(DISCLAIMER : ALL GLORY TO RUMIKO TAKAHASHI, AND THIS STORY OPERATES ON THE BASIS OF AN ALTERNATE RANMAVERSE.) ALSO, EACH PART STARTS AND ENDS WITH A DIFFERENT DAY. ALSO THIS PART HAS NO LEMON BITS IN IT. This is the revised part two. -=-=-=-=-=-=-Part Two-=-=-=-=-=-=- (Morning breaks over the land of the rising sun and birds soar above Nerima Ward, chirping their greeting song to the golden sun ascending into the sky. Dewdrops grace the tip of each stalk of grass and every leaf on every tree. For a short moment, the paradise that was lost when man abandoned Nature and turned to machinery, was present and glittered with a promise to remain till the end of time... Then the first car backed out of its driveway and the dream was shattered. As if by chain reaction, more cars fill the streets within minutes and the quiet morning is drenched in the sounds and smells of a typical Tokyo day.) (Kasumi, always up at the crack of dawn, knocks on Akane's bedroom, calling to the girls within and reminding them of school. Immediately what sounds like a free-for-all ensues behind Akane's door as all the girls doff their PJ's and pull on their uniforms, desperate to get ready and get into school before the bell rings. Kasumi, always unruffled by any daily event, smiles and walks over to Ranma's room and knocks on it.) Kasumi: Ranma! Ranma! Mr. Saotome! Wake up, it's morning already! Ranma and Ranma? The both of you have school! And I won't be home to cook lunch this afternoon so you two have to eat out just for today. (Inside Ranma's room...) Ranma: SCHOOL!? I forgot! (leans over and shakes Ranma-chan) Wake up! Ranma-chan: Huh? Ranma: We have school! Come on, dress up!! Ranma-chan: School...!? Omigod! (leaps out of bed and grabs her clothes) Ranma: (grabbing his clothes) Hurry up and use the bathroom! I need it next! (In a short while, Akane, her friends and the two Ranma's are running to school. Ranma and Ranma-chan are running in perfect balance on the fence, while Akane and her friends bring up the rear. They manage to get into their classes in record time and Akane says goodbye to Yuki and Sayaka as they head off to their classes. Everybody is already seated and waiting for the last minute stragglers to come in. As Ranma, Ranma-chan and Akane walk in, the whole class gasps.) Hiroshi: Hey, who's that? Fuzaki: That's... um... Akane's cousin, or something. She sure is cute! Ukyo: Wh-what's going on here? Akane: (sits in her seat) You'll find out soon enough. It's kind of a long story. Hinako: Ranma Saotome, who's the girl with you? Ranma: She's Akane's cousin, who came to register in this class. Hinako: (to Ranma-chan) What's your name? Ranma-chan: Ranko Tendo. Hiroshi: (to Fuzaki) Ranko... it has a nice ring to it! Hinako: Well, Ranko. You can sit next to Ukyo over there. Ukyo, will you raise your hand please? Ukyo: S-sure. (raises hand) (Ranma-chan sits next to Ukyo and class starts. When Hinako left the room to get some notes, Ukyo turns to Ranma-chan.) Ukyo: Ranma? (whips head to Ranma, who smiles at her) Ranma? Ranma: We'll tell you after class. Don't wanna talk about it right now. Hiroshi: Ranko? Didn't you win that rhythmic gymnastics tournament, fighting against Kodachi Kuno? Ranma-chan: Yeah, I did. Hiroshi: You were great! You looked like you had been at it all your life! Ranma-chan: Thanks! I trained real hard for that match. (Hinako returns and class resumes. The moment the lunch bell rings, Ranma-chan's desk is swamped with boys. Ranma-chan is forced to pretend ignorance as the boys fall over themselves trying to win her favor.) Ranma: These guys sure are picky! First, they try to go out with Akane. Now, they're trying to go out with my female side! Ukyo: Ranma!! What the heck is going on here? Ranma: Umm...well. You see, I tried to cure my curse using a special potion called a Nullifier. Problem is that it split my male and female halves into two separate people with the same personality and everything, mind-wise, I mean. Ukyo: So she's really you? Ranma: And I'm really her. Ukyo: Oh... how does she... I mean, he feel about being stuck in a female body? It must be horrible! Ranma: You know, you and Akane were the only people to think of her... I mean, his feelings. Ukyo: Really? I'd better go and rescue him. Excuse me for a sec. (Ukyo goes to the aid of Ranma-chan, laying about with her spatula and clearing a path to her dearest friend. Ranma-chan looked