Greetings,
Its about time I got this out isn't it?
After posting the teaser I hammered away at till it was done.
Here ya all go. Enjoy..
Oh yah. I STILL don't have prepreaders so it IS rought draft. I was a careful
as possible but there might be some glaring errors. I hope not.
Disclaimer: Scene opens with the author flipping through a large pile of
papers.
"Hmm..no….no…. ..heh that was a good one but no…no..saw that one last
week..
Arrrgh..screw a disclaimer joke." The author turns to you, "You're outta
luck pal.
Now go read the damn story."
Mad-Hamlet is proud to present
A Drain Bramaged Inc. Production
Curse of Silence 1.3
A continuation of the original Curse of Silence written by C.Jones of
www.furinken.net
Written with his permission.
Key:
"Talking"
< Thinking >
{White Board}
The rain had finally ceased; the light of the sun beamed down on the wet,
soaking, Tokyo ward of Nerima, rending asunder the last dissipating remnants
of the storm. Inside a small ice cream shop a petite redhead held the
sleeping form of a slightly taller, dark haired girl.
After 'dealing' with the manager, Ranma had made every effort not to disturb
Akane from her impromptu nap. Ranma needed the quiet anyway to deal with her
own tumultuous thoughts.
<Why did I say all that stuff, > She thought, < I never talk about that junk.
Pops always was going on and on about it being a distraction and we true
followers of the Art didn't need it; that it was unmanly. >
A part of her mind, recently awakened and strengthened from the events of the
last two days spoke with clear authority. < Pops was wrong. He wanted me to
ignore Akane because of her disability. He basically doesn't accept me when
I'm a girl; hell he barely looks at me much less talk. Stupid old man, he
practically lives in his panda form. >
Ranma had never heard the word 'hypocrite' before but she knew a raw deal
when she saw one.
<Akane ain't weak. Not cause she's a girl an' not cause she's mute. If
anything she's stronger 'cause of it. > Ranma frowned thoughtfully, < Not that
that's much consolation I bet. >
Ranma glanced at her own arms, different from the ones she knew. These were
slim, still strong but shorter that what she was used to. <Sure, like this I
am faster but..I still hate this curse. >
Akane chose this moment to move slightly and Ranma was distracted from that
line of thinking as Akane settled down again leaving Ranma to bask in the
warmth of another persons embrace.
<Curse? What curse? >
Awareness returned to Akane. She didn't want to wake up; it was so warm and
comforting where she was right now. The arms holding her so gently reminded
her of when mother held her when she had trouble sleeping…waitasecondhere!!
Arms? Holding her?? What the hell??? Akane sat up quickly nearly hitting
Ranma's chin with the top of her head. Ranma and Akane started at each other.
<Ranma was holding me! Baka hentai!! > Instinctively Akane began to get
angry; memory frantically burst in with recollections of the discussion over
ice cream and its subsequent results.
Almost reluctantly Akane pushed her growing ire aside and gently, part of her
was definitely protesting at this point, pulled herself out of Ranma's embrace
and sat down beside her.
"Um..hi.," Ranma said, "Are you… OK?"
Akane nodded and reached for her white board.
{I'm feeling better. Sorry about creating a spectacle.}
Ranma shrugged, old habits die-hard. "I got no problems with that Akane. I'm
glad I could help is all."
< Riiiggghhtt, > Whispered the new voice in Ranma's mind, < You were just
helping. >
{I'm glad. Do you really like me? >
Ranma's eye's bulged. That had come out of nowhere. "Yeah..that is..yeah
Akane I really do like you. I haven't had a friend in a long time and I ain't
letting go o' the one I got now."
Ranma was afraid Akane would start crying again; it wasn't that she didn't
like comforting her but at the same time she really felt out of her element
and wanted some time to ponder. She needn't have worried. Akane smiled in
relief then happened to glance at a nearby clock.
