Subject: [ffml][fanfic][Ranma]Kasumi's Little Secret Prts 1-5

From: Anthony Woo <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 1997 12:17:39 -0700 (PDT)

Kasumi's Little Secret
Part 1:  Kasumi in the Dojo
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction
Version 1.2

All characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.
Please don't sue me ; )

	It was a fairly normal Friday in Nerima.  Ranma was taking the
express route home courtesy of Akane's Hammerspace Airlines.  <Well,> he
thought as he crashed into the Tendo's pond, <This is one way to get home
early.>
	Ranma-chan slogged out of the pond towards the house.  <I need
some hot water to change she ought as she passed the dojo and glanced in.
The dojo looked the same as it always did:  blank wooden walls, slightly
dirty floor, newly repaired shoji, Kasumi in a karate-gi moving gracefully
across the room...<wait a sec,> Ranma-chan thought <I didn't just see
_Kasumi_ in a _gi_, did I?  Nah, must have been may imagination.  Still,
I'd better check...>
	Ranma went back to the dojo and looked in.  She hadn't been
imagining things.  Kasumi was there in her gi moving across the floor in
what looked, at first glance, like a slow, complex, and graceful dance.
<It's not just a dance,> Ranma thought as she watched in amazement.  She
recognized several of Kasumi movements as martial arts techniques, there
were a couple of simple kicks and several complex joint locks.   Ranma was
simply shocked.  He had never imagined _Kasumi_ engaging in martial arts.
Ranma was curious too.  She was unaware of any kata that was performed as
slowly as Kasumi was moving.  Most kata's were best done slow if you were
just beginning to learn it but Kasumi's movements were graceful and
certain.  It was obvious that she was practicing a kata that she had
trained in for a long time.  <Why, then, is she moving so slowly?> Ranma
asked herself.
	Presently Kasumi finished her kata, bowed to the dojo, and turned
to leave.  Only to find Ranma-chan standing in the door way.
	"Ranma-kun!" she exclaimed, "what are you doing home so early?"
	"Akane sent me on the express route home," Ranma responded dryly.
	"Oh my!" she said "Ranma-kun are you all right?"
	"Yeah, yeah," she said waving her hand dismisively, "I'll be fine.
What was it that you were doing there a few minutes ago?"
	"You saw that?" she asked quietly.
	"Yeah, I did," she answered, "I recognized some of what you were
doing, but I didn't recognize the style.  And why were you doing so slow?"
	"That was a short tai-chi form," Kasumi answered, "it's supposed
to be performed slowly."
	"Tai-chi?" Ranma asked, "isn't that an exercise that old people do
in parks?"
	"While it may be less...active than Kempo, Tai-chi Chuan is still
an effective style of martial art," Kasumi answered with a slightly
defensive tone in her voice.
	"Yeah, right," Ranma smirked.
	"Would you like a demonstration Ranma?" Kasumi smiled coldly.  <Uh
oh,> Ranma thought.
	"All right," she said slowly and bowed as she entered the dojo.  
	"All right Ranma," said Kasumi after they had bowed to one
another, "take a stance and put out your hands."  Ranma stood feet
shoulder width apart, her right heel a couple of inches ahead of her left
toe.  Kasumi took a similar stance facing her and put her hands up to
Ranma's.  "All you have to do," continued Kasumi, "is push me off balance,
while not moving your feet.  Simple ne?"
	"Hai."
	"Hajime."  Their conflict lasted all of ten seconds.  Ranma's
hands lashed out only to meet nothing but air as Kasumi deftly twisted her
body out of the way and redirected Ranma's hands.  Suddenly, as Ranma
completed one of his strikes with his right hand Kasumi latched on to
Ranma hand with her left while the other reached around to grasp the back
of Ranma's neck.  With a slight tug to her left Kasumi sent Ranma
stumbling.
	"How'd you do that?" Ranma asked puzzled by her defeat.
	"Your momentum was coming toward me with that strike," Kasumi
answered, "I simply redirected it and added a little bit of my own."
	"Let's try that again," Ranma challenged.  Kasumi merely shrugged.
They tried it again and again and again.  Each time Ranma was the one who
lost his balance.  After her tenth encounter with the floor Ranma admitted
defeat.  
	"OK," she admitted, "Tai-Chi is a martial art.  But I didn't see
you using any of those techniques you were performing in that kata."
	"That's because I didn't," Kasumi said, "it's like the Anything
Goes style.  The forms help train your body and help to focus your mind on
the philosophies of the art."  Ranma pondered that for a moment, then
smiled as she understood.  
	"Would you teach me Kasumi-san?"
	"You want me to teach you?" Kasumi asked, mildly surprised.
	"Yeah," she said, "I mean, the Anything Goes school teaches that
anythin' goes, right?  So if Tai-chi works, I might as well learn it
right?"
	"All right Ranma-kun," Kasumi sighed, "on one condition."
	"What is it?" Ranma asked.
	"Don't tell _anyone_ that I know martial arts, _especially_ my
family."
	"Uh, yeah, sure," Ranma answered.  "So you're gonna train me?" 
	"Hai, Ranma-kun," she answered, "but right now I've got to change,
bathe, and get dinner started."  With a bow Kasumi left the dojo to her
tasks.  Ranma-chan also left the dojo, smiling to herself.  <Who would
have thought,> she thought, <Kasumi, a martial artist.>  Ranma was so lost
in her thoughts that she ran into Akane on her way to the kitchen for some
hot water.
	"Ranma no baka!" Akane exclaimed, "watch where you're going!"
	"Why don't you kawaikunee tomboy!"
	"Who are you calling a tomboy you sex-changing hentai"

