Seems I forget my normal header on 2-2, so to let you
all know, previous parts are available by email, but they are also
available on my web page.  http://www.emich.edu/public/llb/fanfic.html
Then you don't get your mailbox flooded by 250k in previous WiSC
parts.  :)  Anyway, C&C or whatevers to me, and enjoy.





{These characters are not property of me. I would never attempt to claim 
them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and 
may not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and 
certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any 
funny stuff!} 


                      A Wolf in Samurai's Clothing

                            by Lara Bartram
                            ---------------

Part 3, Chapter 2

	Finally, Kodachi pulled away. "Go now so I may sleep." 
	"No. I shall stay here. I will take no more chances. If that 
demon-spawn should somehow find you, then I shall be waiting to separate 
his heart from his chest and his head from his shoulders." 
	Knowing that he was set in his decision, Kodachi sighed and 
nodded. "Very well." She made herself as comfortable as possible on the 
bed, unhappy with the conditions she was forced to endure, and tried to 
sleep. Shivering in the cool, damp air, Kodachi pulled the blanket up 
tighter around her neck and curled into a loose fetal position to 
conserve heat. 'Gosunkugi had better be a god of the underworld, or I'm 
going to be very annoyed,' she thought. 

***

	Kodachi woke up slowly, returning to awareness, and sighed, almost 
happily. She snuggled contentedly under the blanket, feeling very warm 
and comfortable. Gripping her teddy bear tightly, she buried her face in 
its softness. Then it exhaled heavily and put its arm over her. 
	Hmm... Since when did her teddy bear breathe or put its arms 
around her? Something in Kodachi's sleep-fogged mind wasn't clicking. 
Then, all the pegs began to fall into place and Kodachi opened her eyes. 
'Naturally,' she thought, then, something along the lines of 'How dare 
he!' And finally, 'This is pretty warm,' because, of course, she had her 
face pressed deep into the fur of her brother's chest. 
	She was under the blanket while he was on top of it, but there was 
a whole feeling of... wrongness. Yet, she took her time pulling away, 
taking in her brother's appearance from a better vantage point. She 
could almost see that it was him under all the fur. That was a 
comforting idea, humanizing the imposing figure somewhat. 
	"Brother," Kodachi said quietly, running her hand down his chest. 
She allowed herself a brief fantasy about Ranma, carefully controlling 
it so she didn't get too carried away. Why was fate so cruel? Why did 
she wake up in the arms of her brother when it was Ranma she longed to 
feel next to her. 
	 
	The feel of the female body next to him was comforting. He knew 
exactly who it was though, so there was no confusion about what was 
going on, but the identity of that female was what settled him. His 
family, even his father, was very important to him. Knowing full well it 
was because of his change, he took the safety of his family very 
seriously, especially after the previous night. 
	It was that sense of duty that kept him motionless when Kodachi's 
hands began to pet him soothingly. It was not something a sister should 
be doing to her brother, even if it was innocent. Still, if it was for 
her benefit, he would endure it. 

***

	Akane pulled the strand of hair out of her dinner without saying a 
word, and quickly disposed of it. Everyone had learned to keep quiet 
about the strange things Kasumi had started doing, especially if it 
involved her cooking. Quickly, noticing Kasumi glaring at her, Akane 
started eating. A stray hair wasn't really any cause for concern, right? 
It happened to everyone now and then. 'Not Kasumi,' that little voice in 
Akane's head said. 

***

	Ranma's return to school was... interesting to say the least. 
Being a quick healer and a headstrong teenage male meant Ranma refused 
to put his life on hold, even if it did mean going back to school. And, 
in fact, if it wasn't for the bandages still on his arms, Ranma was no 
different than he had been the morning before the ill-fated fight. 
	Charging onto school grounds like they were being chased by a pack 
of... amorous suitors and fiancees, Akane and Ranma both skidded to halt 
on some loose gravel. They could both feel the extreme tension in the 
air and it was obviously getting to their classmates as well. They 
looked around until they spotted the source of the tension skulking 
around. 
	 
	Kuno was looking for Gosunkugi. If the boy was anywhere near the 
school, he would be found and punished. The morning hours had given Kuno 
time to think through his situation. It wasn't possible for him to sit 
at home and simply wait for the little monster to pay a visit. No, 
better to be the hunter than the hunted. 
	 
	Ranma and Akane watched Kuno move from student to student, never 
speaking, only glaring mysteriously at each one. Anything anyone said to 
the upperclassman was, amazingly enough, ignored. Ranma watched warily 
as Kuno moved toward Akane at his side. Automatically, he assumed a 
fighting posture; he would not be caught off-guard by Kuno again. 
	Kuno walked over and stood in front of Akane and Ranma. Akane saw 
the two men glare at each other, moreso than usual, but that was their 
only exchange. Ready to dodge away at any moment, Akane watched Kuno 
closely. There was no way she was going to have her arms, or any other 
part, looking like Ranma's. She could see Kuno's nostrils flare as if he 
was... smelling them. 'He's really gone off the deep end,' Akane thought 
as she watched Kuno move away to another group of students. 
	Stunned didn't quite accurately describe Ranma's, or Akane's, 
reaction when Kuno snubbed them. Akane couldn't remember the last time 
Kuno had ignored them (aside from the times he hadn't been in school). 
	 
	A trace. That was all it took. A trace, a careless remnant from 
one visit. Obviously, Gosunkugi underestimated him, or even more 
insulting, believed he wasn't a threat. When Kuno managed to get his 
hands on the little retch and mention the names Sayuri, Akane, and 
Kodachi, then rip the frail body to shreds... Gosunkugi will have wished 
he had never heard the name Tatewaki Kuno. 

