Author's notes: Sorry about the delay, motivation has been at an all time low. It took nearly two months just to review this chapter three times. I'd like to thank James Axelrad and Porthos112 for showing me where a lot of work needed to be done.

Disclamer: I own neither Noir nor Ranma ½

The Fourth Sapling

By: brindani

Chapter 17: Bunny Hop pt 2

Chloe's eyebrow arched as she surveyed the room trying to discover the reason behind Ranma's panic stricken face. She followed Ranma's horrified gaze to examine the newest arrival as he stepped from the elevator. The youth's haughty upright demeanor portrayed a regal bearing of a proud noble lineage. To her, he seemed to be roughly their age though the old fashioned kendo uniform he wore made him appear a little older in the low light. The outfit appeared quite out of place given the heavy mix of sensuality and alcohol that saturated the air.

Chloe frowned as this same boy had three girls hanging off of him. Even given their profession, the three were drastically underdressed. More cloth went into the bunny ears than the rest of their costumes combined. Something the boy took shamelessly advantage of with both hands.

"That's him there." Samantha said stepping next to Chloe so her voice would not carry. Chloe nodded, her suspicions confirmed. "This isn't good, Leiko's group has their mitts on him." Samantha's voice lowered, touched with a hint of worry. "Getting his attention will be a lot harder than I thought." Samantha commented as she watched a particularly well endowed green haired girl smirk around the room as she leaned against the boy's right hand, cooing as she brought it to her chest.

"No, I don't think that's gonna be a problem," Ranma mumbled to herself in resignation.

"Don't get me wrong, you're very good looking, but you don't have the experience to compete with that one." Samantha said with a small frown, confused about the red-head's reluctant confidence. "She's just as experienced as I am and plays twice as dirty."

Ranma's expression turned dark as she faced Chloe. Chloe nearly took a step back despite herself. Those piercing blue eyes were disconcerting.

"What?"

"If you ever break your promise about what happens tonight, I swear I'll make you suffer." She declared with an ominous undertone.

Chloe blinked. That was the first time Ranma had ever threatened her. What could Ranma possible do to warrant such a dire threat?

Ranma turned around, slapping her face, knowing what she would have to do and desperately not wanting to. This had the benefit of adding a tinge of pink to her cheeks. Standing up she slowly opened her eyes wide while her face morphed into a caricature of pure innocent sweetness.

"Kuno darling!" Chloe almost fell off her high heels as Ranma, man amongst men, pranced towards the kendoist. She could almost feel the average heart rate of the men watching rise as they followed her progress across the floor.

"Pray tell, could fortunes grace be greater? My bunny-eared pigtail goddess has come to my waiting arms." Kuno exclaimed as he watched the redhead dance towards him. Well, she really wasn't dancing, but then again the glorious array of cherry blossoms floating through the air didn't exist either.

Ranma gritted her teeth as she approached. 'Must not sock Kuno, would be very bad. Must restrain desire to… '

Glomp

'Must not kill, must not kill, must not kill!' Ranma repeated over and over in her mind as Kuno hugged her very affectionately, taking the time to run his hands down her spine to cup her butt and lift her into his embrace.

When he pulled back, Ranma forced a smile back onto her lips. "Kuno, I've longed to see you again. My heart has ached since I was last with you." Ranma said, forcing her eyelids to flutter. "I'm so happy. That horrible evil sorcerer has finally been defeated and I am free of his evil power," Ranma said, biting off each word while trying to hide her disgust as they left her lips.

The other girls in the room stopped what they were doing to stare incredulously at the scene of cuteness. Even the guards were starting to pay more attention to the odd show than the rest of the bunnies.

With everyone's attention diverted, Chloe discreetly faded into the background.

"Yes! I knew the fateful day would arrive when that foul creature would be vanquished to the abyss from whence he came. My only wish, were that I had unleashed the final blow. But my brave designs are secondary. Now that the cur has been defeated, we may at last be together forever." Kuno said happily, eyes shining with desire as his hands twitched suggestively. Ranma felt like throwing-up or slitting her wrists, anything to be put out of her misery.

Sniffing in disdain, Leiko came around to face Kuno with a sultry smile.

"Oh Kuno, how could you leave me alone like that? I thought you wanted to play with a real woman, not this immature little girl." Leiko said, giving Ranma a scornful glance.

Kuno turned wide eyes to Leiko. "I have not forgotten you. My love is large and may encompass more than one. You must understand, this is the energetic pigtailed girl, my love of old. I could not keep myself from her loving embrace."

Leiko's eyebrow started twitching. 'An interloper,' Leiko thought derisively. 'I will not be disgraced before my clique.' She thought, glancing at the pink and blond haired girls who were smirking at her, watching the fun as the two vied for the samurai wannabe's attention. She quickly dismissed them, pulling her attention back to the task at hand.

