Rejection
Thom Keehn
zinyadel@hotmail.com


Exclusive rights to all Ranma1/2 characters and places belong to
Rumiko Takahashi and are used herein without permission.  This
material is not to be used for commercial gain or in any other way
that is profitable.

This is to take place at about the same time Dating Duel is happening.
You will probably need to have read all the predecessors to understand
exactly what is going on... but in truth this story is stand alone.
One doesn't need much from the other stories to follow the story.

For all of you who haven't read the Cas series... this is the official
introduction of Kiten and Gyosha.  In the Cas series this only gets a
quick explanation of what happened between Ukyou and these characters
and here's most of what was left out.

The stories of both the Cas series and Wedding Aftermaths are on my
homepage in formatted text files.

http://ravenhale.anifics.com/fiction.html

-----

Beloved Daughter;

It has been several months since you last wrote me concerning your
welfare.  I write to you today on a matter that I hope will not need
your attention.  I understand your heart has been set, but if you still
have not managed to convince him to honor the agreement between his
father and myself, there is perhaps another way to restore our name's
honor and strike this fault of mine as irrelevant in the matter of
what was best for the family.  I know now that I should not have
entrusted your future to another man regardless of how much I thought
it would be better for you.

Anyways we have had this argument before and will likely have it again
if you do come back emptyhanded.  But I am happy to inform you that
this may not have to be.  Instead, I implore you to come back as a
prospect wife to a wealthy family that has moved into the area.  They
care not for the slight against our family and have been kind enough
to allow their son a meeting with you if you so desire to meet him.

I could brag with much wind how fortunate it would be for you to marry
this young man, his family having many resources.  And with my mistake
finally reconciled, I will finally tell Father the truth about you,
make no mistake about that.

So please, daughter, I beg of you to come home if you are still not
wed.  It is time to put this mistake of mine out of your life once and
for all.

Father

*****

She reread the note, sighing.  'Maybe it would be for the best,' she
thought.  'I hate leaving Konatsu like this, but I'm not going to get
over Ranma staying here.'

Ukyou pocketed the letter and glanced about her room a final time.
She was ready to go, her note of apology to Konatsu set.  All she
needed to do was set the tape recorder in place and hope that her
departure would remain unnoticed until after the date.

"I hope he falls for this," she muttered to herself.  She hit the
record button and spoke into the small device in her hand.  "Go away,
Konatsu."  She paused for dramatic effect.  "I need to be alone."  She
then clicked the recorder off and sighed heavily.

After a slight hesitation she went about rigging the recorder so that
it would play when the door was opened and rewind when it was shut.
It was a difficult thing to do, requiring a lot of string and an hour
or two of botched setups before she got it working.  Thankfully she
had given Konatsu a shopping list that would take most of the day
to complete.

She sighed, regarding her handiwork.  It would work so long as Konatsu
acted according to her recorded wishes.  She hoped she could rely on
Konatsu to at least be fooled by this ruse for the next two days.

Wandering back over to her bed to her assembled things, Ukyou took a
final glance in the mirror to temper her confidence.  A young woman
glanced back at her, eyes searching for approval.  A black kimono with
white lilies wrapped around her body tightly.  Her hair was pulled up
into a bun at the back of her head, fastened tightly with a white
ribbon and gold plated pins.  Short of the handle of a huge spatula
poking out behind her shoulder, there was little to betray the
identity of the reflection.

The chef contemplated leaving the spatula, as there was no way she
could stuff it into the packs she was taking along.  Ukyou undid the
clasps and brought it forward, feeling the familiar weight in her
hands as she gripped the handle.  She tightened her hold for a moment,
relaxing as she glanced back into the mirror.

"No more," she muttered, letting go of the spatula.  The weapon
clattered on the floor, the sound like a death knell.

Turning away, Ukyou shouldered her pack and paced over to the window.
She opened it and ducked through the opening, launching herself off the
sill to land perfectly with a skill known only to the resident martial
artists of Nerima.  She took one last glance at the back of her
restaurant.

Whirling upon a slight noise in the garbage can nearby, Ukyou snatched
a figure out of the rubbish, hoisting the struggling shadow by its
hair.  "I'm going to kill you, Tsubasa!!!" she growled, forcing the
figure around to face her.

