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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:06:43 -0700
From: Pat Olsen <tagan1@ccaccess.net>
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To: freemage@hotmail.com, sommer@3rdm.net
Subject: A Scary Difference Chapter 1 prereaders version
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A Scary Difference... Crossover between
"A Scary Thought" and "A Different Viewpoint"
Frost was determined to free Shampoo. She had it all worked out.
The white skinned magus muttered to herself as she quietly
approached the restaurant where Kasumi, Shampoo and Makoto were
currently staying. "All I need to do is get Kasumi to disappear. I don't
need to kill her, just send her to the nearest convenient parallel
dimension. Then Shampoo would be free, and I wouldn't even have to kill
her "beloved" Kasumi. She wouldn't be dead after all, just, missing...."
Frost nodded to herself. She didn't really want to kill the girl, it
really wasn't her fault she had gotten married to Shampoo, after all.
*Are you so sure?* Frost said to herself in an altered tone. "....."
Shampoo sneak silently into Kasumi's room, padding along with every
bit of her Amazon stealth. She looked down at her husband, sleeping
peacefully. < Husband? What kind of husband looks like that?>
Shampoo's resolve nearly broke as she looked at the very female Kasumi.
Wearing only a tank top and boxers, it was very obvious that husband was
not a very appropriate term for Kasumi. < My love? My mate? What is
Kasumi to me? If she is not male, then what is she to me?>
Shampoo sighed silently, not finding the answers. Shampoo
remembered the day she had been fired from her job. The couple she had
met that day had showed her the possibility of a woman loving another
woman. <But is it possible for me?> Shampoo sighed. < I'm not walking
away from this, there is nowhere else to go.>
Shampoo nodded and carefully slid under the light covers next to
Kasumi, not quite touching. She lay quietly, somehow expecting to have
to fight down an urge to flee. No such urge came to her. Shampoo closed
her eyes, thinking of that first night they had slept together. Would
this be so different? Shampoo fell asleep trying to think of why. There
were lots of reasons, but none of them seemed to fit.
Frost glided into Kasumi's bedroom, her feet not quite touching the
ground. Her stealth spell was working perfectly.
Frost smirked to herself. < And why shouldn't it? There is nothing
that can go wrong now.> The magus glided over to the bed and her eyes
went wide. Shampoo lay curled up next to Kasumi, both were female, and
minimally dressed, but Frost was concerned. < I had better be in time,
or I may consider destroying Kasumi Tendo anyway.> Frost scanned the
auras of the sleeping women, noticing the tinge of magic in Kasumi that
was the Jusenkyo curse. Shampoo's aura had not significantly changed
from the last time Frost had checked it, and she breathed a quiet sigh
of relief. < No need to destroy Kasumi Tendo then, I would feel bad
about it anyway.>
Frost peered intently at the eldest Tendo girl's aura, readying
herself for the dimensional shift. She had only read of such things in
books, but was confident the spell would work. Kasumi's aura had to be
precisely accounted for in her mental imaging before the spell would
work. Besides the Jusenkyo curse, there was a slight tinge from Cat's
tongue pressure point. It was still there, her magic had counteracted
the symptom, but not the actual pressure point. Her own magic was there
as well, an enhanced heat resistance directly in proportion to the Cat's
tongue, counteracting it.
Frost nodded to herself. < Nothing to interfere with the spell,
time to start.> She brought her hands out over Kasumi, and began to
softly speak in English as she strove to form the correct pattern with
her mind. "Leave now and vanish, you who have ties to Shampoo, I
banish!" Frost felt great resistance, as if she was overcoming a
tremendous inertia. Then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, and an equal
force was thrust at her. There was a flash of light, and a clap of
displaced air, and Frost suddenly found herself... elsewhere. She took
one look around at the black emptiness around her, and lost
consciousness.
***********************************************
Kasumi blinked at the sudden light and noise, partially waking. <
Just lightning.> She groggily told herself. Closing her eyes, she
started to go back to sleep, reflexively cuddling up against the warm
body next to her.
Shampoo looked confusedly over at Kasumi, faintly surprised. The
Amazon smiled to herself at Kasumi's response to her presence and let
herself relax. < Apparently Kasumi is not as unwilling as I thought
she'd be.> She wondered idly if there was a storm coming, then slowly
let herself fall asleep.
