Recent events in my hometown prompted this, and it has been banging around for a bit. I decided to write this after this event ended, as I found the description that is used in the title appropriate. I do not own Ranma ½, I'm playing with the characters however.
It was an uncharacteristically cool summer day in this part of the US. As a matter of fact the summer had been very cool up through this point. Oh there was hardly a cloud in the sky, but that didn't seem to help matters at all. Still it was a beautiful day and they were getting ready to make the final leg of their journey across the US.
Both had graduated college with high honors in their chosen fields, which considering the spotty attendance of one of the two, it was a surprise to all that he actually made it in to college. The other was highly intelligent as well and was initially interested in acting. However a tour of a TV studio while in high school helped to cement her focus. She loved working behind the scenes, it meant comfortable clothing, far less makeup, and she wasn't sweating under the lights. So the husband and wife received their degrees, got married, and went to work.
Ranma and Akane Saotome were enjoying their first real vacation in years. Their honeymoon was nice, but this was the first time that they had taken any substantial time off. Akane was in a use or lose situation at work, and Ranma, while running the dojo, still had Soun Tendo helping with the classes. Even the old letch helped and refrained from his usual antics.
So they arrived yesterday at the new hotel that was on a former Air Force base. The runway was still there and was visible from their room. There was also a nice walking path nearby and they decided to see where it would take them. So after having a late breakfast they left the hotel and walked the new path, exploring the art along the new path. It took them from their hotel, down a steep hill and closer to the airfield. There were some structures remaining from the Air Force Base days, and the signs in English warned against trespassing. So they took their time and walked around those buildings hand-in hand and were heading for the airfield, just to look through the fences to see what could be seen.
It was with some surprise that they noticed people leaving the protected buildings walking toward the entrance to the air field. Curiosity grabbed the two of them and they followed the crowd, finally coming up on a middle aged man with a short haircut, jeans, a simple grey t-shirt, sunglasses, and a badge hanging from a lanyard that was hanging about his neck. A cane was in his left hand and much of the aluminum was bare, the black paint having been worn away over time from repeated drops and being stuffed into one too many carts. He walked with a pronounced limp in his right leg. It was obvious to both Akane and Ranma that at some point in his past he had been hurt, badly, but he still took the time to walk in the direction that the others were heading in.
Akane was very curious now, so she spoke in fairly good English, "Excuse me sir, but what is going on?"
He turned to regard the couple before him and saw that they were married, "Oh, you don't know and you aren't from around here, are you?"
"No we are from Japan and we have been touring the US as a second honeymoon of sorts," replied Ranma, also in good English.
"Oh," replied the man with a somewhat sad smile. "Have you been enjoying yourselves?" he asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Yes we have," replied Akane. "So why is everyone heading toward the airfield?"
His head hung a bit, and his shoulders drooped as well, "A fallen son is being brought home today, a Marine. We are here to pay our respects." His voice was thick with emotion. He turned to continue and motioned for them to follow, so they flanked the man on either side. They slowly made their way down the sidewalk.
"Are you sure it is okay for us to join you?" asked Ranma.
He smiled at the question, "Our countries have been allies for many years now. What better way to show our solidarity then by standing shoulder to shoulder."
Quietly they continued their walk, and made a left turn into what once was the airfield proper. It was now a parking lot, but it had been roped off to provide a path for vehicles to come and go without endangering pedestrians. Some hangars that were being remodeled were off to their left, while much larger hangars were now in front of them. Ranma and Akane had passed by them earlier when they noticed the crowds. They reached another fence and found men and women standing there. The entry to the airfield through this point was flanked by much older men and some women, each wearing a red had whose lettering spoke of their previous service, Marines all of them The group stopped and the man that they were walking with greeted people he knew, all wearing badges similar to his. They looked and saw teenagers in a type of military uniform standing in a line.
As they looked around there were more and more people lining not only the roped off lane in what had once been an active portion of the flight line, the road outside the fence was lined with people on both sides of the street. They caught snippets of conversation, most were just reflective of other sons that had been brought home, one the son of a fellow employee of the man that had walked with them. A State Police car drove by that appeared to be freshly cleaned for the event. They were followed closely by a series of black vehicles, on being a hearse. The hearse of course was in the lead followed by the other cars. Both Ranma and Akane happened to be looking at the cars as they passed by, and the sight of one of the occupants struck a nerve with the two of them.
She was young by the quick glance that they got. She had shoulder length brown hair, and her eyes were still red from obvious crying. She was dressed in black, along with the rest of her family. Soon enough the vehicles were past and on the active part of the airfield. Akane looked to her husband, "Ranma, did you see?"
"Yeah," he replied. "I saw." The couple looked to the man that they had walked with, and his head hung. They could tell that he had seen as well. "So what is going to happen?" asked Ranma.
