C&C welcome. Feel free to flame (if you won't should I tell some 'mother' 
jokes? Nah).

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                  	Transience-- Ukyo, Kodachi

  Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@hotmail.com)
  http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html
  Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. And
all that other good stuff. Proper licenses belong to respective
properties and characters. The manga has precedence over material in
the anime.
  This file can be freely distributed so long as it appears in its
complete form and proper credit. No part may be reproduced for
monetary gain without permission from the author. (to which the answer
is probably "no")

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					*  *  *  *  *

Part 1: Ukyo-- Control

  Ukyo Kuonji had no idea how long she stood there, but her pride
would not allow it.
  She stood atop a stone block that served as a pedestal, so all in
the open park could see. From her vantage point that served to
enhance her field of vision by half her height the okonomiyaki chef
could see all who passed by in front of her, but never those in back
of her, for, like her legs, she could not move her head, either.
  For that matter, she couldn't move at all. She may very well be a
stone statue.
  If she had not felt the wind blowing her loose hair about, she
would have thought she was.
  But, it was definitely real, and it was definitely her own body.
Just... not the body she wanted to be in.
  She was dressed in the black leotard of a Playboy bunny suit, a
sadistic parody of a tuxedo. Her left arm was firmly planted against
her hip, while her right arm was raised up, holding a shiny tray.
Fishnet stockings covered her legs, running all the way down to the
high heeled-shoes she always found so darn uncomfortable.
  Worse that being stuck like a statue wearing this pig's costume,
Ukyo thought, was the fact that all the guys are giving me those
stupid looks.
  She lost count how many times guys stopped and stared at her, where
most women, and some men, would stare a moment, then walk away,
shaking their heads. Others would wonder at the okonomiyaki chef's
audacity, standing on the pedestal in broad daylight, in public, even!
A few daring men climbed up the pedestal, pinching cheeks (where her
tail was, not her face), or planting lips.
  Ukyo wanted to scream, but knew she couldn't, because she couldn't
move.
  Yet, she was still alive, even though she couldn't even breathe.
  I'm probably in Hell already, she thought. In Greek mythology Hades
would put the bad people to punishment like this for an eternity...
pushing a rock up a hill must be infinitely better than this.
  She imagined her cheeks (the ones on her face) were exploding rose
all over from the embarrassment and shame.
  She wanted to kill the man who kissed her then-- not only was he a
total stranger, but he was also placing his hands in a compromisable
area. She desperately wanted to kill him....
  And then, she felt as if someone whapped her head with a roll of
newspaper, even though nobody had done it.
  "Let go of those thoughts," a voice suggested.
  Shut up, Ukyo thought.
  "Endure," continued the voice, "and be strong!"
  Up yours.
  But then, she knew the voice was gone.

  Ukyo could not think of an instance where she felt comfortable
with her... feminine side. She could not wear a skirt without feeling
the... unnatural draft, and... openness. She could not remember a
time when dressing in strongly-feminine clothing made her feel right.
  I'm probably more of a guy than I really wanted to be, she decided.
  She continued to stand in her imposed punishment, as the guys
would tire from jeering and kissing, and would go on to be more
bold. One such man had gone so far as to bring a pocketknife. Slowly,
and what she thought he thought would be... sexily, the man cut away
bits and pieces of the bunny suit. Ukyo would have been glad to be
free of the degrading costume, but she knew it would get worse because
she was not wearing anything underneath.
  A second man had brought a chest, the contents of which were unknown
to Ukyo. But, she had little time to think it over when she
experienced firsthand what exactly was there.
  And that was when the men got terrible.
  Bastards....
  More than ever, Ukyo wanted to lash out at the men who wanted to
have their way with her. More than ever, Ukyo wanted to kill each
and every last one of them.
  "You are losing," noted the same voice from before.
  How am I supposed to win if I'm losing?! demanded Ukyo.
  "You have long since lost control of the situation," the voice
said analytically. "Therefore, any further attempts to exert your
control in this manner will be met in failure."
  Damn you, then! I won't goddamn lose control in the first place!
  "That is beyond you now. What you need to learn is to control
your emotions, NOT the situation."
  Ukyo remained silent as the voice's words stabbed at her heart.
  "Now... now, you have control only over your emotions. So far,
you have not been able to demonstrate any control at all. You
cannot win without control."
  You want me to put up with all this, Yoda?!
  "Exactly. Control what you CAN!"
  Coward! Bastard! Get back here, and YOU do this!!
  And then, the voice was gone again, leaving Ukyo alone with the
men who wanted her... badly.

