SHE'S ALL ALONE
Spirited Away
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Takahashi's characters, all I own are two paper clips and a paper towel (slightly damp and bloody).
O.K, in this new chapter, we begin the true journey of Ukyo's heart as she begins to remove herself from the world of Nerima, and can she cope without a life of Ranma? Let's find out…
* - I will be using plenty of Japanese words which I'll translate in the author's notes in the end. I forgot to do this in the opening chapter, but I presume most Ranma fans will know what 'Kawaiikune' means…
* * * *
Ukyo journey into the night wasn't a planned one. The girl didn't plan on going anywhere, it was a spur of the moment decision, but one she had always thought off after she helped ruin the wedding.
She didn't care where she went, or how far it would take. Ukyo was very fit, dragging her family's business to everywhere and anywhere did that for her, but the problem was not her physical condition.
It was her mind and heart.
She didn't have a set path, she was just going out of her way from the life that Nerima. Late at night, even the thugs and drunks would have ignored her, the aura she was producing made Ryoga's angst look like a toothpick.
Like the lost boy, Ukyo simply picked a direction and stuck with it until she couldn't go any further, and then made a turn. She didn't care where she ended up. Not any more.
From Nerima, the world was her oyster.
But did she want to open the clam?
* * * *
The early morning of the next day…
Akane Tendo went out on her daily jog. Whether things had happened or not, she continually stuck to her routine. She was still an heir to the Tendo Dojo, and the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts had a reputation that she wanted to continue after she and Ranma married.
At least to herself, she admitted that. Not that she'd say anything in public of course.
She passed by the empty streets of Nerima, always liking the quiet atmosphere of the early morning, especially when compared to the normal hectic life she lived both at her school and with her 'family.'
Normally, she passed every building and no matter her rivals, her enemies or whatever, she felt nothing and remains neutral to whatever happened, even after the wedding that was destroyed and interrupted.
But when she passed a certain restaurant, she felt a slow chill inside her.
She stopped to turn to Ucchan's.
"What did I just feel there?" Akane thought out loud.
She shrugged it off before continuing her jog.
An hour later, Konatsu was crying.
* * * *
Wherever she was, it was hot. Ryoga would be proud of her, she sarcastically thought.
Ukyo hadn't slept since leaving late last night to escape from Nerima, and her tortured mind hadn't really been working in conjuction with her heart, and was pretty much running on autopilot.
"Th-the sign…" she turned to look at a sign, and wondering why all the letters were so blurry.
She drew her uber-spatula and swung, trying to catch the letters flying away, but they didn't seem to be able to be caught. Giving up, she focused again…
"K-Ky-Kyu-shu?"
A roar of a factory coming to live in the morning gave Ukyo the jump start she needed.
She turned and realised that this wasn't just another town, she was on a whole another ISLAND!
"I was really spaced out…" Ukyo sighed. She decided now was a chance to find a local ryokan* and have a sleep. Kyushu was pretty much an island of industry, and knew many businessmen liked to visit there to discuss whatever, so there had to be some sort of accomodation in the areas here…
"Jeez, I'm such a jackass…" she swore to herself.
However, depression still sank in, and before she could decide whether to sleep, she needed a coffee or even a beer to get her to at least think straight.
* * * *
Ukyo's hair was let down as she entered the local kissaten* and ordered one cup of coffee from the waitress.
"Are you all right ma'am?" the waitress said politely.
"Sure sweetheart…" Ukyo didn't hide her Kansai dialect as she spoke. The waitress saw that as a sign just to leave her alone, so she simply said to wait and she'd get the coffee.
Ukyo sighed as she rubbed her eyes. It had been a long night for her.
She had done it. She had left Nerima, left Ucchan's, and she'd left…him.
Ranma Saotome. The man she had fallen in love with over again after a 10 year absence. Her heart felt the same now as it did back then, full of betrayal, but not because of Ranma this time.
Because of herself.
She felt that this journey would at least take the time to heal those wounds. She didn't know how long she would be. Maybe she'd be gone for 2 months, 2 years, forever, she didn't know how long she could stay away.
