Akane opened her eyes to sun streaming through her window. She stretched in her bed and tossed off her covers. She swung her feet out of bed and put them right into her slippers.
She stood up and stretched again. She just knew that it was going to be a good day. She left her room, clearing the sleep from her eyes. Heading downstairs, she could hear Kasumi in the kitchen and yelling from outside. The house was operating as normal.
"Morning, Dad," she said brightly, passing her father from the table.
"Good morning, Akane," he answered, not lifting his head from the paper.
Akane went into the kitchen. "Morning, Kasumi."
Kasumi turned from doing the dishes and greeted Akane. "Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yeah. My headache just went away and I fell right asleep. I didn't wake up until this morning."
"That's nice. Would you like some breakfast?"
"Sure. Where is everyone?" There was still a lot of noise from outside, but it wasn't Ranma's or his father's normal grunts.
"Nabiki is still in bed. Father is reading the paper, Uncle Saotome went to Dr. Tofu's already, and Ranma and Tatewaki are outside."
"Oh, thanks. I'm going to go change now." Akane left the kitchen to head back upstairs.
In her room, she got out her white sundress and a sweater to protect against the chill. Definitely a good day...
Akane stepped outside just in time to see Kuno get hit by one of Ranma's generic ki blasts and slam against the wall. She growled good naturedly. "Ranma..."
Ranma turned at the sound of her voice. "Hi, Akane. How ya feel this morning?" Breathing - steady and regular. Hair - unmussed. Sweat - none. Kuno had given him a good fight.
"Great. I've never felt better. How are you?" She clasped her hands behind her back and smiled at him.
Ranma's mind was headed toward neutral with the display of cuteness before him. "F... fine. My arm and leg are fine."
"That's good." She looked past him. "Morning, Kuno-sempai." She walked back inside, whistling. A very good day...
She sat down at the table and witnessed Nabiki coming down the stairs. She looked worse for wear. A lot worse. "Morning, Nabiki," Akane said, smiling. She just couldn't tone down her pleasant feelings, no matter how Nabiki tried to discourage her.
"Yeah, it is," Nabiki answered grumpily, then headed for the bathroom.
Akane shrugged, then started on her breakfast.
Ranma came in, followed closely by Kuno. "Not bad. But if I'd been actually fighting you, you woulda been toast," Ranma said, then smiled at Akane.
Akane could see a red mark on Ranma's arm, like he'd been pinched.
Kuno frowned. "One of these days, Saotome, you shall find yourself on the receiving end of my sword," he growled.
"Let me know when and I'll be sure to be worried," Ranma said flippantly. Ranma had found a verbal sparring partner that couldn't out-think him.
Kuno frowned at Ranma's weak attempt at humor. It was so feeble there wasn't anything to say back. He considered hitting Ranma in the back, but knew the pig-tailed boy (how strange that sounded in his mind) had the reflexes, and luck, of the gods. He took a lazy swipe anyway, to keep up appearances.
As predicted, Ranma moved to the side, dodging the bokken but smacking into the table. A glass of water perched precariously at the edge poured on him, now her. He managed to hold back the cursing, but when he saw Akane's amused expression and the strange glint in Kuno's eye, he still managed to hold it back. Barely.
"Get your yucks now, Akane," he/she growled. "I'd like to see you livin' with this stupid curse." He started to go to the kitchen. "Course, it'd probably make you more feminine," spilled out of his mouth.
He was never quite sure what hit him.
"It's a statue. I think it's what you're looking for," Tofu said into the phone.
He held the phone away as Akane's shout reached him. He hung up, preparing for another visit from the group. He rubbed his temples. The shouting, the yelling, the mallets, the zombies... He sighed.
"It's called the ningen, or statue of humanity. It took a bit of work, but there were quite a few articles about it in the paper." He revealed a thick stack of copies he had gotten at the library.
