Chapter 17: Middle School Love

Ryoga felt his heart racing as he found Hibari in the fog he'd found himself surrounded by. He wanted to say it was due to rage and adrenaline. Oh how he wanted to believe that. He knew otherwise though.

"H-Hibari... I'm sorry for what I said," he found himself mumbling. "I was just so shocked. B-but I know I'm in love! I can't care that you're a guy."

"But I'm not," Hibari replied, stepping clearer into view out of the fog.

She was wearing only a towel, and dropped it away to reveal a female form. Her hair was the same warm red it had been when he (accidentally) saw her naked before. Ryoga smiled like an idiot before moving in to embrace and kiss her. With his lips on Hibari's and his arms wrapped around her he felt pure joy and let his eyes close. Then his hand felt a tickle as her hair seemed to spiral about. Not wanting to end the kiss he slid one hand up her back to investigate and felt a short braided pigtail.

Surprise that her hair had seemingly braided itself caused Ryoga to pull out of the kiss. As he did so with open eyes he was shocked to find he was holding Ranma. The shorter and curvier redhead was giving him bedroom eyes.

"What's wrong? If you're fine with Hibari you're fine with me ain't ya?"

"GAAH!" Ryoga shouted as he sat up in his tent.

He hadn't had a good night's sleep since that date. His subconscious clearly wanted to play some sort of twisted joke on him. Even in his waking hours as he trudged across the mountains (whichever range they happened to be) he found himself missing Hibari despite himself. Any time he let that feeling last more that a few seconds Ranma would somehow slide into his thoughts. He kept almost wanting to give in to Hibari, but that felt like a the first step towards of path he didn't want to head down. (Of course Ryoga was never the best at following the path he intended.)

Hibari sighed as she glanced at Ranma's empty seat. Genma had dragged her fiancé away nearly as soon as they had returned from the beach. That had been five days ago. Her father had apparently agreed that Ranma needed some time away from Hibari's 'influence' and had given them a week's leave. Shiina found it an opportunity to be annoyingly flirtatious in the absence of Ranma which was making it all that much worse.

"Class, we have a new transfer student today," Iwasaki-sensei announced.

"Another one?"

"That's like one a month!"

The student in question emerged from the door. The new student was handsome with long brown hair in a ponytail and wearing a gakuran (despite Wakaba's lack of uniforms). A bandoleer of spatulas adorned the outfit, and an oversized spatula was strapped onto his back. In his hands was a griddle which they swiftly plopped onto Iwasaki-sensei's desk.

"My name's Kuonji Ukyo. I'm an okonomiyaki cook by trade."

As if to punctuate the point Ukyo began tossing out mini versions of the dish, to the delight of the class.

"Ooh, another handsome boy... let's hope we get lots more transfer students," one girl mentioned.

Hibari leapt to her feet, a smile on her face.

"Ukyo-kun!"

Ukyo froze and turned to her. There was a brief moment of digging through memories before a smile grew on that handsome face.

"Hibari!?"

Three Years Earlier

There was a nervous looking blonde at the front of class 1-4 at the Meiyo Boy's Junior High School. Ukyo noticed their soft features and feminine hairstyle. Several of Ukyo's classmates had noticed as well.

"H-hello. My name is Oozora Hibari. Please take care of me," the blonde announced.

Even though she was using masculine pronouns Hibari's tone was so clearly feminine Ukyo had to wince. In a school with hundreds of hormone driven boys who had no girls around the blonde was going to be in trouble if she couldn't blend in better. Ukyo had to help her out. Maybe tell Hibari... no, Ukyo had made an oath. Ukyo could still help out though.

When school ended for the day Ukyo managed to catch up to Hibari while she was walking towards a bus stop. That Hibari had changed in the nurse's office just confirmed Ukyo's suspicions. Along with how the blonde swayed her hips. Ukyo walked up to calmly stand beside Hibari.

"You're a girl, aren't you?" Ukyo whispered.

"I'm that obvious? I thought it would take a couple days at least for folks to suspect."

"So... what are you doing at an all boys middle school?" Ukyo asked.

"Daddy wants me to toughen up. I'm supposed to inherit the family business... but he insists I have to act like a man to do that."

Ukyo nodded. That seemed like a plausible course of events.

"Well, if you want to get through this you will have to learn to play the part of a boy a bit better," Ukyo replied.

Hibari turned to the brown haired youth. "Who said anything about getting through? I want to get out. I figure acting as feminine as possible so I get a whole bunch of admirers is the quickest way to get daddy to withdraw me."

Ukyo was left in stunned silence as Hibari boarded her bus. It made sense though. No normal girl would willingly go through three years of a boy's school. Still, Ukyo wanted to keep an eye on this girl.

"Come on, I bet we can get a peek," the short boy whispered as he grabbed the doorknob.

"Are you sure? What if the teachers catch us?" his taller friend asked, though he was just as ready at the door to the nurse's office.

"It's supposed to be boys only here. So how could we be doing anything wrong?"

"Good point."

