Prodigal Daughter
Chapter One:
An Easy Choice
The alarm clock sounded like a very small but persistent second coming. Bleh. Is it really morning already? Ukyou thought as she slowly stirred from her futon. The harsh electronic din was a terrible way to start the morning, but it was the way Ukyou had chosen to start hers since she had bought the clock, second-hand, at a thrift store when she first moved to Tokyo. Blearily she sat up, rubbed her eyes and fumbled with a free hand until she, finally, shut the alarm off. She heard the sounds of movement downstairs and the aroma of miso soup and rice suggested that Konatsu was already up and about, as usual. I'll let him handle breakfast, she thought. He's getting to be a better cook but he could use the practice.
Ukyou sat there in the silence of the morning, feeling the sunlight edge up past the windowsill and on her face. She started wondering why she even bothered getting up in the mornings anymore, but the answer immediately came to mind: I need to graduate high school. I need to not go out of business doing so. I have my pride.
After finally gaining the motivation to stand and stretch, she put on her bathrobe and plodded along towards the bathroom. The area above the restaurant was rather cramped so the shower was a small European style-unit that was big enough for one person, but not much else. She wished she could soak in a furo like so many others, but she took her joys where she could. This morning, hot water was the magic she was looking for. It wasn't the transformation sought by the Jusenkyo-afflicted, but merely the simple magic of alertness. As she basked in the warm water, a myriad of mundane thoughts ran through her head. Need to call the plumber about that leak again. Fridge is running warm. Gonna have to keep tabs on it. That ass Toshi from Kokyuu Foods is coming by today. Gotta cram for the English final if I don't wanna get saddled with a makeup exam, especially by Ms. Hinako.
I hope Ranma stops by today.
It was a weak thought and she hated herself for thinking it. She'd caught Konatsu reading romance novels once or twice and it's the sort of thing the heroines were always saying as they pined away for their love, never once thinking about taking the initiative. Still, she hadn't seen neither hide nor hair of Ranma since the wedding. Attempt. Wedding attempt. It didn't happen. Nothing's changed. I can still be his. Besides, that was two weeks ago. He couldn't be holding what happened at the wedding against me, could he? That wouldn't be like him.
She hesitated slightly before turning the knob on her shower and toweling off. Back in her room, she went through the now practiced and altogether mechanical motions of getting dressed. The sarashi, five meters of white cloth once cumbersome and awkward, was wrapped expertly. Ukyou mused that she could wrap her chest almost as fast as most women could put on a bra. Opening the closet, she pulled out the gakuran, the only outfit outside of the stall vendor's outfit that really fit her mood. The starched cotton was stiff but yielding and, putting it on, Ukyou felt like she was donning armor for a looming conflict. After donning the dark slacks and socks, she slid on the bandolier of spatulas, their sharp silver steel contrasting with yet matching the black gakuran and dark brown leather of the bandolier. She put her long hair up in a low ponytail and looked into the mirror. The face that stared back at her looked conflicted.
How long have I been at this? she thought. With a snort, Ukyou walked out of her room and headed downstairs.
Konatsu was waiting for her in the kitchen. He was dressed in a white cotton kimono that was dotted with a purple floral pattern, which was enhanced by the violet obi wrapped around him. He was putting the finishing touches on a traditional breakfast of rice, miso soup, pickles, and some of last night's fish. It was prepared simply, with modest portions, but it appeared edible enough, which was all Ukyou could ask for on a Monday morning. When he saw her, Konatsu gave a quick bow and pulled a seat for her.
"Good morning, Ukyou-sama. Did you sleep well?" he asked, in a lilting voice that Ukyou found more grating than ingratiating in her still quasi-somnambulistic state. In front of her, Konatsu had set down the other thing she needed in the morning: a cup of strong, smoky oolong tea. Morning people, she grumbled, They just aren't natural.
