A Ranma 1/2 fanfic All Ranma 1/2 characters copyright Rumiko Takahashi and are used without permission   Doors Best Left Unopened by Mark MacKinnon   Part Eight: First Steps        The music was a second heartbeat, throbbing in her blood through the womb-like heat of the crowded club.  Lights strobed, revealing and shrouding all in one bright flash, sweeping the sea of bodies.  Ukyou slipped onto a stool, reflexively edging closer to Nabiki as they placed their club sodas on the narrow shelf that ran along the wall.      "Well, it sure is ... loud," Ukyou managed, speaking a little louder than normal to be heard above the din.  Nabiki grinned.      "That's all you've got to say?  Loud?  It's chaos, Ukyou. That's kind of the point.  This is a place for letting go.  If you want to think deep thoughts, try the public library!"  Ukyou supposed she had a point.  And the insistent throbbing of the music did seem to resonate deeply in her chest and belly, beyond the realm of rational thought, in a place of primal instinct.  Nabiki was still grinning at her, and she realized that she was tapping her fingers and swaying slightly on her stool.      "So, you want to dance?" she asked teasingly.  Ukyou found herself grinning back.      "You know, I do," she said.      "Well, let's go!"  Together they pushed into the throng and soon found themselves on the dance floor.      The music was invariably loud and fast-paced, and soon they were both swept away by it, moving their bodies to the seductive beat. For the first time in ages, Ukyou wasn't thinking of Ranma, or her problems, or how unhappy everyone seemed to be lately.  She wasn't thinking at all; she just *was*.  She moved and bounced and cheered along with the crowd, singing along to some of the songs she recognized, just dancing to others.      It was bliss.      They returned to their seats after a time, both gasping for breath.  Nabiki looked pleased with herself, lifting damp strands of hair from her neck and fanning herself with her hand.      "Whew!  The place is rocking tonight!  So, Ukyou.  Having a good time?"  Ukyou nodded, unable to stop grinning.      "This was a fabulous idea, Nabiki!"      "Yes," Nabiki said immodestly.  "I know."  They both giggled at that.      "Hey, that guy kept coming over by you.  The tall guy with the black shirt, remember?  I think he likes you," Ukyou grinned.  Nabiki shrugged.      "If he plays his cards right, he can buy me a drink," she said suggestively.  "His friend seemed to have eyes for you, though."  Ukyou felt a hot blush rise to her cheeks.      "Oh, I don't think he ..."      "And he *was* kinda cute.  When a slow song comes on, maybe you should give him some eye contact."  Ukyou knotted her hands together nervously, although there was a pleasant tingle in her stomach.      "I don't know, Nabiki," she said, peering up through her bangs shyly.  Nabiki laughed at the spectacle.      "Whatever," she said.  "The night's still young.  And you're supposed to be working on your self-esteem, remember?"      "What?  Since when?"      "Doctor Nabiki's prescription.  Loads of adulation from the testosterone set.  Just make sure he minds his hands ..."      "Na-BIKI!"  She laughed again.  The night seemed ripe with possibilities, unrealized potential, and mystery, and Ukyou realized she hadn't felt this way in a long time.  If ever.  And it was a seductive feeling.      "Hey, I'm parched," Nabiki said, still fanning herself.  "I'll go get us some more club soda.  Be right back."  Nabiki headed off toward the bar, and Ukyou sighed, sitting back on her stool and turning to watch the crowd.  The club was a kaleidoscope of humanity, beautiful vivacious youth that came together, split, then recombined in heated couplings.  It was fun to watch, not to mention educational. Ukyou let the music thrum through her while she absently watched the goings-on around her.      Something caught her eye, and she frowned.  A flash of red, a swirl of white.  The crowd eddied and parted, and she found herself looking at the woman she and Nabiki had seen entering the club.  She was strutting slowly through the crowd, her brief red dress showing a lot of dusky skin.  She ran one slim hand through her long white hair, and Ukyou sighed.  That woman was beautiful, sophisticated.  She moved gracefully, and seemed completely unfazed by the admiring looks she got as she moved through the crowd.      I wish I could be like that, she thought wistfully.  Totally in control, at ease in my own skin ...      The woman's gorgeous gray eyes shifted, and Ukyou realized that she'd been caught staring.  She blushed and looked away, hoping she'd looked casual about it.  Then she glanced back, and her heart stuttered.      The woman was coming towards her, a sultry smile playing at her lips.  Ukyou blushed even more deeply, cursing herself for being so stupid.  She was sure that if the vision walking over to her had been caught staring, she wouldn't have blushed.  She'd have done something classy, like nod and smile, acknowledging the stare easily.  Ukyou felt clumsy and foolish.      "Hello there."  She looked up to find the woman standing over her.  Her voice was just how Ukyou would have imagined, deep and husky, a voice that probably drove men wild.  She swallowed.      "H-hi," she said.  Oh, nice one, Ukyou, she chided herself. Very smooth!      "I'm sorry I was staring," she blundered on.  "I, uh ... like your dress."  The woman smiled at her gently, running one hand down the sleek fabric.      "Why, thank you.  I'm Riana.  What's your name?"      "Ukyou."  Ukyou began to relax a little.  The woman didn't seem put out by her stare at all.  In fact, she was being quite charming.      "Are you here alone, Ukyou?"  She shook her head.      "No, I'm here with a friend.  She's off getting some drinks." Riana raised one perfect eyebrow at that as a new song started up, a slower, sensuous rhythm.  She swayed in place, her cool, bottomless eyes holding Ukyou's.      "Well, she's abandoned you during my favourite song.  How lucky for me.  Would you care to dance?"  Ukyou blinked.  Dance? With her?  To *this* song?      Ukyou had had women come onto her before while dressed as a boy.  She'd been told she made a pretty boy, after all, but she'd always managed to put them off.  She'd never had it happen this way before, though, and it took her a second to realize just what was happening.      She thinks I ... she thinks ...  Ukyou's brain locked up as the woman held one hand out to her, a whiff of expensive perfume washing over her.  She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the other woman's gaze, and she realized with faint alarm that she was reaching out to take the woman's hand.      "Why, *there* you are, love!  Come on, let's dance!"  Ukyou blinked as someone moved between them, grabbing the startled woman and whirling her away onto the dance floor.      Huh?      She shook her head, feeling like she was waking out of a light doze.  Her hand was still held out and, feeling foolish, she let it drop.      "Hey!"  She turned to see Nabiki standing behind her with a couple of drinks, an arch expression on her face.      "There you are," Ukyou said, feeling relieved.  Nabiki put the drinks down and frowned.      "Just what exactly was going on here, Ukyou?"  Ukyou fidgeted.      "I, uh ..."      "You looked like you were about to go cheek dancing with that woman, that's what!  Have you been drinking?"      "Of course not!" Ukyou denied hotly.  "I just ..."  How to explain it?  She'd felt drawn to the woman, almost ... hypnotically. "Well, it's hard to explain."  Nabiki snorted.      "You think *that's* hard to explain?  Did you see who stole your dance partner?"  Ukyou gave her a quizzical look and turned to the dance floor.  It took her a few seconds to spot the couple she was looking for, but when she did her jaw literally dropped.      "No way!" she squeaked. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Riana had felt a warm glow in her belly, and turning, had spotted the girl.  Her chi was strong enough to stand out even in the crowded club, and better yet she was staring right at Riana.      Riana had moved in, her predatory instincts kicking into gear as she slipped easily through the crowd.  The girl was embarrassed at having been caught, blushing prettily and looking away.  She was wearing a simple black dress and matching black hair ribbon that made her look sweetly sexy and yet innocent at the same time.  Riana's heat increased as she drew near.      Yes.  This one would do nicely.      She'd caught the girl's attention easily, striking up a conversation while she held the girl's gaze, staring into those pretty green eyes and letting her compulsion fall on her hapless prey.      Then, just as she was ready to claim her prize, she was denied. Someone grabbed her around the waist and propelled her away, out onto the dance floor.  Slim arms circled her waist tightly, and she was pulled against a lush female body, suppressing a snarl as she watched her lovely meal slip away.      Then she took in the mocking eyes and tawny hair, and realized just who had denied her the girl, and for an instant she seriously considered transforming there and then, orders be damned.      "Tragus," she hissed venomously.  The lovely teacher kept her pulled close, undulating suggestively against her while the slow compelling music rolled over them.      "Dance, won't you, love?  We don't want a scene, after all." Tragus brushed against her deliberately and she began to dance with him, or her, as it was hard to think of Tragus any other way in Hinako's body.      "You are seriously testing my patience," she spat, trying to keep her expression neutral.  She was trapped on the dance floor, and there was no way she could just tear the insolent Tragus apart the way she wanted to.  And Tragus, damn her, knew it.  She let her hands roam slightly over the curves of Riana's back, and smiled slowly at her reaction.      "That's it, love.  Doesn't hurt to be nice, does it?"  Tragus smiled teasingly, letting her fingers slip up to the back of Riana's neck. "After all, this is what you were intending to do with that pretty young thing, right?  I'd be much more ... diverting."  Riana smiled back.      "If you'd like to end up where she would have, I accept your offer," she said.  Tragus laughed.      "You are so haughty, love.  I bet I could change all that. Maybe I'd have to tie you down, hmmm?"      "I do all the binding in my relationships, Tragus," Riana said coldly.  Tragus pouted.      "Ah, you see, you're letting silly prejudice stand in the way of what could be a ... beautiful relationship.  I'm more like you now than what I was.  And this body, is it not comely?  It has certain charms, you must admit."  Tragus was right.  Under other circumstances, she might consider the girl a worthy diversion.      "Well, Tragus, why don't you come back to my mansion and we'll discuss the matter further?" she asked lightly.  Tragus just gave her a musical laugh.      "Oh, no thank you, love.  I quite like having my head on my shoulders.  I'd prefer any encounter between us remain on neutral ground for now.  But I have news."  Riana's hands had moved up to Tragus's shoulders, and she smiled enticingly.      "Do tell?  What news could you have that would interest me?" She tried to keep her tone light, bantering.  She was beginning to remember that she'd wanted to meet with Tragus, to put her plan in motion.  She'd been taken off-guard and under circumstances other than those she would have chosen, but being able to think on her feet had kept her alive and in charge this long.  She'd play along and wait for the right opportunity.      "Oh, I thought you might like to know that I'm now in total control of this body.  The irritating school teacher is a mere memory."      "Do tell?"  They swayed together, and Riana was aware of the attention they were attracting.  Well, good.  Perhaps the evening wouldn't be a total waste after all.  This spectacle might make her hunt easier in the end.      "Yes, well, that's not all.  You see, I'm becoming very close friends with one of my students."  Riana cocked her head lightly.      "Scandalous," she murmured.  Tragus moved her face closer until their noses were nearly touching, grinding her hips lightly into Riana's and enjoying the resultant expression on her reluctant partner's face.      "Indeed.  It's the oldest story in the book, really.  Beautiful, experienced older woman takes young man in hand to show him the pleasures of life.  Maybe you know him?  Tatewaki Kunou?"  Tragus's hazel eyes were boring into Riana's, and she carefully controlled her reaction.      "That's a dangerous game, Tragus.  The boy is off limits." Tragus ran her fingers through Riana's hair slowly, luxuriating in its silken softness, and bumped her hips lightly against Riana's in a coquettish manner.      "Really?  Why is that, love?  I mean, since I'm not taking orders from you and all.  Why should I care?"  Riana was careful to hide her excitement.  Here she was, about to try to manipulate Tragus, and the little punk was trying to do the same to her!  This would be delicate, and would need to be handled just so, or Tragus would become suspicious.  And she didn't want that, not now that she had hope finally in her grasp.      "Tragus.  You don't want to make trouble for me, do you?" she asked silkily, letting her body come more fully against her partner. Tragus's eyes widened, then she smiled in understanding at Riana's subtle offer.  It was, after all, just the sort of deal Tragus would understand best, and no doubt just what she'd had in mind.      "Well, that would be unfortunate," she answered, taking full advantage of Riana's opening.      "It could be very unfortunate," Riana murmured throatily.  "For all of us, if you acted hastily."      "Oh, I don't know," Tragus returned, watching her closely.  "I might just be of some help to you.  I mean, once I get inside the Kunou estate, why, there must be a treasure trove of magical artifacts in there like that sword ..."      Bingo!  She let a faint trace of alarm slip into her manner, her arms sliding around Tragus's slim shoulders and tightening in warning.      "Tragus!  No!"  Tragus watched her as she pretended to bite back any further comment, being content for a moment to dance in the strobing light and darkness, surrounded by delicious youth and vigour.      "Because ...?" Tragus asked suggestively.  She scowled.      "Damn it, you know I can't trust you!"  Tragus smiled seductively, running her fingers lightly down Riana's long back as she did so.      "Riana," she purred.  "What's the better option?  Giving me information, or letting me stumble around in there blindly?  The boy will give me the run of the place, believe that.  Soon he'll give me whatever I want."  Riana made a show of considering Tragus's argument, but not too much of one.  She didn't want to overplay her hand.  Finally, she moved in so their bodies were in full contact, her arms around Tragus's neck, staring directly into the possessed teacher's eyes from only inches away.      "Tragus.  I will tell you this one thing, and only because I don't fancy losing all I've worked for because of you," she breathed.  "There is an artifact in that estate, a golden pendant in the shape of a dragon's head with green gemstones for eyes.  That one artifact is the key to the power of chaos incarnate.  It is feared even by us, for it cannot be controlled.  Play your games and take your treasures, but mind me.  If you try to harness the power of that pendant, we will all pay the ultimate price.  Better than you and I have tried and failed. Understand?"  Tragus licked her lips.      "Of course.  I'm not suicidal, love.  Now, wasn't that nicer than fighting?"  Tragus moved in for a kiss, and Riana slipped out of her arms easily.      "Sorry.  The song's over, Tragus.  And I've hunting to do."  Tragus looked frustrated for a moment, then smiled.      "You see, Riana, we should work together.  That way we'll all get what we want.  It's much better this way."  Riana cocked her head.      "Maybe," she said at last.  "First prove your worth, and your discretion.  Follow the one piece of advice I gave you.  If you can do that, I'll consider allowing you into my inner circle.  Consider, mind you."  Tragus gave her a mocking smile.      "A chance, that's all I ask," she said simply.  Then she let her gaze linger on Riana's body, and smirked.  "Well, not quite *all* ..."      "Good-bye, Tragus," Riana sighed, turning and slipping into the crowd.      Riana felt a sense of exultation.  Tragus was greedy and stupid. She would take the fastest, most direct path to power instead of biding her time and trying to topple Riana from within.  That meant she would definitely try for the pendant.  And once she had it away from the estate, then Riana could take it from her.      Then her long wait would be over.  The only question was how long it would take the impulsive Tragus to retrieve the amulet.      Her mood once again light, Riana danced her way through the wave of humanity as the music started up once again.  Perhaps she'd find the girl with the strong chi that she'd almost had before ... and celebrate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      "No ... way," Ukyou managed at last.  "Miss Hinako? *Our* Miss Hinako?"  Nabiki was watching with interest.  She'd seen the beautiful woman talking to Ukyou as she'd made her way back, and from where she'd been standing it had almost looked like she'd been asking Ukyou to dance.  Then, to her surprise, Miss Hinako had appeared out of nowhere and whirled the woman away.      "Boy, she's really walking on the wild side, huh?" Nabiki asked.  They could see the teacher, her arms around the exotically beautiful stranger, dancing slow and close.  Nabiki saw that Ukyou was blushing furiously as she watched.      "She's ... she's ..." she stuttered.  Nabiki smiled.      "Yes.  She certainly is, isn't she?"  Something in Nabiki's tone caused Ukyou to look at her blackly.      "What?" Nabiki asked.      "Nabiki, if you were an anime character, you would have dollar signs for pupils right now," Ukyou said flatly.  "I know what you're thinking."  Nabiki glanced back out to where Miss Hinako seemed to be whispering intimately in her partner's ear.      "Wow, look at her go," she said.  "Who'd have thought she had it in her?"      "Nabiki!  You can't blackmail a teacher!"  Nabiki blinked innocently.      "Blackmail?  Moi?  Whatever could you be talking about?" Ukyou continued to pin her with a dark stare, and Nabiki smiled.      "Wow, Ukyou, you know, it really is great, you standing up for Miss Hinako this way."  Ukyou took a drink of her club soda.      "Well, there's nothing wrong with ... that," she said primly, gesturing at where the two women were dancing closely together.  Very closely.      "I'm glad you feel that way," Nabiki said casually.  "Especially in light of those rumours she helped start ..."  She trailed off suggestively, and Ukyou froze in the middle of taking another drink.      "Rumours?" she asked.  "What rumours?"      "Oh, it doesn't matter," Nabiki said dismissively.  Ukyou moved closer.      "Nabiki.  What?  Rumours?"  Nabiki sighed.      "Oh, well ... you know how thought people have been watching you lately?  Well, it turns out that, as a result of our little clinch that day, you know, when Mousse was air-mailing his invitations?  Well, Miss Hinako was of the mistaken impression that we, that is you and I, were ..."  Comprehension dawned in Ukyou's eyes.      "Eep!" she squeaked.  Nabiki nodded.      "Exactly.  If you're interested, the rumours currently making the rounds have us as either a girl/girl couple or a girl/boy couple, depending on whether your true gender is known by the teller or not." Ukyou grabbed Nabiki's arm.      "I *told* you that was how rumours got started!  Didn't I tell you that?  What are we going to do about this?"  Nabiki smiled comfortingly.      "Ukyou, Ukyou.  I am aware of the situation now, and will take all steps necessary to dispel these rumours.  Don't panic."  Ukyou stared at her warily for a moment, then relaxed slightly.      "Really?" she asked doubtfully.      "Really.  Information is power, et cetera et cetera.  Trust me, I will straighten everything out."  Ukyou sighed finally.      "No wonder everyone's been staring at us," she said grumpily.  "I mean, what a stupid rumour."  Nabiki's eyes gleamed.      "Well, you can thank our friend Miss Hinako for helping to propagate it," she said.  Ukyou stared out at the dancing teacher, looking puzzled.      "Well, she *does* think I'm a boy," she said.  "She didn't mean anything by it."      "Really?  Just yesterday, she told me I was welcome to all the girls as that would leave more boys for her.  And look at her now. Talk about greedy."  Ukyou held her head in her hands, groaning.      "I don't believe this.  This is just so ... stupid!"  Nabiki patted her shoulder comfortingly.      "Oh, relax.  Rumours are par for the course around Furinkan. Your lucky there haven't been more about you, the way you go around dressed like a boy all the time.  Boy, you should hear some of the ones that have circulated about Ranma!  That boy is a one man ... what?" Ukyou was staring at her again.      "You don't suppose he's ... heard these rumours?" she asked weakly.  Nabiki gave her a put-upon sigh.      "Ukyou, he's the *last* person who would believe them, right? Anyway, what he thinks isn't your problem anymore.  Now come on, don't worry.  I said I'd straighten things out and I will.  Anyway, these things always blow over.  Tonight, we relax, okay?"  Ukyou sighed.      "You know, the thing about this town is, life's never dull." Nabiki grinned.      "That's for sure.  C'mon, let's dance!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Tragus let Riana slip away into the crowd, considering his position.  His little impromptu conference with her had been quite interesting, to say the least.  