Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko's Healing ❯ Idiocy ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: No, they're not mine--not Kyo, or Ranma, or Akane; or Ryoga; or Shampoo; or-- I'm sure you get the picture here.

 

For the Yuki-fans--he does pop back up, starting with chapter 20. You have to realize, he's currently living happily with Shigure and Tohru, completely unaware that a certain feline is about to push things in a potentially dangerous way...so far as Yuki's concerned, Kyo's got powerful protection from Akito now, and is busy--erm--getting to know his new wife. So all he's doing at the moment is schoolwork, smiling at Tohru, tending his secret base, smiling at a somewhat confused Shigure, Student Council work, and pretty much smiling at anything that moves... You know, boring stuff. Heh!

 

Enjoy!

 

18- Idiocy

 

“Xian Pu!!”

 

“Uh-oh!” Ranma, Akane and Ryoga all gulped and quickly dove away from the unexpected attack of the Jusenkyo-cursed Pantyhose Taro's minotaur form, as Kyo screamed his wife's name as he ran towards her.

 

The Amazon was sliding bonelessly from a body-shaped hole in the wall. She was clearly unconscious, and might be severely injured, if the blood her head left on the wall was any indication. Taro's blow from ambush had caught everyone completely by surprise, sending Shampoo flying before anyone knew what was happening.

 

Ranma and Akane watched in trepidation as the orange-haired young man slid to his knees at his wife's side, panic on his face. Ryoga turned to glare at the huge, growling minotaur as Kyo gently, with an obviously shaking hand, reached to check the big vein in the side of her neck for a pulse.

 

A small-scale explosion a moment later told of an angry Ryoga's use of the Bakusai Tetsu, in an effort to bury the baka Chinaman. The deep, angry roar of Taro's cursed form said it hadn't done much good, if any. The two couldn't quite tear their eyes away from Shampoo, though; not until they knew if she was ali--if she was...all right.

 

Neither could help the shiver that chilled their spines at the thought about how they'd be feeling, in Kyo's place, if it had been one of them that took Taro's blow. Ranma, especially, was worried...after that incident with Saffron, he personally knew just how far someone could go, for the one they loved. Ranma had killed Phoenix-Lord Saffron, to save Akane...never mind the godling had been immediately resurrected as an egg, to live his life over. Ranma hadn't known at the time that it wouldn't be permanent.

 

Kyo might well kill Taro in grief-driven vengeance for Shampoo, if she died. And Ranma wasn't at all certain he'd be able to do anything to stop his friend.

 

Kyo carefully raised one of Shampoo's limp hands to press his lips to her knuckles. The two watching teens got sick looks on their faces for a moment, until they saw the smile of relief flickering over his face when he finally raised it. They looked nervously at each other, then turned to fight Taro--just as Ryoga sailed through the air over their heads, heading for the same wall Shampoo had hit.

 

Ranma was darting in while readying a Moko Takabisha, even as the Lost Boy's body put a second human-shaped crater in the wall. Akane, knowing better than to let Taro get hold of her, grabbed the nearest large object to throw at him--a concrete flowerbox full of red and white blooms, about two-foot square. A surge of pure adrenaline allowed her to lift it over her head like it was made of feathers; the thought of Ranma's likely comment about gorilla-girls kept her from noticing the weight once it was up, and brought a snarl to her lips.

 

A low-pitched, threatening growl from the fallen Amazon's side sliced through the air before Ranma or Akane could launch their attacks, and even cut across Taro's next roar. It raised the neck-hairs of everyone who heard it--including a spell-cloaked demon who'd been passing through on the way to her latest assignment, and had decided to stick around to watch the interesting developments.

 

The couple of intrepid residents that hadn't been frightened off by Taro's appearance suddenly decided they now had pressing business elsewhere, and fled. The demon split with them; Mara wasn't stupid enough to hang around for what was coming. She'd gotten a good look at the kneeling boy's shadowed face, when he started growling. Even an angry Hild wasn't that scary!!

 

Ranma and Akane gulped and dove away from Taro. Akane dropped the flower box as she fled, and Ranma's eyes went saucer-huge as his nekophobia recognized the sound of a very, very...

 

...An-gry.

