Kasumi: The Mist Fox-Ninja
A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction Story
Copyright (C) 1998 Mark Ranel M. Lambo (maramala)
All Rights Reserved.
Part 2: Five Daze, Mist Haze
*Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and all related characters are
copyright (c) 1997 Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty
Film, Viz, etc. All Rights Reserved. Used without
permission (and hopefully _they_ won't bother to sue
such a humble homage of their work. :)
*Author's Notes:
A ** ** indicates the character/s thoughts
A _ _ indicates the word/s to be stressed
A { } indicates what is written on the signs
A ' ' indicates a quotation
A < > indicates animal sounds
A > < indicates sound effects
A ~ ~ indicates flashbacks
*********************
Akane couldn't get the other day's news and her
father's strange reaction out of her mind. She walked
animatedly on their way to school, ignoring Ranma's attempts
at small talk. They made it to school a little more earlier
than usual without any incident, other than Ranma getting
splashed again with cold water from an unexpected place at
the very last moment.
On Ranma's part, he was trying to break the incident
with the other girl the other day to Akane, but Akane seems
to be distracted about something. So intent was he to
attract her interest that he didn't notice the pail of water
that was accidentally dropped from above until the very last
moment.
"DAMN! Why does this things always happen to
me?" Onna-Ranma cried out. "Akane, I'll be out for a
while..."
As onna-Ranma went back outside to look for hot
water, Akane took her seat in their classroom. Most of
their classmates were already there, with the boys and girls
forming their own groups to chat about current gossips, new
fads. Nothing special in particular. She noticed an empty
seat where Yuka usually sat.
"Sayuri..." Akane asked. "Where's Yuka? We were
supposed to walk together to school today, and I didn't see
her anywhere."
"Oh, Akane," Sayuri replied. "Haven't you heard?"
Akane noticed the change in Sayuri's disposition.
"What's wrong, Sayuri? Tell me."
"Well, Yuka's parents came around a while ago.
They said that she'll be absent for a few days, a week at
most. She's sick..." She then leaned close to Akane,
whispering, "They gave me a letter from Yuka. She was...
was... raped..."
"WHAT!" Akane exclaimed, causing almost everyone
to look curiously at them.
Red-faced, they were saved from a really
embarrassing explanation by a sudden commotion at the hall.
Ranma, back in his male form, was being harassed again by
Tatewaki Kuno, who claims that "the despicable black
sorcerer Ranma Saotome" has again hidden away his "beloved
pig-tailed girl", and "demands her speedy release from his
black arts, along with the heart of Akane Tendo", etc.,
etc., etc.
**The usual,** Akane shrugged.
While everyone else was distracted, Akane and Sayuri
continued talking.
"She was raped? When?"
"Last Friday... she was walking alone across the
street when three men grabbed her from behind, dragged her
to a dark alley, then... then..." Sayuri's voice broke as
she continued. "They took turns... You know, Yuka once told
me that she wanted to remain a virgin until she marries the
man she truly loves... but now..."
"Oh, how awful..."
"Yes..." Sayuri bowed her head in sorrow.
"But... weren't you with her at that time?" Akane
asked.
"Well, we were together at first, but I stopped by
a gift shop to pick a present for your sister's birthday
this Saturday. Yuka couldn't wait to get home, so we
separated." Sayuri stared off into the distance. "I
shouldn't have let her... go like that... It wouldn't have
turned out this way..."
"Sayuri, what are you saying?"
"It... It should have been me, not her... she was
so good and so nice..."
"Hey, don't feel so sad..." Akane consoled her.
"It's not your fault this happened. If someone's to blame,
it's those bastards who did this to her." She resisted the
urge to punch her desk (too many desks were broken already).
"I know! Let's go visit her this afternoon! Are you coming
with me?"
"Sure!" Sayuri agreed, her mood brightening. "I'll
go with you!"
"That's a good girl..."
They hugged each other. Outside, the yelling still
continued unabated. Then a commanding little voice silenced
the noise.
