He was lost. To those familiar with Nerima, that phrase was usually associated with one man. That man would argue that it wasn't entirely true and that the reputation was a little unfairly blown out of proportion. As he stared at the Arc de Triomphe, he admitted to himself that there were some days that he was every bit as bad as his reputation claimed he was. Oh well. Time to dig out the foreign language guidebooks. "Excusez me, er, moi, kell... er, quel chemise... er... quel chemin to, er, a Tokyo? ======================== The Pursuit of Happiness Act 1 Part 12 Friends and Lovers ============================ "So, he's lost again, huh?" asked Yuka. "Are you really that surprised?" responded Ukyou, sighing. "You guys, you're a little to harsh on Ryouga sometimes," said Akane. "You don't know him like I know him," muttered Ukyou. She realized too late that the word choice was incredibly bad. "So, what's THAT sup-" started Nabiki, grinning. "Don't even start," growled Ukyou. "Say," said Yuka, "where's Akari? I haven't seen her today." "Said she was visiting her ailing grandfather, I think," said Nabiki. "Won't be back for a day or two." * Akari was happy. Somewhat. It was always a joy to come home to the sumo pig farm. This, all of it, was the life she felt was meant for her, being the 108th generation of Unryuu Sumo Pig ranchers. She was, in her own words, happy as a pig about it. Well, she tried to tell herself that anyways. "So, granddaughter, things go well, I presusume?" asked her grandfather, lying down in his futon as he always did. "Yes, grandfather." "And... this boy of yours... where is he now?" Akari sighed. She did so wish her grandfather would approve, but so far he seemed skeptical. "Grandfather, I told you, he said he couldn't come because he had some things to take care of." "I don't know about that boy," said her grandfather. "He doesn't look very strong." "Please, grandfather, give him a chance?" "Very well, Akari-chan... but I still think you could do better." For the rest of the day, Akari went through the motions of tending to the sumo pig farm as best as she could. Normally, this brought a smile to her face, but today it managed only to numb her troubled mind. She'd hoped to make her grandfather happy. Akari loved him dearly and would do almost anything he asked. Unfortunately, he wasn't happy and she didn't know how to resolve the situation. After she was done with all her chores, she sat upon the fence of the pig pens, watching the sun go down, and thought her situation over. Ryo wasn't helping. She was surprised that he refused to go with her repeatedly. Akari was also beginning to wonder about him, and the talk from everyone at school wasn't easing her fears either. And it was more than that. Sometimes, he seemed... distracted by something. Whatever it was, he refused to tell her. And he'd never discuss his personal life either, quickly changing the topic. Besides, he knocked out her pig (although in an incredibly odd manner), and that was a sign from above that he was the one, right? "BWEEE!!!" -WHAM- Akari was jolted out of her thoughts as she heard the distinct 'bwee' of Katsunishiki. Was he fighting again? Sometimes she thought that pig was a little too violent for its own good. She really hoped he didn't rampage and tear down the local village again. * "Stupid pig, CUT THAT OUT!" *WHAM*WHAM*WHAM* The day wasn't getting better for Ryouga. The French were bad enough. This stupidly huge pig that was picking a fight was almost as annoying. Fortunately, he could deal with the pig in a way that suited him well, which happened to be repeated blows to the head until source of aggrivation was rendered unconscious. "Katsunishiki!" "I'm sorry! Your pig just attacked... me. Um, Akari Unryuu?" Akari blinked. "Hibiki-san? What are you doing on my grandfather's ranch?" "Well, I'm... kinda lost," he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I'm... on your grandfather's ranch?" Akari nodded. "I could've sworn I was in France a minute ago," he muttered. "Well, we're nowhere near France," said Akari. Was THIS the rumored 'Ryouga Hibiki Utter Lack of Sense Of Direction' she was witnessing? She heard rumors, but she never thought... "Ryouga, are you lost?" she asked. "Well, aheheh.... yeah." "If you don't mind staying overnight, you can come with me back to Tokyo tomorrow." "I don't want to inconvenience you," said Ryouga. "Oh, no, it's no problem. Don't worry, we've even got guest rooms here," said Akari. "Come on, it's this way." Akari took the lead and began the walk back to the ranch. After only a few steps, she checked behind her and sure enough, Ryouga was drifting a bit in the wrong direction. She couldn't help but giggle. So, it was true after all. His sense of direction was _really_ bad. "Come on, Ryouga, this way," she said, taking him by the hand. Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Grandfather Unryuu peeped out of the window with his telescope, spying upon the scene in the distance. This, he thought, could be interesting. * Oil the grill. Wait. Carefully, put on the ingredients. Listen to the sizzle. Aaah. "You sure you're gonna be okay?" asked Ranma, snapping the peaceful trance Ukyou had fallen into. "Hey, I ran this place alone before, I can do it any time," said Ukyou casually. "Besides, it isn't even that busy right now." She was right, the rush hour was over and there were only a handful of customers left. Ranma eyed his friend suspiciously. "Y'know, you used to get so annoyed when he got lost." Ukyou shrugged. "Maybe I'm just used to it by now." "Maybe you've gotten used to him?" suggested Ranma. "Hmm. Accustomed to him?" said Ukyou, idly brushing sauce on an okonomiyaki. "reminds me of a song I heard once." "Why Ucchan, you gonna start singing?" teased Ranma. "Never heard ya sing before." "And you're crazy if you think I'm gonna sing now," said Ukyou, sticking her tongue at him. "Well... Akane's expecting me back," said Ranma. He sighed, stood up, and began walking out the door like a man walking on death row. She knew what that meant. "Hey, come on, don't tell me she's still a bad cook!" said Ukyou. Ranma paused. "Well... she's getting better with Japanese, and her American isn't too bad..." "And?" said Ukyou. "Well... y'see... she's gonna try Mexican food tonight." "Never tried it before?" asked Ukyou. "Nope." "Uh oh. Well, good luck, Ranchan." She patted her friend on the back, as if saying 'oh well, that's life'. As soon as she was sure he left, she very quietly sang to herself... o/" But I'm so used to hear him say o/" o/" 'good morning' every day o/" o/" His joys, his woes o/" o/" his highs, his lows o/" o/" are second nature to me now... o/" o/" like breathing out and breathing in o/" She paused, taking time to look at the finished okonomiyaki on her grill. It surprised her to see that she'd subonsciously painted a bandanna-clad face with fangs on it. She couldn't help but smile a little and feel really embarrased. o/" I've grown accustomed to the trace... o/" o/" of something in the air o/" She was really glad Ranma wasn't there to see that. Ukyou was afraid he'd think she was on love or something, and that wasn't the case, right? Of course not, she told herself. o/" Accustomed... to his... face. o/" * *ACHOO!* "Are you okay, Ryouga?" asked Akari with genuine concern. "I'm okay. Guess I just need a little rest." They walked towards the house, Akari with Ryouga in tow. He had to admit, she had a rather nice house here. Out in the country like this, he guessed it must be a pleasant place to stay in during the holidays. "Nice house," he summarized. "Thanks. It's been in the family for generations," she replied as they made their way into the house. All that was left was to guide Ryouga to the guest room. However, they had happened to come across Akari's grandfather first. "Akari, you didn't introduce me to this young gentleman," he said, walking slowly down the hall. "Grandfather, you shouldn't be walking around too much," gently chided Akari. "You should worry more about your health!" "Oh, I'll be alright, Akari-chan, I just wish to meet the interesting boy who had just beaten Katsunishiki... and is now holding your hand," replied Grandfather with an amused tone. They had been holding hands all this time. And apparently, they'd forgotten about it. Hands quickly disconnected as both blushed badly. Ryouga laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head while Akari tried to explain things. "Grandfather, it's not what you think!" "That's okay, granddaughter," said the smiling senior citizen, "just as long as the both of you... get along well." "Grandfather!" "Just teasing, Akari-chan. I'll go back to bed now." With a wink and a smile, Akari's grandfather retreated to his quarters, leaving a pair of blushing and embarrased teens. "Um... sorry about that," said Akari. "Grandfather likes to tease sometimes. Come on, the guest room isn't too much futher." "Aheh... okay." Ryouga gave a small, nervous little smile. For some odd reason, the compass necklass he wore felt a little uncomfortable. * Rest did not come easy to Ryouga. Somehow, everything in the house became magnified by his senses. The moonlight blazed through his window. The breeze hummed constantly. Somewhere in the house, there was a really really really loud clock. Tick tock tick tock tick tock. He tossed and turned in his futon, scowling now and then, and finally gave up on sleep. He decided that a glass of water and some fresh air would be just what he needed. It took thirty minutes to get the water, and another 45 to find that fresh air. "Why'd they put the front door so far away from everywhere?" muttered Ryouga as he opened the door. "Front door? This is the porch." "GAH!" "Sorry, did I startle you?" asked Akari, trying to stifle some giggles. "Akari... what are you doing out here?" asked Ryouga. "I couldn't sleep, so I just went here to look at the stars for a little while. And you?" asked Akari. "Same thing, I guess," said Ryouga. "The view of the stars in the countryside is a lot better than in the city." "The sky just seems so... so..." said Akari, searching for the right words. "Bright," said Ryouga. "Beautiful," said Akari. "Yeah, that too." The two lapsed into silence for a few minutes, both seated on lawn chairs and looking up into the skies. "It's kind of strange..." said Akari, hesitating. "What is?" asked Ryouga. "Well... when we first met, I was single and you had someone. And now, you're single and I have someone." "Yeah, I guess," said Ryogua quietly. