Chapter Six: A Rose Dying
The Ryouga & Ukyou Chronicles, Volume One
© 2004 horiuchi_tetsuro_1@yahoo.com
Ryouga Hibiki and Ukyou Kuonji are not my creation and are both copyright of Rumiko Takahashi. I’d like to thank Takahashi-sensei for her great series. I once again claim no credit for their creation, however, some of the characters are my creations (aka Migi & Hidari, Ryu, Prince Ito, Ukuji, Kangeio, Shogu) and I do claim them, so there!
I
Kesho Takagume carefully arranged the bushels of flowers around his stand in the market, watching all the potential customers stroll by. The open market at Kiragome village was the best place for miles to sell his only potential commodity...flowers. Roses, actually. They were somewhat of a rarity around here, but he grew them in his own home. Roses of all kinds and sizes, colors and forms. He eagerly eyed a group of people that approached his stand, assured that he would make a sale today.
There were five of them. The one that seemed to be in the lead was an attractive girl in a blue Chinese shirt and black, form hugging pants. She was carrying a rather large backpack with what seemed to be a portable grill and a very large spatula strapped to it. He shrugged it off. As long as they had money and wanted flowers, he didn’t care what they had with them. He also noticed her left pants leg was cut open somehow. She was holding the hand of a rather brutish looking guy with thick black hair, a long sleeved yellow shirt, green pants bound at the ankles, and a yellow and orange bandanna. He carried a very large backpack strapped to which was an umbrella. He wore a somewhat angry expression, but the girl seemed very cheerful.
Next on the parade was a man wearing the gaudiest green, silver, and gold kimono that Kesho’d ever seen. The man’s hair was done up in the traditional samurai fashion, and he wore a traditional samurai daisho at his side. His face was almost completely emotionless as he scanned the market site. Beside him was a guy wearing a black school uniform and carrying a somewhat realistically-sized backpack. He had light brown hair, and his blue eyes seemed to be scanning the price lists of the various booths with disdain.
A few steps behind him was a similarly dressed guy with black hair. His brown eyes seemed to scan every semi-attractive woman in the market site with much happiness. So much, in fact, that he ran into a pile of boxes and fell to the ground, cursing loudly. Kesho chuckled. An easy sale, to be sure. The group split up (somewhat to Kesho’s dismay...less customers). On the positive side, the girl and angry youth began to walk over to him. He brightened, straightening himself up to look his most presentable.
"Aw, cripes..." Ryouga moaned as Ukyou dragged him to the flower stand. "We should be buying important things! Not flowers!"
They’d been traveling for nearly two weeks since Ryouga’d woken up in the hospital and found her at his bedside. He’d spent these two weeks wondering about the significance of that little event. He was sure there was one, and he was trying his damnedest to find as many as he could. He wasn’t a deep or introspective person by nature, but he had his moments. They were going to buy supplies, clothes, and such at Urawa, but the shopkeepers were upset about the whole "reckless endangerment of property" thing and refused to sell them. It was sheer luck that the five of them had come across this little backwater village. Plus, they’re having some form of market thing. He reached up and scratched his head with his free hand.
That was another thing. Ryu hadn’t cut his hair yet. Ryouga breathed a silent thanks to the gods for that. Maybe that psychotic samurai would forget all about it. Somehow, he doubted it. Well, at least he had it a while longer. Sighing, he and Ukyou reached the flower stand. The vendor looked weasely, Ryouga noted. He had that Hiroshi-esque quality about him.
"So, you are looking for some roses for the little lady, sir?" the vendor said slyly. Ryouga opened his mouth to say something, but Ukyou’s glare told him otherwise. He remained silent.
"First of all, I am not his little lady." Ukyou told the man matter-of-factly. "We’re just good friends."
"Ah, I see." The vendor said. "My apologies, madam."
"S’Okay." Ukyou said cheerfully. "I was looking for a really special rose. For my hair. I’m tired of this white ribbon."
The vendor nodded. "I see..." He said thoughtfully. After a few moments, he dug under his stand and emerged with a leather case, locked tightly.
"You wanted something special, right?" the vendor said in a low voice. He tapped the box lightly. Ukyou nodded excitedly. Ryouga rolled his eyes and muttered something like "oh brother" under his breath. The vendor unclasped the lock and cautiously opened the case. Ukyou’s eyes widened.
