Author's Notes: The episodes are getting a little longer each time. Well, I hope that this one continues to assure you readers and that (as usual) it lives up to the style and characters that Rumiko Takahashi has created.
As for the title, it's not really about a ride home. But I sort of thought it might be appropriate. Anyway, here's wishing you happy reading.
Episode 2: The Ride Home
Another dawn had broken over Nerima and residents had already gotten used to the new routines. Worshippers from the various faiths were beginning their daily shuffle, and the responsibility of praying for the continued peace in Nerima was passed from faith to faith.
The city's transport authorities, noting the shift in the residents' behavior had long adjusted the bus schedules to cater to these devout prayer warriors and had unwittingly spawned the Holy Depot of Crusading Bus Captains as well as the Brotherhood of Peacekeeping Bus Conductors.
While the pre-rush-hour traffic began to build and the changing of the religious guard took place across Nerima, two young souls were sleeping blissfully at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. Well, not really. One had already awoken before the other.
Ukyo Kounji was dreaming.
And it was one of the good ones. The kind that you tend to forget in its entirety the moment you wake up, but leaves a good feeling anyway.
There had been a man in that dream. Yes, it was the proverbial man of her dreams. It had once been Ranma, but as the months following his declaration to marry Akane, that face had gradually faded away, eroded by the passage of time, like a video losing its quality after repeated playbacks. And now, she could not make out the face, even though the feeling of love and completeness was still there.
There was a prod. Somewhere in her dream state, her mind told her that there had been a prod. But it didn't seem to make sense in the dream setting. And her brain wasn't getting any more specific than that. All it said was: 'Prod'.
Then there was another. This time, the signal was more detailed, more specific. It was her head. Something was jabbing her head. The dream was beginning to fade as her mind slipped closer to consciousness.
She woke with a start even as a third jab caught her in the forehead. "What the . . .?" She forced her eyes to focus and then there was a face staring down at her, just inches away.
It was not the man of her dreams.
"Ryoga . . ."
"Ah, you're awake, Ukyo. I was afraid I would have to use cold water to wake you," he said, drawing away.
"Wake me?" Ukyo could feel her thoughts beginning to string together, the world around her starting to make sense. "For what?"
"School, of course. I broke your alarm clock yesterday, remember?" Ryoga was saying. "So I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be late for school this time."
"What time is it?" But Ukyo wasn't waiting for an answer. She had hardly heard Ryoga. And now she was looking out the window, the sun was level with her windowsill yet.
If the meaning of Ryoga's words had eluded her so far, there was one thing that didn't. And she spun to face the Lost Boy, the sleep departing from her mind, the cobwebs blasted clear by a wave of rage.
"Ryoga, you jackass!" She had to stop herself from throttling him. "Do you know what day it is?"
"No, not really. Time has little meaning for a wanderer like me." Ryoga replied nonchalantly. "Gee, Ukyo, what are you so worked up about?"
"It's a Sunday, you doofus!"
Ryoga reached into his backpack and pulled out a crumpled calendar. "Hmm, thanks. I'll take your word for it." And he promptly marked off the days gone by with a pen.
"Errggh . . ."
"Um . . . Ukyo?" Ryoga finally noted the glow surrounding the girl as she glared at him, staring razor-sharp spatulas at him. "Did I say something wrong?"
Whang . . . Crash!
He had felt the familiar sting of the spatula and realized for a bizarre moment that he was actually airborne before coming to grief against a wall and dropping onto unceremoniously onto the floor in a heap.
"You idiot! There is no school today!" She was standing over him now, mega spatula gripped menacingly in her hand.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm sorry, Ukyo! It was an honest mistake!" Ryoga held up a hand to stop her. "I mean, I haven't gone to school in ages . . . I've quite forgotten!"
"Say goodnight, you pig . . ." And the spatula came down and down and down. Ryoga did his best to endure the pounding that seemed to last for an eternity. He was quite surprised to find out that he was actually aware of when the impacts of the flat, polished surface had finally ceased. He was still conscious.
Ryoga wasn't sure which hurt more – the lumps on his head or the ringing in his ears. He fought a short, victorious battle with the dark haze of unconsciousness and saw Ukyo glaring at him, spatula still grasped in her hands, as if ready to strike once more.