Whether the softening of her stance against him was a ploy or not was certainly open for debate; the matter of the pendant was not.  She'd reacted with very real agitation when she'd mentioned it.  Her breathing had quickened, her skin had flushed and her pupils had dilated, and none of that had been a reaction to anything he'd done, more's the pity.      The pendant.  Tragus's eyes narrowed.  It was just possible that she had become so comfortable in her position that she was unwilling to risk tampering with something that was dangerous and unpredictable.  Tragus, on the other hand, had no such compunctions. After all, he had very little to lose and much to gain.  He wanted to rise above his station, to seize power and gorge himself on it, and fate had given him that opportunity, first with this body and now with this knowledge.      Of course, he couldn't take things at face value, not with Riana. Still, it was worth taking a chance to see what came of it.  He would continue with his plan to ingratiate himself with the Kunou boy and see what could be learned that way.  He was quite enjoying learning the ways in which a beautiful woman could wield subtle power.  It might be interesting in the meantime, though, to rattle young Tatewaki's cage and see if anything popped out.  Perhaps place him in a situation where that sort of power might be needed ...      As he thought, his eye chanced across the lovely young thing who'd nearly become Riana's latest meal.  Tragus wondered what the girl would think if she knew how close to death she'd come.  Then the crowd shifted slightly and Tragus froze.      Nabiki Tendou.  The girl was talking to Nabiki Tendou.  And ...  He stared at the girl for a few moments.  She *did* look familiar. Could it be?  It was!  That vision of loveliness was Ukyou Kuonji!      Tragus was amazed.  He never would have recognized the girl. It made him wonder why she dressed as a boy.  Hinako's memories held no answers to that question as the little twit still thought Kuonji was a boy.  It looked as though the rumours about those two were true. Although the Tendou girl had seemed somewhat possessive of Tatewaki Kunou the previous day ...  Wait a moment.      Tragus felt his lips curving into a smile.  Yes.  Oh, yes.  Very good.  The goddess of fortune was positively beaming down upon him, once a lowly Borgunma.  And here he'd been looking for a stick with which to rattle young Mr. Kunou's cage.  He smiled unpleasantly, slipping off into the crowd.  There were things that needed to be done, and quickly.      Nabiki Tendou was going to have an unpleasant night, quite possibly the last one of her young life.  At worst, Tragus would have some entertainment.  At best, he would see the power hidden within the Kunou estate in action.      But first, he needed some strong young specimen to drain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Nabiki drew in a breath of cool night air and sighed.      "Well," she said, the noise of the club still a low whine in her ears, "how was that for a night out?  Everything I promised?"  Ukyou grinned, practically skipping along beside her.      "Wow," she said.  Nabiki grinned back.      "You said that already, you know.  About fourteen times."      "Well, I meant it," Ukyou replied.  "Really, really wow."      "I guess it didn't hurt when those two guys started competing for your attention," Nabiki said casually, trying to hide her amusement at the way Ukyou blushed.      "You're making too much of that," Ukyou mumbled.      "Oh?  They were trying to impress you by outdoing each other, Ukyou.  That's a good thing.  And they weren't bad, the taller one was quite a cutie."      "Yeah he ... I mean, I really didn't notice."  Ukyou fiddled with her dress for a moment, then looked with shy uncertainty at Nabiki from the corners of her eyes.      "They *were* flirting with me, weren't they?" she asked.  Nabiki laughed.      "Outrageously," she assured the other girl.  "I'm quite jealous. Did you enjoy it?"  Ukyou took a deep breath, then squeezed her eyes shut and nodded frantically.      "Yes!" she squeaked.  "Oh, Nabiki, that *was* fun!  Is it awful to have let them pay so much attention to me?"      "Awful?  You didn't make them do anything, you know!  They wanted to flirt with you.  That's what happens to cute girls."      "But it's never happened to me before!"  Nabiki rolled her eyes.      "When you weren't going around dressed as a boy, Ukyou, you never paid the slightest attention to a guy other than Ranma.  Trust me, that was a natural occurrence and, if I'm any judge, quite an ego boost.  Right?"  Ukyou nodded again, still flushed with pleasure.      "One time I wore a girl's uniform to school, and I got lots of attention," she sighed, "but not from Ranma, so to me it didn't count."      "Well, now you're free to enjoy it," Nabiki said.  "So enjoy it."  They came to a corner and Nabiki stretched.  "Well, this is where I get off," she yawned.      "Nabiki, it's late.  You could come back to my place if you want," Ukyou offered.  Nabiki shook her head.      "Thanks, but I'm just going to head home.  I've got plans for tomorrow morning."  She didn't add that those plans involved setting up a video camera to tape Ranma and Akane in the kitchen.      "Wait!  What about your dress?"  Nabiki grinned.      "I'll get it back later.  You know, we're going to have to go shopping sometime, to find you some more girly clothes."  Ukyou blushed.      "Nabiki!"  Nabiki just grinned.      "Aw, you're going to love it, trust me!" she called.  "Catch you later!"  With that, she set off down the deserted street for home, leaving Ukyou behind.  But not before she heard humming, and turned to see Ukyou walking away with a definite skip in her step, twirling every so often to unheard music.  Nabiki shook her head with a wry grin.      "Oh, Nabiki, don't make me wear those girly clothes!" she squeaked under her breath.  "I'll just look dumb!"  Chuckling, she thought of how Ukyou had needed only a little coaxing to go out that night.  She was, of course, more than willing to be coaxed, which was hardly surprising.  It was far past time that she emerged from her shell and spread her wings.      Humming a snatch of music under her breath, she strode easily along the sidewalk for a distance, until something caught her attention as she passed under a streetlight.      Since when did she have two shadows? ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Kunou sat cross-legged on the floor of his practice area.  It was distressingly clean, he thought with a sudden, surprising pang of sorrow as he looked about.  Kodachi had been prone to leaving her equipment lying around for the servants to clean up after her sessions, and he remembered wistfully how it used to vex him.  Now, though, he found himself longing for just such an irritant.  Anything to distract him.      Because frankly, he was swamped.  The affairs of the estate and its duties were in an incredible disarray, and his attempts over the last few days to make some sense of where things stood had left him with little more than a headache.  There were records, strange inventories of items, histories, out of date dossiers on missing allies and piles of miscellaneous papers that he simply couldn't make any sense out of.      It had been this way since his father had succumbed to his madness, possibly even before.  Things had been falling apart for a long time, and he had no idea where to begin trying to put them back together.  Any enemy that tried to breach his hold by force, he could fight.  The blade had been his constant companion since he'd been a boy.  But this ... bureaucracy was beyond him.  The only books he favoured were his beloved tomes of poetry, haiku and Shakespeare and romantic era poets, giving him escape from his dark duty on silvered words.      A sword would avail him nothing with these other problems, though, and the resultant feeling of impotence had him quite out of sorts. He had no idea what to do, no plan for how to proceed.  So he did what he invariably did when things got to be too much for him.  He pulled a worn cloth headband from inside his shirt and tied it around his forehead, letting the long ends dangle in the back.  Then he picked up his bokken and rose smoothly to his feet, assuming a beginning stance.      And he let the movements flow out from his centre, letting his mind and body become one flawless unit, forgetting it all.      For a while. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Something moving, off to the right.  She turned, seeing nothing but shadows, but she knew it was there.  Her senses had the painful acuity of prey, fleeing for its life.      The air burned Nabiki's chest like acid as she ran.  Every time she tried to turn, one of them sprang up and she had to go another way. Her legs were hot and leaden, and cold fear sweat trickled down her back.      They were playing with her.  That was it.  They were toying with her before killing her, and she had no idea how to stop them.  Just then she'd have traded *everything* she knew for just one of Ranma's techniques.      After all, it seemed unlikely any of them needed their taxes done.      She ran blindly, as she had from the first glimpse of one of them creeping up behind her, trying to reign in her panic.  Think, dammit! She gasped as she stumbled, then regained her balance.  Falling. Falling would be bad.  If she fell, they might just decide she wasn't fun any longer.  She didn't want that.      Nabiki was coming to believe that it was worse not being able to see them.  The fact that they seemed to be all around her, popping out at odd times with playful swipes of clawed hands, was highly unnerving.  As she ran, the night seemed alive with pools of deeper shadow and concealing trees and fences.  She stumbled again, nearly falling.      Don't, she told herself desperately.  Don't stop.  You've got to think of something, and quick!  Yes, quickly would be good.  She couldn't go on much longer.      A large, featureless wall loomed up ahead of her.  She cursed to herself.  She'd have to try to double back, or risk getting trapped by the ...      Wall.  Big, high wall.  And ... familiar?  She shot a few frantic glances around, hope blossoming in her chest as she realized where she was.      That wall surrounded the Kunou estate.  Sanctuary, if she was fast.  And lucky.      Very, very lucky.      She cast a glance back over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of something darting between the lonely pools of safety cast by the streetlights.  She still might get trapped, but there really wasn't any choice.  She couldn't run any further.  She had to risk it.      "Puss, puss puss puss," a gravelly, mocking voice came from behind her.  She forced herself to run on, looking for the gate.  Any of the martial artists in Nerima could have jumped that wall easily, of course, and didn't she just have to think of that as she pushed herself onwards?  