<Repost 1>  My first Ukyo fanfic.

"Namida no Okonomiyaki"
-By WebDragon

R1/2 = (C) of Shogakukan

Comments are welcome, of course.
---------------- 
                          Namida no Okonomiyaki  
                            (Okonomiyaki Tears)  

     Ukyo flipped another okonomiyaki to Ranma, who began to eat  
it half-heartedly.  He was the only customer in her restaurant at this  
hour, all others having gone home or to work the night shift.  She  
checked her watch again.  Only ten minutes to closing.  The only  
sounds in the restaurant were that of another okonomiyaki frying on  
the grill and that of Ranma's munching.  She looked over at her  
fiance.  His face was downcast and his bangs hid the expression on  
his face.  But his hair couldn't hide the slump of his shoulders.  Or  
the red outline of a hand on his right cheek.    
  
     Ukyo sighed.  No prizes for guessing whose hand it was that  
had slapped him.  Ranma sipped at a glass of water and his right hand 
started to steal towards his cheek, but it stopped halfway and he let it  
fall on the counter with a dull thump.  He looked up uncertainly at  
Ukyo, who forced a smile and flipped the okonomiyaki, to keep it  
from sticking onto the grill.  Then he turned his eyes back to his half- 
eaten okonomiyaki and began to divide it into little pieces with his  
fork.   
 
        Ukyo's smile melted away as she saw her childhood friend  
looking so dejected.  An expression of anger replaced her usually  
jovial look as she thought of Akane and her treatment of Ranchan.   
She had no right to slap him around like she did!  Nobody did that  
to her fiance!  Nobody!  
  
     But Ukyo just couldn't bring herself to go out on a vendetta  
against Akane like Shampoo and Kodachi did.  She just was not the  
kind of person to repeatedly attempt to injure or kill Akane.  She and  
Akane were.....friends.  Of a sort.  It was only the issue of who gets  
Ranchan first that divided them.  Otherwise, Ukyo would surely have 
considered Akane one of her best friends.   
 
        Not that she had very many.   
 
        After she left her home village to train as an okonomiyaki  
chef, she had dressed as a boy.  That had, in fact, cut off her ties to  
any social standing.  She couldn't associate with the girls because she 
couldn't go on a relationship with them, and she couldn't hang around 
with the guys or else they would find out her secret.    
  
     Besides, she was through with boys - at that time, that is.  She  
blushed and looked at Ranma.  He was cutting the okonomiyaki up  
into little jigsaw shaped pieces and playing with the pieces, not eating 
now.  Somehow it bothered her to see Ranma playing with the 
okonomiyaki as he was doing now.  After all, okonomiyaki was one of
her loves in life.  In fact it still is her life.  

     The sight of him playing with the food reminded her of how she
had felt Ranma had been treating her - toying with her feelings, dancing
around the edges of a serious relationship,  but never committing
himself.  
  
     "Ranchan!  Eat your okonomiyaki.  Don't play with it, okay?",  
she admonished.  
  
     Ranma peered up at Ukyo.  He brought a piece of okonomiyaki  
to his mouth and ate it.  She sighed and checked her watch.  It was  
three minutes to closing.  Close enough.  Ukyo turned the grill off,  
placed the okonomiyaki on a plate, and put it on the counter.  Ranma  
hardly looked at the fresh okonomiyaki as he seemed to lose himself  
in his thoughts, playing with his food again.    
  
     The way she heard it from Ranma, it had all started when he was
taking a bath and Shampoo, in cat form, had jumped into the bath,
changed back, and had proceeded to try and seduce him.  Ranma had
managed to escape her, dress up, and run to his room but Shampoo had
followed him, naked.  Faced with a dilemma, Ranma couldn't throw her
out of the house while she had no clothing, a fact that Shampoo no
doubt took into account when she had planned her ambush.  On the
other hand, he couldn't turn her into a cat because of his phobia, and
Shampoo had no intention of leaving her beloved's side.   
         
