The source of all troubles

	A Ranma � fanfic
	 

"Forget it creeps!" The young woman swung her bag threateningly at the three men who 
had her cornered in the alleyway.  'Sakura no baka!  I don't believe I was so stupid, 
falling for that fake story...'

* "Please, you gotta help my friend!"  Sincere brown eyes eloquently expressed their dire 
circumstances, hands raised palm up in supplication.  "He's hurt bad, and I can't help 
him..." *

'That's what got you wasn't it, idiot?'
*He's hurt...*
'Always a sucker for somebody in pain...'

"Aw, what's the matter, baby?  You know you want it." The man with bleached-blonde 
hair gestured suggestively, while the one holding the knife leaned towards her, just 
beyond reach of her impromptu weapon.

"I don't want anything from you filthy pigs!"  Sakura snapped before she could rein in 
her temper.  'Easy girl, have to keep calm, think a way out of this!'

"Don't you want to help my friends?"  Brown eyes mocked her, feigning distress at her 
lack of cooperation from above lips curled into a twisted smile.  "But you promised to 
help them, and they're hurting so bad for you..."  He shifted his weight, preparing to take 
a step forward, anticipation evident in his demeanor.

"They're going to hurt even more for her now!"  The men turned abruptly at the sound of 
the unfamiliar tenor, in time to see a well built young man with black hair tied back in a 
ponytail and a rather angry expression on his face charging at them, behind the crate 
that was flying towards them.

"What - "  The crate smashed into the knife-wielder's knees, knocking him to the 
ground, while the young man's fist swiftly performed the same service for the blonde, 
smashing into the offender's jaw with a powerful blow.

"You - "  Brown eyes filled with fury as a clenched fist was driven towards the young 
man�s face, only to glaze over and roll back as Sakura�s bag connected solidly with the 
back of the brown-eyed man�s head.

�And as for you,� Sakura spun around to deal a similar blow to the knife-wielder, only 
to catch the barest glimpse of his departing back.  �Coward!� she yelled after him before 
fixing her gaze on her rescuer.  She raised one eyebrow quizzically at him.  �For 
someone who dislikes violence so intensely, Kenji, you sure are handy in a fight.�

The young man shrugged indifferently, but Sakura caught the look of sorrow in his eyes 
as he glanced down at the two unconscious forms.  �Are you alright?� he asked, after a 
few moments silence, lifting his eyes to meet hers, a trace of sadness lingering in their 
depths.

�I�m fine.�  She hefted her bag and gave him a quick smile.  �I always knew there was a 
good reason to carry my chemistry textbook around.  Come on, let�s take care of these 
two and go home.�

***

�So, just where did you learn how to fight like that?� Sakura questioned Kenji over 
dinner. After the police had finished taking their statements about the attack, Kenji had 
escorted his friend back to her apartment, despite her protests that this was unnecessary.  
She had coaxed him into staying for dinner as it was getting late, and she didn�t feel like 
waiting until morning to find out the source of her usually gentle friend�s fighting skills.

�That was something I would never have thought of Kenji.  He�s always been so set 
against fighting, saying that no good comes of it.  I _know_ that there�s a reason for 
that, but he�s never been very willing to talk about his past.�  She gazed speculatively at 
him over their half-finished dinner.  Or rather, his half-finished dinner.  He was staring 
at his food without really seeing it, playing with it rather than eating.  �Maybe it�s time 
he talked to somebody about it.  He can�t hide from his past forever, and there is 
something there that makes him so sad��

�I used to practice martial arts,� Kenji replied in his gentle voice, breaking into Sakura�s 
thoughts.  �I haven�t used my skills in a fight for a couple of years now.  Violence never 
really solves problems.  It normally just causes more trouble.  But I couldn�t just let 
them hurt you, not when I knew I could do something about it.�  He lifted his head, 
staring past Sakura�s shoulder, a distant look in his eyes, tinged with the sorrow she had 
seen in the earlier in the evening.  It was a look she remembered from when she had 
first met the young man named Kenji�

�Kenji!� He was rather startled when she called out his name to secure his wandering 
attention.

�I�m sorry, Sakura,� his faint smile was not sufficient to clear the shadow from his eyes.  
�I was just remembering - � he broke off with a sigh.  �I�m sorry,� he repeated quickly 
standing, and moving to clear the table.

�Oh, no you don�t,� Sakura grabbed his hands before he could pick anything up and 
pulled him down beside her.  �Not this time my friend.  You need to talk, and I�m going 
to make sure you do.�

�Sakura - � he began, turning his head away.

�Kenji,� she interrupted forcefully, lifting his head with one slender hand beneath his 
chin.  �Tonight you stopped those idiots from hurting me, so now let me stop you from 
hurting.  And don�t even think about getting out of this one.  I�m your friend, Kenji, 
don�t shut me out.  Let me help you; tell me what�s wrong,� she half-ordered, half-
begged as he closed his eyes.

�Come on, my friend, don�t do this to yourself; tell me what�s causing you so much pain, 
what had caused you so much pain that six months ago you were ready to give it all 
away��

�I - I -� he swallowed and started again.  �It was two years ago��

Sakura nodded encouragingly.  �Go on.�

�A fr-friend of mine,� he continued hesitantly, eyes still closed to the world.  �A friend 
of mine was hurt, badly, in an accident��

�A close friend, yes?�  Kenji nodded slowly in response.

�Although we used to fight all the time, and I blamed him for a lot of things that were 
beyond his control, we were friends of a sort.  I knew deep down that I could always 
count on him if I needed him.�  A half-smile had drifted across his lips, but it was 
chased away by his next thought.  �But he couldn�t count on me.  I let him down.�  He 
took a deep breath, slowly released it.

�It�s my fault he died,� he whispered, a single tear escaping down his cheek.

�I�m so sorry, Ranma, I am so sorry��