 

Neko.

 

Pantyhose Taro stared in surprise as every living soul suddenly vacated his immediate vicinity, including the wildlife. Even the few trees suddenly seemed to be leaning away from him! Blinking in confusion, unable to figure why that odd, icy chill had suddenly gripped his spine, he looked between where an almost cowering Ranma and Akane peered at him from around the corner of a far building, and where Ryoga and the Amazon lay. He didn't know the orange-haired boy kneeling over Xian Pu, but quickly realized he was the source of that awful, hair-raising sound.

 

Then Kyo turned around, and looked at Taro with eyes of a deep, bloody, furious red. His battle-aura sprang into existence...a bright, intensely angry red, in the shape of a huge neko crouching low over his body; tail lashing, ready to spring.

 

Claws fully extended...

 

Taro sweat-dropped, suddenly--and intensely--remembering the what he'd been told of what happened to Ranma, when he was in the throes of the Neko-ken. He found he physically couldn't take his eyes from the snarling, infuriated stranger before him. The ice in his spine suddenly spread throughout his huge, cursed body, and he shivered without understanding why, wings fluttering nervously amidst the octopus tentacles on his back.

 

It didn't matter that this orange-haired stranger wasn't as large as the forearm of Taro's cursed form. The aura of pure, angry menace coming off him would likely scare the scales off Gojira, himself!

 

Ranma and Akane quickly high-tailed it over to Shampoo's side, knowing that would be the safest place in all of Nerima for a little while. Akane knelt nervously to arrange the Amazon into a more comfortable position while Ranma checked over Ryoga, who was already groaning and coming to. Akane was relieved to note that though Shampoo was still out cold, it looked like she'd be okay--her pulse was strong and steady, her breathing even and deep. The bleeding on the back of her head had stopped quickly, though there was a deal of dust and debris caught in the clotting.

 

Akane carefully wiped away the small trickle of blood from the corner of Shampoo's mouth with a tissue from her purse, wincing at the discoloration already showing on Shampoo's jaw where Taro had struck her. Akane sighed in relief when she couldn't find a fracture in the Amazon's jaw bone. There was a definite lump on the back of her skull, but again Akane could feel no obvious fracture. Shampoo probably had a nasty concussion, though. That could be serious enough, but--at least she wasn't dead.

 

The youngest Tendo didn't want to think about what would have happened to Taro, if he'd killed the wife of the only known full Master of the Neko-ken...especially considering how much in love Kyo and Shampoo had been acting. There wasn't any doubt their bond was growing, strong and true.

 

Frowning with annoyed concern, trying not to let her temper rise at Taro--or Happosai, who's fault it really was that Taro was resorting to such tactics--Akane heartily wished the old man would simply change Taro's given name. Then the Chinese boy would be satisfied, and go home! She could hardly blame the proud young man for hating the name Happosai originally christened him with: “Pantyhose” Taro. But to attack innocent bystanders in his quest to get Happosai to change it was inexcusable!

 

The sudden sounds of mayhem behind her were bad enough, without wondering how they could be worse! Akane wasn't about to turn around and actually see the source of those deep-voiced yelps of surprised pain. The angry snarling coming from Kyo was bad enough to keep her from even peeking!

 

She noticed that Ranma was also being very careful to not set eyes on Kyo's punishment of the Jusenkyo-cursed Taro. They both knew Taro's monstrous-large cursed form wasn't going to do him a bit of good; Kyo was hardly going to need anyone else's help.

 

As she saw Ryoga suddenly go pale and turn quickly away, Akane did risk one alarmed peek over her shoulder--even as about six inches of severed octopus tentacle sailed over their heads to <splat!> against the much-abused wall. Her wide eyes couldn't make out much more than Taro, dancing madly in place as he desperately tried to block at least some of the razor-sharp ki claws coming at him from seemingly everywhere at once. Kyo was moving too fast to be visible as more than a blur swirling about the minotaur, even to Akane's trained eyes.

 

Taro had blood running freely from more cuts and scratches than she cared to think about, though none looked deep enough to be life-threatening. Tiny red droplets were scattered far and wide. Those cuts probably hurt more than deeper wounds would have; it would be like having a few thousand paper cuts, all over his body. Akane winced as she thought of the pain he'd be in for the next few days, as those wounds healed. Nothing hurts worse than scratches from a neko, no matter how shallow they were.

