Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½.

Author's Notes: Welcome back for another installment. How will their friends and family go on without them? Emotions run high but something even more pressing is developing. What can it possibly mean? Join me as we take this ride together boils and ghouls. Don't worry, the light will remain on so don't fear or fret. I won't let anything happen to you…

Accident

Chapter 1: Hope in Darkness

The hospital was quiet in the aftermath of the worst tragedy in Nerima history. The only person who escaped the debacle unhurt was the truck driver who had caused it all. It didn't make the man feel lucky at all. Well over a hundred people had been injured in the accident. His truck had taken out two kids without even slowing down before it was finally stopped by busload of people. People on their way to work or on their way to the zoo with their children were stunned as the truck collided. More bystanders were harmed when the truck's load of recyclables exploded out from the top and back of the truck. The dead and dying had filled the hallways of the quiet hospital, more than they could handle alone, but those that were sent to other hospitals died en route. Not even the most stoic doctor who had seen death before could keep from weeping at the sight. Other doctors were brought in but it didn't mean a thing in the crush of victims. When the doctors asked how the driver felt, he didn't answer that he was fine. The man simply crumpled up and wept like a broken-hearted child.

But now the hospital was quiet. The excitement was past but the grim sadness clung to everything. Halls that had seen the dying would never be cheerful again. The last thing many of the victims saw was those halls and died without ease. Two of the victims, however, had chosen to remain. They had been the last to be treated in light of their seemingly less serious wounds and that decision had been fatal, much to the doctors' eternal chagrin. It was the time of night when spirits roamed and these two had a very good reason to haunt this night.

Footsteps echoed down the hall but no one besides the individual could hear them. The nurse on duty that night, however, felt a chill run up her spine, but when she looked for the source of her unease, there was nothing. With a shrug, she turned back to her magazine, eternally grateful that she hadn't been there earlier to see all the accident victims. Her last thought was of just how lucky she was, before the life was stolen from her body at the edge of a scalpel. Oh yes, there was one other person out for a stroll this night, but his reasons were anything but good. The lifeless body was caught long before it hit the floor. The scalpel had been plunged in at a perfect forty-five degree angle into the side of her neck, severing her spine with the sharp blade. With a grim smile, the seeming specter dragged his latest prey down the hall, careful not to spill a drop of her life blood.

-Elsewhere-

It was an interesting experience, he decided as he strolled down the hall. Death was certainly liberating seeing as it freed him of many of his former responsibilities. There were no life and death struggles when you were already dead. He laughed at the bizarre image of Ryoga in a Ghostbusters' outfit screaming at him to die. It wasn't that funny, but everything felt heightened. His highs felt higher, but then he discovered that his lows felt lower. The humor he found at his living rival's expense was quickly replaced by the distress he felt at leaving his family behind. His Pop didn't even factor into the equation but he did cry at the thought of how Akane and the others would take the news. When his mind wandered to Kasumi he felt the dams break. Her smile as she rushed across the street to see him. The wild abandon that had been in her eyes that had strangely set his pulse racing had all ended in an instant.

The truck.

His mind rolled the concept over and over, trying to find a reason, but finding none. He wanted to scream in rage but there was no one around to hear him. Still, he figured it would make him feel better. A cry from the pit of his soul burst from his mouth. The howls of grief sounding like a call from the grave and he was powerless to stop it. He would have kept on screaming but a presence stopped him as suddenly as he started. His eyes found the source of the presence. It was an aura he would never forget or mistake.

Kasumi.

She was standing before him in the same clothes that she had worn that morning. The gentle girl seemed a bit unsure of herself as she took in the area around her. Ranma's heart leapt up into his throat and he felt the tears prick his eyes once again. He prayed she couldn't see him. He hoped beyond hope that she couldn't see him. Because if she could see him that would mean she was dead as well and that he had failed to save her. Would she be upset? Would she be depressed? If anyone deserved to be in Heaven it was her, but why was she here? When she finally looked at him and her eyes widened in recognition he knew the terrible truth. Nothing prepared him for what he saw next, however. Her face lit up with a smile. Not the one she usually gave her family or even the one she gave him, but a truly happy smile that seemed to even brighten the area around her. With a squeal of happiness she threw herself at him and gave him a glomp worthy of an Amazon, but whereas Shampoo's glomps made him recoil, this one made him hold her back just as tight.

