Ranma 1 /2 :: "With a Twist of Lemon"
      A Lemonish Romance by Yoru-Hikage
   Compiled 4-1-1998
 FFML Version (70-75 space avg. text wrap)
	Welcome! Believe it or not, this actually started with a fanfic written
as a joke by myself (it became "Luncheon Special", which became Chapter
1) and grew into a full-blown fanfic. Before I get into anything else,
I have to put out some legal jargon and whatnot:
******
Standard Legal Jargon and Disclaimer:
Ranma 1/2 and all affiliated intellectual concepts, characters, plots,
subplots, settings, locations, merchandise, etc. are property of Rumiko
Takahashi, Viz Communications, Shokakugun, Kitty, et alii.
The characters from Ranma 1/2 are used, most likely without permission,
or license from the copyright/trademark holders.
Get the idea? And don't bother suing, I couldn't pay you anyway.
The author is not responsible for insomnia or other disorders caused by
reading the following text.
If this, or any other fanfiction offends you, you should lighten up.
Notice: All Anime Characters within have consented to Lemon Scenes willingly.
No body doubles have been used.
The FDA has certified this as 100% pure Prime Fanfiction, and contains
70% of the RDA for Citric Text.
******
	Alright, next order of business: If anyone is interested, Kyoko Takara
and I are writing sort of a fanficverse, in other words, the same timeframe,
with coinciding events, but from different characters' points of view.
We're looking for other authors to write up a POV for Shampoo or Akane,
once she finishes up her side of the ffverse, "Kyosei Kakeru Ni!". This
fic essentially is my side. Any takers? E-mail me at my Mindspring e-mail
address, yoru@mindspring.com and I'll let you know!
	Next, I guess I'll take the time to plug a helpful little utility created
for the purpose of text wrapping. We all hate going through the TXT files
generated by MS Word and Wordpad, since they don't wrap text at the end
of lines, right? This remedies it. Specify an input file and a column
number to wrap at, and TXT WRAP does all the work! It's THAT easy! You
want a copy? E-mail me, and I'll be happy to send it to you. Perhaps sometime,
I'll set up a webpage for it.
	LEMON NOTICE: Yes, there are lemon scenes in this fanfic! If you don't
know what that means, don't read any further. If you don't wish to read
about adult and/or sexual situations between consenting (sort of) Anime
characters, then don't read any further. You have been warned.

Well, it guess that's all I can say for now...

Hold your eyes, folks! It's SHOWTIME!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 1
"One Luncheon Special"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ranma slumped through the door of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. It had been a
looooooooooooooong morning for Nerima's premier teenage martial artist.
After an insult during breakfast, Akane had tipped a container of KY jelly
into his rice bowl, rendering that inedible, on the way to school, the
street-cleaning woman had again caught him/her off-guard, which meant
a quick stop at Dr. Tofu's. For some reason, the Doc seemed quite a bit
more alert and attentive to her this morning, and had insisted that Ranma
strip naked to change back, "so that cute outfit won't be ruined." Reaching
the gates, he found Kuno blocking his way... with a long, pink sword made
out of balloons. Kodachi had shown up, dressed in a "stripped-down" version
of her usual gymnastics leotard, and kept slicing hearts into trees with
her ribbon. During class, Miss Hinako maintained her adult form the entire
time, and Ranma kept noticing her taking little stares at Ranma whenever
he looked away. In fact, every single female in his class, including Akane,
turned and eyed him each time he answered a question. Even the normally
sedate Yuka and Miyo "accidentally" rubbed up against him on the way to
the Physical Education fields. All the guys seemed distracted all day,
too. Every once in a while he'd see them peeking into the middle of large
sheaves of paper, or sneaking a quick look at the inside of their lockers,
or darting their heads into their backpacks for a split second. Occasionally,
he'd catch an upperclassman majoring in English leafing through a magazine.
He squinted at the odd characters on the front, but could only make out
a "Vi" before the guy would notice Ranma staring and quickly pack the
magazine away. He also caught several girls in his class peeking into
a similar magazine, but he could only make out "C...K.. something from
the distance. Even more oddly, Akane, Shampoo, AND Kasumi had hand-delivered
boxed snacks during a break that morning, each one of them eyeing him
up and down the whole time. He couldn't quite piece together what was
going on. It was like everyone was possessed or something. 
	He sat down on a stool and waited for his longtime friend to come out
of the backroom and prepare them a lunch. He glanced up at the calendar
and ran his finger down to "today", Monday the 21st. He paled as the whole
thing snapped into his mind. Running to the maildrop just off to the side
of the restaurant door, he pulled in a small pile of mail, dropped it
on a table, and dashed across the street, "borrowing" the mail from a
neighboring shop. Sifting through the borrowed stack, he took note of
all the catalogues he passed by, and them returned the small pile of mail.
He sifted through Ukyo's mail quickly and what he found confirmed what
had happened. He recalled that the 21st of each month was when the American
fashion catalogues from two very risque fashion lines arrived: The famed
Victoria's Secret catalogue for the guys, and the Calvin Klein catalogue
for the gals. He forgot to notice that the CK rag was missing from Ukyo's
stack of mail... He quickly glanced around and pulled out Ukyo's copy
of the new Victoria's Secret catalogue, and "lightly perused" its contents.
Several minutes passed, yet he wasn't concerned, mainly since he didn't
notice time passing as he flipped through the pages. Meanwhile, his brain
was finally and busily compiling everything that had happened in the last
several hours. He also didn't notice faint rustling noises coming from
the back room, and the sound of wood against wood didn't particularly
interest him either.
	After about 10 minutes, he finished with the section of the catalogue
he (and several million other men) was interested in, and deftly placed
it back in the pile. Looking around, he noticed, finally, that it was
taking Ukyo an unusually long time to get ready to cook. After a few more
minutes with only minor rustling sounds from the back room, he called
back, "Hey, Ucchan, you okay in there?"
	"I'm fine, Ranma, honey! Be out in a minute! I've got a _very_ special
lunch today, one just for *you*.." came her reply. Presently, she stepped
under the high curtains that divide the main room from the back room.
Ranma was lucky the lamp was off; the stream of drool he emitted fell
right on the cord. Just as he realized how embarrassing his display was,
he wiped his chin and took another look at his friend. "And fiancee",
he mentally reminded himself. He took a long look, head to toe, and tried
to contain his burgeoning salivary production.
	Ukyo had obviously been working with her hair, which almost glowed in
the midday light, with a large white bow tied in it's usual place on her
pony tail. No makeup, as usual, but her face was a sweet as ever, eyes
sparkling like the stars on a clear late-winter's night. Her large battle
spatula was leaned up against an adjoining wall, and she wore a tight
tee-shirt, under a light blue collared long-sleeve dress shirt, buttoned
up to the top of her stomach, and again at the collar, with the midriff
area left unbuttoned, which created an effect that enhanced the appearance
of her... assets. Further down, she wore a tight pair of navy blue slacks,
which clung tightly to her hips, yet flew loosely about her ankles. And,
as was tradition, she was barefoot.
	Thoughts flooded Ranma's mind, ranging from PG to X x 10  to the 23rd
power. He did his best to clear his mind, but the entire morning's subtle
hints rapidly hit him just as Ukyo smiled at him and slid behind the counter.
He felt a sudden stirring in his pants, and scooted up onto a stool where
the bulge would not be visible to his friend. He really didn't want her
getting any ideas.. Then he remembered the missing CK catalogue. Exactly
at that moment, Ukyo spoke up, in a subtly seductive tone, "One Luncheon
Special, to Stay." She winked at him. "Right, sugar?" She whipped out
a small spatula, cooked one regular okonomiyaki, quickly dashed off a
message in sauce, and flipped it onto his plate. In the meantime, Ranma
breathed heavily, slowly, and in as a controlled manner as possible, quite
the contrary to his racing heart.
	"I've got to get something from the back room, Ranma honey.. Be right
back.. Enjoy your appetizer." Ukyo purred as she slipped back off into
the back room. Ranma's eyes just followed his friend until she disappeared
from sight. He turned back toward the cooling okonomiyaki like a small
dog after walking through a cloud of concentrated tranquilizers. He picked
up a pair of chopsticks and was about to dig in when he noticed that the
sauce formed a message.. He stared down at the rapid script in front of
him. "If you like this, I've got something tastier ready for you. It's
upstairs. Go get it." He gobbled down what was undoubtedly the best
okonomiyaki
he had ever had, but that could've been the hormones thinking. He didn't
really care at that point. Not thinking about which room was right up
the stairs, he quickly climbed them and burst right into Ucchan's bedroom.
	Looking around, it again, just hit him where he was: a girl's bedroom,
which had been recently decorated, he judged. He _knew_ Ucchan did not
have a thing for red hearts, pink drapes, and plastering pictures over
her bed. He crept closer, and saw that they were pictures of.. HIM! And
Ryoga! There were even a few of Mousse's shots in there. He then noticed
that 3/4 of the pictures involved him, Ryoga, or Mousse with no shirts...
Oh boy.. He then remembered the feast she'd promised him on the okonomiyaki,
and glanced around again. There was a plate on a table in the far corner,
which he walked over to and looked down upon. On the cookie, sure enough,
was more writing, in chocolate this time. It read, "Think this cookie
is a sweet find? Look under the covers." He munched absentmindedly on
the cookie as he plodded back over to her bed.
Because of the crunchiness of the cookie, and the semi-aroused haze in
his brain, he didn't hear Ukyo sneak into the room and hide behind the
door. She watched him polish off the cookie and climb into her bed, pull
back the covers, then notice that the covers were heavier than usual,
then realize that the covers were made of okonomiyaki. She watched him
get out of the bed, flip over the covers and start reading the message
she had left for him. Slowly, she closed the door and, just as she would
close the door flush with the frame, she gave it a shove, snapping Ranma
out of his daze, and causing him to look up at her. He collapsed back
onto the bed, with one large object sticking straight up in the air. She
looked at herself in the mirror. "Odd," she thought, "All I did was modify
the dress I got from Togenkyo Island." She posed in front of the mirror.
"Still, not bad looking." she mused. What had once been a very deep cut
one-piece was now nearing the bikini category. She had extended the cut
down the middle of the dress, ending in a heart over her taut stomach.
 She had cut away the sides, so little strips of fabric remained in the
front, and a thin fabric expanse covered her back. "Mmm.. this is going
to be good." she chuckled to herself as she pranced over to where Ranma
lay on the bed, and plopped down beside him, pressing her breasts onto
the side of his chest. She purred to him, "Mm.. It's so good to have you
over for lunch today, Ranma honey.. It'll be a meal you'll never ever
forget.."
	Ranma slowly recovered from a snap-flood of arousal.. "Woww.." he mumbled
as he lay on Ukyo's bed.. He had not imagined that what his lovely friend
had hid under male clothing for so long was.. soo... sooooo.. kawaii..
(OVA/2nd + 3rd movie events notwithstanding, since he'd noticed that everyone
had been.. augmented.) When he felt her soft flesh pressing into his side,
trained by many pen-hours of Lemon experience, put and arm around her,
and pulled Ucchan into a long, deep kiss. Their lips flowed unto each
other, parting, letting their tongues dance the Oral Lover's Waltz.. When
the kiss broke, he put his head on her shoulder and hugged her closely,
pressing his body into hers, hers into his, forming into one mass of amorous
energy.
	She pulled slightly out of his tight embrace, looking into his eyes,
they locked gazes, staring deep into each other's minds, souls, essences.
Again, the magic kiss, bridging the gap between the two, sharing something
they never dared to show the outside world before; their true and uninhibited
feelings. Ranma slowly worked his hand down her back, unbuttoning her
dress; and her plucking at the ties on his shirt; the two shucking away
tops, enjoying the warmth, the tenderness of each other's body. Ukyo squeezed
herself into his firm, muscled chest, pressing her soft breasts into it,
enjoying the faintly musky scent of her childhood friend, her love, her
purpose. Ranma gathered the softness of his one true friend into his arms,
feeling the firmness that years of grueling training had given her back,
her arms, her shoulders. He reveled in the closeness, the sweet aroma
that fueled his desires. Sliding down in the bed, he buried his face in
her copious cleavage, surrounding himself in a blanket of pleasure. She
kissed his head, and reached down to undo the belt on his waist, and tossed
his pants lightly across the room. She wriggled her way down his head,
kissing all the way, until she positioned herself in perfect alignment.
No words were needed; they acted as one, Ranma offering her the whole
of his manliness, and Ukyo drinking in his spear. They worked the union,
shooting waves of ecstasy through each other's bodies, receiving the same,
repeating the cycle, until the passion built to a head. Simultaneously,
they joined another for the first time, and with that joint, formed a
new string in their friendship. For a few minutes, they lay side-by-side,
tired, but still enshrouded in each other's love. The minutes melted away,
with the two best friends returned to that bridge over and over and over
that day. After what seemed like eternal passion, Ukyo stopped Ranma from
proceeding. She smiled down at him, his mouth working at her breast, and
spoke softly, "Ranma.. we have class soon.. Did you enjoy your lunch?"
	Ranma continued to lick the valley between her breasts, his tongue not
wanting to return to the cage of his mouth. He murmured in acknowledgement,
and tore himself away. He panted from exertion, a thin sheen of sweat
covering his body. He drank in the image of his lovely partner again,
then dragged himself to the bathroom, fully knowing that Miss Hinako would
rend him limb-from-limb if he was late. He quickly washed off the fruits
of the hour's exertions, and heard the shuffle of the paper screen. Ukyo,
still naked and moist, stepped into the shower, grinned deeply, and kissed
him lightly on the cheek. He watched, enraptured, as she lathered her
arms and back, then caught him staring out of the corner of her eyes.
Slowly, she rubbed the soap and washcloth over her breasts, teasing him
with little moans of pleasure, then rinsed off with a quick splash of
hot water. She stepped out, smiling like a cat, then thrust a hand back
into the shower, motioning for him to follow.
