Subject: [Fanfic][Ranma] Hearts and Minds Prelude 2 - Ukyo: Name and Likeness
From: KLEPPE@execpc.com (Gary Kleppe)
Date: 7/30/1997, 10:46 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com



		      HEARTS AND MINDS PRELUDE TWO
		     UKYO KUONJI: NAME AND LIKENESS

		       Ranma 1/2 manga fanfiction
			     by Gary Kleppe

	The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the creation of and rightful
property of Rumiko Takahashi. They are used here without permission.
This story may be freely redistributed, but it should not be altered
substantially or used for profit in any way.


	SERIES NOTES: This is a prequel to "Hearts and Minds", a series
taking place five years after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga. There will
be ten of these, each centering on a particular character or two. They
lead into the main series that will be written eventually, but are
intended to stand alone as "continuation" stories.

	For more info on the series, read the Info post I sent to FFML
(archive # 40384), or see the section for this fic on my web page,
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics#ham. The previous part can be found
here as well.

	This will probably be my longest and most ambitious series ever.
All C&C and feedback will be welcomed, seriously considered, and
responded to. Public response is preferred, but private is fine.


                                 ______


	It was a saturday night in Nerima. Ucchan's was empty except for
its owner and two customers: a man, and a young boy who was evidently
his son.

	Kuonji Ukyo leaned back in her chair behind the grill. The
diners had been served, and there was nothing left for her to do but
wait for them to finish so she could clean up after them.

	Not the most fun way to spend a Saturday night, Ukyo thought.
But it was what she did. It was who she was. At least it would be as
long as she could keep the business going.

	The customer finished eating and handed over his payment. "It
was delicious, ma'am. Much better than... that other place." Most of the
customers had learned long ago that mentioning the name of the other
place around Ukyo was a bad idea. "I wish we could afford to eat here
more often, but... damn recession..."

	"That's all right, sugar." Ukyo gave the man his change with a
smile. "I wish I could keep my prices lower, but the cost of supplies
keeps going up. Y'all have a good evening!"

	"Hey!" The boy pointed at Ukyo. "You're that lady on TV. Ok--"
He was interrupted by his father's hand across his mouth.

	"Sorry, ma'am," the man said. "Son, this isn't her. Just someone
who's dressed to look like her."

	Ukyo suddenly became angry. "*I* do not look like HER. SHE looks
like ME. Understand?"

	"Yes ma'am. Goodbye, now." The two customers departed in a
hurry, leaving Ukyo quite alone as she began cleaning the restaurant.

	She would keep her business going as long as she could, but how
long would that be? To think that she once dreamed that her food would
one day be world famous, that people from all over the world would be
coming here to taste her cooking. There was no way that that was going
to happen now.

	"Greetings, Kuonji Ukyo. I have traveled all the way from China
to reach this place."

	Ukyo turned in the direction of the voice. He was older than
before, of course, with features that were a bit rougher. He now had
long hair, tied into a narrow ponytail that was barely noticeable.
Despite the differences in his appearance, he was immediately
recognizable as Kuno Tatewaki.

	Ukyo was happy to see a familiar face. "Long time no see, sugar!
Pull up a chair. I'll do you an okonomiyaki special on the house, while
you tell me what you've been up to for the last five years."

	Tatewaki pulled up a chair.

	He told the story of how he had been living with the Amazons for
the past five years. They were now in danger of being caught in the
middle of a war, and he had been sent to try to recruit help.

	"I've got a business to run here," Ukyo said. "Not much of one
these days, but if I left there'd be nothing at all to come back to.
I'll do whatever I can to help from here, though."

	"I am most grateful for whatever assistance you will be able to
provide, Kuonji Ukyo." Tatewaki looked at the okonomiyaki chef. Her hair
was slightly unkempt, and her clothes looked old, torn in spots.
Nevertheless, she was obviously in excellent physical condition, with
the potential to be an extremely attractive woman.

	No, Tatewaki thought. He had pledged himself to Shan Pu. Though
she had not yet accepted him fully, neither had she rejected him. Until
she did, he could not entertain thoughts of being with other women.

