12. A DAY WITH RYOGA…
"Yes, Nabiki ?"
Her sister had taken her aside and gazed at her for long long seconds, and Akane had started dreading something real bad… but what she heard actually surprised rather than worried her :
"Look, I'm well aware that you fret about Ranma, and honestly, so do I. Her condition is still worsening, and there's no sign of improvement whatsoever. I'm not optimistic about all this, but I can't help remaining hopeful, at least to a certain extent. Now, as for you… you're clearly the most anxious one, and that's because you love him, of course. It's nothing but normal, and I do understand, yet…"
The clever and sensible sister sighed.
"…yet you also have to take care of yourself, Akane. You told us how badly you sleep lately, but you've also been eating less. We can see you lost weight. It's becoming preoccupying, and you can't afford getting physically weak. Mainly because it's nefarious for you… but also because it also have a negative impact regarding Ranma : if you intend to look after her as carefully and frequently as you told me, then you have to be strong. Both mentally and physically. Or else, you'll get weaker over time, and that will become a second source of worry for us all, after Ranma."
Nabiki ceased talking and observed her sister, whose gaze first sank to the floor, then settled on the window, through which a bright sun was sending rays that were no longer warm : the cold, unpleasant period of the year had begun.
Silence slowly extended its empire to the whole room.
Brown eyes looked at brown eyes which looked outside.
"Akane ?" gently asked the second sister.
The third sister's eyes shifted from the window to the concerned face of Nabiki.
"Yes, sorry, I was… thinking. About what you just said. And… hum…"
The older one pricked up her ears.
"You're saying this to me because you worry for me. And this moves me, really. But I can't help it. I love him… her… I love Ranma ! I know I'm doing… less well lately, but… I can't feel well if the one I love doesn't either."
"I'm well aware of that… but you still need to get some rest… regain energy… take a break from anxiety… in a word, to take your mind off the current issue. NOT to forget it, mind you, but to allow yourself a brief respite. And you need it, Akane ! You definitely look tired."
And the poor girl – the other poor girl, in fact – had to admit that it wasn't wrong : she felt tired. Very. And she had been continuously involved in Ranma's problems these past months. All that anguish had built up inside of her and she hadn't been able to properly get rid of it all.
"What I propose you, Akane, is to spend the day with me. We can do whatever you want, go wherever you like. The idea is to focus on something else for a bit. Take your mind off the problem for a while. As for Ranma… well, I asked Ryoga to take care of her, suggesting they also got outdoors and found some leisure activities that will also help poor Ranma take her mind off her own issues. Although I'm not sure she's still aware of these…"
"But Ryoga might end up losing her ! He actually did one day and… Wait ! We could spend the day all together, the four of us ! Like that, we'll be three people to watch her !"
That indeed seemed the best idea…
… but alas, Nabiki was shaking her head with a clearly sorry expression.
"It sure sounds nice, and I sincerely wished we could… but if we do that, you'll be continuously checking on Ranma, observing her, afraid that something bad might happen to her. And you won't be able to relax and forget about the ongoing problems. You need time to yourself, without risks of worrying… and that unfortunately implies time without Ranma. I know that will cost you… but it's only for today, and you seriously need a break, Akane, don't you think ?"
The last Tendo was about to protest, but at the last minute, she was forced to inwardly admit that she really needed…
…a break. Even if I'm concerned about Ranma, I have to get a breather, for a short while. It's just for one day after all. And when I talk to Ryoga, I'll insist enough that he has to remain very watchful. I'll make it clear to him that if anything happens to Ranma, I won't be able to forgive him. That way, I know he'll pay the greatest attention to her.
"Okay then. I guess I do need a break, no matter how much I care and worry for her…"
"You do need it, yes !" confirmed Nabiki, a small smile on her lips, relieved and happy that Akane had accepted to be granted some respite away from the depressing "dark skies"…
-/-
Ryoga and Ranma were strolling in the sun, with warm jackets on, as this was the end of October and the temperature had sunken significantly. It wasn't very cold yet, but chilly enough that it was no longer possible to walk around in light clothes.
The first one was carrying a backpack that contained a few "necessities" : a flask of water, 2 apples, 2 cereal bars, painkillers (Ranma's headaches had been showing again that morning), 2 diapers, a towel, a small kettle, a small portable stove, a box of matches.
