Here's Volume Two, Part Seven! For this and any of my other
works, visit my Web Site at:
http://www.oocities.com/coutuva
As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.
Please Enjoy!
Coutuva.
Secrets: Volume Two Part Seven
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Miyoko paced her new office anxiously, awaiting a certain
phone call. After a frustrating attempt to find out the
information she was after, she finally resigned herself to the
fact that there were those who were better at such things than
she was.
A quick call to Ukyou had gotten her Nabiki's hotline
number, and she had hesitantly called and left a message. She
hated the thought of letting Nabiki help her in any way, but she
figured she could play it off as something the middle Tendou sister
owed her.
Yoriko was still sleeping peacefully, although she had been
moved to Miyoko's office, and reposed on the plush futon that
occupied the long wall. Miyoko stopped her pacing to look down at
her girlfriend's soft, attractive face, and wondered how anyone
could be so heartlessly cruel to someone as wonderful and innocent
as her.
Adjusting Yoriko's collar and straightening her hair
slightly, Miyoko sighed, wishing she could make everything go away,
so she and Yoriko could just live their lives. She found it
somewhat interesting that until the Nerima crew showed up, their
lives had been blissfully peaceful and satisfying, even with all of
the secrets they had kept from each other.
She had to wonder if they ever would be again.
Her musings were abruptly interrupted by her phone ringing,
and she sighed aloud before turning to answer it.
"Takara Miyoko desu. Don't sound so surprised, Nabiki...
I figure you owe me a few," she began evenly, wanting to make sure
the ball was in *her* court. "Okay... Real simple. I need the
residence address for Eric Jessop White. Hai. That guy. That's
my business. Okay... Give it to me," she instructed, scribbling
it down on her desk blotter. "Arigato, Nabiki. That's one to
your credit," she smiled, then tossed aside her pen. "I can't
chit-chat now... I've got a business to run. Ja," she concluded,
smirking at her parting remark.
Carefully memorizing the address, she noted with dismay
that it was on the far outskirts of the city, meaning she would
need a lot of time. There was a good chance Yoriko would wake up
while she was out, and she certainly didn't want the girl getting
upset at her absence.
Thinking hard, she tried to come up with something that
would require her personal attention, but not sound suspicious.
Luckily, it didn't take her long. There was a piece of training
equipment that had broken down a week ago, and hadn't been looked
into. It was perfect.
Scrawling out a note to Yoriko, she folded it carefully and
put it in the girl's blouse. After scribbling out the address on
her blotter, she kissed Yoriko's forehead and quietly left the room.
Telling her outer office staff that she was going to see
about the broken machine, she left instructions that Yoriko was to
be properly looked after, and quickly departed. She had a train to
catch.
Fifteen minutes later, she stepped off the train and went
in search of her objective, noting that the entire area was composed
of large, opulent houses on spacious lots. She had to wonder how
the residents managed to acquire so much property.
She continued along the streets carefully, watching for the
one that would lead her to the address she sought. Finally, she
found it, and picked up her pace as she headed down it. According
to the numbers, the house wasn't too far from where she was, which
only made her more anxious.
When she arrived outside the gates of the massive mansion,
she gasped at its size and extravagance. Noticing the large sign on
one of the gate pillars, she smirked to herself. It confirmed she
was standing before the 'White House', making her wonder just how
coincidental that really was.
As she looked it over, she found it hard to believe that
someone as humble and personable as Yoriko had ever lived in such
a house, as it definitely didn't suit her.
The house itself sat back almost a half-mile from the
gatehouse, with several lush gardens and statues adorning the
landscape. The structure was definitely an American-type building,
looking oddly out of place amoung the other houses.
Noting the proliferation of guards, she continued down the
street a distance, then simply leapt over the 12 foot concrete wall
and into a convenient tree. It didn't take her long to bounce her
way toward the house, given the number of well placed trees.
She made a mental note to compliment the landscapers on their
planning.
The house proper was conveniently ringed with trees, spaced
far enough apart and within a good distance to allow for a
window-by-window search. Miyoko, between watching for guards and
leaping from one tree to the next, intently examined each of the
several dozen windows on the structure, even leaping onto the roof
to check the fourth-floor rooms.
Finally, she lit on a mid-floor balcony and carefully
peered into its large windows, then broke out in a wide smile.