"Oh Ranma I'm so glad to see you!" she cried happily. Her face was lit up in delight, dispelling Ranma's pessimism. He was upset that she had died, but was she unhappy? Something told him that she was far from it, maybe it was the smile, maybe it was the hug, or maybe it was the sudden kiss she planted on his lips. This was Kasumi so his normal reaction to such a thing seemed nonexistent. He held on tighter as he fought to remain standing. Perhaps that was why a hug accompanied a kiss, to keep both parties standing. When she pulled back, not before playfully licking his nose, her eyes were bright with tears.

"K-Kasumi?" he stammered in surprise. There was no doubting that this was her, but there was such a strong undercurrent of playfulness that he felt an explanation was in order.

"Of course. Who else would it be? Did you expect Akane?" she smirked as she mimicked bonking him on the head.

"No, but I-I thought I saved you… D-didn't I push you out of the way in time?" he could always use the excuse of not being able to find his air to explain the stammering, but being dead sort of eliminated that.

"I'm sorry but you didn't. You were trying to grab hold of me to leap out of the way but you weren't fast enough." She briefly seemed down about it.

"Aw man I'm so sorry! I'm such a screw up! Ranma no baka!" he went to hit himself but Kasumi shouted at him to stop. Ranma blinked in confusion at the girl before him.

"You tried and if you believe that I'm upset than you are a baka! I've never felt so free before. I'm more free than I ever was in life so don't be upset. Unless being with me for all eternity is what's upsetting you…" she pouted, her lower lip trembling adorably. The pigtailed boy was vulnerable to a sad female and she played on it shamelessly.

"Gosh Kasumi I'm sorry…I didn't mean it like that at all! Of course I'll enjoy spendin' eternity with you!" in truth he preferred Kasumi to any of his fiancées. Spending an eternity with Kodachi would be enough to drive anyone batty. The pout vanished as quickly as it appeared and she kissed him again, a light tease on his lips, before grinning up at him. He realized that he had just been played by Kasumi of all people. The realization made him laugh.

"You're so easy to tease, Ranma-kun." She said with a warm smile. Despite her teasing this was definitely the Kasumi he knew only there seemed to be more to her. Had death truly freed her soul? Was she merely a shadow of who she could have been in life? He really didn't know, but it strangely made him feel better that she was so happy about dying. There was something that needed to be done, however, and he didn't look forward to it all. He tilted her face up and looked into her eyes. Their eyes' meeting was so electric that it brightened up the hallway.

Eternity is a huge concept for mortals. It is hard to believe how much time encompasses an eternity. Mankind uses words to define it, but they only have an imperfect understanding of what is involved. The pigtailed martial artist smiled at the girl in front of him. If she was okay with this then he could be too. Since they really had nothing to do they continued wandering the halls of the hospital. It was a slightly eerie scene as they saw other spirits wandering about. Kasumi gasped in shock at the specters floating about but Ranma's arm around her shoulders calmed her. He seemed to be able to guess what had startled the girl.

"Just think about it. We're in a hospital. Don't people usually die in hospitals?" he asked with some amusement. The boy stopped in confusion and wondered why death was so funny to him now. Kasumi seemed to notice this as well but chose not to say anything about it. She smiled wryly as she realized that she had once the Fiancée War and she hadn't even been in the running. With a happy sigh, she snuggled into his side. After a startled moment he tentatively gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Hello there." A man said as they wandered. He was a youngish man but there were traces of age about his features. His eyes were lit up with warmth and seemed to be a nice person. His face marked him as American.

"Hey." Ranma responded as Kasumi smiled at him tentatively.

"What a way to die, huh? I was on vacation and then a truck comes outta nowhere! I'm just glad that my kids weren't with me. Oh I'm sorry to talk your ear off without introducing myself. I'm Kevin." He stuck his hand out for Ranma, but the pigtailed boy bowed before he saw the hand and a collision resulted. It was funny to watch Ranma rub his face and the guy shake his hand as if they expected it to hurt before they stopped.

"That was ridiculous." Kasumi said with a sigh. The two men looked at her before they burst out laughing. When the laughter had died down enough to allow them to talk the introductions were completed. Some of the other people who had died wandered aimlessly about making the three wonder why they didn't seem to have any energy.

"What's up with them?" Ranma jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the unlucky stiffs.

"They didn't exactly die happy and something seems to be making them even more miserable, but every time I ask what it is they tell me that I'll find out soon enough." Kevin replied.

