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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 21:31:01 -0700
From: Pat Olsen <tagan1@ccaccess.net>
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Subject: A Scary Difference Chapter 6 prereaders version
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                A Scary Difference Chapter 6

    Kasumi met up with Artemis just outside the fence.  He grinned at
her in a way totally impossible for an ordinary cat, then quirked his
head at the street.  "Come on, I'll take you to the Senshi."  She nodded

to him and they ran off down the street together.  Kasumi put aside her
questioning thoughts about the origins of moon cats for a few moments
and let her self relax and enjoy the run.

    Kasumi usually disliked her curse quite a bit, but there were
moments where she felt comfortable with it, even enjoyed it.  She loved
the balance, speed and agility she gained as a cat, the enhanced senses,

the freedom of not having to act in any specific way.  As a cat she was
as free as a child again, with no responsibilities, no housework, just
playing, napping or climbing trees...

    She sighed internally, becoming melancholy once more as they ran.  <

The price is too high, the loss of my, well, I suppose you could say my
humanity, the inconvenience of not having hands, of being so small and
helpless.  No I'd give up the curse in an instant, if there was a way to

do so.  The small pleasures of being a cat don't compensate for the pain

of not being human.>

    She looked about at the route ahead, wondering where Artemis was
taking her.  She sighed as she realized there was no was no way to ask,
and drifted back into her sad thoughts as they ran.  < The worst part of

having the curse is the pain it causes the ones I love.>  She thought,
< Especially Johnathon.  The month I was stuck because of the Cat's
Tongue, that had to be the worst month of my life.  I hope I never have
to go through that again!>

    Artemis led her across town and down to the river.  She had learned
from her sisters that this was where Ranma, or at least her worlds Ranma

came when he wanted to be alone.  <I wonder if my counterpart comes here

often?>  She and the moon cat paused at the top of the embankment and
she peered down curiously.  There, under the bridge, five sailor suited
heroines of love and justice, and one black moon cat stood waiting for
them.

    Artemis glanced at Kasumi.  She nodded at him, and went running down

to the girls.  Sailor Mercury was the first to spot her coming and
stepped forward.  Kasumi hesitated and stopped several feet away until
Artemis caught up to her.  He joined her and sat down on his haunches to

face the Senshi.  "Hello girls, Luna!  I'd like you to meet Kasumi."

    Sailor Mercury smiled and stepped forward again and squatted down
get closer to her.  "Hello, Kasumi! It's certainly a pleasure to meet
you!"

    Kasumi did her best to bow.  As a cat it came out more like a
curtsy, but Mercury understood.  "We'll do our best to help you,
Kasumi."  She stood then and activated her visor, then brought the
Mercury computer out of it's extra dimensional pocket.

    As the Senshi of the innermost planet began taking readings and
making notations in her computer, Luna and the other four Senshi came up

to greet Kasumi as well.  Sailor Mars sketched a short bow, feeling
slightly silly bowing to a cat.  "Uh, hello Kasumi, it's nice to meet
you."

    Kasumi bowed back, and Sailor Moon goggled at her before turning to
look at her guardian cat.  "Wow!  Luna she looks just like you!"  The
enthusiastic girl knelt down to get a closer look at Kasumi.  "Hi
Kasumi, I'm Sailor Moon!"

    Kasumi smiled to herself and bowed again, thinking.  < She's so
earnest and happy, just like Usagi-chan in my world.>

    The senshi's erstwhile leader quirked her head so one of her pony
tails touched the ground and asked, "So, how long have you been a cat,
Kasumi?"

    Kasumi blinked and shrugged helplessly.  Sailor Jupiter lightly
chided her Princess.  "She's not  like our two cat's Sailor Moon.  She
can't talk when she's a cat."  She frowned then looked down at Kasumi
apologetically.  "Can you?"

    Kasumi shook her head no.

    Venus looked thoughtful then and squatted down as well.  "Would you
like us to get you some hot water so you can change back?"

    Kasumi seemed to hesitate almost reluctantly, but nodded.  Mina
smiled.  "OK!"  She turned to survey their surroundings.  "Now where can

we get some hot water?"

    Kasumi meowed for attention and pointed at Sailor Mars.  The Senshi
of Fire blinked.  "Well, I can do hot... but where do I get the water?"

    Venus smiled wider and pointed to the river.  "There's plenty right
there!"

    Mars looked at the river and frowned.  "I don't know, the rivers
moving pretty fast for me to easily heat up a section of it."

    Kasumi meowed for attention again.  The Senshi turned to look at
her, and she pointed to Sailor Mercury, who was still busy taking
readings.

