Chapter Seven: Me And My Mask

The Ryouga & Ukyou Chronicles, Volume Two

Disclaimer:
Ryouga Hibiki and Ukyou Kuonji are not my creations and are both copyright of Rumiko Takahashi. This same holds true for Nabiki Tendo, Sasuke, Hiroshi, Daisuke, and yes, even Kuno. I’d like to thank Takahashi-sensei for her great series once again. So don’t sue me. I’m broke. All you’ll get is an IOU written on a cocktail napkin. Well, that is, if I could afford a cocktail...Anyway, I once again claim no credit for their creation. And, now, on with the show...

I

Ryouga stood solidly, facing his opponents as he made his way to where Ukyou was kneeling still recovering from their mutual attacker’s blast. For their part, the two samurai maintained their distance, hands on the hilts of their re-sheathed swords, watching the group. They seemed to be waiting for them to all regain their composure. Agotsu was on his feet almost immediately, Chinese broadsword in hand.

"Damn it!" He snarled, assuming a defensive stance. "You two again! Do you ever quit?"

"I guess these are the guys, right?" Daisuke said, standing wobbly and shaking his head. "I guess I wasn’t quite on about the ‘Doom of Evil’ line. Damn."

Ryouga ignored them, instead opting to help Ukyou to her feet. She thanked him with her eyes, and he held onto her arm to steady her as he stared coldly into the eyes of her attackers.

"What the hell do you want with us?" He said, with barely contained rage.

"You are of the damned of Jusenkyo." One of the samurai said, as if it were common knowledge. "It is our duty to make sure those souls remain where they are, for all of eternity."

"You’re not making any sense!" Ryouga snarled, but Ukyou stayed his advance.

"Wait, Ryo-chan, something tells me there’s probably a whole lot more to these curses than we really know about, which is pretty much nothing." She said in a low voice. "Maybe we should try to reason with them?"

"Hmmm…" Ryouga said, thoughtfully. "Reason with them, huh?" He looked down at Ukyou, and saw the answer in her expression. He wasn’t even going to try to argue.

"Yeah, okay." He said, somewhat grudgingly. "I guess it might work. Sounds crazy, but what the hell."

"Do not grieve our arrival." The other samurai said, addressing them all as his eyes passed over each of them in turn. "We only have issue with those afflicted with the curse, and we only seek to set them free."

"The hell you do!" Agotsu sneered, not lowering his guard for a moment. "I’ve heard all about you people. You ambush people, attack them, sometimes even kidnap them to god knows where!"

"Sometimes the voice of peace must ring as thunder." The man said simply. "Those who do not wish a release are still given one. There is no other recourse. Jusenkyo must be maintained."

"What does that mean?" Ryouga said, his curiosity piqued. "What do we have to do with maintaining Jusenkyo?"

"Perhaps we have said too much already." The other samurai said, his eyes silently begrudging the other. "Just take your salvation as a gift from our benefactor, and be at peace with the new life we will give you."

"To hell with you!" Agotsu shouted, charging forward suddenly at lightning speed, bringing his weapon to bear and preparing to deliver a deadly strike. The samurais hand went to their swords, and with the sound of steel against steel, drew them out in a flash and crossed them, deflecting his blow and locking his sword with theirs. The three men stood, unmoving, the two samurai showing little strain as their clashed swords held Agotsu at bay.

"Dammit." Ukyou spat, looking for he combat spatula, hoping it had been thrown nearby in the explosion. "So much for reasoning with them."

"Guess we’ll have to settle this the old fashioned way." Ryouga said, picking his umbrella up and charging into the fray.

Agotsu’s eyes were locked with his opponents, and when one looked behind him ever so slightly, to the sound of Ryouga’s approach, Agotsu acted. He drew his sword back from its locked position, drawing it backwards and simultaneously bringing his knee up to smash it into the gold clothed samurai’s hand, dislodging the ‘X’ pattern the two swords had made. He spun quickly, delivering a sharp roundhouse square to the stunned warrior’s chest, and charged forward as he stumbled back, the samurai barely raising his sword in time to clash with Agotsu’s blade.