The last three items were meant for Ryoga, in case he unexpectedly got turned into his piglet form, the towel intended for his drying up himself once turned back into human. The cursed boy had explained to the cursed female (who wouldn't be a boy ever again, as it seemed) what to do in case he got transformed : how to install the kettle on the stove, how to light the latter with matches and what to do once the water was hot.
And he dearly hoped she wouldn't forget.
In fact, he hoped he would be able to predict in which case he might be splashed with water, based on their surroundings, and could then quickly remind Ranma of the few necessary steps to turn him back into boy.
As for the diapers… the Lost Boy had never thought he would one day have that item in his backpack ! But with life… you never know !
"So, Ranma, where would you like to go this morning ?"
"Mor…ning ?"
"Hum… where would you like to go now ? To which place ?"
"Oh… welm… uh… the bark ?"
"The…?" But his deduction ability did the rest : "Ah, the park ? You wanna go to the park ?"
"Park… yes, park… prease ! It's… beaudiful in the… par-… park." she told him with an ingenuous smile.
"Ok then. Let's go." he replied, returning the smile.
But as he walked, he couldn't help noticing…
... the difference between the "ancient" Ranma and the current Ranma. She used to be so brash and abrupt in her manners, a real tomboy. Not one to mess up with, and always ready to take a fight. And now… we have to watch over her all the time, have her wear diapers, use simple words for her to get it. She's just like an infant or a baby. Identical physically, but mentally and psychologically, she has nothing in common with the Ranma I knew. That's… unsettling.
As they were arriving at the park, the pigtailed girl suddenly joyfully exclaimed : "Oh, how cutre it is ! Come here, little… little… gat* ! Come !"
*gat : that word actually exists… in Arabic, and it means 'cat' ;)
And she kneeled, her arm extended.
Ryoga followed her gaze and…
"What ?! But that's a… Ranma, you can't let it get close to y-"
But he wasn't able to complete his sentence, flabbergasted that he was at the sight of his allurophobic friend petting a red cat that had cautiously approached her.
The fact is that, on the day Akane had told the family about the disappearance of Ranma's allurophobia, the Lost Boy wasn't present and didn't know about that fact… hence his current surprise.
"Isn't he cutre ? I really don't unverstand people who doesn't like gat… It's so soff and fluffy."
And the red-haired girl kept on petting the red-haired cat, smiling bright, whispering nicely… while Ryoga stared at her with round eyes and open mouth.
"But… but you're… allergic to cats, Ranma !"
"Aller…gic ? What do tha mean ?"
"You're… afraid of cats !"
"Me ? No, not at oll, as you can seet."
And she kept on stroking the cat, under the incredulous stare of her companion of the day…
-/-
"Oh ! What aboud we go in one of dose small… boatz over theve ?"
He wasn't sure he had understood everything, but merely followed the direction indicated by her pointing forefinger.
And sure enough, on the side of the tiny lake, several small boats were moored, waiting for humans to climb in.
"Ah, you want to drift around on one of these ?"
But then an inner alarm started to ring in his head !
If I fall into the water by accident… will she be able to change me back into a human with the kettle and the stove ? Will she remember how to do it ?
Nothing was less certain.
He considered trying to change her mind, and opened his mouth to propose her another activity… but then he remembered that everything was getting worse and worse for her, and that there wasn't much positive left. So refusing her one of her all too rare pleasures… that just didn't sound right. Another disappointment for her… no, that wasn't acceptable.
"Listen, I'll repeat you once again what you need to do if I ever fall into water or get splashed. You'll have to remember it !"
But will you…?
And he explained her once again that he would turn into a black piglet, that he would need hot water poured over him to revert to human, how the water could be collected and heated, how to light up the stove with matches…
All the steps, patiently, like he would explain it point by point to a little girl (which is what he thought as he detailed her everything once more).
They ended up gently moving on the crystalline surface of the tiny lake, and for once, she looked completely happy, without the slightest sign of concern, sadness, tiredness… or pain, since the headache obviously had disappeared. A gentle smile never left her lips.
