Nabiki woke up in an ambulance; she hadn't even realized she had passed out. She exhaled heavily. Seeing a ghost would probably make anyone pass out. She put a shaking hand to her forehead.
"I see that you have reawakened. I felt a bit faint at the prospect of your sister being injured, myself."
Nabiki's eyes snapped open fully at the sound of Kuno's voice. She looked to her right, seeing she was on a bench in the back of the ambulance and she was leaning against... She let out a small shriek and scooted as far down the bench as possible.
"Miss, you'll have to keep quiet. We're still examining your sister," a slim man holding a stethoscope said. He was sitting on the other side of Kuno and attempting to take Akane's blood pressure.
"S.. sorry," Nabiki stuttered. Her eyes returned to Kuno, who was looking intently at Akane. Apparently he wasn't a ghost, but she was sure he shouldn't be alive. Then she saw something she hadn't noticed before: beneath his bangs, on his forehead, there was a character.
She looked closer, trying to read it. It looked similar to that first day of school when Ranma had decorated Kuno's forehead. That had been cute. This was... Well, this was freakish. Wu? How did it get there and what did it signify?
"Careful, cur! Your oafish hands will injure her if you do not pay more attention!" Kuno commanded the medic, who had attempted to take a blood sample.
The medic gave Kuno a disbelieving look. "Don't yell in my ear and I'll be sure nothing happens. IF you don't yell in my ear."
"Very well. You may proceed." Kuno continued to watch the medic like a hawk.
And Nabiki continued to watch Kuno. There didn't seem to be anything different about him aside from the tatooing. He wasn't acting a whole lot different, but if anyone were to remain unaffected by death it would be Tatewaki Kuno. On second thought, he did seem to be a bit more subdued.
She was still looking at him when he turned. "Is there a problem, Nabiki Tendo?"
Nabiki shrunk back and hook her head. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."
"You look disturbed. Are you confident you are well?"
Nabiki nodded, still staring at the character on his forehead.
"You claim you are sound, yet your actions speak the contrary. Please tell me what is troubling you."
She didn't like him looking at her like that; it was disturbing. Instead of speaking, she pointed one shaky finger at his forehead.
Kuno wiped his hand across his brow then looked at it. Nothing. 'There must be something wrong with herself that she is not aware of. There is nothing on my forehead,' he thought. He turned to the medic. "Can you examine Nabiki Tendo as well? I believe she has injured herself."
"Sure. When I'm done here, I'll look at her too." The young man seemed to be the only one unharmed in the entire mess, though his clothes looked like they had been through a shredder. He would have given a large amount of money to know exactly what had happened.
"My little girl!" Soun rushed down the hospital hall only to be stopped by a large orderly.
"I'm sorry, sir. Only doctors are allowed past this point."
"How could this have happened?" Soun wailed. 'My precious daughter hurt in an attack by a fearsome creature!" Soun was calmly escorted to the waiting room, crying the entire time.
"My little girl! I only hope she survives!" Soun dropped into a chair and covered his face with his hands.
"Gee, Daddy. I'm really fine. There's no reason to be concerned about me," Nabiki said flatly.
"So Kuno, what'd you do to Akane this time?" Ranma asked, ice at the edge of his voice.
Kuno, who at some point obtained a change of clothes, gazed at Ranma. "I only did my best to see that she was unharmed. Apparently it was more than you could achieve." Oops, Kuno had hit the wrong button.
With self-control the likes of which no mortal has ever seen, Ranma kept himself from beating Kuno into a smear. "Yeah," he answered through gritted teeth. "Then why is she passed out and you're OK? Huh? Tell me."
Amazingly, Kuno seemed to be at a loss for words. "That I can not say. Though I am sure that the fair Akane would be gravely injured without my intervention."
Neither of the two verbal combatants saw the look on Nabiki's face. Undisguised horror and disgust. Anger too. None of them had seen what she had, they didn't know, couldn't understand. "Shut up! Both of you shut up! Neither of you know anything! I saw him die" She pointed at Kuno. "I saw his body! He should be dead!"
Everyone in the waiting room stared at her. How could a live person be dead? It was completely absurd. Undead and immortals were just things made up in the movies and comic books.
