At 19:31 -0600 3/27/98, Scott Jamison wrote:

	Time to look at this at last.  To refresh our memories, in the
previous part, Ranma fought new "fiancee" Biiko.  Apparently he got
undiagnosed brain damage, because he developed a worsening memory, even
more poor judgement than usual, and a tendency to emulate his father's
problem-solving style (i.e., make snap decisions and run away.)

Uh oh...

	As a result, he mistook an extraordinarily bad case of temper on
Akane's part for a permanent condition, and made a number of moves that
seemed clever at the time, but were in reality guaranteed to cause the
maximum dishonor and heartbreak.  Since these decisions fit into Mousse
and Ukyou's fantasy worlds, they haven't figured this out yet...And so
Ranma went on the road with Ucchan.

Hmm.  You REALLY REALLY hated the first part, eh?  *sigh*

On Fri, 6 Feb 1998, Zen wrote:

Before long the two of them were sitting on a log by a toasty fire,
savouring rice with one of Ucchan's special sauces, baked yams and steaming
green tea.  The hot food went a long way towards chasing away the day's
accumulated chills, for which Ranma-chan was particularly grateful.

Just to drive home the notion that Ukyou can cook something other than
okonomiyaki...

Of course. ^_^;

Then the real fun would begin.  The prospect of facing Kuonji-san after all
these years and all that had happened was making Ranma-chan fairly nervous,

fair enough.

It'd make ZEN nervous.

"I asked if you were okay.  It's like you're a million spatials out, you
know?"

spatials?  Perhaps Zen means spatula-lengths?

Heh... Actually, no.  This was originally a 'million miles away' but Lawson
got in a snit at the use of miles 'cause Zen uses metrics everywhere else,
but if Zen used kilometers here, it wouldn't be the right idiom (You'd not
BELIEVE the cow that he had over 'a yen for your thoughts' - so Zen used
the fact that he'd written Ucchan as a sci fi fan, and hence 'spatials'.
Ironically enough, the spell checker barfed on 'spatials' and suggested
'spatulas' as a fix. ^_^;;

Ranma-chan had to smile at that.  "No, Ucchan... that's the one thing that
I *haven't* lost."

Yes, you have.  You traded her in for a consolation prize fiancee.

Objection!  The witness is exhibiting personal bias!  ^_^;;;  You really
hated it, didn't you?  Zen really appreciates the time you took for these
comments, Scott.

Ukyou leaned up against the red-head and sighed.  "Isn't it romantic,
Ran-chan?  Just the two of us... the fire... the stars... no one around for
kilometers..."

Ranma-chan shifted nervously.  "Uhmm... Ucchan?  Don't you think we ought
to wait til I can change back into a guy?"

Why?  And why haven't you?  You've already had the food on the fire...

Well, 'cause it's cold out, and hot water doesn't stay hot long.
It'll take Ranma a while to get used to affection... let alone the
girl/girl stuff...

"Oh."  Ukyou was silent for a time.  "She'll kill him, you know.  When she
finds out."

Maim him a little maybe.  Then forgive him, eventually...

After she's eaten the bacon.  ^_^  Actually, she WILL take it fairly well.

"Don't be so sure," Ranma-chan said darkly.  "Knowing my luck, Pop would
have tossed me into the "Spring of Drowned Boy" deliberately, and I'd
*still* have been engaged to Akane..."

Cue Ranko 1/2...

Hee hee... Zen could not resist. ^_^  It just fit too well.

clip some nice description.

Thanks.

The view left Ranma with a sense of accomplishment for having reached this
peak despite the ruggedness of the terrain.  At the same time it was
humbling, the raw power of the landscape making him feel small and
insignificant by comparison.  It was just the sort of contradiction that
one might expect when visiting a Zen monastery, he thought.

Boo!

Err... Gomen nasai!

Haruka turned to Ranma, his expression darkening once more into
unreadability.  "Oh, yes.  I remember Ranma.  So.  Ukyou spoke the truth."
He gave Ranma a curt nod and an appraising stare.  "I can only hope that
this time you will prove worthy of her devotion."

This Ranma?  Umm...

A-HEM.  Bias.  ^_^

Haruka pressed his attack.  "Your father knew!  He took the yattai that I
gave him as dowry, but he left my daughter behind!"

	Um, aren't we forgetting something here, Kuonji-san?  Namely,
that *you* were the one who came up with the idea of bribing Genma to
void the first engagement?  If he agreed to that so easily, you should have
no kick coming when he turned around and violated your trust...

Well, TRUE, but he HAD paid in advance... which the Tendou's had not.
Mayhaps he was counting on that.  Besides, with Genma and Happousai, there
are enough bastards in this fic. ^_^

	And I don't buy that you weren't at least partially responsible
for the "live as a boy" thing...Kids don't get these ideas on their own...

<<shrug>>  Quite possibly... Zen just decided to take another tack.  There
are so MANY fics the other way... and people were complaining that Ucchan
was too saintly as it was.

Nodding in satisfaction, Haruka said, "It is good to see that you take your
training and your obligations seriously."

umm....

