Chapter 8: Sayonara Ukkyo! The Demon Strikes Again!

"Get back here, Ryoga!" shouted Ranma as she chased Ryoga up and down the streets of the Nerima district. However, she was unused to wearing long dresses, and fell behind, quickly losing sight of him. "At least I know he can’t have gotten very far," she said to herself as she stopped.

Sure enough, Ryoga came flying around a nearby corner, not looking where he was going, and plowed right into Ranma from behind. Ranma’s hand was around Ryoga’s throat before he could fall down from the impact. "Ranma, what an unexpected surprise," said Ryoga with a nervous smile.

"Can it, Ryoga," said Ranma. "I’ve got a serious bone to pick with you."

"You should talk, Ranma," countered Ryoga. "You ruined Akane’s evening."

"Me? What did I do?"

Ryoga pushed Ranma away. "You showed up at the restaurant where Akane and I were having dinner, and from that moment, everything went wrong! I know your being there was no coincidence."

"Well, you shouldn’t be going out with Akane in the first place!"

"What’s the matter, Ranma?" teased Ryoga. "Are you jealous?"

"Of that uncute tomboy? No way!"

"But she’s your fiancée, isn’t she?"

"Hey, it wasn’t my idea!"

"Does that mean you don’t want to marry her?"

Ranma blushed. "I never said that!"

"Do you, or don’t you?" asked Ryoga.

Ranma’s eyes narrowed. "You’re being awfully manipulative all of a sudden, Ryoga. Are you trying to wind me up?"

"Possibly. But you’re avoiding the question."

"Look, whatever you’re trying to do isn’t going to work on me. Just stay away from Akane. You and P-chan both. No more dates, period. Got it?"

"Don’t you think Akane should decide who she wants to marry?" asked Ryoga.

Ranma crossed her arms. "Why should I care who she marries?"

"Exactly," said Ryoga. "Why should you care?"

Ranma grabbed Ryoga by the shoulders. "Hey! What are you trying to do?"

"Don’t strain yourself trying to figure it out, Ranma," advised Ryoga. "All I’m saying is that you should decide once and for all whether or not you really want to marry Akane. There are other girls out there if you don’t want her – girls who can cook, girls who aren’t ‘uncute tomboys.’"

"I don’t think it’s any concern of yours, Ryoga."

Ryoga clenched a fist. "Ranma, you dog! How dare you hurt Akane’s feelings and still believe you can call yourself her fiancé!"

Ranma clenched her own fist. "I never called anyone anything! Even if I did, what would you do about it?" She took up a fighting stance, preparing to meet Ryoga’s charge.

Ryoga dropped his hands. "I’m going to do nothing."

"Have it your way! Dress or no dress, I’ll pound the -" Ranma stopped suddenly. "What?!"

"Egrul says, ‘The first one to resort to violence is the first one who has run out of intelligent things to say.’"

"Is that so?" asked Ranma, considering her reply carefully. After a few seconds of deliberation, she punched Ryoga squarely in the nose. "You know, that guy’s got a point."

"Thad was a cheab shod, Radma," said Ryoga, tying a bandana around his nose to stop the blood flow. "I’ll codsider thad a vicdory for be."

Ranma shrugged. "Whatever you say." She turned to walk away, but stopped as Ukkyo turned the corner and ran straight into her without looking where she was going. Ranma massaged her own neck, staring at Ukkyo, whose eyes were wide with terror. "Ucchan! What are you doing here at this time of night?" she asked, putting her hands on Ukkyo’s shoulders.

Ukkyo screamed and smashed Ranma in the face with her battle spatula.

"By, you seeb a bid douchy dodighd," said Ryoga.

"What gives, Ukkyo?" asked Ranma from the sidewalk surface.

Ukkyo stopped to catch her breath. "Ranma honey? Is that really you?"

"Of course it’s me," said Ranma, getting to her feet and brushing the dirt off of her dress. "Who did you think it was?"

"I thought you were a demon!" explained Ukkyo.

"Yeb," agreed Ryoga. "I cad see the resebbladce."

Ranma kicked Ryoga, sending him flying into the air. "Go put some ice on that big nose of yours!" she called after him.

Ukkyo clutched Ranma to her chest. "It was awful, Ranma! A demon that looked just like you tried to rape me in my own restaurant!"

Ranma pushed Ukkyo to arm’s length and stared her in the eyes. "Did you say a demon that looked like me?"

Ukkyo nodded. "It was the male you, but definitely you."

Ranma considered this. "First Kodachi, then Ukkyo..." She snapped her fingers. "I think I figured out what the pattern is! I have to get to Gosunkugi’s!" Ranma turned to leave, but Ukkyo stubbornly clutched at her dress.

"Don’t leave me, Ranma honey! I’m scared!"

