Well, I'm not entirely happy with this part, but it was
bound to happen sooner or later.  Really, I just wanted to show
that, like in the 3x3 Eyes manga/anime, the sanjiyan aren't
really these fun-loving smurf-types.  They can get nasty if
they need/want/it serves their purpose to.  C&C is always
welcome.  And I wanr you not to jump to conclusions as to
where this story is going..



			Twisted Destiny 12

{standard Ranma 1/2 and 3x3 Eyes disclaimers go here - I don't own
any of it and neither do you!}


"What the..." Akane said under her breath.

Kuno grabbed her arm suddenly and jerked her back so they were standing 
against the side of a building.  Unfortunately, the bright lights didn't 
give them any cover.

As Akane was about to step away from the building, finally at the end of 
her rope with Kuno, a group of six black motorcycles roared out of an 
alley.  Akane grimaced at the noise, it was close to deafening, and 
pressed back as hard as she could against the wall.  The other people on 
the street didn't seem to notice the noise and went about their 
business.

Akane watched as each bike passed, the riders dressed all in black, 
their visors tinted so their faces were impossible to see.  Three went 
by, then the fourth, and the fifth.  The sixth rider started to go by 
but turned his head at the last moment.  Akane could feel more than see 
the glowing eyes behind the visor as she stared back.

She was suddenly holding her breath, knowing that they were looking for 
her.  It seemed Kuno was more right than she would have liked to admit.  
She was waiting for the other riders to turn around and rush her, but 
they continued moving down the street, their engines still audible even 
after they were out of sight.

Still recovering from the surreal and somewhat frightening experience, 
Akane's wrist was grabbed without a word.  Kuno began pulling her down 
the street, moving as quickly as possible.  If Akane was reading him 
right, he was royally pissed.  She got her confirmation a moment later.

"Akane Tendo, why do you insist on disregarding my words of warning?  
Are they not sound?  Do you think I speak them for my own relief?  Nay!  
I say these things with your safety in mind!"

People were giving them funny looks as Kuno continued his tirade, 
dragging Akane behind him.  Akane would have laughed if she hadn't known 
how right he was.

With Alexander's death and their claiming of the statue, she thought 
things would settle down.  She never thought that their activities would 
be a beacon to, who she had to assume was, Kaiyanwang.  She started 
jogging and Kuno released her wrist.  "I know.  I'm sorry.  I didn't 
think..."

"That is in the past," he answered quickly, his mind skipping ahead to 
their next task.  "More importantly, we must find safety.  A brief 
repose may send our pursuers elsewhere."

Akane nodded and began looking urgently for any sort of hostel, shelter, 
hotel, motel, cardboard box where they could stay.  She needed to sit 
down and relax, though she didn't figure on actually getting that chance 
any time soon.

A tall building, towering in the near distance, brightly lit even in 
Hong Kong, caught Akane's attention.  The flashing neon sign declared it 
to be a hotel.  "There's one," she said breathlessly.  More than 
anything, she wanted to sit down and rest and not worry about who was 
chasing her for just an hour.

Kuno didn't say anything and Akane could hear why.  It was the whine of 
motorcycle engines, and they were getting louder.  She might have heard 
him curse faintly, but couldn't be sure.  He grabbed her again and 
pulled her to an open door decorated by red neon.  "In here!"

"But this is a..." she complained.

"We have no time to be choosy."  He gave her one good yank and pulled 
her inside.

Once inside, Akane's face turned the same color as the neon and she 
looked down at her feet.  "I can't believe you brought me in here," she 
murmured, embarrassed in another country around people she would never 
see again.

Kuno paid her no mind, going directly to the front desk.  "We would like 
a room."

The overweight and heavily sweating clerk looked at Kuno, then at Akane, 
and smiled.  "Of course," he said slyly and gave Kuno a knowing look.  
"And for how long?  We have hourly..."

"All night!"

The clerk grinned broadly.  "Can't say I blame you.  Now that's..."  He 
started to look at a stained sheet of paper with room rates on it.

Kuno was impatient though, hearing the motorcycles, and dropped a wad of 
bills on the counter.  "We would like a room now!"

"All right, all right," the clerk said and handed Kuno a key.  "Number 
314.  It's the..."  But the two were already gone.  He chuckled at the 
empty lobby and collected the money just as a group of cycles cruised 
by.

