Tabula Rasa
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Orla
All rights reserved to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz and a bunch of other talented people who are not me.
Set shortly after the final events in the Ranma 1/2 manga
Chapter one: The vanishing chefxxxx
The dawn was spreading pale pink fingers across a lightening sky as Ukyo made her way to the appointed place. All the preparations were in place and if the other party held up their end of the bargain then she would be out of Nerima in less than an hour.
Spying the one she sought, she paused and exhaled slowly as all the doubts pecked at her mind again. Was she really doing the right thing?
"Are you sure?"
She twitched as the speaker voiced her doubts and her eyes narrowed. "Yes," Ukyo said firmly. "I want to do this, I have to do it!"
"I admit I am surprised you asked me, of all people, to help me. That is why I bade you sleep on the matter, but clearly you are resolved."
Ukyo swallowed. "I am, I do have some concerns, but who wouldn't?" she shook her head. "Let's can the talk and do this thing."
"Very well. Prepare for a new life, Ukyo Kuonji!"
Less than fifteen minutes later the area was empty aside from curious bubbles dissolving on the grass.
xxxx
Hands stuffed into his pockets, Ranma Saotome frowned as he walked along the top of the fence. His fingers brushed the worn leather wallet containing the picture of himself and Ukyo that Akane had presented to him the night before. What did Ukyo mean by thinking she could just run away? She was clearly being melodramatic and Ranma didn't like it one bit. Plus he was feeling a tad guilty. Perhaps he could have said something to his oldest friend earlier, even if it was just to confront her about what had happened at the wedding that never was.
Truth be told, Ranma was glad when he didn't see Ukyo immediately after the event. He was still angry over the outcome. The chance to be all man was in his grasp and then what happened? All hell broke lose and the chance was lost! He should have expected it really, ever since he'd been cursed his life was incredibly complicated and full of people trying to kill him or marry him – or both! It really was another side effect to the Jusenkyo curse. It didn't just change your body and make you a magnet for water, but it also created more complications in life.
Still, expecting something to happen didn't mean he was any less annoyed about it. Ranma was glad that Ukyo apologised to Akane, which was more than any of the others had done, and he was starting to think he could get his friendship with the chef back on track. He missed her okonomiyaki anyway, and when she wasn't chasing him amorously, she was fun person to be around. Then Akane dropped the bomb about Ukyo telling her that she was leaving. Ranma was ready to run straight off to Ucchans, but Akane suggested he be sensitive to Ukyo's feelings and wait until the next morning, which Ranma reluctantly agreed to do.
Rounding the corner, Ranma jumped down from the fence and jogged towards the restaurant, only to screech to a halt when something new met his eyes.
Right in front of Ranma's eyes was something he really didn't want to believe: a real estate sign with SOLD plastered on it was planted in front of Ukyo's restaurant. Sitting beside the sign was a very depressed and apparently female ninja. Both were incredibly disturbing, the sign because it indicated Ukyo really had left for good and the ninja because Ranma knew Konatsu was actually male and no man should cry that hard, especially when wearing mascara. Swallowing, Ranma stared very hard at the sign, willing it to be Tsubasa Kuranai as he would welcome the crazy cross dressing disguise artist more than a real sold sign, but despite his hopes, the sign didn't start yelling 'Charge!' and moving, so he turned his attention to Konatsu who didn't even seem to have registered his presence. Apart from the obvious signs of distress, this lack of awareness was a clear sign the ninja was extremely depressed.
"Konatsu? Hey, Konatsu!" Ranma reached out a shook the female raised man's shoulder.
Konatsu raised a tragic gaze to Ranma's face, his cheeks liberally streaked with mascara and his eyes red and puffy. "Oh... Ranma-san..."
"Where's Ucchan, Konatsu?"
Tears welled up in the ninja's eyes and he sniffed. "I-I don't know!" Konatsu wailed. "She sold everything and then left early this morning, but wouldn't let me follow! Said she would hate me forever if I tried!"
