Sean Kauffman (ryo@nym.alias.net)
Please direct all C&C's to this e-mail address.

WARNING: caveat homophobe.

Note: All speech is translated from Japanese, unless surrounded by < >.

                           Ryoga: Finishing Move

                    A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Sean Kauffman

===== Part 3 =====

=== Three days pass ===

      Sho and Ryoga approached the playing field.  Nobody was there at
the moment, but Ryoga knew that as soon as school let out and they
spotted him, there would be a crowd.  Ryoga stood on the playing field
and took a few practice swings with his umbrella while Sho gave him
pointers.
      "Now remember, you push that button on the handle to activate the
electric current," Sho was saying. "Don't hold it down for too long or
you might drain the battery."
      "Okay, I won't," Ryoga replied.  He was getting into battle mode.
      "How does the plate feel?"
      "It's snug," said Ryoga, trying a roll. "I can even roll with it
on."
      "Good.  Now remember to stay cool.  P-chan."
      "Cool as ice.  Sho-kun."
      "Hey, pretty good!" Sho was pleased. "You almost blasted me
yesterday when I said that."
      "I'll be pretending to get mad, so don't worry unless you see me
start to glow," Ryoga told him.
      "Okay, fine.  I'll just sit back and watch," Sho said.
      Meanwhile, school had just let out, and the news was spreading that
Ryoga was here.  The bet queen had just arrived.  "Place your bets! 
Place your bets here!  It's Ranma 'The Champ' Saotome versus his longtime
rival, Ryoga 'Headstrong' Hibiki!" Nabiki was shouting into a megaphone.
      Ryoga yelled at her, "'Headstrong'??"
      Nabiki yelled back, through the megaphone, "Would you rather be
'Strong Head'?"
      Ryoga just shook his head.  If he won... WHEN he won... Nabiki
would lose a lot of money.  He tried not to grin at the thought.
      Ranma arrived just then. "Hey Ryoga, what took you so long?  Maybe
you got... lost?"
      Ryoga kept his cool, but growled anyway,
"RaaaaNNNNNNNNNMmmmaaaaaaa!!"  Boy, he loved doing that.  He looked over
at the grassy area where most of the audience was sitting.  Akane, Ukyo,
and Shampoo were all there, but sitting far apart from each other.  He
recognized a bunch of Ranma's classmates, including Hiroshi and Daisuke. 
His cousin was sitting towards one side, and waved when he saw Ryoga
looking that way.  Ryoga thought through what Sho had told him, once
more.  Keep cool.  Think before you strike.
      "I'm ready if you are, Ranma."
      They faced each other, separated by about 3 meters.
      "Come and get me," Ranma taunted.
      "Okay," said Ryoga, leaping high into the air.  The crowd roared as
they saw the fight begin.
      Ranma jumped up to meet him, but Ryoga didn't attack.  Ranma was
surprised; usually Ryoga was the one who attacked wildly.  "What's up
here?" he thought.  They were halfway down before Ranma decided to kick. 
Ryoga didn't even move to block.  Ranma's foot connected with Ryoga's
cheek, but Ryoga turned his head with the blow and reached up -
      - grabbing Ranma's leg.  The crowd gasped as Ryoga landed and
flipped Ranma over by the leg, smashing him into the ground.  Akane had
seen this happen before, at the skating match with Mikado and Azusa.
      "Ranma!!!" Akane called, worried for his safety.
      Ranma flipped up to a standing position, seemingly unhurt, but
brushing some dirt off his face.  "So, Ryoga... it's time to get
serious."
      "Give me all you've got," Ryoga jeered.  He was happy to have
gotten the first hit, for once.
      Ranma actually got a little mad.  Ryoga was taunting HIM?  It was
supposed to be the other way around.  He attacked with blinding speed,
closing the distance between himself and Ryoga within an eyeblink.  Ryoga
casually left his arms hanging at his sides, as if he knew what was going
to happen.  An alarm went off in Ranma's head - "Something's WRONG.  He's
leaving his midsection wide open." - but Ranma was already committed to
the attack.
      "Tenshin Amaguriken!!" he yelled, pummeling Ryoga with everything
he had.
      Akane felt something was wrong even before Ranma connected.  Why
was Ranma using this attack already?  It drained a lot of his energy. 
Nabiki just felt money slipping away.  They knew they were right when
they heard the clanging noises coming from under Ryoga's shirt.

