Iris-Destination Unknown

The wilderness surrounded Tendo Akane, sheltering her in its life. Trees guarded her every move, the birds called out their greetings... and *he* was with her, gently leading her on. She frowned at the sky, as it threatened rain with its rumblings.

Neither of them knew when this game had started. He would lead her away from the friendly confines of the dojo, while she would try to lead him back. In the meantime, the two would get some time alone, away from the responsibilities and classes that their lives required. Occasionally it went too far (like the time they ended up in Hokkaido); for the most part, though, she didn't care where he led her, as long as she followed.

He stopped, and took in a deep breath. He was a handsome man, with rugged features and a chest carved by some Renaissance sculptor. She smiled, and slipped a hand along his abdomen.

"Lovely place you've led us to, Ryouga."

He smiled; he always did love it when she touched him there. "True, it is pretty. There are other places I would like to show you, sights that would just take your breath away."

She smiled seductively. "Then why don't you take me there?"

He laughed; she could feel his abdomen twitch. "Because we'd need a *real* vacation to do that, Akane." He added, almost as an afterthought, "Or a honeymoon."

She swallowed. Ryouga had been acting strangely all week - and she had a feeling as to why. The very thought both elated and scared her. She moved him around, so that their faces were inches apart.

"Ryouga?"

He blushed, and turned away; she liked having that effect on him. "Um... how's your history paper coming?"

Akane grimaced. History had all the romance of a train wreck, for her. She sighed, and pulled away slightly. "Frustratingly. I'm just not interested in Kita Ikki's writing or its influence on the country." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could just toss the book in the trash."

Ryouga snorted. "You always say that about any paper you're writing.

You'll get through it; you always do."

She crossed her arms. "That's easy for you to say! You're not the one stuck in classes like these."

Ryouga closed his eyes at the comment, a stricken look to his face. She quickly wished her words away; not graduating from high school, let alone college, was more of an embarrassment than he cared to admit.

"Ryouga, are you okay?"

"No. I hate not being able to find my way. It's cost me so much over my life - too much, I think." He swallowed; her eyes followed the movement of his Adam's apple. His shoulders relaxed, and he opened his eyes toward her. "Akane, ever since I can remember, I've lived on my own, with no one to look after but myself. All through the time when I was growing up, I had to push people away, for my sake as well as theirs. After all, what good's a friend who gets himself lost all the time?"

He turned away for a moment. "I... I can't live like that, anymore, Akane. The dojo is my home, now. I love getting up in the morning and working with Ranko and Tatewaki... and with you, Akane. I live for seeing your smile in the morning, hearing your laughter like music, and for tasting that cooking you've worked so hard to perfect."

Akane took a second to find her voice. "Ryouga..." Callused hands touched her lips, silencing them.

"Akane... I want to be with you for the rest of your life. I want to love you, and protect you until we are both old and gray. I want to be the father of your children." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me?"

The breath caught in her throat. She looked up at him, at his dark, expressive eyes, his pleading fang-toothed smile, that ratty old headband he just can't seem to part with... she struggled to find her voice.

"I... Ryouga, can I think about it for a day or two?"

He nodded evenly. "You need to talk to Ranko, don't you?"

She swallowed. "Yes, Ryouga. Yes, I do. She deserves that much, especially after I..."

Ryouga's face fell. "Akane..." She could see the protests on his lips, the urges that it wasn't her fault, that it was his... but she knew better. And he knew how deeply she thought so. "Okay. I... I'll be waiting."

She tried to smile. "Okay." She slipped the ring into her pocket, and looked around. "Now where did you take us to this time...?"

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

Ranko relaxed in the bathtub, letting the day's aches and pains soak away. She lifted a leg and touched the water, just enough for ripples to radiate from where her toe broke the surface. A smile came to her face as she watched the ripples flow outward until they bounced off of the bathtub's walls.

She'd finally learned to enjoy baths again. They had always been a pleasure to her before the final change; afterwards, they just reminded her of what she'd lost. Now, though... now it was just water again, with nothing poignant or life-changing or painful about it.

Her life had come full circle, and for once she was able to enjoy it. She almost felt like falling asleep in the water, she was so tired.

"Ranko? May I come in?"

She blinked, willing herself awake. Akane was at the other end of the door. "Sure, Akane."

Ranko fought the urge to cover her eyes at Akane's entrance; some habits were hard to break, after all. She watched casually as Akane sat down at the shower, and began to scrub.

"So. How were your classes today?"

Ranko blinked at Akane's question. "Good. It looks like this beginner's class is going to work out." She traced a line along the water's edge. "How about yours?"

Akane shrugged beneath the soap bubbles. "It's doing well. It's... I like working with kids."

Ranko smiled quietly. "I know what you mean. It... it feels good to be able to teach others what I know - without having to toss them into a pit of cats or a Jusenkyo spring." She leaned back into the water, and enjoyed its warmth. "And what did you and Ryouga do tonight? You two were gone a long time; I was beginning to wonder if you'd make it tonight."

Akane paused for a moment, just as she was reaching for a bucket of water. After a moment, she poured it over herself, rinsing the soap away. "Well... we sorta ended up in this forest outside of the city. It wasn't too far; we talked for awhile, spent some time to ourselves, then went home."

There was hesitation in Akane's voice, something not lost on the redhead. Akane was clearly holding something back. "What's bothering you, Akane?"

Akane lathered her hair, apparently trying to ignore the question. "What makes you think that something is bothering me?"

She let out a soft chuckle in response. "Akane, I know you too well. I was two days from marrying you, remember?"

Something stiffened in Akane at those words, causing Ranko to frown. She hated when her suspicions were correct... "He asked you to marry him, didn't he?"

Akane rinsed the soap from her hair, then turned toward the bathtub. "Yes. Yes, he did."

"And are you going to accept?"

A painful silence passed between the two of them. "Yes," she whispered.

Ranko settled into the tub, her eyes closed. She felt a wave of old emotions surround her like a comfortable jacket. Her eyes opened at a splashing sound near her, and she instinctively moved to one side of the bathtub.

"Tell me what you're feeling, Ranko."

Ranko brought her knees in closer to her chest. "Akane... when it comes to stuff like this, there are two very different sides of me. There's a part of me that's very happy for you, and wishes you and Ryouga all the best. Lord knows the two of you deserve it after all that's happened."

"And the other part?"

She closed her eyes. "The other part is the one that's trying to keep from crying."

She felt rather than saw Akane's hand grab her own, and hold it in a tight embrace. "Ranko, I... I'm sorry. I know how hard this must be on you."

Ranko just fixed a cold stare on her.

"Yes, I do. I know what it's like to watch someone you love go in a direction away from you. And... I know how hard it is to say goodbye."

Ranko swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah... I was pretty bad back then, wasn't I?"

"And I had to watch every step of it." Akane's voice was a whisper. "Eventually, it got to the point that I couldn't take it anymore." She looked down at their hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

Ranko's throat hurt; despite this, she still found the strength to chuckle. "It's okay, Akane. It's... in the past. There's nothing we can do about what's happened; all we can do is work on what's going on today."

Akane groaned. "Sometimes I think you spent too much time in that hospital, Ranko."

"Maybe." She let go of her legs, and relaxed once more. "Then again, I think I spent exactly the amount of time I needed there."

"Speaking of which..." Ranko blinked; Akane's voice had turned mischievous. "... how are you and Kunou doing?"

Ranko groaned. "We're just friends, Akane!" She started to mutter under her breath. "And you call *me* a pervert."

