The Leper
                                Interlude
                      by Nikholas "NomaD" F. Toledo


	Ranma 1/2 is the property of Kitty, VIZ and the omnipotent Rumiko 
Takahashi.  I am a property of Switch (so you know who to sue).

	I am NomaD... I am coming... I am near...

	Don't expect any summaries...

	Names and spellings have been explained in part 1... assuming you 
can still find it... or need it for that matter.

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WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
What can't kill you makes you stronger... PAIN!!!
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	*sizzle, sizzle*

	"Hey, sugar, you okay?"

	"Hmm?  Oh, sorry, I fell asleep there... I'm just so..."  *gulp!*

	It was only then that Ryouga noticed what Ukyou was wearing.

	The pink nightshirt flowed up to Ukyou's knees and covered her up 
nicely.  But against the light (which was where Ryouga was), one could 
make out the silhouette of Ukyou's body.  She approached Ryouga with a 
plateful of okonomiyaki.  When she leaned over to put the plate down, 
Ryouga gulped once more.  Ukyou's cleavage was now in plain sight and was 
slowly revealing itself inch by inch.  

	Now, Ryouga wouldn't normally faint, he'd just get really, really 
red and light-headed.  But Ukyou was too tired to be modest and she sure 
didn't expect any company at this time of the night, that's why she 
didn't put on a brassiere (not that she was aware of this at this point, 
mind you).  The last thing Ryouga remembered before passing out was the 
sight of blood and somebody saying "Ack!", then all went black.

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	Nabiki sat on her bed in the heart of the darkness.  The glow of 
the night filtered through her window but the light was mere inches from 
reaching her.  She could not sleep.

	She smiled the wickedest of smiles.

----------

	"Ryouga?!  Wake up, damn it!"

	"Hunh?"

	He slowly came back to he conscious world only to behold the most 
beautiful sight in the whole wide world... and a pair of bosoms to match.  
Ryouga immediately reached for his face as blood started spurting out his 
nose.  He was smart enough to close his eyes this time before he had the 
urge to pass out again.

	"Whoa!  That's one nasty nosebleed you got, sugar.  Is there 
anything I can do?"

	"Ngyu cang stawt my mutting somb klothes on..."

	Ukyou stared down at her attire.  It wasn't that bad nor was it 
revealing.  Shampoo would probably dress lesser.  She gave Ryouga a long, 
hard stare.  Who would have guessed that Ryouga was such a pervert.  She 
just shrugged and went upstairs to change.  

	Seeing that Ukyou was gone, Ryouga turned his attention on the 
plate of okonomiyaki in front of him.  The aroma was so intoxicating that 
Ryouga forgot his manners.  He quickly finished his very late dinner.  He 
leaned back on his seat and started thinking.

	"Okay, I'm here... now what?"

	"Mew!"

	A small gray, furry figure hopped on the table and stared at Ryouga 
with green almond eyes.

	"Hullo... who might you be?"

	"That's Ishi..."

	Ryouga immediately turned half-expecting Ukyou to be dressed in 
'something more comfortable'.  But she was not but not to his 
disappointment.  Instead, she slipped into a pair of shorts and a snugly 
fitting T-shirt and, yes, she was wearing a bra now.

	"She's Kii's cat."

	"Oh."

	"So..."

	Ukyou plopped down on the seat in front of Ryouga and smiled.

	"... what brought you here in the middle of the night?  Shouldn't 
you be at the Tendo's or somethin'?"

	"I heard... about you and Kiiroi."

	Ukyou just shrugged it off.

	"Really?  Which one, the engagement or the break-off."

	"Break-off?  Already?"

	"Well, technically, it wasn't a break-off since I never, in my 
whole life, considered the engagement in the first place.  It's more of 
making it binding."

	"But you seem upset by this."

	"So?"

	"So, if you don't care about the engagement then why get upset with 
it after it's over?"

	"... no, it's not like that.  We had a little fight before I broke 
it off."

	"I hope you guys still stay as friends."

	"Humph.  What for...?"

	"Because, he seems like a really nice guy to be friends with."  
(Here I go, no turning back now.)  "When I saw you two together, you were 
so close and comfortable with each other.  I gotta admit I was a bit 
jealous..."

	Slowly, Ukyou's cheeks began flushing.  Her gaze shifted and she 
began fidgeting.  Ryouga began stuttering.

	"Err, uh, envious, I mean!"

	Ukyou just gave a nod while looking at her twiddling fingers.

	"I... I never had a friend like yours in my whole life..."

