Alright. The post-editorial chewed on, slobbered all over, and cleaned up
version is here. Sorry for the typo's before, that version was not intended
for public consumption. Thanx to the reader crew (esp johnd!) who chewed on
it. There won't be a 3 month wait for the next one. I'm working on it now.
Yes, this is all preplotted...*cackles* Have fun!
Will
PS FEED BACK! I NEED MORE FEEDBACK!
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******RANMA 1/2: .....After All This Time?!******
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All rights reserved by the Takahashi Goddess and her minions. I am
merely borrowing her characters.
Episode 4: The Things That Change...
(We sit back and watch Ranma's slow, but steady recovery. Ukyou and Akane
are at his side whenever possible. First...he's in a wheel chair and we
watch him hate it...time passes, a month or two)
(Akane is at his right and Ukyou at his left...he's wheeling out of the
Furinkan High School front doors...Akane and Ukyou are talking lively and
including Ranma as much as they can. He's quietly fuming...and they can
tell, but aren't quite sure what to do...)
(They reach the stairs)
Ranma (attempting to get up again, bitter): "I am going to walk down
those stairs if it's the last thing I *DO*."(thrusts himself up from his
wheel chair using his arms...obviously, based on the amount of work being
done by his arms, his legs aren't quite functional yet...they're
recovering, but slowly...even Ranma can't simply shrug off being hot
by a semi.)
(Akane and Ukyou grab him and start scolding him in a practiced manner...it
seems Ranma has attempted this before and apparently frequently...)
Akane (patient, but not happy): Ranchan, please, your legs need to recover
more yet...we've had this argument for the past two weeks since you've
been back...please, for me...
Ukyou (sighing): Ranchan, for us...please? You won't recover
your full abilities if you abuse yourself before you're
ready...please...wait...(she and Akane are holding him down...not easily,
he's strong, but not so hard as they would have before...it's obvious
Ranma is not up to snuff...)
Ranma (sighing, resigned, but bitter): Some martial artist I am...
(They turn him around and begin to take him down the steps...he resents
it...hates it...loathes his condition...especially with what happens
next...everyday...)
(The girls get him down the steps. Then like clockwork, after having
wheeled himself a good 3 meters, thunder flashes. He sighs and stops)
Kuno: Kur...The Vengeance of Heaven is slow but sure...you are a lowly
scum, Saotome...(Ranma's anger is building)you are weak and must depend upon
others for your strength now...(He's working on bursting) I will not
challenge you for you are weak...(His face is bulging...eyes wild) the true
warrior harms not the invalid...(He's about to burst)
Akane (snarling to herself, replies): The true warrior doesn't
mock the weak either, Kuno...If you must fight, fight one of us...we're
his champions 'til he's better....you know this, you've done this
daily...for the past two weeks...
(Ukyou is furious and unlimbers her massive spat)
Kuno (eyes impassive): How simple things must be to you, oh my Huntress
(Ranma is about to commit murder...wheel chair or no wheel chair) very
well... should I win, I shall allow you to date with me! (He lowers his
bokken).
Akane (viciously snarling aloud): Ranchan has my heart..who would
want to date such an over stuffed, pompous ass like yourself! (she moves
into a fighting stance; Ukyou moves into one as well, but not to fight
Kuno...Kodachi nearly successfully stole Ranchan once while they were
pummeling Ranma's rivals...not again...The other students stream by..this
is nothing new to them)
Ranma (bursting): *ENOUGH!* This is *MY* fight. Kuno is *MY*
rival, not yours Acchan or yours Ucchan...Let Me AT *HIM*! (Ukyou
reaches for the back of his chair distractedly...watching the
trees...Kodachi must be there somewhere...or Shampoo...Ranma's reaction
was also normal for this event...)
Kuno (mockingly): Your women now carry your honor, Saotome...how
much this is true for a martial artist...a true martial artist..(Ranma's
effeorts to free himself from Ucchan's grasp on the back of his chair are
redoubled and yet...are equally useless...) Very well, Akane TENDO
(saying in such a way to mock Ranma), I accept your challenge now
formally...prepare yourself...