Ukyou slowly sipped her tea as she helped herself to the food. "Mmm. Tastes good. Rice is good, too. Good job." Konatsu face flushed at the compliment. He'll make a wonderful wife for some lucky girl someday.
Ukyou set her mug down and looked at Konatsu with a level expression. "Before I forget, Toshi from Kokyuu Foodservice is coming in around 11:30 this morning. I can't leave school to deal with him this close to final exams, so I made the list of what we need and placed it on the corkboard in the storeroom. Just buy off of the list and nothing else, okay?"
Konatsu smiled blithely, "I understand Ukyo-sama."
Satisfied, Ukyou returned to her meal, soaking in the early morning sun. The breakfast passed in amicable silence for a while until Konatsu looked up from his meal. "Oh! I almost forgot to mention. A letter came for you this morning. I managed to rescue it from the birdbath." Ukyou nodded: one of her neighbors had bought what turned out to be a haunted birdbath earlier in the week which was being a nuisance to the entire block. "It looks like it's from your father."
Ukyou quirked an eyebrow as Konatsu handed her the letter. She saw the sloppy, irregular, way 'Kuonji' was written, which was a sure sign her father had been the sender. Wonder what it could be about? Dad hasn't sent me anything since I set the store up on this end.
"Dear Ukyou,
I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written: as one restaurant-owner to another, you know how it gets. There's always something to be done, isn't there? I'm well and so is your mother, and I hope that you're doing well too. How is the business treating you?
We have good news: your cousin Mayumi is getting married! The wedding isn't for several months yet, but they're going to do a Western wedding so they want to let everyone have enough time to be ready for it when it happens. You'll come of course, won't you? I know my girl has a restaurant to run but surely she can close it for something so important?
While we're on the subject of marriage, there's going to be several friends of the family there as well. Surely you remember Goro? He's growing up to be a fine young man and it looks like he might even make it into Todai. Or Kenichi, you might not remember him but he says he remembers you, he's gotten much bigger and is on the school's wrestling team.
Daughter... I know that you've had your heart set on this Ranma boy but it was years ago. I made a foolish promise and we paid for it. I'm glad to see you stick to your guns but any wise businessman knows when to cut his losses. Why don't you come home?
All my love,
Kenta"
Ukyou stared at the letter for a long time before realizing her hands were trembling. She continued the conversation in her thoughts. Come home? Everything's okay!? Who the heck does he think he is! Ukyou looked up from the letter with such a venomous look that Konatsu blanched, but he said nothing.
Ukyou got out of her chair and began pacing the kitchen, saying aloud, "God, why can't he leave me alone about this! I can't just go home and he knows it." She shook her head and then looked at the clock. "Konatsu, can you clean up? I'm going to go to school a little early today. Maybe the walk will clear my head." Not waiting for a reply she grabbed her battle spatula, which was hung next to the door to the dining area and sheathed it on her back as she walked out the kitchen and out the front door.
Ukyou kept muttering to herself. "That... pig! Who does he think he is? I'm not finished here. Ranma never decided, he didn't go through with it. Ran-chan'll still pick me, and I'll be damned if I go crawling back to 'daddy' so he can kiss it and make it better. He may be the idiot that started this mess, but dammit, I'm going to finish it."
The weather was warm as Ukyou walked to school, glad that spring had arrived a bit earlier than expected of early March. She idly wondered if the cherry blossoms would come in early this year. Around her students walked alone or in small groups and shopkeepers opened doors and laid out signs: for the most part it was still too early for Nerima in general to be up and about. As much as she hated getting up early, Ukyou was finding herself happy with the chance to have her thoughts to herself instead of being swallowed by the throngs of human traffic as they made their way to school, to work, to... an end point.
Her rumination came to a halt as she spotted Ranma Saotome rounding a corner just up ahead. The lean, muscular, boyishly handsome teen sauntered down the street on top of a chain-link fence whose railing was no wider than a pool cue, hands on the back of his head, playing idly with his black pigtail and displaying a trickster god's casual scorn for convention and plausibility.
