guardian angels who love their charges - Ryoga & Tohko

[pchan]

 Before leaving on this latest 'journey to become stronger', Ryoga Hibiki had emptied out his wallet in buying good luck charms. Normally he wouldn't lower himself to such superstitions (or so he told himself, though that still made it a lie)  but he needed all the fortune he could get on the return journey back. He had an ingenious plan... he would show Akane Tendo his brand new super strength on Valentine's Day!

But despite his backpack being filled with expensive charms, on February fourteenth Ryoga was nowhere near Akane's home town. Though he would still keep moving, his heart was heavy with despair. Why did things always turn out his way? Why was he misfortune's favorite son? Why couldn't his parents do all in their power to ensure that his sense of direction was something close to normal?

With his agony and anger bubbling up, he needed to vent before he resumed his footsteps. Maybe if he got rid of these feelings temporarily, it'd make this whole thing feel faster. He took a deep breath, flexed his fingers, and crouched into position, starting the 'mantra'.

"Can't do anything right... Can't even follow directions...Not even sure where I am right now... SHISHI HOKODAN!"

The Lion's Roar shot flew out of his hands, toppling a nearby tree within seconds.

Comments

[tohko_amano]

Since Ryoga was the first person Tohko had ever watched over and tried to protect, she had made a lot of blunders and errors over the years. For example, she’d sometimes accidentally led Ryoga in the wrong direction when she wasn’t completely sure of the way herself, and she tried to send messages out to his family so that they could all try to meet up at home during Christmas and have a lovely meal together, but..since Ryoga’s poor sense of direction was genetic and she didn’t really have any authority to help them out (just sending the messages out got her in trouble), it almost never seemed to work, much to her disappointment. After all..it seemed like sharing a warm meal with your family during the holidays and laughing together with them was truly beautiful. Like A Christmas Carol or The Little Match Girl.

She’d tried to help out with Ryoga’s fights too, but..since that usually ended up with her accidentally tripping someone or almost getting caught, she’d stopped, even though..she honestly didn’t mind the idea of being caught. Of physically manifesting and talking with Ryoga. While she’d never stopped him in his quests to make Akane fall in love with him or to confess his love to her, she’d be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t come to see just how sweet he was. Sure, his emotions could sometimes get the better of him, and always seemed to be constantly lost, but..deep down, he was an absolute sweetheart. Clueless, but still sweet. If he ever wrote a love letter, it would probably be the sweetest thing in the world.

But a love between them was near impossible. It wasn’t like Tohko could stay by Ryoga’s side forever. Someday, he would die, and she would have to watch over someone else. Plus..it would be difficult to make decisions that were best for him if she loved him and didn’t want to be apart from him. Even if she did break the rules and appear before him, he might not love her. And, if he did, Heaven would never really forgive her for telling the truth to someone just because she loved them. They’d never let her be with him normally, and if she Fell..they would have other problems on their hands.

So, when Ryoga went out on his latest journey, Tohko put on a brave mask of a smile and did her best to make sure that he ate by gently nudging him and other people in the right direction. If there was a kindly shopkeeper who would give a starving boy some food or somewhere where he could work for something to eat, she tried to make sure that he encountered those people or found those jobs. If he’d spent all his money on good luck charms, hoping that they would collectively help him, then she was going to do her best for him. Even if she loved him and knew that he was trying to meet someone else.

So, while she barely managed to stop herself from verbally comforting Ryoga, she did perform a small miracle as the Lion’s Roar hit a nearby tree. Quickly, she tried to move the tree so that it would point in the right direction when it fell, like a compass’s needle, and she quickly drew an arrow and a heart on the trunk, hoping that Ryoga would get the hint. It was painful, knowing that her love wanted to be with someone else on Valentines Day, but..she wouldn’t be selfish. She’d do her best to help him reach her.

And..if she failed..maybe..maybe she could get away with pretending to be Human so that she could still spend a lovely time with him anyway. That would still be helping him, in a way, even if Heaven wouldn’t like it.