"Geez, Nabiki. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Ranma was trying to look at the back of her head for bumps.
"I asked the medical professional to examine her; he assured me she was completely fine," Kuno answered.
Nabiki shot Ranma and Kuno deadly looks. She didn't appreciate either one's idiotic conversation.
Conversation died down after that and silence descended on the waiting room. Ranma and Kuno glared at each other but held their tongues. Nabiki, to her credit, was doing her best not to completely lose it.
The doctor helped her out a bit by striding into the waiting room. "Family and friends of Akane Tendo?" he asked, looking closely at his clipboard.
Over half the people in the waiting room immediately responded. "Yes?"
The doctor looked up, startled at the sound of so many voices. "Oh, well, you can go in and see her IF YOU'RE QUIET." That doctor glared at each of them. She'll be waking up momentarily."
Before the doctor could move, he was trampled.
The entire mob crowded around Akane's bed, waiting for a sign of consciousness. The only sound in the room was that of Akane's breathing; everyone else seemed to be holding theirs.
Akane groaned once and moved her head, causing everyone to gasp and lean forward in anticipation. The only other person that could cause such an extreme reaction was Kasumi, and she was out shopping.
Akane groaned again and her eyes fluttered open. There was a great intake of air from the people around her. She looked left and right at their faces, still a bit groggy. "What happened?" she asked.
That, of course, sent Soun into fresh hysterics. He was practically dancing around the room, tears gushing from his eyes. Fortune was surely smiling on the Tendo clan that his daughter would be unharmed.
"Yo, Akane. Do you remember what happened?" Ranma asked, trying to sound nonchalant and not give away how worried he was. "I heard you got at..."
Kuno pushed Ranma out of the way and grasped Akane's hand. Like Soun, he was in tears. "Akane Tendo, how my heart is filled with joy upon your wakening. Like stars..."
*CRACK*
Ranma was pissed. He had been on edge ever since learning Akane was in the hospital and his thread of control was severely frayed. Just as he was about to see how she was, Kuno had shoved him aside and started babbling. No more! He refused to take it!
In one fluid motion, Ranma had spun Kuno around and delivered a particularly vicious roundkick to Kuno's cheek. Then another, and another. The last one was just a bit too much for Kuno to handle with Ranma's anger fueling his kicks. As Ranma's foot snapped Kuno's head to the side, slightly too far, there was a popping, cracking noise and Kuno slammed limply against the wall.
Everyone stared at Ranma, whose chest was heaving, then at Kuno on the floor.
The anger on Ranma's face slowly faded as he looked down at Kuno. "I killed him," was all Ranma said. He had lost control and killed someone. Honor and martial arts prowess meant nothing when you were a convicted murderer. Ranma could almost picture the cell... Or worse.
Nabiki let out a choked sob. The whole day had just been too much for her.
"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane asked, full awareness returning to her. "Why did you do that?" Akane seemed reasonable, she felt reasonable, considering what she had been through that day.
"I killed him," Ranma said again, unable to remove his eyes from Kuno.
Akane looked at Kuno's body. There was something she was forgetting, something that had to do with Kuno. She thought back to earlier; walking down the street, seeing Kuno, the monster... Then the hospital. She couldn't remember anything between seeing the monster and waking up in the hospital.
"I killed him," Ranma said yet again. He could tell by the was Kuno's body was twisted, the little smear of blood on the wall, the fact that Kuno wasn't breathing... "I killed him."
Kuno sat up suddenly, shaking his head. He looked up at Ranma. "That hurt, you know." He got to his feet just as Ranma left his. Nabiki wasn't far behind.
Why'd we have to bring that idiot with us?" Ranma asked no one in particular.
"Because there is something very strange going on here," Genma answered, showing uncommon insight. "And it looks like it may be linked to your finacee. So deal with it." Genma attempted to hit Ranma on the back of the head and received a kick in the gut instead.
"Give it up, Pop. You're too old and too slow." Ranma kicked his father off into the canal.