To her surprise it was not her annoying suitor, but a dark haired boy
wearing dark clothing and holding a camera protectively away from her.
She vaguely recognized him from her class but could not find a name to
fit the face.  There was something about the boy's eyes that gave her
the impression that he had not slept in weeks.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

The boy licked his thin lips nervously.  "Who?  Me?" he asked, eyes
darting about to glance at anything but her.

"There's nobody else here that I'm contemplating thrashing," she said
menacingly, shaking him by the collar.  "What are you doing here?"

"Um... taking pictures," he offered meekly.

Ukyou glanced about the dark alleyway that ran behind her shop.
"There's nothing here to take photos of," she started, making her
disbelief quite apparent to her captive with the stern set in her face.
"Tell me the truth!"

"I swear it is truth!" the boy squeaked.  "I take pictures!  It is my
life!"

Ukyou snagged the camera from his hand and released him.  She glanced
it over, looking for the load.  The camera was a very nice piece of
equipment.  Ukyou turned the camera about in her hands, accidentally
taking a picture of something in the process, but still she wasn't able
to find the film load.

"How do you put film in this thing?" she asked, not looking at the boy
as she was still intent on the camera.

"It's a digital camera," the boy explained in a small voice.  "It
doesn't use film."

After pushing another button, a digital display appeared on the back of
the camera.  Ukyou took one glance at the picture and guessed it was
from her earlier fumbling about.  A button with an arrow pointing left
looked promising so she pushed it and sure enough, the pictures began
to cycle.

In moments, annoyance towards her unwanted spy became pure fury.

Pulling the quietly retreating spy back by his collar, she turned him
back to face her.  "How dare you take advantage of me like this!" she
snarled at him, his face a mere inch from hers.  She dropped the camera
to grip his collar with both of her hands.

But the act left her with only a torn collar in both of her hands as
the boy seemed to vanish.  She glanced about, perplexed at how her
captive had disappeared.

"Oh thank God it's not broken," a voice said with a sigh of relief.

She blinked, glancing down.  The boy was below her, holding the camera
protectively.  She closed her eyes, clenching her fists so tightly that
it was almost painful.

Her lower lip trembled as she forced herself to speak instead of pound.
"I might regret hearing your answer," she started, her voice simmering.
"What do you plan on doing with those pictures?"

"N-n-now hold on," the boy stuttered, getting up to his feet.  "I swear
I'm not taking pictures of you for my personal benefit... well maybe my
financial benefit, but not for... my personal use."  The boy ended his
meager defense, taking two steps back to get a head start in making a
run for it.

Ukyou hauled him back by the hair the moment he turned to run.  "Who
could you possibly sell these to?" she demanded.  'Ranma?' she thought
with a small hope.

The boy continued struggling to break free.  "That's not my problem,"
he whimpered.  "Nabiki deals with the buyers."

"Nabiki?!" she repeated.  "Oooooo... if I wasn't dead set on leaving
today I'd love to pay her twice as much as what I'm going to give to
you."  She then paused, considering a different way to hurt Nabiki.  "I
want the contact number she gave to you."

"What?"

"She has a cell.  You probably have a number for it," she said, hoping
she was right.  "Give it up."

"You'll let me go if I give it?" the spy asked, ceasing his struggles.

Ukyou grinned evilly.  "I'll spare your camera if you give it up," she
declared.

The boy paused for only a moment before stowing the camera away into a
pocket and producing a pen and paper.  He scribbled the numbers quickly
and handed the note back to Ukyou.  He then bowed his head, closing his
eyes in defeat.

Ukyou took the note and stuffed it into her kimono.  "Thank you."  It
was time to teach the boy some manners about taking pictures of a
distraught girl taking a bath.

*****

The young woman regarded the two story residence that occupied the end
of a no-thru street in the fading light of the day.  It was a fair-
sized residence in Osaka, most homes being only two-thirds the size,
and due to the location, this place actually had a backyard.  The roof
consisted of interlaying rows of varnished wood tiles, painted black to
absorb and retain heat during winter.  The second story was a smaller
rectangle sitting upon the first, probably half the first floor's size.
The tiles from the second floor roof extended over a small, exposed
walkway that circled the perimeter of the second floor.

It was quite familiar to the girl, not really needing her attention, yet
it had been so long since she had come home.  She walked up to the
painted white stone wall that fenced in their grounds.  She walked
alongside the wall, glancing up at the trees on the other side,
allowing distant memories to parade about her mind like ghosts in a
dance hall.