"You’re not separating me and my cursed form, you bastard." He snarled under his breath. "I NEED it."

"I see that." The gold samurai said as the swords continued to draw back and clash again, a deadly dance of steel and flashing blade. "Others hide their masks, but you wear yours , proud to hide behind it."

"Shut the hell up, you bastard!" Agotsu yelled, furious, and dropped low to the ground, sweeping the gold warrior’s legs from under him, then finishing the maneuver by leaping towards his prone opponent, blade facing downward. The samurai rolled at the last moment as the blade sank deep into the earth, and swung his katana backwards, hoping to strike Agotsu before he could recover. Agotsu sensed the impending attack, and released the hilt of his buried blade, back flipping over the strike and landing in his same position after the attack passed, drawing his sword out with a mighty heave and bringing it to bear in time to deflect another katana blow. The two swordsmen re-entered their deadly dance of clashing swords, staring death at one another.

Meanwhile, Ryouga had seen Agotsu’s attack, but didn’t take time to register it, instead focusing on his opponent, who had been momentarily caught off guard as well. The samurai seemed to regard Ryouga’s choice of weapons with a mix of confusion and amusement, and swung his sword almost sloppily, meaning obviously to slice the umbrella in half easily. His eyes widened slightly when the sword’s blade clanged harmlessly off the sturdy umbrella, as if he were striking a metal pole instead.

"Surprised?" Ryouga smirked as he faced down his opponent, the two men slowly circling one another, each gauging his opponent for even a single mistake.

"Just this once." The blue clad samurai said intensely. "Revel it, for I will not be so again."

"Shut up and fight." Ryouga said, and charged the man, who raised his sword high above his head, preparing to bring it down in a deadly final cut. Ryouga literally slid to the ground, and opened his umbrella above him, the canopy functioning as a makeshift shield. He heard the sword clang off the top, and immediately pressed the attack upwards, smashing the open canopy into the samurai’s body before he could recover. He felt his opponent lifted from his feet and literally thrown backwards. Ryouga snapped the umbrella shut as he watched his opponent turn the throw into a flip, landing in a half kneeling position, coughing, still clutching his sword in his hand. Ryouga smirked and pointed the umbrella down at the kneeling man.

"You’d better quit while you’re ahead." He said, smiling to himself. "I wouldn’t want to see that pretty blue suit get dirty."

"Your arrogance will be your end." The samurai growled, standing, and assumed a defensive stance. His ally, the gold clad samurai, backed up next to him, facing off with Agotsu.

"Kaiden, we must fall back." He said to the blue-clad samurai, without averting his eyes from his opponent. "Takemura's mercenaries will be here soon. We cannot risk discovery."

"Indeed, Utsu." Kaiden said, venom in his voice. "For now." They began to back away quickly, still facing down the two teens, and broke into a dead run when they reached the ruined wall of Koan’s house.

"Come on, Hibiki." Agotsu sneered. "Let’s finish them while we can."

"Let them go." Ryouga said. "If they come back, we’ll beat them again."

"Weakling." Agotsu huffed, sheathing his sword and turning away from the bandannaed boy.

"Okay, I’m ready to kick ass- Uh, what happened?" Ukyou said, approaching, with her combat spatula readied.

"They ran away." Ryouga said, with a hint of disappointment. "We kicked their asses."

"Here I was hoping for a good workout, too." She said, somewhat disappointed herself, but the relief in her voice was also evident. Ryouga chuckled and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wow." Daisuke said, stepping out from his hiding place. "You whipped those guys like mad. It was all like KAPOW! And HI-YAH!" he shouted, thrusting his fists and mock kicking to emphasize his points. "That was some kind of cool, Ryouga."

"Yeah, nice job covering your ass and hiding like a scared child." Agotsu said snidely. Daisuke gave him the thumbs up.

"Hey, no sweat. I’ve excelled at that since grade school. That’s my patented technique." He remarked. Agotsu rolled his eyes and shook his head, muttering something along the lines of ‘idiot’.

"I….uh….hope Doc Koan’s not gonna be too pissed we wrecked his place." Daisuke said, fully appreciating the damage their foes had caused for the first time.