    Sailor Moon looked confused.  "Sailor Mercury does fog or ice...
How's that going to help?"

    Mars snorted.  "That's water meatball-head!"

    Moon stuck her tongue out at Mars, and said.  "Bleah!  Why are you
always so mean to me?"

    Sailor Mars returned fire.  "Cause you deserve it, you
meatball-head!"

    Kasumi, Artemis, Luna and the other two Senshi exchanged wearied
looks.  Kasumi walked up to Sailor Jupiter and meowed at her, trying to
explain something in a primitive sign language.

    Jupiter sighed for Kasumi's sake. She sat down next to her and paid
attention, but she wasn't getting whatever message Kasumi was trying to
tell her.  "What are you trying to tell me Kasumi?  Don't you want to be

changed back?"

    Kasumi nodded.

    "Then what is it?"

    Kasumi tugged at Jupiter's short skirt and sighed again, seeing the
incomprehension in the younger girls face.

    "Difficult to explain like that, huh." Jupiter noted.

    Sailor's Mars and Moon halted their tongue war and went over to
Sailor Mercury.  Rei asked, "Hey, Mercury, do you think you could
produce some water?"

    Mercury blinked in momentary confusion, having been to involved with

her computer to catch the earlier conversation, but then she nodded.
"Oh, to change Kasumi back into her human form?"  She looked
thoughtful.  "Well, I've never used my powers in quite that way, but I
don't see why not."  She wrinkled her nose.  "I don't think I can do hot

water though."

    Mars nodded.  "I'll handle the heat, you handle the water, OK?"

    Sailor Mercury nodded back.  "OK.  I'm about done taking readings of

Kasumi's cat form anyway.  It might help if I scanned her as a human."
She turned to point at a spot nearby.  "How about we practice over
there?"

    Rei nodded.  "All right.  Show me what you have in mind, and I'll
figure out how to heat it up."

    After a couple of tries, Sailor Mercury produced a slow moving,
medium sized ball of water.  Sailor Mars nodded, and signaled her to try

it again.  This time as the ball shot out, Mars nailed it with a small
ball of flame.  The ball of water steamed a bit, but only lost a little
volume before hitting the ground.  Mercury tapped her visor.  "44
degrees, Mars.  Just a little bit less and you've got it."  They tried
again, producing a slightly cooler ball of water.  "40 degrees."
Mercury announced.  "Kasumi-san, we're ready for you!"

    Kasumi obediently walked over to them and sat down in the line of
fire.  Mercury and Mars concentrated, and Mercury counted down.  "OK,
three, two, one, now!"  The two Senshi summoned their powers together.

    As they did so, Sailor Jupiter snapped her fingers.  "Now I get it!
Kasumi was trying to tell me that..."

    With a splash, Kasumi was transformed back into her human form,
crouched naked on all fours.  Jupiter sighed, placed one hand over her
eyes and finished the sentence.  "That she wasn't wearing any clothes."

    Kasumi sat back, pulling her knees up to her chest and trying not to

blush.  Sailor Moon 'eeped' and turned red as a beet.  Mars covered her
mouth and turned away also blushing.  Sailor's Venus's eyes were wide
and her mouth open.  "Oh dear."  Mercury just blinked.

    Makoto sighed and shook her head.  She looked around at the others,
and noticed them all doing the same.  Normally she would of just grabbed

someone's sweater or jacket to give to Kasumi, but all they were wearing

were their skimpy fukus.  Suddenly she blinked at the obvious answer.
"I know, everybody transform back."

    Sailor Moon looked at her, concerned,  "Huh?  But..."

    Artemis interrupted her.  "It's alright, Kasumi already knows who
you are."

    Sailor Moon blinked.  "Oh yeah, that's right... but why transform?"

    Makoto had already done so.  "So we can loan Kasumi something to
wear!"

    Kasumi smiled at her gratefully.  "Thank you Makoto-chan."

    Usagi nodded, still blushing, and transformed, followed by the other

Senshi.  She pulled off the light jacket she was wearing and walked over

to Kasumi.  "Here, you can borrow my jacket."

    Kasumi smiled hesitantly, eyeing the jacket.  Rei shook her head.
"That's no good, Usagi, Kasumi's obviously taller than you."  She looked

around the group.  "And unless someone's wearing another skirt...."  She

blushed slightly.  "Never mind.. Makoto, you're tall enough, why don't
you lend Kasumi your sweat-shirt.  It'd hang down far enough I think."