She paused at the iron gate, touching the wooden sign that was hung
next to it.  Kuonji.   Her ancestors had built this home long ago, the
property handed down to the current generation.  It was perhaps the
only reason why her family still could live in such a large residence.
Her father certainly didn't make enough to pay the bills had this
belonged to Japan.

Ukyou pushed the black gate open, the slight stickiness of the rails
suggesting it had been recently painted.  She wandered to the front
door, absently setting her pack down against the frame.  Deciding to
avoid the confrontation with her father for the moment, she headed
around the household towards a small gravel rectangle in the backyard.

Stepping into the cleared space of white gravel, Ukyou allowed herself
a sigh of relief.  Here she felt truly at home.  This small ring meant
for sparring had been the center of most of her childhood, ever since
Ranma had left.  Here she had trained with Granddad until he could
teach her no more.  Then she had left to train on her own and the
thoughts of what happened after that, were not welcome at the moment.
She pushed everything about Ranma out of her mind, trying to remember
what it was like simply to fight and be praised for her skills.

The chef barely sensed the attack, throwing herself aside as a kick
passed through the space she had been standing only moments before.
She turned upon her opponent, but had to take the defensive as the
figure threw out a right hook.  Ukyou pushed the arm aside but was
unable to counter as a left hand quickly shot out at her head.  Instead
the chef had to fall back a step and regain her stance.

Her opponent did not press the attack any further, stepping back a
pace.  The antagonist was a girl with red hair that was pulled up into
two tufts that vaguely resembled a cat's ears.  The girl wore a
loose-fitting, faded-pink tank top and black leggings that detailed her
shapely legs.  Greenish-hazel eyes regarded her with a mixture of
mischief and delight.

"You look positively delicious in that getup, Ukyou-babe," the redhead
declared, "but if your Granddad sees you like that...."  The girl left
the sentence trailing as she made a motion with her thumb across her
throat.

Ukyou rolled her eyes.  "I'll just pretend to be a stranger like last
time, Kakuheki," she replied.  "Why are you here?"

"I still train here, Kuonji," the redhead countered, shrugging her
shoulders yet her stance did not suggest any lack of alertness.
"Granddad thinks I'll be able to best you if I keep practicing."

Ukyou nearly fumed at the notion of this nuisance besting her in
combat.  "That'll be the day," Ukyou shot back.

Kakuheki smiled, a smile Ukyou wished she didn't remember.  "The day
for what?" the girl echoed playfully.  "The day your preference will
change?"

Ukyou charged in, recklessly throwing several punches out.  The girl
pushed the first couple aside and half turned into her charge to put
her too close for further attacks.  Ukyou tried to recover, halting her
charge with her face barely an inch from her opponent's.  She couldn't
avoid the girl's next move.

Ukyou whimpered in frustration as her head was held in two slender
hands and lips were pressed against hers.  Her hands found the girls
stomach and she pushed the girl back.  The girl giggled as Ukyou wiped
off her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono.

"Kiten," Ukyou growled at the redhead, dropping the formality.  "I've
already told you I'm not interested in girls."

Kiten crossed her arms over her chest.  "Yea, but that was before you
told me about Ranma and his curse," she protested.  "That means by
default you like girls."

"Ranma is a boy!" Ukyou hissed back, refraining from shouting her words
lest Granddad hear them.

"Only half the time," Kiten countered smugly.

Ukyou was at a loss for words.  These past few days, the way her life
with Ranma, if it could even be called that, was steadily falling
apart, simply prevented her from coming up with any response, logical
or half-assed.

The expression on Kiten's face changed to one of curiosity.  "Not that
I'm complaining," she began, "but why are you here?  Shouldn't you be
in Nerima trying to marry God's gift to womankind?"

Ukyou gave Kiten a simmering glare but after a moment looked elsewhere.
"Father wants me here for another possible arranged marriage to undo
the shame brought upon our name from the last failed arrangment," Ukyou
explained.

Kiten frowned.  "What about Ranma?" she demanded, taking a step
forward.

"We... broke up," Ukyou said, unable to think of a better way to
explain what had happened.  "He will never have me and this is the only
way to restore my family's honor."

