The Party's Over
	Part 1
	By: P-R-P-Chan

	Ryouga smiled over at Akane, sitting across the table from him, as Kasumi palced his birthday cake in front of him.  The eldest Tendo daughter handed ihm a knife to make the ceremonial first cut.  Ryouga briefly entertained the idea of launchin it at Ranma's unsuspectnig face, but dismissed it quickly, as he wanted to enjoy the night; even if Ranma's death would make him quite happy.  Besides, the knife wasn't nearly sharp enough.

	Mousse stared dreaimly at Shampoo, seat next to him, completely oblivious to her stares of revulsion, but catching teh sultry looks the shot over at Ranma.  Ranma, Akane, Mousse, Shampoo, and Ukyou.  Ryouga's friends.  At least that's how Kasumi saw it.  Ryouga wanted to be more than just friends with Akane. Her and Ukyou were probably the only people he'd consider friends; Mousse and Shampoo? Sometimes allies.  Ranma? sometimes enemy; Whenever Akane wasn't in danger.

	Ryouga tried his best to ignore Ranma's prescence, even if he was sitting next to Akane, and making fun of her, getting her angry.  Ryouga was erady to jump into action, 'Ranma Killing' gear fully engaged, when he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back into his seat.  Looking to his right he met Ukyou's stare, soothing his rage with a qiuck smile.  One last glance at his nemesis and he turned back to his cake.  Only to find Ranma grabbing the last piece.

	Finally the party entered full swing, Ryouga breaking the idle chatter as he lunged for Ranma's throat.  Ranma reacted quickly, leaning back and kicking upwards as Ryouga passed over him.  Unfortunately he didn't think hsimove out completely.  In the time it took for Ryouga to hit the ceiling, Shampoo had glomped him, Mousse chargiing him moments after.  Akane, not even givnig Mousse a chance to attack Ranma, nor Ranma the time to slip out of Shampoo's hug, knocked her wayward fiancee out into the pond.  The redhead spluttered as she resurfaced, glaring at Akane.

	"What was that for?" Ranma managed befroe her eyes grew wide in surprise.  Everyone else was dumbfounded by Ranma's expresoin until they heard the dull 'thwack' as Ryouga, manking an amazing show of direction sense, found out which way was down.  Mousse collapsed unconsious in a heap, Ryouga's rock solid head being to much for his own.  Ukyou just smiled as Ryouga quickly regained his feet and moved to attack his redheaded adversary.

	"Ranma! This is all your fault! You just had to ruin my birthday, didn't you?" Ryouga started his charge, but quickly stopped himsef as he realized what Ranma was doing; Namely getting out of the koi pond, the pond filled with cold water, as well as a number of his clothes from all the time she'd fallen in.  Losing none of his rage, or what little cool he retained, the wandering martial artist picked the table up over his head, sending dishes to the floor.  Luckily Kasumi had planned for this eventuality and supplied then only with paper plates and cups.  He launched it at Ranma, who had just stumbled to his feet; in time to meet the table head on, sending him back into the Tendo pond.


