Note!  This story is based on events and characters from a
previous work, "Secrets".  You should be familiar with that
story, or this one won't make any sense!  To get "Secrets",
or any of my other works, visit my Web Site at:

http://www.geocities.com/coutuva

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!
Coutuva.




Friends and Lovers - Part Three            A "Secrets" Prequel
------------------------------------------------------------------



	Miyoko groaned as the shattering sound of the alarm tore
through her slumber, forcing her to face the inevitable.  With
another groan, she reached over and slapped around for the device,
not quite sure where it was.
	When she finally silenced it, she flopped on her back and
slowly opened her eyes, then forced herself to look over at the
clock.
	"Kuso...  Well, it's my own damned fault," she whispered
in a huff, then found the ambition to lift the covers off her nude
form, and quietly roll out of the bed.  As she passed the chair it
hung on, she snatched her top and slid it on, then trudged out into
the living room.
	As rough as she felt however, she still had to smile at the
memory of Yoriko, curled up childlike and snoring on the futon at
her apartment.
        It had been well after midnight, when in the middle of a 
conversation, the girl fell asleep.  They had spent most of the 
evening just talking, during which Miyoko had learned a lot about 
her new friend.
        From scattered tidbits of the conversation, she discovered
that like herself, Yoriko had been the victim of an arranged
marriage gone wrong.  Her parents, mainly her father, had chosen
her fiancee, and things had gone downhill from there.
        It was a wrenchingly familiar scenario, and it explained a
lot of things.  Yoriko had no coping skills because she'd been
deliberately raised that way.  Her only destiny, as decided by her
family, was to be a carrot to attract a 'suitable' husband.  What
happened after that didn't matter.
        And what made it seem all the more twisted was who Yoriko
really was -- when she wasn't scared to death or 'observing
protocol'.  
	Beneath all the baggage, she was a bright, caring young 
woman with an infectious, bubbly nature -- and a heart-stopping 
smile.
        The entire scenario had sickened Miyoko so much that it
had taken forever for her to get to sleep, even after her walk
home.  The heartache she felt kept threatening to boil over, and
she'd found herself fighting down the urge to look up the girl's
fiancee -- and 'discuss' it with him.
        He was just lucky that she'd decided to respect Yoriko's
choice to not reveal his name.
        When she noticed that the thought was starting to upset
her again, she pushed it from her mind and concentrated on the 
tasks at hand, especially since she'd already woken up late.
        After her morning rituals, she grabbed her purse, a clean
blouse for work and a granola bar, then headed out.  She was glad 
she was only covering a half shift to return a favour, since she 
figured the afternoon would be a great chance to take Yoriko out, 
and hopefully find her a job.
        Once she did get to work, her shift seemed drag on
forever, even though it was normally the busiest time of the day.
All throughout, she found herself thinking about Yoriko and her
troubles, and even of how much fun she'd had with her the
previous day.  It had been a long time since she'd done anything
like that, and having Yoriko around had made it just that much
better.
        When she finally did punch the button for the fourth
floor, she tapped her foot at the agonizingly slow pace of the
elevator.  She wanted to get changed and go pick up Yoriko
before the girl made any other plans.
        But, as she discovered, she was already too late.
        As the doors opened and she stepped in to the hall, she
was surprised to find Yoriko sitting in front of her door.
        Even so, she smiled.
        At the same time, Yoriko saw her and jumped to her feet,
breaking out in a smile of her own.
        "Konnichiwa, Miyoko-san!" she chimed, excitedly.
        "Konnichiwa yourself.  What's this all about?"
        The girl sobered slightly.  "I...  Just wanted to apologize
for falling asleep on you last night.  That was very rude," she
responded, meshing her hands in front of her and bowing.
        "Feh -- I didn't think so.  Tell you the truth, I'm surprised
you lasted as long as you did.  After a day like you had, I figured
you'd have passed out by ten thirty."
        "Iya.  It was rude, Miyoko-san, and I promise I'll make it
up to you."
        "Don't worry about it.  I'm not going to report you to
the 'etiquette police'," she smirked, as she stuck her key in her 
door.  "Well, since you're here, you might as well come in.  I was 
just gonna eat, change, then come get you anyway."
        The girl brightened.  "You...  You were?"
        "Yep!  I figure this is a great chance to try and find you
work.  There's a bunch of places right around here that might be
looking."
        She didn't expect the excitement she saw in the girl's
sparkling green eyes.
        