Yoriko groaned as she sat up, feeling very tired and stiff
despite her little nap. As she stretched to work out the kinks,
she noticed that she was alone in Miyoko's office, and immediately
began to fret. Rising unsteadily, she was about to go looking for
her girlfriend when she felt something in her uniform blouse.
Pulling out a piece of paper, she frowned as she read the
note. She didn't like the thought of being away from Miyoko, but
realized that Miyoko probably felt she would have slept longer.
After a visit to the ensuite bathroom, Yoriko sighed as
she recalled the events of earlier in the day, the thought of
having to face it all again saddening her. In fact, the entire
scenario depressed her, as she realized her father was not going
to quit until he got his male heir, no matter what he had to do
to them.
She frowned deeply at that, feeling that any hope of having
a quiet, happy life with the woman she loved was vaporizing before
her eyes.
Fighting back the tears she could feel coming, she sat on
the edge of Miyoko's desk and took a moment to compose herself. As
she dried her eyes and tried to change her thoughts away from the
depressing direction they were taking, she suddenly gasped.
A smile spread across her face as she realized she really
could have the life she so desperately wanted -- if everything she
had just thought of worked out right.
Glancing at her watch, she snatched her purse from the futon
and headed out the door, telling the startled girls in the outer
office that she'd be back in a few minutes.
Walking straight to her car, she fired it up and grabbed a
handful of gear, launching it away from the curb with complaining
tires. She wanted to get to her destination and back before Miyoko
returned, not wanting to have her girlfriend worrying about her.
As well, the plan hatching in her mind was going to take a
great amount of willpower to pull off, and she wanted to get it
underway before she chickened out.
An older Japanese woman sat in her favorite chair, enjoying
the sunshine streaming in through her third-floor windows. Beside
her on a small table was a stack of Equestrian magazines, and the
room itself bore many touches of the equine world.
Trophies adorned several shelves along the walls, as did large
pictures of women on horses, either posing or in mid-jump. One of
the pictures featured two women, one older, both in riding attire,
both smiling, and both holding large trophies.
Against one wall, an ornate saddle rested on a wooden horse,
and there were smaller touches, such as crops, helmets and gloves
all over the room as decorator pieces.
The woman flipped a page of the magazine she had in her lap,
seemingly well entertained by what it presented her.
Abruptly, she looked up as a shadow crossed her magazine,
and gasped quietly as she caught sight of another person in the
room. The figure, its back to an east-facing window, was backlit
enough to mute its identity in shadow.
The woman slowly lowered her magazine, about to cry out,
when the figure turned into the light. It was a young woman, small
in stature, who sported flame-red hair and huge blue eyes. It was
the look in those eyes that held the older woman's tongue in check,
somehow indicating her 'guest' could be trusted.
"Masaka... You look just like her," the girl gasped,
raising a hand to cover her gaping mouth.
The older woman gasped again. She had heard that phrase
enough times in her life to understand what it meant, and even the
prospect excited her to no end.
"Ano... You know my Christine?" she blurted, her face
falling.
"Hai. I am Takara Miyoko. Hajimemashite," she bowed,
respectfully. For about five seconds, she toyed with being
diplomatic, but decided she didn't have enough time for a great
deal of pleasantries. Rising, she looked straight into the older
woman's eyes and set herself.
"Your daughter and I are in love, and up until recently,
we've been very happy. Over the last little while, there's been
some 'stuff' happening, and I believe you can help me stop it. I
figure you know her well enough that if I told you it's because
she's being pressured, you'd understand," she stated, evenly.
The older woman looked back at her for a few moments, then
blinked and sank back in her chair, her face draining.
"Ano... Gomen. I'm... A little overwhelmed..." she
breathed, waving a hand before her face.
"Gomen nasai," Miyoko bowed, worried she'd overdone it.
Yoriko had been very accurate when she described the woman as being
much like herself. "I didn't mean to come on so strong, but when
someone is harming her, I tend to get a little upset," she stated,
apologetically.
The woman smiled. "I know... I wished many times I could
have protected her like that. I am White Mika, and I'm pleased to
meet you, Miss Takara," she responded, genuinely. "That was...
Quite an entrance," she added, still waving her hand.
"I didn't have time to worry about explaining myself to
guards, Mika-san. I'm too worried about Christine. All the 'stuff'
that's been happening is going to put her in the hospital if it
isn't stopped... Soon."
