Sound Hearts
KaosQu
Chapter 3
Ranma stood by the back of the cafeteria, patiently waiting for his chance. The large room was crowded with students struggling to get their share of a limited supply of school lunches. There was no line or even any semblance of order, just a large, shambling mass of blue uniforms. They crowded together, pushing and shoving each other in an attempt to get closer to the counter, where the lunch lady threw out various types of bread. She almost never handed any out to those actually by the counter though and so near the front there was a counter push and struggle by those trying to make it back towards the center. These two opposing forces combined to create a confusing bustle of energy and violence every lunch period.
"Chicken Bread!" A piece of bread flew through the air into the crowd. A few students jumped for it and one actually caught it. As soon as he landed he was jumped upon by several others and soon a small fight was breaking out in the middle of the crowd.
"Beef Bread!" Somebody caught the beef bread and a knuckle sandwich in the face with it.
Ranma watched as several more pieces of bread were thrown out in quick succession, causing a moderate-sized fight to break out towards the left side of the crowd. There was so much violence in here it was no wonder the girls had a separate cafeteria. He had heard the lunches were much calmer—normal even—in the girl cafeteria and wondered what it would be like to be a girl and have lunch over there.
From what he had heard, Shibakouen had started out as a reform school for boys but for some reason or another—the vision of a deranged headmaster the story went—it began transforming itself into a co-ed school about ten years earlier. Much had changed since then, and in many respects Shibakouen was a rather normal school; but there were still many odd quirks and traditions around stemming from its days as an all-boys school. The aggressive nature of so many of the students and the strange lunch periods were just a few of them.
"Hey Ranma." Ranma turned away from his watch of the lunch counter for a second at the greeting and nodded at Etsuya. The wiry young man leaned against the wall next to Ranma, a half-eaten piece of bread in one of his hands. "Still haven't gotten your lunch yet?"
Ranma gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm waiting for the curry bread, but she's taking her time today." It had been ten minutes already and he still hadn't heard the lady call it out. He was starting to get hungry too.
Etsuya laughed. "You know most of us would be glad just to get lunch. I can barely believe you're standing here with that horde of starving students ready to rip each other apart in front of you picking and choosing what you want like it's some sort of buffet line."
Ranma shrugged. "I like curry bread."
Etsuya shook his head in disbelief. It wasn't that he or any number of other students at Shibakouen probably couldn't do the same—it was just too risky to be so picky. Personally, he always waited for the best opportunity to grab a lunch, whatever flavor it was… or packed his own.
"Well, I guess you're good enough that what you like matters," Etsuya said. "It kind of reminds me of when Ryoga was still around. Come to think of it, curry bread was his favorite too."
Ranma raised an eyebrow and was about to ask who Ryoga was when he saw the lunch lady prepare to throw another piece of bread out.
"Curry bread!" That was it! Without another word, he started walking towards the crowd, getting ready to jump. Curry bread was rare and she would wait a little bit before throwing it out, exciting the bread-lust in the crowd.
Etsuya took another bite and watched as Ranma prepared to get the bread. This would be quick.
He had barely finished the thought when the wall next to him exploded out, causing him to jump away in surprise and nearly drop his bread. Several other students nearby coughed, a few kneeling on the ground, rubbing their heads where debris had struck them. He waved his free hand, fanning the air and trying to see through the dust that had been thrown up. What the heck was going on?
"Thank god I made it in time for lunch!" came a familiar voice.
Etsuya's jaw dropped. "Ryoga?!"
The dust cleared and Etsuya saw that standing in front of him wearing a worn-looking blue uniform, his trademark yellow, spotted bandanna around his forehead and a giant backpack strapped to his back, was indeed Shibakouen's legendary Lost Boy: Ryoga Hibiki.
Ryoga turned towards Etsuya. "Oh hi Etsuya, it's good to see you. Did she just call curry bread?"
Etsuya nodded wordlessly, still shocked by his friend's sudden appearance, and Ryoga grinned. He un-strapped his backpack and dropped it to the ground with an enormous thud that kicked up several clouds of dust. Rolling his shoulders, he started walking towards the crowd of students. Etsuya blinked, suddenly realizing something. Several other students nearby must have too because as one they all turned and looked at Ranma.
Time seemed to slow down for Etsuya as he watched both Ranma and Ryoga run towards the crowd as the lunch lady finally threw the curry bread into the air. Ranma jumped onto the back of another student, kicking off his head and propelling himself towards the bread. Ryoga simply knelt down and pushed off the ground, his powerful legs propelling him high into the air.
Ryoga flew past Ranma, hands outstretched and reaching for the bread. Etsuya and the others watched, eyes riveted and hearts beating just a little faster. It was like watching an accident about to happen. The Lost Boy flew closer and closer, fingers just inches away from grasping the bread. Almost there—his hands were just around it!
THUMP!
Ryoga's head suddenly snapped forward as Ranma's foot slammed into the back of it. The Lost Boy hurtled to the ground and with a quick flick of the wrist, the bread was Ranma's.
The wild cheering and shouting from the crowd around them roared even louder as Ranma darted in, but he hardly heard them now, his mind completely focused on the fight. It had to be for this one—his opponent was good enough that a single mistake could cost him the fight! Ranma slipped past another one of his opponent's powerful punches and ducked under the follow-up, slamming his own fist into the bandanna-clad boy's gut in an uppercut. Having managed to slip in close finally, he twisted with his entire upper body and threw his shoulder into the punch, putting every ounce of strength he could muster into it.
He was glad to hear the tough bastard grunt and stumble back a few steps from the force of the attack, but that was supposed to have at least knocked the guy down dammit! Ranma felt as much as saw his opponent shift his weight and cursed, realizing that the failed attack had left an opening. The young martial artist quickly twisted to his right, his ponytail whipping against his face, and threw both arms up to block the kick he knew was coming.
It came quickly, slamming into him with such monstrous force that even prepared he was sent stumbling backwards. Ranma barely kept his balance, only years of practicing complicated footwork keeping him on his feet. Jumping back to make some distance, Ranma grimaced and shook his arms. Damn, that hurt! He hadn't had time to react properly and even the force of his own arms snapping back into his face as he blocked had hurt!
Ranma eyed his opponent warily, keeping his distance. Fortunately, it seemed like his last punch actually had taken some sort of toll because the bandanna-clad martial artist hadn't immediately followed up the attack. Normally Ranma would press the advantage, but his arms were still stinging from that kick and his fist and even his shoulder actually hurt from that last punch he gave.
"You cowardly bastard!" his opponent snarled at him, what looked like fangs glinting threateningly in his mouth. "Why don't you stop running away and come fight me!"
Ranma didn't know who this guy was but he was either very angry or really enjoyed shouting out insults in the middle of a fight. That must've been the 4th time Ranma had been called cowardly and the 10th time he had been called a bastard in the fight already. "I just did you idiot!" Ranma snapped back. "I just punched you in that big gut of yours in case you forgot!"
