From: deloura@noaapmel.gov (Robert DeLoura)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.manga,rec.arts.anime
Subject: TRANSLATION:  Ranma 1/2, Love-predicting Sakura-mochi story, Part 1/3
Keywords: Volume 21, Chapter 4
Date: 31 Aug 92 02:37:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: felix.DELOURA.92Aug30183757
Organization: NOAA/PMEL, Sand Point Way, Seattle, WA

Ok, it's not the story I said I was going to do next.  I really liked the
story, though, so I decided to do it anyway.  Here is part 1 of the "Love-
predicting Sakura-mochi" story.  Comments are welcome, as always, at 
<deloura@noaapmel.gov>.

(Last I'd heard, Theresa didn't have the time to translate this story.  If
she emails me telling me that she's already working on it, I'll leave the
rest for her to do.)

Term for the day:     ( :-) )
SAKURA-MOCHI:  A rice cake, filled with (sweet?) bean paste, wrapped in a leaf
               from a cherry blossom tree.

Ranma 1/2, Volume 21, Chapter 4
English translation by Robert DeLoura (deloura@noaapmel.gov)
Assistance on the tough lines by Hitoshi Doi  [thanks, Hitoshi]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Cherry-blossom-marked man"


(Page 54)
Another normal day at the Tendou household.

Kasumi:		Akane, I'd like you to go buy some things at the teacake shop.
Akane:		Ok!

Akane gets there, and the shop is closed for the day.

Akane:		....

She starts to head back home.

Akane:		That's too bad, the sakura-mochi there are really good.

A voice calls out from behind her as she walks away.

Voice:		Miss, you're in luck.

Akane turns around to see an odd travelling teacake salesman behind her.

Salesman:	I have just the right kind of sakura-mochi for a young woman
		like you.


(Page 55)
He makes his sales pitch, pointing a finger at Akane.

Salesman:	Haven't you been having trouble with love lately?
Akane:		Not really.

Akane starts walking away again.  The salesman comes after her.

Salesman:	Hold on!  Wait!

She stops and listens to his explanation.

Akane:		Love-predicting sakura-mochi?
Salesman:	Exactly....
Salesman:	Make these sakura-mochi and feed them to your chosen man...
Salesman:	Then, if that man is destined to be yours...


(Page 56)
The salesman continues his explanation.

Salesman:	Something amazing happens!  Cherry-blossom petal marks will
		appear on his face!
Akane:		....

Akane can't pass it up, so she buys the ingredients and takes them home.
She goes to the kitchen and starts to make them.  They look like they're up
to her usual cooking standards (bad).

Akane:		Ridiculous!  These phony things predicting anything....

She finishes making them, and now it's time to test them out.

Kasumi:		The tea is ready!


(Page 57)
Akane, Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, and Genma are at the table drinking their tea,
and looking at the sloppily-made sakura-mochi.  Nobody looks very interested
in trying them.

Soun:		Oh, so Akane made the sakura-mochi.
Nabiki:		Mmm, this tea is good.
Kasumi:		Father, shouldn't you enjoy them while they're still fresh?

Happosai leaps in at the sight of food.

Happosai:	Oh!  Sakura-mochi!?
Soun:		Akane made them herself, honored teacher.

Happosai tries to leap away again, but he's too slow.  Soun catches him by
the back of his shirt.

Soun:		Wait.

Soun grabs a sakura-mochi and gets a good grip on Happosai, so he can force
it down his throat.

Soun:		Here, why don't you TRY one?
Happosai:	You fool!  Are you trying to kill me?

Akane's irritated at their reaction, understandably.

Akane:		Fine!  I'll take responsibility for making sure they all get
		eaten, then.

Genma joins in to help Soun force-feed Happosai.

Soun:		Hold on, we're just TESTING them first.   (poison is implied)


(Page 58)
Happosai accidentally swallows one.

Happosai:	Oops.

The rest of the household looks on, expectantly.

Soun:		Hm?

Happosai beats his hand against his forehead, while trying to recover from
the sakura-mochi.  Looks like he's in bad shape.  (but not bad enough)

Happosai:	Horrible.

A large black 'X' appears on Happosai's face.  Soun, Genma, and Nabiki look
on in shock.  Akane thinks about it for a moment....

Akane:		This X (rejection mark) that appeared on his face....?


(Page 59)
She remembers what the salesman told her.

Salesman:	(remembered)  Then, if that man is destined to be yours...
		Cherry-blossom petal marks will appear on his face.

Akane looks at the remaining sakura-mochi with concern.

Akane:		They WORK...!?

Ranma's outside, breaking cinderblocks.  He hasn't seen any of this.

Ranma:		Ah....

Suddenly, he gets a premonition.

Ranma:		Something awful is about to happen!


(Page 60)
Akane shows up, carrying the box of sakura-mochi and a small pot of tea.
Looks like his premonition was right.

Akane:		Ranma, wouldn't you like some sakura-mochi?

Ranma makes a break for it, leaping away, but Akane hits him in the head with
a piece of cinder block.

Akane:		Hold it right there!

Ranma and Akane sit down together.  Ranma has a cup of tea (and a bump on his
head).  Akane sets the box of sakura-mochi down next to him.  She looks happy.

Akane:		Enjoy!

Ranma eyes the sakura-mochi warily, then confirms his suspicions....

Ranma:		These... I don't suppose that....


