Yes I am back with more Ukyo and P-chan! I know its been ages and I apologize, but I've been rather busy as of late
But I hope you like the update
Ukyo sat reflectively on a park bench, gripping an ice cream cone in her hand and enjoying the creamy sweet taste of vanilla on her tongue. God bless the simple things in life that made coping with summer heatwaves easier. She felt as though she could melt onto the pavement in a giant blob, hating the stickiness of sweat plastered to her skin. She needed a cold shower desperately and a fan, there was no way she would be able to handle without. It was too hot to work and nobody would be eager to eat Okonomiyaki today, but she knew the restaurant would be packed come to the evening. Weather like this made people avoid the hot foods and go straight for something refreshing to cool themselves down. Summer was a profitable time of year for venders, but it was still a troubling time due to the work loads and the strain it put on the people working the stalls. Being a career driven woman she knew the risks and troubles that one had to cope with, preparing her for the harshness of life.
So she could have the afternoon to herself before the parade of customers that would bombard her residence come the evening, ever since she set up shop in Nerima she had become rather popular. Guys enjoyed being served by a cute girl, priding herself on her customer service and personality to help satisfy her customers. But it wasn't without its stresses either, even she needed time off sometimes, she was only human. Though she wasn't the future heir to a family dojo or school compared to Ranma or Akane, or the future heir to their clan like Shampoo was. Being a full-time student and a part-time restaurant owner wasn't an easy life to balance. She was self employed, running her own business and taking legal education until she was old enough to leave. But being able to avoid school to live her own life was refreshing, she hated being stuck in that stuffy building bored off her face. I mean it was summer after all, a time that teenagers adored, making memories, going on trips and having fun together. Free time to do anything you wanted before being dragged back to reality and the memories feeling like a dream. But work was work and it couldn't be avoided no matter her personal feelings. Times like this it got really busy, hungry students, late-night office workers etc. A lot of people asking for deliveries, or even couples going on dates together. Students were busy with their exams, working towards attending college in the next step of their lives, leaving behind their carefree days of high school. Working towards their future and stepping into adulthood as they left adolescence behind. College graduates entering their first jobs, finding the rocky roads to their adulthood, working their way through their lives. Young lovers, parents and the likes all coming to grab some food and pause their lives briefly.
She finally got the time off she had been attempting to earn for weeks, she could close up shop and put her feet up. Maybe she could treat herself and attend the local bathhouse for once, she rarely if ever went and she could spoil herself a little. Working towards her future while educating herself could be stressful, putting herself under a lot of pressure which was by no means healthy. Her father often sent letters checking up on her that she was taking care of herself. She sighed heavily, feeling refreshed and content, licking the last of her ice cream and enjoying the taste. Making sure no sticky residue remained to bother her at a later point. She felt much cooler now than when she was suffocating in the heat earlier, feeling as though she was roasting alive. She had to admit wearing the boys uniform in the summer got way too hot to cope, often undoing buttons and leaving her jacket at home to ease the heat.
She had changed into the casual attire of her clothes to make the heat more tolerable, less clothing to cause possible heatstroke. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene and pass out in public. Tying her long brown hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't stick to her back, allowing more breeze to her neck. A yellow sleeveless blouse, blue shorts and some white vans, comfortable and breathy for the temperature outside. She couldn't be out in the heat for too long however, she needed a nap to prepare herself for work, the heat was draining and she was thirsty. She knew as soon as she got home she would collapse onto her futon for a couple of hours before opening time. She was starting to feel like a flat battery and she could feel her cheeks heating, she didn't want to get a sunburn either. Stretching her back and legs like a cat, feeling her muscles and bones crick from sitting for too long, humming in content as she did so. She leaned across to pick up the back of shopping in her hand, the food she purchased to feed her through the week. If she ate nothing but Okonomiyaki all the time she would get sick of the stuff, even for someone who cooked it as a passion she needed variety in her own diet. She sang to herself under her breath as she started the stroll back to her flat, taking in the views around her to imprint into her memory. She couldn't help but be in such a good mood, it was a lovely day making it hard for her to be in a bad mood whatsoever. She didn't even think the likes of Shampoo could annoy her right now, which was something that surprised even her.
Ukyo strolled towards the exit of the park, she still had a ways to go before she had left the grounds, she wondered if she should consider buying a bike like Shampoo for convenience. It would certainly make deliveries easier as well as travelling in her everyday life, she would get to school faster and if she needed to go to the shop she could get there much faster. But she would need to save up in order to even consider purchasing one. She then pricked her ears to hear some children nearby, poking an animal curled up in a ball hiding from them.
