[Ranma][FanFic] Daigakusei no Ranma - Special 05
Saotome Ranma
[The door opens to a small, dimly lit apartment. Shirow slowly enters,
dropping his bag on the floor next to the door. He shuts the door and
crosses the room to where his futon and sheets still lay from last night.
Papers, pencils, pens, and other drawing utensils lay scattered all over
the room along with manga, some newspapers, and handwritten notes. Unfinished
sketches, mostly profiles of people with sad expressions, literally cover one
wall. Shirow grabs a nearby pencil and notepad and begins writing.]
Shirow: [mumbling] Yes, that's it ... but why? ... How many times ... you
never ...
[A couple of minutes later, he pushes the pencil and unfinished sketch of a
tank aside and lies back on his mattress. He reaches over and turns off the
lamp on the floor next to the mattress, then opens the window shades to
stare out the window into the starless night sky.]
Shirow: [quietly] Was it my imagination? Was it real? Did she lie to me
all this time?
[The slight breeze rustles some papers on a nearby shelf.]
Shirow: [quietly] What if... what if I was too blind to see it? [pauses]
What if she tried to tell me, but I didn't _want_ to see it?
[A person walking underneath the window stops and looks up.]
Person: Girlfriend dumped you, did she?
[Shirow face-faults.]
* * *
[The next night. Shirow slowly enters, dropping his bag on the floor next to
the door. He shuts the door and stumbles over a pile of laundry in the
process. He grabs a nearby unfinished sketch of a robotic female and some
colored pencils and begins coloring. About an hour later, he dusts off the
finished sketch, tosses it aside, and lies back on his mattress staring up
at the ceiling.]
Shirow: I don't get it. I just don't get it. [looks over at the wall] And
I don't know why.
[He gets up and turns off the light, stumbling over a pile of laundry again
in the process.]
Shirow: And this isn't helping. [sighs loudly]
[He goes over to the window and leans against the frame, silently staring at
the lights of the houses down the street.]
Shirow: If I could turn back time... if I could find a way...
[One of the tenants hanging out on a neighboring windowsill looks over at
Shirow.]
Tenant: [sings] I'd take back those words that hurt you and you'd stay...
[A female passerby turns the corner, heading towards Shirow's building.]
Passerby: [singing] I don't know why I did the things I did.
Tenant: [singing] I don't know why I said the things I said.
Passerby: [singing] Pride's like a knife, it can cut deep inside.
Tenant: [singing] Words are like weapons, they wound sometimes.
[A group of women walking up the street on the opposite side of the road
stop in front of Shirow's apartment building.]
Women: [singing] I didn't really mean to hurt you.
I didn't wanna see you go
I know I made you cry, but baby
Everyone on the street: [singing] If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you
Then you'd love me, love me
[The apartment manager pops out of the bushes.]
Manager: [singing] Like you used to do...
[A bead of sweat forms on Shirow's head as everyone stops singing and
continues on with what they were doing.]
Shirow: A-nou na...
Tenant: Girlfriend dumped you, didn't she?
[Shirow face-faults.]
* * *
[Next evening, Shirow's writing is interrupted by a low growling from his
stomach.]
Shirow: [sighs] Maybe I should get something to eat.
[He stands up for a second, walks over to a cupboard by the kitchenette, then
stops next to the overflowing pile of unopened mail on the floor. He looks at
a well-worn spot in front of a small hotplate on the counter for a long
moment, then he turns around and goes back to the small table.]
Shirow: [whispers] Junko-chan... how I miss your smile.
[Immediately he begins sketching a drawing of a young woman standing in a
full kitchen chopping vegetables but abandons the drawing before any real
detail can be added. He quickly reaches over and turns off the light, his
muffled sobs the only sound in the room.]
* * *
[Mizunoikan cafeteria, next day. Shirow sits by himself at a table with his
sketch pad. On the pad are numerous SD pictures of people, some obviously
himself, some faceless. As he sketches away furiously, he sees Nabiki, Ranma
and Akane enter the cafeteria and sit at a nearby table. He stares at Nabiki
for a long time, then drops his head to the table as parts of the Saotome/Tendo
conversation can be heard.]
Ranma: Shimada-san's gone? Really?
Akane: But... she never said anything...
Nabiki: [sourly] It was a surprise to me, too, and I ROOMED with her, for
crying out loud.
[Shirow lifts his head again and looks around the room, trying to blink away
the tears.]
Shirow: The world is a dark and lonely place. [looks down at his sketch pad]
What is it that makes us human? Is there some spirit that is unique
to us? What if our bodies were machines? Would that spirit remain?
Can such a spirit survive being split in two?
[He begins to cry, mindless of the stares and pointing of fingers by others.]
Ranma: Man, he's got it bad.
Nabiki: Does that answer your question, Akane?
Akane: But why didn't she leave over break?
Nabiki: Remember, I said she didn't tell anyone about her grades? Well, she
didn't tell her parents either.
Akane: Oh... so they--
Nabiki: Found out, came down here, and packed her up quicker than one
of your Amagurikens, Ranma.
[Shirow's sobbing curtails as he realizes where Junko has gone.]
Shirow: [whispering] Her parents' house... yes, that's it...
