All Ranma characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi, first published
by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by Viz Communications.
A Different Viewpoint: American Vacation pt 2
When it was finally time to order, Paul went first, ordering a special house dish, a twenty four ounce steak, with all the trimmings. He confided to the rest of the group that the restaurant had an offer to pay the bill for anyone who could eat the entire meal in half an hour or less. He had never managed it yet but....
Ranma's mouth watered at the thought of a free steak. "I have that too!" He announced.
The waiter smirked behind his hand. "Yes, sir. If you can't finish it all, we'll be happy to wrap it up for you."
Ranma smirked back, and winked at Akane. The
waiter took everyone else's orders and departed.
When the food came, Ranma dug in with his usual speed, getting shocked looked from the Dwires. Akane dug a elbow into his side and Ranma stopped eating long enough to be on the receving end of a force nine glare. He gulped and swallowed, then started eating at a more human pace.
When the waiter came to check on them, he was astonished to find Ranma cleaning the last bit of meat off his plate.
Ranma turned to Akane with a contented sigh. "Hey, Mr Dwire, are you going to finish your steak?"
The waiter, eyes bulging, staggered away, to report the impossible to the chef.
Paul led the dinner off with a pointed question. "So, Johnathon. How did Kasumi and you meet?"
Johnathon smiled over at Akane. "Akane's one of my students at Furinkan High school. I learned her father ran a dojo, and decided to take martial arts lessons there. I met Kasumi at the dojo. She invited me to dinner after a particularly hard session. I was taking lessons at the Tendo dojo pretty regularly. After a few months, I got to know Kasumi pretty well. We had some long talks. I fell in love, and told her so. We started dating eventually, after my trip to China. Finally we decided to get married.
Paul looked interested. "Just like that?"
Johnathon glanced at Kasumi. < Curses, kidnappings, perverts, ancient martial artists, demons.... It wasn't really just like that... but what can I say?> He looked back at his father. "We fell in love. What more can I say?" Kasumi smiled at her husband, putting her hand on his arm.
Clara spoke up. "So, you decided to stay in Japan?"
Johnathon nodded. "Yes, I couldn't take Kasumi away from her family. The Tendo's are like my family now, really. I'm quite happy there."
Clara smiled weakly. "I'm glad to hear you're happy, Johnathon."
Paul cleared his throat. "So, where are you two living?"
Johnathon nodded to his wife. "I moved in with Kasumi. We're living at the Tendo home."
Paul nodded. "Are you going to look for your own place?"
Johnathon looked at Kasumi again, then back at his father. "We'll be staying at the Tendo's for the foreseeable future. According to the inheritance laws, the first daughter married can inherit without the majority of the taxes. Therefore Kasumi will inherit the house. We've talked it out. It's a big place. Ranma and Akane will run the dojo after they marry. Kasumi will run the household as she is now. I'm going to keep teaching at the high school."
Paul nodded. "I see."
Johnathon cringed inwardly at the almost imperceptible tone of disappointment in his father's voice. < I've failed him again. I'm never going to live up to his expectations. I wish he could just be happy that I'm happy. I wish I could stop feelingly guilty that I'm not the son my father wished me to be.>
Michael quickly picked up the conversation with Akane and Ranma, while Kasumi chatted with Clara. Johnathon spent the rest of the night helping to smooth translations and making the occasional idle comment. Paul made occasionally polite comments as well, but Johnathon, Clara and Michael could tell he wasn't in a very cheerful mood. Ranma and Akane didn't notice anything wrong, but Kasumi and Michael could tell Johnathon was also in a bad mood.
When they got back to Johnathon's parent's house and turned in for the night, Kasumi spoke quietly. "Johnathon, what's wrong? You seemed pensive tonight." She looked at him gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Johnathon started getting defensive. "Why do you think something's wrong? I'm fine, really."
Kasumi sighed softly. "Alright, Johnathon, if you say so."