"There's plenty of information about it for the everyday person, but nothing like what you want to know. I can tell you stories and legends, but again, nothing specific. I'm afraid if you need anything else, you'll be on your own." He pushed a piece of paper forward with a crappy black and white picture of a statue on it.
Akane leaned forward and stared. She couldn't make out a whole lot from the picture, but could tell it was of considerable size and lacked artistic merit. In other words, it was big and ugly.
"It belonged to an art collector in India who sold it about five years ago. Apparently, some rich collector in Hong Kong lacked taste too and bought it." Tofu pushed over a couple more copies. "It was brought here as part of an exhibition and mysteriously disappeared, stolen from the museum." He was silent after that.
Akane glanced at the copies, looking at he bad pictures, but not reading the words. She pushed them aside, where Ranma and Kuno fought over them.
"And that's all you know?" Akane asked, feeling a little let down.
"I'm afraid so. I'm fairly sure this is what you're looking for. I found some vague stories talking about the ningen and the sanjiyan... It's hard to explain and doesn't really say a whole lot." He looked at each of them. "I suggest that if this is what you want, you talk to the previous owner."
This might be more than the kids could handle, but with the presence of a sanjiyan, he just couldn't say. "Whatever you decide to do, I want to wish you good luck."
Akane smiled sadly. She had been hoping for an easy solution to the whole thing, only to find it would not be so. "Thank you, Dr. Tofu." How long would she have to live a half-life, always in danger? Would she ever be able to return to her normal life and be fully human? "I need to talk to my family."
She stood up and started to leave.
"Wait a sec, Akane," Ranma said, collecting all of Dr. Tofu's papers. He followed her.
Kuno made to follow them before the doctor stopped him.
"Tatewaki? I think it's time for that physical."
Kuno cringed, but stayed behind.
"So what'd you do this time?" Ranma asked Kuno. He was grinning like a piranha.
"Merely a test of my physical conditioning. He declared me in perfect health," Kuno answered, denying Ranma any and all satisfaction. "Now, may we proceed to my abode? It is not a trip I am looking forward to, but it is necessary."
Ranma was wondering what it meant if the guy that lived there didn't want to go. Obviously nothing good. Sometimes Ranma wondered if Kuno and Kodachi were really the loving, yet twisted, siblings that they seemed to be. Ranma could hear the hostility in Kuno's voice whenever he talked about hi sister.
With Kuno as their chaperone, and Akane's protector, the visit to the Kuno home was almost pleasant. Almost.
"Brother dear, what are you doing with that wicked... Ranma darling! You've come to visit me!" She leaped towards Ranma, who deftly sidestepped.
"Sister, I demand you cease this behavior. We have important business to attend to." Kuno was looking at his sister crossly.
"Love comes before business, brother." She turned to Ranma, ignoring Akane at the moment. "Now, Ranma, my darling, let us retire to my room. We can make the wedding plans."
Akane growled, an angry, feral noise. If looks could kill, Kodachi would be experiencing more deaths than her brother. Akane's aura was beginning to flare, unnoticed by the others. "Rrrranma..." She sounded a bit like Tony the Tiger...
"Akane... It's not my fault..." He was trying o escape Kodachi and avoid Akane's wrath.
Kodachi glared at Akane. "Akane Tendo! You are not invited! Now I insist that you... leave!" She whipped out a hoop from nowhere and flung it at Akane.
Akane didn't have time to dodge out of the way of the incoming hoop before Kuno was in front of her. "Sister! I forbid i..." There was a noncommittal gurgling noise coming from Kuno since the hoop had severed his parts needed for speech.
Everyone froze as Kuno's blood spilled all over the floor.
"Brother," Kodachi said in an amazed tone. Had she just killed her brother? That wasn't supposed to happen; it never happened before.
Slowly, Kuno's hand rose and gripped the hoop. He yanked it free from his neck and dropped it to the floor. He tried to speak again and blood fountained from his neck, dribbled from his mouth.