***

	Kasumi sighed as she eased herself into the bath tub.  She'd had a
good workout today, and it wasn't often that she had someone to practice
Push-Hands with.  <Even though Ranma had no idea what he was doing,> she
thought with a sigh.  He was strong and fast, but he had no patience.
	As Ranma and Akane's fight made itself heard in the bathroom
Kasumi sighed again.  <Some self control would help a little too,> she
thought, <Maybe, just maybe, I can train some of these things into him.>
Kasumi relaxed in the tub with a smile.  It was going to be an interesting
experience.

Kasumi's Little Secret
Part 2:  Day 1
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
Version 2.1

Insert standard fanfic disclaimer here

	The sun was in the process of rising when Ranma's alarm went off.
Ranma's eyes cracked open as he peered out the window.  Instinctively he
reached out to pound the alarm into silence as he realized that the sun
had not yet risen.  <Why's my alarm goin' off at this time anyway?> he
asked himself as his fist began it's decent.  <It's not like I have t'get
up for nothin', right?>  As Ranma's hand touched the clock he remembered
why he had set his alarm to go off early...

<Begin Flashback
	"So when are ya goin' to start trainin' me Kasumi?" Ranma asked.
	"How about tomorrow Ranma-kun?" Kasumi replied.
	"But I got school tomorrow..."
	"Oh my," Kasumi said.  "Well since you have school and I am far
too busy once every one gets home...how about tomorrow morning?"
	"I've got trainin' with Pop in the mornin'," Ranma sighed glumly.
	"How about before your training with your father," Kasumi
suggested.
	"Ain't that kinda early?" he protested.
	"Did you want to learn or not?"
	"All right," he grumbled, "what time?"
	"How about six?"
End Flashback>

	"The things I put up with for martial arts trainin'," Ranma
grumbled as he made his way into the bathroom.  

***

	Akane's eyes slowly cracked open as she heard a loud crashing from
the bathroom.  She was about to get up to investigate when she hear a
familiar female voice swearing loudly.  Akane glanced at the alarm clock
in her room.  It read 5:45.
	"Ranma no baka," she groaned as she flopped onto her back, and
tried to get back to sleep.  