	Ukyou paused her fidgeting.  She looked up and saw that Ryouga's 
gaze was elsewhere.  She can see the deepness of the sorrow in his eyes.  
Something inside her began to ache for him.

	"I mean... the closest person I can think of that I'd consider a 
friend is my arch-rival.  Ranma and I would usually fight all the time 
but I know that he's the last person in the world to ever let me down.  
Then there's Akane, but she only thinks of me as her pet 'P-chan'.  I've 
tired of walking a solitary path.  And since I can't seem to find anybody 
willing to travel the road with me then I guess I have no choice but to 
settle down.  I don't know what I'd give to have a friendship like 
yours..."  (I don't know what I'd give to have a friend like you.)

	"Oh, sugar... don't put yourself down too much.  There's lots of 
people here who'd want to be your friend.  I'm here..."

	*Ba-bump*

	This time, it was Ryouga's turn to blush.  But Ukyou didn't seem to 
mind what she said.

	"Do you remember the 'Tunnel of Lost Love'?"

	"Who wouldn't.  It was murder!  Good thing you were there."

	"I'd have to say the same for you, sugar."

	The words hung in the air as a silent interlude crept up in their 
conversation.  But they were comfortable with this as each reminisced 
their little misadventure.  Neither succeeded in the task of splitting a 
couple but instead built the foundation for a new one.

	"Anyway, there was something Akane said to me...

		'Ryouga's just so nice 
		unlike some people I know,
		I can always count on him,
		he never lies to me...'

	... which only proves that you're a really great guy."

	*BLUSH!*  "Geez!  You really think so?"

	"I know so.  So, you still in love with her?"

	"Huh?!?  Um, actually, I've come to accept my situation.  I mean, I 
know she loves me... just not the way I wanted her to love me.  But that 
was then.  Even though we're not exactly lovers, I've come to accept my 
role as somebody who'll always protect and respect her.  The only time 
I'm gonna relieve my self of that duty is when either that fool Ranma 
shapes up and treats Akane like his fiancee or I myself find my own 
destined..."

	It took only a glance for Ryouga to speak his heart and only a 
smile for Ukyou to answer back without saying a word.

	"Akane sure is special to you."

	"She's not the only one."

	Once more their eyes met.  Ukyou just looked and admired the 
features of his face.  Somehow she couldn't stop smiling, but neither did 
she care.

	"Ryouga?"

	"Yes?!"  (Say it...)

	"You mean to tell me that you came all here in the middle of the 
night just to comfort me?"

	"Yeah, I guess..."

	"That's so sweet... thank you."

	Ryouga just looked down at his lap and scratched his head like a 
little boy who just did a very good deed.

	"WAIT A MINUTE!  Ryouga!  You didn't get lost?!?"

	Ryouga's heart skipped a beat.  He thought about this.  He did miss 
a few intersections, but wait...  When he was about to give up, he 
remembered thinking only of Ukyou, not the walking, not the street signs, 
just Ukyou...

	"You're right.  I didn't get lost..."

	"Wow!  Isn't that great?"

	"Yeah..."  (Not to mention that it only happened one other time in 
my life.)

	It was during the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament.  It 
was love that led him to her... what about now?

	"Mreoaahm."  *yawn*

	"Aw, that is so cute!"

	Ishi paid no heed to the praise.  She just walked lazily towards 
Ryouga and jumped at his lap.  Ryouga froze not knowing what to do.  The 
cat clawed its way up his shoulder and stretched itself there.

	"Uh, what now?"

	"Just don't move, I guess."

	Ryouga looked out the window, it was still dark as expected but 
only a few hours 'til dawn.

	"Well, I guess I have to..."

	"Don't be silly.  You can stay here 'til morning comes.  I've got a 
rolled up futon behind the counter, you can sleep on that."

	Ukyou proceeded with the ceremony of unrolling the bedroll while 
Ryouga balanced with a sleeping kitty.  When all was in order, Ukyou 
began clearing out the dishes.

	"Look, if you need anything, don't hesitate to..."

	*gulp*  Go up?

	"... call."

	"Oh.  Okay."

	Ryouga plopped down on the futon and immediately found slumber.  He 
slept with happy thoughts in his head.  What's more, he slept very near a 
person he cared for very much.  And this time, he wasn't a pig.  He slept 
soundly and quietly, like the balled-up feline on his chest.

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end of interlude
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The Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ WWW: The Entertainment Capital of UP Village
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Rain Man, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD, 
 Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem, Chaos, Father, 
 Attar and Llewe @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html 
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