A/N: In Japan, you say the last name first. Hibiki Ryoga, not Ryoga Hibiki.

A/N #2: I did notice that my chapters were too short, so I'm lengthening them. Nekokannes, if you'd like, this can be sort of an example for you, too. It's very satisfying to turn three paragraphs into .

Hibiki Ryoga stumbled over a large, heavy rock, not noticing its presence in the darkness of the night. He shook his head solemnly, moaning in frustration. This could not go on. If he was going to defeat Ranma in battle, and finally win Akane-chan's heart, he had to train extra-hard in the wilderness. He was unable to train with Ranma getting on his nerves all the time, so he had to go somewhere where Ranma would never willingly go. He had picked the wilderness in southern Japan. He had even plotted it on a map. However, he was still unable to find the wilderness. He sighed, looking around at the dim lights dancing upon the edges of many tall buildings. He was probably nowhere near the wilderness, but on the outskirts of a small town. He had to swallow his pride, smother his honor and ask for directions, or he may never get to the wilderness at all.

"Hey, you!" he called out to a dim figure standing on the path towards one of the homes. "Which way do I go to reach the mountains?"

The figure shuffled into the light, revealing that he was a very elderly man with a long, graying beard, and almost no hair to speak of at all. He grinned a sort of toothless smile, pointing towards the south, in the direction of a mountain range. "Go south, young man, and be strong!"

"Thanks!" smiled Ryoga, turning north.

Ryoga sighed. This trip to the secluded wilderness of the mountains would take a long time. At least he knew he was going in the right direction. However, there was another problem that was yet unsolved. Because of his tough skin and resistance to pain, Ryoga didn't know that when he had tripped, a shard of a jewel had dug itself into his palm and was now disolving into his body.