***

	"I shall go to his home and confront him. That is the only way." 
	"No. There are... things that have to be taken care of first. More 
important things than that..." 
	"What could be more important seeing a demon like that torn 
apart?" 
	"My sister. I saw the way you and Kasumi were looking at each 
other. You owe her an explanation." 
	"I shall do no such thing. I owe her nothing." 
	"You owe her, and me, plenty, so come on." 
	"I refuse." 
	Nabiki sighed. Still acting as thick as a truck a lot of the time. 
He still needed quite a bit of work. She looked at the annoyed look on 
his face. Quite a bit. "Look, you changed in front of her. I hear her 
crying at night. She's acting strange now, doing all sorts of weird 
things, and I think it's because of you. So I'm saying you owe her an 
explanation, whether you want to give her one or not." 
	Kuno looked shamefacedly at his feet. "Very well." Argued into 
submission once again. He was shamed for refusing to help... No, there 
was something he wasn't ready to admit yet. 
	 
	After school, they headed to Nabiki's home, ignoring the intense 
whispers of fellow students as they left school together. Kuno had to 
continuously keep his hands in check, as they kept wanting to hold 
Nabiki's hand, rest on her back, or go around her waist. And she kept 
giving him dirty looks, which stung him more than any physical blow. 
	Why did she blame him? It wasn't his fault that Kasumi did such... 
Kuno shivered at the prospect of seeing Kasumi again. She did such 
torturous things to him. Just her presence drove him insane; it was 
impossible to say what would happen if she ever allowed him to touch 
her. 
	"Get your mind out of the gutter. Kasumi doesn't want anything to 
do with you." 
	Nabiki's sharp words ripped Kuno from his rather pleasant 
daydream. He looked at her, shocked. "How..." 
	"I know that stupid grin, and I know my sister." Did she really 
though? Kasumi had been acting so strange, nothing at all like herself. 
Sure, she'd seem like her regular serene self, then suddenly be yelling 
at Akane, making snide remarks at her, and giving Uncle Saotome dirty 
looks. Nabiki had also noted some very *different* looks Kasumi was 
giving Ranma. 
	There was something deeper than just Kuno transforming in front of 
Kasumi and going after her like that. Nabiki knew that Kasumi was one of 
the most unflappable people on the planet, but she had seemed just a bit 
too... relaxed in the face of a wolfman grabbing for her. 
	Finally, unable, or unwilling, to mask her worries with annoyance, 
Nabiki spoke haltingly. "I think..." She shook her head. "There is 
something very wrong. Kasumi's just not herself. Even she should have 
reacted to you..." 
	"I understand." If his sister suddenly started wearing pink frills 
and baking brownies for Akane, he'd be worried too. "Do you know of 
anything that might have..." 
	"No, it's just so strange. It was all so sudden." Wait. Or was it? 
Nabiki hadn't really been around all week and hadn't noticed the changes 
until they were too obvious to ignore. "Damn it. I'm missing something 
here. Kasumi wouldn't just flip her lid like that." 
	 
	"Oh, Ranma?" 
	"Yeah, Kasumi?" Ranma said, poking his head into the kitchen. 
	"Could you give me some..." Suddenly, Kasumi was all Shampoo, 
pouty lips, smoldering gaze, all pertinent body parts thrust toward the 
muscular young man. "Help," she finished when she saw Ranma's eyes start 
to bulge. 
	"Uh... Sure." Ranma entered the kitchen, wondering what was going 
on with Kasumi. he stopped well back to keep out of Kasumi's way, 
knowing the kitchen was her domain. 
	"Come, Ranma. Come... closer." She gave him her usual friendly 
smile that did not match her tone of voice at all. 
	There was a certain breathy quality to Kasumi's speech that Ranma 
wasn't sure he liked. It wasn't Kasumi at all, but she had asked for his 
help, so Ranma would give it. He stood next to her at the counter. 
"So... what do you need help with?" he asked, looking at the things set 
out on the counter. 
	"I just thought you looked bored and could use someone to do." 
Kasumi stopped everything she was doing for a moment. "I mean, something 
to do." 
	"Thanks, I think, Kasumi." He hadn't liked that little slip she 
had made. 
	Kasumi began to proceed with the vegetable slicing. She picked up 
a carrot first. "My, Ranma. Look at the size of this carrot."
	Ranma looked somewhat disinterested at the carrot Kasumi was 
speaking of. His eyes, which had stopped their grotesque bulging, 
resumed that activity when he saw the way Kasumi was holding the carrot. 
She watched her slender hands move up and down the length of the 
vegetable. It was an awfully large carrot. 
	"It's so large. How big do you think it is, Ranma?" 
	"I... I..." Ranma's entire mouth seemed to have lost feeling. 
Talking was a difficult feat. "I wouldn't know." 
	Kasumi looked disappointed at his admission. "Then how will we 
know if it will fit." Kasumi watched Ranma's jaw drop. "In the pan?" 
	Getting no answer from Ranma, Kasumi shrugged and cut up the 
carrot. "Could you please put that in the pan, Ranma?" she asked 
sweetly. 
	Ranma, his mouth drier than a desert, nodded, and put the carrot 
in the pan. Kasumi was really starting to give him the creeps. She never 
needed anyone to help her cook before. 
	Kasumi reached over for a celery stalk and accidentally knocked it 
on the floor. "Ranma, could you get that for me?" 
	"Sure, Kasumi." Ranma turned his back to Kasumi and bent over to 
get the celery. He had his hand on it when he felt the flat of a hand on 
his rear. "Eep!" Ranma jerked away, flinging the celery in the air. He 
whirled around and stared at Kasumi, his chest heaving. 
	Kasumi looked back, her knife in one hand, another carrot in the 
other, her face a masterpiece of innocence. "What's wrong, Ranma?" 
	"N... nothin', Kasumi. I just... think I... heard Pop callin'! 
Yeah. Sorry, I can't help more!" Ranma backed away, out of the kitchen, 
never turning his back to Kasumi. 
	 
