Ranma 1/2: New Challenges Send C&C to: oddball22@hotmail.com NEW ADDRESS!!!!!! Find my other stories at: www.geocities.com/kaiphantom2000 Beginning Author's notes: You can skip this if you like, but I felt I should get a few of my thoughts down now. My story takes place after the last manga volume (38) in which Ranma battles Saffron and the wedding fiasco. I'm assuming the events of the manga took place over the course of a year, so Ranma and Akane are now 17 and in their second year of high school. Adjust everyone else's ages accordingly. I don't pretend to be the greatest writer in the world, but my main goal is to entertain. If you came away from this in a better mood, or at least mildly enjoyed it, then I've done my job. And my ego would appreciate it if you'd let me know! As this stands now, I plan to continue to write a continuation timeline where the characters grow, solve old problems, and encounter new ones. My abilities primarily run in adventure and action, maybe a little romance, but I'm weak when it comes to good humor. Though I'll try to add some in. One thing it will not be is overly dark (I personally think all those who write darkfics that kill or maim half the cast need to be introduced to Prozac...) Transitions is sort of an epilouge to the Manga, and a prolouge to my series, and it's set into three parts. It's purpose is to explain how some of the characters deal with the end of the manga, and to set up character changes that will be shown in my Ranma 1/2: New Challenges continuation fic. For time line purposes, these three parts overlap each other, and take place in the 2-3 weeks after the manga ended. Ranma1/2: New Challenges Transitions Part 1 A Chef's Redemption ** The Present ** Ukyo Kounji collapsed in a chair and stared at the bottle of sake in her hand. She then let her gaze drift around at empty restaurant. Konatsu was gone, out on some errand she had sent him on. Really, she just wanted to get him out of her hair for a few hours. If depression had a name, it would be Ukyo. And if Ukyo were Ryoga, Nerima would have been flattened by a Full Shishi Houkudan. She uncorked the bottle and took a swig. As the alcohol went down, she felt that familiar burning sensation which soon turned to pleasure. A sensation she had become very experienced with over the past couple of weeks. Ever since... ever since... THAT day... ** Two weeks ago ** Ukyo ran down the street with her cargo. She met up with Shampoo outside the door and the two girls wordlessly acknowledged each other with a nod. Both knew they were enemies, but for now they had a truce. If they fought each other now, the object of their mutual affection would become unattainable. With a deep breath, they opened the doors and stepped inside. The scene that greeted their eyes was not quite what they expected. There was a hole in one wall and Ryoga, Genma, and Mousse were jockeying for a cask. Ranma was just entering the dojo and heading for the cask as well, and he was dressed in a white tuxedo. A marriage tuxedo. Then Akane came in right behind him, dressed in a wedding gown. Ukyo saw red. She opened the box she was carrying and reached a hand inside. She pulled out and readied the slightly hot food item Ukyo growled and launched her explosive okonomiyaki at Akane. Apparently Shampoo had similar thoughts, since she threw some explosive buns at the same target. By some odd chance, Ranma jumped by at that moment and the explosive food hit him. some part of Ukyo's mind asked. She ignored it, however. When the smoke cleared, his burnt tux was a tattered mess as he dropped to the floor unconcious and charred. "Aiya! Shampoo was aiming for Akane," Shampoo declared. "Don't worry!" Ukyo added. "It's now or never for us. I made plenty of my special celebratory gun-powder Okonomiyaki!" Absently, part of her mind noted Konatsu clinging to the ceiling above. She knew he was saying something, but Ukyo wasn't listening. Before she could do anything else, Kodachi was over her Ranchan in a black wedding dress. "Oh my darling Ranma-sama!" she declared. "I am here to save you from that wicked Tendo person!" "Aiya! Is psycho flower girl!" Shampoo exclaimed. "Showing up here in a wedding dress?!" Ukyo snarled. "Have you no shame?" A little quieter, she added, "Why didn't I think of that?" As Ukyo made her way forward, Ranma suddenly came to life to dodge a sword swing. Ukyo froze and watched in shock as Kuno attacked Ranma with a real katana! Just as she reached for another `yaki bomb to defend her Ranchan, he tripped on a water bucket and shifted forms. Kuno's attitude went from one of righteous fury to love struck as he pleaded with his pig-tailed goddess to join Akane and wed him right there. Ranma's temper flared and sent the deluded swordsman to dreamland, before going back after the cask. But he was too late. The okonomiyaki chef just