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 15

***

Singapore:

"Welcome to Singapore!" said Ukyou, her newly acquired earrings
sparkling in the daylight. "Please make yourselves comfortable
in the hotel, or else venture out into the streets - there is
more shopping..."

"NOOOOO...." moaned Ranma, Akane absently backhanded him.

Suka ducked as Ranma flew over his head towards the back of
the bus. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Ryoga and I are going to go and organise transport BACK to
Hong Kong where we should have been all this time," said
Ukyou. "And to contact Mousse and explain."

"You want RYOGA to organise the _travel arrangements_?"
asked Mikado. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Do YOU speak English or Mandarin fluently Mikado?" asked
Ukyou.

"Well uh, no."

"Then we're stuck with Ryoga," said Ukyou.

*Oh thank you very much,* Ryoga thought. *Hmph!*

The bus unloaded and emptied. Ukyou waved everyone into
the hotel and then waited for Ryoga to disembark.

"You know, the jokes about my sense of direction are
getting a little old, don't you think Ukyou?" Ryoga asked.
"Ukyou? Ukyou!"

"Over here Ryoga," Ukyou yelled from across the road. "What
were you saying?"

"... Never mind."

***

"Hello... Mousse! How's it going?" Ryoga winced and held
the phone away from his ear. Loud Chinese words came
spitting out. "Man, I didn't know Mousse knew THAT kind
of language."

Ukyou raised an eyebrow. Ryoga blushed, then jammed the
receiver back against his ear. "Hey Mousse, knock it off
man. <Shut up you loud-mouthed idiot! I'm trying to talk
here. What do you mean Ryoga-who???!!!>"

Ukyou watched in admiration as Ryoga vented in Chinese.
*It's so cool that he can speak all these languages,*
she thought fondly. *And extremely useful!* She frowned.
*I still want to know what he was doing for Nabiki when
we were in Burma. All he would say is that it was a
translation job and that she was picking up the tab for
the next couple of days. Hmmm... hope he didn't sell
himself into slavery or anything*. She then blushed as
images of Ryoga in chains and black leather filled
her mind. *Ecchi! Oh man, you know it's bad when you
start fantasising about RYOGA!*

Ryoga ended the call. "<He's going to meet us in...>"
he began, and then stopped. "Sorry, sometimes it's hard
to remember to switch back."

Ukyou grinned at him. For some reason she was quite
flushed. "I'm just impressed with your fluency Ryoga-kun.
I'm beginning to wonder if there are any end to your
lingual talents."

Ryoga laughed. "Oh there are a couple. I was never very
good at Klingon. Nuq nek de pol!"

"What?" Ukyou sweatdropped.

"Some weird guys in America decided to teach it to me.
Nice guys, but _strange_, and this is from someone who's
hung around with Ranma and co. for several years.
Nice outfits, but the pointy ears were a little odd."
Ryoga paused. "I've never been to Klingon, I wonder
what it's like there."

"You, don't watch much TV do you Ryoga?" Ukyou asked.

"Nah," said Ryoga, absently breaking the phone
receiver his hand was resting on. "It's too violent."

***

The arrangements made, Ukyou and Ryoga made their way
back to the group, who unanimously voted for an outing
before dinner. And so it was that Ukyou led them to the
Singapore Botanic Gardens. Whilst others made their
way to the lake and surrounding areas, Ryoga decided
to stay by the bus. 52 hectares was just a little too
much garden for a man who got lost in his own backyard.

Ukyou walked with Akane and Ranma for a while until
she couldn't stand the incessant bickering any longer.
*Funny,* she thought. *I always used to LIKE the fact
that they argued. I guess you can get tired of the
same old insults. Hmmm... wonder if I can get Ryoga
to teach me to swear in Chinese. Heh, wouldn't THAT
be a surprise for Shampoo!!! Speaking of Ryoga...*
her thoughts trailed off and she sighed. Ukyou looked
up at the branches of the tree that towered above
her.

"Okay, we've called a truce, and he hasn't been as
bad lately... maybe it's time we went back to...
friends..." *It was odd to think of Ryoga as a
friend,* Ukyou thought. She was more used to thinking
of him as an ally, or a dogsbody. "Or rather,
pigsbody," she giggled. "Ah but... without him, this
trip would have been a complete disaster..." she
made a face. "In fact, in retrospect, I'm damn lucky
to have had him along. And... maybe I should lay off
him a little. Or maybe... tell him how well he's
doing! Yeah! That's it, a little positive
encouragement!"

Cheered by this thought, Ukyou set off to find the
lost boy.

***

Ukyou found Ryoga sitting on the steps of the bus looking
out at the setting sun. The others were all scattered,
exploring the gardens and she was glad of their absense.

"K-konbanwa Ryoga-kun." she said hesitantly.

