Chapter Five:
The Choices We Make
To the Next Chapter
DISCLAIMER:
Ryouga Hibiki, Ukyou, Kuonji, and Ranma 1/2 are NOT my creations and are all copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, bless her.I claim no credit whatsoever and use them here. So, please don't sue me. I'm broke anyways. All you'd probably get is an I.O.U. hastily scrawled on a cocktail napkin with lipstick. Well, that is, if I could afford to buy a cocktail...Sigh...
“Who the heck are you?” Ryouga said, taking in the full view of the mysterious man before him. Ukyou cradled the injured Ryu in her arms protectively, scowling at the figure with her steel eyes. The man waved his Chinese broadsword dismissively and smirked with utter self-confidence.
“My name...” he said, nodding in a mock gesture of respect, “Is Agotsu Kourenai.”
Ukyou and Ryouga exchanged confused glances. Ukyou shook her head and Ryouga shrugged in response, then turned to face Agotsu.
“...And?” he said impatiently. “Am I supposed to know your name or something? Because I sure as hell have never met you before.”
“Now, that is true.” Agotsu said, resting his blade on the crook of his shoulder. “You haven’t met me before, but surely you’ve heard of the great all-wise martial arts genius Fujikara Tetsuroshi?” He beamed inwardly, as if to say the name was a great honor bestowed upon him. Ryouga furrowed his brow in deep thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“...No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him either.” Ryouga said plainly.
Agotsu scowled, obviously extremely frustrated about something. He waved his arms at the bandannaed boy, his face in shock.
“What do you mean ‘I’ve never heard of Fujikara Tetsuroshi!?’ He’s only one of the most powerful martial arts instructors in, like, the whole universe!” he shouted. Ryouga shrugged , still maintaining his fighting stance.
“Like I give a damn!” Ryouga answered back, just as loudly. “Who cares about Fujiwhatsa-”
“Fujikara!! Fujikara Tetsuroshi!!” Agotsu sneered. Ryouga threw his hands up in frustration.
“Whatever!” He snarled. “I DON’T CARE!! What I DO care about is the fact that you have just attacked one of my friends! You’d better have a damn good reason...or a damn good doctor.”
Agotsu smirked to himself and ran his hand through his short hair. “Feh,” he muttered. “But of course I do. He is your friend, Hibiki, therefore he is my enemy!”
“Ohhkayy...” Ryouga said slowly, obviously baffled. “Run that by me one more time.”
Agotsu growled in frustration and put his hand over his face, shaking it angrily. He thrust his sword at Ryouga, the metallic blade shining in the afternoon sunshine. It stopped a foot short of his face, like an accusatory finger.
“Have you forgotten our ancient feud so easily, Hibiki!?” Agotsu snarled, seething with barely contained rage. Ryouga raised his eyebrow quizzically and hesitantly shook his head.
“F-Feud?” he said, perplexed. “But I’ve never even met you before.”
“Ryouga!” Ukyou shouted from behind him. “You didn’t tell me about any ancient feuds! How dare you keep something like that from me!”
Ryouga turned to her helplessly. “B-b-b-b-but Ucchan, I didn’t even know about this!” he protested. “Hell, I’m not even sure what the heck is going on!”
“Hello!” Agotsu yelled from behind him. “Pay attention to me, please!? Ancient blood feud here! Kind of important stuff going on!”
Ryouga shook his head to clear his mind for a moment, then turned back around to face his apparent ‘nemesis’.
“Look pal, I’m not sure where you got this whole ancient feud thing from, but you’re wrong. I’ve got nothing against you.” Ryouga said. He paused for a moment. “Except for that whole beating up my friend thing, that is.” He added thoughtfully. Agotsu rolled his eyes.
“You are perhaps the single stupidest person I have ever met.” Agotsu sneered. “Listen carefully. Your family...” he said condescendingly, pointing at Ryouga.
“And MY family....” he continued, gesturing to himself. “Have a blood feud."
"With each other?" Ryouga said, puzzled. Agotsu growled in frustration and shook his head.
