~Riley's P.O.V~

"Morning Carp! DJ Slimo in da booth. Taken on Spirit Day! A full day of celebrating Norrisville High's exceptional exceptionalism." I heard Slimovits on the intercom as Rachel and I quickly followed other students into the gym where the morning rave party was being held.

"Yohooo! Go Carps!" Rachel cheered as she danced into the crowed.

I laughed as I followed after her enjoying the excited atmosphere.

"Attention, we will be taking the Spirit Rave yearbook photo in 5 minutes!" Slimovits said into a microphone to the dancing crowd.

"Ya pictures!" Rachel cheered before pausing. "Bathroom first."

I laughed. "Hurry back!"

She nodded before leaving.

~Rachel's P.O.V~

Humming a tune as I skipped towards the bathroom I stopped midstep when I heard a loud noise come from the main entrance.

Curious, I slowly made my way over to the door as the noises became louder. 

Hand against the door, I pushed it open and came face to face with cold blue eyes and large white fangs.

I felt myself begin to tremble and hyperventilate as the thing growled at me.

Letting out a roar, it charged.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

~Riley's P.O.V~

"Everybody line up for our first Spirit Day yearbook photo!" Slimovits said as everyone got ready for the picture.

I glanced at the gym entrance wondering where Rachel was.

She loves making memories.

"Three, two, one. Lactose-free cheddar!" I whipped my head around in time to flash a smile at the camera. "I will treasure that."

The moment it was over I jogged out of the gym to heads towards the bathroom but a weak groan stoped me.

Looking over my shoulder, my eyes widen in fear at the sight of a disheveled Rachel slumped against the wall unconscious.

"Rachel!" I scrambled over and kneeled down next to her shaking her shoulder. "Rachel? Rachel wake up!"

She groaned again as her eyes flickered open. "R-Riley?"

I sighed in relief. "Oh thank cheese. Rachel what happened to you?"

She looked past me, thinking. "I-I don't know. I was heading towards the bathroom when I heard something from the main entrance. I went to go look but then....." She trails off.

Wary, I helped her up before cautiously opening the door only seeing Randy and Howard but see nothing out of the ordinary.

Confused, I closed the door and turned to Rachel. "I don't see anything weird. Are you sure your okay?"

She nodded and started walking on shaky legs. "Yeah I'm fine. Lets go to homroom."

"Uh okay." I reluctantly followed after her.

If I was beside her, I would have seen her eyes change from a dark green to an icy blue with slitted pupils.

                                                                              ~~Time Skip~~
After reporting to Homeroom for attendance, we hung out in the classroom discussing our plans for the day.

"..okay so after dropping by the band room, we check out the cafeteria for the wild west thing their doing, walk around, and then head out to the bonfire. About right?" I asked leaning back in my chair.

"Mm-hmm." Rachel hummed in agreement. "We should also grab some snacks incas-"

She was cut off by someone bumping into her.

"Whoops! Sorry about-"

A loud growling sound was then heard stopping the guy mid-sentence and everyone who heard it started looking around for the source.

I glanced at Rachel and blinked in shock when I realized it was her who was growling.

And it wasn't a human growl either it was almost animalistic.

I see she was glaring at the guy and baring her teeth which was an immediate red flag since she was probably one of the most laid back people I know.

The guy also noticed this and flinched back.

"Rachel?" I called out putting a hand on her shoulder.

Her growling stopped and she turned to me confused as if she didn't just look like was about to rip this kid a new one.

"Whats up Riley?" 

I stared at her in worry before flicking my eyes up to the guy only yo see him gone. Looking back at her I said. "Uhhh...I could ask you the same thing."

"What do you mean?" She asked as she started scratching her arm.

"You just growled at somebody."

"I did?" She tilted her head looking skeptical.

"Rachel are you sure your okay?" I asked glancing at her arms as she scratched.

"Fine, just a little itchy." She was now scratching her face and sides.

"If your sure."

We then decided to head towards the band room and all through during the walk, Rachel wouldn't stop scratching herself leaving some red marks.

"Did you get bit by some bugs or something?" I asked grimacing at her reddening skin.

"No..-grunt- I was fine this morning.." She wined as we entered the band room.

The room was pretty empty beside Flute girl and Bucky.

"Hey guys!" Rachel greeted with a small wave while still scratching.