Sitting amidst the velvety insides was a single rose. It was unlike any rose she’d ever seen before. It was the color of an emerald, and it was so delicate she was afraid she’d kill it with a touch. The vendor grinned slightly at her reaction.
"Like it?" he said softly. Ukyou nodded. Even Ryouga seemed slightly transfixed by it. The vendor gently removed it from the case and held it up to their eyes.
"It’s an emerald rose. The only one of its kind in the world. It’s magical." The vendor whispered. Ukyou reached out and touched it gently. The vendor drew it back, just out of her reach. "It never wilts." He said with a smile, seeing her reaction to it. He congratulated himself inwardly for being such a fine salesman. "It’s very valuable."
Ukyou snapped back into reality.
Uh oh, she thought dryly. Here comes the killer.
"How much?" Ryouga said. Ukyou looked at him quizzically. She did have her own money. The only reason he'd be asking would be if...
"Ryo-chan?" she said softly. "You’re buying it?" Ryouga’s face flushed a bright crimson. He coughed nervously.
"Um, well, yeah." He said slightly. "I was thinking, you know...It’d look nice...in your hair."
She smiled warmly at him.
"The price?" the vendor said, smiling. "The price is 200,000 yen."
Ryouga’s jaw almost hit the earth’s core. He looked at Ukyou, seeing the disappointment covering her features. He frowned and sought desperately for an answer. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and drew out something wrapped in an old brown cloth. Unfolding it, he exposed a large, beautifully cut diamond. The vendor drooled visibly over the sight of it. Ukyou gasped.
"Ryouga..." she said breathlessly, watching the sunlight sparkle through its prismed surface. "Where did you get that?" There was an infinite silence, and all he could do was look at the gem in his hands. Ukyou bit her lip nervously. The vendor simply stared at the diamond as if it were the only one he’d ever seen. Actually, it was.
"Well?" she said impatiently. "Where did you get that?"
Why doesn’t he look at me? She thought with no small worry. He didn’t answer her, instead offering it to the vendor.
"Here." He said solemnly. "It...was a gift from my mother. It’s all I have of value. I hope it’s enough..."
Ukyou gasped in disbelief. Was he really serious? Her eyes almost began to well with small tears. No one had ever made such a gesture to her before. It touched her, much more deeply than she thought it would. Especially coming from him.
But, her mind interjected, could you really accept this gift?
He was probably doing it as some kind of stupid macho cavalier apology for the near-kiss in the hospital. That would just ruin the whole memory. No, as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t let him do this.
"Wait a minute." she said sternly. "Ryouga, you’re not giving that up for some stupid rose. Forget about it."
The vendor frowned. "Hey, lady!" he shouted. "What do you mean ‘stupid rose’?"
Ryouga smiled genuinely, ignoring the shouts of the vendor completely. He looked into her eyes, and she saw the truth in his words.
"But I want to, Ucchan." He said. "I want you to get that rose. You’d look very...pretty...with it."
"P-pretty?" she stammered, trying not to sound too enthused. She noted her cheeks burned, and imagined she must’ve turned a bright crimson color. She cursed her overreaction bitterly. Gathering her resolve, she shook her head defiantly.
"No." She said sternly. "Ryouga, I can’t. I can’t let you do this."
"I don’t recall you ever having to let me do anything, Ucchan." Ryouga said smartly. Ukyou winced at that snap. That stung. Without another word, he handed the wrapped diamond to the vendor, who stared stunned for a moment, then handed Ryouga the flower with a shaking hand. Ukyou scowled. He hadn’t listened to her at all!
"Hey, you big, pompous idiot!" she snarled. "Didn’t you listen to anything I said-"
She stopped suddenly as he turned and, with one swift motion, untied the white ribbon that tied her hair. The long auburn mane, freed of its cloth prison, billowed out and drifted slightly in the breeze. Then, with the second part of the same motion, he gently placed the rose in her hair, so the thornless stem rested behind her ear. He smiled approvingly.
"See?" he said to the stunned okonomiyaki chef. "Very pretty."