Kiten huffed in annoyance.  "Honor is overrated," the redhead remarked.
"Honor wasn't created to make life miserable.  It was to make life
respectable.  Even a respectable person can make mistakes."

Ukyou leveled a serious gaze at her companion.  "Honor matters to me."

Kiten's eyes softened.  "Then you will never be happy," she stated.
"You shouldn't live your life to keep up acceptable appearances for
others."

Ukyou hung her head, but something about that statement struck her as
hypocritical.  "Don't you have a boyfriend for appearances?" Ukyou
asked, the question barely audible.

Kiten acked, sweatdropping.  She laughed nervously as she rubbed the
back of her head with a hand.  "Well... Fujiiro doesn't really count as
anything...." she explained, ending her words with some more half-
hearted laughter.

"So who's your friend, Kiten?" an old voice inquired.  An old man
slightly taller than Ukyou wandered off the back porch towards them.
He sported a gray-wiry mustache and beard which covered most of the old
man's face.  A symbol emblazoned on the black gi the man wore
proclaimed the wearer to be the patron of the Kuonji family.

Kiten pounced on Ukyou, hooking an arm around the chef's head.  She
jostled Ukyou about, giggling.  "Why, sensei, this is Ukyou!" Kiten
squealed.  "I told you if I did a little work and had a kimono on him
he could pass as a girl."

Ukyou growled and grabbed the girl by the wrist, stepped back and
pulled.

Kiten pitched forward, her body making a complete arc to land painfully
on her bottom against the graveled surface.  The girl yanked her wrist
free and shook it a couple times.  "That hurt, you know," she whimpered.
She got to her feet and whimpered a bit more as she dusted gravel off
of her behind.

Granddad chuckled despite either of his students' moods.  "Now, now,"
he started, "you two should play more nice."  He regarded Ukyou with a
soft smile.  "I seldom understand women, and with the way modern times
are breeding girls, I don't think I ever shall.  You should change into
something else before someone sees you.  I wouldn't want people
thinking oddly of my grandson."  With that said, the patron of the
Kuonji family wandered back into the household.

Ukyou waited for Granddad to be out of earshot before whirling upon
Kiten.  She would have grabbed the girl but there wasn't a collar for
hoisting and she didn't want to try her luck with the straps of the
tank top.  She settled for clenching her fists and glaring angrily at
the girl.  "Are you trying to ruin my reputation with Granddad?" she
demanded.

Kiten flicked a pebble from leggings.  "Oh, give Granddad more
credit," the redhead said caustically.  "You can't honestly think he
still doesn't know."

Ukyou threw a pointing finger towards the household and declared, "He
still thinks I'm a boy.  Why else would he make all those remarks?"

Kiten shrugged.  "Maybe he's torturing you for kicks," the girl
remarked offhandedly.

Ukyou's eyes narrowed as she frowned.  "Granddad is not like you."

"I suppose you can believe whatever you want," Kiten yielded.  The
redhead fell into a fighting stance, gesturing for Ukyou to do the
same.  "So where's your spatula?"

Ukyou lowered into her own stance, starting to slowly circle with the
girl.  "I left it in Nerima," she explained.  "I'm putting Ranma and
all that revenge nonsense out of my life for good."

"So who is your father planning to hitch you to this time?" Kiten
queried.  "It would be a riot if it turned out to be Kurenai."

Ukyou hopped forward, kicking low.  Her opponent moved just enough to
avoid before jabbing out with a quick left.  "I doubt that considering
he's in Nerima bothering my waitress," Ukyou explained, blocking the
attack and pivoting to strike out with a roundhouse.

Kiten ducked and pivoted beneath the leg.  The redhead flushed
momentarily, the hesitation allowing Ukyou time to regain composure.
"Ahem," the girl cleared her throat.  "So that's where he disappeared
off to.  I suppose I should tell his parents so they can find him...
again.  It must be tough if even Tsubasa has thrown you over for your
waitress."

Ukyou grimaced.  "It's not like that," she protested.  "But yea," she
continued, throwing a high kick out for her opponent's head.  "If you
could tell on him again, I'd certainly appreciate it."

Kiten hopped back a step, flushing again.  "S-sure," the redhead
stammered.

Ukyou frowned, hesitating her attack.  "What are you all flustered
about?"

"You fight pretty well wearing a kimono," Kiten replied, though it
sounded like there was something else bothering the redhead.