  Since she had no perception of time in her statue state, Ukyo
had no idea how long it took for her to decide to tear her tormentors
apart... with her mind.
  Disgusted with what she had to put up with, the okonomiyaki chef
decided the only way she could get through it all without going
insane was to keep herself occupied. And, as of yet, the best way to
do that was to piece together the peoples' mannerisms.
  She concluded that these men, who were having their way, were quite
insecure with themselves. They needed something that didn't fight
back... a dog that didn't bite. They needed something that
showed them how powerful they were, and they got it from picking on
someone their lesser. Ukyo allowed herself to pity these men; they
were truly sad, and, perhaps, worse off than she was.
  Not long after those men were finished with their business, some
men and women took pity upon her, throwing old blankets around Ukyo's
body, sometimes old clothes, and even a hat. While Ukyo despised
being pitied, her thoughts were occupied, piecing together these
people.
  And soon, they, too, left.
  Everything that's happened, this... incident... it's all about
exercising control? Ukyo wondered. Am I being given these sets of
people because they... annoy me, in some way?
  There is a pattern to this, after all.
  Then the okonomiyaki chef realized there was another person
standing there before her. A woman, who appeared every bit the super
model that guys liked to drool over, Ukyo thought. Why was she staring
at me like that?
  Ukyo watched as the woman slowly pulled herself up on the pedestal,
staring down her eyes strangely. The woman smiled, running her hand
through Ukyo's hair lovingly.
  It was then Ukyo realized that the wicked men was nothing as the
woman attacked her with her lips.
  The ultimate test.... she realized.
  Locked in events beyond her control, the okonomiyaki chef fought
desperately within herself, trying to shake the sensations flooding
her mind like a busted dam-- confusion, hatred, anger... everything
at once.
  This is about control, Ukyo reminded herself. I can't lose it!
  She forced herself, ever so slowly, to forget about the lesbian,
to stab her way through the swirling emotion that nearly engulfed
her. Trying to submerge her sense of urgency, Ukyo focused herself
on control... total control.
  A sheet of ice surrounded her, like a wall, answering her call. She
heard the muffled cry of the other woman, as Ukyo isolated herself
within the hollow column of frozen water.
  The symbolism was not lost upon the chef girl, a sudden chill
crawling up her spine. She folded her arms tightly, trying her best
to keep warm in her self-created prison.
  My arms.... she realized.
  And then, there was silence.

  Bursting awake, Ukyo sat up in her futon, sweating heavily.
  She planted a hand over her chest, her heart pounding like a war
drum. The chef felt a tinge of relief as she realized she was still
dressed in her sleeping clothes. Her eyes darted around, the familiar
surroundings of her room welcoming, despite the darkness.
  It was a dream... it was a dream... but damn, it was too good of a
dream to be simply a dream....
  Congratulations, a voice said within her mind, you passed the test.
  "T... test?" repeated Ukyo, slightly confused.
  Yes. Control over your emotions is mandatory, and you succeeded,
just as I knew you would. Better than expected, actually. The wall
of ice... I never expected you to use that!
  The thought of the coldness of the ice made Ukyo shiver.
  You don't like it.
  "Right, you...." The okonomiyaki chef's memory recalled the one
known as Seiryu. "Did you... didja have to do it like... that?!"
  Of course, answered Seiryu. I presented to you the situations
which would, under most circumstances, make you lose control over
yourself. That is something you can't have happen.
  "Don't remind me," Ukyo said bitterly, remembering her part in
the wedding fiasco, where Ranma and Akane should have wed. She stared
off at the clock, then scowled. "Damn, three hours till I'm supposed
to open the shop... how'll I ever sleep now?"
  My protege, Seiryu said, to be my Chosen means you must be of
the most rigorous discipline. Though you have learned much by
yourself in the past ten years, you need to learn still more. Emotion
is there to get in your way when you need it least; to control it
is what will give you the edge in the future.
  You may not like it, but at least remember that state of mind, Ukyo,
and use it.
  Now, shall we begin the next test?


