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?" He asked, awe radiating from his voice, "Kane-Chan never told me that!"
Ranma gave Akane a cool, but playful, look through half closed eyes. "Really? Maybe it just slipped her mind." Akane immediately became very interested in the remaining clouds in the sky and stared steadily at them, idly kicking around some dirt, while whistling a small tune quietly to herself.
She can whistle? Ranma wondered, O' course she can whistle, He mentally berated himself. She can't talk, her lungs work fine!
"Ranma, do you think..uh..." Shiro wrung his hands, "Do you think you could show me some of your martial arts?" Shiro started hopping from one foot to the another and gave Ranma a plaintive look. He looked like a pleading child, albeit a seven foot tall pleading child. Looking at this display Ranma felt a wave of nausea sweep over him. Inwardly he grit his teeth, Dammit! Why is he acting like a child?
Another part of his mind spoke up, Maybe because he is a child?
At this point a third voice joined the mental debate, Oh please, look at that disgusting display. What kind of freak is this Shiro anyway? Ranma paused, that 'voice' sounded a little familiar, the train of thought went on, I mean look at these people, two cripples, and a retard. Not to mention one of them is a helpless female who has wound up crying on your shoulder on no less then three occasions today alone! Is this the kind of people you want around you boy?
A memory clicked, the voice sounded just like..."Pop's." Ranma whispered to the air beside him.
Something snapped. I WILL NOT BE LIKE YOU! Ranma shouted in his mind, I WILL NOT TURN ON PEOPLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFRENT! I WILL NOT BE LIKE YOU OR THAT JERK, KUNO! SO SHUT THE HELL UP!! Ranma felt the 'voice' fall away into the back of his mind and could almost see the smug look his father would have worn if this had been a real argument.
Tomorrow, Ranma seethed. I pound that panda extra hard simply on principle.
The time it had taken for this internal debate had not gone unnoticed by the others. When Ranma became again aware of his surroundings he found Akane standing directly in front of him.
Akane saw Ranma's eyes come back into focus. She pointed at him, them made an 'OK' gesture with her hand while wearing a puzzled expression.
"Uh...yeah, I'm fine." Ranma said, "I just got lost in thought that's all."
Akane had a humorous impulse, For you Ranma that must be harder then it looks. And her hands started to make the gestures that would spell out her thoughts and then she remembered that Ranma wouldn't understand and let them drop to her sides with a small sigh.
I really wish I could just talk to him. She thought, Just for five minutes. I want to know what he thinks about all this. He's been acting kind of strange. Is he really taking this all well? Oh how I wish I could just TALK to him. Akane felt an oncoming wave of depression and tried to shrug it off by watching what Ranma and Shiro were up too.
"So Shiro you wanted to see me do some martial arts?" Ranma asked.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh." Shiro nodded emphatically.
Ranma took a few steps into the center of the yard to give himself some breathing room. Shiro immediately sat on the concrete ramp while Akane leaned against the wall behind him. Taka settled into his wheelchair and assumed a studious expression.
Ranma ran through his mental list of Kata, This one will do. He thought Lets add some from this one, and, oh yeah, here's a nice move. And lets finish with this, yeah, this should get some attention.
His movements began slowly; a few punches, nothing fancy.
Chest punch, block... chest punch, block...face punch, low block... step forward, chest punch.
Slowly, with increasing ferocity, yet still exhibiting iron control, his movements grew in complexity while going faster, ever faster.
Chest punch, follow through backhand punch...overhand smash to the head, overhead block...side block, step... spin kick, step...forward snap kick, follow through back spin kick...step.
Akane shook her head in amazement, the moves themselves were still easily within her capabilities but the flow, from one, to the other, to the next seamless and endless. Water flowing down an icy mountainside had less grace then what she beheld before her.
She noticed Taka gazing at her steadily.
"Impressive isn't he." He said quietly and gently reached up and closed her mouth. Akane's teeth snapped together with an audible click. Her face went red, she hadn't realized she had been gaping.
"Now now," Taka cheerfully admonished, "We mustn't let Ranma see how impressed we are can we? Who knows how an 'awful' boy might take that."