    Makoto hesitated, blushing now herself.  "Well, I'm not wearing... a

shirt under this."  She shrugged helplessly, then sighed and began
pulling the sweatshirt up.  "It's not a problem."  Makoto pulled it over

her head, leaving her chest covered only by her bra.   "Usagi, lend me
your jacket OK?"  She said as she handed the sweat-shirt to Kasumi.

    Usagi nodded and handed it over.  Makoto pulled it on with
difficulty.  It was much to small, and it showed.  Makoto's arms stuck
almost halfway out of the sleeves, and she was having great difficulty
zipping it up.  Ami giggled suddenly and shook her head.  "Makoto, why
don't you borrow my sweater.  It'll stretch, and you can roll up the
sleeves.  Usagi's jacket looks silly on you."

    Makoto expelled the breath she had been holding and sighed in
relief.  A quick clothing exchange later everyone was almost decent.
Kasumi was standing in Makoto's sweatshirt, which thankfully went down
to mid thigh.  It was much less then what she preferred to wear, but
recent months had gotten her used to wearing whatever was available.
Makoto wore Ami's sweater.  It was too small, but not outrageously so,
and Ami was still wearing a long sleeved shirt.

    After a few glances at each other, Ami once again pulled out her
computer and visor, and began scanning Kasumi again.  Behind her, Mina
whispered to Rei, "How does she do that without transforming back?"

    Rei answered in the same tone.  "How do I know?  I don't have a
computer in my costume either."

    About a minute later Ami looked up from her computer, and put away
the visor.  She was frowning thoughtfully.  "There are a lot of
different things that are strange about your aura, Kasumi-san.  I
believe that I have detected an extradimensional signature, but it's
hard to define with all the other magical interference."  She looked
questioningly at Kasumi.  "Have you any idea what might be causing  all
the interference?"

    Kasumi looked very confused, but she tried to think of something
that might be helpful.  "I'm not really sure... the Jusenkyo curse is
magical, isn't it?"

    Ami nodded.  "Yes, and I think I was able to identify it's presence
in your aura... but there's quite a bit more than that there.  Can you
tell me what other strange effects, magic, other curses or a spell
perhaps... that you might be affected by currently?"

    The other girls looked at each other curiously as Kasumi thought
about it.  She blinked in thought.  "Other curses?  Well, Johnathon and
Ranma... my world's Ranma that is, said that the Jusenkyo curse makes us

water magnets.  It does seem to be true.."

  Ami blinked then checked her computer.  "Hmm... hmm, yes,
diabolically convenient, hmm...."  Ami tapped away for another minute
then looked up.  "Was there anything else?  Anything else strange or
magical that happened to you?"

    Kasumi looked thoughtful.  "Well I was affected by the Cat's tongue
shiatsu point for awhile... about a month."     Ami blinked, then
glanced at Makoto.  "That's what happened to... this worlds Kasumi as
well, right?  That magus, Frost, cured her with a spell..."  Ami looked
at Kasumi, a question on her face.  "How were you cured?"

    Kasumi answered easily.  "Cologne gave me the Phoenix pill.  I was
fine after that."

    Ami nodded.  "I see, I wonder if..."  She went back to typing on her

computer.

    Makoto looked interested.  "Hey, you've got a lot in common with our

Kasumi.  You both got the Cat's Tongue point, and you were both cured of

it.  Maybe that's a clue."

    Ami looked up.  "I think your right Makoto.  Look at what I found."
She tapped a few more keys on her computer and showed Kasumi and Makoto
the screen.

    Usagi tried to peer over Kasumi's shoulder.  "Let me see!  Let me
see!"

    Ami adjusted the monitor so her 'leader' could see it, and pointed
to it.  The monitor showed a silhouetted picture of Kasumi, overlaid by
a multi-colored aura.  "I've input everything Kasumi's told us, and made

some guesses on my own.  This is what I've found."

   Makoto blinked.  "Ami..."

   Ami sighed.  "I'll explain."  She started tapping keys again.  "I've
eliminated the signal from each curse Kasumi has experienced.  The
Jusenkyo curse..."  As she spoke the aura around Kasumi's silhouette
lost several colors,  "the Cat's Tongue..."  another color faded to
black.  "The Phoenix pill, which I figure is a counter..."  another
color faded.

    Makoto broke in.  "Wait a second, I thought Kasumi said she was
cured of the Cat's Tongue?"

    Ami nodded.  "She was, but it wasn't destroyed.  The Cat's Tongue is

still there, lowering Kasumi's tolerance for heat, but at the same time
there is a counter effect, the Phoenix pill I assume, increasing her
tolerance for heat."

