begin Chapter 5 part 2 of 2
(last line of part one repeated to help the reader index the parts. ^_^)


Akane stiffened then toppled back into Shan Pu's lap like a
broken doll.
     "Did you kill her?" Kodachi seemed mildly curious.
Ukyou whipped around and stared at the limp body in horror.
     "No panic spatula girl. No dead . . .yet. Beside . . .you
want kill, why upset now?"
     "I . . .I . . .it's just . . ."
     "That you would prefer that someone else do the
deed." Kodachi twisted her lip in a faint, patrician sneer. "You
would be glad of her death . . .as long as you don't get your
own hands dirty."
Ukyou shook off her sudden panic.
     "NO! It's just . . .it was so sudden . . .and we're all
here . . .it's too soon , it's . . ."
Shan Pu looked up from where she had been massaging
Akane's scalp.
     "OK . . .she ready now." Shan Pu held up her hands
and waggled her fingers. "Use pressure point. She answer
question . All question you ask . . .she answer. But only for
short while. No use drugs, just pressure point. She stay like
this five minute, maybe ten . . .no more." Taking a deep breath
Shan Pu shifted Akane until she was snuggled tightly against
Shan Pu's shoulder.
     "Who want dead? Who want dead Akane?"
Akane's relaxed features tightened into a frown and she moved
restlessly in Shan Pu's embrace.
     "Who hate Akane? Who hate enough to kill?" Shan
Pu's voice was more insistent.
     "Kill? No . . .no one. No one hates me. No . . ."
     "Tell . . .tell who hate. . . who want dead!" Shan Pu's
voice was sharp, her fingers moving along the pressure points
on Akane's head and spine.
     "No . . no nononoooo." Akane's voice was a low moan
like an animal in pain.
     "Akanechan . . .Akanechan . . ."Ukyou couldn't believe
what she was hearing. Kodachi sounded . . .normal.
Holding up a preemptive hand Kodachi silenced Shan Pu.
     "Akanechan . . .what did you do today? Did you
practice your caligraphy?"
     "Yes . . .yes." Her face relaxed in a slight smile.
"I like practicing . . . like to . . .beautiful . . .'dachi."
Akane's voice trailed off in a disjointed mumble. Ukyou had an
amazed moment to notice a faint pink tinge to Kodachi's
cheeks. Suddenly shivering in the cool air Ukyou got up from
the low wash bench and walked to the furo.
     "An excellent idea." Kodachi opined . Shan Pu nodded
in agreement. Hefting Akane lightly in her arms stood up and
walked to the furo. As soon as they were settled comfortably
in the steaming water Kodachi resumed her gentle
interrogation. 
     "Akanechan . . .you're very good at washing hair . .
.very gentle. How did you get so good?"
     "'Neesama. I used to wash her hair. When I was little,
after mama . . .after mama. . ." Akane's face screwed up as if
in pain.
     "That's all right Akanechan. You're safe now. You're
with 'neesama. Do you like washing her hair?"
     "Oh yes . . .she's so busy . . .now. We never have time
to play together any more. I would help but I'm no good . .
.'nechan says I'm clumsy."
Ukyou noticed a slight tick beside Kodachi's right eye.
     "Is . . .'neechan right? Are you clumsy?"
Akane stiffened in Shan Pu's arms, her face tightening into a
mask.
     "Yes . . .yes . . .I'm clumsy. Me . .me, not 'neechan.
Me. . .not 'neechan , not . . ."
Kodachi put a hand on the struggling girls shoulder. 
     "That's right, not 'neechan. I believe you . . .not
'neechan."
As she repeated this litany Akane's struggles slowed, but the
tightness remained in her features.
     "You like to wash Oneesama's hair. Do you ever wash
'neechan's hair?"
     "Yes . . .no . . .not since . . .since . . ."
     "It's all right Akanechan. Just relax." Kodachi placed
her hands on Akane's shoulders and to Ukyou's surprise
Akane calmed under her touch. Then Kodachi began a low
soothing monologue that seemed nonsensical to Ukyou but
utterly captivated the somnambulant Akane.
     "How old are you Akanechan?"
     "This many . . ." Akane lisped in a little girl voice and
held up six fingers.
     "You're very clever Akanechan. . .Is your mother
home?"
A sad look passed over features that had softened to those of a
very young child.
     "Mama . . .mama went to the hostip . . .hop . .
.hopsittle." Akane stumbled over the word. "She's never been
gone this long before . . .what's an angel?"
Ukyou started at the question and even Kodachi seemed taken
aback.
     "An Angel." Kodachi questioned cautiously. "Why do
you want to know?"
     "'Cause Miaykasan, she babysits sometimes but I don't
need a babysitter, says mama's gone to be with the angels. Can
I go to?"
Ukyou blinked away sudden tears that stung her eyes. Soap . .
.that was it. She splashed her face with water.
     "If your mama is gone to be with . . . if she's gone,
who takes care of you? Your father?"
     "Papa . . .papa isn't feeling well. He's lying down. He
always lies down after he takes his medicine."
     "Medicine?" Shan Pu questioned sharply. "What kind
medicine?"
     "You talk funny." Akane giggled and Ukyou stifled a
laugh at the look on Shan Pu's face.
     "Not nice laugh at my talking." Shan Pu said in a mock
severe voice that set Akane off on another round of giggles.
     "What kind medicine papa take, pill, or needle or . . ."
     "Stinky medicine . . .in a big glass bottle. It makes him
cry, then it makes him sleepy. He sleeps a lot. I wish he'd play
with me. Kasumi oneesama says I shouldn't bother him while
he's sick."
     "Do you play with oneesama?"
     "'neesama is busy . . .she's the lady of the house."
Akane said proudly. "Miaykasan said so . . .I don't think
'neesama likes being lady of the house. Sometimes . .
.sometimes I hear her . . .late at night I hear her crying. When
I'm big I can be lady of the house too, then 'neesama won't
cry."
Ukyou fixed her eyes on a spot on the wall and concentrated
on breathing . . .in . . out . . .in . . out . . .deep, smooth breaths.
     "How about . . .'neechan? Do you play with
'neechan?"
Akane stiffened in Shan Pu's arms. For a moment Ukyou
thought she wasn't going to speak . . .for a moment Ukyou
hoped she wouldn't speak.
     "No . . .no . . .I'm too clumsy to play with 'neechan. I
break things. I always break things. Not 'neechan. Not
'neechan. ME . .ME I BREAK . . ."
Akane's voice started to rise in volume. Quickly Shan Pu
manipulate pressure points. It seemed to Ukyou that it was
more of a struggle before Akane settled down.
     "Be quick." Shan Pu was tense and a little breathless.
"She not stay under much longer . . .she fight, hard."
     "Just a little longer." Kodachi was intent, focused.
"Just a . . .little . . .longer." Kodachi took a deep calming
breath and started again.
     "Before your mama . . .before 'neesama was too busy
to play . . .did you and 'neechan play together?"
     "Oh yes." Akane's voice was light and happy. "We
would play house and 'neechan would be the mama and I
would be the baby and she'd tell me what to do . . ."
     'No change much as get older." Shan Pu muttered
under her breath.
     " . . .tell stories. 'Neechan tell WONDERFUL stories.
And she would sing. She and mama used to sing together all
the time. And they'd play the princess game and sometime we
go to the park and feed the ducks and . . ."
     "Princess game? What's that?"
     "J . . .just a game . . .a game." Akane seemed to shrink
in on herself. "I . . .I don't play . . .I don't . . ."
Kodachi's voice was low, soothing.
     "Tell me please. Please Akanechan. Your mother was
asking, just the other day, if you were a good girl."
     "Mama! Where? Can I go see . . ."
     "You have to be a good girl first . . ."
Ukyou shuddered. She couldn't believe what Kodachi was
doing. . .but it was working. Akane was talking, telling her . . .
     " . . .en what happened. 'Neesama is taking a nap. Papa
has gone out for more medicine. 'Neechan is at school. Tell me
what happened. Your mama wants to know."

