Braids of a Feather
By AlantisB
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma1/2 or Gundam Wing in any way. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction for my own damn story! ^.^
A/N: Thankyou all for all the nice reviews! ^.^ It made me feel all warm and fuzzy in the inside. But anyway I'll try hard to make this chapter better then the first, maybe longer too. If you liked this story, check out my other crossover with DBZ/GW called "Love of a Mortal" its due for a major rewrite but you can get the gist of what the story is about! Check it out!
"..." talking
'...' thoughts
OoOo Scene change!
On with the story!
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"WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I NOW?!!!"
Ryoga growled looking around at the unfamiliar landscape. He trudged through the thick underbrush not minding the tiny scratches he was getting from thorns and sharp twigs. Things weren't going his way. He got a letter from one of his, if not his only, best friend who was due to arrive in Nerima in 3 days and he got lost! He cursed in anger and ran into a random direction.
"RANMA THIS IS ALL YOUR FALT!!" A familiar face appeared in front of his vision and Ryoga blinked, not too sure if he was seeing things or if that was really him.
"What's my fault Ryoga?" Ranma grinned at him. Ryoga blinked again for a moment. Was he in Nerima? Nah, not even HE was that lucky! Three days to spare.
"What are you doing in China, Ranma?" He sounded confused.
"Your in Nerima, P-chan." replied Ranma dryly, smirking at him.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" He yelled. Great, of all the days to run into Ranma! 'Wait!' he thought. 'Maybe I could stay at the Tendo Dojo and then be able to stay in Nerima without getting lost for three days!'
Ranma scratched his head in confusion glancing over at Ryoga every now and then, lost in thought. Where was the 'Ranma, prepare to die!' or 'I'll kill you Saotome!'? This wasn't like Ryoga at all. He would've tried to smash him with his umbrella already or used 'Shi Shi Hokodan'.
"Hey Ryoga, you okay? You aren't acting like your normal self." Ranma sounded worried. Ha! Since when did Ranma care about him anyway? Running away from their fight in Middle School really pissed him off and he felt Ranma never cared about him at all.
"NO! I'm not okay." He glared at Ranma.
"..." Ranma paused for a moment, thinking of wording his sentence correctly. "Did you get a letter from Duo?"
He found Ryoga smirking at him. Just like he remembered back in the old days. Him, Ryoga, and Duo in the middle school. All the pranks they would pull, it was fun. Then Ryoga sighed and held out his letter to Ranma who promptly snatched it from his hand and read through it quickly.
"Just like mine." said Ranma bitterly. "'Guess he couldn't bother to write us separate ones. Huh, P-chan?"
Ryoga glanced at him a bit worried. Ranma sounded a bit bitter, but that can't be right. He was never bitter. 'I guess,' he thought. 'That he had hoped Duo would take more time in writing us after two years.' He hesitantly patted Ranma on the back. His friend-yes that was what they were-was upset. Not that he should not be, it was like Duo forgot all about them.
Ranma moved away from his touch and started to walk down the street. "Follow me Ryoga, you can stay at the Tendo Dojo till he comes. Don't tell anyone about it yet ok? I want it to be a surprise."
Ryoga sighed and shifted his pack on his back before frowning and following Ranma down the street. He didn't need help, but he couldn't look a gift-horse in the mouth. He might miss Duo's visit if he didn't follow Ranma. All he had to worry about now is how he was going to tell Duo about his curse. His shoulders slumped a bit. His depression started to build up. He could see it now, Duo would make fun of him. Laugh it all up and tease him. Probably dress him up with little baby clothes and all other things that would haunt his dreams forever. He shuddered. Good thing he still had water-proof soap or he would be in a real mess! Maybe the gods were smiling down on him today.
Slowly, a rip in the bottom of his pack opened up further and little white blocks of soap started to fall out at each step he took.
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Heero frowned as he continued to type away on his laptop. Where was Duo? It was like he disappeared. He was no longer on L2 anymore, he could tell from that. But there was no sign of Duo anywhere on any of the colonies. Maybe he was on Earth.