The woman's face darkened. "Ano... My husband said he had
finally found her, and that she would be home soon. Then, he
said there was a problem. Does that have anything to do with what
you're talking about?"
Miyoko nodded sadly. "Too much. Ano... What happened that
made her leave home? All she's ever told me is that she had a
problem... And that it was too painful to discuss," Miyoko baited,
wanting to see what the woman knew.
"There... Was a disagreement between Christine and her
father over her wedding, after which she ran out of his office and
was never seen again. My husband told me all about it the night
it happened. I... Haven't seen my little girl since then," she
explained, sadly. "I do not know what was said," she added,
looking up at Miyoko.
Miyoko frowned, then sighed out loud. Settling to her
knees in front of the woman, she crossed her hands in her lap,
drew a breath looked up at her sadly. "I... Have some things to
tell you... They're not going to be pleasant, and in fact, I think
they'll make you really angry," she began, solemnly.
The woman's eyes widened as she raised a hand to her mouth.
"Please... I want to hear what you have to say," she breathed,
worriedly.
"You'll... Have to trust me on a few details, but I swear
to you that everything I'm gonna tell you is the truth. Either
as told to me by Christine, or as we've gone through together.
There's a lot to tell," Miyoko indicated, watching the older
woman's eyes for a reaction.
"Do not worry... I can see in your eyes and feel in your
voice that you care about my little girl. I see no reason to
doubt you," the woman assured, squaring herself.
Miyoko had to smile. "Arigato gozaimasu," she bowed, her
face softening slightly. Steeling herself, she prepared to speak,
but couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about the pain she was
about to inflict on such a pleasant, likable woman.
In that moment, she decided she really hated Eric Jessop
White.
"Shimata...! What the hell was that?" Ryouga blurted as
the sound of shrieking tires echoed through the small shop. His
face fixed in a scowl, he went to the door to see what had caused
it, only to be met in the doorway by a startled Yoriko.
"Konnichiwa... Is Kuonji Ukyou in, please?" Yoriko bowed
nervously, meshing her hands together.
"Hai... She's in the back. Is something wrong,
Yoriko-san?" Ryouga asked, still somewhat surprised by her
presence -- and her demeanor.
"Ano... I have a few questions to ask," she responded
meekly, uncertain of exactly how she was going to ask them.
"Hey, stranger! Been *way* too long since I've seen you
in here. Where's Miyoko?" Ukyou greeted enthusiastically as
she walked up, looking around for her friend.
"She is... Out on business. Kuonji-san, may I speak to
you for a moment in private?" Yoriko asked, her eyes indicating
her anxiety.
"Sure, sugar. C'mon back here where it's quiet," she
gestured, flashing a questioning look at Ryouga. He could only
shrug.
Ukyou led Yoriko back to her office and sat her at the desk,
then parked herself on the nearby corner. "What's up, sugar? You
look like something's wrong," she asked, concerned.
"Iya... Nothing's... Wrong. I came to ask you... About
Miyoko's curse," Yoriko began, wringing her hands.
"Hey, relax, honey... It's okay," Ukyou admonished, unable
to help noticing how nervous the girl was. "Ryouga-kun, could you
get her a glass of water? She looks like she's going to do a
face-plant on me here," she asked, smirking.
"Gomen... I have had... A very stressful day," Yoriko
deflected, apologetically. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm
herself as best her anxious state would let her.
"Hai... I can see that. So, what do you want to know
about her curse?" Ukyou smiled, handing her the water Ryouga had
brought.
"I..." she began, pausing to take a drink. "I... Wanted
to know... If that object you used to change her back to a man is
still around," she finally managed, only to see Ukyou and Ryouga's
faces both drop. As she watched them gape back at her, her stomach
started to tighten. "Ano... Is... Something wrong?" she ventured,
fearfully.
Ukyou was the first to speak. "Honey, there's... Something
we have to tell you," she began, swallowing hard.
Akane felt good. Better than she had in ages. Her day
seemed brighter, and went by so fast she felt like she just got out
of bed. Even though she was in the midst of preparing supper.
She was still on a high from her evening out with Kuno, who
had succeeded in spoiling her rotten all night long.
Contrary to his past behaviour, he was the perfect gentleman,
treating them to a wonderful dinner and the movie, exactly as he
promised. Kei was even impressed with him, particularly after he
took the two of them for ice cream after the movie.
At the end of the evening, he saw Akane to her door, then
simply accepted her thanks for a lovely night out, bowed and left.