[pchan]

And so it was that Ryoga and Tohko would be equally unlucky in every way possible for the rest of his natural life...

... Or it would have, had Tohko not made one teeny tiny error. Once again, she had made a message when she shouldn't have. Only this time the damage would be much harder to ignore.

As he adjusted the backpack on his shoulders, ready to resume his walk, his eyes caught a glimpse of the heart and arrow design carved into the side of the remaining trunk. He blinked once - twice - three times, it was still there. It wasn't the first time he'd seen this sign, he doodled it himself a few times in some journals and high school notebooks.

It was the timing that was throwing him off. As he was readying his SHISHI HOKODAN, he had kept his eyes extensively on the tree, so his aim would be true. The last thing he needed was to misfire and cause property damage or hurt someone. So all the time he had concentrated on the tree, that mark hadn't been there.

But now it was.

"What's going on?" He asked out loud, a habit he'd never really kicked. He approached the stump, tracing the arrow and heart with his pointer finger. It was, perhaps, a fresh carving. "No, this definitely wasn't there before... what does this mean?"

The good news was that he was completely distracted from his heartache. The bad news was that there was a familiar sensation wriggling in his nerves. He couldn't quite identify what it was, where it came from, or what it even meant - but the word 'familiarity' wouldn't leave his mind. Something was amiss.

[tohko_amano]

This was also one of the many problems Tohko faced. Since she was a bibliophile, not a martial artist, she sometimes thought Ryoga wouldn't think too hard about some of the things she did or thought, even if he did notice whatever help or sign she gave him, or thought that he would really notice whatever she did for his sake, even though the outcome she got was very different from the one she had anticipated, for better or worse.

So, as Ryoga noticed the mark on the tree and spoke aloud, she looked like a cat whose milk dish had been knocked over. How to explain this..she couldn't make another carving, claiming that she was a kindly ghost who haunted this area. After all, that would be lying about her identity, which she didn't want to do. Talking to him without materializing would have the same effect.

But..maybe she could get away with materializing in the nearby woods-or someplace nearby that was out of sight-so that she could pretend to hear Ryoga talking to himself, walk over, and explain what caused the mark and what it meant.

Of course, Heaven probably wouldn't like this plan, if she was found out, and Tohko didn't take into account that Ryoga probably would have sensed or seen her somehow earlier, when he was letting out the Lion's Roar, but..she didn't know about the latter, and..didn't mind if she got in trouble with Heaven, as long as she helped Ryoga out. Even if it was to his beloved.

So, physically, she manifested behind a group of nearby trees, wearing a school uniform that she'd seen once, and quickly rushed out towards Ryoga, a happy, knowing smile on her face. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but she forced herself to try and keep her identity hidden.

"Pardon me, but..I couldn't help but overhear you talking to yourself. Did something just appear that wasn't there a moment ago?"

[pchan]

Ryoga was many things. Strong, determined, shy, resourceful... But smart was not one of those things. Maybe the average person would have questioned where in the world she had suddenly come from, and why she instantly knew what he meant. But Ryoga was not only gullible at times, but often lacked what most would call common sense.

Which is why when she Tohko suddenly ran up to him, all he gave was a startled gulp of air, and stepped back. Talking to pretty girls had never been his forte, despite his many awkward conversations with Akane. He blinked rapidly, trying to remember what had happened and what he said. "Ah... yes! Actually, that happened just now!" Wow, what a coincidence! "I was practicing some martial art moves, and this symbol..." He gestured with a flat palm. "... Suddenly appeared. If I had known it was there before, I wouldn't have attacked it. But, I swear, it wasn't there a moment ago."

[tohko_amano]

Thankfully, Tohko knew how tongue-tied and awkward Ryoga could become around girls, so even when he stepped back, tried to process everything, and stumbled over his words, she just stood there, smiling, like there was nothing wrong at all. Like it was completely normal for random marks to suddenly appear on trees and for girls to come popping around the corner when they weren't there before.

