Disclaimer:      The characters and situations of Ranma 1/2 are owned by
Rumiko Takahashi and are used in this fanfic without permission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the angels loose their tears beware,
For demons come to make things fair.

   - J.P.L.



7:00 AM Monday Morning.

The dining room was of exquisite design, European in styling which was
rare for a Japanese household. It was composed of a long marble-floored
hall. In the middle of which stood a great table almost nine meters long
and made from a single piece of cherry. Oaken cabinets with inlaid glass
panels framed the great hall. Through the panels one could see a
treasure trove of fine silver, crystal, and porcelain. From the ceiling
hung an enormous crystal and glass chandelier which, when turned on,
would no doubt illuminate the entire hall in prismatic splendor.
Overall, depending on one�s tastes, it was either a testament to high
style, or gaudy opulence.

The table was dressed in white adorned with a bouquet of black roses set
in the middle between two silver candelabras.

At each end sat the Kunou siblings. Kodachi sat silently contemplating
her food as Tatewake was apparently savoring his dish with great relish.

�Father didn�t come home again last night.� Kodachi said quietly, almost
to herself.

Tatewake looked up briefly, nodded in affirmation and promptly returned
to his meal.

She looked up at her brother.

�Do you ever talk to him? At school I mean?� Kodachi asked, almost
pleadingly.

He continued eating briskly.

�What does he say? Is�is he all right?� She asked haltingly.

Tatewake looked up and paused for a bit. He did not like delving into
the subject of his father.

�Pay him no mind sister dear. He is no doubt secure in that tropical
sanctum he calls a principal�s office. When he returns home from his
misadventures I am sure he will be forthcoming with whatever questions
you may have of him.� he answered with a self-assured nod.

�Daddy doesn�t talk to me anymore.� She whispered to herself.

Tatewake, not hearing her last statement, was about to return to his
meal when he noticed his sister�s condition.

She had not yet changed into her school uniform and was clad only in a
black terry-cloth robe. Her hair was unkempt with loose strands falling
over her eyes which themselves looked red and somewhat glazed. Her food
was left untouched.

�Are you feeling unwell sister dear? Perhaps a respite from your
educational obligations today would be in order.�

�I�m fine Tatewake. I�m just�tired from studying.�

�I insist. You do not look at all well.�

�I said I�m fine!� she snapped.

He raised an eyebrow �As you wish.�

He returned to his meal and mused silently. �Today will be the day!� He
thought to himself. He would rid himself of the vile sorcerer Saotome
and free the pig-tailed maiden, thus reinstating his honor as the Blue
Thunder of Furinkan High. Perhaps he may even win the affections of the
fair Akane Tendo. Even now the heavens and his ancestors were smiling
down upon him in approval of his task, he was certain of it.

He was broken out of his reverie however as he felt, rather than heard
the quiet sobs coming from the other end of the table.

Regardless of what others may have thought, the truth was that Tatewake
loved his younger sister dearly. For quite some time now it was only the
two of them. He knew that others� careless remarks about his family�s
sanity applied to her as well. In his eyes however, she always remained
beautiful. While others may cringe at the sound of her voice or her even
laughter, he would rather hear an eternity of her laughter than watch a
single minute of her tears.

�Kodachi! Sister! What�s wrong?�

�None of it is real anymore, is it Tatewake?�

�Whatever do you mean sister dear?�

�This! Everything! Things can�t go on like this any longer. I-I can�t do
it anymore, Tatewake. I�m afraid. I can�t��

�Your fears are unfounded sister.� He cut in.

�Please!� she cried.

�Despite our misfortunes our strength lies in our steadfastness. It is
our greatest asset, and�

�Listen to me!� she pleaded.

��through it, our greatness and longevity are assured. Therefore we must
stand firm for��

�Tatewake!� her voice wavered.

��it is our destiny!� he affirmed.

She gave up.
Defeated.

�Everything shall be fine sister dear. You shall see.�

Apparently finished with his meal, he pushed his chair back from the
table and rose dramatically.

��Tis is a glorious morning, is it not sister dear?� he gestured to the
window behind her.