flustered, holding a handful of paper slips with telephone numbers written on them.) Ranma-chan: Ucchan! Save me! Ukyo: Come on, let's get outta here! (She grabs Ranma-chan's hand and they both leap out of the window, to soar into the air and land, without a scratch, on the ground.) Ukyo: Ranma! Are you feeling fine? Ranma-chan: Of course I do! I'm not gonna let a bunch of boys try and make passes at me! Ukyo: Then throw those slips of paper away. Ranma-chan: (looks at the bunch of paper in her fist) Huh? Oh! (tosses them away, and they spiral upwards in the breeze and scatter themselves into the bushes.) There, all done! (Ranma-chan turns back to Ukyo and sees her looking at her closely, as if unable to comprehend something.) Ukyo: Ranchan? Is it true that... Ranma-chan: Yup. The potion-thingy screwed up and now I'm a girl while the other Ranma is cured. But don't worry, I'm gonna find a cure soon! After that old ghoul remembers how to reverse the effect, I'll be back to normal! Ukyo : You mean to say that Ranma... is cured? Ranma-chan: Hey, I'm Ranma! I'm not cured in the least! It's the boy Ranma that's not cursed anymore. Ukyo: And... how do you feel? Ranma-chan: Like I said, I feel fine! I'm not gonna let a bunch of boys... Ukyo: Idiot! Not the boys!! I mean, you. Ranma-chan: Huh? (A light breeze springs up and ruffles Ukyo's long ponytail. She looks at Ranma for a moment longer, then she reaches back and lets her hair loose. It immediately dances about her face and shoulders, a shimmering mass that highlights her features and complements her natural and graceful curves.) Ukyo: Ranma...I have something to say. Ranma-chan: Go... go on. Ukyo: Ever since we were little, we always played together. We were the best of friends, though we certainly didn't act like it. Ranma-chan: Yeah, I always won in the okonomiyaki contest... Ukyo: Remember the time we went out into the meadow and played there for such a long time? Ranma-chan: (laughs) Oh yeah! That time! We simply lost track of time... Pop gave me a lecturing on staying out too long on my own. Ukyo: And mine gave me a leathering. Ranma-chan: What?! You never told me that! Ukyo: I was so ashamed, I didn't want to see you for a week. Ranma-chan: Yeah, you gave me some excuse for not showing up at the okonomiyaki cart every morning for a whole week. Ukyo : We were such silly kids back then! (Ranma-chan and Ukyo laugh at this) (Somehow, Ranma-chan sensed that that wasn't all that Ukyo wanted to say to her. Ranma-chan waits patiently for Ukyo to find the words.) Ukyo: (takes a deep breath) I love you, Ranma. I really do. Even back when we were kids, I think I still loved you back then. Ranma-chan: Ukyo... (puts hand on Ukyo's) I already know that. But this is not what you wanted to say to me. Come on, say it or we'll be late for class! Ukyo: I'm confused... I don't know what to think anymore. Ever since the other Ranma told me what happened, my world has been turned upside down. Ranma-chan: Upside down? What are you talking about? Ukyo: The other Ranma isn't cursed anymore, right? Ranma-chan: Right....and? Ukyo: (considers this for a moment) Never mind. Ranma-chan: What do you mean `never mind'? You've come so far. Come on, tell me! Ukyo: (sighs) Why don't the two of you come over this afternoon to my restaurant? And bring Akane too, okay? I'll treat you all to free food. Ranma-chan: You always treat us to free food, Ucchan. Even that time when Akane came in by herself, without me with her. You still give her a free okonomiyaki. So what's up? Ukyo: If you don't want the food, then don't come. (she smiles at Ranma-chan, gives her a hug and walks back to class.) Ranma-chan : Huh?? (scratches her head) What was that all about? (Back in class, Ukyo is scribbling furiously in her notepad. Hinako smiles in approval and cited her as an example of a good student. Shamed by Hinako's words, the entire class, except Ranma and Ranma-chan, start to take their work more seriously. But if anybody had been looking carefully at Ukyo's `work', they would have seen a smattering of cooking terms, names of ingredients and a little sketch of an okonomiyaki. Ukyo smiled to herself uncertainly as she regarded all that she had done so far, making a few minor adjustments here and there. This was going to be a very special okonomiyaki, the absolute best creation of her life. She giggles a little as she looked over at Ranma, who looked