Ryoga rowed at a calm pace, pleased to see Ranma enjoying it and clearly feeling blissful from the nice moment. So blissful, in fact, that she didn't even talk (which meant no language mistakes…) and simply savored the quiet environment, the sound of rowing being the only noise around.
It was chilly, yes, but no more than that, so the weather was still enjoyable and added to the overall charm of this "nautical wandering".
Everything went just fine, and they could return to the mooring area without any problem.
But just when they were about to berth…
"Mmmmmgh !" loudly moaned Ranma as she clasped her head with both hands, wincing awfully.
"Ranma !" exclaimed Ryoga, quickly getting up and stepping forward…
…but alas stumbling on a protruding part of the hull and collapsing forth !
He crashed partly on her, but that was not the worst : the huge jet of water that followed, and that splashed the front of the small boat, was the worst, because…
"Gruik ! Gruik !"
The poor girl was shared between her suffering and her surprise at her friend turning into a piglet.
But this time, her slowly degrading memory didn't fail her.
Yes… I remeber… he tolds me he need hot wather… to begome human again…
Her eyes caught sight of the backpack lying in the middle of the small boat and she grabbed it, opened it, found the small portable stove and kettle.
"Hot water… I get it wit this…righ ?" she spoke up, looking at the piglet as she finished.
The tiny creature vigorously nodded.
But then Ranma noticed that the boat had been slowly drifting away, consequence of the movement created by Ryoga's fall.
"Oh no ! I mus bring the… this wood fing back to… to over thare !"
Frantically looking around, she noticed the oars on both sides.
With theez thinks ! He was using zem ? But how did he doo eksactly again…?
He seized both of them and her look landed on the small black pig.
"I push dem ?"
Headshake in reply.
"I pult dem ?"
Strong nod in reply.
"At the same dime ?"
Another nod.
She did her best and was relieved to see the pier getting slowly closer and closer.
It took her a while to get there, but she finally managed to reach it, and hurriedly put the backpack and Ryoga's clothes on the pier, but since she hadn't moored the craft, it began slowly moving away.
Ranma noticed this and, lunging at a nearby pile, she managed to grab the rope hanging there, and pulled on it, and once the small boat was right beside the pier, she gently took the tiny black pig and got out of water, remaining there for long seconds as she fought to catch her breath.
"I must… hutty up… or else… you'll die fromm the gold !"
In another context – a simple slip of the tongue – the mistake 'cold-gold' would have provoked a smile… but given the language disorder that caused it, there was nothing funny about it.
The redhead set the stove on the pier then looked at the kettle.
I thing water mus go in therr…
She therefore filled half the round container and approached it from the stove.
"On here ?" she questioned P-chan, who once again confirmed it.
But right after, she frowned, feeling something was still missing.
How do I get hotwatter now ?
Her eyes fell on the open backpack and she fumbled through it for a moment, and after checking all items, she noticed the flame design on the top of the matchbox.
"Fire… hot…" she mumbled to herself, and opened the box to find many small wooden sticks.
She seized one and looked at its red end.
"How do I… make it hod ?" she asked her transformed friend.
He walked to her and she lowered the match to him… but his head made a movement in direction of the matchbox, and she therefore lowered it as well.
P-chan's nose touched the match and then the "friction area" on the side of the box.
He repeated the same movement and looked back up at her.
"I put fis – she slightly raised the match in her right hand – on fis – she also raised the matchbox in her left hand – and it's hot ?"
After he confirmed it to her with another nod, she put the match on the "friction area" and waited.
"It's not worgging…"
The piglet made a swift curved movement with his head, to mean she had to rub the match quickly on the side… but she didn't get it.
"I'm sawry… I wish I krew how to doo it… I'm… I'm so… uteless…"
Her mouth was trembling in frustration and she felt wetness at the corner of her eyes... yet the worst was still that terrible headache sneakily returning.
But then she spotted a young girl that was running by, and she rapidly searched her memory, but finding nothing, she desperately opened her mouth and screamed the first thing she could think of :
"HELP !"
She felt bad, certain that she had mispronounced again… and that headache which was growing more and more intense !
But to her great surprise, the running youth stopped and turned around, looking in her direction.
"HELP !" repeated Ranma, waving, that movement alas intensifying the headache.
The young girl hurried her way and, kneeling by her side, asked her what the matter was and how she could help.