"Well, I did learn from the best." She reached over, and pecked Ranko on the cheek. "Thanks for understanding, Ranko... even if you still hurt." Akane rose from the bath, the water running down her lithe form, and exited the bath.

"By the way, Ranko..."

The redhead turned to the door. "Yeah?"

"You want to go shopping tomorrow after classes?"

Ranko thought for a minute. The ache was still there... just not as intense. "Sure, Akane. I'll be there." She slid deeper into the water as Akane shut the door; she needed some more time to soak.

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

Kunou Tatewaki placed his bokken on a rack near the entrance, and slowly eased his mask off. It had been a hard day, with students and teachers both bearing down on him. He wondered when he would have time to write the essay he had due next week, considering he had a special 'tactics' class to organize for his advanced students.

It had been a rough road, he thought, coming back to this. He blew his first chance; most people weren't offered a second. Still, he was proving whoever had faith in him right; while his grades hadn't been stellar, they were good enough for passing and then some. Besides, the changes he'd gone through had shown him what he wanted to do with his life (though even he would never have guessed it).

Like his father, he hoped to become a teacher.

It had come as a surprise to him when he came to that conclusion. He still harbored some resentment for his father, and was still angry for the mad whims the crazy old man subjected him to. Nevertheless, the older he got, the more he realized how much his father was in him - both the good and the bad. The desire to guide, he believed, was one of his father's few good points.

"Hey, Kunou..."

Kunou froze. Ranko was at the entrance, clad in a casual sundress. He blinked; there was something wrong with her. She was too... it was hard to place a finger on it. "Hello, Ranko. Is something the matter?"

Her smile widened, adding to his unease. "Oh, nothing's wrong... now." She moved closer to him, almost to the point of touching.

Kunou's internal alarms started screaming when she moved close. He could smell alcohol on her breath - and Ranko NEVER drank. "Don't lie to me, Ranko. What's wrong?"

She scowled. "What, can't a girl ask a guy out on a date? Or is that too old-fashioned for you?"

He shuddered. He could feel her endowments pressing lightly against his chest; it was all he could do to keep from succumbing. Instead, he grabbed her shoulders, and put her at arm's length. "Ranko, you're drunk."

Ranko shook her head. "Am not." She held a finger up in the air. "Now the bachelor party... now there, I was drunk."

Kunou closed his eyes, and began to count to ten. "Ranko, please leave. You are not in your right mind right now." He looked outward, to the pond. "Perhaps Akane needs help with something inside."

Something twisted in Ranko's gaze - just as Kunou expected. Whatever had Ranko upset centered around Akane. "Akane don' need help. She's off with Ryouga, planning their honeymoon."

He took a deep breath, in an effort to gather his thoughts. "Did Ryouga ask Akane to marry him?"

"Whaddaya think the honeymoon's for?" Ranko shook her head, in a slightly exaggerated manner. "They even wanted my permission to do it before they went through with it. And I just *had* to give it to them." She looked upwards slightly. "Pretty night tonight, don't you think?"

Kunou nodded his head evenly. "Yes, it is." He looked for a way out - and came up with one. "Ranko, tell you what: How about we just sit in front of the pond for awhile and stare up at the stars. Does that sound good to you?"

Ranko frowned, but nodded. "Oh-kay..." He guided her over toward the pond, and helped her down. He lay down on the grass next to her, and sighed.

"Kunou?"

He bit his lip. Ranko wasn't giddy anymore, that much was obvious. "Yes?"

"Why did Akane have to leave me?"

Kunou closed his eyes, and tried to gather his words. She sounded as though she were back in the hospital - not a good sign, all around. "Ranko, I... I don't know. Sometimes... sometimes people just fall away from each other. We see what's happening, and we feel so helpless to stop it, but it just... happens. Akane fell away like that, and..."

A loud snoring interrupted Kunou's thoughts, and he turned to face his friend. Sure enough, Ranko was asleep, dead to the world. Sighing, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to her room. He fought the urge to kiss her forehead; instead, he just tucked the covers in close, ran a hand through her scarlet bangs, and walked out of the room.

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

That night, Kunou knelt in meditation in his room. Shadows flickered in the candlelight, casting eerie phantoms along the walls. He could faintly hear the roar of the city outside, as well as some minor commotion from his servant; beyond that, though, there was nothing to disturb him.

His eyes focused on the picture, and he wondered if he had gone full circle. All through his high school days, pictures of her had covered the walls, an elusive sprite for him to catch. Her picture adorned the wall once more, but was very different now. The fire-haired beauty was no longer something of myth; she was human, every bit of flesh, blood, and soul that he was.

The problem was that this made her no less attractive.

Being friends, at least, helped him deal with it. He knew her almost as well as he knew himself - indeed, she had helped him to come to know himself. There was no need for facades between them; they'd cried on each other's shoulders far too many times to count. They were... intimate, without being in love.

And now she'd asked him on a date. She was hurting, he knew; some scars never totally heal, and Akane's rejection had left scars both physical and emotional. Part of him yearned for it, to jump at the chance to date the scarlet-haired girl. Unfortunately, any such date would be a hollow one, as Ranko would be running away from something rather than running to him.

Clenching his teeth, he banged his fist against the floor. Ranko knew better than to ask him out. She knew damn well how he felt about her, and how much he held inside at times. She always knew why he occasionally refused her presence, saying it was okay every time he withdrew himself. Unfortunately, she was hurting too much to think about that, and he was paying the price.

Things were never easy for them. A small part of him hurt every time he saw her; that same part of him was now screaming into his ears. He desperately wished he could let go, forget all about reality and honor and take the redhead up on her offer, but... but he couldn't.

Damn him anyway, he couldn't. If he let go like that, knowing that Ranko did it out of some weakness, then he would lose everything that he had gained.

When did the hurting stop? Why did the battles of long ago still hurt so much? He still fought with the only weapons he had left - his honor, his soul, and his friends - and was able to squeak by. There were others he knew, both from his family and his confinement, who had not been so lucky.

Kunou blinked out of his meditations, and looked over to the candles. He had much to do tomorrow, and needed his sleep if he was to get through it.

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

Ranko woke up to the sound of an alarm clock - her usual method for getting up, now that her life was filled with term papers to write and classes to run. She groggily rolled over, pushed the snooze button, then turned over onto her back.

The previous day's events came slowly to her, moments passing by like a film on fast forward. She remembered the empty feeling that came over her with Akane's announcement... as well as her false-happy, devil-may-care attitude afterwards. She'd wanted to fill that empty space with whatever she could find -

Gritting her teeth, she exhaled, and remembered her conversation with Kunou. Dammit, she knew better than that. She knew damn well how Kunou felt about her, how much he held inside... and she'd flaunted all of that in his face, just so she could feel a little better. She definitely owed him an apology, as well as the next dinner between them.

Taking one last moment to enjoy the warmth beneath her blankets, Ranko crawled out of her futon, unconsciously grabbed some clothes, and walked down to the bath. She needed cleaning up; sleeping in the sundress was definitely not a good idea. She was almost to the bath when she saw him.

He sat in front of the pond, lost in meditation. His eyes were slits, enough to see the world outside without greeting it with a wide-eyed stare. She frowned; he wasn't supposed to arrive for classes for another three hours. Steeling herself for what was to come, she sighed, and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Kunou."

"Good morning, Ranko." She swallowed at Kunou's tone. It was formal, much like his demeanor before... before everything changed. She sat down next to him, and grabbed his hand.

"Kunou... I'm sorry for what I did yesterday. It was... just... Akane's announcement affected me more than I expected. I felt so empty... and I was desperate to fill it with whatever I could, no matter how much it hurt." She picked up a rock, and threw it into the pond. "You deserve better than what I gave you last night - a lot better."

