It was just after dawn, in the corner of a public park in Kyoto,
Japan. A young woman relearned skills of her childhood, guided by her
sensei from his wheelchair. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere
pervaded, though teacher and student, Ranma and Nabiki were focussed
on their Art.
Ranma looked at his new student with pride. Nabiki had taken to the
lessons like she was born to be a martial artist, which she
undoubtedly was. Her graceful movements entranced him as she went
through each kata then flowed to the next. He'd never really thought
about it, but Nabiki WAS beautiful. But what could she possibly see in
him? He wasn't even a whole man, and he certainly couldn't protect
her... or any girl. But that was the sum of the definition of a man,
as taught by his father, so was he even a man any more?
Ranma didn't even notice the tears that fell from his eyes. Not that
he would ever admit to them. Just like he would never admit to the
slight flush plainly visible on his face. Nabiki noticed, however, and
couldn't help flushing a little herself. There was so much more to
Ranma than she had ever realized. The problem was convincing him of
that. That was her job, and she took it just as seriously as Ranma did
teaching her the Art.
In Tokyo, a young student in the Art took instruction from his sensei,
an older man. As the man shouted instructions and rough encouragement,
an observer might note some sadness in the elder participant. The
teacher, Genma, used rough bravado to shield his wounded heart from
further injury. He hoped with all his heart and soul that this young
man would not... He couldn't even finish the thought, a slight slip in
his taciturn expression all that indicated it had ever crossed his
mind. Those thoughts were not for men to even have, and were thus
quickly dismissed.
Two scenes of similar activities, each completely different... Only a
few months ago, the wheelchair bound youth who guided his friend
through her exercises had studied under the older man... his
biological father.
***
A story from the Bet: Crippled, Body and Souls
By Kevin D. Hammel
>From a story idea by Gregg Sharp.
Episode 4: Students
Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publishing rights are held
by Viz in the US and Shogakukan in Japan. My purpose is to honor the
creator and her works. No infringement intended.
***
"So, Ranma... Thought any more about becoming a Tanaka?" Nabiki asked
as she followed alongside her friend. She wiped a bit of sweat from
her brow, then looked down at her friend. Today's instruction had been
particularly invigorating, and her face spoke volumes about how it
made her feel.
"Well... uh... not really. I'm a Saotome, and it just doesn't seem
right to change." Ranma said as he glanced over to gauge Nabiki's
reaction.
Honest concern became something else on the middle Tendou daughter's
face, as her expression darkened. She stopped walking for a moment,
closing her eyes and clenching her fists to prepare for the battle she
had to win. A small smile drove some of the darkness away as she
opened her eyes again to look at her companion. "Ranma... what has the
Saotome name brought you? Let's see... A father who tortured you in
the name of training and a mother who declared you dead. Sounds like a
legacy I'd want to keep a hold of, that's for sure!" A small, sardonic
smile underscored her point as she finished.
"You don't understand. I'm a Saotome. I'll always be one. No paper's
gonna change who I am. Pop's still be my dad and..." His voice trailed
off. Even mentioning Nodoka had become difficult since her hospital
visit.
"Sure, Ranma. I'm not saying to forget your past, but you're going to
need... a lot more than I can give in the future. The Tanakas want
only the best for you, and they're in a position to provide it."
Ranma knew he was losing ground in this battle, but it was being
fought on Nabiki's turf, not his. "Yeah, but... but..."
"Just think about it, okay? Remember that we... I don't have a lot of
money, and you... probably need more than I can really provide. I...
care about you, a lot, and I only want you to be happy, Ranma." Nabiki
flashed a smile then turned to head home at a furious pace. Soon Ranma
caught up with her. Together they sprinted home, each in their own
way.
***
"Excellent work!" the paper voicelessly said to its creator in the
teacher's red pen.
Ranma looked at the comment with a bit of pride, something he had
never felt about schoolwork before. The score wasn't the highest in
the class, but it was a LOT better than what he'd gotten at Furinkan.
Nabiki had helped him realize that schoolwork was important,
especially because of the... changes in his life.
A shadow fell across the paper, "Good job, Ranma. Let's celebrate
tonight." Nabiki suggested.
"O... okay. Whatcha wanna do, where you wanna go?"
"Well, I know a place where you ALWAYS seem to enjoy yourself..."
There are many classes and classrooms in life, with only a few being
in those buildings designated as schools.
Sometimes the classroom is a park or a dojo. Sometimes a swimming
pool. Sometimes it is a place seemingly unrelated to learning, thus
some would miss the lessons to be learned there.
Lessons can be learned in places seemingly far removed from learning.
Take an ice cream shoppe, for instance.
***
That evening, Ranma smiled across the table at Nabiki. She stopped
herself at a small sundae now, there were budgets to consider... and
it seemed the crippled girl couldn't score freebies the way she used
to.
Nabiki looked back at Ranma. Her friend almost radiated happiness and
contentment. Of course, the world outside was not the ice-cream shop.
"So, Ranma, how do you feel today?" Nabiki asked, looking at her
friend with a small smile.
