"Yoru-Hikage" <yoru@mindspring.com>


       Ranma 1/2 :: "With a Twist of Lemon"
      A Lemonish Romance by Yoru-Hikage
     Compiled 4-2-1998

      Welcome! Believe it or not, this actually started with a fanfic
written as a joke by myself (it became "Luncheon Special", which became
Chapter 1) and grew into a full-blown fanfic. Before I get into anything
else, I have to put out some legal jargon and whatnot:

                                 ******

Standard Legal Jargon and Disclaimer:

Ranma 1/2 and all affiliated intellectual concepts, characters, plots,
subplots, settings, locations, merchandise, etc. are property of Rumiko
Takahashi, Viz Communications, Shokakugun, Kitty, et alii.

The characters from Ranma 1/2 are used, most likely without permission,
or license from the copyright/trademark holders.

Get the idea? And don't bother suing, I couldn't pay you anyway.

The author is not responsible for insomnia or other disorders caused by
reading the following text.

If this, or any other fanfiction offends you, you should lighten up.

Notice: All Anime Characters within have consented to Lemon Scenes
willingly. No body doubles have been used.

The FDA has certified this as 100% pure Prime Fanfiction, and contains
70% of the RDA for Citric Text.

                                 ******

      I guess I'll take the time to plug a helpful little utility
created for the purpose of text wrapping. We all hate going through the
TXT files generated by MS Word and Wordpad, since they don't wrap text
at the end of lines, right? This remedies it. Specify an input file and
a column number to wrap at, and TXT WRAP does all the work! It's THAT
easy! You want a copy? E-mail me, and I'll be happy to send it to you.
Perhaps sometime, I'll set up a webpage for it.
      LEMON NOTICE: Yes, there are lemon scenes in this fanfic! If you
don't know what that means, don't read any further. If you don't wish to
read about adult and/or sexual situations between consenting (sort of)
Anime characters, then don't read any further. You have been warned.

Well, it guess that's all I can say for now...