There were sounds behind her now, sounds very much like those something with big, clawed feet might make running on pavement.      Be there, Kunou, she begged silently.  You're my only hope, and I sure don't want to die with that thought on my mind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Something nagged at the edge of Kunou's awareness, interrupting his concentration.  It was only a small distraction, but even those were rare now that he was alone in the house most times.  For a moment, he considered that possibility that it might be his father, but dismissed that thought immediately.  Darkness had fallen quite some time ago, and his father would never dare venture near the house after dark.      Still, the noise continued, and that, combined with his frustration, disrupted his inner peace and finally caused him to stop. The familiar nature of the noise taunted him, like a word that just eludes articulation.  He sighed, walking over to the door and opening it, bokken still in his hand.  Once he'd done that, the noise came to him clearly through the stillness of the house.      Someone was at the main gate, ringing the buzzer.  Although ringing didn't do it justice.  The idiot must be *leaning* on the thing. Shaking his head, he began walking toward the front door and the intercom panel.  He might just as well deal with whoever it was quickly.      He was almost to the door when his unwelcome visitor let up on the button, and he savoured the sudden silence even as he listened. The buzzer activated the intercom, but he heard nothing from it but a low hum.  Then, as he neared the main foyer, she screamed.      "DAMMIT KUNOU, WHERE ARE YOU?"  He almost didn't recognize Nabiki Tendou's voice.  He certainly had never heard that tone of raw panic from her before, but in his mind, there could only be one cause.      The sword was where he had left it, safe in his rooms.  But it would take time to double back, and he wasn't certain he had time.  It only took him a split-second to decide, and he was running all out, slapping the gate release as he cannoned past the intercom and burst out into the night.      And all he could think was, Not again.  This time, I will not be too late.      Please.      And from the direction of the main gate, he heard howls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Tragus watched as three of his helpers closed in on the girl from all sides.  She had her back to the gate, watching the demons coming closer with a kind of horrified fascination.  Finally, she turned and screamed into the intercom beside her.      "I'm impressed," Tragus said from his place of concealment. "That's the first time she's screamed since we started.  She's made of sterner stuff than I would have thought, is our Miss Tendou."  Plik snorted indifferently.      "If those guys walk any slower, they'll be going backwards," he growled, his discoloured fangs dripping hot saliva onto the ground. "Can we just get this over with?"  Tragus sighed.      "Remember the plan, Plik," he said patiently.  "Drive her here, then wait until the boy appears, and see what he does."      "Stupid plan," Plik shrugged.  "Kill him, kill her ... now there's a plan."  Tragus ignored the creature.  Things were going well so far, although it might get sticky if the Kunou brat wasn't even home.      Just as he had that thought, though, the gate swung open and the girl fell backwards with a startled cry.  One of her three stalkers bounded forward, only to be brought up short by a crackle of blue-white light that arced across the gate.      "Wards," Plik hissed.  Tragus nodded.      "Yes, but there are many weak spots.  Find some and get inside, Plik old buddy.  From here on in, it's keep what you catch. That was the deal, remember?"  Plik smiled, a sight not for the weak of heart.      "I don't care what Carg says, Tragus.  You're still one of us!"  With that, Plik bounded off towards the wall.  Tragus sighed.      Poor expendable bastard.  They all were, save Gruundi.  He fully expected one of them would get Nabiki, of course, before she made it to safety.  Kunou, though, was another matter.  Tragus wanted to see what forces Kunou could bring to his defence, and to begin putting the screws to the lonely young swordsman.  He needed every advantage to put his plan into action.      And best of all, of course, was that no matter what happened, his hands would remain clean.  He leaned back and waited for the fireworks to begin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Nabiki nearly had a heart attack when the gate opened on its own, spilling her onto the path within.  One of the uglies that had been eyeing her hungrily rushed forward, and she threw herself back desperately.      Fortunately, something stopped the thing from getting through the open gate, some sort of light flash.  Nabiki just stared for a moment, until the things ran off and she suddenly wondered if they could get in another way.      Then she was on her feet and running towards the lights of the main house, barely visible through the trees.  She stumbled along as fast as she could, the tiny hairs on her arms standing up painfully at every tiny noise from the dense foliage around her.      She barely had time to register the presence of a darker shadow looming on the path ahead of her before she ran headlong into it.  It grabbed her and she squawked in panic, flailing her arms wildly.      "Nabiki!  Stop it, Nabiki!  We must get back to the house. Quickly!"  She tried to swallow, but it felt like her entire stomach had jumped up into her throat.      "Kunou," she gasped.  "I'll deny ... ever having said this ... but I am so glad to see you ..."  He grabbed her arm and pulled her along.      "They are inside the wall already, I believe.  Can you run?" What the hell do you think I've *been* doing, she wanted to ask. Instead, she just nodded jerkily, and they started back towards the house, Nabiki's heart hammering in her chest.      That was when she saw it.      "Kunou," she gritted.  "A stick?  You ... brought a *stick*?"  He glanced around them, peering intently into the dark.      "It is called a bokken," he said absently.  She tried desperately to keep up.      "The magic sword, Kunou," she sais with as much equanimity as she could muster.  "Now would be a good time."      "Faced with the choice of going back for it or coming for you, I chose the latter.  Are you displeased with my choice?"      "Well, why weren't you carrying it?" she asked, oddly peeved, as if he should have been expecting just this occurrence.      "I do not bathe or sleep with it either," he told her.  "Although perhaps I shall have to begin doing both.  Duck."  She blinked, and he pulled her down as something hurtled over them.  She had the impression of bulk and scales, and then Kunou was pushing her forward, towards the well-lit doorway of the main house.      "Run," he suggested.  She did, and he stayed behind her, turning as their attacker recovered and charged in with an unearthly howl.  She caught a glimpse of Kunou's stupid stick blurring in a sharp arc, and the howling changed in tenor, becoming shrill and filled with pain.  She charged forward, certain that with every step something would grab her from behind and drag her down.  The door seemed to be maintaining its distance from her, like something out of a nightmare, but finally she charged through the lighted opening and into an oasis of sanity.  She could hear more pained howls behind her, and figured that Kunou must be holding his own.  For the moment.      Then she caught sight of a phone, sitting on a small table in the foyer.  She ran over to it, quickly dialling the dojo's number.  If ever there was a time to call for help, this was it.  Ranma could help.  If there was one thing Ranma was good at, it was fighting.      There was no ringing at the other end, just the crackle of an open line.      "Come on," she breathed.  She heard a sharp intake of breath at the other end.      "Hello?" she asked tentatively.      "Nabiki?  Is ... that you?"  She froze, that chill prickling sensation creeping across her skin again.      "Who is this?" she asked hoarsely, although she knew.  She hadn't heard that voice in years, but she knew it instantly.      "Nabiki?  Thank heavens!  It's dark out here, and I'm afraid! There's someone fighting, oh Nabiki help me!  Please!"  Nabiki's mouth was painfully dry, and her pulse beat loud in her ears.  She fancied she could smell a faint perfume, feel a warm embrace, hear a tune being hummed in a warm kitchen.      "Ma ... ma?"      "Nabiki, please!  I don't know where to go!"      "Mama?"  The receiver felt ice cold in her aching hand, but she couldn't let go.  "No, it ... can't ..."      "Something's here with me!  Kiki, help!"  Kiki.  Nobody had called her that since her mother's death.  It had been mama's pet name for her.  She felt a tightness in her chest as she turned to the open door.      It can't be.  But ... what if it is?  After everything that's happened, all the strange and impossible things ... what if she's out there?  What if, somehow, someway ...?      Kunou barrelled in through the door, slamming it shut behind him.  Nabiki jumped at the loud noise, then jerked as a wailing came from the receiver she clutched in her hand.      "IT'S DARK!  OH KIKI PLEASE HELP PLEASE ..." Nabiki dropped the phone as the wailing increased, and in the background she could hear something else.  Growling.  Grunting.  She stared at the phone helplessly, turning as an expressionless Kunou stomped up beside her, trying to find the words as her mind, pushed to the limits, threatened to shut down.      "It's ... Kunou, we have to go back out.  We ..."  He ignored her, raising his bokken, which she saw had been broken off raggedly near the tip, then bringing it down over the phone, smashing it.  He struck it repeatedly, then jerked the cord from the wall, but the wailing and begging continued.  Nabiki was watching, her fists pressed uselessly to her temples, everything feeling vaguely unreal.      "Kunou ... Kunou, my mother!  She ..."  Kunou struck one last time, and the phone splintered into shards, small circuit boards flying everywhere.  Then he dropped the remnants of his bokken and turned to grasp her firmly by the shoulders.  She realized with some surprise that she was shaking, just a little.      Wow, so this is what going into shock feels like, she thought numbly.      "Kunou ..." she began again.  His eyes met hers and held them, his expression stern.      "Your mother is beyond harm, Nabiki," he said firmly.  "She has been dead for many years, has she not?"  He paused while she soaked that up.      "But ... she called me ... she *knew* ..."      "They know how to hurt you, Nabiki," he said, his hands tightening on her shoulders.  "They can find your darkest fear or most vulnerable spot.  They used your mother's memory to try to lure you back out.  A trick, a foul deception.  That is all."  She just looked at him, and again that memory came, the memory of her mother's warm safe scent as she hugged her, came with such clarity that she wanted to cry.      "But that's not fair," she found herself saying plaintively, and for a moment, something glimmered deep in Kunou's eyes.  Not contempt, not impatience.      Understanding.      "No," he murmured, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.  "No, it is not."  Then his jaw clenched and he was pulling her along again.      "Kunou, what ... where are we going?"      "We are not safe yet.  They have dared the wall, they may try to enter the house.  I need my blade."  Nabiki fought to get her emotions under control, casting one longing glance back at the ruined phone as they ran further into the house. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Kunou burst into his rooms, pulling Nabiki along behind.  She looked shell-shocked, but seemed to be bearing up amazingly well under the strain.  Just as well, as the night wasn't over yet.      He let her go as he moved to the warded cabinet that held the sword.  Sheer planes of light streamed out from every seam and crevice in the cabinet, casting strange shadows on the walls.      He opened it easily, reaching inside to grasp the cool hilt.  The light spilled out easily, filling the room with a comforting blue-white light, brilliant yet not at all painful to look at.  He heard Nabiki gasp behind him as he straightened.      "So that's it, huh?" she asked quietly.  He nodded.      "This weapon will put an end to the foulness that has invaded my home."  He started for the door, and she jumped in front of him.      "Wait!"  He looked at her, puzzled.      "Nabiki, you will be safe here ..." he began.  She frowned, some of her stubbornness beginning to reassert itself.      "You can't seriously be thinking of going out there alone! Kunou, there are at least three of those things, maybe more!  How can this possibly be considered a good idea?"      "I have a duty."  It was just that clear to him, and he hoped he could make it so to her as well.  Apparently, he couldn't.      "Well, that won't matter much when you're dead!" she snapped.  "Let's be sensible here, Kunou."      "Very well," he said calmly.  "What do you suggest?"  She looked a tad startled at that.      "Uh, well ... for starters, we stay in here, where it's safe."      "It is not safe.  Sooner or later, if left alone, they will try to breach the house's defences, and they may well succeed.  If I do not act, it will be seen as a sign of weakness, and others will come.  This must be dealt with, quickly and harshly.  You must trust me on this." She stared at him, her maddening aloofness finally making an appearance.      "And just how can I do that, when you won't tell me what's going on?  None of this surprises you, does it?"  He fought to keep a scowl off his face.      "Now is not the time for us to resume that particular conversation," he said tightly.  Nabiki's mouth was set in a stubborn line.      "I think it is," she said, staring him down.  Their impasse was broken by the sound of something heavy striking the house.  Kunou whirled and opened his window, since Nabiki was blocking the door.      "Stay in this room," he advised her.  "It has fairly fresh protections.  You'll be safe here."  That was true to a point; it was one of the safest places in the house, thanks to Sasuke's meticulous use of their few remaining active wards.  And he simply couldn't drag her along with him.  Distractions could prove fatal, and the only way to ensure her safety was to drive off or kill the intruders.      So he ignored her outraged expression and hopped easily out the window, much the way he had on the night Sasuke had died.  At least she had the sense to close it behind him.  He surveyed the grounds around him, peering intently into the shadows.  He had not activated the security lights because their dazzling light might blind him at a critical moment, while his blade's light would reveal without that danger.  Plus, the shadows would make the things bolder, overconfident.      It didn't seem like an all-out attack.  They were being somewhat cautious, and if they had the numbers they would have already attempted to overwhelm the house.  Perhaps he could deal with the things quickly.  Then he could try to figure out just what he was going to tell the inquisitive Nabiki Tendou.  She was tenacious at the best of times; he feared that now he'd never be able to convince her to leave matters lie.      That was a matter for later, however.  For now, he had other, more pressing matters to attend to.      "I tire of these games," he said in a loud, commanding voice, standing in the open.  "You will never gain your objective until I am dead, so let us be about it, shall we?"      "Brave words, *boy*," someone sneered.  He watched impassively as three hulking forms shambled out of the darkness in a rough semicircle, their eyes baleful red sparks in the dark.  Kunou watched them come, aware that at least one of them had been injured by his bokken, although how seriously remained to be seen.  His sword blazed with a pure light that halted the monstrosities several feet away. They moved to surround him, but he was not concerned.  Not as long as none of them tried to break for the house.  Nabiki was a non-combatant and as such, she was his responsibility.  While she was under his protection, he vowed no harm would come to her.      "Well, don't you look all fierce, kid?" one of the things asked roughly.  It had tough scales on its body that gleamed in the light of his sword, and it flexed its claws dangerously.  "Think you can use that toy?"      "Oooh, I think he's gonna wet himself!" another taunted.  One of the creatures waved its four muscular arms and stomped to try to draw his attention away.      "Hey, boy!  Let us have the girl and we'll let you live.  Hey, you can even watch!"  All three broke into raucous laughter at that, and Kunou let his breath out in one long, slow controlled motion.      Then he spoke.      "This place has been attacked many times," he said in a low, toneless voice.  "These grounds have been knee-deep in the blood of my clansmen and the foul ichor of your kind, yet never has it fallen. Nor shall it tonight.  There is still a Kunou to guard.  I fulfill the ancient covenant of my clan."      Then, oddly, he smiled, thinking of how the souls of his sister and loyal Sasuke, and even of his brother, gone too soon, cried out to him.      For us, they chorused.  Forget your father and how he faltered and dishonoured our clan.  Tonight, defend.  Protect.  And avenge. For us.  He raised the glowing blade in front of him, point down, hilt held high, and turned slowly, making certain he knew where each of the things was and where it was going as they all circled together, waiting for the moment when the talk would be done and the fighting would begin.      Then, as his right foot was pointing at the four-armed fiend, he leapt in a high arc, twisting in the air to bring his sword down in a savage blow to his enemy.  The thing tried to block his swing with its arms, but with the full force of both his leap and his swing behind him, the glowing blade cleaved through all four arms, bisecting the thing's head neatly and continuing down into the chest.  Kunou landed smoothly, drawing the blade free with one easy motion, turning to face the other two as the startled creature made a hideous burbling sound and collapsed, its body slowly turning to bubbling green slime.      He'd seized the initiative and drawn first blood.  Now things would get interesting.      Howling, the others charged. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      The whole thing was unfolding right in front of her eyes, and all she could do was watch.  Nabiki stared intently out the window as the creatures came out into the pool of light around Kunou.  Seeing them clearly didn't make her feel any better.  She could hear them taunting Kunou, watched with trepidation as they circled eagerly.      She'd seen Kunou fight before, and she had to admit (although never to him) that he was good.  But there were three of the things, and they weren't human.      Then Kunou leapt into the air, almost too fast to see, and in seconds he'd cut the first one almost in half.  As he turned from its falling body, she felt a shock tingle through her body.      That had been incredible.  Before she could do more than start to feel optimism, though, the other two howled and charged.  Kunou danced back, spinning that fiercely glowing sword in short arcs around his body, holding them off while they all manoeuvred for position.  He moved carefully, stepping back and then darting forward suddenly, raining blows on the big hairy one, forcing it back.  She could hear the howls of pain and rage clearly, and they made her skin want to crawl off and find someplace to hide.      Along with the rest of her, frankly, but she knew she couldn't leave that window.  She had to see.  She had to know.  She just couldn't bear *not* knowing.      So she watched, breathless, as Kunou turned from the wounded one just as the scaled monstrosity tried to gut him from behind, parrying its long claws with his blade.  Then he spun, using the charging creature's own momentum against it.  Committed, it was unable to stop as he hit it with a savage cross-body stroke that cut it cleanly in two.  He didn't even bother watching the body hit the ground, instead using the force of his spin to carry him around so he was facing the wounded survivor once more, lunging immediately to attack.      The last one decided that it had had enough, turning to run before discovering that its head was no longer in a position to be giving orders.  Its body toppled heavily to the cool grass, beginning to dissolve quickly.  Kunou straightened up and cleaned the slime from his blade with a sharp flick of his wrist.  Nabiki blinked, feeling herself sag against the cool glass with limp relief.  It was over.  He'd done it.  He'd really done it!      Then she saw his head turn sharply as someone walked out of the trees.  She saw who it was and felt a cold solid fear settle in her stomach.      "Oh, no ..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------      He stood amidst the remains of his three opponents, almost disappointed that it was over so quickly.  He fought to control the cold rage that fuelled his movements, his nostrils flaring as he fought to control his breathing.      "And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" he whispered into the still night, lips pulled back in a mirthless grin.      "Revenge," someone whispered back.  "What use have I for that?"  He felt everything slow around him as he turned slowly, dreading what was to come, but unable to stop himself.  There, standing near the trees, was a figure in a black and green leotard, its front stained dark with blood.  Her skin was pale and bloodless, her eyes dark pools of accusation, as she took a step forward.      "I'd far sooner be alive than revenged, brother *dear*," she sneered.  