        Thinking quickly, he had went to Akane's room, grabbed some 
clothing from her closet, and told Shampoo to dress up in Akane's  
clothes.  Shampoo complied, but immediately after she threw herself  
on Ranma and held him tight.  He had tried to pry her off, and when
that didn't work, he tried to sneak her downstairs and out the door.  But
Akane came home at that moment - she saw Shampoo wearing _her_
clothing and hugging a thoroughly flustered Ranma.  She had dropped
her bags of newly-bought clothing and run to her room, crying.  After
telling Shampoo to go home, Ranma had gone to Akane's room and had
tried to explain it all to her.  He had left her room with a slap mark
burned into his face and her scathing words seared into his mind.  
     He had wandered all over Nerima with his hands in his pockets,
or so he told her, and had finally ended up in her restaurant - trying to
work out his feelings.  
  
     Ukyo walked around the counter and put a hand on Ranma's  
shoulder.  He started at her touch and he looked up at Ukyo's face.  
  
     "Ranchan.  It's time to close.  Better go home and get some  
sleep, okay?", she said.  
  
     He stood up, patted Ukyo's hand and began to walk towards the  
door.  He halted in his tracks about halfway to the exit, and slowly  
turned around.  Ukyo waited expectantly for Ranma to bid her  
goodbye.  As always, she would tell him to come back at another  
time and see her.  Ukyo was getting tired of their "just friends"  
relationship.  She sighed and wondered how much longer she had to  
wait until Ranma said those three special words to her, those words  
that would mean the world to her.....  
  
     "Can I stay?"  
  
     Ukyo started, her eyes going wide, and she dropped her spatula.   
Moving almost lazily, Ranma stuck a foot under the spatula and  
flipped it into his hands.  He handed it back to Ukyo, and turned  
around.  
  
     "Sorry, Ucchan.  Don't wanna be imposing on you any more  
than I am already.  Thanks for the food.  Seeya."  He began to walk  
to the door.  
  
     "Ranchan!!  Wait!  Y-you can stay.  But why?", asked Ukyo.   
  
     Ranma whirled around, the expression on his face clearly  
indicating that he was pleasantly surprised by Ukyo's consent to his  
request.  He stuck both hands into his pockets and rocked back and  
forth on his feet.  
  
     "Well, I don't want to go home right now, Ucchan.  Not with  
most of the household angry at me.  Akane wants to tear me apart,  
Mr. Tendo is kinda trigger-happy with that demon head of his, Nabiki 
is just waiting to get her money-grubbing claws into me because she  
sees me as the reason why Akane's crying.  In all the things I've  
done, I have never, ever, made her cry this hard before. 
She...she...ummm....her eyes were red and sore.  She didn't even  
move when I walked into her room.  Her pillow was drenched!  I  
mean, I 've never seen such a thing in my life.....a tear soaked  
pillow.  Then I put my hand on her shoulder.....",  Ranma gestured  
with his right hand, "and...and she....".  Ranma looked on the verge  
of breaking down but he regained control of himself.  
  
     "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to,  
Ranchan...", said Ukyo.  So I can get you on the rebound, that's  
why!, she added slyly, inwardly.  
  
     "Anyways, Nabiki sticks up for her family, if little else.  Kasumi,
being as nice as she is, offered to give me a backrub probably she felt
so sorry for me.  I don't know, but somehow I felt that it wouldn't be
the best thing to do...you know, take advantage of the situation like that
to get one of Kasumi's backrubs.  I dunno.  To make matters worse, my
Mom called earlier today to say she would be dropping by for a visit,
so I would have to go home as a girl."  He twiddled his thumbs
together, hope written all over his face.  Ukyo smiled.    
  
     "Of course you can stay, Ranchan.  You're welcome to stay  
anytime you like.  Can you help me close up the restaurant, please?"  
  
     "Sure, Ucchan.  Anything you say."  
  
     The two made short work of their closing duties, taking in the  
signs, locking the doors, cleaning the restaurant, washing the grill and 
the dishes and putting the cash away into a safe box.  Then Ukyo  
picked up her plate of okonomiyaki, wrapped it in plastic film, and  
led Ranma up the stairs.  Ranma looked at the door at the top of the
flight of stairs, next to the bathroom door. 
  