"Konbanwa Ucchan." he said absently.

Ukyou flushed slightly at his use of her nickname,
forgetting how she had told him not to use it.

"I need to tell you something." she said standing
before him.

He got up. "Hai?"

Ukyou fiddled with a strand of her hair, mentally
reviewing the little speech she had thought up an
hour ago. "I have a confession to make... " she
took a deep breath. "When we first started this
trip I still thought of you as the hopeless,
constantly-lost, idiot I met four years ago."

Ryoga smiled tightly. "Yeah, that was fairly obvious."

"Yes, but on this tour I've come to see you in a new
way. I've met the people you helped and seen you handle
a crisis calmly. Ryoga, you have skills and abilities I
never imagined you possessed!" Ukyou paused and looked
directly in his eyes, she took a deep breath, preparing
to make her apology.

Ryoga stared at her, he was drowning in her huge eyes
and his heart was pounding, the blood throbbing in his
ears.

"And after Bangkok I was mean to you, I was snappy and
insulting and I'm sorry for it. I want you to know that
I... " Ukyou thought about her next words *I respect and
admire you* She opened her mouth. "I... love you."

Dead silence.

Ryoga swallowed. *Did she just say what I think she
said?*

Ukyou froze. *Did I just say what I think I said?*

Ryoga stepped towards her, one hand moved forward.
"Ukyou... ?"

"Kamisama!" Ukyou covered her now bright-red face
in her hands, pushed past him and ran inside the bus.

Ryoga stood completely still for five minutes, his
hand outstretched, his expression astonished and
befuddled. Then he slowly turned around and looked
at the entrance to the bus. "Ukyou? UKYOU!!" he cried
and rushed inside.

In the kitchen Ukyou was wiping a plate in a agitated
fashion, shattered remains of other plates at her feet
bore testimony to her frantic state of mind. Ryoga
approached her.

"Ucchan." he said softly. "What you said... back there,
did you... did you mean it?"

She didn't look at him for a moment, then she whirled
to face him and laughed.

This was not the reaction Ryoga had expected.

"Oh, Ryoga! Really! How could you think I meant _that_!"
Ukyou shrugged. "I guess I'm just tired, I don't know
what I'm saying."

He blinked. "But... "

Embarrassment spurred Ukyou's mouth on before her brain
could catch up with the words. "I couldn't love _you_. I
mean you're a good friend, very strong and all, but you
have that directional problem and the Jusenkyo curse. No,
no, love is definately out of the question!"

"Nani?"

Anger took over the embarassment and Ukyou threw the plate
she had in her hands at his head. "Get out!!! I don't want
to see you or speak to you!!!"

The plate shattered against Ryoga's head, he blinked. Then
his eyes widened and his face contorted with anger. "That's
it!!" he growled. "I'll go! And to think that I thought I
could feel something for you!!" He turned on his heel and
walked stiffly out of the kitchen.

Ukyou watched him leave. "Good." she muttered sitting down
at the kitchen bench. "I'm glad he's gone, I... " His final
words suddenly hit her brain. "He felt... WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
She put her head in her hands and bawled.

"Uhh... Ukyou?" a soft voice penetrated her howls.

Ukyou looked up, sniffing, eyes streaming and saw Miya standing
beside her. She gulped down her sobs and attempted to pull
herself together.

"M... Miya *sniff* How can I help you? *sniff*"

Miya looked embarrassed. "I couldn't help overhearing your...
conversation with Ryoga."

"Oh *sniff*"

Mia sat down beside her and politely turned her head away
as Ukyou blew her nose.

"It sounds like you've had a bit of a miscommunication."

Ukyou managed a watery smile. "That's an understatement."
she choked and blew her nose again. "I'm such a fool."

"At least you've admitted it quite quickly." said Miya. "It
took me a lot longer."

"Wha... what do you mean?" Ukyou asked thickly.

Miya looked her in the eyes. "It took me a long time to
acknowledge that I loved Suka and that by trying to keep
things as they were, by doing what made my Mother and Tenma
happy (Tenma was sort-of my boyfriend) which was making me
miserable I was being a complete idiot." she sighed. "And
all through that awful time, Suka kept trying no matter
how embarrassing it was for him. He kept calling and
waiting... real dedication."

Ukyou gulped. "Are you saying that's what I should do?"
she shook her head. "No, but I love Ranma!"

Miya stared at her. "Ranma? But he's engaged to Akane."

The tears began to fall down Ukyou's cheeks again. "You will
think I'm awful, but the whole reason for this tour was to
break up Ranma and Akane. Ryoga has been in love with Akane
for ages and I... I'm engaged, was engaged to Ranchan."