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Ryouga shrugged. He couldn't think of anything he'd be embarrased about answering, but that was probably due to a lack of imagination. "Why did you break up with Ryoko?" Ryouga sighed. "That... was all one big misunderstanding." "How so?" wondered Akari. "Well... I meant to clear things up earlier, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings." He sighed again. "I wasn't brave enough to end things quickly." "Oh, I see." They allowed silence to take over the night once more as nature's impressive display of the heavens glowed high above them. It couldn't last long. "Can I ask you another question?" wondered Akari. "If you don't mind, I mean." Ryouga shrugged again. He wasn't entirely sure what was causing his restlessness that night, but he certainly felt like talking wouldn't hurt. "Ryoko told me you were... in love with someone before?" Ryouga nodded. "Who was she?" "Hm..." "If you don't want to answer, I'll understand." He normally wouldn't answer this question. But... somehow he just didn't feel like holding things in tonight. Too stressful, really. "Promise to keep a secret?" he asked. "I promise!" she said gleefully. "It was... Akane." Akari could only react with a moment of silence. Then another moment. Finally, she said, "wow." "But," continued Ryouga, "I think... I'm getting over her now." "Does Akane know?" Akari queried. "No! Ah, no, and I'd rather keep it that way." "Is that why you and Ranma fight all the time?" Ryouga scowled. "No, we just fight because he's a jerk." * The Milky Way always was a soothing sight for Ukyou, even in the city where the bright lights turned the normally dark skies and brilliant stars into a bluish haze with a dim curtain of lights. She'd been doing a lot more stargazing lately, and she wasn't sure why. Well, for one thing, the peace and tranquility were always nice. Being alone with her thoughts up here was always something she liked. "Excuse me..." "GAAAAH!" *CLAAAAAAANG* After calming down, Ukyou finally saw who it was that she'd spatulated. There, on her roof, resembling a bug that had been swatted, was Konatsu the Kunoichi. "Hey, you alright?" she asked, gently prodding him. "Oww... I'm okay... I think." "Sorry about that," she said sheepishly, "but you kinda startled me." "I'll remember not to do that again," Konatsu said, rubbing his head. "What're you doing around here anyways?" Ukyou queried. "I just finished a job for Noori-sama and was trying to find my way back to her," said Konatsu. "Job? What kind of job?" asked Ukyou. She suspected the gaijin was up to no good. "Oh, just cleaning air duct systems. I just finished the one in the Toshiba Towers." "Cleaning air duct systems?" "Well, you see, air conditioning systems nowadays are really large networks of tunnels. Often, these tunnels get dirty, or even clogged with fungus or dust. That's where Noori-sama and I come in." Konatsu smiled proudly at that point. The whole presentation was what Noori would normally tell a potential customer, but she'd managed to memorize it too. "So, she's letting you hang around her? After the way she reacted after she found out you were a guy-" "I'm not a guy," said Konatsu matter-of-factly. "Yes you are," said Ukyou, slightly irritated. "No I'm not," calmly retorted Konatsu. "Yes you are." "No I'm not." "Yes you... oh, never mind," said Ukyou. Some people were strange beyond help, and Ukyou decided Konatsu was one of them. "So... as I was saying... Noori's your boss now? That's more than I expected of her." "Tanya is really kind and sweet," said Konatsu, putting on big starry eyes. "You just have to look past the gruff, violent exterior." "Uh huh. So... you're lost?" "Yes, well, somewhat." "Somewhat?" "I _think_ I know where Noori-sama is, so I'm not really sure if that's the right direction, but I think I want to go to the Niyoma towers." "May I ask why, exactly, don't you know where your boss is?" asked Ukyou. "Well, it's part of my training, she said," explained Konatsu. "Every night, she stays in a different rooftop and it's up to me to find her. It's a fun game!" "Game. Right. Whatever." Ukyou frowned. Definitely beyond help, this one. "Lemme ask you, _why_ are you so devoted to Noori? I've seen how she treats you." "She doesn't treat me that bad at all, really," assured Konatsu. "As I said, she just has a really violent and grouchy exterior." "You sure?" asked Ukyou with much doubt. "Absolutely!" "Hrm. Well... whatever makes ya happy." Ukyou looked around the skyline, thinking for a moment. "The Niyoma towers are... over there, I think," she said, pointing in a northern direction." "Ah, okay, thank you very much," said Konatsu. He prepared to spring away, then hesitated. "Um... is something bothering you?" he asked cautiously. "Who, me?" she asked in a slightly irritated tone. "Why do you ask?" "It just seems that something's bothering you," said Konatsu softly. "I... well... it's..." Ukyou didn't know quite how to put it, really. "It's about a boy, isn't it?" guessed Konatsu. Ukyou couldn't hide the blush. "H-how'd you know?" "My older step-sister used to get that way sometimes." "Oh. Well... it's about a boy... I guess." She took a deep breath and leaned out towards a stretch of city lights. "He's out there, somewhere, and I'm missing him a lot more than I think I should." "Is there a reason why you shouldn't?" wondered Konatsu. "Well, he's my friend." Konatsu blinked. "He's my friend," continued Ukyou, "but I think... I think I'm feeling a little more than friendship for him." Konatsu smiled. "My, that sounds sweet." "Yeah, well, the last time I fell for a friend I had my heart broken. I don't need that again. I don't WANT that again." "Well, sometimes you just have to trust your heart," said Konatsu. "You make it sound easy," said Ukyou. "Sometimes it is, but it doesn't seem like it." "I'll... keep that in mind," replied Ukyou. "Oh my. I really have to be going now..." "Wait! Wait!" yelled Ukyou, just before the ninja jumped away. "Hm?" "Do you know why Noori hates Ryouga so much?" asked Ukyou. "Not really," said Konatsu. "I asked her once and she began to explain something about a dojo, then she started ranting and raving in English. I couldn't understand a thing." "Strange. Did the same thing to me too." "Oh well. Good night," said Konatsu. Then with a sly wink he finished, "And good luck with your man!" "He's not my man!" yelled