"A martial artist must always be prepared for a fight," Ukyou declared
matter-of-factly.  "I let this out a little to give me better movement
with my legs."

Kiten sweatdropped.  "Maybe next time your preparations should include
things to wear under the kimono."

Ukyou acked, her hands instantly pushing the kimono down to cover
anything that might have been revealed.  She flushed in embarassment
but it quickly became rage.  This time she didn't hesitate to yank
Kiten up by the tank top.

"I was a little short on supplies for some reason," Ukyou hissed into
the redhead's face.  "I didn't ask for you to fight with me, ya know."

Kiten bobbed her head in understanding.  "I know, I know," she quickly
replied.  "Perhaps another time."

Ukyou sighed in frustration, letting the girl go.  Remembering the boy
that had been spying on her earlier this morning, she retrieved a note
from her kimono.  She handed it over to the redhead.  "Here's a number
to call in Nerima," she stated.

"What for?" Kiten asked.

"It's the number to Tendou Nabiki," Ukyou explained.  She grinned
mischievously.  "I'm sure you'd like her."

"Ha," Kiten huffed.  "You think you can simply pawn me off to another
girl after all the rejection I've endured from you?"  She arched a brow
at Ukyou, inquisitively.  "Is she cute?"

Ukyou smiled inwardly.  If there was anything she could count on about
Kiten, she could count on the girl never passing up a chance for love.

"I leave that for you to decide," Ukyou declared.  "I'll admit she's
not hideous in any way.  You'll probably want to involve her in
tracking down Tsubasa.  If anybody could find out where he's staying,
she's the one."

Kiten nodded.  "Good luck with the arranged marriage and everything,"
Kiten commmented offhandedly, tucking the note into her leggings.  "You
should talk to your Granddad, though.  I'd think he'd have a much
better idea of restoring family honor that didn't involve a lifelong
commitment."

Ukyou bowed politely as Kiten bowed in return.  The redhead then took
leave of her, making her way to the back gate as that way was shorter
to Kiten's home.  Ukyou sighed as the girl disappeared from view.
Night was approaching fast.

*****

"Ah, Ukyou, my boy," Granddad began upon her entrance.  "I take it
Kakuheki-san has gone home."

Ukyou nodded as she adjusted the weight of her pack over her back more
evenly.  "I set her off to take care of that Kurenai fellow that keeps
chasing me around," Ukyou said.

Her Granddad nodded, taking a long pull at the cigarette he was
nursing.  "I pity the Kurenai family having such a deviant son,"
Granddad said with a sigh.  "I suppose it'd be different if he had
actually enrolled as a girl in a girl's school instead of parading
about in a dress at an all boys' school.  The shame his family bears
must be great indeed."

"But I suppose the shame upon our family for my son's actions is no
less," he continued.  "Imagine thinking that he had the right to decide
your future without my consent.  An arranged marriage to a wandering
martial artist's daughter would never have happened if he had consulted
me first.  If your poor mother were alive today, she would give your
father a piece of her mind."

Ukyou sighed.  'She'd probably start with demanding why he passed me
off as a boy to begin with,' she thought.  'Mother... it's not fair.'

"I understand through Kakuheki-san that you have decided to renege your
vow of revenge on Saotome in hopes that she will honor the agreement
her father made," Granddad began.  "Is she really worth the trouble?"

Ukyou glanced aside.  "I thought she was," she began.  "Ranma's a
wonderful martial artist, the best I've ever encountered.  And... she's
a very nice person in general, kind, considerate and compassionate."
Her heart ached for a moment in longing.  "But I fear Ranma has her
heart set on another."

"If there is anything I have learned in my life, my boy," Granddad
started, "it's that love is indiscriminate.  If she loves someone else,
your agreement has no chance.  People simply don't sacrifice love for
honor in our time."

"Father thinks I can restore honor by marrying into another established
family," Ukyou remarked.  "Do you agree?"

"You should humor your father's wishes," Granddad answered.  "Although
marrying into a respectable family would look favorable upon our
household in comparison to past events, I would rather you prove your
honor through actions.  Honor is not a decision you make one day.
Honor is a way of life."

"Yes, Granddad," Ukyou conceded, giving him a polite bow.

Granddad smiled.  "I would rather see you married to a friend like
Kakuheki-san than to a complete stranger."

