Ranma 1/2: A New Awakening Alternate Continuation (minor crossovers) By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com Co-author & Concept by: "Jerry" starfire@brainerd.net Chapter Nine Akane approached Ucchan's, she saw the sign on the door 'Closed do to Family illness', and if she wasn't so worried about the chief she would have been angry that she would claim that _jerk_ as her family. Akane tried the door it was locked and with all the shades drawn she couldn't see inside. She knew Ukyo was inside though she could hear the radio going. Akane paused then knocked loudly on the door. "_Go away!_ Can't you read I'm closed!" Akane heard Ukyo through the door. "Ukyo it's me let me in." Akane asked through the door. Akane didn't hear any movement inside, and she was getting worried. She tried to see into the store through a crack in the shades, but saw nothing. Akane jumped when the door was quickly pulled open causing Akane to gasp in fright. She then scowled in anger, until she saw the haunted look on Ukyo's face. [That _JERK_ look what he has done to poor Ukyo, if I ever get a hold of him I will turn him into goo!] She thought when she looked up at Ukyo. "Akane I do not want to _see_ anyone, please go away." Ukyo started to close the door but Akane stopped her. "Ukyo, he isn't worth all this grief, of locking yourself away. You deserve better them _him_ we both do!" Akane told her hoping to make her feel better. Ukyo looked at her, a look of confusion crossing her face then one of horror followed finally by anger. She pushed Akane away from her door knocking her to the ground. Akane was at first shocked, then her anger began to grow as an aura of red burst around her. Ukyo's own aura flared around her in a brilliant blue. Akane's battle aura flickered out as she looked on in shock, Ukyo never showed a battle aura before. "How _dare_ you tell me Ranchan isn't worth it, you _BITCH_! He loved you, he gave up cures for you, he _KILLED_ for you, but all you could ever do is scream at him and beat him. You are _no better_ then men who abuse their wives." Her aura grew brighter as she stepped closer to Akane. "Why don't you put the blame where it belongs Akane on that _jackass_ panda! He was the one who engaged Ranchan to every girl whose father would feed him. He is the one who took him to Jusenkyo. Better yet why don't you _SHARE_ some of the blame with him, you can never own up to your own mistakes, but you'd happily pawn them off on Ranchan." Akane was getting angry again, but she stepped back when she felt the heat coming from Ukyo's aura. "You are _SO_ dense, you know Kuno and you deserve one another you can both share the _I don't wanna believe glasses_ you both put on when it comes to Jusenkyo." Akane was about to blow her top when the last of what Ukyo said hit her. "_WHAT_ are you talking about?" She growled back at Ukyo, who laughed. "Ranchan was forced into an honor promise not to reveal one of the cursed Jusenkyo victims, I found out because I saw him change. Then he dishonored himself and _YOU_ by using Ranchan's promise against him. He tried to give you hints but all you could do was beat him up for picking on your poor baby or Ryoga." Akane's mind began to race remembering all the times Ranma had called Ryoga P- chan and visa versa. Akane's battle aura flared, almost as brightly as Ukyo's. It flickered out when she heard Ukyo burst out laughing. She looked up and saw Ukyo standing over her anger and hatred crossing her pretty face. "What the matter Akane, remembering all the times you called Ranchan a pervert just because the jackass got him cursed and all along you were the pervert. Well I don't need your sympathy, I will be at that meeting at the end of the week to see Ranchan. Until then you can leave me alone." She turned and stormed back into Ucchan's, slamming the door behind her. Akane stared at the closed door, lost in thought. She vaguely heard the music being turned up louder. Akane turned and slowly walked away from the restaurant, her mind going over what was said. Akane however, staying true to her nature had worked it all around to being Ranma's fault. /*\*/*\ Ukyo stormed back into the restaurant, turning up the music as she headed up to her apartment. When she reached the alcove on the second floor, she removed her shoes and headed to her room. She undressed and put on her nightgown and crawled into bed. Laying there her arm over her eyes she began to really think about her life and where Ranchan fit into it. Her mind drifted back to when she and Ranma first met, and the two of them played and fought, and played some more. A sad smile crossed her lips as she remembered the battles for the okonomiyaki every morning. A tear slowly travels down her temple to fall softly into her