"Why the hell did you do that for?"
"I was having a really good dream and you just had to wake me! And on a Sunday to boot!"
"Look, I already said I'm sorry. But if you're going to pummel me again, I'm not going to stop you." His hands were by his side, no effort made to block incoming blows.
Ukyo stared at him for a long moment and just when he began to feel uncomfortable, she rose slowly with a sigh.
"Um . . . Ukyo . . .I'm . . ."
WHAM!
This time, the lights in Ryoga's head really went out.
He had woken to the pleasant aroma of freshly cooked okonomiyaki, those tempting tendrils of the delicious scent pulling him over the threshold of unconsciousness back into the world of the living.
He cracked open an eyelid carefully, scanning slowly for any sign of movement or danger around him. There seemed to be none. He tested his body slowly, noting with a certain amount of satisfaction and relief that he still had feeling in his fingers and toes.
There was a flash of color to his left. Blue trimmed with white. A glint of polished steel. Ryoga squeezed his eyes shut and waited, regulating his breathing, pretending to be asleep.
"Wake up now, sugar," It was the familiar voice of Nerima's favorite okonomiyaki chef. "No use trying to play dead now. I saw you peeking."
Ryoga eyes were opened now, focus on the source of the voice. The anger was now gone from Ukyo's face and he seemed safe for the time being. She was holding out a plate to him. "Here's your breakfast."
As he struggled to sit upright, he spared a glance out the window and noted that it was light now. What time . . . he looked at the still-hot Japanese pizza in front of him.
"Gee, Ukyo . . . After what I did this morning, I don't think I deserve this." Ryoga said, picking up the pizza by the edges. He took a small bite. Delicious . . . far better than Akane's cooking. He scolded himself for that. It just would not do to insult Akane in that manner . . . even if it were true.
"Nonsense, Ryoga. Did you really think I was that upset that you woke me so early today?" Ukyo laughed, watching him eat.
"The lumps on my head tell me 'yes'."
Ukyo's eyes narrowed and her spatula was out in a flash, the flat surface just inches from his face. "And this tells you 'no'."
"Hmm, I think you're right." Ryoga laughed nervously, chomping on his okonomiyaki. "Who was I trying to kid? Ehehehe."
"That's better . . ." Ukyo purred as she laid the spatula aside and watched him eat in silence. He devoured the okonomiyaki with frightening speed, all the time avoiding eye contact with her. Then when he was done, he looked guiltily at her.
"I'm sorry, Ukyo. Um, did you get to eat breakfast?"
"Of course, you dummy." She frowned at him. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Um, no."
"It's pretty close to eleven in the morning already," she told him. "I had to come up specially to check on you to make sure you were still alive and that you didn't wander off somewhere."
"I'm most touched by your concern, Ms. Kounji." Ryoga said sardonically. "But I believe that I ought to be on my way home."
"Well, Mr. Hibiki, it's not nice to just leave like that." Ukyo replied, her tone matching Ryoga's.
"Okay, so what do I have to do now?" Ryoga sounded slightly impatient.
"I was thinking of taking some time off today. Just take a walk around town and unwind. Maybe watch a movie or something. But it's no fun doing it all alone."
"Uh . . . ah . . ." Ryoga was backing away slightly. "Are you asking me out on a date, Ukyo?"
"Don't be such jackass, you . . . jackass!" Ukyo snapped a little harshly at him. "I just want some company. It's not a date!"
"Feh. Who would date such an unfeminine girl like you anyway?" Ryoga replied waving his hand dismissively at her.
Twong! Crrraack . . .
A large tear boiled in Ryoga's eye as the pain made itself felt, the edge of the mega-spatula still etched into his right bicep.
"Aaaaah . . ." Ryoga managed to stifle off the rest of the scream that he was just beginning through gritted teeth. "Especially such a violent girl like you . . ."
Clang! Creeeeak . . .
"Ooooh . . ." Ryoga gasped as the spatula came down on that wounded arm again. He was very sure that if that blow had not shattered the bone, it would surely have caused a very nasty chip or deformity.
