CHAPTER 45
-"MEMORY'S VICTIM, LOVE'S PRISONER! THE LONELY LITTLE GIRL'S DILEMMA!"-
TENDO DOJO - MORNING:
A few minutes after their morning sparring, cleaned up and in their school uniforms, Akane, Ranma and Ran came to the breakfast table, and they all sat down to eat. Breakfast looked on the surface to be normal. That is, if you consider Ranma and Genma fighting over their food as part of the Tendo household's normal morning routine.
An angry Ranma objects, "HEY! That's my breakfast, you stupid old man!"
Genma laughs, "Ha ha! You're too slow, boy!"
As Ranma and Genma fight, Soun is busy reading the morning paper, but that was to be expected as well. Akane and Nabiki were chatting among themselves. And Ran…? No one seems to notice how quiet she is. She hardly touches her plate, maybe to take a bite or two, and chews rather absently, as if something's on her mind. As a matter of fact, she was strangely quiet throughout the entire meal. Just then, Kasumi came in with more food to serve and notices Ran's bruised left cheek. She gasps, "Oh my! Ran, that bruise…! What happened?
That gets everyone's attention; incidentally, it was long enough for Ranma to bonk Genma upside the head and take back the bowl of rice his father just snatched off his plate.
Ran starts to get nervous. She'd hoped no one would notice that bruise. Trying to reassure Kasumi, Ran just says while trying to sound indifferent about it, "Oh, this? Aw, it happened while we sparring this morning. It's nothing to worry about, really."
In the back of her mind, Ran wonders if that sounds as pathetic to Kasumi and the others as it does to her.
"Wait here. I'll go and get the first-aid kit."
As Kasumi leaves the dining room, everyone else turns to look at Ran, who tries to continue eating. Although none of them knew what she was wrestling with inside herself, they could clearly tell that something was wrong. Ran appeared to have lost that usual cheerfulness, a dull gaze in her eyes not normally found in her.
Soun asks, "Ran, is there something bothering you?"
Ran stopped eating for a moment keeping her listless eyes down on the table. She finally says, "No, Mr. Tendo."
Genma and Soun both exchange concerned looks. Then, Soun asks, "Then why so glum?"
"I did not know I was being glum, sir."
Nabiki adds, "Normally, Ran, that's not like you. Something's bothering you. You've hardly said a word to anyone since we started eating."
"And just HOW did you get that bruise, anyway?" Genma wanted to know.
Ran can't take it anymore. She stops eating and looks up, her eyes glistening with wetness. She's about ready to cry. She glances around at the concerned faces then pushes away her plate.
"I'm… I'm sorry, everyone. I'm just not hungry…. Well, I'd better get to school." She turns to Ranma and Akane, a fake smile obvious on her face as she says, "You guys comin' or what? Don't want to be late, right?"
As she's getting up, someone reaches out to grab Ran by the hand. She didn't have to turn around to see who it was; just from the strength of his firm yet gentle grip on her hand, she knew. She knew. Oh God, she knew! All Ran could do to keep from bursting into tears, was try to stay calm, to not lose control, to hold back her swelling emotions. To hide from these people, this wonderful family that took her in, the internal struggle raging within her heart – her destined, indoctrinated desire to fight and destroy vs. her still-growing-yet-already-strong feelings for the one she loved. The one she believes with all her heart and soul she feels deeply and strongly for. The one who is, at once, her best friend and her destined opponent at the same time…
It was Ranma. "Hey. Isn't it a bit too early to leave for school? Ran…?"
From where he was sitting, Ranma could not see the pained look on Ran's face. Akane, who's sitting next to Ranma however, sees the fear and desperation in Ran's eyes and suspects that Ran might just break down and cry right there.
"It's the dreams again isn't it?"
Now if this were anyone else, Ran would have tried to get away from whoever grabbed hold of her. But this was Ranma, her friend. Why would she run away from him, when this was obviously the time she'd need his help? Was she THAT afraid of him?
"It is, isn't it? You had another one, didn't you? That's why you dropped your guard during our match, isn't it?"
Tension hangs in the air as everyone waits to hear the truth
"Yes…!" Ran finally says. She leans against the doorway, slumps to her knees, and starts to cry. Ranma walks towards her. Without thinking he put his arms around her. She puts her head into his chest and cries; it was all she knew to do. "*sniff,sniff * …. *sob*…. Oh… oh, Ranma!"
Ranma comforts his friend, "It's okay, Ran. It's okay. Whatever you saw, it's not there. You're not there. You're here, safe, with all of us."
Poor Ranma. He has no absolutely no idea whatsoever how deep Ran's feelings for him run. That she's actually crying for him, over what might happen to him. Still, his words seem to bring her around. Taking her by the hand, he gently leads Ran back to the table. Akane reaches out a hand to grip her shoulder, gives Ran a hug, and waits for Ranma to nod before returning to her own meal. Genma, Soun, and Nabiki look at him with questioning gazes.
Ranma loks back at them. "What? It's not like I did anything!