She had to admit, it had felt good to be treated so nicely
by a man, particularly since he insisted on treating her like a
woman.
He had opened doors, pulled out chairs, rose every time she
did, bought her a corsage of carnations. In short, he made her feel
like royalty.
It was a feeling she liked.
Looking over at Kei who was happily watching Tenchi, she
recalled how he had said he liked Kuno, even though he talked funny.
In fact, it seemed as though Kei had warmed up to him fairly
quickly, despite never having met him before.
All in all, she was pleased with how things had gone, and
had already decided that if the offer were to come again, she'd take
him up on it. It had been a lot of fun being spoiled, especially
after everything that had happened in days previous, and she found
herself looking forward to a second opportunity.
In the back of her mind however, she still had the nagging
feeling that he was doing it to get on her good side, with the
possible objective of moving in on her. She wasn't sure she was
ready for that yet, given her two previous strikes -- and Kuno's
own history.
She also knew he had married her sister, but it had always been
apparent that it was a decision motivated, if not forced, by Nabiki
herself. She had always been good at getting Kuno to spend money on
her. Marrying him had only made it official.
Her face darkened briefly as she recalled the bitter fighting
that ensued, but if anyone could understand such a situation, it was
her.
Chiding herself for even thinking such things, she went
back and checked her food, noting that it was ready. As she went
to call Kei to the table, however, she still caught herself
thinking that she would rather be dining out.
Yoriko simply sat numbly, still blinking. Her already
overstressed mind couldn't deal with this latest blow, leaving
her completely unable to react. The kettle had been her last
hope of getting her life with Miyoko back to normal.
Ukyou and Ryouga were stunned. Yoriko had gone from
nervous anticipation to utterly numb in a split second, and she
wasn't reacting to anything they tried.
She wouldn't move, seemed to be barely breathing, and simply
stared straight ahead with glassy, vacant eyes.
"Yoriko... Yoriko! C'mon, honey... Snap out of
it!" Ukyou repeated, nudging the catatonic girl's shoulder
again. "It's not that bad. She wanted to stay a woman anyway,"
she ventured, anxiously.
Yoriko's only act was to slump back in her chair like a
dropped rag doll.
Ukyou gasped as the hand she had just touched the girl's
shoulder with closed around empty air. "Ryouga... I think we'd
better call an ambulance... And Miyoko," she breathed, fearfully.
Just as Ryouga nodded and reached for the phone, Yoriko
startled both of them with a pitiful attempt at speech.
"Miyoko-chan..." she blurted shakily, drawing her arms in
across her chest. "Miyo... ko... chan," she repeated, then fell
silent.
Ukyou bit her lip and turned to the equally worried
Ryouga quickly. "Make the damned call!" she urged, grabbing the
phone book.
Miyoko frowned as she handed Mika another tissue, the
scene ripping her guts out. She felt like a pile of processed
hay as she watched the woman crying, knowing that she had probably
just shattered several dearly held ideas.
It hurt her to have done it, but she consoled herself with
the thought that things could not have continued as they were.
Her heart aching, she knelt beside her chair again and gently
touched her arm.
"Gomen nasai, Mika-chan... " she whispered, even though she
figured it wasn't going to help much.
Mika, however, surprised her by raising her head and
sniffing back her tears. Summoning what dignity she had left, she
dabbed her eyes and shook her head.
"No... Do not apologize, Takara-san. I... have suspected
such things... For some time. My husband is a proud man, who does
not accept defeat... Or failure. He viewed Christine... As his
greatest failure as a man. I regret how he treated her... And I
regret not having the strength to help her when I knew she was in
trouble," she sniffed, looking at Miyoko with reddened, puffy eyes.
"I did not, however, know of his treatment of her over these past
years. I feel... Like I have failed her..." she explained,
breaking down once more.
"Ano... Things have gotten worse," Miyoko stated, figuring
she had best get it over with. "Right now, Christine is in my
office on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He used his 'whatever'
to buy the restaurant she worked at, and installed her as the owner.
Did the same thing to me. Coming after she thought the situation
was behind us, and after everything else she's put up with through
this... I'm scared that she's going to end up in the hospital over
him and his damned games," she indicated, her voice slightly edgy.
"I need *you* to tell him to leave her alone -- he won't listen to
anyone else," she added, urgently.
