Chapter 10: Strange Bedfellows

Back in Norway

Raven returned from Great Britain to see if Kunimitsu was taken care of by the nurse who watched over her. The nurse was called in on Raven's behalf. Dawn had risen. Raven greeted the nurse inside the store and thanked her for her service. Even though it was a new day, Raven was tired. Coming up the second floor, Raven peeked into Kunimitsu's room once more. The kunoichi is still in her coma. With no change, he decided to sleep in the next room across the hall.

Six hours later

Kunimitsu was dreaming. She happened to be in a meadow full of tall grass. She stood up from the grass and noticed her ninja gear was gone. Now, Kunimitsu wore a red blouse with no shoes. The fox mask is no longer on her face, but Kunimitsu could hear some familiar voices calling out to her. As she walked, the grass grew taller and taller, eventually turning into bushes, then trees. The sky turned from a light pink into a fiery orange. The voices grew louder calling Kunimitsu's name. It sounded like her parents, but she had to make sure. There appeared to be a village that was burning on fire. There were two figures standing at the center of the village. No doubt, Kunimitsu recognized them as her parents. She rushed at their direction.

Father: "Daughter, is that really you?"

Kunimitsu: "Of course it's me father!"

Mother (confused): "Our daughter is a little girl and beautiful, but what happened to your face?"

Kunimitsu (begins to tear up): "I tried to save you mother, but those ninjas were too strong. My face was scarred by the fire, but I'm really your daughter, Kunimitsu!"

Father (looks at Kunimitsu): "It's alright. We've lost everything, and if you are really our little girl then please help us get out of here!"

Kunimitsu: "I will show you, follow me!"

The family begins to run towards the woods, but an unknown ninja charges at Kunimitsu, knocking her on the ground.

Kunimitsu (looks at this mystery ninja): "Huh…who are you?"

Mystery Ninja: "Why would I give my identity to a dead girl and her parents?"

The ninja turns his back, using his katana sword, and stabs Kunimitsu's mother in the abdomen. The father tried to tackle the ninja, but he got hit by the back of the sword, right when the ninja takes it out of his wife. Turning around, the ninja slices Kunimitsu's father across the neck, while he was getting up from being hit. He died instantly.

Kunimitsu (cries): "Noooooo!"

Kunimitsu, with no weapon, runs to fight this ninja. However, the ninja performed a jutsu and stalled her movement. Without touching her, the ninja pulls up Kunimitsu and magnetizes her forward to him.

Mystery ninja: "I hereby pronounce you dead, by the grandmasters of the Manji Clan."

Kunimitsu (demanding): "Let me go! I hate you Manji scum! My family didn't deserve to die again!"

Mystery ninja: "Shut up!"

The ninja summons a demon from out of his back, and the dragon like creature engulfs Kunimitsu in mid-air. She screams in fear.

Kunimitsu (breathing hard, rising up from her coma): "Aaaaahhhhhh!"

Kunimitsu woke up from her nightmare. She was still in the living world, looking at her surroundings. Someone tended to her injuries, because she felt stitches around her back, and she had a bandage around her right arm, taking in blood. She looked down to see a white towel, dropped on her lap while sitting in bed. Then, Kunimitsu looked out the window, and noticed it was the early afternoon part of the day. She carefully got out of the covers, and noticed she wore a gown that was suited for a hospital patient. Then, Kunimitsu thought about Raven. Where was he?

Kunimitsu felt shame. Raven must be angry with her because she got beat down so badly by that thug Bryan Fury. She exited out of her room, and noticed the room across the hall with the door almost closed. "He must be here" she thought. She opened the door and saw the ninja asleep on his side, facing the wall. Raven was sleeping with multiple sheets, but was shirtless. His sunglasses were on the counter too, so his face was exposed. Kunimitsu quietly walked over to Raven in bed and sat near the edge. All she wanted to do was get a look at his face, especially the eyes, but he was still in heavy sleep. She carefully went in between Raven, making sure she didn't touch him, and noticed the X-cross scar between his face. The scars intersected in between Raven's nose.

Kunimitsu (in thought): "He has scars on his face just like me. Yet, he wears it like a badge of honor."

