afo2

Yes, I'm back with the second chapter. I know all you people love me for it, just rushing to the nearest fanfic site to see if I put any more of my stories up. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. No really, you all are beautiful. I love you! Your great!
        Okay, enough with the butt kissing and I'll just kick that moron outta here. How in the world did that boozo get outta the asilum anyway? Oh well. Here's the second chapter. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as the first one. If not, ain't my problem. Standard disclaimers and such apply, e-mail me and let me know you care. Send it to LadyVirgo@hotmail.com. Enjoy or not.
        Also, as a little note:
        < > Thoughts
        * * Onomanipias
        { } Chinese
        ^ ^ Signs
        [ ] Flash backs (We will switch to script format in flash backs)
        ( ) Divine intervention (ie me!)

~*~*~*~
All for One
Lady Virgo
Chapter 02: Secrets
~*~*~*~

        Akane held her head in her hands. "Okay, let me get this straight. You three are Ranma, Ryouga, Ukyo and the panda?" They nodded. "But, you guys are a different gender and you're a different species."
        "Well, we had a little run in with a curse." Genma stated.
        "And it ain't the first one you led us to, either, Old man." His son spat.
        The Tendos and their visitors were seated around the low dining table, waiting for the story to unfold.
        "Exactly," quiried Soun, "how did this happen?"
        The three teens sighed.

        [Scene changes to Jusenkyo, a large number of springs with bambo poles sticking in them. GENMA, RANMA, RYOUGA and UKYO are standing there in their gis, a Chinese GUIDE in a green uniform looks frantic.

RANMA: Yo, Pops. Ya sure it's safe, I mean, that guy can't be gettin' all nervous over nothin'.
GENMA: Trust me, my boy. Your father knows best!
RYOUGA: (Aside) Where have I heard that before?
UKYO: I hear ya, Hon. (RANMA nods) Say, Ryochan, can you ask that guy what's wrong?
RYOUGA: Sure. (Turns to GUIDE) {Why are you so worried?}
GUIDE: (Looks at RYOUGA strangly) {Is very dangerous in Jusenkyo. If Mr. Custumer falls in-}
GENMA: Ryouga! Stop the usless chatter and pair up with Ukyo. Son, let's see if you can take your old man down!

        The four leap onto the poles and take a ready stance. The GUIDE begins to fidget and sweat heavily. RANMA quickly knocks off GENMA and the GUIDE begins to babbel in Chinese. RYOUGA turns and looks at him in shock before UKYO knocks RYOUGA into RANMA. Both fall into a spring. A PANDA suddenly jumps out from a pool and since his first target, RANMA, fell into a pool, it knocks UKYO into another spring.
        Change to the spring UKYO fell into. UKYO starts to swim frantically up. UKYO breaks to the surface and we see she has changed.

RANMA-CHAN: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI'MAGIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        UKYO boy looks around and sees RANMA girl holding her gi open. RYOUGA girl is angerly speaking to the GUIDE

UKYO-KUN: What the hell happened?!
RYOUGA-CHAN: The guy says that we fell into cursed springs, that's what!
UKYO-KUN: So? What happened to you, Ryochan?
RYOUGA-CHAN: I'm a girl you idiot! Me and Ranma fell into Nannichaun, Spring of Drowned Girl. You fell into Spring of Drowned Man and Pops over there fell in Spring of Drowned Panda.
UKYO-KUN: I'm a... guy? (Looks at himself in disbelief)
RANMA-CHAN: (Still crying) Why didn't anyone tell us!!!!!!????
RYOUGA-CHAN: He tried! But Pops wouldn't...(realization dawns) listen to him...
UKYO-KUN: And now we're cursed
RANMA-CHAN: (Stopped cryiing) For how long?
RYOUGA-CHAN: {How long is the curse? Is there a cure?}
GUIDE: {It lasts forever. No cure has been found.}
RYOUGA-CHAN: We can't lift it.
UKYO-KUNN: (Turning to GENMA-PANDA) You brought us here...
RANMA-CHAN: And now we're cursed indefinetly...
RYOUGA-CHAN: And it's all your fault...
GENMA-PANDA: Grwof?
ALL THREE:of her soup. "The Take-out girl was for food. We didn't have much rations left, so Genma traded Ranma's and Ryouga's hand to two of the girls for food. Then, a few months later, we came across a cheerleader's picnic. Pops raided it, and when he was confronted, he said that he'd let the head cheerleader marry his son as a way to make up. The rich kid? A snob, greedy and stuck-up. We asked for shelter when a typhoon was headed our way, we were near the coast, and she said only if she could marry Ranchan.
        "That last one was right after we were cursed. We came across a village of Chinese Amazons. They lived in a system, kinda like tha Coda of Madagascar, so Ryochan said. There was a turnament going on and the prize was alot of food. Genma immediatly began to eat it. The champion saw him and said something about going to kill him. Pops told Ranchan to defend his father, so Ranchan, as a girl, fought her and won. There was something about a Kiss of Death. I don't know what that was all about. Something about female outsiders. We told them we were cursed and that Ranchan was a guy. Someone splashed hot water on us and now the Amazon says she has to marry him because he beat her."
        "What about you?" Kasumi asked.
        "Ranchan would always steal the okonomiyaki while my father and I were cooking. My father berated me for letting a boy steal our food, so I'd train all afternoon. The next day, Ranchan would beat me and I'd train again. One day...

