[Ranma 1/2][FanFic] Kasumi the Wayfarer Chapter 2
Jeremy Harper
A Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction
By
Jeremy Harper
Disclaimer - Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is used
without permission.
Chapter 2: Of Kittens Bearing Tales
Kasumi settled down at the living room table with a sigh.
Sipping her tea, she looked out into the backyard, contemplating the
koi pond and rock garden. A radio played music, barely audible. The
day's chores were done and she had nothing to do until Nabiki, Akane
and Ranma got home. The house was empty; Father and Uncle Saotome had
gone out to an early neighborhood watch meeting and she was grateful
for the silence for she felt oddly tired, and for the life of her
could not figure a reason why. The housework had been no more onerous
than usual. She wondered briefly if her return to her dreamlands was
the cause of her fatigue. Perhaps during her absence she had somehow
gotten... out of shape, for lack of a better term. It seemed a silly
conjecture, especially since she felt so wonderful this morning -
better than she had felt in over a month, in fact. But it was the only
plausible reason she could think of that could explain this sudden
weariness.
Kasumi drank another sip of tea and dismissed her concerns. No doubt
she would be better the next morning. Thinking of tomorrow made her
recall that she needed to take a quick inventory of the refrigerator
and pantries to see what was needed when she went out shopping. She
also should remember to drop in at the clinic and return the book on
shiatsu she borrowed from Doctor Tofu. Her lips quirked into a smile;
the good Doctor was such an amusing and silly man. It always
brightened her day to see his antics. It was a shame that he didn't
behave with a little more decorum, though. He was quite handsome.
Kasumi blushed at that errant thought and brushed it away. In all
seriousness she found it hard to reconcile the Doctor Tofu she knew
with the Tofu Father, Akane and Ranma spoke of with affection and
respect.
A figure jumped over the wall and landed on all fours on the far side
of the koi pond, slightly startling Kasumi. She set down her tea and
looked at Ranma as he crouched on his haunches, glancing about with
casual deliberation. Satisfied, he leaped over the pond and padded up
to the porch, still on all fours. He meowed out a greeting. Kasumi
couldn't help but laugh. She spoke to Ranma, pitching her voice in a
soft, purring lilt.
"Oh my, whatever happened to you Ranma?" Ranma meowed in response.
"You don't know? Oh well. Whatever are we going to do with you? You're
always getting into so much trouble." Ranma's responding meow sounded
indignant. Kasumi laughed again. "Yes, I know it's not usually your
fault. Well, I think Akane will be home soon looking for you. Would
you like some milk while you wait?"
They were in the kitchen - Ranma sloppily drinking milk from a
saucer, while Kasumi watched him in amusement - when they heard the
front door open and Akane call out a greeting. Ranma's head snapped up
from the saucer, his eyes large and bright, with a large smile
stretched across his face. He shot out of the kitchen like a lightning
bolt, nearly crashing into the wall in his haste. Kasumi followed
behind at a more sedate pace. She caught up with him in the foyer,
snuggling in the lap of a rather out of breath looking Akane. He was
purring quite loudly; Kasumi translated in her head what he declared
to the entire world: mine, mine, mine, mine, mine. She smiled
good-naturedly at his uninhibited display of frankness, but a trace of
wistfulness crept into her eyes as she looked at him and her oblivious
little sister.
"He seems happy to see you, Akane," said Kasumi.
Akane laughed and blushed a little. "I guess so. Has he been home
long? I hope he hasn't been underfoot."
"No, not long. He was a bit noisy when he came in, but he quieted
down when I gave him some milk."
"Figures. He has a bottomless stomach, no matter what." Akane
scratched Ranma around an ear. His purring intensified.
"So how did he get into the Neko-ken this time?" Kasumi asked.
"Shampoo. She asked him out and when he said 'no' she splashed
herself and chased him around. He tripped on the sidewalk and by the
time I booted her off he'd gone cat and dashed off before I could call
him back."
"I should have guessed..." Akane paused in her scratching. Ranma
meowed in protest but she ignored him, looking closely at her older
sister. "Are you all right, Kasumi? You look tired."
Kasumi hesitated a moment before answering. "I AM feeling a little
peaked. I... I don't think I slept as well as I should have." She
admitted the last part with reluctance.
Akane pushed Ranma off of her lap, stood up and walked over to her.
"Maybe you should lie down for a little while."
"I think you are right. In fact, I think I'll go to bed now. I'm
sure I'll feel better after a long sleep."
Akane nodded almost eagerly. "Okay. I'll cook supper, then. There's a
new recipe in my cookbook I want to try out."
"No Akane."
"But..."
"I said 'no', Akane," Kasumi said with uncharacteristic force. "If
you want you can help with dinner tomorrow, but for tonight just order
some take-out."
"O- okay Sis," Akane answered, surprised and a little stung by
Kasumi's tone. Kasumi just nodded and made her way upstairs to her
bedroom. Akane watched her, stroking Ranma's head, finding comfort in
his purrs.