Ukyou (half mumbling and watching the trees and other places of possible
concealment): Whatever Kuno...you lack brain cells to the point of
having to repeat yourself...daily too...
Kuno (outraged): WHAT! YOU COMMONER! (raises his bokken and
charges Ukyou....)
(Ukyou rounds and turns to face the attack...letting go of Ranma in the
process inadvertantly...Ranma charges full throttle in his chair...Kuno
dodges around Ranma easily and charges Ukyou...the two become a flurry of
bokken and massive spatulas...Akane is sighing and trying to grab Ranma
who keeps trying to manuaver to attack Kuno...)
(Kuno and Ukyou stop for breath...based on the wounds exchanged Ukyou is
better, but Kuno still isn't to be underestimated...)
Kuno (breathing heavily): You are good Kounji...but not good
enough!
Ukyou (breathing less heavily than Kuno, but still recovering from the
exhanges): Same to you Kuno...you pompous ass...
Kuno (outraged for being degraded by a woman so): WHAT! (prepares
to charge and....Akane mallets him good over the head...he collapses...)
Akane (smirking): Sorry Ucchan, but Ranchan needs to get to his
appointment with Tofu-sensei...time is short...
Ukyou (nodding): Tis okay, Acchan...he takes precedence over the
joy of smacking Kuno around. Let's go...
(Ranma sits...in bleak and obvious misery....a girl...a PAIR of girls are
his defenders...slumped...he let's Akane and Ukyou wheel him to Dr Tofu's...)
(A pair of eyes watch from the tower above the school entrance...knowingly.)
(The girls wheel him along, trying to cheer him up and make him
smile...they do eventually, and are relieved...this too is part of their
daily ritual and they all play their parts well...)
(Inside Dr Tofu's. Dr Tofu is in the back examining Ranma...talking with
him good naturedly. Akane and Ukyou are in the front chatting nervously
and also watching the perimeter...Shampoo and Kodachi have tried
kidnapping Ranma from here too...less successfully, but still tried...Dr
Tofu has demonstrated his prowness as a martial artist more than once...)
Dr Tofu (cheerfully): You're coming along nicely, Ranma. I'm glad to
say that you should be out of the wheel chair and onto some crouches in a
few days...
Ranma (looking hopeful): I should hope so, Tofu-sensei. I've been
doing everything you requested for excercises...they're nothing on what I
used to do for workouts...(trying to sound macho as usual)
Dr Tofu (smiling): Good...Good...I'm glad to hear it. How are
things with your personal life...a patient's health is more than just his
body....
Ranma (uncomfortable): They're fine...
Dr Tofu (nodding to himself knowingly...it's obvious Ranma is bluffing):
Decided on which to pick between Ukyou and Akane?
Ranma (sighing): No...I wish it were simple...they're both too
understanding ...too nice...almost smotheringly so...no worries about me
picking Kodachi or Shampoo...I just wish those psychotics would leave me
alone...I wish my love life were as simple as yours and Kasumi's...
Dr Tofu (nodding and smiling happily): We do fine...you'll sort things
out..I'm quite sure...
(Ranma nods and is escorted out to Ukyou and Akane, who sigh with relief
at seeing him again)
Dr Tofu (to the young women): He'll be fine. A few more days and he'll
getting onto a pair of crutches instead of the wheel chair. He's been
good about his excercises it seems (Ranma puffs up), but make sure he
doesn't over do things too quickly, ne? (Ranma deflates remembering this
afternoon).
Ukyou and Akane (in unison): Hai, Tofu-sensei!
Dr Tofu (nodding): Good. Akane, tell Kasumi I'll be calling later
after I close up. Tell her to keep at those studies...I'll enjoy having
her be my wife and aide...(he phases out for a second and shakes off the
fog as the girls giggle).
Ranma (rolling his eyes): We better be going...
Ukyou and Akane (in unison): Hai, Ranchan! Goodbye, Tofu-sensei!
Thank you!
(The trio roll off into the closing darkness...)