Kunou remained silent, instead pointing his eyes at the water's ripples.

"Are you even going to speak to me?" Ranko put her hands on her hips.

He looked up at her; she steeled herself at the pain in his eyes. "I apologize, Ranko. I... I don't know what to feel in this situation."

"I know," Ranko replied. "I'm sorry I put you in such a bad position. I should have known better than to do what I did."

Kunou closed his eyes; Ranko could see the strain behind them.

"Kunou, please speak to me. I... I don't want to lose our friendship, and it feels like you're shutting me out."

Kunou's Adam's apple fell and rose. "I am wondering what you're feeling, Ranko. Why you are so... empty."

She frowned. "Isn't it obvious?"

He chuckled bitterly. "Believe it or not, Ranko, I am not telepathic."

Ranko's eyes narrowed. She fought for a moment to find the right words. "Because I'm afraid of living the rest of my life alone."

"Alone?" Kunou's eyes bore into her.

"I can never fully love anyone, Kunou. I can't get intimate with anyone. I... I hang out with guys. They're my friends, but... I can't ever get close to one. I'm still attracted to girls, but... but I just can't get into a relationship with one. It just seems wrong to me, somehow." She stared at the koi playing in the pond. "You and Akane were the only ones I'd even think about... and now she's gone."

Her eyes turned to Kunou. He was staring at the pond, just as she had, except his gaze was more intense... more thoughtful. She watched his eyes follow the carp's dance, as one leapt from the water to the air above.

"Ranko, would you be willing to go on a date with me?"

She blinked; the question seemed conjured from the air. "Huh?"

His dark eyes pierced into her. "Would you be willing to go out on a date with me?"

Ranko looked at him as though he'd grown a second head. "Why? I just asked you out last night, and you said no!"

"I had to know why you asked me, Ranko. If you were just asking me as a way to escape from what Akane did to you, then I would never be able to accept. If, on the other hand, you asked because of me, and not because of her..." His gaze softened. "Ranko, believe it or not, you are not the only one who is deathly afraid of living the rest of his life alone. Most people, on hearing my surname, take a careful step back; for most, my family, proud though it is, remains nothing more than poison, no better than the outcasts." The young man looked down at his feet. "If you decline now that you are of sound mind, I will understand."

Ranko stared down at her wrists. She'd nearly died because she wasn't able to face her life. Was this... facing her new life? Part of her had been dreading trying this. Success was about as frightening as failure; both meant giving up on something.

But what if there wasn't anything to give up anymore? She looked up at him, determination forming in her gaze.

"Kunou... I would date with you. But please, give me two weeks to think about it. That way, if I... decide not to... then..."

"I understand, Ranko," Kunou replied. "Two weeks from Friday, then?"

Ranko bit her lip, then nodded. "Two weeks from Friday. Okay." She moved to leave, when an impulse came to mind. She turned around, to her still-meditating friend.

"Kunou... thanks."

His response was barely heard over the splashing water. "No, Ranko. Thank you."

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

"Hey, Akane. What do you think about this?" Ranko jiggled the translucent negligee in her hands. "Something for your honeymoon, perhaps?"

Akane turned beet red. A long time ago, that would have been a pounding offense. Fortunately, she was not without other forms of artillery. "Well, if you're so impressed by it... why don't you get it? I'm sure Kunou would be just thrilled if you wore it for him."

Ranko, to her surprise, looked at it thoughtfully for a moment, then put it on the rack. The young woman started to make her way toward the more mundane sections of the store.

"Ranko? Is something wrong?"

Ranko stared back at her. "How are the engagement plans coming?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Let me put it to you this way, Ranko: I brought up the subject of him getting us 'lost' for a few years."

"Heh." Ranko smiled wryly. "Now *that* sounds familiar. I remember when we started planning for our ceremony. That was... a mess."

"Yes, it was." Akane's smile faded. She crossed her arms in frustration. "Now care to tell me what's *really* bothering you?"

Ranko blinked. "Huh?"

"Ranko, if I can't get away with it, neither can you. You've never been one for small talk, and that's all you've given me all day." She began to tap her foot. "Now. If you don't tell me what's bothering you in ten seconds, I start giving a martial arts demonstration to the other shoppers, using your head as a punching bag."

"Well..." Ranko bit her lip. "Kunou and I are going out on a date," she blurted.

Akane blinked. She wasn't sure she'd even heard it right, Ranko had said it so fast. She walked over to Ranko, and fixed a curious, incomprehending gaze on her. "Let me get this straight. You... and Kunou... are going out on a date?"

"Yep." Ranko gave a sheepish shrug.

Akane blinked again. The emotions inside of her... even she didn't know what to make of them. She imagined that this must have been what Ranko felt after her recent announcement. "How?"

"Well..." Ranko looked around for a moment. "... that is difficult to explain. I got sorta drunk last night, and-"

"You got drunk?" Akane's eyes were wide open. "Why?"

Ranko looked down. "Well..."

"It was the engagement, wasn't it?" She fought back the emotions after Ranko's tentative nod.

Akane looked down at her shoes. "So you decided to go out with him because..."

To her surprise, Ranko laughed. "Not quite, Akane. I asked him out; he waited for me to fall asleep. I apologized to him, he asked me why I asked him out. I told him... then he... he asked me out."

A heartbeat of silence passed between them. "You mean... he asked you out? And you accepted?"

Ranko shrugged. "Yeah." She walked over to Akane. "Akane, I want to try this. While you and Ryouga were just dating, I always held back a bit, sorta hoping that we might be able to get together somehow. Then, when you told me last night..."

"... you decided to try a relationship with someone else." Akane nodded slowly. For some reason, there was a quiet hurting inside of her. She fought to find the questions she needed.

"Ranko, are you sure about this? I mean, this is a guy we're talking about here." She started looking through the outfits. "Moreover, it's Kunou."

"Which is why I'm going out with him, Akane," Ranko snapped back. She looked at a dress on the rack, then turned around. "He... he understands me. With most guys, I'd have to worry about them treating me like either some silly princess or like I'm the catch of the day." She shivered; apparently some memory came back to her.

"Kunou knows where I'm coming from. He knows I'm not ready for a lot of stuff. And... he knows me. Better than you, Akane, at least on some things." She eyed the dark-haired girl mischievously. "You know, Akane, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous of him."

Akane immediately flustered. "Me? Jealous of... of Kunou? Don't make me laugh!" She knew she was blushing; she quickly moved to a rack away from Ranko's eyes.

Ranko blinked behind her, in recognition. "You... you ARE jealous of him!" The redhead giggled in triumph. "Oh, this is unbelievable!"

Akane sighed, and turned back around. There was no avoiding it; if truth be told, she *was* jealous. "Yeah, well... I dunno. I always thought... I never thought you would want to explore a relationship again someday. Even with Kunou." She waved a hand in the air. "It's naive and stupid of me, I know, but..."

Ranko snorted, then stared through her. Akane's breath caught; she knew that look from so many nights between them. "Akane, I... I know. I think deep inside, we're still waiting for some miracle cure to make things all better between us." Her smile faded. "Sometimes, though, that just doesn't happen."

Akane nodded sadly. Ranko twisted her face into a harlequin's smile, and took Akane by the hand.

"Now. I really need an outfit for this date. Any ideas?"

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

Kunou felt no small amount of trepidation as the doors opened for him. He had spent four months of his life locked up in here, and he couldn't help but feel he was being committed again every time he reentered the grounds. He walked through them, took a moment to remember some of the times here, and moved down the hallway.

