Well, this is probably the final version,
unless you guys spot any goofs I missed,
or have a strong opinion on a part that's
written that you feel should be changed.
lemme know what you think, guys.
-RpM
TPOH - 10
"Ah! I LOVE the smell of coconuts in the morning!"
The principal of Furinkan high was in a good mood this morning. He
rested in the yard of his school, reclining on a beach chair under a
sun umbrella. He adjusted his sunglasses, watching several workers
pull hard on ropes, and drank from a coconut cut in half.
He'd grown to miss Hawaii... and the palm trees in his office just
weren't cutting it any more as relief for it. Neither was the sand,
or the beach-painted walls, or the sounds-of-the-ocean CDs that
sometimes blared on the school PS system. He needed something...
grand.
And he found it.
His grin widened even more.
As he picked up his ukulele and strummed whimsically, a gigantic,
behemoth, bronze pineapple was slowly ascending the school, lifted to
its lofty perch by numerous ropes.
That, he felt, would do.
*
Ryouga wasn't in a good mood.
For starters, Ukyou had insisted on on him being a her today, and
in full waitress outfit too. So there SHE was, and in the 'cute
waitress outfit' to add insult to injury. After days like this, she
had the urge to find Ranma and have a nice MANLY fight with much
bickering and boasting. It helped affirm his... identity.
However, on this day, one other thing was bothering him. Earlier,
a smug looking man, about his age, strode through the doors,
accompanied by several bodyguards. He was dressed all in white, with
a confident air about him, and a shining sword at his side.
"Pardon me, madam," he said to Ryouga in a most polite manner (not
noticing her scowl at the word 'madam'), "could you tell me where a
Miss Ukyou Kuonji is?" He smiled. His teeth shone. She hated him
immediately.
"And who're you?" she asked angrily.
*WHAP*
Ukyou removed the spatula from Ryouga's head and shoved her aside.
"Aheh, sorry about her behaviour. I hope finding this place wasn't
too hard, Mendo\-san?"
"No, no, it wasn't any trouble at all," said Mendo. He looked
questioningly at the still-dazed Ryouga-chan. "Will your waitress be
alright?"
"Who, her?" replied Ukyou. "She'll be just fine."
"Hey," hissed Ryouga, pulling Ukyou aside. "Where are you going?"
"Last minute thing, I'll explain later," said Ukyou. "Um... I
guess you might as well close up the restaurant."
"What time'll you be back?" asked Ryouga.
"What are you, my dad? Don't worry about it," replied Ukyou. She
turned to Mendo, holding out an arm, and said, "Shall we?"
"After you," said Mendo.
Mendo strode out after Ukyou, leaving Ryouga standing there,
looking somewhat confused. After another five minutes of standing
there, with a strange, somewhat sad look on her face, she finally
started thinking.
<Hey, why am I upset anyways? It isn't MY business...>
Thinking of Ukyou quickly sunk her mood back to neutral. Ryouga
blamed it on being in a girl's body [they get over-emotional, right?]
and went off to boil some water. Maybe take a trip later... she was
in the mood to get lost.
*
Some hot water and a few minutes later...
He stood there, getting more frustrated by the second. "WHERE THE
HELL IS THE EXIT?!?!" He'd been wandering Ucchans for several minutes
now, and he'd been through closet after closet after closet... and
discovered that they had a cellar.
It was getting embarrassing. Normally, in situations like this,
he'd just start punching through walls. In this case, however, he
didn't dare, especially considering how she reacted the last time he
wrecked the place.
*KNOCK*KNOCK*KNOCK* "ANYBODY HERE?! HEY!"
"Dammit, not now," he muttered, "I can't find the door... WHO IS
IT?"
"IT'S ME, RYOKO!"
Whoops.
Ryouga froze for a second. The last time he saw her, he said a few
things that might've... hurt her feelings. "Um... I'LL BE RIGHT
THERE!"
"ARE YOU OKAY?"
"I CAN'T FIND THE DOOR!!" he yelled in frustration.
He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard laughter.
"I'LL HELP YOU OUT!" she said.
"HOW?"
"I'LL SING A SONG, FOLLOW THE MUSIC!"
"Oh... well... OKAY!" Ryouga stood still for a moment, listening
carefully. Then he heard it, a light humming, that soon went into a
light song. He didn't understand the lyrics well, only bits and
pieces of it since it was in English, but it was loud enough for him
to follow and a nice song as well.
o/" Hey Jude, don't make it bad o/"
o/" Take a sad song and make it better o/"
o/" Remember to let her into your heart o/"
o/" then you can start to make it better o/"
To the left.... no, the right....
o/" Hey Jude, don't be afraid o/"
o/" You were made to go out and get her o/"
Getting louder... closer... good.... oops. Knocked something over.
Oh well, Ukyou won't notice, right?
o/" Remember to let her into your heart o/"
o/" then you can start to make it better o/"
Okay, to the left.... *CRACK* Oops! Didn't notice that door. He
winced, knowing Ukyou'd be upset about that.
o/" and anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain o/"
o/" don't carry the world upon your shoulders o/"
o/" for well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool o/"
o/" by making his world a little colder o/"
Ah... the door at last.
Opening the door with relief, he said, "Ah, sorry for making you
wait so long." They stood there, both looking nervous. She was
nervous from the moment he opened the door. He was nervous from the
moment he saw her being nervous when he opened the door. Everyone
was, for lack of a better term, nervous.
"Um..." Ryouga said. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to
say, but he felt it couldn't be as bad as the silence.
"I, ah," said Ryoko unsteadily, "came to warn you about something."
"Warn?" wondered Ryouga.
"Yeah... it's about my brother."
"Ryo? He hasn't bothered me in a while."
"Ever heard of 'calm before the storm'?" asked Ryoko.
"Oh."
"Can I... step inside?" asked Ryoko nervously.
"Oh! Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to be rude. Come on in!"
Ryoko walked in slowly, followed by Ryouga. They took a seat
nearby.
"Well... it's like this. He's been acting kinda weird lately, not
like he normally acts, and it might not be good."
"How?"
"He's... restless. Pacing around, in a downcast mood, he's on the
edge of going off on another wild mood swing, I think."
"Oh... and this is a bad thing?"
"The last time he was like this... alot of people got hurt."
Ryoko's look became more somber. "And... I think he might hurt one of
my friends."
"What? Who?"
"You've met Akari, right?"
"Briefly. Why? He's not..."
"He's dating her."
Ryouga blinked. "Huh?"
"He's dating her."
"And he's being mean to her? Abusing her? Or... molesting her?
How dare he!" Ryouga stood up, fist clenched. "I won't let this go
unpunished!"
"Acutally... he's being really nice to her."