back with confusion in his eyes. He'll soon understand. Her eyes fell on Ranma-chan, who was looking at her with the same look of confusion in Ranma's eyes. Ranma. Suddenly sobered by a nagging thought that had insinuated itself the moment Ranma-chan told her of the Nullifier, she let her grin drop and she sighed heavily, head in hand and mind far, far away.) Hinako: Ukyo, is something the matter? Are you feeling alright? You don't have to work so hard, you know. Ukyo: No, Hinako-sensei. I'm fine. Hinako: Well... if you're sure. Okay class, back to the blackboard. (School ends and Ukyo zips to her restaurant. The crowd of people waiting outside Ucchan's Okonomiyaki parted and she threw the doors open. Within minutes, okonomiyaki were flying left and right, and diners dined to their absolute content. As soon as the initial rush had died down, Ukyo pulled out her notepad and started to prepare the special okonomiyaki - pouring all her energy and effort into it. This had to be perfect from the outstart.) (Ranma, Ranma-chan and Akane step into the restaurant. As usual, it was packed full, except for the counter seats, which all the regulars knew were unofficially reserved for Ukyo's friends. The regulars nodded at them, used to seeing them visit Ukyo all the time. A small black pig sat on the counter, in front of a plate with a half eaten okonomiyaki. It looks around, and squeals in delight as it sees Akane. Then its eyes widen in confusion as it sees Ranma and Ranma-chan side by side. It blinks once, then twice. Ranma-chan mouths the words, "I'll explain later", to the pig, and it squeals uncertainly.) Akane: P-Chan! (P-Chan leaps into her arms) What are you doing here? Ukyo: Well... uh... he sorta walked in... and I gave him a free okonomiyaki. Akane: Thank you, Ukyo. Ukyo: No problem. Took you guys long enough to get here, though. Akane: *You* skipped out on your classroom cleaning duties... so we had to do your share of it, you know! Ukyo: Aww, Akane. I'm sorry... let me make it up to you with an okonomiyaki of your choice, okay? (she grins) Akane: Bribery won't get you anywhere, Ukyo! (her stomach growls loudly. Ranma snickers at this and Akane jabs an elbow into his side.) Ukyo: A hungry stomach won't get you anywhere, Akane. Come on, take me up on my offer. Akane: ......Alright. But just this once! Ukyo: Alright, Akane! (She spins an okonomiyaki to her and Akane begins to dig into it, trying to keep a facade of anger on her face, which softened to her normal features after a short while. She could never really stay angry at Ukyo for long... mainly because she was kind, sweet, and generous. In fact Ukyo was much like her in a number of ways. She was almost everything a stereotypical girl was not - strong, stubborn, free-willed and quick tempered. Ukyo, when she first arrived in Furinkan High, was dressed as a boy and acted like one too. Since then, she had changed a great deal. She wore her a gi of a sort, with nice blue designs on it. She wore a bandoleer filled with mini spatulas, but she left the big spatula at home. The both of them compete for Ranma's attention , she thought hotly as she looked at Ranma with a slight tinge of red coloring her cheeks; the both of them had `care-giver' personalities. At least that's what she thought of herself. . She looked at Ukyo, who was smiling and chatting with another customer, even as she cooked an extraordinarily tasty looking okonomiyaki. Akane turned away and looked long and at her okonomiyaki. Ukyo was so... so... much more beautiful than her. She had long hair, beautiful skin and a great figure. She felt so lumpy and ugly compared to her. Jabbing her okonomiyaki with a fork and savagely ripping a piece off, she popped the morsel in her mouth and took great satisfaction in chewing it. P-Chan leapt out of her arms and started gobbling his food.) (Ranma-chan looked at Akane stabbing her food with uncharacteristic vigor. She saw that her eyes were slightly narrowed and her brow was creased. Her gaze traveled upwards and she looked at Ukyo, who was preparing an especially delicious-looking okonomiyaki. Ranma-chan began to lose herself in looking at Ukyo, trying to imagine how she had looked like when she was playing with... him in her childhood, but she just couldn't picture her being the way she was. She had grown and changed a lot since those days. She turned around and put her elbows on the wooden counter