"But there are so many games I wanted to show you." Leiko purred running a hand along Kuno's chest. She brought her mouth to his ear, whispering huskily. "Perhaps I'll make you a real man tonight." Kuno's lips were suddenly glued to Leiko's, her hands having pulled his head to her.

'Damn, the one time I need to keep Kuno's attention, some experienced slut shows up.' Ranma thought despairingly. Taking a covert scan of the room Ranma realized that even the bosses were engrossed in the melodrama. No one noticed Chloe had already melted into the background, expertly carrying out her chosen 'profession'.

Sighing internally, Ranma steeled herself. Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, artfully bumping Leiko, she sent her opponent sprawling to the ground. The broken lip-lock made Kuno appear like a large eyed gaping fish. He fell straight into and for the waiting puppy-dog combined with a trembling lip attack.

"But…but Kuno, I've wanted you all to myself for so long. How could you? How could you betray my feelings when I've just been set free? Don….don't you like me anymore?" Ranma asked, adding a forced tear. Individually, these attacks were lethal against most men. In combination, the hardest criminal in existence would be putty in Ranma's hands. Leiko glared at her from her position flat on the floor, rubbing her sore rear. It didn't take long for her greater experience to tell her she didn't stand a chance against this ingénue, not with her past history with the boy.

"My darling pigtailed girl, mere words can not express the love I hold for you. Yet I have love enough to share," Kuno said, gleefully oblivious of the small twitch developing on Death's brow.

Ranma bit back a scathing response. Every fiber of her being wanted to nail the buffoon to the wall preferably with his sword. Ranma quickly restrained the desire. As satisfying as knocking this idiot around the room would be, it would draw just the kind of attention they wanted to avoid. Ranma sensed that Chloe had taken a quarter of the guards out discreetly. She just had to restrain herself for a couple more minutes.

"I'm sorry, my darling Kuno. I'm so selfish," Ranma said, tracing little circles on his chest with her index finger. "I want you all to myself. I know it's wrong of me, but… I can't help the desire that burns in my heart whenever I see you. Just for tonight, could I have you all to myself?" Ranma pleaded with another puppy-dog eye attack joined by a hesitant lick across her quivering full lips.

In actuality, Ranma was trying not to barf. Kuno lapped up ever word, his chest puffing out and his head so held high he started to resemble one of those fat chested pigeons. If she had to say something that gross ever again she swore she would kill Kuno in the slowest and most painful way she could find then wash her mouth out with caustic soda.

Leiko was looking slightly sickened as she stood back up, her eyes shooting icy daggers straight at Ranma. Ranma recognized that look; the vixen would take her revenge any way she could. Ranma had hurt her pride and she would never forget it.

"Very well my beloved, I will bow before your overwhelming desire this night. Consider this but a small token of my undying praise to your fiery beauty."

'Must not kill, must not kill, must not kill.' Ranma thought, forcing her hand away from the knife mere moments away from use.

"Oh thank you, 'My' brave sir Kuno." Ranma answered taking Kuno's arm, claiming victory and possession all in one move. "Would you introduce me to everyone? I'm sure they must be important people to know someone as wonderful as you," Ranma gushed trying to keep everyone's attention just a little longer and also hoping to forestall any of Kuno's baser ideas. 'Let's see, Chloe has killed… ten. That leaves ten left. Just four more and I can take the rest in one shot without endangering anyone.'

Ranma thought as she was led to the pile of bunny girls surrounding the three people she had come to… handle…in the first place. They were all lowlifes, scars criss-crossed their face hiding hard eyes only lax enough to enjoy the entertainment of the night.

"This is my grandfather and his associates. They are in the business." Kuno winked twice. Ranma, managed to keep her face composed as she doubted that Kuno had any inkling of what 'the business' actually meant. Probably never even stopped to wonder where all the money his family made came from either.

Keeping an oblivious expression, she hid her real thoughts as she spoke in her cutest voice, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It appears that my grandson has finally found someone to take care of him. I was beginning to worry he would not find that special someone that could truly appreciate his better qualities." Ranma's smile became strained as she watched the man's hands as he boldly groped the moaning blue haired girl sitting in his lap. This more than anything made his connection to the Kuno family apparent, Ranma would recognize that lechery anywhere.

"Yes, people just don't see Kuno's real self the way I do." Ranma said, her eye twitching as she envisioned the way she'd like to see him. 'His head smashed into a brick wall preferably,' she thought to herself. Fortunately, the elder was just as oblivious as his grandson to her true feelings.

"I've heard many tales of my grandson's red haired goddess. I thought they were mere embellishment, but here I find that his words simply do not do you justice."

"Why thank you." Ranma said, bowing low to the criminal boss. As she rose, her eyes snapped wide as Chloe gave the signal, it wasn't elegant but it did the trick.

'NOW!'

