HARD TO SAY GOODBYE
~By K-chan~
k-chan@rocketmail.com
*Ranma 1/2 characters are copywrited to the ingenius of Rumiko Takahashi
and co. I own nothing on these characters or their "unusual" situations.*
~Be warned, this will be a sadfic but as for a bitter ending...? I don't
know... ^_~
~I'm taking this from the manga, so no Sasuke in this one.~
~Since it was so long since I last posted a chapter of this story, I though
I'd repost the previous chapters to anyone who didn't know it or remember
it. Chapter 4 is new and is in a different post, sent to the FFML at the
same time, so watch out for it! :) ~
Chapter 1: Night Thoughts
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 good-bye 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 a link to his old life, 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 resuscitate 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 worry 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 quite some time.
"Look at the time, must be going." Kuno's face stiffened back into its
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. He opened
the door and was careful not to slam it like he felt he should. 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 else's. He would talk to the hospital manager about
it tomorrow... for now sleep was all he needed. It had been a long night
and he would need all his strength for tomorrow.
As he approached the exit, the early morning quiet of the hospital was
left behind for a colder silence. All Kuno could hear was the smacking,
echoing noise of his feet against the hard, smooth surface of the floor in
the disinfectant-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 in a house
fire..? Even if it was the Kuno's. Even though she had lost her mother,
unlike Kuno, she still had had her two sisters and her father to help her
through and she had been so much younger ...What was she even doing here?
"...Hi Kuno ...How are you?" She mentally berated herself for such a
stupid question, how did she think an orphan of an two to 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."
Nabiki eyed him carefully; he did look fine, too fine, too composed.
Didn't he care? No reaction at all. Shouldn't there be so over-emotive
response of some kind? This was Kuno, wasn't it?
"Is something wrong, Miss Tendo? You seem distant."
"Uh.. no Kuno, nothing's wrong," a surprised Nabiki answered. He
noticed how someone else was feeling? Him? He must be in shock, or denial.
The poor guy had nowhere to go, his home completely decimated by the fire
and he didn't seem too stable either.
"There's no need to feel sorry for me, Nabiki, I am capable of taking
care of myself, even after this... 'incident,'" Kuno stated with little
emotion until the last word, which seemed to stumble out with a hint of
bitterness.
A perceptive Kuno... what next?
"Akane and the 'pigtailed girl' send their condolences." That should
cheer him up, Nabiki thought.
Kuno meanwhile became enrapt with the two beauteous images and their
sweet laughter, ready to tell the world of his love for them when... the
high-pitched laughter started to scream... their faces slimmed and their
eyes narrowed... the double images becoming one, becoming one more twisted
and blurred... the screaming became louder and louder... the blurred face
became more defined... the screaming faded as silence reigned... the face
settled into the dark, stylish face of one recently departed... one he
could have, should have, saved... his sister...
"Hey, Kuno are you OK? Snap out of it!" Nabiki shouted down his ear,
trying to wake him up from whatever nightmare he was having. His face
looked too solemn for her to be comfortable with. She was only trying to
help - and although a few people would have claimed she was incapable of
emotion, they were also smart enough to keep their views to themselves.
"Tatewaki Kuno!"
The images in his mind snapped shut as his eyes opened. "What?" He
blinked a few times to get his bearings and became relieved when his
sister's face had apparently left him alone.
"You went into a haze there. I was just trying to wake you up."
Nabiki pondered with the idea of asking him to stay at her house, because
she knew that he had little choice. For such a prestigious estate, the Kuno
family line had always been pretty small. Kuno's father, the principal, had
no siblings and neither had his mother. Nabiki still had trouble believing
what had happened _had_ happened. People fought monsters and each other,
they declared their love and they shape-shifted without blinking but they
didn't die, they just didn't... until now.
"I'll be leaving now, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno suddenly announced in a
cold, formal manner which betrayed his arrogant tone; "I have much to do."
"At this time? Don't you need some sleep first, it _is_ 4:30 in the
morning. You haven't slept all night, have you? I'm sure Dad won't mind you
staying at our house. So, what about it, then? I'll help you with any
paperwork in the morning." She almost added "...for a fee," but thought
better of it. Even she wasn't that cold-hearted and money-minded. She
wasn't.
"I can take care of my own affairs without any help and find my own
accommodation. I'm not a helpless weakling!" Kuno replied, though it was
less to do with ego and more of a self-reminder of self-sufficiency.
"Hey look. I'm just trying to help. It's not like you have anywhere
else to go! What are you going to do, sleep on the streets?"
"I'm no commoner, my family had many connections, being of such a
great line of warriors! I have no need for charity!" Kuno protested with
more vigour than he had been showing before. Realising his mistake by
losing composure, he tried to quench the rising hard, red anger inside of
him. He was so angry but he shouldn't be! He just wanted to strike out at
something, he _ needed_ a release. But his mother would disapprove. She
would be disappointed in him, watching from above. She had once said that
you could only be a true warrior if you did not foist your emotions onto
others and saved your passion for the battlefield. But he felt _so_ mad,
so mad at that moment. Mad at everything and everyone.
Nabiki was worried, really worried. Kuno seemed to be in danger of
losing his temper... big time. His teeth were clenched tight together and
his fists were scrunched up till they went white. A gasp almost escaped her
as she saw Kuno's eyes darkening rapidly. This was not looking too good.
She had been careful in her choice of words and knew that he had an ego
which surpassed the likes of Ranma but she didn't think he'd turn down an
offer to stay in the same place as Akane. That wasn't like him... but then
this violently moody kendoist who had just lost his family was not exactly
his "normal" self.
"It's OK, Kuno, if you really don't want to, it's OK."
The fear hidden deep in her voice, the fear she tried to hide,
snapped the fire out of Kuno's heart with a sharp sting. What was he
thinking? How _could_ he even consider striking out at a defenceless
woman?! That sort of behaviour is unacceptable in anyone bearing the Kuno
name! Unacceptable... His mother would be ashamed... How could he ever have
forgotten her wise words of honour, strength and what it meant to be a
warrior?
"I must leave, now. I shall greet you another day, Nabiki Tendo,
good bye." His coolly edged voice spoke so quietly Nabiki almost didn't
hear him. He was too self-obsessed with his supposed faults that he didn't
notice Nabiki's sad expression as he turned away from her towards the exit.
As the overly proud but confused teenager left the warm building for
the cold, dark night, Nabiki sighed to herself. Why did she feel so upset
over this? It wasn't like she held any warm feelings for the Kuno family...
But despite his outward appearance of arrogance and pride, Nabiki felt that
at this moment, Kuno was just a lonely little boy who was lost among his
own feelings. He would never be the same person again after tonight... She
knew those feelings.
"I just wanted to help..." Nabiki said quietly to an empty corridor,
feeling too alone with her thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
As Kuno trudged the snow of the winter night and as the frosty air
of early morning bit at him, he suddenly realised that he had no idea where
to go. "It has been a busy night, of course such a thought would
accidentally slip my mind momentarily." He prided himself on his modesty
and on being able to point out his good points too. Not once had he had to
apologise because his behaviour had always been impeccable.
