The Journey is the Destination Chapter 17 By poetheather Can they manage to sort out the Ukyo issue? And what new crisis looms for our heroine?

There was a small procession moving down the street, heading downtown to where the Family records were held. The five women walked calmly but were broken into two groups. One with a woman in a kimono and another dressed nicely. The other group was three schoolgirls. Ukyo was actually dressed in a Furinken girl’s uniform, looking a bit embarrassed, as she was somewhat uncomfortable in these unfamiliar clothes. Ranma could completely sympathize with what Ukyo was going through though she didn’t say anything. Until they were siblings, she was going to keep her big mouth shut for a change. Talking too much had caused her nothing but trouble in the past and she did want to change things. The redhead cared a great deal about Ukyo, but a misstep could cost her everything and she knew it. Better to be safe than sorry.

Akane was walking on the other side of the chef, her bookbag held behind her. She looked over at the brown haired girl who was soon going to be her fiancés sister and asked, “Nervous?”

Ukyo nodded and then yawned. “Yeah. I barely slept last night as I couldn’t get my mind to shut up. I… I think this is the right thing for me to do even if Ranma is a boy.”

Akane cocked her head. This was a bit unexpected and she was not quite exactly sure what to do, so she fell back to a classic default. “Hunh?”

“I mean, I know that some people are dumb enough to buy the whole act sugar, but I clearly remember Ranma as a boy and I don’t doubt those memories. I remember as a kid and since I got here to Nerima. I know that Ranma is a boy.” Ukyo’s smirk was filled with melancholy and she did look a bit sad.

“What do you mean? Ranma’s a girl.” stated Akane, knowing that things were shifting under her feet but had no other option yet to follow the plan, at least until she had a better handle on things.

Ukyo shook her head sorrowfully. It was nice of Akane sticking to the lie. “Thank you for that. It gives me at least a little dignity.”

Ranma who had overheard this whole exchange was unsure what to do or say right now. She frowned and was pensive over the issue. She didn’t know what to do and the plan kind of stated that she shouldn’t say anything at all about the actual truth. She bit her lower lip and was at a complete loss over what to do. Due to the nature of this trip, she really had no opportunity to talk to anyone for their advice on how to deal with this, since her mother and Kasumi were a few steps ahead and Ranma felt really uncomfortable, more so with each step they took. It was almost enough to make her scream.

Before more denials or even screaming began, Mrs. Saotome cut through the conversation with something important, “Girls were almost there.”

Thankfully distracted from previous lines of thought, the group of them entered the government building and headed for the correct office. It was on the third floor and the group rode the elevator in silence both Ukyo and Ranma fidgeting nervously. Akane felt fidgety as well, but she was having a better time containing it, since this wasn’t as life changing as it was for the other two.

There was no line at the office at this time of day so the group was seen right away. The process of filling out paperwork and checking documents was finished quickly and efficiently, as the clerk was very focused as he worked. Once Mrs. Saotome affixed both her and her husband’s official seals onto the documents making them completely legal, the process was complete. Nodoka put them away, turned, and opened her arms to Ukyo, happily saying, “Daughter.”

Ukyo went unresistingly into the hug, emotion choking her. This whole situation that was making her head spin, but in a god way and she cherished it. She was legally Ukyo Saotome now, female. No longer would she have to pretend to be a man for her father’s pride. No, now she could live her own life her own way. She felt like she weighed twenty kilos less, as the huge weight of family honor was lifted from her. It was almost dizzying.

Ranma grabbed her when her mother let go and held Ukyo tight. She could feel tears of happiness fill her eyes and threaten to spill. This made her very happy and she smiled happily because of it. Holding her new sister tight, she whispered into the girl’s ear, “I am so glad you are my sister. I love you Ukyo and you have always been my best friend.”