Ukyou defiantly, but the kunoichi was already gone. "Not my man..." * "So, is there someone you like now?" asked Akari. She then winced, remembering her manners. "Oh, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked." "No, it's okay," said Ryouga. "Actually... there is a girl I like... I think." "Does she know how you feel?" "Well... no... not yet," he said, closing his eyes. "I just don't... I... I guess I'm scared she won't feel the same." "But if you don't tell her, you'll never know," advised Akari. "I know, I know!" replied Ryouga with much frustration. "It's just that... if she breaks my heart... I... I... I JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE IT!!!" "Um... Ryouga... are you okay?" "Hm? Yeah, why?" "You just crushed your glass." "Oh. Aheheh... sorry about that." * It was at an isolated pier by the bay where three rogues met. Two were rogues by necessity, one by choice. Ryo Muhoshin stood at the tip of the pier, thoroughly enjoying the weather, while a fellow armed with a chair and one armed with a shovel lounged nearby. "It's been quite a while now," said one, "are you SURE you still want to take this course of action?" Ryo nodded. "Eventually, I will. For now... we wait." "Actually, I was hoping you'd let us quit this operation," muttered one. "What was that?" asked Ryo icily. "Well... I mean... it seems you've become fond of the girl and we thought you wouldn't-" "Fond?" wondered Ryo. His back was turned from them. His voice and movements were entirely unreadable. "Well, yeah, fond... y'know... we thought you liked the girl." "You thought... I -liked- her?" asked Ryo. There was a definite menace in his voice. "W-well, yeah," stuttered one of them. "And maybe you'd just live offa her for the rest of your-" Ryo turned around suddenly, a look of angry insanity in his eyes. "Oh YES I like her," he said sarcastically, "I LIKE her! I LIKE the way she's ridiculously cute about things. I'm about to DIE FROM DIABETES! I LIKE the way she has this annoying inclination for pink and frilly things! It leaves me feeling SO pleasantly ILL! I LIKE how she ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT and even COMPARES everything INCLUDING ME to PIGS!" "H-hey, calm down, we were only wondering-" said one of them. To Ryo it didn't really matter at this point. "In fact, let me SHOW YOU how much I like her!" In the blink of an eye, he grabbed them both by their shirts and heaved them into the bay. He sighed, grumpily kicking a soda can away, and flopped down on his portable lounging chair. "I like her," he said quietly to himself, shaking his head slowly. "Feh!" A few minutes later he mutilated a passing seagull. It didn't help his mood a bit. * [The next day...] There was a really annoying amount of sunlight. Most people would call this sunrise. Noori called it Bloody Hell I Wish I Had A Roof To Block It Out. For the next five minutes, she felt an absolute lack of desire to move, and instinctively shuffled a bit to a more shadowy corner of the roof. Unfortunately, something was in the way. *Eh? Wozzisss...* she grumbled in English, opening one bleary eye. *Oh. S'natsu.* Drat, she thought, the crossdresser made it again. She was HOPING he wouldn't, but... oh well. There were more effective ways to get rid of the pest, she knew (blunt yelling, abuse, and murder came to mind), but to her disgust she found she wasn't heartless enough to do them. Getting soft, she scolded herself. It wasn't that she LIKED the pervert, not in THAT way anyways. He was alright when he wasn't mooning over her, but his utter lack of self-esteem was maddening, as well as his need to be a follower. If Konatsu wasn't with her, she knew he'd end up back with her step-parents getting treated like a dog again. She couldn't let that be either. All in all, it was too much to think about for waking thoughts, so she decided to just pull the blanket over herself entirely and get a few more hour's worth of sleep. "Noori-sama, wake up." Ah. That was Konatsu's gentle, rather femininine voice. It boggled her mind how much like a girl he was. "No talk sleep," muttered Tanya. "Noori-sama, we'll be late for the Capcom office job at nine." "Konatsu, I sleep now. You bother again, I kill." * School came and went, much like a surrealistic play where melodramatic students, energy-blasting teachers, and a lunatic principal were the too-often-seen stars in an eternal re-run. As one of the stars of the show, Ukyou was tired of it. She went through the motions of the day, going to this class and that, watching Ranma and Akane bicker a bit every now and then (which brought a bit of melancholy into her mood, but not as much as it used to), watching Kuno strutt and thunder like the prince that he was (in his own mind). She didn't care to be there, really. However, if asked, Ukyou wouldn't be able to say why. As a few stray clouds slowly made their way over Furinkan, Ukyou lounged around in the schoolyard and watched as Ranma and Akane bickered a little, paused to boot Kuno into the swimming pool, and went on their way. She yawned as Miss Hinako blasted several rampaging members of the Sumo club that had sworn vengence on the Judo club for a percieved insult that had occurred a week ago. She took a brief nap while Principal Kuno ran rampantly around with a pair of shears, obviously in the mood for some cutting. Ho-hum. "Hey, Ukyou, what're you still doing around here?" *blink* "Mm?" she opened her eyes, yawned, then stretched, much to (Hiroshi and Daisuke's delight as they eyed her chest). "Oh, guys I.... what the heck happened to you two?!" The duo winced. "Principal Kuno," they simply said, scratching their now