Now, who would he choose to let have the honour of his company...?
He had already turned down the Tendos because their offer had been out of
pity and not admiration. It was strange how perceptive he had become
after... after... the tragic passing of his family.
He had lost his mother barely five years ago and for some reason the
memory of her stern, impassive face had faded... until now. Who would she
recommend? Ah yes, the Okanoni's! Such a fine family, always pleasant and
polite he had heard. He would live with them.....
.......Tapping lightly on the large doors of the Okanoni's not-so-humble
abode, Kuno waited for an answer. He was surprised when Mrs. Okanoni
answered the door in a nightgown and not some common servant.
"Yes, can I help you?" She asked, blurry-eyed, grumpy, without
recognition.
"Uh... My name is Tatewaki Kuno, and I wish to stay the night since
I have nowhere else to go," he replied boldly, confident of rest soon.
Mrs. Okanoni was bemused by this strange boy. He said he was...
that boy Kuno? Who did he think he was?! Going under the guise of that
established family. "You claim to be Tatewaki Kuno...? From the house of
Kuno?"
He nodded.
"You must take me for a fool! Well. I shall not have it, street
cur!!"
"But I --" Kuno protested, unaware of his appearance. Majestic and
proud in his mind, he was actually a most miserable sight: ruffled hair,
bloodshot eyes, shadows starting to appear under his eyes, his clothes
wrinkled and slightly dusty from the smoke -- he had not changed since
the... incident, and with bare, scuffed feet.
"You think an arrogant specimen who's stupid enough to carry a
useless piece of wood around such as yourself could ever be of any noble
family!"
"I assure you, I --"
"And that fake accent, who are you kidding?!" Being woken up early in
the morning had not made Mrs. Okanoni very friendly. "And as if anyone
would want to be thought of as belonging to those twisted, disreputable,
laughable, only-good-for-their-money Kuno's, well I never!" She got carried
away on a torrent of abuse at, to her, this stranger. "And those clothes,
please!! They make you look like a girl, you deviant!" Slowing down to take
a breath as a window upstairs lighted up, Okanoni was about to turn away
when she seemed to remember something. "And another thing... Good morning!"
She slammed the door in his face, compounding his shock at the spurned
invitation.
Insults danced round his head merrily, laughing and teasing him: -
"arrogant... stupid.... disreputable... laughable..." No-one laughed at his
family. Surely the lady was just tired and unaware of what accusation she
was making...? His family was respected and admired! But what she had
said... for some reason Kuno couldn't shake the insults out of his head
with his usual style of ignorance and ego. They just wouldn't leave him
alone, just wouldn't go!
He shook his head in frustration as he stepped away from the house.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no! He kept shaking it till the thoughts faded
away... at least for the moment. "I have such a headache! It must go away
now! Please....!" He almost pleaded out loud but not quite, for it was
still beneath him. Head bowed down, the last Kuno plundered on, with not so
much force in his step as before...
Kuno thought for a long time about the "event", barely noticing the
loss of his bokken until he was too late to stop the heinous thief. He ran
after the criminal shouting about the "injustice of it all" and how someone
of his "standing should not have deal with this sort of disrespect." The
thief seemed to laugh out loud at this comment. This riled Kuno even more;
how dare someone so lowly mock his family?! The chase became high pursuit,
he was barely dodging people along the pavement as he ran with all of his
life against this deviant.
The aggressive wind whip-lashed his face and the snow-bogged streets
slowed him down as he ran bare-footed along the street, sense finally
abandoned. A comparison with Saotome sprung to Kuno's raging mind and it
merely drove him on further. Refusing to admit the punishing exhaustion
which was begging for him to stop by cramping his sides with fierce pain
which sliced through him and weighed down his lungs with extra-ordinary
large gasps of air, Kuno ran on. This scum had insulted his family and
therefore had insulted his whole reason for being, to carry on this noble
line. The truth was no thoughts of "the pigtailed girl" and/or Akane
ever entered his head.
Kuno was gaining rapidly on the thief, who was beginning to panic. Who
was this nuthead and why didn't he just give up? It was just a stupid piece
of wood he was going to use for a fire! It was such a cold night and he was
so cold... he had eaten very little and he just needed warming up. But his
starvation was catching up with him and the thief couldn't keep going on
like this. How was he supposed to get rid of this guy?
A cruel idea popped into the thief's head. He didn't want to have to
do this but without warmth, tonight was going to be his last night alive.
That made him very desperate. He suddenly turned sharply to his right,
nearly spinning off his feet, into a side alley where he stopped and took a
few gasps. Just as he expected, the mad guy had followed him into the dark
one-way street.
Unable to see much but blurry shadows of bins and boxes, Kuno
announced his arrival into the alley. "I am Tatewaki " 'wheeze' "Kuno of
the house of Kuno" 'gasp' "and I demand that you" 'choke' "give me back my
most sacred weapon," he shouted with as much gusto as his pained body could
allow.
"Not on your life," replied a shadow emerging out of the shadows and
into the pale moonlight , something shiny in his hand glinting under the
night's light.
"So it shall be, vagrant." Kuno eyeing the glinting object carefully.
Was it.. a knife? "I am a skilled martial artist and shall defeat you with
ease."
"We'll see about that!" The man answered gruffly. He dove towards
Kuno, who easily stepped out of the way, and landed loudly in the
clattering jumble of tin bins. He lay still for a short while. Confident
that his assailant had been dealt with, Kuno went down to pick up his
wooden weapon when...
'Slash!'
"Aaaah!" Kuno instinctively clutched his bleeding shoulder. The
commoner had suddenly recovered and had leapt up and slashed his shoulder.
This great offence on his character had dealt Kuno a large reality blow and
he didn't like it one bit. He was no weakling, he had more training and
talent than this weasel would know what to do with! He may not have been
able to save his sister and his father but he could save himself. "You
think you can beat me with dirty tricks! You think you can kill me in a
dishonourable, cowardly fashion, like those who set fire to my house! Well,
take _this_!!!"
And with that, Kuno slammed his fist right into the man's face,
hurtling him across, where a sickening 'crack' was heard as the stunned man
collided with the wall. Not caring for the man's life, Kuno forgot about
his bokken and stormed out of the alley and down the street.
The torture his bleeding arm was wreaking on him brought Kuno back
from the brink of madness. He slowed down his pace, ignoring with
difficulty the stares and whispers around him. They seemed deafening but
his sore, throaty voice and throbbing, dizzy headache prevented any
protests to silence the rumours of "a madman, he is," "ain't it that bore
Kuno? Can't be, would be nice if it was, though," "deserves it, that
pervert" and "let's get outta here, he's gone nuts!" People were scared of
him? Normally it was pleasing to hear that but he felt that they were
referring to his state of mind, not his superior martial arts skill.