Kasumi sat in front of her mirror, brushing her hair and frowning.
She knew now definitely that she was out of sorts. It was not like her
to be cross with Akane; she couldn't figure out why she had spoken to
her like that. Kasumi set down her brush and looked down at her hands
folded in her lap.
"I know why," she finally whispered. "I'm jealous of her. She has a
life outside of the family, and she has someone who loves her very
much. What do I have to fulfill me, besides the responsibilities of
caring for my father's house? Who do I have to love me? No one..."
Kasumi sighed deeply as she got into bed. "But at least I have my
dreams. No one can take those away from me..."
**********
In her bed at the Foaming Tankard Inn Kasumi the Wayfarer stirred,
awoken by the lusty crowing of a rooster greeting the Sun. She sat up,
stretched luxuriously and threw off her blankets, the cares and
burdens of the waking world forgotten. Stepping out of bed, she donned
the clean cloth robe and slippers old Ranson supplied all his guests
with, gathered up her own clothes and gear and walked out to the
bathhouse in the inn's back courtyard. Being the only woman guest at
the inn right now, she had the ladies' portion of the baths to her
self. So she took her time, pampering herself with hot water and soap,
washing away the musk she acquired traveling yesterday. Once finished
she quickly memorized a cantrip from her grimoire and used it to clean
and freshen her clothes. It was a useful spell for travelers, one she
wished she had in her other life. She frowned a little at the thought.
She did not like thinking of her other life while in her dreamlands.
Still frowning, her mood now somber, she dressed and left the
bathhouse.
A chorus of mews greeted her. Two kittens dashed across the courtyard
towards her- one black with a white tip on its tail, the other
completely white. They twined around her legs, pressing their cheeks
against her boots, purring happily. Kasumi laughed merrily, her
previous somberness banished. She knelt down to stroke them.
"Hello Whitetip. Hello Snowchild. It's wonderful to see you again. My
have you grown! I hope you've been taking good care of Ranson while
I've been gone." Kasumi lilted her speech in the purring manner she
had used with Ranma. As a child she befriended the cat community of
Ulthar and learned their language. The cats loved her dearly -
especially the young ones - and she returned their affection fully.
"Lady Kasumi, Lady Kasumi, have you heard what we've heard?" the
kittens said to her in tandem.
Kasumi smiled and continued to pet them. "I don't think I have. I've
just returned to Ulthar after a long hiatus. Do you wish to tell me?"
"We do," the kittens said. Kasumi scooped them up in her arms and
walked over to an oak bench set against the wall of the inn. She sat
down, settling the kittens in her lap and scratched them behind their
ears.
"Now my clever kittens, tell me what you know." The kittens purred at
her praise and launched into their tale.
"We were down by the Skai," began Whitetip.
"Yes, playing tag and chasing butterflies," added Snowchild.
"Yes. I was chasing Snowchild when a Twk-Man came flying by."
"He was riding a golden dragonfly so large it could have carried us
away!"
"He asked us if we wished to trade with him, for he had important
news."
"So we gave him a red ribbon."
"Yes. It was a good, new ribbon. All bright and shiny."
"And he told us something wonderful..."
Here the kittens paused for a moment. Kasumi scratched them under
their chins. "So, what was this wonderful thing the Twk-Man told you?"
she asked. The kittens looked at each other, then around the courtyard
to make sure no one was eavesdropping. They stared up at Kasumi, their
golden eyes wide with excitement.
"Mazirian the Magician is dead!" Whitetip whispered.
"He'll no longer threaten and frighten with evil deeds and dark
spells," added Snowchild.
Kasumi's eyes grew wide in surprise and disbelief. "Are you sure?"
she whispered back to them. They nodded emphatically.
"The Twk-Man said he saw Mazirian die with his own two eyes," said
Whitetip.
"Twk-Men don't lie," said Snowchild. "You know that, Lady Kasumi."
"You're right," admitted Kasumi. "But Mazirian was as cunning as he
was cruel. It is hard to believe that he is dead... How did it
happen?"
"The Twk-Man said Mazirian chased a strange woman all throughout the
Forest of Skai, and spent all his magic in the pursuit."
"She led him through a grove of Thrash Vines. The Vines whipped her
near to death and killed Mazirian outright."
"The Twk-Man also saw a strange man leave Mazirian's home, carrying
that poor woman away."
"The Manse of Mazirian the Magician now lies open, undefended by its
master."
Kasumi did not speak for several moments, thinking hard on this
story. Shaking out of her reverie, she proceeded to pet the kittens
thoroughly, thanking them for bringing this news and asking them
persuasively to refrain from telling others about it for a few days.
The kittens purred happily and agreed. She took them to the kitchen,
fetching them a saucer of cream as a reward. She left them behind,
drinking happily, as she left the inn.
