Inside the Ucchan’s restaurant, Ukyo Kunoji grumbled as she waited for two others to arrive. After what she had seen earlier that day, she had to tell someone, but she had to choose whom she was going to tell carefully. That, and she needed people who would be sympathetic to her feelings. She looked up and nodded as the first person, a female teenager with black hair, a slender, but well-defined body, wearing a leotard, walked into her establishment. “Hey, Kodachi.” Ukyo called out to the gymnast as she walked in.
The gymnast “hmph”ed and sat down at the table next to Ukyo. “I do hope that there is a good reason for this meeting.” She said in a bored tone of voice. Though, she did wonder why the chef had a few bottles of different alcohol as well as some glasses of different sizes on the table.
Ukyo rolled her eyes. “Of course there is.” She said, matter-of-factually. Grabbing the Saki bottle, she poured some into a shot glass. “Drink?”
Kodachi shook her head. “No, I’m trying to get away from that.”
Ukyo blinked a couple of times then shrugged and downed the glass in one gulp. She gagged a little. “Bleah! Now I remember why I stick to Rum and coke.” Shaking her head, she poured some more Saki into the glass. “Of course, I don’t have any Rum or coke on me today.”
Kodachi was about to say something, when the door opened and closed again. Turning to look, she raised an eyebrow upon seeing the purple haired, reddish eyed, Chinese teenager in the short silk skirt walk in. “Shampoo give greeting, but seeing Spatula girl already hitting drinks, Shampoo think it not necessary. What up?” She asked as she sat down at the table across from Kodachi. While Shampoo could honestly say that given half a chance, she’d grab Ranma and head back to her village, leaving the rest of her rivals in Japan behind without a second thought, she could honestly say that while she and the rest of the fiancée brigade weren’t friends, she didn’t truly hate them.
Ukyo frowned and looked at them. “Well, you want ta know what I saw at the train station today?”
“Shampoo think lots of people?” The Amazon smiled.
“Or mayhaps the trains?” Kodachi smirked, stating the obvious.
Ukyo rolled her eyes. “Okay, I asked for that one. Anyway, I was seeing Konastu off, since he said that there was some sort of Ninjitsu convention in Kyoto and all Ninjas were going to show up, or something like that.”
Shampoo blinked and smirked. “How they know if everyone there? Ninjas supposed to be quiet killers. Shampoo think that even if all Ninjas show up, no one know who there.”
Ukyo nodded. That was true. “Anyway, after I saw him off…” She frowned as she trailed off.
This immediately got the other’s attention. “What is it?” Kodachi asked, wondering what was so important that Ukyo was pouring some Saki for the two of them.
“Well, I saw Ranma at the station… With Akane.” She practically bit out what she was saying. Kodachi and Shampoo blinked a few times. Ranma? Not Ranchan? Now they knew something was up. Before they could ask, the Chef continued. “I started to follow them, thankfully, they weren’t paying attention or one of them would have noticed me. Anyway, I followed them for awhile until I was able to hear what they were saying clearly.”
(Flashback… Yes, a flashback in a flashback episode, WEE!)
Standing next to Akane just outside of the train station, Ranma shook his head and sighed. “I really wish we didn’t have to keep this act up.”
Akane nodded and cuddled up to him. Any more would have been indecent. Darn the people and their stupid archaic outlook on how couples should behave in public. “I know, but if everyone found out about how well we’re getting along…” She trailed off, letting him finish what they both knew was going to happen.
Ranma nodded. “Oh yeah. First people will be shocked, then some happy, some angry, a lot of crying and something will blow up.”
Around the corner, Ukyo frowned as she listened in this wasn’t good at all. ‘They, they’ve been playing all of us for fools? How dare they?!’ She thought angrily to herself. Though, a part of her mind was impressed that they managed to pull it off without anyone suspecting them. Considering how Ranma’s acting skills were… Ukyo’s train of thought trailed off at that. Could have his poor acting also been an act? To let everyone think he was a poor actor, as well as card player? Who knew?
“So, what do we do, Ranma?” Akane asked, smiling as he squeezed her hand gently.
He shook his head. “I got one idea.”
She blinked and looked at him. “Hmm?” Usually his ideas weren’t always that brilliant, but they did work, for some odd reason. Maybe he was related to Kishijoten, the Japanese Goddess of Luck? Akane sweat dropped at that thought; that sounded like something out of a fictional tale.
“Let’s elope! Run away together and get out of here!” He said seriously, standing up and looking at her.
