Disclaimer:
The characters in this story aren't mine. They are the property of Takahashi Rumiko, the creator of Ranma ½. This is a totally non-profit bit of prose also known as a fanfic. I am writing this for the enjoyment of other Ranma ½ fans and myself. If the great Takahashi Rumiko says she doesn't want her characters used in this way it will be deleted immediately. Any who... onward into the story.
The Days After: Ryouga's Journey
By: Eric Evans
Chapter 3: Rough Start
After a good night sleep at Ukchan's Ryouga woke as the sun peeked through the windows. He sat up, and rubbed his eyes. After figuring out where he was, he remembered what Ukyou had asked him the day before. "Ryouga, would you mind if I came with you?" He didn't really know what to make of it, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He had already agreed to let her come along. It might be interesting not being alone for once... who knows. He got the rest of the way out of his sleeping bag, and began to roll it up. Once he had rolled his sleeping bag as tight as he could he quickly packed it away, and went to find Ukyou.
About a half-hour, and several trips into some seemingly huge closets later Ryouga finally found his way to Ukyou's room. Ukyou was still asleep on her futon, curled up in her blanket. Ryouga watched her sleeping form for a while. Wow... she's cute when she's asleep.... He shook his head, and walked over to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder nudging her gently, "Hey Ukyou... time to get up... I'm ready to get going."
Ukyou moaned slightly, and turned a little in her bedding, "Huh... Is it morning already...?"
"Yeah come on Ukyou wake up. I'm going to make us some breakfast before we leave. Come down stairs when you're ready."
Ukyou opened her eyes, and then blinked them back shut, and once again opened them, but much more slowly this time waiting for them to adjust to the light. "Uh... okay." She didn't remember what had happened the day before, but when her eyes finally focused on Ryouga everything came flooding back to her. She started with a gasp finally awake. "Oh! Ryouga... Okay I'll be down in a minute."
Ryouga walked out her door, and down the stairs to the front with out getting lost through a stroke of pure luck. Once he was there he began to make some pancake-like bread with dried fruit in it. He found some glasses, and filled them with milk and some kind of fruit juice... at least he hoped that was what it was. A couple of minutes later just as he finished fixing breakfast Ukyou came down the stairs. She was dressed in her usual blouse, her battle spatula strapped to her back, her pack hung on one arm, her hair held back by a large white ribbon, but instead of her usual black leggings she wore a pair of rather thick black pants tucked into a pair of nearly knee-high black leather boots.
Ukyou sat down on a stool at the bar in front of where Ryouga was fixing breakfast. "Well, I think I'm ready. How do I look?"
Ryouga placed a plate with a couple of the pancake-like things in front of Ukyou along with a glass of milk, and one with juice. Then he did the same thing to the spot next to her, and walked around the end of the grill to sit next to her. He looked her up and down a couple times, and then blushed, "You look great... those clothes should do just fine...." Ukyou who had already started eating looked up at Ryouga, and smiled then both ate in silence.
Once she had finished her breakfast Ukyou turned to Ryouga once again, "You know it's kinda strange... I'm usually the one cooking for others, and this makes twice in a row you've cooked for me." She smiled, "Actually you are a pretty good cook Ryouga. I'm not sure what that was though...."
Ryouga blushed, "Uhhh... well it was something I came up with when I was little, and I couldn't figure out how to make pancakes...."
Ukyou laughed, "You're something else you know that."
Ryouga who was now a bright red finished off his breakfast, and began to collect the dishes.
About a half an hour later they had done the dishes, finished getting ready, and double-checked their supplies. As they walked out the door, Ukyou hung a small note on the door, and the two began to walk down the street never looking back.
Ranma-chan was lying in front of the television half-asleep, waiting for breakfast, and still feeling quite weary and battered from her last fight with Ryouga. She wasn't really paying attention to what was on. There had been a good anime on, but it had gone off, and now it was the news, and Ranma-chan couldn't care less. I wonder what's taking so long with breakfast? Kasumi usually has it done by the time Pop and I get done sparing in the morning.... She turned to watch as her father the panda walked in from outside and then turned back to the television. Guess I should have went and changed back before breakfast.... Suddenly something on the television caught her attention.
In a bit lighter note we have a story about a young man who helped a young lost girl and her mother reunite yesterday morning, the picture on the screen was of Ryouga playing with a cute little girl on the floor next to Ukyou. Ranma-chan jumped up. "What the.... Hey, Akane, come look at this!"