[He quickly packs up his belongings and makes for the door.]
* * *
[Tokyo train station. Shirow is staring intently at the map on the wall.]
Passerby: Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Furinkan High School?
Shirow: Never heard of it. [pauses] But maybe you can tell me how to get to
Sannohe station?
Passerby: Why?
Shirow: I ... [pauses] I am on a quest!
Passerby: For...?
Shirow: [taken aback] It... it's a quest for knowledge!
Passerby: About...?
Shirow: [blinks] About the meanings of signs from the gods!
Passerby: You're chasing your ex-girlfriend, aren't you?
Shirow: [face-faults] No!
Passerby: Take the shinkansen to Morioka station. From there you can find
your way.
Shirow: Arigato. [heads for ticket counter]
Passerby: Although, you could just save your money and find another
girlfriend here in Tokyo...
[Shirow face-faults again.]
* * *
[The train comes to a stop, and Shirow steps off at a small platform in the
middle of nowhere. A sign nearby states "Tokyo - 541 km" pointing in the
direction he has just come. He looks around with awe.]
Shirow: [softly] Sugoi! I never knew that this is where she lived... I must
find her!
[He steps out onto the road, intending to walk the short distance to a nearby
small village, when he spies a lone figure headed towards him.]
Shirow: [calls out] Oi! Can you tell me where the Shimada residence is? Is it
in that village?
Person: [blinks] Hai... but why would you go there?
Shirow: I am searching for answers.
Person: To...?
Shirow: To... my questions of life, love, and happiness.
Person: The Shimada girl dumped you, didn't she?
Shirow: [face-faults] N-no, that's not it at all...
Person: [interrupting] Up the second hill, third house on the right.
[The person walks past the disbelieving Shirow. Shirow watches the person
for a moment, then turns his attention to the hill in question.]
Shirow: So... I guess it's time to face her.
* * *
[Shirow walks up to the door of a wholly unremarkable, nondescript house.
The nameplate next to the door reads simply "Shimada".]
Shirow: [raises his hand to knock] This is it...
[He closes his eyes and knocks... except his hand passes through empty air.
Junko stands in the doorway, both surprised and amused.]
Junko: Shirow...
Shirow: [opening eyes] Junko-chan!
[Junko immediately clamps a hand over his mouth.]
Junko: Shh! Not so loud! You want my father to hear?
Shirow: [muted] Mmf.
[Grabbing his hand, Junko races around the side of the house, Shirow in tow.]
Junko: [whispering fiercely] What are you doing here?
Shirow: I...
Junko: [interrupting] You should've just stayed at school! Do you know what
will happen if my father catches you? He'll kill you, then he'll kill
me!
Shirow: I...
Junko: [interrupting] I mean, of all the stupid things, why on earth would
you come HERE of all places?
[Shirow doesn't say anything this time, obviously waiting for her to finish.]
Junko: [exasperated] Well?
Shirow: I had to know what happened. I mean, you just up and left without any
explanation. I ... I didn't know if it was something I had done, or...
Junko: [eyes soften] Oh, no... it wasn't you, Shirow-kun...
Shirow: And then this morning, in the cafeteria, I overheard Tendo Nabiki
talking about you...
Junko: [looks at the ground] Oh.
Shirow: [softly] You know, you could've asked me for help with your studies.
Junko: [toeing the grass] I ... I didn't want to bother you.
Shirow: It wouldn't have been a bother, really.
Junko: So... [pauses] how did you find me?
Shirow: I remembered you had once talked about your hometown village, so I
looked it up. I had to ask for directions though. [looks at watch]
I didn't realize how long it took to get here from Mizunoikan.
Junko: [sighs] I wish I could ask you to stay, but I can't.
Shirow: [grabs both of her hands in his] Junko-chan, I have to ask you -
why did you not even leave me a note of explanation? Was I that
much of a bother? I thought we... had an understanding...
Junko: No, it's not that. I just never got the chance. My father came and
packed up all my belongings one night while Tendo-san was away, and
we came back here. [sighs] Now I work in the village at the market.
Shirow: What about college?
Junko: [shakes head] No school will let me back in after last semester's
grades. Besides, my father... [trails off]
Shirow: What about a probation period or something? Maybe if you showed
improvement, Mizunoikan would take you back?
Junko: But where would I stay? How would I pay for it?
Shirow: ...
Junko: Exactly.
Shirow: [straightens] I will pay for it. And you can stay with me.
Junko: [jaw drops] Shirow-kun...
Voice: Junko? Where are you?
Junko: [eyes wide] Quick! That's my father! You have to get out of here!
Shirow: But...
Voice: Junko?
Junko: [hissing] No time! [shoves him down the hill] Go!
[Shirow trips and begins to tumble faster and faster down the hill.]
Junko: [aloud] Right here, daddy. I'm coming. [to herself] Shirow... I miss
you too.
* * *
[At the bottom of the hill, Shirow comes to a stop, a little dirty and
somewhat bruised.]
Shirow: [aloud] I will be back, Junko-chan, and next time I will not leave
without you.
[The person Shirow met earlier comes around the bend in time to hear Shirow's
pronouncement.]
Person: Got dumped again, eh? [cackles]
[Shirow face-faults.]
---finis.
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