Authors notes at the end...
-----------------------------------------------
Chapter 3 - Old Times Sake
Ranma needed someone to talk to as he stumbled out of the
Nekohanten. This was not something for his supporting wife, at least not
yet. He needed a women's point of view, and someone that would hopefully
understand. There was no question of who, it was just a question of
finding her.
Ranma decided quickly if there was anyplace he could reach Ukyou it
was through Ucchan's. Fortuantely it was really close to the Nekohanten
and Ranma was able to make it there without any further earth shattering
incidents.
Ranma didn't see much of Ukyou after the wedding, even less once
she moved back home. He knew things would be hard on her for awhile so he
never pushed the matter. After Shampoo and Mousse left, Ukyou was one of
his last links to the old days. He was sad to see her go.
She told him she had family business to attend to and without
another explination he had to accept that. He honestly missed her, but she
promised to return someday when she could. She would always be his best
friend married or not.
Unlike the Nekohanten, Ucchan's never closed down even after Ukyou
left. Under the care of Konatsu it didn't particularly thrive, but it made
enough to support Konatsu who had little need for money anyway.
Ranma walked into Ucchan's as the lunch customer left leaving the
place fairly deserted except for Konatsu standing behind the grill and a
schoolgirl sitting in a corner. It took Konatsu a few seconds to recognize
him. "Your name is Ranma right?"
Ranma brightened at the somewhat familiar face "hey yeah, umm...
Konatsu! Long time no see. I was wondering if you could help me with
something."
"You're not here to see me and I assume you're not here for the
food, so I suppose you must be looking for Ukyousama. She's not here right
now, I wouldn't expect her back for at least an hour."
"She's here?!?"
"I just said she wasn't here."
"..but she will be here?"
"Isn't that what I just said?"
"So she's back in town?"
"Yes, she came back a few days ago."
Ranma looked to the clock on the wall, "ya know Konatsu.. I think I
will have something to eat."
-----------------------
Megumi walked along the fence; her head hung low, lost in thought.
Even if it wasn't an official loss, she knew she wouldn't have won that
battle. That in itself was a failure, one she'd have to face again. Her
fathers words came to mind clearly, 'the fight isn't over until I've won.'
Her parents rarely talked about their younger days, but that never
stopped her grandfathers from retelling the tales. As a child they filled
her head with stories of princes, monsters, curses, and her father as the
dashing hero. She'd seen her father fight on occasion, so she knew how
good he was. It always made her own goals of mastery look so far away.
She was skeptical of some of the wilder tales her grandfathers
told, but a quiet nod and a wistful look from her mother was all the proof
she needed.
Megumi had spent the first six years of her training in pure Kempo.
Her father had originally wanted her to study two more years but she was
as impatient to study the true Musabetsu kakutou Saotomeryuu as Ranma was
to teach her.
Saotomeryuu was not unlike Jeet Kune Do. It was an acceptance of
all styles and techniques pulled together to allow a greater freedom of
response in the face of aggressive force. It was a belief that every
attack had a counter-attack and every opponent had a weakness. There was
no room for failure in Saotomeryuu, only tactical retreats.
Ranma had learned under a number of great martial artists and
Megumi had learned under him, but somehow she still didn't feel complete.
There was a certain level she was missing, the edge she didn't have. She
began to ponder the basic theories of musabetsu kakutou until it dawned on
her what she had been missing all those years.
Ranma had studied under a number of masters and faught all manner
of styles. It was the diversity that made him stonger. She had only
learned second hand what her father had learned directly.
Without wasting anymore time she set off to find a teacher. The
old master was out of the question, she had been warned on numerous
occasions not to even speak his name. In fact she didn't even have a clue
as to his whereabouts.
She wasn't about to swim to China either which only left one that
she could think of. Someone even her father respected.
----------------
Ukyou walked down the familiar streets, soaking in the what she
could of her current freedom. It felt good to be back. To the world at
large she was just an attractive single lady and she liked it that way.
She kept her hair back with the same simple white bandana, but wore
a basic shirt and jeans combination insted of her old cooking garb. Even
in her thirties she still looked very much like your average vagabond
college student. At least your average vagabond college student with a
giant spatula strapped to their back.
She stood outside of Ucchan's for a moment. The memories flooding
back of her younger days; opening an okonomiyakiya with almost no backing
and making it thrive.
It was a little deflating to actually walk into Ucchan's, but Ukyou
reminded herself just being in business twenty years was nothing to sneeze
at. Konatsu was nowhere to be found, all she could see was the back of one
customer eating away near a pile of empty dishes.
Ukyou noticed the pig-tail first, the muscular build, and finally
the familiar rapid fire eating technique. She couldn't contain her
excitement any longer, "Ranchan?"
Ranma turned, his cheeks full of food and a stupid grin on his
face. It took him a second to swallow the rest of the okonomiyaki before
responding in kind, "Ucchan!"
Ukyou ran up to gave him a quick hug before going on, "what are you
doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same question, Konatsu told me you were
back."
