A/N:
Despite popular belief, no, I have not abandoned this story. I was just getting over a pretty large case of writer's block. I finally told Ryuu to stop trying to punch through the block and use his neko-ken claws. So I'm back! Yays! It's funny though. When I get writer's block it's different from other people, instead of just hitting a dead end in my story, I get ideas for other stories...which explains the other stories I have sitting on hold...

Reviews
crazylittlebrat- Ha! I updated. :)

DelShalDar- Lol. Yes, exploding is definately better. But it only works if you can run away fast enough...

Tsamoka- I updated! Don't die on me!

Ghost of Sorrow- I'm glad you think so.

Expired Donuts- You're right, it's one of the girls you named.

BlueHaru- Alright, I updated mine, now you have to update yours!

Shad3ofFear- I updated! Yay!

chaumiester- Chapter 11 is out today. The others are still a mystery. Oh, don't worry, there will be bitch slapping. Though I doubt Ryuu'll be doing the slapping.

Daniel Shinigami- Dude...Maybe when you update your Flux Corps fic.

Master Chaos- Thanks for reviewing.

Taiki- Here's more!

Ryan L. Spradling- You're dead set on this keyboard thing, aren't you? I'll try and fit it in next chapter alright?

Draven026- Thanks for reviewing.

Light02- Oh, you think it was Kasumi, huh? You're the first to outright say it was someone instead of multiple people.

nea- I'm glad you enjoy this fic so much. It's really suprising what you find when you really get desperate for a good fic.

Batanga- Thank you for reviewing.

Wonderbee31- Wonder who you thought it was...?

Reaper2040- I didn't even think of that...I'm going to use that...Oh, and don't worry about my going crazy with the crossover thing. It's only going to have a brief SM scene, but that's about it. Pyro is excellent.

Aquarius Star- Actually I asked a friend what the bartender should look like and what would his/her name be. I didn't realize T.K. was from Digimon until after I finished the chapter...But yeah, he's from Digimon...I guess.

Goku905041- Nabiki and Ukyo had brown hair as well.

ranma hibiki- Thank you. Squirrels are evil.

Darkepyon- Thanks for reviewing.

Ryo's destiny- Smals, what the hell did you expect? This is me we're talking about. And yes, the truth was...interesting to say the least.

Quick note! Thoughts are now in italics unless otherwise noted. Thank you.

The Ancient Male Torture Technique

Alright. So last time I left you all, I was arguing with Tony, right? ...Right. Okay. Alright well, I'd tell you about our trip to Hiroshima, but in short, all I did was teach the guys, and girls, how to speak Japanese. Why? Because we can't afford to bail Mike out of jail again without ending up deported.

Anyway, so here we are. The busiest city in Japan. Tokyo. Also a city I myself have always preffered to avoid. Again, why? Because it's the city most famous for the numerous stores. In my opinion, Tokyo is the center of an ancient technique all women know; the ancient technique of male torture. Shopping.

This is the story of Mike, Jon, and I, as we are tortured beyond our own comprehension.

Though that truly isn't saying much.

(-)

It was an hour after we got off the plane. I was suffering from jet-lag, for some reason, and now Sasha was dragging me to go shopping. In some strange twist of coincidence, Mike and Jon were doomed to my fate as well. Jon was being dragged by Xian. And Mike by Sam.

"Let's go here!" Sam yelled pointing at a clothes store. I just groaned, an action copied by Mike and Jon.

"Can't we at least sign into the hotel?" I asked, "They may give away our rooms."

Sasha shook her head, "We told Robert to take care of it for us while you went to get our bags." And then she proceeded to drag me towards the store Sam had pointed out.

I groaned again, mumbling, "Damn it. The Kami have sick and twisted senses of humor..."

We spent about an hour in that store before heading to another, and another, and another, and then, guess what? We went to another store! Can you sense the sarcasm yet?

Mike and Jon stood nearby as we happened to pass a bookstore and go into it. Much to my relief. It was finally a store I could find something to enjoy, like grab the newest books of DNAngel and Tsubasa...