 

Not that Taro didn't deserve it, ambushing them like that! There'd been no call for that baka to hit Shampoo so hard!!

 

Kyo was fully into the Neko-ken. It was obvious he was enough in control of his anger, that he was at least trying to not kill the baka who'd dared harm his wife; but he was definitely showing Taro the error of making Sohma Kyo truly angry!

 

Akane scooted forward enough to catch Ranma's eye. She quietly mouthed, “Cologne!” at him, then glanced down at Shampoo's pale face. Her fiancé's expression was torn with indecision for a moment; he didn't want to leave her alone, near Taro--but Kyo quite obviously had that baka well in hand; and the aura of angry neko he was giving off was more than giving Ranma the willies, it was nearly sending him into his own Neko-ken state!

 

The pig-tailed martial artist grimaced, then shot an arm out and grabbed the front of a still-groggy Ryoga's muddy-yellow tunic, unceremoniously yanking the Lost Boy over nose-to-nose with him. Staring directly into Ryoga's shocked and slightly unfocused brown eyes, Ranma hissed sharply, “You keep an eye on Akane for me, got it? I gotta get Cologne; Kyo might not be able to stop!”

 

Ranma's eyes were more intense than at any time but Jusendo, when he'd killed the godling Saffron to save Akane's life. Ryoga managed to simply nod in acceptance, instead of arguing with his rival as he once would have. The Lost Boy had learned to behave himself around Ranma, if barely... Besides, Ryoga didn't relish the thought of trying to calm down an infuriated Neko-ken Master any more than Ranma did; and Shampoo did look like she could use some medical attention.

 

Ranma disappeared in a blur of red and black, leaving a wide-eyed Ryoga staring after him, amazed at so quickly receiving his rival's trust.

 

Ten minutes later, the nerve-wracking sounds had stopped, after one last resounding <thud!> as Taro put a large hole in a nearby wall with his neko-tossed body. Bricks continued to sprinkle down for a few minutes, but the shadowy pile where Taro lay didn't move. Akane could see Ryoga trying to decide if it was safe to check on the cursed Chinese baka, or not.

 

Soft footsteps approaching from behind made them both hesitantly turn.

 

Kyo was slowly walking towards them, head down, his expression hidden by shadows and orange hair. His hands were fisted at his sides, and his posture was still stiff with tension, though his battle aura had bled off while he took out his anger on Taro. Akane gave the upset neko a sympathetic look as he dropped heavily to his knees at his wife's head, reaching one shaking hand to gently caress her cheek. His other hand quickly claimed one of Shampoo's, holding it to his chest as he bent over her, grimacing and trying to get his distress under control.

 

Akane and Ryoga let their breath out in relief. Kyo had kept himself under control; Cologne would only be needed to tend to her great-granddaughter, not help them restrain an out-of-control Neko-ken Master.

 

Cologne arrived just then, pogoing at speed over the rooftops in Ranma's wake. The Amazon Matriarch took one look at the situation, and was immediately at her great-granddaughter's side. A quick examination later and the old woman was sighing in relief, patting Kyo on the shoulder as she reassured him that Shampoo would be fine, and would likely wake up in an hour or less. She would have a headache, and her jaw would be quite sore for a while; but she would be perfectly all right with a few hours of rest.

 

The neko kept his head down. Everyone carefully did not notice the single crystal tear tracing its way down one cheek, or the way his shoulders trembled. Everyone was aware that Taro was exceptionally lucky that Shampoo was all right; and that Kyo was as adverse to killing as Ranma was.

 

Just in the single month they'd been married, Kyo and Shampoo had formed a bond most couples didn't achieve after years of being together. Cologne, especially, had come to believe that the two were truly meant for each other. She didn't want to think about what would happen to one, upon the loss of the other...especially so soon!

