[Episode 129061] [Episode 129061]The children complained as they took down the Christmas decorations. Loudly, of course, but they were kids.
Dizzy wiped some lingering grime off of her hands as she rested in the front hallway after a good long cleaning session. Outside, snow was falling heavily onto the lawn, and a stiff breeze was stirring up the snow on the ground.
Maria sat down next to Dizzy and patted some dust from her long, brown hair. "You seem to have something on your mind."
Dizzy shook her head. "No... just tired."
"I don't believe that," Maria remarked as she watched Father Alex bully some kids into doing a better job of untangling lights. "You always look apprehensive. Like you're waiting for something that you don't know whether you're looking forward to or not."
"...I guess you're right."
"And I bet that what you're waiting for is Ranma."
Dizzy flinched. "It's not hard to guess, is it..."
Maria watched the younger girl calmly. "Is it really that bad? Whatever it is that happened? Even if it is, didn't he do it to help you?"
"How can you be so sure of him? Even without knowing what had happened, that he's a good person, or that what he did was...."
"I believe in him. We all do, every one of us that knows him. We've known him long enough to know that whatever he does, it's for a good reason, and for a good cause."
Dizzy was silent for a while.
"You're right. He did help me. If he hadn't, I wouldn't be here. But," she paused for a moment, "I don't know what'll happen if I see him again. I don't know what to say. I don't know what he'll say, or do. I don't know. I don't know if I should ever see him again."
"Really?" Maria smiled. "Well, if you can't figure it all out, then I guess I should be the one to go outside and help him with his bags, hmm?" She pointed out the window, toward the figure struggling through the heavy snowfall, carrying a large number of packages toward the door.
Red eyes widened.
Maria stood up. "Here's what I think we'll do. I'm going to go and tell everyone that someone's here. You can go outside and see if he needs help. You should have a moment of privacy to say or do something before the kids come out and mob him. Better be quick!" And she walked off humming merrily.
Dizzy quailed for a moment, but the figure outside was coming closer, and she found herself at the door, opening it, before she knew what she was doing.
Ranma's icy blue eyes met hers as he walked up to the door.
The cold wind blew around her, but she didn't feel it.
They held each other's gaze, as Dizzy inwardly panicked to find that it was still too soon.
She really couldn't think of anything to say.
The next moment, a swarm of kids ran around from behind her and threw themselves at the boy. Ranma yelled warnings as he frantically tried to keep his footing on the icy ground without dropping all of his bags. The children, unheeding, attached themselves to his arms and legs. Maria stepped out after them, and took some of the things from his hands, taking the time to sneak in a hug as well, which he returned awkwardly. Ranma steeled himself, and with fierce determination started for the door again, dragging his belongings and the kids hanging off of him up the steps and inside the door, with everyone else following behind.
Dizzy watched him pass without sparing her another glance, leaving her to stand, alone, outside the doorway.
Ranma calmly walked to the gathering room and dumped his things by the fireplace. He then calmly walked to the dining room, where Father Alex, Sister Dorothy, the Matron, and a few other of the adults were chatting away. He waited until they saw him, raised a hand in greeting, then left again. With Maria cheerfully leading his way, he soon found himself in front of the room that was reserved for his use.
He came to a stop before the door, and calmly shouted "Off!"
Instantly, seven... wait, let's see... one on his back, one grabbing each leg, one on his left arm and two on his right, one on his shoulder, one around his neck, one clutching his waist... that's nine. His math must be going. Anyway, nine kids (small ones, thankfully) jumped off and let go, and he went into his room, somehow managing to still exude a sense of dignity and formality. Somehow.
Dizzy watched the spectacle from around a corner.
After a good few minutes, the door opened. Or tried to open. The mass of children pressed against it kept it from going far.
There was a sigh that could be heard even from Dizzy's vantage point.
"Will you guys not play this game today!?" a tired voice called out from inside the room. "I'm not up to it today! I'm sorry I didn't make it back for Christmas! Really!"
There was a pause.
"Maria! The kids have got me trapped in my room! Again! Come save me!"
Dizzy looked over to where Maria was leaning against the wall, dying of silent laughter.
"This is not funny Maria! I know you're there! You stop laughing and help me right now!"