Dr Tofu (speaking to himself as he watches the trio roll off): I envy
you not, Ranma....I envy you not...
(We see Ranma be "treated" a combined meal by Ukyou and Akane...he freaks
at first from Akane's food, but realizes that Ukyou has been teaching her,
and WORKING (and HOW!) with her on her cooking abilities...they leave
Ucchan's and head back to the Tendo residence. The trio are laughing and
giggling together...Ranma zips around the two girls and attempts to "run
over" Akane for calling him hentai-chan...then the girls both start
chanting and taunting him (good naturedly) as he chases them around in
his wheel chair...something -someone- is watching...they know it not
though...)
(They finally reach the Tendo Dojo and Ukyou takes her leave...this too
is part of the ritual..)
Ukyou (smiling sadly): Good night, Ranchan...(she bends down and kisses
his forehead, Akane flinches slightly...still...she masks it as Ucchan
turns to her and gives her a good hug..) Good night to you too,
Acchan...(surprisingly, she bends and smooches Akane's ear...which while
not anything too strange startles Akane...)
Ukyou (waving): Nite, guys!
Akane and Ranma: Nite, Ucchan!
(The two wait for Ukyou to fade from sight and turn to go inside...)
(Akane and Ranma are chatted with by their parents. Soun and Genma
afterwards go back to their game of shoji. Akane relays the message for
Kasumi. Kasumi beams and continues cleaning and chatting with
Nodoka...whose starting to feel the effects of pregnancy. Nabiki is
outside and waiting to see if Ryouga makes it around for their attempts
at nightly talks... Akane and Ranma make their way to the dojo and work
on stretching and working out Ranma's legs...they are watched
however....by not just one set of eyes...)
Akane (smiling and quite unaware of the eyes): I'm happy for you Ranchan
that you'll get to get out of that chair soon!
Ranma (puffing a bit): Yah...it'll be nice...I'll finally get to clobber
Kuno and crew again! (grinning) I could do it now if you guys would let me.
Akane (smiling indulgently): Yes, dear, whatever you say...
Ranma (a little miffed): I could ya kaiwakune tom-
Akane (knowing this would be his reaction): Ha! Nyah!
Ranma (lightening up a bit, but still a bit bitter inside): Nyah!
(Akane helps Ranma from up off the floor mat and into his wheel chair and
they go inside the house proper)
A voice from teh shadows: I hope this work out...my Ranchan...my
Acchan...what's wrong with me? (With a sob the shadowy voice recedes).
Another voice from somewhere else in the shadows...also watching, but not
where it could have heard the first or be heard: Ranma-sama...I
WILL save you...(this voice recedes)
The final watcher says nothing, but watches, very malovalently, watches
intently.
(Back in the house, Ranma is being helped up the stairs to his and
Akane's room...the family felt it best that he and his fiancee stay in
the same place (and away from a very pregnant mother) The one place
left was Akane's room, where she could take care of him.)
(Akane bends and puts Ranma to bed. Much to his chagrin, she is a bit
over smothering...not too much, but a bit...his resentment of having to be
taken care of is noticeable, but Akane seems to be used to it...)
Akane (yawning and having changed in the bathroom): Night my
hentai-chan...
Ranma (grumbling): Good night...
(The lights flick off)
(The next day dawns...we see Ranma being bathed with help from Akane...he
resents this too, but not too much...she knows when not to stare and when
to be helpful...it's something that they've worked out between them.
Nodoka, Genma, and Akane help him down the stares...he quite vehemontly
feeds himself and gets the rest of his stuff together and with Nabiki and
Akane they leaves the house. All the time, something-someone-is
watching...)
(Ukyou greets them at the gate and escorts them to school...the four of
them all talk on their way...midway, the fiancees sigh and unlimber their
weapons...they normally encounter a hygiene product in the general area...)
(Bicycle sounds can be heard...the girls sigh...Ranma and Nabiki wait in
the wings)
Shampoo (bright and happy as usual): Nihao! Where Shampoo's Ranma?
Must Shampoo fight violent tomboy and not-nice-girl again?