"Your weak attacks couldn't hurt a fly! My grandmother punches harder than you!"
Ranma twitched at the insult but restrained himself from attacking just yet. The crowd roared wildly in approval at the exchange however and Ranma spared them a quick glance. The number of students crowding around them to watch the fight had seemed to double since it began. They pressed in against each other, shaking their fists, hooting and cheering. Some were shouting in his support, many others shouting for the other guy. What was his name?
"C'mon Ryoga, smash him to the ground!"
Ryoga, apparently. Ranma didn't know what the big fuss was about—none of his other lunchtime brawls had attracted this much attention. Still, he had to admit this Ryoga guy was pretty good, maybe even almost as good as him. But still, he was just… too slow!
Ranma burst back into the fight, charging straight at Ryoga with every ounce of speed he could muster. The bandana-clad martial artist was startled, but he reacted well, blocking the punch Ranma threw by simple instinct. But the punch was just a feint and Ranma whirled behind the bandanna-clad martial artist, spinning around with a vicious elbow aimed straight at the back of his head. He had caught Ryoga off guard but the boy was good. Feeling the attack coming, he ducked and twisted around, taking only a glancing blow to his head.
But Ranma wasn't finished yet. Twisting with the momentum of his elbow, he continued to spin around, throwing a powerful knee at Ryoga's head—now in reach after ducking the elbow. But Ryoga had been smart, his left arm, which had blocked the opening punch, still covering his head as he turned. The knee landed with a vicious snap, but much of the force was taken by the arm and the rest as Ryoga continued his spin to absorb the impact.
Ranma grit his teeth. The guy really was good… but still not fast enough! Ranma continued his spin and whirled around to Ryoga's side, lashing out with a back kick that the bandana-clad martial artist barely blocked with a quickly raised leg. Ranma continued to press his attack, throwing his weight down and forward, pushing off Ryoga's leg as it blocked and flipping over him in an aerial cartwheel. He landed nimbly and instantly followed up with a rapid combination of kicks and punches that Ryoga only barely blocked or dodged. Ranma didn't stop, continuing his attack, throwing punches, kicks, knees and elbows with blinding speed from one side and then quickly disappearing to another. Ranma smiled. Though so far Ryoga had kept up, he was starting to get thrown off balance by the lightning-fast chain of attacks from every direction. Sooner or later, he would…there!
Ranma slammed a powerful hook into the side of Ryoga's head, instantly followed by a quick straight punch and a roundhouse kick straight into the fanged-martial artist's side. The crowd nearly exploded in a frenzy as Ryoga grimaced and stumbled away from the force of the blows; but where a normal person might've been floored by the solid combination he stood his ground.
Ranma still didn't stop, forcing himself forward to continue the attack. The relentless pace was starting to wear even him down, but he wouldn't let himself stop now. He continued his ferocious attacks, pushing and pushing as fast he could. Gradually, more and more of his strikes landed, and while occasionally Ryoga would get a few powerful blows of his own in, timing them skillfully off of Ranma's attacks, Ranma grit his teeth and forced himself to not let up for even a second.
It was working. As the minutes passed by Ranma saw the tell-tale signs of his opponent tiring: his arms dropping and his mouth hanging slightly open as he panted for air. Eventually, he just stopped moving and stood still, trying feebly to block Ranma's attacks. Ranma himself was nearly exhausted, his body aching from his own injuries, but he smiled as he felt victory approaching. This would be a win satisfying unlike any of the others he had at Shibakouen so far because this time his opponent had actually been a very skilled martial artist.
Ranma landed a series of blows to the head that must have at least dazed Ryoga and came to a stop in front of his battered and tired opponent. Ryoga didn't try to attack and Ranma knew his strategy had worked. This would be it: the finishing blow. Ranma lifted his right leg slightly off the ground and twisted his body back, putting everything he had into the final kick to end the fight.
"It's over buddy," he said not unkindly—it had been a really good fight after all—and kicked.
At that moment Ryoga's eyes lit up. Fangs bared and with a ferocious cry, he burst forward at Ranma with inhuman speed. Ranma was startled but still intended to finish the fight. He didn't know where the guy had gotten that sudden burst of energy but it was too late anyway. Ranma's leg slammed into Ryoga's side with a sickening crack, the enraged martial artist not even trying to avoid it.
But whatever damage it caused, it didn't knock him down. Ranma's eyes widened as he felt Ryoga's arms lock around his leg like an iron vice. Instantly, he knew what was coming and started hopping madly backwards with Ryoga's charge. The bandanna-clad martial artist was still screaming, barreling forward with his other arm wrapped around Ranma's back and his head pressed against Ranma's chest.
"Yeah! C'mon Ryoga, smash him to the ground!"
Ranma cursed and continued hopping madly, nearly losing his balance a dozen times but somehow miraculously managing to stay on his feet. They were barreling through the crowd now, students scrambling to get out of the way and clear a path for the two martial artists. Ranma slammed elbow after elbow into the back of Ryoga's head to no effect—even his scream didn't falter!
Ranma was screaming himself now, trying desperately to get the enraged maniac clinging on him to let go. At this rate, pretty soon they would—Ranma gasped, the breath knocked out of him and pain shooting across his back as he slammed into the wall at the far end of the cafeteria. "Shit," he muttered weakly, gasping to get his breath back.
Suddenly, he felt himself thrust into the air as Ryoga lifted him high up. He knew what was coming and braced himself for the slam, grabbing desperately at Ryoga's arms so he would have some control and wouldn't be at any more of a disadvantage when he landed—if he even stayed conscious past that!
Ranma mustered enough strength to throw one last knee right into Ryoga's forehead before he felt himself hurtling towards the ground. He slammed into the floor with monstrous force, his back exploding with pain and his vision swimming.
The weak grip he had managed to get on Ryoga's arms simply released, his body sprawling limply to the ground. His ears rang and his vision began to turn dark, and though his body refused to move and boy did passing out sound good right about then, his pride refused to let him give in and he fought to stay conscious. He may have lost but he'd be damned before he let that bastard say he had knocked out Ranma Saotome.
Lost… Ranma winced at the thought, feeling angry with himself. It wasn't so much that defeat was anything unusual for him—Genma beat him enough all the time—but for awhile he really had thought he was the best here. He had…liked… how everyone talked about him. Dammit, if only he hadn't been so careless—if only he hadn't underestimated the bastard and gone for that last kick!
Ranma sighed, managing to regain his breath. The pain was starting to numb a little and his vision beginning to clear. He weakly wiggled a finger and wondered why Ryoga hadn't pressed the attack. He supposed there was no need to, the victory was apparent. But then why was it so quiet? The ringing in his ears began to fade away and while he expected to hear massive cheering all he heard was silence. What was going on?
Slowly, he was able to move his body again, and he tiredly pushed himself up. He was exhausted and his arms felt weak, but he would at least walk back to class under his own power. He looked up then, searching for Ryoga, expecting to find him gloating. But he didn't see the bandanna-clad martial artist anywhere. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. A sea of awed faces in blue-uniforms stared quietly back at him. He blinked in confusion. What was going on?