Kasumi wandered the white cobblestone streets of Ulthar deep in
thought, greeting those who hailed her abstractly. She eventually
found herself at the docks. A wind blew over the Skai from the East,
damp and soothing, the smell of the river pleasing, for the folk of
Ulthar knew better than to foul it, so not to offend the aquatic
Gnorri that lived farther down current, or the God Skai himself.
Kasumi stood at the very end of a pier, out of the way of the
passengers disembarking from a moored boat, recently arrived from
up-river. She doffed her hat, holding it by her side, and looked out
over the Skai, gazing at the dark forests that lay on its other side.
Kasumi knew much of Mazirian, though all of her knowledge came from
second hand sources. She had never met the magician in the flesh,
thankfully. His reputation was dire, his cold, clinical cruelty and
greed for sorcerous secrets renowned. He had made many foes in his
long quest for knowledge; he had stolen lore from the great King
Kuranes, founder of Celephais, and Prince Kandive the Golden, ruler of
Kaiin. That Mazirian crossed such dangerous men and managed to live
long after the fact was testament to his own power and ruthless
cunning. For as long as she could remember the inhabitants of the
region feared him and were thankful that he had little use for the
common run of folks, thus rarely emerging from his manse and his
gardens to trouble them.
Now Mazirian was dead, and that manse - a renovated ruin of a castle
so ancient not even the Wise had the slightest inkling of its founders
- and those gardens were vulnerable. Kasumi did not doubt the kittens'
story; the veracity of Twk-Men was proverbial throughout the known
world. She wondered about the marvels Mazirian was said to have
collected... treasures from centuries past, charms and devices
constructed by artifice long forgotten, spells and incantations of
incredible cogency... all of it waiting for one daring enough to claim
it. It also helped that she, as far as she knew, was the only one to
know about this opportunity.
Kasumi rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She was not of an avaricious
nature. Money she found useful, but it meant little to her, and she
sought spells to aid her with her adventures, not as a means to gather
power or dominion. But like the cats of Ulthar her curiosity was
great; she wanted to see the legendary gardens Mazirian cultivated, to
examine the artifacts he horded, to browse through his grimiores and
lorebooks, just for the sake of doing so. And once curiosity had been
satisfied she'd leave, maybe with a bauble that caught her fancy and a
spell or two added to her repertoire. But she couldn't help but think
that perhaps this adventure could prove to be too much for her alone.
The Forest of Skai was in some ways more dangerous than the Enchanted
Forest, for in addition to monsters and neomorphs men dwelt there-
brigands for the most part, as savage and sadistic as any deodand or
moon-beast. And then there was the matter of the manse itself.
Mazirian may be dead, but magicians of his stature often left
unpleasant surprises for those who sought to impose on their
hospitality while they were away. The course of wisdom suggested
recruiting competent help. Yet Kasumi frowned at the idea of seeking
partners. She was not adverse to companionship or sharing spoils, but
she knew instinctively she had little time to pursue this opportunity.
Though she had many friends among the wanderers of the dreamlands the
odds were against any of them being in Ulthar now. Nor for a venture
of this magnitude did she wish to trust someone she did not know well.
Also the news of Mazirian's demise would not stay her secret for long.
She trusted the kittens' discretion, but the Twk-Men were mercenaries;
they would tell anyone of it if they paid their price. Kasumi did not
relish competing for the manse- especially if it were against a true
sorcerer or a villain such as the notorious Liane...
"Ka- Kasumi!" A voice startled her out of her thoughts. It sounded
very familiar, yet she couldn't place it. She looked over her shoulder
for the speaker. A man stood halfway down the moored boat's gangplank,
staring at her in gape-mouthed astonishment. He was tall and svelte,
tanned bronze from a life out-of-doors, clad in a deep-blue vest, blue
trousers, and sturdy leather walking boots. He wore no shirt beneath
the vest, his almost Grecian chest and stomach bare to the world.
Slung over his shoulder was a bulging rucksack. An axe, bronze-hafted,
its blade bright and silvery, hung at his hip; on his brow a silver
circlet bound his brown hair, keeping his bangs out of his eyes. The
circlet was wrought to resemble a wreath of oak leaves, and set in its
center was a small blue gem of cabochon cut. His face was handsome,
its wide brow and tapering chin giving him an air of intelligence and
wisdom, while his dark eyes were of the deepest black Kasumi had ever
seen. She peered closely at this man, trying to place when and where
she could have met him, for his seemed hauntingly familiar.
Recognition dawned, its light striking her with a thunderbolt's force.
Her eyes flew wide open. She dropped her hat onto the pier as her hand
shot up to cover her mouth.
"Oh my! Doctor Tofu!"
/////
Author's Notes
If you wish to know more of Mazirian the Magician and of the hubris
that caused his downfall I refer you to the second chapter of Jack
Vance's 'The Dying Earth'.
Criticism and comments can be directed to Dori...@aol.com.
Thanks for your time and tolerance,
Jeremy Harper