	Later, after everyone had cooled off a bit, and Ranma had access to some hot water, Akane decided it would be a good time to give Ryouga his gifts.  Ryouga was a bit embarrased when she pulled out a large gift-wrapped box and handed it to him.
	"Go ahead Ryouga, open it! I'm sure you'll like it." How little Akane knew; he'd helped her pick it out.  They always say it's the thought that counts, and to Ryouga that was what really mattered.  Akane had gone looking for something for him.  Slowly he pulled the paper apart, taking care not to rip it to much, not wanting to see Akane's handiwork destroyed in a matter of seconds.  Opening the box, he let everyone else see what he already knew was there; a heavy wool sweater, coloured much the same as the regular shirts he wore, a dusty yellow.
	"Thanks Akane, it's just what I need.  It gets kind of cold when your wandering around the woods at night." Ryouga moved to hug her, but held back instead.  He really didn't want to seem to forward, not that he ever did, but that thought was squelched when Akane dragged him into a hug.
	"Your welcome Ryouga, I'm glad you liked it. P-Chan helped me pick it out," Akane looked around a bit, "But he seems to have gotten lost again. Don't you think he has good taste?"
	Ranma stifled a laugh, almost. Akane shut him up with a glare as she released Ryouga, who'd fallen into one of his love fueled trances. "Ranma, It's your turn."
	Ranma took a moment before reaching into his pocket, coming out with a small cardboard box, crushed in places now, and sat it in front of Ryouga.  After a bit of silence, Ukyou spoke up, "Ryouga? Earth to Ryouga.." and mumbling to herself, "How that boy ever expects to get anywhere with Akane when he's liks this is beyond me."
	Ryouga snapped out of his reverie, seeing Ranma's waiting face and the present in front of him, opened it. Tilting the box, a compass fell into the palm of his waiting hand.  Staring at it for a second, he thought about jumping Ranma again, but one glance at Akane told him she wouldn't aprove. "Thanks Ranma, I really needed this." Ryouga's words were dripping with sarcasm, but to Ranma it was completely unnoticed.
	"Hey, no problem. Figured it wouldn't do you much good, but it's the thought that counts." Ryouga's face darkened hearing those words, 'Shows just how little you think.' 
	Ukyou, once again playing the role of peacemaker, presented him with her gift. Taking it from her eager hands, Ryouga noted immediatly it was a book. One could never mistake the way they bent, and how the spine didn't. 'Maybe, just maybe, someone sees more to me than an angry lost boy.' Eagerly he ripped off the wrapping, and his heart sunk. 'Or maybe not.'
	"Thanks for the atlas, Ukyou." She nodded her head happily, "My last one was falling apart, I would have had to get it replaced eventually, now i don't have to bother."
	"It has all the little towns in Japan, as wel as the cities.  Won't help you much in the forest, but once you find civilization.." Ukyou was beaming, thinking about how useful her present would be, nevermind the fact that Ryouga with a map was usually more lost than Ryouga without one.
	Next Akane looked over to Shampoo, who was fidgeting behind her back. "What's wrong Shampoo? Didn't get anything for Ryouga's birthday? I guess we can't fault you, you never have time since your always throwing yourself at Ranma." Akane couldn't help needling the Chinese Amazon, for once thinking she had the upper hand.
	"Not True! Shampoo give Pig-boy free ramen at Nekohanten for life!"
	"Is that all you can do? Fine, he's got free okonomiyaki at Ucchan's as well!" Ukyou couldn't just let Shampoo get off that easy, like Akane, she felt anytime you could get the best of Shampoo you should make the most of it.
	"Why need okonomiyaki when he got ramen? Better waitress too!" Shampoo stuck out her chest, making sure that Ranma could get an eyeful, to illustrate her point.  Mousse started moaning at this time, rubbing his head he sat up. 
	"Are we giving out presents yet? Mine's right here," Mousse said as he pulled a card out from his robes.  Ranma, not wanting yet another fight between his fiancees, motioned for the half-blind martial artist to toss it over to Ryouga.
	"My first idea for a gift for you was to kill Ranma, " Ukyou and Shampoo stopped glaring at each other, instead focusing on Mousse, "But then I decided that an even better gift would be letting you have the pleasure, " Ukyou and Shampoo's faces hardened even more, Ranma was visibly twitching, trying to keep his anger in check. 
	"So finally I found the one thing that could be welcome without being insulting, " Mousse glanced down at Ranma's compass, Ryouga's that is. "Open it up, it's an invitation to me and Shampoo's wedding, I'll tell you when we finally.." Mousse trailed off as he lapsed into unconciousness again.
	"Stupid Mousse, Shampoo no marry him, only marry Ranma!" With this she threw herself at the man in question. Ukyou jumping her in turn, a catfight starting, with Akane eyeing Ranma as if to blame him for ruining Ryouga's birthday.
	As for Ryouga, he sat there dreaming of the day when he would be able to send out invitations to his and Akane's wedding.

***
well finally got this done..  had the first half of this done for the past month or so (most ppl will be saying at this point "THREE WHOLE MONTHS TO WRITE 9K!?!?!), my only excuse is a bad case of writers block as well as no use of my hands.. still missing feeling in two of my fingers..  anyways.. next part? umm... who knows.. at least i have up to2-3 more parts plotted.. depending on how much text expansion i do.. C&C as always is appreciated, as well as flames.. i like to get flames, for the simple reason that it tells me someone is reading this :) .. of course i shouldn't be the one to talk.. i never c&c or anything else.. the next part probably won't take as long to get out.. i've finally gotten rid of my writers block and i;m finally getting to the point in the story that i wanted to write, the few scenes that i want to get out that requires so much build up.. 


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