"He did it… he beat Ryoga… nobody's ever beaten Ryoga…" somebody in the crowd said. A soft murmur spread throughout the crowd, slowly growing more and more excited as the word spread. Ranma furrowed his brow, confused. Beat Ryoga? What were they talking about?
He looked around for the young martial artist again, and this time found him. Ranma hadn't seen Ryoga because he was sprawled on his back on the floor, clearly knocked-out cold.
Ranma blinked several times and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. He had… won? He stumbled back, leaning against the wall, nearly laughing with relief. He hadn't lost! Somehow Ryoga had been knocked out! Maybe by that last knee or maybe even hurting himself in the slam itself. Or perhaps he had just passed out afterwards, all the damage he had taken finally catching up to him. But whatever it was, the simple fact was that he was still standing and Ryoga wasn't!
Ranma felt something in his pocket and reached in. He pulled out a battered and partially crushed piece of bread. He looked at the bread and then at Ryoga's unconscious form. He looked down at himself, bruised and battered—a disheveled mess. All of this for this stupid piece of bread? And this time he did start laughing, even though it kind of hurt his ribs. He looked up and closed his eyes, laughing at the thought that this insanely grueling fight had been over a little piece of bread.
The crowd erupted in thunderous cheering, so loud it shook the cafeteria. They surged forward, crowding around him and elatedly congratulating him for doing the impossible: for beating the legendary Lost Boy. The crowd lifted him up and began carrying him triumphantly out of the room. He let himself, still laughing.
But then he felt somebody grab the bread out of his hand. "Hey!" he shouted angrily, twisting around and punching the thief. He saw his bread fly into the air and fall into the crowd somewhere.
"Lunch!" somebody shouted, and there was suddenly a mad rush for the piece of bread. Ranma cursed, struggling back to the ground, though his body still ached. Pushing a random student and punching another one out of the way, he forced his way through the crowd, trying desperately to save his curry bread.
By the next day word had already spread throughout Shibakouen of the eternal rivalry of Ranma Saotome and Ryoga Hibiki. Ranma, for his part, wasn't quite sure how that had come about because as far as he knew he hadn't even seen his opponent since the fight. He had skipped school early and stumbled home, falling into a dead sleep that even his father hadn't bothered trying to wake him from.
But as he walked to class the next morning, Ranma knew something was different. It was in the way people seemed to eye him with respect and step back slightly as he walked by. Strangers would shout greetings and congratulations; girls would catch his eyes for just a second before flushing and looking away, giggling as he passed; a few brave souls—mostly people he knew from his class—would come up to him and slap him on the shoulder asking him how he was going to deal with Ryoga now.
For once, Ranma was mostly quiet, absorbing what he was told thoughtfully as he tried to figure out more about this so-called Lost Boy, Ryoga Hibiki. Apparently beating Ryoga had meant something to the students of Shibakouen. Still, despite the difficulty it had just been another fight over lunch not unlike a thousand others that had occurred at Shibakouen—certainly not something to form an eternal rivalry over.
Ranma was still at his desk—early for a change—contemplating this while some of his classmates told him some story about Ryoga wrestling a bear when Takeru burst into the room. The handsome fighter looked quickly around, spotted Ranma and ran over.
"Ranma!" Takeru gasped breathlessly. "Etsuya sent me, I don't have time to explain—just whatever you do don't piss him off!"
Ranma gave Etsuya a confused look. "Piss Etsuya off? Why the heck would I want to do that?"
"Not Etsuya—Ryoga!"
The door flew off its hinges then, slamming into the far side of the room with an enormous crash. Right behind it, Ryoga Hibiki stormed in. His face was twisted in a vicious snarl, white fangs glistening and eyes burning red. He found Ranma and as their eyes met Ranma nearly flinched as he looked into them. They were like dark, fiery coals that burned deep into him, boring in into him with hellfire itself. Ranma didn't know what Takeru was trying to warn him about—Ryoga already looked pretty damned pissed!
"Ranma Saotome…" the Lost Boy began slowly, his voice strangely calm though edged dangerously. "For what you have done to me… I WILL SEND YOU TO HELL!" He thrust a finger at Ranma, straight at his heart as if he were stabbing right through it. His words burned with such fierce rage and hatred that Ranma almost recoiled, as if he really were being stabbed.
The Wild Stallion recovered quickly however, and despite Takeru's desperate gestures, jumped to his feet, staring defiantly back at the Lost Boy. "I didn't do anything to you, you stupid idiot!"
"You stole my lunch!"
"I won it fair and square!"
"I won it! I just laid down to rest when you got up and stole it from me!" Ryoga hurtled back without missing a beat.
"That's the stupidest excuse I ever heard! I had it in my pocket the entire time!" Ranma shot back incredulously.
"I hadn't eaten in two days! Only a coward like you could think you had won that fight!"
"That ain't my problem, a fight's a fight and you lost!"
Both of them were dangerously coming close to blows now and the students in the class were edging away nervously, thinking that in the confined space of the class a fight between the two enraged martial artists would be just as dangerous to them as to the fighters. Ryoga slowly raised a half-clenched fist, his eyes never leaving Ranma. Ranma stared back with equal determination, shifting his weight and preparing for a fight.
It was then that Etsuya burst into the room, Mitsuo right behind him. The two went directly to Ryoga, placing themselves between him and Ranma. "Ryoga! What do you think you're doing picking a fight in our own classroom!" he said sharply—not a question.
Ranma tensed as he saw Ryoga shift his eyes towards Etsuya. The pony-tailed martial artist almost started towards them, thinking that Ryoga would surely snap now and start attacking Etsuya, but Takeru pulled him gently back, shaking his head. "Let them handle him Ranma," he said softly.
Ranma was uncertain but continued to watch. Ryoga still looked just as angry as he did just a few seconds earlier. But, Ranma realized all of a sudden, Ryoga's hands were lowered and unclenched; and though fierce anger still marred his face, he seemed to be listening to Etsuya.
Mitsuo placed a hand on Ryoga's shoulder, smiling cheerfully—a very strange sight in contrast to the Lost Boy's own expression. Ranma got the impression of a man laughing in the face of death. "Look Ryoga, this is the first time we've seen you in weeks! Let's just sit down and talk about where you've been okay?"
Ryoga looked at Mitsuo and to Ranma's surprise, the Lost Boy's expression seemed to soften just a little. Etsuya and Mitsuo continued talking to Ryoga and over the next few minutes, Ranma watched in shock as the once seemingly-unbreakable facade of anger and darkness on the Lost Boy's face slowly begin to fade away until finally it was an almost unrecognizable calm face that even grinned here and there.
Ranma thought he heard the class let out a collective sigh of relief and Takeru let go of Ranma's shoulder. "That was close," Takeru said tiredly to Ranma. "Ryoga's in our class too so it would've been bad if the two of you went at each other too much."