*Slam*

Ukyo's spatula knocked the shorter boy onto the ground. The taller one jumped away in fear.

"What do you to think you're doing?" Ukyo demanded.

"We just wanted a peek! Y-you get to talk to her all the time..."

At that moment Hibari poked her head out the door, now dressed in the gym uniform. "What's going on?"

"Just dealing with some perverts," Ukyo explained. "Some guys have no understanding of how to be gentlemen."

"I'm glad you're an exception Ukyo-kun," Hibari replied. The smile she shot Ukyo made the brown haired teen blush slightly.

Hibari was very quiet as she nibbled on the okonomiyaki Ukyo had cooked. There was an odd melancholy in her normally cheerful eyes. Ukyo had rarely seen an expression like that in the little over a month they'd been friends.

"What's wrong?" Ukyo asked, taking a seat beside Hibari and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I got some news today. After that incident on Monday dad is withdrawing me."

"Oh..." Ukyo replied, suddenly feeling a twinge of abandonment issues long repressed. "I thought you would be happy. It's what you've been working towards."

"I thought I'd be happier too. I am glad to be leaving this place, but..."

Hibari seemed to grow distant for a a few moments, despite the physical contact. Then she let out a laugh, and turned back to Ukyo with a few tears growing in her eyes. Ukyo's heart seemed to melt a bit. Then Hibari slid in with a brief kiss on Ukyo's cheek.

"It wouldn't have worked out," Hibari said, punctuating the comment with an awkward laugh. "Dad would never approve... plus there's things you don't know that would spoil it. Maybe if we were older I'd be braver, but for now it's probably best this ended before it started."

Ukyo was practically glowing red. Panicked thoughts were flying in the chef's brain: 'A girl just kissed me. Confessed to me. I should tell her. I should really tell her. But she's leaving. With happy thoughts of an impossible dream. I can't destroy that.'

"I've got secrets too," Ukyo decided to say as a compromise between two warring factions of morality. "You deserve better."

Now at Wakaba High School, Ukyo sat nervously across for Hibari at lunch. The two had joined Shui on the roof. Ukyo was busy cooking up some food for all of them, despite Shui and Hibari both insisting they had plenty. The chef hoped that the familiar practice of grilling okonomiyaki would distract from the surprise of meeting someone who was basically an ex-girlfriend. Really, Ukyo's first ex-girlfriend. Hibari meanwhile was appraising Ukyo, surprised how the teen's face had matured softer than expected.

"So, how has life been treating you sugar?" Ukyo asked, wanting to cut the awkward silence that had grown.

"Well, even with other girls as competition I've still managed my fair share of admirers at school. Dad pulled me out of singing lessons. Oh... and I got engaged."

"Engaged? Really?" Ukyo replied. "Good luck with that. It's a risky business. I've... heard horror stories. One girl who was just abandoned."

"Ooh, poor girl," Shui said. "That boy very bad fiancé."

"Yeah... I'm glad Ranma's a gentleman who'd never do something like that," Hibari added.

The spatula in Ukyo's hand suddenly bent in two. "Ranma? Saotome Ranma!? He's your fiancé?"

"Y-you know him?"

"Yes," Ukyo replied, voice dripping with anger. "You should stay away from him. He's bad news. Him and his father... they stole my father's yatai. Our livelihood. Among other insults."

"Aiyah! Shui no can believe Ranma do something like that."

"It had to have been all his father's doing," Hibari said, trying to defend her fiancé. "That man is a slime. But Ranma has been as much of a gentleman to me as you were Ukyo."

"Hmph... Ranma will break your heart. That's his style. Get out while you can."

"How long ago this?" Shui asked.

"How... close to nine years now."

"Nine years? That's enough time for anyone to change. Ukyo-kun, please, give him a chance. I'll make sure he apologises... You can try to beat up Genma all you want though. Ranma and I would be happy to join in. But please... for my sake..."

Ukyo paused, Hibari's plea chipping at 9 years resolve. Chipping, but not cracking. Ukyo had trained beside the raging sea. Had given up so much. All in the name of vengeance.

"I have more reason than ever to fight him. I can't let him hurt you too," Ukyo replied.

The bell marking the end of lunch ended the conversation. Hibari didn't know what to do. She honestly had fallen in love with Ranma and refused to believe he was capable of something like that. Yet Ukyo had always been so kind and trustworthy...

Ranma's hands hurt. Five days now of carrying around boulders, punching trees, and other 'strength training' was wearing him out. Apparently Genma thought he'd let Ranma get too soft after teaching him speed over power. And obviously since the Joketsuzoku technique Ranma had learned were both 'feminine' and speed based that just fed into Genma's paranoia. He'd also made sure Ranma kept well away from any bodies of water. That meant Ranma was in rather sore need of a bath.

"Stupid old man... How is any of this supposed to change things?" Ranma grumbled as he finally snapped the old tree he was punching. "I'm probably a lost cause by now anyway."