	"I shall need to begin by contacting the Tendo Dojo and the
Hibiki Farm," Tatewaki said. "From there, we can work on locating other
people."

	Ukyo slid the okonomiyaki from the cooking surface onto
Tatewaki's plate. "Eat up. I need to scour the grill, and then we'll see
what we can do." Ranma would be at the Dojo. Ukyo hadn't spoken with him
in five years. What would they have to say to each other now?

	Five years ago, Ucchan's had had all the customers its staff and
facilities could handle. It had been a time of simpler worries and
problems, though they seemed just as serious at the time...

                                 ______


	Hiroshi's jaw dropped. "Konatsu is WHAT?!?"

	"A man," Ukyo said plainly. "Since you didn't ask, I thought
y'all knew."

	"No we didn't!" Daisuke exclaimed, his face turning slightly
red. "All this time... no wonder she, er, he wouldn't go out with me!"

	"Yeah, no wonder," Hiroshi said sarcastically. "Maybe *all* of
the women you know are really men. That would explain a lot."

	"And you do better?" his friend retorted. "Gimme a break!"

	Ukyo smiled quietly to herself as she went to the back of her
crowded restaurant. Business was especially good today, and she needed
some more ingredients from the back room. She knew why Konatsu hadn't
disillusioned the boys on his own. They had been coming to Ucchan's to
hit on their favorite waitress, and that meant more business.

	Ukyo wasn't a liar, but it wasn't necessarily her responsibility
to correct people who had the wrong idea. After all, she had thought for
a long time that Ranma would someday marry her. Then last month, there
he was taking the vows with Akane. They didn't actually end up married,
thanks mostly to Ukyo and others breaking up the wedding. But it hurt
her a lot to be betrayed like that.

	No, pointing out what gender people were certainly wasn't Ukyo's
responsibility.

	She picked up a box of flour and a package of noodles, and
headed back toward the front. She could hear the door opening and the
sound of yet another customer entering.

	"Hi there!" she heard Daisuke say. "Would you like to join us?"

	"Sure! We'll buy you an okonomiyaki!" Hiroshi added. "What's
your name?"

	"Tsubasa," came the reply.

	Ukyo zipped back into the main area, pointing at Tsubasa. "This
is a boy! A BOY! Got it?!? What are you doing here, Tsubasa?" He would
be chasing some unfortunate woman; the only question was which one.

	"Darling Nabiki might be here," Tsubasa replied. "I heard her
talking to Ranma today while I was in the trash can."

	"That explains the smell of banana peel in your hair." Ukyo was
visibly annoyed. "I've told you before, you can't just sit in my
restaurant and wait for someone, especially someone who doesn't want to
see you. Buy something, or leave."

	"I don't have any money. But you won't want me to leave after I
tell you what I heard." Tsubasa grinned. "Ranma is coming here to choose
you."

	"To... choose me?" Ukyo's eyes went wide in disbelief, as she
saw visions of herself and Ranma in wedding dress.

	"He said it could only be you. The one who's been his friend
since childhood. His best friend. So how about one on the house?"

	"Does this mean that Akane's free?" Daisuke asked.

	Ukyo returned to being annoyed. "Tsubasa, do you honestly expect
me to believe..."

	Then the door opened. Ranma walked in.

	Akane followed behind him. As usual, she seemed to be arguing.
"You didn't have to keep dodging during that sparring session, Ranma. I
can take a hit or two."

	"Hey, I know that. You're making progress, y'know, but you got a
long way to go."

	Akane hmphed. "I'm sick of being the weakest one around. Just
*once*, I would like to win against *someone*."

	"C'mon, Daisuke," Hiroshi said. They both knew there was going
to be something here that they didn't want to be in the middle of. 

	"Tomorrow let's eat at the Otaku Bell," Daisuke said. "The food
sucks, but at least you can tell who the women are." The two young men
made their exit.

	The two martial artists took adjacent seats at the counter. "Uh,
hiya, Ucchan. Two okonomiyakis, please," Ranma said, pulling out a few
bills.