"He what??" He looked at her, confused. "Then..."
"Wait, listen... whenever anyone asks him about it... when she's
not around... he becomes, well, almost violent. Angry. Defensive.
I'm afraid something bad might happen."
"Oh..."
"So, I was just wondering, I mean... if anything happened, I was
wondering if you could help out?"
"Of course! It's a martial artist's duty to help out in these
situations, after all!" Ryouga blinked briefly, wondering where he
heard that before, then shrugged the nagging feeling away.
"Thanks," she said, smiling nervously. "I, ah, also wanted to talk
about something else..."
"Oh?"
Ryoko looked away, appearing somewhat depressed. "About the, um...
the last time we met..."
"What about..." wondered Ryouga. Then he remembered. Yelling in
anger that he didn't care to have any relationships at all wasn't a
good way to make an impression. And he'd been trying to tell her
earlier, in a more polite way. "Oh. I... I'm sorry about that."
"No! No no, I'm sorry," she said, traces of sadness in her voice.
"You don't...?"
"I, ah, I'm kinda recovering from a broken heart, I guess," said
Ryouga, looking away. "I just... just don't want to date anybody."
"Oh. Is it something I-"
"No!" replied Ryouga, hoping to keep her from crying. He hated it
when women went emotional. He hadn't the faintest idea what to do.
"It's not anything you did, it's just me."
"Oh," she said. That, she supposed, was good news. Somewhat.
"I hope you're not too upset abou-" started Ryouga
"Me? Oh, no, don't worry about me," she said, trying to put on a
smile. "I just... wasn't thinking much. Did I ever tell you why the
sensei wanted me to marry you?"
"They wanted you to marry me?" asked a startled Ryouga.
"Oh... you didn't know that either, hm?"
"I was kinda... distracted... every time I meant to ask."
"Well," said Ryoko, "it was just a way to save face for them...
they had doubts about my brother's ability to beat you."
"Wait, they also sent him after me?!"
"Well, you did leave abruptly, and some of the sensei are easily
offended," replied Ryoko. "Where was I... oh yeah. If they couldn't
defeat you, they figured they'd bring you back into the fold... by
being engaged to me."
"Oh," said Ryouga, blushing slightly. "But... what about you?"
"What about me?"
"How did you feel about it?"
"I... well... you remember all the times we used to walk around the
dojos... talk a little... all those things?"
Ryouga nodded.
"I... well... you're the first boy that I ever did all that with."
Ryouga was surprised. "What? Why? I mean, you seem like a nice
girl to me, smart, cute, it's hard to imagine you... well... alone."
Ryoko smiled and turned a shade pink at the compliments.
"It was because of Ryo," she explained. "When our parents went
away, he... he was kinda overprotective. He told all the boys that if
anyone messed with me in the wrong way, there would be hell to pay.
And with his reputation there, well, no boys tried."
"But I was your friend, right?" asked Ryouga.
"You were also the first person he couldn't beat up badly."
"Oh, I see."
At that moment, Ryouga felt it coming, like some animals
instinctively can tell when a rainstorm is about to hit. He knew a
moment of awkward silence was approaching, and he sighed, knowing that
he had no idea how to stop it.
*
"Alas, where is Ryouga? I wish to abuse him further," muttered
Ryo, leaping around the rooftops of Nerima, "but my prey is not in
sight today." His face was locked into a disapproving scowl as he
stopped atop one rooftop, pacing back and forth like a panther.
Trying to focus his energy into a useful exercise, Ryo closed his
eyes and stood still, lifting his fists to his side. Slowly, his
gloved fists began to glow an odd sort of purple until his fists were
obscured by the brightness. Then, just as slowly, his fists dimmed.
He repeated this several times, 'flexing his ki' as he thought of it.
The purpose was to master control of his energies, and perhaps be able
to generate more of it. With mild curiosity he opened his eyes and
lifted one dimly glowing fist. His ki was once of a yellow nature...
bright yellow... but now it was this odd shade of purple.
He hadn't given it much thought until now.
Ryo quickly shuffled the thought aside, a mystery for another day.
He was still bothered by something else.
"I am restless today, and do not know why. I had hoped that the
idiot would be wandering about, but I am denied. There is no school,
the restaurant where he is known to inhabit was closed and locked,
and... I... AM... BORED!!!"
*
Tanya squeezed through the small air duct slowly, making sure her
filter mask was in place. Slowly and methodically, she scrubbed away
at the walls, ridding the duct of mold, mildew, and other
miscellaneous foreign objects that were tainting the air supply.
Noori had moved to Nerima shortly after the crash of the UWSMA,
intending to exact her vengence and also start up her own small
business. This, the cleaning of ventilation systems, was that
business. It was work that was dirty, but she felt at home doing it.
It was the closest thing to chimneysweeping that Japan had to offer,
and the price she was offering was very competitive with what the
other 'professional' cleaners were charging. Business, for her, was
very well indeed.
This was all well and good, but what she was looking forward to was
the after-hours entertainment: hunting Ryouga.
*
The moment of awkward silence passed, as Ryoko stared out the
window with a blank stare and Ryouga nervously adjusted his bandanna.
"So..." he muttered.
"Can I... can I ask you a question?" wondered Ryoko.
"Um... sure."
"I can still call you my friend, right?" she said with a smile,
holding her hand out in offer of a handshake.
Ryouga was surprised by this turn of events. It was never this
easy with Ranma and his situation. He blinked, confused, then shook
out of his daze, saying, "Oh! Sure! I'd be glad to!" He shook her
hand and smiled. {Hey! That wasn't so bad.}
"So," she said, showing him a small smile, "who was this girl that
caught your heart before me?" She poked his arm teasingly.
"Well, it's a long story," began Ryouga.
"Ukyou told me about it," said Ryoko.
"She WHAT?"
"About how your girl fell for her guy, although she didn't give me
any names."
"Oh," said Ryouga, relieved that Ukyou hadn't told too much.
"So... what's she look like, this girl?" asked Ryoko.
Lost in memory, Ryouga described her, "well... short hair, kinda
like yours, I guess. About your height... kinda like you I guess, but
not really."
Ryoko blinked. That, she thought, was a rather interesting
description. Curiosity prodded her onward with more questions,
although she wasn't certain she should ask them.
"And... what about Ukyou?"
Ryouga snapped out of his slight haze. "Huh?"
"Why're you staying with Ukyou?" she asked. Of course, she'd
already heard this part from Ukyou as well, but a part of her that was
unfortunately influenced by her brother's paranoia demanded to hear
Ryouga's side of things.
"I... ah... I was in bad shape when Ak... when I found out that the
girl I was in love with loved someone else. Ukyou, she helped me out
back then. A friend, you know?"