Genma point-blank asks his son, "All right, boy. What happened?
It was about then that Kasumi re-enters with the first-aid kit. As she tends to Ran's bruises, Ranma explains what happened during the morning sparring session:
Soun starts to say, "So, Ran asked you for an all-out match…"
Genma finishes, "And you accepted? What were you thinking, boy!?
Ranma snaps at his father, "HEY! What are YOU gettin' upset for, Pop? Besides, it's not like I wanted to fight her all-out, 'cause I didn't!"
This startles Ran, who's still a little overcome by her true emotions. Ranma spots her out of the corner of his eye.
Ranma continues, "I mean, me and Akane both were surprised, just like you guys. So… we start the match, and we're fighting. Ran was… really doing great."
Pleased by his complement, Ran smiles.
"But then, we started trading punches, my Amaguriken against hers." Aside, to Ran, he compliments her, "That was a neat attack, by the way." Then he continues to explain, "And just at the last possible second, she just drops her guard and eats my Amaguriken! I… I knocked her out. I didn't mean to do it. Pop, Mr. Tendo, everybody… I think Ran's got real potential as a martial artist. Had the match gone differently, she might've won. But I did… and it didn't feel like a victory to me. I'm… I'm sorry, Ran."
After listening to this, Ran feels guilty. Ranma is actually blaming himself for what happened! She tries to intervene.
"Ranma, no! It's not your fault. I'm the one who should be apologizing! Not you! I…" She starts crying again, then, yells "Ouch!" as she winces from the application of the hydrogen peroxide.
Kasumi apologizes, "Oh my! I'm sorry, Ran." She then applies some ointment and a bandage to Ran's swollen cheek. "There you go."
"Thanks, Kasumi."
Genma wonders, "What do you mean, Ran? Now, granted, you might know the Art, but did you know what you were getting into when you challenged Ranma?"
Upset, Ran says, "I know, but….! Look, Mr. Saotome, Ranma didn't mean to hit me that hard. It was an accident. During the fight, I…I got distracted…."
Nabiki finishes, "By those dreams, right? Let's talk about those. You haven't had them lately, and now they're starting up again."
Ran hesitates for a moment. Could she tell them what was going on with her? What would they say? How would they react? It was too much for her to take. But she has to say something, anything! Dealing with it any longer and she might go crazy… and she hated to think what might happen afterwards!
But then Kasumi – God bless her kind-hearted soul! – says just the right thing at that very moment. "Ran, dear, when something hurts, you should tell someone. Please, let us help you."
That little bit of encouragement was just what she needed. Ran felt the heavy weight in her heart lessen, just a little. She starts hugging herself, and Akane moves over and puts an arm around her, giving her another gentle embrace. Ran shudders, sips on some tea to calm her nerves, and then takes a deep breath.
"Actually, everyone, it's not the dreams I've been having. It's something… no, someone else that's bothering me…"
"Who?" Ranma asks.
Ran starts explaining. "In my dreams, there's this strange old man…" She shakes her head, as if ignoring the thought of him. "Oh! I've been trying so hard to forget, but sometimes I can still hear his crazy laugh. Every night up until now, the dreams got stronger. He's there when I sleep, whispering, laughing at me, telling me that it's my destiny! Telling me that I have to…to…
"This old guy… is he the one who's been trying to get you to kill me?"
She nods sadly. "This morning, I heard his voice inside my head. He wanted me to kill you during our match." Ran tries to fight back tears. "I am afraid of him, Ranma. I feel like he's trying to drive me out of my mind. That's why I dropped my guard and took your blows. If I continued to fight you as hard as I did, I might have….have…."
Ranma says nothing, arms crossed as he thinks about Ran. His worry could be felt by the others.
"Is there anything else you remember about that man?" Nabiki questions Ran.
Ran thinks for a moment, trying to recall what the man haunting her dreams looks like. Soon enough, she can see him clearly now – an old man with wild hair, a big mustache, and a lab coat….
And she's in some kind of laboratory or operating room, like the ones you see in a science fiction or a horror movie. In her mind she heard screams – her own screams and she saw projected in her mind her own body, strapped to an operating table by leather straps. All sorts of wires are attached to her body, and she was wearing some kind of crazy headpiece. Surgical instruments and needles filled with greenish liquid lay scattered on steel trays. Dr. Wily was clear in Ran's mind, scarier than he appeared to be before. The mad doctor was standing over her with a crazed look in his eyes. He flipped a switch near the table, and her view of the surroundings was shaken up as a short burst of electricity was sent coursing through her body. "It won't be long now, Ran. Soon you will fulfill your destiny...!" he murmured. The voice wavered and bent, the sound changing, echoing in her mind.
"Still don't feel like obeying me? I'm sure that last electric shock didn't feel very pleasant going through you. Now… you know what you must do now, yes?"
"No. I won't do it. Nothing you can do will make me! I will NOT kill Ranma!"
"That's too bad. You force me to rely on more proven methods. Fortunately, they are just as effective… And now my dear, I do believe it is time to see the REAL you."