	"I'm home! Kasumi, can I..." 
	Ranma suddenly came scurrying out and stopped in front of Nabiki. 
"She's lost it! Hide me! I'll pay anything!" Ranma clutched at Nabiki, 
his eyes wild and desperate. "Ya gotta help!" 
	"Ranma," Nabiki said, removing his hands from her person. "What 
are you talking about? What did you do to Kasumi?" Sure it was an unfair 
accusation, but it was expected. 
	"I didn't do nothin'!" The volume of his denial seemed to surprise 
him, and he looked around quickly to see if Kasumi was anywhere within 
hearing distance. "She... she was... actin' all funny!" 
	"Well, that's descriptive. Now, Ranma, why don't you just go to 
your room and not worry about it. We've got business to take care of. 
Things I'm sure you wouldn't care about at all." Nabiki patted Ranma on 
the shoulder and walked past. 
	Kuno started to follow when Ranma grabbed his arm. "What're you 
doin' here? I thought I told you to stay away." Annoyed and angry, Ranma 
was just too attached to his grudges. 
	"Release me, pig-tailed girl," Kuno answered, sneering and 
emphasizing 'girl'. 
	Ranma's eyes narrowed. "Up yours." Ranma squeezed with all his 
strength. 
	Kuno's eyes gleamed and he smiled maliciously. "You wish, pig-
tailed girl." 
	Slowly, Ranma's face turned red and he was angered beyond most 
words. "You... I'll kick your..." 
	"Ranma! Let him go!" 
	Ranma flinched at the sharp sound of Kasumi's voice. Reluctantly, 
he released Kuno's arm and stepped back. 
	"Please, Tatewaki. Nabiki says there is something to be 
discussed." 
	Kuno nodded, still smiling at Ranma, their eyes locked. A battle 
of the egos, one of the deadlier and more ruthless fights known 
throughout history. 
	"Now," Kasumi added, annoyed that she wasn't being obeyed, but 
excited by the display of manliness unfolding in front of her.
	 