He knew he was sane. He _was_ sane, he was! The... inconvenient, no
that's offensive, the untimely death of his family had nothing to do with
him wandering around the streets of Nerima - it was Nerima wasn't it? - not
normally visited by any self-respecting citizen. He respected himself, who
wouldn't? Who wouldn't respect him, Tatewaki Kuno, the mighty Blue Thunder?
He had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing... except for - no! He couldn't
think about that! Not _now_, not _ever_! Not that there was anything to
think about, no there wasn't. There wasn't, dammit!
"NOO!" Kuno screamed as he whammed his fist into a nearby brick wall.
'Wham'! Extra hard. He breathed heavily as he realized his outburst.
Holding his bruised hand up to the harsh, unflattering glare of a
streetlight, a sudden wave of shame flashed briefly over him as he realised
he had embarrassed the Kuno family name once again. Tears were threatening
to break free from his eyes but he blinked them back furiously. He had
shamed himself enough, crying was an indignity he would not suffer. It
would be the death of his very character.
Mother would be very disappointed with him: emotional outbursts,
moodiness, lack of respect from those beneath him and the inability to sa..
sav... She might leave him again, if he ever made it to heaven, just like
she had five years ago. So unexpectedly.
Kuno travelled on, sinking in guilt and melancholy till he reached an
empty intersection.
Not seeming to care, he fell into a self-absorbed stupor as he
crossed the slippery street. He never saw the car screeching round the
corner. The car never noticed the uncharacteristically unnoticed Kuno as it
speeded down the lane...
'Screeeeech!'
Only when the long headlights shone over the unaware pedestrian did
the driver take action. Braking hard and fast, her car skidded helplessly
towards a potential tragedy. The pedestrian stopped and turned to look at
the speeding vehicle in surprise. He made no attempt to move, struck dumb
by fear or numbed by depression.
"Get out of the way, kid!" the driver desperately shouted out,
knowing well that the boy could not hear her. She cried in frustration as
the steering wheel locked up on her. In less than a second, her fate would
be decided. A killer or just a careless driver. The impact of that the
driver hadn't fully comprehended. There was no time for that. She could
only pray for a miracle...
The car skimmed sadistically in what seemed like slow motion for
both parties. The driver tried to steer away while Kuno wondered whether to
move and save what he had left of life or to let it end and be done with
this wretched mess. He could feel the warmth of the blazing headlights on
him, he could just stand there...
...But no! Something inside of Kuno woke and pushed him away to the
side just as his destiny was upon him.
'Wham!'
But not quick enough as one of his legs was hit by the side of the
careening car, lashing him off his feet and twisting him round in the air
to land hard on his face, where the warm dribble of blood slid from his
nose.
Kuno slowly but with determination picked himself up, his hands
sticking slightly to the chilled concrete. The air stung his wounds and his
body shrieked with agony as he accidentally tried to lever himself up with
his slashed arm. He stood up, his legs wobbled nervously as he was being
wracked with convulsions. But conscious thought barely penetrated the
senses. All he could think of was "alive, still alive, why?" He had to keep
moving. He had to go on and he didn't even know why. He just had to. Even
though the dark cloud in his mind was slowly choking him, he knew he
couldn't let it take over him.. he couldn't.. but it wouldn't relent, it
wouldn't leave him alone...
The driver finally managed to stop a hundred yards down after
spinning round and round. The driver, shaking with shock as her mind spun
erratically with what had just happened, wheezed with fear. The ground
beneath her seemed to shake and shift as she stepped out of the car. She
had to find that boy. She had hit that boy. Her. Stuttering down the
street, the driver looked for the boy but couldn't see him. Where did he
go? She looked on in vain and desperate guilt. What now?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
End of chapter 1...
Any form of C&C taken with gratitude and thanks ('cept for flames : P ) and
I hope it made some sense!
I don't know what happened to the Kuno's mother, so I made a history up for
her that would fit in with this fic. Grammer and punctuation especially
liked for these three chapters! ^_^
Chapter 2: The Human Abstract
There was laughing... not a quiet, soft laugh but a manic cackling
over and over again... getting louder and louder and it wouldn't stop.
There was no image, just darkness, no image, just blackness. An evil
cackle, a familiar cackle taunting... at him. Why? Why could the laughing
leave him alone? Why won't it go away? He just wanted peace... why wouldn't
the laughing stop?
WHY?!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Biting her bottom lip, she paced erratically up and down the worn
floor in the sitting room. Up. Down. Up. Down. She didn't pace like this;
she didn't panic, most of the time. Why now? All she had to do was lie down
and fall asleep. All her problems would be far away... but one would still
be out there, wandering alone. He wasn't her responsibility, she should
just forget all about it. She should... but she didn't. Everyone would be
waking up soon.
No-one but Kasumi knew...she had answered the phone, late at night,
when no-one but her and Kasumi were up. Should she tell them or let them
sleep? Kasumi was sitting down on the sofa, calmly reading a book. How can
she just sit there? She's acting just like she did when mom died. Kasumi
hardly ever gets upset about anything since mom's death, that had always
worried her, how much her sister had changed since it. A person, seemingly
so calm and content but with tragedy in their past... someone like her.
Then Kasumi looked up at her, probably wondering why the usually
composed person in front of her was acting so out of character. "I know
you're worried about Tatewaki, Nabiki," Kasumi stated; "but please get some
rest. You'll be of more help to him then."
Nabiki stopped pacing and started to speak when...
'Brrriiinng!' 'Brrrriinnng!'
Nabiki picked the phone almost immediately, clutching it nervously.
She knew something was wrong. She didn't know how she knew. "Hello? Tendo
residence speaking..."
"This is North Nerima Hospital speaking."
"The hospital? Why, what's happened?" She kept her voice steady,
letting no emotion slip out.
"About half an hour ago, we brought in a seriously injured,
half-unconscious boy, involved in a car accident, we identified as a
Tatewaki Kuno. He's in surgery at the moment..."
Oh my god, Kuno! How did he get to that part of town from South
Nerima General? "Yes?"
"We uh... found out about his immediate family... and this number was
found in his wallet. You do know what happened to his family, don't you?"
"Yes. I'm aware of the situation." Kuno keeps an actual wallet? Nabiki
just thought he carried money around his pockets. She should know this
about a customer, especially her best one.
"We couldn't find any mention of any other close relatives of the
Kuno family in his files... Can that be true?"
"Yes. I know of none, either."
"It's just that there are forms that need to be signed and he is no
condition to look at them."
"I'll be right over." She put the phone down with immediacy, her hand
shaking as she placed the receiver. Her face was paler than white as she
turned round to face Kasumi... This couldn't be happening, this couldn't...
First Kodachi and the principal and now... Kuno? No, it couldn't happen.
Why didn't she stop him leaving the last hospital? Why?! She should have
known better than that. And now... who knows?
"My sister? Is everything OK? Nabiki?" Kasumi gently prodded her
sister, who seemed to be caught up in her own thoughts.