She wondered if anyone realised she was gone. Konatsu would of course, and Nabiki and Kasumi knew. It wouldn't be long until Ranchan knew…Ukyo wondered if he'd even care…
'Oh great, now I'm feeling bitter. Get over it…he chose Akane…'
She had thought that for a long time, but wanted to deny it, even change his mind. In truth, that's what the other girls had been doing as well, but whilst Shampoo tried it with love potions and Kodachi with blackmail, Ukyo tried it with compassion. The day that the Gambling King tried to take the Tendo Dojo, that was her chance.
She had held on Ranma's arm the day she left the hot baths, and he didn't reject her. That was a good step, and Ukyo knew she could do it.
That ended when the Tendo family dropped in. Despite that, she let them stay, disappointed, but not beaten. She had another plan when she risked her restaurant in the final game between Ranma and the King.
It was a double-edged sword, win and her restuarant was safe, but all of his love interests were still here. Lose, and she was on the road, but she was alone with Ranma.
In the end, Ranma cheated, but won. A small blow maybe, but Ukyo wasn't going to give up.
She had tried other plans as well. The promise Ranchan made about the secret sauce, she thought that Ranma did love her after that. The team up with Ryoga in the tunnel of lost love…that one nearly worked, a bit sneaky of her, but she had another motive as well.
Ryoga may have been a dunce, but Ukyo knew that he and Akane are pretty friendly, and Ryoga was head over heels in love with her. Despite efforts to the contrary, Ukyo did not hate Akane, and she felt if she got Ryoga together with Akane, everyone was happy.
At this point, the coffee was delivered. A quick 'ookini' and a tip to the waitress, she silenty drank, trying to get her eyes and mind awake.
A quick crash ended her long train of thought.
"Freeze!"
A coffee shop was not the best place for a stick-up, but in the morning, there were plenty of people about and also the cash from the till was not likely to be emptied.
Three thugs with masks on their heads, all armed with various teppó, one had a matchlock rifle, and two with pellet guns. Japan was famous for not allowing guns, which made things like this a real shock to the customers.
99% of the customers, staff and owners were panicking. One percent continued drinking her coffee.
In the corner, an old man in a grey robe with a withered straw hat was also pretty unmoving, and seemed to have an eye on Ukyo…
"O.K, I'm sure you might have realised what is going on, but these are guns, and guns fire bullets! And if we fire bullets, you could get hit! And if you get hit, you could die! And if you die you can't come back to life which isn't a good th…" The first started his long winded speech.
"Leader, I think that's enough." The second person abruptly ended.
"Oh right. Basically, we've got weapons, you've got money, we want money, hand it over!" The first guy shouted to the tubby kissaten owner, who was rightly praying for his life.
"We're just a shop that sells coffee, we don't have much…" he tried to get out of the predicament, failing horribly.
"Shut up! Does it matter how much you have? As long as you have it, it gives us bad guys a chance to look cool with guns! So fork up tubby!" the third guy said.
Ukyo murmured a 'baka' comment under breath as she fondled for something on her belt…
"As for everyone else, we hope you'll co-operate with generously doninating some cash for our poor unfortunate selfs. Because if you don't, we get angry! And if we get angry, you could get hurt! And if you get hu…"
"LEADER!" the other two said.
"Oh sorry, hand over the cash or…"
He pointed the gun at the old man in the corner.
"…the old dude gets it!"
The old man remained seated, not nervous, as the owner quickly began to empty the tills and the customers whilst scared, were wondering about idiots with guns. However, as they did have guns, they didn't have much choice…
The old man stood up as the leader pointed his rifle at him.
"Don't try anything old man!"
He removed his hat as his bald head, scrunched eyes and small grey goatee shown as his lavender robes, obviously of Chinese origin, seemed as calm as rain.
"Three…." He said.
"Huh?" the leader asked.
"What are you doing sir? You could get us killed!" the owner said.
The old man calmly continued. "Two…"
The leader pointed his gun and backed off. "Whatever you're planning old dude, I advise against it!"
The old man sighed and sat down.
"That's better." The leader smirked.
And the old man grinned.
"One."
At that point, the three men wondered what the heck was going on…because they also wondered why their guns were suddenly removed from their hands and embedded in the walls by three small ichimonji*.