And then, his hand drifted down to her chest, and…
From everyone else's perspective, it looks like Ran has gone into a trance. The instant she recalls Dr. Wily's face, something from Ran's foggy memories of her past surfaced. She's looking straight ahead, staring out into space, her eyes wide open with fear. Her skin is pale and clammy, and she's sweating. She trembles as the memories of her ordeal under Dr. Wily haunt her…
And she could still feel his hand groping around her body, his laughing at her, her cries for help, and pain, so much pain, why? Why? Make it stop! Stop! Let me out let me out help help…
Ran now weeps, "No….no….!"
Now worried, Ranma asks her, "Ran! What is it? What's the matter?"
Seeing that Ran's upset, Akane prevents Nabiki from asking Ran any more questions. "Stop it, Nabiki! You're asking about her most frightening recollections!"
Ran looks up, her eyes red from crying. "She's right. I…don't want to talk about him anymore, please. It…it hurts too much just thinking about him." Then, to Ranma, she says. "I... Ranma, I... I'm not sure I want to fight like that any more. I... I don't like it. It was a great fight and all, but…I never really liked it. I like sparring, but I don't like fighting... Not like that…"
Ranma gently takes her hand. Ran lets out a small gasp, blushing a little.
"Hey, I… I understand, Ran. We'll... we'll just stick to our regular sparring from now on, OK?"
Ran's eyes go wide, as she thinks, Is this a dream? Just a sweet, sweet dream…?
She was so surprised when Ranma's hand touched her own that she had totally forgotten what she had been crying about. Her eyes remained open for a few moments before she relaxed, closing her eyes and melting with love and adoration. She sighs deeply, the background behind her and Ranma filled with hearts and red roses.
That poor, lovesick girl.
Oh please, if this is a dream, don't let me wake up…
Ran looks up at him in relief and nods, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
Nabiki, on the other hand, watches Ran's reaction to Ranma's touch and groans, thinking, Oh boy, here we go again. Yet another girl falls for Ranma… and this time, I don't think he knows it. This could be interesting…
Being Nabiki Tendo (of course!), she's already thinking of ways she could make a few hundred yen off this situation.
Well, for the most part, everyone is happy that Ran's back to her cheerful self now. However, the identity of the old man in Ran's dreams causes some concern.
Unusually serious, Soun says, "Ahem…. Well, you should get to school. We'll talk about this some more after you get home."
Ranma, Akane, Ran & Nabiki agree, "Right."
ON THE WAY TO FURINKAN HIGH SCHOOL…As usual, Ranma, Ran, and Akane are running toward school (minus Nabiki, who'd already left after this morning's events).
But something's different. Akane is actually keeping up with Ranma! Thanks to training with Ranma, her speed and agility has improved. Ranma, of course, is in the lead. Yet Akane doesn't mind; she's just glad she's able to run at almost the same pace with him now when they have to rush to school.
This time around, it's Ran who's way behind! When they left the house this morning, she and Ranma were neck-to-neck as they raced each other to school, Akane following closely behind them. On their way there, Ran started to slow down…
And.
Just.
Stopped.
She stood there in the middle of the road for what seemed an eternity, long enough for Akane to pass right by her and catch up to Ranma.
She was running with her best friends Ranma and Akane to school like she usually did, but her heart just wasn't in it today, her mind otherwise occupied.
Ran hangs her head down, placing a hand on her breast, over her heart. She sighs sadly, the weight of concealing her feelings for Ranma getting to her.
But really, what other choice do I have? I mean, Ranma and Akane are getting along so well now, compared to when I first came here. They're my friends! I should be happy for them! I am… Really, I am… But still, my heart feels so strongly for him! Should I tell him? Can I tell him?
When Ran finally looks up, Ranma and Akane are long gone. Thinking about them, and how much they both mean to her, she makes a decision.
No. I can't tell him. I should just keep my real feelings to myself, for Ranma's sake. He doesn't need another fiancée to deal with. I mean, after all we're just friends… right?
Silence hangs in the air as Ran's internal conflict continues.
ARE we just friends? Are we lovers? Could we be lovers AND friends at the same time?
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: OK, did anybody catch the hidden song reference in there? Give yourself bonus points if you do! We now return you to our story in progress…]
…Oh, but I want to tell him! I want to tell him how I feel, to hold him and be held in his arms. To tell him "I love you!" But if I do, I'll hurt him. I don't want to do that. It would be just like…like this morning's battle all over again. Ran shivers at that thought. Is this what that old guy meant when he said that things would get worse for me from here…? Nah! She smiles, breathes a sigh of relief. But at least, I don't have to listen to his scary voice again. I hope…
It was then than Ran realized something VERY important…
"ACK! OH NO!! I'M GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL! Aw, man….!!"
Ran takes a running start, then leaps quickly from rooftop to rooftop Ranma-style!
Better hurry, Ran!