"I need... hotwatter... prease, help..." the pigtailed female told her, presenting her with the matchbox and match, ignoring the pain that continued to swell up there.
The girl gazed at her for a few seconds, then nodded, leaned forward and saw the water in the kettle, then tilted her head to inspect the portable stove, and finally grabbed the box and match.
A minute later, she was turning the tiny wheel controlling the flame's intensity, allowing the later to augment and thus heat the water faster.
"Oh, than you, than you so mush !" wholeheartedly thanked Ranma, hands joined as in a prayer, her mouth showing a grateful smile, despite the growing pain in her head.
The young girl smiled, nodded, observed that curiously-speaking teen for a few more seconds, then excused herself and resumed her running.
Fortunately did it not take very long for the water to be hot, the short time allowing Ranma to suffer for a bit less time, although she now winced pretty badly.
P-chan knew what was happening and rubbed his head on her hand, to comfort her the best he could in that tiny, powerless form. And she pet him in return, a weak smile hesitantly making its way back on her lips.
"Fank you... oh, water's hop now !"
She seized the kettle and approached it from P-chan.
"But... won't gurn your skin if i bour it on you ?"
He energetically shook his head and let out a few "gruik's" that basically meant "please, hurry up and do it now !"
Somehow understanding that expression of urgency, she tilted the kettle and a steaming waterfall landed on the black skin.
Ranma couldn't help goggling, despite her pain, as she saw the tiny black pig morph back into a muscular teenager.
"Thank you, my dear Ranma !" he told her, modestly putting his pants above his crotch.
"You wel-... welhome..." she whispered, wincing particularly badly as she felt a sharp wave of pain course through her head.
"You have to take painkillers right now !"he told her on an alarmed tone.
"Pain...kilez ?"
"Your medicine, for your head pain. You must take it !" he said, reaching for the tablets lying nearby, among the various objects of the backpack.
"But... you are all wet... you hafto dry your... bo-... your boty, or you'll ket a cold !"
"Nevermind me ! You first ! You're in pain, and I want you to stop suffering now !" And presenting her the painkillers in his palm, and offering her the flask with his other hand : "Please take them now, with a bit of water !"
"Fankiou. You art so lind to me... "
"Anything for you, my dear Friend. Anything to avoid you suffer, anything to make you happy."
After he had seen her swallow the tablets, Ryoga finally grabbed the towel and took care of himself, quickly putting his top clothes back on, both for warmth and decency, and asked her to turn around for a minute so he could dry his crotch and put his boxers and pants back on.
His clothes weren't very wet, because the water had splashed mainly his head, hitting only part of his tunic, at the top. So he didn't have to walk in fully wet clothes and deemed he could do with a bit of dampness around the tunic's collar.
"How do you feel, Ranma. A tad better ?"
She made a so-so gesture.
"I hope the tablets will take effect quickly. And we won't let that issue ruin our day, okay ? Let's go and find something nice to do !"
They had just began walking when Ranma tapped on Ryoga's arm.
"Ryoku… I fink… the skuff I have, down here…" she said, showing her lower abdominal area "…is wet, I fink…"
He put two plus two together and understood that the stress she had experienced when hurrying to save him had provoked a little "accident"…
Boy is it gonna be a long day…
-/-
"Snells good…" the now-clean pigtailed female said as she kept on sniffing around.
And indeed, a delicious smell hovered around them.
Ryoga checked their surroundings and spotted a roasted chestnuts vendor close by.
A few minutes later, they were sitting on a park bench, savoring the tasty treats, Ranma marveling at how hot the chestnuts were.
"Good…" she told him, smiling brightly again, which warmed the boy's heart.
They enjoyed that moment of sharing, and the quietness of the place, particularly after the stressful episode they had been through almost an hour before.
Ryoga, offerd the last chestnut to Ranma, who then creased the empty paper cone and looked around, then spotted a public trash can on the right.
She stood up and started in that direction, then stopped, thinking, and decided to try something.
She raised the hand that held the "paper ball", closed one eye and threw the tiny ball.
The latter hit the edge of the trash can and fell on the right side : straight into the can.
Beaming, she turned to look at Ryoga, who smiled back at her and gave her a thumb up.