"Ran-chan!" Ukyou called out, watching him stop in his tracks as she caught up to him, "Ran-chan, there you are!" she exclaimed. Her tone was friendly and filled with some relief, but there was a tension in her voice, just beneath the surface.
He offered her an easy-going grin and a wave and with that, every care she'd had for the last three weeks evaporated then and there. "Yo, Ucchan! I was gonna stop by the shop after school but good t' see ya. Been a while, uh? How are ya?" He continued along the fence, making slow but long, loping strides to match her pace.
"Yeah, I guess it has," she agreed. Looking around she asked with a feigned ease, "Where's Akane? Give her the slip?" Ukyou realized that she never saw Ranma on the commute to school, mostly due to the fact the way from school to the Tendo Dojo is a different direction than from Ucchan Okonomiyaki to Furinkan High. Ukyou felt a tiny bit of guilt, but she wondered, Maybe they had an argument? Did she finally drive him off? Ranma's grunt told her immediately that she was at least in the right direction.
"Man, don't even get me started," he replied, rolling his eyes, "She's bein' a pain in the butt again and I'm really not in the mood. Why can't she just take it easy like you do?"
She found herself blushing uncontrollably but recovered quickly. "Where've you been all this time? Avoiding school? You had me worried sick, you know!" The last thing she said meant to be mock-accusatory, but Ukyou couldn't stop herself from expressing concern. Ranma just waved a hand in dismissive recognition of a joke.
"Nah, you've got it all wrong. Just got back from Hokkaido. You wouldn't believe what's been goin' on. Pop pissed some people off, who turned out t' be fox spirits an' Ms. Hinako had t'..." he shook his head, "You know what? I'll tell ya about it later. It's a looong story an' I don't wanna be late for class. Let's talk at lunch, okay?"
She walked alongside him in silence, happy to see him again. See? Everything's okay: he wasn't mad, he's still the same Ranma. He was just having another adventure again, like he always does. Ukyou tried to ignore the thought that came next but it refused to be ignored. Without me.
"Uh-oh, here comes the idiot," Ranma said, the shift in tone snapping Ukyou back to reality. Kunou stood at the gates, bokken raised. Ranma turned his head, gave Ukyou his well-worn roguish smile, and said, "I'll see you in class, okay?" before throwing himself into the routine fray.
Class was typical, or at least typical for Miss Hinako, who came to class wearily leaning on a cane, which due to the height of her child-form, looked more like a walking stick.
"Hi class. I hope. Yama... Yama... Yamazaki-sensei kept you busy-wusy. I'm a bit tired from my trip to Hokkaido. Let's review conditional phrases... Abe-san, give me an example of a present unreal conditional?"
"Uh, right Ninomiya-sensei! Um, 'If I had time, I would study English' "
"Good!" the petite teacher visibly brightened at the response, " Ito-san, Present Real Conditional..."
The rest of class continued at a slow pace, but the students kept her sufficiently distracted that she didn't feel compelled to feed on anyone, even in her enervated state. Ukyou was happy for the lack of hijinks in class today. Her mind was still occupied with the tumultuous feelings of the morning and, as loathe as she was to admit it, of the previous year and a half since she came to Nerima. Her internal fugue was interrupted by the flash of paper that fell on her desk.
She looked to her right and saw a reassuring smile from Akane Tendo. Ukyou nodded hesitantly, again with mixed feelings. Glancing further back, she saw Ranma, oblivious and half-asleep as always.
She looked down and read the note.
Everything okay Ukyou?
Ukyou let out a dismissive snort, despite herself. Looking back at Akane, Ukyou saw the hint of hurt in her expression. Ukyou sighed and pulled out a piece of scratch paper.
Sorry, just worrying about the restaurant. How was Hokkaido? Are you okay?