Father Ranma Saotome, freshly dressed in more suitable indoor clothes, sat on a large and ornately cushioned armchair like a king before his subjects in front of the roaring fireplace. Before him, the children sat on the ground, and the adults stood near the back, watching the scene with amusement. Maria stood at his side like a loyal attendant. Dizzy sat at the side of the room.
Imperiously, Ranma gestured to the bags he had brought with him. "Unfortunately, I was not able to come back for Christmas, and to make up for it, I went out and bought presents for all of you."
Maria opened one of the bags, and it was indeed filled with small boxes tastefully wrapped with colored paper and ribbon. The kids cheered. Ranma waved them down.
"Now, to do this without any fuss, I'll call out names and you'll come up one by one. We'll open them all at once, okay?"
Dizzy watched in silence as Maria reached into the bag and passed it to Ranma, who looked at a little tag on the ribbon before calling out a name. Kids came up to receive their presents, a kiss from Maria, and a hug or pat from Ranma. It wasn't hard to see that the kids all adored him. That they were happier when he was nearby.
She left the room.
Sitting down by a window, she watched the snow fall outside. It wasn't as if she was trying to hide from something, but even so, she still couldn't decide what to say or how to act around him. Ranma.
"Ya look like ya got a dilemma on yer hands, girl."
Dizzy looked up at Father Anderson. For some reason, the fact that he was standing over her in that overbearing, overwhelming way of his didn't bother her as it did before. She toyed with the idea that maybe she was getting used to it. "A little one," she replied.
"Yer afraid. Ya saw somethin' that ya shudn'ta seen an' now ya can't figure out whether ta run or face up to it."
"Father... Renaldo said that Ranma was a lot like me."
Anderson looked startled for a second, then snorted. "Well, not that much like ya. He had a whol' diff'nt reaction t' the thing."
"What?" Dizzy asked in confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"Aye, nothin' girl. Yeah, he an' you has got a lot in common. Renaldo's right about that. Jus' about everythin' you've gone through, he c'n relate to. Sometimes... a lot worse things. Think about that, and it might put things in perspect've fer ya a bit. Ya might ask 'im about some of it sometime. When yer ready."
The priest paused for a second to watch the snow fall.
"Look, take th' time you need ta think about't, but sooner'er later yer gonna hav'ta say somethin', do somethin'. Watchin' ya mope like this dunn't make anyone happy. I'll take care o' th' meal fer tonight fer ya and you c'n get yer act together."
Dizzy nodded, and Father Anderson left.
From the gathering room, a great cheer exploded, along with an odd "YOU GOT ME COAL!? YUM! *CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH*"
Dizzy stepped out into the snowy lawn. The chill of the still air bit at her face as she walked toward the tree that the boy was standing under. Small flakes of snow fell to the ground lazily.
"Ranma..."
Ranma turned to her with a blank face. "Hmm?"
Maybe she should have called him Father Saotome instead? "It's time for dinner. The Matron sent me to tell you."
"Oh, right. Thanks." He turned his eyes back to the night sky.
Dizzy paused a little, before speaking again.
"Umm... I just wanted to say... that I-I'm sorry about what I said before."
The boy gave her a puzzled frown.
"I mean, about you being a monster and everything. I know that you have... reasons for what you did, and even though I don't know what they are, I shouldn't just say things-"
"Why not?"
"W-what?" Dizzy suddenly felt a sinking feeling. A feeling she had come to associate with things flying beyond her expectations and comprehension. Again.
Ranma shrugged. "You talked to Archbishop Maxwell, didn't you?"
Dizzy nodded hesitantly.
"Yeah, I figured. Look, Dizzy," he rubbed his forehead in annoyance, "don't talk to him. It's not good for you. He's not really, you know," he twirled his finger in spirals around his head, "all there. Stay away from him. Whatever he said, he probably said it to mess with you."
"B-but!"
"See," Ranma leaned his head in close, and whispered conspiratorially, "I don't think the old man likes you too much. It's nothing personal, really, but you've been sort of a ratty old folder in his safe for such a long time that he doesn't think of you as 'you', you know? And he's a really spiteful guy. Doesn't like old folders. Try to ignore him whenever you can. He's harmless. Mostly."