"HAPPO-GO-YEN-SATSU!" Hinako Ninomiya used her
signature battle aura drain power attack in hopes of
stopping these two delinquents going about their daily
disobedience. Ranma, always aware of her due intervention
at any given moment whenever there was any fight done in the
school grounds, quickly got out of the way. Everyone else
luckily ducked for cover. Kuno, as usual, wasn't so lucky,
as he got drained, along with several unlucky onlookers.
"That's the tenth time this month you have been
involved in an undisciplinary situation, Tatewaki Kuno."
Hinako, now in her more sexy form, spoke in her now-sultry
voice. "Do you really want to force me to use more _harsh_
measures?"
Kuno, having passed out, didn't reply.
"Thanks, teach'." Ranma said. "Kuno's always like
that, you know..."
"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma..." Hinako spoke, turning to
him, "If I weren't aware of your own delinquent tendencies,
I would have sworn you were some sort of _weirdness magnet_,
or something." (??? -maramala :)
"Hey, don't get me wrong, Hinako-sensei-chan,"
Ranma said, backing away.
Hinako forms a triangle from her thumbs and
forefingers, raising both arms towards Ranma. "Time for
_your_ lesson, Saotome... HAPPO-TSURISEN-GAESHI!"
A bright yellow globe shot out of her hands. At the
last moment, Ranma (who probably made some quick mental
calculations that Stephen Hawking would envy) ducked,
dodging the blast which made an impressive twelve-foot
diameter hole on a nearby wall. The force of the attack
caused Hinako to revert back to her normal kid-sized state.
Ranma leaped into the hole formed by the blast.
"Bye, teach'," he said over his shoulder. "I'd love to
stay, but I'm gonna be late for class." He scampered off.
Hinako fumed, snapping her fingers. "Damn,
missed..." She looked at the size of the hole. "Golly...
I guess that comes out of my salary, huh?" She grinned,
turning to a group of curious student bystanders.
*********************
Lunchtime. Both Ranma and Akane were sitting in
the shade under a grove of cherry trees at the far end of
the Furinkan High campus, waiting intently for Ukyou to
finish cooking their okonomiyaki. (Somehow, Ranma lost
their bentos --containing Akane's home cooking -- again.)
Akane had just finished telling them about what happened to
Yuka.
"That so, huh?" Ukyou spoke while working on the
hot grill, referring to Akane's story. "It's so sad, what
happened to her..."
"Yeah..." Ranma added. "I mean, how could such a
thing happen? Where were the police at the time, anyway?"
Akane nodded.
"You know," Ukyou continued, pouring sauce on the
okonomiyaki she made for them. "Now that I think about it,
how many times have you guys noticed any cops going around?"
"None." Akane answered.
Ranma agreed. "Must be 'cause there's too many good
martial artists running around."
"My, my, aren't we _modest_ today." Akane said.
Ranma shot her a look.
"Well, even so... that doesn't prevent crimes from
happening. In fact, nowadays the crime rate in Nerima is
steadily rising. Crooks are getting bolder."
"I just had a thought..." Akane suddenly spoke up.
"What if the martial artists are the crooks?"
"Hey! That can't be right." Ranma interjected. "I
mean, why commit crimes when a true martial artist can get
an honest job instead."
"Oh, really?" Akane commented sarcastically. "What
sort of a job could a lunkhead like _you_ hold?"
"Well, in _your_ case, working in a demolition
company..." Ranma replied. Akane shot him a look.
"Just the other day," Ukyou reflected, "the shop
next to mine was robbed... I'm just glad that Konatsu's
around to take care of the shop while I'm at school."
Suddenly, everyone tensed as a rustling sound came
from the bushes behind them. Ukyou stopped cooking and
slowly turned around.
"Who's there?" Ranma called out, already in a
fighting stance.
"RANMA?" A familiar voice answered. "What are you
doing in _Okinawa_? Will you always follow me around just
to torment me?"
"Ryoga... you're in Furinkan High."
"What?" The bushes parted, revealing the lost boy
in his usual disheveled state. "You better not be kidding
me, Ranma..."
"He's not, stupid." Ukyou spoke.
"Hi, Ryoga. Come here and have lunch with us."
"A-A-Akane... you're here, too?" Ryoga gaped.