Ukyou surreptitiously handed the note to her right, the students seated between Akane and Ukyou already used to this form of messenger duty.
A few moments later, the note came back.
Oh, I hope you and Konatsu are well. You have so many grown-up responsibilities, I'm a little envious. Hokkaido was okay. Ranma went and almost got himself killed, but what else is new? Just like Jusen Sorry I mean, he always takes really dumb risks to win. Let's talk at lunch.
Ukyou looked up from the note and nodded at Akane. It was good timing since Ms. Hinako said aloud. "Kunoji-san! Past Unreal Conditional."
Ukyou stood, "If I could have had time I would study English?"
Ms. Hinako chastised Ukyou, though her stature made it sound more like whining, "Kunoji-san! The final is in a few days and you should be more ready! The correct answer is "I would have studied if I'd had time." Ukyou sighed and sat down. When will something go right for a change? she thought as she hurriedly wrote down what was on the blackboard.
Furinkan was in many ways an odd school, and not just because of certain members of the student body and the guests that wander into campus. There were smaller oddities to campus life that were reflected in one of the traditions of the student body, namely the lunchtime tradition of staying inside the classroom or the school cafeteria, even when the day was sunny and warm.
It wasn't that it was especially quiet inside, but everyone knew that Ranma preferred eating outdoors, and the less-than-rare phenomenon known as "Being There When Something Happens to Ranma" was generally something that people tried to avoid. Those that didn't, preferring the street theater it provided, were seen as thrill-seekers, who gladly risked life and limb to be able to tell the rest of the student body of Ranma's exploits first-hand and up close.
Case in point: Ukyou, Ranma and Akane were sitting underneath a tree, enjoying what passed for a reasonably cordial lunch, Ukyou not being too obvious in her affections towards Ranma and Akane displaying a sunny disposition. Ranma was alternating between the Kasumi Tendo-created bentou and the extra okonomiyaki Ukyou had made for him, as he narrated his trip, gesticulating excitedly with whichever hand was not presently holding food.
"Oh man, and then the fox spirits teamed up with an abominable snowman we found in a cave outside of Lake Mashuu. I thought Akane n' I were toast, but then Ms. Hinako shows up and pulls out her Happou Goju-En Satsu, draining the foxfire and the snowman's cold wind, so I used it to set up a Hiryu Shouten Ha and blam! The foxes dropped the sandals and we made it out alive. Though I think Hinako got the sniffles absorbin' hot n' cold ki at the same time."
"So you guys just got back yesterday?" Ukyou asked, smiling as sweetly as she could muster, given the current group dynamics.
Ranma nodded, replying between bites. "Yep. Woulda been back sooner but Pop tried t' run off with the sandals again an' I had to go chase him down. Wound up breaking them, too. Too bad, 'cause I really could used them. I always wanted to-"
His plans for the artifacts in question were interrupted by a familiar lavender-haired blur, which leapt out a, mercifully open, window above and into his lap, arms already twined behind his neck.
"Nihao, Ranma! Shampoo hear you back from long quest for Ten-Man-Clever Sandals. Hear so many things, so many brave things! Wanted to give airen warrior's welcome." Shampoo purred, pointedly ignoring the other two girls.
Ranma winced at the sudden weight in his lap. "Hey, my lunch!" he exclaimed, seeing that Shampoo's landing had knocked the food out of his hands and into the grass. "Jeez, Shampoo, I'm glad t' see you and all, but can't you just say hi or somethin' for a change?" Ranma could see, past Shampoo, Akane seething and Ukyou reaching for her spatulas, and he quickly stood up to force her out of his lap. Cats of all stripes, however, are good at staying in a lap they like and she simply stood up with him, arms still around his neck.
"Shampoo only saying 'hi'. Silly Airen not like Shampoo's 'hi'? Shampoo not think so. Shampoo have food up there," she said, jerking her head in the direction of the window she came out from, "too too delicious food for husband and wife. Ranma come with Shampoo, have lunch, yes?"