Ranma was about to ask why when he had already shown he could beat Ryoga when the Lost Boy's head suddenly snapped back up, his face hardening as he caught Ranma's eyes again. Everybody tensed, but Ryoga didn't seem as angry this time, just… hard.
"Don't think I've forgotten about you, coward," he said emphatically. "I'll see you in battle." And with that he abruptly turned around and walked out the door. Etsuya and Mitsuo sighed and ran after him.
Ranma looked at Takeru, who shrugged. "Well, I guess a LITTLE rivalry won't be too bad."
And so the legendary rivalry of Shibakouen began. Not with nearly the same fierce intensity and hatred that Ryoga had shown when he first confronted Ranma; but it grew and continued nonetheless with the same dogged tenacity and tireless determination that seemed to perpetually fuel the Lost Boy in everything else he did.
Ryoga had a short temper and carried long grudges, Takeru explained later to Ranma. That was why Etsuya and Mitsuo, the two most well-liked students in the class, had been trying to calm him down. It hadn't been such a problem in the past because most people were beaten by Ryoga pretty quickly after any transgression, after which he was quick to forget about the incident and move on. Everybody else had simply apologized to Ryoga, having no desire to enter into what amounted to a blood feud with the best fighter in the school.
This was what all Ranma's classmates urged him to do now to calm Ryoga down—for the good of the class.
Ranma, of course, refused. If anything, he only made the situation worse, constantly getting into arguments with Ryoga and seemingly picking fights with him. When he found out about Ryoga's complete lack of a sense of direction, he had made fun of the Lost Boy so much that for awhile Etsuya had despaired of ever mending things between the two.
And so the rivalry continued, with almost daily fights breaking out between the two of them—usually at lunch time over bread. The fights were fierce but none ended as dramatically as the first one and there was usually no clear victor. Their second fight started off nearly as intensely as the first one, but ended when Ryoga flew through a window and promptly got lost. After that, the fights usually ended when Ranma ate all of the bread he had captured that day in the middle of the fight.
For the first few days, Ranma and Ryoga would always fight over the first curry bread thrown. But on the fourth day Ranma, perhaps tired of the constant fighting, made an unusual concession and went for a different type of bread. For two days after there was relative peace and the two didn't say anything to each other and some people thought that perhaps the rivalry had somehow miraculously ended.
But it wasn't long before Ranma managed to insult the Lost Boy and at the next lunch, Ryoga made a startling move, waiting for Ranma to capture a piece of bread before attacking him. The pony-tailed martial artist was caught off guard and in the vicious fight that ensued Ryoga emerged victorious, hurtling Ranma into a crumpled heap against the wall and capturing the bread.
After that the rivalry intensified even more—this time seemingly driven by Ranma. The two fought ferociously every lunch period, sometimes without even a piece of bread between the two. More and more the fights would drag on, lunch seemingly forgotten, the battle only ending with the lunch period and the intervention of other students.
But despite all the intense emotions and vicious, constant fighting—or perhaps because of it—something slowly changed over the next few weeks as the two eternal rivals fought. Gradually, their fights became less about things—bread, lunch or pride—and more about the fight itself. As they exchanged blows and weaved in and out of each others attacks, constantly watching and reading each others' every move they in a way became more intimate and aware of each others' strengths and weakness than the closest brothers. With that awareness grew—slow and with much difficulty but grew nonetheless—a sense of respect for each other as martial artists.
And so eventually the fights became not so much fights over anything as fights for the sake of fighting itself. They fought to lose themselves in the moment, the entire world fading away around them until there was nothing left but the two of them and the pounding of their hearts, their bodies flowing with the rhythm of the fight. They fought until finally they were fighting just for the sake of the Art.
Ranma grit his teeth, struggling to maintain his balance as Ryoga pushed and pulled against him, constantly moving and shifting his weight as he attempted to throw Ranma off guard. Ranma wasn't exactly sure how they had gotten into this position but he was in a very dangerous situation. Ryoga had his left arm hooked under Ranma's right and clasped behind his back, giving the Lost Boy control of that side of Ranma's body. Ranma's left hand clutched tightly on the piece of curry bread he had captured that day, but the Lost Boy's free hand was clamped around Ranma's wrist, straining to pull it closer to him. "It's going to be mine today Ranma," Ryoga said, his eyes boring into Ranma.
"You're going to have to eat my fist whole if you want that curry bread," Ranma shot back defiantly. The Lost Boy gave Ranma a vicious grin. His fangs glistened and he looked like he would indeed devour the bread whole, Ranma's hand and all, if he could just get it close enough to his mouth.
The two continued to push back and forth, Ranma straining against Ryoga's superior strength. They shifted and counter-shifted weight; feinted sweeps, kicks and throws, searching for any weaknesses and waiting for a single mistake. Nonetheless, Ranma was in a highly unfavorable position, and only his extensive training in Judo and skilled footwork had kept him standing as long as he had. Seeing his left hand with the bread waver a little from corner of his eyes, he willed it closer to his body. He had to keep that elbow tucked towards his body, as much to keep Ryoga from getting that second hook under his arms as from any fear of his bandana-clad opponent eating his hand.
Ranma suddenly jerked forward, Ryoga catching him in mid-step. He planted his feet instantly and forcefully slid himself into a more stable stance, resisting the reflexive urge to step and lean his weight forward and probably be taken down. Ranma mentally cursed, feeling his muscles start to tire. Even if he could somehow miraculously stay on his feet indefinitely in such a bad position, his body wasn't going to hold up against Ryoga's stupid strength for much longer. The Lost Boy had him held tight though, which meant that the only way to get out… was to give him what he wanted!
Ranma let his right foot come off the ground as Ryoga pulled him to a side this time, shifting all his weight to his left side. Ryoga smiled, seeing the opening, and threw his left arm upwards, lifting Ranma up and to the side as he swept at Ranma's left foot from the outside. It was a beautifully efficient circular throw that put every ounce of strength spent into slamming Ranma into the ground.
Ranma didn't fight it, throwing his weight in with it and going with the force of the throw. As he came off the ground he hooked his right arm around Ryoga's neck, pushing all the energy from the throw as well as the torque from his own hips into pulling the Lost Boy's upper body down with him. Ranma's left hand was still being controlled by Ryoga, but as he came down towards the ground he sliced his forearm into the Lost Boy's shin.
The momentum generated from Ryoga's sweep combined with Ranma's own attack was enough to send them both crashing painfully into the ground. Only Ranma was prepared for it, twisting as they hit so that they ended up in a confused roll for several seconds. But Ranma managed to secure a good grip on the Lost Boy and, with a twist of his legs and body, sweep Ryoga onto his back. Ranma rolled onto of Ryoga's stomach, controlling his hands and grinning triumphantly.
It had been a completely insane and unorthodox move that required perfect timing, incredible aerial dexterity and a certain amount of recklessness to succeed. And that was why it worked. Sort of.
Ranma's smile faded and his jaw dropped as he looked down at Ryoga's stuffed mouth and puffed up cheeks, hastily chewing on the bread that Ranma had been holding only seconds earlier.