She searched for something to say, but found nothing. Instead, all she did was blush stupidly again. She cursed herself bitterly for acting like a giddy schoolgirl with a teen crush. That wasn’t her at all. She shook the feeling off. But, then she looked at his grinning face, those little fangs...
"Yo, Ukyou." Ryouga said, waving his hand in front of her face. She shook her head and snapped back into reality. "You okay?"
"Yeah, fine." She said nervously. She struck a fist against her chest and grunted.
"That’s me. Tough as nails. Remember?" she said. He smiled and offered his hand to her. She took it graciously and began to lead him towards the others, who were part of a gathering crowd of people cheering something on.
II
"What’s going on?" Ukyou said as the two reached the pack of hooting and cheering townspeople. Daisuke pointed to the two figures standing in the middle of the ring of spectators.
"It’s a duel!" Daisuke said proudly, as if it were his idea. "A real duel, just like at home in Nerima! See, there’s Upperclassman Kuno!"
Much to both Ukyou and Ryouga’s surprise, one of the two combatants was in fact Upperclassman Tatewaki Kuno. Ukyou vaguely recalled his poetry spouting persona "gracing" her "lowly" restaurant a few times. Ryouga vaguely recalled beating him up a few times. Nearby stood a small man dressed in black, wearing a ninja mask. Ryouga noticed Ryu was giving him an evil stare. He shrugged it off. Ryu was a strange guy, after all.
Another big surprise was that Kuno wasn’t wielding the wooden bokken they were so used to seeing him with. It was like part of him wasn’t there. Like his arm was missing. However, it appeared Kuno had traded his bokken in for the real thing, because he held in his right hand an ornate, very well-crafted katana. It shone brightly in the fresh, only slightly cool afternoon. A gently breeze tussled his hair. His opponent was what appeared to be a local vendor. His shattered and diced stand lay in ruins nearby. The man was cringing from the Kendo champion, sweating profusely.
"Unscrupulous scapegrace!" Kuno shouted, pointing his gleaming blade at the poor merchant. "How dare a lowly layman such as yourself to have sold to I, the great Tatewaki Kuno, an apple of such inferior quality?"
The sweating merchant bowed profusely. "Please, good sir!" he said frantically. "The apple was ripe! It was of excellent quality!" Kuno’s face twisted with anger, an anger still tempered by his imperious demeanor.
"So, now does the lapdog call me nothing but a common liar? Well then, sir, I say have at thee! Ha!" Kuno shouted, swinging his katana in a dazzling but harmless display of swordsmanship. The vendor cringed, placing his hands over his head protectively.
"No No No!" the vendor cried, terror echoing through his pleading words. "I didn’t mean-"
"Silence, infidel!" Kuno declared, pointing the gleaming blade at his cringing "opponent". Ryu scowled at the sight.
"Humph." He said, sounding slightly disgusted. "That is not how a samurai is to be acting."
Hiroshi, holding a shiskabob of meat and vegetables, shrugged. "It’s Kuno." He replied simply. "Get use to it."
"True." Daisuke said, also holding one grabbed from a nearby vendor. "He’s always been like that."
Ukyou frowned as she watched this shameless assault on this obviously poor man. She glared at Kuno bitterly, noting the pleasure he was seeming to take from this. She hated people who picked on those that couldn’t defend themselves. She’d always hated that. She looked from Hiroshi to Daisuke, then to Ryu. No movement. No bravery at all. Sighing in frustration inwardly, she turned to Ryouga.
"Well?" she said angrily. Ryouga’s face was crossed by a confused look.
"Well what?" he said defensively. "What did I do?"
Ukyou snarled at him in frustration. Didn’t he understand at all what she was trying to tell him? Maybe he was more dense than she’d given him credit for. Sighing, she brushed a long strand of her now-free hair aside and looked into his eyes. He looked back at her, halfway clueless. It was a look that drove her mad sometimes. Of course, sometimes it was so cute it could melt her...
She shook the feeling off and threw her hands up in frustration. She turned and stomped towards Kuno angrily. Hiroshi looked over at Ryouga, who was still somewhat stunned, by the look on his face.
"Geez, what the hell’s wrong with her?" he said. Ryouga shrugged, watching the girl he considered one of the most beautiful he’d ever seen walk towards that pompous Kendoist from Furinkan. Distantly, he knew what she was going to do. He started to step forward, but it was too late. She was already there.