Ranma nodded. "It’ll be okay. I’ll protect you. That demon won’t lay a finger on you while I’m around."

"You’ll have to be careful if you try to fight it," Ukkyo advised her. "I tried to hit it with my spatulas, but they went right through it."

"I guess that means that physical weapons won’t affect it," decided Ranma. "Fortunately, I’ve got my ki powers. With my Mouko Takabisha and my Hiryu Shoten Ha, I should be able to defeat it."

"You’re so brave, Ranma," said Ukkyo, her lips moving ever closer to Ranma’s. "I just don’t know how to thank you."

"Not like that!" protested Ranma as she tried to push Ukkyo away. "I’m a girl right now, remember?" Despite Ranma’s protests, Ukkyo’s lips made contact with her own, and she gave up trying to escape. They shared a brief, friendly kiss, and then Ukkyo took a step back and turned away, embarrassed.

"You know that I want you to see me as more than a friend, someday, don’t you Ranma honey?"

"I know. I’m sorry that you feel that way, and I can’t return your feelings."

"I just wanted you to know that, just in case something happens tonight."

"It’s okay, Ukkyo. Nothing’s going to happen tonight. You’re in good hands now." Ranma put her arm around Ukkyo’s shoulders, and felt them shaking with Ukkyo’s sobs. "Don’t cry, Ucchan. Everything will be okay. I promise."

Ukkyo returned Ranma’s embrace. "I know. I’m just scared. But I know you’ll keep me safe."

Ranma nodded. "Okay. First I need to change; then we’ll head back to the restaurant. If I’ve got to fight a demon, no way am I doing it in a dress."

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

"So, Ukkyo escaped without being captured," repeated Cologne aloud. The demon nodded the portion of its miasma that was closest to being a head at the time. "Then Ranma surely knows the truth by now. But it won’t help him." She pointed to the door. "Go to Ucchan’s. They’ll be showing up there soon enough. Proceed with the original plan."

A mouth formed in the swirling cloud. "Original plan? Sure?"

"I see no reason to deviate under the circumstances. Ukkyo will be captured soon enough, and these minor distractions aren’t interfering with our intentions. Until something happens to disrupt our plan, we’ll stick to it. Is that understood?" The demon nodded again. "Still, I want you to watch Ranma very closely. If he does manage to interfere, the entire plan will fail. So when the next phase begins, make sure that he doesn’t discover your true nature. I promise, the next abduction will proceed as we anticipated."

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

Akane hung her dress up in the closet and picked up her nightgown. As she put it on, the bedroom window opened and a dark figure crept into the room. She quickly ducked behind the bed and held her breath, waiting for the right moment to strike. She felt a hand on her shoulder and swung at it reflexively.

"Ow!" shouted the figure as she clobbered it in the head with her bedside table.

"Ranma?" asked Akane.

"Of course it’s me," said Ranma, rubbing her head uncomfortably. "Who did you think it was?"

"What are you doing in my room while I’m getting dressed, you pervert?" yelled Akane. "And don’t tell me you’re here to beat up P-chan, because he’s not here! In fact, I haven’t seen him all night..."

"He’s probably trying to find some pig-sized bandages," muttered Ranma.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Look, normally I wouldn’t have come into your room like this, but this is important."

"Important enough that you had to come in through the window?"

"I didn’t figure you’d let me in through the door. You seemed pretty mad tonight about something..."

"I think I have a right to be angry," shouted Akane. "That was a rotten trick you played!"

Ranma shrugged. "What? Is that what you’re mad about? It’s no big deal, really. It’s not like anyone got hurt or anything. We were just having fun."

Akane fumed. "If you’re not here to apologize, I don’t want to hear anything from you."

"But there’s a de-"

"Just get out of my room, Ranma." Akane brandished what was left of her table threateningly. "NOW."

"Fine," said Ranma. "I’m going. I forgot; you can take care of yourself. I don’t know why I pretended to care at all." She left the room through the door to find some hot water and a change of clothes.

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

Ukkyo hesitated before opening the door of her restaurant. "You go in first, Ranma honey. I’m too scared."

Ranma pushed the door open and stepped into the restaurant. "Hello?" he called out. "Any demons in here?"

Ukkyo hastily shushed him. "Do you want it to hear you?"

"Of course," answered Ranma. "How else am I going to lure it out where I can fight it?"

"Why couldn’t you sneak up on it from behind?"

"Because I don’t know exactly where it is. ‘Behind’ is tricky like that." Ranma took another tentative step forward, then another.

Ukkyo stepped in behind him. "Be careful, Ranma honey," she whispered.

Ranma stalked forward between the tables. "So, where is it?" he asked aloud.

"I don’t know," answered Ukkyo. "Try the kitchen."