{I'm going to be late for school!}
Ranma could barely make out any understanding of the frantically scribbled
out symbols but the hastily moving Akane, stuffing her book bag, straitening
her hair, running to a nearby sink and washing her face, was easy to pick up
on.
"I thought we were done with school." Ranma said.
{My special school. I can't miss that.}
"Well if you can wait a few minutes, mind if I tag along?" Ranma said while
handing back the white board and placing some money on the table. Akane seemed
to think for a second before writing....
{I'd like that Ranma. I can introduce my beautiful fiancé to my friends.}
Akane laughed silently as Ranma visibly paled. "Can I get some hot water
please?" She shouted.
***
Ten minutes later Ranma, now male, found himself standing in front of a
small, two story, building. It was a wholly unremarkable building, a few
windows, grey fading paint and a walled off back yard. There were no signs or
colored lettering in any of the windows, just the building. Akane grabbed his
arm and started dragging him inside anyway.
Past the front door their way was blocked by another large, heavy, metal
framed door. The glass was lined with steel wires and Ranma noticed the
windows being equally secure.
< Awful lot of security. Wonder why? > He wondered.
Akane pushed a small button beside the metal door and a few seconds later
Ranma saw, through the glass, a young man in a wheelchair. He rolled up to the
other side of the metal door and pushed a button on his side of the door. The
lock released with a click and he held the door open allowing Ranma and Akane
inside.
"Hello Akane, how are you?" The young man asked. "And who's you're friend?"
Ranma glanced at Akane and saw she was not writing on her white board,
instead her hands and fingers were moving, forming symbols and using gestures
to write other symbols in the air. The young man watched her hands intently.
Ranma's brain suffered a rare fit of deductive reasoning.
< Sign language? > He thought, < Of course she knows sign language. Should
have figured she didn't write everything down. Ranma no baka. >
An outthrust hand interrupted Ranma's self-recriminations; the hand belonged
to young man in the wheelchair before taking the hand giving a firm shake.
"Hello Ranma, I am Jiyuuomoi Taka. Pleased to meet you, I'm the teacher and
owner of this small school. I'd bow but.."
"Hi," Ranma said, "I'm Ranma Saotome and I guess Akane told you all
that..uh..it's nice to meet you too Jiyuuomoi-sensei." The last part was said
more as question then a statement, which it was; as if Ranma was unsure of how
to behave, which he was.
Taka waved off the title with one hand, "Spare me the honorifics, simply
'Taka' will do fine."
The small party of three made their way into a small room. There were several
comfortable looking chairs around the edge, a blackboard against the far wall
and a large table around which the chairs were centered.
"Make yourselves comfortable." Ranma sat in the nearest chair while Akane sat
on the armrest. Ranma noticed this and felt pleased, then nervous, the
pleased, then nervous and this would probably had continued ad infinitum had
not Taka interrupted.
"So tell me about yourself. Akane says you study martial arts, are you any
good?"
An uncomfortable and alien feeling of modesty settled on Ranma's shoulders as
he felt his face get a little hot. "Well..a little I guess.." He began. Akane
gave him a playful whap on the back of the head. "OW! Hey…"
Akane ignored him as she wrote on her whiteboard and then held it out for
both Ranma and Taka to read.
{Ranma is being uncharacteristically humble. He can beat me easily.}
Taka blinked. "That.." He began, "That is impressive. More so because you
admitted it Akane."
Now it was Akane's turn to blush. There was a flurry of erasing and writing;
now the board read:
{Not that easily.}
The corners of Ranma's mouth curled up into a familiar smirk and his mouth
began to open of it's own volition. The new part of his mind, awakened the
night before and strengthed by the events of the day rang a warning that was
loud and clear, bypassing the, up till recently, nigh unstoppable Saotome
Foot-in-Mouth technique. Ranma stopped, reconsidered his words and somewhere
an angel earned its wings.