	"So what is it that you needed to talk about, Nabiki?" The four of 
them, Nabiki having decided that Ranma might want to know what he was up 
against, were sitting in the dojo. 
	"Kasumi, how do you feel about Ranma?" Nabiki asked, seemingly out 
of the blue. 
	Kasumi blinked. "Ranma? Why, he's nice..." 
	"Truthfully." 
	Kasumi's frown reappeared and settled in. "Nabiki, I've warned you 
about questioning me." 
	"And I want to know what you were doing to Ranma." 
	Kasumi flushed and kept silent. After chastising Nabiki, she 
couldn't possibly admit what she'd done to Ranma. 
	"So you're not talking. Then how do you feel about Kuno-chan 
here?" 
	Kasumi couldn't even make eye contact with Kuno without feeling 
funny all over. At first, she had just thought they were goosebumps and 
that the dojo was a bit chilly. But when the goosebumps hadn't stopped, 
intensified in fact, and she was having a hard time breathing... 
	"No answer again. I guess that clears that up. Now we've got a 
demonstration, so keep your eyes open." Nabiki waved at Kuno, but he 
didn't stand. "Come one. Do it." 
	Kuno shook his head, refusing to speak or stand. 
	"Yeah, so this is real impressive. Even I've got better things ta 
do than this," Ranma said, throwing unhappy looks at Kuno and Nabiki. He 
started to get up to leave the dojo. 
	"Ranma, sit down!" 
	As if he was knocked back by the sound of Nabiki's voice, Ranma 
sat back down, a stunned look on his face. 
	"Nabiki, you shouldn't be..." 
	"No, Kasumi. There's something wrong with you. I don't... trust 
you." Shaking her head sadly, Nabiki tried to ignore Kasumi's nasty 
look. "Kuno-chan, I suggest you change before things get ugly." 
	"Change?" Ranma asked, a bit more interested. "Jusenkyo?" He 
looked back and forth excitedly, between Nabiki and Kuno. 
	"No, not Jusenkyo. Show them, Kuno-chan. You almost killed Ranma." 
	That was all Kuno could take. He stood, completely avoiding 
looking at Kasumi, and began to undress. Looking at Kasumi would simply 
ruin his concentration and make him more horny, and Nabiki hated it. 
	"Yo, I don't want to see him change his clothes," Ranma yelled as 
Kuno removed his shirt. 
	"Just watch." Nabiki glanced at Kasumi to see her sister watching 
with extreme interest. Kuno's strained groan grabbed her attention. 
	He was taking the transformation slowly so Kasumi and Ranma could 
see the entire thing. There were several stomach-churning crunches and 
Nabiki saw Ranma wince. The whole thing, with all the sights and sounds, 
was going on not more than five feet away from him. 
	Kasumi watched unblinking. She wasn't surprised or afraid or even 
amazed. But her heart started pounding in her chest, and all the saliva 
in her mouth dried up. The way the creature standing in the middle of 
the dojo made her feel was just awful. Tofu didn't make her feel 
anything of the sort and she had... The memory made her blush. 
	"Well, that definitely ain't Jusenkyo," Ranma said, eyeing Kuno. 
He studied the huge claws and figured they could have hacked through his 
entire arm, let alone slicing up his skin. The doctor had been more 
right than he knew about how lucky Ranma had been. 
	"So this is what happened to you, Ranma," Nabiki said, finally 
breaking the silence. 
	Ranma nodded. Several nagging questions were suddenly answered and 
the whole thing with the apology seemed... sad. On both their parts. 
Damn, he was big. "Yo, Kuno, is that you?" 
	Kuno turned to look at Ranma, nodding his head, his arms hanging 
at his sides. Strangely, Kuno felt relief at his secret being revealed, 
a weight he hadn't even realized he had been carrying was lifted from 
his shoulders. Looking at Ranma, still seeing amazement in his eyes, 
Kuno stood up straight, standing to his full height. 
	"How'd ya do that?" Ranma asked. Nope, not Jusenkyo. The Jusenkyo 
change was fairly docile, magical in nature. For the most part, there 
weren't any physical sensations except for the odd tingling in.. certain 
parts. But when he had watched Kuno change... Ranma would sleep with the 
sound of crunching bones haunting his dreams for a few weeks. 
	In response to Ranma's question, Kuno could only shrug. Even if he 
could speak, how would he answer it? He sure didn't know how. He just... 
did it. Something in his body allowed him to change shape and gave him 
strength and ability far beyond any that he possessed before. 
	Ranma stood up and approached Kuno carefully. There was no doubt 
in Ranma's mind that Kuno could split him open if he really wanted, so 
he was exercising extra caution. Standing somewhere around Nabiki's 
height, Ranma didn't quite make it up to Kuno's shoulders. What was 
there to say? Kuno was huge. He'd probably give the dojo destroyer a run 
for his money. 
	Nabiki watched Ranma a bit, then decided to work on Kasumi. "So, 
Sis..." But when she looked at Kasumi, her older sister was still 
avoiding looking at Kuno. And likewise, Kuno wasn't looking at Kasumi. 
"What's wrong, Sis? It's just Kuno, he won't hurt you." Inside though, 
Nabiki didn't think Kasumi was afraid in the least of Kuno. 
	Kasumi nodded, but said nothing. She was afraid all right, but not 
of Kuno. She was afraid of herself. All the thoughts and feelings in her 
head were so foreign, so strange, things she never would have imagined. 
And she was always unhappy with herself, and everyone around her, even 
her family. "Please go," she said quietly. 
	Ranma looked surprisedly at Kasumi, his problem with Kuno 
momentarily forgotten. "Kasumi, what's wrong?" She would never say 
anything like that to a guest. 
	"Just go, please," Kasumi said, her voice wavering. "Both of you." 
	Ranma looked at Kuno, wondering exactly what was going on. Kuno 
purposefully kept his back to Kasumi and looked... annoyed? Ranma wasn't 
all that sure how to read the expression on Kuno's face. "Kasumi, 
what..." 
	"I said go!" Kasumi yelled, and looked up at Ranma. 
	'Man, I didn't no she was cryin',' he thought as he saw her 
bloodshot eyes. Wait... They weren't bloodshot, they were red! "Kasumi!" 
he yelled and stepped back. He stumbled a little, completely 
flabbergasted, and felt a hand on his arm. He looked up at Kuno. Red 
eyes. "What the..." 
	"Ranma, what is it?" Nabiki asked, looking at him. She had never 
seen him look quite like he was right then. Frightened amazement? 
Complete disbelief? Nabiki looked at Kasumi, which is where Ranma's eyes 
kept going. Nabiki's jaw dropped and stayed that way. 
	"Just leave! Don't you understand? Leave me alone!" A few tears 
ran down Kasumi's face. "Leave me ALONE!" Kasumi roared, her voice 
deepening and taking on an animalistic growling. 
	That got Nabiki and Ranma to back off, neither of them with any 
clue as to what had happened. Kuno, however, finally looked at Kasumi, 
hearing the anger in her voice. Without any hesitation, he went to stand 
before Kasumi, and held his hand out to her. 
	Kasumi looked up, feeling angry and embarrassed. Why wouldn't 
Nabiki just leave her alone? Why couldn't they all just leave her alone? 
Kasumi wanted to scream. But there was something about the massive 
creature in front of her... She slipped her hand into the one held out 
for her. 
	Kuno pulled Kasumi gently to her feet and put his arm around her 
shoulders. Kasumi leaned heavily against him, and allowed him to escort 
her from the dojo, leaving Nabiki and Ranma just a little stunned. 
	Back in the house, in Kasumi's room, Kuno sat on the bed and held 
the eldest Tendo sister while she cried. Kasumi buried her face in 
Kuno's powerful chest, while he held her in his arms. The flood of tears 
wouldn't stop, but being held helped a lot. 
	It was just like having a pet to confess her secrets to and to 
hold when she was down. Just like the nappy little stuffed rabbit she 
had when she was young. But there was something to be said for the arms 
around her, and slowly, the tears began to dry. 
	Kuno removed his arms from around Kasumi's gently hitching body 
and laid her down on the bed. She refused to release him though, and 
maintained a hold on his fur. He plucked her hands from his body and 
placed them at her sides on the bed, then covered her with the blanket. 
	Somewhere, churning in his heart and brain, Kuno felt a bond with 
Kasumi, like she was his sister, that completely transcended his desire 
to mate with her. It was even stronger that the bond he had with 
Kodachi. He looked down into Kasumi's eyes, which were still red, and 
stroked her cheek. Even though she was older than he, his station as the 
male, the alpha male, he thought proudly, to protect and comfort her. 
	"What's happening to me?" she asked. 
	Kuno only shook his head. He recognized what was happening to an 
extent. It had happened to him before. Her eyes were an unmistakable 
sign. But how... How had it happened to her? He hadn't done it. He had 
only seen her three times, so it just wasn't possible. So how? 
	Patting Kasumi's cheek once more, Kuno stood and went to the door. 
He had something very important to investigate. 
	"Tell me! Don't leave until you tell!" Kasumi called. "I need to 
know what's happening to me. I'm so scared." It just wasn't something 
she could happily ignore this time. 
	Kuno couldn't resist her pleading and sat on the bed again. She 
was scared, but what could he tell her? The truth? And he still needed 
to investigate the house. He leaned down to hold Kasumi and felt her 
arms encircle his neck like she was a small child. Kuno felt almost 
fatherly. 
	Tucking his nose into her neck, Kuno held his body to Kasumi's. 
Could that have helped him? Understanding and guidance? He hadn't been 
able to get that as a human, let alone some hideous monster. Kuno 
started his purring, it really being a type of growling, and hoped 
Kasumi could find some peace. 
	 