Ranma pushed open the door to the kitchen and peered in. "I don’t see any demon in there."

"It was here, I know it!" insisted Ukkyo.

"I’m sure it was, but it’s not here anymore. It must have left just after you did. It’s probably already on the trail of its next victim."

"Next victim?" asked Ukkyo worriedly.

"It got Kodachi last night. Spirited her away without a trace. Now it’s gone after you. The only explanation I can come up with is that it’s going after girls who like me, using my form to get close to them. That means that its next target will be either Shampoo or Akane."

"You think Akane might be in danger?"

Ranma nodded. "She wouldn’t listen when I tried to tell her about the demon before, and I figured she could handle herself. But if it catches her by surprise, she won’t stand a chance. I have to go warn her." He started for the door, then turned back. "You’d better stay here. It should be safe."

"But I want to come with you!" protested Ukkyo.

"If I’m right, and the demon is going after Akane, then where I’m going is the last place you want to be. If I’m wrong, then I’ll have to try to convince Akane that the demon’s after her on my own, and she’ll never listen to me if you’re there. Either way, it’s best if you stay here."

"But what if the demon comes back while you’re gone?" asked Ukkyo.

"It doesn’t seem to be able to keep up with a moving target," answered Ranma. "Just run to the Tendo dojo if you see the demon."

"How will I know whether it’s you or the demon?" asked Ukkyo.

Ranma thought about this. He looked around to make sure they weren’t being watched, then put his thumb on his forehead, extending his pinky and index fingers upwards. "This will be the secret sign. If you see me, I’ll make the sign so you know it’s me. If the Ranma you see doesn’t make the sign, it’s the demon."

Ukkyo nodded. "Good idea." She gave Ranma a hug. "I feel so safe now."

"Good. I’d better hurry and get to Akane. I’ll be back soon!" Ranma ran out the door, leaving Ukkyo alone in the restaurant. She wiped tears from her eyes and sat in a booth to await Ranma’s return.

Less than a minute later, the door opened and Ranma walked in. "Forgot something," he said.

Ukkyo sighed. "I can believe it. After all, you were in a big hurry. What did you forget?"

"Nothing especially important," said Ranma, bending to peer under a table. "I just forgot to take something with me."

"Oh?" Ukkyo knelt beside Ranma, taking his hand in her own affectionately. "What?"

Ranma looked at her and smiled as his hand and hers vanished beneath a dark mist. "You."

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

Ranma was only a few blocks from Ucchan’s when he heard the screams. "Ranma, help!" shouted Ukkyo. "It’s got me!" Ranma turned and ran back to the restaurant, listening to Ukkyo’s screams growing more frantic all the while. As he pushed the door open, the screams doubled in intensity. "Ranma! Help!"

Ukkyo’s face was barely visible in the center of the huge black cloud that was pulling her into itself. Her eyes met Ranma’s, darting him one final helpless look before disappearing beneath the murky fog of the demon’s body. "Ukkyo!" shouted Ranma. He clenched his fists with rage. "Give her back!"

The demon’s body shifted to assume Ranma’s own form. "So, you want her back?" asked the demon. "You’ll be joining her soon, if that is what you wish. But not yet. The time is not yet right."

"What the heck are you talking about?" demanded Ranma.

"You will learn," said the demon. "Now I must leave."

"You’re not going anywhere until you release Ukkyo!" shouted Ranma. His battle aura flared. "Mouko Takabisha!"

The demon leapt aside to avoid the blast, its own battle aura flaring. Ranma snarled and charged up another blast before he felt the intense cold radiating from the demon. "It’s going to use Hiryu Shoten Ha!" he realized. "I’ve got to cool off my aura, fast!" He closed his eyes and concentrated on lowering his temperature, keeping his keen senses on full alert for an attack. Within seconds, his aura had died out. He opened his eyes and turned to face the demon... only to find the restaurant empty, save for himself. "It got away! I can’t believe I fell for it!" He dashed out into the street, but there was no trace of the demonic kidnapper. He beat his fist furiously against the wall, trying to hold back the tears that he knew were coming.

"I should never have left her alone. It’s my fault the demon got her." Ranma closed his eyes and let his head rest against the wall. Images swam through his mind... The early days of his childhood when he fought Ukkyo daily to win his okonomiyaki treat; the fateful day when Ukkyo found her way to Tokyo to challenge him for her honor; his eventual realization that she was in fact female; the cute way she had always smiled when serving him her wares; Ukkyo sitting beside him and crying over a spoiled lunch date; Ukkyo kissing him lightly under a beautiful night sky; Ukkyo’s last desperate look as the demon took her; Ukkyo’s eyes; Ukkyo’s hair; Ukkyo's lips; Ukkyo... A single tear fell from his eye and splashed onto the pavement below. "Ukkyo... I’m sorry."