The Leper: Diagnosis
by Nikholas "NomaD" F. Toledo
Ranma 1/2 is the property of Kitty, VIZ and the omnipotent Rumiko
Takahashi. I am a property of Switch (so you know who to sue).
I am NomaD... I am coming... I am near.
By the way, this is a self-insertion. My character had a past with
Ukyou, but not the kind you're thinking of. And, because this is my
first Ranma fic, I'm gonna do some weird stuff like use Ryouga and Ukyou
but still keep Kuno, Tendo and Tofu. But I'm not really sure.
This complete version was done with the support of DB Sommer,
Octavian and the occasionals, all of whom have contributed to the
formation of this fic.
Interlude
*sizzlesizzle*
"Hey, sugar, you okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, I fell asleep there... I'm just so...." *gulp!*
It was only then that Ryouga noticed what Ukyou was wearing.
The pink nightshirt flowed up to Ukyou's knees and covered her up
nicely. But against the light (which was where Ryouga was), one could
make out the silhouette of Ukyou's body.
She approached Ryouga with a plateful of okonomiyaki. When she
leaned over to put the plate down, Ryouga gulped once more. Ukyou's
cleavage was now in plain sight and was slowly revealing itself inch by
inch.
Now, Ryouga wouldn't normally faint, he'd just get really, really
red and light-headed. But Ukyou was too tired to be modest and she sure
didn't expect any company at this time of the night - that was why she
didn't put on a brassiere (not that she was aware of this at this point,
mind you).
The last thing Ryouga remembered before passing out was the sight
of blood and somebody saying "Ack!", then all went black.
----------
Nabiki sat on her bed in the heart of the darkness. The glow of
the night filtered through her window but the light was mere inches from
reaching her.
She could not sleep.
She smiled the wickedest of smiles.
----------
"Ryouga?! Wake up, damn it!"
"Hunh?"
He slowly came back to the conscious world, only to behold the most
beautiful sight in the whole wide world... and a pair of bosoms to match.
Ryouga immediately reached for his face as blood started spurting
out his nose. He was smart enough to close his eyes this time, before he
had the urge to pass out again.
"Whoa! That's one nasty nosebleed you got, sugar. Is there
anything I can do?"
"Ngyu cang stawt my mutting somb klothes on...."
Ukyou stared down at her attire. It wasn't that bad nor was it
revealing. Shampoo would probably dress less.
She gave Ryouga a long, hard stare. (Who would have guessed that
Ryouga was such a pervert?) She just shrugged and went upstairs to
change.
Seeing that Ukyou was gone, Ryouga turned his attention to the
plate of okonomiyaki in front of him. The aroma was so intoxicating that
Ryouga forgot his manners. He quickly finished his very late dinner.
He leaned back on his seat and started thinking.
"Okay, I'm here... now what?"
"Mew!" A small gray, furry figure hopped on the table and stared
at Ryouga with green almond eyes.
"Hullo... who might you be?"
"That's Ishi..."
Ryouga immediately turned, half-expecting Ukyou to be dressed in
'something more comfortable'. But she was not, but not to his
disappointment. Instead, she slipped into a pair of shorts and a snugly
fitting T-shirt and, yes, she was wearing a bra now.
"She's Kii's cat."
"Oh."
"So..." Ukyou plopped down on the seat in front of Ryouga and
smiled. "... what brought you here in the middle of the night?
Shouldn't you be at the Tendo's or somethin'?"
"I heard... about you and Kiiroi."
Ukyou just shrugged it off. "Really? Which one, the engagement or
the break-off?"
"Break-off? Already?"
"Well, technically, it wasn't a break-off, since I never, in my
whole life, considered the engagement in the first place. It's more of
making it binding."
"But you seem upset by this."
"So?"
"So, if you don't care about the engagement, why get upset with it
after it's over?"
"... no, it's not like that. We had a little fight before I broke
it off."
"I hope you guys still stay as friends."
"Humph. What for...?"
"Because, he seems like a really nice guy to be friends with."
(Here I go, no turning back now.) "When I saw you two together, you were
so close and comfortable with each other. I gotta admit I was a bit
jealous...."
Slowly, Ukyou's cheeks began flushing. Her gaze shifted and she
began fidgeting.