Ukyo was glaring at him, that pinkish glow returning to surround her again. From the way she gripped the handle of her spatula, she looked as if she were ready to paddle him into the stratosphere if not somewhere in low orbit.
"Ok, ok, I take it all back, Ukyo. Maybe you aren't that bad . . ." He was doing everything in his power to grip the point of double impact with his other hand. The pain was excruciating in the extreme.
"Good. All I just want is some company while I just get away from school, work and well . . . maybe Ranma and Akane." Ukyo explained. "I've been wanting to do something to take my mind off that for quite awhile. I don't know if you understand, Ryoga."
He looked at her, caught the sad look on her face. Poor Ukyo . . . trying to get over it all, just like me. And I'm not really helping. "Ukyo . . . I apologize. I have not been as helpful as I should have been. Please forgive me."
"So can I take that as a 'yes'?"
"As long as I get to be on my way home at the end of the day, I'm sure it won't hurt to just keep you company for a couple of hours."
"That's great. Thanks, Ryoga."
"Um, Ukyo?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you take your spatula out of my arm now. I think it's in the bone." Ryoga said, tears of pain finally flowing freely now.
"How's this one?" Ukyo put the outfit in front of her body and tired to pose. "Do you like it?"
"Ukyo . . . what's all this fuss about. We're just going for a walk!" Ryoga protested as he sat atop his bulging backpack. "You've been going at this for almost half an hour already."
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Ryoga. I haven't dressed up in ages . . ." Then she tossed the current outfit aside and picked up another one. It was the blue dressed with the oversized red bow that she had once more to impress Ranma with her 'girliness'. That particular gambit had failed to impress that idiot Saotome but it had been enough to fool Ryoga to earn himself a full spatula's worth of pain to the face.
She held it up in front of her and twirled around for him. "How's this one?"
"Um, it's a bit extravagant for just a walk around town, isn't it?" Ryoga said, wincing, preparing for the spatula.
It didn't come.
"Hmmm, think you're right." Ukyo looked at the dress one last time before replacing it in the wardrobe. "I know . . . how about this one?" She retrieved another hanger from within. "Tada!"
Ryoga tried his best, but he couldn't stop his jaw from hanging wide open. Held in Ukyo's hands was a finely-made, pink silk gown. He didn't need her to put on that delicate piece of cloth to imagine what it would look like. He'd already seen her in it before.
"That's the dress you were wearing when I rescued you on Togenkyo Island, wasn't it?"
"Yep. That's right, sugar. Though I recall I was the one who had to carry you out of there." Ukyo said with a smirk.
"You could have at least said thank you for the rescue, you know." Ryoga huffed, folding his arms across his chest. That dress had been a gift from Prince Toma himself. It was a beautiful piece of clothing, and Ryoga had to admit that it really brought out the feminine . . . maybe even sexy side of Ukyo. But it was totally inappropriate. And he said so, once again expecting the spatula.
"I guess, you're right." She agreed as she looked at the dress. "Such a pity, it's a really pretty gown."
"Yes." Ryoga said softly, not daring to say anything else.
"I didn't keep my promise in the end, you know?" Ukyo said suddenly, a wave of sadness passing over her face. "We never found your Akane after you rescued me now did we?"
"Not in time," Ryoga admitted. "But she's not my Akane. I guess she never was. I guess she was Ranma's from the start." The mood was contagious.
"I guess so. Guess Ranma's heart could never have been mine either." Ukyo sighed as he replaced the gown. "I guess I shouldn't wear this either." She was holding a dark-colored tube top now.
"That one looks familiar."
"I wore it when we went to the Tunnel of Lost Love. You know, when we tried to get Ranma and Akane to split up?"
"Ah, yes. But what's wrong with wearing it today?"
"Well, we didn't succeed. I guess it's just a reminder that I failed to win Ranma's heart." She frowned at the top. "Should have dumped this a long time ago."
Ryoga thought back to the trip through the Tunnel of Lost Love. He had thought that the plan would have worked too. But somehow, Ranma and Akane had managed to leave that tunnel without being pulled apart. And in the meantime, he and Ukyo had been set upon by the hordes of spirits, forced into battling their way out inch by inch.