"Ryuu? What're you doing?" Mike asked.

I looked over at him and answered him, "I'm updating my manga collection. You mind?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I do mind," I cracked my knuckles and slowly approached him, "On the other hand, I can deal with it. I don't mind..."

I nodded in satisfaction and, grabbing the books, walked over to the register and bought my books. We walked out of the store and waited for the girls to buy what they wanted. I was hoping Sasha would buy those Ceres mangas. I'd always had a soft spot for Yu Watase's work, shoujo or not, it was good stuff.

Anyway, we sat on a bench outside the store and stayed there bored out of our minds. Well, Mike and Jon were bored, I had Tony, so I was just annoyed.

I resent that.

We sat there for another hour or so waiting for the girls. Eventually they came back to get us and we headed back to the hotel.

(-)

And, actually, not much really happened in Tokyo either. Besides the shopping and the concert there was nothing else to do. So we sat around the hotel and wrote songs while adding lyrics to'em.

At the concert I saw my "brown-haired" familiar. I still find it strange that she's a fan of our music. I give her credit though, she's got taste. (smile)

So, here we are, sitting on a plane headed to Juuban. And I'm teaching my bandmates and Sasha how to better operate in Japan.

...Damn it...my ass is cramping...

(-)

A/N: Now, I could simply end the chapter here... (Leans back in chair and peeks outside window to see Ryo's destiny with a sharp looking axe, that looks a bit too big for her, in her hands.) But I enjoy walking among the living. So enjoy.

(-)

Fancy Meeting You Here

"God damned jetlag..." Ryuu mumbled as he stumbled off the plane, "I don't get it!"

"Get what?" Mike asked.

"I don't get how I can get away with no jetlag on the plane ride here in Japan and then Osaka. But as soon as we hit Juuban, I get jetlag!"

"Gods have a twisted sense of humor," Jon said shrugging.

"So much for enjoying a jetlag free day..."

"Oh, stop complaining, Ryuu! You've had worse!" Sasha said trying to cheer Ryuu up.

"Yeah, much worse! Like that time I accidently lit your boxers on fire!" Mike exclaimed.

Ryuu sneered, "Oh yeah, much worse than jetlag. Considering I was still wearing my fucking boxers!"

"If you weren't a guy, I'd say you were suffering from that time of month," Sam quipped.

Ryuu sighed, "Today I hate you," he points to Mike, then Sam, "You," then Jon, "You," and then throws his hand up in the air, "I hate the whole fucking world today!"

"You're in a good mood today, huh?" Sasha raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, I'm just one big fucking ray sunshine..."

(-)

Yeah, I wasn't the happiest of people that day. But I have to say, I was happier the next morning after several cups of coffee. Specially considering I had beaten Mike to an, almost, bloody pulp the previous night. It was a good way to vent my anger. (Smile)

(-)

I stretched and yawned as I waited for my coffee at the hotel's cafe. Sasha had just woken up when I left and she said she'd meet me down here. So here I am. waiting impatiently for Sasha to get her ass down here.

"Damn my lack of patience outside of the martial arts..." I mumbled. I thanked the waitress as she refilled my mug for my third cup of coffee.

I went over a list of what I was going to do today, Wait for Sasha to join me for breakfast. Go visit Ryo-kun's niece. Visit mom. And catch up on the times with her...yep, that's it.

What a boring way to spend your day off before the concert.

Shut up, Tony...oh, look, here comes Sasha. I waved at her and handed her my menu as she sat down.

"Wait long?" She asked me.

I smiled, "No comment."

"Smart man."

(-)

We ate breakfast and headed out to find out where Ryo-kun's niece lived. It didn't take too long after I convinced Sasha that it was, in fact, safe to hop from roof to roof. We still had to jump down after we found the street, but hey, that's besides the point.

(-)

"Hmm...lesse...249...251...here we are, house 253," I looked up at the large two story house.