Ranma backed away, unnerved by the tears as much as if this was a real girl crying in front of him. His mind grappled with the knowledge that if he'd listened to his impulse to see Ukyo yesterday then he might have stopped her. Or maybe not. Selling her beloved restaurant indicated she was quite set on leaving and Ukyo was a stubborn individual, one only had to think of her dogged determination to track him down to know that! He looked up at the closed building and then, without really thinking, forced open the locked door so he could enter. Behind him, Konatsu gave a shocked, sobbing gasp, but he didn't stop Ranma going in.
Only a few days ago 'Ucchan's Okonomiyaki' was bustling, the air heavy with the smell of cooking okonomiyaki and the chatter of customers while Ukyo's cheerful welcome rang out frequently. Now the place was echoingly empty, not even the posters and menus Ukyo had used were lining the walls. As Ranma looked at the now-empty grill, his minds eye conjured up his friend standing behind it, her hands moving in a blur and her face bright with accomplishment as she created her masterpieces. He felt a prickling sensation behind his eyes and swallowed hard against a lump in his throat. No way was he going to cry about this! Stupid Ukyo! She didn't have to leave!
Scowling, Ranma stomped up the stairs to the tiny apartment where Ukyo had lived. It was basically a one room flat with a tiny bathroom that only had space for a toilet, small basin and a shower. Ukyo always used to like going to the local public baths to wash, frequently lamenting the cramped space of her bathroom but acknowledging there wasn't much she could do about it since she couldn't afford more. Standing in the doorway, Ranma swept his gaze around the tatami mat room. It looked far bigger now Ukyo's furniture wasn't cluttering up the space, and far too empty.
Except for the envelope in the middle of the floor with his name on it.
Removing his shoes, Ranma entered and picked up the envelope, his scowl changing to a puzzled frown as he opened the letter.
"Dear Ranchan (the letter began),
I knew you would break in to see for yourself, so I decided that I owed you this letter at least.
I'm sure you're annoyed with me for leaving without telling you where I'm going or even saying goodbye in person. It cowardly of me, but I didn't feel I could face you without crying and basically making a jackass of myself. After all, that's what I did when I was six and it's not a flattering way to be remembered. Besides, I didn't want to make you any more uncomfortable than I already have in the past.
I'm sorry that I couldn't just be your friend, as you always regarded me (and deep down I knew it). I'm sorry I tried to force you to feel something you didn't and inadvertently ended up pushing you away so many times. I never meant to fall in love with you, not after wanting to hate you for so long, but I couldn't help it and it's because I love you that I have to leave. I want you to be happy, Ranchan, and if Kane is the one that makes you happy then I have to accept that, but it's damn hard.
I'm sure you feel I'm being over dramatic, but think about your own actions whenever Akane was with some guy. In particular, think about the time when I set Ryoga and Akane up on a date and you pretended to be Ryoga's fiancée to mess things up. It's no different from the times I (or Shampoo or Kodachi) meddled when you were doing something with Akane. We were acting because of jealousy and that's an ugly, irrational emotion. Everytime I did something to mess things up between you and Akane, part of me hated myself, but I couldn't stop, and the more I realised how you really felt, the more this desperate jealousy propelled me on and that's how I ended up acting so terribly at the wedding. I knew then that I'd gone too far, but emotions aren't always easy to control and I was scared that next time I'd do something even worse - and I don't want you to hate me, Ranchan.
So, in the end, I decided it was better to go and make a new life for myself. I hope you'll forgive me and remember that I love you and hope you have a long, happy and wonderful life.
Your friend,
Ucchan
PS: Having written all of the above, I felt I should add that you shouldn't think you're entirely blameless in all of this. If you'd been just a little more upfront with me then perhaps things might have been different. I know most of the time you feel like you're acting out of the best of intentions, but you do USE people to get what you want, Ranma. Oh, yes, so do I, but at least I admit it! When you once asked me if I loved you, do you have any idea what sort of hope that raised in me? And then how crushing it was to find out you were only doing it because you wantedaffirmation of your desirability! If you'd been straight with me from the start regarding that spoiled okonomiyaki sauce then things would have been sorted out so much sooner! So, for Akane-chan's sake, please, PLEASE consider cutting ties with Shampoo at the very least. Kodachi is probably a lost cause, but Shampoo has the potential for reason... maybe.
