INTERLUDE TWO: OBUMBRATA ET VELETA

PRESENT DAY

"You look like shit, Kiki."

Kozue had called looking for her saying that they had something urgent to talk about. She told Kozue that she was visiting Ranma and to come find her at the hospital.

The Kansai girl had never lost her touch for saying the most annoying things at the most irritating of times. She was probably the only person in the world brazen enough to say such things to her face. Neither Ranma or Akane even would have dared.

"Fine way to greet a girl on a Sunday morning. I thought we were here to talk business."

"Your assumption, Kiki, not mine. You should've known better."

Nabiki sighed.

Kozue was right. Business at the firm was the best it had ever been. They had just released their best quarterly figures ever to their investors. In fact, that had been the day the hospital had called asking Nabiki to consider letting her husband die. There really was nothing to talk about with regard to the business.

Rather, this was going to be one of those sessions again where the crazy Kansai girl tried to work on her pretty Heathen's little Anglo-Japanese head. Kozue was another one who had put her art aside for a pragmatic vocation. She was a doctor. Not a real one, of course, but the title and credentials of a physician were all that mattered from the perspective of the business. She had never actually practiced after completing her training. Still, Kozue still liked to play at treating people from time to time. She was usually uncannily good at it too, being, as she put it, unencumbered by experience.

All the more reason Nabiki found herself annoyed that she had bothered to pick up Kozue's call.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not in the mood for a charitable pity crusade right now."

"Damn you, Kiki! Of course not! I guarantee you there's no charity or pity for you here."

"You're right. You're too crude for me to even conceive of equating you with charity."

Kozue raised her hands, visibly wanting to strangle her friend before seeming to remember herself. Pausing to take a deep breath, she eventually stepped forward to brush aside a lock of hair that had come over Nabiki's eyes.

"All kidding aside, Kiki, whether you like it or not, I miss your smirk. I'm worried about you."

Nabiki managed a laugh. "I'm smirking at the shit you're saying right now."

Kozue gave a dismissive wave, the seriousness of her expression only hardening. "That's bullshit, Kiki. We both know it. You've barely even taken a day for yourself since it happened."

"I'm fine."

"Are you really?"

"Work keeps me grounded. I — "

"Have the worst case of acrophobia. Yet, there you were on the roof the other night, dangling your feet over the edge like one of those fucking Tolstoyan madwomen you used to rage about."

"Kozue — "

"I saw the security footage. Own it, Kiki. You had something stupid in your head."

Damn Kozue. Probably the only person left now who really knew or understood anything about her. Nabiki shook her head as she sank back in her chair and gave a weary, resigned sigh. Fine. Whatever. So what if Kozue knew.

"Don't worry. Would've been too messy. Besides, I made a promise, right? He still needs me to keep the fucking vultures and parasites away at the hospital. They're ready to let him die."

"Kiki…."

Sors immanis et inanis. Am I the reason?

"You don't deserve this. Loving isn't a crime."

Nabiki gave her best friend a sad, forlorn chuckle. "Apparently, when you do it my way, it is."

"Whatever. Maybe you should go to Fuji. I'll check up on him regularly, hold the fort down no problem. No one will do anything stupid while you're away. I promise."

Ranma was the only other person who would have understood the significance of Kozue's suggestion. Even Nabiki's acrophobia had no meaning there. She brought him for the first time just after he learned about the results of the annual Asagaya competition. She had told him that Mom would have liked his style. He replied that he thought he would have liked knowing Akiko.

"I'm serious."

"And then what?"

"You come back with an answer. Maybe you even remember how to fight. You gave your word that you would."

Promise that you'll take care of him, Oneechan, and that you'll be happy. I love you….

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