Ukyou balked at the statement.  She scratched her temple nervously as
she replied, "I'm not sure if you are aware of this but Kiten likes
girls."

"Nonsense," Granddad muttered with a dismissive wave.  "She all but
begged me for a chance to date with you.  I continually put her off
with the fact that it's your decision and not mine.  It's a shame she
has a boyfriend now."

"He's only her boyfriend for appearances," Ukyou stated.

Granddad nodded.  "Yes, yes, we all pretend to be slightly different
than who we really are," he said.  "But who we pretend to be is just as
much a part of who we are, as who we think we are."  He offered her a
faint smile.  "I must not detain you any longer from unpacking and
talking with your father.  Humor this... arrangement if you wish, but
know that unless I agree to the match, it is not official."

'I wonder how this will pan out if he finds out this suitor is a man,'
Ukyou wondered to herself.

"I understand," she said with another bow.  "I will go now."

"Ukyou-san," Granddad called back to her as she passed.  She paused.
"It's good to have you back home."

*****

Ukyou whimpered at her reflection as she tried again to get the makeup
to look right.  She wished Kiten were here to help, but was more
worried about what that help would cost: Kiten coddling all over her
like some oversized doll.  She sighed again, supposing her hair and
kimono would have to be enough.

"You look just like your mother," a deep voice declared from across the
room, behind her.  A tall, bearded man with dark hair and dark eyes
stepped into the doorway reflected in her mirror.  His thick, muscular
arms were folded over his chest as he leaned against the door frame.
He was dressed in an okonomiyaki outfit similar to the one she had left
back in Nerima.

"Father," she stated simply.

"I am glad you came home," her father admitted with a solemn nod.
"Shall we be off to the meeting?"

A whirlwind of emotions assaulted her upon his words.  Ever since
Saotome's betrayal, she had spoke seldom and curtly to her father.
Either finding her too difficult or being too ashamed to deal with her,
Father had moved back in with Granddad with an alternate story of the
truth.  Granddad had swallowed it whole, taking it upon himself to train
her for revenge.

Ukyou wanted to scream at her father, to demand to know why he continued
to put her through this nonsense.  But her anger was so deep, simmering
for over a decade of injustice, that she found the calm to confront much
easier than she thought she would.

"Why did you sell me so cheaply?" Ukyou asked, her face grim, eyes fixed
on the reflection of her father in the mirror.  "Was I that much of a
burden to you?"

"Ukyou..." her father began, but his eyes soon wandered off to the
floor.  "I only wanted what was best for you."

"How was that best for me?" she demanded.  "I'll admit having a crush
on Ranma, but I never asked for you to sell me off.  Despite you
pretending I was a boy since my birth, I still had some friends before
your failed attempt to get rid of me."

"As long as you stayed with me you had to live a lie," her father
explained.  "I wanted to give you a chance to get away from here."

It was nothing she had not heard before.  This was his excuse, his sole
reason for everything he did to her.  He wanted to be rid of her.

"Why couldn't you just tell the truth?" Ukyou asked, seething.  "So
mother was unable to provide the school with an heir.  It was no reason
to pretend I was a boy just to appease your father's worries."

"I had just lost your mother," her father said softly.  "I wasn't able
to bring myself to tell your father that he lost the school as well.
This really isn't the time to bring this up."

Ukyou doubted her grandfather would have taken the news as badly as her
father suggested.  The loss of her mother while giving birth to her
would have superceded any other grief her grandfather would have had.
There might have been some disappointment and resentment towads her, but
she was certain it would not be as bad as her father implied.

"I think I deserve an answer before you pawn me off a second time," she
declared calmly.

"My answer will not change, whatever the circumstances," he said
simply.

Ukyou clenched her fist.  "I am sick of living your lie, father," she
said, her feelings roiling inside her in a mixture of self pity and
anger.  "What do you intend to do if he rejects the engagement?"

"I suppose you can go back to Nerima."

She quickly dismissed that idea.  Father was unaware of the recent
developments in her relationship with Ranma, and she wanted it to stay
that way.

"What if I don't want to?" she countered.  "What if Granddad opposes
the engagement?  He still doesn't know about me, and earlier he told me
he wants to be included in any final decisions."

Her father paused.  "We can talk about that if the need arises," her
father suggested.