PPS: In case you were wondering, I have not turned Konatsu off without a yen. I've given him all the back pay he rightfully earned working for me (yes, that is more than 5 yen an hour!) and two weeks pay in advance. However, he may need a push to move on and please, tell him I'm sorry."
By the time he finished reading, Ranma felt a mixture of annoyance, guilt and sorrow. Had Ukyo been standing in front of him, telling him all this, then he would have reacted defensively, since he never liked admitting he was wrong about anything. It was impossible to yell at words on paper, however, and therefore he was forced to admit his friend had a point, but he had no idea how go about cutting ties with Shampoo (Kodachi was definitely a lost cause) and he couldn't help the indignant thought that Ukyo really didn't understand the whole issue.
"But she's gone and I can't explain..." his eyes prickled again and he crumpled the letter in his hand before turning abruptly on his heels, leaving the flat and running out of the restaurant. Back outside, Ranma exhaled loudly and looked down at Konatsu who returned his gaze with an anxious look. Ranma shifted uncomfortably, the feelings of guilt Ukyo's letter had roused intensifying.
"Er... Konatsu... you can't really stay here, you know."
The kunoichi sniffed. "I-I don't want to leave Ukyo-sama..." he wiped eyes that were already welling up with tears. "I'll camp out here until she comes back."
"But she might..." Ranma sighed and looked down at the letter in his hand. "She said she was sorry and… she wanted you to come with me," he lied suddenly. If he couldn't put things right with Ukyo, then at least he could help Konatsu out. Maybe a few days in the Tendo dojo would cheer him up and allow him to move on with life. "You don't want to defy her parting wish, do you?"
"I..." Konatsu was clearly torn, but after five minutes of internal struggle that was dotted with the occasional outburst, he nodded. "No, I do not, if it was her wish then I will come with you, Ranma-san," he said with a meek little sigh.
"Great!" Ranma pretended enthusiasm and once Konatsu was on his feet, his two bags in hand, Ranma led him away, his mind churning with emotions, ways to persuade the Tendos to accept a new houseguest and above all thoughts of Ukyo.
Ucchan, where did you go?
xxxx
"Today is a very good day, great-grandmother!" announced Shampoo, bouncing into the Nekohanten kitchen after finishing a delivery.
Cologne looked up from the ramen she was cooking and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, great-granddaughter? Why is that?"
"I went past that annoying spatula girl's restaurant and saw it's closed up and sold! Now she will no longer bother Ranma!" Shampoo giggled, almost dancing around the room in joy. "Not that she was ever much of a threat," she added, preening and gazing at her lovely reflection in one of the saucepans hanging on the wall.
"She was more of a threat than you realised, Shampoo," Cologne advised softly.
"How?" Shampoo clearly didn't believe the elder. "She dressed like a boy all the time! My husband prefers women!"
"Ukyo Kuonji was his childhood friend, great granddaughter, and those ties have great weight. Ranma might not have noticed her feminine charm, but he was more comfortable around her than with most other girls and even despite his affection for Akane Tendo, Ukyo's claim on his affections was strong."
Shampoo considered this in silence, her brow wrinkled in a thoughtful frown. "Well..." she said finally. "I'm glad she's gone. Now Ranma can forget her and there is only Akane Tendo to get rid of, and I can do that!" she said with confidence, flashing her great grandmother a bright smile before bounding out of the kitchen.
Cologne watched her go with a slight smile and then turned back to the ramen that was bubbling away. "If that was so easy, I would not have to go through so much trouble," she remarked with a shake of her head. "Still, Ukyo's departure is definitely one obstacle out of the way."
To be continued…Notes:
Kunoichi – female ninja.
Not very much Ukyo in person, but she will definitely show up for longer in the next chapter.