The steady squeaking of the wheels on the janitor's cart would have been enough to get on the nerves of just about any other person. But the janitor, unperturbed, pushed his cart steadily down the hallway of Furinkan High School, looking neither right nor left. People passed him by and didn't even glance at him, which suited him just fine. He had nothing to say to them, and certainly they had nothing to say to him. As a janitor, he was one of the invisible people. At most someone might nod vaguely in his general direction and then instantly forget they'd seen him at all. That also suited him. He kept his head down, focusing his attention on the floor and his cart. Every so often he'd raise his head enough to look around, his eye (yes, eye, as in ONE eye)! burning with a frightening intensity. Had anyone looked him square in the eye, they would have been taken aback, perhaps even frightened. Fortunately, no one did. He brought his cart to a halt and removed a bucket of water and a mop. He used the same bucket to both soap the mop and also to clean it, so the water within had turned an unpleasant shade of gray. He wasn't doing the floor any favors by running his mop over it, but that didn't seem to matter to him.
More people were coming, and he adopted a carefully neutral, distant, and bored look as he began slathering the floor with the dirty water. Several teachers were heading in his direction, but when they saw what he was up to, they headed off down another hallway to keep clear of him. That was exactly what he wanted. It facilitated his being able to hear the conversations he wanted to hear. Looking apathetic and nonchalant, he ran the mop across the floor as he sidled over to the classroom that he knew Ranma Saotome and Ran Hayami were in.
"Aloha! Excuse me!"
The voice so startled him that he almost dropped the mop. He stepped back, keeping his gaze lowered, as that annoying man – that principal – literally hopped around the wet areas. He wore his usual Hawaiian shirt, green pants, sunglasses, and that little palm tree on his head.
Principal Kuno sees the janitor. "Ey! You be careful dere wit dat moppin', yeah! We don want de keiki slippin' and fallin' now, no?"
The janitor kept his gaze fixedly on the floor. An anime-style "angry vein" bulged from his uniform cap. He didn't like this situation at all. The principal was noticing him, and it wasn't to his advantage to be noticed. The janitor paused a moment more, and he briefly considered beating him to death with the mop. But he decided that might be a bit of an overreaction. A fortunate thing he came to that conclusion, too, because then the principal was about to leave.
"Keep up de good work, you hear? Later, brudda! HA HA HA!"
The Principal leaves, probably heading back to his literal jungle of an office. When he was gone, only then did the janitor raise his head, revealing his red camera-lens-like eye! Yes folks, it's the Zero Spawn from last night! It had successfully carried out the first part of High Priest Erick's special orders: to infiltrate Furinkan High and get a job as the school's new janitor. Now inside, it was currently carrying out Part 2 of the plan – to monitor Ranma Saotome, Ran, and their friends, and report on anything it sees to Erick, especially anything about the Phoenix Stone. Also, to keep an eye on R, and his efforts to destroy Ranma.
In that robot-like monotone voice, the drone reports, "Annoying subject Principal Kuno no longer present… Resuming normal functions…"
And with that, the Zero Spawn, err…janitor goes back to mopping the floor.
Ran manages to catch up with Ranma and Akane, and the three of them make it to class in record time.
Soon afterwards, Ukyo (who we haven't seen since Chapter 11!) arrives, taking a seat next to Ran.
OK, let's stop right here, folks. Think for a moment. Isn't it interesting that the two girls who are both friends of and would-be lovers for Ranma Saotome would sit next to each other on this particular day? Coincidence, is it not?
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Get on with it already, ya silly narrator!!]
Err…. Right. Ukyo didn't know too much about Ran, aside from what Ranma and Akane told her. And just like Ranma, his dad, and the Tendos, she too became curious about this pig-tailed girl who (aside from the color of her hair) looked for all the world like Ranma's girl form. She tried to get information from Nabiki; it had cost her a few thousand yen and a free okonomiyaki from Ucchan's. Ukyo ended up learning nothing at all. Nabiki, in an unusual (and RARE) act of generosity, returned Ukyo's money (Minus her usual fee of 5000 yen for her services; plus she'd kept the coupon for the free okonomiyaki. What did you expect; this IS Nabiki Tendo we're talking about here!). Still, Ukyo tried to be nice to this strange new girl in Ranma's life. Heck, she even spoke to her a few times, as classmates who attend the same school and are neither friends nor enemies tend to do. Today was no different. Well…
Ukyo cheerfully says, "Good morning, Ran!"
Ran sounds depressed as she responds, "Oh. Good morning, Kuonji-san."
Now THIS, however, was different. Ukyo notices the lack of feeling in Ran's reply. Something's up.
It was then that their teacher Hinako Ninomiya enters and class starts.
Ukyo looks over to Ran, who's idly scribbling in her notebook, a glazed expression on her face. Ukyo leans over to see what she's writing.
Ranma's name was written several times around the page. Ran had even drawn a good picture of Ranma's head, with the words "Hey, there" coming out of his mouth. Then there was Ranma and Ran's names, with a little heart drawn in between them. Ran was currently drawing over the little heart, making it bigger and bigger until it covered both their names and filled the entire page!