"She's right," Ranma said, "Even though I've only sparred with her once I can
tell she has real potential. If she ever did some serious training she could
easily become a great martial artist." He shrugged, "Maybe even as good as I
am." Ego got a last dig in, "Someday."
Akane gaped; true she knew she thought she was good but the level of mastery
Ranma displayed spoke of skill she could scarcely conceive of, much less
aspire too. But here he was now, telling her that she did have that potential
she could aspire to such heights and, in a roundabout way, complimenting her.
She felt a warm tingle spread out over her skin and had to repress a shudder
as she tried to cope with the flood of emotions, which in turn, killed the
tingle and replaced it with anxiety.
< From one extreme to another. > Akane thought, she signed internally. < It's
all just so fast. >
The possibility of further contemplation was scattered to the four winds by a
new voice, "KANE-CHAN!!!"
The powerful yell echoed off the walls and the windows visibly shook in their
frames. Ranma, Taka, and Akane winced at the intensity. Ranma lurched out of
the chair, whirling to face a possible threat and saw, lumbering toward them,
a giant.
There was simply no other way to phrase him. The man was huge. Easily clearing
seven feet tall and with a powerful frame. He was wearing a simple black
T-shirt and jeans. His arms and chest bulged underneath the T-shirt. His
biceps were easily as big around as Ranma's thigh and his chest was clearly
defined over the strained fabric. The giants long, powerful legs carried him
across the room, his own thighs as thick as Ranma's waist. < Just enough
muscle for maximum power, but not enough to slow him down or cost him
flexibility. This is not good. > Ranma thought. The giant was going straight
for Akane and Ranma moved to intercept.
A surprisingly strong grip on his forearm held him back. "Relax," Taka
murmured, "They're old friends. Watch."
The giant swept Akane up off the ground and cradled her like a child while he
spun around in place, whirling Akane around and around.
"Kane-Chan, it's so very good to see you. I've missed you very very much! Yes
I have!" The giant was still bellowing.
Ranma blinked, "Good friends eh?" He half asked.
"Very." Taka replied blandly.
"When was the last time they saw each other?"
"Yesterday."
Ranma blinked again.
"His name is Shiro, Eiennoko Shiro. He has a tendency to be
somewhat...enthusiastic." Taka explained.
"Ah." Ranma replied as if fully understanding.
The giant named Shiro gently put Akane down. He bent over so he could look
her right in the eye without her having to look up at him. Taking a few deep
breaths, as if to prepare for something difficult, Shiro said, "Kane-Chan I
have a serious question; very serious. Will you listen?"
Akane nodded solemnly.
The giant beamed, "Do you know Jackie Chan?"
Ranma had to grab Taka's wheelchair to keep from falling over. Akane merely
sighed and shook her head while Shiro didn't seem to be upset at this
confession. "No? That's too bad. I was hoping you knew Jackie Chan. Oh well;
maybe you'll meet him tomorrow. "
Taka put his head in his hands, "Every day." He muttered.
"What?" Asked Ranma.
"They do this every day."
"Is it some kind of joke?"
"Oh no, they're deadly serious." Taka said.
"But…that's stupid! I mean, doesn't he know that? Can't he figure out that
Akane doesn't know Jackie Chan?"
Taka gave Ranma a look, flat, plain, no outward expression or message, just,
a look. Ranma groaned. He'd seen that look before and was fully aware that
somehow, in some way, he had screwed up.
Taka held his gaze a few seconds before finally saying, "I'll assume you're
merely ignorant and choose not to be insulted for Shiro's sake."
Ranma visibly bristled. "Whaddya mean by that?"
Taka held up a placating hand. "Ranma you must be a pretty okay guy if Akane
likes you as much as she seems too so I'm not going to take this last few
exchanges too personally. Have you ever heard of 'mental handicaps.'
Ranma stuttered, "No. Not really."