	Nabiki and Ranma went up to Kasumi's room and listened at the 
door. Each of them could hear the soft sounds of Kasumi's crying. The 
two looked at each other, Ranma shrugging. He had never heard Kasumi cry 
before, or look even remotely upset. Nabiki lifted her hand and was 
about to knock when Kasumi's crying faded. 
	The door opened, catching them by surprise, and Kuno stood in the 
doorway. He prevented the two visitors from entering for a moment, the 
stepped aside. Kuno watched Nabiki enter and go to Kasumi's bedside, and 
begin speaking softly. When Ranma attempted to enter, Kuno put his hand 
out and stopped the younger man. Pushing Ranma back into the hall, Kuno 
exited the room and closed the door. 
	Ranma didn't care to be pushed around in such a manner, but the 
scars on his arms were still fresh, so he didn't particularly feel like 
going up against Kuno at the moment... The moment. So Ranma settled for 
passing dirty looks to Kuno, who, frustratingly enough, seemed to be 
ignoring him, and nervously awaiting the news from Nabiki. 
	Trying his hardest to ignore Ranma, Kuno began his search, 
inhaling deeply, trying to pick up any remaining molecule of Gosunkugi's 
scent. It seemed there was something that might have been it, but Kuno 
wasn't sure. It could have been the scrawny demon, but it was so very 
faint. I also could have been anything, from potted plants to musty 
clothes. There just wasn't any way to be sure when it was so faded. 
	Going slowly, Kuno searched the upstairs hallway, Ranma watching 
him the entire time. Then he went to Nabiki's room and searched. Still 
nothing, though Kuno had a very bad feeling about it all. Next, Kuno 
went to Akane's room, knocking before entering. 
	Kuno grimaced. What else could it be? It was all over everything, 
no matter how faint. Some old clothes couldn't leave a smell so 
pervasive. He felt building frustration. How long ago had it been? What 
had Gosunkugi done? And encounter was looking more necessary by the 
passing seconds. It would be one in which both parties did not survive. 
That was the only way it could be. 
	 
	"Kasumi, I..." 
	"Leave me alone," Kasumi said, her head turned away from Nabiki. 
"I know you must hate me for the things I said..." 
	"No, I don't hate you," Nabiki said automatically. She had said it 
without thinking, but it was the truth. It just wasn't possible to hate 
Kasumi, no matter how much she might have wanted to... It just couldn't 
be done. Her erratic behavior hadn't induced any hate, only a kind of... 
pity. Pity because it was so obvious that Kasumi didn't understand it, 
and was hurting inside. "I don't care about what you said." 
	Silence loomed, punctuated by sniffles from Kasumi. 
	"You don't?" Kasumi said finally. "But I was..." 
	"You weren't yourself," Nabiki interrupted. She wanted Kasumi to 
turn over so she could see her eyes. She didn't want to believe what she 
had seen, even though it seemed like it might be the truth. "Come on, 
Sis, tell me what's wrong." Just to get her talking. The actual problem 
wasn't a concern at the moment. 
	"I can't, Nabiki. I don't know what it is," confessed Kasumi, even 
though she refused to roll over still. 
	"I think I might know, but I need to see your eyes." Kuno was 
about to be in a lot of trouble, and it took all of Nabiki's control to 
not show her anger in front of Kasumi. 
	Kasumi rolled over slowly. "You know what's wrong?" she asked 
hopefully. 
	"I think so." Nabiki looked closely at Kasumi's eyes as they came 
into view, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was relieved, yes, but 
unsure now. Kasumi's eyes were normal, but it couldn't have been just 
her imagination. 
	"What's wrong, Nabiki? Why do I feel like this?" It was Kasumi's 
turn to be the child, looking for someone to comfort her. 
	 
	"Damn it, I want to know what's going on," Ranma said angrily, 
grabbing Kuno's arm. He tried to squeeze threateningly, but found he 
couldn't dig his fingers into the muscle at all. 
	Kuno turned and looked at Ranma dispassionately. If Ranma knew, 
then maybe he could help. The more people that knew the truth, the more 
there would be to defend against future problems. He could see the angry 
fire in Ranma's eyes, and nodded. Ranma was not his friend, but it was 
not necessary for his ally to be his friend in any case. 
	Kuno changed back, causing Ranma to yank his hand away quickly, 
and sat on Akane's bed. He sighed tiredly, his stomach complaining 
loudly. "My problem is not the issue," Kuno began, Ranma staring at him. 
"There is a larger, more pervasive menace. One that, I am afraid, I can 
not handle on my own." 
	Ranma rolled his eyes at Kuno's arrogance. 
	"You may think me a fool, but this I say with all truth and 
sincerity. The Tendos, and possibly yourself, are all in great danger 
from..." There was no way Ranma would believe Gosunkugi was any kind of 
threat. He barely did himself. 
	"From what?" Ranma asked, disbelief clear on his face. He still 
wasn't sure why he should believe Kuno. 
	"I must warn you, Ranma Saotome, this will sound like mad fantasy, 
but it is all true." 
	"So get on with it. What's goin' on?" 
	"There is evil magic afoot." Ranma's eyes rolled again. "Listen! 
Ranma Saotome, if you care at all for Akane, you must guard her at all 
hours of the night." Kuno hung his head, knowing he was somewhat 
responsible for everything. "That's when he appears, traveling with the 
utmost stealth. I do not know what he plans, but it can not be good." 
	"Who?" There was something eerie about the way Kuno was speaking. 
Something that Ranma didn't like at all. 
	"Hikaru Gosunkugi." 
	Ranma stared for a moment, expecting the name of some monster or 
demon to come from Kuno's mouth, the burst out laughing. "Go... 
Gosunkugi?" He inhaled deeply and began laughing again, doubling over, 
his face turning red. "Gos... Gos..." he squeaked out before falling 
into hysterics. 
	Kuno frowned. He shouldn't really have expected anything more from 
a person like Ranma. "I warn you, he is not a force to be taken 
lightly." 
	"Bwahahaha! F... force... Gos... A f.. force?" Ranma found he 
couldn't breathe, and his laughter died quickly as he tried to compose 
himself. 
	"Yes. Nabiki and I..." 
	Ranma was mostly recovered, though was still wearing a big grin. 
"Yeah, so what's up with you two?" he asked, his face returning to its 
normal color. "Why are you two so buddy-buddy all of a sudden?" 
	Kuno flushed and shook his head. "That is not important. But we 
believe Gosunkugi is responsible for the death of Akane's friend, 
Sayuri." 
	That brought Ranma back to seriousness, even if he didn't fully 
believe the things Kuno was saying. "How do you..." 
	"Several nights ago, I witnessed Gosunkugi outside a club. He left 
with a woman... A woman far above his stature. He saw me, and, as 
ashamed as I am to admit, I was frightened, as his gaze held such 
incredible power." 
	"Gosunkugi was with a girl?" Ranma asked, thinking Kuno's story 
was back in the unbelievable territory. "That's definitely not normal." 
	Kuno nodded, giving Ranma time to work the problem over in his 
head. He knew, after all, that Ranma was not the most intelligent 
student at Furinkan. 
	"OK, so maybe..." 
	"No! Not maybe! If you value Akane's life, you will heed my 
warnings!" 
	Ranma pulled away from Kuno's outburst. Never had he seen Kuno 
quite so adamant about anything. He wasn't being his usual blustery 
self, making weak threats and posturing arrogantly. "Whoa..." Ranma held 
up his hands, maintaining a measure of distance between himself and the 
nearly foaming Kuno. "All right, OK, whatever you say... So maybe I 
should just..." 
	Then, as if he knew what Ranma was going to say, Kuno said, "Speak 
to Nabiki if you feel you must, but I will tell you now that she 
believes my words and vouch for what I have said." As if it were 
possible to burn the words into Ranma's brain with his eyes, Kuno stared 
hard. 
	Ranma sat for a moment in silence, until he could no longer hold 
Kuno's gaze. "Well, maybe I'll do that then," he said quietly. He looked 
down at his hands, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. "I... I do care for 
her," he added. 
	"Then I know you shall do your best to protect her." Kuno put his 
hand on Ranma's shoulder, before standing and walking to the door. "At 
night... Protect them all..." He left the room, hoping his words had 
left an impression. 
	Ranma stayed on Akane's bed for several minutes. He believed Kuno, 
if only for his non-threatening attitude and very impassioned words. And 
there was no faking the monster Kuno had turned into. 'At night...' 'If 
you value Akane's life...' Those were very serious words. Ranma was 
quickly giving more weight to what Kuno had said. Really, not even Kuno 
would be afraid of Gosunkugi without a real good reason... 
	 