Kuno raised his sword, prepared to teach the disreputable cur before him proper manners. Who was this man, after all, to sell him such an ineffective piece of fruit? Kuno played the dishonorable act again in his mind, pointing out to himself all the things that justified his current assault. When he had thrown it into the air to slice it in twain, a stylistic move only one as skilled with the blade as he could perform, and the foolish apple dared not to split on the first strike! He had been laughed at by the commoners of this backwater village for that folly, but they would laugh at him no longer. Not after this message. He raised his blade on high, noting with self-satisfaction how dramatic a pose it was he was striking, and prepared to leave the merchant a clear reminder of Tatewaki Kuno. Just then, someone tapped him on the back, halting the descent of his shimmering sword from the heavens. He stopped for a moment, and the dishonorable merchant clamored to his feet and escaped. Infuriated, Kuno turned to see who it was that would dare to interrupt him.
Standing before his imposing visage was a moderately attractive girl with long brown hair. In it, she wore a jade colored rose of remarkable beauty. Her eyes were angry and cold, and her body was tense. Kuno sighed in annoyance. It was obviously another one of his eager female admirers, desperate to be near him. He chuckled, noting how very handsome he must be for this girl to be fawning over him so.
"Yes, what is it, o lovely and adoring fan? Surely you have touched me because it was so very difficult for you having to maintain a distance from one such as I." He said imperially. Strangely, the girl seemed...angry.
Ukyou could barely contain herself. Of all the pompous, egotistical things she’d ever heard Tatewaki Kuno spout before, this one topped the cake. He thought she was his adoring fan? That broke it. She hauled back and, without stopping for a moment to think, brought her hand forward and slapped him. Hard. The whole crowd gasped. She even noted (with some enjoyment) Daisuke choked on his shiskabob. Then, there was an oppressive ambiance of silence hanging in the air for what seemed like an eternity.
Kuno reached his hand up and gently cupped his reddened cheek, stunned. He turned and stared at her. She held her breath, preparing for the worst. She was fairly confident she’d be able to beat him, though. She’d seen him attempt to beat Ranma many times. Attempt was an apt word, because it had never been much of a fight. Hardened by this realization, she watched him. He did something unexpected next...he chuckled. He bent over (being he was a lot taller than her, she noted dryly) and peered at the rose in her hair.
"Ah," he said in his normal, poetic tone. "Such a lovely rose, to be attached to such a girl as you."
Ukyou frowned, not knowing whether or not it was meant as an insult to her. She couldn’t tell at all from his calm, polite demeanor. All she could do was watch him.
"Tis such a pity, really, to see it wilt away." He said softly, almost regretfully. "A rose dying is one of beauteous nature’s most disheartening sights."
He turned his back to her, the cold breeze whipping by. It seemed like he was going to walk away with that statement. He turned and looked back at her over his shoulder.
"Better the rose die quickly. I should like to free it from its destiny, lest it slowly blacken in your presence." He said solemnly, then spun with lightning speed back around, his blade glimmering in the sunlight.
It happened so fast, Ukyou didn’t realize at first what had happened. Her mind recorded the images before it registered them. The katana sped towards her head at a blinding speed, faster than she could react. She could hear it, slicing through the air with cold accuracy and blind determination. She wanted to move, to dodge, but her reflexes were frozen, transfixed by this sight. The blade sliced into the rose she wore, and its soft, silken petals yielded to the sharpened steel easily, and the blade passed through it with a wisp. The delicate flower fell to the ground in two clean pieces, dropping petals like drips of emerald blood as it fell earthward. Kuno ceased turning, stopping in a kneeling position, head down, blade outstretched, his other hand gripping the katana's scabbard. The deathly silence seeped in for another eternity. Then, as much as she tried in vain to fight them, the tears came, welling at the corners of her hardened eyes like pools of sorrow. Kuno chuckled and sheathed the sword, staring at her with arrogant, blazing eyes.
"There is no need for my thanks, girl." He said in his normal, imperial demeanor. "Tis a fine thing I have done this day, and to allow you to stand in the presence of Tatewaki Kuno is reward enough."
