(Scene: a small, darkened room. Lights slowly come on to reveal -- what
else? -- a small, messy dorm room with worn couch and coffeetable in
back, tiny TV and VCR in front. Seated on the couch are, of course, our
hosts Noriko and Raphael, with cocoa and popcorn nearby.)
Raphael: Welcome back to Mystery C&C Theater 1/2. We hope you had a
pleasant weekend.
Noriko: Tonight we continue further into Zen-san's "Bitter End." But
before we do that, my partner Raphael has an announcement to make.
Raphael: (pleased) Yes, I do. Zen, as you know, has been responding to these
episodes since we've started doing this, giving us feedback and
clarifying issues where we were a bit confused. Anyway, in his most
recent letter, Zen informed me that I've been added to the "thank
you" list at the end of this fic as a result of this series! (grins
happily) Thanks a million, Zen!
Noriko: Hey, what about me? I seem to recall that a large part of
Zen-san's decision was based on the fact that a number of typos were
caught during these sessions. Need I remind you of just who it was that
caught all those typos?
Raphael: (puts hand behind head) Ahhh, well... I'm sure Zen'll give some
mention to you, too. Besides, when Zen posts this fic after the mailing
list is back up, we'll be rerunning these episodes on the list as well,
if Zen doesn't mind of course.
Noriko: Well... (thinks for a moment) All right, that sounds fair to me.
Now, shall we get this show on the road, so to speak?
Raphael: We shall, indeed. (pushes "play" on the remote.)
10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...
-----
When he wasn't in the mood to talk, she would. She'd tell him about how
business was going, or about a new techniques she'd learned. On occasion,
she'd tell him about the last person she'd gone on a date with, and why
it was never going to work. She was always so bright and friendly, so
full of life and optimism that spending time with her never failed to
make him feel better.
-----
Noriko: "A new techniques?" Better make that singular.
-----
Remembering Ranma's words from the night before, Akane's eyes widened.
"You were on the roof the whole night? In the rain? Baka!"
Ranma just gave her a look.
Akane's temper started to rise. "Damn you and your male pride! What is
it with you anyway? Why? Why won't you ever tell me what you're feeling?"
-----
Raphael: This is starting to look really bad.
Noriko: Uh-huh. It's starting to get to the point that Akane can only
react to things with anger -- that she's lost all capability of feeling
any other emotion. A few months ago, the same scene would probably have
filled Akane with guilt, but this time...
-----
Ranma almost smiled, though the tone of her voice carried a sadness that
was all but tangible in its intensity...
"I there nothing more?" she asked. "No regret, that we spend so much of
our time arguing? No frustration, that neither of us will let the other
get close? No fear, that it will never change - that it will always be
like this? No despair, at the thought of the pain that could be avoided,
if only your stubborn husband would admit his true feelings?"
The red-head got up, yawned and stretched. "I'm going to take a good,
hot soak." Gathering her breakfast dishes, she headed for the kitchen to
give them to Kasumi on her way to the bath.
Akane watched Ranma go in a state of shock. He'd done it to her again.
Again he had opened up to her - shown her exactly what she had wanted to
see - what she had ached to see. And again, she had spoiled it. Akane
wanted to scream.
-----
Noriko: See? An almost-duplicate of the incident with Ranma's confession,
and what does Akane want to do? Cry? No, "scream." An anger-related
reaction to something that shouldn't ever involve anger at all. By the
way, "I there nothing more?"
Raphael: I liked the way Ranma's statement of sadness neatly and
efficiently summarized everything that's wrong about their relationship.
In a mere four sentences, Ranma includes everything. Very nicely done.
Noriko: "Efficiently?" Only _you_ could make a heart-rending relationship
problem sound like engineering homework.
Raphael: (trying a different tack) Why, thank you, Noriko. I appreciate
the compliment very much. (leans back and looks _very_ smug as Noriko
silently fumes)
-----
"A challenge, eh? You come into my restaurant; you threaten me; you
harass one of my regular customers - give me just one good reason that I
shouldn't put you in hospital right now!"