Part 2: Kodachi-- Discipline

  Kodachi Kuno remained calm in her composure as she knocked the
hated pig-tailed girl from the ring post.
  It was this entrance that Kodachi made into the Furinkan gym, in
the midst of the battle between a deranged rhythmic gymnastics guy,
Daitokuji, his two lackeys, and the girl Brother-dear loved so much.
But, it was not revenge, nor destruction, that drew her there.
  The fight was over the three godly gymnastics weapons. And Kodachi
wanted them all.
  Already, triumph was in her eyes, with the Ribbon of Tears and the
two Clubs in her possession. At the opposite end of the ring,
amidsts frogs, snakes, and some pink stuff, rest the Ball of Anger,
the last of the artifacts.
  Kodachi carefully stepped across the ring mat triumphantly.
  The weapons are mine! she thought.
  But then, something caught her foot. In surprise the gymnast girl
tripped. However, the sticky, pink substance her foot stepped in
would not allow her to stumble, but immediately forced her down to
the mat.
  Shaking her head with anger, Kodachi realized she had all three
artifacts in front of her, and yet, her body would not rise. It was
then she realized that the pink substance was what was holding her
down, now that it covered her entire front. She struggled in vain
against the sticky, bubble gum-like substance, but to no avail.
  It was then that Daitokuji snatched all three artifacts
right before her eyes.
  She watched, tears filling in her eyes, as the spirits residing
in the three artifacts emerged, surrounding their owners hauntingly.
  The spirits of girls who did not have boyfriends, so they say.
  "I understand the feelings of girls who could not have a chance at
dating," Kodachi said, staring at the spirits with awe and terror.
Silent streams rolled down her cheeks. "I, Kodachi Kuno, will get your
share of the happiness, too, with Ranma-sama...!"
  She slammed her face down against the mat in anguish, but never
stopped to realize that that, too, was covered with the pink substance.

  How long ago was that, Kodachi wondered to herself, that I made
such a fool of myself?
  She ran her finger through the ribbon she held in her hand, the
ribbon she had stolen from Daitokuji's school... the Ribbon of Tears,
the originator of the pink substance... the tears of girls without
boyfriends, so they say. It was odd, she thought, holding this
hated weapon in her hands... a weapon that made her the fool. Not
one person dared to help her out of the ring that day, not even
Ranma. Stuck for a long time, faced down. Only later did Tacchi come
back, after everyone had left, and pulled her out of it, throwing a
bucket of water on her. The water, she learned, made the substance
lose its effectiveness.
  "The tears of girls without boyfriends?" she repeated to herself.
  No, it may not be so odd at all that Kodachi return to this
weapon now. Daitokuji thought he could control the artifacts, but,
being a man, the spirits inside the artifacts attacked him... such as
the spirits of boyfriendless girls do. Kodachi, however, knew that
she was ready.
  After all, although she did have a boyfriend, her tears become
a part of the Ribbon.
  She felt a certain attachment to the Ribbon... one so odd, so
strange, that one could possibly describe it as... imprinting?
Though she hardly believed in fates and destiny anymore (Ranma had
seen to that), Kodachi knew she was supposed to own this.
  "Only this would make you stronger," she told herself.
  It wasn't long ago that Kodachi realized how weak of a fighter she
was... how much better the others were. She could no longer hide
behind her confidence... not anymore... not after Ranma showed her
how weak she was! Even her brother was stronger still!
  "He can have his Phoenix Sword," she muttered, "but I can train
equally as hard, in such a short amount of time, by myself!"
  With new resolve Kodachi stripped off her dress, down to her
leotard she wore underneath.
  Once more, she ran the Ribbon through her fingers, as if questioning
her next course of action. Kodachi shook her head, banishing those
thoughts, and attacked the floor of the underground Kuno gym.
  Instead, the end of the Ribbon turned around to attack the wielder.
  Willpower was what controlled the Ribbon, Kodachi knew. In order
to utilize its power, you have to control it!
  She barely had time to finish that thought as the Ribbon spat the
sticky tears at her, slamming straight into her face. The force of
impact was great enough to force the gymnast down onto her back.
  Kodachi wanted to cry... so desperately wanted to cry... from the
pain, from the failure... from her lack of control. And yet, that
was the reason she was forcing herself to use the Ribbon... all of
those reasons.
  The girl rose to her feet, resisting the urge to wipe the sticky
tears from her face, lest she get her hand stuck as well. Snapping
the Ribbon once more, Kodachi attacked again.
  More tears attacked her, forcing her to step back, pelting her
body like water balloons.
  I need to prove myself, Kodachi knew. Giving in was not an option!
  The third attack stuck her pony tail against her shoulder, serving
to hinder quick movements with her head.
  The fourth attack nearly attached her chin to her chest, as Kodachi
resisted the urge to look down at herself.
  The fifth attack struck the walls behind Kodachi.
  Smirking inwardly, Kodachi knew she was winning.