 

The Matriarch then looked grimly over to the large, brick-covered pile of unconscious, Jusenkyo-cursed Chinese boy. There was a great deal of annoyance in her eyes as she scowled at Taro, trying to decide if the almost artistic punishment Kyo had given him was anywhere near enough. There was quite a bit of blood from the multitude of painful cuts and scrapes just on the parts of the baka she could see through the debris. As she pogoed slowly over to him, seeing more and more the way every square inch of his hide was covered in either bruises or scratches of the most painful kind, a grim smile came over her face.

 

If Taro had been conscious to see it, he'd have shivered in fear. The Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku was not amused. She cast one scary look at Ranma, speaking two words--“Hot water.”

 

Ranma nodded grimly, and rushed off to find some. He did not envy what Taro was going to wake up to. He had a feeling the Old Ghoul was pissed enough to make use of some truly interesting pressure-points, maybe even the moxibustion point that would take away all of Taro's strength. The memory of when she'd used that one on him made Ranma shiver.

 

Whatever Taro's specific reasons this time for ambushing Ranma, and therefore anybody who was with him--it couldn't be worth the punishment. The pig-tailed martial artist shook his head sadly as he found the nearest restaurant, wishing that baka Chinese boy could for once in his life have finally realized that his best chance of getting Happosai to change his name, involved accepting help from others.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Two hours later, after giving Xian Pu time to recover, the small group of martial artists set out from the Nekohanten. This time, Kho Lon went with them. She wanted to be sure they at least made it to the Sohma-ke without further mishap. She offered to go in and witness their confrontation with Sohma Akito, saying with a stony face that she was interested in seeing this...Clan Head of Kyo's. The contempt dripping from her voice brought various winces and cringing all who heard it.

 

The teenagers weren't fooled. They knew very well that the Matriarch would like nothing more than an excuse to teach Sohma Akito a valuable lesson about how one treats one's own kin. Kyo had to suppress an amused snort at that; Kho Lon, and everyone else that found out what Akito had done... It was just like the normal reaction people had when told some of what Saotome Genma had done to Ranma, in the name of “training” his son in the martial arts.

 

That was partly why the five had snuck off on their own to begin with. Kyo had to go; this wasn't something that could be handled over the phone. Where he went, so went Xian Pu. Ranma and Akane had basically invited themselves, and Nabiki's sending with Ryoga, Kyo had deemed it more than enough moral support. Between the five of them, they could easily level the entire Honke with their martial arts skills, after all.

 

They'd been counting themselves lucky to have reached the border of Nerima without running across any distractions, when Taro had attacked from out of nowhere. The neko suppressed a wave of fear-roused anger as he remembered watching Xian Pu fly through the air; and the sickening <thud!> as she hit that wall--

 

Xian Pu heard the low growl the neko didn't notice making, and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together as she gave him a concerned look. He glanced down at her, the anger clearing from his expression as he gave her hand a squeeze, smiling lopsidedly in thanks for her support. It wouldn't be wise to work himself back into a rage over the still-unconscious Taro, who was being watched over by an equally angry Mu Tse back at the Nekohanten. Kho Lon had plans to deal with the baka when he woke. Kyo needed to concentrate on keeping himself calm for his meeting with Akito.

 

Kyo was still getting used to having anyone other than his Shisho willing to defend him at all, much less to the point of actual bloodshed. He found his chest tightening up with unaccustomed feelings at his new Great-Grandmother's sentiments towards him. He ignored the watery tinge to his vision, staring straight ahead as he walked, blinking frequently to clear his eyes. Xian Pu's hand squeezed his; he squeezed back in appreciation of her support, swallowing hard and breathing deeply in an effort to regain his control.

 

Walking through the main gate to the Honke sent a chill wind up Kyo's back, raising his hackles, along with the fine hairs on his arms. This was forbidden territory to the neko, unless Akito had summoned him...and the times he'd been summoned had--not gone well, for him.

 

Ghosts of old pain flitted about his nerves. Some of it--hadn't been experienced by him. The neko spirits in his head were more than restless, their macabre memories coming clearly to him in spite of their efforts to contain them.

 

The single gate guard hadn't had the courage to challenge the intimidating group, even if the only Sohma with them was the outcast Kyo. Each of the stony-faced martial artists was projecting a powerful aura of grim determination that even normal people could pick up on; and they all moved with that fluid, powerful grace that the guard was well aware only high-caliber martial artists displayed. The guard had had just enough training from Kazuma-sensei to realize he stood no chance against any of them individually, let alone as a group.