"You idiot!" Ranma screamed, trying to strangle the Lost Boy. "That's my lunch!" Ryoga's eyes gleamed and his chortled cries as Ranma attacked sounded more like laughter than anything.
"I heard you lost today Ranma," Etsuya said with a friendly smile as he came up to Ranma in the classroom.
Ranma shrugged, tossing the last of his beef bread into his mouth and nearly swallowing it whole. "I got my lunch," he said simply.
Etsuya took a seat next to Ranma and gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "There's nothing to be ashamed about, Ranma. Ryoga is probably the best martial artist in the school next to you."
Ranma didn't say anything. He didn't look at Etsuya either and stared intently at the blackboard in front of the room.
"Besides," Etsuya continued. "Aren't you ahead anyway? You've gotten the lunch more times right?"
"Six to three," Ranma answered instantly.
Etsuya rolled his eyes. "Oh come on Ranma, he's not a bad guy!"
"Hey I didn't say anything!" Ranma said defensively.
"You know what I mean, Ranma." Etsuya gave Ranma a serious, pointed look—the kind he used when his classmates were being unreasonable, when he was talking to them not so much as Etsuya but as the class president. It was so unusual and authoritative on the always infectiously-friendly Etsuya that it made even the toughest students in the class think twice about being coy or stand-offish with him.
Even though he wasn't actually looking at Etsuya, Ranma shifted uncomfortably under Etsuya's look. After a few long, awkward moments, he finally turned towards Etsuya, giving him an exhausted sigh. "Okay, so he's a pretty good martial artist alright? What do you want me to say? He hates me—he's dedicated his life to exterminating me over curry bread!"
Etsuya looked at something behind Ranma and smiled, his serious look disappearing. Ranma turned around and tensed as he saw Ryoga come up to him, Osamu walking by him. The giant gave Ranma a quick grin as they stopped in front of him.
Ranma didn't miss a beat. "What's the matter fang boy? Little puppy get lost and-"
Ranma yelped as Etsuya kicked him in the leg.
"Hey Ryoga, what's going on?" Etsuya asked with a friendly smile. Ranma glared at the class president.
Ryoga reached into his pocket and tossed something at Ranma. Ranma caught the object, looking at it quizzically. It was a lunch bread. Curry from the smell of it. "Huh?" he finally said after a few seconds.
Ryoga looked at him calmly—unusually calmly now that he thought about it. "Good fight today, Ranma. You're a pretty good martial artist." He emphasized the title, almost seeming to grin just a little as he said it. And with that he turned around and walked away, Osamu hurrying after him, though not before giving Ranma a quick wave.
Ranma stared at the Lost Boy as he left the room, and then down at the bread, not sure if he really believed what happened. Finally, he looked up at Etsuya, giving him a suspicious look. "You told him to do that didn't you?"
But Etsuya stared back at Ranma, seemingly just as surprised. "No, I… actually didn't."
"Why the heck would I want to do that?!" Ranma demanded incredulously. If it hadn't been Etsuya who asked him, and if Osamu, Takeru, Mitsuo, Koki, Shoji, Fujio AND Misao weren't all surrounding him leveling him with flat stares he would've walked away already.
"It's not just you Ranma, everybody in the class takes turns walking Ryoga home." Etsuya said, emphasizing everybody.
"What the heck does that have to do with me?" Ranma snapped back. His classmates stared silently back at him and shifted uncomfortably under the combined gazes. "Who cares if he gets home or not anyway?" Ranma regretted those words almost as soon as he said them, even before Etsuya pinned him down with a disappointed look. He hadn't meant it like that he just…. he just… well…
"He wouldn't want me to walk him home anyway," Ranma said quickly, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring down at the ground—the only place where there wasn't somebody looking at him.
Etsuya smiled softly, knowing that was Ranma's way of agreeing to walk the Lost Boy home. It was a token argument meant to protect the proud martial artist's pride. Etsuya didn't blame him, they did put him on the spot coming out here like this. But Etsuya had felt it was the only way to get Ranma to agree to walk Ryoga home.
The eternal rivals had been getting along better recently—which meant they didn't fight as much and occasionally ignored each other instead of quarrelling—but that wasn't enough for Etsuya. He had worked hard to get everybody in class 3-D to trust and respect each other as friends, because that was the only way they had survived as the "delinquent" class with their pride and dignity intact. That unity—that sense of family—was important to him and he wasn't about to give up on it with Ranma and Ryoga just because they seemed to hate each other at first glance.
"Come on Ranma, I'll go with you this time," Etsuya gave Ranma a reassuring smile that said he could trust him—that they were friends.
Ranma looked at Etsuya a moment, then sighed. "Fine."
The walk started off cordially enough, Ranma hopping onto a fence and Etsuya leading the way with Ryoga between them. Ryoga had been surprised to see Ranma at first but other than a curt greeting didn't say anything. Ranma just shrugged, surprisingly restraining himself from making any barbed quips.
Even though he had been seeing the two of them not argue more often they did in the past few days, Etsuya was a little surprise at how quiet the two were. He supposed Ranma was still feeling a little guilty about his comment earlier. To lighten the mood a little Etsuya started talking, trying to draw the two rivals into conversation. Talking was something he was good at—not in the slick, flirtatious, kid of way Takeru was with girls; but in a disarming and infectious kind of way that drew people in and made them smile. It was what had gotten him leadership of the class and what had helped him crack through Ryoga's shell two years ago to make the Lost Boy a part of the class.
So Etsuya asked Ranma and Ryoga about their travels and how Ranma liked Juuban so far. He laughed, smiled, made jokes and generally tried to have a good conversation. He talked as if he was fascinated with their lives, making them feel like he really enjoyed talking to them. And the truth was, he really was genuinely interested in what they had to say—Ryoga in particular had traveled to exotic places all over the world and could communicate rudimentarily in a myriad of different languages.
And therein lay a problem that Etsuya didn't realize at first. Ranma and Ryoga didn't so much talk to each other as they were taking turns talking with him; and more and more for some reason Ranma seemed to withdraw from even that conversation. As the minutes passed he seemed to draw into himself, acting steadily more and more aloof. He glanced around, letting Ryoga talk with seeming indifference to whatever the Lost Boy was saying. What he did say was curt and defensive, almost as if he were trying to play down Ryoga's experiences. Ryoga seemed to be growing steadily agitated, but even then things might have been okay; except that Ranma was beginning to taunt and argue with Ryoga more and more. Realizing the danger they were in, Etsuya began trying to defuse the situation, but it was too late.
"That's pretty interesting, isn't it Ranma?" Etsuya turned around to give Ranma a pointed look.
But Ranma either didn't see Etsuya or chose to ignore him, continuing to walk forward on the fence. "Sounds pretty stupid to me, actually," he replied, subtly emphasizing the word stupid. Ryoga gave Ranma an irritated look, but didn't say anything. "Language just sounds ugly—hurts my ears."