***

	"Explain to me again why I'm standin' here Kasumi?" Ranma, now in
his male form, asked.
	"Because it's part of your training Ranma-kun," Kasumi said.
Ranma was wearing his usual balck pants and red silk shirt; while Kasumi
was wearing her white karate-gi.  The two of them were standing on the
fence surrounding the Tendo residence, balancing on one leg.  Ranma was
constantly fidgiting, shifting from one stance to another.  Kasumi simply
stood there, her foot tucked neatly behind her knee and her hands pressed
together as if praying.
	"But I don't need any balance training," Ranma protested.
	"I'm not training your balance, Ranma," Kasumi said.
	"Then what are you doing?" he asked.
	"Patience Ranma," Kasumi smiled, "think of it as an exercise for
your mind.  When you figure out what I'm training I won't need to train it
anymore."
	"But..."
	"Please stop asking questions Ranma-kun," Kasumi interrupted,
"just watch the sunrise."  Kasumi smiled as she remembered when someone
had said those exact same words to her.
	The first rays of the sun peeked above the horizon, pushing back
the darkness of the rapidly fading night.  Kasumi stood, enchanted by the
wonderful sight.  The light of the sun turned the sky from midnight blue
to a warm pink and it seemed to glow with life.  Slowly the pink faded
into a bright blue as the birds cried out their welcome to the new day,
their songs telling of the freedom of flight in that wonderous blue
canvas.  The sun itself was an ascending disk of pure light.  Kasumi could
only watch it for a short time before she had to turn away.  Kasumi
blinked back the tears in her eyes, hoping that Ranma would just think
that it was the sun.
	"All right Ranma," Kasumi said, "you can get down now.  Let's go
into the dojo."

***

	Ranma spent the next hour learning the first few techniques of the
most basic Tai-chi form that Kasumi knew.  <Basic she calls it!> Ranma
thought afterwards, <hah!  Most Kempo katas I know are shorter and simpler
than that one!  And that's the _easiest_!  What am I getting myself
into?!>  Most of the time was spent watching Kasumi perform the kata and
asking questions about the techniques.  Some of them had seemed purely
ornamental but Kasumi had demonstrated how each technique could be used in
both attack and/or defense.  After Ranma had watched the entire kata,
Kasumi started teaching teaching him the beginnings of the form.  They
stopped only when they heard Genma calling for Ranma.  Ranma's eyes had
widened in surprise as he said, "Oh boy!  I completely lost track of time!
Sorry, Kasumi, I gotta go!"  Kasumi had smiled as he raced out the door.
<Having a student is more stressful than I thought,> she sighed, <but if
Master Huang could teach me, than I can certainly teach Ranma.  After all,
he's no worse than I was when I started.>
	<Wait,> Kasumi thought, <if Ranma's father is already up...>
	"Oh my," she said aloud, "I'm late!  I've got to change, get
washed up, and make breakfast!"  With that she shot out of the dojo and
into the house.

Kasumi's Little Secret
Part 3:  Goin' Slow
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
Version 1.0

Insert standard fic disclaimer here

	Ranma groaned as he crawled out of bed.  An entire two weeks of
watching the sunrise and he still hadn't gotten the hang of waking up that
early.  <Just my luck that Kasumi's a mornin' person,> he thought with a
moan as he dragged himself to the bathroom to wash before his morning
training session.

***

	Akane groaned and rolled over onto her stomach as she heard Ranma
clattering in the bathroom again.  <That baka's been waking me up for the
last two weeks,> she thought as she tried to muffle the sounds by covering
her head with her pillow.  It didn't work.  <What the hell is he doing up
this early in the morning anyway,> she thought as another round of
swearing rose from the bathroom.

***

	"Leg strength," Ranma said as he and Kasumi stood on the fence
watching the sun rise.
	"What was that Ranma?" Kasumi asked without taking her eyes off of
the rapidly brightening horizon.
	"You're trainin' is buildin' up my leg strength," he said.  Kasumi
turned to look at him, her eyes glittering with amusement.
	"Do you really think you need to build your leg strength Ranma?"
she asked.
	"Well, no," he admitted.
	"Neither do I," she said turning back to watch the sunrise.  This
had become a dayly ritual for the two of them as they stood up on the
fence.  Ranma would come up with a reason why they were standing on the
fence watching the sunrise and Kasumi would tell him that he was wrong.
Ranma's answers ranged from the simple to the bizzare.  Today was one of
his more mundane answers; once he suggested that she was trying to improve
his posture, Kasumi almost fell off the fence laughing that morning.
Often Ranma would get so caught up in his pondering of the problem that he
would stop fidgiting and stand still for the entire exercise.  He was so
caught up in his contemplations that he never noticed Kasumi glancing at
him and smiling.  
	"So what _are_ you trainin' by standin' up here?" Ranma asked.
	"Patence Ranma," she said with a smile, "when you figure it out
you won't have to train it anymore."  Ranma simply sighed and returned to
watching the sunrise.