He felt his arm wanting to tremble and willed it to be still.      "Kodachi," he whispered.  For a moment, he wondered if true madness had finally claimed him, but only for a moment.      The sword, something in him shouted, clamouring for attention. It's still glowing.  She's one of them, idiot!      Of course.  They were using his innermost shadows against him, as they had against Nabiki.  He felt his cold rage turn hot, boiling and trembling and beginning to rise in him at the thought.  Not enough, he thought through the haze.  Not enough that they killed her, but they must demean her memory this way ...      "You failed me, brother dear," the apparition spat.  "Where were you when I needed you?  What good were all your pretensions of nobility, you who let your sister die?"  He brought the sword up, feeling its power thrumming in his arm, focusing his rage on the suddenly uncertain form facing him.      "You think me so easily fooled?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice.  "I know you for what you are, foul imp.  Oh, yes, I know. And I mark you.  I ... mark you."  The apparition paused, then pushed on.      "Your fault ..." she began, but Kunou could see the form beginning to shimmer now.      "CEASE THIS FARCE!" he screamed.  "IF YOU ARE NOT AFRAID, THEN FACE ME AND LET US PUT AN END TO IT!"  His words tore out into the dark, and he levelled the glowing blade at his tormentor, his lips pulling back from his teeth in a snarl.  He saw the path his sword stroke would take, saw it as if it had already happened, and he began to shift his weight, his vision narrowing until the mocking vision of his sister was all he could see.      That was very nearly his undoing.  Salvation, such as it was, came from an unanticipated source.      "Kunou!  Behind you!"  Nabiki's voice.  He'd already been shifting forward, and that saved his life.  He threw himself into a roll, gasping as white hot pain erupted in his left shoulder, rolling out and springing back, regaining his balance to find himself facing another of the beasts, this one tall, lean, covered with sharp edges.      He panted, tossing his head sharply to throw the sweat from his brow.  His left arm hung at his side and his shoulder throbbed with nauseating pain, but he forced himself to focus past it.      Tricked.  Tricked like a callow, inexperienced youth.  He'd thought the trap was in the thing assuming his sister's form, but it had merely been a diversion, and he'd allowed his anger to lead him to carelessness.  Now he had two of the things to deal with, and he was injured.  Fortunately, only the one that had blindsided him moved in. The other merely watched, letting Kodachi's face lapse into a blank, inhuman stare.      "You're the Guardian?" the thing asked, moving forward. "What a joke!  You're a boy, and that little toy won't save you!  Come on, show me something stronger!  What else have you got?"  Kunou raised the glowing blade shakily, feeling a tiny spark of optimism as its light caused the thing to wince and pause.      "I assure you, this will suffice," he gritted.  "If you doubt me, then simply come closer."  The thing laughed, an unnerving sound, its red eyes fixing Kunou.      "Bravado?  Nice.  I'll tell everyone you didn't beg before I killed you."  Kunou grinned savagely.      "Indeed?  How polite.  I intend to tell everyone that you did."  It hissed at that, then blurred forward, sparks flying as its claws raked along the glowing blade that Kunou barely managed to block with.  The thing howled in pain at its proximity to the weapon, but it seemed willing to brave the pain to kill him.  He spun, his head swimming dangerously, and barely managed to avoid its second pass, all the while trying to keep track of the other one.  He knew that time favoured the enemy now.  He felt hot blood coursing down his back under his shirt, and knew that eventually he would weaken.  He needed to strike fast and strike hard, while he still could.      He slid his feet into the proper position, fighting down the pain and dizziness as he waited for the thing to commit to another attack. Fortunately, it relied on speed and strength, not skill.  That would give him an advantage.  A small one, granted, but at this point he would take whatever he could get.      It sped forward, and he shifted all his weight to his left foot, springing ahead and bringing his gleaming blade around in a vicious cross-body cut, angling up and across as he met the thing's attack.  He felt the light impact as the razor-sharp blade sliced through demonic flesh and bone, and then he was skidding to a stop on the cool grass, glancing over his shoulder in time to see one of the startled creature's arms hit the ground.  It tried to turn, but a thin greenish line bisected it on an angle across its wiry body, and the effort of turning caused its upper half to topple to the ground.  The lower half remained standing for a few seconds before collapsing as well.  Even as the legs were falling he turned, seeking out the other one.  It was backing into the shadows, and though he could no longer see it clearly, its form was hunched and knobby, no longer that of his sister.      "You."  His voice boomed out in the silence, and the thing paused in the shadows.  "I have marked you, coward.  Remember."  It skulked off into the dark, and he slumped, sweat loosening his grip on the sword's hilt.      "Kunou!"  He turned to see Nabiki running up to him.  He straightened instinctively, glaring at her.      "I thought I told you to ..."      "The light's going out."  It annoyed him, the way his disapproval didn't even faze her, but he resolved not to let it show. "Does that mean it's safe now?"  He sighed.      "Perhaps, but we should not tempt fate.  It will be safer in the house.  Come."  He started to walk, slowly.      "Hey, you're really bleeding there, Kunou baby," she said, following closely.  "Let me give you a hand.  Here, lean on me."  He snorted.      "That would be quite undignified," he said sharply.  Then he stumbled slightly, and pain lanced anew through his shoulder.  He gasped.      "Hmmm.  And falling flat on your face would be what, exactly?" she asked with her usual maddening indifference.  He regained his balance to find her slipping under his good arm, bracing his body with hers.  "C'mon, hero.  I don't guess you'll be wanting to go back in through the window ..."      "How very astute," he grimaced.      "... so we'll go around to the door."  Much as he wished it were otherwise, he was forced to allow her to help him, her smaller body pressed tightly against him, one hand holding the arm that was slung over her shoulder, the other wrapped tightly against his waist.  In other circumstances, such proximity to a woman would have been quite pleasant.      A woman, not Nabiki Tendou, he hastily amended.  He saw her shoot a quick glace up at his face, and knew he was in for one of her patented put-downs.      "What?" he asked wearily.  She sniffed.      "You know, you were moderately not terrible out there," she said casually.  He blinked.      "I, ah ... thank you, I suppose."  She looked up at him out of the corner of her eye again.      "Don't let it go to your head," she said.      "No worries on that score," he assured her with what he hoped was sufficient hauteur.  "Everything seems to be rushing away from my head, actually."  She looked faintly alarmed for a second, then redoubled her efforts to get them to a door.  They both breathed a little easier once they were safely inside, and Nabiki led him into a small sitting room, easing him onto a couch.      "I'm no expert, but that's really bleeding," she said, eyeing his shoulder critically.  "You should see a doctor ..."  He smiled slightly.      "I would still advise against using the telephone," he said, and a muscle in her cheek jumped, her only outward sign of emotion.  Kunou found himself admiring her reserve.  "And going out is not a terribly good idea at the moment either.  I don't believe the injury is that serious.  I need merely stop the bleeding for the moment."      "First aid kit?"      "There is one in the kitchen, under the sinks."  She nodded and went off after it.  He sighed again, letting his eyes slip closed, feeling a vertiginous wave sweep over him.  Everything had happened so fast, he hadn't had time to think of the repercussions of what had just occurred. How had Nabiki managed to get into the middle of everything?  Bad timing?      He prayed that was all it was.      "Hey."  He opened his eyes, realizing that he'd been perilously close to drifting off, to find Nabiki standing over him with the kit in her hand, looking concerned.  As soon as his eyes opened, though, that expression disappeared so quickly that he wondered if he'd imagined it. She sat primly on the couch next to him and placed the kit on the low coffee table, next to his now quiescent sword.  She opened it with a snap, then turned to him.      "Okay, the doctor is in.  Let's see that shoulder."  Carefully, they peeled his loose blouse back, and Nabiki hissed as the wound was revealed.      "Ouch," she said quietly.  "That's got to hurt."      "It ... stings," he admitted.  She gave him a flat, disbelieving look.      "Kunou, is macho a samurai thing, or just a guy thing in general?" she asked.  He gave her a weak grin.      "I believe it may be found encoded in the Y-chromosome," he admitted.  She sighed.      "Oooh.  It jokes.  I guess you can't be hurt that badly, then.  Here, hold still."  She soaked some gauze in antiseptic and pressed it lightly to the three long gashes in the top of Kunou's shoulder.  He hissed in pain, and she raised an eyebrow.      "Let me guess.  That stings?"  He glowered at her.      "There is no need to be smug," he informed her.  She smiled tolerantly.      "Oh, that wasn't smug, Kunou baby.  I'm saving smug for later."      "Indeed?"      "Oh, yes.  After you've told me all about what just happened." He stiffened, then yelped as more of the stinging antiseptic was pressed to his wounds.      "There is nothing to tell," he said stiffly.  He knew that was a lame attempt, but he felt duty bound to try.      "Oh, really?  Nothing?  So I get chased across half of Nerima by rejects from Monster Chiller Horror Theatre, then you whack the bad things with a magic sword, and I'm supposed to accept that there's nothing to tell.  Hmmmm.  Tell me, have you forgotten our conversation at school?  You remember the one, I tried to find out what's at the heart of your tangled family secrets, and you tried to buy me off like some cheap sleazeball?"  He flinched at that, and started to open his mouth.      "Or the subsequent one, when you told me that there was no danger here, despite what I thought."      "I did not want this to happen!" he blurted.  "Damn you, this is exactly what I was afraid of!"      "Well, it has happened, Kunou.  And me being ignorant didn't stop it at all, did it?"  She held his gaze for long moments as he fought with himself.  Part of him really did want to tell her.  She knew much already, had guessed even more.  