"Damn." Ryouga said. "I’m sort of looking forward to beating them up again, just for the chance to make them pay for that."

"It’s okay, sugar." Ukyou said, hugging him. "I’m sure Doctor Koan will understand. He seems like a very reasonable sort of person, and-"

"MY HOUSE!?!?!?" came a sudden, piercing wail from the front of the property. "OH DEAR GOD NO!" The four teens stood in silence for a moment.

"So, uh, Daisuke." Agotsu said, turning to the black haired boy. "Show me this technique of yours again."

II

Ryouga plopped down on the hotel bed, exhausted. He felt a weight press on his back, but it was a comfortable and reassuring weight. Ukyou laid on top of him, lazily wrapping her arms around his neck. He rested his head on her folded arms and sighed, relaxing for perhaps the first time that day.

"Well, I think it was a pretty reasonable solution." Ukyou said after a shared moment of mutual peace and relaxation.

"That’s because you didn’t have to spend all day outside rebuilding his stupid house." Ryouga said smartly. Ukyou playfully smacked him on the back.

"Hey, I did my fair share." She said. "I had to cook for him all day. I’ve never seen anyone eat so much." She thought back to her time with Ranma and Mr. Saotome. "no, wait, never mind. I guess I have."

Ryouga smiled and rolled over suddenly, flipping Ukyou onto her back as he rolled over top of her, pinning her to the bed. She struggled uselessly against his iron grasp as he held her arms in place, firmly but gently.

"Ooh, Ryochan…" she purred. "Looks like I’m helpless. What are you planning to do to me, hmmm?"

This of course sent Ryouga into a fit of blushing and stammering, enough for her to slip free from his grasp. She shoved up, and he let himself fall back on the bed, playfully wrestling with her.

"Hey, you know, you two aren’t the only ones here." Agotsu said, annoyed, as he plopped down onto the bed across from them. "So please be so kind as to stop before I politely lose my lunch all over this nice cheap hotel rug."

"Oh, shut up." Ukyou said sharply to him. "You’re just jealous and bitter."

"Feh." Agotsu said dismissively. "As if. The very idea. Who would want to engage in such sickening sweet actions with some…girl…anyway. Now, please stop. For the sake of my sanity."

Ukyou and Ryouga disengaged, after sharing a mutual look of resentment, and he leaned against the headboard, with her snuggling against him comfortably. Daisuke walked out from the shower, steam still flowing out from the open bathroom door. He was wearing a clean T-shirt and pair of cargo shorts, a towel draped across his shoulders as he scrubbed his hair dry.

"Ah, now THAT feels much better." He said as he strolled into the room and crashed onto the third bed. "Nothing better after a hard day’s work than a relaxing shower."

"What?" Agotsu snarled. "You barely did anything."

"Yeah, well, I did as much as I could, okay? So back off." Daisuke said angrily. "So go ahead and take a shower, then if you did so much."

" I think I’ll do just that." Agotsu said, grabbing one of the other towels and storming into the bathroom, slamming the door quickly.

"What a dork." Daisuke commented, and laid flat on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head and letting out a relaxed sigh.

"Daisuke, go see if you can get us some food." Ryouga said. "I’m starved."

"No problem." Daisuke said, sitting up. "Ukyou, cook."

A moment later, he was roughly tossed out of the room, and into the hall of the hotel. Standing straight and dusting himself off, he turned to the door.

"Look, I’m sorry, okay!?" he said. "Just let me back in. Ryouga!? Ukyou!?"

There was no answer. Sighing he threw his hands up in frustration. "Fine, dammit, I’ll go get the stupid food. But at least give me my sandals!" The door cracked open and Ryouga hurtled the sandals at him, smacking him squarely in the chest and knocking him to the ground with an undignified thud. Recovering after a moment, he slipped them on and gave the one finger salute to the hotel door before storming off to the lobby to inquire about dinner.

Marching into the lobby, he went up to the front desk, ringing the bell obnoxiously and impatiently waiting. Another person strolled up to the counter a moment later, but Daisuke didn’t really pay him much attention. The other man began to ring the bell as obnoxiously as Daisuke himself. Then, he suddenly ceased.