Kodachi, still seated, her eyes shadowed by the sunlight behind her,
replied weakly  �That it is brother dear. That it is.�

�Sasuke!� Tatewake called out.

A diminutive ninja promptly entered the dining room. �Yes, Master!�

�Escort my sister to her school, whilst I take my leave.�

�Yes, Master.�

�Very good, Sasuke�

�Very good, Sir.�



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


With bokken in one hand and leather book bag in the other, Kunou made
his way towards school. Dressed in his trademark blue gi and finest
hakama, people long ago stopped questioning his appearance and simply
stayed out of his way.

His posture was tall, his stride graceful. A gait befitting this child
noble.

Centuries past, Nerima was once a farming community, known exclusively
for raising the highest quality daikon. Nerima daikon are long and thin,
perfect for takuwan pickles. These pickles were in high demand as it was
well known that a good foot soldier could go all day with a single bowl
of rice and a few slices of daikon pickle.

At one time 30,000 people worked the lands for this precious commodity.
Today less than 200 still toil the land, giving way to the more than
65,000 living in this modern, bustling ward of Japan.

As direct descendants of one of the original retainers in the area,
Kunou�s family still held a certain degree of respect within the region.
However while the question of their nobility could not be debated, the
issue of their sanity was another question altogether.

As Kunou walked the streets towards Furinkan High, he often wondered
what it would have been like to have walked the streets in those days. A
time where his noble blood and demeanor would no doubt have been
appreciated. An era now kept alive only by arcane paintings, woodprints,
and the popular dramas of film and television.

He strode onto the school grounds when, from across the courtyard, he
caught sight of Nabiki Tendo. Amongst her little group of
girlfriends/informers and errand boys, she was no doubt issuing her
orders for the day. When she noticed his arrival she quickly bid them
away and set on an intercept course.

�Morning, Kunou-baby!� called Nabiki as she started to stride alongside
him.

Her flippant attitude towards him had always annoyed him, but he put up
with it as her mercenary ways did have their uses.

"Salutations on this fine day, Nabiki Tendo." Kunou greeted with morose
formality.

Nabiki, ever unflustered, replied. "Got some information you might be
interested in, Kunou-baby."

He raised an eyebrow.  "Indeed?"

"Fifteen thousand yen," Nabiki said.

"I see. " Kunou replied as he kept walking towards his homeroom.

�So are you interested?� asked Nabiki, still keeping her familiar tone.

�That depends Nabiki Tendo.�

�On what?� she asked.

�Is this information from a credible source? Or are you credible with
this information?� he replied?

His expression broke into a very slight smile. It was a weak pun to be
sure, but one he had wanted to play on the Tendo girl for quite some
time.

Nabiki however was not about to be outwitted by someone as dense as
Kunou.

�My information is always at a premium, Kunou-baby, you know that. Even
your sister knows the value of good information, with or without the
drugs.� she said with a smirk.

Kunou felt a sharp stab of anger spring from deep within, but kept his
calm.  He had taken worse from Nabiki Tendo before, and had long ago
replaced hurt with detached tolerance.

"I shall submit to your price." Kunou replied.

If there had been one constant in his life outside of his home, it was
Nabiki Tendo. In her own strange way she was always there for him,
usually at his monetary expense. Things used to be so different between
them. He vaguely recalled the easy laughter of a much younger girl.

But those days were nothing more than distant memory. She now thought of
him as a gullible fool and treated him accordingly.  Everyone else did
as well, but for some reason Nabiki Tendo had played into him more than
any other.

     �Let her and anybody else think what they wanted.� he thought to
himself.  He did not care what they thought of him.  Above all it amused
him to think of how the Tendo girl might react if she knew half of the
things that he knew about her.

He regarded her as she played through her detached sophistication. The
flippant attitude, the confidant air, it was a mask. A mask that for
some reason, Kunou felt he could see right through.

�Meet me at the old playground after school.� She instructed him.

�That is acceptable.� He replied.

�Great. See ya there, Kunou-baby!�

As they arrived at their homeroom she went her separate way to place
odds on the daily betting pool.