	"You're going to be late, silly." she giggled. "Come on. Don't be shy
now." She dried off quickly with a towel, donned her usual boys' school
uniform, sans bindings, however. She left the room to actually eat some
lunch, leaving a still-stunned Ranma in her wake.
	He shook his head. "Got to stop doing that.. There's nothing I haven't
seen, felt, licked, rubbed, pressed, squeezed, caroused, groped, brushed,
or stroked in that little display.. Get ahold of yourself man!" he scolded
at himself. He quickly rinsed the last of the suds from his body, toweled
off, and went out to look for his pants.
	Several minutes later, he bounded down the stairs, refreshed, and noticed
the little pile of okonomiyaki Ukyo had laid out. Ucchan herself was eating
while sitting on one of the stools at the bar, and he joined her, starting
into some real food. They quickly finished and looked up at the clock.
	"We've got 15 minutes to get back to Furinkan... How long's the walk?"
quipped Ranma, who stood, stretched, and leaned on a nearby table.
	Ukyo responded, "3 minutes if we run. 7 if we walk. 12 if we take the..",
her eyes twinkled, "Scenic route through the park. The sakura blossoms
are real nice this time of year..."
	Ranma smiled, makes sense.. Cherry-Blossom Park was on the way, and THE
place to go for young lovers.. He nodded and offered his arm. "Shall we?"
	"We shall." Ukyo smiled, and took his arm with her elbow. They walked
out the door, locked it behind them, and headed off to Cherry-Blossom
Park. Ukyo leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's all been so nice, Ranchan.."
she thought. "I hope this lasts forever."
	He smiled, his best friend on his arm, he walked proudly through the
streets of Nerima, all other thoughts but her, and traffic, purged from
his mind. He heard her sigh and lean her head on his shoulder. He rested
his head on top of hers and silently wished that this fuzzy, warm feeling
would last forever.
	As they neared the end of Cherry-Blossom Park, Furinkan came into view
over the next rise. Ranma squinted into the distance, and paled. "No!
If Akane, Shampoo, or Kodachi ever hear about this.. God, poor Ucchan,
what have I done to you!" he thought to himself, for in the distance were
Nabiki (with some sort of black box in her hands), Akane, Shampoo, and
Kodachi, all apparently looking for him. Worse yet, Akane was a visible
shade of red darker than normal, and just what the *hell* was Nabiki pointing
that black thing with.. a .. lens.. at them for.. Oh no.. Telephoto Lens...
Nabiki.. Camera.. He panicked.
	Ukyo didn't notice the impending fury-doom on the horizon, but looked
up when Ranma suddenly shivered. "Is something wrong, Ranchan? What's
wrong? Is it me?" she asked.
	"Um. I. think-k you s-should l-l-let g-go soon, Ucchan, we're getting
near Furinkan.. And Akane's already kinda mad.. And Nabiki's got a camera..
And Shampoo's there, and so is Kodachi.. Um.. you DO realize that they'll
be furious when they hear.." he stammered.
	"Why tell them?" Ukyo grinned. "This can be our little secret.. Just
sneak over whenever you want.. For whatever you want.." She smiled at
the thought.. What fun.. Ranma all to myself, and they won't have a clue...
	"B-but.. I think.. I mean.. I don't think that we can keep this to ourselves
forever.." he offered, quivering.
	"What? Did you want someone else to join in?" Ukyo joked, "Seriously,
yes.. We will need to tell them.. Preferably right before either I or
we run away.."
	Ranma pondered that for a minute. "Running away with Ucchan.. Hmm.. That
would be _so_ much fun, for a little while.. But.. I can't just destroy
my family's lives, the Tendo's lives... God knows what Shampoo would do..
And we'd be hunted down.. No.. Not possible." he reasoned.
	They were rapidly approaching the point of no return.. They'd be spotted
soon, he knew it. He unhooked his arm from Ukyo's, his heart sinking at
the sigh of disappointment he heard, then he felt a tap on his shoulder.
He looked down into Ukyo's eyes, starry and shining, drawing their souls
together, and they kissed once more. He felt a rush of air from his side
and Ucchan was no longer walking next to him, but on top of the roof.
"Can't be seen returning together then, right?" she called, then dashed
off across the rooftops, toward Furinkan High.
	Ranma sighed and smiled. They'd work it out. Something would have to
work out. He'd make it work out. Ranma Saotome always triumphs! He put
on as straight a face as he could as he walked through the school courtyard
with several girls, and a smirking Nabiki, trailing behind him, demanding
to know where he'd been, what'd he'd been doing when he _knew_ they'd
prepared a *delicious* lunch this time.. He brushed them off and began
to hike up the stairs to his class. Just as he approached Miss Hinako's
classroom, he drew near Ukyo in the hall. The two waved at each other
and exchanged winks... Then entered the classroom.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 2
"Just Desserts"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo happily skipped her way back towards her restaurant, still giddy
from her especially enjoyable "lunch". Whistling a cheerful tune, she
unlocked the door, and began to take the chairs down from the tops of
the tables. Time for work! 
	The sun sank slowly in the West, setting the sky ablaze with brilliant
oranges and reds, which brought an interesting mood into Ucchan's Okonomiyaki,
amplified by the unusual peppiness of the hostess and cook. As the dinner
crowd filed in, ordered, ate, paid, and filed out, Ukyo was walking around
in a little cloud as she filled the orders and served her patrons. She
couldn't get the passionate manner Ranma has shown to her this afternoon.
She knew he was a man of strong, if buried, feelings, but she hadn't imagined
he was capable of so.. so.. so much love! When she'd known him last, in
their childhood, he had been oblivious and superficial, thinking with
his stomach, and living out childish fantasies of fame and honor in battle.
When she returned, and subsequently rediscovered her hidden and repressed
love for him, he had changed, possibly because of the love being _pushed_
on him from every direction, she'd expected him to be the same, relying
on looks to love a woman. Especially from the way he treated poor Akane.
Then, when he finally opened up to her, the torrent of pent-up passion
had swept her away.
	The sun soon set, and the fluorescent lights flickered to life, bringing
Ukyo from her dreams and ushered her back to reality. As the stars winked
into life, so did the stars in her eyes, falling back into her memories,
barely noticing when Genma and Soun walked into her shop, taking seats
at the bar. Only after she had delivered her order to a customer at the
far end of the room, and Genma had called out "Excuse me miss, could we
order?" that she became fully aware of their presence.
	"Mr. Tendo! Mr. Saotome! What can I get you tonight?" she cheerfully
replied. "Perhaps a pork and potato okonomiyaki? That's our dinner special
tonight."
	"Oh, just two bottles of sake, a plain okonomiyaki.. That's good for
me. How about you, Tendo?" answered Genma, staring down at the griddle,
as if contemplating something.
	"Sounds good, Saotome. I'll have that also." said Soun, flatly. He also
began to stare at the spot on the griddle Genma was studying in great
detail.
	Ukyo got four sake bottles out from under to counter and poured two large
dollops of pre-prepared batter onto the griddle, then leaning over to
see what was so interesting about a spot on her griddle. Didn't look like
anything, just another spot on the griddle. Finally, she broke the silence.

	"What's the occasion," she asked, indicating the four bottles of sake.
"Or do you normally drink yourselves into a hole every night?"
	"It's nothing. Ranma was been acting so strange when he got home today,
even with the attention of every one of my daughters, he just could not
be brought out of some daydream. As far as I know, he just curled up on
his mat and has been dreaming there ever since." replied Soun.
	"He's been mumbling something odd, in his sleep. He keeps trying to form
a word.. I couldn't make it out without waking him. It almost sounds like
a sentence, repeated over and over." added Genma.
	"Well, what's he saying?" quipped Ukyo, puzzled. "Is he troubled by school
or something? He seemed fine when he came here for lunch.." Her eyes flared
and sparkled with the mention of lunch.
	"It almost sounds like someone's hitting him.. 'Ootch' or something..,
then some random syllables.. 'la' and the like." answered Soun. He pulled
the cork out of a bottle, and took a quick swig. "And Akane's cooking
dinner, so we had to get out somehow. Kasumi's still trying to snap him
out of it."
	"What about Nabiki?" Ukyo started, remembering the telephoto lens. "Where
is she tonight? I figure if Akane's cooking, and you're here.. Shouldn't
she be with you?"
	"She went off to the 10-minute photo developer's down the street on the
way here. She'll arrive any minute." replied Genma, as he yanked the cork
out of his bottle and took a drink. "Why do you ask?"
	"Um.. No reason." Ukyo finished, wanting to get her hands on those photos
for as little fiscal damage as possible. 
	Presently, a rather smug-looking Nabiki waltzed her way into Ucchan's
Okonomiyaki, taking a seat and waving Ukyo over.  As the hostess approached,
Nabiki pulled out a long manila envelope with a price tag attached, reading
"3600 Yen", and shoved it across the counter.
	Ukyo's eyes narrowed. "And how much to buy your silence?"
	Nabiki grinned widely. "Oh, so you know what these are of.." She undid
the metal clasps on the envelope and withdrew several color 8x10s of Ukyo
and Ranma, arms linked, then lips linked. Ukyo's hand came down on top
of them, then pointed over at the two drinking parents on the other end
of the bar. Nabiki looked down the bar, then turned back and winked. "Okay,"
she whispered. "For the photos, and my silence, 5600 yen. Cash only, please."
	Grumbling, Ukyo retrieved the cash from a cache below the cash register.
Counting out the bills, she handed them to Nabiki, who made a zipping
motion across her mouth, then slipped the photos into the envelope, and
handed them to Ukyo. Ukyo creased the photos roughly, then got a quick
idea. She glanced around at the few drunkards and workaholics left sitting
at the bar, then checked the clock on the wall. Almost 10 PM, no business
lost if I close early.. She made sure no one was looking, then shoved
the photos on top of a gas burner under the sake warmer. They rapidly
burst into small, but extremely smoky flames, causing *quite* a stir at
the bar.
	"Please people! Exit the restaurant! Just a minor grease fire!" shouted
Ukyo, over the clamor, while the crowd willingly obliged. Well, except
Soun and Genma of course, who were too drunk to notice anything less than
an atomic blast or Ranma's wedding announcements. Ukyo was just able to
shove them outside when someone pulled the fire call box, causing a troop
of fireman to arrive in two minutes flat. Ukyo explained about the little
"accident" and assured them there was no damage. As soon as they were
out of sight, she hurriedly finished scrubbing the char from the burner
and locked the shop. She headed straight for the Tendo dojo, with a little
bundle tucked under one arm, not noticing two severely drunken men in
the alley next to her store, chatting with randomly-picked cement chips.
	At the door, she was greeted by the ever-cheerful Kasumi, whom Ukyo asked
about Ranma's condition.
	"Oh, he's still napping, even though Akane's done her best to wake him
up for dinner." replied Kasumi. "If he doesn't get better overnight, I'll
be taking him to Doctor Tofu's tomorrow morning. Would you like to come
in for a cup of tea?"
	"Um, sure, thanks Kasumi.." Ukyo answered, a bit offed by the fact that
she couldn't go and see Ranma directly, without being either suspicious
or rude.
	Soon, Ukyo found herself kneeling in the sitting room, sipping some strong,
imported Russian tea, and feeling rather awkward around the elder girl,
especially since they had nothing to converse about. Fortunately for her,
Kasumi rose and put her cup in the kitchen. "Ukyo, do you have a place
to stay tonight, after that fire?"
	Thinking quickly, Ukyo smiled internally and replied, "Actually, no.
If it isn't too much of an inconvenience to you..."
	"Not at all! Any friend of Ranma's is a friend of ours." Kasumi padded
softly into an adjoining room and returned with a roll-out mat, a blanket,
and a pillow. "You do know the way to the dojo hall?"
	"Yes, thanks. Thanks for the offer Kasumi!" Ukyo cheerfully replied.
	"Well, I'll be going to bed now.. Please turn off the lights on your
way to bed." Kasumi waved as she headed up the stairs.
	Ukyo grinned to herself. She finished off her tea, then, just to make
sure, she flipped off the lights as she headed toward the training hall.
Upon reaching her destination, she unrolled the mat, flipped the blanket
over it, and laid the pillow down. She sat silently for several minutes,
staring into nothingness. Presently, she collected her thoughts, and the
bundle she had brought, and crept out of the hall, across the courtyard,
and into the main house.
	"Quiet feet, silent feet, ninja feet," she whispered to herself, then
thought, "Why in HELL am I doing Sasuke's bit?" She picked up the pace
a bit, making sure to step near the edges of the floor, so as to not let
a squeak out. Presently, she came to Ranma's room, slowly slid open the
screen-door, and stepped inside.
	Sure enough, Ranma was laying on his mat, apparently asleep, lips quivering.
As she got closer, she heard that he was speaking. Too low to make it
out, but it was some form of speech. She brushed her fingertips across
his face, but to no response. Ranma remained in repose. She spoke softly
to him, "Ranma.. wake up, Ranchan.." He stirred, turning toward the familiar
voice, but remaining in slumber.
	Ukyo, worried,  undid the wrapping around her bundle, and pulled an
okonomiyaki
delivery box from it. Unfastening the cardboard handles, she took the
still-warm pancake and waved it under Ranma's nose. His eyes shot wide
open, and his body stiffened bolt upright. "Ucch-MMPH!" he cried, just
as Ukyo's hand covered his mouth.
	She held a finger up to her lips, "Shh.. Don't wake the others Ranchan..
I brought you some dinner, after I heard Akane was cooking.."
	"Aw, gee, thanks Ucchan!" He smiled and accepted the food, polishing
it off in no time. "I was just having this wonderful dream about us.."
	Ukyo's heart swelled. Just maybe..
	"Hey, Ucchan.. Any after-dinner mint or anything?" Ranma asked, wiping
the last of the sauce from his face.
	"Mint? Why?" asked Ukyo, confused.
	"Because, I'm afraid I've got some really bad breath after that nap,
and I don't want to bother you when I kiss ya!" He grinned, then leaned
over and planted his lips on her cheek. "Listen, about this afternoon.."