Mika raised her tear-soaked face to Miyoko's expectant
gaze -- and shook her head. "I... Cannot go against my husband. I
feel terrible about how he has treated both you and Christine...
But a wife does not tell her husband... How to conduct himself,"
she sobbed, remorsefully.
Miyoko lost it. "I can't believe this! Don't you
*care* that your only child is being driven off the deep end by his
bullshit? She told me only the other day how much she missed
you... How she was so worried about what he had told you about her
disappearance. *She* gave a damn about you, why the *hell* can't
you give a damn about her? Kuso, I thought *I* had a screwed-up
family!!" she shouted, having to turn away from the woman's face
before she got carried away.
"I am sorry... I know I..." Mika began, but Miyoko only
turned back and snarled at her.
"Save it! You two should never have had any children!
Neither one of you gives a flying damn if she lives or dies... As
long as 'daddy' gets his heir!! I've had enough of this shit.
We're getting the hell out of this sick city, and you can tell that
sonovabitch for me that if he so much as looks at her again, I'll
hand him his frigging head!!" she screeched, her aura actually
flaring briefly.
Mika was speechless. Her mouth fell open and she slumped
back in her chair, not uttering a sound. Miyoko huffed disgustedly.
"Truth hurts, don't it?" she snarled, then turned and
strode to the window. "I'm sorry I ever met either one of you,"
she added, then opened the window, stepped onto the balcony and
simply leapt off.
Riding the train back to the city center, Miyoko had to
fight to keep the tears out of her eyes. It was incomprehensible
to her that even Yoriko's mother had essentially turned her back,
which spoke volumes about the life she must have led. Frankly,
Miyoko had to wonder how Yoriko had managed to stay sane as long
as she had. Especially when the two people that were supposed to
love and protect her were in fact her worst enemies.
The trip seemed to take but an instant, Miyoko having been
so wrapped up in her depressing thoughts that she almost missed her
stop. When she did finally step off the train, she almost ran back
to the School, her worries about Yoriko shifting to the girl's
current state.
When she rounded the last corner however, her heart sank as
she noticed the car was gone. Breaking into a run, she dashed in
the door and immediately buttonholed Atsuko.
"Where did she go?" she asked anxiously, not even bothering
with any pleasantries.
"Ano... Right now, she's at the hospital. Your friends
called to say she had an 'attack' of some kind, and they called an
ambulance..." the startled girl blurted, nervously.
"Chikusho... Which hospital?"
"General..." Atsuko stammered, then blinked as she found
herself talking to empty space. "That girl needs to relax," she
remarked, shaking her head incredulously.
Miyoko cursed at the fact that the hospital in question was
at the other end of town, and wished she had chosen to wear a pant
suit instead of a skirt. That however, paled beside her
gut-wrenching worry over Yoriko's condition. As she bounded from
rooftop to rooftop as fast as her legs would let her, she couldn't
help but fear the worst. Images of her beloved Yoriko on
mood-altering drugs came to mind, scaring the hell out of her.
The thought made her again swear that if nobody else was
going to, she'd make damned sure her father paid for what he did
to her.
Landing in front of the hospital doors, she immediately
raced through them and straight to the Emergency room. It took
all of five seconds for her to spot Ukyou, standing beside a
curtained bed.
"Uuchan!" she called out, dashing over to the bed. "What
happened? Is she gonna be okay?" she blurted, moving to the
sleeping Yoriko's side.
"Ano... We don't know. She just kinda went weird on us.
Kept calling for you, but wouldn't respond to anything we did,"
she explained, worriedly.
"Hai... The Doc checked her out, gave her a shot and
left. Said he had to check into something," Ryouga confirmed,
resting his hand on Miyoko's shoulder supportively.
"Kuso -- she *better* be okay," Miyoko cursed, taking
the sleeping girl's hand in hers.
"Ano... I don't understand, Miyoko-san. Why would she
flip out like that?" Ukyou broke in, her face bearing an
expression of confusion.
"It's... A long story, Uuchan. Let's just say that even
compared to me, *she* had a rough childhood -- and it's come back
to haunt her," Miyoko replied sadly, leaning down to kiss Yoriko's
forehead. "By the way, why did she go to see you guys? I left
a note saying what I was doing," she abruptly asked, catching
Ukyou by surprise.
"Ano..." she began, but was interrupted by the arrival of
the Doctor through the curtains. Silently, she breathed a sigh of
relief.