Hold your eyes, folks! It's SHOWTIME!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 1
"One Luncheon Special"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ranma slumped through the door of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. It had
been a looooooooooooooong morning for Nerima's premier teenage martial
artist. After an insult during breakfast, Akane had tipped a container
of KY jelly into his rice bowl, rendering that inedible, on the way to
school, the street-cleaning woman had again caught him/her off-guard,
which meant a quick stop at Dr. Tofu's. For some reason, the Doc seemed
quite a bit more alert and attentive to her this morning, and had
insisted that Ranma strip naked to change back, "so that cute outfit
won't be ruined." Reaching the gates, he found Kuno blocking his way...
with a long, pink sword made out of balloons. Kodachi had shown up,
dressed in a "stripped-down" version of her usual gymnastics leotard,
and kept slicing hearts into trees with her ribbon. During class, Miss
Hinako maintained her adult form the entire time, and Ranma kept
noticing her taking little stares at Ranma whenever he looked away. In
fact, every single female in his class, including Akane, turned and eyed
him each time he answered a question. Even the normally sedate Yuka and
Miyo "accidentally" rubbed up against him on the way to the Physical
Education fields. All the guys seemed distracted all day, too. Every
once in a while he'd see them peeking into the middle of large sheaves
of paper, or sneaking a quick look at the inside of their lockers, or
darting their heads into their backpacks for a split second.
Occasionally, he'd catch an upperclassman majoring in English leafing
through a magazine. He squinted at the odd characters on the front, but
could only make out a "Vi" before the guy would notice Ranma staring and
quickly pack the magazine away. He also caught several girls in his
class peeking into a similar magazine, but he could only make out
"C...K.. something from the distance. Even more oddly, Akane, Shampoo,
AND Kasumi had hand-delivered boxed snacks during a break that morning,
each one of them eyeing him up and down the whole time. He couldn't
quite piece together what was going on. It was like everyone was
possessed or something.
      He sat down on a stool and waited for his longtime friend to come
out of the backroom and prepare them a lunch. He glanced up at the
calendar and ran his finger down to "today", Monday the 21st. He paled
as the whole thing snapped into his mind. Running to the maildrop just
off to the side of the restaurant door, he pulled in a small pile of
mail, dropped it on a table, and dashed across the street, "borrowing"
the mail from a neighboring shop. Sifting through the borrowed stack, he
took note of all the catalogues he passed by, and them returned the
small pile of mail. He sifted through Ukyo's mail quickly and what he
found confirmed what had happened. He recalled that the 21st of each
month was when the American fashion catalogues from two very risque
fashion lines arrived: The famed Victoria's Secret catalogue for the
guys, and the Calvin Klein catalogue for the gals. He forgot to notice
that the CK rag was missing from Ukyo's stack of mail... He quickly
glanced around and pulled out Ukyo's copy of the new Victoria's Secret
catalogue, and "lightly perused" its contents. Several minutes passed,
yet he wasn't concerned, mainly since he didn't notice time passing as
he flipped through the pages. Meanwhile, his brain was finally and
busily compiling everything that had happened in the last several hours.
He also didn't notice faint rustling noises coming from the back room,
and the sound of wood against wood didn't particularly interest him
either.
      After about 10 minutes, he finished with the section of the
catalogue he (and several million other men) was interested in, and
deftly placed it back in the pile. Looking around, he noticed, finally,
that it was taking Ukyo an unusually long time to get ready to cook.
After a few more minutes with only minor rustling sounds from the back
room, he called back, "Hey, Ucchan, you okay in there?"
      "I'm fine, Ranma, honey! Be out in a minute! I've got a _very_
special lunch today, one just for *you*.." came her reply. Presently,
she stepped under the high curtains that divide the main room from the
back room. Ranma was lucky the lamp was off; the stream of drool he
emitted fell right on the cord. Just as he realized how embarrassing his
display was, he wiped his chin and took another look at his friend. "And
fiancee", he mentally reminded himself. He took a long look, head to
toe, and tried to contain his burgeoning salivary production.
      Ukyo had obviously been working with her hair, which almost glowed
in the midday light, with a large white bow tied in it's usual place on
her pony tail. No makeup, as usual, but her face was a sweet as ever,
eyes sparkling like the stars on a clear late-winter's night. Her large
battle spatula was leaned up against an adjoining wall, and she wore a
tight tee-shirt, under a light blue collared long-sleeve dress shirt,
buttoned up to the top of her stomach, and again at the collar, with the
midriff area left unbuttoned, which created an effect that enhanced the
appearance of her... assets. Further down, she wore a tight pair of navy
blue slacks, which clung tightly to her hips, yet flew loosely about her
ankles. And, as was tradition, she was barefoot.
      Thoughts flooded Ranma's mind, ranging from PG to X x 10  to the
23rd power. He did his best to clear his mind, but the entire morning's
subtle hints rapidly hit him just as Ukyo smiled at him and slid behind
the counter. He felt a sudden stirring in his pants, and scooted up onto
a stool where the bulge would not be visible to his friend. He really
didn't want her getting any ideas.. Then he remembered the missing CK
catalogue. Exactly at that moment, Ukyo spoke up, in a subtly seductive
tone, "One Luncheon Special, to Stay." She winked at him. "Right,
sugar?" She whipped out a small spatula, cooked one regular okonomiyaki,
quickly dashed off a message in sauce, and flipped it onto his plate. In
the meantime, Ranma breathed heavily, slowly, and in as a controlled
manner as possible, quite the contrary to his racing heart.
      "I've got to get something from the back room, Ranma honey.. Be
right back.. Enjoy your appetizer." Ukyo purred as she slipped back off
into the back room. Ranma's eyes just followed his friend until she
disappeared from sight. He turned back toward the cooling okonomiyaki
like a small dog after walking through a cloud of concentrated
tranquilizers. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and was about to dig in
when he noticed that the sauce formed a message.. He stared down at the
rapid script in front of him. "If you like this, I've got something
tastier ready for you. It's upstairs. Go get it." He gobbled down what
was undoubtedly the best okonomiyaki he had ever had, but that could've
been the hormones thinking. He didn't really care at that point. Not
thinking about which room was right up the stairs, he quickly climbed
them and burst right into Ucchan's bedroom.
      Looking around, it again, just hit him where he was: a girl's
bedroom, which had been recently decorated, he judged. He _knew_ Ucchan
did not have a thing for red hearts, pink drapes, and plastering
pictures over her bed. He crept closer, and saw that they were pictures
of.. HIM! And Ryoga! There were even a few of Mousse's shots in there.
He then noticed that 3/4 of the pictures involved him, Ryoga, or Mousse
with no shirts... Oh boy.. He then remembered the feast she'd promised
him on the okonomiyaki, and glanced around again. There was a plate on a
table in the far corner, which he walked over to and looked down upon.
On the cookie, sure enough, was more writing, in chocolate this time. It
read, "Think this cookie is a sweet find? Look under the covers." He
munched absentmindedly on the cookie as he plodded back over to her bed.
      Because of the crunchiness of the cookie, and the semi-aroused
haze in his brain, he didn't hear Ukyo sneak into the room and hide
behind the door. She watched him polish off the cookie and climb into
her bed, pull back the covers, then notice that the covers were heavier
than usual, then realize that the covers were made of okonomiyaki. She
watched him get out of the bed, flip over the covers and start reading
the message she had left for him. Slowly, she closed the door and, just
as she would close the door flush with the frame, she gave it a shove,
snapping Ranma out of his daze, and causing him to look up at her. He
collapsed back onto the bed, with one large object sticking straight up
in the air. She looked at herself in the mirror. "Odd," she thought,
"All I did was modify the dress I got from Togenkyo Island." She posed
in front of the mirror. "Still, not bad looking." she mused. What had
once been a very deep cut one-piece was now nearing the bikini category.
She had extended the cut down the middle of the dress, ending in a heart
over her taut stomach.  She had cut away the sides, so little strips of
fabric remained in the front, and a thin fabric expanse covered her
back. "Mmm.. this is going to be good." she chuckled to herself as she
pranced over to where Ranma lay on the bed, and plopped down beside him,
pressing her breasts onto the side of his chest. She purred to him,
"Mm.. It's so good to have you over for lunch today, Ranma honey.. It'll
be a meal you'll never ever forget.."
      Ranma slowly recovered from a snap-flood of arousal.. "Woww.." he
mumbled as he lay on Ukyo's bed.. He had not imagined that what his
lovely friend had hid under male clothing for so long was.. soo...
sooooo.. kawaii.. (OVA/2nd + 3rd movie events notwithstanding, since
he'd noticed that everyone had been.. augmented.) When he felt her soft
flesh pressing into his side, trained by many pen-hours of Lemon
experience, put and arm around her, and pulled Ucchan into a long, deep
kiss. Their lips flowed unto each other, parting, letting their tongues
dance the Oral Lover's Waltz.. When the kiss broke, he put his head on
her shoulder and hugged her closely, pressing his body into hers, hers
into his, forming into one mass of amorous energy.
      She pulled slightly out of his tight embrace, looking into his
eyes, they locked gazes, staring deep into each other's minds, souls,
essences. Again, the magic kiss, bridging the gap between the two,
sharing something they never dared to show the outside world before;
their true and uninhibited feelings. Ranma slowly worked his hand down
her back, unbuttoning her dress; and her plucking at the ties on his
shirt; the two shucking away tops, enjoying the warmth, the tenderness
of each other's body. Ukyo squeezed herself into his firm, muscled
chest, pressing her soft breasts into it, enjoying the faintly musky
scent of her childhood friend, her love, her purpose. Ranma gathered the
softness of his one true friend into his arms, feeling the firmness that
years of grueling training had given her back, her arms, her shoulders.
He reveled in the closeness, the sweet aroma that fueled his desires.
Sliding down in the bed, he buried his face in her copious cleavage,
surrounding himself in a blanket of pleasure. She kissed his head, and
reached down to undo the belt on his waist, and tossed his pants lightly
across the room. She wriggled her way down his head, kissing all the
way, until she positioned herself in perfect alignment. No words were
needed; they acted as one, Ranma offering her the whole of his
manliness, and Ukyo drinking in his spear. They worked the union,
shooting waves of ecstasy through each other's bodies, receiving the
same, repeating the cycle, until the passion built to a head.
Simultaneously, they joined another for the first time, and with that
joint, formed a new string in their friendship. For a few minutes, they
lay side-by-side, tired, but still enshrouded in each other's love. The
minutes melted away, with the two best friends returned to that bridge
over and over and over that day. After what seemed like eternal passion,
Ukyo stopped Ranma from proceeding. She smiled down at him, his mouth
working at her breast, and spoke softly, "Ranma.. we have class soon..
Did you enjoy your lunch?"
      Ranma continued to lick the valley between her breasts, his tongue
not wanting to return to the cage of his mouth. He murmured in
acknowledgement, and tore himself away. He panted from exertion, a thin
sheen of sweat covering his body. He drank in the image of his lovely
partner again, then dragged himself to the bathroom, fully knowing that
Miss Hinako would rend him limb-from-limb if he was late. He quickly
washed off the fruits of the hour's exertions, and heard the shuffle of
the paper screen. Ukyo, still naked and moist, stepped into the shower,
grinned deeply, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He watched,
enraptured, as she lathered her arms and back, then caught him staring
out of the corner of her eyes. Slowly, she rubbed the soap and washcloth
over her breasts, teasing him with little moans of pleasure, then rinsed
off with a quick splash of hot water. She stepped out, smiling like a
cat, then thrust a hand back into the shower, motioning for him to
follow.
      "You're going to be late, silly." she giggled. "Come on. Don't be
shy now." She dried off quickly with a towel, donned her usual boys'
school uniform, sans bindings, however. She left the room to actually
eat some lunch, leaving a still-stunned Ranma in her wake.
      He shook his head. "Got to stop doing that.. There's nothing I
haven't seen, felt, licked, rubbed, pressed, squeezed, caroused, groped,
brushed, or stroked in that little display.. Get ahold of yourself man!"
he scolded at himself. He quickly rinsed the last of the suds from his
body, toweled off, and went out to look for his pants.
      Several minutes later, he bounded down the stairs, refreshed, and
noticed the little pile of okonomiyaki Ukyo had laid out. Ucchan herself
was eating while sitting on one of the stools at the bar, and he joined
her, starting into some real food. They quickly finished and looked up
at the clock.
      "We've got 15 minutes to get back to Furinkan... How long's the
walk?" quipped Ranma, who stood, stretched, and leaned on a nearby
table.
      Ukyo responded, "3 minutes if we run. 7 if we walk. 12 if we take
the..", her eyes twinkled, "Scenic route through the park. The sakura
blossoms are real nice this time of year..."
      Ranma smiled, makes sense.. Cherry-Blossom Park was on the way,
and THE place to go for young lovers.. He nodded and offered his arm.
"Shall we?"
      "We shall." Ukyo smiled, and took his arm with her elbow. They
walked out the door, locked it behind them, and headed off to
Cherry-Blossom Park. Ukyo leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's all
been so nice, Ranchan.." she thought. "I hope this lasts forever."
      He smiled, his best friend on his arm, he walked proudly through
the streets of Nerima, all other thoughts but her, and traffic, purged
from his mind. He heard her sigh and lean her head on his shoulder. He
rested his head on top of hers and silently wished that this fuzzy, warm
feeling would last forever.
      As they neared the end of Cherry-Blossom Park, Furinkan came into
view over the next rise. Ranma squinted into the distance, and paled.
"No! If Akane, Shampoo, or Kodachi ever hear about this.. God, poor
Ucchan, what have I done to you!" he thought to himself, for in the
distance were Nabiki (with some sort of black box in her hands), Akane,
Shampoo, and Kodachi, all apparently looking for him. Worse yet, Akane
was a visible shade of red darker than normal, and just what the *hell*
was Nabiki pointing that black thing with.. a .. lens.. at them for.. Oh
no.. Telephoto Lens... Nabiki.. Camera.. He panicked.
      Ukyo didn't notice the impending fury-doom on the horizon, but
looked up when Ranma suddenly shivered. "Is something wrong, Ranchan?
What's wrong? Is it me?" she asked.
      "Um. I. think-k you s-should l-l-let g-go soon, Ucchan, we're
getting near Furinkan.. And Akane's already kinda mad.. And Nabiki's got
a camera.. And Shampoo's there, and so is Kodachi.. Um.. you DO realize
that they'll be furious when they hear.." he stammered.
      "Why tell them?" Ukyo grinned. "This can be our little secret..
Just sneak over whenever you want.. For whatever you want.." She smiled
at the thought.. What fun.. Ranma all to myself, and they won't have a
clue...
      "B-but.. I think.. I mean.. I don't think that we can keep this to
ourselves forever.." he offered, quivering.
      "What? Did you want someone else to join in?" Ukyo joked,
"Seriously, yes.. We will need to tell them.. Preferably right before
either I or we run away.."
      Ranma pondered that for a minute. "Running away with Ucchan..
Hmm.. That would be _so_ much fun, for a little while.. But.. I can't
just destroy my family's lives, the Tendo's lives... God knows what
Shampoo would do.. And we'd be hunted down.. No.. Not possible." he
reasoned.
      They were rapidly approaching the point of no return.. They'd be
spotted soon, he knew it. He unhooked his arm from Ukyo's, his heart
sinking at the sigh of disappointment he heard, then he felt a tap on
his shoulder. He looked down into Ukyo's eyes, starry and shining,
drawing their souls together, and they kissed once more. He felt a rush
of air from his side and Ucchan was no longer walking next to him, but
on top of the roof. "Can't be seen returning together then, right?" she
called, then dashed off across the rooftops, toward Furinkan High.
      Ranma sighed and smiled. They'd work it out. Something would have
to work out. He'd make it work out. Ranma Saotome always triumphs! He
put on as straight a face as he could as he walked through the school
courtyard with several girls, and a smirking Nabiki, trailing behind
him, demanding to know where he'd been, what'd he'd been doing when he
_knew_ they'd prepared a *delicious* lunch this time.. He brushed them
off and began to hike up the stairs to his class. Just as he approached
Miss Hinako's classroom, he drew near Ukyo in the hall. The two waved at
each other and exchanged winks... Then entered the classroom.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 2
"Just Desserts"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo happily skipped her way back towards her restaurant, still
giddy from her especially enjoyable "lunch". Whistling a cheerful tune,
she unlocked the door, and began to take the chairs down from the tops
of the tables. Time for work!
      The sun sank slowly in the West, setting the sky ablaze with
brilliant oranges and reds, which brought an interesting mood into
Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, amplified by the unusual peppiness of the hostess
and cook. As the dinner crowd filed in, ordered, ate, paid, and filed
out, Ukyo was walking around in a little cloud as she filled the orders
and served her patrons. She couldn't get the passionate manner Ranma has
shown to her this afternoon. She knew he was a man of strong, if buried,
feelings, but she hadn't imagined he was capable of so.. so.. so much
love! When she'd known him last, in their childhood, he had been
oblivious and superficial, thinking with his stomach, and living out
childish fantasies of fame and honor in battle. When she returned, and
subsequently rediscovered her hidden and repressed love for him, he had
changed, possibly because of the love being _pushed_ on him from every
direction, she'd expected him to be the same, relying on looks to love a
woman. Especially from the way he treated poor Akane. Then, when he
finally opened up to her, the torrent of pent-up passion had swept her
away.
      The sun soon set, and the fluorescent lights flickered to life,
bringing Ukyo from her dreams and ushered her back to reality. As the
stars winked into life, so did the stars in her eyes, falling back into
her memories, barely noticing when Genma and Soun walked into her shop,
taking seats at the bar. Only after she had delivered her order to a
customer at the far end of the room, and Genma had called out "Excuse me
miss, could we order?" that she became fully aware of their presence.
      "Mr. Tendo! Mr. Saotome! What can I get you tonight?" she
cheerfully replied. "Perhaps a pork and potato okonomiyaki? That's our
dinner special tonight."
      "Oh, just two bottles of sake, a plain okonomiyaki.. That's good
for me. How about you, Tendo?" answered Genma, staring down at the
griddle, as if contemplating something.