"Ranma…" Etsuya said slowly, getting a bad feeling about where this conversation was turning. Ranma's comments were starting to even grate his nerves, and they were picking up now.
"Dumb language for a dumb country…"
Etsuya stopped, turning around and trying to pin Ranma down with his glare.
"It's no wonder someone dumb as you got lost there…" Ranma continued obliviously.
"Ranma!" Etsuya hissed.
"RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!"
This time Ranma did stop, eyes widening as what looked like a mailbox on a pole swung towards his head. He ducked then jumped as it swung again towards his legs. "Hey what the heck's your problem Ryo-" he started to demand angrily but was cut off as the Lost Boy smashed the mailbox into the wooden fence Ranma was standing on, destroying it. Ranma stumbled and hopped onto Ryoga's head, kicking him into the ground before landing lightly on the street.
"Hey, calm down you crazy idiot!" Ranma snapped as the Lost Boy pushed himself back up to his feet. Ranma froze as Ryoga hefted up the mailbox pole, his face a burning mask of rage—his survival instincts were telling him that this was a good time to run.
When Ryoga swung the mailbox—dangerously strong and so surprisingly fast that Ranma actually was grazed by it—and then swung it again and again in quick succession without so much as a hint of tiring, Ranma decided he should listen to his instincts.
"Saotome Final Attack!" he screamed; and then disappeared down the street, Ryoga chasing him with a frustrated Etsuya right behind.
Ranma slumped against a wrought-iron fence, gasping for breath. Ahead of him he could see Ryoga running in the opposite direction, still brandishing what was left of his broken mailbox weapon and screaming for Ranma's blood. Good, Ranma thought. The guy was lost now and would probably spend the rest of the day running around in circles.
Etsuya appeared next to Ranma, breathing heavily. "Where's Ryoga?" he asked quickly.
Ranma pointed at where he had last seen Ryoga.
"Just what the hell is your problem anyway Ranma?!" Etsuya snapped, giving Ranma a sharp, angry glare that Ranma had never seen before. It hit him in the gut, and the thousand defenses and excuse that had been on his lips all melted away.
"It's not my fault he takes everything so seriously…" Ranma muttered lamely, looking away.
Etsuya didn't even bother replying to Ranma's defense. "His parents were actually home today—I'm not even sure if I can still find him now." He gave Ranma one last disappointed look, and then started off in the direction Ranma had pointed.
"I'll come with you," Ranma said, starting to follow Etsuya.
"You've done enough Ranma," Etsuya snapped without looking back. "Just go home."
Ranma winced, was about to say something, but then stopped. He leaned back against the fence and watched as Etsuya started running and disappeared around a corner. Unfamiliar feelings of guilt churned in his stomach. He thought about what Etsuya had said and about Ryoga's parents. Their sense of direction was supposed to be just as bad as Ryoga's and they rarely saw their son.
"It's not my fault…" Ranma muttered quietly to himself. "I didn't even want to come anyway…" He saw in his mind the disappointed look on Etsuya's face and wondered why he had started making fun of Ryoga in the first place. It was probably something Ryoga said; and even if it wasn't the guy didn't have to take it so seriously.
Ranma stood leaning against the fence for awhile, catching his breath and trying to rationalize what had just happened. He really didn't know why he had started taunting the Lost Boy. Ryoga had just been talking about his travels so much and, well… Ranma didn't think they were that great, and he had a right to say that right? Yeah, Ranma decided. None of it was his fault.
His breathing normal now, the young boy looked around him, trying to get his bearings. He walked down the street a little bit, trying to forget everything that had just happen and not really succeeding. He winced as he took a step and felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked down and gently touched his left side, finding it bruised. "Man, I can't believe the big idiot actually hit me with that mailbox…" Ranma sighed. Nothing he could do about it except get back to the apartment and ice it. As soon as he figured out where he was anyway.
Ranma's thoughts trailed off and stared at the metal fence he had been leaning on. There was something familiar about it. He followed it down a little bit and stopped before an ornate metal gate. This was…
Images of a dark hair, violet-eyed girl flashed through his mind. That girl! Of course, he hadn't recognized it in the daytime, but this was her home. What was her name… Hotaru? Yes, Hotaru. Which mean his home was that way! Ranma smiled and started walking towards his apartment—at least something was going right today.
He stopped again, wincing as another stab of pain shot up his side. Dammit, the injury was worse than he thought it had been apparently. He paused, suddenly remembering the last time he had seen Hotaru: her hands with that soft glowing light, the warmth spreading over his arms and erasing his injuries. She could heal him.
He looked past the fence, at the large house looming over him and hesitated, almost started walking back home again. It seemed so imposing and felt so alien for him to think of walking down that long pathway and knocking on those giant doors. He didn't belong here—this wasn't his world.
The pain stabbed at his side again and he winced. He thought about Hotaru healing his wounds, but then he also remembered talking to her last time. He felt a strange squeezing feeling in his chest, and he wasn't quite sure what it meant but for some reason he felt like he wanted to talk to someone. He looked down the street leading towards his apartment and then at Hotaru's house. He hesitated for a second more and then decided what the heck. It was worth putting up with feeling weird to get his side healed.
Ranma leaned back in the green couch, relaxing in its large, soft cushions, sunlight streaming in from large windows. Hotaru's father had answered the door and seemed pleased to see Ranma, though he appeared to be in a hurry. He left Ranma with a tall, red-headed woman named Kaolinite, who had told him to wait here in the room while she told Hotaru he was here. For a second he had thought that maybe the woman was Hotaru's mother and was surprised at how, asides from their light skin, they looked nothing alike; but there was something about her—a cold, icy edge in her eyes and the way she talked—that felt so different from Hotaru that somehow he knew there was no way that woman was Hotaru's mother. He didn't quite know why he thought that—Hotaru was pretty quiet and cold in her own way as well—but it just seemed right to him.
So Ranma decided Kaolinite was probably some sort of a maid or housekeeper—albeit a little strangely attired in her low-cut dress and heels. He looked around the large, almost cavernous room, noting the all the expensive-looking furnishings. A large, marble table lay between him and another luxurious-looking couch and on the far wall was an enormous wooden grandfather clock that stretched up nearly to the ceiling, steadily ticking the time away. To his left side was a large brick fireplace, various paintings, pictures and other decorations adorning the area above it. Looking up, Ranma saw an ornate, golden chandelier hanging from a brightly polished ceiling. Professor Tomoe definitely looked like he could afford a maid.
The door on the far wall opened and Ranma couldn't help but smile slightly as Hotaru appeared. He didn't know why, but it was good to see her. She was wearing black tights and a black skirt and Ranma realized that this was the first time he had seen her outside of her uniform. There was a curious and hesitant look on her face as she walked in, as if she didn't know what to expect. When she saw Ranma her eyes widened with recognition.
"Ranma?" she said carefully, as if she weren't sure it was really him.
"One and only," he replied with a half-grin and a short wave.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, still standing by the door, a confused look on her face.