"Well, we have her results back. I conferred with a
specialist from the Psych Department, and it seems as though she's
suffering from mental exhaustion. She's going to need about a good
couple weeks to a month to recover. She's to be kept away from
any sort of stress, and try to keep her from worrying about
things. If that's possible," he stated, grinning slightly.
A unanimous sigh of relief ruffled the curtains as all
present felt their shoulders drop, especially Miyoko. "That's
great. Thanks, Doc. Can she go home now?" she asked,
hopefully.
"Soon. We want to check her pressure when she wakes up.
Are you next of kin?" the Doctor asked, looking down at her
chart.
"About as close as she'll ever get. I'm her room mate,"
Miyoko responded, darkly.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "No family, then?" he asked,
piquing Miyoko's attention.
"Ano... No. She lost them a while ago... Why?" she
asked, suspiciously.
"Just for her records. Your friends didn't know her
history. All right then, she'll sleep for about another three
hours, then if her pressure is good and she's cognizant, she
can go home. Just make sure she's given plenty of rest, and
keep her relaxed. The next step is some sort of pharmaceutical
control, and that's never a preferable option. I'll see you in
a few hours, then," he indicated, then flashed a smile and
stepped through the curtains.
Miyoko frowned deeply, then looked over at Ukyou and
Ryouga. "By the way -- thanks for getting her here, guys... I
appreciate it," she bowed, looking down at Yoriko's peaceful face.
"No problem, Miyoko. We're just glad things are gonna be
okay," Ukyou smiled, with a seconding nod from Ryouga. "Ano...
We have to get back to the shop, sugar. Call us later," she added,
then nudged Ryouga out through the curtains discreetly but quickly.
Nodding absently at their departure, Miyoko reached over
and gently fixed Yoriko's hair, then let her hand rest on the
girl's forehead.
Her heart ached as she watched the girl breathe, feeling
both sorry for her and angry at her 'parents' for having done
this to her.
Inwardly, she cursed herself for not having been able to
protect her from what had occurred, and silently wished she could
turn back the hands of time -- even just two months.
Huffing to herself at the thought, she let her mind drift
back over the tumultuous period, amazed that she wasn't in the
next bed over herself.
It had actually been a rough ride -- even for someone from
Nerima.
Sighing sadly, she lifted her foot and got a toe-hold on a
nearby chair, dragging it over so that it was beside the bed. Not
letting go of Yoriko's hand, she sat down beside the bed and
rearranged herself to rest her head on her girlfriend's hand.
This time, she wasn't going to leave until Yoriko could
leave with her.
As she sat quietly, her mind was racing full speed, trying
to figure out what she was going to do about Yoriko's father. It
was obvious that she had to do something, or the situation she now
found herself in was going to become the norm rather than the
exception.
So far, however, all she'd garnered from her efforts was a
headache.
Sighing again, she cast a glance up at Yoriko's face,
noting how peaceful she looked -- then remembered that anyone
would look peaceful after a buttful of Demerol.
Abruptly, a thought struck her, making her start to grin
wryly. She found herself wishing that the Jusenkyo Springs were
still around, so she could order up a bucket of 'Spring of
Drowned Ass' for Yoriko's father.
The whole idea struck her as so funny, she actually started
to laugh, albeit quietly.
Then suddenly, her laughing stopped as her face fell.
"Masaka... That's it!" she exclaimed out loud, almost jumping to
her feet.
She had finally thought of something guaranteed to get
Yoriko's father to back off.
And all she needed was a little help from a friend.
"Morning, sleepyhead!" Miyoko chimed, rolling open
the blinds on their bedroom window, her smile almost as bright as
the morning sun.
"Ano... Miyoko-chan? What... Time is it...?" Yoriko
groaned, sleepily.
"It's just after ten, Yori-chan. I figure you've slept
long enough," she smirked, setting the breakfast tray down on the
bed, then sitting beside it.
"Aiy! Ten? I never sleep that late!" Yoriko panicked,
flinging the blankets off.
"Hey, girl... Relax! You're on the injured reserve list
now, remember? Couple weeks at least. Here... I made you some
breakfast. The only thing I want you to worry about is getting
it into you," Miyoko admonished, wagging a finger at the
flabbergasted blonde.
Yoriko blinked, then broke into a smile. "You made me
breakfast? I'm supposed to do that for you!" she objected,
albeit weakly.