    Kasumi looked shocked.  "Oh dear.  That does seem like quite a lot
of magic."

    Ami nodded.  "There's more.  There are two more spells here, both
weaker than the others.  One I haven't been able to identify yet... it
seems to be centered around your higher reasoning centers, your
subconscious, and your memory.  I was able to isolate it however, and
that left..."   Ami tapped several more keys.  "this."  The silhouette
of Kasumi now glowed faintly in red.  "That's the extra dimensional
trace.  There's a faint energy signature going into another dimension
from you, much like the ones from our devices and costumes.  I believe
that that trace connects you somehow to where you come from.

    Kasumi wasn't sure what everything meant, but she beamed happily at
Ami anyway.  "Does that mean you can send me home?"

    Ami chewed on her lip.  "I'm not sure.  It might help if we learned
a little bit more about how you got here.  Perhaps you could show me
where you first arrived?"

    Kasumi blinked and looked thoughtful.  "Oh, well... I woke up in a
strange bed, in a room above a restaurant."

    Makoto nodded.  "Kasumi's room, down the hall from mine."

    Ami nodded back.  "That's where we have to look then.  Perhaps there

is still some dimensional instability there."

    Makoto grinned.  "Then lets go.  Everybody stay cool.  I live there,

it should be OK for me to have a few friends over."

    Usagi looked at her curiously.  "Really?  In the middle of the
night?"

    Makoto sighed.  "Well, hopefully no one's home."  She led the group
to the restaurant.  When they arrived, Makoto had them wait outside
while she checked it out.  A minute later she let them in.  "The coast
is clear, Cologne and Shampoo aren't here."  Makoto then led them all to

Kasumi's room upstairs.  The room was much as they had left it, the
bed unmade, Kasumi's tank top and boxers on the floor.

    Ami brought out her computer and visor again and began scanning the
room.  "Hmm, I believe I've found it.  Kasumi, you were on the bed?"

    Kasumi nodded.  Ami continued scanning and blinked in surprise. She
gestured.  "There seems to be one large instability, from the bed to...
here."  She pointed to an area at the foot of the futon.  "From my
readings, it looks like a second person was in this spot, and was also
pulled through the dimensional hole, while one person...  you I
assume, was sent here."

    Ami shook her head.  "This is all too complex.  I'll never be able
to figure out exactly what happened, or duplicate it without whoever was

here."

    Kasumi sighed deeply.  "Thank you for trying, Ami-chan."

    Ami started to smile faintly and shook her head.  "Don't give up
yet.  I may not be able to duplicate the events that brought you here,
but I think we can get you home anyway."

    Everyone focused on Ami now,  "What? How?!"

    Ami nodded knowingly.  "Like our costumes, Kasumi is connected to an

extra dimensional space.  If we can open the dimensional rift in this
room, Kasumi should be drawn back home."

    Kasumi smiled brightly.  "Then I can go home?"

    Ami nodded.  "Then, once you're there, you can tell our Kasumi to
get your universe's Senshi to open up her end of the rift, and she'll
come home as well."

    Usagi cleared her throat.  "Um, Ami, how are we going to open a
dimensional whachamacallit?"

    Ami looked at her seriously.  "I think, Usagi, that it's going to be

up to you.  From what I've seen, Kasumi is held in this dimension by a
kind of inertia and the lack of a way home.  However, the dimensional
rift is slightly unstable.  If it is fed enough energy, it should pop
open again, if only for an instant.  If Kasumi was at the point of entry

when that happened she'd be drawn in, back to her own world.  It is
possible, that if the other Kasumi is also at the point of instability
in your world, that she would be drawn through as well."  She shrugged,
"Though I grant you it is only a small chance."

    Usagi looked incredulously at her.  "You want me to supply the
energy?  You mean I should use the...."

    Ami nodded.  "The rest of us can help, but I think you have to be
the one to do this."

    Usagi sighed and nodded.  "OK, I'll do it.  What do I have to do?"

    Ami pointed to the futon.  "You should focus the silver crystal's
energy there.  Build it up like you want to do a teleport, then release
it right there."

    Usagi wrinkled her brow.  "I could do that I think."

    Ami turned to Kasumi.  "You should get on the futon, right where you

woke up."

    Kasumi nodded in understanding.  "Should I wear the other Kasumi's
clothing?"

    Ami hesitated before answering, then shrugged.  "It certainly
couldn't hurt."