Most of the class was already present with students either sitting at
their desks or huddled in groups gossiping or chatting.

Like many modern other high schools in Japan and throughout Asia,
students spent their day in a single room. During period changes it was
the teachers who would rotate from class to class, thus cutting down on
lag time and potential truancy. There were exceptions however such as
elective classes and physical education but overall it was an efficient
and well-maintained system.

Kuno never cared for the meaningless banter that went on before class.
He had other more important things on his mind.

After placing his belongings in an open wooden cabinet reserved only for
him, he straightened out the lines on his hakama and carefully examined
the condition of his bokken, scrutinizing every detail of the wooden
blade.

�There he goes again.� whispered one student.

�Like clockwork.� whispered another.

�Talk about perseverance.� said the first.

�More like stupidity.� said the second.

�All this over a sophomore too.� whispered a third.

Upon seeing that his lines were straight and his bokken true, Kunou
turned to his classmates.

�Fellow classmates allow me to make a proclamation!� he exclaimed as the
entire class collectively groaned. �Today you shall all be privy to one
of the greatest advents in the history of Furinkan High��

�I hate the way he talks.� whispered one girl. �He keeps switching
styles. It�s like he can�t pick single a mode of speech.�

��as I, Kunou Tatewake, shall once and for all derail the vile cur known
as Saotome Ranma and free all innocent people from his evil influence.
Two of these, whom you know as the fair Akane Tendo��

�You know, most of the time it�s not that bad, just really formal. It�s
only when he gets emotional that it becomes downright archaic. I guess
it _is_ weird but I actually used to think it was kinda cool.� replied
one boy.

��and the red-haired, pig tailed maiden shall no longer be subject to
his will. There may be certain danger, yet do not fear for me dear
classmates��

�Ugh. It�s creepy. What is he trying to prove anyway?� said the girl.

��as virtue shall find me victorious!� Kunou finished and made his exit.

�Who cares?� answered the boy.

Amidst the whispers Kunou remained stoic. �Why don�t they understand?�
He thought to himself. A painfully  familiar loneliness threatened his
resolve. Yet as always, he found his justification �No matter, my path
is clear. �Tis not my task to open the eyes of lesser people.�

He made his way to the entrance of the high school. By now the courtyard
was fairly clear as most of the students had already made their way to
their respective classrooms. Kunou continued unabated. Perhaps his only
perk in being the principal�s son was free reign over the grounds.

Upon reaching his destination he stood quietly. While he guarded the
entrance of the school he contemplated the impending battle.

For one brief moment indecision played among his thoughts. Had this not
gone on long enough?

However he quickly filed away such thoughts. For now, he was committed
to his task. His ancestors were depending on him. He thought back to his
own words earlier. �Our strength lies in our steadfastness.� He quietly
affirmed to himself. �It is our destiny.�

The villain approached.

�Stand firm Saotome Ranma!�

�Aw geez, Kunou! I�m already late!� complained Ranma.

�We may end this now if you agree to renounce your hold on the fair
Akane Tendo as well as abandon your vile influence over the pig-tailed
maiden!� declared Kunou.

Ranma rolled his eyes. �Yeah, yeah, whatever. Make it quick though.�

�Strike!� He shouted as he descended upon Ranma.

Ranma proceeded to dodge each and every one of Kunou�s blows.

With the strength of his convictions, Kunou fought on.
>From the corner of his eye he could see the fair Akane Tendo. Her
expression was anxious, yet with the slightest hint of a smile on her
face. No doubt anticipating the freedom her blue saviour would grant her
as he saved her from the clutches of the reviled Saotome.

Truth be told however, the battle was not going well.

With every slash Kunou was rapidly depleting his endurance. Every
instinct told him to maintain his form, yet some part of him reasoned
that his form had somehow always failed him in the past.

�Perhaps something different?� he thought to himself.

In an off-balance move Kunou slashed downward towards Saotome from left
to right. At the end of his downstroke he hooked upwards with a twist.

A hard strike to the ribs.
Ranma fell.

�Ranma!� Akane shrieked.

Ranma rolled back defensively as Kunou stepped away, staring back and
forth between his bokken and Ranma in apparent fascination.