 

Kyo paused in front of Hatori's house, looking at the tatsu's door with indecision for a brief moment. However things went with Akito, it would probably be a good idea to have the doctor there. He raised a hand to the others, saying softly, “Hold on a minute. I'm bringing Hatori with us--he's the family doctor, as well as being the Tatsu no Jyuunishi.” Red eyes scanned their faces, looking for argument; finding none.

 

After receiving nods from everyone, Kyo quickly bounded up the steps and knocked on the door. It was answered a minute later by a bland-faced Hatsuharu. The oushi blinked and stared at Kyo in disbelief for a moment, not even noticing the gathered martial artists waiting on the walk-way. He blinked twice more, before finding his voice.

 

“...Kyo? What are you doing...here...?”

 

“Get Hatori. He's needed.”

 

Kyo's unusually grim expression raised Haru's hackles. Suddenly concerned for Yuki, he fought off the violence that rose within him, trying to take over and turn him to his “Black” mode. “What's happened? Is Yuki all right?!”

 

The neko grit his teeth, shook his head, and made an effort to rein in his swiftly rising temper. “The k'so nezumi's fine. Get. Hatori. Akito needs him.” Blood-red eyes drilled into hardening silvery-gray, the neko's intensity now raising more confusion than anger in the oushi. Haru hesitated a second more, then turned and went to fetch the doctor.

 

Kyo worked hard to remind himself that Haru had no idea of what had happened during the past month. So far as the oushi knew, or Hatori for that matter, the neko and the nezumi were still bitter enemies who fought all the time. Though Kyo had no idea why Haru would assume he'd be coming in person to get Hatori if Yuki was hurt, instead of using the damned phone! He just chalked it up as more evidence that the oushi could be real dense in his single-track thinking, sometimes.

 

Hatori was moderately irritated to be dragged from his work without an explanation, but his face showed his startled surprise when he saw Kyo of all people at his door. The neko didn't give him a chance to start questioning before his hand was grabbed and he was nearly dragged down the steps, towards a small group of strangers.

 

“Kyo--?! What are you doing? Who are these people?” The tatsu looked at them in confusion; especially the withered little Elder, balancing so effortlessly on her gnarled staff.

 

Kyo turned when he'd pulled Hatori into the middle of the group. “We're going to see Akito.” The tatsu stared at the neko in shock, his visible eye widening at the boy's confident tone. “I figured you'd rather be there from the start, rather than be called afterwards to pick up the pieces.”

 

Hatori quickly suppressed his emotions, concentrating on finding out what was going on. “And why would I be called? Why are you going to see Akito? Have you been summoned?” He looked about him at the five strangers, still projecting their rather intimidating auras. “Who are these people?”

 

The tatsu started in surprise when the voluptuous, purple-haired young woman stepped over and claimed Kyo's arm for her own. His eye widened again when he saw the tender look the neko shot her, and the familiar, absent way his other hand reached to cover one of hers. The body language of the two was screaming something he never would have believed possible, if he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes.

 

“Sohma Hatori, doctor--meet Kho Lon, Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku, or Chinese Amazons; Saotome Ranma, my friend and sensei in the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryuu of martial arts; his fiancée, Tendo Akane, of the Tendo school of Musabetsu Kakuto; Hibiki Ryoga, a friend of Ranma's and martial artist; and this...” another fond glance down at the head of purple hair snuggling quite happily against his shoulder, “is Xian Pu, Village Champion of the Joketsuzoku--and my wife.”

 

Two sets of amused red eyes met Hatori's incredulous gray-green stare as the doctor recovered from performing a near-perfect face-fault. He finally was able to choke out, in a voice about two octaves too high, “Your--wife?!?!?” The tatsu couldn't seem to close his jaw.

 

“Yeah. As of last month.” A twitch pulled the corner of Kyo's mouth up for a second as he fought a grin, working to keep his voice completely matter-of-fact. He couldn't keep the sparkle from his eyes though. “I beat her in a fight, so now we're married.”