"Uh, sorry Kasumi, I have to go to the hospital n-now..." Nabiki
answered, her calm voice faltering slightly as she tried unsuccessfully to
compose her mixed up emotions. She walked silently into the hall and
started to put her jacket and scarf on. She had never taken her shoes off
since she'd gotten back.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" Kasumi followed her sister into the
hall.
"It's Kuno, he's in hospital, he's been badly hurt in a car
accident,"
Kasumi looked both shocked and sad at this statement. "Oh dear! Is
your poor friend going to be alright?"
Nabiki stepped back mentally. "F-friend?"
"Yes, Tatewaki Kuno is who you're referring to isn't it?"
Nabiki found it strange that anyone would consider Kuno her friend. A
customer perhaps, a classmate even... but a friend? "Yeah, that's right,
Kasumi, my friend." Nabiki moved towards the door, preparing herself
mentally for the outside world. As the door creaked open, she turned back
to face her older sister. "Are you going to tell the rest about... what's
happened when they wake up?"
Kasumi gave her a sympathetic, sad smile. "Yes, I was going to tell
everyone over breakfast. It would be better to tell Ranma and Akane about
this tragedy together."
Nabiki smiled back warmly and openly, a rare smile only her family
have ever seen. "Thanks sis'. I don't know how long I'll be at the
hospital."
"Take as long as you like, oneechan. Just remember to rest once
you're done, OK?" Kasumi asked as Nabiki stepped out into the frosty
morning.
"Bye Kasumi," Nabiki walked off into the hazy mist of snowfall, at
last alone with her thoughts, wondering why she felt so different since
last night and why she should care about someone she professed to hate....
And wishing that her mom was still here to help...
The 17 year old wandered on, unaware of the cold slowly invading her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The laughs had long since stopped, leaving a relatively quiet chasm
of nothingness in its place... Slipping further and further into this
peace, something glinted. No... it sparked, momentarily. What could it be?
It sparked again, a longer flash lingered on a second or so.
Shimmering shades of orange and yellow danced, intertwining with each
other, with wisps of ghostly grey flirting over it. There was something
familiar about this image. The smell was so bitter, so foul...
Aha! There it was again, for longer... No, no it can't be that! It
must go, it must leave! It was not his fault! Why does it taunt him so;
why?! He had done everything he could. The fire knew he had survived it and
yet it came back, just like the laughing... over and over and over....
"_Leave me alone_!!! Just leave me _alone_!!!" He screamed out loud,
suddenly sitting bolt upright when a sharp pain struck his ribs. Clasping a
hand at his chest, he fell back to the comfort of the soft sheets of the
bed and closed his eyes. Bed...? Where was he? That must have meant those
strange images were only a dream, it must have meant all of this was a
dream... His sister was probably making her version of breakfast now. He
smiled at this thought only for his face to start screaming in pain. Why
did he feel so weak, so? Why was such pain coarsing through his body?
Opening his eyes, which were frustratingly blurry at first, he saw...
a slim figure standing nearby in the lighted room... it was a girl?
"Younger sister?"
"No, Kuno," the voice of the girl whispered quietly in a strange tone
which held a mixture of pity, sympathy and sadness. It was familiar but
unfamiliar in its unassuming manner.
Blinking his eyes open, Kuno slowly sat up right in his bed, for some
reason his leg was held down by something, causing him much difficulty. He
was about to scold this strange girl for being in his bedroom when his eyes
gained focus... The strange girl was Nabiki, standing there with a mask of
coolness when she really seemed quite uncomfortable with the situation. He
had recently prided himself on his increased perceptiveness, it had come
about since....
No.
No!
NO!!
It couldn't be true! It could not be real!! It had to be fake, an
illusion like Ranma's sorcery...
But all of it came rushing back. Memories, feelings, experiences he
did not wish to know about, he did not want to remember. But they continued
to feed the dark emotions which rattled him. The fire... Kodachi's
screams... Nabiki's look of pity... mother's words... Mrs. Okanoni... the
thief... and the hypnotising glow of the headlights... It was not fair! Why
was Kami so angry with him, what had he done to deserve these injustices?
What?!
Nabiki watched Kuno closely, she felt so... sorry for him. Imagine...
thinking everything was alright and then having it slam you right in the
gut, the real truth.
Kuno was still adjusting to the real nightmare, so much so that he
did not bother to hide his real feelings. His face had lost any
impassiveness she had seen before. His eyes were so sad and lonely, his
face was screwed up in misery and shock. Kuno.... Kuno seemed so
vulnerable... so hurt. She was disturbed with this unusual sight and yet at
the same time she was affected in a another way by his open vulnerability.
It was so... touching. He seemed so human just then, still a pompous jerk
perhaps, but a pompous jerk with humanity in him. It was a strange
feeling, though and it felt so foreign to her. She would just shove it
aside until she could deal with it, later. That's were bad feelings go - in
"later".
As a tear fell unawares from Kuno's eye, down his cheek, Nabiki felt
at a real loss at what to do. Kasumi would know, she was good at this sort
of thing. She always had been, making people feel better or pointing out
their faults when they hurt someone's feelings badly. Nabiki had many good
points, she knew, but comforting was not one of them. What should she do?
Avoiding eye contact, Nabiki spoke quietly but calmly. "I have to
make a phonecall, Kuno, but you keep well, OK? I'll... come back later."
Kuno, his emotional reckoning interrupted, looked towards the
composed figure at the end of his bed. He had forgotten all about her, how
could he be so rude? Mother would be ashamed at this selfish display of
emotion. Kodachi would laugh at him for being so weak... weak... No, he was
strong!! But what about...? Quenching back unwanted memories, Kuno decided
to risk speaking, he hoped someone as socially aware as him could speak
without letting this embarrassing grief of his ruin his barely salvageable
reputation.
He felt a hardness in his chest as he spoke, slowing his speech down
as he tried to get rid of this unnatural feeling. "Goodbye, Nabiki Tendo."
There. Done. And what a fine effort it was as well. Yes, perfectly
composed. Mother would be so proud, she would hopefully forgive him for the
crying...
Nabiki left Kuno's ward; both uncomfortable in their thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kasumi sat down at the end of the table, having just laid out
breakfast, seeming immune to the craziness which existed. Ranma was
fighting with Akane while similarly fighting off his father's attempts to
steal his food. It seemed a perfectly normal day for Nerima until Nodoka
noticed something.
"Kasumi dear, aren't you going to eat?" She asked the young woman,
whose mind seemed to be on something else.
"I don't feel like eating, Mrs. Saotome," she replied in a quiet
voice.
"Why ever not?"
"I have some bad news for you all."
Soun, hearing his daughter mention "bad news", put his paper down and
looked at her with a worried expression on his face. "What's the matter,
aren't you well?"
Akane's ears perked up. Kasumi wasn't well? Kasumi? She turned to
look at her sister and stopped arguing with Ranma, who noticed Akane's lack
of interest and his curiosity peaked as well.