Zen knows!  Zen knows!  ^_^;;

Ranma gave Kuonji-san an abbreviated version of the various vows and
entanglements that Genma had entered into on his behalf.  Haruka shook his
head.  "So many fiancees!  Perhaps I should have expected such..."  The old
man examined Ranma intently.  "Yet... you are here now.  You are with my
daughter.  It *is* your intention to marry her, is it not?"

Yep.  Mostly out of spite, of course.  Not because he actually has any
feelings towards her.

Anta baka?  He does so!  Nyaaah!

"I am.  It is.  But I can't honestly say that I'm doing it because it's the
honourable thing to do.  I'm not sure that I know what that would be
anymore.  What I do know is that Ukyou is the one that I *want* to marry."

little white lie...

Not in THIS reality kiddo. ^_^

Ranma's face was expressionless, but there was a bitter tone to his voice.
"I expect that she'll be thrilled, now that she won't have to marry the
'pervert'."

Of course, since you've forgotten any contradicting evidence...

*sigh*  Naah.  Zen just chooses to interpret it differently.  That's all.

"In the end, Ucchan was the one that I could talk to.  Akane... Akane never
believed in me."

Umm...

Oi!  THIS is true!  Beyond refutation! ^_^

"I take it then that you did not part on the best of terms."

He ran away.

Well...  yes.  He did.  Ya got Zen there.  ^_^;;

Ranma had to grin at that, but his tone was serious.  "Oh, no.  I made
Ukyou mad LOTS of times.  But she was the one who was willing to forgive
me.

Actually, so did Akane, a lot, and Shampoo certainly forgave you a bunch
of things.  Hard to tell with Kodachi.

Well... sorta.  But Ucchan would forgive BEFORE hitting, most of the time.
NOT all, Zen admits, but her listen before getting mad ratio is WAY better
than Akane's or Poo's.  Ko-chan... just scares the willies outta Zen. ^_^

Over the past year I've learned a lot of lessons... most of them the
hard way.  But I *have* learned them."

I'm doubting it, by the way you're acting../

Heh.  He hasn't learned *everything* and he knows it.  But, then, you KNEW
that this story would not end happily in your view, yes?  You HAD to know
that Ranma and Ukyou would STAY together... it IS a Zenfic, after all. ^_^;;

"Eh?  *Curse*?"  Haruka gasped, before dissolving once more into gales of
laughter.  "You have GOT to be kidding.  You see this as a *curse*?  Oh,
the okonomiyaki that I could have sold had I been so cursed..."

You haven't actually had to be subjected to it...

True...  But, after all, trust a salesman to see the advantages.  Even if
he's a *former* salesman. ^_^  BTW, Kuonji-san was modelled on Brian
Blessed, in case you hadn't noticed.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Haruka said in a more serious tone, "Look -
I have nothing left to give the two of you but my blessings and some
advice.  Ranma m'boy - think hard on this - that curse of yours can be an
incredible asset.  You can get away with things... Ahh, yes... I see from
your expression that you've discovered that aspect of it already...  It's a
*tool*, boy.  Use it.  Don't let outdated gender stereotypes get in your
way."

"outdated gender sterotypes"?  Eh.  If anything, monastic life tends to
*increase* your belief in this kind of thing...

Hmmm.  Well... up to a point.  Of course, NOW it's too late to change the
version in the RAAC archives...

Ukyou smiled.  "Should I try to beat the snot out of you next time then?"

Yes.

<<snort>>

"I'm not.  I've been thinking about it, and I made a big mistake."

A whole bunch of them...

Heh.  Kibbitzer's anonymous meets on the second monday of each month, you
know? ^_-  And, yes, he has made a bunch of them.  Who hasn't? ^_^

Ukyou could feel her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.  "You don't
mean that... that choosing me... I mean..."

No, that was after he made his biggest mistake, and after that, choosing
you wasn't a mistake.

tap tap tap tap....

"NO!"  Ranma whirled to face her, eyes wide.  "It's nothing like that!"  He
paused.  "It's just that I could have handled this mess a lot better.  I
feel bad that I didn't really get a chance to say good-bye to anyone.  I
thought it would be better that way at the time, but now... I'm not so
sure."

Darn right...

See? he learns. ^_-

"I don't know, really," Ranma shrugged.  "I owe old man Tendou an
explanation, at least.  I'd bet that after this, his friendship with Pop
will be a bit strained..."

An explanation, an apology, and compensation...

Less damages from Akane, medical bills, the proceeds of Nabiki's
extortionist scams and the situations she set up *deliberately*... on that
scale, Ranma might come out in the black.

Ranma nodded.  "Akane.  I  was never too happy about any of this arranged
marriage stuff... and neither was she.  But... there were times when she
could be very nice to me.  I'd like to think that, deep down, she was a
friend.  But now?  She'll probably hate me forever after this."

I doubt it, though your actions make it seem you hate her...

Well, it's HER turn to suffer for a change.  Though, Zen won't be TOO hard
on her.

"Do you still love her, Ran-chan?"

"Yes...

true
no...
false.

