Dance of the Sword
Ep. Eleven of Cas of Blues Series
by Thom Keehn
zinyadel@hotmail.com

Ranma 1/2 characters and places belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  They are
used without permission throughout this work.  This is written without
the intent of monetary gain and shall not be distributed under such
pretenses.  This is meant for entertainment purposes only and shall
not be used in any way to harm animals.  This is and shall ever be the
last time I write a disclaimer of my own.  At least for this series.

The stories of both the Cas series and Wedding Aftermaths are on my
homepage in formatted text files.

http://ravenhale.anifics.com/fiction.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Oh my Gawd!  Cas injured!  Where was Ryuu when she needed him?!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Opening Theme - "New Beginning"

Welcome stranger what is your name?
Will you be my friend?
Time brings people through our lives
Few stay to the end

Life can be so temperamental
Fickle in its ways
So humor me as I open up
We can make a page that says

This is a new beginning
We can take this bond between us, and make it something more
This is a new beginning
Hold on tight, don't let me go, feelings rise and soar

Turn to me and ask the question
The one I want to hear
Keep me high up on this cloud
Whenever you are near

Ryuu walked through familiar streets alone.  It had been years since
he last stepped foot in Nerima.  Little had changed in his absence.
Perhaps, even in a place as reputedly crazy as Nerima, there were some
things that would never change.

Ryuu turned down a street, his feet carrying him to a place as
naturally as he breathed.  'Will I be welcome?' he wondered.  He
wasn't sure how Mrs. Saotome would welcome his return considering the
manner in which he had left.  True, she had known that he wasn't Ranma
like he had claimed but would all be forgiven that easily?  Ryuu shook
his head as if to clear his mind of his worries.

"The least I owe her is an apology," he said, firming his resolve.

Ryuu stopped short and gaped in deepening despair at the sight of
where his feet had taken him.  The proud estate of his benefactor was
defiled.  The windows were smashed and the walls were shuddering under
the weight of the damaged roof.  His pack dropped to the cobblestones,
forgotten.

"What happened?" he whispered.  He moved closer, pushing open the
gate.  The door swung upon, screaming from the motion on damaged
hinges.  He cringed at the sound but his feet would not be stopped.
He was drawn forward by a curiosity that transcended the mere musings
of any passerby.

Unwanted memories flashed behind his eyes.  His father standing in the
dojo, arms raised.  His father's voice.  'With the umisen-ken and the
yamasan-ken, even the reconstruction of our dojo is possible,' the
voice spoke.  His father calling upon the strongest technique of the
yamasan-ken.

Ryuu held out his hand, unable to move any farther.  The ceiling
caving in on his father while he could only watch helplessly.  His
father's large hand in his small hands.  Strong eyes, pain filled but
staring up at him with determination.  'Be strong, son.  Find the
umisen-ken and rebuild the dojo,' his father's voice pleaded to him.
'Promise me you won't fail.'

"I promise you," Ryuu whispered.  His father smiled and closed those
eyes, never to open them again.  A shudder coursed through him that
brought him to his knees.  Ryuu hugged his right arm tightly,
clenching his free hand into a fist that drew blood.  He squeezed his
eyes tightly, trying to force the memories away.

He took in a deep breath and looked up.  Something moved inside the
dilapidated home.  Peering more intently through the window, Ryuu
discerned the shadowy figure to be a woman.  He got to his feet and
with only a moment of hesitation, knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal an older woman dressed in a robe embroidered
with intricate flower designs.  The cloth stretched nearly to her
ankles and was tied about her waist with a simple white sash.  A thin,
loose fitting pair of white pants was worn beneath her robe and
slightly visible where the robe parted.  Her shoes were brown and
thick soled.

"Who...?  You are that boy," she declared.  Her auburn hair was pulled
back in a perfect bun.  Her brown eyes held no sign of resentment in
them though there wasn't any happiness there either.

"Kumon Ryuu," Ryuu answered with a nod.  His voice had come out a bit
shakily.  He silently cursed himself for showing such a weakness.

"Why have you returned?" she asked softly.  Her eyes glanced away from
him, the expression on her face undeniably sad.

"What has happened to your home?" Ryuu asked.  "Lady.  Who did this to
you?"

"It happened some time ago," she answered.  "Ranma..."

"Your son did this?" Ryuu cut in, barely believing his own claim.
"Why?"

Nodoka shook her head.  "No, it wasn't him," she assured him.  "Some
girls that admire misunderstood a situation and did this."  She
gestured to the household.  "I wanted to rebuild but I can only do so
much on my own."

Ryuu didn't fully understand Ranma's fianc�e business but knew enough
to consider the entire nonsense a problem that should have been solved
with a few words from Ranma.  It angered him to know that Ranma had
indirectly destroyed his mother's home though that anger was quickly
turned on himself.  'How can I fault him when I indirectly destroyed
my mother's life?'