Ranma shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling a little stupid for coming. "Geez, sorry for visiting."
Hotaru flushed, looking flustered. "I'm sorry Ranma, that's not what I meant." Pulling herself together, she walked over and sat down next to him. "It's really good to see you Ranma, it's just… I don't get a lot of visitors." She smiled at him and the look in her eyes was still a little confused but she looked like she really was genuinely glad to see him.
"Why not?" he asked.
Hotaru looked down at her hands. "You know… because of what I can do."
"That's stupid. You know that trick of yours is really amazing right?"
Hotaru gave Ranma an uncertain smile. "Maybe Ranma, but it certainly hasn't brought me any friends."
At this Ranma perked up, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Wrong again, Hotaru," he said, standing up. He lifted up his shirt and showed her the large bruise on his left side. It turned out there were also quite a few cuts and scrapes there as well. "Actually, I was kinda hoping you could help me out with this."
Hotaru's eyes widened and she looked up at Ranma, a surprised look on her face. "You want me to heal this…?" she asked, her voice heavy with uncertainty.
Ranma nodded. "Of course, it hurts like hell."
Hotaru still looked uncertain, but Ranma continued to look down at her reassuringly, his eyes steady and his gaze never shaking. He looked sure of himself, expectant and most of all, unafraid. After several long seconds, Hotaru finally nodded.
Standing up by Ranma, she placed a hand over Ranma's wounds and closed her eyes. Ranma looked down at Hotaru's hand, small and smooth against the purple and red of his bruised skin and cut skin. For a second nothing happened, and then all of a sudden there was that warm, yellow light again. Expecting it this time, he watched as it enveloped her hand and his side. It wrapped around him, a warm and soothing blanket, and he felt the pain in his side subside and then disappear altogether. The ugly purple of the bruising faded away and the many cuts closed and vanished. In a few short seconds, all signs of injury were gone and Hotaru moved her hand away.
Ranma felt the smooth, unbroken skin where the injury had been only seconds ago and whistled in wonder. He looked back at Hotaru, grinning broadly. "Thanks Hotaru!"
Hotaru smiled and nodded, sitting back down on the couch, looking tired. Ranma remembered then how she had worn herself out healing him last time and suddenly had second thoughts about coming. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, sitting down and placing a hand on her shoulder.
She looked at his hand oddly, as if not expecting it, and he quickly pulled it back away. "I'm fine Ranma, please don't worry about it. I'm just glad I was able to help you a little."
"Oh," he said, not sure what else to say. Well, she sounded fine, it was just for a moment, she had looked…
"What happened?" Hotaru asked quickly, changing the subject. "It looked really painful."
Ranma leaned back against the couch, glad to be talking about something else. "Got hit by a mailbox."
Hotaru raised an eyebrow, not quite sure she had heard Ranma right. "You mean you hit a mailbox?"
"No, I mean I got hit by a mailbox," Ranma said, giving her a look that said he wasn't stupid and knew what he was saying.
"Someone hit you with a mailbox?"
"Yeah, Ryoga. He's pretty strong."
"Why would he hit you with a mailbox?"
Ranma sighed. "It's a long story…"
Hotaru looked at Ranma and almost backed off, but then perhaps she saw something in his eyes; perhaps she recognized something familiar in them, something that was crying out for attention, for company; because instead of backing off she smiled reassuringly at Ranma and said, "Please, tell me."
Ranma looked at Hotaru for a second and then began telling her about Ryoga. He started with their first fight, giving her a quick background on the lunch situation at Shibakouen. He then briefly recounted the progress of the rivalry over the past few weeks, giving her a surprisingly accurate and exaggeration-free accounting of their encounters and fights. He told her about how annoying and frustrating it was sometimes to be fighting with him all the time, emphasizing Ryoga's pig-headed stubbornness and short temper. Then he told her about what had happened earlier today, and though he tried really hard to not to admit any fault, he confessed that he felt a little bad about what happened.
When he finally finished, he gave a long, frustrated sigh and looked at Hotaru expectantly. She had listened through the entire thing attentively, only asking questions now and then.
She seemed to consider her words carefully and after a few moments said, "I'm sorry Ranma, it must be hard for you to go through all that every day. You're in a new place and go through so much, I understand why you get upset sometimes."
Ranma felt a huge weight lift off his chest as soon as she said that. He didn't know why but somehow hearing somebody sympathize with him and saying she understood him made him feel… better.
"But…" Hotaru continued, her voice softer now, a distant look in her eyes. "I think Ryoga must be very lonely too. Both of us still have our fathers, but Ryoga's always lost and doesn't see his parents or any of his friends very much. I think maybe he's just sad too because he can't go home."
Ranma was quiet, not sure what to say. For a second he had felt like shooting down everything Hotaru had said, but… the way she said them with that sad look in her eyes and the quiet softness of her voice, it had sounded true, and… familiar. Finally though, he said quietly, "So you don't have a mom either huh?"
Hotaru looked up then, surprised, as if she hadn't realized she had said that. Ranma looked at her, catching her eyes. This girl… she was a little like him wasn't she? She looked flustered under his gaze but started to say something when the door to the room opened.
"Excuse me, I brought some tea," Kaolinite said, a tray in her hands.
Hotaru turned towards Kaolinite, startled at first. It was only for an instant however, her brow furrowing angrily and her lips purse as she nearly shot off the couch and stormed over to Kaolinite. Ranma was surprised, realizing he had never seen Hotaru angry before.
Hotaru snatched the tray from Kaolinite. "Next time don't interfere with house affairs Kaolinite." Hotaru spun around, making it clear that she had nothing else to say to Kaolinite. Ranma saw Kaolinite smile slightly before turning around and walking out the door.
Ranma gave Hotaru a questioning look, but she didn't notice, her face still angry as she stared off at nothing in particular. "Um… is everything alright Hotaru?" Ranma asked after a few long moments of silence. He got up and walked over to Hotaru, waving a hand in front of her eyes.
Hotaru blinked, as if suddenly realizing where she was and looked apologetically at Ranma. "I'm sorry Ranma. Kaolinite is my father's assistant. He's very busy so she comes to help him with his research, but sometimes…" Hotaru trailed off.
"Oh," Ranma said. "That makes sense, I thought she was too weird to be a maid."
Hotaru blinked, looking at Ranma strangely. After a second, however, she smiled, shaking her head and even laughing softly. "No, Kaolinite's definitely not a maid."
Ranma didn't know what was so funny but nodded in agreement.
Taking a deep breath, Hotaru turned around, carefully balancing the tray and walking towards the door. "Well since you're here Ranma, would you like me to show you around?"
Ranma shrugged, glad to see that Hotaru was acting normally again. "Sure, why not?" he said.
Hotaru nodded and lead him out the room and into a long corridor. "I'll show you my room first."
Ranma followed her, glancing around and absently cataloging the entrances and exits. The floor was marble and there were numerous doors on both sides with a window at the end of the hall. "You have a really nice house Hotaru," Ranma said as she led him up a set of stairs.