***

"I can't believe this," Akane said angrily.  She looked around the room, 
her temperature rising each second.  "The honeymoon room?  I can't 
believe you did this!"  She threw her bag to the floor.

Kuno was at the window, peering through the curtains.  "We had to remove 
ourselves from sight as quickly as possible.  This was simply the 
closest establishment."  He closed the curtain and faced Akane.  "The 
decor will not matter when you are asleep."

"You think I'm sleeping in THAT?  No way.  Who knows what's been done in 
that... thing!"  She was gesturing wildly at the round bed, disgusted at 
the entire room.

"It does not matter.  Sleep is necessary, whether it is in the bed or on 
the floor."  His tone left no room for argument.

"You sound like Kasumi."  She deflated a little, knowing that she did 
need sleep.  "Fine.  I wish we could have gotten something to eat."

She kneeled down and opened her bag, moving the staff out of the way, 
and pulled out her pajamas.  She trudged tiredly to the bathroom, turned 
on the light and closed the door.  "What the...  I hate this place!" 
came her angry voice.

Kuno smiled faintly.

***

He watched her sleep, feeling tired himself but knowing he had to stay 
awake.  He sat heavily in a chair by the window, his eyes threatening to 
close.  Akane's life seemed so... simple compared to his.  She had the 
love her family and friends, she had a mostly stable home, and she was 
well liked at school.  Nothing at all like his own life.

If only his mother hadn't...  Hadn't what?  Died?  Then he would still 
be getting beat and his father would still be a cold, emotionless 
bastard.  What if she hadn't resorted to using that shinnai?  He rubbed 
his temples, his head beginning to hurt.  What if she hadn't beat and 
debased him?  Then he might have some friends, he wouldn't be the object 
of ridicule, he wouldn't have the overwhelming need to prove his worth 
day in and day out.

Even that didn't seem to help.  People were impressed by his skill to an 
extent, and that was all.  So he tried to force them to see that he was 
important, that he was not to be ignored.  All they ended up seeing was 
him put down every day, first by Akane and then by Ranma.  They saw him 
embarrass himself with Nabiki, looking like a brainless fool.

They saw all the things he tried to do so that he couldn't be brushed 
aside, even if it meant they thought he was an arrogant, foolish loser.  
It cost him almost everything that made him human.  He was spurned by 
his classmates, he had very little pride and no self respect, but he had 
their attention.  And it was more than he would have had if he was just 
another sorry kid with a bad home life.  Everyone hated him because of 
his father even when they knew he disliked the principal just as much as 
they did.

Akane did not love him, did not like him and never would.  The pig-
tailed goddess was a lie, she could never love him and he could barely 
think about her delicate features without getting ill.  They had been 
his only hopes for a semblance of normalcy.  They had only been his 
chance for love.  He knew he could give them his unconditional love 
without fail; they only needed to return it.  They had not, never would.

And now he was so utterly alone in the world.  He wanted nothing more 
than to become human so he could end his miserable existence.  Maybe 
turn his head the wrong way during a fight with Ranma and have 
everything go wonderfully dark when his neck broke.  But he wasn't sure 
he would have the courage to do something so simple.

"Tatewaki Kuno, come sit with me."

He lifted his head, realizing he had been dozing.  Kamiko was sitting up 
in bed, looking at him.  "I... I can't."

"Come sit with me."  Her voice was gentle, yet insistent.  "Come over 
here."  In a playful gesture, she patted the bed.

Kuno stood and walked to the bed.  He stood over it, looking down at 
Kamiko.

"Sit, sit."

He sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, as far away from Kamiko as he 
could be.  "What would you wish to speak of?"

"I would wish for my wu to sit next to me," she said, her tone not 
playful at all.

Sighing, Kuno put his feet on the bed and sat next to her.  He felt 
extremely uncomfortable, sitting in the bed, with her in pajamas.  It 
felt so... scandalous.

Kamiko leaned over and rested her head on his arm.  Surprised, he tried 
to pull away, but her arms held him in place.

"Stop this at once!  I demand it!"

Kamiko looked into his angry and confused eyes, completely unaffected by 
his words.  "Your pain is my pain," she said simply.

"Do not attempt to trick me!  I will have none of your..."