"Of course. This is our school, after all." She
motioned for him to sit down next to her.
"T-Thank you, Akane..."
"Humph!" Ranma scowled and turned away as Ryoga sat
down next to Akane. He didn't notice her glancing at him.
Ukyou pretended to ignore the scene as she went back
to her cooking.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to them.
Ranma widened his eyes in shock. Ukyou narrowed her eyes.
Akane began gnashing her teeth. Ryoga merely rolled his
eyes as he looked up at the sky in disgust.
"NIHAO!" Before Ranma could react, a purple-haired
ramen delivery girl ran over him, bicycle and all.
"Shampoo, you crazy..." Ranma moaned under her.
"Will you please stop doing _this_?"
"Ranma, ai ren." Shampoo greeted, moving the
bicycle out of the way. "Silly husband. Wife only bring
lunch."
"Great." Akane sarcastically commented.
"Hey!" Ukyou complained. "They were having my
treat for today."
Shampoo giggled. "Well, Shampoo no see how spatula
girl food could make husband full. Shampoo bring much
better meal."
"Well, where is it, then?" Ranma asked. "I don't
see you bringing it..."
"Ranma..." Akane seethed.
"Hey, don't take it the wrong way, Akane. I was
just getting this over with, not..."
"SHAMPOO!" Everyone turned around to see a _really
big_ covered plate ambling towards them.
Ukyou widened her eyes. "That's... _IT_?"
The plate was gently set on the ground before them.
Then a bespectacled Chinese boy crawled out from under it.
"Oh, Shampoo, my love." Mousse began his patented
Declaration OF Undying Love For Shampoo (tm). "Now you see
how willing I am to undertake anything for your precious
love, unlike that most despicable cad Saotome..." He
paused, taking a closer look at the others. "...RANMA!"
Ranma quickly dodged a hail of weapons flying
towards him. He went into a fighting stance just as Mousse
brought out another batch of weapons.
"Damn you, Ranma!" Mousse cried out. "DIE!"
"Hey! Don't you know you're not supposed to start
a fight while the opponent is still eating?" Ranma
complained.
"Shampoo! Why did you humiliate me for this
heartless bastard? Are all this food solely for his dining
pleasures?" Mousse asked. "I will not have any part of
this!"
"You've got it all wrong, Mousse." Ryoga quickly
spoke out, surprising everybody. "There's a... um, special
occasion today, and, ah, Shampoo was kind enough to bring
us all lunch."
Shampoo blinked. "Huh?"
"I don't recall... All right." Mousse stashed his
weapons back to their hidden places. "So who's going to
pay for all this?" He asked, opening the cover to reveal a
feast laid before them. Ranma swallowed.
"Wow, so many." Ukyou marveled. "That could feed
all of Furinkan High, with leftovers to spare..."
Ryoga shrugged. "Ranma, I guess."
"No!" Shampoo shouted. "Husband no need pay."
"Well, I'm not eating unless Akane... er, everyone
else gets to."
Akane quickly stashed the Mallet(tm) away.
"Ranma..."
"Well..." Shampoo thought for a moment. "Fine,
on one condition..."
"What?"
Shampoo giggled wickedly. "Wife feed husband, OK?"
Mousse tensed, then relaxed when he saw the pained
expression on Ranma's face.
Ranma was torn between the three fiances. "Uh,
yeah, sure..." he finally answered.
Akane clenched her fists. "Why, you..."
"Akane." Ukyou spoke gently. "Calm down. Let her,
for once. It has been quite a day." She laid her hand on
Akane's shoulder.
"I... I've..." Akane looked down to the ground.
"All right." She mumbled.
Ukyou sadly looked at her just-finished okonomiyaki
dishes. "I guess we won't get to eat my cooking for
today..."
"I'll... eat it, Ukyou." Ryoga offered.
"Thanks, Ryoga, but..."
"Hey, not to worry. I mean, we can't let good food
go to waste, can we?"
"Are you sure... you could eat _all_ that?" Akane
asked.
"Hey... Try walking all the way to Alaska and back
again. All this traveling gives me an appetite."