"Hey..." I said glancing at Rachel worryingly.

"Hey guys. Have you guys seen Howard?" Flute girl asked.

"No, why?"

"He's been acting really weird today." Bucky said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Regular weird or Weird weird?"

"Weird weird."

"How so?"

"He flapping his arms around and acting like a bird. He even screeched like a bird." Flute girl explained.

"Huh, that is weird. What do you think Rachel-RACHEL?!" I yelled in shock when I turned to look at her only to see a large pile of instruments and other items in the room with her sitting on top of it looking smug.

But me calling her name seemed to snap her out of it, cause she started looking around confused before noticing where she was.

She glanced down at the instruments and then at us. "Uh.... What just happened?"

Bucky, Flute girl, and I slowly shared a look before looking back at her. "We wanna know too."

After a small awkward silence, I walked over to her.

I reached for her while grabbing an instrument.  "Uh Rachel, how about you get down before you-"

A growl was my only warning when she suddenly snapped at my hand, that i was able to pull away in time, and snatched the instrument from my hand and held it to her in a possessive way.

She suddenly stopped growling and looked horrified at what she just did.

"Oh my God, Riley I'm so sorry! I dont know what came over me!" She exclaimed dropping the instrument looking freaked out.

Looking over my shoulder, I see Bucky and Flute girl looking bewildered at the situation of their bandmate.

Looking back at Rachel, I gently started easing her down from the pile and out the door. "Lets get you something to drink from the cafeteria, okay." Over my shoulder I yelled, "Later" to Bucky and Flute girl.

On our way to the cafeteria we were given some cowboy accessories as we walked in.

Rachel had a pink cowboy hat, with matching boots, gloves, and a little gold star on her shirt.

I was wearing a tan cowboy hat, a dark blue bandana around my neck, and an empty gun holster. 

"They sure did go all out in here..." I commented as I looked around.

They even had a mechanical bull.

Rachel hummed in agreement around her 5 water bottle and still scratching her arms.

I was about to say something else when somebody bumped into me slightly.

Turning to look, I see I'm looking into a pair of blue eyes.

I tilted my head. "Randy?"

He flinched back with a slightly red face. "R-R-Riley! Hey-hey how-hows its going?"

"Uh..good." I said grinning once I took in his outfit. "Awesome costume Randy."

 His face went redder and started stuttering at my comment as I took notice of a missing Weinerman.

"Hey Randy, where's Howard?"

He stops his stuttering and snaps his head around looking for Howard. When he didn't see him, he groaned in annoyance. "Now where is he?"

I looked past him and I felt my eyes widen in shock. "Uh Randy..." I pointed behind him.

He followed my finger and gasped when he sees Howard on top of a vending machine looking ready to jump.

Randy immediately went after him as I watched.

"Geez, Flute girl and Bucky weren't kidding about Howard, huh Rachel?"

No answer.

"Rachel?" I looked around me and see my pink loving friend is gone.

"Really!?" I cried out, feeling annoyed.

Stepping forward to start my search in looking for her, I felt something under my shoe.

Looking down, I see its Rachel's pink glove.

Slowly looking up, I see a small spaced out trail of pink cowboy accessories leading into the kitchen.

Making sure no one was following me, I sneakily snuck into the kitchen. 

"Rachel?" I called out getting no reply. A quick glance around and I don't see Rachel or anything unusual.

Except a cracked open freezer.

Cautiously, I crept over to the freezer door, nudged it open, and peered inside.

I was not prepared for what I was seeing.

"RACHEL!"

I ran into the freezer and knelt down her shivering unconscious form.

I started picking her up. "Alright that's it, I'm taking you to the nurse!"

                                                                   ~~Time Skip~~

Now in the nurse's office, I was watching over Rachel as she slept in a recovery be.

I sighed. "What's going on Rachel?" I sat down on the bed next to hers only to jump right back up with an "OW!"

Rubbing my butt from the sudden sharp prick, I said. "The juice was that?"

Feeling something press against my fingers, I pulled that something from my pants and held it in front of my face between two fingers.

"....A scale?" I turned the peach colored  scale in my fingers seeing it was half the size of my thumb.

Rachel's sleepy groaning took my attention away the scale as I watch her wrestle an arm from the under the sheets.

I gasped at the sight of her scale infested arm.

"Okay that is not normal..." A flash of blue from my bag caught my attention.