Unfortunately we were unable to locate the young man for an interview, so all we have is this photograph taken by the police. Akane walked out of the kitchen slightly annoyed, and made her way to Ranma-chan. The fact that Akane had come out of the kitchen hadn't escaped her, and she was trying to think of an excuse to run as far away as her legs could carry her. Akane's eye grew wide when she saw the picture on the screen, "That's Ryouga... and Ukyou!"
The voice in the television continued, The police chief was quoted as saying 'It's good to know that there are a few good young people left in this city.'
The two stared at the screen for a little while after it had moved on to some other recent event, then they turned to stare at each other in disbelief. Ranma-chan's mind came up with a plan. A plan that would both keep her from getting food poisoning, and let her find out more about what had happened with Ryouga. "I'm gonna go over to Ukchan's, and find out what happened. Tell Kasumi I'll eat breakfast there!" she raced out the door not waiting for Akane to respond.
Having fended off Shampoo's affectionate onslaught on her way Ranma-chan finally arrived at Ukchan's. She walked up to the door, and noticed a sign hung there.
She began to read the sign, "Closed until further notice. I am going out of town, and don't know where I can be reached, or when I will be back. I am sorry for any inconvenience. Kuonji Ukyou. P.S. - Tsubasa and Konatsu don't try to follow me."
Ranma-chan starred at the sign in disbelief. "What the...." The fact that Ukyou had left her restaurant was strange, but the fact that she hadn't even mentioned to her that she was going somewhere was unbelievable to her. She turned, and began to walk off, "Ah, man... where am I going to eat now...."
Ukyou was quite sure that they weren't heading in the right direction to leave the city, in fact they were somewhere near the Nekohauten at the moment, but Ukyou didn't feel it was her place to tell Ryouga. She had been the one who had asked to follow him around, and it didn't seem right for her to tell him where he should go. That aside she was fairly sure this wasn't the way Ryouga had wanted to go, but kept quite and followed only slightly behind him, by his side.
The two continued on like that until Ryouga sensed something.... It wasn't an attack... but it was definitely danger.... He heard the chiming of a small bell behind them closing fast. Ryouga spun around dropping into a ready position, and swinging his umbrella around in a large arc. The umbrella connected with the object that had been hurtling at them and slammed it across the street and into the wall there.
As Shampoo woke she ached all over as if she had been in a horrible fight. She slowly opened her eyes to assess the damage and tried to remember what had happened, but could think of nothing. Then she noticed a young man dressed in black with a yellow speckled bandana around his head bandaging her ankle.
"Aiya! That Ryouga? What happen?" Shampoo struggled to keep from slipping into speaking Chinese through the pain in her head.
Ryouga looked at her surprised that she was awake, but his expression quickly changed to one of guilt, "I'm sorry Shampoo.... It was my fault.... I was… errr… you were…uhhh...."
Ukyou who had been sitting on the ground near Ryouga decided she had better finish for him, "You where riding towards us really fast from behind on your bike and Ryouga swung around and hit you out of reflex. Ryouga's been trying to take care of you, and he said he thinks your ankle is the worst of it. That is probably where the umbrella hit you, but he's not sure if it's broken or not. The rest are from where you hit the wall with your bike, and are mostly just going to leave bruises.... We're really sorry Shampoo.... How do you feel?"
Shampoo who had been listening intently sighed, "It okay... Shampoo no angry, but no can believe Ryouga do this. It feel like Shampoo hit by big truck." The young amazon girl decided to try standing up since the dizziness had mostly passed. She pushed her self up avoiding putting any weight on her damaged ankle, but found even more pains waiting for her when she did. The renewed pain and returning dizziness overwhelmed her and she began to fall back to the ground letting out a slight groan. She could only wince as the ground rush up to meet her pretty face not having the strength to fight through the pain and dizziness to take back control of her own body. Her eyes closed and her teeth clenched she awaited the feeling of her face being smashed into the concrete with the calmness of a true amazon warrior, but the feeling didn't come. Instead she felt an arm under her chest, and another on her side.
Ryouga lifted Shampoo to her feet and pulled one of her arms over his shoulders, and Ukyou rush up to her other side to do the same.
"Aiya, Shampoo no feel so good," Shampoo said with a painful laugh.