	But Ukyo couldn't listen, for her heart was racing in her ears, eyes
flooded with love, she felt like she was floating, flying above the troubles
of the world, where only good existed. Her hands clasped together in front
of her, she could only see his mouth moving, yet no words could penetrate
the sudden joy whipped up by Hurricane Ukyo.
	When she finally drifted back to Earth, she caught the tail end of his
spiel, "-- so we gotta be more careful, Ucchan, 'cause if Nabiki gets
ahold of pictures of us together.. Well, there's no telling how much she's
gonna want for them."
	Ukyo giggled, "She came by the restaurant this evening with your pop.
I already got the photos." She quickly explained about the photos and
the gas burner, which led her to explain that she was staying the night,
thanks to Kasumi's generous offer.. Then she remembered, "Oh, here.. I
brought you a treat.."
	She unwrapped a small plate of cookies, chocolate-chip, naturally, and
handed it to him.
	"Great, thanks Ucchan!" He chewed on a cookie, finished it, and picked
up another one. After rapidly working through several of them, he mumbled,
mouth full of cookie, "Um.. Uccthan, do you haff anyfing wike thum milk?"
He swallowed convulsively. "Cookies always make me thirsty."
	Ukyo laughed softly. "Of course, silly.. I have a carton right here.."
she reached into the bundle and drew out a container of Whole Milk (with
vitamin D added, of course) then, puzzled, she shook it. "Uh oh.. Um.."
	"What? You mean you don't have milk?" inquired Ranma, starting for another
cookie.
	"Um, well.. Heh.. Must've used more of it than I thought.."
	Ranma nodded understandingly, then looked past her as he munched down
another cookie. As he finished, he smiled widely, then looked her up and
down. "Hey.. I think we do have some milk.."
	Ukyo, curious, replied, "Huh? What do you --" and was cut off as his
hands slowly undid the top button of her chef's uniform. "Ahh.." she grinned.
"Going to get your milk the old-fashioned way." She assisted him, and
they quickly tossed Ukyo's top across the room, rapidly followed by her
cloth bindings. Almost instantly, Ranma's mouth had clamped firmly onto
Ukyo's nipple, seeking the sustenance he knew was both there and not.
She felt the wave of ecstasy shoot through her body like electricity,
re-igniting the somewhat-dormant passions that had torn through the two,
just hours before.
	Slowly, he withdrew his mouth from her breast, smiling, and looked up
at his friend, eyes closed in happiness. He flicked a few cookie crumbs
off of her smooth, soft flesh, and her smile grew wider. She opened her
eyes, ablaze with passions, and reached for his shirt, slipping the fasteners
loose, and tossing it over her shoulder. The sudden motion caused her
chest to vibrate, Ranma's eyes locked, and he moved closer, hugging her
lithe form to his. He ran his hands through her silky, long hair, smoothing
it down her back. His lips parted, met her shoulder, and slowly jogged
their way down her chest. Ukyo let out a soft sigh in pleasure, returning
his kiss, slowly easing him onto his back, then rolling to his side.
	Ranma's hands crept toward her hips, then worked feverishly at the zipper,
finally removing her pants, tossing them toward the building pile of clothing
in the corner. He rubbed her hips, her waist, her legs, taking in her
tactility, experiencing his best friend for a second time.
	Ukyo was breathless, it was happening again, again, she was receiving
that which she had fought for, that which she so dearly wanted. Yet this
time, it was different. There was no blind passion, no pent-up lust, but
pure Ranma. This was him, truly. The roughness of his hands, yet the
sensuousness
of his touch filling her senses, she felt not just the lustful passions
of lunch, but a more mature, truly loving message toned in his ministrations..
Could it be? She would find out, in time, she decided. When he was ready,
this would be revealed in bare form. Until then, she would wait, and she
would return the pleasure he gave her. In this diligence, she knew that
there was the risk of bringing finality. Yet she pressed further, and
pressed her breast to his chest. Slowly, mechanically, her hands returned
to motion, and soon fluidly removed the few articles of clothing the remained.
	Ranma stirred as Ukyo's closeness permeated his consciousness, her aroma
the perfume inciting his passions, and he grew tough, ready for her. The
contact between their selves flowed through him, and he stared down through
her eyes, deep into her soul, and she looked back, gazing into the heavens
through his eyes. Once more, the melding kiss met, and they flowed together
again, feeling through the recesses of mind, through consciousness,
transcending
the physicality, creating that perfect union which only two lovers can
share and know. And when it broke, the link remained. A thread connecting
two friends in a new way, deeper and more personal than ever before.
	Ukyo smiled at him, at her true love, and watched his hand snake behind
her, grasping her back, slowly pressuring her hips to move, and she
understood.
"Ranchan.." she whispered, "Ranchan.. not here, not now.. We shouldn't
wake them.. Or our heads will be on pikes."
	Ranma nodded, releasing his grip, and rolled onto his back. "Yes, you're
right, Ucchan.. That kiss.. you're so amazing.."
	Ukyo nodded slowly in agreement, smiled at his compliment, then stood,
covered him with a blanket, and handed him his undershirt and shorts.
"Get some sleep Ranchan. There's a long day ahead of us." She donned her
shirt again, then her pants, gathered the remnants of dinner, and her
few other clothes. "I'll see you in the morning."
	Ranma sighed and smiled. "Sure thing, Ucchan." He curled up on his mat,
and, as he heard the screen shut, whispered. "Thinking of you.."
	Ukyo silently made her way back to the training hall, thinking about
the experience with Ranma, about the future, and soon, about sleep. She
undressed rapidly, slid under the blanket, and lay, thinking, on the mat.
Finally, she chuckled to herself.. "Ranchan, you really did get your just
desserts..." Sleep came swiftly.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 3
"Eggs, Sunny-Side Up"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo sat down to breakfast, or rather, kneeled down to breakfast, lightly
brushing her tee-shirt under her legs. Although it was too early for most
of the Tendo family to be up on a Saturday, Kasumi was up bright and early
to cook before everyone else awoke. Rubbing the towel over her still-wet
hair, she gladly accepted the bowl of rice and soup Kasumi had set before
her. Smiling brightly, and still not saying a word, Kasumi retreated back
to the kitchen, from which delicious smells crept into the dining room.
Ukyo wrapped the towel around her head, turban-style, and picked up the
pair of chopsticks already set on the table. As she lifted the bowl to
her mouth, a low, guttural groan could faintly be heard from the ceiling.
Ukyo looked straight up, and, as she expected, saw nothing but.. the Tendo's
ceiling.
	Dismissing it as the house settling, she took a mouthful of the delicious
soup, chewed, and again heard the groan, followed by a sharp squeak. Puzzled,
she set down the chopsticks and bowl, waiting for the sound to manifest
again. Sure enough, after a few minutes of silent waiting, another sound
issued forth from the ceiling. However, this time it was more of a
high-pitched
squeal than a groan, and Ukyo took to her feet, heading for the stairs.
As she ascended to the second floor, the sounds became more pronounced,
taking on a human quality, and, as she neared Ranma's door, she heard
heavy breathing and a rhythmic rocking noise, like a wheel turning one
way, then the other, over and over. Putting her ear to the door, she could
heard soft moans, kissing, and panting; her face flushed. What the hell
was going on? 
	Suddenly, there was no door, and Ukyo toppled crudely to the floor, and
lay in a heap. Opening her eyes, her vision blurred from the sudden fall,
she could make out three figures standing over her. She shook her head
to clear her vision, and, as her eyes opened again, her heart shriveled
into a solid lump of slag. Naked, and clinging to Ranma's arm was Shampoo,
while Akane was topless and had obviously been guarding the door. Ranma,
himself, was nude, with an arm around either girl and a condescending
smirk on his face.
	"Ranchan! But you.. We.. I thought.." Ukyo cried out, the tears coming
fast to her eyes. "Why? Why.. You said you loved me.."
	Ranma laughed, a crude, icy laugh. "Why would I ever need a girl who
dresses like a man? Akane is ten times the wife you ever would be! How
could you think I could ever really love you, when I have someone like
her?"
	Ukyo cringed, trying to hold back the salty water dribbling from her
eyes, to no avail. "But, in bed.. You.. Ranchan.. Please, no.."
	Again, that cold, chilling laugh. Pulling Shampoo tighter to his body,
he spat at her. "Shampoo is twice the woman you were in bed."
	Ukyo managed, somehow, to summon the strength to pull herself to her
knees, and reached an arm for his leg. "But, Ranchan.. Don't do this to
me.. I.. I thought you loved me.."
	Ranma's face grew dark, and he grimaced at her. "How could I ever love
you? How could I love a man?"
	His words slowly sunk into her. "But, Ranchan.. I'll stop binding my
breasts.. I can be as feminine as you want me.. Just please, don't leave
me.." she cried out, again the tears bursting onto her cheeks.
	He pointed at her. "You are no woman."
	Suddenly, she felt something within her stir, something evil, demonic.
She felt it creep outward, spreading over her like jelly over bread, and
she looked at her arm in horror. With her eyes, she saw her skin grow
tough and leathery, thick hairs sprouting from deep within it, her biceps
thickening, bulging under the skin. She felt the stirring in her legs,
and they, too, toughened, growing thicker, the skin rougher, and again,
the thick hairs sprouting along them. She felt her underwear grow tight,
as a new member grew to life within them, her hands confirming the existence
of manhood. She felt her face, the rigid hairs growing along her chin,
her lips, and her head dropped into her palms. Engulfed in terror, she
watched as her breasts stirred, then deflated, until nothing remained
of her chest but two pectorals. With the last vestiges of her woman-self
gone, Ukyo turned his head to the heavens and let out a low, deep howl
of agony..
	Ukyo sat bolt upright on her mat, covered in a thick, cold sweat. Her
mind returned to the Now, and her hands probed her body, making sure nothing
had changed. It had been a dream, all too realistic, all too terrifying
to think about. She wiped her brow, and stood up. It was still quite dark,
but there was a tinge of red on the eastern horizon, signaling the coming
Dawn. She decided to shower, to cleanse her body of the sweat borne in
terror, as well as to cleanse her mind of that horrible dream. Sliding
open the door of the Tendo household, and headed down the hallway towards
the bathroom.
	Sliding the screen door to the bath anteroom closed, she proceeded to
strip, tossing her undershirt and shorts into the clothes bin, and took
a washcloth from the shelf. She entered the bathing room, drew some cool
water, and rinsed off the now-drying sweat. Filling the bathtub with hot
water, she found the soap and lathered herself up, making sure to scrub
every bit of grit from herself.  As the tub finished filling, she again
rinsed with cold water, and slid in for a good, long soak to soothe her
body. She leaned back, letting herself relax in the wonderfully warm water,
the tension flowing out of her, and she shortly forgot about the mentally
disturbing dream accosting her just minutes before. She rapidly lost all
connection with the world, losing herself to fantasy. Soon, the comfort
of the water overtook her, and sleep descended.
	Over an hour later, Kasumi rose, and, although it would be another hour
later before anyone else awoke, she had her duties as woman of the household.
First things first, though, and she headed for the bathroom for her daily
wash. Not noticing Ukyo's clothing deep in the clothing basket, she removed
her nightgown, and picked a washcloth off the shelf, gathered her toilet
items, and slid open the screen door. To her surprise, she found Ukyo
asleep in the bathwater, a smile transfixed on her face.
	Ukyo stirred at the sound of the door, slowly opening her eyes, blinking,
and focussing her eyes on her new company. Before she could recognize
who it was, she mumbled warmly, "Ra.. Ranchan?"
	"Oh, good morning, Ukyo. Enjoying your bath?" answered Kasumi, cheerfully.
"No, Ranma will be awake later, should I send him in then?"
	Ukyo blushed deeply, realizing her mistake, and managed to put on a weak
smile as she climbed out of the now-cool bath. "Um.. No thanks, Kasumi..
I should be going, I don't want to impose on you any more.."
	Kasumi batted a hand, "Really, Ukyo, it's okay. We'd be glad to have
one of Ranma's friends for breakfast. Just let me clean myself up, and
I'll set you a place."
	Ukyo picked up a towel, wrapped it around her body, and smiled. "Well,
if you insist." And walked out to the bath anteroom, sliding the screen
shut behind her. As soon as the other girl was out of sight, and she had
wrapped another towel around her head to dry her hair, she smacked herself
mentally, letting her love get ahead of reason. It could have been worse,
of course. Akane could have walked in. After drying herself completely,
she again donned her undershirt and shorts, and headed back to the training
hall to dress.
	In ten minutes, Ukyo stood in the Tendo training hall, half-clothed,
staring down at the implement she had years ago sworn to wear for the
rest of her life, that which brought her pain. But was it really supposed
to suppress her femininity? She shook her head inwardly. No. I never wanted
to leave my womanhood behind. Had she been trying to suppress her childhood
love for Ranma when he had left her? Yes. That was it. Something in her
head clicked into place. This thing was supposed to push that which she
wanted so badly now, yet had wanted to destroy so long ago, back, to reject
love, and with it, the woman's world. Her path was clear.
	Ukyo walked into the alley behind the Tendo residence, her top buttoned,
holding her old ways in her hands. Laying them in an empty ashcan, she
swiftly drew a match, struck it, and watched as she reopened herself to
feminine ways by shedding repression. The bindings, being cloth, burned
swiftly, and she felt the old mentality of machismo, that which had inhibited
her giving Ranma her full heart, bubble and boil away. She was free, a
woman reborn. 
	Turning east, she watched the new sun rise over the horizon, flooding
the land with a bright, warm light, one which had never been able to fill
Ukyo's heart before. She breathed deeply, the scent of a new day, and
she walked back to the training hall with a newfound spring in her step.
Quickly folding the blanket and mat, she almost skipped into the house,
handing the bed dressings to Kasumi just as she exited the bathroom.
	"Kasumi, would you like some help with breakfast?" smiled Ukyo, the warmth
of the dawn she absorbed exuding from her face.