It had been a thought that had bothered him before. It wasn't a nagging issue like that of how he would ask Akane out on a date or how he would ever break the news to her that he was P-chan. But sometimes, in the great outdoors, as he lay by the fire with his eyes to the star-filled sky, there was the chance that the question would slip into his mind.
If the zombies had only existed to split up couples, then why had they gone for him and Ukyo? Did they know or sense something that neither of them had been aware of? But then, he and Ukyo were still on talking terms so they couldn't have been a real couple . . . right? The zombies had pulled them apart. Had they been a real couple, they wouldn't be here figuring out what she should wear. He would never be in Ucchan's in the first place.
Klong. Klong. Klong.
"Helloooo . . . Earth to Ryoga . . ." Ukyo was bonking him gently on the head with the spatula. "Ah, you're still awake. I thought you passed out on my of something."
"Nah . . ." Ryoga shook his head vigorously. She was still holding that top. "Hey, just wear that one, alright? So what if we didn't break Ranma and Akane up? Look at them now, they're a good couple and I guess I'm glad we didn't succeed. And besides, I learnt something else that day?"
"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"
"I learnt that I've got at least one friend I can count on in a tough situation."
Ukyo looked at that article of clothing and back at him and a smile spread across her face. "You've got me sold, sugar. Nice sweet talking there, Hibiki. Never knew you had it in you."
"Ah . . . well . . .um . . ." Ryoga felt his cheeks burning as he held them, feeling the embarrassment finally kicking in.
"Now, you just be a good boy and stay here. I'll be right back!" Ukyo skipped off with a bounce in her step, her selected top in hand.
She was back in flash and Ryoga wanted to say that he had never known girls to change that fast but he thought against it, noting that she had decided to bring her spatula along.
"Um, gee . . . Ukyo, is that really necessary? I mean, we're going for a leisurely stroll, you know? And you've got me the protect you."
"And who's gonna protect me from you?" She retorted with a sly grin.
"Well, I should have you know that I would never . . . I mean . . . with such an unfem . . ."
Shing! The edge of the spatula was just a brow's length from his forehead. If she chose to strike, his bandanna wouldn't be much help cushioning the blow. "Choose your next words wisely, Hibiki. Your fate depends very much on it."
"Uh . . . ehehehehe." Ryoga chuckled nervously, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "Well, um, I think we ought to get going, don't you, Ukyo? I mean, it's getting close to lunch."
"That's better . . ." She slung the spatula back into storage position and waited for him to get to his feet.
Ryoga picked up his backpack and made sure the weight rested even on his shoulders, then he looked over at her. "Ready?"
"Lead the way, sugar." She proffered her hand to him.
"Alrighty then." He took her hand and they were off.
Right into the closet that Ukyo had shut only moments before.
Tell me this isn't happening, Ukyo thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes. This is so not going to work . . .
"That's odd . . ."Ranma Saotome thought aloud as he arrived at the entrance of Ucchan's with Akane. "Doesn't seem like anyone's in."
There were no lights in the restaurant, no sound of metal on metal coming from within and no aroma of okonomiyaki on the grill. He reached forward and tried to open the door and he felt the resistance. Locked . . .
"Aw, man, and I had a craving for okonomiyaki too."
"Ranma, you jerk! Is your stomach the only thing you can think about?" Akane said sharply. "Haven't you noticed that Ukyo has not been herself for quite some time?"
"Now that you've mentioned it . . ."
"Did you ever talk to her . . . about us?" Akane asked with a slight scowl. "Ever asked how she felt about it by any chance?"
"Gee. I told her we were getting married. She didn't pound me so I thought she was ok with it."
"That's it?" Akane seemed slightly peeved. "You just told her we were getting married and left it at that?"
"Uh . . . yeah . . ."
"Ranma! We broke her heart and you didn't even talk to her about it? You didn't even bother to ask her if she would be ok?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa . . . what are you blaming this all on me for? She's your friend too, right?"
"Damn it, Ranma! You grew up with her! She was your fiancée for goodness sake!"
A crowd was beginning to gather now, drawn by their yelling. Residents who knew the too were felt the first twinges of worry. Could the great troubles of the past be coming back to haunt them.