Akane turned away. She couldn't see the actual injury, but the blood all over the floor was enough. Ranma looked sickened, and Kodachi was horrified.
Kuno stood wavering a bit; they all expected him to fall over at any moment. Instead, he stood, staring straight ahead. He looked surprised, with the blood coursing down his chest and running don his chin. He finally dropped his bokken.
Sasuke appeared at that moment, hearing all the commotion and deciding to investigate. "Tatewa..." Sasuke fainted at the sight.
Kuno told the story to a curious Kodachi and a confused Sasuke, saying that he wasn't sure when he would return. Kodachi had immediately begun planning a way to get Ranma, since Akane was far too freakish for him. In Kodachi's opinion of course.
Sasuke merely wondered if it meant he would have less laundry. He didn't consider that he would be stuck with only Kodachi and her father...
"And so I must take my leave of you. The goal we reach for is one of life and death. My presence is required."
If he was going off to parts unknown with Akane... Kodachi began grinning madly. Again.
"Tatewaki-sama, how long will you be gone?" Sasuke asked. 'Please say a long time, please say a long time.'
"I can not say. Most likely, it will be quite a time. I do not plan on returning until Akane Tendo and I are both returned to normal. We will travel extensively to parts unknown."
'Yes!' Sasuke nodded sagely. 'Woo hoo! Party ti...' He looked at Kodachi, who was still grinning.
"Sasuke! Fetch my sword so we may depart."
"Yes, Tatewaki-sama." Sasuke disappeared into the depths of the house.
"Brother, what shall happen if you do not return?" And take Akane Tendo with you she didn't bother adding.
"Then you must assume the worst, sister. I will try to keep you abreast of the situation, but it may not be possible at all times."
"Don't worry, brother dear. We won't worry a moment." Kodachi smiled sweetly, breaking her grin for a moment.
Kuno looked at her critically as Sasuke returned with his sword. "I'm sure you won't. Thank you, Sasuke." He took his sword and stood. Kodachi stood as well.
Kuno adjusted his clothes, which he had changed, and fixed his katana to his waist. He bowed deeply to Kodachi. "Goodbye, sister." He looked at Sasuke. "Goodbye, Sasuke. Tell father where I've gone." And then he left.
"Goodbye, brother," Kodachi said quietly.
"Let us leave. A long goodbye can be most distressful to one's heart." He was just outside the gate, speaking to Akane and Ranma.
Neither one of them felt all that comfortable around Kodachi and had thought it best to let Kuno say his farewells in private. Ranma especially disliked the way Kodachi looked at him, like he was a chicken and she was a fox. And at the moment, he didn't like the way Akane was looking at him either. He sighed; there was no way for him to win.
"Why don't we go back to the dojo? I bet Nabiki can help us figure something out," Akane suggested. "She could probably get us a good deal on..." Akane was going to say plane tickets, but realized what that meant. She didn't want to leave her friends, her family, her home, everything she knew. She started to tear up again.
Ranma noticed but didn't comment. "Right. Let's go. I bet Kasumi will have lunch ready." The three headed down the street.
"We're back," Akane aid, walking into the house.
"Is lunch ready?" Ranma followed up.
Neither one received an answer.
"Yo, Pop! Where are ya?" Ranma called, walking back to the kitchen.
"Kasumi? Nabiki? Dad?" Akane headed up the stairs.
Kuno stood in the doorway, getting that weird feeling again. He followed Ranma, his hand on his katana. There was danger close by, he just didn't know where.
"Saotome," he said quietly, getting Ranma's attention.
Ranma stopped and looked back at him. "What?"
"There is danger here."
Ranma had been getting the feeling too and nodded. "Make sure Akane's OK. I'll go check down here and in the dojo." He was deadly serious and there was no time to bicker over who would check on her.
Kuno nodded his assent and headed back towards the stairs.
Ranma approached the kitchen as quietly as possible. He could feel the danger, just like there was a bell ringing in his ear. Carefully, he poked his head through the kitchen door. Everything was neat and clean and in its place.
