[Ranma][FanFic] Far and Away - Part 2

[Nicholas Leifker]

C&C welcome.

Leifker presents...

Ukyou stepped off the bus and rubbed her tired eyes, still weary
(and more than a bit bewildered) from the pervious night's events.
She still didn't know what to think about what had happened; her time
spent with Toshi had been... emptying, to say the least. They talked
of so much - past horrors, future dreams, primal fears... it was a
sharing that she'd never known possible. She knew the young man now,
in a way impossible to describe. She only hoped her parents wouldn't
be too critical of him when he came by.

The young woman stopped for a moment, and frowned. Her parents
were _not_ going to be happy when she got home. She slowly walked to
the old place, put the key in the lock... then looked in the shop's
window.

A middle-aged woman - her mother - sat at one of the tables.
The smouldering in her dark eyes let Ukyou know she was wide awake,
while the wrinkles around the eyes and the slight lethargy as she
picked up her teacup showed her weariness. The woman brushed a stray
lock of graying hair from her face as Ukyou entered, and calmly took
a sip of her tea.

"Where were you?" The soft alto was stern, even-toned, with a
touch of anger.

Ukyou gulped. She still wasn't sure how to explain what had
happened. "Well, Mom... I was hurt while practicing, and knocked
unconscious. By the time I woke up, it was past time to go, and I
was stranded there for the night."

Mrs. Kuonji instantly got up, and started examining her
daughter. "Are you okay? You don't have a concussion or anything,
do you?"

"I'm fine, Mom!" Ukyou shook out of her mother's grasp and
pulled her tunic down, to expose the bandages on her shoulder. "All
I got were a couple of bumps and scrapes."

The old woman sighed. "Ukyou... I told you that place was too
dangerous to practice. I don't want you going there by yourself, if
you can help it."

The young cook shuffled her feet. "Well, Mom... I wasn't
exactly alone."

"What?" The stern disciplinarian was back.

"Well... one of my classmates followed me, to see what I did
there. When I fell, he went in after me."

Her eyes bored into the young chef. "Is it anyone I know?"

"Not really. I'll try to bring him to the shop in a few days."
She stifled a yawn, and started to walk away. "Mom, I'm going to get
some sleep, okay?"

"What about school?"

Ukyou just looked back at her with lifeless eyes. "Wouldn't do
me any good. I'm too tired right now." She staggered up to her
bedroom, her mind far too gone to notice her surroundings. If she
had, she might have noticed an old woman seething in frustration, and
grabbing the back of a chair with whitened knuckles.

*********************************************************************

Leifker presents...

Far and Away

Part two (of three)

A work of anime fanfiction by Nicholas Leifker

All relevant characters property of Rumiko Takahashi. All others
property of Nicholas Leifker.

All rights reserved. I must ask that you not do anything with any
part of this work without the author's permission.

Send me no more angels...

*********************************************************************

"Ukyou Kuonji, where are you..."

Toshi stared up at the blue noonday sky, his brow lined with
worry. It had been three days, and nothing had been seen of Ukyou
since their night on the cliff. It gave him pause to wonder: had she
left out of fear? Lord knows how many times he'd feared discovery,
and had made tentative plans to move each time. Could she have done
the same thing?

"You called?"

He turned around, blinking in mild surprise. Ukyou stood in a
nearby cherry tree, watching him intently. There was something
different about her... it took a moment for the information to sink
in. She was smiling. In fact, her whole body language seemed to
radiate comfort and a lack of aggression. Almost unconsciously, he
blushed; she really did look nice when she let her guard down.

"Um... yeah. I was worried about you, especially after you
didn't come back to school."

She shrugged. "I wasn't feeling well after that night. What
happened took a lot out of me."

"You'd better not let your parents hear that," Toshi quipped.
"They might get the wrong idea about what happened."

Ukyou leapt to the ground, and playfully slapped him on the
chest. "Watch it, hentai."

Toshi held up his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry. It was
begging to be said." He tapped his fingers against his thigh
nervously. "Um... you want to have lunch together?"

"Sure." She pulled a box from her bag, and handed it to him.
"Here."

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was in the box. He
opened it, and smiled as he saw the okonomiyaki. "Your specialty, I
take it?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course."

Toshi took a careful bite into Ukyou's work. The spices in the
sauce flooded his senses without overbearing, bringing a wide grin to
his face. It was, far and away, the best okonomiyaki he ever tasted.
"Mmmm... where'd you learn to cook like this? I've tasted stuff from
people twice your age who didn't have nearly the skill you do."

She blushed. "Well... when your art is all you have left, you
tend to obsess on it."