	Tsubasa must have been lying, Ukyo thought. It didn't make sense
any other way. Why would Akane have come with him? And he was *paying*
for the okonomiyaki!

	Still, she had to find out...

	"Ran-chan... is it true? Tsubasa says you're here to ask me
to... " She couldn't force the words out.

	"You know? I hope you don't think it's weird or nothin'..."

	"Weird? It's *wonderful*!! Oh, Ran-chan!! But what about Akane?"

	"I think it's a great idea," Akane said. "I'm glad you're taking
this whole thing so well, Ukyo. I'm happy that you're willing to be
Ranma's best man."

	Ukyo glared at Akane, stunned. "Best... man?? Is this some kind
of stupid joke?"

	"Huh? I thought you said..."

	It was suddenly all clear to Ukyo. "Damn it, Ran-chan! I spent
months working to be the perfect fiancee for you! Then you come along
and... and want me to be 'best man'? I'm not *any* kind of man, Ranma!
I'm all woman! How much woman, you'll *never* know!"

	Akane seemed like she might be about to blow up at Ukyo. Ranma
defused her with a hand on the shoulder. "Ucchan..." he said, "That's
not what I meant. I'm just sayin'... you're my friend. I *need* you as a
friend."

	Ukyo flipped the two okonomiyaki off the grill with her giant
spatula, sending them into cardboard carry-out boxes in one quick
motion. "You want a friend, Ranma?"

	Ranma nodded.

	"Then get a dog," Ukyo said, her voice filled with hurt. "A dog
is supposed to be man's best friend, isn't it? Not me. I'm not going to
be your pet. I'm worth more than that!"

	Ranma took Akane by the hand. "C'mon. Let's go."

	"TSUBASA!!" Ukyo turned to the young transvestite, her spatula
raised and teeth gritted in extreme anger. "You KNEW!!"

	"You didn't ask!" Tsubasa gasped feebly. This seemed to enrage
Ukyo even more. He could tell by looking at her that this blow was going
to put him in the hospital.

	Akane intercepted Ukyo's arm before the spatula could be
lowered. "That's enough!"

	"Oh, *you're* telling me to control my temper?" Ukyo glared
contemptuously at Akane. "That's a laugh! Bashed Ranma over the head
with that mallet of yours lately?"

	"All right, I do lose my temper for no good reason!" Akane's
angry stare met Ukyo's in a contest of wills. "I hit! I bash! But at
least I *don't* hit people who can't take it. Tsubasa isn't a fighter!
If you want to fight someone, fight *me*!"

	Ukyo paused. She could wipe the floor with Akane. But what would
be the point? She tossed the two okonomiyaki boxes to Ranma. "Go." Her
voice was flooded by an ocean of pain.

	Ranma silently took his fiancee's hand again and headed toward
the door, not looking back."You finally won one," he said to her in a
barely audible whisper.

	"Konatsu, take care of things here. I'm going upstairs. I'm...
not feeling well."

	"You can count on me, Ukyo-sama," Konatsu said, sympathy in his
feminine voice.

                                 ______


	Pain. The pain was a weight that crushed down on Ukyo as she lie
in her bed, so heavy that she couldn't possibly push it away.

	As a child, Ukyo had wanted only two things. To become the best
okonomiyaki chef in the world -- which she eventually did -- and to make
the man and child who had abandoned her suffer. The man had stolen her
father's food cart but refused to take her along as he had promised; and
his son had decided that he liked okonomiyaki better than he did her.
Her confidence in her femininity was shattered. She took the role of a
boy so that she couldn't be hurt again.

	Against all odds, she finally caught up with the Saotomes. Ranma
managed to charm her with well-chosen words. It had all been his
father's fault. He hadn't even known that she was a girl. He thought she
was cute. He didn't really like Akane, the engagement to her was also
only his father's doing.

	Lies.