"Yes, you nimwit! With each other!! I am on a quest of vengeance to right the terrible wrong you have wrought upon my ancestors!!”
Ryouga shook his head, failing to comprehend. “What?” he said, astonished. “Terrible wrong? What did-”
“Don’t play ignorant with me, Hibiki!” Agotsu interrupted. “Do you expect me to believe you are so evil that you would forget such an affront as the one your ancestor caused mine!?”
“Huh?” Ryouga said. It was an apt summation of his mental state. Agotsu grumbled and covered his face with his free hand.
“Nevermind!” he said darkly. “You will just have to die as you have lived, in ignorance! What matters now is that I have found you, and I will extract my revenge!”
Daisuke walked up behind Ukyou and began nonchalantly paying attention to the goings on. Kneeling behind her, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
“Yo, what’s going on?” he said. Ukyou jerked and reflexively smashed him in the face with a swift backhand. Yelping, Daisuke fell backwards and thumped onto the hard stone underneath him.
“Owww!” He grumbled, rubbing his nose ruefully. Standing up, he dusted his school uniform off and sneered at the okonomiyaki chef. “What the hell was that for!?”
Ukyou frowned angrily at him. “Don’t sneak up on me like that, jackass!” she snarled. “What the hell is your problem!?”
“My problem?” he retorted. “Listen, chick! You’re the one going all psycho over here, hitting me and stuff when I didn’t even do anything! What was that about, huh?”
Ukyou flustered and scowled at him menacingly. She gestured at the two figures behind her. Daisuke glanced over her shoulder (completely ignoring Ryu’s prone form), and saw Ryouga staring down the mysterious figure. Oblivious to that little scene, Agotsu smirked self-assuredly again. “Do you have any idea how long I have been anticipating this moment, Hibiki?” he snarled.
Ryouga shrugged. “Not really.” He responded honestly. Agotsu frowned.
“You are so anti-climatic, do you know that?” he said. “I mean, honestly, come on! I’m trying to be dramatic here.” Ryouga furrowed his brow for a moment, then clenched his fists in rising anger.
“Hey!” He retorted angrily. “I’m not stupid!” Agotsu looked at him quizzically for a moment, then shrugged.
“Um...right...” he said, shaking his head. “Enough! Prepare to die!”
“Now hold on-” Ryouga began, but that was as far as he got, because Agotsu chose that moment to leap at him, sword raised in the air, preparing to swing down on him.
“Uh oh.” Daisuke commented, but with little real concern. “Looks like Ryouga’s at it again.” He glanced down at Ukyou. “Is this one about you, too?”
Ukyou shot Daisuke a menacing glare that shut him up pretty effectively. Turning back to the fighting pair, she glanced down and placed Ryu’s head on the ground carefully. Unsheathing her combat spatula as silently as she could, she began to cautiously approach the semi-cloaked figure.
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Reacting with split second skill, Ryouga dodged to the right, then deftly swung around to kick the airborne warrior. Agotsu twisted in midair, using his momentum to guide him around the strike, and landing gracefully on his feet near Ryouga was standing. He looked over his shoulder at the bandannaed boy.
“Not bad.” He said sinisterly. “But you can’t defeat me. You see, I-”
Ukyou slid behind him and deftly smashed Agotsu on the head, in mid-soliloquy. His eyes crossed and he fell to his knees, looking up at her with an idiotic expression of surprise.
“That’s MY fiancee you’re talking about, jackass!’ Ukyou snarled at him. “You lay one hand on him, and I’ll kill you, got me?” To emphasize the point, she held the spatula threateningly over his head. Agotsu’s eyes shone with rage. Nearby, Ryouga was trying to pick his jaw up off of the ground. Ukyou was protecting him?
“Impudent woman!” Agotsu sneered, rubbing his head ruefully. “How dare you inter-”
Ukyou smashed the metallic spatula against his head again, stopping the mysterious boy’s words in mid sentence. Yelping in pain, Agotsu cringed back from her, eyes wide with genuine fear.
“I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?” she shouted.