"Do all of Ryo's relatives have two story houses?" Sasha asked, also looking up at the house.

I nodded, "Yeah," then started walking towards the front door with Sasha in tow. Knocking on the door we waited patiently.

It was a few moments later that the door opened to reveal a small boy of about 8 with blue hair smiling up at us.

I smiled back, "Hey kid, is Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino home?"

He nodded, "Hai, hold on a minute," he ran inside and returned a few minutes later with a blonde haired woman and a blue haired man.

I bowed, "My name's Mouko Ryuu, this is my girlfriend Metsuretsu Sasha. I came here hoping to meet Ryo-kun's brother and niece," I jerked a thumb at Sasha, "She's here because I made her come with me."

The man bowed, "My name is Riku and this is my wife, Rika. Please come in."

I nodded and smiled as me and Sasha were let into the house, "Thank you."

Riku nodded and Rika went to make some tea.

"So, how do you know my brother, Ryo?" Riku asked.

I smiled sadly, "I met him through Saori. I was dating Sakura-chan at the time."

Riku nodded sadly and Rika returned with the tea, "You were that young boy who stood next to Saori at the funeral?"

I nodded just as a teenager a couple years younger than me came down the stairs. She had long blonde hair put up into pigtails and she was wearing a skirt and t-shirt.

Meet Tsukino Usagi. Daughter to Riku and Rika Tsukino. Usagi is just a normal high school girl trying to pass her classes. Oh, but she's more than that, much more.

...She's also a rabid Misunderstanding Scars fan.

She saw me and started talking extremely fast, "Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!You'retheleadsingerofthebandMisunderstandingScars!Meandmyfriendsloveyourband!CanIhaveyourautograph?"

Once I placed spaces in all the right places I raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Uh, sure." She pulled a manga book from somewhere and handed it to me with a permanent marker. I signed the book and handed it back to her.

Riku sweatdropped, "I'm sorry for Usagi's behavior. She gets like that when she's excited."

I laughed, "I noticed."

Usagi sat down and we all talked for a little bit. Usagi's face suddenly lit up with an idea.

"Hey, Ryuu-kun? Will you come with me to meet my friends?" Usagi asked.

I looked at Sasha, "You mind if we go?"

She shook her head, "You can go, I'm going to head back to the hotel and make sure Sam didn't beat Mike into a bloody pulp while we were gone."

I nodded, "Alright, in the mean time," I turned to Usagi and smiled, "I'll head out with you and go meet your friends. A little visit can't hurt."

Kami, I had never been more wrong in my life.

(-)

Me and Usagi walked to where ever it was she was meeting her friends and we talked about little things of no consequence. She eventually led me to a shinto shrine.

"Hino Shrine...friend of yours work here?" I ask.

Usagi nodded, "Yep, my friend, Rei, works here but her grandfather also owns the shrine."

"oOo...okay, I get it now...we goin' in?"

"Well, yeah, but you're going to wait outside until I call you in, that work for you?" Usagi asked.

I nodded, "Yeah sure, whatever floats your boat."

We walked up the stairs and I smiled as I watched the sakura blossoms blow in the wind around us. We stopped outside a decent sized shrine, it seemed big enough to fit at least fifteen people with some room left over.

She skipped inside and I looked around, admiring the view from the top of the stairs. I idly wondered why they made so many shrines on top of hills with so many stairs...It's a mystery to me, that's for sure.

Several minutes passed before Usagi's head popped into view from the sliding doors.

"They ready for me, Usagi?" I asked.

She nodded with a large smile on her face and I casually strolled in through the doors. What met me was dead silence.

I looked around, "Tough crowd, huh?"

They seem to be in shock. I heard Tony say.

No shit sherlock. I shrugged, "Let me know when they get out of their shock induced stupor. In the meantime I'll be outside messing with my lighter."

Usagi absentmindedly nodded and tried to snap her friends out of it. I, in the meantime, went outside and sat down next to the door and leaned against the wall. I'd watched too much anime to not try and manipulate fire. I'd always wanted to make fireballs...