"Nomicon?" I pulled the book out and sat on the bed. "Nomicon what's going on? Rachel's been acting weird all day and she's suddenly growing scales! Whats happening?!"

The booked flipped opened and I felt myself be pulled in.

"Arwoooh!"

~Inside the Kunoichi Nomicon~

-Centuries ago, a great battle was fought between the Kunoichi and a corrupted dragon, the Okami. The beast was too strong to defeat until the Kunoichi found the source of Okami's great power. The icy scales infused into the Kunoichi suit gave the Kunoichi a mysterious power. Upon defeating the Okami, the Ninja and Kunoichi imprisoned it and the demon bird, the Tengu, in a sacred stone. The two beast can only be released by the hands of the Ninja and Kunoichi!-

     -The Okami/Tengu and the Kunoichi/Ninja are forever linked. Their strengths are shared.-

~Back outside~

Gasping I shot up from laying position only to swallow back a scream when I took in the sight of the destroyed nurse office with a gapping hole in the wall showing outside.

Jumping to my feet, I clutched the side of the hole and look around at the mass of screaming students.

"Growaaaaa!!"

Snapping my head up, my body froze in shock and fear at the sight of a large orange bird circling the sky.

But my eyes were more focused on the dark peach colored dragon with a brown mane and icy blue eyes that was flying with it,

"Rachel....."

~Third Person P.O.V~

"SMOKEBOMB!" 

Ninja and Kunoichi appeared in front of the bird demon and dragon as the two beast were fighting over a car.

"Hey! Drop the car, you two." Ninja ordered.

The two partners then had to flip out of the way as their possessed friends dropped the car where they were last standing.

Which was the Principal's car.

That then blew up.

"Not cool, bird thingy! Not cool." Slimovits complained from near by.

The bird demon swooped down at Ninja who dodged while Kunoichi started following the dragon as it flew around above her.

"Rachel! Get down here so I can help you!" Kunoichi yelled pulling out a chain-sickle and throwing the chain towards her friend.

The chain wrapped around the dragon's upper body causing it growl.

A strong flick of its body had Kunoichi being flung around in the air. But being to focused on Kunoichi the dragon didn't see the school building in front of it and ending up crashing into it face first.

Kunoichi grunted when landed on her back but quickly got to her feet. She looked at the dazed dragon as it shook its head from the impact.

"Rachel I'm so sorry...." Kunoichi then paused before continuing. "But to the Okami possessing her, HA!"

Angry icy blue eyes snapped towards Kunoichi as the dragon growled before lunging at her with mouth wide open.

Kunoichi quickly jumping side to side trying to avoid the dragon's sharp teeth. When Okami launched at her again, she did a back-flip kick hitting the dragon in the chin.

The dragon flipped over and hits its head on a tree. Kunoichi backflipped closer to the bonfire to give herself some distance from the dragon.

But that didn't do anything as Ninja, who was ridding the bird demon, crashed into her as the giant bird crashed near by.

"Ow...." Ninja groaned as he rolled of his partner.

Kunoichi moaned in pain as she sat up and rubbed her sore head. Eyes glancing at the Okami, she see its rubbing its own head and whining in pain.

Glancing at her partner, she sees he's rubbing his arm in pain. And just past him she see's the giant bird doing the same.  

She gasped when she remembered the Nomicon's words.

-The Okami/Tengu and the Kunoichi/Ninja are forever linked. Their strengths are shared.- 

"Ninja quick! Punch me in the face!" Kunoichi told her partner.

He looked at her like she was crazy. "W-what? No! I'm not gonna punch you!"

"Ninja look!" Kunoichi gestured to the beasts as they wined over their injures. "Their connected to us. Whatever happens to us...."

"Happens to them....." Ninja finished with a look of realization. He got up and faced his partner, pushing down the wave of incoming guilt and punched her across the face!

Both Kunoichi and the Okami yelled and stumbled back from the punch holding their faces in pain

"Kuno! I'm so sorry!" Ninja apologized looking regretful.

Kunoichi shook her head to wave away the pain. "No! No its okay, beside I should be saying sorry..."

"Why?" Ninja asked.

"This." Kunoichi then roundhouse kicked her partner in the side causing him to shout in pain with the Tengu doing the same.

Kunoichi looked at their possessed friends before looking at her partner. "Ninja we have to go all out."

