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 19

The bus rolled in to Guangzhou towards the end of the day.
By this time the people inside were hot, tired, in desperate
need of a wash and tired of not fighting. Within ten seconds
of getting off the bus a fight broke out between (of all
people) Suka and Miya.

"You're saying I'M unreasonable??? YOU brought that stupid
chain along. I thought we agreed that..."

"I was TRYING to protect you!"

"I don't NEED your protection!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Okay!"

"Okay!"

They glared at each other.

"I guess I shouldn't have brought it," Miya eventually said.
"But I was so worried about you."

Suka relaxed. "I know, but I worry about you going back to
your old ways." *And your old boyfriend,* he thought. "Besides,
I lived in a dorm with Shinobu and Mitsuru for several years.
I can take care of myself."

"You're right," said Miya. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too. Why don't we go get something to eat?"

"Good idea!" they walked off, arm in arm.

Ranma and Akane watched them go. "Weird." said Ranma, Akane
nodded in agreement.

Shampoo bounced up to them. "Airen want to go get food with
Shampoo?!" she asked cutely.

"Airen want to take nice cold shower," replied Ranma.

"Ooooh, kinky."

Everyone sweatdropped. "You are not invited!" said Ranma.

"Airen not love Shampoo?"

"Airen not love CATS!!!" Ranma shouted.

"Oh yes, Shampoo forget."

"Shampoo forget much to often for airen's liking." replied
Ranma.

"Will you two stop talking like that!" yelled Nabiki. "It's
irritating! Kasumi's kids talk like that and they're TWO!"

"Oh, Kiyone not know Nabiki is aunty," said Kiyone.

"How too too cute!" said Godai.

"Is okay?" asked Mousse.

"ARGH!" Nabiki stomped off. Shampoo fumed.

"Shampoo no talk like that!" she yelled.

"Shampoo always talk like that," said Mousse. "Why Shampoo
not learn to speak proper Japanese when living in Japan for
several years. Is too too stupid, yes? Now Mousse going
inside for nice nice meal. Godai want to join Mousse?"

"Airen!" yelled Godai.

Everyone collapsed in giggles as Godai glomped Mousse's
arm, except for Shampoo.

"Shampoo hate you! Shampoo hurt! Shampoo go away now!"

"GOOD!"

"Shut up stupid spatula girl!"

"Oh, Ukyou make stupid ramen girl upset? Stupid ramen
girl want to go cry? Okay! Ukyou happy to see her go!"

Shampoo stomped off, destroying several small buildings in
her wake.

Ukyou laughed. "Finally, Ukyou get rid of stupid ramen
girl." she looked around. Everyone but Ryoga had gone inside.
She nudged him in the ribs.

"Lost boy want to go have fun with sexy spatula girl?" she
asked. "Is make nice!"

Ryoga groaned.

Ukyou laughed. "Sorry, Ukyou not mean to... damn! This way
of talking is addictive! Anyway, what do you think of my
suggestion?"

"Not bad," said Ryoga. "As long as you stop speaking in
third person."

"Airen!" Ukyou grabbed his arm and nuzzled his biceps.
"Aiya!"

Ryoga blushed. "Ukyou, we're in public! People are staring
at us! There's one guy across the road who's absolutely
fixated on us!"

Ukyou looked across the road. "Oh my god!"

***

Hikaru Kazeten stared. It couldn't be!

***

"Hey, Kazeten!" Ukyou waved. "Fancy meeting you here. You
must be a fast walker!"

Kazeten made his way across the road to them.

"Who's _this_ guy?" Ryoga muttered out of the side of his
mouth. He glared at the handsome young man approaching.
He was dressed in a military-style uniform, his short hair
slicked back. Ryoga was irritated to note that the other
man was slightly taller than he was too. *Grrrrr...* he
thought.

Ukyou nudged him in the ribs. "Be nice," she hissed. "This
is the guy we knocked off the road."

"Want me to do it again? I seem to recall you didn't like
him."

"Then." Ukyou said. "He was probably in shock from the
accident. Hi Kazeten!" she smiled at the man. "Ryoga,
this is Hikaru Kazeten. Kazeten, this is Ryoga
Hibi..."

*POW*

Ryoga's head snapped back as Kazeten punched him in the
face. Then he stumbled back and recovered.

"Okay, I owed you that for knocking you off the road," he
said, rubbing his jaw. "But if you want a fight, it's more
polite to make a challenge first."

"It's you..." said Kazeten. "After all these years, it's
really you."

"Huh?"

"All the years I've waited... to find you here. Ryoga
Hibiki... YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"

Ryoga's jaw dropped.

"Uh... are you sure you're not confusing me with a guy
called Ranma?" he inquired.

"As though I could forget you, my arch-nemesis." said
Kazeten.

The rest of the group had come to see what was going on
and heard this. Ranma raised his eyebrows. "What gives, I
thought I was Ryoga's arch-nemesis."

"You are," said Ryoga. "I have NO idea who this guy is."

"Oh," said Ranma. "It's one of those."

"What?"