        [See UKYO, looking somewhat like a boy, cooking a singel okonomiyaki. A dust cloud is headed towards her, she takes no notice. It stops and the dust clears, revealing a dirty, young RANMA

RANMA: Um...
UKYO: (Not looking up) Hello.
RANMA: Oh, hi. (Clearly confused) Er, aren't you going to stop me?
UKYO: (Looking up) Your brakes seem to be working fine to me.
RANMA: No, I mean from stealing your food.
UKYO: Oh, that. Well, for a week, you've always gotten past me, so I thought why bother. Infact, (slides the okonomiyaki on a plate and hands it to him) I made this especially for you.

        RANMA takes the okonomiyaki, it has a face of a boy with a ponytail (in other words, him). But if he looked on the back, it had a picture of UKYO looking triumphant.

RANMA: Wow! Thanks! (Eats it quickly)
UKYO: Oh, I hope you like your's spicey. Extra extra extra spicey.
RANMA: (Turning red with steam coming from his head and sweating heavily) WATER!!! Water, I need water!!!!!!!!!!!!]

        "After that, we got talking. In a few weeks, I thought I loved him and I asked my father if I could be Ranchan's fiancee. At first, Genma declined, we threw in the yatai, I was in."
        "Oh my, that's not very honorable."
        "Exactly, I can't believe he engaged Ranma to six different girls."
        "The yatai had better have been in good condition or it wouldn't have been a very good dowry." Ukyo face faulted.
        Sitting back up, she scratched her head. "Uh... yeah. Thanks for listening to me, Kasumi."
        "Oh, it's no problem at all. But I hope this gets straightened out soon."
        "So do I."
        Ranma and Ryouga came back in, dusting their hands and looking a little grouchy. "Hey, Ucchan, you okay?"
        She nodded. The boys exchanged glances. "Are you sure?" Ryouga asked.
        "I'm fine, really." She looked at them curiously. "And what were you doing?"
        Ranma shrugged. "Just sparring."
        "Where's Pops?"
        There was a groan; Ukyo looked at them, startled. "Hey! Not our fault he got in the way!"
        "Yeah," Ryouga chipped in, "and he always said to use whatever you can to protect yourselves with."
        She looked at them somewhat crossly, then gradually began to smile and started to laugh. The boys looked at eachother in confusion. Ukyo threw her arms around their necks, laughing.
        "You positive you're alright, Ucchan?" Asked Ranma.
        She smiled and let them go. "Yes, I'm just glad I have you two as friends, that's all."
        Ryouga smiled lightly. "Hey, we've been there for eachother before, why stop now?"
        Ranma took up the spirit and held up his fist. "Right! All for one and one for all. That's how we do things."
        "That's nice and everything, but I believe that you have to up hold your family honor, Ranma." They turned to see Soun at the door. "You have a choice between my three girls." He waved his hand at his daughters. "Kasumi, age 19. Nabiki, age 17 and Akane, age 16."
        "Wait a second!" Ukyo shouted. "He has to up hold family honor to me and a bunch of other girls, too! And bigamy is illegal in Japan, so either way, his honor is screwed."
        "Well, here's an idea." Everyone turned to Ryouga. "Since he has," he counted his fingers, "six fiancees, two which are present, why doesn't he get to know them before he makes a decision. That way, he knows what he's getting into before hand and nobody feels rushed into anything."
        "Ryouga," Ranma clapped a hand on his shoulder, "sometimes you ain't as dumb as you look."
        "RANNNNMAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
        *CLANG!* "Don't pick on Ryochan!" *RIP!* Ukyo placed the super spatula back on the floor. "After all, he just saved you a big choice that you could regret for the rest of your life."
        "Geeze! Can't anyone take a joke!?"
        Nabiki poked her head into the room. "Do you mind? Some people would like to rest before school. That means you, Sis."
        "Oh, right!" Akane stood. "I forgot. 'Night, Daddy." She jogged after her older sister.
        Ranma leaned back and sighed, hands behind his head. "Glad we don't gotta go to school anymore." The other two agreed while Genma and Soun squirmed. That did not go unnoticed. "You ain't tellin' us something again, Pops?"
        "Son, Ryouga, Ukyo.... You three will have to go to school, here."
        "WHAT!?!" They cried.