The milling spirits seemed to suddenly grow more agitated. The three noticing that the other spirits were panicking and seemed to be very confused. A black feeling descended over them as a sinister darkness oozed out from around the ceiling. The tar-like substance staining the walls a disheartening black. Ranma pushed Kasumi behind him as a wall of sound erupted down the hallway. The torment of a thousand souls in a terrifying cadence struck him full in the face but he felt no fear. Kasumi clutched at his back, whimpering in terror and crying out in fear as Kevin fell to the ground, his will utterly defeated.

"What is this?" Ranma asked in confusion and anger.

"I-it must be the thing they wouldn't t-talk about…" Kevin replied. His face was turning a pure white and he seemed to be growing cold. He turned to check on the girl but her pleas were becoming fainter. Her eyes rested on his and he almost recoiled in shock. There was no soul in those eyes. He spun and took her in his arms. Just as he went to grab for Kevin, the American lurched away and took off down the hall towards the greater darkness.

"Wait! Where are you going !" the pigtailed boy called out, but he didn't get a reply. Whatever was there it was bad news and it looked as if he was giving Ranma the chance to run. Since he could take a hint, he took off down the hallway, away from the darkness. There was nothing that he could do against an unknown assailant except run. The further he got away from the malignant force the stronger Kasumi became until she was able to put her arms around his neck and hold herself there.

Things were happening too quickly for his mind to keep up but he did understand that he needed to run as quickly as he could because despite how fast he was moving he could tell that it was still behind him. He reached the entrance with relief before he realized that the doors weren't going to open for the dead. The girl in his arms was trembling again but not as severely. He tucked his body and hurtled into the doors and fell face first in shock as he passed through the glass doors and collided with the pavement. He leapt back to his feet easily and turned around to see the thing that was following them. His own courage suffered a tremendous blow when he saw the rolling wave of darkness approaching. The leading edge was dominated by a figure clad all in black except for the uncovered face. It wasn't the chains or the tortured souls shrieking from inside the cloud that made him tremble, but the face. The grinning skull visage that had been recreated in popular literature was suddenly before him in horrifying clarity. Without a backward glance he took off for the rooftops and instinctively ran for home.

"What's going on Ranma?" Kasumi asked softly, the fear clear in her voice. Her arms were trembling. The safety of the girl in his arms cleared any fear he held and strengthened him. The gentle girl counted on him to protect her so he would do so willingly.

"I dunno Kasumi-chan, but that guy gave me the creeps." Ranma said with a faint laugh. He tried to reassure the girl as he clasped her tighter.

"I'll always protect you…" he whispered to her. The smile reappeared on Kasumi's face as she snuggled contentedly in his arms. He had no idea where he was going at the moment and found himself as lost as a blind Ryoga, but since they didn't have to be anywhere it didn't matter.

-Later-

The moon overhead was beautiful and was enjoyed by the boy and girl. When she wanted to be set down he did so with faint regret. They were in the park much to his surprise since he hadn't plotted a course. The light from above shone down lending an ethereal quality to everything they saw. Kasumi jumped up onto the side of the fountain before looking back over her shoulder at him.

"What are we doing here?" she asked curiously. Her left foot was skimming the water without breaking the surface.

"I dunno. I-I guess I got so caught up in fleeing that I didn't think of where we were headed." He replied. The brown-haired girl noticed that he sounded much more intelligent but couldn't figure out why. It was another mystery she supposed or it could be that none of the usual people were around and this could be his real self. Either way she was happy that she was here. Her eyes found the moon as she paced. She smiled at the hanging sphere above her and thanked the stars that she was with him. It used to infuriate her with how everyone treated him and now he would see how a real friend and partner should act. So engrossed was she in her thoughts that she was visibly startled when heard Ranma call out in shock.

"What is it Ranma-kun?" she asked as she turned a pirouette to face him.

"You're…standing on the water…" he managed to stammer out at the impossible sight. She looked down and squeaked before falling into the water without a splash. Kasumi landed on her rear with the water flowing through her. She could feel the water slide through her body and giggled as it tickled her.

"O-oh my! Come here!" she cried out to him and waved him over. With a shrug he came over to see what she found so funny and goggled in astonishment. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and stuck his own hand in the water. The cold water flowing through his hand tickled and he laughed too. A mischievous look appeared on Kasumi's face just seconds before she grabbed his wrist and pulled. The sudden pull couple with the surprise of Kasumi actually doing that resulted in him tumbling into the water. Once again the water was undisturbed by the unexpected guest. When Ranma picked his head up he realized that he was lying on top of Kasumi with his lower body between her legs and his hands on either side of her head. Her face was flushed, quite a trick without blood, but she was doing it.