<<snort>>

As a friend, I'd like to.  I'm afraid that it's not possible
anymore - it might have been if I'd just said good-bye, but now I'll never
know.  But I don't love her in a way that would lead to marriage."  Ranma
turned back to the darkness beyond the wall.

Don't believe this...

Gomen ne... Zen tried his very best.. really he did.  Zen has a couple of
OTHER ideas to get these two together, but some of them will take more time
to develope.  Though one, the next story in fact, will be fairly dramatic.
AND a one shot.

Dammit... why can I never think of these things at the time?"

It's the brain damage.

Maybe it is, actually.  But you can blame THAT on Genma too.

"No... likely not.  We might never have gotten this far.  I just feel like
I owed them more than that, and I've let them down."

Yup.

He learns.  Eventually.

Ranma heard the sigh and held her just a little tighter.  "I just hope that
you know what you're getting yourself into, Ucchan."

"It doesn't matter, really.  I have what I want - what I've always wanted.
Whatever happens, I can face it now - as long as I have you."

She should be going into one of her fantasy sequences here....

Prolly so... but Zen has no idea how to write those. ^_^

Eiko stared sadly into the rubble.  "No... I've never had any trouble
breaking things," she said softly.  "It's how NOT to break things that's
been so hard for me to learn."

It's pretty clear from the movies that A-ko *has* had formal combat
training, probably from her mother....

Really?  Zen is not so sure... Zen sorta saw her style as brawling...
<<shrug>>  It's a debateable point at best... of course, you'd be hard
pressed to prove that this Eiko is A-ko now... Zen altered the first
chapeter to file off the serial numbers.  She IS Eiko, but... well, less
obviously, with luck.  After all, her primary purpose is to be a friend for
Akane.

"Shampoo!  Please!"  Mousse ducked and another bowl shattered on the wall
just behind the space his head had occupied scant fractions of a second
before.  "Calm down!"

Why?

Why not?

"You LIE!" screamed Shampoo.

"No!  I swear, I've told you the truth!" protested Mousse.

For once, I believe him.

Good. ^_^  He has, too.

"Spatula Girl is very sneaky!"  Shampoo's voice dripped contempt.  "Ukyou
must have drugged Airen's food - there's no other way *you* could possibly
win!"

No, but there *was* a cheat.

Yes.

That point had been passed when Shampoo heard about the closing of the
Ucchan.  When Shampoo realised the both Ranma *and* Ukyou were gone, she
had smelled a rat.  She was not, Mousse thought while ducking another dish,
taking it too well.

Why should she?

No reason.  But Mousse IS the eternal optimist.

Some hours later, Mousse wiped the sweat from his brow as he faced the
Amazon matriarch.  He'd been lucky.  Cologne had chosen not to challenge
his story directly, so again, Mousse had managed to avoid an outright lie.
But it had been close.  Very close.

Dang,  Not one question along the lines of "where did this battle take
place?"  "Who took the photo?"  "Which technique did you use to finish
him?"  Odd/

But a necessary plot contrivance.

She could get the truth, of course.  She could force it out of him.  But it

You could just ask one of those direct questions....

And have Mousse plead the fifth?  Better to let him think he's gotten away
with something... and hope he gets careless.

"I still think that there is something that you are not telling us, but,
for the life of me, I cannot imagine what it might be."  Cologne turned

"Where was the photo taken?"

That answer might not help.  Even if Mousse knew -

Cologne nodded, her expression solemn.  "I do.  Before I can accept this
idiot's defeat of son-in-law, I must see it with my own eyes.

yup.

Well, that was predictable, ne? ^_^

Cologne's voice was edged with steel.  "Now go, and prepare.  You will take
Mousse with you, to free you from more mundane chores on the road, but you

Really *bad* decision!  You *know* Mousse will sabotage Shampoo's
attempts any chance he gets....

Yes... but she has more faith in her granddaughter than she does in Mousse...
He is, after all, only a male. ^_-

*must* bring back your groom.  There must be a rematch, if you want to
maintain your honour, or your standing as an Amazon warrior."

Shampoo's doomed, isn't she?

More or less.

When Kasumi had heard Akane's declaration that she intended to follow after
Ranma, there had been no argument, no attempts to get her to change her
mind.  Instead, Kasumi had simply done whatever she could to see that Akane
was properly prepared for her travels.  She had even provided a number of
dehydrated meals for her... all Akane had to do was boil the water.  And
THAT she could do.

Actually, after the Shinnosuke storyline, she seems able to cook at least
enough that it's never again a gag...

Inconclusive.  Zen just figured this was safe.  After all, she was just
learning to boil water as late as volume 23.  And it WAS a gag in the
movies... (Zen knows... not canonical... well, they're a good enough ref
for Zen. ^_^)

heart ache.  For a time she wondered if this had been what Ukyou had felt
all those years ago when Genma had taken Ranma and abandoned her.

Since Ranma's actions in this case are essentially the same, yes.

Not quite the same.  But close enough.