      "OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!" Ranma screamed, stopping
suddenly.  His knuckles were badly bruised, some were bleeding, and they
hurt a LOT.
      Ryoga was pushed back a few steps, but not hurt at all.  "That felt
like a nice massage, Ranma.  Like a massage GIRL, in fact." Ryoga was
wondering why he had never taunted Ranma like this before.
      Ranma was really ticked now.  "Ryoga!  You tricked me!  You lying
ANIMAL!"
      "Are you done yet, Ranma?"
      "Not by a long shot!" Ranma gathered his confidence, concentrated,
and focused it out past his hands.
      "Mo-ko Takabisha!!"  The ki-sphere blasted out from his hands.
      "Shishi Ho-Ko-dan!"  Ryoga countered with his own ki-blast.
      Neither ki-blast had any effect, other than creating a crater in
the ground.  Ranma was getting tired.  Ryoga took the opportunity to
start throwing bandannas.  He pulled off six and threw them in quick
succession, spinning towards Ranma.  Ranma still managed to dodge.  Ryoga
pulled off six more and threw them, this time not at Ranma but around
him.  Ranma saw that they were off, and leaped into a flying side kick at
Ryoga - straight into a Shishihokodan.  Ranma was blasted back about 10
meters and lay still.
      "Ranma!!!" Akane called, worried about his safety.
      Ryoga walked over and looked down.  "Are we done already?" he asked
the still form of Ranma.  Ryoga prodded his body with his foot.
      Ranma's arm snaked out like lightning and grabbed Ryoga's leg,
pulling him to the ground.  "That's my line," Ranma said.  Ranma sat on
Ryoga's back and started pummeling his head.  "Now who's on top, huh,
pig-boy?"
      Ryoga told himself to keep cool, despite the pain in his head.  He
pushed off the ground with both arms and flipped backwards so that he now
sat on Ranma, but Ranma managed to squirm out and land a kick in his side
on the way.  While they caught their breath for a moment, Ryoga spotted a
concrete retaining wall just behind Ranma.
      "Bakusai-tenketsu!" Ryoga yelled, finger going for Ranma's
forehead.
      Ranma ducked, wondering what Ryoga was thinking.  "Hey man, that's
old.  It doesn't work on me, remem-" and then he felt a tremendous pain
in his back as he was hit by the rock shower from the concrete wall
behind him.  He could have smacked himself for not looking back, but he
was in too much pain already.
      "Ranma!!!" Akane called, worried about his safety.
      Ranma flipped up again, but was rather more wobbly this time.
      "Aren't you done yet, Ranma?  You're finished." Ryoga was looking
more smug than ever.
      "No way I'm gonna let you beat me!" Ranma yelled, charging.  Ryoga
punched right, then left, but Ranma dodged both and caught his arms, then
started kicking Ryoga's sides.  Ryoga ignored the kicks and grabbed
Ranma's arms where they held his own, then heaved upward and
simultaneously yelled "Shishi Ho-Ko-dan!!!"  To the audience, it looked
like Ranma was jumping over Ryoga's head when he was suddenly flung
upwards and back from Ryoga, as if he were shot out of a cannon.  Ranma
landed hard about 30 meters away.
      "Ranma!!!" Akane called, worried about his safety.
      Ranma got up yet again, but much more slowly. 
      "Is that all you've got... P-chan?" he called at Ryoga.
      He was going to concentrate all his energy for this last attack. 
It had better work.
      Ryoga yelled, "WHO'S P-CHAN?!"  He began to stalk closer.
      In the audience, Sho said to himself, "Hope he's faking..."
      Ranma called back, "Pig-boy.  Coward.  Bacon breath.  Forever lost. 
WIMP!"
      Ryoga snarled, "RaaaaaNNNNNNNmmmmmaaaaaa!!!!"  He really loved
doing that.
      Ryoga got closer.  Ranma could almost feel the heat.  Almost.
      "You'll never get Akane.  She's mine!" It was almost time... he was
almost close enough... NOW!
      In his subconscious, Ranma registered that Ryoga had stopped moving
forward and was just looking blankly at him.  Ryoga said quietly,
"really?"
      But it was too late.
      "Hiryu Shotenha!!" yelled Ranma, focusing his ki upwards.
      The audience held its breath.
      And nothing happened.
      Ranma sagged a little.  "What?!"  It had never not worked before.
      Sho cheered.  The audience looked at him.  He cheered louder.
      Ryoga smiled.  Now you die.
      "Now you die, Ranma!"
      Ryoga swung his umbrella at Ranma.  Ranma was still fast enough to
dodge backwards, left and right, and avoided it.
      "Caught your breath yet, Ranma?" asked Ryoga.  He swung out in a
wide horizontal arc, at about waist height.  Ranma yelled "Yes!" and
leaped forward, doing a handstand on the umbrella.  It was supposed to be
a handspring, but Ranma suddenly found himself frozen on the umbrella,
and then falling off it.  "What the -" he thought as he collapsed to the
ground.
Ryoga stood over Ranma.  Ranma couldn't move at all.
      "Ranma!!!" Akane called, worried for his safety.
      "Do you yield, Ranma?"  Ryoga asked.
      "Nnnee.... vvv... eeerrrr...." Ranma managed to gasp.
      "Okay then, you had it coming," said Ryoga, and raised his umbrella
high over his head.  The crowd gasped, sensing the killing blow.  Ranma
stared straight at Ryoga, defiantly.
      Ryoga let go of the umbrella.  It conked Ranma a glancing blow on
the head, knocking him out cold.  Ryoga picked up Ranma's unmoving body
and slung him over one shoulder, then raised the other hand in triumph.
      "Ranma!!" yelled Shampoo.
      "Ranchan!!!" yelled Ukyo.
      "Ranmaaa!!!!!" Akane screamed.
      Nabiki felt money slipping out of her hands.  It was not a pretty
thought.
      Then Ryoga was running away, at full speed.  Sho stared after him
and silently wished him luck.  Shampoo, Ukyo, and Akane yelled
"RAAANMAAA!!" and gave chase, but Ryoga was soon lost, and they had to
give up.

