She's All Alone

A Ranma ½ fic

Disclaimer: I don't usually do these (as everyone knows I own nothing but a shoebox, a paraffin heater and a mouse trap), but I don't own Takahashi-sama's wonderful characters from the manga and anime Ranma ½.

This is my first ever Ranma fic. Those who know me have seen me do stuff with either Pokemon or with the reality genre, but this is my first Ranma fic.

For those who don't know me, a big hello, Nihao and Konnichiwa to you all. The names Chris Homer, but more known as Chromus on the net. I hope you enjoy this seriously heartwarming (and breaking) fic.

Ranma ½ is pretty much synonymous with the martial-arts comedy we all know and love. With this fic, I intend to break it from the normal. Sure, there will be some comic moments in it, but it is central to a deep meaning throughout the story which I hope people will get into it.

This will be a very long fic, and I'll say it now, it focuses on one character in particular. It's not to say that the others don't get their moments, but the title pretty much describes the whole story.

It is set after the whole wedding debacle at the end of the manga series, but there will be many references to the anime as well. (You'll see one of the major plot twists later in the story revolves around two episodes of the anime which weren't part of the manga)

So, from a guy from England writing Ranma, I bid you to enjoy!

* * * *

INTRODUCTION

You'd think they would have learned now.

After the wedding debacle, things turned back to normal for most people, even if there was a bit of a difference in Ranma now.

People were still on the jury whether Ranma and Akane wanted to marry, and when it was discussed to them, neither of them made a peep. Sure, they still beat each other up on a regular basis, but it was more of a ritual for Ranma to make some sort of 'kawaiikune' comment and Akane to smash his face in rather than seeing if they were upset or whatever from what happened at the wedding.

A month had passed since the failed wedding, and Soun and Genma were still pretty much being their normal selves (i.e. selfish for Genma, always sobbing for Soun, and both still in fear from Happosai), and things were starting to return to a somewhat normal (well, normal for Nerima) lifestyle.

However, the way Ranma moved and talked to certain people seemed different.

Instead of being trampled by a bicycle every 5 seconds, Ranma seemed to second guess every time Shampoo tried to 'attack' him, and Shampoo couldn't understand why he was avoiding her…

In the Nekohanten, an Amazon matriach shook her head.

In the Kuno mansion, Kodachi's and Tatewaki Kuno continued their efforts to make Akane Tendo (or the pig-tailed girl, whichever came first, if both together, Tatewaki Kuno could live with being a bigamist) and Ranma Saotome theirs. However, Ranma nowadays just delivers one kick to the temple and carried on, not caring what nonsense Kuno spat out.

The day that he knocked away Kodachi's cookies from her hands, and she threatened him with her trademark doctored photo trick, he shouted out "Like I care what you do now!" Kodachi had left with genuine tears.

Ryoga was still the lost boy he was, but with his heart torn between two places from Akane and Akari, he was more lost than ever, especially in the head. He had seen the love in Akane's eyes for Ranma and he didn't know what to think. Currently in Gion, Kyoto – Ryoga was on a true quest this time, to find his heart.

Mousse was still the same, pining after Shampoo and constantly getting beat up by Shampoo and Cologne. However, his malice for Ranma seemed to have dimmed a bit after the wedding, he may not see much, but he must have saw something between Akane and Ranma…

For Kasumi and Nabiki Tendo, life went on. Kasumi with a beautiful smile on her face, welcoming complete strangers, and making wonderful meals. Nabiki continued life as she always thought she would, making money off chumps like Kuno-baby and the odd racketeering of course.

So after the wedding, most lives had returned to normal. Akane and Ranma still fight, but they at least made a decision about the wedding, when they got to college in 2 years (of course, Akane commented at the way Ranma was studying, he'd be lucky, which caused him to call her 'uncute' and another fight was under way).

With the exception of Ryoga and maybe Kodachi, it seems that things were normal.

Except in one place…

* * * *

The restaurant was always fairly busy at most hours. A businesswoman always had to make the profits, as that was all that mattered.

That was something Nabiki would say, but for the girl at the grill it was something different. It was her life.

Before the wedding, Ukyo Kuonji had happily delivered a bright smile to all customers (especially Ranma-honey) ordering pork, beef, vegetarian, deluxe okonomiyaki. The profits were second nature to something she enjoyed doing. Heck, she'd spent a decade creating her own martial art based on her cooking.

Nowadays however, that smile didn't creep up as much as she wanted to.

Even with Konatsu helping out, and more cooking getting done, Ukyo was miserable. On the outside, she tried to keep her façade in shape, but in the inside, she was dying.

What did she try and do?

It was still a blur to her the day of the wedding. She had at first, seemed to accept it and even told Konatsu she was fine about it. Then the invitation came in.

This left Ukyo in a daze, wondering what to do. Should she go? Should she try and stop it? She was still unsure of Akane's feelings of Ranma but she felt that Ranchan hated Akane considering the way he acted.

When Shampoo appeared and asked her to team up to try and stop the wedding, a part of her tried to stop it, Ukyo and Shampoo were never best of friends at the best of times, but in the end, it was her own love for Ranma had won in the end and she completely went against her own character to go to the wedding.