"But..."Ninja protested but Kunoichi stopped him.

"Look I know this is bad...but we don't have much of a choice...." Kunoichi explained.

Ninja thought for a moment before nodding in agreement with a determined look on his face.

The two partners faced each other and both fell into fighting stance, looks of determination to save their friends. And looks of regret in having to cause the other pain.

"Sorry Kuno..."

"Sorry Red..." 

The two began delivering blows to the  other making sure not hesitate and not to dodge.

The Tengu and the Okami's cries of pain could be heard as the two suffered from attacks.

Stumbling back, Ninja and Kunoichi panted as the ignore their bodies screaming in pain before they charged at each other and delivered a simultaneous punch to the others face causing them to fall the ground, exhausted.

Glancing at the possessed students, the two heroes groaned in despair when they see that the two beast were down but not out.

"Just-grunt- one more...." Ninja panted out, slowly getting to his feet.

"..to end this...." Kunoichi finished, flinching from her aching injures.

Facing each other, they both pulled out a single manrikigusari and sent the other a apologetic look.

"Sorry...." 

Yelling a war cry, the two swung their weapons and struck each other painfully in the face.

The sound of screeching made the two partners tiredly look to see black and blue mist come out of their friends, as they turned back to normal, go into the air and revealing the Tengu and Okami's true forms.

Ignoring them for a moment, Ninja and Kunoichi limped towards their respective friend and started helping them.

Kunoichi lightly tapped Rachel's face. "Rachel? Rachel wake up."

Rachel's face scrunched up from being awakened as her eyes fluttered open. "Ku-Kunoichi?"

Kunoichi nodded giving her a smile as she helped her up. "Yeah its me. Listen, you need to-" 

A sudden force cut Kunoichi off as she was shoved to the side. Snapping her head, she watches in horror as the Okami flew into the air with Rachel in its claws and the Tengu doing the same with Howard. 

"They wont stop! What can we do!?" Kunoichi asked her partner starting to panic.

Not getting an immediate answer, she turned to him seeing he was deep in thought.

"If the suits and Tengu/ Okami are linked....." His gazed then turned towards the bonfire.

Kunoichi stared at him in confusion before it clicked. "You really cant be thinking...."

"I am." Ninja said looking determined and a little unsure.

"You do you realize what will happen if we do this."

"I know." His gaze went up towards their friends and then back at her. "But I'm willing to risk it. For them."

Kunoichi gazed at him in surprise and then huffed out a laugh. "I think you mean we're willing to risk it." She grabbed hold of his hand, giving it an comforting squeeze and turning to gaze at the fire, not letting go. "It was a pleasure working with you Ninja."

"Likewise Kunoichi."

"On three."

"1"

"2"

"3!"

~Riley's P.O.V~    

I shut my eyes tight as I ripped my mask off my head and threw it into the fire and didn't open them as the Okami and Tengu screeched before everything fell into a silence.

"...Did you see?" I heard my partner ask me after a moment.

I shook my head. "No, got my eyes clamped shut."

"Same." We laughed at our unknowingly need to respect the other with our identities.

A small thud made me crack an eye open and see that Howard landed a few feet from my left. I held back a grin as he picked himself up, looked in our direction, and gapes.

"You! Kunoichi-what- but-"

I chuckled weakly, giving him a small wave with my free hand. "Hey Howard."

He continued to gape as his eyes flickered from me to Ninja.

"Look at each other, like right now."

Looking at him shocked, I hear Ninja sigh in frustration. "Howard..."

"No seriously, look at each other right now."

"No Howard." Ninja said firmly causing Howard to be quiet for a moment with a blank face.

"......."

"......."

"......."

"......."

"......."

"HEY KUNOICHI DID YOU KNOW THAT NINJA HAS THE BIGGEST CRUSH-"

"HOWA-" A gasp stopped Ninja as I felt him suddenly move.

Feeling a fond exasperation go through me knowing my partner unintentionally looked, I turned my head towards him. "Really Red, was the temptation to gre-" My joking comment gets stuck in my throat as I gazed at a face I see nearly everyday.

"Randy?..."

"Riley?..."

My jaw didn't want to reconnect to my head as I stare at the equally shocked face of Randy Cunningham.

"It-" I stuttered. "It-It was you all this time?"

Randy flinched a bit, looking self conscious, "A-are you upset that its me?..."

