13. MEDICAL POWERLESSNESS
The doctor was studying the scans she had before her eyes and discussing them with the MRI operator.
Both were obviously puzzled by what they saw… or rather, what they did not see !
They discussed for a while but couldn't find an explanation to the mystery.
In the end, the doctor parted ways with the operator and returned to her practice, in which three girls and a boy were waiting for her, one of the girls lying on the medical bed, with both other girls by her side, the boy remaining slightly further, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.
"So… Doctor… what are the results ?" immediately inquired Akane, visibly on tenterhooks.
"Mmmmh… I was convinced I would find something wrong, but after analyzing those scans together with the MRI operator, I couldn't spot any anomaly in her legs."
When the doctor had first asked Ranma what had happened, Ryoga had decided to answer for her, pretexting that the girl was too shocked to speak, and had thus told the doctor everything he knew… all this in order to avoid the physician finding about Ranma's huge language issue.
And this is why the doctor turned once again to him instead of the redhead.
"You told me that she hadn't either tripped or experienced any pain in her legs that day, right ? No physical hurt or shock ? And that she wasn't tired at all ?"
"That's true" he confirmed. "Ranma was in perfect physical condition, and nothing out of the ordinary happened before she suddenly collapsed."
Then he remembered about the lake's incident, and although that couldn't account for her sudden physical weakness, that was still pretty out of the ordinary…
"If this is so, then I can't figure out any reason why her legs gave out under her…and even more why they still do ! There doesn't seem to be any cause for that, no exhaustion or physical issue. And since the MRI doesn't show anything abnormal… it's even more puzzling !"
There were a few second of silence, leaving them all some time to come to terms with the eerie reality : that something was wrong although evidence showed it was right… or at least should be right.
"But then, Doctor, what can we do about this ? Does Ranma have to get some physiotherapy, in order to develop her legs' muscles ?" asked Nabiki, always practical and solution-orientated.
The physician thought about it for a short moment.
"Nothing indicates that her legs' muscular potential has diminished… but since I currently can't think of any other solution, I think we should consider this the best solution for the time being. I will reassess the case and perhaps have a discussion with other colleagues, to see if any other treatment could fit. And if so, I will inform you immediately, of course."
Akane nodded, then turned to the pigtailed girl lying on the medical bed...and noticed she had fallen asleep.
As if she wasn't aware - or had forgotten - that all this related to her after all.
Or as if this was too much for her and mentally exhausted her, leading to physical exhaustion as a result.
My poor Ranma… My poor Love… why did your life have to become so complicated ?
-/-
"Pain…" moaned the petite teen, holding her head with her left hand.
"Just a minute, Ranma. ! I'll give you painkillers !" hurriedly said Akane as she fumbled through her handbag.
"Bainkillaz ?"
The voice was weary… or sad. Or perhaps even both.
"To take away the pain, Ranma-chan." explained Nabiki as her sister handed over a pill to the redhead.
"Thank" the latter told her fiancée, who gave her the flask of water.
The blue-eyed female slowly drank and winced as she finished, uttering a weak : "Hurt… much…"
Of course, her three friends felt bad and sad for her… and upset to be so helpless when they saw her suffer so much, so often.
"So she'll have to go through rehabilitation… I hope it will work." Nabiki said after a short moment of silence, on an almost "absent" tone (she was half-lost in her thoughts).
"Yes, that's what the doctor said. And I also dearly hope it will be efficient… because if it isn't…" replied Akane, gazing pensively at the petite girl carried on Ryoga's back, who was staring away, in the vague, seemingly disconnected from reality…
"You'll have to learn to walk again, Ranma-chan !" Nabiki said aloud, observing the disabled teen that got always more and more "lost".
No reply. Only the ongoing absent gaze focused on apparently nothing particular.
Nabiki stepped closer and gently touched the arm of the pigtailed girl, who turned her head in the direction of the second sister.
"Ranma-chan, the doctors will try to help you walk again. So maybe you'll be back on your feet one day. That's great, no ?"
"Bag on feet ?"
"It means you'll be walking again… if everything goes well. That's good news, no ?"
"Goonews, yes…"
But as she uttered that last bit, the poor victim appeared strangely absent, as if she didn't understand or didn't care. Either way, she clearly didn't look happy or hopeful, like she should have been when hearing encouraging news.