Johnathon started to get into bed and sighed as well. "I guess I was a bit tense tonight."
Kasumi slipped into bed quietly. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Johnathon got into bed next to her, his weight causing the bed to sink around him and Kasumi to roll over onto him.
Kasumi fought back a giggle. "Oh my! I think I'm starting to like waterbeds!"
Johnathon chuckled faintly and took the opportunity to snuggle up against Kasumi, gently caressing her shoulders.
Kasumi sighed in contentment. "Mmmm.... Do you want to talk about it, Johnathon?" Kasumi smiled mischievously. "Or perhaps you'd just like to make love, and put it out of your mind?"
Johnathon blinked. "Hmm, tough choice... why don't we do both?"
Kasumi nodded. "Mmm hmm."
Johnathon leaned over and kissed her cheek, then quietly sighed. "It's my father. I'm afraid he's disappointed in me. Dad's always expected more of me than I gave... straight A's instead of B's, joining Mensa like he did... I never applied.... He was very proud when I was accepted into a program for gifted kids... but it only made his expectations higher. He figured I'd be a respected physicist or college professor by now. Teaching English at a high school wasn't what he expected. Oh, he's gotten used to my lack of ambition, but he's still disappointed."
Kasumi lay on her side, inches away from her husband, listening intently, the look on her face sympathetic. "Your father wanted all those things for you?" She wrinkled her nose in confusion. "But, you never did any of those things?"
Johnathon shook his head. "No, I didn't. I was happy with how my life was going. I didn't see the need to accomplish so much. At the least, my father expected me to earn a healthy wage at an office, become a manager like he did. But I've never needed a lot. I've been pampered in my life, had everything I wanted, and I've been poor." He shrugged. "And I still had everything I wanted. I don't need wealth, or fame, or prestige to be happy. I never have. I was happy without all those things. Then I met you, and now, happiness is a very pale term for how I feel. I love my life, and you're why. We've had tough times, but they've all been worth it in the end, cause we're together."
Kasumi smiled at that. "I'm very glad to hear it." She paused in thought. "You feel bad, not because you didn't become rich, or successful, but because you don't like disappointing your father."
Johnathon nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's it."
Kasumi sighed. "Oh Johnathon, Johnathon, Johnathon." She laid her head across his chest. < I don't know what to tell him. I can understand his father's feelings. Our father never really pushed us to succeed as Johnathon's did, but if he had, we would have done our best.... I would have done my best to follow father's wishes. Johnathon, do I really understand you? Can I really understand you? At times you seem so honorable, but you do not respect your father's wishes. Is it true you have no ambition? You seem to try hard to succeed at whatever you do, but....>
Kasumi sighed again. < He loves me, and I love him. He is a kind, caring soul, and an intelligent man. If I had wanted to marry a doctor, or a rich man, I could have married Dr. Tofu... but... I am happy, truly happy, and will remain so. Truly, is there more to life than that?> Kasumi turned to her husband, smiling. "I think you've done well with your life. I am proud of you. I love you. I want to share your life, as it is. Do not let what other's think make you sad."
Johnathon hugged her softly. "That's my Kasumi."
Kasumi responded to the embrace with enthusiasm and conversation ceased for the night.
The next morning, before the first hint of dawn, Kasumi woke and very carefully slipped out of the waterbed. Her movement caused a small wave, and Johnathon stirred, then fell back into a deeper sleep. Kasumi quietly picked up the clothing scattered at the foot of the bed, and got her nice house dress out of her suitcase. She slipped into the bathroom and made herself presentable, then quietly walked into the main portion of the house.