There had been times that Ranma could be so infuriating.  He'd make her so
mad that she just couldn't see straight.  And, on rare occasions, he could
do something so sweet and kind that it made her forget that he made her
that angry most of the time.  In those moments she had felt so alive, so
happy.  Had they been nothing more than illusions - daydreams and fantasies
after all?

Not in the manga.  Here, yes/.

Biiiiidah! ^_^

She'd always thought that there would be plenty of time.  Neither of them
had been ready to get married, no matter what their fathers had wanted.
There was no rush to sort things out.  But that had been a mistake.  It had
just been so much easier not to think about it.

Actually, Ranma is still not *ready* to get married.  He's just chosen to
ignore this out of spite.

Actually, he hasn't.  He's NOT getting MARRIED just yet... he and Ukyou
have just formally acknowledged their engagement.  Ranma has made his
decision.  The wedding will come later.  But it WILL come, so don't get
*too* excited. ^_-

why you would be mad at me, Saotome... but I thought that you loved her.
How can you do this to her and still call yourself a man?"

He has no conscience.

Unfair and untrue.

"I do not.  I think that you should forget him.  He's trouble, Akane.  He's
always been nothing but trouble."

pretty much true...more trouble than not...

Yes, VERY true... just not always his fault.  Indeed, OFTEN NOT his fault.
He's just perfect for the 3WA, ne? ^_^

"I need to know how things might have been different.  Why he fought for me
all those times, and what changed that."  Taking a shuddering breath, Akane

The author.

Nyaaaah.

I help you, maybe you'll be able to put this behind you and get on with
your life."

maybe...

Actually, she will.  Eventually.

"I've found Ukyou's father."

You didn't already know?

Nope.  Why should she?

She stared balefully at the pictures of the two girls.  What power is it
that they have over my beloved? she snarled to herself.  What black art,
what manner of evil magic could make him choose to be with the likes of
you, when he has me?  Savagely, she slid the pictures into the envelope and

Both the original author, and the one doing this story...

Tee hee...

"I swear to you, Ranma, I will free you from their spell.  I will follow to
the ends of the Earth, if need be, and I *will* make you mine once more...
no matter what the cost!"

This must not be one of her more lucid days, on which she knows Ranma
doesn't love her...

<<shrug>>  Or else she really believes him to be enchanted.  After all, why
else would he disappear?

"Master?"  A pause.  "Mistress?"  Another pause.  "Anyone?"  There was no
answer.  Sayogakure Sasuke smiled to himself.  For the first time in his
life, things were looking up.

Actually, no...

No?  For Sasuke?  Why not?

Akane had to smile at that.  "Why don't you just give up on Ataru?" she
countered.  "Let that Oni girl have him?  After all, all he does is make
you angry..."

"That's not the same thing!" Shinobu began hotly.

He actually comes on to me every so often!  Besides, she's a violent
maniac, and I'm his childhood buddy, and I can cook better!

See?  There you are!  ^_-

Eiko shrugged.  "You're my friend.  You need help.  I've already got
permission from my parents."

Umm, I know Eiko isn't the best student, but she's a very concientious
one.  Has she made arrangements with her school?

Very likely, at the same time she cleared it with her 'rents... assumption
was that too much detail here would bog things a bit, and that this could
be assumed...

	(Apropos of nothing, I like Kagome because she goes back to the
present to keep up with her homework...)

Handy trick, that. ^_-

Akane stared at the red haired girl as if she'd opened a third eye in her
forehead.  "Eiko-chan... I appreciate it, really, I do.  But it's okay.  I
don't need you to defend me."

What?  No comments about the Sazan Eyes ref? ^_-

"I know you can take care of yourself." Eiko sighed.  "You didn't need
Ranma to defend you either.  But, deep down, weren't you glad when he did?"

	I still don't think eiko is the best travel companion for Akane.
Despite what she says, she *does* have the tendency to be
reflexively overprotective, and does outshine Akane in most of Akane's
strong points.  (Yes, Akane may be a better student, but how important is
*that* on a trek?)

The way Zen sees it, Eiko is one who can tolerate Akane's cooking, and
while she has the strength, she lacks finesse... they can learn from each
other that way... Also, Eiko may be a better cook, but Akane will be a
better outdoors person in other respects... Eiko was just about the best
companion Zen could find, and even remotely make work.  Akane needs
*someone*

"Might be, Shinobu-chan... *might* be," said Akane soothingly.  "I'm hoping
that it won't.  I'm hoping that this can all be settled in just a few weeks
at most."

I want to pass finals, after all...

That would be optimal, yes. ^_^;;

"Ataru-kun?" sighed Shinobu.  "I'm beginning to be afraid he'll never
grow up."

Not if he stays in his own series...

Ain't THAT the truth. >_<

"Why not?" agreed Akane.  "He *is* kinda nice.  And he treats you better
than any of the others."

He has a job that prevents him from making a home...

No, not true.  His job just gives that home really BIG closets. ^_-

Shinobu looked at Akane.  "Following THAT logic, you'd be going out with
Kunou, or that guy with the bandanna fixation."

Kunou doesn't treat her nice, and Ryouga is a hypocrite...

Well... true, but Shinobu might not see that... after all, she still dotes
on Mendou...