Trying to hide any signs of envy in her face, she asked, "so you
two...?"
Ryouga looked at her with a distinct lack of comprehension. "Us
two...?"
"You two, you and Ukyou I mean, you two weren't... ever... well...
attracted to each other?"
Ryouga's face went from blank to annoyed as comprehension finally
settled in. "What, with that... that... violent, short-tempered,
cross-dressing, unfeminine excuse for a girl!" Reflexively, he winced
as he said those words and looked around to make sure a certain
spatula-armed girl wasn't around to clobber him into the ground.
Ryoko couldn't help but smile a little. "So, just friends, huh?"
"Yeah, just friends."
"Where is she anyways?"
"She's... out on a date or something," grumbled Ryouga.
Not noticing the distinct look of jealousy on his face, Ryoko
asked, "Heey! A date! With who?"
"Some guy named Mendo," he grumbled.
Ryoko hmmed for a moment, tapping her chin. "Wait a minute, was he
wearing all white?"
Ryouga nodded.
"Expensive car? Lots of servants?"
Ryouga nodded.
"Carried a sword?"
Ryouga nodded.
"THAT LUCKY GIRL!" she shouted, grinning.
Ryouga's mouth was locked in a small frown. "Lucky?"
"That's Shutaro Mendo! The richest bachelor in Japan! I've seen
pictures him. The guy is cute!"
Ryouga winced with each word, feeling smaller by the second. "Oh,
I see."
"But," said Ryoko, patting Ryouga's shoulder, "I still think you're
cuter." Ryouga blushed furiously.
As she was about to say something more, Ryoko's wrist watch started
beeping. "Well, that's my little reminder that I'm on duty at the bar
tonite," sighed Ryoko. She stood up, then hesitated. "Ryouga... you
shouldn't be afraid of love just because something bad happened. I...
I'm not pressuring you to date me or anything... just... saying, as a
friend, don't dwell on the past too much. Okay?"
Ryouga blinked at the advice, not sure what to say in return.
"Um... okay."
"Good." She patted him on the shoulder once more. "Say, you really
like my singing voice?"
Ryouga nodded. "Definitely. Sounds great."
Ryoko smiled. "Thanks. See ya!" As she strolled out the door,
she began singing that gaijin song that he didn't recognize. It
didn't matter though. Somehow, the song sounded good anyways.
o/" Hey Jude, don't let me down o/"
o/" You have found her, now go and get her o/"
o/" Remember to let her into your heart o/"
o/" then you can start o/"
o/" to make it better o/"
Ryouga watched as she strolled down the street, singing her song,
fading from view. She was, he thought, a really nice girl. Cute too.
He looked around the store.
Well, he thought, we're alone. Again.
A dark mood was settling down once more on Ryouga's soul, a mood he
was all too familiar with. Determined not to sink into depression on
this day, he did what he always used to do when his mind was like
this.
Ryouga traveled.
*
Tanya looked out at the city from her rooftop perch, taking in the
beautiful sights of the city from high above. She had felt, in her
experience, that there was nothing quite like a rooftop view. It
somehow put everything into perspective.
Like that boy walking by with the bandanna.
Bandanna?
Tanya grinned. "Ryouga." She had found him, at last. Now to leap
down and crush the idiot to a pulp. She adjusted her grip on her
steel-wire broom and prepared to jump down. {Heheh, Ryouga you bloody
fool, you're mine.}
***WHAM***
Ryo grinned, watching Tanya soar across the skyline. Nothing like
the universal Martial Artist Low Earth Orbit Kick to clear out the
competition, really. He laughed quietly to himself, dusting off his
shoe.
"Idiot. Ryouga is mine."
Ryo spun his umbrella idly, looking down at the streets. "Back to
business..." He glanced down, scanning for Ryouga.
Who wasn't there.
"DAMNATION!" He cursed violently for a brief moment, then sprinted
away across the rooftops, hunting once more.
Several blocks away, Tanya extracted herself from a garbage can
angrily. She had him in her sights, she HAD him! And SOMEONE punted
her away at the crucial moment! *BLOODY HELL!* she swore in her
native tongue, then sprang up to the rooftops, hoping to find the
forever lost Hibiki once more.
*
Ryouga stood at the center of a long bridge over a river, feeling
the night breeze. The sound of the rushing water below was soothing.
Definitely soothing.
He found himself wondering about Ryoko's advice. Certainly, he
couldn't be afraid of dating in the future. It'd be... well...
unhealthy. The problem, though, was the whole dynamics of the dating
game. He'd never had to mess with it. It was always just... Akane.
There she was, and there he'd go, fighting to get those three vital
words out.
Would it have mattered, he wondered, if he did tell her earlier?
Would he be in the situation he was in now if he hadn't? If he had
the chance right now...
Ryouga shook his head. This was dwelling on the past, and Ryoko
was right, it wasn't a good thing to do.
Absentmindedly, he wondered what Ukyou was up to.
As he leaned against a lamp post, a white, open-top Rolls Royce
drove by slowly. Inside, a figure dressed in a white suit looked up
at the stars, casually putting his arm around a girl with a white
ribbon in her hair. They didn't seem to notice anyone else there but
themselves...
"Is everything alright, Miss Kuonji?"
"Ah, well, yes Mendo-san, everything's fine. It's been a lovely
night so far."
The car drove off into the night.
Ryouga scowled. "Why that... that... WHY SHOULD I CARE ANYWAYS?!"
Ukyou blinked, feeling a twinge of guilt for some reason. "Hey,
did you hear something?" she asked, looking around.
"No... I don't think so," said Mendo.
*
Ryo leapt from lamp top to lamp top, lightly, barely making the
lights shake. The idiot was a few lamps down, and not suspecting a
thing. He grinned. "Tonight, Hibiki, you are mine."
He held his umbrella ready, concentrating his ki so that the hook
end was blazing with energy, then leapt down.
"HIBIKI!!!"
*POOF*POOF*POOF*
"AAAAaaack..."
-splash-
Ryouga turned around. He thought he'd heard someone calling him...
"Weird."
For a moment, he listened carefully to his surroundings. Cars, the
waves, the sound of laugher... nothing unusual. Shrugging off the odd
feeling, Ryouga wandered off into the night.
Tanya Noori struggled to stay balanced on her light pole,
snickering badly. The look on Ryo's face as three soot bomb bags
nailed him and knocked him into the river was, simply put, a classic
moment.
*That'll teach yew, ye bloody jackass!* she declared while
laughing. It took her a few moments to calm down from the hysteria,
having a nagging feeling that she was forgetting something.
*Oh hell! Ryouga! Where'd he go?!* She looked around angrily, but
failed to see her prey anywhere.
