Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Ryoga 1/2 Chronicles ❯ Guardian Angels ( Chapter 7 )

The Ryoga Half Chronicles

Chapter 7: Guardian Angels.

Ryoga watched the last of his students leave then set about cleaning the dojo. As he went about his work he reflected on the last few months since he'd defeated the Red Moon martial artists team, the dojo was finally making money again and relative peace seemed to have returned to Nerima. Ryoga wondered how Akane was doing, she'd gone to visit Nabiki for the weekend who was now enrolled at Tokyo University studying accounting. He just hoped her flatmate wouldn't return to his old ways. He wondered how long it would be before Nabiki nabbed Kuno permanently. He was almost finished when something made him look round. A chill wind seemed to run through the room making him shiver slightly.

"Who's there?" He asked nervously. There was only silence and slowly Ryoga let himself relax but still it felt as if there was a presence in the room though he couldn't see anyone. "Ranma is that you?" Ryoga asked as the thought crossed his mind.

"Huh, not as dumb as you look Mr P." Ryoga's eyes almost popped out of his head as Ranma materialised in the corner of the room, a sly smile on his face.

"B…b…but how? I though? Well you know."

"Think of me more as an echo of the Ranma you once knew, a little bit that hasn't quite faded." Ryoga frowned and approached slowly realising for the first time he could still see the wooden wall of the dojo through Ranma's shirt. He tried to place a hand on his shoulder but it sank through.

"So why are you here then?"

"Because Akane is in danger."

"What! Danger, what kind? Where is she?" Ryoga said already stuffing food and cloths into his pack.

"She's alright at the moment don't worry." Ryoga stopped and looked up again.

"So what's the problem then?"

"Out of all of you guys who ever tried to defeat me, I was only ever truly afraid of one of you. Only one of you did I ever thing might really try and kill me. Even you Ryoga never really tried, to hurt me maybe but never actually kill me. Once I was dead he thought his problems were over but they simply shifted from being me to being you so he's decided to get rid of the source once and for all."

"You mean Mousse."

"Yes. He thinks if he kills her, you'll be so stricken with grief he'll be able to finish you off no problem. I think you should know, it's going to come down to a battle to the finish with him Ryoga. He is so obsessed with getting Shampoo now that reason is no longer an issue. It's perverse really but somehow all I can do is pity him."

"So what do I do?"

"Well ultimately that's up to you but you have to find a way to settle it with him for good or he'll kill you and he'll kill Akane. And it's no good trying to get Shampoo to love him cos she never will."

"But Shampoo'll think I'm fighting for her and…"

"Don't worry, surely you've noticed she hasn't been around as much lately. She's been hanging out with that new delivery boy they hired at the Neko Haten. She's only been coming by to keep Mousse of the guys back. He's not like us but I think Shampoos finally following her heart instead of those Amazon rules."

"How do you know all this?"

"She was my friend too you know, I like to make sure she's ok. Speaking of which, you've been going round to Ukyo's a lot haven't you?" Ranma said with a sly grin.

"What! Ah, ah, I don't know what you mean."

"Ok, whatever man but remember what I said, Akane's back in two days and Mousse isn't a patient person." Ryoga looked down at his fingers knotted together as he thought about these words.

"I guess I'll have to challenge him, but Ranma…" Ryoga looked up to find Ranma had vanished, he looked round the room but it was empty again and the feeling of someone else around had gone. "Did I imagine that?" A floor board creaked slightly in one corner. "No it was real. Thank you again Ranma." Ryoga propped the broom against the wall and closed the door behind him as he left before crossing the garden to the house and the welcoming smell of Kasumi's cooking.

