To reply, post publically or e-mail the author at <deepquote@hotmail.com>
Enjoy!

The FFML Refugee List

Okay okay, so you all twisted my arm, and made me realize several things.
The first is about people who offer no CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, only insults
and b/s.


It's sad when people
badmouth a work just because it doesn't fit their view of literary
perfection. - cheetahd


And I dont know who the moron is
but he/she/
it can take a fly leap at a rolling dont in anime space at warp
velocities!-brad crawford

They really need to take themselves less seriously and take the
stick out of their collective asses. -eric Tai


The second thing I learned is.. I actually have READERS!!

And their opinon can be summed up by




"Dude...if you don't continue it...I'll...I'll find something really blunt
and rustsy and...and do something really really bad!! Yeah...that sounds
about right..." - Mana chan


Well enough of that. This is the Revised Verison of HA and some fixed
mistakes and scene revision. So tell me what you think, and point out any
mistakes. Helpful suggestions always welcome!!  Prereaders desperately
needed! More to Come! HA is back in business!!

A Healer's Art

By DeepQuote <deepquote@hotmail.com>


Chapter 3 "Where have the good men gone?"

"...." Words
*...*  Thoughts
<Panda Sign>

"Where the Hell am I now????" - Ryouga Hibiki


          Ranma Saotome's first taste of Medical School was
rather unexciting. It was a large room reminiscent of a large movie theater,
with a large white board at the front of the room, with seats facing it on
an incline. Ranma had heard several of the other students refer to it as
"The Pit." Sitting there amongst the students, Ranma enjoyed his anonymity.
He was quite happy that no one there had heard of the great Ranma Saotome.
It allowed him to simply watch and observe his fellow classmates, instead of
being the one who was watched.

           Biomedical Ethics was the class that Ranma was
waiting in. Using his time  wisely, Ranma readied his notebooks
and other materials. Time ticking closer towards the beginning of class.
However, there was still no sign of the errant professor, and Ranma began to
hear complaints among his classmates. Ranging from guesses on the
professor's IQ to statements about leaving in another 5  minutes. Satisfied
with his current setting, Ranma's eye once again began to wander the room.
Out of all the nameless faces of his classmates, Ranma's eyes were drawn to
a brown haired gaijin sitting directly in the center of the room.

         Peering closer at the man, Ranma observed the man's
face to be a mask of cool control behind the mustache and goatee
he presently wore. The whole time, the man seemed to be mimicking Ranma as
he too looked around the classroom observing the occupants. Intrigued by
this seemingly common trait, Ranma continued to watch the man.

Soon the whole class was just about to leave, when they all
noticed the man who had been sitting in the middle of the classroom, walking
to the front after placing his bag on the professors desk. With a slightly
raised voice, he silenced the room as he said.

"It is exactly 8:30. Class is now in session."

The silence was deafening, as embarrassed students realized the
professor had been there the whole time.

"I would like to welcome you to Biomedical Ethics." The
professor continued addressing the class. "In other words, Welcome to hell
and I am your professor."

Silence would have been an understatement until a group of students from the
back bolted out of their chairs and ran out of the room. The
remaining students just stared at the professor.

"Ahem!" He started by clearing his throat. "Now that we have
been begun allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Alexander, and I
currently teach here at the university as well as take on a few shifts as an
ER physician at the local hospital. As for all of you, please let me know
your name when you give an answer to the questions that I will pose to you
during class. Hopefully it will not take me long to learn your names. Now to
the important part. Why was I sitting among you, posing as a student? Anyone
know?"


A small trembling hand that belonged to a young woman sitting in
the back was slowly raised.

"Yes, young lady... and please tell me your name before you answer."


"I am Noriko Tanaka, and I think that you were sitting among us
to hear what we were saying about you."


A grin split the professor's face as he replied. "Nice try, but no. Anyone
else? "


"Ranma Saotome, Sensei. While sitting among us, you were
watching and observing gaining information about your students."


"Correct, Mr. Saotome. I spent my entire time here simply
watching and observing, slowly gathering and deducing information about all
of you. Let me ask you another question. Was my actions the actions of an
ethical person?"


>From the back a hand raised, this time from a young man
surrounded by several girls batting their eyelashes at him, with coy looks
on their faces.

"Go ahead." The professor said motioning to the student.