But another part of him declared that urge a weakness, a need to tell another so he wouldn't be alone.  Will you really endanger her because you couldn't bear to be the only one? he asked himself sternly.  Is that your honour?      But as he stared into her waiting face, he told himself that she was already in danger.  They'd pursued her once, whether to get at him or by mere coincidence, he could not be certain.  But if the dark was restful again, would it not be safer for her to know all?      He struggled with his conscience, uncertain, as she carefully applied butterfly bandages along the length of the cuts, then taped a clean piece of gauze over the entire thing.      "Well, I guess you'll live," she said at last.  "Not bad if I do say so myself.  But in the morning, I'd advise seeing a real doctor."      "So noted," he said, moving his arm carefully.  It hurt, but he was pretty sure the cuts looked worse than they were.  The muscle seemed mostly uninjured, and the pain had dulled to a mere throb.  At least as long as he didn't move his arm too quickly.      "So.  I believe you were about to break down and tell all."  She watched him expectantly, and he sighed.      "Nabiki, I ... you have no idea what you are asking me to do," he said, almost plaintively.  She laced her fingers together carefully.      "Look, Kunou.  We've been classmates for a while, right?  You know that I'm not going to just go away.  You can't scare me and you can't intimidate me.  And we've established, I believe, that you can't buy me."  He felt his cheeks warm slightly at that.  "The best you can do is try to ignore me.  But even before this, I knew there was something here, and I'm going to find out what it is."  He clenched his fists, feeling the pain in his shoulder knife hotly through him at the sudden motion.      "Why?  Why must you know?  That I do not understand!"      "Understand?  Understanding isn't necessary, Kunou.  I can't stand secrets, maybe it's just that simple.  But there's a big one here, and I'm going to drag it out, kicking and screaming if necessary."  She pinned him with that maddening stare of hers, and he stared back.      He had no idea what to do.  Nothing he said seemed to dissuade her from her stubborn need to know.  But he still felt he had to try.      "You can't truly understand what's at stake unless I tell you of our secrets," he sighed at last, "and once I've told you it will be to late to turn back."      "Kunou, get a clue.  I'm not turning back ..."      "Damn you, this is not a game!"  She sat back suddenly, startled by his outburst, and he swallowed hard, trying to bring himself under control.      "Lives have been lost because of this," he said carefully.  "My brother, as you've pointed out, was only one.  Lives have been lost and destroyed, and now I have to make a decision about what to tell you, or if to tell you anything.  Do you understand my dilemma?  Can you? These are secrets that have remained within selected circles for centuries, and now it all comes down to me, and I dare not make a mistake!"  Her gaze softened, ever so slightly, and she nodded.      "I see your problem, Kunou, really I do.  But understand me. This is no longer just about your family and their dirty little monster secrets.  I was chased by these things tonight.  That means at least some of them have stayed around Nerima.  They could go after anyone next.  My sisters, my father, Ukyou, Ranma, Shampoo ...  Ignorance is not bliss, Kunou.  Is keeping a secret more important than protecting people's lives?  Is that what your noble samurai code tells you?"  He looked away.      "That is unfair," he said hoarsely.      "Maybe.  But I'll tell you this, Kunou.  You can't handle this by yourself.  And you don't have to."      "That is where you are wrong, Nabiki Tendou.  The responsibility is mine.  My duty ..."  He trailed off.  His duty.  His duty was to protect, wasn't it?  How could he protect all these people if they were targeted?  None of the others had ever been so alone.      He sat up.      None of the others ...      "Kunou?"  He looked at her, really looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time.  An idea, beautiful in its symmetry, bloomed within him like a rose.  Maybe.  Just maybe.  She regarded him cautiously, and he drew a deep breath, taking the time to choose his words.      "What is your destiny, Nabiki?"  She blinked.      "My ... WHAT?"      "Your destiny," he repeated calmly.  "Where shall it take you? Business school?  Crunching numbers for a large corporation?  Or perhaps a business of your own?"  Nabiki frowned.      "Don't change the subject," she said flatly.  He leaned forward, wincing as his shoulder twinged suddenly with the sudden change in position.      "But I am not changing the subject," he said quietly.  "You may stand at a crossroads here, and I wish to ensure that you understand the magnitude of the decision that you, that *we*, face.  What you are asking me could change your future, your destiny.  If I were to reveal to you the secrets you desire, you would possess knowledge that would change the way you look at your world.  And your path might irrevocably change, become entwined with that of House Kunou.  You would become part of a shadowy world of power behind the scenes, of a struggle that most people in their daily lives are unaware of."  She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming in the low light, and a tiny, beautiful smile crept to her lips.      "If you're trying to dissuade me, Kunou baby, you are going about it in *exactly* the wrong way."  He shook his head.      "No.  I am trying to make certain, absolutely certain, that you realize what is at stake before we proceed.  My mistake has been a simple one.  You are an outsider, and thus I have tried to keep you away from the heart of things.  That has always been the way it has been.  But ..."      "But?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.      "But if you were to become an insider, then things would be different.  And there is some precedent for such an action.  You have skills that I desperately need."  Her smile widened slightly, and she leaned back.  For the first time, Kunou noticed the way she was dressed.  Her skirt was rather short, and she was wearing jewellery. And that red jacket was rather becoming ...      "Were you on a date?" he asked before he could stop himself. She blinked again.      "What?" she asked as if she hadn't heard correctly.  He cursed himself inwardly.      "I just ... the way you are dressed, I ..."  She sighed.      "You're just noticing now?  I should've gone with the short skirt."  He eyed her skirt again, wondering how much shorter it could be without becoming a belt.  "But now you *are* changing the subject. Are you saying that you're willing to let me into your family's secret world?"  He shook his head.      "I am saying that is a possible solution, perhaps even a desirable one, for me at any rate.  Perhaps, in the end, not as desirable for you. But the fact remains that, once in, it is very difficult to extract oneself from such a morass of secrets."      "Kunou, you may have noticed that I've spent a fair amount of time and effort just trying to get *in*."  He stood slowly, looking down at her.      "I wish I could be certain," he said at last.  "Certain as to the correct course."  She rose, standing close and tilting her head back to look him in the eye.      "Yes, Kunou, knowing beforehand whether or not a decision was the right one would make our lives a lot easier.  Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.  I'm a big girl, and I'm willing to take my chances.  So where do we start?"  He took a deep breath, slowly let it out.      "Not yet," he said finally.  "There is one final argument that can be made, one final chance for you to truly understand what you will be letting yourself in for.  Words can convey only so much.  This will show you, in a way that I cannot explain, the darkness that you must brave." She looked up at him  and he caught a faint, maddening scent of perfume.  In that light, her expression calm, almost serene, she looked quite ... enchanting.      "And what is this last obstacle?" she asked.  He sighed.      "Simply, you must sleep here tonight."  Her expression flickered coldly, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his forefinger.      "Not with me," he said shortly, biting the words off.  "Must you think so poorly of me at every turn?"      "There is some precedent," she said, seeming somewhat mollified.  He sighed.      "I will prepare a guest room for you.  It is late already.  Simply sleep.  When you awake, if you still wish to know, I will explain the conditions to you.  Do you accept?"  She cocked her head.      "That sounds easy enough," she said cautiously.  He nodded.      "I will remember that you said that," he said grimly.  "Afterwards." ------------------------------------------------------------------------      Riana stretched as the Mercedes eased along the long drive towards the house.  The night had not been a total waste.  She'd secured a new victim and had him installed in the chambers under the tower.  She had hoped to find the girl with the lovely chi again, but that one had slipped away.  She ran her hands over her thighs and bit her lip gently.      Perhaps next time.  She would be easy to find in a place like that.  Thinking of the girl, though, led to thoughts of Tragus.  She hoped that the fool had taken the bait she'd dangled.  It might be some time before she saw results, however.  She would have to be patient, and that would be hard considering what was at stake.      Still, it was a promising beginning.      She sat up as Jubei slid the Mercedes into its parking spot.  He came around and opened her door, letting her unfold her long legs and climb gracefully from the car's plush interior.  She was brought up short by the sight of Keisuke's motorcycle, parked aslant not far away. Back so soon?  Well, after the teasingly unfulfilling night she'd had, perhaps she'd be able to have some fun after all.  She sauntered over to the motorcycle, then froze.      Keisuke's helmet was lying on the ground.  Careless.  Sloppy. And quite unlike him.  She moved closer, frowning.      There were dark stains on the hand grips, seat, and engine cowling.  She smelled it as she got closer.      Blood.  Keisuke's blood.  She knew his scent intimately.      And there seemed to be a lot of it.      "Lady, what ...?"  Ignoring Jubei's confused cry, she ran toward the house, taking the steps two at a time before bursting through the doors.  Her other two Baenma, Jubei's kin, were waiting for her. Unlike Jubei, they were not currently inhabiting human bodies, and their graceful feminine forms were inhumanly beautiful.      "Where is he?" she demanded before either could speak.      "His room," Callie, the taller of the two, said.  They both had to trot to keep up as Riana stormed by without stopping.      "What happened?" she snapped.  