***

	"Alright Ranma," Kasumi said as the two of them entered the dojo
after watching the sunrise, "let's see what you remember of the form."
	"You want me to tell you what I'm supposed to do?" he asked.
	"No," Kasumi responed, "I want you to follow me as I do it."
	"Alright," he said.  <Shouldn't be too hard,> he thought, <the way
I've been practicing, following her should be a breeze.>  
	"Ready?" she asked looking at Ranma.
	"Yup," he replied.
	"Then let's begin," she said.  Kasumi watched Ranma out of the
corner of her eye as they moved through the form.  This particular form
came naturally to her, it was the first one that Sifu Huang had taught her
and when she practiced it she'd remember his rough voice and his gentle
motions.  Kasumi could do this one in her sleep, perfectly; so she had
some attention to spare to observe Ranma's technique.  It
was...unimpressive.  <Horrible would be a better word for it,> she
thought, <if I was that bad, I don't know how Sifu put up with me!>
Ranma's entire body was tense and his motions were jerky.  It was as if he
was trying hard to restrain himself.  For someone who knew the kata
intimately it was painful to watch.  
	"Matte," Kasumi said after a another moment.  Immediately Ranma
stopped and turned to look at her.
	"What is it Kasumi?" he asked confused.
	"Ranma-kun have you been practicing outside our training
sessions?" she asked.
	"Of course I've been practicin'," he said, "I'm not going to slack
off trainin'!"
	"That's what I was afraid of," Kasumi sighed.  "All right," she
said after a moment, "show me how you've been practicing."  Ranma took a
step back and began the form.  Ten minutes later he was done.  Kasumi just
looked at him in disbelief.  The kata was almost unrecognizable.  Yes, he
had performed each of the techniques she had taught him almost perfectly.
But each technique was separate and distinct, there was little fluidity as
he moved from one technique to the next.  <And, by the kami, he did that
fast,> she thought, <I don't know what that was but it _certainly_ was not
Tai-chi!>
	"Ranma," she said, "that was very good.  Now, do it about three
times slower."
	"Huh?"
	"You heard me," she said, "you did it too fast."
	"Aren't I supposed to do it fast?" he asked.
	"No Ranma, this isn't Kempo.  This is Tai-chi.  I'm not looking
for speed and strength.  I'm looking for fluidity and grace."
	"Huh?"
	"Ranma, what happens when you punch a rock?"
	"It breaks," he said, confusion evident on his face, "but what-"
	"Now what happens when you punch water?" Kasumi interrupted.
	"Not much, I get a little wet but that's it," he said, still
confused, "but what-"
	"Tai-chi is a soft martial art," she said, "that means it's like
water, it flows smoothly."
	"What does that mean?" Ranma asked, still rather confused.  <How
can I explain it to him?> Kasumi thought frantically, <wait, Sifu never
explained it to me, he just told me...>
	"Ranma I want you to think about this:  'What hurt do you cause by
punching the water?  How much damage can you do by kicking the wind?'"
	"The answer is none but-" he trailed off as Kasumi interrupted
him.
	"Ranma do you remember what it was like doing Push-hands that
first day?"
	"Yeah, it was like..." he trailed off as his eyes widened.
"Attacking thin air," he said with wonder.
	"Exactly," Kasumi said with a smile, "now do the form again,
slowly."  Ranma began again, but it was a repition of when they were
practicing the kata together.  His movements were jerky and his body was
tense.  
	"Ranma," Kasumi said.  Ranma's head snapped to look at her.
	"Nani?" he said nervously.
	"Relax," she said gently, "you're too tense.  Take a breath a
relax a little."  Obediently Ranma inhaled, filling his lungs with air,
then he exhaled slowly.
	"Hajime," Kasumi said softly.  And Ranma began.  His movements
were hesitant and jerky at first but as he continued Kasumi saw her
student relax and the techniques came with more fluidity.  His body began
flowing with the form, moving with grace and precision.  When he had
finished Ranma looked at Kasumi.
	"Wow," was all he said.  Kasumi simply smiled at him before he
rushed off to his training session with his father.  <He's no master,>
Kasumi thought, <but he is learning.  I wonder how Sifu would have taught
him?>  With that thought Kasumi smiled.  <Probably the same way he taught
me,> she thought as she glanced at her watch.  <It looks like breakfast'll
be late again,> she thought as she dashed into the house, <I hope no one's
in the bathroom yet.  It would be tough to explain what I'm doing in a gi
without revealing that I _didn't_ give up martial arts like everyone
thought.>  Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door of the
empty bathroom.  <It's a good thing I put a set of my normal clothes in
here before Ranma's lessons, otherwise I'd really be in trouble.>