"Jackasses. Next time, try it with guns which aren't replicas."
The three men turned to see the girl stand up. The young chef yawned as the men looked flabbergasted…
"Ah well, I suppose I could do with the exercise." She drew her mega spatula and went into her fighting stance. "Who wants to be served first?"
The man outside the shop waited around just waiting for his boys to come back with the cash and move into generic evil plan number one-hundred and four.
Which was why blackness surprised him when a chop hit the side of his neck…
Inside the restaurant, Ukyo had lifted one of the creeps onto her spatula and smashed him through a table, putting him out. The other two were now scared, wondering what to do.
Run was the best option…
…until they went outside and saw an old man on the side of the getaway vehicle, an unconscious fourth gang member.
"Going somewhere gentlemen?" he said.
The first one, swung a punch at him which the man despite his age, seemed to be strong, blocking it with his wrist. With a movement too swift to follow, he struck him in the abdomen with an open palm, knocking him out completely.
The final one, the leader realised he was cornered. Oh well, he had a last desperate measure…
He drew a hidden blade from his wrist, and wondered who he should slash. The old man or the cute girl…
Easy decision.
He struck towards the old man's throat, relishing the task of revenge at least which will befall on them trying to ruin their evil schemes. If blood was going to spill, at least it won't be his own…
…which is why blackness caught him off guard by a spatula smack to the skull.
"Didn't they ever tell you to never turn your back?" Ukyo quipped as the punk went down for the count.
Inside the shop, the customers were stunned. The police had been called, hopefully to clean up the mess, but it seems now all they had to do was to arrest 4 idiotic people in silly masks…
Outside the shop, Ukyo looked at a job well done.
"Shucks, that was easier than getting flies with honey…" Ukyo said. She turned to the old man who smiled.
"That wasn't bad miss." He said.
"Ah well, I needed a bit of exercise, those guys were easy…"
Suddenly, tiredness set in once again to the young chef, as Ukyo realised now the coffee and adreneline had gone, she was back to her tired self.
"Miss, are you O.K?"
Ukyo fell to one knee as she realised how much sleep she had, i.e. none.
"F-fine thanks…"
She collapsed down as the old man looked on. He put a hand to her forehead.
"So strong…she is capable of so much more…"
With surprising strength for an old man, he lifts the girl into his arms and walked away. He was going to make a phone call, to get one of his people to help him get home.
Where he would see if this young girl had the potential to be the next student of the legendary Yo.
* * * *
"KASSUUUMMMIIII!"
Soun Tendo was sobbing as usual, but it was for a different reason. He couldn't find his eldest daughter…which was a bigger crisis than you'd think. Kasumi never left the house without informing someone, and worse…
"Why Tendo, what could the matter be?" Genma Saotome asked.
"KASUMI…SHE'S…SHE'S…"
"…not here." Nabiki said calmly.
Soun went into tears again, as Nabiki's simply remark just seemed to intensify Soun's despair. Genma still didn't see the problem, until Akane came in with a bright smile.
"Oh she's sent a note, she says she's working somewhere. I didn't know Kasumi got a job…"
"She does…" Nabiki smiled, not yet saying where she had gone, she had to capture the perfect moment.
"…but don't worry, I'll do breakfast!"
Now the real reason why Soun was crying became too apparent to Genma Saotome, as well as his sometimes son, sometimes daughter, Ranma Saotome.
"Well pops, we going to training?" Ranma said.
"Right boy!" Genma said as the two headed out the door, where Akane stopped them.
"And where do you think you're going?" Akane said. The two may have been getting along slightly better, but Ranma still liked to joke about Akane's less than edible cooking.
"Somewhere far far away from the kitchen…" Ranma said, just before a frying pan imbedded into his thick skull.
A certain troll emerged from his hole and heard the words 'Akane' and 'cooking' and for a rare occasion, became afraid.
"How am I supposed to go on my trips without some good food in me?" Happosai complained. "Ah, I know!"
A splash of cold water and Ranma-chan was born and Happy got his energy ANOTHER way…
…and was sent into orbit.
"Oh well, I best be going as well." Nabiki said and stood up. "I've got to work as well."
"You two as well sis?" Akane said.