	"Nabiki, he refuses to believe, yet I have detected Gosunkugi's 
presence here." 
	"Right now?" Nabiki whispered loudly, handing Kuno his clothing. 
They were in her room to not worry the others any more than they had to. 
	"No. The scent is much faded, but unmistakable. He has been here, 
and I fear for all your safeties." 
	"We'll be sure to keep a watch out for him. He can't get past us 
all if we're looking for him," Nabiki said, giving herself confidence. 
	Kuno nodded, not mentioning the fact that he had missed 
Gosunkugi's presence before, when he should have known, he should have 
been able to smell it... If he had been paying attention instead of 
worrying about which Tendo sister was willing to put out for him... He 
growled at himself. 
	"Now what's your problem?" Nabiki asked, trying to think of a way 
to really squeeze the answers out of Kuno without annoying him. He just 
wasn't all that agreeable when he was annoyed. She had learned that the 
hard way. Twice. 
	"Everything. How can you sit there and believe nothing will happen 
when you know..." 
	"No. I don't know. Sure, I believe you, but I don't know. You 
haven't actually seen him kill anyone have you? You didn't see him with 
Sayuri, did you?" Nabiki watched him put his shirt on, faintly 
disappointed in the back of her mind. 
	"I suppose not. How is it possible for proof to be attained then? 
You know the importance of..." 
	Nabiki waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah." But he was right. Proof, real 
proof, was needed before anyone would believe them. "I don't know. I 
guess... just go out at night and look for him." Nabiki shrugged. It 
wasn't like following Ranma around. If Gosunkugi had known Kuno was 
there, out of chance, who was to say he wouldn't know Nabiki was there. 
And she was slightly less of an imposing figure than Kuno in his wolf 
form. 
	She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she was afraid. 
Whoever said 'It never rains, but it pours' had been more correct than 
he/she could have possibly imagined. "Maybe a camera..." she trailed 
off, not able to put her thoughts together. She simply stared out the 
window, feeling frustrated, confused, and afraid. 
	Nabiki jumped a little when Kuno's arms slipped around her. "Do 
not concern yourself with it today. There is time, I don't know how 
much, but there is some," he said, his mouth very close to her ear. 
	If it hadn't been too late already, Nabiki would've thought he was 
trying to seduce her. Nodding, Nabiki shivered a little. Whether it was 
from the slight breeze coming in the window, the erotic value of him 
talking in her ear, or if it was the fear gripping her soul... "Kuno-
chan..." 
	"What is it?" His arms tightened, and for once, she seemed to melt 
into them, leaning against him, drawing on his strength. 
	"Just... kinda cold... I guess." She shivered again, sending Kuno 
a subtle request she would never put to voice. 
	In response, Kuno shifted his grip to warm Nabiki with as much 
bodily contact as possible. It was still quite chilly, even for being 
late afternoon, but Kuno knew it was not simply the temperature that 
made Nabiki shiver. He was getting pretty good at reading her, even if 
he didn't know all her secrets, but he definitely planned on learning 
more. "It will be tonight," he said to himself more than anything. 
	"No, not tonight," Nabiki said worriedly, destroying her mask. No 
matter how things were to go, she wasn't ready for it. What if Kuno 
failed? What would happen to Akane then? And Kasumi... "S... stay here," 
she added even when she knew how weak it sounded. 
	"I can not. My sister..." he said hesitantly. Kuno wanted to stay, 
badly, but then Kodachi... What would she do? "I must protect her. 
Saotome will protect all of you here." 
	Nabiki turned in his arms, her eyes sparking to life. "Do you 
think Ranma could actually...." 
	"I do not know, but he is the only one." Kuno brushed Nabiki's 
hair back, his heart suddenly pounding like a jackhammer. Whatever it 
was that encoded Nabiki as his mate was powerful, and seemed to forcing 
them to an end, no matter the circumstances surrounding them. "I do not 
believe you would appreciate my sister as a houseguest, correct?" 
	"Yeah, I suppose it would be kind of inconvenient," Nabiki 
answered, knowing what he would ask next. 
	"Then I must go. Unless..." Kuno looked thoughtful for a moment, 
even a little hopeful. 
	"Unless what?" There was something strange about the entire 
conversation, something very surreal that Nabiki couldn't quite 
identify. She felt like she was in a movie. 
	"Unless you... want to come with me..." The chance was slim. 
Nabiki wanted to stay close to her family, but he wanted to stay close 
to his, what he had left of it. There was no in between for them. 
	Nabiki shook her head. "I can't." 
	Kuno sighed, but refused to let himself pressure her. He had known 
what her answer would be, and there was nothing he could say or do to 
change that. "I understand," he said quietly. 
	They stood in silence for a few minutes more, their hearts beating 
nearly in rhythm seemed to be the only sound. Just once more, before the 
night came, to feel the heat, to fight off the encroaching darkness, no 
matter how much she said she didn't care, or how much he did... They met 
each other in a rather passionate kiss. 
	 