     "Ummm, Ucchan.  Do you have another...um...room?", he  
asked, his face turning red from embarassment.  
  
     "No, Ranma.  There's only one room. Don't worry, Ranchan. 
Come on, don't be shy.  It's just a room."  Ukyo pulled Ranma into her
room and shut the door behind her.  Oh joy!  Ranma, alone with her,
in _her_ room!  
  
     Ukyo's room was lushly carpeted, and the carpet had prints of  
okonomiyaki all over it, beautifully illustrated by some master artist.   
The shelf in the corner of her room held many souvenirs from her  
travels, many of them trophies or medals for winning a cooking  
contest, or other.  Her window had a dark blue venetian blind  
covering it.  A small TV with a video game system on top of it sat in 
the next corner.  A stereo system occupied the space next to the shelf, 
with CDs scattered all around it.  A small pile of books and  magazines
detailing vacation spots lay in a heap next to her bed,  within easy reach
if one was lying belly-down on the matress, which had a soft, blue
comforter covering the double-sized pillow and the bolster.  A picture
of  Ranma on the wall facing the foot of her bed.  She blushed when  
Ranma's eyes turned to the picture of him.  
  
     In the picture, he was looking off to one side with a smile, his  
eyes wide and bright.  Ranma sighed as he walked up to the  
photograph.  Ukyo went to her closet and pulled out a futon.  She  
placed it next to her bed and she put her plate on the floor next to it.  
Then she grabbed a fresh change of clothing.  
  
     "Ranma.  I'm going to have a shower now.  You just make  
yourself at home."  She turned about and gave him a wink, her hair  
swirling about her pert body.  
  
     "Alright, Ucchan."  Ranma didn't even notice the wink as he sat  
down heavily on Ukyo's bed and heaved another sigh, his forearms
resting on his lap.  Ukyo scowled and went to the bathroom, shutting
and locking the door behind her.    
  
     She undressed and began to shower.  Ukyo felt the stream of hot
water running through her hair and down her body, washing away the
cares and worries of running her business, and she sighed in pleasure. 
It always felt good taking a hot shower after a long day.  She finished
in short order, dried herself off, put on her pyjamas and exited the
bathroom, feeling like a new woman.    
  
     Ranma was lying on her bed, reading the magazine she had been
reading the night before.  Ranma, upon hearing the door open,
immediately got off Ukyo's bed and onto the futon on the floor, but
Ukyo saw him anyways.  Ranma pretended not to notice Ukyo's amused
look and he concentrated on the travel mag in his hands.  He turned the
page and a picture of a vast meadow leapt out at him.  Ukyo walked
over and sat next to him, still drying her hair with a towel.  <Oh, how
beautiful!>, she thought.  She read the heading and was surprised to
find that the meadow was located near her old district. 

     Evidently, Ranma had read it too and he started to comment on it
to Ukyo, but Ukyo patted his leg and nodded in understanding.    
  
     "Yes, Ranchan.  I know."  She cast her thoughts back over the  
years, to the days she and Ranma spent enjoying the sights and  
sounds of a meadow.  The same meadow in the magazine, in glossy  
color and two dimensional, couldn't even begin to compare to the real 
thing; the heady aroma of summer grasses and clumps of wildflowers  
mixed with the chirp-chirp of crickets and the songs of birds taking  
flight through the air, soaring in the warmth of the streaming sunlight 
unhindered by any clouds in the blue, blue sky.    
  
     Ranma's eyes seemed clouded over as he stared sightlessly at  
the picture of the meadow, his thoughts as far away as Ukyo's.  Ukyo 
giggled and the sound, like the tinkling of bells, brought Ranma back  
to reality.  Ranma sighed, shut the magazine and let it fall to the  
floor.    
  
     "Ukyo, why do things have to be so complicated?  Why can't  
we just become like kids again, and not have to worry about things  
like school, and stuff like fiancees and all that...", he said in a wistful 
voice.  
  
     "What do you mean, Ranchan?", she asked as she snuggled a  
little closer to him.  Ranma seemed not to notice, his eyes fixed on  
the small space between his resting hands.    
  
     "I mean, Ukyo...why does she have to overreact to everything I  
do?"    
  