*

A figure sat in an empty corner of the Neko Haten and thought. Just when he thought his problems were over and Shampoo was his for sure, the old ghoul had put it into Shampoos head to go after Ryoga. So he had to be taken care of but after the incident with the Red Moon martial artists team he knew he'd be no match in a fair fight and that only left an unfair fight. In the darkness Mousse pondered his options, it seemed there was only one way to distract Ryoga sufficiently. Akane, if he could simply put her in enough harms way the miserable wife thief's attention wouldn't be focused on him and he could make his attack and if that violent tomboy of a girl was killed to, no matter. He was a Chinese Amazon and nothing was going to stand in his way when it came to Shampoo. In the corner Mousse nodded to himself as he began to design his most deadly weapon yet.

*

From the station roof, Mousse watched people climb on and off the train till through the crowd he spotted Akane's bag weaving through the mass of people, as she emerged from the doors of the station he swooped down grabbed the girl under one arm and bundled her into a large packing crate he'd left to one side, nailing down the lid.

"It's no use struggling Akane, just stay quite and nothing will happen at least till Ryoga gets here."

"Actually, he's already." A voice said from inside the crate which instantly bulged and exploded into a hundred shards, female Ryoga stood among the wreckage dressed in Akane's uniform his hair now hanging out from under the wig. Mousse gritted his teeth and stared at her through narrowed eyes.

"How? How did you find out?"

"Let's say and old friend told me. Now, we are going to settle this once and for all." Ryoga said dropping into her fighting stance.

"Fine, maybe I don't have Akane but I still have this." Mousse let out a wild laugh of insanity as he threw open his outer coat and a burst of miniature missiles launched at Ryoga.

"Shit." Ryoga said, she realised she had only seconds to think, attacking the little rockets would be useless they would detonate for sure, her only option seemed to be to dodge. Leaping into the air she watched the barrage sail under her but to her horror as she landed they began to bank round on a return course.

"Don't think you can get away that easily, these are locked onto you forever." Mousse cawed loudly. Ryoga began to panic as she sprinted away from the missiles closing in on her. Something in her brain suddenly clicked, a memory of a fight where he'd used the Bauksi Tenksu to create a wall of rising debris to deflect an attack. There were many more targets this time but maybe his new moves would help.

"Bauksi Katchu Amaguriken Tenksu!" She yelled her fists striking the ground in an ark, the concrete blasting up into the air as she then threw herself backwards, the explosions rocked the earth and buildings around people screaming as they ran for cover. Even in a town used to unscheduled violent combat in the streets this was like nothing they had ever seen. Mousse laughed manically as he watched the dust filling the air. Finally that fool was out of the way and Shampoo was his.

"Good bye Ryoga Hibiki. Your time is up."

"Wait!" Ryoga's voice boomed from the dust. Mousse turned in shock and watched the dust began to clear and suddenly part as Ryoga's fist spliced downwards the draft creating a clearing in the artificial fog. Male Ryoga stepped forward into the clear air scowled at Mousse. "WHAT KIND OF AN IDIOT ARE YOU. INNOCENT PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT!" He almost screamed. Mousse clenched his fist till his nails almost drew blood from his palm.

"FUCK INNOCENT PEOPLE. WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE. AHHH!" Mousse shrieked as he hurled a hundred razor edged weapons at Ryoga. He watched them approach judging the right moment before deflecting each object into the ground.

"If that's all you can do Mousse, you've lost." Ryoga said calmly. Just then he heard something that made his blood run cold.

"Ryoga sugar, what's going on?" Ryoga felt his world slow to a snails crawl as he saw Ukyo over Mousse's shoulder running towards him down the street. He looked back at Mousse's face and watched the evil smirk grow on his face.

"Ukyo, nooo." Ryoga screamed charging towards her as Mousse turned flinging every weapon he had in her direction. As he passed the demented Chinese martial artist Ryoga watched Ukyo draw her spatula and deflect the first of the deadly blades aimed for her. Only inches from reaching her, Ryoga heard Ukyo's scream as the first knife pierced her skin. As she fell three more sank in to her chest, Ryoga caught her before she hit the floor and held her gently in his arms.

"Ryoga." Ukyo whimpered.

"Ukyo, no don't let go. We have to get you to a doctor." Even as he spoke he could feel her blood running over his fingers, his shirt becoming damp and stained. Ukyo shook her head.