Akane gave a silent "Hmpph" at her teacher and, playfully, crossed her arms in such a way to silently declare to the world that she had no idea what he might be referring too.
Shiro was oblivious to the goings on behind him. His eyes were practically glowing in joy as he beheld the display of martial prowess before him.
Wow... Wow!! He thought.
Ranma completed a short series of drum punches, intermixing every other punch or so with a spinning roundhouse, and finished with a flying scissors kick at the nearest dummy. Instead of catching the dummy upside the head with his left foot, he snared the dummy's head between his knees, gripped, and, with a heave of pure power, arched his back, completing a flip. The forces tore the dummy from the earth, over Ranma's head, and slammed it back into the ground headfirst.
"WOW!" Shiro exulted.
Ranma pulled himself to his feet, dusted himself off, and formally bowed. Taka was slowly clapping his hands. "That was... impressive. I don't think I've ever seen a kata like that before. Especially that last maneuver." He said.
Ranma gave a half-smile. "Yeah, I kinda' threw that last one if for a little flash. Can't remember where I saw it before. I think its called a 'frakenstiener."
Ranma now turned to Akane to see what she thought. He was disappointed to find she wasn't even looking at him, but rather staring at her hands, which were nervously fingering her white board. She finally looked up at Ranma and there was such a sad look on her face, a pleading for ..something. What, he had no idea. Akane, just as abruptly, turned away and made an effort to appear busy shoving her whiteboard back in her pocket. Ranma made a move to go over to her.
What does she want to say? Ranma wondered, She looks so..so...needful.
His actions were interrupted by Shiro's exuberance. He came pounding up to where the young Saotome was standing and proceeded to jump up and down all around Ranma like an eager puppy.
"Wow! Wow Ranma that was just so... Wow!" Shiro was practically shouting, "You're just like Jackie Chan! I really like Jackie Chan, didja know that? I really like Jackie Chan an' you're just like him! Wow! Just like Jackie Chan, yes! Just like him." Pause. "Are you sure you never met Jackie Chan?"
"Yeaah," Ranma began slowly while shooting Akane a pleading look. She just merely held out both her hands, palms out, indicating that he was on his own. She now seemed slightly amused.
Oh great, Ranma mentally grumbled, One second she looks like she's going to go to pieces and then next finds my situation funny.
"Yeah Shiro," Ranma continued, "I'm pretty sure I never met Jackie Chan." He knew his next words were going to get him into trouble but couldn't see a way around it. "So I guess you like Jackie Chan huh?"
Akane boggled. Oh boy! Is Ranma in for it now. She thought. Even Taka winced.
"Oh do I ever like Jackie Chan!" Shiro launched himself into a monologue, "He's the best! He's an awesome martial artist and he makes the best movies. Did you know he does all his own stunts? He's over forty years old and he does all his own stunts, isn't that the neatest thing? I think so. I think its incredible, forty years old and doing his own stunts. Wow. He's a really nice guy too. I love his movies. My favorite part is the ending credits though, when you get to see the bloopers. The bloopers are my favorite part, except when he gets hurt. I don't like those bloopers. The funny ones are good though. I like the funny bloopers; but not the ones where he gets hurt, just the funny bloopers, not where he gets hurt. No, no, no."
Each 'no' was punctuated with Shiro shaking his head.
Ranma politely listened to Shiro talk, nodding where is seemed appropriate. Several times he tried to get a word in edgewise but was continually overwhelmed by Shiro's endless stream of speech about how much he loved Jackie Chan. Finally giving up he proceeded to settle down and wait it out.
Me and my big mouth. Ranma mentally sighed.
Shiro continued, "I saw a Jackie Chan movie last night. It was real old so I'd never seen it before. It had the coolest fight scene in it." Pause. "Actually it had lots but this one was really cool! It was...wow...just really neat. Want me to show it to you?"
That last bit got Ranma's attention.
Show me? He thought. Oh man he's going to try and show off! I should have kept that damn kata simple. If goes and does something to hurt himself Akane will kill me! But if I say no Shiro probably will get really upset and Akane will kill me! What am I gonna do?