"Good, I guess. 'Cept for... uh... the usual stuff." The smile dimmed
a bit as the girl considered her condition for a moment.
Nabiki rested a hand atop the smaller girl's as she spoke, "That's
okay, really. I'm just glad you're happy right now."
Ranma tentatively placed her own small hand atop Nabiki's, allowing
her to hold the bigger girl's hand. She couldn't keep an embarrassed
flush off her face as she spoke. "Thanks. I... I... You've done so
much for me, I can never repay you."
"Ranma..." Nabiki looked down then put her other hand atop Ranma's.
"It's my family that owes you. I started doing this to make up for my
family's part in what happened. But now, it's because I want to. I
can't tell you how good it is to see you happy, Ranma. I know
things'll never be the same, but..."
Ranma offered a pained smile, "Yeah they never will be the same,
but..." Her eyes looked through her friend, focussed on some distant
object from the past or future, it was hard to tell which. "I'll get
by... with your help." By the end of her declaration, a lot of the
pain had been melted away by the warmth of a new level of friendship.
"And the Tanaka's?" Nabiki asked, her gaze friendly but laden with
gravity.
"Yeah, with their help too," The girl replied as she studied the ice
cream. The confection somehow seemed a bit more interesting than
Nabiki right at that moment. Rivers of white and tan moved slowly down
the sides of the dish, as the treat was currently well on the road
from ice to cream. A big smile blossomed as a bit more of the pain she
had felt was carried away, then she began to shovel ice cream into her
face again. Finally she looked up at Nabiki, drinking in a warm smile.
"Good, Ranma. We're all going to have to stick together on this." She
glanced at her watch for a moment before continuing. "Well, we'd
better get going, we DO need to get our studies done."
"Uh sure... Mom." Ranma replied as a brown sparkle too long absent in
her eyes laughed.
"Oh, you!" Nabiki replied as she playfully batted at her friend.
After paying for both their portions, Nabiki helped her friend
navigate the serpentine path between the tables out of the ice-cream
shoppe.
There was more happiness than usual back at their apartment that
night, Nabiki hoped the welcome change would last.
***
Tendou Akane looked across another table at a shop similar to the one
Ranma and Nabiki had just visited. The mood was just a bit more
somber, and silence cast a pall over some of the enjoyment she and
Ryouga might have felt.
Akane thought back to the times Ranma and herself had visited this
very place together. Ranma was always so happy here, and that joy was
infectious. But then it was almost like two girlfriends sharing a
treat they both loved. Now, it was a boy who was totally uninterested
in ice cream doing it solely because of his love for her.
Akane looked at Ryouga for a moment. Like he often did, he stared at a
light spot in the wall, not even sparing his fiancee a glance. Akane's
eyes sought the target of her fiancee's. She found herself looking at
the still rough patchwork over the hole Shampoo had made when she came
to pronounce her death sentence over Ranma.
A sentence the Chinese girl had, in time, carried out.
Akane looked troubled as she threw the spoon into the dish with a loud
ringing sound, attracting stares from more than just Ryouga. With a
slight flush of embarrassment, Akane bowed. "Excuse me, please."
Returning her attention to the ice cream, she began to pick at the
frozen mass, forcing herself to eat it. Forcing herself to offer her
boyfriend an illusionary smile. Which was not returned. Which was
never returned. If she did not know in her heart how much he loved
her, she might have faltered. She might have doubted his love for a
moment.
Why had she chosen THIS place to visit?
Ranma... he... she was dead. The happiness Akane had felt before had
been murdered by the Chinese Amazon as certainly as her... friend
and... fiancee had been.
Why had she chosen THIS place to visit?
Because... she had last been happy here.
***
After a few weeks both students, Nabiki and Ryouga, had made great
strides in their Art. Saturday became ice-cream day for Nabiki and
Ranma, a time that made the week's last school day a lot more
tolerable. Of course, Ranma's steadily improving grades helped, too.
Ranma's smile became a frequent visitor to her, and his, face. As
Nabiki relearned to smile instead of smirk, and to laugh instead of
sneer. To express happiness and be happy. To finally come to terms
with her loss of a decade before... and face life, not hide from it
behind the mask she had crafted for her own protection.
Ryouga and Akane remained together, but apart. Bound by duty and
obligation, but by no other ties. Ryouga was unfailingly polite to
Akane, and as unfailingly cold.
Akane finally began to doubt what her heart told her, but she had been
listening to what it said... or denying it? The student who ignores
lessons will not learn.
***
Akane offered Ryouga the smile that had always brought a reaction from
Ranma, happy, nervous, or insulting. But always full of life and
emotion. At last she spoke what her heart told her to, seeking at last
reassurance on a subject that had been, scant weeks ago, unquestioned,
"Ryouga-san"?
"Wh... what?" The Saotome School's heir responded, emotions hidden.
"Uh... do you?" Akane tried to ask. She cast her eyes down, closing
them tightly to keep from crying in front of Ryouga. "Never... mind,"
she whispered.