Kasumi found herself in the kitchen and hesitated, feeling a bit like an intruder. < I think I'll offer to help Ms. Dwire with breakfast, when she gets up.> Kasumi walked into the living room and saw that the dogs were sleeping in two cages near the fireplace. She sighed to herself. < I hope they didn't cage them up just because of me.> Kasumi went to the back door and tried to slid it open. It was a large glass door leading into the backyard, but it didn't budge. Checking, Kasumi found it was locked. < Oh my. I suppose this is America, after all.>
Kasumi unlocked the backdoor and went out, staying on the porch as she had left her shoes and socks in her room. Kasumi looked around at the variety of shrubs and trees in the back yard. It wasn't a traditional garden, but it was quite nice. She went to the edge of the porch and took a deep breath. The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn, beyond the fence. Kasumi could hear a car going by.
Kasumi smiled. < Today is going to be a good day, I can tell.>
Just then, Kasumi heard a faint mechanical sound from several different spots around her in the yard. Feeling a sudden chill of dread, she looked. Several sprinkler heads had popped up in the grass and Kasumi's eyes went wide. "Oh my!" She spun toward the house and was taking her first running step when one of the sprinklers caught her from behind.
The small black cat that crawled out of the neck of Kasumi's dress sighed, then sprinted forward to avoid getting even further soaked in the early morning chill. Kasumi made it too the back door, and realized that she had closed it behind her when she had gone outside. It was no longer locked, but Kasumi was sure it would be too massive for her to open, even if she could get a purchase on it.
Kasumi sat in front of the door pondering her next move. < It would probably be best to wait until Johnathon, Ranma or Akane wake up, then attract their attention. Ranma and Akane will probably come out to spar....> Kasumi screeched as a strong spray of water lanced into her from the side, then proceeded to spray the glass door and the wall of the house. Kasumi glared at the defective sprinkler in annoyance. < You're supposed to water the lawn, not the porch!>
Inside the house, the two dogs woke up at the sound of a cat screeching outside. From where they lay in their cages, they could just see it near the door, soaking wet. Both dogs started to bark and whine.
Kasumi noticed the commotion she had caused inside. < Oh no, they've spotted me. At least they're in their cages.>
As the small black cat was starting to relax, Clara Dwire came up and let the two dogs out. "Shh! Quiet, boys, you'll wake our guests!" Chip and Dale rushed to the door and whined to be let out. Clara nodded. "Outside?" The two dogs bounced up an down in agreement. Clara opened the door and they rushed outside eagerly.
Kasumi had started backing away from the door as she saw Clara let the dogs out of their cage. Now she turned and ran. The two dogs may have been small compared to her human form, but as a cat they out massed her considerably. Chip and Dale chased Kasumi to the fence. Kasumi leaped to the top of it's six foot height and perched there uncertainly. The two dogs kept barking angrily and with a sigh, Kasumi dropped to the outside of the fence, out of sight. As she did so, Kasumi heard the sprinklers cut off in the yard, apparently set for only a short period.
Kasumi shook her head. < Right when I came outside... this really is a curse.>
In the yard, Chip and Dale stopped barking, having successfully driven off the intruder. They began to carefully patrol the yard, looking and smelling for any traces of the cat. Dale snorted happily as he discovered Kasumi's dress. It smelled of cat, and of that strange woman that had smelled of cat. It was still warm from her body heat, and soft, so Dale dragged it off and stuffed it in his dog house, them promptly laid down on his new blanket. Chip joined him and the two dogs curled up companionably on Kasumi's dress inside their little house.
Kasumi frowned thoughtfully as she tried to decide what to do. < I know, I'll go around the block, and wait near the front door. I can even scratch at Johnathon's window, since the guest room is in the front of the house.>
Kasumi started down the block and turned a corner. Johnathon's parent's house was in the farthest back corner of a square of small blocks. A fence went all the way around it, and to get to the front of the house, Kasumi needed to walk over four blocks if she wished to avoid crossing through someone's yard. It wasn't too far, and Kasumi didn't want to risk running into any more dogs, so she kept to the sidewalk. As Kasumi turned the second corner she was surprised to see a small flock of ducks crossing the street in front of her.
