IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY...

By K-chan
k-chan@rocketmail.com
***Ranma 1/2 characters are copywrited to the ingenius of Rumiko Takahashi
and co. - Viz, Kitty, Shogakakun and Fuji TV. I own nothing on these
characters.***
~Be warned, this will be a sadfic but as for a bitter ending...? I don't
know. ^_~
~I'm not the biggest fan of Kuno, like most people but I'm a writer and he
has such great
dramatic potential that hasn't been as yet exploited as much as some of the
other characters.~
~I'm taking this from the manga, so no Sasuke in this one.~
~I'd write about other manga/anime series but the kind I like (romantic and
or/comedy) aren't easily available where I live (the manga's hard to come by,
too. I haven't read a new one for months). I watch Oh My Goddess but I can't
think of any stories for it. Enough of my sob story already! ; )  
~I regard this as an experiment and am not sure how people will react (if at
all) to it. Here goes.....~

Chapter 1: The Pleasures of Melancholy (part 1)


      Feeling pain is something few would enjoy experiencing when injured.
But what about feeling no pain at all when a serious injury has been
inflicted. Which is the better? ...And what do you do when the wound is not
of the body but of the heart? 
      One person in Nerima seemed to be suffering from this; his name was
Tatewaki Kuno. At this moment, he was saying goodbye to his sister, Kodachi
Kuno, who lay still, eyes shut. In the next room, his father lay unmoving
also. 
      His dark eyes gazed down at her quiet, pale form. He took her cold
hands and crossed them over her chest, inserting a black rose between the
hands. "You shall join our ancestors now in heaven with Kami-sama and forever
you will be known as the Black Rose. You won't be forgotten and I'll meet
with you again, when my time comes. Till then, farewell, younger sister."
Kuno whispered softly, his voice untainted by any emotion. Taking one last
look at his last link to the past, he put the white sheet back over Kodachi
and walked calmly to the door and back out to the hospital corridor. 
      The stark, white light made his face looked paler than it was. A
peaceful, almost normal, look settled on his face; it was as if the last few
hours had never happened.... As if there had been no fire....
     Memories of the night clashed jarringly. Somehow the happier ones
dominated and the dark ones faded with time, giving in like a nervous
wallflower afraid of confrontation....
     Kuno kept his eyes wide open as he calmly strolled down the corridor,
thoughts streaming in a dignified fashion round his numbed mind. Coming to
the reception desk, he noticed a vase filled with darkly-coloured roses. 
    The memories suddenly tumbled down an unexpected waterfall,
intermingling. Sweet, aromatic flowers for Akane -The smell of smoke -The
beautiful pig-tailed girl laughing - His sister screaming - A gallant fight
against Saotome - Watching the paramedics try to resucsitate Kodachi - Being
booted through the Tendo's roof - The sad look on the doctors face -
Crash-landing in a neighbours garden - Saotome's spell on the pig-tailed
goddess keep its grasp - The smell of smoke - Akane's beautiful smile - The
darkly-coloured roses in the vase - The beautiful pig-tailed girl laughing -
Akane's enchanting eyes -
    "Mr. Kuno? Mr. Kuno? Are you OK?" A gruff voice asked.
     Kuno blinked his eyes open and let out a breath he didn't care to know
he'd been holding.
     "Yes, Dr. Megasato. I'm perfectly fine." But my family is not! A small
sting of anger almost penetrated Kuno's veneer but lost eventually. Must not
let the Kuno family name down. Must not. Kodachi and my father are with
Kami-sama now, watching me. My mother is watching me. "Do I have any papers
to sign? It's late and I still have yet to arrange the..." he stood silent
for a moment; "...funeral arrangements."   
     "Uh.. yes, you do, Mr. Kuno." The old doctor looked at Kuno strangely
for a moment and then led him along, in and out of the darkness of the partly
lighted corridor. The shadows accentuated the lack of emotion on the
Kendoist's face; no lines, no brows, no tears, just a cold impassiveness. 

*************

      Signing medical and insurance forms as if he was a wearied star signing
autographs, Kuno finally put down the black pen with a small 'tap'. The
paperwork for the hospital was over with, just funeral arrangements to make
now. He sighed deeply; too many forms to fill in for someone with as
prestigious a family name as he, too many.
     Ink from the paper had stained his hands. This would not do! 
     "This will _not_ do! This is _not_ right!!!" The kendoist slammed his
fist into the table and stood up with a start, his chair clattering
backwards. The consultants stared back at him, almost cowering. Kuno did not
notice them, his shaking fist was gripped tightly and a snarl scrunched up
his features. No-one moved for minutes.
      He did not enjoy filling out forms, that had always been his parents
business... had always been... his parents...
      "Look at the time, must be going." Kuno's face stiffened back into it's
icy blankness -- clear yet numb -- and he strode towards the door, his eyes
opened so wide that they hurt, though he would never admit it. Weakness was
for those who were unworthy of being warriors. That is what his mother used
to say. It had been a long time since he had listened to memories of her...
now he had no choice but to. After all, he had nothing else to do since the
death of his only family.
      A teardrop glided down his face, the heat of it stung a small scratch
on the side of his face.  The lights were obviously too bright for his eyes
-- and therefore anyone elses. He would
talk to the
hospital manager about it tomorrow... for now sleep was all he needed. It had
been a long, long night and he would need all his strength for tomorrow.
     As he approached the exit to, the early morning quiet of the hospital
was left behind for a more colder silence. All Kuno could hear was the
smacking, echoing noise of his feet against the hard, smooth surface of the
floor in the disenfectant-soaked hallways.
      'Fwwwssshhhh..' the door opened before he reached it. A slight breeze
from outside skimmed across his face. He ignored it. Someone approached him.
He ignored them. There were thoughts which demanded his attention... until he
saw who it was. It was a surprise to see her here; he had not expected her
presence.
      She stared at him, an alien expression of nervousness crossing her
face. What could she say to someone who'd just lost their family..? Even if
it was the Kuno's. What was she even doing here? At the moment, there were no
answers to any of those questions. 
      "...Hi Kuno ...How are you?" She mentally berated herself for such a
stupid question, how did she think an orphan of an two or three hours was
doing? It wasn't like she cared. A lot. She was just here as a classmate,
that's all. To keep a check on her best customer...
      "Good morning, Nabiki Tendo. I'm perfectly fine."

*************
End of chapter, part 1:
So, a short first chapter but that's the way it goes! ^_^
Details of the fire are sketchy, I know, but more will be revealed as the
story goes on.
Any type of C&C accepted happily. Encouragments encouraged!! Flames flamed!!