Nabiki gently seized the hand of the petite girl, as she walked by her side, and delicately squeezed it in hers.
"We will help you, Ra-"
"Pigtailed girl ! Tendo Akane ! My heart is full of joy as I see you both before my hopeful eyes !"
The sisters' thought was identical :
Oh no, not him !
But alas yes : him. Tatewaki Kuno. The infamous pursuer of the two girls he had just named.
The boy had just arrived from a perpendicular street and spotted the foursome walking back home.
He drew his kendo saber and pointed it at Ryoga.
"You, why are you carrying my beloved on your back ?"
The Bandana Boy frowned.
"First, my name is Ryoga, and second, she can't walk for now, that's why I carry her. And she's not your beloved, as far as I know."
"How dare you ? Take that back imme-"
"KUNO !"
The latter jumped and directed his attention at the now incensed black-haired girl who clenched her fists as she glared at him.
"We've got enough problems already, so don't add to our burden, okay ? We don't need more trouble !"
"Tendo Akane… what made you so angry at me ? You look so much more beautiful when you smile…"
"I DON'T FEEL LIKE SMILING ! AT ALL ! NOW LET US GO HOME AND GO ANNOY SOMEONE ELSE !"
The valiant kendo fighter was speechless, goggling at one of his two crushes… who had never ever raised her voice at him !
"I wouldn't insist, if I were you…" ironically said Nabiki, her tone both smooth… and threatening.
"Who… who you ?"
Kuno turned to the pigtailed girl, who was observing him cluelessly.
"Who you ?" repeated the forgetful female.
"Who are you, you mean ? Well, I'm… But you KNOW who I am ! So why do you ask ?"
"I… I not know… you…" Ranma hesitantly said after observing him for a moment.
"What ?!" he half-shouted incredulously.
"We have to go, alright !" Akane cut in. "Bye Kuno."
"But… wait…" he vaguely tried.
"Forget it." Nabiki discouraged him, and the foursome left the place, leaving the Blue Thunder of Furinkan more disconcerted than piqued.
-/-
Ranma collapsed once again… and couldn't take it anymore : tears started to flow slowly, as she felt the first sting of an incoming pain deep inside her head.
"Gan't… gan't… do it… no streng… no more…" she laboriously managed to utter between sobs.
The medical assistant was kneeling by her side now, gently pressing her shoulder.
"Please don't cry, Miss. You gave all that you could, and can be proud of yourself. We'll stop for today. We'll have to try again the next days, it's a long process… but we generally succeed in helping our patients to walk again."
"Too… divvicult… tired…" the exhausted female said with difficulty, as she wiped her eyes.
"It will be alright, trust me."
The assistant motioned to her colleague, who brought the wheelchair by Ranma, and both women pulled their patient back up and sat her as delicately as possible into the wheelchair.
As they were going back to the room, the young patient wiped her eyes once again and mumbled a few times the same thing : "Me… useleth… useleth…", and the two women, who had understood, comforted her, insisting that she wasn't useless.
The three of them were soon back into the room, and the two "health professionals" gently put the disabled girl to bed, asking her if she needed anything, and quietly left the room after receiving no answer.
Ranma felt the pain in her head gradually grow, slowly but surely…
It wasn't too long until there was a knock at the door, and that the latter opened to let the three sisters enter. Kasumi indeed came along each time since the first day of hospital.
"My dear Ranma…" she said "…I brought you some chicken soup. I figured out you should eat something light, also because you probably haven't got much appetite. I hope you will finish it. But how are you feeling ?"
The blue-eyed teen sighed then winced.
"Pain… again…" she whispered, putting her hand to her right temple.
Akane, who had been forced to renew her painkillers stock (as her friend's headaches had become frequent now), pulled out a new box and an umpteenth pill was soon in Ranma's mouth.
"How do you feel tonight, Ranma ?" gently asked Akane.
"Tire… very tire…"
"Is there any improvement…" started Nabiki, before realizing this would be too complicated, so she continued in a simpler way : "Can you stand a bit ? Can you walk… just a little ?"
The sad patient slowly shook her head… but only once, because that movement increased her pain.