Akane rolled her eyes and looked to Eiko for help, but the red-head was
sniggering.  No sympathy there.  Finally, she sighed and grinned.  "Maybe I
should have done, Shinobu-chan... maybe I should have done."

Nope, you should've stayed out of this fic altogether...

Hey.  She married him in the last one. ^_^;;

That made Kodachi nervous.  Was she still in the monastery?  Had Ranma and
Ukyou left her elsewhere while they had come here?  If she *was* in the
monastery, then surely Ranma would come back for her... and that was when
Kodachi decided she would make her move.

whoops.

Ayup.  Gotta make sure Nodoka is taken care of before the first encounter
with pursuers.

same answers that Kodachi would.  Rather than tipping her own hand, she'd
follow Akane.  The Tendou girl would lead her right to her beloved Ranma.
And no one would be the wiser.

Go, Ko-chan!

<<giggle>>

"Young Saotome's departure from your domicile was, I take it, rather
abrupt?"

He stole away like a thief in the night.  In fact, his last act was
raiding the kitchen...

No, his last act was a visit to say good-bye to the place.

Akane felt her instinctive denial coming to the surface, but fought it back
down again.  "I did."

and do...

Ayup.  Spot on.  Just like poor Ucchan did, all those years ago.

The monk paused.  Finally, he said, "Yes.  I think that he is.  He still

No.

Not yet, no.  But he's well on his way. :p

has issues to deal with, to be sure, but I sensed about him an air of
relief.  As though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders."

An illusionary sense of relief caused by tearing his heart out.

Tsk tsk...

Another answer came to mind, but it was not one that she liked at all.
Ranma's mother lived in Tokyo.  Could he really be going to see her?  It
was impossible.  Not even Ranma was that stupid.

Oh yes he is...

Pin pon.  He is for a fact. ^_-

Ranma grinned.  "You told me that I was running away.  That it wasn't like
me to solve a problem by running away from it..."

even though that's exactly what you;ve been doing...

Well, yes... but he's getting better!

running...  Well, I'm not going to do that anymore, at least not from my
mother."

We'll see...

Ouchie...

"And what about the others?  Shampoo?  Tatewaki?  His twisted sister...
Are we going to go deal with all of them, too?"

eventually, or they'll come to you.

Ayup.

"Yah, but it's not the same.  Dad always *liked* you.  Your mother... your
mother might want to kill you."

Dad is liked by the author, your mother...

<<snort>>  Is also liked.  Zen just chose a ... hardher interpretation.  It
will not stay that way.

"I'd have to, wouldn't I?"  Ranma turned haunted eyes to his fiancee.
"D'you think that I *want* to die?  This is the hardest part of this whole
mess.  I can't really believe it will come to that.  The person that has
visited the Tendous has been so kind and caring.  But at the same time, she
has a peculiar sense of propriety.  I just don't know what she'll do for
sure!"

Work out some kind of compromise, if she's the one from the manga...

Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  Actually, the Anime Nodoka seems 'softer'... the
manga Nodoka seemed hell bent to use that damned katana...

Looking down at herself Ranma-chan sighed.  This was not the way she had
planned this, but fate apparently had other ideas.  In the long run it

Go back at get the hot water, you ninny!  5 minutes!

Heh.  Not nearly so dramatic that way.  But it WOULD have been smarter.  maybe.

"They've been looking for you everywhere.  She said that you'd had a
fight..."

and she wanted to marry you after all!

She said no such thing.  ;p

Ukyou and Ranma-chan exchanged glances.  "Yes ma'am.  It would be safe to
say that I know him..."

But not as well as the author seems to think....

<<shrug>> The author, of course, disagrees. ^_^

"But Ranko-chan!  I must let them know that you are all right - you
wouldn't want them to keep worrying, would you?"

Yes.

Well, for a little bit anyway...

Nodoka turned back toward Ranma-chan, an expression of surprise on her
face.  "Why... yes, that's right.  But... how could you know...?"

She's been here before, remember?  During the Kumon Ryuu affair.

No... actually, Zen did not remember.  Drattit.  Oh, well.  Minor point.
*sigh*

She took a deep breath.  "The second possibility is that you will hear what
I have to say, and you will reject it... and me.  I will leave this here.
I will renounce my family, and I will never darken your door again."  Her

Don't do that, Ranma....

ooops.

voice was starting to shake a bit as she concluded.  "The third is that
when you hear my story, you will find my dishonour to be too great, and I
will have to use this..."

uhoh...

nod nod.

For the second time that afternoon, Nodoka fainted.

*** x_X ***

Like this change...

<<grin>> Thanks.

"But honour demands..."

"Demands nothing of the sort," said Nodoka firmly.

Then why did you always whip your sword out towards *Ranma*?
	And Ranma, explain curse first, *then* demonstrate, baka!

Yes, well, it worked this way the LAST time... ^_^;;

Very carefully built up set of misunderstandings here.

"...and then we'll all come back here and live together like a family
should.  It is my fault - I never should have let your father take you away
as I did..."

true...

AbsoLUTEly no argument there.  None at ALL.  LESS than none.