I took out my lighter and opened it, enforcing the fire with my ki and shaping it into a ball. I tried moving it around and only got several inches before a stray leaf made it explode on contact.

I sighed, "This is going to take some time," I peeked in the door and saw only three girls moving besides Usagi. One had short blue hair that reminded me of Akane (shudder), another had short black hair that came down to her shoulders, and the other had an aqua marine type color hair that looked to go down to the middle of her shoulder blades.

I leaned back and continued messing with my lighter. A couple minutes later I was clocked on the head from above by an acorn.

"Fucking A', I swear it's a consipracy," I said as I made another fireball and lunged it at the nearest squirrel.

The shoji doors slid open and I lost my concentration...accidently blowing up the fireball and incinerating a nearby bird.

I scratched the back of my head as I stood up, "Eheh...heh...uh...oops?"

I turned to my side and smiled a lop sided grin at the girls that came outside, "My name's Mouko Ryuu. Sorry 'bout this." What can I say? Old habits die hard.

(-)

I was sitting against the wall inside the shrine. Across from me was the entire group I'd come here to meet. And no one was saying anything.

The silence was getting to me and everytime I saw that damned black cat I flinched. I finally decided that the silence needed to die...a slow painful death.

"So...Anyone wanna introduce themselves?" Okay, so it wasn't a slow and painful death for the silence, but it was still a death.

The woman with the aqua marine colored hair was the first to introduce herself, "My name is Michiru. The woman beside me is Haruka and sitting in front of us is Hotaru."

I nodded and made a mental note. Tomboy is Haruka. Frail looking one is Hotaru.

The one with long blonde hair was next, "My name's Minako."

"Makoto," The one with long brown hair simply said.

"I'm Amy," The Akane replica said.

I turned to the one with long black hair, "I guess that makes you Rei, correct?"

Rei nodded, "Yes, how'd you know?"

"You seemed like the type to work at a shrine. You have more ki control than the others."

Rei nodded slowly and Makoto jumped in, "Ki? Do you know martial arts?"

I smiled sadly, "Know it? I used to live the arts."

"Used to?" Ami asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, used to. I'm not as obsessed as I once was. Getting away from my Pops helped a lot in that."

Haruka slowly nodded, "Yeah, I've heard of you. I read an article about you in a magazine...it said something about your being disowned and taking up the name you have now. You're one of the best skateboarders on record who's never been in a tournament."

I scratched the back of my head and replied, "Well, yeah...I don't like to brag...but if I do something I do it well. I commit myself to what I do. That's why I'm the best. Though skateboarding's only a hobby..."

Usagi's eyes brightened as she seemed to remember something, "Oh, guys look at this, I got his autograph!" She exclaimed as she pulled the book I'd signed out to show the girls.

The girls seemed excited about that but Rei just developed an eyetwitch.

"Something wrong, Rei-san?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes, something's wrong. That's my favorite manga that you signed."

My eyes widened a bit, "That was your manga?" I knew how protective someone could be of their manga. I was protective of my manga to the extreme. I had a simple touch-and-die rule for anyone who entered my room. Hell, they were stored in a fire-proof cabinet!

"So...what would you normally do when Usagi-san takes your manga?"

"Beat her over the head."

I nodded, "That's cool. I'd watch but I have someplace to be. When you're friends stop ogling my signature tell 'em I said bye," I opened the shoji doors, "Later."

Rei nodded and gave me a quick smile before scowling and approaching Usagi. I just shut the shoji doors when a yell reached my ears.

"Usagi no baka!" I shook my head, Now, where've I heard something like that before? I walked foward and acted like I had no idea what the hell was going on.

I was walking towards the shrine stairs when I heard another yell. It was a wierd thing to yell out too...

"Dead Scream!"

(-)

"Dead Scream!"

Ryuu turned in time to see the blast. As his shirt fluttered to the ground in rags he reappeared in a tree in a branch. He was now only in his black cargos. He looked down at his attacker and noted three things.

