Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi, and Real Bout High School belongs to Reiji Saiga and Sora Inque.
A/N: I released the first part to My Secret too long ago, and I'm wondering about my other fics. Due to writer's block on Love Is Blind (Love Hina), it will be coming out this weekend at the SOONEST. Sorry Zan, but if anyone has any thoughts about that story, entitled Consequences, please be sure to drop a review on the Love Is Blind page. I have Review Alert on, so I'll get your ideas. Or drop me an email entitled "Love Is Blind". On with My Secret!
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CHAPTER TWO Ryoko-chan, My Love!
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Somewhere in Ikebukuro...
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"SHI-ZU-MA! SHI-ZU-MA! SHI-ZU-MA!" Went the chorus of fans, as one of the strongest men in the world, Shizuma Kusanagi, took comer after comer in a battle royale. Each would step up to defeat him, and fall within seconds. His winnings were ever growing, as were his hopes.
'Don't worry, Ryoko... I'll come to you... I don't care how long it takes me, I'll be there soon...'
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The door opened and people ignored it. It wasn't that rare for someone to be going to the clinic this time of the day. But when people looked at the girl that entered, several ran straight for the front, to report the injured girl to the doctor.
"Okay, Ryoko, here we are. Domino clinic. Now, what were you going to tell us?" Asked Jounouchi, from his place beside the girl where he was supporting her. Ryoko felt a rather good camaraderie growing between the two of them since her beating.
"I know the doctor from my past life. When you see him, we can explain." She said as she slowly shrugged her arm off Jounouchi's shoulders, limping her way up to the desk. "I need to see Doctor Tofuu. Tell him it's Ranma Saotome."
"Um, very well, Ms. Saotome." The receptionist said as she rushed into the back to get the doctor. Of course, it was rather sad that so many people these days were so squeamish these days. It just tore at Ryoko's heart that these days, a person could get a doctorate and faint at the sight of blood.
"So, um, Ranma Saotome is your real name?"
"USED to be my name. I'm Ryoko Mitsurugi now."
"So, you also knew that witch of a girl?"
"She was once my fiance."
"WHAT!" Anzu slowly backed up a bit, not wanting to think the girl she'd so casually been friends with and undressed around was a lesbian. Anzu suddenly felt threatened by the girl.
"It's true. I used to suffer from a curse that turned me into a boy when I was splashed with hot water."
"I remember you telling me this story. How you used to be a boy."
"Used to being the key term. When I'd had enough of my fiances, I locked myself into my girl form and fled Nerima."
"Nerima? Okay, NOW I can believe this about a curse."
Ryoko smiled a bit as she slowly took a seat in one of the chairs, wincing lightly before Jounouchi and Hiroshi moved to her sides. They slowly helped her back to her feet for a moment, at an especially good time when the doors to the back opened and Ono Tofuu entered the room.
"Ranma?"
"Right here." Tofuu turned to Ryoko and stared at her for several moments before smiling.
"You've changed a lot in two years, Ranma. Have the Tendos already found you?"
"Please, don't remind me..." She remarked with a light cough. A little worried, Jounouchi and Hiroshi started towards the doors, with Ryoko balanced between them.
"Remind you? They're here?" Tofu asked as he looked around, finding no one that fit the descriptions of the Tendos and Saotomes. Looking back at the girl, he began to ask his next question.
"So how..."
And Ryoko's eyes lulled up into the back of her head and she fainted. Jounouchi and Honda rushed to keep her upright, but she was deadweight in their arms. They tried to shake her awake, but it was no use. She was just too out of it.
Tofuu was quick to the girl's side, surprising many about as to how fast he was. He quickly checked her over, then checked her aura. His eyes narrowed instantly.
"Get her to the back room, this is serious."
"How serious, doctor?"
"She has some internal injuries, and her aura is dimming. I don't understand why, but we need to take her to the back room." Tofuu mentioned before he quickly moved into the back room. Jounouchi and crew watched for a few moments before rushing Ryoko to the back.