"Of course we're going back!  We must collect your father, and you must set
things right with your fiancee..."

Explain the fiancee mess *before* rejecting, baka!

Ara... well...  sorta...  *sigh*  ^_-

found out that I really *was* a boy, she was ... upset.  I don't think that
she's ever forgiven me for it."

Only in this story...

Actually, the argument can be made for the duration of the manga.  That
initial perceived 'betrayal' is at the very ROOT of the conflict between
Ranma and Akane.

Ranma sighed.  "Since then it's been a constant battle.  It seems that all
I can do is make her angry, and I don't want to do that anymore."

memory loss again...

Nope.  Self pity.

voice.  "I wish it were really that easy, but it's not.  Besides that,
there are other... complications."

Should of mentioned this better...

Yes.  He should.

is quite out of the question.  You are honour bound to marry a Tendou.  If
you and Akane cannot get along, Tendou-san has two other daughters.  You
will simply have to marry one of them."

explain the mess before rejecting the daughters, baka....

ooops again...

"Demands that I destroy the happiness of someone that I care about?  Of
someone who was kind to me?  Does honour demand that I bring her pain and
loneliness as a reward for her kindness?  Is THAT what you are telling me?"

yup.

Ayup.  So it is.  Poor Kasumi.

"Let's see," Ranma started counting off on his fingers, "There's Akane, and
there was Kaori, and then there's you, and there was that Mano girl..."

Actually, in that fic, it was Nodoka that did it...

Hey, that's true... Zen had forgotten about that fic... Zen just included
her 'cause he likes the anime.  ^_^

"Yeah, that's the one all right... she *was* weird.  Lessee, after Yohko,
there was Tomoko, and finally Biiko.  Nope.  That's just six."

Tomoko?

Tomoko Saeki - from DNA^2... The character design is a dead ringer for
Zen's first wife.  Really scary.

"You're forgetting, Ran-chan, there was that ditzy blonde girl with the
buns and the really long pigtails."

I don't buy this one at all.  Neither Kenji nor Ikuko seems the type to
make an arrangement like that, nor to have something Genma wanted that
badly.  Now, Queen Serenity, maybe, but that engagement would then date
back to the Silver Millenium, making it first in line...
	(there's a fanfic Idea there...)

<<giggle>> There might be at that. ^_-

"Seven!" said Nodoka again.  "Your father has engaged you to *seven* girls?"

	Actually I think I've finally figured out what's been squicking
me about this story, ever since Biiko showed up.  The boatload of
fiancees is funny, and it makes it easy to write off Genma's intentions
and the family honor questions, *but* it's a distortion of Genma's
character to make him even more slimy/stupid than the one in the manga.
	Which kind of destroys the underlying plausibility of the story
for me.  As I understood it, this story was supposed to be using canon,
except for the last few volumes.  But with this and the "Saint Ukyou"
who's been appearing so far, I'd say it's more like one of those
Weisenberger-era Superman "Imaginary Stories" where there'd be a
clear-cut change to the background, then the writer would paint himself
into a corner, and *poof* "Oh, by the way, Kryptonite works differently
in this story for no other reason than plot convenience."
	In other words, the canon is omitted or ignored wherever it's
inconvenient to the premise, most notably in these two characterizations,
and in the treatment of Ranma's past relationships with Akane and Ukyou.

Hmmm.... Zen would have to argue that... the canon may be interpreted
differently, and Zen freely admits that he uses anime references as
canon... but they ARE after all... Genma IS a louse, and a stupid one.
Anything for GENMA, family pride and honor be damned.  It's just a shield
he hides behind.  There is little more there.  Is why Zen *hates* Genma so.
Souun is, at least, better about that.  A LOT better, really.  He at least,
admits that he's spineless, and regrets it.

The stream of fiancees is anime canon, and is implied fairly well, so that
ought to work okay.  And Ukyou has not been a saint... She just hasn't had
a chance to really fuck up yet.  There are seeds of discord, though they
will be overcome.  After all, whe laughed at Akane, and she tried to talk
Ranma OUT of seeing his mom.  She really isn't perfect.

"Well, you see, when Kuonji-san arranged with Pop to engage me to Ukyou, he
put up his yattai as a dowry.  Pop took it, and me, but he abandoned Ukyou
here."

Oh, ye of little memory...You, Ranma, claimed the Tendou dowry *before*
an engagement to Ukyou was even *discussed*!  And considering your
physical abuse of said dowry, your abandonment of its other heir and
despoilage of its future potential, I'd say you've equalled the value of
the yatai several times over...

At six, Ranma would have little or no understanding of such things... just
what his father had chosen to tell him... Which was not enough.  Secondly,
he paid for a lot of things, through the nose, to Nabiki... you're going to
find precious little sympathy for the Tendous here in that regard...
though, the Tendous would have damned good claims agains Shampoo and
Ko-chan, and the others.

"No."  A pause.  "He did once, I think.  But not anymore."

umm....

Yes?  <<innocent look>>  (Not buying, eh?)

"Akane, on the other hand, was always angry.  Ranma gave her an easy target

Only when you were around...