Nabiki smiled. "Sure Akane. I mean, with my business sense and Kasumi's cooking abilities, we should be able to handle Ucchan's without a problem."
Cue the double-take.
"U-U-Ucchan's?" Ranma-chan wondered out loud.
Nabiki saw the looks on their faces and a perfect shot of Akane and the pig-tailed girl to get Kuno-baby to fork over a few yen later. "Say cheese." She said and took their picture before leaving the Tendo household.
"Hey wait Nabiki!" Ranma-chan left, utterly confused and what she was up to.
"I don't know what's going on, but I'd better see. Sorry oto-san, but I'm going to go as well…"
As Akane left, Soun breathed a sigh of relief. But then his stomach rumbled.
"So, who's going to cook dinner? Saotome?" Soun asked his long time friend before a splash of water was heard.
Genma-panda was busy rolling a ball as Soun facefaulted.
"No fair…"
* * * *
Dreams are a funny thing.
You can recall the good and the bad in your spaced out memories, or go into some fantasy which you believed in and hoped would happen some day.
The flashes of a wedding was vigorous in Ukyo's mind. The wedding of Ranma Saotome and Ukyo Saotome.
No interruptions, no problems, no worries. The traditional western wedding was not uncommon in Japan, and it was one that Ukyo had always dreamed about as the groom leaned in for the kiss…
Ukyo woke up with a start.
"W-what happened?" she said to no-one in particular.
She looked over her surroundings. It was quite warm and hollow, like being inside a cave…hey wait, she WAS inside a cave!
She wiped a few beads of sweat off her forehead as she tried to recall what had been going on. She was in that coffee shop, helped dispose of those goons, that old man, and then nothing.
"Was that a dream as well?" Ukyo said.
"That was no dream my dear." A withered yet kind voice confirmed her worries.
Ukyo turned to see the old man sipping a cup of tea, but not keeping her eyes off her.
"What…where…" Ukyo was partially worried and partly concerned. The old man however did everything to dispatch her concerns.
"Everything is fine. The creeps were arrested shortly after you passed out. I got one of my workers to help bring you here, although you are one of the few to visit this cave…it is quite dangerous here, but I feel that you can survive…"
Now Ukyo was panicking.
"Survive? Survive? What do you mean?"
The old man shook his head. "Maybe that wasn't the best way to go through with things…" I guess working with boys for most of his life made him not as sure towards the female reaction.
"It's better to show than to say." The man said as he walked outside. Ukyo decided that actions did indeed speak louder than words, and followed him outside.
When Ukyo turned, she realised where the heat was coming from. They weren't in a cave, or even a mountain…
…they were in a hollow part of a volcano!
"What the…" Ukyo started but began to fall again as the man caught her.
"Easy. This is Mt. Aso, a volcano in central Kyshu. If you go down to the bottom of it, you'll find my business, my tea shop, where most of my men work down. However, very few of them know about this cave…or my true past." The man said.
Ukyo tried to speak but couldn't as the man's hand touched her forehead. It was like a paralyzing shot and Ukyo couldn't move.
The power she felt was weird. Like all martial artists, she had a sixth sense when it came to another's 'ki' or life force, it was how she was able to react to attacks. This man however, radiated it so strong for someone his age, and it was overpowering.
"You have a powerful spirit my dear. More than even you know." The man started. "This cave is my secret hideout, where I train a select few in Yo Standard based Martial Arts, the ability to draw out someone's ki in a way that they never expected…"
Ukyo was a bit stunned. This 'ki' has been demonstrated by Ranchan, Ryoga and the two old fossils Happosai and Cologne various times in their attacks. Ukyo was always amazed at how they could do that, and never thought she could do anything like that.
"I'm sorry sir, but I don't think I could…" Ukyo started but the man continued.
"I can sense you've used ki of some variation before. This means you can use it but are you aware of it…we need to tap into that power…" the man said.
Ukyo wasn't sure what he was on about. Her style of fighting, Okonomiyaki-Specialized Style Martial Arts, was based on her cooking, and using them in various forms of weaponry. As much as she liked to, could she even use a…
Wait a second? She did once…
Against that Crepe King jerk, Ukyo uses her aura to smash through a crepe prison and on instinct, that same aura lashed out towards the King and took him skywards. Then she unleashed an attack she didn't even recollect, the Batter Dragon, based on her aura, ki and her love and passion for making okonomiyaki.