Ukyou bowed her head, closing her eyes in disgust.  "There's no need to
talk about it," she said.  She got up from her chair and crossed the
room, her eyes not lifting from the floor to meet his.  "I am ready."
She stepped past him into the hallway beyond.

*****

Ukyou waited patiently in the pavilion of the park in which she was to
meet her suitor.  She gripped the white, wooden railing that surrounded
most of the pavilion, and leaned against it.  It was almost time.

She closed her eyes, welcoming the fresh air that slipped lovingly
across her skin.  She wished she could let her hair down, but wanted
more to make a valid effort for her father in this second attempt to
marry her off.

Ukyou sighed.  After all, she felt some of the blame for her father's
failure in marrying her off had much to do with her own appearances.
It had been infuriating to discover that after all those years of
training for revenge against Ranma, he had remained unaware of her
gender.  That on the heels of being soundly defeated had been a severe
blow to her pride

"So this is the feared Kuonji Ukyou," a voice drawled from behind her.
"You certainly don't look dangerous to me."

Ukyou turned slowly to the voice, smiling even though she felt slighted
by his comment.  The boy before her was dressed in a tight-fitting,
short-sleeved, silk shirt with a pair of glossy black pants that
reflected the lights of the park.  The shirt was a charcoal color and
his shoes were similarly dark colored.  She supposed it was his style
to dress dark.

He had short, black hair that gave off a small sheen in the light.  His
bangs were pulled forward over his brow in a single sharp spike, the
shadow trailing perfectly between his dark brown eyes.  He smiled
crookedly at her as he stepped closer.

'He's not Ranma, but I suppose I could like him,' she concluded.

Ukyou bowed respectfully at him.  "I fear you have me at a disadvantage
as my father failed to provide me with your name," she started.

"Zenkei Gyosha," the boy declared.  "My family recently moved her as
part of a business transaction.  I am of the understanding that your
family has a more rooted position in Osaka than most."

"We are an old family," Ukyou admitted.  "My father believes that a
union between our households would be beneficial, though I'm afraid I
don't quite understand how if you are a new family to the region."

"My family is quite well off monetarily," Gyosha stated.

Ukyou refrained from shouting her angry thoughts about her father,
settling for forcing a smile.

"My father thinks it would be best for me if I settled down with a girl
from an old family," Gyosha continued.  "He said your family came with
good references with only a slight mar concerning the fact that your
father is passing you off as a boy to the head of your household and
something concerning a delinquint arrangement for your hand several
years ago."

The list of accurate facts caught her off guard.  Embarrassed that the
shame upon her family was so easily discovered, she sighed.  "How do
you know so much about this?" she asked, studying the wooden
floorboards intently.  They were a lovely color of white.

"My father does his research about these things," her companion
explained simply.  "He even bothered to speak to your Granddad about
the matter, though for some reason he couldn't convince your patron
that you were a girl.  All the same, we have permission provided we
both agree on the match."

Ukyou thought for a moment about her Granddad being told the truth and
refusing it.  She supposed it was due to Granddad's stubborness.  At
this point, he probably wouldn't believe she was a girl until she ended
up married.

"Well..." Ukyou began, softly trailing off to recollect her thoughts.
"It seems your father approves and so does mine.  I guess that means
it's between us."

Her heart pounded, terrified.  This was the moment.  Restoring her family
honor meant marrying this boy.  Accepting the engagement would finally
put Ranma out of her life and it would end the lie she had endured the
past decade.  She could be a girl again.  All she had to do was say yes.

"Don't worry," Gyosha said with a crooked smile.  "I have no intentions
of marrying you."

So consumed in her own decision, she had almost missed his words.  Her
heart skipped, undeniably from relief.  "Why not?" she asked.  Though she
was relieved that the decision had been taken from her, she was sorely
disappointed.

"My father thinks I should marry an old-fashioned girl," Gyosha said,
shrugging his shoulders.  "I'm not so inclined.  Besides I like a girl
with a good body and isn't afraid to flaunt it.  I get the impression
that you are not that kind of girl."

Here she had come out here, attempting to do her best to be a girl for
somebody she had not the slightest bit of information about, and he was
shooting her down.  'What's wrong with me?' she thought angrily.

