<Sigh>. When you push the button, Mr. MTA is no longer your friend.
Headers corrected. C&C please so I don't have to die of embarrassment.
Disclaimer: The playground is by Rumiko Takahashi, I'm only swinging on
the monkey bars. Remember to leave the grounds cleaner than you found
them and please don't feed the Troll.
"Media Vita" ("In the Midst of Life") and "A St�r Mo Chro�" ("Darling
of my Heart" or "The American Wake") are Traditional. I'm using
them as such.
*This is a sound.*
'This is a thought.'
_This is emphasis._
{This is a sign.}
<This is Chinese.>
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Ranma and Akane: A Love Story
Chapter 4: A Tapestry of Stars and Shadows
Part A: A Requiem for Solo Voice
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The mass funeral had taken 3 days to organize. Formalities like
autopsies and such had been cleared away quickly; but simply contacting
the families of everyone involved and finding out what kind of service
to hold had been a grinding task. The details had been worked out,
finally, by Nabiki -- as much by default as for any better reason --
who had drawn Ranma, Akane, and Kasumi deeply into the planning. Between
them, they had determined the details of date (as soon as possible),
time (early, around nineish), dress (black, formal), music (the Furin-
kan Choir), type of funeral (burial), location of graves (together,
those families so inclined could have their relatives moved later, it
was determined), and whether it would be a good idea to wait to see if
any of the injured died first (a definite _NO_).
Ranma and Akane, although not part of the choir, had consulted with
it to aid in choosing appropriate music. Since it had been necessary to
schedule services from Shinto, Buddhist and Christian priests, it had
been decided to use a hymn that originated with Christianity, but adapt
and translate it to a more Japanese mein. This had been done. It had
also been decided that Akane and Ranma would escort the pallbearers,
but not carry any coffins themselves. Finally, the weather service had
been consulted to select a day free of the sudden constant rain; but
Ranma had advised them that no such day was likely until the whole
business was over, and so the time had been set.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"No, Kasumi-san," Ranma said, "I understand your concern. Indeed, I
share it. The only problem is, Jei-san has never been squeamish about
involving other people than his 'targets'. In fact, he has taken hostages
to force a confrontation before. So I do not feel that simply being
elsewhere is sufficient to assure Furinkan or Nerima's escape from his
further attentions. More the reverse, actually."
"I understand, Ranma-san. Still, I feel that _something_ must be
done. It is unharmonious to simply await possible catastrophe."
"I agree completely, Kasumi-san. I have already begun to apply myself
to the creation of various weapons and wards against such evil. Also,
I have created several of these." Ranma offered Kasumi a small origami
goose. Kasumi accepted the item and examined it closely, observing the
kanji inked in many colors by a neat, precise hand onto the paper of
which it was composed. To her untutored eye they appeared to be of a
protective or spiritual nature, calling on the Amida Buddha and a
selection of beneficent Shinto dieties for aid.
"Is it a ward, Ranma-san? A protective influence?"
"Only in a manner of speaking, Kasumi-san; it is, more precisely, an
alarm. If Jei-san or any equivalent evil impinges on Nerima again, this
charm and the others like it will give warning; firstly by reacting
physically to his approach, and secondly by transmitting a warning to
their creator, i.e. me. The pattern of warnings I receive should alert
me to the location of the problem, hopefully before it gains its full
strength."
"I shall pray and sacrifice for your success in this matter, Ranma-
san. Please also try to protect my younger sister."
"I shall do so to the limits of my capability and her honor, Kasumi-
san, I assure you."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now a double column of Furinkan students marched up the hill towards
the cemetery, holding between them a line of seventeen coffins, under
a steady, moderate rain. To the left Akane, in black vest, shirt and
pants, & wearing a black trenchcoat and hat, paralleled the line with
a slow, sad, steady pace. To the right Ranma, identically dressed except
for her ever-present white silk scarf, and without a hat, did likewise;
her scarlet hair darkened by the rain, which ran off its end in a steady
stream down the back of her coat. Behind them all, Furinkan's one decent
drummer was beating a slow, mournful *tap tap tap*, barely audible
over the patter of the falling rain.