*This is reminiscent of episode 6, in which Ranma-chan and Akane were eating burgers on a bench, and both shot their creased burger wraps into a trash can opposite, with Akane proudly looking at Ranma-chan after managing her shot. A scene I really like, with one later confiding to the other about Dr. Tofu's weird behavior when Kasumi is around… but alas, the whole scene concluded negatively, with both girls quarrelling and parting ways, which I really deplored…
Ryoga then got up and joined Ranma, both resuming their walk in the park.
They had been strolling for about 10 minutes when…
"Aaaah !"
"Ranma ?!"
She had fallen, and he assumed she had tripped over something or slipped somehow.
He gently helped her back up…
…yet she immediately collapsed again with a surprised scream.
"Is your leg hurt ?" Then he quickly rephrased it, making it simpler : "Uh… is there pain in your leg ?"
"No… jus… weak… my leks… weak…"
He raised a brow.
"Your legs are weak ?"
A nod in return.
"And… do you feel tired ? No more energy in your body ?"
"No at oll… feel kood… no tised… only leks are weak…"
Now what's the matter again with her body ? Another problem, a umpteenth one, after all the issues she went through with her memory and body…
He made another attempt yet she wasn't even able to stand up, her legs shaking violently : he found himself fighting hard to pull her up. It's as if he was desperately trying to lift a dead weight.
In the end, he gave up, turned the other way and crouched in front of her.
"Put your arms around my neck and hold them tightly. I will grab your legs and carry you on my back."
A minute later, Ryoga was walking back through the park, Ranma on his back, retracing his way to the entrance they had used to enter the park…
-/-
"You don't remember how to go to the doctor, do you ?" Ryoga asked.
"No… I'm sowwy…" she sheepishly replied.
They were at a crossroad, and the Lost Boy looked at each of the 3 streets in turn, wondering in which direction Dr. Tofu's practice was.
Man, I don't know where he works, and in which direction we must go. That's pretty ba-
"Ran ?"
Ryoga turned to the left, and sure enough, Ukyo was standing there.
"Hi Ukyo !" he greeted the newcomer.
"Hi Ryoga ! Hey Ran ! Uh… why are you carrying her on your back, Ryoga ?"
He quickly explained her, and her face instantly showed concern.
"Gosh, another problem ?! My poor Ran... you've been getting so many issues lately…!"
Then she asked him if he has tried again to put Ranma on the ground, in order to check if her legs were still weak, and since he hadn't, they made an attempt… but no sooner had the redhead tried to stand up that she collapsed !
"Damn, still not ! If only I knew where Dr. Tofu works…" he muttered.
"Dr. Tofu ? Tofu Ono, you mean ?" she immediately asked. He hesitated, as he didn't know the doctor's firstname. "A man wearing glasses and long brown hair tied in a ponytail ?"
"Yes, that's him !" he exclaimed, a look of hope lighting up his features.
"He's my doctor. Come, I'll take you to him !" Ukyo concluded.
And the trio took the right street*.
*By this, I meant the street on the right of the crossroad… but I then realized it could also be understood as "the correct street", i.e. the one actually leading to the doctor's practice. I just love language's subtleties. There are so many of them. ^.^
-/-
The doctor finished probing Ranma's legs and straightened his glasses, deeply thoughtful… and, to be honest, concerned.
"And you say that you didn't stumble or trip ? That nothing made you fall ? You just felt that your legs gave up under you ?"
She blinked at him, clearly indicating she hadn't understood.
"You just felt your legs get weak ?" tried Ryoga, to which she nodded.
"Do you have more difficulties than before, about language ? To understand it and speak it ?" the doctor asked Ranma.
The red-haired one was at first unsure, then her head slowly moved up and down, just once.
"I see…" He sighed. "I'm sincerely sorry for you. I'm sad that you feel… so bad."
"Fenk iou !" she replied with a half-hearted smile.
He cleared his throat, visibly uneasy.
"Now, regarding your legs… I can't find anything wrong with them. And they're not painful, it seems. Besides, you tell me that you feel quite good, not tired at all. So there's no reason for your legs to lose all their strength, all of a sudden… since nothing happened to you and that you still feel in good condition otherwise."
