I've Found You
Chapter 1: Broken hearts
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It came again. The familiar taste: a taste many times haunting this lonely character. The taste of tears. An unending flow of tears. Lonely tears: the tears of a broken heart.
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Ukyo woke up with at start. The nightmare again. Nightmares many times invaded the subconsious of Ukyo Kounji. Her dream saddened her, as her dream was inevitably going to happen. She lost Ranma.
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Ryoga woke up with a start. The nightmare again. Nightmares many times invaded the subconsious of Ryoga Hibiki. His dream saddened him, as his dream was inevitably going to happen. He lost Akane.
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It had been two days since Ranma's proposal to Akane, and she replied with a long passionate kiss that surprised the martial artist. They had kept it a secret, waiting for the right moment to tell everyone.
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Ryoga and Ukyo bumped into each other. Normally, this would be met with unkind words and violence, but today it was hardly noticed by both parties involved. They reached the door of the Tendo household, both shouting simultaneously, "Hello? Anyone home?" completely oblivious to each other's presence. Suddenly, something clicked in the brains of the two.
"Um, hi, Ryoga. When did you get here?" p>
"I was just about to ask you! Why are you here so early in the morning? You're missing the breakfast crowd."
"I had this weird feeling that Ranma and Akane's relationship went a step further."
"Really? Me, too! -- Wait. Don't tell me that you had the dream, too!?!"
"The dream that Ranma proposed..."
"...and Akane said yes?"
"My gosh!"
Then the door opened, revealing Kasumi.
"Um, hello Ukyo, Ryoga."
"Oh, hello Kasumi."
"Would you like to come in?"
"Thanks," they both said in unison. They glared at each other, then went in and sat down.
"That's odd! I wonder what Ranma was doing in Akane's room?"
Ranma came in a hoped that no one payed attention to Kasumi's remark. Luckily, the two did not hear.
"Hey, Ranchan. I had this weird feeling last night that you and Akane..."
"...got officially engaged," cut in Ryoga.
"Come to think of it, I did propose to Akane two days ago, and she accepted."
Ukyo promptly fainted and Ryoga jumped at Ranma's throat. Ranma quickly grabbed Ryoga and flung him into the koi pond outside the dojo, changing him to P-chan again.
A little while later, Ukyo woke up. Upon seeing Ranma's face as she opened her eyes, she flattened Ranma and knocked over Kasumi's vase, making instant Ranma-chan. She silently walked out.
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It had been a slow day at Ucchan's. As Ukyo shut her doors, she noticed a small black piglet outside in a puddle in the rain.
"Oh! You poor thing! You must be soaked!" She scooped up the pig and ran some hot water in the tub. The pig fought wildly not to be put in the tub. The reason seemed to escape the okonomiyaki chef. "Come on. It's just water." Upon placing the pig in the water, Ukyo was surprised to see a naked Ryoga in her bathtub.
"Um, hi, Ukyo. Would you mind finding my clothes?" while futily trying to hide himself.
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She could hardly keep from laughing as she washed Ryoga's muddy clothes. {He wears yellow boxers?} she thought to herself {Ha!}
She knocked on the door to her attic, where Ryoga was waiting. "Here are your clothes."
Ryoga just looked at her and then started crying and banging on the futon.
"I know sugar. I'm upset, too. You're welcome to stay here if you like."
Knowing that it was futile to comfort him, she retreated to her own room. As she was lying in her bed, she thought about the events of the day. Her thoughts went to her escapade with Ryoga in the bathroom, discovering his curse, and the rather slow business in her restaurant. Then her thoughts went to Ranma and Akane, and she began to cry.
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Much sadness was felt in Nerima this day, and two lonely characters cried themselves to sleep that night.
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Ucchan's okonomiyaki was closed today, but not for the most obvious reason. Ryoga's wandering around looking for the bathroom caused much chaos, along with a broken table and a few dismembered chairs.