Sure, it was perfectly normal in stories, but not in the real world. Though..since Tohko was a massive bibliophile, it was perfectly natural to her to think that things that happened in stories could happen outside the pages, especially when incredible things happened to Ryoga on a daily basis.

So, as Ryoga spoke, she bent down, pretending to examine the symbol for a moment before standing up again, still smiling.

"It's alright! I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you. I don't know if I fully believe them, but there are legends in this area about a kindly ghost helping out kindly people-especially those in love. I don't know what lies at the end of that arrow, but if you follow it, you might find something good. Why were you practicing martial arts though? You don't look like the kind of person who has to deal with a thousand tough enemies."

[pchan]

He bent down with her, as if he would suddenly understand as well as she did as long as he copied her movements. But when he heard the actual explanation, his eyebrow quirked upward. His first instinct was to say ghosts weren't real - but his many, many, MANY strange adventures alongside one Ranma Saotome had kind of made that a moot point. His cheeks flushed.

A ghost helping those in love? Could this be what his lucky charms brought to him? Weirder things had happened!

"I have my own reasons for martial arts." He straightened himself back up. "A grudge that cannot be quelled by any other means. It is a dangerous path that I must track alone."

He let that hang in the air for all of five seconds before clasping his hands together, eyes shining. "Now what was that ghost that helps people? Especially those in... in... luh...luuuh... that thing you said?"

[tohko_amano]

While Tohko's expression sweetened, she had to stop herself from chuckling a little at Ryoga's behavior. Serious for all of five seconds before acting like a character from A Midsummer Night's Dream. But it was endearing. Plus, it wasn't like Ryoga's emotions were any less genuine, and it was normal to have your emotions sweep you away when you were in love. Nojima would be able to attest to that.

As she spoke though, she clasped her hands behind her back, trying to seem as kind and innocent as she possibly could, both so that Ryoga wouldn't think that there was anything weird about her and so that she could give a good impression. First impression were always important!

"Those in love. It's always hard to know when she'll appear, but..according to the stories, she was a woman who lived in this area about three hundred years ago who accepted a spirit's invitation to eat at one of their banquets. Of course, the whole banquet was in the spirit's world, and since her lover wasn't invited, she had to go alone, though she promised him that she would come back and cook a delicious meal for him.

But, time passes differently in the spirits world than it does here, and when she came back, a hundred years had gone by. Her lover was dead, and no one recognized her. She didn't die of a cracked heart or a bruised spirit, and eventually, she was able to find work as a farmer, but she was never the same. She could never quite live happily, knowing that her love had waited forever for her and she hadn't come in time.

So, when she died, she decided to come down and help those whose hearts were overflowing with sweet words, hopes, and love. She didn't want anyone to suffer like she and her lover had. So, if she's giving you some advice," Here, with a determined look on her face, Tohko pointed a finger at him, trying to get her point across. It wasn't in his face, but it probably did make her seem a touch bossy. "you should probably follow it."

And with that, she pulled her finger back. "I don't know why you hold a grudge, and I won't stop you if you have to go through a narrow gate all alone, but..even if it is dangerous, can I come with you for part of the way? The road here twists a bit, and if you want to see where the ghost is trying to lead you, it would be best if you didn't get lost."

Of course, this was all a lie. There was no ghost or woman who had been spirited away like Urashima Taro, and Tohko knew why Ryoga practiced martial arts and who he had a grudge against. But..she couldn't reveal herself. Heaven would never forgive her, and God only knew whether or not Ryoga would believe her or even be okay with it.

[pchan]

Ryoga's 'weird' sensor had dulled immensely after years of dealing with Ranma and his shenanigans, so if there was anything unusual about her or the story, he failed to pick up on it. Instead he gazed intently at Tohko as she explained - occasionally darting his eyes elsewhere to 'rest', as such hard staring at a pretty girl continuously made his cheeks flare up redder and redder - and his heart ached with tragedy. It was truly a sad story, but nothing could be done for that poor spirit woman. But there were things that could be done for Ryoga's situation!