"Not! At least not for a while anyway," Miyoko winked,
leaning over and kissing her affectionately. "Mmmm... Now, I get
to spoil you for a while," she grinned, handing her the TV remote
that was sitting on the breakfast tray.
"Ano... You're too much, Miyoko-chan," Yoriko smiled,
looking up to note the newly relocated television sitting atop
Miyoko's dresser.
"I just want to make sure you take it easy. I have to
go out for a while, cause there's some stuff at work that they
need me for," she pouted affectedly, patting Yoriko's leg. "So I
won't be able to stay here and watch your every move," she intoned,
eyeing Yoriko evilly.
"Hunh... I'm glad you're going out! You're worse than
that nurse from last night," Yoriko complained, then started to
laugh. "I'll be good, Miyoko-chan. I promise," she assured,
touching Miyoko's cheek.
"You'd better, or I'll have to tie you to that bed,"
Miyoko warned, wagging her eyebrows.
Yoriko's eyes flashed. "Well, in that case..." she
grinned, holding up her wrists.
Miyoko lost it. "Baka ne," she laughed, then kissed
Yoriko's cheek and slid off the bed. "I gotta go before I decide
to take you up on that. See you soon, Yori-chan... Remember...
Stay off your feet and rest!" she called back, heading for
the door.
"Yes, dear!" Yoriko called back, sticking her tongue
out.
Once outside the door, Miyoko's face instantly darkened.
Picking up the pre-placed bag from beside the door, she looked at
it and smiled wickedly.
Eric White sat at his desk glumly, wondering why he hadn't
heard from Christine about his 'gestures' as of yet. It had been
over 24 hours since the transactions went through, and he had
anticipated that Miyoko, being the hothead she was, would have been
itching to get hold of him.
Sighing, he tapped the spacebar on his keyboard to wake up
his monitor, figuring it was about time he checked his messages.
His morning meeting already in the books, he needed to see what
else was on tap.
As he made it to about his eighth message, he was startled
by a piece of paper falling on top of his keyboard, followed by
the sound of someone clearing their throat.
His heart fell to the bottom of his gut.
Slowly, he raised his gaze to meet a certain pair of
sapphire blue eyes, framed by a head of flame red hair.
"Boo!" Miyoko smirked, amazed by the fact that Eric
actually jumped.
"Shimata...! What are *you* doing here?" he spat
fearfully, leaning back away from her.
"Keeping a promise," she responded, setting her bag on the
front of his desk.
"Ano... What the hell are you talking about?" he
blinked, glaring at her.
"Simple, White old man..." she began, taking two large
wooden casks out of the bag and setting them on the desk. "Let's
see how good your memory is. You know about my curse, right?
Do you remember how I got it?" she asked, resting her hands on the
desk at either side of the casks, and leaning forward.
"Ano... Something about some 'Cursed Pools'," he
responded, his face indicating his confusion.
"Bingo! Well, guess what I did? After that stunt you
pulled yesterday, I figured you didn't believe that I meant what
I said about leaving us alone. So, I made a few calls, and thanks
to the miracle of overnight shipping, I got some friends in China
to send me a couple of samples of 'Cursed Pool Water'. This one
is 'Pool of Drowned Little Black Pig', and this one is 'Pool of
Drowned Ass'," she indicated, pointing each one out in turn.
"This is the stuff that does it, pal... One splash with this,
and you're cursed for life -- there's no cure. All I need to know
is, which one would you like to be? 'Cause before I leave,
you're taking a bath!" she snarled, glaring across the desk
at him.
His face paled so much, Miyoko thought he was going to
faint. "Ano... You... Can't be serious..." he gasped, sinking
back into his chair.
Miyoko looked insulted. "Oh, really? Kuso, I hate it
when people doubt my word," she frowned, grabbing the casks and
striding toward the door. Flinging it open, she looked around for
a moment, then abruptly yelled.
"Hey! You! Hai! Drop that stuff and c'mere for a
minute... Mr. White needs a hand in here!" she called out,
gesturing for the person to join her.
"Ano... I'm here, I'm..." a young man responded as he
stepped in the door, only to end up with a face full of water.
Eric White lived up to his name as he watched the young man
change into a small, wet, and extremely angry little black pig.
"Okay, piggy-piggy... Hit the road!" Miyoko sneered
evilly, kicking the man's clothes back out the door after the pig
darted through.
"Masaka... You just... Cursed him!"