The grave-side service was, necessarily, abbreviated. Those families
who felt it necessary had arranged for more extensive services earlier,
but in most cases shock and pain had merged into a feeling that it was
better to regard the slain as members of the same family, and treat
them, in some sense, as one. Perhaps it merely served to reduce the
perceived cost, but it seemed to be nearly universal, regardless.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Your sister is worried about you. She seems to feel that you're
going to start going out monster hunting and get yourself hurt."
"Well, I don't have any real interest in _hunting_ monsters, Ranchan."
Akane said mildly. "Just as long as they keep to themselves and don't
come around and try to kill my classmates or the like."
"But what," Ranma assumed a whimsical tone, "if they come around and
only try to _maim_ your classmates instead?"
"You know perfectly well what I mean. Now hush, you."
"Yes, Acchan. Of course, Acchan. Don't hurt me, Acchan."
"Unprincipled bully."
"Uncommitted slacker."
"One of these days, I'm going to _get_ you."
"Promises, promises. On another topic, we need to keep track of the
wounded. See how they're doing and if they're healing well. Particularly
Sayuri-chan and that girl who kept you from getting spitted."
Akane shuddered, "Yeah, I owe her big-time." She chewed her lower lip
meditatively for a few moments, "We ought to talk to Dr. Tofu, I bet
he can get us the info, or at least get us access."
"Dr. Tofu?"
"He's our family doctor; both GP and chiropractic. I had a huge crush
on him last year."
"But you're over him now and not disappointed at all, ne?"
"Well ... mostly; but everyone knew he was completely gaga over
Kasumi-oneechan anyway, so .... Hey! Wait a minute... why, you...."
Her only answer was Ranma's silver laughter as the redhead beat feet
around the corner faster than Akane could follow. In laughing pursuit,
Akane pounded down the street yelling, "Come back here, you!"
Rounding another corner she was surprised by a flying sneak tickle
attack that quickly rendered her hors de combat, with Ranma lounging
beside her and smirking, "And the lesson for today, Acchan, is?"
"Make your combat stance your everyday stance and your everyday
stance your combat stance." To Ranma's raised eyebrow she sighed, and
added, "And my sensei's a bully." Ranma raised a hand in preparation for
another attack, "Alright! Alright! 'And don't sass the sensei.'"
"Exactly."
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As the three officiating priest finished their prayers there came
a hush, filling the cemetery with a silence that the ever-present rain
merely intensified. The combined student body seemed to hover, as though
they wished to put out a hand and pat their fallen comrades on the
shoulder, or urge them on to class one last time. Then the hush was
broken by the voice of the lead singer of the Choir.
Media vita in morte summus,
Quem quaerimus adjutorum nisite Domine?
Que pro peccatis nostris justeira sceris.
Sanctus,
Sancte fortis,
Sancte misericors Domine,
Amarae morti ne tradasnos.
In te speraverunt patres nostri:
Speraverunt et liberasti cos.
Requiem aeterna dona eis Domine,
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
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"Why hello, Akane-chan. I didn't see you at Furinkan, did you escape
uninjured, then?"
"Only a few scrapes and bruises, Tofu-sensei. This is my sensei in
the Art, Bushiko Ranma."
Ranma and Dr. Tofu shook hands. "We had wondered, Tofu-sensei, if
you had any information on the status of the injured, especially
Asano Sayuri-san, and Kuno Tatewaki's sister."
"Yes, Ranma-san, I have been keeping up a bit; particularly on the
patients I attended. Most are healing nicely, at the moment, but Kuno-
san was very badly hurt; it will take her several weeks just to recover
enough to leave the hospital. As for Asano-san, the last I heard, she
was healing nicely from the physical trauma, but has shown no signs
of coming out of her coma."
"Do you think we might obtain permission to visit them, Tofu-sensei?"
"I can't see why not, Ranma-san. They're in Nerima General...."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Then the second singers came in on descant, leading from basses to
sopranos as the second set of verses went by in rounds. Finally, the
third singers chimed in , in Japanese, as the seconds combined their
rounds into a single, blurred chorus.
