Hi there. First of all, this ain't mine. I'm sending this for the
author, because of problems he's got with cut-and-pasting in his
mail system. So please direct all C&C to either the list or
<z_haneyrm@TITAN.SFASU.EDU> to comment.

Message begins....

___________________________________________________________________________

Ray "The Texas Ryoga" Haney Jr.  at      z_haneyrm@titan.sfasu.edu

Hi, this is my first fan-fic and I just wanted to say a few words......
	Flame me, don't, whatever, I would love some feedback. This story
got started by combining the idea of wanting somebody in Ranma 1/2 to
play and sing 'Voices' from Macross Plus, thinking about how Ryoga can
sing, and a picture of Ranma and Ryoga in tuxedos. Then I thought about
doing a series of short, non-related stories on the "hidden talents" of
the Ranma crew. For instance, maybe .... Kuno can do something besides
Kempo, like.... (no, in his case poetry does NOT count, I mean do
something well).. well, maybe he can sculpt or something. Or has a great
singing voice. See what I mean? I'm really trying to find something that
they can't just do, but do supremely well. Something that they are
experts at and can do with passion, but they don't let anyone know they
can.I'm open to suggestions on 'hidden talents' so if you have a great idea,
just kick it my way.

Sweet water and light laughter......
	enjoy the show

p.s. This story is a bit romantic, but that overall tone was decided by
the song, not the story.

p.p.s Yes, yes, all the Ranma 1/2 characters in this are Rumiko
Takahashi's, lyrics and music to Voices is copyrighted to whoever owns
Macross Plus, they're not mine, blah, blah, blah, and scooby-dooby-doo.

Hidden Talents

(Because I couldn't find a graceful way to phrase it {I would love for
some suggestions on how too....} I've just skipped a basic introduction
and gone straight into the story. The outline idea is that Ranma and Co.
have gone to some kind of resort and have just attended some sort of
formal party. Evening gowns and tuxes galore. This is later, after the
party has broken up...)

	Part, The First

	Ryoga looked around nervously, it was late and it appeared as if
everyone else had disappeared, but he needed to be sure of his privacy.
The area was empty and Ryoga smiled ruefully as he relaxed and felt the
first waves of fatigue in his body. "Everybody s gone to bed, dummy, it's
past two in the morning," he muttered to himself. "I should to but....."
His voice trailed off as he remembered he had a date with an old friend....
	He continued walking around the lounge, peeking into corners and
hoping not to find anyone, when he finally became convinced that he was
alone, he set his sights on the destination of his journey and boldly
steered himself over. Coming up behind his target, he straightened his
bow tie, and tugged his jacket into place. Ever so gently, he then
reached one hand out and ran it along its smooth, white surface.
	The grand piano in the main lounge.
	He had caught sight of it earlier and managed to studiously
affect a disinterest in it the entire evening. Now however, in the quiet
and dark of the lounge, he could indulge himself. The lighting in the
room was perfect, dim all about the lounge with a center of slightly
brighter light on the piano. The instrument was a bright white and seemed
to glow in the darkness of the room. Hesitantly lowering himself onto the
bench, he felt all the memories come rushing back to him as he finally
set himself down.
	Once again he was four and staring in awe as his mother created
beautiful melodies with a piano. Eager, he threw himself into a devotion
towards the piano and music that was almost frightening. Frightening not
in its intensity, but in the fact that Ryoga had a natural gift and keen
ear for playing. He remembered being teased for staying home all day to
play the piano that he had gotten into a fight at school, and
suprisingly, soundly defeated an older boy.... and his three friends.
Ryoga winced as he remembered how he began to ignore his piano for his
martial arts, and he wondered to himself why he hadn't tried to do both.
Memories went through his mind of his travels and to the times he had
made money to live on playing piano in bars and nightclubs and hotels. He
had discovered, to his surprise, that his skill at the piano hadn't
disappeared and that he could still make great music. But the last time
he had played and been quite a while ago......
	He lowered his hands to the keys and softly played a few chords,
just trying to remember and become reacquainted with the feel of ivory
keys under his fingers.
	It was like he had never left.
	He toyed with the idea of playing a few pieces when he felt a
feather light touch on his shoulder. Ryoga froze and slowly cranked his
head up to see who had found him.
	Ukyou peered down at him a bit owlishly. " I didn't know you
played, sugar." Her voice was low and thick with sleep. And, a small
voice in Ryoga's mind noted, as beautiful as the purple evening gown she
wore. Almost as beautiful, the small voice continued, as Ukyou herself.
	Ryoga shook his head, suddenly startled again to realize Ukyou
was sitting beside him. The fatigue was slowing his brain down a bit and
he hadn't even noticed Ukyou lowering herself on the bench to sit next to
him. She lowered her head on his shoulder and muttered fuzzily,"C'mon
Ryoga, play me a song to sleep to."
	"But I don't...... I can't......" he sputtered in protest.
	She nuzzled against him gently, her sleepy mind only aware that
she was tired and that Ryoga was warm and soft. "Please?" she murmured.
	Ryoga looked down at the pool of soft brown hair pouring over her
shoulder. A stray wisp brushed against his cheek as he swiftly glanced
around the lounge again. There wasn't anyone else and....... Ryoga
growled at himself for his weakness to pretty girls asking him please and
the small voice in the back of his head laughed as it told him, "You want
to play, and you know that it's always better to play for an audience."
	He nodded gently and reached for the keys, Ukyou murmured at his
shifting arms and rearranged herself so that she could remain snuggled at
his side while he played. Under normal circumstances, Ryoga knew he
wouldn't have been able to concentrate, but for some reason, nothing she
was doing phased him. He shrugged and just considered the fact that he
had stayed out of the wine and sake that evening while Ukyou, and the
rest of the gang, had drank and partied a lot. Now, it was getting a
little cool in the lounge, so he understood Ukyou's action. Besides, he
laughed to himself a bit bitterly, she's probably dreaming I'm Ranma.
That gloomy though pestered him for a moment, and then he took in the
piano under his fingers and put all other thoughts out of his mind.
	He struck up a gentle chord and played a line of music from one
of his favorite songs. At Ukyou's approving murmur, he played the soft
gentle line again. He didn't notice the cluster of shapes gathering at
the entry of the lounge behind him....

