Author's Note: Yeah, sorry for the delay, but I've got school and stuff to deal with. Besides, this is a side project to my Rurouni Kenshin fan fic, 'Crimson String'. I got the final volume of Samurai Girl Real Bout High School the other day, and man was I pissed off. You'd think Ryoko and Shizuma would get together in the end, but no! Those episodes felt pretty rushed too, I was expecting a bigger battle. Oh well, that's what fan fiction is for, I can bridge up the gap in Ryoko and Shizuma's relationship in this fic. Enough talk, let's get to the story.

Chapter 3: What Words Cannot Speak

"Did you even think about what could've happened before you had that first drink?!" Madoka yelled at her niece for what seemed like the millionth time that evening.

Her reaction was pretty understandable, telling your aunt that you're pregnant should not be the first subject you should bring up doing dinner. Madoka was probably the fourth person Ryoko gave the news to that day, the first being Shizuma, and then Hitomi and Daisaku. Well, not really Daisaku, he overheard the news as hid in the bushes, taking his signature snapshots of the samurai girl.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Madoka," Ryoko apologized yet again, her head hanging low as she spoke.

"Oh yeah, you're sorry all right," Madoka huffed as she continued scolding her niece, "do you even know how you're going to raise that child?! It's difficult being a parent, Ryoko, and it will be even more difficult with all your school work! Did you even think about that before you had your first drink?! Apparently not, and look at the mess you're into now! Do you know what this will do to your future, Ryoko?! Do you?!"

"Are you saying that I should just get an abortion?!" Ryoko yelled as her palms slammed against the dinner table. "There's no way I'm going to, Aunt Madoka, there's no way I'm killing my child before they've even had a chance at life! Do you expect me to just end it's life before it's even started?! How dare you even suggest that!"

"...I wasn't suggesting that, Ryoko," Madoka said in an assuring voice, "it's just that I can't afford to raise you and that unborn child with my current salary. I want you to have your child, but I don't think we'll be able afford to keep it."

Just as Madoka had finished her words, the door had begun tapping. It was pretty late, Madoka wondered who was at the door, hopefully it wasn't a salesman. The last time a solicitor stopped by her door, he tried selling her a vacuum made of aluminum. The problem was that the solicitor came at the hour of eleven in the evening, just before Madoka was getting ready for bed. She didn't even bother listening to the salesman's pitch, as soon as he opened his mouth, Madoka took the merchandise and slammed it over the man's head. I guess the vacuum really was made out of aluminum since Madoka was able to life it over her head with one hand. Ryoko knew it wasn't a salesman that was knocking at this hour, in fact, she knew exactly who was at the door.

"Ryoko, you have a guest," Madoka called to her niece.

It was no surprise when she saw him, he did schedule with Ryoko that he'd be at her place at eight. The only problem was that the time was now eight-thirty, he was half an hour late, she didn't expect any exception to Shizuma's rule of being late.

"Hey," Shizuma waved to Ryoko.

"Hey," Ryoko greeted her guest as she got her wooden sword as it lay against the coat rack. "Um, Aunt Madoka, can you excuse us for a moment?" Ryoko asked as she began to make her way out the door.

"Sure," Madoka answered as her niece began treading out the door. "And you," Madoka's voice suddenly rose as soon as Shizuma and Ryoko's back were turned, "you're the one who did this to my Ryoko, aren't you?!"

"Aunt Madoka!" Ryoko suddenly sprang up to Shizuma's defense.

It felt weird defending for the street fighter, he was easily capable of doing it himself, although doing so would probably sour his relationship with Ryoko even more. Ryoko couldn't even recall the last time she stood up for him, or even if she stood up for him at all. It really was odd how she suddenly sprang to his defense, but for some reason, it was a natural reaction, as if she were obligated to do so.

"Come on, Shizuma," Ryoko sighed as she began leading him to the streets.

"That aunt of your's is pretty scary," Shizuma said once they were a great deal away from the house.

"Yeah, she can get pretty angry at times," Ryoko nodded.

"Are all chicks in your family hot-tempered, Big Woman?" Shizuma teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Ryoko spat as her head suddenly swerved to Shizuma's direction.

"What do you think it mean, Sasquatch?!" Shizuma stuck out his tongue.

"Why you stupid...!" Ryoko swung her wooden blade at Shizuma only to strike nothing but air.

"Ha ha," Shizuma laughed as he dodged her attack. "Come on, is that the best you can do?" he taunted again as he caught the oak slab between his palms.

"What's your problem, Mountain Monkey?!" Ryoko snapped just as Shizuma began to make a run for it.

