Braids of a Feather
By AlantisB
Chapter 6


Disclaimer: ARGH! I forgot to add this to Chapter five. Ok well you all know I don't own any characters in this fanfiction so don't go suing my ass for shit I ain't do. ^.~

A/N: Heh, a chapter a day keeps the awful flames away! Anyway I'm glad people liked Ch.5. I know that I did make a few mistakes but it was nine o'clock and I was tired and I still didn't do my Spanish homework. Thanks for reading my stories (again, you must be sick of me doing that.) Oh yeah! Someone asked me if this was going to be a Duo/Ranma fanfic. I have only one thing to say to that.......It's a secret! ::winks:: But Duo obviously has a little crush from his younger years on Ranma but wow wait till he sees him now! Ok, ok, I'm shutting up now so you can go read the story.

"..." talking
'...' thinking
OoOo scene change


On with the story!




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The screen blipped as a familiar blonde hair, blue-green eyed teen appeared on screen. He smiled at them politely. "Hello, Wufei. Good afternoon, Heero." He greeted them with a bit of forced cheerfulness. Acting wasn't his forte; that was Duo's job.

Heero looked up at he screen and folded his arms. "Hn." He gazed into Quatre's eyes then looked over his shoulder to the green-eyed companion next to the blonde. "Trowa."

Trowa smiled a small smile. "Heero."

Heero raised an eyebrow in question at the pair of lovers. "Did you get the message from Sally Po?" he stated in a monotone voice.

Trowa nodded to him. "We are to head to the Preventor's base in the United States and await further instructions." He looked at Heero. "Quatre seems to know where Duo is but he won't tell me. He said Duo is on Earth visiting friends."

Quatre blushed in shame. He looked at Heero worriedly. "I'm sorry but it was just Duo..he looked so sad. He missed some friends he met on Earth when he was twelve and hadn't seen them since," he paused for a moment. "I have a way to reach him but I won't do it until its necessary. He really needed to see his other friends."

Wufei then spoke up. "Winner it could be important and you're just going to let Maxwell walk all over you so that he could get special privileges?" he almost yelled at Quatre for being weak. But he stopped himself in time.

He knew how Duo was, sometimes when he let the mask slip he had deep sadness and pain. Maybe these friends of his will make him feel better. He just couldn't shake the feeling of unease he was getting. He sighed, "If it is important, you'll get in touch with Maxwell at the base in seven days." He turned the screen off.




OoOoOoOoOo




Duo stared at her blankly. "Okay," he took a deep breath. "Let me get this straight. He has three fiancées: One is Akane Tendo; heir to the Tendo School of Martial Arts and the engagement is arranged. A Chinese amazon from a hidden tribe named Shampoo, that became Ranma's fiancée because he defeated her in battle," he paused. Then Ukyo nodded that he had it right.

He continued: "She is also cursed to change into a cat which he's deathly frightened of, and then there's you, his best friend from when he was six. You were engaged when his father sold your family yatta? And you've been chasing after him for 10 years before you found him?" Ukyo nodded again.

He grinned suddenly and leaned back into his chair. "And I thought my love life was fucked up." Duo chuckled and he winced in pain, bringing his hand to his side when the laughing moved his wound. Ukyo handed him the bottle again and he took two more tablets out and swallowed them with the cup of water he had near him. "Thanks."

She smiled. "No problem, sugah. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go take me a hot bath." He nodded to her and watched her go upstairs. He got up a bit slowly and quickly wrote her a note and left it on the table. He went over to his pack and grabbed the black baseball cap he often wore and the piece of paper with Ranma's address on it.

Duo walked out of "Ucchan's" and headed down the street at a semi-normal pace. He grinned and looked around at the sights of the Nerima city life around him. People walked by him without a second glance like he wasn't there. The sidewalks were a bit crowded but he had managed not to bump into anyone.

He spotted a dojo sign and grinned when he read the Japanese Kanji. "Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grabbling." He mused to himself out loud. He walked to the little gate and let himself in. He walked up the steps of the porch and noticed the koi pond and the dojo. 'Nice place, Ran-chan is movin up in the world.' He thought wistfully.

He raised his hand and made it into a fist. He knocked twice at the door and tried his best to look presentable. A young woman no more then twenty opened the door. She had lovely brown eyes and brown hair. The hair was held out of her face by a bow she tied loosely to her hair. She smiled at him warmly and he noticed she had an apron on and housewife clothes.