"I know the feeling... sort of. I didn't even have cooking to
fall back on when my life went haywire." He took another bite of his
dish, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. "Listen, Ukyou... about the
other night..."

"What about it?"

He bit his lip for a moment. "Did you get into any trouble?"

Ukyou crossed her arms, and gently stroked her chin. "Well...
my mom was kinda upset about what happened, but not too badly. I was
injured, after all." She picked up her own food and began to eat.
"By the way, they don't know about what happened... not the details,
anyway."

Toshi took a sip of his tea, his mouth bent in a frown. "That
was the other thing I wanted to ask you about. How did you... what
do you..."

She smiled. It was kinda funny to see this silver-tongued devil
at a loss for words. "It's okay, Toshi." She ran her fingers
through her hair. "I needed the release I got that night. If I
didn't..." She cut off her own words, not wanting to think about the
possibilities. The two ate in silence for a moment, the tension
thick between them.

Finally, Ukyou spoke, her voice uncertain. "You want to come to
my family's shop tonight?"

"Sounds good. When will you be working?"

She shrugged. "All evening. I have to make up for lost time."

Toshi shuffled his feet for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

*********************************************************************

Toshi walked slowly down Kobe's streets, his palms sweaty, his
heart racing. He worried about tonight's visit; after all, Ukyou's
parents would be there. How does one address himself to someone who
forced a daughter to live as a man for ten years, and would probably
carve his heart out for one innocent night with said daughter?

He sighed quietly, and looked up at the sky. He never really
understood such... extremism when it came to honor. He had his own
personal code to live by, one formed by love and heartbreak, but he
knew better than to commit seppuku or force a child into a life she
didn't deserve. His brother, bless his soul, had taught him that
lesson too well... he turned from the sky, and toward the shop's
entrance.

Truth to tell, Toshi was quite impressed by what he saw. The
restaurant was bustling with activity, as salarymen and
schoolchildren alike grabbed a bite to eat and talked of their
respective lives. Most of the tables were filled, but there were a
couple of stools open next to the grill. He casually sat down, and
waited to be served.

"Irrashai ma... Toshi! How are you doing?"

"Oh... fine." He smiled broadly, unable to repress himself.
Ukyou was in her natural element, and its effect on her was simply
amazing. She worked her hands over the grill with a master's
precision and a child's joy, with an intense glow to her eyes as she
wielded her magic.

"So... what would you like? First one's on the house." Her
father, a few yards down, raised a bushy eyebrow at her words, but
said nothing.

"Oh... I'll just have the shrimp 'yaki, modern style, and some
tea to drink." His grin became a touch sheepish; he didn't want to
impose on her. He continued to admire her skill as she whipped up
his order, then set it down in front of him.

The chef's creation was every bit as good as the one Toshi had
tasted earlier, if not better; this one was fresh off the grill, and
still warm from its creation. Every bite seemed to fill his mouth
with tangy goodness, leaving him melting in his seat.

"Tasty?"

The young man turned around, to find himself face-to-face with
Ukyou's father. He swallowed involuntarily; the man was a walking
mountain, with thick, treelike arms and a powerful chest. Toshi
coughed once to find his voice, then nodded.

"Indeed. Mr. Kuonji, I presume?"

The older man nodded evenly. "And you are?"

"Toshifumi Yamada, at your service." He stood up, and bowed
before the chef.

"Hikaru Kuonji." The cook scratched his beard for a moment.
"So... how do you know Ukyou?"

"We go to school together. I... I was the one who pulled her
from the water."

"I see... then you know about Ukyou's little problem." Toshi
could feel Mr. Kuonji's eyes bore into him.

"If you wish to call it a problem, yes."

The growl that came from the man's throat sent chills down
Toshi's spine. "You will not reveal that to anyone, nor will you use
that information to take advantage of our family. We do not bow to
blackmail, and we will demand honor for betrayal. Is that
understood?"

Toshi stood up to his full height, and matched the elder's gaze.
He was surprised to see Mr. Kuonji flinch; apparently the old man
hadn't expected a resistance. "Sir, my brother 'restored his honor'
a year ago. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't mourn his
passing. And, yet, his death was a waste - all his suicide did was
give an already-mourning family some more grief. I will never make
such an assurance on my life, though I have the feeling you won't
give me a choice if pressed.

"However, you have this assurance: I will not harm Ukyou in any
way. I am her friend, about the only one she has, and I will defend
her to the death, if need be." He gave a soft growl of his own, and
continued to bore his gaze into the old man.