      "Sounds good, Saotome. I'll have that also." said Soun, flatly. He
also began to stare at the spot on the griddle Genma was studying in
great detail.
      Ukyo got four sake bottles out from under to counter and poured
two large dollops of pre-prepared batter onto the griddle, then leaning
over to see what was so interesting about a spot on her griddle. Didn't
look like anything, just another spot on the griddle. Finally, she broke
the silence.
      "What's the occasion," she asked, indicating the four bottles of
sake. "Or do you normally drink yourselves into a hole every night?"
      "It's nothing. Ranma was been acting so strange when he got home
today, even with the attention of every one of my daughters, he just
could not be brought out of some daydream. As far as I know, he just
curled up on his mat and has been dreaming there ever since." replied
Soun.
      "He's been mumbling something odd, in his sleep. He keeps trying
to form a word.. I couldn't make it out without waking him. It almost
sounds like a sentence, repeated over and over." added Genma.
      "Well, what's he saying?" quipped Ukyo, puzzled. "Is he troubled
by school or something? He seemed fine when he came here for lunch.."
Her eyes flared and sparkled with the mention of lunch.
      "It almost sounds like someone's hitting him.. 'Ootch' or
something.., then some random syllables.. 'la' and the like." answered
Soun. He pulled the cork out of a bottle, and took a quick swig. "And
Akane's cooking dinner, so we had to get out somehow. Kasumi's still
trying to snap him out of it."
      "What about Nabiki?" Ukyo started, remembering the telephoto lens.
"Where is she tonight? I figure if Akane's cooking, and you're here..
Shouldn't she be with you?"
      "She went off to the 10-minute photo developer's down the street
on the way here. She'll arrive any minute." replied Genma, as he yanked
the cork out of his bottle and took a drink. "Why do you ask?"
      "Um.. No reason." Ukyo finished, wanting to get her hands on those
photos for as little fiscal damage as possible.
      Presently, a rather smug-looking Nabiki waltzed her way into
Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, taking a seat and waving Ukyo over.  As the
hostess approached, Nabiki pulled out a long manila envelope with a
price tag attached, reading "3600 Yen", and shoved it across the
counter.
      Ukyo's eyes narrowed. "And how much to buy your silence?"
      Nabiki grinned widely. "Oh, so you know what these are of.." She
undid the metal clasps on the envelope and withdrew a set of negatives
along with several color 8x10s of Ukyo and Ranma, arms linked, then lips
linked. Ukyo's hand came down on top of them, then pointed over at the
two drinking parents on the other end of the bar. Nabiki looked down the
bar, then turned back and winked. "Okay," she whispered. "For the
photos, and my silence, 5600 yen. Cash only, please."
      Grumbling, Ukyo retrieved the cash from a cache below the cash
register. Counting out the bills, she handed them to Nabiki, who made a
zipping motion across her mouth, then slipped the photos into the
envelope, and handed them to Ukyo. Ukyo creased the photos roughly, then
got a quick idea. She glanced around at the few drunkards and
workaholics left sitting at the bar, then checked the clock on the wall.
Almost 10 PM, no business lost if I close early.. She made sure no one
was looking, slipped the negatives under the cash tray in the register,
then shoved the photos on top of a gas burner under the sake warmer.
They rapidly burst into small, but extremely smoky flames, causing
*quite* a stir at the bar.
      "Please people! Exit the restaurant! Just a minor grease fire!"
shouted Ukyo, over the clamor, while the crowd willingly obliged. Well,
except Soun and Genma of course, who were too drunk to notice anything
less than an atomic blast or Ranma's wedding announcements. Ukyo was
just able to shove them outside when someone pulled the fire call box,
causing a troop of fireman to arrive in two minutes flat. Ukyo explained
about the little "accident" and assured them there was no damage. As
soon as they were out of sight, she hurriedly finished scrubbing the
char from the burner and locked the shop. She headed straight for the
Tendo dojo, with a little bundle tucked under one arm, not noticing two
severely drunken men in the alley next to her store, chatting with
randomly-picked cement chips.
      At the door, she was greeted by the ever-cheerful Kasumi, whom
Ukyo asked about Ranma's condition.
      "Oh, he's still napping, even though Akane's done her best to wake
him up for dinner." replied Kasumi. "If he doesn't get better overnight,
I'll be taking him to Doctor Tofu's tomorrow morning. Would you like to
come in for a cup of tea?"
      "Um, sure, thanks Kasumi.." Ukyo answered, a bit offed by the fact
that she couldn't go and see Ranma directly, without being either
suspicious or rude.
      Soon, Ukyo found herself kneeling in the sitting room, sipping
some strong, imported Russian tea, and feeling rather awkward around the
elder girl, especially since they had nothing to converse about.
Fortunately for her, Kasumi rose and put her cup in the kitchen. "Ukyo,
do you have a place to stay tonight, after that fire?"
      Thinking quickly, Ukyo smiled internally and replied, "Actually,
no. If it isn't too much of an inconvenience to you..."
      "Not at all! Any friend of Ranma's is a friend of ours." Kasumi
padded softly into an adjoining room and returned with a roll-out mat, a
blanket, and a pillow. "You do know the way to the dojo hall?"
      "Yes, thanks. Thanks for the offer Kasumi!" Ukyo cheerfully
replied.
      "Well, I'll be going to bed now.. Please turn off the lights on
your way to bed." Kasumi waved as she headed up the stairs.
      Ukyo grinned to herself. She finished off her tea, then, just to
make sure, she flipped off the lights as she headed toward the training
hall. Upon reaching her destination, she unrolled the mat, flipped the
blanket over it, and laid the pillow down. She sat silently for several
minutes, staring into nothingness. Presently, she collected her
thoughts, and the bundle she had brought, and crept out of the hall,
across the courtyard, and into the main house.
      "Quiet feet, silent feet, ninja feet," she whispered to herself,
then thought, "Why in HELL am I doing Sasuke's bit?" She picked up the
pace a bit, making sure to step near the edges of the floor, so as to
not let a squeak out. Presently, she came to Ranma's room, slowly slid
open the screen-door, and stepped inside.
      Sure enough, Ranma was laying on his mat, apparently asleep, lips
quivering. As she got closer, she heard that he was speaking. Too low to
make it out, but it was some form of speech. She brushed her fingertips
across his face, but to no response. Ranma remained in repose. She spoke
softly to him, "Ranma.. wake up, Ranchan.." He stirred, turning toward
the familiar voice, but remaining in slumber.
      Ukyo, worried, undid the wrapping around her bundle, and pulled an
okonomiyaki delivery box from it. Unfastening the cardboard handles, she
took the still-warm pancake and waved it under Ranma's nose. His eyes
shot wide open, and his body stiffened bolt upright. "Ucch-MMPH!" he
cried, just as Ukyo's hand covered his mouth.
      She held a finger up to her lips, "Shh.. Don't wake the others
Ranchan.. I brought you some dinner, after I heard Akane was cooking.."
      "Aw, gee, thanks Ucchan!" He smiled and accepted the food,
polishing it off in no time. "I was just having this wonderful dream
about us.."
      Ukyo's heart swelled. Just maybe..
      "Hey, Ucchan.. Any after-dinner mint or anything?" Ranma asked,
wiping the last of the sauce from his face.
      "Mint? Why?" asked Ukyo, confused.
      "Because, I'm afraid I've got some really bad breath after that
nap, and I don't want to bother you when I kiss ya!" He grinned, then
leaned over and planted his lips on her cheek. "Listen, about this
afternoon.."
      But Ukyo couldn't listen, for her heart was racing in her ears,
eyes flooded with love, she felt like she was floating, flying above the
troubles of the world, where only good existed. Her hands clasped
together in front of her, she could only see his mouth moving, yet no
words could penetrate the sudden joy whipped up by Hurricane Ukyo.
      When she finally drifted back to Earth, she caught the tail end of
his spiel, "-- so we gotta be more careful, Ucchan, 'cause if Nabiki
gets ahold of pictures of us together.. Well, there's no telling how
much she's gonna want for them."
      Ukyo giggled, "She came by the restaurant this evening with your
pop. I already got the photos." She quickly explained about the photos
and the gas burner, which led her to explain that she was staying the
night, thanks to Kasumi's generous offer.. Then she remembered, "Oh,
here.. I brought you a treat.."
      She unwrapped a small plate of cookies, chocolate-chip, naturally,
and handed it to him.
      "Great, thanks Ucchan!" He chewed on a cookie, finished it, and
picked up another one. After rapidly working through several of them, he
mumbled, mouth full of cookie, "Um.. Uccthan, do you haff anyfing wike
thum milk?" He swallowed convulsively. "Cookies always make me thirsty."
      Ukyo laughed softly. "Of course, silly.. I have a carton right
here.." she reached into the bundle and drew out a container of Whole
Milk (with vitamin D added, of course) then, puzzled, she shook it. "Uh
oh.. Um.."
      "What? You mean you don't have milk?" inquired Ranma, starting for
another cookie.
      "Um, well.. Heh.. Must've used more of it than I thought.."
      Ranma nodded understandingly, then looked past her as he munched
down another cookie. As he finished, he smiled widely, then looked her
up and down. "Hey.. I think we do have some milk.."
      Ukyo, curious, replied, "Huh? What do you --" and was cut off as
his hands slowly undid the top button of her chef's uniform. "Ahh.." she
grinned. "Going to get your milk the old-fashioned way." She assisted
him, and they quickly tossed Ukyo's top across the room, rapidly
followed by her cloth bindings. Almost instantly, Ranma's mouth had
clamped firmly onto Ukyo's nipple, seeking the sustenance he knew was
both there and not. She felt the wave of ecstasy shoot through her body
like electricity, re-igniting the somewhat-dormant passions that had
torn through the two, just hours before.
      Slowly, he withdrew his mouth from her breast, smiling, and looked
up at his friend, eyes closed in happiness. He flicked a few cookie
crumbs off of her smooth, soft flesh, and her smile grew wider. She
opened her eyes, ablaze with passions, and reached for his shirt,
slipping the fasteners loose, and tossing it over her shoulder. The
sudden motion caused her chest to vibrate, Ranma's eyes locked, and he
moved closer, hugging her lithe form to his. He ran his hands through
her silky, long hair, smoothing it down her back. His lips parted, met
her shoulder, and slowly jogged their way down her chest. Ukyo let out a
soft sigh in pleasure, returning his kiss, slowly easing him onto his
back, then rolling to his side.
      Ranma's hands crept toward her hips, then worked feverishly at the
zipper, finally removing her pants, tossing them toward the building
pile of clothing in the corner. He rubbed her hips, her waist, her legs,
taking in her tactility, experiencing his best friend for a second time.
      Ukyo was breathless, it was happening again, again, she was
receiving that which she had fought for, that which she so dearly
wanted. Yet this time, it was different. There was no blind passion, no
pent-up lust, but pure Ranma. This was him, truly. The roughness of his
hands, yet the sensuousness of his touch filling her senses, she felt
not just the lustful passions of lunch, but a more mature, truly loving
message toned in his ministrations.. Could it be? She would find out, in
time, she decided. When he was ready, this would be revealed in bare
form. Until then, she would wait, and she would return the pleasure he
gave her. In this diligence, she knew that there was the risk of
bringing finality. Yet she pressed further, and pressed her breast to
his chest. Slowly, mechanically, her hands returned to motion, and soon
fluidly removed the few articles of clothing the remained.
      Ranma stirred as Ukyo's closeness permeated his consciousness, her
aroma the perfume inciting his passions, and he grew tough, ready for
her. The contact between their selves flowed through him, and he stared
down through her eyes, deep into her soul, and she looked back, gazing
into the heavens through his eyes. Once more, the melding kiss met, and
they flowed together again, feeling through the recesses of mind,
through consciousness, transcending the physicality, creating that
perfect union which only two lovers can share and know. And when it
broke, the link remained. A thread connecting two friends in a new way,
deeper and more personal than ever before.
      Ukyo smiled at him, at her true love, and watched his hand snake
behind her, grasping her back, slowly pressuring her hips to move, and
she understood. "Ranchan.." she whispered, "Ranchan.. not here, not
now.. We shouldn't wake them.. Or our heads will be on pikes."
      Ranma nodded, releasing his grip, and rolled onto his back. "Yes,
you're right, Ucchan.. That kiss.. you're so amazing.."
      Ukyo nodded slowly in agreement, smiled at his compliment, then
stood, covered him with a blanket, and handed him his undershirt and
shorts. "Get some sleep Ranchan. There's a long day ahead of us." She
donned her shirt again, then her pants, gathered the remnants of dinner,
and her few other clothes. "I'll see you in the morning."
      Ranma sighed and smiled. "Sure thing, Ucchan." He curled up on his
mat, and, as he heard the screen shut, whispered. "Thinking of you.."
      Ukyo silently made her way back to the training hall, thinking
about the experience with Ranma, about the future, and soon, about
sleep. She undressed rapidly, slid under the blanket, and lay, thinking,
on the mat. Finally, she chuckled to herself.. "Ranchan, you really did
get your just desserts..." Sleep came swiftly.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 3
"Eggs, Sunny-Side Up"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo sat down to breakfast, or rather, kneeled down to breakfast,
lightly brushing her tee-shirt under her legs. Although it was too early
for most of the Tendo family to be up on a Saturday, Kasumi was up
bright and early to cook before everyone else awoke. Rubbing the towel
over her still-wet hair, she gladly accepted the bowl of rice and soup
Kasumi had set before her. Smiling brightly, and still not saying a
word, Kasumi retreated back to the kitchen, from which delicious smells
crept into the dining room. Ukyo wrapped the towel around her head,
turban-style, and picked up the pair of chopsticks already set on the
table. As she lifted the bowl to her mouth, a low, guttural groan could
faintly be heard from the ceiling. Ukyo looked straight up, and, as she
expected, saw nothing but.. the Tendo's ceiling.
      Dismissing it as the house settling, she took a mouthful of the
delicious soup, chewed, and again heard the groan, followed by a sharp
squeak. Puzzled, she set down the chopsticks and bowl, waiting for the
sound to manifest again. Sure enough, after a few minutes of silent
waiting, another sound issued forth from the ceiling. However, this time
it was more of a high-pitched squeal than a groan, and Ukyo took to her
feet, heading for the stairs. As she ascended to the second floor, the
sounds became more pronounced, taking on a human quality, and, as she
neared Ranma's door, she heard heavy breathing and a rhythmic rocking
noise, like a wheel turning one way, then the other, over and over.
Putting her ear to the door, she could heard soft moans, kissing, and
panting; her face flushed. What the hell was going on?
      Suddenly, there was no door, and Ukyo toppled crudely to the
floor, and lay in a heap. Opening her eyes, her vision blurred from the
sudden fall, she could make out three figures standing over her. She
shook her head to clear her vision, and, as her eyes opened again, her
heart shriveled into a solid lump of slag. Naked, and clinging to
Ranma's arm was Shampoo, while Akane was topless and had obviously been
guarding the door. Ranma, himself, was nude, with an arm around either
girl and a condescending smirk on his face.
      "Ranchan! But you.. We.. I thought.." Ukyo cried out, the tears
coming fast to her eyes. "Why? Why.. You said you loved me.."
      Ranma laughed, a crude, icy laugh. "Why would I ever need a girl
who dresses like a man? Akane is ten times the wife you ever would be!
How could you think I could ever really love you, when I have someone
like her?"
      Ukyo cringed, trying to hold back the salty water dribbling from
her eyes, to no avail. "But, in bed.. You.. Ranchan.. Please, no.."
      Again, that cold, chilling laugh. Pulling Shampoo tighter to his
body, he spat at her. "Shampoo is twice the woman you were in bed."
      Ukyo managed, somehow, to summon the strength to pull herself to
her knees, and reached an arm for his leg. "But, Ranchan.. Don't do this
to me.. I.. I thought you loved me.."
      Ranma's face grew dark, and he grimaced at her. "How could I ever
love you? How could I love a man?"
      His words slowly sunk into her. "But, Ranchan.. I'll stop binding
my breasts.. I can be as feminine as you want me.. Just please, don't
leave me.." she cried out, again the tears bursting onto her cheeks.
      He pointed at her. "You are no woman."
      Suddenly, she felt something within her stir, something evil,
demonic. She felt it creep outward, spreading over her like jelly over
bread, and she looked at her arm in horror. With her eyes, she saw her
skin grow tough and leathery, thick hairs sprouting from deep within it,
her biceps thickening, bulging under the skin. She felt the stirring in
her legs, and they, too, toughened, growing thicker, the skin rougher,
and again, the thick hairs sprouting along them. She felt her underwear
grow tight, as a new member grew to life within them, her hands
confirming the existence of manhood. She felt her face, the rigid hairs
growing along her chin, her lips, and her head dropped into her palms.
Engulfed in terror, she watched as her breasts stirred, then deflated,
until nothing remained of her chest but two pectorals. With the last
vestiges of her woman-self gone, Ukyo turned his head to the heavens and
let out a low, deep howl of agony..
      Ukyo sat bolt upright on her mat, covered in a thick, cold sweat.
Her mind returned to the Now, and her hands probed her body, making sure
nothing had changed. It had been a dream, all too realistic, all too
terrifying to think about. She wiped her brow, and stood up. It was
still quite dark, but there was a tinge of red on the eastern horizon,
signaling the coming Dawn. She decided to shower, to cleanse her body of
the sweat borne in terror, as well as to cleanse her mind of that
horrible dream. Sliding open the door of the Tendo household, and headed
down the hallway towards the bathroom.
      Sliding the screen door to the bath anteroom closed, she proceeded
to strip, tossing her undershirt and shorts into the clothes bin, and
took a washcloth from the shelf. She entered the bathing room, drew some
cool water, and rinsed off the now-drying sweat. Filling the bathtub
with hot water, she found the soap and lathered herself up, making sure
to scrub every bit of grit from herself.  As the tub finished filling,
she again rinsed with cold water, and slid in for a good, long soak to
soothe her body. She leaned back, letting herself relax in the
wonderfully warm water, the tension flowing out of her, and she shortly
forgot about the mentally disturbing dream accosting her just minutes
before. She rapidly lost all connection with the world, losing herself
to fantasy. Soon, the comfort of the water overtook her, and sleep
descended.
      Over an hour later, Kasumi rose, and, although it would be another
hour later before anyone else awoke, she had her duties as woman of the
household. First things first, though, and she headed for the bathroom
for her daily wash. Not noticing Ukyo's clothing deep in the clothing
basket, she removed her nightgown, and picked a washcloth off the shelf,
gathered her toilet items, and slid open the screen door. To her
surprise, she found Ukyo asleep in the bathwater, a smile transfixed on
her face.
      Ukyo stirred at the sound of the door, slowly opening her eyes,
blinking, and focussing her eyes on her new company. Before she could