"Look, Akane, I don't need you to tell me how to . . ."
"Back to the hell which spawned you, demon!" came a high-pitched shriek. There was a flimsy rectangular piece of paper stuck to Ranma's forehead.
"What the hell . . .?"
"Aieeeeee! The ward did not work?!" Ranma and Akane were staring at the diminutive youth staring back at them with dark-ringed eyes. The young man looked vaguely familiar despite the heavy black robes that shrouded most of his body.
"Who . . ." Akane began.
"Waaaaaah! Take this and this and this and this!" The newcomer reached out with several dozen more sheets of paper, attempting to plaster Ranma's entire body with it. "Hiyaaaaaa . . . eh?"
Ranma had the boy's wrist gripped firmly in his hands and a small mountain of paper lay discarded on the floor. Akane pulled off the one on Ranma's forehead and read it.
"Ward Against Greater Chthulus?" Akane cocked a brow at the person who had so rudely interrupted their argument.
"Is that what it is?" the newcomer somehow managed to break free of Ranma's grip to grasp his own face in horror. "Silly me. I used the wrong ward!" He reached into his pocket and was about to pull out something when Ranma's fist met his face.
"Ok, buster. Just who the heck are you?"
"Mercy! Spare me!" the boy said, nursing his bruised face. "I am only doing what's best for the rest of these people. I'm the leader of the True Way to Save Nerima by Ensuring the Akane and Ranma Stay Happily Together Sect. My name is Isoruku Gosunkugi . . ."
He never got to finish as a combined kick from Ranma and Akane sent him flying off into the distance.
"What the hell is wrong with this town?" Akane huffed. "Ever since we decided to get married . . ."
"I don't know." Ranma suppressed a shudder. "I can't believe that there are two of him." He said, referring to Furinkan High's master of voodoo arts, Hikaru Gosunkugi. "Anyway, Akane, you win. As soon as we find Ukyo, I'll talk to her. You're right. I'm her friend and I owe her at least that much."
"Ryoga, there are times when you can be such a jackass."
"Feh."
"I mean, crying over a dumb movie like that." Ukyo shook her head in disbelief. "Come on, we know it was just a fantasy romance flick."
Ryoga shrugged and grunted. They had originally thought of having lunch at the Neko Hanten but they decided last minute that they did not want to court disaster by being seen together. So they had walked through the rest of town, looking for a place to have lunch.
But it being the weekend, all the restaurants were fully-packed, or worse, had Ukyo's schoolmates in them. So in the end, they had decided to pick up a couple of sandwiches and watch a movie or two.
And so they had sat, shrouded in the dark, munching on sandwiches, watching some sappy love story that Ukyo had insisted on. It had been a three-hour monster of a film made to, quoting from the poster, 'tug at the heartstrings and leave one's hearty with a warm fuzzy feeling'. Well, as far-fetched as the story of two reluctant martial artists falling in love despite their best efforts not to had been, Ryoga had cried at the happy ending.
Ukyo had remained seemingly unmoved by the movie's conclusion he had simply broken down. If only he could remember the title of the damn movie now. There's was nothing like a good cry sometimes.
"Anyway, Ukyo, it was a dumb and unbelievable plot. But it did have a lovely ending." Ryoga finally said. "It's not wrong for a guy to cry you know?"
"No, I guess not." Ukyo said with a sigh, looking up at the reddening sky. "I suppose you'd be wanting to start heading home now. Before it gets dark."
"Well, you know me. It probably wouldn't matter." Ryoga replied with a slight chuckle. "I'd reach home way after tonight."
"Not if I can help it."
"Hmmm?"
"Ryoga, this is Tokyo. There are buses." She stopped walking, leaning against the chain-link fence designed to keep mischievous delinquents from falling into the canal on the other side. "And if I help you buy the ticket, I'm sure you can't go wrong."
"Well, that's an idea! My, Ukyo, you're really smart!"
"Heh, no problem. Anything to help a friend," she smiled at him. "Say, the sun's going to be setting soon and I know a pretty good place to watch it. I mean, I always wanted to with Ranma, but I suppose I could settle for second best."