Ukyou was stunned silent. She couldn’t react at all to his attitude, to him. He was arrogant beyond all concepts of the word. He thought he'd done her a favor? Her mind tried desperately to grasp the concept of one as arrogant, as vain, and as completely clueless as this man. She took a shaky, uncertain step backward, then another, and turned and ran down the street. She shoved her way through the crowds of people, not hearing their words nor caring if she did. It was gone. In one fell swoop, it had been cut short by a complete idiot. One slip up, and it was her fault. She couldn’t take it. She had to be away. She didn’t want to see anyone. She turned a corner and sped into a back alley, the tears sliding down her smooth cheeks in streams, herself too angry to notice them.
Ryouga stared at Ukyou as she sped off down the street, crying. He could feel it deep inside him, that burning, brewing, festering hatred swelling in his soul. It threatened to burst its prison and pour into his burning brain, tearing into his very sanity like a wild animal. He turned and glared at the poetry-spouting Kendoist with a look of deathly cold hatred, icy and steel. He took a step forward. Nearby, Hiroshi glanced at him and frowned. Swallowing his fears, he approached his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, man," he said, still holding his shiskabob in his free hand. He tried his best to look serious. "Don’t. It’s not worth the trouble."
Ryouga looked down at the broken rose, its delicate petals drifting in the cold breeze, and images of her, tears in her eyes, crying, filled his mind. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her cry before. Well, there was the time Ranma had married Akane, but that was understandable. But this was something else. Something trivial.
Could it mean that much to her? His mind pondered. He glared back at Hiroshi with a look that said everything. Hiroshi released his friend and stood back. Daisuke stood beside him, watching intently. He stepped out of the circle of people and faced the smirking Kendoist with a glare of pure hatred.
"You..." he said, anger seething into his words. Kuno chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
"What is this?" he said, amused. "Another fan of the great Tatewaki Kuno, no doubt impressed by my display of swordsmanship. Do not worry, raggedy boy. Someday you shall hope to be half as skilled as I."
Ryouga felt his blood churn and boil in his veins, pumping hot through him. He raised a finger and pointed at Kuno.
"I'm challenging you, Kuno!" he shouted. "I’m gonna make you pay for what you just did!"
Kuno chuckled. What was this? Another cur challenging him? This would prove most amusing.
"Ah, then thou art the knavish beloved of that rude wench, eh?" he sneered, drawing his sword. "As you wish it, then. I shall grant you permission to duel with me! Come, and I shall have at thee!"
Ryouga didn’t need permission. As soon as the blade was drawn, the battle had begun. He charged forward, leaping up and flinging three of his razor sharp bandannas at the still standing Kendoist. Kuno sneered and struck each bandanna with lightning speed, slicing them harmlessly in twain as each soared by, then bringing the shining blade back into a defensive position. Ryouga careened earthward with a drop kick, but Kuno saw it coming and brought his blade up, deflecting the blow with the flat while at the same time grasping Ryouga’s shirt with his free hand and throwing him. Ryouga twisted in midair and landed on his feet, facing his opponent. Kuno brought the sword back up and chuckled. It shone brightly in the noonday sunlight.
"Feh." He mused. "Mayhaps this will prove a more worthy battle than I had at first surmised." He said, charging forward to attack. Ryouga stepped back as Kuno unleashed a blinding flurry of stabs at him, tearing into the air itself.
"Strike! Strike! Strike! Strike!" he yelled as the rain of sharpened steel increased in power. Ryouga dodged strike after strike, matching their swelling intensity, but winced as he felt one slash graze his side, tearing a small gash into his flesh.
Kuno saw the momentary opening and swung the blade for a killing blow. He wished to finish this parlor game as soon as possible. He watched with no surprise as the blade sailed through the air towards it target, confident of yet another stunning victory. Then, suddenly, he felt a strong hand grasp his wrist. Using the swinging Kuno for leverage, Ryouga flipped over the strike and landed behind him, swiftly delivering a kick to the back of the "Blue Thunder’s" head, sending him stumbling forward. He did turn around, just in time for Ryouga’s fist to smash into his face, breaking blood vessels and twisting cartilage as Kuno was suddenly (and painfully) thrust into a hazy world of pain. Straining to see, he had no time to avoid another strike to his jaw, and he grimaced as he felt it snap under this cad’s unfocused rage. Desperately, Kuno swung his blade at his opponent, but frowned as best he could when he felt it stop suddenly. As his hazy vision cleared, he saw the bandannaed boy clutching the blade in one hand tightly.