***********************************************
Kasumi slept peacefully, her long days on the road had inured her
to lightning and thunder. A hostile presence would cause her to
instantly awaken, but natural phenomenon she had learned to ignore.
Johnathon twitched at the sudden light and noise, but didn't wake.
Like Kasumi, he was used to sleeping outdoors, natural noises didn't
bother him, although he would wake instantly to the sound of his name,
or the sensation of a threat. He slept on, unaware of any change.
***********************************************
Kasumi woke slowly, feeling well rested. Normally she let
Johnathon's alarm wake her, but there was a faint hint of sunlight
against her eyes that seemed out of place. Kasumi opened her eyes,
wondering if Johnathon was going to be late for school.
Still blinking in the faint sunlight, Kasumi gently prodded the
form next to her. "Johnathon-san, wake up." She spoke quietly. At her
prodding, the person curled up next to her rolled over to face her.
"Who Johnathon-san, Airen?" Kasumi's eyes went wide at the sight
of Shampoo's face looking at her in mild confusion from inches away.
Giving a small cry, Kasumi backed away, tumbling unceremoniously out
of the bed. "Oh my!"
Kasumi looked away from Shampoo for a second to find out where she
was. This wasn't the room she and Johnathon shared, it was much too
sparse and none of her things were there. Kasumi checked herself and
was relived to find she was dressed, if minimally, in a tank top and
boxer shorts? She glanced back at Shampoo to see the Amazon approaching
her over the bed, a worried expression on her face.
Shampoo spoke quietly as she approached. "Airen, is you alright?
Who is Johnathon-san, Airen?" Kasumi noted gratefully that Shampoo was
dressed as well, if only in a large shirt. Her words, and the
situation, had Kasumi extremely confused.
Kasumi's voice betrayed her confusion. "Airen? Shampoo? Um, what
is going on, Shampoo?"
Shampoo knelt on the bed in front of Kasumi, her hands on her knees
as she peered down at her beloved's face. "Airen, Shampoo is sorry she
startle you. Shampoo know Airen wish to wait until everything settled,
but Shampoo lonely, miss Airen."
Kasumi blinked. < Why is Shampoo calling me her Airen?> "Shampoo,
I'm afraid I'm not quite following all of this. What is going on? How
did get here?"
Shampoo looked puzzled. "Did you hit head, Airen? Lose memory?
This your room, above restaurant."
Kasumi shook her head. "I don't understand, when did I move into
the Cat-Cafe? Isn't it closed? Why are you calling me Airen, Shampoo?"
Shampoo's eyes darkened in concern at Kasumi's words. "You
Shampoo's Airen, Kasumi. You forget? Who Johnathon-san?"
Kasumi gulped, suddenly a bit frightened by the look in Shampoo's
eyes. "S-Shampoo, I... I don't understand... what's going on?" Kasumi
cowered back as Shampoo's eyes narrowed.
At Kasumi's obvious fear, Shampoo's eyes softened and the Amazon
girl sat back with a sigh. "Kasumi not remember anything?"
Kasumi shook her head. "I don't. The last thing I remember, I went
to sleep in Johnathon's and my room at home. I don't know how I got
here...."
Shampoo's eyes were blazing. "WHO JOHNATHON-SAN?"
Kasumi shrank back in fear again. "Shampoo, why are you so angry?"
She paused. "You know Johnathon. He's my husband, you...."
Shampoo crossed the distance to Kasumi in a flash and lifted her by
the front of her tank top. "Husband! You is Shampoo's husband!"
Kasumi started to seriously panic now. "Husband? But we're both
girls!" She raised her arms to her face in a feeble attempt at
defense. "Shampoo, please don't hurt me." Kasumi tried to calm
herself. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all this...."
Shampoo quietly released Kasumi's tank top and took a hold of
Kasumi's left arm. She squeezed it carefully and felt along its length
up to Kasumi's shoulder. Shampoo's face was getting more and more
confused as she confirmed her suspicions. The Amazon girl grabbed
Kasumi by the wrist and dragged her unceremoniously along behind her
across the room.
Kasumi sputtered. "Shampoo, what are you doing?"
Shampoo flipped on the light switch and peered closely at Kasumi.