=== The Park ===
      Ryoga found himself in the park.  Strange place to end up, he
thought.  He put Ranma down on a bench and waited for him to wake up.  He
was more nervous now than ever during their duel.  Wow... it was just
sinking in.  He beat Ranma.  In front of everybody.  But it seemed like
nothing compared to what he was about to do.
      Ranma shook his head.  He blinked.  "Where am I?"  He looked up,
and saw Ryoga looking down intently at him.  "What are you doing here,
Ryoga..."  Then it came back to him.  "Oh no.  You beat me."
      Ryoga smiled.  It wasn't a gloating smile.  More like a sad smile.
      "Yup.  I guess I finally beat you for real, huh, Ranma."
      Ranma struggled into a sitting position.  Was this the park?  He
felt sore all over.  "So what are we doing here?  You beat me.  What else
do you want?"
      Ryoga looked at him with a serious expression, and said, "I want to
forgive you.  For everything you've done to me."
      Ranma blinked.  Wha...?  Forgive?  Ryoga?
      "Are you kidding me?  What is this?"
      Ryoga almost looked hurt.  "No, Ranma, really.  I forgive you."
      Ranma thought about this for a moment.  That was okay with him. 
"Okay... okay.  Fine.  Sure."  He was a little in shock.
      Ryoga hesitated, and looked away for a moment.  "And there's
something else I have to tell you..."
      Ranma was curious now.  What did Ryoga drag him out here to tell
him?  "What is it?"
      Ryoga looked straight at him.  "Ranma... I don't know how to tell
you this... I... I'm..."
      Ranma said, "You're what?  A pig?  I knew that!"
      Ryoga looked away like he had been slapped.  "No, no, Ranma..."
      Then he looked back suddenly, intently, and blurted out, "Ranma. 
I'm... gay."
      It was Ranma's turn to look like he'd been slapped.  If he wasn't
in shock before, he was now.  "Wha- What?!  Gay?..."
      "You know what that means, right, Ranma?  Homosexual?" Ryoga looked
at him again.
      Ranma thought about it.  Yes, he knew what the words meant.  "Yeah,
I know..."  But what about how it FELT?  Did he know?
      He realized.  He did know.
      "Um... Ryoga?" Ranma began.  Ryoga had never seen Ranma so hesitant
before.
      "So 'm I," muttered Ranma, barely audible.
      "What?!  What did you say, Ranma?" Ryoga demanded.
      "So 'm I.  SO 'M I!!" Ranma yelled.
      Ryoga bonked Ranma on the head.  "Are you sure you're not still in
shock?"
      Ranma bonked him back, and replied "No, I'm not.  I've known for a
very long time.  I've just never thought about it."
      They both sat there, letting the knowledge sink in.