Ryouga looked at her concern covering his features, "Come on we'll take you back to the Nekohauten.... Oh wait a sec," he exclaimed and gently released Shampoo to Ukyou. He put on his pack after hurriedly stuffing his first aid kit back in, and then walked over to Shampoo's crumpled bike and put it on one shoulder, and rushed back to Shampoo's side.
"Shampoo's bike no feel so good too, ne?" she said with a slight chuckle trying to lighten Ryouga's mood, but Ryouga only continued to stare at the ground as they walked.
"So what spatula-girl doing with lost-boy anyway?"
Ukyou looked embarrassed for a second, "Well, we're going on a trip... errr... Ryouga's going on another journey, and I asked to come along."
"And you no tell Ranma? Shampoo see him earlier. He say he going to see you...." Shampoo finished the last part with a bit of envy creeping into her voice.
Ukyou sighed at the thought of having missed a chance to see Ranma, "Really? Did he say what he wanted?"
"No, he only say he need talk to spatula-girl."
Ukyou sighed again. Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway I guess.... That's why I'm going on this trip with Ryouga in the first place, to get away from all this. I need to clear my mind, and try to forget about him for a while....
After that the trio walked the short distance that remained to the Nekohauten in silence.
A little later they arrived at the Nekohauten. Luckily Mousse was out on a delivery. They explained to Cologne what had happened, and Cologne looked over Shampoo's injuries assessing them close to the same as Ryouga had. The only difference was that Cologne could tell that Shampoo had at least a small fracture in her now very swollen ankle, and that she had a fair-sized concussion, a fact that Ryouga had missed altogether.
Cologne thanked them for bringing Shampoo home, and Ryouga apologized numerous more time before finally Ryouga and Ukyou made there way out the door of the Nekohauten to continue there journey which, so far, wasn't going so well.
Once the pair had left Cologne turned to Shampoo, "Oh Shampoo..." she shook her head, "So is what they told me really how it happened?"
Shampoo who was sitting in a chair with her foot propped up on another with several pillows under it, looked at her great-grand mother confused, "Yes, is truth. Why you ask?"
Cologne sighed, "Don't you see Shampoo? You've been defeated again...."
"Aiya, lost-boy no really fight Shampoo!" she said defensively.
Cologne chuckled, "It doesn't matter, he proved his superior skill... I had suspected for a long time.... Ah well, no mater." But it doesn't hurt to have a back up if somehow Ranma slips away, and the way it's been looking lately.... "So what do you think of Ryouga?"
Shampoo had no idea what the old matriarch was thinking, and gave her a puzzled look, but then started, "Well, has direction sense of head of cabbage...." She recalled the time she had seen him use the Shishi-Houkoudan, "Is very depressed, and lonely... strong, stubborn... shy...." She began to think of how he had tried so hard to help her, "kind...." Then she remembered how hard he had been trying to make it up to her, "honorable...." She drifted into thought trying to remember anything else to describe him, but was interrupted by Cologne.
"That's fine Shampoo get some rest." She began to bounce off on her staff smiling slightly at her great-grand daughter's last comments, and concocting new plans.
After leaving the Nekohauten, Ryouga and Ukyou had walked in silence. Ukyou had noticed that they had started in the correct general direction for leaving the city. She was relieved by that fact, but she was starting to doubt that this trip had been a good idea in the first place.
"Ummm, Ryouga... I was wondering where we are going," she stated breaking the silence.
Ryouga looked around worriedly, "Out of town I hope...."
Ukyou giggled a bit at the expression on his face as he looked around trying to figure out were they were, how they got there and more importantly how they were going to get out. "No, I mean after that.... Is there anywhere you plan to go?"
"Well... actually I've been looking for a temple that's in the mountains somewhere in Japan."
"Oh, really? What for?"
Ryouga started to fidget nervously. He didn't want to tell her about his curse, but he didn't now how to explain trying to go to the temple he had heard had a cure for curses with out her figuring it out. The truth is he wasn't sure he could keep it from her for long anyway with her traveling with him, but he wanted to avoid telling her about his embarrassing curse if at all possible.
"What's wrong? You won't tell me why you're leading me to some old temple in the mountains?" She said beginning to get angry.
Ryouga lowered his head, "Well... it's kinda personal...."
Ukyou stared at him for a moment, but decided to accept his excuse. After all, it had been her idea to follow Ryouga, and she didn't feel that she had the right to ask too much of him. If I get him mad now he may just leave me behind. Besides, I can ask him later on... I figure it'll be a LONG time before we actually find the place.... "Oh, okay, I guess...." she said smiling at him.