Ukyo turned away, groaning over the possibility of yet another fiancée for Ranma. This, she decided, was not a good sign. But what happens next surprises her.
Her ears caught the faint sound of sobs coming from Ran. She bit her lip, trying to pay attention to today's lesson, trying to ignore the silent tears coming from the girl sitting beside her.
But she couldn't. Ukyo glances back at Ran, who looks so depressed that the sight breaks her own heart. Ukyo didn't know, couldn't know how much Ran was deeply in love with Ranma. She begins to feel sympathy for the pig-tailed girl; for at one time, she too loved her "Ran-chan" with that same intense love….
After the failed wedding attempt (See the final volume of the Ranma 1/2 manga!), she had to work hard at winning back Ranma's trust and friendship. He'd been quite angry that she had stooped to Shampoo or Kodachi's level with the exploding okonomiyaki and, consequently, he did not speak to her for several weeks before finally accepting her apology. She resolved right then and there to do right by him, to forget the fiancée nonsense, and just be his friend. Just like they used to be before Ranma's idiot father went and ruined it all by engaging her to Ranma, then running off like hell with her dad's okonomiyaki cart.
But enough reminiscing about the past; Ukyo makes a decision. After all, any friend of her Ran-chan's is her friend, too. And right now, it seems Ran could really use one…. I think I need to have a little chat with Ran-chan and Akane at lunch.
During the course of her teaching, Miss Hinako notices something unusual. Ran is just sitting there at her desk, daydreaming about something (or someone!), lost in thought. In any case, she wasn't paying attention to today's lesson.
She thinks, Can this be? Miss Hayami isn't paying attention in class? This is a surprise! She's a good girl, despite the fact that she associates with that delinquent Mr. Saotome… Then, she realizes in error, OH NO! His behavior must be rubbing off on her! I knew he was a bad influence! This certainly won't do!
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a five-yen coin. I'll just suck out a little bit of that delinquent energy inside her. And I'd better do it quickly before she absorbs any of Mr. Saotome's poor study habits!
Both Ranma and Akane tense up as Hinako walks up to Ran's desk, prepared to move if it looked like Hinako is about to try anything. Across the room, Ukyo tenses for action as well….
Ran has no idea what's going on that moment. When she finally looks up, she gasps. She sees poor Ranma lying on the floor, quivering like a plate of Jell-o. You'd look that way too if you just had your ki sucked right out of you, y'know. Miss Hinako was now in her adult form, a little bit of smoke coming out from the hole of the five-yen coin she used for her "Happo Goen Satsu" (Happo 5-Yen Kill / Eight Treasures of the Deadly 5 Yen Piece) technique. She's a bit disappointed; she'd only tried to take off a little bit of Ran's ki, but gee, wouldn't you know it, Ranma leaped in front of her and got drained instead. When you think about it from her point of view, though, maybe she's not TOO disappointed.
Hinako smirks, thinking, Well, it's not what I'd intended, but at least now Mr. Saotome will think twice before interfering with me when I'm dealing with another student. Aloud, to Ran, she says, "Miss Hayami?"
Ran snaps out of her daze, "Huh? Y-yes, Ms. Ninomiya?"
"May I see you after class?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Hinako then looks over at Ranma, who's still weakened from her ki-draining. "And as for YOU, Mr. Saotome…Despite your noble intentions, you interrupted me while I attending to your classmate Miss Hayami. If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was raise your hand. Remember that in the future."
A weakened Ranma groans, "Ugh…y-yeah, Teach."
A few students laugh at this scene. Ukyo sweatdrops. Akane groans, embarrassed. She turns around to see Ran, who has a sad look on her face.
Ran can only watch as Ranma crawls back to his desk. She knows the effects of Hinako's ki-draining would eventually wear off and he'd be back to full strength. Still, the sight hurts Ran's heart. She knows why Ranma stepped in. Oh, Ranma… Why did you do it? I'M the one who should have been drained, not you! I'm the one who was daydreaming back there! Why, you ask? It's because my poor head is filled with thoughts of you now! If only I could just tell you how I feel about you!!
At that, she covers her face with her hands, and cries softly. Hinako notices this and resolves to have that discussion with Ran soon after her class is finished. Meanwhile, she walked back to the front of the class to continue teaching. As class went on though, Ran seemed to regain her composure. She tries to pay attention to the rest of today's lesson, taking notes, but she was still preoccupied by her feelings for Ranma. Time marched on without her knowing it. She didn't even hear the bell ring, signaling the end of class. She seemed lost in a daze.
NOW, Hinako was concerned. She walks over to Ran's desk. "Miss Hayami? Miss Hayami?"
Ran comes to, as if awakened from a state of deep hypnosis. "Huh? Oh, hey... wow! Ms. Ninomiya! Sorry!"
Hinako's mildly annoyed, but doesn't show it. "What are you still doing here?"
"Umm…. Taking notes from your class?"
"My class? Miss Hayami, my class was over. See this empty classroom? See me, standing here, talking with you? Even Saotome tried to wake you up, with little success. I had to threaten to drain his ki again to make him leave, so I can have this brief chat with you."
