Ranma 1/2: The Magical Mystery Hibiki Tour

by Jaelle and Orla

***

The characters in this story are the property of Rumiko
Takahashi-sama. We prostrate ourselves at her feet and beg her
forgiveness for our temerity in using these characters. We're
not worthy! We're not worthy!

The other characters are copyright to Yukie Nasu and Pioneer
LDC.

C & C is welcome (although we don't like flames!). You can
contact us at either: ladyorla@yahoo.com or jaelle@ihug.co.nz

For more of our fanfiction visit our site 'Insane Musings'at:
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jaelle/Jaelle_Orla.htm

***

This story occurs four years after Ranma 1/2 volume 38.

***

Part 10

***

"Welcome to Hong Kong!"

"I thought Hong Kong was an island!" yelled Suka. Ukyou
looked taken aback. Ryoga sighed, he got this all the time.
He grabbed the microphone.

"Hong Kong has four main areas - Hong Kong Island, the new
Territories and outlying islands, and Kowloon, which is
where we are _now_. Hong Kong is the economic heart - which
means it's where all the business goes on Ranma..."

Ranma steamed.

"Kowloon is the more populated area, and the more touristy
area."

"Wow, how did you know that Ryoga?" Ukyou was impressed.

Ryoga grimaced, "Just because I can't apply it doesn't mean
I don't theoretically know what it's geography is. I happen
to have a university degree in geography." *An _Icelandic_
university degree admittedly, but _still_.*

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "And you still can't find your
way back from the bathroom?"

"Shut up Ranma!"

"Anyway," said Ukyou, hurrying on before the argument
progressed into the inevitable, potentially bus-
destroying fight. "We're going to be staying at the
STB Hostel."

"My god, we're in Hong Kong and we're staying in a
_hostel_?" Nabiki said.

"Hong Kong is a _very_ expensive area Nabiki," said
Ukyou. "The prices are extortionate. They're, well...
the sort of prices _you_ would charge."

"Oh," said Nabiki. "Fair enough then."

"Now, if I can just find the street on the map," Ukyou
pored over the map. Ryoga brought the bus to a halt and
opened the doors to let more fresh air in while she did
so. Suddenly a figure blurred and sprinted up the steps.
It waved a considerable amount of money under Ryoga's
nose and yelled, in Cantonese "<Driver! I don't care
where you're going but leave now and this is all yours!>"

Ryoga blinked and realigned his language patterns. "<This
isn't a...>"

"<HURRY!>"

Ryoga peered past the man at the horde of screaming young
women pouring towards the bus. "<()*&#%>," he swore in
an obscure Nordish dialect. Closing the doors he slammed
his foot down and the bus sped on. Ukyou was knocked back
into her seat at the acceleration and Ryoga quickly turned
down several side streets in order to... uh... lose the
crowds.

"Stop Ryoga stop! Before we end up in India!" she yelled.
The man did a double take. "Ryoga???!!!" he took off his
dark glasses. "My god, it _is_ you," he said in Japanese.
"What are you doing... why am I asking this question, you're
lost of course..." he looked at Ukyou. "Whoa, Kuonji? You're
lost too?"

Ukyou stared at him. "Who are you and how do you know my
name?"

The guy smiled at her. "Don't remember me? Let me give you
a hint." He grabbed her hands. "Akane Tendo, how nice it
is to see you again!"

"Oh my god." said Ranma.

The man looked down the bus. "Ranma? Saotome Ranma?" his
eyes roamed further. "Akane Tendo, Nabiki Tendo, Konatsu...
and lots of other people I don't know who are probably
engaged to you in some obscure manner... what's going on?"

"That's what _we'd_ like to ask you, Mousse," said Ryoga.
"What's with all the girls? You accidentally walk into the
ladies baths again?"

Ukyou stared at Mousse. There was something funny here.
Something not quite right. What was it..?

Mousse had changed little over the last three years. His
hair was shorter, and he was wearing modern clothes - black
jeans and a white shirt. But there was something else...
Ukyou's eyes widened. "Mousse!" she grabbed his shoulders.
"Who am I?"

He grinned. "Ukyou Kuonji, AKA the cute fiancee."

Ukyou blushed, "Well, not anymore." *I plan to be the cute
wife!* "You recognised us - you can SEE us?"

Mousse laughed. "As plain as the spatula on your back."

"What happened?"