The door opened and the doctor entered.
Just like with the MRI scan, it was a female doctor, and she had been very nice and comforting to Ranma.
"Good evening. It's a good thing you could come see here before the end of the visiting hours. It will do her good to see you."
But the red-haired teen had shown no particular happiness about the sisters' presence, yet this could be attributed to her current exhaustion and sadness.
"Good evening, Doctor. Tell me, how is Ranma faring ? Has there been any encouraging sign ? Any progress at all ?" immediately asked Akane.
The white-clad lady made an effort to avoid sighing deeply, but she visibly didn't feel to enthusiastic about the whole case.
"Unfortunately not. And it has been 8 days already. The medical assistants work with her three times a day, but they told me they couldn't notice any change in her condition. It's not evolving at all, while it generally does during the first week, even if it's only a minimal improvement. In her case, nothing. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but… this is not encouraging. And yet, we'll keep on trying for another couple of weeks. We must do the utmost to try to trigger a change, a reaction."
"And how has she been eating, Doctor ?" asked Kasumi.
"Not much, to be honest. And one of the assistants told me that she vomited yesterday, complaining about stomach ache. We gave her some medicine but she has hardly eaten anything this morning."
"I brought her some homemade chicken soup. I hope she will eat it."
The doctor nodded.
"That's a good idea. A soup is a good choice indeed : it's nourishing yet light, so it's digestible food. Something that even patients who have lost appetite might end up eating indeed."
"So… how long will Ranma remain here for the treatment ? 2 weeks, you said ?" wondered Nabiki.
"Yes, about 2 more weeks. I do hope there will be progress at some point."
"And if there isn't ? What can we do then ? What are the other options ?" Akane wanted to know, needing practical answers.
The doctor licked her lips.
"We could consider resorting to surgery… but since the MRI showed no anomaly in her legs, we won't really know what we're looking for, in which part of the leg we should set the operation, and so on. We can make a new MRI, to check again, see if we can spot something unusual… but if we don't, we won't know where to perform that surgery, and in this case, would we be able to use that solution ?"
"So if surgery is out of question… what other solution is left ?" insisted Kasumi.
The doctor sighed again.
"Honestly, I don't know. There should be some change in her condition, at some point. There's no reason there wouldn't be any. But if, for some mysterious reason, there isn't at all, then… I don't know what else we could do."
To hear a practitioner admit her own powerlessness – her potential powerlessness – was something worrying.
And the three sisters felt uneasy after the doctor had finished speaking.
There was a thick silence, and everyone's attention turned to the suffering one, who had closed her eyes and was breathing deeper, clutching the sheet and slightly wincing every now and then, pain never completely surrendering, not even during the brief respite of sleep…
-/-
"I'm sorry. I really am, trust me. Deeply deeply sorry. I wish we could have done more, and succeeded in healing your friend, but… for some reason, it didn't work. I'm still clueless as to that failure, and wondering what your friend suffers from exactly. Because we made new MRI scans and they still didn't reveal any problem…" explained the doctor.
Two weeks had gone by, and there alas hadn't been any significant progress in Ranma's case : the poor redhead still couldn't remain standing, her legs void of any strength, any energy.
"For the moment, there's nothing more we can do. I'll talk with other colleagues of mine and see what they advise to do. And I'll contact you again next month, check if there is any progress and hopefully we can try something new. But I can't promise you anything."
A brief pause, then :
"There's also another issue, unfortunately : Ranma hasn't been eating well lately. She lost appetite, and after the soups she agreed to take in, she regularly complained about stomach ache, as we understood from her, and she vomited a couple of times. We ran X-ray analysis on her, yet couldn't detect any anomaly either. So, in order to treat this problem, I prescribed her antacid medication : it's a gastrointestinal protectant that helps in case of gastric inflammation, which is most certainly what Ranma has. I hope that medication will be effective, but in case it isn't, please let us know and we'll try a new treatment."
Akane bit her lip, feeling anguish's jaws close on her heart.
Not only couldn't they solve the mobility issue, but there's a new problem now… God, will this ever stop ?! When can she get a break from all her miseries ?
"Thank you, Doctor. We'll try this, and hopefully it'll work !" replied Nabiki, glancing at her worried sister.