A trickle of blood flowed down the steel from the boy’s hand, the blade digging deep into his skin with the force he held it.
Kuno watched in terror as the sword was jerked from his hand and tossed out into the crowd. He gave one last look at the savage boy, grinning at him, before another fist connected with his face, smashing, breaking, and snapping. Then another. Ryouga released a flurry of punches and kicks, all hitting, not caring what they hit. Finally, the Kendoist fell to his knees, blood flowing from his mouth as he coughed more of it onto the street, gagging. His badly broken nose also poured blood freely, and his body was dented by massive bruises already starting to form. Ryouga looked down at him with a mixture of pity and disgust before kicking him solidly in the ribs and sending him away from the pain, into blessed unconsciousness. He turned and looked at Ryu, who nodded and approached, inspecting the wounds on his hand and side carefully.
"You was lucky." he said solemnly, examining the lost boy. "You is not hurt too bad. However, I think you should have the scar on this hand, okay?"
Ryouga nodded, dismissing it. He'd had scars before. They were kind of like trophies, in a way. Symbols of the fact he'd survived. He looked around, but didn’t see what it was he was looking for. Hiroshi walked up to him and patted his shoulder. Daisuke was poking the unconscious Kuno with his shiskabob poker. Sasuke knelt nearby, weeping over his "Master Kuno". Ryu eyed the ninja warily.
"Where?" Ryouga asked the light haired boy. Hiroshi pointed down the back alley with his free hand.
"She went that way, Hibiki." he said. Ryouga nodded and exhaled deeply, glancing down at the broken rose at his feet. It was alive until Kuno's blade brought it to its knees. Now, laying in a gathering silken sea of its own petals, the rose died. Ryouga had to give Kuno credit as the mystical flower quickly withered and blackened before his eyes. A rose dying was a terrible thing.
"She'll be okay." He said to Hiroshi with mock resolve. "She's tough. She told me so." Hiroshi frowned and shook his head.
"Go to her." He said, looking into Ryouga’s furious eyes. They seemed to calm somewhat. "We’ll deal with cleanup duty."
Ryouga nodded and ran off in the direction she’d gone. Maybe he’d misjudged Hiroshi a lot. He turned the alley and sped down it, ignoring the pain festering in his tightened fist and his abdomen. Hiroshi watched him go with a grin of self satisfaction. He turned to the crowd and clapped his hands.
"All right, gamblers and gamblerettes, time to pay up." Those that had chosen to bet with Hiroshi began to empty their pockets. The light-haired boy grinned.
Easy money.
III
He found her in a small alley at the end of the village. She was seated on a barrel, watching the landscape. He thought he heard her sniffling as he approached. Sensing he was near, she glanced at him over her shoulder with red eyes.
"Oh, hey, P-Chan." She teased, but Ryouga could hear her voice cracking under the demeanor. He smiled nervously. She turned and gazed back out into the evening sky. There was a beauty about it she found comforting. The reddening sun was slowly sinking into the distance, and the pinkish clouds drifted in the dull, orange sky. All in all, it was a magnificent sight to her.
"Hey yourself, Ucchan." He said, sitting down on another barrel beside hers, dangling his legs over the edge of it. She looked him over and noticed the bloody cuts on his side, as well as the drips that leaked between his clamped hands. She knew what had happened. Inwardly, she smiled.
"So, I see you talked with Kuno." She said wryly, pointing to the cut in his abdomen. Ryouga flushed, but maintained a stern demeanor, and nodded.
"We came to an understanding." He said coldly, but with a certain sadistic twist. Ukyou smiled at him.
"You didn’t have to." She said. "I could have handled it, you know." He frowned.
"Of course I had to." He said, looking into her eyes. "He was a real bastard."
Ukyou chuckled slightly, and wiped her face off. "Yeah." She said wryly. "He was."
"Besides," Ryouga said, looking out into the horizon. "He made you cry."
She frowned. So, he had seen her.