Ran is embarrassed. "*gulp*… Guess I blew it today, didn't I? I'm…. I'm really sorry. You see…"
Hinako shakes her head, sighs, and when she speaks again it wasn't like she's trying to scold Ran, but more with an air of disappointment. "Miss Hayami, you are one of my most promising students. I've never had a discipline problem from you yet. However, your behavior during class today was unusual for you. Don't misunderstand. I'm not angry with you. I'm concerned. And I suspect that it has something to do with Saotome, am I right?"
Hinako spots Ran's notebook, opened to the page with Ranma's name written all over it and all the doodles and sketches. She looks back up at Ran, who simply hangs her head down like someone who knows she's been caught.
After a moment Hinako says, " This only proves my suspicions. As someone who's dealt with Saotome before on previous occasions, let me tell you something about him. He is a deviant, womanizing delinquent, plain and simple."
Offended by what her teacher just said about her best friend, Ran looks up, with wetness in her eyes. "Please, Ms. Ninomiya…Ranma… he's not like that. He's not like that at all."
Hinako considers that. "I see… In any case, I hope you realize what you're getting into by falling for him. Nevertheless, my class is not a bedroom. You can dream about your life together with Saotome on your own time."
Feeling chastised Ran obediently says, "Yes, ma'am."
"Here." Hinako hands Ran a pass. "You should hurry to your next class. And Miss Hayami?"
"Y-yes?"
Hinako smiles slightly. "Please don't take what I've said about Saotome to heart. Despite being such a delinquent, he DOES tend to have his good points. I suppose that would explain why you're so fond of him." Getting serious again, she then says, "So what's it going it to be, Miss Hayami? Your educational future or your romantic fairy-tale happy ending? You'd better make a choice about what's important to you. Get it together, OK? I'd hate to see someone with so much potential just fall apart over one boy."
Ran nods, "Yes, ma'am."
As Ran leaves Hinako's classroom, she lets out a sad sigh. First, Ranma gets drained for trying to protect her and now her teacher scolds her for daydreaming about the boy she secretly loves yet can't tell him her true feelings. "Get it together", Miss Hinako says. Those words linger for a bit in Ran's mind. But her suppressed feelings for Ranma are stronger, causing her to respond back:
"But I can't…"
She sighs again, and hurries off to her next class.
We have to wonder, folks. How much longer can Ran hold out before the weight of her concealed feelings becomes too great to bear? Imagine, if you will, putting water into a pot, screwing a lid on really tight, and then putting said pot onto a burner. Sooner or later, there's going to be an explosion.
Such is the case here.
Soon, there would be an explosion.
The events that would cause it were already in motion….
Ran moved through the rest of the school day like a robot, divided between paying attention in her classes and wrestling with her feelings for Ranma. She would take notes on one page and then, on the next, draw hearts and flowers surrounding one single sentence:
"I, Ran Hayami, love Ranma Saotome with all my heart!!"
The words she desperately wants to say but can't.
Why?
Because I'm afraid… Ran thinks.
Of what?
Of what'll happen if I do tell him. Afraid of destroying Ranma and Akane's happiness. Afraid of losing Akane's trust – we're practically like sisters for crying out loud! Afraid of losing Ranma's friendship. Afraid that he doesn't love me the way I love him. Afraid of what I might do if he doesn't love me…What should I do? What should I do?
Ran stars feeling a little queasy, as if she'd eaten something that disagreed with her.
But there's something else isn't there? Someone else you're afraid of?
It's him.
You're afraid of him.
Ran whispers, "No…no…not again….!"
And then she could hear the mad laughter ringing inside her head.
HA HA HA HA HA HA!! You see! I told you it would only get worse for you the more you try to resist! Give it up already! Give in, and you'll be released from your pain!
Ran angrily whispers, " No…I'lll…I'll never give in! I…I'll fight it….!"
Feh. You stubborn girl. But that's just fine…You'll regret it later on, believe me. Take a good look…
And then she was back in that lab again.
Wily had just finished injecting her with another dose of that green stuff and was pacing in front of her, observing the effects. Ran writhed in misery, whimpering like a child, though she was drugged and only semi-coherent. She was so strung-out from that stuff Wily used on her that she didn't seem to know where she was, only that she wanted to get away, far away, to be anyplace but here with him. No don't lose it don't go under fight it fight it fight it…!
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Her scream echoed within the lab. It was followed almost immediately by several more screams of "no" and a few wordless shrieks. She was now hysterical, flailing around on the operating table just screaming her head off.
The mad doctor was not fazed (well, maybe a little). He pushed a button on a nearby control panel that tightened the straps holding her to the table. Then he flipped the dreaded switch, sending another jolt of electricity through her body. The struggling stopped and…
Now she was back in her math class again. She shakes her head, regains her senses, and tries to pay attention to the rest of today's lesson. Class was almost over anyway; she'd almost made it through.
Almost….
