CONTINUED FROM PART 5 PAGE 3 of 5....
THE UTCHAN
1:00 A.M.
Ranma was finishing his sixth okonomiyaki, having exchanged
his torn dress for one of Ukyou's school uniforms which fit him fairly
well since it was meant for a boy in the first place. His hair was
once again bound into his trademark pigtail. Ukyou smiled at his
appetite as she pour some more batter on the grill. They had
been talking on and off for the past hour about various things,
school, Kunou, etc. Then Ukyou mentioned her confrontation
with Nabiki and Ranma immediately said he would take care of it.
"I'm not going to let Nabiki do anything to your business,
Ucchan!" Ranma growled angrily. Bits of okonomiyaki flew from his
mouth when he spoke, and he flushed in embarassment.
"I'm a girl too Ranchan, or hadn't you noticed?" Ukyou
replied with a giggle. Then she turned serious as she replied. "I'm
glad you're worried about me but I'm not going to let that mercenary
girl push me around. It's time someone taught her how a REAL
businesswoman handles pressure from the competition. All she does
is exploit idiots like Kunou and...uh....like Kunou who gives her money
so she doesn't blab about things she sees. Her and her goon squad....
"I almost became a part of that goon squad...." Ranma
reminded her.
"Are you kidding? She would have made YOU the goon
squad and given the rest of her friends the boot!" Ukyou exclaimed.
"She has no loyalty to anyone but herself and that's going to be her
undoing!"
"Yeah....as Kunou might say *Her lust for thy coin defies all
form of logic.* or some crap like that. She even sells out her own
family....well except Kasumi of course...." Ranma said
matter-of-factly.
"Hmmm?" Ukyou inquired.
"The only person I've ever seen Nabiki leave completely
alone is Kasumi." Ranma said.
"Why? Is she any different from Akane? Besides being
less violent that is...." Ukyou wondered.
"I guess it's because she's just so....motherly....I don't
think anyone could ever hurt or use Kasumi in any way. Even
thinking about it makes me feel like a heel and I think Nabiki
does too that's why she leaves her alone." Ranma finished.
"So Nabiki has a heart after all? Who would have thought?"
Ukyou remarked.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far...." Ranma and Ukyou both
laughed.
"Here's another one Ranchan!" Ukyou said as she placed
Ranma's seventh okonomiyaki on his plate, a giant heart written
in sauce in the center of it. Ranma noticed it and smiled slightly
as he quickly devoured it. Then he leans back with a look of utter
contentment on his face.)
"Ahhhh! That was delicious. Much better that Akane's Heartburn
Helper." Ranma noted as Ukyou smiled at the
compliment.
"If Akane's cooking is so bad, why not let Kasumi cook all the time for
you guys?
Ranma forced a laugh. "Believe me I'd love that, but
Akane insists on helping out at least three times a week with our
meals. Besides, we can't count on Kasumi for everything." Ranma
replied.
"Then why don't you cook? You're not half bad...."
"Everytime I offer to, Akane gets mad and says I'm trying to
show her up. It's hopeless." Ranma replied.
"All right....How about this? You tell me ahead of time when Akane's
supposed to cook and I'll sneak some okonomiyaki up to your room so you
don't starve. Then Akane won't think you're running to see me." Ukyou
suggested, excitement creeping into her voice.
Ranma became nervous. "Uhhh...well that sounds great and
all....but......."
"What?" Ukyou asked.
"If....If Akane found out....she'd kill me....dead." Ranma
replied feebly.
"Ranchan, sooner or later she'll hit you for some reason
whether you accept my food or not. It's only a question of when."
Ukyou said sincerely.
Ranma frowned. He had never looked at it that way. Even
when he managed to avoid upsetting Akane over one issue, she'd
bash him over the skull for something else, even if it was imagined.
"You're right...." Ranma murmured thoughtfully.
"So, is that a yes?" Ukyou asked him.
"Huh?" Ranma was still thinking about Akane. "What did
you say?"
"Do you want me to bring okonomiyaki to your room when
Akane decides to cook?"
Uh....S....Sure! Why not! Why should I be poisoned when I
can have food like this! You got a deal!" Ranma enthusiastically
replied. "Just don't let on about it...." Ranma quickly added as
a vision of Akane pounding him for accepting such a deal.
"You can trust me, Ranchan." Ukyou said.
