Disclaimer- Don't own Ranma ½. Own Tomo.

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Well, I found Ryoga's clothes all right. Right there in the bushes like he said. Until then I'd had a stroke of luck, encountering no one. And evidently I was naive enough to believe it would continue. If my behavior was any indication anyway, as I crouched in the bushes...

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"Ah ha!! There they are! Finally!" I muttered as I stooped down to grab Ryoga's clothes, ready to leap back to my feet and make a dash for the house. Until I saw him, anyway. This guy, I mean. He was over by the dojo, kicking a practice post.

"Oh, great!" I exclaimed in annoyance, diving into the bushes with the finesse of ...er... we'll just let it go at that, as I mentally willed him to go back into the house or whatever. Yeah. Like that worked. I laid there in the dirt and underbrush for like 10 minutes, thinking all manor of ill thoughts about the guy, my hands tightened into fists. Should have sprayed Ryoga with the water bottle. Then this problem would be solved. Maybe none of this is really happening anyway. Yeah! Maybe I fell asleep in the bathe!

"Wake up, Tomo. Stop this crazy, bizarre dream. Guys don't turn into pigs, so you must be dreaming." I muttered to myself as I pinched myself. Yeah. I wasn't asleep. Darnnit!! Guy still showed no sign of stopping. Or even moving out of sight. I had the sudden thought that I just may die in that bush, Ryoga's clothing in my fist. Wouldn't that be an interesting letter for dad? I giggled then, slapping my hand over my mouth as the guy stopped, glancing around. He shock his head and went back to doing whatever it was he'd been doing, and I watched him several minutes longer. What was I gonna do?! I heard a noise and glanced over at the house, my eyes widening in silent horror. A girl stepped out of their dinning room onto the open-air hallway or whatever, hollering at that Ranma person again.

"Must be that guy's name." I muttered to myself as he yelled something back at her, the girl stomping down the steps into the yard, gripping about him promising to help her train or something.

"Great! Just great!" I sputtered as they began to spar. Grr!!!!! Was I doomed to stay out here the rest of the night or something?! Maybe I should just risk moving and take off. They both looked to be pretty occupied for the time being. Suddenly I noticed that while that Ranma guy was blocking her punches and kicks, he was moving them out of view.

"Yes!" I exclaimed to myself, darting from the bushes when they were out of view. I ran around the house and entered through the front door, not knowing the layout of the first floor very well. I successfully made it back inside with out being seen. Slipping out of my shoes, I shoved my feet in my house slippers and hurried up the stairs, taking them 2 at a time. By then I didn't care if anyone saw me, I'd think of something, and hurried down the hall, making it to the door of my room just as Kasumi came up the stairs and saw me.

"Oh, Tomo! Thanks again for bathing P-chan. I hope he wasn't any problem." She called out to me.

I threw Ryoga's clothes in my room and turned back to Kasumi, fake grin in place. "Uh, it wasn't a problem. He wasn't any, uh, problem at all." I replied, glancing back over my shoulder into my room. No problem my butt.

"Oh, all right. What did you do with him when you were finished?" She asked as she neared me.

"Ok, Tomo. Think fast." I muttered under my breath before I opened my mouth to reply.

"Oh, um, I, uh, let him go. I'm sure he's around somewhere. "I said, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"I'm sure he is. Oh. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, all right?" Kasumi informed me, smiling. I think I said all right and smiled or something, but I'm not all together sure. My mind was on the naked guy in my closet. She left then, heading for her room. I saw she had a book or something in her hand as I shut myself in my room, leaning against the door. I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack. Switching the overhead light on, I closed the blind, leaving the window open. It wasn't like we weren't going to be using it in a few minutes anyway. I crossed the room, pulling the door to the closet open.

"You owe me big for this!" I announced, poking Ryoga in the chest with my finger.

"Why? What happened?" He asked as he moved to grab his stuff off the floor.

"I'll have you know that I ended up lying in those bushes for like 20 minutes! And all because your precious Akane and that Ranma guy just happened to be out sparing!" I announced, sitting on the desk chair, my legs crossed.

"Sorry." He replied as he just stood there, staring at me.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Get dressed!!" I exclaimed, gesturing at him as I rolled my eyes in frustration.

"Where?" He asked, glancing around like a moron.

"What do you mean, where?! In the closet!" I answered, pointing at the closet. He shuffled over to it and pulled the door partially closed.

"Uh, don't look." Ryoga said as I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes again.

"Yeah, Ryoga. I'm sure that's the least of your problems right now." I snapped as I studied my fingernails. Guys can be so...weird. And here I thought it was just American guys too. Nope. Guess it must be universal behavior. He presently came out and stood staring at me. At least he was dressed this time.

"Um, you still need to help me get off the balcony." He said.

"Figures." I replied as I uncrossed my legs and got to my feet, heading toward the window. I opened the blinds as I glanced over my shoulder at him.

"I'll see if anyone's in the yard." I said as I turned back to the window, crawling out. I took several steps and glanced over the railing. I glanced first one way and then the other. Satisfied no one was there; I turned back to glance at him.

"The coast is clear. Let's go. Get this 'escape' of yours under way. "I replied, leaning in the open window. He nodded and I moved aside, Ryoga soon joining me on the balcony.

"And just how do you want to do this?" I asked, my arms folded across my chest. Guess I was getting the Japanese practice I needed today.

"Well, I'm going to climb over the railing and you grab my wrists and try to lower me as near the ground as you can. I'll let you know when to let go." He replied.

I pursed my lips as I listened to him, glancing off to the side. His plan didn't sound like such a good idea, but whatever. He grabbed the top of the rail with both hands and swung one leg over, turning so he could wedge his foot between the bars. He pulled his other leg over and stood there on the ledge of the balcony, staring at me.

"Ryoga, I don't think this is such a great idea. "I told him, a skeptical look on my face.

"Well, I'm over here now. Grab my wrist now." He replied, sounding strained.

"Of all the stupid idea's..." I grumbled as I locked one hand around left wrist, planting the other firmly on the banister. He let go with his right hand and grabbed the bottom of one of the bars, stepping off the ledge. I bore almost all of his weight then, my stomach pressed into the banister as I let it go, reaching down to grab his other wrist, bearing his full weight then. Oh the pain. It was excruciating.

"Geez, you're heavy. I'm gonna die." I wheezed as I gritted my teeth, leaning over as far as I dared. He still dangled several feet off the ground. Honestly, it felt like my arms were being ripped from their sockets.

" Is...this...far...enough?!" I gasped as pain shot up my arms, competing with the horrendous pain I felt from the banister pressing into my ribs. I was going to have some bruises.

"I'm still about 4 feet off the ground. Can you lower me a bit more?" he asked, studying the distance between his feet and the ground.

"No, I can't ...lower you...anymore. You'll...pull me...over too!!" I ground out between my teeth, longing to let go. Just then...horrors of all horrors, I heard the door began to creak open behind me.

"Oh shoot! Ryoga, someone's at the door. I'm gonna have to drop you!" I hissed, my eyes wide in panic.

"What?! No, don't ! Not..." He began to exclaim as the door opened further. I promptly dropped him, whirling around, my heart beating in my ears. He landed with a thud, my heart race increasing. I hope no one had heard that. I tensed; planting a smile on my face, hopping it wasn't too red from the stain I'd been under. Oh, I felt the return of that anxiety attack. If things kept going like this, I wasn't going to last here a month, much less 2 years.

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Well! Another chapter done! Hope you all enjoy it!! Thanks to those for you who reviewed! I appreciate it!

See ya next time!