Glossary:

Hajime:  Begin
Sifu:  Teacher.  Used for instructors of Chinese martial arts (e.g. Kung
Fu, Tai-chi) rather than sensei which is used for Japanese martial arts
(e.g. Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido) 

Kasumi's Little Secret 
Part 4:  Learning to Push-Hands
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
Version 1.1

Insert standard fic disclaimer here.

<...> thoughts

	"Tadaima!"  Akane cried as she paused by the door to remove her
shoes.  
	"Hello Akane-chan," Kasumi said, "how was school?"
	"It was fine Oneechan," Akane paused for a moment to sniff the
air. "What's cooking Oneechan?" she asked.  
	"Oh," Kasumi replied, "I thought we might have an early dinner
tonight, and maybe the family could go out to see a movie tonight."
	"On a school night Oneechan?"
	"I'm sure if you get your homework done before dinner it will be
all right," Kasumi smiled.
	"That's a great idea Oneechan!" Akane exclaimed, "I guess I'd
better get to work!"  With that Akane ran up the stairs to her room to
work.  <Now, I need to find Ranma,> Kasumi thought, <and tell him about
tonight.>

***

	"Dinner was very good tonight, Kasumi," Genma said.
	"Yes," Soun agreed, "it was absolutely delicious."
	"Domo arigato Saotome-san, Otousan," Kasumi said bowing to each in
turn.  
	"So Neechan," Nabiki said, "are you going to tell us why you made
dinner so early tonight?"
	"I thought the family might want to go out to a movie tonight,"
Kasumi smiled.
	"That sounds like a great idea!" Soun laughed.
	"What should we see?" Genma asked.
	"That new Jackie Chan movie is showin' tonight," Ranma said, "why
don't we go see that?"
	"I think I'll stay home for this one," Nabiki said dryly, "Jackie
Chan isn't exactly my style."
	"Oh come on Neechan!" Akane exclaimed, "it'll be fun!  How often
do we get to go out like this."
	"Well..."
	"I'll even pay for your ticket!"
	"It's a deal!"
	"Now that that's settled," Ranma said, "let's get goin'!"
	"Ranma-kun," Kasumi said, "you did finish your homework, ne?"
	"Iie, Kasumi," he sighed, bowing his head, "I guess I should stay
home and finish it, ne?"
	"Hai, Ranma-kun, you should," Kasumi said, "I need to do some more
work around here anyway so I'll be staying with you."
	<Something's not right here,> Nabiki thought, <Kasumi's never
shown interest in Ranma's school work before--for that matter neither has
Ranma!>
	"Ranma no baka," Akane said, sluging him in the arm, "didn't I
tell you to get your homework done?"
	<Wait a sec,> Nabiki thought, narrowing her eyes at Ranma, <What's
he been doing since he got home?  He wasn't in the dojo and he wasn't
watching TV...if he wasn't doing his homework, what was he doing?>
	"How was I supposed to know?!"
	"Enough fighting you two," Kasumi smiled, "you'd better get going
if you're going to make it to the movie, it starts in half an hour and it
takes fifteen minutes to get there, so you'd better hurry!"
	<Kasumi's trying to get us out of the house,> Nabiki thought,
<why?>
	"C'mon Neechan!" Akane cried, "let's get going!  I don't want t'
miss the movie!"
	<Something fishy is going on here,> Nabiki thought as Akane
dragged her out the door, <and I mean to find out what!>

