This is my 'ending' of Ranma 1/2. Since both the show and the manga ended very open, I decided for my own sanity I needed to finish it. My problem - I got to the ending of my own story and couldn't figure out what in the world too do. So I'm hoping for a little help here. Read what you want (the story is actually something like 36 pages long, so I'm putting it up in basically chapters) and help me out - all advice is good.
Here goes nothing.
It was like a dream.
Except it wasn’t.
I didn’t even see her leave.
I can still remember the last time I saw her. She was sitting at the table smiling at me. She was laughing, telling me how much I look like my mother.
Kasumi still tells me she said she was going to meet her friends at the movies. Her friends claim they had no such arrangement.
She ran off before without waiting for assistance, or telling anyone where she was going. But that was Akane for you. Stubborn as an ox and twice as stupid. She always charged off in a huff without thinking. She always worried me sick. It still doesn’t stop me from missing her.
It’s been five years since her disappearance. Under what would have been normal circumstances, I would have found her. I would have beat the hell out of whoever took her and everything would have been fine. But this was different. No one knows where she went after she left the house. She just vanished. And I still can’t find her.
I haven’t been home since her memorial service. I couldn’t bring myself to face her father and sisters empty-handed. But this letter from Kasumi is bringing me back. Back home. Back to the Dojo. Back to my memories.
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Outside Ukyo’s Okonomiyaki shop Ryoga is sweeping the sidewalk. He looks up at the sun and lets it warm his face. His hair, much longer than it was when he was a boy of 16, falls straight on his shoulders. He sighs heavily, sadly, then continues to sweep.
Inside Ukyo is cooking as usual. The swell of the babe in her belly is small, but noticeable. She wipes some sweat off her brow and rests a hand on her back, rubbing a small ache that continues to bother her through her pregnancy. But her work isn’t finished. She still has quite a few things to do before she and Ryoga can leave the restaurant and head to the Dojo.
Suddenly she hears a gasp from outside where Ryoga is standing. Curious, she drops her apron on her stool and walks outside. Ryoga is stark still and staring at the horizon. Ukyo turns her head to see a figure walking towards them. As he gets closer, Ukyo’s hand goes to her mouth to stifle a cry.
“Its, its...” she whispers, tears starting to stream down her cheeks.
“It’s Ranma,” Ryoga whispers back, “He’s come home.”
They both watch in silence as Ranma comes closer. He looks much different. His pigtail is loose and long, almost to the middle of his back. He’s taller, slightly taller than Ryoga is now, and has a goatee. He still dressed in Chinese clothing, only now it’s much more filled out.
Ranma is twenty-one years old. He’s no longer a child, but neither is anyone else anymore.
Ukyo stops herself from running to him. Her relationship and feelings toward him have changed. She is no longer his would-be fiancé. She is a wife and soon-to-be mother. But her heart still beats a little faster at the sight of him. Ryoga is different. His exterior is tough, but inside he’s in turmoil. There is only one reason Ranma would come home. He’s given up hope on finding Akane.
Ryoga jogs towards Ranma. The closer he gets, the more he can see. Ranma is a different person. He looks tired and sad. He’s physically fit and well nourished, but wears the expression of a haunted man . Ryoga sees Ranma look at him and notices the recollection on his face. Ranma smirks and walks a bit faster. As the two men and rivals come close to each other they stop. For a second, Ukyo holds her breath, hoping they don’t try to kill each other. Ryoga stares at Ranma, and with a smile extends his hand. Ranma, looking slightly relieved, excepts it and is pulled into a tight hug.
Welcome home, Ranma.
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Ryoga leads Ranma into the shop and shows him to a seat. Ukyo rushes into the kitchen for tea. No one has spoken a word yet. Ryoga sits opposite Ranma at a table. The two study each other intently, both trying to figure out what to say, what to ask. Ukyo serves the tea.
“Are you hungry, Ranma?” she asks. She was tempted to add the ‘honey’ after his name like she used too, but too many things had happened since he left. Like Ryoga. Ranma doesn’t notice, however. He just smiles.
“Ukyo, you know I’m always hungry.” She fidgets for a minute and looks at Ryoga. He’s been studying her, watching her reactions and wondering. She turns quickly and heads for the grill. Soon the smell of her Japanese pizza wafts into the air. Ranma looks around the restaurant. “It’s a bit dead in here, huh?” he looks at Ukyo for an answer.
“Not really,” she starts, flipping Okonomiyaki as she talks, “We’re just closed for today. Everyone around here knows that today is...” She stops herself. Ranma of all people knows what this day is. He clenches his fist for a moment, then lets it go. He swallows loudly.
“We’re heading to the dojo in an hour if you want to come with us,” Ryoga says not looking at Ranma, “I mean I assume that’s where you’re heading.”
“Yeah.”
The room remains quiet. So quiet the cicada songs can be heard. Ryoga looks back at Ranma.