recognize who it was, she mumbled warmly, "Ra.. Ranchan?"
      "Oh, good morning, Ukyo. Enjoying your bath?" answered Kasumi,
cheerfully. "No, Ranma will be awake later, should I send him in then?"
      Ukyo blushed deeply, realizing her mistake, and managed to put on
a weak smile as she climbed out of the now-cool bath. "Um.. No thanks,
Kasumi.. I should be going, I don't want to impose on you any more.."
      Kasumi batted a hand, "Really, Ukyo, it's okay. We'd be glad to
have one of Ranma's friends for breakfast. Just let me clean myself up,
and I'll set you a place."
      Ukyo picked up a towel, wrapped it around her body, and smiled.
"Well, if you insist." And walked out to the bath anteroom, sliding the
screen shut behind her. As soon as the other girl was out of sight, and
she had wrapped another towel around her head to dry her hair, she
smacked herself mentally, letting her love get ahead of reason. It could
have been worse, of course. Akane could have walked in. After drying
herself completely, she again donned her undershirt and shorts, and
headed back to the training hall to dress.
      In ten minutes, Ukyo stood in the Tendo training hall,
half-clothed, staring down at the implement she had years ago sworn to
wear for the rest of her life, that which brought her pain. But was it
really supposed to suppress her femininity? She shook her head inwardly.
No. I never wanted to leave my womanhood behind. Had she been trying to
suppress her childhood love for Ranma when he had left her? Yes. That
was it. Something in her head clicked into place. This thing was
supposed to push that which she wanted so badly now, yet had wanted to
destroy so long ago, back, to reject love, and with it, the woman's
world. Her path was clear.
      Ukyo walked into the alley behind the Tendo residence, her top
buttoned, holding her old ways in her hands. Laying them in an empty
ashcan, she swiftly drew a match, struck it, and watched as she reopened
herself to feminine ways by shedding repression. The bindings, being
cloth, burned swiftly, and she felt the old mentality of machismo, that
which had inhibited her giving Ranma her full heart, bubble and boil
away. She was free, a woman reborn.
      Turning east, she watched the new sun rise over the horizon,
flooding the land with a bright, warm light, one which had never been
able to fill Ukyo's heart before. She breathed deeply, the scent of a
new day, and she walked back to the training hall with a newfound spring
in her step. Quickly folding the blanket and mat, she almost skipped
into the house, handing the bed dressings to Kasumi just as she exited
the bathroom.
      "Kasumi, would you like some help with breakfast?" smiled Ukyo,
the warmth of the dawn she absorbed exuding from her face.
      "Well, it would be very nice to have some help. Thank you, Ukyo."
Kasumi smiled back, exhibiting her usual sunniness.
      While Kasumi dressed, Ukyo waited patiently in the garden,
enjoying the newly-broken dawn, and soon Kasumi joined her, smiling
toward the golden sun slowly climbing into the sky, as if to greet it,
then laid a hand on Ukyo's shoulder.
      "So, what shall we make today?"
      "Hm.. Eggs, Sunny-side up!" grinned Ukyo. "Maybe we could try some
of those American-style okonomiyaki, how do you say it.. Pancakes?"
      Kasumi laughed lightly. "All right, Ukyo, you're the guest."
      She started for the kitchen, Ukyo in tow, again turning to let the
warm sunbeams stroke her face. Removing a frypan from the cabinet, she
prepared the eggs as Ukyo found the griddle, and whipped up the batter.
Soon, delicious smells flowed through the house, as Kasumi fried the
eggs to perfection, and Ukyo, having trained for a lifetime in all
pancake-related arts, cooked the batter into tasty little circles,
humming the whole time. Time seemed to fly by, and before Ukyo knew it,
she had cooked up a steaming heap of breakfast, and scraped the
batter-bowl clean. As she cleaned the griddle and bowl by hand, she
heard a thump on the stairs, and turned to see Genma and Soun walk down,
sniffing the air, curious at the unusual scents filling the Tendo home.
      "Good morning father! Good morning Mr. Saotome! Did you have a
good night?" greeted Kasumi.
      "Kasumi, this smells delicious! You must really have outdone
yourself this time." remarked Soun, proudly.
      "Well, I had a special assistant today. She really worked hard
with me today, making pancakes for all of us."
      Soun's eyes widened. "Um.. Akane cooked breakfast? Are you sure?
I.. um.." Genma winced.
      Kasumi laughed. "Oh my, no! We have a guest today, father. Ukyo
had to spend the night after a fire, and she helped me prepare breakfast
today."
      Genma smiled widely, licking his lips, then poked his head into
the kitchen and waved to the cheffess, "Good morning Ukyo!"
      Ukyo smiled back at him. "Hello, Mr. Saotome! Did you have a good
night?"
      "Not nearly as good as my morning will be if breakfast tastes as
good as it smells." Genma remarked, chuckling. "So, what's for
breakfast?"
      Ukyo finished washing the griddle, and laid it aside to dry.
"Well, Kasumi made us some eggs, and I made some American-style
okonomiyaki, called pancakes."
      Genma rubbed his stomach. "I can hardly wait!"
      Kasumi returned to the kitchen, and scooped two eggs onto each of
seven plates, while Ukyo carried a heaping plate of pancakes out to the
dining table, where Genma and Soun were kneeling, eyeing the food
hungrily. Kasumi laid a plate of eggs in front of each of them, served
them three pancakes each, and smiled as they tore into breakfast.
      Chewing, Genma remarked, "Mm.. Very good Ukyo, Kasumi. Pancakes,
you say? A little dry, is there anything you put on them, like soup?"
      Ukyo smiled, "No, the Americans use a sweet syrup to dress their
pancakes, Maple syrup." She produced a small serving bottle. "Here, try
some."
      Genma hesitatingly poured a small dollop of syrup onto a pancake,
and took a small bite. A smile grew over his face, "Try this, Tendo. If
she keeps cooking food like this, we might as well ask her to move in
with us!" Genma let out a lighthearted laugh, as Soun, puzzled, poured a
small bit of syrup over one of his own pancakes. Tasting it, the smile
germinated on his face too, and he laughed. "Quite right, Saotome!"
      Ukyo's eyes glimmered, even though she knew they didn't really
mean it, she smiled at gaining the favor of the two men. She watched
them finish their plates with vivacity, then a second helping, and a
third. "Oh, Kasumi, we might need to make more, just for the rest of the
family."
      Kasumi laughed, "Yes, we might."
      Ukyo turned back into the kitchen, and looked into the
refrigerator. "Oh, you're out of eggs. I'll have to go get some."
      "Now, Ukyo, you're the guest. Don't trouble yourself, I'll go and
get more."
      "No, I insist Kasumi, you've been so kind."
      Kasumi looked at the smiling, younger girl in front of her. Such
an odd change from the nervous, withdrawn girl who had arrived at the
doorstop last night. She smiled and nodded her approval. Ukyo turned and
walked out to the doorway, slid open the front door, and exited the
Tendo household.
      Running, she quickly arrived at a local market just as it was
opening up, selected twenty-four fresh eggs, and headed up to the
counter to pay for her purchase. After issuing a sunny smile to the
elderly man behind the counter, she skipped out the door, and walked
back to the Tendo home. As she walked, the sun climbed ever higher into
the sky, casting that warmth, again, deep into Ukyo's heart. Her pace
quickened, her step lightened, she felt like she was walking on air,
feeling a euphoria that she had always pushed aside before, welcoming it
into her mind, and felt a weight lifted from her mind. She knew, deep
within, that everything would turn out alright, no matter what happened.
      As she arrived back at the Tendo dojo, she noticed the flurry of
activity around the table, as the entire Tendo family gathered around
the rapidly-diminishing pile of Ukyo's pancakes, happily eating the
eggs, and Ukyo felt her heart well up, because family had not been
something she had experienced as of late. Ever since she left for the
boys' school, she had been mostly alone in her world, left to fend for
herself, with no one really caring for her. And as she watched the
gathering of a _real_ family again, she knew she wanted a part in it.
Slipping undetected into the kitchen, she fished out Kasumi's frying pan
again, and pulled on one of Kasumi's spare aprons. Cracking the first of
the eggs into the pan, Ukyo pulled out one of her own spatulas, frying
up the food with maternal care. Kasumi, hearing the faint hiss of
cooking, looked back into the kitchen and smiled as she saw Ukyo,
replete with a white apron, enjoying the experience of cooking a meal
for a family, even though it was not her own. She rose, and walked into
the kitchen, putting a hand on Ukyo's arm.
      "Ukyo, thank you. You will make a fine wife, for any man."
      Shocked by Kasumi's directness and perception into her actions,
Ukyo almost dropped the spatula. As the words sunk in, she smiled
warmly. "You really think so, Kasumi?"
      Kasumi said nothing, she just smiled and nodded.
      "Thank you, Kasumi.. You don't know how much that means to me."
sighed Ukyo. "Here, I'll finish these eggs. You go back to the table."
      Kasumi nodded again, and turned to leave for the dining room, then
she glanced over her shoulder, and saw Ukyo wipe away a small tear as it
rolled down her cheek. Kasumi smiled inwardly, and returned to her meal.
Akane looked up.
      "Kasumi, if you're not cooking, who is?"
      "Oh, didn't I tell you? Ukyo is here, making breakfast for us."
      "What? Why?"
      "There was a little fire over at her place last night. She came
here, and I offered her to stay the night. She's helping me with
breakfast this morning."
      Ukyo continued frying eggs in the kitchen, and didn't notice Ranma
yawning and walking down the stairs.
      "Mmm, hey, what's for breakfast?" Ranma said, sniffing the air.
      "Oh, good morning Ranma. Today, we have eggs and pancakes." smiled
Kasumi. "Ukyo helped make them."
      "Ya don't say!" he grinned, then called into the kitchen. "Hey,
Ucchan! Smells great!"
      Akane grumbled to herself, "Of course, he wouldn't EVER say that
about my cooking.."
      Nabiki looked up, "What was that Akane?"
      "Nothing."
      Ukyo walked out, carrying a plate of eggs, and laid it in front of
Ranma. "Here you go. Anyone else want more eggs?"
      Nabiki nodded, Akane grunted, then nodded, and Kasumi spoke up,
"Of course, Ukyo."
      Ukyo smiled sweetly at the family at the table, and turned back to
the kitchen. Returning with three more platefuls of eggs, and laying one
in front of each Tendo girl, she stood, overlooking the scene, imaging
that it was her family, that Ranma was her husband, that these were her
children. It filled her heart with joy. Again, she knew what she wanted.
She wanted to settle down, stop the chasing, the depression, to have a
family, and most of all, to have Ranma.
      Ranma looked up at Ukyo, standing there, hands clenched together,
a small tear rolling down her face, and he smiled. She looked so.. so..
motherly, there, so at peace. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted
everyone to be happy. He spoke up, "Ukyo, these are wonderful eggs.
Thanks."
      Akane's face reddened again, but Ukyo's eyes lit up, beaming with
the intensity and warmth of the dawn sunlight. "No, thank you."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 4
"Brewing"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo stared deep into her half-full mug of tea, sitting alone in
her okonomiyaki shop, thinking, mulling over the day. That damned dream.
It wouldn't leave her. Closing her eyes, she saw the terrifying sight
again.. Ranma's face, dark and condescending, his hand, pointing harshly
at her, declaring "You are no woman!", and her horrifying
transformation.
      She murmured quietly to herself, "A dream.. Just a dream.. Nothing
but a dream." And yet, it still troubled her. Her hand snaked up to her
unbound chest, checking for the hundredth time this afternoon, ensuring
that she was indeed still female.
      She took a small sip from the mug and looked up, out of the
plate-glass window, and noticing the ever-present passage of the sun,
slowly working it's way to it's blazing death, to be inevitably cleaved
at the horizon. Her leg twitched. Like Ranma, slowly, surely, she knew
he _would_ go with Akane.. She lifted her head and stared at the
ceiling. Unless.. Unless something happens..
      She looked over at her battle spatula, gleaming from its place on
the wall. Surely, the blade was sharp enough to cut stone, and would
have no trouble cleaving Akane's head from.. NO! She wouldn't resort to
murder. That wasn't the right thing to do.. The honorable, ladylike
way.. She would win him with charm, charisma.. She would make sure he
saw her perfect eligibility and position to become his wife.. Her leg
twitched again; it was going numb. She reached down and rubbed her
thigh, absentmindedly kneading the fabric of her clothing. Suddenly, she
stopped, handing the mug off to the nearest table.
      Ukyo looked down at her hand, grasping the male-style chef pants
tightly. Her eyes flooded with hate, contempt, for her past, for her
stupid, stupid choice.. Made in the heat of anger, that anger surfaced
again, but directed at herself this time.
      Her hand yanked back from her thigh, taking a large chunk of
fabric with it. Tears flowed from her eyes; a river on her fair cheeks.
Rolling her head with her hands, her mind twisting inward, purging the
male mentality she so hated now, yet had cherished only a day before.
      Presently, she sat up, wiping the last of the teardrops from her
face, eyes red and raw from the gush of saltwater. She held the cloth
scrap up to her face, studying, probing the fabric with her mind.
Soured, she tossed the scrap to the floor with disgust, and stood.
Taking one last, longing look at the slowly coming sunset, she put her
hand on the banister and trudged up the stairs to her bedroom.
      "Ladylike.. Perfect.. Must.. be.." she mumbled to herself, opening
to door to her room, shutting it silently behind her, then drawing
herself in front of the mirror, she stood there, staring at her feet.
Presently, she brought herself to look in the mirror, to criticize every
detail. The bow, she smiled, and patted the ever-present bow in her
hair. A bow is always good, always cute. Her hand slipped to her face,
fingering her cheeks. No problems here.. Soft, gentle, yet determined,
courageous. Her eyes fell to her shoulders, looking at the jacket she
wore to cook. No, no.. This would have to go.. for tonight. She shucked
off the jacket, and folded it into a neat little bundle. Rubbing her
arm, she pondered the tee-shirt. Not exactly tight, but not exactly
leaving _too_ much to the imagination now that she wasn't binding..
Moving on, she focussed on her straight, pressed chef's pants, and her
face darkened with anger. No, no, no! These must go.. She half-tore,
half-pulled her pants off, and threw them into the laundry basket.
Padding over to her closet, she pawed through the various items
available to wear. Button-down shirts.. Khakis.. Jeans.. Where IS that
kimono? She slowly slipped through her closet, examining each garment,
then pushing it along its way. After long minutes, an old, long, deep
blue kimono, embroidered with the Kuonji family kanji, slid into her
hands. Yet another tear came to her eyes, and she brushed it away. After
Ranma left her the first time, she never thought she would wear this.
She thought back, back many years, before she had ever met the young
martial artist.
      It had been a bright, sunny morning, with Ukyo helping mother
sweep out the house, her father off with the yatai, her brothers off
playing in the woods. As they finished off the bedroom, her mother put
down the broom and motioned for Ukyo to come to the closet. Smiling, she
had pulled out a beautiful, deep blue robe, covered with the embroidered
kanji of the Kuonji name.
      "Ukyo, when you find a man, one day, this will be yours to wear,
as it has been for me, and my mother, and her mother, and her mother
before that. And one day, you will pass this on to your daughter. As it
has been in the Kuonji family for generations." she had said, cradling
the kimono in both hands, holding it with arms extended, for Ukyo to
examine.
      She had been curious at first, pawing at the ancient robe,
admiring the quality of the stitchwork, and marveling at how well it had
been kept. But, as with all children, the novelty soon passed, and she
had forgotten about the old kimono, sitting in her mother's closet.
      Years later, when she had set off for boys' school, long after her
mother had passed on, her father insisted that she take it, her being
his only daughter, and her reception of the robe being her mother's
dying wish. At the time, she had carried it out of respect for her
parents. But it had always sat in the back of her closets, seeing the
light only when she boxed it to move, yet again pulling up her roots.
And now, she had finally realized it's true significance. This was her
last tie with the family she had deserted, and the link that had held
the Kuonji chain together, decade after decade, generation after
generation.
      Donning it, she felt the coolness of the delicate cloth against
her skin, smelled the faint mustiness that came with age, inhaling the
history of her family. She walked back to the mirror, admiring the way
the robe fit her perfectly, almost as if it had been molded to her body.
She crossed the right flap in front of the left, and tied the belt off
behind her back, as was proper. Still, it came only down to her thighs..
She needed something else to complete the ensemble. Glancing over at the
now-threadbare pants lying on the floor, she shook her head. No, no..
They wouldn't do at all.. She returned to the closet, and found a long,
deep-blue skirt on the next hanger. What a perfect match! She wrapped it
around her waist, slipped the loose ends of her kimono over the skirt,
and smiled. Much nicer, especially compared to a jacket and pants. She
frowned. She couldn't cook in this, she couldn't risk dirtying her
family kimono. Glancing at the back of her door, she pulled on her only
full-length apron, white, wide, and perfect for protecting her sacred
new clothing. She opened the door just as the bell in the entranceway
signaled a customer.
      Softly descending the stairway, she saw a middle-aged man, his
hair a bit grizzled, but otherwise clean and well-shaven. He looked
around the empty shop, then noticed Ukyo in the apron, skirt, and
kimono.
      "Miss, excuse me.. Is the cook in?" he asked, voice rasping a
little, as he took a seat at the bar.
      "Um.. Actually.. I'm the cook, sir." she nervously replied,
remembering it was not proper for her to be dressed formally to cook.
      Almost understandingly, he smiled. "I'll have a cup of coffee, if
you please. And one regular pork okonomiyaki."
      Grinning, she took up one of the many spatulas stacked on the back
counter, poured him a warm cup of Java, and started to cook the
okonomiyaki. After a minute, the bell rang again, and an elderly woman
walked in. Motioning to Ukyo, she placed her order. "A cup of tea, dear.
And an okonomiyaki."
      Slowly but surely, the shop filled up, apparently indifferent to
the entirely remade chef at the counter. Ukyo always felt they were
staring at her unusual garb, but never caught anyone looking at her,
aside from the usual cursory glances. She noticed the sun again sinking
in the sky, so near the horizon now, and the sky flooding with a robust
orange, and the darkness creeping over the sky.
      Soon, she again noticed the sun, now a fierce red, almost at the
horizon, stars winking into existence in the east. She saw a familiar
face walk down the road, pass one of the plate-glass windows, then turn
and enter the shop. The bell sang out a ring as her heart sang out, too.
Ranma had entered her shop, face slightly red, a nervous tic on his
cheek, as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked around for Ukyo. She
put down the spatula, and waved to him. A shock, almost electric, shot
over his face, then his lips softened into a smile.
      "Hiya, Ucchan.. Listen, we gotta talk.." he said, a greeting on
his lips, but worry in his voice.
      Ukyo motioned him aside, and walked to the empty, far end of the
counter. "What is it, Ranchan? Is something wrong?"