�A hit! A very palpable hit!� Kunou cried out triumphant.

A few yards from Kunou Ranma crouched painfully on the grass, his right
hand nursing the ribs on his left side. His legs bent and his head bent
low he eyed Kunou with undisguised derision. Beyond the gates of the
school he could see the numerous heads of his schoolmates staring from
the windows of their classrooms, their mouths agape in disbelief.

�At long last vile cur! Thou art now fully aware of thy place! Long have
I waited for this day, and many times have I been left wanting, yet the
vengeance of heaven is slow but sure and today justice has been served!�

Ranma was oblivious to Kunou�s speech however as inwardly he was aghast.
He looked at the faces of his classmates, the horror in Akane�s eyes. He
pictured his father�s disgust. This can�t be happening! He was Ranma
Saotome, martial artist. He was the best at what he does. Nobody could
match him. No one could touch him. No one!

Refusing to brush himself off Ranma rose slowly, his head bent low, his
eyes venomous.

�Yes!� shouted Kunou �Everyone! Watch, as the odious villain shall now
submit!� Kunou cried out with vindication.

�Even a complete idiot like you can get lucky, Kunou.� Ranma seethed.

Kunou stood stunned �You dare!� shouted Kunou.

�Yeah.�

�Have at thee then!� Kunou screamed. �Strike! Strike! Strike!�

�He�s already injured!� thought Kunou. �I am sure to win!�

Kuno proceeded into his trademark move. A series of quick thrusts that
moved faster than the eye could see.

It was a tactic borne of desperation.

And Ranma was faster.

In one fluid movement Ranma dodged to the right, caught the tip of
Kunou�s bokken with his left hand and snapped the middle of the blade
with the palm of his right, breaking the wooden sword in two. The shock
of seeing his weapon destroyed coupled with the vibration of the blow
caused Kunou to lose his grasp on what was left of his bokken. Kunou was
left unarmed.

With his ribs aching and his pride at stake, Ranma was determined to
make a point.

Every blow was cold, deliberate.

�I am sick!� punch. �And tired!� kick. �Of YOU!� and with a final
uppercut Kunou flew back several feet and hit the walls bordering the
school behind him. With his energy depleted and his strength gone, he
quickly crumpled.

Akane quickly ran too Ranma. �Ranma! Are you all right!�

�Aww. No biggie. He just got lucky. C�mon let�s go! We are totally
late!�

She looked at Kunou. �Ranma. You�you don�t think you overdid it do you?�

Ranma rolled his eyes �Don�t worry. He�ll be ok. He�ll get up again, he
_always_ does.� Ranma picked up the broken pieces of Kunou�s bokken.
�Hehehe�Here ya go Kunou-Sempai.� He said with a smirk and threw the
pieces towards the prone Kunou. �Knock yourself out.�

And with that, the villain left as quickly as he came.

Kunou lay silently on the grass, his head muddled and his vision
blurred. �Ancestors!� he cried inwardly �Why have you forsaken me!� The
last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the approach of the
fair Akane Tendo.

�Yes!� he thought to himself. He had fought so valiantly for her. She
had witnessed it! For certain she would bathe her fallen warrior with
sympathies and tender ministrations.

She moved towards him, stood, and regarded him coolly for a moment.

�Pathetic.� she said, and quickly ran off.

�Ranma wait!� she shouted.

The world went dark.


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


He had lost.
Again.

No.

No, no, no, no, NO!

It was impossible!

How could he have lost?
His cause was just, his purpose true, and his blood was pure. And he was
so sure! What had he done wrong?

As he stared at the ceiling of the school clinic he could find no
answer.

And then it happened.

Without warning all the feelings which he normally kept at bay attacked
him en masse. Old insecurities, fears, and self- doubts resurfaced and
flooded him. He could not stop it. His eyes burned, his heart seized and
his chest threatened to burst with grief and self-pity. And in one
painfully shameful moment of weakness, Tatewake Kuno let out a sob.

�Oh God, oh God, please! No!� he cried to himself.