"I had corrective eye surgery a couple of years back," said
Mousse. "Nothing mysterious."

"But isn't that expensive?" asked Nabiki.

*You should know,* thought diverse members of the tour.

"Yes," Mousse admitted. "But I saved up most of the money
and my manager advanced me the rest, which I have since
paid back to him."

"Manager?" asked Akane.

"Uh... well..."

"I think we can see what you mean," said Konatsu. "Look!"
Everyone looked out the right windows. On the wall facing
them was a huge poster - "Mushu's new album! Already
golden! Make it platinum! Buy: _Now You See It, Now You
Don't_."

"You're an _idol singer_?" Ranma asked incredulously. "But
you suck!"

"Thank you," said Mousse. "The 555,000 people who bought
my last album must disagree with you. I suck in _Japanese_
Ranma, I sing much better in _Chinese_, when I can
concentrate on the music not the words."

"So this is all you've been doing Mousse? And you've been
in Hong Kong all this time?" asked Akane.

"Pretty much," said Mousse. He grinned again, he was loving
this. "I just finished my movie though."

"MOVIE??!!"

"Yup, meet Hong Kong's new kung-fu movie star!" Mousse
posed.

"Yeesh." said Ukyou.

"Uh Ukyou."

"What is it Ryoga?"

"Is a sign saying 'You are now leaving the city limits'
a bad thing?"

"YOU IDIOT!!!!"

Mousse watched as Ukyou wreaked vengeance upon Ryoga. "So,
what are you guys all doing?"

***

"So that's it, a mystery tour, well well..." said Mousse,
eating more shaved ice. The group were now ensconced in
their hostel, Mousse along with them. After he'd
explained his situation (and offered a hefty bribe) Ukyou
had smuggled him back into Kowloon and their hostel.
"I never thought I'd see the day when you four were all
travelling together in peace."

Ukyou, Ranma, Ryoga and Akane all looked guilty.

"Ah," he said. "Well don't worry, I have no intention of
adding to the chaos."

"Well that's a sudden change of heart Mousse," said Ryoga.
"What brought that on?"

"Because there's no point," Mousse shrugged casually. "I
decided it wasn't worth it in the end. You may have noticed
that I haven't been around lately..." he looked at Ryoga.
"Then again, you might not have. I decided a couple of years
back that it wasn't worth all the stress and internal
injuries... not to mention the heartache, of trying to make
Xian Pu mine." he pronounced her name carefully and correctly.
"I saw that if I kept on in this direction I'd be spending the
rest of my life as a dog..."

"I thought you turned into a duck," said Kiyone, who was
grimly trying to keep up with the explanations provided
earlier. Everyone else had given up at the "Ranma turns into
a girl when splashed with cold water" section. In one corner
Mikado was quietly gagging after Akane had forcibly taken
the toothpaste and toothbrush off him.

"It's a metaphor," said Mousse. "As her dog, and fighting
people I didn't know for no good reason. So, I opted out.
Came here, got a job doing the same thing I used to do at
the Nekohanten - except this time I got _paid_. Saved up,
met a man one night who said I had potential, signed with
him, and the rest is history." he sipped some tea.

"Okay," said Akane. "Well, it's nice to have you as a...
friend?"

Mousse laughed. Ryoga noticed that he seemed to be doing
that a lot lately. *It must be nice to be happy* he
thought wistfully. *Maybe when Ukyou and I are together
we'll be happy like that. Wait a second... I mean _Akane_
and I. I think.* Noone noticed the worried look on his face.

"I would be honoured to be your friend Akane Tendo," he
said. "Yours too Ukyou, Ryoga... and maybe even you someday
Saotome."

"Why single me out?" asked Ranma.

"Oh I don't know, the pain, the humiliation, the fact that
everything bad that ever happened to me is _your_ fault..."

Ranma sweatdropped. Mousse smiled at him. It was not a
friendly smile.

"But anyway," he said, turning back to the rest of the
group. "In the spirit of our new friendship, why don't you
let me show you around?"

"That would be great, thanks!" said Ukyou. "Okay everyone,
unpack, shower, change, whatever... and then we'll go have
dinner in the restaurant of Mousse's choice."

The group moved to break up. Mousse waited carefully until
Akane stood up, then gently pulled her to one side.

"Uh, Akane? Not that I care or anything, but... how's
Xian Pu been lately?"