	"Well, it would be very nice to have some help. Thank you, Ukyo." Kasumi
smiled back, exhibiting her usual sunniness.
	While Kasumi dressed, Ukyo waited patiently in the garden, enjoying the
newly-broken dawn, and soon Kasumi joined her, smiling toward the golden
sun slowly climbing into the sky, as if to greet it, then laid a hand
on Ukyo's shoulder.
	"So, what shall we make today?"
	"Hm.. Eggs, Sunny-side up!" grinned Ukyo. "Maybe we could try some of
those American-style okonomiyaki, how do you say it.. Pancakes?"
	Kasumi laughed lightly. "All right, Ukyo, you're the guest." 
	She started for the kitchen, Ukyo in tow, again turning to let the warm
sunbeams stroke her face. Removing a frypan from the cabinet, she prepared
the eggs as Ukyo found the griddle, and whipped up the batter. Soon, delicious
smells flowed through the house, as Kasumi fried the eggs to perfection,
and Ukyo, having trained for a lifetime in all pancake-related arts, cooked
the batter into tasty little circles, humming the whole time. Time seemed
to fly by, and before Ukyo knew it, she had cooked up a steaming heap
of breakfast, and scraped the batter-bowl clean. As she cleaned the griddle
and bowl by hand, she heard a thump on the stairs, and turned to see Genma
and Soun walk down, sniffing the air, curious at the unusual scents filling
the Tendo home.
	"Good morning father! Good morning Mr. Saotome! Did you have a good night?"
greeted Kasumi.
	"Kasumi, this smells delicious! You must really have outdone yourself
this time." remarked Soun, proudly.
	"Well, I had a special assistant today. She really worked hard with me
today, making pancakes for all of us."
	Soun's eyes widened. "Um.. Akane cooked breakfast? Are you sure? I..
um.." Genma winced.
	Kasumi laughed. "Oh my, no! We have a guest today, father. Ukyo had to
spend the night after a fire, and she helped me prepare breakfast today."
	Genma smiled widely, licking his lips, then poked his head into the kitchen
and waved to the cheffess, "Good morning Ukyo!"
	Ukyo smiled back at him. "Hello, Mr. Saotome! Did you have a good night?"
	"Not nearly as good as my morning will be if breakfast tastes as good
as it smells." Genma remarked, chuckling. "So, what's for breakfast?"
	Ukyo finished washing the griddle, and laid it aside to dry. "Well, Kasumi
made us some eggs, and I made some American-style okonomiyaki, called
pancakes."
	Genma rubbed his stomach. "I can hardly wait!"
	Kasumi returned to the kitchen, and scooped two eggs onto each of seven
plates, while Ukyo carried a heaping plate of pancakes out to the dining
table, where Genma and Soun were kneeling, eyeing the food hungrily. Kasumi
laid a plate of eggs in front of each of them, served them three pancakes
each, and smiled as they tore into breakfast.
	Chewing, Genma remarked, "Mm.. Very good Ukyo, Kasumi. Pancakes, you
say? A little dry, is there anything you put on them, like soup?"
	Ukyo smiled, "No, the Americans use a sweet syrup to dress their pancakes,
Maple syrup." She produced a small serving bottle. "Here, try some."
	Genma hesitatingly poured a small dollop of syrup onto a pancake, and
took a small bite. A smile grew over his face, "Try this, Tendo. If she
keeps cooking food like this, we might as well ask her to move in with
us!" Genma let out a lighthearted laugh, as Soun, puzzled, poured a small
bit of syrup over one of his own pancakes. Tasting it, the smile germinated
on his face too, and he laughed. "Quite right, Saotome!"
	Ukyo's eyes glimmered, even though she knew they didn't really mean it,
she smiled at gaining the favor of the two men. She watched them finish
their plates with vivacity, then a second helping, and a third. "Oh, Kasumi,
we might need to make more, just for the rest of the family."
	Kasumi laughed, "Yes, we might."
 Ukyo turned back into the kitchen, and looked into the refrigerator.
"Oh, you're out of eggs. I'll have to go get some."
	"Now, Ukyo, you're the guest. Don't trouble yourself, I'll go and get
more."
	"No, I insist Kasumi, you've been so kind."
	Kasumi looked at the smiling, younger girl in front of her. Such an odd
change from the nervous, withdrawn girl who had arrived at the doorstop
last night. She smiled and nodded her approval. Ukyo turned and walked
out to the doorway, slid open the front door, and exited the Tendo household.
	Running, she quickly arrived at a local market just as it was opening
up, selected twenty-four fresh eggs, and headed up to the counter to pay
for her purchase. After issuing a sunny smile to the elderly man behind
the counter, she skipped out the door, and walked back to the Tendo home.
As she walked, the sun climbed ever higher into the sky, casting that
warmth, again, deep into Ukyo's heart. Her pace quickened, her step lightened,
she felt like she was walking on air, feeling a euphoria that she had
always pushed aside before, welcoming it into her mind, and felt a weight
lifted from her mind. She knew, deep within, that everything would turn
out alright, no matter what happened.
	As she arrived back at the Tendo dojo, she noticed the flurry of activity
around the table, as the entire Tendo family gathered around the
rapidly-diminishing
pile of Ukyo's pancakes, happily eating the eggs, and Ukyo felt her heart
well up, because family had not been something she had experienced as
of late. Ever since she left for the boys' school, she had been mostly
alone in her world, left to fend for herself, with no one really caring
for her. And as she watched the gathering of a _real_ family again, she
knew she wanted a part in it. Slipping undetected into the kitchen, she
fished out Kasumi's frying pan again, and pulled on one of Kasumi's spare
aprons. Cracking the first of the eggs into the pan, Ukyo pulled out one
of her own spatulas, frying up the food with maternal care. Kasumi, hearing
the faint hiss of cooking, looked back into the kitchen and smiled as
she saw Ukyo, replete with a white apron, enjoying the experience of cooking
a meal for a family, even though it was not her own. She rose, and walked
into the kitchen, putting a hand on Ukyo's arm.
	"Ukyo, thank you. You will make a fine wife, for any man."
	Shocked by Kasumi's directness and perception into her actions, Ukyo
almost dropped the spatula. As the words sunk in, she smiled warmly. "You
really think so, Kasumi?"
	Kasumi said nothing, she just smiled and nodded.
	"Thank you, Kasumi.. You don't know how much that means to me." sighed
Ukyo. "Here, I'll finish these eggs. You go back to the table."
	Kasumi nodded again, and turned to leave for the dining room, then she
glanced over her shoulder, and saw Ukyo wipe away a small tear as it rolled
down her cheek. Kasumi smiled inwardly, and returned to her meal. Akane
looked up.
	"Kasumi, if you're not cooking, who is?"
	"Oh, didn't I tell you? Ukyo is here, making breakfast for us."
	"What? Why?"
	"There was a little fire over at her place last night. She came here,
and I offered her to stay the night. She's helping me with breakfast this
morning."
	Ukyo continued frying eggs in the kitchen, and didn't notice Ranma yawning
and walking down the stairs.
	"Mmm, hey, what's for breakfast?" Ranma said, sniffing the air.
	"Oh, good morning Ranma. Today, we have eggs and pancakes." smiled Kasumi.
"Ukyo helped make them."
	"Ya don't say!" he grinned, then called into the kitchen. "Hey, Ucchan!
Smells great!"
	Akane grumbled to herself, "Of course, he wouldn't EVER say that about
my cooking.."
	Nabiki looked up, "What was that Akane?"
	"Nothing."
	Ukyo walked out, carrying a plate of eggs, and laid it in front of Ranma.
"Here you go. Anyone else want more eggs?"
	Nabiki nodded, Akane grunted, then nodded, and Kasumi spoke up, "Of course,
Ukyo."
	Ukyo smiled sweetly at the family at the table, and turned back to the
kitchen. Returning with three more platefuls of eggs, and laying one in
front of each Tendo girl, she stood, overlooking the scene, imaging that
it was her family, that Ranma was her husband, that these were her children.
It filled her heart with joy. Again, she knew what she wanted. She wanted
to settle down, stop the chasing, the depression, to have a family, and
most of all, to have Ranma.
	Ranma looked up at Ukyo, standing there, hands clenched together, a small
tear rolling down her face, and he smiled. She looked so.. so.. motherly,
there, so at peace. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted everyone to be
happy. He spoke up, "Ukyo, these are wonderful eggs. Thanks."
	Akane's face reddened again, but Ukyo's eyes lit up, beaming with the
intensity and warmth of the dawn sunlight. "No, thank you."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 4
"Brewing"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo stared deep into her half-full mug of tea, sitting alone in her
okonomiyaki shop, thinking, mulling over the day. That damned dream. It
wouldn't leave her. Closing her eyes, she saw the terrifying sight again..
Ranma's face, dark and condescending, his hand, pointing harshly at her,
declaring "You are no woman!", and her horrifying transformation.
	She murmured quietly to herself, "A dream.. Just a dream.. Nothing but
a dream." And yet, it still troubled her. Her hand snaked up to her unbound
chest, checking for the hundredth time this afternoon, ensuring that she
was indeed still female.
	She took a small sip from the mug and looked up, out of the plate-glass
window, and noticing the ever-present passage of the sun, slowly working
it's way to it's blazing death, to be inevitably cleaved at the horizon.
Her leg twitched. Like Ranma, slowly, surely, she knew he _would_ go with
Akane.. She lifted her head and stared at the ceiling. Unless.. Unless
something happens..
	She looked over at her battle spatula, gleaming from its place on the
wall. Surely, the blade was sharp enough to cut stone, and would have
no trouble cleaving Akane's head from.. NO! She wouldn't resort to murder.
That wasn't the right thing to do.. The honorable, ladylike way.. She
would win him with charm, charisma.. She would make sure he saw her perfect
eligibility and position to become his wife.. Her leg twitched again;
it was going numb. She reached down and rubbed her thigh, absentmindedly
kneading the fabric of her clothing. Suddenly, she stopped, handing the
mug off to the nearest table.
	Ukyo looked down at her hand, grasping the male-style chef pants tightly.
Her eyes flooded with hate, contempt, for her past, for her stupid, stupid
choice.. Made in the heat of anger, that anger surfaced again, but directed
at herself this time.
	Her hand yanked back from her thigh, taking a large chunk of fabric with
it. Tears flowed from her eyes; a river on her fair cheeks. Rolling her
head with her hands, her mind twisting inward, purging the male mentality
she so hated now, yet had cherished only a day before.
	Presently, she sat up, wiping the last of the teardrops from her face,
eyes red and raw from the gush of saltwater. She held the cloth scrap
up to her face, studying, probing the fabric with her mind. Soured, she
tossed the scrap to the floor with disgust, and stood. Taking one last,
longing look at the slowly coming sunset, she put her hand on the banister
and trudged up the stairs to her bedroom.
	"Ladylike.. Perfect.. Must.. be.." she mumbled to herself, opening to
door to her room, shutting it silently behind her, then drawing herself
in front of the mirror, she stood there, staring at her feet. Presently,
she brought herself to look in the mirror, to criticize every detail.
The bow, she smiled, and patted the ever-present bow in her hair. A bow
is always good, always cute. Her hand slipped to her face, fingering her
cheeks. No problems here.. Soft, gentle, yet determined, courageous. Her
eyes fell to her shoulders, looking at the jacket she wore to cook. No,
no.. This would have to go.. for tonight. She shucked off the jacket,
and folded it into a neat little bundle. Rubbing her arm, she pondered
the tee-shirt. Not exactly tight, but not exactly leaving _too_ much to
the imagination now that she wasn't binding.. Moving on, she focussed
on her straight, pressed chef's pants, and her face darkened with anger.
No, no, no! These must go.. She half-tore, half-pulled her pants off,
and threw them into the laundry basket. Padding over to her closet, she
pawed through the various items available to wear. Button-down shirts..
Khakis.. Jeans.. Where IS that kimono? She slowly slipped through her
closet, examining each garment, then pushing it along its way. After long
minutes, an old, long, deep blue kimono, embroidered with the Kuonji family
kanji, slid into her hands. Yet another tear came to her eyes, and she
brushed it away. After Ranma left her the first time, she never thought
she would wear this. She thought back, back many years, before she had
ever met the young martial artist.
	It had been a bright, sunny morning, with Ukyo helping mother sweep out
the house, her father off with the yatai, her brothers off playing in
the woods. As they finished off the bedroom, her mother put down the broom
and motioned for Ukyo to come to the closet. Smiling, she had pulled out
a beautiful, deep blue robe, covered with the embroidered kanji of the
Kuonji name.
	"Ukyo, when you find a man, one day, this will be yours to wear, as it
has been for me, and my mother, and her mother, and her mother before
that. And one day, you will pass this on to your daughter. As it has been
in the Kuonji family for generations." she had said, cradling the kimono
in both hands, holding it with arms extended, for Ukyo to examine.
	She had been curious at first, pawing at the ancient robe, admiring the
quality of the stitchwork, and marveling at how well it had been kept.
But, as with all children, the novelty soon passed, and she had forgotten
about the old kimono, sitting in her mother's closet.
	Years later, when she had set off for boys' school, long after her mother
had passed on, her father insisted that she take it, her being his only
daughter, and her reception of the robe being her mother's dying wish.
At the time, she had carried it out of respect for her parents. But it
had always sat in the back of her closets, seeing the light only when
she boxed it to move, yet again pulling up her roots. And now, she had
finally realized it's true significance. This was her last tie with the
family she had deserted, and the link that had held the Kuonji chain together,
decade after decade, generation after generation.