Thoughts of better days and happier times came to him. He thought of who
he once was, the respect his peers once held for him, winning the
national kendo tournaments, the friends he once had � now gone and in
its place, a twisted caricature of what he once was, reviled and
ridiculed by all who knew him.

He was sinking. It threatened to overwhelm him. He needed a way out.

And from the back of his mind came salvation.

A test!

Yes! That�s what this was! A test!

Of course! How could he forget!

The greatest and most honorable victories came from great hardship and
self-sacrifice. The prestige, power, and longevity of the Kunou family
was testament to that fact. �I must remember, our strength lies in our
steadfastness! It is our greatest asset!� he thought to himself.

The door to the clinic opened, breaking Kunou out of his reverie. Nabiki
Tendo entered. Wearing her backpack and carrying his book bag, she eyed
him briefly and winced.

He lay still on the bed with his arms at his sides and his upper body
propped up by pillows. A white blanket covered his legs at the waist.
Ranma�s blows had left angry red marks on his chin and the right side of
his face.
Through his open gi she could see a painful looking bruise in the shape
of a foot on his solar plexus, just below his pectoral muscles which
Nabiki grudgingly admitted to herself were rather well defined.

�He is handsome. If only he wasn�t so�� she quickly put away such
thoughts however.

As she drew closer to him she also noticed his eyes were red.

�Kunou? Crying?� thought Nabiki. �Nah. He probably just got hit too hard
on the head.�

Kunou glared at her. �What is it you want Nabiki Tendo?� snapped Kunou.

�You�ve been here all day.� she said simply.

Kunou�s eyes widened. �What time is it?�

Nabiki stifled a laugh. �It�s already 4:30.�

�4:30!�

Nabiki grinned. �Yup.�

He jerked upright. �I have missed my educational duties!�

�Relax.� chided Nabiki �You _were_ unconscious for most of the day.
Besides, your father asked the teachers to excuse you.�

He blinked. �My father?�

She nodded. �Must be cool having your dad as the principal, even if he
is a bit loopy.�

He winced. �So why are you here Nabiki Tendo?�

�Well, there�s still that little matter of information which you had
agreed to purchase this morning.�

Kunou stared at her coldly. �Do not mock me Nabiki Tendo. I am in no
mood. As you can see, at the moment I have very little need for thy
mercenary ways.�

�Don�t worry Kunou. Tell you what. This one�s on the house!�

Kunou scoffed �I find that exceedingly hard to believe Nabiki Tendo.�

Nabiki smiled back. �Believe what you want Kunou-baby.�

In truth, Kunou�s lucky blow on Ranma earlier that morning had allowed
her to change the odds on the daily betting pool. As a result she
garnered a twenty-five percent increase in gambling revenues that day.
Kunou�s lucky strike would probably allow her to make a killing with the
odds for at least the next couple of days.

�C�mon.� She took him by the hand and pulled him towards the door.

�And where are you taking me?� he demanded.

�To the playground dummy! Remember? Besides the pastry shop is near
there and��

�I am fully aware of thy penchant for pastries Nabiki Tendo.�

�Which you will pay for of course!�


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


They sat side by side on a bench overlooking a playground.

The playground.

It had been here for as long as Nabiki could remember.
Over the years it had gone through many changes. The grounds, which were
once composed of wood chips, were replaced with sand. Wooden planks now
bordered the area and the various instruments of play had been painted
many times over and in different colors.

Despite the changes however the place still retained its atmosphere of
playful abandon. The monkey bars and tires beckoned to be clung to by
tiny hands and the swings still held the promise of happier times. The
bench they sat upon was the very one her mother used when she was still
healthy enough to bring her children here to play.

Yet there were no children here at the moment as it was already late
afternoon. The sky, a brilliant orange, would soon turn dark red then
gray as the sun behind them began its final descent. Shadows cast by the
monkey bars and swings played their way across the sands in interesting
formations.

Nabiki had always regarded her activities as an extended form of play.
She could think of nothing more fun and exciting than executing
carefully crafted plans and making money at the same time. Therefore
from Nabiki�s point of view the old playground was the perfect place to
conduct deals, plan various schemes, and trade information, or in
Kunou�s case, misinformation. And she did so love playing with Kunou.