 

That was too much. Another face-fault happened, echoed by two from the still open door to Hatori's house--Haru and Momiji both had been gawking, and listening.

 

The gathered martial artists grinned in amusement at the reactions. Kyo's eyes held an especially wicked light--after all the teasing he'd endured from certain family members over the years, he was getting a great deal of enjoyment out of introducing his new wife to them!

 

An image of Kagura suddenly flickered across his vision and stole his smile, turning his expression sad. That was one person he wasn't going to enjoy telling. He was going to have to talk to her; alone, and soon. She shouldn't find this out from anyone else. She had finally admitted to him that she didn't really love him, not the way she wished she could--but she did care, more than was good for her. She would not take his marriage well.

 

Unfortunately, Kagura was much more prone than even Tendo Akane to express certain feelings with violence. Kyo winced, practically able to feel the bruises he'd be getting as soon as she found out. Then he grimaced slightly, realizing he'd better not just let the Buta-cursed young woman beat on him, like he usually did--Xian Pu would take exception to that, without a doubt, and would probably--break something.

 

Something like Kagura!

 

Kyo couldn't ever return Kagura's feelings, though...not in the same way. The most he could manage was loving her like an annoying little sister--but he did care about her. Now that he had Xian Pu with him, and Kho Lon was determined to protect him and help find a cure for the Jyuunishi curse...maybe he could start learning to express his feelings, instead of hiding them behind his habitual anger. It would no longer be necessary to hide his feelings that way in order to protect others from the consequences of caring for the Neko-cursed Sohma.

 

Kyo snapped his thoughts back to the present as Hatori recovered, somewhat. The stunned look on the tatsu's face was still priceless; especially to someone who knew him. Suppressing a smirk, Kyo informed him in a bland tone, “We're on our way to introduce Xian Pu to Akito.” His face hardened with determination. “And to tell him--I'm not going to be locked up.”

 

Hatori was rapidly getting himself back under his usual tight control, by putting his thoughts into crisis mode. He'd panic later--in private. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Kyo in concern; he hadn't been aware Akito had been meaning to lock Kyo up, the Clan Head had said nothing of it to him. Not that it would be surprising, if it were so. “If Akito orders it, you will have no choice.”

 

Kyo stared back, unflinching, but it was Kho Lon who answered the unspoken question. “Son-In-Law is Joketsuzoku by marriage, now. As an Amazon, he is under my protection. I will not allow this Clan Head of yours to continue his unwarranted abuse of my great-granddaughter's Husband, Jyuunishi curse or not.”

 

Hatori stepped back from the fire in Kho Lon's voice even as the diminutive Elder hopped over on her staff to stare directly into his eyes. He blinked, then looked intently about at the others, before frowning and settling his eyes on Kyo. “You--told them...?!”

 

Kyo nodded. “I wouldn't issue the Marriage Challenge to Xian Pu, until she knew.” Kyo's eyes went bleak. “Everything.”

 

Hatori sucked in a breath, unable to look away from those defiant red eyes. Kyo was daring him to say anything. Knowing the neko as well as he did, the tatsu decided that it was Akito's decision what to do now, anyway; as they were already heading off to tell the Clan Head, there was no reason for him to stand there arguing with the boy.

 

He doubted he'd make any headway with argument. Kyo was notoriously stubborn when he'd made up his mind to do something, even in a family full of stubborn individuals.

 

So the tatsu nodded acquiescence, glancing back towards his door where a stunned Haru and Momiji were still staring at them with huge, disbelieving eyes. The corner of Hatori's mouth twitched as he guessed the boys' minds were still stuck back at the idea of Xian Pu being Kyo's wife.

 

He had to admit, Kyo had found an absolutely gorgeous young woman to wed. It remained to be seen if there were any brains in that purple-haired head.

 

“If you'll excuse me a moment, I'll get my bag. I have a feeling I'll be needing it.” The doctor's voice was dry as the Sahara as he gave Kyo a rather sardonic level stare, before heading back inside. He paused when his two young cousins didn't even glance up at him, their eyes still glued to Kyo and his Amazon arm-ornament, then placed one hand on each of their foreheads and casually shoved the boys back inside.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Hatori lead the way, black bag in hand, into Akito's own house. He'd suggested to Kyo that it would be faster getting in that way; no one would question the Clan Head's own personal doctor, no matter who he brought with him. They would assume it was all by Akito's order.