"If she has chosen to help me, I suppose it would be rude to ignore that invitation." He replied with a fake flippant tone, still pretending he didn't desperately need assistance when it came to the heart. "But if I can't handle any danger ahead of me, I am no true martial artist. I don't need any help." He took a breath, and walked away...

... Though it took him ten steps to realize he'd begun heading in the opposite direction of the arrow.

"... Maybe you can come for a little bit."

[tohko_amano]

While Tohko didn't comment on Ryoga's reddening face, she did notice it. It hadn't been the first time she'd seen him blush, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but..the fact that he was blushing because of her made her heart feel warm, like someone was using it to cook a wonderful lemon meringue pie.

Even though she really shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be lying, physically appearing in front of her charge, or hoping that they could be together someday when he was in love with someone else, but..she couldn't help it. Even if the lemon meringue pie in her heart was slightly sour and tart, it was also wonderfully sweet and fluffy.

So, even when Ryoga replied with a fake, flippant tone and started to walk off, Tohko didn't stop smiling and she didn't try to stop him, though she did think that if Ryoga still hadn't realized his error after twenty steps, she'd correct him. Whether he wanted her help or not or whether he was really interested in seeing what the 'spirit' had left for him or not, she was still going to do her job. More importantly, she didn't want her beloved to get turned around again and miss seeing the person he loved.

When he finally realized his mistake though, Tohko couldn't help but chuckle a little as she walked up to him.

"I think you'll be able to handle any physical danger you come across, if you really are skilled at martial arts and have a gate you have to walk through. But, just because you're tough doesn't mean you can't accept help from others, especially if you don't know where you're going. I'll make sure you don't get lost." And here, she'd try to hold Ryoga's hand before turning around and walking the right way again, towards the path that would eventually bring them right to Akane's house. Eventually.

"And to do that, I'll have to borrow your hand for awhile. That way, we won't get separated."

[pchan]

Hold... her... hand?

"Huh?" His voice came out as a barely audible squeak. It was a sacred act between man and woman - though he only thought this because he was so helpless in the dating world - and he desperately tried to go through his memories to find other instances of when he had held a girl's hands. Holding Ranma's didn't count.

"Are you... I mean... Do you think... I..." His tongue flopped awkwardly in his mouth, trying to find a coherent sentence. He chided himself on acting so ridiculously, but within seconds Akane was all but forgotten. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth - especially when all your life you've never ridden. In a sudden moment, he thrust his hand forward, snatching hers. Ha! That wasn't so hard! "... Lead the way."

... Alas, if he thought that was dignified, he was wrong, because not only had the blush completely taken over his face, but his knees were knocking and he had started sweating profusely. Some martial artist - he was just a teenage boy who liked pretty girls.

Let me know if this timeskip isn't alright!

[tohko_amano]

Once again, Tohko had to stop herself from laughing at Ryoga's reaction, even though it was so ridiculously adorable. He really was the kind of person who let his emotions sweep him away, for good or ill. However, while she managed to keep from laughing and suppressed the urge to pat his hand and calm him down (since that would only make matters worse, even though his red face and the way his knees knocked together was absolutely sweet and delicious, like munching on a chocolate cigarette), she couldn't help but look like an amused cat who had just found something wonderful, especially since..holding the hand of the boy she loved really was a gentle, touching experience.

"Yes, I do think you'll get lost if you don't hold my hand. I'm familiar with the roads around here, so just leave it to me! I won't lead you wrong!"

And so, with a gentle squeeze, Tohko started to lead him the correct way forward, going slowly so that Ryoga wouldn't trip or stumble, with the way his nervous and elated knees were shaking. Of course, they were still a long, long way away from Akane's house. They would never make it before the day let out just going by foot, but..if they flew..they might have a chance. They might make it, even though Tohko would really be in hot holy water.

So, when dusk eventually began to settle in, Tohko turned to look at Ryoga, quickly trying to think of some story she could use to get him to close his eyes.