Akane paused. *Yeah right,* she thought. *_Sure_ you're
over her.* She tried to let her thoughts on Shampoo pass
unprejudiced. It was difficult.

"She's fine." *Excusing the fact that she's a pain in the
ass most of the time*. "She's still at the Nekohanten with
Cologne. I imagine she's serving ramen as we speak!"

***

"<WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY???!!!>"

***

Mousse smiled. "Good, I'm glad she's okay." A haunted look
passed through his eyes. "Shall we go?"

Akane felt sympathy welling up in her. *Poor guy, he's
really torn up about her*. "That would be great," she
linked her arm with his. "Let's go."

Silently watching this exchange from across the room,
Ranma fumed. *Why is she being so nice to that jerk?*
He watched them leave the room together. *Hn! Well,
two can play at that game.*

"Oh Ucchan!"

***

After a huge meal of delicious spicy food, with considerable
amounts of alcohol to wash it down, the group relaxed around
the restaurant table, staring out off the verandah over the
vista of the heart of Hong Kong.

Ryoga wiped his plate clean with a practiced swipe and
drained his glass. Still remembering his hangover, he'd
switched to fruit juice earlier in the evening. Many of
his companions had not, however. Akane and Nabiki were
giggling together in a surprisingly unguarded moment,
their family resemblance obvious for once. Suka and Mia
had wandered off to the shadowy end of the balcony, and
judging by the giggles and laughter emitting from it Ryoga
was fairly sure he didn't want to know what they were
doing. Godai and Sanzenin were trying to build a house of
chopsticks, with a notable lack of success, whilst Konatsu
was playing 'hostess' - cheering them on and filling their
glasses. "I love a man who can drink!" he enthused to
Godai. "I love Kyoko!" he replied. Ryoga's eyebrows shot
up. *Oooookay.* He looked at the rest of the group.

Kiyone was staring deep into her glass, and smiling
slightly. "Mihoshi's not here... Mihoshi's not here...
Heeeeeeeeeee!" she giggled. Ryoga sweatdropped. *Maybe
I should set her up with Godai.* he thought. *They both
seem to be in hopeless relationships.* With a depressed
sigh he looked at the remaining group members. *And coming
from me that's fairly condemning. Speaking of hopeless
relationships...* he trailed off this thought miserably
as Akane turned back to a _very_ well-pickled Mousse to
share the joke. Ranma, watching this, fumed and knocked
back yet another glass of drink. Ryoga watched and heartily
wished that _he'd_ managed to order the drinks before
Mousse had. That stuff was lethal in _small_ doses... and
Ranma was drinking it out of the water glass.

Ranma glared at Mousse and turned back to Ukyou, who was
holding his arm and smiling up at him. Ukyou was not drunk.
Ukyou had in fact drunk very little alcohol. But she felt
as though she had drunken every bottle in the restaurant.
*Oh Ranchan...* she thought happy to be the centre of his
attention.

Ranma heard Akane laugh, he put an arm around Ukyou. "Hey,
you wanna look at the lights, Ucchan?"

Ukyou swallowed. "H-hai."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed as the pair stood up and moved towards
the empty end of the balcony. As they disappeared into the
shadows Ryoga stood up and followed. *Ranma's pretty drunk,
he might... he might... * Ryoga gritted his teeth. *I just
don't want any accidents to happen,* he told himself. *I...
I don't care about Ranma, but I do care about Ukyou... if
he... if Ranma slipped, well, I don't care if _he_ falls off
the balcony, it's only four stories, but I _need_ Ukyou...
to navigate.* Silently and resolutely Ryoga stalked the pair.

Ukyou gasped a little when she and Ranma reached the end of
the balcony. This was not caused by the breathtaking sight of
the lights of Hong Kong, but by the weight of Ranma as he
stumbled and pressed her body close to the balcony rails. She
waited for him to straighten, but his arm remained around her
shoulders and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her
neck. Ukyou's heart beat frantically and she twisted around
to look up at him.

Ranma wasn't feeling too good, getting up had _definitely_
been a mistake, his head was spinning. He barely noticed
Ukyou's presence under his arm or her wide eyes looking up
at him.

"Ranchan..." Ukyou breathed, totally misinterpreting the
glazed look in his eyes. "I... I've wanted to tell you for
so long... I..."