      Then Ranma yelled, "But I thought you were in love with Akane!"
      "I thought you were too!" Ryoga yelled back.
      Ranma thought a moment and said, "Nawww, she can be nice sometimes,
but I ain't in love with her."
      Ryoga replied, "Sometimes?  She's always nice to me, but I'm not in
love with her.  I thought she was something more to you."
      Something occurred to Ranma suddenly.  "Ryoga?  Why'd you tell me
now?" he asked.
      Ryoga looked at him.  "My cousin told me I had to ask you. 
Because..." he took a deep breath.  "I think I'm in love with you."
      Ranma grinned.  Ryoga looked at him. "What?"
      Ranma grinned more.  "Well guess what, Ryoga... I think I'm in love
with you too."  He jumped up and hugged Ryoga.  Ryoga was stunned, but
managed to hug Ranma back.  "How... how long have you known?" he
stammered.
      Ranma pulled out of the embrace and answered, "Hmm, I think since
junior high.  But I didn't know I was gay until you asked."
      Ryoga said "I loved you then too.  But I didn't think you were gay. 
And I didn't know you loved me.  Is your way of showing love kicking me
in the face every day at lunch?"
      Ranma answered "I guess it was.  That's the way my dad always
showed his love for me.  Maybe that's the real reason I don't hit girls."
      Ryoga yelled, happily, "Well, we've missed out on a lot for too
long!  Let's celebrate!"
      "YEEAHHH!" Ranma yelled.  Then he stopped.  "Uh, Ryoga?"
      "What?" Ryoga asked.
      "What about my three fiancees?  And my dad?  And my (gulp) mom??"
      "We'll just have to hide somewhere.  I do want to tell Akane
though."
      "And I guess I have to tell her too.  Don't know what she'll say."
      "Right now they're probably worried about where you are, though,
Ranma.  Maybe you'd better check in at the dojo."
      "Then what?"
      "Then you sneak out and come with me... We have some talking to
do."
      "Where'll we go?"
      "To my house."
      "Okay, fine.  But you can't come with me to the dojo."
      "I know, I'll go to my house first."
      "Can you get there??"
      "Look at this." Ryoga showed Ranma his new watch. "See the pointer? 
That's where my house is."
      "Hey, that's cool... does it really work?" Ranma looked at it
curiously.
      "Yeah, here, that's the direction for the Tendo Dojo." Ryoga pushed
a few buttons, and the arrow pointed in a different direction.  Ranma
looked towards the sun setting in the west, thought about where the dojo
was relative to here, and realized the pointer was right.  "Hey, I think
it does work!"
      "It was a gift from my cousin... he works at a company that makes
these."
      "Hey, what are you going to do about dinner?"
      "I'll go get something with Sho.  Don't worry."
      "Fine... see you then.  Ryoga-kun."  Ranma felt strange using the
familiar, even though there was no boy he knew better.
      "See you... Ranma-kun."  Ryoga returned the gesture, then followed
the watch pointer towards his house.
      Ranma headed towards the Tendo Dojo, wondering if and when they
would explain everything.  So he was gay, huh... that explained a lot of
things.  He'd talk to Ryoga about that later.

===== END PART 3 =====