     Ukyo grimaced.  Akane.  It always kept on coming back to  
Akane.  She let out a little sigh.  The mood isn't right yet.  He's  
still moping on about Akane. Ukyo pulled the towel off her hair and let
it cascade down her shoulders, still slightly damp from the shower.    
 
    "I don't know, Ranma.  Maybe it's just her", she commented
disparagingly.
  
     "You're probably right.  I mean, it's not REALLY my fault that  
Shampoo runs after me day and night, right?  I mean, if she would  
just see MY side for once..."  
  
     "Ranchan.  Let's just FORGET about Akane and the whole thing, 
alright?  Come on.  Play cards with me.  Cheer you up."  Ukyo  
produced a pack of cards from under her bed.  
  
     "I dunno, Ucchan.  I'm not really all that good at cards."  Ranma
said as he slid across to the other side of her bed.  <Ain't that the
truth, sugar>, Ukyo thought.
 
        "Let's see...do you know how to play Gin?", she asked as she 
shuffled the cards. 
 
        "Nope.  Isn't it some kinda drink, or something?" 
 
        Ukyo grimaced and replied, "No.  Well, what about....Crazy
Eights?" 
 
        "Nope."  Ranma wasn't even looking at Ukyo as he replied, his
gaze fixated on the print of the okonomiyaki on the carpet below, his
fingers twiddling with the fibres. 
 
        "Slapjack?"  Ukyo was getting a little desperate.  Doesn't he
know anything? 
 
        "Slap.....oh, you mean `Slapjack'.  Nope." 
 
        "Blackjack?!" 
 
        "Reminds me too much of Nabiki." 
         
        "That's `blackmail', not `blackjack'!"  Ukyo bent the cards in her 
hands, frustration emanating from her.  "How about poker?" 
 
        "Poker?  Well...alright.  Beats sitting around doing nothing", he 
said as he sat up on the bed. 
 
        "Let's make this interesting....let's bet on something." 
 
        Ranma, always a sucker for a challenge, nodded his head and
said, "What can we bet on?" 
 
     Ukyo smiled.  He is so naive sometimes. "Oh, I don't know.  I'd
bet on money, but you don't have any, right?"  He shook his head. 
Well...what do you think?"  
 
        "Ummm....it's up to you, Ucchan.  Whatever you say, goes." 
He sighed and his right hand reached up to his throbbing cheek, but,
again, it fell away before it could touch the tender skin. 
 
     "Alright, Ranchan.  Let's bet on clothing." 
 
     "Clothes?!  But...", he spluttered.  
  
     "Don't worry, Ranma!  I won't take advantage of you if you  
don't take advantage of me, right?  Besides, I can trust you, right?   
Right?"  She made a cute moue with her mouth at him, and he burst  
out laughing.  <Good.  He's finally loosening up.>, she thought.   
"Let's make a deal.  The loser won't have to take off his, or her, last 
piece of clothing.  He, or she, will have to eat this okonomiyaki."   
         
        Ukyo grabbed the plate and put it between the both of them, on
the  bed.    
  
     "But it's cold!", exclaimed Ranma.  
  
     "That's because you never ate it, idiot!  It was for you!", she  
retorted.    
  
     "It...it was?  Sorry, Ucchan."  
  
     "Forget it.  Let's play."  
  
     Ranma nodded and the contest began.  The ten minutes was  
spent playing strip poker, with neither side really gaining much of an  
advantage, to Ukyo's surprise.  Ranma was down to his pants and Ukyo
clutched a hand across the bra covering her breasts.  The teeter-totter
balance was paused for a moment as Ukyo turned her stereo system on,
popping in a CD titled "Romantic Theme Songs", and equalizing the
tune until it was a perfect background music.  <Just stacking the odds
in my favor, sweetie.>, she thought as she looked at him.  
  
     As if the CD was the last straw, Ranma's resistance to Ukyo's
dogged attempts to win broke down and crumbled.  She finally scored
the winning point in the game.  She looked at Ranma, who was sweating
profusely and staring at his losing hand.  <Usually he plays WORSE
than this...>, she thought, <Could it be...that....nahh.>   

     Ukyo resolved to net Ranma. Tonight. Ukyo threw her hand down,
slowly stood up and walked around the bed, to Ranma.  He looked up
with some trepidation,  dressed in his boxers and nothing else.  
  