Actually, no.  When just about ANYONE else was around.  Mostly 'Poo.

"Ran-chan and I talked a lot when he was upset."  Ukyou shrugged.

Not supported in the manga.

Not contraindicated either.  And it IS suggested that Ranma spends a lot of
time in the Ucchan... Zen suspects that he'd talk between bouts of scarfing
free Okonomiyaki.

*** z_z ***

cute...

Gomen nasai!

judgment.  More is at stake here than just your future, you know.  You
carry on your shoulders the future of the school - the future of the Art!
That is not a responsibility that you can discard lightly!"

nope.

True.

neither can I condemn it.  It saddens me that you and Akane-chan could not
work out your differences.  I cannot help but feel it might have been
otherwise had you really tried."

could be...

Not in a Zenfic. ^_-

"Did it never occur to you that she might not have meant it that way?  That
it might just have been her anger speaking?  That, perhaps, she would have
spoken more kindly after having a chance for that anger to pass?"

"It did.  But it was taking longer and longer for that to happen.  With

Not in the manga.

Iffy argument at best... she was still hyper reacting up through volume 30
which is close tot he point of divergence for this story.  That's a heck of
a precedent.

"Why not?  WHY?!"

"Because I don't love her, Mother.  And she doesn't want me.  She never
has."

lie.

No.  Misjudgement.

Nodoka tried another tack.  "You said that Ukyou was your friend!  Your
childhood friend!  Surely she can be made to understand why she must
relinquish her claim!  If she loves you; if she is really your friend, then
she will do it."

It;'s a possibility...

Nope.  She is NOT "Saint Ukyou"... she WILL fight for him.

"You make her sound like some sort of saint," said Nodoka bitterly.

well, she certainly acts like it in this story...

No, you're just upset 'cause she got Ranma.  ^_^

Nodoka gave full vent to her pain, lashing out at her son as thirteen years
of bitter loneliness burst forth.  "Then go!  Just GO!  Leave me!  If you
won't do what you know is right, then it is up to me to think of a way to
restore our family's honour!"

uhoh.

Ayup.  Poor word choice.

It was all Ranma could do to keep his voice from breaking as he told her,
"I...  I understand."

No you don't!  You're making the same mistake again!

With good reason, though. ^_^;;

The first was a note - the handwriting was Ranma's, though how she knew
that she couldn't say.  It was short, just two lines long, asking for her

The incredibly bad kanji.

Yes, but does Nodoka know that?

She looked back at the note, now crumpled in her fist.  It hadn't been
written to 'Mother' but to 'Saotome-san'.  "...I will renounce my
family..."  Saotome Nodoka sank to her knees with an anguished sob as she
realised that Ranma... that her son... was gone.

	Umm, no.  You do *not* have to accept this unilateral decision.
You may have said "go", but you didn't say "forever."

Oh, very true!  And she will NOT accept it so easily.  But that's for
another episode! ^_^

Favouring the pair with a heated glare, Happousai tapped his pipe into the
palm of his hand menacingly.  "I get back, and where is my star pupil?
She... I mean he, has run off, with that cute okonomiyaki cook no less.
THEN I find that dear sweet Akane has taken off in pursuit, with no one to
defend her.

You don't know Eiko too well, do you?

He doesn't know Eiko at ALL.  YET.  ^_-

 The Chinese cutey's gone after him as well, AND the crazy one
with the flower fetish.  DON'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" he roared.

Nope.  They're really stupid.  Even more so than in the manga.

Nope.  Not so.  It'd be hard to be stupider than they are in the manga, or
the anime.

"They're all GONE!  All the pretty ladies!  And, it's YOUR fault!  Just
what is it that you plan to do about this mess, eh?  How do you plan to
atone for this?!"

They don't.  That's Nodoka's department.

Heh.

"Who cares?" stormed the pervert.  "You two are a disgrace, d'you know
that?

Yup.

<<grin>>

 What is to become of the school if *you* are the best that it can
produce?  You've let the future of the Art slip through your fingers!  And
you let him run off with a weapons user by all the gods!  What were you
*thinking*!"

They weren't.  We've already established that.

Yes, but Happi has to rant. ^_^

A strained silence of a sort descended on the Tendou living room, broken
only by Soun's bawling and gnashing of teeth.  In the background, a phone
rang.  This was ridiculous, thought Genma.  How had all of this happened?
What had he done to deserve such misfortune?  He shook his head.  Life on

You really want a list?

Heh.

the road with the master was a harsh life indeed, given the Master's...
appetites.  What were he and Tendou going to do?

I'd recommend strychnine.

Cyanide.  Or maybe Iocaine powder. ^_-

"You have a plan, Saotome-kun?"

"You heard the Master.  Let's get packed.  NOW."

tch.

You expected him to stick around? ^_-

Ukyou was a bit startled when the figure she was holding stiffened and
pulled away from her.  "No, it is NOT okay..." Ranma-chan said with a
snarl, "Guys do not cry, dammit!  Guys do NOT cry!"

You've cried as a guy before...

Mayhaps.  But admitting it?  No.