AKane (stone voiced): Go away Shampoo...he's not yours...
Ukyou (agreeing and not sounding any nicer): He's taken, twice
over...get used to it, there's no more room...
Shampoo (growling): Stupid girls...Shampoo have to teach
lesson...(she whips out her bonbori...)
(The girls are obviously preparing to fight)
Ranma (struggles free of Nabiki...who squawks and comes after him):
SHAMPOO! STOP! LEAVE THEM BE!
Shampoo (looking at Ranma with her head cocked): Husband? Why
intervene? Shampoo must show husband she love him!
Ranma (sad and dejected): Shampoo...I...(looks inward and
beaten in some ways...changed in many others...) ....I don't....don't love
you and I never will.
Shampoo (outraged): Violent tomboy cast spell on husband....BREAK IT!
(she launches an attack at Akane...ignoring all else)
(As usual, Shampoo gets smacked into the ground by one of the
girls...this time, Ukyou...and the four moved on...)
(We see the day go on. Ranma struggling up and down stairs; he refuses
to use the elevator. Akane and Ukyou pushing him up the stairs,
grimacing. We see Ranma dozing occasionally in class, but more subtle
than before. We see Akane get the adoration of her Home Ec class when
she finally cooks something that's nonlethal nor living...we see
Ukyou striding back and forth in front of the board explaining her proof
in Calc...)
(Lunch)
(We see Akane, Ukyou, and Ranma all talking by themselves...they've
become a bit of a clique in and of themselves...they don't necessarily
neglect their friends, but they're definitely closer now. We see them
talking for a while at lunch and then we see Akane break off and run
over to a pair of people we've seen before...she brings them back)
Akane (beaming a bit): Ranma, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine...
This is Jana Glicker and Tudor Bartice...they're the students that
nearly...well, ran us over (she giggles...the two students look a little
embarassed..) They're from the US and visiting for a semester...
Ranma (not sure what to say..): Hello....
(It's obvious that they're a bit lost for words too....Jana breaks the
ice though).
Jana (in broken Japanese): Hello, Ranma. We've heard a lot about
you...how are you feeling? Better I hope!
Tudor: Hai! I hope you are better and get well soon...
Ranma (smiling): Thank you. We'll see how I come out...I'm sure
I'll be as good as ever very shortly...(he smiles up, but not totally
happily that it's upwards...the two Americans are quite tall...both
being over 185 cm)
Tudor (nodding and noticing the discomfort, sits): Hai! (tugs Jana down)
What do you like to do?
Ranma (smiling): I'm a martial artist...of the anything
goes...unrestricted variety...I'm rather good too...
Tudor (chuckling): Modest as well..
Ranma (chuckling back): Of course, but it's deserved...(smiling) How
about you guys? Are you martial artists..?
Jana (shaking her head): Not unless track, basketball, and soccer
count...
Tudor (smiling still): No, sorry. Swim team and computers are my game.
I did learn some Kung Fu from an uncle, but he's theonly one that could
remotely be called a martial artist...not I...
Ranma (nodding): Which variety? Hopefully not (shudders) Cat Fu...
Tudor (looks perplexed): No....sorry...Shao lin, if I recall
correctly. He spoke of others, but they were supposed to be rather
different...Tiger and Praying Mantis...
Ranma (nodding again knowingly): Sounds like he knew a bit...not
as much, but a bit...
(The group talked some more and then the Americans split off...as they
were leaving the area, Jana smacked Tudor upside the head and shouted,
"TAG" and ran off...Tudor thundered in pursuit....the trio just shook
their collective head...)
(The day wore on...we see Akane working through her Chem labs, we see
Ukyou talking with friends, we see Ranma dashing down the halls with Mrs
Kuno (the former Ms Hinako) in hot pursuit of the deviant...the school
day ends...through it all...something was watching..)
(the girls roll Ranma out the door and all seem relatively
happy this day...they help him down the stairs and both are surprised
when he doesn't protest...then thunder flashes...)
Voice: The vengeance of Hevane is slow but sure....