This was a part of his family's curse, he knew. Any Kunou who hoped to live a productive life would have to grace these halls at some point. He was forced to recall that fact every morning, as he took his 'candy' as part of his breakfast. That knowledge, the curse of his clan, only became doubly problematic with recent events.

Did he even have the right to start a relationship? In a way, he was 'damaged goods'. Any offspring he might have carried the risk of the taint. Was he up to the responsibility of raising a child who could one day have all of the problems he did?

Any questions such as this melted away as he approached the door. He tried to wipe the apprehension from his face; he knew that it would come all too easily once he entered. He sighed, and turned the handle.

The dark-haired woman was no stranger to him - for the moment, anyway. "Hello, brother."

He smiled. "Hello, sister. How are you today?"

Kodachi shrugged. "Tired. The medications they gave me are rather potent, and my body isn't quite used to them." She studied the back of her hand for a moment.

"Brother?"

"Yes?"

"What happened to me? To us?" She banged a fist against the bed. "I'm twenty years old, and I haven't even graduated from high school. It's been over a year since I last saw the night air. I've missed so much; I even missed my coming of age this year. I'm so tired, I'm so angry... I feel too much, it seems." She shook her head in her impotence. "How is your life progressing?"

He smiled, a bit of advice that Kasumi had given him to calm someone. "Classes go well; I believe I will be allowed to become an assistant teacher during the next term. That will possibly take away some of my time at the dojo, but hopefully not much." He looked down and shuffled his feet, then chided himself for his weakness. "There have also been some developments in my personal life recently."

An eyebrow arched on his sister's face. "In your personal life? Do tell, brother dear."

He gouged a fingernail into the back of his wrist; the pain gave him enough focus to continue. "Ranko and I... have agreed to go on a date."

Dark eyes flashed back at him. "The fire-haired one has finally conceded to dating you? Why?"

Kunou let out a long sigh. "Akane recently announced her engagement to Ryouga, and... Ranko was down after hearing the news. We had a long talk, one thing led to another... and we decided to try it. We have a lot in common, she and I - both of us are broken, and neither of us are the person we truly wish to be." He tried to smile. "We decided to have the date in a couple of weeks, once our schedules settle down. That way we both have time to think about whether we really want it or not."

"I... understand." Kunou was used to such words, though he had expected a far more violent reaction. "I appreciate your candor and your patience." He looked to the walls. "How is the therapy going?"

Kodachi bit her lip. "I... don't know. The doctors would make superb demons in the nether world; they prey on my every desire and weakness, and exploit it. They never tell me anything of use; all they say is for me to be patient and to wait until the results come." Her fists were balled; Kunou could see a trickle of blood forming between her fingers. "I want to get out of here so badly... I miss running through the night air. I miss... I miss my life."

Kunou moved closer to her, and put his hand over her fist. "I know, Kodachi. I spent time in here myself. I wanted out so badly I could taste it." He looked downward. "I was lucky, sister. That very redhaired woman you despise so helped me find myself again." He opened her hand; it was a small cut, enough that it would heal on its own. He brought out a handkerchief, and wiped the blood away. "Kodachi, I can't give you a reason to get out of here. But... I can help you build a life once you do. Ranko will help, too, if you let her."

Kodachi's voice turned cold. "It will be a long time before I can trust her, brother."

"And me?" He raised an eyebrow.

His sister ran a hand along her bed; a small amount of blood painted the pristine white sheets. "You... I have to trust you. I have to trust someone..."

Kunou blinked. "Okay." He swallowed. "That's a place to start."

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

Ranko stared at the outfits in front of her, a wave of uncertainty washing over her. The blue minidress she had initially bought for the date was too daring, now; she considered the night itself to be daring enough. The forest-green outfit was nice... but just a little too conservative for a date. She just blinked at the pink dress Kasumi offered; even after all this time, she still had a dislike for the color. After staring at the clothes for a moment, she turned around to her surrogate family, and eyed the youngest of her sisters.

"Akane, how in the world did you ever get ready for our dates?"

The comment only generated fits of laughter from the trio. Nabiki smiled, and sat down on the bed.

"Ranko, getting Akane ready for a date was a serious challenge. She'd always say, 'I don't like the color of this!' or 'This makes me look fat!'. Eventually, we'd just throw a dress on her, say she looked fine, and push her out into the living room." The comments generated giggles from Kasumi, and a blush from the youngest Tendo.

Ranko sighed, and lay down on the bed. "I... nothing looks right. Maybe because nothing is."

Kasumi sat down next to her. "Ranko, are you sure you want to do this? I mean... this is so sudden, after Akane's engagement and all."

Ranko moved her hand, to touch one of the dresses. "Yes. God help me, Kasumi, I do." She sat up on the bed. "I... there was always a small part of me that still hoped, still wanted to be with you, Akane. When... when you told me about the engagement, that part of me hurt - badly. But... it also forced me to look at another part of myself." She clenched her fist, grabbing a piece of skirt in her hands. "The... the part that wants to be with him."

There wasn't a sound in the room for a full minute after that. Even Ranko was silent; admitting it was more difficult than she'd imagined. Nabiki grabbed one of the outfits, and put it back on its hangar.

"Ranko, do you... love him? In... in that way?"

Ranko closed her eyes. It was like someone had sealed her mouth shut. She could feel the tears threatening to come. "I... I think so." She forced the words out; her lips felt numb as she spoke. "Yes. Yes, I do."

She blinked, and looked around her. She could see the silent communication between the three sisters, the conversation between them without a word. Kasumi wrapped her arms around her, giving her a motherly embrace.

"Well then, Ranko, we'll try our best to help you get what you want." Kasumi broke off the embrace, and looked Ranko in the eye. "Will you trust us?"

She took a hard look at each of them. She knew them; Kasumi never deceived her about anything, not since... then. Nabiki was far less the mercenary she used to be, and was mischievous enough to be a good matchmaker. Akane... she could see it in her onetime fiancee's eyes: she wanted her to be happy, for her to have again what the two of them once had.

She opened her arms, and threw herself on the mercy of the family. "Do what you must."

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

"Well, I guess I'm ready."

"Not so fast, Ranko," Nabiki chimed. "You can't go down there quite yet."

"Why not?" Ranko whined. "He's probably down there and waiting by now."

Nabiki flashed her million-yen smile. "Ranko, you have to wait for a minute or two. Let him sit there for a moment, imagining what sort of evening the two of you will have. Then, when you actually come down, you'll take his breath away."

Ranko remembered some of the dates she'd had with Akane. Sure enough, they'd used that tactic several times on her. "Um... okay." She looked in the mirror again. "Are you sure he'll be that affected by this?"

"Look in the mirror," Kasumi offered.

Ranko turned to the looking-glass once more, and tried to see things from a different perspective. It wasn't difficult; all she had to do was dream. She imagined someone like her approaching her old self, with a come-hither look to their eyes... She shook her head, and fought down her blush.

"Get the idea?"

Ranko nodded. "Oh, yeah. I definitely get the picture." She started to wring her hands together.

"Ranko, are you all right?" Kasumi sat down.

"Yeah. It's just... I dunno about this anymore. I mean... I..."

The sisters sat there for a moment. Akane chimed in first. "Ranko, if you don't want to go on this date, you don't have to. But... you'll have to be the one to tell him."

Ranko shook her head. "No, it's not that... it's just that... I don't know anything about this!" She started to pace around the room, her eyes focused on Akane. "It was a lot easier back when we were a couple. I knew how the two of us felt about each other, and how far we were willing to go in the relationship. But now... now I don't know anything."