“Y-Y-Y-yes-” Agotsu began, but Ukyou hit him in the head in mid sentence, sending him reeling.
“Don’t talk!” Ukyou growled. “Just nod, understand? Now you listen good. Ryouga and I are going to get married and go home and meet my father and have children and live happily ever after together safely and if you try to stop any of those things from happening ever, or if you ever bother us, I will tear your legs off and make you eat one of them while I beat you to death with the other one! Do you understand me?”
Agotsu nodded shakily. Ukyou hit him again. He yelped in pain.
“I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?” she shouted. “I refuse to sit by and play the helpless girl while you hurt my boyfriend! I AM SICK OF ALL THIS MARTIAL ARTS BLOOD FEUD REVENGE FIGHTING CRAP!! GOT ME!?”
“P-p-p-p-p-p-please d-d-don’t kill me...” Agotsu whined, shaking as if he was in an earthquake. Ukyou smirked and, putting her hand over his face, shoved him to the ground. Agotsu immediately got into a bowing position, touching his head to the ground as if praying to the Emperor himself.
“Now, either you help us get him to a hospital,” she said, gesturing to Ryu,” Or I throw you off of this mountain. Which one will it be?”
“Oh, please let me help you!” Agotsu said. He was blubbering pathetically, his words nearly incoherent over his sobs. “I-I’ll do anything! I’ll help you with anything you need! I’ll serve you both forever! I don’t want to die!”
Ryouga, who had been mesmerized by this whole thing up until now, walked up behind Ukyou. Almost without thinking, she reached behind her and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning back against him. He barely noticed. The image of Agotsu whimpering on the ground still had him reeling.
“You hear that, sugar?” she said to him in her sassiest tone. “Looks like we’ve got a new manservant.”
“I...guess so...” Ryouga said, still a little shocked by her sudden act of extreme violence. It wasn’t that he was upset; not at all. He was just...not prepared for that kind of reaction. But, then again, this whole trip was about the unexpected, wasn’t it? Still, Ukyou’s unexpected reaction made him feel strange. Proud. In a way, he surmised, it was kind of twisted. But that was okay. Twisted isn’t necessarily bad.
Agotsu grumbled something under his breath, and Ukyou kicked him. Wincing, he scooted back, yelping in pain.
“What’s you say, jackass?” Ukyou snarled. Agotsu resumed his begging position.
“N-nothing, Ma’am...” he whimpered.
“Mistress.” Ukyou corrected. “You’ll call me Mistress Ukyou from now on. And you’ll call my Ryochan here Master Ryouga. Got it?”
“Yes...” Agotsu said wearily, “...Mistress Ukyou.”
“Well,” she said, releasing Ryouga and turning to face him. “Now that that’s settled, let’s hurry up and get Ryu to the hospital.”
Ryouga just kind of nodded and half-smiled at her. “S-sure thing...” he said warily. Ukyou smiled warmly and kissed him. That brought him back to his old self for the most part, because he made no motion to stop her. Then the two helped to pick up Ryu, each supporting him on one shoulder. Ukyou looked at her groveling “manservant”.
“Agotsu, bring our things.” She said dismissively. Agotsu bowed, sighing, and collected the couple’s things.
“Yes, Mistress Ukyou.” He grumbled, then shot a dark glance at Ryouga. Ryouga didn’t notice, though.
This time you got away, Hibiki, he thought bitterly. But your amazon wife won’t always be there to protect you...
That brought an ever so small smile to his face, which went away as soon as he began to carry their packs down the mountain.
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“There is one small thing we all seem to be forgetting, you know.” Daisuke pointed out as the group trudged wearily down the mountainside. Ryouga frowned and looked at him quizzically.
“Ah. I see you haven’t noticed that we have no idea where we are.” The dark haired boy said sharply. “And, on top of that, where the hell do you guys intend to find a hospital out here in the middle of nowhere, anyway?”
“Hmmm.” Ryouga said as he rubbed his chin ruefully. “I guess you have a point there. What should we do?” Daisuke chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something.” He beamed. “You guys thought Hiroshi was the egghead, but wait until you are blown away by MY superior intellect!”