Ranma was soon delicately put in a wheelchair, and Ryoga, who had insisted to come along, walked to the back handles of the device.
"Ready for a stroll, Ranma ?" he asked her, leaning by her side to look at her.
"Stwoll ?"
"Yes, like… like a walk. Like when we were in the boat, on the park lake, remember ?"
But he instantly regretted it : how could she remember ?
And yet, surprisingly…
"Yes… boad… togezer… and eat… hot thingz… on a… on a… chair… in the parg…"
"On a bench, actually… but yes, that's exactly that ! We ate hot chestnuts on a bench, after we took a ride in that boat, on the lake ! You remember it !"
"Yes… beaudifuday… very beaudifu…"
"Yes, a beautiful day, Ranma… and I'm glad you still have it in your memory…"
Ryoga rarely ever cried, but seeing his poor friend, so challenged by life, actually recall the wonderful moments they had spent that day – before her legs betrayed her… - was both unhoped for, unexpected… and very moving.
"You cwy… why ?" innocently asked the disabled girl.
"I cry because I'm happy… happy that you haven't forgotten a few good times…" he said, not caring to wipe out his tears.
-/-
"Good… good… zoup…" the weak female said with effort, after putting the bowl aside.
"I'm glad you like my soup, dear Ranma. And that you eat it. You really need to take something in : you've become thinner now, and need to regain some strength." Kasumi told her.
Akane noticed that the bowl was still half full and turned to her beloved.
"Ranma, I think you should… try to finish your soup. Before it gets cold. You need to eat more…"
"Af-… affer… jus need… rest… a bit…"
"After ? Alright, but we shouldn't wait too long, or else it will be cold. Okay ?"
No reply.
The beautiful blue eyes were closed now.
There was a moment of silence.
A peaceful parenthesis in everyday's rush, suffering, anguish.
Just a few minutes during which nothing negative interfered.
Rare had become those moments of calm, of respite, so this one was welcome.
But it could also be perceived as the calm before the storm…
The prelude to some new catastrophe…
And unfortunately, it's exactly what it was, because after a short while…
"Mmmmmgh !Mmmmmmggh ! MmmmmmmMMMGGGGGGHHHH !"
Ranma had suddenly curled up and started clasping the sheet, squeezing so hard that her joints had turned white. Her eyes were tightly shut her and her teeth obviously clenched very hard.
"RANMA ! RANMA ! WHAT'S WRONG ?!" screamed a panicked Akane.
"P-… P-… Pain… Pain… stomach… MMMMMMGGGHHH !"
"We need to give her the gastric medication !" exclaimed Kasumi as she hurried to get the stuff.
Feeling that it might be necessary, Akane had caught the bucket nearby and placed it by Ranma's side.
"PAIIIIIIIIN !" yelled the suffering female, her arms now covering her throbbing belly.
"Here it is ! The medication !" huffed Kasumi as she kneeled down in a flash, handing over the small box to her sister.
The youngest Tendo had to almost fight with the pigtailed teen, in order to have her sit up, but she finally managed it do so.
But no sooner was she in sitting position that, casting a mad look around and spotting the bucket, the burdened girl threw herself over it… and what little quantity of soup she had absorbed splashed the bottom of the bucket !
She remained hunched over the plastic container, panting deep as well as wincing alternatively, and slowly forcing her head back up, she allowed Akane to hastily yet delicately clean her mouth.
"Dr-… drin… wader… wader… pease… wader to drin…"
The brunette got it and handed her over a glass of water, which the now empty female downed as fast as she could.
"More… wader… pease…"
"You shouldn't drink too much, or you might vomit again !"
"Pease… dry… dry… wader…"
The beseeching stare of her beloved was too heartbreaking.
"Here, Ranma. And you'll have to take your medicine. That pill. Swallow it."
The petite teen collapsed down on her bed, curling up again, moaning some more, yet not as loudly now.
The third sister quickly got up and ran away from the room.
"Akane ! Wait !" tried Kasumi, yet to no avail.
But the youngest one just couldn't take it anymore.
Seeing her love feeling so bad… it was too much for her !
Her heart bled for Ranma.
-/-
Dr. Tofu delicately probed the abdomen of the silent teen, then placed his stethoscope on various spots, listening intently.