     "U-Ucchan?  What....what?", he asked.  Ukyo gave him an evil  
grin and she knelt down beside Ranma.  
  
     "Now.  Ranma.  Take off your boxers."  
  
     "WHAT?  No way!"  He started to edge away from Ukyo.   
Ukyo merely matched his pace and she put her right hand on his  
shoulder.  While Ranma looked at her right hand, trembling ever so  
slightly on his body, her left hand snaked down and grabbed the top  
of his boxers.  Ranma yelped in fright and held onto his clothes for  
his dear life.  Then Ukyo was on top of him, growling and wrestling  
with Ranma, half-heartedly trying to pull his boxers off, laughing  
good-naturedly as she did so.  The two disappeared, in a tangle of  
limbs, into a mock battle in which they let out all their cares and  
worries with giggles and heartfelt laughter.    
   
     The song on the CD floated through the room and the two could  
still hear it despite the ruckus they were causing with their struggle.  
  
<"We run hand in hand through meadows of green   
     Feeling the summer sky above us   
     And the earth beneath our feet......">  
  
     Ukyo manages to get Ranma's boxers an inch down, but Ranma  
pulls them back up just as quickly.  
   
<"We share a secret among the tall grasses   
    And swear our friendship for all eternity   
    Breathing the sweet summer air   
    And laughing out our love of life.....">  
  
                                   * * *  
     Ranma gets a mouthful of Ukyo's hair, and he spits it back out.   
However he can't help but _wonder_ at how soft, and silky, her hair  
was.  Not to mention her skin.....  
                                   * * *  
     Ukyo was on top of Ranma, having too much fun to stop and  
think about _what_ she was doing with Ranma, straddling him and  
touching him like this.  To her, there was nothing but the thought of  
playing with her childhood friend, like they used to so long ago.....  
   
<"The years pass and we grow apart   
    Time has not been kind to us   
    I wish I could live forever, dream forever   
    and relive the moments of childhood again...">  
  
     For moments, just moments, they forgot their ingrained, adult  
roles and became, once again, the Ranchan and Ucchan of a decade  
ago, rolling about in a good-humoured wrestling match in a  
meadow....  
   
 <"Then one day you and I meet   
   In the meadow of greenery, amidst the dandelions   
   Which release their fluffs and   
   We both watch them spiral to the heavens in   
   A dance that only we can understand........">  
   
<"Come, take my hand....">  
       
     Ranma grabs Ukyo's hands in his own and immobilizes them.   
The two of them are still laughing like a couple of idiots.  Ranma  
rolls over so that he is on top.  Ukyo didn't notice, or didn't care.  
  
<"Even though reality pulls our hopes back to earth.....">  
  
     Ranma and Ukyo stilled their laughter for a moment, and the  
hauntingly sweet melodies of the song permeated the atmosphere  
about them, enveloping them in its music.  Suddenly, Ukyo realized  
that Ranma was....was....  
                                   * * *  
     Ranma looked down with wonder at Ukyo beneath him, their  
faces only inches away.  Ukyo looked so....beautiful, with her long  
hair splayed out beneath her, her sparkling eyes meeting his own,  
their breath and heartbeats quickening as one.  
                                   * * *   
<"Let us run once more through our memories... 
Feeling the summer sky above us......">  
  
     Ukyo unclenched her hands from Ranma's, while looking up at his
face, and she put them behind Ranma's head.  Ranma didn't resist as
she pulled his head closer...and closer, her lips reaching up to meet his
own, desire lighting the fires in her eyes....  
  
<"And the earth beneath.....our feet....">  
  
     Ranma's nose touched the tip of Ukyo's own.  In breathless  
wonder at the beauty beneath him, Ranma let Ukyo turn his head
slightly and she began to touch her lips to his.....  
  
 
     "HELLO!?  IS ANYBODY HOME?!  UKYO?!"  
  