The chef cried a little but smiled softly. This ending wasn’t what she had been after for the last year of her life or so, but this was still better than she had honestly expected to get in the end. It didn’t take a genius to see that Akane had been winning the battle for Ranma’s heart and in all honesty had probably won it before she or Shampoo had even showed. Ranma had not even tried to go through a wedding with any of the rest of them, with the near exception of the reversal jewel. No, after she had seen what had happened at the failed wedding and then had sat down to think it over, Ukyo had consigned herself to the fact that if she didn’t do something different she was going to lose Ranma forever. Better to be his sister than some stranger he couldn’t tolerate to be around. She wouldn’t have been able to stand that.

Ukyo swallowed. Now that she had crossed the bridge, she wanted to dive into her new life with no regrets. There were things she had to say, “Ranma.”

The red head turned around and was walking backwards, facing her new sister. “Yes?”

“I am sorry for all that I have done to make your life crazy. I… I just wanted to have a happy life and since you were the first boy to talk to me in that way, I sort of latched onto that. Sorry.” Ukyo bowed formally and this stopped the whole procession.

“Uh… thanks Ucchan.” Ranma rubbed the back of her head nervously, at a complete loss for anything else.

The chef then turned to face Akane. “I am sorry for all of the trouble I have caused you and your family. Please forgive me. I just want to be friends.”

Akane nodded, words failing her as well. One of the fiancés apologizing to her? Was it the apocalypse?

Nodoka stared thoughtfully for a moment at the scene going on in front of her and then nodded, coming to a decision. If Ukyo was making things right than Nodoka was going to take that chance. “So Ukyo, you are going to take care of your sister, right?”

Ukyo looked startled at that, as the question seemed to come out of left field. “Of course Mother.”

“Even with this stupid plan of hers?” Nodoka’s eyes were very focused and caught everything. She was at the edge of her battle awareness and wanted to be aware of everything that was going on with her new daughter.

Ukyo balked and held her breath in surprise. She had known it! It had been a trick! But no one was laughing at her and Ranma had hugged her and it did sort of feel freeing to let go of the past. She had decided last night that this was what she wanted, even if it meant giving up on Ranma as her spouse. It fulfilled honor and set her free, did she need to fight over this? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming her heart and her building battle aura. “Well, the Baka makes a lot of stupid plans.”

With a gentle smile, Nodoka nodded her head approvingly. It seemed as if Ranma had again made an excellent choice. This might just work out for them in the long run. “I am glad you will protect your sister. I am proud of you daughter.”

It had been so long since she had gotten any type of parental approval that Ukyo actually preened under it. She felt a strong connection to Nodoka at that point and vowed to herself that she would do what she could to not upset her mother. “Now run along you three. You still have classes today. I will see you girls after school. Perhaps we can go shopping and have a girl’s day out?”

Akane, Ukyo and Ranma all waved and headed off to school, armed with notes to excuse them from the classes that they had missed, not that they cared. They traveled along in silence for the most part. Along the way, when they were nearing the school itself, Ukyo pulled ahead to the front and then turned around, stopping. The other two girls stopped and stoop in front of the spatula wielding chef a bit nervous, unsure what was going on. The brown haired girl just stood there, stared at the redhead for a second, and then sighed, shaking her head.

“What?” asked Ranma, growing uncomfortable under her gaze. This made her start to fidget.

“Your plan was to pretend that you have been a girl the whole time? Are you mental sugar?” growled Ukyo.

“Hey! I was doing the best I could. I hate all the crap you and the others put me through over the last year or so. You guys ruined a lot of things and got me into fights that I never wanted to be involved in anyway. And I’ll have you know that there is more to the plan than that.” Ranma harrumphed and looked away, pouting.

“Fine. Enlighten me.” Ukyo was having trouble staying focused as Ranma looked more cute than anything else.

Ranma turned and faced her, some what irritated. “Listen Ukyo, my whole life I have had Pops spout his idiot beliefs at me over and over and over and they have made my life hell. I believed them for a while but living here has shown me what a moron he is. I am also trying to act differently, opposite of what my father does. I figure that way I can’t help but be a good person. That’s the other part of the plan.”