Okay, fact one; crazy bitch with long dark green hair and creepy red eyes is trying to kill me. Fact two; I know those creepy red eyes from somewhere, but can't place them at the moment. Fact Three; She ruined my favorite shirt. Conclusion; This is war.

He stood up on the branch and called down to the dark haired woman, "Okay, before I come down there and beat your ass for ruining my shirt tell me two things. Who are you? And why are you trying to kill me?"

The woman spun her staff, which looked like a badly made key, and stood proud and seemed very confident.

Reminds me of me when I was an arrogant little shit...oh wait, I'm still an arrogant shit. Nevermind. Hold on...I know that key/staff thingy from somewhere...holy shit!

"Never mind, I know who you are Sailor Pluto. But why do you want to kill me? Am I 'a threat to the new Crystal Tokyo'?" He said mockingly.

"Actually, yes. I can't see anything of your past, present, or future. I really can't see anything about you. And because of that, you must be eliminated." Pluto replied calmly.

Ryuu raised an eyebrow, "Wow. You're serious about this shit aren't you?"

Pluto didn't waste anymore time talking and moved to blast him again. By this time the girls had heard the commotion outside and before going to investigate, upon hearing Pluto's signature attack, changed into the senshi.

They'd heard most of the short conversation. But only Ami made sense of Pluto's reasoning, and only just barely.

They watched as Ryuu jumped around the attacks so easily it seemed like a game to him.

Uranus' eyes widened gradually as she watched, "He's almost as good as that Saotome character who was in Nerima a few years ago."

Ryuu had heard the comment and took the time to strike Pluto quickly in a shiatsu point, paralyzing her for several minutes.

"Actually you're wrong with the Saotome comment," Ryuu said appearing beside Haruka, "I'm not almost as good as him. I'm better."

"And why do you say that?" Makoto asked. She was a fan of Ranma's when he'd been around and she still was, she'd been a bit sad when he disappeared. Now here was this guy insulting him. How rude!

Ryuu simply smirked, "Do you know what my name was before I was disowned? My birth name?" He smirked a wider as he turned his back on them and began walking towards Pluto. The paralysis point was going to start wearing off soon, "It was Ranma. Saotome Ranma."

He approached Pluto and looked her in the eye, "You remember me, don't you? I kicked the ass of that youma on my way to my mother's house a couple years back. You know, that one you were all have trouble with?" Her eyes widened a bit.

"I see the lightbulb has clicked," He patted her cheek reassuringly at the fear in her eyes, "Don't you worry your pretty little head. I won't do anything to stop your little Crystal Tokyo vendetta."

He started walking down the shrne stairs with his back to them, "Besides, if I had wanted to stop your 'quest for the perfect kingdom', you'd have known about me long ago. Those negaverse dudes don't know shit, you want a job done, you gotta do it yourself." Ryuu said, "I was holding back when I fought that youma and I literally obliterated it. Imagine what I'd be like if I didn't play nice and stopped holding back." Those were his parting words as he disappeared below the stairs.

(-)

I left the shrine and headed in the direction of my mom's house.

Think maybe you over did it? I heard Tony ask.

Hell no. They ruined my shirt. I replied grabbing another shirt out of sub-space. It was a black shirt with the sleeves ripped off. It said, "Smiling on the outside - Beserk on the inside"

You could've just grabbed another one from sub-space. Tony said.

True, but then I'd have girls trying to destroy my shirts all the time. I can't have that. I have a lot of shirts, but I don't have an unlimited amount, you know. I spotted the familiar house, "Wonder why I never realized how close Mom lived to a shrine...?"

Because you were an idiot, oblivious to everything outside martial arts.

"How true..." I said as I continued through the gate. I rang the doorbell and was greeted two moments later by Mom. I was setting the tea in a platter when she recieved a phone call.

"Hello?...Oh, hello, Kasumi-chan!..Yes...Actually, he paid me a suprise visit, he's here right now. Would you like to come over?...That'd be great."