Ranma smiled. "I know...."
They looked at each other for a moment.
"You know...." Ranma began.
"Yes?" Ukyou quickly responded.
Ranma paused and then continued. "Can I ask you a question"
"Of course." Ukyou replied, wondering what was on his mind.
"Do you think I'm a perverted jerk?"
"What? Of course not! You're not like that at all!" Ukyou
replied, surprised Ranma would ask her such a thing. "Why would you
think that?"
Ranma sighed. " I dunno....I guess because Akane calls me
that all the time and I wonder if maybe she's telling the truth..."
"Akane's wrong! She doesn't know you like I do! You've
nothing like she says you are! You're a warm kind hearted person
who keeps being thrown into situations beyond your control." Ukyou
tried to assure him.
"Am I Ucchan? I mean, look at me.... It just seems like
everyone is out to get me. Akane keeps beating me up for no good
reason, Mousse and Ryouga keep challenging me to fights all the
time. The Principal and Ms. Hinako try to discipline me all the
time. I getting chased after by Perverts like Kunou and Happosai
when I'm a girl and psychos like Kodachi and Shampoo chase me
when I'm a guy. How can I say I'm not responsible when I have so
many enemies!"
"Ranchan...."
"Every single one of those people have a reason to hate me
because I did something to them. I keep calling Akane names and
insult her cooking, I make Mousse angry by dating Shampoo and
beating him up when he tries to attack me. Ryouga.....god knows
what I've put him through....I won't wear a school uniform at
Furinkan, I constantly challenge Ms. Hinako's authority in
homeroom, I encourage Kunou and Happosai to chase me as a girl
so I can use them as a means to a end and I won't tell Kodachi and
Shampoo to take a hike for good because I don't want to hurt their
feelings! It never ends Ucchan! I even gave you a reason to hate
me....
"That was your father's fault not yours! I forgave you for running
away from me for a long time now....!" Ukyou reassured him.
"I know, but I should have realized you were a girl at the time.
If I had only known what Pop was really asking me when he told me to
choose between you and Okonomiyaki...."
"You would have chosen me as your fiancee...." Ukyou
finished in a quiet voice.
"Yes."
The sincerity of his response surprised him and Ukyou as
well. She turned to face Ranma.
"R....Really? You would have chosen me?" Ukyou
stammered.
Ranma hesitated briefly, unsure of himself, and then he
raised his head and looked straight into her eyes as he replied.
"Yeah....I would have chosen you. I know that now."
Ranma looked into Ukyou's eyes and then opened his mouth as
if he wanted to say more, then closed it again. Ukyou waited as Ranma
continued to stare at her, unsure of what to say next. Then Ukyou
decided to take the initiative.
"Ranchan....?" Ukyou whispered.
"Y....yeah?" Ranma nervously replied, finding his voice once
more.
"Tell me the truth. Do you think I'm beautiful?
Ranma swallowed and laughed nervously as he replied. "O....Of course.
W...Why wouldn't I?"
"No Ranchan! Look at me! REALLY look at me. Tell me what you see."
Ranma swallowed hard and looked at her. He had to admit that
she DID have a cute face, and beautiful eyes that sparkled with life,
all this framed by flowing hair that hung in lush curves upon her pert
body. Ukyou Kounji was a truly beautiful female. Ranma found himself
blushing again and he looked down at his feet.
"Well?" Ukyou inquired.
With his head still down, Ranma replied "You.....You're
really.......really......."
"Yes?" Ukyou waited.
"Not uncute. Definitely NOT uncute." It was the best thing
he could come up with under pressure.
"So you think I'm cute?
Ranma began to sweat and his throat went dry as he tried to avoid
Ukyou's gaze. "I didn't say.....well sort of.......that is.......what I
mean is....uh...."
Ukyou finally had had enough of this and she grasps Ranma's
face with her hands, forcing him to look directly at her. Ranma
trembled with fear as Ukyou spoke.
"Tell me the truth! What do you see?" Ukyou voice was most urgent
now.
"I.....I see.......I see....."
"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU SEE RANCHAN!" she almost screams at him. Then
she lowers her voice and whispers, her eyes pleading "P....Please....I
have to know....once and for all?
"I....I see my best friend.......someone who I respect....someone who
means a lot to me....." Ranma offered.