Dizzy's red eyes widened as she stood there trying to stutter out denials.
Ranma smiled and started toward the house. "Come on, let's go eat."
"But th-the Archbishop said-"
Ranma heaved a great big sigh and patted her on the shoulder sympathetically. "Yeah, he likes to talk a lot. You don't need to worry about those things. Do like me and just try not to nod off during his longer rants. I like daydreaming. Try it, it might work for you too." He suddenly froze, his hand still on her shoulder, and then firmly pulled her close to him, a little toward his side, and a bit downward. "Here, stand like this."
The blue-haired girl tried to decide between asking why she should stand that close and just concentrating on blushing heavily at standing that close. She couldn't help it. There was something she was going to say about how she talked to other people that knew him, but everything was lost in the moment.
"Wh-"
A ball of packed snow exploded on Ranma's shoulder, followed by more on his back, legs, torso. Dizzy crouched down in fright as a few flew past her, not blocked by the body of the boy shielding her from the barrage of white coming from the direction of the open door of the house.
The shouting and laughing from the little urchins of the orphanage ringed in the air as they stood in the snow close to the door, throwing more snowballs at the prodigal priest and his companion, along with the scolding of the adults and the chortling of Father Alex watching from the nearby window.
Dizzy whimpered as bits of snow fell on her from the pieces sent flying into the air from where they hit Ranma. Ranma rolled his eyes to the heavens, which wasn't such a good move, since his raised head was immediately hit with a particularly meaty *whack*. A cheer came from the kids. Ranma patted Dizzy on the head.
Dizzy raised her eyes toward him. He held out a small, wrapped box toward her. "For Christmas... and your birthday. Sorry about missing it," Ranma shrugged helplessly, and smiled, "but this was all I can think of as a gift. I hope it's not too bad."
She couldn't speak. She couldn't find anything to say. Snow continued to crash into Ranma's back.
They stood like that, until at last, Dizzy just gave up trying to understand, and just took the gift gratefully. Ranma stole a look over his shoulder. "What should we do about this?"
She leaned to the side to peer around Ranma's legs, and quickly jerked back to avoid the snowball that was flying toward her face. Ranma crouched down to look Dizzy in the eye. "Did you use to do this sort of thing when you were here?" he whispered. Dizzy shook her head no, which was the truth. There was never enough snow in Rome for a good snowball fight. Ranma smirked as he gathered some snow from the ground into his hands. "Good. Then you never had to go through this."
Standing up again, Ranma rolled the snow into a ball and tossed it hard under his arm toward the door.
The children slowed in their throws as they watched it arc way up high toward them, past them, and hit the steep roof of the house above them.
A second later, a large flow of snow avalanched down from the high roof and buried them all.
Laughing over the cries of the defeated kids, Ranma led Dizzy back to the house.
~~~ THE END ~~~
Devout silence reigned in the dinner room as the Matron finished saying grace in front of everyone.
Candle flames danced from the chandelier overhead as the kids all fidgeted, anxious to start the meal.
Ranma stood up to say something.
"Well, I'm not so good with the speeches, so just... let us remember the previous year's joys and anticipate the next year's too. Let us pray that I won't have to be gone for so long next year-"
Much laughter and agreement from most of the kids. Some of them blew raspberries at him.
"-that James, Kean, Reuben, and Elijah will be adopted soon so that I don't have to see their ugly faces anymore-"
The ones raspberrying reddened in embarrassment as those around them giggled.
"-and that all of us will enjoy the company of new friends." He gestured toward Dizzy.
Maria, sitting next to her, patted her hand gently, and the rest of the kids cheered. Dizzy smiled shyly at the attention, and raised a spoonful of stew to her mouth. Everyone --the kids, the Sisters, Father Alex and Father Ranma, everyone there-- stared in concern as tears came to her eyes, and she started sobbing quietly.
"Father Anderson..." she murmured as she wiped at the beads falling down her face, "After all these years...."
Ranma peered at her downcast gaze.
"You... are still... such a terrible cook...."
...
...
*snicker*
"SHUT IT, BOY!"
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(Posted Sat, 01 Jan 2005 06:50)
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