Woman Awaited picks up the story started in More a Woman by Christopher Angel. If you're not familiar with his fanfic, stop right now and go read it or you'll be more lost than Ryoga. Angel's storyline is used with permission. Ranma 1/2 characters are not. Rights to Ranma 1/2 belong to Takahashi-san, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, and countless other entities with the power to sue me for borrowing them for a little while. Please don't -- I'm a starving, penniless otaku!
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Slamming the shoji shut, Ranma quickly kicked off her heels and leapt to the roof of the dojo. A few steps brought her to the loose tile, which she gently pulled off and set aside. Lowering her eye to the hole, she looked down at the three girls inside the training hall.
Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyo were still seated pretty much where she had left them, although Ranma noted wryly that they kept a close watch on the puddle of permanence water pooled on the floor in front of them. None of the girls looked at each other or made a sound. Ranma felt herself growing dizzy from the suspense ... then realized she'd been holding her breath.
As soon as she exhaled, Shampoo stood up, a look of quiet determination on her face. <Is Shampoo going to be the one?!> Ranma thought to herself. The movement broke Akane and Ukyo out of their silent vigil, and they looked up at the violet-haired Amazon.
To Ranma's surprise, Shampoo formally bowed to his ... her other fiancees. "No Amazon law say girl marry girl, even if Airen girl now. Shampoo now go home, leave Airen to Perve ... Akane and Spatu ... Ukyo. Bie Liao." Bowing again, the Chinese girl left the dojo.
Ranma flattened herself against the tiles in case Shampoo chose to roof-hop back to the Nekohanten, but for once the fiery Amazon used the doors and gate of the Tendo complex. Ranma watched Shampoo go, then turned her attention back to the two remaining girls.
Akane and Ukyo now sat facing each other, their auras coalescing like a fine blue mist around them. <Geez, they aren't gonna fight now, are they?!> Finally, Ukyo spoke.
"You ... you really do love him, don't you, Akane?" the okonomiyaki chef asked softly.
Akane blushed and looked down at the floor. "I ... I always have, I think," she finally admitted. "I don't know why it took this to make me say it, though ..."
Ukyo gazed at her rival with compassion in her eyes. "Akane, you're not the only one who feels that way, you know. I gave up my femininity for 10 years because of Ranma. I'm willing to do it again, for life."
Akane gasped, and on the rooftop, Ranma's heart leapt into her throat. <Oh, Ucchan, have you really loved me so much all this time? I never knew you were that serious.> Tears welled up in the martial artist's eyes.
"You'd use the Nannichuan water, then," Akane said in a flat voice.
Ukyo nodded, hesitantly first, then confidently.
Akane smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Ukyo, but Ranma is my fiance. He and I ... she and I ... are destined to run the Anything Goes School together and carry on the Tendo-Saotome lines. I don't think it matters to our parents if I'm the guy and he's the girl."
Ukyo stared at Akane. "But ... but what about Nodoka-san and the seppuku oath?" she cried. "Ranchan's doomed when his mother finds out what he's done!"
"That's why it has to be me, Ukyo. Don't you understand? Never mind my being physically stronger and able to protect him. I've got family who'll stand by and support us. Kasumi can talk Auntie Nodoka out of anything, I'm sure of it. And if not, Nabiki can always cook up some scheme to save us."
The two girls looked at each other, Akane imploringly, Ukyo uncertainly. Ranma's thoughts were whirling at Mach speed. <She ... she does love me, then. She didn't say it, but she meant it, right? You uncute tomboy, you're really gonna do this for me?> Ranma's heart felt like it was going to burst.
Ukyo put her hand on Akane's shoulder. "All right, Akane. You win. But let me do the honors, okay?" She noticed Akane scrutinizing her. "No, no tricks. After all, what are friends for?"
Smiling, Akane embraced the long-haired girl, and the two headed over to the corner, where the caskets holding the Nannichuan and permanence waters stood. Ukyo picked up the Nannichuan casket. <Hmmm ... this seems awfully light ...> she thought to herself.
Noticing that Akane was suddenly glowing bright red, Ukyo stepped back, clutching the casket. "Wh-what's wrong?"