Ranma dropped the false smile. Leaping into the air, she threw three knives from each hand. Several came inches from a few of the girls around the room. Unerringly, six men slumped lifelessly on their tables, scaring the girls attending to them.

Ranma slowly turned back to her primary objective. Each was frantically attempting to free their arms of two or three hysterical girls so they could reach their guns.

"What are you doing, my pigtailed goddess? Why would you attack my grandfather's men?" Kuno asked dumbly, taking a step away from Ranma.

Ranma didn't take her eyes away from the lowlifes. "If you don't already know, your Grandfather is a crime lord, he's responsible for two thirds of the illegal narcotics imported into Tokyo. He has ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands to make the money that you pompously throw around. His two associates are no better." Ranma said, her vicious eyes coldly spearing the already frightened bosses. "They deal primarily in the slave market. They're responsible for forcing three-fourths of these girls into prostitution." Those girls not frightened out of their mind in fear gasped, seeing the scarred men as something far more insidious than an easy tip. "The promising lives ruined by the drug traders are generously 'saved' by them," her voice dripped with sarcasm, "They mercifully take in the female children of addicts as payment. They're then given to pimps to raise into the lifestyle of selling their bodies. Of course, most of the money they're paid goes straight to the pimp. It keeps them penniless so they can't possibly leave. And these are the people that you call friends and relatives Kuno? Tell me, why would I let such continue when I have the power to stop it?"

Kuno's head slowly turned to stare at his Grandfather in horror. 'We are noble. This money is our birthright… Isn't it? There can be no way it comes from such lowly designs...' He had to know the truth.

"Is this true, Grandfather?" Kuno asked, stepping away slowly, the shock evident on his face.

The older man frowned, but made no move to deny the accusations.

His associates stared at Ranma, unnerved by the knives she twirled in her hand. On closer inspection, one would see a deep gash on each of their hands, their guns gently rocking back and forth on the far wall.

"It's time to pay the piper." Ranma said, menacingly, blades becoming a blur between the petite redhead's dexterous fingers.

"Please don't kill me! I can make you wealthier than you could possibly imagine. Take anything you want, just don't kill me," one pleaded as he sobbed on his knees. Ranma simply watched his groveling neutrally, not a shred of pity crossing her face, waiting. In the blink of an eye, the man whipped out a small pistol. The knife in Ranma's hand appeared to vanish, appearing in the center of the lowlifes head. The look of surprise etched on his face was frozen as he slumped against his frightened neighbor. Through it all, her eyes never left the others on the couch, letting them know she was prepared for anything.

"I've already seen that trick," Ranma said with a derisive sniff. "Do either of you wish to show me any others?" Ranma asked the remaining vermin. The man on the right shifted nervously away as the new weight finally fell off, leaning against his leg, he gradually removed his hand from his concealed weapon and back into plain sight. Kuno's grandfather remained stoic, meeting her eyes steadily.

"I have been defeated. I accept my fate as our ancient samurai blood demands." He said bowing his head.

'Finally, some true honor mixed with the Kuno's insanity. Not much given his occupation, but at least he accepts his fate.' Ranma thought with an approving nod.

"No, I won't die." Kuno's subordinate grabbed one of the girls either too foolish or paralyzed with fear to get clear of the action. He brought his gun to her head. "Don't come any closer! I'll kill her if you do!" Ranma watched him drolly as his hand quivered around the gun. The captured bunny girl descended further into hysterics. Ranma simply shook her head.

"Now you've taken it out of my hands. My compatriot is much less forgiving than I am and I believe she has been offended."

"Compatriot?" The man asked dumbly. He never had time to react to the blur that picked him up and launched him at the far wall.

"If you prefer, you can say partner." Chloe mentioned in a low voice as she caught the feinted bunny-girl in her arms, she lay the girl down and advanced on the man. Cracking her knuckles, he feebly attempted to kick her away but found he'd only given her a convenient means of dragging him through the only door leading out of the grand hall. The door snapped shut with a decisive click.

The screams that echoed from the room made more than one girl jump. Slow minutes passed before the screams abruptly cut off in a gurgle of wet sound.

"Now, as for you, Kuno senior…" Ranma said, turning her attention to the last piece of trash.

"I will be his second." Kuno declared stoically, slowly drawing his katana.

Ranma sweat-dropped at Kuno's determined countenance.

"I would be honored to have my Grandson be my second as I commit seppuku." The elder man said, bowing low.

'Loonies, I swear. Maybe there's honor there, but they're still insane.' Ranma thought to herself as she watched the two samurai wannabes.

"Fine, but take it somewhere else. Chloe could you watch them for me?" Ranma asked the girl as she re-entered the room after her grisly task.

She nodded, opening the door wide, pinning the two with an impenetrable stare.

They both formally bowed before the girl, entering into the room. The door closed with a snap, leaving Ranma alone in the grand hall with nearly seventy bunny-ear clad girls.