     Kasumi nodded, and went over to pick up the discarded clothes.  She

slid on the boxers, then pulled the sweatshirt off and handed it to
Makoto.  "Thank you very much for the loan Makoto-chan, I don't think
I'll need it any longer."

    Makoto smiled at the older girl.  "I think I'm going to miss you,
Kasumi.  Have a safe trip back."

    Kasumi smiled back and putting the tank-top on she went over and lay

down on the futon.  She waited patently looking up at them.

    Ami checked her computer and said,  "That's fine."  She turned to
the others.  "Alright, we need to transform, so we can add our power to
Sailor Moon's."  The other senshi nodded, and as one, transformed.

    Kasumi's eyes widened slightly at the display.  <I wonder if that's
why Johnathon hangs around those girls?  I'll have to talk to him about
it.>  She looked at them as their transformations ended, and said
softly, but with sincerity and conviction in her voice,  "I can not
thank you all enough for this.  If this works I will probably never see
you again, but I wish I somehow could, if just to thank you again."

    (Somewhere a white tressed, bronze skined goddess, nodded.  "Hmm.
Very
interesting.")

    Sailor Moon shook her head.  "No thanks are necessary.  Being hero's

is... kinda what we do.  Good luck Kasumi."  She looked around at her
friends, and nodded.  They all joined hands around the futon, Sailor
Moon at the head.  The other four Senshi shouted,  "Mar's Planet Power!
Mercury Planet Power!  Jupiter Planet Power!  Venus Planet Power!"
Sailor Moon felt their power entering her, and suddenly she could see,
or feel the rift before her.  All at once she felt she knew what to do.
She pictured the rift opening, and spoke the words quietly, for she felt

the power she had was more than plenty.  It sounded like a whisper, but
everyone in the room heard her clearly.  "Sailor Teleport."

    There was a sudden flash, and an instant later when they could see,
Kasumi was gone.  They broke apart and Sailor Jupiter reached down.  She

picked up the white tank-top.  "She left the clothes behind."

    Sailor Mercury already had her computer out and was checking it. She

nodded.  "They were from this dimension, so they stayed here."  She then

summoned her visor.  "Hmm, the rift is closed again, I hope the other
universe's Senshi can send our Kasumi back. Theoretically, it should
work for them as well.  I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

    Sailor Jupiter nodded.  "I'll wait here.  The rest of you should go
home.  I'll call you if there's anything I need help with."

    Usagi nodded and yawned.  "I hope Kasumi's OK."

    Ami nodded severely.  "As do I."

   *************************************

    Kasumi found herself in a dark place.  She oriented herself, getting

to her feet and looking around. Behind her was a clear pool of water.
It held the reflections of the Sailor Senshi and the other Kasumi's
room.  Extending before her was a faint red cord, going out of sight.
Kasumi noted the fact that she was naked, but it wasn't cold, or hot for

that matter, and there was no one around to see.

    Kasumi gathered herself and began to walk, following the red cord.

    Frost blinked in shock as she felt the sudden surge of energy coming

from her right.  It was gone in an instant, but Frost had a sinking
suspicion about what it was.  "No!  The gate!"  The magus flew toward
the gate back toward her own world with every ounce of will she
possessed.

    Frost had discovered that speed in this place was determined by
will, and one thing she had plenty of was willpower.  The seconds
flashed by as Frost sped up the length of the astral cord.  Suddenly,
ahead of her, Frost spotted a figure walking in her direction.  The
magus sped up to her and halted.

    Frost stopped in front of Kasumi, blinked in recognition, and
blurted.  "How did you get in here?"

    Kasumi looked at the little girl floating before her and spoke
politely.  "I'm  going home.  I believe it is that way."  Kasumi
helpfully pointed along the astral cord that extended off behind Frost.

    Frost hid her right hand behind her back.  "Oh, well then... good
luck."

    Kasumi smiled.  "Thank you."

    Frost nodded and flew off hurriedly in the direction Kasumi had come

from.  < Please let it still be there!>  In moments Frost spotted the
pool off in the distance and flew up to it, only to be once again halted

just before it by the cord around her left wrist.  Frost thought the
problem through carefully.  < How did the other Kasumi get in here?>
She's going back to her own world, so I should be able to follow her
out.  But if I do that, I'll never find my own world again.>

    Frost kept thinking about it.  < If that universe's Kasumi is going
home, she'll meet up with my world's Kasumi.  If the other Kasumi could
find the way home, she can tell my world's Kasumi how to get home as
well... and I'll be free.>  The magus nodded.  < If I follow her, I'll
never find my way home.  I've got to wait here... as long as I can.>