"He's got a point." Mousse commented.
"Thanks a lot for the help, Ryoga." Ranma
whispered. "That was quick thinking of you."
"Who said I was helping you?" Ryoga countered. "I
was just hungry, and I don't like to see Akane hurt. I'll
gladly help Mousse bury you afterwards."
Ranma glanced at Akane's wristwatch. "Only twenty
minutes before classes start." He noted sadly. "We can't
fight now."
"See you in the afternoon, then." Mousse offered.
"The usual place?"
"Agreed." The three nodded to each other, then
proceeded to eat.
"What is occasion, anyway?" Shampoo asked.
"Akane? Why don't you tell her what happened?"
Ukyou said.
"Do I have to?" Akane grumbled.
Everyone nodded.
"Okay, then..."
*********************
~Flashback~
"Kasumi?"
"Yes, mama?" Kasumi moved towards her mother's
bedside.
"My dearest Kasumi..." Her mother reached out and
stroked her hair. "You have done well. You have been the
daughter that I always wanted to have... the daughter I
always wanted to be."
"What's wrong, mama?"
"Kasumi, listen to me... I am going to say
something very important. Please... do not forget."
"Yes, mama, I won't."
"I will... be going on a... journey soon. I want
you to do everything that I will tell you."
"A trip? Where will you be going, mama? Can I come
with you?"
"It's not important. Kasumi... promise me that,
until your twenty-first birthday... do not tell anyone, not
even your father and sisters, the stories I told you every
night... those bedtime stories of my... past. They are...
precious, and to some people... even... more so.
Understood?"
Kasumi nodded.
"And, Kasumi... Don't leave your father and sisters
behind. Whatever happens, please... stay with them. Be
always there for them." She looked down at Akane sleeping
peacefully beside her. "Please... do not fight anymore...
try to make all of them happy... be just like me... promise
me that, until your twenty-first birthday..."
"Yes, mama."
Her mother's eyes opened wide. "Promise me that!"
"I will, mama."
"Thank you, my dearest... Kasumi. Do not... forget
me..." Her mother closed her eyes and settled on the bed, a
smile on her face.
"Of course, mama. Please get well. Akane is asking
about you when will you be getting well soon. She wants us
to go to that Ryugenzawa park again. It will be fun, with
everybody else joining us, even Papa's best friend Mr.
Saotome and his family will be there... Mama?"
Silence.
"Mama?"
Kasumi's mother did not stir.
"Mama! Wake up!"
No reply.
"Mama? Mama! MAMA!"
She shook the bed firmly, but her mother did not
respond.
Akane opened her eyes. "What's going on, Kasumi?"
Kasumi cried.
That day, Kasumi's tears ran dry.
~End of Flashback~
"Kasumi? What's wrong?"
"Huh?" Kasumi, startled, quickly wiping the tears
in her eyes.
"You've been crying." Soun explained.
"Oh, it's nothing father..." She looked down to
the floor. "I was just... thinking about mother..."
"I see..." Soun turned away. "Only five more days
to go before your birthday."
"Yes... I wish mother was still alive..."
"I understand." Her father went outside, leaving
Kasumi alone in the living room with her thoughts.
The tears returned anew as she remembered the day
her mother died, over ten years ago. She had woken up
before sunrise as usual, and had went to her mother's room.
Her mother has been taken ill, and was advised to go to a
hospital. Yet she chose to stay in bed, and did not want
any doctors to see her other than Doctor Tofu, whose family
was friends with her mothers'.
Kasumi smiled a little at the memory of how she met
the younger Doctor Tofu, who wasn't even a doctor then,
having then just newly graduated from the medical academy.
**He wasn't so... amusing then...** Then the smile
disappeared as she remembered more painful memories.
Akane was there, sleeping in their mother's arms.
And there she stayed, even at the moment when their mother
passed away, only waking up a while later at Kasumi's
attempts to wake their mother up. Their mother never woke
up again.
Kasumi blinked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Father?.." She called out.
"Yes, Kasumi?"
"I'll be out for a while. I'm taking a walk
outside."
"Come back early, my dear."
"Yes, father." She smiled. "I will."