"Thank you Ranma. Papa said the place you live at is very nice too."
"Yeah, it is…" Ranma said slowly. It was nice, but… well, he still didn't know how they had managed to get the place and despite how much he liked it he couldn't help but feel like they might get kicked out at any minute.
"So you don't have a mother Hotaru?" Ranma suddenly asked. He hadn't seen his own mother in nearly ten years because he had been on the road for so long, but he had a feeling that in Hotaru's case... "Is she…"
"She died a long time ago," Hotaru said quietly.
Ranma winced a little, suddenly sorry he had asked. He didn't know why he did, he just… wanted to know. "I'm sorry…" he said. And he really was. He and Ryoga didn't see their mothers, but at least he knew she was still there…
Hotaru stopped before a door and turned to give Ranma a big smile. "No, it's all right." She opened the door and walked in, gesturing for Ranma to follow her. "But come in, I want to hear more about what you've been doing in Juuban."
Ranma stepped into Hotaru's room and froze, taken aback. Whatever he had been expecting, it hadn't been this. The room was huge and spacious, the blinds closed to shut out the light. But it glowed softly with the light of dozens of lamps placed throughout the room. Two delicate sets of three sat on nightstands on either side of a bed on the far side of the room. Others shone softly from a table near the door and high on top of a cabinet on the other side. More lay across a dresser and others hung from the walls and ceilings, seeming to float silently in the darkness like so many glittering fireflies.
Ranma took a breath, feeling for a second like he had stepped into another world. It was so surreal; he could see the bed and table and chair—all the trappings of a normal room—and yet somehow, glowing gently in the darkness under the light of the lamps it all seemed so… magical and mysterious somehow. An image flashed through his mind of a dark haired girl with sparkling eyes looking at him from the edge of a moon-swept lake that glowed… just like this.
"It's… amazing," Ranma finally said. And he meant it.
Hotaru smiled brightly. "Thank you," she said, glowing in the darkness as much as any of the lamps.
Ranma nodded, giving the room another look. It really was amazing.
There was a sudden crash and Ranma spun around. Hotaru was on the ground, weakly struggling to push herself up and the tray of tea scattered across the ground. Ranma rushed to her side, helping her up. "Hotaru! Are you okay?"
Hotaru smiled weakly, clutching at her chest. "I-It's okay… I'm fine…" She pushed herself away from Ranma and leaned against the wall. Ranma let her go, not sure what to do.
"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully. Her face looked strained and even paler than usual and her breathing was coming in short shallow breaths.
"I'm just… a little dizzy…" she said slowly, closing her eyes for a second.
"I'll go call a doctor," Ranma said, getting up.
Hotaru's grabbed Ranma's hand, surprisingly fast, and pulled him back, shaking her head. "No!" she said emphatically, her face strangely determined. "I'm not supposed to see any doctors, my father can…" she trailed off again, closing her eyes for a second. When she opened them again, she looked very tired but her breathing seemed to be a little easier. "I'm sorry Ranma, you should probably go home now."
Ranma looked at her uncertainly for several long moments but nodded and stood up. "Okay Hotaru," he said, giving her an encouraging smile. "You be okay, alright?" She nodded and he turned away and started to leave.
"Ranma," Hotaru called as he walked through the door. He stopped and looked back at her. She was leaning heavily against the doorframe, her small figure and dark clothes almost swallowed up by the suddenly foreboding darkness of the room behind her. She smiled weakly at him in the light of the corridor. "Thank you for coming… you're always welcome here."
He looked at her and for just a second he had the strangest feeling that he should stay—that he wasn't supposed to leave and that she needed him to stay—but he shrugged it off and nodded, "I better be after everything I've done for you," he said with a cocky grin.
She nodded weakly and with a short wave he turned around and left her.
Ranma squinted at the map Etsuya had sketched for him and then looked up at the large house in front of him. Well, unless his sense of direction was as bad as Ryoga's, this had to be it. He walked to the front door and pounded on it a few times, then rang the bell. "Hey Ryoga! Get up, it's time for school!" he shouted. He waited a few minutes, pounding the door and ringing the bell several more times, but nobody came.
"Well, I guess it's time for plan B…" Ranma muttered, flipping the map over. On the back was a rough map of Ryoga's house with several points of entrance marked. Etsuya had told him that if Ryoga didn't make it to the door, Ranma should just enter however he could.
So Ranma wandered around to the side of the house and tried one of the marked windows. It was locked so he moved onto another one—this one the entrance to a basement. He pushed at it a few times and it opened, although with a bit of difficulty. He peered inside into the inky darkness, trying to make out the interior in the dull morning light. Well, it was a little tight, but it looked like he would make it. So he sat down and tried to slide inside legs-first. After a few moments and with some difficulty, he managed to squeeze through, dropping to the ground and sending up a large cloud of dust.
Coughing and half blind, he stumbled through the cluttered basement until he found the door to the house. He opened it and walked inside, calling out Ryoga's name. The house was large, and well-furnished, though a lot of it was covered in plastic sheets, probably because there was hardly ever anybody home. Ranma looked down at his map and started checking out all the rooms on the lower floor, calling for Ryoga.
He was in the living room when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He nearly screamed, and spun around, knocking the hand away and jumping back to safety. Peering into the dim gray morning light, he finally made out Ryoga, scowling at him in annoyance.
"So you actually came," Ryoga said.
"Of course!" Ranma snapped back. "What, did you think I was going to leave a classmate behind?" he asked, his voice softer now. "Besides, I volunteered to do this and Ranma Saotome's word is always good."
Ryoga looked surprised, as if he weren't expecting that answer. But his face softened and he nodded. "Sorry I didn't get the door. You're early so I wasn't expecting you yet."
Ranma grinned, pocketing the map. "I know, I came early cause I wanted to see if you wanted to spar with me."
Ryoga's eyes widened, and he seemed really surprised now. "Spar?"
Ranma nodded. "Sure, you're a pretty good martial artist. We could learn something from each other you know?"
Ryoga stared at Ranma as if he had grown another head, but as he looked at the pony-tailed martial artist, he realized that Ranma was serious. Slowly, Ryoga smiled and dropped into a defensive stance. "Alright then, let's see if you can take even one of my punches when I'm not tired."
Ranma smirked and shifted his weight slightly, getting ready to dash towards the Lost Boy. "Hey Ryoga," he said softly as he lifted his hands up to guard himself.
"What?" Ryoga asked.
"Sorry about the other day." As Ranma dashed forward, he thought that it was funny how even though he had fought with Ryoga so many times already, this was the first time he ever sparred with the Lost Boy.
Author's Notes:
And so Ryoga finally appears! I've been re-watching the anime and will attempt to modify his character in the same way I've done with Ranma. This is pre-Jusenkyo so Ryoga shouldn't be as angry, depressed or love-starved as in canon. As of the end of this chapter, though, Ranma and Ryoga's relationship is stabilized and won't be focused on for awhile.