Ryoko must've chased Shizuma up and down every street within the city. Her wooden sword would always hit trash cans, street lights, fire hydrants, and sometimes the occasional parked car or two, but never the navy-haired fighter. After what seemed like an eternity of running, Shizuma finally decided to take a stand at the local park. The two had stopped in front of a playground, the two of them readying for the other's attacks. Shizuma placed his fists just below his eye level, stretching his legs so that they were shoulder-width apart. His right leg was bent forward, his left arm in front of his right. Ryoko in the meantime, had done the same, only that she had her sword in her hands instead. She had made the first move, the oak curve slicing the wind as she charged. The blade slammed against the back of Shizuma's forearm, but the impact didn't seem to have any effect. Any other fighter would've had their limb broken, but this was Shizuma Kusanagi that had been struck, one of the strongest fighters in all of Daimon High. Ryoko continued swinging her blade without hesitation after the first strike, the next attack striking the air this time. Ryoko then made a third swing, followed by a fourth, neither of these attacks had hit their mark.

"Man, this is child's play," Shizuma yawned as the back of his wrist caught the wooden slab once more, "it's a miracle someone like you sent Gates back to Solvania."

"Shut up!" Ryoko screamed just as she raised her wooden blade above her head.

This was the perfect opportunity to go on the offense now, he should be able to end the fight quickly with one blow if he got it right. The oak curve fell from it's place, plummeting toward's Shizuma's skull, but instead, it had struck the earth. Ryoko stood shocked in the next moment, only to find her opponent suddenly behind her. His arms quickly wrapped around her body, binding her arms together as he brought her body closer to his. Ryoko had fallen backward in the process, her fall broken as her back was cushioned against Shizuma's chest. The two had fallen back again as a result, Shizuma taken the blunt of the impact as his back struck against the nearest tree. Ryoko had collapsed a bit more, her neck bending back so that her cheek was barely touching Shizuma's. Ryoko couldn't move, she was locked in place. It wasn't his grip that constrained her, but it was something else that was holding her back. It was odd, her body wanted to move, but there was something in the back of her mind that had enjoyed the predicament she had gotten into. It wasn't as if Shizuma's hold was restraining her movement, in fact, it was something she could easily break out of. His hold was tight and firm, yet it was soft and comforting. His chest was just as comfortable, each breath he took gave her a gentle rock forward and then back. His cheek would brush against her's as he cradled her in his arms, it was surprisingly soft, just it's touch had made her heart race. Her arm began to tread upward, her fingers curled as her palm met his wrist, sliding against them ever so gently. His arm was as hard as steel, yet as gentle as a cloud. Her face began to burn once more as his cheek began sliding down her neck, her heart was now trying to leap out of her chest, leaping harder with each inch his face had treaded. This feeling he gave her, it was something she had never felt before this day. She had first felt it earlier that day when they spoke, and yet again at this very moment. What was this feeling, could it be that she was falling for Shizuma Kusanagi, the one who would always call her names, the one she would always get into fights with, the one who got her into this whole mess?

"That was fun, wasn't it?" his voice flew into her ear as a mere whisper.

"Yeah," Ryoko couldn't help but smile, "that was."

Ryoko felt as if she could just die right now, right there in his arms. His touch was reassuring, his breath was as comforting as the morning breeze, and his skin was as smooth as a newborn baby's skin. There was no one that had ever made her feel this way, not even Tatsuya. Shizuma Kusanagi, her arch-rival and the father of her child, who knew he could be such an angel.

"Shizuma...," his name had escaped her lips in her next breath.

"Ryoko, there's a reason I came to see you this evening," Shizuma suddenly spoke.

"What is it?" she turned to the street fighter.

"Ryoko...I...," Shizuma began to stutter.

This was so unlike Shizuma, he would always be able to voice his words with no problem, but right now, he just couldn't, why? Shizuma was always able to speak to Ryoko with no problems, okay, not really speak, but insult. There was something about the samurai girl that had made him feel this way, there was something in her eyes that made him powerless so suddenly. The gaze of her violet eyes had locked him in place suddenly, he could see the translucent liquid flowing from his brow and the nervous look on his face through the reflection of her pupils. She was smiling, an expression she barely showed him. Maybe it was that smile that was making him feel this way, or was it just her presence? Either way, the might Shizuma Kusanagi had found himself helpless before the spell Ryoko Mitsurugi had placed on him.

"Shizuma, what is it?" Ryoko asked once more, those violet orbs growing closer.

"I...," Shizuma stuttered once more, "I... came here to give you something... for the baby," the final three words left his lips in an instant.

"Oh... really?" Ryoko said with a small hint of disappointment in her words.

"It's not much, but here," Shizuma reached into his pocket and threw the contents into her palm.

"Oh my God, Shizuma, do you know how much this is?!" Ryoko exclaimed as her hand ran down the paper bills that lay in her hand.

