Hey, anybody who might know me might remember these fanfics. I used to be a
student at SFA in Texas, and am now attending MSU in Texas. So I'm finally
back on the net and I wanted to get this stuff out. Hidden Talents one and
two are both rereleases, I put them on the list once before, but now I
slightly rewrote them. Talents 3 and 4 are new and I should have another two
or three fics finished in a day or so. So, here to start the barrage.......


Ray "The Texas Ryoga" Haney Jr.  at  raymond.haney@mohican.mwsu.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? A
hidden talent, or even a passion, that each character can do, and do
extremely well, that nobody knows about. 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. Disclaimer : Ranma 1/2 characters all belong to Rumiko Takahashi, blah,
blah, blah, and scooby-dooby-doo.

p.p.s. This is a bit sappy but not meant to be really that romantic. The
mood of the song is what dictated the mood of the story.

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 be asleep too, 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 had launched himself into a devotion
towards music and the piano with an eagerness that was frightening.
Frightening not in its intensity, but in the fact that Ryoga had had a
natural gift and keen ear for playing. He remembered being teased for
staying home all day to play the piano, teased to the point that he had
gotten into a fight at school, and surprisingly, soundly defeated an older
boy.... and his three friends. Ryoga winced as he remembered how he began to
ignore the 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 with a soft smile and a gentle touch of his
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 alright 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 was shortly joined by Nabiki 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, Nabiki 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 land 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 breathe. 
	"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"