Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
Rumiko Takahashi and co.

This story takes place after volume 38 of the manga.  It also draws
ideas from the anime.

This is another part of Preludes and Interludes series, which in turn is
a part of my crossover [still accepting help with name] series.

C & C welcomed.  Flames not.

Preludes and Interludes:  Ryoga

By

Donny Cheng

Present day...

	Ryoga sighed as he looked at the vacant lot in front of him.  He was
finally home again.  It was going to be another day alone if his parents
weren't home.  He sighed again as he trudged towards the back door.

	"Hey, who's making all that racket."

	Ryoga snapped his head to see where the voice was coming from.  It was
Ranma.  Ranma, sitting beside a fire and a tent, was apparently camping
out in Ryoga's own backyard.  "What are you doing here?"

	"Ryoga?  It is you.  I should be asking you.  How'd you ever find you
way back home without help?"

	"Do you take me to be totally inept?"  Actually, Ryoga had been trying
to find his way to the Tendo Dojo, but Ranma didn't need to know that
little tidbit.  "Anyway, I asked you first."  To Ryoga's astonishment,
Ranma seemed to blush.

	Ranma gave Ryoga a lopsided grin.  "Don't you remember, pig boy?  Four
years ago today was supposed to be the fourth day of our duel.  A
student of the Anything Goes School is supposed to honor and accept all
challenges.  I should've taken your getting lost into account, but pop
wanted to go to China that day.  Since that time, I tried to make up by
making sure I made it to all our future duels.  But, I never did get
over missing that very first one.  So, I guess that's why I'm here.  For
old time's sake."  Ranma did not say it aloud, but he knew it was
because of that incident he had a falling out with Ryoga.  Ryoga had
once been his best friend.

	Ryoga stared at Ranma.  The jerk actually remembered.  Strangely, Ryoga
found his anger at Ranma start to fade ever so slightly.  This had
reminded him of the time he learned the shishi hokodan and challenged
Ranma.  Ranma had waited an extra week for him to show up for their
duel.  Ranma had showed up for every duel ever since they met up with
each other again after junior high.  Maybe, Ranma truly did want to make
up for what happened all those years ago.  He remembered how he and
Ranma had been good friends once.  Though they argued throughout the
sixth grade, Ranma never failed to bring him from home to school and
vice versa.  Despite himself, he found himself returning Ranma's grin
with a toothy one of his own.  "Well, since you're here, let's spar. 
Think of it a continuation of that duel."

	"Bring it on."

			* * * * *

	Ranma and Ryoga huddled together near the fire as they nursed their
wounds.  Both of them had silly grins on their faces.  They practically
glowed with the physical exertion.  Ranma turned and looked at Ryoga. 
"So did you hear about Michiru and her 'friend' Haruka."  

	Ryoga did not say anything.

	Ranma smiled knowingly at Ryoga's silence.  His old friend didn't fool
him a bit.  Ryoga's nose was currently bleeding profusely and his eyes
were glazed over.  Ranma guessed that Ryoga had heard the news.  

	Fortunately, Ryoga had gotten over his crush on Michiru a long time
ago.  "Yeah, I hope the best to them both.  Funny, how you think you
know a person and they turn around and do something completely
different."

	Ranma knew that Ryoga's statement had not only been directed at their
shared friend, Michiru.  It looked like Ryoga might forgive him one of
these days after all.  Happy anniversay old friend, Ranma thought to
himself.

			* * * * *

Eighty years in the future...

	Ryoga knelt beside Akari's sleeping form.  He knew that she would not
last the night.  He held her frail hand in his as whispered his love to
her.

	Akari slept fitfully.  All of a sudden, she jolted awake.  "Ryoga,
where are you?"  She cried out as she frantically searched around for
him.

	"I'm here, Akari.  I'm right beside you."  Ryoga desperately tried to
sooth his wife.

	Akari's eyes cleared from her nightmare and sighed with relief that
Ryoga was still beside her.  "I had a dream.  I dreamed of seeing your
dead body with blood all over the place."

	Ryoga choked back the tears that were threatening to burst from his
face.  Akari, even when she was dying, she cared more about his welfare
than she did anything else.  "Don't worry.  I'm all right.  You just
rest.  Everything will be all better in the morning."

	"Don't lie to me Ryoga.  We've been together too long a time.  Even if
I do survive the night, there is still tomorrow night.  If not then, it
will be the night after that.  Face it Ryoga, I'm just too old."

	Ryoga could not say anything to rebuke Akari's conclusion.  Instead he
just gathered her into his arms and held her.

	"I always wondered, why did you stayed with me all these years?"

	"You know the reason.  I love you."

