Of Honor Won and Time Lost
Part 4
"Beginnings"
Ukyou smiled as she hooked her shop curtain(?) up in the doorway to the Ucchan as it was called. Opening it's doors business for the first time, Ukyou's grin grew as she found a line of people eagerly awaiting it's opening. With a last little smile at the assembled crowd, Ukyou turned back inside, barely getting behind the counter before the flock flooded in.
'This will clinch it,' she thought, 'I know Ranma better than any of them, and I know that the true way to his heart is through his stomach.' As if the fates were aligning to prove her right, Ranma chose that moment to saunter in.
"Hiya Ucchan!" he called, taking a seat at the counter, "Wow! you really got this place fixed up quick."
"Well, it was already mostly like this, so there wasn't any real renovating to be done.. just a good cleanup.. but you're right, a week is pretty good timing," Ukyou replied, "So.. what'll it be?"
"Well one of your specials would do the trick just fine."
"Coming right up, sugar." Ukyou turned to her grill, preparing the okonomiyaki with all her skill, trying to impress her hopefully-to-be-husband. Other people made their orders, but Ukyou was sure to give Ranma's special attention, and finally, when it was done, she serverd it to him. Ranma took no time in gulping it down, polishing it off and asking for a second, before most people had even decided what they wanted to order.
"Ahhh! I wish I could have your okonomiyaki all the time!" Ranma exclaimed, coming up for air after his second serving.
"Well you can Ranchan," Ukyou replied,"Until death do us part..." Ranma stopped eating in midbite, looked for a moment at his longtime friend, then got up to leave.
"I'm sorry Ukyou... give me a bit of time.. It's all so sudden.." Ranma broke off and rushed out the door. Some of the other customers gave him a strange glance, but they quickly went back to their eating, leaving Ukyou to stare after Ranma's retreating form. She stood, looking blankly out the door, until she was interrupted by an impatient man, demanding that she server him. Turning back to her job, she put Ranma out of her mind, and went back to her grill.
***
Ranma ran blindly along the fence, tears streaming down his face.
'I worked so hard to try and live up to my father's demand... and now it's even more hopeless than I first thought...' Ranma stopped in midstride,'My only true friend.. my friend no longer.. I still have Ryouga.. but even he's been acting strange lately..' He shook his head to clear his eyes, and then took off running once more. Unfortunately it was just in time to be splashed by some old woman, cleaning off her walk. Hopping off the fence, Ranma grumbled under his breath as he adjusted his pants for his new form. Moving his attention to his shirt, the now-redhead was startled by a loud shout...
"AKANE!!!!" the voice yelled, Ranma turning just in time to meet the source with his newly developed bosom.
"Ahh! In all my years I haven't felt a pair so good," the small old man said, snuggling his face in between his target's breasts.
"PERVERT!!!" Ranma screamed, as he tried to pry the lecher off of his chest, with no luck. "Get the hell offa me!"
Getting in one last squeeze, the old man dropped to the ground, and looked his quarry straight in the eye. With a lecherous grin, he spoke...
"So you wouldn't happen to be Akane would you?"
Ranma grabbed him by the collar, "You mean you didn't even know who I was?!?!? YOU OLD GOAT!" he prepared to toss him through a wall, but the lech acted faster, throwing the redhead into the air with the use of a pipe. Hopping onto the fence, the old man sat down and lit his impromptu weapon, waiting for the woman to fall back to earth.
***
"Shampoo!" The old crone called, beckoning to a purple headed woman who was doing what appeared to be balancing practice, jumping from one bamboo pole to another, all of them sticking out of the numerous pools below.
The younger woman lost her concentration, falling from her newly attained position, plunging into one of the pools. The water lay still for a long moment, before a pinkish cat crawled it's way out, to lie on the bank, looking all so much like a drowned rat.
The silver haired woman, pogoed along on her staff, to where the animal was sprawled. "Well Great-Grandaughter... It seems you haven't been listening.. I've told you how many times, you shouldn't have to use your concentration to maintain your balance.. but I guess you got your punishment."
Taking an envelope from beneath her robe, the matriarch spoke once more. "Son-in-Law has sent you an urgent message.. seems there were some unforseen difficulties with that promise to his father..We'll be leaving for Japan tomorow." Stopping briefly to prod the cat with her walking stick, she spoke once more, "Go back to the village and get everything you need, and meet me here tomorow at dawn"
Watching as the cat faded into the distance, Cologne turned and wearily trudged back to the Guides home. 'I'm just too old for this kind of stuff now..."
***
Ranma fell back to the round with a crunch. Holding his neck in pain, he looked up at the diminutive figure smoking a pipe, looking down at him from where he sat on the fance.
"OUCH! What the hell didja do that for? And what was that about Akane?"
"So you really do know her?" The old man asked, "Where can I find Akane Tendo?"
"She's probably still at the dojo.. you're not gonna go doing anything funny are you?" Ranma grumbled, "Ah well.. I'm heading there myself, come on and follow me, I'd like to spar with you later as well.."
"You think you can take me? You seem a bit young , but then the young are always the brash ones," he smirked, "the name's Happosai, and I'll be the one showing you what a REAL Martial Artist is"
"Call me Ranma," the woman responded, "and I'll show you what youth can do."
Both martial artists grinned at each other, before heading off towards the Tendo Dojo, Ranma leading the way.
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