        "We haven't been to school for years! What makes you think we even know what they're talkin' about?!" Ukyo protested.
        "Well, it's either that or stay here with me, Tendo-san and Kasumi all day."
        They blinked. Ukyo pulled the boys closer to her and began to whisper. Soon, they nudged Ranma forward.
        "Okay, we'll go to school. But only to get away from Pops." Ukyo poked him in the back.        "But no wakin' us up with cold water." Ryouga tugged at Ranma's shirt. "And no stealling our lunches." They both slapped Ranma on the back. He turned to them with a patented Big-Head Attack (tm). "Alright! Stop buggin' me, peoples!!" He turned around. "And absolutly-"
        "No UNIFORMS!!!" They shouted in unision.
        Soun weakly said: "Sure."

~*~*~*~

        Akane ran as fast as she could. Ranma, Ryouga and Ukyo following closely on a chain linked fence.
        "You actually got a thing for that guy?" Ukyo asked in disbelief.
        Looking over her shoulder, she answered, "Well, I'll admit, he is a little extravigant and I think he likes Kasumi, but he's very nice, sweet, kind and smart!"
        "Extravigant is right." Ranma commented dryly.

        [See RANMA-CHAN, RYOUGA-CHAN and UKYO-KUN standing in a waiting room with AKANE next to them. Suddenly, RANMA-CHAN, RYOUGA-CHAN and UKYO-KUN are grabbed from behind by a skeleeton. They freak and spin around in a ready position. TOFUU-SENSEII is behind them smiling and holding BETTY-CHAN]

        "I want to know why we didn't sense that old lady or the water." Ryouga grumbeled, flicking his wet bangs.
        Akane persed her lips. "I don't know. I've never seen her before." Her face lit up, but quickly darkened once more. "School."
        Ryouga shaded his eyes. "Do you guys frequently get dust storms around here?"
        "That's no dust storm. It's boys."
        "Eh!?"
        "I'm supposed to beat every singel one of them before I can go to school."
        "That's not fair! You're out numbered at least 30:1!"
        She turned to Ryouga, her brown eyes shone with gratitude thinly vieled by anger. "Thanks for the compastion, but I've done this for months."
        Ranma shrugged. "So what happens if you lose?"
        "I have to date whoever beat me."
        "Now that's the biggest load of bull I've-no wait a second. It's Coda/Amazon all over again." Ryouga shuttered.
        "Hey, you ain't the one that's gotta worry about it, Pig boy!"
        "Yeah!" Both Ranma and Ukyo cuffed him hard.
        "That's what you think." He muttered quietly.
        Akane opened her mouth, but snapped it shut as many voices rose up in greeting. "You guys wait here." With that, she jumped into the crowd.
        Ranma stopped short. Ryouga ran into him, then Ukyo. The three tipped slightly off balance, Ranma the most. He flayed his arms widely until Ryouga, after Ukyo found their sense of balances, pulled him back.
        "Well?" Ukyo asked. "Why'd you stop, Ranchan? Aren't we going to help her?"
        "Naw. She said she could handle them herself. If she does need any, then we'll jump in. Simple as that."
        "Meanwhile," Ryouga pointed out, "I don't think she needs it."
        Akane stood in the middle of a bunch of downed boys, bending over to catch her breath. Ryouga leapt up to her.
        "Very well done, Akane! You're pretty good!" He clapped politely.
        "Really?" She gasped, a smile on her flushed face.
        "Really! You certainly took them out fast." A fang poked out as his smile widened.
        Her face softened. The way the sun glinted off the prespire on her face and neck made her glow like a vision from heaven. "Thanks, Ryouga. I guess I had you figured out right at the start. I'm sorry I was rude to you."
        He opened deep almond eyes. "I understand. I mean, we should have told you before that inccedent. It wasn't your fault."
        "You still want to be friends?" She held her hand out.
        Ryouga blinked. "Sure thing." He reached out-
        -and grabbed something that flew by the corner of his eyes.
        "A rose?" He stared at the flower within his grasp.
        Akane sighed and slapped a hand over her eyes. "I can't believe I forgot about Kuno...."
        "Ryouga-kun! You might want to be a little careful! Kuno-chan isn't going to be to happy with you!" Ryouga looked around. Finally, he spotted Nabiki leaning out an upstairs window, waving to him.