There was a brief silence, Ranma not certain she had got everything he had just said, Ryoga and Ukyo lost in thoughts.
"But what if her legs can't… "recover" ? Do you think you could do something then ?" asked the brunette cook.
He straightened his glasses again.
"Actually… now that I think of it… I could try something…" he said, very focused.
He got up, walked to a bookshelf, rapidly scanned the titles, picked one book, checked a certain page, put the book back in place and sia back by the redhead.
"Can you please sit up straight, Ranma ?" he gently required from her.
"Sit… ah yes, sit !"
He then positioned himself behind her and after carefully observing her back, applied pressure on a determined point.
"There. Can you please try to stand up now ? Ryoga, would you please support her, just in case ?"
Ukyo was watching intently the scene, inwardly praying that it would be successful
The Lost Boy did as he had been told, and as soon as Ranma tried to fully stand up…
"Aaah !"
The black-haired boy dearly held her, who had again become dead weight, and sat her back on the practice "bed".
"Why doesn't it work, Doctor ?!" almost screamed Ukyo, feeling hope rapidly deserting her.
Dr. Tofu considered his young patient for long seconds before looking at the okonomiyaki chef.
"I have no idea. And… I'm sorry to have to tell you that, but there's nothing more I can do, I'm afraid. I think the best thing to do would be taking her to the hospital for some MRI scan.
Ryoga remembered that Ranma had already undergone such a scan, since Akane had let him know about that first visit of theirs to the hospital…
Not again… he thought with unease, feeling cold sweat on his forehead…
"Do you think… she'll be able to walk again ?" asked an anguished Ukyo.
"I wish I could tell you yes right away, but… time will tell." Dr. Tofu sadly answered.
Ryoga discreetly peered at Ranma.
She was looking down at her open, powerless hands, in her lap…
…and one of her hands, a hot drop silently crashed…
…then another one….
-/-
I could almost have titled this "A (good and bad) day with Ryoga", as this chapter is a mix of positive and negative. I particularly enjoyed writing about Ranma's happiness during the lake and chestnut moments : she hasn't had that many happy times lately, so these nice little instants of her life are blessed "parentheses" in the downward spiral she's dragged into. And sometimes, in existence, we DO need to take a break and enjoy a good moment, either alone or with someone we love. We need a breather from life's hardships, a calm episode to allow us to gather new energy to continue, to move forward on the tricky path of existence.
For once, Akane is almost absent, which is rare in this story. Instead, I gave more "room" to Ryoga, who hadn't been that present in previous chapters, and some Ranma-Ryoga time together somehow creates a brief link between this fic and my previous one, THE TIDE IS TURNING. I sincerely prefer these two getting along fine, after all the time they spent arguing, both in manga and anime.
Speaking of the manga, I finished reading RANMA ½ today ! Yes, the 20th and final volume of our pigtailed hero's antics indeed, with the fight against Saffron. And boy, is this manga awesome as a whole ! Some sub-plots weren't as interesting as the rest, but globally, RANMA ½ represents a great achievement, a model of humor, adventure, action and relationships' ups and downs (with a great many clashes between characters, lol). It was a real blast to read this. Rumiko, you're my new goddess of entertainment ! :D
So, now back to this story here : will Ranma be able to walk again one day, as an anguished Ukyo wonders ? And what will the MRI reveal ? But most of all, what's the next issue the poor redhead will have to face ? It's for me to write and you to find out.
As always, gratitude galore to those who show their interest in one way or another, and a particular thanxxxx to AgentDraakis for his/her moving review.
Much love and support to all those suffering any kind of disorder, throughout the world.
TaKare and be happy, as happy as U possibly can B.
Peace, Love, Ecstasy !
Léo
P.S. : That chapter here should have been available already on Monday, or even Sunday, but… guess what ? Document Manager, which has been working fine until recently, just REFUSED to upload this related document ! For the past 3 days, dammit ! Already last time, I had to make 2 or 3 attempts to upload previous chapter, but it worked eventually. This time… ZILCH, for F…'s sake !
I'll try the other option to upload a chapter, "Copy N Paste". Hope it'll work, but man, that SH!T is annoying the crap outta me, seriously !
(And sorry for venting, but… how to say… I bloody LOATHE bugs, be they informatics issues or insects…)