        Miyoko stood back and smiled, then moved aside to gesture
to the mirror.
        "See?  I figured that stuff might fit you -- and it even
looks good."
        "Hai...  It does fit well - they all did.  But I still
don't feel right about you giving me your clothes, Miyoko-san.  I
could just go back to my apartment and get my new dress," Yoriko
protested, her eyes earnest.
        Miyoko shook her head.  "Nope, no good.  We're going out
to try to find you a job, so you gotta look the part.  Otherwise,
they wouldn't take you seriously.  And besides, I don't wear those
skirts much, or those tops either.  You might as well get some
mileage out of 'em until you build up a wardrobe."
        "But...  These are such nice clothes - I'd never forgive
myself if anything happened to them."
        "Don't worry about it.  If it helps you get work, it's
worth it.  Anyway, we better get moving if we wanna have a chance 
at these guys, so I'll let you pick out the stuff you want to 
wear -- I'm gonna go check the paper.  Oh, bathroom's all yours,
and you can use whatever you need.  About the only thing I don't
got is makeup," Miyoko stickhandled, then grinned and turned for
the door.  "See you in a few minutes."
        As she stepped out of the room, her smile became a relieved
sigh.  The past half-hour had been an exercise in tact and
diplomacy - two things she wasn't particularly good at.  Just
getting her new friend to even try anything had been a major job,
and whether she was going to actually wear any of it was still up
in the air.
        Even so, Miyoko could understand where the girl was coming
from, which was why she wanted to get the 'necessary evils' out of
the way quick.  
	She figured Yoriko wasn't used to having to accept 
'assistance', and every time such a situation came up, it was
another reminder of her problems.
        But she also knew that if she'd just left the girl to her
own devices, the poor kid would never have survived.
        As she settled on the couch, she heard the bedroom door
open, and looked up to see Yoriko stick her head out.
        "Miyoko-san...  Would you mind...  If I used your shower?  
My unit doesn't have one," she asked, tentatively.
        Miyoko groaned to herself, but didn't let it show.  "Go for
it.  You know where everything is?"
        The girl nodded.
        "Okay, but if you do need anything, just yell," she
advised, then had an idea.  If Yoriko wasn't going to loosen up on
her own, then she'd give her a little 'incentive'.  "Oh, there is 
one thing I better warn you about.  If you use the furo, be careful.
There's something wierd about it," she cautioned, putting up a 
frown.
        "Oh?  Is it broken?"
        "I don't think so, but I've noticed that every time I get 
in it -- it does something funny to me," she responded, in all 
seriousness.  "I think it's got something to do with how the jets
hit."
	"S-something funny?" Yoriko echoed, her face shading.
	She couldn't believe the reaction she was getting.  "Yeah.  
I get settled in, turn'em on...  And then it happens.  Zonk!  
Sound asleep."
        Yoriko returned a bewildered look - until Miyoko shot her
a cheesy grin.
        "Maaa!  You had me worried!  That's not funny, Miyoko-san!"
she shot back with great indignance, but Miyoko could see the smile
in her eyes.
        "Hey -- I'm serious!  It's a major pain -- especially when
I got plans!"
        "Ha, ha, ha.  Serves you right for making jokes like that,"
the girl sniped, then huffed and pulled her head back into the
bedroom.
        Miyoko chuckled to herself at the stifled snickers she
heard from beyond the closed door.




        It turned out to be a frustrating day.  The first four
places they tried were not hiring, and the fifth only managed a
firm maybe.  When they tried a sixth, it was into the early
evening, and the manager had already left.
        Even now, as she stood before the stove stirring their
supper, Miyoko still felt bad about having dragged poor Yoriko all
over the neighbourhood.
	She had to admit, however, that the girl's stamina had 
surprised her.  She hadn't once complained, and had worn a smile 
the entire time.
        In fact, the girl seemed to have been enjoying herself, and
hadn't been the least concerned about their lack of results.
        "Miyoko-san?  You already started supper?" Yoriko's voice
abruptly asked, followed by the girl appearing at her side.
        "Hai!  I don't know about you, but I'm starved.  Noodles
and salad okay?"
	When she turned to Yoriko for a response, she was surprised
to see a pout on the girl's face.  "What's that all about?"
	"I'm hungry too, but I was...  Hoping I could take you out
for supper tonight," she explained, disappointment replacing the
pout.
	"Well, that would've been cool, but I couldn't wait any
longer.  I was ready to start chewing on my purse," she deflected,
with a silly grin.  In reality, she was disappointed, but at the
same time glad.  After their unsuccessful day, she didn't want
Yoriko to waste any more money.
	Yoriko chuckled, then smiled.  "So we'll go tomorrow night,"
she countered, as she reached over and picked up the salad bowl.
	Miyoko shook her head.  "I dunno...  I gotta work nights
for the next while.  It goes late, and I'm usually pretty burnt out
by the time I get off."
	Yoriko was undaunted.  "Then I'll owe you one.  Is this
ready?"
	"Hai..." Miyoko began, but Yoriko cut her off.
	"Good!  I'll set the table," she grinned, then carried the
bowl away.
	Miyoko watched her go, then smirked.  The girl was catching
on.





