Crippled Part 2:
A Time for Healing
By
Dale Ratner
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the official property of Rumiko
Takahashi and several companies. Crippled part one was written by Gregg
Sharp (MetroAnime@aol.com) as part of the Bet fanfic series. All
requests and comments on Part One should be sent to him. All comments on
part 2 and after should be directed to me at Shadow6865@aol.com
Recap: Thanks to the intervention of an angry Akane, Shampoo
manages to severe Ranma-chan's spinal cord, leaving him wheel chair
bound in the hospital but everyone else thinks he is dead. Ranma's
condition effects everyone: Akane goes into denial about her involvement
with Ranma's condition. Genma leaves Nerima all together on a training
trip to calm his soul and look for answers about his life. Soun upset
that the two schools will never be joined, his one dream since his
wife's death constantly walks a fine line towards insanity. The only
ones's who seem to care about Ranma's problems are Kasumi and Nabiki but
they do not think he is alive.
And now, on with part two.
Chapter 2: Ranma's Alive?!
"I'm going to do it this time." Ranma repeated the mantra
over and over again trying desperately to tap the confidence he once
had. Slowly, he pushed his arms downwards on the wheelchair, pulling off
the seat and on his feet. Once he was on his feet he slowly tried to
walk but failed and hit the ground with a small crash. Outside at the
nurses station, assistant nurse Megumi Mitsui was enjoying her coffee
when she heard the crash. Sighing, she placed her coffee down and went
to help her patient get back into his wheelchair.
"Honestly Saotome-san, I think that after five times you
would stop trying to walk." Nurse Mitsui softly scolded her patient as
she helped him get back into the wheel chair and dust his pants off.
While she did find his efforts to walk annoying and a waste of time, she
could not blame him for trying. She did not know much about her patient
after his three month stay at the hospital but what she did know gave a
perfect explanation as too why he kept trying to walk. Martial Arts has
been his whole entire life, he was encouraged by both his parent's to
become the best martial artist in the world. Even though, he has been
separated from his mother for the past ten years she still had a strong
influence on him. One of the reasons he constantly worked on martial
arts even after the accident was because he believed it would break his
mother's heart if he didn't. But those days were over now while Nurse
Megumi knew that Ranma still could pack quite a punch and bench lift a
great deal any hope of pleasing his mother was gone. Apparently right
before Ranma was taken away from his mother at the tender age of six,
she made a pact with his father that if Ranma did not become a "man
amongst men" both of them would commit Seppuku. After seeing her son
lying in a hospital bed without the ability to move around alone unless
he was in a wheel chair, Mrs. Saotome decided that her son was not manly
enough but her sympathy and love for her son made her give up her vow
but her honor prevented her from taking care of him. "So Saotome-san,
where are you going to stay after we let you leave in two days?" Megumi
said trying to start a conversation with her usually silent partner.
"I have no idea" Ranma replied. "Mom disowned me and last I heard
my old man went on some sort training trip to cleanse his soul. But he
probably just wanted to run away from responsibility again" Ranma
muttered under his breath.
"But you need to stay somewhere. Where were you living before the
accident occurred?"
"Pops and I were staying at the Tendou dojo in Nerima. I was
supposed to marry the guy's youngest daughter and take over the dojo but
they probably don't care any more seeing that I ain't taking over no
dojo like this."
"I see. Don't worry Saotome-san, I will find you a place to
live" Nurse Megumi said as she walked out of the room determined to make
sure that Ranma didn't end up in some homeless shelter or foster home.
"The first place I should try is the Tendou dojo" she thought as she sat
down at her desk and opened up the Nerima phone book looking for
possible places that Ranma could stay.
Kasumi was sitting down at the kitchen table, trying to think of
something to do. It was only 2 in the afternoon and she was already done
with the afternoon chores. Things have been a lot quieter since Ranma's
death and Saotome-san's disappearance. She missed having them around;
well she missed having Ranma around. He was fun, free, and exciting just
like his name. She always giggled inside when he called Akane an "uncute
tomboy" or a "klutz." Sure their arguments always led to things being
broken which gave her more work and less free time but Kasumi didn't
mind. Kasumi much like her mother Kimiko found some zen-like tranquility
in household chores. What would drive most people mad, gave Kasumi a
sense of being. She liked cooking, and sewing, and vacuuming it might be
silly to most people but she loved being a housewife even if she wasn't
married. She considered courting Dr. Tofu but he always acted so silly
when she was around him, a relationship between them probably wouldn't
work out. A loud ring coming from the living room quickly snapped Kasumi
out of her mealoncholy thoughts and she went to pick up the phone.
"Moshi Moshi"
"Hello. Is Mr. Tendou there?" a young female voice voice replied.
"No he is not. I am Tendou Kasumi, his daughter. May I take a
message?"
"Yes. My name is Nurse Megumi Mitsui at Tokyo General Hospital. I
am calling in concern to a patient of ours. His name is Saotome Ranma."
Kasumi's heart almost came to a complete stop when she heard his
name. "Ranma's alive!?" was the only reply that Kasumi could give.
"Yes" responded Nurse Megumi. "He has been a patient of ours for
a few months. Didn't your household get a call about his condition?
"No, we did not. How is he?" replied an obviously concerned
Kasumi.
"Not good. He will be wheel chair bound for the rest of his life
and he needs a place to stay after his discharge in two days."
"How about his mother's house?"
"No. His mother disowned him because of some stupid agreement
about his father raising him to become a "man amongst men."
"I see. I will be over at the hospital to visit Ranma in a a few
hours. Don't worry Mitsui-san Ranma can stay with us for as long as he
likes."
"Domo Arigato, Tendou-san. Do you want me to tell him?"
"No. I will tell him myself when I come over. Good bye!
"Good bye, Tendou-san."
After Kasumi hung up the phone, she looked at her watch to find
out the time. "2:25 that means the Nabiki and Akane will be here any
minute now. I'm glad that Akane has gymnastics practice right after
school today. I don't think she will be very pleased about having Ranma
come back here." Kasumi finished her thought with a frown on her face.
She and Nabiki were appalled about Akane's response to what happened to
Ranma. They both thought that Akane had a problem with taking
responsibility for her actions and her response to Ranma's alleged death
confirmed their suspect ion. Kasumi barely had time to get somethings
ready and make herself look presentable before Nabiki came through the
door.
"Hello, Kasumi-chan" Nabiki said as she entered the door. She was
about to take off her shoes when Kasumi stoped her.
"Nabiki don't take off your shoes were going somewhere."
"Where?"
"To the hospital?"
"Why what's wrong?" Is anything wrong with father?
"No. Ranma's alive. He has been at Tokyo General Hospital for the
past few months."
"Oh my god? Why hasn't anyone told us!" said Nabiki with a great
rush pulling Kasumi out of the house.
Up Next: A visit, a return, a few meetings, an exile.
(
geocities.com/~khammel)