Ranma (rolling his eyes): Damnit, Kuno, can't you learn a new
phrase for attempting to attack us?
Kuno (shocked): Well, my dear invalid, (Ranma growls) I am sure that good
taste is worth repeating....especially if it relates to me.
Ranma : Oh sure, Kuno...you know best....(sarcasm rather thick there for
the sarcasm.net.impaired)
(Ukyou's turn to challenge him has come up and she turns to do so when
Ranma darts ahead of them...)
Akane & Ukyou (shocked): Ranchan!
Ranma (to Kuno): Try me on for size...
Kuno (dismissively): I trifle not with the crippled! (turns his head)
Ranma (cocky): Oh yeah? (rams him...hard)
Ukyou and Akane (wide eyed): ....
Ranma (spinning the wheels as fast as he can runs over Kuno and stops
atop him): *NEVER* discount the guy in the wheel chair....NEVER, Kuno...
(Kuno lifts up Ranma...who knows he's in trouble)
Ranma (eyes wide): Uh oh...
Kuno (mockingly): Yet the invalid challenges me still...I will have
to teach him a a lesson...
Ranma (smirks): Oh yeah?
(Ranma spins the wheels VERY quickly, catching Kuno's hands in
them...Kuno cries out and drops Ranma who lands and peels out throwing
rocks and dust into Kuno...with his good hand Kuno rounds on Ranma...who
is grinning like a fool...The two girls stand shocked to their core...Was
Ranma nuts?)
Kuno (grimacing): RANMA SAOTOME! PREPARE TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Kuno charged. Ranma moved out of the way and shouted his battle cry,
zipping behind Kuno and clobbers him, hitting him with hundreds of
punches. Kuno stumbles from the kidney punches and falls to the
ground...Ranma promptly runs him over and over and over. Finally he
stops; his tire above Kuno's face and spins it fast. Then he rolls
over to the two dazed women and smiles)
Ranma (grinning ear to ear): Told ya I could do it Acchan...Nyah!
(the two girls smile and scold him...half heartedly as they
leave....Again, something watched as they left, silently)
Kuno (falteringly, with skid marks on his face..): Even in a wheel
chair he's a pain in the ...*passes out*
(The day passes and Ukyou and Akane go through their ritual yet again.
At the gates of the Tendo Dojo, they exchange their goodbyes once
more...yet something is a little different...like the night before. Yet
none are quite sure what it is. Again, something-someone-is
watching...and this time, they feel that. After a bit, Ukyou and Akane
look out into the dark. Neither is quite sure what is wrong there...but
they also feel something else too. Ranma is itching from something
bothering him as well. They all wish one another good night and Ukyou
leaves. Ranma and Akane both head into the house.)
Voice from the dark (feminine): Oh Ranma-sama....
Another voice (feminine): Husband get better so take Shampoo on date...
Yet another voice (not human): *snarls*
(cut to Ukyou walking home)
Ukyou (thinking): Before that creepy feeling came over us, things
felt strange...(furrows her brow) I wonder what caused that creepy
feeling...it was strange...(she moves off toward Ucchan's...the
shadows seem oily and deep...)
(cut to the first voice...)
Voice (not quite sane): Oh Ranma-sama, how I long for your
embrace...(just then...she realizes something doesn't quite feel right,
something is very...very...WRONG...)
Another voice (maculine): I'm here, my Ko-chan...
Kodachi (shadowed and in a tree): huh? (spins around) Ranma-sama?
Dark figure (obviously Ranma's voice though): Yes, Ko-chan?
Kodachi (eyes wide...): Ranma-sama...is that really you?
Ranma (stepping into the moonlight): Yes, Ko-chan...it's me...
Kodachi (moves closer...butsomething doesn't quite feel right to
her...she knew that Ranma-sama would come to her eventually, but ... ):
My darling! (she shrugs off the odd feeling and runs to him laughing)
AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! (she runs to him and embraces him...she pulls
back) You're cold...? (she looks confused)
Ranma (smiling...a bit twistedly to the normal eye in better light):
I'm fine...especially now...
(Then....the screaming started...)