"Well, I glad to know that I'm only the next better player." Ryoga remembered a line from some 1980s movie from America. There are no points for second best.
"Be glad you're even on that list, mister." Ukyo replied to Ryoga's sarcasm with faked menace. "So are you coming or what?"
"Guess it wouldn't hurt. And since I'll be taking a bus home, why not?"
"Then let's go!"
They made it to the spot that Ukyo had mentioned. But only barely. Ukyo's 'special spot' was a small stone bridge that spanned over a tiny stream in the Natsunokumo-koen Park. And sitting atop the stone barrier, they could see the sun setting over the hills, framed between two very tall and straight trees.
They watched the sun setting in silence, glad to be far removed from the nightly chanting of insane religious freaks. Away from Furinkan, away from Ucchan's and away from all the things that didn't really matter anymore.
It was only when the last rays of light of the dying day finally vanished and darkness settled over the land that Ryoga finally spoke. "That was really something. Thanks, Ukyo, I'm glad I came."
"I glad you came too," she said.
And Ryoga nodded, not saying anything. There were times when words would only cloud things up, obscure the true message or were simply unnecessary.
"Quite a sunset, eh, Akane?" Ranma asked as they strolled through the park which had become their favorite haunt since they pledged their love for each other. Sometimes, they would come here to spend the weekend, just camping in these lovely woods. On other days, they would frequent the zoo that lay in the center of the massive park.
"It sure was, Ranma."
"You know, Akane, I've been thinking . . ."
"Now that's rare."
"Akane, I'm being serious." Ranma said with a slight frown. "It's Ukyo. I'm worried for her. You were right all along. I should have really talked to her about our wedding."
"See, I was right. You were being a jerk about it all this time." Akane gave him the 'I told you so' look.
"Well, now the problem is finding Ukyo."
They continued to walk in silence, Ranma deep in thought. "She's never really disappeared like that before. It's as if she's avoiding us."
"Maybe she is." Akane said quietly. "We must remember that she's a very heartbroken girl with few real friends in Nerima apart from us."
"Even so, she ought to have left a note." There was a slight edge of frustration in his voice. "I mean, this is Ucchan we're talking about here. She would have left a note or something. Where on earth could she be?"
He felt Akane tugging at his sleeve and turned to look at her. "What?"
She said nothing. Instead she just stood still and pointed over the bushes next to them. There seated on the stone wall of a small bridge under a lit lamp, dangling her feet over the little stream that flowed below was Ukyo Kounji, spatula and all.
"You don't say . . ."
Then they both began to notice the person she was with, that boy with the bulging backpack, red umbrella and yellow and black bandanas. Like Ukyo, he was seated with his feet hanging from the bridge. He wasn't looking at Ukyo. In fact, he was looking away, poking holes in the stone.
"No way . . ." Ranma gaped and gawked.
"I think Ukyo's decided to move on in life, don't you think?" Akane said with a smile. "My, aren't they cute."
"Hehe. Well, as much as I want to see this, I think we should just leave them alone. Hard enough for martial artists to fall in love in this town without being interrupted."
And with that Ranma and Akane slipped away, leaving the two 'lovebirds' undisturbed.
"Haven't seen so many stars in a very long time." Ukyo gasped as she looked up into the darkness filled with tiny pinpricks of twinkling quicksilver.
"Oh, it's nothing to me. I see this all the time, when I'm out there."
"Don't you ever feel lonely on your travels, Ryoga." Ukyo asked as she continued to marvel at the stars.
"Sometimes."
"Then why don't you stop wandering?"
"It's in my blood, I guess. My parents are almost never home either."
"At least you get to see them . . . once in awhile. I haven't seen my pop in . . . I dunno." Ukyo shrugged. "And well, the restaurant's a nice place. Except it kinda gets really quiet at times."
"I'm sure it does."
"Well, I could always use a spare pair of hands at the restaurant. You keen on that, sugar?" Ukyo shot him a hopeful look.
"You mean, stay at your place? Just you and me?"
"Um, well, ah . . . hmmm . . . guess that's not a very good idea." She deflated visibly with a sigh.
"Guess not."
"Well, come on, Ryoga." She said, placing her feet back on the bridge. "It's best we get going."