Ranko backed away slowly. "O... Okay, Akane." She turned to Nabiki, and raised an eyebrow in her direction. "May I go now?"

Nabiki crossed her legs, then looked lazily at her watch. "He's been down there long enough, I think." She smiled with mischief, and grabbed Ranko's hand. "Have fun, Ranko."

Kasumi opened the door for her, and led her out into the hall. Ranko paused; it looked like there was something Kasumi wanted to say. She slowed her pace toward the stairs, and waited.

"Don't forget to smile," Kasumi whispered. "You look so nice when you smile."

Ranko couldn't help but obey at that comment. "Okay, Kasumi. You win." She took the first step downward.

"Were you this nervous with your first date with Tofu?"

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "Yes... and no. The first time is always the most difficult, and I was most certainly nervous the first time we dated. On the other hand, I had been dreaming of a night like that for a long time." They were halfway down the steps; Ranko could see black dress socks waiting for her at the bottom. "Remember, Ranko: relax, and be yourself."

The smile widened. "If I did that, Kasumi, I'd be about a foot taller and built differently." She took the last steps down, until she could see all of him.

Kunou Tatewaki had always been a striking man; the suit just complimented matters. The severe black outfit framed his body nicely; the tie was subdued in color, while being abstract enough to suggest a complex mind behind the outfit.

He looked at her, and she could see the emotions pass across his face; shock, awe, desire... all culminating in a look of restrained happiness. "Ranko. You look... beautiful."

"Um... thanks, Kunou." She still wasn't comfortable with compliments; she did try as best she could, though. "You... you look good, Kunou. A lot better than the hakama you usually wear." She winced; that didn't come out quite like she'd hoped.

Kunou apparently saw the wince. "It's okay, Ranko. I understand." He held out the flowers in his hands. "For you."

Ranko blinked. She remembered the first time Kunou had offered her flowers. Like then, she was overwhelmed, but in a different way. "Thank you." She sniffed them once, taking in their heady aroma. "Kasumi, could you put these somewhere?"

Kasumi's smile widened. "Sure, Ranko." She went off to find a vase, leaving the two of them alone.

For a moment, all Ranko could hear was her own heartbeat. She didn't know if it was fear or anticipation she was feeling; all she knew was that she was in a situation totally unfamiliar to her, and she didn't know what to do.

"Shall we go?" Kunou offered his hand to her, as a proper gentleman would.

Ranko swallowed, and took the hand. "Sure, Kunou." Taking a moment to slip on her shoes, she closed her eyes, and let him lead her out the door.

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

In the Tendo home, a strange happiness reigned.

It wasn't something that could really be defined, Akane thought. She was helping Kasumi and Mrs. Saotome clean up in the kitchen after making a (passable) batch of cookies, something she'd fought for so long to perfect. In the dining area, her father and Mr. Saotome waged peaceful war on the shogi board, as Tofu and Ryouga watched on in interest. Even Nabiki, vagabond college student she was, had come home for the festivities, and was probably hanging around somewhere in the backyard. There were no arguments, no accusations, no hurt feelings, just friends and family gathered together to enjoy the night.

She just hoped that it would last.

So many hopes were riding on this night. Ranko was finally getting on with her life, after tragedies that would have killed lesser people - and had nearly killed her. In the night, the Saotomes saw a chance for happiness for their daughter, and the possible continuation of their school and way of life. Her family saw the hopes of honor regained, a banner soiled after the end of their promised engagement.

Akane herself, on the other hand, saw something far more important.

She saw forgiveness.

There were still nights when she saw Ranko's bloodied body in the furo, sightless eyes quietly accusing her. She'd nearly destroyed her relationship with Ryouga in the process; after what had happened, it was too much for her to hope that she could know contentment again. It had taken a lot of patience on his part to deal with her demons, and for her to finally come to terms with her guilt and responsibilities.

Her eyes turned away to the games of men, and she couldn't help but smile. Father and Mr. Saotome were definitely practitioners of 'anything goes', right down to their shogi strategy. Both could cheat with remarkable skill; they both knew what was going on, and merely smiled when some fortune mysteriously turned into misfortune. She could see the joy in their eyes; the hurt feelings between them had lasted for too long, and letting go of them was a relief to everyone around.

"Akane?"

The whispered voice startled her. She turned around, to face Nodoka's smiling face. "Yes?"

"How are you doing? You've been silent the whole night." She gestured over to the center table, where Kasumi was preparing four cups of tea.

She looked downward. "Sorry, Auntie. It's just... tonight seems so strange. It's like nothing has changed - and yet, everything has."

The matriarch nodded sagely. "I know. Genma has been so lonely since he and Soun had their fight. It's been difficult - usually he's been sitting around the house, too drunk to do anything. It's... it's nice to see him smiling for a change." Nodoka smiled, a move that reminded Akane so much of her daughter. "But that wasn't what I was asking about."

Akane blinked. "Then what were you-" She covered her left hand. "Oh."

"It's okay, Akane. I understand." She smiled. "I was young once, too. I remember the times when Genma and I were dating; it was... an experience." Akane blinked; the smile faltered for a moment. "Congratulations, Akane. I'm glad you found someone to share your life with."

Akane just stood there when Nodoka moved to hug her; she knew how much the engagement hurt the older woman. It took a moment for her to wrap her arms across Nodoka's back.

A whisper broke the spell, a quiet hiss to the two of them.

"She's back." Nabiki's head poked inside the kitchen. "Come on." Akane broke off the embrace. She noticed she was crying; so was Nodoka. The matriarch wiped the tears from her eyes, and straightened her kimono.

"Come. Shall we see how my daughter fared tonight?"

Akane smiled. This was going to be interesting, to say the least

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

Ranko never thought the sidewalk could look so long.

She stared at the walkway leading to her home, wondering what would happen in the steps between. She'd spent many a night ending a date on these steps, and she knew quite well what could - or should - happen. Everything that had happened tonight was simple preamble to what those steps would bring. She looked downward at her outfit, and smoothed out her skirt for the third time in as many minutes.

"I had a lovely time, Kunou." She squeezed the hand she held. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ranko almost giggled; Kunou was even more nervous than she was. "I... enjoyed the time we spent together."

She thought furiously for a moment. She wasn't ready - not yet.

"When is the next visiting day? I... I'd like to see her, if I could."

Kunou shook his head. "A week from tomorrow, if I recall correctly. However, considering your... adversarial relationship in the past, I think you may need to clear your visit with the doctor before coming."

"Oh." Ranko stopped for a moment, and closed her eyes. She needed to steel herself for this; if she didn't, then she might end up doing something they'd both regret. She moved around to face Kunou, her head slowly moving upwards.

"Kunou..."

"Yes?" he croaked.

Ranko didn't respond. Instead, she slipped her other arm around his waist. She tried to pull him closer... then realized what she was doing. She shifted her hands upward, to wrap her arms around his neck. Her eyelids suddenly became heavy as her lips approached his...

The first touch was soft, tentative; neither one was sure how far they wanted to go. They broke off for a moment, then melted into a second, more natural one.

Ranko mentally sighed as she melted into the kiss. She'd been aggressive at first, wanting to go this far... now that she was here, she didn't want to leave. It didn't feel like it was before, not with Akane. Then he'd been hungry, wanting more, wanting to know more. Here, it was different.

Here, she was safe; here, she was content. She pressed closer to Kunou, to get closer to him, to *share* more with -

In an instant, she backed away. She was shaking; she... she felt... She turned away from him, desperate to find her bearings.

