Lost again…nothing new their. That's how I've spent my whole life. Lost. I never really gave it much thought in the past, I had always assumed that it was that femboys fault…how foolish I was. They say youth is wasted on the young; I've come to believe that over the years. I'm 26 years old now, I know that's not really old for most people, but as a martial artist that's starting to come close to my peak in just a few more years. My name is Ryoga Hibiki and I'm a traveler. Well traveler is a nice way of saying that I'm always lost. But these days that's ok, I don't really have any place to go.
I've traveled just about every part of the world over the years. I've had a lot of time to think. Ranma would have said that think was a first for me; I'm not so sure he wouldn't be right. I've thought a LOT over the last five years, that was the last time I so her. The wedding was beautiful, she was beautiful. I still see her face when I close my eyes. I still see the hate every time, I've asked myself why a lot too. But I know why now. I betrayed her trust, I betrayed my own honor.
At first I blamed Nabiki for what happened. I know it was her that let the "pig" out of the bag. I blamed Ranma too because I just knew it was his fault somehow…I know a lot of things back then. I've never figured out why Nabiki had told her, after all their was nothing in it for her. I guess that's one question I will never have an answer too. Still it was nice to see the shock on her face after I saved her from the old mummy. I'm not even sure myself why I did that after what she did, then again after so much time thinking I guess it was because deep down I know she did the right thing and I had to do the right thing too.
It's been five years now and I've never set foot back in my old life again, not even to see that pig girl and her prized fighting pig. I suppress a shudder at that though. I've just traveled a lot of miles and thought about a whole lot of things. I think I've come to grips with myself in that time. While I still think Ranma's a womanizing jerk, I have to admit to myself that I did plenty of stupid things that didn't help matters. Maybe that psychology course I took in America helped after all. I guess if I have to be lost in one place for so long it's good to get something out of it. I have to laugh at myself a little I guess. I used to blame him for everything, even being lost. I know now that being lost is just another curse.
So where am I now? I know I'm in Japan again. I'm not sure where in Japan though. It's a nice place, the weather is good here, it looks like it's some kind of resort town.
"Stop it!"… That doesn't sound good. "Let go of me!" "Shut up bitch!" now I know something is wrong, I move towards the sound of the nose, I've heard things like this before, it's a quit place. Not many people around, a perfect place to ambush an innocent girl. "Somebody help!" I start running now, I round a corner down an ally and see a cute blue haired girl in a sundress much like any other young teenager would ware. From the looks of it she was out shopping.
I see exactly what's going on, the young girls top is ripped half off, the man has her pinned to the wall. The look of terror is plain on the girls face and the man looks like he's half stoned. He's about to be stone cold out.
"What the fuck!" is all the man has time to say as I close in on him. I pull back my arm to nail him in the face. He's a big guy but I've faced bigger. I let go with the punch and I hear the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking. He drops like a sack of potatoes. I can feel the mans blood on my fist, man I hope he doesn't have anything, you just don't know these days.
I look over at the girl, her eyes are wide with terror. "Are you ok" I ask. She just looks at me, not moving, not blinking, nothing. I take my pack off and rummage through it looking for an old coat I keep for the times I find my self in Siberia. "Here put this one" I say as I hand her the coat. She finally moves to take the offered clothing and covers her self up.
"W..Who are you" she asks me. "My name is Ryoga, Ryoga Hibiki, are you ok?" "I thinks so, thank you" she finally responds. That's a good sign, I still think she's in a little bit of shock but I shouldn't have to take her to the hospital…not that I could find one anyways. "You'll be ok now, this guy won't bother you again" I tell her. "What's your name?" "shinabu" she responds.
"where to you live?" I guess I should taker her home, I don't think it's wise to leave her alone right now. "I live at the Hinata apartments, just a few blocks from here" Hinata, so that's where I'm at. "come on, lets get you home" I tell her. She just nodes her head.
As we walk I can see that she's getting better with each step, she starts to ask me questions, the usual stuff. Where did I learn to fight, why was I their, so on. But then she asks me where I live…"I don't really live anywhere" I tell her "I travel a lot and don't really have a home"
Just then fate strikes me down once more. As we walk by the front of an apartment building water cascades down on my head. If that wasn't enough the girl was looking right at me when the transformation hit. Their go the eyes again.
"Mister Hibiki?!?" she exclaims. I just node my head, not much else to do really. She just looks at me again…this is getting repetitive. "what just happened" I can't really respond to here, I try to tell her about my curse but it's just pig squeals coming out. Sigh…I really hate this part. I look down in dismay wondering where I'm going to get hot water from this time when I'm lifted up into the air. "let me take you back to the Hinata apartments, maybe Matoko will be able to help you out" she says. Now this part is a little deferent, normal people don't come around this fast after my change.
She moves me to her left arm as she tries to pick up my pack and clothes…poor girl can't even slide my pack. I guess I have collected a lot of junk over the years; it's about time to clean it out again. I watch here as she looks around for a minute then looks back down at me "I'm going to have to hide your stuff for now" and she puts me down and starts rolling my pack over behind a trash can, I sure hope it doesn't get picked up on garbage day, I'll have to get back here as soon as possible.
After a short time she finally gets the pack rolled over to where she wants it and picks me back up. She starts walking again in the direction we had been heading before the water incident and starts chatting away about her place and the people that live their. Frankly it sounds like a mad house. She then stops in her tracks and asks me "can you change back mister Hibiki" I node my head yes and she gets a thoughtful look on her face "you said before that you didn't have a home, the Hinata apartments are an all girls dorm but you can have pets, do you need some where to stay?"
Somewhere to stay… I haven't had a home in a long time. But could I really be some ones pet again? I think hard on this because of what happened last time I was a "pet". Still I shouldn't be that bad I guess, I mean after all this time she knows I'm not just a pig. Finally I node a yes and she smiles at me. "you can stay as long as you need, just don't let anyone now you're a male" she states and starts to walk along again. I settle in for the ride and start to think that a place to call home, even for a little while, would be nice.