"Yuy, stop worrying about Maxwell. He's seventeen and can take for himself." Wufei frowned as he watched Heero still type away at the computer. What was the idiot doing? He walked out the room and headed downstairs for a drink. It wasn't like Maxwell wasn't able take care of himself, he was doing it long before any of them even thought of being pilots.
He remembered when Duo told him about his past. It was right after a good workout. The sun was rising and Duo was wiping himself off with a towel, gazing out the window at the sky.
'Hey Wu-man, you know what I like best about Earth?' He remembered Duo saying.
'What?' he replied.
'The sunrise Wu-man! On L2, it wasn't like this at all. It..was like someone shut on a light switch in a room and everything got real bright.' Duo paused, lost in thought. 'I never told any of you guys about my past huh? Well..on L2, there wasn't much. Not enough water for anyone. Everyone was real poor.'
Wufei remembered the look on Duo's face when he said it. It was as if he knew what being poor was like. His eyes were so old then, not like the cheerful teen he knew. Duo continued speaking.
'I was living on the street since I was 3, I don't remember my parents at all. I use to help out other war orphans stealing food for them and all. Everyone dies around me Fei-chan. My best friend Solo died infront of me from the plague, and the only family I knew died in the Maxwell-Church mascure and I was the only survivor.' He paused, as if struggling for the right words. 'It's not fair Fei-chan.' He said finally. 'I think I like the sunrise on Earth best because..' he paused again.
Wufei watched him closely, not saying anything too afraid Duo would stop talking if he did.
'I like it best because its like the start of a whole new life each morning. Everything the day before is erased and you can start over again with a clean slate.The sun rising every morning is a miracle too many people never look at.' Duo then smiled at him sadly, before he flashed him a grin and the sadness was gone. He remembered when Duo walked out the room, and he was still standing there in shock. He never expected anything wise coming out from Maxwell's mouth, but it made him see Duo in a whole new light. He knew why Duo lived like he did during the war, to keep people happy.
He grabbed a cup from the shelf and opened the juice box before pouring the redish liquid into the class and sipped the sweet drink. He glanced at the clock and sighed at the time. 'Maxwell can take care of himself,' he thought. 'He's strong. If only Heero could think of it that way.' He put the cup in the sink when he finished the juice and headed into the practice area for a quick workout before starting dinner.
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Duo walked down the dirt path, kicking a rock every now and then. 'Being alone while traveling sucks.' He thought. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at the town he arrived in before lowering his head again. That stupid bus driver forgot to wake him up and he was dropped off 10 miles from the station he was supposed to be at for the next bus. Life really sucked at the moment.
He put on his headphones and sang along with his favorite song. "..'Cuz, I'm a Teenage Dirt bag baby!" He bopped his head side-to-side as he grinned and got into the song, walking with a bounce in his step. He hummed the tune under his breath when he got to the part he forgot the words to. It was too bad the others never appreciated his taste for music. He never got to blast it in the house and sing along with it when the others were home. They called his music "noise" not "music".
"Hmph. Bunch of guys with no taste at all!" He chuckled to himself and yawned a bit. He eyed the beautiful black motorcycle he just passed. What he would do for that bike! He'd make it to the Tendo Dojo all the more quickly with a bike like that. But, he promised not to steal anything he didn't need ever again. Besides, it's always the cocky thieves that got caught. Like bike thieves.
He really didn't need Oz or the police to find him and take him in. He and the others were considered terrorists in the eyes of the people. They didn't appreciate that they risked their lives to bring peace to the colonies-oh no-but they didn't like the fact that a bunch of teenagers kicked their asses! It wasn't fair, he coulda died but did anyone of those over-grown, over-pampered, preppies care? Nope! It would just be 'Aww, how sad.' in fake, overly dramatic voices.
The one thing he liked about Japan was it wasn't as hot as the desert. He sighed. That's the one thing he didn't like about Quatre at all. He could be in a sauna in the YMCA and he wouldn't feel a thing but Duo would be sweating like crazy. Why did all his cool base hideouts have to be in the desert?