That was what was different about Ukyo. Shampoo only loved him because of that Amazon law thing. Kodachi only loved him because he was the first man who she had layed eyes on and helped her out. As for Akane…the jury was still out on that girl but Ukyo's love was pure.

So when she made those okonomiyaki and flour bombs to do in the wedding, she thought she was doing Ranchan a favour.

But when she came to throw them, she hesistated, after seeing Shampoo attack Akane. Was it any of their fault? Did it matter?

The bomb flew straight at Ranma. I guess for Ukyo hitting Akane didn't mean anything, Ranma had annoyed her again, and like always, she beat him up for getting her pissed.

It wasn't until after that she realised what she had done.

It had been a month, and Ranma hadn't visited Ucchan's, which was very unusual, considering that he was a human stomach disguised. Ukyo herself was afraid of visiting the Tendos, considering that she had helped in the destruction of the wedding Soun and Genma had put together. She felt that Akane may not be too happy with her as well…despite the fact they were rivals, Akane and Ukyo compared to the other fiancés got along better than expected, but any attempts of friendship were pretty much gone.

But the one she was afraid of seeing the most was Ranma.

She didn't know what he'd say, would he be O.K, would he be upset, angry…

The fact he hadn't visited her was a sure sign it was the latter emotions. Ranchan never passed up an okonomiyaki before.

She began thinking of her life, the fact that her marriage to Ranma was engaged. Unlike Akane's however, at least they did know each other, and although Ukyo wanted more, at least they had their friendship.

Now, that was in tatters.

And she began to cry.

"Ukyo-sama, the sides are burning…" a timid voice said.

"Huh?" Ukyo broke out of her trance and saw that Konatsu, shy as always, was trying to tell her that her work was less than perfect.

It was hard to get angry at Konatsu, even when he made the okonoiyaki so cheap they had been living on bread and water for a month (to Konatsu though, that was a luxury, poor guy). There was just something about him…sure he was a cross-dresser, but he was so sweet at times, and anyone who worked with such a low salary and didn't complain about the long work deserved some happiness, if not respect.

Ukyo knew how he felt about her, and was a bit flattered, but not accepting of his feelings. He was different from Tsubasa, but still felt that the two of them were not relationship material.

But now…she didn't know. Did she have Ranchan anymore?

She knew the answer to that.

"I'm sorry Kon-kun." Ukyo wiped a tear from her eye. "I think I cut one too many onions there…"

"It's O.K Ukyo-sama. I'll take over for a bit, do you want to sit down?" Konatsu asked.

Ukyo nodded as Ukyo went into the backroom and sat down…to think.

Her life was two things. Okonomiyaki and Ranma. If she couldn't have one, her life was pretty much screwed.

She looked over her home and restaurant. She had been here for nearly 2 years now, and it was home. But it was only home because Ranchan was there. She had said that if Ranma had to move, she would too.

But she would move this time….because Ranchan was here.

She had made a decision and it was a tough one…but the way things were going, it was the only option she could make.

But she couldn't leave poor Konatsu here by himself. He couldn't run a restaurant by himself.

She had to take a risk.

She went to the phone and called a familiar number. "Hai?" a sweet voice answered.

"Kasumi-san?"

"Oh Ukyo! We haven't heard from you in over a month! It's nice to hear from you!"

Typical Kasumi, nothing can bother that girl.

"Kasumi-san, can I ask you a favour?"

"Why of course."

"Can you get Nabiki for me if she's in, but can you stay by the phone…I…I need to ask you two a big favor…"

As Ukyo felt the tears well up again, she knew it was the right move, and only two people could do this for her…

* * * *

The restaurant was closed and the night skies dimmed the Nerima street. It seemed a regularly end to a regular day.

For Ukyo, her life was about to chance this day and night.

Konatsu was a ninja, and would have noticed anything she did whilst awake. And even asleep, she had to be extra careful.

But even so, she couldn't leave without saying…

"Goodbye."

It was a silent whisper, one barely audiable to her own voice, but it was one that she knew Konatsu would feel in the morning.

Nabiki and Kasumi would take care of things in the restaurant, she was certain of that. She didn't want the life of Ucchan's now.

It reminded her too much of Ranch…Ranma.

She took her made cart with her and looked back once at Ucchan's, and at down the street, where the Tendo Dojo was.

"Goodbye…"

Another silent whisper, this time in the direction of the Tendo Dojo.

Ukyo made her movements quickly, yet silently, her chef's uniform, her uber-spatula, her ingredients and her pride. It was all she had left.

And for the third time, Ukyo cried.

* * * *

The introduction to this Ranma fic is done, yatta!

As you can see, it's central to Miss Ukyo Kuonji, my favourite character of Ranma ½. Make no bones about it, this is her fic all the way. Yes, the others will make appearances as we go back to Nerima occasionally, but the story is about Ukyo's journey, not just where she is going, but the journey in her mind and heart.

Next chapter;

Ukyo's blindness makes her just go in a random direction, where does she end up and what does she plan on doing? An old monk find the young girl collapsed and takes her in. He senses a powerful spirit inside of her, what's he going to do? And what happens when Kasumi and Nabiki take over Ucchan's? And what happens when Ranma finds out?

All this and a lot more on the next chapter (and first real one) of 'She's All Alone.' Ookini!