"Akane... chan. What's wrong?" Ryouga asked, with a little concern on
his face. His caring expression was unnoticed by his fiancee, who was
too involved in her inner struggles to learn how he felt.
"Nothing... Everything... Nothing, Ryouga." The girl turned and slowly
raised her head, opening her eyes not to her fiancee but the Tendou
living room. Everything was in its place, thanks to Kasumi's careful
housekeeping.
Akane's mind and heart were in chaos, as she learned one lesson,
missed another, and pondered what she had learned. The youngest Tendou
walked slowly out of the room, listening at last to her heart, not her
hopes.
Kasumi watched her little sister with sadness. What she planned was
difficult, but she was needed by Little Sister and... Brother. Her
family.
***
Kasumi watched as the courier bore away the last of the bundles on
his small truck. Since Father and the Saotomes were gone on an errand,
and Little Sister was still at school; she had decided to ship the
last of her possessions today.
It was up to her now. She had no more physical ties to this place, it
was now merely a house, her home would be in a prefecture far away.
Kyoto. A place where she could still love and be loved by her family.
A place where she could be happy.
The tall young woman could not stop tears from falling as the truck
rounded a corner, vanishing from sight. They were not tears over what
she would lose when she left here however. They were tears over what
she had already lost.
As she realized she was crying, all she could bring herself to do was
whisper a halting, "Oh, my."
Fighting to compose herself, she returned to the house. Kasumi still
needed to cook dinner, and would wait here until she got the okay to
move to Kyoto. She would try to be like she always had been, false
though it be, until she was with her new family.
***
An antiseptic cell, a maximum-security prison, and a caged predator
sharpening her claws to strike. A dangerous conjunction. Just as a
missile was held on the launch pad to build up thrust before launch...
Just as a spring stored more energy with each turn of a crank... So it
was that each day of incarceration increased the caged warrior's fury.
A sound outside her door called Shampoo from her musings. The prisoner
turned to face the door. The portal opened to reveal a young woman,
perhaps a decade Shan Pu's senior. Her uniform showed that she was a
guard for this section, Ikuko Sasaki according to her badge. Unruly
pale-green hair was partially corralled by the cap that completed her
uniform. The aroma of the slop that passed for food in this land
indicated that she had also brought dinner.
"Shampoo, I have wonderful news... I found out where Ranma's living,
and that she's doing quite well." The young woman's emerald eyes
sparkled as she saw her friend's happy reaction.
Shan Pu fought to keep the expression the pleasant smile that had
gulled this dupe as she responded. "Really? You know where girl-Ranma
live?"
"Yes, here's her address, perhaps you could write and try to patch
things up." The fool took her eyes off Shampoo for more than enough
time for the warrior to act. It would have been better if one of the
guards more worthy of death had come, but as both an outsider and
obstacle, the young woman's life was forfeit. The address was her
signal to escape the pretense of her imprisonment, and the outsider
had to be slain to put it to use.
Shan Pu was certain the woman's tribe would look after her young.
The Amazon attacked as the guard pulled the paper from her pocket. A
sound scarcely resembling human speech was the last Ikuko ever made in
this lifetime, aside from the dull thud her body made as it hit the
floor. The clatter of the dishes containing the meal masked even this
death knell.
The guard's killer paid scant attention to the lifeless corpse other
than to throw it into her cell. She would have ninety-seven heartbeats
to hoist herself into the ventilation shaft, though it would be better
if she was on the ground outside by then.
She hurried from the compound; at last her time had come. Shan Pu was
ready to have her revenge on girl-Ranma. She glanced down at the paper
as she ran, finding out where the elusive girl had hidden herself.
Girl-Ranma was in Kyoto, a city far from the prison. But the tiny
island of Honshu would grant the afflicted girl scant protection.
Shampoo would find her and end her suffering, forever.
Putting the paper away, she accelerated. Running with almost inhuman
speed, Shan Pu began her countdown to redemption... and marriage to
Ranma at last.
***
In the dim morning boundary between day and night, two young women
began their daily routine. Both hurried down the street, heedless of
the fine mist that fell from above. It would take more than that to
dissuade Ranma and Nabiki from their morning 'jog'. So what if two
girls went where a guy and a girl normally did?
In the shadows, crouched a predator. It was almost too easy. Here
girl-Ranma came, happily delivering herself to her doom.
It would be easy to defeat the outsider girl now. It seemed that
money-girl had befriended her. Well, the crippled girl could not
fight, and her companion could not buy her life from Shan Pu. A grim
smile decorated her face as her eyes narrowed, to focus in on the end
of her quest. Her only defeat by a woman would soon be avenged, and
she would kill another outsider in the bargain. Sometimes, life was
good.
***
(End)
Yes, I realize that the Shampoo encounter was a different place in the
manga, but I thought it made more of an impact if it was in the location "As
seen on TV"...
Kevin D. Hammel
========================================
khammel@anime.sobhrach.com
kevinsff@pacbell.net
http://www.anime.sobhrach.com/~khammel/
========================================