"Why don't you have Ranma help?" he asked.  "I'm sure he feels at
least partly responsible for this mess."

Nodoka sadly shook her head.  "I don't want to cause my son any more
trouble in his difficult life," she answered honestly.  "Besides, this
place is best not ever being fixed.  It will never be the same.  I've
grown accustomed to life with the Tendou's.  Some things are best left
forgotten."

Ryuu put a hand on her shoulder.  "No, Lady," he said softly.  "Never
give up on something simply because it looks hopeless.  If the
foundation is strong, no matter how bad it looks on the outside, it
can be rebuilt."

"But even the supports waver on this soil," she protested.

"Then root your foundation on something stronger than mere soil," Ryuu
returned.

"Like what?" she asked.  "The only thing here for a foundation is the
ground upon which we stand."

Ryuu smiled.  "Your heart," he answered.  "You can never go wrong if
you start there."

Nodoka managed a weak smile.  "My heart does me no good in this
situation," she commented.  "When I look about this home that is no
longer, all I see is a life in which I was alone for so long.  Still I
appreciate your kindness."

"I can afford to be kind," Ryuu answered.  "It is the least I can do
for the kindness that you gave to me when you took me in those years
ago.  I never feel I truly thanked you for that and I probably never
will be able to."

"It was nothing," Nodoka said dismissively.  "I was lonely and needed
the company as much as you did."

Ryuu nodded.  "I'm also sorry for deceiving you like that," he
apologized.  "I should never have claimed to be your son."

"I had already forgiven you of that," she said with a smile.

"I am sorry for my actions in fighting your son," Ryuu declared.  "I
had spent too much time looking at the goal that I had become
oblivious to the things I was doing to achieve it.  I suppose I have
Ranma to thank for this, stepping back from my all-consuming goal."

"Then you should thank my son," Nodoka adroitly suggested.

Ryuu smiled.  "When the time is right," Ryuu returned.  "However I
doubt he will hand over what I desire after a simple thank you.  We
will probably fight again, though with a much calmer head this time."

"I will be sure to watch," Nodoka stated.  "Rarely does my son have a
fight with an opponent that isn't intent on ending his life."

Ryuu smiled and allowed his eyes to wander about the battered walls.
"It is a shame," he commented.  "I had hoped to be able to stay with
you but I don't feel that I'd be welcome at the Tendou's considering
how things ended between Ranma and myself."

Nodoka brightened.  "You can stay here if you wish," she suggested.
"It is like you said.  Though this place does look bad it has held up
these past years since the incident."

"Your kindness is without boundary," Ryuu thanked her with a formal
bow.

"Nonsense," Nodoka remarked, gesturing him inside.  Ryuu slipped into
the room and took a seat at the table in the next room.  Nodoka came
in after him after a moment, bearing a pair of cups and a teakettle.
She set the cups down and poured the tea carefully.  The table was in
poor condition, two of the supports broken causing the tea to lean
towards the woman in their porcelain prisons.

"Did you visit your parents?" Nodoka asked abruptly.

Ryuu lowered his head so as not to meet her gaze.  "They are both
dead," he explained.

"Oh," she whispered, breathlessly.  "I didn't know."

Ryuu smiled up at her.  "There was no way for you to have known," he
said.  "There was nothing wrong in asking."

"So what have you been doing with yourself?" she inquired, taking a
sip from her tea.

Ryuu sipped his tea politely before answering.  "I traveled across
Japan without any idea of what to do," he admitted.  "I had lost my
only direction in life and had nothing to return home to so I just
wandered.  I came upon a challenge at the Enkai Kyouran in Nagasaki
and I sort of became a town hero I suppose.  I was reigning champ
there for well over a year."

"You must have been quite popular," Nodoka assumed.

Ryuu shrugged.  "Maybe," he supposed.  "I never really asked others
about what others thought of me at the time.  I can tell you none of
the guys were offering me drinks or invitations to join them on
outings.  I was an outsider and I was a better fighter so they must
have been threatened."

"Sounds familiar," Nodoka said, sounding amused.  "My son has the same
problem, though I believe he does have a friend or two from school.
It just proves how manly of a man you are."

Ryuu furrowed his brow, confused.  "How do you figure?"

"A man among men will always be disliked by his peers, but he will be
respected," Nodoka explained.  "They are jealous of you, but in times
of trouble they would turn to you."

"They have no reason to be jealous of me," Ryuu remarked.  "I have
nothing of value to be desired.  My prowess as a fighter is the only
thing I have and I have been defeated twice now."

"You do yourself injustice," Nodoka claimed.  "Surely a man of your
skills and looks would draw the eye of every woman."

"If it has, I do not notice," Ryuu declared.  "The only girls that
pine after me are girls far too young for me to consider seriously."

"You must have some girl of your age that you want or wants you,"
Nodoka presumed.