When did she go back to that lab again? Was she having some sort of warped dream here? One where her life in Nerima with her friends was only a fantasy and this cold, cruel place with this crazy old man was her real existence? Was that it? That had to be it! Well?
She felt something on her body. It was the doctor's hands, and they were all over her.
OK! That's it! I can't take it anymore! HANG ON RAN! I'LL SAVE YOU! HEY! Let go of me!
The author struggles with the narrator as he says, "HEY! Settle down! You're the narrator, not the hero of this story! I don't like what he's doing either, but this flashback's almost over. So chill, OK?"
She cringed at his touch. She hated it. But in spite of all he was doing to her, she still had the strength to resist his control.
"No…! No matter what you do to me, I won't do it!"
And then the doctor started ranting about this and that and declared he was going use any and every means necessary to break her will.
"You WILL obey me!!" he howled.
She tried to fight back. But her body, numb from the physical and mental abuse she'd suffered, didn't want to, wouldn't respond. Then he...then he came toward her, touched her in a place where he shouldn't have, and...she screamed, oh, how she screamed! There was crying and shrieking.... And there was pain, pain, so much pain get offa me get offa me help help HELP no stop please no more hurts ow ow ahhhhhhhhhh I don't want to don't make me I'll be good I'll…I'll…no! Don't want to do it no too much too much can't handle it stop too much too much…
Overwhelmed by those terrifying memories, Ran feels like her head is spinning. The queasiness she felt earlier in her stomach doesn't help either. Her eyes roll back in her head, her eyelids flutter, and then…
THUNK!!
She passes out, unconscious. The sound of her head hitting the desk startles everybody else in the classroom.
All at once there she was, sitting down on the floor. Her classmates crowd around her in a circle.
"Ran? RAN!…. Oh my god! Look at her face! She looks so pale!…. HEY! Somebody call the nurse!"
Ran looked up at the ceiling. Slowly it dawned on her. She was lying on a bed somewhere. For that matter, she did not recognize that ceiling. Looking around her, she did not recognize the room either at first.
She groaned. Real. It had all been real. Those nightmarish visions, that crazy old doctor…
And Ranma…
Ranma…
Tears rolled silently down her cheeks and she tried to remember why she was here. Or where she was. She looked around. Not her classroom. Someone else's. And she woke up from sleep. At first, the white ceiling was visible, and after that, a familiar face was seen.
"Are you okay, Ran?"
She noticed that she was in the nurse's office, lying flat on her back on one of the beds. Hearing Ukyo's voice, she turns on her side.
Ran wakes up. "Nnnnnnnnnh…. Kuonji-san? Wh-where am I?"
"You're in the nurse's office. Remember how you got there?"
With a great effort, Ran hauled herself out of the bed. She was so tired and weak, as if she had fought a hard battle. What had happened to her? Soon as she sat up, the room starts to spin and she falls backwards. In a flash, Ukyo caught her from behind and gently laid her back down. "Hey! Take it easy. Don't try to move yet. The nurse said you needed to rest."
"I…I remember…"
"Yeah? What?"
"I…I remember… being in my math class, and not feeling too good, like I had a stomach ache or something. I felt dizzy, and after that… I blacked out. Next thing I know, I wake up in here, with you. Between that, I can't recall anything else…"
Ukyo confirms, "Well, that's kinda what happened. I saw a couple of guys carry you out. Said you'd fainted. So I helped them carry you down to the nurse's. I hung around, y'know, just to make sure you were okay. You missed part of lunch; you've been out for that long."
Just then, the school nurse came back in to check on Ran. "Ah! You're feeling a lot better now, aren't you? Why don't you try to get up? Seems you just had a touch of exhaustion - nothing to worry about. If you feel up to it why not try to eat something? Help you get your strength up."
Before Ukyo could say anything, Ran instinctively sat up straight in bed and politely thanked the nurse.
"Ran, are you sure you should be up and about so soon?" she asks.
Ran replies as she's getting out of the bed, "Yeah. I'm feeling a little bit better now, so…"
"Well… Say, I was gonna join up with Ranma and Akane for lunch. Wanna come with?"
When Ukyo mentioned Ranma's name, Ran sighs, a sad smile appearing on her lips. Given what she had to deal with, she wasn't quite ready to be around Ranma just yet. Ukyo, however, had noticed Ran's change in expression.
"No. You go on ahead. I'll… I'll be OK."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
As she goes past Ukyo and walks out the nurse's office, Ukyo turns and…
"Ran, wait. There's something I think you and I need to have out first."
Ran groans. If she didn't have her own problems to deal with right now, she might be able to face Ukyo right now. Maybe even beat her if it came to a fight between them. But right now…
Ran sighs again, expecting to be challenged to a fight, "Listen, Kuonji-san, if this is about Ranma… I'm sorry, but I'm not in any condition to fight now. Maybe some other time?"
Ukyo blinks. "What are you talking about?"
"Huh? You mean you're not going to fight me? You won't fight Akane over Ranma this time?"