	Ranma looked at the sight in front of him puzzedly, "Hey what's...."
	Before he could be noticed, Akane shushed him with two fingers on
his lips." Be quiet Ranma," she whispered fiercely at him. Ranma stared
back at Akane with a bit of wonder, considering how instead of clobbering
him to shut him up, she had just laid her fingers on his lips..... "Ryoga
is shy," she continued, "and I want to hear what...."
	With that Ranma cut Akane off as Ranma smiled and took her hand
and laid his own fingers over her lips. The two met each others eyes,
while the piano music softly filled the air and they both settled down in
the chairs next to the dimly lit entrance. They nodded and gestured for
silence when Shampoo and Mousse came walking (well, staggering actually,
Shampoo was drunk and leaning heavily on Mousse, who it could be said was
not minding one bit) Suprisingly, Ranma noted, Mousse seemed to be
allright leading Shampoo, which probably said a lot for the affect that
Shampoo had on him. Ranma mused to himself as the two settled into the
seats across the aisle from himself and Akane. It was probably a lot like
Dr.Tofu and Kasumi, he thought. Normally, you put those two together and
he was a moron, but when the chips were down, Kasumi actually
strengthened the good Doctor and aided his work. Guess Shampoo is like
that for Mousse's eyes, Ranma finally decided, when she needs him, he can
see.....
	The foursome were shortly joined by Nabikki leading a slightly
bleary Kuno. As a group they smiled to each other and leaned back,
drinking in Ryoga's music. as the final note wavered and died, Nabikki
looked as though she wanted to clap, but Kuno reached out and caught her
hands and stopped her. Very softly, so that only they could hear him,
Kuno whispered, " Let not anyone disturb the muse that is presently
alight in Hibikki's heart. I would hear more of his art and feel that if
he is disturbed, the fire of creation shall leave him and be replaced
with the ash of embarrassment." For once, everyone felt that Kuno summed
up the situation very well and so they all kept their silence and simply
sat back as Ryoga started a new song and played......

	Ryoga had been oblivious to all of this, simply sitting with
Ukyou at his side, playing the piano and filling the air with soft,
gentle notes. After finishing several soothing ballads and songs, he
looked down at Ukyou's slumbering face and decided she was far enough
into the lands of dreams that he could now play his favorite song for his
audience of one and be totally free to not feel embarrassment.
	And so his hands fluttered over the ivory notes as he took a deep
breath and began to sing. Hesitant and trippingly he sang the first part,
not daring to move, hardly daring to breath.
	"The first word was "dream"
	it came to me as I slept.
	Gently bringing out the darkness deep inside my heart."

	Ukyou didn't stir and Ryoga sang on, playing the piano and mixing
it's sweet notes with his voice. Still hesitant at first, his deep
baritone began to gain strength and, at the end, soared, not loudly, but
clearly and beautifully, intermingling with the notes from the piano.
	
	"The second word was "wind"
	show me the way.
	I beat my wings and fly into the arms of God

	as if counting out the sorrows that have melted all away
	the golden apples fall.
	Falling one at a time....

	to a place with nothing to see is where I must return
	a place I have only one life to struggle to get back to.

	an old book of magic spells
	the curtain of the silent moonlit night holds
	the promise of our being together again
	only that

	We can fly. We have wings
	We can touch floating dreams
	Call me from so far
	though the wind in the light."

	The keys came to a top and with closed eyes, Ryoga sang the final verse.

	"The third word that came was "hmmnnn"
	If I can just listen closely
	these trembling arms of yours that I hold
	I can gently set free"

	Ryoga paused as he felt Ukyou shift next to him and he belatedly
realized that she had to have heard him singing. Before he could say
anything or shuffle away, Ukyou hugged his arm and whispered "Thank you
Ryoga, that was beautiful. Play me another one?" Before he could protest,
she looked up with liquid brown eyes, "Please?"
	Ryoga sighed, smiled ruefully, and reached out to create more
music and was stopped for an instant as Ukyou laid her hand on his.
	"You're a man of hidden talents, Ryoga Hibikki." She smiled up at
him, "I'm glad I found this one."
	She smiled once more and nestled at his side again, as he
returned to the music. Behind him, unseen and unheard, Kuno leaned
forward and uttered, "Mine ears have been treated to wondrous magic
tonight. I say let all depart now and carry this magic in our hearts
before something should inadvertently destroy its mood or memory." Ranma
looked at the single teardrop trickling down Akanes face and looked to
his own slightly trembling hands and choked throat, " For once Kuno, I
agree with you completely." The group stood and with skill and grace
slowly and silently flitted out of the room as Ryoga continued to fill
the air with peaceful melodies and music that seemed to bid them farewell
and good night. At the door, Ranma paused and looked back, shaking his
head, "Ryoga,"
he thought to himself, "who could have ever guessed?"

The End

(o.k., so maybe I didn't right a real ending either, sue me!!)  :-)

Well, like I said, it is a short little Ranma story... any ideas for more?

Sweet water and light laughter
Ray "The Texas Ryoga"