Watching it crash with satisfaction he noticed something bright red out of the corner of his eye. Turning a bit he realised it was 'Co-chan' pulling his backpack and umbrella. Ranma had to smile. He'd been wanting to talk to Ryoga for a while. Sneaking over he managed to scoop the little piglet before Ryoga could respond.

"Hey there. Bet you'd like some warm water?"

Ryoga nodded apprehensively. He didn't trust Ranma, but did want to be human again. Plus he couldn't really fight much in his current state.

Ranma scooped the lost boy's pack (which felt surprisingly light, clearly the strength training was paying off) and headed back to camp. Luckily Genma had headed off to buy bus tickets back to Tokyo earlier so the two of them would have some time to talk.

The kettle didn't take long to heat, and Ranma casually poured it on Ryoga. The other boy seemed to blush at being nude in front of Ranma and scrambled for his pack.

"Planning to gloat?" Ryoga hissed as he pulled out some clothes. "You and Hibari have plans to trap more guys in your web of crossdressing perversion?"

"I kissed him."

"What!?" Ryoga blurted, utterly shocked.

"Hibari... I kissed him. I was a little out of whack at the time so I don't remember it... but I know from how everyone freaked that it's true."

"S-so... you're gay then?" Ryoga asked, still trying to piece things together.

"I guess," Ranma replied, shrugging. "I was thinking that maybe the curse had done it. Messing with my head... making my brain for feminine..."

Ryoga nodded nervously, trying to suppress images of attractive nude redheads that were popping up in his mind.

"But you asked him out," Ranma said after a moment's reflection.

"I-I thought he was a girl!" Ryoga blurted to defend himself.

"He isn't though. Least not usually. So that means-"

"I'M NOT GAY!" Ryoga shouted.

"Then how do you explain how we were in middle school?"

Ryoga glared at Ranma, not saying anything.

"I walked you home from school most days. We constantly teased each other. When I left you chased me across the ocean... If either of us was a girl that would be seen as super romantic."

"Neither of us was a girl... then."

"Yeah, but we've both fallen for the same guy. I can see in your eyes whenever we're talking about Hibari that you've still got feelings for him. So we're both gay... that means it should be counted like if we were a boy and a girl."

Ryoga wanted to counter. To argue the point violently... but he honestly didn't know enough about romance to provide a proper counter. He thought you had to know you were in one to be in a relationship, but he also hadn't known he was apparently gay until now. It kind of hurt his head.

"Wait. Not that I accept your logic, but if we were a couple then... you dumped me. Now I have more reason to hate you," Ryoga declared.

"What? How do you figure?"

"When you ran off to China. Abandoning me. That's clearly dumping."

"I didn't run off. Pops dragged me off. I wanted to stay. Thought it was out of a desire to beat the pulp out of you... but maybe I was a little too stubborn for that to be the motivation?"

"So... you're saying you never broke up with me?" Ryoga asked, an idea forming in his head.

"Never."

"Then you'd say we're still officially dating. Which means... I can dump you! Ha!" Ryoga announced as he jumped to his feet and laughed.

"WHAT!? You can't dump me!" Ranma roared, leaping to his feat.

"I just did!"

Somewhere deep in Ranma's heart abandonment issues flared up. Faint memories of a woman with a kind face and auburn hair waving goodbye. Tears were running down her face. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew he didn't like the feeling. As such Ranma lunged at Ryoga.

"No one dumps Saotome Ranma!" the pigtailed martial artist yelled.

The fanged martial artist tried to dodge, but found Ranma much too fast. Ranma's fists slammed into him with both more force and speed than Ryoga was used to. His natural durability allowed Ryoga to take the blows, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't land a blow of his own on Ranma. The saving grace for Ryoga was how tired Ranma was after days of minimal sleep and constant strength training. It took maybe ten minutes for both boys to collapse panting with exhaustion.

"You've been slackin' haven't ya Ryoga?"

"Hey, you're out of breath too!"

"That's 'cause pops been running me ragged all week. But you could barely dodge even with my form bein' all sloppy. An' ya couldn't hit me at all."

"Travelling like I do isn't exactly relaxing," Ryoga huffed as he pulled himself to his feet. "But I can tell you that I'm not going to see you or your boyfriend any time soon. I'm going to leave your pervert nonsense behind me."

Pulling his backpack on Ryoga stormed off as effectively as he could while exhausted. He needed to find out what sort of speed training Ranma had been up to. He could make up for losing the physical side of the day's fight. Even if it would mean eventually tracking Ranma down again. The pigtailed genderbender however couldn't make up for getting dumped. So Ryoga told himself he'd won as he headed north into the sunset.

Author's Notes: On the Ukyo-Hibari front: yes, it is a tiny bit contrived to have those two at the same middle school. However the romance angle? Basically inevitable. Look at Ukyo's canon romance options. Tsubasa, Ranma, and Konatsu have some rather specific overlaps which Hibari definitely shares.

On the Ranma-Ryoga front: they've got no idea how any of this works and are jumping to wild conclusions. Most are wrong.