Ranma looked at the surroundings warily. After he was satisfied that no one was there except Ukyo, he approached her.
"Ranma" Ukyo smiled.
"What do you want to talk about?" Ranma asked.
She just smiled in response and pulled his arm, walking toward a tree. She made him sit, leaning on its trunk while she sat on the opposing side. "This way, it would not seem that we're making out or something, should your other fiancées find us"
"Ucchan?" Ranma asked. He was scared and confused by Ukyo's behaviors.
"Shh… I just need you to answer my questions truthfully"
"Er…. Okay, I guess"
"Ranma", Ukyo began saying, "What do you remember about our childhood?"
Ranma became relaxed enough as his eyes were looking at a distant place. He smiled fondly. "It was one of the happiest memories I have of my childhood" He turn his neck to steal a glance at her. "You were the only friend I have"
"Is it so? I'm the only one you had?" Ukyo's voice was soft.
"Bacon breath considered himself as my prime rival" Ranma shifted his body so that he could be more comfortable. "Well, I do have another friend, but the memory was so dim that I couldn't even remember who it was and how she looks like. All I know that she was pretty" Ranma hesitated. "Maybe as pretty as you" He closed his eyes, smiling softly.
"I see. Why can't you remember her?"
"I don't know. Maybe it was earlier than the time I met you. The only thing I remember is that I made a promise to her to find her after I return from my trip with pops"
"To marry her?" Ukyo asked in apprehension.
"Nope" Ranma answered, not realizing Ukyo's reaction. "I promised her that we will go and play swings together. Then we each will go and get a nice strawberry ice cream cone"
Ukyo face-faulted. No wonder Ranma liked strawberry so much. Whenever he eats strawberry, he was trying to remember his happy past. Getting a hold on herself, she continued with her questions. "Tell me honestly, Ranma. What do you think of your engagement with Akane?"
Ranma's hands were behind his head. "I don't know"
"You don't know!"
"All I know is that when I arrived here, I found out that I was engaged to her, and my honor demands it. Then Shampoo, you and the others began to turn up. I don't even have time to think about the relationship. But I do know that I can't simply accept the engagement without dishonoring all of you"
Ukyo let a tear rolled down her cheek. She tried to control her emotions, not wanting Ranma to know what she felt. She realized how unselfish Ranma was for putting other people's needs before his. She and the other fiancées were so absorbed in trying to get Ranma for themselves that they forgot to consider Ranma's own feeling. She wondered what she should do to make it up to him.
After a pregnant silence, Ranma became worried. "Ucchan!"
"I was thinking about your answer just now" Her voice was strained. She took a deep breath. "One last question. Could we be friends forever?"
"Sure. I promise"
"Is that a Saotome Ranma or Saotome Genma promise?" Ukyo asked mischievously.
"A Saotome Ranma promise. And I never break a promise I made myself"
Ukyo giggled. "I accept your word"
Ranma stood and turned toward her but was unprepared for the attack by her. He could only open his mouth in surprise as she covered it with her own, her tongue playing with his. They remained in that way for a minute. Finally Ukyo broke away and smiled bitter sweetly.
"I always wanted a kiss from you as your fiancée. Now I finally got it. Come. Let us celebrate our friendship by going to the amusement park"
"But… but… the other fiancées will probably be there"
"Don't worry. I'm feeling lucky today"
"Huh?"
"Come on, buddy. Let's settle the competition we had ten years ago"
Ranma's face brightened. "You're on" He smiled cockily. "I'll have you know that now I can catch a lot of fish using the paper net"
"Yeah, so what! My aiming skill also improved. Try beating me at the archery stand"
It was already dusk when Ranma and Ukyo walked toward the Tendo residence, each one with a wheelbarrow full of the prizes they have won from the fair. All of them, except the wheelbarrows. They were given by stall owners, as a hint that they should bring the prizes home already, thus sparing the stall owners from further losses. As they walked, they were chatting in a cordial manner, joking and teasing each other freely, something that they haven't done for a long time.
"Ucchan…" Ranma said, stopping.
"Yes?"
"Look"
She looked in the direction he pointed. The sun was setting in the horizon and the view was breath taking. Ukyo was speechless.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Ukyo nodded. "It does seem romantic if not for the fact that we have two wheelbarrows besides us. I feel we're like a couple of construction workers right now"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry," Ukyo said while lowering her head. Ranma was probably ticked off at her because of that comment.
"Everyone should enjoy the sunset and sunrise once and while. It doesn't matter whether we're just construction workers or millionaires. What's more important that we spend it with people that you care about"
Ukyo turned her head toward Ranma to see he was looking at the setting sun, smiling.
Ranma stretched his right hand up, with the palm facing him "While pop can be a useless idiot, sometimes he surprises me by saying something quite un'pop'-like. One of the things he said that if you and your friend held your hands close to each other…"
"Like this?" Ukyo asked as she put her own hand next to Ranma's. She blinked her eyes when she saw something like a red thread linking the little fingers on both hands. The petite chef smiled when she saw that the thread has disappeared. She didn't want to be accused of hallucinating.