	Donning it, she felt the coolness of the delicate cloth against her skin,
smelled the faint mustiness that came with age, inhaling the history of
her family. She walked back to the mirror, admiring the way the robe fit
her perfectly, almost as if it had been molded to her body. She crossed
the right flap in front of the left, and tied the belt off behind her
back, as was proper. Still, it came only down to her thighs.. She needed
something else to complete the ensemble. Glancing over at the now-threadbare
pants lying on the floor, she shook her head. No, no.. They wouldn't do
at all.. She returned to the closet, and found a long, deep-blue skirt
on the next hanger. What a perfect match! She wrapped it around her waist,
slipped the loose ends of her kimono over the skirt, and smiled. Much
nicer, especially compared to a jacket and pants. She frowned. She couldn't
cook in this, she couldn't risk dirtying her family kimono. Glancing at
the back of her door, she pulled on her only full-length apron, white,
wide, and perfect for protecting her sacred new clothing. She opened the
door just as the bell in the entranceway signaled a customer.
	Softly descending the stairway, she saw a middle-aged man, his hair a
bit grizzled, but otherwise clean and well-shaven. He looked around the
empty shop, then noticed Ukyo in the apron, skirt, and kimono.
	"Miss, excuse me.. Is the cook in?" he asked, voice rasping a little,
as he took a seat at the bar.
	"Um.. Actually.. I'm the cook, sir." she nervously replied, remembering
it was not proper for her to be dressed formally to cook.
	Almost understandingly, he smiled. "I'll have a cup of coffee, if you
please. And one regular pork okonomiyaki."
	Grinning, she took up one of the many spatulas stacked on the back counter,
poured him a warm cup of Java, and started to cook the okonomiyaki. After
a minute, the bell rang again, and an elderly woman walked in. Motioning
to Ukyo, she placed her order. "A cup of tea, dear. And an okonomiyaki."
	Slowly but surely, the shop filled up, apparently indifferent to the
entirely remade chef at the counter. Ukyo always felt they were staring
at her unusual garb, but never caught anyone looking at her, aside from
the usual cursory glances. She noticed the sun again sinking in the sky,
so near the horizon now, and the sky flooding with a robust orange, and
the darkness creeping over the sky.
	Soon, she again noticed the sun, now a fierce red, almost at the horizon,
stars winking into existence in the east. She saw a familiar face walk
down the road, pass one of the plate-glass windows, then turn and enter
the shop. The bell sang out a ring as her heart sang out, too. Ranma had
entered her shop, face slightly red, a nervous tic on his cheek, as he
rubbed the back of his neck and looked around for Ukyo. She put down the
spatula, and waved to him. A shock, almost electric, shot over his face,
then his lips softened into a smile.
	"Hiya, Ucchan.. Listen, we gotta talk.." he said, a greeting on his lips,
but worry in his voice.
	Ukyo motioned him aside, and walked to the empty, far end of the counter.
"What is it, Ranchan? Is something wrong?"
	"I.. I think Akane's on to us.. She got really mad today, after you left,
about you imposing on us, and me encouraging you.. You saw how red she
was when I commented on how good your breakfast was.." he pointed out
the window, straight at the sun, half-gone beneath the horizon. "When
you left, she was redder than that.. Crying and everything, saying that
you might as well move in with us, that I was a jerk.. You know, the usual..
Then, this afternoon, she cooked curry for lunch. She did put some effort
into it, and it didn't taste _entirely_ like cement, but still. I said
it was an 'improvement' and she totally went off, screaming about how
much I hated her, to not like the food she'd made for me, how she'd put
her heart into it, to make me happy.. Worse yet, she dropped some lard
on the floor, don't ask me why she was using *lard* in curry, but she
did, and Kasumi slipped on it, spraining her left wrist and ankle. Doc
Tofu said she'd be fine in a few days, but wouldn't be able to stand,
or use that wrist, not without making it worse.."
	"So, Akane's cooking for a few days, eh?" asked Ukyo, concerned for the
welfare of the Tendo family, sort of.
	Ranma nodded, took another breath, and continued. "So, the old man and
Mr. Tendo immediately announced a training trip, and Happosai decided
to tag along. I was going to go with them, but Nabiki pulled me aside
while packing and suggested I stay somewhere in town. I was going to go
to Shampoo's, but she asked me if I really wanted to.. I asked why, and
she said it would cost me.. Good thing, too.. She's been making all kinds
of love potions, and testing them out around town, which explains yesterday..
She then suggested I stay here, then demanded some more money to buy her
silence.. Listen, I'm tapped out. Mind if I bunk here for a day or so,
Ucchan?"
	Ukyo's heart leapt. THIS was going to be a _great_ few days. "Sure, no
problem, Ranchan.. But, if Akane comes in.. We don't want her getting
any more ideas, now do we? You'll have to hide."
	Ranma nodded. "Thanks, Ucchan.. I really mean it."
	"There's a straw mat in my closet upstairs, and a pillow and blanket.
Go watch some TV or something until I close up shop, OK? Oh, and dinner's
on me tonight." She grinned.
	Ranma smiled back, then headed up the stairs. Ukyo sighed, lost in fantasy,
until there was a sharp rap on the counter. Another customer.
	"One beef okonomiyaki, hold the cabbage." ordered an adolescent boy,
maybe 13. He turned to the girl beside him, a pretty young thing, just
starting to mature. "What do you want, Akenu?"
	"I'll have a beef okonomiyaki also, please.." she said, voice trilling.
	Ukyo smiled at herself. What a nice young couple.. She busied herself
with her orders, and the sun disappeared behind the horizon. She almost
didn't notice a man, dressed entirely in black robes, face shaded by a
dark grey fedora, drag himself in from the outside, carrying a black cloth
suitcase. She almost knew him, as he appeared every night, right after
dusk, taking the same table in the corner near the window. He lifted the
hat to just above his eyes, nodded to her, and unpacked a black laptop
computer, plugging in the power outlet, and going about his work. She
knew that nod, one bottle of sake, two cups of strong oolong tea, and
two regular okonomiyaki.
	The clock crept towards nine, and slowly, the crowd thinned, and soon,
the shop was empty except for her regular in black, a few late-night diners,
workaholics, and the stray straggler. Ranma padded down the steps, stopping
for a minute to stare at the odd man in the corner, before taking a seat
at the counter. He smiled at Ukyo, and signaled her with a wave of his
hand.
"Ready for dinner, Ranchan?" she grinned. "What'll it be?"
	Ranma, glancing up at the menu, mulled over his choices. "Pocari Sweat..
and.. hmm, one pork okonomiyaki."
	Ukyo pulled a can of the popular beverage from under the counter, popped
the tab, and set it in front of Ranma. She poured the batter out onto
her griddle, added the cabbage, pork, and various other vegetables, cooked
it to perfection, and flipped it silently onto a plate, which she handed
to Ranma.
	"Listen.. Ranma, we can't keep going like this forever.. Sooner or later,
Akane's going to find out, either that you're staying here for a few days,
or.." she lowered her voice to whisper, "Or, she'll find out about our
little lunch.."
	Ranma stopped in mid-chew. Then, he broke eye contact and took another
bite of his dinner. Changing the subject, he spoke up, "What's new, Ucchan?"
	Ukyo put her hand on her head. Typical, typical, typical.. Well, it'll
be his ass when Akane finds out. Then she winced, and mine too.. Heh..
Oh boy. I've got to get him to face up to his situation, before I lose
him to her. She looked over the counter at Ranma, head down, concentrating
on his food. Not now.. He's not ready yet. Soon, though.. The longer this
goes on, the more it'll hurt poor Akane when she finds out..
	Ukyo looked out the window, the stars fully bloomed in the sky. It was
a perfectly clear night, how beautiful. She didn't want to hurt Akane,
but, if there was a way to make her happy too.. She shook her head and
looked down at the griddle, leaning on the edge of the counter. There's
no way, it's me or her. She looked up again, Me, her, or Shampoo, actually.
	Ranma looked up, "Something wrong, Ucchan?" He put his chopsticks down
on the plate and leaned back, stretching.
	"No, nothing, Ranchan." she murmured. Yes, there's something.. You're
not ready yet.. Oh Ranma, why does this have to be so complicated.. "It's
nothing at all."
	Ranma smiled, and looked around the shop, "Okay, good.. I don't want
you to be unhappy, Ucchan.. You know I want the best for you.."
	"And for Akane?"
	"What?!? That." Ranma started.
	"Ranma.. Answer me truthfully, from your heart. You want Akane to be
happy, too, right?"
	Ranma was taken aback. He couldn't lie, he didn't want to hurt his friend.
After a moment, he put his chin in his hands. "Yes, I want her to be happy,
too.. I want everyone to be happy." He reached out and turned her face
toward his. "Everyone, Ucchan, not just her, you, and me. It's just so
hard sometimes.. You don't understand what it's like to have four people
after you.."
	Ukyo smiled. "No, I don't. But, we have to do our best.. It's the right
thing to do."
	Ranma nodded. "Right.. Listen, I'm going to go upstairs for awhile..
I need to think."
	Ukyo turned to face the front of the store, and nodded to him. He stood,
walked softly over to the stairway, then turned around and whispered.
"And you really look pretty tonight, Ucchan.. Really."
	Ukyo turned her head down and away, blushing, and murmured her thanks.
She heard Ranma work his way up the stairs, then shut the door to her
room. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest. A breakthrough.. Finally,
he's dropped his macho attitude.. If only for a minute.. She looked up,
and saw another customer, an elderly man, wave at her from the end of
the counter. Returning to her orders, time flew by, and, soon, the clock
on the wall read half-past-ten, closing time. Ukyo looked through the
restaurant, at the three people left in the shop.
	"Closing time.. Thanks for your patronage.. Please, do come again!" she
smiled to them. Opening the door, she gestured outside. The elderly man,
and a young woman, walked softly out the door, nodding happily to the
chefess. She turned back and began to count the money in the register.
The sound of clicking and tapping entered her head, and she looked up.
The man in black was still here, as usual. She stowed the money in the
safe, hidden in the back room, and rapped sharply on the counter.
	"Please sir, I have to close up.." she said, softly.
	He looked up, only slightly, then flipped the top of the computer closed,
shuffled it into his suitcase, dropped an American twenty-dollar bill
on the table, as usual, and tipped the brim of his hat to the chefess,
as usual. As he started for the door, cape and robes swishing about his
feet, Ukyo spoke up.
	"Sir, please.. Your name?"
	He stopped, looked over his shoulder, smiling, then gestured toward the
door, opened it, and vanished into the night. Ukyo rushed to the door,
looking outside, left and right, but the stranger who was a regular, was
gone, no where in sight. She sighed, picked up the American money, and
slipped it into the safe. Whoever he was, he was a generous tipper, if
a bit weird.
	She locked the door, flipped the "Open" sign around to "Closed", and
shut off the lights. Standing in the darkness of her shop, she started
for the stairs, then turned back, looking over the starscape just outside
the front windows. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 5
"Upon A Mid-Night's Snack"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo lay awake in bed, the soft moonlight flowing over her face, and
she stared up, out of her window, into the silver sphere. There was too
much going on, her mind was still racing over this, that, everything;
everything that had gone on in the last two days.. That dreamy lunch,
her late-night dinner with Ranma, her awakening that morning, his
almost-confession
this afternoon, and.. well.. she couldn't get her mind off how much she
loved him. And now, she almost had a triumph.. no, wait, a minor victory..
he was sleeping just off the foot of her bed, she heard his muted breathing,
and imagined his warm breath on her neck. She tingled, everywhere, everywhere
she tingled with the thought of his closeness. She pulled the sheets tighter
around her, trying to keep that warmth inside, but to no avail. Slowly,
the fantasy of passion fled, and she felt empty, alone despite her company.
She sighed and rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand,
and stared deep into the darkness enshrouding the corners of her bedroom.
	Suddenly, she heard a stirring at the foot of her bed. Slowly, she lay
back down, and half-closed her eyes, not wanting to alarm Ranma at the
fact that she couldn't sleep. Sure enough, he slowly rose, wrapped himself
in a blanket, and looked over onto her. Turning away, he quietly and slowly
opened the door to her room, and tiptoed down the stairway to her restaurant.
She sat up. "He must be getting a snack.." she thought to herself. She
crept to the door, and, sure enough, heard the swift *pop* of the opening
of the refrigerator. The sounds of dishes and half-empty glasses clinking
issued forth through the emptiness, then the *click* of a latch re-engaging.
Ukyo took to her bed again, pulling the sheets back into their place over
her. She watched Ranma enter the room, a small plate of cake in one hand,
and a glass of milk in the other. He took a seat opposite her bed, and
quietly chewed on his snack while staring right at her. She listened to
the silence intently, which was parted only occasionally by the smack
of his lips.
	Presently, he finished, and stacked the glass on top of the dish, which
he placed on top of her dresser. He still sat there, head in his hand,
staring down at her, thinking perhaps. She could see it on his face, the
waves of happiness, sadness, joy, depression, anger, and acceptance pass
over his visage. His lips moved, and words floated through the air, slowly,
but their impact on Ukyo was like a Mack truck on a snail in the road.
"Ukyo.. I.... I.. love you." His head dropped, presuming that she was
unaware of his proclamations. She was about to open her mouth when he
continued. "Akane.. You, too, I love.." He turned his head to the ceiling,
and found it a poor substitute for an open sky. Lying still, she could
have sworn her racing heart would give her away, but he simply crept to
the window, slid it open and climbed up onto the roof of her shop.
	She heard his feet scuff across the rough roof, then a gentle thump as
he sat down. She crept silently, slowly, out of her bed, laying the sheets
aside, and walked over to the window. Reaching out, she grabbed the ladder
running between the roof and the fire escape, and climbed it just enough
to get her head over the edge. Peering through the moonlight, she spotted
his figure, outlined in front of the sky, head elevated to the stars.
She quietly clambered onto the roof, dropping onto the coarse roofing
tiles, and snuck toward Ranma's outline. Without a sound, she held her
breath, and sat down, undetected, behind her love. He continued staring
into the vast void of the sky, oblivious to Ukyo's visual probing. He
was tense, ever so tense, and Ukyo could hear his heart beating, the only
sound in the silence that blanketed the rest of Nerima.