Ukyou remained silent, expecting more. When Ranma offered none, Ukyou
released his face and turned away.
"Is that all you see?" The tone of Ukyou's voice was bittersweet.
Ranma rose from his stool and gently places a hand on the back of
Ukyou's shoulder, gently turning her around to face him.
"Ucchan....what do you want me to see?"
Ukyou said nothing for a long time and then her eyes
moistened and a single tear falling down her cheek.
"I want...." her voice breaks. "I want you to see a c....cute
wife....."
Ukyou burst into tears as she turned away from Ranma and placed her
face in her hands, her body was wracked with sobs as she cried, not
wanting Ranma to see her like this. Ranma felt his heart melt and he
found himself walking around the counter to hug her. Ukyou resisted for
a moment before placing her face on his chest, allowing his shirt to
soak up her tears as he held her close, trying to offer comfort.
"Ucchan....please don't cry....not for me....I don't deserve it...."
Ranma said softly, his own voice starting to break. Ukyou looked up
from her crying at Ranma and was shocked to see a few tears of his own
gently fall down his cheeks. She had never seen Ranma cry before as a
guy. Ukyou gently wiped the tears from Ranma's eyes as her own
continued to streak down her face. Then he gently placed his hand on her
cheek and wiped the tears from her eyes, and he tilted her head up,
looking down on her with a gaze full of meaning, not saying anything
for words were not needed to convey his thoughts to her.
"R....Ranchan...? Ukyou said
Ranma didn't respond. Hesitantly, Ukyo brought her face up to Ranma's,
looking deep into his eyes, and she kissed him on the lips. Ranma
responded in kind, clumsily kissing back, yet strangely gentle. Ukyou
closed her eyes as she slowly leaned into the kiss, the sensations she
received making her feel wonderful....
Then Ranma released the kiss and took in a shuddering breath, both of
them looking scared and unsure. Then Ukyou leaned in close and kissed
Ranma again, it was a shorter kiss this time, but full of love and
passion.
Before long they found themselves kissing each other over and over
again, losing themselves in their passion as they forgot everything but
each other. Then a vision came to Ranma, a vision of a girl who would
be deeply hurt if he didn't stop what he was doing, a girl he would lose
forever if he allowed himself to continue....
Ranma stopped kissing Ukyou and looked down at her. She was breathing
as heavily as he was and there was intense desire for him in her
eyes....
"Ranchan....?" Ukyou gasped. "Why are you stopping....!"
For a long moment Ranma wondered the same thing. "Because you love
Akane!" his mind shouted at him. "No I don't, Ucchan's the one I love!"
Another voice in his head replied. "You do not! It's Akane!" the first
voice replied. "Ucchan!" the second voice screamed even louder.
"Ranchan!"
Ranma shook his head and looked down at Ukyou. She was giving him both
a look of concern and irritation.
"Huh?" Ranma replied blankly.
"Why did you stop? Let's keep going!" Ukyou begged him.
Ranma looked down at her, her hair all mussed up, and a
realization slowly dawned upon him. It was something that he didn't
want to admit to himself, but it came for him anyway, relentlessly,
rising out of his muddled brain to confront him.
Ranma had stopped because of Akane....
....and he had started because of Akane....
....but now he wanted to continue because of....
"UCCHAN!!!" Ranma yelled as he leapt off her and slammed
against the wall, shaking in fear.
"Ranchan! What's wrong?" Ukyou asked uncertainly as she
got to her feet, her clothes disheveled from Ranma's.....attentions.
"We....We can't do this!" Ranma replied, desperation in his voice.
"Why the hell not!?" Ukyou replied with growing frustration.
"You want me, I want you, what's wrong with showing our love for each
other once and for all?!"
"B....But I can't.....I already....I mean....how can I....I
promised....I mean....but...." Ranma was blabbering away like a newborn
trying to speak its first word.
"What promise?" Ukyo demanded, wanting to know.
"RYOUGA!" Ranma suddenly realized that there was a way
to escape! "I....I promised to fight Ryouga at the stone bridge tonight
at midnight! I'm late as it is!"
"Who cares about that jackass! I want to be with you Ranchan! Her
voice softened as she continued. "I want you to...to stay with me. For
the rest of the night."
Ranma's mind was in turmoil. The two voices in his head continued to
shout Akane and Ukyou's names louder and louder as he stayed plastered
to the wall.
