Ranma and Co. is Copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Inc. 1993 Ranma ½ is a trademark of Viz Communications, Inc.
The One is Copyright Revolution Studios Distribution Company LLC. 2001 A Ranma ½ Fan Fiction/The One AU by S³ – "Blue Requiem"

The Reason -- An Interlude --

-- Epsilon Universe / Japan / October 9, 2000 --

Seven-thirty and still no sign of him, any longer, and she told herself that she'd just forget about everything and leave. This was the second time she'd been stood up this week. What a great track record. He said he'd show up this time, he'd promised. Her thoughts began drifting back to the morning.

Neither of them had been in the best of moods at the time. It didn't make matters any better that he'd been working on a tough case over the past week. She'd been working longer hours too, ever since her company had downsized last month, though it was more than just that. Lately, the smallest thing could set off an argument. Worse, none of it was one sided. One minute things were fine, and the next, they were at each other's throat. Chalk up yet another argument.

Their relationship was quickly passing the point of no return. Everything was falling apart and she didn't know how they could fix it. The little date they'd planned for this evening in order to make amends was falling apart, and it hadn't even started yet. The longer she waited here for someone that was, in all likelihood, not going to show up, the more despondent she was going to be the rest of the night. Her heart just wasn't up to the punishment. Not anymore. Taking one last impatient glance at her watch, she grabbed her purse up with an exasperated huff.

He's not coming, she had a sudden feeling.

Mikoshi left the restaurant in a hurry.

When she walked in the door to her apartment, she caught the tail end of a phone message. Tossing her coat on the rack beside the door, she walked over to the kitchen counter and hit the play button. There were two messages and the earliest one played first.

He better be calling to apologize, and if he even tried to give me any sort of excuse!

The video screen pinged to life and there was Kenji's face, sporting his usual goofy sidelong grin. Judging from the bit of collar she could see, he was in his uniform. That was enough to tell her why he didn't show back at the restaurant.

"Hon, I won't be able to make our date tonight. You know how it is; they put me on call for the week. Turns out some bastard broke out of the transport chamber. From the sound of it, I'm on Doberman duty," He seemed to light up a little at this.

She knew full well he enjoyed his job, especially when it came to taking down the morons that thought they could get away with node-hopping crimes.

Kenji continued after a few seconds of male posturing, "I'll make it up to you when I get back. I promise. Okay? I gotta go babe. We'll talk later. I'm really sorry about the date."

She sighed, wondering why she put up with him and his antics. She erased the message and was about to get something to eat from the fridge when she remembered there was another newer message. As the new one began to play, she frowned. The forlorn face on the other end wasn't one she expected to see.

The MVA logo at the bottom of the screen wasn't something she was too accustomed with as Kenji rarely called directly from work. And they never call here. She was confused, until her boyfriend's partner began talking. It all became clear soon enough.

"Ms. Tendou…Mikoshi. I don't really know how to say this, it's ah, it's Kenji. He didn't make it back. Something went wrong, the guy we were after, he was waiting for us. He must've planted bombs or something. Half of us got caught in the first explosion. God. I tried to stop him. Kenji--he wouldn't have it though, you know how stubborn he…he pushed me into the return node before I realized what he was doing. The mission went to shit from the start. The whole team—it was a nightmare." The video flickered as the agent ran a hand through disheveled hair, drawing a heavy breath. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, resuming once he'd apparently gathered himself, "The next window is not scheduled for a few hours. I did all I could. I swear! They're not having it though. The Agency said we weren't going to send any retriev--"

The video feed cut off as Mikoshi pulled the unit from the wall and smashed it onto the counter.

"Damn it, damn you Kenji," the words came out muffled from where she stood, slumped against the counter top. "You idiot!" She didn't move for a long time. When she finally did, it was only to walk to the couch and lay down. Mikoshi didn't see the point in doing anything else right now. The MVA was probably sending someone over to try and console her. She swore, if anyone from the Agency came knocking on her door...they'd regret it for the rest of their lives.

She sat up after about twenty minutes, eyes red, but set.

I'm not doing this. I'm not going to just sit at home and cry. Not if I can do something about it.

First off, she had to find out who owed her for taking Kenji from her.

He might have been a hot-headed bastard, but he was mine! I worked too hard for it to end like this. He can't just run out on me!

Mikoshi left the apartment soon after, Kenji's spare gun in a shoulder holster hidden under her jacket. The MVA building wasn't too far if she took the subway. She'd figure out exactly how to go about tracking Kenji's killer on the way there.

It's the least I can do for you, Kenji.

Though, in the back of her mind, Mikoshi Tendou began to wonder, just who exactly was she really doing this for?

-- Epsilon Universe / Japan / October 12, 2000 --

The air pulsed with blue energy as the node opened, spilling its contents into the backyard of someone's house. Seconds later, the vortex swirled shut, folding in on itself leaving the area bathed in shadows. The pile left in the wake of the inter-dimensional portal unfolded itself from a curled up position. Pained groans accompanied this movement, as the figure attempted to stand up.

Rising to her knees, Mikoshi struggled to suppress the churning in her stomach. She ended up dry-heaving a few times for her trouble. Clearing her head, she managed to gain her feet, only a slight wobble betrayed her condition. Battered and bruised, she stumbled over to lean on the wall of the property.

At least, I'm home.

Looking down at the wrist-crono she'd 'acquired' from a dead MVA agent, she frowned. She'd accomplished what she'd set out to do. Kenji was avenged.

Why don't I feel satisfied?

She looked back up to where the node had winked out of existence. There was no turning back now. She'd broken a very stringent set of laws, and for what? Revenge?

One thing's for sure, the MVA isn't going to just ignore what I've done.

Once she felt composed enough to move smoothly, Mikoshi found the side gate and let herself out into the front yard. She knew she couldn't go back to her apartment. The MVA would be staking the place out. Most likely, they were doing the same at her job. She didn't have any friends to speak of, so the places she could go were very limited. Another glance at the crono told her the next node wasn't due to appear for another few days. All she had to do was wait it out.

Mikoshi figured that she would hole up on some out of the way universe. Surely the MVA would give her up for lost after a couple of months. She'd work out what to do in the meantime. The consequences of her actions had been evident to her from the start.

She knew pretty much what she was getting into when she'd stolen into the MVA branch office and taken Kenji's spare wrist-crono. The rest, well, it would be dealt with when the time came. Of that, she was certain. Mikoshi always paid her debts, and collected her dues. What was this but more of the same in the end?

Up ahead, the street lights came on, one by one, casting a dull glow along the street. She took a step forward, with many, many more to follow along this new path she'd inadvertently chosen.