Ryuu thought for a moment.  An image of a cat's tail, followed by an
image of a spatula and lastly little black piglet earrings came to him
in rapid succession.  "Well, maybe three girls but they all seem
rather attached to other men," Ryuu yielded.

"They always are attached," Nodoka said dismissively.  "Girls want to
be won over, even fought over at times.  Don't be afraid to act.  If
you do nothing, then a girl will think you think she is not worth
fighting for."

Ryuu blinked.  "Is that why Ranma lets all these girls fight over
him?"

"Umm... no," Nodoka managed, taken aback.  "That's more a matter of
him not being able to stop all these girls from fighting."

Ryuu shook his head, not really believing that was the truth.  "I
don't think I'd want a girl that I'd have to fight for.  Two of these
girls are interested in guys that have other attachments and the third
is probably that way with everybody," Ryuu explained.  "I don't know
if these girls are interested so why fight a fight that doesn't have a
secure reward at the end?"

"Life sometimes is a gamble," Nodoka returned.  "Let your heart tell
you what is secure and what is just a passing interest.  You'll know
the difference."

Ryuu snorted.  "Like Ranma knows the difference," he stated.

Nodoka nodded, unfazed.  "My son does know the difference," she
assured him.  "He only lacks the strength to make a decision that he
knows will hurt others that he doesn't wish to hurt."

"Waiting will only increase the harm he does," Ryuu declared.  "He
should speak now."

"As you should act now for one of these girls," Nodoka politely
countered.  "He is very much like you, Ryuu.  If there is a way to get
out of this without harming the others, he will find it.  That is what
he is waiting for.  Do you even know what you are waiting for?"

Ryuu nodded.  "I am waiting for someone who will kiss me good night
and tell me everything will be ok," he said softly.  "No one has done
that for me since I was a little boy."

Nodoka got up and walked over to him.  He looked up at her, curiously
as she stooped down to him.  Her lips touched his forehead.  "Good
night, Ryuu," she whispered.  "Everything will be ok."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryuu stood in darkness, an emptiness that stretched out around him in
all directions.  Despite seeing nothing, he could see his hands
clearly suggesting a light source had to be somewhere.  And also,
despite seeing nothing Ryuu didn't feel the least bit alone.

His father was in front of him, standing proud.  "Father!" Ryuu cried
out, running towards the vision.  He ran as fast as he could but his
father was not drawing any closer.  He ran until he had not the
strength to run any farther.  Even tired, Ryuu pressed onwards at a
steady walk.

"Ryuu," his father spoke.  "Why have you failed me?"

Ryuu gritted his teeth and continued walking, unable to pick up his
pace.  His legs were leaden beneath him and protested enough from what
little progress he was making.  "No, father," Ryuu stated.  "I have
not given up yet."

"You have been defeated in battle and have failed to find the
umisen-ken," his father accused.  "And since then you have done
nothing but waste your life.  You have gone backwards, not forwards."

This appeared to be the truth.  Despite all his efforts to catch his
father, the man was undeniably further away now than before.  "It was
only a minor setback," Ryuu justified.  "I needed the time to think
and restore the honor within myself."

"By pitying yourself for your mother's death in a hotel," his father
scoffed.  "Where is the honor in that?  You must restore the dojo.
Only then will the honor of our family be restored."

"No father," Ryuu said, collapsing to his knees.  His breathing came
rough and ragged.  "You taught me to lead a life of honor.  I failed
you when I first started the quest, not when I failed to complete my
search."

"An honorable man would have found a way to do both," his father
reprimanded him.  The voice held a softer edge, but still wasn't
approving.

"I was too young to understand," Ryuu admitted.

"That is no excuse," his father returned sternly.  "Promise me to lead
a life more honorable and promise me to rebuild the dojo."

"As before, I promise you," Ryuu swore.  His father faded.

"Remember Ryuu," his father's voice said softly.  "Never forget you
had a family that loved you.  Never forget that you are not alone."

Hands shook Ryuu by his shoulders.  Ryuu opened his eyes slowly, the
vision of a middle-aged woman above him.  Ryuu blinked, looking about
the room.

"You were speaking in your sleep," Nodoka explained, letting go of
him.

Ryuu rubbed his eyes, sitting up.  "What time is it?" he asked,
slipping his legs out from under the covers and off the side of the
bed.  He could see the sun out the shattered remnants of the bedroom
window high in the sky.

"A little before noon," she answered.  "You must have been really
tired."  Ryuu nodded, thinking over how early he had had to get up
with Ryouga around if he had wanted anything to eat for breakfast.
Without that worry, Ryuu felt quite rested for a change despite the
disturbing dream that still lingered in his mind.  Nodoka held out a
pack to him.  "I found this outside last night and brought it with me
this morning.  I recognized it to be yours and I didn't want to
disturb your rest last night."