"Because then Ranma would hate you, wouldn't he?" said Akane nastily.
Ukyou tightened her grip on the handle of her combat spatula. "Push me
any farther, and I just *might* take that chance. Now. Get. Out.
Ran-chan is always welcome here - but until you can learn some manners,
*you* are *not*.
-----
Noriko & Raphael: Eep.
Noriko: That was so _malicious_ of Akane! Rubbing it into Ukyou's face
like that!
Raphael: That blow was certainly well below the belt, I'll give you that.
What's gotten into her? It's almost like she's another person...
-----
"Get a crew in here to fix that door," she said. "You know where to send
the bill. Address it to Nabiki." Konatsu turned to do as he was asked,
and Ukyou once more regarded the shattered door. "One of these days,"
she muttered, "that girl is going to go too far."
-----
(Raphael and Noriko both shiver)
Raphael: It's been awhile since another cold foreshadow's passed over us...
Noriko: I don't think I like the way this is going at all.
-----
Guilt washed through Ryouga. Oh, Akane, he thought. I'm so sorry. But I
can't stay with you any more. You don't need me, and I need to move on.
I can't stay sane like this. Maybe one day, you'll be able to forgive
me... Tears streamed from the little pig's eyes.
"P-chan! You're crying! What's the matter? Don't be upset, baby,
everything's going to be all right. You'll see!" Akane's expression
darkened. "I'll bet it was Ranma, wasn't it? That big bully's been
picking on you again, hasn't he? Well, don't you worry. Mommy will take
care of *him*!"
NO, Ryouga wanted to scream. Ranma didn't do anything! But of course,
pigs can't talk. Akane interpreted her pet's frantic 'bwees' as
confirmation of her suspicions, and a wave of anger poured through her.
Her grip on P-chan tightened ever so slightly. Oh, no, thought the pig.
-----
Noriko: Oh, no. I think this one's gonna be bad...
Raphael: But Ranma's taken tons of Akane's poundings before, hasn't he?
Noriko: Something tells me that this one's going to be a little different...
-----
"Don't lie to me!" Akane shook Ranma by his collar. "How would you like
it if somebody was always picking on you?" She let go of his shirt and
drew back her fist.
-----
Raphael: I love irony, I do.
Noriko: Stop it! This is serious!
-----
Finally, one of Akane's blows got through Ranma's defence. P-chan winced
as her fist connected. Ranma just grunted and kept trying to block her
attack, until another blow got through. The second punch dazed Ranma and
he fell back, dropping his arms and his defences for a moment. A moment
was all it took. Akane moved in to the opening with a vengeance, as blow
after blow connected with Ranma's head.
Ryouga couldn't stand to watch anymore. With terrified squeal, the
little pig turned and ran from the dojo as fast as his little legs would
carry him. He had long wanted to send Ranma to hell, but this was too
much, even for his hated rival.
-----
Noriko: (covering her eyes) Stop it! Stop it!! Stop it!!
Raphael: (pushing "pause" on the remote, freeze on Ryouga frantically
running from the scene) Are... are you all right? We don't have to keep
this up if you don't want to...
Noriko: (after a moment of silent recovering) No... no, I'm fine... It's
just... it's so _hateful_!
Raphael: What's different about this? Hasn't Akane pounded Ranma plenty
before?
Noriko: No, not like this. Before, it would always be a punt into Low
Earth Orbit or a kick out of the window, still violent, but swift and
brief, almost as if the point were more to get Ranma out of her sight
than to do any real harm. Here, though... (softly) It's almost as if
Akane wants Ranma to die...
Raphael: (becoming more than a bit concerned) I think you're getting a
bit wrapped up in this. You sure you're all right?
Noriko: Yes, I'm fine, thanks. I know all these people, though,
remember? These are my friends I'm watching. But... (swallows) I think I can
handle it now. And by the way, it's spelled "defense," not "defence."
Raphael: (a bit unsure) Okay, if you're positive... (pushes "play" once more)
<editor's note: Later, Zen explained to a clueless Raphael that "defence"
is a valid spelling, as are its analogues.>
-----
"I am *not* jealous of that pig! I just don't like him sleeping with
you! It's just not right!"