	Gently, she wrapped her arms around his chest, and pulled herself onto
his back. He started, then looked over his shoulder, and, seeing her,
simply returned to his stargazing. Ukyo rested her head on his back, listening
to the air rushing in and out of his nose, feeling his pulse race through
his body, cuddling her body into his strong, tough back. After a moment,
she murmured.
	"Ran..chan..... Did you really mean it?"
	He still stared impassionately at the stars, but she felt his pulse pick
up, his breathing quicken. She nuzzled his neck with her cheek. "Please..
I have to know..."
	His chest tensed, his entire body locking up at the one subject he had
escaped for over a year. There was no fast exit this time, no easy way
out of this beautiful girl's arms. He opened his mouth, letting his jaw
hang for a minutes, before uttering the only answer that would not result
in a clobbering by one girl or another. "I.. um.. Well, I, uh, don't know
Ucchan.. I came up here to think about it.."
	She pulled away from him, and scooted over to his side. "Do you want
to be alone, then?"
	He looked over, looking down at Ukyo, her eyes pleading for his company.
"N.. no, you can stay.."
	She smiled, and he turned back to his stars. She wrapped her arm around
his shoulders, and lay her head back onto him. For a long while, they
sat, motionless, quiet, thinking. As much as she enjoyed his company,
fatigue began to take over. Her fears, put to rest, for a time, by Ranma's
quiet statement of love, no longer restrained the sandman, and she fell
asleep, head sliding into his lap.
	Ranma felt Ukyo slide down into his lap, and looked down at her face.
So clear, pristine, and peaceful. He pushed back a strand of hair from
her cheek, and brushed his hands through her hair. How on earth could
he make a decision? Akane, the strong-willed fighter, whom he so wanted
to tame; Ukyo, his best friend, whom he wanted close forever. Shaking
his head, he knew there was no way on this earth he could make that decision.
Not yet, not now. But maybe, just maybe, he could answer to everyone soon.
It wasn't right to keep stringing everyone along. Staring into the pure,
white moon, he returned to thinking. Following it through the sky with
his eyes, an hour passed. He stirred, for it was getting chilly on the
roof. A little breeze picked up a stray leaf, playing with it for a time,
before sending it on it's way to the ground. He suppressed a shiver, not
wanting to wake the sleeping Ukyo, and turned his mind back to earth.
It was time to go inside.
	He slowly and gently gathered Ukyo into his arms, taking one last look
at the full, silvery orb in the sky before padding back to the ladder,
then jumping lightly down to the fire escape. He laid her in her bed,
and looked at the solitary straw mat on the floor, the blanket crumpled
away from it, both looking forlorn on the floor. He didn't want to be
like that. He picked up the blanket, lay it over the mat, and climbed
into his lover's bed. Before his eyes gave themselves to sleep, he rolled
onto his side, and lay his arm over Ukyo.
	In the middle of the night, Ukyo's eyes blinked open. The clock on her
bedstand read 2 AM, but it felt so much later. Suddenly, she realized
she wasn't on the roof with Ranma anymore, but in her bed.. With something
heavy and warm draped over her side. Cautiously rolling back, she met
with a mass of resistance, and smiled. Ranma... She rolled over and faced
him. So peaceful while at rest, no trace of the stony defenses the boy
put up over his feelings while awake. Plastered over his face was a large,
genuine smile. He was happy, just to be here, near her, and her heart
swelled. She put her arm around him, and watched as his eyes slowly opened.
	"You just wake up too?" he smiled.
	She nodded in affirmation. His eyes ran from her arm over him, to her
face, to her eyes. She gasped. Never before.. She looked deep into his
eyes, thinking to herself. "My god, they're full of stars!" She expected
him to be happy, but not to have those glimmering, joyous eyes, that spoke
not only of contentment, but also of a deeper, profound love.
	Ranma stared back into her eyes, and the stars winked into existence
within her. Slowly, that love drew them close, and their lips met, if
only for a second, in a kiss. Ukyo's eyes closed, and she sighed. Ranma
leaned closer, kissing her cheek. She reopened those portals to the soul,
those twinkling eyes, and returned his kiss, and he met her. As they locked
together, Ranma's arms snaked around Ukyo, pulling her closer. She responded
with her arms, entwining around his back, but they tugged at his collar,
then returned to Ukyo. She pulled away momentarily. Ranma looked at her.
	"Does she not want my love..?" he thought. As if to answer, she smiled
adoringly at him, then pulled off his undershirt. His hands hooked onto
hers, and returned the favor, freeing her breasts to the sheets. He let
out a delighted sigh as they spilt forth in front of him, and he stroked
them with his fingers. So soft, so delicate, so desirable. He looked back
into her eyes. So much like my darling Ucchan.
	Ukyo felt his fingers tickling her breasts, and wiggled as the pleasure
flew through her. She pulled him back into her, squishing her bosom into
his chest, kissing his neck, massaging his back with her hands. There
was no past, no future, only the now. The infinite, passionate, loving
now. And all she wanted was the now. Her hands had a mind of their own,
plucking at the elastic waistband of Ranma's shorts, then yanking them
off with vigor. She felt his hands drop from her breasts, trace down her
waist, and shuck the undies from her hips. She arced against him, pressing
her body onto his, fitting her curves into his body.
	Ranma roamed her legs with his palms, then bent his head and took a breast
in his mouth, tickling it with his tongue. He felt her push it toward
him, and he complied, taking a mouthful, stroking it lovingly in his mouth.
He was already responding to the sensation of her closeness, rapidly
toughening
as she rubbed against him. He looked up at her, and she down at him, nodding
simultaneously in agreement. Ranma began his descent into Ukyo, and she
gave him a gentle guide, smiling all the while, until they met, and Ranma
probed deep inside her.
	Ukyo began to sweat, a warm, slick sweat borne of pleasure. She felt
Ranma's manhood sliding far into her, and she felt the waves of passion
flood her senses, igniting her inner fire. Wrapping her legs around his,
she pressed into him with all her might, and suddenly, a searing white
heat shot through her, exploding outward, as she came to orgasm. She felt
Ranma's body lock, and then the shockwave passed through him, his release
coming swiftly. Their bodies went limp, falling away from each other,
and Ukyo felt the postcoital glow flow through her veins.
For a few minutes, they lay motionless, oblivious to the world as they
lost themselves in the glow, but soon, Ukyo returned her mind to the Earth,
and looked over at Ranma. His eyes were closed again, but he still smiled,
lost in thought. She extricated herself from the dampened and rumpled
sheets, and walked into the bathroom.
	Taking up a washcloth, she wiped away the sweat, along with certain other..
fluids, and returned herself to the bedroom. Ranma's eyes were open, now,
and he looked across the room at her, grinning from ear-to-ear.
	"Ucchan.. that was wonderful."
	Ukyo smiled at him, but said nothing. She took up a spare undershirt
from her drawers, and, donning it, retrieved her underpants from the floor.
While working them back into place, her elbow accidentally hit the HiFi
on her drawers. Whirring to life, the rarely-used stereo popped its empty
CD tray open, waiting to swallow a disc. She looked down at it, and, noticing
a certain CD on the top of the stack sitting by the system, she popped
the disc in and hit play.
		** Music Cue : The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss **
	The mouth of the stereo closed, digesting the disc, which spun quietly
to life, and the speakers sung with beautiful music. As the light, swinging
tones filled her bedroom, Ukyo smiled sweetly at Ranma, who was just now
rising from the sheets and putting his undershirt on. As the music sunk
into him, he remembered it from his European Music course at Furinkan,
and extended his hand to Ukyo. She took it gracefully, and he put his
other hand around her waist, pulling her to him. And they waltzed.
	Ukyo looked up at him, subconsciously keeping with the rhythm, letting
him lead her around her room, letting herself be swung by her man. The
romantic waltz only heightened her love, and happiness washed through
her. A smile crept swiftly over her face, and she shut her eyes, losing
herself to his touch, his swing, and the music.
	Ranma swung her, around, and around, and around, leading her in circles
and arcs around her room. He felt her deaden into his arms, relaxing,
and she closed her eyes, just giving into him. He slowed slightly, to
help her keep up, and continued to dance as the tempo picked up. Time
melted away, the minutes like seconds as he stared down at Ukyo, soaking
up the love she exuded, and wishing he could return it tenfold without
hurting anyone. As the song completed its rounds, the final chord echoed
through her room, and he tipped her into a deep, passionate kiss.
	Ukyo didn't know how long she'd been dancing, how long she had been led,
but her eyes shot open at the tip, surprised, but then the chord sounded,
and their lips met. And there they were, two souls, shrouded in silence
and darkness, joining one another, expressing a love so deep, so profound,
that neither could experience that same height apart. Ukyo wrapped her
arms around the back of his head and neck, pulling him down to her, deeper
into the kiss, deeper into the love. Never let go... You have him, never
let go! Her mind knew, she would never be able to let go now. She was
bonded to him, inextricably, for with him near, she could go deep within
herself, and yet go beyond the infinite. After innumerable minutes, she
broke the kiss. He straightened himself, and pulled her back upright.
Saying nothing, she turned half-away from him, smiling and blushing, not
knowing what to say.
	He spoke first, shattering the uneasy silence, "Ucchan.. I'm going to
go hop in the shower." He headed for the bathroom. "You gave me quite
a little workout."
	She blushed more deeply. How should I break it to him? CAN I break it
to him? Her mind retreated inwardly. We're no longer 'just friends'..
She smiled to herself. Well, actually.. we've been more than just friends
since having 'lunch', but now, it seemed.. so much more... well, there's
no way to describe it, it's just *more*.. She heard the shower start,
and the curtain get pulled across the bar. She sat on the bed, thinking.
	Far across town, Ryoga wandered through a large, stark cement building,
filled with pipes. Staring at the myriad maze of steel, he yelled. "Where
on earth am I now......???" He turned his head down to the earth. "Oh,
fair Akane, guide me." He punched a pipe, and it cracked wide open. P-chan
blinked and looked up. The pipe buckled outward as the pressure was released
from its confinement, and the pipe snapped in two, spraying cold water
all over the little black piglet. A piece of metal shot into an adjoining
pipe, cracking it, and it, too, buckled outward, the metal wrenching and
groaning, spraying more water onto the floor. P-chan struggled free of
Ryoga's clothing, and tried to run away, but to no avail. Thanks to the
Domino Effect, pipes either burst left and right, or groaned as the pressure
increased. The huge wave carried the little piggy out of the building
and swept him down the street, flooding the entire block, and the water
continued to flow. The last ting P-chan saw before getting swept through
Nerima were the words "Nerima Water Distribution Control Building" over
the door from which the water was gushing. "Oops." he thought. The water
rapidly drained from the pipes supplying the city's water, leaving most
of the residents high and dry.. Or at least just dry.
	Ranma rinsed himself in the shower, after scrubbing off all the sweat,
and other stuff, from his "exertions" with Ukyo. He smiled as he reflected
on them. Suddenly, the water began turning a light shade of brown. "Odd..
No one came by to tell us the water was going to be shut off." he thought.
Then he remembered what happens after there's no hot water left in the
heater, and the pipes have been drained. Before he could get to the faucet,
the wave of cold water hit him, and the transformation shot through her
body. She groaned. "At least I should be able to get a potful of water
to boil.." In answer to her thought, the water deepened in its brown color,
then stopped altogether. She smacked her forehead with her hand. "Oh...
crap."
Ranma-chan stepped out of the shower, and took one of the deep blue towels
Ukyo had, wrapping it around her body. Taking another, she draped the
second towel around her head and headed out of the bathroom. Walking over
to Ukyo, sitting on the bed, she put a hand on Ukyo's shoulder. Ukyo turned
to face him, and seeing her, a look of surprise took over her face.
	"Ranchan! What happened? I thought there was plenty of hot water.."
	"Someone must've shut off the water supply. Do you have any bottled water
we can boil?"
	Ukyo's face dropped, and she shook her head. "No, not on me. I used the
last gallon jug to make some extra batter today."
	Ranma-chan groaned. "Great, I'm stuck like this until morning."
	Ukyo looked up. "We could check with my neighbors.."
	Ranma-chan shook her head. "No, it's too late to bother anyone. I can
wait until the stores open up."
	Ukyo climbed back into bed, lay down, and pulled the sheet over her.
"Well, let's get some sleep then."
	Ranma-chan climbed in beside her, and pulled up her side of the sheet.
"Goodnight, Ucchan."
	"Goodnight, Ranchan."
	Ranma rolled onto her side, towards Ukyo, and draped her arm over the
other girl's midsection, as she had earlier. However, a new sensation
shot through her. Opening her eyes, she looked down for the source of
the new pleasure, and found her nipple rubbing up against Ukyo's own breast.
Her friend's soft breathing slowly caressed the nipple, sending an
amazingly...
*arousing* feeling through Ranma-chan. She had stroked her own breasts
before, and had them felt, albeit accidentally, by a couple guys, but
it *never* felt this good.. She pressed her breasts against Ukyo's chest
harder, wanting more of that pleasure.
	Ukyo opened her eyes as she felt something hard press into the side of
her breast. "Is he poking me?" she thought. Looking down, she smiled.
Ranma-chan was pressing her breasts into Ukyo's side, nipples fully hard
and erect. "He wants more.." she thought, then corrected herself. "*She*
wants more." Ukyo lay her hand over the shorter girl's large breasts,
slowly stroking one, listening to Ranma-chan's little moans of pleasure.
Moving the other hand over, she caressed them more rapidly, watching the
smile on Ranma-chan's face grow bigger, watching her chest heave with
deep breaths, and hearing her moans grow louder. She stretched her neck,
and rubbed her cheek on Ranma-chan's soft bosom, slowly, and in circles.
She softly licked the skin, and Ranma-chan's hand tightened on Ukyo's
hip, pulling them closer together. Her other hand shot into the air, then
came to rest on the back of Ukyo's head, pulling it into Ranma-chan's
deep cleavage. Ukyo lifted her lips to Ranma-chan's face, and kissed her,
and instantly, her eyes shot wide open, not with fear, but in surprise.
