Ucchan's, first scene
Ranma was surprised that Ucchan's was still up. He went in, careful to not let her know who he really was.
"Hi! Welcome to Ucchan's!" she cheerfully called from behind the grill.
"Thanks! One here, please!" He smiled as he sat down at the grill. She started to throw the noodles down.
"How have things been around here?"
"Oh, new in town?"
"Well, I used to live here. Kinda missed it, so I came back."
"Really? Then you might remember a few years back?" She nodded, smiling. Ukyo continued, "Things haven't really gotten less crazy, but Ranma left, and the Kuno family went to France for a few months- They should be back soon. Ryoga's been missing for a while now, but that's no surprise. So I guess it's a little calmer, but that can change real soon. There's a lot of fighting when all the guys are here. It's like the battle royale for who gets to marry who."
"Who's winning so far?"
"Depends. I guess you could say Kuno's the one who's gaining the most, but Ryoga beats him every time, he just objects to taking Akane as a prize. Then there's Ranma. Everyone claims he's the one who's winning, but no one's seen him in three years."
"So. He's winning with out even fighting?"
"Basically. The belief is that Akane should get the final choice, right? And no one's asked her yet- Except Kuno, of course."
"Ah. So that's why you say Kuno's winning even if he isn't the top fighter. He's the only one with the guts to ask her out."
"Most of them try, but they can't win."
"So Akane's not married. How about you?"
"Still waiting to decide myself. Ranma's been away, so I don't think it's fair to just switch. I feel I need to tell him at least."
"Oh. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
Ukyo pushed him the okonomiyaki. "Are you kidding? I'm the cute fiancé. I'm sure he'd be upset about it."
Ranma laughed. "So you're both still single. Saotome's not gonna like that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Only that I think he'd rather be single." Ranma started to eat. "I met him, y'know. That's how come I came back. To see how he'd messed this place up after he left. Seems to be the same."
"In some ways it's worse, in some it's much better."
"Oh?"
"People have stopped fighting each other for no reason, with the exception of the Royale. But there are those of us who miss him. Akane, myself, Shampoo, Kodachi. Then there's the perverts from school who miss how he'd turn into a girl. Kuno, except he hates the male half. And of course Happosai."
Ranma shivered at the memory.
"But the guys- Ryoga, Mousse, even Pantyhose when he's in town. They have the weirdest reaction. They're. Waiting."
"What, waiting to kill him?"
"No. Waiting for him to come back."
"Why, to kill him?"
"To. Who knows what? As much as they fought, I know for a fact they've all been depressed since he left. Like a best friend died or something. Even like they'd lost a little brother."
"Hah! Are you saying they thought of Ranma like a kid brother? Ryoga's younger than him! Not much, but hey. A month's a month. And Mousse? Mousse thought he was a girl half the time!"
Ukyo shrugged. "That's how it goes."
Ranma scoffed, taking another bite. "What does Akane want?" he asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Akane. What does she want? Does she want Ranma to come back or what?"
She shrugged. "Who knows. I think she wants him to come back so she can decide once and for all."
Ranma nodded. "Oh." He paid her, then stood up.
'Maybe that's for the best.'
Ranma was surprised that Ucchan's was still up. He went in, careful to not let her know who he really was.
"Hi! Welcome to Ucchan's!" she cheerfully called from behind the grill.
"Thanks! One here, please!" He smiled as he sat down at the grill. She started to throw the noodles down.
"How have things been around here?"
"Oh, new in town?"
"Well, I used to live here. Kinda missed it, so I came back."
"Really? Then you might remember a few years back?" She nodded, smiling. Ukyo continued, "Things haven't really gotten less crazy, but Ranma left, and the Kuno family went to France for a few months- They should be back soon. Ryoga's been missing for a while now, but that's no surprise. So I guess it's a little calmer, but that can change real soon. There's a lot of fighting when all the guys are here. It's like the battle royale for who gets to marry who."
"Who's winning so far?"
"Depends. I guess you could say Kuno's the one who's gaining the most, but Ryoga beats him every time, he just objects to taking Akane as a prize. Then there's Ranma. Everyone claims he's the one who's winning, but no one's seen him in three years."
"So. He's winning with out even fighting?"
"Basically. The belief is that Akane should get the final choice, right? And no one's asked her yet- Except Kuno, of course."
"Ah. So that's why you say Kuno's winning even if he isn't the top fighter. He's the only one with the guts to ask her out."
"Most of them try, but they can't win."
"So Akane's not married. How about you?"
"Still waiting to decide myself. Ranma's been away, so I don't think it's fair to just switch. I feel I need to tell him at least."
"Oh. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
Ukyo pushed him the okonomiyaki. "Are you kidding? I'm the cute fiancé. I'm sure he'd be upset about it."
Ranma laughed. "So you're both still single. Saotome's not gonna like that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Only that I think he'd rather be single." Ranma started to eat. "I met him, y'know. That's how come I came back. To see how he'd messed this place up after he left. Seems to be the same."
"In some ways it's worse, in some it's much better."
"Oh?"
"People have stopped fighting each other for no reason, with the exception of the Royale. But there are those of us who miss him. Akane, myself, Shampoo, Kodachi. Then there's the perverts from school who miss how he'd turn into a girl. Kuno, except he hates the male half. And of course Happosai."
Ranma shivered at the memory.
"But the guys- Ryoga, Mousse, even Pantyhose when he's in town. They have the weirdest reaction. They're. Waiting."
"What, waiting to kill him?"
"No. Waiting for him to come back."
"Why, to kill him?"
"To. Who knows what? As much as they fought, I know for a fact they've all been depressed since he left. Like a best friend died or something. Even like they'd lost a little brother."
"Hah! Are you saying they thought of Ranma like a kid brother? Ryoga's younger than him! Not much, but hey. A month's a month. And Mousse? Mousse thought he was a girl half the time!"
Ukyo shrugged. "That's how it goes."
Ranma scoffed, taking another bite. "What does Akane want?" he asked.
"Excuse me?"
"Akane. What does she want? Does she want Ranma to come back or what?"
She shrugged. "Who knows. I think she wants him to come back so she can decide once and for all."
Ranma nodded. "Oh." He paid her, then stood up.
'Maybe that's for the best.'