"Sure Shiro. I'd love to see what Jackie Chan did in that movie. Be careful though. Don't want to hurt yourself do ya'?
Shiro nodded, "Ok Ranma, but no worries. I'm tough." and with that he moved to the center of the yard.
Ranma moved over to Akane was standing and whispered, "Is this wise?"
Akane nodded and pointed at her eyes then at Shiro.
"You sure?" Ranma pressed.
Again she nodded so Ranma shrugged his shoulders and turned to watch the larger boy. Ranma was ready, at a moment's notice, to leap to Shiro's side if he got into any trouble. Both out of concern for Shiro and to get out of arm's reach of Akane. Shiro took a stance.
Ranma blinked, The Snake stance?
Then Shiro moved. He finger's, held straight and stiff, lashed out at an invisible opponent's ribs. Left, right, left, right. Shiro's entire upper torso swaying with each strike putting his full weight behind them. He then spun one hundred and eighty degrees and held his arms out to each side, horizontal to his shoulders on one leg. The other tucked beneath him.
The Crane Stance? Ranma boggled.
Shiro launched a midair circular kick, lashing out with his standing leg, spinning around one-eighty again, and landing with the other. Ranma was sure that if that blow had connected it would have taken someone's head off.
Having landed on his feet facing the original direction, Shiro seemed to lose all coordination and bodily control. He reeled, stumbled, and lurched about as if intoxicated.
Ranma's mind gave up. Drunken Master?
Shuffling aimlessly, Shiro threw an awkward punch and tripped over his own feet and landed badly. He groped around, limbs flailing helplessly. Or so it appeared. Ranma recognized the fact that those blows were, in actuality, precise, controlled, and dangerous. Shiro then spun his legs over his head and flipped to his feet. He started laughing.
"That was fun!" He bellowed, "Want to see me do it again?"
If physically possible, Ranma's jaw would have been resting on the ground. He had watched Shiro's performance with an expert eye.
Every move.. His mind faltered. Perfect, powerful, trained...how?
He turned to Akane, "How..ho...how.." He stuttered.
Akane whacked him on the back of the head and he fell back on old habits. "Ow, whaddya do that for?" He exclaimed.
Akane thrust her board in Ranma's face while giving him a mischievous smile.
{And they say I have a speech impediment.}
"Well," Ranma scratched the back of his head trying to pull himself together, "I was just surprised that's all."
Ranma turned back to Shiro. "You study martial arts then?" Ranma asked.
Shiro gave him a confused look. "Um, no. I saw it in the Jackie Chan movie I saw last night. I told you that. Didn't I tell him that Kane-Chan?"
Akane nodded in the affirmative and Ranma suddenly felt very tired.
"Well what the hell is going on here?" Ranma demanded, "First I'm told no one here studies martial arts then I see Shiro here do a multi-style kata that was incredibly advanced then he say's he doesn't follow the Art. This doesn't make any sense!" He was practically shouting at this point.
Taka was still looking calm throughout Ranma's tirade; Shiro looked confused and Akane was having a hard time not laughing.
Poor Ranma. She thought, This is going to drive him crazy.
Taka cleared his throat, "Perhaps I could explain. Remember how I mentioned that Shiro had one other little talent? This is it. He mimics martial arts. He can't learn new styles like you but if he sees you perform a maneuver then he will remember how to do it. However he can only do that maneuver, he can't add to it, or improvise. He doesn't know martial arts he mimics martial arts. When we first met he wasn't in shape and he would hurt himself in his efforts. So I encouraged him to exercise."
"But how?" Ranma insisted.
With a shrug Taka said, "Beats the hell out of me."
Shiro was confused. He couldn't exactly figure out what everybody was talking about. I hope I didn't do anything wrong. I don't think I did do anything wrong. Did I?
He heard the word 'exercise' drift through the conversation and picked up it. Exercise he understood.
"Yes!" He proudly proclaimed, "Taka wanted me to get strong so I could be like Jackie Chan. When I first came here I was big and stupid, now I'm big, strong, and stupid!"