ridiculously short hair. "Just... try to ignore the haircut, please?" asked Hiroshi. "Ah... right." "Hey, you gonna be at Ranma's tonite?" asked Daisuke. "Why? Another study group?" "Actually, we're renting a couple of movies and playing poker," said Hiroshi. Ukyou frowned. "Why didn't Ranchan tell me this?" "It was a last minute thing," said Daisuke. "He said he was gonna look for ya but I guess we saw you first." "Oh. Well... got nothing better to do, I guess." * Talking to him was never easy. Talking to him about this topic would be absolutely dangerous, and she didn't look forward to it. But she owed it to Akari, really. Couldn't stand by while her friend got hurt, could she? "Hey, Ryo." The eldest Muhoshin froze, irritated that he'd been interrupted from his kata. The whole point of practicing out in this park by the harbor was that he was _away_ from everyone else. And now someone found him. "Oh, hello sister of mine," he said with a tone of mild irritation. "We need to talk," said Ryoko, grim determination staying on her face. "Talk? Of what?" "Akari." "Oh. Her." Ryo looked out into the ocean, turning away from his sister. "What about her?" "I want you to tell me what your intentions are." "And why," he asked, "does this concern you?" "She's my friend, and I don't want to see her hurt." Still turned away from her, he cocked his head to the side and remained silent for a while. Then he responded. "Too bad." Ryoko growled, "Whaddayamean, too bad?!" "Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Was ever woman in this humour won? I'll have her; but I will not keep her long." "Don't you dare hur-" "Hurt her? Use her? Bleed the house of Unryuu till it's dry? She loves me, and loves me well, almost to a blind degree. Akari would NEVER believe her beloved would intend to bring her harm. She is devoted... to _me_." Ryo suddenly turned around, cold menace in his eyes, and advanced on his sister in a slow and deliberate pace. "So... what I wonder, little sister, is WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT." Ryoko's arms trembled as she took a step back. Her eyes burned with anger but the rest of her showed fear. "She's MY friend. If... if you hurt her..." Her brother scowled and turned his back to her. Ryoko spent another moment glaring at his back, then walked away. * [Ucchan's, nightfall] "AAAAAAGH WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO MEEEEEEE?!?!" Of course, this was Ryouga. What led his path here, to Ucchan's, as the sun disappeared in the sky, all by himself, was a small bit of luck, both good and bad. The bad luck was that immediately after taking a train ride with Akari back to Nerima, he was seperated from her and immediately lost. The good luck was that after six hours of wandering, he actually managed to find Ucchan's. The problem after that was... he couldn't get in. Ill tempered and brutally strong martial artists that want to get into a building usually do so in several manners: 1) a key. 2) an unlocked door. 3) an opened window. 4) knock till someone opens. 5) punch a hole in the place. Going down the checklist for Ryouga sounded something like this: 1) Where'd that key go?! AAAAAAGH! 2) Stupid door! 3) Stupid window! 4) Ukyou! Hey! Open up! UKYOUUUUUUUU!!! 5) If I make a hole in the building again, she'll kill me. And of course, by habit, there was this thought. "RANMA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!" For once, he was somewhat right. * [Some hours later...] It was, she had to admit, a very entertaining night. There was a fairly moderate crowd that Ukyou felt comfortable with, the standard bunch of Ranma, the Tendo Three, Hiroshi, Daisuke, Sayuri, Yuka and Manami. The bit with the movies was segregated between the boys and girls, as Jackie Chan and Audrey Hepburn didn't mix... * "Hey, what the heck is this?" Ranma. "Shh! This is the bit where she wakes up to Gregory Peck!" snapped Hiroshi. "I _love_ this bit!" said Daisuke. "Who is she?" asked Ranma. "What is this?!" "Isn't it obvious?" asked Daisuke. "It's Audrey Hepburn in 'Roman Holiday'!" "Why are we watching this?! Where's the Jackie Chan?!" Hiroshi narrowed his eyes and glared at Ranma. "You got something against Audrey Hepburn?" "Yeah, you sayin' you DON'T like Audrey Hepburn?" added Daisuke. "Ah, um, no, not at all," replied Ranma hastily. "But hey man, where's all those Jackie Chan tapes?" "Whaddaya think?" answered Hiroshi, "the girls got'em." Ranma shook his head in disbelief. He shook his head in disbelief and headed over to Akane's room, where they were sure to be watching the Jackie Chan stuff. That was put into doubt, however, when he heard the sounds of sniffling and mild crying from right outside the door... *sniffle* "And now his master's leaving him!" *snort*sniffle* "It's so saaaad!" "Gets me crying every *sniffle* time. Where's the tissue?" Ranma turned around immediately and headed back to his room. "Weirdos. They've all turned into weirdos. Ya don't cry watchin' Jackie Chan movies!" Out of options, he sat with Hiroshi and Daisuke to watch Gregory Peck show Audrey Hepburn the best of Italy. * And so, after two more movies (both groups had gotten together to watch 'Drunken Master II' and 'Sabrina') and dinner, the group settled into a long session of poker and blackjack. Everyone in general had an average game, except for a few people. Ranma, as usual, was miserable at it. Nabiki had hot and cold streaks. In an attempt to get the ever-working Kasumi to relax, they convinced her to stay for a bit... "Oh my, I have an ace, a king, a queen, a jack, and a ten," Kasumi whispered to Nabiki. "Is that good?" Nabiki blinked. "What kind are