     Ranma's fevered brained registered those words quicker than  
Ukyo's did.  Akane!  He practically teleported off Ukyo and had his  
clothing on in seconds.  Ukyo lay on the floor, wondering what in  
hell she did wrong.  Then, those five words made their way to the  
forefront of her mind, and she finally realized why Ranma looked so  
panicked.  Horrified, she sat up and had her clothing on in record  
time.  Ranma was shivering with fear, hiding under the bed.   
Ukyo smoothed her hair and stomped out the door.  <Akane,  
you...you....hussy!!!>, she thought furiously as she leapt down the  
stairs three steps at a time.  
       
     She saw Akane's shape in the darkened dining area, silhouetted  
against the moonlight streaming in through a glass window.  Seething  
with fury, Ukyo slapped the light switch several times before finally  
turning the lights on.  Her face resembling Soun's demon head, with  
bared fangs and dilated pupils, she whirled on Akane, ready to give  
her a piece of her mind.  What she saw was not what she had  
expected to see in Akane.  
  
     Akane didn't even have matching clothing on, a clear indication  
that she had hurriedly put her current ensemble together.  Her hair  
was mussed up and uncombed, her eyes bloodshot and red around the 
edges.  She had been crying.  Badly.  And she looked like she was  
about to break down.  Upon seeing Ukyo's angry face, Akane yelped  
in fright and took a step back.  
  
     Ukyo softened her expression.  <Oh, Akane...>, she thought  
as she looked at the disconsolate girl before her, looking so lost and  
forlorn.  And frightened.    
  
     "U-Ukyo!  You scared me!"  Akane blinked her eyes rapidly,  
trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden light.  
  
     "S'all right, sweetie.  Now you just go and take a seat and I'll  
bring you a drink.  Or something."  Ukyo put her arms around Akane 
and guided her to a seat.  Akane grabbed Ukyo's hand as she left to  
get Akane a drink, looking up at Ukyo with a pleading expression.  
  
     "Ukyo!  D-Do you know where Ranma is?!  I couldn't find him,  
and I've been searching, and searching!  I even went to Nekohanten  
but he wasn't there!"  
  
     "You went to Nekohanten?  After what Shampoo did?  That must
have taken some serious guts, girl", said Ukyo in an effort to comfort
her. 
  
     "How did you know about...about that?  Did Ranma tell you?   
Was he here?  Where did he go?  Oh, Ukyo!"  She started to cry  
again, but Ukyo patted her hand and stilled her tears.  
  
     "He...he was here."  Ukyo hated to lie to Akane, especially  
now, but she would only be aggravating the wound by telling her that 
Ranma _is_ here.  In her room, to boot.  And they were all 
alone....and they were about to....Ukyo brushed that thought away.   
Now was not the time to think of such things.  She looked at Akane,  
who looked on the verge of another breakdown, and she smiled  
inwardly, wistfully.  <How I wish I were you, Akane>, Ukyo  
thought, <How I...how I wish I had Ranchan's....Ranchan's...>.   
She stopped her thought, unable to even finish her thought.  
  
     "Ukyo.  I...I said some terrible things to him.  And I hit him.   
Really hard this time.   I just want to say...say that I'm sorry.  Sorry  
for...for all the things I said to him today.  I know it's not his fault  
that Shampoo tries to get to him, but.....but....I'm the je-jealous type, 
Ukyo.  I got too angry this time.  I should have trusted in him, Ukyo. 
I should have trusted in him....I 've been searching for the whole  
day, Ukyo!", she said disjointedly, punctuating her monologue with a  
sniffle every now and then.  
  
     Ukyo looked long and hard at Akane, the girl who was her  
friend, yet wasn't.  She thought of how fast Ranma had jumped off  
her the moment Akane came into the restaurant.  She thought of how  
much Akane figured in Ranma's life, and vice versa.  It must have  
taken one hell of alot of determination, and resolve, for her to search  
all over town for Ranma in that getup she was wearing.  And for her  
to walk into Nekohanten and ask Cologne, or even Shampoo, where  
Ranma was......Ranma, the one who always teases her.  Ranma, the  
one who always makes her angry with all the thoughtless and senseless 
things he did.    
  