"Looks dead, should we call someone?" one of the children questioned
"Ew, who'd leave a dirty thing like this out in the park?" the other huffed
Ukyo peered closer suspiciously, intensifying her gaze to get a closer look at the creature, was it some poor cat that had gotten lost? Maybe a dead frog that had left the pond? There were all sorts of things that could peak the interest of children, her eyes widened in surprise and concern as she realised it was P-chan. A sickening feeling washing over her as she pieced the situation together. The poor little guy had passed out in a bush and some nosy kids were poking him with a stick, hoping to get a reaction from him. The heat must have become too much, he was trying to hide in the shade to recover, but these kids must have become bored and curious, so they decided to harass him.
God she hated kids sometimes, where were their parents to stop them from getting into trouble like this? What good came of tormenting animals, smaller and weaker than you? "Oi! Scram you little brats!" Ukyo yelled angrily, her blue eyes gleaming with rage. She wouldn't tolerate bullying of any kind, she knew just how bad it felt to be on the receiving end of someone else's cruelty. She wasn't afraid to punish these kids for their actions if need be, teach them a lesson for being jerks. The kids panicked at being caught, scattering as to not get into trouble, realizing they chose the wrong day to get into trouble.
Ukyo then approached P-chan sympathetically, kneeling in front of the poor creature, taking him into acknowledge the severity of his wellbeing. He looked so weak, sick and dehydrated from the heat, panting and oinking weakly from the shade of the leaves. Wondering to herself how long the poor thing had been out in the heat, just where he had been trying to go. "Hey little guy, you're ok now" she soothed reaching out to pet his small head, he was lucky she found him again, though he seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble. Just as she had been prepared to leave, she had found herself crossing paths with him again, perhaps when he was in trouble she was just becoming his hero. Unintentionally running to her for help.
P-chan raised his head weakly, hearing the sound of someone speaking to him, wondering who it could be? Had Akane somehow managed to find him despite his confused state and difficulty in locating where he was. So long as those annoying children had left him alone in peace, he didn't care. He felt his cheeks colour with embarrassment, taking all his self control as to not have a nosebleed. Suddenly wide awake with shock, trying to comprehend if this was a dream. Ukyo leaning over him. Crouched on her knees as she gazed at him, a warm smile formed on her face, mixed with concern. He'd never seen Ukyo outside of her work uniform or school uniform before, this felt very strange. Not that he was complaining at her choice of attire however, not in the slightest.
"Holy crap, Ukyo is wearing shorts! Her… her legs…." Ryoga panicked, he felt as though he was seeing something blessed and yet something inappropriate at the same time. He was an only child after all and his nomadic lifestyle didn't allow him to socialize with women his own age unfortunately. But even he could appreciate when a girl was pretty. How could Ranma be so blind as to how pretty Ukyo was? That this girl tried to impress him, wanted to make him happy and would do anything for him. She was so devoted to him yet he didn't acknowledge her feelings for him.
Her long legs revealed in these shorts, soft pale and creamy, her thick but well-formed thighs on display hugged in her shorts. Her curves from her martial arts training and puberty filled out her clothes. Her well-proportioned breasts complimented in her shirt, her soft creamy skin on display as the sun beamed down on her. Her soft brown hair bound back into a ponytail, some strands flowing across her shoulders and tickling her skin. He didn't think he'd seen Ukyo look so pretty before in his life, something about her made his heart flutter like a bird. A sickening nausea of excitement making him giddy and bashful. No other girl aside from Akane had ever made him feel this way, but these feelings were slowly being transferred to Ukyo. She looked painfully cute, prettier than he had ever seen, he would treasure this memory of Ukyo in the summer sun, smiling down at him with her hair in a ponytail and wearing shorts. How could Ranma be so blind to her good looks? He swore the guy was oblivious yet women swooned over him without fail.
Ukyo smiled and picked him up to cup him to her chest carefully, making sure he had no visible injuries that she would need to tend to. He was only small and she didn't want to accidentally crush him, sometimes she was unaware of her own strength. "We got a habit of bumping into each other these days don't we P-chan?" she joked. He was like her own personal companion, perhaps she could consider adopting him in place of Akane instead.
P-chan blushed, admittedly despite his attempts to locate the Tendou Dojo and reunite with his beloved Akane. His inability to direct the location of Akane's home caused him to become lost in unknown and unfamiliar places. But in doing so somehow he was able to accurately find Ukyo without fail unintentionally, which confused him greatly. He never meant to cross paths with Ukyo as often as he did, it was pure luck they ran into each other at all. But it was happening rather frequently as of late, for whatever reason fate kept bringing them together. Perhaps their mutual loneliness was causing them to seek each other out.