The woman standing before her looked like Kasumi, she sounded like
Kasumi, but she was pitifully weak and uncoordinated. Her arms felt like
those of a housewife, practically no muscle at all, instead of the bands
of steel that Kasumi's muscles were supposed to be. The woman before
her claimed to be married to some "Johnathon", and not her. Shampoo
released "Kasumi's" wrist and slowly started walking around her, peering
at her intently.
Kasumi shivered nervously at the intense scrutiny. "Shampoo...
please tell me what's going on. Why do you think I'm your husband?"
Shampoo didn't answer, but instead ran her fingers through Kasumi's
hair, sniffing it and examining her scalp for signs of the
Xi-Fa-Xiang-Gao Shiatsu technique. Kasumi couldn't stop her involuntary
shivers at the examination, wondering what in heavens name was going on,
but too afraid of Shampoo to stop her. Kasumi tried to use reason.
"Shampoo, why are you checking my hair? What are... eep!" Without
warning Kasumi felt the tank top she was wearing being pulled up. Kasumi
screeched in surprise and started to struggle but Shampoo removed the
garment and pinned her, face first to the floor, effortlessly.
Kasumi screamed in fear then, stopping when she felt Shampoo's hand
close warningly around her neck. "Be quiet and be still, or Shampoo
have to hurt. Shampoo no wish to hurt Kasumi, but will if have too."
Shampoo began examining Kasumi's back for burn marks. She was thinking
furiously. < No sign of Xi-Fa-Xiang-Gao, but an expert might have
covered that up. The strength sapping Moxibotion point I've never seen
before, but it's suppose to leave an obvious burn mark on the back.>
Shampoo looked carefully, but could find no sign of any burn mark. She
scratched her head. < Why is Kasumi weak? I don't remember Great
grandmother telling me of any other way to sap strength.> The door to
the room suddenly burst open and Shampoo looked up to see her roommate,
Makoto Kino.
Makoto's eyes went wide as she saw Shampoo sitting on top of a
mostly naked Kasumi, who was only wearing boxer shorts. "What's going
on? Kasumi, are you alright?" She started to blush. "I'm... not
interrupting anything... am I?"
Kasumi looked up at the familiar voice, straining her neck to see.
Long legs, shorts, a tee shirt containing generous proportions, long
brown hair in a pony tail.... "Makoto-chan!" Kasumi sighed in relief.
"Could you please ask Shampoo to let me up?"
Makoto glared at the Amazon. "Hey, Shampoo, what are you doing to
Kasumi, anyway?"
Shampoo stood up and brought Kasumi to her feet as well. "This not
Kasumi, is impostor!" Makoto peered curiously at Kasumi, who was
nervously covering her breasts with her arms.
The tall girl shrugged and glared at Shampoo again. "What are you
talking about? How could this be an impostor? It's obvious she's not
wearing a disguise!"
Shampoo grabbed Kasumi's left arm abruptly and extended it toward
Makoto. "Feel arm and say same!"
Kasumi yelped at the rough treatment and moved her right arm to
cover her breasts better. "Shampoo-chan, could you be a little less
rough please?"
Makoto looked at the arm Shampoo had held out to her and hesitantly
took it. "What am I supposed to be looking for? This is a perfectly
normal arm."
Shampoo snorted. "Feel! Squeeze arm! No muscle!"
Makoto blinked and did so, carefully feeling Kasumi's arm. Shampoo
was correct, it seemed. The arm Makoto was examining was perfectly
normal, but definitely not the arm of a martial artist of Kasumi's
caliber.
Makoto Kino peered suspiciously at the woman in front of her. "OK,
who are you, and what have you done with Kasumi?"
*************************************************
Kasumi woke to an unfamiliar sound. A persistent beeping. She
sat up quickly, and immediately froze. Several things were out of
place. This wasn't her bed, this wasn't her room, and most
significantly, there was a man sitting up next to her, reaching toward a
clock next to the bed. Kasumi froze in shock as two final details
became apparent to her. The man in bed with her was naked. Which was
obvious as he nearly fell out of bed in an effort to reach the alarm to
shut it off. She quickly drew the sheets up to her chest as she
realized that she was naked as well.