Ryouga looked up at her, but didn't say a word feeling guilty about keeping it a secret from Ukyou.
Several hours later the two had made there way past the edge of the city. They were traveling along on an overgrown path though the woods that Ryouga had seemed to think would lead them in the right direction. Ukyou noticed that as they left the over-populated urban areas and started walking through the woods, Ryouga had relaxed. His muscles, which had been tense every time she could ever remember seeing him, where now loose, and he looked quite at home.
"You really like the woods don't you?" Ukyou asked hoping to stir up some conversation.
"Yeah. They have been my home for quite awhile," Ryouga responded with out really thinking.
"Seems kinda lonely out here to me...."
"Really? I don't think so. Maybe I did once, but I can't remember... now this is the only place I know, the only place I feel...." Ryouga started to look thoughtfully around.
"What about your parents and your house?"
"Well my parents are never home, and I haven't seen them in a really long time...."
"Don't you miss them?" she said thinking of her own parents.
Ryouga only sighed and kept walking staring off into the distance, but Ukyou understood what he was thinking, and decided it would be best for her to just walk quietly for a while. Finally her stomach decided it was time to break the silence, and let out a load growling sound. Ukyou was embarrassed. "Heh... guess it's time to eat?" she said hoping.
"Well... actually when I'm traveling I usually only eat breakfast and supper...."
Ukyou was astonished, "What!?! Why?!? I'm starving!!!"
"Well I don't carry much ready-to-eat food because it's usually heavy, and tends to spoil...."
"So?"
Ryouga was surprised that she didn't understand, but began to explain calmly. "Well, that means we would have to stop, gather wood, start a fire, unpack the food and dishes, cook the food, clean the dishes with the little water we have, repack, and put out the fire. That's not even mentioning the strain that eating three times a day would put on our food supply."
"Well then, are we going to just not eat at all because it's too much trouble?!?" Ukyou said sarcastically.
"Well, you see, at night when you start a fire you can use it again the next morning, and it will keep you warm during the night. Also you can just unpack at night and repack in the morning when you are ready to leave."
Ukyou sighed. It made perfect sense when Ryouga explained it, but she was still very hungry. "Yeah, I guess, but how can you keep going like this? I'm starving."
"Don't worry you'll get used to it after a couple years," Ryouga said a smile almost making it's way onto his features.
Ukyou grumbled, but said nothing more determined that she could do anything he could.
As the sun had begun to set Ryouga had picked a spot for the two to camp for the night in a very small clearing. Ukyou had watched as Ryouga walked around and gathered firewood, and then started a fire. She couldn't believe how much energy he had. Hunger was eating away at her, but even worse was the pain in her shoulders and legs. Ryouga's pack was much heavier than hers was, and yet it didn't bother him at all, and it amazed her.
Ryouga started to pull his cooking supplies out of his pack when Ukyou interrupted, "Sugar, you've cooked for me a couple of times now let me do it this time."
Ryouga looked at her for a second and then handed her the things he had been going to prepare for them. "Oh okay, thanks...."
"It's my pleasure, sugar."
"So... uhhh... hmmm...." Ryouga stuttered as he tried to think to something to say.
Ukyou giggled, "You know you're hopeless Ryouga."
Ryouga just frowned, and started to stare at the fire.
After they had eaten they sat quietly staring at the fire, and enjoying the afterglow from the meal Ukyou had prepared. In truth it wasn't any better than the ones Ryouga had made because she wasn't used to cooking that way, but there had been much more to eat. Ryouga was quite used to cooking for one, and had a hard time making enough for two.
Ukyou, who was still feeling a little sore in the shoulders, and legs, was thinking about her parents. In fact they had been about all she had thought of ever since she had brought Ryouga's up earlier that day. She missed them, and thinking about them made her feel lonely, so she decided it was time she started another conversation. She could see if she waited for Ryouga to start one they would never say another word to each other.
"So, Ryouga, tell me about your parents," she wasn't sure if it was a bad thing to ask him about, but she couldn't think of anything else at the moment.
Ryouga lifted his gaze from the flames to meet Ukyou's eyes, then lifted them up to the stars before he began, "Well, there isn't that much to tell…. My mother is a beautiful and intelligent woman, and my father is handsome and strong… but neither of them have any sense of direction…."