(Page 61)
Ranma stops beating around the bush and asks the question.

Ranma:		You made these... didn't you?

Akane smiles happily.

Akane:		Yep!

Now Ranma knows what his premonition was about, and he tries to run away again.
He gets taken down with another piece of cinder block to the head.  Akane
grabs him by his shirt and yells at him.

Akane:		It doesn't matter what they taste like!  (just eat them!)
Ranma:		Hah!

Suddenly, Kunou appears, shedding tears of happiness everywhere.

Kunou:		Sakura-mochi made by Akane?
		I want to eat them!!!!
Ranma:		Eh!?  Kunou.


(Page 62)
Kunou happily starts scarfing them down as fast as he can go.  Akane tries
to stop him, probably afraid he might turn out to be destined for her.  :-)

Akane:		Hey, stop it, sempai!

The taste has set in, and Kunou does indeed stop.

Kunou:		Ugh.

Akane watches Kunou, waiting for him to face her so she can see the results.

Akane:		....

Kunou turns around, and there's a nice, big X on his face.

Kunou:		Tendou Akane.  I have accepted your hospitality.

Akane looks quite relieved, and Ranma's a bit alarmed.

Akane:		(thinking)  X....
Ranma:		....
Ranma:		Hey...just WHAT is that?

Kunou grabs Akane from behind, and rubs his face against her.

Kunou:		Let's go out together, Tendou Akane!

Akane punts him into the air.

Akane:		Hah.


(Page 63)
Akane decides that she's going to have to explain things, to have any chance
of Ranma eating one of the sakura-mochi.

Akane:		Oh well.  I'll tell you the truth.

She does.

Ranma:		Love-prediction???
Akane:		Yep.

Akane explains what she had in mind (or makes excuses) to Ranma.

Akane:		We're engaged, by the decision of our parents.  But....
Akane:		What if we're really destined for each other....

Ranma doesn't seem to like the idea.

Ranma:		That's ridiculous!

They glare at each other, and then start yelling.

Akane:		But if we aren't destined for each other, we can break off
		this engagement!!
Ranma:		[sarcasm?]  Oh, wouldn't THAT be great!


(Page 64)
Ranma plays "catch" with a sakura-mochi.

Akane:		So eat one, then!
Ranma:		Hmph.  That's just like a woman.

Ranma brings the sakura-mochi to his mouth.

Ranma:		...believing in a bunch of garbage like that.... (prediction)

Akane watches Ranma intently, which distracts him.

Ranma:		....

Total silence.  Ranma sits there with the sakura-mochi in his hand, looking
at Akane, while Akane watches him, waiting excitedly for him to eat it so she
can see the results.  Ranma contemplates this for a moment.

Ranma:		(thinking)  They can't be...
Ranma:		...real?


(Page 65)
Ranma gets nervous.  Akane's still waiting, expectantly.

Ranma:		Hmph.

Ranma puts the sakura-mochi back in the box.

Ranma:		No way.
Akane:		Why, all of a sudden?
Ranma:		If I ate one of these sakura-mochi...
Ranma:		Not only would I be toying with my destiny, but even worse...

Ranma leaps away, making his escape from Akane.

Ranma:		It'd really upset my stomach.  Forgive me!

Ranma gets away.  Akane sits there for a moment, surprised.  Then she picks
up the box of sakura-mochi and runs after him.

Akane:		W...wait, Ranma!

She runs down the street, just a few feet behind him.

Akane:		Only cowards run away!
Ranma:		Shaddup!


(Page 66)
Ryouga, in P-chan form, is dragging his backpack down the street.  He stops,
confused, at the sound of Ranma and Akane coming his way.

Akane:		Stop, Ranma!
Ranma:		You're sure persistant.

Akane hurls several sakura-mochi at Ranma.

Akane:		Take this!

Ranma picks up Ryouga's backpack (and P-chan) and swings it around to block
the sakura-mochi.


(Page 67)
Several of the sakura-mochi end up going straight into P-chan's mouth.
He leaps up, oinking in distress, and runs for the nearest public bath.

Ranma:		Hm!?  Ryouga.

Moments later, Ryouga dashes out of the bath, heading straight for Ranma.

Ryouga:		Ranma....

Akane sees Ryouga come out of the public bath.

Akane:		Ryouga-kun....

Ryouga grabs Ranma by his shirt collar and yells at him.

Ryouga:		You jerk!  What're you holding against me, making me eat such
		an awful-tasting thing....

Akane hears him, and comes over to apologize.

Akane:		Ryouga-kun, did you accidentally eat the sakura-mochi?

Ryouga finally notices her.

Ryouga:		Eh?


(Page 68)
Akane apologizes.

Akane:		I'm sorry... they must have been pretty bad?

Ryouga looks nervous, as he suddenly realizes that not only did Akane hear
him comment on them, she also made them herself.

Ryouga:		You made them...?

Ryouga revels in the feeling of having eaten something that Akane made.
Obviously, he has a cast-iron stomach.

Ryouga:		No, those sakura-mochi were the best I've ever had!

Akane and Ranma notice, with surprise, that there are some odd marks on
Ryouga's forehead....

Akane:		(thinking)  Cherry-blossom petal marks....

Ranma and Akane both look worried.

Akane:		(thinking)  Huh...?  That means....
		Ryouga-kun is the one I'm destined for...?