"Ranchan....please....I need you...."
"I......I.......I NEED TO THINK!!!!! Forgive me!" Ranma screamed as
he ran away from Ukyou, opened the front door and ran away from the
Utchan at top speed,
leaving a confused and disappointed Ukyou behind....
"Oh Ranchan...."
* * *
THE KUNOU MANSION
1:30 A.M.
The moon was slightly distorted overhead as Tatewaki Kunou
lay back on his bed. Posters and pictures, both large and small, of
Akane Tendo and Ranma-Chan Saotome decorated his bedroom walls. As he
stared at their beautiful features, his brow furrowed with worry, Kunou
began to ramble to himself aloud.
"I've been such a fool. It is the very ecstasy of love whose violent
property fordoes itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings.
To think I could love two girls at once was foolhardy and makes me no
better than Ranma."
Kunou's gaze hardened as he continued to speak aloud, the volume of his
voice increasing with every sentence. "Ranma! I shall certainly smite
thee well for forcing my loves to turn to such a twist of fate! You
will not enchant their pure hearts with your evil intentions. Evil, thy
name is Ranma! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, villain! O,
VENGEANCE!!!
Without warning, a wooden club flew into the room, aimed
directly at Kunou's head. Kunou instantly drew his bokken and deflected
the club while leaping to his feet, only to have 30 more clubs follow.
"TEMBATSU DA DA DADADADADA!!!!"
Kunou skillfully managed to deflect all 30 clubs but failed to
block a ribbon with a refrigerator attached to the end of it, crushing
him and forcing the air from his lungs. Then Kodachi emerges from the
doorway, wearing a black kimono and an expression of mild irritation.
"Do be quiet bother dear. I'm trying to catch up on my beauty
sleep." Kodachi said sweetly as she closed his door and walked back to
her room. She entered and closed the door to her room while allowing
her kimono to slowly drop to the floor, revealing silky black lingerie
as she slipped between the satin sheets of her bed and lay back on her
pillow. Normally she would be trying to fall sleep quickly, dreaming of
her Ranma-Sama in bed with her, but tonight she finds her thoughts on
a more urgent matter and she too begins to speak aloud to herself,
secure in the knowledge that no one would DARE object to her speaking
her mind as loudly as she wished....
"Curse you Happosai! A pox on the head of all panty thieves!
How will I, the Black Rose, live down stealing the panties of high
school girls? They'll think I'm mentally unstable! I can't have
Ranma-Sama thinking I'm anything but sane! If I didn't want to defeat
that chinese hussy so badly, I would kill the lecher where he stood!
"Mistress Kodachi?"
Kodachi glanced over at the window to see Sasuke, clad in full
ninja garb, kneeling on her windowsill. Kodachi briefly considered
reprimanding him for coming into her bedroom unannounced, then
decided to let it pass this once and turned her full attention to him.
"Rise and report." Kodachi said.
Sasuke rose to his feet and replied. "I've kept constant watch
on Shampoo as you asked when you came back here earlier...."
"And...." Kodachi inquired.
Sasuke swallowed and pulled nervously at his collar. This was
not going to be easy to explain....
(FLASHBACK)
A RESTAURANT IN NERIMA
9:30 P.M.
Sasuke silently made his way among the rooftops towards the
restaurant. With the coming of the night, Sasuke was nearly invisible
in his ninja's outfit as he reached it, jumped down from its roof and
positioned himself inside a bush just outside the window, giving him a
somewhat clear view of what was happening inside. Satisfied he was
properly concealed, Sasuke checked his camera to make sure it was in
working order as he watched the events unfold....
* * *
It had all started when Master Kunou had received a hot tip
from Nabiki Tendo, informing him his beloved pig tailed girl was
waiting for him at the Nekohanten dressed for a date. Kunou wasted no
time in donning his tuxedo and retrieving a bouquet of red roses, from a
huge stack by the door, as he ran out of the mansion, delirious with
joy. Then Mistress Kunou had taken me aside and ordered me to follow
her brother and keep an eye on the lovely waitress from the Nekohanten,
Shampoo. I didn't know why she would ask such a thing of me, but it
was not my place to question her orders. So I packed my camera and
came to the Nekohanten.
After 15 minutes, I wondered if I should leave since there
didn't seem to be any sign of Shampoo or the pig-tailed girl at all.