"Your actions were unethical, sir. It was a deception plain and
simple. By playing the role of the student you go in our defenses and
invaded our privacy."

The young mans voice was cool as ice, and was clearly hiding
barely repressed anger.

"And you are?" The professor inquired, unaffected by the glare
being sent to him by the student

"Akira Hyabusa"

"Does anyone here disagree with Mr. Hyabusa?"


The room seeming grew restless as no one saw fit to argue with
the angry man in the back. Ranma grew irritated at the cowardly lack of
action and raised his hand.

"Ah, Mr. Saotome."


"I think several people would be glad to know that the only
doctor in the room noticed certain things. For example, the young lady with
asthma in the front row, The man in the back whose stomach is hurting him,
the guys sitting on the side, who are hungover, not to mention, the young
ladies in the back who happen to think you are cute, Alexander-sensei."


A light chuckle escapes the professors lips as he states, "Very
good Mr. Saotome."

  Ranma allowed himself a small smirk as his comment caused a
flurry of reactions from his fellow students. Leaning back in his chair,
Ranma allowed himself to relax his thoughts wondering from the now heated
discussion in class.

* I always was the start of things.....hehehe...Just like back in
Nerima...*   Ranma sighed heavily, as his thoughts turned back
to those he left in Nerima.

***********The Tendo Dojo*********

"Acchoo!"  "Oh my! Someone must be thinking about me!" Kasumi
explained as her otherwise unexplained sneeze interrupted her daily chores.
The Tendo family laundry was the last thing on her list of things to do, and
Kasumi seemed very upset at that fact. *The laundry loads used to be some
much bigger...they have been so small since....*

Kasumi's thoughts were stopped suddenly as a bright red Chinese shirt was
being automatically folded.

*Ranma*


Clear tears trace the smooth contours of the eldest
Tendo daughters face.  *Ranma.....I...I .. miss him...I never knew how
much he meant to me....* The river of tears grew and intensity as
Kasumi's memory would not let her forget the man, her heart called for.

**********Flashback**************

A few weeks before Ranma's "Departure".....

"Kasumi!"

"Over, here Ranma-kun. I'm in the kitchen."


         Briskly walking in with his own brand of graceful walk,
Ranma's female form sauntered into the Tendo kitchen seeking the eldest
Tendo daughter.

"So is there anything I can help ya wit today?"  Ranma asked
politely, his good mood plainly written on his face.

Kasumi stood marked, like a wounded solider in her kitchen., the
apron she was wearing splattered with some otherwise unknown
substance. AKA Akane's cooking. Her downcast expression was
completely evident to Ranma even from behind  the soot marks
covering her face.

"Akane tried to cook again, didn't she?"

"Ranma no it was....<sigh>  Yes, Ranma she did. I just got
finish cleaning
it up, and SHE DIDN'T EVEN HELP ME!!!!"

Composing herself quickly, she spoke once more.  "I'm sorry,
Ranma-kun. I
did not mean to yell at you."

"Don't worry Kasumi, I understand. Are you SURE there isn't
anything I can
help you with?"

Ranma flashed her a good natured smile, his mind bound and
determined to cheer Kasumi up.  A flash of regret seems to cross
Kasumi's face as she replies. "No Ranma, I'm afraid all the chores are
done, I am just working on dinner."

"Oh..ah  So no magical princes have kidnapped Akane?"

"No Ranma, she is upstairs."

"Are you sure her cooking is dead?"

"Yes I am.

"So you need help beating the stain out of that apron?"

  Ranma's lopsided grin proved more amusing to Kasumi than his
attempting at humor, she let loose a small giggle.

"Ack! laughter from Kasumi! She must be sick!"

          Moving with his infamous speed, Ranma quickly seats
Kasumi down proceeding  to check her temperature with the back
of his hand, while at the same time feeling for her pulse, and
looking deep into her eyes. Ranma's antics were not in vain as
Kasumi's  short giggles became full blown laughter as Ranma
continued with his  "Tofu-like" Examination of his patient. Even
his naming of the vegetables  in order to get them to help him
was getting to her.

"Ranma....ok...ok...<giggle> you win! You can help cut the
vegetables for
dinner!"

"Cut up my sammy-chan! I'd never...."