Ukyou was incensed, her hands gripping her throwing spatulas as she saw Akane storm off without a word. "Shampoo, you have five seconds to get your hands off of my fiancé or else I'm going to..." but she trailed off, watching Ranma shrug out of the girl's embrace like an eel and chase off after Akane.
"C'mon, Akane, cut it out! She's just happy t' see me, that's all!" Ranma yelled apologetically as he ran towards the tomboy fiancée.
Akane retorted, yelling back, "And if you're so happy to see her, why don't you just go have your lover's lunch? Jerk!"
"Akane, c'mon!" Ranma's voice became indistinct as he left Ukyou's line of sight.
Ukyou watched the two walk off, puzzled. Her grip on her weapons loosening, she turned to look at her Amazonian rival. Shampoo, with the bruised dignity of a cat who refused to admit falling off a table, sniffed haughtily. "Silly Airen chasing off after stupid violent girl. Shampoo should teach her manners."
Shampoo jumped onto a nearby tree branch and, after scouting ahead jumped off after Ranma and Akane. Ukyou looked at Shampoo, her legs braced to follow but, after a second, she hesitated, relaxing as she saw Shampoo run off.
"Hey Kuonji... um, you okay?" A somewhat tall boy with short, curly brown hair asked. He waved a hand in front of Ukyou. The movement snapped Ukyou's attention away from the the distance and she looked up at him.
"Oh, Hiroshi! Sorry. I didn't see you there... What's up?" she asked.
Hiroshi looked a bit nervous as he spoke, "Um, I got held up running an errand for Mr. Edogawa and then the school store ran out of food. I know you normally only have it around for Ranma, but you have that grill of yours set up so... can Dai and I buy an okonomiyaki off of you?"
Another teenage boy about Hiroshi's height with somewhat longer straight hair seemed to appear instantly next to Hiroshi. "We brought money."
Ukyou gave one last look towards the direction Ranma and the others went, before turning back to her grill. "All right you two. Gotta warn you in advance I don't have a lot in the way of toppings. 500 yen each okay with you?"
Hiroshi smiled in relief, "Ah, thanks! You're a lifesaver."
"Yeah thanks, man... err, um... Kuonji," Daisuke said, faltering slightly from embarrassment.
After school, she lost track of Ranma and Akane who had run out of the gate, the former being chased by the shinai-wielding latter. A cry of "Dammit Tomboy!" could be heard in the distance. Ukyou was in no mood to follow and she slowly made her way out of the school building.
Ukyou walked slowly towards the gate, her thoughts turning to the dinner rush at the restaurant.
I hope Konatsu got everything prepped. Well... worse comes to worst, he would have shown up during class if things went to hell.
An all too familiar howl of a laugh echoed above Ukyou, stopping her in her tracks. The source of the shrill noise presented herself before Ukyou. Kodachi, as usual, was clad in a black leotard and twirling a rose-colored ribbon in front of her. "O-ho-ho-ho-ho! If it isn't the poor merchant girl! Where is my beloved Ranma-sama?"
Ukyou fingered the throwing spatulas on her bandolier before yelling, "Oh, for the love of... I don't know, Kodachi!"
Kodachi flung her ribbon out at Ukyou, who jumped back, moving up and out of its range. At the height of her jump, she threw three spatulas at Kodachi, who adroitly avoided them. Ukyou landed and, quickly reached behind her and grabbed her battle spatula, holding it defensively in front of her.
Kodachi continued her rant, exclaiming, "I'm tired of you, the barbarian, the peasant girl, and that pigtailed strumpet getting in the way of jumping into my Ranma-sama's arms!" She jumped on top of a light pole, throwing two spiked clubs during her ascent.
Ukyou deftly knocked the clubs away and shot back, "You're so delusional, you don't even understand Ran-chan's curse! How do you even think he would be interested in..." Ukyou trailed off.