"He's just a little pig. It's not like he's a pervert like you! You're
anthropomorphising again! How can you be so clueless?"
-----
Raphael: I hate it when people anthropomorphize, don't you?
Noriko: You're too much! (smiles a little despite herself) Maybe that
_is_ a bit of an awkward word to use, though, especially when used in
that kind of context.
-----
"It isn't him, Akane. It's not P-chan."
"Yes it is!" she cried. "It looks just like him!"
"Akane, It's not! Really!"
-----
Noriko: "It's" should be lowercase.
Raphael: (teasing) Good to see you being your normal, nitpicky self
again. (Noriko throws popcorn at her partner)
-----
"Aw, Akane... I had stuff I wanted to do..."
"Ranma! Please! Something terrible might happen to him! He's just a
defenceless little pig!"
-----
Noriko: There it is again. (throws a handful of popcorn at Raphael before
he can even think of a snappy comeback)
Raphael: Hey! I wasn't even thinking about saying anything this time.
Noriko: (sweetly) That was to make up for the times I didn't throw
anything at you when you did say something.
Raphael: (grumbles)
-----
Okay! Okay! I'll look for him! Geez! What are you so worked up about,
anyway? P-chan's gone missing for weeks at a time before - he's always
gotten back eventually."
-----
Noriko: And that first sentence is missing a... (reaches for the popcorn
bowl, but Raphael has already seen this one coming and is holding it
high over her head) ...quo-TATION! (lunges for the bowl but misses)
MARK! (lunges once more and manages to reach the bowl. Unfortunately,
Noriko only succeeds in upsetting the bowl, showering popcorn over both
our hosts)
Raphael: (annoyed) Nice one.
Noriko: (embarassed) Well, it's not my fault you moved the bowl away!
Raphael: But you didn't have to throw popcorn at me in the first place!
Noriko: Well, _you_ certainly didn't have to be such a big nuisance,
either! (scoops up a handful of popcorn from her lap and lets fly)
Raphael: Hey! Who's a nuisance, you nuisance! (starts throwing the
popcorn in his immediate vicinity at Noriko, who returns fire. Soon, the
spilled popcorn is _everywhere_; on the floor, on the couch, in our
hosts' hair... The two finally stop after running out of ammo.) Great.
Now I've got an even bigger mess to clean up.
Noriko: ..... (a kernel falls from her hair and into her lap)
-----
Those questions, at least, Ranma could answer. Unfortunately, "I got no
idea where that pig is!" and "I didn't do *anything* to him!" were not
the answers that Akane wanted to hear, nor were they answers that she was
going to believe. At least, not until she had applied a little persuasion.
-----
Raphael: So _Akane_ believed those answers after she applied a little
persuasion to _Ranma_? That doesn't make too much sense to me.
Noriko: (frowning) You might actually be right here. It almost seems
right, but something about it just doesn't seem to click... It's really
hard to pin down. I'm sorry, Zen-san, but that's all I can offer right now.
-----
"Ran-chan, please! Let me help! I'm your friend, remember?"
Ranma smiled a bit. "I remember, Ucchan; and thanks. But it's okay.
Really it is." With that, he was gone.
She looked after him for a time, before turning back to her grill,
muttering as she did so. "No, it's *not* okay, Ran-chan. Not by a long
shot it's not."
-----
Raphael: Not at all.
Noriko: No kidding. To actually be able to leave a physical mark on
Ranma, let alone bruise his arms and give him a black eye... This has
gone far, far beyond the normal explosion Akane gives.
Raphael: And Ranma just _lets_ Akane to that to him?
Noriko: Ranma doesn't hit girls, remember? Especially not the woman he
loves. I don't think this looks good at all.
-----
Ukyou nodded as she started to prepare the first batch of her Ran- chan
specials. Ranma turned back to watch his friend as she worked her magic
on the grill. Within moments, two fresh, hot okonomiyaki were staring up
at him from his plate. Ranma moved in for the kill.