**************************************************
Akane looked around the room with satisfaction. She'd had a
little trouble reaching the top shelves, but by balancing some
boxes on the chair she'd managed. Every thing looked just like
she remembered watching mama and 'neechan play the
princess game. She made sure the incense was lit. She felt a
little guilty about that . . .she wasn't supposed to play with
matches. But the incense was 'portant. And the music. The
picked up the music box and gave the little key an
experimental turn. All set. Tugging the too long kimono into
place Akane had a momentary doubt. She wasn't sure she
could remember EVERYTHING; about the princess game.
She just remembered that mama dressed up in the most
BEAUTIFUL old clothes, and dressed 'neechan up too. And
decorated the room, and they'd sing funny old songs while
mama played music. And they'd paint and tell stories. Mama
said it was just like . . .like . . .Akane couldn't remember the
word. But mama said it was just like a princess would act
hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Akane knew that was a
long time. Maybe even older than Miaykasan. And she was the
oldest person Akane had ever seen, maybe the oldest person in
the world.  Akane heard the front door open. She started the
music box and took her position, nervously running over her
speech in her head. There was the thump of a book bag hitting
the floor and a clattering of shoes on the wooden stairs. Akane
frowned slightly. 'Neechan had forgotten to take off her shoes.
Suddenly, 'neechan was in the doorway, face flushed from
running eyes bright and shinning. Akane smiled. "Neechan was
happy. She started her speech.
     "Greeting great lady and welcome to the court . . ."
Akane was an unsually strong little girl with almost two years
of martial arts training. Still, it was sheer luck that the first
blow struck her shoulder, breaking it instead of her neck. The
second and third broke several ribs. The forth knocked her
down the stairs . . .and saved her life. By the time she stopped
rolling Miaykasan had come running from next door . . .and
'neesam from her room. The last thing she saw, before
blackness claimed her was 'neechan standing slightly behind
the grandmotherly bulk of Miaykasan, staring with a look of
hatred that made Akane's heart crumble like a butterfly in a
flame.              