"Aw damn I'm sorry Kasumi-chan! I-I'll g-get off…Sorry." He couldn't stop stammering out apologies as he tried to back off of her but she would have none of that. The poor boy looked as if he expected to be hit and she had to take that fear away from him. The smile she gave him made him uneasy and warm in a way that Shampoo's smiles never could. She wrapped her arms around him and dragged him back down into the water with her. The image was strange to him, but since they didn't need to breath, the rational part of his mind took a holiday and enjoyed the kiss. Ranma was trying to figure out what happened to Kasumi because as soon as she was certain that he wasn't going anywhere her hands began roving over his body. He couldn't say that he didn't enjoy the sensation, but it was troubling to experience a side of the girl that he never knew. She pulled back slightly to regard him.

"Is this bothering you?" she asked. Her voice undistorted by the water. He shook his head as much to say no as to clear it. It was bothering him a little but it wasn't just the affection. He wanted to say that it was strange without physical sensation but that wouldn't work either. Ki manipulators of any degree tend to feel things beyond the physical level anyway so it wasn't like he couldn't feel anything. The fiancées? They didn't matter really since even if they could see them what could they do about it? It was all him, he realized. He was bothered by it simply because he wasn't sure how he felt about her. His gaze rested squarely on the girl beneath him. He felt the acceptance and the love from her and realized that out of everyone, Kasumi had asked the least. She never even asked him to help around the house and he felt sad that he had taken advantage of her like her family had done. If this was all she wanted then he would gladly give it to her, but not out of a sense of duty. He could never treat Kasumi like that so he resolved to get to the bottom of his feelings for the shy, unassuming, and undeniably very beautiful girl beneath him. Though he did find her much easier to approach now. Whatever had weighed down her spirit seemed to have vanished. Her smile was brighter and seemed to come out more naturally. She also had a wicked sense of humor and a playfulness he never suspected. Maybe this relationship could work out he thought with a slightly crooked smile. Now why was her hair actually floating around her face under the water?

Kasumi's thoughts were awhirl as she realized what was going on and what she was inviting him to do. A part of her mind was screaming that it was improper to do since they weren't married. The other part of her reminded the first part that they were dead and not even the most progressive churches would marry two ghosts. It wasn't too hard to decide what course she would take. A small corner of her mind also was absolutely wild about the idea that she had finally won Ranma and felt a warm glow fill her soul. He looked so handsome peering down at her with that cute frown on his face. Whatever he was thinking about must be serious because he looked as if he were diffusing a bomb and not considering whether to grant her desire. His indecisiveness was charming but it was turning into a mild annoyance and she could actually understand why her younger sister would get mad at him. The soul of Kasumi Tendo is a complex thing. What Ranma is seeing is the young woman that she would have become if her mother hadn't died and she didn't have to raise her sisters. The old Kasumi was glad to be free and quickly latched onto the source of happiness that had entered her life during a rainstorm. She did wonder what happened to his curse. If it had been the spirit of the spring that was turning him into a girl than where was she? Maybe it really was a magic curse that changed his body into a female and that was that. Either way, he was hers and she wasn't about to lose sight of that.

It didn't take him long to come to a decision and he suspected that she had come to one as well. With his usual smirk he resigned himself to fate. It wasn't that he didn't understand what Shampoo kept offering him or what Ukyou kept hinting at. He understood all too well. Sex education was his Pop chucking him into a house of ill-repute for the night which is why he was somewhat afraid of sex. Hopefully this would be nice and nothing like what he had been forced to watch. When she reached up for him, he gladly gave himself to her with only the moon as their witness.

-The next morning-

Ghosts don't need to sleep thankfully or they would have been exhausted. However with the deeds of last night came a new complication, the park was full of people. No one could see them but the habit of life could not all be conquered so easily. The major one was modesty. It seemed as if everyone was around the fountain when they decided to finally get out. Ranma's head came up and took a cautious look around as he pulled his clothes on quickly. If he had thought of it than he would have realized that his clothes were merely pieces of himself and would have willed himself dressed. Kasumi had the right idea on the other hand so that when he looked at her she was fully clothed and ready to go. They were both incredibly embarrassed at their predicament until they remembered that no one could see them. Ranma laughed sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck while Kasumi smiled, her face lightly flushed.