"Not surprising. It still isn't acknowledged in modern Japan." He sighed,
"OK, short version," He gestured to where Shiro and Akane seemed to be having
a deep conversation, Akane was using sign language and Shiro would
occasionally nod or shake his head and then respond in kind.
"How old do you think Shiro is?" Taka asked.
Ranma studied the large figure of Shiro. After a few seconds he gave up, the
man's incredible size threw off many of the physical clues that Ranma could
use to determine a rough estimate of age. The giant's physique seemed well
defined with evidence of slight wear and tear that you would find on any
physically mature individual; but the face was clean, smooth as if never
touched by a razor and a man that large and mature looking should have had to
shave.
"I dunno. Early twenties maybe?" Ranma shrugged.
"Try around mid-teens. Fifteen to be precise."
"What?" Ranma's eyes grew wide. "No way!"
"Yes way." Replied Taka in a tone of voice that implied he'd had this
conversation before. "At least he's that old physically. Mentally he's far
younger; I'm not too sure where exactly but somewhere between seven and nine
years old."
Ranma felt his knee's beginning to weaken. He wasn't really clear on
everything he was being told. Or maybe he didn't want to understand.
"I…I.."Ranma swallowed audibly, "I'm not sure I understand. What do you mean
by 'mental age'?"
Taka inwardly sighed being careful not to let it show. In his mind he cursed
the society, his society, that not only allowed this kind of deliberate
non-understanding, but practically encouraged it.
"It's like this Ranma, the human body ages at it's own rate. Growth, height,
weight, all occur based on chemicals in the body. Sometimes there are spurts
of rapid growth, like during puberty and in the late teens. It is possible for
the body's schedule to be thrown out of wack, and that's one thing that
happened to Shiro here. His body started growing and didn't stop; but that's
relatively minor compared to the other problem."
"M..minor?" Ranma's mind struggled to process this information that was being
thrust down its figurative throat. It was so alien, so wrong, the mind and
body worked. That was it. There was no other possibility; oh sure the body
could get broken but that took outside interference but it didn't just break
by itself! It wasn't possible!!
< Sure it is. > A voice in his mind spoke up, < What do you think old age is?
< Well..yeah, > Ranma argued, < But that happens later. To other people, you
don't just start out broken! >
< Shiro looks pretty real to me. >
Ranma was torn away from his internal debate by Taka continuing his
explanation.
"Relatively minor; you also have to understand that the mind grows and
matures by its own schedule as well. Maturity and responsibility are not just
taught to us we grow into them as well. Also there's the changing priorities
and desires; as you get older your ideals, values and expectations change and
what you're going to do to meet and satisfy the desires you have change as
well." Taka gave a soft chuckle, "When I was a child I ate, spake, and slept
as a child, but now I am a man and have put away childish things."
"Huh?" Ranma asked.
"Paul, First Letter to Corinthians, its from the Christian Bible. Shiro, you
see, will never put away his childish things. His mind cannot grow any more.
For the rest of his life he will be, for lack of a better term, a child."
"How?" Ranma's question was blunt and to the point. He was beyond all
surprises now.
"It's complicated," Taka scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Lots of things can
cause brain damage. Drug using mothers, the unborn fetus being physically
injured in some way, physical injury can also leave one brain damaged. In
Shiro's case I don't know for sure. I believe he was born handicapped."
Ranma felt torn. His first reaction was fear. It horrified him to know that
everything he took for granted, the absolute command he had over his body, the
home of who he was, his mind, was that vulnerable. One bad day and you'd be an
extra selection at a salad bar. Then came pity, sympathy for the poor, stupid
giant who would never grow up, never have children, and never become a man.
< NO! > Ranma's stubbornness came to the fore, < I am not Pops. So he's
different, he's a little busted up, big deal. >
Ranma watched Akane and Shiro sitting on the floor still conversing in the
language of signs. Shiro seemed to be giggling about something and Akane was
trying not to laugh but was failing miserably. She couldn't even get hands to
work right she was laughing so hard.