“You know, you could have at least come to the wedding. Everyone missed you. Your dad was practically bawling his eyes out because you weren’t here.”
“RYOGA!” Ukyo shouts slamming her spatula down.
“Well it’s true, Ukyo.” Ryoga shouts back. He turns back to Ranma. “You could have at least called. I know you knew about it, Kasumi told me she gave you the message. What the hell, man? I thought we were supposed to be squeak, squeak, SQUEAK!” Water dripped from the bucket onto the floor. Ukyo stands over the now small black pig glaring back at her from the seat where Ryoga was.
“I’m sorry Ranma, Ryoga can be a real Jackass at times.” She looks up to see a voluptuous redhead with a goatee sitting in Ranma’s seat. She smirks slightly at the sight. “The goatee really throws off the effect.”
Ranma shrugs her shoulders. “It gives off what I want it too. How many guys are going to come onto a girl with a beard?”
“PIGTAILED GIRL!” A man screams from out of nowhere. He comes up behind Ranma and squeezes her to his chest. “Oh Pigtailed girl I knew it was you! It’s been so long!” Ranma punches him in the face. Kuno clutches Ranma’s hands and looks deeply into her eyes. “When did you grow that beard?”
“WHAT’S IT TO YOU, YOU JERK!” Ranma yells as she kicks Kuno into the air and out of sight.
Ranma is out of breath and shrieks when Ryoga pours hot water on her.
“You know Ranma, you really shouldn’t kick other people’s husbands. What will the neighbors think,” a disembodied voice says from the doorway. She is holding the hand of a little boy and an armful of packages in the other. She is immaculately dressed and is wearing a lot of expensive jewelry. The looks she gives are so shrewd, normal people cringe under her gaze.“And you know Ryoga, your wedding isn’t the only one he missed.” Nabiki moves into the shop with little boy in toe and rests the packages on the table. She sighs deeply, tapping her well manicured nails against the table.
“Look, I didn’t do it on purpose ok. I just had a lot of things going on that’s all. I’m sorry if I hurt you guys, alright” Ranma said, sitting down again. He stares into his cup of tea, lost in thought. The little boy with Nabiki steps towards Ranma. Ranma looks at the child blankly.
“Hey mister, I bet can make you feel better,” he says holding out his little hand. “For 3000 yen.” Ranma falls over. Nabiki pulls the child over and whispers, “That’s good Tomi darling, but next time wait until Uncle Ranma actually has some money to give you.” She pats the child on the head.
Ukyo walks over to Tomi and smiles. “He’s gotten much bigger since I last saw him, Nabiki. Plus he seems to have inherited your financial sense.”
“He’s your son, Nabiki?” Ranma asks from the floor. “Does that mean he’s also...”
“That’s right, Ranma Saotome. And someday he will become the new white lightning of Furinkan High!” Kuno says wrapping one arm around Nabiki. She looks bored and checks her nails.
“Yes, Kuno-baby, but first he has to get through kindergarten before we can think about high school.” Kuno laughs loudly. Ranma stands, shakes his head, and heads for the door. Ukyo extends her hand towards him.
“Wait Ranma. We can all head to the dojo together. Just give me ten minutes.”
“That’s ok, Ukyo. I’d really just rather walk there alone if you don’t mind. I’ll see you guys later.” Ranma walks out the door and heads down the street.
There’s silence in the restaurant.
Finally Nabiki, who can’t stand long drawn out pauses, says, “Well we’d better get going everyone. Otherwise my father will have a panic attack. You know how he is about us being late.” She grabs her son’s hand and throws the packages at Kuno. She turns to Ryoga and stares pointedly at him. “And don’t get lost on the way there. Kasumi wants everyone present when she tells the news.”
“What news? No one said anything about any news. Is it about Akane?” Ryoga says hurriedly.Ukyo glares at him. Nabiki shrugs.
“I don’t really know. All Kasumi said was that it was big. And she thought today was a good day to share it.”
“But today of all days? She knows that today is the day Akane...” Ryoga hangs his head. So does Ukyo.
“Of course she knows that. But let me ask you something. Do you think that Ranma would really come back here if it wasn’t important?” Everyone stares at Nabiki frozen in shock.
“She’s right,” Ukyo says quietly, “Ranma hasn’t returned to this town in almost five years. Whatever Kasumi has to say must be pretty earth-shattering.”
“Exactly. So if I were you I’d hurry up and get over there.” She begins to walk out whispering to her son. “ Let’s go Tomi. You want to see grandpa, don’t you? I bet he as a few hundred yen for you when we get there.” And just as quietly he says, “That’s all! Wow, mommy, grandpa must be poor huh?” Kuno follows them out, laughing idiotically.
Ukyo and Ryoga are left with sweat drops. “He really does have her financial sense, doesn’t he Ukyo?”