Kasumi hesitated, then slipped behind a shrub. < I don't want to scare the little ducks, and their mother might attack me.> She watched the ducks going by, then noticed a woman walking quietly up to her. The woman appeared non threatening and appeared to be watching the ducks as well, so Kasumi let her get close rather than run away and spook the baby ducklings. As the last duck crossed the road, Kasumi slipped out from behind the shrub, only to feel a large hand close over her neck and lift her into the air.
"Got you!" The woman declared triumphantly. "I wondered what had been killing off those poor little ducks."
Kasumi gasped for air and tried to squirm free, but the woman's grasp was firm. The woman carried Kasumi into her house and put her down on a counter, still holding her securely.
The woman picked up a phone and dialed. "Hello? Humane Society? Yes, I've got a cat here. It's been killing off the ducks for the last few months... yes... yes...." The woman answered some questions, gave her address, then hung up. She kept a firm grasp on Kasumi the whole time, and the little black cat didn't move, hoping the woman would release her for just a moment.
Thirty minutes later, Kasumi sighed as she was deposited in a cage in the Humane Society building. < She never let go. Now what am I going to do?>
Back in the guest room, Johnathon yawned and sat up, stretching. He looked around. < Where did Kasumi go?> He knew she was used to getting up early, but they were guests. < Kasumi probably offered to make breakfast or something.> From the light coming through the slats of his room's curtain, Johnathon figured it to be almost an hour after dawn. He dressed quickly and went to the bathroom for a quick shower and shave.
Ranma had slept through the sounds of the dogs barking. He did wake up almost an hour later, to Akane shaking his shoulder. Ranma blinked and looked up at his fiancee.
Akane was standing next to his sofa bed, wearing her gi. "Come on, Ranma, wake up. I want to get some practice in before breakfast."
Ranma shook his head blearily and yawned. "Where?"
Akane pointed. "The backyard. It's not as big as home, but it's large enough."
Ranma sat up and nodded. "OK, you go warm up. I'll be out in a minute.
Akane grinned and headed for the back door. Ranma got out of bed and quickly dressed in his favorite red shirt and black pants. As he headed for the back door himself, he spotted Johnathon's mother bringing the dogs inside.
Clara noticed him and smiled. "Good morning, Ranma, would you like some breakfast?"
Ranma grinned, having gotten most of that sentence, and replied in english. "No problem, Mrs. Dwire, that sounds great!"
Clara beamed. "Good, what would you like?"
Ranma blinked, his one well practiced phrase had worked, but now what did he say? "I... I eat anything, thank you." He managed slowly.
Clara smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
Ranma bowed swiftly and headed for the back door. "Thanks!" He said as he went out into the yard.
Akane was stretching on the porch and Ranma walked up to her, rolling his shoulders and stretching out his arms. "Ready?"
Akane got to her feet. "Sure... it's a bit damp out here... but it should be fine."
Ranma nervously checked the sky, it was clear. "Yeah, no rain in sight. Let's go."
Clara Dwire was getting eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator when she heard the faint thumps coming from outside. She walked up to the kitchen window, and dropped half a dozen eggs in the sink. Clara watched in wide eyed shock as Ranma and Akane fought their way across the backyard, punches and kicks flying.
Mrs. Dwire quickly backed away from the window and headed down the hall. "Paul! Johnathon!"
Johnathon heard his mother shout and cut off the water in the shower. "What is it, mom?" He said loudly.
Clara ran up to the bathroom door where her son's voice had come from. "It's Ranma... and his fiancee... they're trying to kill each other, outside!"
Johnathon listened carefully. < No walls being knocked down, and Akane's not yelling.> "No they're not, mom! I'm sure they're just practicing."
Clara blinked. "Practicing?"
Johnathon sighed and started drying himself off quickly. "Yes mom. They're going to run a martial arts dojo, remember? They practice every day!"
