Sunday, July 8, 2012

Forever Smiling

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2. Rumiko Takahashi does. Apparently, she likes responsibility.

Forever Smiling
(a Ranma one-shot)
by Kurama's Foxy Rose

Description: Why Katsumi is always smiling... She's afraid that if she lets go of that smile, it will never return.
I was smiling when I first heard.

I don't remember why I was in a good mood, but I think Daddy said might have had something to do with it. Maybe he had just told a joke, or maybe he had ended up the butt of one. I don't suppose it really matters anymore. Either way, I was smiling.

When the phone rang, my smile stayed. The laughter was leaving me when I picked up, but I retained enough joy from it that I had a polite smile to match my polite tone. It didn't matter that no one saw the smile, because I felt polite, and content.

The voice on the other end - male, deep yet slightly coarse, and weary... as if tired of seeing the worst of humanity, only to clean up the messes they left behind - asked if they had reached the Tendo residence.

My smile got strained, just slightly.

My tone didn't change as I answered.

The voice said it was sorry, but-

The voice paused. The voice asked for the nearest adult.

My smile grew brittle.

Something very bad had happened.

I said no one else was home.

The voice sighed.

How could a voice sigh? Voices don't need air. That's just silly.

The voice said it was sorry to inform me that Mrs. Tendo...

My smile threatened to shatter under the new strain.

...Had died.

My smile stayed fixed in place.

I gave the phone to Daddy.

I kept smiling.

I kept smiling for the next four days.

Other voices came. They said I was 'in a state of shock'.

I didn't stop smiling.

I couldn't stop smiling.

If that smile left my face, it would go away. I wouldn't get it back. Even if another one came along, that one wouldn't come back.

Just like Mommy.

That was the smile of a Katsumi who had a mommy. And if it disappeared, I would lose my smile. My last smile.

So I will smile forever.