The strange man turned to her with a sleepy smile and bent his face
toward hers. "Good morning, Kasumi-chan." Johnathon blinked at the
slightly unfamiliar face, and remembered the new hair style Kasumi was
trying out. He didn't mind the change, although he had liked it the old
way a bit more. Kasumi seemed a bit subdued this morning, perhaps
uncertain of his reaction to her new cut. Smiling, he bent in for a
kiss.
Kasumi reacted instantly, rolling out of bed away from the kiss and
going into a defensive stance. "What are you doing!? Who are you?"
Johnathon blinked at his wife confusedly. < When did Kasumi get to
be so fast?> "Um, Kasumi? I'm your husband, Johnathon, remember?"
Kasumi blinked, belatedly remembering her unclothed state. She
grabbed the covers off the bed, wrapping them about herself. The
strangers words suddenly registered, as well as the sight of him sitting
naked and confused on the bed.
Kasumi blushed. "Oh my."
Johnathon watched in confusion as his wife turned her back to him,
her face flaming in embarrassment. He collected his clothes from the
side of the bed and started dressing.
Kasumi looked around the room, trying to figure out where she was,
and what was going on. She avoided looking at the man on the bed. It
was true that she was quite familiar with male anatomy, but it wasn't
the same when it was someone else. This man claimed to be her husband.
It was obviously false, but he had seemed quite honestly confused at her
not recognizing him. The room was strange, it seemed like a woman's
room, with only a few details that spoke of a man's presence. Kasumi
turned at the sound of the man coming up behind her.
"Kasumi-chan? What's wrong?" Johnathon put his hand on Kasumi's
shoulder and was surprised as she flinched away.
Kasumi backed away from the man. "I don't know who you are. Where
am I? How did I get here?" She peered at the man, Johnathon was what
he had called himself. He looked worried and scared, not of her, Kasumi
realized suddenly, but for her. He was taller than her, and his
appearance was European. He spoke with a slight accent, perhaps
American. She had never seen him before in her life.
Johnathon frowned, getting seriously worried now. < This is no
joke, Kasumi really doesn't know me.> "Kasumi, you're in our bedroom.
You went to sleep here last night, don't you remember anything?"
Kasumi shook her head, still backing away. "I'm sorry, I don't
remember you. I went to sleep in my room at the restaurant." She
paused, the look in his eyes was genuine concern. < Who is this man?
Why does he claim to be married to me, and how did I get here?> "You
say we're married, but I've never seen you before." Kasumi reached for
the door and opened it, and stepped out into the hall.
Johnathon followed Kasumi to the door. "I don't know what's wrong,
Kasumi, but...."
Kasumi was looking around in confusion. "How? This was my old
room! What's going on?"
Johnathon blinked. "It was your room Kasumi, until I moved in, two
months ago." He pointed at the sign on the door. It was a duck with
her name on it.
Kasumi looked down the hall. The duck was familiar, just like the
ones on Akane's and Nabiki's rooms. She recognized where she was now,
upstairs in her family home, but that couldn't have been her room.
Kasumi hadn't had so many female things since before leaving on the
training trip with Genma. Never-the-less, this was definitely her
father's house.
"This is my family home, yes, but I don't live in that room." Kasumi
started moving down the hall, tying the blanket around her more
securely. < What's happened? Have I lost my memory?> Johnathon's
concern for her was unmistakable, it seemed incredible that she was
married to him, and not Shampoo. It was even more unlikely that this
was some sort of hoax. Kasumi stopped moving away. "When did we get
married? How did we meet? I don't remember."
Johnathon sighed, relieved that Kasumi wasn't trying to leave. "We
got married two months ago, right after we returned from China. We met
a year ago, I was teaching English at Furinkan High school and started
taking lessons here at the Dojo. For me it was love at first sight,
although I didn't tell you how I felt for months. We started dating
seriously three months ago, and got married a month later."
Kasumi blinked. "Only a month? That seems fast. What happened to
Shampoo?"
Johnathon looked a bit confused at the last question. "It was a bit
fast, but your father talked me into it... and I didn't really mind, I
love you. Shampoo is fine, she's no longer engaged to Ranma, and she
and Dr. Tofu will be getting married in under a year."