The door to Clara's right opened abruptly and Paul, her husband, looked out blearily. "What is it, Clara? What's wrong?" Clara shook her head. "It's alright, Paul. It was nothing. I was just a bit startled."
Paul stepped into the hall. "Oh, what happened?" He looked up, past his wife as her heard the faint noises of hand to hand combat coming from outside. "What is that? Sounds like someone's fighting in the backyard."
Johnathon opened the bathroom door, towel wrapped around his waist. "Sorry about that. I should have mentioned something earlier. Ranma and Akane tend to practice before breakfast. Everything is alright, I'm sure."
Paul nodded. "Oh, that's right. They're going to be running a martial arts school, aren't they?"
Clara looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry I startled everyone. I was just surprised when I saw them fighting outside."
Johnathon nodded. "Don't worry about it. I should have said something."
He started to close the bathroom door. "I'll be out in a couple minutes."
Paul shrugged and went back into the master bedroom. Clara sighed and started back for the kitchen. She cleaned up the mess in the sink, trying not to watch the two martial artists engage in what was, for them, a relatively light sparring session. To her it looked more like life or death combat.
Clara checked the remaining eggs and frowned lightly, remembering Ranma's appetite at the restaurant. "I'd better go shopping after breakfast."
Johnathon finished up in the bathroom and got fully dressed, then headed out to the kitchen.
As he got to the kitchen, Johnathon glanced around in confusion. "Hey, mom, have you seen Kasumi this morning?"
Clara looked at her son. "No Johnathon. I haven't seen her."
Johnathon frowned and headed back for the guest room and opened the door. "Kasumi?" There was no sign of her. He checked the room Akane had slept in, paused at the master bedroom but decided she wouldn't have gone in there, then went quickly to check the garage. "Nothing." He said quietly, and went out the side door into the backyard. Johnathon quickly searched the back yard, but there was no sign of his wife. As he looked around he noticed the grass was slightly wet.
Johnathon interrupted Ranma and Akane's sparring session. "Hey, have either of you seen Kasumi?" The two teenagers shook their heads.
Akane spoke up. "You don't know where she is?"
Johnathon shook his head. "I have no idea. She's not in the house anyway." He glanced down at a small, black, plastic circle in the grass. Johnathon blinked, then squatted down. "Sprinklers... these are new...." He stood. "Kasumi might have gone walking and gotten wet. We should look for her. She should have made it back by now." He nodded to Ranma. "Ranma, stay here in case Kasumi returns. Akane and I will go looking for her."
Ranma looked incredulous. "What the heck? Why am I staying behind?"
Johnathon shrugged. "Someone has to, and we're not going to be fighting anyone. Besides, Akane's english is better that yours."
Akane nodded. "He's right, Ranma, someone has to stay."
Ranma looked like he still wanted to protest. "But... what do I tell your parents, Johnathon?"
The tall english teacher shrugged. "That we've gone jogging... improvise!" He ran for the back fence and vaulted it with one hand. Akane followed after, leaping over without touching. Johnathon pointed to the right. "Go that way, follow the sidewalk until you reach the house again. I'll meet you on the other side. He took off and Akane did the same.
Akane jogged steadily, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of her eldest sister. As she rounded the second corner, Akane spotted a woman weeding in her flower bed in her front yard.
Akane paused in front of her, speaking slowly in her passable english. "Excuse me, but have you seen my sister? She's about this tall, and has long brown hair...."
The woman listened politely, then shook her head. "No, no one has walked by here like that."
Akane nodded. 'I see. Have you seen a black cat?"
The woman blinked. "Yes, yes I have. It was stalking the ducks. I've noticed that several of them had been killed recently, and today I spotted a black cat stalking them."
Akane frowned in confusion. "Excuse me.... Stalking? Do you mean... hiding from them?"
The woman shook her head. "No, stalking, it was hiding over by this bush, watching them, then it came out after them. I caught it and called the Humane Society. They picked it up half an hour ago."