I brought the tea into the tea room and sat down with a cup, listening to the conversation.

Mom turned to me, "She says Akane overheard her and wants to come. Is it alright if she comes, son?"

I thought about it for a second...two seconds...three seconds...

You could always just go tiger and pretend you're your mother's pet or something Tony offered.

I smiled...That could work...I nodded to Mom, "Yeah, let her come."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

I nodded again and gave her a feral smile, "Yes."

(-)

There was a knock on the door and I quickly went tiger. It had taken a few times before Mom was accustomed to the change, but she'd gotten used to it and now took it in stride.

She opened the door and I heard her conversing with Kasumi and Akane. When she returned she was frowning and I saw why when Akane walked in. She was holding Pchan.

Mom sat down in her usual spot. I was laying on my stomach next to her seat. Kasumi and Akane seemed shocked to see a tiger in the tea room. Kasumi knew about the curse, I'd told them about it in my letters, and was the first to recover and took a seat across from Mom and next to me.

I sat up and seemed to be sitting at the table with them. Kasumi pet my head for a greeting, I think I purred, I'm not sure. And Akane sat beside Kasumi. Everyone sat in silence for a bit before Mom broke it.

"So how have you two been?" She asked.

Kasumi nodded, "Things have been doing well."

Akane shrugged, "They've been okay I guess."

"Okay? Things with you and Ryoga not working out?" Mom asked.

Akane hesitated, "If I put Pchan down, will your tiger eat him?"

Mom seemed to look at me as if debating the pros and cons of letting me eat the lil' fucker. She turned back to Akane, "I don't believe Ryuu will do any such thing, will you?"

I grunted in response, Ain't gonna eat 'im. But it doesn't mean I'm not going to mess with him.

Akane nodded, albeit hesitantly, and put the pig down beside her. She started talking again, "Ryoga's gone so often I don't know what to do. I mean, if I got pregnant or something and he wasn't there, I don't know if I could handle that on my own..."

I slowly slinked my way around the table. Making my way around Kasumi and slowly towards Akane.

"You probably should've thought about that before, have you been using protection?" Mom asked.

From what I could see behind her she nodded, "I'm also on the pill. He doesn't want me to get pregnant. But I want kids."

I slowly came up behind Pchan and readied myself for the pounce.

"Akane, are you sure you want kids?" Kasumi asked her.

"Yes. I'm positive."

My tail moved back and forth and I waited for the pig to turn around. As he slowly turned around his eyes widened and I showed him my many shiny, white, sharp teeth. He started to do his little "bu-kwee" thing but I pounced before he finished and started batting him around like a ball of yarn.

Kasumi and Mom watched me while they tried not to laugh aloud. Akane just watched me in a mixture of horror and anger. If I could read minds I believe her thoughts would be a mixture of, "Ohmigod! I hope he doesn't hurt Pchan!" and "How dare that stupid, over-grown cat do that!"

I batted him high into the air, flipped onto my feet, grabbed Pchan by the bandanna in my teeth, and ran into the backyard before jumping onto the roof.

I changed back to my original form and watched as Ryoga's eyes enlarged. I grabbed his bandanna and shoved it into his mouth, "Quiet, you pest," I hissed.

I glared at him, "You have a lot of guts coming to my mother's house, Ryoga."

Ryoga narrowed his eyes and tried to "bu-kwee" in response but failed because of the bandanna. I smirked, "At a loss for words?"

He narrowed his eyes further, "You should be, I have every right to bring you back inside and expose you for the little traitorous fucker you are." His eyes widened again, this time in fear, "But I'm not going to...yet." He was relaxing a little until I said that last part.

"Because I hate your guts. And I want you to suffer, I'm going to punt you far, far away. With any luck it'll be somewhere with dangerous animals that eat pigs." I sneered.

I stood up and kicked him as hard as I could. He flew off quickly into the distance. I dusted off my hands and crouched down again before leaving a small note on Mom's back door with two front row tickets and backstage passes.