Akane blinked. “Right now?” He wasn’t serious was he?
Ranma chuckled. “In a couple of days.” Though, maybe they should tell someone about this, just to keep everyone and their grandmothers and dogs from coming out after them.
Akane nodded. That sounded good. At least then they could get some stuff ready and get the heck out of Dodge before all the problems showed up.
Peeking around the corner and nodding to herself as she saw the two had their back to the door, Ukyo stepped out. Acting surprised, she waved to the two. “Hey, Ranchan, Akane! What are you two doing here?”
Akane frowned. Something was fishy about the way Ukyo just showed up out of the blue like that. “We…” Come on girl, think of something. “We just helped Ryoga get on a train that would take him to Akari’s farm.” Whew, good save. Hopefully Ukyo would buy that.
A blatant lie, and Ukyo knew it. She didn’t hear them talking about Ryoga, so she could assume that Ryoga was nowhere near there. “Well, that’s nice.”
“What are you doing here, Ucchan?” Ranma asked, curious.
At least she had a real excuse for being here. “Oh, Konastu had some sort of Ninjitsu convention to attend and…”
Ranma cut her off. “Oh yeah, the big Ninjitsu convention in Kyoto.” He shrugged at the girl’s looks. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of invitations I’ve gotten to attend in the last two years.”
Ukyo rolled her eyes. “Well, you were trained by your father, who’s a thief after all.”
“Yeah and…” Ranma blinked. “HEY!” He shouted in mock anger.
The three then broke down laughing a bit. Ukyo shook her head and smiled. “So, what are you two going to do now?”
Ranma frowned and looked at Akane. “Should I tell her?” He asked, referring to his plans.
“Tell me what, Ranchan?” Oh, she already knew, at least this way she could say that she got the information honestly.
Akane nodded slowly. She turned to Ukyo and spoke. “What we’re going to tell you doesn’t reach the ears of anyone else got it?”
Ukyo frowned at Akane. “Hey, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine!” She frowned and turned to leave. Dammit, she really hated suspicious people. Though, in this case, perhaps Akane had a reason to be suspicious.
“Wait, Ucchan. Just hear us out, okay?” Ranma called to her, and then whispered something to Akane, who frowned and nodded slowly.
The brown haired chef turned to face him. “Okay, Ranchan, what is it?”
Ranma took a deep breath and relayed everything that he had already said to Akane and Ukyo had already heard. “So, you see, we’ve been trying to keep it quiet, not easy to do in this town.”
Ukyo nodded. “Obviously. Um, I got to take care of something. I’ll be back later.” She said, before turning around and running away.
Akane frowned. Something wasn’t right about her reaction. It was like she knew what was going on or something.
(End Flashback…)
By the time Ukyo was done telling them everything, Shampoo and Kodachi were hitting the Saki as well. “Why Aireen tell Spatula girl? Why Spatula girl tell us?” The Amazon asked seriously.
“Probably was tired of keeping it a secret, or he wanted to let someone know to keep damage down when he and Akane left.” Ukyo responded. Shrugging, she downed another glass of Saki.
Kodachi frowned as she took another swig of the Saki. True, she had given up chasing Ranma in the romantic sense, but that was only because she knew that he didn’t want her as a wife. “So what do you suggest we do?” Truthfully, she was out of ideas, and the thought of the Tendo daughter marrying Ranma-sama, or rather, eloping in this case, didn’t set well with her.
Ukyo frowned and got up from the table. “Do whatever you want. I’m going to bed. Just leave when you’re done drinking the Saki, okay?”
Shampoo blinked at that. “Spatula girl let us have her Saki in building?” Wasn’t she afraid that the two might just destroy the place?
Ukyo turned to her and shrugged. “Truthfully, it doesn’t matter much right now. I’m going to talk to Ranma tomorrow and see if I can’t get out of this with my honor intact.” So saying, the chef walked to the stairs near her kitchen and then left for the upstairs of the building.
Kodachi blinked at that. “Interesting.” She then got up. “I think I shall take my leave of you.” She said, turning and preparing to leave the building.
“Wait!” The Amazon said in a serious tone of voice. “Shampoo have idea.” The Black Rose was surprised and sat down, nodding for the Amazon to continue. “Kill kitchen destroyer a no-no. Aireen get mad if we do. Nothing against beating up kitchen destroyer.” The purple haired girl said seriously, if Akane got killed in the process, no big loss.
Kodachi frowned but nodded. “Very well then.”
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(Posted Wed, 19 May 2004 21:06)
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