Miya thought for a moment, then she nodded. "I don't think
you awful at all, Ukyou, but I do think that both you and
Ryoga were living in dreamland! After all if Ranma and Akane
haven't broken up with all the fights they have, well,
I don't think they ever will."

"P-probably not." sniffled Ukyou.

"Besides, if Ranma isn't fated to be with you who would you
rather he be with? Shampoo, that Kodachi girl everyone gets
chills talking about, or Akane?"

"A-akane."

"And who should Ryoga be with?"

"Me." said Ukyou without thinking, then she blushed. "Oh."

"I rest my case." said Miya. She put her hand on Ukyou's
shoulder. "Go and get him."

"I can't!" cried Ukyou. "After all the things I said! He
must hate me now."

"You have to try." insisted Miya. "There is always a chance
if you try."

Ukyou stood up and wiped the rest of her tears away.
"Yes, yes I will."

Miya smiled as she watched Ukyou march out of the kitchen.

***

Ryoga sat on a bench overlooking the lake. The sunset was
casting beautiful colours over the view before him, but he
was in no mood to appreciate it. *That's it, I'm through
with love, it just hurts too much.* He sighed and wondered
if the park officials would object too much if he Shishi
Hokodaned the lake. Probably.

"Hey, Ryoga."

Ryoga looked up to see Godai approaching. "Hello, Godai."
he said *And go away, I want to be _alone_ right now.*

Godai saw the desolute expression on Ryoga's face, he knew
that expression well, usually he was wearing it.

"What happened between you and Ukyou _this_ time." he asked.

Ryoga flinched. "Nothing."

"Suuurrre." drawled Godai. "That's way you're stuck out here
with a glum face."

Ryoga considered stalking away, but instead he said: "I
have the worst luck when it comes to love."

Godai raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"It seems that all the girls I fall in love with love...
someone else. I just can't take it anymore!"

Godai nodded. "Your rival is Ranma right?" he asked.

Ryoga nodded.

"Well, my rival is a ghost!"

"Huh?"

"Kyoko, that's the girl I love, married Soichiro fresh out
of High School and six months later he was dead! She has this
image of the perfect man, they were still in love, she hadn't
learnt his faults. I have to compete with an idol, at least
you can fight your rival!"

Ryoga blinked. "Yes, well, I see that your situation sucks."

Godai patted Ryoga's shoulder. "Just think about it okay?
Don't give up. If you do, what message does it send to people
like me?" he winked and walked away.

Ryoga sat there for a moment, then his head jerked up and
he rose in one fluid movement. *I'll fight!* he thought. *I'll
fight for this one forever!* Then his body froze as he caught
sight of Ukyou standing underneath a lantern.

She was regarding him nervously, one hand toying with her
hair as she stood wide-eyed.

Ryoga walked slowly towards her, it almost felt like he was
advancing on an easily spooked deer.

"Ukyou?"

She licked her lips. "R-Ryoga."

He noticed the tremor in her voice and saw the marks of tears
on her cheeks. "I..." he stretched out one hand.

"Gomenasai," they said simultaneously. They stared at each
other.

"Oh..." Ukyou cried, her tone halfway between laughter and
a sob. "Oh Ryoga!" she reached out and grabbed his hand.
"I'm so sorry... about what I said, I'm sorry, I'm really
sorry, I never meant... I don't wnat.... I'm sorry!" she
squeezed his hand, her pleading eyes looking deeply into
his.

Ryoga swallowed, "It's alright," he squeezed her hand
gently.

"Do you hate me?" she burst out.

He gazed at her in shock, "Never!" Ryoga blurted. "I could
never hate you!"

Ukyou laughed tremulously. "Oh good! I wouldn't blame you
if you did though," she added. "I was so... ah!"

Ryoga pressed his gingers to her lips, cutting off her
nervous outpourings.

Ukyou closed her eyes. The pressure of his fingers on her
lips made her heart pound almost painfully. *How could I
have missed these signs? Was I so blind?* She opened her
eyes as he took his hand away.

"So what do we do now?" Ryoga asked.

"You're asking me?" Ukyou stepped closer to him, still
holding his hand. "I have no idea!"

Ryoga wondered if the proper procedure would be to get
down on his knees and swear undying love. Or maybe kiss
her? The latter option was more desirable - however
unmannered. The former option more restrained and noble.

Ukyou meanwhile wondered what she should be doing.
Perhaps embracing him? That sounded nice. She reached up
with her free hand and touched his cheek.

Ryoga shivered a little at her touch, and reconsidered
his options. *Screw noble.* "Ukyou..."

Suddenly hands shoved Ukyou from behind, pushing her into
Ryoga, whilst he was treated similarly. They crashed
together, noses bumping and mouths touching...

Ukyou gasped and pulled back. Then she swung round at
super speed and grabbed the shirt of her attacked.

"Ranchan??!!!"