"Shiro can't be that..um…handicapped." Ranma said. "He's got sign language
down cold."
"Hmm..yes." Taka responded, "That is strange. Academically he is very slow.
He can do basic arithmetic and can read up to a third grade level but other
then that he has an incredibly hard time learning new things. Except for sign
language. He mastered that in under a year, when Akane first came here she had
to resort to her board to communicate, then Shiro picked up sign language and
the two were inseparable. How he managed to do it I don't know."
"Is that it? Is that all he has left? Read a little, know a few numbers? He
can't grow anymore?" Ranma asked.
"Oh not at all." Taka replied. "He and I have been working on multiplication
for several months now. He can't do very much, he just mastered the 'two's'
last week, but he'll never give up. Neither will I. Also he has one other
little talent."
"And that is?"
"You'll see soon enough." Taka smiled mysteriously, "Here they come now."
Shiro had picked Akane back and placed her on his left shoulder; then he
began a slow careful gallop around the room. Akane was waving her arms like
she was on a roller coaster. Ranma watched this display of affection between
the old friends. He felt a sharpness run through him. A smooth piercing
sensation that dug in and burrowed deep.
<Jealous? Me?> Ranma thought. < No way. I just met her. They've known each
other for ages. How can I be jealous? Simple: I can't be. That's right. I'm
not jealous. I'm not jealous at all. >
Satisfied he turned back to watching the pair. < 'Sides, > his thoughts
continued independently, < Its not like anything they have can go..any....> He
crushed that line of thought and tried to cast off the pangs of jealousy. They
grew teeth and hung on; best he could manage was to push them from the
forefront of his mind.
Shiro had finished gallivanting around the room and Akane was holding her
sides, her mouth wide as peals of silent laughter rolled forth. Ranma wondered
what her laugh would sound like.
Shiro had carefully set Akane back on her feet and shuffled in Ranma's
direction. Akane, now recovered, hung back and watched the both of them.
Shiro would have been the picture of submission if he didn't tower a good two
feet above Ranma.
His shoulders were drooped, his muscles were limp and his head was bowed so
low that the only part of Ranma he could have seen would have been his
slippers. Ranma had to strain to listen the quiet single word from the voice
that, just scant minutes ago, had caused steel reinforced windows to rattle.
"Hello."
Ranma was paralyzed. Shiro's change in behavior baffled him but it was the
sudden wave of tiny fears, each one clamoring in his head that caused him to
freeze.
< Oh my God there's something wrong with... He's not norm...What if he
touches.... He's so unatu..... What if I catch .....>
< STOP IT!>
Ranma's mental shout silenced his fears, for now. He was aware that Shiro
still stood slumped before him. Behind him he could feel Taka's gaze on his
back and before him he could see Akane's stare. He wasn't sure which was
worse.
With a mental shake Ranma snapped out of his fugue. He took a decisive step
forward and extended his hand. "Hi.", he said boldly, "Saotome Ranma. Pleased
ta'meetcha."
Shiro underwent another transformation. His shoulders straightened, his eyes
shone and a huge smile split his face. He grabbed Ranma's hand in a crushing
grip and hung onto it like a lifeline.
"You're pleased to meet me?" The giant bellowed. He started vigorously
shaking Ranma's hand and, at the same time, most of Ranma.
"Did'ja hear that Kane-Chan? He's pleased to meet me! We're going to be
bestest buddies. Yes we are!"
Ranma struggled to keep his sincere smile in place.
Shiro continued crowing his elation at making a new friend while Ranma
considered the mild protests the bones in his hand were voicing. < He has one
hell of a grip. > he thought. It just kept tightening.
< If I didn't know better, > Ranma thought, < I'd think he was challenging
me. >
One look at the larger boys face cancelled that possibility. There was only
sincere joy and happiness on those features. No trace of hostility anywhere.
Ranma cleared his throat.