	From then on, Ukyo wanted nothing more than to become Mrs.
Saotome Ranma. She had swallowed the bait; hook, line, and sinker. She
cooked food for Ranma and helped him out when he got into trouble,
always with a smile. Always playing the "cute fiancee". That was another
role in which she performed well. Which was the real Kuonji Ukyo?

	When it came down to it, it had all been lies. Ranma wanted her
to feed him, but not to love. So she fed exploding okonomiyaki to him
and his fiancee at their attempted wedding. Then hope was again dangled
in front of her, but that too turned out to be a lie.

	Akane won. Ranma had chosen again. He still liked okonomiyaki
better than Ukyo.

	Ukyo felt tiredness beginning to overtake her. She had to learn
a lesson from all this. Tomorrow she would go back to being a male, and
this time no one would ever talk her out of it...

	A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Ukyo-sama?"

	Ukyo called for Konatsu to come in.

	Konatsu pulled a chair over toward the bed and sat. "I just
wanted to say... if there's anything I can do... I'll always be there
for you."

	"Damn it, Konatsu..." Ukyo knew what Konatsu was really
offering. She had to put a stop to this; otherwise, was she any better
than Ranma? "I can't give you what you want."

	"I only want to see you happy."

	"You need to find someone else... someone who can love you the
way I can't. Please, Kon-chan... I don't want to see you hurt the way
I..." Ukyo's voice trailed off as her head collapsed into her pillow,
exhausted.

	"I'm sorry, Ukyo-sama." Konatsu pulled the bed covers up to
Ukyo's shoulders, and silently shut her door behind him.

                                 ______


	Months passed. The unexpected closure of the Nekohanten meant
even more business for Ucchan's. The restaurant's reputation spread far
and wide. Throughout Nerima and its surrounding areas, everyone knew
Ucchan's as a place for excellent food at reasonable prices.

	One thing that there was wide disagreement on, however, was the
gender of the owner, as well as that of the owner's employee. But such
things were to be expected in Nerima.

	Mikado Sanzenin had returned to Nerima, on summer vacation from
Kaku University. Tonight he was visiting Ucchan's.

	He knew that most people thought of him as the handsome, suave,
modest skating sensation. But the truth was that he was a man on a
mission. For most of his life, he had been looking for something. He
hadn't quite known what that something was, until he happened to see a
certain television commercial. It had shown some teenager popping a
piece of candy into his mouth -- Mikado couldn't remember what brand.
The teenager then sat upright with a look of ultimate pleasure, as the
screen dissolved into a psychedelic animated scene.

	Mikado was well aware that it was impossible to get such an
experience, such an instant of magical ecstasy, from a piece of candy.
Perhaps if it were laced with hallucinogenic chemicals, but that was
something he did not want to experiment with. No, if there was such a
feeling, he knew from where it would come -- from the kiss of a
beautiful woman. He just had to find the right one. To that end, he was
on a mission to kiss as many such women as he could find until he came
across the one he was looking for. Save for Tendo Akane, he had so far
kissed every beautiful woman that he had set out to. One of them, the
one in the pig-tail, had according to some actually been a boy; but
Mikado didn't want to think about whether that might have been true.

	Mikado entered the restaurant and sat at the counter. "Good
evening. One of your best okonomiyaki, please."

	"Coming right up!" The server behind the counter, who appeared
to be a somewhat thin man with a pony tail, immediately began to prepare
the order.

	"By the way, where would I find the owner? I've heard that she
is an exceptionally beautiful woman."

	"Tough luck, friend. As it happens, *I* am the owner, Kuonji
Ukyo."

	Another server leaned over the counter with a cup and a pot.
"Tea, sir?" This one looked to be a buxom young woman in a tight,
well-filled dress.

	"Yes, please," Mikado replied as he leaned forward to kiss this
server. "And allow me to thank you by..."

	Ukyo smirked. "Konatsu, here, is a man." Mikado cried out in
pain as he accidentally put his hands on the hot grill.

	Another customer took a seat. "That's right, can't you tell the
difference?" This one seemed to be a cute teenage girl.

	Ukyo noticed Mikado looking at her in askance. "Boy," she said. 