“Oh god.” Ukyou grumbled, covering her face with her free hand. “Why?”
“Hey, chick, show a little faith, will you!?” Daisuke snarled. “I am perfectly capable of thinking up a weasely and sneaky way out of this situation.”
“Weasely and sneaky?” Agotsu chuckled from underneath the tonnage of the group’s belongings. “You’re lost in the middle of nowhere, you idiot. You can’t sneak your way out of that.”
“I bet you know where we are.” Ryouga said angrily, turning to Agotsu. “Why don’t you let the rest of us in on it?”
“Bah.” Agotsu muttered. “My mind was singled on locating you and extracting my vengeance. I didn’t bother paying attention to cities and towns in my way, fool! Besides, even if I did, there is no way I’d ever tell my ancient enemy.” He punctuated the sentence by spitting. Nearby, Ukyou scowled and placed her free hand on the handle of her spatula.
“Oh, Agotsu...” she said melodically, winking and gesturing towards her hand. Agotsu’s eyes widened and he twitched uncontrollably.
“There’s a town a few miles west of here called Urawa I’ll take you there myself please don’t hurt me anymore Mistress Ukyou oh please god I want to live!” Agotsu blurted rapidly, surprisingly in one breath. Ukyou nodded in satisfaction and released her grip on the handle.
“Did he say Urawa?” Ryouga said, adjusting Ryu’s body for easier carrying. Ukyou shrugged.
“Yeah, I think so.” She said nonchalantly. “Why?”
“That’s where we met Ryu for the first time.” he said. “And fought those two Martial Arts couples people, remember?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She said. “You stayed in the hospital there for a night, too. I remember that the doctor that was looking after you seemed like a pretty decent guy.”
“Who, Doctor Koan?” Ryouga said, looking up into the air, as one does when one recalls names. “Yeah. He was pretty nice. Reminded me of my dad a little. Well, at least, the guy I think was my dad. I haven’t really seen him in a while. Could’ve been my Uncle, maybe.”
“Hey, I remember that place.” Daisuke said, rubbing his cheek ruefully. “That’s where you guys met me, too. Remember?”
Ryouga and Ukyou exchanged glances. “...Yeah...” they said in a monotonous voice, in unison. Daisuke scowled and folded his arms.
“Oh, YEAH, like meeting you two was such a prize.” He grumbled. “I don’t think I’ve ever had my life placed in so much jeopardy before. This is almost as bad as living in Nerima.”
“You? YOUR life was in jeopardy!?” Ukyou snarled. “Right! What have you done that has even been remotely dangerous!?”
“Hey, chick...” he retorted, using the word that Ukyou despised. “I had to spend two WHOLE DAYS with Hiroshi when he was drooling over that Tendo chick. My sanity was constantly at risk of being frayed due to extreme stupidity. Not to mention climbing up that mountain. I could have slipped and fallen or something.”
“Well,” Ryouga said, trying his best to end the argument before it started (as futile as that may be), “At least we’re going somewhere we all know.” They all looked at Agotsu.
“Well, MOST of us, anyway.” Ukyou added. Agotsu scowled and shifted the weight of everyone’s gear so he could speak intelligibly.
“Oh, HAH HAH HAH.” He snorted derisively. “How ludicriously funny that was. I tell you, I was just about to burst with laughter. Oh, you all are SUCH comedians that I thought perhaps I would simply die were you to go on any further wi-”
“Agotsu.” Ukyou said sharply. “Don’t be a moron. Just carry the bags like a good manservant.”
“Yes, Mistress Ukyou...” Agotsu sneered caustically. Heaving the bags back over his shoulders, he followed in rear as the four figures slowly descended down the mountainside.