�So anyway Kunou, here�s what�s going on��

�No.� said Kunou somewhat uneasily. �Stop.�

Nabiki was startled. �What?�

�I no longer desire to be subject to your manipulations.� He said
simply.

Nabiki was perplexed but remained calm. �Whatever are you talking about
Kunou-baby?�

�I have given the matter much thought Nabiki Tendo. I will no longer
tender your services.� he said.

�What�s gotten into him?� she thought to herself.

�So why did you waste my time and agree to follow me here? Why this?�
she said as she held up the bag of pastries he had bought for her.

�I�� in truth he wasn�t actually sure why he had followed her. �I
suppose I was in need of some refreshment and�change of scene after my
earlier�ordeal.�

She rolled her eyes. �Whatever, Kunou.�

She pouted. �What a shame, and I even had some new photos for you too.�
She held up a picture of the pig-tailed maiden. It was apparently a
topless picture but Kunou couldn�t quite tell as Nabiki�s thumb happened
to be covering certain key areas.

He paused for a bit, as if he was weighing out his options.
�N-Nevertheless, certain things have come to my attention. I feel that a
change may be in order. I have come to the opinion that your services
can only lead to certain ruin.�

 She laughed. �You know, that sounds real funny coming from one of my
best customers.� she smirked.

�As I have said, certain things have come to my attention. Things are
not as �clear cut� as I had once thought.�

�Really now Kunou-baby. If it�s information you want you have only to
ask. Nabiki will provide.� she said coyly.

�I feel that I may have underestimated the Saotome boy. In fact, I now
believe that he represents much more than the villain that he is for I
now know the truth behind him and his relationship with the pig-tailed
�girl.� I can not believe that I did not see him sooner.�

Nabiki stared at him carefully. �Has he finally figured it out?� she
thought to herself. It would mean a serious reduction in her revenues as
a great deal of her profits came from his delusions. Yet some strange
part of her did hope that he found out. She wasn�t sure why though.

�And what�� she asked haltingly, ��is that truth, Kunou?�

He looked at her accusingly. �The truth is that the two are linked by a
much stronger magic than you had originally led me to believe Nabiki
Tendo.�

Nabiki gasped. �Oh my God! He�s figured it out!� she thought silently.

He looked directly into her eyes. �I can see by your reaction that I am
right in my assumptions, am I not Nabiki Tendo?�

Nabiki quickly looked away from him. �Oh well.� she thought to herself,
�It was fun while it lasted.� She hated the idea of losing one of her
best customers. That and Kunou was�well�just so much fun. But she also
couldn�t wait to see the look on Ranma and Akane�s faces either when she
told them that Kunou finally knew the truth.

She looked back at him and smiled. �So who told you?� she asked.

�No one told me. As I lay in the medical ward I called upon the heavens
to aid me in my hour of need. It was then that the realization came to
me.�

�Wait a minute�� thought Nabiki, ��something doesn�t add up here.�

�What realization was that Kunou?� she asked him.

�That the Saotome boy is not only evil but also a test. A test sent by
my ancestors in order to prove my resolve. Therefore I must double my
efforts in my quest to free Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed maiden.�

Nabiki facefaulted. �I don�t believe it! You still don�t get it do you?�

Her flippancy was beginning to rattle him.

�On the contrary, I believe that what I originally held to be a defeat
was actually a blessing in disguise. It gave me time enough to
contemplate things and�well �as you would say it, �figure things out.�
he said.

�Figure things out! HA! What a joke! You�re even more deluded than your
poor sister! Have you guys started trading pills or something?�  She had
always enjoyed mentioning his sister as a means to goad him. It always
seemed to pacify him.

The wind rattled the chains on the swings.

Outwardly he appeared calm but inwardly he was brimming with anger.

He was not going to lose this one.

�Regardless as to what you may think as to the quality of my
understanding, even my eyes are not veiled to thy ways Nabiki Tendo!�

She was bewildered. The force behind his words, the change in language,
something was definitely wrong. She kept her composure however and by
reflex, maintained an air of nonchalance.