To his surprise, Mr. Kuonji smiled - a strange, lopsided grin
more common among equals than elder-youngster. "Good. Make sure it
stays that way. As long as Ukyou allows you in here and you do not
overstay your welcome, you may come in here whenever you like."

"Thank you." Toshi bowed, and returned to his cooling meal. He
took a sip of his tea - then noticed Ukyou's smiling face.

"I'm impressed, Toshi. That's the first time I've ever seen
_anyone_ stare down my dad." Ukyou was busy clearing the grill,
scraping away bits of food.

He sighed, letting the tension escape. "He touched on a sore
point. Honor is something I know too much about."

"I know. Believe me, I know." She poured the batter for
another dish. Her hands moved slower this time; apparently the young
woman had something on her mind.

"Why did you tell me about yourself?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

Ukyou flipped the 'yaki with a theatrical flair. "About your...
background. Your life. Why?"

Toshi smiled gently. "I had you at a disadvantage."

Seeing only confusion from her face, Toshi continued. "I knew
something particularly shocking about you, something which could ruin
your reputation at the school. Not exactly the most level playing
field on which to begin a friendship." He sighed. "Also... you
needed to know that I wanted you as a friend, nothing more."

Ukyou blinked for a moment. "You mean to tell me that, if I
offered myself to you, you wouldn't accept?"

"Now, I didn't say that... then again, I did." He morosely took
a sip of his tea. "I don't know. Anyone... without my problem...
gives up everything they worked for, all for a life with me. That's
asking a bit much of one person."

"Oh, come on. Aren't you being a little hard on yourself?
There are plenty of girls who'd love to spend their life with you."

"But at that cost?" He gripped his mug tightly, until his
knuckles turned white.

He was surprised to find himself staring into large, rich brown
eyes. Ukyou's gaze bore into him with a frightening anger. "Listen,
Toshi. My fiance left me when I was six. I can never date or marry
anyone - or be myself, for that matter - until I settle accounts with
him." She turned back to the grill, her eyes cast to the floor. "At
least you can find someone..."

Toshi sighed. He hated arguments like this. "I... I'm sorry,
Ukyou. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know." She let out a small, bitter chuckle. "Ain't we a
pair?"

"Yeah..." He reached under her chin and forced her to eye
level, only to find a bitterness he knew too well. Those eyes... he
stared at them for a long moment, wanting to know more of what was
behind them... he found himself drawing closer to her face...

Ukyou coughed once, and turned her gaze away. For the first
time that evening, he noticed she was blushing. "Anou... I need to
get some supplies from the back." She forced herself away, and
started to walk to the back.

Toshi watched in fascination as she walked away, then turned to
his mug of tea. He had a feeling he had overstayed his welcome... he
took one last sip, then headed out to the open road.

*********************************************************************

Sleep was not coming easily to Ukyou that night.

The young woman lay still on her futon, trying to sort out what
was inside. She still couldn't get over what she was thinking
earlier that night. She'd had to fight off impulses she didn't think
possible anymore, in her disguise in front of everyone! She smacked
her head, wondering what the hell she was thinking.

That was the problem, she quietly berated herself. She wasn't
thinking, and was letting this man's presence distract her. She was
almost ready to throw away a decade's worth of deception for a
second's worth of pleasure.

But ohhhhh... it would have been worth it. She had been alone
for so long that she NEEDED release of some sort. Even after all
this time, the woman inside of her wasn't dead, she was very much
alive and well, and had needs she barely understood. She pulled her
hands to her face, imagining Toshi pulling her closer...

She stopped her daydreams, and sat up on her futon. Release.
That was the key. If she could start to explore her feelings in
safety, where nobody would notice, then she could find out what sort
of person she was inside. There was a small aching... a need...
something abandoned after Ranma left that required attention after
all this time, and Toshi was the one person who could fulfill it.

Ukyou fell back down onto the futon and relaxed. Her course was
set; all she needed was the courage to follow it.

*********************************************************************

"We need to talk."

Ukyou and Toshi blinked at each other, mildly startled, as they
said the words simultaneously. Not much had been said between them
over the past couple of days, and the silence was starting to grate
on them both. Toshi smiled gently, then extended his hand out to
her.

"You first."

Ukyou blushed. "No, you first."

"Okay..." He looked over at the tree next to them, hoping the
right words would come to him, then sighed. "Ukyou, I... I wanted to
apologize for what happened at your father's restaurant. I acted
irresponsibly, without any regard to you or how you felt. I
understand if you never want to see me again, and hope you can find
it in your heart to forgive me."

He looked up, to find himself staring once more in the chef's
eyes. She sat there in front of him with an expression somewhere
between bemusement and compassion. She reached out to grab his hand,
and gripped it tightly.