Taking in a deep breath, Kasumi decided now was the time to tell
them. "I'm fine... but there's been a horrible accident. It happened late
last night..."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nabiki couldn't believe it! The hospital staff wouldn't let her sign
any forms regarding insurance because they thought she was too young. And
they wouldn't let her go see the driver who ran Kuno over. She smiled with
an edge of malice. They must think she's some sort of stupid, immature
teenager... well, they'd soon find out differently. And the reckless
driver wouldn't know what hit them, either...
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
She opened the hospital curtains open slightly and stepped into the
room, drawing closely to Kuno's bedside. Her heart beat faster as she
nervously approached his sleeping form. What was she going to say? Should
she wake him? He looked so peaceful.... She had never seen him so
peaceful...
Before she could make up her mind, an argument outside on the other
side of curtain woke him up. He slowly opened his eyes and gazed up at the
person near him, slowly gathering his thoughts and beginning to realise who
was next to him. She saw his stare and gasped in morbid fascination and
pity by the darkness and desolation clear in his eyes, all swirling inside
of him. It was amazing how she found that, at this moment, she could read
him like a book.
His eyes widened as he finally recognised who it was. She... came?
Her?
"Akane...." his sore and dry throat croaked with an unreadable tone.
The schoolgirl smiled sadly and replied: "Hello, Upperclassman Kuno."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nabiki put down the phone in disbelief after having had a
conversation with Kasumi... Akane was here, along with Ranma? But she
hadn't seen them! But she had been busy with other "matters".
She started to walk quickly down the corridor towards Kuno's ward.
She couldn't let them go near them! After seeing Kuno's reaction the last
time she had mentioned her younger sister's name, Nabiki knew that it would
be wiser not to mention Akane again. But... now what was she supposed to
do? It had been over an hour since Ranma and Akane had apparently set off
for the hospital and taking into account Ranma's speed, they were probably
here already.
Akane's appearance is well-meaning but ill-timed but taking into
account Ranma... she knew that in either form he would end up being a
dangerous ingredient to an already volatile cocktail. And what with Kuno's
unpredictable mood swings and depression, Nabiki could only hope that she'd
get there in time.....
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kuno looked up at Akane, who seemed unsure what to say. His love was
here to see him... oh joyous day! He smiled at her when another face slowly
super-imposed itself over the schoolgirl's. It was different but blurry
around the edges. Then the new face smiled and Kuno knew who it was and
knew why it was doing this to him every time he thought of his loves...
finally knew....
Akane watched as Kuno's eyes seemed to glaze over as his demeanour
soured from the almost happy expression of a few seconds ago to a... sad,
almost resigned face. What was wrong? She thought she could cheer him up,
she thought she could help.
Kuno looked at his hallucination with an almost sober view. His eyes
said that it was Kodachi standing before him with an evil smile on her
face.... but he knew that it was Akane, that his younger sister was not
here anymore. The reason for all this was finally dawning on him and it was
now time to embrace this new truth, to admit it...
The hospital curtain opened slightly as a head peeked in.
"Akane, you okay?" Ranma asked; "It seemed a bit too quiet in here."
Before Akane could answer, Ranma felt another set of eyes upon him
and he shivered but didn't know why.
Kuno was sitting up in bed, his hands at his sides, he seemed ready
to jump out. His eyes were narrowed and his face was painted with
undisguised fury and hatred. How dare Saotome come here?! How dare he!! The
source of all his troubles, the imprisoner of his pigtailed girl!!! He was
facing his worst enemy.....
His worst enemy......
"How dare you show your face!" Kuno snarled, his blood thickening up
as if hot lava was flowing through him. Suddenly he jumped towards the
stunned martial artist, not noticing the crying pain in his leg and the
agonising shrieks of his injured arm as his IV got sharply ripped off when
he dived with surprising speed towards his nemesis.
As a maddened Kuno lunged for him, Ranma was momentarily taken
off-guard by the attack. He couldn't believe that Kuno was acting so...
so...
Thought was cut off as he heard Akane scream and his instincts
finally kicked in before Kuno did. He dodged to the side as 17 year-old
flew past him and fell onto the floor, slamming into the hard metal legs of
an empty hospital bed opposite him and the sickening 'clang' as head
collided with metal.
Ranma couldn't breathed heavily as what had just happened had knocked
the wind out of him. He couldn't believe it, Kuno had just attacked him for
no reason. No challenge was issued and he had seemed to be really angry
with him for some reason. Ranma had expected maybe for Kuno to treat him
with contempt and disdain as usual, but not with the sort of unrestrained
show of loathing usually reserved by... Ryoga. Kuno was turning into Ryoga?
Nah... it must just be temporary insanity, it had to be. Kuno would be fine
when he woke up. Yeah, he would, Ranma was sure of it.
He glanced at Akane and saw that she was very pale and stood
silently, her mouth wide open. She was also... shivering? Was she in shock,
was she alright? "Aka -"
"Unh..! Face me you.. nghhh! You deviants!" A pained voice announced.
Ranma turned round in shock. Kuno got up, after that? He usually
stayed down after a crash like that. And did he hear right...
"deviants..."? Who else was Kuno talking to? He hoped it wasn't Akane.
Kuno staggered away from the battered bed. A headache erupted inside
his turmoiled head, a sharp pain stabbed repeatedly at his arm. His eyes
only just escaped a sharp cut down one of his cheeks. Not hearing the gasps
and cries of shocked patients around him, Kuno fixed his eyes on his
slightly blurry surroundings which were spinning gently round him and saw
his worst enemy, there were now three of them and they seemed slightly
taller than before but oddly familiar. All he knew was that they must go,
he would punish them for what they had done.
"You will pay for killing them! For letting them die!!" He shouted in
blind rage, tears streaming down his eyes, his injured body not seeming to
slow him down as he ran towards one of the enemies, having been forced to
choose between them.
(What is he talking about?) Both Ranma and Akane thought to
themselves.
Ranma readied himself for a fight when he heard Akane cry out.
"Don't hurt him, Ranma, he's really sick!!"
"In more ways than one," Ranma muttered to himself, although he did
feel sympathy for the guy and what he'd been through. But... he couldn't
let anyone else get hurt, especially with Akane there. He wouldn't let Kuno
touch her...
Kuno stampeded up to a steadfast Ranma, his teeth clenched and his
fists scrunched up so tightly the knuckles had turned white. The kendoist's
eyes were red with anger and rage and his whole stance was shaky with
indescribable pain but determined. Everyone watched with horrified
fascination, struck dumb by such intensity of emotion and anger. The
confrontation was nigh...
The quiet seemed unbreakable...
"Kuno, don't do it! Ranma hasn't killed anyone!! Please, stop this
_now_!" A stern voice shouted from the entrance to the ward. Everyone
turned to look to see who it was, including both Kuno and Ranma.
"Nabiki...?" Kuno whispered in surprise. She had come back to see
him? Suddenly instinct told him someone was behind him. What --?
"Aaaah!" A stabbing pain hit his senses. He turned to see a doctor
standing there holding a needle. A drowsy feeling began to swamp the whole
of him and haziness drifted through his mind as the ground seemed to shake
and shift beneath him. "You should have let me finished... why?"