When Akane awoke she was in a strange room, all white with
funny smells. Her body ached all over and she wondered what
had happened. Then she remembered and the hurts of the body
were nothing. 'Neechan hated her. She'd been bad and now
'neechan hated her. Papa and 'neesama too probably. 
     " . . .can't believe a little girl could DO so much
damage."
     "Well, the sister is lucky to be alive. It this one hadn't
slipped and fallen down the stairs while chasing her . . ."
     "A violent maniac . . .that's what she is. It's terrible.
And that little Nabiki is so sweet. It's a shame she has such an
awful sister  . . ."
Akane turned her face to the wall and buried her face in her
pillow to muffle her tears.

**************************************************
     "We stop now." Shan Pu manipulated pressure points
and Akane relaxed with a boneless sigh. "She sleeping.
Remember nothing when wake up."
Ukyuo tuned out Shan Pu and Kodachi's murmured
conversation and tried not to think of what she'd heard. That
first savage, inexplicable attack. Followed by systematic
torture . . mental and physical. Convincing everyone that
AKANE was a violent, clumsy . . .       

     "Shan Pu agree, Nabiki crazy girl. Maybe make
Kodachi look like miko or nun."
Kodachi ignored the gibe and continued.
     "The question at hand is what do we do? Collaborating
with a murderer is one thing . . .an INSANE murderer is quite
another."
     "Then you think it's Nabiki now?" 
Shan Pu nodded slowly at Ukyou. "Think good chance. Have
inside information. Know things . . .things about martial arts so
can throw cards like shuriken. Know about Amazon treasure.
And hate Akane. Maybe long time . . maybe can't stand see
Akane marry . . .be happy."
     "What do we do now?"
     "What do? Do what plan . . .kill Akane. Nothing
change . . .except now need kill Akane, for own sake."
     "WHAT?"
     "Sister crazy. WE no kill, then maybe Nabiki kill own
self. Maybe kill others . . .kill Kasumi . . .RANMA . . ."
     "But we could tell . . ."
     "What tell . . .WHO tell. Tell Ranma . . .we going kill
Akane but change mind because Nabiki to crazy to work
with?"
Ukyou could see where they might have a credability gap.
     "But can we trust Na . . ." Ukyou paused suddenly
afraid that saying her name would summon 'her', just like a
demon. "Can we . . .TRUST . . .her?"
     "No, but never trust even before know Nabiki, know
crazy. Only trust own self. All others suspect." 
     "WE no kill Akane, Nabiki maybe kill, blame us
anyway. WE no kill, maybe many other people die." Shan Pu
paused for a moment, then continued. "Better for Akane to
die. Ranma go away from crazy Nabiki. He too . . .too . . .he
not understand craziness. He get hurt. Better Akane die quick,
quiet . . .not know sister hate enough to kill. Great-
grandmother say Akane have good soul, clean. Like child. She
no go to ten thousand hells. Akane be reborn in Pure Lands.
Or maybe she come back . . different place. No Nabiki, no
hurt." Shan Pu looked over at Kodachi.
     "You want say something?"
Kodachi shrugged and stood abruptly, water sleeting from her
body. "The water is cooling." Stepping from the furo Kodachi
wrapped a towel around herself.
Ukyou reached out and grabbed the edge of Kodachi's towel.
     "But what do YOU think, Kodachi?"
Bending slightly Kodachi lightly traced the sleeping Akane's
cheek with the back of her hand.
     "If it were done, when it were done, t'were best done
quickly." 

                     

End Chapter 5 part 2 of 2

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