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Dr. Koan stroked his rough chin in deep thought. Before him lay the battered and bruised form of a man he had barely known. The strange Chinese guy who used to own the local barber shop, or something like that. He’d been badly injures to be sure, but in all likelihood he’d be okay. He glanced up from his scribbled notes to the two teens that had brought him in, Ryouga Hibiki and Ukyou Kuonji. The way they were standing so closely and holding each other, it seemed like Hibiki hadn’t been totally honest with him about the nature of their relationship. The doctor smiled warmly. He didn’t really mind that at all.
“So?” Ukyou said, betraying her calm demeanor with a hint of worry cracking in her voice, “How is he, doctor? Will he live?”
“Oh, no need to worry yourself over that, my dear.” He said fatherly. “Ryu will be just fine, although I think he may need to remain in my care for a while before we can trust him to get by on his own.”
“How long?” Ryouga said. Ukyou’s arms, which were wrapped around one of his, tightened their grip in anticipation.
Dr. Koan checked his scribbled notes, flipping between the two pages several times, then nodded. “About two weeks, I’d say.” He said warmly. “Maybe three. Is there a problem with that?”
“I guess not.” Ryouga said thoughtfully. “I mean, we don’t really have anywhere we need to be...”
Ukyou scowled at him. He flushed, waving his free hand emphatically.
“I meant anytime soon, Ucchan! That’s all.” He stammered. Ukyou smirked at him, raising her eyebrow questioningly. She wasn’t really upset at all; She just loved the fact that she could make him squirm without saying anything at all.
“You’ll have to find a place to stay until he gets well.” Koan continued, unabated. “If you have trouble finding a place, I have plenty of room. It’s just me and my housekeeper nowadays.”
“Thanks.” Ukyou said gratefully, smiling her best smile. “We really appreciate this, Doctor.” Koan waved his hand dismissively.
“Now, now.” Koan chuckled, adjusting his spectacles. “Ryouga is like family to me. It’s odd, but he reminds me a lot of my grandson. So I have no problems if he and a few of his friends stay with me. I mean, what good is that hollow old house of mine to two people, anyway?”
“Thanks anyway.” Ukyou said, smiling. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. Koan blushed and laughed boisterously.
“My, my, Hibiki,” he said jovially. “That’s quite a woman you’ve got there. I’m happy for you.”
“I-I guess so.” He said, flustering. Ukyou grumbled and elbowed him in the ribs, sending the air out of his lungs in a whoosh.
“What do you mean, ‘I guess so’?” she said sarcastically. “Of course I am. I’m your fiancee, for Christ’s sake!”
“Fiancee?” Koan said, raising his eyebrow quizzically. “Aren’t you two a little young to be getting married?”
“Not really.” Ryouga said, getting his voice back and rubbing his side ruefully. “I mean, I love Ukyou. She’s the only woman for me.”
Ukyou smiled slightly and rolled her eyes. “What a cheesy line” she said sarcastically, rustling his hair with her hand. Koan chuckled and shrugged.
“If that’s how you feel about it, then I wish you luck. My wife and I lived happily together for many years.” The doctor said, rubbing his chin. His gray eyes seemed to grow distant at that, as if he was remembering some far-passed events. The teens watched him for nearly a full, silent minute.
“Anyway...” he said, coughing to break up the silence, “My house is at the end of that avenue right there.” He pointed out of the window to one of the streets. “Come by whenever you feel like it. I’ll tell my housekeeper about you.” With that, he turned and strolled into the hallway, humming.
“Well,” Ukyou said, flopping down on one of the less-than-comfortable chairs in the hospital room. “That’s taken care of, then.” She let out a sigh of exhaustion and smiled at Ryouga warmly.
“Yeah.” he said, moving a chair next to hers and sitting down. “I guess so. For a while, anyway.”
“Hmmm.” Ukyou said, closing her eyes. There was a momentary period of silence between them. Stretching, she leaned her head over and rested it against his shoulder.
“What should we do now?” Ryouga said to no one in particular. Ukyou’s eyes creaked open and she glanced over at him.
“What do you mean?” she said, yawning. “Personally, I’d like to get some sleep. Listening to Daisuke is exhausting.” She tapped her temple with a delicate finger. “Taxes my brain listening to him whine.”