Callie glanced at Lilla nervously.      "Lady, we don't know," Lilla spoke up.  "He said nothing, and would not allow any of us to attend his ..."      "I see.  Give me that."  She held her hand out imperiously, and Callie handed her the first aid kit.  She stopped when she reached his door and turned to the two.      "I am not to be disturbed.  For anything."  The expressions on their faces told her that she had made herself clear.  Turning on her heel, she opened the door without knocking and stepped inside, closing it gently behind her.      The room was dark, lit only by the pale luminescence that penetrated the windows.  She saw a dark from sprawled on the bed, face down, and strode silently over to look down on him.      He had collapsed, naked from the waist up.  And he was hurt.  She could scent his blood easily, knew its scent as she did her own.  His clothes were badly torn in places, burned in others, and she perched gently on the bed beside him.  He started awake as the bed shifted, snorting and trying to pull himself up with a groan.  She placed one cool hand against his back, pressing him back down.      "Don't move, idiot," she said sternly.  She felt the lean muscles of his back relax as he recognized her voice.      "Lady," he muttered fuzzily.  "I'm ... sorry.  I ..."      "Oh, do shut up," she snapped.  "You should be sorry, these silk sheets you're bleeding all over cost a small fortune!"  She opened the large case angrily, surveying its esoteric contents.  It contained mystic remedies that would not be found in any mundane medical kit. She chose some healing salve and bandages with her customary efficiency.      "And just why did you not allow my ladies to attend you?" she asked archly.      "I don't trust them," he gritted as she swabbed at a cut on his back.      "Oh?  My Baenma are loyal, Keisuke," she said coldly.  He grunted.      "To you, yes.  Not to me.  I'll allow none of them near me like this."  She swabbed lightly over another cut, the sudden tensing of his lean back the only sign that he felt any pain.  She was secretly pleased at his stoicism, and at his attitude.  The lessons of his youth had not been forgotten, apparently.      "Well, there's no point in arguing about it now.  Still, if you'd been seriously injured, I would have been irritated."  She mitigated the harshness in her words with the gentle ministrations of her hands, her gentleness surprising even her.      "Roll over, Keisuke," she murmured.  He grunted and complied.      She gaped, all pretense of coolness forgotten.      "Damn you, Keisuke!" she spat, leaning forward to cradle his face in her hands.  "What on earth did you get into?"  There were numerous cuts and abrasions on his body, but she could see now the burns that ran up his belly and slanted over his chest, terminating at his neck.  His forearms bore similar wounds, no doubt from where he'd shielded his face.  She hissed, knowing how the burns must pain him, and knowing that only one thing could have caused those marks.  She reached back in the kit for a large red tube, squeezing out a generous amount of the foul-smelling paste and beginning to slather it onto Keisuke's burns.  He drew a sharp breath as the cool paste touched his injuries, his eyes staring emptily at the ceiling.      "The girl?" she asked as she worked.  He gave a short, mirthless chuckle.      "I assume so.  Someone left a trap at the shrine, a demon ward. It was masterfully constructed, I never sensed it until it triggered."  He gave her a twisted smile, his eyes shifting to hers.  "Had I been full-blooded Aerkinma, I would not have survived.  It would have trapped me there and the magic would have flayed me alive.  I think it is safe to say the old man's student is aware of his demise, and unhappy."      "Your human blood may have saved you, but your Aerkinma blood is what will heal you," she said as she finished covering the painful looking burns in a thin layer of the salve.  "You rode all the way back like that?"  His grin, weak though it was, told her he was feeling better.      "I knew I had to warn you about the girl," he told her.  "She's a definite threat, wherever she is.  Tomorrow, I'll start looking for ..."      "You'll do what you're told, Keisuke," she interrupted curtly. "And my instructions are that you will remain abed until I judge you sufficiently recovered to return to your duties.  Is that clear?"  His grin faded, and he stared at her.      "Yes, Lady," he said reluctantly.  "But ..."      "No buts!"  She glared at him, keeping up her posture as the stern ice queen, waiting until his head fell back on his pillow.  "Do as you are told."  She bandaged up the worst of his cuts, then had him sit up so she could wrap him, from belly to chest, in bandages to cover the salve.  She treated his arms as he leaned against her, grimacing.  When she was finished, most of his body was swathed in a tight layer of white cloth.  He was slumped forward, in some pain but determined not to show it, and his eyes drooped shut.  He snapped them open again, but not without visible effort, and Riana sighed.      "Well, you'll live," she said at last, "but you certainly are a sight."      "Yes, Lady," he muttered.      "Lie down, Keisuke."  She helped him settle back to the bed, frowning at his gasp of pain and low groan as he settled wearily onto his back.  She stood, and he gazed sleepily up at her.      "I'm sorry, Lady.  I didn't ..."      "Enough of that," she said, but without heat.  "We'll discuss the situation in the morning."  She gazed down at him, thinking that he looked smaller somehow, bandaged up like that.  Vulnerable, in a way she'd rarely seen.  It should have angered her, she supposed, given how she'd striven to drive weakness out of him from a young age.  It didn't, though.  She sighed and shimmied easily out of her dress, then her undergarments, crawling naked onto the bed beside the startled Keisuke.  She reached down and grabbed the thick comforter from the foot of the bed, drawing it up over them, then looked down at the boy, propped up on one arm.      "Would it pain you to turn on your side?" she asked.  He shook his head, turning carefully.  She settled in against his back, draping one arm lightly over him, letting the other hand stray to the nape of his neck, fingers twining lightly in his sweat-dampened hair.  She worked her chin into the curve of his shoulder, the smell of the salve combining with his own musk in a not-unpleasant way.  The feel of the bandages against her bare skin was strange, and she felt an unfamiliar tightness in her chest.      "Kei?"  She fancied that she felt his muscles relax against her at the use of the diminutive.      "Yes?"  She breathed lightly against his shoulder, closing her eyes.      "You are mine, Kei.  You are sworn to me, and you are not to die without my express permission.  Clear?"  He lightly grasped her hand where it lay against his chest and brought it to his mouth, kissing it gently in a way that sent shivers down her arm and across the back of her neck.      "Riana," he rumbled lightly, "I wouldn't dare."  She sighed, working herself in closer to the warmth of his body, a seductive heat blossoming low in her belly.      "Go to sleep, Kei.  You'll heal faster if you sleep."      "Is that an order, Riana?" he asked drowsily.      "It most certainly is," she whispered.  He murmured something back to her, and moments later his breathing evened out and he slept.      She didn't, though.  Not for a long time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------      "I hope the accommodations are to your liking."  Nabiki sat on the bed, running her hands carefully over the coverlet.      "Oh, yes.  Most satisfactory," she said.  "I just wish I knew what you hope to accomplish by this."  She looked at Kunou standing in the doorway, his expression sombre, his dark eyes looking almost ... haunted.      "You will know soon enough," he answered.  "It is not too late to back out, however ..."      "Kunou baby, you know better than that," she chided, waggling a finger at him in a scolding manner.  "I don't scare easily."      "No, after tonight I could hardly accuse you of that, could I?" They regarded each other warily for a few strained, silent moments, then Kunou sighed and straightened.      "I will bid you good-night, then," he said at last.  Nabiki grinned.      "And pleasant dreams?" she asked lightly.  He paused.      "No," he said hoarsely.  "I think not."  And then he was gone, leaving her puzzled.      Still, there was a sense of anticipation.  He'd finally reached the point where he was willing to shed some light on the secrets she'd been tracking.  All she had to do was sleep.  A strange condition, but then Kunou was a strange person.      Dressed in borrowed guest pajamas, she lay down on the cool, clean sheets and clicked off the lamp.  In the sudden dark she thought again of the nightmare creatures that had chased her through the streets earlier.  That already seemed unreal somehow, as if her mind was trying to protect her sanity.  Despite how late it was, she thought she'd be finding sleep elusive.      She turned to look around the darkened room, her eyes falling on the phone on the guest table.  No way was she going to pick that thing up.  She'd told Akane she might stay at Ukyou's, more to yank her chain than anything else, but at least they wouldn't worry when she didn't make it home.      Didn't make it home.  That thought reverberated in her mind, and she wondered just how close she'd come to *never* making it home.  Her only comfort was the knowledge that answers were finally within reach.      She sighed, tossing lightly and turning on her side.  She stared at the phone again, looking innocuous and quite harmless in the shadows.      She heard her mother's voice again in her memory, and shivered, her throat suddenly feeling hot and tight.      Kiki.  They'd known to use that nickname.  And in doing so, they'd soiled her mother's memory.  Those memories were tiny, shining jewels that sustained her in her darkest moments, the memory of how she'd looked, or of her scent, or of the way she'd always hummed in the kitchen.      I miss you, mama, she thought suddenly, with an intensity that brought stinging heat to her eyes.  And I'll make them pay for using your memory like that.  I promise.  They'll be sorry.      They'll all be sorry.      Swallowing hard, she drew the blankets up to her chin and curled into a ball, weariness finally overtaking her.  It had been a long night, and the raw fear she'd felt had drained her.  Sooner than she would have thought possible, she drifted off to sleep.      And she didn't wake when, after a time, the door opened silently, and Kunou stole into the room.  She didn't wake when he stood over her, gazing down at her sleeping form, his jaw set, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.      Nor did she wake when he knelt carefully at the side of her bed and clasped his hands tightly in his lap.      And waited.   End part 8