"Well, I didn't want anyone to know until I finished settling in
but I'm still happy to see you. Where is Konatsu anyway?"
"I got hungry waiting for you so I managed to clean out Konatsu's
entire stock. He went to the store for groceries."
"Same old Ranchan. So how are the wife and kids?"
Ranma winced at the mention of kids. "Akane's good, the kids are
fine too."
Ukyou sat on the closest stool, placing her spatula on the counter.
"Okay, out with it Ranchan. I know that look, what did you do this time?"
"Well nothing really.. it's just something Akane probably wouldn't
understand."
"OOooo, sounds like a biggie."
"How can I explain it.. before I start can you please take into
account this was a long time ago?" He waited for her affirmative nod
before continuing, " it happened a few weeks before the wedding..."
-----------------------
Shampoo added the final spice to her mixture. She sat silently for
the hour it took her creation to reach full potential. She poured what was
left into a glass and began to stare at the clear liquid. The combination
of over a dozen chinese herbs and rare spices were contained in that glass.
She wondered to herself which herb or spice, if any one of them, held love
in it's grasp.
The only sound she could hear was the beating of her heart. She
couldn't decide if it was the silence of the night or the strength of her
heart that made it stand out so. She could feel the end nearing, the end
of the life she had been leading for what seemed like forever.
Some things would not wait for that, some things couldn't wait for
that. These were the final days and hours, but there was one thing left
she had to do. Something she had to do for herself, something that her
grandmother would never aprove of.
Shampoo made her way silently to the empty lot where Ranma was
camped out. He was in training, everybody had agreed it would be safer for
the bride and groom not to see each other for an entire week before the
wedding. It was Ranma's first chance to be alone with his thoughts since
his return to Japan three years ago.
He rested quietly as Shampoo took the time to watch every line of
his face, every contour of his body. With the memories of his image safely
locked away she found her voice again, "Ranma... Ranma. Please wake for me
Ranma."
Ranma blinked slowly a couple of times before his eyes adjusted to
the light. He was still groggie, but life came backinto focus for him.
"Shampoo? What are you doing here? I already told you I can't marry you."
Shampoo nodded, "Shampoo know... but things must be settled between
Ranma and Shampoo."
Ranma watched as Shampoo produced two little ceramic cups and
filled them with an clear liquid. He was aware enough to realize something
important was going on. "I suppose that's another Amazon love potion?"
Shampoo smiled a little as she handed him one, "no. No tricks
Ranma, this is just drink. From restaurant private stock. Shampoo not
sure name. Have this last drink with Shampoo."
Prudence won out as he watched Shampoo drink it down. She looked
to Ranma with sad eyes but knew in her heart he was right not to trust her.
"That's okay Ranma, Shampoo understand."
Shampoo picked up Ranma's cup and downed it herself before
producing a third cup. This she filled from another bottle and swatted
Ranma's hand away as he reached for it. The guilt of his actions had
gotten the better of him, as the doubt in Shampoo's mind had gotten the
better of her.
"Not this one. This drink not for Ranma."
----------------------
Ukyou sat there and listened as Ranma outlined what had happened
between himself and Shampoo, about the child he never knew about. As he
finished he looked to Ukyou with desperate eyes in the hopes she had seen
something he had missed, something to replace the security that had been
shattered after 18 years.
She took it all in, her face masked in dull shock. She blinked a
couple times before sharing her thoughts with Ranma, "you're screwed."
Ranma let his head rest on the countertop. Ukyou's appraisal
summed up his fears into two words. Ukyou tried with limited success to
mask the amusement in her voice as she comforted Ranma. "Ya never know
Ranchan, Akane might take it pretty well."
"I can see the conversation now 'remember how you always wanted
another daughter Akane?' I dunno, maybe I could just go on a training trip
for the next few years."
"Cheer up Ranchan. Assuming she doesn't kill you immediately I'm
sure she loves you enough to understand."
"She doesn't really have to know..."
"Ranchan!" She replied in a stern, almost motherly tone.
"Just a thought."
---------
Seki could think of nothing he would rather do than go home and
sleep. His first day at Furinkan High was both mentally and physically
exausting. It left him with a number of things to think about, as well as
something that felt alot like a concussion.
Twenty four hours ago he was just hoping to meet a cute girl or
two, now all he wanted was to make it to the weekend. He did succeed in
meeting a cute girl. Unfortunately she also happened to be incredibly
violent and very much engaged.
Seki wasn't sure what to make of the other girl, she had left
before he got a chance to meet her. She was cute too, but also apparantly
violent. There was however a good chance that she wasn't engaged.
Most of his thoughts cleared up by the time he reached Ucchan's.
He was too tired to think about it for long. He walked in and immediately
spotted Ukyou who was talking to someone who looked vaguely familiar for
some unknown reason. He smiled slightly as he put his bag on the counter,
"I can't believe you enrolled me at this school. Ready to go home yet?"
Ukyou smiled, "give me a few minutes Seki. I was just catching up
with my old friend Ranchan."
Ranma raised an eyebrow at this turn of events, but bowed slightly.
