Nabiki blinked and wondered how he had come to that conclusion, since, for all she knew, Ranko had been born handicapped.
"Nabiki doesn't seem to want to say for some reason," Ranma said, eliciting a wince from the reality-displaced teen.
"Didn't she tell you?" Akane asked, surprised.
"She mentioned 'an injury' once but passed it off," Ranma said. "Nabiki's the one that told me she's handicapped."
"And how much did she charge for that?" Akane asked, and Nabiki winced yet again. Then the girl sighed and shook her head. "There was a fight. This girl she met in China challenged her to a match, and set up the battleground with all sorts of traps. They were both found unconscious, the other girl still isn't awake and Ranko...Ranko can't walk."
"I see," Ranma said. "How was she injured, nerve damage?"
"No," Akane said. "No. The doctor's don't know, she's just weak. She's weaker all over, and sometimes she gets tired quickly. But her legs...they...they don't really heal. The skin's fine, but under that her muscles are still shreds."
Ranma frowned. That sounded like the result of damage to the soul, which would certainly produce that sort general malaise and inhibited healing.
"Does the other girl dabble in magic or alchemy?" Ranma asked. "Was there anything odd about the weapons?"
"She and her great-grandmother know a lot about obscure things," Nabiki said. Akane looked at Nabiki strangely for a moment when she said that.
"Her great-grandmother?" Akane said. "When did that come up?"
"Errr...she mentioned it once," Nabiki said. "Didn't she, when fighting Ranko?"
"Maybe," Akane said, thinking about it. "You're probably right."
Nabiki noted from Ranma's expression, however, that he wasn't as convinced. She was making mistakes her, showing knowledge she shouldn't have and lacking knowledge she should have, and this new Ranma was very sharp on matters.
"Are you thinking about poison?" Nabiki asked to distract him. "Or magic?"
"Magic poison," Ranma said. "You haven't said anything about the weapons used."
"That was the wierdest thing," Akane said. "They were all silver tipped and plated."
"Silver..." Ranma repeated, the pieces of the puzzle coming together now.
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Sun, 24 Aug 2003 17:57)
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