they?" "All hearts." "Going to be one of _those_ nights, is it? How typical," muttered Nabiki. "Guys," she announced, "I fold." When Nabiki quits a game, there's usually a reason. Unfortunately, nobody stopped to think about that. * [obscenely late at night...] Out in the front gate of the Tendo grounds, two teens were lamenting their great loss. "I don't believe I'm broke," muttered Ukyou. She stretched, yawned, and sighed. "And to Kasumi, of all people!" "Who coulda guessed she was that good?" asked Ranma. "I got cleaned out too." "Well," said Ukyou, stifling another yawn, "I guess I oughta head home." "Hey, you okay?" asked Ranma. "Y'look really tired." "Maybe I stayed here too long," replied Ukyou. "Still gotta open up in the morning." "Hey, if you're really tired just stay with us," said Ranma. "You can take the guest room. Mr. Tendo won't mind." "I'm *yawn* fine, just *yawn*..." "C'mon, Ucchan, don't go out there at night half-asleep. It's dangerous." "You sayin' I can't protect myself?" She tried to sound grouchy, but the only effect was a halfhearted protest. "Not when you're half-asleep," argued Ranma. Ukyou took a deep breath (partially to wake herself up more), tried to look Ranma in the eye, and instead yawned again. "Okay," she said, "alright, I'll stay over. Just stop badgering me," she mock-griped. "Who's badgering ya?" shot back Ranma teasingly. "C'mon, let's get back in." * [Moments later...] Manami, Sayuri and Yuka shambled to the back gate of the Tendo grounds, escorted by Akane. "We simply must do this again some time," said Yuka mischievously. "Until then, I do believe we'd better go home," said Sayuri. "Oh my, mother will be worried," said Manami. "See you guys tomorrow!" Akane waved, standing at the gate while her friends walked down the street. She smiled, happy that the day had gone so well. It was almost... well... almost an ordinary life. She paused for a moment, admiring the particular beauty of the neighborhood that it had when it was dark, still, and empty on nights like this. Totally empty. "Excuse me, wh-" "EEEEEK!" *WHAM* Well, almost empty. "Oh, Ryouga!" "Ow... A-Akane?" Of course, in Nerima, there was always the occasional odds of Hibiki strolling by. "What are you doing out so late?" asked Akane. "I was trying to get inside Ucchan's, but it was all locked and I guess I got lost." He sighed and leaned against the wall wearily. "Tired?" asked Akane. "Yeah, I think I've been walking around all day." "Well, you can sleep in our guest room," offered Akane. He didn't want to. Even though, in a corner of his mind, it was one of his fantasies to be invited to stay with the Tendos, by _Akane_, he just didn't feel it was right anymore. But still... "Well, if you're sure it's okay..." * Akane lead Ryouga upstairs, to the guest room. He couldn't help but feel nervous, since she was leading him up by the hand. He really hoped Ranma wouldn't find them together. He'd hate for him to get the wrong idea. Upon further thought, he really hoped Ranma found them together. It was about time the jerk was taught a lesson in humility. "Well, here's the guest room. There oughta be a cot and some pillows in there," said Akane quietly, not wanting to wake anyone up. "G'nite, Ryouga." "Thanks Akane," whispered Ryouga. "See you tomorrow." Ryouga dropped his pack and stumbled, in the dark, towards the futon. Not caring about neatness, Ryouga simply collapsed on the futon's edge and quickly fell asleep. * Dreams are odd. Especially after a large dinner, junk food, and several movies. "Whoa, this is neat," said Ukyou. She looked over herself in the grand mirror, astonished at how she looked in her white ball gown. It was shoulderless, sleek, and flowing regally. It made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman on earth. It seemed awfully familiar. "Oh, I get it," said Ukyou. "Audrey Hepburn's dress in 'Sabrina'. If that's the case, that means..." She turned around, expecting to see a grand, outdoor area complete with couples in formal wear dancing and a big band orchestra, all lit by candle and starlight. It was, after all, the right scene for this particular dress. And of course, it was all there. Ukyou laughed. "Ha! I've got the role of Sabrina! This is neat." Since she was dreaming, she shrugged and figured it'd be best to just go with the flow. She might even have fun. A hand tapped her bare shoulder. If this was 'Sabrina', that oughta be Humphrey Bogart, here to sweep her off her feet. Ah, but who else would take the part of Bogart but... "Ranchan?" "Um, aheh, no, sorry." "Ryouga?!" "Well, yeah. Sorry about that," he said, smiling nervously. "I know you were expecting Ranma." "Guess I have less control of this dream than I thought," muttered Ukyou. "Oh well." The band paused briefly, then began playing 'La Vie En Rose' as couples filled the dance floor one more time. Ukyou couldn't help but notice the singer was Nabiki. Odd, that. "Can't wake up, so I might as well enjoy myself," she said casually. "Hey, Ryouga, wanna dance?" "I'd love to," he said, with a bit more confidence than she was used to seeing in him. He took her gently by her arm, then led her as they danced casually, arms entwined, swaying to the music. "I'm no Ranma, but I hope I'll do," he said, smirking with a bit of confidence. Ukyou giggled. "Oh, you'll be enough, I guess." She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Ryouga, you jerk, why can't you be like this in real life?" "Hm? Like what?" he asked. "More confident, more decisive, not such a wishy-washy moron with the navigational sense of a... a... of something that doesn't have a sense of direction." "I dunno," said Ryouga. "But