Here's part five.  From here on the story is unwritten, but I'll keep plugging
 away at it.  The chapters will come out more slowly from now on, though.
 Anyway, on with the fic!

Look Out Ryouga!  The Love Pill Strikes Again!  Chapter 5

	Ukyou awoke the next morning to a loud crashing noise followed by some
 whispered curses.  A glance at the clock on her night stand told her it was
 3:46.  The martial artist got out of her bed silently and snuck over to the
 corner where her fighting spatula leaned against the wall.  Gripping it
 tightly, the girl tiptoed out into the hall and listened.  After a few
 moments, Ukyou heard more muffled sounds coming from the end of the corridor
 to her right.,  She turned in that direction and continued her quiet advance.
 As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she spied a shadowy figure kneeling and
 fiddling with some objects.  Ukyou assumed an offensive stance.
	"Freeze, buddy!" she stated loudly, "or I�ll slam you into next Tuesday!"
 The unknown character stopped his movements and turned his head toward her.
 The spatula-girl, recognizing his features, relaxed and lowered her weapon.
 "Ryouga," she addressed him, running a hand through her hair.  "What are you
 doing?"  She turned on the hall light and noticed the bandanna-boy�s
 possessions were scattered on the floor, and he held his backpack in his hand.
 "Why are you packing your things?" 
	Ryouga shrugged uncomfortably.  "Cologne said I had to train for the next
 week.  I thought I�d find some woods where I could be alone and train to the
 fullest without damaging anything.  And�  and I wouldn�t be here to bother
 you."  He looked at her sadly, then began busying himself with a strap on his
 pack.
	The young ninja rolled her eyes and joined the unhappy boy on the floor.
 "You don�t bother me, you jackass!" she exclaimed, hitting him lightly on the
 shoulder.  The mock-insult just made Ryouga�s face fall a little further.
 Ukyou, seeing that that statement probably wasn�t the best uplifting thing she
 could have said, sighed and positioned her face so that he had to look at it.
 "Listen, Ryouga," the girl began, "ever since you moved in here, you�ve shown
 yourself to be a true friend.  You could even say that you�ve become� well,
 that you�ve become my _best_ friend."  There was a pause as Ukyou pondered
 what she had just said.  She had meant it only to cheer him up, but after the
 words had come out of her mouth, they seemed to fit.  She had spent so much
 time with him lately, that she felt she knew him better than anyone else,
 including Ranma, even if she didn�t want to believe it.  She glanced at the
 fellow martial artist next to her.  His face was now beaming with love-pill
 induced joy.
	"Thanks, Ukyou!" he cried, enveloping her in a crushing bear hug.
	"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the tired girl muttered, attempting to free herself.
 She stood and began walking towards her room.  At the door she turned her head
 back to where Ryouga still sat happily.  "Oh, and Ryouga," she said, "going to
 the woods to train is a good idea.  But I�m coming with you.  Be ready in five
 minutes."  With that, she disappeared into her room.  The boy began to
 furiously stuff things in his backpack.