Was that what the old man was on about?
"Your study of martial arts makes you more suspectable to ki my dear. There are various forms of course, dating back to ancient Chinese law."
The old man suddenly started to cough, and Ukyo looked on concerned, before going up to help him.
"Sir? Are you alright?" Ukyo said.
"I'm…fine…just…hang on…" the man said.
Suddenly, she snapped up to attention, surprising the heck of Ukyo. Suddenly he spread his hands apart…
…and Ukyo just stared as a small glow came between them.
Ukyo watched in a mesmerising like trance, as the energy formed by the old man glowed into a small ball. The traces of the coughing seemed gone…
…what happened next really freaked her out as the old man swallowed the ball of light whole…and a yellow light formed in his abdomen. The man flashed as Ukyo shielded herself from it…
…and as she looked again, the old man was standing and smiling.
"You saw it didn't you? Only experience martial artists would have been able to have seen that level of ki I just released. It is one of my most useful techniques in my art, Yoki."
The old man looked at Ukyo who was staring at the man in wonder.
"If you can see that, you are worthy of learning. That is, if you want to."
Ukyo looked on. She had left Nerima yesterday night, without any purpose or direction aside to get out of there.
However, this was an escape of an opportunity. She had endured hard training before, she could again.
If all else failed, it was a start. And this man was pretty much scouting her as well.
In reply, Ukyo bowed kneeling down with both hands on the floor.
"Please sensei, I am young and foolish, and probably not worthy of such brilliance, but if you can follow in your heart to let this humble fool in your service, I will be happy to follow your tutelage." She said in absolutely humbleness.
The old man smiled. "Then welcome. Oh, and don't call me sensei, I'm too old for such matters now. Call me Yo."
Ukyo smiled. "Hai, Yo-san." She held her hand out. "Ukyo Kuonji, okonomiyaki chef and martial artist at your service."
Yo looked at her. "A chef huh? Wondered what that cart my men recovered was from. Well…can never get enough eating around here…"
Ukyo for the first time in over a month, laughed. Her smile finally back.
She had a purpose.
* * * *
Akane slid open the double doors to Ucchan's, Ranma-chan in hot pursuit. With summer break now on, the people would flood the streets even in the early mornings for a hot breakfast.
What Akane and indeed Ranma-chan were wondering was what was Ukyo up to? A month go, she and Shampoo had tried to destroy their wedding (which they both wanted even if they were too stubborn to admit to it), and since then, things had been weird. Shampoo was as persistant as ever, but Ukyo had practically dropped off the map after the wedding.
Ranma didn't visit the restaurant. He was afraid of a few things. What he might say to Ukyo, because even after the wedding debacle, he couldn't really hurt Ukyo's feelings. Doing that would crush her and inside, he knew he would be crushed as well, Ukyo was probably the closest thing he had to a best friend.
So basically they were pretty much given the silent treatment for the last month, which was weird that she called Nabiki and Kasumi to help with her restaurant. Akane was very suspicious, was this some way for her to get back into the Tendo's good books? Why would they accept it anyway? Kasumi probably would be fine, she wouldn't say 'no' to practically anything. Nabiki however…
"All right what's…" Akane called out loud and stopped mid-sentence.
On the grill, Kasumi and Konatsu (in his feminine attire) were busy grilling okonomiyaki, as Konatsu bowed formerly to the eldest Tendo before heading to deliver the tasty meal to a hopefully satisfied customer.
In the back, Nabiki popped her head round the corner.
"What's goi…oh, hi sis, Ranma-kun." Nabiki said with a smile as Akane and Ranma-CHAN were really confused now. (Of course, nothing new for Ranma)
"Kasumi onésan? What's going on?" Akane asked as she went up to the grill.
Nabiki answered. "I'm sorry but you can't bother the staff whilst they are working. If you wish to register a complaint, please step into my office."
Nabiki made a motion to come into the back room as the engaged pair looked on and decided to follow the middle Tendo.