Ryoga, equally mortified, looked back and saw Akane behind
him. She was looking very embarrassed.

"I knew this was a bad idea," she murmured.

Ranma wriggled out of Ukyou's grasp. "Heya Ucchan!"

"What... did you think you were DOING???!!!" Ukyou cried,
her face red.

"Gomen Ukyou, Ryoga," Akane stepped into Ukyou's line of
sight. "He thought... well, you see..."

"You guys were taking too long, we were getting pins and
needles waiting in those bushes!" said Ranma.

A horrible thought struck Ukyou, and she looked in the
direction of Ranma's vague wave, where she saw the rest
of the tour group straggling out from behind some
bushes. Nabiki had a smirk on her face, whilst Kiyone
looked sheepish. Miya, Suka and Godai looked thoroughly
embarrassed, Mikado was unconcious and Konatsu was in
tears.

"Ranma..." Ryoga growled. "You..."

"Hey, I was doing you a favour!" said Ranma. "Didn't you
WANT to kiss her?"

"In public?" Ryoga was mortified. He advanced on Ranma.
Ukyou grabbed his arm.

"No," she said.

He looked at her. "You're defending him?" he asked in a
hurt tone.

"For now," said Ukyou. "I don't want you to fight my best
friend." She looked into Ryoga's eyes. "Besides, we have
to talk."

"T-talk?"

"Yes, about us and what we're going to do." Ukyou's voice
was soft, so that noone could hear her.

Ryoga covered her hand with his own. "Okay." he said. "But
just this time."

"Oh I agree," said Ukyou with a glint in her eye. "NEXT
time you can pound him all you like and I promise I won't
interfere... unless it looks like you're losing."

Ryoga scowled at this implication and Ranma gulped at
the thought of taking on both Ukyou and Ryoga. Oh well,
Akane would help him out wouldn't she? He looked down at
her, she glared daggers at him.

*Uh oh.*

Ryoga and Ukyou smiled at each other.

Kiyone watched and grinned, *Good, very good.*

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!" Konatsu lept to his feet and
raced onto the bus. Ukyou bit her lip. "Poor Konatsu,"
she said. "I know EXACTLY how he feels! I'll talk to
him."

"Right," said Ryoga. "_We'll_ have our talk later. In
private," he added, glaring at the rest of the group.

"Right!" said Ukyou, leaping onto the bus after
Konatsu. Ryoga watched her go with a smile and then
turned back to the group.

"By the way, what happened to Mikado?"

***

Ukyou raced up to the top floor after Konatsu, and found him
sobbing into a pink handkerchief.

"Konatsu..." she started.

Konatsu sniffed. Ukyou sighed and martialled her
thoughts. Below her she could hear the rest of the group
settling in, and then the bus pulling away. Nabiki could
be heard giving Ryoga directions to the airport.

Ukyou sat down next to Konatsu.

"Konatsu," she started again. "I'm sorry."

Konatsu sobbed. "I know, that just makes it even worse!"

Ukyou rubbed her forehead. "Unfortunately, it's about the
only thing I _can_ say," she admitted. "And the truth is,
I'm NOT sorry. I l-l-l... care about Ryoga very much."

"You're in love with him," sniffed Konatsu.

"Yeah, that thing." Ukyou was still uncomfortable with
her newly developed feelings. "But I am sorry that you
got hurt. _Believe_ me, I know what you're going through."

Konatsu wiped his eyes. "I know you do," his voice was
low. "Just tell me one thing, did I ever have a chance?"

Ukyou hesitated.

"Did I?"

"No," she admitted. Konatsu smiled, "Thought not." he
said with another sniff. Then he turned to her and
smiled. "But I always hoped. Hope springs a turtle,
right?"

"I think that's hope springs eternal, but yeah, you're
right." agreed Ukyou.

Konatsu nodded. "I'll be okay Ukyou. We'll still be
friends won't we?"

"Of course!"

"And I can still work at Ucchans?"

"Of course!" said Ukyou. "If there still IS an Ucchans
to go back to after all this is over, I want you to
be head wait... person."

Konatsu smiled. "I'm the ONLY wait-person."

"Well, I'm thinking of expanding." said Ukyou. "And
you'll get a pay rise."

"Great!"

"Just a small one though." Ukyou cautioned.

Konatsu laughed. "That's my Ucchan!" he chortled. A
tear trickled down his cheek.

"Ummm..."

Konatsu waved her off. "There's nothing else you can do.
I'll just have to get over it. I'd like to be alone for
a while." Ukyou nodded in understanding. She started
back down the stairs, then paused.

"Hey Konatsu, at least you've still got Mikado to kick
around."

Konatsu groaned, "Ucchan, please DON'T try to cheer me
up!"

***

to be continued

Chapter 16

Index