He looked at Ranma and Akane and answered honestly, "Well there is a Marine Casket team that is waiting for a chartered jet to arrive. When it lands it will taxi over to that large hangar over there where the family is waiting. The aircraft will park and the casket will be removed. The Marines will then take the casket and carry it to the waiting hearse. When it is loaded the Marines will march to their vehicle and the family will be brought back to their vehicles. The police will then escort the casket, family, and others to the funeral home." A tear filled his eye and he removed his sunglasses to reveal his blue eyes so he could wipe it away. He quickly put his sunglasses back on.
"Are you okay?" asked a concerned Akane. The look on Ranma's face echoed her concern.
"Oh I'll be fine," he assured them. It was then that he looked and spotted the jet on approach. "It will start soon."
It didn't take that long for the jet to touch down. An escort vehicle quickly took the lead from the jet and guided the aircraft to its proper location. From their vantage point they could see the jet fairly easily. It taxied to its location and soon its engines were shut down once again brining silence to the area. They watched as the side opened up and something was brought out. It took a few minutes and the apparatus was set up and a platform was then raised to the level of the deck of the jet. It was then that the casket carrying the fallen son was brought out and safely loaded onto the platform. The platform was then lowered, and the Marines silently acted.
Marching in perfect unison they approached the casket in two files. Once in position, they faced the casket. As a unit they bent over to grip the rails of the casket. Silently and reverently they lifted the casket with a practiced ease. Soon they faced the hearse, and they began the march. They didn't see the casket get loaded, but they did see the Marines march toward their waiting vehicle. Soon, at the gate, the State Police vehicles appeared, with their lights flashing. It was then that they heard the cacophony of sound that erupted from a single event. It was thunderous really, neither Ranma or Akane had heard that before. It was constant, with the occasional increase in the sound. It was like a gentle thunder really, no other words could describe it. Soon the police vehicles headed out at a slow procession. It was then that the rumbling sound of thunder increased, and they saw the reason for the noise.
The bikes were out in force, many a veteran was riding that day, and each bike had an American flag that flew in the breeze as they roared by preceding the hearse. There were signs on some of the windscreens of the motorcycles as they went by. "Patriot Guard" was the emblem displayed frequently. Soon the command was given, Present Arms. Flags dipped, and the hearse went slowly by, followed by the family. Order Arms was then called and those who knew, returned to their proper position. Following the family was a fire truck from a nearby volunteer fire department. The driver and passengers all in uniform, the truck had black banners on the side. Their lights were also flashing as they followed the family. Soon the gentled thunder picked up in volume again as the vehicle carrying the Marines came, followed by more bikes, each with a flag as well. Finally the police vehicles came up and brought up the rear, and the procession was on their way. The thunder faded, and a calm silence hung in the air again.
It was then that the gate to the active portion of the airfield was closed, and the crowd standing by began to disperse. Ranma and Akane turned to the man that they had walked with, and saw he again had hung his head. He hadn't started to move just yet. "You've been through this before, in a different capacity," stated Ranma.
The man looked at Ramna and answered, "Yes, many years ago, when I was a soldier in the Army." He looked skyward for moment, "Even when it isn't someone I know it still isn't any easier." He turned and began to walk away, Ranma and Akane followed. It was slow going really and they remained silent.
However as they finally left the airfield now parking lot portion Akane turned to their escort and asked a simple question, "If you don't mind me asking, but what happened to you that you need a cane?"
He looked at her and her husband and gave a warm wry smile. "Man it was over ten years ago. It was at the end of a class one Tuesday afternoon at 3 PM when I slung a backpack loaded with college textbooks onto my back. Apparently it was the last act that caused a disk to slip at the T11 T12. The cartilage disk ended up impacting my spinal cord and pinched off the nerves. I lost all feeling and motion from the waist down. I had to get flown to another hospital for some surgery and some serious physical therapy."
"So were you able to go back to school?" asked Ranma.
"Oh thankfully yes. I was able to complete my bachelors in Electrical Engineering Technology. I've been working here since I was a student and I've been able to start taking bridge courses to get my Electrical Engineering Masters degree." They arrived at a corner, where they crossed the street and were standing by the area that Ranma and Akane had avoided earlier. He turned to them and spoke again, "Well I have to get back to work and get something to drink while I'm at it. Thank you both for walking with me." He actually bowed to the both of them.
Somewhat surprised they returned the bow. "It was our pleasure," replied the couple.
He smiled at them one more time, then turned and headed back to where he had to be. They watched him slowly walk to a waiting door, where he swiped his badge, then entered in, disappearing behind the door. They took each others hand, and began to walk back to their hotel, they didn't feel like exploring anymore today.. They spent the rest of the day just cherishing the time that they could spend, and recalling that sound of the gentle thunder that brought a fallen son back home.
A one shot. Take the time to remember the Veterans in your area, both the living, and the departed. Thanks.