Ryuu took the pack, blushing a little from his oversight.  "I forgot
about it when I saw the house," he admitted.  "Thank you."

"That's understandable," she said.  "I noticed you don't have much
clothes."

"You looked through my pack?" Ryuu asked, slightly surprised but not
sure if he should be angry.

"I had Kasumi wash your things," Nodoka explained, nonplussed.  "If
you don't mind, I'd wish for you to come with me to the shopping
district to pick up some clothes for you."

"Lady, you don't need to do such things for me," Ryuu stated.  "A
place to stay was intrusion enough on your kindness."

"Nonsense," Nodoka declared.  "Don't misunderstand me.  I'm doing this
merely to entertain myself.  Would you at least allow yourself to be
treated as such even if it is only to indulge the whims of an aging
mother?"

"You are hardly a woman past your prime," Ryuu countered.  "Why would
you insult yourself as such?"  Ryuu stood out of his bed.  He felt a
little awkward, being without a shirt or shoes in this woman's
presence but thankfully she wasn't showing any signs of discomfort.

"If you wish not to insult me," she began, "then I suggest you do as I
please.  You have nothing to lose."  Nodoka crossed her arms.  Ryuu
noted that she was dressed similarly to yesterday only the robe was a
different shade of white and the pants were mauve today.

Ryuu smiled.  "If you insist."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryuu leaned against the wall of the clothing store, bored beyond
belief.  In one hand he held onto a bag full of clothes of various
sorts to 'expand' his simplistic wardrobe.  The other was free but
soon would be encumbered by whatever style of shoes Nodoka finally
decided to sentence him to.

Ryuu shook his head as he peered into the bag of trend.  He honestly
doubted any other guy worried about what kind of jeans were popular
among teens or what kind of shirts or socks or whatever else that
could be subjected to the whims of fashion sense.  If they did, they
certainly had way too much free time on their hands.

"I think these would go perfectly with the spandex," Nodoka stated,
holding up a pair of sandals that looked like they were made of cloth.
Ryuu frowned.  "What you don't like them?"

"It's just..." he started.  He shrugged.  "How am I supposed to walk
in those?  They don't even look like they have soles."

"Well, you wouldn't wear them outdoors," Nodoka stated simply.

"Obviously," he quipped.  "Are you certain guys wear spandex?  I've
never seen a guy wear spandex before."

"Sometimes you have to trust the shopkeeper on matters of fashion,"
Nodoka answered cryptically.  Ryuu recalled the dainty, feminine
manner the man spoke and acted.  He doubted advice from that
shopkeeper was certainly far from mainstream.

"I'm only wearing those indoors," he declared.  "I'll wear them
outside when I see other people wearing them."

Nodoka frowned.  "Certainly you are not afraid to wear them," she
said.  "Why there is nothing for you to be ashamed of."

"It might be a little revealing," Ryuu explained.  'And would give the
wrong impression of what kind of person I am.'

"Modesty is endearing in a man," Nodoka noted.  "Besides, you must
admit to the advantages in fighting in spandex versus your fatigues."

'So is common sense,' he added to her first statement.  "Even in a
fight I prefer the more resilient fabric of my fatigues," Ryuu
commented.  "Those things look like they'd tear easily."

"Well, I'll buy you these, a pair of normal shoes and new boots so you
can wait for me outside," Nodoka stated.  "I'll be just a moment."

"Don't I need to try them on?" Ryuu asked.

Nodoka held up his ragged combat boots in her other hand.  "Unless you
grew out of these, I'm certain I can find something in matching
sizes," she replied.  "You can be free of me for a moment."

Ryuu smiled.  "You read me too well," he admitted, bowing politely.
"I'll be right outside."  He slipped out of the store, his socked feet
padding lightly on the sidewalk.  Ryuu chose his path across the road,
careful not to harm his feet.

So intent was he on his progress that he didn't notice the man until
he walked directly into him.  Ryuu staggered back, inadvertently
striking the man with his bag when he tried to regain balance.  The
man fell backwards onto the unforgiving stone.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"You fiend!" the man snarled up at him.  The man was a dark eyed man
with equally dark hair.  The man was also dressed in a voluminous blue
robe that parted generously to reveal the man's strong chest.  The man
sprung up at him, drawing a weapon.

"Wait!" Ryuu cried out, backing off.  "It was an accident."

"An accident!" the man shot back, incredulously.  "First you run into
me and then strike me with your baggage.  That is no accident!"

The weapon the man held was a wooden sword.  Ryuu doubted it could do
much damage but by the very stance of the man, he could tell the man
knew how to use it in a fight.  "Look, can't we talk this over?" he
asked.  "I don't even know who you are."

"I am Kunou Tatewaki, once the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High," the man
proclaimed.

Ryuu still had his hands up defensively.  "Ok, I am Kumon Ryuu, a
stranger to these parts," he stated.  "I meant no harm.  It was an
accident."