*********************
"Gotcha!" Soun slapped a black piece down. "Try
to counter that, my friend."
"Humph." Genma took out a white piece while
studying the board. "Say, Tendo?.."
"Yes, Saotome?"
"What was that going on just a while ago?"
"Oh, It's nothing, my friend. Kasumi was just
reminiscing about her mother."
"Your wife, huh?" Genma plopped down his piece.
"Blocked."
"Ack! Why didn't I..." Soun went for a black
piece. "Yes. Among her sisters, Kasumi was most fond of
her mother. I guess she never really gotten over her
death."
"That's so sad..."
"I know... I never did, too. I never forgave
myself..." Soun slapped his piece in the middle. "There!"
"Grr..." Genma took out a white piece. "Of all
the years we've been together, I've only met your wife only
on two occasions before she died. But from those few
instances, I could say that your wife must be quite
remarkable, considering how well she managed to bring up
your three children. You are a very lucky man, Tendou."
"She was... She even named two of my three
daughters, Nabiki I named myself. You know, my wife was a
skilled martial artist as well."
"Truly?"
"Truly. You should see her in action... Such grace,
such power..."
"I guess Akane inherited more than her mother's
name, then..."
Soun shrugged. "I sometimes wonder why my wife
never suggested that she teach in the dojo, even just
occasionally. Not even once did she chose to display her
skills, content only in cooking and taking care of the
house."
"How very odd..."
"True, true..." Soun sighed, staring off into the
distance as happy memories flooded into him.
Genma studied the board. "Hmm... Akane Nanaemegami..."
"What?" Soun, startled, stared at him.
"That's her _maiden_ name, right?"
Soun nodded.
"I just remembered... I never asked you this before,
but isn't your wife's name kind of strange?"
*********************
The burglar smiled. This has been only the third
house he hit, and he has not faced any serious problems yet.
The rich mansions in Nerima are really too easy to break
into. And the treasures inside are more than worth the
laughable effort.
**Only two more houses, and I could retire in
luxury,** he greedily thought to himself. **Maybe I'll
hit the Kunou mansion next?..**
He was so busy stashing the gold, jewelry and
silverware that he didn't notice the cloud of mist forming
behind him.
"Nani?" The burglar quickly spun around, knife at
the ready.
No one was there. The hairs at his neck began to
stand as sweat beads formed on his forehead. "Who...
who's there?"
He heard a whizzing sound, and turned to slash
at the unseen opponent... only to cut at empty air.
"Where are you!" He started to panic, making
slashing motions around him. The mist became heavier,
becoming fog-like, making it really harder for him to see.
"Damn it! Show yourself!" He swallowed nervously.
He heard of the rumors...
He felt a light tap on his back. He tried to turn
around, but his legs refused to obey him.
Another tap, at the base of his spine. The knife
on his hand clattered uselessly on the marble floor.
**Maybe I should have stayed in Chiba,** he thought,
just before he felt a sharp jab at the back of his head.
Then darkness.
*********************
"Great." Ranma muttered.
He was walking alone on the streets on Nerima.
Akane and the other girls have gone off to Yuka's place,
excluding him from the group. Even Shampoo, who felt sorry
for Akane's friend, volunteered to come along. Being a guy,
Ranma wasn't included, even when he turned himself into a
girl and begged to come along. He was really curious on
what is going on, and how Yuka felt.
As for the guys... Hiroshi and Daisuke were off
buying get-well presents for Yuka. Ryoga was off somewhere
else, probably lost again, and Mousse was probably forced by
Cologne to do menial work in the Cat's Cafe again.
All in all, nothing to do. Well, he could practice
his kata, but it felt different without the others around.
He saw a blur in the distance. "Hey..." Ranma
recognized the odd uniform, the braids in the hair...
"Wait!" He called out, jumping to the rooftop to follow
her.
The girl bounded from roof to roof effortlessly.
Ranma tried, but wasn't fast enough to keep up.
"Damn." He stopped. "She's gone again."
He went to the last roof she was on. He remembered
the place as the home of that rich old couple who took
P-chan in a long while ago. There was a lot of activity
downstairs. The whole place was streaming with cops.
