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 halved coconut. 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 murals on the walls, or the sounds-of-the-ocean CDs that sometimes blared on the school PA 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. ======================== The Pursuit Of Happiness Act 1 Part 10 Hit and Miss ============ 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 her... ah... his... Ryouga's gender. However, on this day, one other thing was bothering her. 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. 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. The two were, 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 'the 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... a lot 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'll pay for being nice to her!!!" Ryouga thought about it. No, that didn't sound quite right. "Ah, what?" "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. I, ah, hope you understand..." "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 arms upwards until they were stretched outwards to either side in a 'T' formation. 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 to his face. 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 of 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 tonight," 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. *Aw 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 restaurant 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. She 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 quick 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 Tokyo. 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 can 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 clearly. 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... Tanya Noori sensed 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 my clinic," he said, with some concern. "How are you feeling?" She thought about this for a moment. "Hurt." "Badly?" "Mm... no." "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 a nearby clock, 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 dirt. 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. "Evennnnnif you arra Hibiki." "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 some tea, 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 with a bit of a grin, "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. Unfortunately, noting great came to mind. "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 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. *Hah, rhymed, that did!* "Oh, so you're him?" said King. "Akari's one of my employees. She talks about you a lot, 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 a lotta 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 last time 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-