Now it was Kasumi's turn to be confused. "Shampoo was engaged to
Ranma? She's marrying Dr. Tofu?" She shook her head. "A lot seem to
have happened. How long has it been since...?" Kasumi tried to think of
the right question to ask. "How long is it since Genma and I returned
from China? What year is it?"
Johnathon shook his head. "You and Genma? It's 1998, but I don't
remember you and Mr. Saotome going to China."
Kasumi shook her head in confusion. "1998? Yes, that's what I
remember, but that means less than a year has passed. That can't be
right, or I would remember you, right?"
Johnathon shrugged. "I can't tell you what's off with your memory,
but I assure you I'm telling the truth."
Kasumi looked at him intently. "Somehow, I think you are telling
the truth, as you know it. I wish I could remember you, you seem like a
nice man."
Johnathon smiled faintly. "Thanks, Kasumi-chan. I promise we'll
get your memory back, if it's at all possible. Why don't you put on
some clothes, and we can go to Dr Tofu's office and see if he can help."
Kasumi nodded. "That sounds sensible." She walked back into what
seemed to be her room and slowly headed for the closet. She looked
uncertainly back at Johnathon. Sensing her discomfort he stepped out of
the room.
"I'll wait out here." Johnathon said quietly, obviously still quite
worried. He closed the door, and leaned back against the wall. < What
could have happened to Kasumi? Why does this have to happen now? Why
to us?>
Kasumi sighed and started searching through the closet. There was a
wide variety of dresses, skirts, and feminine shirts and sweaters. There
was a smaller selection of pants, shirts and jackets obviously meant for
a man. Most of the male clothing was in dark colors, black, blue, brown
and gray. She preferred lighter shades herself, and most of the female
clothing in the closet matched her taste, but....
< Dresses? Skirts? Why so many?> Kasumi shook her head in
confusion. < With my curse I can't really wear them without chancing
getting splashed and looking ridiculous in my male form.>
Kasumi pulled out a yellow shirt that looked like it would fit her,
and looked for a set of pants that would fit her. After several tries
she found only one pair of pants in the closet even remotely in her
size, all the rest were much too long in the leg for her.
A possible answer came to her. < Have I found a cure? Is that why
I own such feminine clothing?> Kasumi shrugged and looked through a
dresser for underwear. In one drawer were men's briefs, not in her size
however, or to her taste. In a different drawer were bras and panties,
no boxers at all. <I must be cured.> Kasumi decided. < That explains
a lot. Shampoo wouldn't marry a girl, so somehow she must have....>
Kasumi shrugged. < I'll find out what happened later. It's nice to
be able to dress feminine for once.> Kasumi put on a pair of panties
and struggled with the bra for a bit before getting it on correctly. <
It's been a long time. This is decidedly uncomfortable.> She put on
the shirt, and debated wearing a skirt but finally decided against it
and wore the pants. Kasumi slipped on a pair of shoes obviously in her
size, and opened the bedroom door.
Johnathon turned to his wife, smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry,
love. We'll get you back to normal in no time."
Kasumi nodded uncertainly. "I hope so. Johnathon-san, when did I
find a cure for my...." Kasumi paused. < Does he know about the curse?
Would any man have married a girl cursed to become a man?>
Johnathon blinked. "What is it? A cure? You aren't affected by
the Cat's tongue anymore, if that's what you're asking."
Kasumi looked at Johnathon searchingly. < He knows about the Cat's
tongue, then he must know about my curse as well.> "No, I meant my
curse. When did I find a cure for that?"
Johnathon blinked again. "The Jusenkyo curse? There is no cure,
none that we know of, Kasumi. I'm afraid you are still cursed. As am
I."
Kasumi looked confused and a bit surprised. < Really? Then why do
I have all those feminine clothes?> Kasumi cleared her throat. "Oh, I
should have known it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of the curse. You
have a Jusenkyo curse as well? What do you change into?"
Johnathon paused before answering. < Kasumi remembers her own
curse, but not me, this is something other than normal amnesia.> "I
have a mixed curse, half human, half black cat."
Kasumi shuddered at that. "C-cat? That's horrible!" < I'm married
to a man who becomes part cat? I can hardly believe it.>
Johnathon shrugged. "I've learned to live with it. You know as
well as I what it's like." < Now what's wrong? Kasumi's suddenly ten
times as nervous as before.>
Kasumi nodded. "Yes, I suppose so."