"Yeah well its great to meet you Shiro. I think we'll be good friends too
but..uh, could I have my hand back. You're squeezing it kind of tight."
Shiro's whole body jerked as if he'd been shot.
In an instant he released Ranma's hand, an expression of stark terror marring
the happiness that had been on his face. He stumbled away from Ranma, his huge
arms pinwheeling wildly; tripping over his own feet Shiro collapsed to the
ground and, with a low moan, curled up into a ball. A second later Akane was
at his side, cradling the larger boy's head in her lap. Ranma stood there in
dumb silence lost in, yet another, wave of shock and confusion as Akane tried
to comfort Shiro. Taka, by this time, had rolled up beside Shiro's huddled
form. He lay a hand on Shiro's shuddering shoulder while giving Ranma a look.
It wasn't a hostile look, or accusatory, it was more a look of expectation as
if he was saying, "well, its your move." But this was mostly lost on Ranma, as
his mind was still dealing with the events of a few seconds before, he had
little awareness to afford on the present.
Akane waved her hand a little, catching Ranma's attention. She made a gesture
over Shiro's body adding her own unspoken message to Taka's.
Ranma saw all this, he felt the expectations of Akane and Taka. He saw the
suffering of the child whimpering in Akane's lap. He felt very much on the
outside looking in. Before him were three people who were bound by tragedy and
an uncaring reality and somehow, unknowingly, he had hurt one of their number,
one of their family.
But did they hate him?
No.
They were merely waiting to see what he would do next. Then they would judge.
Ranma's instinct to run was so powerful his feet itched.
A ghost of a memory fluttered through his mind. "A true martial artist
protects the weak." Genma's voice echoed. Ranma's own thought followed.
<Really Pop? Then what's yer problem with Akane? Oh thats good Saotome, now
yer thinking of her as weak. Deal with that later. Now I gotta make a
choice.>
He chose. Taking slow measured steps Ranma moved toward where Shiro lay
crying into Akane's lap. He crouched down and gently lay his hand on Shiro's
shoulder. Ranma was pleased to notice his hand wasn't shaking.
"What's wrong Shiro?" Ranma asked gently.
Shiro visibly shuddered from the physical contact but he managed to choke out
a few words.
"I hurt you so you must hate me. You hate me because I hurt you. Everybody
hates people who hurt them. I did a terrible thing. I hurt you. I'm sorry.
Please don't hate me. I hurt you! I'm bad. Are you going to make me stand in
the corner? Please don't make me stand in the corner! I'm sorry I hurt you!
Yes, I did a very bad thing, I'm sorry!! Please don't make me stand in the
corner!"
Ranma had to force himself not to leap away, the pain in that voice, the
fears he was wrestling in his mind, all these factors were wearing away at
Ranma's iron self-control. He glanced at Akane who could only shrug
helplessly. She'd never seen Shiro react this way before. < What corner? > She
looked up at Taka and saw he was wearing a carefully placed, neutral
expression. < We're going to have a little chitchat when this is all over. >
Akane decided.
Ranma firmed his resolve and reached out his hand toward Shiro's crumpled
form.Carefully but forcefully he rolled the larger boy over so he could see
Shiro's face.
"Hey Shiro, look at me." Ranma said quietly. Shiro's eyes were downcast and
he refused to look up into Ranma's face. "C'mon Shiro look at me. See?" ,Ranma
held up the supposedly injured hand, "It's not hurt, I'm not hurt. I'm
perfectly okay."
He bent his fingers one by one and slowly, so as to appear non-threatening,
made a fist a few times as to emphasize the point that everything there was in
perfect working order.
"I don't hate you Shiro, you have to be a pretty nice guy. Akane is your
friend, Taka is your friend and I would like to be your friend too."