Ranma took a deep breath. The night had been embarrassing and more than a little annoying, but they'd completed their task. She stared down at the man she had killed. Yes, her hands had taken life again. They were bad men, but no matter how horrible their sins, their blood still coated Ranma's hands.

She shivered as she felt eyes, thousands of eyes staring at her, watching her, judging her. No, she'd been right, she'd done this to protect countless people. The relentless eyes didn't care, their accusing gaze seemed to scream; she had killed, guilty of the one sin she had once sworn to prevent.

'GO AWAY!'

Ranma spun around gun pointed at those eyes.

"AAAAH"

Ranma blinked, faced by a room full of fearful girls, watching her, several trembling, awaiting their judgment, knowing full well that if this petite little girl found them lacking, no amount of running would save them.

'I almost… no, I would never.' Ranma shut the idea out of her mind, sheathing her gun so fast that a few of the girls wondered if it had ever existed.

"Uhhh, you girls had better go home now." Ranma said, raising her voice. The sigh that spread across the room was audible, expanding Ranma's guilt a thousand fold. What was unexpected was that not even the most frightened bunny moved an inch.

"But what happens now?" A tentative question came from the crowd.

Ranma stared blankly back at the expectant crowd.

A long uncomfortable silence descended, ending as Samantha stepped forward. "I think what she means is what will happen to us now that the people responsible for destroying our lives are dead. The pimps that held our leash will likely go into hiding leaving most of these girls high and dry." Ranma's stare remained blank.

Samantha shook her head, realizing that their unexpected heroine remained clueless to the problem.

"Some of them don't know anything except how to please a man. Either everything else was beaten out of them or they were brought in so young they never knew there was anything else. Without their pimp, they'll likely die."

Ranma's eyes widened as she saw hesitant nods throughout the crowd. She had never known it was going to be this bad.

"You could lead us, you could protect us." A hesitant voice squeaked in the background. Ranma's brow started to twitch as nearly every girl in the room started to proclaim that she was one of them, knew what they had gone through, that she could protect them from ever having to do it again.

"STOP!" Ranma yelled, silence washed across the crowed, everyone eyed her fearfully, concerned that they may not live out the night after all. Sighing Ranma tried to think clearly. Apparently, she had just stepped into something very large, smelly and usually disposed of by toilet.

Opening her eyes, she spoke in a firm voice.

"Ok, first off I ain't a hooker. This is only a disguise I used to get in here." Ranma was a little disquieted by the number of girls who were shocked by this revelation.

"Second, I will take out any boss that tries to move in and do the same thing these guys did."

"Yahoooooo!"

Ranma sweat dropped as the girls started to cheer.

"I'M NOT DONE!" Ranma shouted, the room went completely silent, faces eagerly awaiting her next words.

"I will not be able to take care of you all." The cheer fell away from the crowd as it began to restlessly shift about, the girls murmuring in low frightened voices.

"There are far too many things that I have to do right now." The worried murmurs grew in frequency, "However, you have natural leaders that can organize everything for you." Stepping forward, Ranma approached Samantha, her eyes growing wide.

"Samantha has excellent leadership capability. Most of you already know this. She could organize you, perhaps start putting away funds for each of you to get an education to get out of this life before something goes wrong." All the girls were now staring at a very embarrassed Samantha, some with nods, others with grudging respect. Ranma nudged the reluctant woman forward as everyone stared at her expectantly.

Samantha shook herself before sighing. "Ok, I have a couple of ideas that could get us going. But how will we contact you? I can guarantee that someone will try and stranglehold us once word of this circulates." She said gesturing to the downed bosses.

Ranma eyed the mess she had made before nodding. Discreetly, she slipped closer to Samantha and whispered. "The person at this number will be able to contact me. Don't use it unless there is an absolute emergency," Ranma repeated the digits until Samantha nodded that she had them then glanced around at the girls who'd leaned closer to try and listen.

Samantha smiled, taking the paper she had written the number on, and stowing it back… wherever it had come from, before starting to organize the bunnies.

Ranma took several steps back, watching the crowd converge. Her eyes took in the new hope she had fostered. At least a few lives would be brought back from the devastation caused by the Yakuza. Now they would just have to deal with the elevator guy and give the pervert upstairs a good beating. Ranma thought as she cracked her knuckles ominously.

"You did well."

Ranma jumped as she spun around to find Chloe standing behind her.

"Don't do that!"

Chloe replied with a small triumphant smirk. She had finally managed to sneak up on Ranma.

Author's end notes: Not much to say really. I'm puzzled by everyone's expectation that Kuno would die. I'll admit that characters do die in my stories occasionally, but I typically only do so if it would be surprising or draw emotion naturally. If it doesn't do that, I see very little reason to pointlessly go around killing characters off.

See you next time,

brindani