Akane's eyes widened. "The Humane Society? What did they do with my sis... um, the cat?"
The woman blinked again then shrugged. "Took it away, like I said. Is it your cat? You really should keep it inside and not let it run amok like that."
Akane bowed curtly. "Thank you. Excuse me." She hurried off, heading at a dead run for Johnathon's parent's house.
Johnathon was also at a dead run, for a different reason. "Damn sprinklers!" He snarled for the second time in as many minutes. < It's just my luck. Not thirty yards from the house when the sprinklers come on.> "hhuff" < I turn and snarl at the sprinklers (real mature, that) and notice I've just frightened a family coming out of their rear gate to go on a walk, half to death.> "Hhuuff" < They start yelling and I run for it, only to see a cop car pull up in front of me.> "Hhufff" < I take a right, and head into the park, and scare half a dozen joggers.> "Haahha... here...."
Johnathon reached the buildings he had been sprinting for and leaped. < Made it. There's no way they could have followed me here....> He turned around to look down off the roof, catching his breath. The cop car was just out of sight at the edge of the park, it's two occupants, however, were already halfway across. < Oh good, I get to have a couple track stars for cops.> He turned and ran over the top of the school building he had jumped onto. < At least they haven't started shooting yet.>
Akane ran into the Dwire's house and glanced around.
Ranma walked up and spoke quietly in japanese. "Have you found her? Where's Johnathon?"
Akane shook her head. "No, but I think I found out what happened to Kasumi."
Clara walked up, speaking in english. "Is everything alright?"
Akane hesitated, then slowly nodded. "Yes." She answered in english. "Johnathon and Kasumi are out... walking. I was going to ask Ranma if... if he wanted to come with me."
Ranma blinked, then nodded quickly. "Yes, that is right. Sure... Akane... I go with...."
Akane tried not to wince at his horrid english, and paused, suddenly inspired. "Johnathon said he was going to take Kasumi over to the Humane Society, but he forgot to tell us where it is."
Clara blinked. "The Humane Society? Why would they go there?"
Akane shrugged noncommittally. < I don't know, you tell me.>
Clara looked thoughtful. "Well, I believe I remember where it is, let me think...." Akane listened carefully to Clara's directions, then she took Ranma quickly outside.
Akane spoke seriously. "Ranma, I'm going to go to the Humane Society. I think Kasumi was taken there. Head Johnathon off before he reaches home and have him follow me."
Ranma frowned. "Head him off? What if he comes in the back?"
Akane shrugged. "You'll think of something."
Ranma blinked. "Sure... I'll think of something...." Akane rolled her eyes and jogged off. Ranma stood there, trying to think. < No how can I head off Johnathon if he comes from the side of the house I'm not on?> Ranma looked up. "That's it. If I'm on the roof I can see in all direction's at once, so I can spot him coming." Ranma gathered himself and promptly leaped up to the roof of the Dwire house. Ranma glanced around once and spotted something unusual. A white and black car, with a red and blue flashing light, sat on the street halfway down the block on the other side of the fence. < American police. I wonder why they're here?>
Ranma peered down and spotted an officer talking to a family of four on the sidewalk. Further down the street, Ranma spotted a second police car parked at the entrance to a park.
< That's a lot of police. I wonder what's going on.> Ranma acted on a hunch and crossed over from house to house, finally dropping down behind the section of fence next to the family the policeman was talking too. He listened in on their conversation quietly. The words were flying quickly but Ranma made out, "Cat monster" and "ran into the park." Ranma sighed. < Johnathon must have gotten splashed. I'd better go save him.>
Ranma jumped over to the Dwire's back yard, ran in their back door and zipped into the kitchen. The Dwires were sitting down to breakfast and looked at him in surprise.
Clara spoke up. "Ranma? Not going with Akane? Would you like some breakfast?"