~*~*~*~

        "Hey, Boss. You know that guy?" Asked a girl with long, wavey brown hair.
        A second folded her arms. "Well, he just bought himself a whuppin', that's for sure."
        "We're betting on Ryouga-kun."
        The two girls looked at Nabiki. "Eh?"
        A predatory gleam shone in her other-wise exprsionless eyes. "Trust me."

~*~*~*~

        "What's your sister talking about, Akane-san?" Ryouga asked. Akane opened her mouth when-
        "You dare to keep the beautiful Akane Tendo's present from her suitor? Peasant! Who art thou to interfer in the ways of love? How dare you, whilst standing so close to the goddess whom has graced this lowly astablishment with her very presence, smolders her warm light from her love? Tell me, peon, what doust thou believe gives you the right? In all that is justice, I shalt smite-"
        "Long winded, ain't he?"
        "I'll say, the guys a bore."
        Kuno blinked in surprise, his train of thought derailed. He lowered his bokken and looked at Ukyo and Ranma, who had joined back up with Akane and Ryouga.
        "And you put up with this guy?" Ukyo asked.
        The girl in question hung her head. "No matter how much I beat him up, he always comes back for more. He's practialy indestructable, but he can be knocked out."
        Ranma smirked at her. "Aw, it's just 'cuz you ain't got the skills to handle him, is all."
        She glowered. "Says who? I do pretty well on my own, thank you."
        "Ranma..." Ryouga had an iron crushing grip on Ranma's shoulder.
        "Ow! Ow! Hey, man! Stop it!"
        *CLANG!* "Leave Ranchan alone!" *CLANG!* "And don't be rude to Akane!" Ukyo placed her super spatual back in the bandolier and gazed at the two boys moaning on the ground.
        Kuno cleared his throat, four heads turned his way.
        "Oh yeah, you. Look, sorry about interferring with your deul an' all, but we'd better get going before we're late." Ukyo said.
        "Ah, another beautious one hast come. The Gods above hast surely shone upon this unworthy structure and it's inhabitants to allow two of their own kind to mingle amungst the dirty peasents. And to have both as fierce as the tiger as well, it is a sign from the good Lords above, and as a proper way to thank them, I shall date with you both."
        Ukyo looked at Akane. "This guy for real?" She nodded.
        Ryouga dusted himself off and sneered at Kuno. "Look, Mac. I don't think Akane-san is really interested in the likes of you, and I sure as hell know you ain't Ucchan type, either!"
        "You..." Kuno pointed his bokken at the bandanaed boy, "shall pay for your insulent remarks, and for destroying my gift to the fair Akane Tendo."
        "Live with it." Spat Ryouga. By now, the courtyard was crawling with students, wondering who the guy with the death wish was.
        "Ryochan... don't." Ukyo placed a hand on Ryouga's shoulder, her blue eyes searching his. "At leaast not until the second week you can start fighting with other people."
        He squared his jaw and looked defiant, then stole a glance at Akane, reluctanse on her face as well. His resolve melted. "Okay, okay. I won't fight him."
        "Coward!" The kendoist cried. "You dare to run from our duel?!"
        "Oh, come ON!" The other cried. "Akane-san and Ucchan don't want me to, so I won't, that okay with you?"
        Kuno clutched his bokken tightly, knuckles turning white. "Insolent one. I shall teach you to be friendly with those angelic maidens. Who art thou, whom believes that they should be held by noone but himself?"
        Ryouga opened his mouth as the others backed away a step or two. Before a word could be said, Kuno once more cut him off.