"Um, excuse me young miss? I was wondering if a young man by the name of Ranma Saotome lived here?" he asked hopefully. She really was a pretty girl. Too bad he didn't flow that way.

"Ranma? Yes he is. Would you like to come in sir?" she asked politely. She moved away from the door a bit and opened it wider for Duo to step in. He grinned at her and walked into the house. "I'll go get him for you." Duo was strongly reminded of Quatre in this young girl. She had a purity about her that allows everyone to trust her right away.

"I'm Duo Maxwell, ma'am!" He tipped his hat to her and lifted her hand and kissed it. "I run, I hide, but I never tell a lie! That's me in a nutshell." He winked at her and watched as she blushed.

"I'm Kasumi Tendo, welcome to my home." She smiled to him then left him alone to go upstairs.

He turned around and looked around the house with his eyes. It was a nice, small, cluttered house filled with pictures and ancient statues. Ugh, how could they stand the cramped spaces? He knew he couldn't. He heard two people walking down the stairs; then he heard gasps.

"DUO!" he turned to look behind him and there was Ranma and Ryoga. He blinked in surprise at Ryoga.

"Figures, the one time I send a letter to your house Ryo-chan, you actually find it and get here on time." He stated, grinning like a manic. He saw Ryoga fumed and he bounded over but not with his normal fast pace, a little slower. He grabbed both Ryoga and Ranma into a huge hug and squeezed as hard as he could with his injuries.

"Alright punks, I gotcha right where I want 'cha! See?" he faked a mobster voice. He laughed and gave them both noogies of death and messing up their hair.

"Hey! HEY! Watch the hair man!" yelled Ranma as he got out of Duo's grip. Ryoga actually grinned seeing Ranma's hair was as wild as his name. No spot was left untouched. The only neat thing of his hair was his braid. "What are you grinning at P-chan!"

"You."

Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Aww come on guys, if you fight I'll have to punish ya both. And you know how hard I punish, ne?" Duo's eyes glinted dangerously as he smirked at them. Ranma and Ryoga snapped to attention.

Both of them noticed how Duo seemed a bit out of breath and saw he leaned on one foot. He was injured. They glanced at each other and an unspoken agreement was made. "Come on Duo, I know the perfect spot we could talk." Said Ranma as he walked out the door.




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Cologne sat on the roof again looking over the city. The Nekohaten wouldn't be open for another hour or so. As such, she was allowed the pleasure of relaxing. Her eyebrows shot up, she felt the ancient aura. It had pasted this restaurant just recently. It wasn't as if the person was displaying the aura or parading it around; that would be foolish. The problem was, there was so much of the aura that it was literally dripping off the person.

It was leaving a clear trail for her to follow. Then she felt a tiny bit of the power being used. Probably unconsciously, she supposed, and pursed her lips as she tried to figure out what to do. The trail suddenly vanished. The trail was not to be sensed any longer. Perhaps it had felt her gentle probing and covered its tracks.

She smiled evilly and looked over the city again. It was just a matter of time before the person slips up. And she had all the time in the world.




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Nabiki watched the threesome talking on the roof from her hiding spot. She had heard the young man come in and then proceeded to treat Ryoga and Ranma like brothers. And the two actually got along and haven't fought once today. To make her even more curious was the preacher outfit the young man dressed in and the long braid running down his back.

She held out her listening device and focused on the conversation.



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"What happened?"

Duo blinked and looked over at Ranma who wore a grim face. Ryoga was next to him and had his arms folded. They were both staring him down. He gave a sheepish grin and laughed nervously. "I uh, was shot."

Ranma narrowed his eyes. "By who!? When! You should still be in bed or somethin!" the angry boy glared at Duo.

Duo gulped and held up his hands in the "I surrender" pose. "Ran-chan it ain't that bad! It missed all my vital organs and stuff. I've had worse." He sounded firm. "You can't baby me man, I'm fine. Seriously!"

Ranma sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry its just me an' Ryoga worry about you an' all. When you didn't write us we thought somethin bad happened." Ranma sounded a bit upset and he frowned. "I mean we're like brothers Duo-chan, Braid brothers." He looked up and winked at Duo.