"Daisuke?" a familiar voice said.

"Hiroshi?" Daisuke said, turning to face his former best friend. They both stared at each other for a moment, not saying anything. Then, almost precisely in sync, they both turned away from one another.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Daisuke said acidly. Hiroshi ‘hmphed’ loudly.

"I should ask you the same question, but I wouldn’t waste my time." The brown haired boy said spitefully.

"Yeah, I know." Daisuke chided. "You need to conserve your valuable time so you can spend it futilely trying to get into Akane’s sister’s pants, right?"

Hiroshi turned around angrily, his face flush with blood and rage. "Dammit, Daisuke, don’t make me knock you out!" he snarled.

Daisuke turned to face him with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Ooh, I’m so scared." He teased. "Please don’t hit me with your big wallet, Hiroshi! I might get brain damage and become a greed, self centered, backstabbing slimeball, too!"

It was at this point that Nabiki Tendo chose to come into the lobby. Normally she would prefer to have lounged on the bed in the luxury suite all night, but she’d forgotten to add something to the order she’d given Hiroshi earlier. Besides, the idea of spending the whole night near Kuno was something she still hadn’t quite gotten used to.

"Well, well," she said, amused. "If it isn’t Daisuke, already in the middle of a heated chest-beating contest with his best friend."

"Oh, it’s you." Daisuke said. "I figured you’d be here. What, are you getting her food or something?" Hiroshi mumbled something under his breath but was other wise silent.

"You are, aren’t you?" Daisuke pressed. "Man, that’s just sad. She’s got you wrapped around her little finger." The desk clerk waddled up at this point, peering over the counter at them with slight interest.

"May I help you?" he said, with a disaffected tone. Daisuke turned to him.

"Uh, yeah, I’d like some food delivered to Room 19." He said. He saw Hiroshi raise an eyebrow as if to say ‘Now who’s the hypocrite?’

"What kind of food?" the man asked in a monotone. Daisuke looked from him to Hiroshi, and threw his hands up in frustration. "I don’t care!" he shouted. "Bring whatever the hell you feel like bringing. I just don’t care anymore!" With that, he stormed back off to his room.

"Oh yeah?" Hiroshi snarled. "Well…I don’t care either, so there!" He too stomped back off to his room. Nabiki and the counter man shared a look and an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"So," the man finally said. "What will you have to drink with that, then?"

Nabiki put her hand over her face and shook her head, sighing. "You wouldn’t happen to have some dignity in a can, would you?" she sighed.

Daisuke stormed into the hotel room, slamming the door behind him. Ryouga was still leaning with his back to the headboard, resting comfortably. Ukyou was sitting between his legs, her back resting against his chest, with his arms wrapped protectively around her. Both of them looked at him with slight concern as he flopped onto his bed in frustration.

"They out of those sesame cookies you like or something?" Ukyou said. Daisuke sat up and gave a ‘oh, that’s funny’ look at them.

"No." he said. "I just ran into Hiroshi and Nabiki in the lobby."

"Oh. Well, that’s weird." Ukyou said. Ryouga nodded.

"I’m glad to see they’re okay, then." He said with some relief. Ukyou nodded in agreement. Daisuke just shook his head.

"That Tendo chick has him dancing like a damn puppet. It’s sad." He said, annoyed. "We used to be best buds until he started getting all droopy and stupid over her."

"But, Daisuke," Ukyou interjected, "You’re ALWAYS that way around women."

"Not her." Daisuke said. "She’s different. Weird. I can’t really say why. I just don’t like her. But, she is pretty damn hot."

Ukyou sighed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Well, maybe its’ just time you guys moved on. I mean, you can’t hang out all the time forever, you know. I don’t see my old friends anymore."

"Yeah, maybe." Daisuke sighed. "Changes suck."

It was then that the bathroom door opened, and Agotsu came out, wearing another suit exactly like the one he was wearing previously, but clean.

"What the hell’s all the noise out here?" he snarled as he tossed the towel he was drying his hair with into a corner.

"Daisuke’s mad." Ukyou said.

"Why, they didn’t have those stupid sesame cookies or something?" he said sarcastically as he sat down heavily.