"Hmph!" Tatewaki grunted.  "I see.  I shall allow your transgression
to go unnoticed.  Obviously your cowering nature before such a
superior fighter as I convinces me to spare your meager and worthless
life for the time being."

"Um... thanks," Ryuu returned, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his
laughter.

"What is so funny, peasant?" Tatewaki demanded.

"I'm just overwhelmed with relief from your gracious forgiveness,"
Ryuu stated sarcastically.

"As you should be," Tatewaki agreed.  "As I am the Blue Thunder."

"You are aware that thunder can't possible be blue considering it is a
sound with no materialistic body to be seen," Ryuu ventured.

"It is a metaphor," Tatewaki declared proudly.  "Such deeper meanings
in words would be beyond the grasp of the common intellect."

"Really?" Ryuu asked.  "If a man is color blind, can he see anything,
or is white and black not truly colors?"

"You mock me," Tatewaki declared, his fists tightening on his weapon.

"You bore me," Ryuu shot back, "but you don't see me complaining."

"You seal your own fate, stranger," Tatewaki said.  "Tomorrow we shall
meet, this time tomorrow at the park.  I suggest you say your
farewells to life before the celestial sun rises high overhead
tomorrow."

"I'll put it at the top of my 'To Do' List," Ryuu commented, smirking.
Kunou bowed politely to him and stalked down the street.  Ryuu watched
the man go, wondering why he had even bothered accepting a challenge
from a moron like that.  It wasn't like this was the first time
someone had insulted him for no apparent reason.

Nodoka tapped him on the shoulder, holding out the bags to him.  "What
are you looking at?" she asked curiously.

"Kunou Tatewaki," Ryuu answered.  "He wishes to fight me tomorrow."

Nodoka sighed.  "You are more like Ranma everyday," she commented.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryouga wandered the streets of Nerima in the fading light.  Worries
plagued his thoughts as he tried to make his way back home from his
'short' walk.  He cursed himself for thinking he needed some fresh air
to clear up his mind.

A lot had happened today.  Akari had come over at an inconvenient
time, forcing him to splash Cas.  While that had diffused any trouble
with Akari, it had put Cas into a terrible mood.  Now Cas was
committed to a fight with Akane and hated him for his deceptions.

"Damn you, Ranma," he cursed.  "If you had only showed up to that
fight, none of this would ever have happened.  I would never have been
cursed.  I would never have been in this compromising position with
Akane."  He smashed a fist into the stone wall, cracking it severely.

He looked up and to his surprise he saw a familiar face walking
towards him.  The man was escorting an older woman that Ryouga was
also familiar with though he had never been formally introduced to
her.  Ryouga waved at the pair, hoping that at least he could get some
guidance back home.

Ryuu looked up, brown eyes widening in surprise.  "Ryouga!" Ryuu said
with a start.

The woman frowned.  "You know this man, Ryuu?" she asked politely.

"Yes," Ryuu answered.  "Ryouga is one of my friends that accompanied
me back to Nerima.  I don't think I fully told you that story."

"This young man knows my son though I never know if they are friends
or not," the woman stated.  "They always act so juvenile towards each
other."

Ryouga frowned.  "What's juvenile?"

Ryuu waved a hand dismissively.  "I wasn't any different when I came
here first," Ryuu admitted.  "Ryouga here was the only other person to
defeat me in combat."

Ryouga blushed at the compliment and the woman's eyes boring into him.
"It was nothing," he stated.

"Hah!" Ryuu huffed, crossing his arms.  "Nothing!  You barely beat me
by my recollection."

"Well, I wasn't allowed to use my umbrella," Ryouga commented.  "It
would have been over much sooner if the fight was geared more to my
fighting style."

"Weapons are a cowardly way to fight," Ryuu declared.

"Hey!" Ryouga protested.  "There is nothing cowardly in my fighting!"

"So you say," Ryuu shot back.  "Remember once I can use my moves
again, I'll be more than happy to mop the floor with you, weapon or
not."

"You can use your moves again!" Ryouga snarled.  "We settled that
matter last night!"

Mrs. Saotome put a hand between the would-be combatants.  "Ryuu, I
don't want you starting another fight," she scolded Ryuu.  "You should
be concentrating on your opponent for tomorrow."

"Opponent..." Ryouga managed, puzzled.

Mrs. Saotome turned on him, eyes glaring.  "And as for you," she said
firmly.  "I understand that you did defeat my son last night from the
tabletop discussion yesterday.  I take it you and this Cas they speak
of are friends of Ryuu."  Ryouga nodded.  "What deal did you make that
suddenly allows Ryuu to use the yamasan-ken?"

"It was a simple deal," Ryuu answered for him.  "They made Ranma
promise to renege a promise made to him if they won.  Apparently they
have done so and now I can resume my quest, though this time with more
honor."