Media vita in morte summus,
{[Media vita in morte summus,]}
In the midst of life we are in death,
Quem quaerimus adjutorum nisite Domine?
{[Quem quaerimus, adjutorum nisite Domine?]}
Whom do we seek for aid unless You, Lord?
Que pro peccatis nostris justeira sceris.
{[Que pro peccatis nostris justeira sceris.]}
Who because of our sins are justly angry at us.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kuno Kodachi stirred weakly in her hospital bed, and pressed her
brother's hand. Real life had turned out to not work like she had thought
it did. She wondered how many other things she had been mistaken on.
Then the door opened, and two girls came into the room. The first, she
saw, was the redhead who had kept the monster from skewering her; the
second she knew as Tendo Akane, and seemed to recall a blurred impression
of her also protecting her and her brother from death. 'Such a great
mistake to make,' she thought regretfully, 'it's embarrassing.'
Ranma walked to the bed and surveyed Kodachi's visible injuries. Her
face was marked by a bandage covering the left side, beneath which
Ranma sensed a burn, which seemed to have been caused by a mingling of
fire, acid and something poisonous. She nodded in confirmation of her
suspicions, 'Yin shi charged spirit fire. That's going to _hurt_.'
Ranma grinned crookedly at Kodachi and accepted a weak smile in
return, "A piece of advice, lass. _First_ you take them down; _then_
you rant at them. Timing is important."
Kodachi managed a breathy chuckle, "I shall follow your advice most
closely, Ranma-san. Assuming I ever again get the chance."
"Oh, I think that between us we can get you up and functioning again.
Akane-san and I both owe you a debt after all. Have they given you a
schedule of rehabilitation exercises, yet?"
"No, Ranma-san, I believe they have yet to complete their schedule
of surgery, and...."
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Sanctus,
{[Sanctus,]}
Holy one,
Sancte fortis,
{[Sancte fortis,]}
Holy powerful one,
Sancte misericors Domine,
{[Sancte misericors Domine,]}
Holy compassionate Lord,
Amarae morti ne tradasnos.
{[Amarae morti ne tradasnos.]}
Do not hand us over to bitter death.
In te speraverunt patres nostri:
{[In te speraverunt patres nostri:]}
In you our fathers placed their hopes:
Speraverunt et liberasti cos.
{[Speraverunt et liberasti cos.]}
They placed their hopes, and You freed them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ranma drew Tatewaki aside from where Akane was visiting with Kodachi
and lowered her voice. "You understand, Tatewaki-san, that even under the
best of circumstances your sister will have to totally rearrange her
life?" Tatewaki nodded, solemnly. "Akane-san and I will assist her, of
course, but the primary burden will fall on her family."
"We have no family save each other," Tatewaki said grimly, "I shall
...." Suddenly he looked down at his folded hands and bit his lip.
"Ranma-san, you enjoined me to mend my soul ere I again called myself
a Samurai." Ranma raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I feel that ... this
challenge to my house requires the services of a Samurai,, and I ....
You enjoined me to mend my soul, Ranma-san, but I do not know how. Will
you ...?"
Ranma caught his eyes with her own for several seconds, looking deep
within as though to see the state of his soul for herself. Then she
nodded contemplatively, "Well, I don't suppose that it's much harder to
heal two than to heal one. We will endeavor, in one way or another."
"Thank you, Ranma-sensei."
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Requiem aeterna dona eis Domine,
{[Requiem aeterna dona eis Domine,]}
Rest eternal grant them, Lord,
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
{[Et lux perpetua luceat eis.]}
And perpetual Light shine upon them.
Media vita in morte summus,
{[Media vita in morte summus,]}
In the midst of life we are in death,
Quem quaerimus adjutorum nisite Domine?