"Go to hell." Daisuke said. "I think I need another shower."

So said he strolled into the bathroom, but stopped at the doorway, seemingly confused about something. Ryouga looked up with interest.

"What’s up?" he said. Daisuke looked down at him with a strange expression on his face, as if he was trying to figure out something that didn’t seem right to him.

"N-Nothing." He said cautiously. "Forget about it." He then went into the bathroom and shut the door. After a moment, the water turned on, and the steam began to flow from the cracks in the doorway again.

III

Agotsu Kourenai walked out onto the balcony of the hotel room, regarding the landscape of the city before him in the bright moonlight. The city sprawled around him, a sea of lights and sounds and colors, a million miles from the destitution of his family’s ancestral home. He turned and looked over his shoulder at Hibiki, sleeping soundly in his bed with his woman, oblivious.

It would be so easy, he thought to himself. So easy to juts kill him now and be done with it.

And yet, he felt the twinge of hesitation again. He didn’t know why, but there was something about him that stayed Agotsu’s hand, ever so slightly. Some intangible something. It frustrated him to no end.

"You’re up late." Came a voice from the shadows. It was Daisuke, so Agotsu felt confident to turn his back to the boy and began to gaze out into the clear waters of the pool below.

"I prefer the night." Agotsu said. "I can kill and pass unnoticed much more easily."

"I know your deal, Agotsu." Daisuke said, stepping out onto the balcony with him, gazing out into the night as well.

"What do you mean by that?" Agotsu replied warily. Daisuke smiled, but still didn’t look at him.

"I was a little confused at first, but I figured it out." He said, with no small hint of self-satisfaction. "I’ve known something was up with you since I heard your little discourse with one of those crazy samurai assassins earlier today, but I wasn’t sure what. Until I went into that bathroom after you."

"Go back to bed before I reconsider not hurtling you from this balcony." Agotsu snarled. "You’re talking like a lunatic."

"No, I don’t think I am." he said, smiling. "We all know that you’ve got the Jusenkyo curse. Those guys seem pretty sure, and you even admitted it yourself."

"So?" Agotsu said, growing nervous in tone of voice.

"So, there wasn’t any steam in that bathroom after your shower, Agotsu." Daisuke said, looking directly at him. "And I hung around Ranma long enough to get the gist of the curse thing. Cold water activates it, hot water shuts it off."

"So, I took a lukewarm shower, you idiot." Agotsu snarled, turning to walk back into the room.

"I saw the knobs." Daisuke said, stopping him in his tracks. "You’re a little too sloppy to fool me, Agotsu."

Agotsu turned and looked at him, anger crisscrossing his face. But he said nothing.

"So, who are you, really?" Daisuke pressed, still standing out on the balcony. "If this is your cursed form, then I wonder what you’re hiding from us?"

Agotsu opened his mouth, preparing perhaps to say something, perhaps to yell, but it was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Ukyou peeked her head up and looked wearily from the door to them.

"What the hell are you two doing up?" she whispered. Agotsu looked to Daisuke, who smiled innocently.

"Nothing, Ukyou." Daisuke said. "Just talking."

"Well, that’s all fine and good." She whispered, hoping not to wake Ryouga up. "But can one of you cut the male bonding crap long enough to get the door, please!?"

Grumbling, Agotsu walked to the door and threw it open angrily. He had only a split second to leap back in surprise as a blade flashed out from the hall, and he heard the fabric of his shirt ripping open. He fell back to a defensive stance, cursing himself for leaving his sword propped against the wall. He reached up and breathed a sigh of relief when he could feel the bare skin of his exposed chest was still intact and blood free.

Several men in all back, wearing very stereotypical Ninja clothing, flipped into the room with several "Hups" and "Ki-Yahs", landing in an obscenely Power Rangers-esque pose. One carried Nunchuku, one a pair of small swords, one a long metal staff, one a sickle and metal chain, and one nothing. They posed around a central Ninja figure, who seemed to be in charge, who held out two small flags, one in each hand, that read "AMAZING!" and "FEARSOME!", respectively. He laughed heartily and pointed one flag at the startled teens.