stood there as Happosai downed the contents of the barrel. In anger, the men who were fighting for it tried to get whatever Happosai drank out of him, but the old lech became angry and unleashed a barrage of Happodaikarins, sending Ranma back into unconciousness. Ukyo unfroze and rushed to her Ranchan's side the same time as Shampoo. "AIREN!" "Ranchan, snap out of it!" "ENOUGH!" a female voice screeched. Silence pervaded the dojo as all eyes turned to a fuming Akane. She was glowing menacingly with the biggest blue battle aura Ukyo had ever seen the youngest Tendo produce. Kuno was at her feet and he wasn't in as good a condition as Ranma. "GET OUT OF HERE, ALL OF YOU!" she yelled. She turned to the three girls who were her rivals. "THIS ESPECIALLY MEANS YOU! I hope you're happy, since you've RUINED MY WEDDING!" "Ranma no marry pervert-girl; is Shampoo's airen." "Ohohoho, my Ranma-sama shall never wed a low-class trollop such as you!" "No violent tomboy is going to take Ranchan away from me!" Akane made a horizontal slicing motion with her hand to cut them off. "SHUT UP! All you idiots ever do is fight over him like he's some sort of prize to be won." She pointed to the unconscious Ranma. "Have you ever considered what he wants or what his feelings are!? That maybe he may want to marry me? Of course not! You're too caught up in your own little worlds." Exasperated, she waved her arms in the air. "In that way, you're as bad as Kuno." She kicked the man at her feet for emphasis and took a breath, seemingly not done. "Now get the hell out and LEAVE US ALONE!" "Violent-girl no..." Shampoo started. Akane just glared at her Chinese rival, her battle aura flaring brightly. Ukyo observed the Amazon visibly flinch and cower a bit. The Amazon warrior stood up and tried to martial her pride. She wasn't totally successful. "Shampoo finished, so she go now." And she left. Akane turned her gaze on Kodachi next. Ukyo could have sworn that her gaze pierced the veil of insanity that clouded the black rose's mind. "I too am done. I shall win Ranma-sama another day." And she was gone, without the black petals that normally accompanied her departure. Finally, the gaze fell on Ukyo. She thought she could stand up to it better, but one look in those rage-filled eyes sapped all her confidence and most of her strength. Her legs felt weak, but somehow summoned enough strength to stand. She said nothing, only glared back then walked to the door. Once outside, she ran as fast as she could manage. So shaken was she, that her tears began to flow before she was halfway home. ** The Present ** The bottle in Ukyo's hand was half empty. It could've been half full, but that's not how she saw it at the moment. She wasn't quite drunk yet, having built up a bit of a tolerance over the past couple of weeks. Oh well. She had enough bottles to get drunk. And she would definitely try. Thinking back on that day, she realized for the first time how much jealously and possessive feelings had clouded her judgement. She was literally willing to kill to keep everyone away from HER Ranchan. She was even willing to kill Akane. If she had succeeded... And that wasn't the worst. ** The day after the aborted wedding ** After running home and crying herself to sleep, she awoke the next morning full of hope. He hadn't married Akane, so Ranchan would still be hers! She just had to show how much she loved and cared for him. She hurried to school and arrived before Ranma and Akane. As she watched them approach, she felt a pang of fear. Ranma was walking next to Akane instead of on the fence like he normally did. Of course, several other students noticed this, too. Kuno, however, did not. He spouted some poetry at Akane, some insults at Ranma, then charged his enemy. Instead of dodging or attacking, Ranma stood still. He grabbed the bokken with his bare hand and yanked it out of the kendoist's grasp. He broke it in two and beat Kuno senseless. During this time, neither Ranma nor Akane said anything. When he were finished, they strode toward the school, students parting before them. Ukyo took this opportunity to approach. "Hey Ranchan!" she called. "That was a close one yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner." She gathered her courage and flung herself at him wrapping her arms around him. She then leaned her head foreward, intending to kiss him in front of everybody and make her feelings clear. Ranma, stopped her. He then disengaged himself from her grip and took a step back. "Not now, Ukyo." Behind him, Ukyo noticed Akane scowl. "I mean, I've got a lot on mind," he added quickly. "As for yesterday, you really surprised me. A lot of people could have been hurt by what you and Shampoo did. I'm not real upset since nobody did and you're my friend, but..." He shrugged and shook his head. "It just seems nobody listens ta me or asks what I