With shame, Kunimitsu got off the bed. She didn't want Raven to wake up and know she was up. Despite feeling sore and irritated by the stitches on her back, Kunimitsu felt too sad to fall back asleep. Because of her, she and Raven may not be in the next round of the tournament. At least the crest was still safely locked inside a chest in Raven's hovercraft. Kunimitsu went back into her room, and pulled out the drawers at the dresser to find her ninjato. At the last drawer, she found it, with her bloody kimono outfit. At that point in time, the crest just didn't matter. Kunimitsu had no way of using her jutsus to unlock its power. With no fox mask, her identity was gone. She wanted to end her life, after all nobody respected her, not even her partner. Walking out of the room, going downstairs, Kunimitsu sat at a nearby couch. It was dishonorable for a ninja to face a failure of this magnitude. Raven would likely kill her once he woke up, since he has no more use for her keeping the crest. If he saved her life, she didn't know why. It's not like Kunimitsu treated him with kindness and respect. "No more." Kunimitsu thought closing her eyes, as she started crying, holding the ninjato forward to her midsection. She motioned the blade into her abdomen, but felt no pain. In fact she felt her hands hit her abdomen. Kunimitsu looked to her left and saw a shirtless Raven holding the ninjato. Raven had his sunglasses on, but he looked upset.

Raven (upset): "What the hell are you thinking? I help to save you, and this is my thanks?" (Holding her ninjato.)

Kunimitsu (still crying): "I don't know why you would save me. I made a fool of myself out there, underestimating my opponent. I'd figured after our loss, you would kill me for being a failure."

Raven (walks over to Kunimitsu and kneels down to see her scarred face): "I saved you because you are my partner. And for the record, we won yesterday. You and I didn't lose."

Kunimitsu (wiped her tears and was shocked): "Nani? You mean we won?"

Raven (with a grin): "We did. I beat Dragunov, and your last attack against Bryan was amazing. He had to retreat in the water."

Kunimitsu (feeling remorseful): "How could I have known?"

Raven: "There was no way you would have in your condition. I was going to tell you when you woke up. However, I didn't expect you pull something like this."

Kunimitsu: "You were right about me. I do have flaws. My mask is broken, and I can't hide this face. But why? Why do you not cover yours?"

With that question, Raven takes off his glasses and looks at Kunimitsu with his burgundy eyes.

Raven: "This X-scar on my face is not decoration. Two people did it during my battles. First, was my dead master, and the second time, my first encounter with Dragunov. I have these scars because it made me into a stronger person. Yet, I didn't lose anyone dear to me unlike you. Besides, Yoshimitsu came by to visit you."

Kunimitsu: "Really?"

Raven: "He told me of your upbringing. I can understand why you felt pity in your state, but it's in the past Kunimitsu. It's not a good look when you think your life is worthless because someone thinks you're ugly or a failure. You need to value your life more than that. Not to mention, even enemies care about your well being. I would rather go down fighting than taking…"

A sudden kiss was given to Raven by Kunimitsu. It lasted about 5 seconds. Kunimitsu backed out and began to blush, not even understanding why she did that. Breaking the silence, Raven asked her if she needed anything else.

Raven (feeling awkward): "Look…do you need anything else?"

Kunimitsu (after thinking): "Yes…I really should go back home in Japan and get a new outfit. Before that, my back is itching again, and I'm starving."

Raven: "Alright, I'll be back with some anesthetic cream. Then I'll make some soup the medical staff left for us."

Kunimitsu: "Ok."

So Raven played caretaker for Kunimitsu, establishing the cream on her back to ease the aches and irritation. They ate an afternoon brunch with ramen soup. While eating, Kunimitsu asked Raven who is their next opponent.

Raven (putting down the chopsticks): "Jin Kazama."

Kunimitsu (sensed his pause): "So it's him huh. I don't know if I will be ready by then given my current state."

Raven: "I believe he's fighting alone. But I'll have to make sure."

Kunimitsu: "It's a pity we have yet to locate Jun Kazama."

Raven: "When Yoshimitsu came here, he and I went to Great Britain to find the second crest, but we rescued Jun instead. Heihachi held her captive."

Kunimitsu: "What? Raven what did you do after you rescued her?"

Raven: "I let her go."

Kunimitsu: "Why?"

Raven: "She offered to aid my agency in hopes she could find a cure for her condition. Whatever it is, Jun has no recollection of anything once this alter ego takes over her will."

Kunimitsu (after some pause): "Strange. Your taking a gamble by letting her walk free. However, you are not one to lie. (She finishes her bowl). "Anyway, I need some warmer clothes, so we can get out of this cold country."

With that said, the ninjas gathered their things. Kunimitsu puts on a turtle neck sweater and corduroy jeans with boots. She didn't do anything with her hair, since it was a hot mess anyways. Her eyes were not strong enough to look into daylight, since her fox mask keeps the eyes from dimming. She used the white towel on her bed as a blindfold, using her other senses to walk freely. Raven put on his usual outfit, but he wore a light black jacket around him. The two walked out of the vacant store and entered the hovercraft going back to Japan.

Notes: Now Kunimitsu is starting to feel an attraction for Raven after saving her life. Next chapter Raven will train for the next fight against Jin, but he is visited by an unsuspecting person.