***

	"Whew," Ranma said, "I thought they'd never leave!"
	"Me too," Kasumi smiled, "Why don't you go on ahead to the dojo
and work on your form while I go change."
	"Sure Kasumi," he said, "what are we doing tonight anyway?"
	"I'm going to start teaching you Push-Hands," Kasumi said, walking
towards the bathroom.

***

	"So why're you teachin' this t' me now, instead of durin' our
mornin' sessions?" Ranma asked after Kasumi bowed into the dojo, dressed
in her karate-gi.
	"It takes a little bit more time to grasp Push-Hands than we have
during our morning sessions."
	"Oh," Ranma said, "then we'd better get started, huh."
	Kasumi began by asking Ranma to take a modified cat stance and
extend his arms, left palm down, right palm up.  As she continued, Ranma
began having doubts about what he was doing.
	"Kasumi," he said, "why am I doing this?  I'm just leaning back
and forward while I wave my arms around.  What's the point?"
	Kasumi smiled and moved to face him.  She mirrored his stance and
extended her arms so that they met his.  At her touch he stopped moving.
	"Keep the count," she said and began preforming the same Push-Hand
form he was, two steps behind.  At first Ranma didn't understand what was
going on, and he lost the count.  Kasumi only smiled at his clumsiness and
patiently started over.  After the first couple attempts, something
clicked in Ranma's mind.  Push-Hands was a little like beginner level
sparring where two students traded the same techniques back and forth.
This wasn't beginner level sparring, however, Ranma marveled at the subtle
interplay between his body and Kasumi's.  Each movement that he made was
matched by an answering movement from Kasumi.  After a while, Kasumi
called a halt to the exercise.
	"What did you think?" she asked.
	"It was interestin'," he replied, "but I still don't see the
point.  What's the martial application for this?"
	"Push-Hands is the next step in your training," she said, "once
you've mastered Push-Hands you're ready to move on to sparring."
	"There's more to it than that, isn't there," Ranma said.
	"Well, yes," Kasumi admitted, "sparring in Tai-chi is different
from sparring in other martial arts.  It doesn't involve the complex
attack and defense routines like other martial arts.  It's primarily a
matter of reading your opponent's Chi."
	"Chi?"
	"It is called Ki here in Japan."
	"I know what it is," Ranma said, "I _did_ spend some time
travelling in China, remember.  I was wondering how you can read your
opponent's Ki at all?"
	"You already have a rudimentery ability to read other people's
Chi," she said, "you can sense when someone is about to attack you, ne?"
	"Hai, but..."
	"When you do that, you're senseing that person's Chi," Kasumi
interrupted, "proper training in Push-Hands will teach you to read other
people's Chi to a point where you know what they're going to do next."
	"You're joking right?"
	"No, Ranma-kun," she said, "I'm absolutely serious, how do you
think I was able to avoid all of your attacks that day you walked in on
me?"
	"I've b'n wonderin' how you did that!"
	"Well," she laughed, "now you know.  We'd better get moving, that
movie is probably over by now."

***

	Kasumi shut the bathroom door and put out the sign just as she
heard the front door open.  <Not a moment too soon,> she thought, sighing
with relief.  She stood there for a moment before walking towards the bath
stripping unconcernedly.  Occupied as she was by the bath Kasumi failed to
notice the bathroom door open quietly.
	<Kasumi must be in there,> Nabiki thought, <there's her dress.>
She was about to close the door when a pile of white cloth caught her
attention.  Silently slipping inside Nabiki inspected the suspicious
material.  <Wait a sec,> she thought, holding the piece of fabric up,
<this is gi...Kasumi?!>

Glossary:

Oneechan:  Older sister
Neechan:  Older sister; less formal than oneechan
Domo arigato:  Thank you very much
Otousan:  Father
Iie:  No
Hai:  Yes