	"Feh. I *will* kiss the woman who owns this place. I have failed
to carry out such a promise only once." Well, twice, he thought. There
had been the time when he had changed his mind about delivering a kiss,
upon finding out what the owner of the Nekohanten looked like. No
matter.

	"Not if I have anything to say about it," Ukyo said. She then
turned to the new arrival. "Tsubasa, are you going to order something
this time?"

	"Uh, no. I don't have any money. I just came to say something to
you."

	"What?"

	"I've decided that you're the best of the fiancees. You're kind,
understanding, and never ever violent without a good reason."

	"You're saying you think Ranma should have chosen me?"

	"No, not Ranma. *I*'ve chosen you. Dearest Ukyo, will you be
my..."

	The giant spatula came down.

                                 ______


	"'Okonomiyaki Ucchan's'. This must be the place." The man walked
up to the entrance of the restaurant. He was middle-aged, wearing a suit
and glasses, and carrying a briefcase.

	The man narrowly dodged as something came flying involuntarily
out of the doorway. Some*one*, actually; apparently a pretty teenage
girl in a cute dress. Another person stood just inside, carrying a giant
spatula, and shouted, "And don't come back!"

	"Excuse me," the man said to the wielder of the spatula, "might
you be Kuonji Ukyo?"

	"Yes?"

	"My name is Donku. I'm with the Tokutekunai corporation." He
handed over a business card.

	Abruptly, a mailbox was seen moving down the sidewalk, seemingly
under its own power. A voice from within cried out, "Charge!!" Ukyo took
the business card in one hand while bringing the huge spatula down hard
onto the mailbox with the other. A low moan was heard from inside the
box.

	The man gaped at the unusual sight for a moment, then turned
back to Ukyo as he remembered why he had come. "My company has a
business proposition for you, Kuonji-san."

                                 ______


	The office was spacious and nicely furnished, with plush chairs
and large mahogany desks. Only the various folders and piles of papers
ruined the aesthetics of the place.

	Ukyo sank back into the chair. "So, the Tokutekunai corporation
wants to start a chain of restaurants based on mine?"

	"That's right," Donku said. "Starting in Tokyo, eventually
branching out throughout Japan and perhaps even to foreign countries. We
would pay you a lump sum for your original restaurant, plus a percentage
of the profits from each restaurant we open. If all goes well, you'll
eventually have billions of yen.

	"The contract proposal we'll be sending you explains the
specifics. I advise you to go over it with a lawyer when you get it,
then get back to us."

	The other man, an executive whose name Ukyo couldn't remember,
handed her a cup of tea. "Yes. In return for the money, we would have
the rights to use your recipies, as well as your name and likeness."

	"My likeness?"

	"Yes," Donku said. "In order to get more customers into these
restaurants, we will begin an advertising campaign. The focus of this
campaign will be a character based on you, Okonomiyaki Ucchan. All of
the restaurants will have pictures of this character, maybe statuettes
as well. The character will also be in all of our billboards and
television advertisements -- an actor made up to look like you."

	"It's perfect," the other man said. "The big spatula, the
bandolier of little ones... our advertising boys couldn't have come up
with anything this good in years! Now all we need is a jingle."

	"A what?" Ukyo asked.

	"A song. A repetitive, catchy tune that'll stick in people's
minds. We'll play it over a television commercial. A happy, smiling
family sits down to dinner, as Okonomiyaki Ucchan puts piping hot food
down on the table. The family eats it up and loves it. The viewers will
associate the song with that image. And that's just for starters."

	A third man, somewhat younger than the others, came into the
office carrying some papers. "I just got the go-ahead from upstairs on
this. They, er, want to make one change, though."

	"What's that?" Donku asked.

	"They, er, their focus groups have indicated that attitudes seem
to be changing. Current public perceptions associate the idea of good
cooking more easily with a female character. They want Okonomiyaki
Ucchan to be... a woman."

	Ukyo removed the clasp holding her hair in the ponytail. She
then reached inside her shirt and ripped out the breast bindings,
allowing her normal figure to return.