behind her, and let her memories travel back a decade, to a time when little had troubled him. She could remember the town where Ukyo and him had stayed. She thought of the `safari' adventure he had with Ukyo back then, a wild romp through the flowering meadows...... ) [Ranma jumped onto a rock in the middle of the meadow and looked about with a hand shading his eyes. Dragonflies zipped all about and insects filled the air. The chirping of birds drifted off a scattering of nearby trees. He looked up into a gloriously blue sky that seemed to stretch forever and ever, encompassing the entire world that was his birthright. He took a deep whiff of the sweet summer grasses that reached up from the moist earth to the shining sun which gave freely of its light, and he exhaled slowly. It was so good! The heady aroma of flowers seemed to swirl and drift all about him, encouraging him to take another breath. And another. He closed his eyes and let out an impulsive cry of exultation, the shout of somebody who was completely content with the world about him, akin to the majestic symphony of nature which now sang its praise and gave its thanks to the gods for creating such a wonderful world. The cricket chirped, the birds sang, dragonflies flitted in the air and dodged the drifting dandelion puffs swirling in the breeze and spiraling up, and up, and upwards into an endless summer sky. Ranma turned around. Ukyo ran up to the rock he was on and squeezed herself next to him. Ranma graciously let him take his spot on the rock; after all, he was his friend. Ukyo was his best friend in the world. , he said to his friend. Ukyo bobbed her head up and down, and she sat on the rock. Ranma remained standing and looked at the grass covered hill which lay just ahead of the meadow, then he looked over at Ukyo. Ukyo had a handful of flowers in his hand and he was counting out the stalks, humming a tune to himself as he did. Ranma leapt off the rock and started to run to the hill. , he called to his friend even as he ran. Ukyo threw the flowers away and started after her friend. The two surmounted the hill with no difficulty and the two stood at the peak, looking down at the land all around. The greenery was gone and the two friends looked down at the town and its concrete structures. Cars rushed to and fro, and people thronged the sidewalks. Ranma shuddered. People were not meant to live so closely packed together. He looked back down the hill and the welcome sight of the forest and the meadow greeted his eyes. , asked Ukyo. A far off voice echoed through the large meadow, . A man wearing a bandanna, a pair of glasses and a karate gi, stepped from out of the concealing shade of the trees at the far end of the meadow. With that, Ranma sprinted towards his father, eyes fixed ahead and not looking back. Ukyo shook off her lethargy and sprinted after Ranma...] (Ranma-chan chuckled to herself. Back then, she thought Ukyo was a boy, like her. She turned back and looked at Ukyo, both hands under her chin. No way anybody could mistake her for a boy again, and those who disagreed were either stupid or blind. She legs that looked so slim and sexy, especially while she was wearing tight, black jeans. She smiled and closed her eyes, walking the paths of her memories, memories of Ukyo.) (Ranma looked perplexed. First, Akane was placated all too easily by Ukyo. Then his female self sighed dreamily and seemed to stare off in the distance. And now, he saw Ukyo cooking the best and most delicious- looking, and smelling, okonomiyaki, putting her customers' orders on hold for the time being, occasionally looking at Ranma and giving him a smile. What's with the puppy dog eyes, Ucchan?, he was tempted to ask, but he said nothing.) Ukyo: Ranma! Here it is! (she scoops the okonomiyaki up, puts it on a plate and gives it to Ranma.) Ranma: Th-that was for...for me?! Thanks, Ucchan. (he digs into the okonomiyaki furiously.) Ukyo: Anytime, Ranma. And now, the same thing for you, Ran...er...Ranko. Ranma-chan: Thank you, Ucchan. Customer 1: Umm, excuse me but I ordered my food ten minutes ago. Could I have it? Customer 2: Yeah, me too. I'm starving, Ukyo. Customer 3: Where's my special deluxe super-combo okonomiyaki? Customer 4: I'd like to order another okonomiyaki, Ukyo. Ukyo: Okay, okay! I get the point! Ranko, do you mind waiting? Ranma-chan: Umm... but not for too long, Ucchan. I'm starving. Ukyo : I'll