"Ranko? Are you..." His words died away. "I'm sorry, Ranko. I shouldn't have..."

She turned back to him. He looked like a puppy dog, his eyes mournful and sad. She managed a laugh; the irony was too much. "I... I'm sorry, Kunou. It's not your fault. I was just taken surprise by... something, is all."

"What?" Kunou stared blankly at her for a moment, before eyes widened in realization. He casually tried to hold his hands over his groin. "Sorry."

She walked forward, and lay her head against his shoulder. "No, it's... it's my fault. This is all so... so new to me." She closed her eyes, wishing that body and soul could match for once.

The feeling of protection washed over her again as Kunou held her. He brought her in close in a one-handed embrace, her body carefully to his side. She heard Kunou's words of consolation, words she'd heard before...

Enough.

Ranko steeled herself once more. She was *not* going to lose him, not like she did Akane! Mustering what courage she could, she raised her head, and moved closer to his center.

"Kunou?" she whispered again.

He looked at her, and she him. She could see the changes in his gaze; under her stare, he was like prey staring into the predator's eyes. She moved closer to him, close enough that she could feel his arousal, and moved her hands to his face.

"I'm ready now."v

She kissed him again. This time she wasn't submitting, nor was she taking charge; this was a kiss of equals. They moved together in an unpredictable dance, each of them feeling what the other was and acting accordingly.

And God, did it feel good. Ranko found herself being absorbed into the moment, much like she was absorbed into her fights so long ago. She could feel every part of him, and knew that he could feel every part of her. In a sense, she was more exposed than she'd ever been before - and loving every minute.

After what seemed an eternity, they broke off the kiss. She took a deep breath, and sighed. She couldn't get her eyes off of his; their connection was stronger, more profound... and it wasn't going away. Coughing once, she found enough voice to speak.

"I... I enjoyed that, Kunou."

Kunou blinked out of his trance. "So... So did I, Ranko." He smoothed out his slacks. "I... do you mind if we go out for coffee tomorrow?"

She smiled, and nodded. Tears were forming in her eyes, tears formed from simple relief. "O... Okay. After your morning class?"

Kunou nodded, then gave one more kiss, a gentle one on the cheek. "Let me shower first."

She laughed, remembering how he usually smelled after classes. "Okay, Kunou. After that, then." She nearly tripped in her shoes as she walked back to the door. It took a moment for her to exit the world of night.

She blinked upon entering the house. Nobody was waiting for her; somehow she expected everyone to be there with baited breath once she got home. She chided herself for her arrogance, took off her shoes, and padded into the main living area.

This time, she had even more reason to blink. Only the men were in the room; Pop and Mr. Tendo tested each other in Shogi, while Ryouga and Tofu watched. The men all turned around at her presence, giving her father a chance to shuffle the pieces around. Tofu was the first to recover.

"So, Ranko. How did the date go?"

She looked downward. She *really* didn't feel like telling them everything. It... felt wrong now, for some reason. "O... Okay, I guess. We're going out tomorrow for coffee, so..."

Tendo Soun nodded approvingly. "Well, that's a good sign."

Her father swallowed. "Did... anything happen on the date?"

She looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean, Pop?"

Saotome Genma just looked at her. "You know very well what I mean, Ranko."

She looked downward. She couldn't lie; it just wasn't programmed into her. "Well... we kissed, but that's about all." Seeing the stupefied faces of the men, Ranko glanced down at herself, and sighed. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd *really* like to get out of these clothes."

"N... N... No problem, Ranko. Go... go right ahead." Mr. Tendo waved her off. Ranko smiled at their reactions; it was funny to see all of them react like that. She nodded to them as she left, and slowly made her way up the stairs.

The redhead stopped halfway up, and tried to catch her bearings. She was... she still wanted to feel what she felt outside, the warmth, the *sharing*...

She wanted her life back, and this was the best way to go. Touching her hands to her lips, she straightened up, and made her way to her room.

"About time you got up here."

She looked around. The women of the house had all set up camp in her room, each one eyeing her with something between mischief and respect.

"What are you all doing in here?"

Nabiki straightened up from her position in the corner. "Watching the show. Gotta admit, you had us pretty steamed up with your little performance out there."

Ranko's face turned beet red. "You were watching?"

Her mother waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Ranko. It was... it was beautiful what you did tonight." She moved over to Ranko's bed, and sat down. "Now... now we thought you might want to join in a tradition that's been in the Tendo family for a long time."

Ranko blinked. "What?"

"Oh... after each date, us girls would get together and talk about it. After all, how else were we going to get the juicy details?" Kasumi smiled from her chair.

Ranko looked at them. "Guys... er, girls... I dunno. I mean... I'm still not sure what to think about all this. I'm tired, I've got a run in my hose, and I've got a long day tomorrow to think about." She bit her lip. "Tomorrow night, maybe? I could sure use the time to relax then."

Nodoka smiled. "Tell you what: Why don't we go out someplace tomorrow? We could go shopping, find a nice place to eat and talk... It'll be perfect!"

Ranko sighed, and shooed an imaginary fly away. "Fine. Now please... it's late, and I do have to be up early tomorrow."

"Okay, Ranko..." The women began to file out of the room. Akane stopped just before leaving, and grabbed Ranko's hand.

"Was it good?"

Ranko looked into her eyes. He couldn't deny her the answer. "Yeah, Akane. It was."

Akane squeezed her hand, and kissed her on the cheek. "Good. You... you deserve to be happy, Ranko." She walked out of the door, leaving Ranko alone once more.

In an instant, clothes were strewn across the room. While she didn't mind some skirts and dresses, she *hated* tight clothing, and the skirt and pantyhose certainly qualified. In seconds, she lay on the bed, her outer clothes decorating the floor, her mind replaying every moment of the night.

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

Ranko stood in the middle of the center of her life: the dojo. The place was empty, for once; the students had all gone, and the other teachers were not around. The clack of high-heeled shoes echoed through the building as she walked, creating an eerie feel to the shadowed room. Her hands were clasped together in front of her; she could feel the sharp edges of a diamond ring on her left hand.

Her eyes turned to the entrance, to where the picture of the four of them hung. It had been taken the day they opened for business; all of them were resplendent in freshly-washed gis or (in Kunou's case) hakamas. It was a good day for all of them; they'd all created something to take pride in... to know that somehow, some way, they would live on in the skills of their students. She didn't want to be like her father, who constantly took away from the world; she wanted to give something to it, to make up for both their mistakes. That was why she taught... and that was why she loved Kunou. She didn't have to worry about taking; with both relationships, what was given was freely given, and it was more than enough for her.

As she stared at the photo, though, she frowned. Something was off with the picture; she herself looked a little... blurred. As she blinked her eyes, the picture changed, as the redhead in the picture vanished... and was replaced by a dark-haired man with a pigtail.

Reflexively, she looked down... and nearly cried for joy. He was back; he didn't care how, he didn't care why, he was back. His old Chinese shirt and pants felt heavenly on him as he moved; he loved the feeling of *not* feeling every motion along his chest.

"Hey, Ranko."

Ranko froze at the voice. He turned around to find Akane at the entrance, her arm around Ryouga's waist. Struggling to find his voice, he tried to bring words to come.

"Akane... I... I'm..."

"Ranko, Ryouga and I are going to be out for awhile." A mischievous look passed between the two; it didn't take a genius to figure out what they had planned. "Could you look after the dojo while we're gone?"

Ranko nodded. "Um... sure." He looked back down; some things could not be changed. Sighing, he began to perform a kata, something to clear his head.