His young patient wasn't watching him, nor any other person in the room (which saddened Akane, who stared worriedly at her all the time) : instead, her head was turned to the side and her blue eyes were set on some random spot of the wall opposite. Those eyes were now glazed, glassy, while they used to be alert, sparkling, showing vivacity and cheekiness.
The doctor rarely ever felt uncomfortable… but given Ranma's complete indifference, he did feel that way, this time.
To "defuse" that uneasiness, he thought he should say something… just anything.
"I'm not hurting you, am I, Ranma ?"
No reaction.
He remembered that she had forgotten many things, and maybe even her name, so he gently put his hand on her shoulder, to draw her attention.
She slowly turned her head to look at him, and he was shocked to notice how apathetic and unexpressive she looked. Almost insensitive.
"Am I hurting you ?"
And remembering he should use words as simple as possible with her, he rephrased it :
"Do you feel any pain ?"
Ranma simply looked at him and blinked… and when she did, she looked extremely tired.
But she eventually shook her head.
He swallowed with difficulty, his heart almost aching for her, but continued his examination of her body.
After he was through, he turned to Akane, who was anxiously waiting for his reply.
"I'm sorry but I can't find anything out of place. No suspect noise or lump. Since you mentioned stomach ache, I brought some herbal remedy that should help relieve any pain or burn, and I do hope it will be efficient. Please let me know if not."
"Of course, Doctor" simply replied the teen who was once smitten over him.
He turned to the miserable red-haired girl.
"I sincerely hope you will get better someday, Ranma. I feel… I feel very bad for you, and I'm sad to see you that way. You used to be so cheerful and dynamic, and you're so tired and sad now… you went through so many issues. I offer you my good wishes of recovery, because I hope you will recover at some point. Goodbye, my dear Ranma. May you be well soon."
She blinked at him but didn't react in any other way.
He got up and Akane accompanied him to the door, when…
"Thank…"
They turned around and looked at her.
"Thank, Doc… Docor…"
But as she said this, she wasn't turned at him : she lay motionless on her bed and didn't even look at him. Her head was still facing the wall opposite.
"Don't mention it. But I sincerely hope you'll be getting better someday, because seeing you like this is… it's really…"
And for the first time in many many months, Dr. Tofu felt his heart ache in his chest. Physically ache. And him who rarely ever cried, he shed a tear as he stared at that poor girl he had known for a long time now, who used to be so lively and funny, but who had become the complete opposite : sad and silent… unrecognizable.
- / -
Akane and Dr. Tofu walked out of the room, then downstairs, but before leaving the house, the good doctor wanted to speak to the whole family for a moment, in the living room.
The young Saotome remained by herself, forced to stay in her bed as she couldn't go anywhere.
As always happens to someone who can't keep him-/herself occupied, can't do anything useful, her mind began wandering, and the thoughts that surfaced in her head were dark…
I'm a burdan to them… I mak them wowwy for me… they always wowwy abou me… It's all my fauld… They are unhabby because of me… I don't wan them to be unhabby… no !
She loved these people and knew they couldn't be happy as long as she wouldn't get better.
But for some mysterious reason, she could not get any better.
The doctors, be it Tofu Ono or those of the hospital, had tried various treatments and medical helps… yet none had proved efficient.
It was all vain.
All.
She wouldn't get better, and knew it.
And her friends and family therefore wouldn't be happy ever again, and she also knew it.
There is onlee one solussion to the probem… only one.
Ranma took a deep breath… then pushed the sheet and cover aside, changed position in the bed and tried to stand up, but her legs were still "dead", so she instead lay down on her tummy and, using her arms, she began crawling.
She hadn't eaten much lately – her stomach was like a burning spot, in the center of her body… - so she hadn't got much physical strength, but she used all the one left in her to pull her body on the floor, her arms producing a great effort, much more than they had in weeks now.
Sweating profusely, she finally paused right in front of the French door leading to the small balcony, on the side of the house*.
* I actually ignore if there is a balcony on the first floor of the Tendo residence. I don't remember seeing one… but for the need of this plot, let's suppose there is one.
Ranma straightened up and triggered the handle of the French door, which soon slowly rolled to the side, pushed by the redhead.