try my best. Now, who's first? (She starts to take orders and fill them out. However, as if on cue, a horde of people flood the restaurant at that moment. Ukyo is kept extremely busy trying to take orders, fill them and collect the money - all by herself. Ranma-chan looks hopefully at Ukyo but she didn't have the time to even talk with her. Eventually, Ranma-chan tries to say something to Ukyo, to tell her that she was leaving, but Ukyo was already running into the back of the restaurant to get more supplies. The counter was already burgeoning with hungry people and when Ukyo came back, Ranma-chan tried again.) Ranma-chan: Ukyo, I... Ukyo: *Not* now, Ranma!! (Ranma looks up from his nearly finished okonomiyaki. Ukyo scowls.) Not you, Ranma. Ranm..ko, I'm very busy right now... (she looks very flustered). Can you come back later? Ranma-chan: ......Alright, Ucchan. (She leaves the restaurant, feeling cheated out of a fabulous meal. She could hear Ukyo taking orders and cooking at the same time. She *was* very busy... but why didn't she also take the time to cook that special okonomiyaki for her when she did it for Ranma? Ranma-chan knew that it was selfish of her to get angry at Ukyo, for not getting a free meal, but she still can't help herself from feeling... betrayed. She took time out for Ranma, why didn't she take time for her?) Ranma: Ranma! Wait up for us, man! (he is holding a little piece of okonomiyaki) Akane: That was delicious! I should come here every day after school and have her okonomiyaki! Ranma: You thought it was delicious? Mine was the ultimate! It rocked! P-Chan: Kwee? (looks between Ranma and Ranma-chan) Bu-kii? Ranma-chan: Can I hold P-Chan, Akane? Akane: Sure. Just don't pick on him, or else. (she hands P-Chan to Ranma-chan, who begins to talk to P-Chan in a soft tone. P-Chan's ears perked up and he nodded in understanding.) Ranma: (After watching Ranma-chan for a while) Aww, come on. Cheer up! It's not the end of the world, Ranma. Here, you can have this piece I was saving for later. Ranma-chan: No thanks. (cradles P-Chan). Ranma: Huh? Come on, man. It's the best thing I've ever eaten in my life! Ranma-chan: Let's go to Nekohanten. I'm hungry. (she starts to shuffle away) Akane: Ranma? What's wrong? Ranma-chan: Nothing. Here, Akane. (gives P-Chan back to Akane.) (The three troop to Nekohanten. As usual, the place is also packed, but the three manage to find a table. Within a minute or so, Cologne hops over to their table with three bowls of ramen balanced on one hand. She sets them down on the table. Ranma-chan grabs two of the bowls and starts to devour them. Ranma finishes his okonomiyaki piece and starts on the remaining bowl of ramen. He looks up at Cologne, who was wiping their table with a cloth while balanced perfectly on her stick.) Ranma: Where's Shampoo? Your hands seem kinda full now, with all these people in here. (*Crack* The cup in Akane's hand shatters into pieces. She looks over at the mess on the table underneath her hand in shock. Cologne narrows her eyes.) Cologne: You will, of course, reimburse me for the price of that cup, dearie. Akane: S-sorry. I guess I was gripping it a little too hard. Ranma-chan: (rolls her eyes) Funny how that always seems to happen whenever Shampoo is mentioned. Cologne: Yes, isn't it fascinating? Anyhow, Shampoo's out delivering. She won't be back until late tonight. Ranma-chan: Have you remembered whether or not there's a cure for my condition? Cologne: No, I don't know. Well, I've got to be going. If you want to talk some more, come back later at night. (she leaps away and sees to the customers - the paying ones, that is.) (Ranma-chan finishes her meal and the three head back home. By now it's late afternoon, approaching evening. Ranma-chan throws herself full on the couch and turns the TV on. Akane walks up to Ranma-chan.) Akane: Ranma, could you hold P-Chan for me? I'm going to go to the washroom for a sec, and I don't want him wandering about. Ranma-chan: Give him to me. (Akane hands P-Chan to Ranma-chan and walks off) P-Chan: Bu-kii! (looks at Ranma-chan, eyes narrowed) Ranma-chan: You're no catch yourself, pig. Now, shut up and lemme watch TV. (She hugs P-Chan to her chest and P-Chan's entire head turned red with all the blood rushing to his head.) P-Chan: Kwee! Kwee! Ranma-chan: What's that, piggy? (evil grin) P-Chan: (points at his snout) BU-KIII!! Ranma-chan: Oh yeah, the