      "I.. I think Akane's on to us.. She got really mad today, after
you left, about you imposing on us, and me encouraging you.. You saw how
red she was when I commented on how good your breakfast was.." he
pointed out the window, straight at the sun, half-gone beneath the
horizon. "When you left, she was redder than that.. Crying and
everything, saying that you might as well move in with us, that I was a
jerk.. You know, the usual.. Then, this afternoon, she cooked curry for
lunch. She did put some effort into it, and it didn't taste _entirely_
like cement, but still. I said it was an 'improvement' and she totally
went off, screaming about how much I hated her, to not like the food
she'd made for me, how she'd put her heart into it, to make me happy..
Worse yet, she dropped some lard on the floor, don't ask me why she was
using *lard* in curry, but she did, and Kasumi slipped on it, spraining
her left wrist and ankle. Doc Tofu said she'd be fine in a few days, but
wouldn't be able to stand, or use that wrist, not without making it
worse.."
      "So, Akane's cooking for a few days, eh?" asked Ukyo, concerned
for the welfare of the Tendo family, sort of.
      Ranma nodded, took another breath, and continued. "So, the old man
and Mr. Tendo immediately announced a training trip, and Happosai
decided to tag along. I was going to go with them, but Nabiki pulled me
aside while packing and suggested I stay somewhere in town. I was going
to go to Shampoo's, but she asked me if I really wanted to.. I asked
why, and she said it would cost me.. Good thing, too.. She's been making
all kinds of love potions, and testing them out around town, which
explains yesterday.. She then suggested I stay here, then demanded some
more money to buy her silence.. Listen, I'm tapped out. Mind if I bunk
here for a day or so, Ucchan?"
      Ukyo's heart leapt. THIS was going to be a _great_ few days.
"Sure, no problem, Ranchan.. But, if Akane comes in.. We don't want her
getting any more ideas, now do we? You'll have to hide."
      Ranma nodded. "Thanks, Ucchan.. I really mean it."
      "There's a straw mat in my closet upstairs, and a pillow and
blanket. Go watch some TV or something until I close up shop, OK? Oh,
and dinner's on me tonight." She grinned.
      Ranma smiled back, then headed up the stairs. Ukyo sighed, lost in
fantasy, until there was a sharp rap on the counter. Another customer.
      "One beef okonomiyaki, hold the cabbage." ordered an adolescent
boy, maybe 13. He turned to the girl beside him, a pretty young thing,
just starting to mature. "What do you want, Akenu?"
      "I'll have a beef okonomiyaki also, please.." she said, voice
trilling.
      Ukyo smiled at herself. What a nice young couple.. She busied
herself with her orders, and the sun disappeared behind the horizon. She
almost didn't notice a man, dressed entirely in black robes, face shaded
by a dark grey fedora, drag himself in from the outside, carrying a
black cloth suitcase. She almost knew him, as he appeared every night,
right after dusk, taking the same table in the corner near the window.
He lifted the hat to just above his eyes, nodded to her, and unpacked a
black laptop computer, plugging in the power outlet, and going about his
work. She knew that nod, one bottle of sake, two cups of strong oolong
tea, and two regular okonomiyaki.
      The clock crept towards nine, and slowly, the crowd thinned, and
soon, the shop was empty except for her regular in black, a few
late-night diners, workaholics, and the stray straggler. Ranma padded
down the steps, stopping for a minute to stare at the odd man in the
corner, before taking a seat at the counter. He smiled at Ukyo, and
signaled her with a wave of his hand.
      "Ready for dinner, Ranchan?" she grinned. "What'll it be?"
      Ranma, glancing up at the menu, mulled over his choices. "Pocari
Sweat.. and.. hmm, one pork okonomiyaki."
      Ukyo pulled a can of the popular beverage from under the counter,
popped the tab, and set it in front of Ranma. She poured the batter out
onto her griddle, added the cabbage, pork, and various other vegetables,
cooked it to perfection, and flipped it silently onto a plate, which she
handed to Ranma.
      "Listen.. Ranma, we can't keep going like this forever.. Sooner or
later, Akane's going to find out, either that you're staying here for a
few days, or.." she lowered her voice to whisper, "Or, she'll find out
about our little lunch.."
      Ranma stopped in mid-chew. Then, he broke eye contact and took
another bite of his dinner. Changing the subject, he spoke up, "What's
new, Ucchan?"
      Ukyo put her hand on her head. Typical, typical, typical.. Well,
it'll be his ass when Akane finds out. Then she winced, and mine too..
Heh.. Oh boy. I've got to get him to face up to his situation, before I
lose him to her. She looked over the counter at Ranma, head down,
concentrating on his food. Not now.. He's not ready yet. Soon, though..
The longer this goes on, the more it'll hurt poor Akane when she finds
out..
      Ukyo looked out the window, the stars fully bloomed in the sky. It
was a perfectly clear night, how beautiful. She didn't want to hurt
Akane, but, if there was a way to make her happy too.. She shook her
head and looked down at the griddle, leaning on the edge of the counter.
There's no way, it's me or her. She looked up again, Me, her, or
Shampoo, actually.
      Ranma looked up, "Something wrong, Ucchan?" He put his chopsticks
down on the plate and leaned back, stretching.
      "No, nothing, Ranchan." she murmured. Yes, there's something..
You're not ready yet.. Oh Ranma, why does this have to be so
complicated.. "It's nothing at all."
      Ranma smiled, and looked around the shop, "Okay, good.. I don't
want you to be unhappy, Ucchan.. You know I want the best for you.."
      "And for Akane?"
      "What?!? That." Ranma started.
      "Ranma.. Answer me truthfully, from your heart. You want Akane to
be happy, too, right?"
      Ranma was taken aback. He couldn't lie, he didn't want to hurt his
friend. After a moment, he put his chin in his hands. "Yes, I want her
to be happy, too.. I want everyone to be happy." He reached out and
turned her face toward his. "Everyone, Ucchan, not just her, you, and
me. It's just so hard sometimes.. You don't understand what it's like to
have four people after you.."
      Ukyo smiled. "No, I don't. But, we have to do our best.. It's the
right thing to do."
      Ranma nodded. "Right.. Listen, I'm going to go upstairs for
awhile.. I need to think."
      Ukyo turned to face the front of the store, and nodded to him. He
stood, walked softly over to the stairway, then turned around and
whispered. "And you really look pretty tonight, Ucchan.. Really."
      Ukyo turned her head down and away, blushing, and murmured her
thanks. She heard Ranma work his way up the stairs, then shut the door
to her room. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest. A
breakthrough.. Finally, he's dropped his macho attitude.. If only for a
minute.. She looked up, and saw another customer, an elderly man, wave
at her from the end of the counter. Returning to her orders, time flew
by, and, soon, the clock on the wall read half-past-ten, closing time.
Ukyo looked through the restaurant, at the three people left in the
shop.
      "Closing time.. Thanks for your patronage.. Please, do come
again!" she smiled to them. Opening the door, she gestured outside. The
elderly man, and a young woman, walked softly out the door, nodding
happily to the chefess. She turned back and began to count the money in
the register. The sound of clicking and tapping entered her head, and
she looked up. The man in black was still here, as usual. She stowed the
money in the safe, hidden in the back room, and rapped sharply on the
counter.
      "Please sir, I have to close up.." she said, softly.
      He looked up, only slightly, then flipped the top of the computer
closed, shuffled it into his suitcase, dropped an American twenty-dollar
bill on the table, as usual, and tipped the brim of his hat to the
chefess, as usual. As he started for the door, cape and robes swishing
about his feet, Ukyo spoke up.
      "Sir, please.. Your name?"
      He stopped, looked over his shoulder, smiling, then gestured
toward the door, opened it, and vanished into the night. Ukyo rushed to
the door, looking outside, left and right, but the stranger who was a
regular, was gone, no where in sight. She sighed, picked up the American
money, and slipped it into the safe. Whoever he was, he was a generous
tipper, if a bit weird.
      She locked the door, flipped the "Open" sign around to "Closed",
and shut off the lights. Standing in the darkness of her shop, she
started for the stairs, then turned back, looking over the starscape
just outside the front windows. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 5
"Upon A Mid-Night's Snack"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo lay awake in bed, the soft moonlight flowing over her face,
and she stared up, out of her window, into the silver sphere. There was
too much going on, her mind was still racing over this, that,
everything; everything that had gone on in the last two days.. That
dreamy lunch, her late-night dinner with Ranma, her awakening that
morning, his almost-confession this afternoon, and.. well.. she couldn't
get her mind off how much she loved him. And now, she almost had a
triumph.. no, wait, a minor victory.. he was sleeping just off the foot
of her bed, she heard his muted breathing, and imagined his warm breath
on her neck. She tingled, everywhere, everywhere she tingled with the
thought of his closeness. She pulled the sheets tighter around her,
trying to keep that warmth inside, but to no avail. Slowly, the fantasy
of passion fled, and she felt empty, alone despite her company. She
sighed and rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand, and
stared deep into the darkness enshrouding the corners of her bedroom.
      Suddenly, she heard a stirring at the foot of her bed. Slowly, she
lay back down, and half-closed her eyes, not wanting to alarm Ranma at
the fact that she couldn't sleep. Sure enough, he slowly rose, wrapped
himself in a blanket, and looked over onto her. Turning away, he quietly
and slowly opened the door to her room, and tiptoed down the stairway to
her restaurant. She sat up. "He must be getting a snack.." she thought
to herself. She crept to the door, and, sure enough, heard the swift
*pop* of the opening of the refrigerator. The sounds of dishes and
half-empty glasses clinking issued forth through the emptiness, then the
*click* of a latch re-engaging. Ukyo took to her bed again, pulling the
sheets back into their place over her. She watched Ranma enter the room,
a small plate of cake in one hand, and a glass of milk in the other. He
took a seat opposite her bed, and quietly chewed on his snack while
staring right at her. She listened to the silence intently, which was
parted only occasionally by the smack of his lips.
      Presently, he finished, and stacked the glass on top of the dish,
which he placed on top of her dresser. He still sat there, head in his
hand, staring down at her, thinking perhaps. She could see it on his
face, the waves of happiness, sadness, joy, depression, anger, and
acceptance pass over his visage. His lips moved, and words floated
through the air, slowly, but their impact on Ukyo was like a Mack truck
on a snail in the road. "Ukyo.. I.... I.. love you." His head dropped,
presuming that she was unaware of his proclamations. She was about to
open her mouth when he continued. "Akane.. You, too, I love.." He turned
his head to the ceiling, and found it a poor substitute for an open sky.
Lying still, she could have sworn her racing heart would give her away,
but he simply crept to the window, slid it open and climbed up onto the
roof of her shop.
      She heard his feet scuff across the rough roof, then a gentle
thump as he sat down. She crept silently, slowly, out of her bed, laying
the sheets aside, and walked over to the window. Reaching out, she
grabbed the ladder running between the roof and the fire escape, and
climbed it just enough to get her head over the edge. Peering through
the moonlight, she spotted his figure, outlined in front of the sky,
head elevated to the stars. She quietly clambered onto the roof,
dropping onto the coarse roofing tiles, and snuck toward Ranma's
outline. Without a sound, she held her breath, and sat down, undetected,
behind her love. He continued staring into the vast void of the sky,
oblivious to Ukyo's visual probing. He was tense, ever so tense, and
Ukyo could hear his heart beating, the only sound in the silence that
blanketed the rest of Nerima.
      Gently, she wrapped her arms around his chest, and pulled herself
onto his back. He started, then looked over his shoulder, and, seeing
her, simply returned to his stargazing. Ukyo rested her head on his
back, listening to the air rushing in and out of his nose, feeling his
pulse race through his body, cuddling her body into his strong, tough
back. After a moment, she murmured.
      "Ran..chan..... Did you really mean it?"
      He still stared impassionately at the stars, but she felt his
pulse pick up, his breathing quicken. She nuzzled his neck with her
cheek. "Please.. I have to know..."
      His chest tensed, his entire body locking up at the one subject he
had escaped for over a year. There was no fast exit this time, no easy
way out of this beautiful girl's arms. He opened his mouth, letting his
jaw hang for a minutes, before uttering the only answer that would not
result in a clobbering by one girl or another. "I.. um.. Well, I, uh,
don't know Ucchan.. I came up here to think about it.."
      She pulled away from him, and scooted over to his side. "Do you
want to be alone, then?"
      He looked over, looking down at Ukyo, her eyes pleading for his
company. "N.. no, you can stay.."
      She smiled, and he turned back to his stars. She wrapped her arm
around his shoulders, and lay her head back onto him. For a long while,
they sat, motionless, quiet, thinking. As much as she enjoyed his
company, fatigue began to take over. Her fears, put to rest, for a time,
by Ranma's quiet statement of love, no longer restrained the sandman,
and she fell asleep, head sliding into his lap.
      Ranma felt Ukyo slide down into his lap, and looked down at her
face. So clear, pristine, and peaceful. He pushed back a strand of hair
from her cheek, and brushed his hands through her hair. How on earth
could he make a decision? Akane, the strong-willed fighter, whom he so
wanted to tame; Ukyo, his best friend, whom he wanted close forever.
Shaking his head, he knew there was no way on this earth he could make
that decision. Not yet, not now. But maybe, just maybe, he could answer
to everyone soon. It wasn't right to keep stringing everyone along.
Staring into the pure, white moon, he returned to thinking. Following it
through the sky with his eyes, an hour passed. He stirred, for it was
getting chilly on the roof. A little breeze picked up a stray leaf,
playing with it for a time, before sending it on it's way to the ground.
He suppressed a shiver, not wanting to wake the sleeping Ukyo, and
turned his mind back to earth. It was time to go inside.
      He slowly and gently gathered Ukyo into his arms, taking one last
look at the full, silvery orb in the sky before padding back to the
ladder, then jumping lightly down to the fire escape. He laid her in her
bed, and looked at the solitary straw mat on the floor, the blanket
crumpled away from it, both looking forlorn on the floor. He didn't want
to be like that. He picked up the blanket, lay it over the mat, and
climbed into his lover's bed. Before his eyes gave themselves to sleep,
he rolled onto his side, and lay his arm over Ukyo.
      In the middle of the night, Ukyo's eyes blinked open. The clock on
her bedstand read 2 AM, but it felt so much later. Suddenly, she
realized she wasn't on the roof with Ranma anymore, but in her bed..
With something heavy and warm draped over her side. Cautiously rolling
back, she met with a mass of resistance, and smiled. Ranma... She rolled
over and faced him. So peaceful while at rest, no trace of the stony
defenses the boy put up over his feelings while awake. Plastered over
his face was a large, genuine smile. He was happy, just to be here, near
her, and her heart swelled. She put her arm around him, and watched as
his eyes slowly opened.
      "You just wake up too?" he smiled.
      She nodded in affirmation. His eyes ran from her arm over him, to
her face, to her eyes. She gasped. Never before.. She looked deep into
his eyes, thinking to herself. "My god, they're full of stars!" She
expected him to be happy, but not to have those glimmering, joyous eyes,
that spoke not only of contentment, but also of a deeper, profound love.
      Ranma stared back into her eyes, and the stars winked into
existence within her. Slowly, that love drew them close, and their lips
met, if only for a second, in a kiss. Ukyo's eyes closed, and she
sighed. Ranma leaned closer, kissing her cheek. She reopened those
portals to the soul, those twinkling eyes, and returned his kiss, and he
met her. As they locked together, Ranma's arms snaked around Ukyo,
pulling her closer. She responded with her arms, entwining around his
back, but they tugged at his collar, then returned to Ukyo. She pulled
away momentarily. Ranma looked at her.
      "Does she not want my love..?" he thought. As if to answer, she
smiled adoringly at him, then pulled off his undershirt. His hands
hooked onto hers, and returned the favor, freeing her breasts to the
sheets. He let out a delighted sigh as they spilt forth in front of him,
and he stroked them with his fingers. So soft, so delicate, so
desirable. He looked back into her eyes. So much like my darling Ucchan.
      Ukyo felt his fingers tickling her breasts, and wiggled as the
pleasure flew through her. She pulled him back into her, squishing her
bosom into his chest, kissing his neck, massaging his back with her
hands. There was no past, no future, only the now. The infinite,
passionate, loving now. And all she wanted was the now. Her hands had a
mind of their own, plucking at the elastic waistband of Ranma's shorts,
then yanking them off with vigor. She felt his hands drop from her
breasts, trace down her waist, and shuck the undies from her hips. She
arced against him, pressing her body onto his, fitting her curves into
his body.
      Ranma roamed her legs with his palms, then bent his head and took
a breast in his mouth, tickling it with his tongue. He felt her push it
toward him, and he complied, taking a mouthful, stroking it lovingly in
his mouth. He was already responding to the sensation of her closeness,
rapidly toughening as she rubbed against him. He looked up at her, and
she down at him, nodding simultaneously in agreement. Ranma began his
descent into Ukyo, and she gave him a gentle guide, smiling all the
while, until they met, and Ranma probed deep inside her.
      Ukyo began to sweat, a warm, slick sweat borne of pleasure. She
felt Ranma's manhood sliding far into her, and she felt the waves of
passion flood her senses, igniting her inner fire. Wrapping her legs
around his, she pressed into him with all her might, and suddenly, a
searing white heat shot through her, exploding outward, as she came to
orgasm. She felt Ranma's body lock, and then the shockwave passed
through him, his release coming swiftly. Their bodies went limp, falling
away from each other, and Ukyo felt the postcoital glow flow through her
veins. For a few minutes, they lay motionless, oblivious to the world as
they lost themselves in the glow, but soon, Ukyo returned her mind to
the Earth, and looked over at Ranma. His eyes were closed again, but he
still smiled, lost in thought. She extricated herself from the dampened
and rumpled sheets, and walked into the bathroom.
      Taking up a washcloth, she wiped away the sweat, along with
certain other.. fluids, and returned herself to the bedroom. Ranma's
eyes were open, now, and he looked across the room at her, grinning from
ear-to-ear.
      "Ucchan.. that was wonderful."
      Ukyo smiled at him, but said nothing. She took up a spare
undershirt from her drawers, and, donning it, retrieved her underpants
from the floor. While working them back into place, her elbow
accidentally hit the HiFi on her drawers. Whirring to life, the
rarely-used stereo popped its empty CD tray open, waiting to swallow a
disc. She looked down at it, and, noticing a certain CD on the top of
the stack sitting by the system, she popped the disc in and hit play.