Johnathon started down the corridor toward the stairs. "Dr Tofu is
probably up by now. We'll leave a note for the family, and go to his
office, OK?"
Kasumi nodded again. "Alright, that sounds fine."
Johnathon checked his watch. Most of the family would be up in half
an hour. He and Kasumi always woke first to prepare breakfast for them.
Johnathon led Kasumi down to the kitchen and found a pad to write a note
on. He quickly wrote a note explaining that he and Kasumi were out and
would be back in an hour.
Kasumi looked over his shoulder at the note and nodded absently to
herself. < Why can't I remember? This is my home, I recognize it. That
did seem to be my room....> Kasumi frowned to herself in confusion. < I
wonder where Nabiki and Mrs. Saotome are, they'd usually be cooking
breakfast by now. Oh well, I suppose that's changed since I've been
married.>
Johnathon nodded to her and started to head for the front door.
"Let's get going, Kasumi-chan."
Kasumi nodded back faintly, still thinking hard. < These are my
clothes, they fit well enough, but why do I have so many feminine
styles? Johnathon said I still have my curse, so why?>
The two young adults went out the front door and through the gate,
walking side by side now towards the Doctor's office.
Kasumi glanced at her "husband" curiously as they walked. < Is
Johnathon-san why I have all those feminine clothes? Perhaps he likes
me more like that.> Kasumi considered that. < It makes sense, but I
don't know how I feel about that. Would I really change my ways so much
to get along with my husband?> Kasumi sighed silently. <I would. I
have, I guess. I don't really mind being a bit more feminine, but it
could be quite embarrassing to be caught as a man in a dress.> Kasumi
glanced again at the man walking at her side. < Johnathon seems to
accept my curse, and he has one of his own.> Kasumi shuddered faintly.
< How does that work? Did I love him so much that his turning into a
half... c-cat wouldn't matter?>
Kasumi thought about that. < Johnathon does seem to be a nice
person. He has been handling all this very calmly. He really does seem
to love me. I can understand why I married a man like that.> She
shuddered again. < But a c-cat... how did I ever get past his curse?>
Kasumi took the time to study him more closely. < He moves like a
martial artist. He must be at least relatively skilled.> She picked up
her stride a bit as he started to walk a fraction faster. Kasumi caught
him looking at her and glanced away nervously. < What is he thinking?>
Johnathon glanced at Kasumi, and noticed her looking at him. She
looked away immediately, but Johnathon looked at her for awhile. He had
been unconsciously lengthening his stride as they walked. One thing
Johnathon never had in common with Kasumi was a normal walking pace. He
always slowed his normal pace down when he walked with her, matching her
more sedate grace. Johnathon never minded walking slower, but sometimes
he had caught himself pulling ahead and always would slow to match her.
Johnathon realized suddenly that they had been walking quite a bit
faster than he usually did with Kasumi. He studied her form as they
walked, trying to figure out what was bothering his subconscious.
He frowned. < Something is different about Kasumi, but what?>
Johnathon kept studying his wife, trying to figure it out. < Kasumi's
walking faster than normal. She's still as graceful as ever, but, her
pace is faster, her stride is longer. She's walking like Ranma, or
Shampoo.> Slowly he increased his pace to his normal speed. Kasumi
kept up easily, almost unconsciously lengthening her stride and picking
up the pace to match him. Johnathon kept glancing over at her, getting a
bit confused. < Kasumi's definitely acting differently today. Normally
she would try to keep up, and I'd notice her struggling a bit, and slow
down for her. Today she's acting as if she always walks like this.>
Johnathon watched carefully, but there was no sign of strain at all.
She was walking smoothly, powerfully, like a trained martial artist. <
That's what it is. Kasumi is walking like a martial artist. I know she
trained a bit as a child, is she remembering those times?>
Kasumi could sense Johnathon watching her. His intense regard was
starting to make her uncomfortable, but she couldn't bring herself to
say anything.
Johnathon was sure something was different about Kasumi. < What do
I say to her? "Hey Kasumi, why are you walking differently?" That
sounds dumb. Oh well, just ask her, and forget about sounding stupid.>
"Kasumi, something's different about you today."