He thought about the cell phone in his pack. He was glad Quatre gave him one. If he was ever in trouble or needed to be reached, the perky blond could just give him a call. But he knew Quatre wouldn't do it unless it was an emergency like Oz planning to build up again or something. Qautre was so polite and thoughtful for everyone. He use to give all the food they used in the safe houses that weren't eaten to the poor so that they could have something in their stomachs for the night.
His stomach growled in protest and he grinned, spotting a take-out Chinese shop and headed inside for a quick bite to eat before heading out on the road again to Ranma's house. "Speaking of food!" he said as his eyes twinkled in amusement as he thought about Ranma and Ryoga. 'I hope you guys haven't changed much over the years!' He chuckled and entered the shop. 'It wouldn't be the same if ya did.'
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Nabiki frowned as she counted up the total amount she would owe Ranma if she were to give him 70% of all the profits. There was no way she would give up all of that yen! What would a dumb jock like him do with all that money? He would use spend it away carelessly where as it could stay with her and be used properly in the stock market. Saotome will not get this money, she would make sure of that.
She counted the money again and set it into piles, which she would use to buy good stocks. She took out her account book and her pencil. She licked the tip of the pencil before writing down today's earnings she got out of the students who owed her money.
Tomorrow Kuno would buy more pictures of his "Pigtailed Goddess" and the "Fierce Tigress" Akane. She grinned to herself as she selected the pictures from the pile she collected over the week. She knew Kuno would go for them, its the just the way he was. He was a fool, a big fool, who had a very deep pocket. 'Poor Kuno-baby,' she thought. 'If he found out his Pigtailed goddess was really a man, he would be devistated.' She smirked. 'He wouldn't believe it anyway. It would be Ranma's fault, like it always is.'
She got off her bed and put her notebook away, then hid the pictures in a secret shelf behind her desk. She folded up the money and stuffed it in her pocket. She grabbed her coat and walked out her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. 'With all this money, I should be able to spend alittle for myself. I deserve it for all the hard work I do to keep this family going.' If it weren't for Ranma and his stupid panda father, they would have been kicked out of the house long ago. Of course, she would never admit that.
She headed to the ice cream store that was around the corner. Then ducked into the alley when she saw Ranma walking down the street-which was surprizing that he wasn't on the fence-with Ryoga trailing behind him. She frowned and took out her camera. She snapped a few shots, getting close-ups on the faces and body posture. Those two never get along, why would Ryoga willing follow behind Ranma? She trailed behind them, taking pictures and writing down notes to herself for later. This was a mystery. And Nabiki Tendo believed in solving all mysteries.
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Duo licked his fingers as he finished the egg roll he bought at the take-out place. It was greesy, messy, and had strange tastes in it. But he was real hungry and he would have eaten worms if they had any flavor. He walked down the street on the sidewalk. Watching the people of the town talk, walk, and go about their business. This was his favorite thing to do, watch people.
He smiled and winked at the ladies giving off the Maxwell-charm he was so well known for. He eyed the men but kept to himself. He knew how Earth still rejected same-sex relationships so his glances were few and far inbetween.He finally made it to the bus station and went to the ticket booth. He grinned at the young lady.
"Excuse me miss, can I have my ticket changed? I seemed to have missed my bus. I'm sorry to cause any trouble." he winked at her and handed her the ticket. He whistled a tune he didn't remember the words for as he waited for the young lady to change his ticket.
"Is that all Mr. Maxwell?" The girl smiled at him, her badge shining in the sunlight, it reflected the name 'Emily' in white letters. She held out his ticket to him.
"Yes ma'am! Thank you miss.." he looked at her badge. "Emily. Pleasure having met you!" He took the ticket from her and walked away from the booth. He sat on a well-worn bench that had paint pealing off it and was rusted in a few places. He pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch. 'I can still make it.' Duo grinned to himself as he put his headphones back on listening to "Don't Fear the Reaper".
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Well? Did you like it? Back for the second chapter its Braids of a Feather! If you want me to continue, I want at least 5 more reviews. If I don't get them it'll take me a while to get the third chapter out. I'm not very good at writing on my own and I need support! Feedback, feedback, feedback!
Thanx for reading my story even if you didn't like it ^.~
-AlantisB