"You have a fight tomorrow?" Ryouga asked.  "With whom?"

Ryuu shrugged.  "Some jerk named Kunou," Ryuu replied.

"He uses a weapon," Ryouga stated.  "He was the captain of the kendo
club."

"I'm sure he wouldn't use it in an honorable fight," Ryuu remarked
dismissively.  "He made the challenge himself."

"He won't fight without his bokken," Ryouga returned.  "Have you ever
fought an armed opponent?"  Ryuu nodded.  "A skilled one?"

Ryuu paled slightly.  "Well, not really, I suppose," Ryuu admitted.
"I guess thugs don't count as skilled weapon users."  Ryuu smiled.
"But with my technique back, I should be more than enough for a
seasoned kendoist."

Mrs. Saotome frowned.  "I don't know," she muttered doubtfully.  "You
haven't been in practice for years.  Perhaps some training in
disarming opponents is in order."

Ryuu crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression on his face.  Ryuu
sighed.  "I suppose it can't hurt to be a bit prepared," Ryuu yielded.

"Um... could you guys help me back home before you do that?" Ryouga
asked sheepishly.  "I really want to be home before Cas gets upset at
me for not being there tomorrow morning."

Ryuu laughed.  "Sure it's the least we can do," Ryuu said.  Ryuu
gestured to Mrs. Saotome to come along.  "Shall we?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryuu walked alongside Mrs. Saotome on a road leading into the park.
Today she was dressed in tan pants and a tucked in, white blouse.  The
blouse was short sleeved, exposing her strong yet slender arms.  Her
hair was pulled up in it's usual bun.

'Amazing,' he thought, watching her.  He still could not believe the
prowess of a formidable fighter was hidden within the kind woman
walking beside him.  She had taught him many useful maneuvers to
assist him in his upcoming fight.

Ryuu tore his gaze off the woman.  He clutched his hands in each
other, unused to the fingerless, leather gloves he was wearing from
her insistance.  Supposedly the gloves matched his khaki and black
camouflage pants.  He had only yielded on the matter because the
gloves better protected his knuckles.

It was a very nice day out, with a gentle breeze stirring the leaves
of the trees in the park ahead of the pair.  A sizable crowd was
amassing in a clearing near the center of his destination.  He
frowned, thinking this was a big mistake.  Apparently Kunou had
forgotten some event that was going on here and the fight would have
to be moved elsewhere to avoid injuring those not involved.

"What do you think is going on?" he asked to his companion.

"Seems like word of your fight has leaked out," Nodoka noted as they
began intermingling with the crowd.  Ryuu searched the crowd for any
familiar faces like Cas or Ryouga which would undoubtedly explain how
word got out.  Cas liked to speak when things were best left alone.

Instead he found a familiar spatula-wielding chef serving out
discounted lunches to the assembly.  Her back was to him as she worked
diligently on a portable grill.  He listened in fascination as she
happily served up the orders she was taking by the droves.

"Are you staring at that girl?" Nodoka asked, snapping him out of the
trance.

"I was... how about we say hello," Ryuu suggested.  "I can get you
something to eat if you like."

"That would be kind," she noted, taking his arm.

Ryuu led the older woman up and around to face the okonomiyake chef.
Ukyou hadn't noticed them yet, her attention fully on the grill.  She
was taking orders from customers without looking up.  The only time
she did look up was to take the money from the customer in exchange
for the order.

Ukyou raised an eyebrow, noticing them at last.  "Hello, Ukyou," Ryuu
greeted.  "I assume you know Mrs. Saotome."  Ryuu looked over to the
woman in interest.  "Lady, this is Ukyou, the last of my small band
that I accompanied to Nerima."

Ukyou smiled pleasantly.  Ryuu felt tension between the two, mostly
from Nodoka.  Nodoka's smile in return was barely civil.  "Ryuu,
you'll have to tell me how you came to know Mrs. Saotome," Ukyou
declared.  "Is there anything you'd like to eat before you whip
Kunou's ass?  For you two it'd be free."

"I'll eat after this is over," Ryuu answered.  He gestured to Nodoka,
inquisitively.

"I suppose a simple shrimp okonomiyake would do," the older woman
yielded, stiffly.

"No sweat," Ukyou quipped.  "So Ryuu.  What did you do to get on
Kunou's bad side?"

"Ran into him," Ryuu replied curtly.

"Figures," Ukyou stated.  "Looks like I'm the only one of us that
hasn't gotten into a fight since we got here."

"I understand Ryouga and Cas defeated Ranma the other day," Ryuu
agreed with a nod.

"Just Ryouga," Ukyou corrected.  "Cas has her own fight with Akane
today."

"What?!" Ryuu sputtered.

"You still got a pretty good crowd despite that," Ukyou commented,
ignoring his concerned gaze.  "It's probably because it isn't a fight
between Ranma and whomever.  Ranma always gets a good crowd due to
Nabiki but she was pretty quiet about this duel between Cas and
Akane."