Kodachi was taken aback, offended. "Excuse me, you... fishwife! I shall convince my Ranma-sama of my delicate charms, you mannish excuse for a jezebel!"
As she saw Kodachi eyeing her seriously, watching for any signs of an attack, Ukyou uttered a dark laugh, "I get it. I get it now. You're just going to jump around, trying to ensnare him with that little ribbon of yours. Shampoo tries to cling on to him with her bare hands. I'm... I tried to keep him close with food and our friendship. But it doesn't matter, huh?"
Kodachi continued twirling her ribbon in a protective circle. She narrowed her eyes and responded, "If you're ready to acknowledge that you cannot succeed, you may certainly surrender. I have no such intentions."
"Hah! If you think I-" Ukyou stopped herself, "I... enough. Go away, Kodachi. I'm not going to stand in the way of your lunacy."
Kodachi, for her part, ignored Ukyou, her only acknowledgement of the exchange was to bound off, the piercing laughter fading slowly as she made her way across the rooftops of Furinkan and the neighboring townships of Nerima Ward, leaving Ukyou alone at last.
Ucchan's Okonomiyaki was mostly set up for the dinner rush by the time Ukyou arrived; the chairs were set in place while the floors, tables, counter, and grill were spotless. She eyed her domain with quiet pride and went into the storeroom that did double duty as a part-time office. Konatsu was bustling about, moving boxes and sacks of flour around, setting things up for later, but gave a bow when he noticed Ukyou.
"Welcome back, Ukyou-sama! How was school?" He was smiling, as always, but Ukyou noticed he was wringing the sleeves of his kimono.
She rolled her eyes and, in a paternal tone, asked, "What happened while I was out, Konatsu?"
"W-w-whatever do you mean, Ukyo-sama?"
What now?"Konatsu, I'm telling you as your employer to tell me just what happened today. Just spill it already."
The wringing, if anything, intensified. "Well... Toshi came." She nodded to keep him talking. "And I gave him our order." Another nod. "And he said that we were missing some things on the order." He gave her a brittle little smile.
"Missing some things? Konatsu, what did I-" Ukyou cut herself off. There's no point in yelling at him, is there? She sighed. "Just show me the receipt, okay?"
Konatsu furnished the requested document and Ukyou scanned it. "Konastu! This is almost a year's worth of sauce!"
"Toshi said it was a good deal." he said, with a hint of petulance in his voice.
She spoke to him in a loud, but even tone of voice, smacking her hand against the invoice for emphasis. "I make my sauce from scratch because it tastes better than that swill and it's cheaper than buying it, even in bulk. Arrgh! I'll call him in the morning. This is why I told you only buy what was on the list! We were short on cabbage, pork belly, katsuobushi, and disposable chopsticks. That's it." She rubbed her face. "It's fine, it's fine. I'll deal with it. I should just tell them to only come when I'm here."
Ukyou ran upstairs and changed from her black gakuran to her vendor's outfit. Sighing in relief as she loosened the sarashi, she donned the blue happi coat and rolled the sleeves back. She put on the black leggings underneath and, with a quick flip of her hair, tied on the large white bow. She looked herself in the mirror. Ukyou liked the way the blue of the happi coat contrasted with her otherwise plain looks. She put on an affected smile and brought a finger to the mirror, touching the glass she looked at herself. Sighing, Ukyou rested her head against the glass, before opening her eyes slowly, looking at the brown irises staring back, revealing nothing. She merely turned around and, with a grimace, walked downstairs.
Ucchan's on a Monday evening was relatively busy. While the number of covers paled in comparison to what the place could get on a Friday night, the business from salarymen coming home late or students just out of cram school made it relatively profitable. Ukyou sat on a stool at the grill, reading her notes for English. She could faintly hear the sounds of Konatsu talking to the customers as she took their money and bussed tables.