"Saotome..."

He froze. Kunou stood in the doorway. The kendoist held his practice sword at the ready, as though preparing for duel. He could feel the longing inside of him, the yearning to be with him... he could even still feel the ring on his finger, reminding him of the love between them.

"Ku... Kunou. What... How are things?"

Dark eyes flashed menacingly at him. "Where is the redheaded goddess?"

He looked around. A fire bucket was posted along the side wall; he quickly moved, and poured it over his head.

Nothing happened.

Kunou, as expected, was not impressed. "Where is the redheaded goddess?"

Ranko waved his arms up in the air. "I... Kunou, I don't know what's happened, but I am... I am your redheaded goddess! You have to believe me!"

The former Blue Thunder raised his bokken to the sky. "For enslaving, then destroying the pigtailed goddess, you shall die."

Ranko could not attack him; hurting Kunou was worse than hurting himself. All he could do was dodge. Kunou, though, fought like a man possessed; his strikes were far too fast for Ranko to evade. He screamed when he felt the wood hit his chest, and pierce through to his heart...

The scream continued into the real world, as Ranko sat up like a shot. She covered her face with her hands, trying hard not to throw up. It had felt so real... too real for her liking.

Sighing, she twisted to the side, and moved into a sitting position. The dream... it felt almost *violating*. It had taken everything that was ever or would ever be important to her, and treated it like garbage. She had dreamed some horrible things before, especially after the last attempt at a cure, but this... this took the cake.

A gentle knock sounded at her door, soon followed by a soft voice.

"Ranko?" Akane whispered, "Are you okay?"

Ranko shrugged. There was no getting out of it. "Come on in, Akane."

The door opened, letting her former fiancee in. Akane's silhouette padded into the room, and stood in front of the door. "What's wrong, Ranko?"

Ranko shook her head. "Just a nightmare, is all."

Even in the darkness, Ranko could see the look Akane was giving her. "Uh-uh, Ranko. I know you too well. You don't have nightmares like that unless something is really bothering you." Akane crossed her arms. "Now what's bothering you?"

The redhead looked around the room. She really didn't feel like talking, not in this setting. "Akane, I really -"

"I've got an idea." Akane's eyes shone against the pale light from the window. She reached out, and grabbed Ranko's hand. "Come on."

The young woman shrugged; she really didn't want to go back to sleep, and Akane made leaving the room sound tempting. She returned the grip, and followed Akane down to the dining room.

Akane put a finger to her lips. "Stay here. I need to get something from the kitchen." She walked away, leaving Ranko slightly bewildered.

A moment later, Akane returned, carrying pie and some plates. "Your mom made some of these for when you got back. She figured that we'd talk about the date, then have some of this afterwards."

Ranko smiled. "Yeah... that sounds like Mom, all right." She took a slice of the pie.

"So... do you want to tell me what your nightmare was about?"

Ranko took a hearty bite of apple pie. "Well... I dreamed that I got my old body back."

Akane blinked. "This was a nightmare, right?"

"Yes, it was a nightmare." Ranko flashed her a dark look. "It was a nightmare... because the people I loved either left me or attacked me."

A surprised look flashed across Akane's face. "Why?"

"Well... you left with Ryouga, and Kunou accused me of taking away his 'redheaded goddess'." She ran her fingers through her hair. "Thank goodness for psychiatric medications."

"Are you sure *you* don't need them right now?" Akane smiled. "I mean, that was a pretty wild dream..."

Ranko took another bite of pie. "I... I think I know what it means. I... I've always carried a part of my old self with me, a small, comfortable area that nobody could touch. I... I let that place go a bit tonight, once Kunou and I were together. I think... if I am to pursue that relationship, that I'll have to let that place go entirely."

Akane just shook her head. "You don't get it, do you?"

"Don't get what?"

The dark-haired girl took a bite of her pie, and started to gesture with her fork. "Ranko, it's telling you that you're going to have to let it go anyway. You love Kunou; that much is obvious from what I saw tonight. And... over time... you're going to let that part of you go, in exchange for a part of him inside of you."

Ranko just *stared* at her. "Akane, we loved each other once. Look how it ended for us."

Akane winced. "Well... the man I loved died. Someone took his place, someone who couldn't bring herself to love anyone - not for a long time."

This time, it was Ranko's turn to wince. "I... I know." She absently picked at her pie. "I couldn't live with myself then. I didn't know how."

"And now you do." Akane grabbed Ranko's hand. "You two have a wonderful chance together - but only if you take it now and give it all you have." The young woman looked down at her half-eaten dish. "I don't want you to push him away like you did me. You deserve better than to live alone, Ranko."

"What are you guys doing down here?" Nabiki shuffled out into the dining room, startling them. "Don't you know how late it is?"

The two women giggled at Nabiki's intrusion. "Well... Ranko had a nightmare, so we decided to have a talk."

Nabiki glanced down at the pie. "You're eating my pie? I was planning on taking that back with me!"

Akane shrugged. "You want a piece?"

The older sister shrugged. "I might as well, since it seems to be the only way I'll get any." She sat down at the head of the table, turning a gathering of two into a discussion of three.

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

The coffeeshop was typical of what would normally be found across the street from a college campus. A small cover charge was required to get into the door; beyond that, the offerings inside fulfilled the basic requirements of any college edible: cheap and passable. Tables and chairs were eclectic, as though someone had waded through garage sales to furnish the place. It felt other than home, but it still felt cozy.

Which was perhaps why Kunou liked it so much.

He grimaced slightly as he sipped his brew. The coffee was always particularly strong here, almost enough to fall under the 'espresso' classification. The students loved it, of course; it kept them from nodding off after rough nights. To be honest, he preferred its strong, bitter taste over the comparatively weaker brews the other coffee houses served.

All thoughts of coffee vanished, though, when she walked in the place. There had been a lot said and a lot done last night... but he didn't know how she would react to it in the long run. He could tell from her gaze that something was bothering her.

"Ranko?" His voice was about as close to a whisper as he could get in the place. She smiled weakly, and sat down.

"Kunou... I think we need to talk."

A cold feeling settled in his stomach; he had an idea as to what she was about to say. "What about?"

She looked downward, seeming to study the backs of her hands. "Kunou, would you still love me if I changed back?"

A strange chill went up his spine. "You mean... you've found a cure?"

She chuckled - a sound that sent some relief into him. "No, Kunou. I'm still stuck this way - at least, I was last time I took a bath. But... what if I become a guy again? What then?"

Kunou scratched his head. "Well, it would certainly take some getting used to. But... Ranko, I love you. I would love you even if you changed back into a man; that's what love is. I can adjust, in time."

Ranko snorted. "In time. I thought I had all the time in the world with Akane. I... I don't want to lose you the same way I did her." Her grin faded. "Kunou, I want to make sure you know what you're getting into."

She looked up at him, their faces inches apart. "Kunou, there are times when I am absolutely sick of wearing some of the crap girls wear. Sometimes, I may want to go out wearing just a shirt and pants. I... to be honest, I don't like dressing up, not unless I have to." She sighed. "Are you prepared to deal with something like that?"

He raised an eyebrow; truth to tell, he almost felt like laughing at the statement. "Ranko, for the first year that I chased you, how often did you 'dress up'?"

She sighed. "Point made." She looked over at his half-drank cup of coffee. "Kunou, there's one other thing."

He raised an eyebrow, and took a sip of his coffee. He had a feeling he knew what she was going to say, but he held his tongue.