     Ranma.  Akane's fiancee.  <Fiancee....>, Ukyo thought.  
  
     Ukyo squeezed Akane's hand.  Ukyo did the one thing she felt  
she had to do, the one thing that her heart told her was the only thing 
to do.  Akane looked up at Ukyo, wiping her eyes with the other  
hand.    
  
     "Akane, Ranma is probably home by now, waiting for you.  Go  
home, Akane.  Make up to him.  You know that he...he wouldn't  
betray you, Akane.  You knew it before and you know it now.  Go  
home and get some sleep. You look a mess.  Then the both of  
you come back tomorrow and have some okonomiyaki on me, alright?" 
  
     Akane looked up at Ukyo, tears beginning to flow again.  
  
     "Th-thanks, Ukyo.  Yours was the last place I looked for  
him...because I felt that you wouldn't take advantage of....of this  
situation to get him.  You're not like Shampoo or Kodachi.  Thank you, 
Ukyo."  
  
     Akane got up and bowed to Ukyo.  Ukyo escorted her to the  
door and gave her one of her jackets, for the night was cool.  Akane  
turned about and waved goodbye to Ukyo.  Then she turned around  
and started to walk home.  Ukyo shut the door and ran up to her  
room.  Ranma was crouching behind the bathroom door, fearfully  
peeking out.  He quickly ducked behind the door as soon as Ukyo ran 
in, but he realized his mistake and came back out, tentatively.  
  
     "Is she...is she gone, Ukyo?"  
  
     "Quick, Ranma!  She's going home down the street!  If you  
hurry, you can still catch her!  Go!"  Ukyo opened her window and  
pointed outside.  A breeze blew in and ruffled her long hair.  
  
     "U-Ucchan.  But...but what about...?"  
  
     "About what, stupid?!  Just go and get Akane!  She's walking  
home alone, you know!"  
  
     "Alone?!  That idiot!  Doesn't she know that it's dangerous to  
walk alone at this...."  His voice trailed off as he saw Ukyo looking  
at him, her gaze inscrutable and unreadable.  "Ucchan....I'm..."  
  
     "Go, Ranma.  I won't repeat it again."  
  
     Ranma got on the window sill and looked back at Ukyo.  Ukyo  
pointed out the window again.  On an impulse, Ranma stepped back.  

     The two of them looked into each other's eyes, seeing what could
have been....and regretting that it could not be so.  

     On an impulse, her heart pounding, she grabbed Ranma and gave
him a hug.  After a moment's hesitation, Ranma slowly hugged back. 
Ukyo released him and stepped back.  Ranma got back on the window
sill.  
  
     "Ukyo.  Thank you."  With that, Ranma leapt off into the night.  
  
     Ukyo shut the window and locked it.  She drew the blind across  
it, then she ran downstairs and shut the unlocked window that Akane  
used to gain entrance to her restaurant.  Then she made sure that all  
the windows and doors were locked securely before she headed back  
upstairs and fell on her bed.    
       
     She had let Ranma go.  Her best friend and fiancee was WITHIN
her grasp!  And she let him go.  To Akane.  She started to shake with
the effort of holding in all the tears, but she refused to let  herself
havea breakdown.  She refused to cry her eyes out.  She won't cry.  Not like
Akane. 

      She lay like that for a full half hour, fighting against that urge 
to weep.  And shout.  And break various things.
  
     When the flood of emotions had subsided in her heart, Ukyo got up
on her bed, shivering uncontrollably, and she was surprised to find that
she had fallen upon her okonomiyaki.  Luckily it was wrapped in plastic
film so it didn't stain her clothing.  She read her own writing on the
okonomiyaki. 

     "For my darling Ranchan", it read, in slightly mushed characters. 
  
     She unwrapped the okonomiyaki.    
  
     And she took a bite of it, tasting of her defeat.  
 ------------------- 
 
Comments?
-by WebDragon (kmark@odyssey.on.ca)
 
 
 







	-WD
A proud participant in the Revenge's End Saga

VISIT THE LAIR AT:
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WORK IN PROGRESS : Nullifier 122, Part 4