	The three men gaped for a few moments, looking alternately at
Ukyo and at each other.

	"Er... yes," the younger man said. "Like that."

                                 ______


	Ukyo went through the usual motions over the next few days,
paying fairly little attention. Her mind was swimming in a sea of
possibility. She did have to pay some attention to Mikado after he saw
her true gender, using her spatula a couple of times to persuade him to
back off. This only seemed to make him more determined to get his kiss.
With Tsubasa, that made two boys that she had to fend off regularly.

	Ukyo didn't care about money all that much, but there was no
denying that having it would make life a whole lot easier. She thought
about Ranma. Running the School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts probably
wasn't going to be very lucrative. Would he have to come crawling back
to her, begging for support? Would she give it? She didn't know. But it
felt good to think of him needing to ask. Where else would he be able to
turn?

	Three young women entered and sat down. One of them Ukyo knew
quite well. Tendo Nabiki.

	"Welcome to Ucchan's," Ukyo said in a voice that dripped ice,
not looking at the sister-in-law of the man who had caused her so much
trouble, She slammed plates down on the counter in front of the girls.
"Your server will be Konatsu. Enjoy your meal."

	"Such exceptionally friendly service," Nabiki said
sarcastically. "I am *so* glad I'm back here on vacation. Actually, I
was in Boston before this. Compared to what you often get there, this
*is* exceptionally friendly service."

	"Maybe we should have gone somewhere else to eat," one of
Nabiki's friends said.

	"Ladies, please. It doesn't matter. The good restaurateur here
is providing a service that we are paying for with money. As long as we
pay the price, she'll give us the food we came for. Just one of the
benefits of having money."

	"Oh, really?" Ukyo turned toward Nabiki and handed her a copy of
the contract that Tokutekunai had sent. "Take a gander at this, sugar!"

	"Hmmm..." Nabiki's eyes devoured the document, quickly scanning
from page to page. "Interesting." 

	"'Interesting'?" Ukyo stared at Nabiki, as Konatsu provided the
girls' meals. "Is that all you can say?"

	Nabiki re-folded the document and handed it back. "You've
accepted?"

	"Not yet. I need to have a lawyer look over the contract."

	"This food is really delicious, Ukyo," one of the other girls
said, obviously trying to defuse the situation.

	"Oh, there's nothing wrong with the contract," Nabiki said
between bites. "You'll make lots of money."

	"But?" Ukyo could tell from Nabiki's expression that there was
more that she wasn't saying.

	"Since you asked..."

	Nabiki took a final bite and set her plate down. "The agreement
gives you no control over the food served. Once they get established,
they can sell whatever they want under your name. No need to worry too
much about fresh ingredients, trained cooks, or any of those other
things that can put costs up."

	"You're saying..."

	"I'm saying that 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan's' could end up being
another Otaku Bell."

	Ukyo didn't know how to react to this. Could it be true? Or was
Nabiki, who loved money, just saying this out of spite? Because someone
else had a chance to make more than she could?

	"Really good food," Nabiki's friend said. "You'll make some
lucky guy a wonderful wife someday."

	"Dummy!" the third girl said as she paid Konatsu. "She's still
sad about... you know!"

	"Oh, Ukyo, I'm sorry! I thought you'd be seeing some handsome
guy already! That's all right, it's not easy to get over it, I know."

	Ukyo considered how she could respond to this. *Of course I'm
not dating anyone. I'm going to spend the rest of my life pining away
for Ranma. Go back and tell him that, Nabiki. I'm sure he and Akane will
be happy to hear that.*

	No. Even if it was true, she wasn't going to give Ranma and
Akane the satisfaction of knowing it. "As a matter of fact, I *am*
dating someone."

	"Really?" Nabiki asked, calling Ukyo's bluff. "Anyone we know?"

	"Yes." Ukyo leaned over the grill toward her other customers.
"Mikado here."

	A startled Mikado looked up. Before he could react, he felt
Ukyo's arm around his back.

	She kissed him.