A chilly wind whirled around the house, under a dark grey sky. A typical winter weather… although it wasn't winter yet.
The pigtailed female shivered, but there was no way she would turn back now.
She crawled onto the balcony and, straightening up by the balustrade, she reached up and seized its edge with both hands.
Bending her muscles as much as she was able to, she pulled hard, harder than she thought she could, her teeth clenched very tightly.
Her body got pulled up slowly, and once she was high enough, her arms quickly grasped the other side of the balustrade and pulled with a strength born of despair.
Now, half of her body was resting against the balustrade, with only her legs still below… her "dead legs", inert mass of flesh, once useful now useless.
Lowering her gaze, Ranma could see the stony path below, around the house… and she knew that it could work.
If she fell head first, then…
She could almost hear the sinister crack of her cervical vertebrae when her head would crash and twist on that cold stone.
Her blue eyes rose to the dark grey clouds, stared at them for a moment, then closed.
Goobye, Friends… Thanks for lovig me… I lov you all… and will neve for… fo… foget you.
And as that thought vanished from her mind, she reopened her eyes and began pushing herself over the balustrade.
"Ranma ? RANMA !"
The redhead heard it and suddenly pushed with all her remaining strength, to make her body topple over… but she wasn't quick enough : Akane's arms were around her, and after ensuring a firm grip, the brunette carried the red-haired doomed girl back on her bed.
"Ranma ! What were you doing ?! Were you… were you trying to kill yourself ?!"
The watering blue eyes didn't want to cross the half-anguished half-angry brown eyes of her former fiancée, and looked away… but a firm hand, grabbing her chin, forced her to look anyway.
"Answer me, Ranma ! Did you just try to commit suicide ?! Answer me !"
As she was weeping profusely, the disabled female only managed to quickly nod twice, but she made an effort to say something as well :
"I… mak you… all… unhabby… You… wowwy… too mush… for me… I'm… I'm a… burden…"
Akane hurriedly placed her index finger over Ranam's lips, her wide open eyes expressing indignation.
"Don't say that, Ranma ! You're not a burden ! Not at all ! And you never will be ! You hear me ? NEVER ! You're a wonderful person who got very unlucky. A wonderful person whom I love. Yes, I do, Ranma : I love you with all my heart, and I know I always will !"
The unlucky girl, as Akane had just said, was crying out of despair, feeling terribly useless, feeling she had become a hindrance to the happiness of those she cared for… but those tears of despair got temporarily replaced by tears of (brief) happiness when the petite girl heard Akane tell her that she loved her with all and heart… and that she always would !
She almost couldn't understand why she was loved so much, her who was such a "ball and chain" in that girl's life and brought her nothing but worry, anguish, fear.
And yet, that girl loved her as much as was possible !
That made Ranma cry more than she had ever cried in her entire life.
And all this time, Akane was cradling her, whispering : "Don't ever do that again, Ranma ! Don't ever try to kill yourself ! Please ! I need you, Ranma ! I need you !"
And the sad Saotome clung dearly to Akane, as if she was her last hope, the rock you cling to in order not to drown, hoping that you will hold on and be able to survive…..
-/-
A RANMA ½ character attempting to kill herself ? Yes, I know, this is far from the manga's and show's spirit, I admit it. But I planned to make this very dramatic, like a tragedy… so, in a way, this fic is some hybrid between R ½ and a (Greek) tragedy. Sorry if fans regret the dark turn this took. But I've got good news 4 U : the next story I have in mind will totally be in the RANMA ½ spirit, and should be very pleasant to read !
Regarding the title of this chapter, it refers to the fact that doctors can't help Ranma, as no treatment or medicine seems really efficient. She's on her own, somehow…
By the way, I'm watching the full anime again, in French this time (I did watch it in Japanese with English subtitles in 2023, as the French episodes had become really rare on YT or Dailymotion), and it's really a blast to get to watch it all from the start. It reminds me of when I first watched it, back in 1992 or 1993… so cool !
That's it for now. As always, my gratitude is all yours regarding your reading, following, favoriting, reviewing… and a special THANXXXX to AgentDraakis for putting out another review. Much appreciated indeed !
That's all for now, I guess ! Take care, be as happy as you possibly can !
Toodles !
Léo