"I'm sorry," the doctor answered with genuine sympathy as the
anesthesia began to take control of the teenager standing infront of him.
"It was for the best."
"Whose best?" asked Kuno sadly as he dropped to the ground in an
awkward heap. Mouth still open. Mind closed. Doctors and nurses immediately
clamoured round the fallen soldier as Nabiki made her way over to Ranma,
her mixed up emotions unrecognisable on her calm face.
"I guess I was too late," she understated as her eyes wandered to her
'best customer' who was being wheeled off to Casualty.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
End of chapter 2...
Chapter 3: Memories of Me
Nabiki listened from outside the curtain as the psychiatrist
interviewed Kuno, who had barely been awake for an hour. She couldn't
really hear either Kuno or the interviewer, which meant she couldn't tell
what was going on. Had the psychiatrist found out what was going on in
Kuno's head? He'd deserve a medal if he did.
'Tip'Tap'Tip'Tap'. Hearing footsteps, Nabiki backed away from the
white curtain as the psychiatrist stepped out and started to walk forward
as if she had just arrived.
"Well?" She asked him as he closed the curtain behind him.
"I'm sorry, I can't discuss what he has told me, it's confidential,"
the psych coolly replied; "plus, you would've heard better what was going
on if you had used a stethoscope while eavesdropping."
"I wasn't eavesdropping!" Nabiki answered with fake offence at the
remark.
"I'm sure you weren't," the psych agreed in a condescending manner;
" you can go in and see your boyfriend now."
Nabiki surpressed her surprise at that misjudgment and choked down
her oncoming laughter; "I'm just a... classmate of his."
The psychiatrist started to slowly walk off. He circled round to
look at her and smiled; "Good-bye, Miss Nabiki Tendo."
"How... did you know my name? I've never met you before," she asked
suspiciously.
"I'm afraid that's confidential," he responded as he turned his
head, walking away again as she digested his hidden answer. Kuno mentioned
her? ...In what context? She would find out... from the source.
Opening the white sheet which separated Kuno from the outside
world, Nabiki walked in with an air of confidence and control, her eyes
directly focused on the young man, still not feeling completely safe around
him.
He was sitting up in bed trying to reach a drink from a chipped mug
standing on the table beside him but unable to because of the restraints on
his arms. Nabiki's footsteps alerted him to her presence and he looked up
at her, his face seeming to be as calm as hers. She edgily stood at the end
of his bed.
"Good evening, Nabiki Tendo," he greeted, having given up on reaching
the cup.
"Hi Kuno.. how did it go, with the psychiatrist?" Nabiki asked
curiously. How's she going to ask him why he mentioned her to the psych guy
without bringing up this morning... without bringing Ranma and Akane?
"It was very odd, now that you ask," his aloof voice uttered
smoothly; "he kept mentioning a fight this morning that I just don't recall
happening."
"You don't remember it? You tried to... " Nabiki stopped herself
before she spoke of Ranma. Kuno seemed to be changing personalities more
often than Ranma could shapeshift and she didn't want to change it again.
"I tried to do what, Nabiki?" Kuno really could not remember anything
past Nabiki visiting him earlier this morning. That is what he had told the
polite man in the suit and white overcoat. There was something annoying,
just hanging around at the back of his mind... but he couldn't reach it.
Why ever not?
"Nothing..." she sighed; "it doesn't matter." Why'd he have to get so
perceptive?
Kuno continued to look at Nabiki in puzzlement; why was she changing
the subject? She must have a good reason... but nothing should be kept
secret from him.
"Here," Nabiki, trying to change the subject, moved over to his
bedside table and picked up his half-empty cup; "why don't I help you get a
drink, ne?"
"I have _no need_ for help," he snapped sharply back; "I can take
care of myself!" Where did that come from? It was impolite to talk like
that! But he just couldn't let her help him. He could look after himself,
he was no weakling...
Nabiki carefully put down the cup, preparing to say goodbye. It had
been a lost cause to visit him after all, especially if he was going to get
all moody again.
"Sorry, Nabiki Tendo. Please forgive my outburst," the now, yet
again, calm Kuno apologised.
Nabiki stepped back in surprise... Kuno had apologised?! That was...
humble, that was plain weird! "Apology accepted."
"I just wish I could apologise to my younger sister, too..." he
whispered sadly to the air.
"What did you say?"
"I... uh..." What did he say that for? He had tried everything he
could to say his sister... everything. There was no reason to feel guilty.
What a odd thing to say... very odd... "Nothing, Nabiki Tendo, you must
have imagined it," he lied, not wanting to explain that which he had
spoken.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's it," she replied unconvinced. He had said
something about his sister... but what? She had only caught the end of the
whisper. She remembered sadly, after speaking to one of the firemen who had
hung around the hospital after the accident, how Kuno had tried to save his
family... Imagine, going through what he did... She shivered with the
memory of a memory...
"Are you cold?" He asked, with genuine concern. After all, she had
been kind enough to visit him twice, without asking for anything in return.
"No, I'm fine," she took in a deep breath and gazed at him, her
impassive appearance fading away into one of sympathy and sadness; "I'd
just like to say... I'm... I'm sorry for your loss."
A long silence ensued as both wondered what to say next, if
anything.
"Thank you Nabiki," he smiled politely.
Nabiki smiled back. So, she wasn't as bad at being comforting as she
thought she was.... that could come in handy someday...
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dip in water. Scrub thoroughly. Place on rack. Dip in water. Scrub
thoroughly. Place on rack...
That was Kasumi's routine everyday that she washed the dishes. It
gave her satisfaction to see cutlery go in dirty and come out all clean and
shiny. That's how everything should be: clean. The housework cleared her
mind as she cleared it up; then she wouldn't have to think of anything
else, of anyone else... But when she had heard the news about Nabiki's
classmate from school, about his family... she almost felt that they were
talking about her mother...
Kasumi felt she had to be strong for her sisters, when her mother had
died. She never thought that she, herself deserved to cry. She _should_
have noticed her mother's decline, she _should_ have helped her mother
somehow, since she was the oldest child. Daddy had been too wrapped up in
martial arts to notice... She... she shouldn't think like this, it would
only bring on the inevitable.
...Keeping everyone else well fed and happy was what Kasumi had
always liked doing; her mother had also been like that, always smiling and
laughing and being there for everyone else. Even when she had known, known
for so long and had never said to anyone in case it had upset them... never
told anyone, till it was too late... till one morning she never woke up...
Something cold rolled down her cheek - a tear? Oh, but she never
cried, just like mother... never... had...
Kasumi stopped washing, dropping a plate to the floor but ignoring
its 'crash!' More tears emerged from her eyes and this time she let them
rolled freely, not caring if anyone saw her, for once. "Mommy..." she
sobbed out loud but quietly, and dropped to her knees; "_why_ didn't you
tell us? Why??!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nabiki sat down in the reception area, giving her tired feet a rest.