(-)

Ryoga found himself landing atop an airplane heading towards the states. He wanted to get down but decided he'd wait a while. A good thing he'd discovered was that the bandanna in his mouth had fallen out during his flight. He turned around in a circle and...found himself standing on a porch somewhere.

He looked around and stepped off the porch and onto the soft green grass...that was crawling with fire ants.

"Bu-kwee!" Ranma this is all your fault!

(-)

Ryuu walked down the road and headed towards the hotel. Maybe Robert's in his room. I need to talk to him about something...

(-)

I knocked on the door and waited for it to open. It opened a moment later to show Robert in tan khakis and a baggy white t-shirt with "Mike's Place" across the front.

"Wow, this is a real vacation for you isn't it?" I asked.

"You bet your ass. Now what can I do for you?" He asked turning around and letting me in.

"I need you to pull a few favors over at the stadium we're playing at tonight."

Robert raised an eyebrow at me and I explained, "I want to see," I handed him a picture of my "brown-haired" familiar, "If she bought any tickets."

Robert nodded and told me to make myself at home while he made a few calls. So I grabbed a soda from his fridge and flopped onto his bed.

Twenty minutes later he had the results for me, "Yeah. She bought a ticket. Why?"

I ignored his question, "Do you remember the seat and row she's going to be in?"

He nodded, "Yeah, she got a ticket somewhere in the middle. I wrote down the exact seating."

"Good. Two more things...do we have an extra backstage pass?" Robert nodded and I continued, "And do you think you could raffle off that pass to that exact seat while making it look like it was an actual raffle and not rigged?"

Robert nodded, "I think I can manage all of this. But why do you need it done?"

I stood and headed towards the door, with the soda still in my hand, I turned to him right before I left, "I have some unfinished business from my past that needs tending to." And I left.

(-)

I walked into the room I shared with Sasha and laid down on the bed. Sasha wasn't back from checking on Mike, meaning she was probably happily chatting with Sam while Mike's twitching on the floor.

I hope you know what you're doing, Ryuu. Tony said to me.

I closed my eyes and saw him sitting next to me, I know what I'm doing...sort of.

Tony shook his head, May the Kami help us all.

I just don't want to leave any loose ends, Tony. I paused and opened my eyes in time to see Sasha walk into the room, The last thing I want is for Sasha or one of the others to get hurt because of me.

(-)

We all stood off to the side of the stage while the band before us played their last song. I turned to the guys, "You all ready for the concert? Is anyone nervous?...Does anyone have my soda?"

Sasha laughed and handed me a soda, "You'll all do fine. Just like the rest of your concerts."

The other band finished and called a ten-fifteen minute break so we could set up our equipment. We only used ten minutes to set up everything.

I stepped up to the mike and waved to the crowd, "How are all of you tonight?"

There was a loud cheer and I smiled, "Glad to hear. Now let's go straight to our first song tonight." The music started up and I began singing.

All wound up
On the edge
Terrified

Sleep disturbed
Restless mind
Petrified

Bouts of fear
Permeate
All I see

Heightening
Nervousness
Threatens me

I am paralyzed
So afraid to see

Caught off guard
Warning signs
Never show

Tension strikes
Choking me
Worries grow

Why do I feel so numb
Is it something to do with where I come from
Should this be fight or flight
I don't know why I'm constantly so uptight

Rapid heartbeat pounding through my chest
Agitated body in distress
I feel like I'm in danger
Daily life is strangled by stress

A stifling surge
Shooting through all my veins
Extreme apprehension
Suddenly I'm insane

Lost all hope for redemption
A grave situation desperate at best

Why do I feel so numb
Is it something to do with where I come from
Should this be fight or flight
I don't know why I'm constantly reeling

Helpless hysteria
A false sense of urgency
Trapped in my phobia
Posessed by anxiety

Run
Try to hide
Overwhelmed by this complex delirium

Helpless hystreia
A false sense of urgency
Trapped in my phobia
Posessed by anxiety

Run
Try to hide
Overwhelmed by this complex delirium

The music faded as I finished the lyrics and everything was silent while I drank some of my soda. The music started up again and I whispered into the mike, "My Mistress."