 

The neko had simply nodded and gestured for him to proceed, causing the tatsu's brows to rise. He'd expected some form of argument, or at least a growl from his fiery-tempered cousin. A calm Kyo, especially in a situation so rife with tension, almost qualified as a miracle!

 

The doctor's eyes flicked over the buxom, giggly Amazon still latched onto Kyo's arm, as he wondered if this...affectionate young woman could possibly be responsible for such a change. He knew next to nothing about her, other than her name; and by what he was currently seeing, he was somewhat skeptical about her intelligence. He doubted she could be as bubble-headed as she appeared; he was fairly certain Kyo had better taste than that, even if the girl completely accepted his bakemono form!

 

Though she was stunningly beautiful...

 

The suppressed humor in the neko's eyes, not to mention the occasional twitch of lip towards a smile whenever Kyo looked from her to the tatsu, suggested the girl was acting that way just for Hatori's benefit. The tatsu felt the Elder's highly amused smile was another giveaway to a ruse, as were Tendo Akane's exasperated glances at the purple-haired girl. Saotome Ranma had given her one confused look, before shrugging and turning his eyes away.

 

Curiosity as to just when and where Kyo had met this girl pricked sharply at the tatsu's thoughts, no matter how he tried to turn them. He had a feeling the answer would be either quite entertaining, or highly depressing. Kyo hadn't volunteered to tell him, though. He could only hope Akito would allow him to listen in when Kyo explained to the Clan Head. The tatsu didn't want to plan on asking Kyo after his confrontation with Akito--there was a very strong likelihood the neko would be in no condition to explain anything by then. A bleak feeling of depression settled over him like a smothering blanket, dulling his senses and weighing him down.

 

Hatori knew where Akito would be at that time of day. He led the silent group through the corridors to the Clan Head's audience room, where Akito was wont to brood for long periods of time while staring out the room's single, large, round window; watching things that only Akito could see.

 

The Clan Head didn't move from a lazy contemplation of the sky when Hatori gently slid the door open. One of many tame finches was perched on the Clan Head's finger, as Akito lay sprawled in the windowsill. The tatsu was once again amazed that such fragile, sensitive creatures could trust such a capricious temper as Akito's. More than one bird had been crushed over the years, when the Clan Head's anger erupted unexpectedly. Yet the survivors always came back.

 

Much like the Jyuunishi-cursed. No matter how much Akito hurt them--they all kept coming back, like moths drawn to the flame that would eventually destroy them.

 

Hatori quickly realized Kyo and the others were walking too softly for their footsteps to be heard at the window; even his own sharp hearing was barely picking up the quiet sound from directly behind him. Akito likely had no clue the doctor wasn't alone.

 

Stopping in the center of the room, back straight and the handle of his bag gripped tightly by both hands, the tatsu quietly cleared his throat in his usual subtle bid for attention. Praying silently that his kami wouldn't decide to keep him waiting for an hour, as had happened in the past when he arrived un-summoned. Or even when Akito had called him; the Clan Head could be capricious that way, on occasion.

 

Akito only took five minutes to answer, this time. Hatori nearly fidgeted, casting several sideways glances at Kyo, worried the neko would start to display his usual impatience. The tatsu's knuckles showed white as his grip on his medical bag tightened until his fingers started to ache. What Kyo wanted to tell Akito would go over badly enough, without adding insult at the beginning of the audience.

 

When Akito finally turned to face them, Hatori clearly saw the look of surprise that crossed that too-pale face. Cruel dark eyes passed over each of the strangers before finally settling on Kyo, blankness claiming the Clan Head's expression--though not those black eyes.

 

The doctor shivered, thinking that Akito's eyes at that moment resembled the very fires of the hells...

 

-.-.-.-

 

Guess what? Akito gets a turn at POV next chapter!! Cool, ne? I even figured out a reason the sadistic little bastich is so cruel all the time.

 

...Actually, I think I sprained my brain, trying to think like Akito. ::whimpers:: Itai...!