want." He turned his back and resumed the walk toward school with Akane. Ukyo stood there silent for a moment as the word rang in her head. She then decided that school was somewhere she didn't want to be at the moment and ran back to her restaurant, tears in her eyes. ** The Present ** She was on her second bottle now. Absently, she wondered how much time had passed. Konatsu would be back soon. She fingered one of her small throwing spatulas and glanced at the soft flesh of her wrists. Why not? She had lost the last thing in her life that made it all worthwhile. Even if Ranma didn't choose Akane, he was lost to her now. She realized now that he only saw her as a friend. Eleven years of her life wasted on Ranma; ten spent on revenge, and one on trying to get him as her husband. All she had left was okonomiyaki, but no one to share it with. She shook her head. Was she really willing to go that far? Akane seemed to want her to stick around. Looking back, she was amazed that Akane had come to see her at all. Why did she come? Was it the fact that Ukyo hadn't been in school all week? Did Konatsu say something? ** One Week Ago** Ukyo had closed up shop a while ago and Konatsu had gone to bed, at least, that's what he said he was going to do. Ukyo finished cleaning and picked up another bottle of the stuff she had been using for the past several days. It left her with a nasty hangover the next morning, but it tasted great and it took her mind off her problems. Besides, she wasn't going to school anyway, so what did it matter? After taking a swig, she heard a light knocking at her door. "Go away!" she yelled. "We're closed!" Absently she realized she hadn't lock the door and the person was taking advantage of that fact. Ukyo fumbled for her battle spatula as Akane stepped inside. "What do ya want?" Ukyo spat out, alcohol affecting her speech somewhat. "To talk," she replied softly. "To apologize and hopefully, to keep our friendship." "Fat chance. What do you got to apologize for anyway? `Sides tryin' to take Ranchan away..." "The wedding wasn't entirely up to Ranma. It was organized by our parents. However, deep down, we both wanted to go through with it." She sighed and sat down on a nearby stool. "It would have happened too, if it hadn't been for the cask of nanniichaun water that daddy got for Ranma or for the multitude of guests that turned it into Wrestlemania 5." Her hands became fists at this, then relaxed. "Wrestle-what?" "Nevermind." Ukyo took a drink from the bottle. "So that's what the cask was. But why did you wanna marry him? I thought you hated him." Akane sighed. "I did, at first. But only because I was forced into being his fiancee, and I don't like to be forced into anything." Somehow Ukyo got the impression there were a few other reasons, but Akane didn't seem willing to share them at this time. "Over time though, I came to care for him. And that turned to love. Have you heard what happened in China?" "Nabiki told me most of it. Is it true Ranma killed to save your life?" Akane nodded. "My body was magically dehydrated and I was turned into a doll. Ranma fought a self-proclaimed kami to save me. He almost didn't make it." Her eyes closed and her voice took on pained undertones. "There were several times I was tempted to let go and pass on, but Ranma's voice kept calling me back." Ukyo watched Akane inhale, then exhale slowly before continuing. "He finally splashed me with the cold Jusendo water and restored me, but I was too weak to do anything. He really thought he had lost me, that he was too late. That's when he said he he loved me. He tried to deny it later at the wedding, but I knew he did love me and wanted to go through with it." "Liar." Akane opened her eyes and shook her head. "It doesn't matter anyway. If he had said that he didn't want to get married, I would have stopped the whole thing. That's the difference between us. If Ranma had stated at any time that he wanted to marry someone else, I would've let go." She smirked. "I would've pounded him good and cried for days, but in the end I love him enough to let him go. When Nabiki became his fiancee and said she loved him, I was going to let her have Ranma if that's what he wanted." Her expression changed. "I meant what I said at the wedding, though. All three of you were more concerned with getting him as a husband than trying to get to know him and be his friend first." She sighed. "Ukyo, you were one of his first friends, long before me, at least that's what he's said. Because I didn't want him as a fiance, I really became his friend first. I learned more and more about him, and that's when I realized I truly loved him. Oh sure I fight with him, but so does Ryoga and I believe they're good friends as well." She half-smiled. "I think that's how he expresses how he feels, through fighting. After all, that's what his life