-----
Raphael: Extra space you got there, Zen. (notices Noriko's scandalized
look) Hey, I can't let you get _all_ the typos, can I?
-----
Ukyou started. Well, an opening was an opening after all. She took a
deep breath and said, "Some of my regular customers have been having sort
of a rough time lately. It's been getting me down. It's kind of
frustrating, not being able to help."
"Anyone that I know?"
Damn, Ukyou thought sadly to herself. It's no wonder that subtlety never
worked on you, Ran-chan. "Yah, I think that you might know one or two of
them. One you've seen in here before, I'm sure. Her name is Miyuki.
Manabe Miyuki."
-----
Raphael: You know, it's amazing that someone can be so clueless.
Noriko: (playfully) Oh, I don't know about that. I deal with someone like
that just about everyday.
Raphael: Who? (doesn't notice Noriko rolling her eyes in exasperation)
-----
Ukyou's eyes locked with his for a moment before she answered. "He is
being abused. His wife is beating the tar out of him on a regular
basis. She's almost killed him once, and he's too stubborn to admit it,
or to get help."
-----
Raphael: Geez!
Noriko: What's so surprising? You _must_ have seen this one coming.
Raphael: Well, I guess it's just that domestic violence is such an ugly,
real-life problem. It seems almost out of place in a Ranma fanfic.
Noriko: But there's nothing else that you can call it, especially when
you take into account Ranma's injuries. This _is_ abuse, plain and
simple. Imagine if the roles were reversed, and Akane was the one getting
the bruises.
Raphael: (shudders at the thought) Okay, I see your point. Ranma's got a
serious problem here.
Noriko: (seriously) You aren't joking when you say that.
-----
"Ucchan..." Ranma was gaping at his friend. "It's not like that!"
"Do you think that I can't see?" She slid the notebook toward him. "READ
it!" she commanded him again. "There's a pattern there, Ran- chan. And
what's scaring me now is that it's getting worse! She's hurting you more
every time!"
-----
Raphael: (turns to Noriko to let her say it, but she's too engrossed in
the dialogue to notice. Shrugs) Extra space there.
-----
Ranma froze, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi.
He twitched, and Ukyou was afraid that he was going to bolt and run. She
could not let that happen. In a much softer voice, she said, "Ranma...
please..." She longed to be able to reach out to him, but she dared
not. This was her one chance; there would likely be no other. "I'm your
friend. Let me help."
-----
Raphael: Whew. Now _that_ was an emotion-laden scene. I could almost feel
it myself.
Noriko: "Almost feel it?" Doesn't _anything_ move you? That was a
tremendous scene!
Raphael: Well... (tries to change the subject) how do you think Ranma's
going to react?
Noriko: The truth hurts sometimes; I know that for a fact. But maybe
Ranma can take the opportunity to get help...
-----
Ranma looked skeptical. "But how can that help? Wouldn't it be more
effective if I just went over and had a little 'chat' with Miyuki's husband?"
Ukyou sighed. "Ran-chan... do you think that Akane would be less angry
with you - less likely to hit you - if I went to the dojo and beat the
stuffing out of her?"
-----
Noriko: Good point, and a point that many people seem to forget when
dealing with spousal abuse.
Raphael: What's that?
Noriko: That you can't solve the problem with more violence! Sure, it
might be satisfying to beat up the offender, but it's not going to
convince him or her that violence isn't the answer! If anything else,
it's going to reinforce it.
Raphael: I dunno... I think the whole thing could be solved if Ranma just
started fighting back. You know, defending himself.
Noriko: Maybe for a while, but what kind of relationship will that end up
in? And do you think Akane is going to give up unless Ranma seriously,
seriously hurts her?
Raphael: Oh, yeah... I never thought of that...
-----
"Then you'll go?" Ukyou asked, sniffling a bit.
"I'll go. I promise. I don't know what good it can do, but I don't see
how it can hurt either. And I don't know what else I *can* try."
Ukyou tried not to let too much of her relief show. "It's a place to
start, anyway." She let Ranma go, and moved toward the grill again. "How
about another round?" she asked.
-----
Raphael: Think it'll work?