Ranma hesitated, then shook his head. "No... thank you. I... I just get drink... yes?" He jumped over to the sink. "Water! I need some water!" The pig tailed martial artist grabbed a large glass off the counter and turned on the sink to hot. He put his back to the faucet while the water heated up and smiled nervously at the two adults.
Paul turned in his chair to look at him. "So, Ranma, Clara says you and Akane were practicing this morning?"
Ranma nodded. "Yes, practice everyday." He turned around, checking the water. < Good, that's hot enough, I hope.> He quickly filled the glass and turned off the water. "Thank you." Ranma hurried out of the kitchen and sprinted out the back door, holding the glass almost vertical to keep from spilling it.
Husband and wife blinked and looked at each other.
"What was that all about?" Paul wondered out loud.
"I have no idea." Clara replied with a shrug. They never said when they'd be back, either." She sighed.
Paul shrugged back. "I guess that's a no on breakfast."
Johnathon stood on the school building roof, trying to think of a way out of the mess he was in. < All the roof access's are locked tight, and the police are looking for me below. That is, if they're not trying to get a ladder. I could run for it, but I need to change back before I go home. If I go back down there and start running off, I'll get spotted by even more people.> He sighed and considered the lock on the roof access door again. < I don't want to commit a crime, but breaking into the school and getting some hot water is probably my best bet.>
Just as Johnathon was getting ready to kick in the door, a familiar figure in red and black hopped up on the roof nearby. "Need help?" Ranma said, smiling cockily and holding up a glass of water.
Johnathon sighed in relief. "Ranma, you're a life saver!" He wrinkled his brow. "Where are the cops?" Ranma pointed to the south. Johnathon nodded and headed north. "Great, we'll jump down, then I'll change back." He got to the north side of the building and looked down, there was no one in sight.
Ranma glanced at the glass, it was two thirds full from all the running he'd been doing. "Why don't we use it now. If I jump down I might lose more of it."
Johnathon chewed on his lip and looked over the edge again. "A little over twenty feet. Sure, I can do that." Ranma carefully poured the water over Johnathon's head. The change seemed to take over a second before it finally kicked in.
Ranma blew out a relieved breath. "Just barely hot enough." He wiped his brow and dropped off the building. Johnathon climbed over the ledge and hung from his hands before dropping the rest of the way, landing easily. Ranma shook his head faintly. "Johnathon, you should practice more with your human form. You should have been able to take that drop easily."
Johnathon shrugged and glanced up at the roof. "Maybe, I've done it before... but I don't want to explain a twisted ankle to my folks." He looked serious. "We'd better get out of here before we're spotted." Ranma nodded and they started heading north, toward a nearby row of houses. Johnathon spoke quietly as they walked. "Has Akane found Kasumi yet?"
Ranma shook his head. "Nope, she said she thought Kasumi was at a 'Human Society'. What is that, anyway? Is it anything like the Jusenkyo society?"
Johnathon's eyes widened. "That's where they take stray dogs and cats, Ranma. Did Akane say where?
Ranma nodded and slowly repeated the directions Johnathon's mother had given them.
Johnathon nodded. "I know where that is, it's not too far. Let's go!"
Akane grinned to herself as she spotted the sign reading 'Animal Shelter'. < Ha. I got here without getting lost once. Ranma couldn't have managed that!> She went up to the front door and her jaw dropped.
Ranma noticed the door opening behind him and turned to greet her. "Hey, Akane, it's about time you got here."
Akane blinked. < How did he...?> Then she spotted Johnathon talking to a woman at the desk. "Oh, John-san brought you here."
Ranma nodded. "Yup. I noticed he was in trouble and I rescued him, then we came here." Ranma turned back to his sensei and friend, noticing him coming over from the desk. "So, is Kasumi here?"
Johnathon's face was glassy. "She was... but...."
Akane broke in, worried. "But?! But what?!?"
Johnathon looked at Akane, still in shock. "Kasumi's been... adopted."
End: A Different Viewpoint: American Vacation pt 2
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