         Ranma could no longer contain his own  laughter as he
joined Kasumi in laughter. Grinning a little more, both of  them
proceeded to get lost in the peaceful routine of making dinner.
Ranma  stood close to the counter as his hands began to blur and
the infamous,  Katchu Tenshin Amiguriken was turned into a salad
shooter. Kasumi on the other side of the kitchen carefully
measured small specific amounts from her  spice covered, as she
read the recipe from a well worn recipe book in front  of her.

          Halfway through the meal preparation, Ranma turned
from the cutting board as he said..

"Kasumi.."  Tugging at his pigtail nervously, as she turned to
address him, Ranma stood there rigid as a board.

"Yes, Ranma Kun?"

"Well, I was taking lessons from Doc Tofu today, and well he
said something that got me thinking. He said that most people have someone
to take care of them, and in times that they don't they have to depend on
themselves. That way when is there turn to take care of someone they can....
"

  "That's  very true Ranma, Ono-sensei is a very smart man."

"well, I was wonderin, since ya take care of me, and pops and Akane,
and Biki and your dad.  Who takes care of you?"
..

...

......


"I....I....I do Ranma. Just like you said, I have to take care
of myself."

         Ranma Saotome has been called many things in his lifetime, but he
was not  a fool. Pain, pure unadulterated pain was
behind Kasumi's beautiful eyes. Ranma's instinct guiding him into unfamiliar
territory namely, comforting a woman.  Ranma spoke.

"Kasumi, promise me something.  Promise me that you will go to
school like me an Akane. We are all growing up and I know you need to too!."

"Ranma, I can't I have to....."

"No you don't! I understand what the Doc said now.  You got to
be yourself  Kasumi. You got to take care of you, and then maybe you can
help us again... please Kasumi...Promise me..."

"Okay Ranma...I will.......*


*****************Ucchan's Okonomiyaki*****************

Silent, Quiet, Empty...dark, unlit, and Empty..

          Normally at this time of day,  The Ucchan was bustling
with the smell of hot okonomiyaki, and hungry customers, but today...today
was different the restaurant was empty. The grill was still clean, the floor
shonewith the fresh wax placed on them the night before. Not a single soul
could be seen within. Above the restaurant, a small lamp burned brightly,
balls of paper surrounding it as they cast eerily shaped shadows on the
wall.

       Sitting at a desk against on wall of the room, sat Ukyou
Kuonji. Her face folded into a tight grimace, as her tongue poked out one
side.Soft grunts of effort came from her mouth, as the pen flew across the
page before her. Her writing was slow and measured, her whole body was tense
with the simple effort of writing one letter. Around her sat numerous pages
of paper, smeared ink evident upon all of them.....

      Ukyou's Battle spatula rested along a sidewall with a
small bag containing most of her belongings. The once decorated room now sat
bare as she sat methodically writing her letter. Beside the weapon and
backpack sat an unsigned marriage certificate between one Ranma Saotome and
Ukyou Kuonji along side it was Ukyou's hanko, and  a Kuonji Clan tanto.

      With flash of motion, and an exclaimed. "Finally!!!" Ukyou
quickly signed the letter, she has been so hard at work
constructing, and seals it in an envelope.  "Ranchan"  is
written is measured handwriting across the envelope.
With a small sigh, Ukyou's hands raises and slowly remove her
ever present White-ribbon from her hair, slowly she takes the
ribbon and lovingly wrapps it around the letter securing it
tight, before she ties the other end of the ribbon to one of her
throwing spatulas.

      Seconds later, Ukyou has taken to the roof tops, her
window wide open to the night. Jumpin from roof to roof, Ukyou's
Unbound hair flails around her head, seemingly having a life of
its own. Wet tears trail down Ukyou's face as she makes her way
across nerima. Stopping only to leap to the ground, Ukyou stairs
at the former home of her Ranchan. The Tendo Dojo.  With a
sudden outburst, she throws the spatula with precise aim, so
that it embedds itself in the Tendo's door.

Alsmost as fast as she got there, Ukyou leaves, her loud sobs
the only evidence of her presense as she makes her way back to
the Ucchan.

*********************Upstairs in the Tendo Family Attic**************

"Huh, What was that?"   *That sounded like somone screaming, oh
well not my problem, I have to find it! It's my only hope of
getting through to Saotome's thick skull!!*

      Currently Nabiki Tendo was doing two activites, which she
preferred to avoid. Getting her hands dirty, and hard physical
work. Since, one Ranma Saotome was the end goal, Nabiki made an
exception.