Several minutes later, a dirty, wet, and furious Ryo Muhoshin
emerged on the shore of the river, coughing, wheezing, and lamenting
the loss of another set of good clothes to the river. They'd never
recover from the soaking they got, even in a dry cleaner. Ryo made a
mental note to look into more water-resistent clothing.
He wiped off the black material from his face and examined it.
Soot.
"THAT BITCH!"
*
Ryouga's stomach growled briefly, causing him to stop from his
wanderings. "Guess it is dinner time," he mumbled. Normally, he
didn't have to worry about it, mainly because there was always free
okonomiyaki.
"Hmph. Sick of okonomiyaki anyways," he grumbled. He took a
moment to examine where he'd wandered off to. Seemed to be the
restaurant district, and fortunately for him, he brought his wallet.
Something caught Ryouga's eye, a shadow of yesterday still standing a
block away.
"The Nekohanten," he muttered. "Wonder how Mousse and Shampoo
are." If she was still as violent and short-tempered with Mousse as
she'd always been, he thought, then Mousse must be having a rough time
of it. Funny what people put up with for love.
{Now why'd I think about that?} he wondered. Any further thoughts
on human nature were pushed aside as the smell of fresh grilled food
assaulted his senses and demanded his attention.
Tanya came to a stop atop a fairly tall building in the commercial
district of town. It was a relatively quiet night, all things
considered, so she hoped that it'd be easier to spot Ryouga amongst
the crowds.
*Where are you, y'bloody half-arsed...*
The breeze blew by, raising the aromas of the various restaurants
into the rooftops, tempting her with the scents. *Cor, I'm a bit
hungry, I am. Izzat yakitori I smell?* She sighed and sat down at the
rooftop's edge, eyeing the various eateries.
And a bandanna-clad boy standing in front of a cart, buying several
sticks of yakitori.
*Alright then, let's get this bloody show on the road, eh?* She
grinned, pulling a few soot bombs from her jacket, and landed on the
sidewalk softly, sticking to the shadows at all times.
Her plan was set: she'd blind him with a soot-bomb, then bludgeon
him to the ground.
She waited until the feeling was right, then heaved a soot bomb at
his head.
The wind was still.
Her aim was true.
He never saw it coming.
Ryouga sat at the counter of an open-air eatery, munching on his
yakitori. As he ate, he thought he saw something on the floor. {Hey!
Some yen! Lucky me.} He bent down to pick up the bills. He heard two
distinct whooshing noises, flying behind him. Ryouga quickly sat up,
looking left, then right. Seeing nothing, he shrugged. {Must be the
wind.}
Ryo stumbled through the dark alley, coughing violently and wiping
his face with his sleeves. {A soot bomb! Again with the soot bomb!}
He _had_ Ryouga dead in his sights, ki blast right at his
bandanna-clad skull, and of all the stupid things he bends down! And
then the damned soot bomb! He tripped over debris and bumped into
walls, occasionally accompanied by cursing and swearing, and faded
into the night.
Tanya stood up shakily, surprised she was still alive. The last
thing thing she expected was a ki-blast, and that's what she got, just
as she flung her soot bomb. The bright yellow wave of energy nailed
her in the chest, slamming into her harder than the hardest punch
she'd ever taken. It sent her flying across a street, over the
traffic... and... {AGAIN into a garbage bin! AGAIN!}
Ryouga smiled as he looked at the several yen he'd found on the
ground. {Hm. Might be my lucky day.} He left a tip to the cook, then
resumed his stroll to nowhere.
*
an hour later....
Noori sighed, happily. She'd missed Ryouga with a trap she'd set,
a rather elaborate trap with ropes and a really heavy tanuki statue,
but in the process, she'd accidentally eliminated that interfering
Muhoshin. She was back to hunting him, searching the streets quickly,
and....
Tanya had him dead in his sights.
Ryouga.
Standing in a street corner, looking very much unalert. She
charged across the street, yelling and spinning her broom madly.
Ryo trod through the sewers, unsure of the exact details of the
hows and whys of his current situation, but knowing the following
facts:
1) something shiny and metal flew through the air
2) something really heavy hit him, most likely from above him.
3) he woke up in a pile of debris, in the sewers, and wasn't
in any shape to leap out of the hole far overhead.
And at the rate things were going, he thought, he might be safer in
the sewers anyways.
It was at one point where he finally saw a ladder leading up to a
manhole. Feeling too lazy to make the effort of pushing the manhole
out of the way, he prepared to shatter it with a breaking point touch.
Tanya Noori suddenly found herself flying through the air with
fragments of metal slamming into her. Just before one large chunk hit
her in the head, sending her into unconsciousness, she noticed with a
tired sort of resignation that she was flying towards a garbage
dumpster.
Again.
Ryo emerged from the manhole slowly, and immediately saw Ryouga.
It didn't help his mood. As he sprang out of the hole, a truck
slammed into him, sending him up, up, and away into (he saw with much
anger) the river.
Again.
Ryouga blinked and turned around. There seemed to be a pothole in
the road, cars swerved everywhere, and the honking was growing to
annoying sound levels. He shook his head sadly, lamenting the effect
of cars on modern life. How could you enjoy the city with those
things blazing by and making all that noise?
*
yet another hour later...
Ryouga spent the rest of the night wandering aimlessly across town.
Much to his surprise, he didn't leave the city of Japan. In fact, he
saw parts of it he hadn't seen before. The tower thing seemed rather
familiar... like something he'd seen seen in France. All through the
night, he had a nagging feeling something was behind him. Sometimes
he heard screams, and the people nearby seemed disturbed at
something... but he didn't see what. Whatever it was, it was gone by
the time he looked.
Maybe he was getting paranoid?
Naah.
Minutes had turned into hours, and Ryouga found himself standing
before good old Furinkan High. He sighed, surrendering to the fact
that he was locked in a semi-sentimental mood.
Furinkan High.
Yeah, lots of memories here.
Ryouga sat down underneath the dark shade of a tree in the
courtyard, watching the moon rise. So much happened here, in
Furinkan. He found Ranma here and had several fierce battles with
him. Almost had him, almost. On so many occasions, too. Ryouga
shook his head sadly. Just a little bit more effort, and maybe...
Then there was the first time he met Akane. She was just another
girl at the time. Somebody that seemed to be sticking around with his
rival for some reason. And then her hair was cut. Whose fault was
that? His? Ranma's?
Of course it was Ranma's fault.
What else, what else...
Oh yeah. The first time he met Ukyou. Ryouga grinned, not
noticing it, though. She looked every bit the hansome young man, she
did. Amazing, that. Especially when he looked at her now, so cute...
"Feh, who cares about her?" he asked, but his voice lacked any
strong emotion. She was cute. Angry, short tempered, and with an
okonomiyaki fixation, but... cute.
