"I'm sorry, Ukyo."  Oh no.  He had used Ukyo, not Ucchan.  This was bad, 

	Excellent detail. Little things like this can mean a lot.

Why me?  My life...  No, what _used_ to be my life has just been destroyed.  
More!  I deserve more!  I deserve more out of life than what I've got!  "Damn 
you, Ranma Saotome!  More!  I'm worth more than your pity!  I'm not a 
leftover!"

	Good line.

did he truly act like my friend?  He sure found time to take advantage of all 
the free okonomiyaki I gave him.  He sure liked to _act_ like my friend.

	Hmm...that's kind of...extreme, for Ukyou to think that. But then,
she has just come under considerate emotional stress.

me a hollow shell of a child.  And that was what I felt like: a child.  I 
straightened my back, standing full in front of him and his pitying gaze.  "My 
friend... no more."

	Ouch!

was giving up, I was admitting that my life was a waste.  Ending a portion of 
my life.  Closing a chapter.  Letting him go.  Making my own way, ending the 
clinging, desperate need.

	Good, good...this is one of the things that Ukyou needs to do with
her life, I think.

     "No more."  I walked away from him, still wanting to turn around and throw 
myself at him.  It was hard to deny those urges, but it was harder to give in 
to them.  Was I that type of person?  I liked to think not, but I knew it was 
very easy to fall into that pattern.

	This part seems a little too rational, too slowly and calmly
thought out. Add a little more spark to it, maybe.

     "Hey, Ranchan."  He looked up, surprise all over his face.  I smiled for 
him.  I didn't want him to think I was angry or bitter.  Not anymore.  "How are 
you?"
     "Uh..."  Speechless, as usual.  "I'm OK."  He looked frightened.

	Heheh. Good one.

     "Um, Ukyo."  Too afraid to call me Ucchan, not unexpected.  "Where...?"

	Another good detail.

     I shook my head, still smiling.  "I like to think I'm over you.  It was 
the only way to keep my sanity.  It's been six months of soul-searching.  I 
found some things I wasn't too happy with and decided to fix those problems."

	Wait...does this mean it's been six months between part 1 and part
2? If so...that's a damn long time. Of course, so is ten years....

     I cut him off.  "Ranma Saotome," I said forcefully.  "You are not my 
fiance."
     He gaped, his mouth started to open and close.  He hadn't grown up at all 
in those six months.  "But Ukyo."  I almost laughed at his much abbreviated 
objection.

	Yes! Good. Keep this.

     "No 'buts'.  You are not my fiance by my own choice.  Do not try to keep 
me at your feet, I refuse to be there.  You are not my fiance, you are my 
friend."  Boy that felt good.  I had been waiting at least a month to tell him 
that, gathering the courage to face him.  And I did it, and it felt good.

	And it sure sounds good.

like a friend."  I extended my hand as sort of a contract.  A contract of 
friendship.

	Odd metaphor....

     He looked at me, looked at my hand.  Slowly, his face showed the 
lightheartedness I was used to.  He smiled at me then, and made me feel that I 
had done exactly the right thing.  He took my hand in his firm grip and 
squeezed once before releasing it.  "I'd like that a lot, Ucchan."
     "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around then."  I waved to him.  "Bye."  
He raised his hand in farewell as I left.  Friends again.  It felt good to have 
my friend back.

	Looks good. Looks very good.

NOTES*  OK, so after seeing people tossing in their Ukyo(u)/Ryo(u)ga takes,
I had to do mine too.  First, remember that no one should take this as a

	Yes! Ryouga and Ukyou! Ukyou and Ryouga! Er...sorry. Got carried
away. ^_^

personal assault on their ideas or stories, this is my idea.  Second, this
is parts 1&2 of a 4 part shorty.  The actual Ukyo/Ryoga stuff takes place in
the last 2 parts.  3&4 are done, but it seemed better to break them up like
this.  I haven't done any prereading on this, it just got run through the
spell checker, so tear into it.  And, as always, C&C welcomed with open arms 
and warm brownies.  (Let me know if it's formatted too wide)

	I gotta see the rest of this. ^_^ Mind if I archive it on my page
after you finish writing all of this?

>From Andrew Huang, Taiwanese-American-German-Scot Harvard Student :P
Brought to you by his computer, Oddzilla
Oddzilla says, "Ryouga and Ukyou! Ukyou and Ryouga!"
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~alhuang/
Kurimoto Shiro's manager, DBTFH; Harvard Anime Society, Secretary