A couple beats later and the actual song started up.

I stand on the brink of your mind
Living inside a nightmare from which
I just cannot awaken
Stand on the edge of your life
Just give me another moment
From which I will never awaken

Stand on the brink of my own demise
Fallen again for another
Mistress of burden
To idolize
Hoping that one of them will decide
To let me in

My mistress

I stand on the edge of the knife
Cutting through the nightmare from which
I just cannot awaken
Stand on the edge of a knife
Living inside a moment
From which I will never awaken

Stand on the brink of my own demise
Fallen again for another
Mistress of burden
To idolize
Hoping that one of them will decide
To let me in

My mistress

Look at what you've done to me
You've become my enemy
Poisoning the world for me
Take away everything
Weakened as I am

Stand on the brink of my own demise
Fallen again for another
Mistress of burden
To idolize
Hoping that one of them will decide
To let me in

My Mistress

The music ended as I finished singing the lyrics. And then the announcer came on and spoke about the raffle for the single backstage pass.

"And we'll allow one of the band members of Misunderstanding Scars to announce the seat we chose..." The announcer said.

Someone approached Mike and handed him a small slip of paper, he read the paper aloud, "Seat 9, Row D!"

There was a short moment of chaos as everyone checked there seats. As the girl who got chosen was jumping up and down she was escorted by a bodyguard to the stairs and behind the stage.

I smiled at the crowd, "Alright, next song is dedicated to the raffle winner. It's called What If I Lost It."

The music started up again and I jumped in with the lyrics a minute later.

When the time is right you got to get up and fight
When your numbers up you got get up and die
Would you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
Because the crowd's not coming
Could you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
The skin will get numb

How many time have you been mistreated?
How many times have you been mislead?
They brought this nightmare to light
All we wanted was to be respected
Learned our lessons and don't you forget
We stand larger than life

What if I lost it

It was said and done but I need some more
I hadn't had enough I kept kicking in doors
Yeah, would you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
Because the crowd's not coming
Could you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
The skin get numb

How many time have you been mistreated?
How many times have you been mislead?
They brought this nightmare to light
All we wanted was to be respected
Learned our lessons and don't you forget
We stand larger than life

What if I lost it
And now what if I lost it
What if I lost it

Convicted with no excuse
Just pull the trigger
Cause I've got nothing to lose
Dispute it, dispute it I will not be locked up
Split-lipped with nothing to lose
I will never really change my point of view
Disputed, the victim is you
I will not be locked up

How many times have you been defeated?
How many times have you been depressed?
How many times have you taken a beating?
How many times you been punched in the chest?
All we wanted was to be respected
Learned our lessons don't you ever forget
We stand larger than life

What if I lost it
Would you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
Because the crowd's not coming
Could you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
The skin get numb

Would you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
Because the crowd's not coming
Could you walk five blocks, well you got to meet me
The skin get numb

The music faded out once more and for the last time that night. I waved to the crowd walked off the stage towards where Sasha was waiting with Robert, Mom, Kasumi, and the raffle winner.

I smiled at them, hugged Mom and Kasumi. Gave Sasha a hug and a quick kiss. I took the towel Sasha offered me and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Damn, those lights seem to get hotter every show." I said.

"You'll get used to it, Ryuu, everyone does." Robert responded.

I hung the towel over my shoulders and smiled, "Ah, but you forget, Robert. I'm not like everyone else. I'm special."

Mike walked up behind me, "In what way we shall not say."

I lightly punched Mike in the shoulder and apprached the raffle winner. I smiled a mischievious smile, "It's been a while...Nabiki."

To Be Continued...

A/N:
So we...well you guys, finally know who the "brown-haired girl" is. Wonder how many of you guessed right. Anyway, I have nothing to say except that I'm really sorry for the long delay. I'll see if I can't get the next one out sooner. Hope to see you all next chapter! Ja!