Kasumi looked back at Johnathon as they continued to walk. "Oh?
What?"
Johnathon looked puzzled. "Well, it's nothing much, but we normally
don't walk so quickly... I mean, I certainly don't mind it, but...." He
tried to think of how to say it diplomatically and failed. "You're a lot
more... energetic than normal. You usually are a bit more...." He
paused, trying to think of a good word.
Kasumi frowned slightly at his words. "Lady like?" She suggested,
thinking of all the feminine clothing she apparently owned.
Johnathon paused some more. "Um, I wouldn't say that... it's hard
to explain. Let me be more precise. You are walking quite a bit faster
than normal, with more energy. Very gracefully, but with more energy
than normal."
Kasumi looked thoughtful, than shrugged. "I don't know why,
Johnathon-san." Kasumi frowned and looked away. <I must have been
acting 'feminine' when I met him. He must have liked that about me, so
perhaps I just kept acting that way to make him happy.> Kasumi bit her
lip in combined worry and discomfort. < Why did I change myself for
him? I'm a martial artist, not a housewife. Was I happy, being a
traditional girl for his sake?> Kasumi started slowing down a bit,
trying to walk more like a "traditional" girl would, gracefully, but
sedately.
Johnathon slowed his own pace to match hers. < Damn it, I should
have kept my big mouth shut. I didn't want Kasumi to think I didn't
approve of how she walked. I don't want her to change herself for me.>
He tried to come up with something to say to fix his error, but nothing
came to mind. Before long, they came up to Dr Tofu's office. Johnathon
turned toward the front door. "Looks like he's not open yet, I don't
think he'll mind seeing us, though."
Johnathon knocked at the door lightly and half a minute later it was
opened by Shampoo. "Nihao!" She greeted them in Chinese, switching
over to Japanese immediately. "Johnathon-san, Kasumi-san! Welcome,
come inside!"
Kasumi followed Johnathon inside, looking at Shampoo. < So she
really is here. I wonder how it happened?>
Shampoo lead them into the examination room of the clinic. "Airen!
Johnathon and Kasumi are here!"
Dr Tofu turned around to see them, having been checking the
inventory in the cabinets. "Kasumi, Johnathon, what can I do for you
today? Is everyone alright?"
Johnathon's face betrayed his worry. "It's Kasumi, Doctor. She
seems to have lost some of her memory. Kasumi can't remember me, and
she seems to have forgotten a lot of what has happened in the past
year."
Dr Tofu looked at Kasumi intently. "Is that so? Do you know how
this happened?"
Both Kasumi and Johnathon shook their heads.
Johnathon spoke up. "Everything was fine last night. When we woke
up this morning, Kasumi didn't know me."
Dr Tofu frowned. "That sounds familiar. Kasumi, what is the last
thing you remember?"
Kasumi thought back. "I remember going to sleep in my room in the
restaurant, then I woke up in a strange room that I didn't recognize."
She blushed. "I was next to... Johnathon, and I didn't know him, I
don't remember him at all."
Dr Tofu blinked. "The restaurant? What restaurant?" He looked
puzzled. "And you say you didn't recognize your bedroom?"
Johnathon blinked. "You didn't? I thought you lived in that room
for years? I don't remember you living in a restaurant either."
Kasumi looked from one man to the other, trying to figure out what
they were saying. "The San Cheng-Huang, I lived there for awhile with
Shampoo..." She paused at the trio of confused looks.
Shampoo shook her head. "Shampoo live in Cat Cafe, not San
Cheng-Huang. Kasumi never live with Shampoo anyway."
Kasumi blinked. "What? But we did, you stayed at fathers house
with us for awhile, then we moved out to the restaurant together...."
Kasumi paused at the looks of incomprehension from everyone. < What's
going on? Is Shampoo trying to hide our relationship from Johnathon? Dr
Tofu knew about it, maybe Johnathon didn't? I could understand hiding
the fact that Shampoo and I were married from Johnathon, although I'm
not sure we should have....> Kasumi sighed. "I must be confused. I
really don't know what's real and what's not, right now."
Dr Tofu nodded, smiling reassuringly. "Why don't you have a seat,
and I'll see if I can determine what's wrong." Kasumi took a seat in a
nearby chair obediently, and Dr Tofu walked closer to her and looked her
in the eyes. "Did you feel different when you woke up? Did your head
feel, refreshed?"