	Kasumi exited from her room, looking a little pale and haggard, 
but in surprisingly good spirits. An outlet for all those pent up 
feelings. That was all she needed. A good cry. Walking past Nabiki's 
room, the door shut, Kasumi could hear the two of them and smiled sadly. 
'If they're not more careful, someone will hear them,' she thought and 
continued walking. 
	Then Akane's room, the door still open from earlier. Kasumi looked 
in quickly to see if there was anyone inside, then closed the door. It 
was time to talk to Akane about cleaning her room. There was a musty 
smell, something Kasumi attributed to the clothing of a martial artist. 
'But Akane really shouldn't leave dirty laundry in her room.' Then 
Kasumi headed downstairs. 
	"And how are you felling, Kasumi?" her father asked merrily, 
preparing to plant himself in front of the shogi board. 
	"Perfectly fine, Father. Would you like some tea?" 
	"That would be wonderful, Kasumi." Almost bursting into tears, 
Soun smiled at Kasumi. It seemed his oldest daughter was finally back to 
normal. 
	'What about me?' read Genma's sign. 'Can I have some tea too?' He 
was holding an empty cup in his paw. 
	"There's no tea for you, you freeloading fat-ass!" Kasumi snarled. 
Then she blinked rapidly for several seconds. "Oh my, did I say that?" 
she asked sweetly. 
	Soun and Genma both nodded once, their eyes wide and jaws hanging 
open. 
	"Well, I shouldn't get so carried away next time," Kasumi said as 
if she had just hugged someone too tightly. "The tea will be right out." 
	 
	Upstairs, Nabiki and Kuno changed positions, the clock getting 
knocked to the floor in the process, the bed creaking almost dangerously 
with the combined weight and strain. 
	 
	The sun seemed to set more quickly than usual. Even with the near 
cloudless sky, everything got dark very quickly. The moon sat low in the 
sky, the reflected light from it not providing very much illumination at 
all. Some people were afraid of the dark, and some people didn't care. 
But for others, it was perfect... 
	 
	Kodachi watched the sun set and darkness set in. As much as she 
thought her brother a fool, his warning had given her serious food for 
thought. She was beginning to wonder where he was... For his own safety 
she kept telling herself. She, naturally, did not need any protection, 
but he so oftentimes... 
	Kodachi realized she had been absently staring out the window, 
watching for... her brother? Or someone else? Something else... Some 
shifting shadows drew her attention, and the fact that she was there, 
alone, and standing in the lighted window... 
	Pulling back from the window, Kodachi turned out the lights and 
closed the shades, though the darkness inside provided as little comfort 
as the darkness outside. But she was not afraid! She was Kodachi Kuno, a 
champion rhythmic gymnast! She was unstoppable! 
	Unstoppable, yes, but still... She looked out the window and at 
the shadows around her. Walking silently back to her room, trying not to 
disturb even the air as she moved, Kodachi wished her brother would 
return soon. His presence, even if he was something of an annoyance, 
helped. 
	Kodachi stopped and listened to the night noises of the house. The 
noises sounding foreign and threatening. What had happened to her so 
that she was now cringing like a child in the darkness? Because, simply 
enough, she was a child in the darkness, and there were monsters in the 
dark... 
	 
	Gosunkugi peered out the window carefully, smiling when he saw 
that the sun was gone. He was still somewhat undecided on what to do 
though. There were always clubs filled with unsuspecting girls that he 
could have, or he could make another attempt at the Tendos... Or maybe 
Kodachi again. He had been very close the first time, very close. Only 
chance had thwarted him. 
	That might be fun. Someone to toy with, the same way people had 
always toyed with him... He nodded thoughtfully to himself. Yes, he 
would make another try at Kodachi, and this time... Gosunkugi 
concentrated briefly and his hand lit up with green fire. Nothing would 
stand in his way this time. 
	 
	Kodachi had paced the entire length of the hall outside her room 
many times, expecting her brother to show up at any time. She crept back 
through the house, expecting her brother to show up any minute and tell 
her to go back to the basement and sleep there... She looked at the 
windows, wanting to look, but feeling a strange foreboding. 
	She almost resorted to cursing. Nothing should intimidate her. 
Nothing had before, so why now? And someone like Hikaru Gosunkugi. A 
flash of green out of the corner of her eye caught Kodachi's attention. 
	Narrowing her eyes in a predator-like manner, Kodachi looked 
slowly around her, wondering if she should let these little imaginary 
glimpses get to her. But what if it really was an intruder? Kodachi 
stomped down the frightened little girl trying to escape. "No intruder 
can escape my traps," Kodachi proclaimed, but didn't feel nearly as 
confident as she sounded. 
	The way her voice echoed through the empty house only added to the 
weirdness of the night. It was far too late. Her brother should have 
been home hours ago. He had been so concerned before... Kodachi walked 
listlessly back to her room. The whole situation was getting too 
strange, and affecting her too severely. 
	Absentmindedly, she began to get ready for bed, changing from her 
kimono, since she hadn't bothered with her leotard that afternoon, and 
into a modest nightgown, listening with half an ear for the sound of a 
trap going off. She slipped into bed and fell almost immediately asleep. 
	 