Kasumi's Little Secret 
Part 5:  Visits and Revelations I
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction
Version 1.0

Insert standard fic disclaimer here

<...> thoughts

	"You're gonna have t' do better'n that Oyaji!" Ranma laughed,
deftly dodging his father's flying side kick.  Genma landed and
immediately snapped out a spinning foot sweep.  Ranma just smirked as he
hopped over the attack and launched a flying snap kick.  Genma leaned back
to avoid his son's foot but moved forward in time to catch Ranma's other
foot in the face.  Stumbling back Genmma tripped and landed in the Tendos'
koi pond.
	Kasumi smiled as she watched her student and his father spar in
the yard.  Though she watched the two of them spar almost every day, she
never tired of seeing their displays of speed and grace.  Of course there
were times that she wanted to go out there and teach them a thing or
two--like right now.  Genma had leapt from the pond and attacked Ranma
with a low thrust kick.  Kasumi winced as Ranma scrambled to dodge and
counter attack.
	"Ranma no baka," Kasumi muttered, rolling her eyes, "I thought I
taught you better than that.  You _should_ have used a Brush Knee to block
that kick and followed it with a modified O Soto Gari."  Kasumi's
exasperation lasted only a moment before she realized what she was doing.
Glancing around to make sure no one saw her, Kasumi smoothed her features
and turned to put breakfast on the table.
	Coming down the stairs, Nabiki blinked as she watched the brief
play of emotions flash across her sisters face.  Anyone else would have
missed them, but Nabiki was a trained observer--and she knew her sister.
<At least I thought I did,> she muttered mentally.  Nabiki had seen that
combination of annoyance and exasperation on Ranma, Akane, and just about
every other martial artist she'd seen whenever someone screwed up a
technique.  <But Kasumi gave up martial arts years ago,> Nabiki thought,
<didn't she?>  Unbidden, the image of a karate-gi on the changing room
floor rose in her mind.

***

	"Breakfast was delicious, as always, Kasumi-chan," Soun smiled.
	"Yes Kasumi," Genma agreed, pushing his chair back from the table,
"it was very good."
	"Domo arigato Otousan, Saotome-san," Kasumi nodded, smiling.  She
stood to collect the dishes from the table when the telephone rang in the
other room.  "Ill get it Otousan," Kasumi said as Soun began to stand up.
As the others relaxed and picked at the remains of breakfast, they heard
Kasumis voice float in from the other room.
	"Moshi moshi?" she said, a pause, "this is she oh, Kaneda-kun!"
Kasumi cried, "genki desu ka?"
	"Kaneda?" Akane asked, glancing at Nabiki.  Her sister just
shrugged, as if to say:  "why are you asking me?"
	"Honto?" Kasumi gasped, "sugoi!"  Ranma winced in sympathy when he
heard several snaps and pops as Akane and Nabiki jerked their heads
towards the other room.  Grimacing, Nabiki reached behind her neck to
massage her aching musclesbut her attention never left the other room.
	"Hai!" they heard Kasumi cry, "ja ne!"  A moment later Kasumi
stepped back into the family room and began collecting the dishes to take
them back to the kitchen.
	"Oneechan," Akane asked, helping to gather the dishes, "who's
Kaneda?"
	"He's just an old friend," Kasumi smiled without pausing in her
task.  Nabiki, who had decided to help clear the table as well, stopped
and looked at her older sister.  Kasumi simply looked back, a vacuous
smile on her face.
	"Did you want something Nabiki-chan?" she asked sweetly, her face
the picture of innocence.
	"Yes," Nabiki said, returning to the task of collecting dishes,
"but it can wait until later."  <when I know what's really going on behind
that empty headed facade,> she thought.