He headed back down the hall, giving the bathroom a quick glance. Back in the living room, Kuno was coming back down the stairs. Ranma looked at him. "Where's Akane?"
"She was not there. And neither was anyone else." His voice was calm, but he had his sword drawn. "I suggest we make haste to the back yard. Her window was open."
"Oh no..." Ranma ran out the side door, barely taking time to open it first. He got to the corner of the house and was about to run to the back when he stopped.
Kuno stopped shortly behind him. "What..."
Ranma held up his hand to quiet Kuno and looked towards the dojo. No sound, no movement, but Ranma could guess what was waiting. "What do you think they want?" he whispered. "You're not dead so they haven't... killed her, even though they've had plenty of time."
He clenched his jaw. He wanted to storm the dojo, get who, whatever it was in his hands and squeeze... Anger, to him, was a powerful ally; one that could heighten his strength and reflexes, drove him to his goal... But it could be a hindrance. Sometimes stealth and subtlety were required, self-control and reservation worked better.
Kuno nodded and the two headed towards the dojo. They tried to move around the direct view of the doorway; they were hoping not to give their presence away.
They stopped on either side of the doorway, their backs to the walls.
"Don't hide, little ones. Come in, join us," a voice called. It was deep and breathy, definitely not human. "Come in, come in."
Ranma and Kuno looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Kuno peered around into the dojo. He could see nothing.
"Yes, you. Don't be afraid."
Kuno pulled his head back quickly. He looked over at Ranma, who could only shrug.
"If you want to save your mistress, then you'll come in here. Both of you."
Ranma growled and nodded at Kuno. Kuno nodded back, but would have gone in anyway, whether Ranma had or not. The two stepped out from their spots and entered the empty dojo.
That was why it looked empty. When they stepped inside, they walked into someplace that was not the Tendo's. They still walked on the dojo floor, but the sky was filled with swirling blue clouds and the landscape was... nonexistent.
The culprit was standing in front of them, rising over 15 feet into the air. It's skin was a grayish-green color, covered with hideous wart-like growths. It had two massive arms that ended in four wicked claws each. Instead of legs, it had a mass of tentacles that it used to move itself around.
It's head was tiny in comparison to it's body. It had one huge yellow eye and a gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth. It appeared to be smiling at them. "It is you two... I thought it was."
"Where's Akane, you slimy freak?" Ranma yelled, ready to start hitting something.
"You mean the sanjiyan? She is safe with me. You need not worry yet." It chuckled.
"Reveal her or you shall find yourself in a dire situation." Kuno gripped his sword tightly. No hesitation this time...
"But it is you in the dire situation. Dispense with the boastful words. I know the sanjiyan is a weakness of you both. Now you will give me what I want."
"No! You give back Akane!" Even if he wasn't immortal, Ranma was prepared to stop at nothing.
"You want to see the sanjiyan first? I suppose it matters not; seeing her will only weaken you further."
To the creature's left, Akane slowly appeared. She was standing, but slumped over. Stuck to her forehead was a ward, preventing her from doing anything.
"Your sanjiyan is fine. See?" It grabbed one of Akane's arms and pulled her closer. It lowered it's one eye at the two would-be heroes. "And now you will give me what I want."
To either side of the two, the rest of the Tendos materialized, along with Genma. Each of them sported tentacle growths like Nabiki had. Something from Soun headed towards Ranma's, which he knocked away.
Ranma could almost feel his blood boil as the creature gripped Akane tighter. He grit his teeth, baring them, and his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. Kuno was the opposite: calm, his face unreadable, his sword held comfortably at the ready.
"Saotome, take care that you do not do anything rash and injure Akane," Kuno said quietly. "This is a battle on this cowardly beast's terms."
"Coward? You dare call me a coward?" The creature seemed to grow another five feet. "We shall see if you still think of me as a coward when I tear you apart!"