The neighboring ward, 4:05 p.m.

        Ranma stood in Ryoga's living room. The space had a vacant feel to
it, as though nobody had been there for a long time. Given the Hibiki
family's horrendous sense of direction, it was probably true. Ranma looked
at the now waning sun, and was reminded that he didn't have a hell of a lot
of time. He didn't want to have to turn on the lights and risk getting caught.

        Akane would kill him if he did.

        Lugging Ryoga's pack, Ranma trudged upstairs to Ryoga's bedroom.
Ranma knew that, given how little time Ryoga spent here, his chances of
finding any answers were slim, but he had to check anyway. Ranma remembered
the way from the last time he was here. He had pretended to be Ryoga's
sister. The memory of Ryoga's journal entry regarding that little stunt came
back for an instant. Ranma opened the door.

        Ryoga's bedroom was pretty much as Ranma remembered it. The room was
filled with souveneirs from Ryoga's extensive travels. The walls were still
adorned with posters and penants of the places he'd been: Nagano, Hokkaido,
Paris, Istanbul, and some place called...Oz? Where the hell was that? 

        Awkward as it was, Ranma began to search through Ryoga's posessions.
He searched Ryoga's drawers, shelves, and closet, to no avail. Ranma didn't
feel frustrated this time...just defeated. Ranma slowly replaced everything
he had dragged out, and flopped on the bed. He felt a large lump press
against his back, and that lump let out a high-pitched bark.

        //What the hell?\\ Ranma reached beneath the comforter and pulled
out a small puppy. //Little fella must be starving.\\ Ranma placed the
two-tone puppy in his lap, and began to absently stroke its fur. As he
continued his ministrations to the puppy, he began to think.

        What possible reason did Ryoga have to end hid own life? Most
people, himself included, regarded suicide as pointless. Seppukku was
something clung to by old-timers as a way to preserve honor after failure.
Then it hit him...

        Ryoga Hibiki was an old-school kind of guy. It was entirely possible
that Ryoga thought seppukku was the only way to restore his honor, for
losing that would surely drive him to such lengths...wouldn't it?

        The most obvious scenario would be Akane learning of P-chan. That
would be dishonor of the worst kind for Ryoga. He thinks his shame too much
to bear, and takes the knife. After a few moments consideration, Ranma
tossed the idea out. Akane would have forgiven him, given time. Even though
he would have lost a lot of face, he would have regained it eventually, and
Ryoga knew it.

        Maybe he was too afraid of dying as a pig. He wanted to ensure he
would die human and be cremated, not roasted with a side of salad.

        Other scenarios, like his marriage to Akane were ridiculous at best.
That would NEVER have driven Ryoga over the edge like that. 

        Maybe he thought there was no way he could ever avoid returning to
the Dojo and getting in Akane's way. No, Ranma had said Ryoga would always
be welcome, despite their past differences, and he meant it.

        Could he have been ashamed at breaking Akari's heart? Ranma almost
laughed at that. Now he knew he was grasping at straws. 

        It could have been all of the above. Hell, it could have been
something else entirely...something Ranma would never have considered. Much
as it galled him, Ranma finally admitted defeat in his quest for answers.
Ranma looked out of Ryoga's bedroom window and saw the sky growing almost
black. Street lamps were already clicking on, shedding flourescent
lumination after the sun retired for another day. Ranma realized that Akane
was home by now, and would be wondering where her husband had gotten off to. 

        Tucking the small puppy under his arm, Ranma made a most discreet exit. 

        Intentionally or not, he'd never know, he left Ryoga's backpack in
the shadows near the bed.



        6:22 p.m.

        The Tendo Dojo was bustling with activity, all centered around
Akane. She had to repeatedly tell everyone that she wouldn't know what her
test scores were for another week. On the table was one of Kasumi's greatest
spreads. Around the table were both clans Tendo and Saotome. It was a
perfect meal, except that one thing was missing.

        "Where's Ranma?"  Nobody knew, and that got Akane's ire up. She knew
there was no girl for him but her, but she still got a little jealous from
time to time. Akane heard a door open and close, and footsteps coming her
way. Akane spun and headed straight for the source of the noise, which
everyone knew was Ranma. Everyone around the table braced themselves for
Akane's first shout at him for disappearing. Instead of screams of rage,
they heard squeals of delight. Akane ran into the dining room, cradling an
impossibly cute puppy.

        When Akane saw the puppy, the look of anger on her face instantly
changed into one of joy. She took the puppy, and forgot to ask him where he
had been, which was just as well.

        As Ranma watched her cuddle the puppy, it came to him. Ryoga wasn't
truly gone. As long as the people who cared about him kept him in their
hearts, he would never leave them. Ranma made a vow to Ryoga's spirit to
take care of Akane and Checkers' puppy.

        //But don't you dare think this is the end of it, Ryoga.\\ thought
Ranma. //We're gonna see each other again someday. An' when we do, we're
gonna bury the hatchet once and for all.\\ Ranma went to join the rest of
the family. //'Till then, pal...rest in peace.\\



        AUTHOR'S NOTES

        Well, here it is...my second foray into the realm of fanfiction.
This one's based on my first effort (actually, a total re-write), "Ryoga's
Confession". If you didn't read it, don't worry. You didn't miss much, IMHO! =)

        Now, I would be an ungrateful little shit if I didn't thank all
those who helped me in this effort.

        Thanks go to Gary Kleppe for his help in finishing this up, and
avoiding a couple of fanfic cliches.

        Also, thanks go to:
        Tricesan19
Volunteer Pre-reader        

        Ukyousama
        KaraOhki
        Keener
All for their positive responses to the first draft.

        RanmaRose
Author of Suicide Blast (which I have yet to read). His insights into the
first draft helped inspire me into this re-write.

        Guy Smiles (Yes, GUBBY and his 10,000 aliases)
He said something in his rather curt appraisal of my first 'fic, and it
stuck with me.

        And <cue drumroll>..last, but certainly NOT least:

        Grayson Towler

Without his constant support, kind words, and help on many of the aspects of
this fanfic, this project probably would have been lost in fanfic hell for
eternity. I cannot even BEGIN to express my appreciation for this man. I
also highly recommend his fanfic series, "Relentless." Also, check out the
fanfics of the authors above, but, HEY, you don't have to take my word for
it. Read them yourselves!