***

	Nabiki lounged on the floor watching TV, waiting for some friends
to arrive.  They had planned to visit the new ice cream place that had
opened a few days ago.  <But,> Nabiki thought, glancing at her watch,
<they seem to be twenty minutes behind schedule.>  Soun and Genma were out
on the porch playing Shogi.  <And plotting another scheme to get Ranma and
Akane married, no doubt,> Nabiki thought, irritatedly, <why can't the old
fools just leave well enough alone.>  Akane was out with her friends
today.  <probably eating at that new ice cream place,> Nabiki thought with
a mental snarl.  Ranma was out in the yard practicing some obscure martial
arts technique.  <I wonder if I'm the only person in Nerima who _doesn't_
practice martial arts,> Nabiki thought with some amusement, <no, there's
always Kasumi.  Speaking of Kasumi, where is she?>  Nabiki's older sister
had finished the dishes some time ago, and Nabiki was fairly sure that
today wasn't laundry day.
	<Speak of the devil> Nabiki smirked to herself, as Kasumi stepped
on to the porch.
	"Otousan," Kasumi said, "I'm going to visit the market, would you
like anything?"
	"No thank you Kasumi-chan," Soun replied, his attention focused on
the board before him.
	"Saotome-san?"
	"That's all right Kasumi," Genma said.
	"Ranma-kun," Kasumi called sweetly.
	"Yeah Kasumi?" the young martial artist said, jumping onto the
porch.  For a moment Nabiki frowned, Ranma _never_ let _anyone_ interrupt
his martial arts training.
	"Have you finished your homework for the weekend Ranma-kun?"
Kasumi asked.
	"Yeah," Ranma shrugged.  Nabiki blinked.  <Ranma,> she thought,
<doing his homework before the last minute?>
	"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the market with me?"
	"Sure Kasumi," Ranma said, "just let me get changed out of my gi."
Was it her imagination or did she detect a note of eagerness in his voice.
<Nah,> Nabiki thought, <not Ranma come to think of it, Ranma _has_ been
acting different around Kasumi lately could they Ranma and Kasumi is that
why they've been acting so weird lately?  That still doesn't explain the
gi or this Kaneda person.>  Caught up in her thoughts Nabiki almost missed
the sound of the front door closingsignaling the exit of her sister and
their houseguest.  Acting on the spur of the moment Nabiki hopped off the
couch and slipped out the door in pursuit.

***

	"So, Kasumi," Ranma said as they strolled down the street,
"where're we goin'?"
	"You remember the phone call I received just after breakfast?"
	"Yeah," Ranma shrugged, "some guy named Kaneda called, ne?"
	"Correct Ranma-kun," Kasumi smiled, "he's planning to teach
martial arts classes here in Nerima and he's having a small get together
to celebrate."
	"Ah," Ranma said, poorly disguised suspicion in his voice, "and
who exactly is this Kaneda guy anyway?"
	"Why Ranma-kun," Kasumi laughed, "the way you're acting, one would
almost think you're jealous!"
	"Hey, don't get th' wrong idea or nothin'," Ranma said, "your my
iinazuke's older sister!  I've got t' watch out for family right?"
	"Welcome to the family Ranma-kun," Kasumi grinned, impulsively
pulling Ranma into a tight embrace.
	
***

	Nabiki trailed a couple of blocks behind her sister and their
house guest, cursing Ranma's ability to sense people following him too
closely.  She watched the two of them talking animatedly as they walked
toward their unknown destination.  Once again Nabiki cursed the fact that
she couldn't get close enough to hear them.  Then Nabiki saw something
that made her freeze in her tracksKasumi was hugging Ranma!  Nabiki closed
her eyes, shook her head to clear it and opened them again.  <No> she
thought, <I'm not imagining things what the _hell_ is going on?>

Glossary:

O Soto Gari:  Major Inner Hook Sweep; a judo/jujitsu throw also found in
aikido, aikijutsu, and hapkido.
Domo arigato:  thank you very much
Otousan:  father
Moshi moshi:  hello; used to speak to someone on the telephone
genki desu ka:  how are you?
Honto:  really?
Sugoi:  outstanding, terrific, great, wonderful
Hai:  yes
Ja ne:  see ya
Oneechan:  older sister; familiar

Authors note:  This is the final repost of KLS Parts 1-4; after this I'm
sending it off to the RAAC.  The "Visits and Revelations" sub series will
span both KLS and RLS and will explain why Kasumi's been keeping secrets
from her family.
Sorry it's taken so long to get Part 5 done; I just started school again
so my free time is rapidly disapearing.