"Did you know about this?" Ryuu asked Nodoka.

The older woman nodded.  "I found out last night but I didn't want to
trouble you considering your upcoming match," Nodoka explained.

"Cas can hold her own, right?" he asked Ukyou.

Ukyou shrugged.  "It's only Akane," she said simply.  "She may be a
little overmatched but Cas must have a plan of some sort.  She always
does."

"Maybe," Ryuu muttered, not in the least convinced.  All the people
gathered in the park annoyed him.  "Why are all these people here?"

"Nothing better to do," Ukyou quipped, serving up Nodoka's
okonomiyake.  "Plus everybody wants to see if Kunou gets his ass
kicked again."

"Young ladies should not speak such obscenities," Nodoka commented
icily.

Ryuu laughed.  "Oh, don't worry yourself, Mrs. Saotome," he remarked.
"Ukyou never claimed to be a lady."

"Gee thanks for the defense," Ukyou said sarcastically.

"Why are you here?" Ryuu asked, raising a brow.  "Shouldn't you be at
the dojo trying to win Ranma's heart or something?"

"The fight at the dojo is between Cas and Akane," Ukyou replied
curtly.  "It has nothing to do with me and the crowd is much smaller.
It was more profitable for me to be here."

"Gee thanks for the support," Ryuu echoed with as much sarcasm.

"There you are, cretin!" a loud voice boomed.  Ryuu looked over to see
the same man from yesterday walking purposefully towards him.  The man
was dressed exactly the same as yesterday, making Ryuu wonder if Kunou
had even bothered changing clothes.  Both hands were at Kunou's side
clutching a bokken loosely tied to the waist.

"Ah the Blue Thunder," Ryuu noted amiably.  "Ready for your match with
the Screaming Oak?"

"Screaming Oak?" Tatewaki muttered, confused.  The man's approach
halted in an instant, overcome by this new revelation.

"I had to think up something to call myself to befit our match," Ryuu
stated offhandedly.  "I lost a few seconds of sleep last night mulling
it over."

"You still mock me!" Tatewaki growled furiously.  "Yaaaaaa!" the man
screamed, swinging his weapon at him.  Ryuu hopped back, bumping into
Nodoka.

"Hey!" Ryuu protested.  "We're still in the crowd!  Could you wait a
second?"

"Then get out in the opening and stop cowering behind these peasants!"
Tatewaki cried out, leading with another hard slash.

Ryuu sucked in his gut, narrowly avoiding the tip of the sword.  His
shirt ripped and his midsection ached despite the near miss.  'Damn,'
he cursed.  'This guy swings so fast the wind is lethal.'  Ryuu leapt
over the swordsman, using Kunou's shoulders as a means to handspring
himself into the clearing.  A mixture of cheers arose from the crowd
at the spectacle.

"Running away are you!" Kunou shouted, chasing after him.

"I'm just doing like you said," Ryuu protested.  Ryuu grabbed onto the
bokken on the next lunge and threw all his weight into a roundhouse
kick to Kunou's head.  It connected and Ryuu let go of the sword,
expecting the fight to be over.  A painful jab into his side told him
otherwise.

"This is far from over!" Kunou shouted, showering Ryuu with a series
of vicious slashes that left his clothing in tatters though none of
the blows fully connected.

'Damn,' he swore again.  'That should have dropped him.  I need to get
further into his reach.'  Ryuu spun into the blur of wood, gritting
his teeth.  His back took a shocking blow but he was in.  Kunou was
trying to back away but Ryuu kept pressing in, dodging most blows and
blocking only when desperate.

"Mouko kaimon-ha!" Ryuu shouted, grabbing both of Kunou's arms and
pulling them apart.  His foot shot up and connected solidly with
Kunou's jaw.  Kunou staggered back.

'Not enough,' Ryuu decided.  He let go of Kunou's arms.  "Dokuja
tanketsu-shou!" Ryuu cried out, striking his palm straight into his
opponent's sternum.  Kunou coughed, a hand clutching at the sore spot.

"Geimon tessenshi!" Ryuu growled, partially in frustration.  His palm
shot up hard into Kunou's exposed throat.  The taller man fell to the
side, the hand now favoring the throat instead of the chest.  Ryuu
noted with annoyance that Kunou still held tightly to the bokken with
the other hand despite the gagging noises coming from his opponent.

Cheers arose from the crowd at the apparent defeat of the kendoist.
Ryuu simply crossed his arms, glaring down at his opponent.  "Do you
yield?" he stated grimly.  The knuckles of the hand clutching the
bokken whitened but that was all the answer he was given from the
gasping Kunou.  "It hardly matters because I am through with you,
peasant."