Ryouga blinked, realizing that this particular line of thought was
leading to some place he wasn't comfortable at all in going to. He
sighed, leaned against the tree, and drank a bottle of soda.
He blinked again. Something was odd.
There seemed to be a giant, bronze pineapple sitting atop the roof
of Furinkan. He grunted in disbelief. Looks like the principal was
going tropically insane again.
Ryo stood next to the Furinkan High building, feeling the aches and
pains of the day. He'd spotted Ryouga, repeatedly, and was poised to
strike his enemy the final blow, but... every single time SOMETHING
went wrong! And worse yet, somehow he ended up battered and injured,
either by soot bomb or some other almost absurd sort of accident. He
stretched, his sore body complaining with every movement. This night
was one to forget. Damn that Hibiki luck, and DAMN that gaijin Noori
for interfering in HIS affairs!
And those soot bomb stains weren't coming out of his shirt either.
Tanya sagged, leaning against the cool stone of the building's
surface. Tonight wasn't a good night at all for her. Not at all.
She *HAD* Ryouga dead in her sights, SEVERAL times, a guaranteed
kill... except that SOMETHING always went wrong, somehow. Worse yet,
she'd been trying to kill him all night, and it was her that was badly
beaten up, via many, numerous, ridiculous accidents of one sort or
another. That Ryouga was the luckiest bastard alive... and damn that
Muhoshin for interfering in HER business!!!
Ryo heard breathing nearby. He blinked, listening carefully, and
ignoring the aching bruise that was his body, stalked closer to the
unexpected presence.
Tanya froze, sensing a presence nearby and approaching her. She
ignored the soreness that the day had inflicted on her and readied her
broom once more, waiting for combat. She slashed out where she
suspected the person was, and her weapon connected solidly with
something metal. In the dimness of the shadows, she could see the
person's form. A sudden passing car illuminated the area.
"YOU!" growled Ryo.
"YOU!" yelled Tanya.
They both began slashing wildly, sending sparks flying whenever
they hit the concrete walls of the school. In their tired, mad battle
lust, they didn't notice the various ropes around them....
Ryouga settled down, looking at the rising moon. It reminded him
of the days when he wandered across Japan with no place to call home.
Just him, the stars, and a campfire at night. A brief moment later he
was snoring restfully.
Ryo slashed again, wildly, adrenaline powering him on despite his
fatigue. He advanced on Tanya with a wild and reckless series of
slashes, pushing her towards the wall. Suddenly, a loud, shuddering,
metal sort of noise groaned.
He suddenly had a bad feeling about things.
Ryouga woke with a start, feeling the ground shake under his body.
Was it an earthquake? An explosion? He jumped to his feet, startled
and alert. There was the sound of something heavy, something big,
rolling away in the distance, but at the moment, in the darkness, he
couldn't see what was making the noise. Ryouga's gaze stopped at the
top of Furinkan High.
"Hey, where'd that giant pineapple go?"
*
Doctor Tofu stopped reading his book and raised his head with a
puzzled expression. Something just went *thud*, accompanied by a
brief rattling that shook through his clinic. He rose from his desk
and went to see what caused the disturbance.
several minutes later...
For Tanya Noori, there was nothing. Total oblivion. No sight, no
sound, no taste...
Actually, there was a feel. She finally felt gravity and it's
constant pull, keeping her pressed to something fairly soft.
Probably a bed of some sort. She took a deep breath, feeling the
dry, cool air fill her lungs.
Then there was a motion. Something blurry, fleshtone in color, was
slowly waving in front of him. She squinted to focus. There was some
sort of sound accompanying that waving...
"How're you feeling?"
Tanya blinked.
"Are you okay, miss?"
Tanya sat up suddenly, which was a mistake. Her various bruises
and cuts reminded her that rest was a good thing.
"Don't sit up miss, you need your rest."
"Who... are you?" she asked in her slightly rigid Japanese.
"I'm Doctor Tofu. I found you outside," he said, with some
concern. "How are you feeling?"
She thought about this for a moment. "Hurt."
"Badly?"
"Not exactly."
"Well, you're in a little rough shape. I cleaned up your cuts and
wounds, and did the best I could on all your bruises."
"Thank you." She looked around slowly, then saw a certain someone
else on a medical bed nearby, eyes closed, resting with a scowl on his
face.
"Should not help him," she told Tofu with a frown, pointing to Ryo.
"Shut up, Noori," mumbled Muhoshin.
"Hey, both of you, stop fighting," chided Tofu.
There was a knock at the front door.
"You two just stay put for a while, okay? I'll be right back." He
went to the front door and opened it, revealing a puzzled looking
group of Ranma, Akane, and Kasumi.
Tofu's glasses flashed from clear to cloudy in a heartbeat as
Kasumi looked into his eyes and spoke.
"Hello Doctor Tofu, we were passing by and I decided to return some
things I borrowed. Why is there a giant bronze pineapple in front of
your clinic?"
"K-Kasumi! Why hello!"
*
The neighbors looked at the clinic, shaking their heads sadly as
they heard agonizing screams and the sound of joints being bent out of
the position where nature had intended them to be. Despite the doors
being closed, they heard the screams of terror coming from within.
The Tofu Clinic had thin walls.
"Wonder when the poor boy will ever overcome it," said one of the
neighbors.
"Do you think she knows how he feels?" wondered another.
"AAAAAGH! MY NECK! MY NECK!!!"
"What's that, Miss Noori, you need painkillers?"
"I'M RYO! SHE'S *MFFF*"
"Oh, Doctor Tofu, you're so silly."
"Hmm... maybe, maybe not," said a neighbor, shrugging.
"Tsk, it's a shame about that. The doctor and her would make a
rather nice couple... if it weren't for... you know."
"True, true."
*clap* "Such is fate."
*
It was, according to Ryouga's watch, about ten at night. He
wondered if he should head back to Ucchan's, then tossed that idea
aside quickly. What would she care if he was out? Besides, it was
just a little walk.
He found himself in front of a grey building of French design. The
sign on it's roof read, 'King's Cafe'. Wasn't that where Ukyou hung
out now and then? Curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped
forward to enter.
*SPLASH*
Ryouga sighed as the car drove away. Of course, there had to be a
puddle nearby. And of course, the car had to hit it at just the right
speed. Maybe, he (now a she) hoped, there'd be some hot water inside.
She entered and found herself in a very... European setting. The
floor and all the furniture were made of unpainted lumber, and the
walls were covered with grey cut stone, giving it the feel of a tavern
of sorts. At one end was a small stage, where a few musicians were
tuning up their instruments. One, in glasses, looked at Ryouga,
blinked, then turned away. At the other end of the cafe was a bar,
attended to by a gaijin lady, probably in her 30's, wearing a
feminine burgandy tuxedo.