Ranma blinked and tried to focus on her. His fogged brain
was sending him warning signals and they started to kick in.
This had been a mistake, he had to go back to the table, get
Akane and...

"Ranchan... no, Ranma... I... I love you!" Ukyou blurted, her
heart in her eyes.

Ranma stared at her as the words sunk into his conciousness.
"You... what?"

Ukyou leaned on his chest. "love you." she whispered.

Ranma rapidly began to sober up. "I thought you were my
_friend_!" he said sharply. His mind raced. "I thought we
weren't going to do this anymore. I thought you understood."

Ukyou looked back up at him in alarm. This was _not_ how she
had imagined his response to her declaration. "Ranchan... "

Ranma pushed away from her. " How can you say things like
that after all this time... " his eyes narrowed. "Unless,
this was your plan... "

"My... ?"

"You set... "

"Ranma! Ukyou!" Ryoga pushed between them. "What are you
doing to Ukyou?!"

Ranma blinked. "Ryoga... "

Ryoga took in the situation, *okay, action... what should
I do? Hmmm... *

"Ryoga," Ranma's tone was quiet. "What are you talking
about? We're not..."

"Hey, I'm sorry Ranma." Ryoga grinned at him. "But Ukyou is
sooooo drunk, moreso than you even, so don't pay any attention
to her okay? I'll look after her."

"Wha... ?"

Ukyou scowled at Ryoga. "I am not drunk!" she cried in
anger.

Ryoga shot her a significant, meaningful look. "Yes, you
are!"

Ukyou totally missed the look. "No I am not!"

Ryoga ground his teeth. "Fine." he muttered. He smiled
brightly at Ranma. "See Ranma, she's so drunk she can't
even stand up straight."

"What do you... aaarrrgghh!" Ukyou squealed as Ryoga hooked
a foot around her leg and brought her down into his arms.

Ranma blinked again. "Ano... "

"In fact," Ryoga rattled on. "She's so drunk that I think
I should take her back to the hostel." With a swift movement
he slung Ukyou over his shoulder.

"Hey! HEY!!!!" she screamed, her voice slightly muffled by
his shirt.

Ryoga tilted his head to avoid her kicking feet and clamped
one hand firmly on her waist. "See ya, Saotome." he turned
swiftly.

Ukyou's upper torso hit Ranma as Ryoga turned. She cried out
in pain and Ranma, not steady on his feet, stumbled back. He
hit the balcony rails. There was a loud crack.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!" *Thud!*

Ryoga looked around. "Oooopsie." he smirked.

The rest of the Tour group and Mousse stared as Ryoga came
up to the table still carrying Ukyou, kicking and screaming,
over his shoulder. Mikado eyed him with a look of respect.
"Now thash a real man." he saluted Ryoga with his glass.

Konatsu raised an eyebrow. "How would _you_ know a real man
when you saw one?" he asked.

"I'm taking Ukyou, back to the hostel." said Ryoga. "She's
drunk again."

"I AM NOT!!!!!!" howled Ukyou thumping his back.

Ryoga ignored her. "Konatsu can you lead us back?" he asked
calmly.

"Uh... sure." Konatsu got up. "But won't people stare if
Ukyou-sama keeps yelling like that?"

"If she doesn't shut up," said Ryoga. "I'm going to drop her
in Hong Kong harbour."

"You WOULDN'T!" gasped Ukyou.

"Wouldn't I?" Ryoga began to leave, Konatsu in front.

Silence.

Ryoga and Konatsu walked away. The others stared after them,
then Akane looked around.

"Hey, where's Ranma?"

***

"I hate you." Ukyou sobbed. "I really, really hate you."

Ryoga felt odd then, as if he'd been stabbed by a million
shards of glass. He swallowed. "It's for your own good. I
couldn't let you humiliate yourself like that." he said
as they walked down the stairs.

"And _this_ isn't humilating?" was Ukyou's muffled reply.
"Now everyone thinks I'm a lush."

"It was all I could think of." Ryoga stepped into the
street.

"*sniff* please put me down."

Ryoga sighed and lifted her up, holding her in mid air he
gave her a stern look. "Are you going to behave?"

Ukyou's face was flushed, not just from being upside-down,
but also from a mixture of humiliation and anger. "You can't
treat me like a child."

Ryoga laughed. "Watch me. I could carry you _all_ across
Hong Kong if I wanted to."