"That was amazing…" the pigtailed boy said with faint awe in his voice. The girl beside him giggled and hugged him around the neck, bringing him in for another kiss.

"Amazing? Can't you say anything better than that?" she asked in a mock reproachful tone.

"What more do you want? I'm only human y'know!" he demanded with a poorly concealed grin just seconds before the two of them laughed. They both sounded a little crazy as they laughed but that didn't matter, it felt so good to actually let their feelings out.

"What do you want to do today?" Ranma asked as they got themselves under control. Kasumi seemed to sober almost immediately. Before the boy could wonder what he said, she answered.

"Can we go visit our family?" she asked softly. The young martial artist understood what she was getting at and simply nodded, drawing her into a deeper hug. They sat together for a time before, with heavy hearts, they stood up to go. Ranma offered to carry her but she gently reminded him that they were both dead and she was fairly sure that they were weightless. At his curious look she simply leapt to the top of the fountain and stood there, perched like a ballerina with one shoe on the top and her other leg bent. The wind somehow made her clothes flow out and drift in the breeze. The boy had to admit she had a point and that she looked beautiful standing there. She crooked a finger at him before leaping off and drifting to the ground several feet away. He didn't need to be told twice as he jumped out of the fountain and leaped after her.

She had the advantage of starting first but he quickly narrowed the gap. With a smile he grabbed her hand and jumped to the top of the first building he came across. Kasumi laughed as she was dragged along behind like a kite, easily keeping up with him. There mission wasn't a pleasant one but it had to be done if either of them were to move on but that didn't stop them from having some fun. The trip was going to be a fast one, but at least their spirits were light.

-Elsewhere-

The hospital was not as busy as it was the day before much to the relief of the healers that had to work that day. There was a buzz going around about the missing nurse from last night. The administrator was in an uproar over the irresponsibility but any call made to her house was taken by her answering machine. It was uncertain what had happened to her but it seemed like a clear dereliction of duty if not for one thing. A tiny drop of blood had been found at her station, but once it was discovered it was just as quickly covered up. The powers that be couldn't be held accountable for someone being murdered on their premises. Besides, it was an isolated incident that would never be repeated, surely. There was nothing more to worry about.

Ayame Toshida was making her usual rounds. Her workstation was the children's ward and in the months that she had worked there it was a genuinely pleasant experience. It saddened her over what had happened to many of the children, but their sheer determination to live had overridden her despair. It was with a smile that she greeted all and a warm word. She had heard the rumors about her co-worker but had simply written it off as the girl not caring enough about her duty. The last room on the right was currently not in use but a stray noise was heard.

"Who's there?" she called out. It was in a still under construction portion of the hospital. Because of the crazy martial artists in the area their hospital was always under construction. The room was darkened but she was sure that she heard something. There were two beds in the room with the one on the end obscured by the curtain. She could faintly make out a shape on the other side. With a resigned smile she realized what was going on.

"C'mon you little rascal, let's get you back to bed." She said kindly as she came around the curtain. Her clipboard dropped to the floor at the sight before her. There was someone lying in the bed, but there was one problem. It was the missing nurse from last night. There was no need to check for a pulse since it was clear that she was dead. Her chest was a bloody ruin with the ribs clearly broken outward, the white bone sticking out through the bloody meat. Ayame tried to scream but nothing came out as she drew closer to the body. Every instinct screamed at her to flee but it was hard to tear her gaze from the sight before her. If she had been paying attention she would have noticed the grating above her head being slowly pulled up.

"Oh Noriko…What happened?" she asked, close to tears. It was true the two of them weren't close, but this was unbelievable. Her face was opened in a silent scream, frozen forever in horror. Suddenly, a light scraping caught her attention, her nerves were already taut and it was the final stimulus needed for a scream. She sucked in the breath, but never had a chance to let it out. A thin strand of steel wire suddenly fell down around her neck and snapped taut, digging viciously into her neck. Without warning she was yanked up into the air, the only sound was of the vertebrae in her neck snapping as the wire buried in her neck. A malicious voice whispered out from the ceiling.

"The fun has only begun."

End Chapter

Author's Notes: I need input! I've wanted to write another story like Strange Occurrences for some time. I truly hope you enjoy my newest offering. This chapter justifies the horror rating I hope. Soon it will all tie together. Ja ne!