consisted of for ten years." Ukyo had to admit that was true. Whenever things got too emotional to deal with for him, Ranma tended to resort to insults and fighting. It seemed that Genma never taught him how to deal with affairs of the heart during his ten-year training trip, only affairs of the fist. "Despite what you did, he still cares about you, I can see it," Akane was saying. "He's just hurt, confused, and scared at the moment since he feels betrayed by the events of last week." Her face softened. "I've forgiven you for what you did and I believe Ranma has too, but his pride is keeping him away. I've been working on him and if you want, I'll get him to come by so you can talk to him." Ukyo looked up, and for a second there was hope and longing in her eyes, then it was gone. She shook her head. "Yeah, whatever. Just leave me alone." Akane stood up and headed for the door. "Remember what I said. I would like our friendship to continue, regardless of who Ranma chooses. And the important thing is to let him choose. Because right now, he needs friends more than fiancees." And then Akane was gone, and Ukyo was again alone with her thoughts. ** The Present ** Ukyo laid her head down on the bar and cried. "It was all my fault. I screwed up my own life. I refused to see the truth, refused to consider anything else besides marriage to Ranma." She cried a few minutes more, then a voice called out to her. "Ukyo?" That sounded familiar. She looked up and there he was. "Ran...ma?" Somehow she didn't feel quite right about calling him Ranchan. He sat down beside her and put his arms around her. She collapsed in his arms and sobbed into his chest. "It's okay, Ukyo. I forgive you, ya don't have ta do this." She looked up at him. "You do?" He nodded. "Yeah. I'm your friend, right? `Sides, I can't really hold a grudge. Life's too short to go through it hatin' people." "Friend? Is that all I am?" He appeared to be debating with himself, but only for a moment. "That's what I need right now. I've got too many fiancees and not enough friends." She pulled away and dried her eyes. "O-okay, Ranma. I'll be your friend, if you want me to. I do love you. Do you love me?" He sighed. "As a friend. A sister, even." She winced. "Sister!? I want you to love me as a wife!" She watched him grimace, and she sighed. "Do you love Akane?" He grew silent and stared at the ground for a few minutes. Even if he didn't verbally answer the question, Ukyo could see it. "I-I just need time to think. I need time ta sort out all my feelings and all my problems." "And all your fiancees?" He smiled. "You mean there's a difference?" Ukyo began to laugh and Ranma joined her. With that, she felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders. It felt so good to laugh; she hadn't done it in so long, she almost forgot how. They gradually calmed down. "Thanks Ranma. I haven't had a good laugh in awhile." "You can call me Ranchan again if you want. I'm used to you calling me that." "Only if you call me Ucchan." He ginned and they shook hands. "Deal." She sighed. "So, what now?" "You cheer up and come back ta school. There are more guys out there who would love to get ta know ya, but'll you never find out unless ya try." "But there will never be another you..." "True," he agreed, that familiar cocky grin appearing on his face."But there will someone who will love you more that I could." She sighed. "Oh Ranchan, I just don't know. But, I'll give it a try, if you think so..." He answered without hesitation. "I do." He stood up. "Ya know, Konatsu's been real nice to ya. I think you owe him a good talk." He walked over to the door. She nodded. "Yeah, I know. Both he and Akane have been better friends than I deserve. See ya later, Ranchan." He grinned. "See ya around, Ucchan!" He waved and then left. Ukyo looked down at the half full bottle in her hand and studied it for several minutes. Then she stood up, walked to the kitchen, and emptied it down the sink. -------------------------------------------------- Author's notes: I do like Ukyo. While she has been shown to be manipulative and obsessive, it has also been shown that she does have a nice side, though it doesn't come up that often. In fact, I can only find two examples in the manga, when she went to help Occhan, and when she let Konatsu stay at her restaurant. The rest of the time she's obsessed with winning Ranma, like something out of Fatal Attraction. And yes, I believe one of the reasons Ranma loves Akane, is that she became his friend first. Neither one was afraid to tell the other what they thought and, while that caused some friction, it also help them understand each other better and brought them closer together. While Ranma really doesn't talk to Ukyo about much, all Akane knows is that they're old friends and he spends some time over there. So Akane could think he talks to Ukyo more.