A yawn escaped her mouth accidentally... where did that come from? She had
gone longer without sleep than this. Especially with Ranma living at her
house, under the same roof as Akane - a lethal combination. Now, she didn't
know whether she was capable of sleep or not, her head too full of too many
thoughts and unresolved feelings.
She shifted about in the seat, shivering slightly. These plastic
hospital seats were cold in the winter and they were so hard, too. The
hospital was so cheap with chairs. Cold and hard and cheap. Now, why would
she be thinking about that?
Sliding the issue for another time, Nabiki's thoughts drifted like
the snow outside to the business she had with the hospital. A few hours
ago, she'd been anticipating sinking her teeth into the vengeful project to
prove to the hospital that she wasn't someone to mess with... but now, it
just didn't seem to matter. She didn't care what they thought of her,
anymore. The whole idea wasn't worth wasting energy on. Could she be losing
her edge? Was she softening? No, no she wasn't.
Being generous and caring did not save her mom. No, it hindered her.
You had to make most of life because a conscience won't get you what you
want. That was the cruel lesson that had haunted her for most of her life.
Before the fateful day, Nabiki faintly remembers being very much more
playful and happy, wanting to be just like her mom. Then she died and
Nabiki didn't feel like being happy anymore. And then when Kasumi had
discovered an old doctors report a few years later, she had told Nabiki
what had happened, that Mom knew and never said for months, never even told
Dad, putting on a peaceful mask for everyone... She knew then that she
didn't want to be anything like Mom, whereas Kasumi turned out to be
everything just like her.
Nabiki had been lost for a direction to take her life in for a few
years, wandering aimlessly through various phases. Then, one night she had
watched a lottery show and saw a past jackpot winner on the show. They had
been so happy, much happier than her. And that's when she had realised that
money would make her happy, it would get her what she wanted...
"Excuse me miss, are you waiting to see a doctor?"
Nabiki shook herself out of deep thought and looked up to the
stranger in a suit. Must be the receptionist. "No, I was just taking a
rest. I'll be moving on." She stood up and started to walk to the exit. She
could feel the cold of the night slowly affecting her.
"Are you alright? You look so pale," the woman in the suit asked.
"Alright is such an ambiguous word," Nabiki replied, a faint finger
of melancholy softly touching the bitter tone of her voice. She wrapped her
scarf around her neck, put her gloves on and walked back out into the cold
depths.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"What have you done with the pigtailed girl, Saotome?!" I ask as
politely as I can.
"Aw, go to hell, Kuno!" an angry Ranma replies. Unable to think of
anything intelligent, the coward punches me high into the slowly darkening
sky, where the fiery hues of the sunset capture me as I sail across the
sky. This seems so familiar... but why?
I feel the earth gaining on me, pulling me down. I brace for impact,
trying to be as relaxed as I can. The soft thump of grass graces my head as
I land. I stand up, shaking all the grass off of me, already knowing that
there will be stains covering my clothes. "Blast you, Saotome," I mutter to
myself.
I look around, seeing that I was in some sort of large clearing,
with the city surrounding me with its chequered lights. I try to find my
bearings and look for my street, knowing it to be nearby. Light is fading
but I can still see the area in which I reside, from where I am. It seems
that Saotome cannot punch me very far, showing how weak he really is.
Walking towards home, I begin to smell an aura which reeks and chokes
my throat with bitterness. Whatever can it be? A glowing ember-like light
can be seen off the distance, near to where I live. Grey clouds seem to
rise from it. Is it a fire... near my house? I walk a little faster, my
vision gaining more detail of the light... Oh dear god, is that... is
that...
"Wake up!"
What? I look around and see no-one.
"It's time for your medicine! Now wake up." My vision slowly blurs
till the surroundings fade away completely.......
.......Kuno blinked his eyes awake to see a woman in white dress looking
down at him, holding a bottle of something in her hands. There was light
coming in from the window. It must be morning.
"Finally! Now, I'm Nurse Take Inoe and I have to give you your
medication, OK?" She stated in a firm but quiet voice. "Before the
psychiatrist comes to see you again."
Kuno nodded dumbly, trying to remember what his dream was all
about... there was a glowing light...? But no, nothing more can be brought
back. Kuno began to think that his mind didn't want him to remember this
dream. But why? It wasn't likely to be about... ...something he shouldn't
think of. Ever.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A day later, late morning...
Kasumi sighed inwardly as Nabiki placed the phone down, it had
seemed like her little sister had been on that phone almost constantly. She
moved towards Nabiki before she could pick up the phone again.
"Do you want a cup of tea, sister?" Kasumi asked a weary Nabiki.
Nabiki looked into at her innocent sister's eyes. "Just one more
call and I'll have one. Thanks, Kasumi." Nabiki turned away and picked up
the phone again, missing her sister's disappointed stare. "Don't worry,
I'll pay dad back for this." Nabiki said without looking.
But it's not the phone bill I'm worried about, Kasumi thought to
herself as she went to hoover the living room carpet. It was probably
dirty, anyway. It had been hoovered over two hours ago.
Nabiki waited till Kasumi left before dialling the number. The phone
didn't answer but the answering machine did. Damn. She would still get her
message across somehow, without it sounding incriminating. The predictable
beep sounded and so Nabiki started to, too; "Hello Ms Tan, it's me
speaking. I'm not your enemy, I just want what's fair for everyone.
Especially you-know-who, the one you had a 'run in' with? Remember our
conversation at the station? I hope you honour the agreement or you know
what will happen."
'Click.'
A satisfied smile blossomed on her face. Soon, justice would be done.
She had never gotten in so deep into something so risky, something which
could end up with her in court if it went wrong. But... the risk felt good,
it felt right...
"Kasumi?" She called out.
The hoover immediately shut off and a hopeful Kasumi came into the
hall where the phone was. "Yes?"
"I've decided I don't want a cup of tea, after all..."
"Oh... right."
"Some coffee would be nice though," Nabiki grinned.
Kasumi started to smile again, a real smile. Maybe Nabiki would
finally get some rest now. "I'll just put the kettle on."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
'click.' 'whirr.'
Nabiki placed the tape in her machine, at last alone. In her bedroom,
with no interruptions, she could listen to this tape she had accidentally
left near Kuno's bed just before his second session, this morning, with the
psychiatrist, Dr. Otokoma, had begun. How forgetful of her. She grinned
deviously, although her smile looked innocent enough outwardly. As if she
was going to pass up an opportunity to know what was going on in that
stubborn but hurt teenager's mind.
She had come in so early even Kuno wasn't awake. The information
better be worth the effort. Once her curiosity had been satiated, then she
would stop... Maybe she would find out more about the accident, she had to
make sure that what the fireman had told her was true... Of what Kuno had
done... Though she understood what it must have been like to... to... she
had never equated that sort of behaviour with Kuno. Nobody could have. She
_had_ to have more concrete evidence... though she'd prefer not to...
Nabiki pressed down the play button and quickly put on the earphones.
No-one but her was listening to this...
