Well, this chapter's a little longer than the first one. Hope you enjoy it, and thank you to everyone who reviewed!

The Ranmayana

Chapter 2: Ukyo's Cakes and Ryoga's Luck

"What do you mean, you're going to rescue Akane?" Ukyo asked, skillfully flipping okonomiyaki. "I mean, you don't even like her that much, do you?"

"It's not like I've got a choice," Ranma replied irritably. "Pops says he won't let me back in the house until I've gotten her back."

"And what about Ryoga? Why don't they get him to do it? He'd probably be thrilled."

"Because Ryoga is a moron. He'd just get lost and start whining about how he's so unlucky. Unlucky, my ass. He's not the one who turns into a girl. He's not the one who has a psychotic father who wants him to marry some ugly girl that he doesn't even like."

Ukyo leaned over the counter, bringing her face to close to Ranma's. "You know, you could just stay with me. Forget about Akane. Forget about your dad."

The offer was tempting. Oh so tempting. "I'm really sorry, Ukyo. Much as I'd like to, I knew you as a guy for too long. You're like a brother to me."

"I'd feed you," Ukyo said, pulling her trump card. Ranma looked indecisive for a bit, then hardened his resolve.

"No, I'm sorry," he said, rubbing his face with his hands. "It'd be too weird. We can still be friends though, right?"

Ukyo sighed and nodded. She could never refuse her childhood friend, even if it meant giving up on him.

"You really do like Akane, don't you?"

Ranma nodded miserably. Much as he hated to admit it, the tomboy had managed to unwittingly kick and punch her way into his heart.

"Well, I can give you some advice," Ukyo said, patting her friend on the back. "Be careful when you're fighting Happosai. He's insane."

"You think I needed you to tell me that?" Ranma asked. "I don't suppose you tell me which way he went, or anything helpful."

"Sure I can. He went north. Saw him leaving town around two this morning. He travels fast, the little pervert."

"Thanks, Ukyo. I really don't want to know what you were doing at two in the morning." Ukyo grinned, then ducked behind the counter.

Ranma got up to leave. Ukyo rushed around to the door, clutching a package.

"I made these when I heard about Akane," she said. "They're from an old recipe that my dad gave me. They're very dense, so few bites should last you for at least a day." She held them out to the young martial artist. "Please, take them."

"Thanks," Ranma said again,then he left.

Ranma ran back to the dojo to grab some things for the journey, then followed Ukyo's advice, heading north. The first night, he camped just outside of Tokyo. The package Ukyo had given him proved to be full of small okonomiyaki cakes, and—just as she had said—two bites into one he discovered that he was quite full. All went rather well until the third day.

The young martial artist was walking down a dirt road, whistling whatever came into his head, when he heard a noise in the bushes. He froze, trying to listen. The rustling came again, right before a small black pig tottered out onto the road and fell over. Ranma picked up the exhausted animal and looked it over, noting the yellow and black bandana around its neck.

"Now, I know you can't possibly really be Ryoga," he told the pig. "There's no way that he could have gotten this far without getting lost. You must be an imposter." The pig squealed loudly, then clamped its sharp little teeth onto Ranma's hand.

"Dammit, getoffame!" Ranma shouted, waving his wounded hand around. The pig held on for dear life. "That's it," said Ranma. "I'm going to see who you really are." With that, he took a thermos of hot water (saved for emergencies) out of his pack and poured some of it on the pig. It promptly turned into a naked young man with a yellow and black bandana tied around his head.

"Damn you, Ranma!" Ryoga snarled. "I would have gotten there first if it hadn't been for that rain shower!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, pig," Ranma replied, putting the thermos back in his bag. "So how'd you get this far from Tokyo without getting lost?"

"Like I'm telling you, you crossdresser," Ryoga muttered. Ranma pulled out a water bottle. "Fine, fine, I'll tell. I followed you."

"And how did you know which way I went?"

"Ukyo told me."

If the okonomiyaki maker had been present, she would have found herself in a great deal of pain. As it was, Ranma punched at Ryoga, who dodged.

What the hell was she thinking? Ranma asked himself.

Several miles away, Ukyo asked herself the same question.