	Sunlight filtered through the dense forest.  Birds flew among the tall trees
 and various wild critters scampered around the underbrush.  Two traveling
 companions joined them as they made their way through the heavy vegetation.
 One was blasting away at large rocks which impeded their path, while the other
 occasionally hacked at vines and bushes with an oversized cooking utensil.
 Both looked dirty and determined.
	 Ryouga watched the female fighter beside him out of the corner of his eye.
 She was the one who had plotted their route, claiming that the rugged terrain
 would test his endurance.  Instead, the thick woods seemed to be testing hers.
 She looked tired and her pace had slowed.  Yet the umbrella-wielding martial
 artist knew from the glint in her eye that Ukyou would not stop until he did.
 Unable to disobey the orders of his lovesick heart, he reached out to clasp
 her shoulder and halt her.
	"How about we stop here?" he asked, glancing about the forest.  It was
 actually a pretty good place; the ground was relatively level and there were
 quite a few rocks.  The look of relief on Ukyou�s face was quickly masked by
 indifference as she surveyed the site.
	"If you insist," she said nonchalantly.  The pony-tailed girl removed her
 backpack and adjusted her bandoleer of mini-spatulas.  She began to walk
 around the area, testing her footing and observing the land features.
 Finally, appearing satisfied, she planted herself in a fighting stance.  "I�m
 ready," she told him.
	Ryouga stared at her blankly.  "Ready to what?" he queried.  Ukyou rolled her
 eyes.  The bandanna-clad boy noticed she did that a lot around him.
	"To spar!  What else?" she responded, muttering something about bandannas
 being tied to tight.  He smiled.  Ukyou was cute when she was angry.  But
 Ryouga�s toothy grin faded as he focused on her words.  Spar?  With him?
 Although he knew the okonomiyaki chef had worked to become an expert in her
 unorthodox art, he doubted she was quite on his level.  *If I hurt her, it�d
 kill me!* he shouted inwardly.  *How can I make her understand?*
	"Uh, how about we warm up first?" he suggested.  Ukyou looked at him oddly.
	"Some would say that trekking about in the woods for a couple of hours WAS
 warming up, but, hey, whatever you want is fine with me."  That said, the
 ninja walked over to a large, innocent bush and started to what and slice at
 it in a series of complex maneuvers.  Ryouga, pleased with himself, began a
 kata while watching his agile love leap about.
	Some time passed, and Ukyou, after managing to form her plant into the shape
 of a handsomely pruned bonzai tree, became bored with the exercises.  She
 glanced at Ryouga, who had become engrossed in his own set of movements.
 Smiling evilly, the young woman wondered how he responded to surprise attacks.
 She crept towards him from behind, lifting her spatula slowly above her head.
 Then Ukyou crouched down and sprung at him, a short "Hiyah!" his only warning.
	The cursed boy�s hearing and reflexes were sharp, though, and he spun around
 just in time to see a large flat object flying towards his head.  He popped
 open his umbrella and brought it up quickly to act as a shield.  The titanic
 spatula slammed into the resilient umbrella, and Ryouga was protected.
 However, the momentum of Ukyou�s attack was large enough that she continued to
 push into him, and he was forced to run backwards to keep from being knocked
 over.  Their stumbling run finally ended when Ryouga�s back hit against a
 tree, and he was stuck there between the trunk and the Ukyou�s weapon.
	Ryouga prepared to strike back at his opponent with a free hand until he
 realized who exactly it was.  He was impressed by her stealth and force.  *But
 I _can�t_ hit her back!* he told himself.  He shifted through the muddled
 thoughts and empty space that filled most of his mind to find a solution.
 Then, suddenly, one came through:  simple, effective, and enjoyable!  Faster
 than lightening he flung out his arm and, placing his fingers between Ukyou�s
 fourth and fifth rib, proceeded to tickle her with all his might.
	The pony-tailed girl had been curious as to what Ryouga�s next move would be.
 However the tactic that he chose threw her completely off-guard.  Instantly
 she collapsed in a fit of giggles, desperately trying to fend him off.
	"I�m gonna�ha, ha�kill you�ha�Ryouga!" she shouted, laughing uncontrollably.
 Ukyou twisted this way and that to get out of his reach, but he held her to
 him and kept on tickling her relentlessly.  The girl couldn�t take it anymore,
 and she leaned into Ryouga for support, clutching her stomach which hurt from
 laughing so much.  Ryouga stopped his attack and held her a little longer, and
 for once she didn�t mind.  When he finally released her, she fell into the
 grass and sighed happily.  The fang-toothed boy joined her and they watched
 the clouds pass by through the thick canopy of trees.  Ukyou was the first to
 break the silence.
	"You know, I can�t remember ever being tickled like that, Ryouga," she told
 him.  "My parents were the no-nonsense type.  Father was more interested in
 teaching me how to pour batter on a hot plate than in playing with me."
 Ryouga was surprised.  It was true that he was often away from his family, but
 he could still remember being tickled by his parents when he was young and
 happened to be together with them.  The bandanna-boy realized what a tough
 childhood Ukyou must have had.  He smiled, trying to drop the matter.
	"I can�t remember ever being slammed into a tree by a giant spatula like
 that," he countered.  "You�re stronger than I realized."  Ukyou smiled smugly.
	"Then maybe you�ll actually fight with me this time, rather than avoid me?"
 she questioned.  Ryouga�s eyes went wide.  He looked at the girl next to him.
 She had her arms behind her head and her eyes closed, relaxing.  He blushed.
	"You, uh, knew about that, huh?"
	"Yeah," she confirmed simply.  Ukyou rose from the grass and walked over to
 where she had dropped her spatula.  "You know, I may not be as good as Ranma
 or you, but I can still hold my own in practice sparring.  Remember when we
 first met and Ranma tried to convince you that I was a girl by showing you my
 chest?  I bet if I did that again, I could beat you like that."  She snapped
 her fingers.
	Ryouga figured she was right, but would have been thrilled anyway if Ukyou
 did what she suggested.  His nose heated up and threatened blood at the very
 thought of it.  The martial artist tried to get the images of half-naked
 Ukyous out of his head, and stood shakily.  Ukyou had gotten into her fighting
 stance and had her spatula raised.  Ryouga still had reservations about
 fighting her, but he decided to not underestimate her this time.  He took on
 his own familiar ready position and waited for the attack.
	The two sparred for the rest of the day and on into the week.  Ryouga, who
 was an expert in fighting with his umbrella, taught Ukyou techniques that he
 felt were fitted to her odd weapon as well.  Every time she learned something
 new, the fang-toothed boy knew that he himself must have it mastered.  In the
 time that they spent resting, the pair talked about their lives and
 experiences.  Ukyou laughed heartily when Ryouga raged about Ranma not being
 at their duel days after it had been set.  She found him to be so funny
 sometimes, and some of his travels amazed her.  To Ryouga, Ukyou�s laughter
 was like medicine which cured him of his depression.  He had never been so
 cheerful.

END PART 5

Author�s notes:  I had a lot of fun with this chapter.  I think that getting
 characters into some strange environment always leads to some kind of opening
 up.  :D  As always, C+C welcome.  Even if it�s just to say how it made you
 feel.  Thanks to everyone who has already commented!