No Depression
Chapter the Tenth:
Berserker
Me no own Ranma.
"Ryoga?"
Ryoga's answer came in the form of several dozen chi-infused bandannas. Ranma felt strangely nostalgic. Whilst he was distracted by the bandannas Ryoga launched his main attack.
"Shi-Shi-Hokudan!"
"Moko takabisha!" He countered, deflecting the chi ball just enough that he could slide under it. He blinked, was that...strategy? Normally Pig Boy didn't have a strategy, unless 'hit it until it stops moving' counted. He sidestepped a punch and sent a Chestnut fist into the lost boys ribs, his opponent just grunted and retaliated with an old-fashioned right cross. The anything-goes heir bobbed underneath it, and returned with a fast combo of punches and kicks forcing Ryoga to withdraw slightly. Ranma grinned, maybe this would be more fun than he thought.
0-0
''Ohgodohgodohgod," thought Ukyo as she raced across the rooftops of Nermia towards the infamous Tendo dojo. 'Please let me get there first,' she had a feeling that this was going to get ugly.
0-0
'Dammit' thought Ranma as he danced around the lost boy's potentially crippling blows, 'What's he so pissed off about?' He quickly searched his memory, He couldn't think of anything he'd done recently, hell, he hadn't seen Ryoga for almost a month.
"Hey pork butt, what are you whining about now?" No response.
"P-chan?" still nothing. "What's the matter, pig got your tongue?"
"You can't have her." Ryoga growled menacingly.
'This must be about Akane.' he thought.
"Get over it Bacon Boy, she's mine now." Ryoga answered with an animalistic snarl and Ranma was too busy dodging to engage in any further conversation.
0-0
Ryoga frowned, as usual he couldn't land a solid hit on his elusive opponent. Ranma was just too fast, he needed to slow him down somehow. Acting seemingly on instinct, he charged his finger with heavy chi and stabbed it into the ground.
"Shi-Shi-tenketsu!"(??? Roaring lion's Point???)the extra chi energy caused a cascade effect in which one breaking point triggered the next, causing all the terrain within a hundred meter radius to be reduced to loose sand and gravel, forcing Ranma to modify his footing to stay balanced.
0-0
'Ohgodohgodohgod' Ukyo continued to think. Then she stopped and looked around, none of this looked familiar. She blinked. Where was she?
0-0
Ranma stumbled back with a loud cracking noise as Ryoga's forehead hit him in the face. He put a hand up to his nose, it came back bloody. He prodded it a bit, 'Fuck, feels like it's broken.'
"Dammit Ryoga, just what do you think you're-Whoa!" he narrowly avoided a backhand that would have caved the side of his head in. Thats when it hit him, Ryoga was actually trying to kill him.
0-0
Ukyo was shocked at the scene which greeted her when she finally made it to the Tendo dojo. Ranma, bleeding badly, had Ryoga on the ropes and was striking seemingly at will, then, in a sudden reversal he caught a kick and twisted the leg painfully, but before he could finish applying the hold Ranma managed somehow to escape but came away limping. Ryoga, snarling, charged forward at a still recovering Ranma and spear-tackled him though a concrete telephone pole and crushed him into the wall behind it, then followed up by kneeing him in the groin while he was dazed, While Ranma tried not to vomit, Ryoga undid his belt. Then the belt stiffened. Time slowed down as he raised the newly formed blade.
"Noooooo!" Ukyo screamed when she realized what was happening. Ryoga turned his head towards her in shock. She had to stop them!
"Flour Bomb!" the combatants were engulfed in a white cloud. Then to her horror the fallen cables sparked and ignited the seemingly innocuous powder into an inferno.
+FOOM+
0-0
Ukyo was getting worried, it had been several hours since the fireball and there had been no sign of Ryoga. She'd meant to look for him afterwards but Akane had needed help carrying Ranma to Dr. Tofu. He had been knocked unconscious by the explosion and had some superficial burns, but apart from the broken nose he was okay, embarrassed and upset by how the nose-splint looked, but okay. She almost wished he'd been more badly hurt if only to give her something else to worry about besides Ryoga.
Where did he disappear to? She couldn't find him after she had managed to get away from Dr. Tofu's She sighed. It was starting to get dark, perhaps she should go home. Maybe he was waiting for her there. It didn't seem very likely, but she was starting to get desperate.
0-0
"Ryoga?" she called as she entered the restaurant. He wasn't in the dining area.
"Ryoga?" Nor was he in the kitchen. She went upstairs to her apartment.
"Ryoga?" He wasn't here either. Where was he? She bit her lip anxiously. Gods, she needed something to do, to occupy her mind.
She went back downstairs to the small room she laughingly referred to as her office, it was just a small desk, some second hand filling cabinets, and an antique Macintosh, but it served her meager needs. She tried to balance her account books but she just couldn't concentrate. After half an hour she gave up and went upstairs, and switched on the TV. She switched it off fifteen minutes later.
Then something caught her eye. Was that Ryoga's backpack? Didn't he need that? She was suddenly even more worried. He'd be okay without it, right? Of course he would, he was tough, he'd been surviving in the wild for nearly his whole life, she tried to reassure herself but it wasn't working. What did he keep in that thing anyway? She was suddenly extremely curious. She walked over and sat down next to it. She really shouldn't...
Oh hell...
She opened it but didn't look. One eye forced itself open and slowly her head turned around...and was slightly disappointed. It looked oddly normal; extra clothes, a camp stove, a rolled up tent, some outdoor gear. Well what was she expecting? A magical gateway leading to a land of talking animals?
Then she noticed a notebook sticking out one of the side pockets, she flipped through it, this was his dia- journal (Girls keep diaries, guys have journals she reminded herself) She flipped to a random entry:
Date: 03/16/2006 Time: 2100hrs Place: Somewhere in Canada, I think.
Food low, chased by bear, I got a letter today, delivered by the most orange ninja I have ever seen.
Akane is finally marrying Ranma. I don't feel nearly as bad as I thought I would. Well, as long as she's happy. Can't decide if I want to go or not.
She flipped ahead a few pages.
Date: 03/21/2006 Time: 1800hrs Place: definitely Japan
Made it in time for the ceremony. Akane looked wonderful. I guess this is what she wants. Ukyo wanted something, don't know what. She's in a pretty bad way. She started crying halfway though the last dance. I'm looking at her now, she fell asleep on me, don't know how I'm going to get her home.
She looks so peaceful when she's asleep. Someone's coming. Better stop.
She flipped ahead until she found the day before.
Date: 04/26/2006 Time: 2300hrs Place: Still Japan
I can hardly believe it, Ukyo's ready for the breaking point training. I thought it would take her longer but she trains really hard, I guess this means she's serious about this. About us. I never thought I would ever feel this, um, not depressed. Happy, I think they call it. I'm happy. It feels kind of weird, but in a good way.
Her eyes started to blur with tears, she put the notebook down.
"Stupid Ryoga..." she whispered.
ugh, fights are hard to do. still, it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, only 3+ months! uh oh, and flour will combust like that, it was on Mythbusters.
Next time?
The Final Chapter;
Back.