          ** Music Cue: The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss **

      The mouth of the stereo closed, digesting the disc, which spun
quietly to life, and the speakers sung with beautiful music. As the
light, swinging tones filled her bedroom, Ukyo smiled sweetly at Ranma,
who was just now rising from the sheets and putting his undershirt on.
As the music sunk into him, he remembered it from his European Music
course at Furinkan, and extended his hand to Ukyo. She took it
gracefully, and he put his other hand around her waist, pulling her to
him. And they waltzed.
      Ukyo looked up at him, subconsciously keeping with the rhythm,
letting him lead her around her room, letting herself be swung by her
man. The romantic waltz only heightened her love, and happiness washed
through her. A smile crept swiftly over her face, and she shut her eyes,
losing herself to his touch, his swing, and the music.
      Ranma swung her, around, and around, and around, leading her in
circles and arcs around her room. He felt her deaden into his arms,
relaxing, and she closed her eyes, just giving into him. He slowed
slightly, to help her keep up, and continued to dance as the tempo
picked up. Time melted away, the minutes like seconds as he stared down
at Ukyo, soaking up the love she exuded, and wishing he could return it
tenfold without hurting anyone. As the song completed its rounds, the
final chord echoed through her room, and he tipped her into a deep,
passionate kiss.
      Ukyo didn't know how long she'd been dancing, how long she had
been led, but her eyes shot open at the tip, surprised, but then the
chord sounded, and their lips met. And there they were, two souls,
shrouded in silence and darkness, joining one another, expressing a love
so deep, so profound, that neither could experience that same height
apart. Ukyo wrapped her arms around the back of his head and neck,
pulling him down to her, deeper into the kiss, deeper into the love.
Never let go... You have him, never let go! Her mind knew, she would
never be able to let go now. She was bonded to him, inextricably, for
with him near, she could go deep within herself, and yet go beyond the
infinite. After innumerable minutes, she broke the kiss. He straightened
himself, and pulled her back upright. Saying nothing, she turned
half-away from him, smiling and blushing, not knowing what to say.
      He spoke first, shattering the uneasy silence, "Ucchan.. I'm going
to go hop in the shower." He headed for the bathroom. "You gave me quite
a little workout."
      She blushed more deeply. How should I break it to him? CAN I break
it to him? Her mind retreated inwardly. We're no longer 'just friends'..
She smiled to herself. Well, actually.. we've been more than just
friends since having 'lunch', but now, it seemed.. so much more... well,
there's no way to describe it, it's just *more*.. She heard the shower
start, and the curtain get pulled across the bar. She sat on the bed,
thinking.
      Far across town, Ryoga wandered through a large, stark cement
building, filled with pipes. Staring at the myriad maze of steel, he
yelled. "Where on earth am I now......???" He turned his head down to
the earth. "Oh, fair Akane, guide me." He punched a pipe, and it cracked
wide open. P-chan blinked and looked up. The pipe buckled outward as the
pressure was released from its confinement, and the pipe snapped in two,
spraying cold water all over the little black piglet. A piece of metal
shot into an adjoining pipe, cracking it, and it, too, buckled outward,
the metal wrenching and groaning, spraying more water onto the floor.
P-chan struggled free of Ryoga's clothing, and tried to run away, but to
no avail. Thanks to the Domino Effect, pipes either burst left and
right, or groaned as the pressure increased. The huge wave carried the
little piggy out of the building and swept him down the street, flooding
the entire block, and the water continued to flow. The last ting P-chan
saw before getting swept through Nerima were the words "Nerima Water
Distribution Control Building" over the door from which the water was
gushing. "Oops." he thought. The water rapidly drained from the pipes
supplying the city's water, leaving most of the residents high and dry..
Or at least just dry.
      Ranma rinsed himself in the shower, after scrubbing off all the
sweat, and other stuff, from his "exertions" with Ukyo. He smiled as he
reflected on them. Suddenly, the water began turning a light shade of
brown. "Odd.. No one came by to tell us the water was going to be shut
off." he thought. Then he remembered what happens after there's no hot
water left in the heater, and the pipes have been drained. Before he
could get to the faucet, the wave of cold water hit him, and the
transformation shot through her body. She groaned. "At least I should be
able to get a potful of water to boil.." In answer to her thought, the
water deepened in its brown color, then stopped altogether. She smacked
her forehead with her hand. "Oh... crap."
      Ranma-chan stepped out of the shower, and took one of the deep
blue towels Ukyo had, wrapping it around her body. Taking another, she
draped the second towel around her head and headed out of the bathroom.
Walking over to Ukyo, sitting on the bed, she put a hand on Ukyo's
shoulder. Ukyo turned to face him, and seeing her, a look of surprise
took over her face.
      "Ranchan! What happened? I thought there was plenty of hot
water.."
      "Someone must've shut off the water supply. Do you have any
bottled water we can boil?"
      Ukyo's face dropped, and she shook her head. "No, not on me. I
used the last gallon jug to make some extra batter today."
      Ranma-chan groaned. "Great, I'm stuck like this until morning."
      Ukyo looked up. "We could check with my neighbors.."
      Ranma-chan shook her head. "No, it's too late to bother anyone. I
can wait until the stores open up."
      Ukyo climbed back into bed, lay down, and pulled the sheet over
her. "Well, let's get some sleep then."
      Ranma-chan climbed in beside her, and pulled up her side of the
sheet. "Goodnight, Ucchan."
      "Goodnight, Ranchan."
      Ranma rolled onto her side, towards Ukyo, and draped her arm over
the other girl's midsection, as she had earlier. However, a new
sensation shot through her. Opening her eyes, she looked down for the
source of the new pleasure, and found her nipple rubbing up against
Ukyo's own breast. Her friend's soft breathing slowly caressed the
nipple, sending an amazingly... *arousing* feeling through Ranma-chan.
She had stroked her own breasts before, and had them felt, albeit
accidentally, by a couple guys, but it *never* felt this good.. She
pressed her breasts against Ukyo's chest harder, wanting more of that
pleasure.
      Ukyo opened her eyes as she felt something hard press into the
side of her breast. "Is he poking me?" she thought. Looking down, she
smiled. Ranma-chan was pressing her breasts into Ukyo's side, nipples
fully hard and erect. "He wants more.." she thought, then corrected
herself. "*She* wants more." Ukyo lay her hand over the shorter girl's
large breasts, slowly stroking one, listening to Ranma-chan's little
moans of pleasure. Moving the other hand over, she caressed them more
rapidly, watching the smile on Ranma-chan's face grow bigger, watching
her chest heave with deep breaths, and hearing her moans grow louder.
She stretched her neck, and rubbed her cheek on Ranma-chan's soft bosom,
slowly, and in circles. She softly licked the skin, and Ranma-chan's
hand tightened on Ukyo's hip, pulling them closer together. Her other
hand shot into the air, then came to rest on the back of Ukyo's head,
pulling it into Ranma-chan's deep cleavage. Ukyo lifted her lips to
Ranma-chan's face, and kissed her, and instantly, her eyes shot wide
open, not with fear, but in surprise. Ukyo continued the kiss, and her
partner was all too willing to comply. Ranma-chan's hand crept from
Ukyo's hip up to her breasts, and began to rub them, travelling around
and around and around. Ukyo felt the hand on her breast, and pressed
into it, eager to please and be pleased. The kiss broke, and Ukyo pushed
back a little.
      "Ranchan.. Are you sure? I mean, we're both.. Um.. You know.."
      Ranma-chan looked down and away. "It doesn't feel like that to
me.. You know that. All this is, is a few different body parts. I'm
still a guy at heart.." She looked at Ukyo with the corner of her eye.
"I.. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything.. It just
happened.."
      Ukyo smiled. "I know, you're always in there, somewhere, no matter
what..", she poked Ranma-chan's breast for emphasis. "Develops out
here."
      Ranma-chan looked at her face-to-face. "So, you weren't. um,
afraid.. or reluctant to.. well, you get the idea.."
      Ukyo looked Ranma-chan up and down. "You really want to know what
I think?"
      Ranma-chan nodded slowly.
      "I just want you, Ranma.. I don't care what body you're in, as
long as it's _you_ inside." She put her hand on Ranma-chan's shoulder.
"Look, we're going to have to live with this.." she poked Ranma-chan's
breast again. "If we ever get married.. I guess I'll just have to be
open-minded about.. um, _new_ experiences.."
      Ranma-chan put her arm behind Ukyo's head again and pulled her
gently into a light kiss. She broke it and laid down again. "Well,
then.."
      Ukyo interrupted her. "I *also* think that it's late, I have to
work tomorrow, and we should get some sleep tonight.." She smiled
sweetly. "Maybe tomorrow morning?"
      Ranma-chan nodded. "Fine by me." She pulled up the ruffled sheets.
"Goodnight again, Ucchan."
      Ukyo lay down on her back, and snuggled down into the sheets.
"Goodnight, Ranchan." In a minute, she heard Ranma-chan's soft snoring.
Slowly, gently, she stood up and walked to the window. She had an odd
feeling, like they were being watched. Gazing out over the sleeping
city, she crossed her arms and stared at the setting moon. She sighed,
"Mm.. Sleep well, my Ranchan...." Turning away, she drew the shade down
and laid back down in her bed...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 6
"Cream & Sugar"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo brushed her fingertips across Ranma-chan's bangs. So
peaceful.. The redhead had fallen asleep just a few minutes ago, after
Ukyo had given her what she promised in the middle of last night. Her
vision clouded as her eyes misted over. Never before with a girl.. She
giggled softly to herself. That was fun.. Maybe we can do it again
later.. Ukyo rolled out of the sticky sheets, and flipped open the
shade, letting the fresh, golden sunlight spill into her room. She
stretched her arms behind her head.. Ahh, dawn, birth of a new day.
Pushing the window up, she leaned out over the alleyway below and
inhaled the crisp, humid morning air, letting it send a shiver and chill
through her body. Alerted by certain motions on her torso, she suddenly
remembered she was still stark nude. Pulling inside quickly, she blushed
at her gaffe and headed for the shower. At least the water should be
back on by now..
      Minutes later, she reemerged, refreshed, with a towel properly
wrapped around her body, working another towel through her long hair. It
was too bad her water heater was apparently out-of-order, but the
cold-water tap worked. Of course, the towel could only absorb so much,
and, not wanting to disturb her sleeping guest, she opted for the
semi-damp and tousled look. Rummaging through her drawer, she pulled out
one of the few bras she owned. Now that the bindings were gone, she had
to fight gravity somehow.. Grabbing a knee-length blue skirt and a white
shortsleeve shirt from her closet, she dressed quickly and headed
downstairs to prepare her shop.
      As she was mixing the day's batter, she heard a scratching at the
front door. Perplexed at who could possibly be calling at this early
hour, and seeing no-one at the door, she ignored the sound. Suddenly,
the sound came again, louder, and with more ferocity. She walked up to
the door and looked out. Still, no one. The sound came again just as she
turned her back n the door, and she swung it open quickly, hoping to
face the pest. Instead, she heard a loud "bwee" and looked down at a
muddy, wet black piglet. "P-chan? Shouldn't you be with Akane right
now?"
      The little pig squealed again and walked into the shop, planting
itself just inside of the doorway. Staring up at her, she felt a little
unnerved by the pig's odd behavior, but she shrugged and returned to the
counter, continuing to stir the batter. She felt a cold, wet object
press into her ankle and looked down as P-chan nosed her. Picking him up
by the bandanna, she stared right into his eyes. "What? What do you
want, little pig?" The pig pointed a hoof at the batter, then his mouth.
"Are you hungry?" Happily, P-chan shut his eyes and bobbled his head up
and down. She set him on a nearby stool. "Okay, hold on.. I'll go get
something for you.." She walked into the back room and popped open the
refrigerator.
      "What do you feed a pig, anyway?" she wondered. Spotting an old
cabbage, she plucked it out of the fridge and stuck it into a small
bowl. "This'll have to do." She returned to the front room, only to see
the pig on top of a table, halfway across the room, with muddy
pig-tracks across most of her restaurant. "P-chan! You're filthy, stop
tracking mud through my restaurant!" She dropped the bowl in front of
him and took a big pot out from under the counter. She filled it with
water as he happily munched on the cabbage leaves.
      "Too bad the hot water's off.. I could give you a bath then.." She
remarked to him. His little piggy ears pricked up, then sunk down in
relief. Putting to pot on the stove, she set it on "high" and returned
to stirring the batter. In a minute, the pot of water was faintly
steaming, and she removed it from the stove, and placed it on the floor,
near the table where P-chan was finishing off the last leaf of the old
cabbage. Sticking her finger in to test, she checked to make sure P-chan
would not become the main dish today. "Hot, not boiling, but hot enough
to clean him off in." she reasoned.
      Rising, she plucked the dirty pig off the table and he turned an
inquiring eye towards Ukyo. "I guess this pot of water will have to do..
Can't just let you track more mud around before I open." she smiled. The
pig looked down at the water, then began struggling valiantly in her
hand. "Whoa, hold on, little guy.. The water's fine, I checked it
myself."
      She lowered the pig to just above the water. He bent himself
upwards, away from the steaming liquid, and began to kick her wrist with
his hind legs. Seeing that she wouldn't be able to bathe him without
getting quite wet herself, and not wanting to soak her shirt through,
she pulled her top off with her other hand. She noticed P-chan's eyes
squeeze shut and a little trickle of blood issue from his nose, then
plunged the pig into the hot water.
      She released her hand from Ryoga's forehead in shock. "Ryoga.. ??
Where did you... Oh, wait.. You mean that.."
      Ryoga blushed deeply and nodded. "Yeah.. I guess you know now..
Please, Ukyo.. Don't tell Akane. She'd kill me."
      "I'll say.. Anyway, now that you're here.." she grinned at him and
turned away, working with something he couldn't see.
      Ryoga looked at her, now only half-dressed and stuck a finger up
each nostril to suppress the blood. His eyes widened, as it was his turn
to be shocked. "Ukyo.. I never thought that.."
      She turned back and handed him a rag and bottle of Windex. "Now
that you're here, you can clean up your tracks." She paused and checked
his words. "Thought what? .... Ohhh.. No, silly, you've got a sick mind,
though."
      She retrieved her shirt and pulled it back on. "See if you can get
every trace of mud off of every surface in this room in an hour. Clean
up the water from your bath, too." She took the rag from him. "Shower's
upstairs.. Do that first." Ryoga started up the stairs. "WAIT! I forgot,
there's no hot water.. Um.. I'll boil you some water, so you can give
yourself a sponge-bath.. Wait for a minute."
      Ryoga nodded in assent. "Okay.." He looked around and the shop,
and watched Ukyo pull another large pot out from under the countertop.
He drummed a little tune on the stairwell while he waited. Presently,
she handed him a pot of hot water and a sponge. "Clean yourself up
well.. I don't want anymore mud in my shop." Ryoga nodded again and
climbed up the stairs. Ukyo sighed and started chopping up a fresh head
of cabbage for the day.
      "RANMA! You dare to abandon Akane while she is alone, and then you
sleep with another?!?! HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF HONOR AND DECENCY?" echoed
from the bedroom above. Ukyo dropped her knife and ran for the stairs.
"Oh boy.." Ukyo burst into the room just as Ryoga dived for Ranma-chan
on the bed. She stuck her arm right across his path and caught him just
in time.
      "Listen, sugar.. You're a guest here. If you want to beat up my
fiancee, do it outside. If you want to take a bath, leave him alone. Oh,
and might I add, you have to clean up the downstairs, or else.." Ukyo
intoned angrily.
      Ryoga nodded sheepishly and headed for the bathroom. Ukyo looked
down at Ranma-chan, now fully awake.
      "Thanks for saving my bacon just now, Ucchan.." smiled Ranma-chan,
wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "How'd Ryoga get in here anyhow,
naked to boot..?"
      "I found P-chan out on the front porch. He was muddy, so I gave
him a bath in a pot of warm water.. Well, that solved that little
mystery, eh, Ranchan? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
      Ranma-chan winced. "Well.. I sorta was honor-bound not to tell
anyone.." She ran a finger from Ukyo's neck down toward her chest. "Did