	"I know that you also loved HER just as much, if not more."

	"You knew?"

	"Everyone knew except for her.  Sometimes I wonder how much my life
would have been different if you told her of your feelings."

	"It didn't matter if I told her or not.  She was not mine to love.  I
saved her from the pain of breaking my heart."

	"But your heart did break, didn't it?"

	"It did, but I was saved in the end by a person I cared about just as
much.  You were the only one that could mend my heart."

	Akari could see the truth in Ryoga's eyes.  "I love you too, Ryoga." 
Akari died later that night.  Her last thoughts were focused on the
image of her still youthful husband.

			* * * * *

	Ranma paused midway into his kata as he felt the presence of Ryoga
approach.  The chi that he felt was dark and negative.  "Akari's dead?"

	Ryoga said nothing.  He stopped a few meters away from Ranma.  From
there, he proceeded to do a kata of his own.  He was warming up.

	Ranma sighed.  "It doesn't have to end this way Ryoga.  What about your
children or your grand children?  The last I heard you also became a
great grand father.

	Ryoga finally broke his silence.  Though his voice was calm, his eyes
betrayed the deadness of his soul.  "The two loves of my life have
finally departed from this world.  Before I met them, I had seen hell
because of my wanderings and my curse.  Their presence and my goal to
defeat you were the only reason I had not died a long time ago.  Now
that they are gone, do you think that I can stand to live another day of
loneliness?  With or without your help I will die tonight.  I promised
Akari on our wedding day that though we did not come into this world the
same time, we would leave it the same moment.  I would rather I die in
battle."  Ryoga finished his warm up and got into a ready stance.

			* * * * *

	"You've improved, Ranma."  Ryoga coughed up blood as he fell.

	Ranma quickly rushed to his old friend's side.  "Why didn't you block?"

	"You know that most of our battles take a couple of weeks to finish.  I
had to end it tonight."

	"Idiot."  Ranma could only stare at Ryoga's bloody body.

	Ryoga struggled as he clung onto life for just a moment more.  "I lied
about what I said earlier.  My life hadn't been a total hell before I
met Akane or Akari.  I remember a boy and a girl that I knew in junior
high.  They always made sure I was not alone.  For nearly a year, they
stayed by me taking me home and to school.  At first, I thought he was
just there to tease me.  It wasn't until later that I knew the jerk
could only express his feelings in the form of insults.  I just want you
thank this moronic idiot for me after I die.  And say goodbye to Michiru
for me."

	"I will pig boy."  Ranma's voice was breaking up as he watched his
friend's death.  Ryoga had finally forgiven him.

	Ryoga grinned weakly.  He died with a peaceful smile on his face.

	Ranma dug Ryoga's grave next to Akari's.  He hoped that they were now
together again.

			* * * * *

	About four years before present day...

	Ryoga glared at Ranma who was currently stuffing his face with food. 
"Boy, you're such a pig."

	"Oh stop that, Ryoga.  You know how hungry Ranma is.  Besides, you
brought him more food than I did."  Michiru smiled at the two boys
beside her.  She had known Ryoga since he was little.  She was the only
reason he was able to go to grade seven, with him getting lost all the
time.  She hadn't been able to help him home and to school as much as
before, since he now went to an all boys school.  Luckily, Ranma entered
the picture.  The three of them soon became fast friends after their
initial encounter, though Ryoga would never admit it.  Ranma was not
very rich and had to go hungry most of the time.  She and Ryoga ended up
bring part of the lunch to Ranma whenever they could.

	Ryoga grumbled.  "He doesn't even have the decency to thank you for the
food you brought him."  He had a huge crush on the older girl beside
him.

	Michiru laughed at Ryoga.  "You're too sweet for your own good."  She
laughed again as Ryoga's nose bled when she tried to hug him.  "I wish
we could be together every day."

	Ryoga recovered as held his nose with is hand and looked at the pigging
out Ranma and winsome girl before him.  He was alone at home most of the
time because his parents often got lost like him.  He didn't know what
he would do if he couldn't see either of his two friends anymore.  "I do
too."

			* * * * *

The End.  (maybe)

Author's notes:  I'm not too sure about the order of the way I presented
the story, but I like this way the best.

Next up:  Preludes and Interludes:  Genma, Shampoo, haven't decided who
else yet.  Maybe the rest of the senshi, but it might be overkill.  I
only did Ami because other than Usagi, she's my favorite.

	  Ranma, Darkstalkers, and AMG crossover.  I think this will be part
seven of the crossover series.

	  My Kodachi story.  This one may take awhile.

	  Yet another rewrite of Ranma and Shampoo.  Still not quite happy with
the first story I ever wrote.