Her fists were clenched white to the knuckle as she listened on...
"This isn't fair!" For some reason the sound on the tape was occasionally
muffled, as if it was deliberately. Kuno's voice was coming out more
clearly since he was closer to where the recorder had been... Wait,
something was coming through...
"I am no weakling! No weak -"
Stupid interference. She rewound back to see if she could make out
anymore. The headphones tight against her ears till they hurt, she played
again. At first it just seemed like indistinguishable noises but if she
listened hard enough, certain words would come through...
"Do... feel ...guilt? ...Sister... father..." One voice mentioned
between crackles, definitely not Kuno's.
"No! ...No!...I ...everything... everythi... no..." A more
distinguishable voice seemed to be protesting; "I am no weakling! No
weak... ...but.... dead... still..." After this a long silence seemed to
ensue. About to press the fast-forward, Nabiki stopped herself when someone
spoke...
"OK... go on, no-one... hear this... please..." She assumed it was
Dr. Otokoma, the psychiatrist, speaking.
"Should... saved... am too late... ambulance already there...
...dead..." Nabiki paused the cassette, trying to make sense of the
comments. She rewound. Still, nothing more came though. But the last voice
was Kuno's. Taking off the headphones, Nabiki leaned her chin on her fist
and thought deeply, trying to amass the jumble of words into some sort of
coherent sense.
Kuno was too late to save his family... just like, when Mom's
"condition" was discovered it was already too late for Nabiki or anyone
else to save her. Too damn late...
She would have cried real tears right then, if she hadn't been
Nabiki.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The proud kendoist stumbled about his room, clumsily, having refused
crutches and wheelchairs because they were "beneath" him. A witty rebuttal
from a nurse on this subject was shot down with a polite but intense stare
from the said kendoist.
Now, all alone in the his curtained-off corner of the world, Kuno, in
much pain, had hobbled over to the small window near his bed to once again
view a sunset but it had been clouded over by a blizzard. His bandages bit
away unhappily against the skin of his legs. And sharp pins felt like they
were being stabbed into his injured arm.
But he did not mind, a true warrior endures pain of all kinds to
become stronger both physically and mentally. Now that he had more time to
think than usual, he could finally enjoy the wisdom of his mother's sayings
and words which he could admit to neglecting over the past few years in
order to improve his art and to right wrongs at Furinkan High.
You know that's not the real reason, Tatewaki.
Kuno swings around but can't see anyone there. How strange, it must
be the drugs the hospital were giving him.
Just admit the truth, Tatewaki, and move on.
"Who's there?" He called out to his empty space. No-one answered and
the chatter in the rest of the ward continued.
Admit _all_ the truths to yourself.
Who was that...?
Tatewaki, the denial's killing you, you know it is.
"Who are you? I demand you show yourself!"
But I already am.
"Huh? Whatever do you mean?" A genuinely confused Kuno asked.
'Fwwssshh..'
"Talking to yourself, now. That'll never do, Kuno," Nabiki entered the
room, a slight smirk on her face.
Kuno ignored her comment while trying to stand straight with a leg,
arm and head in bandages, all crying out for peace. "Did you see anyone
standing nearby, outside the curtain?"
"Uh... no. Why?" Nabiki asked, some envelopes tucked underneath one
of her arms.
It must have been a waking dream, or another patient trying to
intimidate him. "No reason, Nabiki," he answered. He didn't want anyone
regarding him as delusional. That would never do.
"I have some business to discuss with you," Nabiki stated, "so let's
sit down and discuss it." She pulled up the chair next to the bed but
stood, waiting for Kuno to sit down somewhere too. He didn't.
"How much?" Kuno questioned Nabiki before she could, him.
"What?" A slightly hard tone began to creep into Nabiki's speech.
"Was there a payment I missed for the photos? Money is not readily
available for me at the moment."
Nabiki looked at him strangely, her whole mood darkening further.
"You think that I'm the sort of person who would demand money off someone
so soon after they'd lost their family? You think I'm _that_ cold and
money-grubbing...?" Her voice tightened up in tension.
Kuno looked slightly surprised; "I had just assumed -"
"Don't ever assume _anything_ about me," Nabiki snapped back frostily.
She threw one of the envelopes at Kuno, who caught it unsurely.
"What is this?" He asked, fingering the object, genuinely confused.
"Open it and find out," Nabiki stated, her voice steadying.
'Viiiiip!'
Kuno neatly ripped along one edge of the envelope, removing the
something from inside and studying it closely. Nabiki stood firm and
watched his reaction.
"I cannot allow this!" He protested loudly, utterly offended; "I will
not take your money, the Kuno family has never needed charity and never
will! I will not dishonour my family's name!" He reached out the hand with
money crushed in his fist towards Nabiki, who snubbed the return.
"It's to pay for the funeral, since you can't afford it," Nabiki
asserted bluntly.
This took a pot shot at Kuno and hit a raw nerve. His anger burned
with a smouldering intensity; while any anger from Nabiki seemed to be
frozen over. His fists were clenched even tighter than the whitest white,
trying to stem any need to strike out but he had been insulted too far...
"My family is not poor!! We are - " he vehemently denied.
"'We _were_' Kuno. It's only you now," Nabiki interrupted starkly; "I
know about the theft of your family's safe in the confusion of the
aftermath of the fire and that you and your sister's trust fund in the bank
isn't available until you reach the age of 21. I know you have no money, so
why deny it?" She shot Kuno's pride down with a frost-bound arrow, cooling
down the heat of his smouldering rage.
"I.. I..." he choked out... how did she know? Who told her?
"Just admit the truth and move on," she spoke out suddenly.
Just... admit... the... truth. The blood seemed to seep away from
Kuno's face as it sallowed under Nabiki's comments, his mind instantly
connecting the words with something someone had said earlier. What... what
was happening to him? ...Why did he not feel the need to defend his name?
He leaned slightly against his steely, cold IV stand, a hand gripping
it tightly. Nabiki was watching him with great interest... had she gone too
far? No, he needed to face facts about his position in life. A spark seemed
to be lit in his eyes and he turned his head to face her, looking right
into her eyes. Not wanting to appear weak, Nabiki held his gaze
unflinchingly, not letting any emotion pass through her.
"Why?" he asked.
"What?"
"Why are you giving me this money? What's in it for you?" he
questioned her suspiciously.
For once, Nabiki seemed unsure as to what to do, what to say, but the
hard look in his stare made up her mind for her; "...Just accept the stupid
money, Kuno. My reasons are my own and no-one else's." And with that, she
pulled back his hospital curtain slightly, exited, and left him standing,
holding the money.
Kuno scrutinised the paper bills in his hand for a few seconds, gazed
outwards to where Nabiki had left and listened to her footsteps as she left
his ward. He did not bother to chase after her. He wanted to know why he
hadn't given her back the money... but he did not know who to ask.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
End of chapter 3....
As always, any form of C&C valued highly!!! And if there are any
formatting errors and anything which does not make sense, please tell me!!!
^_^
G'bye!