Ukyo continued the kiss, and her partner was all too willing to comply.
Ranma-chan's hand crept from Ukyo's hip up to her breasts, and began to
rub them, travelling around and around and around. Ukyo felt the hand
on her breast, and pressed into it, eager to please and be pleased. The
kiss broke, and Ukyo pushed back a little.
	"Ranchan.. Are you sure? I mean, we're both.. Um.. You know.."
	Ranma-chan looked down and away. "It doesn't feel like that to me.. You
know that. All this is, is a few different body parts. I'm still a guy
at heart.." She looked at Ukyo with the corner of her eye. "I.. I don't
want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything.. It just happened.."
	Ukyo smiled. "I know, you're always in there, somewhere, no matter what..",
she poked Ranma-chan's breast for emphasis. "Develops out here."
	Ranma-chan looked at her face-to-face. "So, you weren't. um, afraid..
or reluctant to.. well, you get the idea.."
	Ukyo looked Ranma-chan up and down. "You really want to know what I think?"
	Ranma-chan nodded slowly.
	"I just want you, Ranma.. I don't care what body you're in, as long as
it's _you_ inside." She put her hand on Ranma-chan's shoulder. "Look,
we're going to have to live with this.." she poked Ranma-chan's breast
again. "If we ever get married.. I guess I'll just have to be open-minded
about.. um, _new_ experiences.."
	Ranma-chan put her arm behind Ukyo's head again and pulled her gently
into a light kiss. She broke it and laid down again. "Well, then.."
	Ukyo interrupted her. "I *also* think that it's late, I have to work
tomorrow, and we should get some sleep tonight.." She smiled sweetly.
"Maybe tomorrow morning?"
	Ranma-chan nodded. "Fine by me." She pulled up the ruffled sheets. "Goodnight
again, Ucchan."
	Ukyo lay down on her back, and snuggled down into the sheets. "Goodnight,
Ranchan." In a minute, she heard Ranma-chan's soft snoring. Slowly, gently,
she stood up and walked to the window. She had an odd feeling, like they
were being watched. Gazing out over the sleeping city, she crossed her
arms and stared at the setting moon. She sighed, "Mm.. Sleep well, my
Ranchan...." Turning away, she drew the shade down and laid back down
in her bed...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 6
"Cream & Sugar"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo brushed her fingertips across Ranma-chan's bangs. So peaceful..
The redhead had fallen asleep just a few minutes ago, after Ukyo had given
her what she promised in the middle of last night. Her vision clouded
as her eyes misted over. Never before with a girl.. She giggled softly
to herself. That was fun.. Maybe we can do it again later.. Ukyo rolled
out of the sticky sheets, and flipped open the shade, letting the fresh,
golden sunlight spill into her room. She stretched her arms behind her
head.. Ahh, dawn, birth of a new day. Pushing the window up, she leaned
out over the alleyway below and inhaled the crisp, humid morning air,
letting it send a shiver and chill through her body. Alerted by certain
motions on her torso, she suddenly remembered she was still stark nude.
Pulling inside quickly, she blushed at her gaffe and headed for the shower.
At least the water should be back on by now..
	Minutes later, she reemerged, refreshed, with a towel properly wrapped
around her body, working another towel through her long hair. It was too
bad her water heater was apparently out-of-order, but the cold-water tap
worked. Of course, the towel could only absorb so much, and, not wanting
to disturb her sleeping guest, she opted for the semi-damp and tousled
look. Rummaging through her drawer, she pulled out one of the few bras
she owned. Now that the bindings were gone, she had to fight gravity somehow..
Grabbing a knee-length blue skirt and a white shortsleeve shirt from her
closet, she dressed quickly and headed downstairs to prepare her shop.
	As she was mixing the day's batter, she heard a scratching at the front
door. Perplexed at who could possibly be calling at this early hour, and
seeing no-one at the door, she ignored the sound. Suddenly, the sound
came again, louder, and with more ferocity. She walked up to the door
and looked out. Still, no one. The sound came again just as she turned
her back n the door, and she swung it open quickly, hoping to face the
pest. Instead, she heard a loud "bwee" and looked down at a muddy, wet
black piglet. "P-chan? Shouldn't you be with Akane right now?"
	The little pig squealed again and walked into the shop, planting itself
just inside of the doorway. Staring up at her, she felt a little unnerved
by the pig's odd behavior, but she shrugged and returned to the counter,
continuing to stir the batter. She felt a cold, wet object press into
her ankle and looked down as P-chan nosed her. Picking him up by the bandanna,
she stared right into his eyes. "What? What do you want, little pig?"
The pig pointed a hoof at the batter, then his mouth. "Are you hungry?"
Happily, P-chan shut his eyes and bobbled his head up and down. She set
him on a nearby stool. "Okay, hold on.. I'll go get something for you.."
She walked into the back room and popped open the refrigerator.
	"What do you feed a pig, anyway?" she wondered. Spotting an old cabbage,
she plucked it out of the fridge and stuck it into a small bowl. "This'll
have to do." She returned to the front room, only to see the pig on top
of a table, halfway across the room, with muddy pig-tracks across most
of her restaurant. "P-chan! You're filthy, stop tracking mud through my
restaurant!" She dropped the bowl in front of him and took a big pot out
from under the counter. She filled it with water as he happily munched
on the cabbage leaves. 
	"Too bad the hot water's off.. I could give you a bath then.." She remarked
to him. His little piggy ears pricked up, then sunk down in relief. Putting
to pot on the stove, she set it on "high" and returned to stirring the
batter. In a minute, the pot of water was faintly steaming, and she removed
it from the stove, and placed it on the floor, near the table where P-chan
was finishing off the last leaf of the old cabbage. Sticking her finger
in to test,  she checked to make sure P-chan would not become the main
dish today. "Hot, not boiling, but hot enough to clean him off in." she
reasoned.
	Rising, she plucked the dirty pig off the table and he turned an inquiring
eye towards Ukyo. "I guess this pot of water will have to do.. Can't just
let you track more mud around before I open." she smiled. The pig looked
down at the water, then began struggling valiantly in her hand. "Whoa,
hold on, little guy.. The water's fine, I checked it myself."
	She lowered the pig to just above the water. He bent himself upwards,
away from the steaming liquid, and began to kick her wrist with his hind
legs. Seeing that she wouldn't be able to bathe him without getting quite
wet herself, and not wanting to soak her shirt through, she pulled her
top off with her other hand. She noticed P-chan's eyes squeeze shut and
a little trickle of blood issue from his nose, then plunged the pig into
the hot water.
	She released her hand from Ryoga's forehead in shock. "Ryoga.. ?? Where
did you... Oh, wait.. You mean that.."
	Ryoga blushed deeply and nodded. "Yeah.. I guess you know now.. Please,
Ukyo.. Don't tell Akane. She'd kill me."
	"I'll say.. Anyway, now that you're here.." she grinned at him and turned
away, working with something he couldn't see.
	Ryoga looked at her, now only half-dressed and stuck a finger up each
nostril to suppress the blood. His eyes widened, as it was his turn to
be shocked. "Ukyo.. I never thought that.."
	She turned back and handed him a rag and bottle of Windex. "Now that
you're here, you can clean up your tracks." She paused and checked his
words. "Thought what? .... Ohhh.. No, silly, you've got a sick mind, though."
 She retrieved her shirt and pulled it back on. "See if you can get every
trace of mud off of every surface in this room in an hour. Clean up the
water from your bath, too." She took the rag from him. "Shower's upstairs..
Do that first." Ryoga started up the stairs. "WAIT! I forgot, there's
no hot water.. Um.. I'll boil you some water, so you can give yourself
a sponge-bath.. Wait for a minute."
	Ryoga nodded in assent. "Okay.." He looked around and the shop, and watched
Ukyo pull another large pot out from under the countertop. He drummed
a little tune on the stairwell while he waited. Presently, she handed
him a pot of hot water and a sponge. "Clean yourself up well.. I don't
want anymore mud in my shop." Ryoga nodded again and climbed up the stairs.
Ukyo sighed and started chopping up a fresh head of cabbage for the day.
	"RANMA! You dare to abandon Akane while she is alone, and then you sleep
with another?!?! HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF HONOR AND DECENCY?" echoed from
the bedroom above. Ukyo dropped her knife and ran for the stairs. "Oh
boy.." Ukyo burst into the room just as Ryoga dived for Ranma-chan on
the bed. She stuck her arm right across his path and caught him just in
time.
	"Listen, sugar.. You're a guest here. If you want to beat up my fiancee,
do it outside. If you want to take a bath, leave him alone. Oh, and might
I add, you have to clean up the downstairs, or else.." Ukyo intoned angrily.
	Ryoga nodded sheepishly and headed for the bathroom. Ukyo looked down
at Ranma-chan, now fully awake.
	"Thanks for saving my bacon just now, Ucchan.." smiled Ranma-chan, wiping
a bit of sweat from her brow. "How'd Ryoga get in here anyhow, naked to
boot..?"
	"I found P-chan out on the front porch. He was muddy, so I gave him a
bath in a pot of warm water.. Well, that solved that little mystery, eh,
Ranchan? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
	Ranma-chan winced. "Well.. I sorta was honor-bound not to tell anyone.."
She ran a finger from Ukyo's neck down toward her chest. "Did we really..
as girls..? 'Cause you were great.. Never did that before.."
	Ukyo smiled down at Ranma-chan. "Yeah, we did.. I did find that sorta
fun, y'know, sugar.. Maybe we could again sometime..?"
	Ranma-chan strained upwards and kissed Ukyo on the cheek. "Sure.."
	Ryoga peeked around the doorway. "Ranma.. and Ukyo... as girls.. they.."
his nose became a veritable river of red as the image formed in his mind.
He leapt out of the tub and howled. "RANMA, you're WORSE THAN HAPPOSAI!"
	Ukyo turned her head slowly towards the shaking Ryoga. "Did anyone ask
you, pig-boy?"
	Ryoga, cowed, scuttled back out of sight. "Sorry, sorry.." I have got
to control that reflex..
	Ukyo looked back over at Ranma-chan. "Listen, I'm going to go set up
shop. There's no hot water, so a cold shower will have to suffice.."
Ranma-chan
nodded. Ukyo lowered her voice to a whisper. "And try not to let Ryoga
on to too much.."
	The redhead nodded and gave her a knowing smile. At that moment, Ryoga
peeked his head around the corner. "Um.. Ukyo, do you have a spare set
of clothes I could borrow.. I sorta lost mine when I got wet.."
	Ukyo walked over to her closet. "Yeah, hold on... There might be some
pants or something still in here." She shuffled through her wardrobe,
looking for something that might fit the naked boy. She tossed a large
pair of khakis and a t-shirt imprinted with "Cat Girl Nuku Nuku" over
to Ryoga. "That's all I have that might fit you.."
	"Uh.. Thanks Ukyo.." Ryoga winced. "I think." He disappeared behind the
corner, and re-emerged a minute later wearing the pants and t-shirt. However,
the t-shirt was a size or so too small, and was stretched tightly across
his muscled chest. The pants creaked as he walked, obviously cut for someone
with more.. feminine proportions. Pulling on the collar, and shooting
a quick glare over at the leering Ranma-chan, he headed for the stairs.
"I'll go get started on the mud, then.."
	Ranma-chan's head followed Ryoga as he crossed the room and descended
to the shop. Barely containing a laugh, she clapped a hand over her mouth
and stumbled to the bathroom. As the rush of water sounded through the
room, she poked her head out of the doorway. "Thanks for the entertainment,
Ucchan!"
	Ukyo groaned, and headed downstairs, expecting to find Ryoga scrubbing
the tables. Instead, the muddy hoofprints were still on the floor, and
Ryoga was nowhere to be found. Smacking her palm over her face, she groaned
and yelled out. "RYOGA !! Where are you? You're supposed to be CLEANING
UP YOUR MESS!"
	She heard a faint and muffled call come from somewhere below her. Running
to the back room, she opened the door to the basement and bolted down
the stairs. Sure enough, Ryoga was wedged between a cement wall and the
water heater. "Sorry, Ukyo.. You know how I am with directions.."
	She sighed. "Can't you get yourself out of there yourself?"
	Ryoga shook his head. "Not without cracking your wall, or knocking out
your water heater."
	"Wait right here.. I'll be back in a minute."
	Ryoga called after her. "It's not like I can actually GO ANYWHERE, now
is it?"
	Ukyo pulled open a cabinet and grabbed a can of Crisco. "This oughta
let him slide right through.." She padded back down the stairs, popping
open the food shortening.
	Ryoga eyed the white goop and asked, "Isn't there anything else you can
use?"
	"Listen honey, I've got 5 cans of this stuff upstairs, and god knows
I'm never going to use them.. Just sit tight and let me grease you up.."
She scooped a wad of lard from the can and smeared it where his bicep
and the wall met. "Try to work that in." he scraped his arm forward, across
the grease, then worked it back and forth, letting the Crisco lubricate
his upper arm.
	He looked up at her. "No good, I'm still stuck." Ukyo took another big
wad and pressed in into the crevice between his other arm and the metal
water heater. "Try now."
	Ryoga rubbed his other arm back and forth, then slid them both forward
in unison. His torso popped forward from confinement, but his legs were
still wedged tight. He reached for the can. "I can get it from here, thanks."
However, instead of meeting the cool surface of a Crisco can, his hand
found something warm and squishy... Thinking he had put his hand *inside*
the can, he looked up and let out a little squeal.
	Ukyo would have swatted his hand from her chest immediately, if it didn't
feel so good to have a man fondle her again. She felt his grip soften,
the fall, and she winced. "Whoops.. What the hell is coming over me? This
is Ryoga! He likes _Akane_, not me.. Jeezus, I feel like a pervert, letting
him grope me like that.." she thought. Looking down, she saw his cheeks
flush to a rosy pink, while his nose started to drip blood again, and
she handed him the can. "I'll, um, ... Go get you a towel to clean that
Crisco off, and stop up that nosebleed." She hurried upstairs and shut
the door. Chest heaving, she flung on her apron and started to chop peppers
up in a frenzy. Focus on work, take your mind off sex.. She remembered
that she promised him a towel. Walking upstairs, she no longer heard the
shower's soothing gush, and found Ranma-chan pulling on her red shirt.