“No, not that.” Ryouga said. “I mean, what are we going to do after he gets out of the hospital?” He pointed at Ryu to emphasize his point. Ukyou shrugged.
“I thought we were going to my village to meet my dad.” She said. Ryouga sighed and nodded.
“Yeah. We still can, if you want to. But it seems like we’ve run into a lot of crap trying to. And now we’re practically back at the beginning.” He said morosely. Ukyou opened her eyes fully and sat up, draping an arm around his shoulder.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Geez, how long ago has it been since we left Nerima, anyway?” she sighed. As hard as she had been trying, she still couldn’t get her old life out of her mind. She had eventually given that up as a lost cause and let the memories have their way with her.
“Couple of months, I think.” Ryouga said. “I don’t really remember. Seems longer, though.”
“Yeah.” She agreed, lazily running her fingers through his hair.
“We...could always go back, you know.” He said nonchalantly. Ukyou sat upright and looked at him quizzically.
“Back to Nerima?” she said. “I don’t know about that. I mean, remember why we left in the first place, Ryochan.”
“Yeah, but we were different people back then.” He said. “I don’t know. It’s weird, but I feel like a different person than who I was a few months ago. I don’t think seeing Akane and Ranma together will bother me as much.”
Ukyou smirked at him. Grumbling, he looked away from her bright eyes.
“Yeah, well, I said not as much. It’ll still annoy the hell out of me, but that’s because I know what a jerk Ranma is.” He snarled. Ukyou smiled slightly and hugged her arms around his neck.
“Oh yeah, that’s definantly a good reason to be upset with him.” She said sarcastically. “But it’s okay. I don’t expect you two to ever get along, anyway.”
“Well, look what he did to me, for God’s sake!” Ryouga said angrily, clenching his fists. “I turn into a damn pig, Ucchan! I’m not even a real man.”
“Aww, you’re man enough for me, sugar.” She said smartly. “Anyway, you’re the one that suggested going back in the first place.”
“True.” Ryouga said, calming down slightly. “Do you still want to tell him about us?”
Ukyou frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?” Ryouga shrugged.
“I don’t know. I was just wondering.” He said. Ukyou eyed him suspiciously.
“Wondering what?” she said warily. Her eyes widened slightly and she held onto his neck tighter. “Ryouga, what are you planning to do?”
“N-nothing!” he said, trying to breathe. “I’m not trying to do anything, honest!”
Ukyou relaxed her grip slightly and resumed her normal, content appearance. “You better not me.” She said melodically. “I’m not a very nice girl when I’m angry.”
Ryouga smiled nervously and chuckled. Ukyou returned his smile warmly, then leaned in and pressed her lips against his. She broke away after a few seconds and stood, stretching.
“Well, let’s go find that house the doc was talking about.” She said lazily. “I’m tired. I want to go to bed.”
Ryouga sighed and slowly rose from the chair. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, yawning. “Me too. Carrying him down the mountain was harder than I thought it would be.”
Ukyou smiled slyly. “Ooh, Ryochan...we’ll be in bed together...”
Ryouga’s face turned bright crimson. He laughed aloud nervously , scratching the back of his head with his hand. “I...thought you w-were t-t-tired?” Ukyou kissed his blushing cheek lightly and sighed.
“Yeah, I am. Almost too tired to walk, in fact.” She frowned momentarily. “Darn. It would have been good timing, too.” Ryouga could only chuckle nervously in response, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
“Oh, well.” She said, throwing her arms up and leaning into him. “Carry me, Ryochan. I’m tired.” Ryouga frowned.
“Do I have to?” he grumbled, massaging his arms. “Ryu was heavy...”
“Of course you have to, jackass!” she said angrily. “I’m your freaking fiancee! Now pick me up and carry me to a bed or else!”
Swallowing hard, Ryouga obediently scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the room. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled against his chest and drifted off into peaceful slumber.
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Well,that's the rather abrupt end of Chapter Five. Sorry about that, but I had originally made it longer, but the end of the Chapter ended up working much better as the beginning of the next one. See you then!