All three of the others were a little surprised by Shiro's exclamation.
Akane's fingers moved spelling out words that only Taka and Shiro could understand.
Shiro laughed loudly and, not meaning to ignore Ranma responded in kind.
Ranma, in a very quiet voice asked Taka, "What did they say?"
Taka whispered back, "Akane said, 'But you're not stupid Shiro', and he replied, 'That's right, I forgot."
Nodding his thanks Ranma started to brood. He didn't like asking for help, it had always galled him to do so and now, what with everything else that had happened today it was especially infuriating. He wasn't sure whether or not he could handle the...wrongness... he felt with Shiro. He didn't want to feel this way. In fact he knew it was wrong to feel this way. Maybe he just needed time to get used to the idea but Kuno, the ice cream shop, meeting Shiro, and now having to ask for help? It was all adding up to, at best, a world-class headache and at worst a sudden and painful end to this new life that had seemed to start out so well.
Not if I can help it. He pondered a few seconds longer, I can't do much about that other stuff except wait, see what happens, but this new problem? That I can fix. Ranma made himself a mental promise and was planning out how to act on that promise when a bolt of lightning pierced the heavens and struck the earth some fair distance away.
Akane's fingers spelled out more words and meanings to which both Taka and Shiro started chuckling. Ranma grit his teeth against the feelings of frustration. With extreme reluctance he asked again, "What did she say?"
Taka, still grinning, relied, "She said, 'either its going to rain, or Kuno is being stupid again.'. C'mon lets go inside."
"Good idea." Ranma said while casting a nervous grin at the suddenly forming clouds. "Lets hurry."
With hurried steps he headed inside, with Akane following, the two both made it just before the heavens opened up drenching both Taka and Shiro.
Shiro, laughing, began leaping around performing the kata that he had done earlier. Taka mumbled something unkind about the kami and their sense of timing before saying, "C'mon Shiro, lets get out of the rain ok? If we hurry maybe Ranma will show you some more Jackie Chan stuff!"
A split second later the back door slammed shut and the yard was conspicuously absent of Shiro's presence. Chuckling quietly Taka wheeled himself up the ramp and back inside the school.
End COS1.3
Next up: First dinner in a new home. Big appetites and big mouths.
Authors Notes: Well THAT'S finally done. Hopefully COS1.4 will have a faster release time. After that will come COS2.0 and 2.1 etc etc..
Ok let me just get this off my chest. I based Shiro on a REAL person. No I'm not kidding. In my youth..ok..EARLIER youth, I worked a great deal with the handicapped. One person I met was a lot like Shiro. A berserk pituitary gland had caused him to reach Goliath-like proportions and yet he was even more mentally handicapped then my portrayal of Shiro here. He barely could talk, had no chance in reading and never would.
It's because of people like my friend here and one other that I get to sometimes thinking that justice is a force of nature.
My friend, (Lets call him Mark) was disabled in mind and so nature had given him a nearly godlike physique and autonomous reflexes. Ok, Shiro is slightly exaggerated but hey, the main character here changes gender via water! One thing I am not trying to do is drag Ranma ½ into the 'real' world. Just add my own spin to it. Course this means I have a very fine line to walk.
Mark was capable, much like Shiro, of performing a physical act just by seeing it. Ok he couldn't do it perfectly but after a few tries( And I mean a FEW..as in two or three.) he could. He also adored martial arts movies. 'Specially Bruce Lee. As I said, he couldn't talk much, but if you wanted to find him all you had to do was let out a Bruce Lee like squawk and you'd hear one in return. The only thing he couldn't do was the really fancy stuff like forward flip axe-kicks, that's cause he was just to big. He was a really great guy, he'd walk around repeating 'Its like a finger pointing away at the moon.' all day but he was just so innocent you didn't get annoyed by it.
AAANNNYYWWAAAYYY... My own feelings on Shiro are a tad iffy. Like I could have done something better. One of the reasons this took so long was I sat around for hours trying to wonder what that thing WAS!! I couldn't find it. If anyone has suggestions I'm listening. Hell I'll rewrite the whole latter half of this part if I get a good enough idea.