"I don't know where the ghost is trying to lead us, but..I know a secret shortcut around here that we can take. It'll loop around back to this path eventually, but it's quick, and I'm sure the spirit will let us know if we're going the wrong way! But..it's a secret. So you have to close your eyes until I tell you that you can open them."

[pchan]

Hand-holding, hand-holding, hand-holding~ Ahhh, this was one of the happiest moments in his young life. He'd already forgotten why he was on the journey in the first place. Eventually his legs had straightened, and his sweat had dried, but it was still obvious that his heart was pounding with nerves. He didn't mind how long this was taking, nor how slow they were going. This was a special thing, and who knew if he'd ever experience anything like it again?

He also hadn't minded that the sun had started to set. Camping out in the darkness had become an easy lifestyle of his, and he had all the necessary supplies for it in his backpack. So the idea of a secret shortcut - and, glancing around, he could see nothing that hinted at such a thing - completely threw him off. It wasn't as if he thought she was lying - no, he often believed people right away - but it just seemed off.

"... If it's truly so secret, I would never speak of it. I am a man of my word." Plus, he was pretty curious. But he wouldn't push the issue. "... But if you insist... I'll have to put my trust in you." Then it occurred to him after all this time and all this help, he'd yet to say the most important thing of all.

"And... thank you. For all of this. I'm not entirely sure how to repay you for your kindness... I don't suppose you'd like a bunch of good-luck-charms, or a cup of instant ramen."

[tohko_amano]

While Tohko was far, far older than Ryoga, if someone had asked her, she would have told them that just walking quietly, hand-in-hand with her beloved was like eating a bowl of chilled peaches with sugar. Even if she wasn't as obvious as Ryoga was, and even though she knew that she really shouldn't be doing this, she..still enjoyed holding his hand and walking with him. She couldn't help it.

When the sun started to set though and Ryoga looked around to see what shortcut she was talking about, Tohko didn't move to see what he was looking at, since he was probably trying to see where this secret shortcut was. Looking around with him would just make her seem more suspicious.

Her small, nervous smile melted away and became a kind, genuine one instead when Ryoga thanked her and tried to come up with ways he could repay her. Perhaps it was just because of her own feelings, but those words were warmer and sweeter than any apple or lemon meringue pie in the world.

"You don't have to repay me if you don't want to. Your thanks is enough, and I'm sure you need all the luck and food you can get out here! But..if you really want to repay me, then..write me a story when we part ways and give it to me if we ever see each other again. I am the book girl, so if you did that, I would really enjoy it. Your prompts are..the color blue, the moon, and a red rose."

..They could deal with the 'secret shortcut' in just a few minutes. Sure, they had to hurry if Ryoga wanted to reach Akane's house, but..she didn't really want to part from the person she loved so soon, especially when they were having a delectable conversation together.

[pchan]

Not want to thank her? Did he really come off like some kind of ungrateful barbarian? He was almost mad at her, but then realized that, perhaps, he did give off that kind of impression. He hadn't attended school since the 'bread incident', he'd been traveling on his own for years, and as a result of these things, his social interaction with normal people was nil. Maybe he did come off like some kind of uncouth youth, but he'd have to prove her wrong!

... And then came the writing prompt, completely out of left field.

"... Huh?"

It was all he could get out. A story? Blue, moon, rose? This sounded like a English assignment! He'd never been really bad at any subject when he actually was at school, but he'd never excelled at any of them either. Even if he did take up this unusual offer, what if his attempt was mediocre, or even terrible? He wasn't sure what impression he was making on this girl, and he didn't want to ruin it.

"... Are... are you sure?" He tried for words again, his mind scrambling. "I couldn't just buy you a book? Or give you my library card?" He could feel himself sinking into his shoes by sheer embarrassment, and ecided to be honest. "I've... never really 'written' something like that before." The occasional pathetic love letter to Akane which was never understood, and the occasional challenge letter to Ranma which never required more than MEET ME HERE TO FIGHT, didn't prep him for this sort of work.