hair. The tears began to flow in torrents when she remembered the day she was to leave with Ranchan and his father. ***Flashback*** "Ukyo come on hurry up girl you new fiancé and father-in-law can't wait forever!" Her father yelled at her from downstairs. "Coming papa!" Six year old Ukyo answered while running down the stairs. "Now you do as Genma tells you learn everything you can and take care of your fiancé." Her father told her as he straightened her jacket and then handed her, her battle spatula. "Goodbye papa, see you soon." Ukyo kissed her father's cheek and ran out the door, never seeing the tear that escaped from his eye. Ukyo ran down the street to the end of the block where Genma was waiting with the okonomiyaki cart and Ranma, who was sitting on top of it. He began to walk when Ukyo got close enough. He walked slowly so Ukyo could keep up, while they walked he explained his what he expected of her. He told her of the training she would go through and that she would have to work extra hard to catch up with Ranma. Ukyo gulped at all she had heard, but was determined to make her father and Ranchan proud of her. They camped on the outskirts of Kyoto for the night. Ukyo cooked dinner, then at Genma's request showed him what she could do. He sparred with her for more then two hours, when they were done Ranma had fallen a sleep and Ukyo decided that was a good idea. Genma however told her, that she must do her katas for the next hour before she could even think of going to bed. When Ukyo finished she could hardly keep her eyes open, Genma grinned malevolently, as Ukyo barely made it to her sleeping bag. When morning came Genma tried as quietly as he could to pack up everything and leave camp. He spotted Ranma about to wake his friend, when he grabbed his son and put him in the cart. Then he thought for a minute and turned to Ranma. "Ranma my boy answer me this one question. What do you like more okonomiyaki or Ukyo?" Ranma looked up at his father confused, but thought about it hard. "Okonomiyaki!" Ranma shouted with glee as his father put him on top of the cart and took off. Ukyo heard the shout and woke up to see Genma, Ranma and the cart heading down the rode. She grabbed her battle spatula, and chased after them screaming for them to stop. She chased after them for more then a mile, which really surprised Genma that she could run that long after all he made her do the night before. Finally Ukyo could run no more and collapsed at the side of the road crying. "Ran..chan..p..please d..don't l..leave me!" She gasped out while kneeling in the road holding her sides and crying. Ukyo curls up into a little ball where she fell, crying, she cried so hard for so long that finally her voice gave out. She was found by one of the elderly neighbors of her father. All they saw was her in the fetal position shaking, there was no sound coming from her. The old woman picked her up and carried her home. When she left Ukyo with her father he put her to bed as she had fallen a sleep on the journey home. He waited for her to wake up. Several hours passed when Ukyo finally came back downstairs. He glared angrily at his daughter, Ukyo cringed back she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out as her throat was dry and sore from crying. Her father stood and paced the room not saying a word, Ukyo watched him nervously. Finally he stopped in front of her his anger evident on his face. He reached out and slapped his daughter hard, knocking her across the room. "You have _dishonored_ the name Kounji, you are now dead to me I have _no_ daughter." He said with his back to her, she wanted to cry but she had no tears left. "You will now be my son, and you will train hard, and when the time is right you will seek out Genma and Ranma Saotome and take our revenge in their _BLOOD_! When you have done that then you may be my daughter again, _but_ only then." He turned and walked up the stairs never looking back. Ukyo collapsed to the floor, shaking with dry sobs of pain, confusion and hatred. She stayed that way for several hours, when she became numb and only the hate remained she got to her feet, and left the house. She went to her family's Dojo and began to practice her art, she will get her revenge and reclaim her life. ***End Flashback*** That was never to be, and she still loved her Ranchan, Ukyo stared at the ceiling of her darkened room. Did she love him? It was at times like these that she would ponder these thoughts, but always before she would push them back down into the deepest recesses of her mind. Tonight however she let the thoughts come to her. Ranma was gone to her now forever female, and now living with the Faeries. [What are my feelings for Ranchan? Do I love him or the idea of being in love?] She ponders, sleep