Ukyou stepped back, a pained look in her eyes.  "And you think that means
that I can't understand?  Should I stop *trying* to understand just because
my scars are different from yours?"  She turned away and closed her eyes,
not even trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.  "Do you really believe
that I'll think any less of you because you can cry?"

Yes, Saint Ukyou, i do.

Nyaaaahhh. ;p~~~~~~

Making her way to the other bed, Ukyou fell wearily into it.  It had been
such a very long day.  She turned out the light and lay for a time, staring
up into the darkness, thinking.  The worst was over, at least she hoped

no, the worst is yet to come...

Oh?  How so?  Though, there are rough roads ahead. ^_^

Ukyou sighed.  "Oh, Ranma... you know better than that.  You did the right
thing.  It may not feel like it right now, but you know that you did."

Part one, yes.  Part two, no.

Heh.

"Yeah, I do.  But I also know that it's not like you to spend so much time
feeling sorry for yourself.  What is it that you're always telling me?  'A
Saotome never *ever* quits?'"

The red-head heaved a deep sigh.  "But I'm not a Saotome anymore, am I?"

well, that's debateable.  Quitting your clan is a bit tricky...and it
doesn't erase any of the dishonor you've caused them or the Tendos.

True.  But that's for further episodes too.

	A marriage to Ukyou now would be purely out of spite...

Zen disagrees. (natch)

	And since the Ukyou thing *was* your father's thing, the
engagement that now takes precedence is the one that does not rely on
your family name, and that you acquired all on your own.  Shampoo.

An interesting hypothesis... might have to try that argument.

Ranma-chan looked at her fiance� in surprise.  Noting her expression, Ukyou
grinned sheepishly.  "It's from 'Romeo and Juliet'... for some reason, I've
always liked that play."

"I knew that!  I was in the play, remember?"

Actually, Ranma prolly remembers very little about the PLAY... ^_-

It took a minute for Ukyou to make the connection, and she giggled.
"Gomen, Ran-chan, Gomen!  It's just that I never wanted you for your name."

I wanted you for my rich fantasy life!

That too. ^_^;;

Ukyou studied the map again and considered.  Ranma just might be right.
She grinned at the thought.  It was certainly as good an idea as any.
"You're on, Ran-chan.  Let's go!

	Actually, I would more expect Ukyou to make the decision, without
consulting Ranma at all.  Given her actions and thought balloons in the
manga, she seems the type to just assume Ranma will be pleased with any
decision she makes.  Heck, I bet she's already picked out the children's
names.

Maybe she has. ;p

	A note:  Given Ranma's new problem-solving methods, if he remains
consistent, two or three months down the line, Ukyou will go into one of
her towering rages (which are a lot less predictable than Akane's, and
thus more dangerous to Ranma) and yell "I hate you!  Go away!  I never
want to see you again!"  Ranma will assume he's blown it with Ucchan too,
and bug out without checking back in an hour to make sure she really
meant it.

Maybe... maybe...  But you're not being fair to either of them.  Ukyou's
infrequent rages have, at least, valid foundations, more than Akane's do.
Akane is predictable because she ALWAYS gets mad.  As for Ranma's problem
solving methids... he's learning... but what do you THINK his father taught
him all those years?  Ranma has a lot of inertia to overcome. ^_^

*** O_O *** > > END EPISODE TWO > > *** O_O ***

Author's Notes:

If you've gotten this far, Zen thanks you for taking the time to read this!
It is Zen's hope that episode three will be out a LOT faster than episode
two was.  Zen has no plans for any more dark epics along the lines of
"Bitter End", so they should not get in the way.

okay....

Hmph.  Zen would have thought that you'd be relieved. ^_-

What's in the future for Ranma and Ukyou?  Well, things will go wrong as
they always do... but you can be sure that these two will come out on top,
and that they will continue to grow close as their relationship develops.
Zen hopes to make upcoming episodes a little less angsty, and a lot more
warm and fuzzy.  At least for *some* of the characters.

hmm...

A number of people have started following after them - and you'll be seeing
more of them from time to time as they complicate things for the happy
couple in future episodes.

Happy couple?  Ha!  Their one chance of making a success of the marriage
was some corrective work by Nodoka...

Naaah.

Thanks, also, to Scott Jamison, for numerous discussions of how Ranma nad
Nodoka might deal with matters... Large parts of the direction that this
scene took are His Fault. ^_^

As I recall, I thought, based on the manga, Nodoka would be a bit more
amenable to compromise...provided Ranma was amenable to doing his share
of the work...

Well, yes, and no.  A lot of that was based on the discussions... not all
of it was taken from them directly.  You brought up a lot of valuable
points.  So a lot of it IS your fault. ^_^

	Good writing, for the most part, dubious characterization for
some.

Gomen ne... ^_^;;

SKJAM!

Thanks for the comments, Scott.  Zen really appreciates your taking the time.

Zen hopes that the next story will not make you want to throw things, but,
it really DOES have a saintly Ukyou in it.  ^_^;;


Zen no Itan-sha
Apprentice to the Angels of the Apocalypse