"Where to?"
"Here." She retrieved a tiny slip of paper and handed it to him. It's a bus ticket. I got one of my customers to get it early this morning. Was thinking that you might need it."
"Thanks, Ukyo. So we don't have to buy one now?"
"I'll still walk you to the bus station." She winked at him. "Just in case."
The walk to the bus station was not a very long one and soon they reached the Nerima's main bus interchange. They stopped outside a small convenience store, just short of the bus bays.
"Well, I guess this is it, Ryoga."
"Hey, come on, it's not like I'm leaving Tokyo or anything. Besides, I still owe you for the wrecked bathroom and I will pay you back for that." Ryoga said with a sheepish grin. "I'm a man of my word after all."
"I know that." Ukyo nodded. "I wish I made you some more okonomiyaki."
"Aw, come on . . . you don't always have to. It's not like we're married or anything, you know. Besides, I feel bad getting so much free okonomiyaki off you."
They shared a chuckle. "Well, I'd best be getting back to my place." She yawned. "See you around, Ryoga."
"Wait." He reached out and grabbed her by the wrist and she turned with a gasp, her heart skipping a beat.
"Y-yes?"
"Thanks, Ucchan. For today." Ryoga's hand slipped into hers and he gave it a slight squeeze. "I really enjoyed myself today."
"Uh . . . ah . . . I enjoyed the company too, Ryochan." Her voice was almost gone from her. He called me Ucchan! He called me Ucchan!
"Eheheheh. You're most welcome." She called me . . . Ryochan?
"Good night, sugar. Take care of yourself now." Ukyo was walking away now. "See you again soon . . . I hope."
"Count on it. I'm looking forward to the day."
"Well, then so am I. So long, P-chan," And then she was gone, disappearing around the corner of the convenience store, leaving Ryoga by himself. He stared down at the ticked and exhaled slowly.
"Time to go home, Ryoga," he said to himself and turned. Bus number 10 he noted the sign in front of him. Ah, it's the one on the left.
It was really quite unfortunate that an off-duty bus conductor had knocked the sign around while chasing after a dog that had made off with his shoe. He did return later of course, tired but victorious and noted that the sign had been twisted and the bus numbers had been mixed up. But then he assured himself that the inconvenience was negligible since no one normally took these two buses at this time.
So, happy that he had liberated his shoe and that he had done his mandated one good deed for the day by ensuring that the sign was back to pointing where it should, he put his chewed and gnawed shoe back on and had a smoke break.
As for Ryoga, the day had been a very long one and the bruises still hurt. Having settled in one of the plush upholstered seats. Wow, didn't know that the regular buses were so comfy now. I've really been out of touch. He looked at the ticket stub. He was going home . . . but Ukyo might have hit on something just now. Home didn't feel quite like home . . . not when one was alone.
The driver was in the front seat now, starting up the engine. Ryoga noted absently that there was only one other person on the bus, obviously a foreigner with a map of Japan in his hand and a camera slung around his neck. Good luck to you, buddy. This bus ain't going far. And then, satisfied that he had done something right for today, he replaced the ticket stub in his pocket and went to sleep. It would be a short ride home and the driver would surely wake him. There would be much to dream about tonight.
Minutes later, the off-duty bus conductor had taken one last drag of his cigarette and noted that Bus No. 12 was departing. As expected, it was almost empty except for two people. One a foreigner while the other a sleeping, bandanna-wearing boy with a gigantic backpack. The conductor checked his calendar.
Funny, he thought. It wasn't the school holidays yet. Wonder why that boy's taking the overnight express to Kyoto?
But the conductor figured he couldn't care less and seeing that his manager wasn't around, retrieved another cigarette and lit up.
Endnotes: And there we are! Another episode done. Ryoga's gonna get lost again, but at least we know where he's headed this time. I had a hard time trying not to get carried away with the WAFFy bits this time round. After all, according to my planned storyline, Ukyo and Ryoga are not supposed to fall in love yet. Aargh . . . must . . . restrain . . . must . . . endure . . .
I'm really beginning to enjoy writing this fic. Hope you had half as much fun reading it as I did writing it. Till the next posting then.