"Quiet, fool.  What you feel, I feel.  So you are affected, I am 
affected."

Kuno stared at her in disbelief.  "You mean when I was killed, you..."

"No.  Not physical pain.  Emotional and mental pain.  It can be blocked 
out, but that nullifies a very important aspect of our bond."  She 
rubbed her head against his arm, closing her eyes.  "So I desire your 
happiness to make our co-existence more bearable.  Your depression is 
affecting me, as well as Akane."  Her arms weren't just keeping him from 
pulling away, they were... holding him.

He tried to shrink away.  "This... this is not... proper.  You must 
release me."  His voice wasn't so commanding any more.

"I know you desire this girl.  I know you find pleasure in this form.  
For our survival, I would give it to you.  To make you happy..."  She 
started to unbutton his shirt and smiled when she felt him relax.  "Yes, 
relax.  This will make you happy and ensure our survival."

Kuno suddenly grabbed Kamiko's arms and pulled her to him.  Her eyes 
widened in surprise at the force of his passion and she allowed him to 
kiss her.  But as suddenly as his passion blazed to life, it was gone 
and he pushed her away.

"No.  This is wrong.  She would hate me, moreso than she does now.  I 
can not take advantage of her."

"You are not taking advantage of her; I am allowing you to do so."  
Kamiko was angry and did nothing to hide the fact.  No one had ever 
refused what she offered.  Until now.  "She is my vessel, and if I tell 
you to take this girl, no matter what she wishes, then you will!"

"No.  You do not know me as well as you would like to think.  I will not 
touch her, no matter who you are or what you say."  he got out of the 
bed, pulling free of Kamiko's hold, and buttoned up his shirt.  "I do 
not need the 'happiness' you would try to give me."  He turned his back 
to her and returned to the window.

Kamiko sighed.  "You are wrong.  I know you well enough..."  She sank 
down in the bed, preparing to return to sleep.

After a few minutes of silence, Kuno looked back to see that Akane was 
sleeping peacefully.  He exhaled heavily and swallowed.  That had been 
far too close to... anything.  He did not want Kamiko to make Akane an 
immobile toy for him; that would not make him happy.  A toy was the last 
thing he wanted.  It seemed that if Kamiko was truly interested in his 
happiness, she would know better.

He sat in the chair, giving up his vigil.  He required sleep, even if he 
was immortal, even if he was in a foul mood.

The beginnings of a dream formed, a vision of a beautiful girl.  "But I 
do want your happiness," the girl said before his dream turned to 
pleasant visions of a family he didn't have.

***

He was standing in front of her and she was frightened of him.  "Akane 
Tendo, I love you!"

She grimaced and backed away.

"I love you!"  He pulled out a knife.

"I love you!" he exclaimed again.  He plunged the knife into his 
stomach.

She was disgusted.

"I love you!"  Again with the knife.

And for every time he declared his love, he stabbed himself with the 
curved blade.

"Eww," she said.  "Can you stop that?"

"No!" he shouted and just began stabbing himself over and over.

"That's disgusting.  I can't believe I let you kiss me."

Akane sat up in bed.  That dream had been too strange for words.  And 
the whole kiss thing...  What was up with that?  She looked across the 
room at Kuno sleeping in the chair.

She was spending far too much time with him if she was dreaming about 
him.  Even a warped dream like she had just had.  She snuggled down into 
the gaudy red blanket and closed her eyes.  Why would she have a dream 
like that?  The 'I love you' and stabbing bit she could understand, but 
kiss?  She had caught him before he kissed her on the bus, when Kamiko 
was...

Akane's eyes flew open.  "What?" she said aloud.  She sat up.  "Kuno!"  
She glared at his sleeping form.

Kuno stirred in the chair, his eyes opening slowly.  It was a fairly 
uncomfortable position in.  "Yes?"  He tried to work a kink out of his 
neck.

"You bring me to this cheap sex hotel then when I'm asleep you... 
you..."  She just couldn't bring herself to say it.  "The second I can't 
defend myself, you touched my...  You put your...  You took advantage of 
me!"  She was angry, but she was more upset that he had taken away an 
important choice in her life.  Tears started to run down her face.

"I... I did no such thing," he answered defensively.  "I would never..."