Slam! Bam! Creak!
Scrape! Crash!
Boom!

            Dusty boxes fell, Dust mites took to the air, and
the Tendo attic slowly became more and more of a mess. The object  Nabiki
frantically searching for was still not allwoing itself to be
found. This object, Nabiki thought would most assuredly give her
an advantage on getting Ranma to notice her, After she found
him.  Nabiki decided that she might be the Ice Queen of Furikan
high, but she damned sure wasnt going to rule without her king.

Sweat  glistened from her forehead,  Dust covered her from head
to toe, and every muscle in her entire body ached. Conceding for
a moment, Nabiki slumped to the floor amidst the boxed chaos.
With the planned order of dominoes, several boxes near Nabiki
dropped their contents on the floor, knocking the neighboring
box over and continueing the cycle.

The cycle completed it self as along retangular shaped box, slid
infront of Nabiki, a perversely funny offer of her sought
treasure. Sitting motionless for a few minutes to catch her
breath, and her wits, she mummbled something about offending the
gods in a past life.

With careful reverence, nabiki slowly undid the latches
positioned on three sides of the oak box.  Steadying the top
with one hand, she lifted it open.  Neselted in a silk wrap the
object rested comfortable in it's case. Gingerly lifting up the
silk, she reveal the object to the light of day, The first light
it had seen since the death of it's owner... Nabiki's mother.
The Tendo Family Honor Blade sat before her.

Once again with measured precision, she carefully secured the
box. Standing slowly with the box, clutched in an iron grip,
Nabiki made her way from the attic. Once down from the dusty
alcove, she shut the stair way up, and walked down the hall to
her room.

Placing the box on her bed, she gather the material she had
prepared for this very occasion.  A large piece of brown
material, along with a fine nylon rope.  Removing the sheathed
blade from it's case, she gently placed in the center of the
cloth. Binding, the blade within the material, as she had seen
her mother do many time in her childhood, she bundled up the
katana. Taking one final check of her handwork, she hefted the
wrapped blade, and it held fast to the bundle she had placed it
in.

Securing it to her back, Nabiki made her way to the back of the
Tendo house to retrieve her bike.  Wheeling the bike to the
front, Nabiki got on it.  No sooner than Nabiki's feet hit the
petals did she begin to ride across nerima at speeds that would
even rival Shampoo's best.  As Nabiki raced across
town on her bike, the bundle stayed  securely on her shoulder,
It's only motion was a slight slap on her back as she rode.


After a good amount of travel time, and a few stops to ask for
directions, Nabiki  finally reaching her destination.   Before
her stood a modest home of classical Japanese architectiture and
sensible taste. Breathing slowly in and out Nabiki calmed her
gitters. The move was a very dangerous and bold move on her
part, but she was worth it....Ranma was worth it. Gathering her
Confidence, she knocked on the door and waited.  Slowly the door
opened to reveal and older woman dressed in an elgant Kimono, a
brown bundle very similiar to Nabiki's strapped to her back. Her
gaze fell on the middle tendo sister with a mixture of happiness
and suspicion.

"Nabiki-chan, How good to see you!   I was not expecting a visit
from you."

"Konban wa, Auntie Saotome.    I am visiting for a reason."
Pausing to unsling the bundle from her shoulder, she brought it
horizontal and offered it to the older woman.

"This is my family's honor blade, I want to request you train me
to use it."


********************Back at the university***************

"Class Dismissed"

With a unsaid amount of relief the class began to depart. As the
rooms begins to empty of students, Ranma slowly gathers his books,
placing them carefully into his bag. While readying for his departure, Ranma
hears..

"Mr. Saotome, Stay a moment."

"Yes sir."

"I just wanted to tell you, I was impressed with the way you
handled yourself today. Keep up the good work, and one day you may be as
observant as me."

"Well, sensei. I was trying to be nice and not embarrass the two
sleeping students, and the one that is pregnant, and also I didn't want to
embarrass you with the fact that I can tell you had eggs for breakfast."

"Not bad Saotome...not bad."

"Thank you sensei, I have to be going now."
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                     desaix@sysnet.net
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee
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