"Who said anything about fighting? It's not about Ranma and Akane… for once. Ran, I… I saw what you wrote in your notebook this morning…"
Ran lets out a surprised gasp, afraid that she'd been discovered. But in her mind she thinks, Oh God, she knows!
Ukyo continues, "And I just wanted to say that… I kinda know what you're going through right now. And if you want to, you can come over to Ucchan's and we can talk. You're welcome anytime, especially since you're a friend of Ran-chan's."
Ran finally speaks, "But…but Ranma?"
"I won't say anything to him or Akane about it, I promise. It'll be our little secret."
Ran turns to face Ukyo. "Aren't you one of his fiancées too?"
Now it's true that Ukyo was one of Ranma's fiancées, and she's had her share of troubles dealing with her own feelings for him. But they pale in comparison to Ran's dilemma.
"I was…" She pauses for a moment, then says, "…but not anymore. It's kinda a long story; maybe I'll tell you about it sometime."
"Then…. You can probably understand the way I feel."
They stareat each other for a moment, their eyes communicating what they could not say openly, and then, with a sad look on her face, Ran turns back and walks out the door. Ukyo stares after the direction Ran has gone, and sighs.
She then thinks, Look at her. She's crazy about Ran-chan. I can see it in her eyes. It's like she wants to tell him how she feels but she can't. Don't know why, and I don't think I want to know. But whatever it is, it's making her hold back, hide what's in her heart. If she doesn't do something about it, her heart will break from under the pressure, or worse…!
But there's a problem. Ranma and Akane are engaged. Ukyo figured that Ran might have had something to do with Ranma and Akane getting along better. How ironic that the one who brought them together might end up being the one who'd break them apart.
In the past, she might have gladly seized the opportunity and took Ranma for herself….
But what about Akane?
Ukyo had a strange thought (Okay it was downright freaky!). Now that she had Ranma, what would happen to Akane and Ran? She chuckles, remembering how Ranma used to call Akane an uncute tomboy. Then, she wonders, given that Ran resembles his girl form so much, what if she also possessed some of his memories as well? Perhaps even his feelings, feelings for Akane? What if Ran's feelings shifted toward Akane instead of Ranma? What if they got together, and…
Hearing this, the author harshly scolds the narrator, "Shame on you! Thinking that Ran might like girls! She doesn't swing that way!"
Well, you never know. The way Ran's been bottling up her feelings in this chapter, it's kinda hard to tell….
Oh God! The narrator's trying to turn this into a shoujo-ai fic! I'd better stop him before he starts pouring lemon juice all over our story… and I don't mean that stuff you use to make lemonade that comes in those little lemon-shaped bottles! The author draws a samurai sword as he threatens, "HEY! One more crack like that about Ran, and I'll terminate your position as narrator…. Permanently!"
EEP! Okay, okay! I'll be good!
The author puts the sword away. "That's better. Now get on with it already!"
Ukyo shakes her head, ruling out THAT possibility entirely. (Thank goodness!)
All joking aside, folks, this is a really sticky situation here.
In the current paring of lovers so far, we have Ranma Saotome / Akane Tendo, Ryoga Hibiki / Akari Unryuu, and R / Kodachi Kuno (THAT one alone would take several chapters to explain! Eee…).
But let's focus strictly on the Ranma / Akane pairing while we get back on track here.
So here we have Ranma and Akane. And then, let us add Ran into our theoretical equation. Does anyone else besides me, your friendly neighborhood narrator, see the inevitable love triangle here?
And who is Ran interested in? Who else but Ranma!
Knowing that Ran has a crush on Ranma, Ukyo wonders what could those two possibly do together? Could Ranma return the love that Ran wanted so desperately to offer? If so, would he give up Akane for her instead? In any case, with things as they are now, Ran would continue to go on, her love unrequited. One way or the other, someone was going to get hurt, someone would be left heartbroken. Such is the trouble with secrets. They have a way of coming out and the longer they lie hidden the more pain they cause.
Suddenly, Ukyo felt close to tears herself, as she remembers her own feelings for Ranma. And the pain that came afterwards. In trying to win Ranma as a fiancée, she had given away years of her life because she couldn't tell she'd lost before she even begun. So much time wasted, time that would never come back, so many chances that would never come again…
But it wasn't a complete loss, was it? Sure, it took some time, but at least Ukyo and Ranma were friends once again.
Ukyo makes up her mind. She intends to talk to Ranma and Akane, without revealing Ran's secret. She will help Ran find a way to let Ranma know her feelings without jeopardizing their friendship or ruining Ranma and Akane's engagement.
But, as mentioned earlier in this chapter, Ukyo had no idea how deep Ran's feelings for Ranma were. She only got a glimpse of them from Ran's notes; she really didn't know. There was no way to know. In this life, folks, there's no way of knowing anything (Unless you're psychic or something, that is!). Not until it happens… and sometimes not even then.
Still…Ukyo knew what she hoped for.
"I'm pulling for you, Ran. I hope everything works out… for your sake as well as Ran-chan and Akane's."
TO BE CONTINUED…