held at bay by sheer will. She thinks back on all the times Ranma had told her that she was his best friend. She could never remember him saying anything about loving her enough to marry her, just that they were friends. While she laid there with the night slowly moving on she realized that all this time she was hiding her true feelings as well. Yes, she loved her Ranchan, but like him it was the love of a sibling, not a lover, she suddenly bolts upright in her bed, burying her face in her hands. "RANCHAN NOOOO!" She screamed into the night, her tears flowing anew. "I have lost you again, now I am truly all alone." She cried as she slowly got out of bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Ukyo didn't even turn on the lights, she just headed into the darkness. She went to where she kept her battle spatula and bandoleer of throwing spatulas. She pulled out one of her sharpest throwing spatulas from its place in the bandoleer. Then she disappeared into the main dining room and sat at a table near the grill. She looked around at all her hard work, realizing it meant nothing without her only family to share it with her. Ranchan is the only family she had left and now he..no she is gone. Ukyo sank lower into despair while she stared at the shining weapon in her hands. She rubbed a finger along the sharp edge drawing blood. She held up the throwing weapon and stared at it with only the light of the moon coming in through the cracks in the blinds. The spatula glitters, except where her blood blackens the edges in the moonlight. She took a deep breath and slowly lowered the sharp instrument to her wrist. /*\*/*\ Ranko and Nodoka were coming up on their first year as Sylphs and living in the realm. She and her mother had been invited to the court for a royal ball. Her mother wore the dress she had bought for her when they first arrived. While Ranko wore a simple gown of pink satin and lace. When they finished dressing they left with Seran who waited for them in their living room to go to the party. When they arrived at the ball it was filled with hundreds of people all having a great time. Ranko looked at all the people and began to feel anxious she passed it off as being nervous around so many new people at once. While the night slowly moved on everyone noticed that the young Sylph was not her usual vivacious self. Queen Titiana decided that, now would be the time to reveal the real reason for the party. "May I have your attention please, although they don't know it, tonight's festivities are to celebrate the re-birth of Nodoka and Ranko Aurora." Titiana told the gather guests, many applaud. "I felt since this is their first year we will celebrate as they do on earth with birthday cake." The royal chiefs wheel in a huge six foot tall layered birthday cake with one candle on top. It is a tiered cake with white icing trimmed in red. The chiefs then leave to return with two ladders so that Ranko and Nodoka can use them instead of flying over the cake and getting icing on their clothes. Nodoka and Ranko climbed the ladder, Ranko smiled bravely, she still felt something was wrong, but she couldn't think what. When the candle was blown out they fly back down to the ground as going down a ladder in a long dress is a lot more difficult then going up the ladder. "Next while the cake is being served, what is a birthday party with out presents." Titiana points and four eight-foot tables are revealed each loaded to over flowing with gifts. "Your highness this is too much we can not except these things." Nodoka told her, but the queen ignored her. "Now this occasion is doubly special as I announce that Seran has asked and Nodoka has said yes to marrying him." The room explodes into applause, bring Ranko out of her funk for at least a few moments. The next several hours found Ranko and Nodoka opening presents. There where five laptops, what she thought, they were going to do with five was beyond her. It seemed all the gifts came in fives as if they were trying to tell her something. One of the gifts that caught Seran's attention was a black velvet box with a silver warding rune on top. He checked the card and it came from Raist. Seran opened the box and inside was five perfect gemstones of different types each the size of an egg with a smooth surface. There was a star ruby, star sapphire, star emerald, a rainbow diamond, and a star onyx. He could feel the magic coming from them, in the lid he saw the note with what each of them does, and he then closed the lid and handed it to Nodoka. Who had been staring over his shoulder at them. She slipped those into her bag of holding. At the end there was more stuff then Nodoka was sure their home could hold. Nodoka and Ranko thanked each of them for the lovely gifts. The queen