	It was over quickly as she pushed Mikado back into his seat, the
bad taste still lingering in her mouth. It was a quick impulse action.
Had she taken time to think about it, it wouldn't have happened. But she
had had to do something, *anything*, to keep Ranma from knowing what he
had done to her. Besides, it was what Mikado had wanted, wasn't it?

	Mikado felt himself crumble. He could hear the sounds of
conversation around him, but they did not register in his mind.

	"Well, must be going. Ta ta! By rights, you know, you should owe
me a consultancy fee..."

	Door crashing open. "Darling Nabiki!!"

	"TSUBASA!!" Spatula hitting refrigerator. Refrigerator crashing
to ground down street.

	"Thanks, Ukyo! We're even."

	Mikado didn't care about any of this. He had only one thought.
How DARE she do that to HIM?!?

	He skulked out of the restaurant. He would have his revenge.

                                 ______


	Ukyo sat on her bed, thinking. She was interrupted by the ring
of the telephone.

	"Hello?"

	"Ukyo-sama?"

	"Konatsu?"

	"I have wonderful news! I'm getting married!"

	"Konatsu! That's great! Who's the lucky... uh, woman?"

	"You don't know her. I'm bringing her here tomorrow to meet my
boss and best friend. You don't need to worry about me anymore."

	Ukyo talked with Konatsu for a short time, ending it with good
night wishes and a promise to see each other tomorrow. As she hung up
the phone, a thought occurred to her.

	Konatsu had done exactly what she had told him to.

	Was he doing this just to make her happy? So she wouldn't feel
guilt over having rejected him? Would he change his whole life just for
that? What did that make him; someone who loves unconditionally? Or just
a doormat?

	Ukyo wasn't Konatsu. She couldn't just go from rejected lover to
best friend as if nothing had happened. But maybe it was time to let
Ranma go, time to get on with her life.

	Her life... she had a decision to make. Was "Okonomiyaki Ucchan"
going to become a household word?

	She pictured a scene in her mind. A happy, smiling family
sitting down to dinner, as "Okonomiyaki Ucchan" lovingly puts piping hot
food down on the table.

	The family takes a bite of the food.

	They spit it out in disgust. "Ugh!" "This sucks!" The father
makes a run for the bathroom.

	Ukyo knew what she had to do.

	She knew this would end any chance that Ranma would be forced to
crawl back to her. That didn't change her mind. She had learned one
thing, something important about herself.

	She liked okonomiyaki better than she liked Ranma.

                                 ______


	A few months later, a sign went up in front of the building that
used to be the Nekohanten.

COMING SOON AT THIS LOCATION: OKONOMIYAKI WORLD 
Home of Okonomiyaki Dairiko
A subsidiary of the Tokutekunai corporation

                                 ______


	Okonomiyaki Dairiko was their spokesperson -- their mascot. They
came up with her after Ukyo had turned down their offer. They made her
just different enough from Ukyo that she wouldn't be able to sue. Then
they opened up their own restaurant in the area.

	Their food wasn't as good, everybody agreed on that, but they
kept their prices low, while supply costs forced Ukyo to raise hers.
They also had name recognition from their advertising and from the
restaurants they opened in other parts of Tokyo.

	Now Okonomiyaki World was opening franchises throughout Japan,
while Ucchan's was barely able to remain open.

	Those were the results of the choices Ukyo had made.

                                 ______


	Ukyo finished cleaning the grill. She asked herself whether her
decisions had been the right ones, whether it had all been worthwhile.

	"Many thanks," Tatewaki said, as he handed Ukyo his empty plate.
"I had forgotten how delightful the results of your culinary talents
were. Truly, as long as you live, the name of Kuonji Ukyo will stand for
comestibles of the finest quality."

	Ukyo smiled, a smile that came from deep within. "Thanks,
sugar." The name of Kuonji Ukyo. What it stood for. What *she* stood
for.

	That made it all worthwhile.


	NEXT: Kodachi, in about a week (not Ryoga/Akari, as I previously
said; that will be #4, I think).

	Big thanks to my pre-readers, and to all those on the FFML who
commented on part 1.

Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics