Targeted

By: Dreiser


	I huddle myself away from the rest of them. Away from their 
prying eyes and never-ending demands. No matter what I do it isn't 
enough for them. Nothing is ever enough.
	Sometimes I wish that the Kami would strike me down and 
take me away from all of this. Once I blamed my Father for all my 
problems, but not anymore. Now I'm not sure who to blame or even if 
anyone is to blame.
	All I know is that everyone likes to blame me.
	Why am I so special? Why am I the one everyone wants to 
marry or kill? Why am I always the target?
	A cold wind blows through the air and I shiver at it. I squint 
my eyes and see a figure approaching. I squeeze into the crevice of the 
alley tighter. I'm not coming out. For once I refuse to give into their 
demands. They'll have to find another punching bag tonight.
	"Ranma?"
	Her voice is tender and pleading. She desperately wants 
reassurance that I'm here. That I'm safe. Too bad I'm not in the mood 
to talk to anyone right now.
	When no answer comes she sighs quietly before walking to the 
side of the building. She leans against it then slowly slides down to the 
ground. Several minutes pass as she stares blankly at the ground 
before she begins talking. I have to wonder if she's talking to me or 
herself?
	"It isn't fair what they're doing you know. What everyone is 
doing to you. I sit back and watch it happen without helping... I know 
that. I know that and it makes me sick. Sometimes I think about it... 
why they're always after you. I think maybe it's because you're so 
special. You're just so full of life and this... power seems to seep from 
you. It attracts people and once they see it they can't let go."
	She pauses and tips her head back to look at the cloudy night 
sky. I follow this action and am struck at how peaceful it is. Peace is 
something I lack terribly in my life.
	"When I first met you I have to say I was like the rest of them. 
Envious and jealous of you... of what you've done and what you can 
do. There's no one quite like you Ranma and I think that's why 
everyone wants you so much."
	"It isn't about me anymore."
	I can see her jump at my words. Obviously she didn't really 
think I was here. I can't blame her really. I can be a hard person to 
find when I want to be.
	"What do you mean?"
	"It isn't about me. Maybe it was at first but not anymore. They 
just want a target, that's all. A target to let loose their feelings upon. 
Does anyone ever once ask me how I feel? Does anyone ever want to 
talk to me? Does anyone ever try to get to know me as a person?"
	She lowers her head at this and rests it on her arms as she 
pulls her knees to her chest. My words have affected her and I'm glad. 
I'm glad that for once someone is listening.
	"But have you ever really tried talking to anyone?"
	"What?"
	"You say that no one knows you. That no one tries to get to 
know you... to listen to your side of things. But have you ever tried 
talking to anyone first? You don't realize how you come across 
Ranma. To us you seem invincible. Never has anyone seen the great 
Saotome Ranma lose. How is anyone supposed to know that you're 
human when you constantly deny your humanity at every turn to prove 
that you're a man amongst men?"
	My brow furrows and I can feel the heat rise in my system. 
Clenching my fists I snarl.
	"Don't call me that! Never call me that! That's all Pops doing! 
I don't want anything to do with it! None of this was my fault! It all just 
happened to me!"
	"Happened to you?"
	I can here the slight mocking in her voice and it angers me 
further. I want to lash out at her but I can't, I won't, she's the first 
person to truly be honest with me.
	"Things can't happen to you Ranma. We make our lives with 
the decisions we make. Don't blame your problems on everyone else. 
You chose to go along with the agreements your father has made for 
you. No one made you do that. You don't have to do anything. If you 
wanted you could leave now and never come back. Who says you 
have to marry anyone? Your father? What does he matter? It's your 
life Ranma so make your own decisions for once."
	My eyes narrow at this and I accuse in turn.
	"What about you? You do what they ask of you. I don't see 
you making your own decisions."
	She sighs and this and dips her head low as she pulls her 
knees close to her chest then quietly replies.
	"You're right. I've always done what people have asked of 
me. I suppose it has to do with how I was raised. The ever proper girl 
who quietly obeys her elders. But it's a trap. I'm sick of it... I want to 
make my own choices. I want a life of my own and I'm going to have 
it. I was looking for you to tell you that I'm leaving tonight. Leaving for 
good. I want nothing more to do with this town and my obligations that 
come along with it. After tonight my life is my own."
	My eyes are wide in wonderment as I scoot out of the tiny 
crevice to sit across from her in the dirty alley. We lock our gazes and 
I can feel the bond form. She's trapped just like me. In her own way 
she too is a target.
	They see her for what she represents and not for what she 
truly is. A figurehead of perfection and nothing more. An empty shell 
never to be filled. As I gaze upon her lovely features my first decision 
hits me hard and fast.
	"Lets both leave."
	"What?"
	"Lets both leave, get out of here. You're right. We don't have 
to stay. We don't have to do anything. Lets leave right now before 
they have a chance to find us. The two of us will be okay on our own. 
What do you say?"
	She smiles softly and rising to her feet she offers her hand to 
me. I accept it and rise to my feet as she says.
	"I say it's about time you asked me that."
	I cannot help but smile as we leap onto the nearby rooftops to 
head into the distance, into the future, far away from Nerima and the 
insanity that surrounds it. As we quickly make our exit something 
rather significant occurs to me.
	"Uhm... Shampoo?"
	"Yes, Ranma?"
	"When did you learn to speak Japanese so well?"
	
-End-

Both characters in this are from Ranma 1/2. Well this was caused from 
too much stress from simultaneous papers being due and the upcoming 
finals paranoia. I just had to put that little humorous snippet on at the 
end. Don't ask me why, I just had to. The world is filled with mysteries 
and now I'm off to never solve them.

Send comments to: Dreiser1@ix.netcom.com

Spontaneous scene from the Simpsons:

MARGE: Well, I'm just relieved that Homer's safe and that you've 
recovered and that we can all get back to normal. If Maggie could 
talk, I'm sure she'd apologize for shooting you.
BURNS: I'm afraid that's insufficient. Officer, arrest the baby!
CHIEF WIGGUM: Ha. Yeah right, pops. No jury in the world's going 
to convict a baby. Uhm, maybe Texas.