told Nodoka that she would have the stuff delivered into them in the morning. The two women hugged then Ranko hugged the queen, giving her a brave smile. Seran took the two members of the Aurora clan home Ranko following slowly behind them. Seran and Nodoka looked back at their daughter worriedly. When they reached home Nodoka put Ranko to bed feeling the day was too much for her. Ranko fell to sleep quickly, Nodoka tucked her in then went down stairs to talk with Seran. "I am worried about her, she isn't behaving normally. Something is wrong, but I don't think she even knows what it is." She told Seran as they cuddled on the sofa. "Don't worry my love, she is probably just tired, it has been a busy day casting spells, training us and the party. She is just tired a good nigh...." "NNNNOOOOOOOOO!" They jump when they hear Ranko scream. They both head for Ranko's room. When they get there Ranko is curled up on her bed her knees pulled up under her chin as she rocks front to back, with tears streaming in torrents down her face. Nodoka went to her daughter, she placed her hand on her shoulder to get her attention. Nodoka stepped back slightly when she is hit with the hollow blank stare of her child. There is nothing in her eyes but total depression and fear. "Ranko, what is wrong tell me so I can help you." Nodoka told her child while gathering her in tight embrace. "I..It's Ukyo momma, we gotta help her, she's gonna die if we don't p..please momma!" Nodoka was about to tell her daughter it was only a dream when Seran stopped her. "Ranko listen to me, where is she were is your friend?" Ranko turned to him and stared confusion on her face. "Where she always is at Ucchan's, it is her restaurant and home." Ranko stated as if everyone knew. Seran rushed out of the room leaving a confused Nodoka to watch over Ranko. She cooed to her child singing her an old lullaby her mother use to sing to her when she woke up with nightmares. Gently rocking her daughter and stroking her hair Nodoka got her back to sleep after almost two hours. She tucked her back into bed then brought her desk chair to the side of the bed, to watch over her. Shortly Seran returned his face drawn with worry he sits on Ranko's bed and then places a hand on her forehead. Nodoka watching him closely, he began to glow a soft pale blue that slowly began to surround Ranko. She reached for her daughter when a voice stopped her. "Don't interfere Nodoka he is trying to save the life of your daughter's friend." Nodoka turned and there stood Aerial with a look of worry. "What is happening it was only a dream nothing more, she has night terrors this is just another one." Nodoka stated, trying to convince herself. "No it isn't, Nodoka, you may not have learned this yet but Sylphs will sometimes bond with humans, that we care about. Though I would have thought it would have been the Tendo girl, but I guess Ranko's love for her was not what everyone thought it was." Aerial said shaking her head. "What do you mean?". Nodoka asked looking back at her daughter with concern. "Well from what you told Seran everyone thought that your son Ranma was in love with this Tendo girl. What I am seeing here is that everyone only saw what they wanted to see in his actions. Your son was very honorable and saved her many times, well it was his duty to do that, it didn't mean he loved her. Now this Ukyo he did love for when he became Ranko and was reborn those feelings came with her. "That caused a type of bonding between them. I don't think she loved her as one would to marry another, but as a sister would feel for their brother or sister." Aerial said looking over at Seran, while he tried to help Ranko. "What is he doing?" Nodoka asked her future sister-in-law. "Well when he came to me I sent a message to some of the Faeries on earth. They are going to Ukyo to protect her. He is taking Ranko on a dream walk, to go to Ukyo while she is a sleep and keep her from doing something we can't fix." Aerial said with a worried look. "She won't be able to stop her physically but we are hoping she will be able to talk to her long enough to keep her from doing anything stupid." She finished while slowly walking toward the bed. The glow faded and Seran stood looking tired and ready to collapse. Each of the women took him and led him downstairs, Nodoka had Aerial put him in her bed, to let him rest he was a sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. "Did it work is Ukyo alright?" Aerial shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know we won't know until he wakes up or we hear from the earth bound Faeries. Why don't you stay with him for a while I will sit with Ranko, this way if I need to continue with the dream walking I can." She turned and left Nodoka alone with her fiancé.