Then Master Kunou suddenly appeared in front of the restaurant, panting
and out of breath. I briefly wondered why my master took so long to get
here before I remembered the mysterious *limp* he had developed
when he returned home from school today. I made the mistake of
inquiring about it, and received an icy stare for my trouble, which
scared me, since my master usually responds with poetry, even to the
stupidest of questions. Needless to say, I decided not to pursue the
matter further....
I admire my master, dispite the way he treats me sometimes, but
I do wish he were a bit more tactful when it comes to affairs of the
heart. I watched him enter the restaurant and when he realized his love
wasn't present, he demanded to know her location, only to be thrown out
by the old crone who ran the restaurant. This angered my master and he
charged back in, intending to do her bodily harm. His battlecry, a
long-winded and poetic one, was suddenly cut short and my master flew
out through the doors headfirst and unconscious. Stifling a disloyal
laugh, I....I checked his condition to make sure he was alright and then
I entered the restaurant myself. I politely asked the old woman where
the pig-tailed girl was and she said she had gone out to a restaurant.
I thanked her and left the Nekohanten.
Quickly rousing my unconscious master, I informed him about
the pig-tail girl's departure and we both left to search for her.
Unfortunately, the old woman did not give the specific name or location
of the restaurant, and so my master had left, intending to search every
restaurant in Tokyo until he found her. A slim chance at best....
Fortunately, I had a better plan. I decided to return to the
source....Nabiki Tendo, only to get her answering machine. Then I
went to the Utchan to search for the pig-tailed girl and to my surprise
I found Nabiki outside the restaurant, painting a health warning of some
type on two white posters with the help of a friend. I went up to her
and asked if she knew the pig-tailed girl's location, telling her
Mistress Kodachi needed the information. Nabiki seemed pleased about
this somehow and went to the public phone to call a friend of hers who
would know. Then she informed me of the restaurant where the pig-tailed
girl was currently in.
I wondered how Nabiki's friend knew where the pig-tailed girl
was but I decided not to question my good fortune and raced towards the
restaurant, hoping my master would soon follow.
Now, as I watched from the relative safety of the bush, I
watched with fascination as I saw my master's true love, for once her
hair not bound in a pigtail, sitting with the chinese girl I had been
ordered to keep an eye on along with Ranma Saotome himself, seemingly
sitting right next to my master's love. Or perhaps she was sitting on
his lap. The position of the bush I was concealed in and the angle of
their table made it impossible to see the entire table. I frowned as I
saw the chinese girl seemingly pour cup after cup of hot water over the
red-haired girl and the red-haired girl did the same to Ranma with sake.
Perhaps she was trying to resist his advances or perhaps she was pouring
it down his throat at his command. I wished I could get a closer look,
but I didn't want to risk detection.
Then my master suddenly appeared inside the restaurant, having
found it at last and immediately began courting his love. Because of
the thick glass of the restaurant, I couldn't hear what was being said
but then something happened that required no words....
My master's love grabbed the chinese girl and kissed her.
I was stunned to say the least. My master was heartbroken and
literally fainted from the shock. I was ready to run in there and help
him when I noticed Shampoo seemed to be angry at the red-haired girl
and I decided to continue taking pictures. Then the chinese girl kissed
my master's love for a very long time, as I snapped away with my
camera. Then, to my surprise, the chinese girl turned into a cat before
my very eyes and the red-haired girl fled in terror at witnessing such
black magic. As they ran out of the restaurant, I turned to follow,
hoping my master would be aright but not wanting to risk the wrath of my
mistress as I followed the cat to a garbage bin. The red-haired girl
had vanished into thin air and I followed the cat all the way back to
the Nekohanten where she went inside. After an hour, I was convinced
she was not coming out again so I returned home.
(END OF FLASHBACK....)
Kodachi looked at Sasuke with disbelief as he finished his
summery. "So you're saying that chinese simpleton is not only
bisexual but a practitioner of dark magic?"
"From what I have seen, I would have to say yes."
Kodachi was silent for a long moment as she absorbed this
new information. Then she gestured for him to leave.
"I will call you when needed."
Sasuke bowed to her and quickly departed. Kodachi closed
her eyes as she wondered how to use this to her advantage....
"Perhaps it is time I had a talk with Ranma-Sama...."
CONTINUED IN PART 5 PAGE 5 of 5....