Ukyou closed her eyes, her relief starting to simmer with anger.
"What makes you think that?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Just a number of things," Gyosha stated, holding up his fingers as he
began to make a list.  "You are wearing a very concealing kimono that
doesn't define much of anything, you aren't wearing makeup, your hair
looks like a shabby attempt at something you've never tried before and
you haven't so much as shown a bit of interest in seducing me."  Gyosha
shrugged.  "For all I know you could very well be a long-haired boy
wearing a kimono."

'My looks!' her thoughts cried angrily.

The insult was more than she could bear.  A vein pulsed angrily on her
forehead.  "Zenkei-san," she started.  "Do you study martial arts?"

Gyosha blinked.  "No..." he drawled out.  "I'm into race cars and derby
driving.  I'm considering hosting such an event in Osaka if we can
convince the city to allow it."

She waved a fist angrily at him.  "You realize that I have every right
to lay you out for what you just said," she threatened.

Gyosha huffed in disbelief.  "Dressed like that?" he commented.  "I'd
like to see you try it."

It was all the invitation she needed.

*****

"Look on the bright side," Kiten said cheerfully, as she handed a small
container of ice cream and a spoon to Ukyou.  "At least the Zenkeis
didn't press charges."

Ukyou took the cup, still crestfallen.  "It's just not fair," she
pouted.  "Somehow I've failed at two attempts at arranged marriages."

"Blame your dad for not raising you normally," Kiten declared.  "I can
teach you how to do makeup if you really want to know how."

"That'd be nice," Ukyou remarked offhandedly.  She hung her head in
despair.  "Why doesn't anyone love me?"

"I love you, babe," Kiten quipped before giving her a brief and awkward
hug that skillfully avoided the loss of either desserts.

"I meant by somebody normal," Ukyou clarified, scooting further away
from Kiten.

A moment of silence passed between them.  "Gee... thanks for the
insult," Kiten commented, slipping a small spoon laden with ice cream
into her mouth.  "You should eat that before it melts."

Ukyou sighed, regarding the cup in her hands.  She stirred the melting
contents with her spoon absently, glancing over to Kiten.  "Kiten," she
started.  "What do you see in me?"

Kiten smiled wryly.  "Besides a girl that needs a lot more direction in
her life?" she commented dryly.  Ukyou frowned.  "Seriously, I see
strength.  And I don't mean physically.  You've been through a hell of
a lot more than I'll probably ever know and you strike me as a
wonderful person, though you bear a few scars from your path."

"Nobody else seems to think so," Ukyou said glumly.

"Honestly, you're not the type of person that lets people to get to know
you," Kiten remarked.  "I understand it's the same even with Ranma.
Something catastrophic has to happen for you to reveal how you're
feeling."  When Ukyou offered nothing in response, the redhead let out
a heavy sigh.  "So where do you think you'll be going with this
engagement thing over?"

"I don't know."

"Nerima?"

"There's nothing there for me," Ukyou said.

"I guess staying home would be nice but I'd hate to see you go to that
all boys' school with Tsubasa again," Kiten commented.  "Why not go to
my all girls' school.  It certainly might change your outlook on life."

"I suppose," Ukyou conceded.  "I really don't want to live with my
father."

"Live with me then," Kiten offered.  "My family certainly couldn't deny
the heir of the Kuonji household some hospitality considering your
Granddad is my sensei."

"I guess that would work," Ukyou yielding, a drollop of ice cream
sliding down the side of her cup and onto her fingers.

"Cheer up, babe," Kiten ordered.  "And stop wasting that ice cream."

Ukyou sighed and looked up at the redhead, offering her a faint smile.
Staying with Kiten would certainly be a change in her life, but she
wasn't sure if it was the kind of change she wanted.  "Okay," she
declared, lifting a spoonful of dessert to her lips.

She took a tentative taste, rolling it in her mouth with her tongue.
'Farewell, Ranma.'

-----

I'm absolutely terrible.  I've combined what was supposed to be an
independent series with my older Cas series just because.  Still I hope
I did a farely good job portraying Ukyou.  All the other characters,
(other than Gosunkugi and Ukyou's father) are my own so I'm not too
worried about how they came out.

I'd like to thank Gary Kleppe for reminding me of the purpose of this
fic.  For some reason, I strayed off course in the original work,
spending more time developing Kiten and Ukyou's relationship than
Ukyou's new prospect engagement.  I lengthened those scenes accordingly,
hoping that it makes them more interesting than before.

Comments and criticism are always welcome.

zinyadel@hotmail.com

Ciaow

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