"Twenty thousand yen, at least that's how much it was the last time I checked," Shizuma informed Ryoko.

"Where did you get all this?" Ryoko asked as her hand ran down the bills once more.

"I got it the last time I was at Ikeburo," Shizuma answered.

"Ikeburo, isn't that where people go for gambling on street fights?" Ryoko asked.

"Yeah," Shizuma nodded, "why?"

"Shizuma, I don't want you street-fighting anymore," Ryoko suddenly ordered.

"What?!" Shizuma said surprised from Ryoko's sudden order.

"I said I don't want you street-fighting anymore!" Ryoko repeated herself, her voice somewhat demanding.

"And just why not?!" Shizuma snapped. "You can't tell me what I can and can't do!"

"Shizuma, think about our child, will you?!" Ryoko spat. "Have you ever thought about the consequences if you ever lost one of those matches?! You could be seriously injured one day, or even die in one of those fights! Did you ever think about how our child would feel if their father was killed one day when he was out trying to make money for his family? Did you ever think about how I would feel?" Ryoko said as her eyes gradually pulled to the floor.

"And just how do you feel?" Shizuma asked.

"How do I feel...?" Ryoko repeated. "Shizuma, I..."

Her face felt as if it were on fire, burning as if it were placed in a furnace. Her knees suddenly locked in place, her heart practically pounding against her rib cage. Could she tell him how she really felt about him? How would he react? Would he welcome her love with open arms, or would he simply turn his back on it? She didn't know what to say, what to do, there was only one thing that came into mind.

"I think you're a good friend," she finally answered.

"A friend," Shizuma repeated, "that's cool."

Was it cool? No, it really hurt. Shizuma had been through many injuries during his fights, bruises, cuts, broken bones, basically any kind of injury you can come up with, but the worst injury of all came from something he had never expected, words. He never knew words could hurt so much until now, it was just like that one time he broke three of his ribs from a K-fight, only ten, no, fifty times worse. Shizuma was never one to show how painful an injury was, and what had happened now would be no exception to the rule.

"Shizuma, will you stop fighting?" Ryoko's voice suddenly returned him to reality. "For the sake of our child, will you stop?"

"...yeah, I'll stop," Shizuma answered.

"Thank you," Ryoko smiled.

"We better get you home now," Shizuma suggested, "your aunt might try to kill me if we stay out any longer."

"Yeah," Ryoko nodded.

That walk the two had, it was very different from the one they had when they had reached the park. Neither one had said a word as Shizuma walked Ryoko back to her house, the two of them seemed to have had their mind on something. Before either of them knew it, they were in front of Ryoko's house, Madoka still planted in front of the doorway just as she was when Ryoko had left.

"Well, I guess this is your stop, huh?" Shizuma said as a sudden itch began creeping up his neck.

"Yeah," Ryoko said as her right hand slid against her left bicep, "it is."

"There you are!" Madoka gave a sigh of relief just as she spotted her niece. "Where were you young lady, I was getting worried about you? You didn't have anything to drink this time, did you?"

"No, Aunt Madoka," Ryoko assured her. "Can you give us a minute?" she asked after.

"All right," Madoka sighed as she returned to the living room.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Shizuma said as he began to scratch the itch that had been traveling down his neck since their arrival.

"Yeah, I guess so," Ryoko said.

"Later," Shizuma waved, making his way passed Ryoko without taking one more look back.

"Shizuma!" Ryoko called before he disappeared among the city lights.

"Hm?" Shizuma turned back for one last glance of the samurai girl.

"Good night," Ryoko waved.

"Good night," Shizuma said and continued on his way.

Ryoko watched him as figure slowly melded with the many lights of the city. The last thing she saw were those navy-blue strands of hair as they bounced with every step he took, jumping over the distance once more before they suddenly disappeared. It was weird, but her heart which had been trying to escape from her chest for the last half hour had suddenly been torn in half. The burn that had consumed her face had now consumed her eyes. Translucent rivers began to crawl down her cheeks as her voice began to crack. Sadness had devoured her, a feeling that was so rare to the samurai girl.

"Shizuma...," she uttered his name between her tears, "I love you."

"Huh?" Shizuma suddenly stopped amidst the masses of the city.

A drop of liquid had found itself on Shizuma's cheek. Shizuma looked toward the sky for a moment, there was not a cloud in the sky. He turned back to the drop that was now in his palm, and he turned back to the sky once more. Was it a drop of rain? It couldn't have been.

"Ryoko..., I... love you."

Author's Note: Well, well, what do you know, the plot thickens. I hope you readers enjoyed this chapter, and I hope this story doesn't feel rushed. So tell me what you think and leave me a review, but not a flame, all right?