Reaching down, Akane retrieved something off the dojo floor that looked like ... a cork? Ukyo spun the casket around and saw why it had felt so light: it had been unstoppered, and all of the Jusenkyo water had spilled out somewhere. Meaning ... Ranma was now truly without a fiancee.
"RANMA NO BAKA!!!" both girls yelled in rage and sorrow.
Ranma stood by the river, slowly skipping stones across its placid surface. <Damn, damn, damn it all! I could have SWORN I'd stoppered that casket tightly!! How the hell did the water get out? Unless ... >
Visions of black piglets and pandas came to mind. That had to be it! Both PChan, err, Ryoga, and his father lived at the Tendo's. They must have known the instant the cursed waters had arrived. <Damn, damn, dam! Shoulda just used it on myself instead of testing the girls. And now I'm stuck ... forever!>
Tossing her head back, she let all her pent-up anger out with a loud "AAAAAAUUUUUUeeeep?" Her howl turned to surprise as two strong hands gripped her shoulders from behind.
"Weep not, my love, for at last you are safe. The gentle breeze carried aloft the tale that the vile sorceror Saotome has forever been banished from this earth and that you, at last, are free."
Ranma suppressed a groan and turned to face Kuno. The upperclassman released her shoulders and held out a bouquet of -- white? -- roses he had set down nearby. She looked at him, puzzled.
"Yes, white, my love, a reflection of my unsullied devotion to you. White, to demonstrate a clean slate, for, pigtailed girl, my heart has guided me to you and you alone. You are the woman I have awaited all my life." Kuno's eyes were serious, his face earnest. He reached for Ranma's hand, surprising her with his warmth and strength.
"Tendo Akane has her family," he continued, eerily mirroring Akane's recent words. "She has the attentions of that nefarious Hibiki. Yet you, my goddess, are alone, and I would remedy that. Come to me, my love, and you will want for nothing. I will be your devoted mate until the stars cease to shine!"
Ranma blinked. <Why me? Well, might as well see where this leads.> "Kuno, would you build me my very own dojo to train in?" she asked.
The kendoist smiled. "But of course. My fire-tressed beauty must needs keep her figure lithe and toned. You need but to ask."
Ranma considered this. A dojo of her own, a great place to live, money up the wazoo, and all she could eat ... uh oh.
"Kuno darling, what about your sister?" Ranma asked in her best "I'm a cute girl" voice. "You know she doesn't like me very much."
Kuno laughed, a wild cackle evocative of Kodachi's manic sound. "My sister is no more," he said simply.
Ranma stared at him in horror.
The upperclassman continued, oblivious. "Upon hearing of the disappearance of her Ranma-sama, my twisted sister went straight to St. Hebereke and threw herself upon the holy sisters' mercy. She is now a novice."
Ranma smiled brightly. And Kodachi was out of the picture, too! The only negative was, well, Kuno. She looked up at him, using her senses as a female and not those of the martial artist who could kick him into the stratosphere. Thick, dark, wavy hair, nicely sculpted yet rugged face, great smile, soulful eyes, and a body that a hakama and gi top couldn't hide ...
Ranma bit her lip and blushed furiously. <I can't believe I was just thinkin' that! Ah hell, it's my own damn fault for using the permanence water.> Ranma sighed softly. <I love you, Akane, but I am NOT a pervert. I'm a ... (gulp) girl.>
Taking Kuno's hand, Ranma smiled at the kendoist. "Kuno Tatewaki, will you take me to our home?"
Kuno's reaction shocked Ranma. Instead of glomping her, or running around whooping like a madman, or even shouting "Pigtailed girl, you are finally mine!" for the world to hear, Kuno instead gently smiled, bowed, and escorted her to his house.
<This might just work> Ranma thought to herself. <And if not, I can always kick his ass.>
C&C welcome at SaotomeRanchan. No flames, please -- I'm more sensitive than Tendo Soun!
Read another alternative ending:
What Women Want by Saotome Ranchan
All Too Predictable by Bruce A. Munro
OR go back to More a Woman
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