we really.. as girls..? 'Cause you were great.. Never did that before.."
      Ukyo smiled down at Ranma-chan. "Yeah, we did.. I did find that
sorta fun, y'know, sugar.. Maybe we could again sometime..?"
      Ranma-chan strained upwards and kissed Ukyo on the cheek. "Sure.."
      Ryoga peeked around the doorway. "Ranma.. and Ukyo... as girls..
they.." his nose became a veritable river of red as the image formed in
his mind. He leapt out of the tub and howled. "RANMA, you're WORSE THAN
HAPPOSAI!"
      Ukyo turned her head slowly towards the shaking Ryoga. "Did anyone
ask you, pig-boy?"
      Ryoga, cowed, scuttled back out of sight. "Sorry, sorry.." I have
got to control that reflex..
      Ukyo looked back over at Ranma-chan. "Listen, I'm going to go set
up shop. There's no hot water, so a cold shower will have to suffice.."
Ranma-chan nodded. Ukyo lowered her voice to a whisper. "And try not to
let Ryoga on to too much.."
      The redhead nodded and gave her a knowing smile. At that moment,
Ryoga peeked his head around the corner. "Um.. Ukyo, do you have a spare
set of clothes I could borrow.. I sorta lost mine when I got wet.."
      Ukyo walked over to her closet. "Yeah, hold on... There might be
some pants or something still in here." She shuffled through her
wardrobe, looking for something that might fit the naked boy. She tossed
a large pair of khakis and a t-shirt imprinted with "Cat Girl Nuku Nuku"
over to Ryoga. "That's all I have that might fit you.."
      "Uh.. Thanks Ukyo.." Ryoga winced. "I think." He disappeared
behind the corner, and re-emerged a minute later wearing the pants and
t-shirt. However, the t-shirt was a size or so too small, and was
stretched tightly across his muscled chest. The pants creaked as he
walked, obviously cut for someone with more.. feminine proportions.
Pulling on the collar, and shooting a quick glare over at the leering
Ranma-chan, he headed for the stairs. "I'll go get started on the mud,
then.."
      Ranma-chan's head followed Ryoga as he crossed the room and
descended to the shop. Barely containing a laugh, she clapped a hand
over her mouth and stumbled to the bathroom. As the rush of water
sounded through the room, she poked her head out of the doorway. "Thanks
for the entertainment, Ucchan!"
      Ukyo groaned, and headed downstairs, expecting to find Ryoga
scrubbing the tables. Instead, the muddy hoofprints were still on the
floor, and Ryoga was nowhere to be found. Smacking her palm over her
face, she groaned and yelled out. "RYOGA !! Where are you? You're
supposed to be CLEANING UP YOUR MESS!"
      She heard a faint and muffled call come from somewhere below her.
Running to the back room, she opened the door to the basement and bolted
down the stairs. Sure enough, Ryoga was wedged between a cement wall and
the water heater. "Sorry, Ukyo.. You know how I am with directions.."
      She sighed. "Can't you get yourself out of there yourself?"
      Ryoga shook his head. "Not without cracking your wall, or knocking
out your water heater."
      "Wait right here.. I'll be back in a minute."
      Ryoga called after her. "It's not like I can actually GO ANYWHERE,
now is it?"
      Ukyo pulled open a cabinet and grabbed a can of Crisco. "This
oughta let him slide right through.." She padded back down the stairs,
popping open the food shortening.
      Ryoga eyed the white goop and asked, "Isn't there anything else
you can use?"
      "Listen honey, I've got 5 cans of this stuff upstairs, and god
knows I'm never going to use them.. Just sit tight and let me grease you
up.." She scooped a wad of lard from the can and smeared it where his
bicep and the wall met. "Try to work that in." he scraped his arm
forward, across the grease, then worked it back and forth, letting the
Crisco lubricate his upper arm.
      He looked up at her. "No good, I'm still stuck." Ukyo took another
big wad and pressed in into the crevice between his other arm and the
metal water heater. "Try now."
      Ryoga rubbed his other arm back and forth, then slid them both
forward in unison. His torso popped forward from confinement, but his
legs were still wedged tight. He reached for the can. "I can get it from
here, thanks." However, instead of meeting the cool surface of a Crisco
can, his hand found something warm and squishy... Thinking he had put
his hand *inside* the can, he looked up and let out a little squeal.
      Ukyo would have swatted his hand from her chest immediately, if it
didn't feel so good to have a man fondle her again. She felt his grip
soften, the fall, and she winced. "Whoops.. What the hell is coming over
me? This is Ryoga! He likes _Akane_, not me.. Jeezus, I feel like a
pervert, letting him grope me like that.." she thought. Looking down,
she saw his cheeks flush to a rosy pink, while his nose started to drip
blood again, and she handed him the can. "I'll, um, ... Go get you a
towel to clean that Crisco off, and stop up that nosebleed." She hurried
upstairs and shut the door. Chest heaving, she flung on her apron and
started to chop peppers up in a frenzy. Focus on work, take your mind
off sex.. She remembered that she promised him a towel. Walking
upstairs, she no longer heard the shower's soothing gush, and found
Ranma-chan pulling on her red shirt. Hurrying past without a word, she
grabbed a small hand towel and returned to her bedroom.
      Ranma-chan was blocking her way down the stairs. "Ukyo, what
happened? You're all pale and sweaty.."
      "Nothing.. It's nothing, Ranchan." she waved the other girl off.
"I'll be fine, just give me a hand downstairs." Ranma-chan nodded and
followed Ukyo down to the shop. Ukyo handed the redhead a sponge.
"Here.. Ryoga's got himself in. a sticky situation.. Clean off some of
that mud, okay?"
      "Uh.. Sure thing, Ucchan.." Ranma-chan grumbled to herself. Fine,
she lets Ryoga off the hook and makes ME do HIS work.. Great, just
great.. Suddenly, she felt something hot stream over her head.
      Ukyo refilled the teapot and set it back on the stove. "Better,
Ranchan?"
      Ranma looked up a her, soaked, and nodded happily. "Thanks!" He
turned just in time to see Ryoga come traipsing up the basement steps
and walk into the main room, covered in a slick, white substance. His
face darkened as he turned to Ukyo. "What the hell were you two doing?"
      Ukyo put her hands up, as if to push back his anger, and blushed.
"No, no.. It's not what you think! He got stuck between the heater and
the wall, so I used Crisco to slide him out." She looked over at Ryoga.
"Right?"
      Ryoga nodded and grinned sheepishly. "Right! What she said..
There's nothing going on between us." Ryoga's face darkened. "Unlike
between you and Ukyo.."
      Ukyo stepped between the two. "Boys, boys! Let's not have a fight,
okay? I have to open up shop today.." Neither man backed down, and
battle aurae illuminated the little store. Ukyo's face dropped into a
frown. Fine then.. She unhooked her large spatula from the wall and
swung it between them, missing either one's nose by less then an inch.
"I said, cut it out!" Ranma's head snapped toward her and he looked down
at the grill. "Whoops.. Sorry.. it's just, sometimes.. You know.."
      Ukyo remained grim, and tossed a sponge to Ryoga. "You, clean up
your mess. And rub that Crisco off when you get a chance.." She turned
to Ranma. "As for you.." She put a hand below the counter and slid a
radio across the griddle. "Entertain yourself."
      Ryoga bent over onto his hands and knees, scrubbing diligently at
the caked dirt now covering the floor to Ucchan's okonomiyaki. Ranma
flicked the dial to the weather station. Suddenly, the radio barked out.
"And in other news, a large, toxic cloud has been detected over the
Tendo dojo. Scientists are baffled as to its source, however, it is
rapidly spreading over Nerima. Residents in the area are advised to stay
indoors, and avoid breathing the air outside, as one whiff has
reportedly killed small animals.."
      Ranma mumbled. "Akane must be cooking again.." Ryoga's head darted
up. "How dare you insult Akane's cooking! There is no greater feast on
this earth! I should.." his hand balled into a fist, shaking. "I should
make you pay for that remark. Akane doesn't deserve such an
unappreciative husband such as yourself."
      Ranma looked down. "Aw, stuff it Ryoga.. Her cooking could eat
through titanium." He stared impassionately out the window. "I just hope
I never taste that poison again."
      Ryoga closed his eyes. "Then why don't you leave her to someone
who will appreciate her gifts?"
      Ranma only grunted as he stared into the clear blue skies. He
looked back at Ukyo. "How about some breakfast?"
      She looked up from chopping some carrots. "Give the griddle a
minute to heat up." She licked a finger and touched the surface. "Should
be ready soon."
      Ryoga poked his head up and smiled. "Can I have some too?"
      "Only if you finish." she replied.
      Minutes later, the shop was spotless, and the delicious smell of
fresh okonomiyaki wafted through the room. Ranma inhaled the heady odor
as he accepted a plate from Ukyo. "Thanks Ucchan.."
      He took a pair of chopsticks from the dispenser and started on his
plate. Stopping to stare out the window while he chewed, he mulled over
Ryoga's suggestion. "Leave Akane... Maybe it's not such a bad idea..."
He shrugged and returned to his food.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 7
"The Last Supper"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      Ukyo stared out the front window. Sunset. The day had gone by so
quickly. Because of the air warning, few people straggled into her shop
today. In fact, no one had shown up at all. Once the air warnings had
ceased, a few people elected to walk by, but, as of now, none had
decided to drop in. She sighed. Well, at least Ranma will get back
soon... Ukyo walked to the door, hands clasped tightly behind her back.
Why on earth did she send Ranma out to get groceries? She should have
known it would take him ages to get back. Looking out at the setting
sun, she took a deep breath.
      A furtive note from Nabiki, along with a bill for several thousand
yen, had notified Ukyo that Akane would be dropping by the store today
since a grease fire had destroyed the stove. She had also let on about a
few revealing photos from the night before, as well as the window
incident this morning. Ukyo looked up at the wall clock. Almost 6:30,
time to go meet her. She drew the store key from her pocket, stepped
outside, tacked a note saying "Closed until 8 PM" on the door, and
locked the shop. Briskly taking off toward Furinkan High, she gazed up
towards the eastern horizon. Full Moon...
      Nabiki was quietly waiting under the shadows of a cherry-blossom
tree when Ukyo arrived. She beckoned the chefess over with a quick wave,
meanwhile withdrawing a large envelope from behind her back. Ukyo nodded
and pulled 8,500 yen from her pocket.
      "All right, Nabiki, here's the money... Those ARE the pictures,
right?" Ukyo hissed.
      Nabiki smiled cunningly and nodded. "All seven, high-quality
photographs, 8 by 10, developed personally by yours truly." She held a
hand out, expectantly. "Eight-thousand, five-hundred yen?"
      Ukyo nodded and dropped the wad of bills into Nabiki's hand.
"Negatives included?" she asked as she received the envelope.
      "I don't stiff my customers." Nabiki replied, somewhat taken
aback. "It's not good for repeat business."
      Ukyo turned her back and began to stalk away. "Whatever."
      "Oh, but wait, wouldn't you like to know who dropped by the dojo
this afternoon?"
      Ukyo looked over her shoulder, breaking a sweat. "What? Who?"
      Nabiki held out her hand. "1000 yen, please."
      Ukyo turned and drew out another small wad of bills, handing them
to a smirking Nabiki. Tucking the paper into her pocket, she grinned.
"Ryoga dropped by about an hour ago."
      "And? What does this have to do with me?"
      "He mentioned where Ranma was staying..."
      Ukyo's eyes grew wide, her mind instantly launching into Red Alert
Mode. "And... How did Akane react?"
      "Let's just say the grease wasn't what broke the stove.. She'll be
dropping by in about, oh.. 15 minutes."
      Ukyo turned down the street and ran, calling over her shoulder.
"Thanks Nabiki!"
      Nabiki fingered the wad of cash she had "earned". "The pleasure's
all mine......" she muttered.
      Ukyo arrived at the shop in two minutes, flat. A new record! There
was no time for elation, she fumbled with the key, unlocked the door,
and pulled her bandolier and battle spatula on in a frenzy. She had to
be prepared when Akane arrived.. At least she had insurance. Suddenly,
she heard footsteps and the door opening. Turning quickly, she drew four
throwing spatulas from the bandolier and thrust them in front of her.
"Hold it right there!"
      Ranma dropped the two bags of food and put his hands in the air.
"Playing police, Ucchan?" he grinned. "So, are you the good cop, or the
baaaad cop?"
      Ukyo lowered the armaments. "Sorry, Ranchan.. it's just.. Well,
Akane sort of took out the kitchen at the Tendo dojo when she heard
you'd been staying here.. And she's on her way."
      Ranma winced. "Who snitched?"
      "Ryoga.. somehow he made his way over there."
      "Didn't you make him swear not to tell?" Ranma asked, puzzled.
      "Haven't you seen him near Akane? The guy's will turns to putty.
If she asks, he'll tell." Ukyo groaned. Suddenly, she perked up. "How
about a walk, Ranchan? We can clear our heads, and it's a really nice
evening.." She leaned her large spatula up against the countertop and
walked to his side. Gripping his arm, she stared up at him. "Well?"
      Ranma smiled and slipped his elbow into hers. "Sure.. Sounds
nice."
      Ukyo tugged him towards the door. "Then let's go.. We have to get
away from here before Akane arrives." She pulled him out the door and
quickly locked the shop again. "Where to?"
      Ranma shrugged. "This is your idea.. Where do you want to go?"
      Ukyo's mind raced... Somewhere quiet and romantic... Hm... "How
about the riverfront?"
      Ranma nodded. "Fine with me."
      Ukyo tugged at his arm again, and they set off down the road.
Turning the corner, neither one saw Akane emerge onto the street at the
opposite end of the block, fuming and dressed in her martial arts gi.
She walked up to the front of the restaurant and jiggled the doorknob.
It broke off in her hand. Growling, she sat down on the sidewalk. "I
guess I'll wait for someone to get back.."
      Minutes later, Ukyo was strolling slowly down the riverfront,
staring at their reflection in the water. It was intriguing, since the
little ripples on the water prevented a perfect reflection, they were
now blending Ukyo and Ranma together, seamlessly. And yet, with the
slightest bit of extra turbulence, that balance that melded their images
together tore them apart. She blinked. So much like their situation
now.. One wrong move, and it's all over. She looked ahead. No one. Too
early for the dinner crowd or the club patrons. Odd, though, that no
other young couples showed up to witness the beautiful sunset.
      Ukyo stared into the western horizon. Such a beautiful sight, as
the air was set ablaze in color by the fiery disc as it sunk low in the
sky. Presently, tiny pinpricks of light began to populate the heavens.
Very few, as the sun's rays blotted out all but the brightest of stars.
She looked off to her left, over at the moon. Rising majestically, it
had already cleared the dirt and dust on the low horizon and hung like a
serene, silver sphere in midair. Above it, a bright light, brighter than
all the other stars, winked into life. Ukyo smiled. Venus.. Recalling
some ancient European mythology, it was Venus who was the goddess of
love.. Exactly who she needed to watch over her at the moment..
      Ranma stared lifelessly ahead, his mind twisted inwardly on
itself. "Ukyo.. Akane.. What will I do.. " he mused. "Akane.. she loves
me, I know it.. It's in her eyes, in her voice.. If only she could
express it.." He looked down at his shoes, plodding incessantly along.
"But then.. I do love her too.." he admitted. Turning his head to the
side, he looked at the girl on his arm. "Ukyo.. she loves me, too..
These past few days.. No, she could never go back to being 'just a
friend'.. And I love her.. I love both.." He frowned. "But I can't be
like Kuno.. I can't have both.. And when I get back to Ucchan's tonight,
I have to face this decision.." His head went skyward. "Oh man, how will
I decide.. I need a sign.. A good one.." He felt Ukyo tugging at his
arm, and he looked down at her.
      She was pointing to the horizon. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ranma
glumly looked over towards the rising moon. "Yeah.. beautiful.." He
noticed the planet Venus appear above it. "Venus, Roman goddess of
romance and love.." the words of Ms. Hinako's European mythology
teachings popped into his head. He stopped for a minute, and Ukyo,
feeling that, halted too, and still stared out at the moon. Ranma
swallowed hard at the sight he saw.
      Aligned perfectly above Ukyo's head were the moon, Venus, and the
constellation Virgo... The wind gently lifted her hair as he stared,
mouth agape. Was this.. This.. this was the sign! He started walking
again, quickly, his mind racing. Ukyo struggled to keep up. "Ranchan! Is
something wrong?"
      He glanced over at her. The stars, moon, and Venus were still
aligned.. Oh jeez.. "No, nothing." he mumbled. The sidewalk zoomed by
under him, his feet taking on a mind of their own as he debated the
wisdom of the stars. Suddenly, he stopped. Looking up, he found himself
outside of a new French restaurant, 'Chez Primier Amour'. The door was
open, and the maitre'd looked almost as if he was expecting them.. Ranma
knew.. it was time.