"Never mind."

Kazeten prepared to hit Ryoga again when he was stopped
by a large spatula in front of his face. "You better have
a good explanation for this sugah." said Ukyou.

Kazeten glared at Ryoga. "Thanks to him I've seen hell!"

Ryoga felt a disturbing sense of deja vu.

"You can't know the pain I've suffered..." Kazeten continued.

"One moment please," said Ranma. He pulled a bottle of cold
water out from his shirt and poured it over Kazeten.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING??!!! I'M ANGSTING HERE!!!"
Kazeten was outraged.

"Sorry, just checking something. Carry on."

"That foul day, ten years ago, when you defeated me! ME!
Hikaru Kazeten! The pride of the Kazeten School of
Lightning Martial Arts!!!!"

"Kazeten school?" Mousse asked Ranma.

"Never heard of it," replied Ranma.

"Ten YEARS???!!!" Ryoga repeated. "You expect me to
remember this?!"

"There I was, exercising my superiority over the lower
classes! I was the fittest, the strongest, the best! And
then YOU! YOU came along and defeated me! You! The bitter
weed in the pond of evolution."

"Ten years," Ryoga muttered. "Elementary school, hmmm..."

"I don't believe this!" Ukyou said. "What kind of _loser_
would spend most of their life following someone around
because of one TINY little incident that happened when they
were in their childhood?" she paused. "Why is everyone
looking at me?"

"Think about it," suggested Akane.

Kazeten continued. "You destroyed my rightful place at the
top of the school class system! I was your sempai! You
should have KOWTOWED to me!"

"I feel homesick," said Nabiki.

"Eugh, too much information." said Konatsu.

Ryoga continued to think. "Sempai??"

"How could you forget me? ME? Hikaru Kazeten! Because of
you, you scruffy urchin, my entire social standing was
destroyed. My family has sworn to disown me if I do not
bring you to justice! The lackeys at school refused to
continue to bring me my just tithe! They LAUGHED at me!
They MOCKED me! And it's all YOUR FAULT!"

"I remember now!" said Ryoga. "You're that little bully
I beat the snot out of for using karate on the kids two
years below us and stealing all their lunch money!"

Kazeten reddened. "How DARE you???!!!"

Ryoga looked surprised. "You mean you're still mad
about that? Come on! Those kids had no chance against
you! You nearly broke that one kid's arm. I just showed
you what it was like to fight somebody who could fight
back. You shouldn't pick on non-fighters. It's not
honourable."

"Who are YOU to talk to me about HONOUR, you PEASANT!!!"
Kazeten yelled. "You are too low-born to know ANYTHING
about ANYTHING!!! Well, your days are numbered!"

"I'm not going to fight you," said Ryoga. "If you had a
legitimate grudge that would be different, but this..."
he trailed off. There were murmurs of agreement from the
others around him. Ryoga turned away.

"You won't walk away from me! LIGHTNING FIST!!!!"

There was a blur of movement and Ryoga found himself
flying through the air. He landed with a thump, the breath
knocked out of him. Ukyou ran to his side.

"Are you okay sugar?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Ryoga rubbed his chest briefly. "You think he
could hurt ME??"

*Ow. Owowowowowowowowowowowowowowow.... Aaaaaaaagh!!! No,
don't hug me AAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!*

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ukyou asked. "You look a bit
pale."

"Positive," said Ryoga. "Never been better. He just
surprised me is all."

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Meanwhile the others all turned to face Kazeten.

"Hitting a guy without warning." said Ranma, cracking his
knuckles. "I'm beginning to see why Ryoga beat you up all
those years ago."

"That was INEXCUSABLE!" said Konatsu. "You didn't even
deliver a formal letter of challenge."

"I agree," said Mousse. "I think it's time someone gave
you a refresher course in manners..."

"Shampoo no like lost boy, but Shampoo no like bad manners
even more!"

"Ryoga's my friend," said Akane, materialising a mallet
out of thin air.

Kiyone pulled a yoyo out of one pocket and began tossing
it menacingly. "We all like him."

Miya wrapper her chain around her fingers and let it dangle
down. Suka clenched his fists.

Mikado decided he was unneccessary in this gathering and
moved away, along with Nabiki and Godai.

Kazeten eyed the numerous pissed off martial artists.

"I'll be back Hibiki!" he yelled, as he bounded away in the
tried and true form of martial arts grasshopper imitating.

"Jerk," said Ranma. "You shoulda hit him harder ten years
ago Ryoga."

Ryoga shrugged. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time to
give him a refresher course. But not now." he stood up.
"Let's eat and shower, okay?"

***

Ryoga walked into the shower and slumped against the wall.

"Owwwww...." he said, touching his chest. Kazeten had gotten
in several fast hits and they had been MUCH harder than he
was used to lately. He took off his shirt. "Oh hell!"

His chest was covered in ugly black and blue bruises. Ryoga
groaned.

"When Ukyou sees this she's going to freak!"

"Who's going to... Whoa!" Ranma walked in and stopped.