"Saotome Ranma. Me and Ucchan grew up together."
Seki couldn't help but get the feeling that Ranma was staring at
him, mostly because he was. He bowed back anyway, "Kuonji Seki." He
decided to save his questions for later, "I'll let you guys talk. I'm
going to check out the bookstore down the street. Just come get me when
you're ready."
Ukyou watched him go with a airy smile, "they grow up so fast. It
seems like only yesterday I was reading to him bedtime stories."
Ranma continued to stare out the door, "is he the reason you went
back to live with your parents?"
"Yeah, sorry I never told you but all my time was spent either with
him or helping out dad.. and I guess we lost touch."
Ranma was getting that sinking feeling, turning back to Ukyou.
"What's he like? Can he fight?"
"He doesn't like to fight, but he's been a really good study at it.
I think he gets it from his father." Ukyou's smile faded as Ranma began
to sink in his stool. "You okay Ranchan? Ya don't look so well."
-----------------------
Mousse let Spice call it a day after the first couple hours. Her
earlier fight had left her fatigued and it showed in her work. It left
Mousse with the job of waiter and cook. Business moved at a steady pace
but it took all his abilities to keep the dinner crowd satisfied.
Right then and there he decided he was going to need another
worker, maybe two. Even in the good old days of the Nekohanten there were
three of them for the peak hours. With Spice in school that left him alone
most of the day. As it was he could only open in the afternoons for a few
hours after school let out.
Mousse was strangely content as he watched the last of the
customers leave. He kept the restaurant open an extra half hour for a
young couple who came in a few minutes before closing. He watched them
with a certain degree of joy and curiosity.
He 'accidently' gave them deluxe when they could only afford the
basic ramen. He made it a point to apologize with an order of gyoza and in
the end only charged them for two basic ramen.
It felt good running things, he only wished he could do the same
for all young lovers. Mousse considered a moment while making his help
wanted sign, as a sudden impulse he took his brush to the specials board
and wrote in 'Couple's Special, 750¥'
-----------------------
Ranma began to think back desperately. His mind played through
months worth of images and memories in about thirty seconds. For Ranma it
was the longest thirty seconds he ever lived, and replaying the strangeness
of his youth did nothing to help Ranma's mindset.
Not being able to come up with a better explination, he took a deep
breath and decided to bite the bullet. "So.. Seki is.. umm.. is he.. am
I..."
Ukyou gave Ranma a puzzled glance but smiled broadly as his meaning
began to come through. "Ranchan! You don't think.. I mean I know it's
been a long time and all but you and me.. we never... I mean.. well, you
know what I mean." After a few seconds she regained her composure and gave
Ranma a silly grin. "I'm flattered you thought of it though."
Ranma turned a bright red. "Sorry, Ucchan. It's been one of those
days."
"I guess I understand. It's kinda funny in strange sort of way."
They sat together in silence a few moments, "so who is the father?"
Ukyou slapped Ranma right on the forehead, "you don't really think
I'm his mother do you?" She struck a seductive pose from her stool,
"especially with a figure like this?"
-------------------
Megumi sat in the waiting room of the clinic until he finally
appeared. Dr. Tofu nodded to her as he escorted an elderly lady to the
front door. It had been awhile since he had seen any of the Saotome
children, they finally learned to keep most of her fighting within the dojo
walls. Between Kasumi's knowledge of first aid and the legendary Saotome
healing factor there was little call for his assistance these days.
Even with a touch of gray in his hair Dr. Tofu still had a certain
boyish charm. It kept his older patients young to simply be around him.
There was a natural energy about him.
Megumi used to stop by on occasion to talk, he always had a patient
ear to hear her problems. He seemed to have a story for every situation
she got herself into. "Megumichan, been fighting again?"
Megumi felt a little sheepish. "Well yes, but that's not why I'm
here... well actually I suppose it is why I'm here, but not really."
Dr. Tofu sighed with a grin, "why don't you tell me all about it."
------------------
Sakura waited for Ranma and Ukyou to leave before moving from her
place in the shadows. Ucchan's was empty now, even Konatsu hadn't returned
yet.
She picked up her plate and placed it the counter with some money
underneath where Konatsu could find it.
Her eyes adjusted quickly to the evening sky, the streets were
devoid of life. She headed home and thought briefly of the saying about
the world coming to you if you wait long enough.
She could tell she was onto something, the question being what to
do with it. The only thing for certain was that she could never let her
mother find out, the results would be unpredictable at best.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes:
sorry to leave you hanging, but chapter 4 is still under
construction.. okay more like blueprint stage... If you're still reading,
thank you I'll try to hurry. On a side note: you didn't really think Seki
was Ranma's kid did you? hehehe...
http://www.pixi.com/~mousse/ mousse@pixi.com
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,. ,...,,, "Well, if I tell you I'm good, probably you
,;' ...., ' ;' will say that I'm boasting. But if I tell
,;;:...;. `" .,;'`:, you I'm no good, you'll know I'm lying."
'" `' ::' :; --Jun Fan Lee
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