Two figures, their backs turned to him, were slumped on the bar,
several barstools apart, and it seemed she was talking to them. Not
knowing what else to do, he took a seat at the bar between the two.
"Hi there, miss," said the blond woman, "what'll it be?"
"Can I have a glass of hot water?" she asked.
The lady looked puzzled. "Hot... water?"
Ryouga nodded.
"Anything else? Pretzels? Peanuts? Snacks?"
"No... that's all for now. Thanks."
As she waited for the hot water, Ryouga noticed that the bartender
was looking at her strangely. It was making her nervous.
"You wouldn't happen t'be named Hibiki, would you?" asked the lady.
The girl and boy to Ryouga's left and right stirred.
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey, s'the lossssssssstboooooy? Wherrre?" said
the boy. He was in a navy blue suit, but it was ragged and stained
badly everywhere with some sort of black material. His face also had
traces of the black stains.
"Aaaaah, Hibiki-san? Heeeeeere? Surp-p-prising," said the girl.
She was dressed in a British outfit from the Victorian era.
There was something dangerously familiar about the pair. The fact
that they both seemed to be drunk, or high on some chemical, didn't
ease Ryouga's nervousness.
Wait... skinny, wears a suit, and there was a distinctive black
umbrella next to him. Ryo Muhoshin. Not good.
The other... odd accent, covered with black stained clothing...
Noori. Getting worse. Both of them, and in the same building, no
less. Not good.
Ryouga tried to back away, but with crooked grins, they both
dragged him and sat him firmly into a bar stool. To make sure he
didn't get away, they both sat at either side of him.
"Aaaah. You, madame," he said, squinting at her, "are... not
Ryouga."
*Abso-bloody-lutely* said Noory.
Ryo poked Tanya. "Oy! Noori! Ya'talkin in gaiiiiijin'gain."
*Who gives a rat's ar... arse*
Ryo contemplated her worlds. "Hm. Qui... quite right."
King smiled as she watched the pair banter with the very nervous
looking girl in the middle. The whole scene just looked too funny.
"By the way you look," she said, "and from what I've heard, you look
like you're maybe... his sister?"
"Um... yeah, that's it," she answered nervously. "I really should
go..." said Ryouga nervously.
"Come now, m'laaady, stay'n wax philosophic with us, eh?" urged
Ryo.
"Stay, stay, need more people fo... fooooooor this," said Noori.
Ryouga looked at King with worried eyes. "Um... why are they like
this?" he asked her. "Did they..."
"They came in this way," said King. "Before they were totally gone
like this, Muhoshin said something about someone named Tofu, a bottle
full of very strong medication, and some girl named Kasumi. Make any
sense to you?" she asked.
"I took th'whooooooooooooooole bottle!" yelled Ryo.
"Naaaaaaaaaasty medicine, I tell you. But I'm feelin' so hiiiiiiigh
right now."
*Abso-bloody-lutely* added Noori.
"Japaaaaaaaanese, Noori. Speak'n Japanese. How'll the preeetty
laaady," said Ryo, poking Ryouga in the head," understand what you're
sayin'?"
"Up yoooooooours, skinny," replied Noori with a grin.
"Much better. Now," said Ryo, blinking and shaking his head.
"Me'n... miss SOOT BOMB here... we was havin' a discussion...
meanin'o life and all that, hm?"
"Right-o," added Noori.
"Ssssso...." slurred Ryo.
"Hmmmmm...." mumbled Tanya.
They both slumped back to the bar.
Ryouga sat there, unsure of what to do, exactly. They never saw
her in this form before. Actually, only Ukyou, Ranma, and Akane knew
about it. She would have gone out more as a girl, thought Ryouga, if
she had known it'd help in avoiding those two.
"Seems these two are your friends?" asked King.
"Actually, they're out to kill me," said Ryouga.
"Youu?" wondered Ryo.
"Hm?" added Noori.
"Er, um, I mean, my brother," fumbled Ryouga.
"DARN RIGHT!" yelled Ryo.
"BINGO!" cheered Tanya.
"Tried aaaaaaaaall night, too," said Ryo. He poked at Ryouga
somewhat harshly. "HE... hassss the damnedest luck."
*No bloody kiddin'* mumbled Tanya. Ryo looked at her for a moment,
thought about reminding her to stay in the Japanese tongue, then just
rolled his eyes and shrugged.
"E'r since sundown, been tryin't kill'em, missed by THAT much,"
said Ryo, putting his finger and thumb almost together.
*Me tooooo* blurted Noori.
"What'd she say?" asked Ryouga.
"S'not important," replied Muhoshin.
*Bugger off, umbrella-booooooy* sneered Tanya drunkenly.
*Bite-u meh* shot back Ryo. Focusing back on Ryouga, Ryo said,
"where were weeeeeeee...."
*Waxin' the bloody philosophic* said Tanya.
"Yeah, that," nodded Ryo.
"What'd she say?" asked Ryouga.
*Waxin' the philosophic* repeated Tanya.
"Exactly," said Ryo.
"They were just talking about life. I think they're really
wasted," added in King. "You two guys want any coffee to sober
yourselves up?"
"Tha's if we're drunk, an'we're not," said Ryo.
"We're stoned," added Noori.
"Quite right," said Ryo. "Stoooooned silly. Now wha're'we
talkin'about?" he asked Noori.
"Life?" wondered Noori.
"Nah, too general."
"Meaning of life?"
"Did that already."
"The ex... ex... there bein' a benevolant higher being?" wondered
Tanya.
"I think we agreeeeeeed that it was a being of a naaaasty sense'o
humor, ne?"
"Oh yeah. Oh... what is happiness?"
"A warm gun," said Ryo, matter-of-factly.
"Oh, oh. Ah! Llllllllove!" said Tanya, pounding the bar with her
fist.
"L'Amour!" exclaimed Ryo.
"Hey," said Tanya, reaching over to whap Ryo in the head. "Speak
th'native tongue, eh? No French"
"Oh. Sorry."
King sat back and watched. "This oughta be good," she mumbled.
"AND WHAT.... iz love?" asked Ryo.
"A warm gun?" wondered Noori.
"No, thaaaaaaaaaat's HAPPINESS!" replied Ryo irritably.
"Ah, love. Tis that which beats in every heart, what makes slaves
of men and women, and drives madness into the most stoic of hearts.
Oh, what fools us mortals be when gripped by the fiery hand of love!
The passion and the tempest which is stirred indeed, when that
strongest of emotions possesses our souls!"
Ryo blinked.
Tanya blinked.
Ryouga blinked.
King stepped up. "Anything to drink, mister...."