"Saotome, why do you treat your father with such disrespect?" Kuno asked, walking a few steps behind Ranma. He had been delegated to carrying the still unconscious Nabiki, as Soun was helping Akane. If Nabiki had known who was carrying her, she probably would have slipped right into a coma.
"What does it matter to you? At least my dad isn't some loony, hair freak."
A panda came up and swatted Ranma with a sign that read 'Show a little respect, boy!'
"What's your problem, Pop? I was sticking up for you!" Ranma rubbed the back of his head. "Stupid panda," he muttered.
"Yeah, Ranma. At least your dad's not a hair freak," Akane chirped. She was apparently fine and in high spirits. Though no one could be sure if Soun was helping her or if she was helping him.
"He still engaged me to a violent tomboy," Ranma said annoyedly, hitting his father on the head.
"Saotome," Kuno growled, but was unable to take action. Then it struck him (figuratively): they were referring to a panda as Ranma's father. That was odd, to say the least. He had seen Ranma's father. Genma Saotome was a larger balding man in glasses. He was most assuredly NOT a panda. And this panda looked nothing like Ranma's father... Except for those glasses. And the gi stretched over the black and white fur. What was going on? His mind was in a confused whirl.
The group arrived back at the Tendo home without further incident. Kasumi greeted them all with a warm smile. "I'm happy to see you're safe, Akane."
"Thanks, Kasumi. I'm perfect," Akane answered brightly. And, in fact, she felt perfect. Even fabulous.
"Oh my. What's happened to Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, seeing her sister limp in Kuno's arms.
"She passed out in the hospital," Akane said.
"Oh my," Kasumi repeated, her hand at her mouth. "Tatewaki, could you take Nabiki to her room?"
Thinking himself always the gentleman, Kuno answered. "But of course. However, I am unfamiliar as to the location of said room."
"I'll show him," offered Akane. "I want to change anyway."
"Thank you, Akane. Dinner will be ready shortly so don't take too long."
"I won't, Kasumi. Come on, Kuno," she said and waved her hand, heading up the stairs.
Ranma scowled in their direction before turning his attention to his father.
As Kuno ascended the stairs he could hear Ranma talking. "Geez, Pop. You gonna stay like that all day, or are you gonna change?" Then the panda responded with some growling noises.
It was all most curious. Could it be that the entire Saotome line consisted of foul magic users? Could Ranma's father be cursed to turn into a panda? Or did he choose to? These were questions he would have to ask later.
"That's her room, right there," Akane said, pointing.
"Thank you," Kuno said, and took a step towards the door with the duck on it. "Akane Tendo," he asked, turning back around. "Would you be kind enough to answer a question?"
Akane had almost made it into her room, but not quite. She faced Kuno. "What is it?"
"Why does Saotome refer to that panda as his father?""
Akane choked and tried to hold back her laughter. "It's a long story, Kuno-sempai."
"Mayhaps you would tell it to me one day."
Akane nodded slowly, then disappeared into her room.
Kuno went into Nabiki's room and laid her on the bed. There was something not quite right about the Saotomes and Tendos he decided. He couldn't put his finger on it, but they just weren't quite normal. Under usual circumstances, he would ask Nabiki, but she seemed to be having trouble speaking to him. A thought occurred to him. Could it possibly be that Nabiki Tendo was smitten with him?
He almost burst into maniacal laughter before remembering the unconscious girl. How fate liked to play games; dangling beautiful girls before him only to pull them away when he reached out. Then to tempt him with others that he was forced to push away. How ironic.
At this point, Nabiki began to mumble. "Kuno-chan..."
Ah, she was even dreaming about him. He knew it would hurt her to know that he could not return her affections, but love was sometimes painful. He knew that from experience.
"Give me more, Kuno-chan... More..."
It seemed her dreams were... less than pure. But that was his affect on women. He could not be faulted for the charms he was born with.
"It's big, but it's not enough, Kuno-chan..."
Kuno's eyes got very wide upon hearing Nabiki's sleeptalk.
"At least 200,000 yen, Kuno-chan... More..."
Kuno frowned. It seemed there was only one thing Nabiki Tendo ever thought about. He never liked her anyway; what did he care if she was only interested in his money?
He left her room, closing the door quietly behind him, and headed downstairs.
