Tabula Rasa
is a Ranma ½ fanfiction written by Rivyn Daniel. It can also be read here on Archive of Our Own.
After a false lead on a way to restore their curses, Ranma and Ryoga are left bloodied and worn out. Then things go From Bad to Worse when it turns out that the gem they thought would remove the curse instead made Ranma's infamous Gender Bender become irreversible. Now, Ranma must readjust to HER new circumstances — which include conflict with her own identity, former fiancées, friends, family, and other parties.
Not to be confused with the now-defunct MMOFPS of the same name.
Tropes include:
- Asshole Victim: Tetsuya seemingly dying in the spring, and Happosai later on when Tetsuya betrays him.
- Babies Ever After: The ending reveals that Ranma, now the same age Cologne was when the two first crossed paths, was telling the fic's story to her descendants.
- Berserk Button: Ryouga does not take kindly to people insulting Ranma.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Kasumi finally loses patience with Genma, leading to the O.O.C. Is Serious Business case described below.
- Big Damn Heroes: Genma and Soun's arrival turns the tide during the assault on the Jusenkyo Preservation Society's hideout.
- Body Horror: Ryoga recalls that Ranma basically was broken apart and exploded into millions of pieces by the Jewel's energy, before said energy re-emerged to make Ranma's female form permanent.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Yukino attempts this on Ranma after the Jusenkyo Preservation Society abduct the latter.
- Break the Haughty: Genma eventually has to face the consequences of his history of raising Ranma. Fortunately though, he redeems himself in the end.
- Chick Flick: Akane and Ukyo take Ranma to see one in Chapter 19.
- Despair Event Horizon: Most of the first chapter focuses on Ranma going through one after being transformed into a female permanently.
- Dude, Not Funny!: Soun is NOT amused when Genma jokingly suggests throwing Akane into the Spring of Drowned Man as a solution to Ranma's current predicament. Soun's so offended in fact that he chokes on the cigarette he was smoking.
- Evil Makes You Ugly: Uglier in Happosai's case, thanks to The Jewel's effects.
- Flashback: During Chapter 9, Ryoga recalls to Nodoka the struggles he went through getting Ranma to safety after their raid on the Guardian's hideout failed.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: The fic repeatedly emphasizes that Yukino losing her son to a different Jusenkyo victim does NOT justify her involvement in the persecution of other Jusenkyo-cursed people.
- Gender Bender Angst: Ranma does not take being a woman forever well at first. Explored aspects include the fact he won't be able to make it work with Akane.
- Gender Bender: Ryouga has his original curse overwritten with the Nyannīchuan curse.
- Happily Married: Ranma and Ryoga at the fic's ending.
- Hope Spot: The beginning of the fic focused on Ranma and Ryoga finding a jewel that Cologne believed would remove their curses. Both of them learn that otherwise was the case in an especially cruel twist for Ranma.
- Hypocritical Humor: Akane accuses Ranma of insensitivity when she asks why Ryouga's new curse didn't cause him (currently a her) to turn into a half-girl half-pig. Ranma shuts her up by pointing out that Akane's first response to learning about Ranma's curse was to accuse Ranma of being a pervert.
- Mama Bear: This side of Nodoka's character is on full display during the story.
- Mind Rape: Yukino subjects women to this.
- Never Mess with Granny: Cologne, as usual.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Following the heated argument between Genma and Ranma, Kasumi giving the former a vicious slap across his face is the clear sign that Genma really screwed up bad this time.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Ranma's "LEAVE. ME. ALONE" in Chapter 23.
- The Scream: Ranma lets out a particularly soul shattering one when warm water doesn't turn her into a male again, confirming that Cologne was right about the Shapeshifter Mode Lock becoming irreversible.
- Shapeshifter Mode Lock: The entire premise of the fic for Ranma, who becomes permanently trapped in female form due to Tetsuya's jewel.
- Took a Level in Badass: Or rather, Genma REGAINS a level in badass.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Likely due to the Jewel's effects, Happosai returns even scummier than he was before, even going as far as not sparing Kasumi and Nabiki from his usual antics.
- Younger Than They Look: Tetsuya is described as being this due to the Jewel's effects, with specific mention going to his crow's feet.