"Kunou, I... I don't know what you think of such things, but I will not be anything like a traditional Japanese girl. I plan on running the dojo with Akane and Ryouga for a long time to come. I don't plan on staying at home and being some... housewife." Shivers ran up his spine as she brushed his cheek. "Kunou, I don't know what I want from this relationship. I'm not ready for anything serious yet; heck, that kiss was about as serious as I could get. What I want is someone with whom I can share myself, without having to worry about what the other person thinks of me. I do enough of that myself, thanks." He watched the movements of her throat as she swallowed. "Kunou, are you still willing to accept me, even after all that?"

He frowned. "Ranko, when I was growing up, I lived in a very strict, proper home. My father was a respected teacher in the area; my mother was the perfect role model for a housewife. My sister and I were raised in that tradition, no matter how grueling it was at times."

Kunou forced a sip of coffee down his throat. "But it was without love. Father was obsessed, and ignored all of us; Mother sank into depression, oftentimes venting out her frustrations on Kodachi and myself. Eventually..." He closed his eyes. "Eventually, she ended her own life, by slitting her throat."

He watched as Ranko rubbed her wrists. He knew how much it hurt her, how weak she felt herself at giving up like that. "Ranko... I will never let that happen to you. The reason why I take those pills every morning is so that I *don't* do to you what my father did to her."

His gaze turned as intense as he possibly could; one of the disadvantages of his medication was that he lost much of his intensity. "Now, are you prepared to get involved with a family that has a history of instability? A family where my sister must restrain herself to keep from attacking you? Where my father may try to convince you to hula at any time?"

She smiled wryly. "Only if I get a chance to force-feed your pills if you forget." His hand tingled as her hands wrapped around his.

"Kunou... I want to try this. I... I do care for you. In fact, apart from Akane, you're probably the only human being on the planet I could allow myself to live with." She turned away. "I... I don't find it easy to talk to others. There's so much that I can't talk to them about... but I can talk to you about."

The young man tried to find his voice. "I... I know, Ranko." He pulled her in closer, to bring her into a casual embrace. "This isn't going to be easy on either of us. But... we've been through tougher things than this." He tried to find something funny to say. "Like Akane's cooking."

"Yeah..." The two didn't say another word for the next hour; their hands holding each other spoke for them.

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

"Okay, Ranko." Akane's left eyebrow arched mischievously. "We want details. Now."

The redhead looked down at her half-eaten plate of spaghetti, and wished she could hide herself behind one of the meatballs. She'd been trying to put this off; after all, she still wasn't sure about what was happening to her. Unfortunately, the foursome around her didn't quite see it that way. Giving a sigh in mock exasperation, she put down her fork, and looked at each of them.

"Well... we started off by going to dinner. It wasn't some fancy place like I expected; it was just the Rising Sun Cafe near campus."

Seeing the nods from the other women, she continued. "It was pretty good. We ate sushi and talked about school and the dojo... it was nice."

The women looked at each other for a moment, questions flying silently between them. Nodoka coughed, and gave a stern gaze to her daughter. "Please continue."

Ranko took a quick bite of her food. "Well, after that, we went out to a movie."

"Which one?" Nabiki asked.

Ranko shrugged. "Mononoke Hime."

Eyebrows raised across the table. "What did you think of it?" Akane asked. "Or were you two too busy to watch the movie?"

"And you call me a pervert." Ranko shook her head, and took another drink. "Nothing happened during the movie, though I was sorta depressed by it."

"Any particular reason why?"

The look she flashed them discouraged further comment. "I'd rather not talk about it."

A quiet nod went among the Tendo sisters. Nodoka, on the other hand, remained puzzled. "What?"

"We'll tell you later," Nabiki replied. The middle sister looked at Ranko warily. "What happened then?"

Ranko cleared her throat. Her eyes started to mist over. "Well, we walked through the park... looked around... talked a lot... and he took me home."

"And how did *that* feel?" Kasumi asked.

She bit her lip. "It was scary at first. I mean... there was still a lot of the old me inside that didn't want to give up, that I shouldn't have even gone on this date. I had to struggle just to stand still, long enough for him to kiss me. Then, once things started... progressing... all of that didn't matter anymore." Her fingertips lightly moved along the straw. "It felt... God, it felt good to just let go."

None of them spoke for a minute. The din of the restaurant was the silent background for them. Finally, Akane moved over, and put her hand over Ranko's wrist.

"Ranko... now you know how I felt when I ended the engagement. I had been hurting all over... but when I finally let go of the feelings that were hurting me, it felt..." She pursed her lips together, trying to find the right words, "... like being reborn."

To her credit, Ranko nodded. The shimmer of tears accumulated in her eyes. "I... I know. It hurts like anything to let go... but it lets go of a lot of hurt, too." The first tear finally came down from Ranko's face; she vainly tried to wipe it away.

"So. What happens now, daughter?" Nodoka rubbed a fingertip along the edge of her cup.

Ranko rubbed her hands against her wrists. "Well... Kunou and I talked about it this afternoon. I asked a lot of him; there's so much we're both still afraid of. But... we've decided to give it a try, starting with another date this Friday."

A chorus of approvals came from the women, causing the patrons of the restaurant to stare at the group. They quickly quieted down, and showed their support for the redhead in quieter ways.

"Welcome to the club, Ranko." Akane smiled, and wrapped her arms around her onetime fiancee.

"Club?"

"Oh, it's just us girls," Kasumi chided. "We can call you a girl now, right?"

The tone of Kasumi's voice made Ranko giggle. "Yeah, you guys can." She held a fist in front of her, a grin plastered to her face. "But I'll beat Ryouga senseless if he even thinks about it."

Laughter pealed from the women, again attracting the attention of nearby patrons. This time, though, they were too happy to care.

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

The morning sun woke her from her slumber; it was still a few minutes before the alarm clock would wake her, but she was looking forward to the day. She stretched her legs, reached into her closet for her gi, and quickly dressed for the day. Her hands paused before the bracers; she stuffed them inside of her gi, and made her way downstairs.

It had been too long, she decided. That she had actually ignored the beauty of the morning in her drive to get ahead in school was a mistake, one she planned on correcting at the first opportunity. The caress of the night-cooled air, the call of the morning birds anxious to begin the day... she knew better than to leave her home, her anchor. She took an open place in the grass near the pond, and moved into position.

Anyone who ever truly mastered a kata knew the magic that the moves held, once they ceased to be a conscious effort and became instinctive. Depending on the soul of the dancer, it could speak a song of triumph or despair, passion or anger. It had been the gauge of her readiness to return when she had been in the hospital, and it was her typical gauge when she faced any sort of crossroads. With a punch, she began the moves, her eyes closed, her wind the only guide.

Even she couldn't describe the effect of the moves on her. It was musical; she was in harmony with the world around her, and it felt *good*. She wound her way through the kata and began again, forming a cycle, each one slightly faster as she descended into the moves of the dance, the symphony of the world around her the tune to guide her.

After awhile (did time matter here?), she felt something like violins entering her symphony, a strange undercurrent of quick, stacatto chops in time with her passions. The violins increased in sound, as though one soloist had blossomed into a quartet, then an entire section of strings.

It wasn't until one of the 'violins' shouted out for their sensei that she realized it was time for her class. She moved from the kata to a finishing pose, opened her eyes, and smiled, part in happiness, part in embarrassment.

Her class stood waiting at the doorway of the dojo, all of them watching her performance. Self-consciously, she smiled; it had been a long time since she'd lost herself like that.

She really should lose herself more often, she thought. She bowed to the class and tried to make as serious a countenance as she could.

Too bad she couldn't wipe the smile off of her face.

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