Noriko: I don't know... I've got a nagging feeling that something's wrong
about all this...
Raphael: What is it?
Noriko: I don't know. But there's definitely _something_ flawed about
that plan.
-----
There were general greetings and good natured utterances from around the
circle. "So, tell us, Ukyou was it? How long have you been having
trouble with your husband?"
"No, no, you've got it backwards!" Ukyou laughed. "I'm not even
married! It's Ran-chan here that needs your advice!"
-----
Noriko: (bursts) That's it! A spousal abuse group would never accept a
_male_ amoung them! They're going to rip poor Ranma apart!
Raphael: Oh boy. This is gonna be bad...
-----
Ranma looked up in horror when Ukyou's last words penetrated the fog
around his mind. It was too late. The contents of Ukyou's glass caught
him full in the face.
A shocked silence descended on the room, as Ukyou's glass shattered
against the far wall.
"C'mon, Ran-chan. Let's get the hell out of here. I don't know how, but
I swear to you, I'll make this up to you someway." Ukyou drew the dazed
and dripping red-head to her feet, and stalked off through the door with
Ranma following meekly behind her.
-----
Raphael: Go, Ukyou! Show 'em where it's at!
Noriko: (equally vindicated) That was _so_ satisfying to see. Thank you,
Zen-san.
-----
"What do you want?" asked Ukyou. Her tone was cold; flat.
-----
Noriko: Technically, that semicolon should be a comma instead. There are
other iffy instances in the fic, but this one is one that I can't let
pass by.
-----
Kimiko walked to it and sat down. It took her a moment before she
started speaking again. "You certainly know how to make an exit. I'm
still not sure that I believe what I saw. Are you really... I mean you
were a... but now you're a..." Kimiko trailed off helplessly.
"It's a *long* story" sighed Ranma.
-----
Noriko: And there should be a comma at the end of that first clause, too.
Raphael: Really, do you _enjoy_ being so nitpicky?
Noriko: Honestly, yes. It's my job, remember? (enjoys Raphael's surprised
expression)
-----
There were more... Ryouko, Misato, Makoto, Setsuna, Kyoko, Hitomi, the
list went on and on. Each one had a different story - each one made
Ranma ache to help.
-----
Raphael: You know, those names and descriptions seem awfully familiar to
me...
Noriko: I'm sure it's just a coincidence. After all, Zen-san probably
wanted to stick to common Japanese names to show that _anyone_ could be a
victim of domestic violence.
Raphael: Well, I guess it _could_ be my imagination, but I don't know...
-----
Kimiko smiled reassuringly at him. "Now, Ranma... It's your turn."
Ranma took a deep breath. "My name," he said, "Is Saotome Ranma. I am
married to a warm, kind hearted woman whom I love very much. My problem
seems to be that I can not avoid making her angry..."
-----
(tape ends)
Noriko: Ohhhhh. That's so sad. He really _does_ love Akane, doesn't he?
Raphael: But maybe these sessions will help give him an answer to his
problem, right?
Noriko: Maybe. It seems that we've only been seeing disappointment heaped
upon disappointment, though. I'm starting to worry that this might end in
a way that's not going to sit well with me at night.
Raphael: Well, that's part three. This brings us to halfway through the
fic.
Noriko: Things have changed so much... It's hard to believe that this is
the same Akane and Ranma that were so happily married before...
Raphael: But maybe this is the point where the fic will start turning
around. We're just about there, aren't we?
Noriko: Yes, we can certainly hope. (Raphael goes to the front room and
returns with a trashcan) What's that for?
Raphael: (makes a sweeping gesture) C'mon. Help me pick up the popcorn
you spilled. (kneels and starts picking corn)
Noriko: _I_ spilled...? (gives up) Oh, all right... (kneels down to help
Raphael)
Raphael: (as camera begins to fade on our hosts on hands and knees) From
both of us at Mystery C&C Theater 1/2, good night.
Noriko: (smiles at camera) Good night.
End part three
Whew. Halfway through the fic. Now, as soon as the second half comes
up on the list...
---
Raphael See