[tohko_amano]

If Ryoga had asked Tohko whether or not he came off as some kind of ungrateful barbarian, Tohko would have quickly reassured him that he had nothing to worry about. She simply didn't want Ryoga to feel that he had to thank her with gifts or anything like that if he didn't want to. After all, she didn't want to ignore his free will. Of course, she would have left out the fact that, since she was his Guardian Angel, she had seen just how awkward he could be sometimes, but..that was usually when his feelings overpowered and pinned his logic to the floor. Which was often, even though it was endearing sometimes.

But, since he didn't vocalize any of that, she didn't say anything about it. However, at the 'huh', Tohko looked a little surprised. Sure, it was a bit odd to ask for a story as a gift, but..if someone was a bibliophile, couldn't that be enough explanation to make it normal and alright? She thought that it'd be fine, but..apparently, it was a bit weird, which was only proven by the way Ryoga tried to reach for alternatives. A book would be one thing, but..his library card? He needed that. Even if she did actually want it or used public libraries, she could never take it.

When the truth left his lips though, she gave him a confident smile and, knowing what kind of effect it would have, tried to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"I'm sure. Don't worry though. I'm sure you'll be perfectly alright! All the great authors had to start somewhere, you know! Not that I'm asking you to be a great author if you don't want to be, but..the point is that you'd be at the same starting point they were. And, even if it isn't the best thing in the world, I would be delighted to read it whenever you finished it and we met again.

Of course, if you're still not sure, I suppose a book you bought would be perfectly fine too. But I'd really love to see what your writing is like."

[pchan]

So much for that approach. She was stubborn, but not in an obnoxious way. Ryoga chewed on the inside of his cheek, mulling this over. It was unusual how she refused to change her mind but didn't make it annoying. It was a charming aspect. He breathed in loudly through his nostrils and emptied the air out in the same way. This was one fight he wouldn't win.

"... I suppose I can't be too picky, since you did help me." He relented, scratching the back of his head. "Fine... but like I said... don't expect anything too great. And if you change your mind later on what you want this to be, I'll accept it." He was tempted to simply let things end on that positive note, but then he looked her straight in the eye, ruining the mood yet again. "How long does this have to be? Is there a word count? ... Does this have to be fiction or any genre?"

Yep, he was treating this assignment like homework and she was the teacher. He couldn't help it, he hadn't done anything mentally challenging in ages. His body exercised every day, but his mind and creativity were old, fat muscles that hadn't moved.

[tohko_amano]

The reason Tohko wasn't being overly stubborn right now was because she was trying to hold herself back for various reasons and because..she hadn't truly gotten hooked by this issue. When a mystery or something similar due it's claws into Tohko, it was nearly impossible to stop her from trying to figure it out, but..she knew that trying to force herself on Ryoga wouldn't work. Plus, it would be selfish. He already loved someone else, and there was no way Heaven would approve.

So, Tohko quietly watched Ryoga, her hand still on his shoulder, as he deeply inhaled and exhaled. It..really did make him seem like a pig, but it was a small thing, compared to all of his other qualities. Plus, people usually weren't made up of just good qualities. When he relented though, she gave him a violet-like smile and took her hand off his shoulder, since it would seem weird if she just kept holding onto him like that. Sure, it was nice touching the person she loved the most, but she didn't want to make things even more awkward.

She was just about to say thank you and remind him that she hadn't finished helping him yet when..he looked her straight in the eye and..asked how long the story had to be. Genre, she could understand, since people had different tastes, and she could understand if he wanted to steer clear of horror stories or anything else that she might not like, but..these were the kinds of questions you'd ask an English teacher, not a person you wanted to give a thank-you gift too.

So, while her smile didn't fade away, it did dull as she lightly sighed.

"You choose the genre, word count, and the length. C'mon, you're a martial artist, right? It's fine if your story isn't that great, though I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, but martial artists have to be strong and creative. If someone manages to slip through and counter all the moves you have and pulls something you've never seen on you, how are you going to survive if you don't think outside the box?