{[Quem quaerimus, adjutorum nisite Domine?]}
Whom do we seek for aid unless You, Lord?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The hospital room was quiet. Ranma stood by Sayuri's bedside and
placed her hand, palm down, on her forehead. She frowned meditatively
for a moment, then stepped aside and waved for Akane to try. Akane
assumed the same position and concentrated. She did not reach a conclus-
ion with anything like the same speed, and spent several minutes locked
in struggle with her perceptions. Finally she frowned, stepped back,
and spoke. "Ranchan, her body ki feels like it's in good shape; but I
can't find her mind or spirit at all. It's like there's a fog, or a
wall, or something."
Ranma nodded, grimly, "Yeah. I get that too. My guess is that either
she retreated into herself to escape whatever Jei-san did to her, or
that she's being chained."
"Chained, Ranchan?"
"Yah. Jei or Somebody could have, err, locked up her mind's ki, so
to speak. And in that case she won't get better unless somebody goes
and rescues her."
"Somebody."
"Somebody, for instance, who is not you. On account of you are Not
Yet Ready."
"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't even dream of it," Akane replied in
a bland, even voice.
Ranma, preoccupied, missed the signs completely.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
After the choir had finished, Ranma stepped forward. Akane had wanted
to assist her, but had proven incapable of learning the song quickly
enough -- couched as it was in a mixture of Gaelic and English -- and
so Ranma had diffidently asked if she might give the dead honor on
her own. The request had, of course, been acceded to, by acclamation.
And so Akane stood solemnly behind her teacher and, along with the rest
of the crowd, was swept away.
A st�r mo chro�, when you're far away
From the home that you'll soon be leaving,
'Tis many the time, by night and by day,
That your heart will sorely be grieving.
For the stranger's land it is bright and fair,
And rich in treasures golden,
But you'll pine I know for the long, long ago,
And the love that never is olden.
A st�r mo chro�, in the stranger's land,
There is plenty of wealth for the willing.
Where jewels adorn the great and the grand,
While our faces with hunger are paling.
Yet the road may be toilsome, and hard to tread,
And the lights of their cities may blind you.
Then turn a st�r, to the eastern shore,
And the ones that you're leaving behind you.
A st�r mo chro�, when the evening mists,
O'er Mountain and Sea are falling,
Then turn aside from the throng and list'
And maybe you'll hear me calling.
For the sound of a voice that I sorely miss,
For somebody's quick returning,
Ohh! A r�n, a r�n, won't you come back soon,
To the love that always is burning?
As she sang, Ranma gathered power to herself; building an aura of
blue and gold light that flared and grew, until at the climax of her
song she seemed as a pillar of living flame. When she finished her
requiem she stood momentarily motionless, burning like a star against
the unceasing gray rain; and then she flared her aura and sent it out
and up, like a great cry of rage against the dying of the light. And
then the undertakers stepped forward, and lifted their spades, and the
first clods of earth pattered down on the coffins, the sound muffled
by the flowers that still bedecked their tops. And the mourners turned,
and slowly walked away, Ranma and Akane last. And in the skies above
Nerima the rain began to lighten, and the clouds began to part at last.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Next: People at Furinkan get gloomy. Ranma decrees a party.
Ranma and Akane: A Love Story
Chapter 4: A Tapestry of Stars and Shadows
Part B: Orchestral Dances
When we return....
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Author's notes: A St�r Mo Chro�, also called The American Wake, is the
song that was sung by relatives and friends on the way to the ship that
would take immigrants from Ireland to America. A voyage, they knew,
that claimed many lives. A voyage from which, even if the passengers
survived, there would be, essentially, no returning.
--
[AP, Cairo, Egypt, 31 Aug 1995]
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Six people drowned Monday while trying to rescue a
chicken that had fallen into a well in southern Egypt. An 18-year-old
farmer was the first to descend into the 60-foot well. He drowned,
apparently after an undercurrent in the water pulled him down, police said.
His sister and two brothers, none of whom could swim well, went in one by
one to help him, but also drowned. Two elderly farmers then came to help,
but they apparently were pulled down by the same undercurrent. The bodies of
the six were later pulled out of the well in the village of Nazlat Imara,
240 miles south of Cairo. The chicken was also pulled out. It survived.
-1996 Darwin Awards Nominee
-Eric Hallstrom, the embarrassed.
Eric Hallstrom hallcon@mindspring.com