�Thy sophistry belies thy true nature. Methinks thy mask of self
deception is not as effective as thou would�st believe Nabiki Tendo.� he
said coldly.

�So you think you got something on me, Kunou-baby?�

�Merely stating the obvious, Nabiki Tendo.�

�And that would that be?� she challenged.

�I�ve known thee for a long time, Nabiki Tendo. Thy current demeanor was
not always such.�

�Neither was yours, Tatewake Kunou.� She looked at him severely. She did
not like being reminded of the past.

He narrowed his eyes. �Perhaps, but truth be told, I do know thee Nabiki
Tendo.�

She almost laughed. What could an idiot like Kunou know about her?

�Give me a break! You don�t know anything Kunou! You�re as dense as they
come!�

He blinked �Am I now?�

Unable to respond she stared at him silently. It was as if he was
becoming another person right before her eyes.

�Your family name is still of some merit. Yet you sully it by your
actions. You continually profit off the misfortune of others and even
sell out members of your own family. I am therefore inclined to think
that perhaps you may even be in league with sorcerous Saotome, a willing
hand-maiden in the unwitting manipulations of your fair sister and the
pure pig-tailed girl.� He said fiercely.

�H-hey!� Nabiki was becoming frightened. She wasn�t sure what was
happening here, maybe Ranma had hit him too hard in the head, but
something was very wrong with Kunou.

With even more severity he continued. �Thy life is ledger Nabiki Tendo
as thou hast taken the ultimate gamble. Yet the stakes are nothing as
mundane as money but rather the currency of thy soul. In truth I see
very little discrepancy between thyself and other women of less virtue
who employ themselves in more�carnal affairs. In the end thy goals are
the same, monetary gain.�

�S-Stop it.�  She gasped. No one had ever spoken to her like that. No
one.

He pressed on.

�What I see �tis but a mask Nabiki Tendo. A fa�ade, designed to conceal
the scared little child within. You�re mother�s death��

�Don�t you dare!� she hissed.

��combined with your father�s inability to cope��

�Shut up!�

�� left you insecure and��

�Shut up, Shut UP, SHUT UP!� she screamed in rage.

He ceased.

�H-How dare you! I�You�How could you!�

For some strange reason she felt incredibly betrayed. His words struck
like physical blows. Her eyes threatened tears but she would not let
herself cry. She hadn�t let herself cry in years and definitely not in
front of him.

�You�re an idiot Kunou! You know that? I don�t know what�s gotten into
you or what makes you think you�re smart all of a sudden, but deep down
inside you�re still a mean spoiled brat, a paranoid, deluded freak!
You�re just too stupid to realize it! Your whole family is!� she
screamed.

�You hold on so tight to your family name and history because the truth
is, your present family sucks! That�s the real truth isn�t it Tatewake?
Don�t you dare put me in your own twisted illusions or think that you
can figure me out! The fact is that you don�t know a goddamned thing
about me that I haven�t let you know!� she pointed at him, her lips
thin, clenched tightly in anger.

He looked at her quietly, apparently unperturbed.

�Methinks the lady doth protest too much.�

Silence.

She quickly stood up and threw the bag of pastries he had bought for her
at his feet. The bag burst open, spilling the various confections.

�I hate you.� She said simply, her voice crackling and her eyes visibly
red.

With as much dignity as she could muster, she quickly strode home,
making sure that her back was turned to him, so he couldn�t see the
tears streaming down her face.

He sat silently, watching her departure.

The playground swings swayed restlessly in the wind.

He had won.

At last!  He had made the mercenary girl balk at her own words.  All at
once he felt victorious, vindicated, and�horrible.

Had he hurt her?

Yes.
Terribly so.
He knew he did.

She had tried unsuccessfully to hide her tears as she left but he felt
them without having to see them for himself.

Yet how oft was she to use her wit and tactics to hurt others, including
himself, for so long? Even her rants were no doubt carefully crafted
slurs designed to sway him from his ideals.

Truly �twas only fair and just that she lay victim to her own measures.

Was it not?

The air grew chill.
The sky drew dark.
The wind continued to rattle the chains on the swings.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++