"Well, it's a long story." Toshi said dejectedly. "A long story I don't like to tell."

"Well, Shichan. None of us is goin' anywhere."

Ryoga mumbled something through his food.

"What, Ryo-chan?"

Ryoga started to cough. " -cough- cough- Ukyo! -cough- -cough-"

Ranma caught his drift. "Ummm, Shichan. There's a lot you don't know..." Ranma started.

"Like what?" She asked as she patted Ryoga's back through his coughing fit. Ryoga looked expectantly at Ranma.

"Well, uh... Ukyo's a girl." Ranma said.

"And?" Toshi said.

"You knew?" Ryoga asked.

"It was easy to figure." She said simply.

"How?" Ranma asked.

"It's a girl thing." She said, winked at Ryoga, then walked into the kitchen. "More okonomiyaki?" She called.

"Sure!" was the unanimous reply.

A female figure trodded firmly up the road. Her face was shielded by the brim of a hat.

"That fool man. First my son, then-" she paused to straighten her hat a bit, "My baby." she said, almost tearfully. Truth be told, she missed her husband. He was a fool, but in a strange way, lovable. In his younger days, he had been thinner, and in truth, looked almost exactly like her son. They were so much alike... from what she remembered. She had struggled to keep her memories crystal clear. But, age was wearing on her. That and wondering whether her husband and children were alive.

A silent tear escaped her eye. She brought her gaze heavenward. The years of waiting and waiting... Had taken their toll. But she would keep on. And she was determined to. Her first stop was... the residence of Soun Tendo. A close friend of her husband, so close, they had made arrangements to engage their children "to unite the schools'. She had never protested. It all sounded so 'medieval', and she would have it sound no other way. Chivalry, the age of the samurai and shogun, those were the better days. After the birth of her son, she had willed herself to have another child, a girl. Just in case Soun had sons, and to have around to educate on how things were meant to be. Women were powerful, in a quiet sense. The man is the head, yet the woman the neck. She maneuvers and manipulates. She shivered in anticipation.

"If anyone knows where they are... It's Soun." she said. A man passed by, preoccupied. "Excuse me, but do you have any idea where this-" She showed the man a crumpled sheet of note paper, "is?"

The young man, looked startled, then relaxed, "Sure lady. It's right that way." He smiled and pointed to the east. "Just down that lane."

"Thank you." She said, her heart went aflutter. I can only hope! She thought to herself, as she broke into a run.

"Shi-chan, this is great!"

"Mmrf!" came Ryoga's muffled agreement.

"Thanks, Ryochan!" Toshi said and smiled. She blushed a bit. And scurried into the kitchen to whip up another few.

"So Ranma, what the deal with your sister?" Ryoga whispered.

Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"No, not like that, where'd she come from?"

Ranma raised his eyebrow yet again.

Ryoga growled. "Not like that! You know what I mean!" he whispered again.

Ranma chuckled a bit. "I dunno. One day she just showed up at the door."

There was a sharp, persistent rapping at the door. "Speakin' of..." Ranma started.

"I'll get it!" Toshi cried and ran to the door.

"No, I will." Ranma said.

"No, you won't!" Toshi said and shoved Ranma back. She ran and opened the door. Ryoga heard a sharp intake of breath. He ran to see what was going on.

"Oh my g... MOM!" Toshi said, and glomped her mother.

"Wait, wait! Toshichan! I missed you too! Don't you ever run like-" Nodoka gasped. "R- r-Ranma? Ranma, my baby? Oh my goodness. Ranma! Oh goodness!" Nodoka said and ran to her son.

"Is it really my little man?" Nodoka asked.

"Ummmm.. yeah, Mom." Ranma breathed.

"Good!" Nodoka said. Ranma held his mother and she cried into his shirt. Toshi carried on too. Sobbing and clinging to her mother. Ryoga looked on with pain in his eyes, as the happy trio hugged. Except Ranma, who was in a sort of daze, he had fear written on his face. His sister and his mom cried, and Ranma held them. He hadn't seen his parents in a while... and who knew when he would have the chance?

"I don't want to interrupt." He mumbled as he made his leave. No one noticed. Ryoga silently slipped through the door and into the, by now, twilight. He grunted, noticing he had left his pack inside. He walked back in, to find them separated, and Nodoka was kissing Ranma, tears of joy running down her face.

"Um, sorry to interrupt..." And Ryoga really was sorry. All this was depressing him. "But, does anyone remember where I put my pack?"

"Uh... I think it's... in the kitchen, I'll get it." Ranma said.

Toshi shook her head fiercely. "No, Ranmichan, mom needs you. Stay." she said and smiled through tears. She ran into the kitchen, and swiftly returned. She handed Ryoga his pack and followed him out the door.

"Who's that?" Nodoka asked.

"Toshi's boyfriend." Ranma answered. Nodoka scowled.

"Toshi and I will have a little talk about chasteness later."

Outside, Ryoga was preparing to leave.

"Um, Ryochan?" Toshi asked.

"What?"

"Where will you go?" she asked.

"I don't know. Never do. I just end up." He said as he hoisted the pack easily on his back. "Well. thanks for the food."

Toshi stepped closer to Ryoga. "It's alright. Anytime." she said.

"Well, I guess,-" Ryoga started, but then Toshi cut him off. Toshi leaned up and placed her lips on his. It lasted for only about two seconds, but the feeling remained.

"Bye, Ryoga." Toshi said, waving. "Happy travels. And come back soon." She then, turned heel and walked inside the house. But Ryoga was frozen, trying to absorb what happened. After about five minutes, a stream of blood came rushing out of his nose. He stumbled on his way, wherever that was, with a nice memory of his first kiss as a human implanted in his mind.