        ** Music: Also Sprach Zarathustra, by Richard Strauss **

      "Ukyo.. Ucchan.. there's something I gotta say.."
      Ukyo averted her gaze from the horizon for a minute, "What is it?"
      "Ucchan," Ranma started, "These past few days have been like a
dream to me. There's no way around this anymore..." He knelt and took
her hands in his.
      He turned and looked up at the clear, full moon. "How about a
date, Ucchan?"
      Ukyo's eyes widened. "What?"
      Ranma turned back to her and smiled. "There's no two ways about
it. You are the star that burns brightest in my sky."
      "Oh, Ranchan!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THE END
for good this time
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      It's done! It's done! Never thought this day could come, but it's
done!!! Well, people, it's late, I'm tired and half-awake, and ecstatic
from completing this major work. Reminds me of something Chevy Chase
once said. "Hallelujah! Holy s**t! Where's the Tylenol?"

      I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed creating it..
And, as always, praise, comments, criticism and flames go to
Yoru@mindspring.com

Here's the closing credits...

     ** Ending Theme: Equal Romance, by Coco **
    ** Characters and Ranma 1/2 series by Rumiko Takahashi
   ** "Twist of Lemon" written, compiled, spellchecked, produced,
catered, and released by

                >>>           Yoru-Hikage           <<<

  ** Proofreading by Kyoko Takara, J. Bunyard, B-kun, and R-kun.
 ** Special Thanks to Zen, Alekzander, and Bridget Engman for
information on the Kimono. ^_^

This fic can be found in beautiful Word 97 format at the Anime Freeman's
Guild: http://www.mindspring.com/~yoru/AFG/index.html
 Or, visit Yoru's Anime Lab, for more twisted creations!
 http://www.mindspring.com/~yoru/anime/lab.html

       ** Until next time, Read Happy! **
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