        "Like the Morning Star twinkeling in the dying darkness, I am the becon of hope for those of this establishment. Great and mighty, strength and skill unmatched by anyone, I am he who stalks the streets to allow children the safety of their dreams, keeping faith alive for those that would be engulfed by the dark and cold evil reaching for their very hearts. Women swoon in my wake. Men part aa I make my way. And the foolish ones who dare to seek battle with me beg at my feet for my mercy. For I am the rising star of Furinken High. Tatewaki Kuno, the great Blue Thunder!" He lifted his bokken in the sky, lighting flashing behind him as the thunder rummbled close by.
        "Oh shit." Ranma's eyes widened.
        "RUN!!!" Ukyo and Ranma grabbed Akane and leapt up and away from the battle field.
        There was a brilliant flash of light, and a large circle, cercumference of ten meters, was a total disater area. The asphalt and concrete turned into loose gravel. Trees and the wall was obliverated, only plaster and splinters littered the area, grass was pounded into the ground, dirt packed firmly fro mthe deadly dance of thousands of feet. Kuno and a few of his followers lay in the wreckage, none moving, half barried into the ground. In the middle of Ground Zero stood Ryouga. He stood stock still, balanced on the toes of his right foot, left knee and chin tucked to his chest. His arms were set at a perfect diagnal pointing 15 degrees down, the forefingers out and stiff. His eyes were a dull brown, his face a mask of focus.
        "Oh shit." Ukyo swore under her breath as Ranma dug frantically in Ryouga's tossed bag.
        Akane's puzzeled face converted into one of impatience. "What!? What's wrong with Ryouga-kun?"
        Ranma's voice came out muffeled as his upper torso was engulfed in the giant pack. "He's in the Ikazuchi/Inazuma-ken. Everytime thunder and or lighting is really near by, he goes in some sort of comatose. When thunder or lighting comes again, he goes at it again." As if on cue, Ryouga drew back and punched a wall, it exploded in a rain of plaster. In the background, thunder rolled. "Shit, where's he keep that thing?!"
        "What thing? How do we stop him?"
        Ukyo answered: "So far, we've only found one way to snap him out of this."
        "And that is?"
        "Gender change."
        Ranma pulled out a thermose and a pill, triumph written on his face. "Ha ha! Finally!" He dropped the pill into Ryouga's thermose, the metal was suddenly cold to the touch. He shook it for good measure, then stood. He drew back his arm and waited patiently for the next thunder and lighting to make their turn. Aiming quickly, the wind up and.... the pitch!
        *CLANG!*
        The half open thermose hit hard and true, cold water exploding over Ryouga. He stood there for a second in the purcarious pose, then tilted slightly. "Owwwwww." Ryouga-chan moaned, a hand pressed against the forming lump on the side of her head. "That hurt!" A second later, it rained.
        "Awwwwww..." Three defeated voices rang out.
        "Don't worry, we'll get you some hot water." Akane led the three gender-swapping martail artists into the building. She looked back at them, pity and compassion evident in her eyes as the waterlogged friends silently trugded their way through the halls.

~*~*~*~

        Well, that's all for this chapter. As a little teaser, you'll find out the origin of Ryouga's new attack and Nabiki's little slip up causes some nasty rumors to spread.
        That suspense enough? If so, I'll come out with Chapter 3 in the near future (how near, I don't know) and if it isn't, not my problem. Read it anyway. Thank you for your suport and e-mail. Anymore suggestions, aside from getting a spell-check, just send it to LadyVirgo@hotmail.com. Thanks again. Bai bai!

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