"Sorry honey but I don't think they'll be able to help." She was beginning to breath heavier and Ryoga could tell she was having difficulty talking even through the tears welling in his eyes.

"But I won't let you die, not you too. I've already lost one friend, I can't loose another."

"You know I'd never really realised it but I, I love you." Ukyo smiled weakly at Ryoga who grabbed her hand in his holding it to his lips in a tender kiss as the words ran through him echoing his own feelings.

"I love you too." Ukyo's smile broadened for a second.

"Thank you Ryoga Hibi…" Her last words trailed off and Ryoga felt her body fall limp in his arms.

"No." Ryoga sobbed clutching her body close. Suddenly he remembered Mousse still standing behind. He turned to see the boy standing over them a look of distaste on his face and a gun in his hand.

"Let's see of your faster than this shall we?" He said.

Ryoga's battle aura exploded into existence as he let out a scream of rage and anger, the rage and hate of not only himself but another deep inside him. In horror Mousse watched the face staring back no longer Ryoga nor Ranma but a mix of both with a look of pure hate. The attack lasted but a few seconds as the strange boy landed blow after blow over every portion of Mousse's body with every ounce of strength he had and when it was over Ryoga stood over the bloodied remains of the insane boy tears streaming down his face, a gently wind ruffling his hair and sodden cloths then finally he collapsed exhausted beside the body of Ukyo. From around people began to come out of hiding and gather in the eerie silence.

From a roof top, Cologne watched a single tear rolling down her cheek for the innocent girl who'd lost her life and berated herself for not seeing how truly dangerous Mousse had been. However obsessed he'd seemed she'd thought just a childish crush he couldn't let go of. From her vantage point she could see the Neko Haten and standing outside, ? and Shampoo together talking. She noted Shampoo had abandoned her normal clothes for shorts and a t-shirt and trainers and the pom poms removed from her hair. Cologne wondered how she was going to break the news to her granddaughter. She jumped down into the alley to collect the three figures lying there.

*

Ryoga sat on the roof of the Tendo dojo staring over the lights of the town on the warm, silent evening. Everything was still except for the occasionally breath of wind disturbing the leaves of the trees. He felt someone sit next to him and turned to see Ranma sitting there looking just as sad as Ryoga felt.

"I'm sorry Ryoga."

"It wasn't your fault Ranma, Mousse really was just insane."

"Yes, even I didn't realise he'd go that far."

"Did you, see the funeral?"

"Yeah." Ranma sighed sadly.

"I wish I'd realised how I felt earlier. Everything could have been so different. Maybe you…"

"Don't go there Ryoga. Ifs and maybes don't help anyone they just make it hurt more." They were both silent for a moment then Ranma spoke again. "I'm not supposed to do this but." He said directing Ryoga's attention to his other side.

"Ukyo." He said in shock as he saw the young Okanomi Yaki chef sitting next to him. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

"It's ok Ryoga. Life happens the way it happens. Once you get here you start to see just what it's all about. But hey sugar, remember you've got a job to do there, protecting Akane and at a time like this she needs a friend."

"But what about you, I love you."

"I'll be waiting for you. When it's time, we'll be together again. Until then honey, just know that I love you and that I'll always be with you." Ranma and Ukyo stood.

"We have to go now." Ranma said looking up at the sky.

"Will I see you again?"

"I don't know, maybe. You'll just have to wait and see. Goodbye Ryoga." Ranma said winking before he vanished. Ryoga turned to look at Ukyo one last time.

"Goodbye Ukyo." Ryoga said, finding a lump growing in his throat.

"Goodbye Ryoga, till we meet again." And with that she pressed her face to his and for an instant he felt as though a tiny current was being passed through his body before it faded away with the image of Ukyo.

Ryoga brushed a tear away and looked back out over the town.

"Akane this I swear, for Ranma and Ukyo. I will protect you at any cost till my dying day." He let his words echo away into the night before leaping from the roof and heading indoors for the night.