"It must have been hard when you where little… your parents not having any sense of direction I mean."
"Well when I was really little my parents never went anywhere with out me at their side. I spent most of the time with my mother, but sometimes my father would take care of me. We always had a big celebration when we were all together. I'll never forget those times…."
Ukyou was enchanted by Ryouga's story about his family and she wanted to hear more about him, "So you're close to your parents?"
Ryouga sat silent for a while lowering his gaze from the stars back down to the flame before him. "We were once… but after awhile I had to start school, and that changed everything."
"What do you mean?" Ukyou asked not understanding.
Ryouga sighed and continued, "Well my parents couldn't stay by my side all the time once I started school, and soon I was left all alone after both of my parents got lost. Not long after that I got lost myself for the first time alone…."
"Oh Ryouga… that must have been hard…." she said trying to imagine being totally alone at such a young age.
Ryouga continued, "It was hard enough when my parents got lost. I had never been alone before, not ever. They had always been right there, or at least one of them. They were more important to me than anyone or anything else, and suddenly they were gone…. It wasn't as if they hadn't warned me that it would happen someday, because they had, and they had prepared me for it as best they could, but still for almost a month whenever I thought no one was around to notice I would break down crying.
"It took awhile, my parents had prepared well, and had asked the neighbors to help me get to school and back if ever they should both get lost with out me, but it was inevitable… I got lost…. I had the pack of supplies they made me carry all the time… and it was a good thing too or I'm sure I wouldn't have survived…." His voice faded off, but he continued to stare at the fire his face mostly blocked from Ukyou's view by the hair that hug low over his bandana.
Ukyou was dying to find out what had happened, and began to press him, "So?!? What happened?"
Ryouga stiffened, but after a minute he continued, "I'm not sure exactly anymore…. By the time I realized I was lost I was well out of the city, and in the woods…. I have no idea how I could have gotten there with out noticing…. All I remember is that I was thinking about my parents, and walking, but there I was, a five year old tossed out into the world wandering lost, searching for something… anything familiar. I was lost all alone for nearly a month…." Ryouga stopped.
Ukyou wanted to hear more and was about to ask him why he hadn't found anyone to take him home, but then she noticed a single tear roll down the lost boy's check, and fall to the ground. She felt her heart leap into her throat. Oh my god!!! What was I thinking?!? This must be hard for Ryouga to talk about, and I was pushing him to tell me more just for my entertainment…. Ukyou hated herself for forcing Ryouga to tell her about his past. It was hard for her to talk about her past too. She understood how he felt and she wanted to comfort Ryouga, but she didn't know what to say. She just watched him trying to think of something.
Before Ukyou could think of anything Ryouga sighed and continued, "I didn't have enough supplies to last a month, but my parents had taught me a lot. I had been in the woods with them before. I rationed my food as well as I could, but soon it was running out, and I still had no idea how to get out of the forest. I began to forage as much food as I could, and even hunted, mostly unsuccessfully, as my parents had taught me, and some how I found enough to survive. At the end of almost a month I saw a small house in the woods, and ran towards it with all my strength and tears welling up in my eyes. I ignored the bruises and scrapes I got as I tripped and fell down as I ran. I could hardly believe it, and neither could the people in the house. There I was, a five year old, standing on some old couples door step calmly asking to use the phone because I had been lost in the woods for nearly a month…. Well, when I got home both my parents where there and worried sick, but very proud of me. We celebrated like never before, my parents constantly hugging me and crying with joy…. They had both returned about a week after I had gotten lost and hadn't left since waiting for me to return. The police had been notified, but had mostly given up hope for the five-year-old lost on his own for a month, but my parents hadn't. They knew I could make it, and they had never given up hope…." Ryouga choked on the last few words that ended his story.
Ukyou just sat there. She had no idea what to say. She thought she should say something, but nothing would come. Finally Ryouga stood up, "Well we had better get to bed, I'll sleep here you can have the tent." He unrolled is sleeping bag, and sat down on it.
Ukyou nodded, and walked to the tent and crawled in and unrolled her own sleeping bag. Finally, she thought of something to say, "Good night, Ryouga… and thank you for telling me your story…."
Ryouga turned to look at her with a small smile on his face, "Good night Ukyou." He returned to taking off his shoes, and untying the cords around his legs. They both slipped into their sleeping bag, but only Ryouga fell asleep quickly. Ukyou laid in hers thinking about Ryouga's story well into the night.