereas if we abuse your ego, call you funny names, and indelicately mention your body odor, you might write faster?

Anyway, interesting.  Normally, I'd say that "Ranma" is so far from Ranma that you might as well rename him and go with an original fic, but since this is just a fragment of a larger story, I'll reserve judgement until the interviening parts are filled in.

[KLSymph]

Whereas if we abuse your ego, call you funny names, and indelicately mention your body odor, you might write faster?

Only one way to find out!

Anyway, interesting. Normally, I'd say that "Ranma" is so far from Ranma that you might as well rename him and go with an original fic, but since this is just a fragment of a larger story, I'll reserve judgement until the interviening parts are filled in.

Excellent choice. It'll be a long, long time before all the links are in place though.

[KIJIN]

I've read Festina Lente from top to bottom, left to right, even sideways sometimes. And it leaves me feeling...wanting (NOT wanton! >_<). Though you've started what I believe is probably the basis for the backstories, I think you haven't touched any major plotlines of the story yet. I'm still not sure about the picture of Ranma you've painted, w/ the ZnT backdrop. How's he gonna be involved in all of the events that transpire in the Series?

I still feel it would have been best if you posted the story in a fanfic site, including the side-stories. For convenience's sake, if nothing else. Damn fine work there, but it always leaves me w/ more questions & puzzles

You alluded that that you might not use ZnT stoyline most of the time, except  as the setting for the 'Medieval, sword-wielding Ranma' idea. So how does he rate himself against the Mages, fighters, and other archetypes of the series? You've shown him to have a somewhat condescending outlook towards the mages. I'm curious about the number of mages he's encountered up to that point (Has he really met the powerhouses of that World?), and the tactics he may have used against such people, espescially if he'd been involved in a war. I get the feeling that though he's nowhere near a powerhouse, his martial superiority would even the odds more than a bit (Cheer for him People!)

Lemme know if I've been annoying you w/ too many damn questions.

[KLSymph]

I've read Festina Lente from top to bottom, left to right, even sideways sometimes. And it leaves me feeling...wanting (NOT wanton! >_<).

I'd be worried if it leaves you feeling wanton. I wouldn't have any idea how that would work.

Though you've started what I believe is probably the basis for the backstories, I think you haven't touched any major plotlines of the story yet. I'm still not sure about the picture of Ranma you've painted, w/ the ZnT backdrop. How's he gonna be involved in all of the events that transpire in the Series?

All I can say is, are you sure this is how the sidestory connects to the main one? <_< >_>

I still feel it would have been best if you posted the story in a fanfic site, including the side-stories. For convenience's sake, if nothing else.

*points at Soulriders*

Damn fine work there, but it always leaves me w/ more questions & puzzles

That's the KLSymph promise. You can confirm this by reading anything I write.

You alluded that that you might not use ZnT stoyline most of the time, except as the setting for the 'Medieval, sword-wielding Ranma' idea. So how does he rate himself against the Mages, fighters, and other archetypes of the series? You've shown him to have a somewhat condescending outlook towards the mages.

You can accurately infer Ranma's rating from his outlook, I'd say.

I'm curious about the number of mages he's encountered up to that point (Has he really met the powerhouses of that World?), and the tactics he may have used against such people, espescially if he'd been involved in a war. I get the feeling that though he's nowhere near a powerhouse, his martial superiority would even the odds more than a bit (Cheer for him People!)

I actually have no definite idea how many powerful Tsukaima characters Ranma has met at  this point in the story, mostly because I don't quite know powerful mages actually get in Tsukaima.

Lemme know if I've been annoying you w/ too many damn questions.

It is impossible to annoy me with too many questions!

[Jason_Miao]

I've read Festina Lente from top to bottom, left to right, even sideways sometimes. And it leaves me feeling...wanting (NOT wanton! >_<).

I'd be worried if it leaves you feeling wanton. I wouldn't have any idea how that would work.

*Waits for the lemon chapter...