Duo grinned and folded his arms in a thinking pose. "Ah, but brother dear what of young Ryo-chan? He has no braid!" Ranma played along and got into a thinking pose too. Then they both turned and looked at Ryoga evilly. He gulped. 'This is NOT good! There ganging up on me!'

He glanced at them both nervously before Ranma tackled him and Duo cackled. "Your gettin braided Ryo-chan!" Ryoga's eyes widened and he struggled. "NO way!"

Ranma held Ryoga down while Duo sat on his back and took off all of Ryoga's bandanas and Ryoga's hair fell a little past his shoulders. "Stop! Come on guys this isn't funny!" Duo chuckled gleefully.

"Why Ryo-chan, you grew it out! Hm, now we'll have to do something for that long hair of yours!" Duo cackled again and set to work.

Ryoga closed his eyes and awaited his fate. When those two ganged up on him he stood no chance. He heard the snapping of an elastic band and felt the weight on his back lift off him. Duo held up his hands with both his index and thumbs touching together to create a box. He looked through it and winked at Ranma. "I just love our work!"

Ryoga got up as Duo took out a small pocket case and held up a mirror. "Check out the new look, Ryo-chan!" Ryoga stepped closer and looked into the mirror. His hair was tied back like Ranma's but it didn't hang up in the air like his. The braid laid on his back and he had to admit, it did look good. He grabbed his bandanas from Duo and put them on again. He gave the mirror a fanged smile and noticed both Ranma and Duo were grinning like idiots.

Duo held out his hand and grinned widely in his cheerful smile. "Braid brothers, right?" Ranma put his hand on top of Duo's and they both looked at Ryoga expectantly. He sighed. He hated majority. He rested his hand onto of Ranma's that was resting his hand on top of Duo's.

"Braid brothers."




OoOoOoOoOo




Ukyo came down the stairs, all dressed and clean. She frowned as she looked around for Duo. The restaurant was empty, the cheerful braided teenager was no where to be seen. She noticed his pack was still here so he was planning on staying a while. She didn't mind really, it was a bit lonely staying here all on her own.

She walked over to the table and picked up the note. It was written in sloppy handwriting but she managed to read it.

"Hey Ukyo-chan!
I just went out to go see my friends, I'll be back by eight. Don't wait up for me, ya here?

DM"


She smiled and put the note down. He was going to go see Ran-chan. That was all right, she knew where he was now and with Kasumi there, he'll be okay. She hoped.

Ukyo hummed to herself as she set about opening the restaurant for some very hungry customers who were waiting outside. She opened the door and put the "Now Open" sign on.

"Hello!" "Good morning." "How is everything, sugah?" She greeted each of her guests with a smile and when they were all in she shut the door and went behind the counter. She started to take the orders.




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Quatre rubbed the dull pain over his heart with his hand. His Space Heart was acting up again. It wasn't as intense as before but he could feel the pain from before. The pain wasn't as strong now, it seemed to dull a little bit.

But he still felt that power.

The kind of power that makes even your bones, tremble in fear. It wasn't an evil power exactly, more like a lonely one. Perhaps a old, ancient, power from the earlier worlds. Like the famed empires of Egypt and Rome. It felt that old, maybe older. He couldn't tell exactly, he wasn't good at dates. He could only feel emotions.

Those emotions helped him read people more easily. Helped him to understand the human heart better then anyone else could in the world of today. The only person he couldn't read was Duo.

You would think that since Trowa is a clown, he wears more masks then anyone. But that wasn't true, he mused to himself. Duo wore so many masks, a million of masks, that each time you take one off to uncover his true self another is in its place. He tried to get Duo to open up to him, but it wasn't to be. The others didn't talk of their pasts, they gave hints but Duo gave none. At least, to him he didn't give any clue.

It worried the little blonde Arabian, someone shouldn't keep their emotions trapped so deeply in the soul. It would keep building, and building, and building until the body couldn't take it anymore and the emotions exploded causing more harm, then good.

He gazed out at the blue sky of Earth with worry. 'I hope Duo is okay. And-and hope, hope that this pain that I feel, isn't his. I hope your okay, my friend. Allah, keep him safe for me.' He thought.




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Well? Did you like it? Come on! Please tell me your favorite part! I'd like to know! ^.~ Keep reviewing me! Please?

-AlantisB
SlrMoon2oo@aol.com