Dammit, she thought with spite. What he must think of me now...
"Well, I..." she began, but then sighed and decided not to try and jerk him around. "I didn’t want to...I mean, I didn't mean to...I...I didn’t want him to have the pleasure of watching me affected by him...But, I was...weak..."
Ryouga sighed. She thought she was weak? As far as Ryouga could remember knowing her, Ukyou was one of the strongest women he’d ever met. Not to say that other women were weak, but she had a very strong spirit. That was one of the reasons why he liked her so much, he surmised.
"You’re not weak." He said sternly. "Never think that. Everyone cries sometimes."
"You haven't." she said sarcastically. He frowned, furrowing his brow.
"That's different." he said. "I am a warrior. Warriors don't cry."
Scowling, she smacked his shoulder. He winced and looked over at her, confused.
"Pompous jerk!" she said angrily. "So I'm not a warrior now?"
Ryouga scowled at himself inwardly. He guessed he'd said that in a way that made it seem bad. He wasn't very good at this kind of stuff. Now she was mad at him. Distantly, he wondered if that was how Ranma felt when he was talking to Akane. As P-Chan, he'd been witness to Ranma's feeble attempts to display true feelings for her on numerous occasions. Ryouga had ignored it for the most part, of course, assuming that Akane naturally had no feelings for him. But, then again, there were those times when she was in her room at night, and she'd cuddle with P-Chan and tell him things. Personal things, mostly wishing how Ranma would be less of a jerk and show how he really felt for her. Idly, Ryouga wondered how he could have ignored that. but, he found a way. Love always seemed to have a way to make the most
perceptive man blind.
"I didn't mean that!" he snarled, rubbing his shoulder. It didn't hurt, but the anger she was showing did. "Of course you're a warrior! I meant...well, I..."
She watched him, her face frowning with respite, waiting for a response. He scowled.
"Dammit!" he shouted. "I'm no good at this!" He turned and looked her in the eyes. "What I meant was, well, everyone cries at some point in their life. It's what reminds us that we're not invincible. It reminds us that we're...well, human."
Ukyou looked over at him, and saw he was deathly serious. She nodded. He seemed somewhat relieved by this, and ran his unwounded hand through her hair gently. She flinched; No one had ever done that before. He did it with a look of something in his eyes she couldn’t quite determine. Whatever it was, she felt wonderful he was looking at her like that.
"I’m sorry." He said sincerely. "About the rose."
"Hey, I’m the one who should be sorry, remember?" she said, still loving the feel of his hand running through the thick auburn strands. She wanted to close her eyes and just lose herself in that feeling. It was an unconditional feeling. The kind of feeling you don’t feel for just anyone.
"Nonsense," he continued. "You looked really pretty with it, too."
She blushed slightly, much to her further embarrassment and to his pleasure. Maybe he wasn't as bad at this cheering up thing as he thought.
"Well, now I don’t have anything to wear in my hair." She said sourly. "Not even a damn ribbon. That really makes me mad, you know? I could kill that pompous windbag right now..." she sniffed, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. Looking around, he couldn't see another rose nearby. Plus, he'd given everything he had of value to the rose vendor already. Then, it hit him. He knew just what to do, or at least he thought so. He hoped so, anyway. He untied his bandanna and offered it to her. To her amazement, there were no more underneath. He looked strange without it. Strange, but in a good way. A handsome way. She smiled and took it, tying it into her hair much like her ribbon. It worked perfectly.
"There." He said with satisfaction, "Good as new."
She hugged him tightly, the tears threatening to pour down again. This time, she fought them off. She felt his powerful, warm arms encircle her, loving the feel of his embrace, even if it was a friendly one. Then again, she pondered, hugging him tighter, perhaps it was more than that.
"Ryouga," she said, her face half-buried. "Why are you such a good man?" He smiled and looked down at her.
"Why are you such a good woman?" he said teasingly. Smiling, she took his hand and began to lead him back to the others.
"C’mon, sugar," she said with slight cheerfulness, "Let’s go see whether or not you killed poor Kuno back there."
Distantly, she noticed his grip on her hand was a little tighter.
Perhaps, she thought idly as they walked back, just perhaps there was more...
End of Chapter Six.