"Tatewaki Kuno, oh fair mistress of the bar," said Kuno, taking a
seat next to Noori. "I shall partake of a cola, good woman." He
noticed the bandanna-clad girl staring at him oddly. "Ah, hello,
young lady. Allow me to introduce myself." Ryouga tried to escape,
but he was blocked at the sides by Noori and Muhoshin, behind by Kuno,
and front by the bar. Kuno ranted on... "I am the one known amongst
notable circles as Tatewaki Kuno, blazing star of the kendo world, and
the legendary blue thunder of Furinkan High!"
In the distance, thunder rumbled as Kuno struck a dramatic pose.
"And what is the name of the young lady standing before me?" he
asked Ryouga.
"Sheeeee's sittin'," pointed out Ryo.
"Sitting before me," corrected Kuno.
*Much better* mumbled Noori.
"What was that which this street urchin hath spoken? Methinks she
speaks in the gaijin tongue?"
"S'not important," mumbled Ryo.
*Screw you* mumbled Noori.
"See what I mean?" said Ryo.
"Again I ask," Kuno said to Ryouga, "what might thy name be?"
"I'm Ry....er... Rei." Ryouga tried to think of a way for the
bothersome trio to focus on something else so that she could sneak
away. "Um, what were you two talking about?" she asked Noori and
Muhoshin.
"Love!" declared Ryo.
"Natures of the heart?" asked Kuno. "The blue thunder is, I dare
say, thoroughly knowledgeable in the affairs of the heart. But what
hast this fair company to say on the topic?"
*Love?* replied Noori, *S'when y'see someone, roight? An'every
moment you're with'em, y'don'wanna leave'em.* She sniffled a bit, then
said *A li'l more water, miss?*
Ryouga tried to make sense of it all. He couldn't. English wasn't
a language he was familiar with, except for the words 'where am I?'
'where is Japan?' and 'Where is the restroom?'.
"Hah, and this was why you dated my brother?" snickered Ryo.
*Tha'wassa bloody mistake, now don'bringiitup'gain.*
"Hrmph. Any thoughts on th'sub... sub... topic, Bluuuuuue
Thundah?" wondered Ryo.
"When cupid's arrow doth strike," said Kuno, standing up
dramatically, "the very thought of the one which you love clouds...
nay, BEFUDDLES thy mind! The tongue is turned to rubber and the heart
beats with a fierceness unmatched. When one is in love, neither
stick, nor stone, or mighty kick, which my pig-tailed goddess doth
have alongst with a mighty punch, shall deter one from one's object of
desire." Kuno sat down once more, taking a sip from his glass.
*Tha'was beuuuuutiful, man* said Noori. Ryo nodded solemly.
*Wha'bout you, stick-boy?* Noori asked Ryo.
"Hm? Love... what is love... love is..." Ryo fell silent.
"Is...?" wondered Ryouga.
"Is...?" prodded King.
*'urry up'n answer, ya bloody git* mumbled Noori.
Ryo looked up, solemly. "I've no idea."
"Are you not dating Unryuu?" asked Noori.
"Oh, so you're him?" said King. "Akari's one of my employees. She
talks about you alot, you know."
"S-she does?" said Ryo, looking surprised. Suddenly, it felt a bit
warm in the room to him. He adjusted the ragged remains of his tie
nervously.
"Ah..." Ryo found the situation entirely too uncomfortable. So he
did the only thing he thought was left to do. "What ab.... what've
you t'say on this love business, miss? Eh?"
"Ahhhh... I don't know." She looked down at the bar, sadly.
"Come nnnnnnnow, Miss Rei. Don't you have any experiences to draw
upon?" wondered Ryo.
"Tis sad indeed," said Kuno.
"I..." said Ryouga, trying to find something to say. "I... know a
couple. They're in love. I... don't understand why. He insults her
all the time, she hits him all the time because he's a jerk... but
they love each other. Makes no sense."
"There is no mystery in it, Rei-chan," replied Kuno. "For when one
is in love, one ignores the minor slights and offenses, and in the end
follows thy heart. The angry tongue or violent fist may crack the
heart, but when one is truely chained by love, wounds to thy pride are
nothing. Come, let me show you the way of love! *OOF*" Kuno was
knocked back in mid-glomp by 'Rei' and her punch. This seemed to set
him back to a non-aggressive mode, at least for the moment. "Ah, The
lady doth have a strong punch, not unlike my pigtailed goddess and the
fair Akane Tendo." The others stared at Kuno briefly, shrugged, then
stared back into their drinks. King was snickering badly, she was
definitely liking this part of town already.
Ryo rubbed his chin, contemplating Kuno's words of wisdom. "So...
in oth... in oth... so, a person enam... enema... in love puts up
with alotta crap, hm?"
"I would not phrase it in such a vulgar way," said Kuno, frowning.
The four fell into a contemplative silence.
"Annnnybody got any cards?" wondered Ryo.
*
"Well, where to next?"
Ukyou blushed, smiling at the regal treatment she'd been receiving
all night from Mendo. It'd been a while since anyone had paid
attention to her in this manner.
"Hm..." She tapped her chin, wondering where indeed to go next.
They'd had a good drive, through a rather scenic part of town, topped
off by dinner at a four star restaurant that just happened to have a
jazz band and a dance floor as well. Mendo had turned out to be a
very good dancer indeed. And now they were driving around with no
particular place to go.
"Oh, wait, stop over here," said Ukyou. "Let's stop in here for a
little coffee?"
Mendo smiled. "As you wish."
*
The drink wasn't what she wished for. She would've rather ordered
a cola, but Tanya had shoved the drink in her hands before she could
protest, and King was away tending to other customers.
Ryouga frowned. She wasn't sure at all what on earth he was doing
with this pack of lunatics. It just didn't make sense. There was
Kuno, who was out to smite him, no thanks to Ranma and a practical
joke of his that made Kuno think his pig-tailed goddess was now
Ryouga's. There was Tanya, who had some grudge against him but never
explained it just yet. Then there was Ryo, who simply had developed
quite a mean streak when all things Hibiki were concerned.
However, the current conditions of these people made it easier and
harder to deal with them. It was easier, because it looked like no
fight would break out, and harder because they were acting far far
more strange than he was used to. Apparently, Kuno had been feeling a
tad melancholy, and so this night, for Blue Thunder, was not one for
conflict, but contemplation. Add to that the excessively caffeinated
drinks and odd effects of mass dosages of sugar additives in said
drinks and it left Kuno feeling... odd. Tanya and Ryo were apparently
stoned, possibly due to Dr. Tofu, Kasumi, and Bad Timing.
It was, definitely, under normal circumstances, extremely
undesirable company. But the mood he was in that night, something
bordering on sad, but not quite, held on to him. It is said misery
loves company. Melancholy doesn't mind a few houseguests either.
