Here's Volume Two, Part Seven! For this and any of my other works, visit my Web Site at: http://www.geocities.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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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