In an almost Pavlovian response, Ukyou looked up from her book at the sound of the front door sliding open. She closed her notebook with no small amount of force as the two customers walked in. Not twelve hours ago, she had been hoping to see him again, but now she merely put on a brave face as Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo walked into her restaurant.
"I'm tellin' ya Akane," he spoke to the girl behind him, "I didn't break the kitchen fuses just cause you were gonna cook dinner tonight!"
Akane crossed her arms, "Hmmph! So my sister put you up to it, then?"
Ranma waved a hand dismissively, " 'Course not! Pops and Mr. Ten-crap"
Ranma's face met an open stool violently, thanks to an elbow by Akane. One or two of the customers flinched at the crunching sound, but for the most part, nothing was made of it and the two sat down at the grill.
"Hiya Ran-chan, Akane. What can I get ya? The usual?" Ukyou said, forcing an easy smile as she quickly ran through the order in her head. Deluxe Okonomiyaki for Ran-chan and Kimchi Squid for Akane.
Ranma, recovering, stood up and rubbed the back of his head as he sat down, "Well ya know, the kitchen at home is on the fritz so 'kane n' I decided to grab dinner here."
Ukyou, with an feigned smile, quipped "I'm surprised you don't get tired of my okonomiyaki."
"You kiddin'? It's the best! I uh-" Ranma stopped as he and Ukyou stopped, noting Akane nudge Ranma's ribs with a shoulder.
"The best, huh?"
Ranma gave Akane a confused look, "Well, yeah. Anybody'd tell ya Ucchan makes the best food around here. Well," he second guessed himself as he placed two fingers under his chin in contemplation, " 'cept maybe..." Akane looked up, hopeful.
"Well I mean Kasumi's cookin' is pretty awesome. The Amazons make a mean ramen. Heck, I ain't half bad when I'm motivated."
"Aren't you forgetting someone?"
"Uh... Ma? Ryouga? The Old Washer Lady never gave us anythin' t' eat, did she?"
"Me, you idiot! Don't you like my food!?"
"Are you kiddin'? I mean, it's edible these days kinda, but soggy rice 'n' brown cabbage ain't exactly the best eatin' in town, Akane."
"Stupid jerk!"
Ukyou looked upon the scene with a new objectivity. She felt as if she had been dragged to a manzai performance: Ranma the boke and Akane the angry tsukkomi. She was hardly shocked when Akane grabbed her glass of water and flung the contents at Ranma.
"Whaddya do that for, tomboy!?" Ranma exclaimed as she wrung out her pigtail.
This is how it always goes, Ukyou thought.
Akane looked away from Ranma and shucked her teeth, " Hmmph. I just thought you needed cooling off. I was tired of looking at the stupid face of yours, anyways."
No matter how many times he saves her, they never stop arguing.
"Oh? So you wanted to see what an actually cute face looks like for once? I don't want ya to feel bad about yourself, ya know" Ranma replied, turning up the smarminess of her voice.
No matter how many times they argue, he always saves her.
"Why, you perverted-"
"That's it!" Ukyou slammed her hands on the counter in front of Ranma and Akane. "Just who the hell do you think you're fooling with that routine!?" Ranma and Akane looked away from each other and back at Ukyou, confused. "I get it! Jeez, I mean I know I'm an idiot for not seeing it earlier, but for fuck's sake. Arrrgh!" Ukyou yelled, grabbing her head in frustration.
"Ucchan, I-" Ranma said, before being cut off by Ukyou
"Go home, you two."
Akane asked, "Ukyou, is everything o-"
"No! No it isn't! I'm so angry I could probably demolish this whole place! I wanna break everything within a 5 kilometer radius of here. I want to gnash my teeth and rip my own hair out and yell loud enough that they'll hear in Okinawa!" Elsewhere in the restaurant, around the trio, customers were beginning to file out; any regular eater at Ucchan's learned to read the signs of an impending martial artist fight.