	After the meal and what turned into a good-natured
competitive cleanup, Yoriko surprised her by asking if they could do
some shopping, as she'd found she needed a few more things.
	Miyoko almost begged off, since shopping to her was usually
on par with a root canal, but Yoriko's kawaii-eyed insistence won
out.  Within the hour, they arrived at one of the nearby malls, and
Yoriko again took the lead.
        As on their previous trip, they perused everything from
clothing stores to video shops, during which Miyoko got a rapid,
giggle-punctuated education.  Yoriko took great delight in teaching
her how to accessorize, the importance of coordinating, how to wear
and work a suit, and even the best shade of foundation for her skin
colour.
        She'd had no idea being a girl could be so complicated.
        Even so, Yoriko managed to make it all seem like great fun,
to the point where Miyoko found her cheeks aching from all the
giggling and laughing.
        What surprised her most, however, was how else Yoriko
behaved.  Their first trip had been centered on getting the girl
set up, but this time, without such a purpose, Yoriko's approach
was entirely different.  She seemed to treat the excursion itself
as the more serious function.  One that required careful planning
and precise stages.  She did make the purchases she came for, but
did so almost as an afterthought.
        By the time they stopped for a sundae break, Miyoko found
herself wondering if there wasn't a School of Martial Arts Shopping.
	Throughout the latter part of the evening, the 'mission'
settled into a more casual mode, becoming a pleasant walking tour.
As they walked, they talked, and Miyoko was surprised to find that
they had a number of things in common -- including the outdoors,
kids, music, and oddly enough, Sumo.
        When the mall closed and they were forced to call it a
night, Miyoko escourted Yoriko back to her apartment, then helped
her put away her few purchases.  As before, Yoriko insisted on
making them tea, and also as before, she fell asleep in the middle
of a conversation.
        This time, however, she had only lasted about twenty
minutes from the time she sat down.
        Miyoko simply chuckled to herself, not the least bit
surprised by the occurrence.  They'd put in a day that even she
had found tiring.
        Quietly, she rose from her mat and covered the girl up,
then happened to look down into her slumbering face.
        She couldn't help but smile at how sweet and content her
friend looked, which brought a warm sensation to her chest.
        "Oyasumi nasai, Yori-chan," she whispered, then
straightened, checked the stove, and stepped toward the door.  With
one more look back, she snapped off the lights, locked the door,
shoved the key back under it and headed home.





	The morning air was clean, crisp and fresh in Miyoko's
lungs as she strode out into the small plot behind her building.
	Clad in gi and bare feet, she winced slightly at the 
moisture in the grass as she crossed onto it, only to smile as she
found her mark.
	After a few minutes stretching, she turned to the newborn
sun and bowed, then straightened and began her cleansing exercises.
	With her erratic schedule at work, she didn't get to work
out as much as she liked, often having to make do with a rather
vigorous version of Tai Chi.  That, however, didn't compare to the
experience of her full routine, which she now looked forward to
anxiously.
	Her exercises complete, she closed her eyes and calmed
herself, then stepped into her opening stance.  She held it until
she heard a bird call to the morning, and used the cue to explode
into the kata.
	As she progressed through ever more difficult forms,
she smiled as she felt her body and spirit gradually become one,
and her kata take on a life of its own.  Before long, she felt as
if she was merely along for the ride - an incredibly enjoyable
and satisfying ride.
	So engrossed was she that she didn't notice the figure
that had appeared nearby - the one that had rounded the large
building and stopped in its tracks, jaw gaping and hands rising to
cover a flushed face.
	It simply stood at the corner for several minutes, then
finally moved awkwardly toward an adjacent wall.
	Almost an hour later, Miyoko completed the last of her
tenth full kata, and as she settled to the ground, immediately
moved into a cooldown.
	Her wide, ecstatic smile rivaled the well-risen sun as she
reveled in the rush, an experience she hadn't had for several
years.  In the recent past, it always seemed that no matter how
hard she worked, she always fell short.  The inner peace and
satisfaction of old simply hadn't been there.
	But today, it was - and she felt positively high.
	Her cooldown finished, she bowed again to the sun, thanking
it silently for giving her such a perfect morning.
	It was as she rose from the bow that she caught sight of
the figure, now approaching her across the grass.
	"Yoriko-san!"
	Yoriko walked toward her smiling, but at the same time, her
face bore an odd expression -- one somewhere between speechless awe
and an embarrassed flush.
	"Miyoko-san...   That...  Was the most beautiful thing...
I have ever seen," she breathed, her hands clasping before her
chest.
	Miyoko flushed.  "Iya...  I was just practicing,
Yoriko-san.  That ain't very pretty," she deflected, but her chest
still filled.
	"No, no, Miyoko-san!  It was!  I...  Couldn't stop watching
you," Yoriko countered, her eyes widening slightly.
	"Huh -- well, if you thought that was great, then I think
I'm gonna keep you around - you're good for my ego," she chuckled,
teasingly.
	For some reason, the bright, enthusiastic smile that
resulted made her feel even happier.

 


====================================================================
END - Friends and Lovers Part Three     A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva

Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com