what would you say if I said I liked you?" "I... I might... I don't know if I'm ready for this again." "Maybe I'm not either?" "Hmm." Ukyou had to admit, that was a good point. "I see what you mean, sugar." "Shh, enough talk, let's just dance for a while, okay?" Ukyou nodded slightly, then rested fully in Ryouga's arms as they swayed to the music. The mood, understandably, was very much romantic. Moonlight, elegant clothing, a grand dance under the stars, and Nabiki's surprisingly good rendition of 'La Vie En Rose' certainly helped. It was eventual that Ukyou's mind turned towards things that lovers do. "You know," she said, letting a smile creep unto her lips, "I've been wondering if you can be a good kisser." "Didn't I kiss you before?" asked Ryouga. "Yeah, you did," said Ukyou, scowling, "but you were drunk and you were thinking of Akane. Jerk." "Oh, yeah, I guess I was," said Ryouga. "Was I any good?" "It was like being kissed by a dog," said Ukyou. "Very sloppy." "Oh. Sorry about that," replied Ryouga. "I'll try to do better next time." "Oh, so there's gonna be a next time?" asked Ukyou with an amused smile. "How about right now?" answered Ryouga. "Ooh, you're being rather bold. This is a dream, right?" she asked. "Seems to be," said Ryouga. "Just a dream," she said, pulling him closer. "In that case..." * Soft. Warm. Definitely... pleasant. In Ryouga's half-asleep mind, a few minor alarm bells went off. There was a cause for alarm. The last time he felt these sensations, he was actually kissing Kodachi. He also was horrifically nervous about _that_ sort of thing in general. The edgy, neurotic, panicky part of his mind nagged the rest of him awake, although not entirely awake. His senses began their usual morning checkup. Smell: Perfume, maybe, and smell of washed hair. Taste: Mild case of morning breath. Feel: Warm, soft... holding something, apparently. Oh my. That was rather strange. The subconscious deemed that sight was needed immediately, even if it wasn't ready. Sight: dark brown, black, fleshtones... need focus. Close eyes. Sound finally had something to report: a definite rustling of sheets. That made sense, right? After all, he was under them. Sight finally was ready for another try. Open... Long dark hair, slightly sharp face, who... who... ah. Ukyou. The logic bits of his brain went to work, putting together the pieces of information obtained thus far and came to one conclusion. Ryouga was in bed with Ukyou. Logic consulted with Common Sense, and Common Sense said that this situation was ridiculous. Logic MUST be mistaken. Thus, Logic did another check (and while checking Feel, accidentally turned on Ryouga's Pleasure Center) and stated again that Ryouga was in fact under a blanket with Ukyou in his arms. Common Sense thought about it. Must be a dream. Must also re-inforce this idea, else the entire system may overload from panic. Say it out loud. "Mffm..." Hm. Speech isn't ready yet. Okay... now. "Mm... mus be a... dream... yeah?" The Dream Ukyou (as Common Sense decided to label her) seemed to respond to that. "Jus... a dream." 'Ah, there, you see?' said Common Sense. The Dream Construct confirmed it herself. Therefore, it HAD to be a dream. Nothing to worry about, so a general call for calm was put out. Just... relax. Enjoy it. Feel had something new to report. There were lips on Ryouga's face... and they weren't his. The Pleasure Center managed to intercept this report before it got to Logic and Common Sense. It liked the news. A lot. Why... this must be a kiss! Oh yes, this was gooooood. The Pleasure Center took over and suggested that Ryouga respond a bit. Logic's library of actions were woefully lacking in knowledge of how to properly respond, so the Mind in general used its backup library: stuff Ryouga watched on television. That would mean... hm... kissing back a bit... yeah... holding the girl gently yet firmly as well... good, good... ah, yes, this was going rather well. * [morning...] Ranma and Akane were standing outside of the guest room, very unsure of what to do. "So lemme get this straight," said Ranma. "you told Ryouga to sleep in there..." "And you told Ukyou to stay there?" asked Akane. "Yeah... I didn't think anyone else would be there." "So, you didn't see Ryouga anywhere else around here?" "He isn't in the dojo," said Ranma, "not in the bathroom, not in my room. No way he'd be in Mr. Tendo's room, and I _really_ hope he ain't in Nabiki or Kasumi's." "I haven't seen Ukyou around either," said Akane, "and nobody's answering the phone at Ucchan's." "Hmm," said Ranma. "Hmm," Akane. They both looked at the guest room door. "Would it be impolite to, say, check in there?" asked Ranma. "It might be considered that, yes," answered Akane. They continued to stare at the door. "We really shouldn't, ya know," said Ranma. "Absolutely," said Akane. Words, however, were different than thoughts. Those thoughts were being nagged by the powerful force of genetics. After all, Akane IS the daughter of Soun Tendo, and Ranma IS the son of Genma Saotome. And considering the way Soun and Genma behaved... The door opened silently. The two crept in without a sound. "Oh my," whispered Akane. She is also, after all, Kasumi's sister. She was also blushing rather badly. "Whoa!" yelled Ranma. He is, after all, Genma's son. This generally meant a lack of tact. This also woke up two certain people. Ryouga's brain snapped into focus suddenly. There was a reason for that, and the reason was currently draped over him, giving him a fairly passionate kiss. "Mmm?" Ryouga asked. "Why'd you have to be so loud, you moron!" hissed Akane. "Sorry! Sorry! Let's get outta here, yeah?" suggested