Shampoo nodded in understanding. "The Xi-Fa-Xiang-Gao Shiatsu
technique! That explain Kasumi's memory!"
Dr Tofu nodded. "That would indeed explain it."
Kasumi looked thoughtful. "That's a technique to erase memory,
isn't it? I remember Elder Cologne mentioning something about it."
Dr Tofu examined Kasumi's head carefully. "Hmm." He frowned. "I
do not detect any signs of that particular technique. I have seen it
before, I believe I would be able to detect its use now. Shampoo, do you
have any ideas?"
Shampoo looked thoughtful, and moved forward to examine Kasumi's
head as well. "Airen is correct. Xi-Fa-Xiang-Gao technique not used.
Shampoo can not explain it."
Dr Tofu nodded. "Then there must be another explanation. We can
begin with a physical exam, to see if there is any physiological
explanation for your memory loss."
Kasumi nodded. "You know what's best, Doctor."
The doctor asked Johnathon and Shampoo to wait out in the lobby and
began a through physical examination.
Kasumi pondered everything she had learned so far that day. < My
life is so much different then I remember it. Nothing makes sense.
There has to be some sort of explanation, can it all just be my memories
being wrong? Have things changed so much, or do I just not remember the
truth?>
Dr Tofu finished the basics and had Kasumi remove her shirt. It
took a conscious effort for him to maintain his professionalism around
Kasumi, but he managed it. His training and his concern for her helped
him remain in control. Seconds after Kasumi removed her shirt, Dr Tofu
blinked in astonishment. His hand went to her arm, as if to check her
pulse, then lingered, probing her wrist and moving along the muscles in
her arm.
Dr Tofu looked at Kasumi intently, his eyes a bit wide. < Kasumi
has, muscles? Her muscle definition is much more apparent then before.
It doesn't really show through her clothing, but Kasumi's muscle tone is
incredibly good. Ranma and Ryoga have muscles like this, but Kasumi
never has... It's almost impossible for Kasumi to have gained this kind
of strength since I last saw her.> The doctor paused in his examination
and looked at Kasumi's face again. "Kasumi, when did you start working
out?"
Kasumi blinked at the question. "When did I start working out?
Well, I've been practicing martial arts with Mr. Saotome since I was
little. Why do you ask?"
Dr Tofu slowly shook his head. "No Kasumi, you only met Mr. Saotome
a year ago, and as little as a month ago, you had none of the muscle
definition I see now. You were perfectly healthy before, but now...."
He looked intently at his patient again. "To my knowledge, you stopped
training in the martial arts when you were 10, and have never started
them since."
Kasumi was stunned. <I haven't studied martial arts? I didn't go
on that training trip with Genma? No! It happened, I can't have
imagined it all.> Kasumi shook her head. "How did I become cursed, if
I didn't go on the training trip with Mr. Saotome? I know martial
arts! I remember it all, years and years of training! This can't be
right."
Dr Tofu shook his head. "You were cursed in China, but not on a
training trip with Genma. You were cursed to rescue you from being
trapped in a maze of deathtraps. You chose to curse yourself, rather
than risk other's getting killed trying to rescue you. As for your
memories, and your muscles, I can't explain it. There must be some
reason for all this, but it's escaping me right now."
Kasumi shook her head. "None of this makes any sense! Why would I
curse myself? I might have imagined everything else, but I didn't
imagine learning martial arts! The Art has made up almost my entire
life!" Kasumi thought furiously. < This can't be real. But how do I
prove it?> Kasumi nodded suddenly. "I'll prove it too you. Watch."
Kasumi concentrated on summoning her chi. Her right hand started to
glow. "This is the Dragon's fang fist." She let the chi disperse. "If
I hadn't let the energy go, I could have blow a wall down with that much
chi."
Dr Tofu nodded slowly. "That was indeed an intense generation of
chi. I do believe you could use it as you say. Kasumi, something is
definitely strange. Either somehow someone has altered your memories,
given you a martial artist's build and the ability to use a chi attack
overnight, or you are not Kasumi Tendo. At least, not the Kasumi Tendo
I know."