Samurai trained their bodies and their minds, you know. If you want to be as skilled as they were with your body, then you have to push every single piece of you to the limit."

..And this was another (arguably negative) trait Tohko had. Given the right topic, she could just go on and on, especially if it was about books.

[pchan]

His eyes widened momentarily as if he'd been smacked in the face. Why... why hadn't he thought of it that way?! It made perfect sense! His hands clenched up, now taking this as seriously, sort of, as she was. "Ah... so that's what you're doing!" He jumped to the wrong conclusion yet again. "You're trying to help me train, in a different way! Yes... it all makes sense now." He looked away for a moment, recalling what he thought was important. "I've been traveling for so long that anything I've learned in school has probably been forgotten... but Ranma Saotome has gone to school normally every day! His brain must be as finely tuned as his body! No wonder he keeps beating me!"

To him, this was absolutely logical. "Young lady!" He declared, grabbing her hands as he got lost in his own passion and rambling. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention! I swear, I won't let this lesson go to waste... You won't receive one mere story... I shall make multiple novels of epic length! I shall conquer every genre! I will write in first and third person! I'll use Kanji, Hiragana, even English! This is my vow to you... when next we meet... my brain will be the strongest part of me, and I will deliver to you pages to entertain you for years!"

[tohko_amano]

When Ryoga's eyes widened and his hands clenched up into fists, Tohko couldn't help but smile like she had just won a long, long battle with Shere Khan. Sure, it..looked like he had the wrong idea about this, but..if he thought that writing and thinking creatively about different situations would help him beat Ranma (and it probably would, if he came up with something that no one had every thought of before), then she wasn't going to tell him otherwise.

After all..since Ryoga already loved someone else, it was best not to get her hopes up about him scribbling away, trying to think about what would taste best to her, instead of thinking of new, creative ways to tell his story or new, good ways he could twist it or add in an extra element. Heaven wouldn't approve either, so..it was really best to just focus on how using his creativity could help him best Ranma.

As she thought about all this, Tohko had put on a kindly smile like violets, but..since she wasn't expecting Ryoga to suddenly grab her hands, that instantly broke it, revealing a surprised face underneath..which quickly turned into a warm, genuine smile as she held his hands in return and squeezed them a little.

It really was a delicate, sweet sensation, holding the hand of someone you loved, especially after hearing something like that.

"I don't know when we'll ever meet again, even though I have a feeling we will, but..if you really don't mind waiting, I would be delighted to read every little thing you scribble down in whatever language, style, genre, or point of view you choose. After all, there are more languages than Japanese and English, and it's good to remember the second person format, but..I would be overjoyed to read everything you wrote, no matter if it was the longest epic poem in the history of the world or the shortest, sweetest love story that anyone had ever created."

..It was more than a little difficult to stop herself from confessing her feelings, even in a roundabout way that Ryoga probably wouldn't understand right now (if ever), but..even if she didn't say anything, her warm, fuzzy feelings, like warm peach soda, probably floated up and presented themselves on her face.

[pchan]

Different languages would indeed be difficult - English was hard enough for him - but the idea of new challenges only spurned him on further. Maybe he could master every written language there ever was! He'd be brilliant by the year's end! And maybe Akane would be impressed too! This was a win-win for everyone!

"Let's get going!" He announced enthusiastically. Without taking time to study her face, he let go of her hands and turned her around, taking an (wrong) assumption that this was the way towards the path she knew. He then gripped her shoulder, pulling her close to him, making sure there was no chance they would ever be separated. "We haven't a moment to lose! This new training regiment will require more pencils and papers my backpack can handle... it's time to walk and plan, miss - "

And then he paused. It finally occurred him to that, despite this long and unusual conversation they had shared, they hadn't exactly introduced themselves. Names were not exchanged. How terribly rude of him - holding hands, touching her shoulder, and he'd never even said his name! His cheeks went red, overwhelmed with embarrassment. He cleared his throat quietly.

"... My name is Ryoga Hibiki."