Ryouga began stuttering. "Err, uh, envious, I mean!"
Ukyou just gave a nod while looking at her twiddling fingers.
"I... I never had a friend like yours in my whole life...."
Ukyou paused her fidgeting. She looked up and saw that Ryouga's
gaze was elsewhere. She can see the deepness of the sorrow in his eyes.
Something inside her began to ache for him.
"I mean... the closest person I can think of that I'd consider a
friend is my arch-rival. Ranma and I would usually fight all the time
but I know that he's the last person in the world to ever let me down.
(Then there's Akane, but she only thinks of me as her pet 'P-chan'.)
"I've tired of walking a solitary path. And since I can't seem to
find anybody willing to travel the road with me, then I guess I have no
choice but to settle down. I don't know what I'd give to have a
friendship like yours...." (I don't know what I'd give to have a friend
like you.)
"Oh, sugar... don't put yourself down too much. There's lots of
people here who'd want to be your friend. I'm here...."
*Ba-bump* This time, it was Ryouga's turn to blush. But Ukyou
didn't seem to mind what she said.
"Do you remember the 'Tunnel of Lost Love'?"
"Who wouldn't? It was murder! Good thing you were there."
"I'd have to say the same for you, sugar."
The words hung in the air as a silent interlude crept into their
conversation. But they were comfortable with this as each reminisced
their little misadventure. Neither succeeded in the task of splitting a
couple but instead built the foundation for a new one.
"Anyway, there was something Akane said to me...
'Ryouga's just so nice
unlike some people I know,
I can always count on him,
he never lies to me...'
... which only proves that you're a really great guy."
*BLUSH!* "Geez! You really think so?"
"I know so. So, you still in love with her?"
"Huh?!? Um, actually, I've come to accept my situation. I mean, I
know she loves me... just not the way I wanted her to love me. But that
was then.
"Even though we're not exactly lovers, I've come to accept my role
as somebody who'll always protect and respect her. The only time I'm
gonna relieve myself of that duty is when either that fool Ranma shapes
up and treats Akane like his fianc�e or I myself find my own
destined...."
It took only a glance for Ryouga to speak his heart and only a
smile for Ukyou to answer back without saying a word.
"Akane sure is special to you."
"She's not the only one." Once more their eyes met.
Ukyou just looked and admired the features of his face. Somehow
she couldn't stop smiling, but she didn't care.
"Ryouga?"
"Yes?!" (Say it....)
"You mean to tell me that you came all the way here in the middle
of the night just to comfort me?"
"Yeah, I guess...."
"That's so sweet... thank you."
Ryouga just looked down at his lap and scratched his head like a
little boy who just did a very good deed.
"WAIT A MINUTE! Ryouga! You didn't get lost?!?"
Ryouga's heart skipped a beat. He thought about this. He did miss
a few intersections, but wait....
When he was about to give up, he remembered thinking only of Ukyou,
not the walking, not the street signs, just Ukyou....
"You're right. I didn't get lost...."
"Wow! Isn't that great?"
"Yeah...." (Not to mention that it only happened one other time in
my life.)
It was during the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament. It
was love that led him to her.... What about now?
"Mreoaahm." *yawn*
"Aw, that is so cute!"
Ishi paid no heed to the praise. She just walked lazily towards
Ryouga and jumped onto his lap.
Ryouga froze, not knowing what to do.
The cat clawed its way up his shoulder and stretched itself there.
"Uh, what now?"
"Just don't move, I guess."
Ryouga looked out the window - it was still dark, as expected, but
only a few hours till dawn.
"Well, I guess I have to...."
"Don't be silly. You can stay here till morning comes. I've got a
rolled up futon behind the counter - you can sleep on that."
Ukyou proceeded with the ceremony of unrolling the bedroll while
Ryouga balanced with a sleeping kitty.
When all was in order, Ukyou began clearing out the dishes.
"Look, if you need anything, don't hesitate to...."
*gulp* (Go up?)
"... call."
"Oh. Okay."
Ryouga plopped down on the futon and immediately found slumber.
He slept with happy thoughts in his head. What was more, he slept
very near a person he cared for very much.
And this time, he wasn't a pig.
He slept soundly and quietly, like the balled-up feline on his
chest.
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end of Interlude
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