Hurrying past without a word, she grabbed a small hand towel and returned
to her bedroom.
	Ranma-chan was blocking her way down the stairs. "Ukyo, what happened?
You're all pale and sweaty.."
	"Nothing.. It's nothing, Ranchan." she waved the other girl off. "I'll
be fine, just give me a hand downstairs." Ranma-chan nodded and followed
Ukyo down to the shop. Ukyo handed the redhead a sponge. "Here.. Ryoga's
got himself in. a sticky situation.. Clean off some of that mud, okay?"
	"Uh.. Sure thing, Ucchan.." Ranma-chan grumbled to herself. Fine, she
lets Ryoga off the hook and makes ME do HIS work.. Great, just great..
Suddenly, she felt something hot stream over her head.
	Ukyo refilled the teapot and set it back on the stove. "Better, Ranchan?"
	Ranma looked up a her, soaked, and nodded happily. "Thanks!" He turned
just in time to see Ryoga come traipsing up the basement steps and walk
into the main room, covered in a slick, white substance. His face darkened
as he turned to Ukyo. "What the hell were you two doing?"
	Ukyo put her hands up, as if to push back his anger, and blushed. "No,
no.. It's not what you think! He got stuck between the heater and the
wall, so I used Crisco to slide him out." She looked over at Ryoga. "Right?"
	Ryoga nodded and grinned sheepishly. "Right! What she said.. There's
nothing going on between us." Ryoga's face darkened. "Unlike between you
and Ukyo.."
	Ukyo stepped between the two. "Boys, boys! Let's not have a fight, okay?
I have to open up shop today.." Neither man backed down, and battle aurae
illuminated the little store. Ukyo's face dropped into a frown. Fine then..
She unhooked her large spatula from the wall and swung it between them,
missing either one's nose by less then an inch. "I said, cut it out!"
Ranma's head snapped toward her and he looked down at the grill. "Whoops..
Sorry.. it's just, sometimes.. You know.."
	Ukyo remained grim, and tossed a sponge to Ryoga. "You, clean up your
mess. And rub that Crisco off when you get a chance.." She turned to Ranma.
"As for you.." She put a hand below the counter and slid a radio across
the griddle. "Entertain yourself."
	Ryoga bent over onto his hands and knees, scrubbing diligently at the
caked dirt now covering the floor to Ucchan's okonomiyaki. Ranma flicked
the dial to the weather station. Suddenly, the radio barked out. "And
in other news, a large, toxic cloud has been detected over the Tendo dojo.
Scientists are baffled as to its source, however, it is rapidly spreading
over Nerima. Residents in the area are advised to stay indoors, and avoid
breathing the air outside, as one whiff has reportedly killed small animals.."
	Ranma mumbled. "Akane must be cooking again.." Ryoga's head darted up.
"How dare you insult Akane's cooking! There is no greater feast on this
earth! I should.." his hand balled into a fist, shaking. "I should make
you pay for that remark. Akane doesn't deserve such an unappreciative
husband such as yourself."
	Ranma looked down. "Aw, stuff it Ryoga.. Her cooking could eat through
titanium." He stared impassionately out the window. "I just hope I never
taste that poison again."
	Ryoga closed his eyes. "Then why don't you leave her to someone who will
appreciate her gifts?"
	Ranma only grunted as he stared into the clear blue skies. He looked
back at Ukyo. "How about some breakfast?"
	She looked up from chopping some carrots. "Give the griddle a minute
to heat up." She licked a finger and touched the surface. "Should be ready
soon."
	Ryoga poked his head up and smiled. "Can I have some too?"
	"Only if you finish." she replied.
	Minutes later, the shop was spotless, and the delicious smell of fresh
okonomiyaki wafted through the room. Ranma inhaled the heady odor as he
accepted a plate from Ukyo. "Thanks Ucchan.."
	He took a pair of chopsticks from the dispenser and started on his plate.
Stopping to stare out the window while he chewed, he mulled over Ryoga's
suggestion. "Leave Akane... Maybe it's not such a bad idea..." He shrugged
and returned to his food.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHAPTER 7
"The Last Supper"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Ukyo stared out the front window. Sunset. The day had gone by so quickly.
Because of the air warning, few people straggled into her shop today.
In fact, no one had shown up at all. Once the air warnings had ceased,
a few people elected to walk by, but, as of now, none had decided to drop
in. She sighed. Well, at least Ranma will get back soon... Ukyo walked
to the door, hands clasped tightly behind her back. Why on earth did she
send Ranma out to get groceries? She should have known it would take him
ages to get back. Looking out at the setting sun, she took a deep breath.
	A furtive note from Nabiki, along with a bill for several thousand yen,
had notified Ukyo that Akane would be dropping by the store today since
a grease fire had destroyed the stove. She had also let on about a few
revealing photos from the night before, as well as the window incident
this morning. Ukyo looked up at the wall clock. Almost 6:30, time to go
meet her. She drew the store key from her pocket, stepped outside, tacked
a note saying "Closed until 8 PM" on the door, and locked the shop. Briskly
taking off toward Furinkan High, she gazed up towards the eastern horizon.
Full Moon...
	Nabiki was quietly waiting under the shadows of a cherry-blossom tree
when Ukyo arrived. She beckoned the chefess over with a quick wave, meanwhile
withdrawing a large envelope from behind her back. Ukyo nodded and pulled
8,500 yen from her pocket.
	"All right, Nabiki, here's the money... Those ARE the pictures, right?"
Ukyo hissed.
	Nabiki smiled cunningly and nodded. "All seven, high-quality photographs,
8 by 10, developed personally by yours truly." She held a hand out,
expectantly.
"Eight-thousand, five-hundred yen?"
	Ukyo nodded and dropped the wad of bills into Nabiki's hand. "Negatives
included?" she asked as she received the envelope.
	"I don't stiff my customers." Nabiki replied, somewhat taken aback. "It's
not good for repeat business."
	Ukyo turned her back and began to stalk away. "Whatever."
	"Oh, but wait, wouldn't you like to know who dropped by the dojo this
afternoon?"
	Ukyo looked over her shoulder, breaking a sweat. "What? Who?"
	Nabiki held out her hand. "1000 yen, please."
	Ukyo turned and drew out another small wad of bills, handing them to
a smirking Nabiki. Tucking the paper into her pocket, she grinned. "Ryoga
dropped by about an hour ago."
	"And? What does this have to do with me?"
	"He mentioned where Ranma was staying..."
	Ukyo's eyes grew wide, her mind instantly launching into Red Alert Mode.
"And... How did Akane react?"
	"Let's just say the grease wasn't what broke the stove.. She'll be dropping
by in about, oh.. 15 minutes."
	Ukyo turned down the street and ran, calling over her shoulder. "Thanks
Nabiki!"
	Nabiki fingered the wad of cash she had "earned". "The pleasure's all
mine......" she muttered.
	Ukyo arrived at the shop in two minutes, flat. A new record! There was
no time for elation, she fumbled with the key, unlocked the door, and
pulled her bandolier and battle spatula on in a frenzy. She had to be
prepared when Akane arrived.. At least she had insurance. Suddenly, she
heard footsteps and the door opening. Turning quickly, she drew four throwing
spatulas from the bandolier and thrust them in front of her. "Hold it
right there!"
	Ranma dropped the two bags of food and put his hands in the air. "Playing
police, Ucchan?" he grinned. "So, are you the good cop, or the baaaad
cop?"
	Ukyo lowered the armaments. "Sorry, Ranchan.. it's just.. Well, Akane
sort of took out the kitchen at the Tendo dojo when she heard you'd been
staying here.. And she's on her way."
	Ranma winced. "Who snitched?"
	"Ryoga.. somehow he made his way over there."
	"Didn't you make him swear not to tell?" Ranma asked, puzzled.
	"Haven't you seen him near Akane? The guy's will turns to putty. If she
asks, he'll tell." Ukyo groaned. Suddenly, she perked up. "How about a
walk, Ranchan? We can clear our heads, and it's a really nice evening.."
She leaned her large spatula up against the countertop and walked to his
side. Gripping his arm, she stared up at him. "Well?"
	Ranma smiled and slipped his elbow into hers. "Sure.. Sounds nice."
	Ukyo tugged him towards the door. "Then let's go.. We have to get away
from here before Akane arrives." She pulled him out the door and quickly
locked the shop again. "Where to?"
	Ranma shrugged. "This is your idea.. Where do you want to go?"
	Ukyo's mind raced... Somewhere quiet and romantic... Hm... "How about
the riverfront?" 
	Ranma nodded. "Fine with me."
	Ukyo tugged at his arm again, and they set off down the road. Turning
the corner, neither one saw Akane emerge onto the street at the opposite
end of the block, fuming and dressed in her martial arts gi. She walked
up to the front of the restaurant and jiggled the doorknob. It broke off
in her hand. Growling, she sat down on the sidewalk. "I guess I'll wait
for someone to get back.."
	Minutes later, Ukyo was strolling slowly down the riverfront, staring
at their reflection in the water. It was intriguing, since the little
ripples on the water prevented a perfect reflection, they were now blending
Ukyo and Ranma together, seamlessly. And yet, with the slightest bit of
extra turbulence, that balance that melded their images together tore
them apart. She blinked. So much like their situation now.. One wrong
move, and it's all over. She looked ahead. No one. Too early for the dinner
crowd or the club patrons. Odd, though, that no other young couples showed
up to witness the beautiful sunset.
	Ukyo stared into the western horizon. Such a beautiful sight, as the
air was set ablaze in color by the fiery disc as it sunk low in the sky.
Presently, tiny pinpricks of light began to populate the heavens. Very
few, as the sun's rays blotted out all but the brightest of stars. She
looked off to her left, over at the moon. Rising majestically, it had
already cleared the dirt and dust on the low horizon and hung like a serene,
silver sphere in midair. Above it, a bright light, brighter than all the
other stars, winked into life. Ukyo smiled. Venus.. Recalling some ancient
European mythology, it was Venus who was the goddess of love.. Exactly
who she needed to watch over her at the moment..
	Ranma stared lifelessly ahead, his mind twisted inwardly on itself. "Ukyo..
Akane.. What will I do.. " he mused. "Akane.. she loves me, I know it..
It's in her eyes, in her voice.. If only she could express it.." He looked
down at his shoes, plodding incessantly along. "But then.. I do love her
too.." he admitted. Turning his head to the side, he looked at the girl
on his arm. "Ukyo.. she loves me, too.. These past few days.. No, she
could never go back to being 'just a friend'.. And I love her.. I love
both.." He frowned. "But I can't be like Kuno.. I can't have both.. And
when I get back to Ucchan's tonight, I have to face this decision.." His
head went skyward. "Oh man, how will I decide.. I need a sign.. A good
one.." He felt Ukyo tugging at his arm, and he looked down at her.
	She was pointing to the horizon. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ranma glumly
looked over towards the rising moon. "Yeah.. beautiful.." He noticed the
planet Venus appear above it. "Venus, Roman goddess of romance and love.."
the words of Ms. Hinako's European mythology teachings popped into his
head. He stopped for a minute, and Ukyo, feeling that, halted too, and
still stared out at the moon. Ranma swallowed hard at the sight he saw.
	Aligned perfectly above Ukyo's head were the moon, Venus, and the
constellation
Virgo... The wind gently lifted her hair as he stared, mouth agape. Was
this.. This.. this was the sign! He started walking again, quickly, his
mind racing. Ukyo struggled to keep up. "Ranchan! Is something wrong?"
	He glanced over at her. The stars, moon, and Venus were still aligned..
Oh jeez.. "No, nothing." he mumbled. The sidewalk zoomed by under him,
his feet taking on a mind of their own as he debated the wisdom of the
stars. Suddenly, he stopped. Looking up, he found himself outside of 
a new French restaurant, 'Chez Primier Amour'. The door was open, and
the maitre'd looked almost as if he was expecting them.. Ranma knew..
it was time.
	** Music: Also Sprach Zarathustra, by Richard Strauss **
	"Ukyo.. Ucchan.. there's something I gotta say.."
	Ukyo averted her gaze from the horizon for a minute, "What is it?"
	  "Ucchan," Ranma started, "These past few days have been like a dream
to me. There's no way around this anymore..." He knelt and took her hands
in his.
	He turned and looked up at the clear, full moon. "How about a date, Ucchan?"
  	Ukyo's eyes widened. "What?"
 	Ranma turned back to her and smiled. "There's no two ways about it.
You are the star that burns brightest in my sky."
	"Oh, Ranchan!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THE END
for good this time
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

		It's done! It's done! Never thought this day could come, but it's done!!!
Well, people, it's late, I'm tired and half-awake, and ecstatic from
completing
this major work. Reminds me of something Chevy Chase once said. "Hallelujah!
Holy s**t! Where's the Tylenol?"

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed creating it..
And, as always, praise, comments, criticism and flames go to
Yoru@mindspring.com

Here's the closing credits...
	** Ending Theme: Equal Romance, by Coco **
   ** Characters and Ranma 1/2 series by Rumiko Takahashi
   ** "Twist of Lemon" written, compiled, spellchecked, produced, catered,
and released by 
    	
		>>>		Yoru-Hikage		<<<

  ** Proofreading by Kyoko Takara, J. Bunyard, B-kun, and R-kun.
 ** Special Thanks to Zen, Alekzander, and Bridget Engman for information
on the Kimono. ^_^

This fic can be found in beautiful Word 97 format at the Anime Freeman's
Guild:
http://www.mindspring.com/~yoru/AFG/index.html
 Or, visit Yoru's Anime Lab, for more twisted creations!
 http://www.mindspring.com/~yoru/anime/lab.html

Until next time, Read Happy!

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