Miyoko only nodded, smirking evilly as she sauntered back
to the desk. "Well, pal... Looks like you don't get a choice any
more... 'Drowned Ass' it is," she smirked, holding up the second
cask and pulling off the top. "I hope that suit wasn't too
expensive," she remarked, preparing to toss the contents of the
cask.
"NO!! For the love of Pete, NO!!" he yelled, diving out
of his chair and scrambling across the room.
"Hey, buddy... I warned you fair and square, but you
didn't listen. And Yoriko spent last night at the damned
hospital because of it! It's time you paid the price, asshole,
and personally, I can't think of a better way!" Miyoko countered
angrily, leaping over the desk and landing mere feet from the
terrified man. "So, be a man -- at least long enough to accept
your punishment!" she continued angrily, winding up for another
toss.
"NO! WAIT! I'll leave you alone... I'll forget you
exist!! Just don't... Please... I'm begging you," he wheedled,
now so horrified that his hands were shaking.
"Hah! You bullshitted me once, buddy. I ain't falling
for it again!" Miyoko hissed, taking a step toward him.
"Ah... Ahhh... I'll put it on paper! I swear it!
Just stay away from me!" he responded, trying to creep further
away.
Miyoko growled at him, looked thoughtful for a moment,
then capped the cask. "You got two minutes, jerk!" she snarled,
her eyes flashing angrily.
Eric nodded furiously, then scrambled back to his desk.
Grabbing his keyboard, he began to type furiously until Miyoko
grabbed his arm.
"By hand, in pen. I don't want you saying it's a fake
later," she intoned, handing him a pen.
A short while later, she stepped out of his office and
smiled, holding the cask, an envelope, and a newly optimistic
attitude. Humming happily, she headed down the hallway toward a
prearranged rendezvous. Just outside the men's room, a small
black pig waited patiently, sitting amidst a pile of clothes.
Miyoko broke out in a wide smile and extended her hand
for a low paw. "Thanks, buddy! It worked like a charm!" she
exclaimed, happily.
"Oh, it was sweet!" Miyoko exclaimed, handing Yoriko a
piece of the celebration cake. "You should have seen his face
when Ryouga here changed... It was incredible! I wish I
would've had a camera!" she gushed, laughing.
"I can't believe it's real!" Yoriko gasped, looking up
from the paper.
"Believe it, Yori-chan! It's actually over. I'm keeping
the School, you get the restaurant... And you get to keep your car.
Hell, he was so anxious to get me and my 'water' out of there that
he agreed with everything!" Miyoko grinned, excitedly. "And the
best part... I got it all on paper!"
"Miyoko-chan, you're incredible... No wonder I love you
so much!" Yoriko squealed, wrapping a huge hug around the redhead.
"Hai... 'Nuts' is more like it," Ukyou chimed in,
shaking her head. "What if he would have called you on it?" she
asked, trying the cake.
"That's why I brought Ryouga. I figured after he saw
that, someone with his hang-ups would freak -- and he did!" she
responded happily, flashing a pixie grin.
"Ano... 'Freak' doesn't describe it. I thought he was
going to have a heart attack!" Ryouga laughed, remembering his
face.
"Hai, hai! I tell you, I had to fight to keep from
laughing!" Miyoko added, happily. "But what really makes me
happy... Is that it's all finished. He's not going to bother us
any more, and we get to just enjoy each other again, instead of
worrying about what the hell is going to happen next," she
continued, reaching over and pulling Yoriko close to her. "And
that's all I ever wanted," she smiled, kissing Yoriko's forehead.
Yoriko nestled into the embrace contentedly, nodding her
approval. "Me, too," she smiled, winking at Miyoko.
"Well, I'm happy for you guys... And I hope you're right.
This place was starting to feel too much like Nerima," Ukyou
remarked, shaking her head.
"Don't say that!" Miyoko and Ryouga both responded,
then looked at each other and laughed. Ukyou smirked at them,
then joined in.
"You know something? This is weird..." Miyoko
observed a few moments later, her face sobering thoughtfully.
"Ano... What's weird, Miyoko-chan?" Yoriko asked, looking
up at her.
"Heh... This feeling of not being on edge. But... Tell
you the truth, I like it," she smiled, looking first at Yoriko,
and then at the others. "I like it a lot," she announced, happily.
===================================================================
END - Secrets V2P7 A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva
Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com
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