nosebleed thing. (grins at P-Chan) Of course I know. (She quickly sets an angry P-Chan on the couch, who points his snout up in the air and takes deep breaths of air. Ranma walks up to the couch, holding a bag of chips in one hand and a can of pop in the other.) Ranma: Hey, move it! Where am I gonna sit? Ranma-chan: Oh, okay. (she merely pulls her legs in, leaving a small space for Ranma to sit in) Ranma: Well, thanks a lot for the big space! (he sits down) Ranma-chan: Anytime. Gimme some chips. (Ranma gives her a handful of chips and Ranma-chan devours them. Ranma puts the can of pop on the floor. Promptly Ranma-chan grabs it and takes a swig from it.) Ranma: Hey, that's my pop! Ranma-chan: So that makes it mine as well. Ranma: Gimme that back! (he swipes the can from Ranma-chan's hands and drinks the whole thing. While he was drinking all the contents of the can, Ranma-chan sneaks a handful of chips from the bag.) Ranma-chan: (between munches) Do you... think there... really is a cure for... me? Ranma: Why shouldn't there be? (looks in his bag of chips and sees a handful missing.) Ranma-chan: Well, if that three-hundred-year-old ghoul doesn't know, how are we supposed to know? (sounds pretty depressed) Ranma: She just didn't remember, that's all. (Ranma-chan changes channels. It is a TV documentary on the differences in thinking between men and women. Ranma-chan watches it in silence while Ranma fidgets about. Eventually he held out a hand to Ranma-chan.) Ranma: Here, gimme that remote. Ranma-chan: No, I wanna watch this. Ranma: That's just a stupid documentary! Let me have it, let's watch something more interesting. Ranma-chan: And this isn't interesting? Ranma: No! Ranma-chan: Well, I think it's interesting. So, you can't have the remote. (Ranma made a grab for the remote but Ranma-chan clutches it close to herself. Growling, he launched himself onto Ranma-chan, who squealed and fought to keep the remote from Ranma's grasp. The two wrestle on the couch, Ranma on top and trying to rip the remote from Ranma-chan's hands, Ranma-chan laughing and enjoying herself. Akane walks into the living room - and sees Ranma straddling Ranma-chan, who was struggling against Ranma's superior strength. Akane stands there for a while longer, wondering if she should run over and give Ranma a good whack on the head, when Ranma finally pulls the remote free from Ranma-chan's hands and held it over his head.) Ranma: Finally! Now, let's watch something with action in it. Ranma-chan: (still laughing) That was great! Let's do it again! Akane: Do what again? Ranma: Uh, Akane! Umm... (looks at the remote in his hands) Ranma-chan: We were just fighting over the remote, jeez. As if you have anything to worry about when I'm around him... after all we're the same person. Ranma: Hey, it wasn't like that at all!! Ranma-chan: (grins from ear to ear) Just kidding! Ranma: Oh yeah? Just kidding, you say. (picks up a pillow and whacks her) Ranma-chan: Ohh! So you wanna fight dirty? (grabs two pillows and whacks him) (The two release their pent-up tension with a good-natured pillow fight, Ranma-chan hitting Ranma twice as much as he did her, but Ranma's blows had more force behind them. The impromptu pillow fight dissipates in heartfelt laughter from the two of them, joined by Akane after she saw the innocence behind everything. There is a knock on the door, a polite rap-rap designed to draw just enough attention for the inhabitants to notice. Akane gets up and goes to the door.) Akane: I'll get it! (she opens the sliding door) Nodoka: Good afternoon, Akane-chan! Akane: M-Mrs. Saotome?! I'm sorry, we weren't expecting you at all! Nodoka: (bows) I'm sorry, I should call or write before I come to visit. Next time, dear, I'll remember. (She removes her shoes and walks into the living room, and the first thing she saw was Ranma-chan's familiar form lying on the couch.) Nodoka: Good afternoon, Ranko! Ranma-chan: Ran..ko? (slowly turns around) Oh!! M-Mrs. Saotome! Nodoka: I'm sorry, I know you weren't expecting me to visit so... (trails off when she sees a well-built figure with black hair tied back in a pigtail, sitting next to Ranma-chan.) Ranma: (turns around slow-like) M-Mom? Nodoka: Ranma!! You're finally back!! (Nodoka drops everything and hastens to Ranma's side, and hugs him so tight that he had difficulty breathing. Ranma-chan watches in shock, not fully comprehending what was happening.) Nodoka: You're real!! You're back! How have you been?! Ranma: Umm...fine, mom. Ranma-chan: Hey... (lifts a hand) Nodoka: Forgive me, Ranko-chan. I haven't seen my son for sixteen years! It's only fair that I finally get to see him now! I pray that this is not a dream...... Soun: (walks in) Nodoka! What a pleasant surprise! Nodoka: (still hugging Ranma) If I may ask, where's Genma? Genma: (walks in at that moment) D-dear? Nodoka: Genma! My son is a man among men! The Saotome family honor is preserved (looks meaningfully at her sword-shaped bundle). See how handsome and strong he is? Genma: Likewise, I'm as happy and proud as you are....s-see how well I raised him? Ranma-chan: Yeah right. Animals woulda raised me better than you did. Actually, come to think about it, Pop *is* an animal. A panda, to be exact. Nodoka: What's that, Ranko? (starts cooing over Ranma, who looks embarrassed) Ranma-chan: Nothing. Nothing at all. (takes one last look at Ranma, who shrugs in apology, and she leaves the living room.) Akane : Ranma? What's wrong? Ranma-chan : Here she is, after a long while, and she finally sees me. My male form, I mean. Akane: I understand, Ranma. (She remembers the many times she had seen Ranma-chan's shoulders slump whenever Nodoka visited. Although she had the Ranko role down pat and she could truly act like a real girl, Akane would always see the glimmer of pain in her eyes, the slight jerkiness of her movements, the overly-feigned high-pitched Ranko voice. Ranma-chan heaves a big sigh and leaves the living room, and goes up to her bedroom.) Nodoka: Ranma, why aren't you more happy to see your dear, old mom again? Ranma: I... am happy. I really am. I'm just, well, in shock. Nodoka: Come on, dear. Let's go sit down and you can tell me all about your training. Your mom's here to stay and I promise I'll make you the happiest son in the world. I have a special meal that I'll cook right after you tell me of your travels! (hugs him again) Ranma: O-okay. (looks after Ranma-chan's retreating figure.) (Inside her room, Ranma-chan reaches back and deliberately pulls her hair tie off. Her pigtail untwirls and spreads out into a fan of red hair, covering half of her back. She brushes it out with her fingers and looks into a mirror. How different I look without a pigtail, she thought to herself. Now, even more so, she looked like any normal girl, and she was a little disturbed by that. She quickly ties the pigtail back on and flops down on her bed, letting the soft futon accept her body and comfort it. It's not fair, she repeated over and over in her mind, tears coming out even though she tried hard to keep them in. Downstairs, the chatter increased in volume, as Nodoka lets all her pent-up emotion out, gathered over 16 years. She could hear Ranma telling Nodoka about his training and journeys to many places, and Nodoka exclaiming in joy and happiness. Ranma-chan pulls the comforter closer to her, trying to find solitude in the dark confines of her room, but she fails. At last, she grabs Ranma's pillow and stuffs it around her ears. With the sound muffled, she drifted in and out of sleep, always on the edge of the land of dreams, but never setting foot within that fabled country for the sounds of merriment from below keep her from sleeping. Her door opens and somebody steps inside.) Akane: Ranma? Ranma-chan: Go 'way. Just leave me alone. Akane: Ranma, I can't. Not now, not when you're like this. Ranma-chan: Since when did you care?! My life hasn't been hell since I got this curse... Akane: C'mon, stop feeling sorry for yourself. (kneels beside Ranma-chan) Ranma-chan: I can't. I'm only Ranko to my mom, not...not (lets out a sharp sob) Ranma..! Akane: Ranma? (Nodoka's voice from downstairs): Akane! Akane! Where's my son's fiancée?! Come back, Akane, so I can see how well the both of you go together! Akane: ACK!! I can't believe she just yelled tha-... Ranma? (Akane sees her silently shaking with tears that rage against the barrier of her eyelids and try to burst forth from her, but she holds it back with willpower. Akane puts a hand on Ranma-chan's shoulder and the dam bursts. The tears flow freely and Ranma-chan softly cries for herself. Akane hesitates for a second, then she tries to pull Ranma-chan into a hug, but Ranma-chan refused to move.) Ranma-chan: *sniff* A-Akane. You'd better go to them. I wanna be alone. Akane: But...... Ranma-chan: (whirls on her) JUST