Ranma, oblivious to what Ukyo was thinking continued, "Yeah. When you hold up the hands like this facing the sunset, he claimed that we can whether we are tied up by enishi"
"Thread of souls?" Ukyo asked.
"You know, the red string between soul mates"
"The thread that binds the two together…" A soft smile blossomed on Ukyo's lips. "I see. Well, let's go home"
"Okay"
They continued walking until Ukyo remembered something and asked, "Ne, Rancchan?"
"What is it?"
"What would you do with the prize?"
He shrugged. "Don't know. How about you?"
Ukyo looked all of the stuff in front of her. "I think I will keep a few and give them away to needy children at the orphanage"
Ranma thought about what she said. "Good idea. I'll also do that" Then he saw a girl leaning on a wall in front of them with her hands crossed. "On second thought, maybe I wouldn't be able to do that"
They continued walking until they were a few meters from the girl.
"You have won a lot of prizes" the girl commented.
"Heh, Nabiki. We just got lucky, that's all"
"Just lucky enough to have several people calling me out of the blue and begged me to receive their protection money so that I will keep my future brother in law from going to the amusement park?"
"Wow! Is that so?" Ukyo asked.
Nabiki nodded. "Ranma, you better return home and rest. Tomorrow we have something to do"
"Okay. See you later, Ucchan" With that, Ranma wheeled his winnings into the Tendo residence. Nabiki didn't follow, but instead looking at Ukyo.
"So, how is your date with Ranma?"
"It was fantastic. Thank you for your help"
"It was nothing"
To Ukyo, what Nabiki did was simply astounding. She managed to orchestrate everything so that the two of them could be at the park without anyone spoiling the day. Taking care of the Chinese Amazons, Kuno, Ryoga and the others will take a very thorough planning. "How did you manage to keep them away?"
Nabiki shrugged. "Kuno and his sister are the easiest. Ryoga was the hardest. That's what you only need to know"
She didn't want Ukyo to know to what extent she did to ensure the success of Ukyo's date with Ranma. She had made a few calls to restaurant owners who owed her favors to close their shops temporarily. This caused an influx of patrons to the Nekohanten. A few misdirection and Kuno and his sister were on their way to Hawaii. Akane was kept busy by the pursuing Gosunkugi and the hentai horde intent on asking her out on a date. And lastly Nabiki put a few people at strategic points in the city to show Ryoga the correct way to go to Ranma. Of course, with his 'excellent' sense of direction, the lost boy never stood a chance. Ukyo would never know the scale of the operation the woman in front of her has orchestrated.
"So, Ukyo, have you decided on how you feel about Ranma?"
Ukyo lowered her head, but a smile could be seen on her lips. "Yes. I have. I believe, no, I know that I like him very much…"
An American walked along the Nerima River. He was wearing jeans and a brown jacket with a white star on a blue circle logo behind it. His golden hair was shoulder length. Walking besides him was a boy with short blonde hair. In contrast to the brown jacket the man wore, the boy's was red, with white and back trimming.
"Where are we going?" the boy asked. "I thought that we're just going to visit Andy and his family here"
"Frankly speaking, I thought that too. But someone else found out about us coming to Japan"
"Who?"
"A girl"
"Wow. Mary's going to be even sore with you"
"Lighten up, kiddo. She's not going to find out if you don't tell her. After all, this girl is just a friend" A smile appeared on his lips just as he finished saying that. "Yep. Or 'business associate' as she would have called it"
"If we're going to visit this girl friend of yours, why are we going inside a forest? She's a nomad like us?"
"Nope, she's not mad like us, that's for sure"
They continued walking inside the forest until they reached a clearing. The man grinned when he saw Nabiki and a male teenager were waiting for them. "It's been a while, huh, Nabs?" he asked in perfect Japanese
"How are you?"
"Fine. Glad to see you too, Nabs"
The teenager turned toward Nabiki, "How come he can call you Nabs but I can't?"
Nabiki ignored him. "This is Saotome Ranma. Saotome-kun, this is Terry Bogard and his em…"
"I'm Rock Howard," the kid said, also in fluent Japanese. "Terry's my foster dad"
"Hmm…Howard…," Nabiki trailed. "I see. Well, I do know that you're talented and Terry is the best man to train you" She turned her attention toward Terry. "I take it that you have been very busy since that time in Israel?"
"Thanks for the praise, but you wouldn't waste your time just to flatter me, do you?" Terry asked.
"Right. I need a favor from you," Nabiki said.
"This counts as one of my repayments to you infamous debt?"
Ranma chuckled. Even foreigners weren't spared from Nabiki's clutches.
Nabiki made a mock disappointed expression, "You don't like being in debt with me? Oh, how cruel you are"
Terry made a bored expression.
Nabiki twirled a bracelet, just like the one on Ranma's hand. "You 'purchased' one from me a few years ago"
"Ah, that brings memory to me. I could still remember that wet and soggy nine years old girl trying to a weird thing to a sixteen years old me in the middle of a heavy rainstorm. My, how time changes everyone. So I guess I should get one for Rock Howard to wear"
Rock narrowed his eyes. "Why should I wear such a girly thing?"