Ranma. Common sense and Logic screamed at the same time. This was NOT A DREAM. Ukyou was in bed with him AND KISSING HIM. His eyes flailed around wildly in panic, and that didn't help at all since he immediately saw Ranma and Akane staring at them in bewilderment. Ryouga's Common Sense and Logic, being as frail as they were, immediately froze, along with his ability to move. Ukyou, still with closed eyes, broke off the kiss with a sigh and snuggled closer. She was woken up slightly, but still in that morning haze that makes everything foggy. She felt good, though, for a reason that escaped her mind at the moment. She blinked her eyes. There was movement off to the corner. She tried to focus and looked. "Oh. Ranchan, Akane, howyadoin?" "Ah, good morning Ucchan," said Ranma nervously, "we were just leaving." "Sorry about that," said Akane, "we'll be downstairs." Before Ukyou could get another word in, they were out the door. "Hm. Wha's their hurry?" she said groggily, closing her eyes. Time to open the restaurant. Ugh. No, definitely not yet. Too tired. She snuggled under the sheets and decided to get just a _little_ more rest. She raised her head again and looked around. Ah. Ryouga. So that's what she was snuggling up against. "'Mornin, Ryouga." "Um... good morning," said Ryouga. A full minute passed. Something finally occurred to Ukyou. "Um... Ryouga... hey..." "Y-yeah?" "You seem to be in bed with me." "Y-yeah." "Hmm." Neither moved. They were entirely unsure of what to do next. Ryouga was surprised that Ukyou hadn't punted him through the roof yet. Ukyou was surprised she hadn't punted him through the roof yet. What to do next was entirely unclear to both sides. Perhaps, Ukyou thought, talking things through would be good? "Y'realize this is the second time you snuck into my bed," said Ukyou, her eyes still closed. "Y-yeah." "An'this's the second time y'kissed me." "Y-yeah." "Y'got a good explanation for this, yeah?" "Y-yeah." "Good. Tell me later, I need 'nother hour of sleep." And without another word, Ukyou fell asleep again. Not knowing what else to do, Ryouga fell asleep too. After all, he didn't get much sleep either. The reader may point out that Akane and Ranma seemed to be up and awake, although they got as much sleep as Ryouga and Ukyou. What Ranma and Akane were doing up so early was, they would say, nobody's business but their own. * [Several long and uncomfortable hours later...] The day went fast and silent after the morning's interesting start. Ryouga had silently pounded Ranma after he joked about what Ryouga and Ukyou might have been doing earlier that night, and Ukyou silently grabbed Ryouga by the hand and left for Ucchan's. Wordlessly, they prepared for the weekend crowd, cleaning tables, arranging seats, cleaning the equipment, etc. etc... They handled the crowd with hardly a conversation. Just shouts of orders being made and orders to be brought. Afternoon melted into sunset which faded into nightfall, and still the two didn't converse with each other. Actually, they weren't sure what to say to each other. They still had no idea what to make of the rather interesting start to the day, and were very much afraid of making even more of a mess of the situation than it already was. And so there they were, at the end of the day, closing up shop and watching television. Not saying anything of consequence to each other. Of course, this couldn't last forever. And of course, it was Ryouga who cracked first. "Um... about this morning," he said, sweating nervously. "What about it?" she asked, not looking at him. "I, uh, I mean... well... I'm sorry." Without emotion, without eye contact, she said, "okay." Ryouga was puzzled. 'Okay'? That was it? That was all? No promises of violence or accusations of perverted behaviour? That seemed all too easy. This could mean only one thing. She was waiting for her vengence. When he wouldn't expect it, she'd make him pay, and pay dearly. Nooooo, not a good thing at all. He was determined to avoid _that_, which meant a little groveling. Unforunately, Hibikis don't grovel well. And considering this was a girl he was groveling to, and over a Very embarrasing event, he, of course babbled. "I, ah, didn't mean to, well, I just, er, terrible, you know, never gonna do it again, accident, really embarrased..." This wasn't taken well by Ukyou, especially with the bad word choice. "What, you're saying kissing me was a BIG HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR YOU?!" she yelled. "YES! I MEAN NO! UM, WAITWAITWAIT!" "Pick your words with care, moron," snarled Ukyou. "ImeanImeanah, well, it was nice." "I-it was?" asked Ukyou, her face slipping from anger to a slight blushing sort of embarrasment. "Y-yeah, I guess," said Ryouga, keeping his gaze down. "Y'weren't so bad yourself," said Ukyou shyly. "I... I wasn't?" "But... but next time," said Ukyou, "wake me up first, okay?" Before any more words could be said she left for her room, leaving a dumbstruck Ryouga standing there in silience. Her mind was swimming in a bit of confusion and worry. As she slipped under the covers thorougly, she constantly berated herself. Might give Ryouga the wrong ideas after all, and she knew how much Ryouga could become obsessed with a girl. She did NOT want that. No, no, no, no. Absolutely not. She fell asleep a little later, looking just a bit happier than she usually did. * Ryouga, meanwhile, was still sorting things out. It was night, it was late, and so he decided to just forget about it all. Whatever will be will be, but he wasn't up do dealing with it now. Yes, sleep would be the best option. As soon as he found his room. -end part 12-