GO! I'M BROKEN-HEARTED, OR CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!! Akane: Ranma...... (she gets up and walks from the room, closing the door as she did so.) Ranma-chan: Stupid Akane... (shakes as a new bout of tears assails her). It's not fair... * * * * * (Ukyo finally closes her restaurant, relieved to be able to breathe easily once more. She counted the cash in her drawer; almost seventy thousand yen in bills, cheques and coins. She sighed. This money would go to paying for her overhead, and her suppliers and a whole bunch of others. She expected to pull out a profit of about 28 000 yen out of today, but that's about it. She sweeps the restaurant up - in remarkably clean condition considering how busy it was. Then she scraped her griddle clean, threw the grease away and began to put her ingredients away. She methodically put away the sauce, the prepared toppings and anything she could find. At last, only a tray covered with some wax paper remained. She lifted the wax paper, to see where this thing would go to. An extra-large size bowl of batter, covered with cling-wrap, sat on a plate in the middle of the tray. Her specially prepared ingredients that she thought up of during class were arranged neatly around it, and there was a little piece of paper on top of the bowl written side facing down. Curious, she picked the paper up and read it. It was in her own handwriting and it read, "For the female Ranchan. Make it with love, sweety!". Ukyo gasped and let the paper fall from nerveless fingers. Ranchan didn't get the okonomiyaki that she was promised! She thought of what she said to Ranma- chan when she came up to the counter. She remembered her mood at that time. With the benefit of hindsight, she realized how cruel and dismissive she must have sounded to Ranma-chan. She sort of remembered Ranma-chan turning and leaving without a wave or a backward glance. Ranma and Akane had thanked her, hurriedly, and followed after Ranma-chan.) Ukyo: (puts her hand on the top of the bowl) Ranma...... I'm sorry. You've always been my best friend, but I failed you. I promise, I'll make it up to you. (She picks the bowl of batter up and sits down on one of the seats at the counter, the one that Ranma-chan was last sitting in. She absently twirled the bowl on a finger, and let her memories slide back a decade... back to her childhood. Ahh... she could almost smell the summer grasses that comprised much of the meadow, could almost feel the wildflowers that grew in clumps and gave the meadow its special look. Ranchan had jumped on the rock and started to look about. Then he had yelled something and she started to run towards Ranchan......) * * * * * (Sleep finally overtakes Ranma-chan, delivering her to the dream country, where all cares and worries are forgotten. The same landscape from before, with the flowing grasses and enigmatic mountain ranges capped with a layer of white snow. Ranma-chan takes a walk through the tall grasses, not flying this time. A forest looms up in front of her and she enters the tree line. The sunlight filters through the canopy and dapples the clearing in front of her with bright spots of light. A pool was in the middle of the clearing, deep, sparkling, and mysterious. Without knowing why, she steps up to the pool and looks into the still waters. A single drop of water fell from the canopy and struck the placid surface, disturbing the tranquility and creating ripples that flowed outwards to the edge of the pool. A face formed in the waters, with flowing hair and sharp features. It was a man, and he was handsome. He turned to face Ranma-chan and he said something, but Ranma-chan couldn't make out what he was saying. The face moved away from the pool and the full figure of the man could be seen. He put an open palm out and a bottle of a white liquid appeared in his hands. On it were marked the numbers "221". He started to walk toward Ranma-chan, the bottle held in his hand, but the dream image shimmered and dissolved. Ranma-chan fell into the dark realm of dreamlessness, and the next change in her body chemistry occurred. She moaned, tossed, and turned as her body adjusted itself according to a schedule known in full only by itself. The night is especially silent and the radiance from a thousand stars streamed through the window and bathed the sleeping body of Ranma-chan in starlight.) --==-=-=-End Part Two-=-=-=-=-=- WebDragon