Ukyo looked thoughtful as Akane bit her lip nervously. The tomboy knew that these things tended to dissolve into fights more often than not and was a bit afraid of how it would turn out. Ranma could tear the chef into little tiny pieces if she was really pissed. She wanted this to end well but was smart enough to stand off to the side and let them deal with it themselves.

“That part makes sense, but the other… Ranchan you really are a baka sometimes if you think that plan is going to work.” Ukyo shook her head disapprovingly.

Akane chuckled as well. Her love was a baka. Her baka.

Ranma was about to retort when she paused and thought about things. Things clicked over in her head and began to fall into place. She tentatively asked, “You’re not angry with me?”

Ukyo smiled gently at her friend, her sister and said, “I’m hurt that you didn’t tell me about this and sad that it had to come to this but no, I’m not angry with you.”

“So… so you are done pursuing me? Like for good?” Ranma’s voice trembled.

“Yes sugar, that’s over. I can’t marry my brother, sister, whatever you are so relax. Besides, I realized that you had given your heart to Akane completely a while ago. The wedding kind of drove that home as you weren’t fighting against it.” Her voice was tinged with sadness but she was smiling.

Ranma and Akane came up and gave her a hug. Akane whispered into her one time rival’s ear, “Thank you.”

The three of them were crying a little over everything, letting the tension and pain of the last year out. It was a good cry. Ukyo wiped her eyes and smiled, leaning in and kissing the redhead on the cheek. “I’m on your side Ranma. I always will be. Sisters forever.”

* * * * *

They had gotten to the school close to the end of the third period. Lunch was great, since they all had the bentos that Kasumi had made them and fresh, hot okonomiyaki from Ukyo. The girls talked about class and other things of interest and Ranma drank it up. This was what the damn plan was for, to make her life calm and comfortable, different from everything it had been. This was nice and she cherished it. If only she wasn’t so sure that another shoe was going to drop on her.

“So Ranma, what are you going to do now, since Ukyo is your sister?” asked Sayuri.

“I have no idea, but like I ever have an idea.” replied Ranma.

Ukyo nervously asked, “Would you and Akane like to work at the restaurant? I could use some more waitresses to let Konatsu have a bit of a break.”

Both Akane and Ranma grinned at that. “We get paid?”

Ukyo nodded. “And some okonomiyaki for dinner.”

The mention of food was enough to make sure Ranma thought well of the idea.

The school was abuzz with the fact that Kuno was in surgery to get the multiple breaks properly set in order to allow the kendoist the use of his arm. Ranma had really done a number on the Blue Thunder and the fact that there had been so much damage caused worried some people. After lunch, the Principal came on the speakers with his terrible fake Hawaiian accent, “Aloha! Da Big Kahuna needs to see Ranma Saotome. If da kekki does not show, haircuts for everyone! Dat is all. Aloha!”

Everyone in the class turned and looked at Ranma, who did not look happy over the pronouncement. The Principal was an idiot and she was a bit worried about what was going to happen. Whenever she had to interact with the palm tree wearing pineapple head trouble happened. Whatever it was now, she was going to be ready to fight. Akane and Ukyo both leaned over at the same time and whispered, “Do you want me to come with you?”

Ranma bit her bottom lip in thought. Did she want anyone else to get caught in that crossfire? “Better not. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Akane nodded, not looking pleased. Ukyo shared the sentiment. They hated the idea of Ranma going near that fool without backup.

With that settled, at least to her, the redhead stood, bowed politely to the teacher, and left the room. She took her time, using the soul of ice technique to keep herself calm as she moved through the halls towards what could be her doom. She would find out soon enough what the Hawaiian obsessed fool had in store for her and that didn’t make her feel any better.

She reached the bottom floor, headed into the school offices and stopped before the Principal’s door. Ranma was pretty sure that the palm tree wearing nimrod had something terrible planned, something that might even involve cutting her hair to match the morons ideas of women’s hair fashion. Bowl cuts just looked terrible and she was against the whole buzz cut for boys as well. She absently stroked her hair, almost as a form of confirmation that it was all there.

She reached out her hand and knocked on the door.