  Sasuke stared at the vat, then back to Kodachi, with a worried
expression on his face. The vat, she told him, was filled with the
pink tears of the Ribbon of Tears.
  "Mistress Kodachi," the ninja said, "are you sure about this?"
  Kodachi nodded confidently, staring down at the pink substance.
"Death need not pride, Sasuke." She had no time to question herself,
not at this critical juncture. "If this does not work out, then
dilute the substance with water."
  The Kuno servant nodded, but that hardly alleviated his fears.
  It was then he realized that Kodachi jumped, head first, into the
vat.

  She let herself be engulfed by the pink tears, allowed herself to
relax despite the danger warnings in her head. She ran her fingers
through her long, dark hair, and found she could do it... at all!
  Her arms and legs performed strokes proven to work well in a
swimming pool, relishing in the strange freedom she was feeling in
the sticky substance.
  Kodachi knew she had won.

  "KODACHI!!!" Sasuke cried, forgetting his mannerisms. The tiny ninja
stared down at the vat of pink substance, at the point where the
girl had disappeared... probably never to resurface.
  Seconds crawled to minutes, and Sasuke decided to dilute the
substance, if it was not too late.
  But, he heard something moving in the vat.
  In one grand show, Kodachi burst upward from the vat, arms spread
like an eagle, catapulting herself into the air. Sasuke stared in
awe at the young mistress, watching her land perfectly on her feet
next to him.
  And, surprisingly enough, she was free of any trace of the pink
substance.
  "Mistress?!" gasped the ninja.
  "It is done!" Kodachi declared in triumph, raising her fists in
the air. "The tears are mine, Sasuke... MINE!!"
  She stared back down at the vat. "Not only must I have complete
control over the Ribbon, but over the tears as well. I have always
wondered how one such as Daitokuji could use a weapon that could so
easily be turned against him. I am their master."
  Sasuke scratched his head. "I... I don't understand."
  "The tears no longer work on me, Sasuke," she explained. "They are
as effective as water... which is no effect at all!" She laughed.
"With the Ribbon under my power, it would be a simple task to master
the Ball. Ranma Saotome... you will rue the day you met me!!"
  "Ah, Mistress... what about the vat?" The ninja glanced at the
pink substance with worry.
  Kodachi smirked. "Dump it in Ranma's yard."


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Closing: A Black Rose for Valentine's Day (Kodachi)

(Kodachi) It's pure and naive
My love for you
I'm a pretty girl
Please take me
I was living a gray high school life
Without love or taste
I almost gave up dating boys

A Black Rose for Valentine's
I give you my honest feeling
A Black Rose for Valentine's
After you get one, please come
To me

I want your passion in return
And everything manly about you
This is a secret between us
Our passionate love is
Sending flower petals
To my heart

A Black Rose for Valentine's
I like myself like this
A Black Rose for Valentine's
It's my principle, I will devote
Myself to my lover without limit.
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Author's Rant

  Created to fill in the extended gap between #15 and #16. Mainly
focuses on the changes in attitudes in both Kodachi and Ukyo for
the final confrontation. May fill in other characters later
on as well.
  I deliberately left Ukyo's torments vague. All I did was paint a
situation, and the reader has to fill in the rest; if you thought
lemony thoughts, then that's your fault, not mine.
  The godly gymnastics weapons come from an anime episode. Not only
do they become a tool for the future, but a means by which Kodachi
must submerge her overblown pride to get what she wants-- revenge.
  Final thought: what are they training FOR?

Razorclaw X
http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html

<!-- End File -->

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This has been yet another exercise in interpretation.

"Decepticons FOREVER!!" --Ravage, former Decepticon
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die." --Kosh, Babylon 5
"Dinobot has spoken. My rigid grill structure... what's next?"--Scott 
McNeil, voice of Dinobot
"...is bearing down on your unprotected garage door."--answer to Scott's 
question
"...you're lamer than your signature and screen name indicate."--Chris 
Davies
"The FFML exists to judge the writing, not the writers."-Richard Lawson
"There was a recent case where a fanfic author put together his work with 
only another fanfic serving as his primary resource.  *I* started writing 
fanfiction that way, and consequently I never grew attached to this whole 
idea of remaining true to the original.  I call it "correction."--Reverend 
Prez

--Razorclaw X
Author: "Wheel of Fire", "The World's Worst Ranma Fanfic!", "The Geometry of 
Shattered Souls", "The Balance of Power".
"I sold my soul to buy a copy of the dubbed 'Ukyo Can Cook'"
"I'm only one person. What can I do? A lot, quite frankly."


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