"Just like on the bus!  What kind of sick freak are you?"  Her anger was 
beginning to drain out of her to be replaced by sick realization.  
"How... how could you?"  The tears were at full stream and her voice was 
breaking down into sobs.  "You were... supposed to... pro... protect 
me..."  She buried her face in her hands and cried.

"I could never do such a thing!"  He was fully awake, but it felt like a 
dream.  It just had to be a dream.  "You must believe me!"

Akane lifted her head, her eyes red, her mouth curved downward into a 
frown.  "Why should I?  You've never been someone I could trust!  And 
you've always liked me..."  The thought made her shudder and she returned 
her face to her hands.

"No...  No...  Never.  I would never..."  Or would he?  He had 
definitely wanted to.  He shook his head and stood up.  "To do something 
so horrible...  You think I am an arrogant fool, but that you would 
think me capable of such villainy..."  He walked to the bed, his hands 
at his sides.  "I am hurt that you believe I am a criminal."

"Please believe that I will protect you and I will never hurt you.  If 
you do not wish to be my friend, then so be it.  But it is my only want 
that we may be returned to normal."

Akane didn't look at him but her tears were beginning to dry.  She 
believed a little of what he was saying, she was reacting to a dream 
after all.  But the incident on the bus lingered in her memory.

Kuno sat on the bed and Akane moved away from him.  The hurt threatening 
to plunge him into the depths of despair.  "I will be honest, I owe you 
that."  He reached over and touched her arm.  She flinched away.

"It is true, Kamiko spoke to me.  She wanted me to be... happy.  She 
said my depression was affecting her and you."

Akane spoke from her hands.  "Depressed?"

"Yes.  I know you don't care to hear my problems, so I will not bore 
you, but she knew my feelings for you, of course, and offered you to 
me."

"She did what?" Akane exclaimed, her anger returning.  She looked up at 
Kuno, betrayal on her face, in her eyes.

"Not you, but your physical charms.  She told me that your feelings... 
did not matter and... ordered me to... defile you.  To make me happy."

Akane couldn't believe what she was hearing.  "You can't be serious."

"I am.  She told me that and I... I..."  He dropped his eyes.

"You wanted to," she said quietly.

Kuno nodded, his eyes still averted.  "But I did not."  He met her fiery 
gaze.  "I admit that I kissed you, but that was all...  I could not 
bring myself to damage your innocence.  I do not think myself that low.
He touched her arm again, but she didn't flinch.

Akane got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.  "You can have the bed 
now.  I think I'll be staying awake, Kuno-sempai."

Akane closed and locked the bathroom door.  She leaned against the door 
and closed her eyes.  She believed Kuno's story; it explained her dream, 
but she had been very close to doing something violent.  She had been so 
frightened that something awful had happened and was equally relieved to 
find out nothing had.  Well... nothing too bad.

She opened her eyes then looked over in the mirror.  She stared angrily 
at herself and began to talk quietly.  "So if what Kuno says is right, 
you can hear me, maybe even know what I'm thinking.  So you better be 
paying attention now because I will not repeat it."  She didn't know 
what she'd do if Kamiko ignored her, if she could even hear.  "I am not 
something you can just give away because you don't feel well.  And 
you're not helping Kuno either; you're just confusing him."

"If you know how I feel then you won't toy with my body or anybody 
else's feelings.  You know how unhappy your little offers would make 
quite a few people.  I'm sure they would be very interested in speaking 
to you when you're human."

She turned away from the mirror and started to unlock the door.  "And if 
you think this is a threat... you're right."  She stepped out of the 
bathroom.

She started for the chair but stopped when she saw Kuno already asleep 
in it.  "Sempai," she whispered, shaking her head, and then got into 
bed.

They managed to sleep through the sound of motorcycles close by all 
night.

-o-o-o-o-o-

-- 
Lara

o------------------------------------------------------------------o
| Danger!  Thrills!  Guns!  What more could a gamer want than Tomb |
| Raider?  In it, you play hacker dream date Lara Croft (packs     |
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| keyboarding -- but it's hard not to be entertained by Lara's     |
| derring-do.  You go, girl!                                       | 
|       --- Newsweek                                               |
o------------------------------------------------------------------o
    lara@emunix.emich.edu | http://www.emich.edu/public/llb/