"Shut the door Ranma and shut up!" Ryoga ordered.

Ranma did so. "Ouch, that's gotta hurt." he said.

Ryoga nodded. "No kidding Sherlock. Can you think of a way
to make this magically disappear before bedtime?"

"Why does it need to ohhh..." said Ranma, catching on. He
looked at the bruising. "Maybe you could tell her you have
a headache?"

Ryoga glared at him.

"Or you could put makeup on it, that might work. I'm sure
Konatsu has some."

"Oh please," said Ryoga. "You're making me feel worse."

"Well..." said Ranma.

"Ryoga honey I've come to help you wash your ba-ack!"
Ukyou walked in the door and stopped, staring.

"OH MY GOD!!!"

"Uhhhh..." said Ryoga.

"You told me he didn't hurt you!" screamed Ukyou. "I
can't believe this! Look at you!"

Ranma slipped out the door. Good luck, he mouthed at
Ryoga.

Thanks, so much. Ryoga mouthed back.

"Now Ukyou, it's not as bad as it looks."

"Really," she poked him.

"AH!"

"Oh. My. God. He hurt you. YOU! Ryoga the indestructible!"

"He got lucky," Ryoga tried.

"Like hell! I'm a martial artist too remember," said Ukyou.
"I can see how bad this is."

"It's just bruising!" said Ryoga.

"Yes but he did it with just a few punches," Ukyou pointed
out, tears coming into her eyes. "What happens next time you
go up against him?"

"My guard will be up next time!" shouted Ryoga. "He won't
get through!"

"What if he does?"

"Argh!" Ryoga threw his hands up. "Then I'll take care of
him the same way I did when we were children!"

"You're not children now," Ukyou sniffed. "He's obviously
done more training since then."

"Well so have I," said Ryoga. "What's the matter, do you
think I'm too weak to take him?"

"No," said Ukyou. "It's not that! I just don't want you to
get hurt."

"Okay then, I won't get hurt." said Ryoga.

"You can't guarantee that!"

"I'm a martial artist, what do you expect me to do?"

"Tell him you won't fight him!" demanded Ukyou.

"I can't do that!" said Ryoga. "If he challenges me, I
will."

"If you love me you won't fight him!"

"If you love ME you won't ask me not to fight him!"

There was a long uncomfortable silence.

Finally Ukyou bit her lip and looked away. "Well, I see
we're at an impasse here." she sniffed. "I'm going to
my room. MY room." she turned and left.

Every step she took felt like one of Kazeten's punches
to Ryoga, and he hid his face as she went.

***

"Stupid STUPID STUPID RYOGA!" Ukyou slammed her door
behind her and fell on the bed, pounding at the pillows
with her fists. "What am I going to do? How am I going
to talk him out of this?!"

*I can't lose him,* she thought deep in her mind. *I
can't be alone again. I love Ryoga, I'd die if he died.
How can I stop him? Why won't he just do what I say?*

"ARGH!" she kicked her luggage around the room. Along
the way several pieces of clothing, some maps, and a
couple of packages fell out - including one significant
brown paper package. Nabiki's present. Ukyou stared at
it. *Ah HA!* An idea popped into her mind.

"No... I can't do that." she murmured. "He'd never
forgive me."

*Not if he didn't find out... and you know how dim Ryoga
is! And besides, it could be true... I haven't used it,
so I don't really know - I wouldn't exactly be lying.
And anyway, it's for his own good. And mine, of course.*
She picked up the package and stuffed it back in her bag.

***

That evening the mood was somewhat tense as the group sat
down to eat. Ryoga and Ukyou sitting at opposite ends of
the table did not help the atmosphere at all. It was almost
with relief that they greeted the man in the doorway, until
they saw what he carried.

"A challenge," said Ryoga.

"<For you, from Kazeten>," said the man, handing it to him
and leaving.

Ryoga unwrapped and read the challenge.

"So, when does he want to meet?" Ranma asked.

"Tomorrow morning, dawn. How original." said Ryoga.

"Are you going to accept it?" asked Kiyone.

"Of course, only a coward backs out of a man to man fight,"
said Ryoga. He looked at Ranma. "You'll lead me to the
meeting place right?"

Ranma nodded. Then cautiously he ventured, "You know, you
could ask for a delay... you know, to recover."

"I am FINE!" Ryoga said. "Do you want me to prove it to you?"

"Just asking!" said Ranma.

At the other end of the table Ukyou nibbled her fingernails.
*Okay, I have to do this NOW!*

"Ryoga, can I have a word with you, in private?" she asked.

"If you're going to try and stop me..." Ryoga began.

"Just hear me out, please." said Ukyou.

The duo went into a corner and conversed in whispers.

"Think she'll talk him out of it?" asked Godai.

"No way," said Miya. "Never happen."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAATT????!!!!!" Ryoga's voice resounded around
the room. Everyone looked around to see him grab Ukyou's
shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he shouted. "Of COURSE I'll call
off the fight!"

"WHAAAAATTT???!!!" everyone stared.

to be continued

 

Chapter 20

Index