"My sentiment exactly," Ranma said.
Terry said, "I'll explain to you about it later, Rock. I'm sure after you hear about it, you will want one"
"Okay, but I'm not promising anything"
"So, Nabiki, what kind of favor should I do for you this time?"
Nabiki tossed the bracelet at him. "Easy. Ranma here has defeated a demigod. Know Saffron?"
Terry nodded. "I've heard about him from Master Tung, my sifu. And?"
"I want you to beat the crap out of Ranma"
Ranma turned to look at Nabiki nervously. "Are you crazy?"
"Why?"
He pointed at Terry. "According to his ki, he's weaker than I was before Saffron" Then his eyes lightened up. "Oh… I get it. With the help of this bracelet, you want me to fight him at his level. That should be easy," he said as he cracked his knuckles. It was Saotome's pride and ego at its best, or worst, depending on people's perception.
Terry put one hand on his hip and massage his neck his neck with the other. "All right, Nabs, I'll do this as your payment. Anything else?"
"Yes," Nabiki said. "Hit him with as much ki techniques as you can without killing or maiming him"
"Oi, Nabiki," Ranma said. "He knows ki techniques?"
"You will find out soon enough," Nabiki said. She put a finger under her chin. "By the way, I wonder how Akane-chan is doing right now"
Meanwhile in a dojo in another city, a gi-clad Tendo Akane was lying on its wooden floor. Her hand was being held by a girl's whose own blue hair was tied up in a high ponytail. "Ouuchh… it hurts…"
"That technique is called Shingan"
"Heart's eye?" Akane asked dazedly.
"Yes, Arrow root drop technique"
"It's a devastating technique, Todo-san"
"Called me Kasumi"
"Your name is similar to my sister"
"Wait, your sister's name is Nabiki"
"My other sister"
"Oh… This Kasumi is a martial artist like you?"
"No"
"No!"
"She's a gentle person and very adept at housework. Currently she's studying nursing"
"I see. Anyway, shall we have a go at it again?"
Akane stood up and dusted her own gi. "I'm ready"
"Attack me"
She launched a jump kick toward Kasumi Todo.
"WHAM!"
"Ouch…"
1
Author's note (25 January 2006)
1. Beginning this chapter, I have a better introduction to the CrossOvers. Since I'll be giving some information on stories to help you to get up better, please remember that there will be spoilers and at the same time, barely enough information. Just think of the information as teasers. As for the Bleach CO in the previous chapter, you don't have to worry much as I'll give a better intro when I finally sit down to do the actual CO.
2. I've finally finished a Ranma x Ukyo segment. I'll be doing the others in the future, so stay connected.
Info
on Cross Over : Fatal Fury (Terry Bogard). SPOILERS!
This is
among the first 'modern' animes I watched as before then, all I
have to contend with are old 80's animes such as Ultraman,
Doraemon, Mazinger Z, G-Force. Fatal Fury marks the era that I'm
beginning to watch '90s animes. This anime is based on a popular
arcade game by the name of Fatal Fury (known as Garou) in Japan. The
main character, Terry Bogard was an orphan and had a brother named
Andy. They were adopted when they were small by a martial artist by
the name of Jeff Bogard. However, one powerful crime lord by the name
of Geese Howard kill Jeff in order to carry out his fowl plan.
Swearing revenge, both brothers trained hard for years. Terry fought as
a self-taught street figher and Andy as a ninja. In the animes, Terry
Bogard
defeated Geese Howard followed by Geese' step brother Wolgang
Krauser. In the final anime movie, he fought with a god (more
powerful than Saffron) and managed to kill it with the help of his
dead lover. The story ends there, but in the game's subsequent
episodes (which is the 'real' story), Eventually Terry fought and
defeated Geese Howard once more. Their final battle was on top a
skyscraper. Because of the blast from Terry's super move (hisatsu waza
- super deadly art), Geese was thrown off the
building, but Terry caught hold of his hand. Not wanting Terry to help him, Geese
released his hold on Terry and took the plunge. With Geese dead, Terry
raised Geese's son, Rock Howard
as his own foster child.
Kasumi Todo (Appearance : Art of Fighting 3, King Of Fighters (96, 99, X1)). I don't know whether SNK (the company behind the games) copied Ranma or vice versa, but Kasumi Todo is a strong female character specializing in a Todo's Judo branch (notice the resemblance with Akane Tendo here?). She's a very powerful defensive player, with a special move that counters most normal attacks. A glance she looks a bit like Akane with her hair (also blue, people) being tied up in a high ponytail.
Enishi
(Red String of fate)
Japanese
believe that soul mates will be linked with an invisible red string
from birth. The red string helps you to find your soulmate, There are
some who believe the string is indestructible and cannot be cut loose
while some believe the thread will be cut if you gives up on
searching for your soulmate. However, before you people go and
practice this with your partner, you should know that there's no
proof that holding your hand close to your partner toward the sunset
will allow you to see the string.