"Toshi... what we both were thinking of was wrong. But... it
had to happen.

"Do you know how lonely it's been for me at times? I am a woman
pretending to be a man. I have no desire to be with other women, and
I am forbidden to be with a man. The only way for me to love someone
is to avenge myself on someone I haven't seen since my childhood.
Trust me, I wanted us to kiss then, as badly as you did."

She touched a hand to his cheek, and slowly drew it across his
forehead. "As it happens, I do have an idea. Can we go over to your
place after school?"

Toshi swallowed. "Ukyou, I don't know if we should do this. I
imagine your parents don't want anything to do with me after what
happened."

Ukyou chuckled softly. "As far as I can tell, they were too
busy at the moment." She looked away for a moment, seeing something
beyond her vision. "Toshi... right now, I need a place away from all
the lies and horrors I've gone through." He saw her wipe away tears,
and shivered. He'd never seen her cry before... "Please. Take me
away from here, if only for one night."

"Okay," Toshi whispered, before he could convince himself
otherwise.

*********************************************************************

Ukyou walked into the apartment, and smiled. The place was your
typical bachelor pad, both in size and content. The place itself was
tiny, with only a small living-kitchen area, a bedroom, and a toilet.
Trash littered the floor, forcing her to watch her step when she came
in. She frowned at the few posters that lined the walls; she didn't
get to watch much television, and barely recognized the artists
shown.

Despite all this, she was in heaven. "Nice place, Toshi."

He blushed, and started to stack up some of his comics. "Sorry
it's such a mess."

She giggled. It was almost comical to see him try to impress
her, in an endearing sort of way. She looked over to his bedroom,
and stuck her thumb over there. "Mind if I go in there for a moment?
I'd like to get a little more comfortable."

"Okay". Toshi turned over to her, then blinked for a moment.
She smiled back and walked inside, sliding the door behind her.

Under normal circumstances, she might have been concerned about
the room's contents. Not now. She stripped out of her jacket and
outer clothing, leaving her in just her wrappings. Those came off
with a fiery determination, each untying a release from a personal
prison. That done, she put the shirt back on, letting the now-freed
curves stay as is.

The next thing the young woman did was reach up to her hair.
With a single move, she unwrapped the band around her ponytail,
letting the hair flow freely around her. She brushed her hair for a
few minutes, then took out a hairband and affixed it over her head,
giving her a style that looked far more feminine than the style she
was used to. She jauntily swept her hair behind her head, and stared
in a mirror.

All ready. She always knew she had flattering curves; the
outfit she had on showed them off quite nicely, now that her breast
bindings were gone. The hairstyle, while not exactly what she
wanted, would do nicely to frame her features, letting those
cheekbones be seen in a far more feminine light. She giggled, a
nice, soft giggle she'd neglected for so long, then went out to her
host.

She couldn't help but give another giggle when she went to the
living area. Toshi was hunched over a pile of trash, apparently in a
desperate attempt to clean the place up while she changed. At the
sight of her, he dropped half of his load, and openly gaped at her.

"So... how do I look?" She gave a jaunty turn for his benefit.

"Um... anou... you look beautiful."

Ukyou held her hands in front of her, and blushed. He liked how
she looked! This was... she couldn't even find a word to describe
it. She found herself stammering out a simple thanks, then went over
to him. He _had_ to know why she was here. She only feared it
wouldn't drive him away...

"Toshi... I want you to know why I came here tonight. You
deserve to know that much."

She could feel the heat of tears forming, the frustration
threatening to overwhelm. "Toshi... right now I'm ready to scream.
I don't know who I am, what I am, how I'm supposed to live... I can't
live as a boy for the rest of my life, but I can't live as a girl,
either.

"Toshi, when you came to my family's restaurant, my dad laid out
several ground rules. I think they're appropriate here. If I start
to overstay my welcome, or do something to harm you, let me know, and
I'll leave." She bit her lip, fearing the worst... and, perhaps, the
best.

She felt a hand against her chin, and looked up into his eyes.
Toshi looked so beautiful to her... she could get lost in that sea of
grey. "Ukyou... you could never do that. I am concerned, though,
that we might be -"

Ukyou, seizing the initiative, wrapped her arms around him, and
pulled him close, kissing him. She could feel the warmth of his body
for the first time, taste a hint of okonomiyaki in his mouth, sense
the slightly-rushed flutter of his heartbeat...

For the first time in ten years, Ukyou was home.

*********************************************************************

End part 2

Nicholas Leifker
nwl...@unix.tamu.edu
http://people.tamu.edu/~nwl9354
October 12, 1997