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Ryoko regained consciousness some time later, at an unknown interval, at least to her. She awoke to find Jounouchi and Honda asleep in chairs, Anzu nearby, and Yugi with his head in her lap, snoozing away. She easily surmissed it must be nighttime.
"Hey, are you okay?" Came Anzu's question, as Ryoko merely smiled.
"I'm fine. Just keep your voice down, I don't want to wake them up. I'll explain my story to you all tomorrow morning."
"But, what about..."
"School? Am I really in any condition for school? Do you really think Yugi, much less the rest of you, would go with me injured here by my lonesome?" Anzu couldn't help but giggle.
"Alright, good night."
"Good night."
Only Ryoko couldn't sleep. She was feeling too many memories strike her. After seeing the Tendos, she'd wanted to think about the various people she left behind.
Which eventually returned to thoughts of Shizuma Kusanagi... Her one, true love. Despite her being a boy, she suddenly found herself falling in love with this blue-haired monkey of a man. And... despite the insults... she loved him with all her heart.
A few tears escaped her eyes. Oh, how she wished he were here... He'd understand... He'd know her pain, how to help her through it... And, most of all, she could use the feel of his hard, muscled arms around her...
Ryoko spent the rest of the night crying herself to sleep.
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Ryoko awoke the next day to find herself in an empty room. Or at least, she thought so.
She had to have been seeing things when she thought she saw a familiar blue-haired man.
She smiled at that man.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Uh huh... Now that you're here..."
The man grinned that fanged grin of his. "Oh? I knew I had an impact on people, but not this kind."
"What are you talking about, Shizuma?"
"Ah, I get it. You must be experiencing hallucinations."
"Wait, huh?"
And just as quickly as the happy image of Shizuma appeared, he was replaced by the kindly doctor, Tofu Ono. Ryoko blinked a few times before blushing, realizing she'd just about jumped the good doctor's bones. She didn't think a physical would be a good idea, not with her... lower torso... leaking like it was. Just the thought of Shizuma made her giddy and... it made her both miss the monkey and think... very pleasant thoughts about him.
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Somewhere, a certain monkey of a man sneezed.
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"Have you been taking care of yourself, Ra... I mean, Ryoko?"
"If you're asking about medically, I had a full physical before I left Daimon. Physically, I'm fine..."
"And mentally?"
This was the problem with seeing Tofu after so long. Ryoko could feel the tears straining her eyes, just before she buried her face in Tofu's chest. "I hate myself, doc! I ran away... like a damn coward! I could... I coulda dealt with it... I coulda beat the snot outta all o' them! I could have fought! But I ran... like a fucking coward!"
Tofu did what Ryoko did not expect. He pushed her away. Then, he slapped her. Hard.
Ryoko was in shock. Tofu had never risen a hand knowingly against anyone before. She could still feel the tears running down her face, and the pain of the red, hand imprint on her left cheek.
"What are you, Ranma?"
"I'm... I'm a man..."
"I don't see a man in front of me."
"You know...!" But she was silenced by Tofu.
"I see a scared individual in front of me. Scared of their past coming back to haunt them. Scared to fight or to flee. What you probably experienced was your survival instinct."
"Survival... instinct?"
"Yes. The 'Fight or Flee' response. Your subconscious realized the dangers of staying, so it gave you thoughts of running away. There, you found someone to care for you and you built yourself a new life."
"Hi... Hitomi... And I left her too... Just like..."
"Shizuma?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that."
"Huh?"
And the door opened.
And what she saw made her happy beyond belief. So happy, she could only do one thing.
She fainted.
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A/N: Mwahahaha. Cliffhangers at their best! I mean, seriously, I couldn't think of much more to add to this without getting a lot of people angry. So, I stopped at this cliffhanger and immediately will start upon part 3. How long this series will be remains to be seen. I'm thinking around ten parts. Possibly longer or shorter. But somewhere around there. If I get to fifteen, I'll go for an even twenty. Sound good? Hope you all enjoy it!