"No!"

We were now facing each other fully. "No, I-I-I just d-didn't think Ninja was someone I knew personally."

I glanced to the side suddenly feeling nervous. "Are you upset that's it me-"

"Nonono- your amazing! Your observant, smart, all ways there, and your just awesome!"

My face goes a little red at his rambling complements and I start to laugh making him pause in his rant and join in.

"We are such dorks..." I giggled out.

"Yeah...." He chuckled rubbing the back of his head.

Shaking my head. "I still cant believe we knew each other-"

"The three things I cant believe,!" Howard cut in, coming to stand beside us. "First, Is that you two gave up being the Ninja and Kunoichi to save Rachel and I."

"Hey your my bro. And it was kinda my fault that I broke that stone in the school and accidentally released a bird demon and dragon that possessed you and Rachel...."Randy said sheepishly. 

"Which I would like an explanation for." I said narrowing my eyes at Randy.

"The second thing is that I know the Kunoichi!" Howard said looking smug as Randy and I shared an eyeroll.

"And the third thing?" Randy asked.

Howard gained a sly smirk and pointed at us. "That you two are still holding hands."

My eyes snapped down to Randy and I's conjoined hands and quickly broke it while looking away feeling embarrassed.

 Though looking away allowed me to spot Rachel laying on a bush, still knocked out.

I hurriedly jogged over to her as Randy punched a snickering Howard in the shoulder when my back was turned.

Deciding against waking her up, I carried her bridle style to a log and leaned her against it.

The moment I did that the ground around us began shaking and an explosion came from the fire.

Standing on my feet, I went and stood next to Randy as we watched small spirits dance around the sky before colliding with each other in a flash of light.

And in the middle of it all, were our masks.

The two pieces of cloths fell down and into our awaiting hands. Gazing at revived mask, the marking on it glowed blue.

Sharing a excited look with Randy, I shoved the mask on and immediately felt and icy feeling course through my body.

Without even thinking, I brought out my tessens and preform some moves as the icy feeling went away.

"This is the Brucest thing in the history of Bruce!" Ra-Ninja cheered before looking at me and held up his hand. "Up top?"

I smiled under my mask. "Always." I said as I high-fived him.

"Uh guys, I think your getting a call." Howard said pointing to our glowing backs.

Confused, we both pulled our books.

Before we could open them, the small symbol in the middle of the book suddenly opened and I watched in awe as a necklace floated out of the book.

The necklace was a simple woven brown thread that held a blue stone in the shape as half of an yin yang symbol.

Slowly, I reached out to touch it but flinched back as it moved away from my hand and started floating towards Ninja as a similar necklace, but red, started coming towards me.

Holding out my hand to the stone, it then fell straight into my palm.

I slowly looked at Ninja as he looked me.

"Whoa..."

~Third Person P.O.V~

The majority of the school was now at the bonfire partying.

"So I tripped a carp hat and hit my head on a wall?" Rachel, now awake, asked Riley after asking why she was a asleep.

"Pretty munch." Riley lied as she fiddled with her necklace under her shirt.

"Everyone, due to an unscheduled monster attack, we were unable to take the bonfire yearbook photo." Slimovits announced. "Please line up so we can record this moment for posterity."

"Hey, you thinking what I'm thinking?" Randy asked Howard as everyone started getting into position.

Howard smirked. "Startled Bigfoot."

"Invisible sandwich."

The Bonfire yearbook photo is taken and if one were taking the time to look closer at the picture, they would Randy Cunningham and Riley Davis unknowingly glancing at each other.

Why?

Well only they knew. 

(Author's Note, Please Read,)

Now I know what your thinking, 'Isn't it to early for a reveal?', and I would have to agree with you but I honestly could not think of a better way to do it.

Its also why I was holding off this episode for so long.

Really wished episode was in a different order though.

But my main plan for our two heroes in season 1 is showing their relationship develop with each other from civilian friends, Hero partners, to now revealed in order to help form more emotion later on.

And for the people just here for Romance, TOO BAD!, your still only getting the fluff snips here and there.

Season 2 on the other hand....... I'm just gonna keep quiet. XP.

And my more lesser reason for this is.....

I have YET to find a fricken story that follows the that has reached a reveal moment from either abandonment for people not updating for months! 

So I'm trying to break that cycle.

Hope you enjoyed, and until next time!