"Ryoga!!! you wrecked my store!!!"
"Sorry Ukyo. Just trying to find the bathroom."
"Oh well, you can make up for it by doing some work. Now come here. Sign this congratulations card to Ranma and Akane."
"Sure... Wait a minute!!! I'm not forgiving Ranma for this! He'll pay!!"
As he was about to go and try and find the door, he was somehow flattened by a giant stray spatula. "Idiot.."
Later, when Ryoga woke up, he noticed Ukyo crying at her grill. When she saw him, she quickly stopped.
"Ukyo, I'm sorry that I got so mad earlier. It's just that I was always so lonely and so lost all the time. I didn't think anyone out there had any compassion for me. Akane's kindness gave me a purpose in life, besides revenge on Ranma... Now that she's 'unavaliable' I might as well be lost again. I don't have a reason to be anywhere, now.
"I know," she gave him a friendly hug. "There are lots of people in the world. You were just unlucky that you ended up in this chaotic town. Besides, Akane's not the only beautiful girl that has a heart!"
"So what? None of them will like me. I'm lucky enough to have two curses! There's nothing good about me."
"Sure there is! You're incredibly strong, you're a great martial artist, you're very caring and kind, you're well built, and you're cute, too!" Ryoga blushed in his depression. "Besides, I'll always be your friend!"
Ryoga smiled as he looked up at Ukyo's face, which was full of compassion and sympathy. "Thanks, Ucchan."
The next day...
"No! I don't want to go to school! I haven't been since junior high!!"
"Well, maybe it's time to catch up!" Ukyo dragged a struggling Ryoga down the street to Furinkan.
Later, at lunch...
The girls were talking. "So, Ukyo," said Sayuri,"You're pretty quick with the boys! You lose Ranma, and the very next day, you come to school with another cutey! Ryoga's pretty hot, you know."
Hit twice in the same conversation about two subjects she did not want mentioned, Ukyo was a bit angry.
"Come on!!! We're barely friends!! He just can't find his way, that's all."
"Sure, whatever. But if I we're you, I'd go for it!"
Meanwhile, in the male side...
"So, Ranma, set a date yet?" Hiroshi smiled.
"In two days... "
"That's really quick! Who set it?" asked Daisuke.
"Our fathers..."
"Figures. They must have been really excited... Hey! Isn't that the new kid? Hibiki? He looks lost."
Ranma shouted, "Hey Ryoga! Come over here." Suddenly realizing his mistake, Ranma rushed to Ryoga before he got lost. "Come on, Ryoga. Sit down."
"What do you want, Ranma?" he said with slight anger.
"Actually, I told you to sit down here so you wouldn't be lonely, Lost Boy. Besides, no hard feelings, right?" he held out his hand.
Ryoga reluctantly shook it. "I let you have her because it made her happy. You'd better keep her happy!"
"Sure, whatever."
The rest of the day passed without mishap. Ryoga and Ukyo walked home to Ucchan's after school, after taking a side trip to the clothing shop to buy Ryoga a school uniform or two.
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Outside the Tendo dojo...
"Ranma!!! Why you do this to Shampoo?"
"Oh no! It's Shampoo!"
"Don't worry, Akane. I'll talk to her."
"Ranma! Why you do this to Shampoo? Shampoo love Ranma!"
"Shampoo, please sit down. I have to tell you something."
Shampoo sat down.
"Shampoo, I know that you love me and that you have to marry me, but I don't love you. No! Don't say anything yet. I really like you, Shampoo, but I don't love you. I just want you as a friend, okay? Please understand." He looked into her eyes. She looked up, then turned away in tears. Suddenly the anger rose. She got up, slapped Ranma, and ran off in tears.
[End Chapter One]
* Author's notes: In case anyone noticed, Kuno had not yet found about the official engagement of Ranma and Akane; neither had Kodachi, thus they are missing from Chapter 1.
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