With that said, Ryuu turned his back on his opponent and stalked
towards Nodoka and Ukyou.  Both women looked upon him with a mixture
of respect and admiration.  At least that what he hoped it was.  He
hoped they weren't looking at him that way because his shirt was in
tatters and his pants had fared only slightly better.

The widening of Ukyou's eyes was all the warning he needed as he had
expected this.  The rustle of wind was coming from above so Ryuu
snapped himself back into a backbend.  The bokken slashed over him.
Kunou was there, eyes burning with hatred yet surprised at the
maneuver.

Ryuu's confidant grin turned fierce as he snapped his legs up to
Kunou's head.  His legs clamped around his opponent just below the
arms.  He then locked his ankles, squeezed and put every ounce of
strength to snap his legs back down.  Kunou was lifted off the air in
a merciless arc that planted the kendoist headfirst into the ground.

Ryuu staggered to his feet, his back protesting sharply to his last
action.  He blinked in surprise as Kunou began to get up, though in
much worse condition than before.  'What is it going to take to put
him down?'

"It... is far... from over..." Kunou weakly declared and promptly fell
back to the ground.

Ryuu sighed in relief and held a fist out to Nodoka.  "Thanks," he
called out over the cheering voices of the crowd.  "It came in handy
after all."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Really, you should be getting home to your family, Lady," Ryuu chided
the older woman that wouldn't stop fussing over him.  "It's getting
late and you've already been more than kind enough in cooking dinner
for me and tending to my wounds."

"Nonsense," Nodoka stated.  "Everyone needs company.  You are no
different."

Ryuu closed his eyes, shaking his head sadly.  "I'll be fine," he
countered.  "You have a family and you should be with them.  A night
on my own won't change anything."

Nodoka sighed.  "I suppose," she relented.  "But at least call a
friend or someone and let them know what happened today.  You've been
alone too long, Ryuu.  Seek company."

"Well," Ryuu said, thoughtfully.  "I guess I could call Ukyou and ask
her how she is and how things turned out with Cas."

Nodoka appeared intrigued from his words.  "You are interested in
these girls, aren't you?" she said, though it sounded almost like an
accusation.

Ryuu snorted.  "I don't know about Cas but I do like Ukyou," he
admitted.  He smiled as the memory of the race in Kyoto flashed
through his mind.  "She made quite an impression on me."

Nodoka didn't look the least bit amused.  "I warn you, Ryuu," Nodoka
said sternly.  "That girl is nothing but trouble.  She's unstable."

Ryuu smiled.  "If she was stable I probably wouldn't be interested,"
he quipped.  "I don't want a girl with a perfect life.  I want her to
have just as many problems as I do so I don't have to feel so guilty
about being so unworthy."

"You will never be unworthy," Nodoka assured him with a gentle smile.
"Make your phone call."

Nodoka kissed him on the forehead and disappeared down the street.
Ryuu watched her go, feeling content.  He felt like he had finally
found a place to call home, even if it would only be for a while.  His
thoughts lingered for a moment and then he went to make that phone
call.

The phone was answered on the first ring.  "Uuchan's sorry we don't do
delivery," a sweet voice sounded through the receiver, despite the
obvious fact that the greeting was well rehearsed.

"Hey Ukyou," Ryuu said boldly.  "How are you?"

"Too busy to chat," she returned curtly.  "I'm closing shop early
today to go to the hospital."

"Why?" Ryuu asked, a feeling a dread welling up in the pit of his
stomach.

"It's... Cas," Ukyou said, her voice breaking for a moment.  "You
didn't know?"

"What happened?"

There was a long silence.  "Just come to the hospital, Ryuu," she
whispered.  She began to give out the directions, which he did his
best to memorize.  "It's bad."

"Okay, I'll be there tonight," he said.  Ukyou didn't answer.  The
phone was simply hung up.  Ryuu hung up the phone and quickly got
ready for the trip.  In his hurry he noticed a little card in his
backpack.  He picked it up, realizing what it was.

Before he left, Ryuu made a second call to Osaka.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Closing Theme - "Dizzy"

Waiting
Watch the clock pass time
The words I want to say to you
Can't escape my mind

Wondering
Someday will you realize?
The feelings that I hide behind
The fury of my eyes

Please dizzy up this girl
Spin around my world
Tell me that you love me more than anyone you knew
Dizzy up this girl
Give my life a twirl
Wait and see what happens next when you do

How long will your indecision
Bring heartache in my life
Whether wrong or right
It keeps me up at night

Letting go of a childhood dream
Was never my intent
But if you don't say yes
My life will be a mess

So dizzy up this girl
Watch her wings unfurl
As you say you love her more than anyone you knew
Dizzy up this girl
What was sand is now a pearl
As every girl needs love to get her through

Please someday soon

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Well that's a wrap.  Please email any comments to zinyadel@hotmail.com.
I don't mind flames.  Sometimes good ideas come from them.  I'll be sure
to torment all once again with the next addition.

Ciaow


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