Ukyo checked her wallet as she balanced her grip on P-chan, being sure she wouldn't drop him by mistake. She had some money left over from her shop and the ice cream she just bought, she always made sure to make correct purchases by taking into consideration her finances. With any luck, she may get tips from customers tonight too, if they were feeling generous enough. The poor little guy looked like he needed it, he'd been out in the baking sun for hours and he needed hydrating. She then smiled at him, stroking his soft black head affectionately, making sure he stayed responsive. "Guess you're in luck little guy, ice cream is on me" she grinned, she hoped he liked vanilla, unless he'd prefer another flavour. P-chan perked up, the idea of something cool and refreshing sounded wonderful at this moment. After being trapped in the heat for hours with no relief, he felt himself becoming fatigued. It was so unbearably hot he couldn't cope anymore, feeling as though he may become bacon. He was so hot and thirsty with no water in sight for him to relieve his heat. Even in his cursed form with the speed, he was capable of, even he had limits and weaknesses. Any living creature could only go so long without water or food, facing more dangers while his body was weakened from the heat.
Ukyo cradled him in her arms while patting his head, slinging the bag of food through her arm. Hoping to comfort him so he wouldn't become startled by any passersby, worried those children may have gotten him worked up. She didn't want him to run away so soon after being reunited with him again. Humming to herself as she headed in the direction of the park exit where the ice cream van had been located. It seems her day got even better, her new friend showed up to distract her from her stresses.
"Gee, Ukyo is kinder than I thought, back when she first helped me I thought it was just out of charity. She's more self-aware than I previously considered. I mean, Akane is nice and all, but Ukyo doesn't baby me as much" he reflected.
There was something mature and yet gentle about his relationship with Ukyo, she didn't treat him like he was weak or helpless. But she helped him when he needed protection and defence. Ukyo didn't baby him or speak in a patronizing manner towards him as Akane did, she didn't call him a baby or treat him as though he was made of glass. As sweet as Akane was to him, she would never see him as anything but a tiny baby piglet that couldn't protect himself. She would only ever see him as her pet, something to love and feed. But Ukyo gave him his own basket and personal space, she gave him his own feeding bowl and only carried him around when they went outside or let him sit on her shoulder so he could get a better view. She respected his limits and never tried to shove him in hot water, she immediately noticed his fear of transformation and instead washed him off with a hot towel. Preventing him from transforming and yet keeping him clean.
She left him alone when he needed to and didn't freak out when he wandered off alone, knowing he would come back in his own time. A freedom in which Akane would freak out if she lost sight of him for a second. Even Ranma could see that Akane babied P-chan beyond normal limits, but Ryoga had never minded because it meant he could get affection from Akane. But he knew these feelings were never romantic, more motherly. She pitied him being alone but she never looked down on him, she was simply a kind person. Ukyo could be manipulative in her own way, but then even Akane and Ranma weren't innocent of such things. Ukyo was just open about her mischievous nature and willing to do whatever she could to survive. She considered her own future and educated herself outside of school. He felt like her equal, even in his cursed animal form, though he was trapped in a smaller form, she made him feel big, she made him feel powerful. She cared about his safety but knew he could handle himself. She didn't bullshit him, she didn't sugarcoat her words, even when he was human. She told him as it was, called him out on being a coward or a cheat, she reprimanded him on his bad habits and negative personality traits. She tried to encourage him to court Akane even when he knew his feelings were one sided. She cheered him up when he felt like crap and always gave him a free meal on the house.
But she was also worryingly more keen than Akane, she was picking up the similarities between his human form and cursed form. She noticed his dislike of Ranma, to the point of becoming aggressive around the teen, his clinginess towards Akane etc. However, she hadn't seen him transform meaning he still had his secret safe for the time being. So he would have to watch himself around her less she discovered his curse, sweating at the scenario that would follow. Akane had seen him transform before but never connected the dots as to the fact they were one in the same. Ranma knew but he didn't tell Akane out of the honour of being a martial artist and responsible for the act. He couldn't help but wonder if Akane was blissfully ignorant or in denial of the fact that her pet pig was actually a curse. He just prayed that his secret was never revealed due to the embarrassment he felt towards it. He doubted Ukyo would allow him to explain himself and her temper would become frightening. Hell he knew that spatula would be put to good use against him, making sure he suffered for being such an ass. So for now he would continue to live carefully while under Ukyo's roof for the sake of his wellbeing. Otherwise, a new pork recipe would be on Ukyo's menu come the next day.