Ukyou breathed deeply. *I am _not_ going to lose my temper.
I do _not_ want to be carried through Hong Kong over Ryoga's
shoulder!*

Ryoga watched the fleeting emotions chasing across her face.
Then a tear trickled down one cheek, Ryoga winced inwardly
but continued to hold her up.

"You're the one who said we'd have to approach this whole
thing delicately, then you go and blunder like that, what
were you thinking?" he demanded.

"I thought he was... that he liked... that he wanted..."
Ukyou ran down, another tear joining the first.

"He was _drunk_!" Ryoga was exasperated. "He was annoyed
with Mousse! He was trying to make _Akane_ jealous! He was
concentrating on not throwing up!!!!" He sighed. "Now, I
don't particularly _want_ to carry you back to the hostel,
particularly not with you thumping on my back all the way,
but I will if you don't sort yourself out and act like a
mature individual."

Ukyou gasped, *I can't believe he just _said_ that to me,
to _me_.* She sniffled once, then again. And then the truth
of his words hit her. That Ranma was drunk. That he was
trying to make Akane jealous. That she had nearly blown
his friendship. And then the tears came.

Ryoga watched somewhat apprehensively as Ukyou burst into
tears. Gingerly, he lowered her against him, letting her
feet touch the ground. She clung to his shirt, sobbing.
Cautiously, he put both arms around her. "It's alright."
he said softly. "It's okay. I'm sorry I humiliated you. I
never meant to hurt you. I could never do that." They
stood together in the deserted street.

***

Back at the hostel, Konatsu turned around. "Oh no! I've
lost Ukyou-sama!"

***
Later that night:

Ranma rubbed his head and groaned slightly. *Well, this
lump is going to be there for a while!* He sat up and
fingered the bandage that Akane had put on his head earlier.
*Ow... * He frowned trying to focus on the events that had
brought him to this.

"Lets see... " Ranma mused aloud. "I was a little drunk, and
Ucchan and I... " he paused. *Ucchan said she _loved_ me.*

Ranma lay back down on his bed. "Why did she say that? She
stopped chasing me _years_ ago." He closed his eyes. *Then
Ryoga showed up, he said she was drunk. Was she? She seemed
so sincere... * Then he remembered the last time Ukyou had
been drunk. *She _was_ overly affectionate, I guess Ryoga
was right.* He fingered the bandage again. *No need to shove
me off the balcony, stupid jerk! What did he do that for?*

*"I'll look after her."* Ryoga's voice echoed in Ranma's
memory pulling him back upright. He hit his fist into in
his palm as realisation dawned.

"Of course! Ryoga was jealous!" Ranma chuckled and then
looked rueful. *I guess I should apologise for taking Ucchan
off like that, if someone had done that to Akane I'd be
ready to kill them!* With a grin Ranma stood up and left
his room.

***

Ryoga put down his drink and began to go through some
stretching exercises in an effort to clear his mind before
turning in. He'd done one set, very carefully due to the
enclosed space, when there was a knock on the door.

Ryoga straightened and eyed the door warily. "Hai?"

The door opened and Ranma entered, grinning. "Hey, buddy,
what's up?"

*Great* "Hello Ranma, how's your head?"

Ranma tensed and glared at him for a moment, then he relaxed.
"I didn't come here to fight." he said.

Ryoga picked up his tea and took a sip. "Then _what_?"

"I wanted to say sorry for moving in on your turf."

Ryoga stared at him. "Huh?"

Ranma nudged him in the arm. "Oh come on! I can see it, how
you feel about her."

Ryoga froze. *He knows how I still feel about Akane-san?*

Ranma sauntered back to the door. "Yeah, I know how strongly
you feel for Ukyou. Ja man!" he left.

*Crash!*

Ryoga didn't notice the cup smashing on the floor and the
hot tea splashing his bare feet. He stared at the door for
a long time.

***

Ukyou curled up in her bed, hugging her legs. For the first
time since the Tour had started she was beginning to doubt.
Doubt her belief that Ranma was not in love with Akane. Doubt
that she was really his true love.

Ukyou bit her lip. *I can't think like this, or everything
will be for nothing, and I will be alone.* She opened her
eyes and stared into the darkness. *There's no other man
for me but Ranma.* she told herself. *Kamisama! I don't
want to be left again!*

***

To be continued. 

 

Chapter 11

Index