< I will not shudder, I will not cringe, I will not shudder I will not
cringe...> The words went over and over in Ranma's head like a mantra. < I
will not pull away, I will not shudder, and I will not cringe. I will be his
friend, I want to be his friend! I mean what I say because...> He glanced
quickly at Akane's expectant face, < ...because I have too. >
He slowly stood up and now held out his hand, making sure to use the one that
caused this whole mess. Shiro stared at the offer with, what could have been
considered a dubious expression.
"C'mon Shiro." Ranma almost whispered, "No harm no foul right?" and gave his
best cocky grin.
For the third time in mere minutes Shiro underwent a transformation, from a
pained, miserable child, to a joyful innocent without a care in the world. He
firmly grasped Ranma's hand and, in an impressive display of flexibility,
kicked his feet under himself. < What the hell? > Ranma thought, < Who taught
him th...> His thoughts were interrupted by Shiro's exultant, "YES!"
"Yes!" , Shiro loudly repeated, "Yes indeed Ranma Saotome, no harm no foul!
Yes! We're going to be bestest friends! Yes we are!" Then, with exaggerated
care, slowly released Ranma's hand and wiggled his fingers just like Ranma had
moments before. "Yes." Shiro said more quietly, "No harm no foul."
Akane caught Ranma's eye and slowly gave a nod of approval. A great weight
lifted off his chest. Maybe he was still a little freaked out about Shiro,
maybe even about Akane, but he knew good people when he saw them and right now
they were all around him and he hadn't screwed anything up.
< I really do think I'm going to like Nerima. > He thought.
Shiro interrupted his musing, "Ranma, do you know Jackie Chan?"
It was several minutes before Shiro was convinced that, no, Ranma did not
know Jackie Chan; no, he was very sure he had never met Jackie Chan, and no,
he didn't think he would meet Jackie Chan tomorrow. But yes, if Ranma did meet
Jackie Chan, he would introduce him to Shiro. It was at this point that Taka
suggested they all go outside in the back, which Ranma thought was fine, as he
really needed some air and time to regain his self-control and get a grip on
the events of the last half-hour.
The back of the school was a small, yard where a tall wooden fence separated
it from the surrounding property. Against the back of the school, beside the
door they had all exited from, sat a large barrel in which a fair amount of
rainwater had collected; with exaggerated nonchalance Ranma ambled as far away
from it as he could. Opposite the barrel, against the far wall of the fencing
stood a small storage shed and the final thing Ranma noticed was, standing on
their wooden posts in the middle of the yard, were several training dummies.
They appeared a bit old and bedraggled, as if they had remained unused for
some time.
Ranma raised an eyebrow at the dummies, "Who practices the Arts?" He asked
the general group.
Take seemed to frown momentarily. "No one." He answered and gave his
wheelchair a quick glance that did not go unnoticed by Ranma, "Not anymore."
Ranma's mouth volunteered to say something stupid but he bit back on the
impulse.
< Training, > He thought, < Think of it as training. > Instead giving Taka a
slow nod.
Akane tossed her board to Ranma.
{Sometimes I use them when I'm here.}
Shiro gave Akane a hurt look and she made some hand gestures that Ranma did
not understand. Shiro nodded in agreement at what Akane had 'said'.
"That's right. Kane-Chane uses the dummies sometimes." He paused, "She
practices on the dummies so that when she goes to school she can beat up on
the dummies!" Shiro looked around for approval at his realization. Akane
seemed to be coughing slightly while Taka's face remained inscrutable. Ranma
stood there scratching the back of his head and gave a half hearted "Heh
heh..."
< Was that a joke? > He wondered, < Or was Shiro being serious? Oh hell with
it. >
Shiro continued unperturbed by the lack of response from the others,
"Kane-Chane is a great martial artist. She is really really good."
At that Ranma squared his shoulders, "Well I'm a pretty good martial artist
too y'know."
Shiro's eyes got really big as he realized that not only his best friend was a
martial artist, but his brand new best friend was one too! It was so cool.
"You're a martial artist too?"
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