She wondered if it was possible to leave yet, sighing and looking
down at her glass.
"Ryouga? Is that you?"
A blast of ice ran it's way through her spine. A definite bad
feeling. Tanya, Ryo, and Kuno looked around, expecting to see their
nemesis nearby.
Ukyou walked into King's cafe, hoping for some pleasant after
dinner conversation, but instead saw Ryouga, in his cursed form,
sitting with a group of people that should have been trying to kill
him, and with a drink in her hand.
She remembered how Ryouga was the few times he was drunk. Ukyou
was determined not to put up with it again.
"HEY! YOU!"
Ryouga nearly dropped his glass, as he stared at Ukyou like a deer
before a car's headlights. "Um... Ukyou..."
"And you're drinking again, too!" yelled Ukyou.
"It's not-! I mean-! It isn't! I wasn't!" Ryouga stumbled for
words, but just couldn't focus with all the panic hitting him.
"Ooooh, someone's in troooouble," hissed Ryo.
*Oy, s'the weird gel wit'th'spaaatchula* mumbled Tanya.
"Tsk. Ah, fair miss Kuonji, tis sad to see such a young lady
steeped in the chains of alchoholism, is it not?" said Kuno solemly,
shaking his head.
"I'M NOT DRUNK!" insisted Ryouga. However, her tired expression
from what she'd had to endure at the bar previously, added to the
effort of walking around all day didn't help her appearances. "But
maybe YOU are, after you and the rich kid have been running around all
night!"
"What's THAT supposed to mean?!"
"What do you THINK it means?!"
*CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG*
Meanwhile...
Kuno's head rose, and he peered at Mendo curiously. "Mendo?"
Mendo stared at Kuno, recognition seeping into his mind. "Kuno?"
Ryo turned to Tanya. "Good security, those Mendo buildinnnngs
have."
Tanya nodded in agreement. She'd tripped their alarms every time
she hopped across one of their rooftops.
"Ah! Mendo!" Kuno grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down to
a nearby barstool. "It has been long since we had last met! Come,
have a seat with us on this good night!"
"Ah, I would love to, Kuno-kun, but I really must see this young
lady... ah..." He looked around. Miss Kuonji was gone. "Where did
Miss Kuonji go?"
"Worry not about the weaker sex tonight, Mendo! Come, share with
us a drink and good conversation," urged Kuno, slapping him on the
back cheerfully. Full of mirth, Kuno and the others dragged Mendo to
the table, while Kuno mentioned to one of Mendo's aides, "the
veritable Shutaro Mendo shall be enthralling us with his presence,
perhaps it would be best to return those two fair maidens," he
gestured at Ukyou and a now unconscious Ryouga (wearing a gigantic
spatula), "back to their place of residence?"
"Yessir, right away!"
*
Ryouga woke up with a nagging headache. He was also still a she,
and also apparently back at Ucchan's. She had a ringing headache, and
it definitely wasn't due to a hangover. How, she wondered, did Ukyou
manage to do that? Knock him out with one blow? She'd taken MUCH
worse from far stronger adversaries, and yet she comes along, and with
one hit of her spatula, *WHAMMO* lights out. He wondered if it had
any link to why Akane always beat Ranma up so easily all the time.
She wandered aimlessly around, looking for a kitchen. It seemed
her mouth was incredibly dry. It was while doing this that she
overheard a voice somewhere else in the house, definitely Ukyou's.
Maybe she was talking on the phone?
"I'm sorry about tonight, Mendo, but I had a great time anyways."
Mendo? Ryouga narrowed her eyes. What was she doing talking to
Mendo?
"Your proposal?"
PROPOSAL?! Ryouga felt her heart sink and she slumped to the
floor, feeling suddenly cold.
"Well..."
_Say no!_ Ryouga screamed in her mind, _please say no! Don't leave
m.._
"Well, I'm not sure yet...."
_THANK_YOU._
"But I'm gonna havta talk to my dad about it too. I'll need his
approval, of course."
That... didn't sound good. Sounded like she was going to say yes.
Father's approval?! It couldn't be...
"Good night, Mendo-san." Ukyou hung up the phone and sighed. It
was a pretty fun night, all things considered. If only that dummy
Ryouga didn't get lost and smashed. She checked to make sure the
doors were locked, then went to the back area of the restaurant where
she immediately stumbled over Ryouga, who was sitting on the floor and
looking a little despondant. A little too sad for her not to notice.
"Hey, Ryouga, you okay?" She waved a hand in front of his face.
He seemed not to notice it. "Ryouga? Hey, you're worrying me.
C'mon, sugar, snap out of it."
"Huh?"
Ukyou sat down across from Ryouga on the floor and gave him a
worried look. "What's on your mind? You look... well... depressed."
"It's.... nothing." He hung his head down, feeling the old
depression settle into him like fog.
Ukyou poked Ryouga's arm teasingly. "C'mon, tell me about it."
"I... I'd rather not. Can you just guide me to my room?"
Ukyou became very worried at this. Since when did Ryouga hide
anything from her lately? "Well, okay, if you say so. C'mon."
Withouth thinking about it, she stood up, then grabbed him by the
hand. As he shuffled into his room with some odd expression on his
face, she felt frustrated that she wasn't able to cheer him up.
"Well... g'night, Ryouga."
"Good night."
Ukyou took a moment to give him a light hug. She didn't think of
why, really, except that someone she cared about was in one of his
deep depressions again. She gave him a light, harmless slap on the
cheek and then poked him on the nose with a mock-frown on face.
"Hey, don't be afraid to tell me what's bothering you, okay? I
worry about you sometimes."
"Y-you do?"
"Of course I do, stupid. Now get some sleep." And with that said,
Ukyou left.
*
Merry humming came from Ukyou's bedroom as she got ready for bed.
It was a good day, with a fair bit of fun and some future potential
too.
Then she froze.
A sinking feeling hit her fast as she realized what she'd have to
do if she wanted to get any further on the matters she discussed with
Shutaro Mendo.
She'd have to talk to her father.
And she hadn't done that in a long time. She wasn't planning on
talking to him just yet either.
Oh my.
What to do? She grit her teeth in aggrivation as no solution
seemed to present itself in her mind. There was only one thing to do.
Procrastinate like she never procrastinated before in her life.
*
Ryouga's mind was spinning in odd directions. He'd felt this way
before, but for the first time he was realizing what it was and was
afraid of what the consequences might be if he was right. A confusing
end to a confusing day.
On one hand, nothing ventured nothing gained.
And yet... sometimes there are things best left unsaid.
He took in a deep breath, closed his lights, and after five
minutes, found his bed and slept in it.
-end part 10-