"BEHOLD, doers of evil! We are Karate Force Omega Ultra, Ninja Super Heroes from a Far Away Land! We have come, on behalf of our employer, to bring you to J-dot-U-dot-S-dot-T-dot-I-dot-C-dot-E-dot-!" The man declared, and the rest of the black-clad intruders grunted in unison approval.

"Oh, dear, God, it’s them!" Agotsu said, eyes widening. "Them and that accursed mantra! It’s driving me INSANE!"

"Ninja Super Heroes, divide and defeat!" the leader shouted, and the Ninja all flipped into action, leaping wildly across the room, tucking into balls and rolling along the floor, shouting and making grunting noises as they did so.

"What the hell?" Ryouga grumbled as he sat up slowly, wiping his eyes to rub the weariness from them. The ninja brandishing the metal staff landed on the bed, looking down at him as he twirled it impressively from hand to hand, behind his back and over his head.

"Prepare to taste the taste of defeat!" he declared as he brought the staff down hard. Ryouga reached up and caught it almost casually, and pulled, lifting the ninja into the air and slamming him back against the wall hard. Then, he swung down and left, releasing his hold on the staff as it and the still attached ninja hurtled into the far wall, smashing into it with a loud thud. Both staff and ninja slumped to the ground.

Sitting up, he stretched and yawned as another Ninja leapt in front of him, twirling his nunchaku threateningly. Ryouga regarded him for a moment, reached out with lighting precision and snatched the nunchaku from the man’s hands. The ninja looked at him, his eyes wide with surprise, and Ryouga deftly smacked him across the face with it, from right to left, and then left to right. The ninja hovered for a moment, then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell over into a heap.

Ukyou sighed, annoyed, and sat up , stretching as well. Another ninja flipped over the bed and landed next to her, punching and kicking in the air in an impressive display of prowess.

"It’s okay to fear the mighty!" he declared boldly. Ukyou rolled her eyes and grabbed her pillow, smacking him in the face. The ninja struggled to remove the bedtime tool from his face, and Ukyou proceeded to drive her fist into the ninja’s breadbasket, sending him to his knees, clutching his stomach and groaning. He slumped onto his side, coughing.

The ninja with the blades hurtled them at Agotsu, who dodged both with ease. They went hurtling out of the window, clanging as the struck the concrete around the pool area below. "D’oh!" the Ninja said, smacking himself in the forehead. He looked back to his boss and the two stood side by side, and joined hands. Ryouga somewhat half-heartedly stood between Agotsu and the ninja.

"Ninja Distraction Technique!" they declared in unison. "Ninja Running Tackle of Supreme Power!" So said, they hunkered low to the ground and charged Ryouga, driving the still sleepy lost boy into Agotsu, and sending the four of them pitching off the side of the balcony. They all hit the pool water with a loud, thunderous splash.

"Karate Force Omega Ultra, retreat!" the leader said as he broke the surface, crawling out of the pool and hobbling away. Ukyou was almost oblivious to the rest of the Ninja crawling and limping out of her room as she ran down to the pool where Ryouga had fallen, trailed closely by Daisuke. When she arrived, she saw him dragging himself from the pool, soaking wet but unharmed.

"Ryouga, you’re okay?" she said hesitantly. He looked back at the retreating ninja, annoyed.

"Yeah, I’m fine." He grumbled. "They just caught me by surprise." He sighed. "Well, at least the pool is heated, so I didn’t change into you know who."

Just then, Agotsu climbed from the water, coughing and wringing the water from soaking and torn clothes.

"Damn mantra ninja."

The other’s eyes widened, as if in great surprise. Ryouga’s eyes rolled back and he promptly fainted, blood trickling from his nose. Agotsu growled. "What now? What the hell is Hibiki’s problem."

"Uh, Agotsu…." Ukyou said uncomfortably. "Your…um…your…"

"What?" Agotsu said impatiently. "My what?"

"Your…um…breasts are showing…" she finished.

"WOW." Daisuke said simply. Agotsu’s eyes widened as she shot her hands up to cover herself.

The scream could be heard all over town.

End of Chapter Seven.