Kuno sat down at the table. Nabiki, Akane and Ranma's father were still absent so Kasumi was hesitant to begin serving.
"But Kasumi, I'm starving," Ranma whined.
"We should really wait for the others. What would they say if there was no food left for them?"
"Probably something like 'I'm hungry'." Ranma snickered at his own lame joke.
Kuno gave Ranma a dirty look. Ranma was always so rude. How could he think of denying Akane Tendo the food that she needed to survive? How could he think of laughing at her in her time of need?
A few moments later, Nabiki came downstairs, looking a bit bleary. She gave Kuno a fearful glance before sitting down as far away from him as possible. No one seemed to notice, though. The same way no one seemed to notice the character on Kuno's forehead.
Ranma drummed his fingers impatiently on the table. "Hurry up, Pop!" he yelled in the direction of the bathroom.
Genma walked out, water still clinging to his face, and sat next to Ranma. "No need to shout, boy."
Kuno studied Genma. Ranma had called out and this man had responded. It was the man Kuno had originally thought was Ranma's father and most definitely NOT a panda. But there were the glasses and the gi... Kuno's interest was heightened.
"How..." he began to ask.
Before he could continue, though, Akane came down the stairs. Well, who they thought was Akane. She looked like Akane except for the third eye staring at them all.
"A... Akane?" Ranma stuttered, not quite believing what he was seeing.
Akane didn't speak. She silently floated behind Soun and stopped. Everyone stared, she stared back. She hovered a few inches off the ground, her aura casting an eerie blue glow over the table. She began to speak.
"I am not the one you know as Akane Tendo." It was Akane's voice, but with a more ethereal quality to it. "Before you act, Ranma Saotome, allow me to explain."
Ranma bit back the questions, the shouts, the accusations and settled for listening. For the moment.
"So fear not. Akane Tendo is alive; her consciousness still resides in this body. As do I. I am Kamiko Kuraii and I am immortal." She stopped, expecting someone to say something. They all remained silent.
"I can not say what awakened me; only that for 16 years I slept in this body. And now I exist in a state of half-being. Only when I have sufficient energy may I make my presence known. The way I am doing now." She stopped again. The questions would begin soon.
"But what do you want?" asked Genma. This little development could ruin the entire engagement. Then who would carry on the school?
"What do any of you want? I wish to only continue my existence. And that is part of the reason I did what you may have witnessed earlier." Kamiko looked directly at Nabiki.
"You mean with the light and that orb against that monster?" Nabiki asked, the image of Kuno splatted against the ground back in her mind.
"Correct. In this form I have great power. Great power that is easily used up. When my power is exhausted, I must rest. This is when Akane returns with no memory of what has happened."
"So you're just taking over and you'll let out Akane when you get tired?" Ranma asked angrily.
"No. My power is quite limited. I can not maintain my presence for very long. That is why I exist in a state of half-being. And that is why what I have to say is important to you all." She looked at each of them.
"I have made my presence known once. That is enough; there are those who will seek me out. And whether it is Akane Tendo or myself makes no difference to them."
"Fine. Then when they come around, we'll just pound the tar out of them," Ranma said, smacking his fist into his open hand.
"I am afraid that their power exceeds even your own, Ranma Saotome. That is why I am forced to choose a guardian who will be able to withstand their attacks. A guardian who will protect Akane Tendo while I regain my power."
"I'll do it. I'll be your guardian. Just tell me what I..." Ranma volunteered.
"It is too late. I have already chosen." She noted the angry look on Ranma's face. "It was chance and nothing more. It was a soul in need. I saved it and now that person will serve as my guardian, my wu."
Nabiki's head whipped around to look at Kuno. "Wu?" she asked.
"Yes. My wu protects me while I am defenseless. In return, I have taken that soul and merged it with my own. My guardian is immortal until that time that I am destroyed."
"And the soul is released?" Nabiki questioned.
"The soul is destroyed then." Kamiko looked cooly at each person, letting her gaze rest on Kuno. "Tatewaki Kuno. You are my guardian. Do not fail in your duty."
"No!" yelled Ranma as the third eye began to close and Akane's aura faded.