"Did something happen?" Ranma asked innocently, a slight hesitation in her voice.
"Life happened. Day in and day out. Life just happens and I'm sick of it. I'm so sick of it." Ukyou put a hand to her forehead and let out a long sigh, "Jeez... just get out of my shop. Before I do something I regret."
"Ucchan, I-" Ranma reached out a hand for her, but it was swatted away by a spatula.
"NOW! Konatsu!"
Like a faithful kunoichi, Konatsu appeared instantaneously behind Ranma and Akane and gently touched their shoulders. He turned his eyes towards the floor and softly spoke, his mezzo-soprano voice quavering, "I'm sorry Ranma, Akane. Please. Do as Ukyo-sama wishes."
The two stood and followed Konatsu out of the door. Akane left first, but Ranma stayed briefly, looking back to see Ukyou, motionless, her head hung low. Ranma hesitated until she felt a tug from Akane and was pulled out of the restaurant. The few remaining customers quickly left a few bills and coins and made a hasty exit.
When the restaurant was empty save the proprietor and her loyal waitress, Ukyou raised her head and slowly spoke. "We're done tonight, Konatsu. Close up shop and prep for tomorrow. I..." Ukyou paused, taking a breath to steady her voice, "I need some time alone." Konatsu slowly nodded as he brought in the signs from out front and locked the front door.
Ukyou walked upstairs, her feet growing heavy as she reached the top of the stairs and into her room. Setting down her bandolier, she turned to face the mirror in front of her. She studied the face and saw the things that had unsettled her in the morning. The bags in her eyes, the stiff shoulders, the split ends. Seeing the utter exhaustion in her person, the negative thoughts came flooding as she sat on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest and sobbed to herself.
I'm so tired of it. I can barely even remember how long this has been going on. This whole time, have I really been chasing someone who doesn't even realize he's already given his heart to someone else? Isn't that a joke? I got dragged into becoming yet another sideshow act in the Nerima circus. Hey everyone! It's Ukyou Kuonji, the crossdressing chef who thinks she can be woman enough to marry the man of her dreams! Hah. I can't even say that. I let myself be obsessed with him for almost twelve years. No revenge. No love. Why do I keep doing this to myself?
That's enough. I don't want to anymore.
Ukyou wiped her face with her forearm and stood. She began changing into her sleep clothes when she saw the letter from the morning on her dresser, folded carefully back into its envelope and placed there by Konatsu.
Ukyou grabbed the envelope, contemplating throwing it in the trash, but paused, setting it back down. She walked out into the hallway, picked up the telephone at the head of the stairs, and dialed a number.
After a few rings, the receiver picked up and Ukyou spoke in a faltering voice..
"H-hello, Daddy?"
Author's Notes:
I had this idea nearly twelve years ago, for a post-continuity story in which Ranma and Akane simply weren't the focus. Ukyou has always stood out for me as an interesting character, both for what's been said and what hasn't been said about her. Hopefully my answers will interest people. Her and Konatsu, actually: rest assured, this story is very much about the two of them.
I'd like to thank my collaborator, Uraagaru, for her interest in writing this with me. It's safe to say that without her support this simply would never have been written. I only hope I can live up to my end of things as we go forward.
-Unsurpassed Travesty, formerly Monkeys With Typewriters
When Unsurpassed Travesty approached me with the idea for a collaboration, I was excited, though a bit hesitant. I've saddled myself with two long term projects and was afraid of over-committing myself. However, it was nice to do something more straightforward, narratively as well as explore a character that really got me into the series almost as much as Ranma himself.
I think we've planned out a really fun story and, with some luck, it'll be a good balance of drama and comedy that will make for an enjoyable read. Thanks again to Unsurpassed Travesty for coming up with a pretty unique take on the premise (I operate under the assumption that pretty much every plot Ranma fanfic plot premise has been attempted) and for asking me to help her in realizing it. I look forward to it.
~裏には裏がある.