"I wonder what's going on?" He thought before
noticing something at his feet. He picked it up.
It was a fur scarf.
*********************
>SLAP!<
She picked herself up from the floor. "Gomen nasai,
oniichan." She apologized again, rubbing her bruised cheek
as she spoke.
Her brother growled, clenching and unclenching his
hands while he spoke. "Stupid girl. Don't you realize how
valuable that scarf meant to me, the scarf that is the very
symbol the Hanchimegami?" He slowly walked closer to where
she stood, his black cloak trailing behind him.
A dark figure leaning on a nearby wall squinted.
**Damn lousy lighting.** He thought, his eyes trying to
adjust to the unnatural darkness. **Wurfu should have
gotten a few light bulbs... or at least a candle, or
something. He really takes after the Boss. The both go
for this Western Gothic stuff.** He leaned back, his arms
crossed on his chest. "Boss, don't be so hard on your
little sister. She said it _was_ an accident... Besides,
it's just a fur scarf..."
The grey-haired figure turned to him, a scowl on
his wrinkled place. "IT'S _JUST_ A FUR SCARF? BAKAYAROU!
It is more than just a worn old fur scarf! Its loss would
shake up the very foundations of our organization. And we
must recover it at all costs. No one must defy me." He
thundered, his eyes glowing blood-red as he loomed over his
ninja servant. Will you _defy_ me, then?"
The smaller man gulped. "Er... um... ah... no...
sir. I can never go against _you_... Wurfu-dono."
"I thought so, spineless worm." His features now
back to normal, turned back to the girl. "She should have
been more careful. Otherwise, she would never have lost
the scarf. It is the only thing left to remind me of that
time... over ten years ago... of her... And now it is gone,
perhaps lost forever."
"I... I can get it back! I will! I promise, I
will..." She pleaded.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!!! Do you mean that you _know_
where it is, then?"
"I... I mean... no, but..." She meekly bowed. "I
will find it, and bring it back... brother. This I swear...
by the blood and honor of the Hanchimegami."
"You shall and you will." He nodded. "Make sure
you have it back with you by the time the moot begins
tomorrow. But first... you shall have to receive your due
punishment..." He slowly cracked his knuckles. "...for
your incompetence..."
She remained immobile, her head bowed, even when he
reached out to touch her shoulder. "My dear little
sister... Mi-chan..." He whispered hoarsely, brushing back
a braid of her hair. "So meek yet stubborn... You're too
kawaii... I could never get angry with you... no one could
ever get angry with you for long." He slowly caressed her
smooth pale cheek. "So beautiful..."
The ninja turned away, unnerved by the sight. **How
cruel. Even to his own flesh and blood.** Reaching the
door, he summoned enough courage to look back.
>RIIIP!<
He shuddered, quickly looking away. **He's... he's
insane. Why did the Great One chose _him_ to lead us in his
place? The Boss'll never approve of this. Bastard...
Guess we were wrong in believing that spending time in
prison would calm him down.**
As he left the room and walked towards the upper
floors of the old building, his hand reached into the folds
of his vest, all the while taking slow, measured steps, ears
always alert to any sound, any noise, any scream...
Tonight, like any other night, the dark ornate halls
are quiet... silent as they always were. Secrets remain
where they are, in the lower levels where only a few people
know of its existence...
She never screamed.
He took out a small black notebook. **If worse
comes to worse... I wonder if my cousin is still here
working for that rich family in Nerima? Would they accept
another ninja servant for hire?**
He began flipping the pages. **Hmm... Maybe I
should go there for a visit first... A-hah, here it is.**
His fingers rested on an entry.
Satsuke. Kunou Mansion.
He grinned. **Boy, will Satsu-kun be in for a
real surprise...**
END OF PART 2
*(Author's Postscript: What do you think? This is the
second part of my Ranma 1/2 fanfic, and I hope you enjoy
it as well as the first one. Send C&Cs at
maramala@geocities.com (No flames, please!)
'Till then,
maramala :)
(
geocities.com/tokyo/ginza) (
geocities.com/tokyo)