	Gosunkugi watched her move around behind the inadequate veil of 
the shades. He could tell she was on the watch for someone. Maybe her 
brother, maybe him... It was hard to say, but a minor expenditure of 
power and there she went. There were all sorts of little useful things 
to be learned from the book. 
	Gosunkugi avoided a series of traps meant to ensnare and 
immobilize, and went to the door. It was the same way he had gone in 
before, so finding Kodachi wasn't going to be any problem at all. He 
hadn't quite been able to get the hang of teleportation the way the book 
had instructed, and he had been too concerned about trying it out in the 
middle of the day to really practice. That would have made everything 
easier, but, for the moment, Gosunkugi was a hands-on guy. 
	 
	"I must speak with that girl. Surely we can afford better soap. My 
skin feels dry and flaky," Soun mumbled to himself, scratching his arms. 
How would he ever manage to get any sleep with all the horrible itching? 
"Nabiki!" he called. 
	Receiving no answer, he started for the stairs. She was most 
likely doing her homework or the finances. Soun was determined to put 
his foot down about a new brand of soap, no matter what the cost. 
	 
	Kasumi had to admit it: she was jealous. Both of her sisters had 
studly young men to... play with, a concept that brought a devilish 
smile to her face. Of course, she always had the older, more 
sophisticated Tofu, but she really liked a good sandwich... 
	"Nabiki!" 
	Her father's voice brought Kasumi out of her fantasy. She looked 
around to see that she was still in the kitchen. Thank goodness for 
small favors. Then the sound of her father's footsteps on the stairs. As 
jealous as she might be, she just couldn't let Father catch Nabiki with 
Tatewaki. Father would never understand. 
	Kasumi was still amazed that no one had heard all the noise the 
two were making in Nabiki's room anyway. At least they had finished, or 
Father would have surely caught them. Hurrying out of the kitchen, 
Kasumi stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Father?" 
	"Just a moment, Kasumi. I have something very important I must 
speak with Nabiki about." 
	"But, Father..." 
	"I will be back in a moment, Kasumi." Soun got to the top of the 
stairs and disappeared down the hall. 
	"No! Father!" Kasumi yelled sharply. 
	Shortly, Soun appeared back at the top of the stairs. "Kasumi?" 
The worry was clear in his voice. 
	"Dinner's almost ready, Father. Won't you please set the table for 
me?" 'Nice save,' Kasumi told herself. 
	"Dinner? At this time of night?" Soun asked. It was much later 
than when they normally ate, but no one complained to Kasumi anymore. 
	"Yes. I'm sorry it took so long. I was a tad distracted." Kasumi 
smiled, which immediately pacified her father. Distracted listening to 
the sounds coming from upstairs. Next time she would have to tell those 
two to take it somewhere else. 
	Soun mulled over his daughter's words, then nodded and descended 
the stairs. Dinner was far more important than soap any day. 
	 
	In the dark of the room, Nabiki and Kuno slept soundlessly, 
completely undisturbed. Nabiki mumbled something and pressed herself 
into Kuno's arms. Dead to the world, Kuno worked himself deeper into the 
warmth of Nabiki's bed, pulling her closer to him. Their worries were 
forgotten while they were asleep. 
	 
	Gosunkugi whistled merrily as he walked through the house. He was 
in unusually high spirits, a way he hadn't felt in a long time. He went 
straight to Kodachi's room, not hearing any sound when he passed Kuno's, 
and slipped inside. 
	Asleep, just as he had planned. It was just so much easier when 
they didn't know what was coming. Especially since Gosunkugi thought 
Kuno was becoming a threat, and almost definitely would have told 
Kodachi. So this was a sort of pre-emptive strike. Though it would 
probably break Kuno quickly if he found out... 
	Kodachi rolled over, snapping Gosunkugi from his contemplation. he 
was there for a very specific reason, and the sooner he did it, the 
better. Gosunkugi smiled. Muck better. He sat on the edge of Kodachi's 
bed and watched her sleep for a moment. She was definitely a girl he 
could get to like. 
	Touching one finger to Kodachi's temple, Gosunkugi's face was 
bathed in sickly green light. Kodachi seemed to struggle against sleep 
for a moment, then settled back down. Gosunkugi removed his finger and 
watched Kodachi slowly open her eyes.
	"Wha..." There was someone in her bedroom, sitting right on her 
bed... He had the most amazing eyes. Twin pools of swirling, golden 
light that danced and sparked... 
	"So tell me, Kodachi Kuno, what do you think of your brother?" 
Gosunkugi asked, seeing the dreamy look on Kodachi's face. 
	"My brother?" 
	"Yes. You know, the one you dislike intensely?" 
	"Him?" Kodachi sounded confused. "I suppose... I don't like him 
very much, do I?" she asked sleepily. 
	"No, you don't. So this is what I want you to do..." 
	Kodachi nodded her head in earnest. 
	"Watch your brother closely. He may be a threat to me, and I know 
you wouldn't want anything to happen to me." 
	"Of course not. I'll watch him closely." 
	"And you'll tell me what he does, and where he goes... I can't 
have him getting too close to me." 
	"I'll tell you what he does and where he goes. He already knows 
about you though." 
	"I'm not surprised. He's not completely stupid. But there's no 
real way I can actually get to him..." There were dangers, even with the 
power he wielded, in going against a very upset and temperamental 
werewolf. "I just need to hold something against him." 
	"What about me?" Kodachi offered helpfully. 
	"Only as a last resort. You're important to me right now as my 
little spy." But if he really needed the ace, he had her right up his 
sleeve. 
	"Well, what about..." Kodachi hesitated. 
	"What, Kodachi? Tell me what you're thinking. Is it your father?" 
	Kodachi shook her head. "Neither of us like him very much. I don't 
think he would care..." 
	"Who then?"

End Part 3, Chapter 2