Nabiki sat down as the two looked on with a 'Well, give us an answer' look. Nabiki gratefully replied.
"As you can see, Ucchan's has been…taken over so to speak, by myself as Kasumi onéchan. We're helping Konatsu to maintain this place, Kasumi with her cooking and myself in the business department. Nothing streneous, we are keeping the same feel of it as before, just with more woman power than before…and besides, on Konatsu's salary, we can make just as much profit as Kasumi and I will share the profits 70-30 as well…"
"That's all fine, but…"
"You share?"
You decide who said what.
Akane continued. "…aren't you missing one thing?"
Nabiki gave a devious smile. "Why Akane, what are you saying?"
Akane went into a slight rage. "Grrr…you know what I mean. Where's Ukyo? How did she rangle you guys into doing this?"
Nabiki's smile lowered slightly. "Ah, it goes back to last night. Onéchan got a phone call from Ukyo and it was basically for both myself and her, about taking care of her business for an 'undisguinished time.' She gave me the times, and Kasumi what to do, and basically gave us complete permission to use the profits from the business as we wish. After all, she may have gone, but she didn't want to lose her business forever…"
Ranma had stopped listening after the word 'gone'. "Gone? Gone? What do you mean gone?"
Nabiki shrugged. "She simply said 'Tomorrow, I won't be here. Explain to Konatsu and look after him…better than I did I hope. I'll hopefully see you sometime in the future.' She hung up after that…too bad, she was probably the person I liked getting money from, she wasn't as dumb as Kuno baby and she still had the money for any auct…"
Ranma-chan had heard enough. "Damn it! Where'd she go?"
Akane, sitting quietly through this, was also a bit surprised. Ukyo had left Nerima? But why? And where?
She looked at Ranma, who was busy boiling a kettle to turn back into Ranma-kun. Akane was thinking, was it because of the wedding or Ranma?
She tugged on Ranma's shoulder. "Ranma…don't…"
"Stupid girl! What she thinking…" Ranma was obviously in his gung-ho methods, usually went Akane went walkabouts, however this time it was Akane who stopped him.
"Wait! Don't do anything stupid!" Akane said.
"Stupid my butt! I'm going to get her, drag her back and ask her what the heck she is playing at!" Ranma said, with a passion which scared Akane slightly.
Fortunately, Nabiki was a master of calming the situation.
"Ranma-kun, we don't know where she has gone. She just said she was going. Konatsu confirmed it this morning when she left him a note. No idea where she is going I'm afraid. You'll be just waiting your time. It's all her own idea, and it's up to her what she does with her life…"
Ranma looked at Akane and Nabiki, back at the restaurant and shook his head.
"Fine."
Ranma stepped out, ignoring everyone in the restaurant and stepped outside.
He looked up at the kanji of the restaurant, the name of it, the name he had given Ukyo as a childhood friend did, and she did the same to him.
Ranma looked and sighed. As much as he didn't want to admit it, this was hard for him…
"Ucchan…"
* * * *
Next time;
Shampoo learns of Ukyo's disappearance and rejoices, thinking that's one rival down. Mousse continues pleading (and failing) but why is Cologne the most concerned?
Ukyo's training begins. Can she learn the mastery of ki from Master Yo?
The Kunos make their debut, as Kuno actually tries to defend Ukyo's honor…although translated it's just another way of trying to defeat Ranma. Kodachi on the other hand sees it as an opportunity not to be missed…but that feeling of defeat after Ranma ignored her usual threats still linger in her mind…
And Kasumi and Nabiki learn the true hardship of working at Ucchan's…how the heck can you be angry at Konatsu?
* * * *
That's the first real chapter done and I hoped you like it!
Author's notes;
This is indeed my first main Ranma fic. However, sharp eyed otakus may notice two references to other animes in this chapter, see if you can spot them.
Translation notes;
- Ryokan: Japanese Inn – lodging includes two meals, a futon (thick mattresses and a quilted bedcover) and a tatami (straw mat for sleeping) - Kisatten: Pretty obvious, but it's a coffee shop. The coffees are quite expensive, but can pretty much order one cup and pretty much stay as long as they want. - Ichimonji – Again, not too difficult, it's a spatula.O.K, and please R & R! Ookini!
